and terrestiall for the seruice of man to the ende that by his creatures he should come vnto the knowledg of the Creator that also he hath made fashoned Mā for him selfe that of him and by him he shoulde be knowne loued feared serued and honored this is the soueraigne goodnesse of man and that in him shoulde shine the Image of the heauenlye vertues and perfections in al good works the which GOD hath prepared that we should walke in thē vnto his honor and glorye and to the confusiō of the aduersary and by that meanes the ruine of the Angels was restored and man possessed the eternal kingdome made and prepared for him before the constitution of the worlde The .vii. Article I Beléeue the same man to haue byn constituted by the Lorde God mayster and ruler ouer al creatures the which he did loose by his sinne aswell for him selfe as for all his posteritie the which domination and segniory I beléeue nowe to appertaine vnto one onely Iesus Christ very GOD and man and vnto those to whome he wil bestow it as are the faythfull and not vnto the infidels and reprobate The .viii. Article I Beleue the first mā thorow the subtilty and craft of Sathan to be fallē from the excellentnesse in whiche God created him agreeing thorow his free wil which then he had to the canteloas suggestion of the Serpent wherby he hath lost the benefits which the Lord gaue vnto him In so much that of wise he became foolish of iust vniust of true a lyer of perfect altogether vnperfect hauing afterwarde a will altogether depraued which can not nor will not agrée with the will of GOD but altogether vnto the will of the Deuil the world the flesh and of sinne not able to do anye thing of him selfe but euill for that he is altogeather carnall captiue bonde and sould vnder sin Beholde the free or rather the bonde will of man for the estate of of this present lyfe The .ix. Article I Beléeue that that discorde and corruption of nature was not onely in Adam because of his sin but also in all men generally which descend from him one onelye Iesus Christ except insomuch that they are all according to theyr nature corrupted vnrighteous lyers ignoraunt ingratefull and vnperfect altogether Not being able according to their nature to do think speake nor will any thing which pleaseth God vntyll such time as they are regenerated and renewed by the spirite of God. The .x. Article I Beléeue that this corruption of nature otherwise called originall sin is the beginning roote of all other sins by which do come vnto vs all the miseries calamities and aduersities whiche we suffer in this lyfe aswell in bodye as in spirite and in the ende double death to wit of body and soule These are the fruites and rewardes for sinne But although that the same is due and common vnto all men generallye yet neuerthelesse the Lorde through his mercye hath reserued a certaine number to him only knowen whome he hath drawne from this corrupted masse hath sanctified and clensed them in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ And by that meanes hath made the vessels of election to honor apt and fit to all good workes And therfore The .xi. Article I Beléeue that the Father in Iesus Christ his Son by the holy Ghost hath elected and chosen those that be his according to his good wil before the foundation constitution of the world whome he hath predestinated to eternall lyfe because they were his Children by adoption hauing greater care of them without any comparisō then the best Father could haue of the best childe of this world not suffering that any thing should come frō the heauens aboue or from the earth beneath but it shoulde be for theyr vtilitye and great profit The .xii. Article I Beléeue that the father by his Son with the holy Ghost from the beginning hath alwaies seene to the restoring of man to whom he manifested him selfe yea after the sinne making vnto him a promise of the blessed seede by which the Serpents head must be broken and the faythfull ought to receyue blessing by that promise afterwardes oftentymes confirmed and ratefyed to the holye fathers the man otherwise in despaire in his sinne being releued ayded and comforted hath lyued in hope vnto the exhibiting and accomplishing of the same The xiii Article I Do also beléeue that after this promise the Lorde hath prescribed and geuen the lawe of the commaundementes to man promising life vnto those that kéepe them and death vnto those that transgresse them and he geueth them not that man shoulde seeke iustification health or lyfe in them but for the pollicie peace and tranquilitie of his people for to defende the good and to chastice correct the wicked and to houlde and kéepe euery one in his office And chiefly that by the same man should better know him selfe his disease poorenesse and imperfection And by that meanes should haue occasion to humble him selfe before the law geuer and to seeke remedy health and lyfe otherwise to wit in the holy seede promised which is Iesus Christ For that cause it is called a Scoolemayster for to come vnto Christ the which also serueth vs as a glasse for to knowe our vices our spirituall leprosie and to augment that knowledge In like manner it serueth vs for an accuser to accuse vs before the Lorde and instéede of a seuere cruell Iudge for to declare the wrath iudgement of GOD vpon vs the condemnation and eternal death by that meanes to feare vs and to make vs in dispayre vntyll such tyme as we be comforted by the Gospel which is the faith in Iesus Christ by the which we are exempt and deliuered from all those maledictious These are the Offices of the lawe the which are tourned to vs in goodnesse by the sayth of the Gospell the which hath oppositiue offices and altogether contrary Furthermore I confesse that the law of God is good right holy and perfect and wheras it bringeth nothing to perfection the faulte is not in it but in vs which are altogether imperfecte nor we can not anye thing at all accomplish it not to touch it with the least finger And therfore The .xiiii. Article I Beléeue and confesse Iesus Christ to be the fulnesse the ende and consūmation of the lawe to the righteousnesse of all beleeuers to whom by whom onely al the promises of the father are fulfilled whoe also alone hath perfectly satisfied the lawe the which none among men could do for somuch as the lawe commaundeth impossible thinges to the corruptible man the which neuerthelesse he shall fulfill not in working but in beleeuing as also the lawe is fulfilled by fayth and not by workes and by that meanes he shall finde the righteousnesse of fayth
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
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
auailable before the Lorde and not those of workes the which bringeth nothing vnto perfection BEholde as touching the first poynt of my faith what I beleue of the Father of the thinges made by him and consequently of the holy Trinitie with the fall of man. Let vs now come vnto the second point which is of the Sonne of GOD and of the things done by hâ—m chiefly of the restoring and reparing of man. I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lorde which was conceaued by the holye Ghost borne of the Virgin MARY suffered vnder PONCE PILATE was crucified dead buried descended into Hell the thirde day he arose againe from death He ascended into HeaueÌ„ there he sitteth at the right hand of GOD the Father almighty From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the deade The .xv. Article I Beléeue that Iesus Christ is verye God and very man hauing two natures inteâ—mixts in one person the diuine nature according to whiche he is the naturall Son of God equall to the Father in al through al. And humaine nature according to the which he is verye man in all and by al lyke vnto vs sin onely excepted The .xvi. Article I Beléeue that Iesus Christ the Son of GOD in the fulnesse of tyme prefixed and preordained of the Father from euerlasting was sent into the world by the Father was made very maÌ„ conceaued within the womb of a Virgin called Mary of the proper substaunce and of pure blood purifyed of her because that he was found very Man descending from the séede of Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and of the other fathers to whom the promise was made The .xvii. Article I Do also beleeue all that to be done by the operation of the holy Ghost without the worke of man to the ende that all should be holy vndefiled pure and cleane and by that meanes our conception was purified and sanctifyed the which of it selfe was marred and defyled with sinne The .xviii. Article I Beleeue the same Iesus Christ to be borne of the Virgin Mary without anye sin and without breaking of her virginitie because that by his pure and holye natiuitie he purifyeth and sanctifyeth ours the which of it selfe is altogether marred and defiled with sinne In that natiuitie of Christ I see and consider the firste estate and condition of man with his fall which was the cause of the comming of Christe into this world likewise the grace and beneuolence of GOD the Father who hath represented and geuen vnto vs his onely begotteÌ„ sonne for to serue vs And the loue of the son who hath abased and humbled him self for to eleuate and exalte vs hath made him selfe poore for to enrich vs and hath him self subiected for to affranchise vs and he is made the sonne of man for to make vs the children of God and possessors of eternall life by whose comming mans nature was restored and made noble and the man that was lost broken and destroyed was raysed vp againe set agayne in his first place and hath recouered all that which he lost throwe sin and more For by that meanes all the treasures graces and benedictions of the Lord are geuen and bestowed vpon him and that altogether thorow grace without any merites The .xix. Article I Do also beléeue and knowe by the holy scriptures an other conception and natiuitie of Christe which is spirituall the which I saye to be of no lesser dignitie then the first That is that euerye faythfull man ought to conceaue in his hart and minde Iesus Christ thorow a liuely and true faith and to bring him foorth thorowe the manifest confession of the mouth as often as néede shal require I estéeme that conception and natiuitie to be so necessarye vnto saluation that if the Virgin Marye had not more blessedly borne Iesus Christ in her hart mind then in her womb the carnal maternity would not haue much profited her By that meanes we are called the mothers brethren and sisters of Iesus Christ The .xx. Article I Beleeue that the same Iesus Christ is verely the Christ that is to saye the Messias the annoynted by the holy Ghost because that he shoulde be the true Kyng Prophete and great Priest of all the beléeuers the which was promised in the Lawe of whom also haue spoken all the Prophetes This annoynting of Christ was not corporall with a materiall and visible oyle as the same of Kyngs Priestes and Prophets in times past But spiritual with an inuisible oyle which is the grace gyftes of the holy Ghost of which he was filled aboue al other insomuch that that oyntment is descended vnto vs which haue felt and prooued the sauour thereof whereby also we beare the name of a Christian that is to say annoynted The xxi Article I Beléeue that that Sacrifisor Iesus Christ not to haue bene Leuiticall or carnall for to offer vp and sacrifice bullocks kyne or such like things as Aaron did and al his successors but spirituall yet neuerthelesse reall and true for to offer and sacrifice him self that is to say his body and his blood for the remission of the sinnes of all the worlde as also his kyngdome is not of this carnall worlde but spirituall the which consisteth in the guyding and gouerning of his by his holy spirite ouer whom he raigneth by his word and to the vtter destruction of all his aduersaries which are sinne death hell Satan and all infidels wicked and reprobate which rebell against the word of the Gospel The .xxii. Article I beléeue that Iesus Christ hath trulye exercised these thrée offices to wete Prophet Kyng and Priest not onely in this worlde he being a mortall man as we are But also that he yet doth exercise them daily in heauen before the face of his father where he standeth and appeareth continually for vs and thereof being taught by his spirit aydeth maynteyneth and defendeth those that are his and therfore he is called Prophet Kyng and high Priest after the order of Melchisedech which is eternall and not after the order of Aaron which ended with the Lawe The .xxiii. Article I Beléeue that the same Iesus Christ after that he had preached the Gospel in the countrey of Iudea Galile by the space of thrée yeres or there abouts declaring him selfe the naturall sonne of God aswel by his miraculous workes as by the words and wrytings of the Prophetes that he hath bene vniustly and falsely accused by the Priestes who when that they had taken him in their counsell did vniustly condemne him to death being bounde and chayned brought hym before Pilate Prouost at that tyme in Ierusalem who at the instance and request of the said Priests hath vniustly and without any cause condemned hym to death the most horrible and ignominious that one can thinke or excogitate That is 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
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.