ACTS OF FAITH

 ANGELICO, Fra 
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Cell 10) 
1440-42

1. God forbid, dear Lord, that I should ever think that thou hast broken the Oath, and Testament, which thou didest make to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, thy servants, saying: By myself I have sworn, I will multiply thee, and I will multiply thy seed, as the stars of heaven, and as the sands that is upon the Sea shore: Thy seed shall possess the gates of thine enemies, and in thy seed shall be blessed all Nations of the earth. Thy seed shall be dilated to the East, and to the West, and to the North, and to the West, and to the North, and to the South, and in thee, and thy seed, shall be blessed all the Tribes of the earth.

2. I detest (O heavenly Father) as suggestions of the devil, all opinions whatsoever, which are contrary to the unity of the Faith dilated over the world.

3. O God of heaven I believe most firmly, that the Christians dilated over the world, professing one faith, are: the seed of Abraham, the children of thy Kingdom, the wheat that thou diddest sow, the Sheep that thou doest feed, and the blessed, which at the last day shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

4. Dear Lord I believe most firmly, that if we be Christs, then we be the seed of Abraham, and must profess the Faith dilated over the world.

5. I detest (eternal God) more than death, or hell, to hold or maintain any opinion, which the Catholic Church, the seed of Abraham dilated over the world, doth not approve.

6. I believe (dear Lord) all the articles of our Catholic Faith: and for the truth of any one of them, by the assistance of thy grace, am ready to die, not one death, but if it were possible, as many deaths as all the Martyrs have suffered, from the beginning of the world until this day.

7. Man may lie (my Lord) and mine own judgement may be deceived: but I believe most firmly, that the Catholic Church thy Spouse upon earth cannot ere in any one point of Faith.

8. I believe most firmly (dear Lord) that the Christians professing one Faith multiplied, as the sand that is by the Sea shore, and dilated to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and t the South, are, the seed of Abraham, thy servant, the children of Jacob thy elect, and there is no salvation in any other.

9. I do firmly held, and do no ways doubt, but that not only all Pagans, but also all Jews, heretics, and Schismatics, who do die out of the Catholic Church, are to go into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his Angles.

10. Be witness (O ye heavens) and bear testimony, all ye that dwell upon the earth, that I undoubtedly, and most firmly believe all the articles of our Catholic Faith.

11. Dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I most constantly believe, that thou art truly and really present, in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and in witness of this truth, I would give a thousand lives if I had them.

12. O eternal God, I unfainly believe the Blessed Trinity, three persons and one God. who liveth and reigneth for ever.

13. Let me never live (dear Lord) to doubt of any one point, or article of the Catholic Faith.

14. Who will give me (dear Lord) that I might suffer cruel death, for any one point of our Catholic Faith.

15. Certainly my God of infinite Majesty, though Heretics or Infidels, should break all my bones, and cut me in pieces by little and little, yet by the assistance of thy grace would I never deny any one point of our Catholic Faith.

16. Let me never live (dear Lord) to believe, or think that thou hast broken thy oath, and promises to the patriarch, and Prophets, or canst lie, or be forsworn, in permitting the Catholic Church to err, or to become invisible upon earth.

17. Dear Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ, by the assistance of thy grace, though as great torments as the sensible pains of the torments of hell, should fall upon me for it: yet will I confess that thou art the true Messias, and cam'st to fulfill the oath and promise, which God made to Abraham, the patriarchs, and Prophets,and not to break them.

Fr. Thomas Doughty 1623





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