And therfore who soo euer presumethe to come to god with this prayer and to call hym Father and yet hath not full entente and purpose to vse hym selfe in all thynges lyke a kynde and an obedyente sonne he commeth to hym as Iudas came to Christe with a kysse pretendynge to be his frende and his seruaunt in callynge hym mayster and yet he was in dede a traytour to hym and a deadely ennemie And for this consyderation euery chrysten manne that entendeth to make this peayer ought inwardely and throughoutly to enserche and examyne hym selfe And if he fynde in hym selfe any notable cryme Luc. xv for the whiche he maye be ashamed to call god his father let hym accuse hym selfe therof to god and recognyse his vnworthynes sayinge as the prodygall sonne sayde Father I haue offended the I am not worthy to be called thy sonne And with intiere repentaunce and with ferme purpose and entente to amende his noughty lyfe let hym lyfte vp his harte vnto his celestiall father And let hym call for his grace of reconciliation and then lette hym boldely saye this Pater noster ¶ Fyftly that in these wordes Our father is signified that we ought to beleue not onely that almyghty god is the commune father of all chrysten people and equally and indyfferently regardeth the ryche and the poore the free the bonde the lorde and the subiecte but also that all christen people be Christis owne bretherne and the verye coenheritours and compartioners with hym in the kyngedome of heuen and fynally that al chrysten men be bretherne to gyther and haue all one father whiche is god almyghtye And that therfore we ought not onely to be of one spyryte towardes our sayde father Ephe iiii to employ and endeuour our selfes to the vttermoste to plese hym and to kepe his lawes and commaundementes but we ought also eche to consente with other in parfyte loue and charitie and eche to helpe and further other towardes our sayde inheritaunce in heuen and fynally in all our prayers to god eche to comprise other and to praye for other lyke as in this Pater noster we be taughte to say Oure father gyue vs our breade forgyue vs our synnes suffre vs not to falle in temptation and delyuer vs from yuell ¶ Sixtely by these wordes whiche arte in heuen we be taught that we ought to haue not onely an inwarde desyre and a great care and studie to come to that place where our heuenly father is but also an inwarde sorowe and griefe that we be so longe kepte frome the presence of oure heuenly father and be subiecte here vnto so manyfolde cures and thoughtes to so many troubles and miserie and to so many and so greuous perylles and daungers of the worlde of synne and of the dyuell For lyke as a louynge chylde is euer desyrous to be where his father is yf his father shall departe to any place he woll lamente and be sorye oneles he maye go with hym and in his absence he woll morne and at his retourne he woll be ioyfull euen so ought we desyre euer to be with oure heuenly father And to se that oure conuersation be all withdrawen frome the worlde the flesshe and the dyuell and be sette in heuen and heuenly thynges as sayncte Paule sayth Ephe. iiii philip iii And we ought contynually to wayle and lamente bycause we be not with our heuenly father saying with the prophete wofull am I Psal cix that my dwellynge vpon the erthe is so moche prolonged ¶ The sense and interpretation of the seconde petition O God almyghty our moost mercyfull father we thy wretched chyldren moost humbly beseche and pray the helpe vs by thy grace not onely that we maye attayne and come to thy kyngedome in heuen after this mortall lyfe but also that in this present lyfe we maye be delyuered frome the kyngedome and power of the dyuell and synne and that we may lyue vnder thy dominion and kyngdome whiche is the kyngedome of innocency and grace We confesse and knowlege our foly our blyndenes yea and our extreme vnkyndnes towardes the our moost mercyfull father in that we haue so wyllyngly and gladly forsaken the so myghty and so gracious a kynge and haue gyuen our selfes to serue the dyuell whiche hath euer hated vs and lyke a moost cruell and wycked tyranne hath euer vexed and troubled vs nor neuer goth aboute any other thyng but to dystroy vs where as thou our mercyfull father haste created and made vs whan we were nothynge haste redemed vs whan we were damned haste ordeyned euerlastynge lyfe for vs whan for oure synnes we shulde haue bene iudged to euerlastynge deathe And therfore consyderyng nowe this our owne madnes ingratitude and beyng wery of this myserable thraldome and bondage whiche we susteyne vnder this kyngdome of the dyuell synne helpe vs we pray the moost dere father that we may escape from out of this most wretched thraldome captiuite that we may be subiecte vnto thy kyngdome Gyue vs before all thynges true constant fayth in the and in thy sonne Iesu Christ in the holy gost Gyue vs pure loue charite towardes the al men Kepe vs from infidelitie desperation malyce whiche myght be the cause of our destruction delyuer vs from dissensions couetousnes lechery all yuell desyres and lustes of synne Make the vertue of thy kyngedome soo to come and to reygne within vs that al our harte mynde and wyttes with all our strength inwarde and outwarde maye suffre them selfe to be ruled by the to serue the to obserue thy cōmaundementes and thy wyll not them selfe the flesshe the worlde or the dyuell Make that thy kyngedome ones in vs begonne may be dayly encreased and go forwarde more and more Suffre not the subtile and secrete hate or slouth whiche we haue to goodnes to rule so in vs that it shall cause vs to loke backe agayne and to fall in to synne Gyue vs a stable purpose and strength not onely to begynne the lyfe of innocencye in thy kyngedome but also to procede ernestely in it and to performe it Lyghten oure eien Psal xii leste we slepe or be werye in good lyfe ones begonne and soo suffre oute ennemie to brynge vs agayne vnder his power Graunt that we may contynue in goodnes and that after this kyngedome whiche is begonne in this lyfe we maye come vnto thy heauenly kyngedome whiche indureth euer ¶ For the better vnderstandynge of this seconde petition we thynke it conuenyent that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that this seconde peticion is veray necessarie For no doubte oure auncient ennemy the dyuell gothe aboute contynually by all crafte and meanes to deceyue vs and to brynge vs vnder his power and dominion And surely so longe as pryde or dysobedience reygneth in vs so longe as ire enuy wrathe or couetousnes
harte that god the father dyd resuscitate and raise vppe his sonne Christe from deathe to lyfe he shall be saued And in an other place he sayth that who soeuer beleueth not i. Cor. xv that Christe is rysen from deathe to lyfe it is not possible his synnes shulde be remytted It is also to be noted in this Article that the victory and conqueste whiche Christe hadde ouer deathe hell and the dyuell hym selfe with all theyr power and tyranny besyde that it proceded of the infinite mercy and goodnes of god towardes vs it was also founded vpon veray Iustyce For surely like as the sinne of man his disobedience was the only meane and cause wherfore god ordeyned and suffred that deth and the dyuel shuld haue and occupy suche dominion tyrranny ouer all mankynde as they had Euen so was it contrary to the wyll and ordynaunce of god that dethe hell or the dyuell shulde haue or exercyse any power or auctoritie where as no synne reygned In so moche that yf man had neuer synned he shulde neuer haue dyed but shulde haue ben immortall nor neuer shulde haue descended into helle but shulde euer haue had the superyoritie ouer the dyuell deathe and helle and shulde haue had theym alwayes subdewed vnto hym And therfore sythe the dyuell hym selfe dyd perfytely knowe that our sauyour Iesu Christe expressed in all his lyfe mooste exacte and mooste perfyte obedyence vnto the lawes and wyll of god and soo fulfylled and satysfyed the same in euerye poynte to the vttermost that there coulde neuer be founde vntrewthe or deceyte in his mouthe nor any spotte or blotte of fylthynesse or impuritie in any parte of all his lyuynge and yet that not withstandynge knowynge hym to be a veray naturalle manne laboured procured and caused the Iewes to kylle this innocente Christe and to put hym vnto mooste sharpe and bytter deathe contrarye to all equitie and Iustyce and all to the intente that he myghte after his sayde deathe haue Christe with hym downe into helle as one of his captyues and so there to exercyse his tyrannye vppon hym lyke as he hadde doone ouer all other men from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll that tyme No doubte but the dyuelle in this doynge dydde extreme and manyfeste wronge and vtterly exceded the lymyttes of the power gyuen vnto hym And therfore god consyderynge this hyghe presumption and malyce of the dyuelle and this intollerable abuse of his sayde power dydde sende his onely begotten sonne downe into hell there to condempne the dyuell of this extreme iniquytie and to conquere to spoyle Ro. viii and depryue hym not onely of the possessyon of all the sowles of the ryghtuouse menne whyche by his crafte and subtylytie he had before reduced and brought vnder his domynyon but also restrayned hym of the power and auctorytie whiche he by deathe and helle hadde ouer mankynde All whiche thynges Chryste dydde not by the myght of his godlye power onely but for and vppon this iuste and reasonable cause gyuen vnto hym on the behalfe of the dyuel whiche for the causes aforesayde mooste worthyly deserued to be serued so The notes of the syxte Artycle ¶ In the .vi. Article thre thynges be speciallye to be noted and remembred Fyrste that in the person of Iesu Christe there was and is conioyned and vnited togyther inseparably bothe the nature of god and the nature of manne And that by reason of this indissoluble vnitie of these two natures holye scrypture vseth sometymes to attrybute and gyue vnto the same personne of Christe those thynges whiche doo apperteygne vnto his humanytie althoughe the same canne not be veryfyed in hym as towchynge his godheed And therfore althowghe Christe as towchynge his godheed was euer presente in heuen and was euer equall in glorye with his father Yet forasmoche as concernynge his manhode he was neuer in heuen nor dydde neuer sytte there endewed with suche power and glorye before this his ascenscyon therfore it is sayde trewely in this Crede that Christe ascended into heuen and that almyghtye god the father dydde at his sayde commynge thyther sette hym there vppon his ryght hande ¶ Secondely it is to be noted that this ascension of Christe into heuen was not onely veray necessarye but also moche profytable for all trewe christen men and that for many causes One is for that Christe declared therby veray manyfestely that he was nat onely manne but that he was also veray god And therfore hir foloweth in this Artycle He sytteth on the ryght hande of his father not as inferiour in godheed but as equall vnto hym An other is for that he hath ben euer syth that tyme our contynuall aduocate sollicitour vnto god his father accordynge to the sayinge of saynt Paule Hebr. iiii wrytynge vnto the Hebrues where he sayth in this maner Christe ascended into heuen to thintent he shuld euer appere euer be present in the syght of god as a mediator and intercessor for vs. And in an other place also he faythe Iesus the sonne of god dyd penetrate ascende aboue all the heuens to be our great byshop wherfore let vs fermely and stedfastely beleue that we haue a great byshoppe in heuen that is to saye a greate and a perpetuall medyatour and intercessour for vs. And that the same our byshoppe is not onely of suche infynyte myght and power that he is fully hable to saue all them that woll inuocate and byleue in god the father by hym but also that he hauyng perfyte knowlege of all the infyrmities of our fleshe and mortalitie and hauyng tasted by experience in his owne body all the tentacions of the same synne onely excepted he woll also gladly and wyllyngely haue pitie and compassion of vs and woll be alwayes redy to saue vs. Wherfore lette vs put our hole truste and confydence in hym And so let vs boldely goo by prayer and inuocation vnto the throne of grace that we maye obteyne mercy and fynde grace and fauour helpe succour and comfort in tyme of our nede and necessitie And Sayncte Iohn̄ the Apostle also wryteth conformely here vnto in his fyrste Epystle where he sayth I exhorte and praye you good christen people i. Ioan. ii flee from synne and synne no more Not withstandynge yf any of you shall fortune to commytte any deadely synne yet let hym consider and remembre that Iesu Christe whiche fulfylled al Iustice for vs and by the sacrifienge and offerynge vp of his preciouse bloude made due satisfaction and propiciation vnto god his father not onely for all our synnes but also for the synnes of all the worlde is nowe our continuall and perpetuall aduocate our patrone and defendour before the throne of his father and maketh contynuall intercession and prayer for the remyssyon of all our synnes An other cause is for that yf Christe had not ascended we shuld haue lacked all the graces and gyftes of the holy goost whiche
be necessary for the passynge of this transytorie lyfe to the pleasure of god and to thatteynynge of euerlastynge lyfe in an other worlde accordynge to the sayinge of Christe spekyng vnto his Apostles Ioan. vi in this maner I tel you trouth it is expediente and necessarie for you that I shall ascende vp into heuen For surely yf I shulde not ascende the holy goost shall neuer come vnto you and contrary yf I do ascende into heuen than woll I sende hym immedyately vnto you And whan the sayde holy gooste shall come than shall he reproue and condempne the worlde and the dyuel for their synne and iniquitie and he shall fully instructe and teache you all trouthe c. Thyrdely it is to be noted that all thoughe it be sayde in this Artycle that Christe is our onely mediatour and intercessour yet therby is not excluded the intercession of the holy sayntes whiche be nowe in heuen or hereafter shall be neyther yet the intercession of the mynysters of Christis churche or of any the holy membres of the same whiche be liuing here in this worlde But we muste knowe for certayne that all the membres of Christis churche whether they be departed this lyfe or yet lyuynge here in the worlde be all knytte and vnyted togyther in perfytte charitie and eche dothe care and pray for other contynually vnto almyghty god and that Christe beynge heed of the same body is aduocate and intercessour for theym all lyke as it is more at large declared in the tenthe Artycle of this Crede ¶ In the .vii. artycle it is to be noted that lyke as the worlde had ones a begynnyng so shall it ones also haue an endyng The notes of the vii Article And that vpon the same extreme or laste daye of the worlde Christe shall come with glorie as the supreme highest iuge and shall holde an vnyuersall or generall iugement in the whiche all the people of the worlde that euer was or euer shall be shall appere before hym there to receyue theyr fynall sentence and iugement some of euerlastynge saluation and some of perpetuall dampnation It is also to be noted that this artycle was for great consyderations added immedyately and conioyned vnto the former Artycles specyally to thintent that no man shulde in his lyfe tyme presume vpon the sayde benefytes of Christe or take occasyon of carnalle lybertie or securitie and soo lyue withoute hauynge any feare to transgresse or regarde to obserue the commaundementes of god but rather that euery good christen man shulde in euery parte of his lyfe haue a contynuall remembraunce and respecte vnto that laste daye of iudgement and so be in contynuall feare to commyt any thynge contrarye to the wyll of god for the whiche he myght deserue to haue the sentence of euerlastynge dampnation pronounced vpon hym For this is certaynely true that at that day euery man shal be called to make a strayt accompt of his lyfe and shall be than fynally iudged euen accordynge to his owne propre workes good or badde done in his lyfe tyme. That is to saye yf in his lyfe tyme he dyd beleue in his harte and professe with his mouthe the ryghte belefe and faythe of Christe and accordynge vnto the same fayth dyd expresse in his outwarde workes suche obedience vnto the lawes of god as he requireth he shall be iudged to haue euerlastynge lyfe for his rewarde And contrary yf in his lyfe tyme he hadde not this ryghte faythe and beliefe in Christe or hauynge oportunitie dyd not expresse this obedience but transgressed the lawes of god and so dyed without repentaunce althoughe he pretended and sayde that he beleued neuer so moche and trusted in Christis benefyttes neuer so moche yet shall he be iudged and condempned to the euerlastynge peynes of helle In this Article it is further to be noted that lyke as there is nothynge more certayne vnto vs than that we be all mortall and shall ones dye yet no man lyuynge knoweth the tyme whan he shall dye Euen so there is nothynge more certayne thanne that this daye of iudgemente shall ones come and yet the howre and the tyme whan it shall be is hydden and kepte secrete from the knowlege of all men and Angelles and is reseued to the onely knowlege of god whiche thynge procedeth of his onely goodnesse towardes vs and is done to thyntente we shulde alwayes here in our lyfe tyme fle from synne and employe al our hole study and endeuoure to walke in the wayes of god that is to saye in suche faythe hope and charytie as god requyreth of vs and so prepare our selfe and ordre our lyuynge towardes god that we maye be in a redynesse at all tymes whan so euer it shall please god to call and sommone vs to appere before hym in the sayde generall iudgemente there by his mercye and goodnesse to receyue the crowne and rewarde whiche he promysed vnto all them that do feare hym and loue hym and walke in his wayes It is also to be noted in this Artycle Ma xxiiii Mar. xiii Luc. xvii that lyke as the lyghtenynge commeth from heuen sodeynely vnloked fore and in one instaunte or momente casteth lyght ouer all euen so this seconde aduente or commynge of Chryste and his generall iudgement shall come sodeynly and at suche tyme as the greattest parte of the people of the worlde shall feare or loke for nothynge lesse than for that daye Trouthe it is that god shall sende many great and euydente sygnes and tokens before the sayde commynge of Christe to admonyshe and warne therby his electe people of his sayde aduente or commynge not withstandynge the same sygnes shall not be so euydent but that the greattest parte of the people of the worlde shall take and repute them for no suche sygnes But lyke as in the tyme of Noe that holy Patriarke Genes vii the people of the worlde whiche then were wolde not be induced to beleue or thynke that god wolde euer sende any suche generalle flodde to drowne vppe all the worlde as the sayde Patriarke shewed them of byfore and so vppon truste thereof contynued forthe styll after theyr olde accustomed maner and facyon lyuynge in all fylthynesse and abhomination vntyll the sayde floode came in dede and so oppressed them sodeynely whan they were in the myddes of all theyr bely ioye and drowned them all that euer was excepte onely the sayde Patriarke and seuen others whiche somewhat before the commynge of the sayde floude entered into the shyp made for that purpose and so saued theyr lyues Euen so at Domesdaye and longe before the greattest parte of the people of the worlde shall lyttell or nothynge regarde the sayde sygnes whiche god shall sende as tokens before domysdaye but shall rather mocke them and attribute them vnto other causes and so buyldynge theyr faythe and truste thervpon shall gyue them selfe holly vnto carnall and bodely lustes to couetousnes and fraude to vaynglory and ambicion and