in Saynte Paule .i. Cor. i. Gal. i. ij Ephe. i. Col. i. Roma ij Ebre ix and to Titus ij Iohn iij In so muche that he that beleueth in Christe shal not perysshe but haue euerlastynge lyfe For thus sayth S. Paule Ro. viij There is then no damnation to them whiche are in Christe Iesu whiche walke not after the flesshe but after the spirite Therfore is there no meryer thynge vppon earthe than a ryght Christen man for he dothe not muche esteme the temporall lyfe he is sure of a better lyfe He is a Lorde ouer synne death and helle Vvhy so Answer Rom. vi Christe dyed once and dyeth no more Death shal haue no more power ouer hym Iohn Nowe bei he hath ouercome it and taken awaye synne Now he that beleueth in Christe hath Christ before hys eyes becometh one spirite wyth hym ouercometh in him and by hym synne death helle Deuyll and the worlde Ro. viij For thus sayth Saynte Paule Yf God be on oure syde who can be agaynste vs. Vvhiche also spared not hys owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all Howe shall he not with him geue vs all thynges Psalm xxx viij Vve are well delyuered into death but we ouercome all those thynges through Christe whiche hath loued vs. Vvhat hath Christe Answer He hath the righteousnes peace lyfe and saluation Euē that same hath the christen soule also which is knytte in vnite vnto Christe her lorde and head thoroughe a ryght faith Ro. viij Hose xiij She defyeth death sayth neyther death nor any creature is able to separate her from the loue of god whiche is in Christ Iesu She speaketh ioyfully i. Co. xv Death is consumed in the victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory But thankes be vnto god which hath geuē vs victory thorough our Lord Iesu Christ Deathe is not fearfull to a christen mā The tēporall deathe is vnto such a christen man no more so fearful Yea he doth desyre it for it is to hym onely a delyueraunce frō thys sinful wretched blasphemous lyfe an intraunce into the ryght lyfe vnto Christe our onely saluation A Christian knoweth that the euer lastynge death can do nothing to him yea as littel as to Christe hym selfe and the temporall death is onely a departing of the soule from the body to thiutent that they bothe beynge puryfyed pure and cleare in all perfection in the Later daye maye be agayne coupled to gether glorifyed and clarifyed And knoweth that the soule stondeth in the hande of Christ and is well preserued in the bosome of Abraham Luc. viij Therfore doth the scripture calle the Christen death a slepe because that then a Christian doth firste amende hys estate and cometh from disquietenesse to reste The ryghte Christians also should not behaue thē selues euyl or sorrowe ouer muche whan any thynge dyeth from them Paule sayth i. the. iiij Vve woulde not bretheren haue you ignorant concernynge them whiche are fallen a slepe that ye sorrowe not as the other whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose agayne euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God brynge agayne with hym The Resurrection esa xxix Ezeche xxxvij and viij In the latter daye shall the bodyes of menne by the infinite power and myght of god be raysed agayne and be coupled agayne with the soules But in the blessed shall they wonderfully be chaunged and endued with foure gyftes honour and glorye with impassiblenes with brightenes with swyftenes and with subtilenes For thus sayth Saynt Paule i. Co. xv The flesshe is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour ryseth in honour It is sowē in weakenes ryseth in power It is sowen a naturall body ryseth a spiritual body For a lyttell before sayth he For as in Adam all dye euen so by Christe shall all be made a lyue and euery mā in hys owne ordre The fyrste is Christe then they that are Christes at his commynge Then commeth the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule authorite and power Christ is rysen from death therfor shall we ryse also Thys artycle of oure fayth is al the hole somme and contayned all the hole matter Yf Christe were not rysen then had synne and death ben to stronge for him But for as moche as he is rysen from death so is synne and death ouercome and we shall ryse also in glorye purchaced prepared for vs by Christe Ro. viij But then when the spirite of God that raysed vp Iesus from death quickeneth your mortall bodyes because of his spirite whiche dwelleth in you Ioh. xi Christe sayth I am the resurrectiō and the lyfe He that beleueth on me yea though he were deade yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye Item this is the wyl of hym that sent me Ioh. vi that euery man which seyth the sonne and beleueth on hym haue euerlastinge lyfe And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye hiob xix Item I am sure that me redemer lyueth and that I shall ryse oute of the earthe in the later daye that I shall be clothed agayne with thys skynne and see God in my flesshe yea I my selfe shal beholde hym not with other but with these same eyes Itē the houre shall come in the whiche al that are in the graues shall heare hys voyce and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of damnation One Christian shoulde conforte another with suche wordes of Scripture agaynst the feare of death as Saynte Paule teacheth in the Epistle to the Thessalonians i. Th. iiij The Latter daye Of the last daye hath the Scripture two poyntes The fyrst Christe hath geuen sure sygnes which be the messagers of the last iudgement Reade the Gospelles of Mathewe Marke Matth. xxiiij mar xiij Luc. xxi and Luke All maner of persecutions of the faythfull shall aryse Item warre insurrection offence euyl maners quenchynge of charite Item the abhomination in the holy place in the tempel of God Dan. ix whiche exalteht hym selfe and sheweth hym selfe as God Item an abhominable departynge ij Th. ij and fallyng from the faythe vnto mānes institutions and traditions For thus sayth Christe when the trees shute forth theyr buddes it is a sure signe that Sōmer is then nygh at hāde So lykewyse ye when ye see those thynges come to passe vnderstonde that the later daye is at hande The other Euen thesame poynte of thys laste tyme the daye or houre can no man knowe Christe geueth signes Matth. xxiiij but he sayth in Mathewe Of that daye and houre knoweth noman no not the Angels of heauen but my father onely and recyteth euen in the same place
Howe that in the dayes of Noe the floudde came vnwarres and ouer hasted the worlde So shal the cōmynge of the sonne of man be when men wyl least loke for hym i. thes v. ij thes ij Euen thus sayth Paule also The daye of the Lorde cometh as a thefe in the nyghte Matth. xxiiij and xxv i. the .iiij The fourme fasshyon processe and iudgement of the Latter daye Reade in Mathewe and in the Epistle vnto the Thessaloniens I wyll not brynge the oute and from the scripture with my laboure but in and to the Scripture Euery water is better in hys fyrst sprynge than it is in the fellowynge crekes or ryuers The Masse The masse is a testamente of Christ wherein is promysed pardon and remissyon of synnes vnto all faythfull Christians and soundeth thus As they dyd eate the Lorde Iesus loke the breade and gaue thankes brake it gaue it to hys disciples and sayd Take eate thys is my body And he toke the cuppe thanked and gaue it them and saide drynk of it euery one Thys is the cuppe the newe Testament in my bloude that shall be shed for you and for many for the remissiō of synnes Matth. xxvi mar xiiij Luc. xxij i. Cor. xi Thys do in the remembraūce of me Reade Mathewe Marke Luke and the Epistle of Paule to the Chorinthians Euen there is the masse instituted of Christ Therfore what so euer is more there by they additiōs of menne These forsayd wordes must euery mā knowe perfectely remembre thē in a right stedfaste faith It is not lauful that they shoulde be hidden and spokē secretely yf thou wilt heare masse a right remembre that here is a meate and drynke therfore muste thou eate and drynke or elles thy masse hearynge is of no valoure To heare masse a ryght Howe shall I do then Take the wordes of the masse before the and remembre them in a ryght fayth that thou doubte not but as Christe hath promysed thy euen so shall it come to passe vnto the and in the fayth of the same wordes receyue the blessed Sacrament as a sure holy token vnder the whiche suche promyse is made vnto the whereby thyne herte is broughte to the wordes to beleue them This is spiritually and corporally to go to goddes borde Goyng to Goddes borde Whan the Sacramente is not ministred vnto the but thou hearest masse onelye then take the wordes of the Testament into thy herte and remembre there what thy God and Lorde Iesus Christe hath done for the howe he by hys death hath redemed the and deserued for the eternall lyfe And besydes thys hast thou the very right lyuynge token and seall hys body hys bloude Beleue the wordes and the token so obtaynest thou the promysed inheritaunce and goest to Goddes borde spiritually thou doest strengthen thy selfe oute of the wordes of Christe thou doest conforte the preserue and amende the. For he that doth accepte the wordes and token in fayth is nourysshed and strengthened agaynst all temptations and necessities and moued and prouoked to geue thankes vnto the plenteous mercyfull father which hath geuen and made suche a ryche costely Testamente to vs poore damnable synners Here maye be no doubte at all in the promyse For it is therfore called a Testamente that is a thynge which can not be called agayne a sure promyse whiche is sealled and confirmed with the precious death of the Sonne of God Ebre xi Here is no bloude shed of vnreasonable cattell whiche can not take awaye synne but the precyous innocent bloude of Iesu Christ Ebre ix which pourgeth our consciences from deade workes whiche for that cause is a mediatour of the newe testamēt Rom. iij as Paule doth name hym the masse is no sacrifyce The masse is properly no oblation but is a remembraunce of the hyghe worthy oblation or Sacrifice whiche Iesus Christe the sonne of God in heauen Hebr. ix offred hym selfe for oure synnes vpon the crosse ones This rememberaunce shall be very newe vnto all hertes whereby man is taught what he hath ben and what God hath done for hym There of groweth then confidence in suche a kynde Lorde and redemer Also loue is raysed towardes God and towardes oure neyghbour and a renewynge of the olde man We haue nowe many masses but the death of the Lorde is seldome shewed the plentyfull grace of the death of Christe shoulde alwayes be shewed thereby And we shoulde admonysshe exhorte one another to the loue of God and of our neyghbours For thys Sacrament signifyeth vnite in loue as the names therof clearly do declare A testament Briefely whatsoeuer a Testamēte hath in it selfe in especyall that same hath also the masse The Testatour is Christe The testamente are the wordes as is a fore sayde whereby Christe dyd institute the blessed Sacramēt of the aulter therein is contayned with fewe wordes what Christe hath bequethed and geuen vs. The sealle i. Tim. ij bonde and assuraunce is the body bloude of Christe a pledge token and sealle of the Godly promyse and redemption for vs. The heyres are all faythfull Christians The inheritaunce is pardon and remissyon of synnes Where as remission of synnes is there followe all goodes promysed and geuen in the Testament For whan the synnes be remitted and forgeuen then haue we a mercyfull God throughe Christe Christ is then oures Ro. viij and with hym all thynges Thys is nowe the inheritaunce The Sacrifyces of the olde Testamente were vnperfecte Ebre x for they dyd not take and wasshe awaye synne thei were a figure of the ryght perfecte sacrifyce the oblacion of Christe whiche taketh away our synnes and maketh vnto vs a mercyfull God That was Christe which dyed vpon the crosse a ryght onely sacrifyce of the newe Testamente for oure synnes oure onely sanctification iustifycacyon and satisfaction Nowe whē we haue masse or go to Goddes borde than may we not saye properlye that Christ is offred agayn for he dyeth now no more Ebre vi ix Rom. vi The Apostle sayth He hath done it once And after that fayth he agayne Once dyd he entre into the holy place He offreth not him selfe often he was offred but ones But proprely is it a remembraunce of the ryght perfecte oblacyon which once vpon the crosse is accomplysshed And here is the passyon of Christ earnestly remembred through the which fayth is strengthened and augmēted loue towardes God and man kyndeled and hope stablysshed and confirmed Therfore sayde Christe Thys do in the remembraunce of me that is when ye eate my body and drynke my bloude then remember my death that I dyed for you and redemed you and became an oblation for your synnes Righteousnes A ryght fayth in the mercy grace of God in Iesu Christe is onelye oure ryghteousnes Ro. iiij To hym that beleueth is hys fayth counted for ryghteousnes Abraham beleued God Gen. xv and it
comforter wyll not come vnto you And suche lyke sayenges more declare euidently the thyrd person in the godheade the holy gost Itē receyue the holy goost Act. x. In the Actes of the Apostles is it written Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holy goost fell on al them whiche hearde the preachynge Act. viij Item they prayed for them that they myght receyue the holy goost Rom. v. viij xv Paule to the Romayns The loue is shed abrode in oure hartes by the holy goost whiche is geuen vnto vs. Item to the Corinthians ij cor xiij The grace of oure Lorde Iesu Christ the loue of God and the felloweshyppe of the holy goost be with you all There be more other of suche lyke places in S. Paules Epistles The great maiesty and the abysme of the vnsercheable greatnes of God ought in hys essence and persons we to worshyppe with al humilitye and not presume to groūd or searche it for mannes witte cā not cōprehende it neither shal it also attayne to the knoweledge therof God hath ordeyned al thynges to thintēt that we should be ryghteous saued Offyce of the tree persons Christ hath by hys holsome death deserued that we shoulde be saued The holy goost fulfilleth nowe the desertes of Christe that we maye be ryghteous And this is euen hys offyce that he do truely bestowe Christe and all that he hath and geue it the in thy herte as thyne owne treasure Summa Shal I come to the father by Christe and be partener of his lyfe passyon of al such goodes as he hath done for my sake truely so muste the holy gost work in my before The father and the sonne must moue me by the worke of the holy gooste drawe me vp or elles am I spiritually dead The holy goost is that great thynge whereby god the father by hys sonne Christe and in Christe worketh and quickeneth all thynges The nynth Article I beleue one holy catholike church The comon Catholyke churche The cōmunion of saynctes These two partes be one thyng for cōmuniō holy catholike churche is nothynge elles then the spiritual cōgregatiō of sainctes of ryghteous faythful mē wheresoeuer they be in earthe It is also proprely no congregation that is bounde euen in one parte or place but a congregation in one faith hope and loue of the spirite The holy goost hath gathered thys churche through the worde of God he kepeth and gouerneth it The churche is dayly in the worde of God hygh blessed sacramentes augmented and nourysshed as in her foode Ephe. v The churche is a bryde of the Lord Christe as Paule sayeth Christe gaue hym selfe for it to sanctifye it and clēsed it in the fountaine of water throughe the worde to make it vnto hymselfe a glorious congregation withoute spot or wrynckle or any suche thyng But that it shoulde be holy withoute blame The vnitye betwene the man and the woman in the state of wedlocke signifyeth suche a spirituall wedlocke betwene the Catholike churche and Christe her brydegrome as in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. v. Gene. i. very properly is descrybed and annoted Euen as man and wyfe be one body hauynge all thynges comon so here also what soeuer Christ is and hath that is and belongeth to the congregation hys spouse Thys is a great ioyfull and blessed thynge We haue synne death hell and all shame Christe hath righteousnes lyfe saluacion and all glory This shal now be oures yf we throughe the wedding ringe of fayth be maryed vnto Christ and become one body with hym Thus saythe the Prophete Osee Osee ij I wyll mary the vnto myne owne selfe for euermore Yea euen vnto my selfe wyl I mary the in ryghteousnes in equitie in louinge kyndnes and mercy In fayth also wyll I mary the vnto my selfe And then shalt thou knowe that I am the Lorde For Christ is not onely by his becomynge man proprely and perfectely become the brydegrome of the churche But also by the consentynge of hys churche in his worde and couenaunt through fayth He that hath maryed a bryde Ihon. iij Psalm xix he is a brydegrome The consentyng maketh mariage Before the consentyng is he not called a brydegrome Therfore is hys progresse as concernynge brydegromeshyppe whereof Dauid speaketh his manifestacion in the fayth of the churche That is whan there was beleued in hym of the churche then dyd it appeare that he is a brydegrome He hath put on the humanite and so vnyed hym selfe with the churche in one flesshe Eph. v. whiche the Apostell calleth a great mystery wherein the ryche and poore the ryghteous the synner the saued and the dampned the sonne of grace and the sonne of wrathe and heuynesse are agreed for here be al hys goodes geuen vnto vs as our owne and all our pouerty and penury taken awaye i. Cor. iij i. Pet. ij In the churche dwelleth Christe he speaketh in her he is the onely foundation and grounde thereof In the Churche is one Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all thynges whiche is ouer all thynges through all thynges in all thynges Wheresoeuer the Gospel is preached there is a peere of thys churche The christen congregation she is in her selfe inuisyble not bounde to one place For it is a congregation in the spirite And the worde worketh inuisybly in her And she dothe neuer heare it without frute Esai lv as Esay sayeth My worde that cometh oute of my mouthe shall not tourne agayn voyde vnto me Lyke as in the tyme of Noe Ge. vij no mā escaped with hys lyfe but was drouned in the floude excepte he entred in to the Arke or into the Cheste of Noe. Euen so whosoeuer is not founde in thys felloweshyppe or Catholike Churche agreynge with her in one faythe worde Sacramente hope and loue he shal be loste Martion Valentinus Hebiō Cherinthus Manicheus Heluidius and suche lyke heretykes haue also had a Churche That is a heape a propresecte or felloweshyppe But it was not the Catholyke Churche wherein Christe is a bridegromes for they had not the right fayth And whereas such felloweshyppe is yet which separate themselues frō the Christen communyon and congregatiō and haue no pure syncere faith as the scripture teacheth vs and wyll not suffer thēselues to be refourmed they be heretykes and sectysshe persons and shall all be loste oneles they reconcyle them selues agayn with the churche of Christe Note we saye not I beleue in the holy Catholike churche but I beleue one holy Catholike churche pardon or remissyon of synnes and so furthe for that worde in is vsed to the trinite on or in God the father God the sonne and God the holy goost Cōmunyon of saynctes What is the communyon of sainctes Answer That the Christians and saynctes after suche a sorte be bounde and knytte together in one fraternite through the bande of
synfull chylde of Adam and vessell of damnatiō a vessell of glory Rom. ix Praynge hym that he wil graunte vnto me suche a faith suche loue and hope as the deare sainctes haue had to thintent that I may be shortely ioyned with them as with my brethren in Christe and fellowe membres The sainctes loue vs Also I dowte not at all that forasmoche as here vppon earthe they were yet tymorous and frayll and yet loued their neyghbour truely so do they loue vs hartely and reioyce highly when oure saluation approcheth and the kyngdome of God cometh vnto vs that the will of God is done in vs that oure blasphemous lyfe doth crasse and we be conuerted that the spirituall body with all the membres soone may be fullfilled and to the laude and honour of God may be songe Hos xiij i. Co. xv this mery songe death is swallowed vp in the victory death where is thy stynge hell where is thy victory Where as then the laste enemy the death shal be destroyed and all faithfull Christians coupled vnyed with Christ as the bryde with her bridegrome i. co xiij Luc. xv then shall there be Ioye withoute ende For the loue decreasseth not in heauē but she is there fyrst made perfecte For the angells of God in heauen Luc. xv reioyce ouer one synner that doth repente more then ouer nynty nyne iuste persons which nede no repētaūce But howe the saynctes praye for vs yf they knowe and see oure prayers Roma i i. The. v Coll. iiij i. Thes i Ac. xiij in the glasse of the eternall worde and after what maner it is done is not necessary for vs to knowe We ought here vpon earth to praye one for another as we are taughte in the Pater noster And Paul desyreth euery where the supplication for the congregation He prayeth also earnestely for it here and there in hys Epistles There is but one name wherein we maye be saued namely Iesus Christ Christ sayde Ioh. xvi xiiij whatsoeuer ye shall are the father in my name he will geue it you Euē so doth also the churche conclude her collectes through our Lorde Iesus Christe That in the olde testament in prayers sometyme the names of Saynctes are brought in remembred as Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and suche other that is not done therfore that theyr names shoulde be sette vp or exalted as though thei were the helpers but God is onely admonysshed there by to remēbre the couenaūt which he made with the same saynctes of hys great mercy Euen so myghte I saye yet O mercyful euerlastynge God that hast geuen to the blessed saincte Saynct Peter suche a fayth I beseche the strengthen my fayth also And suche remembraunce is not properlye worshippyng or adoryng of the sainctes but it is to laude God onely in the saynctes and to admonyshe hym of hys trueth and mercyfulnes i. Iohn i In the name of Iesus shoulde all prayers be made for he is onely oure reconciliation before God For so is geuen to the saynctes that belongeth vnto thē and also vnto God that which is his Let the lyuinge saynctes be highly cōmitted vnto the for they haue nede of thy helpe S. Nycolas hath no nede of thy mony but the poore whiche is thy neyghbour Matth. xxv geue it vnto the poore for Goddes sake thys is as acceptable vnto Christe as though it were done to hymselfe Difference of meates God dyd commaunde the Iewes in the Olde Testamente to absteyne from eatyng of certayne beastes But in the newe testamente is no more for biddynge of meates but onelye the abuse of them is forbidden and not the ryghte vse of them for the necessary sustenaunce of man Euerye daye mayest thou Christenly eate al maner of meates for the sustentation of thy body fysshe egges what soeuer it be with thankes geuynge mat xv mar vij Colo. ij What soeuer entreth in to the mouthe defyleth not the man but onely that which cometh owte from the herte Thys is grounded in the Euangelistes Titus i Ro. xiiij and in saynt Paules Epistles For vnto the pure that is vnto the beleuyng are al thinges pure But for as moche as many are entangled with mennes traditions i. Cor. x and viij thinkynge that it is not alwayes laufull to eate flesshe So shalt thou auoyde the offence and for thy neyghboures sake somwhat forbeare thy Christian liberty in that whiche is not agaynste god and instructe teache hym what is commaunded of god or lycensed For yf thou wylt be a right Christian then must thou haue a respecte vnto the wordes of Christe and vse thy selfe thereafter But yf thou regard more the wordes of mē thē the wordes of god thē arte thou no Christiā but a papist God hath not layed his word before the for nought Thinkest thou Thou Ipocryte blynde myserable wretche that God was not able to shewe the ryghte waye to saluation wilt thou with thy good thynkynge inuente a better waye ioh xiiij and viij Christe is the way and the lighte He that followeth not hys doctryne and inuenteth another waye the same doth erre and feleth and gropeth in the darkenes Then wilt thou saye shall then the Popes lawes and the institutions of the Counsaylles be of no reputation Answer The pope and the counseylles maye erre and haue many tymes erred shamefully but yf thou wilt not erre then followe the scripture It is to vs a sure marke that the scripture of the Bybell cometh from the holye gooste yf the institutions of the Popes and counseils be conformable and agreynge with the Byble then are they conclusyons oute of the Bible to be kepte But yf they be contrary to the Bible then is it errour The holy goost is not wauerynge that whiche he hath ones spoken through the Euangelistes for the saluation of the soule the same is sure and he doth not agayne saye it or speake agaynst hym selfe Wilt thou proue be sure yf the spirite of the Pope or of the counseils be of God then beholde reade theyr writtynges cōparing thē with the Bible yf they be agreable to the Byble then is it the spirite of God yf not Pro xxx deu viij so is it the spirite of the deuyll For there oughte nothynge to be added vnto the worde of God mat iiij The worde of God is the sustenaūce of the soule and maketh a newe vprighte ioyfull conscience and sheweth vnto mā the nexte streyghtest waye to saluation But the worde of men is a poyson to the soule and maketh a troubled i. tim iiij ij Cor. x sorowfull fearfull and erronious conscience whiche is marked with an hote Iron Holy dayes Vnto a Christen man is nowe one daye as the other he must kepe holye daye euery daye vnto God in the newe Testament The Sabboth muste euery daye be kepte holy that we leaue the euyll workes of the olde man and