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
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
lyfe we must be borne agayne sanctified or made holy as apperteyneth to y e childrē of y e most holy God Nowe this newe birthe and sanctification the holy gost worketh in vs. And therfore he is called the holy gost because al thing that is sanctified or hallowed is sanctified or made holy by hym Wherfore when the holy goost is not in man then it is not possible that he should be holy althoughe he dyd all the good workes vnder y e sunne And for this cause saincte Paule writing to the Romaines doth cal the holy gost the spirite of sanctification that is to say the spirit that maketh holynes Lerne therefore good children that al we must be made holy and newe men by the vertue of the holy gost and that we can not atteyne this holines by our awn strength or workes and therfore we must beleue in the holy gost that he wil sanctyfye vs at such tyme and place and after that sorte maner as it shall please him And it is our part to gyue place to his workynge not to w tstande thesame And therfore we saye in this Crede I beleue in the holy gost But it is necessarye some thynges here to speake of the maner of sanctification how and after what maner y e holy gost doth hallowe vs y t we maye so prepare our selfes or rather gyue place to the holy goost whiche preuenteth vs that he with his lyght and almighty strenght and power maye worke hys wyll in vs. Now I desier you to marke dyligently by what meanes fashion the holy gost dothe worke thys sanctification or halowyng in vs. After y t our Lorde Iesus Christ by his death passion and resurrection had redemed vs and obteyned for vs that our synnes should be forgyuen and we be made the childrē of God shortly after in the feest of Pētecoste he sent down vp on his Apostles the holy goost in the lykenes of fyery tongues The whiche holy goost gaue them wysdome connynge audacitie and constācie to teach boldly this holy gospell of Christe that is to saye this christen faith whereof we do speake And where they could not be presēt thēselfe or long abide continew in their awne persons thither they sent their disciples other godly learned mē to thē they gaue the holy gost by layng their hādes vpō their heades And this rite or ceremonie to ordē preachers mynisters of gods worde hath cōtinued in the churche euen from the Apostles tyme vnto this day and shall endure vnto the worldes ende For saincte Paule saieth How shal men beleue without a preacher And how shal men preache excepte they be sente And here you may learne that this holy gospel whiche we preache and the doctrine of y e grace of Christe taught in the hole churche cōmeth not of the wil of mā but by the cōmaūdemēt of God by y e motion of the holy gost which doth sturre vp mēs myndes to publishe gods most holy worde and doth worke by his secret inspiration in the prechers and ministers of the same For they wer not able so muche as to open their moughtes to teache so highe mysteries and heauenlye wysedome yf the holy gost did not moue theim therto and worke in theim Neyther wolde the hearers so greatlye esteme the preachers worde and giue so good eare vnto it excepte the holy goost dyd parsuade theym that y e doctrine of the gospell wer of God and cam from heauen Now the holy goost worketh by this worde on this fashiō First he that beleueth y e gospel and receaueth the doctrine of Christ is made the sonne of God as sayncte Iohn witnesseth in his gospel saiyng As manye as receiue him he hath gyuē them power to be made the children of God For when we beleue in Christ and are baptised then we be borne agayne and are made the children of God And when we be his children then he gyueth the holy gost into our hartes as sainct Paule testifieth writyng thus Forasmuche as you be now the children of God therfore God hath sent the spirite of hys sonne into your hartes which cryeth Abba father And when we haue receaued y e holy gost he doth kyndle in our hartes true loue towarde God as saincte Paull writeth in the pistle to the Romaynes in the fifthe chapter The loue of God saith he is poured abrode in our hartes by the holy gost which is gyuen to vs. And where as the true loue of God raygneth there are gods commaundements kept and there begynneth a certen obedience to his wil and pleasure Forthermore the holy goost dothe staye the fleshe and y e lustes of thesame and helpeth vs to ouercome theim that we be not caried away by them but may continew in clennes and holynes of lyfe These be the benefites and workes of y e holy gost in vs. And to thentent you maye the more easely beare them awaye I wil as briefly as I can repete theym agayne vnto you First of all y e holy gost prouoketh stirreth vp men to preache gods worde Than he moueth mēs hartes to faith calleth them to baptisme and than by faith and baptisme he worketh so y t he maketh vs newe men agayne And whē we be thus newely borne and made again and be bicome the children of God then the holy gost doth dwel in vs and make vs holy godly that we may be y e temples of God in whome God maye dwell and inhabite Also thys holy ghoste doeth daylye more and more encrease and establyshe our faythe that we lyke moste louing childrē maie colle and embrace our heuēly father and hang fast about his necke The same holy goost doeth also assure and warrant vs that our synnes be forgyuen and that our pardon is signed with Gods seal He doeth also kyndle in vs a feruent loue towardes God and maketh vs wylling to kepe gods law and commaundementes and helpeth vs also to fyght agaynste synne and to wythstande oure yll appetites and desyers Furthermore with the crosse of syckenes diuerse other kindes of afflictions and aduersities the holy gooste doth as it were crucifie and mortifie vs to the world that we may lyue to Christ. And this worke he woorketh continually in vs and cesseth not vntil he hath wrought in oure hartes a perfecte faythe a perfect charitie and vntyl synne and all euell desyres be cleane at lengthe purged oute of vs by the death of our bodies And then we shalbe perfecte in all holines and cleane delyuered from all synne aduersitie and be heires of oure fathers kyngdome and hys true and most derely beloued children Wherefore good chyldren as heretofore you haue bene taught that we oughte to beleue in God the father that made vs and in God the sonne that redemed or boughte vs so you muste nowe learne to beleue in the holy goste that hathe hallowed vs and doth cōtinually more and more renew
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
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
that it wer for my welthe to haue it he woulde haue sente it to me aswell as to my neyghboure For surely good chyldren these rauenynge woulfes that be euer thryftynge after other mennes goodes lacke the benediction of God and therefore they can not long prosper no not in this world For other they bryng nothyng to passe wyth all theyr gapyng glenyng and carefulnesse or yf they obteyne theyr purpose yet verely all thynges accompte theyr losse is greater then theyr gaynes For in this worlde they lese y e fauoure both of God and man they lese their good name fame ar called of euery man extorcioners brybers pollers piellers deuourers of widowes houses oppressers of fatherles and motherles children And what a gaynyng is it I praye you by purchasynge of a lytle lande herein this lyfe to purchase therwithal euerlastynge damnacion in hel What profyteth it a man sayeth Christ yf he wynne all the worlde and lese hys awne soulle what dyd Dauid wynne when he lusted after the wyfe of Urie had his pleasure of her did not God therfore so punyshe him that he hymselfe lost all his awne wifes For his sonne Absolon in the sight of al the people entred vnto his fathers wyfe and defloured them all in his fathers owne house and after dyd purswe his father Dauid euē vnto death What did it profit Achab that he slewe Naboth toke possession of his vyneyarde Ueryly God did punyshe him therfore in such sorte that he caused him to be slayne in the next battayle that he went vnto and toke the kyngdom from al his succession destroyed all hys lynage and lefte not one man alyue and beside all this the dogges licked Achabes bloude in the same place wher he caused Naboth to be slayne What gayned Iudas when he solde oure Lorde Iesus Christ for thirtie peaces of syluer verilye he was punyshed of God therefore and was so tormented with the horrible feare of cōscience that he ran to the halter for succour and hanged himselfe Wherwith as he ended y e miseries of this life so he began the paines of the other lyfe Lykewyse God euen nowe a dayes doth punyshe these glyerynge keytes that seke their pray in euery place for commonly either they be deceaued of theyr expectacion for all their gapyng and pryenge or yf they obteyne their praye they purchase to themselfes therwith great mysfortune and euel endes Wherefore good children let this commaundement deapely synke into youre hartes and considre wel that it is no mā nor creature but God himselfe y t saith vnto you Thou shalt not desier thy neyghbours wyfe his man seruant woman seruant oxe asse or any other thing that is hys For to desier these thinges is a very heynous synne God will not suffre it to escape vnpunished And althoughe men now a dayes take it but for a trifle whan a man hath a true and diligent seruant to entice him awaye by all craftes and meanes yet surely God wyl punishe the same sharpely For as they entice their neyghbours seruaūts from theim so god suffreth other men to alure their seruantes awaye lykewise And moreouer this inconuenience cōmeth herby that whē seruantes perceaue men to sue for thē they waxe so hawte and stubburne that they wyll be contēt with no meane wages and be so proude that they regarde not their maysters nor stande in awe of theim but whan so euer theyr olde maysters do displease theim by and by they wil seke for a newe And when they be not contēt with their olde wages they desiermore And this cōplaint of seruantes is now a dayes al most in euery mās mouthe and yet it is not redressed because it is the iust punyshment of God wherewith he scourgeth theim that allure their neyghbors seruantes from thē And God doth not punyshe onely suche as entice other mennes seruātes from them but also all those that go about to gette anye other parte of their neyghbours goodes or cattel For yf thou take thy neyghbors house ouer his hed or put him out of his house by any crafty conueyance then manye tymes God taketh vēgeance with syckenes or losse of thy goodes Yf thou conuey awaye his cattell commonly they prosper not but dye of some kynd of moirrein And whatsoeuer thinge we thus purchase and possesse cōtrarie to godds commaundement it lacketh the blessynge of God wherfore it can not long endure or prosper Therfore I pray you good childē frame your affections and lyues accordyng to this rule Be content that euery man may enioy and kepe to hymselfe that thing which God hath giuen him When gods pleasure shall so be he wyll also sende to you that whiche you desier And he is able so to gyue it you that your neighboure therby shal suffre no losse or damage Couet not youre neyghbours wife house seruaunt or any thynge that is his except it be by his wil and consent And yf it shal chaunce any of you to be couenant seruaunts with any man then let no craftye or malicious felowes persuade you to forsake youre maysters but do them faythfull seruice as youre dutie is And trust not suche flateryng or slaunderous tongues as go aboute to entice you frō your maysters For suche men are the dyuels messengers which entende nothing elles but to allure you to synne and to brynge you into miserie And beleue this good children as a moost sure article of your faith that our God is the true lorde of all thing he is the gouerner and maister of all the worlde and all is but his owne householde He first made vs and from tyme to tyme doth daylye nouryshe vs. He doth set all thinges in ordre in his familie he it is that doth cal euery man to that office state ordre degre and kynde of lyuyng in the whiche it pleaseth hym to set theim He wyll gyue to euery man y e thing which he hath nede of so that we with all our hartes obey him Wherefore ther is no cause whythou shuldest couet thy neighbors goods or by any subtyl conueyance get them into thy handes For this thinge wanteth the blessyng of God yea it deserueth his curse maledycciō For scripture saith Cursed is he that doth not abide in all thinges that be written in the lawe And nowe ye haue hearde good chylderne a plaine brief and true exposition of the tenth commaundement the whiche although it be last in number yet I pray you let it not haue the last place in youre memorye but one of the first and chefest seates of thesame That as sone as you be demaunded thys questiō how vnderstande you the tenth commaundement you may be prompte and redie to answere we ought to feare loue our Lord God aboue al thinges and for his sake willyngly to absteyne frō our neighbours wife familie goodes cattel to helpe hym as muche as lyeth in vs that he may kepe and possesse the same ¶ The ende of the
whiche althoughe it be short yet it conteyneth moste great and weyghty matters suche as neyther aungell nor man nor other creature was able so pitheli to cōprise in so few wordes For in this prayer Christ oure Lord teacheth vs to aske all thynges y t eyther be cōmaūded vs in the ten cōmaundementes or promysed vs in y e article of our Crede Wherfore good children you ought to endeuour your selfes not only to lerne without y e boke this most holy prayer taught vs by Christes owne mouthe our great master teacher but also you ought to giue dilygence to vnderstāde iustlye to weye euery worde of so great a master that when you be apposed herein you maye be able to make a directe answer and also in tyme to come to teache your childrē the true vnderstāding of this praier as you youre selfes be nowe instructed For what greater shame can ther be before God and man thā whā in our mouthes we professe our selues to be christē men and to knowe what we ought to beleue and howe to lyue and yet to be ignoraunt what thynge we ought to aske of God and after what maner we ought to aske those thinges whiche he of his goodnes hath promised most largely to gyue vs. Or els yf we knowe howe and what to aske yet of neglygence slouth or contempt of God not to aske the same in dede in suche wise as we ought to do Specially seynge y t the propre office of a Christen man is to call vpon God in all his busynes and necessities to gyue thankes and euermore to honoure his mooste blessed name with moost hye laudes and prayses Wherfore good children for asmuche as God hath commaunded vs to resorte to hym boldelye and to moue oure selues to him in all our troubles and aduersities and hathe promysed that he wyll heare our praiers delyuer vs and graunt vs al thinges necessary for our saluatiō let vs not refuse this honoure that we be called vnto let vs not refuse this remedie helpe ayde and succoure that is freelye offered of oure most mercifull father to all his children that wyll call vpon his name For this is a sacrifice most acceptable to God wherwith he is moost higly honored and pleased Wherfore good children bothe daily and hourely accustome your selfes euen from your tender age to praye to your heauenly father for all thinges necessarie Offer vp vnto hym at youre vprisinge and downe leyinge before youre meales and after your meate this sacrifice of your lyppes the oblatiō of praise and thankes gyuing wourshippe hym at al tymes with the frankyncense of thys prayer taught vnto you by your sauiour Christ. The perfume wherof yf it be cast into the burnynge coles of faythe and charitie it perceth the cloudes and is so swete and pleasant vnto God that it vanishethe not awaye vntyll it haue obteined that thynge that it was sente for For it is writen that the prayer of a iust man can do much with god and the eyes of the Lord do looke vpō the rightuous and his eares be opened to heare theyr prayers Wherfore studye you to be the children of God and there is no doubte but youre heauenly father wyll gyue all good thinges which you shal desire of him in the name of his sonne and your brother Iesus Christ to whom be all glorye nowe and euer Amen This preface must be rehersed before euery sermon of the Lordes prayer The fyrst sermon ¶ A declaration of the fyrst peticion NOw good childrē to the intente you maye the better vnderstande this prayer you shall fyrst learne thys lesson that we wretched synners do not fyrst preuente God and go before him in the worke of our iustification but it is God that layeth the fyrst foundation of our saluation he begynneth with vs and fyrste calleth vs by the gospell Fyrst he sendeth vnto vs godly and faythful ministers by whom we be baptised and before we do anye good woorke he offereth vnto vs hys grace he sēdeth vnto vs preachers and messengers of peace whiche declare vnto vs the glad tidinges of the gospell and the promises of the fauoure of God towardes all them that truely repente theym of theyr euyll lyuynge and do moue theym to put theyr trust in Gods mercye for pardon of the same God also openeth our hertes that we maye lysten and gyue credit to his holy preachers as Christ hym self sayeth Ye haue not fyrste chosen me but I haue chosen you Nowe forasmuche as God hathe thus called vs to the fayth and by fayth hath gyuen vs lyght in our heartes that we maye forsake all straunge Gods and beleue onely in him now it is our parte to lead our lyfe in godlynes to desier god with hertye and feruente prayers that it maye please hym to make perfecte that thyng which he hath begonne in vs to healpe strengthen vs that by his grace we may be able to do those thinges whiche he hath commaunded vs and that he wyll augment and increase our fayth in vs. For the prayer of the vnfaythful is nothinge worth before God and without faithe it is vnpossible to please God Therefore God must beginne and cal vs by his worde and put faith in our heartes or elles we shoulde neuer aske nothing of him And for this cause we be not taught in the lordes prayer to saye to God Father graunt me to beleue that thou art my father but we be taught to say thus Oure father whiche arte in heauen halowed be thy name That is to saye o Lorde God our heauenly father before I beganne to praye and before I knewe thy name thou through thin exceding greate mercye didst sende vnto me thi preachers by whom thou didst declare vnto me that thou art my father for Iesus Christes sake and thou didst open my heart that I might beleue that thou arte my father Therfore graunt I besech the my heauenlye father that thy name maye be halowed And he y t taketh not God to be his father yet he maye lerne that it is so by this prayer For Christ our Lorde knewe most certenly the wil of his heuenly father that is to say that he would be oure moste swete and louynge father for els he woulde not haue taught vs this title our father and therfore must we again vpō our parties haue suche a loue and obedience to hym as becommeth the childrē vnto their father conceyue a most assured trust in God who is all our fathers that we shall lacke nothyng necessarye for vs and that nothyng shalbe able to hurt as long as we haue so mighty and so louyng a father We see by dayly experience howe intierlye the fathers loueth their children what care they take to bryng theim vp in vertue and lernyng and to get theim good maysters and gouernours howe they labore to prouide for their liuing and al thīges necessary for theim And if perchance theyr childrē cōmitteth any faulte for the whiche they deserue
any office in the commen wealth beware that you gyue no cause nor occasion to othes not necessarie For whatsoeuer sinne is committed by suche othes that God doethe impute to thofficer whiche exactethe the same and not to the subiectes whiche are bownde to obey not onelye for feare of punyshemente but also for conscience sake Thirdely we abuse the name of God not onely in vayne but also very vngodly when with horrible cursyng bannynge by the name of God we wyshe to other the vēgeaunce of God The whiche syn now in our time is moche vsed Insomuche that now a dayes you shall heare not onely men but also womē and childrē outragiouslye curse and banne bothe themselfes and other sayinge after this wise By goddes soule I woulde I hadde neuer been borne or I woulde the grounde shoulde open and swalowe me vp By Goddes body I woulde thou wert hanged by goddes passion I woulde the deuell had the by goddes woundes I woulde it were on a wylde fire or suche other lyke deuylyshe cursiges wishīges which offence is not onelye abominable before god but also so shamefull before the worlde that it abhorreth good christen eares to heare suche haynous blasphemie For sainct Paul in the seconde chapter of thepistle to the Philippians writeth thus In the name of God all knees do bowe downe bothe in heauen in earthe and vnder the yearth that is to saye Not onelye Aungelles and men do wourship oure Lorde and God Iesus Christe but also the damned spirites and deuelles in hell do quake at his name and by their trēblyng do declare that they most reuerently acknowlege the name of hys maiestye But these more then deuylishe swerers banners and cursers without reuerence to the mooste honorable name of God without curtesye or bowing to him who with a becke maketh all the worlde to shake do blowe bluster oute of theyr vngodly mouthes suche blasphemies as by the same they do not onelye hyghly dishonour God but also do wyshe to their neighbours all kinde of miseries plages and aduersities that can be imagined whereas oure dutye is to loue our neyghbour wishe wel to him as to ourselfes Nowe consyder what a great wickednesse it is to wyshe euyll thinges to men by the name of God seyng that by thys name we ought to desier and praye for all good thinges bothe to oure selues and to oure neyghbours Wherfore when ye heare ani man vsing suche spytefull curses and blasphemies of gods name doute not but y t he in y t deede is wurse then the deuyll himselfe For the deuil when he heareth god named trembleth therat and dateth not so vnreuerently behaue hymselfe to that moste holy mane where as these wretched and most vngodly persones do shewe no feare nor reuerence thereto at all But ye good children take hede for gods sake that you accustome not your selfes to suche kynde of blasphemies And when you shall heare other outragyng with suche horrible curses flye frome theym as frome pestilence and thynke this with youre selfe I wyll conuey me out of this naughtie companye leste peraduenture I also maye be infected with this contagious custome of swearynge and cursing and so maye be made at the lengthe more abhominable in this poynt than is the deuill hym selfe Fourthly the name of God is taken in vayne when men do abuse the worde of God purposelye makynge false expositions vpon holy scripture and wrestynge the same frō the true sense to their euil purpose or whan men make a trifle or a lawghynge sporte of the wordes of holy scripture as these papistes do whiche say that thys verse of y e Psalme He shall drinke of the broke by the way and therfore he shall lyft vp his hedde is verefied of the gose and the gaundre This abuse doth brede a contempte of the worde of God and it doeth corrupt or mynishe the authoritie of Gods doctrine Fyftly they do misuse the name of God whiche do abuse it to charmes witchcraft sorceries nicromācies inchaūtemētes cōiuringes And this is not onely a great syn but a thynge of hys owne nature moste vayne and folishe For perswade your selfes this thynge for a suertie good chyldren that all kynd of witchecraft is of hys own nature nothing elles but lies gyles and subtilenes to deceaue ygnoraunt and simple mē as manye haue proued by experiēce to theyr great losse and vtter vndowynge Wherfore beware of them beleue them not do not learne them neyther feare that an nother mans inchauntementes are hable to hurte you For they be nothing els but the deuils instrumentes by the whiche he doeth prouoke men to horrible synnes that the name of God may be blasphemed dyuerse wayes y t we may defile our soules with detestable ydolatrie that one man may suspecte an other that anger enuy and hatred myght be sowen amonge men and that out of thys roote myght sprynge vp backbytyng slaūderyng al myschief This vice pleaseth well the deuyll but God hath forbid it and cōmaūded in y e olde lawe that whitches sorcerers and cōiurers should suffre punishmēt of death Wherfore good childeren feare the Lorde and take not hys holy name in vayne beware of ydolatrye forsware not absteine from othes and curses refrayne your tongues from al vntruthes raylynges skoffes and iestes whē you talke of holy scripture or matiers concernyng religion flye frō all kynde of wytchecrafte and inchauntementes For to this commaūdemēt god hath added a speciall threatenynge saynige thus He shall not be giltles before the lord that taketh his name in vayne Beleue surely good children that these be veray weyghty wourdes and of great importaunce and thinke not thus with your selfes what is this so great a mater I spake not these wourdes in ernest but in borde I pray you for Christes sake do not defende your fault with such excuses but beware that you take not in vaine the name of God ▪ nether in ernest nor in sport For the holy name of God is to be wourshipped with all honor and religion and he that doth not obey thys commaundemente hym the lorde shall not count gyltles but shall punishe him greuously And when God punisheth he sendeth amonge vs sycknesses pestilence hungre derth battel robberies sedition manslaughter suche lyke with these plages he taketh vēgeance on oure sinnes Therfore we ought to feare his wrath and not to take his name in vayne Hither to you haue hearde fyue wayes wherby we may take the name of God in vaine nowe it shall be declared vnto you howe you shoulde rightly and duely vse the name of God Considre that we be professed in to our religion and baptised by y e name of God wherfore good childerne listen diligently to this lesson and lerne that we ought to vse the name of God thre wayes by inuocation and callynge vpon him by cōfession of his name and his wourd by thankes gyuyng As touchinge the firste we be bounde in all our necessities and parrels to