cōsidering of his most excellent wisedome not only the notable decay of Christis true and perfite religion emonges vs but also the intollerable thraldome captiuitie and bondage with the infynite dangers and preiudices whyche we his subiectes continually susteyned by reason of that longe vsurped and abused power whiche the bysshops of Rome were wōt to exercise here in this realme hath nowe of his most godly disposition and by the consente of his nobles spirituall and temporall by auctoritie of the hole parliament determined no longer to suffer the byshoppe of Rome to exercyse any parte of his vsurped iurisdiction here within this realme but clerely to delyuer vs from the same and restore vs agayne vnto our libertie Surely we haue great cause most ioyfully and thankefully to enbrace and accepte the same consideryng that therby no preiudice is done to goddis worde or his ordinaunces For as we haue shewed and declared before it was by princes sufferaunce onely that the bysshoppe of Rome exercised any suche iurisdiction within this realme and not by the authoritie giuen vnto hym by Christe And as for the bysshop of Rome he can not pretende hym selfe no more to be greued or iniuried therwith than any of the kynges officers myght worthily thynke that the kynges byghnes shulde do him wronge in case he shulde vppon good cause remoue hym from his roume and office and committe it to an other And as for vs the kynges faythfull subiectes we shall vndoubtedly receyue and haue thereby syngular welth and commoditie as well spiritually to the edifieng of our soules as corporally to the increase of our substance and richesse The which how moch it was impaired decayed continually from tyme to time by the great exactions of the byshoppes of Rome and suche treasures as wente yerely out of this realme to his coffers for annates annuities and exemptions pardons and suche other vnlawfull exactions we doubte not but all men indued with any witte and zeale to the welthe of this our countrey do right well perceiue and vnderstande and accordingly with hart and minde wil not onely pray for the kynges highnes and his preseruation by whose occasion this lighte came fyrste vnto vs but also firmely and constantly stycke to those lawes wherby we haue so moche ease of wrongfull exactions and abuses and also our prince kyng now enioieth most rightfully his iust title with restitution of his royall and imperiall dignitie and princely gouernance The sacrament of Confirmation WE reade in holy scrypture / how the apostels in the beginnyng of the churche althoughe they dyd certainly knowe and beleue that al suche as had duely receyued the sacrament of baptisme were by vertu and efficacie therof perfitely regenerated in Christ perfitely incorporated and made the very members of his body and had receyued full remission of their synnes and were indued with graces and giftes of the holy goste yet they went vnto the people after they were baptised and so by their prayer and imposition of theyr handes vppon them the holy goste was giuen and conferred vnto them And the sayde people did speake diuerse languages and prophecyed wherby not onely they whiche had receyued baptisme and professed Christ were the better confirmed and established in Christis religion made more constant to confesse the same But also other whiche were out of the churche infideles mighte the soner be reduced by suche gifte and miracle frō theyr errours and be brought in to the right beliefe of Christe and his gospele Whervpon the holy fathers of the primitiue church taking occasion and founding them selues vpon the saide actes and dedes of the apostles and considering also that suche as had ones receyued the giftes and benefites of the holy goste by the sacrament of baptisme might and oftentimes dyd in dede by temptation frailtie or otherwise by theyr owne sinne and malice lose and fall from the same againe dyd vse and obserue as it hath ben hitherto by succession of ages continued that al christen people shuld after theyr baptisme be presented to theyr bishops to the intent that by theyr prayers and imposition of theyr handes vpon them consigning of them with the holy Chris◅ they shulde be confirmed that is to say they shuld receyue suche gyftes of the holy goste as wherby they shulde be so corroborated and establisshed in the giftes graces before receyued in baptisme that they shuld not lyghtly fall againe from the same but shulde constantly reteyne them and perseuere therin and shulde also be made stronger and hardier as wel to confesse boldly and manfully theyr faith before all the persecutours of the same and to resist and fight against theyr gostly ennemies the world the deuil and the fleshe as also to beare the crosse of Christe that is to suffer and susteine paciently all the afflictions and aduersities of this worlde and fynally that they shuld atteyne encreace and abundance of vertues and graces of the holy gost And although men ought not to contemne this sacrament but shuld present theyr children vnto the bishoppe to receyue at his handes the sacrament of confirmation yet it is not to be thought that there is any suche necessitie of confirmation of infantes but that they being baptised and dieng innocentes before they be confirmed shall be assured to atteine euerlastinge lyfe and saluation by the effecte of the sacrament of baptisme receyued The sacrament of extreme vnction AS towching extreme vnction we must vnderstand how according to scripture and the rule and ordre prescribed by the holy apostle saint Iames the catholike churche of Christ hath obserued and minystred this sacrament to such as haue required it in their sickenes and disease of body to the entent that by the workinge of god in ministration therof the sicke man through prayer of the priest the minister and suche as assist him might be releued of his bodely disease and also atteyne pardon and remission of his synnes For saint Iames saith If any be sick among you let him cal for the priestes of the churche and let them pray ouer him annointing him with oile in the name of our lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke man and if be be in sinnes they shall be forgiuen him By whiche wordes like as the vse of the sacrament is confirmed and proued so that the churche may well vse the same with assurance that god assisteth the ministration therof So we must also remembre that although helth of body which here is prayed for doth not always folowe yet we shuld not doubte but god ordereth mannes praier therin alwaies to the best as he doth of his infinite goodnes all other prayers that men make who in dede knowe not what they shuld aske ne what is best or moste profitable for them Wherfore albeit we be taught to make all our prayers in a most certayne fayth to atteine our desires according to the generall promise made by god throughe Christe Aske and
all other euyll behauyour of our tongue agaynste our neyghbours whiche all be forbidden by this commaundemente for they be rootes and occasions of murther and other bodely hurte The contrary of all these thynges be commanded by this commandement that is to saye that we shulde with our hartes loue our neyghbours and with our tonges speake well of them and to theym and in our actes and dedes do good vnto them shewyng towardes them in harte worde and dede pacience mekenes mercy and gentylnes yea thoughe they be our aduersaryes and ennemies And that this is the true sence and meanyng of this commandement it appereth by the expositiō of our sauiour Christe in the gospell Math. ◠where he declareth that we shulde neyther hurte any man in dede nor speake of hym or vnto hym maliciousely or contemptuousely with our tounges nor beare malice or angre in our hartes But that we shulde loue them that hate vs say well by them that saye euyll by vs and do good vnto them that do euyll vnto vs. And accordynge to the same sayeng of Christ saynt Iohn sayth also That he that hateth his brother ◠Ioan. iii. is a manqueller It is not forbydden by this commaundement but that al rulers and gouernours as princes iudges fathers maisters and suche other maye for the correction of theym whyche be vnder theyr gouernance vse suche maner of punysshemente eyther by rebukefull or sharpe wordes or by bodyly chastysing as the lawes of euery realme do permitte And not onely they may do thus but also they be bound so to do onles they se reasonable cause to the contrary and offende god if they do it not as is before declared in the .v. commaundement All rulers also muste beware and take hede that in theyr corrections and punishmentes they do not procede vpon any priuate malyce of their hartes or displeasure towardes any man or for any lucre fauour or feare of any persō but that they haue theyr eye and consideration only vpon the reformation amendment of the person whom they do correct or elles vpon the good ordre and quietnes of the common weale so that styll there may remayne in theyr hartes charitie and loue towardes the person they punyshe And lyke as the father loueth his chylde euen whan he beateth him Eeuen so a good iudge whan he gyueth sentence of death vppon any gylty person although he shewe outwardly sharpenes rigour yet inwardely he ought to loue the person and to be sorye and heauy for his offences and for the death whiche he hym selfe by the lawe doth and must nedes condemne him vnto And although inferiour rulers and gouernours maye correcte and punysshe suche as he vnder their gouernaunce yet they maye not punysshe by deathe nor mutilate maime or imprison them or vse any corporall violence towardes theym otherwyse then is permitted by the hyghe gouernour that is to say by the prince and his lawes from whom al suche authoritie doth come For no man may kylle or vse suche bodily coertion but onely princes and they whiche haue authoritie frome princes ne the sayde princes nor any for them may do the same but by and accordyng to the iuste ordre of theyr lawes and ordinances Moreouer no subiectes may drawe theyr swordes agaynst theyr prynce for any cause what so euer it be nor agaynst any other sauynge for laufull defence without theyr princes lycence And it is theyr duety to draw theyr swordes for the defence of theyr prynce and realme whan soo euer the prynce shall commande theym so to do And althoughe princes whiche be the chiefe and supreme heades of theyr realmes do otherwise than they ought to do Yet god hathe assigned no iudges ouer them in this worlde but wyl haue the iugement of them reserued to himselfe and wil punyshe them whan he seeth his time And for amendement of such princes that do otherwise than they shulde do the subiectes maye not rebell but must praye to god whyche hath the hartes of princes in his handes that he so turne theyr hartes vnto him that they maye vse the sworde which he hath gyuen them vnto his pleasure Agaynste this commandement offende al they whyche do kyll mayme or hurte any man without iuste ordre of the lawe and gyueth counsayle ayde fauour prouocation or consent therto And also all they whyche maye yf they wyll by theyr authoritie or laufull meanes delyuer a man from wrongfull death mutulation hurte or iniury and wyll not do it but wyll wyncke therat and dissemble it be transgressours of this commādement And al iudges which seyng no sufficient matter or cause of death or vpon lyght triall without sufficient examination and discussion gyue sentence of death or whan the matter or cause of death is sufficient and the triall good yet delyte in the deathe of the person be transgressours of this cōmandement And lykewyse be all those whiche in causes of lyfe deathe beyng impanelled vpon inquestes do lyghtly cōdemne or endite any person without sufficient euidence examination and discussion of the informations gyuen vnto them And moreouer all those whiche either in such causes do gyue false euidence or information eyther wittyngly contrary to their owne conscience or doubtynge of the truth of those informations or without sufficient examination do promote enforce or mainteine such euidences informatiōs or inditementes do also breake this commandement So do all they whiche wyllyngly do kyll themselfe for any maner of cause for so to doo there can be no pretence of lawfulle cause ne of iust order And therfore he that so dothe kylleth at ones both body and sowle Fynally all they whiche beare hatred and malyce agaynste their neyghbours and eyther malyciousely speake wordes of contempte dyspite checkynge cursynge and suche other or elles publysshe theyr neyghbours offences to theyr sclander rather than to theyr amendemente And generally all they that liue in yre malice enuy and murmuringe at other mens welth or reioysing at other mens trouble or hurt or suche other like they offende all againste this precepte The exposition of the seuenthe commandement of god Thou shalt not cōmitte adultery ALthough this word Adultery doth signifie properly the vnlaufull commixtion of a maryed man with anye other woman than with his owne wyfe or elles of a maried woman with any other man than her owne husbande yet in this commandement it is taken not onely for that but also for all maner vnlaufull copulation betwene man and woman maried and vnmaried and all maner of vnlaufull vse of those partes whiche be ordeyned for generation whether it be by adultery fornication incest or any other meane And in laufull matrimonye a man may breake this commandement and lyue vnchaste with his owne wyfe yf he do vnmeasurably or inordinatly serue his or her fleshely appetite or lust And of such the deuyll hath power as the angel Raphael sayde vnto Thoby Tob. vi They that marrye in suche wyse that they
in it selfe most holy be so taken vsed honoured halowed of vs of all others as well heathen as christened like as on the contrary part this name is sayd to be polluted and defyled whan we do either in worde or deede contumeliously and contemptuously or otherwise disshonour the same We desire therfore in this petition that al false faythe by the whiche men eyther mistruste god or put theyr confidence in any other thynge more than in hym maye be destroyed And that all witchecraftes and false charmes and coniuratiōs by the whiche Sathan and other creatures be inchanted may ceasse and gyue place to goddes holye name and so likewise that all heresies and false doctrines maye vanishe awaye so that goddis holy worde maye be truely interpreted and purely taught and set forth vnto all the worlde and that all infidels may receyue the same and be conuerted to the right catholyke faith wherby all disceite hypocrysie and coūterfaiting of truthe of rightuousnes or of holines myght clerely be extincte Furthermore we beseche and praye god here that his name may be halowed so that no mā shuld sweare in vayne by it or otherwyse abuse the same to lye or to disceyue his neyghbour And generally the none shulde fall into pride or ambition in to desire of worldly glory and fame into enuy malice couetousnes adultery glutteny slouth backebytynge Coll. i. slaundering of his neighbours ne into any other euyll or wicked thoughtes and dedes wherby the name of god may be dishonoured and blasphemed In this prayer also we require god to graunt vs that in all perilles and daungers we runne vnto hym as vnto our onely refuge and cal vpon his holy name and that in our good wordes and workes we may please and magnifie him be by him preserued from the most damnable sinne of vnkindnes towardes him And also that we whiche do alredy professe the right faith maye stil continue therin and may do and expresse the same as well in our outwarde conuersation as in confessynge it with our mouthe so that by our good lyfe and our good workes all other maye be moued to good and that by our euyll workes and sinnes no man maye take occasion to slaunder the name or dimynysshe the laude and prayse of god Phili. iii. but that all our workes doynges myght returne to the honour and prayse of goddes name Thy kyngdome come THis seconde petition is very necessary for no doubte our auncient ennemie the deuyll goeth aboute contynually by all craftye meanes to deceyue vs and bringe vs vnder his power and dominion And surely so longe as pryde and dysobedyence reigneth in vs so longe as yre enuye wrothe or couetousnes reigneth in vs so longe as glotteny lechery or any kynde of synne reygneth in vs so longe we be vnder the dominion and kingedome of the deuyll For the deuyll vndoubtedly is kyng ouer all the chyldren of pryde that is to saye ouer all them that be synners rebelles and disobedient vnto god And for as moche as it is not in our power to deliuer our selues from vnder this tyranny of the deuyll but onely by goddes helpe for our perdition and vndoing is of our selues but our helpe and saluation is of god Osc xiiii as saith the prophete Osee therfore it is very necessary for al tru christen people to make this petition incessantly vnto our heauenly father and to beseche hym accordynge to this doctrine of Christe that by his grace and helpe we may escape the dominion and power of the deuyll and that we may be made subiect vnto his heauenly kingdome therfore in this petition we desire god to gyue vs afore all thinges true and constant faith in him and in his sonne Iesu Christ and in the holy gost with pure loue and charity towardes him and al men to kepe vs also from infidelitie desperation and malice whiche mighte be the cause of our destruction to delyuer vs from dissentions couetousnes lechery and euyll desyres and lustes of sinne and so the vertue of his kingdom to come and to reigne with in vs that all our hart minde and wittes with al our strength inwarde and outwarde maye be ordered and directed to serue god to obserue his commandementes and his will not to serue our selfe the fleshe the worlde or the deuyll We desire also that this kingdome ones in vs begunne may be dayly encreased and go forwarde more and more so that all subtyll and secrete hate or slouth whiche we haue to goodnes be not suffered to rule so in vs that it shall cause vs to loke backe again and to fall into sinne but that we may haue a stable purpose and strength not onely to beginne the life of innocency but also to procede ernestly further in it and to perfourme it accordinge to the saieng of saint Paule where he praieth Coll. i. that we may walke worthely pleasynge god in all thinges being fruitfull in all good workes and growing and encreasing in the knowlege of god Also in an other place he sayth worke and do the truth in Charitie and encrease and go forward in Christe Ephe. iiii i Therfore in this prayer desiring the kingedome of god to come we require also that we being alredy receiued and entred in to the kyngedome of grace and mercy of god may so continue and perseuere therin that after this lyfe we may come to the kyngdome of glory whiche endureth for euer And this is that great and feruēt desire wherwith good men being mortified from worldly affections haue lyen and be alwaies kyndled enflamed as appereth by saint Paule Phili. i. whā he said I wold be losed frō this body and be with Christ And in an other place he saith Rom. viii we that haue receyued the first fruites of the spirite wayle and mourne in our selues wisshinge lokinge to be deliuered from the mortalitie and miseries of this body into the glory of the children of god The thirde petition Thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heauen FOr the better vnderstāding of this thyrde petition we muste know that by disobedience synne of our firste father Adam we be as of our nature onely without the grace of god vnable to fulfyll the will preceptes of god and so enclined to loue our selues and our own willes that we can not hartely loue neither god nor man as we ought to do And therfore we beinge ones christen men it is requisite for vs to pray that lyke as the holy aungelles and saintes in heauen in whom god reigneth perfectly and hooly do neuer ceasse ne shall ceasse to glorifie hym to prayse him and to fulfill his wil and pleasure in all thinges and that most readyly gladly without any maner of grudging or resisting therūto knowing certainly and clerely that his wyll is alway the best euen so that we the children of god in earth may dayly and continually prayse god by our