a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
beneath in which men do dwel which are the two most noble creatures of all others the which also all others do serue as they are also bound to serue God who hath made them of nothing and placed them in so high estate The declaration of the second Article S DEclare vnto me now the second article what signifyeth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord M The same God omnipotent of whom wee haue spoken in the first article hath one true and naturall Sonne who is called Iesus Christ that you may see in some sort howe God hath begotten this Sonne take the example of a looking-glasse whē one doth looke in a glasse presently he produceth an Image of himselfe so like as no difference can be found in so much as it is not onely like in shape but in moouing also for that if the man mooue the Image wil also mooue and this Image being so like is not made by any labour neither is it long in making nor with instruments but in a moment and with one looke onely In like manner you haue to thinke that God beholding him selfe with the eye of vnderstanding in the glasse of his Diuinitie doth produce an Image most like vnto him selfe And because God hath geuen vnto this Image al his owne substance his owne being which wee can not do in beholding our selues in a glasse therefore that Image is the true Sonne of God albeit our Images which wee see in glasses are not our sonnes Hereof you must gather that the Sonne of God is God as the Father and one the same God with the father seeing he hath the same substance that his Father hath furthermore you haue together that the Son of God is not yonger then his Father but was alwaies as his father alwaies was because he was begotten by Gods only beholding himselfe and God hath alwaies beholden him-selfe Lastly you haue togeather that the Sonne of God was not begotten with help of a woman nor in length of time nor in delight of concupiscence nor any other imperfection because as it hath bin said hee was begotten of the Father alone by the only beholding himselfe with the most pure eye of his diuine vnderstanding S What doth it meane that this Son of God is called Iesus Christ M This name of Iesus signifyeth a Sauiour Christ which is his surname signifyeth high Priest and king of all kings because as I haue told you in declaring the signe of the Crosse the Son of God became man to redeeme vs againe with his blood to bring vs to eternall saluation And so when hee became man he tooke this name Sauiour to shew that he was come to saue vs he was honoured by his Father with the title of Highest Priest and Supreame King for that Christ doeth signifye all this and hereof wee are called Christians S What is the reason that all men take off their caps or bowe downe when Iesus is named which is not done to other names of God M The reason is because this is the proper name of the Sonne of God and all other names are common and againe because this name doth represent vnto vs how God humbled himselfe for vs in making himself man Therefore we for gratitude bow our selues vnto him and not onely wee men but the Angels of heauen also and the diuels of hell doe bow to this name the one for loue and the other by force for that God will that all reasonable creatures do bowe vnto his sonne seeing that he hath abased himselfe for our loue to the death of the Crosse S Wherefore is it saide that Iesus Christ our Lord M Because he hath created vs together with his Father and so is our Master and Lord as his Father is And moreouer for that by his trauels and Passion hee hath brought vs againe from the captiuitie of the Diuel as we shall say by and by Of the third Article S IT Followeth that you declare vnto me the third Article what it meaneth who was conceiued by the Holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie M In this Article is declared the new and merueilous maner of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God You know that all other men are borne of father and mother that the mother remaineth not a Virgin after the conceiuing and bringing foorth of a childe But the Sonne of God intending to make him selfe Man would haue no Father in earth but a Mother onely to wit the perpetuall and most pure Virgin Marie in whose wombe the Holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie one and the selfe-same God with the Father and the Sonne by his infinite power formed of her moste pure blood the bodie of a most perfect childe at the same time created a most noble soule ioyning it to the same bodie all which the Sonne of God vnited to his owne Person And so Iesus Christ that before was onely God became man who as hee is God hath a Father without a Mother and as he is Man hath a Mother without a Father S I would haue some example or similitude to vnderstand how a Virgin can conceiue M The secrets of God must be beleeued although they be not vnderstood because God can do more thē we can easely vnderstand therefore it is said in the beginning of the Creed that God is omnipotent Yet there is a fit example in the creation of the world You know that ordinarily the ground doth not bring forth corne vnlesse it be plowed sowne watred with raine warmed with the sunne and yet in the beginning when corne was first brought forth the earth being neither tilled nor fowne watred nor warmed and so was a virgin in her kinde suddenly by the only commandement of God almighty by his powre it brought foorth corne euen so the vnspotted wombe of the B. Virgin MARIE without companie of man at the only commandement of God by the worke of the Holy Ghost brought foorth that precious corne of the liuing bodie of the Sonne of God S If Iesus bee conceiued by the Holie Ghost it seemeth that it may be said that the Holie Ghost is his Father as he is man M It is not so because to be a Father it is not sufficiēt to make a thing but it is necessarie that it be made of the substance of the maker and therefore we say that the Maison is not the father of the house because he maketh it of stones and not of his proper substance So the holie ghost hath made the bodie of the Sonne of God but he hath made it of the blood of the virgin not of his own proper substance and therefore the Son of God is not the Sonne of the Holie Ghost but the Sonne of God the Father as he is God because hee hath his Godhead of him and he is the Son of the B. virgin as he is man for that he hath mans flesh of her S Wherefore is it said
the Octaues of Easter But of these commandements I will say no more now partly because they are easie partly for that of the Masse of Confession and Communicating as also of Fasting we shall speake hereafter when we shal declare the holy Sacraments of the Church Cap. VIII The declaration of the Euangelicall Counsailes S I Desire to know if besides the commandements of our Lord there be any counsels also of his to liue more perfectly M There are many most holy counsels and most profitable to obserue the commandements with more perfection But there are three most principall voluntary pouertie chastitie and obedience S Wherein consisteth the counsell of pouertie M In not hauing any thing proper all his goodes being giuen to the poore or put into the common which likewise hath giuen all to the poore And this counsell Christe taught not onely in wordes but also by his example And after Christ the holy Apostles followed it as also all the first Christians who dwelled in Ierusalem in the time of the Primatiue Church and finally al religious persons make vow to obserue this holie counsaile of voluntarie pouertie S Wherein consisteth the counsaile of chastitie M In a resolution to be perpetually chast not only abstayning from all sortes of carnal sinnes but also from Mariage And this coūsaile also our Lord taught by word and example And our Ladie likewise obserued the same S. Iohn Baptist al the Apostles after they were called by Christ to the Apostleship And al religious persons make particular vow hereof as also al Ecclesiastical men that take holie Orders S Where in consisteth the counsaile of obedience M In renouncing our proper iudgment and proper wil which in the holie Gospel is called denying of a mans selfe and to subiect him selfe to the wil of his superior in al things that be not against God And this counsaile likewise the Sauiour of the world taught not only in word but also by his example obeying in all thinges his eternall Father and submitting himself when he was a child to his mother and to S. Ioseph his supposed Father the spouse of our B. Lady albeit indeede he was not his Father being borne of a mother who was alwaies a Virgin And this is the third counsaile to the vvhich all religious persons bind themselues by vowe S Wherefore are there three principall counsailes and no moe M Because these principall counsailes serue to take away the impediments of perfection that consisteth in charity for the impediments are three to witte the loue of goods which is taken away by pouerty the loue of carnall pleasures which is taken away by chastitie the loue of honour and power which is taken away by obedience Moreouer because a man hath but three sorts of goods to wit a soule a body and his exterior wealth therefore giuing the exterior goods to God by pouertie his bodie by chastitie and his soule by obedience he maketh a Sacrifice vnto God of all that he hath and so disposeth himselfe to perfection of charitie in the best maner that in this life is possible Chap. IX The declaration of the Sacraments of holie Church S I HAVE learned through the grace of our Lorde the three principal parts of Christiā doctrine it remaineth that you declare vnto me the fourth which if I well remember contayneth the seauen Sacraments of the Church M This part of doctrine is also very profitable therefore it is conueent that you learne it with great diligence You must then know that in the holie Church there is a great treasure to wit these holie Sacraments by meanes whereof we receiue the grace of God we keepe it we increase it and when by our defalt wee lose it wee may recouer it again I wil therfore declare vnto you what a sacrament is how many Sacraments there bee by whom they were instituted and some other fewe things and after we will come to the declaration of euerie one of them in particular S. Begin then I pray you to declare what a Sacrament is which I much desire to vnderstand M. A Sacrament is a holy Mystery by which God bestoweth his grace and with all it representeth exteriorly the inuisible effect which grace worketh in our soule For if wee were spirits without bodies as the Angels are God would giue vs his grace spiritually but because we are composed of a soule and a bodie therefore our Lord condescending to our nature geueth vs his grace by means of certayn corporal actions which as I haue said together with certain exterior signes declare to vs the inward effect of grace As for example holie Baptisme which is one of the Sacraments is done by washing the bodie with water and therwith calling vpon the most holie Trinitie By means of which ceremonious washing God geueth his grace putteth it in the soule of him that is baptised And it instructeth vs that as that water washeth the bodie so grace washeth the soule clenseth it from al sinne S If I haue wel vnderstood three conditions are requisit to the nature of a Sacrament first that it be a ceremonie or as we would say an exterior action the second that God by it giue his grace the third that the same ceremonie haue a similitude with the effect of grace and so represent and signifie it exteriorly M You haue vnderstood it very wel Now you haue to know further that these Sacraments are in al seauen are called Baptisme Confirmation or Chrisme Eucharist Penance Extreame Vnction Order and Matrimonie The reason wherfore they are seauen is this for that God would proceed in giuing vs spiritual life as he vseth to proceed in giuing vs our corporal life Touching corporal life first is needful to be borne secondly is needfull to grow thirdly is needfull to be nourished fourthly when a man falleth sicke it is needful he vse phisicke siftly when he must fight he hath need to arme himselfe sixtly is needfull that there bee some to gouerne and rule those that are now borne growne seuenthly is needfull there be some to multiplie mankind for seeing those that are borne do die if others should not succeed mankinde would soone decay So then touching the spiritual life first it is needfull that Gods grace bee borne in vs this is done by baptisme secondly it is needfull that the same grace increase and bee made strong this is done by Confirmation thirdly is needful that it be norished and maintained this doth the Eucharist worke fourthly is needfull that it be recouered whenit is lost and this is done be the medicine of Penance Fiftly is needfull that at the poynt of death a man arme himselfe against the infernal enimy who then more thē euer assalteth vs this doth extreme Vnctiō worke Sixtly is necessary that there be in the church such as may guid gouerne vs in spiritual life this is done by Orders Seuenthly is needfull that there bee in the Church
Articles of the faith and other such like things And after when the child groweth in yeares the godfather and godmother are bound to haue care to instruct it in matters of faith and in good maners if the father and mother be herein negligent And moreouer it is to be noted that by Baptisme they become alyed by a spiritual affinitie to the partie that is baptised and to his father and mother as wel he that baptiseth as the godfather and godmother Of the Sacrament of Confirmation S VVE haue spoken sufficiently of Baptisme tel me now I pray you what meaneth confirmation or Chrisme which is the second Sacrament M The second Sacrament is called Confirmation because the effect therof is to confirme the baptised in faith as we shal say by and by It is also called Chrisme which is a greeke word and signifieth vnction because in this Sacrament the forehead of the person that receiueth this Sacrament is anointed with holie Chrisme For as in Baptisme the baptised is washed with water to signifie that the grace of God washeth his soule from all spot of sinnes so in Chrisme the forehead is anointed to signifie that the grace of God anoynteth the soule so comforteth and fortifieth it that it may fight against the diuel and confesse boldly the holy faith without feare of torments or of death it selfe S In what time ought this Sacrament to be receiued M It ought to bee receiued when the childe is come to vse of reason because then hee beginneth to confesse his faith and hath need to bee confirmed and established in the grace of God S Doth this Sacrament worke any thing else besides the fortifying of the soule M It leaueth a caracter or marke fixed and printed in the soule which neuer can bee scraped out therefore this Sacrament can not bee receiued oftner then once S What neede is there to imprint in the soule any other marke seing that of baptisme may suffice M This second caractar or marke is not imprinted without cause For that by the first a mā is only knowen to be a Christian that is of the familie of Christ but by this second it is knowne that he is a souldier of christ and therefore he carrieth in his soule the armes of his captaine as in the world souldiers carrie them on their garments whosoeuer receiue this Sacrament and goe into hell shall haue the greater confusion for that euery one shall see that they made professiō of the souldiers of christ are after so fowly reuolted from him Of the Sacraments of the Eucharist S MAY it please you declare to me nowe the third Sacrament first tel me what meaneth this word Eucharist M This is a greeke word also it signifyeth gratefull memorie or thanks giuing For in this Sacramēt memorie is made thanks are giuen to God for the most excellent benefite of the holy Passion of our Sauiour and withall there is giuen the true bodie bloud of our Lord for which wee are bound to render perpetuall thanks to God S Declare to me more fullie all that is contained in this holy Sacrament that knowing the greatnes thereof I may the better honour it M The Hoast which you see vpon the Altar before it be consecrated is nothing else but a litle bread made in forme of a thin Wáfer cake but immediatly when the Priest hath pronounced the consecration there is present in the Hoast the true bodie of our Lord and because the true bodie of our Lord is liuing and vnited to the Diuinitie in the person of the Sonne of God therefore together with the bodie is the blood also and the soule and the Deitie and so whole Christ God and man In the same maner in the Chalice before the consecration there is nothing else but a litle wine with a litle water but suddenly the consecration being ended there is the true blood of Christ and because the blood of Christ is not forth of his bodie therefore in the Chalice together with the blood are the body the soule and the Deitie of the same Christ and so whole Christ God man S I doe yet see that the Hoast after the consecration hath the figure of bread as before and that which is in the Chalice the figure of Wine as before M So it is that in the Hoast there remaineth the figure and also the colour and the taste of bread which was there before but not the substance of bread which was before And so vnder the forme of bread there is not bread but the bodie of our Lorde And the better to vnderstand this I wil giue you an example You haue heard that Lots wife was conuerted into a statute of salt those that saw the statute did see the figure of Lot his wife which then was not any more Lots wife but vnder the figure of a woman was salt As there fore in that conuersion the inward substance was changed the outward shape remayned so in this Mysterie the inward substance is changed from bread into the bodie of our Lord the outward figure of bread remaining which was there before The same also you are to vnderstand of the Chalice that is that there is the figure the taste the colour the smel of wine yet is there not the substance of wine but the blood of our Lord vnder that forme of wine S It seemeth to me a great thing that a great body as that of our lord can be vnder so litle a forme as that of the consecrated Hoast M It is certainely a great thinge but the power of God is also great who can do greater things then we can vnderstand and so Christ when he said in the holie gospel that God could make a camel which is a beast bigger thē a horse to passe through the eye of a nedle he added that with mē these things are impossible but with God al things are possible S I would be glad to haue some example how the same bodie of our Lord can be in so manie hostes as are in so many Altars M It is not needfull to vnderstand the wonders of God but it sufficeth to beleue them seeing we are certain that God cānot deceiue vs. Yet I wil giue you an example for your consolation It is sure that our soule is but one is whole in al the members of the body al wholly in the head al in the feet yea whole in euery litle part of our bodie what marueill is it then that God can make the body of his Sonne to be in many Hoasts seeing one and the same soule to bee whole intire in so many so diuers and distinct parts of the bodie It is read in the life of S. Anthonie of Padua that the same time hee was Preaching in a citie of Italie he was also by Gods power in Portugal to do some other good works And if God could make Saint Anthonie to be in two places at one
Thirdly for the glorie of the Saincts to the end it may be seene vnto all how God hath glorified them who were persecuted vexed in this world Fourthly for confusion of the proud enimies of God Fiftly because the bodie shal haue sentēce together with the soule of glorie or of punishment eternal Of the eight Article S THE eight article saith I beleeue in the Holie Ghost what signifieth the Holie Ghost M Here is declared the third Person of the most Holie Trinitie as in the first article was declared the first and in the other sixe the second so that the Holie Ghost is not the Father nor the Sonne but a third Person which procedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is true God as the Father and the Sonne yea the same God because he hath the same diuinitie which is in the Father and in the Sonne S I would haue some similitude of this M Diuine matters can not be perfectly declared by any examples of created things especially by corparal things Notwithstanding take you the example of a lake which is deriued from some riuer as the riuer is deriued from some fountaine and yet al is one and the same water so the eternal Father as a fountaine produceth the Sonne as a riuer the Father and the Sonne as a fountaine and a riuer produce the Holie Ghost as a lake yet the Father and the Sonne and the Holie Ghost are not three Gods but one onlie God S Wherefore is the third Person in Trinitie called holie ghost Are not also al Angels and al the blessed soules spirits and holie M God is called the Holie spirit by excelencie because he is the chiefest spirite and most holie and author of al created spirites and of al holines Like as a mongst mē ther are manie that are fathers and holie either by office or by goodnes of life to wit manie good Bishops or Priests or religious men and yet there is none called Holie Father but the Pope because this name belongeth vnto him alone by excellencie being the head of al other fathers and ought to be the most holie of al by goodnes of life as he is by office representing vnto vs the person of Christ S If the name of holie ghost belong vnto God by excellencie wherefore is it onely attributed vnto the third Person Is not the father also the Sonne a spirit holy by excellēcie M It is true But because the first Person hath a proper name to wit the Father the second hath a proper name to wit the Son to the third is left a commō name to distinguish him from the other two And moreouer you are to know that when it is said of the third diuine Person that he is the holy ghost these two words make one name only As whē a man is called Ioannes Maria they are one onely name though otherwise Iohn Mary are commonly two names S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted in the forme of a Doue especiallie ouer Christ and our Ladie M You must not thinke that the Holy Ghost hath a bodie or that he can be seene with corporall eyes but he is painted so that we may knowe the effects which he worketh vpon men And because the Doue is simple pure jealouse and fruitfull he is therefore painted ouer Christ and our Ladie to the ende we may vnderstand that Christ and our Ladie were full of grace and of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and in particular of holy simplicitie puritie zeale of soules and spirituall fecunditie by the which they haue gained infinite children to wit all the faithfull and good Christians S What meaneth it that the Holie Ghost is painted ouer the Apostles in forme of fyerie tongues M Because the Holie Ghost tenne daies after the ascention of our Lord came vpon the Apostles and replenished them with knowledge with charitie and with eloquence teaching them to speake with all tongues to the ende they might be able to preach the Holy faith through the whole world And in signe of these wonderfull effects he caused those tongues of fire to appeare because the light of that fire doth signifie wisdome the heate of the same doth signifie charitie and the forme of a tongue signifyeth eloquence and for that this was a most great benefite which God bestowed vpon his Church therefore we doe celebrate that great Feast called Penticost or the Feast of the Holie Ghost Of the ninth Article S VVHAT signifyeth that which is saide in the ninth article The Holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints M Here beginneth the second part of the Creede For the first parte belongeth vnto God the second vnto the Church the spouse of God And as in God we beleeue one Diuinity and three Persons so in the Church wee beleeue that there is one onely Church and that it hath three principall graces the first in the soule which is the remission of sinnes an other in the bodie which shal be the resurrection of the flesh and the third in the soule and bodie together which shall be life eternall as we shall see in the articles following S May it please you declare vnto me the whole article word by word first what meaneth the Church M It signifyeth a conuocation or congregation of men which are baptized and make profession of the faith and law of Christ vnder the obedience of the chiefe Bishop of Rome and it is called Conuocation because wee are not borne Christians as we are borne Englishmen Italians French or of any other countrey but wee are called Christians of Christ and wee enter into this congregation by baptisme which is as the doore of the church And to be in the Church it doeth not suffice to bee baptized but it is needeful to beleeue and confesse the holie faith and law of Christ as the Pastors and Preachers of the same Church do teach vs. Neither doth this suffice but it is necessarie to obey the chiefe Bishop of Rome as Vicar of Christ to wit to acknowledge and hold him for chiefe Superiour and Vicar of Christ S If the Church be a congregation of men how do we call those buildings Churches where Masse and other Seruice of God is said M Because the faithfull which are the true Church are gathered together in those buildings to practise the exercises of Christians therefore those buildings are also called Churches chiefly when they are dedicated and consecrated to the seruice of God But we in this Article doe not speake of the Churches made of stone wood but of the liuing Church which is the faithful baptised people and obedient vnto the vicar of Christ as hath been said S Why is it said The Church and not the Churches seeing manie congregations of the faithful are founded in diuers parts of the world M Because the Church is but one though it containe al the faithful which are dispersed through the whole world not only those which
ruleth the soules harts of good Christians giuing them spirite and grace to serue him willingly to seeke his glorie aboue all things The kingdome of glorie shal be in the other life after the day of iudgement for that then God wil raigne with all the Saints ouer all things created without any resistaÌ„ce For theÌ„ al the force of the diuels shal be taken away also of al peruerse men who shal be shut vp in eternall prison of hel In that time shal death also be extinguished corruption with al the tentations of the world of the flesh which now trouble the seruaÌ„ts of God So that shal be quiet peaceable kingdome with secure possessioÌ„ of perfect eternal felicity S Which of these three kingdomes â—s spoken of in this petition M Not of the first for that is not to come but is now come Neither of the second for that is spoken of in the first petition is in a great part already come But here is spoken of the third which is to come and is expected with great desire of al those that know the miserie of this life so in this petition we demand our chiefe good and the perfect glory of both soule and bodie S If the kingdome of God which we desire may comequickly shal begin after the day of Iudgment then we desire demand that this world should speedely end that the day of iudgement should come shortly M So it is for thought the louers of the world can haue no worse newes then to heare the day of Iudgement named yet the citiznes of heauen who liue now as pilgrimes and banished men here below in earth haue no other greater desire Where vpon S. Augustin saith that like as before Christ came into the world al the desires of the Saincts of the ancient law were directed to the first comming of Christ so now al the desires of holie men of the new law are directed to the second comming of the same Christ which wil bring vs perfect beatitude S Let vs passe vnto the third petition What do those wordes signifie Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen M In these words is demanded grace to obserue wel the law of god For that the eternal life which is the end of man being demanded in the second petition it was conuenient that the principal meanes to arriue vnto that end should be demanded next after this principal meanes is the obseruing of the commandements of God as our lord hath said if thou wilt enter into eternall life keep the commandements for so much as wee are not able of our selues to kepe all the commandements in such sorte as we ought therefore we demand of God that his wil be done by vs that is that he geue vs grace to fulfil his wil in obeying wholly and in al things his holie commandements S I desire to know whether that besides the fulfilling the wil of God in obseruing the commandements we are bound also to conforme our willes with Gods wil when he sendeth vs tribulations M We are bound at the lest not to murmour nor to grudge at the prouidence of God because al that he sendeth or permitteth he doth it to a good end to wit to giue vs occasion of greater merite if we be good or els to purge vs if we be bad S To what purpose is added In earth as it is in heauen M To teach vs that we ought to endeuour to obey God and to obserue his holie commandements with that perfection promptnes gladnes with which the Angels do obey in heauen who neuer committed anie litle default in obseruing al the commandements of God It may be also said that we desire and demaund that sinners signified by the earth may obey God as the Saints do obey him who are signified by heauen Or els that the whole Church signified by the earth may intirely obey God as Christ who is signified by heauen obeyd him S Let vs come vnto the fourth petition what meaneth Geue vs this day our daylie bread M With great reason bread is demanded that mainteineth life after that grace hath been demanded which is life it selfe For that the first thing that anie one begining to liue desireth is food where with life is maintained But you haue to vnderstande that in this prayer spirituall bread is principally demaunded which is the meate of the soule and secondarily corporall bread which is the food for the body And by spirituall bread is vnderstood the most holy Sacrament of the altar that is the celestial and diuine bread which merueilously nourisheth the life of the soule likewise the word of god is vnderstood which by preaching or reading of spirituall bookes helpeth no little to nourish the same life of the soule Finally is vnderstood the inspiration of God prayer and euery other thing which helpeth to maintaine and increase grace in vs the which as is saide is the life of the soule By corporall bread is vnderstood all that is needful vnto vs to maintaine the life of the bodie which is as an instrument of the soule to do good workes S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is ours M With great mysterie this bread is called ours for if we speake of the blessed Sacrament that is our bread because of our saluation it was formed by the holy ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin and in a certaine manner bakte in the Ouen of the holy Crosse serued vp on the table of the Altar by the handes of Priests And moreouer it is ours because it is the bread proper of the children and may not be giuen vnto dogges that is to say to Infidels nor to those that are in mortall sinne If wee speake of the doctrine wee call it our bread to witte that which is distributed by the true preachers vnto the children of the Holy Church and not the strange bread to wit that which al heretikes giue vnto their followers which is corrupt and pestiferous bread But if we speake of corporall bread we defire that God will giue vs our owne bread and not that which belongeth to others to wit that he wil help vs in iust and lawfull gaines And againe that he blesse our lands possessions and all our labours to the end that without injurie and fraud we may procure our liuing S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is dailie M It is called dailie that is to saye bread for euerie daye for that wee desire not superfluous or curious things but simply that which may suffice for the daies refection and as well for the soule as for the bodie especially knowing that wee are pilgrims and strangers in this life S Wherfore is it said Giue vnto vs M Because albeit we are willing to labour to haue bread as well spirituall as corporall yet wee know that our labours should all bee vaine if God concurred not with his grace as