¶ The reckoning and declaration of the faith and belief of Huldrike zwyngly/ bishop of ziiryk the chief town of Helvetia/ sent to Charles .v. that now is emperor of Rome: Holding a parliament or Counsel at Augsburg with the chief Lords and learned men of germany, The year of our Lord M.D.xxx. In the month of july.  
¶ Come ye to me all that labour/ and are laden: and I shall refresh you.  Mathe. xi. 
¶ The verity will have the victory: Press ye it down never so strongly.  
¶ Translated and Imprinted at ziiryk in March. Anno Do. M.D.XLVIII.   

¶ The Preface of the translator, unto the reader.  
WHen I had chanced upon this reckoning of the faith of this so excellently learned & godly flock feather, even the good heerdman/ that set his life for his sheep, and had seen it not yet unto this day to be confuted nor dampened of any christian learned man, but as it was then openly exhybited unto the emperor's Majesty, and to his noble learned counsel, so standeth it still yet untouched with any just contradiction of holy scriptures: I could not but think this his faith to be christian & catholic, word thy for the glory of god & profit of his church to be translated into many tongues, that many mought read it with fruit. Wherefore s●th●● England (as they say) be many highly learned bishops and layers in the speculative, but few in pract●k divinity sharp in natural, but dull in spiritual judgement: me thought it convenient, the book to be translated into their mother tongue, that yet at the least the learned in christ might judge thereof and say their minds. And for because therebe many lay men of better judgement & knowledge then the speculative priests and prelates for all their latin and greek too, therefore, here haste thou it (Oh lay reader) which only knowest but the english tongue, that even thyself mightest also with thy english Bible freely try and judge it, as the apostle biddeth the prove all things, & hold that at good is. 
i. The●sala. ●.  And john bydddeth the prove the spirit● whether they be of god. But see ●hat the scriptures be ever thy touch stone and (as Ag●sten teacheth) faith and love to try all men's writings. And beware thou beest none of th●m unto whom (a● is said Psalm lxxii●) all things stink, but only those which their selves thorough malice and arrogancy speak or write, yea and that so prow●lye: Many there are also among this say sort which be yet w●ake ignorant, and in doubt what they shall believe: & in the more doubt, for that they hear such deuers●●e of preaching one against another, such contradiction among them that should be learned & wise. They see also daily new articles of their faith, made of new bishops in their new books of new institutions: they see them confirmed with non authority of the old faith & old Scriptures, but violently thrust in with authority of new acts & sword, as though hitherto the church of england had from the beginning erred in the faith, destituted so long and many years these new articles & latelyer found faith, which new inconstancy and inconstant novity/ now making to morrow marring, this year enacting the next unacting, this day to be kept work day, the next year the same to be kept holy and idle, and such like of rokes, hares & pertriche. The simple people (I say) s●yng this inconstancy, no marvel though they can not tell whom nor what they may believe Not long a go it was heresy and treason to, the scriptures to be had in english, and now (god be thanked) the hole Bible is printed oft & turned & red of many lay men, yea & that with privilege. And yet they which made the testament in english once treason & heresy, and for having and reading it they brent and prisoned many a godly innocent soul, now allowing the ●ame with pen, hand, and mouth for godly and profitable to Christ's Church, never unto this day have they found the time to repent them openly of their open abominable bloody murder nor yet in open pulpits to recant their own false doctrine & open iniqu●te. But the Lord ●e to it, & be their judge requiring this tyranny at their hands. 
i Parai. xxiiii.  Amen. To stablish therefore (good christian reader) thy faith, and to settle it in peace (all wavering set a part) thou haste here the reckoning of this godly learned bishops faith confirmed with the most meghtye old and farm testimonies not of men's acts and counsels/ but of the everlasting holy scriptures/ that where as hitherto for the diversity of men's opinions and sundry preaching and teaching without god's word/ many have been in doubt and ignorance: now if thou diligently readest this little book/ thou shalt be certified and taught plainly and truly the faith in one God and three persons in trinity. And how the second person consisteth of god and man. Thou shalt see his godly and infallible providence? the fall and restoring of man/ in which the mercy and justice of god is declared. Thou shalt clearly understand the incarnation of Christ the son of god/ th'effect and fruit thereof unto thine unspeakable comfort: the justification only by faith into christ: gods election/ original sin/ what it is: & how by christ only it is done away. What is to be thought of infants dying before they be baptised. Here thou hast it clearly what is the church, how many sacraments there be, with th'effect and right use of them/ of the supper of the Lord/ what Ceremonies may stand and which ought to be abolished. Of Images, of the office of preaching & ministers of the word: of the offices of Kings and rulers, of purgatory, of the fruits of the gospel preached, of the fruit of man's doctrine. The good pastors excuse, his desire & godly exhortation to the Emperor & to all princes, which god engrave into their hearts Amen. But when the Pope had seen this godly bishops faith & religion so to prosper and prevail, and his evangelic doctrine so wide to spread, that neither his furious drunken champion Eccius, nor yet his fleckisshe slow beast Cocleus durst not once more pen against the majesty of zwynglie his most eloquent Heroical style, rare erudition, and most excellent divined learning, than he hired certain Lantsknyghtes to kill him. which smitten thorough with a morispyke said. My body have ye slain, but my soul slay ye can not. Then his body quartered & brent on the morrow his heart was found unperished in the ashes, of the which many a learned man is risen, in whose books, sermons and sessons zwyngly yet liveth here in a blessed memorial, and his soul liveth in heaven in the glorious fruition of the blessed trinity/ to whom be honour & praise for ever Amen.   

¶ The Preface of the bishop to the Emperor.  
WE, which preach the Gospel in the cities towns & villages of the christian congregations desirously looked & waited every hour most noble Charles, sacred (Caesar unto equity, righteousness & judgement) when (like as it was demanded of other) that of us also thaccount & reckoning of our faith which we have & profess should be asked for. And whiles we thus stood up ready to give this reckoning: ●here came tidings, yea tidings rather than any certain truth, that many other churches had now all ready prepared the tenor and some of their faith & religion to offer it up unto you. But here now we are in great perplexite & doubt: for on the one part the love of the truth, & careful zeal and study for the common peace, do excite us to do the same thing which we see other men do. And on the other side, the haftie and so sudden occasion of your departing thence, doth feet us: for that we hear say also, that all things should be done swiftly & with great speed because of yours so speedy preparing to depart. Besides this we that be the prechars of the said christian city and country are scattered now so far a sundry through the towns and villages/ that in short space we can not come all together to delybre and counsel/ what thing we might write most convenient unto your highness. A none after this/ yet when we saw the confession of other men, yea and the confutation of their adversaries also, which not with standing they were yet prepared are any thing was demanded of them? I thought it expedient for me alone without any prejudice of my country men, with speed to declare and set forth thaccount form and reckoning of my faith & belief, for if in any other thing a man may be slack, yet verily here in this cause it requireth great speed, lest this matter thorough negligence omitted, we for our silence might have been suspected, or else for our negligence seemed to be proud and arrogant. Lo, here therefore (O most mighty emperor) I offer unto your highness the sum of my belief, on this condition, that I do also testify not to commit nor permit the judgement of these articles alone, but also of all that ever I have written, or thorough the goodness of god shall write, to no one man, nor yet to no few men, but unto the hole church of christ into this end/ that it be inspired with the holy ghost and so pronounceth out of the prescript verity of god's word.  

¶ The first Article.  
first of all/ I both believe and know/ that there is but one god/ one alone for all sufficient: and himself to be naturally good/ true/ almighty, just, wise, 
His confession of the unite & trinity of God.  the creator & curate of all things visible and invisible, and even the same my god to be the father, the son, & the holy ghost, three parsons, but one only in substance. I believe as concerning the unity of the godhead & the trinity of these names or persons in all things according unto the exposition of the Crede of Nicene & Athanasu. I believe & know it firmly, 
His faith of Chr●ste the ●one of god & man.  that the son took unto him the hole nature of man which consisteth of body & soul receiving it verily of the immaculate and perpetual virgin Mary, so that this hole and perfit man thus assumpt into the unite of the person of the son of god be not so assumpt that the man should constitute a peculiar person as is every other name? but so was the man head taken up unto the Godhead to be the person of the son of god/ inseparable/ indivisible/ and indissociable. 
Of the ii natures.  For albeit that both the natures that is to wit the divine and human so held their properties that either of them in him be seen & espied verily and naturally: 
In one person.  yet do not these distinct properties & works of these two natures dissever & dissociat the unite of the person: no more then in a man the mind & the flesh make two people For like as these two, are naturally greatly distinct/ so are they endued with distinct properties & operations. 
The distinct properties and operations of the ii natures in christ divide not the person.  And yet is not the man constituted of these twein, two persons, but one: even as is god and man one christ, the perpetual son of god from everlasting but the son of man from the time appointed and determined, one person, & one Christ perfect God, perfect man/ not so that of the one nature the to●her be made, or be mixed together, but that either of them both abide in her own property, and yet is not the unite of the persons through this sundry properties dissevered. And thus, this same person one Christ, very God and man, as touching the property of his manhood, he wailed, he cried, and wept in his cradle, he grew and waxed/ and increased in wisdom/ desired to eat and drink, 
Luc●. two.  he suffered heat and cold/ he was beaten, did sweet, was wounded and slain, feared and was heavy. etc. yea he suffered all things pertaining unto the punishment and pain of sin, but as concerning the self sin, he was most gylives & farthest of. But as touching the property of his divine nature, he with the father and holy ghost tempereth ruleth both high and low, he pierceth all things/ he sustaineth and nourisheth all things. He giveth sight to the blysom, foting to the lame/ he calleth the dead out of their graves he smy●eth down our enemies with a word, and even he himself when he was dead, resumed his life ascended unto heaven, 
The divers propert●es● chri●t a● c●mo to the hole person because of the inseꝑable unite of bot● the natures in himself.  and sent ●s the holy ghost as his own spirit. And all these things doth one and the self same Christ, one person of the son of God evermore continuing, how diverse soever & dystincte he be as toutching the nature & properties of his godhead and manhood. So that oftentimes for because of the perfait perfection & unite of the person/ those things which only belong unto the godhead be attributed unto the manhood: & those that pertain unto the manhood be spoken of the godhead. He said himself to be the son of man descended from heaven, when yet his body had never been there. And Peter saith that christ suffered death for us when it was only his manhood that suffered it, 
jon. vi.  But because of the inseparable unite of the person/ it is said verily. That the son of god had suffered/ & the son of man forgave sins. For even Christ which is the son of god and man one person/ as concerning the property of his divine nature and godhead/ forgiveth sins, As when we say/ this man is wise/ which consisteth of body and soul/ but as concerning his body/ there is no wisdom in it at all/ but his body is rather poison and impediment both unto wisdom knowledge and all understanding. Again/ we say the same man to be wounded/ when only it is his body that may receive the wound/ and the soul can not be touched. Because of this manner of speech/ yet noman saith that two persons be made of one man, when thus (as ye may see) unto either part in man his own property be referred and attributed/ neither can they say that both the natures/ that is to wit the body and soul be both mixed & confounded together/ when that thing is spoken by the hole man because of the unity of the parson/ which because of the property of the one part alone/ pertaineth but to the one part. Paul saith, when I am sick/ then am I most strong. Who is here sick: Paul. And who is it that is also so strong▪ Paul. But is not here great repugnance and contradiction in Paul to be both sick▪ and hole/ both at once? No verily. For Paul though he be but one parson, yet is he of two natures. Wherefore▪ when he saith I am sick, verily the same person speaketh which is Paul: but that same sickness is not appropriated unto both his natures, but only unto his body. And where he saith also. I am strong, albeit the parson of Paul speak it, yet is it his soul only which is in the sickness of his body so strong. So we say the son of God is dead, even the very same which for that so perfit unite of his person is both god and man, but yet as concerning only his humanity and manhood, he died. Thus, not I alone do believe, but so did all the catholic faithful both old & new believe both of the Godhead, of the persons and human nature taken and assumpt of the son of god our saviour Christ. And thus believe they that now profess & acknowledge the truth unfeignedly.   

¶ The ii Article.  
Secondarily, I know and believe that the most high godhead, which is my god, 
Pete falleth free libertyi.  hath constituted and decreed freely of all things, so that his counsel dependeth not of the occasion of any creature, for to ordain and decree any thing either first discussed & debated by reason, or fetched at any ensample is a token of the breach and imperfection of man's wisdom. God therefore which from everlasting unto everlasting beholdeth all things with one clear & present look, 
The providence of God.  needeth not any reasoning or to tarry & depend of any fact. But he is all alike & ever wise, prudent, good. etc. and so doth he freely decree and dispose all things what soever they be, for all are his. Out of this his unsearchable goodness, 
Of man's creation.  although he should make man in the beginning whom he knew well that he should fall: yet had he then of everlasting also decreed, that his son should be cledde with the nature of man to repair and restore th● fall For by this way his goodness is made manifest over all. For in this his goodness, is contained both his mercy and justice. 
In the goodness of God reiu●eth his mercy and justice.  His justice he expressed when he casted out the transgressors of the pleasant Paradyse, binding them unto the heavy burden of mortal misery and fetered them with innumerable diseases, laying a law upon him which he was never able to bear, 
His justice.  & yet is the law right holy and good. And here is he now become twice a miserable mortal wretch, learned not only his flesh to have had fallen into misery, but also his mind, for fear of the law now transgressed to be grievously vexed and troubled. For when as toutching the spirit, he saw the law to be holy, just and the messenger of the mind of god, as that same thing which commandeth nothing else than that which equity persuadeth, & with the same eye also saying himself in nothing to fulfil the mind of the law: 
No●● fulfilleth the law but only Christ.  & so in his own judgement condemned, all hope of that felycite clean cast away, he fled like a desperate man from the sight of god: looking for nothing else then to suffer & perpetually to bear the heavy pain of everlasting torments. And hitherto was the justice of god declared manifestly. 
His mercy.  But when the time should come to show the goodness of god which goodness of everlasting he had decreed to show as well as his justice: then god sent his son to take our nature in every behalf save in that at it is prone & disposed to sin, 
Christ●● incarnation.  to th'intent that he now being a brother & like unto us might be a mediator to be offered up for us, to satisfy the justice of god, which it behoved to continue both as holy & inviolate, 
The sweet veins of the gospel's  as his goodness and mercy pure and unspotted: that the world should be assured both of his justice to be ●eased, and also of his present benign mercy to be offered us. For sith he giveth us; & for us, 
Roma. viii.  his own son: how can it be but that he giveth us with him, and for his sake, all things? What thing is it, of which for his sake we be not sure of, which so humbled himself, that not only he would be like fellow with us, but also himself wholly to be ours who can marvel enough at the riches favour and grace of the goodness of god, whereby he so loved the world, 
Iho●. iii.  that is to wit man kind, that he would lay forth his own son to the death for the life of it: These (I think) are the lively fountains and sweet veynce of the gospel. This (believe I) to be that only one alone sufficient medicine for the sick soul, 
The only sweat & sufficient medicine of the soul.  whereby she is restored to God and to herself. For nothing else may assuer her of the favour and goodness of god, but god himself. It is he that hath so liberally, so plenteously, so prudently powered forth his hole grace & favour into us, that now there is no more left that we can desire, unless any man were so bold as to require of him more then enough, and above so high a redoundaunte plenteousness.   

¶ The iii Article.  

One way a●one.  thirdly, I know no notherway, no nother host nor sacrifice for sins to be purged / then christ. For not Paul himself was not crucified for us. 
Unto our reconciling and felicity, even Christ.  There is no nother pledge of the goodness & mercy of god so certain and undoubted/ nothing so farm and fast as is god. Neither is there any other name under the son in which we must be saved then in the name of jesus Christ. Wherefore, here are forsaken and left both the justification and satisfaction of works/ & also the expiation & intercession of all saints either in heaven or in earth living of the goodness and mercy of god. 
justification & satisfaction thorough wor●es ar● here fallen  For this is that only mediator between god and man/ even christ jesus both god & man. Thus therefore standeth farm and fast the election of god. For whom he hath chosen/ he so chose them before the creation of the world/ that through his own son he would purchase and possess them. 
The e●ect●on of god standeth fast. Ephe. i.  For as he is benign and merciful/ so is he holy and just. Wherefore all his works resemble and savour of his mercy and righteousness so that his election expresseth them both For it came of his merciable goodness to choose them whom he would have: & it was his rightwiseness to purches him his elect & to join them to him by his son/ made for us the host and sacrifice to satisfy the justice of god.   

¶ The four Aarticle.  

Of Original sin  Fourthly, I know that old Grandsire ou● first parent was through that love of himself hitherto brought (the devil, through envy enticing and ministering that pernicious counsel) that he desired to be like unto god. This great crime/ when he had committed it: he did eat that forbode and deadly apple whereby he became guilty death/ now made the enemy of his own God. This man therefore when god might now by his justice have utterly lost and dampened him: yet of his merciable goodness he took a more easy way with him, that is to wit, he changed this deadly everlasting pain of both body & soul into a transitory condition or state: that is, he made him but a bond servant whom he might have perpetually said in torments. 
bond are so called because they be preserved when their takers might kill them.  This bond condition of servitude, sith neither the man himself, nor yet any man, borne of him may avoid and take away (for what can the bond man beget but a bond man) he threw & thrusted all his posterity throuhe the deadly taste of thaple also into bondage. And here this is my mind as touching original sin: sin is called verily that that is committed against the law. For where as is no law, thereiss no transgression, & where as is no transgression, 
Ro. iiii.  there is no sin properly so called, taking sin for that iniquity, crime, ungodliness, actually committed & guilty death. I knowledge therefore that ou● first parent sinned that actual and original sin which is verily sin, iniquity, crime & ungodliness. But they that are borne of him sinned not like manner to Adam. For which one of us his posterity devoured & eat any foreboden apple in paradise? wherefore we must needs grant, 
Rom. v.  that original sin, as it is in the children of Adam is not a sin properly & actually committed against the law. But may be called properly our birth sore, or natural sickness, & also our natural sinful condition & sinful servile state. Our sore or sickness it is called, because as he thorough the love of himself fell: even so do we fall. It is called also our sinful condition and state, because the like as he became a servant & bond unto death, even so are we borne the bond servants the children of wrath under the power of death, albeit I care not greatly though men call this sore, sickness & condition sin, after Paul: yea such sin: so that who so ever be borne in it, they be thenemies & adversaries of god. For to this state, the condition of the conception & birth bringeth them: & not any actual ꝑpretation & doing of sin: but in that that this sin our first parent once committed it. wherefore the crime & sin once committed of adam is the very cause of thopen treason against god's majesty and of our death and enmity betwixt god & us. And this is verily sin. But the sin which cleaveth unto us at our conception is verily that naturalis on full sore and decease/ it is that condition and state yea it is that necessity to die. Which so●e & condition had never happened unto us by our birth only/ had not t●is sin vitiated and polluted our conception & nativity. The sin therefore and not our birth is the cause of our miserable calamity Our nativity is no nother couse than is that thing which followeth of the principal cause. 
Adam his crime is the cause of our calamity  This my sentence I confirm with authority & ensample. Paul Ro. v. saith. If that by the sin of only one man death got the mastery over all men. etc. Even so did grace with the gift which is rightwiseness/ reign into life by only one man jesus christ. Here we see sin taken properly: for it was only Adam by whose fault death hangeth over our heads. In the iii chap. also/ he saith. Allane sinners and destitute of that glory of god: that is to say/ all have lost that glorious similitude and beautiful image of god wherein man was first created an innocent perfit without spot or tymple. Here is sin taken for the sore or sickness/ for our sinful condition and nativity whereby we lost our similitude/ so that all men be called sinners/ yea and that are they be borne/ that is to say/ all are in the condition and state of sin & death before they sin auctually. Which sentence is constantly confirmed by Paul's words again Roma. v. saying But death obtained the mastery and went thorough even from Adam unto Moses yea & that thorough even those which had not sinned as had Adam transgressed. Lo, here ye see death even upon us infants although yet we have not sinned as did Adam. And wherefore? for he hath sinned. But we/ sith we have not sinned as did he/ wherefore should death devour us? Verily because he died for his sin/ & he thus dead/ that is to say adjudged to death the sentence laid upon him/ did beget us. We therefore die/ but thorough his fault/ and thorewe our own condition and sore or disease (or else if thou hadst liefer so call it) thorough our own sin/ so that thou takest sin for not auctuall, an ensample. A man taken in battle, 
Out of the sin sprynggeth the condition.  deserveth by his unfaithfulness and enmity to be kept and holden a bond man: of whom as many as be borne are become servants and bond men borne as they say in their masters house. They be bond, not through their own fault or guilt, but through the condition which followeth the fault. For their parents of whom they be borne, deserved this bondage through their own sin. As for their children, they have not this sin but the pain & punishment of the sin, that is to wit, the condition, the servitute & prison. These things if it like you to call sin because they be inflycte for the sin. I will not agaynesay. But as for original sin by the reason of the condition and contagion I knowledge it to be borne and conceived in all that be gotten of thaffect and desire of man and woman. And us to be naturally the children of wrath I know it, but by the grace which hath restored the fall through the second Adam christ I doubt not to be received among the children of god, 
It is but a sole hardy rashness to damn infants departing uncristened with water.  and that by this way which followeth.   

¶ The .v. article.  
fifthly, hereby it is manifest that if we be restored in Christ the second Adam unto life as we were given over in the first Adam unto death, that then be we to fool hardy to damn any children borne of christian parents, yea or yet the heathen men's children (though they die without baptism or cyrcuncision) for if Adam were able to lose all mankind by one sin, & christ by his death hath not revived and redeemed all mankind from that plague given thorughe Adam, then was there not like health given through christ neither can it be like true (which God forbid) that as in Adam all were dead, even foe in christ all be restored to life. But how so ever men define of the children of the infidels: thus verily do we constantly affirm through the virtue & power of the health given by christ, that they pronounce and speak without the book: which judge them to be dampened standing both the said cause of our reparation, & also the free election of god: which election followeth not faith, but faith followeth th'election. Of which thing we shall treat in th'article following. For who so are elect of everlasting, are elect doubtless before their faith. They ought not therefore to be so temerariously dampened of us, which yet for lack of age have not faith. For although as yet they have not faith, yet is the election of god hid from us, with whom if they be elect, we be to hasty to judge that we know not. But as touching the infants of the christian men we define otherwise. That is thus. The infants of the christian people are of the church and of the people of god, parts and membres of his congregation. Which thing thus we prove. It is promised by the testimonies all most of all the prophets, that the church of the gentiles should be gathered together and unite unto the church of the people of God, And Christ himself said they should come from the east & west and sit down to eat with the God of Abraham Isaac & jacob. 
Mathe. viii.  And again. 
Mark. the last.  Go ye your ways into the universal world. etc. Now unto the church of the jews pertain as well their infants as the jews themself. No less, then m●s●e cure infants pertain unto the church of Christ as we ourselves & as some time did the infants of the jews. For if they do not, them were not the promise ferme & ratified for then we should not as well as Abraham sit down with god. 
G●nesi. xvii.  Which Abraham with them that after the flesh were borne of him were numbered into the church. But and if our infants should not be as well numbered and told into the church with their parents as were the infants of the jews, christ should not be indifferent but more partial in his promise to the jews then to us, denying us that benefit which he gave unto our fathers the jews, and so it should appear all the prophesyingꝭ of the calling of the gentiles to be void. Wherefore the infants of the christian sith they be no less of the visible church as the waxed, it is farm & fast that they be as well of the number of them whom we judge to be elect as their parents. Wherefore I judge them to do ungodly & presumptuously which damn thynfantes of the christian when so many apart testimonies of scripture deny it preaching the church of the gentiles to be now not like, but also more ample & large then e●er was the jews Which all shall ye see now more manifest, whiles we declare our faith as concerning the church what it is.   

¶ The vi article.  
¶ Of the church therefore, this is our mind. 
Of the church of the electe●  The church, is taken diversly in scripture: Sometime for these elect which by the will of god are predestinated and ordained unto life everlasting. 
Ephe. i.  Of which church Paul speaketh where he saith. It hath neither rymple nor spot. 
Ephe. v  This church is only known unto god. For he after Solomon, only knoweth the hartis of men. notwithstanding they that be the memb●es of this church (when they have faith) they know themselves to be elect and the members of this first church. But the other members they know it not. Thus is it written in the Acts. 
Act. ●iii.  And as many as were ordained unto everlasting life believed. They therefore that believe, are ordained to life everlasting. But who believe, noman knoweth but the self believer. This man therefore is assured himself to be the chosen child of god. For he hath the earnest penny of the spirit as saith the apostle: whereby he is betrothed and conseygned to know himself very free and made the son of the family and not to be bond. 
Ephe. i.  For the spirit can not diceive. Which if he tell us firmly that god is our father, 
The felicity of faith is to know our selves the airs of eternal, life.  and that we so assuered call him boldly father, being also certified that we shall go unto his everlasting heritage: then is it farm & fast that the spirit of the son of God is powered into our hearts. It is therefore undoubted sure him to be the chosen child of God that thus is assured and persuaded of the spirit, for they that believe are ordained and predestined unto life everlasting. There were, & now be many elect, which as yet have not faith. As was Mary the mother of god, john, Paul, while they were yet infants & young: were they not elect? ye & that before the creation of the world. And yet their election knew they not neither by faith nor revelation. Mathewe, zachena, the thief, and Maudsen, were they not elect before the world was made? And yet they knew it not until they were illumined with the spirit of god & so drawn of the father unto christ. Of this therefore it is gathered, this first church unto god only to be known: and that only these which have a farm & fast faith know themselves to be the membres of this church. Again, 
Of the universal and sensible church.  the church is taken universally that is for all that be named christian and have professed to follow Christ, of whom the most part acknowledgeth christ sensibly by confession and participation of the Sacraments, but yet in their hearts they either abhorred him or else know him not. Of this church we think them to be, as many as profess christendom. 
In this church are even the evil.  And so was judas of the church of christ: and all that slypte from christ and turned their backs. For judas was as well believed of the apostles to be of Christ's church as Peter or john, & yet was he nothing so. But Christ knew well enough who were his, and who were the devils. This sensible and known church (although) it agree not together in this world (are all that confess christ with mouth, yea though there be many reprobate persons among them.  
For Christ painted it by that godly allegory of the ten virgins, of whom some were wise and some fools. This church also ofte● time is called elect & chosen, although it be not this first church without spot but after the judgement of man judging the church of god to be elect even so is this known church for their sensible outward knowledging called also elect in our opinion. For we judge them also faithful & elect which profess Christ at baptism and be called christian. So spoke Peter saying unto thel●ct which be scattered through Pontum. etc. 
●. Pet. i.  Where under the name of the elect he understands all that were of the churches unto whom he writeth, and not them only which are properly chosen of the Lord, for as these were unknown unto Peter, 
The third ●a●ynge of the church.  so could he not write unto them. At last. The church is taken for any particular company or congregation of this universal & sensible church, as the church of Rome of Ausb●ough, Lyence. And yet is the church otherwise taken and many ways which it needeth not now to recite. Here therefore I believe that there is one church of them which have the same one spirit that assureth them that they be verily th● children of the family of God, and these are the first fruits of the churches. This church I believe err not in the truth, that is to say in these first principal articles of the faith upon the which our christian religion standeth and is founded. I believe also the universal sensible church to be one, while it holdeth this true confession spoken of before. And I believe them to be of the same church who soever by christian profession obeyth it according unto the written word and promise. I believe Isaac, jacob, juda, being infants and all that were of the seed of Abraham, and also those infants whose parents in the primitive church at the preaching of th'apostles turned unto christ to be of this church. For Is●ac & o●her of the old fathers, except they had been of the church, they had not received the bag and cognisance thereof. Sith they w●re then of the church being infants, than a● well thereof must our infants & little ones be of the church to. Wherefore I believe and know, 
The fathers & motheres and church acknowledge them infants to be of the church.  that thynfantes conseigned with the sacrament of baptism be of the church. For the infantis acknowledge it by the mouths of their godfathers and own fathers to in that they be offered of their parents unto the church, yea rather the promise, which is no less made unto our infants but more largely & oftener than to thynsantes of the old fathers offer them unto the church. These are the principal grounds & foundations as touching the infants to be baptized & commended unto the church, against the which all the dantes & engines of the Catabaptistes, that is to say of them that will have us christened again, may nothing prevail. For they are not only to be baptized that believe, 
Gene. xvii.  but they that are of the church by the reason of the promise of god's word. For else should none of the apostles have baptized any man, when none of the apostles were sure of the faith of him that outwardly aknowleged and obeyed their prechyngꝭ. For Simon the juggler & charmer, Ananias & judas to, and many more were baptised when they obeyed and took the name of christian men, and yet had they not faith. Again, Isaac yet an infant was circumcised, when he neither said he would be of the church nor yet believed: but the promise told them that he was of the church of god. Sith then our infants be in the same place that thynfantes of the Hebrews were, 
The promise is to Abraham, I. will be the God of thy seed.  therefore doth the promise concerning them made unto our church both name them & confess them to be of the church. Wherefore verily/ aswell doth baptism as circumcission (we speak of the sacrament of baptism) nothing else require then the one of these two either the aknowleginge or name giving, or else the covenant or promise: which all shall be more clear by these that follow.   

¶ The vii article.  
Sevently, I believe, yea I know it verily/ that all the sacraments, 
The sacraments give not grace.  neither give they grace, nor yet bring it nor distribute any grace at al. In which assertion peradventure I shall seem to bold to affirm (most mighty Emperor) but yet my sentence standeth fast. For grace, for as much as it is given and made us by the holy ghost (I speak latynely, using this word Grace for forgiveness indulgence, absolution, and a free benefit) so doth this gift peers and enter only into our spirits. Now, the holy ghost needeth neither guide nor carrier, for he himself is the bringer and power and might whereby allthings are borne, having no need to himself, to be borne, neither have we red in any place of scripture, that sensible things, as are the sacraments should certainly bring with them the holy ghost. But if the sensible things be at any time brought with the spirit, them was it the spirit that brought them with him, and not econtrarie, the sensible brought the spirit. For when the vehement wind was brought, and with the wind was brought the tongues: the spirit brought them, & not they the spirit. So did the wind bring the quails, 
Num. xi  and took away the locusts: but never were quails or locusts so swift as to bring the wind with them. 
Exo. x.  So when the wind being so great, that it might even hills have taken away, going over Hell as: yet was not the Lord borne in that blast. And to be short, 
johan. iii.  like as the wind bloweth whether his natural course lieth, we hearing his voice, & not knowing whence he cometh n●r where he falleth even so is it with every man that is borne of the spirit, that is to wit that is invisible and insensybly lygh●ened 〈◊〉 of the spirit and drawn of god the father. The verity hath spoken these things. Wherefore it can not be that thorough thy doping into the water, nor by this draft/ nor the morsel nor that anointing that the grace of the spirit be brought into us, for if it be so, then were it known, how, where, by whom, & into whom the spirit were brought. For if the present effect of grace were bound unto the sacraments in the which it should now be brought and work, than were all they graceless which had not received the sacraments albeit they be elect and chosen which election is by the grace of god in Christ Ephe. i. Neither do●h Materia or subiectum hinder the course of the spirit as our divines scold and dispute it/ for that the matter must first be disposed or the grace of baptism or of the thanks giving (as they say) be given him which must first be prepared unto it. For after them, he that receiveth this grace by the sacraments, either he himself prepareth himself, or else is he prepared of the spirit●, if he prepare himself, then may we of ourselves do that same thing which grace going before (which they call gracia preveniens) should do, & so is gracia preveniens put out of office. 
The sacraments represent the analogy of the thing invisibly done by the spirit.  If he be prepared of the spirit to receive this grace, than I ask whether this be done by the inducing of the sacrament or without the sacrament, if it be done by the means of the sacrament, them must man be prepared unto one sacrament by another, and so shall we never come to the first sacrament but proceed into infinite sacraments, for no man can be (after this ways) prepared to a sacrament without another former sacrament, & if we be without a sacrament prepared unto the receiving of the sacramental grace then must the spirit be present with his benign grace before the sacrament be given and grace received before the sacrament be ministered. Of which we gather (which thing I do gladly admit in the sacraments) that the sacraments be given into an open testimony of that private grace which is first present in every private man. 
Sacraments are testimonies, by which we show us to the church to have received forgiveness of our sins.  So is baptism given before the congregation, unto him which before he receive the sacrament either he confessed the religion of Christ, or else he hath the word of promise whereby it is known, him to pertain unto the church. And for this cause, when we baptize one waxed, we ask him whither he believeth. And if he answer ye, than he receiveth baptism. Wherefore it is plain that he had faith or he received the sacrament of baptism. And thus it appeareth manifest that faith is not given by baptism And if an infant be offered to be christened, it is asked whither his parents offer him to be baptized, & when they answer by the witnesses that so is their will: then is the child baptized. Where it is plain that the promise of God preceded (whereby they be reckoned to be of the church as well as thynfantes of the Hebrews. For when these men which are of the church offer their infants, they present them because they be christian men's children and so reckoned by the promise of god to be among the membres of the church. By baptism therefore the church openly receiveth him which was first received by grace, wherefore baptism bringeth not grace, but it testifieth to the church that grace is given before to him that is baptised. I believe therefore (oh Ceasar) the sacrament to be the signification of an holy thing, even of grace & forgiveness before granted us. I believe that visible figure or form of baptism, that is to say, that visible example to be the form of that invisible grace which is made and given by the benefit of god, which example representeth in a manner a certain analogy and proportion of the thing done by the spirit, 
The sacraments represent the analogy of the thing invisibly done by the spirit.  I believe the sacrament to be an open testimony. As when we be baptised, the body is washed with the most clean Element, but by this it is signified, that we, by the favourable & gracious goodness of God are received into the fellowship of the church and people of god, among whom we profess to live poorly and innocently. Thus doth Paul expound this sacrament & mystery of baptism. Ro. vi. Wherefore, the person now baptised, testifieth himself to be of the church of god, which must now worship his lord god in thyntegrite of faith, & in pure living. And for this cause, the sacraments, which are holy ceremonies (for the word cometh unto the element, and the Sacrament is done or made (are religiously to be reverented, that is, to be had in high estimation, & entreated honourably. For albeit they may not make & give grace, yet do they associate us vysiblie unto the church, into which before we were invisibly received. Which thing as it is pronounced and promulged together with the words of God's promise in the action of the words and sacrament so is it with high religion, fear, and reverence to be honoured. For if we should any otherwise think and believe of the sacraments: that is to wit, that they outwardly adhibited and admoved, should purge us within, then were there now comen again among us the very judaisme & rite of religion of the jews. Which by their diverse & manifold unctions, ointments, oblations, washyngꝭ brent sacrifices, and banquets before their altars and images, believed their sins to be purged, and grace (as it were) bought & gotten. Which thing the prophets, especially Isay and jeremy, did always most constantly entreat and confute: teaching, that the promises and benefits, as grace and forgyvynes were given by the mere mercy & liberality of god: and not for the deserts & merits of any outward ceremony. Also I believe, these catabaptistes, in that they deny the infants of the faithful their baptism, shamefully to err, & not only in this point, but also in many other, which there is now no time nor place to speak of. Against whom with great peril, but yet with greater help of god, I myself first did both teach, preach and write, that men might the sooner and better avoid both their foolishness and malice. So that now, through the goodness of God that contagion is greatly remitted and suaged among our nation. So far of is it, that I at any time received aught of that seditious faction, either preached it or defended it.   

¶ The viii article.  
eightly, I believe that in the holy Supper of thanks giving, 
Of the holy supper of the lord.  the very body of Christ is present at the eyes and contemplation of our faith. That is to wit, that they which give thanks unto the Lord for that benefit given us in his son, acknowledge him to have had taken unto him very manhood, in it verily to have suffered, and verily to have had washen away our sins in his blood, and so every thing done by Christ to be as it were present unto them at the eye and contemplation of their faith. But that the very natural body of Christ either should be essentially corporally and really in the supper, or eaten with our mouths & teeth in the form of bread as the papists dream or in the bread as some men imagen, which yet sit & look back unto, & for the pots full of flesh out of Egipte. This we do not only deny, but we affirm it constantly to be an error which is plain against the word of God. Which thing by gods help (most noble Emperor) I shall make it as clear in few words unto your Majesty as the son.  
first bringing for me the word of god, secondarily, pressing as it were with engines unable to be resisted against our adversaries: that is, with arguments taken & grounded of the scriptures. And last of all declaring the old divines to have ever been in this same our sentence. Thou therefore in the mean time (oh holy spirit the creator) be present, and illumine the minds of thine, fill the breasts whom thou hast created with grace and light. Christ himself the mouth and wisdom of the father God almighty thus saith. 
joan. xvi  Poor men shall ye ever have with you but me shall ye not have always. Here is only the presence of his body denied to be ever with us: but as touching his godhead he is ever present with us. For so is he ever every where according to his other saying, I will be with you until the worlds end, 
Mathe. the last,  that is as touching his godly power and goodness. Austen is of this our sentence in his l treatise upon Ihon. Nether can our adversaries by any cavillation prove the humanity and manhood of christ to be where soever is his godhead, or else to say that his person should be divided, for so to say, were to take away the very manhood of Christ, for nothing may be every where but the godhead. The manhood to be in one place & the godhead every where, doth not divide the person, no more then the son to have assumpted the manhood, divideth not the unite of the essence. Yea it should be more able to separate the unite of thessence, while one person adsumeth unto him a creature, which the other in nowise take not, than the humanity to be in one place and the divinity every where should divide the person: when even in the creatures we see the bodies to be bound to one place, and yet their power and virtue to be spread exceedingly wide. As is an ensample in the son whose body is but in one place, and yet is his virtue and power stretched over all places.  
And the mind of man wrandreth even above the stars and searcheth the deepest of the earth, while his body is but in one little place Again yet saith christ, yet again I leave the world & I go to the father. Here is this word, LEAVe, as before was this word, HAVE/ so that our adversaries can not say and gloze it out adding we have him not visibly. For when he spoke a little before of the visible subtraction and withdrawing of his body, he said thus, for a little while ye shall not see me, etc. who would here contend of this saying (ye shall not see me) his body to be present, but yet invisible? verily none, except such as would juggle with his sayings and his presence and absence bodily. Wherefore should he i'll men's sight which would be here, and showed himself so oft unto his disciples after his resurrection/ But it is expedient (saith he) that I go my way. 
johan. xvi.  But and if he were here still, it should not be expedient that we should not see him, sith as oft as his disciples doubted of his bodily presence he exhibited and offered himself manifestly that neither sense nor mind should not suffer any lack of him nor he diceyved, but fully and certainly adsuered of his presence, himself saying unto them: feel and touch me, and fear not. For it is I my very self. And unto Mary he said. touch me not. Albeit he showed himself to her visibyle. And when he was now going hence and should commend his disciples unto his father he said. 
the text hath pusillum,, for post ●ac.  After this time I shall not be in the world. Here is a verb substantive, after this I am not in the world, as well as is in these words. This is my body. So that neither hear can our adversaries say, that there can be no trope, which deny that verb substantives may receive any trope. But the thing itself needeth no such evasions, for it followeth But these are in the world, which Antithesis and contraposition teacheth plainly, himself as concerning his manhood, not to be in the world after that his disciples should be in it. And to know when he went his way (not as they rather fain & lie expounding it that he should but make himself invisible) thus saith Luke. 
Luke the last.  And when he should take his leave at them: he went his way from them & was taken up into heaven. He saith not, he vanished out of their sights or made himself invisible. Of which thing Mark thus writeth. The Lord after that he had spoken unto them: he was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God: he saith not he tarried here still, and made his body invisible, again, Luke in the acts when he had said these things, they beholding him, he was borne up and elevated, and the cloud took him out of their sight. 
Acts, i.  The cloud covered him, which cloud it had been no need of, if he had but only have had withdrawn the sight of himself and so to have had been here still present only invisible, neither had it have been need to have so been borne up and elevated. And even there in the same place, it is written. This same jesus which is taken up from you into heaven even thus shall he come, as ye have seen him go hence into heaven. What can be more clear & manifest then these words? Fron you (saith he) he is taken up, wherefore he can not see still with them after his manhood, neither visibly nor invisibly. But when we shall see him come again, even as he thus went his way, then shall we know him to be present in deed both bodily and visibly. But so long as he thus yet come not again, we must needs believe that as concerning his human nature, that is his manhed, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father until he come again to judge the living and the dead.  
And as for them that deny Christ's body to have a place, saying that it is not in any place/ let them look how openly they go blindfold against the truth. For he was in the kryb, upon the cross, and in Jerusalem when his parents sought him, in the sepulchre, and without the sepulchre, for the angel said, he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they had laid him. And yet least they will say, his body to be every where, let them hear this. The doors shut, jesus came & stood among them, what need were it for a body to come and to go from place to place, that is in all places? what need was it for him to say I shall go before you into Galilee sith his body was there already, if such a body should be every where, & that but invisibly? He should have left out these words, he came and I shall go before you, and have said, I being every where present will show myself visible here & there, etc. But away with these tedious sophistical vanites, which take away from us the verity, both of the humanity of Christ, and also of holy Scripture. These testimonies prove evidently Christ's body to be nowhere present but in heaven to speak orderly and right according to the scriptures of the nature & property of the body of christ adsumpt & taken unto the person. And as touching the conference of scriptures that apere contrary, what soever they tell us of the myraculouse power of god, yet ought we never so to wrest them, to make us believe that God doth any thing contrary to his own word, for that were his impetencye against his power & not with his power. Also, that the natural body of Christ is not eaten with our mouth, himself declareth it when he said (the jews striving & murmuring upon the bodily eating of his flesh) The flesh, whose eating ye miss understand profiteth nothing at all, 
Only the spirit gendereth spiritual things.  that is to eat it naturally, but to eat it spiritually by faith it profiteth moche for it giveth life. What soever is borne of flesh, it is but flesh, & what is borne of the spirit, is spirit. Now if the natural body of Christ be eaten with our mouth, what else but flesh is it that cometh of that natural flesh so eaten/ & lest this argument seem but light to some men, let us hear the other part, what so ever is borne of the spirit, is spirit: ergo what soever is spirit, it must be borne of the spirit: if then the flesh of christ be so wholesome and such salvation unto the soul, it must needs be eaten spiritually and not carnally, that is to say with faith and not with our teeth. And this pertaineth unto the matter & substance of the sacraments that the spirit is begotten by the spirit, & not by any bodily thing, as we touched it before. Paul warneth us of this thing in that he saith. 
two. Cor. v.  Albeit he knew christ sometime after the flesh, yet now he knoweth him no more concerning the flesh. By these places we are constrained to confess, that these words. This is my body, must needs be taken not naturally but sygnificativelye sacramentally & in sign as are these. This is the passover or passing fore buy: spoken of the paschal lamb. For that same lamb so eaten yearly in that solemn feast holden, was not the self passing forbye, but it did signify that passage and ointing of the Hebrews sometime done. Unto this agreeth well, the succession & imitation, for the supper succeeded the lamb. Which thing teacheth & warneth us that Christ did use like words in a like phrase, for the succession observeth the imitation. Unto this agreeth the self same composition and order of the words, the time also speaketh & consenteth to the same & maketh all for it, so the old passouer is but remembered and the new thanks giving is instituted, also the very property of all the memorials and remembrances, all make for this same sense, which calling them the name of the same thing whereof they make the memorial or remembrance. So did the Athenienses call thallevation or the easment of their common debt, not as though yearly their debts should be eased or paid: but because they celebrated that thing perpetually that Solon had in time passed made, and the self same celebration or feast they orned and honested with the name of the self thing. And even so the things which are the signs and memorials of the very body & blood of christ are called his body and blood. Now here followeth arguments. Like as the body can not be fed with any spiritual thing, no more can the soul be fed with any bodily thing. But and if the natural body of christ be eaten, them I would wit whither it feed the body or the soul, it feedeth not the body/ ergo it feedeth the soul/ if it then feedeth the soul, them doth the soul eat flesh, and so is it false that the spirit is borne only of the spirit. secondarily I ask, what thing is it, that the body of christ naturally eaten, maketh it perfit effectuously/ If it remitteth sin as one part witnesseth, ergo the disciples got remission of their sins by eating it in the maundy: and then christ died for them in vain But if his body eaten dispenseth and distributeth the virtue of Christ's passion, 
One & the s●●uesactiōs myndes● the Eucari●tye to take awa●e sins and to d●s●ēceh the r●misyo● of sins 〈◊〉 on the cross.  as the same part saith/ then was the virtue of the passion and redemption disposed and distributed before it was begun. And if it feedeth the body that it should be healed to rise again (as a certain other manful foolishly affirmeth) than moche more should it heal our body & lift it up again from sickness. But Ireneus otherwise understandeth this sentence, that is to wit, our bodies to be fed & nourished with the body of christ to rise again deified unto life. For his minds, that the hope of our life to come & resurrection, is stablished by the resurrection of christ, behold this fair manner of speech. Thirdly, if the natural body of christi was given the disciples at his supper: then must it needs follow that they eat it even as it then was their being and living: but then was it a passable and a body that might suffer/ wherefore they eat a body that might be wounded and suffer death, 
A preventing of our adversary objection  for than was it not yet glorified. But yet when they say, that they eat the same body, but not as it was passable, but even such one as should be after his resurrection: then object we thus: ergo Christ had then two bodies at once, one that was not yet glorified by his death & resurrection, and another that should be glorified: or else was that same one self body at the same time both passable and impassable. And so sith in his agony his manhood feared the death, it might be gathered that he suffered not, but that the body endued with this gift of impassibilyte, used and enjoyed it. Wherefore it may be thought that it suffered not, but appeared to have had suffered death, which opinion of these blind sophisters open us the way unto Marcion's heresy. There may be yet (most noble emperor) vi C. more arguments made against these papists, but we shall be content with these at this time. Now that the old Doctors (which shallbe the last part of this article (do agree with us, I shall confirm my sayings with these two witnesses first with Ambrose, 
Ambrose.  saying in his commentary upon the first pistle unto the Corinthians. upon these words cap. xi. Show and give thanks for the death of the lord. etc., thus. For because we be delivered by the death of the lord, we remembering this thing in eating and drinking do signify his flesh & blood which have been offered up for us. etc. Here speaketh Ambrose of the meat and drink at that maundy, witnessing that we signify these same things which were offered for us. Also with Austen we confirm our saying, 
●usten.  which in his xxx treatise upon John, affirmeth that the body of christ must be in one place, where the printed books have for oportere, that is, for it must needs be, they have, it may be in one place, but they print it false. For in the Master of the Sentences and in the old written books and in the decrees canonical out of which the print was fetched and this sentence of S. Austen translated again into them, it is red oportet, it must be in one place. whereby manifestly we see the old doctoures, not to have had understanden it of the natural eating of Christ's body, but of the spiritual eating what so ever they have spoken solempnelye of the Supper. For when they knew that the body of Christ must needs be in one place, and that at the right hand of the Father in heaven, they never were so ungentel to pluck his body down thence to break it again and chaw and chamme it with the stinking teeth of men. Also Austen, writing against Adimantum, in the xii ca saith. 
Origen  That these three sentences, the blood is the soul, this is my body, and the stone was Christ, were spoken in a sign to signify one by the t'other and after a long process he saith. I may interpret that presepte to be laid in a sign, for the lord doubted not to say. This is my body▪ when he did but give the sign of his body, these are Austin's words. Here is lo, the key wherewith we may unlock all the dark words of the old doctors of this sacrament Even that thing which only was but the sign of his body/ to be called the body itself. Let them go now they that lift, and condemn us of heresy, so long as they may see themselves to condemn by the same braid even the che●e pillars of the old doctors & divines/ contrary to the decrees of the Popes. Of these words it is full manifest that the old doctors and divines did always speak sygnificatively & in the signification thereof when they attributed so moch unto the eating of the body of Christ in the supper▪ 
All the old doctors spoke in a similitude & representation when they spoke of the use & fruit of the eating of this Sacrament.  that is to wit, not that the sacramental eating might purge the soul, but faith in god thorough jesus Christ, which is the spiritual eating did purge it, of the which faith & spiritual eating, these outward things are the signification and shadow. And as the corporal food sustaineth the body, as doth wine refresh it & make it glad, so doth that faith stablish our mind and certifieth it of the mercy of God in that he gave us his son: as he refresheth our mind with the blood of him, when our faith certifieth us that our sins which so burned our conscience be quenched in his blood. Now therefore let us be contented with these places, albeit a man might compile right great books to declare and confirm that the old doctors were of our side. Neither let not the book now lately made of Eccius of the sentence of the old doctors move and pervert any man whose sentence the good man promiseth himself to defend so plainly that all men may see it. For we shall see shortly the confutation of this book by our brother Decolampadius a man excellently learned, 
Decolāpad●us.  which from the beginning of this strife hath taken upon him to affirm and declare the sentence of the old doctors in this matter. And we which also are in this sentence have (I think) performed it plenteously in many books written unto divers men, what soever in this matter may be desired & required for a more plain exposition & confutation of our adversaries.   

¶ The ix article.  
For the ninth article, I believe that the Ceremonies which hurt not the faith by any superstition, nor be contrary to the word of god, may be suffered until the day star of truth be more and more yet sprongen and give us light, albeit I wot not whether some such may be found to be tolerated for a time for charity's sake. But thus do I believe, that by the same masters & teacher even charity say I, sith such ceremonies can not be used and stand without great offence, that then they should be abolished & taken away although they reclaim and bark against it which are of no faithful mind. For christ forbade not Mary mawdelen to power forth her ointment upon him although the covetousness and infidelity of judas did swell against it proudly. But the Images which stand forth to be worshipped, I reaken them not among these ceremonies, 
Images where peril is lest they be worshipped ought to be taken away.  but to be of the numbered of those things which directly fight against the word of god. But such as are not setforth to be worshipped, or where there is no peril that they should in time to come be worshipped, so far of am I that I would damn them, that I acknowledge that science and craft in painting and carving to be the very gifts of God.   

¶ The ten article.  
For the tenth, I believe the office of interpreting scriptures or preaching to be right holy, as an office among all to be most necessary. For to speak orderly we see among all men the outward preaching of the apostles and Evangelists or byssoppes to have had gone before the faith/ which faith we ascribe only unto the holy ghost. For we see (alas) a great many hearing the outward preaching of the gospel, but they believe it not: which cometh for lack of the spirit. whither so ever therefore these preachers be sent, there is it a token of the grace of God, that he will make the knowledge of him manifest unto his elect and chosen. 
Preachers to be banished and brent is ● token of gods present plagues.  And unto whom these preachers be denied, there is it an evident token of his wrath to be at hand, as every man may gather of the prophets and of the example of Paul which was sometime forbode to go to some men/ & in the mean reason called and sent to other men. Yea both laws and princes may have no greater a present help to defend the common justice then by preaching. 
Preaching defendeth both laws justice ● princes.  For in vain is it commanded that, that just is, unless they unto whom it is commanded have a consideration of that at Just is, and so love equity & minister the same. And unto this love and consideration do the preachers as ministers prepare & excite men's hearts, but the spirit is as the auctor both of the teacher & also of the hearer These manner of ministers which teach comfort, fere, & take cure faithfully overseeing and visiting the people of Christ with the word, we acknowledge reverence and embrace But this office which baptizeth/ and in the supper do hear about & distribute the body and blood of the Lord (for thus we call the holy bread and wine of the supper/ even the thing signified for the sign) visit the sick and feed the poor with thy riches, and in the name of the congregation, ye and these ministers also which read, interpret scriptures, teach and instruct other or profess that they themselves or other might be so informed and taught that in time to come may be very pastors and true curates over the congregation we love, 
●●iuris inutile pondus.  reverence and kiss. But as for these myterd ministers and crosyerde cl●rkes which rabblement is borne to consume and devour fruits we believe that they be unprofitable dung sakes and dirty burdens of the earth and to be even the very same in the body of the church/ that they deform crooked bunches & crouched shoulders upon a man's back.   

¶ The xi article.  
For the xi article/ I know that Princes & rulers justly consecrated and promoved unto their office to sit in the stead of God/ no less than do the preachers. For as the preacher is the minister of the celestial wisdom and goodness, as he that should teach faithfully and bring forth errors into light to be known/ even so is the prince or ruler, the minister of goodness and justice. Of goodness, as when with faithfulness & modestly like god he both heareth & delybreth with council upon the causes of his subjects. Of justice, as when he breaketh the audacity of the wicked and defendeth the innocentes. These gifts if a prince once have them, I believe his conscience can fear neither enemy nor nothing else. But & if he want them/ albeit he show himself terrible & be dreaded, yet believe I that in nowise can his conscience be absolved that he be duly consecrated and put in the office. notwithstanding yet believe I that a christian man ought to obey such manner a tyrant unto that occasion of the which Paul speaketh if thou mayst be at liberty, use it rather: which occasion yet believe I to be showed of god only & not of man, ye and that not darkly/ but so apertly as was king Saul cast away & David received to be his successor. Also as concerning tribute, custom, & tol to be given to princes for the defence of the realm I consent constantly with Paul. R. xiii   

¶ The xii article.  
In the xii I believe that feigned loud ●ye of Purgatory fire to be a thing so contumelious and injurious unto the free redemption given thorough Christ, as it hath been lucrose and profitable to authors and inuentor● thereof. For if it be necessary that our sins must needs be purged with such fiery torments, than were Christ dead in vain, then were grace and favour void. Which what can be invented more pernicious in all christian religion? either what christ have they which will be called christian & yet fear they this fire, yea smoke rather than fire/ but hell wherewith Ixion and Tantalus, the unfaithful rebels and stourdye adversaries to god are punished for ever/ I do not only believe but I know it also. 
Mathe. ●xv.  For the verity, when he speaketh of the universal judgement he affirmeth that after that judgement some shall go into fire everlasting. Wherefore after the general judgement there shall be fire perpetual. By which saying, the Catabaptistes may the feblyer pretexe & cloak their error with this their Perpetuum (whereby they teach, 
everlasting.  
Hell fire is everlasting.  that their perpetuum dure no longer then unto domes day. For here speaketh christ of the perpetual fire to burn after that judgement to torment the devil with his angels with the ungodly that contemn god, with those mischievous tyruntꝭ which oppress the truth with lies, not helping of faith & mercy their poor neighbours being in necessity. These said articles constantly I believe I teach, & defend, not by mine own words but by the scripture of God. And I promise & profess (god willing) so to do while I live: except any man can as apertly and plainly (as we have now done) the same, say forth & confirm the contrary by the very holy scriptures truly understanden. For unto v● it is noless joyous and pleasant then true and just, to submit these our sayings unto the holy scriptures and to the church that judgeth by the spirit according to the Scriptures. We might have had declared these things all plentuouslyer, and more at length: but when the occasion would not suffer it, we are contented with these as they are, which we think to be such articles as men may lightly carp and touch at (as it is now a days the common manner) but yet shall there noman confute & pluck them quite away. But yet who soever will tempt it to touch them away he shall not escape quite himself, for yet have we more armour in store which we shall bryngeforth, but for this time we have suffyci●ntly proved our part. Wherefore (most mighty Emperor) and ye other princes, Lords and nobles, 
An exhortation unto the Emperor & his Noble princes.  the legates and heads of the common weal/ I beseech & pray you by jesus christ the lord and our brother, for his mercy and rightwiseness sake/ for his judgement when he shall render unto every man as he is worthy/ which seeth all men's counsel & minds/ which distroubleth and subverteth the purposes of evil Princes, ungodly delybering and against God decreeing and enacting, and wickedly commanding, even our god (I say) that exalteth the humble & casteth down the proud, I desire you (I say) that ye neglect not nor contemn not the poor silly simpleness of me now monishing in time. For often times have even the very rude deluers' herbs and wort sellers spoken in time that it behoveth. Yea and the verity himself hath chosen weak & simple persons to promulge and preach himself Besides this, remember that yourselves be but men which yourselves may both dyceive and be dyceyved also of other. For every man is a liar. And except a man he otherwise taught by thynspiration of god than himself either may know or desire, there is no hope of him/ but that thorough his own craft and council he shall cast himself down hedeling. For full truly verily said the prophet jeremy. Behold, the word of the Lord have they cast away, what wisdom then may be left them? Wherefore sith yourselves be the standard bearers of justice, there ought no man so clearly and so readily to know and have the will of God as you. Which where else can it be fetched them out of his scriptures? Abhor not therefore their sentences which cleave unto the word of god. For this thing we see commonly chanceth, that the more the adversaries to the word repugn and fight against it, the more it cometh into fight and falseness is cast forth. But and if there be any among you (which I know full well there be) which boldly and stoutly deform and accuse me unto you to be of no knowledge nor learning, yea I wis, and to be full of malice to, so: yet consider this thing with yourselves. first whether we that follow this way of the gospel and the right use of the sacrament of thanks giving have ever instituted and ordered our living, that there can any good man hitherto doubt whether we ought not to be had in estimation and place of good & faithful men. Also whether that even from our cradles, have we been so far from wit & learning, that all hope of erudition ought to be cast away from us: Surely yet do we of neither of these things glory nor boast ourselves, when Paul himself affirmeth to be the same that he was by the grace of god. Notwithstanding yet if our life hath chanced to be a little prosperous and iocounde, yet did it never fall to tarry in lust and shameless filthiness, neither yet did it degener into cruelness, pride, or contumacy so that the testimony of our living hath so atoned the counsels of our adversaries/ that they have revoked & repelled them from their purposes against us. As for our learning and erudition although it be greater than our enemies either may bear resist or without conscience can cotnempne, yet is it far inferior in our opinion, them these that so fool hardly persecute us, judge it to be. But yet that we may attain unto our purpose, we have so laboured now not a few years and red both the scriptures and other human letters, that what we now teach it is not unadvisedly nor rasshlye done, for we may lawfully praise the grace and gifts of god so liberally divided unto our congregations. Doubtless so have our congregations which hear the Lord by us, received the word of God, that now all lying and false dealing are repressed, pride and wantonness are broken, rebuking, chiding, 
The fruits of the Gospel preached.  & division are gone away from among us. Which all verily if these be not the fruits of the holy ghost, what else are they?  
But thou (oh most mighty Emperor, and all ye princes & nobles) consider what good fruit the visare of man's doctrine hath brought us forth. 
The fruit of man's doctrine  These redeemed & bought Messes, as they have increased the libidinous prodigious lusts both of princes and of the people, so have they brought in and ampliated the filthy concupiscence and superfluous pride of the Popes and Bishops, and augmented the insatiable gluttonous vomiting maws of the mess sayers. Yea what mischief is there that these bought and sold messes have not kindled? For the riches heaped together thorough these messes who is able to scatter, except they be stopped & strangled even in their veins. I beseech god therefore to reform this thing otherwise, and better than ye all intend, whom gladly we call the best and most mighty, most noble christian defenders of the faith. etc. we so call you and believe it so to be. But god bring it so to pass, that ye would effectuously once endeavour yourselves to cut away the roots of this mass and of al● the errors and superfluous ceremonies of the church, & also that ye once would earnestly labour, that this proud Rome with all her dirt and dung which she hath thrusted into this christian world, and namely into your Germany might be forsaken & cast out. And what soever power ye have hitherto stretched forth and executed against the pure gospel/ now bend the same against the pernicious enforcements of the wicked papists: that unto us, justice which thorough your idle negligence is banished, and that innocency which is obscured and deformed with lies & false crafty colours, might be brought us again. There is enough and to much cruel tyranny excecuted already, except to command against the truth, to damn, yea to torment and slay, to steal and rob/ and to banish, be not cruel tyranny and tyrannous cruelty. This way therefore sith it hath not well succeeded with you, ye must surely seek and go to it by another way. If this council be of the Lord, beware ye fight not against god, but if it be of any other, it will fall in her own foolishness. Wherefore see that you suffer the word of God freely to be spread and to spring forth (Oh fonnes of men) who soever ye be in whose power it lieth not to let and forbid no not so much as a grass to grow and wax. ye see it su●fycientlye this fruit of the gospel plenteously to be warred with the celestial showers, neither may it not be so repressed with any hate of men that it will be withered Consider ye not what thing your s●lfe most covet, but what the world requireth, and asketh in the preaching of the gospel. Take it in good worth, what soever this thing is, and show yourselves by your counsels and reforcementes to be the children of God, and in god's stead.  
¶ At z●ryk the three. day of july Anno Domi. M.D.XXX ¶ Unto your Majesty and unto all faithful men, your obedient and obsequious subject Huldrycke zwinglius: by the grace, election, and sending of God, pastor and bishop of zhryke, wisheth peace.  
AMEN.    

¶ The complaining Prayers of the poor persecuted married priests with their wives and children chased out of England into sundry places of Germany: crying unto God in their hard desolate exile and grievous affliction thus.  
How now happeneth it (oh Lord) that thou standest so far of, 
Psal x.  and art hidden from us in this time of our troubles anxte and heavy distress? we thy afflict little flock are chased & scattered abroad by the wealy pride of the ungodly: oh would God they were once take & trapped in their own conspirisons which they so craftily conspire. This ungodly maketh but a gaudy at the fulfilling of his mischievous intent, the blasphemous thieves which rob the little fearful flock and blaspheme thy name are praised & exalted of men. 
psal. x. two  Help lord, for holiness is lost/ faithfulness is banished from the children of men. They are but vain lies which one speaketh to another, it is but flattery and glavering speech that every heart imageneth. The Lord once cut out all glavering tongues out of these proud mouths, which say/ let us stablish our tongues with our own authority let us stick to our ●ippe, and then who shall be lords over us? For the calamity of the oppressed & wailing of the afflicted/ I will arise now (saith the Lord) & restore them to health & revive them. How long (lord) wilt thou forget us? wilt thou forget us for ever? 
Psal. xiii.  How long wilt thou hide thy face from us, how long shall we revolve thoughts in our heavy minds? How long shall this laborious heaviness waste our hearts, How long shall this enemy be exalted over us. etc. Help lord, & see to their wickedness. For the ungodly have bend their bows & fastened in their arrows privily to smite the pure innocent hearts. Thy fear is not before their eyes. They have conspired amongst themselves bloody mischief, 
Psal▪ lxiii.  even their secret snares privily for us to be set saying have done, who shall see us. The antichristian devilish dragon, now at last revealed, 
Apo. xii.  by cruel persecution chaseth thy church out of England into the desert, he spouteth out of his mouth great and mighty waters after us to drown us, straightly commanding that noman should succour nor help us. Let thy earth therefore (oh lord) open her mouth & preach us out the saviour, oh son of god and man devour and dry up these troublous waters open thy mouth with incessant intercession now before thy father into our safeguard & salvation defending thy church unto our present consolation. Now ye Dragons whelps and seed of the serpent, which now sorbyde the merciful christian breasts to fulfil the godly works of charity, 
Ma●he. xxv.  even to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirty, cloth the naked, visit the sick, comfort the careful comfortless tossed and hunted from place to place, chased from city to cite into unknown countries among chorlyshe and fierce barbarous people (a lass for that we dwell altolong among these boisteous rude men, 
Psalm. C.xx.  we are weary of our lives thus to wander among the haters of peace, which when we would have rest, they rustle their harness to battle. But what shall the dragon with his seed say when they shortly stand before their terrible judge Christ whom yet in his members they cease not to slay, what shall they say when they hear him pronounce his sweet sentence to his chosen church. Come ye my blessed into my kingdom/ For when I was hungry, ye fed me, when I was thirsty ye gave me drink. etc. What shall ye say when our Saviour pronounce against you this terrible and damnable sentence. Avoid from me ye cursed into perpetual pains of hell prepared for you for the devil & his angels. For when I was hungry, thirty, naked sorrowful, harbourless▪ etc. Yourselves, not only would ye not feed me, nor give me drink, ne cloth nor comfort nor harbour me in any one of these my little silly members, but ye bitterly commanded all the english hosts in Antwerp, in no wise to suffer us to come into their houses for any releyse and succour. Oh crull seed serpentine when wilt thou fear god more than man. Wilt thou dissemble with god & damn thy own body and soul for a transitory commandment or pleasure of any mortal man. Fearest thou not, haste thou not a soul, is there no hell, is thy soul mortal, is there no wo●lde of souls after this, is there no God to whom hearts, reins and thoughts are laid wide open. surely at your departing, and as soon as your souls shall be cited to appear before your judge Christ, 
Sapienc. iiii. &. v.  ye shall seal the most bitterest remorse of conscience & also at your general judgement with most horrible fear shall ye be so smitten, 
Luke. xxiii.  that ye shall bid the mountains to fall down upon you to cover you from the fearful face of your judge. Then shall we stand against you in great constancy for that ye have thus cruelly persecuted 
Sapi. v.  us. Which thing yourselves beholding you shall be troubled with horrible fear, wailing for the anguish of your minds saying within yourselves, being sorrowful (but all to late) lo these are they whom once we had in decision & reviled spitefully: ourselves then mad, had went their synes and learning to be madness and heresy, so putting them to death most cruelly & shamefully: but see how they be numbered among the chosen of God, and we ourselves then were heretics & erred from the way of the truth, the light of the justifying by faith only, shined not upon us: but we wearied ourselves in our own wicked vile works, but the way of the lord we knew not. Repent ye therefore in time if ye will not be dampened, for it is god's cause and his word which you persecute & we defend with peril of our lives. Wherefore we daily pray in faith that h● would convert you or else take you away that his church might breathe a little in rest. If there be any fear of God in you ye shall repent, or else our prayers are promised shortly to be herd of him which steereth us up with his spirit thus to pray. 
Psalm ●i.  Amen.   

¶ Quod impii cupiunt, irritum fiet.  
¶ Imprinted by me richard wire.