INjunctim nobis Apostolicae servitutis officium requirit, ut ea quae Dominus omnipotens ad providam Ecclesie suae directionem, Sanctis Patribus, in nomine suo con­gregatis, divinitus inspirare dignatus est ad ejus lau­dem & gloriam incunctantur exequi properemus. Cum itaque juxta Concilii Tridentini dispositionem omnes, quos deinceps Cathedralibus & superioribus Ecclesiis praefici, vel quibus de illarum dignitatibus, canonicatibus, & aliis quibuscunque beneficiis Ecclesiasticis, curam animarum habentibus, provi­deri continget, publicam orthodoxae fidei professionem facere, séque in Ro­manae Ecclesiae obedientiâ permansuros spondere, & jurare teneantur: Nos volentes, etiam per quoscunque, quibus de Monasteriis, Conventibus, Do­mibus, & aliis quibuscunque locis Regularibus quorumcunque Ordinum, etiam Militiarum, quocunque nomine vel titulo providebitur, idem serva­ri, & ad hoc, utunius ejusdem fidei professio uniformiter ab amnibus ex­hibeatur, [Page 18]unicáque & certa illius forma, cunctis innotescat nostiae sollici­tudinis partes, in hoc alicui minimè desiderari, formam ipsam praesenti­bus annotatam, publicari, & ubique gentium per eos ad quos ex decretis ipsius Concilii, & alios praedictos spectat, recipi & observari, ac subpoenis per Concilium ipsum in contravenientes latis, juxta hanc & non aliam formam, professionem praedictam solemnitor fieri Auctoritate Apostolicâ tenorepraesentium districtè praecipiendo mandamus hujusmodi s [...]b tenore.

Ego N. firmâ fide credo & profiteor omnia & singula, quae continentur in Symbolo fidei, quo sancta Romana Ecclesia utitur; videlicet:

CRedo in unum Deum Patrem Omnipotentem, factorem coeli & terrae, visibilium omnium & invisibilium, & in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, & ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt: qui pro­pter nos homines & propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis, & incarna­tus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Mariâ Virgine, & homo factus est, crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato passus, & sepultus est, & resurrexit ter­tiâ die secundùm Scripturas, & ascendit in coelum, fedet ad dextram Patris, & iterum venturus est cum gloriâ judicare vivos & mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis: & in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum & vivificantem, cui ex Patre, filioque procedit: qui cum Patre & Filio simul adoratur, & conglorifica­tur, qui locutus est per Prophetas: & unam, Sanctam, Catholicam, & Apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem pecca­torum, & expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, & vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.

1. Apostolicas & Ecclesiasticas traditiones, reliquásque ejusdem Ec­clesiae observationes & constitutiones firmissimè admitto & amplector.

2. Item sacram Scripturam juxta eum sensum, quem tenuit & tenet sancta mater Ecclesia, cujus est judicare de vero sensu & interpretatione sacrarum Scripturarum, admitto, nec eam unquam nisi juxta unanimem consensum Patrum accipiam, & interpretabor.

3. Profiteor quoque septem esse verè & propriè Sacramenta, novae legis à Jesu Christo Domino nostro instituta, atque ad salutem humani ge­neris, licèt non omnia singulis necessaria, scilicet, Baptismum, Confirma­tionem, [Page 19]Eucharistiam, Poenitentiam, Extremam Unctionem, Ordinem & Matrimonium, illáque gratiam conferre, & ex his Baptismum, Confir­mationem, & Ordinem, sine sacrilegio reiterari non posse.

4. Receptos quoque & approbatos Ecclesiae Catholicae ritus, in supra­dictorum omnium Sacramentorum solemni administratione recipio, & admitto.

5. Omnia & singula, quae de peccato Originali, & de justificatione in Sacrosancta Tridentina Synodo definita & declarata fuerunt, amplector & recipio.

6. Profiteor pariter in Missâ offerri Deo verum, proprium & propitia­torium sacrificium pro vivis & defunctis, atque in sanctissimo Eucharistiae Sacramento esse, verè, realiter, & substantialiter corpus & sanguinem, unà cum animâ & divinitate Domini nostri Jesu Christi, freríque conver­sionem totius substantiae panis in corpus, & totius substantiae vini in sangui­nem, quam conversionem Catholica Ecclesia transubstantiationem appellat.

7. Fateor etiam sub altera tantum specie, totum atque integrum Chri­stum, verúmque Sacramentum sumi.

8. Constanter teneo Purgatorium esse, animásque ibi detentas fidelium suffragiis adjuvari.

9. Similiter & sanctos unà cum Christo regnantes, venerandos atque in­vocandos esse, eósque orationes Deo pro nobis offerre, atque eorum reli­quias esse venerandas.

10. Firmissimè assero imagines Christi ac Deiparae semper Virginis, necnon aliorum sanctorum habendas & retinendas esse, atque eis debitum honorem, ac venerationem impertiendam.

11. Indulgentiarum etiam Potestatem, à Christo in Ecclesia relictam fuisse, illarúmque usum Chriftiano populo maximè salutarem esse, af­firmo.

12. Sanctam Catholicam, & Apostolicam Romanam Ecclesiam, omnium Ecclesiarum matrem, & magistram agnosco, Romanóque Pontifici, Beati [Page 20]Petri Apostolorum Principis successori, ac Jesu Christi Vicario veram obe­dientiam spondeo ac juro.

13. Caetera item omnia à sacris Canonibus, & oe cumenicis conciliis, ac praecipuè à sacro-sancta Tridentina Synodo tradita, definita, & decla­rata, indubitanter recipio, atque profiteor, simúlque contraria omnia, at{que} haereses quascunque ab Ecclesia damnatas, rejectas, & anathematizatas, ego pariter damno, rejicio & anathematizo.

14. Hanc veram Catholicam fidem extra quam nemo salvus esse potest, quam in praesenti sponte profiteor, & veraciter teneo, eandem integram & inviolatam, usque ad extremum vitae spiritum, constantissimè [Deo ad­juvante] retinere, & confiteri, at que à meis subditis velillis, quorum cura ad me in munere meo, spectabit, teneri, doceri, & praedicari, quantum in me erit, curaturum.

Ego idem N. spondeo, voveo, ac ju [...]o: sic me Deus adjuvet, & haec sancta Dei Evangelia.

Volumus autem quòd praesentes literae in Cancellaria nostrâ Apostolicâ, de more, legantur: & ut omnibus faciliùs pateant, in ejus Quinterno describantur, ac etiam imprimantur. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostrae voluntatis & mandati infringere, vel ei [...]usu teme­rario contraire. Siquis autem hoc attentare praesumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei, ac Beatorum Petri & Pauli, Apostolorum ejus se noverit incursurum.

THe Office of Apostolical service incumbent upon us, requireth, That such things as Almighty God for the provident Government of his Church, hath deigned by his divine Spirit to inspire into the Ho­ly Fathers (* 3) congregated in his name, We without delay hasten to execute to his praise and glory. Seeing therefore it is so disposed by the Council of Trent, that all such as hereafter shall be promoted to any Praefectship in Cathedral or other Great Churches, or to whom it shall happen to be provided for out of the Dignities, Canonries of the said Churches, and whatsoever other Eccle­siastical Benefices having a Curateship, shall be obliged to make a pub­lick Profession of Orthodox Faith, and to promise and swear, that they shall ever persever in the Obedience of the Church of Rome. We also ha­ving [Page 22]a Will that the same be observed and practised by all such as shall be provided for out of Monasteries, Convents, Houses, and whatsoever other places of Regulars of whatsoever Orders, even of Military Professions, under whatsoever Name or Title, and desiring also that so much sollici­tude as concerns our self, may not to any one seem to be wanting in this matter, to the end that a Profession of one and the same Faith may be uniformly made by all, and one only and certain form thereof may be ex­hibited to all, We by Apostolical Authority and by the tenour of these Presents, districtly commanding, command, that the form which is expres­sed in these presents, be published, and throughout all Nations, by these to whom it belongs according to the decrees of the said Council, and by others abovesaid, be received and observed, and under such pains as the said Council hath decreed against the Refractory, the said Profession shall be solemnly made in this following, and no other form, and under this fol­lowing tenour.

IN. with firm faith believe and profess all and several the things which are contained in the Symbol of FaithThis Symbol of Faith is not only the short Constantinopolitan Creed, which here immediately follows, but also the long 14 Articles added by the Council of Trent, and here by the Pope comman­ded to be professed as a sum of Orthodox Faith. which the holy Church of Rome doth use; to wit,

I Believe in One God (* 4) the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and of earth, of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all time, God of God, Light of Light, True God of a True God, begot and not made, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation descended from heaven and took flesh by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made Man, crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and is to come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead, of whose Kingdom shall be no end: and in the holy Ghost the Lord and giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, and is adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son, who spake by the Prophets: and one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church. I confess one Baptism to the remission of sins, and expect the resurrection of the dead, and life of the world to come. Amen.

[Page 23] 1. I most firmly receive and embrace the Apostolical and Ecclesiastical (* 5) Traditions, and all other Customs and Constitu­tions of the same Church.Here is begun the principal part of the Roman Creed, and the real sense and import of this first Article is, I believe in the Pope.

2. Also I admit the holy Scripture (* 6) in that sense which the holy Mother Church hath held and holdeth, to whom it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy Scriptures: nor will I ever re­ceive or interpret them but according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers.

3. I profess also that there are seven true and proper Sacraments of the new Law, instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord, for the salvation of Man­kind, although all are not necessary to each one; to wit, Order, Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Pennance, Extreme Ʋnction, Matrimony; and these all give grace: and of these Baptism, Confirmation, and Order, can­not be reiterated without Sacriledge.

4. I also receive and admit all received and approved Rites of the Catholick Church in the solemn administrations of all the abovesaid Sa­craments.

5. I also embrace and receive all and several the things (* 7) which have been defined and declared in the sacred and holy Synod of Trent, concerning Original sin and Justification.

6. I also profess that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the Living and the Dead, and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist is contained truly, really and sub­stantially the Body and Blood, together with the Soul and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is made a perfect change of the whole substance of the Bread into his Body, and of the whole substance of the Wine into his Blood; which change the Catholick Church calleth Tran­substantiation.

7. I confess also that whole and entire Christ and the true Sacrament is received under one only species of Bread.

[Page 24] 8. I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that souls there de­tained, are holpen (* 8) by the suffrages of the faithful.

9. Likewise that the Saints reigning with Christ, are to be worshiped and invocated, and that they offer prayers (* 9) for us to God: and that their reliques are to be worshiped.

10. I most firmly assert that the Images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and of the other Saints, are to be had and kept, and duty of honour and wor­ship to be given them.

11. I also affirm that the power of Indulgences was left in the Church by Christ, and that the use of them is most conducive to the salvation (* 10) of the Christian people.

12. The holy Catholick and Apostolick Church of Rome (* 11) I acknowledge to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches; and I vow, swear, and promise true Obedience to the Bishop of Rome, as successor of B. Peter Prince of the Apostles, and Vicair of Jesus Christ.

13. Also all and whatsoever other things delivered by way of Tradition, defined and declared by the holy Canons, and the General Councils, and chiefly by the sacred and holy Synod of Trent, (* 12) I undoubtedly receive and profess, and together all contrary things and whatsoever he­resies by the Church damned, rejected, and accursed, I also damn, reject, and accurse.

14. This true Catholick Faith, without which no man can be sa­ved; (* 13) which at this present I freely profess and truly hold, I the same N. do promise, vow, and swear most constantly, God assisting, to retain and confess entire and enviolate to the very last gasp of life, and to procure, as much as shall lie in me, that the same be held, taught, and prea­ched by all my inferiours, and by those who are committed to my care and charge. So God help me, and these holy Gospels of God.

Farther, It is is our will This new and vo­luntary Gospel and Creed having no other foundation than the will and work of Man, will dissolve of it self, as all other works of men, however glorious for a time. that these present Letters be read in our Apostolical Chancery according to the [Page 25]custom: and, that they may be more open to all, they shall be writ in the Quintern of our said Chancery, and also imprinted.

Therefore it shall be lawful to no man whatsoever to infringe the page of this our Will and Commandment, or with daring rashness to contra­dict it. But if any one be so presumptuous as to attempt that, let him know that he shall incur the indignation of Almighty God, and of the B. Peter and Paul his Apostles. (* 14)