obserue the said lawes gyuen by his seruaunt Moyses After the whiche admonitions many tymes so gyuen by the prophetes and nothynge regarded almyghty god of his infinite goodnes and inestimable mercy for the loue that he beare to mankynde dyd send at the last in to the worlde his onely begotten sonne being his eternal wisdome by whome in the begynnyng he dyd create heauen and earthe and all creatures in them to take vpon hym mans nature for to redeme mankynde and to teache the world the truth of his lawes and by what meanes the world might by faythe to be gyuen to his wordes and doctrine amende theyr lyues and atteyne to comme to the lyfe in heauen folowyng hym in his doctrine who was the waye to come to the father the Truthe to atteyne the knowlege of the father and the Lyfe it selfe wherin he shulde finally leade them to come vnto the father vnto whom god the father commaundyng the worlde to gyue full credence sayd to all men Ipsum audire beare hym Mat. xvii Wherfore the sayd sonne of god in the wombe of the blessed virgin called Mary dyd take vppon him of her very fleshe nature and substance mans nature and beyng conceiued by the holy gost was borne of her body and dyd vnite and conioyne togither the same nature of man takē of the substāce of the said most blessed virgin with his godheade in one persone with suche an indissoluble and inseparable knotte and bonde that he beynge one persone IESVS CHRISTE was is and euer shall be in the same persone verye perfecte god and very perfecte man whiche holy worke of the incarnation was not wrought by the seede of man but by the holy goste in the sayde moste blessed virgine without any motion of concupiscence or spotte of synne and was accomplysshed without any violation or detriment vnto the virginitie of that blessed virgine saint Mary who bothe in the conception and also in the byrth and natiuitie of our sauiour IESV CHRIST her chylde and euer after reteyned styll her virginitie pure and immaculate and as clere without blotte as she was at the tyme that she was fyrst borne The fourth article Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate / was crucified dead buried and descended into hell FOr declaration of this article it shal be expedient brefely to repete the processe of a great part of our sauiour Christis lyfe from the beginninge vnto the tyme of his most glorious passion with the same passion also and the descense of his soule into hell wherfore we must vnderstande that Christe very god and man after he was conceyued and borne of his blessed mother waxed and lyued forthe here in the worlde vntyll he came vnto the .xxxiii. yere of his age and that in all this tyme of his lyfe he suffred and endured for our sakes and our welthe also for our example moche bodyly affliction moche labour moch trauaile moche hunger thyrst and pouertie moche iniury and ignominy and many other such miseries and infirmities as all mortall men be subiecte vnto syn and ignorance onely except so passed ouer al the hole course of his lyfe euen frō his natiuitie vntyll his death in suche perfect obedience vnto the lawes of god and man accordyng to the wyll of his father and in suche perfecte innocencye of lyuing that no faute or blame of lyuynge ne any offence or transgression coulde iustly and truly be laid against him and yet the blynd ignorant and obstinate Iewes replete with enuy and malice as the very members of the deuyll by whom they were prouoked and enduced thervnto laboured continually by all craft and meanes they coulde to dystroye hym and at length conspiring togither they toke him serching and procuringe false wytnesse to accuse hym and after they had bette him and spette in his face and vsed al the vyllany they could vnto him they boūd him and brought him before Pontius Pilatus beinge than the chiefe iudge in Ierusalem vnder the emperour of Rome and there they most falsely accused hym as a subuerter of the lawes of god and as a persone that seduced the people and moued sedition amonge them and as a traitour against the emperour of Rome after whiche accusations our sayde sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ was greuousely scourged by the commaundement of Pylate and had a crown of thorne put vpon his head by the souldiours of the garrison and was by them not onely moste spitefully mocked and scorned but also most cruelly tormented and afflycted and after this he was at the last in publike and open iugement condemned by the sentence of the said iudge to be crucified to the intent he shoulde suffer that kynde of deathe whyche amonge the Iewes was euer most abhorred and detested and accompted to be the moste shamefull and cursed of all other and so accordynge to the sayde sentence the souldiours of the garryson crucified hym that is to say they nayled hym throughe handes and feete to a crosse and hanged hym vppon the same betwene two theues vpon a certayne hyll callyd Caluary vntyl he was deade and after he was thus deade one Ioseph of Aramathia beynge one of Christis disciples obteyned lycence of the sayde iudge to take downe the blessed bodye of oure sauioure IESV CHRIST from the sayde crosse and that done he and an other of Christis disciples callyd Nicodemus wrapped and foolded the same bodye in a cleane syndon and soo layde it and buryed it in a newe graue or sepulchre whyche the sayde Ioseph had made a stone wherein there was neuer man buried before and after he was thus crucified and deade vppon the crosse he descended in soule into hell and losed the peynes or sorowes therof wherwith it was not possible that he shulde be holden and conquered and oppressed bothe the deuyll and hell and also deathe it selfe wherevnto all mankynde was condemned by the falle of oure forefather Adam into synne The proces of our sauiour Iesu Christis life deathe buriall and discence to hell thus declared it is specially to be noted and to be beleued for a certaine truthe that our sayde sauyour in all the tyme of his moste bytter and greuous passion and in sufferynge his moste peynfull and cruell deathe not only indured and susteyned for our redemption all the peynes and iniuries and all the obprobries and ignominies whiche were done to hym mooste pacientely withoute resistence and like an innocent lambe but also that he did wyllyngly and gladly suffer this crosse and this kinde of deathe for our example that we shulde folowe the steppes of hym in pacyence and humylitie and that we shulde beare our owne crosse as he did beare his and that we shoulde also hate and abhorre all synne knowinge for suretie that who so euer dothe not in his harte hate and abhorre synne but rather accompteth the breache and violation of goddis commandement but as a lyght matter and of small weyght and importance he estemeth not the price value
Trinitie and that he dyd begette him of his owne substance by eternall generation that is to say by generation that neuer had begynning And where this article conteineth that god the father is Almighty it is as moch to say as that he may do all thynges that he wil. in heauen and in earthe and nothyng is to hym impossible and that his godly power and myghte excelleth infinitely and incomparably all other powers in heauen earth and hell so that all other powers whiche be in heauen earthe or hell be nothynge as of theym selues but haue all their might force and strength of hym and be all subiecte vnto his power and can not resyst or lette the same And althoughe god be omnipotent and of infinite power yet he is not author or worker of any synne for whan soeuer any synne is done by any creature the same is wrought by the malice of the deuyll or free wyll of man only by the sufferance and permission of god not and by the working power of god in styryng vp furtheryng or assisting the malice of the euyll thought or deede This article conteineth further that god the father Almighty dyd at the begynnynge create fourme and make of nought heauen and earthe and all thynges visible and invisible and that he dyd gyue vnto them all theyr power and myghte and so he doth from tyme to tyme continually preserue gouerne susteyne and mainteine the hole worlde and all creatures therin by his onely goodnesse and high prouidence in so moche that without his continuall workynge nothinge shulde be able any while to continue And for the more euydent and playne vnderstandyng of the firste parte of this article whyche is I beleue in god it is to be noted that we muste not onely beleue stedfastly that god is and that he is true in all his wordes and promyses and that he is omnipotente and creatour of heauen and earthe and so forthe but we muste also with this our beleue loue god and cleaue onely vnto hym and that with al our harte and power and so continue and dwelle styll in hym by loue It sygnifieth also that we must obey vnto his wyll as well in al our inwarde thoughtes and affections as also in al our outwarde actes and dedes and that we must abhorre all vyce and not wishe or desyre of god any euyll or vngodly thing It sygnyfyeth also that we must constantly betake and commytte our selues and all ours holy vnto god and fyxe all our hole hope trust and confidence in hym and quyete our selues in hym beleuynge perfectly and assuredly that he wyll in dede shewe no lesse goodnesse loue mercy grace and fauour vnto vs than he promyseth by his word to do with vs vsing our selues as afore is sayde This maner of beleue we ought to haue in no creatour of god be it neuer so excellente but in god only therfore in this crede the said maner of speaking kyng I beleue in is vsed onely in the thre articles whiche concerne the thre persons in trinitie that is the Father the sonne and the holy goste The seconde article ¶ And in Iesu Christ his onely sonne our lorde FOr the vnderstandinge of this second article it is to be knowen that IESVS CHRIST is the only begotten sonne of almighty god the father and that he was begotten of his godly nature substance eternally and that he is very god the same substance with god the father and the holy gost vnto whom he is equall in all thinges of the godhead And although we christen men may be called the children of god by adoption and grace yet onely our sauiour Iesus Christe is god the fathers sonne by nature We must knowe also and beleue that IESVS CHRIST was eternally preordeined and appointed by the decree of the hole Trinitie to be our lorde and to redeme and brynge vs from vnder the dominion of the deuyl sinne vnto his kyngdome lordshyp and gouernance and therfore is worthely called IESVS that is to say sauior and CHRIST that is to saye anointed king priest and LORDE that is to saye redemer and gouernour for he hath done and fulfilled for all mankinde the very office bothe of a priest and of a kynge and lorde Of a priest for asmoch as he hath made sacrifice and oblation on the crosse in that he there willingly suffered his naturall body to be slayne and his bloudde to be shed for remission of synne and so was bothe the prieste and the sacrifice it selfe And of a kinge and lorde in that he hath like a moste mighty conquerour ouercome and vtterly oppressed his ennemyes and hath spoyled theym of the possession of mankinde whyche they wanne before by fraude and deceyte by lyinge and blasphemynge and hath brought vp now into his possession and dominion to reigne ouer vs in mercy lyke a most louing lord and gouernour And therfore in this article we call hym Our lorde And although this worde Dominus diuers tymes is translated in to our englysshe tongue the lorde and the place and circumstance of scripture oftentimes requireth the same yet amonge vs christen men in our common speche when we speake of Christe and call hym Lord it is mooste mete and conuenient that we call hym Our lorde to signifie and admonishe vs that we be his peculiar people redemed by hym and deliuered from the dominion and the captiuitie of the deuyll and be made his owne propre and obedient seruauntes after which sorte the heathen people bycause of their infidelitie be neither his seruauntes ne partakers of his benefites and therfore can not say and call him as Christen men do Our lord The thirde article whiche was conceyued by the holy gost borne of the virgin Mary FOr declaratyon of this artycle ye shall vnderstande that whan the tyme was come in the whiche is was before ordeyned and appoynted by the decree of the hole Trinitie that mankynde shoulde be saued and redemed than the sonne of god the seconde person in Trinitie and verye god descended from heauen in to the world to take vpon him the very habite fourme and nature of man and in the same nature to suffer his glorious passion for the redemption and saluation of all mankinde And for farther declaration hereof it is to be consydered that before the commynge of Christe mankynde was so blynded and drowned in synne that the true knowlege of god was euery where in the world forgotten and his lawes broken not only by the gentiles in all other nations but also by the iewes the chosen people of god to whome god had by his seruaunt Moises giuen his lawes wher by they myght knowe howe to auoyde synne and pleased hym and where those lawes gyuen by god were often by them transgressed yet almighty god dyd from tyme to tyme sende to theym his prophetes inspired with his holy spirite bothe to admonyshe them of their synnes and to teache them how they shuld truely vnderstande and
A NECESSARY DOCTRINE AND ERVDITION FOR ANY CHRISTEN man set furthe by the kynges maiestie of Englande c. Psal xix Lorde preserue the Kyng and here vs whan we call vpon the. Psal xx Lorde in thy strengthe the Kynge shall reioyse and be meruailous glad through thy saluation The contentes of this booke The declaration of fayth The articles of oure beliefe called the Crede The seuen sacramentes The .x. commandementes of almyghty god Our lordes prayer called the Pater noster The salutation of the angell / called the Aue Maria. An article of freewyll An article of iustification An article of good workes Of prayer for soules departed ⧠HENRY THE EYGHT BY THE GRACE OF GOD KYNG of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the faythe and in earthe of the churche of England and also of Ireland supreme hed vnto all his faithful and louyng subiectes sendeth greetyng LIke as in the time of darckenesse and ignoraunce fyndynge our people seduced and drawen from the truth by hypocrisy and superstition we by the helpe of god his worde haue trauayled to purge and clense our realme frome the apparant enormities of the same wherin by openynge of goddes trueth with settyng furth and publishyng of the scriptures our labours thankes be to god haue not ben void and frustrate So nowe perceiuing that in the tyme of knowledge the deuil who ceasseth not in all tymes to vexe the worlde hath attented to returne agayn as the parable in the gospel she with into the hous purged and clensed accompanied with seuen worse spirites and hypocrisy and superstition beyng excluded and put away we fynde entered into some of our peoples hartes an inclination to sinister vnder standynge of scripture presumption arrogancye carnall liberty and contention we be therfore constrayned for the reformation of them in tyme and for auoyding of suche diuersitie in opinions as by the sayde euyll spirites might be engendred to sette furth with the aduise of our clergy suche a doctrine and declaration of the true knowledge of god and his worde with the principall articles of our religion as wherby all men may vniformely be ledde taught the true vnderstandyng of that whiche is necessary for euery christen man to know for the ordering of him selfe in this lyfe agreably to the will and pleasure of almyghty god Which doctrine also the lordes bothe spirituall and temporall with the nether house of our parliament haue both sene and lyke very wel And for knowlege of the ordre of the matter in this boke conteined for as muche as we knowe not perfectly god Faythe but by fayth the declaration of faith occupieth in this tretise the first place Wherunto is nexte adioyned the declaration of the articles of our Crede The crede conteinyng what we shulde beleue And incontinently after them foloweth the explication of the seuen sacramentes The sacramentes wherin god ordinarily worketh and whereby he participateth vnto vs his speciall giftes and graces in this lyfe Whiche matters so digested and set forth with simplicitie and plainesse as the capacities and vnderstandynges of the multitude of our people may easily receyue and comprehende the same The commaundementes There foloweth conuenientlye the declaration of the .x. commaundementes beyng by God ordeyned the hyghe way wherin eche man shulde walke in this lyfe to finishe fruitfully his iourney here and after to rest eternally in ioy with him Whiche bycause we can not doo of our selfe but haue nede alwayes of the grace of god as without whom we can neither continue in this lyfe ne without his speciall grace doo any thing to his pleasure wherby to atteine the life to come We haue after declaration of the cōmandementes expounded the .vii. The pater noster petitions of our Pater noster wherin be conteined requestes and suites for all thynges necessary to a christen man in this present lyfe with declaration of the Aue Maria The Aue as a prayer conteinyng a ioyfull rehersall and magnifiyng of god in the worke of the incarnatiō of Christ whiche is the grounde of our saluation wherin the blessed virgin our Lady for the abūdance of grace wherwith god indued her is also with this remembrance honoured and worshypped And for as muche as the heades and sensis of our people haue ben imbusied and in these dayes trauailed with the vnderstandyng of Freewill Iustification Freewyll Iustification Good workes Praier for soules Good workes and Praying for the soules departed we haue by the aduise of our clergie for the purgation of erronious doctrine declared and sette furthe openly plainly and without ambiguitie of speche the mere and certain truthe in them So as we verily truste that to knowe god and howe to lyue after his pleasure to the atteining of euerlastyng life in the ende this boke conteyneth a perfecte and sufficient doctrine grounded and established in holy scriptures Wherfore we hartily exhorte our people of all degrees willyngly and earnestly bothe to reade and printe in theyr hartes the doctrine of this boke considering that god who as saynt Paul sayeth distributeth diuideth to his churche his graces distinctly hath ordered some sorte of men to teache other and some to be taught that al thynges shulde be done semely and in ordre and hathe beautified and set furthe by distinctiō of ministers and offices the same church And consideryng also that for the one parte whiche shuld teache other is necessary not only knowlege but also learnyng and cunnyng in the same knowlege wherby they may be hable conueniently to dispence and distribute to their audience the trueth of god accordyng to theyr connyng for the edification of other and by true exposition of the scriptures accordynge to the apostolicall doctrine receyued and mainteined from the beginnyng and by conferring and declaration of them to conuince refell and reproue all errours and vntrouthes set furthe to the contrary finally be also able to giue an accompte as saynt Peter sayeth of that they professe It must be agreed than that for the instruction of this parte of the church whose offyce is to teache other the hauing redyng and studyeng of holy scripture bothe of the olde and newe testament is not onely conuenient but also necessary But for the other parte of the churche ordeined to be taught it ought to be denied certainly that the reading of the olde and newe testamēt is not so necessary for all those folkes that of duty they ought and be bound to reade it but as the prince and the policy of the realme shall thynke cōuenient so to be tollerated or taken from it Consonant whervnto the politike lawe of our realme hath nowe restrained it from a greate meyny esteming it sufficient for those so restrained to here and truely beare away the doctrine of scripture taught by the preachers and so imprint the lessons of the same that they may obserue and kepe them inwardly in their harte and as occasion serueth expresse
coupled togyther conteining as it is aforesayde the obedience to the hole doctrine and religion of Christe And here is to be noted that euery man that dothe offende god dothe not lose his faythe therby For they that synne by frailtie and sodeyn motions whiche iuste men doo not auoyde and be taughte therfore of Christ to say in their Pater noster Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynste vs Yet those men so breaking their promyse with god and slackyng in suche care and desyre as they shulde haue to please god neuerthelesse be not accompted to haue lost theyr fayth therby yea they also who after the knowlege of god fall into deadly synne aduisedly as they that committe murther adultery and other abhominations and soo falle from faythe as it is taken in the seconde acception and be therfore out of the state of grace and fauour of god for the tyme yet do not those men fall frome fayth as it is taken in the fyrst acception Luc. xii that is to saye from certayne and assured knowledge of god and his doctrine And therfore the gospell speaketh of a seruaunt that knoweth the wyl of his lord and dothe it not And saynt Iames in his epistle sayeth Iacob ii that Faythe may remayne without charitie Wherfore a transgressour of the lawe of almyghty God after baptisme kepeth styll a remorse of conscience and the lyghte of knowledge by Faythe wherby he seeth the remedyes howe to atteyne remyssion of synne and by a special gyfte of further grace is moued to vse the same remedyes and so by faythe walketh the wayes ordeined to atteine remission of sinnes as in the sacrament of penance shal be declared Thus we haue shewed two acceptions of fayth and declared that the fayth of knowledge may remayne in hym that hath fallen from fayth after the second acception But whether there be any special particular knowlege which man by faith hath certainly of him self wherby he may testify to him selfe that he is of the predestinates which shal to th ende perseuere in their callynge we haue not spoken ne can not in scripture ne doctours find that any such faith can be taught or preached Truth it is that in the sacramētes instituted by Christ we may cōstantly beleue the workes of god in them to our present comfort and applycation of his grace and fauour with assurance also that he wyll not faile vs if we fall not from hym Wherfore so continuinge in the state of grace with hym we may beleue vndoubtedly to be saued But forasmoche as our owne frailty and naughtynes ought euer to be feared in vs it is therfore expedient for vs to lyue in contynuall watche and continuall fight with our enemies the deuyl the fleshe and the world and not to presume to moche of our perseuerance contynuance in the state of grace which on our behalfe is vncertayne and vnstable For although goddis promises made in Christe be immutable yet he maketh them not to vs but with cōdition so that his promise standyng we may yet faile of the promise bicause we kepe not our promise And therfore if we assuredly recken vpon the state of our felicitie as grounded vppon goddis promise and do not therwith remēbre that no man shal be crowned onles he laufully fight we shal triumph before the victory and so loke in vain for that whiche is not otherwise promised but vnder a condition And this euery christen man must assuredly beleue ¶ The Crede or the .xii. articles of the christen faythe iI Beleue in god the fatheralmighty maker of heauen and earth ii And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde iii whiche was conceiued by the holy goste borne of the virgine Mary iiii Suffred vnder Pōce Pylate was crucified dead buried and descended into hell v And the third day he rose agein frō deth vi He ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty vii From thens he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade viii I beleue in the holy goste ix The holy catholike churche x The communyon of sayntes The forgyuenes of synnes xi The resurrection of the body xii And the lyfe euerlastynge Amen THE NOTES Here folowe certayne notes for the better vnderstanding of this Crede FIrst it is to be noted that all and singular the .xii. articles conteined in this Crede be so necessarye to be beleued for mans saluation that who so euer wyll not constantly beleue them or wyll obstinately affirme the contrary of theym can not be the very members of Christe and his espouse the churche but are very infidelles or heretikes and members of the deuel with whom they shall be perpetually damned Secondly it is to be noted that all true christen men ought and muste moste constantly beleue maynteyne and defende all those thinges to be true whiche be comprehended in this Crede and in the other .ii. credes wherof the one is vsed to be sayde at masse and is approued by the auncyen generall councelles the other was made by the holye man Athanasius And also all other thynges which be cōprehended in the hole body canon of the bible Thirdly that all true christen men ought and must not onely repute take and holde all the sayde thynges for the most holy most sure and most certayne and infallible truthes of goddis worde and suche as neyther oughte ne can be altered or conuelled by any contrarye opinion or authoritie but also must take interpretate all the same thynges accordynge to the selfe same sentence and interpretation whiche the wordes of scripture do signifie and the holy approued doctours of the churche do agreably intreate and defende Fourthly that all true christen men ought and must vtterly refuse and condemne al those opiniōs contrary to the said .xii. articles of our crede whiche were of longe tyme paste condemned in the .iiii. holy counsels that is to say in the counsel of Nece Constanstinople Ephese and Calcidonense The fyrst article I beleue in god the father almighty maker of heauen and earthe FOr the plain vnderstandinge hereof euery materiall worde of this article shal be declared hereafter And first we muste knowe God that God is a spiritual and an inuisible substance or nature of infinite power and eternall without beginning or endyng of incomprehensible knowlege wysdome goodnes iustice and mercy and that there is but one very god thre persons the father the sonne the holy gost that these thre persons be not three goddis but all one god one nature one substance all one euerlastinge essence or being and all lyke and equall in might power wisdome knowlege rightwysnes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is none other god Moreouer we must knowe that god the father is the fyrst persone in trinitie Father and Father of his onely begotten sonne the second persone in
people whiche be called of god to one fayth be they of the clergye or of the laymen but also by the same worde we signifie the place wherin the worde of god is commonly preached and the sacramētes ministred and vsed and call that the churche to entreate wherof at this time in this article is no part of our entent but onely of the assemble and cōpany called to professe Christe in one faythe whiche in this article is named the Holy churche For all be it in this assemble of men called by the worde of god and receyued by faythe and baptisme be many euyll men many synners many that tourne by true penance to grace and sometyme yet fal agayn some after theyr tourne by true penance styll perseuere and increace in goodnes many that fall and neuer ryse agayn so that spottes blottes and imperfections appere euidently in this churche and many tymes in the more parte therof Yet neuerthelesse bycause the callyng is of it selfe holy the caller also holy and the ende of the callinge holynes with this also that the people so called professe holynes and make a bodye wherof the onely heade our sauiour CHRIST is moste holy and holines it selfe by the merites of whose passion they be relieued and norisshed with dyuerse holy sacramentes and be in theyr callyng indued with moste speciall holy giftes and graces of almightye god autour therof and by his holy spirite directed and gouerned in the same so long as they by folowyng theyr concupiscence the deuyll or the worlde fall not frō that estate For these causes although some membres therof be euyll the churche is called Holy churche takyng the name Holy of that that Christ the onely head is holy the caller holy the profession and callyng holy and the ende holynes whyche of very duety ought to be in al them that be called and is in deede in suche membres as contynue and perseuere in that holy callynge And for so moch as god of his goodnes calleth people as afore without acception of persons or priuilege of place Therfore this holy church is also Catholike that is to say not limitted to any one place or regiō of the world but is in euery place vniuersally through the world where it pleaseth god to cal peple to him in the professiō of Christis name and faith be it in Europe Affrike or Asia And all these churches in diuers coūtreis seuerally called althoughe for knowlege of the one from the other among them they haue diuers additions of names and for their moste necessary gouernement as they be distinct in places so they haue distinct ministers and diuers heades in earthe gouernours and rulers yet be al these holy churches but one holy churche catholyke inuited and called by one god the father to enioy the benefite of redemption wrought by our onely lord and sauiour Iesu Christ and gouerned by one holy spirite whiche reacheth to this foresayde holy churche one truthe of goddis holy worde in one faith and baptisme And this churche is relieued norished and fortified by his holy and inuincible worde and his sacramentes which in al places haue eche of them their owne propre force strength with giftes of graces also distributed by the goodnes of almighty god in al places as to his wisedome is sene conuenient Wherby it appereth that the vnitie of these holy churches in sundry places assembled stādeth not by knowledging of one gouernour in earth ouer al churches For neyther the hole churche catholyke togither nor any particular church apart is boūd to aknowlege any one vniuersall gouernour ouer the hole churche other than Christe althoughe by sufferaunce of some princes and potentates not beinge truely instructed in the worde of god by suche as of duety both to god them oughte to haue declared the truthe of scripture to them and by hypocrisy and vsurpation of the see and court of Rome the bishoppe of the same giuinge him selfe more to worldly polycy than to the execution of his duety hath longe tyme gone aboute to obteine and establishe vnto hym selfe suche an vniuersall auctoritie and hath by abuses alwaies compassed to cause other to vpholde and mainteine the same contrary to goddes lawe as more largely shall be declared in the sacrament of orders The vnitie therfore of the churche is not conserued by the bishoppe of Romes auctoritie or doctrine but the vnitie of the catholyke churche whiche all christen men in this article do professe is cōserued and kepte by the helpe and assistence of the holy spirite of god in reteining and mainteynynge of suche doctrine and profession of christen faithe true obseruance of the same as is taughte by the scripture and the doctrine apostolike And particular churches ought not in the said doctrine so accepted and allowed to vary one from an other for any lucre arrogance or any other worldly affectiō but inuiolably to obserue the same so that by reason of that doctrine eche churche that teacheth the same maye be worthely called as it is in dede an apostolike churche that is to say folowing such teachyng as the apostels preached with ministration of suche sacramentes as be approued by the same And this vnitie of the holy church of Christe is not diuided by distance of place nor by diuersitie of traditions and ceremonies dyuersely obserued in diuerse churches for good ordre of the same For the churche of Corinthe and of Ephese were one churche in god thoughe the one were farre distant in place from the other And though also in traditions opinions and policies there was some diuersitie amonge them lykewise as the churche of Englande Spaine Italy and Poole be not separate from the vnitie but be one churche in god not withstandynge that amonge them there is great distance of place diuersitie of traditions not in all thinges vnitie of opinions alteration in rites ceremonies and ordinances or estimatiō of the same as one churche peraduenture doth esteme their rytes traditions lawes ordinances and ceremonies to be of more vertue and efficacie than an other churche dothe esteme the same As the churche of Rome doth affirme certaine of theyr lawes and ordinaunces to be of suche estimation that they be of equall force with the worde of god and that who so euer disobeyeth or transgresseth the same commytteth deadly synne Yet we perceyuing the same to be discrepant from the truthe of scripture must nedes therin dissent from them But such diuersitie in opinions and other outward maners and customes of policie doth not dissolue and breake the vnitie whiche is in one god one faith one doctrine of Christe and his sacramentes preserued and kept in these seueral churches without any superioritie or preeminence that one churche by goddis lawes maye or ought to chalenge ouer an other And therfore the churche of Rome beinge but a seuerall churche chalenginge that name of Catholike aboue all other dothe great wrong to all other churches and dothe onely by force
penance as he had at the firste entrie vnto Christis religion by the sacrament of Baptisme It is also to be noted that confessiō to the priest is in the church profitably commanded to be vsed and frequented for many other good causes specially for this cause that they whiche by custome be drowned in synne se not the abhomination and fil thines therof ne remembre the goodnes of god and want therfore contrition may by a good gostly father be stirred and moued to deteste lament their sinne by declaring vnto thē the word of god in such scriptures as serue for that purpose in suche wyse that not only contrition shal arise in the hart to the pleasure of god but also satisfaction ensue wherwith goddis merciful goodnes shal be cōtēted So that the wordes of absolutiō may be effectually pronoūced to the penitēt of the remissiō of his synnes Fynally it is to be remembred that not withstādynge this waye before described is the ordinary meane for penitent synners to opteine remission of synnes to be reconciled to the fauour of god yet in case there lacke a minister to pronounce the wordes of absolution or in tyme of necessitie whan a sinner hath not sufficient leysure or oportunitie to do the workes of penance before declared if he truly repent him of his sinful life and withal his hart purpose through goddis grace to change amende the same he shal vndoubtedly haue pardon and forgyuenes of all his missedoynges For as saynt Cyprian sayeth Euen in the houre of deathe whan the soule is ready to departe out of the body the greate mercifull goodnes of god despiseth not penaunce In so muche that than neither the greatnes of sinne nor the shortenes of tyme nor yet the enormitie of lyfe excludeth from the mercy of god if there be tru contrition and an vnfayned chaunge of the harte from synnefull conuersation The these that hanged vpon the crosse asked mercye with a contryte harte and forthwith was made a citezen of Paradise and where as he deserued condemnation punyshement this contrite hart changed his peyn into martyrdome and his bloude into baptisme yet not withstandyng no mā ought vpon hope of goddis mercy stil to continue in sinfull lyuing Like as no man wold be sycke in his body vpon hope to recouer helth For such as wyll not forsake theyr wickednes and yet thinke that god wyl forgyue them be oftentymes so preuented with the iuste plage of god that neither they haue time to cōuert nor grace to receyue the benefitte of forgyuenesse Therfore scripture saith Slacke not to conuert and tourne to god And linger not from day to day For his angre wyll come sodeynly in the time of vengeance he wyll distroy the. Wherfore imbracyng the mercy of god on the one syde and fearynge the iustyce of god on the other side Let vs at no time neyther dispayre mā ought to reson ouer farre nor go about to compasse the will and worke of god by his weake sense and ymagination But we muste without further serching giue firme assent and credence vnto Christis almighty worde by the whiche heauen earth were made not trouble our wittes in labouryng to comprehend the power and might of god but rather stedfastly giuing fayth to his word apply our hole wil and affection to atteine the fruite and profite of this moste holy sacrament towardes our saluation according to th entent of Christis institution Who of his inestimable mercy loue towardes vs willing that we shuld haue perfit hope strēgth comforte and ioy in him and that we shuld haue cōtinuall remembrance of his most dere charitie shewed towardes vs in his death and passion dyd institute this sacrament as a permanent memorial of his mercy and the wonderful worke of our redemptiō a perpetual fode nourishement for our spiritual sustentation in this dangerous passage and trauaile of this wretched life It is therfore necessary that in the vsyng receiuing beholding of this sacramēt we haue harty remēbrance of our most louing dere sauiour Iesu Christe that is to say that we thinke effectuously of his most bitter passiō whiche he being the lord of glory suffred for vs. And to be waile our synnes which were cause of the sayd death passion callyng mekely for grace and the mercy of god which most abundantly is obteined by the vertue merite of the same passion And thinking that our lord which gaue him self in that maner for vs wyll not forsake vs or cast vs awaye but forgiue vs if we truely repent and wyll amende become faithfull seruantes to hym whiche so derely hath bought vs paied for vs neither golde ne yet siluer as sainte Peter saith but his owne precious bloud Wherfore seinge we be so bought i. Pet. i. we muste know that we be not our owne that is to say We may not be at the libertie wildnes of our owne fleshe nor we maye not be seruantes to the worlde nor the deuyl but we must be seruantes to our lord maister Iesu Christ in all obediēce vnto rightwisenes godlines according to his wil cōmandementes Therfore when so euer we shall receyue or vse this holy sacrament we must take hede and haue reuerence to the maiestie therof and beware that we come not vnworthely thervnto i. Cor. xi For as saint Paule saith He that eateth of that heauēly fode or drinketh of the cuppe of our lord vnworthely that is to say without due reuerence faith repentance charitie the feare of god he eateth drinketh his own dānation bicause he putteth no difference betwene the body of our lord and other meates And further truly sense christen men ought to haue remembrāce of god whensoeuer they go to theyr bodely meate or drinke receiue it not without thanckes giuing vnto god as saint Paule saith whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do i. Cor. x. do it in the name of our lord Iesu Christ how moch more ought all christen men whan they come to be fed at the table of our lorde and to receiue this blessed and glorious sacrament to haue special entier deuotion with most thāckefull remembrance to god for his goodnes declared towardes vs in the benefite of our redemptiō And therfore amonges other names this sacrament is called Eucharistia that is to saye the sacrament of thankes and blessinge For as moche as it setteth before vs and doth exhibite vnto vs the very price of our redemtion and saluation whiche is the body of our lorde that suffred and died for vs. Furthermore here is to be noted as touching the receyuyng of this sacrament that although our sauiour Iesus Christ at the first institution therof in his supper did minister it vnto his disciples thā present vnder both the kindes of bread wine Yet that fascion maner of ministring is not so necessary to the receyuer excepte it be
is in heauen aboue or in earthe benethe or in the water vnder the earth to the entent to do any godly honour and worshyppe vnto them BY THESE wordes we be not forbydden to make or to haue similitudes or ymages but onely we be forbydden to make or to haue them to thintent to do godly honour vnto them as it appereth in the .xxvi. chapiter of Leuiticus And therfore although ymages of Christ and his saintes be the workes of mennes handes only Yet they be not prohibited but that they maye be had and sette vp bothe in churches in other places to the intent that we in beholdyng and loking vppon them as in certaine bokes and signes may call to remembraunce the manifolde exaumples of vertues whiche were in the sainctes whome they do represent And so may they rather be prouoked kindled and styred to yelde thankes to our lorde and to prayse hym and his sayde sayntes and to remembre and lamente our synnes and offences and to pray god that we may haue grace to folow their goodnes and holy lyuyng As for an example the image of our sauiour hangeth on the crosse in the roode or is paynted in clothes walles or wyndowes as an open boke to the intente that besydes the examples of vertues whiche we maye learne at Christe we maye be also many wayes prouoked to remembre his peynfull and cruell passion and also to consyder our selues whan we beholde the same image and to condemne and abhorre our sinne whiche was the cause of his so cruell deathe And farthermore consideringe what high charitie was in hym that wolde dye for vs his enemies and what greate dangers we haue escaped and what high benefites we receiue by his redemption we maye be prouoked in all our dystresses and troubles to rounne for comforte vnto hym And these lessons with many mo be brought to our remembrance by the boke of the roode if we beyng fyrst wel instruct and taught what is represented and ment therby do dilygently beholde and loke vpon it And as our sauiour Christe is represented by this ymage of the roode euen so the holy saintes which folowed him be represented vnto vs by theyr ymages and therfore the said images may well be set vp in churches to be as bokes for vnlerned people to put them in remembrance of those sayntes of whom they maye learne exaumples of faith humilitie charitie pacience temperance and of all other their vertues and giftes of god whiche were in theym for whiche causes ymages may be sette in the churche and ought not to be despised but to be vsed reuerently althoughe we be forbidden to do any godly honor vnto them These lessons shulde be taught by euerye curate to their parrishe And where as we vse to sense the sayde ymages and to knele before them and to crepe to the crosse with such other thinges Yet we wust knowe and vnderstande that suche thynges be not nor ought to be done to the image it self but to god and in his honour although it be done afore the image whether it be of Christe of the crosse or of our lady or of any other saint Against this commandement dyd offende generally before the commynge of Christe all gentiles and people that were of the nation of Israell For they dyd godly honour vnto images and worshipped false goddis some one some an other of the whiche sorte there was a great number For besydes their common goddis euery countrey euery cytie or towne euery house and familye had theyr propre goddis wherof is moche mencion made in authours bothe christen and heathen And these Gētiles though they had knowlege of a very god yet as saint Paule saith they had ydell and vayne fantasies which led them from the truthe where they compted them selues wise they became fooles And agaynst this commandement offended the Iewes many and sundry tymes and almoste continually For not withstandinge that they professed the knowlege and worshipping of the very true god yet they fel to the adoration of ymages idols and false goddes as the holy scripture maketh mention in many places Also all they do greatly erre whiche put difference betwene image and image trustynge more in one than in an other as thoughe one coulde helpe or do more than an other whan bothe do represente but one thinge and sauyng by way of representation neither of thē is able to worke or do any thinge And they also do erre that be more ready with their substance to decke images gorgiousely than with the same to helpe poore christen people the quicke and lyuing images of god whiche is the necessary worke of charitie commanded by god And they also offende that so dote in this behalfe that they make vowes and go on pylgremages euen to the images and there do call vpon the same ymages for ayde and helpe phantasyng that either the image woll worke the same or elles some other thinge in the image or god for the image sake as thoughe god supernaturally wrought by ymages carued ingrauen or painted brought ones in to churches as he doth naturally worke by other his creatures In whiche thinges if any person heretofore hath or yet dothe offende all good and learned men haue great cause to lamente suche errour and rudenes and to put their studies and diligences for the reformation of the same The exposition of the thirde commandement of god Thou shalt not take the name of thy lorde god in vayne IN this commandement god requireth of vs to vse his name with all honour and reuerence Whervppon you shall vnderstande that the right vse of the name of god and the true honour of the same standeth chiefely in those thinges folowinge that is to saye in the constant confession of his name and mainteyning of his doctrine in the ryghte inuocation of him in the gyuyng of due thankes vnto hym as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie For Christ saith Math. x. He that opēly confesseth me before men I shall confesse him before my father in heauen And he that is ashamed of me to confesse my name before men I wylle be ashamed of hym before my father in heauen In whiche wordes Christe teacheth vs not onely to professe the name of god but also boldly and constantly to defend the same and not to swarue from it for any maner of persecution or iniurie We must also in our tribulation and necessitie and in all temptations and assaultes of the deuyll inuocate and cal vpon the name of god for god accompteth his name to be halowed magnified and worshipped whan we call vpon hym in our nede Call vppon me saythe he in the tyme of trouble Psal xlix and I wyll delyuer the Pro. xviii and thou shalt honour me And agayne the wise man saithe The name of god is the most stronge towre the rightuous man runneth to it and he shall be holpen Furthermore we may not seke our own name laude and fame but vtterly avoyde and
praier superfluous neyther there wanteth any petition suite or request for suche thinges as be necessarie for oure iourney and passage in this worlde or for oure furtherance to that â—eming of the lyfe and glorye euerlastinge Secondly that euery good christen man may be assured to atteine the requestes made in this praier if he shall enforce hym selfe and apply his hole harte and wyll to the wyll and grace of hym vnto whom this prayer is made and also if he shal vtter and offer the said petitions inwardly with his hart and with suche faith confidence and truste in god as he requireth For surely no prayer is thankfull vnto god Ps cxviii Exod. xiiii but that whiche is made with the hart And therfore the prophet Dauid crieth to our lorde with all his hart And Moyses is noted to crye out aloude whan he spake no word with his mouth but he spake aloude with his hart And our lord by his prophete noteth Psal xxix that some pray with theyr lyppes and in their hartes minde nothinge lesse than that which they praye for And therfore who so euer intendeth by saying his Pater noster to atteyne his desyre he must haue with faith a good and ernest deuotion and his hart as nigh as he can voyde of vayne thoughtes and applyed to god so that the entente and desyre of his harte maye be ioyned alwaies with the prayer of his mouth And for this purpose it is mete moch requisite that the vnlearned people shulde vse to make theyr prayers in their mother tounge which they best vnderstand wherby they may be the more moued and stirred vnto deuotion and the more ernestly minde the thinge that they pray for Our father which art in heauen halowed be thy name OF these wordes Our father placed in the beginning of this petition all true christen meÌ„ ought to conceiue a great comfort and ioy in that they be taught and commaunded in this prayer to take almighty god for their father and so to call him as for example If oure soueraine lorde the kynge wolde saye to any of vs take me for your father and so call me what ioye in harte what comforte what confidence wolde we coÌ„ceyue of so fauourable graciouse wordes Than moch more incoÌ„parably haue we cause to reioyse that the king prynce of al princes shewith vnto vs this grace goodnes to make vs his children And surely as the naturall sonne may assuredly trust that his father wyll do for him all thinges that may be for his settyng forth and aduancemeÌ„t euen so we may vndoubtedly assure our selues that hauyng almighty god to our father vsinge our selfe as obedient children we shall lacke nothynge whiche may be profitable for vs toward the euerlastinge inheritaunce prepared for vs. And here is to be noted a lesson that as this word Father declareth the great beneuolence mercy and loue of god towardes vs as well in the creation as also in the redemption of man so it admonisheth vs againe of our duetie towardes him and howe we be bounde to shewe againe vnto hym our hole harte loue and our obedience and redynes to fulfyll all his preceptes and commaundementes with all gladnes and humilitie And therfore who so euer presumeth to come to god with this prayer and to call hym father and yet hath not full entente and purpose to vse hym selfe in all thinges lyke a kinde and an obedient sonne he coÌ„meth to hym as Iudas came to Christe with a kisse 〈◊〉 xx.i. pretending to be his frende and his seruant in callyng hym mayster and yet he was in dede a traytour to hym and a deadly ennemy And for this consideration euery christen man that intendeth to make this prayer ought inwardly and thoroughly to inserche and examine him selfe and yf he finde in him selfe any notable crime for the whiche he ought to be ashamed to call god his father Let him accuse him selfe therof to god and recognise his vnworthynes sayeng as the prodigall sonne sayde Father I haue offended the Luc. xv I am not worthy to be called thy sonne And with due repentaunce and firme purpose intente to amende his naughty lyfe let him lyfte vppe his harte to god and callinge for his grace of reconciltation humbly say Our father c. Moreouer by these wordes Our father is signified that we ought to beleue that almighty god is the common father of al true christen people and fatherly regardeth all throughe and by the meane of our sauiour Iesu Christe vnto whom all faitheful and obedient christen men be brethern by grace and adoption and called to inherite with him the kingdome of heauen And they be also brethern eche one to other hauing al one father which is god almighty And therfore we ought not onely to be of one spirite towardes our said father and to employ and endeuour our selues to the vttermost to please him and to kepe his lawes and commandementes but we ought also eche to consent with other in perfite loue charitie eche to helpe further other towardes the saide inheritaunce of heauen And fynally in al our praiers to god eche to coÌ„prise other and to praye for other lyke as in this prayer we be taught to say Our father gyue vs our breade forgiue vs our synnes suffer vs not to fal into temptation and delyuer vs from euyll By these wordes whiche art in heauen we be taught that we ought to haue an inwarde desyre and a great care study to come to the place where our heauenly father is and moche couet his sighte and presence For lyke as a louynge chylde is euen desirous to be where his father is euen so oughte we euer desyre to be with our heauenly father and to endeuour our selues that our conuersation be al withdrawen from the worlde the fleshe and the deuyll and be sette in heauen and heauenly thinges Phili. iii. as saint Paule teacheth and we shulde continualy wayle and lament bycause we be not with oure heauenly father sayenge with the prophete Ps cxix wofull am I that my dwellynge apon the earthe is so moche prolonged In these wordes Halowed be thy name it is to be noted that by the name of god is vnderstande god him selfe the power of god the myght the maiestie the glory the wysedome the prouidence the mercy and goodnes of god and al suche other good thynges as in scripture be attributed vnto god And this name is halowed whan it is praised glorified sette forthe honoured and magnified of vs both in worde and deede And where in this petition we praye that his name myghte be halowed it is not to be taken or thought that this name of god whiche in it selfe is euermore moste holy most gloriouse most marueylous and full of maiestie can be eyther aduanced or diminished by vs or any thyng that we can do but we desyre here that this most holy name may accordinge as it is
heuēly father do with you if you wil not forgiue euery one of you his brother euen from the hart Thus it apereth plainly that if we wil be for giuen if we wil scape euerlasting damnation we must put out of our hart al rācour malice wil to reuenge and satisfie our owne carnall affections referryng the punishement of the offenders whiche in their offences haue transgressed the lawes of god or of the prince to the order of iustice wherof vnder god the princes and rulers be mynysters in earth In whiche doing we please god so that we vtterly forgiue our owne priuate grudge and dyspleasure And if any paraduenture wyl thinke it to be an hard thyng to suffre and forgiue his enemy whiche in worde and deede hath done him many displesures let him consider againe howe many harde stormes our sauiour Christe suffered and abode for vs what were we whan he gaue his most precious lyfe for vs but horrible synners and his ennmies howe mekely toke he for our sake all rebukes mockes byndyng beating crownyng with thorne and the moste opprobrious deathe It is vndoubtedly aboue our frayle and corrupte nature to loue our ennemies that do hate vs and to forgyue them that do hurt and offende vs and it is a dede of greatter perfection than man hath of him selfe but god that requireth it wyll gyue grace that we may do it if we aske and seke for it And therfore in this petition our sauiour Christe teacheth vs to aske this grace of our heauenly father that we may forgiue our ennemies and that he wyl forgiue vs our trespasses euē so as we forgiue them that trespas against vs. It is further to be noted that to forgiue our brother his defaute is also to pray to god that he wyll forgyue him and wyl not impute his offence to him and to wyshe to hym the same grace and glory that we desyre vnto our selues and also our selfe whan occasion shall come to helpe hym as we be bounde to helpe our christen brother And finally for as moche as in the expounding and declaration of scripture it is conuenient and requisite to obserue and folowe this rule that whā so euer scripture speaketh of any duetye to be done of one christen man to an other that than the same duetie be so plainly and fully opened and set forthe that eche man may heare his owne duetie to wched so that both parties that is to saye as well he that is bounde to forgiue as he whyche receyueth forgyuenes may indifferently knowe their duetie and be hauyour and accordinge thervnto endeuour theym selfe to do the same For these causes it is expedient that lyke as in the former parte of this petition we haue declared the part and duetie of him whiche shulde for charities sake forgyue so to declare the part and duetie of them to whom forgiuenes shulde be made leste euyll doers and naughty mynded people myghte by the former declaration take occasion stylle to perseuere in their naughtye myndes and doinges and yet claime forgiuenes of their neyghbour Wherfore ye shall vnderstande that forgyuenes afore spoken of is not so ment in scripture that by it iustyce or lawes of princes shoulde be broken condemned or not executed For although our sauiour Christe in this petition dothe teache vs to remitte and forgiue all iniuries and trespasses done agaynst vs yet he whiche hath done the iniurie or trespas is neuertheles bounde to aknowlege his faut and to aske forgiuenes therfore not onely of god but of him also whom he hath offended and to intend to do no more so And furthermore to recompence and make amendes vnto the parties againste whome he hath trespassed according to his abilitie and power and as the greuousenesse and greatnes of the offence requireth And in case he whych hath commytted the offence or trespasse be obstinate and wyll not do these thinges before rehersed whyche he is bounde to doo by the lawe of god than may the partie whiche findeth him selfe greued notwithstanding any thing that is saide before in this petitiō laufully and without offence of goddis commandementes aske and seeke recompence of suche iniuries as be done to him according vnto the order prouision of the lawes of the realme made in that behalfe so that he alway haue an eye and respect vnto charitie and do nothing for rancour or malyce or for sinister affection neither beare any hatred in his hart towardes him whom he sueth but only vpon a zeale loue of the mayntenance of iustice correction of vice and reformation of the partie that hath offended remembringe always that he excede not nor go beyonde the limites and boundes of this generall rule taughte by our sauiour Christe in his gospel 〈…〉 As ye wold that other men shoulde do vnto you euen so doo you vnto them For this is the lawe and the prophetes And thus we christen folke wayinge forgyuenes on the one partie and the duetie of hym that is forgyuen on the other party as here nowe we be taught shall the better knowe how to endeuour our selues to obserue bothe ways And by these meanes se and vnderstand more perfectly the agrement and intent of scriptures whiche we be bounde to obserue and folowe The syxte petition ¶ And lette vs not be led into temptation IT is to be noted fyrst that there be two maner of temptations whereof one commeth and is sent to vs by god who suffreth those that be his to be tēpted by one meanes or other for theyr probation or triall al be it he so assisteth and aydeth them in all suche temptations that he tourneth all at the ende vnto theyr profit and benefite For as the wise man saythe Like as the ouen trieth the potters vessell Ec. xxviii so dothe temptation of trouble trie the rightuous man And with this maner of temptation god tempted sundry wyse our holy father Abraham he tempted also Iob with extreme pouertie horrible syckenes and sodayne deathe of his children and dayly he tempteth and proueth all suche as he loueth The other maner of temptation cometh chiefely of the deuyll i. Pet. v. whiche lyke a furyouse and a wood lion ragith rūneth about perpetually seking how he may deuour vs. And commeth also of our owne concupiscence which continually inclineth and stireth vs to euyll Iacob i. as saynt Iames sayth Euery man is tempted drawen and entised by his owne concupiscence This concupiscence is an inclination and prouate of our inordinate nature to synne whiche imperfection man hath by the fall of Adam so that although originall sinne is taken away by baptisme and the dyspleasure appeased betwyxte God and man yet remayneth the dysorder debate betweene the soule and the fleshe whiche shall not be extincte but onely by bodily deathe For there is no man so mortified so sequestred from the worlde and so rauished in spirite in deuotion or in contemplation but that some concupiscence is in him how
that she is the most blessed of all other women And to th entent that all good christen men shulde repute and take her so Beholde the prouidence of god that wolde by annother wytnesse confirme the same for euen the very same wordes that the aungell spake the blessed matrone saint Elyzabeth spake also and where the angell made an ende there she beganne The angell made an end of his salutation with these wordes Blessed art thou amonge women The blessed matrone began her salutation with the same wordes declarynge that she was inspired with the same spirite that sent the aungell and that they were both ministers to the holy Trinitie the one from heauen the other in earth And afterward she added these wordes saying And blessed is the fruite of thy wombe These be not the wordes of the angel but of saint Elizabeth For whan the vyrgin Mary came to salute her the sayd Elizabeth beyng inspired with the holy goste and knowyng that the virgine Mary was conceyued spake these wordes of the fruite that the virgine shulde bring forth And there is also an other wonderfull thyng to be noted For as it appereth in the gospell the child in saynt Elizabethes wombe that is to say saynt Iohn Baptist whiche yet had scant lyfe gaue testimony to this Fruite that this fruite shulde saue hym and all the worlde and as a prophete he lepte for ioy in his mothers wombe although he could not than speake yet neuertheles he declared by such signes and tokens as he could that blessed was the fruite of that wombe And worthily called the fruit of her wombe in that the substance of the nature of man whiche our sauiour Christe toke vppon him was taken of the substance and nature of the moste blessed virgin and in her wombe And so is called the fruite of her wombe And well he may be called the blessed fruite whiche hath saued vs and gyuen vs lyfe contrary to the cursyd fruite whych Eue gaue to Adam by whyche we were destroyed and brought to deathe But blessed is the fruite of this wombe whyche is the fruite of life euerlasting And it is to be noted that although this salutation be not a prayer of petition supplication or request or suit Yet neuertheles the church hath vsed to adioyn it to the end of the Pater noster as an himne or a praier of laude and praise partly of our lorde sauiour Iesu Christe for our redemtion and partly of the blessed virgin for her humble coÌ„sent gyuen expressed to the angell at this salutation Laudes praise and thankes ar in this Aue Maria principally gyuen yelded to our lorde as to the autour of our redemption But herewithal the virgin lackith not her laudes praise and thankes for her excellent and singular vertues and chiefly for that she beleued humbly consented according to the saying of the holy matrone saint Elizabeth whan she said vnto this virgine Blessed arte thou that dyddest gyue trust and credence to the angels wordes for al thinges that haue ben spoken vnto the shall be perfourmed The article of free wyll THe coÌ„mandementes threatninges of almighty god in scripture wherby man is called vpon and put in remembraunce what god wolde haue hym to do moste euydently do expresse and declare that man hath freewyll also nowe after the falle of our fyrste father Adam as plainely appereth in these places folowyng Rom. xii i. Tim. iiii i. Ioan. ii Mat. xix Be not ouercome of euyll Neglecte not the grace that is in the. Loue not the worlde c. If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the commandementes Which vndoubtedly shulde be saide in vayne onelesse there were some facultie or power lefte in man wherby he may by the helpe and grace of god if he wil receiue it when it is offered vnto him vnderstand his coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes and frely consent and obey vnto them whiche thyng of the catholyke fathers is called Freewyll Free wyll which if we wil describe we may cal it coÌ„ueniently in all men A certayne power of the wyll ioyned with reson wherby a resonable creature without constraint in thinges of reason discerneth and willeth good and euil but it willeth not that good whiche is acceptable to god except it be holpen with grace but that whiche is yll it willeth of it selfe and therfore other men defyned frewyll in this wise Frewyl is a power of reson will by which good is chosen by the assistance of grace or euil is choseÌ„ without the assistaÌ„ce of the same Howbeit the state and condition of freewylle was otherwyse in our fyrste parentes before they synned than it was either in them or in theyr posteritie after they hadde synned For our fyrste parentes Adam and Eue vntyll they wounded and ouerthrewe them selfe by synne had so in possession the said power of freewyll by the moste lyberall gyfte and grace of god their maker that not onely they myght eschue all maner of synne but also knowe god and loue hym and fulfylle all thynges apperteynyng to theyr felicitie and welthe For they were made ryghtuous and to the ymage and symilitude of god hauing power of frewyll as Chrisostom sayth to obey or disobey So that by obedience they myght liue and by disobedience they shuld worthyly deserue to dye For the wyse man affirmeth that the state of them was of that sort in the beginning saying thus Eâ—…l xvi God in the beginning did create man and left hym in the handes of his owne counsell he gaue vnto him his preceptes and coÌ„mandementes saying If thou wylt kepe the coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes they shall preserue the he hath set afore the fyre and water put furth thy handes to whether thou wylt before man is lyfe and deth good euyl what him liketh that shall he haue From this moste happy state our fyrst parentes falling by disobedieÌ„ce most greuously hurted them selues and theyr posteritie For besides many other euils that came by the transgression the high power of mans reason fredome of wyll were wounded and corrupted and all men therby brought in to such blyndnes and infirmitie that they can not eschue sinne except they be illumined and made free by an especiall grace that is to say by a supernatural helpe and working of the holy goste whiche although the goodnes of god offereth to all men yet they onely enioye it whyche by their free wyll do accepte and imbrace the same Nor they also that be holpen by the sayde grace can accomplyshe and performe thynges that be for their welth but with moch labour endeuour so great is in our nature the corruption of the fyrst synne the heuy hurdein bering vs down to euyl For truly albeit the light of reason doth abide yet it is moche darkened with moch difficultie both discerne thinges that be inferior ê‘teyne to their present life but to vnderstaÌ„d perceyue thinges that be spiritual ê‘teyn to the euerlastiÌ„g life it