of our parētes therfore we ought chiefely to thanke theym for all these benefites And this is the fourth benefite that God by oure parentes doth teache vs the trewe knowledge of him and his worde Now these be the chiefest causes good children why God hath commaunded vs to honoure oure parentes And suerly they be cruell children y t do not this seynge that they haue receyued of their parētes so great an heape of benefites And trewly they wer wourthye to be stoned to deathe as stubburne childrē wer wont to be in the olde testamente Wherfore good childrē obserue diligently this cōmaūdement that you be not disobedyent nor vnkynde but honor your fathers and mothers And here you muste not thynke that you owe this subiection onely to your fathers and mothers but the same obedience and honor is dewe also to all thē whose helpe and labour your parentes doeth oftentymes vse in gouernyng and teachynge you Of the whiche sorte be youre tutors scholemasters preachers pastors curates youre masters that teache you your craftes and also the magestrates and commō officers For y e holy scripture doth call all these fathers And therefore when God sayth honour thy father and mother he comprehendeth within the boundes of thys commaundemente all those parsons before rehersed And this is done for these consideracions For when the parentes do ley on theyr death bed then in theyr laste wil or testament they assigne and appoynt to theyr chyldren y t be of nonage tutors gardians or gouernours to whō they resigne all theyr iurisdiction which they had of God gyuen vnto theym ouer theyr children To suche tutors or gouernours children ought to be obedient and honor them For suche be lefte vnto theym in the steade of theyr parentes and they nouryshed theyr pupylles or wardes and make much of them se that they be honestly brought vp in vertue and lernynge and shall make a rekenyng for y e same both before God and the worlde Furthermore when that oure parentes eyther be not able sufficientlye to teache vs in their owne parsons or haue not conuenient leysure to do the same then they committe vs to scholemaisters preachers pastors and curates and make theym theyr deputies Therfore it is the deutie of children reuerently to obey theyr teachers and curates For saynt Paule sayeth The elders that rule well are worthye of double honour specialli they that labour in the worde and teaching And saynt Peter sayeth Obey them that are appoynted to gouerne you for they do wake and watche for your soules as men that shall make an accompt for the same Also it happeneth oftentymes that parētes do put theyr children to other either because they themselues are not able to fynde them or teache theym handye craftes or the arte of marchaūdyse and when this chaunseth then it is the offyce of chyldren to obey in all thynges and to honour euen as theyr parentes those to whō they be thus cōmitted with whō they dwel For vnto such theyr fathers and mothers haue geuen theyr power and autoritie Therfore saynte Paule sayeth Seruauntes be obedient vnto youre maysters as vnto God and so forth But when children grow to mannes age and then refuse to be ruled by their parētes masters teachers and curates and begynne to waxe wyld and wanton to hurte other thē the cōmē officers ought to chastise them And the Magistrates superiour powers ought to be honored and feared euen as our fathers and mothers For by theim we be defēded from our enemies of theim we receaue lawes and statutes wherby we may liue in peace and quietnes wherefore we ought to be glad and willynge to paye to thē tribute taxes tollages subsidies whereby they may be the better able to maintaine the tranquillitye of y e commen welth Learne therfore good childerne that they be not onely called oure parentes of whō we are begotten and borne but they also be called to the honor tytle of this name whiche helpe them to bryng vs vp in vertue and learning Suche be they whom we cal our tutors or gardians teachers masters curates and officers Also this worde honor doth not onely containe the outwarde gesture of making cursey and puttyng of y e cap but they do trewly honour their parentes whiche do feare and loue them highly esteme them gyue place to them and rendre vnto theim all kynde of gentilnes liberalitie yet do not obbrayd them or cast their gyftes in their teath but do cōfesse y e stil thei be in their parentes dette and as yet do owe them greater thinges And this is a great poynt of wisedome yea in worldly pollicie to acknowlege y t of bounden deutie we owe to these persons aboue rehersed honor and reuerence and that God is highly pleased with this kynde of sacryfice And that he doth sende vnto vs by these mē innumerable benefites wherefore yf you wil be coūted good and godly childerne and please God then kepe this commaundement obey your parentes and euery commen officer feare them be obedient to their lawes and statutes be subiecte vnto thē in all thinges Notwithstandyng yf the commen officer do byd you do any thinge expressely agaynst god thē you may not obey hī but say with y e Apostle Peter we must obey god rather then men And beware good children y t you dispise not your parentes or vncurtesely entreat thē because perchaūce thei be simple men rude vnlerned poore weake feable and impotēt by y e reason of their olde age For of what soeuer state condition or qualitie they be yet by them God hath gyuē vs our lyfe he hath ordained them to be our gouernors as I haue declared heretofore by theym he hath sent vs infinite benefites wherfore we ought to honor them obey them to be willyng and redy both to learne and do that whiche they commaunde vs to eschew those thīges which they forbid vs. For this obedience pleaseth God and is a most acceptable honoring of him Take hede also y t you refuse not nor grudge to do such thinges as thei shal cōmaunde you nether that you play the truantes or runne away from your teachers maysters or other artificers into whose house tuition and custodie your fathers and mothers shall committe you For this is a great synne before God the which shal not escape vnpunished But specially you must eschew this most detestable kynde of disobediēce which now a daies is very cōmen that you intangle not your selues w t mariage without the knowlege and consente of your parētes For this is a pointe not only of notable dysobedience but also of great folyshenes For what is more myserable or can trouble a mā more in this world then a mariage euel matched and vnmetly coupled This is that grefe and punishement that dayly troubleth scourgeth vs all oure lyfe tyme from the whiche there is no meanes to escape but by death onely And it is to be feared
they for their owne gaynes do counsell a man to wage the lawe makynge hym to beleue that hys mater is good when in dede they thinke it naught Or when for monye they wil so craftely handle or plead a matter that thei with their shiftes and colors will purposely hyde the trueth and make a good cause to seme bad and a bad cause to appeare good wherwyth they shal so deceyue the iudge that they wyll cause hym vniustely to gyue sentence on theyr syde And the iudge himselfe is a thefe before God when he for brybes or anye corrupcion doth wittingly wyllingly gyue wronge iudgemente For he taketh from the partie that hath the good cause hys iust title and interest and gyueth it to the other partie that hath no right to it at all And thys is also no small theft when men craftely defraud the trew heyres of their inheritance or forge false testamentes and wyll not brynge to lyghte the trewe wyll but hyd and suppresse it Furthermore marchaunt men brokers chapmen marchauntes factors are theues when they require vnreasonable gaynes in sellyng of their marchaundyse or when they vtter corrupte and naughty ware for good when thei deceiue their neyghboure w t false weyght and measure when with forged letters and fayned newes they perswade other to be hasty to sell that kynde of ware good chepe whiche they knowe wyll be dere shortely after or elles by suche lyke crafte entice men to bye of them great plentye of that kynde of marchaundyse of the whiche they knowe that the pryce wil shortely after decay Or when wyth their lyes and periuries they cause a man to gyue more monye for any stuffe then he wold haue donne yf that he had knowen that they had lyed Also when the riche marchaunte men and vserers haue the heads of the poore handy craftes men so bounde vnder their girddels that the poore men of necessitie are compelled to brynge their ware to theim and when y e handy craftes mē do come to them and offer their stuffe than they fayne that they haue no nede of suche wares at that tyme and by suche meanes compell theym to sell their wares better chepe thē they be able to aforde theim not regardyng what greate losse theyr poore neyghbore doth suffer therby Also when by forstallynge regratyng agrementes in haules to rayse the price of thinges ingrossynge of marchaundise when one man or one companye getteth all in their awne hādes that no man maye haue gayne but they onely when by these or suche lyke deceites they compell the poore to bye at their own price suche wares as they must nedes occupie thē they be arrant theues before God For by suche fraude they begyle theyr poore neyghbors poolle theym of their monie agaynst theyr wylles The handycraftes men and daylye laborers also are theues when they do not applye theyr wourke diligently and faythfully but sell counterfeyted slyghtly wrought wares for substantial stuffe or require more for their labor and paynes then they haue deserued Lyke wyse it is of husbande men in the countrey to whome Lordes and gentle men let theyr lande to ferme to thentente y t they should plowe and tyl it that therby the commen welthe maye haue plentye of corne and dearth maye be auoided than if they be negligent or slouthful in plowyng the grounde or sel their corne cattal or other vitayle at vnreasonable prices to enriche themselues therby they be veraye theues before the face of God For Kynges lordes and gentle mē do not giue to their fermors the proprietie or inheritaunce of their landes but onely for certein rentes and seruices do let their grounde out by lease for this entent and purpose that the fermors should tyl the same And the fermour or husbande man to whome suche lease is made is nothynge elles but a seruaunt appointed by the lorde so to occupie his grounde y t ther by the commen people may be fedde nourished Now therfore yf he do not diligently plowe and sow the ground as he is appoynted or elles yf he set so excessiue a price vpon hys corne that the multitude whome his deutye is to feade is not able to bye it then he his gyltie of thefte before God For yf fermers and husband men were so owners of their fermes and landes y t they might chose whether they woulde plowe them or no then they shoulde nether be able to pay theyr rent due vnto their landlordes the commen people shoulde perchaunce dye for hunger Lykewyse this commaundemēt is to be vnderstand of householde seruaūtes whether they be men or women prentises iourney men or hyred labourers For all these receaue wages for this intente that they shoulde laboure and wourke for their maysters profyte and helpe their maysters in true gettyng and faithfull kepyng of their goodes to y e mayntenance of their householde But when suche seruātes be vntrusty negligent or slouthful in doynge their dutie when they wastfullye spende or consume their masters goodes when they require greater wages then they be worthye to haue when they start or runne from their maisters or tarye not so longe as they were bounde by their couenant then they breake this commaundemente Thou shalte not steale for asmuche as thei withdrawe frō their maisters that profyt whiche of dewtie they owe vnto them and do asmuche as lyeth in them to empoueryshe and vndo their maisters And to be shorte they that paye not to their seruauntes or wourkemen their wages in dew tyme accordyng to their couenante They which wil not at the day appointed restore that monye which thei haue borowed They which can and wil not pay their dettes for their awne lucre They y t do not render thinges whiche they haue found as farre as they can come to knowlege of the trew owners They that do not gyue agayne suche thinges as be committed to their custodie for a tyme. And generally all they that do hawke and hōte for other mens goodes against the wil of the owners or do hurte them in any parte of the same or elles yf they seke not their neighbours profyte as thei ought to do Al these I saye are theues before God although the worlde dothe not so iudge them nor punyshe them for the same Hereby you maye perceaue good children howe great misery reigneth in this wretched worlde and that men swimme as it wer in a floode of synne For the worlde is full of priuie theues and there is almoste no state or kynde of lyfe from the highest to the lowest of the whiche there be not manye that haue broken this commaundemente And yet we counte it a villanie to be called a thefe and not w t out good cause For thefes be punyshed with most shamefull death hangynge on the galowes or gybbyt And althoughe they escape hangynge in this worlde yet many tymes God punysheth them so that they lyue wretchedly all their lyfe tyme. For commenly euell gotten goodes is yll spent
CATHECHISMVS That is to say a shorte Instruction into Christian Religion for the synguler commoditie and profyte of childreÌ„ and yong people Set forth by the mooste reuerende father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane Gualterus Lynne excudebat 1548. ¶ The Kyng ought to be feared as the roaryng of a LyoÌ„ who ê“uoketh him vnto anger offeÌ„deth agaiÌ„st his owne soule â–ª pro. xx ¶ Let not the book of this law depart out of your mouthes Bâ—… recorde therein daye and nyghte that you maye do accordynge â–ª all that is wrytten therin Iosua â–ª i x. Deut. xvii d To the moste excellent prince Edward the VI. by the grace of God kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the Fayth in earth of the churche of Englande and Irelande immediatly vnder God supreme heed youre graces humble subiecte Chaplayne Thomas Archebysshop of Canterbury wissheth aboundaÌ„ce of al grace godlynes with a longe prosperous raigne IT is not vnknowen vnto the hole world most excelleÌ„t Prince y t your graces father a Kynge of mooste famous memorie of a feruent and ernest godly disposition and tender zele towardes y e settyng forth of goddes glorie moste diligently trauaylled for a trewe a ryght reformation and a quiet concorde in Christes religion thorowout al hys dominions wherin vndoubtedly he brought many thynges to a godlye purpose and effecte dyd abolyshe take away muche blyndnes and ignorance of God many great errors fonde and pernitious superstitions and abuses that had crepte into thys churche of Englande Irelande a longe time And I perceiuing that your magestie by thaduyse of youre moste dere vncle my lorde Protector and the reste of youre graces moste honorable counsel is moste desyrous perfytly to finyshe and brynge to passe that your father dyd mooste Godlye begynne do thynke that there is nothynge more necessarye for the furtheraÌ„ce hereof then that it myghte be forseen howe the youthe tender age of youre louynge subiectes maye be broughte vp and traded in the trewth of Goddes holy worde For it is thought not to me onely but to manye others that neyther your graces father shoulde haue been inforced in hys tyme to haue taken so greate paynes for the reformation of Christes religion neyther yet youre hyghnes in thys your time shoulde nede with suche greate difficultie go about to further goddes cause and hys trewe seruice with so many lawes iniunctions and proclamations yf so greate negligence of theducation of the youth had not bene so much suffered and the necessarie poyntes and articles of our religion profession omitted of those whose office and bounden dewty was to haue moste diligeÌ„tly instructed the youth in the same Or yf the aunciente and laudable ceremonie of Confirmation hadde continued in the olde state and bene duely vsed of the ministers in time coÌ„uenient where an exacte and strayghte examination was had of all suche as were of ful age bothe of theyr profession that they made in baptisme touching theyr belefe and kepyng of goddes coÌ„maundementes with a generall solemne rehersall of the sayde coÌ„maundementes and of all tharticles of theyr fayth Surely there can be no greater hope of any kinde of persones other to be brought to all honest conuersation of lyuynge or to be more apte to set forth and mayntayne all Godlynes and trewe religion then of suche as haue ben from childhode noryshed and fed wyth the swete milke and as it were the pappe of goddes holy worde and brydled and kept in awe with hys holy coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For commenly as we are in youth brought vp so we coÌ„tinue in age and sauer longest of that thynge that we fyrste receaue and taist of And as a fayre table fynely pulyshed tho it de neuer so apte to receaue eyther pyctures or wrytinges yet it doth neyther delyte any mens eyes neither yet profyte any thing except the paynter take hys pensill set to hys hande and wyth labour and cunnyng replenyshe it wyth scriptures or fygures as apertaineth to hys science euen so the tender wyttes of yonge chyldren beynge yet naked and bare of all knowledge thorow the grace of God be apte to receaue goddes gyftes yf they be applyed and instructed by suche schole maysters as haue knowledge to brynge them vp leade them forwardes therin And what can be more apte to be grauen or paynted in the tender hertes of youthe then Goddes holy worde what can lead them a ryghter way to god to thobedience of theyr Prince and to al vertue and honestie of lyfe then the syncere vnderstandyng of Gods worde whyche alone sheweth the waye howe to knowe hym to loue hym and to serue hym What can better kepe and staye them that they do not sodenly and lyghtly fall agayne from theyr fayth What can cause them more constantly to wythstande thassaultes of the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe and manfullye to beare the crosse of Christ theÌ„ to lerne in theyr youth to practise the same And verely it semeth no new thing that the children of them y t be godly should be thus instructed in the faythe and commaundementes of God euen from theyr infancye For doeth not God coÌ„maunde hys people to teache hys lawe vnto theyr chyldren and chylders chyldren Hath not thys knowledge continued from tyme to tyme amoÌ„gest them to whome God promysed to be theyr God and they hys people Doeth it not appeare by playne expressed wordes of Paule that Timothe was broughte vp euen from a chylde in holy scriptures Hath not the commaundementes of almyghtye God thartycles of the Christian faythe and the Lordes prayer been euer necessarelye sence Christes tyme requyred of all both yonge and olde that professed Christes name yea though they were not learned to reade For doutles in these thre pointes is shortlye and playnlye included the necessarye knowledge of the whole summe of Christes religioÌ„ and of all thynges appertaynyng vnto euerlastyng lyfe In consyderation wherof in thys tyme of your gratious reformation of all vngodlynes and the setting forth of Goddes trewe glorie I knowyng my selfe as a subiecte greatly bounden and muche the more by reason of my vocation to set forward the same am persuaded that thys my smal trauayll in thys behalfe taken shall not a lytle helpe the sooner to brynge to passe your godly purpose For by thys lytle treatyse not only y e youth of your graces realme may lerne to know God and howe they maye mooste purelye and syncerelye honoure glorifie and serue hym and may also learne their office and dewtie howe they oughte to behaue themselfes first towarde God secondly towardes your Magestie and so towardes all ministers vnder the same towardes theyr fathers and mothers and all other persones of what sorte or degree soeuer they be but also manye of the older sorte suche as loue God and haue a zele to hys honoure and glorye and yet in theyr youth throughe negligence were brought vp in ygnoraunce may
as ymages be neither necessary nor profitable in our churches and tēples nor were not vsed at the begynnynge in Christe nor thapostilles tyme nor many yeres after and that at length they were brought in by Byshoppes of Rome maugre Thēperours tethe seing also that they be veri slaunderous to Christes relygion for by them the name of God is blasphemed among the infideles Turkes and Iewes whiche because of oure ymages do call christen religion Idolatry and wourshipping of ymages And for asmuche also as they haue bene so wonderfully abused within this Ralme to the highe contumelye and dyshonor of God and haue been great cause of blyndnes and of muche contention amonge the kinges maiesties louing subiectes and were lyke so to be still yf they shoulde remayne and chiefly seyng goddes worde speaketh somuche against thē You may herby right well consydre what greate causes and groundes the kinges maiestie had to take them away within his Realme folowing herin the example of the godly kinge Ezechias who brake downe the brasen serpent whan he sawe it worshypped and was therefore greatly praysed of God not withstandynge at the firste the same was made and set vp by goddes commaundemente and was not only a remembraūce of goddes benefites before receaued but also a figure of Christ to come And not onely Ezechias but also Manasses and Iosophat and Iosias the best kynges that were of the Iewes did pull doune ymages in the tyme of their Reygne Consider than howe Godlye anacte is this to take away so manye ymages not made by goddes cōmaundementes wherunto contrary to goddes commaundementes and his honor wer so manye Idolatries cōmitted For vnto Christē Princes office and cure appertayneth y e defēce of goddes true word Christē relygion to take away all those thinges which hynder or let true godlynes and relygion or make trouble contention within their realmes So good children you haue herde the true meanyng of these wordes Thou shalt make to the no grauē ymage thou shalt not bowe downe worship y e same the which I pray you graue depely in your memories y t whē you be demaunded what is ment by the wordes heretofore rehersed you may answer This cōmaundemēt forbiddeth vs al kind of ydolatry aswel bodely as goostly inhibiteth vs to geue y e honor whiche is due vnto god to any creature or ymage of creature but to worshyp God alone And now note further good childrē y t to thintēt we shuld honore only God obey him He saieth y t he is y e Lorde our God in whom be al good thīges of whō wee haue all He saith also y t he is strong of such force y t he can ponishe vs at his pleasure if we dysobey him Moreouer he calleth him selfe Ialose because he can abyde no cōpaniō but as a man y e more pure chast he is y e more he is greued if he perceue his wife to set her loue vpō any other euen so is god who hath takē vs to his spouse if he se vs defiled w t filthy ydolatry Furthermore he saith y t he wyl reuēge his maiesty glori if any mā wil translate y t vnto any creature picture or ymage y t w t such vengeance y t it shal extēde vnto theyr childrē nephewes nephewes childrē Like as on y e other side he promiseth his mercye and goodnes to their posterite that kepe his law cōmaūdementes Employ therfore youre hole hartes myndes to his preceptes good childrē exchewīg al ydolatry or honoring of caruinges or paintīges geue to god only his due honor and glory now frō hensforth world w tout ende Amē The seconde sermon YE haue herd the declaraciō of y e first cōmaundemēt in y e whiche we be taught howe we oughte to behaue oure selues towardes god in our hertes now foloweth y e secōde cōmaūdemēt which is this ¶ Thou shalte not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for he shal not be gyltles in the sight of the Lorde that taketh his name in vayne THis cōmaūdemēt good childrē teacheth vs how we oughte to behaue our selfes toward God in wourdes biddynge vs not to speake of the name of God in vaine or without great cause but to vse it only whē it tendeth to y e praise and glory of God to the profit of our neighboure that euerye man maye perceaue by oure wourdes and communication that we in our hartes do reuerentlye and humbly feare magnifie and worship God his holy name For by this oure good example other men are prouoked and encoraged to glorifye y e name of God And contrariwyse when in scoffynge iestyng we be lighte to abuse the name of God then other mē are offended therby also are made more vnreuerent toward God and lesse passe of god godly thinges and so by this meanes we burden oure selues with an other mans synne For Christe sayeth in the ghospel of Mathew the .xviii. chapter He that gyueth cause of offence to anye of the weake bretherne it were better for him that a mil stone wer hanged aboute his necke so drowned in the botome of the sea Wherefore I pray you diligently beware that you gyue no such kinde of offēce to your brethrē Wherfore you shal now lerne how the name of God is taken in vaine to thentēt you maye y e soner eschew this syn For y e name of god is takē in vaine diuerse wayes The first is when men gyue the title name of God to those thinges whiche are not God in dede As the heathen did call the Sonne the Moone and the starres goddes also they called certen men as kinges tyrannes goddes as y e Iewes did whiche made a calfe of gold and sayed This is the God whiche brought vs out of Egipt And this good children is so heinous a faulte that God in the olde testamente commaunded him to suffre death that shoulde committe this synne and yf anye citie had so offended he willed y e same cytie to be burned and vtterly destroyed and all that were founde therin to be kylled Therefore let vs dilygently eschew this offence or elles God wyll horriblye punyshe vs. The seconde waye of takynge the name of God in vayne is whē we forswere oure selues or sweare deceiptfully other in commen iudgement or in oure dayly affaires and communicacion entendynge thereby to deceiue our neighbour Wherefore you muste diligentlye take hede that you vse not to swer lyghtly thorough an euell custome but do as Christ teacheth vs. Let your communicacion be yea yea and nay nay But when necessite dryueth you to an othe or y e publyke officer commaundeth you to sweare then be not forsworne but speake the trueth and faithfullye perfourme and obserue that thing that you haue sworne And yf it shall chaunche any of you in tyme to come when you shall come to mans state to be called to
call vpon the name of God to flye to hym for succoure with all our hope and confidence and not to runne to witchecraftes charmes sorceries and suche lyke vanities for God himselfe saieth cal vpoÌ„ me in y e day of thy tribulation I wil deliuer the and thou shalt glorifye me Here ye heare good children that God doth commaunde vs to call vpon him and not vpon any other creatures besides him and he saieth in expresse wordes call vpon me in the tyme of thy tribulation in aduersytye wheÌ„ thou art in nede and dauÌ„ger Wherfore no maÌ„ should dyspaire what soeuer kynde of afflyctions doth chaunce vnto him but praye for helpe from heauen and cal vpon the name of the Lorde who by his mighty strong hand is able and by his fatherly affeccioÌ„ wil deliuer and helpe vs what soeuer how great soeuer affliction and teÌ„tatioÌ„ ouerwhelmeth vs therfore he saieth I wil heare thy praier Here marke good childerne that it is your bounden dewtie to praye to God that they do synne heynouslye whiche do not praye wherfore ye shal learne the Lordes prayer whiche Christe hym selfe hath taught and appoynted and ye shal saye it dayly For this commaundemente dothe bynde vs to praye forasmuche as it forbiddeth thabuse of gods name commaundeth his name to be handled reuerently and religiously But we delyuer the and thou shalt honour and glorify me Here you perceiue good children that God oure heaueÌ„ly father doth hear our prayers and heapeth vpon vs infinite benefites for this cause purpose and intent y t we shoulde be glad ioyful to praise him with all our hart reÌ„dre thaÌ„kes vnto him Wherfore wheÌ„ soeuer we praie before we aske any new benefite we ought to thaÌ„ke him for tholde to glorifye his name for y e great treasures of giftes heretofore geuen vnto vs. And by this meanes both he wyll be the more willyng to heare oure prayers and also oure faithe shalbe the more strengthened and confirmed For when we call to oure remembraunce how God oftentymes heretofore hath herd our supplications and delyuered vs out of manye perrellous daungiers we be therby moued lesse to doubt of his goodnes and stedfastlye to hope that he nowe also wyll be as merciful vnto vs as he was wont to be in tymes passed Therfore sayeth the prophete Dauid I wyl call vpon the Lord praysyng him and he wyll saue me from myne enemyes Now therefore good children ye shall learne this lesson and practise it dilygently firste of al to prayse and thanke God for al hys benefites and afterwarde to call vpon him in all youre necessities So God wyll be the more redye to heare youre peticions and youre faith also thereby shall be the more nourished and increased For he that wyll trewely and effectuallye praye before al other thinges must beleue and perswade himselfe for a suertie y t God wil heare his praier Wherfore good children nowe I praye you learne so to vnderstande this seconde commaundement that ye take not the name of God in vayne that ye gyue not your selfes to Idolatrye that ye sweare not customablye nor without a necessarie cause that ye neuer commit periurie y t you curse no bodye y t ye abuse not the name and worde of God to vntruth vncleane and vnhonest coÌ„municatioÌ„ that ye applye not your mindes to witchcraftes sorceries For these faultes as yet neuer escaped vnpunyshed before God Contrarywyse you shall reuerentlye vse the name of God to his glorye and to the profit of youre neyghbour by callyng vpon him by praying and giuyng thaÌ„kes vnto him by opeÌ„ professioÌ„ of his doctrine religioÌ„ And when ye shal be demaunded howe vndrestande ye the seconde commaundemente ye shall aunswere We oughte to loue and feare God aboue all thynge not to abuse his name to ydolatrye charmes periurie othes curses ribaldrye and scoffes that vndre the pretence and coloure of his name we begyle no man by swearynge forswearynge and lyinge but in all our nedes we should cal vpon him magnifye and prayse him and with oure tongues confesse vtter and declare oure faythe in him and his doctrine The thirde sermon YE haue herde how the second commaundemeÌ„te is to be vnderstanded in the which we learne howe we ought to ordre our selfes towarde God both in herte and in wordes Nowe foloweth the thirde precepte whiche is this ¶ RemeÌ„bre that thou saÌ„ctifye the Sabboth daye THis commaundemente good children teacheth how we should behaue our selfes toward God in workes For wheÌ„ we haue a mynde to serue God and to shew to him as to our Lord and maker the greatest pleasure that we can then we muste not chose by thaduyse of oure owne imagination nether this nor that worke but we must saÌ„ctifie the sabboth day y t is to say employe bestow it vpoÌ„ godly holy workes busines And here note good chyldreÌ„ that y e Iewes in the olde testameÌ„t were commaunded to kepe the Sabboth daye and they obserued it euery seuenth day called the sabbot or satterday But we Christen men in the newe testament are not bound to such coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of Moses law concernyng dyfferences of tymes dayes and meates but haue libertie fredoÌ„ to vse other daies for our sabboth dayes therein to heare y e worde God and to kepe an holy rest And therefore that this Christian lybertye maye be kepte and mainteyned we nowe kepe no more the sabboth or saturday as y e Iewes do but we obserue the Sondaye certayne other daies as y e magestrates do iudge it coÌ„uenieÌ„t whom in this thinge we ought to obey And to theÌ„tent you maye the better perceyue such thinges as shall be spoken herin considre I pray you howe wonderfull a commaundemente this is When worldly lordes masters receyue men into their seruyce they byd theim not kepe holy daye but they set theÌ„ on worke appoynte theim diuerse labors to be done for their seruice and behofe But our Lorde God doeth not so with vs in this commaundement He biddeth not vs to doo neyther this nor that woorke he commaundeth vs not to gadde hether and thither on pilgrimage to paynt gylâ—e or clothe sayntes ymages to set vp candels before theim nor to exercise anye suche fayned mannes workes and false honorynge of God as the deceiptefull Monkes and Friars wer wont to teche vs but he biddeth vs to rest from labours and commauÌ„deth vs to kepe holy day But yet note good children that wheÌ„ you heare say that God hath commaunded to reste from workes you must not gather herof that you shoulde cesse from suche good workes by the whiche your neyghbour is releued as to gyue almes to the poore to preache the worde of God to instruct y e ignoraunt and suche like for god hath commaunded suche workes to be donne he doth ernestly require them of vs but although we do these workes neuer so dilygently yet by theym we onlye serue and healpe
then we shall trewlye kepe the Sabboth daye and therein laude and praise our Lorde God For this is no true kepyng of y e Sabboth daye when y e bodye cesseth from labors and in the meane season a mans mynde is holly occupyed howe he maye deceaue his neighboure how he maye obtayne hys pleasures howe he maye reuenge him self on his enemyes Or els when a mans herte boyleth with murmurynge grudgynge and impatiencie and doth not obediently bende himselfe to the wyll of God nor pacientlye suffereth his workes but tosseth and turmoyleth himselfe with hys awne cares thoughtes and compassynges For when shall suche an herte kepe a Sabboth or resting day or earnestly prayse God wherfore let vs learne to kepe holy day not onely from bodily labors but also from all euell thoughtes and carnall desiers But these maters good chyldren paraduenture doth passe your capacities For men haue busynes ynough all their lyfe tyme perfytely to learne and practyse this lesson wherefore at this time I wil require no more of you good children but onely to beare away this plaine and shorte instruction that the cheuest worshippyng of God standeth not in outwarde workes but when we keape the Sabbothe daye aswell with mynde as with bodye when we heare the worde of God when by praier we call vpon his name and be partakers of his sacramētes By whiche thinges we be monished instructed strēgthened and defended to be the more constante in our faith And this is the trewe sense meanyng of this precepte Wherfore good children marke it wel I praye you and when it shall chaunce you to be demaūded how vnderstande you the thirde commaundemente Ye shal answer we ought to feare and loue our Lord God aboue al thinges to heare diligently and reuerentlye his holye worde with al diligence to folow the same The fourth sermon ¶ A declaration of the fourth cōmaundement YOu haue hearde the thyrde commaundemente whereby we learne howe to vse our selues towardes God in oure deedes and woorkes nowe foloweth the fourth commaundement which is this ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother that thou maist leade a longe lyfe in the land whiche the lorde God shall giue vnto the. THis good children is y e first and chief commaundemente of the seconde table whiche doethe teache vs how we oughte to behaue oure selfes towarde our neyghboure And thys commaundemente speaketh of the most excellent and most deare personages vnto vs that lyue vpon the yearth as of our parentes and rulers of the commen wealth and it teacheth howe we shoulde order our selues towardes theim that is to saye to honoure and dreade them It entreateth of no small or trifelyng thinges but contayneth matiers of verye greate importaunce and it gyueth greate wysedome to all them that do rightlye vnderstande it Wherefore good children lysten to it dylygentlye that you maye knowe the trewe meanyng therof And firste of all ye shall vnderstande that God dyd gyue vs these ten commaundementes for this cause that by them we might learne what dothe please him For this is a doctryne most certayne that we vpon earth can interpryse or worke nothynge that maye better please him than to kepe his commaundementes And they be most foles of all that go about to serue God and winne his fauour with suche workes as he himself hath not commaunded For of suche Christe sayeth in the xv chapter of Mathewe They wourshippe me in vayne with the commaundementes of men But thys we maye be sure of that it pleaseth God that we shoulde honour our father and mother and obey them And for this cause all the workes also whiche they commaunde vs to do do please God yea the moste vyle workes y t they appoynt vs vnto as to swepe the house to poure water into the lauer and such like Now this is a very great cōforte for vs to know for a suertie y t these small druggynge workes do highlye please god bicause in doyng thē we obey our parentes Contrarywise those kyndes of wourshyppynge God those ceremonyes and wourkes which be donne to please God w tout his commaundement and besides his wourde do nothynge at al please him although the world do neuer so highly esteme praise theim For it is the commaundement of God onely and nothynge elles y e maketh our workes holy and precious in his sight Nowe here god cōmaūdeth vs to honor our father and mother that is to saye to stande in awe of them wyllyngly to obey them to loue them and haue them in reuerence and to helpe them with all the meanes we can For these wourdes honor thy father and mother do cōteine al these thinges And we be boūde to yelde vnto thē this honor forasmuche as God hath gyuē them vnto vs as maisters tutors gouernors and rulers in his stede and by thē hath powred vpon vs many hygh and great benefites wherby we be most streyghtly bound to honor them not to dyspise them But when we do not feare them whē we lightly regard them when they be angrye wyth vs then we dispise them And this is a verye haynous synne before God For in no wyse we shoulde contemne them but ought to take very great heede that we displease them not no not in trifelyng thinges Also when we do not obey thē wyllynglye then also we dyspyse them for he that doth not obei his father mother he is a presumptuous person and thinketh hymselfe wiser or better then they and this is a greate contempt and an heynous synne before god Wherfore good childrē do not so dispise your fathers and mothers but obey them with all your harte and be subiect vnto thē Furthermore when we do not loue oure fathers and mothers then it is not possible that we should hartely honor them wherfore we must beare an heartie and feruents loue towardes theym speciallye seynge that God hath thorough them powred so manye benefites vpon vs as we shal declare more at large herafter Besides this it is our bownden dewtie to vse all kynd of gentlenes and lyberalytie towardes our fathers and mothers and in all thinges to shewe kindnes vnto them before all other parsons For when we do any pleasure to other men we loke y t they shoulde thanke vs for y e same But of our fathers mothers we oughte to loke for no thākes but w t our benefites we must honor thē y t is to say we must ordre ourselues towardes thē no otherwise then we woulde do towarde kinges princes and lordes to whom when we offer any presente we thynke not that they be bound to render vnto vs any great thankes for the same but we humblye fall on our knees before them instantly desyryng them that they wyl vouchesafe to take in good parte so smal a gyfte wherein we declare oure good wyll farre to passe oure habilitie and wyth all reuerence we sue vnto theym that of theyr clemency they wyl accepte our good hartes and myndes On
howe ye maye contynually abyde and growe in Christ the whiche thing is taught you in the vse of the Lordes supper Ye shall therefore dilygentlye learne the wordes by the whiche oure Lorde Iesus Christ did institute and ordeyne his supper that ye maye repet them word for worde and so prynt thē in your memoryes that you may beare them away with you home to youre fathers houses and there oftentymes reherse them And these be the wordes of oure sauioure Christe Our Lorde Iesus Christ the same nyghte that he was betrayed toke bread gyuyng thākes brake it gaue it to hys disciples saide Take eate this is my bodye whiche is gyuen for you Do this in remembraunce of me Lykewyse he toke the cuppe also after he had supped giuyng thankes gaue it to them and sayd Drynke of this al ye This is my bloude of the new testamente whiche is shed for you for many for the forgyuenes of synnes Do this as often as ye drynke in remembraunce of me Nowe ye shall dilygentlye laboure not onely to say without boke these wordes of our sauiour Christe but also to vnderstande what oure Lorde Iesus Christe mente by the same that ye maye make answer when ye be asked any question herein and that also in tyme to come ye may be able to teache your children as ye youre selfes are now instructed For what greater dishonestye can ther be eyther in the sighte of God or man then to professe youre selues to be Christian people and to receaue the sacramētes yet not to know what Christes sacramētes be wherfore they wer ordeyned For saint Paul sayth y t he whiche eateth and drynketh the supper of the Lorde vnworthely doth eate and drynke his awne damnation Nowe therfore good children that ye may truely vnderstāde the wordes of the lordes holy supper and that ye receyue not this sacramente to youre owne damnation learne here dylygentlye that the true vnderstandyng and vse of y e Lordes supper standeth in two thynges The fyrste is to do that whiche our lord himself hath commaunded The seconde is to beleue y t which he hath promysed Of these two I wil speake in order wherto I pray you gyue good eare First our sauiour Christ taketh breade in his hand he giueth thākes he breaketh it and gyueth it to his dysciples and sayeth Take eate Lykewyse he taketh the cup and sayeth Take drynke Wherfore we ought to obey those wordes to do that which our Lord commaundeth vs. For although Christ prescribeth no certen tyme when we ought to come together to his supper althoughe also he appoynte no certen noumber of dayes howe often in the yeare we ought to receaue this supper yet this is his holy godly wyl that at some tyme we shoulde receaue this sacrament And this to do is for oure great commoditie profite for elles our Lorde wolde not haue commaunded vs so to do who knoweth better thē we what helpe and comforte we haue nede of Wherfore if we wil be christes trew disciples then we must do as he himselfe commaundeth his discyples to do Let vs therefore go to this godly supper let vs eate drinke therof let vs not absteine frō the same w tout a great cause Secondarily Christ saieth of the breade this is my bodye and of y e cuppe he sayeth this is my bloud Wherefore we ought to beleue y t in the sacrament we receyue trewly the bodye and bloud of Christ. For God is almyghtye as ye hearde in the Crede He is able therefore to do all thynges what he wil. And as saint Paul writeth he calleth those thinges whiche be not as yf they were Wherefore when Christe taketh breade and saieth Take eate this is my body we ought not to doute but we eat his veray bodye And when he taketh the cuppe and sayeth Take drynke this is my blod we ought to thynke assuredly y t we drynke his veray blode And this we must beleue yf we wil be counted Christē mē And wher as in this perellous tyme certayne deceitful persons be founde in manye places who of very frowardnes wil not graunt that there is the body and bloude of Christe but denye the same for none other cause but that they cannot cōpasse by mans blynde reason howe this thinge shoulde be broughte to passe ye good children shall with all dilygence beware of suche persons that ye suffer not your selues to be deceaued by them For suche men surely are not trew Christyans nether as yet haue thei lerned the first article of y e Crede whych teacheth that God is almightye whiche ye good children haue alredy perfectely lerned Wherfore eschewe such erroneous opinions and beleue the wordes of our lord Iesus that you eate and drynke his veray body blode although mans reason can not comprehend how and after what maner y e same is ther present For the wysedome of reason must be subdued to the obedience of Christ as the apostle Paule teacheth Thirdly he sayeth that his body was gyuē to death for vs that his blod was shed for vs. Wherfore we muste beleue and confesse this thing that all we are conceaued and borne in syn as we haue learned in the ten commaundemētes and chiefely in the two last We are therefore by nature the childrē of gods wrath shoulde be damned for euer yf Christ had not redemed vs by his holy passiō For he was made mā for vs and dyd all thinges for vs whiche we were bound to do and coulde not do that is to saye he fulfylled the lawe for vs and toke vpon hym all that crosse whiche we moste rightuously had deserued for our iniquities and offenses and he shed his bloude for vs that oure synnes might be forgyuen vs. All these thinges we oughte stedfastly to beleue Wherfore they be in a great errore whiche wyll make satisfaction for their synnes with fastyng prayer almes dedes and suche lyke good workes For althoughe we are boūde to do these good workes yet they be not a sufficient price raunsome or satisfaction for oure synnes but onely the death and bloude of our sauyoure Christ was a sufficient and worthy sacrifice to take away our synnes and to obteyne for vs forgyuenes of oure offenses as it is written in the seconde chapter of saincte Iohn his firste epystle Christ is that sacryfice that pacyfyeth Gods dyspleasure obteyneth pardon for oure synnes and not for our synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde Fourthly Christ sayeth do this in the remembraunce of me Here also it is oure dutye to obey the worde of Christ and to do y t thing which he hath cōmaūded vs to do Wherefore good children doubt not but ther is the bodye bloud of our Lorde which we receaue in the lordes supper For he hath sayed so and by the power of his worde hath caused it so to be Wherefore seyng Christ saieth do this as