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
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
the crowne whiche he promysed vnto al men that do feare hym and loue hym and walke in his wayes The eyght article I beleue in the holy goste THe holy goste is the thyrd persone in trinitie verye god and lorde authour and former of all thynges created and procedeth bothe frome god the father and frome god the sonne one with them in nature and substance and of the same euerlastynge essence or beinge whiche the father and the sonne be of and equall also vnto them bothe in almyghtynesse of power and in the worke of creation and all other thynges perteyning vnto the deitie or godhead wherfore he is also to be honored glorified equally with them bothe This holy goste whiche is the spirite of god is of his nature all holy ye holynes it selfe that is to say he is the onely goste or spirite which with the father and the sonne is was and euer shall be the autour causer and worker of all holynes puritie and sanctimonye and of all the grace comforte and spirituall lyfe which is wrought and cōmeth into the harte of any man in so mothe that no man can thynke well or do any thynge that good is but by the motion ayde and assistence of this holy spirite neyther it is possible that the deuylle or any of those euyll spirites whiche doo possesse and reygne in suche persons as be subiecte vnto synne can be expelled or put out of theym but by the power of this holye spirite neyther it is possible that the harte of any man beinge ones corrupted and made as prophane by synne can be purged purified sanctified or iustified without the worke and operation of this holy spirite neyther it is possible for any man to be reconciled vnto the fauour of god or to be made and adopted into the numbre of his chyldren or to obteyne that incomparable treasure whyche our sauyour Iesus Christe hath purchased and layde vp for mankynde onelesse this holy spirite shal fyrste illumine and lyghten his hart with the ryght knowlege and faythe of Christe and styrre hym by grace to haue due contrition and penaunce for his synnes and shall also instructe hym gouerne hym ayde hym dyrecte hym and indue hym with suche spirituall gyftes and graces as shall be requisite and necessary to that ende and purpose Moreouer this holy sipirit of god is of his own nature full of all goodnes benignitie yea goodnes it selfe from whom procedeth all and syngular graces and gyftes of feare wysedome vnderstandynge counsell strength fayth charitie hope and all other whiche be gyuen conferred and distributed vnto vs mortall men here in the eatthe at his owne wylle and dispensation and that noo man can pourchase or obteyne ne yet receyue reteyne or vse any one of theym without the specyall operation of this holy spirite whiche gyftes neuer the lesse he gyueth not nor dyspenseth the same equally and vnto euery man in lyke but he dyuydeth them particularly and specyally to euery member of the churche as is most necessary for the hole body and in suche plentye and measure as vnto his godly wyll and knowledge is thought to be mooste beneficiall and expedient for the same All whyche thynges he dothe of his mere mercye and goodnes freeely and aboue our deseruynge Farthermore this holy spirite is of his owne nature full of charitie and holy loue yea charitie it selfe frome whome procedeth all charitie and soo by his godly operation is the bonde and knot wherewith our sauiour IESVS CHRISTE and his moste dere espouse the churche whyche is also his mysticall body be vnited knyt and conioyned togyther in suche perfecte and euerlastynge loue and charitie that the same can not be dissolued or separated And ouer this is also the very bond and knot wherby all and euery one of the very membres of Christis churche and body be vnited coupled and conioyned the one of them with the other in mutuall loue and charitie Also this holye spirite of god is the spyrite of trouthe and the autour of all holy scripture conteined in the hole canon of the bible and did not only inspire and instruct all the holy patriarches and prophetes with all the other members of the catholyke churche that euer was from the beginnyng of the worlde in all the godly truthes and verities that euer they dyd knowe speake or write but also descended and appered in the symilitude lykenes of fyery tongues and dyd lyght vpon the apostles and disciples of Christ and inspired them with the knowlege of all truth and replenyshed them with heauenly giftes and graces and shall be continually present in the catholyke churche shall teache and reuele vnto the same churche the secretes and mysteries of all truthes whiche are necessary to be knowen and shall also continually from tyme to tyme rule directe gouerne and sanctifie the same churche and gyue remission of synnes and all spirituall comforte as well inwardely by secrete operations as also outwardly by the open ministration and efficacy of the worde of god and of the holy sacramentes in the sayd churche and shall endue it with all such spiritual graces and giftes as shall be necessary for the same Finally it is to be noted that albeit holy scripture dothe worthely attribute vnto the holy goste our sanctification our iustification all other benefites whiche Christe by his passion hath merited and deserued for vs yet neuerthelesse the same be also the workes of the hole trinitie and be not to be separated in any wise although scripture commonly dothe attribute them vnto the holy goste For in lyke maner dothe scripture attrybute power vnto the father and wisedome vnto the sonne which neuerthelesse be common vnto all thre The nynth article The holy catholyke churche AFter the eight articles of our belefe in which we knowledge goddes might and power in the creation of the worlde his mercy and goodnes in our redemption and his spirituall benefites exhibited and gyuē to vs by the holy goste foloweth the nynth article in whiche we declare that we do beleue and confesse the maner of goddis working in calling vs to haue fruition of hym and to be made partakers of hys sayde benefites Wherfore we must vnderstand that besides the inward and secrete calling which god hath alwais vsed and yet still doth vse he hath also ordeyned an outward callynge of the people vnto him by preachynge of his moste holy worde vpon whiche outwarde callynge the people yeldyng assentyng and obeyeng to the same worde of god and receyuynge it also with true fayth the sacrament of baptisme as Christis lawe requireth be named in scripture Ecclesia that is to saye an assemble of people called out from other as from infidels or heathens to one faythe and confession of the name of Christ whiche worde Ecclesia is in englyshe called Churche And it is to be noted specially that in our englyshe tungue by the worde Churche we vnderstande not onely the hole multitude of
iugement whan Christ shall come as in the seuēth article of this Crede is conteyned and syt to iudge both quycke and dead almighty god shall stirre and raise vp againe the very fleshe and bodies of all men women and children bothe good and bad christened heathen that euer lyued here in this world from the beginning of the same and died before that day And althoughe the sayd fleshe and bodies were dead and buryed yea and consumed or by any meanes destroyed yet god shall of his infinite power make them all at that daye hole and perfite again And so euery man generally shal resume and take againe the verye selfe same body and fleshe whiche he had whiles he liued here on earthe and so shall ryse from deathe lyue againe in the very selfe same body and soule which he had before At whiche tyme man beyng thus made perfit in coniunction of body and soule shall at that day appere before the highe iudge our sauiour IESV CHRIST and there shall make an accompte of his workes and his dedes suche as he dyd good or euyll while he liued here in this worlde And suche as haue ledde theyr liues in obedience and obseruation of goddis commandementes and die in true faith and charitie shal than be perfitely sanctified purified and deliuered from al contagion of sinne and from all corruption and mortalitie of the flesh and shall be perpetually glorified receyue bothe in body and soule together euerlastyng lyfe Whiche lyfe euerlastynge thoughe it passeth al mennes wittes to expresse how pleasant and ioyful it is nor yet mannes capacitie can compryse and vnderstande the same as saynte Paule wytnesseth saieng That which the eie hath not sene nor the eare hath not herde nor hath not entred in to mans harte i. Cor. ◠God hath ordeyned for them that loue him Yet holy scripture speketh of it after our capacitie and intelligence but farre vnder the worthynes and excellency therof The prophet Esaie saith Esa xxxv Euerlasting gladnes shall be ouer their heades they shall haue ioy and gladnes sorowe wayling shall forsake them Apoc. vii And saynte Iohn saythe God that sytteth on his throne shall dwell ouer them They shall not hunger or thyrst any more neyther sonne nor heare shal hurte them for the lambe that is in the myddes of the throne shall feede them and brynge them to the fountaines of the water of life And god shal wipe away all wepyng and teares from theyr eyes death shall endure no longer There shall be no waylyng nor cryenge nor sorowe any more Yea there is no ioy or comfort that can be wished for but it is there most plentifully There is true glory where prayse shall be without errour or flatterye There is true honour whiche shall be giuen to none onles he be worthy There is true peace where no man shal be molested or greued neyther by hym selfe nor by others There is true and pleasant felowship where is the company of blessed angels and the elect and chosen saintes of god There is true and perfecte loue that neuer shall fayle For all the heauenly company is linked and fastened together by the bond of perfecte charitie wherby also they be vnyted and knytte to almyghty god euerlastyngly Fynally there is the true rewarde of al godlynesse God hym selfe The syghte and fruition of whom is the ende and rewarde of all our beliefe and all our good workes and of all those thinges whiche were purchased for vs by CHRISTE he shall be our sacietie our fulnesse and desyre he shal be our life our helth our glory our honour our peace our euerlasting reste and ioye He is the ende of all our desyres whom we shall see continually whom we shall loue moste feruently whom we shall prayse and magnify world with out ende ¶ The sacrament of Baptisme AS touchyng the holy sacrament of Baptisme it is to be noted Fyrst that this sacrament was instituted and ordeyned by our sauiour IESV CHRISTE in the newe testament as it doth appeere by Christis owne wordes vnto his apostles where he sayeth Go ye abrode through out all the world Math. xxviii and preache the gospel vnto al people and baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy goste Furthermore that the effecte and vertue of this sacramente is forgyuenes of synne and grace of the holy goste as is manifestely declared in the seconde chapiter of the actes of the apostles where it is sayde Do penance and be baptised euery one of you and ye shall haue forgyuenes of synne and shall receiue the gyfte of the holy goste Whiche effecte of grace and forgyuenes of synne thys sacramente hath by vertue and force of the workyng of almighty god accordyng to his promyse annexed and conioyned vnto this sacrament as is manifestly declared by the worde of Christe sayeng who so euer beleueth and is baptised shall be saued Marc. xvi Whiche sayeng of our sauiour Christe is to be vnderstande of all suche persons which die in the grace conferred and gyuen to them in baptisme and do not fynally fall from the same by synne Moreouer bycause all men be borne synners throughe the transgression of our father Adam in whom as the apostle sayeth Rom. v. All haue synned and can not be saued without remission of their synne whiche is gyuen in baptisme by the workyng of the holy gost Therfore the sacrament of baptisme is necessary for the atteyning of saluation and euerlasting lyfe Iohn iiii accordinge to the wordes of Christe sayinge No man can entre into the kyngedome of god excepte he be borne agayne of water and the holy gooste For whiche causes also it is offered and pertayneth to all men not onely such as haue the vse of reason in whom the same duely receyued taketh awaye and purgeth all kynde of synnes both originall and actuall commytted and done before theyr baptisme but also it apperteyneth and is offered vnto infantes whiche bicause they be borne in original synne haue nede and ought to be christened Wherby they being offred in the faith of the churche receyue forgiuenes of their synne and suche grace of the holy goste that if they dye in the state of theyr infancye they shall therby vndoutedly be saued ¶ And here we must knowe that as touchynge originall synne in infantes lyke as they take of theyr parentes theyr originall and naturall qualities euen so they receiue from them original sinne by whiche they are made the children of they re of god and by the same haue a naturall inclination to synne by lustes and desires whiche in further age and tyme sensibly moue and styrre them to wickednes For although the parentes be neuer so cleane purged and pardoned of theyr origynall synne by baptisme and grace gyuen in the same◠yet neuertheles the chyldren of them begotten be conceyued and borne in original synne Example we may take of corne whiche thoughe it
newe as in the olde testament And this penance is a thynge so necessary for mans saluation that without it no man that offendeth god can be saued or attayne euerlastyng lyfe The sacrament of penaunce is proprely the absolution pronounced by the priest vpon suche as be penitent for their synnes and so do knowledge and shewe them selues to be To the obteynynge of the whiche absolution or sacrament of penaunce be requyred contrition confession and satisfaction as wayes and meanes expedyent and necessary to obteyne the sayde absolution In all which ways and meanes fayth is necessarily required as the groūde and foundation of all thynges that are to be done for to atteyne the benefite of the sacramente of penance For who can haue tru penance with hope to atteyn any grace of remission of sinne therby onles he beleue stedfastly that god is and that in the new testamēt by the mean of our sauiour Iesu Christ by the force of his passion there is promise made to his church to grant remission of synnes by his ministers to suche as falling from the grace receyued in baptisme do at his callyng turn vnto him by penāce And like as they which were not baptised being infantes whan they come to the yeres of discretion and desyre baptisme be taught fyrste to beleue in god and to renounce the deuil his workes vppon which ground of faith they desyre baptisme as a necessary sacrament for remission of syn So euery man before he entreth into the wayes of fruitefull penance must haue for a grounde and foundation such a belefe as wherby he hopeth and loketh by the sacrament of penance to atteine remission of all his synnes whervnto we do come as is aforesayd by contrition confession and satisfaction Contrition is an inwarde sorow and griefe for synne whiche euery true penitent called by goddis grace hath by knowlege of the worde of god whervpon remembrynge his owne synfull and viciouse lyuynge wherby he hath prouoked the hygh indygnation and wrathe of god and on the other syde consideryng the dignitie and puritie of that state whervnto he was called in baptisme and his promyse made there to god the manifold benefites also dayly receyued of god Herevpon the sayd penitent moued and stirred with the great loue goodnes of god shewed before towardes him on the one partie and his owne ingratitude or vnkindnes towardes god on thother partie conceiueth an ernest sorowe for that he hath relinquisshed so louynge a lorde and an hatefull displeasure that he hath folowed sinne and therby so greuously offended god of whom he was before called to be in the state of a sonne inheritour with our sauiour Iesu Christe And thus beynge moued and troubled in spirite and lamentynge the myserable state whiche he is nowe in by his owne defaut is pricked and styrred in his harte accordynge to the teachynge of his mother holy churche to repaire to suche a minister as god hath ordeyned to pronounce the sentence of remissiō of synne And knowing him to occupy that place as deputed of god doth prostrate him selfe to god there humbly procedeth to confession wherin he callyng to his remembrance his sinful life past doth knowlege to the priest al such synnes in which his conscience telleth hym that he hath greuousely offended the goodnes of god almighty the same before the priest goddis minister he declareth vttereth with his mouthe and so blameth accuseth Luc. xv Luc. xii and condemneth him selfe for an vnkind prodigall sonne to almighty god his father for a naughty seruant that knewe by light of grace the cōmandement of his lord Iesu Christe and dyd it not was indued with many giftes of the holy goste and exercised them not And so detestinge and abhorryng synne and desyrous to be raysed frome that estate confesseth in humilitie the cause of synne to haue ben of hym selfe by yeldyng to the concupiscence of the fleshe the worlde and the deuyll Wherfore he is gladde to submytte hym selfe to suche dyscipline and wayes of reformation as the priest hering his synnes offences shall by his discretion and wisedome accordyng to the word of god thynke conuenient Whiche humble submission to the gostly father with consent and agrement to receyue the said discipline is a parte of satisfaction whiche is the thirde way or meane to the sacrament of penaunce as is before rehersed And this satisfaction declareth a desire to plese and content god his father for the vnkyndenes towardes hym in fallynge from the estate of grace wherein he was called to be his sonne and inherytour of heauen vnto the myserable condition of synne wherby he hath made hym selfe mooste vile bondman vnto the deuyll But here ye must vnderstand that the satisfaction whiche is here spoken of is not so to be taken as though the penitent synner coulde worthyly merite or deserue remission of sinnes by any peyn or punishement to be by him suffered or to make to god any iuste or full recompence equiualent to the synne that he hath committed against him and so to satisfie which he can neuer do For that satisfaction hath onely our sauiour Christe wrought in his glorious passion But to satisfie as here is mēt by satisfaction is to plese god with an hūble lowly harte redy to bringe forth the fruites of penance to bringe them forth in dede as in almes prayer and fastynge with all suche meanes as maye serue for the cutting away of the occasion of synne as the minister shall thynke good according to the worde of god and with suche weping lamentyng wayling as do burst out of the hart with a ful purpose to leade a newe life and therwith to forgiue al men theyr trespaces to restore to all men that he hath vniustly taken or reteyned from them to recompēce all hurtes and iniuries done by hym accordyng to his abilitie and power and as he may not onely to wyll but also to do thus to his neighbour in dede wherin the neighbour ought to be satisfied And hereby appereth howe god estemeth satisfaction both to him selfe and to the neyghbour after the wyll and power and not after the equiualence of that which is done For to god no man can so satisfie for sinne And Christ therfore hath satisfied for all by vertue wherof our satisfaction is accepted and allowed of god who of his infinite goodnes and for Christes sake is satisfied that is to say pleased with that littell we do Whervpon after this contrition had in harte confession made with mouth and satisfaction shewed and promised the penitēt may desire to here of the minister the comfortable wordes of remyssion of synnes And the minister thervpon according to Christes gospell pronounce the sentence of absolution vnto the whiche absolution the penitent must gyue credence and beleue with a perfite fayth that his synnes be now forgyuen frely by the merites of Christes passion to the whiche forgyuenes he hath recourse by the sacrament of
manifestly sheweth in his epistle to Tite sayinge thus i Tim. v. For this cause I lefte the Crete that thou shuldest ordeyne priestes in euery citie according as I haue appointed the. T◠i. And to Timothe he saythe Se that thou be not hasty to put thy handes vpon any mā And here is to be noted that althoughe this forme before declared is to be obserued in gyuyng orders yet there is no certaine rule prescribed or limitted by the word of god for the nomination election presentation or appointing of any such ecclesiasticall ministers But the same is holy left vnto the positiue lawes and ordinances of euery christē region proiuded and made or to be made in that behalfe with the assent of the prince and ruler And as concernyng the office and duetie of the sayde ecclesiasticall mynisters the same consysteth in true preachynge and teachyng the word of god vnto the people in dispensyng and ministring the sacramentes of Christe in consecratynge and offerynge the blessed body and bloud of Christe in the sacrament of the aulter in losynge and assoylyng from synne suche persons as be sory and truly penitent for the same and excommunicatynge suche as be gyltie in manyfest crimes and wyll not be refourmed otherwise and finally in praying for the hole churche of Christ and specyally for the flocke committed vnto them And althoughe the office and minysterye of priestes and byshoppes stande chiefly in these thinges before rehersed yet neither they nor any of them may exercise and execute any of the same offices but with such sort such limitation as the ordinances lawes of euery christē realme do permit and suffre And bycause it is not mete that this so chargeable a cure shuld be committed to euery man that peraduenture ambiciously wolde desyre it Therfore saynt Paule dothe dilygently set out to his disciples Timothe and Tite the conuersation learnyng conditions and qualities of them that shuld be admitted to the mynistery of priesthode i. Tim. iii. Tit. i. writyng in this maner A bishop or a priest ought to be blamelesse as the stewarde of god not wilfull not angry no drunkarde no fyghter not gredy of fylthy lucre but giuen to hospitalitie liberal discrete sobre rightuous deuout temperate and continent and such one as holdeth the true worde of doctrine that he may be able to exhort with bolsom lerning and to reproue them that saye against it Thus we haue shortly touched fyrst the ordrynge of priestes and bishoppes Secondly their ministery office and duetie with the charge cure belonging thervnto and finally the qualities and conditions required in the same And for as moche as it is an olde heresie of the Donatistes condemned in the generall counselles to thynke that the worde of god and his sacramentes shuld be of no efficacy strength or vertue whā they be ministred by euyll men it is to be remēbred that according to the saying of saynt Gregory Nazianzene Lyke as there is no differēce betwene the selfe same image or figure of any thyng imprinted with a signet of golde and a signet made of yron or of woode or any other viler mattier euen so the worde of god and the sacramentes of god mynystred by an euyll and noughty man be of the selfe same vygour strength and efficacie as whan they be ministred by a man of excellent vertu and goodnes The cause and reason wherof is for that the priestes and byshops although in the execution of their office and administration they do vse and exercise the power and auctoritie of god committed vnto them yet they be not the principall causers nor the sufficient or of them selues the efficient causers or gyuers of grace or of any other spirituall gyfte whiche procedeth and is gyuen of god by his word and his sacramentes But god is the only principall sufficient and perfite cause of all the efficacy of his worde and his sacramentes and by his only power grace and benefites it is that we receyue the holy goste and his gracis by the office and administration of the said priestes and byshoppes and the sayde priestes and bysshoppes be but onely as officers to execute and minister with their handes and tongues the outwarde and corporall thynges wherein god worketh and gyueth grace inwarde accordynge to his pacte and couenaunt made with and to his espouse the church And this also Chrisostome affirmeth the .lxxxv. homily vpon saynt Iohn where he sayth in this maner What speake I of priestis I say that neyther aungel nor archangell can giue vs any of these thynges whiche be giuen vnto vs of god but it is the father the sonne and the holy goste whiche is the effectuall cause of all these thynges the priest dothe onely put to his handes and his tongue And in this poynt saynt Ambrose also agreeth with the sayde sayinges of Chrisostome wrytyng thus The priest layeth his handes vpon vs but it is god that gyueth the grace the priest layeth vpon vs his besechynge handes but god blesseth vs with his mighty hande The byshoppe consecrateth an other bysshoppe but it is god that gyueth the worthynesse Wherfore we must always thynke and beleue that the vertue and efficacie of the word of god and his sacramētes consisteth and dependeth in and vpon the commandement ordinance power and auctoritie of god onely and that neyther the merites or worthynes of the ministers be they neuer of suche excellencie do gyue them theyr auctoritie strength or effycacie neyther yet the malyce nor corrupte lyuynge of them be it neuer so euyll can frustrate or take away from the sayde worde or sacramentes their sayd power authoritie strength or vertue Moreouer as touchynge the order of deacons we rede in the actes of the Apostles Act. vi that they were ordered and instituted by the same apostelles by prayer and imposition of their handes vpon them And as for the qualities and vertuous conuersation whiche be required in them saynte Paule setteth them out in his epistle to Timothe in these wordes l. Tim. iii. Deacons oughte to be chaste not double tounged no drunkardes not gredy of fylthy lucre hauynge the mystery of faythe in a pure conscience And their office in the primitiue churche was partly in mynistringe meate and drynke and other necessaryes to poore people founde of the churche partly also in mynystrynge to the bysshoppes and priestes and in doinge theyr duetie in the churche And of these two orders onely that is to saye priestes and deacons scripture maketh expresse mencion and howe they were conferred of the apostels by prayer and imposition of their handes And to these two the primitiue churche did adde conioyn certain other inferiour and lower degrees as subdeacons accolites exorcistes with diuerse other of the whiche mention is made of bothe of the most auncient writers that we haue in the churche of CHRIST after the apostelles and also in diuerse olde counsayles and namely in the fourthe counsayle of Aphrike in whiche
cōsidering of his most excellent wisedome not only the notable decay of Christis true and perfite religion emonges vs but also the intollerable thraldome captiuitie and bondage with the infynite dangers and preiudices whyche we his subiectes continually susteyned by reason of that longe vsurped and abused power whiche the bysshops of Rome were wōt to exercise here in this realme hath nowe of his most godly disposition and by the consente of his nobles spirituall and temporall by auctoritie of the hole parliament determined no longer to suffer the byshoppe of Rome to exercyse any parte of his vsurped iurisdiction here within this realme but clerely to delyuer vs from the same and restore vs agayne vnto our libertie Surely we haue great cause most ioyfully and thankefully to enbrace and accepte the same consideryng that therby no preiudice is done to goddis worde or his ordinaunces For as we haue shewed and declared before it was by princes sufferaunce onely that the bysshoppe of Rome exercised any suche iurisdiction within this realme and not by the authoritie giuen vnto hym by Christe And as for the bysshop of Rome he can not pretende hym selfe no more to be greued or iniuried therwith than any of the kynges officers myght worthily thynke that the kynges byghnes shulde do him wronge in case he shulde vppon good cause remoue hym from his roume and office and committe it to an other And as for vs the kynges faythfull subiectes we shall vndoubtedly receyue and haue thereby syngular welth and commoditie as well spiritually to the edifieng of our soules as corporally to the increase of our substance and richesse The which how moch it was impaired decayed continually from tyme to time by the great exactions of the byshoppes of Rome and suche treasures as wente yerely out of this realme to his coffers for annates annuities and exemptions pardons and suche other vnlawfull exactions we doubte not but all men indued with any witte and zeale to the welthe of this our countrey do right well perceiue and vnderstande and accordingly with hart and minde wil not onely pray for the kynges highnes and his preseruation by whose occasion this lighte came fyrste vnto vs but also firmely and constantly stycke to those lawes wherby we haue so moche ease of wrongfull exactions and abuses and also our prince kyng now enioieth most rightfully his iust title with restitution of his royall and imperiall dignitie and princely gouernance The sacrament of Confirmation WE reade in holy scrypture / how the apostels in the beginnyng of the churche althoughe they dyd certainly knowe and beleue that al suche as had duely receyued the sacrament of baptisme were by vertu and efficacie therof perfitely regenerated in Christ perfitely incorporated and made the very members of his body and had receyued full remission of their synnes and were indued with graces and giftes of the holy goste yet they went vnto the people after they were baptised and so by their prayer and imposition of theyr handes vppon them the holy goste was giuen and conferred vnto them And the sayde people did speake diuerse languages and prophecyed wherby not onely they whiche had receyued baptisme and professed Christ were the better confirmed and established in Christis religion made more constant to confesse the same But also other whiche were out of the churche infideles mighte the soner be reduced by suche gifte and miracle frō theyr errours and be brought in to the right beliefe of Christe and his gospele Whervpon the holy fathers of the primitiue church taking occasion and founding them selues vpon the saide actes and dedes of the apostles and considering also that suche as had ones receyued the giftes and benefites of the holy goste by the sacrament of baptisme might and oftentimes dyd in dede by temptation frailtie or otherwise by theyr owne sinne and malice lose and fall from the same againe dyd vse and obserue as it hath ben hitherto by succession of ages continued that al christen people shuld after theyr baptisme be presented to theyr bishops to the intent that by theyr prayers and imposition of theyr handes vpon them consigning of them with the holy Chris◅ they shulde be confirmed that is to say they shuld receyue suche gyftes of the holy goste as wherby they shulde be so corroborated and establisshed in the giftes graces before receyued in baptisme that they shuld not lyghtly fall againe from the same but shulde constantly reteyne them and perseuere therin and shulde also be made stronger and hardier as wel to confesse boldly and manfully theyr faith before all the persecutours of the same and to resist and fight against theyr gostly ennemies the world the deuil and the fleshe as also to beare the crosse of Christe that is to suffer and susteine paciently all the afflictions and aduersities of this worlde and fynally that they shuld atteyne encreace and abundance of vertues and graces of the holy gost And although men ought not to contemne this sacrament but shuld present theyr children vnto the bishoppe to receyue at his handes the sacrament of confirmation yet it is not to be thought that there is any suche necessitie of confirmation of infantes but that they being baptised and dieng innocentes before they be confirmed shall be assured to atteine euerlastinge lyfe and saluation by the effecte of the sacrament of baptisme receyued The sacrament of extreme vnction AS towching extreme vnction we must vnderstand how according to scripture and the rule and ordre prescribed by the holy apostle saint Iames the catholike churche of Christ hath obserued and minystred this sacrament to such as haue required it in their sickenes and disease of body to the entent that by the workinge of god in ministration therof the sicke man through prayer of the priest the minister and suche as assist him might be releued of his bodely disease and also atteyne pardon and remission of his synnes For saint Iames saith If any be sick among you let him cal for the priestes of the churche and let them pray ouer him annointing him with oile in the name of our lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke man and if be be in sinnes they shall be forgiuen him By whiche wordes like as the vse of the sacrament is confirmed and proued so that the churche may well vse the same with assurance that god assisteth the ministration therof So we must also remembre that although helth of body which here is prayed for doth not always folowe yet we shuld not doubte but god ordereth mannes praier therin alwaies to the best as he doth of his infinite goodnes all other prayers that men make who in dede knowe not what they shuld aske ne what is best or moste profitable for them Wherfore albeit we be taught to make all our prayers in a most certayne fayth to atteine our desires according to the generall promise made by god throughe Christe Aske and
the deuyll and from his power and tyranny so that he shuld not by his malyce and gyles intice vs and draw vs into synne wherby we myghte fynally be broughte vnto euerlastynge damnation From the whiche also we pray here to be delyuered ¶ The salutation of the angell to the blessed virgine Mary HAyle Mary full of grace / the lorde is with the blessed arte thou emonge women And blessed is the fruite of thy wombe FOr the better vnderstanding of this salutation of the angel made to the blessed virgine Mary ye shall fyrst consyder how it was decreed of the hole trinitie That after the falle of our firste father Adam by which mankinde was so long in the great indignation of god and exiled out of heauen the seconde person the euerlastynge sōnne of the father euerlastyng shulde take vppon him the nature of mā and so as he was perfect god shuld be perfect man to redeme mankynd from the power of the deuill Luc. i. and to reconcile the same again to his lord god And for this purpose as saint Luce in his gospel declareth in the .vi. moneth after saint Elizabeth was conceiued with saint Iohn the Baptist the aungell Gabriel was sent from god into a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin which was despoused or ensured to a mā whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgines name was Mary And whan this angell came vnto this said virgin he said these wordes Hayle ful of grace the lord is with the blessed art thou emong women And whan the virgine hearing these wordes was troubled with theym and mused with her selfe what maner of salutation ti shuld be The angell sayd to her Feare not Mary be not abasshed for thou haste founde fauour in the syght of god Lo thou shalte conceyue in thy wombe and shalte bryng forthe a sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shall be great and shall be called the sonne of the hyghest And the lorde god shall gyue vnto hym the seat of Dauid his father And he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer And his kyngdome shal haue no ende Than sayd Mary to the aungelle Howe can this be done for I haue not knowlege of man And the aungelle answerynge saide vnto her The holy gost shall come from aboue in to the and the power of the hyghest shall ouershadowe the. And therfore that holy one that shal be borne of the shall be called the sonne of god And lo thy cousyn Elyzabeth hathe also conceyued a sonne in her olde age and this is the syxte moneth sythe she conceyued whiche was called the bareyn woman for there is nothyng vnpossible to god To this Mary answered Lo I am the handmayde of our lorde be it done vnto me as thou hast spoken And than forthwith vpon the departure of the angell Mary beyng newly conceyued with the most blessed childe IESVS went vp into the mountaynes with speede in to a citie of Iuda and came to the house of Zacharye and saluted Elyzabeth And as soone as Elyzabeth hearde the salutation of Mary the chylde sprange in her wombe and furthwith Elyzabeth was replenyshed with the holy goste and cried with a greate voyce and sayde Blessed arte thou emonge women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe And wherof cometh this that the mother of my lorde commeth to me For lo as soone as the voyce of thy salutation was in my eares the chylde in my wombe lept for ioy And blessed arte thou that dyddest beleeue for all thynges that haue ben spoken to the from our lorde shall be performed Secondly it is to be noted that the angel Gabriell which spake to the virgine was an high angel and an high messanger And truely it was conuenient that he shoulde be so for he came with the highest message that euer was sente whiche was the entreaty and leage of peace betweene god and man And therfore the fyrst word of his salutation that is to ssye Hayle or be ioyfull was very conuenient for the same For he came with the message of ioy and so sayde the other aungell whiche at the byrth of our sauiour appered to the shepherdes Luc. ii I shewe to you said he great ioye that shall be to all the people And surely consyderyng the effectes that ensued vpon his highe message all mankynde hadde great cause to ioy For man beinge in the indignation and displeasure of god was hereby reconciled Man beinge in the bondes of the deuyll was hereby delyuered Man beinge exiled and banyshed out of heauen was hereby restored thither againe These be suche matters of ioy and comforte to vs that there neuer was or shall be nor can be any lyke And not onely for this purpose he began with this high worde of comforte but also for he perceyued that the virgine being alone wolde be moche abashed and astonied at his maruailous and sodeine commyng vnto her And therfore he thought it expedient fyrst of all to vtter the worde of ioye and comfort whiche might put away all feare from the blessed virgine And he called her Full of grace by god endued so plentuously bycause she shulde conceyue and beare hym that was the very plenytude and fulnes of grace the lorde of grace by whom is all grace without whome is no grace And this is the syngular grace by which she is called not only the mother of man but also the mother of god Thirdly by these wordes The lord is with the is declared why the angell called her full of grace for surely our lorde is not with them that be not in grace nor tarieth with them that be voyd of grace and be in synne For there is a separation and dyuorce betwene the synfull soule and our lord as the wyse man saythe 〈…〉 Peruerse thoughtes make a separation and a diuorce from god Fourthly by these wordes Blessed arte thou emonge women was ment that there was neuer woman so blessed And truely she may wel be called so moste blessed emong all women for she had greate and high prerogatiues whiche none other woman euer had hathe or shall haue Is not this an high prerogatiue that of all women she was chosen to be mother to the sonne of god And what excellent honour was she put to whan not withstandinge the decree was made of his natiuitie by the hole trinitie yet the thyng was not done and accomplished without or before her consent was granted For the whiche so solemne a messanger was sent And also howe highe grace was this that after the defaute made through the perswasion of the firste woman our mother Eue by whom Adam was brought into disobedience this blessed virgin was electe to be the instrument of our reparation in that she was chosen to beare the sauiour redemer of the world And is not this a wonderfull prerogatiue to see a virgine to be a mother conceyue her chylde without synne we may worthily say
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
saynte Augustine was present where as all the kyndes of orders whiche were than in the churche be rehersed and also with what rites and ceremonies they were cōferred and giuen at that time And thus by succession from the apostles time hath Order continued in the churche and hath euer bene called and counted for a sacrament as it may appere by dyuers other aunciente writers and speciallye by sainte Augustine where he writeth thus speakinge bothe of the sacrament of baptisme and of order Eyther of them saythe he is a sacrament and eyther of them is gyuen to men by a certain consecration the one whan a mā is baptised and the other whan he is ordered and therfore neyther of them both may be iterate or repeted in the catholyke churche of Christe And where as we haue thus summaryly declared what is the office and ministration whiche in holy scriptures hath ben committed to bysshoppes and priestes and in what thinges it consisteth as is afore rehersed leste peraduenture it myghte be thoughte to some persones that suche auctorities powers and iurisdictions as patriarches prymates archebysshoppes and metropolitanes now haue or heretofore at any time haue had iustly and laufully ouer other byshoppes were gyuen theym by god in holy scripture We thynke it expediente and necessarye that all men shulde be aduertised and taught that all suche laufull powers and authorities of any one bysshoppe ouer an other were and be gyuen to them by the consent ordynaunce and posytiue lawes of men onely and not by any ordynaunce of god in holy scripture And all other power and authoritie whiche any bysshoppe hath vsed or exercysed ouer an other whyche hathe not benne gyuen to hym by suche consente and ordynaunce of menne as is aforesayde is in verye deede noo laufull power but plaine vsurpation and tyrannye And therfore where as the byshoppe of Rome hath heretofore claymed vsurped to be head and gouernour of all priestes and byshops of the hole catholyke churche of Christe by the lawes of god It is euydent that the same power is vtterly fayned and vntrue and was neyther gyuen to hym by god in his holy scripture nor allowed by the holy fathers in the auncient generall counsels nor yet by the consent of the hole catholyke churche For it is playne that Christe neuer gaue vnto saint Peter or to any of the apostels or theyr successours any suche vniuersall authoritie ouer all the other But he set them all indifferently and in lyke power dignitie and authoritie as it dothe euidently appere in all suche places where any authoritie is gyuen to them by Christe And also by sainte Paule in his epistle to the Galathians where he compareth him selfe to Iames Gala. ii Peter and Iohn̄ whiche were the most notable emonge the apostles affirminge hym selfe to be equall in authoritie with them And as concerning the most auncient and most famouse holy generall counsayles it is euydent that they gaue the byshops of Rome no suche authoritie for in them be dyuerse actes and decres playnely testifieng the contrary As fyrst in the former counsaile of Nece emonge other there is one decree that the patriarches of Alexandria Antiochia shuld haue like power ouer the countreys about those citees as the byshoppes of Rome haue had ouer the coūtreis about Rome Also in the counsayle Mileuitane in which coūsayle saint Augustine was presente and subscribed to the same it was decreed that if any clerke of the countreys of Aphrike wolde appeale out of Aphrica vnto any bysshoppes beyonde the sea that suche a one shulde be taken through out al the countreys of Aphrica as a person excommunicate Moreouer in the general counsayle Constantinopolitan the fyrste it was likewyse decreed that euery cause and controuersy betwene any persons shulde be determined within the prouinces where the matters dyd lye and that by the byshops of the same prouinces And also that no byshops shuld exercise any power out of his own dioces or prouince And this was also the mynde of the holy doctour and martyr saint Cypriane and of the other holye fathers of Aphrica before the tyme of any generall counsayle And for the better and more playne and assured confirmation that the bishop of Rome hath no suche vniuersall authoritie neyther by goddis lawene yet by any ordinances of any ancient catholyke coūsayle It is to be considered that in the .vi. great counsayle Carthaginense the bishop of Rome sente his legates to that counsaile to alledge and vendicate his vsurped primacy and by title of the same to defend and mainteine the receyuing of appeles made vnto hym of causes and controuersies commenced in Aphrike bycause the hole counsaile had by theyr decree prohibited forbidden before al suche appeles to any toreyn byshop In the entreting and debatyng of which matter the bishop of Rome for his title alleged onely a canon made as he pretended in the firste Nicene counsaile The bishops of Aphrica denieng any such canon to be made For triall wherof messangers were sent to the patriarches sees of the orient to make searche for the hole canons of that counsayle And finally after longe diligēt searche whā the hole canons were brought forthe from thense there was no such canon emonges them as the byshop of Rome for his sayde title had alledged Whervpon two thynges are to be noted as euident by the premisses Firste that the bishoppe of Rome hath no such primacy nor any such can challenge by any wordes in scripture For than the byshop of Rome wolde at that tyme by his legates haue alleged it and the great multitude of so many fathers as were assembled in that Aphrican counsayle of whō saynt Augustine was one were so wel profoundly lerned in holy scripture that no such thynge if it were there coulde haue ben hidde vnto them And also they were soo good and vertuouse that if they had knowen it there they than wolde haue made no acte before to the contrary nor yet at that tyme so ernestly and extremely refused it The seconde thyng to be noted as euident by the premisses is that the byshops of Rome haue no suche power giuen them by any auncient generall counsayle For they at that tyme of this Aphicane counsayle wold than haue alleged it where in dede they alleged none but a pretensed canon of the fyrst Nicene counsayle which after great trial searche as is aforesayde coulde neuer be founde in the autentikes And that chapiter autentique which of al the canons of that counsayle moste concerneth the bishop of Rome maketh directly playnly against the sayde pretensed vniuersal primacy giuyng as is saide before to other patriarches lyke and equal authoritie in theyr countreys as bishops of Rome had and vsed than in the countreis about Rome Thirdly that the bishops of Rome had no such vniuersall primacy gyuen vnto them by the cōmon cōsent of the hole catholyke church it wel appereth in that the dyuers patriarches
holy conuersation in good workes good lyfe honour and glorifie him And that we may frō time to time so mortifie our owne natural corrupte and sinfull appetite and wyll that we may be euer redy like louyng children humblye lowly and obediently to approue allow and accomplysshe the wil of god our father in al thinges and to submitte our selues with all our harte vnto the same and to acknowlege that what so euer is the wil of god the same is most perfite most iust most holy and moste expedient for the wealth and helthe of our soules Wherfore in this petition also we desire of god true and stable pacience whan our wyll is letted or broken And that whan any man speaketh or dothe contrary to our wyll yet therfore we be not out of pacience neyther curse or murmure or seke vengeance agaynst our aduersaries or them whiche lette our wyll but that we may say well of them and do wel to them We pray also that by goddis grace we may gladly suffer al diseases pouertie dispisinges persecutions aduersities knowing that it is the wil of god that we shulde crucifie and mortifie our willes And whan any suche aduersitie chaunceth vnto vs attribute all vnto the wyl or sufferance of god giue him thankes therfore who dothe ordre all suche thynges for our weale and benefite eyther for the exercise and the triall of the good to make them stronger in goodnes and vertue or elles for the chastisement and amendement of the euyll to suppresse theyr euyll motions and desyres And also we pray that whā so euer it shal please god to call vs out of this transitory lyfe we may be wyllinge to die and that conformynge our wyll to the wyll of god we may take our deathe gladly so that by feare or infirmitie we be not made disobedient vnto hym We desire furthermore that all our membres eyes tongue harte handes and fete be not suffred to folowe the desyres of the fleshe but that all may be vsed to the wyll pleasure of god and that maliciousely we reioyse not in their troubles whiche haue resisted our wyll or haue hurte vs nor that we be enuiousely sory whan that they prosper and haue welfare but that we maye be contented and pleased with al thinge that is goddis wyll The fourth petition Gyue vs this day our dayly breade FOr the better declaration of this fourth petition ye shall vnderstand first that our lord teacheth vs not in this petition to aske any superfluous thing of plesure or delite but onely thinges necessary and sufficient and therfore he biddeth vs onely aske bread wherin is not ment superfluous riches or great substance or abundāce of thynges aboue our estate or condition but such thynges only as be necessary and sufficient for euery man in his degre and accordyng thervnto i. Tim. vi saint Paule saythe we haue broughte nothynge in to this worlde ne shall take any thinge with vs whan we depart hense And therfore if we christen mē haue meat and drinke and cloth that is to say thynges sufficient let vs hold our selues content for they that set their mindes on riches and wyl haue superfluities more than nedeth or is expedient to their vocation they fal into dangerous temptations into snares of the deuyll and into many vnprofitable and noisome desires whiche drowne men in to perdition euerlasting damnation for the spring and roote of all euils is such superfluous desyre The wyse man also making his petition to our lord saith Pro. xxx Giue me neither pouertie nor excesse but only thynges sufficient for my liuing left that hauing to moch I be prouoked to denie god to forget who is the lord on the other side lest that by pouertie constrained I fall in to thefte forsweare the name of my god These two wise men the one of the old the other of the newe testament agree with the lessō of our sauiour for both declare that they desire onely thinges necessarye sygnified here by breade and both refuse and renounce superfluities vnprofitable daungerouse and noysome Secondely in these wordes of our sauiour Iesu Christ be reproued all those persons which eate not their owne bread deuoure other mens bread of which sort be all those whiche liue of rauen and spoiles of theft of extortion of craft and deceite they also whiche neither labour with their handes nor otherwise apply their study industry diligēce to some thing which is good and beneficiall to the cōmon weale and to the honour of god but liue in ease rest idelnes wanton plesure without doinge or caring for any suche thyng And al they likewise be reproued which being called in this world vnto any rome office or authoritie do abuse the same do not emply them selfe according to theyr vocatiō Thirdly as the husbande man tilleth and soweth his grounde wedeth it and kepeth it from destroieng praying therwith to god for the encrease putteth al his truste in him to send him more or lesse at his pleasure euen so besides our owne diligence policy labour and trauaile we must also pray dayly to god to sende vs sufficient and we muste take thankefully at his handes al that is sent and be no further carefull than nedeth but putting to our endeuour set our hole cōfidence truste in him for our sauiour Christ saith in the gospel I say to you be not careful for your liuyng Math. vi what ye shall eate ne what clothes ye shall weare Is not life better than your meate your body better thā your clothinge Loke vpō the birdes of the aire they sowe not they reape not they bring nothinge in to the barne yet your heauenly father feedeth them be not you of more price then they Loke vpon the lillies of the fielde they labour not they spin not yet I tell you Salomon in al his precious roiall apparel was not so clothed as one of them therfore care you not for these thinges Leaue this care to them that knowe not god your heauenly father knoweth that you haue nede of all these thinges but seke you first the kingdome of god his rightuousenes the waies iustly truly to liue and thē god shal cast al these thinges vnto you These be the wordes of Christ ful of good comfortable lessons that we shulde not care ne set our hartes to moche vpon these worldly thinge ne care so moche for to morowe that we shall seme to mistrust our lord And here is a thing greatly to be noted in cōfort of the true laboring man for surely be he craftes mā or be he labourer doing truly his office whervnto he is called he maye in that state and kind of lyfe please god and atteine saluation as surely as in any other state or kynde of lyuinge And although our lord hath so prouided for some that they haue alredy sufficient and plenty for many