and death were causes of our life and yeeld great consolation to al such as sincerely doo loue and serue him THE FIFT Article openeth to vs howe Christe our Redeemer being thus deade on the roode his most sacred soule vnited to his diuinitie discended downe to hel to fetche thence those holye Fathers that so many yeres had looked for him And afterwardes triumphing ouer death as he had alreadie done ouer the deuil and hel did rise vp the third daye by his owne power and vertue and so issued out of his Sepulchre immortal and most glorious This his example geueth hope to eche one beleeuing sinceerly in him that they shal in th' ende rise like-wise vp immortal and right glorious THE SIXT Article instructeth vs howe our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe the fortie daye after his Resurrection did with exceeding triumph ascend vp to heuen and sitteth there on the right hand of his Almightie Father that is to say in the self-same glory power and Maiestie with the Father enioying al the blisse his Father doeth and gouerning al thinges with him This glorious Ascension of Christe our head yeeldeth confidence to his true members that if they obey their head and heauenlye captaine they shal one day ascende also and reigne in heauen with him THE SEVENTH Article telleth vs of the second comming of Christe our Lorde which shal-be at the last day when he shal in humane fleshe come with great power and Maiestie accompanied with al his holye angels to iudge the vniuersal world as-wel those that be at that time liuing in erth as also al those that haue beene dead since the worlde was first created thē shal he yeeld reward to ech one according to the deedes and workes they shal haue wrought This article admonisheth vs to liue with so much more vigilant care and watchfulnes as we knowe more certainlye that al our woordes woorkes and thoughtes are to be examined and discussed of this moste dreadful Iudge before whose tribunal seate we must needes al of vs appere THE EIGHT Article sheweth vs the third person of the moste sacred Trinitie which is the holy Ghoste who proceedeth from the Father and the sonne and is with them the selfe same God eternal and omnipotent And therfore are we bound with the selfe same honour faith and dutiful obeisance to reuerence adore him This is the comforter and spirite of truth that illuminateth teacheth and sanctifieth vs and according to his diuine pleasure departeth his giftes to euery one IN THE ninth Article we confesse that there is a holye Catholike Church to wit an vniuersal congregation of the faithful which haue the very self-same faith doctrine and Sacramentes And this Church is HOLY because it is sanctified by Christ the head therof and gouerned by the holye Ghost and is CATHOLIKE that is to say vniuersal for that it embraceth al the faithful that in euerye place and time haue helde and doo holde one selfe same faith of Christe We confesse like-wise in this Article that in this holye and vniuersal Churche or congregation there is a communion of Saintes that is to say that al those that dwel in this Churche doo as in the house of God al of them communicate one with an-other such giftes as they receaue and doo one of them helpe an-other both spiritually and corporally like members al of one body THE TENTH Article propoundeth to vs the remissiō and forgeuenes of our sinnes which is obteined in this holy Catholike Church aboue saide by the vertue of Christes passion operating by meanes of such holy Sacramentes as he left in this same Churche Hence are sinners to gather a singuler comfort sithens if they be truely penitent for their trespasses and haue a ful purpose neuer after to offende their maker they haue then a redy means to recouer Gods grace again which by their vngratiousnes they had so lewdly lost THE ELEVENTH Article testifieth the vniuersal resurrection of al men who eche one of them iust or vniust shal rise againe in the last day of iudgement with their owne bodies and shal stand before the tribunal of Christes iudgement there to receaue doome in their bodies according to the good or euil they shal haue wrought in this life So that the elect that haue done good shal arise with bright and beautiful bodies to the resurrection of life and perpetual blisse and happines And the damned that haue done euil with moste horrible and vggly bodies to the resurrection of damnation and euerlasting tormentes both in their soules and bodies THE TWELFTH Article promiseth vs an euerlasting life which shal succeede after this transitorye life wherin the good rising vp in bodies and soules shal reigne eternally and enioye the inestimable treasures of blessed happines exempted from al miseries and toils that in this temporal life doo eftsons trouble vs And the wicked being also in body and soule resuscitate shal dwel in perpetual paines and abide more terrible tormentes then any mans tonge can tel This article geueth good Christians cōfort to abide al aduersitie with patience considering that eternal life we looke and hope for where being exempt from al euil we shal enioy al good thinges and reigne in euerlasting happines This worde Amen annexed to the end sheweth the most certain and infallible truth of the christian fayth confessiō conteined in this Creede THE DECALOGVE or tenne Commaundementes of the lawe of God 1. NON ae habebis Deos alienos coram me 2. Non assumes nomen Domini Dei in vanum 3. Memento vt diem Sabathi sanctifices 4. Honora patrem tuum matrem tuam 5. Non occides 6. Non moechaberis 7. Non furtum facies 8. Non loqueris contra proximum falsum testimonium 9. Non concupisces domum proximi tui 10. Non desiderabis vxorem eius 1. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lorde God in vaine 3. Remēber that thou keep holy the Saboth day 4. Honour thy father and thy mother 5. Thou shalt not kil 6. Thou shalt not committ aduoultry 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house 10. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife A DECLARATION of the Decalogue or tenn Commaundements ¶ Cap. 31. LIKE as we haue alreadie seene in the Creede what we are bound to beleeue euen so in these tenn commaundementes are we taught by our Lorde God what his wil is that we doo to gaine euerlasting life withal Wherefore the summe of his first precept is this to beleeue in one true and onely God which is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste as is aforesaide in the declaration of the Articles and that to him alone we geue adoration honour and reuerence louing this our God aboue al things with al our heart with al our soule and
him afterwardes in an-other maner in his euerlasting kingdome Happy eke are al those that shal dispose them-selues to repaire to this most gratious banquet wherein is found al sweete tastes and sauours al riches and renowme and al the things that haply be to be desired yea what is it that man may long for that is not here afforded him If he desire delightes and pleasures here be the sincerest the chastest and the sweetest If he wishe for wealth beholde here the treasure that enricheth both heauen and earth If state and soueraintie be sought for beholde here the highest dignities that can be possiblye atchieued sith by meanes of this most venerable Sacrament the soule is vnited to God and resteth associated and reuerēced with quires of Angels that assist about it Wherefore Oye blinde beguiled children of Adam what other pleasure and profite doo you proule for why doo you as Esay saith spende your money and not vpon breade why employ you your trauail not in things that may satiat and content you why loose you such satietie such sweetnes and such treasure as is here conteined in this gifte Doo not thou so O my soule doo not thou so be not thou henceforth anye more blinde see thou seeke not any carnal contentations hauing meanes to be a partaker of this mere spiritual and celestial delight Take no more taste and pleasure in the foode of death wherof thou earst didst feede hauing this breade of life geuen and graunted to thee Regarde not the pompes and moste vaine vanities of this worlde seing thou maiest enioye in this Sacrament the true happines and good things which in the world can-not possibly be attained Embrace and keepe this treasure which sufficeth to make thee truely happy possesse this good which exceedeth al good Content and quiet thy selfe in this repose which may abundantlye satiate thy desire And be not ingrateful to this thy benefactour but yeeld him hartie thankes as-wel for this as al his other benefites heretofore from the beginning bestowed vpon thee Howbeit my gratious and merciful Lorde how can I yeeld thee worthy thankes the debt I owe thee being so great and my abilitie to discharge the same so smal with al my heart and with al my might and power I thanke thine infinite liberalitie for hauing created me to thine owne likenes and similitude and for hauing for my conseruation created like-wise so great varietie of other creatures and much more doo I laud and blesse thee for that with thy pretious bloud thou haste redeemed me but aboue al doo I with al my bowels and powers of bodye and soule thanke thee blesse thee and adore thee for hauing left vs this miraculous and most woorthye Sacrament and for geuing me miserable wretche the grace eftsons to receaue it that eftsons I may therby be made partaker of the fruit of thy redemption And because these my thankes and praises be slender weake and vnworthy of such giftes as I haue receaued I beseeche al the Angels and holye Saintes to supply my want thy Angels vouchsafe to sound perpetual peals of praises for me the Archangels vouchsafe euerlastingly to adore thee for me the celestial potentates doo reuerence thee for me and al the whole court of heuen offer thee continual sacrifice of thanks-geuing for me And yet for that al this is finite and is not correspondent to the valew of the benefite I haue this daye receaued being infinite those moste holy and grateful thanks which thou Lorde gauest to thy father minding to graunt vs this so mestimable a gift euen those same which are infinite doo I offer both to him and thee together for verily beleeue I that for this cause diddest thou yeeld them that so incomparable a gift shoulde not be destitute of condigne graces and thanks-geuing And now doo I humbly beseeche thee of thy moste bountiful clemencie that seing it hath pleased thee to satiate and honour me with thy most worthy presence in this venerable and redoubted Sacrament thou wilt also vouchsafe to graunt me thy graces to be alwaies grateful and to answere woorthely to this most happy visitation This hath alwayes been thy wont my Sauiour and Redeemer that wher through thy goodnes thou hast vouchsafed to enter there hast thou departed of thy blessinges moste aboundauntlye heaping grace vpon grace and mercie vppon mercye Thou entredst into Mathewe the Publicane his house and from a publican thou madest him thy Disciple and an Apostle Thou entredst into Zacheus house when by and by he was changed from his old custome and health was geuen to al his housholde Thou entredst into Simon Peters house and draue away the ague from his wiues mother in lawe leauing her whole and comforted Eftsons diddest thou enter into Martha and good Mary Magdalens house and what tonge can tel the spiritual riches thou gauest to that hous and the ineffable graces thou endowedst those two sisters with Thou entredst after thy holye and doleful death into Limbo and immediatlye with thy visitation diddest illuminate and blesse those holye Fathers Finally the figure of this Sacramēt to witt the Arke of the olde Testament because it entred into Obededon his house was cause that thy bles singes were powred vpon him and al his paying plentifully for the harbour that in that house was afforded thee Wherfore O most sweete and welcome gest seing through thy goodnes thou hast vouchsafed this day to enter into my poore cotage sende downe withal thy holye blessinges thereon by meanes whereof I maye woorthely aunswere to this thine incomparable mercy Clense and fine this house Lorde from al the filth thou seest in it Repair and doo some cost on it least it decay and fal to ruine driue out the darknes in it with the glittering beames of thy light adorne and decke it vp with the vertues and graces of the holye Ghost that being thus clensed repaired adorned and illuminated it may please thee to dwel therein and neuer to depart Tary stil with me O Lorde my comforter the night draweth nigh and without thee I shal remaine in darknes and so be sore endaungered Thou hast affirmed O eternal truth howe thy whole delight is to dwel with the sonne of man and howe thou standest knocking at the dore readie to enter and suppe with such as shal open and let thee in Beholde howe I haue geuen thee free entraunce into me and thou of thy goodnes hast admitted me to the sweete supper of thy moste sacred bodye Abādon me not therfore my soueraine Lorde ne depart thou from me draw me after thee knitt and tye me to thee yea drawe me quite out of my selfe sith I am much better in thee then in me in thee I liue in me I dye in thee I remaine firme and constant in me I decay and come to nought Renew me therfore O my Sanctifier and through loue transforme me into thee and graunt me so to liue in thee
I may feele iust remorse and sorowe for euery sinne and imperfection what soeuer And that I may the better performe this graunt me grace my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christe that I may perseuer in discussing my conscience euery night more diligently thē other according to the good instructions it hath plesed thee by thy seruauntes to impart vnto me and that eche morning I may so happily beginne the day by offering thee the firste fruites of al mine actions as that the rest thereof may euermore be passed to thy glory As for my Penance that is enioyned me and not performed alreadie fauourably I beseeche thee to assist me both in the perfect remembring therof and in the diligent executing in good time And graunt that by thus endeuouring my self daily thorough thy grace to amende my life I may both liue and dye a true Penitent and obteine through the merits of thy blessed passion a ful forgeuenes of my sinnes in this world and in th' other the life eternal wherto thou hast created me To thee mine onely Sauiour Iesus Christ with the Father and the Holy Ghoste one God be al honour praise and glory euerlastinglye Amen A VERY fitt praier to be saide before Masse wherein we exercise very fruitfully our faith and prepare our selues to heare it with dutiful attention O MOST puissant and louing Lorde who haste of thine infinite mercy vouchsafed that thine only sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christe should before his doleful death ordeine his bodye and bloudd to be consecrated in thy Churche by vertue of thy worde in a most miraculous and dreadful misterie graunt me grace I beseech thee O Lorde that as of thy singuler loue towardes vs thou hast ordeined this diuine Sacrament to make vs alwaies mindful of the merits purchased vnto vs by the death of thy deere sonne our Sauiour so I maie with due reuerence and diligent remembrance of those his most bitter tormentes assist here whiles thy seruaunt celebrateth this misterie and offer vp my praiers in most obedient wise vnto thee The souerain desire thou haddest of our wel-fare O Lorde was that which moued thee to leaue vs this moste diuine sacrifice of the Masse that like as thy triumphant Churche hath her sacrifice aboue so thy militant Churche might haue her sacrifice belowe For like as in heauen thy sonne dailie offereth him-selfe vnto thee for bethouse appering before thy face in a visible and glorious maner so hast thou vouch safed that in earth he should dailie be offered to thee by the function of priestes for our sinnes in a maner inuisible and proportionable to our frailtie Yet is it al one onelie and the selfe same Iesus Christe thy sonne and al our profite and auaile is whollie deriued from the Tree of the holie Roode This misterie most mightie Lorde is farre surpassing al humane capacitie and yet right easie for those to beleeue that haue in time sucked the sweete sapp of thy most sauorie and wholesome doctrine For mine owne part Lorde I beleeue through thy gratious goodnes simply whatsoeuer thy holie Catholike Apostolike and Roman Church teacheth me either touching this or anie other of thy most diuine misteries and doctrines and confesse vndoubtedly that as thou hast said that body and bloud is conteined in this most sacred Sacrament and the same bodye to be like-wise on the right hand of thy Father in heauen so beleue I them both most assuredly and th' one as firmelye as th' other seing one is as-wel the wil and worke of the Word God and man as is the other and to be in earth in heauen and in many places at once is in thy power to doo it most easily as thou doest and is in my power through thy grace to beleeue it most constantlye as I doo Herein I vtterly renounce my sence and al mans vnderstāding and cleue only to thy diuine and inexplicable Omnipotencie who as thou madest al things of nothing so canst thou alter and dispose of al thinges at thy wil and pleasure Nowe therefore I beseeche thee most omnipotent and mightie God to driue awai al distractions and wicked thoughts out of my minde that I may attend the celebration of this heauenly misterie with feare and reuerent humilitie Sanctifie also I beseech thee his spirite who is here to present him-selfe before thee to celebrate this diuine Sacrifice to th' ende that he may woorthely doo it to thine honour and glorye his owne auaile and the benefite of al others Geue me grace that by the reuerent ceremonies which are here to be vsed I mai be put in mind of thy most painful torments which they doo represent and that I mai adore thee in thy imperial Sacrament with souerain dread and lowlines This by thy grace I purpose this by thy grace I hope to performe Accept therfore O Lorde to thine honour our welfare and the vnitie of thy Churche the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour thy sonne Iesus Christe offered thee in this Sacrifice Incline thine eares O Lorde to the praiers of thine afflicted flocke and mercifullie restore thy true religion where it is lacking Open the eies of the blind and make them know their errors Relieue the distressed the captiues and the sicke in the vertue of this sacrament Geue grace to the liuing and perpetual place of rest and quietnes to those which are departed in thy faith for the merits of our onely Sauiour thy sonne Iesus Christe to whom with thee and the holy Ghost one God be al renowme praise and soueraintie for euermore Amen ANOTHER short praier to be saide likewise before Masse O MY soueraine Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe O Lampe of light and truth I most miserable wretche humbly beseeche thee to stanche my wandring mind in such sort as I maie with due 〈◊〉 and attention assist and waite here in thy imperial presence whiles thou procurest this so important an affair with thy eternal father for my wel fare and of al man-kind Illuminate my soule and stirre vp my lumpish heart O sonne of true Sapience and Iustice with the bright nes of thy countenance that I maie here with a grateful and deuout memorie cal to mind that sacrifice of obedience patience and mosle inflamed charitie which thou being wrapt in extreme woes and ignominious reproches diddest offer vppon the roode with thy life and euerie dropp of thy most sacred bloud to thi celestial Father for our sins Amē AN EXCELLENT praier and adoration to be made in the presence of the blessed Sacrament I MOST wicked wretche and vnwoorthie Christian bow down before my Lorde who hath made and redeemed me who fostreth and susteineth me and euermore remaineth life and veritie O Iesus Christe very God and mē I adore thee here present and cal vppon thee not doubting any whitt at al of the verie real presence of thy flesh and bloud viuificant nor of the presence of thy pretious bodie and most sacred soule Ah Lorde that I coulde in
for so is moste expedient forsomuch as the thinges that are here intreated of sith they be the rules and remembrances which thou oughtest in spiritual life to leuel and guide thy worke by it behoueth at al times to reade them when thou purposest to practise thē For besides that the bare reading shal-be a laudable and meritorious exercise for thee and serue as a part of prayer the reiterating and frequētation of reading shal helpe thee to learne by heart what in action thou art bound to execute and so maiest thou afterwardes exercise thee in ech point with much more facilitie and lesse adoo a great deale And therfore albeit this litle labour maye profite eche one that with good and godlye intent wil vouchsafe to reade it yet was it principally intended for the simple and more ignorant sort and for that cause haue I thought good to annexe here in the end such thinges as many of them wot not and yet are bound to knowe Seing that if euerye Artisan thinke it meete to knowe such thinges as belonge vnto his Art howe much more is a true Christian bound to knowe what appertaineth to his profession an Arte aboue al Artes and to be prepared as the Apostle S. Peter saith to yeeld accompt of that he beleeueth and hopeth and what it behooueth him to doo to liue according to Gods wil and pleasure and to obteine euerlasting life withal Wherefore for such as be in this behalfe blame-woorthye negligent I haue here set downe such thinges as without daunger of their owne wel-doing they neither ought nor can be ignorant of that by reading these notes and short remembrances they may both vnderstande what they want and learne it here commodiously without further seeking of other bookes And as for the textes I haue here set them foorth both in the latine and vulgar tonge for euery one to learne them as best shal like thē not respecting so much the wordes as the substance and sapp conteined in the same SIMBOLVM APOSTOLORVM which in vulgare tonge is called the Creede 1. CREDO in Deū Patrem Omnipotentem Creatorem coeli terrae 2. Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum Dominum nostrum 3. Qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto natus ex Maria virgine 4. Passus sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus mortuus sepultus 5. Descendit ad inferos tertia die resurrexit à mortuis 6. Ascendit ad coelos sedit ad dextram Dei Patris Omnipotentis 7. Inde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos 8. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum 9. Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam Sanctorum Communionem 10. Remissionem peccatorum 11. Carnis Resurrectionem 12. Vitam aeternam Amen 1. I beleeue in God the Father Almightie Maker of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost born of the virgin Marye 4. Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified deade and buried 5. Descended into hel the third day he rose againe from the deade 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almightie 7. From thence he shal come to iudge both the quicke and the deade 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghoste 9. The holy Catholike Churche the Communion of Saintes 10. The forgeuenes of sinnes 11. The Resurrection of the bodye 12. And the life euerlasting Amen A BRIEFE declaration of the. 12. Articles conteined in the Crede ¶ Cap. 30. FOR thy better remembring of these xij Articles conteined in the Creede aforesaid wherin the whole summe of our holy Catholike fayth is comprehended I haue thought good in this second impression to adioyne a briefe declaration as-wel thereof as also of such other thinges as be needful for thee to haue by hart Wherby thou maiest easily learn not onely to rehearse the bare wordes but to sucke out the sense and sapp also of that which thou beleeuest con fessest and witnessest or at least wise oughtest to doo in al thy life and actions It is therfore for declaration of this Creede or Simbole to be noted howe God being one in substance three in person al the three persons of the most sacred and souerain Trinitie are in this Creede especified and vnto eche one of them their peculier and proper Articles assigned THE FIRST Article sheweth vnto vs the first person of the Trinitie to wit the Father vnto whom is attributed the creation of heauen earth and of al things visible and inuisible al the which as he for vs hath by his Omnipotencie created of nothing so doth he forovs through his wisdome and goodnes still mainteine and gouerne them whereby we are done to wit what great loue we are bounde to beare towarde this our so good a father who hath for vs created and kept so manye thinges What trust we may also repose in him and howe greatly we ought to dreade the offending of so omnipotent a Father THE SECOND Article declareth vnto vs the second person of the sacred Trinitie which is the Sonne who touching his diuinitie is from al eternitie ingendred of his Father of the self-same substaunce with his father and coequal to him This one only and eternal sonne of God as he tooke humane nature and fleshe vppon him is called Iesus Christe that is to saye Sauiour annointed IESVS which signifieth Saurour for that he came to saue and redeeme his people from their sinnes and CHRISTE which is as much to say as annointed for that he was annointed by the holye Ghoste ful of grace and truth He is also called MESSIAS whom God had erst promised to sende into the worlde a KING BISSHOP and LORDE for that he bought vs with his most precious bloud and thereby is geuen vs to vnderstande howe much we are bound to honour loue and reuerence him THE THIRD Article teacheth vs the incarnation and temporal natiuitre of this our Lord for that being as God eternally engendred of his father without mother he for our loue descended frō heauen and tooke humane fleshe vpon him and was as man conceaued without father or operation of man in that most sacred vessel the virginal wombe of the euermore virgin Mary and was afterwardes borne in Bethlcem of this his blessed mother she remayning euermore a virgin By this incarnation of the 〈◊〉 of God we are al of vs regenerated of carnal that we were made spiritual and the children of God in Iesus Christe THE FOVRTH Article doth informe vs of the Passion death and burial of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe who hauing preched and done many miracles for the space of three yeres the Iewes of meere spite and malice accused him to Pontius Pilate their Iudge who albeit he wist wel his innocencie and cleernes frō any crime yet did he adiudge him to suffer death vpon the Roode and so was he by that means crucified dead and buried whose holy wounds passion Crosse