his worde For as God is a spyrite so woulde he be serued in spyrite and trueth The .lxxxv. Article I Beléeue that all the seruyng of GOD which is done without hys worde and commaundement to be Idolatrie and wickednesse I call Idolatry after the fashion of the Prophetes not onely that which is done to the honor of an Idoll or of strange Gods. But also that which is done for the honor of the liuing God without his worde and commaundement Therefore Idolaters are not onelie those which do worshyp and serue Idols and straunge Gods as the Ethnickes Panymes and such lyke But also all those which worshyppe and serue the true God of heauen after their fantasie or traditions of men without fayth without the worde and otherwise then God commaūded And on the other syde I call those faithfull which do acknowledge and serue one onely God of heauen after his worde and commaundement of whome all the works aswell externall and internall corporall as spyrituall are the true seruing of the Lorde for that they are done in the fayth of the sonne of God and according to the vocation of the Lord according to which euery faithfull person ought to walk The .lxxxvi. Article I Beléeue and confesse that it is not lawfull for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirite nor body to the sacrifices of Idolaters nor also to enter into their Temples whylest they are doing their Idolatries Sacrifices except it be for to rebuke thē in shewing them their abuse and to teach them the trueth as the holy Prophets and Apostles haue done and not for to dyssemble as Hypocrites For if the body be a creature of God as it is as the soule is the Temple of the holy Ghost and member of the misticall body of Christe If it must one day ryse againe and possesse the eternall lyfe with the soule it must also necessarily be that it be altogether geuen vnto the seruing of God in this world with the soule and spyrite Otherwise they cannot be ioygned together after the generall resurrection but being seperated the one should be in heauen with God whome be loued and the other in hell with the diuell whome hee serued the which is an impossyble thing Therefore I saye that all those dissymulations to bee a verie renouncing of Christe and of his Gospel In lyke manner I beleeue confesse that all those fayninges and false shewes by which the veritie of the Gospell is hidden and the word of God despised or by which the ignoraunt and Infidel is confirmed in his error or by which the weake is offended are not of God but of Satan altogether contrary vnto the truth of the word Therfore we must not halt on both sides but go vprightly before that great God which séeth beholdeth knoweth all things yea before they are begun The .lxxxvii. Article I Do also beléeue that the beginning of all Idolatryes was the excogitation and fyrst inuention of Images the which also were made to the abhomination and offence of the Soules of men and are as snares and nettes to the féete of the ignoraunt for to make them stumble Therefore they ought not to be honoured serued adored nor suffred in the Temples or Churches nor in the places where the Christiās doo assemble them selues together for to heare and vnderstand the word but altogether to be taken away destroied as the seconde commaundement of God doth well declare and that by the publyke authoritie of the Magistrate and not by the priuate authoritie of one perticular man. For the woodde of the gybbit by which one doth Iustice is blessed of God But the Image made with mans hande is curssed of God and he that maketh it with it Therefore we ought to kéepe our selues from Images aboue all thinges BEholde what I beleeue of the catholike Church and of the thinges concerning the same and that is for the fourth point of my faith Nowe remaineth to speake of the fruites proceeding from it and what I receyue by that faith which are three in number VVherof the first is The forgeuenesse of sinnes The .lxxxviii. Article I Beléeue that all those which are come and which shall come of the race or lyne of Adam generallye are conceiued and borne in iniquity corruption except one onely Iesus Christe and that they are all sinners transgressors of the lawe and wyll of God And according to their nature corrupted the chyldren of wrath worthy of Gods iudgemēt of condempnation eternall death hauing all néede of the grace mercy of God and of the blood of Christe to be shead For God hath enclosed all men vnder sinne that hée shoulde shewe mercie vnto all thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde The .lxxxix. Article I Beléeue that the knowledge of sin procéedeth from the law but the forgeuenes pardon of the same commeth from the Gospell and is geuen vnto vs thorow the only grace mercie of God in the blood of Iesus Christ kéeping the faith that we haue in him by which wee are reputed righteous before God and not thorowe our good works or merites nor by the merites of the purest creature celestiall or terrestiall For I do not know nor receyue any other merites thē those of my good Lord master and onely sauiour Iesus Christe who hath merited satisfied aboundantly for vs and hath payd the debt for all his in cancelating the hand wryting and obligation which was against vs and taking it away frō the midst of vs hath fixed it in the Crosse The lxxxx Article I Beléeue that that iustifying fayth is a pure singuler gyft of God the which is commonly geuen by the hearing of the word vpon which onely it is builded and not vpon the doctrines and traditions of men I call the iustifying faith a certayne assuraunce and sure peswasion of the good wyll loue grace goodnes and mercy of God towardes vs by which we are assured and verely perswaded in our harts of the mercy fauour and beneuolence of God the Father that he is for vs towards vs against vs and wil be vnto vs a mercifull father to pardon our sinnes to geue grace to adopt vs for his children and to constitute vs to be his heyres in the eternall life and that altogether fréely in his sonne and thorow his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and not thorow our merites or good workes That faith can doo all thinges and nothing is impossible to it the which is neuer perfect nor great inough in vs therefore we ought alwayes to pray with the Apostles saying Lord encrease our faith helpe our vnbeléefe For that onely doth comfort vs maketh vs holy righteous and agreeable before the Lorde doth make and declare vs to bee the chyldren of God and heyres of eternall life The which also is the mother
fayth of those thinges sealeth and confirmeth the promises of the Lorde within our hartes through his goodnesse and grace that we néede not to doubt any thing at all The .xliiii. Article I Beléeue that that holy Ghost dwelling in vs doth regenerate vs thorow his grace and vertue into a renouation and chaunging of life mortifiyng in vs all that which is of vs and of the olde man the flesh and the world and quickning all that which is his that wee should liue no more to our selues but to Christe who also doth and worketh in vs al good works agréeable to the father and rebuketh checketh and vanquisheth the world of sinne righteousnesse and iudgement The .xlv. Article I Beleeue that the holy Ghost is the Doctor of the Ignorant who teacheth directeth and leadeth vs into the knowledg of the trueth by which we are deliuered from darknesse and set into life Also he is the comforter of the poore afflicted for to ayde fortifie comfort and assist them in al troubles and aduersities that they shoulde not dispaire in them as the wicked and reprobate doo but that they shoulde taste and féele the gentlenesse benignitie and mercifulnesse of the father who thorow crosse and diuerse trybulations doth bring his into eternall glory The .xlvi. Article I Beléeue that that holy Ghost is the spirite of lyfe quickening all other spirites aswell celestiall as terrestriall and that he is only holy in him selfe by whome all other are sanctified so that if any spirites are holy as they are either in heauen or in earth it is not but thorow the sanctitie of that holy spirite which is the cause wherfore I beléeue in him that is to say that in him I hope and put al my affiance assurance and truste as I haue spoken before of the Father and the Sonne Behold the third point of my faith which is touching the holie Ghost the thirde persoÌ„ of the holy Trinitie by whom after that we are made by the father and restored by the sonne we are kept and gouerned vnto the ende Now it remaineth to intreat of the fourth point of my faith which is touching the Church and the thinges concerning the same I beleeue the holye catholike Church the Communion of Saintes The .xlvii. Article I Beléeue and confesse one onelye catholike and vniuersall Church which is a holy Congregation and assembly of all the faythfull beléeuers chosen and predestinated to eternall life before the constitutioÌ„ of the world of whose number I accompte and beléeue my selfe to be one thorow the only grace and mercy of the Father hauing the merite of my good Lorde and Maister Iesus Christe and not by my good workes or merites which are none at all The .xlviii. Article I Beléeue that Church to be inuisible to mans sight and vnto God alone knowen the which is not set tyed or limited in a certaine place or to certaine men but dispersed and seperated abroad thorow out the world Neuerthelesse ioygned together in harte wil and minde thorow the band of fayth and loue acknowledging all of them one onely God one only head and mediator Iesus Christ one faith one law one baptisme one spirituall table in which one onely meate and one onely spirituall drinke is administred vnto them vntil the consumation of this world That Church comprehendeth in it all the iust and elect from the first iust Abell vnto the last which shal be â—ound in the ende of the world and therfore I call it vniuersall For touching the visible Church which is the congregation of the good and of the wicked the elect and reprobate and generally of all those which say that they beléeue in Christe I beléeue it not because I see it with my eye and fayth is of inuisible thinges The .xlix. Article I Beléeue that that inuisible Church is the Lordes fielde within which there is neither cockle nor darnell but that it is the house and habitacle of the holy Ghost within which there is neither Caim Iudas nor the wicked rich man. That it is also the sheepefolde of Christe within which there commeth no stincking nor infected goates but all shéepe lambes and domesticall ewes bearing fruit in theyr tymes and seasons That it is the body of Christ in which theyr is no rotten or corrupt member That is also the spowse of Christ pure and cleane without spot or wrincle or anye such like thing holy and erreprehensible purified and sanctified in the bloud and by the word of his head and wel-beloued spowse Iesus Christe wherfore those which are grafted in her through liuely fayth cannot perish The .l. Article I Beléeue that the giftes and graces of the holy Ghost are dispersed and geuen vnto euery one of the members of that Church not so much for the perticuler profit vtility of them as for the generall profit and vtilitye of al the assemble or Church and that altogether through grace without any merite according to the good will and prouidence of God to some more and to some lesse that we may know the one to haue néede of the other and maye ayde and helpe the one the other in all necessities aswell corporall as spirituall as members of one body The .li. Article I Beléeue the communion of Saintes that is to saye that all that whiche the Lorde geueth vs in this worlde whether they bee goodes concerning the body of the spirite that he geueth them chiefly to the profit and vtillitie of all the Church and therfore ought to be distributed and bestowed vnto all the faythfull chiefly in necessity Insomuch that as we do al communicate in one GOD in one fayth in one law in one baptisme and in one spiritual table that also we may communicate in all that which proceedeth and commeth vnto vs by the meanes of all those things for otherwise we are not Christians nor faythfull dispensators of Christe I alwaies reiect the Anabaptisticall Communalty of goodes wiues and other like things receiuing the Apostolicall communaltie which hauing and possessing some goodes perticulerly deuideth and distributeth vnto euery one as he shall haue neede and as necessity requireth The lii Article I Beléeue that that Church is as the Arke of Noe within which there was health and lyfe and out of which there was but death ruine and perdition For as Christ is and raigneth in his Church so Sathan is and raigneth altogether out of the same the which also is kept thorow the spirite of Christe directed and guided by his worde and nurrished by the Sacramentes She shall haue alwayes aduersaries and shal be alwaies tormeÌ„ted in that sea by the thunders of Antechriste and by the windes and tempestes of Sathan For all the gates of Hell do arme and set themselues against it But she shal not be drowned in the waters but shall abyde eternally For somuch as she hath a
the begynning and roote of all good workes as infydelitie is the fountayne and roote of all euylles The lxxxxi Article I Beléeue moreouer that the good workes are not superfluous vaine nor vnprofitable but necessarie to saluation I call good works not those which are done after the fantasie or commaundement of men but those only which God hath cōmaunded to be be done by his worde the which ought to be done not for to merite any thing towardes the Lorde or for to auoyde eternall condempnation But onelye because that God hath commaunded them And for to testifie the loue which we haue vnto the Lord and the obedience vnto his worde and commaundement And to the ende that in vs and by vs hee be glorifyed and our neighbours aswell faithfull as vnfaithfull maye be edifyed Lykewise to shewe and manifest the faith which we haue in God and in his worde as the good tree declareth him selfe and is known by his fruite and for to render certain and sure our vocation election and Predestination These are the endes of good workes commaunded of God and who so euer dooth them to any other ende hee abuseth sinneth dooth wrong and dishonor vnto the blood of Christe and dishonoreth God and his worde For by his doings he declareth Christe to haue dyed in vaine The lxxxxii Article I Beléeue the there is no man in this worlde nor in the other neyther in heauen nor in the earth which can forgeue and pardō my sinnes but one onely God who also hath geuen the power and authoritie vnto the Mynisters of his worde to declare vnto the faythfull that beleeue and which are contrite and penitent the remission of their sinnes to be done by grace freely in the blood of Christe shead for them And to declare them to bee absolued from their sinnes and that altogether by the Minister of the worde in the catholyke Church in which that forgeuenes is made and done and not otherwyse But of our parte is requyred entyre and true repentaunce The which hath two partes The first is contrition that is to saye knowledge with displeasure and detestation to sinne the which is administred by the lawe and causeth in vs a despayre if it be not ayded of the other parte which is the lyuelie faith in the mercie of the father by the blood of Iesus Christ the which proceedeth from the Gospell that doth comfort vs and maketh vs to persyst and finde grace and fauour before the iudgement of God. The lxxxxiii Article I Beléeue that the sinne abydeth alwayes in man yea vnto those that are sanctified after the regeneration made by the baptisme and the holie spyrite the which neuerthelesse is not imputed vnto them thorow the fayth that they haue in Iesus Christe For as all the sinnes of the Infidels and reprobate are mortall and irremissyble because of their infidelitie so all the sinnes of the faithfull and elect are veniable and remissible because of their fayth And therfore I beléeue one onelie sinne to be mortall irremissyble that is to saye Infidelitie That is to say not to beleeue in the sonne of God for where true faith in Iesus Christe is founde all sinnes are hydden couered and pardoned ¶ I beleeue the resurrection of the fleshe which is the seconde fruit of my fayth The lxxxxiiii Article I Beléeue a resurrection to come and generall vnto all the worlde aswell to the good as euyll The which shall be done at the ende and consummation of the worlde by the vertue of Christe and by the ministring of the Angels the which with a lowde Trumpet shall call all the worlde before the Lorde and shall assemble all the elect from the fowre windes from the highest heauens vnto the lowest part of the earth and shall seperate the wicked from the middest of the righteous and shall cast them in the fornace of fyre where shall be wéeping gnashing of téethe Then the righteous shall shyne as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father And shal be lyke and companions with the Angelles of god That is the seconde resurrection and blessed is he that shall haue parte and portion in the same for he shal neuer be touched with the second death The lxxxxv Article I Beléeue that that resurrection shall be done in fleshe and not in spyrite That is to saye that the soule or spyrite of man shall not ryse againe for so muche as it is immortall and neuer dyeth But the bodye the which before aswell according to his nature as thorow sin was subiect vnto death corrpution rotten brought into dust and ashes shall be raysed vp and vnited with his soule and proper spirite and set in a perfecter estate then that of the first man before sinne exempted from all corruption of sinne and consequentlie from all other imperfections like vnto the gloryous bodye of Christe The lxxxxvi Article I Do also beléeue that I shall ryse againe not in the fleshe or body of another mans but in my very owne body which I brought from my mothers wombe with those same bones with the very body which I haue nowe The same notwithstanding transformed and chaunged made of mortall immortall of corruptible incorruptible of vyle and contemptible glorious And therefore I looke for my sauiour Iesus Christe who thorow his vertue shall transfigure my vile body that it maye be lyke vnto his glorious body according to the power by which hee can make all thinges subiect vnto himselfe ¶ I beleeue the lyfe euerlastyng VVhich is the thirde and laste fruite of my fayth The lxxxxvii Article I Beléeue that I shall ryse againe as I haue sayde with all the faithfull and electe not for to dye againe as those which were myraculouslye raysed aswell by Christe as by the Prophets and Apostles and such other but into an immortal eternall and perdurable lyfe for to raigne eternallye with God in body and soule And hereof I am very certayne and doubte nothing at all of it knowing that whosoeuer doubteth of his saluation made by Iesus Christe he shall neuer bee saued Wherefore euen as I am sure and certaine that Christe is dead and rose againe for mée and doubt nothing at all therof but am sure and certaine of my saluation made by him And that infallibly I shal be saued and shal go into eternall lyfe by him The lxxxxviii Article I Beléeue that then I shall sée face to face him whome I do nowe sée but by the glasse of fayth shall know him perfectly whome I knowe nowe but partlye who after that he hath destroyed and confounded all his aduersaries putting them as his footestoole wyll make all thinges newe for the glorie of his chosen And shall be God all in all and in all things Then euery one shall not teache his brother
and terrestiall for the seruice of man to the ende that by his creatures he should come vnto the knowledg of the Creator that also he hath made fashoned Mā for him selfe that of him and by him he shoulde be knowne loued feared serued and honored this is the soueraigne goodnesse of man and that in him shoulde shine the Image of the heauenlye vertues and perfections in al good works the which GOD hath prepared that we should walke in thē vnto his honor and glorye and to the confusiō of the aduersary and by that meanes the ruine of the Angels was restored and man possessed the eternal kingdome made and prepared for him before the constitution of the worlde The .vii. Article I Beléeue the same man to haue byn constituted by the Lorde God mayster and ruler ouer al creatures the which he did loose by his sinne aswell for him selfe as for all his posteritie the which domination and segniory I beléeue nowe to appertaine vnto one onely Iesus Christ very GOD and man and vnto those to whome he wil bestow it as are the faythfull and not vnto the infidels and reprobate The .viii. Article I Beleue the first mā thorow the subtilty and craft of Sathan to be fallē from the excellentnesse in whiche God created him agreeing thorow his free wil which then he had to the canteloas suggestion of the Serpent wherby he hath lost the benefits which the Lord gaue vnto him In so much that of wise he became foolish of iust vniust of true a lyer of perfect altogether vnperfect hauing afterwarde a will altogether depraued which can not nor will not agrée with the will of GOD but altogether vnto the will of the Deuil the world the flesh and of sinne not able to do anye thing of him selfe but euill for that he is altogeather carnall captiue bonde and sould vnder sin Beholde the free or rather the bonde will of man for the estate of of this present lyfe The .ix. Article I Beléeue that that discorde and corruption of nature was not onely in Adam because of his sin but also in all men generally which descend from him one onelye Iesus Christ except insomuch that they are all according to theyr nature corrupted vnrighteous lyers ignoraunt ingratefull and vnperfect altogether Not being able according to their nature to do think speake nor will any thing which pleaseth God vntyll such time as they are regenerated and renewed by the spirite of God. The .x. Article I Beléeue that this corruption of nature otherwise called originall sin is the beginning roote of all other sins by which do come vnto vs all the miseries calamities and aduersities whiche we suffer in this lyfe aswell in bodye as in spirite and in the ende double death to wit of body and soule These are the fruites and rewardes for sinne But although that the same is due and common vnto all men generallye yet neuerthelesse the Lorde through his mercye hath reserued a certaine number to him only knowen whome he hath drawne from this corrupted masse hath sanctified and clensed them in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ And by that meanes hath made the vessels of election to honor apt and fit to all good workes And therfore The .xi. Article I Beléeue that the Father in Iesus Christ his Son by the holy Ghost hath elected and chosen those that be his according to his good wil before the foundation constitution of the world whome he hath predestinated to eternall lyfe because they were his Children by adoption hauing greater care of them without any comparisō then the best Father could haue of the best childe of this world not suffering that any thing should come frō the heauens aboue or from the earth beneath but it shoulde be for theyr vtilitye and great profit The .xii. Article I Beléeue that the father by his Son with the holy Ghost from the beginning hath alwaies seene to the restoring of man to whom he manifested him selfe yea after the sinne making vnto him a promise of the blessed seede by which the Serpents head must be broken and the faythfull ought to receyue blessing by that promise afterwardes oftentymes confirmed and ratefyed to the holye fathers the man otherwise in despaire in his sinne being releued ayded and comforted hath lyued in hope vnto the exhibiting and accomplishing of the same The xiii Article I Do also beléeue that after this promise the Lorde hath prescribed and geuen the lawe of the commaundementes to man promising life vnto those that kéepe them and death vnto those that transgresse them and he geueth them not that man shoulde seeke iustification health or lyfe in them but for the pollicie peace and tranquilitie of his people for to defende the good and to chastice correct the wicked and to houlde and kéepe euery one in his office And chiefly that by the same man should better know him selfe his disease poorenesse and imperfection And by that meanes should haue occasion to humble him selfe before the law geuer and to seeke remedy health and lyfe otherwise to wit in the holy seede promised which is Iesus Christ For that cause it is called a Scoolemayster for to come vnto Christ the which also serueth vs as a glasse for to knowe our vices our spirituall leprosie and to augment that knowledge In like manner it serueth vs for an accuser to accuse vs before the Lorde and instéede of a seuere cruell Iudge for to declare the wrath iudgement of GOD vpon vs the condemnation and eternal death by that meanes to feare vs and to make vs in dispayre vntyll such tyme as we be comforted by the Gospel which is the faith in Iesus Christ by the which we are exempt and deliuered from all those maledictious These are the Offices of the lawe the which are tourned to vs in goodnesse by the sayth of the Gospell the which hath oppositiue offices and altogether contrary Furthermore I confesse that the law of God is good right holy and perfect and wheras it bringeth nothing to perfection the faulte is not in it but in vs which are altogether imperfecte nor we can not anye thing at all accomplish it not to touch it with the least finger And therfore The .xiiii. Article I Beléeue and confesse Iesus Christ to be the fulnesse the ende and consūmation of the lawe to the righteousnesse of all beleeuers to whom by whom onely al the promises of the father are fulfilled whoe also alone hath perfectly satisfied the lawe the which none among men could do for somuch as the lawe commaundeth impossible thinges to the corruptible man the which neuerthelesse he shall fulfill not in working but in beleeuing as also the lawe is fulfilled by fayth and not by workes and by that meanes he shall finde the righteousnesse of fayth
and other vertues gifts and goodnes which the eternall father hath put in him The .lxix. Article I Beléeue that the holy Fathers Patriarkes Prophetes and all other faythfull and good people which haue gone before vs and are dead in faith dyd knowe farre of him that shoulde come to wete Christe by the worde and fayth and did receyue asmuch and the verie same which wee receyue nowe by the Sacramentes who also were of the verye same Churche fayth and lawe of which we are Christians as wee are and haue vsed the same Sacramentes in figure which we vse in déede The .lxx. Article I Beléeue that vnto that holy Table ought to be admytted but onelie the faythfull the true contryte and penitent and all that are vnworthy to be reiected for feare least they defyle contamynate the holy meates which the Lorde geueth not but vnto this domesticall and faithfull I call vnworthy all Infydels Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God Heretikes and all people which make sectes for to breake the vnitie of the Churche all periured persones all those which are rebellious against their fathers and mothers and their superiors all seditious persons quarrellers fighters whoremongers théeues rauishers couetous droonkerdes gluttons and generallye all those which leade a slaunderous and dyssolute lyfe Such manner of people haue no parte nor portion in the kingdom of God therfore they ought to be reiected and put out of the Church with whome it is not lawfull to frequent eate drinke or contract allyaunce except it bee peraduenture to win and leade them to repentaunce The .lxxi. Article I Beléeue that the popishe Masse is not nor can not be the holy Supper of the Lorde But a méere inuention of lying and wicked men altogether contrarie vnto the same as the nyght to the daye Beliall to Christe The which shall be knowen of all men more clearelie then the noone day by the conference and collation made betwéene the institution of that Supper recyted and written by the Euangelistes and chieflye by the Apostle Saint Paul and the celebration of the Masse Therefore it is not a remembraunce of the true sacrifice that is to saye of the death and Passion of Christe as the holye Supper is But a renouncing of the same for so much as it attrybuteth that which belongeth vnto the onelie blood of Christ shedde vpon the crosse to wete satisfaction purgation and remission of sinnes with collation of grace and maketh vs to worship the creature in steede of the Creator a péece of breade in stéede of Iesus Christe our onely Lord sauiour and redéemer The .lxxii. Article I Beléeue the thirde marke of the Church which is the Ecclesiastical discipline to be greatly profitable yea necessary in the Catholike church for the consolatioÌ„ of the good correctio of the wicked The which also I receyue submyt my selfe to the same knowing that it is the ordinaunce of Christe in the Gospell The which also was practised by the Apostles in the primatiue Church that all might be done honestlie and in good order which is an honest and necessarie thing in euery Congregation The .lxxiii. Article I Beléeue the power to bynde and loose excommunicate and absolue which we call commonly the keies of the Churche to bee geuen of God not vnto one man or two or to any particularly but vnto al the Church that is to saye to all the faythfull and beléeuing in Christe not for to destroye waste or consume but for to buylde vp and aduaunce it altogether Therefore I saye and confesse that the excommunication or absolution of the same ought not nor can not be geuen at the appetyte or wyll of some perticularlie but by the consent of all the Churche or at least of the greatest best and holyest parte of the same congregated and assembled in the name of Christ with prayers The .lxxiiii. Article I Beléeue that excoÌ„munication executed duelye according as Iesus Christe hath declared and commaunded in his Gospell to bee of so great aucthoritie power strength that it can shutte men out of heauen So that all those which are by lawfull excommunication reiected and put out of the Church mylitant they shall be also reiected and put from the Church tryumphant which is in heauen except they repent that is a sharpe sworde for to câ—tte away the rotten members of the mysticall body of Christe which is his Churche A key for to shutte vp the heauens against the wicked and a rodde to chastice correct them The which yet neuerthelesse is not made for to confounde them but as a spyrituall medicine for to amend relieue heale and to set them vp againe froÌ„ which they are fallen The .lxxv. Article I Beléeue that that excommunicaon which is the last staffe of the Churche ought not nor can not be cast against any person which first hath not receyued and made profession of the faith and christian Religion As also it cannot be pronounced for euerie small thing as are debtes or other lyke thinges Nor also be executed against all sinners but onely against publycke rebellious and obstynate sinners towards whome the worde of God and the brotherly correction commauÌ„ded by Christ in the Gospel taketh no place Wherfore all those do greatly abuse that staffe which do excommunicate the Christians for smal things with out hauing suffred the brotherly correction In lyke manner also those which do excommunicate the Iewes Turkes Heathens other Infidels yea also the Flyes and other brute beastes wylling to cast put out of the christian Church all that which neuer was in it The .lxxvi. Article I Beléeue besides the same that the vnitie of spyrite wyll peace concorde and loue that is to saye true loue and brotherly delection amiable the mutuall supporting the one towardes the other is also one of the markes and signes of the true calholyke Church of the faithfull childreÌ„ of God by which they are known to be of the schoole number of the Disciples of Iesus Christ And we must not glory of the tytle of Christian or of the fayth saying I beléeue I beléeue except we haue that loue peace charitie and true vnitie of the harte together agréeing the one with the other in all good works For the true faith neuer goeth without these things by which also it declareth manifesteth it self vnto al. These are the signs marks of the true christian church to which she is bound tyed and not to a certaine place tyme or persons And there she is perfect where these markes are founde and exercised and not otherwise that if one of that fayle then it is not perfect And although that that total perfection can be founde for the estate of this present world in the Church myllytant yet the faulte ought to be acknowledged before the Lorde and to endeuor to