The twelve Articles of the Christian Faith.
ALl my belief and confidence
is in the Lord of might;
The Father which all things hath made,
the day and eke the night:
The heavens and the firmament,
and also many a star:
The earth and all that is therein,
which pass mans reason far.
And in like manner I beleeve
in Christ our Lord his Son,
Coequal with the Deity,
and man in flesh and bone:
Con ceived by the holy Ghost,
his word doth me assure:
And of his mother Mary born,
yet she a virgin pure.
Because mankinde to Satan was
for sin in bond and thrall:
He came and offered up himself
to death, to save us all.
And suffering most grievous pain,
then Pilate being judge,
Was crucified on the cross,
and thereat did not grudge.
And so he died in the flesh,
but quickned in the sprite:
His body then was buried,
as is our use and rite.
His soul did after this descend
into the lower parts:
A dread unto the wicked sprites,
but joy to faithful hearts.
And in the third day of his death
he rose to life again,
To th' end he might be glorifi'd,
out of all grief and pain.
Ascending to the heavens high,
to fit in glory still
On Gods right hand his Father dear,
according to his will;
Until the day of judgement come,
when he shall come again
With angels power (yet of that day
we all be uncertain)
To judge all people righteously,
whom he hath dearly bought:
The living and the dead also,
which he hath made of nought.
And in the holy Spirit of God,
my faith to satisfie,
The third person in Trinitie
beleeve I stedfastly:
The holy and catholick Church
that Gods word doth maintain,
And holy Scripture doth allow,
which Satan doth disdain.
And also I do trust to have
by Jesus Christ his death
Release and pardon of my sins,
and that onely by faith:
What time all flesh shall rise again
before the Lord of might;
And see him with their bodily eyes,
which now do give them light.
And then shall Christ our Saviour
the sheep and goats divide,
And give life everlastingly
to those whom he hath tri'd:
Within his realm celestial
in glory for to rest,
With all his holy company
of saints and angels blest;
Which serve the Lord omnipotent
obediently each hour:
To whom be all dominion
and praise for evermore.