Masses We do abhorre all humane inuentions Art 11 as coming from Antechrist all which bring troubles with them and are preiudiciall to the libertie of the spirit Art 12 We beleeue that the Sacraments are outward signes of holy things or visible formes of inuisible grace and are of opinion that it is good that the faithfull do sometimes vse those signes and visible formes if it may be done But neuerthelesse we beleeue and do hold that the aforesaid faithfull may be saued not receiuing the said signes when they want place or power to vse them Art 13 We do not acknowledge any other Sacrament but Baptisme and the Eucharist We do honour the secular power Art 14 with all subiection obedience promptitude and payment CHAP. XIII Another Confession of the faith of the Waldenses WE beleeue that there is one onely God Art 1 Taken out of the booke of Charles du Moulin de la Mon. des François p. 65. who is a Spirit the Creator of all things the Father of all who is aboue all and in vs all who is to be adored in spirit and truth vpon whom onely we waite and to whom we giue all glorie for our life our nourishment clothing health sicknesse prosperitie aduersitie we loue him as the author of all goodnesse we feare him as knowing our hearts Art 2 We beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne and image of his father that in him dwels the fulnesse of the diuinitie by whom we know the Father who is our mediatour and aduocate and there is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men by which we can be saued in whose name onely we call vpon the Father and vse no other prayers but those that are contained in the holy Scriptures or agreeing vnto them in substance We beleeue that the holy Ghost is our Comforter Art 3 proceeding from the Father and the Sonne by whose inspiration we make our prayers being renewed by him who doth all good works in vs and by him we haue knowledge of all truth We beleeue that there is one holy Church Art 4 which is the congregation of all the elect and faithfull which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be vnto the end whereof our Lord Iesus Christ is the head the which Church is gouerned by his word and guided by the holy Ghost in which all good Christians ought to remaine for it prayeth without ceassing for all and the word thereof is agreeable vnto God without which no man can be saued Art 5 We hold that the Ministers of the Church ought to be irreprehensible both in life and doctrine otherwise they are to be deposed from their office and other to be substituted in their place And that no man ought to presume to vndertake this honourable calling but onely he which is called of God as Aaron nourishing the flocke of Christ not for dishonest gaine or as hauing any superioritie ouer the Clergie but as being an example to the slocke in word in conuersation in charitie in faith and in chastitie We confesse that Kings Art 6 Princes and Gouernours are ordained and established Ministers of God to whom we are to obey For they carrie the sword for the defence of innocents and the punishment of malefactors and for this cause are we bound to do them honour and to pay tribute From which power and authoritie no man can exempt himselfe as may appeare be the example of our Lord Iesus Christ who refused not to pay tribute not challenging any iutisdiction of temporall power We beleeue Art 7 that in the Sacrament of Baptisme the water is the visible and externall signe which representeth vnto vs that which by the power and vertue of God inuisible so working is within vs that is to say renouation of the spirit and mortification of our members in Iesus Christ by which we are also receiued into the holy congregation of the people of God protesting and declaring before it our faith and change of life Art 8 We hold the holy Sacrament of the table or Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ to be a holy remembrance and thanksgiuing for the benefits which we haue receiued by his death and passion which is to be receiued in faith and charitie examining our selues that so we may eate of that bread and drinke of that cup as it is written in the holy Scripture We confesse that mariage is good and honourable Art 9 holy and instituted of God which ought to be forbidden to none if there be no impediment by the word of God We confesse that they that feare God Art 10 seeke the things that please him doing good workes the which he hath prepared to the end we should walke in them which are charitie ioy peace patience benignitie goodnesse mildnesse sobrictie and other workes contained in the holy Scriptures On the contrary Art 11 we confesse that we are to take heed of false teachers whose end is to call the people from the true worship of God and to rest themselues vpon creatures putting their confidence in them as also to perswade the people to leaue those good duties that are contained in the holy Scriptures and to do those that are inuented by men Art 12 We hold the old and new Testament for the rule of our faith we agree to the generall Confession of faith with those articles contained in the Symbole of the Apostles which doth thus begin I beleeue in God the Father Almightie c. And for as much as the Pastors of the Waldenses taught their people the Athanasian Creed in the Waldensian language we haue taken it out of their bookes word by word as they pronounced it in old time CHAP. XIIII The Symbole of Athanasius in the Waldensian language QValquequal vol esser faict salf deuant totas câ—sas es de necessitatenir la fe Catholica laqual si alcun non tenré entierament sensa dubi periré eternalment Ma aquesta es la fe Catholica Qunos houran vn Dio en Trinita la Trinita en vnita non confondent personnas ni departent la substantia Car antra es la personna del Paire del Filli del Sanct Esperit La Paire non crea lo filli non crea lo Sanct Esperit non crea Lâ— Paire non mesuriuol lo Filli non mesuriuol lo Sanct Esperit non mesuriuol Lo Paire Eternal lo Filli Eternal lo Sanct Esperit Eternal Emperço non tres Eternals ma vn Eternal enaimi non tres mesuriuols non crea Semeillament lo Paire tot Poissant lo Filli tot poissant lo Sanct Esperit tot Poissant emperço non tres tot Poissants ma vn tot Poissant Enaimi lo Paire es Dio lo Filli Dio lo Sanct Esperit Dio emperço non tres Dios ma vn Dio. Enaimi lo Paire es Seignor lo Filli Seignor lo Sanct Esperit Seignor emperço non tres Seignors ma vn Seignor Ca enaimi nos sen costreit confessar per Christiana verita
that God had been very mercifull and gratious vnto vs in that he hath preserued vs vndefiled in the middest of so many Idolatries and superstitions which haue infected all Christendome in the ages past This admonition or remonstrance giuen by Oecolamp and Bucer to George Morrel and Pet. Masson is in the Memor of the said Monel fol. 5. vnder the tyranny of Antichrist of Rome They haue encouraged vs by holy aduertisements and reasons giuen and exhorted vs not to bury those talents which God hath imparted vnto vs finding it an euill thing that we haue so long delayed the time to make publike profession of adhearing to the Gospell and causing it to be preached in the eares and to the knowledge of euery one leauing the euents vnto God of whatsoeuer it shall please him shall fall vpon vs by procuring his glory and the aduancement of the Kingdome of his Sonne And afterwards hauing read the letters of the said Oecolampadius and Bucer which were sent vnto them as to their Brethren the Waldenses of Prouence and Dauphine the Propositions or Articles following were ordered reade and approued signed and sworne to by all the assistants with one minde and consent to conserue obserue beleeue and retaine amongst them inuiolably without any contradiction as being conformable to the doctrine which hath been taught them from the father to the sonne for these many hundred yeeres and taken out of the word of God ARTICLE I. That Diuine Seruice cannot bee done but in spirit and in truth For God is a spirit and whosoeuer will pray vnto him must pray in spirit II. All that haue been or shall be saued haue been chosen of God before all worlds III. They that are saued cannot but be saued IV. Whosoeuer holdeth free-Will denieth wholly the Predestination and the grace of God V. No worke is called good but that which is commanded by God and no worke is euill but that which is forbidden by God VI. A Christian may sweare by the name of God not any way contradicting that which is written in the fift Chapter by Saint Matthew prouided that hee that sweareth take not the name of the Lord in vaine Now that man sweareth not in vaine whose oath redoundeth to the glory of God and the good of his neighbour Also a man may sweare in iudgement because he that beares the office of a Magistrate be he Christian or infidell hath the power of God VII Auricular Confession is not commanded of God and it is concluded according to the holy Scriptures that the true confession of a Christian consisteth in confessing himselfe to one onely God to whom belongs honour and glory There is another kinde of confession which is when as a man reconcileth himselfe vnto his neighbour whereof mention is made in the fift of Saint Matthew The third manner of Confession is when as man hath sinned publikly an all men take notice of it so he confesse and acknowledge the fault publikely VIII We must cease vpon the Lords day from all our labours as being zealous of the honor and glory of God for the better exercise of our charity towards our neighbours and our better attendance to the hearing of the word of God IX It is not lawfull for a Christian to reuenge himselfe vpon his enemy in any manner whatsoeuer X. A Christian may exercise the office of a Magistrate ouer Christians XI There is no certaine time determined for the fast of a Christian and it doth appeare in the word of God that the Lord hath commanded or appointed certaine daies XII Marriage is not forbidden any man of what quality or condition soeuer he be XIII Whosoeuer forbiddeth marriage teacheth a diabolicall doctrine XIIII He that hath not the gift of continency is bound to marry XV. The ministers of the word of God ought not to be changed from place to place except it be for the great benefit of the Church XVI It is not a thing repugnant to the Apostolicall communion that the ministers should possesse any thing in particular to prouide for the maintenance of their families XVII Touching the matter of the Sacraments it hath been concluded by the holy Scriptures that we haue but two Sacramental signes the which Christ Iesus hath left vnto vs the one is Baptisme the other the Eucharist which wee receiue to shew what our perseuerance in the faith is as wee haue promised when we were baptized being little infants As also in remembrance of that great benefit which Iesus Christ hath done vnto vs when hee died for our redemption washing vs with his most pretious bloud These Articles being resolued vpon by them astonished the Priests that were amongst them to gather vp the reuenewes of their Cures being out of all hope to see those people reclaimed and brought vnto the obedience of the Church of Rome by any force much lesse of their owne acord and perceiuing the dore to be shut against their gaine they retired themselues without speaking a word Vpon this their retrait the Masse vanished of it selfe in the Valleys of the said Waldenses And because they had onely the new Testament and some bookes of the old translated into the Waldenstan tongue they resolued speedily to send to the presse the whole Bible their bookes being onely manuscripts and those but a few They sent therfore to Newcastle in Suitzerland Suisse See the Ecclesiasticall History of the Churches of France pag. 37 1536. where they gaue fifteene hundred crownes of gold to a Printer who brought to light the first impression of the French Bible which was seen in France and incontinently in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred thirty six they sent to Geneua one Martin Gonin to prouide a large supply of such bookes which he should see to bee fit for the instruction of the people but they were frustrated of their intent because this good man was apprehended for a Spy passing ouer the hill de Gap by a certaine Gentleman named George Martin Lord de Champolion and so soone as hee was knowne to be a Waldensian he was sent to Grenoble and there kept in prison In the booke of Martyrs of our time lib. 3 fol. 111. and afterwards in the night-time cast into the Riuer Lyzere for feare lest hee should speake of his beliefe before the people for the Monke Inquisitor that deliuered him to the secular power told them that it was not good that the world should hare him because saith hee it is to bee feared that they that heare him may become worse then himselfe There happened warres in Piedmont betweene King Francis the first of that name and the Prince of Piedmont which fell out happily for these poore people for so long as those confusions continued they were at quiet vntill Pope Paul the third of that name sollicited the Parliament of Turin to take some violent course against them in doing iustice vpon them as vpon pernicious Heretickes whensoeuer they should bee deliuered into their
hee sent the holy Ghost from heauen to comfort his Apostles and to replenish his Church with the same Spirit We must beleeue that the same God hath chosen vnto himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle or such like thing as Saint Paul speaketh to the end it should be holy and vndefiled according to the commandement of the Almighty Be ye holy for I am holy And in the fift of Saint Matthew Be yee perfect as your beauenly Father is perfect for nothing that doth commit abomination shall enter into the Kingdome of God but onely they that are written in the Booke of life as it is sayd in the Reuelation We must beleeue the generall resurrection of which our Sauiour speaketh in the Gospell of Saint Iohn The houre shall come when all they that are in their graues shall beare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that haue done euill to the resurrection of Iudgement And Saint Paul saith in the first to the Corinthians that all shall arise and all shall be changed And Iob saith Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reines be consumed within mee Wee must beleeue the generall Iudgement vpon all the children of Adam as the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament doe affirme As our Sauiour promiseth in the 25. of Matth. 31. When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory and before him shall bee gathered all nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a shepheard diuideth his sheepe from the goates and hee shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left And Iude in his Epistle Vers 15. Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute iudgement vpon all And the Prophet Esay saith The Lord commeth in iudgement with the Ancients of his people and with his yong men also These things are set downe in the Old and New Testament and especially the foure Euangelists and the Prophets witnesse it in many places CHAP. V. An Exposition of the Waldenses and Albingenses vpon the Lords Prayer SAint Augustine being requested by a spirituall Daughter of his Taken out of a Booke of the Waldenses intituled The treasure of faith to teach her to pray hath thus said and written That multitudes of words are not necessary in prayer But to pray much is to be feruent in prayer And therefore to be long in prayer is to present things necessary in superfluous words To pray much is to solicit that we pray for with a seemely decency and affection of heart which is better done by teares then by words because God who seeth the secrets of our heart is more moued with a deepe grone or sigh by plaints and teares that come from the heart then by a thousand words But many there are in these dayes that refemble the Pagans to whom Christ would not haue his Disciples to be like for they thinke and beleeue that they shall bee the rather heard for their many words in their prayers whereby it comes to passe that they loose much time vnder a pretence of prayer Iob saith besides experience makes it good that a man is neuer in the same estate in this life but hee is now disposed to doe one thing and presently to doe another And therefore there is no man that can keepe his minde his spirit bent and attentiue to prayer a whole day or a whole night together except God giue the especiall assistance of his grace And if a man bath not his heart setled vpon that which he speaketh he looseth his time because hee prayes in vaine and his soule is troubled and his minde wandring another way And therefore God hath appointed to his seruants other exercises vertuous spirituall and corporall wherein a man may ordinarily exercise himselfe sometimes in one sometimes in another either for themselues or their Neighbours hauing their hearts lifted vp vnto God with all their power in such sort that they may not bee idle And therefore that man that liues well according to the will of God and the Doctrine of his Saints prayeth alwayes For euery good worke is a good prayer vnto God And as for thou that readest know that all the prayers of the old and new Testament doe agree with this and that no prayer can be pleasing vnto God that hath not a reference some way or other vnto this And therefore euery Christian ought to apply himselfe to vnderstand and to learne this prayer which Christ himselfe hath taught with his owne mouth Now it is necessary that he that is heard of God be agreeable vnto him and know those benefits hee hath receiued from him For ingratitude is a winde that dryeth vp the Fountaine of the mercy and compassion of our God And therefore if thou wilt pray or aske any thing at Gods hand thinke with thy selfe before thou aske what and how great benefits thou hast receiued from him and if thou canst not call them all to minde yet at the least forget not to beg that grace that thou mayest be bold to call him Father And thinke and know in how diuers a manner he is thy Father for hee is the Father of all Creatures generally by creation for he hath created them all He is a Father by distribution for he hath ordained them and disposed them all in his due place as being very good By preseruation for he hath preserued all Creatures that they faile not in their kinde amongst which his Creatures thou art one And besides hee is the Father of mankind by redemption for hee hath bought him with the precious bloud of his Sonne the Lambe without spot By instruction for he hath taught him by his Prophets by his Sonne and by his Apostles and Doctors and that after a diuers manner the way to returne into Paradice from whence wee were driuen by the sinne of our first Father Adam By chastisement for he chastiseth and correcteth vs in this life diuers wayes to the end wee may returne vnto him and not be condemned eternally in another life Lo teo nom sia sanctifica Hallowed be thy Name THy Name amiable to Christians and fearefull to the Iewes to Paynims and to the wicked Of this name saith the Prophot O Lord thy Name is admirable and wonderfull O our Father which art in Heauen we humbly beseech thee that thy Name which is holy be sanctified in vs by purity of heart by the contempt of the flesh and the world and that by an assured perseuerance of thy loue wee may be holy as thy name is holy which we beare and by which wee are called Christians For
breaking of bread and the giuing of thankes is a visible communion made with the members of Iesus Christ For they that take and breake one and the same bread are one and the same body that is to say the Body of Iesus Christ and they are members one of another ingrafted and planted in him to whom they protest and promise to perseuere in his seruice to their liues end neuer departing from the faith of the Gospell and the vnion which they haue all promised by Iesus Christ And therefore as all the members are nourished with one and the same viands and all the faithfull take one and the same Spirituall Bread of the word of Life the Gospell of Saluation So they all liue by one and the same Spirit and one and the same Faith This Sacrament of the Communion of the Body and Bloud of Christ is called in Greeke Eucharistia that is to say Good Grace of this doth S. Matth. testifie in his 26. Chap. saying Iesus tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and said Take eate this is my body And S. Luke Chap. 22. This is my body which is giuen for you this doe in remembrance of me Likewise hee tooke the Cup and blessed it saying This cup is the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you This Sacrament was instituted by diuine ordinance perfectly to signifie vnto vs the spirituall nourishment of man in God by meanes whereof the spirituall life is preserued and without which it decayeth the truth it selfe saying If you eate not the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke not his bloud there shall be no life in you Concerning which Sacrament wee must hold that which followeth by the testimony of the Scriptures That is that wee must confesse simply and in purity of heart that the bread which Christ tooke in his last Supper which he blessed brake and gaue to eate to his Disciples that in the taking thereof by the ministry of his faithfull Pastors he hath left a remembrance of his Passion which in it owne nature is true bred and that by this Pronowne This is demonstrated this sacramentall proposition This is my Body not vnderstanding these words Identically of a numerall Identity but Sacramentally really and truly but not measurably The same body of Christ sitting in heauen at the right hand of his Father vnto whom euery faithfull Receiuer must cast vp the eyes of his vnderstanding hauing his heart eleuated on high and so eate him spiritually and sacramentally by an assured faith The same we are to vnderstand of the Sacrament of the Cup. Saint Augustine saith that the eating and drinking of this Sacrament must be vnderstood spiritually For Christ saith The words that I speake are spirit and life And Saint Ierome saith The flesh of Christ is to be vnderstood after a twofold manner either spiritually of which Christ saith Iohn 6.55 My flesh is meate indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Or it is to be vnderstood of that flesh which was crucified and buried Of the spirituall eating Christ saith He that shall eate my flesh and drinke my bloud is in me and I in him There is also a twofold manner of eating the one sacramentall and so both good and bad doe eate the other spirituall and so the good onely doe eate And therefore saith Augustine What is it to eate Christ It is not onely to receiue his body in the Sacrament for many doe eate him vnworthily who will not dwell in him nor haue him to dwell in them but he eates him spiritually that continueth in the truth of Christ And therefore to eate the sacramentall Bread is to eate the Body of Christ in a figure Iesus Christ himselfe saying Neuerthelesse as oft as you doe this you shall doe it in remembrance of me For if this eating were not in figure Christ should be alwayes bound to such a thing for it is necessary that the spirituall eating should be continuall As Saint Augustine speaketh He that eateth Christ in truth is he that beleeueth in him For Christ saith that to eate him is to dwell in him In the celebration of this Sacrament Prayer is profitable and the preaching of the Word in the vulgar tongue such as may edifie and is agreeable to the Euangelicall Law to the end that peace and charity might encrease amongst the people but other things that are in vse in these dayes in the Church of Rome and those that are members thereof belong not at all to the Sacrament What the Waldenses and Albingenses haue taught touching Mariage CHAP. VII MAriage is holy In the Booke intituled The Spirituall Almanacke fol. 50. being instituted of God in the beginning of the World And therefore it is an honourable thing when it is kept as it ought in all purity and when the Husband who is the head of Wife loues her and keepes her and carrieth himselfe honestly towards her being faithful and loyall towards her and that the woman for her part who is made to be a helpe vnto man be subiect to her Husband obeying him in whatsoeuer is good and honouring him as God hath commanded her taking care of his Houshold affaires keeping her selfe not onely from ill-doing but all appearance of euill continuing faithfull and loyall vnto him and both of them perseuering in that which is good according to the will of God taking paines together to get their liuing by honest and lawful meanes wronging no man and instructing those children which God hath giuen them in the feare and doctrine of the Lord and to liue as our Lord hath commanded them Prayer and fasting is profitable when there is question of the celebration of Matrimony and the reasons and instructions and aduertisements touching the same But the Imposition of hands and the Ligatures made with the Priests stoole and other things commonly obserued therein and by custome without the expresse word they are not of the substance nor necessarily required in mariage As touching the degrees prohibited and other things that are to be obserued in matter of Matrimony wee shall speake when we come to the discipline Taken out of the Booke intituled The Spirituall Almanacke What the Waldenses and Albingenses haue taught touching the visitation of the Sicke CHAP. VIII El besongna que aquel que porta la parola de Dio lo nostre Seignor en tota diligenza IT is necessary that hee that is the Messenger of the Word of God should inuite and draw euery one to our Lord and Sauiour with all labour and diligence both by the good example of his life and the truth of his Doctrine and it is not sufficient that hee teach in the Congregation but also in their Houses and in all other places as Christ and his Apostles haue done before him comforting the afflicted and especially those that are sicke He must admonish them touching the great bounty and mercy of God shewing that there can
you the seruice of God your owne saluation and the administration of the truth if you desire that God should be mercifull vnto you in your goods temporall and spirituall For you can do nothing without him and if you desire to be heires of his glorie do that which he commandeth If you will enter into life keepe my commandements Likewise be carefull that there be not nourished amongst you any sports gluttony whoredome dancings nor any leudnesse or riot nor questions nor deceits nor vsury nor discords neither support or entertaine any persons that are of a wicked conuersation or that giue any scandall or ill example amongst you but let charitie and fidelitie reigne amongst you all good example doing to one another as euery one desires should be done vnto himselfe For otherwise it is not possible that any man should be saued or can â—aue the grace either of God or man in this world or glorie in another And it is necessarie that the conductors principally should haue a hand herein and such as rule and gouerne For when the head is sicke all the members are likewise ill affected And therefore if you hope and desire to possesse eternall life to liue in good esteeme and credit and to prosper in this world in your goods temporall and spirituall purge your selues from all disorderly waies to the end that God may be alwayes with you who neuer forsaketh those that trust in him But know this for a certaine that God heareth not nor dwelleth with sinners nor in the soule that is giuen vnto wickednesse nor in the man that is subiect vnto sin And therfore let euery one cleanse the wayes of his heart and flie the danger if he would not perish therein I haue no other thing to write at this present but that you would put in practise these things And the God of peace be with you all and accompanie vs in our true deuout and humble prayers that he will be pleased to saue all those his faithfull that trust in Christ Iesus Wholly yours Barthelmew Tertian readie to do you seruice in all things possible according vnto the will of God This Epistle of the Pastor Tertian giues vs assurance of that holy affection which they had to leade the people of God but the Confession of the faith of the Waldenses found in the bookes of those Pastors aboue mentioned shall shew vs more clearely how pure their beliefe hath bene and how farre from those heresies and errors that haue bene imputed vnto them And that therefore they haue bene very vniustly persecuted CHAP. XII The Confession of the faith of the Waldenses WE beleeue do firmely hold all that which is contained in the twelue Articles of the Simbole which is called the Apostles creed Article 1. Taken out of the booke intituled the Spirituall Almanackk and from the Memorials of George Morel and we account all that for heresie which agreeth not with the said twelue Articles We beleeue that there is one God the Father Sonne Art 2 and holy Ghost We acknowledge for holy Canonicall Scripture the books of the Bible that is to say the fiue books of Moses Art 3 Genesis The booke of Ioshua Exodus The Iudges Leuiticus Ruth Numbers 1. of Samuel Deuteronomie 2. of Samuel 1. of Kings The Lamentat of Ieremie 2. of Kings Ezechiel 1. of the Chronicles Daniel 2. of the Chronicles Hosea 1. Esdras Ioel. Nehemiah Amos. Ester Obadiah Iob. Ionah The booke of Psalmes Micah The Prouerbes of Salomon Nahum Habakuk Ecclesiastes Zephaniah The song of Salomon Haggai The Prophesie of Isaiah Zachariah The Pophesie of Ieremie Malachi The Apocryphall bookes are these that follow which are not receiued of the Hebrewes but we reade them saith S. Hierome in his prologue to the Prouerbs for the instruction of the people not to confirme the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall doctrines that is to say The third booke of Esdras Ester after the 10. chap. to the end The fourth of Esdras Tobiah The song of the 3. children Iudith The historie of Susanna Wisedome The historie of the Dragon Ecclesiasticus 1. Maccabees Baruch with the Epistle of Ieremiah 2. Maccabees 3. Maccabees Here follow the bookes of the new Testament The Gospell according to S. Matthew The Gospell according to S. Marke The Gospell according to S. Luke The Gospell according to S. Iohn The Acts of the Apostles The first to Timothie The Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans The second to Timothie To Titus The first to the Corinth To Philemon The 2. to the Corinthians To the Hebrewes The Epistle to the Galat. The Epistle of S. Iames. The Epist to the Ephesians The 1. Epistle of S. Peter The Epistle to the Philippians The second of S. Peter The 1. Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle to the Colos The second of S. Iohn The first to the Thessal The third of S. Iohn The second to the Thessalonians The Epistle of S. Iude. The Reuelation of S. Iohn The bookes aboue named teach thus much Art 4 that there is one God almightie wholly wise and wholly good who hath made all things by his goodnesse For he created Adam according to his owne image and similitude but by the malice of the diuell and the disobedience of Adam sinne entred into the world and we are made sinners in Adam and by Adam That Christ was promised to our forefathers Art 5 who receiued the Law to the end that knowing their sin by the Law and their vnrighteousnesse and insufficiencie they might desire the coming of Christ to the end he might satisfie for their sins and accomplish the Law by himselfe Art 6 That Christ was borne at the time appointed by God his Father that is to say at a time when all iniquitie abounded and not for our good workes sake onely for all were sinners but to the end he might offer his grace and mercie vnto vs. That Christ is our life and truth and peace Art 7 and iustice and Aduocate and Pastor and sacrifice and sacrificer who died for the saluation of all those that beleeue and is raised againe for our iustification We do also firmly hold Art 8 that there is no other mediator and aduocate with God the Father but onely Iesus Christ And as touching the Virgine Marie that she is holy humble and full of grace and so do we beleeue of all the other Saints that they attend in heauen the resurrection of their bodies at the day of iudgement We do also beleeue that after this life Art 9 there are onely two places the one for those that shall be saued the other for the damned which we call Paradise and Hell denying altogether Purgatory as being a dreame of Antechrist and inuented against the truth We haue also alwayes beleeued Art 10 that the inuentions of men are an vnspeakable abomination before God as the feasts and the vigils of Saints holy water the abstaining vpon certaine dayes from flesh and such like but principally the