THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CREED.
I believe and confess, that, through the peculiar care of this Christian magistracy, and wise government of Cologne, and the active industry and assistance of the holy Augustin fathers, I have been entirely brought over from my heretical life and religion, to the true church of Rome, the only one in which salvation can be obtained; and I do publicly declare, to the whole world, that I embrace this faith freely and without compulsion.
“I confess and believe, that the Pope is Christ’s vicar, and has full power to forgive the sins of all mankind, according to his own will and pleasure, either to save, to let them perish, or to excommunicate them, if he thinks fit.
“I confess the Pope to be the supreme head of the church, and that he can never do wrong.
“I also confess, that whatever the Pope establishes, whether in the Holy Scriptures or not, whatever he shall please to ordain, is the truth, divine and genuine; that, consequently, every inferior person should esteem them equal to the commandments of God.
“I do confess, that the most holy Pope should be adored by every one, with divine honors, and that every one should bow the knee to him as to Christ himself.
“I confess and declare, that the Pope should be honored by all men, in all things, as the most holy father; and moreover, that those heretics who live contrary to his ordinances, should not only be exterminated BY FIRE and SWORD, without exception, and without the least mercy, but also that their bodies and souls should be delivered up to Satan.
“I confess, that the reading of the Holy Scriptures is the source of all sects and parties, as also absolute blasphemy.
“I confess, that to invoke the saints, worship the holy father, and bow the knee to them, make pilgrimages to their tombs, clothe them, and burn lights before them, is godly, holy and useful.
“I confess, that a priest is much greater than the mother of God: Mary only bore the Lord Christ, and never conceived again; but a Romish priest offers, and forms the Lord Christ, not only as often as he wishes, but in any manner he pleases; yea, he feeds upon him while he chews his bread.
“I confess, that it is proper to read masses, to give alms, and to pray for the dead.
“I confess, that the Pope of Rome has power to alter the Holy Scripture, to augment or diminish it, according to his own pleasure.
“I confess, that the soul will be purified by purgatory after death, and that its deliverance from thence is partly effected by the sacrifice of the mass offered up by the priest.
“I acknowledge, that to receive the holy eucharist in one kind, is good and salutary; but, to receive it in both kinds, is heretical and damnable.
“I acknowledge, that those who receive the holy communion in one kind, enjoy and eat the whole of Christ, both body and blood, and also his godhead and his bones.
“I acknowledge, that there are seven true and effectual sacraments.
“I acknowledge, that God is honored by representations of him, and may, by means of them, be known of men.
“I acknowledge, that the Holy Virgin Mary is queen of heaven, and governs, together with the Son; and that, according to her will, the Son is obliged to act in all things.
“I acknowledge, that the Holy Virgin Mary should be esteemed, both by men and angels, higher than Christ, the Son of God himself.
“I acknowledge, that the bones of the saints are possessed of great virtues, on which account they ought to be honored by men, and have chapels built for them.
“I acknowledge, that the Roman Catholic faith is unadulterated, godly, saving, and true; but that the Protestant, which I, of my own accord, have abjured, is false, erroneous, blasphemous, accursed, heretical, hurtful; that the Protestant religion is seditious, abominable, forged and devised. Since the Roman Catholic religion is, therefore, throughout, good and salutary, I curse all those who taught me these abominable heresies in both kinds; I curse my parents who educated me in the heretical faith; and, I also curse those who made the Roman Catholic faith so dubious and suspicious to me, as well as those who gave me to drink of the accursed cup; yes, I curse myself, and think myself accursed, because I made myself a partaker of this accursed heretical cup, [11] of which it did not become me to drink.
“I acknowledge that the Holy Scripture is imperfect, and is a dead letter, as long as it is not explained by the Pope of Rome; and that the common people ought not to be allowed to read it.
“I acknowledge, that a requiem, sung by a Romish priest, is more useful than a hundred sermons; and, on that account, I curse all those books which I have read, in which that heretical and blasphemous doctrine is contained; I also curse all the works which I read whilst I lived in this heretical faith.
“All this I do, with a sincere mind, confirm, as a public retraction of the heretical doctrine, in the presence of the reverend father W. and the other fathers of the convent of — and to the whole Roman Catholic church, male and female, that in these, and similar articles, is the true church.
“Moreover, I promise, that I will never more, through my whole life, return to this heretical doctrine of the sacrament in both kinds, although it should be allowable to do so. I also promise, that as long as I have a drop of blood in my body, I will not educate any child of mine in that accursed faith, nor will I consent he or she should be brought up therein by others, which I herewith promise.
“I also swear, that I will help to persecute this accursed heretical doctrine, secretly and openly, with words and works, the sword even not excepted.
“Lastly, I swear before God, the angels, and before all the congregation present, that if any alteration should take place either in church or state, I never will become an apostate from the Roman Catholic and godly church, either through fear or favor, and return again to this accursed heresy, nor will I receive the same.
“As a confirmation of my oath, I at the same time receive the holy communion: and I cause also this, my confession, written and subscribed with my own hand, to be made public in print, and the original thereof to be preserved in the holy archives of the church of —.” [Rather, synagogue of Satan.]
Should all the forms which men devise
Assault my faith with treach’rous art,
I’d call them vanity and lies,
And bind the Gospel to my heart.
FINIS.
R. WESTON, Printer,
Crosby-row, Southwark.