to call vpon God through Iesus Christ and alwayes faithfully to set furthe his praise according to the doctrine of the holy scriptures as also to beware and take hede that ye make no inuocacion nor praier to the sayntes departed for helpe or succour forasmuche as to make any moo or any other mediatours intercessours spokesmen sutours or attournayes to the throne of Goddes mercie for any necessary thing either bodyly or goostli but only Iesus Christ our alone euerlasting sacrificer and aduocate is the horrible transgression of the furst coÌ„manÌ„demeÌ„t dishonour to the high maiestie of God the father preiudice to the honour dignite of Christes euerlastig priesthode blasphemous against the schole learning of the holy goost vtterly against our coÌ„moÌ„ catholike Crede and contrary to the doctrine and example of all the patriarkes prophetes apostles euangelistes martires confessours and virgines that haue any name or commeÌ„dacion either in the olde testament or newe a plaine denyall and falsifyeng of the hole body of the blessed Bible the most vndoubted true holy worde of almightie God Concerning the seuenth Article I beleue and confesse that the state The. 7. Article of this season and this corruptible worlde which hathe his beginnyng and was created of God shall haue also his ending and be vtterly despeched and that at the final despeche of the worlde Christ our Lorde shall in the same body that was wouÌ„ded nailed on the crosse come vnfailingly in the clowdes of heauen to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead For at suche tyme as the most parte of this worlde shall layne and holde with the power of Antichrist flyrting of the tyme in most horrible conteÌ„pt of bothe God and his worde and walowing themselfes in all kynde of sinne abominacion and lust and shal deuise and set their myndes vpon mocking and persecuting of them that be true faithful christeÌ„ beleuers than shall Christ at a sodain cheoppe as it were lightenyng from heauen com in the clowdes with his holy angelles vnto iudgement And the same houre as many as haue died from the begynnyng of the worlde vnto the last ende of the worlde shall by the might power of Christ rise strayghtwaye again vnto life the other that are not than departed this life but haue lyued still vnto the last daye shall in the space of a momeÌ„t or the twincling of an eie be chaunged from mortalitie and corruption in to immortalitie and vncorrupcion And after that all meÌ„ of al partes of the worlde shal be restored gathered together and be presented staÌ„de before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ shall see the iudge ouer their heades corporally in the selfe same bodye that he fuffred in And than the righteous iudge our Lorde Iesus Christ shall pronounce and geue his last and most iust iudgement vpon al fleshe in the same maner fourme that he long agoo tolde before hande Matth. 25. Than shall euery one receaue according to their workes Than as Christes body was at his ascension taken vp from the mount Oliuete so shal they that be faithfull by the might and power of God be taken from this earthe bothe body and soule and caried vp in to the clowdes vnto Christ our Lorde Him they shall folowe and with him shall they dwell in euerlasting ioye for euermore continually to abyde And those that be vnfaithfull wicked shal be deliuered to the deuil whose chaÌ„piones and householde seruauntes they were to fele and abyde both body soule suche paynes sorowes and tormeÌ„tes as no tongue caÌ„ expresse for euer to endure worlde without ende In this behalfe I haue alwaies besought my parisheners hearers so now I require theÌ„ eftesones to the same to set euer before their eies diligently to print in their myndes that last iudgement of God and with earnest repentauÌ„ce of their former filthy life to geue themselues vnto christen charitie good workes For like as the holy scripture dothe clearely and euidently shewe that we are not made righteous blessed and holy by our owne merites and good workes but by the only grace of Christ through faithe so that all glorie and honour must be manifestly and plainly ascribed and geuen to the only fre grace and pardon of God and to the redeÌ„ption of Iesus Christ his sonne euen so haue I euer taught and now by the waraunt of Goddes most holy worde confesse and constauntly affirme that this doctrine of faithe is vnauaileable and of non effecte to impenitent hooremongers bawdes gluttones dronkerdes oppressours brivers Idolaters men pleasers epicures and other wicked vnfaithful persones And that this lyuely iustifieng faithe is the worker of all maner of good workes what so euer they be according to the worde of God For he that is iustified and made righteous as faithe only iustifieth and maketh righteous doth liue also iustly and righteously and iustly and righteously doth al thinges And he that dothe faithfully beleue the worde of God dothe without al doubt perceaue and knowe that to be good which God commaundeth and that to be euil what so euer he forbiddeth Yea it is the very wonted maner of faithe it selfe to moue and enforce the iustified maÌ„ to eschue that is euil folowe that is good and right Moreouer he that perfitly throughly by faithe vnderstandeth the mater of mannes saluacion and redempcion bothe doubtles loue bothe God his neighbour And loue is the perfite fulfilling of the lawe yea in the loue of God and a mannes neighbour heÌ„geth al the hole lawe the prophetes These maner of workes which be the frutes of the spirite faith and charitie and that we should fall to amendement of our life and what so euer the worde of God dothe furthermore commende vnto vs like as all faithfull preachers and Ministers doo diligently teache and set furthe vnto the people euen so they abhorre reiecte all suche workes as folkes are vsed to fantasie and deuise of their owne braynes deuocion or good intentes coÌ„trary or without the sure warrauÌ„t of Goddes worde how vertuous or how holy so euer they be estemed or how long so euer they haue ben accustomed and vsed For as saint Augustin saithe Whan the truth is manifestly De vnico Baptis Li. 2. shewed custoÌ„ ought to geue place vnto the truthe And moreouer he allegeth Let no man preferre custom before reason truthe for reason truthe do alwaies shutte custom out of the dores And the holy martir S. Ciprian saith also we ought not to passe what our elders and fathers that were before vs did but muche rather what Christ which was before all men coÌ„maundeth vs to doo This also doo all godly preachers ministres warne the people of that no man that walketh in the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God and is riche in good workes in dede set his workes in Christes place nor put any asâ—â—aunce confidence or trust in theÌ„ as though he were made righteous holy
serue God For God requireth the hole mā to serue him with all the soule and powers of man or elles he reckoneth it not only for no seruice at all but also taketh it for very enemytie And therfore he saythe He that is not with me is against me The body go the not to Masse with out the company and consent of the soule And therfore it must nedes be graunted that the soule is caryed with the body to serue the deuil at Masse not the body caried awaye by the soule from that most stinking idolatrie and supersticion to the pure seruice of God Bicause Christ died for theternal saluacion aswel of the body as of the soule the holy goost commaundeth vs also to beare and glorifie God in our bodyes and that euery one should possesse The gaynes of going to Masse and vse the vessel of his body in holynesse and in honour And to bestowe our bodies vpon the seruice or presence of the synfull filthie Masse is not to possesse the vessell of the body in holynesse and honour but to defile the hole man with filthynesse and dishonestie to breake wedlocke with Christ our husbande to offēde the weake for whom Christ died to comfirme the wicked in their popery and so to prouoke the vengaūce of God vpō bothe the body and the soule Saint Iames saithe that a double mynded man is incōstaunt in al his waies and maye not loke to obteyne any thing of the Lorde wher so euer he praieth muche lesse wil God graūt his peticiones which he makteh in that temple wher God by the same peticion makers presēce is dishonoured and the congregacion which is the right temple of Christ in dede is defiled The scriptures teache vs that at the great iudgement euery one shall receaue according to the dedes that are done by the bodie And at the general resurreccion the body and the soule shal be ioyned together perpetually to abide either ioye or sorowe so that the bodye must nedes goo to hell for defiling it self with the abominable Masse and other popery And the soule can not chose but goo with the body and take suche parte as the body dothe For God wil not parte stakes with the deuill Therfore it is but a vayne pretense and a very mocking of God to saye that the harte and soule serueth God seing the body ioyned with the soule serueth the deuil in the sight of God and men So it semeth manifest that suche gospellers as be masse hearers are not spiritual gospell folowers but carnall gospell slaunderours and walke after the fleshe vpon whome the holy Goost geueth sharpe sentence sayng Yf ye lyue after the fleshe you shall dye Considre brothren that we are now after our syncere gospelling ledde of the holy goost in to wildernesse as Christ was after his baptisme to be tempted of the deuil Therfore we must either take the deuilles counsail and so distrusting the might mercifull prouidence of God make stones stockes and idolatrous popishe Masses bread to poisō our selues withall or throwe our selues downe headlōg from the highe pynnacle of Goddes temple the celestial Ierusalem in to the botomles pitte of all errous infidelitie and hell or fall to the deuilles fete and take him for our good Lorde Or elles contrary wise sticking fast to the scriptures and gospel of Iesus Christ bidde the deuil auaunt Satan with all his mummyng Masses and styncking supersticion We wyll non of thē though we neuer haue breade though we be torne in pieces for it Euery cowherde will for couetousnesse of wages and fee be glad to be reteyned in garison and set the better legge before as though he wolde be a good souldiour while no daungier of batail is at hande and while ther is peace take all one parte And so in blessed king Edwardes daies euery wan almost pretended frendeship forewardenesse to the doctrine of the gospell and englishe churche seruice seing the Magistrates multitude layne to that syde some of consciēce som of flattery but the most men for the commodious gayne that they founde by churche landes goodes not mynding to amende their lyues towardes God by the gospel but vnder colour therof to augment their lyuinges and pelfe in this worlde But like as if a souldiour rūne frō the armye of his souerayne liege Lord to the enemies side although he saye his harte was with his soueraine stil and that he ranne awaye only for feare must nedes be demed a traitour a cowhearde and rennagate euen so shal euery one that professeth the name and religion of Christ to be one of his souldiours for our life is a very warfare vpon earthe be demed and conuicte of highe treasō against his most natural souerayne liege Lorde Iesus Christ king of all kinges which in tyme of his spirituall warres for the gospelles sake renneth awaye frō his standarde and garison in to the deuilles campe to take parte with popishe massemongers the most deadly foes of Christes gospell and bloodshead Now is the fielde pitched now our enemies bende their ordinaūce agaīst vs face to face now they see the campe of gospellers weakened and lye open vnto their municiones They see som fall to their side som speake faire som dissemble and fewe are glad to abide the bickering that maketh the cruell papistes to make so thicke Larūmes and to com on so lustily with their hotte skyrmishes on euery side against Christ our captaī al his armye roial Howbeit seing Christ hathe the victorie and shall make al his enemies his foote stole and seing also he promiseth patentes of so large honourable fee wages to such his souldiours as by pacient suffring of persecuciōs stande māfully to his standarde and abyde the ende of the fraye as he by his heraulde of armes thapostle Paule maketh open proclamacion in his coate armour sayeng Yf we dye with Christ here we shall lyue with him 2. Tim. 2 ▪ euerlastingly Yf we suffre with him here we shall reigne with him in his eternal glorious heauenly kingdom And on the cōtrary parte forasmuche as the same proclamacion declareth the payne of suche of vs as rēne away frō Christes ensigne or stādarde sayeng Yf we denye or forsake him he wil also denye forsake vs. And whā the general mustre and paye daye cometh wher the constaunt souldiours shal be crowned with glorie and honour in the eternal heauenly kingdom Christ the captain and iudge shal saye vnto suche shrinking traytours and cowheardly rennagates Auaunt you workers of wickednesse I knowe yow not Get you hence you cursed in to euerlasting fyre which is p̄pared for the deuil and his angelles I thinke therfore it is necessary good and very highe tyme for vs to arme our selues cappe a pee as the same Heraulde of armes Paule commaundeth vs in king Iesus name Ephe. 6. and for our owne sauegarde vauntage to kepe batail raye through persecucions troubles rebukes and slaūders of the worlde and
is the shepe-hearde and head harkeneth to his voice and teaching alone and foloweth not the voice or coÌ„maundement of straunge tradicions but dothe concerning the wourship and true seruice of God touching the necessarie health of soule only that whiche the Lorde God coÌ„maundeth nother blenching on the right hande nor on the lefte But contrary wise like as the ê‘ticular churches of ArriaÌ„s Donatistes PelagiaÌ„s Marcionistes Eutichianes Mahometistes Idolaters libertines Anabaptistes and other sectaries fantastical spirites of errour be the variable malignauÌ„t churche wherof the prince of this world the deuil is the vndoubted head And the teachers defeÌ„dours of errours are by the apostle S. IohaÌ„ called Antichristes But so forasmuche as the Romyshe churche of the ruffling rabines popishe tippet men with their complices the papistes doo not only not founde nor grouÌ„de their autoritie decrees tradiciones doctrines for the most parte vpon the sure rocke the worde and gospell of Christ which as Chrisostome saithe is the only marke to knowe the true church In Math. ca. 24. Ho. 49. in opere impersecto of God by but also in some poyntes they wraste and wrythe and falsely allege textes of the scriptures for their carnal pleasure and profite and in the chiefest articles of the catholike christen faithe like most fantastical spirites of errour sowers of most wicked sectes they repugne and teache coÌ„trary to the gospel scriptures of God altring the immutable ordinaunce of Christ and setting vp straunge sacrifices and godseruice propounding other articles of faithe and meanes of saluacion besides Iesus Christ making the commaundement of God of non effecte for the aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t mayntenauÌ„ce of their owne traiterous tradiciones teaching doctrines of deuilles 1. Timo. 4 as forbidding of meates mariage And forasmuche also as the churche of the papistes caÌ„ not abyde the pure worde of God nor to haue it publikely in the vulgare tongue for Christes flocke to be fedde withall but with banishing and slaundering the euerlasting testament and blessed Bible of Iesus Christ with ê‘secuting emprisonyng murthering of the preachers witnesses of the same set vp their owne gloses coÌ„stituciones customes deuises dreames tradiciones procedinges of men contrary to the written worde and gospel of God coÌ„trary to the patriarkes prophetes Christ his apostles and contrary to the proceding exaÌ„ple of the fathers of the primatiue churche And seing moreouer that the churche of the papistes had her begynnyng proceding continuauÌ„ce power aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t successe only by force of wicked Emperours other naughty princes traitours vnder false pÌ„tenses garnished decked with the vsurped name of catholike churche other couÌ„trefaicte titles hipocritical colours is also maiÌ„tened vpholdeÌ„ by treason murther sacrilege fraude rauine crafte sorcerye coÌ„â—uring flattery lyeng marchauÌ„dise of mennes soules to vphold their idlenesse pryde crueltie wyueles hooremoÌ„ging wtal I coÌ„fesse plainly affirme that the same swarme and coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of papistes I meane as many as teache willingly mayntene obstinately defeÌ„d the supremacie tradiciones doctrines of the Romysh religioÌ„ setting asyde the Bible of God are Antichristes And amoÌ„g other erroneous churches of heretikes the chief ê‘ticular malignauÌ„t church of the deuil of al errours And that the churche sea of Rome according to the Dan. 7. 11. Apo. 13. 17. descripcions of Daniel Iohn thapostle is the very hoore of BabiloÌ„ wher with the kinges poteÌ„tates of the earthe haue coÌ„mitted spiritual fornicacioÌ„ are druÌ„ken with the cuppe of her obominaciones the sinful synagoge of sathaÌ„ the most cursed kenel cathedral churche of Antichrist And also that the bishop of Rome that head of the same churche is the vndoubted singular great Antichrist the man 2. Thes 2. of synne the childe of perdicioÌ„ and the principal aduersary that maketh batail with the lambe exalteth him self aboue all that is called God sitting in the teÌ„ple of God vauÌ„ting him self to be God whom the holy apostle S. Paule speaketh of 2. Thessa 2. is now by Goddes most merciful benefite reuealed in our dayes herafter the Lorde with the blast of his mouthe shall destroye him al his littour finally coÌ„mauÌ„de theÌ„ to be cast in to vtter darkenesse to Matth. 21. 24. haue their mede porcioÌ„ amoÌ„g hipocrites wher shal be weping gnashiÌ„g of tethe for euer euer worlde wtout ende This mater shal appeare more plaine in certain Homilies intitled Antichrist which I haue translated in to englishe and now by the goodnesse of God they are put in prynt accordingly For I promise in the sight of God he assisting me with the power of his holy spirite that I shal be an enemie to the vtermost of my poore possible power vnto the errours of that popishe malignaunt churche and satanical Romyshe religion while I lyue and after my deathe no lesse than an enemye Notwithstanding like as I neuer â—ought the hurte of any of theÌ„ either in their bodies or their goodes but by charitie al gentilnesse to wynne theÌ„ vnto the truthe if it might be euen so I beseche almightie god froÌ„ the botome of my harte if it be his godly will to grauÌ„t vnto the that be wrapped through infirmitie and ignorauÌ„ce in the darkenesse of popishe errours the light of his pure gospel with hartie repeÌ„tauÌ„ce and amendement of their iudgemeÌ„tes to be newe creatures in Iesus Christ walking in the true frutes of Christes faithe loue and as well to doo as I wolde doo my selfe Amen Touching the tenthe Article I beleue and confesse that almighty God The. 10. Article by his grace and mercye in Iesus Christ geueth vnto all true faithfull beleuers free pardon and forgeuenesse of al their synnes if they will acknowlage and confesse them vnto their onely and true goostly father God at what tyme so euer they shall repent And this I take to be the true preaching of the Gospell But as for the vnbeleuers and suche as persiste stil in their vnbelefe and impenitent wickednesse it is not possible for them euer to haue true perfaicte forgeuenesse of their sinnes And I doo confesse that al synnes are not alike nor after all one condicion but that som synnes are greater thaÌ„ some some sines more greuous than some as their maner is to tende against the glorie and loue of God against faithe and the loue of a mannes neighbour some more than som some lesse than some I saie moreouer that what so euer is comitted against the lawe of God that is to saye contrary to the will and worde of God that same is sinne Wherfore no faithfull preacher or ministre dothe make God the author of synne but we declare that the original poison of synne beganne in the apostata of God and the common aduersarie of mankynde and in mannes owne corrupt will Howbeit we deme not but that god thorough his infinite wisdoÌ„ ordreth