Sathan and 〈◊〉 ministers are taken in hand wherby our liâ— is continually endangered and sodeinly tâ—ken away wherof there be infinite naturaâ— some ruefull tragicall examples Aâ— having respect and regard of my fraile suâ—stance of my short pilgrimage in thâ— worlde and long account I haue to maâ—â— to my Maker in the worlde to come Aâ—â— desirous to make knowne to my posteriâ— the state of my soule and bodie I doe noâ— declare ordaine and publish my will aâ—â— testament as a farewell to the vaine and disembling world and doe therby giue aâ—â— bequeath deuise and declare in manner 〈◊〉 forme following §. 1. IN PRIMIS I giue and as a true Christian Catholike man bequeathe my â—oule into the hands and mercie of Almighâ—ie God by faith confessing and in hope reâ—osing my salvation to bee in the only meâ—ites death and Passion of CHRIST IESVS â—rusting to raigne with him in glorie that â—or the redemption of mee and all manâ—inde raigned and triumphed over sinne â—eath and hell it selfe in the Altar of the Crosse Wherunto I implore and beseech â—he assistance by prayer of the blessed and â—mmaculate Virgin MARIE and of all the â—oly companie of heaven who being now â—n glorie members of the triumphant Church haue in Christ compassion of the members of the militant Church And I will that my bodie when it shall bee disâ—olued into his first substance bee decently â—uried in the parish Church of Handburie â—r wheresoever else it shâ—ll please God to â—ppoint §. 2. And for as much as in this ruefull decay â—f the Catholike religion and in this most â—iurious and troublesome time I as a true â—hristian and carefull father haue a zealouse care to leaue to all the world and especially to my Children for their imitation a Confession of my faith §. 3. Bee it knowne to them and to all the world that I professe and from my heart protest to liue and die a member of Christs true Catholike and Apostolike Church out of the vnitie and fellowship wherof there never was nor is nor can bee salvation what plausible perswasions or pleasing pretences soever now bee or by the divels drift may hereafter bee devised to the contrarie In which faith and vnitie of which Church I acknowledge God the Father my Maker God the Son my Redeemer and God the holy Ghost my Sanctifier three persons and one very and eternal God §. 4. I beleeue and hold the twelue Articles oâ— the Christian faith as the Catholikâ— Church teacheth them The Nicenâ— Creed and Athanasius Creed I hold anâ— acknowledge the ten commandements a God declared them to Moyses to be thâ— substance of the Law I beleeue there be in Christs Church seaven Sacraments or fountaines of grace wherby the holy Ghost doth by our receiving and vse of the same worke in our soules grace that is to say Baptisme Confirmation Matrimonie Confession Orders Supper of our Lord â—nd Extreame Vnction and that to be deprived of the vse of these is an impediment â—nd stopping of Gods grace in vs wherof many a Christian soule doth in this time of â—inne feele a ruefull losse §. 5. I beleeue that in the Sacrament of the â—ords Supper otherwise called the Sacrament of the Altar after the words of Conseâ—ration in the sacrifice of the Masse done â—y the Priest duely ordained there remaiâ—eth the very Real preseÌ„ce of Christs Bodie â—nd Bloud without any other substance of â—reatures and that all figurative speeches all â—pirituall meanings all glosses of words all â—â—rmises of false spirits that suppose or teach â—he contrarie are derogatorie to the power â—f God and injuriouse to the salvation of â—hristian soules the words of the Gospell â—ying Take eate this is my Bodie and â—ke and drinke this is my Bloud §. 6. I beleeue that the examination of conscience and ConfessioÌ„ of sinnes to a ghostly father is a worke necessarie to salvation as the Church of God doth require it and that it is the most comfortable meane to stirre vp the soule sunke into sinne vnto repentance and amendment that can bee and that by the often vse therof Gods grace doth wonderfully worke in our mindes and that by the neglecting of the same Satan worketh his will §. 7. I beleeue that the doctrine of the Catholike Church concerning invocation of saints prayer for the dead and holding of the place for purgation of soules dying in the state of grace and of christian workes to be effect of christian faith is a most sound and wholsome doctrine and that the new found Doctrine of sole faith is the fine force of Satan to deceiue the world §. 8. I beleeue and firmely avow that the holy Ghost since Christs ascension hath bin and continued with this Catholike and Apostolike Church teaching her all truth and so shall continue to the end of the world and that the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against her according to Christs promise And that the pretended reformers of Religion are Divels transformed into the shape of Angels of light fallne into the delicacie of wordly mens delights in this latter age of the world And that this is true may be proued by a sensible consequent First of the new preteÌ„ded reformed Religion there was never publike profession in the Christian world before these fortie or fiftie yeares last past or thereabouts then it being fifteene huÌ„dred yeares since Christ established his Church either it is to be confessed that the Church and Religion that had beginning and continuance from Christs time vntill these pretended reformed dayes is the true Church and true Religion and that the contrarie is fâ—lse or else â—hat Christ hath not kept promise when he ascended saying that he would send to his dâ—sciples the comforter which should teach them all truth and coÌ„tinue with them to the end of the world but to say so were blasphemie as I trust every Christian heart will affirme And Christs Church is no hidden thing for in the scriptures shee is coÌ„pared to a Citie set vpon an hill that every one may see to a Candle set vpon a caÌ„dlesticke to lighten al that come into the house And a most ruefull and lamentable thing my deare infants it is that we should now condemne that Religion which we received first into this Realme aboue thirteene hundred yeares past and continued in vntill about fiftie yeares past and then altered into such a libertie of life a discharging of the conscience a carnalitie of pleasures a securitie of salvation a rash beleeving of spirits a condemning of the Fathers a pride af opinions a setting vp of sects a pretending of pietie a performing of impietie a dissolving of obedience and generally into such a pleasant safetie of sinning as I can not but in the charitie towards all Christians and especially of you my deare children that may haply liue to see and feele the truth of these things with an inward sorrow of heart remember §. 9. For conclusion I holde and
beleeved of vs they are no other thing then hoped for Now what shall I say of loue without the which faith profiteth nothing and hope without loue cannot be To conclude as S. Iames saith the divelles beleeue and tremble and yet they doe not hope or loue but rather that which bâ—leeving wee hope for and loue they feare shall come vpon them Wherfore the Apostle Paul approoveth commendeth the faith which worcketh by loue which verily cannot be without hope nor hope without loue nor both without faith D. Thom. 2.2 quaest 17. Eternall beatitude is the proper obiect of hope For we may not hope for lesse of God then himselfe in enioying of whom consisteth life everlasting And supposing our vnion to our neighbour by loue a man may by the vertue of Theologicall hope hope for beatitude for him as well as for himselfe Psalm 145. Hierem. 17.5 but to confide in Princes or the sonnes of men concerning salvation or to set our hope in man the holy Ghost forbiddeth and giues a curse to him that doth it That faith being old will I keep in which a childe I was borne Hieronymus ad Pammachium Oceanum paulo ante finem Tom. 2. Now doth faith swimme in many mens lippes when in their heart there is either none at all or that that is doth vehemently languish For who doth not professe that which we reade in the Deuteronomie Heare Israel Deut. 6. 10. thy Lord thy God is one Lord And thou shalt adore thy God and serue him alone Who doth not daily recite with mouth I beleeue in God the father Almightie notwithstanding he beleeveth not in God that doth not place in him alone all the trust of his felicitie neither hath he one God and Lord that by harlottrie by riotte and avarice doth the commands of Sathan nor doth he serue him alone that serveth his bellie that is given to this world which is set all vpon wickednesse The heathens thinke there be many Gods and dost thou seeme to thy selfe a perfect Christian because thou art persuaded that there is but one God What great matter doest thou the Iewes doe the same who daily blaspheme the Sonne of God in their Synagogues the same doe the divells beleeue and tremble at it If truly thou beleevest in God beleeue him to be iust and true Iust in rewarding the good and punishing the evill true in his promises beleeue that there is no hope of salvation but only in his Sonne whome he delivered to the crosse for all of vs and to death beleeve that no evill can fall to them that deliver themselues wholly over vnto his will and doe persever in the same this is to beleeue in God the Father this is to beleeue in his Sonne this is to beleeue in the holy Ghost Cyprian de duplici martyrio longe ante finem Tomo 4. Vnexercised faith soone languisheth and idle is tempted with frequent discommodities the craftie enemie breakes in vpon remisse sentinels but externe fraude instructs the man that 's exercised in warre and beares him gloriously to the palme of victorie Peace therfore to the faithfull is matter of corruption Ambros serm 11. in Psal 118. longius ante fineÌ„ Tom. 4. Psalm 141. I haue cryed to thee O Lord I haue said thou art my hope my portion in the land of the living Psal 26 Abide our Lord deale manfully and thy heart shall be comforted and sustaine our Lord. Because the world what it promiseth seemeth here to giue in the land of the dying and our Lord what he promiseth is to giue in the land of the living many are wearie of expecting the true ioy and are not ashamed to loue the deceitfull of such the Scripture saith Eccle. 2 Woe to them that haue lost their patient sustayning and diverted into wicked wayes Aug. de verbis Apost serm 25. Tom. 10. Spe salvi facti sumus Spes non confundit by hope we are saved hope confoundeth not How hope should be without faith I doe not finde for no man hopeth that he can attaine that which he doth not beleeue to be It behooveth therfore that al three be in the minde faith hope and charitie that both a man beleeue the things be true to which he is called and hope that he may attaine to them and that he loue them Aug. lib. 21. sententiarum sent 8. One hope is of the eternall rewards another of comfort in the humilitie of tribulation Aug. enarr in Psalm 118. super Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo in quo mihi spem dedisti Tomo 8. Because the man that is converted to God hath his delight changed the things that he delights in are also changed and not taken quite away for all our delights in this life are not yet in deede but the hope it selfe is so certaine as it is to be preferred before all the delights of this world Aug. enarr in Psalm 74. Tomo 8. Pag. 17. § 1. lin 5. IN THE ONELY MERITS All our merits are founded in the merits of Christs incarnation life and passion which ground worke taken away no man hath or ever had or could haue since Adam any merits towards life everlasting which by his demerits he lost and merited damnation Aug. CoÌ„fess cap 13. tom 1. Et de Trinit l. 13. c. 10. tom 8. Whosoever reckeneth vp his merits to thee what doth he but recken vp thy free guifts What was so necessarie to erect our hope and deliver mortall mindes deiected with the very condition of mortalitie from despairing of immortalitie as that it should be demonstrated vnto vs how much God weighed vs and how much he loved vs And what token of this more manifest and more excellent then that the Sonne of God immutably good remaining in himselfe what he was and taking of vs and for vs what he was not without detriment of his soules nature vouchsafing to enter into our fellowship first without any evill merit of his owne he would beare our evils and so now beleeving how much God loveth vs and hoping for that which before we despaired of with bountie no way due he would bestow his gifts vpon vs without any good merits of ours yea with many precedent euill merits for even those things that are called our merits are his gifts for that faith may worke by loue the charitie of God is diffused in our hearts by the holy Ghost given vs. Aug. enarr in Psalm 144. tom 8. Gratia salvi facti estis Where thou hearest grace vnderstand gratis if therfore gratis then thou hast brought nothing thou hast merited nothing For if any thing be rendred for merits it is wages and not grace by grace saith he you are saved through faith Expound that more cleerely for the arrogant for those that please themselves for those that are ignorant of Gods iustice and will constitute their owne And this selfe same thing more openly And this quoth he that you are made
inheritance communicateth with the holy Angels Whosoever he be and of what condition soever he be he is no Christian that is not in the Church of Christ Our Lord IESVS CHRIST like a whole perfect man both head bodie Aug. in Psal 90. CoÌ„cio 2 Tom. 8. the head wo acknowledge in that man which was borne of the Virgin MARIE suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was buried arose ascended in to heaven sitteth at the right hand of the Father from thence we expect him iudge of the living and the dead this is the head of the Church the bodie of this head is the Church not which is in this place but which is in this place and over all the world nor that which is in this time but even from Abel vnto those which are to be borne and to beleeue in Christ even till the end all the people of Saints pertayning to one citie which citie is the bodie of Christ whose head is Christ Whosoever separated from the Church is conioyned to an adulteresse is separated from the things promissed to the Church neither doth he appertaine to the rewards of Christ that leaueth the Church of Christ he is an Alien he is prophane he is an enemie he cannot now haue God his father which hath not the Church his mother If hee could escape that was without the arke of Noe then he shall escape that is without the church Cyprianus tract de simplicitate Praelat sive de vnitate Ecclesiae I following no first but Christ am consociated to thy beatitude that is to the chayre of Peeter I know the Church was built vpon the Rocke whosoever out of this house eateth the lambe is profane If any one be out of the arke of Noe while the floud rageth he shall perish Hieronymus epist 1. ad Damasum tomo 2. The Roman Church in all I seeke to follow Ambros lib. 3. de Sacramentis cap. 1. post â—edium parte 1. No man blotteth out of heaven the constitution of God no man blotteth out of earth the Church of God Aug. epist 162. in fine That is the holy Church the one Church the Catholike Church the true Church fighting against all heresies fight it may bee vanquished it cannot All heresies haue gone out therof as vnprofitable sprigs cut from the vine but shee remaineth vpon her roote vpon her vine vpon her charitie the gates of hell shall not overcome her Aug. lib. 1. de symb ad cathecum cap. 5. in fine The sunne is easier extinguished then the Church obscured Chrysost hom 4. in 6. Esaiae Theodosius the great Aug. de Civitate lib. 5. cap. 26. gloried more that he was a member of the Catholike Church then that he reigned vpon the earth What is more honorable then the Emperour to be called a child of the Church Ambro. de Eccl. noÌ„ trad Haereticis Heb. 11. this is that Moyses preferred before the Aegyptian treasures denying himself to be Pharaos sonne and choosing rather to be afflicted with Gods people then to haue the pleasure of temporall sinne Gregor Naz. epist ad 150. Episc For before God there is nothing so magnificent and illustrious as pure doctrine and a soule instructed and made perfect with divine opinions Pag. 28. § 3. lin 11. I acknovvledge God the Father my maker God the Sonne my redeemer c. Matth. 28.19 Going teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Aug. l. 1 de fide ad PetruÌ„ c. 1. Tom. 3. The faith of the Trinitie In what place soever thou beest constitute because according to the Rule promulgated by the coÌ„mand of our Saviour thou knowest thy selfe to be baptized in one name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost principally and without doubt retaine with thy whole heart that the Father is God the Sonne God and the holy Ghost God that is the holy and ineffable Trinitie to be naturally one God Deut. 6. Mat. 4. of whom in Deuteronomie it is said Heare Israel thy Lord thy God is one God And thou shalt adore thy Lord God and serue him alone Yet because this one God who only is naturally the true God we haue said to be neither Father alone nor Sonne alone nor holy Ghost alone but together Father Sonne and holy Ghost we must beware lest as we truly say the Father and Sonne holy Ghost in that belongeth to their naturall vnitie to be one God so we dare say or beleeue which is altogether vnlawfull that he which is Father is the same that the Sonne or holy Ghost Or â—e that is Sonne either Father or holy Ghost Or he that is holy Ghost called properly in the confession of this Trinitie to say or beleeue that he is personally the Father or the Sonne For that faith which the holy Patriarchs and Prophets received from God before the incarnation of the Sonne of God which also the holy Apostles heard from our Lord him selfe in flesh and by the magisterie of the holy Ghost instructed not only preached in word but also to the healthfull instruction of posteritie left in their writings preacheth the Trinitie to be one God that is Father Sonne and holy Ghost But it were no true Trinitie if one and the same person were called Father and Sonne and holy Ghost For if as the substance of the Father and Sonne and holy Ghost is one so the person were one there were nothing wherin it might be truly called a Trinitie Againe it were indeed a true Trinitie but that Trinitie should not be one God if as the Father and Sonne and holy Ghost are in proprietie of persons distinct from one another so they were distinguished in diversitie of natures But because in that one true God Trinitie not only that it is one God but also thaâ— it is a Trinitie is naturally true therforâ— that true God is in persons a Trinitie and in nature one By this naturall vnitie all thâ— Father is in the Sonne and holy Ghost alâ— the Sonne in the Father and holy Ghost all the holy Ghost in the Father and Sonne none of these is without any one of them because none is before another in eternitie or exceedeth in greatnesse or surpasseth in power because in as much as perteineth to the vnitie of the divine nature the Father is neither before nor greater then the SoÌ„ne nor holy Ghost nor the eternitie and immensitie of the Sonne as it were before or greater can naturally precede or exceed the eternitie and immensitie of the holy Ghost Aug. de Trin. cap. 4. Tom. 3. All that ever I could reade of that before me wrote of the Trinitie which is God the Catholike handlers of the divine bookes both new and old haue intended to teach this out of the Scriptures that the Father and Sonne and holy Ghost of one and the same substance with inseparable equalitie doe insinuate the divine vnitie therfore they be not three Gods but
one God Although the Father haue begotten the Sonne and therfore the Sonne is not whom the Father is and the Sonne is begotten of the Father and for that he is not Father which is Sonne and the holy Ghost is neither Father nor Sonne but only the spirit of the Father and Sonne himselfe also coequal to the Father and Sonne and pertayning to the vnitie of the Trinitie And yet not the same Trinitie borne of the Virgin MARIE vnder Pontius Pilate crucified and buried to haue risen the third day and ascended into heauen but only the Sonne Nor the same Trinitie to haue desceÌ„ded in likenesse of a doue vpon IESVS baptized or on the day of Pentecost after the Ascension of our Lord with sound made from heauen as if a vehement blaste were carried along and in divided tongues like fire to haue sitten vpon every one of them but only the holy Ghost Nor the same Trinitie to haue said from heaven thou art my Sonne when either he was baptized by Iohn or vpon the mount when the three disciples were with him or when the voice sounded saying I haue both clarified againe wil clarify but only the Fathers voice to haue beene made to the Sonne although the Father Son and holy Ghost as they are inseparable so do they inseparably worke This is also my faith because this is the Catholike faith Pag. 18. § 4. lin 1. I BELEEVE AND HOVLD The Apostles Creed the Nicene Creed Athanasius Creed the 10. Commandements the 7. Sacraments and in a word all that the Catholike Church teacheth and holdeth for to beleeue profiteth nothing vnlesse we also hold and keepe in worke what we beleeue and that wholly and entirely Epist Iacobi c. 2. 10. Whosoever keepeth otherwise the whole law and offendeth in one point becommeth guiltie of the whole as if he had transgressed in all That the Sacraments are the conducts wherby the grace of God is derived vnto mankinde Their number order names c. 1. BAPTISME He rekoneth the Sacraments in such order as they occurred at the present to memorie Matth. vlt. Whose right order is first baptisme wherby we are regenerate and borne a new in Christ to spirituall and everlasting life who before were borne of our parents in the world to corporall and without this Sacrament to everlasting death IoaÌ„ 20. Act. 2. Confirmation wherby we be spiritually strengthened and grow as in our infancie we be lapped and bound corporally vntill our ioynts be knit and we made able to stand by our naturall forces Eucharistie Ioan. 6. praedicatur Euch. Mat. 26. Iacob 5 IoaÌ„ 20. Mat. 16. wherby we be nourished and fed in soule as by corporall foode we be fed in bodie Penance wherby the wounds of sinne that we receiue in our soules after baptisme are cured Extreame vnction Iacob 5 Marc. 6. which strengtheneth vs in our passage out of this life when of our selves we be too weake to resist the assaults of the divell who then most of all rageth tendens insidias calcaneo nostro Of these fiue see Scotus in 4. D. 2. Q. 1. Conclusione 1. Whose words are these Like as in the naturall life first is generation after followeth nutrition and corroboration and reparation of the health lost and these 4. appertaine to every singular person and yet besides these something is requisite pertayning to the communitie by which a man is constitute in necessarie degree toward some act necessarie for the communitie So spiritually to complete perfection outwardly there must be some helpe pertayning to spirituall generation and secondly something pertayning to nutrition thirdly pertayning to roboration or strengthning fourthly to reparation after falling and fiftly besides these things is required some being wherby he that departeth be finally prepared For this spirituall life is a certaine way ordaining that he who liveth well in the same may without impediment passe out of it to the other for which he is prepared These things therfore are required as necessarie helps to every person for himselfe Of the other 2. Order and Matrimonie Scotus ibi And for the good of the communitie observing this law is required also carnall multiplication because the same is presupposed to the spirituall good as nature to grace and spirituall multiplication of others in the same law So therfore it was congruent to haue seven helpes bestowed vpon the observers of the Evangelicall law wherin might be both intensiue and extensiue perfection and sufficient for all things necessarie to the observance of this law and these are as the Maister of Sentences hath in his text Baptisme appertaining to spirituall generation Eucharist necessarie to nourishment Confirmation for strengthening Penance to the reparation of those that are falne Mat. 19. ex 1. 2. Genesis Mat. 26. IoaÌ„ 20. Extreme vnction to the finall reparation Matrimonie to multiplication in the being of nature or carnall being and Order to multiplication in the being of grace or spirituall being CONFESSION By this name the Author calleth the sacrament of Penance as by the part of that Sacrament which then was and allwaies hath beene by the divell and his ministers the Heretiques most opposed The first part of the Sacrament of Penance is contrition or inward sorrow of heart through consideration of Gods goodnesse and our owne wickednesse No Heretikes are so barbarous nor any people in the world that acknowledgeth any God but they hold this part necessarie as indeed it is and hath alwaies beene to salvation This they call â—epentance and not improperly if rightly vnderstood But wheras they hold this to be sufficient to blot out sinnes committed after baptisme it is false for since the coÌ„ming of our Saviour Christ and preaching the law of grace which taketh not away but accomplisheth the former law sinne is not remitted by only contrition but confession of it to a Priest is also required and moreover SatisfactioÌ„ must follow that the partie wronged whether God or our neighbour may againe be appeased and satisfied yea even before the time of our Saviour Christ these seeme to haue beene in vse 2. Reg. 12.13 David confessed his sinne to Nathan the Prophet and did satisfaction by penall worke adiudging also him that had wronged the poore man by taking his sheepe and sparing his owne to fourefould restitution The people of all estates that came confessing their sinnes to S. Iohn the Baptist Luc. 3.10 demanded and were by him enioyned what they should doe Luc. 19 8. The rich Zachaeus offered our Saviour to giue the halfe of his goods to the poore and restore foure times as much to any man that he might hap to haue defrauded In confession is the greatest humilitie a man will easier part with his goods or paine his bodie to satisfie or be contrite in heart than in Confession to accuse himselfe which kind of Pride we inherited from our first parents Adam would not confesse his sinne to God that knew it
1.10 Apoc. 22.11 Which places makâ— also against sole faith 1. Cor. 15.58 Pag. 21. § 8. lin 4 TEACHING HEâ— ALL TRVTH Ioannes 14.16 16.13 Lin. 6. GATES OF HELL Mat. 16.18 Lin. 10. ANGELS OF LIGHT Aâ— Gal. 1.8 But although we or an Angel from heaven evangelize to you another thing besides that we haue evangelized to youâ— Anathema Idem 2. Cor. 11.13 Lin. 11 DELICACIE OF WORLDLâ— MENS DELIGHTS Contrarie to thâ— delights of good men who renouncing thâ— world haue fixed their delight in God Oâ— such the Apostle warned his Disciple 2. Tim. 3. Know that in the last dayes therâ— shâ—ll be dangerous times and there shall bâ— men loving themselves covetous loftie proude blasphemous disobeying Parents vngratefull wicked without affection without peace laying crimes vpon others incontinent rude without benignitie traitours sawcie puffed vp and lovers of pleasures more then of God having the appearance of pietie but denying the vertue therof Avoide these Lin. 17. FORTIE OR FIFTIE YEARES Luther fell from the Catholike Church anno 1517. Yet there was no publike profession of Lutheranisme or libertie so soone Pag. 22. lin 5. A CITIE SET VPON AN HILL Mat. 5.14.15 Where also of the light of it and Marc. 4.21 Luc. 11.33 Pag. 22. lin 12. THIRTEENE HVNDRED YEARES England first received the Christian religion from Ioseph â—b Arimathia that buried Christ and came after into England preached there the Gospell and baptized them that beleeued as Gildas Sapiens wrighteth Venerable Bede Polydore Vergill and others And Baronius at the yeare of our Lord 35. num 3. But more fully it was converted 180. yeares after Christ in the reigne of King Lucius by S. Fugatius and S. Damian sent thither from Rome by Eleutherius Pope And also 400. yeares after that by S. Augustine and his fellowes sent thither by S. Gregorie the great about the yeare 600. Pag. 22. § 9. I HOLD AND BELEEVE ALL THAT THE CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into the house nor say to him God saue you 2. Ioan. 1. Ambrose He denyeth Chrâ—st that confesseth not all things that are Christs Hilarius It becommeth the ministers of truth to professe true things Aug. lib. de fide ad Petrum cap. 39. Most firmely hold and no way doubt that every Heretike or Schismatike baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost if he be not aggregated to the Catholike Church how many almesdeeds soever he doe although he shed his bloud for the name of Christ can by no meanes be saved For to every man that holdeth not the vnitie of the Catholike Church neither Baptisme nor Almes how copious soever it be nor death for the name of Christ vndergone can be of any value to salvation as long as he persevereth in that hereticall or schismaticall pravitie which leadeth vnto death Cap. 40. Most firmely hold and no way doubt that not all which are baptized within the Catholike Church shall receiuâ— life everlasting but they which having received baptisme do liue a right that is whâ— haue abstained them from the vices anâ— concupiscences of the flesh For the kingdome of Heaven as Infidels Heretikes and Schismatikes shall not haue it 〈◊〉 wicked Catholikes can never possesse it Vincentius Lyrenensis He is a true and naturall Catholike that loveth the truth oâ— God the Church the bodie of Christ who before the divine religion before the Catholike faith preferreth nothing not the authoritie of any man not loue nor wit nor eloquence nor Philosophie but despising all these and there remaining fixed and steedfast whatsoever vniversally from all antiquitie he knoweth the Catholike Church to haue holden that only he decreeth with himselfe to hold and beleeue and whatsoever afterward he perceiveth new and vnheard of to haue beene introduced by any one otherwise then all or contrarie to all the Saints that he vnderstandeth to appertaine not to Religion but rather to temptation Lin. 4. GODLY CEREMONIALL RIGHTS He that will condemne the ceremonies of Gods Church let him first trie if he can himselfe leade a humane life amongst civill men â—ithout all ceremonie let him separate all substance from his accidents and see whether it be worth the looking vpon As in accidents there is difference and some make the substance to be better accepted then others for examples sake in colour in savour c. So ceremonies doe according as they are better or worse set out the substance of the thing wherabout they be vsed What is any artificers worke although according to the substantiall part it be wholly finished vnlesse iâ— be also polite As God gaue to his people iâ— the old law precepts Morall Iudiciall and Ceremoniall so in the new testament there are Doctrine Sacraments with their ceremonies and Discipline Deut. 6. Keepe the precepts of thy Lord God the testimonies and ceremonies which he hath commanded thee Lin. 13. CONTINVALL PRAYER Luc. 18. Wee must alwaies pray and never faile Psalm 118. Psal 5. VtinaÌ„ dirigantur viae meae ad custodiendas iustificationes tuas Dirige Domine Deus meus in coÌ„spectu tuo viam meam Be instant in prayer watching therin with thanks-giving Coloss 4.2 Pray without intermissioÌ„ 1. Thess 5.17 Psalm 24. Dirige me in veritate tua doce me ...... dirige me in semitam rectam 89. Opus manuum nostrarum dirige Pag. 23. § 10. FROM A RESOLVTE HEART No temptation doth so soone seaze or overthrow him that is well resolved and constantly settled in his minde as it doth him that is doubtfull and wavering 2. Cor. 8.12 If the will be prompt according to what it hath it is accepted The works of our will that spring immediately from it cannot suffer violence from any power but in those workes or acts that are of other powers commanded by the will shee may suffer violence S. Thomas 1. 2. Q. 6. A. 4. Violence Feare Concupiscence Ignorance c. May assaile the will but cannot overcome it to cause it doe a thing for that no agent in his action can be compelled Violence and feare may diminish and make an act lesse voluntarie Concupiscence ofter encreasseth and maketh it more voluntarie Ignorance maketh it not to be voluntarie but not involuntarie or against ones will He that doth but foresee the dangers is lesse strooken by the dint of them Heb. 13 9. The best thing saith the Apostle is to establish the heart with grace And Ecclesiastic 2.1 Comming to the service of God stand in iustice and feare and prepare thy soule for temptation Our wavering mind addeth forces to the temptation Prosper 3. de vita contemplativa Every man vntill by certaine definition he confirme himselfe in that he hath chosen being as it were in a forked way of vncertaine deliberation is torne in peeces by the very diversitie of wills Vertue exhorteth and provoketh a man that all ambiguitie of definition deposed he vndertake
THE TESTAMENT OF WILLIAM BEL. GENTLEMAN â—EFT WRITTEN IN HIS OWNE HAND SETT OVT ABOVE 33. YEARES AFTER HIS DEATH With annotations at the end and Sentences out of the H. Scripture Fathers c. By his sonne FRANCIS BEL of the Order of Freers Minors Definitor of the Province of England Guardian of S. BONAVENTVRES Colledge in Dovvay and Professor of the sacred Hebrevv tongue in the same Electo meo foedus excidi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgat Psalm 88. Disposui testamentum electis meis Permissu Superiorum AT DOWAY â— BALTHâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL MR. EDWARD SHELDON of Beoley c. SIR Anciently when after the rihgt of nature the earth was CoÌ„mon and all the gooddes therof â—hat a man Could say to his neighbour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hast thou not all the earth before thee Genes 13.9 separate thy selfe from mee if thou go to the lefâ— hand I will keep the right iâ— thou go to the Right hand â— will howld the left Men gauâ— in theyr testaments to theyâ— children only coelestiall doctrines that to whom they had given being they mighâ— also giue well-being Psalm 77 By theeâ— meanes wee haue heard anâ— knowne so manie things declared to vs by our fathers which in the next generatioâ— were not hid from theyâ— children declaring the prayses of our Lord his virtues and mervailes done by him â—hat reised vp testimonie in â—acob and gaue a lawe to â—sraël how manie things did hee commande our fathers â—o make knowne to their â—onnes to the end that the â—ext generatioÌ„ might know â—hem that the children that â—hould arise and bee borne of â—hem might tell them againe â—o theyr children and all â—hat they might sett theyr â—ope in God not forget his â—orckes and search out his â—ommands Moyses Deut. 32. Reâ—ember the dayes of oulde thincke vpon everie severall generation aske thy father hee will declare thy elders and they will tell thee Men gaue I say from hand to hand the lawe of God his feare loue with benediction to the keepers malediction to the breakers of it Commending vertue condemning vice foretelling payne and glorie the rewardâ— of both Epist Iud. ca. 1.14 Such testament the seaventh man from Adam Gen. 48 49. Enoch made Such waâ— the Patriarch Iacobs testament disposed to his 12. sonnes such also those of thesâ— 12. Patriarches themselves A most ancient Hebrev booke called the testameÌ„t of the 12. Patriarchs But of that new everlasting testament of IESVS-CHRIST the sonne of God what shall I say therin is all knowledge of the heavenly kingdome the aeternall beatitude and foelicitie of man After this incomparable Testament in which are all the treasures of the riches and wisedome of God I may bring in that godly testameÌ„t of my holy Father S. Francis which after he was signed with the sacred stigmats of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST full with fervour and the holy ghost neer the end of his life he left to vs his children that more sincerely and catholickly we might keep his Evangelicall rule Divers pious testaments haue been by sundrie devout persons at severall times ordained And not among the last doe I accoumpt this testament of my father a man knowne and esteemed of your worship no less then of M. r Raphe your father of happie memorie It hath been kept in his owne manuscript thees 44. yeares and more By divine providence it hath at last come to my hands who hauing been aboue 18. yeares out of my countrie in forraine lands neither sought for nor thought of anie such thing although seing it now I remember that in my younger yeares I haue seen it before when a graue father of our seraphicall order venerable for his well spent yeares from his infancie till 67. so â—owld he is at this day and no â—ess for his profownde iudgement and eloquence both in â—peach and style lighting â—pon it sent it out of England to mee with no small commendations therof His censure animated me to put it in print And for a patrone to whom I might dedicate it I had not farre to seeke your Constant Christianitie and professing of the Catholike Religion who like the great Patriarch Abraham to follow God haue gone out of land and Countrie and fathers house and friends and kinred and familiars or like Saint Peeter out of all doth Chalenge so christianlike a testament especially from mee who as appeareth in the 34. § of it am severely charged to bee serviceable towards you and yours That service together with my selfe I offer here to your worship for vs all that haue the charge there layde vpon vs that we be not chalenged with the vile vice of ingratitude or breach of the dead mannes will my selfe haue had part of my education froÌ„ M. r FraÌ„cis Daniel my vncle of whom mention is made in the 32. § who now liveth not on earth Of the ThrockmartoÌ„s of Coughton or FekenhaÌ„ mentioned in the 33. § I haue yet no knowledge nor of Sir Ihon Littletons house spoken of in the end of the 34. § I may liue to doe them service your selfe only remaines the man that most extended his godnes towards vs in accomplishing this wil in bringing vp my brother Edmund together with your owne sonnes to learning to musicke to the vniversitie of Oxforde as was required your sister also the Religious Ladie Russell gaue educatioÌ„ successiuely to two of my sisters Margarit Dorothe Receiue therfore from me this last will of my father as my first will to serue you which with my life shall last and bee my last so shall I fulfill that iterated precept of the holy ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverb 1.8 hear o my sonne the instruction of thy father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverb 6.20 keep o my sonne the precept of thy father God praeserue your worship long to his highest glorie the good of our familie and chiefly of our seraphicall order to which you haue alwaies shewed a charitable affectioÌ„ and finally chosen in our Convent at Namur Abrahams double caue for buriall to your happilie decessed wife and you From our celleâ— in S. Bonaventures Colledge in Doway this 7. of Ianuarie 1632. Your worships obliged Br. FRANCIS BELâ— â—N THE NAME of God Amen THE twentith day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred fowerscore and seaven and in the nine and twentith year of the reigne of our soveâ—igne Ladie Elizabeth I WilliaÌ„ Bell alias â—ellne of Temple-Broughton in the Countie of Wigorne Gentleman being 〈◊〉 good health of bodie of souÌ„d perfeâ—â— memorie our Lord be blessâ—d thankâ— therfore calling to my remembrance thâ—â— all fleshe is grasse according to the sayiâ—â— of the Prophet Esaia and borne to diâ— and that in this decaying age of the woâ—â— and triumphing time of sinne besides tâ—â— course of nature manie new and dangâ—rouse diseases doe arise manie malitioâ—â— complottes and practises of
Dauid said of himselfe In te proiectus sum ex vtero So from your mothers wombe were you cast vpon God where our Lord graunt that you may fasten your selues foreuer §. 20. Of the effect of prayer and the most sweete comforts therof no man can speake more effectually then I your father and herein I protest before the sacred Majestie of Almightie God to whom I must yeeld account of all my words deedes and thoughts that I will speake no more then truth That from the time of my infancie wherin I was taught to pray to this present day as I haue many and sundry times in my life felt sicknesse neede of many worldly things sorrowes losse of friends false accusations the sting of envie as a matter that did ever oppresse me cloase imprisonment in an innocent cause householde troubles false friends and infinite others and aboue all the lacke of the highest mysteries and sweetest comforts to both soule and bodie so ever in all my necessities repayring vnto God by prayer I haue ever found reliefe comfort and deliverance therby Wherof no creature vnder heaven could shew you more rare and notable examples then I which in this place I omit Onely crying vnto you from my whole heart to be earnest zealous perseverant in prayer and if you had nothing in the world to releeue you yea all the world opposed against you yet shall you prevaile and receiue the blessing from God by faithfull prayer §. 21. Hitherto having made knowne vnto you the Confession of my faith my worldly course and my counsels in the same I am now to make my purposed legacies and bequests among you wherin I first giue commend you all to the mercifull care and protection of God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Ghost to the assistant prayers of all the blessed companie of heaven beseeching CHRIST IESVS that bought vs all with his pretious bloud to blesse you saue you make you heires of his Kingdome And I desire Almightie God so to dispose of you in your several callings in this world as may be most to his glorie and your owne soules health and that it may please him to powre downe the dew of heauen vpon you blesse you increase you and all your labours and all things that you shall take in hand and evermore deliver you from the power and evill purposes of your enemies Amen §. 22. Concerning my worldly goods as I received nothing in this world from my parents but mine education to them considering the course of my life both carefull and costly so hauing not much in respect of the tyme an enemie to the thrift of a distressed conscience I can not much bestow and yet blessed bee God for his increase shall leaue you something §. 23. The worldly goods I haue I giue and bequeathe to Dorothe my deare louing wife therewith charging and requiring her in the faith shee beareth me and in the loue shee beareth my children to see them vertuousely brought vp and instructed in learning the more readily to prepare them to the service of God and true knowledge of him §. 24. The chiefest thing I doe desire therein is to haue Edmund and VVilliam trayned in schoole to learning as their capacities will admit and so to goe to the vniversitie of Oxford if by any meanes they may obtaine that preferment and there to Balliol Colledge of which house I was fellow and where Doctor Bel founded two schollerships for Worcestershiere men or else wheras it may be obtayned §. 25. After they are entred in their learning and are 7. or 8. yeares of age I would they should be taught plainesong and pricksong skilfully and to play vpon the lute and virginales a shill not alonly comfortable in it selfe to the haver but a verie good meane of preferment or a gratefull entertainement with the best and to such of them as shall best affect the same I bequeathe my best lute sythorne and gittorne Item if either Edmund or VVilliam shall be enabled and haue a desire to studie the common lawes of the Realme which I greatly desire then to him so affected and enabled and doing the same I giue and bequeathe al my law-bookes which I wish should be duely preserved together for that purpose §. 26. Item if Francis my sonne doe hereafter recover speech then I will that he be according to his birthright mine heyre and to haue all my lands tenements and hereditaments to him and his heyres males for ever and not otherwise yeelding paying to my sonne Edmund out of the same after my said sonne Edmund shall accomplish the age of 21. yeares *** by yeare during his naturall life at two tearmes in every yeare that is to say at the feast of S. Michael the Archangell and the Annunciation of our blessed Ladie the vergin by equall portions But if Francis my sonne doe not recover speech and good discretion then I doe now giue and bequeathe to Edmund my sonne to be mine heyre and he to haue all my manour of Templebroughton and lands tenements and hereditaments to him and to the heyres males of his bodie lawfully begotten and not otherwise §. 27. Item I giue and bequeathe to Marguerite my daughter to her preferment in mariage when shee shall accomplish the age of 18. yeares *** and if I haue no issue male then I giue vnto the said Marguerite all my lands tenements and hereditaments to haue to the said Marguerite and her heyres for ever §. 28. Item albeit I haue formerly giuen all my goods and chattels to Dorothey my wife yet is there in the same gift an imployed trust which shee hath promised me and which I doe most certainely assure my selfe shee will never breake nor violate towards me and those that are hers and mine §. 29. Item I would that every one of my children should haue a ring of fine gold weighing 3 l wherin should be written this sentence well enameled Iacta super Dominum curam tuam ipse te enutriet Which may be engraven in two roūds because it is too much for one and these rings to be made presently after my decease and to be delivered them at 18. yeares of age Which rings I charge them on my blessing never to depart withall to their dying day And which of them soever wilfully breaketh this charge it will goe worse with him be he well assured §. 30. Item if my wife be now with childe such care as I haue had of my other children I would should be had of it be it man or woman which care I must commend to my deare wife and shee with that God hath lent vs to provide for it and the rest as God shall enable vs and my will is and I doe giue to Dorothey my wife the issues and profits of all my lands teniments and hereditaments till my sonnes come to 18. yeares of age then so to allow Edmund *** yearely during her life
much as they can doe loue and honou◠those that ar◠good and whom they think◠to bee good yet they liue wickedly and full of heinous crimes otherwaies then the◠beleeue that they ought to liue And good Catholikes are those which follow both entire faith and good manners Aug de Civitate Dei l. 10 c. 32. What is the vniversall way but tha◠which everie nation hath not proper only to it selfe but is given from God that i◠may be common to the vniversitie of nations to all people this is our pietie which therfore is called Catholike because it is not delivered to any certaine people as to the Iewes but to all humane kinde and excludeth not any one by this all may be saved and without it none and in this every nation hath not his owne religion like as with the Gentils for with the Romans other Gods were and worshipped after another manner then with the Greekes others with them then with the French Spanish Scythians Indians Persians all nations that haue professed Christ doe worship the same God and with the same kind of sacrifice and Augustine Aug. Breuiculi cōt calleth the Church Catholike not alone for the plenitude of sacraments therin but also for the vniversitie of nations and people that therin communicate S. Athanasius Luc. Act. 11.26 Mart. Rom. 8. Kal. mart in his dispute against Arrius giveth the reason of the Disciples being called Christians thus All that beleeued in our Lord IESVS CHRIST were not called Christians but only Disciples And because there arose many Authors of new opinions contrarie to the Apostolicall doctrine they called all their followers Disciples and there was no difference in name betweene true and false Disciples whether they were Christs or Dosithees or the followers of one Iudas or of Iohn that confessed themselves as it were of Christs Church but all were called by that one name of Disciples Then the Apostles cōming together as by S. Lukes narratiō the Acts beare witnesse called all the Disciples by one name Christians differencing them from the common name of Disciples and that the saying of the divine Oracle pronounced by Isaias 62.2 might be accomplished which hath And thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of our Lord shall declare c. Epipha haeret 27. Not long after the Heretikes had emulation to this name and the Carpocratians first vsurped it whom others followed reproaching so great a name with false doctrine evill manners as now they would doe with the name of Catholike Rom. 10. Pag. 17. § 1. lin 4. BY FAITH CONFESSING With the heart we beleeue to iustice with mouth Confession is made to salvation Faith in the heart confession in the mouth This is the word of faith which we preach saith the Apostle that if thou confesse our Lord IESVS in thy mouth and beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him from death Aug. de fide ad Petrum Tom. 3. thou shalt be safe S. Augustin to Peter the Deacon I am glad indeed that thou hast so much solicitude for the keeping of the true faith without any vice of perfidiousnesse without which faith no conversion can profit nor yet be at all for the Apostolicall authoritie saith that without faith it is impossible to please God because faith is the foundation of all good things faith is the beginning of humane salvation without this faith no man can come to the number of the Sōnes of God because without it neither in this world doth any one obtaine the grace of iustification nor in the world to come shall he possesse life everlasting And if any one doe not walke here by faith he shall not come to the vision Without faith all mans labour is in vaine for such it is as without the true faith whosoever will please God by contempt of the world as if one bending toward the countrie in which he knoweth he shall liue blessedly should leaue the right way and improvidently follow errour by which he cannot come to the blessed Citie but fall into precipice where will be no ioy giuen to him that cometh but destruction brought in to him that falleth IN HOPE REPOSING MY SALVATION A right order first to beleeue and confesse then to hope I haue beleeved and therfore haue I spoaken and am over much humbled saith the Psalmist as it were betwixt hope and feare Augustin Encheridion ad Laurentium Tom. 3. What can be hoped for which is not beleeved and yet something may be beleeved which is not hoped for As which of the faithfull beleeveth not the paines of the damned and yet he doth not hope for them and whosoever beleeveth that they be now at hand hanging over his head and with a flying motion of his minde doth abhorre them is better said to feare then to hope Which Lucan distinguishing hath set downe thus Lett him that feareth hope Faith is both of evill things and good for both good and evill things are beleeved and that with good and not with evill faith Faith is also of things past and present and to come for we beleeue that Christ dyed which now is passed We beleeue that he sitteth at the right hand of the Father which now is We beleeue that he shall come to iudge which is to be Faith is also of a mans owne things and of other mens for everie man beleeveth of himselfe that he had a beginning and that he was not ever and such other things nor only of other men but also of the Angels we beleeue many things that appertaine to Religion But hope is only of good things and those to come and belonging to him that is said to hope for them All which being so for these causes faith is to be distinguished from hope as well in reasonable difference as in the name For in that belongeth to the not seeing either those things that are beleeved or hoped for it is common to faith and hope In the Epistle to the Hebrewes the testimonie wherof the illustrious defenders of the Catholike rule haue vsed faith is said to be a convincing of those things which are not seene Although when any one saith himselfe to haue beleeved not words nor witnesses nor any arguments but the evidence of the present things that is to haue given credit to them it seemeth not so absurd that he might rightly be reprehended in word and it should be said vnto him thou hast seene and therfore thou hast not beleeved whence it may be thought not to be consequent that whatsoever thing is beleeved must not be seene but better we call that faith which is taught by the divine word of those things to witt which are not seene And of hope the Apostle saith hope which is seene is not hope for that which one seeth what doth he hope for but if we hope for the things that we see not we expect with patience When therfore future good things be
liue sufficiently To liue long wee haue need of fate to liue sufficiently a minde Life is long if it be full and it is full when the mind hath gotten the maisterie oâ— good and into its owne hands power over it selfe What availe a man 80. yeares passed in sluggishnesse Such a man hath not lived but made a stay in life nor is he late dead but long He hath lived 80. yeares all the matter iâ— from what day you count his death He hath lived 80. yeares rather he hath beene 80. yeares vnlesse you meane he hath lived so as trees are said to liue Let vs not measure our life by time but facts As in little stature a perfect man may be so in a little terme of time a perfect life may be Age is an externall thiâ—g how long I am is anothers but how long I am good is mine To liue vnto wisedome is the space of mosâ— ample life Idem lib. 1. de tranquilitate vitaâ— cap. 10. There is no viler thing then an aged ould man that hath no other argument buâ— yeares to proue that he hath lived long Lin. 21. IT SHALL PLEASE GOD TO APPOINT Man purposeth and God disposeth Therfore saith S. Iames the Apostle Epist cap. 4. Say if our Lord will or if we liue we will doe this or that because we know not what shall be to morrow So the soule bee safe it is no great matter where the bodie lye many a holy bodie lyeth in the sea many burned to askes many devoured by wild beasts c. Yet every man ought so much to esteeme of Christian buriall as he ought to seeke for it by all lawfull meanes and is bound to ordaine as providently as he can and a good reason why is giuen in the leafe here before out of S. Maximus Pag. 17. § 2. RVFVLL DECAY OF THE CATHOLIKE RELIGION Begunne in England by Henrie 8. breaking obedience with the sea of Rome by act of Parlament 1533. and made more full by Q. Elizabeth AS A TRVE FATHER A true father is he that according to the law of nature provideth for those whom he hath gotten into the world not only bodily but spiritually which law is so firmely engraffed in nature as it needs no expresse law writteÌ„ to command it as the children haue to honours their parents the care of providing corporally for childreÌ„ is in some pareÌ„ts over much and the provision for their soules the chief part too little These are not true fathers that care not to leaue to their children a true inheritance but false fathers leaving inheritaÌ„ce of false riches such as vvhen they haue slept their sleepe they shall find nothing in their hands The true father hath his principall care to instruct his children in the law of God that as not only the earthly goods but celestiall doctrines vvere by his forefathers delivered to him so he keeping them in the customes and maners of his life deliver the same to his posteritie at his death The sonnes most commonly follow the steps of their fathers and thinke all lawful to doe that they see them vse Great is the obligation of parents in the education of their children Ioan. 5.19 The sonne can doe nothing of himselfe but vvhat he seeth his father doe for vvhatsoever he doth the sonne likevvise doth Isaias 38. Mat. 10.32 Marck 8.38 Luc. 9.26 12 8. Pag. 18. § 3. BE IT KNOWNE TO THEM AND TO ALL THE WORLD The father to his children shall notifie thy truth Every one thaâ— shall confesse me before men I vvilâ— also confesse him before my Father vvhich is in heaven And he that shalâ— denie me before men I vvill also denie him before my Father vvhich is in heaven S. Aug. serm 181. de tempore Vide supra §. â— by faith confessing Tom. 10. Heb. 11. Sine fide Without faith it is impossible to please God this faith he acknowledgeth in our hearts that searcheth reines and hearts but for conserving of the Churches vnitie for the dispensation of this time with faith of heart is also necessarie confession of mouth because vvith the heart vve beleeue to iustice and vvith mouth vve make confession to salvation not only of preachers but also of those that are instructed Otherwise one brother of another could not have notice nor the Churches peace be conserved nor one teach another nor learne of another necessarie things to salvation vnlesse vvhat he hath in his heart with signes of voice as it were with certaine chariots he sent to the hearts of others Faith is therfore both to be kept in the heart and brought forth with the mouth for faith is the foundation of all good things and beginning of humane salvation without this no man can come to the number of the sonnes of God and without it neither doth he obtaine the grace of iustification in this world nor shall he possesse life everlasting in the world to come And if one walke not by faith he shall not come to vision The holy Apostles having regard to this delivered a certaine rule of faith which according to the Apostolicall number comprehended in 12. sentences they called the symbole by which the beleevers might hould the Catholike vnitie and by which they might convince hereticall praviâ—ie c. A MEMBER OF CHRISTS TRVE CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH Signes of the true Church are that it is one holy Catholike and Apostolike therfore he adioyneth OVT OF THE VNITIE AND FELLOWSHIP WHEROF THERE NEVER WAS NOR IS NOR CAN BE SALVATION No more then was for those that were without the arke of Noe. The true Church can be but one in as much as truth is one and can be but one errour manifold and in a manner infinite A man that going a iourney bent to one place if he leaue the right way which can be but one it is no more matter which way he take of so many wayes as lie round about him for in all he erreth and shall not come to the place intended because he hath left the way that only leades therunto Aug. serm 181. de teÌ„pore prope finem Tom. 10 Symbol Apost The holy Catholike Church It is to be knowne that we must beleeue the Church and not beleeue in the Church because the Church is not God but the house of God Catholike he saith diffused over all the whole world because the Churches of diverse Heretiks are therfore not called Catholike because they be contained in places every one in their owne Provinces but this even froÌ„ the Sun rising to the setting of the same is diffused with the splendour of one faith There are no greater riches no treasures no honours no greater substance of this world then is the Catholike faith which saveth men sinners illuminateth the blind cureth the infirme baptizeth CathecumeÌ„s iustifieth the faithfull repayreth penitents augmenteth the iust crowneth martyrs ordeyneth clerks consecrateth Priests prepareth for the kingdome of heaven and in the everlasting