⧠A briefe and cleare Confession of the Christian Fayth Containing An hundreth Articles after the order of the Creede of the Apostles Made and declared by Iohn Gardiner Translated out of French into English by Iohn Brooke of Asshe next Sandwitch An. 1577. Rom. 10. ¶ The beliefe of the hart iustifieth but to confesse with the mouth maketh a man safe Imprinted at London for Edward Wight and are to be sold at his shop at the litle North doore of Paules at the signe of the Gun. 1579. ⧠To the Right Honorable Syr William Cecill Knight Baron of Burgley Knight of the Honorable order of the Garter Master of her Highnesse Wardes and Liueries one of the Lordes of her Maiesties priuy Counsell and Lorde high Treasoror of England REading this small litle Volume fyrst written in French and collected by Maister Iohn Gardiner right honorable and perceiuing the same in my simple iudgement vnder a poore habite and litle showe to beare and importe great and waighty effect finding also therin such singuler ground of profound learning and rare wisdome and therewithall such firme approbations and inexpugnable defences with authorities of holy writ I thought it no lesse then needefull and nothing more then necessary to doo what in me mightlye to make the same obuious vsuall and familyer vnto my brethren of this Realme by translating the same into our mother tongue The which thing hauing once perfourmed and finished according to my poore talent and sclender skill although I doo not doubt to haue followed myne Authour directlye and truly in sence and exposition without corruption or abuse yet finding in my selfe such imperfections of learning such barrennes and want of fine Phrase and choise wordes wherwith to haue garnished the same vnneathes I durst of my selfe or in myne owne name launch foorth my silly barke into the troublesom waues not doubting saile she neuer so sure true but somtimes shee shal be countermet with churlishe byllowes and puffed at with outragious blastes and violent tempestes The force wherof more safely to defend and withstand being loth to leaue the same in such obscurenesse and secrecy as I found it whereof no Christian man ought to be ignorant I imagined with my selfe to seeke to ancor in your harborough being very desirous that this my vnsmoothed and roughe hewen workemanshippe might haue free passage and safe conduct vnder your Honors fauorable protection and defēce In which purpose and pretence being abashed and more then halfe dismaied by the occasions aforesaid yet grewe I in double hart and tooke treble encouragement that the authoritye of the matter it selfe would more then counteruaile the rest in your Honors fauorable acceptaunce But when I further considered wherof I should craue you to be a supporter namely of the Christian fayth for so the Booke is intituled and contayneth an hundreth Articles of the Christian fayth all fearefull doubtes expelled assured truste willed mee to abyde constant in my purpose For as to your Honorable tytle Wisdome hath annexed her enlargement of Authoritye so to that Authoritye godlye zeale hauing adioined a feruencie of true fayth and to these also humilitye of spirite hauing coupled franke curtesye and beneuolence towardes all These I saye right Honorable haue made me so bolde to craue that this my small peece of trauaile whatsoeuer maye receyue that hope hath promysed and with my good will would gladlye deserue being no wayes able excepte by prayer to almyghtye GOD on whome as dutye byndeth I shall not cease contynually to call for your Lordshippes long preseruation of lyfe and much encrease of his moste comfortable blessinges Your Honors dayly Orator Iohn Brooke ⧠Iohn Gardiner vnto all the litle French Church of Strasburg assembled together for the Gospell in the name of Iesus Christ grace peace and mercie of the Father through Iesus Christe our Lorde onely Sauior and redéemer in the vertue of the holy Spirite be geuen vnto you eternally Amen WHen I consider the cleare lightes the great ingenyous and sharpe wittes which the Lorde in our time hath placed in his Church déerely beloued brethren and welbeloued in Iesus Christe who neuer cease day nor night to aduaunce the glorye of God and to promote the kingdome of Iesus Christe his sonne aswell by their wordes as writing of whome I am not worthy to be a Disciple I am ashamed and feare lest I be iudged raish to put my hand to the pen after them and chiefly for to entreat of thinges so litle and common the which they haue entreated of in theyr Catechismes from the beginning But the holy desire of you and of manye other good brethren who hauing heard openly the reading of this litle Treatise instantly requiring to be pertakers haue incited yea constrained mee to do it with the great desire that I haue of the aduauncement of the glory of God and of the health of all my brethren Knowing that God would haue al the world to come vnto the knowledg of the trueth and by that meanes to be saued I know also that for the building of the Lordes tabernacle made by Moyses euery one brought that he had some golde and siluer others precious stones others linnen cloth goates and buckes skinnes others wood and common stones and all of it was set a worke So I estéeme for the building of this house of the Lorde which is his Church euery one may and ought to bring that that he hath some more some lesse according to the tallentes which the Lorde of the house hath geuen them I wil content my self to carry litle common stones for this building and do hope that the Master worke men will not reiect my seruice nor my litle stones so that they be fitte for the building as I hope they shal be God ayding me The poore wydowe which did put into the box but two litle peeces of siluer was not reiected nor despised of the Lorde but was as much praysed as the great ritch men which gaue a great deale more then she All that being well considered hath mooued me to set forth this litle treatise in this tyme chiefly in which the Lorde hath the siue in his hand to sifte examine and repurge his Church in which it should be verye good in my iudgment that euerye mans fayth should be knowen and chieflye of those which make profession of the Gospell for to teach others as are the Doctors and Ministers of the word that the false Prophets and Hypocrites which doo bowe theyr shoulders and leane theyr eares vnto false papisticall doctrine of Antechriste should be knowne driued and chased a way from the good faythful For that cause I am contēt that my faith in which I will lyue and dye thorow the grace of the Lord be knowen of al the world Now this litle Treatise shall haue much neede of a second which shal geue the reason of that that this here confesseth for it is one thing to confesse the fayth
and another to geue a reason of the fayth To confesse the fayth that is purely symply and clearely to say and confesse with hart and mouth or by writing that that one beléeueth of God and 〈◊〉 â—is word But to geue a reason of the fayth is to prooue and openly to shew by teres of the holy scripture and manifest reasons grouÌ„ded in the same what one beléeueth and wherfore one beléeueth as Saint Peter the Apostle commaundeth The which I haue made in tymes past in the time of the faires as you haue heard and vnderstood in declaring that confession by Articles for to geue some lytle taste of the Gospell vnto the straingers which came hether and to make them to vnderstand what is our faith and religioÌ„ in which we wil liue and dye and that we are not heretickes seditious nor blasphemers as many do estéeme vs to be but faithfull and true Christians hauing and receyuing one onely Iesus Christ for our Lord Sauiour Mediatour and Aduocate beleeuing hoping in him only and not in any other for which also we wil venter and ieopard not onely our externall goods but also our bodyes vnto the last droppe of our bloud Knowing that whosoeuer shall loose his life for the loue of him shall fynde it and he that will kéepe it in renouncing and forsaking him he shall loose it eternally This hath beene my marke and principall end all that time there in which I had not nor haue yet at this present the leisure to collect and put in wryting all the probation arguments reasons which I haue vsed aswel of the holy scriptures as of the auncieÌ„t fathers for to yeeld a reason of my faith to shew the truth of the articles therof therein contained But if the Lord do geue vs good peace and keepe vs yet stil in this place as I hope that he will do thorowe his mercy although we haue not merited it I promise to geue vnto you the second treatise correspondaÌ„t vnto this here in which I wil geue the reason of my faith as in this I wil declare and confesse with the helpe of the Lord the verity of all these Articles which are in number an hundreth aswell by the word of God as by the writings of the auncient Fathers according to my litle faculty the grace which the Lord shall geue me and then I will content my self that I haue liued in this world In the meane time deere brethren I praye you to receyue and take in good part this litle gifte and present of the hand of your lawful brother and faithfull friend hoping to receiue a greater I assure you that the onely word of the Lord is the fayre and large garden of pleasure within which I putting my selfe haue gathered these goodly swéete smelling flowers and made this fayre garlande of triumphe for to put it vpon the heads of the true faithfull Christians such as now are And I haue taken nothing from the sinke puddle and takes of Luiterim nor from other such like papisticall doctrines Antechristians and inuentions of men For out of such sinkes puddles and infections such flowers spring not forth but rather thornes bryers and thystles for to fede and crowne the Asses of Antechriste I may boldlye saye that there is nothing in this litle Treatise but that I can shew and prooue it by the worde of God the which I haue folowed and not the diuers opinions of men For I haue not sworne in any mans word but in that same of Iesus Christe vpon which my fayth is builded and not vpon the opinion of men therfore I haue spoken here and written freelye that which I féele in my harte without hauing regard vnto any other then vnto my only Lord and Master Iesus Christe This may serue at all tymes for a paterne rule of the confession of faith to all those which wyll declare them selues to be of the number of our assembly following the holye custome most allowable of this litle Church that all those which will perticipate or communicate with vs in the holye table of the Lorde firste of all ought to make publike confession of their fayth that is to saye to declare before the assembly the fayth and knowledge which the Lorde hath geuen vnto them of the word and Gospell of his sonne Iesus Christ that they may be knowen and manyfested vnto all the congregation to be of the number of the faithfull and true members of Christ worthy to perticipat of the giftes graces and benefits of the Lord with the brethren As also of late vnder the lawe all straungers which would communicate or perticipate the pascall Lambe with the people of Israell ought first to renounce all Idolatry to receiue circumcision to make profession of all the lawe and religion of God geuen by Moyses promising to liue and walk in the same all the daies of their life And by that meanes were admitted to the Passeouer to eate and communicate with the other and not otherwise As it is written in the booke of the lawe Truly it is more to perticipat in the holy table of the Lord that is to say in the holy Sacrament of the Supper theÌ„ to eat the pascall Lambe for somuch as the cleerenesse is more then the shadow and the verity more then the figure For the lawe was but the shadow and figure of the verity the which we haue present before vs If theÌ„ there were vnder the law obserued and kept such discipline in the Churche of God among the faithfull how much more ought it to be obserued vnder the verety in the shéepfold of Iesus Christ which is his Church who commaundeth the shepheardes thereof to knowe the sheepe and call them by their name and diligently to consider theyr estate lest they should geue the childrens bread vnto dogs and the pearles vnto hogs Then as Moyses the seruaunt of God did not admit vnto the Passeouer anye straungers before they firste declared their faith so the good faythfull ecclesiastical pastor ought not to admit according to my aduise saued alwayes a better iudgement vnto the holy table any straungers whose fayth is vnto him vnknoweÌ„ but to endeuor him self firste to knowe their fayth and religion by all meanes priuately and perticulerly if he cannot publikelye before the Churche and Congregation that he maye witnesse of theyr fayth before all the brethren And by that meanes to admytte them with the other This pollycye and lowable disciplyne was kepte and obserued in this our litle Church as you knowe from the beginning vnto this daye The Lorde thorowe his grace graunt that it may long continue to the praise of his name For by the same many ignoraunt are taught in the rudimentes of the Christian faith And there knowledge is alwaies augmented and there is none of vs but receiueth great profit To this then this litle Treatise maye well serue for a patterne and rule
his worde For as God is a spyrite so woulde he be serued in spyrite and trueth The .lxxxv. Article I Beléeue that all the seruyng of GOD which is done without hys worde and commaundement to be Idolatrie and wickednesse I call Idolatry after the fashion of the Prophetes not onely that which is done to the honor of an Idoll or of strange Gods. But also that which is done for the honor of the liuing God without his worde and commaundement Therefore Idolaters are not onelie those which do worshyp and serue Idols and straunge Gods as the Ethnickes Panymes and such lyke But also all those which worshyppe and serue the true God of heauen after their fantasie or traditions of men without fayth without the worde and otherwise then God commaūded And on the other syde I call those faithfull which do acknowledge and serue one onely God of heauen after his worde and commaundement of whome all the works aswell externall and internall corporall as spyrituall are the true seruing of the Lorde for that they are done in the fayth of the sonne of God and according to the vocation of the Lord according to which euery faithfull person ought to walk The .lxxxvi. Article I Beléeue and confesse that it is not lawfull for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirite nor body to the sacrifices of Idolaters nor also to enter into their Temples whylest they are doing their Idolatries Sacrifices except it be for to rebuke thē in shewing them their abuse and to teach them the trueth as the holy Prophets and Apostles haue done and not for to dyssemble as Hypocrites For if the body be a creature of God as it is as the soule is the Temple of the holy Ghost and member of the misticall body of Christe If it must one day ryse againe and possesse the eternall lyfe with the soule it must also necessarily be that it be altogether geuen vnto the seruing of God in this world with the soule and spyrite Otherwise they cannot be ioygned together after the generall resurrection but being seperated the one should be in heauen with God whome be loued and the other in hell with the diuell whome hee serued the which is an impossyble thing Therefore I saye that all those dissymulations to bee a verie renouncing of Christe and of his Gospel In lyke manner I beleeue confesse that all those fayninges and false shewes by which the veritie of the Gospell is hidden and the word of God despised or by which the ignoraunt and Infidel is confirmed in his error or by which the weake is offended are not of God but of Satan altogether contrary vnto the truth of the word Therfore we must not halt on both sides but go vprightly before that great God which séeth beholdeth knoweth all things yea before they are begun The .lxxxvii. Article I Do also beléeue that the beginning of all Idolatryes was the excogitation and fyrst inuention of Images the which also were made to the abhomination and offence of the Soules of men and are as snares and nettes to the féete of the ignoraunt for to make them stumble Therefore they ought not to be honoured serued adored nor suffred in the Temples or Churches nor in the places where the Christiās doo assemble them selues together for to heare and vnderstand the word but altogether to be taken away destroied as the seconde commaundement of God doth well declare and that by the publyke authoritie of the Magistrate and not by the priuate authoritie of one perticular man. For the woodde of the gybbit by which one doth Iustice is blessed of God But the Image made with mans hande is curssed of God and he that maketh it with it Therefore we ought to kéepe our selues from Images aboue all thinges BEholde what I beleeue of the catholike Church and of the thinges concerning the same and that is for the fourth point of my faith Nowe remaineth to speake of the fruites proceeding from it and what I receyue by that faith which are three in number VVherof the first is The forgeuenesse of sinnes The .lxxxviii. Article I Beléeue that all those which are come and which shall come of the race or lyne of Adam generallye are conceiued and borne in iniquity corruption except one onely Iesus Christe and that they are all sinners transgressors of the lawe and wyll of God And according to their nature corrupted the chyldren of wrath worthy of Gods iudgemēt of condempnation eternall death hauing all néede of the grace mercy of God and of the blood of Christe to be shead For God hath enclosed all men vnder sinne that hée shoulde shewe mercie vnto all thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde The .lxxxix. Article I Beléeue that the knowledge of sin procéedeth from the law but the forgeuenes pardon of the same commeth from the Gospell and is geuen vnto vs thorow the only grace mercie of God in the blood of Iesus Christ kéeping the faith that we haue in him by which wee are reputed righteous before God and not thorowe our good works or merites nor by the merites of the purest creature celestiall or terrestiall For I do not know nor receyue any other merites thē those of my good Lord master and onely sauiour Iesus Christe who hath merited satisfied aboundantly for vs and hath payd the debt for all his in cancelating the hand wryting and obligation which was against vs and taking it away frō the midst of vs hath fixed it in the Crosse The lxxxx Article I Beléeue that that iustifying fayth is a pure singuler gyft of God the which is commonly geuen by the hearing of the word vpon which onely it is builded and not vpon the doctrines and traditions of men I call the iustifying faith a certayne assuraunce and sure peswasion of the good wyll loue grace goodnes and mercy of God towardes vs by which we are assured and verely perswaded in our harts of the mercy fauour and beneuolence of God the Father that he is for vs towards vs against vs and wil be vnto vs a mercifull father to pardon our sinnes to geue grace to adopt vs for his children and to constitute vs to be his heyres in the eternall life and that altogether fréely in his sonne and thorow his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and not thorow our merites or good workes That faith can doo all thinges and nothing is impossible to it the which is neuer perfect nor great inough in vs therefore we ought alwayes to pray with the Apostles saying Lord encrease our faith helpe our vnbeléefe For that onely doth comfort vs maketh vs holy righteous and agreeable before the Lorde doth make and declare vs to bee the chyldren of God and heyres of eternall life The which also is the mother
diuerse places nor in many places at one very tyme but so in one according to the nature of his glorious body that then hee cannot be in anye other otherwise he should not be a true and naturall body but a shadow that is to saye a thing appearing and not being the which is false and altogether against our faith And therfore I say and confesse the true and naturall body of Christe to be in heauen and that from thence he shall not departe vntyll he hath put all his enemies vnder his féete and come for to iudge both the quick and the dead The .xxxviii. Article I Beléeue when the number of the elect children of God shal be accomplished the Lorde Iesus in that same bodye with which hee suffered with which he roase and ascended into heauen shall come with great power and maiestie visibly in a clowde euen as he ascended and that shal be to iudge the quick and the dead and shall geue vnto euery one according to Iustice vnto the good which shal be founde among them after theyr goodnesse and to the wicked after their naughtines That iudgement shal be general that is to say all shal be called and summoned to appeare personally by the voice of the Aungell to which all shall appeare aswell the good as euyll the elect as reprobate that euery one doo make and render vp his accompt and reckoning before the iudiciall seate of Christe of all thinges done by them in this world be it good or ill yea for euery idle worde the which the world doth not thinke to be sin Then shall all those be saued which shal be found written in the booke of lyfe The .xxxix. Article I Beleeue that then shal be made the totall and last seperation of the good from the wicked of the elect from the reprobate the which nowe are mingled together as the good fishes and badde in the nettes the chaffe with the corne and the darnell with the wheate But when the haruest commeth he which hath the fanne in his handes will make the seperation and wil put the corne aside in his garner but the chaf and tares shal be cast into the fyre for to burne eternally Then shal be perfectlye declared and knowen the iustice and mercy of the Lorde with the fruite of the Crosse and blood of Iesus Christe the which now wee know onely but in parte Then the good and elect shal know the stone vpon which they builded theyr fayth and hope and shall not be confounded And the wicked shall also knowe the stone vpon which they stumbled the which they reiected coÌ„temned and despised and shal be confounded Then the Lorde Iesus shall make an ende of his office and ministrie for his mistical body shal be altogether accomplished with all his members and shall render the kingdome and his spowse which is the Church vnto God his father al faire glorious erreprehensible and acceptable without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Then shal be perfectly vanquished and confounded Sathan hell sinne and death and all the other aduersaries of Christe whoe at this present do exercise yet tirrany ouer all his members holding them vnder their griefes bondes and snares But then wee as people rauished for Ioy will reherse the words that are written O Death where is thy stinge O Hel where is thy victory But thanks be vnto GOD which hath geuen vs victorye through Iesus Christe our Lorde The xl Article I Beléeue that that Iudgement being meruelous terrible and feareful vnto the wicked and reprobate is much to be desired and of great consolation vnto the good faythfull and elect for asmuch as theÌ„ their total redemption to wéete of body shal be ended and that they shall receiue the fruit of their labors Their Innocencie shal be openly declared and known of all the worlde and they shall sée the vengaunce and condemnation of the wicked which haue tirrannously afflicted and tormented them in this world whose iniquitye and wickednesse shal be manifested by the Lorde and cleerely knowen of all to theyr great confusion and to the honor and glory of the iust children of God the which shal be in perfect peace and traÌ„quillitie and shall haue full ioye and fruition of all that which the Lorde hath promised and prepared for them that loue him Which the eye hath not séene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entered into mans harte Therefore I tarry and looke for that great day of retribution with a great desire as the same which bringeth and declareth vnto me my chiefest goodnesse The .xli. Article I Beléeue that wee shall not all dye but we shal be all changed in a moment that is to say that in that latter day and general iudgement some shal be found lyuing which shal neuer dye by seperation of the body and soule but shall abide so alyue eternally that Christe maye be knowen Lorde and Iudge of the quick and the dead and his grace and merite may be founde greater then the sinne of Adam For as sin hath raigned to death In like-maner must grace raign through Iesus Christ to eternall lyfe Neuerthelesse they shal be chaunged and transformed from corruption into incorruption from mortallity to immortallity from despising into glory insomuch that they shal be the chiefest of of all the giftes graces and benefites which the Lorde shall geue vnto those which before were dead whome they shall not go before but all together shal be rauished in the clowdes before in the ayre and also they shall be alwayes together with the Lorde BEholde for the seconde point of my faith touching Iesus Christe the second person of the Trinitie and of the restoration and repairing of man don by him Let vs now come vnto the third point which is of the holie Ghoste by whome man is restored maintained and keept in his being I beleeue in the holy Ghoste The .xlii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is one diuine persoÌ„ distinct from the father and the son procéeding of them both equall in all thorow all and coeternall with them by whom the Church hath byn alwayes is yet and shal be ruled conducted directâ—d and gouerned vntill the consumation of this world by whome also haue spoken al the holy Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore I beléeue nor receiue any other Vicar or Lieuetenant of Christ in earth within his Church but the holy Ghost which cannot be receiued of the wicked The .xliii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is the wages and ernest of our celestiall enheritance by whom we are assured assertained and liuely perswaded in our consciences that wee are the children of God and adoptiue brethreÌ„ of Iesus Christe and consequentlye Coheyres of eternall lyfe That is also the finger of God the which printeth in our mindes the
good Patron and foundation which is Iesus Christe the righteous Therfore I call it myllitant looking for the triumphant of the blessed where there shal be but peace iâ—ie and eternall saluation The .liii. Article I Beléeue that the Lorde hath geuen vnto vs three signes or principall markes by which we may knowe that Church that is to say the word the Sacramentes and the disciplyne I call the word onely that which was reuealed by the holy Ghost vnto the holye Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of Iesus Christe the which is contained in the cononicall bookes of the olde and new testament by which we are mundified and receiue the very same and altogether asmuch as by the Sacraments That is to say that Iesus Christe geueth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs by the word of faith aswell without saying better as by the Sacraments although it be after another manner and fashion The .liiii. Article I Beléeue that word of God to be of more greater authoritie then the Church the which alone sufficiently declareth and teacheth vnto vs all thinges concerning our saluation what we must doo or not doo That is the true patron and perfect rule after which al the faithful ought to gouern and direct their life without declining either to the right hand or left without chainging anye thing or diminishing knowing that all the workes of God are perfect and chiefly his word The lv Article I Beléeue that as one onely Iesus Christ amongst al men is holy and true and all other are sinners and lyers that also amongst al doctrines his onelye doctrine is holye and true and all other are vncleane and full of lyinges That doctrine is the fountaine of life the lampe and pyller of fyre for to guide vs The bread of the soule and the vertue of GOD to the saluation of all beléeuers Therefore the same onely for all occasion ought to be aduaunced preached heard vnderstanded and receiued thorow out the whole worlde to the consolation and health of the beléeuers and to the greatest condempnation of the vnbeleeuers wicked and reprobate For as the Manna in the wildernesse gaue vnto some wormes and to other some good meate and Christe was set and geuen as a stone of offence to the ruine of the wicked and resurrection of the good So the word of the Gospell is vnto some a sauor of death in death and vnto other a sauor of lyfe in lyfe the which onely I receiue and take for my guide after which I will liue and dye The .lvi. Article I Beléeue that the reading of that word or Gospell ought not nor can not be forbidden or prohibited anye man whatsoeuer of what estate or coÌ„dition soeuer he be But ought to be commoÌ„ vnto all the world aswell men as womeÌ„ yea also in a vulgar coÌ„mon languag vnderstaÌ„d of al for asmuch as to al generally it is directed the promises of the Lord contained in the same appertaineth vnto all whereby Antechrist with all his do exercise great and cruell tiranny vpon all the faithfull children of God aswell for that he taketh from them and forbiddeth them the reading thereof setting before them his dreames cannons and damnable traditions in stéede of the same But also for that he forbiddeth and commaundeth in any indifferent things vpon paine of deadly sin and eternall condempnation which is a true note and marke of Antechrist The .lvii. Article I Beléeue that holy euangelical doctrine to haue byn confirmed in his time by diuine miracles aswell by Iesus Christ the prophets Apostls as by other faythfull and good ministers of the same So that it is not neede now to haue or demauÌ„d other but to content our selues with that which hath byn made and to beléeue simply in the onely worde without séeking any further Watching and alwayes taking héede that we be not deceiued by the false myracles of Antechriste of which the worlde is at this daye full whiche are doon and wrought by the opperation of sathan for to conforme all idolatries errors abuses and iniquities in blinding the poore ignoraunt people The Lorde doth permit the same iustlye because they well not receiue the spirite of trueth for to be saued He permitteth that they should receiue the spirite of lyinges with the effecacie of abusion for to be condempned for that they haue allowed lying and iniquitie And haue reiected righteousnesse and trueth Then the true myracles are done by the onely vertue of God for the confirmation of his doctrine and are geuen vnto the Infidelles and not vnto the beleeuers but the prophesie that is to saye the worde is geuen vnto the faythfull and beléeuers The .lviii. Article I Do also beléeue the holy Sacraments which are the second mark of the true Church to be the signes of the Alliance made betwéene God and vs by Iesus Christ seales of the Lordes promise and externe and visible Symboles of the inwarde faith the which are onely two in number to weete Baptisme and the holye Supper of the Lorde These are not voyde and emptye signes but full That is to saye not onely significatiue signes but also exhibitiue of the thinge they signify indeede as wee wyll declare hereafter GOD wylling Touching the other fyue whiche are receaued and exercised with great abuse and superstition in the papisticall Church to wéete Confyrmation Confession Maryage laying on of handes otherwise called order and vnction I saye all those to haue beene ecclesiasticall ceremonies whiche the holy Fathers haue vsed in their tyme holyly without anye superstition whiche also we may at this daye vse after theyr example so that it be doon without error abuse and superstition Alwayes saued the christian and euangellicall lybertye the whiche delyuereth our consciences from all externall Ceremonies instituted by menne wythout the woorde of God. The .lix. Article I Beléeue that the Baptisme is the signe of the new alliance betwéene god and vs made by Iesus Christ and the marke of the Christians in the Gospell as of late the Circumcision was the mark of the Iewes vnder the law That it is also an exterior washing doon by water signifiing an interior washing in the spirit don by the blood of Christe the which ought to be geuen and bestowed aswell to the litle Children as to the olde ones according to the ordinance of Iesus Christe and that once only without reiterating it That is the red Sea within which Pharao that is to saye the Diuell with his prouokementes of sinne is altogether drowned and the Israelites passed thorow the middes safe And afterwardes walked thorow the wildernesse of this worlde with great anguish werynesse and troubles vsed daylye the celestiall Manna which is the holye worde of the Lorde vntyll they entred by death into the Lande of the celestiall promise The lx Article I Beléeue also that the Baptisme is
and other vertues gifts and goodnes which the eternall father hath put in him The .lxix. Article I Beléeue that the holy Fathers Patriarkes Prophetes and all other faythfull and good people which haue gone before vs and are dead in faith dyd knowe farre of him that shoulde come to wete Christe by the worde and fayth and did receyue asmuch and the verie same which wee receyue nowe by the Sacramentes who also were of the verye same Churche fayth and lawe of which we are Christians as wee are and haue vsed the same Sacramentes in figure which we vse in déede The .lxx. Article I Beléeue that vnto that holy Table ought to be admytted but onelie the faythfull the true contryte and penitent and all that are vnworthy to be reiected for feare least they defyle contamynate the holy meates which the Lorde geueth not but vnto this domesticall and faithfull I call vnworthy all Infydels Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God Heretikes and all people which make sectes for to breake the vnitie of the Churche all periured persones all those which are rebellious against their fathers and mothers and their superiors all seditious persons quarrellers fighters whoremongers théeues rauishers couetous droonkerdes gluttons and generallye all those which leade a slaunderous and dyssolute lyfe Such manner of people haue no parte nor portion in the kingdom of God therfore they ought to be reiected and put out of the Church with whome it is not lawfull to frequent eate drinke or contract allyaunce except it bee peraduenture to win and leade them to repentaunce The .lxxi. Article I Beléeue that the popishe Masse is not nor can not be the holy Supper of the Lorde But a méere inuention of lying and wicked men altogether contrarie vnto the same as the nyght to the daye Beliall to Christe The which shall be knowen of all men more clearelie then the noone day by the conference and collation made betwéene the institution of that Supper recyted and written by the Euangelistes and chieflye by the Apostle Saint Paul and the celebration of the Masse Therefore it is not a remembraunce of the true sacrifice that is to saye of the death and Passion of Christe as the holye Supper is But a renouncing of the same for so much as it attrybuteth that which belongeth vnto the onelie blood of Christ shedde vpon the crosse to wete satisfaction purgation and remission of sinnes with collation of grace and maketh vs to worship the creature in steede of the Creator a péece of breade in stéede of Iesus Christe our onely Lord sauiour and redéemer The .lxxii. Article I Beléeue the thirde marke of the Church which is the Ecclesiastical discipline to be greatly profitable yea necessary in the Catholike church for the consolatioÌ„ of the good correctio of the wicked The which also I receyue submyt my selfe to the same knowing that it is the ordinaunce of Christe in the Gospell The which also was practised by the Apostles in the primatiue Church that all might be done honestlie and in good order which is an honest and necessarie thing in euery Congregation The .lxxiii. Article I Beléeue the power to bynde and loose excommunicate and absolue which we call commonly the keies of the Churche to bee geuen of God not vnto one man or two or to any particularly but vnto al the Church that is to saye to all the faythfull and beléeuing in Christe not for to destroye waste or consume but for to buylde vp and aduaunce it altogether Therefore I saye and confesse that the excommunication or absolution of the same ought not nor can not be geuen at the appetyte or wyll of some perticularlie but by the consent of all the Churche or at least of the greatest best and holyest parte of the same congregated and assembled in the name of Christ with prayers The .lxxiiii. Article I Beléeue that excoÌ„munication executed duelye according as Iesus Christe hath declared and commaunded in his Gospell to bee of so great aucthoritie power strength that it can shutte men out of heauen So that all those which are by lawfull excommunication reiected and put out of the Church mylitant they shall be also reiected and put from the Church tryumphant which is in heauen except they repent that is a sharpe sworde for to câ—tte away the rotten members of the mysticall body of Christe which is his Churche A key for to shutte vp the heauens against the wicked and a rodde to chastice correct them The which yet neuerthelesse is not made for to confounde them but as a spyrituall medicine for to amend relieue heale and to set them vp againe froÌ„ which they are fallen The .lxxv. Article I Beléeue that that excommunicaon which is the last staffe of the Churche ought not nor can not be cast against any person which first hath not receyued and made profession of the faith and christian Religion As also it cannot be pronounced for euerie small thing as are debtes or other lyke thinges Nor also be executed against all sinners but onely against publycke rebellious and obstynate sinners towards whome the worde of God and the brotherly correction commauÌ„ded by Christ in the Gospel taketh no place Wherfore all those do greatly abuse that staffe which do excommunicate the Christians for smal things with out hauing suffred the brotherly correction In lyke manner also those which do excommunicate the Iewes Turkes Heathens other Infidels yea also the Flyes and other brute beastes wylling to cast put out of the christian Church all that which neuer was in it The .lxxvi. Article I Beléeue besides the same that the vnitie of spyrite wyll peace concorde and loue that is to saye true loue and brotherly delection amiable the mutuall supporting the one towardes the other is also one of the markes and signes of the true calholyke Church of the faithfull childreÌ„ of God by which they are known to be of the schoole number of the Disciples of Iesus Christ And we must not glory of the tytle of Christian or of the fayth saying I beléeue I beléeue except we haue that loue peace charitie and true vnitie of the harte together agréeing the one with the other in all good works For the true faith neuer goeth without these things by which also it declareth manifesteth it self vnto al. These are the signs marks of the true christian church to which she is bound tyed and not to a certaine place tyme or persons And there she is perfect where these markes are founde and exercised and not otherwise that if one of that fayle then it is not perfect And although that that total perfection can be founde for the estate of this present world in the Church myllytant yet the faulte ought to be acknowledged before the Lorde and to endeuor to
remedy and set it in good order The .lxxvii. Article I Beléeue receyue in that Church two swordes that is to saye two powers the one Ecclesiastical and Spyrituall the which consisteth in the onely administration of the word and Sacramentes she caryeth neyther rodde nor staffe other then the tongue she vseth none other knyfe then the sworde of the spyrite which is the worde of god In lyke manner I confesse that all those which haue that sworde betwéene their handes ought to be irreprehensible aswel in their lyfe as doctrine Otherwise one ought to depose put them from their offices and to put and substytute other better in their places The other power is pollitike to wete the Magistrate as touching externe and ciuill things for to geue according to Iustice vnto euerie one that appertaineth vnto him The .lxxviii. Article I Beléeue that the Magistrate is one ordained of God in his church for to defende the good people and to chastice and punishe the wicked To whome also we must render and geue the tribute honour and reuerence and obey him in all thinges which are not against the worde of God. And I do vnderstande that not onelye of the faythfull Magistrate But also of the vnfaithfull wicked and Tyrant to whome also we must obey as to the Lorde in all thinges so that hee commaunde nothing against the worde of the Lorde For then wee ought rather to obey God then men after the example of the Apostles Peter and Iohn The .lxxix. Article I Beléeue that vnto the Magistrate belongeth not onely to haue regard ouer pollityke thinges but also ouer the Ecclesiasticall thinges for to take away and put downe all Idolatrie and all false seruing of god For to destroy the kingdom of Antichrist and all false doctrine and to promote the glorie of God and to aduance the kingdome of Christe to cause the worde of the Gospell to be preached euery where and to maintayne the same euē vnto death Also to chastice and punish the false Prophets which leade the poore people after Idolles and straunge Gods and which in stéede of the Gospell do preache and teach the fables traditions of men to the dishonor of God and of Iesus Christe his sonne to the great euyll and offence of the hearers and to the ruyne of all the Church Vnto that Magistrate euerie person of what estate or conditiō so euer he be ought to be subiect obeye him in all honest and reasonable things for that he represēteth the person of the great Lord before whome euerye knée ought to bowe Therefore he ought not to be forgotten in our prayers for that the Lord wil dyrect him in al his wayes and that we maye ioyne together in good peace and trāquilitie vnder him The .lxxx. Article I Beléeue that that Magistrate as also the sacraments and other lyke things was ordayned of the Lord for to ayde the imperfection of man in the corrupt nature after the sinne whome the faythfull after he hath proued all other meanes may holyly and iustlye vse in all controuersies which maye happen betwéene him and his neighbor and for to make an ende and peace in all things Wherfore hee which in necessitie wyll not vse him ought rather to bee iudged an Annabaptist then a Christian The .lxxxi. Article I Beléeue that the Magistrate holylie maye geue the oathe vnto the faithful in iudgement for to know the trueth and to make an ende of all controuersies and dyfferences betwéene men the which ought to bée done by the onely name of the lyuing God for asmuch as it is the thyrde commaundement of the fyrst Table And although that the Christian perfection be to saye simply yea yea nay nay without swearing any thing at all Yet neuerthelesse the faithfull maye holylie vse an oath in place and tyme with discretion in the feare of God for honest iust and true thinges for to confyrme the trueth when the honour of God or the health of our neyghbour dependeth on it and not otherwyse For the man that accustometh him selfe to swearing shall be filled with iniquitie and the plague shall neuer depart from his house I do also confesse that as all oathes vowes and promyses made accordinge to the Lordes worde be it vnto God or to men are obligatorie and ought to be kepte and obserued inuyolablie Also that those which are made without or against the worde and commaundement of God as are the monasticall vowes and other such like which promise impossible thinges and altogether against the word of the Lord do bynde nothing at all but maye be holylie broken and vyolated For in wicked promises and in foolishe and indiscrete vowes the faithfull prudent and wyse man maye change his mynde The .lxxxii. Article I Beléeue confesse that the estate of mariage is honorable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled holy and cleane ordayned and instituted of God for generation and for to auoyde fornication from which none ought nor can not be reiected except there be some iust and lawfull let by the worde of God but ought to be free for al men of what estate or condition soeuer he be For it is a great deale better to marie then to burne And therefore those which haue not the gyft of contynencie are bound to marie least the temple of the holye Ghost that is to saye our bodyes be polluted or prophaned The .lxxxiii. Article I Do also beléeue that the forbidding of mariage to certaine persons as also the forbidding of meates the difference of daies apparel and all such lyke thinges is the diuellysh doctrine of Antechriste altogether contrary to the christian and euangelicall lybertie geuen by Iesus Christ the which deliuereth vs from all those legalles externall ceremonies and putteth vs at lybertie to vse all things without offēce neuerthelesse of our neighbour with geuing of thankes vnto god For all thinges are made holy by the word and praier to him which hath known and receiued the trueth Wherfore to compel and constraine the christians to such things that is to take from them rob them of the christian liberty to tyrannyse them and bring thē vnder againe the curse of the lawe of which Christe by his death and passiō hath deliuered them And it is a true marke and note of antechrist The .lxxxiiii. Article I Beléeue that the pure and true seruing of God consisteth not in those ceremonies outward things nor in much babling and mumbling of long prayers nor in crying and howling in the Temple lyke vnto Asses or the Priestes of Baall But in spirituall thinges as are the liuely and true faith in God and in his word by his Sonne Iesus Christe working by charity towardes their neyghbor in true and perfect inuocation of his name with obedyence to his commaundementes and humility of spirite according to
the begynning and roote of all good workes as infydelitie is the fountayne and roote of all euylles The lxxxxi Article I Beléeue moreouer that the good workes are not superfluous vaine nor vnprofitable but necessarie to saluation I call good works not those which are done after the fantasie or commaundement of men but those only which God hath cōmaunded to be be done by his worde the which ought to be done not for to merite any thing towardes the Lorde or for to auoyde eternall condempnation But onelye because that God hath commaunded them And for to testifie the loue which we haue vnto the Lord and the obedience vnto his worde and commaundement And to the ende that in vs and by vs hee be glorifyed and our neighbours aswell faithfull as vnfaithfull maye be edifyed Lykewise to shewe and manifest the faith which we haue in God and in his worde as the good tree declareth him selfe and is known by his fruite and for to render certain and sure our vocation election and Predestination These are the endes of good workes commaunded of God and who so euer dooth them to any other ende hee abuseth sinneth dooth wrong and dishonor vnto the blood of Christe and dishonoreth God and his worde For by his doings he declareth Christe to haue dyed in vaine The lxxxxii Article I Beléeue the there is no man in this worlde nor in the other neyther in heauen nor in the earth which can forgeue and pardō my sinnes but one onely God who also hath geuen the power and authoritie vnto the Mynisters of his worde to declare vnto the faythfull that beleeue and which are contrite and penitent the remission of their sinnes to be done by grace freely in the blood of Christe shead for them And to declare them to bee absolued from their sinnes and that altogether by the Minister of the worde in the catholyke Church in which that forgeuenes is made and done and not otherwyse But of our parte is requyred entyre and true repentaunce The which hath two partes The first is contrition that is to saye knowledge with displeasure and detestation to sinne the which is administred by the lawe and causeth in vs a despayre if it be not ayded of the other parte which is the lyuelie faith in the mercie of the father by the blood of Iesus Christ the which proceedeth from the Gospell that doth comfort vs and maketh vs to persyst and finde grace and fauour before the iudgement of God. The lxxxxiii Article I Beléeue that the sinne abydeth alwayes in man yea vnto those that are sanctified after the regeneration made by the baptisme and the holie spyrite the which neuerthelesse is not imputed vnto them thorow the fayth that they haue in Iesus Christe For as all the sinnes of the Infidels and reprobate are mortall and irremissyble because of their infidelitie so all the sinnes of the faithfull and elect are veniable and remissible because of their fayth And therfore I beléeue one onelie sinne to be mortall irremissyble that is to saye Infidelitie That is to say not to beleeue in the sonne of God for where true faith in Iesus Christe is founde all sinnes are hydden couered and pardoned ¶ I beleeue the resurrection of the fleshe which is the seconde fruit of my fayth The lxxxxiiii Article I Beléeue a resurrection to come and generall vnto all the worlde aswell to the good as euyll The which shall be done at the ende and consummation of the worlde by the vertue of Christe and by the ministring of the Angels the which with a lowde Trumpet shall call all the worlde before the Lorde and shall assemble all the elect from the fowre windes from the highest heauens vnto the lowest part of the earth and shall seperate the wicked from the middest of the righteous and shall cast them in the fornace of fyre where shall be wéeping gnashing of téethe Then the righteous shall shyne as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father And shal be lyke and companions with the Angelles of god That is the seconde resurrection and blessed is he that shall haue parte and portion in the same for he shal neuer be touched with the second death The lxxxxv Article I Beléeue that that resurrection shall be done in fleshe and not in spyrite That is to saye that the soule or spyrite of man shall not ryse againe for so muche as it is immortall and neuer dyeth But the bodye the which before aswell according to his nature as thorow sin was subiect vnto death corrpution rotten brought into dust and ashes shall be raysed vp and vnited with his soule and proper spirite and set in a perfecter estate then that of the first man before sinne exempted from all corruption of sinne and consequentlie from all other imperfections like vnto the gloryous bodye of Christe The lxxxxvi Article I Do also beléeue that I shall ryse againe not in the fleshe or body of another mans but in my very owne body which I brought from my mothers wombe with those same bones with the very body which I haue nowe The same notwithstanding transformed and chaunged made of mortall immortall of corruptible incorruptible of vyle and contemptible glorious And therefore I looke for my sauiour Iesus Christe who thorow his vertue shall transfigure my vile body that it maye be lyke vnto his glorious body according to the power by which hee can make all thinges subiect vnto himselfe ¶ I beleeue the lyfe euerlastyng VVhich is the thirde and laste fruite of my fayth The lxxxxvii Article I Beléeue that I shall ryse againe as I haue sayde with all the faithfull and electe not for to dye againe as those which were myraculouslye raysed aswell by Christe as by the Prophets and Apostles and such other but into an immortal eternall and perdurable lyfe for to raigne eternallye with God in body and soule And hereof I am very certayne and doubte nothing at all of it knowing that whosoeuer doubteth of his saluation made by Iesus Christe he shall neuer bee saued Wherefore euen as I am sure and certaine that Christe is dead and rose againe for mée and doubt nothing at all therof but am sure and certaine of my saluation made by him And that infallibly I shal be saued and shal go into eternall lyfe by him The lxxxxviii Article I Beléeue that then I shall sée face to face him whome I do nowe sée but by the glasse of fayth shall know him perfectly whome I knowe nowe but partlye who after that he hath destroyed and confounded all his aduersaries putting them as his footestoole wyll make all thinges newe for the glorie of his chosen And shall be God all in all and in all things Then euery one shall not teache his brother
saying Knowe the Lord For all shall knowe him from the greatest to the least among them The lxxxxix Article I Doo also beléeue that as the soules and spyrites of the Infidels wicked and reprobate after they are departed from the body that strayght way they descende into hell in the eternall fyre of hell their bodies remayning in the earth corrupted and rotten So the spirites and soules of the faithfull and elect children of God assoone as they depart from their body without tarying any whytte doo go strayght way into heauen into glorye with the Lorde And there doo looke for alwayes with great desyre the comming and totall redemption of their bodyes the which they haue left rotten and corrupted in the earth the which they shall obtaine at the latter daye and not before Wherein I reiect the foolysh opinion of the dreamers although there be of the auncients and excellent Authors which affirme the spirites of the Saints not to be yet in heauen but to sléepe in a certaine place to vs vnknowen vntyll they hauing receyued theyr bodyes at the latter daye in which the mysticall body of Christ being entyer perfect and fulfilled ought to enter into eternall glory The C. Article FInally I beléeue that as the Saints and blessed the Iudgement being done doo go with Christe triumphing in the ayre in body and soule for to abyde eternally in glorie with him and his Angelles That so the wicked myserable and dampned shall go into hel in body and soule with the diuell and his angels for to abyde there eternally and to be tormented with him in hell fire which neuer goeth out where is wéeping and gnashing of teethe where the woorme neuer dyeth From which the Lorde preserue and kéepe vs thorowe his grace and mercie Amen ⧠The Conclusion BEholde my déere and welbeloued brethren in Iesus Christ briefly the fayth knowledge of the mysteries which the Lorde hath geuen and bestowed vppon mee thorowe his grace and mercy vnworthy and poore sinner which haue not meryted so much goodnesse towardes him but rather his wrath and iudgement And therfore I know and confesse all to haue procéeded from him vnto whom onely I render eternall thankes whome also I beséeche in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord to preserue kéepe me thorow his holy spirit in that faith vnto the ende to geue mee grace vertue power to confesse it with the hart and mouth aswell before the Infidelles as the faithfull the tyrants and hangmen of Antechrist to mayntaine the same vnto the last drop of my blood I desire greatly to lyue and dye in the faith knowing being well assured that it hath for her foūdation the only word of God and that in the same al the holy Fathers Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles of Iesus Christ haue liued and dyed in it That is the true knowledge of the Lord the which consysteth in the beatytude and felicitie of man as Christe sayth in the Gospell This is lyfe eternall O Father that we acknowledge thée to be very God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christe This is the auncient doctrine nowe reuealed by the holy spyrite the which in our tyme was raysed vp againe and as from the bottome of the depthes was restored vnto vs againe by the grace and mercye of God and by the mynistring of good Doctors and true faythfull Mynisters of the same This is the hydden trueth the which was buryed and kepte close by that Antechriste of Rome and his false Prophets these fiue hundreth yéeres or there about who in stéede thereof dyd auaunce their dreaminges and mans traditions and other lyke doctrine fryuolous vaine and vnprofitable to the great dishonor of God to the offending of the faythfull and to the ruyne of all the Churche of Iesus Christe As also they doo yet at this daye in many places thorowe out the world persecuting that holy Euangelicall doctrine in all places and by all meanes Endeuoring them selues to burie it againe to hyde and couer it and altogether to destroye it but they shall all perish in their enterprises and the worde of the Gospell shall abyde eternally For so hath hée promised who is onely true and can not lye And heauen and earth shall sooner passe then his promise shoulde not hée fulfilled Wherefore blessed is hée that shall continue vnto the ende in that doctrine For he shall be partaker of all the promises of God And on the contrarie wo be vnto him that shall contempne despyse or reiecte it For the wrath of God abydeth vpon him Hée that beléeueth in mée sayth Christe hee shall not bée condempned But hée that beléeueth not hee is alreadye condempned his parte and portion shall be with the peruerse and wycked Hypocrites in eternall hell fyre Also I reiecte alwayes the doctryne of Luiterim with whome I wyll haue neyther parte nor portion And also I renownce all the doctryne of that Antechrist of Rome with al his Idolatries mans sectes errors and papisticall superstitions in which I haue bene some tyme plunged in it to my great hurte euen vp to the eares abusing my selfe after the creatures forsaking my Creator persecuting yea euē vnto death those which dyd teache that same which I now beléeue and confes But I haue obtained mercy of the Lord because I dyd it thorow ignoraunce in my vnbeléefe as many do yet at this day thorowe out the worlde being lead and conducted with a foolish vndiscrete zeale who in accusing persecuting and putting to death the faithfull and true members of Iesus Christe which doo seeke nothing else but the honor of God and the saluation of all the worlde doo thinke to doo things agréeable to God and to offer vnto him great Sacrifices whome I desire not to be so wylful and rash in iudgement but to examine it neerer and to searche and trye the matter better before they take any thing in hande To the ende they be not one day constrained to say confesse that which I nowe confesse of my selfe that they haue shamefully erred and sinned But thinking they dyd well notwithstanding in persecuting my good Lorde maister and onely sauior Iesus Christ For that which I haue done vnto his members and faithfull whome then I esteemed as Heretickes seditious and blasphemers of God and of his worde where they were louers thereof I doo esteeme that I dyd it vnto him selfe For hee sayth in the Gospell that that which men do vnto those which beleeue in him hee esteemeth it to be done vnto himselfe be it good or euyll The which he hath afterwards confirmed to Paul persecuting his Church after his ascencion I then knowing the great errors abuses and superstitions wherein I was plunged beforetyme Nowe I renounce and forsake all Idolatryes and false doctrines which are contrary and against the doctrine of my maister Iesus Christe which is the holy and pure worde
of God contained in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe TestameÌ„t reuealed by the holy Ghost whom I take for my guide and leader for to dyrect and leade me in this mortall life as the pyller of fyre dyd leade the chyldren of Israell thorowe the wyldernes into the lande of promise That shall be the Lanterne vnto my feete Furthermore I promise from hencefoorth and for the residue of my lyfe to walke and lyue according to that doctrine the best I can possyble hauing the spirite of God who shall assyst and dyrect mee in all my wayes without whome I can doo nothing with which I can doo all thinges insomuch that all shall be to the prayse of the Lorde to the aduauncement of the kyngdome of his sonne and to the edifycation of all the Churche and to the saluation of my soule The which most humbly with all my harte I require of that good father which is aboue in the heauens that his name maye bee in vs and thorowe vs sanctified as hee is holye in him selfe And that his kingdome come so that hee doo raygne perfectlie ouer vs and we maye obey his worde and commaundement That his wyll be done here belowe in earth as it is done by the Angelles aboue in heauen Beseeching him also thorowe Iesus Christ his Sonne our Lorde to geue and admynister vnto mee in this mortall life all thinges necessarie aswell to the Soule as body admynistring vnto me euerie daye the daylye breade of his worde without which my soule can not lyue And because I am a synner by nature corrupte solde vnder sinne not able to doo none other thing but to sinne and that I offende more then there be dayes I beseeche him not to enter into iudgement with mee neyther correcte and punishe me according to my merytes and desertes but mercifullye pardon mee all my offences against him committed as I doo pardon all those which haue offended mee And looke vppon mee not in mee but in the face of his sonne Iesus Christe thorow whose meanes I finde grace and mercy before him and before his righteous iudgement I beseech him alwayes to assist me thorowe his holye spirite by which I may escape the assault and embushments of the world the flesh and of Satan to surmouÌ„t alwayes vanquish their assaults and temptations without being broken or ouercome in any thing That their snares and cords being broken I maye gloriously escape and by that meanes I shall know plainly that bee is the King of Kinges and Lorde ouer all Lordes onely God sage immortal and inuysible altogether mightie strong and glorious vnto whom onelye appertayneth the kyngdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen FINIS 26. Februarie 1577. 1. Tim. 2. S. Ierom. Exo. 25. 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 4. Math. â— Luke 21. 1. Peter 3. Mat. 10.16 Mark. 8. Luke 9.17 Exo. 12. Exo. 12. Heb. 10. Collos 2. Ioh. 10. Exo. 20. 1. Pet. 5. Math. 7.15 Deut. 6. Esa. 6.45 Mala. 2. Gene. 1. Ps. 33.101 Esa. 64. Iere. 23. Actes 4.17 Psa 2.110 Iohn 1.3 5 14. Math. 3.17 Luke 3. 2. Cor. 4. Colos 1. Hebre. 1. Ps. 51.143 Ioh. 3.14.15.16 Deut. 4.23 Esa. 44.45 Ioh. 1.5.10 Exod 20. Deut 6.32 Mâ—la 2. Ioh. 10.17 Pâ—a 24.50 Roma 11. Iob. 9. Deut. 6.30 Math. 4. 1. Timo. 1. Apoca. 14. Esay 55. Iere. 2. Psalm 50. Math. 6.7 Iohn 15. Phil. â— Psalm 91. Gen. 17. Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Psa 37.55 Esai 49.99 Math. 6.7 1. Peter 5. Gene. 1. Psa 33.101 Iere. 32. Mala. 2. Iob. 1.2 Lament 3. Actes 17. Hebre. 1. GeÌ„ 1.2.5.9 Ephe. 4. Colos 3. Sapient 2. Eccle. 17. Eccle. 15. Gene. 1. Psalm 19. 1. Cor. 3. Sapien. 13. Roma 1. Gene. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Thes 4. Iohn 17. Ephe. 2. Colos 1. 2. Peter 2. Iude. 1. Apoca. 12. Math. 25. Gene. 1. Psalm 8. Gene. 3. Roma 5. Dani. 7. Mat. 11 2â— Iohn 8.13 Phil. 2. Gene. 3. Psalm 49. Eccle. 15. Ps. â— 13.52 Eccle. 17. Oseas 13. Rom. 3.5.7 Phil. 2. 1. Cor. 2 Iohn â— 15 Roma 7. Gene. 8. Ps. 14 140 Esay 59. Iohn 8. Roma 3.5 1. Cor. 15. Iere. 10. Iohn 15. Roma 7. 1. Cor. 3. Iohn 3. Titus 3. Psalm 51. Ephe. 2. Roma 7. Gene. 2. Iob. 4.5 Iohn 5. Roma 5. Roma 6 3. Reg. 19. Roma 11. Iohn 10. Roma 8. 1. Timo. 2. Rama 9. 1. Timo. 2. Math. 25. Ephe. 1. 2. Timot. 1. Titus 1.3 Roma 8. Galath 4. Esay 49. Psal. 113. Math. 7. Iob. 1.2.21 Psal. 94.73 Math. 8 1â— Iere. 31. Ephe. 1.2.3 1. Peter 1. Gene 1.22 Galath 3. Deut. 18. Esay 40. Gen. 17.21 2. Reg. 7. Psal. 132. Luke 1. Gala 4. Exod. 19. Leuit. 18. Ezech. 20. Roma 10. Galath 3. Baru 4. Exo. 20.21 22.23 Ezech. 20. 1. Timo. 1 Rom. 3.5.7 1. Cor. 15. Galath 3. Gene 3.17 Deut. 18. Actes 3. Galath 3. Rom. 3.5.7 Galath 3. Iohn 5. Leuit. 26. Deu. 27.28 Gala 3. 2. Cor. 3. Gene. â— Math. 27. Luke 22. Iohn 18. Galath 3. Psalm 19. Roma 7. 1. Timo. 1. Hebre. 7. Rom. 1.7.8 Actes 15. Rom. 10. Galath 3. 1. Cor. 1. Math. 5. Roma 8. Psa 18.32 130 143. Exod. 34. Dâ—niel 9. Actes 15. Rom. 8.11 Galath 3. Rom. 10. Phil. 3. Hebre. â— Esay 7.9 Math. 1. Iohn 1.3 Psal. 2.110 Roma 1.9 Heb. 1.2.3 1. Iohn 4.5 Hebre. 2.4 Roma 8. Galath 4. Phil. 2. Esay 7. Math. 1. Luke 1. Galath 4. Gene. 3.22 2. Reg. 7. Psalm 132 Math. 1. Luke 1 Iob. 14. Psalm 51. Math. 1. Luke 2. Esay 7.9 Ezech. 44. Iohn 3. Ephe. 2. Gene. 1.2.3 Math. 9. 1. Tim. 1. Esay 9. Iohn 3. Roma 8. Phil. 2. 2. Cor. 8. Gala. 4. Rome 8. Iohn 1. Ephe. 5. Iere. 18. Luke 15. Roma 5. Roma 8. Colos 2. Ephe. 2. Titus 3. Esay 26 Math. 2 Marke 3. Luke 8. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 4. Galath 4. Roma 10. Math. 10. S. August Psalm 27. Math. 12. Iohn 20. Psal. 110. Esay 61. Mat. 1.16 Luke 2. Ioh. 1.4.6 Heb. 7.9 Deut. 18. Actes 3. 1. Reg. 10.16 3. Reg. 1.19 Leuit. 8. Psal. 45. Esai 61. Luke 4. Psal. 133. Iohn 1. Ephe. 4. Actes 11. Heb. 7.9.10 Leuit. 1.2.4.7.8 Heb. 10. 1. Iohn 2. Dani. 7. Iohn 19. Luke 17. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 10. Mat. 5.6.7.24.27 Luke 21.23 Ioh. 17.19 Rom. 8. Heb. 9. Act. 7. Gen. 13. Psal. 110. Heb. 7. Math. 4.9 Luke 4. Ephe. 2. Iohn 5.6.7.8.9.10.11 12. Math. 26. Mark. 14. Luke 22. Iohn 18. Act. 2.4 Mat. 27. Mark. 15. Luke 23. Iohn 19. Esai 53. Sapi. 2. Gala. 3. Philip. 2. Luke 23. Iohn 19. Psal. 16.18 Actes 2. Esai 53. 2. Cor. 5. Gala. 3. 1. Pet. 2. Psal. 22. Math. 2. Mark. 15. 1. Pet. 3.4 Esai 53. Iohn 8.14 1. Pet. 2. 1. Iohn 3. Esai 53. Iohn 3. Rom. 5.6 2. Cor. 5. Gala. 3. Colos 1. 1. Iohn 2. Gene. 2. Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Eze. 18.33 Rom. 5.6 Ephe. 2. Colos 2. 1. Thes 5. Hebr. 9.10 1.