Christes …, deathe▪ refurreccion and ascension. / The spirite sēt downe.
The Foundation Laid
The Master affirms the truths already taught and proposes to move forward to Christ's saving deeds.
Master. All these foundations that you've laid are most true.1 So now, let's go forward to those deeds of his in which our salvation and our conquest against that old serpent lie.2
Christ's Passion, Death, and Descent
The Scholar assents, and the Master recounts Christ's suffering, crucifixion, death, burial, and his victorious descent to the dead.
Scholar. It will be done, good master. After Christ Jesus had entrusted to his apostles that most joyful and in every way heavenly doctrine—the gospel, which in Greek is called Euangelion, meaning 'good news'—and had, as if by sealing it, confirmed it with signs and countless miracles, which filled his whole life: finally, he was severely scourged; mocked with thrusting, scorn, and spitting in his face; and last of all, his hands and feet were bored through with nails, and he was fastened to a cross.3 Then he truly died, and was truly buried, so that by his most sweet sacrifice he might appease his Father’s wrath against mankind, and by his death subdue the one who held the authority of death—that is, the devil. For not only the living, but also the dead—whether they were in hell or elsewhere—all felt the power and force of this death: to those lying in prison (as Peter says) Christ preached, though dead in body, yet made alive in the Spirit.4
Resurrection and Ascension
Christ rises bodily, appears to his disciples for forty days, and ascends to sit at the Father's right hand as Lord and Mediator.
On the third day after, he rose again, alive in body as well; and with many notable proofs, for the space of5 forty days he stayed among his disciples, eating and drinking with them. In their sight, he was taken up in a cloud into heaven—or rather, above all the heavens—where he now sits at the right hand of God the Father, having been made Lord of all things, whether in heaven or on earth; King of all kings; our everlasting and only High Bishop; our only Advocate; our only Mediator; our only Peacemaker between God and men.67
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Christ sends the Holy Spirit to enlighten, guide, and comfort believers until the end of the world.
Now that he has entered into his glorious majesty, by sending down his Holy Spirit to us (as he promised) he enlightens our dark blindness; he moves, rules, teaches, cleanses, comforts, and rejoices our minds; and so he will keep doing this continually until the end of the world.✦
Read the original English
Master. All these founda…ions that thou hast layed ar most …rew. Nowe thearfore let vs: go forwarde to those hys doinges, whearin lie… our salua…ion and conquest agaynst that old serpent.
Scholer. It shalbe done, good Maister. After that Christe Iesus hadde delyuered incharge to his Apostles that most ioyfull, and in al pointes heauenlye doctryne, the gospell, whych in greeke is called Euangelion, in Englysh good tidinges: and had as by sealyng stablished the same wyth tokens, and miracles innumerable, whe… of all hys lyfe was full: at lēgth was he sore s…urged: mocked wyth pottyng, sco…nyng, and spyttynge in hys face: laste of all hys handes and …ete bored thorow with nayles: and he fastened to a crosse. Then he trulye dyed: and was truly buryed: that by hys moste sweete sacrifice, he myghte pacifye his fathers wrath against mākynde: and subdue hym by his death, who had ye authoritie of deathe, which was the deuel: forasmuch not onlye the lyuinge, but also the deade, wear they in hell, or elsse whear, they all felt the power & force of this death: to whom lieng in prison (as Peter sayeth) Christe preached, though dead in body, yet relyued in Spirite. The third daye after, he vprose a gayne, a lyue in bodye also: and wyth manye notable profes, the space of. xl. daies, he abode among hys disciples, eatyng and drynkyng with thē. In whose syghte he was conueyed away in a cloud, vp into heauen, or rather aboue al heauēs: wher he now sitteth at the ryght hand of God the father: being made Lorde of all thinges, be they in heauen, or in earth: kynge of all kynges: our euerlasting & onlye hee Bisshoppe: our only attournye: only mediatour, onely… peace maker betwene God and men.
Now sithēs that, he is entred into his glorious maiestie: by sendynge downe his holy spirit vnto vs (as he promised) he lighteneth our dark blyndnesse: moueth, ruleth, teacheth, cleanseth, cōforteth, and reioyseth our myndes: and so will he styll continually do, tyll the end of the worlde.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.28.20 — teaching them to observe everything I commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source shows OCR damage: 'founda…ions' read as 'foundations' and '…rew' as 'true' (early-modern 'trew').
- 2 ↩Source shows OCR damage: 'lie…' read as 'lie' and 'salua…ion' as 'salvation'.
- 3 ↩Normalized through damaged print: “whereof all his life was full”; “sore scourged”; “scorning”; “feet bored through.” “Pottyng” rendered as mocking thrusts/putting at him.
- 4 ↩“Relyued in Spirite” rendered as “made alive in the Spirit,” matching the 1 Peter quickening sense rather than mere relief.
- 5 ↩Sentence is truncated in the source segmentation and continues through s6–s7 (“xl. daies...”).
- 6 ↩“onlye hee Bisshoppe” taken as “only High Bishop” (Christ as sole everlasting bishop/high priest); emphatic “he, Bishop” is less likely.
- 7 ↩Damaged “onely… peace maker” restored as “only peacemaker.”
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit