prepared from the begynnynge of the worlde for the dyuell and his angelles and the cursed membres of his body The sence and interpretation of the eyght Artycle I Beleue assuredly in my harte and constantly do professe and knowledge that the holy gooste is the thyrde person in Trinitie that he is veray god lorde auctour and former of all thynges created and that he procedeth both from god the father and from god the sonne and is of the selfe same nature and substaunce and of the same euerlastynge essence or beynge whiche the father and the sonne be of and that he is equall vnto them bothe in almightynes of power in the worke of creation and all other thynges apperteynyng vnto the deitie or godheed and that he is to be honoured and gloryfyed equally with them both And I beleue that this holy spirite of god is of his nature all holy or rather holynesse it selfe that is to saye that he is the onely gooste or spirite whiche with the father and the sonne euer was and euer shall be the onely auctoure causer and worker of all holynes puretie and sanctimonie and of all the grace comforte and spirituall lyfe whiche is wrought and cometh into the hartes of all true christen men In so moche that neither it is possible that the dyuell or any of those euyll spirites whiche do possesse and reigne in suche persones as be subiecte vnto synne can be expelled or put out of theym but by the power of this fynger of god that is to saye of this holy spirite whiche is called in scripture the fynger of god neither it is possyble Mat. xii that the harte of any man beynge ones corrupted and made as prophane by synne can be purged purified sanctified or iustified without the speciall worke and operation of this holy spirite neyther it is possible for any man to come vnto the father by Christe that is to saye to be reconciled into the fauour of god and to be made and adopted into the nombre of his chyldren or to obteyne any parte of that incomparable treasure whiche our sauiour Iesu Christe by his natiuitie his passion his death his resurrection and his ascention hath merited for mankynde oneles this holye spirite shall fyrste illumyne and inspyre into his harte the ryghte knowledge and fayth of Christe with due contrition and penaunce for his synnes and shall also afterwarde instructe hym gouerne hym ayde hym directe hym and endewe hym with suche speciall gyftes and graces as shall be requysite and necessary to that ende and purpose And I beleue also assuredly that this holy spirite of god is of his owne nature full of all goodnes and benignitie or rather that he is goodnes it selfe Forasmoche as he is the onely goost or spirite whiche with the father by Christe instylleth and infoundeth into the hartes of mortall men after they be ones purified from synne by fayth and delyuered from the power of the deuyll dyuers and manyfolde moste noble and excellent gyftes and graces as the gyfte of holy feare and dread of god Timoris Sapien. Intellectê° Concilii Fortitudinis the gyfte of feruent loue and charitie towardes god and our neyghbour the gyfte of spirituall wysedome and vnderstandynge the gyfte of free wyll and desyre and also of very fortitude and strength to contempne this worlde to subdue and mortifie all carnall concupiscence and to walke in the wayes of god the gyfte of perseuerance to contynue in the same the gyfte of pitie and mercy Pietas Scientia of pacyence and benignitie of science and cunnynge of prophecienge of curynge and healynge and of all other vertues necessarie for christen men to haue either for the attaynynge of theyr owne saluation or for the edifyenge and profyte of theyr neighbours All and synguler whiche gyftes and graces I knowlege and professe that they procede from this holy spirite and that they be gyuen conferred and distributed vnto vs mortall men here in erthe at his owne godly wyll arbitre and dyspensation and that no man can purchase or obteyne ne yet receyue reteyne or vse any one of them without the specyall operation of this holy spiritie And although he geueth not nor dyspenseth the same equally and vnto euery man in lyke yet he gyueth alwayes some portion therof vnto all persones whiche be accepted in the syght of god and that not onely frely and without all theyr deseruinges but also in suche plentie and measure as vnto his godly knowlege is thoughte to be mooste benefyciall and expedient And I beleue that this holy spirite of god is of his owne nature autour of charitie and holy loue or rather that he is charitie it selfe Fyrst bycause that he is that ineffable and incomprehensyble loue or concord wherwith the father the sonne be conioyned inseparably the one with the other Seconde bycause he his the bonde and knotte wherwith our sauiour Iesu Christe and his most dere beloued espouse the churche which is also his very mystical body and al singuler the veray membres of the same churche and body be vnited knytte and conioyned to gyther in suche perfyte and euerlastynge loue and charitie that the same can not be dissolued or separated Thyrdely bycause he his also the verye bonde and knotte wherby all and euery one of the membres of Christis sayde churche and body be vnited coupled and conioyned the one of them with the other in perfite mut all loue and charitie For I beleue assuredly that lyke as the membres of our mortall bodyes be by the spirituall operation and vertue of our soules not onely preserued holly togyther in one body and be endewed with lyfe and power to exercyse suche naturall functions and offyces as be deputed vnto them but also be conteyned in mutuall affection and desyre eche to helpe and conserue thother Euen so the membres of this misticall bodye of Christe be by the onely and speciall operation and worke of this holy spyrite not onely congregated vnited and incorporated in to this one body of Christe and so do consist and endure holly and perfitely in the same body euery one in his owne peculiar function but also that they be knitted combined and conglutinated all together and euery one of them with other in perfytte and indyssoluble loue and in the coÌ„munion of all theyr gyftes and graces and of all other thynges wherwith the one of them may helpe succour or comforte the other And I bele e that this holy spirite of god is the spirite of trouth and the autour of all holye scripture conteyned in the hole canon of the Byble And that this spirite dydde not onely inspire and instruct all the holy patriarkes and prophetes with all the other membres of the catholyke churche that euer was from the begynynge of the worlde in all the trouthes and verities that euer they dyd knowe speake or write but also that the same holy spirite dyd ones descende downe from heuen in
the holy gooste they be to be accompted and reputed here in this worlde to be in the nombre of the sayde veray membres of Christis mysticall bodye so longe as they be not by open sentence of excommunication precided and excluded from the same Not bycause they be suche membres in very dede but bycause the certayne iugement knowlege of that theyr state is by goddes ordynaunce hydden and kepte secrete from all mens knowlege and shall not be reueled vntyll the tyme that Christe hym selfe shall come at the worldes ende and there shall manyfest and declare his veray kyngedome and who be the veray true membres of his body and who be not And I beleue that this holy churche is catholyque that is to say that it can not be coarcted or restrayned within the limites or bondes of any one towne citie prouince region or countreye but that it is dispersed and spredde vnyuersally through out all the hole worlde In so moche that in what part soeuer of the worlde be it in Affrique Asia or Europe there may be founde any nombre of people of what sorte state or condicion so euer they be whiche do beleue in done god the father creatour of all thynges and in one lorde Iesu Christe his sonne and in one holy goost and do also professe and haue all one fayth one hope and one charitie accordynge as is prescribed in holy scripture and do all consent in the trewe interpretation of the same scripture and in the ryght vse of the sacramentes of Christe we maye boldly pronounce and saye that there is this holy churche the veray espouse and body of Christe the veray kyngdome of Christe and the veray temple of god And I beleue that these particular churches in what place of the worlde so euer they be congregated be the very partes porcions or membres of this catholyque and vnyuersall churche And that betwene them there is in dede no dyfference in superioritie preeminence or auctoritie neyther that any one of them is heed or soueraygne ouer the other but that they be all equall in power and dygnitie and be all grounded and buylded vpon one foundation and be all called vnto lyke and vnto the same puretie cleannes honour and glorie and be all subiecte vnto one god one lorde one heed Iesu Christe and be all gouerned with one holye spirite And therfore I do beleue that the churche of Rome is not The churche of Rome nor can not worthyly be called the catholyque churche but onely a partycular membre therof and can not chalenge or vendicate of ryghte and by the worde of god to be heed of this vnyuersall churche or to haue any superioritie ouer thother churches of Christ whiche be in England France Espayne or in any other realme but that they be all free from any subiection vnto the sayde churche of Rome or vnto the mynyster or byshop of the same And I beleue also that the sayde churche of Rome with all thother partycular churches in the worlde compacted and vnyted togyther do make and constitute but one catholyque churche or body And that lyke as our sauyour Christe is one persone and the onely heed of his mysticall body so this hole catholyke churche Christis misticall bodye is but one bodye vnder this one heed Christe The vnitie of Christis churche And that the vnytie of this one catholyque Churche is a mere spirituall vnitie consistynge in the poyntes before rehersed that is to saye in the vnitie of Christis fayth hope and charitie and in the vnitie of the ryght doctrine of Christe and in the vnitie and vnyforme vsynge of the sacramentes consonant vnto the same doctrine And therfore althoughe the sayde partycular churches and the membres of the same do moche dyfferre and be discrepant the one from the other not onely in the dyuersite of nations and countreys and in the dyuersitie dygnitie and excellencye of certayne suche gyftes of the holy goost as they be endewed with but also in the dyuers vsynge and obseruation of suche outwarde rytes ceremonies traditions and ordynaunces as be instituted by theyr gouernours and receyued and approued amonge them yet I beleue assuredly that the vnitie of this catholyque churche can not therfore or for that cause be any thynge hurted impeched or infrynged in any poynte but that all the sayde churches do and shall contynue styll in the vnytie of this catholyke churche not with standynge any suche dyuersytie nor that any of them ought to be reputed as a membre deuyded or precyded from the same for any suche cause of dyuersytie or dyfference vsed by them or any of them in the sayde poyntes And I beleue that al the particular churches in the world whiche be membres of this catholyque churche maye all be called apostolicall churches aswell as the churche of Rome or any other churche wherin the apostels them selfes were somtyme resydent Forasmoche as they haue receyued and be all founded vpon the same fayth and doctryne that the true apostels of Christe dyd teache and professe And I beleue and truste assuredly that I am one of the membres of this catholike churche and that god of his onely mercy hath not onely chosen and called me thervnto by his holy spirite and by thefficacie of his worde and sacramentes and hathe inserted and vnited me into this vnyuersall body or flocke and hath made me his sonne and inheritour of his kyngdome but also that he shall of his lyke goodnes and by the operation of the holy goost iustifie me here in this worlde and fynally glorifie me in heuen And therfore I proteste and knowlege that in my hart I abhorre and deteste all heresies and scismes wherby the true interpretation and sence of scripture is or maye be peruerted And do promyse by the helpe of god to endure vnto my lyfes ende in the ryght profession of the faythe and doctryne of the catholyque churche The sense and interpretation of the tenthe Artycle I Beleue assuredly in my harte and with my mouthe I professe that betwene and amonge all and synguler the saintes that is to say the quycke lyuinge membres of the catholyque churche of Christe whiche is his mistycall body there is a perfyte communion and particypation of all and syngular the graces of the holy goost and the spirituall goodes and treasure whiche do belonge vnto the sayde hole body or vnto any part or membre of the same And like as al the partes membres whiche be lyuynge in the natural body of a man do naturally communicate and mynister eche to other the vse commoditie and benefite of all theyr forces nutriment and perfection in somoche that it lyeth not in the power of any man to say that the meate whiche he putteth in at his owne mouthe shall nouryshe one particular membre of his body and not an other but that all and euery one particularly shall receyue of the sayde nutriment and of the vertue and benefite therof more
Ioannes Lincoln Ioannes Bathonien Rolandus Couen et Lich. Thomas Elien Nicolaus Sarum Ioannes Bangor Edouardus Hereforden Hugo wigornien Ioannes Roffen Ricardus Cicestren Guilielmus Norwicen Guilielmus Meneuen Robertus Assauen Robertus Landauen Edouardus Eborum Cuthbertus Dunelmen Robertus Carliolen Ricardus wolman Archidiaconus Sudbur Gulielmus knyght Arch. Richemond Ioannes Bell Arch. Gloucestr Edmundus â—â—â—er Arch. Laicestr Gulielmus Skippe Arch. Dorsett Nicolaus Heeth Arch. Stafford Cuthbertus Marshal Arch. Notingham Ricardus Curren Arch. Oxon. Gulielmus Cliffe Galfridus Downes Robertus Okyng Radulphus Bradford Ricardus Smith Symon Mathew Ioannes Pryn Gulielmus Buckmaster Gulielmus May Nicolaus wotton Ricardus Coxe Ioannes Edmundes Thomas Robertson Ioannes Baker Thomas Baret Ioannes Hase Ioannes Tyson Sacrae theologiae iuris ecclesiastici et Ciuilis professores ¶ This boke called the Institution of a christen man conteyneth foure speciall partes wherof ¶ The fyrste parte conteyneth the exposytion of the Crede called thapostelles Crede ¶ The seconde parte conteyneth the Exposition or declaration of the seuen sacramentes ¶ The thyrde parte conteyneth the exposition of the tenne commaundementes ¶ The fourthe parte conteyneth the exposytion of the Pater noster and the Aue with the articles of Iustifycation and Purgatorie ¶ The crede called thapostels Crede 1 I BELEVE in god the father and that he is almyghty and creator of heuen and erth 2 AND I beleue in Iesu Christe and that he is his onely begotten sonne and our lorde 3 AND that he was conceyued by the holy goost and borne of the virgyn Mary 4 AND suffred passyon for our redempcion vnder a certayne Iuge whose name was Pontius Pilatus and so was crucified deed and buryed 5 AND that he descended into hell and rose agayn the thyrde day from death to lyfe 6 AND that he ascended afterwarde vp into heuen / and sytteth there vpon the right hande of almyghty god his father 7 AND that he shall come from thens at Domisday to iudge the quycke and deade 8 AND I beleue in the holy gooste 9 AND I beleue that there is one holy Catholyque and vniuersall churche 10 AND I beleue that there is in the same Churche communion of sayntes and remyssyon of synnes 11 AND I beleue that at Domisday al the people of the world that euer was or euer shall be vnto that daye shall then aryse agayne in the selfe same fleshe and body whiche they hadde whyle they lyued here in erth 12 AND I beleue that al thelecte people of god shal haue and enioye euerlastynge lyfe for theyr rewarde ¶ The sense and interpretacyon of the fyrst Article IN My harte I beleue assuredly and stedfastly with my mouth I professe knowledge that there is but one very god thre persons in trinitie the father the sonne the holy goost and that these thre persons be not thre goddis but all one god all of one nature and of one substaunce and all of one euerlastyng essence or being and al lyke and equall in myght power wysedome knowlege ryghtwysenes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is no other god And I beleue also and professe that god the father whiche to the fyrste person in Trinitie is not onely the god the lorde and the father of heuen and erth and all thynges conteyned therin by creation and gouernaunce but also that he is the father of his onely begotten sonne the seconde persone in Trinitie and that he dyd bygette hym of his owne substaunce by eternall generation that is to saye by generation that neuer hadde begynnynge And I beleue also and professe that all and synguler the wordes and sayinges of this god the father be they lawes preceptes promyses prophycyes or thretenynges and all that euer was spoken of hym or by hym in the hole body and canon of the newe and the olde testament is moste certaynly trewe and of suche infallyble verytie and trouthe that the same canne not be altered or conuelled by any contrary opynyon power or auctorytie And I promyse and professe that I do and woll not onely hope and loke surelye and without all doubte to atteyne and enioye all those thynges whiche god promyseth in holy scrypture vnto thelecte chylderne of god but also that I do and woll feare lefte those punyshementes and afflyctions whiche god in holy scrypture threteneth to caste vpon those persones whiche do transgresse his wyll and coÌ„maundementes shall fall vpon me yf I shall not lyke an obedient seruaunt and chylde studye to fulfylle and accomplyshe the same And I beleue also and professe that this god and this father is almyghty that is to saye that his power and myghte excelleth incomparably all the other powers in heuen and erth And that all other powers whiche be in heuen erthe or hell be nothyng as of them selfe but haue all theyr myght force and strengthe of hym onely and be all subiecte vnto his power and be ruled and gouerned therby and can not resyste or lette the same And I beleue also professe that this almighty god almyghty father dyd at the beginninge create forme make of nought heuen and erthe and all thynges conteyned in this worlde as well aungels mans sowle and al other thynges inuysyble as also all other vysyble creatures and that he dyd gyue vnto them all the power and myght whiche they haue And I beleue also and professe that among his other creatures he dyd create and make me and dydde gyue vnto me this my sowle my lyfe my body with all the membres that I haue great and small and all the wytte reason knowlege and vnderstandynge that I haue and fynally all the other outwarde substance possessyons and thynges that I haue or can haue in this worlde And I beleue also and professe that he is my very god my lorde and my father and that I am his seruaunte and his owne sonne by adoption and grace and the ryght enherytor of his kyngedome and that it procedeth and cometh of his mere goodnes onely withoute all my deserte that I am in this lyfe preserued and kepte from daungers and perylles And that I am susteygned nourysshed fedde clothed and that I haue helthe tranquyllytie reste peace or any other thynge necessary for this corporall lyfe I knowlege also and confesse that he suffreth and causeth the sonne the mone the sterres the daye the nyght the ayre the fyre the water the lande the see the fowles the fyshes the bestes all the frutes of the erthe to serue me for my profytte and my necessite And in lyke maner I confesse and knowlege that all bodily syckenes and aduersitie whiche do fortune vnto me in this worlde be sent vnto me by his hande and his visitation and that he punysheth me not to distroy me but onely to saue me and to reduce me agayne by penaunce vnto the ryght way of his lawes and his religion and so therby to proue me and to
or lesse accordynge to that naturall disposition portion and place whiche it hath within the same body Euen so I beleue that what soeuer spirytuall gyfte or treasure is gyuen by god vnto any one parte or membre of this mysticall body of Christe all though the same be gyuen particularly vnto this membre and not vnto an other yet the fruyte and meryte therof shall by reason of that incomprehensible vnion and bande of charite whiche is betwene them redounde necessaryly vnto the profyte edifieng and increase in Christis body of all the other membres particularly in so moche that there shall nede no mans auctorite to dyspence distribute the same or to apply it vnto this mēbre or that lyke as the bishop of Rome pretended to do by vertu of his pardons but yf the mēbre The bisshop of Romes pardons whiche shal receyue this tresure be a lyuinge membre in this mysticall body not putrified or cutte of from the same I beleue assuredly that he shall be made participant of the sayde treasure and shall haue and enioy the fruite and benefyte of the same and that in suche quantitie and measure as for the rate proportion and qualitie of the spirituall lyfe faythe and charite whiche he hath in the same body shall be expedient and necessarie for hym to haue And I beleue that I beinge vnited and corporated as a lyuynge membre into this catholyque churche as vndoubtedly I trust that I am not onely Christe hym selfe beinge heed of this body and the infinite treasure of all goodnes and all the holy sayntes and membres of the same body do and shall necessarily helpe me loue me pray for me care for me weye on my syde comforte me and assyste me in all my necessities here in this worlde but also that I shall be made partaker of the frute benifite and treasure of Christis moost blessed lyfe and his bytter passyon and of all the holy lyfe passions and pacience and of all the prayers and other good workes of faithe and charitie whiche haue ben or shall be done or susteyned by any and euery one of all those faithfull and rightuous people whiche euer haue ben or shal be membres of this catholique churche And I beleue that in this catholique churche I and all the lyuely and quycke membres of the same shall contynually and from tyme to tyme so longe as we shal lyue here on erth obteyne remission and forgyuenes of all our synnes aswell originall as actuall by the merites of Christis bloude and his passion and by the vertue and efficacie of Christis sacramentes instituted by hym for that purpose so oft as we shal worthily receyue the same And lyke as it is not in the power of any man to dispense minister or distribute any parte of that nutriment whiche he receyueth in at his mouthe vnto any membre whiche eyther is mortified and deed in his body or that is cut of from the same Euen so I beleue assuredly that neyther Christis bloude nor his sacramentes nor any of the graces of the holy goost nor any good worke in the worlde do or can any thynge profyte to remission and forgyuenes of synne or saluation vnto any person whiche is in veray dede out of the catholyque church as longe as he shall so stande and continue out of the same For I beleue assuredly that out of this catholyque churche there neither is nor can be any suche cōmunion of sainctes or remission of synnes as is before rehersed but that lyke as all the people and beastes whiche at the tyme of Noes floude were out of his arke of shyp Genes vii were all drowned and perished euen so all the people of the world be they Iewes Turques Saracenes or of any other nation what so euer it be whiche either for theyr infidelitie heresie or scisme or for theyr induratenes and obstinate perseuerynge in mortall synne be separated and diuided from the membres of the sayde catholyque churche and soo shall fynally be founde either to be out of the same churche or els to be as deed membres therin shall vtterlye perysshe and be dampned for euer The sense and interpretation of the .xi. and xii Artycle I Beleue stedfastly in my harte and with my mouthe I do professe that at the daye of the generall dome or iugement whan Christ shal come syt to iudge both quicke and deade almyghty god shall by the operacyon of his holy spyryte stire and rayse vp agayne the veray flesshe and bodyes of all men women and chylderne bothe good and badde christened and heathen that euer lyued here in this worlde from the begynnynge of the same and dyed before that daye And althoughe the sayde flesshe and bodyes were deed before and buryed yea and consumed by fyre or water or by any other meanes dystroyed yet I beleue that god shall of his infynyte power make them all at that daye hole and parfyte agayne and so euery man generally shall resume and take agayne the very selfe same body and flesshe whiche they had whyle they lyued here on erthe and so shall ryse from deathe and lyue agayne in the very selfe same body and sowle whiche they had before And I beleue that euery man beyng thus made perfite mā in body and sowle shall at that daye appere before the hyghe Iudge our sauiour Iesu Christe and there shall make a strayt accompte of his owne propre workes and dedes suche as he dyd good or yuell while he lyued here in the worlde And accordynge there vnto shall be iudged to receyue bothe in body and soule to gether eyther euerlastynge ioye and bliffe or elles euerlastynge peyne and woo And I Beleue that I my selfe shall the same daye ryse againe in this very fleshe and body whiche I nowe haue and in none other Euen lyke as our sauyour Ihesu Christe of whose misticall body I am a porcion or membre dyd aryse from deth to lyfe in the selfe same naturall body whiche he had whan he was borne of his mother and crucified vpon the crosse And after that I shall be so rysen ageyne from dethe to lyfe I beleue that I and all true penitent synners that euer dyed or shall dye in the fayth of Christ i. Cor. xv shall than be perfytely sanctified purified and delyuered from all contagion of synne and from all corruption and mortalitie of the fleshe and shal haue euerlastynge lyfe in glorie with god in his kyngedom not for by nor through the workes of rightuousnes whiche we shall haue done for all passions and marterdomes Titū iii. that maye be suffred in this worlde Rom. viii be nothynge comparable to the glory whiche we shall then receaue and shall be shewed vnto vs but by thonely grace goodnes and mercy of god and by and for the redempcion whiche is in Christe Iesu that is to saye for and by his most preciouse deathe and most peynfull passion Rom. vii For I beleue
THE INSTITVTION OF A CHRISTEN MAN CONTEYNYNGE the Exposytion or Interpretation of the commune Crede of the seuen Sacramentes of the .x. commandementes and of the Pater noster and the Aue Maria Iustyfication Purgatory ⧠TO THE MOSTE HYGHE AND moste excellent prince our most gracious and most redouted Souerayn lord and kyng HENRY the VIII by the grace of god kyng of Englande and of Fraunce defendour of the fayth lorde of Irelande and supreme heed in erthe immediately vnder Christ of the Churche of Englande Thomas archbysshop of Canturbury Edwarde archebysshoppe of Yorke and all other the bysshoppes prelates and Archedeacons of this your realme wysshe all grace peace and felicitie from almighty god the father our lorde Iesu Christe PLEASETH IT YOVR moste royall maiestie to vnderstande that where as of your most godly disposition and tender zeale whyche is impressed in your most noble harte towardes th aduancement of goddis glorie and the ryghte institution and education of your people in the knowlege of Christis true religyon your hyghnes cōmaunded vs nowe of late to assemble oure selfes togyther and vpon the diligent serche and pervsing of holy scripture to sette forth a playne and syncere doctrine concernyng the hole summe of al those thynges which appertayne vnto the profession of a christen man that by the same al errours doutes superstitions and abuses might be suppressed remoued and vtterly taken away to the honour of almighty god and to the perfyte establyshing of your said subiectes in good vnitie and concorde and perfite quyetenes bothe in their sowles and bodies We consydering the godly effecte and intent of this your highnes moste vertuous and gracious commandement do not only reioyse and giue thankes vnto almyghty god with al our hartes that it hath plesed him to send such a kinge to reigne ouer vs which so ernestly mindeth to set forth amōg his subiectes the light of holy scripture whiche alone sheweth men the righte pathe to come to god to se hym to knowe hym to loue hym to serue hym and so to serue hym as he most desyreth but haue also accordyng to our moste bounden dueties endeuoured our selfes with all our witte lernyng and power to satisfie your highnes sayd desired moste godly purpose And thervpon callyng to our remembrance howe the hole pithe and summe of all those thinges which be at great length conteyned in the hole canon of the Bible and be of necessitie required to the attayning of euerlasting life was sufficiently exactly and therwith shortly and compendiously comprehēded in the .xii. Articles of the cōmune Crede called thapostels Crede in the .vii. sacramentes of the churche in the tenne commandementes and in the prayer of oure lorde called the Pater noster And considerynge therfore that if your highnes people were perfitely instructed lerned in the right knowlege and vnderstanding of the same they shuld not only be hable easily to perceiue and vnderstande and also to lerne by hart and beare away the hole effecte and substance of al those thinges which do appertayne and be necessarie for a chrysten man eyther to beleue or to do but also that al occasions might therby be remouid which by any colour or visage haue caused any of them to fal or to be offended we haue after longe and mature consultation had amonges vs compiled a certaine treatise wherin we haue employed our hole study and haue therin truely and purely sette forth and declared in our mother tongue the very sense and meanynge and the veray righte vse vertue and efficacie of all the said foure partes And forasmoche as Faythe is that syngular gifte of god wherby our hartes that is to say our naturall reason iugement obscured and almoste extincted by originall actuall synnes is lyghtened purified and made hable to knowe discerne what thinges be in dede acceptable and what be displeasant in the sight of god and for bycause also that faith is the very fountayne and chiefe grounde of our religion and of all goodnes and vertues exercysed in the same and is the firste gate wherby we entre and be receyued and admytted not onely into the familye or householde of our lord god but also into the knowlege of his maiestie and deitie and of his inestimable power wysedome rightuousenes mercy and goodnes We haue fyrste of all begonne with the Crede haue declared by way of a paraphrasis that is a kynd mere and true exposition of the right vnderstanding of euery article of the same And afterwarde we haue intreated of the institution the vertue and ryghte vse of the seuen sacramentes And thirdly we haue declared the tenne commandementes and what is conteined in euery one of them And fourthly we haue shewed the interpretation of the Pater noster whervnto we haue also added the declaration of the Aue Maria. And to thintent we wold omytte nothynge conteyned in the boke of Articles deuised and sette forth this last yere by your highnes like cōmandement We haue also added in the ende of this tretise the article of Iustification and the article of Purgatory as they be in the said boke expressid And thus hauing determyned our sentence in all thinges conteyned in the said treatise according to the very true meaninge of scripture we do offre the same here with vnto your moste excellent maiestie most humbly besechinge the same to permytte and suffre it in case it shall be soo thought mete to your most excellent wisdom to be printed and so with your supreme power set forthe commanded to be by vs and all other your subiectes of the clergie of this your mooste noble realme as well relygious as other taughte to your highnes people withoute the whiche power and lycence of youre maiestie we knoweledge and confesse that we haue none auctorytie eyther to assemble our selfes togyther for anye pretence or pourpose or to publysshe any thinge that might be by vs agreed on compiled And albeit most drade and benigne souerain lorde we do affirme by our lerninges with one assent that the said treatise is in all pointes so concordāt and agreable to holy scripture as we truste your maiestie shal receiue the same as a thing most sincerely and purely handled to the glorie of god your graces honor the vnitie of your people the which thinges your highnes we may well se perceyue doth chiefly in the same desire Yet we do moste humbly submyt it to the most excellent wysedome exact iugement of your maiestie to be recognised ouersene and corrected if your grace shal finde any worde or sentence in it mete to be changed qualified or further expounded for the playn setting forth of your highnes most vertuous desyre and purpose in that behalfe Whervnto we shall in that case conforme our selfes as to our most boūden dueties to god and to your highnes apperteineth Your hyghnes most humble subiectes and dayly bedesmen Thomas Cantuarien Ioannes London Stephanus winton Ioannes Exon.
exercyse me in pacience and other vertues and also to signifie vnto me the great cure and fatherly loue and goodnes whiche he beareth towardes me And therfore I woll haue none other god but onely this god whiche by his almyghtie power hath created and made heuen and erthe and all thynges conteyned in the same Neyther woll I glory or put my truste and confidence in myne owne power force strength ryches lernyng science wysedome or any thynge els what so euer I haue or shall haue and possesse in this worlde Neyther woll I glory or put my confydence in any other man or creature of this worlde be it in heuen hell or in erthe nor in any crafte of Magicke sorcerie charmes wytchecraftes or any other false artes subtiled and inuented by the diuell but I woll put my hole hope my hole truste and confydence in god onely and in hym onely woll I glorye and gyue all honour and glorie vnto hym and vnto hym only and vnto his gouernaunce woll I commytte and submytte my selfe my goodes and all that euer I haue withoute fearynge or regardynge the malyce the crafte or power of the deuyll or any of his membres whiche myght enduce me to the contrary Neither woll I desyre any sygne to tempte god but I woll trust fermely faythfully vnto hym And although he shall sende any aduersitie vnto me / or shall dyfferre and tarye his pleasure in grauntynge suche requeste and petytion / as I shall make vnto hym yet woll not I murmur or grudge therat nor go aboute to prescribe or appoynt vnto hym any ende any tyme / any measure or season but I woll commytte all to his wyll with a pure and a stedfast faythe and woll pacyently abyde the tyme whiche vnto hym shall be thoughte moste expedient for me This faythe I reteyne stedfastely engraued in my harte and I promyse by the grace helpe of god neuer to swarue or declyne from the same for any argumente persuasyon or auctoritie that maye be obiected nor for any worldly affection or respecte of pleasure payne persecution or torment what so euer shall fortune vnto me From this trust and confidence woll I neuer be brought althoughe all the men in the worlde shulde forsake me and persecute me Neyther woll I the lesse truste in god for that I am a man of great power force and auctorytie endewed withall suffycyencies in this worlde ne yet bicause I want the possessions of this worlde and am but wretched and poore / rude and vnlerned and dispysed of all men nor fynally bycause I am a wretched synner For syth this God is the almyghtye lorde and maker of all thynges and hath all thynges vnder his handes and gouernaunce what can I lacke that he can not gyue or do vnto me if it be his wyll so to do And syth he is my father I am assured that for the fatherlye loue and pytie whiche he hath and beareth vnto me he woll not onely care for me but he woll be also continually present with me by his grace and fauour and woll contynually gouerne and directe me ayde and assyste me and prouyde that that shall be beste for me and woll also forgyue me all the synnes that I euer commytted or haue done contrary to his commaundemente so ofte as I shall by trewe and vnfeyned penaunce retourne vnto hym with all my harte and shall applie my hole mynde purpose and endeuour to amende my noughtie lyfe and to obserue his commaundementes ¶ The sense and interpretation of the seconde Article I BELEVE constantly in my harte with my mouth I do professe knowlege that Iesu Christ is thonly begoten sonne of almyghty god the father that he was begoten of his godly nature and substance eternally before the worlde was made or formed and that he is veray god / equall with god the father and tholy goost in substance and all other thynges belongynge vnto the godheed And I beleue lykewyse that this Ihesu Chryst was eternally preordeyned and appoynted by the decree of the hole Trinitie to be our lorde that is to say to be thonely redemer and Sauyour of mankynde and to reduce and brynge the same from vnder the dominion of the dyuell and synne vnto his onely dominion kyngedome lordeshyppe and gouernaunce And I beleue lykewyse that this Iesu Christe is true in al his wordes and promyses or rather that he is verye trouthe it selfe And that all thynges whiche be spoken of hym or by him in holye scrypture be certaynly and infallibly true And I beleue also and professe that Iesu Christ is not only Iesus and lorde to all menne that beleue in hym but also that he is my Iesus my god and my lorde For where as of my nature I was borne in synne in the indignation and dyspleasure of god was the veray chylde of wrath condemned to euerlastynge death subiecte and thrall to the power of the dyuell and synne hauyng al the pryncypall partes or portions of my soule as my reson vnderstanding and my free wyll and all thother powers of my soule and body not onely so destituted depryued of the gyftes of god wherwith they were fyrste endewed but also so blynded corrupted and poisoned with errour ignoraūce and carnall concupiscence that neyther my sayd powers coude exercyse the natural function and offyce for the whiche they were ordeyned by god at the fyrste creation nor I by theym coulde doo or thynke anye thynge whiche myghte be acceptable to god but was vtterly deade to god and all godlye thynges and vtterlye vnable and insuffycyente of myne owne selfe to obserue the leaste parte of goddis commaundementes and vtterlye inclyned and redy to runne heedlynge into all kyndes of synne and myschyefe I beleue I saye that I beynge in this case Iesu Chryste by sufferynge of moste paynfull and shamefull deth vpon the Crosse and by shedynge of his most preciouse blode and by that gloryouse victorie whiche he had whan he descendynge into helle and there ouercommynge bothe the diuell and dethe rose agayne the thyrde daye from dethe to lyfe and so ascended into heuen hath nowe pacyfyed his fathers indignation towardes me and hath reconcyled me agayne into his fauour and that he hath loosed and delyuered me from the yoke and tyranny of deathe of the dyuell and of synne and hath made me so free from theym that they shall not fynally hurte or annoy me and that he hath powred out plentyfully his holy spyryte and his graces vppon me specyally faythe to illumyne and directe my reasone and iudgement and charytie to dyrecte my wyll and affections towardes god Wherby I am so perfectly restored to the lyght and knowledge of god to the spyrytuall feare and drede of god and vnto the loue of hym and myne neyghboure that with his grace I am nowe redye to obey and able to fulfyll and accomplysshe his wylle and commaundementes Besydes all this he hath brought and delyuered me from
darkenes and blyndenes to lyght from deathe to lyfe and from synne to Iustyce and he hath taken me into his protection and made me as his owne peculyar possessyon and he hath planted and grafted me into his owne bodye and made me a membre of the same and he hath communicated and made me partycypant of his iustyce his power his lyfe his felycytie and of all his goodes so that nowe I may boldly say and byleue as in dede I do perfytely byleue that by his passyon his dethe his blode and his conquerynge of dethe of synne and of the dyuel by his resurreccion and ascension he hath made a sufficient expiation or propiciation towardes god that is to say a suffycyente satisfaction and recompence as welle for my origynal synne as also for all the actuall synnes that euer I haue commytted and that I am so clerely rydde from all the guylte of my sayde offences from the euerlastynge payne due for the same that neyther synne nor deathe nor helle shall be able or haue any power to hurte me or to let me but that after this transytorye lyfe I shall ascende in to heuen there to raygne with my Sauyour Christ perpetually in glorye and felicytie All whiche thynges consydered I may worthyly call him my Ihesus that is to say my sauyour and my Christ that is to saye myne annoynted kynge and prieste and my lorde that is to saye my redemer and gouernour For he hathe doone and fulfylled the verye offyce bothe of a prieste and of a kynge and of a lorde Of a prieste in that he hath offered vp his blessed bodye and bloude in the Altare of the Crosse for the satysfaction of my synnes And of a kynge and lorde in that he hath lyke a moste myghty conquerour ouercome and vtterly oppressed his ennemyes whiche were also myne ennemyes and hath spoyled theym of the possessyon of mankynde whiche they wanne before by fraude and deceyte by lieng and blasphemy and hath brought vs nowe into his possession and dominion to reygne ouer vs in mercy and loue lyke a moste louynge lorde and gouernour Fynally I beleue assuredly also professe that this redemption and iustyfication of mankynde coulde not haue bene wrought / nor brought to passe by any other meanes in the worlde but by the meanes of this Iesu Christe goddis onely sonne and that neuer man coulde yet / nor neuer shal be hable to come vnto god the father or to beleue in hym or to attayn his fauour by his owne wytte or reason or by his owne scyence and lernynge or by any his owne workes or by what so euer maye be named in heuen or in erthe but by the faythe in the name and power of Iesu Chryste and by the gyftes and graces of his holy spyryte And therfore syth he is my Iesu Chryste and my lorde I woll put my hoole truste and confydence in hym and woll haue the selfe same faythe and affyaunce in hym in all poyntes which I haue in god the father And I woll knowledge hym for my onely lorde and woll obeye all his cōmaundemētes durynge my lyfe without any grutchynge And I am sure that whyle he is my lorde and gouernour I vnder his protection neyther synne neyther the dyuell nor yet deathe nor helle / can do me any hurte The sense and interpretation of the thyrde Artycle I Beleue in my harte assuredly and constantely do professe that whan the tyme was come in the which it was before ordeyned and appoynted by the decree of the hoole Trinitie that mankynde shulde be saued and redemed this Iesu Chryste the seconde person in Trinitie and veray god descended from heuen into erthe to take vppon hym the veray habyte forme and nature of man and in the same nature to worke to suffer and fulfyll all those thynges whiche were necessary for our redemption And I beleue also and professe that he so descendyng from heuen dyd lyght downe into the wombe of a most blessed virgin called Marie and that he dyd there take vppon hym our nature and was conceyued begotten and borne of her veray fleshe nature and substance and so dyd vnite and conioyne togyther the same nature of man with his Godheed in one persone with suche an indyssoluble and inseparable knotte and bonde that he beinge one persone Iesu Chryste was than and euer shall be in the same person veray persyte god and veray perfyte man And I beleue also and professe that this moste blessed virgine conceyued this her chylde Iesu Chryste without spotte or blotte of synne or carnall concupyscence and without any cōmixtion or coniunction had betwene her and any mortall man or any other creature in heuen or erthe And that the holy goost the thyrde person in trinitie descendynge also from heuen lighted downe in to this moste blessed virgin there of her fleshe substaūce wrought this ineffable incomprehensyble worke of the Incarnation of this chylde Iesu Chryste And I beleue also and professe that this worke and operation of the holy goost was all holy without any synne or impurite that it was done without any violation or detriment vnto the virginitie of that blessed virgin saynt Mary And I beleue also that this chylde Iesu Chryste was not onely thus conceyued without synne but also that he was borne in lyke maner of his sayde moste blessed mother and that she both in the conception and also in the byrth and natiuitie of this her chylde and euer after reteyned stil her virginitie pure and immaculate and as clere without blotte as she was at the tyme that she was fyrst borne And I beleue that this conception and Natiuitie of our sayde sauiour was ordeyned to be thus pure holy and vndefyled to thintent that al fylthines and malediction wherwith the conception and byrthe of me and of all other men that euer were sithe Adam or shal be and al the filthines and malyce of the synnes of the hole worlde as well origynal as actuall shulde therby be puryfyed purged and made cleane The sence and interpretation of the fourthe Artycle I Beleue assuredly in my harte and with my mouthe I do professe that this Christe very god and man after he was thus cōceyued and borne of his blessed mother waxed and lyued forthe here in the worlde vntyll he came vnto the age of .xxxii. yeres and aboue and that in all this tyme of his lyfe he suffered and endured for our sakes and for our welthe moche boiely afflyction moche laboure and trauaylle moche hungre thurste and pouertie moche iniurie and ignominie and many other the myseries and infirmities wherunto all mortall men be subiecte And I beleue that although this our sauyour Iesu Christ passed ouer all the hole course of his sayde lyfe euen from his Natyuitie vntyll his deathe in suche perfyte obedience vnto the lawes of god and man and in suche perfyte innocencie of lyuynge that neyther any man in the worlde nor the
dyuell hym selfe coulde euer fynde in hym suspycion of any the leaste crime or offence that myght be deuysed yet the blynde ignoraunt Iewes replete with enuy and malyce and the very membres of the dyuell by whom they were prouoked and enduced there vnto laboured contynually by all crafte and meanes they coulde to dystroye hym and at lengthe conspirynge to gether and subornatynge false wytnesse they toke hym and after they had bet hym and spyt in his face and vsed all the vilany they coulde vnto hym they bounde and brought hym before one Pontius Pilatus beynge then the chiefe iudge in Hierusalem vnder the Emperour of Rome and there they mooste falsely accused hym as a subuerter of the lawes of god and as a person that seduced the people and moued sedicion amonge them and as a traitour against themperour of Rome And I beleue that our sauiour Iesu Christe beynge thus moste falsely and wrongfully accused and broughte before the sayde iudge was at length in publyque and open iudgemente condempned by the sentence of the sayde iudge to be nayled vnto a crosse and to be hanged vpon the same to the intent he shulde so suffre that kynde of death whiche amonge the Iewes was euer mooste abhorred and detested and accompted to be the moost shamefull and cursed of all others And I beleue that after this sentence and iudgement thus pronounced and gyuen contrarye to all Iustyce and equitie the Iewes dyd take this innocent Iesu Christe our sauyour and fyrst of all byndyng hym fast to a pyller pressyng with great violence a crowne of thorne vpon his heed they dyd not onely mooste spitefully mocke hym and scorne hym but they also most cruelly scorged tourmented and afflicted hym finally they crucified hym that is to saye they nayled hym throughe handes and feete vnto a crosse and so hanged hym vp vpon the same on a certayne hyll called Caluarie And I beleue also and professe that he hanged there vpon the same crosse betwene two theues whiche were malefactours vntyll he was deade and his soule departed from his body And that after he was thus deade one Ioseph ab Aramathia beinge one of Christis disciples certayne other deuout men women whiche also beleued in Christ opteyned lycence of the sayde Iudge to take downe this blessed bodye of our sauyour Iesu Chryste frome the sayde Crosse And that whan they hadde so done they wrapped and folded the same body in a clene syndone and so layde it and buryed it in a newe graue or sepulchre whiche the sayde Ioseph had made of stone wherin there was neuer man buryed before And I beleue that our sauyour Iesu Christ in al the tyme of his moste bytter and greuouse passyon and in suffrynge this moste vyle and shamefull deathe not onely endured and susteyned all the peynes and iniuries and all the opprobries and ignominies whiche were done vnto hym therin mooste patiently without resystaunce and lyke an innocent lambe not openynge ones his mouthe to the contrarye but also that he dyd wyllyngly and gladly without force or constrainte of any power suffre this crosse and this kynde of deathe and his soule also to departe from his body And I beleue that by this passion and dethe of our sauiour Iesu Christe not onely my corporall deathe is so destroyed that it shal neuer haue power to hurte me but rather it is made holsome and profytable vnto me but also that all my synnes and the synnes also of all them that do beleue in hym and folowe hym be mortyfyed and deed that is to say all the guilte and offence therof and also the damnation and payne due for the same is clerely extyncted abolyshed and washed away so that the same shal not afterwarde be imputed or inflycted vnto me And therfore woll I haue this passyon and this death in my dayly remembraunce And I woll not onely glorye and reioyce contynually therin and gyue all the thankes I can vnto god for the same consyderynge I haue and shall assuredly attayne therby my redemption my iustyfycation my reconcilyation vnto goddis fauour and lyfe euerlastynge but I woll also endeuour my selfe to my possyble power and by the helpe of god to folowe this my sauyour Iesu Chryste in the bearynge of myne owne crosse accordynge to the wyll and commaundement of god that is to say I woll dayly labour and study to mortyfie and kyll my carnal affections and to subdue them vnto the spyryte and I woll paciently beare all the aduersyties afflictions and punyshementes that god shall sende vnto me in this worlde and I woll in my harte hate abhorre and detest all synne consyderynge that the same was euer so odiouse and dyspleasaunt vnto god that nothynge in the worlde coulde worthyly satysfie and contente hym for the same but onely the death and the bloud of his onely and most dere beloued sonne Iesu Chryste The sence and interpretation of the fyfth Artycle I Beleue assuredly with my harte and with my mouthe I do professe that this our sauyour Iesu christe after he was thus deed vpon the crosse he descended immedyatly in his soule downe into hell leauynge his mooste blessed body here in erthe and that at his comynge thyther by the incomparable myght and force of his godheed he entred into hell And lyke as that myghty man Luke xi of whome saynt Luke speaketh whiche entryng into the house of an other stronge man fyrste ouercame hym and bounde hym hande and foote and afterwarde spoylynge hym of all his armure and strength wherin he trusted toke also awaye from hym all the goodes substaunce he had Iud. xiiii and lyke as stronge Sampson slewe the mighty Lyon and toke out of his mouth the swete hony euen so our sauyour Iesu Chryst at his sayd entre into hell fyrst he conquered and oppressed bothe the dyuell and hell and also deathe it selfe wherunto al mankynde was condempned and so bounde theym faste that is to saye restrayned the power and tyrrannye whiche they had before and exercysed ouer all mankynde that they neuer hadde sythe that tyme nor neuer shall haue any power fynally to hurte or annoy any of them that do faythefully byleue in Iesu Christe and afterwarde he spoyled helle and delyuered and brought with hym from thens all the soules of those ryghtuouse and good menne whiche from the fal of Adam died in the fauour of god and in the faith and bylefe of this our sauiour Iesu Christe whiche was then to come And I beleue that by this descendynge of our sauiour Iesu Christe in to hel not only his electe people whiche were holden there as captyues were delyuered from thens but also that the sentence and iudgement of the malediction and of eternal damnation whiche god hym selfe mooste rightfully pronounced vpon Adam and all his posteritie and so consequently vpon me was clerely dissolued satisfied released and dyscharged and that the dyuel and hell bothe haue vtterly loste and be
depryued of all the ryghte clayme and interest whiche they myght haue pretended to haue had in me by thauctoritie of that sentence or by reason of any synne that euer I had or haue commytted be it originall or actuall And that the dyuel with all his power craft subtilitie and malice is now subdued and made captyue not onely vnto me but also vnto all thother faythfull people and right beleuers in Iesu Christe that euer was or shal be syth the tyme of Christis sayde descendynge in to hell And that our sauiour Iesu Christe hath also by this his passyon and this his descendynge in to hel payed my raunsome and hath merited and deserued that neither my soule neither the soules of any suche as be righte beleuers in Christe shall come therin or shall fynally be encombered with any tytle or accusation that the dyuell canne obiecte ageynst vs or laye vnto our charge And I beleue that this our sauyour Iesu Christe after he had thus in sowle conquered and spoyled the dyuell and hell of all theyr force power and tyranny and made them subiecte vnto me and all true christen men in lyke case as they were vnto Adam before his fall he returned agayne frome hell lyke a moste mighty kyng and conquerour in triumphe and glorie and came vnto the sepulchre where his blessed bodye laye buryed and so resumynge and takyng agayn the very same body vppon hym the thyrde daye after his sayde death he lyued agayne and so rose out of that sepulchre in his naturall and perfyte manhode that is to say in his soule and in the selfe same body whiche was borne of the virgin Mary and dyd hange vpon the crosse And I beleue also and professe that after he had so done he lyued in the world by the space of .xl. dayes in the whiche time he was conuersant dyd eate and drynke with his apostles and his disciples and preached vnto them auctorysed them to go forthe into the worlde to manyfest and declare that he was the very Christe the very Messias the veray god and man which was promysed in scripture to come and saue and to redeme all those that wolde beleue in hym And I beleue assuredly that by this descendynge of Christe into hell and this his resurrection agayne from deathe to lyfe Christe hathe meryted and deserued for me and all trewe and faythfull christen men not onely that our sowles shall neuer come into helle but also that we shall here in this lyfe be perfytely iustifyed in the syght and acceptation of god and shall haue suche grace myght and power gyuen vnto vs by hym that we shal be made able therby to subdue to mortyfie and to extinguysshe our olde Adam and all our carnall and fleshely concupiscences in suche sorte that synne shall neuer afterwarde reigne in our mortall bodyes but that we shall be holly delyuered from the kyngdome of synne and from spyrituall deathe and shall be resuscytated and regenerated into the newe lyfe of the spyryte and grace And where as I and all other chrysten men shuld haue ben the moste myserable of all other creatures in the worlde and shulde haue dyed lyke heathens and pagans without all hope of euerlastynge lyfe or ofrysynge agayne after our death yf Christe our heed and sauiour had not rysen agayne to lyfe after his deathe I beleue and truste nowe assuredly that by the vertue and efficacie of this desendynge of Christe in to helle and of his resurrection agayne from death to lyfe not onely our corporall dethe and all the afflictions whiche we maye susteine in this worlde shal not annoy vs but shall rather tourne vnto our profyte and be as entrees and occasyons of our greatter glorie but also that we shall after our corporall deathe be preserued from the captiuitie of hell and shall be made parttakers of Christis resurrection that is to say that we shall aryse and lyue ageyne in the selfe same bodyes and sowles that we nowe haue and so shall vtterly ouercome deathe in lyke maner as our heed and our sauiour Ihesu Christ hath done before vs and shal fynally lyue with hym immortally in ioye and felycitie The sence and interpretation of the .vi. Article I Beleue assuredly and constantly do professe that this our sauiour Iesu Christ after he had perfitely accomplished perfourmed the hole misterie of the redemption of mankynde by his incarnation his byrthe his passion his deathe his buriall his dyscendynge into hell and rysynge agayne from deathe to lyfe and after he had ben here in erthe conuersaunt with his Apostles and dyscyples by the space of xl dayes after his sayde resurrection the same fortieth day whan he was amonge his sayde Apostelles he in theyr syght ascended vp agayne in to heuen in the very same his naturall bodye whiche was borne of the blessyd virgin his mother and was crucified vppon the crosse And so dyd withdrawe his corporall presence from the syghte of his apostels and from the syght of all other creatures here in erthe to the intente they shulde frome thensforthe eleuate and lyfte vp theyr hole hartes theyr myndes theyr desyres and all theyr affections from erthely thynges and frome all carnall and worldely cures towardes heuen and heuenly thynges and so shulde prepare theyr hartes and make theym selfes mete and apte to receyue the holy gooste and his spirituall gyftes whiche he wolde sende downe in to the worlde sone after his sayd ascention And I beleue in lyke maner that this our sauiour Iesu Christe after he was retourned into heuen beinge very god and very man in one person all myghty god his father did constitute and sette hym vpon his ryghte hande Ephe. i. and that euer sythe that tyme he hath so sytte and so shal sytte eternally that is to say almyghty god his father dyd cōmunicate and gyue vnto hym glorie honour felicitie power and euerlastynge monarchie gouernaunce rule and dominion ouer all the pryncipates potestates powers dominations and ouer all creatures that can be named either in this worlde or in the worlde to come And soo ordeyned that he shulde be kynge of all kynges and lorde of al lordes and that all thynges in heuen and erthe shulde be caste vnder his feete and made subiecte vnto hym And that he shulde be thonly heed of the catholyque churche and that the same churche shulde be the body vnder that heed And lykewise as the heed alwaye excelleth al thother membres so Christe shulde excelle incomparably in honour and dignitie all the membres of his sayd body the churche and that he shulde be thonly perfectyon and consummation of the same And I beleue also and professe that this our sauiour Iesu Christe beinge thus constituted and set vpon the right hande of his father was and is also constituted to be not onely the eternall kynge the heed the lorde and gouernoure of his body the catholyque churche but also to be the onely eternall priest and byshop of
the similitude and lykenes of firye tongues Act. ii and dyd ligthe downe vpon all thapostelles and dysciples of Christe and inspired them also with the knowlege of all trouthe and replenyshed them with all heuenly giftes and graces And that from that day vnto the worldes ende he hath ben and shall be continually present and also chiefe president in the catholyque churche of Christe that is to say that he hath and shall continually dwell in the hertes of all those people whiche shall be the very membres of the same churche and shall teache and reuele vnto them the secretes and mysteries of all trouthe whiche is necessarie for them to knowe and that he shall also contynually from time to tyme rule them directe them gouerne them sanctyfie them and gyue vnto them remission of theyr synnes and all spirituall comforte as well inwardly by fayth and other his secrete operations as also outwardely by the open ministration and efficacie of the worde of god and of his holy sacramentes and that he shall endewe them with all suche spirituall graces and gyftes as shall be necessarie for them to haue and so fynally shall rewarde them with the gyfte of euerlastynge lyfe and ioye in heuen The sence and interpretation of the nynthe Artycle I Beleue assuredly in my harte and with my mouthe I do professe and knowlege that there is and hath ben euer from the begynnyng of the world so shal endure and continue for euer one certayne nombre societie cōmunion or company of the electe and faythfull people of god of whiche nombre our sauioure Iesu Christe is the onely heed and gouernour and the membres of the same be all those holy saynctes whiche be now in heuen and also al the faithfull people of god whiche be nowe on lyue or that euer heretofore haue lyued or shall lyue here in this wordle from the begynnynge vnto the ende of the same and be ordeyned for theyr true fayth and obedience vnto the wyll of god to be saued and to enioye euerlastynge life in heuen And I beleue assuredly that this congregation accordyng as it is called in scripture Gala. iiii Cant vi Hire xiii Rom. viii i. Cor. iii. ii Cor. vi Ephe. v. so it is in very dede the Cyte of heuenly Hierusalem the mother of all thelecte people of god the onely doue and the onely beloued of god in perfite and euerlastynge charite the holy catholyque churche the temple or habytacle of god the pure and vndefyled espouse of Christ the veray mysticall body of Christe Al and synguler whiche names and appellations and certayn suche other rehersed in holy scripture I beleue and professe that they be mooste worthely attributed vnto this holy church or congregation And lyke as citizens assembled in one citie do lyue there vnder commune lawes and in commune societie and there do consult studie and labour eche man in his roume and office and accordynge vnto his callynge for theyr common welth and fynally be made participant or parttakers of all and syngular suche benefites and commodities as do aryse vnto them therby Euen so I beleue that the membres of this holy catholique churche or congregation be collected and gathered togyther within the same churche as within one citie or folde and that they be therin all vnyted and incorporated by the holy spirite of Christe into one body and that they do lyue there all in one faythe one hope one charitie and one perfyte vnitie consent and agrement not onely in the true doctrine of Christe but also in the ryghte vse and ministration of his sacramentes and so lyuynge in this perfytte vnytie swete harmony and concorde I beleue that they do labour contynually euery one in his vocation for the common welthe of this hole bodye and of euery parte and membre of the same And that all the prayers good workes and merites yea and all the gyftes graces and goodes whiche be conferred done or wrought in or vnto this hole body or any membre of the same shall be applyed vnto euery one of them and shall redounde communely vnto the benefytte of them all And I beleue that this hole congregation is all holy that is to saye that this churche and all the partes and membres of the same be so puryfied and mundified as well by Christis mooste precyouse bloude as also by the godly presence gouernaunce and assistence of his holy spirite whiche dwelleth and inhabiteth contynually within the sayde congregation and gouerneth and sanctifieth the same that neyther the lepry of heresie or false and peruerse doctryne neyther the fylthynes of synne neyther the gates of hell shal be hable fynally to preuayle agaynste them or to pull any of them out of the handes and possession of Christe And although god dothe oftymes suffre not onely synne errour and iniquitie so to abounde here in the worlde and the congregation of the wycked to exercyse suche tyranny crueltie and persecution ouer this holy churche and the membres of the same that it myght seme the sayde churche to be vtterly oppressed and extinguished but also suffreth many and sondry of the membres of the same holy churche to fall out from this body for a season and to cōmytte many greuouse and horryble offences and crymes for the whiche they deserue to be precyded and excluded for a season from the communion of this holy churche yet I beleue assuredly that god woll neuer vtterly abiecte this holy churche nor any of the membres therof but that the same dothe and shall perpetually contynue and endure here in this worlde and that god shall at all tymes yea whan persecution is greattest and moste feruent be present with his holy spirite in the same churche and preserue it all holy and vndefyled and shall kepe ratyfie and holde sure all his promyses made vnto the same churche or congregation And fynally that all suche membres as be fallen out from the same by synne shal at length ryse agayn by penaunce and shall be restored and vnyted agayne vnto the same holy body And I beleue assuredly that in this holy churche and with the membres of the same so longe as they be mylytant and lyuynge here in erthe there haue bene euer and yet be and euer shall be ioyned and myngled to gyther an infinite nombre of the euyll and wycked people Mat. xiii Mat. iii. Mat xiii Mat. xxv whiche all thoughe they be in dede the very membres of the congregation of the wicked and as the gospell calleth them very weedes and chaffe euyll fyshe and gootes and shall fynally be iudged to euerlastynge dampnation yet forasmoche as they do lyue in the commune societie or company of those whiche be the veray quycke and lyuynge membres of Christis mysticall bodye and outwardly do professe receyue and consent with them for a season in the doctryne of the gospell and in the ryghte vsynge of the sacramentes yea and ofte tymes be indewed with ryght excellent gyftes of
goodnes of almyghty god shewed vnto hym and all mankind in that partie and shuld also be afraide to vse the thynges created by god otherwyse than vnto his glory But it is to be feared least the mooste parte of them whiche pronounce and speke dayly this Article with theyr mouthe do not beleue the same with theyr hartes or yf they do beleue it that theyr belefe is but faynt and a colde belefe For we see no doubte the moste parte of christen people lyue in maruelous darkenes and blyndenes declarynge by theyr outwarde factes and dedes that they haue no respecte in the worlde to god nor that they knowlege hym to be theyr creatour or at the leaste they gyue vnto hym no suche feare and reuerence as is due vnto a lorde and maker nor no suche honoure and obedience as is dewe vnto a father Malac. i. nor no suche prayse and thankes as his sondrye benefytes and goodnes towardes vs do requyre All whiche thynges no doubte procede for that we haue not the ryght and harty feyth in god the father whiche is requyred in this fyrste artycle of our Crede The second thinge to be noted in this fyrst article is this maner of speakynge I beleue in God For therby no doubte is sygnifyed that we must not onely beleue stedfastly that god is and that he is true in all his wordes and promyses and that he is omnipotent and creatour of heuen and erthe and so forthe but we muste also with this beleue goo into god by loue and adhere onely vnto hym and that with all our harte and power and so continue and dwell styll in hym by loue It sygnyfyeth also that we muste obeye vnto his wyll and expresse the same our obedience as well in all our inwarde thoughtes and affectyons as also in all our outwarde actes and dedes and that we muste abhorre all tyranny and vyce and wysshe or desyre of god noo vayne or vngodlye thyng It sygnyfieth also that we must constantly and boldly betake and commytte our selfes and all ours holly vnto god and fyxe all our hole hope trust and confidence in hym and quyet our selfes in hym beleuynge perfytely and assuredly that he woll in dede shewe no lesse goodnesse loue mercy and fauour vnto vs than he promyseth by his worde to do and knowynge also for certayne that we and all the creatures in the worlde be conserued by his onely goodnes and hyghe prouydence and that without his specyall grace we shulde not be able to contynue on lyue the space of one mynute of an howre This maner of belefe we oughte to haue in no creature of god be it neuer so excellent but in god onely and therfore in this crede the sayde maner of speakynge is vsed onely in the thre Artycles whiche concerne the thre persons in Trinitie that is to say the father the sonne and the holy goost In the thyrde Article it is to be noted that the cause The notes of the thyrde Article why it was ordeyned by god that our sauiour Iesu Christ shulde be borne of a virgine and conceyued by thonly operation of the holy gooste whose worke is euer without all maner of synne was for that he was ordeyned and appoynted by god to come and delyuer mankynde from the captyuitie of the dyuell and the malediction whiche man was in and to redeme hym cleare from all synne deathe and damnation and to restore hym ageyne to the veray blessynge of god that is to say to Iustyce ryghtuousnes helth lyfe euerlastynge and all other the gyftes and graces of the holy gooste And for as moche as it was necessarye that he whiche shoulde worke this effecte shuld be hym selfe al blyssed al innocent all ryghtuouse all voyde and pure from synne and vtterly free and clere from the yocke and power of the dyuell therfore was it ordeyned by god that this chylde Iesu Christe shulde be so conceyued and borne as was sayde before For surely yf Christe shulde haue bene otherwyse borne or conceyued that is to saye of the seede of man and woman and by thacte of generation whiche is done betwene them he shulde haue ben borne in lyke synne in lyke fylthynes and iniquitie as all other the chyldren of men that euer was sith Adam or euer shal be be borne and conceyued But surely neyther was it cōuenient neither the wyll of god that Christ shulde by suche generation contracte any spotte of synne or shulde be subiecte to any parte of that malediction whiche was inflycted vnto Adam The notes of the .iiii. Article In the fourthe Article it is to be noted that the same dothe folowe vpon the seconde and the thyrde Articles For surely the cause why Christ was thus made man and borne of his mother was for that he shulde in the same nature of man not onely be conuersaunt in the worlde with other people and so partly by the example of his moste godlie and moste innocent and perfyte lyfe and partely by his meruaylous workes and miracles and partly by the heuenly doctrine of his gospell shulde induce the worlde vnto the ryght knowlege of the wyll of god his father and shulde declare vnto them his infinite mercy and goodnes towardes mankinde but also that he myght in the same nature whiche was mortall suffre deathe and so offre vppe the same his corporall deathe and his bloude in sacrifice vnto god his father as the sufficient hoste oblation or expiation and as the verye iuste price and valoure for the whiche god the father shulde holde hym selfe satisfied for all our synnes and offences and shulde remytte and forgeue vs the same and receyue vs agayne into his grace and fauour Whiche sacrifice and oblation Christe coulde not haue made by his deathe and by his bloude yf he shulde haue continued styll only god and shuld not haue taken also this our nature of man vpon hym In the fourthe Article it is also to be noted that it is the the wyll of god our father that we his sonnes and his children shulde in this worlde folowe our heed Christe in pacience and humilite and that we shulde beare our own crosse as Christe dyd his And that we shulde also hate and abhorre all synne knowynge for suretie that who so euer dothe not in his herte hate and abhorre synne but rather accompteth the breache and violation of goddis commaundement but as a lyght matter and of small weight and importaunce he estemeth not the price and valour of this passyon of Christe accordynge to the dignitie and worthynes therof but rather semeth to consent and as moche as in hym is to go aboute to cause Chryste to be crucified ageyne In the .v. article it is to be noted The notes of the fyfth Artycle Ro. x. that therin is included and conteyned the groundes and foundations of the greattest parte of all the misteries of our catholyque faythe In so moche that saynt Paule sayth that whosoeuer beleueth in his
be necessary for the passynge of this transytorie lyfe to the pleasure of god and to thatteynynge of euerlastynge lyfe in an other worlde accordynge to the sayinge of Christe spekyng vnto his Apostles Ioan. vi in this maner I tel you trouth it is expediente and necessarie for you that I shall ascende vp into heuen For surely yf I shulde not ascende the holy goost shall neuer come vnto you and contrary yf I do ascende into heuen than woll I sende hym immedyately vnto you And whan the sayde holy gooste shall come than shall he reproue and condempne the worlde and the dyuel for their synne and iniquitie and he shall fully instructe and teache you all trouthe c. Thyrdely it is to be noted that all thoughe it be sayde in this Artycle that Christe is our onely mediatour and intercessour yet therby is not excluded the intercession of the holy sayntes whiche be nowe in heuen or hereafter shall be neyther yet the intercession of the mynysters of Christis churche or of any the holy membres of the same whiche be liuing here in this worlde But we muste knowe for certayne that all the membres of Christis churche whether they be departed this lyfe or yet lyuynge here in the worlde be all knytte and vnyted togyther in perfytte charitie and eche dothe care and pray for other contynually vnto almyghty god and that Christe beynge heed of the same body is aduocate and intercessour for theym all lyke as it is more at large declared in the tenthe Artycle of this Crede ¶ In the .vii. artycle it is to be noted that lyke as the worlde had ones a begynnyng so shall it ones also haue an endyng The notes of the vii Article And that vpon the same extreme or laste daye of the worlde Christe shall come with glorie as the supreme highest iuge and shall holde an vnyuersall or generall iugement in the whiche all the people of the worlde that euer was or euer shall be shall appere before hym there to receyue theyr fynall sentence and iugement some of euerlastynge saluation and some of perpetuall dampnation It is also to be noted that this artycle was for great consyderations added immedyately and conioyned vnto the former Artycles specyally to thintent that no man shulde in his lyfe tyme presume vpon the sayde benefytes of Christe or take occasyon of carnalle lybertie or securitie and soo lyue withoute hauynge any feare to transgresse or regarde to obserue the commaundementes of god but rather that euery good christen man shulde in euery parte of his lyfe haue a contynuall remembraunce and respecte vnto that laste daye of iudgement and so be in contynuall feare to commyt any thynge contrarye to the wyll of god for the whiche he myght deserue to haue the sentence of euerlastynge dampnation pronounced vpon hym For this is certaynely true that at that day euery man shal be called to make a strayt accompt of his lyfe and shall be than fynally iudged euen accordynge to his owne propre workes good or badde done in his lyfe tyme. That is to saye yf in his lyfe tyme he dyd beleue in his harte and professe with his mouthe the ryghte belefe and faythe of Christe and accordynge vnto the same fayth dyd expresse in his outwarde workes suche obedience vnto the lawes of god as he requireth he shall be iudged to haue euerlastynge lyfe for his rewarde And contrary yf in his lyfe tyme he hadde not this ryghte faythe and beliefe in Christe or hauynge oportunitie dyd not expresse this obedience but transgressed the lawes of god and so dyed without repentaunce althoughe he pretended and sayde that he beleued neuer so moche and trusted in Christis benefyttes neuer so moche yet shall he be iudged and condempned to the euerlastynge peynes of helle In this Article it is further to be noted that lyke as there is nothynge more certayne vnto vs than that we be all mortall and shall ones dye yet no man lyuynge knoweth the tyme whan he shall dye Euen so there is nothynge more certayne thanne that this daye of iudgemente shall ones come and yet the howre and the tyme whan it shall be is hydden and kepte secrete from the knowlege of all men and Angelles and is reseued to the onely knowlege of god whiche thynge procedeth of his onely goodnesse towardes vs and is done to thyntente we shulde alwayes here in our lyfe tyme fle from synne and employe al our hole study and endeuoure to walke in the wayes of god that is to saye in suche faythe hope and charytie as god requyreth of vs and so prepare our selfe and ordre our lyuynge towardes god that we maye be in a redynesse at all tymes whan so euer it shall please god to call and sommone vs to appere before hym in the sayde generall iudgemente there by his mercye and goodnesse to receyue the crowne and rewarde whiche he promysed vnto all them that do feare hym and loue hym and walke in his wayes It is also to be noted in this Artycle Ma xxiiii Mar. xiii Luc. xvii that lyke as the lyghtenynge commeth from heuen sodeynely vnloked fore and in one instaunte or momente casteth lyght ouer all euen so this seconde aduente or commynge of Chryste and his generall iudgement shall come sodeynly and at suche tyme as the greattest parte of the people of the worlde shall feare or loke for nothynge lesse than for that daye Trouthe it is that god shall sende many great and euydente sygnes and tokens before the sayde commynge of Christe to admonyshe and warne therby his electe people of his sayde aduente or commynge not withstandynge the same sygnes shall not be so euydent but that the greattest parte of the people of the worlde shall take and repute them for no suche sygnes But lyke as in the tyme of Noe that holy Patriarke Genes vii the people of the worlde whiche then were wolde not be induced to beleue or thynke that god wolde euer sende any suche generalle flodde to drowne vppe all the worlde as the sayde Patriarke shewed them of byfore and so vppon truste thereof contynued forthe styll after theyr olde accustomed maner and facyon lyuynge in all fylthynesse and abhomination vntyll the sayde floode came in dede and so oppressed them sodeynely whan they were in the myddes of all theyr bely ioye and drowned them all that euer was excepte onely the sayde Patriarke and seuen others whiche somewhat before the commynge of the sayde floude entered into the shyp made for that purpose and so saued theyr lyues Euen so at Domesdaye and longe before the greattest parte of the people of the worlde shall lyttell or nothynge regarde the sayde sygnes whiche god shall sende as tokens before domysdaye but shall rather mocke them and attribute them vnto other causes and so buyldynge theyr faythe and truste thervpon shall gyue them selfe holly vnto carnall and bodely lustes to couetousnes and fraude to vaynglory and ambicion and
to all other the workes of the flesshe and so shall contynue therin without repentaunce or thynkynge of the sayd last day vntyl the selfe same houre that Christ shall come hym selfe in person and call them sodeinly to come and appere before his presence to receyue theyr iudgement The notes of the viii Artycle In the .viii. Artycle it is specyally to be noted that not with standynge any thynge conteyned or mencyoned therin yet we muste constantely beleue in the seconde persone in Trinitie accordynge as it is declared in the former Artycles in all poyntes that is to say that our sauiour Iesu Christe hath meryted habundantly and at the full not onely cleane remyssyon of all our synnes but also our parfytte redemption and delyueraunce from all the captiuytie and thraldome of our spirituall ennemyes and also our perfyte reconciliation vnto the fauoure of god and our perfytte iustification and saluation and that his deathe and his bloude is thonely and suffycient price and valour and the iuste satisfaction for all the synnes of the worlde And that he is the onely meane and hyghe waye wherby Christen men do and muste come vnto the father and that he is our onely Aduocate and patrone in heuen by whom all the heuenly gyftes of the holy goost and what so euer els is or can be necessary or requisite to thatteynynge of euerlastynge lyfe is conferred and gyuen vnto vs. And therfore where as in this .viii. Artycle our sanctification our iustification our incorporation in to the body of Christe our gouernaunce and all the other gyftes and graces wherwith christen men be endued be attributed vnto the worke of this holy spirite it is to be vnderstanded Fyrst that lyke as Christ is the autour the meane the veray hygh way to come vnto god the father so is this holy spirite the veray conductour the guyde the dyrectoure and the gouernour to brynge vs into the same hyghe waye and to mynyster vnto vs not onely alacritie and strength to walke and runne therin but also perseuerance to contynue in the same vntyll we shall come vnto our iourneys ende ¶ Seconde that the peculiar offyce operation of this holy spirite is to reuele and teache vs the mysteryes of Christis bloude and his passion and howe he is our onely lorde our sauiour and redemer and so to bring vs into the right knowledge of all these benefites that Christe hath done for vs. For surely yf this holy spirite shulde not by his worke illumyne lyght our hartes with the knowlege of this trouth all the merites and benefites of Christe shulde be perpetually hydden from our knowledge and we shulde neuer beleue in Christe but shulde be lyke Iewes and Turkes whiche knowe not Christe and so we shulde neuer be made participant of Christis merites nor they shulde neuer be applied vnto vs. Thyrdely that it is also the peculiar function or offyce of this holy spirite after we be inspired and perfytely instructed in the sayde knowledge fyrste to purge and purifie our hartes by this faythe and knowledge from the malyce and fylthynes of synne and afterwarde to stirre inflame and rauyshe our hartes and to make vs able gladly and thankfully to embrace and receyue the sayde benefytes and so to kepe them to vse them and to dyspose theym to our owne welthe and to the edifienge and profite of our neyghbours And fynally to comforte vs and to be vnto vs in maner as acertayne pledge or an ernest peny to assure and warraunt vs by true and infalible tokens that we be in the fauour of god and his owne chyldren by grace and adoption and the ryght enheritours of heuen And for asmoche as this holy spirite beynge sent and procedynge from the father and the sonne to dwell and inhabyte in our hartes worketh in vs all these effectes holy scrypture doth worthyly attrybute vnto hym our sanctification our iustyfycation and all the other benefytes whiche Christe by his passyon hath meryted and deserued for vs. Whiche neuerthelesse be also the workes of the hole Trynytie and be not to be separated in any wyse al thoughe scrypture commonly dothe attrybute them vnto the holy gooste as it doth attrybute power vnto the father and wysdome vnto the sonne whiche neuer the lesse be commune vnto all thre The notes of the ix Article In the nynthe Artycle many thinges be to be noted First that this worde Church in scripture is taken sometyme generally for the hole congregation of them that be chrystened and professe Christis gospell And somtyme it is taken for the catholyque congregation or noumbre of theym onely whiche be chosen called and ordeyned to reygne with Christe in euerlastynge lyfe Seconde it is to be noted that the churche in the fyrste sygnyfycation is in scrypture compared sometyme vnto a felde full of good corne and noughty weedes myngled togyther Mat. xiii Act. xx Mat. xxv Math. iii Luke iii. and somtymes vnto a nette full of good fyshe and badde and somtymes vnto a flocke of shepe and gootes gathered togyther in one fold and somtymes vnto the threshyng flower of almyghty god ii Tim. ii wherin is conteyned corne and chaffe both togyther and sometymes vnto a great mannes house in the whiche be some vessels or instrumentes of golde some of syluer some of tree some of erth some to be had in honour and pryce and suche as woll neuer be corrupted and putrifyed and some to be had in contempt to serue only for vile vses Thyrdly it is to be noted that by these parables certayn suche other rehersed in scrypture is sygnyfied that amonge them which be chrystened do professe Christis gospell and lyue in the comune societie cōmunion of the sacramētes of the churche dyuers be in dede the very quycke lyuynge membres of Christis mystical body and shal reygne euerlastingly with hym in honour And that the congregation or societie of them is the very felde and they be the very good corne or seede whiche Christe hym selfe dyd sowe And dyuers be in dede chaffe or stynkynge and naughty weedes sowen by the dyuell noughty fyshes stynkyng and baren gootes vessels dyspysed or instrumentes prepared to euerlasting fyre that is to saye they be the veray membres of the synagoge of the dyuell not the lyuyng membres of Christis mystycall body By these parables also it is signyfied that in this present lyfe these two sortes of people good and badde be contynually myxted and myngled togyther in the churche as it is taken in the fyrst sygnyfication And that the sayd membres of the synagoge of the dyuell so longe as they growe in the same felde wherin the good corne groweth that is to saye so longe as they do in outwarde apparaunce professe the same fayth of Christ whiche the very membres of Christis churche do professe and do consent agree with them outwardly in the doctryne of the gospell and in all other
reygneth in vs so longe as slouthe glottony lechery or any kynde of synne reigneth in vs soo longe we be vnder the dominion and kyngedome of the dyuell For the dyuell vndoubtedly is kynge ouer all the chyldren of pryde that is to say ouer all them that be synners rebelles and disobedient vnto god And for asmoche as it is not in our powers to delyuer our selfes from vnder this tyranny of the dyuell Osee xiii but onely by goddis helpe for our perdicion and vndoynge is of oure selfes but oure helpe and saluation is onely of god as fayth the prophete Osee therfore it is very necessary for all true christen people to make this peticion incessantlye vnto our heuenly father and to beseche hym accordyng to this doctryne of Christe that by his grace and helpe we maye escape the dominion and power of the dyuell and that we maye be made subiecte vnto his heuenly kyngdome ¶ The sense and interpretation of the thyrde petition FAther graunte vs we beseche the that lyke as thy holy Angels and saynctes in heuen in whome thou reygnest perfytely and holy do neuer cesse ne shall cesse to gloryfy the and prayse the and to fulfyll thy wyll pleasure in all thynges and that moost redyly and gladly without any maner of grutchynge or resystynge therunto knowynge certaynely and clerely that thy wyll is alwaye beste Euen soo we thy chyldren here on erth may dayly and contynually prayse the by our holy conuersation in good workes and good lyfe i. Petr. i. and that we maye frome tyme to tyme so mortifie our owne carnall affections and yuell desyres and soo renounce and deny our owne corrupte and synfull appetite and wyll that we maye be euer redy lyke louynge chyldren humblye lowely and obedyently to approue allowe and accomplysshe thy wyl in all thynges and to submytte oure selfe with all oure harte vnto the same And to knowlege that what soo euer is thy wyll the same is moost parfyte moost iuste moost holy and most expedyent for the welthe and helthe of our soules Gyue vs true and stable pacience when our wyll is letten and broken Graunte vs that whan any man speketh or dothe any thynge contrary to oure wyll that therfore we be not out of pacience neyther curse or murmure Graunte that we seke not vengeaunce agaynst our aduersaries or theym whiche let our wyll but that we may say well of them and do good to them Endue vs with thy grace that we maye gladly suffre all dyseases pouertie dyspysynges persecutions and aduersities knowing that it is thy wyl that we shulde crucifie and mortifie our wyls Make vs that we impute not to the dyuell or yuell men when any aduersitie chaunceth vnto vs but that we maye attribute all to thy godly wyll and gyue the thankes therfore whiche doste ordeyne all suche thynges for oure weale and benefyte Gyue vs grace that when soo euer it shall please the to calle vs out of this transytorie lyfe we maye be wyllynge to dye and that for thy wyll we may take our deathe gladly so that by feare or infirmitie we be not made dysobedient vnto the. Make that al our membres eyes tongue harte hande and feete be not suffered to folowe theyr desyres but that all maye be vsed to thy wyll and pleasure Gyue vs grace that we malycyousely reioyse not in theyr troubles whiche haue resysted our wyll or haue hurted vs nor that we be enuyously sory when they prospere haue welfare And fynally that we maye be contented and pleased with all thynge that is thy wyll ¶ For the better vnderstandynge of this thyrde petition we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spyrytuall charge howe that by the occasyon and euer sythe the dysobedyence and synne of oure fyrste father Adam the wyll of man hath ben so corrupted with originall synne that we be all vtterly enclyned to dysobeye the wyll and preceptes of god and so to loue our selfes our owne wylles that without a specyal grace and a synguler inspiration of god we can not hertely loue neyther god nor man but in respecte to our selfes as we may haue benefytte and commoditie by them ¶ Item that we haue this corruption in our nature and this inordynate loue of our selfes from Adam as it were by enherytaunce and that it goethe from one to an other from the fathers and mothers vnto the chyldren as soone as they be conceaued within theyr mothers wombes For as the chyldren take of theyr parentes theyr originall and naturall qualities and conditions euen so they receyue with the same this orygynall corruption of nature whiche commeth by original synne And thoughe the parentes be neuer so cleane purged and pardoned of theyr originall synne by baptysme and by the grace and mercy of god and be drawen vp from the loue of theyr selfes and of these worldely thynges vnto the pure loue of god yet neuertheles the chyldren of them be gotten be conceaued and borne in originall synne and corruption louyng thē selfes better than god or man lyke as corne though it be neuer so cleane wynnowed and purged frome chaffe yet if it be sowen the yonge sede is full of chaffe ageyne vntyl it be wynnowed and made clene Euen so be the chyldren borne full of chaffe and corruption of originall synne vntyll that by baptisme in the blode of our sauyour Iesu Christe they be wasshed and purged as theyr parentes were Item that so longe as we be in this mortall lyfe we shall neuer be soo cleane purged frome this concupiscence and this inordinate loue of our selfe and of this worlde and of worldly thynges and pleasures but some rote woll euer remayne of this corrupte wede Whiche yf the grace of god helpe vs not and we also applie not al our forces to mortifie and ouercome the same no doubte woll soo ouergrowe the hoole gardeyne of our harte that there shall be lefte no good herbe therin but it shal be so ouergrowen with the loue of our selfe and of this worlde that the loue of god and our neyghbour shall contynually decay from tyme to tyme and at length it shal grow not onely to a neglygence and a small regardynge but also vnto an vttter contempte bothe of god and of our neighbour and than we shall appertayne holly vnto the citie of the dyuell For as saynct Augustine sayth There be in this worlde two cities the one buylded by god in the whiche he reygneth as a moost gracious lorde and kynge The other is buylded by the dyuel wherin the dyuel reigneth as a moost mercylesse and cruell tyranne The citie of god consisteth is inhabited of them which loue god so moche that for to accomplyshe his wyll and cōmaundementes they be content to refuse theyr owne wylles and pleasures The citie of the dyuell hath inhabytantes all suche as loue them selfes so moche that for to haue theyr owne wylles and pleasures
here in this worlde they care not or lytell regarde the wyl pleasure and cōmaundementes of god And therfore surely we haue greatte nede contynually to pray accordynge to Christes doctrine in this thyrde petition for ayde vnto our heuenly father that being thus clothed and encombred with this corruptyble flesshe here in this worlde whiche dulleth and draweth downe mannes mynde as the wyse man sayth It may please hym to graūt vs the grace that so longe as we lyue here we maye fulfylle his wyll in all thynges and not our owne and so to haue a dwellynge place in his citie And contrarye that the dyuelle may neuer haue power to take vs and to bringe vs vnto his citie and possessyon ¶ The sense and interpretation of the fourth Petition O Oure heuenly father we beseche the gyue vs this daye our dayly breadde Gyue vs meate drynke and clothynge for oure bodyes Sende vs encrease of corne fruyte and catayle Gyue vs helthe and strengthe reste and peace that we may leade a peasible and a quiete life in al godlines and honestie Graunte vs good successe in all our busynes helpe in aduersytie and peril Graunt vs we beseche the all thynges conuenient for our necessitie in this temporalle lyfe And to thē to whom thou doest vouchsafe to gyue more than theyr owne portion necessarie for theyr vocation and degree gyue thy grace that they maye be thy dylygent and true dyspensatours and stewardes to dystrybute that they haue ouer and aboue that is necessarie consyderynge theyr astate and degree to them that haue nede of it For so good lorde thou doest prouyde for thy poore people that haue nothyng by thē whiche haue of thy gyfte suffycyent to relieue them selfe and other And gyue also thy grace to vs that we haue not to moche solicitude and care for these transytorye and vnstable thynges but that our hartes may be fyxed in thynges whiche be eternall and in thy kyngedome whiche is euerlastynge And yet more ouer good lorde not onely giue vs our necessaries but also conserue that thou dost gyue vs cause that it maye come to our vse by vs to the poore people for whome by vs thou hast prouided Giue vs grace that we may be fed and nourisshed with al the lyfe of Christ that is to say bothe his wordes workes And that they maye be to vs an effectual example spectacle of al vertues Graunt that al they that preache thy worde may profytably godly preache the thy sonne Iesu Christ through all the worlde And that all we whiche here thy worde preached maye so be fed therwith that not onely we may outwardely receaue the same but also digest it within our hartes and that it maye soo worke and fede euery parte of vs that it may appere in all the actes and dedes of oure lyfe Graunte that the holy sacramente of the Altare whiche is the breade of lyfe and the veray flesshe and bloode of thy sonne Iesu Christe maye be purely mynystred and dystrybuted to the comforte and benefyte of all vs thy people and that we also may receaue the same with a ryght faythe and perfyte charytie at all tymes when we ought to receaue the same and specyally agaynst our deathe and departynge out of this worlde soo that we maye be than spiritually fedde with the same to our saluation and therby enioy the lyfe euerlastynge Gyue vs an inwarde hungre thyrste to haue thy worde and the ryghtuous lyuynge taught in the same Graunte this also mercyfull father that all false doctrines contrary to thy worde whiche fedeth not but poysoneth and kylleth the soule may be vtterly extincte and cast awaye out of thy Churche so that we maye be fedde as well with the true doctrine of thy worde as with all other thinges necessary for vs in this lyfe ¶ For the better vnderstandynge of this fourthe petition we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge Fyrste howe that our lorde teacheth vs not in this petition to aske any superfluous thynges or thynges of pleasure or delyte but onely thynges sufficient And therfore he byddeth vs onely aske breade wherin is not mente superfluous ryches or great substaunce or habundaunce of thynges aboue our estate and condycyon but suche thynges onely as be necessary and suffycyent for euery man in his degree And that this is the meanynge of this worde i. Tim. vi saynct Paule declareth at good lengthe where he sayth we haue brought nothyng in to this worlde ne shal take any thing with vs whā we shall departe hense And therfore yf we haue meate and drinke and clothe that is to say thynges sufficient we ought to holde our selfe contente For they that set theyr myndes on ryches and woll haue superfluities more than nedeth or is expedient to theyr vocation they fall into dangerous temptations and into the snares of the dyuell and into many and vnprofytable and noysome desyres whiche drowne men into perdicion and euerlastynge damnation for the sprynge and rote of all euyls is suche superfluous desyre Prou. iii. The wyse man also makynge his suite to our lorde sayth Gyue me neyther pouertie ne excesse but only thinges sufficient for my liuing left that hauynge to moche I be prouoked to denye god and to forgette who is the lorde and on the other syde lest that by pouertie constrayned I falle vnto thefte and forsweare the name of my god These two wyse men the one of the olde the other of the newe testamente agree with the lesson of our sauyour Bothe aske breade that is thynges necessary and bothe refuse and renounce superfluities as thynges vnprofytable daungerous and noysome ¶ Seconde that in these wordes of our sauyour Iesu Christ be reproued all those persones whiche eate not theyr owne breade but deuoureth other mens breade Of whiche sorte be all those whiche lyue of rauyn and spoyles of thefte of extorcyon of crafte and deceyte Item all they whiche neyther laboure with theyr handes nor otherwyse apply theyr study industry and dylygence to some thynge whiche is good and beneficial in the cōmune weale and to the honour of god but lyue in ease reste ydelnes and wanton pleasures without doynge or carynge for any suche thynge Item all they whiche beyng called in this worlde vnto any roume office or auctoritie do abuse the same and do not employ them selfe accordyng to theyr vocation ¶ Thyrdely that althoughe we be bounde by labour or other laufull meanes to prouyde for our selfes frome tyme to tyme a suffycyent lyuynge yet we muste surely beleue and truste that oure father in heuen prouydeth for vs also and that all our owne prouysyon and industrie is in vayne without his prouysyon For it is he that gyueth vnto vs and taketh from vs at his pleasure more or lesse Therfore not withstandynge all our owne laboure industrye and dylygence yet we must thanke hym