yet to presse into it Couetousnes worketh suche whiche is a roote of all iniquytie Lyke as loue is a roote of al goodnes as Paule sayth i. tim vi i. Pe. v Pryde cleaneth to them that be couetous There of speaketh Peter God resisteth the proude but geueth grace to the humble In Apocalypse writteth S. Ihon thus Apoc. iij Christe standeth euen nowe before the dore of oure hertes knocketh yf any man heare hys voyce and opē the dore vnto him vnto him wil he entre in and suppe with hym He prouoketh and beekeneth vs confortably to hym by hys holy word many wayes whereby we be delyuered frō the captiuite of mans lawe so that we wyll heare hym Vve be waxed so blynde that we se not oure redemptiō and lyberty Ioha v. and .xiiij Therfore sheweth he vs the waye and the dore sayenge Seke in the scripture for she beareth witnesse of me And I am the waye the trueth and the lyfe No man cometh to the father but by me Item I am the dore all they that haue entred any other waye Iohan. x than by my be theues and murderers He that entreth in by my shal besafe and shall goo in and oute and fynde pasture The thefe cometh not into the fold but to steale to destroy I am come that they myght haue lyfe and haue it more aboundantly Mat. xi Item come vnto me all ye that laboure and are ladē and I shal refresshe you Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meke and lowely in herte and ye shal fynde rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easy my burthen is lyght Of suche lyke sainges be here and there innumerable many Therfore lette vs ioyfully receyue and with greate diligence thankefully kepe the holy pure sincere worde of God the sustenaūce of the soule whiche the Lorde God agayne of newe mercifully hath manifested vnto vs. For Christ saith Luce. xi Deuter viij happye are they that heare the worde of god and kepe it Therewith maye we boldely praye in spyte of the deuill and all hys illusions And to thintente that we maye the more stedfaste lyer do the same here followeth moost compendiously cōprehended howe we oughte to holde vs in al Christian lyuinge concernynge the faythe in doynge and lyuing towarde God and man and where the same al together and euery parte therof is grounded in the scripture to the prayse of god and for the succoure crudicion of the simple Christen congregacion ordeyned and made to vse them selues in the holy scripture The mercyfull God vouchesafe to geue and graunte vs hys grace helpe and fatherly succoure there vnto AMEN ¶ The twelue Articles of oure Christen faythe with annotations of holy scripture wherein they be grounded By Vrbanum Regium to the pleasure of the worshipfull wyse man Caspar wytbrugge collected Prologe CYprian Ruffyn be of thys opinion mat xvi that the Apostles whan Christ had commaunded the gospell vniuersally in the worlde to be preached before theyr departynge the one from the other haue agreed and haue made a summe of all theyr predications to come what euery one dyd holde to thintent that they myght preache the Godly doctryne of Christe to all creatures with one accorde And that shoulde be the twelue articles of oure beleue as euery mā speketh them dayly Nowe be it as it wyll whether the Apostles or likewise their successours haue extracted it moost briefly The scripture ought men to reade them selues rom xv Vvhat we beleue is not all comprehended in the Crede it is good in myne opynyon notwithstandynge Let euery man also heare or reade the treasure of wysedome the Byble as the ryght well and springe where that and other thynges more for our instruccyon is written Vve beleue that in the Sacrament of the aulter is the body and blode of Christe That standeth not in these twelue articles and yet is an artycle of faythe therfore must men reade the scripture also In the twelue chiefe articles of faithe is the chiefest comprehended what to a christen man is necessary to beleue for hys saluacyon For as muche now that faythe is to vs so necessary mar cxvi Ebre xi Iohan iij that no man withoute fayth can be saued as Christe sayeth He that beleueth not is dampned Item he that beleueth not is condēpned all ready Verely the wicked spirite our enemy laboureth with many craftes to put vs awaye from the faythe of these articles wherfore it is necessarye that oure herte be very sure bound to these articles with a strōg stedfast faithe which in the felde of heauy temptacion may resiste Matth. iiij Deute viij Psa xci Ioh. viij Christe dyde set him selfe agaynste the deuyls temptacion with the scripture castynge before hym the saynges out of the scripture euē so shoulde we do also The wicked spirit feareth the scripture For as muche as he is a father of lyes Gen. iij Iho. viij he can not abyde the wordes of the euerlastynge veryte He is a Prynce of darkenes therfore flyeth he from the wordes of lyfe Therfore shall euery Christian surely walle rounde aboute and make stronge with saynges of the holye Scripture these twelue articles that the Deuyll be not able to ouercome hym ¶ The holy Scripture is here oure wall and refuge where vpon the hert may and shall surely truste whereout cometh confirmation of oure faythe Profyte of the holy scripture whatsoeuer she teacheth and biddeth vs the same is right and Goddes wille She is oure lyght and waye she cometh of God the holy gooste teacheth vs what is necessary for vs to oure saluacyon cōforteth vs in all tēptacions refourmeth vs in all errours illumineth vs in the darknes of oure ignoraunce rom xv Therfore sayth s Paule whatsoeuer is written afore tyme is written for our learnynge that we through pacience and comforte of the scripture myght haue hope And to Timothee ij tim iij all scripture geuen by inspiration of god is profitable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnes that the man of God be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes god speketh through men ij Pet. i. Laudable perseueraunce vertue honoure of the godly scripture of the old and newe testament testifyeth to vs sufficiently that menne haue not of them selues but God hath spoken through the men Exo iiij They be not mennes but Goddes wordes Euen thus spake God vnto Moyses Goo to I wyll be in thy mouthe and wil teache the what thou shalt speake Christe asscrybeth hys doctryne to the father Iohā vij and .xiiij mat xvi as stondeth in Iohn God the father hath geuen hym vnto the congregacion as theyr ryght true doctour whome men should beleue as he sayth him selfe In the articles of oure holy faythe standeth thys worde beleue Ebr. xi before in the beginnyng For as saynt Paule sayth withoute fayth it is impossible to
the begynnynge of the worlde Thys is the ryght saluation whiche shal begynne euen after the temporal lyfe to them that lyue in Christ In Iohn sayth Christ Ioh. iij God so loued the worlde that he hath geuē hys onely sonne that none that beleue in hym shoulde perysshe but should haue euerlasting life The scripture speaketh of the lyfe euerlastynge euerye 〈…〉 Christe that men might knowe christ a ryght the sonne of God mat xvi Therfore asked he hys disciples what thy helde of hym Then answered Peter for hym selfe and for the other Thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God Vpon suche knowledge which is necessary for vs all in the Catholyke churche buylded i. Cor i. i i Cor. iij Thus sayth Paule Vve preache Christe the power and wysedome of God He wyll also suffer none other foundation but onely Iesus Christe euen as he hath preached hym That he is come from the father in the nature of mankynd and hath redemed the worlde dyed for vs vppon the crosse and is rysen agayne oure heade and Lorde Eph. ij And is sett on the ryght hande of God vnto whome we come and are saued not by oure owne workes but of grace through fayth Ioh. x Throughout the hole Gospel of s Iohn declareth he for the moost parte that he hym selfe is the sonne of God and preacheth for the moost parte that God is hys father In so muche that the yewes did reiecte hym and would stone him for the same i. Ioh. v. For Christ is come to teache fayth whereby men beleue euen in hym as in the sonne of God And fayth is the fulfyllinge of al lawes He is the righteousnes for euer he is the worke of Goddes glorie he is the mortification of the flesshe the raysinge of the spirit the subduinge of the world the subduinge of the flesshe the subduynge of hell the gates of hell cannot preuayle agaynst hym Briefely Matth. xvi Ioh. viij Ioh. xiij he is all in all thinges as he sayeth in Iohn Excepte ye beleue that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Itē he that beleueth in me shall neuer dye The writynges of the Apostles be full of doctryne as concernyng fayth for thereon lyeth all the matter mar xvi He that beleueth not shal be damned he that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastynge lyfe Ioha iij. Therfore shoulde we praye continually for the ryght faith for he bryngeth with hym loue hope and all goodnes Fayth Fayth is not a slyght meanynge 〈…〉 whiche the natural witte or wyll can make to hym selfe Act. xv but it is a liuely thynge in the herte which renueth mā and purifyeth the herte It is suche a lyuely confidence and trust to God that man is sure and certayn aboue al wysedome that he pleaseth God and that he hath a mercyfull God whiche is towardes hym kynd gracious and mercyfull and forgeueth hym in all thynges that he doeth Thys fayth is the chiefest worke of the fyrste commaundement lyke as the fyrste commaundement is a measure example rule and vertu of all other commaundementes in the which as in the heade all membres lyue and haue power thereof Goode workes Euen so is fayth the heade lyfe and power of al good workes No work is good except faith hath wrought it ye except it be thorowely mixte with fayth Ro. xiiij euen as wyth newe leuyn whatsoeuer is not of faith that same is synne Ioh. vi Thys fayth is the dearest worke of god wherof Christ speaketh in Iohn This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whome God hath sent Therfore doth the scripture moost requyre fayth as in the Gospell often standeth Vvhen Christe would worke any myracle asked he before yf thei beleued that he coulde and woulde do suche thynges Item in marke and Mathewe Mar. ix Matth. xiij mat vij it is written that Christe hath not done many myracles in hys owne countree because of theyr vnbeleue In Mathewe sayth Christe that hys disciples could not heale the lunatike for theyr vnbeleues sake Vvheras a ryght Catholike fayth is Ephe. ij there is a creation of a newe harte The olde harte of Adā hath not thys faith of it selfe For it is a gyfte of god Many say the Crede dayly Fayth boaste there of very sore But they knowe not what it is O it maketh a meke hūble obediēt godly peple whiche trusteth in god onely hopeth loueth him aboue al things feareth him serueth his euen christen willingly with body goodes hindereth nomā suffereth gladly dāmage persecutiō Al his workes be ordered to the vtylyte and profyte of hys neyghboure be he frende or foo euen as Christe hath done vnto vs also Therfore be not all they Chrysten manne that be called Euangelical and be inclined to hurte or endamage their neyghbours in body soule honoure or goodes They be heathen vnder the name of Christe theyr frutes shewe what they be yf they were ryght christians or Euangelicall they would be obedient seruable vnto al men intendyng to hurte no man God vouchesaue to illumine them with true fayth that they maye be suche in dede as they wil be called Amen Marci ix Lorde I beleue helpe myne vnbeleue Marci xvi He that beleueth not shal be damned Marci ix All thinges are possible to hym that beleueth ¶ Here begynneth the ryght foundation and pryncypall common places of the hole godly scripture a goodly shorte declaration to all Christians profitable and necessarye for to come to the right vnderstondyng of the holy Scripture compyled for the commoditie of all Christen people By Doctor Vrbanus Regius ⧠The contentes of the common places i. Holy Scripture ij God iij. The ryght honour of God iiij Goddes greatest dishonour v The lawe vi The gospell vij Fayth viij Good workes ix Sacramente x The death of Christ xi Flesshe xij Spirite xiij Vertue xiiij The greatest vertue xv The greatest synne xvi The soule xvij Lyfe xviij Euerlastyng lyfe xix Death xx The resurrection xxi The later daye xxij Masse xxiij Righteousnes xxiiij Honour of sainctes xxv Difference of meates xxvi Holy dayes xxvij Prayer xxviij Vowe xxix Obedience xxx The wyll of God xxxi Mannes wyl xxxij Offence xxxiij Almoses xxxiiij Othe or swearyng xxxv Christian lyberty xxxvi Churche xxxvij Ryches xxxviij Synne xxxix Infirmitie xl Health xli Persecution xlij Ioye and heuynes xliij Peace xliiij Free wyl xlv Counsayll xlvi Confessyon xlvij Merytes xlviij Shepeherde Ende of the Tabell ¶ To the most reuerende father in God Thomas by the permission of God Archebysshope of Canturburye Metrapolitane prymate of all Englande Hys dayly oratoure Gwalter Lynne wyssheth lyfe euerlastynge ME thynketh most reuerēde father that this sayenge of our Sauyoure Christ be occupied til I come is an admonicyon of all other moste necessarye and profytable Luc. xix and xij Matth. xxiiij xxv mar xiij aswell for the parentes or maysters
please God for he that cometh to God must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seke hym We saye not I see or I knowe Ebr. xi but I beleue Paule sayth Faythe is a sure confidence of thynges whiche are hoped for and a certaynte of thinges whiche are not sene For these articles be wonderfull secretes of God which thorough mennes witte can not be obtayned and vnderstonde but onely with the eyes of fayth Mannes wysedome can not vnderstonde that god is become man and frō death rysen agayne and rayseth also the dead in Christe that he ascended into heauen sitteth on the ryghte hand of God his father Item that Goddes naturall sonne be borne of a virgyn and suche lyke Wisedome of the crosse The wysedome of the crosse is hyden from al eyes of worldly wysedome it is a mistery which is knowen by fayth All worldly policye knoweth nothynge of it i. Cor. i. Euen thus sayth Paul we preache Christ crucifyed vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallyng and vnto the Grekes folisshnes but vnto thē whiche are called bothe of Iewes and Grekes we preache Christe the power of God and the wysedome of God It semeth vnto the Gentiles to be a folissh thyng that God shoulde dye beyng the incomprehensible maiestye They knowe nothynge of the mistery of the blessed manhode whiche God toke vpon hym for oure saluacyon from the beginnynge prouyded Ephes i and ordeyned Saynt Paul speaketh vnto the Corinthians When the world through their wisedome knowe not God in hys wysedome i. Cor. i it pleased God through folyshnes of preachynge to saue them that beleue thereon Luce. ij Here is set and erected the signe which is spoken agaynst and whiche is the fall and resurrection of many in Israel Esay xxviij Here is set the stone of stomblynge and rocke of offence as Esay sayth Vvhereon many shall be brused That is the wisedome of Christen men whiche saued vs. As for all the wysedome of the Gentiles was not able to comforte her teachers effectually in their smalest grefe Mat. xi The wysedō hath God hyd from the wyse and prudent and hath opened it vnto babes The Iewes wente about Rom. xi to be made and to come ryghteous to God throughe the lawe and throughe the dedes of the lawe but so coulde coulde they not be ryghteous Roma x They haue reiected Christe the precious corner stone which is the ende of the lawe in whome is made righteous he that beleueth Rom. ix But there is another ryghteousnes whereof the Iewes knowe not whiche is called the ryghteousnes of God that is no thynge elles then to beleue in hym that iustifyeth the synner accordynge as saynte Paul witnesseth Rom iiij If I beleue truely in Christe as in the very some of God myne onely redemer and saueour truely then shall thys fayth and truste be counted vnto me for ryghteousnes before God Fayth is not a slyght thynge whiche a man may geue vnto hym selfe or make it when he wyll But it is a great myghtye thynge whiche renueth man and leaueth hym not in hys olde opinyon Vvhat is fayth and in hys olde skynne and desyres To beleue is stedfastly to cleaue vnto the worde sf God whether it be wordes of threatenynges or of promyse that thou doest truste there vpon That can no man do of hym selfe Act. iiij the spirite of God must renue illumyne hys herte before A man maye make to hymfelfe an opinyon of God that he is good and merciful but it hath no efficacye for as sone as the earnest nede cometh it vanissheth awaye as a dreame A right fayth It is not ynowgh that we speake the articles of oure fayth euery daye fyue sixe or seuen tymes after the pater noster Thei must be written in the herte that lyuely not onely mumbled with the tōg that when the affliction beginneth that it be then euen as thou speakest Thou sayest I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes when the deuyll doth assayle the in necessyte of death for thy manyfolde synnes sake then arte thou abasshed and wylt dispayre Thereby do I see that thou spekest this article with thy mouthe but thy herte knoweth nothynge thereof Thou beleuest it not truely Thou saakest I beleue the resurrection of the body and the lyfe euerlastynge but whan death breaketh in and body soule must parte than arte thou so afrayde as though body and soule dyed altogether as yf it were cleane done with the Se yf there were a right fayth in the of this article that there were no doubtefulnes with the in it that thy body and soule woulde sone come together agayne thou shouldest not be so fearefull For fayth is kepte in necessite euen as golde in the fyre dayly prayer Thy daily and moost diligent prayer allwayes to god shal be O Lorde euerlastyng almighty God geue me the ryght true faythe loue and hope that I maye serue my neyghboure accordynge to thy pleasure AMEN ¶ The fyrste Artycle I Beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauē and earth Here marke fyrste One god thre persons that there is but one God but they be thre personnes The father and the sonne and the holy goost as the scripture testifyeth The thre personnes be lyke euerlastyng lyke myghtye of one maiestye and beynge The sonne in the holy trinitye is sent vnto vs in the last tyme hath tagen vpō him humayne nature to thintent that he shoulde fulfylle the scripture and redeme vs accordynge to the good wyll of hys father And he hath also created all thynges with the father and the hooly goost after the Godheade in the beginnynge Deu. vi Thus sayth the scripture Heare Israel The Lorde oure God is an onely Lorde And thou shalt loue the Lord thy god with all thy herte with all thy soule with all thy mighte the nature beleueth not that there is one God The nature of mankynde is so euel so sore blynded through synne that she of her owne power and strengthe can not well comprehende thys article that there is one God yea althoughe she thynke there be somewhat that is God as the gentyle Cicero maketh mencion yet knoweth she nothyng sure of hym of hys power and wille It is easy to perceyue how littel the gentyls haue knowen of god thorough theyr own wittes thei haue made many Goddes Roma i and haue waxed ful of vanities in theyr imaginacions ād haue knowen nothynge truely of the almyghtynes of God The lyght of nature is to weake for suche hyghe matters The lyght of grace must shyne here in darkenes elles is it errour and ignoraunce God oure father God is called oure father that is a confortable thynge to the faythfull is he our father so be we hys children and heyres of hys kyngdome Euē so doeth also Esay calle hym Lord thou atre our father oure
suffre onelye Goddes workes in vs. mat xvi This is the mortifyenge of oure selues and renewyng of oure selues He that wyl come to Christe must for sake hym selfe The Sonday and other holy dayes are permitted for this cause that men so muche the better and more conueniently maye come together in those dayes to praye with the congregation in one accorde to heare the worde of God and to receyue the Sacramente Vvhen that is done thē mayest thou worke without any synne Men dyd in the tyme of Ierome after the diuine seruyce vse bodely laboure in the congregation as he writteth hym selfe in Epitaph Pauli Vvherfore wyl they compel vs then to rest Gal. iiij Colos ij with manyfest hynderaunce of the body soule and goodes Reade Paule in the Epistle to the Galathians and Colossians Prayer The ryght and beste prayer Mat. vi is the Pater noster and it comprehendeth whatsoeuer is necessary vnto vs. A ryght Christen prayer must be made earnestly and attentyuely Take before the an extreme necessitie and bryng that before God The greatest necessite is lacke of faith loue and hope for these thre thynges oughtest thou to pray for therein consisteth oure saluation For thus sayth Christe Seke fyrste the kyngdome of God and his righteousnes al these thynges shall be ministred vnto you yf God doth fede the byrdes of the ayer with oute all care and clotheth the floures of the felde so costely verely truste in hym he shall also prouyde for thy lyuyng Abraham trusted well in God and be came ryche here and also hereafter Mat. vi The prayer must be shorte as Christe sayth when ye pray bable not moche as the heathen do for they thynke that they shal be hearde for theyr moche bablinges sake Superfluous wordes oughte to be auoyded in the prayer Therfore beware of Hortulus anime Rosarium The gardeyn of Herbes thy Myrour and suche lyke foolysshe baggage For therein is moche vnprofitable babblynge Euery man can not seke nor gather oute the golde out of the myre Iacob i. Matth. xxi Ioh. iiij Let the prayer be faithfull he that prayeth not in fayth obtayneth nothynge God hath promysed to heare vs therfore muste we be done in spirite and in truth Prescrybe vnto god no signe way tyme nor houre when and howe he shoulde geue the thy requeste he knoweth well ynough when it is beste for the putte it to hys discretion and saye alwayes Lorde thy holy wyll be done He heareth hym anone that prayeth in fayth but he geueth not alwayes so soone for he knoweth when it is tyme. Vowe ¶ We haue made a promyse vnto God in the holy Baptysme that we wyll forsake the deuyll and renounce all hys workes Here doth man promyse to fyghte agaynste hys owne flesshe agaynste the worlde agaynst the deuyll He is borne of hys father Eph. ij Iohn iij a synfull chylde of wrath he muste be renewed and borne agayne of water the holy goost The olde man muste be mortifyed thys is done through all maner of tribulatiō aduersite which greue the carnall man ij tim iij For thus sayth Paul Al that wyll lyue godly in christe muste suffer persecutiōs Mat. iij and. iiij And thys is the repētaunce or amēdemēt which Iohn Christe do teache This repentaunce is a mortifyeng of the old mā a renewyng of the spirite His tokē is Baptisme which is a newe byrthe Tit. iij whosoeuer wyl not suffre aduersitye and afflictions in thys worlde Ac. xiiij thesame is vntrewe and kepeth no promise nor doth the thynges whiche he hath promysed in hys baptysme Therfore is it good to see that there be but fewe ryght Christians in earth Mē oughte not to vowe or promyse any thynghe rasshely for euery man hath both hys handes full of workes The promyse of baptisme and ynoughe to do yf he wyll satisfye hys Baptisme The promises or vowes of freres c. The vowes of freres or monkes are foolysshnes and are made without faith To vowe chastite is not in their power for it is a specyall gyfte of God And a counseyl not a commandement The Euangelicall pouertye belongeth to vs all i. Co. vij Matth xix and is nothyng elles then in spirite not to desyre not to cleame the temporall goodes with oure herte and to vse the goodes for the commoditie and welthe of oure neyghboure as dispensatours and distributours not as owners and Lordes of the goodes Luc xiiij For thus sayth christe yf a man come to me and hateth not hys father mother wyfe chyldren bretheren and sisters Moreouer and hys owe lyfe he can not be my discyple Thys lawe doth bynde euerye man not onelye freres and Nonnes Ro. vij for it is spirituall euen as the hole lawe is and requyreth a cleane pure herte To forsake all thynges that is To forsake all thinges not to be entangled with any thynge with any inordinate or vncomely desyres And to vse the same onelye and not to hange or cleane thereon with wyl or desyre Therfore is not the Euangelicall pouerte Euangelicall pouerte to go a beggynge from house to house and to haue nothyng at al but not to hang vpō the goodes with a couetous mynde and desyre All ryches are geuen vs of God not that we should occupye thē alone but that we shoulde serue oure neyghboure with them yea with all that we haue Deu. xv Luce. x. thys requyreth the lawe of nature the lawe of God Moyses commaunded that no man shoulde be suffred to begge Christe sayth Go not frō house to house Into whatsoeuer house ye enter there eate and drynke suche as they haue Obedience Ro. xiij Philip. i i. Pe. iij Obedience must we kepe euen as wel as the freres or monkes as Paule and Peter teache euery man in his Citie or cōmunalty to hys Lord whatsoeuer the scripture sayth of the obedience of God and of his holy worde the same do the blynde guydes drawe by the heare vpon theyr inuented obedience Euen as also they wreste thys saynge in Samuel i. Re. xv Obedience is better sacrifyce drawe it vpon mannes traditions The vowes promyses of the freres or monkes come of ignoraunce of the free wyll whiche they presume to haue and to defende The vowe of freres is no counseyll in the Scripture nor yet commaundemente therfore is it nothyng but mere seduction Ipocrisye and vnbeleue Christe wyl that oure fayth purely onelye shall be buylded vpon hys onely worde For vpō thesame rock doth he buylde hys congregation mat xvi Iohn x. And in Iohn sayth he My shepe heare my voyce For as much now as there is no cleare or manifest worde of God which counsayleth or cōmaundeth that there should be a bonde of eternal vowes of chastite or of beggerye verelye so erre al they that teache freres vowes and take them for good and sure gere in the