given by Christ in the Gospel to the Priest and must be believed as if it were spoken by God himself according to our Saviours words and therefore none were to condemn auricular Confession but use it for the comfort of their Consciences The people were also to be instructed that though God pardoned sin only for the satisfaction of Christ yet they must bring forth the Fruits of Penance Prayer Fasting Almsdeeds with restitution and satisfaction for wrongs done to others with other works of Mercy and Charity and Obedience to Gods Commandments else they could not be saved and that by doing these they should both obtain Everlasting Life and mitigation of their Afflictions in this present life according to the Scriptures Fourthly As touching the Sacrament of the Altar people were to be instructed that under the Forms of Bread and Wine there was truly and substantially given the very same Body of Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary and therefore it was to be received with all Reverence every one duly Examining himself according to the words of St. Paul Fifthly The people were to be instructed That Justification signifieth Remission of sins and acceptation into the favour of God that is to say a perfect Renovation in Christ. To the attaining which they were to have Contrition Faith Charity which were both to concur in it and follow it and that the good works necessary to Salvation were not only outward Civil works but the inward motions and graces of Gods Holy Spirit to dread fear and love him to have firm confidence in God to call upon him and to have patience in all adversities to hate sin and have purposes and wills not to sin again with such other motions and vertues consenting and agreeable to the Law of God The other Articles were about the Ceremonies of the Church First of Images The people were to be instructed That the use of them was warranted by the Scriptures and that they served to represent to them good Examples and to stir up Devotion and therefore it was meet that they should stand in the Churches But that the people might not fall into such Superstition as it was thought they had done in time past they were to be taught to reform such Abuses lest Idolatry might ensue and that in censing kneeling offering or worshipping them the people were to be instructed not to do it to the Image but to God and his honour Secondly For the honouring of Saints they were not to think to attain these things at their hands which were only obtained of God but that they were to honour them as persons now in glory to praise God for them and imitate their vertues and not fear to die for the Truth as many of them had done Thirdly For praying to Saints The people were to be taught that it was good to pray to them to pray for and with us And to correct all Superstitious Abuses in this matter they were to keep the days appointed by the Church for their Memories unless the King should lessen the number of them which if he did it was to be obeyed Fourthly Of Ceremonies The people were to be taught That they were not to be condemned and cast away but to be kept as good and laudable having mystical significations in them and being useful to lift up our minds to God Such were the Vestments in the worship of God The sprinkling holy-water to put us in mind of our Baptism and the Blood of Christ Giving holy Bread in sign of our Union in Christ and to remember us of the Sacrament Bearing Candles on Candlemas-day in remembrance that Christ was the spiritual Light Giving Ashes on Ash-wednes-day to put us in mind of Penance and of our Mortality Bearing Palms on Palm-sunday to show our desire to receive Christ in our hearts as he entred into Ierusalem Creeping to the Cross on Good-friday and kissing it in memory of his death with the setting up the Sepulchre on that day The Hallowing the Font and other Exorcisms and Benedictions And lastly As to Purgatory They were to declare it good and charitable to pray for the Souls departed which was said to have continued in the Church from the beginning And therefore the people were to be instructed That it consisted well with the due order of Charity to pray for them and to make others pray for them in Masses and Exequies and to give Alms to them for that end But since the place they were in and the pains they suffered were uncertain by the Scripture we ought to remit them wholly to Gods mercy Therefore all these Abuses were to be put away which under the pretence of Purgatory had been advanced as if the Popes pardons did deliver Souls out of it or Masses said in certain places or before certain Images had such efficiency with other such-like Abuses These Articles being thus conceived and in several places corrected and tempered by the Kings own hand were signed by Cromwell and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and seventeen other Bishops forty Abbots and Priors and fifty Arch-Deacons and Proctors of the lower House of Convocation Among whom Polidor Virgil and Peter Vannes signed with the rest as appears by the Original yet extant They being tendered to the King he confirmed them and ordered them to be published with a Preface in his name It is said in the Preface that he accounting it the chief part of his Charge that the Word and Commandments of God should be believed and observed and to maintain unity and concord in opinion and understanding to his great regret that there was great diversity of opinion arisen among his Subjects both about Articles of Faith and Ceremonies had in his own Person taken great pains and study about these things and had ordered also the Bishops and other Learned men of the Clergy to examine them who after long deliberation had concluded on the most special Points which the King thought proceeded from a good right and true judgment according to the Laws of God these would also be profitable for establishing unity in the Church of England Therefore he had ordered them to be published requiring all to accept of them praying God so to illuminate their hearts that they might have no less zeal and love to unity and concord in reading them than he had in making them to be devised set forth and published which good acceptance should encourage him to take further pains for the future as should be most for the honour of God and the profit and the quietness of his Subjects This being published occasion'd great variety of Censures Those that desired Reformation were glad to see so great a step once made and did not doubt but this would make way for further Changes They rejoyced to see the Scriptures and the ancient Creeds made the Standards of the Faith without mentioning Tradition or the Decrees of the Church Then the Foundation of Christian Faith was truly stated and
temper was found it was placed as a Distinct Commandment but not at full length the words For I the Lord thy God c. being left out and only those that go before being set down In the Explanation of this Commandment Images were said to be profitable for putting us in mind of the great blessings we have received by our Saviour and of the vertues and holiness of the Saints by which we were to be stirred up to imitate them So that they were not to be despised though we be forbidden to do any godly honour to them And therefore the Superstition of preferring one Image to another as if they had any special vertue in them or the adorning them richly and making Vowes and Pilgrimages to them is condemned yet the Censing of Images and Kneeling before them are not condmned but the people must be taught that these things were not to be done to the Image it self but to God and his honour To the third Commandment they reduced the Invocation of Gods name for his Gifts And they condemned the Invocation of Saints when such things were prayed for from them which were only given by God This was the giving his Glory to Creatures yet to pray to Saints as Intercessors is declared lawful and according to the Doctrine of the Catholick Church Upon the 4th Commandement a Reâ—t from labour every 7th day is said to be Ceremonial and such as only obliged Iews but the Spiritual signification of Rest among Christians was to abstain from Sin and other Carnal pleasures But besides that we were also bound by this Precept sometimes to cease from labour that we may serve and worship God both in publick and private And that on the dayes appointed for this purpose people ought to examine their lives the past week and set to amendment and give themselves to prayer reading and meditation Yet in cases of necessity such as saving their Corn or Cattel men ought not superstitiously to think that it is a Sin to work on that day but to do their work without scruple Then follow very profitable Expositions of the other Commandments with many grave and weighty admonitions concerning the duties by them enjoyned and against those sins which are too Common in all Ages After that an Explanation of the Lords Prayer was added In the preface to which it is said that it is meet and requisite that the unlearned people should make their Prayers in their Mother-Tongue whereby they may be the more stirred to Devotion and to mind the things they prayed for Then followed an Exposition of the Angels Salutation of the Blessed Virgin In which the whole History of the Incarnation of Christ was opened and the Ave Maria explained which Hymne was chiefly to be used in Commemoration of Christs Incarnation and likewise to set forth the praises of the Blessed Virgin The next article is about Free-will which they say must be in man otherwise all Precepts and Exhortations are to no purpose They defined it a power of the will joyned with Reason whereby a reasonable creature without constraint in things of reason discerneth and willeth good and evil but chooseth good by the assistance of Gods grace and evil of it self This was perfect in the State of Innocency but is much impaired by Adams Fall and now by an especial grace offered to all men but enjoyed only by those who by their free-will do accept the same it was restored that with great watchfulness we may serve God acceptably And as many places of Scripture shew That free-will is still in man so there be many others which shew that the grace of God is necessary that doth both prevent us and assist us both to begin and perform every good work Therefore all men ought most gratefully to receive and follow the motions of the Holy Ghost and to beg Gods grace with earnest devotion and a stedfast Faith which he will grant to all that so ask it both because he is naturally good and he has promised to grant our desires For he is not the author of Sin nor the Cause of mans Damnation but this men draw on themselves who by vice have corrupted these Natures which God made good Therefore all Preachers were warned so to moderate themselves in this high point that they neither should so preach the Grace of God as to take away Free-will nor so extol Free-will as injury might be done to the Grace of God After this they handled Justification Having stated the miseries of man by nature and the guilt of Sin with the unspeakable goodness of God in sending Christ to redeem us by his death who was the Mediator between God and man They next shew how men are made partakers of the blessings which he hath procured Justification is the making of us righteous before God whereby we are reconciled to him and made heirs of Eternal life that by his Grace we may walk in his ways and be reputed just and righteous in the day of Judgment and so attain Everlasting Happiness God is the chief cause of our Justification yet man prevented by Grace is by his free-consent and obedience a worker toward the attaining his own Justification For though it is only procur'd through the merits of Christs death yet every one must do many things to attain a right and claim to that which though it was offered to all yet was applied but to a few We must have a stedfast Faith true Repentance real purposes of amendment committing Sin no more but serving God all our lives which if we fall from we must recover it by Penance Fasting Almes Prayer with other good works and a firm Faith going forward in mortification and obedience to the Laws of God It being certain that men might fall away from their Justification All curious reasonings about Predestination were to be set apart there being no certainty to he had of our Election but by feeling the motions of Gods Spirit in us by a good and virtuous life and persevering in it to the end Therefore it was to be taught that as on the one hand we are justified freely by the free Grace of God so on the other hand when it is said We are justified by Faith it must be understood of such a Faith in which the fear of God Repentance Hope and Charity be included all which must be joyned together in our Justification and though these be imperfect yet God accepteth of them freely thorough Christ. Next good works were explained which were said to be absolutely necessary to Salvation But these were not only outward corporal works but inward Spiritual works as the Love and Fear of God Patience Humility and the like Nor were they Superstitions and mens Inventions such as those in which Monks and Friers exercised themselves nor only moral works done by the power of Natural reason but the works of Charity flowing from a pure heart a good Conscience and Faith
works of the same we shall not only obtain everlasting life but also we shall deserve remission or mitigation of these present pains and afflictions in this World according to the saying of St. Paul Si nos ipsi judicaremus non judicaremur a Domino Zacharias Convertimini ad me ego convertar ad vos Esajas â—8 frange esurienti panem tuum c. tunc eris velut hortus irriguus Haec sunt inculcanda ecclesiis ut exercitentur ad bene operandum in his ipsis operibus exerceant confirment fidem petentes expectantes a Deo mitigationem praesentium calamitatum The Sacrament of the Altar FOurthly as touching the Sacrament of the Altar We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that they ought and must constantly believe that under the form and figure of bread and wine which we there presently do see and perceive by our outward senses is verily substantially and really contained and comprehended the very selfe-same body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ which was born of the Virgin Mary and suffered upon the cross for our Redemption and that under the same form and figure of bread and wine the very selfe-same body and blood of Christ is corporally really and in the very substance exhibited distributed and received of all them which receive the said Sacrament and that therefore the said Sacrament is to be used with all due reverence and honour and that every man ought first to prove and examine himself and religiously to try and search his own Conscience before he shall receive the same according to the saying of St. Paul Quisquis ederit panem hunc aut biberit de poculo domini indigne reus erit corporis sanguinis domini probet autem seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat de poculo illo bibat nam qui edit aut bibit indâ—gne judicium sibiipsi manducat bâ—bit non dijudicans corpus domini Iustification FIfthly As touching the order and cause of our Justification we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that this word Justification signifieth remission of our sins and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace and favour of God that is to say our perfect renovation in Christ. Item That sinners attain this Justification by Contrition and Faith joyned with Charity after such sort and manner as we before mentioned and declared not as though our Contrition or Faith or any works proceeding thereof can worthily merit or deserve to attain the said Justification for the only mercy and grace of the Father promised freely unto us for his Sons sake Jesus Christ and the merits of his blood and his passion be the only sufficient and worthy causes thereof and yet that notwithstanding to the attaining of the said Justification God requireth to be in us not only inward Contrition perfect Faith and Charity certain hope and confidence with all other spiritual graces and motions which as we said before must necessarily concur in remission of our sins that is to say our Justification but also he requireth and commandeth us that after we be justified we must also have good works of charity and obedience towards God in the observing and fulfilling outwardly of his Laws and Commandments for although acceptation to everlasting life be conjoyned with Justification yet our good works be necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting Life and we being justified be necessarily bound and it is our necessary duty to do good works according to the saying of St. Paul debitores sumus non carni ut secundum carnem vivamus nam si secundum carnem vixerimus moriemur sin autem spiritu facta corporis mortificaverimus vivemus etenim quicunque spiritu dei ducuntur hi sunt filii dei and Christ saith si vis ad vitam ingredi serva mandata and St. Paul saith de malis operibus qui talia agunt Regnum dei non possidebunt Wherefore we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge and God necessarily requireth of us to do good works commanded by him and that not only outward and civil works but also the inward spiritual motions and graces of the Holy Ghost that is to say to dread and fear God to love God to have firm confidence and trust in God to invocate and call upon God to have patience in all adversities to hate sin and to have certain purpose and will not to sin again and such other like motions and vertues for Christ saith Nisi abundaverit justitia vestra plusquam scribarum Pharisaeorum non intrabitis in regnum caelorum that is to say we must not only do outward civil good works but also we must have these foresaid inward spiritual motions consenting and agreeable to the Law of God Of Images AS touching Images truth it is that the same have been used in the old Testament and also for the greater abuses of them sometime destroyed and put down and in the new Testament they have been also allowed as good Authors do declare wherefore we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge how they ought and may use them And First that this may be attributed unto them that they be representers of vertue and good example and that they also be by occasion the kindlers and firers of mens minds and make men often remember and lament their sins and offences especially the Images of Christ and our Lady and that therefore it is meet that they should stand in the Churches and none otherwise to be esteemed And to the intent the rude people should not from henceforth take such superstition as in time past it is thought that the same hath used to do we will that our Bishops and Preachers diligently shall teach them and according to this Doctrine reform their abuses for else there might fortune Idolatry to ensue which God forbid And as for Censing of them and kneeling and offering unto them with other like worshippings although the same hath entred by devotion and fallen to custome yet the people ought to be diligently taught that they in no ways do it nor think it meet to be done to the same Images but only to be done to God and in his honour although it be done before the Images whether it be of Christ of the Cross or of our Lady or of any other Saint besides Of Honouring of Saints AS touching the honouring of Saints we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that Saints now being with Christ in Heaven be to be honoured of Christian people in Earth but not with that confidence and honour which
The King did also set forward the Printing of the English Bible which was finished this year at London by Grafton the Printer who Printed 1500 of them at his own Charge This Bible Cromwel presented to the King and procured his Warrant allowing all his Subjects in all his Dominions to read it without controul or hazard For which the Arch-Bishop wrote Cromwel a Letter of most hearty thanks dated the 13th of August Who did now rejoyce that he saw this day of Reformation which he concluded was now risen in England since the Light of Gods word did shine over it without any Cloud The Translation had been sent over to France to be Printed at Paris the workmen in England not being judged able to do it as it ought to be Therefore in the year 1537. it was recommended to Bonners care who was then Ambassador at Paris and was much in Cromwels favour who was setting him up against Gardiner He procured the King of France's leave to Print it at Paris in a large Volume but upon a complaint made by the French Clergy the Press was stopt and most of the Copies were seized on and publickly burnt but some Copies were conveyed out of the way and the work-men and fourms were brought over to England where it was now finished and published And Injunctions were given out in the Kings name by Cromwel to all Incumbents to provide one of these Bibles and set it up publickly in the Church and not to hinder or discourage the reading of it but to encourage all persons to peruse it as being the true lively word of God which every Christian ought to believe embrace and follow if he expected to be saved And all were exhorted not to make contests about the Exposition or sense of any difficult place but to refer that to men of higher judgment in the Scriptures Then some other Rules were added about the Instructing the people in the Principles of Religion by teaching the Creed the Lords Prayer and ten Commandments in English And that in every Church there should be a Sermon made every quarter of an year at least to declare to the people the true Gospel of Christ and to exhort them to the works of Charity Mercy and Faith and not to trust in other mens works or Pilgrimages to Images or Relicks or saying over Beads which they did not understand since these things tended to Idolatry and Superstition which of all offences did most provoke Gods Indignation They were to take down all Images which were abused by Pilgrimages or offerings made to them and to suffer no Candles to be set before any Image only there might be Candles before the Cross and before the Sacrament and about the Sepulchre And they were to Instruct the people that Images served only as the Books of the un-learned to be remembrances of the Conversations of them whom they represented but if they made any other use of Images it was Idolatry for remedying whereof as the King had already done in part so he intended to do more for the abolishing such Images which might be a great offence to God and a danger to the Souls of his Subjects And if any of them had formerly Magnified such Images or Pilgrimages to such purposes They were ordered openly to recant and acknowledg that in saying such things they had been led by no ground in Scripture but where deceived by a vulgar error which had crept into the Church through the Avarice of those who had profit by it They were also to discover all such as were Letters of the reading of Gods word in English or hindred the Execution of these Injunctions Then followed orders for keeping of Registers in their Parishes for Reading all the Kings Injunctions once every quarter at least That none were to alter any of the Holy-days without directions from the King And all the Eves of the Holy-days formerly abrogated were declared to be no Fasting-days The Commemoration of Thomas Becket was to be clean omitted The kneeling for the Avies after Sermon were also forbidden which were said in hope to obtain the Popes Pardon And whereas in their Processions they used to say so many Suffrages with an Ora pro nobis to the Saints by which they had not time to say the Suffrages to God himself they were to teach the people that it were better to omit the Ora pro nobis and to sing the other Suffrages which were most necessary and most effectual These Injunctions struck at three main Points of Popery containing encouragements to the vulgar to Read the Scriptures in a known tongue and putting down all worship of Images and leaving it free for any Curate to leave out the Suffrages to the Saints So that they were looked on as a deadly blow to that Religion But now those of that party did so Artificially comply with the King that no advantages could be found against any of them for their disobedience The King was Master at home and no more to be disobeyed He had not only broken the Rebellion of his own Subjects and secured himself by Alliance from the dangers threatned him by the Pope but all their expectations from the Lady Mary were now clouded For on the 12th of October 1537. Queen Iane had born him a Son who was Christned Edward the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury being one of his God-Fathers This very much encouraged all that were for Reformation and disheartned those who were against it But the joy for this young Prince was qualified by the Queens death two days after which afflicted the King very much for of all his Wives she was the dearest to him And his grief for that loss is given as the reason why he continued two years a Widower But others thought he had not so much tenderness in his Nature as to be much or long troubled for any thing Therefore the slowness of his Marrying was ascribed to some reasons of State But the Birth of the Prince was a great disappointment to all those whose hopes rested on the Lady Maries succeeding her Father Therefore they submitted themselves with more than ordinary Compliance to the King Gardiner was as busie as any in declaiming against the Religious Houses and took occasion in many of his Sermons to commend the King for suppressing them The Arch-Bishop of York had recovered himself at Court And I do not find that he interposed in the Suppression of any of the Religious Houses except Hexham about which he wrote to Cromwel that it was a great Sanctuary when the Scots made Inroads And so he thought that the continuing of it might be of great use to the King He added in that Letter that he did carefully silence all the Preachers of Novelties But some of these boasted that they would shortly have Licences from the King as he heard they had already from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury but he desired Cromwel to prevent that mischief This is all that I
them to their Heresies the number of which was too long to be repeated that having formerly abjured they were now incorrigible Hereticks and so were condemned to be burned or suffer any other death as should please the King And two dayes after Cromwels death being the 30th of Iuly They were brought to Smithfield where in their Execution there was as odd a mixture as had been in their Attaindors For Abel Fetherston and Powel that were attainted by another Act of the same Parliament for owning the Popes Supremacy and denying the Kings were carried to the place of Execution and coupled with the other three So that one of each was put into a Hurdle and carried together which every body condemned as an Extravagant affectation of the shew of Impartial Justice When they were brought to the Stake Barnes spake thus to the People Since he was to be burned as an Heretick he would declare what opinions he held So he enlarged on all the Articles of the Creed to shew he believed them all He expressed a particular abhorrence of an opinion which some Anabaptists held That the Blessed Virgin was as a Saffron Bagg by which indecent Simile they meant that our Saviour took no substance of her He explained his opinion of Good works that they must of necessity be done since without them none should ever enter into the Kingdom of God They were commanded of God to shew forth our profession by them but he believed as they were not pure nor perfect so they did not avail to our Justification nor merit any thing at the hands of God for that was to be ascribed to the Merits of the Death and Passion of Christ. He professed great Reverence to the Blessed Virgin and Saints But said he saw no warrant in Scriptures for praying to them nor was it certain whether they prayed for us or not but if the Saints did pray for those on Earth he trusted within half an hour to be praying for them all Then he asked the Sheriff if he had any Articles against them for which they were condemned who answered he had none He next asked the people if they knew wherefore he died or if they had been led into any Errours by his Preaching but none made answer Then he said he heard he was condemned to die by an Act of Parliament and it seemed it was for Heresie since they were to be burnt He prayed God to forgive those who had been the occasions of it And in particular for the Bishop of Winchester if he had sought or procured his death he prayed God heartily to forgive him as Christ forgave his Murtherers He prayed earnestly for the King and the Prince and exhorted the people to pray for them He said some had reported that he had been a Preacher of Sedition and Disobedience But he declared to the peopâ—e that they were bound by the Law of God to obey their Kings Laws with all humility not only for fear but for Conscience adding that if the King commanded any thing against Gods Law though it were in their Power to resist him yet they might not do it Then he desired the Sheriff to carry five requests from him to the King First That since he had taken the Abbey-Lands into his hands for which he did not blame him as the Sheriff fancied he was about to do and thereupon stopped him but was glad that Superstition was taken away and that the King was then a compleat King obeyed by all his Subjects which had been done through the Preaching of them and such wretches as they were yet he wished the King would bestow these goods or some of them to the comfort of his poor Subjects who had great need of them Secondly That Marriage might be had in greater esteem and that men might not upon light pretences cast off their Wives and that those who were unmarried might not be suffered to live in Whoredome Thirdly That Abominable Swearers might be punished Fourthly That since the King had begun to set forth Christian Religion he would go forward in it and make an end for though he had done a great deal yet many things remained to be done and he wished that the King might not be deceived with false Teachers The fifth desire he said he had forgot Then he begged that they all would forgive him if at any time he had said or done evil unadvisedly and so turned about and prepared himself for his death Ierome spake next and declared his Faith upon every Article of the Creed and said that he believed all that was in the Holy Scriptures He also prayed for the King and the Prince And concluded with a very Pathetical Exhortation to mutual Love and Charity that they would propose to themselves the pattern of Christs wonderful Love through whom only he hoped to be saved and desired all their Prayers for himself and his Brethren Then Gerard declared his Faith and said That if through ignorance or negligence he had taught any error he was sorry for it and asked God pardon and them whom he had thereby offended But he protested that according to his Learning and Knowledg he had always set forth the honour of God and the obedience of the Kings Laws Then they all prayed for the pardon of their Sins and constancie and patience in their sufferings And so they embraced and kissed one another and then the Executioners tyed them to the Stake and set fire to them Their death did rather encourage than dishearten their followers who seeing such an extraordinary measure of patience in them were the more confirmed in their resolutions of suffering for a good conscience and for his name who did not forsake his Servants in these cruel Agonies One difference between their Sufferings and the other three who were hanged for asserting the Popes Supremacy was remarkable that though the others demeaned themselves toward them with the most uncharitable and spiteful malice that was possible so that their own Historian sayes That their being carryed with them to their Execution was bitterer to them than death it self yet they declared their hearty forgiving of their Enemies and of Gardiner in particular who was generally looked on as the person that procured their death which Imputation stuck fast to him though by a Printed Apologie he studyed to clear himself of any other concernment in it than by giving his vote for the Act of their Attaindor Now Bonner began to shew his nature Hitherto he had acted another part For being most extreamly desirous of Preferment he had so complyed with Cromwel and Cranmer that they had great confidence in him and he being a blustering and forward man they thought he might do the Reformation good service and therefore he was advanced so high by their means But as soon as ever Cromwel fell the very next day he shewed his Ingratitude and how nimbly he turned with the Wind. For Grafton the Printer whom Cromwel favoured much
perfectly and truly repentant and contrite of all their sins before committed and also perfectly and constantly confessing and believing all the Articles of our faith according as it was mentioned in the Article before or else not And Finally if they shall also have firm credence and trust in the promise of God adjoyned to the said Sacrament that is to say that in and by this said Sacrament which they shall receive God the Father giveth unto them for his Son Jesus Christs sake remission of all their sins and the Grace of the Holy Ghost whereby they be newly regenerated and made the very Children of God according to the saying of Christ and his Apostle St. Peter Paenitentiam agite Baptizetur vnusquisque vestrum in nomine Iesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum accipietis donum Spiritus Sancti and according also to the saying of St. Paul ad Titum 3. non ex operibus justitiae quae fecimus nos sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis renovationis Spiritus Sancti quem effudit in nos opulenter per Iesum Christum servatorem nostrum ut justificati illius gratia haeredes efficiamur juxta spem vitae aeternae The Sacrament of Penance THirdly Concerning the Sacrament of Pennance We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their Spiritual charge that they ought and must most constantly believe that that Sacrament was instituted of Christ in the New Testament as a thing so necessary for mans Salvation that no man which after his Baptism is fallen again and hath committed deadly sin can without the same be saved or attain everlasting Life Item That like-as such men which after Baptism do fall again into sin if they do not Pennance in this Life shall undoubtedly be damned even so whensoever the same men shall convert themselves from the said naughty Life and do such Pennance for the same as Christ requireth of them they shall without doubt attain remission of their sins and shall be saved Item That this Sacrament of perfect Pennance which Christ requireth of such manner of persons consisteth of three parts that is to say Contrition Confession with the amendment of the former Life and a new obedient reconciliation unto the Laws and will of God that is to say exteriour Acts in works of Charity according as they be commanded of God which be called in Scripture fructus digni Paenitentia Furthermore as touching Contrition which is the first part We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their Spiritual charge that the said Contrâ—tion consisteth in two special parts which must always be conjoined together and cannot be dissevered that is to say the penitent and contrite man must first knowledg the filthiness and abomination of his own sin whereunto he is brought by hearing and considering of the will of God declared in his Laws and feeling and perceiving in his own conscience that God is angry and displeased with him for the same he must also conceive not only great sorrow and inward shame that he hath so grievously offended God but also great fear of Gods displeasure towards him considering he hath no works or merits of his own which he may worthily lay before God as sufficient satisfaction for his sins which done then afterwards with this fear shame and sorrow must needs succeed and be conjoyned The second part viz. a certain faith trust and confidence of the mercy and goodness of God whereby the penitent must conceive certain hope and faith that God will forgive him his sins and repute him justified and of the number of his Elect children not for the worthiness of any merit or work done by the penitent but for the only merits of the blood and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Item That this certain faith and hope is gotten and also confirmed and made more strong by the applying of Christs words and promises of his grace and favour contained in his Gospel and the Sacraments instituted by him in the new Testament and therefore to attain this certain faith the second part of Pennance is necessary that is to say Confession to a Priest if it may be had for the Absolution given by the Priest was institute of Christ to apply the promises of Gods grace and favour to the Penitent Wherefore as touching Confession We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge that they ought and must certainly believe that the words of Absolution pronounced by the Priest be spoken by the Authority given to him by Christ in the Gospel Item That they ought and must give no less faith and credence to the same words of Absolution so pronounced by the Ministers of the Church than they would give unto the very words and voyce of God himself if he should speak unto us out of Heaven according to the saying of Christ Quorum remiseritis peccata c. qui vos audit me audit Item That in no ways they do contemn this Auricular Confession which is made unto the Ministers of the Church but that they ought to repute the same a verry expedient and necessary mean whereby they may require and ask this Absolution at the Priests hands at such time as they shall find their consciences grieved with mortal sin and have occasion so to do to the intent they may thereby attain certain comfort and consolation of their consciences As touching the third part of Penance We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge that although Christ and his death be the sufficient oblation sacrifice satisfaction and recompence for the which God the Father forgiveth and remitteth to all sinners not only their sin but also Eternal pain due for the same yet all men truly penitent contrite and confessed must needs also bring forth the fruits of Penance that is to say Prayer Fasting Almsdeeds and must make Restitution or Satisfaction in will and deed to their neighbour in such things as they have done them wrong and injury in and also must do all other good works of mercy and charity and express their obedient will in the executing and fulfilling of Gods Commandments outwardly when time power and occasion shall be Ministred unto them or else they shall never be saved for this is the express precept and commandment of God Agite fructus dignos paenitentia and St. Paul saith Debitores sumus and in another place he saith Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo Item That these precepts and works of Charity be necessary works to our Salvation and God necessarily requireth that every penitent man shall perform the same whensoever time power and occasion shall be ministred unto him so to do Item That by Penance and such good
unfeigned which were meritorious towards the attaining of Everlasting life Other works were of an Inferior sort such as Fasting Almsdeeds and other fruits of Penance And the merit of good works is reconciled with the freedom of Gods mercies to us since all our works are done by his Grace so that we have no cause of boasting but must ascribe all to the Grace and goodness of God The last Chapter is about Prayers for Souls departed which is the same that was formerly set out in the Articles three years before All this was finished and set forth this year with a Preface written by those of the Clergy who had been imployed in it declaring with what care they had examined the Scriptures and the ancient Doctors out of whom they had faithfully gathered this Exposition of the Christian Faith To this the King added another Preface some years after declaring that although he had cast out the darkness by setting forth the Scriptures to his people which had produced very good effects yet as hypocrisie and superstition were purged away so a Spirit of presumption dissension and carnal liberty was breaking in For repressing which he had by the advice of his Clergy set forth a Declaration of the true knowledg of God for directing all mens belief and practice which both Houses of Parliament had seen and liked very well So that he verily trusted it contained a true and sufficient Doctrine for the attaining everlasting life Therefore he required all his people to read and print in their hearts the Doctrine of this Book He also willed them to remember that as there were some Teachers whose Office it was to instruct the people so the rest ought to be taught and to those it was not necessary to read the Scriptures and that therefore he had restrained it from a great many esteeming it sufficient for such to hear the Doctrine of the Scriptures taught by their Preachers which they should lay up in their hearts and practise in their lives Lastly he desired all his Subjects to pray to God to grant them the Spirit of Humility that they might read and carry in their hearts the Doctrine set forth in this Book But though I have joyned the account of this Preface to the Extract here made of the Bishops Book yet it was not prefixed to it till above two years after the other was set out When this was published both parties found cause in it both to be glad and sorrowful The Reformers rejoyced to see the Doctrine of the Gospel thus opened more and more for they concluded that Ignorance and prejudices being the chief supports of the Errours they complained of the instructing people in Divine Matters even though some particulars displeased them yet would awaken and work upon an inquisitive humour that was then a-stirring and they did not doubt but their Doctrines were so clear that Inquiries into Religion would do their business They were also glad to see the Morals of Christianity so well cleared which they hoped would dispose people to a better taste of Divine matters since they had observed that purity of Soul does mightily prepare people for sound opinions Most of the Superstitious conceits and practices which had for some ages embased the Christian Faith were now removed and the great fundamental of Christianity the Covenant between God and man in Christ with the conditions of it was plainly and sincerely declared There was also another principle laid down that was big with a further Reformation for every National Church was declared a compleat Body within it self with power to reform heresies correct abuses and do every thing else that was necessary for keeping it self pure or governing its members By which there was a fair way opened for a full discussion of things afterwards when a fitter opportunity should be offered But on the other hand the Popish party thought they had gained much The seven Sacraments were again asserted so that here much ground was recovered and they hoped more would follow There were many things laid down to which they knew the Reformers would never consent So that they who were resolved to comply with every thing that the King had a mind to were pretty safe But the others who followed their perswasions and consciences were brought into many snares and the Popish party was confident that their absolute compliance which was joyned with all possible submission and flattery would gain the King at length and the stiffness of others who would not give that deference to the Kings judgment and pleasure would so alienate him from them that he would in the end abandon them for with the Kings years his uneasiness and peevishness grew mightily on him The dissolution of the Kings Marriage with Anne of Cleves had so offended the Princes of Germany that though upon the Ladies account they made no publick noise of it yet there was little more intercourse between the King and them especially Cromwel falling that had alwayes carried on the correspondence with them And as this intercourse went off so a secret Treaty was set on foot between the King and the Emperor yet it came not to a Conclusion till two years after The other Bishops that were appointed to examine the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church drew up a Rubrick and Rationale of them which I do not find was printed but a very Authentical M S. of a great part of it was is extant The alterations they made were inconsiderable and so slight that there was no need of reprinting either the Missals Breviaries or other Offices for a few rasures of these Collects in which the Pope was prayed for of Thomas Beckets Office and the Offices of other Saints whose days were by the Kings Injunctions no more to be observed with some other Deletions made that the old Books did still serve For whether it was that the Change of the Mass-Books and other publick Offices would have been too great a Charge to the Nation or whether they thought it would have possessed the people with an opinion that the Religion was altered since the Books of the ancient worship were changed which remaining the same they might be the more easily perswaded that the Religion was still the same there was no new impression of the Breviaries Missals and other Rituals during this Kings Reign Yet in Queen Maries time they took care that Posterity should not know how much was dashed out or changed For as all Parishes were required to furnish themselves with new compleat Books of the Offices so the dashed Books were every-where brought in and destroyed But it is likely that most of those Scandalous Hymnes and Prayers which are addressed to Saints in the same style in which good Christians worship God were all struck out because they were now condemned as appears from the Extract of the other Book set out by the Bishops But as they went on in these things the Popish party whose Counsels were