Thirdly for the glorie of the Saincts to the end it may be seene vnto all how God hath glorified them who were persecuted vexed in this world Fourthly for confusion of the proud enimies of God Fiftly because the bodie shal haue sentēce together with the soule of glorie or of punishment eternal Of the eight Article S THE eight article saith I beleeue in the Holie Ghost what signifieth the Holie Ghost M Here is declared the third Person of the most Holie Trinitie as in the first article was declared the first and in the other sixe the second so that the Holie Ghost is not the Father nor the Sonne but a third Person which procedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is true God as the Father and the Sonne yea the same God because he hath the same diuinitie which is in the Father and in the Sonne S I would haue some similitude of this M Diuine matters can not be perfectly declared by any examples of created things especially by corparal things Notwithstanding take you the example of a lake which is deriued from some riuer as the riuer is deriued from some fountaine and yet al is one and the same water so the eternal Father as a fountaine produceth the Sonne as a riuer the Father and the Sonne as a fountaine and a riuer produce the Holie Ghost as a lake yet the Father and the Sonne and the Holie Ghost are not three Gods but one onlie God S Wherefore is the third Person in Trinitie called holie ghost Are not also al Angels and al the blessed soules spirits and holie M God is called the Holie spirit by excelencie because he is the chiefest spirite and most holie and author of al created spirites and of al holines Like as a mongst mē ther are manie that are fathers and holie either by office or by goodnes of life to wit manie good Bishops or Priests or religious men and yet there is none called Holie Father but the Pope because this name belongeth vnto him alone by excellencie being the head of al other fathers and ought to be the most holie of al by goodnes of life as he is by office representing vnto vs the person of Christ S If the name of holie ghost belong vnto God by excellencie wherefore is it onely attributed vnto the third Person Is not the father also the Sonne a spirit holy by excellēcie M It is true But because the first Person hath a proper name to wit the Father the second hath a proper name to wit the Son to the third is left a commō name to distinguish him from the other two And moreouer you are to know that when it is said of the third diuine Person that he is the holy ghost these two words make one name only As whē a man is called Ioannes Maria they are one onely name though otherwise Iohn Mary are commonly two names S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted in the forme of a Doue especiallie ouer Christ and our Ladie M You must not thinke that the Holy Ghost hath a bodie or that he can be seene with corporall eyes but he is painted so that we may knowe the effects which he worketh vpon men And because the Doue is simple pure jealouse and fruitfull he is therefore painted ouer Christ and our Ladie to the ende we may vnderstand that Christ and our Ladie were full of grace and of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and in particular of holy simplicitie puritie zeale of soules and spirituall fecunditie by the which they haue gained infinite children to wit all the faithfull and good Christians S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted ouer the Apostles in forme of fyerie tongues M Because the Holie Ghost tenne daies after the ascention of our Lord came vpon the Apostles and replenished them with knowledge with charitie and with eloquence teaching them to speake with all tongues to the ende they might be able to preach the Holy faith through the whole world And in signe of these wonderfull effects he caused those tongues of fire to appeare because the light of that fire doth signifie wisdome the heate of the same doth signifie charitie and the forme of a tongue signifyeth eloquence and for that this was a most great benefite which God bestowed vpon his Church therefore we doe celebrate that great Feast called Penticost or the Feast of the Holie Ghost Of the ninth Article S VVHAT signifyeth that which is saide in the ninth article The Holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints M Here beginneth the second part of the Creede For the first parte belongeth vnto God the second vnto the Church the spouse of God And as in God we beleeue one Diuinity and three Persons so in the Church wee beleeue that there is one onely Church and that it hath three principall graces the first in the soule which is the remission of sinnes an other in the bodie which shal be the resurrection of the flesh and the third in the soule and bodie together which shall be life eternall as we shall see in the articles following S May it please you declare vnto me the whole article word by word first what meaneth the Church M It signifyeth a conuocation or congregation of men which are baptized and make profession of the faith and law of Christ vnder the obedience of the chiefe Bishop of Rome and it is called Conuocation because wee are not borne Christians as we are borne Englishmen Italians French or of any other countrey but wee are called Christians of Christ and wee enter into this congregation by baptisme which is as the doore of the church And to be in the Church it doeth not suffice to bee baptized but it is needeful to beleeue and confesse the holie faith and law of Christ as the Pastors and Preachers of the same Church do teach vs. Neither doth this suffice but it is necessarie to obey the chiefe Bishop of Rome as Vicar of Christ to wit to acknowledge and hold him for chiefe Superiour and Vicar of Christ S If the Church be a congregation of men how do we call those buildings Churches where Masse and other Seruice of God is said M Because the faithfull which are the true Church are gathered together in those buildings to practise the exercises of Christians therefore those buildings are also called Churches chiefly when they are dedicated and consecrated to the seruice of God But we in this Article doe not speake of the Churches made of stone wood but of the liuing Church which is the faithful baptised people and obedient vnto the vicar of Christ as hath been said S Why is it said The Church and not the Churches seeing manie congregations of the faithful are founded in diuers parts of the world M Because the Church is but one though it containe al the faithful which are dispersed through the whole world not only those which
if that be done vnto sainctes who raigne with Christ in heauen which is done vnto some men in earth S But what shal we say of the Reliques of Saincts which vnderstand nothing and yet we kneele and pray vnto them M We do not pray to the Reliques which we know wel do not vnderstand but we honour the holie Reliques as those which haue bin the instruments of the holy soules to do many good workes and shal againe in their times be liuing bodies and are to vs in the meane time deare pledges of the loue which the Saints did do beare vnto vs. And therefore we doe praye before the same Reliques vnto the Saintes desiring them by these deare pledges which we keepe of them that they remember to helpe vs as wee remember to honour them S The same perhaps may be said of Images M So it is for the Images of our Lord of our Ladie other Saints are not taken by vs for gods therefore they cannot be called Idols as those were of the Gentils but they are holden for Images which make vs to remember our Lord our Ladie and other Saints so they serue such as caÌ„not read in place of books For that by Images they learne many mysteries of our holy faith the life and death of many Saints And the honour we do vnto them we do it not because they are figures of paper or of mettal or because they are well-coloured wel made but because they represent vnto vs our Lord our Ladie or other Saints and for that we know that the Images do not liue nor haue sense being made by the hands of men we do not demand any thing of theÌ„ but we pray before them vnto those whom they represent vnto vs to wit our Lorde our Ladie or other Saints S If Reliques and Images doe not vnderstaÌ„d how then do they worke so many miracles to such as doe recommend themselues vnto them M God worketh al the miracles but he worketh them often by the intercession of Saints and chiefly of our blessed Ladie oftentimes he doth them vnto those who praye vnto the Sainctes before their Reliques or Images and sometimes hee vseth the Reliques and Images as instruments of such miracles to shew vnto vs that our deuotion towards the Saincts and towards their Reliques and Images doth please him S When therefore it is said that one is recommended to such Reliques or such Images and hath receiued grace it is to be vnderstood that he is recommended to that Sainct to whom those Reliuques or Images pertaine and that God by the intercession of that Sainct and by the meanes of those Reliques or Images hath done him that grace S So it is and I am glad that you haue well vnderstood al that I haue said vnto you S I would lastlie knowe for what cause God the Father is paynted like an old man and the Holy Ghost like a Doue and the Angels like young men with wings seeing God and the Angels are spirits and haue no corporall figure which can bee drawen by Painters as pictures of men may be M When God the Father is painted in forme of an old man and the Holie Ghost in forme of a doue and the Angles in forme of young-men that which they are in themselues is not painted because as you haue said they are spirits without bodies but that forme is painted in which they haue somtimes appeared And so God the Father is painted like an old-man because he appeared in that forme in a vision to Daniel the prophet And the Holie Ghost is painted in forme of a doue because in that forme he appeared vpoÌ„ Christ when he was baptised by Saint Iohn Baptist And the Angls are painted in forme of yong men for that they haue somtimes so appeared Moreouer you are to know that manie thinges are painted to make vs vnderstand not what they are in themselus but what properties they haue or what effecte they vse to worke So it may be said that God the Father is painted in forme of an olde man to make vs vnderstand that he is most ancient to wit eternal before al created things And the Holie Ghost is painted in likenes of of a doue to signifie the giftes of innocencie puritie sanctitie which the Holie Ghost worketh in vs. And the angels are painted like yong meÌ„ because they are alwaies faire ful of strength and with winges because they are readie to passe whyther it shal please God to send them and with white garments and with holie stoales because they are pure and innocent and ministers of his diuine Maiestie Of the second commandement S LEt vs come to the second coÌ„mandement what meaneth thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine M In this coÌ„mandement is handled the honour and dishonor of God touching wordes that is honour is commanded and dishonour is forbidden And this commandement may be deuided into foure partes because God is honored or dishonored by wordes in foure sortes First God is honored by naming him often with charitable affection and is dishonored by often naming him to no good purpose Secondly he is honored by an oath and he is dishonored by perjurie Thirdly he is honored by obseruation of vowes dishonored by breaking of vowes once made Fourthly hee is honored by calling vpon him and praising him and dishonored by blaspheaming and cursing him S Declare to me the first part M In simply naming God as also our Ladie and other Saintes one may well doe an euil For those that â—oue God much remember him often and often speake of him and they do it with deuotion affection as is seen in the Epistles of Saint Paul where the holie name of Iesus Christ is very often read For as S. Paul had Christ in his hart so he had him in his mouth But there be others who of an euil custome wheÌ„ they are angrie or when they iest not regarding what they say name God or some Saint because nothing els comes to their mind And this is euil for it is a kinde of tearing the most holie name of God Which is to geue you an example though not equal as if one hauing a pretious garment should weare it in all places and at al times not regarding the preciousnes thereof S Declare nowe the second part which concerneth swearing M An oath or swearing is nothing els but to cal God as witnes of the truth But that it be lawfully done three things ought to accompany it to wit truth justice judgement as God himselfe doth teach vs by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy And as God is honored by an oath made with dew circumstances we professing therby that he seeth al things and is the soueraigne truth defeÌ„der of the trueth so by the contrary the same god is greatly dishonoured when an oath is made without truth or without iustice or without judgement for he that so sweareth maketh shew
the Octaues of Easter But of these commandements I will say no more now partly because they are easie partly for that of the Masse of Confession and Communicating as also of Fasting we shall speake hereafter when we shal declare the holy Sacraments of the Church Cap. VIII The declaration of the Euangelicall Counsailes S I Desire to know if besides the commandements of our Lord there be any counsels also of his to liue more perfectly M There are many most holy counsels and most profitable to obserue the commandements with more perfection But there are three most principall voluntary pouertie chastitie and obedience S Wherein consisteth the counsell of pouertie M In not hauing any thing proper all his goodes being giuen to the poore or put into the common which likewise hath giuen all to the poore And this counsell Christe taught not onely in wordes but also by his example And after Christ the holy Apostles followed it as also all the first Christians who dwelled in Ierusalem in the time of the Primatiue Church and finally al religious persons make vow to obserue this holie counsaile of voluntarie pouertie S Wherein consisteth the counsaile of chastitie M In a resolution to be perpetually chast not only abstayning from all sortes of carnal sinnes but also from Mariage And this coūsaile also our Lord taught by word and example And our Ladie likewise obserued the same S. Iohn Baptist al the Apostles after they were called by Christ to the Apostleship And al religious persons make particular vow hereof as also al Ecclesiastical men that take holie Orders S Where in consisteth the counsaile of obedience M In renouncing our proper iudgment and proper wil which in the holie Gospel is called denying of a mans selfe and to subiect him selfe to the wil of his superior in al things that be not against God And this counsaile likewise the Sauiour of the world taught not only in word but also by his example obeying in all thinges his eternall Father and submitting himself when he was a child to his mother and to S. Ioseph his supposed Father the spouse of our B. Lady albeit indeede he was not his Father being borne of a mother who was alwaies a Virgin And this is the third counsaile to the vvhich all religious persons bind themselues by vowe S Wherefore are there three principall counsailes and no moe M Because these principall counsailes serue to take away the impediments of perfection that consisteth in charity for the impediments are three to witte the loue of goods which is taken away by pouerty the loue of carnall pleasures which is taken away by chastitie the loue of honour and power which is taken away by obedience Moreouer because a man hath but three sorts of goods to wit a soule a body and his exterior wealth therefore giuing the exterior goods to God by pouertie his bodie by chastitie and his soule by obedience he maketh a Sacrifice vnto God of all that he hath and so disposeth himselfe to perfection of charitie in the best maner that in this life is possible Chap. IX The declaration of the Sacraments of holie Church S I HAVE learned through the grace of our Lorde the three principal parts of Christiā doctrine it remaineth that you declare vnto me the fourth which if I well remember contayneth the seauen Sacraments of the Church M This part of doctrine is also very profitable therefore it is conueent that you learne it with great diligence You must then know that in the holie Church there is a great treasure to wit these holie Sacraments by meanes whereof we receiue the grace of God we keepe it we increase it and when by our defalt wee lose it wee may recouer it again I wil therfore declare vnto you what a sacrament is how many Sacraments there bee by whom they were instituted and some other fewe things and after we will come to the declaration of euerie one of them in particular S. Begin then I pray you to declare what a Sacrament is which I much desire to vnderstand M. A Sacrament is a holy Mystery by which God bestoweth his grace and with all it representeth exteriorly the inuisible effect which grace worketh in our soule For if wee were spirits without bodies as the Angels are God would giue vs his grace spiritually but because we are composed of a soule and a bodie therefore our Lord condescending to our nature geueth vs his grace by means of certayn corporal actions which as I haue said together with certain exterior signes declare to vs the inward effect of grace As for example holie Baptisme which is one of the Sacraments is done by washing the bodie with water and therwith calling vpon the most holie Trinitie By means of which ceremonious washing God geueth his grace putteth it in the soule of him that is baptised And it instructeth vs that as that water washeth the bodie so grace washeth the soule clenseth it from al sinne S If I haue wel vnderstood three conditions are requisit to the nature of a Sacrament first that it be a ceremonie or as we would say an exterior action the second that God by it giue his grace the third that the same ceremonie haue a similitude with the effect of grace and so represent and signifie it exteriorly M You haue vnderstood it very wel Now you haue to know further that these Sacraments are in al seauen are called Baptisme Confirmation or Chrisme Eucharist Penance Extreame Vnction Order and Matrimonie The reason wherfore they are seauen is this for that God would proceed in giuing vs spiritual life as he vseth to proceed in giuing vs our corporal life Touching corporal life first is needful to be borne secondly is needfull to grow thirdly is needfull to be nourished fourthly when a man falleth sicke it is needful he vse phisicke siftly when he must fight he hath need to arme himselfe sixtly is needfull that there bee some to gouerne and rule those that are now borne growne seuenthly is needfull there be some to multiplie mankind for seeing those that are borne do die if others should not succeed mankinde would soone decay So then touching the spiritual life first it is needfull that Gods grace bee borne in vs this is done by baptisme secondly it is needfull that the same grace increase and bee made strong this is done by Confirmation thirdly is needful that it be norished and maintained this doth the Eucharist worke fourthly is needfull that it be recouered whenit is lost and this is done be the medicine of Penance Fiftly is needfull that at the poynt of death a man arme himselfe against the infernal enimy who then more thē euer assalteth vs this doth extreme Vnctiō worke Sixtly is necessary that there be in the church such as may guid gouerne vs in spiritual life this is done by Orders Seuenthly is needfull that there bee in the Church