University of Virginia Library

previous section The whole Psalter translated into English Metre
next section

Quicunque vult.

Who saued will be: before all thinges,
He must true fayth: fast hold in all:
which safe & sound: who kepth it not
Without all doubt: he perish shall.
This is the fayth: calde Catholike,
Euen through the world: full out so famde:
To serue one god: in Trinitie:
In Trinitie: but one so namde.
Confounding not: theyr persons three,
Their substance sundred cannot be:
The father, sonne: and holy goste,
Be diuers yet: in persons three.
The godhed yet: of them all one,
Of father, sonne, and holy Sprite:
Theyr glory lyke: their maiesty,
All one eternall, is aright.
The father such: the sonne is such,
The holy gost: is such a lyke:
The father hie: the sonne euen so,
The holy gost: vncreat eke.
The father god: the sonne the sprite,
Incomprehensible they be all:
Eternall god: eternall sonne,
The holy goste eterne we call.
Yet they not three: eternals be,
But one they stande: eternally:
Not three distinct: in power or tyme,
But one all whole: in vnitie.

The father houge: of power he is,
The sonne, the holy ghost euen so,
Not three almighties so be sayde,
But one almighty knowne no mo.
The father God: the sonne is God,
The holy ghost: euen so is God
Not yet three Gods: but one is God,
In all the world: so long and broade,
The Father Lord: the Son is Lord,
The holly Ghost: is truely Lorde,
Not yet three Lords: but one is Lord
We say and singe: in true accord.
As we ech person: God and Lord,
Be bid by Christian truth to name:
Forbidden so: we be by fayth,
three gods or els: three lords to frame.
The Father made of none: nor born,
Of none begotten well we know:
The sonne of God: alone not made:
Nor created, begotten thoughe.
The sprite is iust: of God and so
Of Christ not got: proceding yet:
One Father so: one son, one sprite,
Not thrise in name: these persons set.
In Trinity: not one beforne,
Nor yet behynde: more great or lesse:
These persons three: all equall be,
Eterne a like: we must confesse.

So that in all: this vnity:
In trinity: I say agayne:
The trinity: in vnity,
We must adore: as one full playne.
Who saued will be: most rightly iuge
The Trinity: forsooth euen thus:
And helth eke aske to think ye Christe,
Incarnate was: made flesh for vs.
For this is fayth: both right & sounde
That we beleue: and iust confesse:
That Iesus Christ: the sonne of God
Is God and man: our Lorde no lesse.
Of God his substaunce, God begot,
Before the worlde: was made in sight
And man he is of Maryes flesh,
His mother him: in world so dight.
He perfect God: and perfect man:
Of soule with reason most indued:
Of humayne flesh: subsistyng is,
By whome our nature was renued.
Christ equall is: in Deity,
To God so great: his father iust:
Yet greater he: and Christ the lesse,
For birth in manhoode so discust.
Who though he be: both God & man,
One Christ he is: in deede not two:
To flesh his godhed did not chaunge,
But taking flesh: on godhed so.

Of substance whole: he is vnmixte,
By person yet: he is but one,
As soule wyth wit: and flesh one man
One Christ is so: both God and man
Who suffred death: for all our health,
And downe he went in sprite to Hel:
He did yet ryse: from death agayne,
The thyrd day iust as scripture telth.
To Heuen he stied: and there he sitth
On gods right hand: which mighty is
from whence he shall: return to iudge
The quick and deade: all right I wis
And when he comth: all men shal ryse
In bodies dead: reuiued agayne:
And geue they shall: accompt full due
of al their thoughts: & works so plain.
And they that haue done good I saye,
Shall enter sure to life eterne:
And they that haue done euill, to fyre
To darknes cast: that is externe.
This is the fayth: most Catholike,
Which any man, if it mistake:
And faythfully doth not beleue,
No wight him saued: once can make.
previous section The whole Psalter translated into English Metre
next section