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
He that through the sprete of faith vnderstandeth the great calamite of thys myserable lyfe Rom. ix and the blasphemye of god whiche through oure synfull lyfe dayly in the flesshe is committed reioyseth that thys calamitie sone ceasseth The vngodly But the vngodly whome Paul calleth vessels of ire where on God shal shewe hys strayght iudgement they woulde wysshe that this temporal lyfe myght laste for euer They woulde be content with a good wyl that god shoulde kepe hys heauenly kyngdome alone O how fearful shal be vnto them the face of Iesus Christe which shal shewe him self in the last day with such great glory maiestie Zach. ix vnto all men Angels and deuils His first comyng was despysed and a slight thynge before the world but then when god the father shal geue ouer vnto hym all hys enemyes into suche horryble euerlastynge and in tollerable paynes and punyshemētes Esa lxij And all the membres of Christe shall be sett from al calamitye and misery into all perfection ioye and glory ād in al certayntye withoute ende Verely then shall he ryde no more vpon an asse in mekenes and shewe no more necessite but all glorye then shall the greate daye of the Lorde be at hande the daye of wrath and sorowfulnes the day of myst and of stormy wynd as the Prophete Sophony wryteth Soph. i. He shall come to iudge the quicke that shall be founde and the dead that haue dyed Cyprian vnderstandeth that the lyuinge be the soules and the deade their bodyes But for as muche as Paule sayth i. tess iiij that we which lyue remayne in the comynge of the Lord shal be caught together with the deade also in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayer and so shall euer be with the Lorde Truely so myght it be thought that there shal be some on lyue caught to the iudgement as also Saynt Ierome sayth vppon thys place They that be departed in Christe shall aryse fyrste and the sayntes whiche shal be founde lyuinge they shal be caught to gether with the fyrste Augustyn in the boke of the Citye of God sayth Lib. xxij Cap. xx That Paul here in this Epistle to Thessaloniens dyd not meane hymselues and those that lyued in hys daies But that he dyd meane those that Christe shal fynde on lyue He supposeth also that those whiche soon lyue shal be caught in the ayer to mete Christe shall together at one tyme in the same catchyng dye In Ecc. dog vi and .vij. and ryse agayn as he sayth in another place Nowe howe the same cometh to passe wil we committe to God it is not necessary for vs to knowe Witnesse of thys article out of th◠scripture Malachie descrybeth the comyng of Christe and the iudgemēt Mal. iij dan. vij Daniell dothe also note the comynge of the sonne of man to the iudgement Item of hys power and kyngdom that this power endureth foreuer Luce. i. Mic. iiij Matth. xxiiij and that his kingdō endureth vncorrupte as also Luke dothe writte and Micheas In Mathewe is descrybed the comynge of Christe whereas he saythe Euen as the lightenyng cometh oute of the easte and appeareth into the west so shall the commynge of the sonne of man be Then shal al the kynredes of the earthe mourne and they shall see the sonne of man commynge in the cloudes of heauen with great power and glorye and he shal sende hys Angels with the great voyce of trōpettes And they shall gather together hys chosen from the foure wyndes from the one ende of heauen vnto the other Marci xij Luce. xxi Matthei xix xxv xxvi fyndest thou also such lyke ij ii iiij Paule i. Corinth iiij i. Thessa iiij ij Thessal ij Item to Timothe I testitye before God and the Lorde Iesu Christe which shall come to iudge the quycke and deade Ro. xiiij at hys appearynge in hys kyngdome And to the Romaynes Vve shal be al brought before the iudgement seate of Christe Esa xlv For it is written as truely as I lyue sayth the Lorde Al knees shal bowe to me and al tonges shall geue prayse to God ij Co. v Item to the Corinthians we muste al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery man maye receyue the workes of hys body accordyng to that he hathe done i. Pe. iiij whether it be good or bad Peter Vviche shal geue accomptes to hym that is ready so iudge the quycke and the deade Act. ◠In the Actes of the Apostles sayth Peter Christe hath commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testify that he is ordeyned of God a iudge of the quycke and the deade The eyghte Article ☞ I beleue in the holye goost Here speakest thou In the holy gost therewith doest thou confesse that the holy goost is God For to beleue a thynge is to sett there on thy truste hope and loue thys is an honour whiche pertayneth onely to God hys maiesty The holy goost is the thirde person in the eternal deite procedynge from the father and from the sonne through an vnknowen Matth. xxviij and inexplicable wyse In Mathew sayth Christe Go and baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy goost Here is mightely shewed the deite of the holy goost for seynge he cōmanded to baptise in the name of the holy goost so must I beleue trust in the holy gost Shall I then truste beleue in hym then must he also surely be God for a man maye trust or beleue in none but onely in god Gen. i In the firste boke sayeth Moyses The spirite moued vpon the water There doeth Moyses geue and appropriate to the holy goost hys worke in the creation Psalm xxxiij Dauid sayth in the Psalme By the worde of the Lorde are the heauens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of hys mouth That is The heauens are made by the holy goost and al that is therein These wordes geue clearly that he is God seynge the creation is asscrybed vnto hym And in another Psalme Psalm cxxxix Whyther shal I go from thy spirite and whyther shal I flee from thy presence There geueth he also to vnderstande that he is euery where To be in all places belongeth onely to God and to no creature as Dauid sayeth Yf I clyme vp into heauē Psalm cxxxix thou arte there yf I go downe to hell thou arte there also Iohn sawe the spirite of god descende lyke vnto a doue Iohan. i and abyde vpon hym Christe sayeth in Iohan. I wyll praye the father Iho. xiiij and he shal geue you another conforter that he may abyde with you euer whiche is the spiryte of truethe The comforter whiche is the holy goost whome my father wil sende in my name he shall teache you all thynges Item in another place Iho. xvi yf I goo not awaye that
comforter wyll not come vnto you And suche lyke sayenges more declare euidently the thyrd person in the godheade the holy gost Itē receyue the holy goost Act. x. In the Actes of the Apostles is it written Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on al them whiche hearde the preachynge Act. viij Item they prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy goost Rom. v. viij xv Paule to the Romayns The loue is shed abrode in oure hartes by the holy goost whiche is geuen vnto vs. Item to the Corinthians ij cor xiij The grace of oure Lorde Iesu Christ the loue of God and the felloweshyppe of the holy goost be with you all There be more other of suche lyke places in S. Paules Epistles The great maiesty and the abysme of the vnsercheable greatnes of God ought in hys essence and persons we to worshyppe with al humilitye and not presume to groūd or searche it for mannes witte cā not cōprehende it neither shal it also attayne to the knoweledge therof God hath ordeyned al thynges to thintēt that we should be ryghteous saued Offyce of the tree persons Christ hath by hys holsome death deserued that we shoulde be saued The holy goost fulfilleth nowe the desertes of Christe that we maye be ryghteous And this is euen hys offyce that he do truely bestowe Christe and all that he hath and geue it the in thy herte as thyne owne treasure Summa Shal I come to the father by Christe and be partener of his lyfe passyon of al such goodes as he hath done for my sake truely so muste the holy gost work in my before The father and the sonne must moue me by the worke of the holy gooste drawe me vp or elles am I spiritually dead The holy goost is that great thynge whereby god the father by hys sonne Christe and in Christe worketh and quickeneth all thynges The nynth Article I beleue one holy catholike church The comon Catholyke churche The cōmunion of saynctes These two partes be one thyng for cōmuniō holy catholike churche is nothynge elles then the spiritual cōgregatiō of sainctes of ryghteous faythful mē wheresoeuer they be in earthe It is also proprely no congregation that is bounde euen in one parte or place but a congregation in one faith hope and loue of the spirite The holy goost hath gathered thys churche through the worde of God he kepeth and gouerneth it The churche is dayly in the worde of God hygh blessed sacramentes augmented and nourysshed as in her foode Ephe. v The churche is a bryde of the Lord Christe as Paule sayeth Christe gaue hym selfe for it to sanctifye it and clēsed it in the fountaine of water throughe the worde to make it vnto hymselfe a glorious congregation withoute spot or wrynckle or any suche thyng But that it shoulde be holy withoute blame The vnitye betwene the man and the woman in the state of wedlocke signifyeth suche a spirituall wedlocke betwene the Catholike churche and Christe her brydegrome as in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. v. Gene. i. very properly is descrybed and annoted Euen as man and wyfe be one body hauynge all thynges comon so here also what soeuer Christ is and hath that is and belongeth to the congregation hys spouse Thys is a great ioyfull and blessed thynge We haue synne death hell and all shame Christe hath righteousnes lyfe saluacion and all glory This shal now be oures yf we throughe the wedding ringe of fayth be maryed vnto Christ and become one body with hym Thus saythe the Prophete Osee Osee ij I wyll mary the vnto myne owne selfe for euermore Yea euen vnto my selfe wyl I mary the in ryghteousnes in equitie in louinge kyndnes and mercy In fayth also wyll I mary the vnto my selfe And then shalt thou knowe that I am the Lorde For Christ is not onely by his becomynge man proprely and perfectely become the brydegrome of the churche But also by the consentynge of hys churche in his worde and couenaunt through fayth He that hath maryed a bryde Ihon. iij Psalm xix he is a brydegrome The consentyng maketh mariage Before the consentyng is he not called a brydegrome Therfore is hys progresse as concernynge brydegromeshyppe whereof Dauid speaketh his manifestacion in the fayth of the churche That is whan there was beleued in hym of the churche then dyd it appeare that he is a brydegrome He hath put on the humanite and so vnyed hym selfe with the churche in one flesshe Eph. v. whiche the Apostell calleth a great mystery wherein the ryche and poore the ryghteous the synner the saued and the dampned the sonne of grace and the sonne of wrathe and heuynesse are agreed for here be al hys goodes geuen vnto vs as our owne and all our pouerty and penury taken awaye i. Cor. iij i. Pet. ij In the churche dwelleth Christe he speaketh in her he is the onely foundation and grounde thereof In the Churche is one Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all thynges whiche is ouer all thynges through all thynges in all thynges Wheresoeuer the Gospel is preached there is a peere of thys churche The christen congregation she is in her selfe inuisyble not bounde to one place For it is a congregation in the spirite And the worde worketh inuisybly in her And she dothe neuer heare it without frute Esai lv as Esay sayeth My worde that cometh oute of my mouthe shall not tourne agayn voyde vnto me Lyke as in the tyme of Noe Ge. vij no mā escaped with hys lyfe but was drouned in the floude excepte he entred in to the Arke or into the Cheste of Noe. Euen so whosoeuer is not founde in thys felloweshyppe or Catholike Churche agreynge with her in one faythe worde Sacramente hope and loue he shal be loste Martion Valentinus Hebiō Cherinthus Manicheus Heluidius and suche lyke heretykes haue also had a Churche That is a heape a propresecte or felloweshyppe But it was not the Catholyke Churche wherein Christe is a bridegromes for they had not the right fayth And whereas such felloweshyppe is yet which separate themselues frō the Christen communyon and congregatiō and haue no pure syncere faith as the scripture teacheth vs and wyll not suffer thēselues to be refourmed they be heretykes and sectysshe persons and shall all be loste oneles they reconcyle them selues agayn with the churche of Christe Note we saye not I beleue in the holy Catholike churche but I beleue one holy Catholike churche pardon or remissyon of synnes and so furthe for that worde in is vsed to the trinite on or in God the father God the sonne and God the holy goost Cōmunyon of saynctes What is the communyon of sainctes Answer That the Christians and saynctes after suche a sorte be bounde and knytte together in one fraternite through the bande of
lyueth soberly me asurably and purely By prayer doth a man ouercome the pryde of thys lyfe and lyueth Godly By almose dedes dothe a man ouercome the lustes of the eyes and lyueth ryghtfully in thys lyfe Othe or swearynge Thereof speaketh Christe in Mathew Mat v. on thys wyse Sweare not at al. But your communicatiō shal be yea yea naye naye for whatsoeuer is more then that cometh of euyl Here doth Christ inhibite the desyre of swearing euen as the lawe dothe euery where forbidde the desyre Christe wyll Iohn v that a Christian shal be so slyght ryghte not full of euyll thoughtes or mysdemynges that he shal beleue his neyghboure gladly and dryue or compel no man to make an other and that he also neuer wyl sweare hymselfe to the honour of the godly maiesty before the which we be alwaies lyers Therfore saith the texte whatsoeuer is more thē that cometh of euyl as though he wolde saye whē a mā is desyrous to take an othe of his neyghbour or lyghtely requyreth an othe of hym or when he sweareth hym selfe lightely then is it a sygne that he is vntrewe wicked lyght mynded and possesseth not the godly verite No mā ought to sweare of hym selfe Howe be it whan it toucheth or concerneth the loue necessite and the profyte of our neyghbours or the honour and glory of God then is it laufull Christian lyberte The christē liberte is not that we nede not to do no more good but it is such a lyberte wherein not the lawe but man is chaunged Act ix Vvhen Paul was conuerted and illumined then continued yet the tenne commaundementes with hym inmutable that he shoulde obserue them but he became another man for euen the same lawe of God whiche before his conuersion was bitter and hole contrary to the wyll of Paule as soone as throughe fayth he was purifyed and loue was through the holy goost infounded into hys herte then became the lawe vnto hym amiable he was before vnwillynge but afterwarde willynge The lawe can not condemne a christen man albeit he hath yet synne in case he beleueth that the malediction of the lawe is taken awaye by Christ and that the ryghteousnes of Christe is hys and the satisfaction of Christ hys purifyenge as the spirite of God sayth i. Cor. i. Christ of God is made vnto vs wysedome ryghteousnes sanctifyenge and redemption Thys lyberte hathe Christe deserued for vs and we must be ware Gala. v that the liberte be not an occasion vnto the flesshe to synne but in loue serue one another Thou mayest not say yf I am free through fayth and yf fayth doth it all alone then wyll we do no goode it is all done allready Thys is not ryghte men may not make a cloke for the rayne thereby It is not suche a libertye i. Pet. ij that thou nedest to do no more goode workes but the christen lyberte causeth that we nowe from hencefurthe withoute compulsyon free withoute respecte of the rewarde fyrste begynne to do some good i. Tim. i Thus sayth S. Paule vnto the ryghteous is no lawe geuen the lawe hath no auctorite nor action vpon hym he doth by the spirite of God of hym selfe whatsoeuer he ought and whatsoeuer the lawe requyreth The Churche In the scripture standeth Ecclesia Ecclesia Thys is a Greke worde and as moch as a congregation of the faythful people And the hole vniuersall Church hath the holy goost by her by whome she is gouerned and cannot erre The brydegrome doth not forsake the bryde But a parte of thys churche maye well erre The pope and hys Cardinals are not the Christen churche or congregatiō but onely a part or membre therein when they be christen mēbres or els not Isa xlvi De. viij mat iiij The churche is congregated by the worde of God The worde of God is a body wherein the churche is receyued fourmed susteyned borne nouryshed clothed strengthened and preserued The hole lyfe and conuersation of the churche is in the word of God Therfore doth the Christen church institute make and teache nothyng cōtrary to the word of god she abydeth by the cleare pure and syncere worde of God there hath she whatsoeuer is necessary for her for the spiritual lyfe Whensoeuer any institution is layed before vs and commaunded to be obserued then muste we iudge yf it come oute of the scripture or not Yf it be not oute of the Scripture then doth it not bynde our consciences neyther is it the commaundement of the Christen churche Yf it be agaynst the scripture then hath not the Churche of God commaunded it but the congregation of Behemot the deuyll Therfore let not thys worde Catholyke churche The Catholike churche drawe the to euerye vngodly assembel as hathe ben done hitherto They haue also taught that a counsayll whiche sitteth in the stede of the churche can not erre I say thus Cleaue take holde by goddes worde yf thou wylt not stomble It is manifest and euydent Counceyls that the counsaylles haue erred shamefully As the Counsayll of Arimin of Ephesus the secōde of Constantinoble Item the Counsayls be contrary the one to the other in theyr institutions then must nedes the one alwayes erre Ryches Ryches is a good creature of god and an instrument of vertue Luc. viij Matth. xix Wherfore doth then the holy Scripture call them thornes Item Christe sayth It is harde for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of heauen it is easier for a camell to go throughe the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to enter into the kyngdome of God Answer Al be it that ryches in it selfe is a creature of God and good yet are we of nature enclyned to al euill Therfore when we haue occasyon to synne Ge. viij we be very swyfte and can not withholde and tame our selues A man maye haue muche goodes well ynoughe and yet for all that come to heauē as Abrahā Iob Namaā of Syria were also in great possessyons but yet ryghteous reasonable and godfearyng menne Therfore is ryches not prohibited but the misvsyng there of is prohibited the couetousnes that is the inordinate and vncomely desyres towardes the goodes Ephe. v for it is an Idolatry He is properly called ryche in the scripture that putteth hys truste and confidence in hys goodes and hath hys pleasure ioye and pastyme therein As the ryche man sayed Luc. xij My soule thou haste muche goodes layed vp in store for many yeres take thyne ease eate drynke and be mery Thereof is it written in the Psalme Lo Psa lij thys is the man that toke not God for hys strengthe but trusted vnto the multitude of hys ryches Psalm xxxix And in another Psalme he heapeth vp rychesse and can not tell who shall gather them Euen suche persons trust not god they thynke that yf they shoulde not mistruste and be carefull the
Therfore wyll noman truely take the Gospel in hande mat xvi Christ hath geuen vs warnynge of such in Matt. Beware of the Leuen of the Pharises and of the Saduces that is of mēnes traditions Thereof reade further Deut. iiij Prouer. xxx Esaye xxxix Matth. xv xxiiij Marc. vij Luc. xvij Gal. i. Colloss ij i. Timot. iiij Tit. i. And .i. Pe. ij Yf thou wilt see with what coloure the Scripture doth counterfaite and paynte the wicked shepeherdes then reade Ezechiel xiij and xxxiiij Ieremie xxiij Esaye iij. Michee iij To the Philippians iij. Conclusyon AT the last wyl I admonyshe charitably euerye good Christian that he wyll beware and take good hede in thys last perillous tyme wherein Ante Christe hath also hys predication sheweth hys miracles and that he wil earnestly reade the Byble hym selfe with humilitie and not with presumption Whereas the spirite of God openeth any thynge vnto hym let hym be thankefull And wheras any thynge is to harde for hym there let hym not iudge rasshely and put no doubtes in it but that all thyng is well and good written by the spirite of God whiche can not erre But the faulte is in our selues Moreouer one daye teacheth another what soeuer thou vnderstandest not to daye thesame bryngeth the daye of to morowe with him The holy scripture wyl not be reade as other bokes thou mayest not rasshely and with vnwassheth handes as the common Prouerbe soundeth fall into it but with a precedent deuoute prayer and yeldynge of thy selfe that God may worke in the and that thou wilt not vnderstonde the Scripture after thyne owne brayne or brynge an interpretation in the Scripture after thyne owne phantasy but that thou mayest seke it euen there and be taught of god in the ryght hygh scoole of the holy Ghooste and gladly enquyre of the learned and learne withoute arrogancye and curiosite There must nedes be good experience of the language and the spirite yf a man wil truely handle with the scripture For the one helpeth the other i. co xiij Paul wyll that a man shal here knowe the language and prophecye Therfore let not hym that is not very expert in languages be rasshe and presumpteous to iudge in the scripture how doth it agree that men hādell the reliques of Saynctes with so greate reuerence and honorablenes handel so rasshely or vndiscretely the ryght and true reliques that is the worde of God whiche the sonne of God hath confirmed and stablysshed by hys holy bloude and whereby we be all made ryghteous and holy Howe be it thou shalt not therfore be abolished thinkynge that to reade and to knowe the scripture perteineth onely to prestes Mat. vi It is the worde whereby thy soule make lyue whereby thou arte made a Christen man Vve are called all together to one kyngedom of heauen and inheritaunce of God There is one Baptisme Eph. iiij one worde and one fayth Vve muste al knowe what God requyreth of vs. Therfore as deare as thy soule health and saluation is vnto the euen so earnestly let the worde of God be committed vnto the. It preuayleth nothynge vnto the that thou sayest I wyll continue in my fathers belefe The belefe of oure forefathers Paraduenture thy father was taught that he shoulde be made righteous by workes that he should institute many soule masses buylde Churches that then all were well Yf thou shouldest fynde thy father in hel thou shouldest fynde an euyll fyndynge The sunne of ryghteousnes Iesus Christe is rysen the holy Gospell is purely and syncerely preached he that nowe openeth not hys eyes and shutteth the trueth withoute the dores shal surely fynde hymselfe deceaued Yf Sayncte Paule woulde haue beleued as hys father and the great multitude then shoulde he haue beleued that withoute the bodely circumsion no man coulde be saued what case hadde he byn in thou Yf my father hadde beleued that whatsoeuer a Byshoppe dyd institute or ordeyne were the holy Gospel shoulde I therfore folowe hym in thys errour Christe my hope and redemption saue me frō so doynge whiche vouchesafe through the quickenyng spirite to teache vs his scripture hym selfe that we may vnderstande the vnspeakeable ryches of hys grace AMEN Vvhosoeuer sayth I wil beleue as my father hath done before me and wyl not be instructed and infourmed to heare the Gospell the same wil not knowe the trueth and paraduenture Christ wyl not knowe hym also therfore shall he stande to hys owne daunger vnto hym is the Sunne rysen in vayne he is blynde and a blocke or he feareth the trueth of the Gospell he feareth that he shoulde be fayne to be good Hys euyl workes are espyed in in the cleare lighte of the Gospel whiche he hath couered with mennes traditions This is then as Christ sayth Iohn iij the condemnation that the lyght is come into the worlde and the men loued darkenes more then light Euery man that doth euyl hateth the lyght Thou wilt saye vnto me The Gospel hath bē darkened with mennes doctryne The Gospell hath alwayes ben preached But I saye naye to it The texte might wel be tolde vnto the whiche afterwarde was so darkened with mens gloses that the Gospell that is the glad tydynges was made a heauy tydynges vnto the. For they haue onely taught and preached many institutions but the conforte in the Scripture was hydden namely the inenarrable treasure of grace purchased vnto vs by Christe They haue not taught Christe but Antichrist Thou hast not ben set from thy selfe vnto Christe that thou mightest haue learned wherfore Christe is geuen vnto the. Item to knowe the secretes of the Gospel what is the right peace and ioye of al hertes and consciences but we haue ben brought leadde frō Christ vpon and into our selues that we shoulde be iustifyed and saued by the workes of oure free wyl O Lorde what misery and calamite haue we ben brought vp in in what great vnquietnes For the conscience can neuer be in quiete sure and content yf she must be iustifyed by workes She can neuer be sure in what case she standeth with God as Paule declareth Ro. iiij Gal. iij. But thys is vnto a troubled conscience a great conforte when she heareth that man is not iustifyed by workes but by the fayth in Iesu Christ Thys is the ryght preachinge of the Gospell Rom. iij iiij Gal. ij Rom. iij iiij v Ge. xv Lyke as oure father Abraham was iustifyed before God euen so must we be iustifyed also The scripture calleth hym a father of all beleuers and saith in the fyrst boke of Moyses Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him for ryghteousnes And so doth Paul dryue it alwayes euery where we are iustifyed by fayth Thys shalt thou vnderstond thus for a conclusyō Two maner of faith We haue two maner of beleuynges or knoweledges of Christe The one is called an Actual knoweledge As when I haue
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
able to defende vs from synne death deuil hel He that shall do the same must nedes be God ⧠Vvitnesse out of bothe Testamentes Esa vij Iohan. i ¶ In Esay is Christ named Emanuell that is God with vs. Ihon begynneth hys gospell on thys wyse In the beginnyng was the worde and the worde was with God and God was the worde The same was in the begynnyng with God Al thynges were made by it And the worde became flesshe For as muche now as he is not made but he is the maker hymselfe so must he nedes be God Ioh. xxi Act. x Iohannis in the laste saith Thomas My Lorde my God In the Actes of the Apostles sayth Paule that god hath purchased the Churche with hys owne bloude That speaketh he of the agreynge of Persons in two natures of Iesu Christe To the Romaynes sayth s Paule Rom. ix which Christe is god ouer al thinges blessed for euer Phili. ij And to the Philippians Let euery man be mynded as Iesus Christe was whiche beyng in the shape of god thought it not robbery Colos ij to be equall with God To the Colossyans In hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godheade bodyly Vnto Titus sayth Paule Tit. ij that we shoulde loke for that blessed hope and gloryous appearynge Ebre i of the myghty god of our sauyour Iesu Christ To the Ebrewes speketh he vnto the sonne God thy seate shal be for euer and euer And Ihō in hys Epistel i. Ioh. v In hys sonne Iesu Christe this is the true God and eternall lyfe Psa viij In the Psalm standeth of Christe what is thys man that thou arte myndefull of hym and the sonne of man that thou regardest hym Thou madest hym lower than the Angels to crowne hym with glory and worshyppe Thou makest him to haue dummyon ouer the workes of thy handes the declaracyon of thys saynge seke in Saynt Paules Epist To the Ephesians and Colossyans to the Hebrewes Now yf god haue set Christ on his ryght hande and hathe made hym Lorde ouer all thynges in heauen earth then must he be god For it is not mete in no wyse that one shoulde be sett on the ryght hande of god and in lyke power with god the Father yf he were no god for as muche as god wil geue hys honoure to none other as Esay sayth Esa xlij xlvi and xlviij God speaketh in Osea Osee xiij Thou shalt knowe none other god but me There is none other saueour besydes me Euen so is it also written in Esaye esa xliij xliiij xlv Exo. x◠xxxiiij Deu. v vi Ioha v. and in the second fyfth boke of Moyses There wil he that mē worshyp none other or straun goddes nowe it standeth in Ihon god wyl haue that men shall honoure the sonne euē with the honour wherwith the father is honoured that is gods honour Euen so wyl god that men shall haue one God and geue the honour of god to no creature For as much as he geueth it here to Christe truely so is he god also As also witnesseth Paule Rom. i to the Romaynes in the first Chap. sayng After the flesshe is he the sonne of Dauid but after the spirite he is declared to be the sōne of god with power The scripture somtyme calleth Christ God somtyme by other wordes Vvherfore infallybly it is cōcluded that Iesus Christ is very god what nedeth it many witnesses Reade the gospel of s Ihō that is almoste nothynge elles than a witnes of the very godheade of Christe Therfor erred the Cherintians Ebionytes and Arrianes for they weaned Christ were but onely a mā no god But we beleuers be the sonnes of God onely of grace through election and adoption not of very nature Christians be the children of God Gal. iiij Ro. viij Ephe. i Of the same childhode reade the Epistle of Paul vnto the Galath Romayns Ephesians There findest thou how that we through Christ the ryght natural sonne of God of grace be accepted for the sonnes of god heyres annexed with Iesu Christ our lord The fayth in Iesu bringeth vs vnto suche hygh worthy childhode and to hys Lordely heritage and Iohan sayth As many as receyued hym Iohan. i to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on hys name ⧠The thyrde article Vvhiche was conceyued by the holy gooste borne of the virgyn Marye Thys article hath two partes The firste Christe is not of a man after the commune course of nature but of the holy gost yet naturally born The seconde The mother of Christe was not defyled as another woman that conceyueth a chyldee with hurt of her bodyly and goostly virginite but she is a virginall mother a virgyn before the byrthe in the byrthe and after the byrthe The wonderfull conceyuyng and byrthe hath the holy gost prophecyed through the Prophetes Math. i by the Euāgelistes descrybed and proued For thus sayth the Angell vnto Ioseph That whiche is conceyued in her is of the holy gost For when the blessed virgyn Mary heard the salutaciō angelical that she shoulde become a mother of so mightye a Lorde which was the sonne of the moost hyghest and that hys princely kyngdome shoulde endure for euer she asked tharchangel Gabriell with a virginal comlynesse howe that shoulde be seynge she knewe of no man Luc. i Then answered tharchangel The holy gost shal come vpō the and the power of the hyest shall ouershadowe the. Therfore also that holy thyng which shal be borne shal be called the sonne of god Here was necessary that a specyall newe mā shoulde be borne Christe most be borne pure that might take away and wash awai the corruption and disease of the fyrst synne of oure damnable byrthe of Adam with hys purenes Therfor was it here necessary to be a virginal pure birth werein were no spot of sinne nor yet maledictiō The holy ghost was the worke mayster in the workynge place of the pure immaculate body of Mary her pure flesshe and bloude was the natural sede whereout God the holy gost hath shapen the noble pure body of Christ And the wōderful holy virginite of Marye the electe virgyn is descrybed in the Prophetes and Euāgelistes with inuincyble argumentes The scripture geueth to vnderstonde Gen. iij. that Christ the blessed fruyt of Marye must be a natural childe of a woman for he is called the sede of a woman Item he must be a man of an excellent frydom aboue all men that he be aboue all synne For he shal treade downe the heade of the serpent that is synne death hel yf he were borne in synne then shoulde the deuyll also haue power ouer hym as ouer other children of wrath But he hathe no power ouer him For Christ sayth thus Ioh. xiiij The Prynce of thys worlde cometh and hath nought in me And so
euen so the sonne quickeneth whome he wyll The father hath geuen power to the sonne also to iudge The houre shal come in the whiche all that are in the graues shal heare hys voyce and shal come forth they that haue done good to the resurrectyon of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of damnatyon In the Actes of the Apostles Act. xvij preacheth Paule vnto those of Athenes the resurrectyon of the deade Item in another place sayeth Paule act xxiiij I beleue all thynges which are writtē in the lawe and the Prophetes and haue hope towardes God that the same resurrection of death which thei loke for also shal be act xxvi bothe of iuste and vniuste Rom. vi Item to the Romaynes sayth he yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym Ro. viij euen so muste we be lyke in the resurrection yf we be dead with christ we beleue that we shall lyue with him ¶ Item to the Corinthians i. Co. vi God hath raysed vp the Lorde and shal rayse vs vp by hys power knowe ye not that youre bodyes are the membres of Christe yf they be the mēbres of Christe then muste they be glorifyed and claryfyed with theyr heade ⧠The fyfthene Chapyter in the fyrste Epystle to the Corinthyans haue dearly in commendation wherein Sayncte Paule so excellentely and commyngly writeth of the resurrection of Christe and of oure resurrection and maketh suche an argumēt and ground Christ is rysen frō death therfore shal we ryse also Vvherfore dyed he howe hath slayne hym Truely our synnes The father hath layed all oure synnes vpon hym therfore hath he satisfyed Esa liij as Esay sayth Nowe yf he were not rysen then were all oure doyng in vayne yea we were yet in synne and dominacyon as depe as euer we were No man were poorer and more miserable then we christians yf we onely in thys shorte lyfe shoulde put oure trust in Christe and afterwarde all shoulde be at an ende Then the sinnes had ben to heauy and to stronge for hym But nowe is christe risen from death death hath no more power ouer hym Truely then hath he ouercome oure synne and death that they can beare no more rule ouer vs. He is become theyr myghtye and stronge Lorde And as by Adam all dye euen so by Christe shal all be made a lyue Therfore let vs be mery in the Lorde oure enemys synne death hell be layde downe Christ is a kynge myghtely hys kyngedome endureth for euer where as he is there shal we be also Vvhe haue a good cause to reioyce and with thankefulnes to be freeharted and blode in Christ oure ouercomer and Lorde and to be with death at defyaunce death is swallowed vp in victory The Lorde sayth O death Ose xiij I wil be thy death O hel I wil be thy stynge Death where is thy stynge Hel where is thy victory But thankes be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs the victory Through our Lord Iesus Christe In the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians sayth he ij Cor. i that we should not put oure trust in oure selues but in God which rayseth the dead to lyfe agayne Reade a goodly example the fyfth Chapiter in the same Epistle Item we knowe that ij cor iiij he whiche rayseth vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus ij co xiij Item we shall lyue with hym by the power of God Item to the Philippians Oure cōuersacyon is in heauen from whence aso we loke for the sauyour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whiche shal chaūge oure vyle body that he maye make it lyke vnto hys gloryous body accordyng to the workyng whereby he is able also to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Colo. iij Item to the Colossyans ye be now rysen with Christe therfore seke those thynges whiche are aboue i. Th. iiij Item to the Thessalonyens sayeth Paule I would not bretheren that ye should not be ignorant concerning them whiche are fallen a slepe that ye sorrowe not as other doo whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and ryse agayne euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God brynge agayne wyth hym And thys saye we vnto you in the worde of the Lorde that we whiche lyue and are remainynge in the commynge of the Lorde shal not come yerre then they whiche slepe For the Lorde hym selfe shall descende from heauen with a showre and the voyce of the Archangell and trompe of God And the dead in Christe shall ryse fyrste then shall we whiche lyue and remayne be caught vp with them also in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayer and so shall we euer be with the Lorde wherfore comforte youre selues one another with these wordes The twelfte Artikel And the lyfe euerlastynge The life here in thys worlde is called a calamitye for we haue no restynge place here neyther shall we abyde here alwayes as Paule sayeth Ebr. xiij Here haue we no contynuynge City but we seke one to come Heauen is oure home the lyfe euerlastynge thether long we in the lyfe euerlastynge Summa summarum there is all the desyre of man whiche can be satisfyed with nothynge elles than with beholdynge and browkynge of the godly essence as Dauid saith psa xvij I wyl beholde thy presence in ryghteousnes and I shal be satisfyed when I awake vp after thy lykenes The Philosophers and world wysemen haue taken great paynes to studye seke out what thyng it myght be Saluation of man wherein the harte of man without all calamytye and miserye were satisfyed and stedfastly rested an in the ende wherevnto it is ordeyned and whiche myght be oure saluacion But lyke as they coulde see no ryghte vertue by the naturall power withoute grace euen so coulde they not knowe also that thynge where in the saluacyon of man consisteth The one thought that health is the greatest good Another toke ryches for it Some haue named vertue the saluacyon Some dyd put theyr saluatiō in thre goodes namely the goodes of fortune as ryches honour power The goodes of the bodye as healthe strengthe The goodes of the soule as science and vertue But the blynde lyghte of nature knoweth nothyng of the ryght saluation and of the ryghte lyfe euerlastynge The spirit of God doth teache it vs by the scripture For thus sayth Iohn i. Ioh. v Ioh xvij Christe is very God and eternall lyfe Item thys is lyfe eternall that then myght knowe the onely true God and Iesus Christe whome thou hast sent That is oure heauen thether be we bounde sayng This is my rest for euer that is oure kyngedome Psalm cxxxij wherein Christ hath preipared for vs many maners of dwellinge places Ioh. xiiij Matth. xxv Matt. v Into that housse shal he sende the electe and shall saye Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from
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
Prophetes Esay Ieremye Ezechiel Danyel Twelue small Prophetes i Hosea ij Ioel iii Amos iiij Abdia v Iona vi Micha vij Nahum viij Habacuck ix Sophonia x Haggi xi Sacharia xij Malachia Thobie Iudith Baruch Esra Esra iij. and iiij The boke of wysedome Sapientia The wyseman Ecclesiasticus Machabeus The bokes of the newe Testament i The Gospell S. Mathewe ii The Gospell S. Marke iij The Gospell S. Luke iiij The Gospell S. Iohn v The Actes of the Apostles descrybed of Saynct Luke vi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaynes vij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians viij The second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians ix The Epistle of S. Paul to the Galathians x The Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians xi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians xij The Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians xiij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xiiij The seconde Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xv The fyrste Epistle of S. Paule to Timothe xvi The second Epistle of S. Paul vnto Timothe xvij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Titus xviij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Philemon xix The first Epistle of S. Peter xx The second Epistle of s Peter xxi The fyrste Epistle of S. Iohn xxij The second Epistle of S. Iohn xxiij The thyrde Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues The Epistle of S. Iames. The Epistle of S. Iudas The Reuelations of S. Iohn Holy Scripture The worde of God THese are the laudable ryght bokes of Holy Scripture whiche came from the holy gooste they can not lye or faylthe wherein is also sufficiently comprehended whatsoeuer is necessary for the saluation of the soule so that for the rulynge of the conscience in the kyngdome of faythe in the spirite none other worde doctryne or commaundemente is necessary vnto man but onely the Byble How be it there is a great battayl in the same whosoeuer truely vnderstandeth the Scripture for asmuche as euery man vndertaketh to vse the Scripture whether he be apte or vnapte Thys battel shall sone be slighted yf the Scripture indifferently be loked vppon and concordantly expounded not onely here there peces taken oute but before and behynde and in the middes duely loked vppon and scanded It is al one spirite of the olde and newe Testament Euen the same holy goost that through the holy Prophetes hath shewed the commynge of Christ the same hath also ruled the hertes and pennes of the Apostles Euangelistes Peter sayeth ij Pet. i. Da. ix b Zac. vij ij tim iij There came neuer any Prophecye by the wille of man but holy menne of God spake as thei were moued by the holy Goost It is also no mans doctryne or worde but Goddes owne worde of menne descrybed Euen so doth Christe asscrybe hys doctryne to God the father in Iohn Ioh. vij My doctryne is not myne but hys that hath sent me Item it is the foode of the soule as Christe sayth in Mathewe mat iiij Item blessed are they that heare the worde do it S. Austen sayeth that onely the Scripture afore named without any doubte or fayll oughte maye be beleued and that there is the verite of God But the other which he maketh or Hierome or other doctours and fathers shal be iudged after the Scripture God God is onely euerlastyng al other thynges haue a beginnyng his nature is kyndenes and beneficence Rom. i. God is knowen here in thys lyfe by the goodly orderyng of hys creatures To knowe christ But the ryght knoweledge of God which is necessary vnto vs for oure saluacyon is the knowlege of Christe Ro. viij And to knowe Christe that is to knowe wherfore god hath sent his Sonne vnto vs what great immeasurable and excellēt benefites he hath geuen vs by hym The righte honour of God The ryght honour of god is to knoweledge him as a creatoure of heauē Ioh. iiij and earth and of all creatures to sette oure hope trust and confidence in him onely as in hym that can helpe vs for he is almighty and will do it with all hys harte for he is oure father in heauen Item to loue hym aboue all thynges as the mooste hyest and greatest good for hys owne sake and to feare hym as chyldren not with the feare of bondage Goddes greatest dishonour The greatest dishonour of God is to put hys hope trust confidence and hyest loue in a creature and not to beleue God in his wordes where in he offereth hym selfe vnto vs as an onely willynge ryche sauyour The lawe The lawe is a sentence deu v. vi Ro. vij whereby the good is commaunded and the euil prohibited as loue god and thy neighbour Steale not do no murther The lawe is spiritual that is Ro. viij It requyreth the desyre and the herte It may onely be fulfylled by the spirite and not by the flesshe The flesshe is enemye to the lawe Mē come no further by the lawe then into fearfulnesse and knoweledge of theyr synnes and damnation Gala. v Faythe whiche by loue is mighty in operation doth onely fulfyl the lawe and faythe is a gyfte of God The Gospell The Gospel is a Ioyfull message gone furth from God vnto mankynde that he through Christe hys onelye Sonne hath delyuered man Rom. iij from sinne death and hell The lawe maketh man to feare and shewed hym hys faultes The Gospel conforteth man and sheweth hym the Phisicyon The lawe sayth Thou arte a synner and damned The Gospell sayth Be of good chiere and free herted Rom. iij Esa liij Christe hath taken vpon hym thy synnes ouercome and satisfyed for them Beleue in Christe as thy redemer that same fayth maketh thy ryghteous before God and killeth in thy the olde man with hys carnal lustes whosoeuer through fayth is made one with Christe our Lorde vpon the same hath synne death and hell no more complaynte nor power Rom. iij iiij viij as Paule wytnesseth in the Epistle to the Romeyns Faythe Fayth is no slight dreamynge imagination or meanyng of God but faythe is a liuely confidence in the mercyfulnes of God promysed and plenteously declared in Christe oure Lorde Also promysed in other sygnes as the Sacramentes are He that beleueth ryght hangeth vpon the scripture whiche speaketh of iudgement wrathe and also of the mercyfulnes of God and hangeth there on so earnestlye that he there in trusteth in all necessities and also dyeth thereon Suche a fayth Fayth bryngeth loue with her is the ryghte Christen fayth whiche bryngeth with her the Christen loue For through faythe vnderstandeth man the aboundante and inestimable loue of God towardes vs whereby hys herte is fyrste moued and getteth peace and is kindled with the fyre of Godly loue that he for suche mercyfulnes doth ioyfully geue thankes and becometh wyllinge to please God agayne also so to serue hys neyghboure and the
Phil. iiij whiche passeth all vnderstondynge kepe youre hertes and myndes in Christe Iesu And to the Ephesians Ephe. ij Rom. v He is oure peace Item to the Romaynes Because therfore through Christe when God is a mercyfull father and so continueth then desyreth she no further Therfore dyd the Prophetes name the kyngdome of Christe a kyngdome of saluation Esaye xxxij For thus sayth Esaias And the rewarde of ryghteousnes shal be peace and her frute reste and quietnes for euer And my people shall dwell in the innes of peace and in sure dwellynges in safe places of conforte The worde of God bryngeth thys spirituall peace and destroyeth the body of Behemoth but the carnal peace it bryngeth not for it is a word of the crosse and not of the wicked voluptuous lyfe vpon earth Therfore shall no man merueyll that through the preachynge of the cleare pure syncere worde of God ryseth contencion discorde for it is hys nature and propertye to separate the good from the euyll lyke as the fyre doth separate the copper from the golde Therfore knowe not the enemyes of GODDES worde what they speake whan thei say yea what good cometh by the preachynge that is vsed nowe a dayes it causeth nothyng but discorde and sedition I saye deare frēde thou vnderstandest not the matter a ryght It ought to be so It is a blessed discorde when the electe embrace the worde of God and wyll not haue theyr porcyon with the vngodly It can be none other wyse i. Cor. xi For thys waye muste the ryghte Christians be knowen and tryed It was euen so lykewyse in the primityue Church The Christians which dyd receyue the gospell separated themselues from the Gentyls and woulde not erre wyth the greate multitude It stode neuer better with the churche then when euery daye some shedde theyr bloude for the knoweledgyng of the holy name of Christe as Cyprian sayth and thys do we learne oute of the wordes of Christ wheras he speaketh Luc. xij I am come to kindle fyre vpō earth notwithstōding I must be baptised with a baptisme how am I payned till it be ended what is my desyre but that it were all ready kyndled Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earthe I tel you nay but rather debate For frō hence forthe there shall be fyue in one house deuyded thre agaynst two and two agaynst thre The father shal be deuided against the sonne and the sonne against the father The mother against the doughter and the doughter agaynst the mother The mother in lawe against her doughter in lawe and the doughter in lawe against her mother in lawe Ebr. iiij The two edged swearde of the holy goost whiche entreth through euen vnto the diuidinge a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the Mary iudgeth the thoughtes the intentes of the herte is now abroade Therfore let noman merueill at the dissention whiche nowe is euery where The inwarde peace can not be well withoute suche an owtewarde battail Free will Man had in Paradise in the state of innocencye a free wyll There vpō soundeth the sayenge in the wyse mā But after the tyme that Adam had synned Eccl. xv dyd also the spirite of god forsake man In so much that he became hole blynde ignoraunt and erronious and the Scripture doth call hym after the first byrth flesshe Gen. vi Not because onely the comprehensyble power is prone to euyll and is carnall but because the body and soule through the poyson of synne is hole infected and made vncleane In so much that man from hys fyrste byrthe through al his naturall power can do nothynge but synne The Scripture calleth the hert impure The herte is vncleane Heb. xij Ge viij mar vij what goodnes and purenes can then be in man He must be borne a newe elles is he hole vnprofitable and nothynge but flesshe that is proue to thynges terrestriall and al euyll he seketh not after God he regardeth hym not neyther holdeth he of hym Euen thus doth the Scripture conterfayte hym Ro. viij Saynt Paule speaketh to the Romaynes They that are carnall are carnally mynded but they that are spirituall are goostely mynded they that are geuen to the flesshe can not please God For the flesshely mynde is enemitie against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God nether can be Augustyne Therfore called Augustine in the secōde booke agaynst Iulian the heretike the will of man a bonde will Ioh. viij accordinge to the wordes of Christe in Iohn who so euer committeth synne is the seruaunt of synne Libertie of the wyll Howe be it this will maye be made free agayne through the grace of God For thus is it conteyned euen in the same place of Iohn If the sonne shall make you free Ioh. viij then are ye free in dede The sonne of God Christe hath purchased agayne for vs the spirite and grace of God If we beleue than maye we and can do good agayne Notwithstondynge it must all be asscribed vnto the grace of God whiche worketh in vs and nothinge appropriated to oure owne naturall power or workinge whereof the will is also partely named to be an occasion of the good worke as the miserable Sophistes seduce the worlde In Paule is it written on this wyse ij Co. iij We are not sufficient of oure selues to thinke any thinge as it were of oure selues but oure ablenes cometh of God Yf then we can thynke no good of oure selues why presume the Sophistes by the power of the free wille to do any good Thus saith Paule It is God Phili. ij whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the dede i. Co. xv Euen so doth he speake also in another place I laboured more aboundantly then all the other not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Euen so do all saynctes asscribe all goodnes onely to God knoweledge them selues as an instrumēt of the Godly grace sayēge with Dauid Not vnto vs O lorde Psa cxv Not vnto vs but vnto thy name geue the prayse Item Iohn iij A man can receyue nothinge at all excepte it be geuen hym from heauen Item Iohn vi No man can come to me excepte the father which hath sent me drawe hym And of suche lyke is the Scripture full Therfore is it euen as muche whē any man boasteth of hys free wyll that he of hym selfe maye begynne to do any good before grace and to obtayne the grace by workes As yf a man should boaste moche of a Castell that were brent and al destroyed with shutyng of ordinaunce whereas onely were left the place with brokē walles where as the towres were fallen downe and no defence left at all and yet woulde presume to kepe it perforce A broken Castell hath yet the olde name that men saye There standeth suche a Castell
readde and knowe in the scripture that CHRISTE is GOD and man Lykewyse as I beleue that Aristotell was scoole mayster to great Alexander thys goeth not earnestly to the herte I beleue it as an other historye or acte Suche a knoweledge or colde fayth of Christe doth not iustifye me for the vngodly beleue this also and the Deuyls haue thys fayth also it is a dead fayth with oute workes as S. Iames sayth Iaco. ij and it is of none effect Vvhere as no good workes folowe there is also no fayth but onely an Ipocrisie in the herte withoute fayth or confidence towardes God The christen fayth But the right Christē liuely fayth is a strong trust confidence in the promyse of God as that Christe is geuen for me that Christ doth wassh awaye my synnes that Christ quickeneth me this is the ryght Euāgelical fayth which onely iustifyeth man Thys is onely that faith which is coūted of God for oure righteousnes I speake here in comparison betwene faith and workes Otherwyse knoweth euery man well ynough howe that God Christe the spirite and sacramēt doth iustifie But the workes seme they or be they neuer so good or holy yet are they not counted for righteousnes But yf faith do grafte and plante vs in Christe our lorde then are we made righteous and therfore will god also counte vs for righteous And so doth Paule sette it furth very goodly to the Galathians Gal. iij. God hath promised vs iustification and lyfe through Christe The promise is beleued Nowe is a promyse beleued or onely obtayned through faith therfore be we also iustifyed onely by faith Lyke as no man despiseth a mannes testamēt or addeth any thinge thereto nor taketh any thinge frō it euen so maye nothinge be substracted from the Testament of God neither any thinge added therevnto Nowe hath God ordeyned geuen and appointed lyfe in the Testamente vnto all beleuers withoute respecte of any maner of workes for nought There oute foloweth that we are not counted iuste for any workes sake but onely thorough faith Gal. iij. and .iiij. Ro. iiij Haue in mynde the Epistles to the Galathians and to the Romaynes there shalt thou fynde that a Christen man setteth his cōscience at rest quyet onely by faith The right hollsome doctrine of the Gospell concernynge the right lyuely faith is an onely conforte and stablysshynge of the cōscience agaynst death synne and hell I knowe very well that the righte spirituall Euangelicall doctrine will be at the fyrst somewhat straunge to a man that beginneth to learne it after the scripture of the scolers and after their carnall doctrine i. Cor. ij For as Paule saith The naturall mā perceaueth not the thinges of the spirite of God For they are vnto hym but foolyshenes neyther can he perceyue them because he is spiritually examined It will not sauoure very well vnto the at the fyrste For thyne vnderstondinge is yet full of Phantasticall Imaginations of mennes dreames But take thyne vnderstandynge captiue to the glorye of Christe in faythe then shal the holy spirite of God declare hym selfe vnto the and teache the a ryght suche thynges as no hygh scoole teacheth And thys is the cause that nowe a daies slighte and symple persons are founde whiche through the maistery of the spirite of God vnderstand and expounde the Scripture better then great Doctours and breake and plucke downe by the Spirituall armours of oure Cheualrye all hyghe worldely wysedome whiche exalteth her selfe agaynste knoweledge of God It is a great errour to thynke that the knoweledge of the scripture perteyneth onely to the prestes that weare Crounes longe gownes and whose fyngers are anoynted No my frēde the tyme is nowe at hande where of Esaye sayth Esa iiij That the science cometh not onely oute of the hye scooles as hath ben thaught hitherto but the Christians are taughte of GOD hymselfe as it is contayned in Saynt Iohn It is not necessary that men rede Aristotell Plato Ioh. vi and other bokes of the heathen for the ryght vnderstondynge of the scripture as thus longe they haue borne vs in hande The Apostles redde neuer a heathen mayster they were also no suche doctours as nowe a dayes are made in the vniuersities but simple people Nowe yf the holy goost could instructe them the Euangelical trueth with oute the helpe of the heathen Philosophye Scotistrye The holy goost teacheth goddes worde and other mennes bokes truely then can he also hym selfe open and teache nowe a simple and humble laye man The ryght vnderstandyng of the godly scripture God regardeth hym Esaye lxvi i. Pet. v that is poore and of a lowly troubled spirite and receyueth hys godly wordes with reuerence and standeth in awe thereof as Esaye writeth He resisteth the proude and geueth grace to the humble The holy Saint Bernarde learned hys science throughe hys deuoute prayer vnder the Oken trees Aristotell and other heathen whiche are taught do hynder and destroy mannes vnderstondyng so pituously that a man becometh so muche the more vnapte to receyue and perceiue the Godly wysedom in the scripture For mannes wysedome and the Godly scripture Esa lv do nothynge agree together as Esaye declareth very goodly All worldly Philosophie for the moost parte hath her beginnynge owt of mannes witte and interpretation For as muche nowe as the same is carnal blynded thorough synne so is she darke and errynge and vnderstandeth of her selfe nothynge but that whiche is carnall and knoweth nothyng groundely of spirituall thynges and of GOD. Therfore when the herte of man is voyde quyte not hyndered of suche heathen sciences and mēnes dreames then is it more apte to receiue the godly doctryne and wysedome then whā it is encombred and entangled with suche phantasies inuented of man The wysedome of man whereof they boaste hym selues highly is terrestriall carnall and deuelysshe Iaco. iij. Colo. ij as Iames elegantly declareth And Paule warneth vs for mannes wysedome sayenge Beware lest any man come and spoyle you thorough Philosophie and deceatfull vanitie thorough the tradicions of men and ordinaunces after the worlde and not after Christ The Philosophie and mannes witte and exposition is cleane contrarye to oure fayth as it is euident and cleare ynough among the learned neyther can they agree together Therfore let the laye people be of good chere and take no thoughte for it bycause they haue not studyed in great vniuersities but with humilite and pure herte and hygh reuerence reade the costely treasure of holy scripture both Testamentes and praye vnto Christe for the ryght vnderstandyng which hath the kepe of Dauid Apo. iij The knoweledge of the Scripture is a littel deuyed vnto the as vnto the moost excellent doctour of all Omelia vpon Iohn Euen so taught the holy Chrisostome his people also at Constantinoble The Pharisees despised the common people thought also that they shoulde knowe the trueth alone and sayde Ioh. vij The common people whiche knowe not the lawe are cursed Euen so saye they nowe lykewyse Howe shoulde haue taught it vnto the plowemen as though all science did come from the hye scoles But I aske them this question My maisters I pray you howe taught the common symple people that they helde more of Christe then the chiefe priestes scribes It is euident that the common people had alwayes a righter iudgement better knoweledge of Christe then the chiefe lordes at Ierusalē as Chrisostome writteth FINIS Psalm lxviij ⧠Let God aryse and let hys enemyes be scattered let them also that hate hym flye before hym ⧠Imprinted for Gwalter Lynne dwellyng vpon Somers kaye by Byllinges gate In the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.XLVIII And they by to be solde at Poules churche yarde at the North doore In the signe of the Bybell By Richard Iugge ⧠Cum Gratia et Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ☞ Seke peace ensueit Psalm xxxiij i. Petr. iij. Psalm C. xi Prouerb ix ¶ The feare of the Lorde is the begynnynge of wysedome