and another to geue a reason of the fayth To confesse the fayth that is purely symply and clearely to say and confesse with hart and mouth or by writing that that one beléeueth of God and 〈◊〉 â—is word But to geue a reason of the fayth is to prooue and openly to shew by teres of the holy scripture and manifest reasons grouÌ„ded in the same what one beléeueth and wherfore one beléeueth as Saint Peter the Apostle commaundeth The which I haue made in tymes past in the time of the faires as you haue heard and vnderstood in declaring that confession by Articles for to geue some lytle taste of the Gospell vnto the straingers which came hether and to make them to vnderstand what is our faith and religioÌ„ in which we wil liue and dye and that we are not heretickes seditious nor blasphemers as many do estéeme vs to be but faithfull and true Christians hauing and receyuing one onely Iesus Christ for our Lord Sauiour Mediatour and Aduocate beleeuing hoping in him only and not in any other for which also we wil venter and ieopard not onely our externall goods but also our bodyes vnto the last droppe of our bloud Knowing that whosoeuer shall loose his life for the loue of him shall fynde it and he that will kéepe it in renouncing and forsaking him he shall loose it eternally This hath beene my marke and principall end all that time there in which I had not nor haue yet at this present the leisure to collect and put in wryting all the probation arguments reasons which I haue vsed aswel of the holy scriptures as of the auncieÌ„t fathers for to yeeld a reason of my faith to shew the truth of the articles therof therein contained But if the Lord do geue vs good peace and keepe vs yet stil in this place as I hope that he will do thorowe his mercy although we haue not merited it I promise to geue vnto you the second treatise correspondaÌ„t vnto this here in which I wil geue the reason of my faith as in this I wil declare and confesse with the helpe of the Lord the verity of all these Articles which are in number an hundreth aswell by the word of God as by the writings of the auncient Fathers according to my litle faculty the grace which the Lord shall geue me and then I will content my self that I haue liued in this world In the meane time deere brethren I praye you to receyue and take in good part this litle gifte and present of the hand of your lawful brother and faithfull friend hoping to receiue a greater I assure you that the onely word of the Lord is the fayre and large garden of pleasure within which I putting my selfe haue gathered these goodly swéete smelling flowers and made this fayre garlande of triumphe for to put it vpon the heads of the true faithfull Christians such as now are And I haue taken nothing from the sinke puddle and takes of Luiterim nor from other such like papisticall doctrines Antechristians and inuentions of men For out of such sinkes puddles and infections such flowers spring not forth but rather thornes bryers and thystles for to fede and crowne the Asses of Antechriste I may boldlye saye that there is nothing in this litle Treatise but that I can shew and prooue it by the worde of God the which I haue folowed and not the diuers opinions of men For I haue not sworne in any mans word but in that same of Iesus Christe vpon which my fayth is builded and not vpon the opinion of men therfore I haue spoken here and written freelye that which I féele in my harte without hauing regard vnto any other then vnto my only Lord and Master Iesus Christe This may serue at all tymes for a paterne rule of the confession of faith to all those which wyll declare them selues to be of the number of our assembly following the holye custome most allowable of this litle Church that all those which will perticipate or communicate with vs in the holye table of the Lorde firste of all ought to make publike confession of their fayth that is to saye to declare before the assembly the fayth and knowledge which the Lorde hath geuen vnto them of the word and Gospell of his sonne Iesus Christ that they may be knowen and manyfested vnto all the congregation to be of the number of the faithfull and true members of Christ worthy to perticipat of the giftes graces and benefits of the Lord with the brethren As also of late vnder the lawe all straungers which would communicate or perticipate the pascall Lambe with the people of Israell ought first to renounce all Idolatry to receiue circumcision to make profession of all the lawe and religion of God geuen by Moyses promising to liue and walk in the same all the daies of their life And by that meanes were admitted to the Passeouer to eate and communicate with the other and not otherwise As it is written in the booke of the lawe Truly it is more to perticipat in the holy table of the Lord that is to say in the holy Sacrament of the Supper theÌ„ to eat the pascall Lambe for somuch as the cleerenesse is more then the shadow and the verity more then the figure For the lawe was but the shadow and figure of the verity the which we haue present before vs If theÌ„ there were vnder the law obserued and kept such discipline in the Churche of God among the faithfull how much more ought it to be obserued vnder the verety in the shéepfold of Iesus Christ which is his Church who commaundeth the shepheardes thereof to knowe the sheepe and call them by their name and diligently to consider theyr estate lest they should geue the childrens bread vnto dogs and the pearles vnto hogs Then as Moyses the seruaunt of God did not admit vnto the Passeouer anye straungers before they firste declared their faith so the good faythfull ecclesiastical pastor ought not to admit according to my aduise saued alwayes a better iudgement vnto the holy table any straungers whose fayth is vnto him vnknoweÌ„ but to endeuor him self firste to knowe their fayth and religion by all meanes priuately and perticulerly if he cannot publikelye before the Churche and Congregation that he maye witnesse of theyr fayth before all the brethren And by that meanes to admytte them with the other This pollycye and lowable disciplyne was kepte and obserued in this our litle Church as you knowe from the beginning vnto this daye The Lorde thorowe his grace graunt that it may long continue to the praise of his name For by the same many ignoraunt are taught in the rudimentes of the Christian faith And there knowledge is alwaies augmented and there is none of vs but receiueth great profit To this then this litle Treatise maye well serue for a patterne and rule
and terrestiall for the seruice of man to the ende that by his creatures he should come vnto the knowledg of the Creator that also he hath made fashoned Mā for him selfe that of him and by him he shoulde be knowne loued feared serued and honored this is the soueraigne goodnesse of man and that in him shoulde shine the Image of the heauenlye vertues and perfections in al good works the which GOD hath prepared that we should walke in thē vnto his honor and glorye and to the confusiō of the aduersary and by that meanes the ruine of the Angels was restored and man possessed the eternal kingdome made and prepared for him before the constitution of the worlde The .vii. Article I Beléeue the same man to haue byn constituted by the Lorde God mayster and ruler ouer al creatures the which he did loose by his sinne aswell for him selfe as for all his posteritie the which domination and segniory I beléeue nowe to appertaine vnto one onely Iesus Christ very GOD and man and vnto those to whome he wil bestow it as are the faythfull and not vnto the infidels and reprobate The .viii. Article I Beleue the first mā thorow the subtilty and craft of Sathan to be fallē from the excellentnesse in whiche God created him agreeing thorow his free wil which then he had to the canteloas suggestion of the Serpent wherby he hath lost the benefits which the Lord gaue vnto him In so much that of wise he became foolish of iust vniust of true a lyer of perfect altogether vnperfect hauing afterwarde a will altogether depraued which can not nor will not agrée with the will of GOD but altogether vnto the will of the Deuil the world the flesh and of sinne not able to do anye thing of him selfe but euill for that he is altogeather carnall captiue bonde and sould vnder sin Beholde the free or rather the bonde will of man for the estate of of this present lyfe The .ix. Article I Beléeue that that discorde and corruption of nature was not onely in Adam because of his sin but also in all men generally which descend from him one onelye Iesus Christ except insomuch that they are all according to theyr nature corrupted vnrighteous lyers ignoraunt ingratefull and vnperfect altogether Not being able according to their nature to do think speake nor will any thing which pleaseth God vntyll such time as they are regenerated and renewed by the spirite of God. The .x. Article I Beléeue that this corruption of nature otherwise called originall sin is the beginning roote of all other sins by which do come vnto vs all the miseries calamities and aduersities whiche we suffer in this lyfe aswell in bodye as in spirite and in the ende double death to wit of body and soule These are the fruites and rewardes for sinne But although that the same is due and common vnto all men generallye yet neuerthelesse the Lorde through his mercye hath reserued a certaine number to him only knowen whome he hath drawne from this corrupted masse hath sanctified and clensed them in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ And by that meanes hath made the vessels of election to honor apt and fit to all good workes And therfore The .xi. Article I Beléeue that the Father in Iesus Christ his Son by the holy Ghost hath elected and chosen those that be his according to his good wil before the foundation constitution of the world whome he hath predestinated to eternall lyfe because they were his Children by adoption hauing greater care of them without any comparisō then the best Father could haue of the best childe of this world not suffering that any thing should come frō the heauens aboue or from the earth beneath but it shoulde be for theyr vtilitye and great profit The .xii. Article I Beléeue that the father by his Son with the holy Ghost from the beginning hath alwaies seene to the restoring of man to whom he manifested him selfe yea after the sinne making vnto him a promise of the blessed seede by which the Serpents head must be broken and the faythfull ought to receyue blessing by that promise afterwardes oftentymes confirmed and ratefyed to the holye fathers the man otherwise in despaire in his sinne being releued ayded and comforted hath lyued in hope vnto the exhibiting and accomplishing of the same The xiii Article I Do also beléeue that after this promise the Lorde hath prescribed and geuen the lawe of the commaundementes to man promising life vnto those that kéepe them and death vnto those that transgresse them and he geueth them not that man shoulde seeke iustification health or lyfe in them but for the pollicie peace and tranquilitie of his people for to defende the good and to chastice correct the wicked and to houlde and kéepe euery one in his office And chiefly that by the same man should better know him selfe his disease poorenesse and imperfection And by that meanes should haue occasion to humble him selfe before the law geuer and to seeke remedy health and lyfe otherwise to wit in the holy seede promised which is Iesus Christ For that cause it is called a Scoolemayster for to come vnto Christ the which also serueth vs as a glasse for to knowe our vices our spirituall leprosie and to augment that knowledge In like manner it serueth vs for an accuser to accuse vs before the Lorde and instéede of a seuere cruell Iudge for to declare the wrath iudgement of GOD vpon vs the condemnation and eternal death by that meanes to feare vs and to make vs in dispayre vntyll such tyme as we be comforted by the Gospel which is the faith in Iesus Christ by the which we are exempt and deliuered from all those maledictious These are the Offices of the lawe the which are tourned to vs in goodnesse by the sayth of the Gospell the which hath oppositiue offices and altogether contrary Furthermore I confesse that the law of God is good right holy and perfect and wheras it bringeth nothing to perfection the faulte is not in it but in vs which are altogether imperfecte nor we can not anye thing at all accomplish it not to touch it with the least finger And therfore The .xiiii. Article I Beléeue and confesse Iesus Christ to be the fulnesse the ende and consūmation of the lawe to the righteousnesse of all beleeuers to whom by whom onely al the promises of the father are fulfilled whoe also alone hath perfectly satisfied the lawe the which none among men could do for somuch as the lawe commaundeth impossible thinges to the corruptible man the which neuerthelesse he shall fulfill not in working but in beleeuing as also the lawe is fulfilled by fayth and not by workes and by that meanes he shall finde the righteousnesse of fayth
diuerse places nor in many places at one very tyme but so in one according to the nature of his glorious body that then hee cannot be in anye other otherwise he should not be a true and naturall body but a shadow that is to saye a thing appearing and not being the which is false and altogether against our faith And therfore I say and confesse the true and naturall body of Christe to be in heauen and that from thence he shall not departe vntyll he hath put all his enemies vnder his féete and come for to iudge both the quick and the dead The .xxxviii. Article I Beléeue when the number of the elect children of God shal be accomplished the Lorde Iesus in that same bodye with which hee suffered with which he roase and ascended into heauen shall come with great power and maiestie visibly in a clowde euen as he ascended and that shal be to iudge the quick and the dead and shall geue vnto euery one according to Iustice vnto the good which shal be founde among them after theyr goodnesse and to the wicked after their naughtines That iudgement shal be general that is to say all shal be called and summoned to appeare personally by the voice of the Aungell to which all shall appeare aswell the good as euyll the elect as reprobate that euery one doo make and render vp his accompt and reckoning before the iudiciall seate of Christe of all thinges done by them in this world be it good or ill yea for euery idle worde the which the world doth not thinke to be sin Then shall all those be saued which shal be found written in the booke of lyfe The .xxxix. Article I Beleeue that then shal be made the totall and last seperation of the good from the wicked of the elect from the reprobate the which nowe are mingled together as the good fishes and badde in the nettes the chaffe with the corne and the darnell with the wheate But when the haruest commeth he which hath the fanne in his handes will make the seperation and wil put the corne aside in his garner but the chaf and tares shal be cast into the fyre for to burne eternally Then shal be perfectlye declared and knowen the iustice and mercy of the Lorde with the fruite of the Crosse and blood of Iesus Christe the which now wee know onely but in parte Then the good and elect shal know the stone vpon which they builded theyr fayth and hope and shall not be confounded And the wicked shall also knowe the stone vpon which they stumbled the which they reiected coÌ„temned and despised and shal be confounded Then the Lorde Iesus shall make an ende of his office and ministrie for his mistical body shal be altogether accomplished with all his members and shall render the kingdome and his spowse which is the Church vnto God his father al faire glorious erreprehensible and acceptable without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Then shal be perfectly vanquished and confounded Sathan hell sinne and death and all the other aduersaries of Christe whoe at this present do exercise yet tirrany ouer all his members holding them vnder their griefes bondes and snares But then wee as people rauished for Ioy will reherse the words that are written O Death where is thy stinge O Hel where is thy victory But thanks be vnto GOD which hath geuen vs victorye through Iesus Christe our Lorde The xl Article I Beléeue that that Iudgement being meruelous terrible and feareful vnto the wicked and reprobate is much to be desired and of great consolation vnto the good faythfull and elect for asmuch as theÌ„ their total redemption to wéete of body shal be ended and that they shall receiue the fruit of their labors Their Innocencie shal be openly declared and known of all the worlde and they shall sée the vengaunce and condemnation of the wicked which haue tirrannously afflicted and tormented them in this world whose iniquitye and wickednesse shal be manifested by the Lorde and cleerely knowen of all to theyr great confusion and to the honor and glory of the iust children of God the which shal be in perfect peace and traÌ„quillitie and shall haue full ioye and fruition of all that which the Lorde hath promised and prepared for them that loue him Which the eye hath not séene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entered into mans harte Therefore I tarry and looke for that great day of retribution with a great desire as the same which bringeth and declareth vnto me my chiefest goodnesse The .xli. Article I Beléeue that wee shall not all dye but we shal be all changed in a moment that is to say that in that latter day and general iudgement some shal be found lyuing which shal neuer dye by seperation of the body and soule but shall abide so alyue eternally that Christe maye be knowen Lorde and Iudge of the quick and the dead and his grace and merite may be founde greater then the sinne of Adam For as sin hath raigned to death In like-maner must grace raign through Iesus Christ to eternall lyfe Neuerthelesse they shal be chaunged and transformed from corruption into incorruption from mortallity to immortallity from despising into glory insomuch that they shal be the chiefest of of all the giftes graces and benefites which the Lorde shall geue vnto those which before were dead whome they shall not go before but all together shal be rauished in the clowdes before in the ayre and also they shall be alwayes together with the Lorde BEholde for the seconde point of my faith touching Iesus Christe the second person of the Trinitie and of the restoration and repairing of man don by him Let vs now come vnto the third point which is of the holie Ghoste by whome man is restored maintained and keept in his being I beleeue in the holy Ghoste The .xlii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is one diuine persoÌ„ distinct from the father and the son procéeding of them both equall in all thorow all and coeternall with them by whom the Church hath byn alwayes is yet and shal be ruled conducted directâ—d and gouerned vntill the consumation of this world by whome also haue spoken al the holy Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore I beléeue nor receiue any other Vicar or Lieuetenant of Christ in earth within his Church but the holy Ghost which cannot be receiued of the wicked The .xliii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is the wages and ernest of our celestiall enheritance by whom we are assured assertained and liuely perswaded in our consciences that wee are the children of God and adoptiue brethreÌ„ of Iesus Christe and consequentlye Coheyres of eternall lyfe That is also the finger of God the which printeth in our mindes the
fayth of those thinges sealeth and confirmeth the promises of the Lorde within our hartes through his goodnesse and grace that we néede not to doubt any thing at all The .xliiii. Article I Beléeue that that holy Ghost dwelling in vs doth regenerate vs thorow his grace and vertue into a renouation and chaunging of life mortifiyng in vs all that which is of vs and of the olde man the flesh and the world and quickning all that which is his that wee should liue no more to our selues but to Christe who also doth and worketh in vs al good works agréeable to the father and rebuketh checketh and vanquisheth the world of sinne righteousnesse and iudgement The .xlv. Article I Beleeue that the holy Ghost is the Doctor of the Ignorant who teacheth directeth and leadeth vs into the knowledg of the trueth by which we are deliuered from darknesse and set into life Also he is the comforter of the poore afflicted for to ayde fortifie comfort and assist them in al troubles and aduersities that they shoulde not dispaire in them as the wicked and reprobate doo but that they shoulde taste and féele the gentlenesse benignitie and mercifulnesse of the father who thorow crosse and diuerse trybulations doth bring his into eternall glory The .xlvi. Article I Beléeue that that holy Ghost is the spirite of lyfe quickening all other spirites aswell celestiall as terrestriall and that he is only holy in him selfe by whome all other are sanctified so that if any spirites are holy as they are either in heauen or in earth it is not but thorow the sanctitie of that holy spirite which is the cause wherfore I beléeue in him that is to say that in him I hope and put al my affiance assurance and truste as I haue spoken before of the Father and the Sonne Behold the third point of my faith which is touching the holie Ghost the thirde persoÌ„ of the holy Trinitie by whom after that we are made by the father and restored by the sonne we are kept and gouerned vnto the ende Now it remaineth to intreat of the fourth point of my faith which is touching the Church and the thinges concerning the same I beleeue the holye catholike Church the Communion of Saintes The .xlvii. Article I Beléeue and confesse one onelye catholike and vniuersall Church which is a holy Congregation and assembly of all the faythfull beléeuers chosen and predestinated to eternall life before the constitutioÌ„ of the world of whose number I accompte and beléeue my selfe to be one thorow the only grace and mercy of the Father hauing the merite of my good Lorde and Maister Iesus Christe and not by my good workes or merites which are none at all The .xlviii. Article I Beléeue that Church to be inuisible to mans sight and vnto God alone knowen the which is not set tyed or limited in a certaine place or to certaine men but dispersed and seperated abroad thorow out the world Neuerthelesse ioygned together in harte wil and minde thorow the band of fayth and loue acknowledging all of them one onely God one only head and mediator Iesus Christ one faith one law one baptisme one spirituall table in which one onely meate and one onely spirituall drinke is administred vnto them vntil the consumation of this world That Church comprehendeth in it all the iust and elect from the first iust Abell vnto the last which shal be â—ound in the ende of the world and therfore I call it vniuersall For touching the visible Church which is the congregation of the good and of the wicked the elect and reprobate and generally of all those which say that they beléeue in Christe I beléeue it not because I see it with my eye and fayth is of inuisible thinges The .xlix. Article I Beléeue that that inuisible Church is the Lordes fielde within which there is neither cockle nor darnell but that it is the house and habitacle of the holy Ghost within which there is neither Caim Iudas nor the wicked rich man. That it is also the sheepefolde of Christe within which there commeth no stincking nor infected goates but all shéepe lambes and domesticall ewes bearing fruit in theyr tymes and seasons That it is the body of Christ in which theyr is no rotten or corrupt member That is also the spowse of Christ pure and cleane without spot or wrincle or anye such like thing holy and erreprehensible purified and sanctified in the bloud and by the word of his head and wel-beloued spowse Iesus Christe wherfore those which are grafted in her through liuely fayth cannot perish The .l. Article I Beléeue that the giftes and graces of the holy Ghost are dispersed and geuen vnto euery one of the members of that Church not so much for the perticuler profit vtility of them as for the generall profit and vtilitye of al the assemble or Church and that altogether through grace without any merite according to the good will and prouidence of God to some more and to some lesse that we may know the one to haue néede of the other and maye ayde and helpe the one the other in all necessities aswell corporall as spirituall as members of one body The .li. Article I Beléeue the communion of Saintes that is to saye that all that whiche the Lorde geueth vs in this worlde whether they bee goodes concerning the body of the spirite that he geueth them chiefly to the profit and vtillitie of all the Church and therfore ought to be distributed and bestowed vnto all the faythfull chiefly in necessity Insomuch that as we do al communicate in one GOD in one fayth in one law in one baptisme and in one spiritual table that also we may communicate in all that which proceedeth and commeth vnto vs by the meanes of all those things for otherwise we are not Christians nor faythfull dispensators of Christe I alwaies reiect the Anabaptisticall Communalty of goodes wiues and other like things receiuing the Apostolicall communaltie which hauing and possessing some goodes perticulerly deuideth and distributeth vnto euery one as he shall haue neede and as necessity requireth The lii Article I Beléeue that that Church is as the Arke of Noe within which there was health and lyfe and out of which there was but death ruine and perdition For as Christ is and raigneth in his Church so Sathan is and raigneth altogether out of the same the which also is kept thorow the spirite of Christe directed and guided by his worde and nurrished by the Sacramentes She shall haue alwayes aduersaries and shal be alwaies tormeÌ„ted in that sea by the thunders of Antechriste and by the windes and tempestes of Sathan For all the gates of Hell do arme and set themselues against it But she shal not be drowned in the waters but shall abyde eternally For somuch as she hath a
⧠A briefe and cleare Confession of the Christian Fayth Containing An hundreth Articles after the order of the Creede of the Apostles Made and declared by Iohn Gardiner Translated out of French into English by Iohn Brooke of Asshe next Sandwitch An. 1577. Rom. 10. ¶ The beliefe of the hart iustifieth but to confesse with the mouth maketh a man safe Imprinted at London for Edward Wight and are to be sold at his shop at the litle North doore of Paules at the signe of the Gun. 1579. ⧠To the Right Honorable Syr William Cecill Knight Baron of Burgley Knight of the Honorable order of the Garter Master of her Highnesse Wardes and Liueries one of the Lordes of her Maiesties priuy Counsell and Lorde high Treasoror of England REading this small litle Volume fyrst written in French and collected by Maister Iohn Gardiner right honorable and perceiuing the same in my simple iudgement vnder a poore habite and litle showe to beare and importe great and waighty effect finding also therin such singuler ground of profound learning and rare wisdome and therewithall such firme approbations and inexpugnable defences with authorities of holy writ I thought it no lesse then needefull and nothing more then necessary to doo what in me mightlye to make the same obuious vsuall and familyer vnto my brethren of this Realme by translating the same into our mother tongue The which thing hauing once perfourmed and finished according to my poore talent and sclender skill although I doo not doubt to haue followed myne Authour directlye and truly in sence and exposition without corruption or abuse yet finding in my selfe such imperfections of learning such barrennes and want of fine Phrase and choise wordes wherwith to haue garnished the same vnneathes I durst of my selfe or in myne owne name launch foorth my silly barke into the troublesom waues not doubting saile she neuer so sure true but somtimes shee shal be countermet with churlishe byllowes and puffed at with outragious blastes and violent tempestes The force wherof more safely to defend and withstand being loth to leaue the same in such obscurenesse and secrecy as I found it whereof no Christian man ought to be ignorant I imagined with my selfe to seeke to ancor in your harborough being very desirous that this my vnsmoothed and roughe hewen workemanshippe might haue free passage and safe conduct vnder your Honors fauorable protection and defēce In which purpose and pretence being abashed and more then halfe dismaied by the occasions aforesaid yet grewe I in double hart and tooke treble encouragement that the authoritye of the matter it selfe would more then counteruaile the rest in your Honors fauorable acceptaunce But when I further considered wherof I should craue you to be a supporter namely of the Christian fayth for so the Booke is intituled and contayneth an hundreth Articles of the Christian fayth all fearefull doubtes expelled assured truste willed mee to abyde constant in my purpose For as to your Honorable tytle Wisdome hath annexed her enlargement of Authoritye so to that Authoritye godlye zeale hauing adioined a feruencie of true fayth and to these also humilitye of spirite hauing coupled franke curtesye and beneuolence towardes all These I saye right Honorable haue made me so bolde to craue that this my small peece of trauaile whatsoeuer maye receyue that hope hath promysed and with my good will would gladlye deserue being no wayes able excepte by prayer to almyghtye GOD on whome as dutye byndeth I shall not cease contynually to call for your Lordshippes long preseruation of lyfe and much encrease of his moste comfortable blessinges Your Honors dayly Orator Iohn Brooke ⧠Iohn Gardiner vnto all the litle French Church of Strasburg assembled together for the Gospell in the name of Iesus Christ grace peace and mercie of the Father through Iesus Christe our Lorde onely Sauior and redéemer in the vertue of the holy Spirite be geuen vnto you eternally Amen WHen I consider the cleare lightes the great ingenyous and sharpe wittes which the Lorde in our time hath placed in his Church déerely beloued brethren and welbeloued in Iesus Christe who neuer cease day nor night to aduaunce the glorye of God and to promote the kingdome of Iesus Christe his sonne aswell by their wordes as writing of whome I am not worthy to be a Disciple I am ashamed and feare lest I be iudged raish to put my hand to the pen after them and chiefly for to entreat of thinges so litle and common the which they haue entreated of in theyr Catechismes from the beginning But the holy desire of you and of manye other good brethren who hauing heard openly the reading of this litle Treatise instantly requiring to be pertakers haue incited yea constrained mee to do it with the great desire that I haue of the aduauncement of the glory of God and of the health of all my brethren Knowing that God would haue al the world to come vnto the knowledg of the trueth and by that meanes to be saued I know also that for the building of the Lordes tabernacle made by Moyses euery one brought that he had some golde and siluer others precious stones others linnen cloth goates and buckes skinnes others wood and common stones and all of it was set a worke So I estéeme for the building of this house of the Lorde which is his Church euery one may and ought to bring that that he hath some more some lesse according to the tallentes which the Lorde of the house hath geuen them I wil content my self to carry litle common stones for this building and do hope that the Master worke men will not reiect my seruice nor my litle stones so that they be fitte for the building as I hope they shal be God ayding me The poore wydowe which did put into the box but two litle peeces of siluer was not reiected nor despised of the Lorde but was as much praysed as the great ritch men which gaue a great deale more then she All that being well considered hath mooued me to set forth this litle treatise in this tyme chiefly in which the Lorde hath the siue in his hand to sifte examine and repurge his Church in which it should be verye good in my iudgment that euerye mans fayth should be knowen and chieflye of those which make profession of the Gospell for to teach others as are the Doctors and Ministers of the word that the false Prophets and Hypocrites which doo bowe theyr shoulders and leane theyr eares vnto false papisticall doctrine of Antechriste should be knowne driued and chased a way from the good faythful For that cause I am contēt that my faith in which I will lyue and dye thorow the grace of the Lord be knowen of al the world Now this litle Treatise shall haue much neede of a second which shal geue the reason of that that this here confesseth for it is one thing to confesse the fayth
as it is sayd for the young ones simple and ignoraunt who maye take what they thinke good and leaue the rest for to auoyd prolixity therfore I haue deuided and distinguished it by Articles Furthermore this Confession is deuided in to foure principall poyntes In the first I shew what I beleeue of the holy Trinitie chiefly of the eternall Father and of the thinges made by him of the first creation of man and of his fall In the second what I beléeue of the Sonne which is the second person and of the thinges by him made chiefly of the repayring and restoring of man In the third what I beléeue of the holy ghost which is the thirde person of the holye Trynitie by whom man made by the Father and restored by the Sonne is mayntained and kept in his being In the fourth what I beléeue of the holy Catholike Church and of the thinges concerning the same That doon I shew and declare the great frutes proceeding and comming from that fayth whiche are thrée in number as you may see towardes the ende And all of it is made after the order of the simbole or creede which we call commonly the Apostles creede which hath bene receiued at all tymes without any contraduction in the Catholike Church And let no man maruaile although I multiplye these Articles vnto an hundreth although that the Créede containeth but twelue For euery one of the twelue contayneth other twelue and more Doo then as the honnye Bées who of all flowers doo gather profit By that meanes you shall augment more and more in fayth and knowledg of the Lord in charity and loue towardes your neyghbours for therein dependeth all the lawe and the Prophets I beséeche that good God and celestiall father which hath deliuered you from the tirraunye of Antechriste and hath drawne you from darknesse error and ignorance opening your inward eyes declaring him selfe vnto you by his Gospell that it would please him to augment alwaies his giftes graces and benedictions in you to direct and keepe you by his holy spirite Vnto eternall life in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe our Lord and one-Sauiour Amen From Strasburg 24. Iuly 1549. ¶ Iohn Brooke to the Christian Reader THis litle Pamphlet gentle Reader may seeme vnto thee a thing of small value and lesse importance if thou make thy estimation thereof by the small outwarde showe and feeling But if in this litle and light worke to the eye be encluded great and waighty matter if in this briefe and short Treatise be wrapped and sufficiently set forth long and manifold causes how much the more then is it to be imbraced and estemed I promyse thee nothing but for gramrecye offer thee my good wyll and trauaile I red it in French written by master Iohn Gardiner and finding it pithy profitable and necessary to bee red of all Christians for thine onelye commodity and comfort I haue translated him into thy mother tongue If in this translation thou finde any imperfection let my zeale good meaning towardes thee counteruaile or rather preuaile to gaine thy friendly acceptaunce and do not therein condemne the thing or the Authour who vndoubtedly needeth no supporter or defender but bringeth with him munition and defence sufficient But aduenture I say the reading as I did at the firste if thou finde him worthye make it a Iewell vnto thee beare him daily in thy hand or button him nere thy hart in thy bosō he is neither heauy nor cūbrous nor wil be vnto thee very chargeable Gods holy spirite be thy guide in reading and vnderstanding to the establishment and confirmation of thy Christian faith Farewell ⧠A briefe and cleare Confession of the Christian Fayth contayning a hundreth Articles after the order of the Apostles Creede I beleeue in GOD the Father almightye maker of Heauen and Earth The .1 Article FIrst of al I beleue in one GOD onely in essence and substaunce thrée in person the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Father as the Originall and beginning of all thinges aswell visible as inuisible Of whome also they depende aswell in their being as conseruation And he dependeth not but of him selfe eternall without ende and without beginning The Sonne as the heauenly worde the sapience and wisdome of the Father which is eternally before al worlds begotten of the Father of his proper substaunce and nature Because that in him shineth his proper carecter Image otherwise inuisible vnto the mortall man. The holy Ghost as the vertue and eternall power which is neyther made nor created nor begotten but proceeding from the father and the Sonne eternally as alone proceeding of two persons The 2 Article I Beléeue that these three persons are of one essence and substance nature Authoritie power will goodnesse wisdome and eternitie And that these three are but one spirituall substaunce eternall without ende and beginning true good iust mercifull of soueraigne power and wisdome hauing and containing in him selfe all goodnes hauing no neede of any thing The 3. Article I Beleeue that GOD being so onely one in essence and three in person ought onely to be serued honored feared loued adored and inuocated in all our necessities as he which can and wil prouide for them and none other And therefore I say and confesse that I beleeue in one God that is to saye I acknowledge and receyue him for one onely Lorde Mayster and Sauiour of whome proceedeth all my goodnesse with whom I can do all things Without whom I can do nothing In him alone I doe trust and fixe all my harte hoping that he will take my parte against all men assisting me alwayes through his holye spirite and deliuering me from all perilles and daungers through his grace and mercye without my merits administring vnto me all thinges necessary aswell for the soule as body as a good father as he promised me by his word The .4 Article I Beleeue that he being altogether puissant hath of nothing from the beginning created Heauen and Earth and all things that are therin That is to saye all thinges aswell celestiall as terrestriall visible as inuisible reasonable as vnreasonable sensible as insensible Whome he kéepeth guideth ruleth and gouerneth through his diuine wisdome without whose prouidence nothing commeth to passe neyther in this world nor in the other The .v. Article I Beléeue that the same God the father Sonne and holye Ghost after hauing created all thinges created and made man after his owne Image and likenesse that is to saye immortall good iust true sage wise mercifull and perfit in all thinges perticipating vnto him his goodnesse righteousnesse and other perfections of God hauing a will that can accorde and agrée in all and by all vnto the will of his Lorde and that altogether by grace without any merit The .vi. Article I Do also beléeue that as the Lorde hath created all things celestiall
be put on the crosse and to be crucified betwéene two théeues as though he had bene the prince and captaine of them the which he endured and suffred willingly and innocently without deseruing it for otherwise he had not satisfied for vs and his crosse had profited vs nothing at all The .xxiiii. Article I Beléeue also that he beyng on the same crosse dying and yéelding vp his spirit to God his father that he descended into hell that is to say that he verely felte and experimented the great distresse and payne of death with the paynes flames of hell that is to say the great furor ire and the seuere iudgement of God vpon hym as though he had bene man and halfe damned insomuch that he was constrayned to crye with a loude voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Beholde simplie what I vnderstand by the descending of Christ into hell Furthermore I know that this Article was not at the first in the Créede and that many haue vnderstanded and interpreted it otherwyse and haue thought Christ verely and in very deede to haue descended into hell into the place of the dampned aleadging the text of Saint Peter the which I confesse to be couered and hyd frō me at this present The Lord graunt vs to open the gate and giue vs entrance into those mysteries The .xxv. Article I Beléeue all that to haue bene done not for hym which neuer dyd any sinne in whose mouth there was neuer found any fraude nor lying but for vs poore and miserable sinners whose place he helde in the crosse as a pledge where he represented the person of al the sinners which euer haue bene are or shal be vntil the end of the worlde And because that those haue by their sinnes deserued to féele and trye the extreme dolours of death to be forsaken of God and of all creatures to féele the furor yre and seuere iudgement of God vpon them Christ who was their pledge dyd satisfie for them in the crosse did feele all that same and that to affranchise vs delyuer vs from all these paynes from the furor yre and iudgement of God from condemnation and eternal death Herein I reiect and estéeme as fables al the lymbe of the fathers and of litle children purgatorie and other suche follyes dreames and abuses which men inuented and founde out without the word of God. For I beléeue and receaue but two places in the other worlde to wit paradise for the faythfull elect with the Angels and hel for the Infidels and reprobate with the dyuels The .xxvi. Article I Beléeue consider that death and passion as also al other mysteries of Iesus Christ not onely as touching the historie as a patrone and example for to imitate and folow as the same of holy men which haue died for the Lordes quarrel But also chiefly touching the cause fruites and vse of the same thereby to knowe the grauitie burthen of my synnes the grace and mercie of the father and the loue of the sonne by which we are reconciled with God deliuered from the tirannie of the deuil released and restored into the libertie of the spirit That is the glasse without spot for to make vs know our fylthines The lauer or cleare fountaine for to washe clense vs and the infinite treasure for to satisfie and content our creditors Of whom and by whom onely Gods deuine iustice hath bene fully satisfied for all the synnes of all those which haue bene are and shal be vntill the end of the world And therefore I beléeue and confesse the condemnation of Iesus Christ to be my absolution his crucifiyng to be my deliueraunce his descending into hell to be my ascending into heauen his death to be my lyfe his blood to be my washyng and purgatorie by whom onely I am washed purified made cleane from all my sinnes so that I neither receaue nor beléeue that there is any other purgatorie neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come by which I may be purged but the onely blood of Iesus Christ by which all is purged and made cleane for euer The .xxvii. Article I Beléeue that Iesus Christ by the sacrifice of his body that he offred vpon the trée of the crosse hath defaced and destroyed sinne death and Sathan with al his kingdome hath altogether consummated and finished the worke of our redemption hath ended and abolished all other sacrifices insomuch that from hencefoorth we must not looke nor séeke for any other propiciatorie sacrifice then this neither for the lyuing nor for the dead For if we sinne wyllingly after that we haue receyued the knowledge of the trueth there remayneth no other sacrifice for the remission of synnes then this here by which Christ alone hath consecrated for euer all those which are sanctified And therefore The xxviii Article I Beléeue the holye Supper of the Lord not to be a sacrifice but onely a remembrance and commemoration of that holy sacrifice of Iesus Christ Therefore it ought not to be adored and woorshipped as God nor Christ to be in the same but onely in him selfe out of all corruptible elements In like maner I beleeue and confesse that the papisticall Masse is an inuention and ordinance of man a sacrifice of Antichrist and a forsaking of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ that is to say of his death and passion that it is a stynking and infectious sepulchre which couereth and hydeth the merite of the blood of Christ And therefore it ought to be abolished and the holy Supper of the Lord restored and set agayne in his fyrst estate The .xxix. Article I Also doo beleue that as the Prophet Ionas was in the Whales bellye which is a place of corruption thrée dayes and three nightes without being any thyng at all corrupted from whome he came out the thyrde day without any hurt safe sounde that euen so Iesus Christ after his death was put into a newe sepulchre which is a place of corruption within which he was thrée dayes and thrée nightes not being touched with any infection stynking or corruption but alwayes abode safe and sound for to declare the vertue of his blood for to accomplishe the writing of the holy Prophets and for to verefie the veritie aswel of his body as of his death with which I beléeue the lawe to be buryed abrogated and abolished to the faythfull not as touching the obligation that they shoulde be no more bounde to lyue and walke after the same but onely as touching the condemnation that is to say that the transgression of the same doeth not condemne them at the iudgement of God through the faith that they haue in Christ And therefore within one sepulchre I comprehend thrée things buryed that is to say Christ the law and all the faythfull which ought to
be crucified and buryed with Christ through the mortification of theyr fleshe The .xxx. Article I Beléeue that euen as Iesus Christ was delyuered to death for our sinnes that so he arose agayne the thirde day for our iustification to immortall lyfe wherein hee declared hym selfe openly to be very God and very man triumphing ouer all his enemies hauing confounded and beaten downe all his enemies that is to say the worlde sinne death hell and Satan not so much for him selfe as for vs which beléeue in him knowing his victorie to be ours that in hym and through him we vanquishe those same enemies hauyng victorie ouer them to the honour of God and our great profite The .xxxi. Article I Beléeue consider that resurrection of Iesus Christ not only as touching the storie as the same of Lazarus or other lyke which haue bene miraculoslye raysed vp through the vertue and power of the Lord but also as the example and efficient cause thereof as the seales and markes of the general resurrection of al the beléeuers for as Christ is raysed the thirde day after his death through his diuine vertue into immortal lyfe so by the vertue of the same I hope to ryse one day in body and soule into eternall lyfe afterwards to be here in this world raysed in spirit through a newe and true fayth in newnes of lyfe mortifying and crucifiyng the fleshe with the affections and concupiscences of worlde the which ought to be dead and crucified vnto vs and we vnto it for we are buryed with Christ in his death by the baptisme that as he rose agayne from death by the glory of the father without euer dying any more that so we shoulde walke in newnes of life without euer seruing any more sinne seekyng alwayes chiefly the things aboue celestiall eternall Forsaking the earthly transitorie thinges of this world knowyng that we haue not here a continuall Citie but let vs séeke that which is to come The xxxii Article I Beléeue also and confesse that Iesus Christ the fourty day after his resurrection visibly and before all his Apostles eyes went vp into heauen that is to say in the maiestie of God his father in glory and eternall felicitie in which he was before he came into this miserable world for to be made man yea before the constitution of the world that is to say from euerlasting The xxxiii Article I Beléeue that he ascended in heauen for to accomplishe and fulfill and to make an end of his pilgrimage also for to prepare vs the place and to open the way for vs in heauen that we may there ascend after hym and folow hym as our head for to be eternally vnited with him in glory The which we begin here through fayth in like maner because that of the same he beautifieth his Church in sending the Comforter vnto his Apostles as hee promised them by which they should be comforted instructed and directed in all trueth and the Church susteyned mainteyned and defended against the wynds of Satan and all the gates of hell The .xxxiiii. Article I Also beléeue that he is ascended into heauen for to be there our Patrone Intercessor Mediator and Aduocate because that nowe he appeareth for vs before his fathers face obteyning for vs grace abundance of all goodnes In so much that I knowe nor receyue any other Mediator betwene God and men nor any other Aduocate nor Intercessor before GOD the father then his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde Vnto him I drawe my selfe of him I content my selfe and any other I wyll not séeke nor looke for fearing to blaspheme the name of God giuing vnto the creature that which belongeth vnto the Creator or vnto the seruant that which apperteyneth vnto the maister The .xxxv. Article I Beléeue that all those which demaunde search or receyue any other Mediator Intercessor or Aduocate towards God the father then Iesus Christ his sonne doe abuse and dreame them selues greatly yea doe blaspheme against God and doe dishonour vnto Iesus Christ and to the Saintes by which they pray For as God the father woulde be knowen serued loued feared and honoured in his sonne Iesus Christ not by any other meanes so would he be prayed vnto and called vpon in his sonne and by the onely name of his sonne not otherwise For besides Iesus Christ there is no other god Herein I think not nor will not speake euil of the blessed Saints which are in heauen with the Lord but wyl honour and reuerence them as lawful faythfull seruants of the Lord as the Temple of the holy Ghost and true members of Christ and wyll haue them as myrrours and examples before my eyes for to folowe them aswel in their good lyfe conuersation as in their fayth and holy doctrine Furthermore of them or by them I look for none other thing knowing that all my goodnes ayde and helpe procéedeth from one onely God by the meanes of one onely Iesus Christ who hath made the Saintes worthie of his glory by his free grace by which also as I beleeue he wyl make me worthie with them for to be their companion in glory because that al together doe giue honor prayse and glory vnto him alone for euer and euer The .xxxvi. Article I Beléeue that the same Iesus Christ is set downe at the ryght hande of God the father almightie That is to say that he raigneth in one selfe maiestie and equall power with God his father by whom he so gouerneth his vntill the consummation of the world that no power of the aduersary can hurt them without his permission and wil Also the father hath made and constituted him Lord and Ruler ouer all creatures celestiall and terrestriall geuing him all power ouer heauen and earth when he eleuated him aboue all principallitie and power vertue and seignory and aboue euery name which is named not onelye in this worlde but also in that to come And hath assubiected all thinges vnder his feete Constituting him aboue all thinges to be the head of the Church the which is his body And therefore I receiue not nor acknowledge anye other to be the head of the church but one only Christ who hath geuen his bloud for to wash her from her filthinesse and to heale her of her woundes who keepeth nurrisheth defendeth and gouerneth her by his spirite He is the only head and foundation of the Church vpon whome euery one ought to builde according to his vocation The .xxxvii. Article I Beléeue that Iesus Christe is ascended into heauen and that hee is there corporallye that is to say in flesh bone body and soule So that he is not nor cannot be by such meanes and fashion here below on the earth with vs for asmuch as his body although that it be glorious cannot be in
good Patron and foundation which is Iesus Christe the righteous Therfore I call it myllitant looking for the triumphant of the blessed where there shal be but peace iâ—ie and eternall saluation The .liii. Article I Beléeue that the Lorde hath geuen vnto vs three signes or principall markes by which we may knowe that Church that is to say the word the Sacramentes and the disciplyne I call the word onely that which was reuealed by the holy Ghost vnto the holye Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of Iesus Christe the which is contained in the cononicall bookes of the olde and new testament by which we are mundified and receiue the very same and altogether asmuch as by the Sacraments That is to say that Iesus Christe geueth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs by the word of faith aswell without saying better as by the Sacraments although it be after another manner and fashion The .liiii. Article I Beléeue that word of God to be of more greater authoritie then the Church the which alone sufficiently declareth and teacheth vnto vs all thinges concerning our saluation what we must doo or not doo That is the true patron and perfect rule after which al the faithful ought to gouern and direct their life without declining either to the right hand or left without chainging anye thing or diminishing knowing that all the workes of God are perfect and chiefly his word The lv Article I Beléeue that as one onely Iesus Christ amongst al men is holy and true and all other are sinners and lyers that also amongst al doctrines his onelye doctrine is holye and true and all other are vncleane and full of lyinges That doctrine is the fountaine of life the lampe and pyller of fyre for to guide vs The bread of the soule and the vertue of GOD to the saluation of all beléeuers Therefore the same onely for all occasion ought to be aduaunced preached heard vnderstanded and receiued thorow out the whole worlde to the consolation and health of the beléeuers and to the greatest condempnation of the vnbeleeuers wicked and reprobate For as the Manna in the wildernesse gaue vnto some wormes and to other some good meate and Christe was set and geuen as a stone of offence to the ruine of the wicked and resurrection of the good So the word of the Gospell is vnto some a sauor of death in death and vnto other a sauor of lyfe in lyfe the which onely I receiue and take for my guide after which I will liue and dye The .lvi. Article I Beléeue that the reading of that word or Gospell ought not nor can not be forbidden or prohibited anye man whatsoeuer of what estate or coÌ„dition soeuer he be But ought to be commoÌ„ vnto all the world aswell men as womeÌ„ yea also in a vulgar coÌ„mon languag vnderstaÌ„d of al for asmuch as to al generally it is directed the promises of the Lord contained in the same appertaineth vnto all whereby Antechrist with all his do exercise great and cruell tiranny vpon all the faithfull children of God aswell for that he taketh from them and forbiddeth them the reading thereof setting before them his dreames cannons and damnable traditions in stéede of the same But also for that he forbiddeth and commaundeth in any indifferent things vpon paine of deadly sin and eternall condempnation which is a true note and marke of Antechrist The .lvii. Article I Beléeue that holy euangelical doctrine to haue byn confirmed in his time by diuine miracles aswell by Iesus Christ the prophets Apostls as by other faythfull and good ministers of the same So that it is not neede now to haue or demauÌ„d other but to content our selues with that which hath byn made and to beléeue simply in the onely worde without séeking any further Watching and alwayes taking héede that we be not deceiued by the false myracles of Antechriste of which the worlde is at this daye full whiche are doon and wrought by the opperation of sathan for to conforme all idolatries errors abuses and iniquities in blinding the poore ignoraunt people The Lorde doth permit the same iustlye because they well not receiue the spirite of trueth for to be saued He permitteth that they should receiue the spirite of lyinges with the effecacie of abusion for to be condempned for that they haue allowed lying and iniquitie And haue reiected righteousnesse and trueth Then the true myracles are done by the onely vertue of God for the confirmation of his doctrine and are geuen vnto the Infidelles and not vnto the beleeuers but the prophesie that is to saye the worde is geuen vnto the faythfull and beléeuers The .lviii. Article I Do also beléeue the holy Sacraments which are the second mark of the true Church to be the signes of the Alliance made betwéene God and vs by Iesus Christ seales of the Lordes promise and externe and visible Symboles of the inwarde faith the which are onely two in number to weete Baptisme and the holye Supper of the Lorde These are not voyde and emptye signes but full That is to saye not onely significatiue signes but also exhibitiue of the thinge they signify indeede as wee wyll declare hereafter GOD wylling Touching the other fyue whiche are receaued and exercised with great abuse and superstition in the papisticall Church to wéete Confyrmation Confession Maryage laying on of handes otherwise called order and vnction I saye all those to haue beene ecclesiasticall ceremonies whiche the holy Fathers haue vsed in their tyme holyly without anye superstition whiche also we may at this daye vse after theyr example so that it be doon without error abuse and superstition Alwayes saued the christian and euangellicall lybertye the whiche delyuereth our consciences from all externall Ceremonies instituted by menne wythout the woorde of God. The .lix. Article I Beléeue that the Baptisme is the signe of the new alliance betwéene god and vs made by Iesus Christ and the marke of the Christians in the Gospell as of late the Circumcision was the mark of the Iewes vnder the law That it is also an exterior washing doon by water signifiing an interior washing in the spirit don by the blood of Christe the which ought to be geuen and bestowed aswell to the litle Children as to the olde ones according to the ordinance of Iesus Christe and that once only without reiterating it That is the red Sea within which Pharao that is to saye the Diuell with his prouokementes of sinne is altogether drowned and the Israelites passed thorow the middes safe And afterwardes walked thorow the wildernesse of this worlde with great anguish werynesse and troubles vsed daylye the celestiall Manna which is the holye worde of the Lorde vntyll they entred by death into the Lande of the celestiall promise The lx Article I Beléeue also that the Baptisme is
his worde For as God is a spyrite so woulde he be serued in spyrite and trueth The .lxxxv. Article I Beléeue that all the seruyng of GOD which is done without hys worde and commaundement to be Idolatrie and wickednesse I call Idolatry after the fashion of the Prophetes not onely that which is done to the honor of an Idoll or of strange Gods. But also that which is done for the honor of the liuing God without his worde and commaundement Therefore Idolaters are not onelie those which do worshyp and serue Idols and straunge Gods as the Ethnickes Panymes and such lyke But also all those which worshyppe and serue the true God of heauen after their fantasie or traditions of men without fayth without the worde and otherwise then God commaūded And on the other syde I call those faithfull which do acknowledge and serue one onely God of heauen after his worde and commaundement of whome all the works aswell externall and internall corporall as spyrituall are the true seruing of the Lorde for that they are done in the fayth of the sonne of God and according to the vocation of the Lord according to which euery faithfull person ought to walk The .lxxxvi. Article I Beléeue and confesse that it is not lawfull for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirite nor body to the sacrifices of Idolaters nor also to enter into their Temples whylest they are doing their Idolatries Sacrifices except it be for to rebuke thē in shewing them their abuse and to teach them the trueth as the holy Prophets and Apostles haue done and not for to dyssemble as Hypocrites For if the body be a creature of God as it is as the soule is the Temple of the holy Ghost and member of the misticall body of Christe If it must one day ryse againe and possesse the eternall lyfe with the soule it must also necessarily be that it be altogether geuen vnto the seruing of God in this world with the soule and spyrite Otherwise they cannot be ioygned together after the generall resurrection but being seperated the one should be in heauen with God whome be loued and the other in hell with the diuell whome hee serued the which is an impossyble thing Therefore I saye that all those dissymulations to bee a verie renouncing of Christe and of his Gospel In lyke manner I beleeue confesse that all those fayninges and false shewes by which the veritie of the Gospell is hidden and the word of God despised or by which the ignoraunt and Infidel is confirmed in his error or by which the weake is offended are not of God but of Satan altogether contrary vnto the truth of the word Therfore we must not halt on both sides but go vprightly before that great God which séeth beholdeth knoweth all things yea before they are begun The .lxxxvii. Article I Do also beléeue that the beginning of all Idolatryes was the excogitation and fyrst inuention of Images the which also were made to the abhomination and offence of the Soules of men and are as snares and nettes to the féete of the ignoraunt for to make them stumble Therefore they ought not to be honoured serued adored nor suffred in the Temples or Churches nor in the places where the Christiās doo assemble them selues together for to heare and vnderstand the word but altogether to be taken away destroied as the seconde commaundement of God doth well declare and that by the publyke authoritie of the Magistrate and not by the priuate authoritie of one perticular man. For the woodde of the gybbit by which one doth Iustice is blessed of God But the Image made with mans hande is curssed of God and he that maketh it with it Therefore we ought to kéepe our selues from Images aboue all thinges BEholde what I beleeue of the catholike Church and of the thinges concerning the same and that is for the fourth point of my faith Nowe remaineth to speake of the fruites proceeding from it and what I receyue by that faith which are three in number VVherof the first is The forgeuenesse of sinnes The .lxxxviii. Article I Beléeue that all those which are come and which shall come of the race or lyne of Adam generallye are conceiued and borne in iniquity corruption except one onely Iesus Christe and that they are all sinners transgressors of the lawe and wyll of God And according to their nature corrupted the chyldren of wrath worthy of Gods iudgemēt of condempnation eternall death hauing all néede of the grace mercy of God and of the blood of Christe to be shead For God hath enclosed all men vnder sinne that hée shoulde shewe mercie vnto all thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde The .lxxxix. Article I Beléeue that the knowledge of sin procéedeth from the law but the forgeuenes pardon of the same commeth from the Gospell and is geuen vnto vs thorow the only grace mercie of God in the blood of Iesus Christ kéeping the faith that we haue in him by which wee are reputed righteous before God and not thorowe our good works or merites nor by the merites of the purest creature celestiall or terrestiall For I do not know nor receyue any other merites thē those of my good Lord master and onely sauiour Iesus Christe who hath merited satisfied aboundantly for vs and hath payd the debt for all his in cancelating the hand wryting and obligation which was against vs and taking it away frō the midst of vs hath fixed it in the Crosse The lxxxx Article I Beléeue that that iustifying fayth is a pure singuler gyft of God the which is commonly geuen by the hearing of the word vpon which onely it is builded and not vpon the doctrines and traditions of men I call the iustifying faith a certayne assuraunce and sure peswasion of the good wyll loue grace goodnes and mercy of God towardes vs by which we are assured and verely perswaded in our harts of the mercy fauour and beneuolence of God the Father that he is for vs towards vs against vs and wil be vnto vs a mercifull father to pardon our sinnes to geue grace to adopt vs for his children and to constitute vs to be his heyres in the eternall life and that altogether fréely in his sonne and thorow his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and not thorow our merites or good workes That faith can doo all thinges and nothing is impossible to it the which is neuer perfect nor great inough in vs therefore we ought alwayes to pray with the Apostles saying Lord encrease our faith helpe our vnbeléefe For that onely doth comfort vs maketh vs holy righteous and agreeable before the Lorde doth make and declare vs to bee the chyldren of God and heyres of eternall life The which also is the mother
the begynning and roote of all good workes as infydelitie is the fountayne and roote of all euylles The lxxxxi Article I Beléeue moreouer that the good workes are not superfluous vaine nor vnprofitable but necessarie to saluation I call good works not those which are done after the fantasie or commaundement of men but those only which God hath cōmaunded to be be done by his worde the which ought to be done not for to merite any thing towardes the Lorde or for to auoyde eternall condempnation But onelye because that God hath commaunded them And for to testifie the loue which we haue vnto the Lord and the obedience vnto his worde and commaundement And to the ende that in vs and by vs hee be glorifyed and our neighbours aswell faithfull as vnfaithfull maye be edifyed Lykewise to shewe and manifest the faith which we haue in God and in his worde as the good tree declareth him selfe and is known by his fruite and for to render certain and sure our vocation election and Predestination These are the endes of good workes commaunded of God and who so euer dooth them to any other ende hee abuseth sinneth dooth wrong and dishonor vnto the blood of Christe and dishonoreth God and his worde For by his doings he declareth Christe to haue dyed in vaine The lxxxxii Article I Beléeue the there is no man in this worlde nor in the other neyther in heauen nor in the earth which can forgeue and pardō my sinnes but one onely God who also hath geuen the power and authoritie vnto the Mynisters of his worde to declare vnto the faythfull that beleeue and which are contrite and penitent the remission of their sinnes to be done by grace freely in the blood of Christe shead for them And to declare them to bee absolued from their sinnes and that altogether by the Minister of the worde in the catholyke Church in which that forgeuenes is made and done and not otherwyse But of our parte is requyred entyre and true repentaunce The which hath two partes The first is contrition that is to saye knowledge with displeasure and detestation to sinne the which is administred by the lawe and causeth in vs a despayre if it be not ayded of the other parte which is the lyuelie faith in the mercie of the father by the blood of Iesus Christ the which proceedeth from the Gospell that doth comfort vs and maketh vs to persyst and finde grace and fauour before the iudgement of God. The lxxxxiii Article I Beléeue that the sinne abydeth alwayes in man yea vnto those that are sanctified after the regeneration made by the baptisme and the holie spyrite the which neuerthelesse is not imputed vnto them thorow the fayth that they haue in Iesus Christe For as all the sinnes of the Infidels and reprobate are mortall and irremissyble because of their infidelitie so all the sinnes of the faithfull and elect are veniable and remissible because of their fayth And therfore I beléeue one onelie sinne to be mortall irremissyble that is to saye Infidelitie That is to say not to beleeue in the sonne of God for where true faith in Iesus Christe is founde all sinnes are hydden couered and pardoned ¶ I beleeue the resurrection of the fleshe which is the seconde fruit of my fayth The lxxxxiiii Article I Beléeue a resurrection to come and generall vnto all the worlde aswell to the good as euyll The which shall be done at the ende and consummation of the worlde by the vertue of Christe and by the ministring of the Angels the which with a lowde Trumpet shall call all the worlde before the Lorde and shall assemble all the elect from the fowre windes from the highest heauens vnto the lowest part of the earth and shall seperate the wicked from the middest of the righteous and shall cast them in the fornace of fyre where shall be wéeping gnashing of téethe Then the righteous shall shyne as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father And shal be lyke and companions with the Angelles of god That is the seconde resurrection and blessed is he that shall haue parte and portion in the same for he shal neuer be touched with the second death The lxxxxv Article I Beléeue that that resurrection shall be done in fleshe and not in spyrite That is to saye that the soule or spyrite of man shall not ryse againe for so muche as it is immortall and neuer dyeth But the bodye the which before aswell according to his nature as thorow sin was subiect vnto death corrpution rotten brought into dust and ashes shall be raysed vp and vnited with his soule and proper spirite and set in a perfecter estate then that of the first man before sinne exempted from all corruption of sinne and consequentlie from all other imperfections like vnto the gloryous bodye of Christe The lxxxxvi Article I Do also beléeue that I shall ryse againe not in the fleshe or body of another mans but in my very owne body which I brought from my mothers wombe with those same bones with the very body which I haue nowe The same notwithstanding transformed and chaunged made of mortall immortall of corruptible incorruptible of vyle and contemptible glorious And therefore I looke for my sauiour Iesus Christe who thorow his vertue shall transfigure my vile body that it maye be lyke vnto his glorious body according to the power by which hee can make all thinges subiect vnto himselfe ¶ I beleeue the lyfe euerlastyng VVhich is the thirde and laste fruite of my fayth The lxxxxvii Article I Beléeue that I shall ryse againe as I haue sayde with all the faithfull and electe not for to dye againe as those which were myraculouslye raysed aswell by Christe as by the Prophets and Apostles and such other but into an immortal eternall and perdurable lyfe for to raigne eternallye with God in body and soule And hereof I am very certayne and doubte nothing at all of it knowing that whosoeuer doubteth of his saluation made by Iesus Christe he shall neuer bee saued Wherefore euen as I am sure and certaine that Christe is dead and rose againe for mée and doubt nothing at all therof but am sure and certaine of my saluation made by him And that infallibly I shal be saued and shal go into eternall lyfe by him The lxxxxviii Article I Beléeue that then I shall sée face to face him whome I do nowe sée but by the glasse of fayth shall know him perfectly whome I knowe nowe but partlye who after that he hath destroyed and confounded all his aduersaries putting them as his footestoole wyll make all thinges newe for the glorie of his chosen And shall be God all in all and in all things Then euery one shall not teache his brother