He that through the sprete of faith vnderstandeth the great calamite of thys myserable lyfe Rom. ix and the blasphemye of god whiche through oure synfull lyfe dayly in the flesshe is committed reioyseth that thys calamitie sone ceasseth The vngodly But the vngodly whome Paul calleth vessels of ire where on God shal shewe hys strayght iudgement they woulde wysshe that this temporal lyfe myght laste for euer They woulde be content with a good wyl that god shoulde kepe hys heauenly kyngdome alone O how fearful shal be vnto them the face of Iesus Christe which shal shewe him self in the last day with such great glory maiestie Zach. ix vnto all men Angels and deuils His first comyng was despysed and a slight thynge before the world but then when god the father shal geue ouer vnto hym all hys enemyes into suche horryble euerlastynge and in tollerable paynes and punyshemētes Esa lxij And all the membres of Christe shall be sett from al calamitye and misery into all perfection ioye and glory ād in al certayntye withoute ende Verely then shall he ryde no more vpon an asse in mekenes and shewe no more necessite but all glorye then shall the greate daye of the Lorde be at hande the daye of wrath and sorowfulnes the day of myst and of stormy wynd as the Prophete Sophony wryteth Soph. i. He shall come to iudge the quicke that shall be founde and the dead that haue dyed Cyprian vnderstandeth that the lyuinge be the soules and the deade their bodyes But for as muche as Paule sayth i. tess iiij that we which lyue remayne in the comynge of the Lord shal be caught together with the deade also in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayer and so shall euer be with the Lorde Truely so myght it be thought that there shal be some on lyue caught to the iudgement as also Saynt Ierome sayth vppon thys place They that be departed in Christe shall aryse fyrste and the sayntes whiche shal be founde lyuinge they shal be caught to gether with the fyrste Augustyn in the boke of the Citye of God sayth Lib. xxij Cap. xx That Paul here in this Epistle to Thessaloniens dyd not meane hymselues and those that lyued in hys daies But that he dyd meane those that Christe shal fynde on lyue He supposeth also that those whiche soon lyue shal be caught in the ayer to mete Christe shall together at one tyme in the same catchyng dye In Ecc. dog vi and .vij. and ryse agayn as he sayth in another place Nowe howe the same cometh to passe wil we committe to God it is not necessary for vs to knowe Witnesse of thys article out of th◠scripture Malachie descrybeth the comyng of Christe and the iudgemēt Mal. iij dan. vij Daniell dothe also note the comynge of the sonne of man to the iudgement Item of hys power and kyngdom that this power endureth foreuer Luce. i. Mic. iiij Matth. xxiiij and that his kingdō endureth vncorrupte as also Luke dothe writte and Micheas In Mathewe is descrybed the comynge of Christe whereas he saythe Euen as the lightenyng cometh oute of the easte and appeareth into the west so shall the commynge of the sonne of man be Then shal al the kynredes of the earthe mourne and they shall see the sonne of man commynge in the cloudes of heauen with great power and glorye and he shal sende hys Angels with the great voyce of trōpettes And they shall gather together hys chosen from the foure wyndes from the one ende of heauen vnto the other Marci xij Luce. xxi Matthei xix xxv xxvi fyndest thou also such lyke ij ii iiij Paule i. Corinth iiij i. Thessa iiij ij Thessal ij Item to Timothe I testitye before God and the Lorde Iesu Christe which shall come to iudge the quycke and deade Ro. xiiij at hys appearynge in hys kyngdome And to the Romaynes Vve shal be al brought before the iudgement seate of Christe Esa xlv For it is written as truely as I lyue sayth the Lorde Al knees shal bowe to me and al tonges shall geue prayse to God ij Co. v Item to the Corinthians we muste al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery man maye receyue the workes of hys body accordyng to that he hathe done i. Pe. iiij whether it be good or bad Peter Vviche shal geue accomptes to hym that is ready so iudge the quycke and the deade Act. ◠In the Actes of the Apostles sayth Peter Christe hath commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testify that he is ordeyned of God a iudge of the quycke and the deade The eyghte Article ☞ I beleue in the holye goost Here speakest thou In the holy gost therewith doest thou confesse that the holy goost is God For to beleue a thynge is to sett there on thy truste hope and loue thys is an honour whiche pertayneth onely to God hys maiesty The holy goost is the thirde person in the eternal deite procedynge from the father and from the sonne through an vnknowen Matth. xxviij and inexplicable wyse In Mathew sayth Christe Go and baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy goost Here is mightely shewed the deite of the holy goost for seynge he cōmanded to baptise in the name of the holy goost so must I beleue trust in the holy gost Shall I then truste beleue in hym then must he also surely be God for a man maye trust or beleue in none but onely in god Gen. i In the firste boke sayeth Moyses The spirite moued vpon the water There doeth Moyses geue and appropriate to the holy goost hys worke in the creation Psalm xxxiij Dauid sayth in the Psalme By the worde of the Lorde are the heauens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of hys mouth That is The heauens are made by the holy goost and al that is therein These wordes geue clearly that he is God seynge the creation is asscrybed vnto hym And in another Psalme Psalm cxxxix Whyther shal I go from thy spirite and whyther shal I flee from thy presence There geueth he also to vnderstande that he is euery where To be in all places belongeth onely to God and to no creature as Dauid sayeth Yf I clyme vp into heauē Psalm cxxxix thou arte there yf I go downe to hell thou arte there also Iohn sawe the spirite of god descende lyke vnto a doue Iohan. i and abyde vpon hym Christe sayeth in Iohan. I wyll praye the father Iho. xiiij and he shal geue you another conforter that he may abyde with you euer whiche is the spiryte of truethe The comforter whiche is the holy goost whome my father wil sende in my name he shall teache you all thynges Item in another place Iho. xvi yf I goo not awaye that
comforter wyll not come vnto you And suche lyke sayenges more declare euidently the thyrd person in the godheade the holy gost Itē receyue the holy goost Act. x. In the Actes of the Apostles is it written Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on al them whiche hearde the preachynge Act. viij Item they prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy goost Rom. v. viij xv Paule to the Romayns The loue is shed abrode in oure hartes by the holy goost whiche is geuen vnto vs. Item to the Corinthians ij cor xiij The grace of oure Lorde Iesu Christ the loue of God and the felloweshyppe of the holy goost be with you all There be more other of suche lyke places in S. Paules Epistles The great maiesty and the abysme of the vnsercheable greatnes of God ought in hys essence and persons we to worshyppe with al humilitye and not presume to groūd or searche it for mannes witte cā not cōprehende it neither shal it also attayne to the knoweledge therof God hath ordeyned al thynges to thintēt that we should be ryghteous saued Offyce of the tree persons Christ hath by hys holsome death deserued that we shoulde be saued The holy goost fulfilleth nowe the desertes of Christe that we maye be ryghteous And this is euen hys offyce that he do truely bestowe Christe and all that he hath and geue it the in thy herte as thyne owne treasure Summa Shal I come to the father by Christe and be partener of his lyfe passyon of al such goodes as he hath done for my sake truely so muste the holy gost work in my before The father and the sonne must moue me by the worke of the holy gooste drawe me vp or elles am I spiritually dead The holy goost is that great thynge whereby god the father by hys sonne Christe and in Christe worketh and quickeneth all thynges The nynth Article I beleue one holy catholike church The comon Catholyke churche The cōmunion of saynctes These two partes be one thyng for cōmuniō holy catholike churche is nothynge elles then the spiritual cōgregatiō of sainctes of ryghteous faythful mē wheresoeuer they be in earthe It is also proprely no congregation that is bounde euen in one parte or place but a congregation in one faith hope and loue of the spirite The holy goost hath gathered thys churche through the worde of God he kepeth and gouerneth it The churche is dayly in the worde of God hygh blessed sacramentes augmented and nourysshed as in her foode Ephe. v The churche is a bryde of the Lord Christe as Paule sayeth Christe gaue hym selfe for it to sanctifye it and clēsed it in the fountaine of water throughe the worde to make it vnto hymselfe a glorious congregation withoute spot or wrynckle or any suche thyng But that it shoulde be holy withoute blame The vnitye betwene the man and the woman in the state of wedlocke signifyeth suche a spirituall wedlocke betwene the Catholike churche and Christe her brydegrome as in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. v. Gene. i. very properly is descrybed and annoted Euen as man and wyfe be one body hauynge all thynges comon so here also what soeuer Christ is and hath that is and belongeth to the congregation hys spouse Thys is a great ioyfull and blessed thynge We haue synne death hell and all shame Christe hath righteousnes lyfe saluacion and all glory This shal now be oures yf we throughe the wedding ringe of fayth be maryed vnto Christ and become one body with hym Thus saythe the Prophete Osee Osee ij I wyll mary the vnto myne owne selfe for euermore Yea euen vnto my selfe wyl I mary the in ryghteousnes in equitie in louinge kyndnes and mercy In fayth also wyll I mary the vnto my selfe And then shalt thou knowe that I am the Lorde For Christ is not onely by his becomynge man proprely and perfectely become the brydegrome of the churche But also by the consentynge of hys churche in his worde and couenaunt through fayth He that hath maryed a bryde Ihon. iij Psalm xix he is a brydegrome The consentyng maketh mariage Before the consentyng is he not called a brydegrome Therfore is hys progresse as concernynge brydegromeshyppe whereof Dauid speaketh his manifestacion in the fayth of the churche That is whan there was beleued in hym of the churche then dyd it appeare that he is a brydegrome He hath put on the humanite and so vnyed hym selfe with the churche in one flesshe Eph. v. whiche the Apostell calleth a great mystery wherein the ryche and poore the ryghteous the synner the saued and the dampned the sonne of grace and the sonne of wrathe and heuynesse are agreed for here be al hys goodes geuen vnto vs as our owne and all our pouerty and penury taken awaye i. Cor. iij i. Pet. ij In the churche dwelleth Christe he speaketh in her he is the onely foundation and grounde thereof In the Churche is one Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all thynges whiche is ouer all thynges through all thynges in all thynges Wheresoeuer the Gospel is preached there is a peere of thys churche The christen congregation she is in her selfe inuisyble not bounde to one place For it is a congregation in the spirite And the worde worketh inuisybly in her And she dothe neuer heare it without frute Esai lv as Esay sayeth My worde that cometh oute of my mouthe shall not tourne agayn voyde vnto me Lyke as in the tyme of Noe Ge. vij no mā escaped with hys lyfe but was drouned in the floude excepte he entred in to the Arke or into the Cheste of Noe. Euen so whosoeuer is not founde in thys felloweshyppe or Catholike Churche agreynge with her in one faythe worde Sacramente hope and loue he shal be loste Martion Valentinus Hebiō Cherinthus Manicheus Heluidius and suche lyke heretykes haue also had a Churche That is a heape a propresecte or felloweshyppe But it was not the Catholyke Churche wherein Christe is a bridegromes for they had not the right fayth And whereas such felloweshyppe is yet which separate themselues frō the Christen communyon and congregatiō and haue no pure syncere faith as the scripture teacheth vs and wyll not suffer thēselues to be refourmed they be heretykes and sectysshe persons and shall all be loste oneles they reconcyle them selues agayn with the churche of Christe Note we saye not I beleue in the holy Catholike churche but I beleue one holy Catholike churche pardon or remissyon of synnes and so furthe for that worde in is vsed to the trinite on or in God the father God the sonne and God the holy goost Cōmunyon of saynctes What is the communyon of sainctes Answer That the Christians and saynctes after suche a sorte be bounde and knytte together in one fraternite through the bande of
please God for he that cometh to God must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seke hym We saye not I see or I knowe Ebr. xi but I beleue Paule sayth Faythe is a sure confidence of thynges whiche are hoped for and a certaynte of thinges whiche are not sene For these articles be wonderfull secretes of God which thorough mennes witte can not be obtayned and vnderstonde but onely with the eyes of fayth Mannes wysedome can not vnderstonde that god is become man and frō death rysen agayne and rayseth also the dead in Christe that he ascended into heauen sitteth on the ryghte hand of God his father Item that Goddes naturall sonne be borne of a virgyn and suche lyke Wisedome of the crosse The wysedome of the crosse is hyden from al eyes of worldly wysedome it is a mistery which is knowen by fayth All worldly policye knoweth nothynge of it i. Cor. i. Euen thus sayth Paul we preache Christ crucifyed vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallyng and vnto the Grekes folisshnes but vnto thē whiche are called bothe of Iewes and Grekes we preache Christe the power of God and the wysedome of God It semeth vnto the Gentiles to be a folissh thyng that God shoulde dye beyng the incomprehensible maiestye They knowe nothynge of the mistery of the blessed manhode whiche God toke vpon hym for oure saluacyon from the beginnynge prouyded Ephes i and ordeyned Saynt Paul speaketh vnto the Corinthians When the world through their wisedome knowe not God in hys wysedome i. Cor. i it pleased God through folyshnes of preachynge to saue them that beleue thereon Luce. ij Here is set and erected the signe which is spoken agaynst and whiche is the fall and resurrection of many in Israel Esay xxviij Here is set the stone of stomblynge and rocke of offence as Esay sayth Vvhereon many shall be brused That is the wisedome of Christen men whiche saued vs. As for all the wysedome of the Gentiles was not able to comforte her teachers effectually in their smalest grefe Mat. xi The wysedō hath God hyd from the wyse and prudent and hath opened it vnto babes The Iewes wente about Rom. xi to be made and to come ryghteous to God throughe the lawe and throughe the dedes of the lawe but so coulde coulde they not be ryghteous Roma x They haue reiected Christe the precious corner stone which is the ende of the lawe in whome is made righteous he that beleueth Rom. ix But there is another ryghteousnes whereof the Iewes knowe not whiche is called the ryghteousnes of God that is no thynge elles then to beleue in hym that iustifyeth the synner accordynge as saynte Paul witnesseth Rom iiij If I beleue truely in Christe as in the very some of God myne onely redemer and saueour truely then shall thys fayth and truste be counted vnto me for ryghteousnes before God Fayth is not a slyght thynge whiche a man may geue vnto hym selfe or make it when he wyll But it is a great myghtye thynge whiche renueth man and leaueth hym not in hys olde opinyon Vvhat is fayth and in hys olde skynne and desyres To beleue is stedfastly to cleaue vnto the worde sf God whether it be wordes of threatenynges or of promyse that thou doest truste there vpon That can no man do of hym selfe Act. iiij the spirite of God must renue illumyne hys herte before A man maye make to hymfelfe an opinyon of God that he is good and merciful but it hath no efficacye for as sone as the earnest nede cometh it vanissheth awaye as a dreame A right fayth It is not ynowgh that we speake the articles of oure fayth euery daye fyue sixe or seuen tymes after the pater noster Thei must be written in the herte that lyuely not onely mumbled with the tōg that when the affliction beginneth that it be then euen as thou speakest Thou sayest I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes when the deuyll doth assayle the in necessyte of death for thy manyfolde synnes sake then arte thou abasshed and wylt dispayre Thereby do I see that thou spekest this article with thy mouthe but thy herte knoweth nothynge thereof Thou beleuest it not truely Thou saakest I beleue the resurrection of the body and the lyfe euerlastynge but whan death breaketh in and body soule must parte than arte thou so afrayde as though body and soule dyed altogether as yf it were cleane done with the Se yf there were a right fayth in the of this article that there were no doubtefulnes with the in it that thy body and soule woulde sone come together agayne thou shouldest not be so fearefull For fayth is kepte in necessite euen as golde in the fyre dayly prayer Thy daily and moost diligent prayer allwayes to god shal be O Lorde euerlastyng almighty God geue me the ryght true faythe loue and hope that I maye serue my neyghboure accordynge to thy pleasure AMEN ¶ The fyrste Artycle I Beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauē and earth Here marke fyrste One god thre persons that there is but one God but they be thre personnes The father and the sonne and the holy goost as the scripture testifyeth The thre personnes be lyke euerlastyng lyke myghtye of one maiestye and beynge The sonne in the holy trinitye is sent vnto vs in the last tyme hath tagen vpō him humayne nature to thintent that he shoulde fulfylle the scripture and redeme vs accordynge to the good wyll of hys father And he hath also created all thynges with the father and the hooly goost after the Godheade in the beginnynge Deu. vi Thus sayth the scripture Heare Israel The Lorde oure God is an onely Lorde And thou shalt loue the Lord thy god with all thy herte with all thy soule with all thy mighte the nature beleueth not that there is one God The nature of mankynde is so euel so sore blynded through synne that she of her owne power and strengthe can not well comprehende thys article that there is one God yea althoughe she thynke there be somewhat that is God as the gentyle Cicero maketh mencion yet knoweth she nothyng sure of hym of hys power and wille It is easy to perceyue how littel the gentyls haue knowen of god thorough theyr own wittes thei haue made many Goddes Roma i and haue waxed ful of vanities in theyr imaginacions ād haue knowen nothynge truely of the almyghtynes of God The lyght of nature is to weake for suche hyghe matters The lyght of grace must shyne here in darkenes elles is it errour and ignoraunce God oure father God is called oure father that is a confortable thynge to the faythfull is he our father so be we hys children and heyres of hys kyngdome Euē so doeth also Esay calle hym Lord thou atre our father oure
redemer And in another place Lorde oure father arte thou thou arte the worke mayster we all be workes of thy handes Mat. vi Therfore pray we Our father which arte in heuen Father almyghtye God is almighty God is omnipotent all thynges are possyble vnto hym all thynges be in hys hande his power domynyon and beyng is euer lastynge and endles Therfore calle hym the Prophetes so often Dominum Zabaoth or exercituum a Lorde of hostes Itē Baruch speaketh Bar. iij. Ge. xvij Exo. xv and .vi Iudith xvi Iob. viij Luc. i. Apo. iiij Thou Lorde almightye God of Israel In the fyrst boke of Moyses I am the almighty God In the second boke of Moyses Almighty in hys name Itē in the boke of Iudyth The almightye Lorde had hyndered hym In Iob Yf thou wouldest pray to the almightye Item Iohā v. xiij xxi xxij xxiiij xxvij The Angel sayde Luce. i. with God is nothyng vnpossyble Item in the Reuelacions of saynt Ihon. Holy holy holy is the Lorde almighty whiche was and is and is to come Item in the .xi Gen. i Esaye xxxij xlvij lxv Chap. The Lorde the almighty God is theyr tempel Maker that hast thou in the firste boke of Moyses In the beginnynge made God heauen and earthe Reade thereof the xxxvij xl and xlv Chapit of Esay The scripture is full therof ¶ Here agayne marke the light of nature For nature can not vnderstōde the great wonderful workes of creation she can not comprehende howe oute of nought should become ought but the lyght of faythe vnderstondeth the creation Ebr. xi as saynt Paule witnesseth Nowe see howe blynde all sciences of the gentyls be Theyr chiefe poyntes be Of nothynge becometh nothynge The worlde hath lasted euer and alwayes The course of heauen hath nether begynnynge nor endynge The fyrste man neuer was the laste shal neuer be Gendryng and dyenge endureth for euer The soule hath no propre worke wherin she hath no nede of the body whatsoeuer dyeth ones that same thyng can no more come agayne Here doest thou see what an errouious vntrue thing Philosophie is for all the same is vntrewe and yet it is the chiefest that men learne oute of Aristotell Therfore is an old woman whiche beleueth hygher in the ryght Philosophye thē Aristotell She hath by her faythe That God hath created the worlde that Adam was the firste man that euen her owne body in the laste daye shal be raysed agayne that the soul of man as a cleare brightnes of the euerlastyng sonne which shall neuer ceasse to be but is immortall That the bodely dyeng beyng shal ceasse at the day of dome Therfore ought a yong christen man to be brought vp not in bokes of the gentylls but in oure boke of the Byble men learne nothyng in the heathen bokes but vngodly thynges whiche be cleane contrary to the scripture and the faythe and make vs erronious the sonne of god ⧠The second Article ☞ And in Iesu Christe hys onely sonne oure Lorde God hath but one naturall sonne of one beynge with the father in incōprehensyble wyse borne of the father from the eternyte Gal. iiij The father hathe not ben before the sonne they be coeternall The same sonne is sent in the fulfyllyng of the tyme Roma i and also temporally borne of a woman He was promysed by the Prophetes long before And euen by the eternall wysedome by the which God hathe fulmade the worlde Hebre. i by the same hath he brought her agayne from her heauy fall He is the ryght Messias redemer of the world whereof al the Prophetes haue writtē as he sayd vnto the womā of Samaria Ioh. iiij whan he said I knowe that Messyas shall come which is called Christe Then answered Iesus and sayde I that speake vnto the am he And the Samaritanes dyd also knowledge hym and sayde we knowe that thys is euen in dede Christ the sauyoure of the worlde Euen so doeth Peter and the other Apostles knowlege hym mat xvi Thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuynge god he is that blessed sede of Abrahā wherein God hath promysed to oure father Abraham to blesse al the nations of the earth Ge. xxij Gen. iij He is the seede of the woman that shoulde treade downe the heade of the infernall worme Onely by hym are we reconsyled to God As Paule sayth Rom. v. Through the fayth in Christe be we made ryghteous and saued Ebre vi i timo i Ebre ix i. Cor. i. Ioha iiij Ioh. xiiij Ioha iij Matth. xxvi he is oure Kyng and prieste for euer by whome we haue a sure intraūce vnto God he is oure onely mediatoure A mediatour of the newe testament Oure hope and oure redemption No man cometh vnto the father but by hym For he is the waye the trueth and the lyfe God hath therfore sent hym into the worlde that he shoulde saue vs whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall not be dāpned He hath geuen hys lyfe for the redemption of many Vvithoute fayth in the mediatoure Christ could no man be saued The fathers before hys byrthe beleued in hym that was to come Vve beleue in hym that is present hys name is Iesus Zach. ix Esa lxii Ebre v. vi vij that is sauioure And Christus that is anoynted He is oure Kynge Bysshop as Zacharie sayth Lo thy Kynge cometh vnto the lowely Hys Priestly offyce withoute the whiche we come not vnto God declareth vnto vs Paul very connyngly The kynges of the worlde be annoynted with bodely oyle Esa lxi Luce. iiij Act. x but Christe oure Kynge whose kyngdome is not of thys worlde is annoynted of God through the holy Ghoste as stondeth in Esaye The spirite of the Lorde is vppon me for he hath annoynted me he hath sent me to preache the Gospell vnto the poore c. Iesus the sonne of Naue Lyke as Iesus the sonne of naue was an electe Lorde and Capitayne of the people of Israel whan they ware brought oute of Egypte that he shoulde brynge them into the lande promysed vnto them Euen so is oure Lorde Iesus Christe geuen of God and ordeyned that he brynge vs oute of the thicke Egiptysshe darkenes of oure lyfe oute of all erroure of thys worlde into the lande of the lyuinge as the Angell sayth Mathei i. He shal saue hys people from their synnes Therfore calleth hym the scripture in the newe Testament so often oure Lorde as the Epistles of Paule manifestly shewe That is the onely sonne of god wherevpon the hole scripture doth poynte and leade vs as vpon oure onely sauioure as Symeon nameth hym Luce. ij But wheras the scripture doth calle vs Christen beleuers also the sonnes of god That is spoken after another maner Christe is alone the ryght natura sōne of god frō the eternite as the scripture testifyeth Our herte muste haue suche a myghtye Lord where vpō it may surely truste which is
muste Christe nedes be a right natural sonne of a woman but with a supernaturall wyse be borne then the children of Adam of whome all the virginyte is clearly and vndoubtedly kept Firste sayth the Scripture the sede of a woman It sayth not The sede of a man It nameth onely the name of a woman Therfore the mother of thys chylde whiche conceyueth without the helpe of a man is a virgyn yet a ryght natural mother of the childe as also Paule witnesseth Gal. iiij wher as he sayth That the sonne of God is borne of a woman Other children be borne of a man and a woman Here sayth the Scripture Christe is onelye borne of a woman A woman A woman is not here taken for a womā that knoweth a man but it signifyeth the person of a woman or the name of a woman and geueth here to vnderstonde that thys byrth is done without all addition of man or helpe of man Secondarely Ge. xxij whan God promysed to Abraham Christe the ryght Messias he sayde In thy sede shall all the nations of the earthe be blessed Marye cometh bodily of Abrahā and Dauid And Christe cometh of Mary bodily and is thesame sede of Abraham through the which al natiōs be blessed Then it followeth Gal. iij that Marye is a pure virgyn For yf her sonne Christe be a blessed sede whiche taketh awaye all male diction truely than can not he be borne of a man yf he were borne of a man than were he borne after the course of nature and were a chylde of Adam polluted with synnes Now is he onely a fruyt of a womanes body and not of a man for the worke of the flesshe and the blessyng stande not together Thirdely speaketh the spirite of god through Esay Esa vij God hymselfe shal geue you a token Beholde a virgyn shal conceyue and beare a sonne c. The Hebrewe texte hath Alma that is a virgyn not as a seruyng mayde but a yonge woman person which as yet hath no husbande and weareth a garlonde which is yet vndefyleth And that is also nothynge elles but a virgyn And so do men call the mother of God a pure mayden that is a virgyn as the Iewes them selues can not deny And therfore is she a pure virgyn before the byrth and in the byrth Let the testimony of the Euangelistes Mathewe and Luke be sufficient for the for they cal Mary a virgyn Math. i Luc. i allegen the sayeng of the Prophete Esaye That she also dyd remayne alwayes a virgyn after the byrth Marye a virgyn also after the byrthe wyl I defend euen with the scripture Wherewyth the heretyke Heluidius would proue the contrary parte that she shoulde haue hadde children by Ioseph after the fyrste borne sonne Mathewe sayth Math. i Ioseph knewe her not tyl she had brought forth her first sonne hereout wille the folysshe that marke not the nature and propertye of the language defyne and conclude that she shoulde haue borne more children afterwardes But I saye loke better vpon the circumstaunce The Euangelist setteth a great meruayll before oure eyes namely that a virgin is with childe before the man taketh her into hys house and lyeth with her and before he knoweth her for as moche as she hath a sonne before whome not withstondyng she should haue In case she were knowen of hym after the common course And the wordes of saynt Mathewe tende not vppon that whiche is done after the byrth Ge. viij Item in the fyrst boke of Moyses to speake after such lyke phrase The Rauen flewe out and retourned not agayne vntyl the waters were dryed vp vppon the earth Here wyl the texte that the Rauen is not come agayne at all Euen so followeth not in the forsayde sayenge of Saint Mathewe that Ioseph afterwardes hath lyen with Mary or hath knowen her but rather the contrary parte that he neuer knewe her afterwarde Esay ix The temporall byrth of Christe hath Esaye prophecyed and notifyed A childe is borne vnto vs and a sonne is geuen vnto vs vpon hys shoulder doth hys kyngdome lye And he is called with his own name wōderful the mightye God the Prince of peace a father of the worlde to come Beholde also the xi Chap. of Esay The historye of the byrth of Christ reade Luc. ij Howe Marie the virgyn was delyuered of her childe in Bethleem Mich. v Matt. ij as the Prophete Micheas dyd say in spirite oh which wordes saynte Mathewe maketh relation sayng thou Bethlehem in the lande of Iuda arte not the leaste amonge the Princes of Iuda for oute of the shall there come vnto me the Captayne that shal gouerne me people Israel The fourth Article Vvhiche suffereth vnder Pōce Pilate was crucifyed The passyon of Christ dead and buryed That was the wille of God the father that hys onely sonne Iesu Christ shoulde dye vpon the crosse in the humayne nature to thintēt that he shoulde bryng together the children of God that were scattered Ioh. xi That was the fathers commaundement that he shoulde suffocate oure death by hys innocēt death Mat. xx That same sayde Christ vnto hys twelue disciples before in the way towardes Iherusalem whā he spake Beholde we go vp to Ierusalem and the sonne of man shal be betrayed vnto the chief priestes and vnto the scrybes and they shal cōdempne hym to death and shall delyuer hym to the gentyls to be mocked and to be scourged and to be crucifyyd And the thyrde daye he shal ryse agayne Lu. xviij And in Luke speaketh Christe vnto his disciples Beholde we go vp to Ierusalem and all shal be fulfilled that are written by the Prophetes of the sonne of man c. Wheras euen the forsayde wordes followe also The Prophetes haue descrybed the death of Christe very earnestly and so playnly euery thynge that manye tymes they haue also noted howe the payne was as of thornes scourges buffettes of the crosse that men dyd playe for hys cote that men gaue him vynagre to drynke and of suche lyke many more In the olde testament seke or reade wytnes We fynde often in the olde Testament thy worde Compact couenaunt and testament whereby was signifyed that god shoulde dye in the nature of man Besydes that is hys passyon and death clearly descrybed and shewed Esay ij x.xi.xli.xlvi xlix l.liij.lxiij.lxv Iere. xi xviij.xxiij.xxxi.xxxiij Tre. iij. iiij There sayth Ieremy christe hath ben taken for our synnes Baruch v. Ezechiel xvij Osee vi xiij Iohel ij Amos. ij Ione ij Michee ij v Abacuc ij Aggei ij Zacharie ix xij xiij xiiij Dauid Psalm xx xxi.xxxvij.liiij.lxviij and also in other Psalmes I wyl onely bring the into the scripture that thou thy selfe mayest drynke of the cleare well But in especyall loke ouer and reade the .liij. Chapiter in Esaye how goodly the Prophete there descrybeth the historie of the passyon of Christe and also the fruyte of the same passyon
euen so the sonne quickeneth whome he wyll The father hath geuen power to the sonne also to iudge The houre shal come in the whiche all that are in the graues shal heare hys voyce and shal come forth they that haue done good to the resurrectyon of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of damnatyon In the Actes of the Apostles Act. xvij preacheth Paule vnto those of Athenes the resurrectyon of the deade Item in another place sayeth Paule act xxiiij I beleue all thynges which are writtē in the lawe and the Prophetes and haue hope towardes God that the same resurrection of death which thei loke for also shal be act xxvi bothe of iuste and vniuste Rom. vi Item to the Romaynes sayth he yf we be grafte in death lyke vnto hym Ro. viij euen so muste we be lyke in the resurrection yf we be dead with christ we beleue that we shall lyue with him ¶ Item to the Corinthians i. Co. vi God hath raysed vp the Lorde and shal rayse vs vp by hys power knowe ye not that youre bodyes are the membres of Christe yf they be the mēbres of Christe then muste they be glorifyed and claryfyed with theyr heade ⧠The fyfthene Chapyter in the fyrste Epystle to the Corinthyans haue dearly in commendation wherein Sayncte Paule so excellentely and commyngly writeth of the resurrection of Christe and of oure resurrection and maketh suche an argumēt and ground Christ is rysen frō death therfore shal we ryse also Vvherfore dyed he howe hath slayne hym Truely our synnes The father hath layed all oure synnes vpon hym therfore hath he satisfyed Esa liij as Esay sayth Nowe yf he were not rysen then were all oure doyng in vayne yea we were yet in synne and dominacyon as depe as euer we were No man were poorer and more miserable then we christians yf we onely in thys shorte lyfe shoulde put oure trust in Christe and afterwarde all shoulde be at an ende Then the sinnes had ben to heauy and to stronge for hym But nowe is christe risen from death death hath no more power ouer hym Truely then hath he ouercome oure synne and death that they can beare no more rule ouer vs. He is become theyr myghtye and stronge Lorde And as by Adam all dye euen so by Christe shal all be made a lyue Therfore let vs be mery in the Lorde oure enemys synne death hell be layde downe Christ is a kynge myghtely hys kyngedome endureth for euer where as he is there shal we be also Vvhe haue a good cause to reioyce and with thankefulnes to be freeharted and blode in Christ oure ouercomer and Lorde and to be with death at defyaunce death is swallowed vp in victory The Lorde sayth O death Ose xiij I wil be thy death O hel I wil be thy stynge Death where is thy stynge Hel where is thy victory But thankes be vnto God whiche hath geuen vs the victory Through our Lord Iesus Christe In the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians sayth he ij Cor. i that we should not put oure trust in oure selues but in God which rayseth the dead to lyfe agayne Reade a goodly example the fyfth Chapiter in the same Epistle Item we knowe that ij cor iiij he whiche rayseth vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus ij co xiij Item we shall lyue with hym by the power of God Item to the Philippians Oure cōuersacyon is in heauen from whence aso we loke for the sauyour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ whiche shal chaūge oure vyle body that he maye make it lyke vnto hys gloryous body accordyng to the workyng whereby he is able also to subdue all thynges vnto hym selfe Colo. iij Item to the Colossyans ye be now rysen with Christe therfore seke those thynges whiche are aboue i. Th. iiij Item to the Thessalonyens sayeth Paule I would not bretheren that ye should not be ignorant concerning them whiche are fallen a slepe that ye sorrowe not as other doo whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and ryse agayne euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God brynge agayne wyth hym And thys saye we vnto you in the worde of the Lorde that we whiche lyue and are remainynge in the commynge of the Lorde shal not come yerre then they whiche slepe For the Lorde hym selfe shall descende from heauen with a showre and the voyce of the Archangell and trompe of God And the dead in Christe shall ryse fyrste then shall we whiche lyue and remayne be caught vp with them also in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayer and so shall we euer be with the Lorde wherfore comforte youre selues one another with these wordes The twelfte Artikel And the lyfe euerlastynge The life here in thys worlde is called a calamitye for we haue no restynge place here neyther shall we abyde here alwayes as Paule sayeth Ebr. xiij Here haue we no contynuynge City but we seke one to come Heauen is oure home the lyfe euerlastynge thether long we in the lyfe euerlastynge Summa summarum there is all the desyre of man whiche can be satisfyed with nothynge elles than with beholdynge and browkynge of the godly essence as Dauid saith psa xvij I wyl beholde thy presence in ryghteousnes and I shal be satisfyed when I awake vp after thy lykenes The Philosophers and world wysemen haue taken great paynes to studye seke out what thyng it myght be Saluation of man wherein the harte of man without all calamytye and miserye were satisfyed and stedfastly rested an in the ende wherevnto it is ordeyned and whiche myght be oure saluacion But lyke as they coulde see no ryghte vertue by the naturall power withoute grace euen so coulde they not knowe also that thynge where in the saluacyon of man consisteth The one thought that health is the greatest good Another toke ryches for it Some haue named vertue the saluacyon Some dyd put theyr saluatiō in thre goodes namely the goodes of fortune as ryches honour power The goodes of the bodye as healthe strengthe The goodes of the soule as science and vertue But the blynde lyghte of nature knoweth nothyng of the ryght saluation and of the ryghte lyfe euerlastynge The spirit of God doth teache it vs by the scripture For thus sayth Iohn i. Ioh. v Ioh xvij Christe is very God and eternall lyfe Item thys is lyfe eternall that then myght knowe the onely true God and Iesus Christe whome thou hast sent That is oure heauen thether be we bounde sayng This is my rest for euer that is oure kyngedome Psalm cxxxij wherein Christ hath preipared for vs many maners of dwellinge places Ioh. xiiij Matth. xxv Matt. v Into that housse shal he sende the electe and shall saye Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from
the begynnynge of the worlde Thys is the ryght saluation whiche shal begynne euen after the temporal lyfe to them that lyue in Christ In Iohn sayth Christ Ioh. iij God so loued the worlde that he hath geuē hys onely sonne that none that beleue in hym shoulde perysshe but should haue euerlasting life The scripture speaketh of the lyfe euerlastynge euerye 〈…〉 Christe that men might knowe christ a ryght the sonne of God mat xvi Therfore asked he hys disciples what thy helde of hym Then answered Peter for hym selfe and for the other Thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God Vpon suche knowledge which is necessary for vs all in the Catholyke churche buylded i. Cor i. i i Cor. iij Thus sayth Paule Vve preache Christe the power and wysedome of God He wyll also suffer none other foundation but onely Iesus Christe euen as he hath preached hym That he is come from the father in the nature of mankynd and hath redemed the worlde dyed for vs vppon the crosse and is rysen agayne oure heade and Lorde Eph. ij And is sett on the ryght hande of God vnto whome we come and are saued not by oure owne workes but of grace through fayth Ioh. x Throughout the hole Gospel of s Iohn declareth he for the moost parte that he hym selfe is the sonne of God and preacheth for the moost parte that God is hys father In so muche that the yewes did reiecte hym and would stone him for the same i. Ioh. v. For Christ is come to teache fayth whereby men beleue euen in hym as in the sonne of God And fayth is the fulfyllinge of al lawes He is the righteousnes for euer he is the worke of Goddes glorie he is the mortification of the flesshe the raysinge of the spirit the subduinge of the world the subduinge of the flesshe the subduynge of hell the gates of hell cannot preuayle agaynst hym Briefely Matth. xvi Ioh. viij Ioh. xiij he is all in all thinges as he sayeth in Iohn Excepte ye beleue that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Itē he that beleueth in me shall neuer dye The writynges of the Apostles be full of doctryne as concernyng fayth for thereon lyeth all the matter mar xvi He that beleueth not shal be damned he that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastynge lyfe Ioha iij. Therfore shoulde we praye continually for the ryght faith for he bryngeth with hym loue hope and all goodnes Fayth Fayth is not a slyght meanynge 〈…〉 whiche the natural witte or wyll can make to hym selfe Act. xv but it is a liuely thynge in the herte which renueth mā and purifyeth the herte It is suche a lyuely confidence and trust to God that man is sure and certayn aboue al wysedome that he pleaseth God and that he hath a mercyfull God whiche is towardes hym kynd gracious and mercyfull and forgeueth hym in all thynges that he doeth Thys fayth is the chiefest worke of the fyrste commaundement lyke as the fyrste commaundement is a measure example rule and vertu of all other commaundementes in the which as in the heade all membres lyue and haue power thereof Goode workes Euen so is fayth the heade lyfe and power of al good workes No work is good except faith hath wrought it ye except it be thorowely mixte with fayth Ro. xiiij euen as wyth newe leuyn whatsoeuer is not of faith that same is synne Ioh. vi Thys fayth is the dearest worke of god wherof Christ speaketh in Iohn This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whome God hath sent Therfore doth the scripture moost requyre fayth as in the Gospell often standeth Vvhen Christe would worke any myracle asked he before yf thei beleued that he coulde and woulde do suche thynges Item in marke and Mathewe Mar. ix Matth. xiij mat vij it is written that Christe hath not done many myracles in hys owne countree because of theyr vnbeleue In Mathewe sayth Christe that hys disciples could not heale the lunatike for theyr vnbeleues sake Vvheras a ryght Catholike fayth is Ephe. ij there is a creation of a newe harte The olde harte of Adā hath not thys faith of it selfe For it is a gyfte of god Many say the Crede dayly Fayth boaste there of very sore But they knowe not what it is O it maketh a meke hūble obediēt godly peple whiche trusteth in god onely hopeth loueth him aboue al things feareth him serueth his euen christen willingly with body goodes hindereth nomā suffereth gladly dāmage persecutiō Al his workes be ordered to the vtylyte and profyte of hys neyghboure be he frende or foo euen as Christe hath done vnto vs also Therfore be not all they Chrysten manne that be called Euangelical and be inclined to hurte or endamage their neyghbours in body soule honoure or goodes They be heathen vnder the name of Christe theyr frutes shewe what they be yf they were ryght christians or Euangelicall they would be obedient seruable vnto al men intendyng to hurte no man God vouchesaue to illumine them with true fayth that they maye be suche in dede as they wil be called Amen Marci ix Lorde I beleue helpe myne vnbeleue Marci xvi He that beleueth not shal be damned Marci ix All thinges are possible to hym that beleueth ¶ Here begynneth the ryght foundation and pryncypall common places of the hole godly scripture a goodly shorte declaration to all Christians profitable and necessarye for to come to the right vnderstondyng of the holy Scripture compyled for the commoditie of all Christen people By Doctor Vrbanus Regius ⧠The contentes of the common places i. Holy Scripture ij God iij. The ryght honour of God iiij Goddes greatest dishonour v The lawe vi The gospell vij Fayth viij Good workes ix Sacramente x The death of Christ xi Flesshe xij Spirite xiij Vertue xiiij The greatest vertue xv The greatest synne xvi The soule xvij Lyfe xviij Euerlastyng lyfe xix Death xx The resurrection xxi The later daye xxij Masse xxiij Righteousnes xxiiij Honour of sainctes xxv Difference of meates xxvi Holy dayes xxvij Prayer xxviij Vowe xxix Obedience xxx The wyll of God xxxi Mannes wyl xxxij Offence xxxiij Almoses xxxiiij Othe or swearyng xxxv Christian lyberty xxxvi Churche xxxvij Ryches xxxviij Synne xxxix Infirmitie xl Health xli Persecution xlij Ioye and heuynes xliij Peace xliiij Free wyl xlv Counsayll xlvi Confessyon xlvij Merytes xlviij Shepeherde Ende of the Tabell ¶ To the most reuerende father in God Thomas by the permission of God Archebysshope of Canturburye Metrapolitane prymate of all Englande Hys dayly oratoure Gwalter Lynne wyssheth lyfe euerlastynge ME thynketh most reuerēde father that this sayenge of our Sauyoure Christ be occupied til I come is an admonicyon of all other moste necessarye and profytable Luc. xix and xij Matth. xxiiij xxv mar xiij aswell for the parentes or maysters
Prophetes Esay Ieremye Ezechiel Danyel Twelue small Prophetes i Hosea ij Ioel iii Amos iiij Abdia v Iona vi Micha vij Nahum viij Habacuck ix Sophonia x Haggi xi Sacharia xij Malachia Thobie Iudith Baruch Esra Esra iij. and iiij The boke of wysedome Sapientia The wyseman Ecclesiasticus Machabeus The bokes of the newe Testament i The Gospell S. Mathewe ii The Gospell S. Marke iij The Gospell S. Luke iiij The Gospell S. Iohn v The Actes of the Apostles descrybed of Saynct Luke vi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaynes vij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians viij The second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians ix The Epistle of S. Paul to the Galathians x The Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians xi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians xij The Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians xiij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xiiij The seconde Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xv The fyrste Epistle of S. Paule to Timothe xvi The second Epistle of S. Paul vnto Timothe xvij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Titus xviij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Philemon xix The first Epistle of S. Peter xx The second Epistle of s Peter xxi The fyrste Epistle of S. Iohn xxij The second Epistle of S. Iohn xxiij The thyrde Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues The Epistle of S. Iames. The Epistle of S. Iudas The Reuelations of S. Iohn Holy Scripture The worde of God THese are the laudable ryght bokes of Holy Scripture whiche came from the holy gooste they can not lye or faylthe wherein is also sufficiently comprehended whatsoeuer is necessary for the saluation of the soule so that for the rulynge of the conscience in the kyngdome of faythe in the spirite none other worde doctryne or commaundemente is necessary vnto man but onely the Byble How be it there is a great battayl in the same whosoeuer truely vnderstandeth the Scripture for asmuche as euery man vndertaketh to vse the Scripture whether he be apte or vnapte Thys battel shall sone be slighted yf the Scripture indifferently be loked vppon and concordantly expounded not onely here there peces taken oute but before and behynde and in the middes duely loked vppon and scanded It is al one spirite of the olde and newe Testament Euen the same holy goost that through the holy Prophetes hath shewed the commynge of Christ the same hath also ruled the hertes and pennes of the Apostles Euangelistes Peter sayeth ij Pet. i. Da. ix b Zac. vij ij tim iij There came neuer any Prophecye by the wille of man but holy menne of God spake as thei were moued by the holy Goost It is also no mans doctryne or worde but Goddes owne worde of menne descrybed Euen so doth Christe asscrybe hys doctryne to God the father in Iohn Ioh. vij My doctryne is not myne but hys that hath sent me Item it is the foode of the soule as Christe sayth in Mathewe mat iiij Item blessed are they that heare the worde do it S. Austen sayeth that onely the Scripture afore named without any doubte or fayll oughte maye be beleued and that there is the verite of God But the other which he maketh or Hierome or other doctours and fathers shal be iudged after the Scripture God God is onely euerlastyng al other thynges haue a beginnyng his nature is kyndenes and beneficence Rom. i. God is knowen here in thys lyfe by the goodly orderyng of hys creatures To knowe christ But the ryght knoweledge of God which is necessary vnto vs for oure saluacyon is the knowlege of Christe Ro. viij And to knowe Christe that is to knowe wherfore god hath sent his Sonne vnto vs what great immeasurable and excellēt benefites he hath geuen vs by hym The righte honour of God The ryght honour of god is to knoweledge him as a creatoure of heauē Ioh. iiij and earth and of all creatures to sette oure hope trust and confidence in him onely as in hym that can helpe vs for he is almighty and will do it with all hys harte for he is oure father in heauen Item to loue hym aboue all thynges as the mooste hyest and greatest good for hys owne sake and to feare hym as chyldren not with the feare of bondage Goddes greatest dishonour The greatest dishonour of God is to put hys hope trust confidence and hyest loue in a creature and not to beleue God in his wordes where in he offereth hym selfe vnto vs as an onely willynge ryche sauyour The lawe The lawe is a sentence deu v. vi Ro. vij whereby the good is commaunded and the euil prohibited as loue god and thy neighbour Steale not do no murther The lawe is spiritual that is Ro. viij It requyreth the desyre and the herte It may onely be fulfylled by the spirite and not by the flesshe The flesshe is enemye to the lawe Mē come no further by the lawe then into fearfulnesse and knoweledge of theyr synnes and damnation Gala. v Faythe whiche by loue is mighty in operation doth onely fulfyl the lawe and faythe is a gyfte of God The Gospell The Gospel is a Ioyfull message gone furth from God vnto mankynde that he through Christe hys onelye Sonne hath delyuered man Rom. iij from sinne death and hell The lawe maketh man to feare and shewed hym hys faultes The Gospel conforteth man and sheweth hym the Phisicyon The lawe sayth Thou arte a synner and damned The Gospell sayth Be of good chiere and free herted Rom. iij Esa liij Christe hath taken vpon hym thy synnes ouercome and satisfyed for them Beleue in Christe as thy redemer that same fayth maketh thy ryghteous before God and killeth in thy the olde man with hys carnal lustes whosoeuer through fayth is made one with Christe our Lorde vpon the same hath synne death and hell no more complaynte nor power Rom. iij iiij viij as Paule wytnesseth in the Epistle to the Romeyns Faythe Fayth is no slight dreamynge imagination or meanyng of God but faythe is a liuely confidence in the mercyfulnes of God promysed and plenteously declared in Christe oure Lorde Also promysed in other sygnes as the Sacramentes are He that beleueth ryght hangeth vpon the scripture whiche speaketh of iudgement wrathe and also of the mercyfulnes of God and hangeth there on so earnestlye that he there in trusteth in all necessities and also dyeth thereon Suche a fayth Fayth bryngeth loue with her is the ryghte Christen fayth whiche bryngeth with her the Christen loue For through faythe vnderstandeth man the aboundante and inestimable loue of God towardes vs whereby hys herte is fyrste moued and getteth peace and is kindled with the fyre of Godly loue that he for suche mercyfulnes doth ioyfully geue thankes and becometh wyllinge to please God agayne also so to serue hys neyghboure and the
suffre onelye Goddes workes in vs. mat xvi This is the mortifyenge of oure selues and renewyng of oure selues He that wyl come to Christe must for sake hym selfe The Sonday and other holy dayes are permitted for this cause that men so muche the better and more conueniently maye come together in those dayes to praye with the congregation in one accorde to heare the worde of God and to receyue the Sacramente Vvhen that is done thē mayest thou worke without any synne Men dyd in the tyme of Ierome after the diuine seruyce vse bodely laboure in the congregation as he writteth hym selfe in Epitaph Pauli Vvherfore wyl they compel vs then to rest Gal. iiij Colos ij with manyfest hynderaunce of the body soule and goodes Reade Paule in the Epistle to the Galathians and Colossians Prayer The ryght and beste prayer Mat. vi is the Pater noster and it comprehendeth whatsoeuer is necessary vnto vs. A ryght Christen prayer must be made earnestly and attentyuely Take before the an extreme necessitie and bryng that before God The greatest necessite is lacke of faith loue and hope for these thre thynges oughtest thou to pray for therein consisteth oure saluation For thus sayth Christe Seke fyrste the kyngdome of God and his righteousnes al these thynges shall be ministred vnto you yf God doth fede the byrdes of the ayer with oute all care and clotheth the floures of the felde so costely verely truste in hym he shall also prouyde for thy lyuyng Abraham trusted well in God and be came ryche here and also hereafter Mat. vi The prayer must be shorte as Christe sayth when ye pray bable not moche as the heathen do for they thynke that they shal be hearde for theyr moche bablinges sake Superfluous wordes oughte to be auoyded in the prayer Therfore beware of Hortulus anime Rosarium The gardeyn of Herbes thy Myrour and suche lyke foolysshe baggage For therein is moche vnprofitable babblynge Euery man can not seke nor gather oute the golde out of the myre Iacob i. Matth. xxi Ioh. iiij Let the prayer be faithfull he that prayeth not in fayth obtayneth nothynge God hath promysed to heare vs therfore muste we be done in spirite and in truth Prescrybe vnto god no signe way tyme nor houre when and howe he shoulde geue the thy requeste he knoweth well ynough when it is beste for the putte it to hys discretion and saye alwayes Lorde thy holy wyll be done He heareth hym anone that prayeth in fayth but he geueth not alwayes so soone for he knoweth when it is tyme. Vowe ¶ We haue made a promyse vnto God in the holy Baptysme that we wyll forsake the deuyll and renounce all hys workes Here doth man promyse to fyghte agaynste hys owne flesshe agaynste the worlde agaynst the deuyll He is borne of hys father Eph. ij Iohn iij a synfull chylde of wrath he muste be renewed and borne agayne of water the holy goost The olde man muste be mortifyed thys is done through all maner of tribulatiō aduersite which greue the carnall man ij tim iij For thus sayth Paul Al that wyll lyue godly in christe muste suffer persecutiōs Mat. iij and. iiij And thys is the repētaunce or amēdemēt which Iohn Christe do teache This repentaunce is a mortifyeng of the old mā a renewyng of the spirite His tokē is Baptisme which is a newe byrthe Tit. iij whosoeuer wyl not suffre aduersitye and afflictions in thys worlde Ac. xiiij thesame is vntrewe and kepeth no promise nor doth the thynges whiche he hath promysed in hys baptysme Therfore is it good to see that there be but fewe ryght Christians in earth Mē oughte not to vowe or promyse any thynghe rasshely for euery man hath both hys handes full of workes The promyse of baptisme and ynoughe to do yf he wyll satisfye hys Baptisme The promises or vowes of freres c. The vowes of freres or monkes are foolysshnes and are made without faith To vowe chastite is not in their power for it is a specyall gyfte of God And a counseyl not a commandement The Euangelicall pouertye belongeth to vs all i. Co. vij Matth xix and is nothyng elles then in spirite not to desyre not to cleame the temporall goodes with oure herte and to vse the goodes for the commoditie and welthe of oure neyghboure as dispensatours and distributours not as owners and Lordes of the goodes Luc xiiij For thus sayth christe yf a man come to me and hateth not hys father mother wyfe chyldren bretheren and sisters Moreouer and hys owe lyfe he can not be my discyple Thys lawe doth bynde euerye man not onelye freres and Nonnes Ro. vij for it is spirituall euen as the hole lawe is and requyreth a cleane pure herte To forsake all thynges that is To forsake all thinges not to be entangled with any thynge with any inordinate or vncomely desyres And to vse the same onelye and not to hange or cleane thereon with wyl or desyre Therfore is not the Euangelicall pouerte Euangelicall pouerte to go a beggynge from house to house and to haue nothyng at al but not to hang vpō the goodes with a couetous mynde and desyre All ryches are geuen vs of God not that we should occupye thē alone but that we shoulde serue oure neyghboure with them yea with all that we haue Deu. xv Luce. x. thys requyreth the lawe of nature the lawe of God Moyses commaunded that no man shoulde be suffred to begge Christe sayth Go not frō house to house Into whatsoeuer house ye enter there eate and drynke suche as they haue Obedience Ro. xiij Philip. i i. Pe. iij Obedience must we kepe euen as wel as the freres or monkes as Paule and Peter teache euery man in his Citie or cōmunalty to hys Lord whatsoeuer the scripture sayth of the obedience of God and of his holy worde the same do the blynde guydes drawe by the heare vpon theyr inuented obedience Euen as also they wreste thys saynge in Samuel i. Re. xv Obedience is better sacrifyce drawe it vpon mannes traditions The vowes promyses of the freres or monkes come of ignoraunce of the free wyll whiche they presume to haue and to defende The vowe of freres is no counseyll in the Scripture nor yet commaundemente therfore is it nothyng but mere seduction Ipocrisye and vnbeleue Christe wyl that oure fayth purely onelye shall be buylded vpon hys onely worde For vpō thesame rock doth he buylde hys congregation mat xvi Iohn x. And in Iohn sayth he My shepe heare my voyce For as much now as there is no cleare or manifest worde of God which counsayleth or cōmaundeth that there should be a bonde of eternal vowes of chastite or of beggerye verelye so erre al they that teache freres vowes and take them for good and sure gere in the
Scripture whiche neuertheles are vnsure and contrary to the scripture God wil that hys worde be onely taughte for saluation For thus sayth Saynt Peter i. Pe. iiij Yf any man speake let hym talke as thoughe he spake the wordes of God that is let him be sure that it is the worde of God whiche he speaketh and teacheth Obedience Before all thynges Ro. xiij i. Pet. ij must men be obedient vnto god as vnto our right Lord After that also vnto such as god hath ordeyned and geuen to be rulers ouer vs as father and mother Lordes and iudges and whosoeuer is ordeyned for the defence of the commō peace in the hyer powers Yf they commaunde oughte that perteyneth to the profyte of the commune welth and serueth for the common peace or any thynge elles although it were tyranny then suffer be pacient subdue thy selfe mekely be obedyent to thys byndeth the the brotherly loue But yf they commaunde ought cōtrary to the wyll of God Act. v. Mat. vi then say as Peter and the Apostles do saye Vve ought more to obey God then men No man can serue two contrary maysters The kynge of Babylon commaunded the Prophete Daniel that he shoulde worshyp the Dragon for a God Daniel xiiij Daniel sayde I worshyppe god my Lord. For he is the liuynge God but the dragon is not the lyuing god Paul sayth Ro. xiij The hyer power is goddes minister for thy welth Therfore when thei commaunde the ought that is wicked and agaynst God then do it not The wyll of God The wyll of God is a ryghte lyne of all ryghteousnes and of all goodnes whiche can not erre whatsoeuer is ryght and good is therfore ryghte and good because that God will haue it so Mannes wyll Mannes wyll is erronious and must be made conformable and submitted vnto the wyll of God wherein the perfection of the reasonable creature doth consiste Euen thus do we praye Thy wyl be done Matth. xxvi Euen so dyd Christe praye also Father thy wyll be done Yf Christe dyd subdue hys moost holy and moost ryghtest wyll vnto the wyll of hys heauenly father Wherfore would not then the poore stynkynge worme the synfull man desyre in all thynges that not mānes wyll whiche erreth but goddes wyll myght be done whiche can not erre In Ieremye sayth the spirit of God Ier. xvij Ge. viij that the harte of man is wicked croked and vnsercheable Nowe is mannes herte a place of all carnall desyres and wylles Thou wylt of thyne owne selfe withoute the grace of god nothynge but that which is euyl where is then the fre wyll Offence There is two maner of offence The one is geuen vnto the neyghbour As when a man teacheth his neyghbour wronge in the faith this is an horrible offence Matth. xviij or offendeth hym with his euil lyuinge as the open synners do The other offence is taken as whan Christe taught the worde of trueth before the Iewes Ioh. viij whiche his heuenly father had commaunded hym than were the Iewes offended there at but Christe gaue them none offence Euen so are many offended as yet whan they heare the christen lybertye preached for theyr conscience is miserably entangled with mennes traditions and institutions Luce. ij The Gospell must nedes be preached whosoeuer be offended with it Christ is ordeyned to be a fall and resurrection of many in Israell and a signe whiche shal be spoken agaynst They that be hys shepe shall in tyme conuenient heare and accepte the shepeherdes voyce vnto them is Christe and hys doctryne ordeyned for a resurrectyon i. Pet ij Is xxiiij Rom. ix They that are not hys shal stōble at hym downe to the grounde In the thinges whiche God commaundeth be thou obedyent not regardinge whosoeuer will be offended withall Isa viij Of this take an example God will that I shall learne his holy worde and serche therein his will yf nowe any man would forbidde me the Scripture then woulde I not be obedient vnto hym In thynges whiche are instituted by man Mennes preceptes whiche maye well be done or left vndone therein followe the rule order the selfe therein as fayth loue and nede requyreth and teacheth as to eate flesshe or not to eate it here in hast thou libertye of God There in shall the brotherly loue teache the sufficiently Yf noman thereby be offended thē mayest thou eate that whiche is hoolsome for the but whereas noman knoweth of thys liberte there doest thou forbeare the same and absteynest for the welth of thy neyghboure from suche meates whiche notwithstandyng are good in themselues and not prohibited Thou doest therfore no good worke when thou eatest no flesshe vpon the frydaye but onely yf thou doest serue thy neyghboure therein Neyther doest thou synne also when thou doest eate it so that thou geue vnto no man an occasyon of fallynge ¶ Howe longe wyll we continue chyldren and drynke mylke Vvere it not ones tyme that we beleued more the worde of god then the foolysshe tradicions of men God sayth that vnto the pure are all thynges pure Tit i And yet wyl men styll forth be afrayde for a weake shadowe They had yet an occasyon in the tyme of Paule to be offended at the flesshe for it was flesshe that had bē offred vnto Idols But nowe wyll men be offended at the flesshe which cometh cleane and pure from the shambles or flessh market Vvhen shall we ones haue an ende of suche foolysshe offendynges Vvhy do not the wordes of the holye goost moue vs which he speaketh thorough Paule i. Cor. x. whatsoeuer is solde in the flesshe marketh that eate and aske no questions for conscience sake And yet was there of thesame flesshe also some solde for the Idolles It preuayleth not that thou sayest the counseylles the holy fathers dyd forbydde it Forbidde here forbydde there whatsoeuer Christ hath not prohibited but hath left it free vnto the thesame may nor can noman forbidde the vpon payn of deadly synne what soeuer they ordeyne or institute besydes the godly scripture thesame byndeth not thy conscience ij Cor. x and xiij they haue no power to destroye thy conscience but to edifye it as Paule sayth Almose dedes Almes is all maner of seruiablenes towardes thy neyghbour The Euangelicall Penaunce or repentaūce consisteth principally in thre sundry thynges Fastynge praynge Faste and geuinge of almes Fastinge doth conclude in it selfe all manner of chastenynges of the synfull flesshe with oute any difference of meates or apparell Prayer Prayenge comprehendeth in it selfe all manner of vsyng of the harte towardes God readyng hearynge prayenge and remembrynge Euen so doeth Almose comprehende all maner of seruyce Almose dedes towardes oure neyghboure By fastyng do I serue my selfe mortifye the olde man By prayer do I serue God By almose do I serue my neyghbour By fastynge doth a man ouercome the euyll concupiscēces of the flesshe a man
corne wynes shoulde not growe in the feldes yet see well ynoughe that with all theyr thought and care they be not able to put one cubite vnto their statures They be heathen Mat. vi and knowe not the care prouidence grace of God Two thynges doth the Scripture speake and touche concernyng ryches First it is daungerous to medle with them Rychesse The scripture calleth thē thornes He must nedes haue a fayre grace of God that doth not prycke hym selfe beynge amonge thornes They be wytche blynde and hynder a man very sore A certaine Iewe came vnto Christe whiche was counted before the worlde a ryght honest man But when Christe woulde teache hym the perfection and bad hym forsake hys goodes and possessyōs he went away mournynge for he had great possessyons Then sayde Christ vnto hys disciples Matth. xix Mar. x. Lu. xviij with what difficultye shal thei that haue ryches enter into the kyngdome of God The goodes are loued and man is blynded Secondarely the Scripture doth not therfore denye the kyngdome of heauen vnto the ryche but onelye sheweth them the daunger and ieopardye thereof and warneth them faythfully that they shoulde not suffre the goodes to be theyr mayster and Lord and haue none euyll concupiscence after that which is temporal Psa lxij And yf ryches do increase vnto them that they shoulde not sette theyr hertes vpon them and make an Idoll thereof The ryche man in S. Luke shoulde be a warnynge vnto them Luce. xij Verely the spirite of God which knewe very wel the perilles daungers thereof saith in sayncte Paul on thys wyse i. tim vi They that wil be ryche fall into temptation and snares and into many foolyssh noysome lustes which drowne men in perdicion and destruction For couetousnes is the rote of all euyl whiche whyle some lusted after they erred from the fayth and tangled them selues with many sorrowes In the end of the same Epistle geueth he vnto the ryche a very goodly rule to lyue by and fayth Charge thē that are ryche in thys worlde that they be not excedyng wyse and that they truste not in the vncertayne ryches but in the lyuynge God whiche geueth vs aboundantly all thynges to enioye thē and that they do good and be ryche in good workes and ready to geue and to distribute layenge vp in store for themselues a good foūdation agaynst the tyme to come that they may obtayne eternal lyfe Mat. vi Men can not serue God Mammon together Ecclesi v. Reade in the preacher of Salomon of the ryche men of thys worlde Whosoeuer doth medle moche with goodes by the way of marchādyse customes or other wyse latte hym remembre that he medleth with thornes and forgette not the brotherly loue but accordynge to the lawe of nature as he would that men shoulde deale with hym truely and vprightly so let hym deale with hys neyghboure Tob. iiij Vvhatsoeuer ye woulde that men shoulde do to you mat vij euen so do ye to them Thys is the lawe and the Prophetes Luce. vi Geue and it shal be geuen vnto you sayth Christe Lende lokynge for nothynge agayne and youre rewarde shal be greate and ye shal be the chyldren of the hyest Deute xv Item in the fyfte boke of Moyses sayth the lawe Tourne not thyne eyes from thy poore brother handle not deceatfully and craftely with hym in hys necessities that thy Lorde God maye blesse the alwayes and in all thynges that thou goest aboute or takest in hande Deute xxiij xxiiij Geue vnto thy brother no money vpon vsury O Lorde God why do men rage so vnmanerly and abhominable for the temporall goodes seyng thei muste shortely departe from them when they dye They can not preserue them from death what shoulde it profite a man Matth xxvi though he shoulde wynne all the hole worlde yf he loose his owne soule Christe warneth you fatherly in Mathewe and sayeth Mat. vi See that ye gather you not treasure vppon the earth where ruste and mothes corrupte and where theues breake through and steale But gather ye treasures together in heauen where nether ruste nor mothes corrupte and where theues nether breake vp nor yet steale For where so euer youre treasure is there will youre hertes be also It can not well be done to followe the naked Christe and to beare his crosse where as so greate ryches and all plentie doth abounde Synne Synne is all what soeuer is against the commaundement of God There is thre maner of synnes The originall synne is an euill concupiscēce where of we be inheritours by byrthe descēdinge from Adā vpon all Adams children whiche prouoketh and enticeth to synne For it is written in the fyrst boke of Moyses The imagination of mannes herte is euyl Ge. vi and .viij euē from hys youthe Of thys synne complayneth Dauid sayenge Psal li. Rom. v Ephe. ij Beholde I was shapen in wickednes and in synne hath my mother conceyued me Thys synne bryngeth the chylde with hym euen from hys mothers wombe The deadly synne is euery synne agaynst the commaundement of god of her owne nature The daily synne The dayly synne is a synne of the Christen menne or of the saynctes is called daily for thys cause not that she is so small of her selfe but because she is forgeuen vnto the faythful thorough the mercyfulnes of God and is not imputed vnto hym for synne vnto death Briefely euery dede of man whiche is not through the faythe in Christe is a deadly synne For the frute is as the tree The tree is the carnal mā which spiritually is dead how shoulde he then of hymself bring furth a lyuing fruite that is a good worke Infirmitie For as muche as a Christen man doth not feare death he feareth much lesse bodely sickenes he escheweth only the infirmities of the soule that is to say synne The bodely infirmitye is vnto man a costely medecyne agaynst the synfull flesshe For man is neuer more righteous then when he is sicke when God scourgeth thē doth he heale Amendement of lyfe happeneth best in the tyme of all maner of tribulation Sickenes doth withdrawe him from the inordinate and vncomely loue of creatures that he begynneth to loke for the creatoure as for hym that onely can helpe on euery syde and quycken man in all hys aduersities whiche he muste suffre here It geueth also vnto man in tribulation a spirituall ioye and bryngeth a good confidence towardes god whā he thinketh accordinge as the scripture doth shewe Vvhome the lord loueth Ebr. xij hym he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receyueth Yf ye endure chastenynge God offereth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes what sonne is that whome the father chasteneth not If ye be not vnder correction whereof al are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Moreouer seynge we had fathers of our flesshe whiche
Phil. iiij whiche passeth all vnderstondynge kepe youre hertes and myndes in Christe Iesu And to the Ephesians Ephe. ij Rom. v He is oure peace Item to the Romaynes Because therfore through Christe when God is a mercyfull father and so continueth then desyreth she no further Therfore dyd the Prophetes name the kyngdome of Christe a kyngdome of saluation Esaye xxxij For thus sayth Esaias And the rewarde of ryghteousnes shal be peace and her frute reste and quietnes for euer And my people shall dwell in the innes of peace and in sure dwellynges in safe places of conforte The worde of God bryngeth thys spirituall peace and destroyeth the body of Behemoth but the carnal peace it bryngeth not for it is a word of the crosse and not of the wicked voluptuous lyfe vpon earth Therfore shall no man merueyll that through the preachynge of the cleare pure syncere worde of God ryseth contencion discorde for it is hys nature and propertye to separate the good from the euyll lyke as the fyre doth separate the copper from the golde Therfore knowe not the enemyes of GODDES worde what they speake whan thei say yea what good cometh by the preachynge that is vsed nowe a dayes it causeth nothyng but discorde and sedition I saye deare frēde thou vnderstandest not the matter a ryght It ought to be so It is a blessed discorde when the electe embrace the worde of God and wyll not haue theyr porcyon with the vngodly It can be none other wyse i. Cor. xi For thys waye muste the ryghte Christians be knowen and tryed It was euen so lykewyse in the primityue Church The Christians which dyd receyue the gospell separated themselues from the Gentyls and woulde not erre wyth the greate multitude It stode neuer better with the churche then when euery daye some shedde theyr bloude for the knoweledgyng of the holy name of Christe as Cyprian sayth and thys do we learne oute of the wordes of Christ wheras he speaketh Luc. xij I am come to kindle fyre vpō earth notwithstōding I must be baptised with a baptisme how am I payned till it be ended what is my desyre but that it were all ready kyndled Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earthe I tel you nay but rather debate For frō hence forthe there shall be fyue in one house deuyded thre agaynst two and two agaynst thre The father shal be deuided against the sonne and the sonne against the father The mother against the doughter and the doughter agaynst the mother The mother in lawe against her doughter in lawe and the doughter in lawe against her mother in lawe Ebr. iiij The two edged swearde of the holy goost whiche entreth through euen vnto the diuidinge a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the Mary iudgeth the thoughtes the intentes of the herte is now abroade Therfore let noman merueill at the dissention whiche nowe is euery where The inwarde peace can not be well withoute suche an owtewarde battail Free will Man had in Paradise in the state of innocencye a free wyll There vpō soundeth the sayenge in the wyse mā But after the tyme that Adam had synned Eccl. xv dyd also the spirite of god forsake man In so much that he became hole blynde ignoraunt and erronious and the Scripture doth call hym after the first byrth flesshe Gen. vi Not because onely the comprehensyble power is prone to euyll and is carnall but because the body and soule through the poyson of synne is hole infected and made vncleane In so much that man from hys fyrste byrthe through al his naturall power can do nothynge but synne The Scripture calleth the hert impure The herte is vncleane Heb. xij Ge viij mar vij what goodnes and purenes can then be in man He must be borne a newe elles is he hole vnprofitable and nothynge but flesshe that is proue to thynges terrestriall and al euyll he seketh not after God he regardeth hym not neyther holdeth he of hym Euen thus doth the Scripture conterfayte hym Ro. viij Saynt Paule speaketh to the Romaynes They that are carnall are carnally mynded but they that are spirituall are goostely mynded they that are geuen to the flesshe can not please God For the flesshely mynde is enemitie against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God nether can be Augustyne Therfore called Augustine in the secōde booke agaynst Iulian the heretike the will of man a bonde will Ioh. viij accordinge to the wordes of Christe in Iohn who so euer committeth synne is the seruaunt of synne Libertie of the wyll Howe be it this will maye be made free agayne through the grace of God For thus is it conteyned euen in the same place of Iohn If the sonne shall make you free Ioh. viij then are ye free in dede The sonne of God Christe hath purchased agayne for vs the spirite and grace of God If we beleue than maye we and can do good agayne Notwithstondynge it must all be asscribed vnto the grace of God whiche worketh in vs and nothinge appropriated to oure owne naturall power or workinge whereof the will is also partely named to be an occasion of the good worke as the miserable Sophistes seduce the worlde In Paule is it written on this wyse ij Co. iij We are not sufficient of oure selues to thinke any thinge as it were of oure selues but oure ablenes cometh of God Yf then we can thynke no good of oure selues why presume the Sophistes by the power of the free wille to do any good Thus saith Paule It is God Phili. ij whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the dede i. Co. xv Euen so doth he speake also in another place I laboured more aboundantly then all the other not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Euen so do all saynctes asscribe all goodnes onely to God knoweledge them selues as an instrumēt of the Godly grace sayēge with Dauid Not vnto vs O lorde Psa cxv Not vnto vs but vnto thy name geue the prayse Item Iohn iij A man can receyue nothinge at all excepte it be geuen hym from heauen Item Iohn vi No man can come to me excepte the father which hath sent me drawe hym And of suche lyke is the Scripture full Therfore is it euen as muche whē any man boasteth of hys free wyll that he of hym selfe maye begynne to do any good before grace and to obtayne the grace by workes As yf a man should boaste moche of a Castell that were brent and al destroyed with shutyng of ordinaunce whereas onely were left the place with brokē walles where as the towres were fallen downe and no defence left at all and yet woulde presume to kepe it perforce A broken Castell hath yet the olde name that men saye There standeth suche a Castell
Therfore wyll noman truely take the Gospel in hande mat xvi Christ hath geuen vs warnynge of such in Matt. Beware of the Leuen of the Pharises and of the Saduces that is of mēnes traditions Thereof reade further Deut. iiij Prouer. xxx Esaye xxxix Matth. xv xxiiij Marc. vij Luc. xvij Gal. i. Colloss ij i. Timot. iiij Tit. i. And .i. Pe. ij Yf thou wilt see with what coloure the Scripture doth counterfaite and paynte the wicked shepeherdes then reade Ezechiel xiij and xxxiiij Ieremie xxiij Esaye iij. Michee iij To the Philippians iij. Conclusyon AT the last wyl I admonyshe charitably euerye good Christian that he wyll beware and take good hede in thys last perillous tyme wherein Ante Christe hath also hys predication sheweth hys miracles and that he wil earnestly reade the Byble hym selfe with humilitie and not with presumption Whereas the spirite of God openeth any thynge vnto hym let hym be thankefull And wheras any thynge is to harde for hym there let hym not iudge rasshely and put no doubtes in it but that all thyng is well and good written by the spirite of God whiche can not erre But the faulte is in our selues Moreouer one daye teacheth another what soeuer thou vnderstandest not to daye thesame bryngeth the daye of to morowe with him The holy scripture wyl not be reade as other bokes thou mayest not rasshely and with vnwassheth handes as the common Prouerbe soundeth fall into it but with a precedent deuoute prayer and yeldynge of thy selfe that God may worke in the and that thou wilt not vnderstonde the Scripture after thyne owne brayne or brynge an interpretation in the Scripture after thyne owne phantasy but that thou mayest seke it euen there and be taught of god in the ryght hygh scoole of the holy Ghooste and gladly enquyre of the learned and learne withoute arrogancye and curiosite There must nedes be good experience of the language and the spirite yf a man wil truely handle with the scripture For the one helpeth the other i. co xiij Paul wyll that a man shal here knowe the language and prophecye Therfore let not hym that is not very expert in languages be rasshe and presumpteous to iudge in the scripture how doth it agree that men hādell the reliques of Saynctes with so greate reuerence and honorablenes handel so rasshely or vndiscretely the ryght and true reliques that is the worde of God whiche the sonne of God hath confirmed and stablysshed by hys holy bloude and whereby we be all made ryghteous and holy Howe be it thou shalt not therfore be abolished thinkynge that to reade and to knowe the scripture perteineth onely to prestes Mat. vi It is the worde whereby thy soule make lyue whereby thou arte made a Christen man Vve are called all together to one kyngedom of heauen and inheritaunce of God There is one Baptisme Eph. iiij one worde and one fayth Vve muste al knowe what God requyreth of vs. Therfore as deare as thy soule health and saluation is vnto the euen so earnestly let the worde of God be committed vnto the. It preuayleth nothynge vnto the that thou sayest I wyll continue in my fathers belefe The belefe of oure forefathers Paraduenture thy father was taught that he shoulde be made righteous by workes that he should institute many soule masses buylde Churches that then all were well Yf thou shouldest fynde thy father in hel thou shouldest fynde an euyll fyndynge The sunne of ryghteousnes Iesus Christe is rysen the holy Gospell is purely and syncerely preached he that nowe openeth not hys eyes and shutteth the trueth withoute the dores shal surely fynde hymselfe deceaued Yf Sayncte Paule woulde haue beleued as hys father and the great multitude then shoulde he haue beleued that withoute the bodely circumsion no man coulde be saued what case hadde he byn in thou Yf my father hadde beleued that whatsoeuer a Byshoppe dyd institute or ordeyne were the holy Gospel shoulde I therfore folowe hym in thys errour Christe my hope and redemption saue me frō so doynge whiche vouchesafe through the quickenyng spirite to teache vs his scripture hym selfe that we may vnderstande the vnspeakeable ryches of hys grace AMEN Vvhosoeuer sayth I wil beleue as my father hath done before me and wyl not be instructed and infourmed to heare the Gospell the same wil not knowe the trueth and paraduenture Christ wyl not knowe hym also therfore shall he stande to hys owne daunger vnto hym is the Sunne rysen in vayne he is blynde and a blocke or he feareth the trueth of the Gospell he feareth that he shoulde be fayne to be good Hys euyl workes are espyed in in the cleare lighte of the Gospel whiche he hath couered with mennes traditions This is then as Christ sayth Iohn iij the condemnation that the lyght is come into the worlde and the men loued darkenes more then light Euery man that doth euyl hateth the lyght Thou wilt saye vnto me The Gospel hath bē darkened with mennes doctryne The Gospell hath alwayes ben preached But I saye naye to it The texte might wel be tolde vnto the whiche afterwarde was so darkened with mens gloses that the Gospell that is the glad tydynges was made a heauy tydynges vnto the. For they haue onely taught and preached many institutions but the conforte in the Scripture was hydden namely the inenarrable treasure of grace purchased vnto vs by Christe They haue not taught Christe but Antichrist Thou hast not ben set from thy selfe vnto Christe that thou mightest haue learned wherfore Christe is geuen vnto the. Item to knowe the secretes of the Gospel what is the right peace and ioye of al hertes and consciences but we haue ben brought leadde frō Christ vpon and into our selues that we shoulde be iustifyed and saued by the workes of oure free wyl O Lorde what misery and calamite haue we ben brought vp in in what great vnquietnes For the conscience can neuer be in quiete sure and content yf she must be iustifyed by workes She can neuer be sure in what case she standeth with God as Paule declareth Ro. iiij Gal. iij. But thys is vnto a troubled conscience a great conforte when she heareth that man is not iustifyed by workes but by the fayth in Iesu Christ Thys is the ryght preachinge of the Gospell Rom. iij iiij Gal. ij Rom. iij iiij v Ge. xv Lyke as oure father Abraham was iustifyed before God euen so must we be iustifyed also The scripture calleth hym a father of all beleuers and saith in the fyrst boke of Moyses Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him for ryghteousnes And so doth Paul dryue it alwayes euery where we are iustifyed by fayth Thys shalt thou vnderstond thus for a conclusyō Two maner of faith We haue two maner of beleuynges or knoweledges of Christe The one is called an Actual knoweledge As when I haue
loue which seketh not her owne i. cor xiij That all thynges be common vnto the in good euyll The goodes of the sayuctes be thyne also they helpe and comforte the also they haue compassyon with the in thy griefe one beareth anothers burden and so fulfylle the commaundement of Christe There is great helpe Gal. vi comforte and succoure as the Sacrament of the aulter signifyeth betokeneth in breade and wyne i. Co. x For we be called of Paule one breade one drynke and one body Vvhosoeuer beleueth thys article ryght can not dispayre in his heuynes and temptacyon For as muche as he knoweth that Christe and al saynctes as hys brethren do loke to hym And whosoeuer doth any thynge vnto hym he doth it vnto Christ and his saynctes All prayers and all good dedes whatsoeuer they are that be done in the vniuersall Christianite must at all tymes ayde me as a brother of thys heauenly fraternite Suche help comforte and succour vnderstode Dauid well in spirite and sayd Psalm cxix I am in the congregation of al them that feare the and kepe thy commaundements Thus may we in al necessities speake vnto our enemyes as Heliseus spake to hys seruaunt Feare not for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them The tenthe Artycle I beleue the forgeuenesse of synnes Forgeuenes or remission of synnes is no where but onely in the christen congregation or felloweshyppe for Christe hath geuen her the keye Matth. xviij Forgeuenes of synnes Nonatianus a blynde heretyke thought yf a man were ones fallen in synne that than no repentaunce or penaunce coulde helpe hym any more but were than loste Thys doth the scripture reiecte in all places and openeth and declareth vnto vs Mat. xi the mercyfulnes of God and calleth vs alwayes from our synfull lyfe to repentaunce Christe sayth Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I shal refresshe you Nowe is there no heuyer and more importable burthen then oure synnes And what nedeth it to defend this longe Vvherfore dyd Christ elles come into the worlde and dyed but for to declare such mercifulnes He sayth in Luke They that are hool Luc. v. nede not of the Phisiciō but they that are sicke I am not come to cal the ryghteous but synners to repentaunce And the Angel in Mathewe declareth also his offyce clearly sayng vnto Ioseph Mat i thou shalt call hys name Iesus For he shal saue his people frō their synnes This is not that he forgeueth the synnes but ones but as often as men desyre it as the Prophetes and Euangelistes clearly testifye and shewe Vvitnesse of the scripture In he second boke cryeth Moyses thus vnto god Lord Exod. xxxiiij Lord God mercyful gratious lōg sufferyng aboundant in goodnes trueth kepynge mercy instore for thousādes forgeuing wickednes vngodlines synne not leauyng one innocēt visityng the wickednes of the fathers vpō the childrē vpō the childrens children euē vnto the thyrd fourth generatiō Behold howe goodly declareth Moyses here the grace and mercifulnes of God ij Re. xij Itē in the boke of Samuel it is cōtayned that whā Dauid had cōmitted aduoutry with the wyfe of Vrias and hys synnes were opened vnto hym whan he was abasshed anone sayde the Prophete Nathan The Lord hath put awaye thy synne Esa i In Esaye sayth God Vvasshe you make you cleane put awaye your euyl thoughtes oute of my syght cease from doyng of euil learne to do right applye your selues to equitye delyuer the oppressed help the fatherles to hys ryght Let the wedowes complaynte come before you I pray you come and let vs be defended then shal the Lord saye Though your synnes be as reade as scarlet Esa lvij they shal be as white as snowe And though they were lyke purple they shal be as whyte as wolle Ezechi xviij In Ezechiel sayth God yf the vngodly wil tourne awaye from all his synnes that he hath done and kepe all my commaundementes Ione iij esa xliij Iuhel ij surely than wyll I neuer more thynke vpon al his synnes that he dyd before Reade also the .xxxij. li. and lxxxix Psalme Vvhen Peter asked howe ofte Matth. xviij muste I forgeue my brother that synneth agaynst me Is it ynough seuē tymes Then answered Christe and sayde I saye not vnto the seuen tymes but seuenty tymes seuen tymes And euen vpon that worde sayde he a similitude whereby he teacheth vs that we shoulde gladly forgeue oure neyghboure whatsoeuer he hath offended agaynst vs then shal God also be willynge to forgeue vs oure synnes In Luke standeth Forgeue and ye shal be forgeuen And what nedeth it many witnesses Matth. xviij In Mathewe geueth he the keyes therfore vnto the church that synne shoulde be forgeuen Ioha xx and in Ihon also Nowe beholde the examples Christe speaketh vnto the man that was sicke of the palsie Sonne Mat. ix thy synnes be forgeuen the. Euen there he calleth Mathewe from the receyuynge of custome Hys offyce of preachynge Mat. iij and .iiij and the preachynge of Ihon the Baptiser beganne bothe at the repentaunce They sayde Repente the kyngedome of heauen is at hande Luc. vij In Luke absolueth Christ the woman synner of her synnes saynge Thy synnes are forgeuen the. In another place calleth he the synners to repentaunce when a Toure in Syloe had slayne Luc. xiij eyghtene He sayde Excepte ye repente ye all shal lykewyse perysshe In Marke sayth Christe All synnes shal be forgeuen vnto mennys children and the blasphemy of god where with they blaspheme God Ioha iij what meaneth elles the renewyng of byrthe whiche Nicodemus vnderstode not but repētaunce and the renewyng of man Ioha v. In Iohn had one ben sicke thyrty eyght yeares Christe made hym whole and sayde Behold thou arte made whole Ioh. viij synne no more lest a worse thynge happen vnto the. Item when he absolued the woman taken in aduoutry He sayde Go and synne no more Act. ij Item in the Actes of the Apostles sayeth Peter Repente of your synnes and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remissyon of synnes ij Co. ij To the Corinthiās desyreth Paule that the open synner which had ben excōmunicated mighte be receaued againe to grace yf he dyd repente Briefely the scripture is of suche saynges and examples full in al places that the synnes be forgeuen vs taken awaye He that hath assured promysed vs suche maner of clensyng of synnes is almighty and is able ynough to do it He is oure mercyfull and gracious father Mat. vi therfore wyl he gladly do it and hath taughte vs to praye the same in oure Pater noster In Iohn sayeth he Iho. xvi Aske and ye shall receyue Verely verely I saye vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske thy father in my name
he wyl geue it you The eleuenthe Article ⧠The resurrection of the body Resurrection of the dead ¶ This article is to hyghe agayne for mannes capacite she can not see nor vnderstande with her darke lighte howe euen the same body shal come agayne which so diuersely may perysshe The one is drowned in the sea hym consume the fysshes the one is eaten of the fowles in the ayer another of the wylde beastes or wormes or is consumed of the fyre Here caÌ„ not nature comprehende howe euen that same body with all hys substaunce maye be made and brought together agayne that I shal haue eueÌ„ my firste eyes handes fete and membres as I haue now vpon me Therfore is it called a mistery of God whiche man beleueth and seeth not before hys eyes Euen the same body where with my soule nowe synneth or fasteth and doth any good shall at the laste daye be rayseth agayne and my soule shall be coupled with it agayne And shal be bothe together saued or together damned But there shal be a greate alteration in the body Now in the mortal lyfe is my body subiecte to all maner of miserye Men maye beate me wounde me the body is fowl vnhansome darke dull slowthful and sluggysshe and vseth muche payne and labour or it can come from one place to another It is fearful and weake and hyndreth the soule often in her worke If I study longe or imagine some hygh matter and subtyl anone orketh my head Of suche lyke calamytyes sticketh the body ful Therfore dyd the Platouystes call oure body a denne of the soule and death a delyueraunce from boÌ„des i. Co. xv But in the last daye shal the body of the blessed be garnysshed with fayr gyftes and glorye It shal be no more corruptyble but cleare bryght fayr In the boke of wysedome sayth the Scripture Sapi. iij The ryghteous shall shyne as the sparkes that runne through the busshe mat xiij And in Mathewe sayth Christe Then shal the ryghteous shyne as the sunne in the kyngedome of theyr father ¶ Item the body shal no more be slowfull sluggysshe and lyther but quycke and swyfte that wheresoeuer the spirite wil be euen there shall also the bodye be without delay It shall no more be wretched and sicke or weake but mightye and strong that nothing shal be able to hynder it or to kepe it in It can come oute and in thorough dores beyng shut Item it shal be no more corruptible that it may be beaten hurted or wounded but incorruptible as the shadowe of the sonne i. Co. xv The foure gyftes of glory and worshyp toucheth Paule in the Epistle to the Corinthyans Moreouer howe the one shal be clearer then the other Lyke as one starre is bryghter and clearer than the other Wherevpon sayd S. Augusten saith to Diostero God hath made the soule so mightye that thorough her perfect saluatioÌ„ floweth into the body a perpetual healthe an vnmouable power i. Co. xv Paul helpeth our weake fayth with a goodly exaÌ„ple of a grayne which is sowen in the earth and it is not quickened excepte it dye before then groweth oute of the smal corne a fayr frute euery corne of the frute hath hys owne body His natural fourme and fashion is now muche syner fayrer mightyer then before Such thynges see we daily in the workyng of nature in the incompreheÌ„sible creatures howe much more glory power goodnes wysedome science bestoweth God the creatour of al thynges vpon the reasonable creatures of men whome he hath geueÌ„ a soul fourmed after him selfe irrepreheÌ„syble In tymes past in the Aquiliane or Carthagiane Churche dyd men pronounce thys article thus I beleue the resurrectyon eueÌ„ of thys body beholde meÌ„ dyd adde to it that word eueÌ„ of thys to thinteÌ„t that it myght be plainly and cleare ynough expressed that none other body lyke vnto this shal be raysed or made but euen this same wherein I now stand sitte see heare walke and do suche lyke workes yea which vseth it selfe here with the soule in al maner of good workes Thys sheweth Iob very clearly Iob. xix wheras he saith I am sure that me redemer lyueth and that I shal ryse out of the earth in the latter daye that I shal be clothed agayn with this skinne and se God in my flesshe ye a I my selfe shall beholde hym not with other but with myne owne eyes i. Co. xv To the Corinthians sayth Paule Euen thys corruptyble thynge muste put on incorruptibilite and this mortall must put on immortalite thys is cleare ynough declared that euen this body euen these eyes shal come agayne ⧠Witnesse of the Scripture esa xxvi Esaye sayth Thy dead men shal lyue and my slayne shall ryse agayne Awake and lyue ye that lye in the duste Christe when he agaynst the vngodly Saducees defended the resurrection of the dead he brought in the saynge out of the second boke of Moyses I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob But God is no God of the dead but of the lyuinge When he spake those wordes than had those thre ben dead longe before But for as muche as god nameth hym selfe a god of the aforenamed surely then they be some where and be a lyue Therfore shall theyr body and soule in tyme conuenient be ioyned agayne together In Ezechyel speaketh the scripture clearly of the generall resurrectyon Ezechi xxxvij saynge amonge other wordes Thus sayeth the Lord God Beholde I wyl open your graues and brynge you forthe of youre sepulchres Da. xij Daniel sayth Many of them that slepe in the dust of the earthe shall awake some to the euerlastyng lyfe the other to perpetuall shame ¶ Witnesse of the newe Testament In Mathewe Matth. xxij mar xij whereas Christ proueth the resurrection of the bodyes agaynst a Iewysshe secte named the Saducees is thys article of the resurrection of the flesshe grounded Mathewe sayeth Matth. xxvij The graues dyd open and the bodyes of many Saynctes whiche slept arose and came oute of the graues after hys resurrection and came into the holy citye and appered to many Luce. vij Luc. viij Christe rayseth a wydowes sonne Item he raysed vp from death a yong in â—yde Ioh. xi Act. xx Lykewyse Lazarum Paule raysed also a yonge man named Eutichus Ioh. vi In Iohn sayth Christ no man can come to me excepte the father whiche hath sent me drawe hym And I wyl rayse hym vp at the laste daye Ioh. xi Item in another place I am the resurrectioÌ„ and the lyfe he that beleueth on me yea thoughe he were deade yet shall he lyue Item he sayeth to Martha Thy brother shall ryse agayne Martha answered I knowe that he shall ryse agayne in the resurrection at the last daye Ioh. vi Lykewyse sayeth he more ouer as the father rayseth vp the deade and quickeneth theÌ„
in Saynte Paule .i. Cor. i. Gal. i. ij Ephe. i. Col. i. Roma ij Ebre ix and to Titus ij Iohn iij In so muche that he that beleueth in Christe shal not perysshe but haue euerlastynge lyfe For thus sayth S. Paule Ro. viij There is then no damnation to them whiche are in Christe Iesu whiche walke not after the flesshe but after the spirite Therfore is there no meryer thynge vppon earthe than a ryght Christen man for he dothe not muche esteme the temporall lyfe he is sure of a better lyfe He is a Lorde ouer synne death and helle Vvhy so Answer Rom. vi Christe dyed once and dyeth no more Death shal haue no more power ouer hym Iohn Nowe bei he hath ouercome it and taken awaye synne Now he that beleueth in Christe hath Christ before hys eyes becometh one spirite wyth hym ouercometh in him and by hym synne death helle Deuyll and the worlde Ro. viij For thus sayth Saynte Paule Yf God be on oure syde who can be agaynste vs. Vvhiche also spared not hys owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all Howe shall he not with him geue vs all thynges Psalm xxx viij Vve are well delyuered into death but we ouercome all those thynges through Christe whiche hath loued vs. Vvhat hath Christe Answer He hath the righteousnes peace lyfe and saluation Euē that same hath the christen soule also which is knytte in vnite vnto Christe her lorde and head thoroughe a ryght faith Ro. viij Hose xiij She defyeth death sayth neyther death nor any creature is able to separate her from the loue of god whiche is in Christ Iesu She speaketh ioyfully i. Co. xv Death is consumed in the victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory But thankes be vnto god which hath geuē vs victory thorough our Lord Iesu Christ Deathe is not fearfull to a christen mā The tēporall deathe is vnto such a christen man no more so fearful Yea he doth desyre it for it is to hym onely a delyueraunce frō thys sinful wretched blasphemous lyfe an intraunce into the ryght lyfe vnto Christe our onely saluation A Christian knoweth that the euer lastynge death can do nothing to him yea as littel as to Christe hym selfe and the temporall death is onely a departing of the soule from the body to thiutent that they bothe beynge puryfyed pure and cleare in all perfection in the Later daye maye be agayne coupled to gether glorifyed and clarifyed And knoweth that the soule stondeth in the hande of Christ and is well preserued in the bosome of Abraham Luc. viij Therfore doth the scripture calle the Christen death a slepe because that then a Christian doth firste amende hys estate and cometh from disquietenesse to reste The ryghte Christians also should not behaue thē selues euyl or sorrowe ouer muche whan any thynge dyeth from them Paule sayth i. the. iiij Vve woulde not bretheren haue you ignorant concernynge them whiche are fallen a slepe that ye sorrowe not as the other whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose agayne euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God brynge agayne with hym The Resurrection esa xxix Ezeche xxxvij and viij In the latter daye shall the bodyes of menne by the infinite power and myght of god be raysed agayne and be coupled agayne with the soules But in the blessed shall they wonderfully be chaunged and endued with foure gyftes honour and glorye with impassiblenes with brightenes with swyftenes and with subtilenes For thus sayth Saynt Paule i. Co. xv The flesshe is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour ryseth in honour It is sowē in weakenes ryseth in power It is sowen a naturall body ryseth a spiritual body For a lyttell before sayth he For as in Adam all dye euen so by Christe shall all be made a lyue and euery mā in hys owne ordre The fyrste is Christe then they that are Christes at his commynge Then commeth the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule authorite and power Christ is rysen from death therfor shall we ryse also Thys artycle of oure fayth is al the hole somme and contayned all the hole matter Yf Christe were not rysen then had synne and death ben to stronge for him But for as moche as he is rysen from death so is synne and death ouercome and we shall ryse also in glorye purchaced prepared for vs by Christe Ro. viij But then when the spirite of God that raysed vp Iesus from death quickeneth your mortall bodyes because of his spirite whiche dwelleth in you Ioh. xi Christe sayth I am the resurrectiō and the lyfe He that beleueth on me yea though he were deade yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye Item this is the wyl of hym that sent me Ioh. vi that euery man which seyth the sonne and beleueth on hym haue euerlastinge lyfe And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye hiob xix Item I am sure that me redemer lyueth and that I shall ryse oute of the earthe in the later daye that I shall be clothed agayne with thys skynne and see God in my flesshe yea I my selfe shal beholde hym not with other but with these same eyes Itē the houre shall come in the whiche al that are in the graues shall heare hys voyce and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of damnation One Christian shoulde conforte another with suche wordes of Scripture agaynst the feare of death as Saynte Paule teacheth in the Epistle to the Thessalonians i. Th. iiij The Latter daye Of the last daye hath the Scripture two poyntes The fyrst Christe hath geuen sure sygnes which be the messagers of the last iudgement Reade the Gospelles of Mathewe Marke Matth. xxiiij mar xiij Luc. xxi and Luke All maner of persecutions of the faythfull shall aryse Item warre insurrection offence euyl maners quenchynge of charite Item the abhomination in the holy place in the tempel of God Dan. ix whiche exalteht hym selfe and sheweth hym selfe as God Item an abhominable departynge ij Th. ij and fallyng from the faythe vnto mānes institutions and traditions For thus sayth Christe when the trees shute forth theyr buddes it is a sure signe that Sōmer is then nygh at hāde So lykewyse ye when ye see those thynges come to passe vnderstonde that the later daye is at hande The other Euen thesame poynte of thys laste tyme the daye or houre can no man knowe Christe geueth signes Matth. xxiiij but he sayth in Mathewe Of that daye and houre knoweth noman no not the Angels of heauen but my father onely and recyteth euen in the same place
Howe that in the dayes of Noe the floudde came vnwarres and ouer hasted the worlde So shal the cōmynge of the sonne of man be when men wyl least loke for hym i. thes v. ij thes ij Euen thus sayth Paule also The daye of the Lorde cometh as a thefe in the nyghte Matth. xxiiij and xxv i. the .iiij The fourme fasshyon processe and iudgement of the Latter daye Reade in Mathewe and in the Epistle vnto the Thessaloniens I wyll not brynge the oute and from the scripture with my laboure but in and to the Scripture Euery water is better in hys fyrst sprynge than it is in the fellowynge crekes or ryuers The Masse The masse is a testamente of Christ wherein is promysed pardon and remissyon of synnes vnto all faythfull Christians and soundeth thus As they dyd eate the Lorde Iesus loke the breade and gaue thankes brake it gaue it to hys disciples and sayd Take eate thys is my body And he toke the cuppe thanked and gaue it them and saide drynk of it euery one Thys is the cuppe the newe Testament in my bloude that shall be shed for you and for many for the remissiō of synnes Matth. xxvi mar xiiij Luc. xxij i. Cor. xi Thys do in the remembraūce of me Reade Mathewe Marke Luke and the Epistle of Paule to the Chorinthians Euen there is the masse instituted of Christ Therfore what so euer is more there by they additiōs of menne These forsayd wordes must euery mā knowe perfectely remembre thē in a right stedfaste faith It is not lauful that they shoulde be hidden and spokē secretely yf thou wilt heare masse a right remembre that here is a meate and drynke therfore muste thou eate and drynke or elles thy masse hearynge is of no valoure To heare masse a ryght Howe shall I do then Take the wordes of the masse before the and remembre them in a ryght fayth that thou doubte not but as Christe hath promysed thy euen so shall it come to passe vnto the and in the fayth of the same wordes receyue the blessed Sacrament as a sure holy token vnder the whiche suche promyse is made vnto the whereby thyne herte is broughte to the wordes to beleue them This is spiritually and corporally to go to goddes borde Goyng to Goddes borde Whan the Sacramente is not ministred vnto the but thou hearest masse onelye then take the wordes of the Testament into thy herte and remembre there what thy God and Lorde Iesus Christe hath done for the howe he by hys death hath redemed the and deserued for the eternall lyfe And besydes thys hast thou the very right lyuynge token and seall hys body hys bloude Beleue the wordes and the token so obtaynest thou the promysed inheritaunce and goest to Goddes borde spiritually thou doest strengthen thy selfe oute of the wordes of Christe thou doest conforte the preserue and amende the. For he that doth accepte the wordes and token in fayth is nourysshed and strengthened agaynst all temptations and necessities and moued and prouoked to geue thankes vnto the plenteous mercyfull father which hath geuen and made suche a ryche costely Testamente to vs poore damnable synners Here maye be no doubte at all in the promyse For it is therfore called a Testamente that is a thynge which can not be called agayne a sure promyse whiche is sealled and confirmed with the precious death of the Sonne of God Ebre xi Here is no bloude shed of vnreasonable cattell whiche can not take awaye synne but the precyous innocent bloude of Iesu Christ Ebre ix which pourgeth our consciences from deade workes whiche for that cause is a mediatour of the newe testamēt Rom. iij as Paule doth name hym the masse is no sacrifyce The masse is properly no oblation but is a remembraunce of the hyghe worthy oblation or Sacrifice whiche Iesus Christe the sonne of God in heauen Hebr. ix offred hym selfe for oure synnes vpon the crosse ones This rememberaunce shall be very newe vnto all hertes whereby man is taught what he hath ben and what God hath done for hym There of groweth then confidence in suche a kynde Lorde and redemer Also loue is raysed towardes God and towardes oure neyghbour and a renewynge of the olde man We haue nowe many masses but the death of the Lorde is seldome shewed the plentyfull grace of the death of Christe shoulde alwayes be shewed thereby And we shoulde admonysshe exhorte one another to the loue of God and of our neyghbours For thys Sacrament signifyeth vnite in loue as the names therof clearly do declare A testament Briefely whatsoeuer a Testamēte hath in it selfe in especyall that same hath also the masse The Testatour is Christe The testamente are the wordes as is a fore sayde whereby Christe dyd institute the blessed Sacramēt of the aulter therein is contayned with fewe wordes what Christe hath bequethed and geuen vs. The sealle i. Tim. ij bonde and assuraunce is the body bloude of Christe a pledge token and sealle of the Godly promyse and redemption for vs. The heyres are all faythfull Christians The inheritaunce is pardon and remissyon of synnes Where as remission of synnes is there followe all goodes promysed and geuen in the Testament For whan the synnes be remitted and forgeuen then haue we a mercyfull God throughe Christe Christ is then oures Ro. viij and with hym all thynges Thys is nowe the inheritaunce The Sacrifyces of the olde Testamente were vnperfecte Ebre x for they dyd not take and wasshe awaye synne thei were a figure of the ryght perfecte sacrifyce the oblacion of Christe whiche taketh away our synnes and maketh vnto vs a mercyfull God That was Christe which dyed vpon the crosse a ryght onely sacrifyce of the newe Testamente for oure synnes oure onely sanctification iustifycacyon and satisfaction Nowe whē we haue masse or go to Goddes borde than may we not saye properlye that Christ is offred agayn for he dyeth now no more Ebre vi ix Rom. vi The Apostle sayth He hath done it once And after that fayth he agayne Once dyd he entre into the holy place He offreth not him selfe often he was offred but ones But proprely is it a remembraunce of the ryght perfecte oblacyon which once vpon the crosse is accomplysshed And here is the passyon of Christ earnestly remembred through the which fayth is strengthened and augmēted loue towardes God and man kyndeled and hope stablysshed and confirmed Therfore sayde Christe Thys do in the remembraunce of me that is when ye eate my body and drynke my bloude then remember my death that I dyed for you and redemed you and became an oblation for your synnes Righteousnes A ryght fayth in the mercy grace of God in Iesu Christe is onelye oure ryghteousnes Ro. iiij To hym that beleueth is hys fayth counted for ryghteousnes Abraham beleued God Gen. xv and it