newe as in the olde testament And this penance is a thynge so necessary for mans saluation that without it no man that offendeth god can be saued or attayne euerlastyng lyfe The sacrament of penaunce is proprely the absolution pronounced by the priest vpon suche as be penitent for their synnes and so do knowledge and shewe them selues to be To the obteynynge of the whiche absolution or sacrament of penaunce be requyred contrition confession and satisfaction as wayes and meanes expedyent and necessary to obteyne the sayde absolution In all which ways and meanes fayth is necessarily required as the groūde and foundation of all thynges that are to be done for to atteyne the benefite of the sacramente of penance For who can haue tru penance with hope to atteyn any grace of remission of sinne therby onles he beleue stedfastly that god is and that in the new testamēt by the mean of our sauiour Iesu Christ by the force of his passion there is promise made to his church to grant remission of synnes by his ministers to suche as falling from the grace receyued in baptisme do at his callyng turn vnto him by penāce And like as they which were not baptised being infantes whan they come to the yeres of discretion and desyre baptisme be taught fyrste to beleue in god and to renounce the deuil his workes vppon which ground of faith they desyre baptisme as a necessary sacrament for remission of syn So euery man before he entreth into the wayes of fruitefull penance must haue for a grounde and foundation such a belefe as wherby he hopeth and loketh by the sacrament of penance to atteine remission of all his synnes whervnto we do come as is aforesayd by contrition confession and satisfaction Contrition is an inwarde sorow and griefe for synne whiche euery true penitent called by goddis grace hath by knowlege of the worde of god whervpon remembrynge his owne synfull and viciouse lyuynge wherby he hath prouoked the hygh indygnation and wrathe of god and on the other syde consideryng the dignitie and puritie of that state whervnto he was called in baptisme and his promyse made there to god the manifold benefites also dayly receyued of god Herevpon the sayd penitent moued and stirred with the great loue goodnes of god shewed before towardes him on the one partie and his owne ingratitude or vnkindnes towardes god on thother partie conceiueth an ernest sorowe for that he hath relinquisshed so louynge a lorde and an hatefull displeasure that he hath folowed sinne and therby so greuously offended god of whom he was before called to be in the state of a sonne inheritour with our sauiour Iesu Christe And thus beynge moued and troubled in spirite and lamentynge the myserable state whiche he is nowe in by his owne defaut is pricked and styrred in his harte accordynge to the teachynge of his mother holy churche to repaire to suche a minister as god hath ordeyned to pronounce the sentence of remissiō of synne And knowing him to occupy that place as deputed of god doth prostrate him selfe to god there humbly procedeth to confession wherin he callyng to his remembrance his sinful life past doth knowlege to the priest al such synnes in which his conscience telleth hym that he hath greuousely offended the goodnes of god almighty the same before the priest goddis minister he declareth vttereth with his mouthe and so blameth accuseth Luc. xv Luc. xii and condemneth him selfe for an vnkind prodigall sonne to almighty god his father for a naughty seruant that knewe by light of grace the cōmandement of his lord Iesu Christe and dyd it not was indued with many giftes of the holy goste and exercised them not And so detestinge and abhorryng synne and desyrous to be raysed frome that estate confesseth in humilitie the cause of synne to haue ben of hym selfe by yeldyng to the concupiscence of the fleshe the worlde and the deuyll Wherfore he is gladde to submytte hym selfe to suche dyscipline and wayes of reformation as the priest hering his synnes offences shall by his discretion and wisedome accordyng to the word of god thynke conuenient Whiche humble submission to the gostly father with consent and agrement to receyue the said discipline is a parte of satisfaction whiche is the thirde way or meane to the sacrament of penaunce as is before rehersed And this satisfaction declareth a desire to plese and content god his father for the vnkyndenes towardes hym in fallynge from the estate of grace wherein he was called to be his sonne and inherytour of heauen vnto the myserable condition of synne wherby he hath made hym selfe mooste vile bondman vnto the deuyll But here ye must vnderstand that the satisfaction whiche is here spoken of is not so to be taken as though the penitent synner coulde worthyly merite or deserue remission of sinnes by any peyn or punishement to be by him suffered or to make to god any iuste or full recompence equiualent to the synne that he hath committed against him and so to satisfie which he can neuer do For that satisfaction hath onely our sauiour Christe wrought in his glorious passion But to satisfie as here is mēt by satisfaction is to plese god with an hūble lowly harte redy to bringe forth the fruites of penance to bringe them forth in dede as in almes prayer and fastynge with all suche meanes as maye serue for the cutting away of the occasion of synne as the minister shall thynke good according to the worde of god and with suche weping lamentyng wayling as do burst out of the hart with a ful purpose to leade a newe life and therwith to forgiue al men theyr trespaces to restore to all men that he hath vniustly taken or reteyned from them to recompēce all hurtes and iniuries done by hym accordyng to his abilitie and power and as he may not onely to wyll but also to do thus to his neighbour in dede wherin the neighbour ought to be satisfied And hereby appereth howe god estemeth satisfaction both to him selfe and to the neyghbour after the wyll and power and not after the equiualence of that which is done For to god no man can so satisfie for sinne And Christ therfore hath satisfied for all by vertue wherof our satisfaction is accepted and allowed of god who of his infinite goodnes and for Christes sake is satisfied that is to say pleased with that littell we do Whervpon after this contrition had in harte confession made with mouth and satisfaction shewed and promised the penitēt may desire to here of the minister the comfortable wordes of remyssion of synnes And the minister thervpon according to Christes gospell pronounce the sentence of absolution vnto the whiche absolution the penitent must gyue credence and beleue with a perfite fayth that his synnes be now forgyuen frely by the merites of Christes passion to the whiche forgyuenes he hath recourse by the sacrament of
manifestly sheweth in his epistle to Tite sayinge thus i Tim. v. For this cause I lefte the Crete that thou shuldest ordeyne priestes in euery citie according as I haue appointed the. T◠i. And to Timothe he saythe Se that thou be not hasty to put thy handes vpon any mā And here is to be noted that althoughe this forme before declared is to be obserued in gyuyng orders yet there is no certaine rule prescribed or limitted by the word of god for the nomination election presentation or appointing of any such ecclesiasticall ministers But the same is holy left vnto the positiue lawes and ordinances of euery christē region proiuded and made or to be made in that behalfe with the assent of the prince and ruler And as concernyng the office and duetie of the sayde ecclesiasticall mynisters the same consysteth in true preachynge and teachyng the word of god vnto the people in dispensyng and ministring the sacramentes of Christe in consecratynge and offerynge the blessed body and bloud of Christe in the sacrament of the aulter in losynge and assoylyng from synne suche persons as be sory and truly penitent for the same and excommunicatynge suche as be gyltie in manyfest crimes and wyll not be refourmed otherwise and finally in praying for the hole churche of Christ and specyally for the flocke committed vnto them And althoughe the office and minysterye of priestes and byshoppes stande chiefly in these thinges before rehersed yet neither they nor any of them may exercise and execute any of the same offices but with such sort such limitation as the ordinances lawes of euery christē realme do permit and suffre And bycause it is not mete that this so chargeable a cure shuld be committed to euery man that peraduenture ambiciously wolde desyre it Therfore saynt Paule dothe dilygently set out to his disciples Timothe and Tite the conuersation learnyng conditions and qualities of them that shuld be admitted to the mynistery of priesthode i. Tim. iii. Tit. i. writyng in this maner A bishop or a priest ought to be blamelesse as the stewarde of god not wilfull not angry no drunkarde no fyghter not gredy of fylthy lucre but giuen to hospitalitie liberal discrete sobre rightuous deuout temperate and continent and such one as holdeth the true worde of doctrine that he may be able to exhort with bolsom lerning and to reproue them that saye against it Thus we haue shortly touched fyrst the ordrynge of priestes and bishoppes Secondly their ministery office and duetie with the charge cure belonging thervnto and finally the qualities and conditions required in the same And for as moche as it is an olde heresie of the Donatistes condemned in the generall counselles to thynke that the worde of god and his sacramentes shuld be of no efficacy strength or vertue whā they be ministred by euyll men it is to be remēbred that according to the saying of saynt Gregory Nazianzene Lyke as there is no differēce betwene the selfe same image or figure of any thyng imprinted with a signet of golde and a signet made of yron or of woode or any other viler mattier euen so the worde of god and the sacramentes of god mynystred by an euyll and noughty man be of the selfe same vygour strength and efficacie as whan they be ministred by a man of excellent vertu and goodnes The cause and reason wherof is for that the priestes and byshops although in the execution of their office and administration they do vse and exercise the power and auctoritie of god committed vnto them yet they be not the principall causers nor the sufficient or of them selues the efficient causers or gyuers of grace or of any other spirituall gyfte whiche procedeth and is gyuen of god by his word and his sacramentes But god is the only principall sufficient and perfite cause of all the efficacy of his worde and his sacramentes and by his only power grace and benefites it is that we receyue the holy goste and his gracis by the office and administration of the said priestes and byshoppes and the sayde priestes and bysshoppes be but onely as officers to execute and minister with their handes and tongues the outwarde and corporall thynges wherein god worketh and gyueth grace inwarde accordynge to his pacte and couenaunt made with and to his espouse the church And this also Chrisostome affirmeth the .lxxxv. homily vpon saynt Iohn where he sayth in this maner What speake I of priestis I say that neyther aungel nor archangell can giue vs any of these thynges whiche be giuen vnto vs of god but it is the father the sonne and the holy goste whiche is the effectuall cause of all these thynges the priest dothe onely put to his handes and his tongue And in this poynt saynt Ambrose also agreeth with the sayde sayinges of Chrisostome wrytyng thus The priest layeth his handes vpon vs but it is god that gyueth the grace the priest layeth vpon vs his besechynge handes but god blesseth vs with his mighty hande The byshoppe consecrateth an other bysshoppe but it is god that gyueth the worthynesse Wherfore we must always thynke and beleue that the vertue and efficacie of the word of god and his sacramētes consisteth and dependeth in and vpon the commandement ordinance power and auctoritie of god onely and that neyther the merites or worthynes of the ministers be they neuer of suche excellencie do gyue them theyr auctoritie strength or effycacie neyther yet the malyce nor corrupte lyuynge of them be it neuer so euyll can frustrate or take away from the sayde worde or sacramentes their sayd power authoritie strength or vertue Moreouer as touchynge the order of deacons we rede in the actes of the Apostles Act. vi that they were ordered and instituted by the same apostelles by prayer and imposition of their handes vpon them And as for the qualities and vertuous conuersation whiche be required in them saynte Paule setteth them out in his epistle to Timothe in these wordes l. Tim. iii. Deacons oughte to be chaste not double tounged no drunkardes not gredy of fylthy lucre hauynge the mystery of faythe in a pure conscience And their office in the primitiue churche was partly in mynistringe meate and drynke and other necessaryes to poore people founde of the churche partly also in mynystrynge to the bysshoppes and priestes and in doinge theyr duetie in the churche And of these two orders onely that is to saye priestes and deacons scripture maketh expresse mencion and howe they were conferred of the apostels by prayer and imposition of their handes And to these two the primitiue churche did adde conioyn certain other inferiour and lower degrees as subdeacons accolites exorcistes with diuerse other of the whiche mention is made of bothe of the most auncient writers that we haue in the churche of CHRIST after the apostelles and also in diuerse olde counsayles and namely in the fourthe counsayle of Aphrike in whiche
people whiche be called of god to one fayth be they of the clergye or of the laymen but also by the same worde we signifie the place wherin the worde of god is commonly preached and the sacramētes ministred and vsed and call that the churche to entreate wherof at this time in this article is no part of our entent but onely of the assemble and cōpany called to professe Christe in one faythe whiche in this article is named the Holy churche For all be it in this assemble of men called by the worde of god and receyued by faythe and baptisme be many euyll men many synners many that tourne by true penance to grace and sometyme yet fal agayn some after theyr tourne by true penance styll perseuere and increace in goodnes many that fall and neuer ryse agayn so that spottes blottes and imperfections appere euidently in this churche and many tymes in the more parte therof Yet neuerthelesse bycause the callyng is of it selfe holy the caller also holy and the ende of the callinge holynes with this also that the people so called professe holynes and make a bodye wherof the onely heade our sauiour CHRIST is moste holy and holines it selfe by the merites of whose passion they be relieued and norisshed with dyuerse holy sacramentes and be in theyr callyng indued with moste speciall holy giftes and graces of almightye god autour therof and by his holy spirite directed and gouerned in the same so long as they by folowyng theyr concupiscence the deuyll or the worlde fall not frō that estate For these causes although some membres therof be euyll the churche is called Holy churche takyng the name Holy of that that Christ the onely head is holy the caller holy the profession and callyng holy and the ende holynes whyche of very duety ought to be in al them that be called and is in deede in suche membres as contynue and perseuere in that holy callynge And for so moch as god of his goodnes calleth people as afore without acception of persons or priuilege of place Therfore this holy church is also Catholike that is to say not limitted to any one place or regiō of the world but is in euery place vniuersally through the world where it pleaseth god to cal peple to him in the professiō of Christis name and faith be it in Europe Affrike or Asia And all these churches in diuers coūtreis seuerally called althoughe for knowlege of the one from the other among them they haue diuers additions of names and for their moste necessary gouernement as they be distinct in places so they haue distinct ministers and diuers heades in earthe gouernours and rulers yet be al these holy churches but one holy churche catholyke inuited and called by one god the father to enioy the benefite of redemption wrought by our onely lord and sauiour Iesu Christ and gouerned by one holy spirite whiche reacheth to this foresayde holy churche one truthe of goddis holy worde in one faith and baptisme And this churche is relieued norished and fortified by his holy and inuincible worde and his sacramentes which in al places haue eche of them their owne propre force strength with giftes of graces also distributed by the goodnes of almighty god in al places as to his wisedome is sene conuenient Wherby it appereth that the vnitie of these holy churches in sundry places assembled stādeth not by knowledging of one gouernour in earth ouer al churches For neyther the hole churche catholyke togither nor any particular church apart is boūd to aknowlege any one vniuersall gouernour ouer the hole churche other than Christe althoughe by sufferaunce of some princes and potentates not beinge truely instructed in the worde of god by suche as of duety both to god them oughte to haue declared the truthe of scripture to them and by hypocrisy and vsurpation of the see and court of Rome the bishoppe of the same giuinge him selfe more to worldly polycy than to the execution of his duety hath longe tyme gone aboute to obteine and establishe vnto hym selfe suche an vniuersall auctoritie and hath by abuses alwaies compassed to cause other to vpholde and mainteine the same contrary to goddes lawe as more largely shall be declared in the sacrament of orders The vnitie therfore of the churche is not conserued by the bishoppe of Romes auctoritie or doctrine but the vnitie of the catholyke churche whiche all christen men in this article do professe is cōserued and kepte by the helpe and assistence of the holy spirite of god in reteining and mainteynynge of suche doctrine and profession of christen faithe true obseruance of the same as is taughte by the scripture and the doctrine apostolike And particular churches ought not in the said doctrine so accepted and allowed to vary one from an other for any lucre arrogance or any other worldly affectiō but inuiolably to obserue the same so that by reason of that doctrine eche churche that teacheth the same maye be worthely called as it is in dede an apostolike churche that is to say folowing such teachyng as the apostels preached with ministration of suche sacramentes as be approued by the same And this vnitie of the holy church of Christe is not diuided by distance of place nor by diuersitie of traditions and ceremonies dyuersely obserued in diuerse churches for good ordre of the same For the churche of Corinthe and of Ephese were one churche in god thoughe the one were farre distant in place from the other And though also in traditions opinions and policies there was some diuersitie amonge them lykewise as the churche of Englande Spaine Italy and Poole be not separate from the vnitie but be one churche in god not withstandynge that amonge them there is great distance of place diuersitie of traditions not in all thinges vnitie of opinions alteration in rites ceremonies and ordinances or estimatiō of the same as one churche peraduenture doth esteme their rytes traditions lawes ordinances and ceremonies to be of more vertue and efficacie than an other churche dothe esteme the same As the churche of Rome doth affirme certaine of theyr lawes and ordinaunces to be of suche estimation that they be of equall force with the worde of god and that who so euer disobeyeth or transgresseth the same commytteth deadly synne Yet we perceyuing the same to be discrepant from the truthe of scripture must nedes therin dissent from them But such diuersitie in opinions and other outward maners and customes of policie doth not dissolue and breake the vnitie whiche is in one god one faith one doctrine of Christe and his sacramentes preserued and kept in these seueral churches without any superioritie or preeminence that one churche by goddis lawes maye or ought to chalenge ouer an other And therfore the churche of Rome beinge but a seuerall churche chalenginge that name of Catholike aboue all other dothe great wrong to all other churches and dothe onely by force
saynte Augustine was present where as all the kyndes of orders whiche were than in the churche be rehersed and also with what rites and ceremonies they were cōferred and giuen at that time And thus by succession from the apostles time hath Order continued in the churche and hath euer bene called and counted for a sacrament as it may appere by dyuers other aunciente writers and speciallye by sainte Augustine where he writeth thus speakinge bothe of the sacrament of baptisme and of order Eyther of them saythe he is a sacrament and eyther of them is gyuen to men by a certain consecration the one whan a mā is baptised and the other whan he is ordered and therfore neyther of them both may be iterate or repeted in the catholyke churche of Christe And where as we haue thus summaryly declared what is the office and ministration whiche in holy scriptures hath ben committed to bysshoppes and priestes and in what thinges it consisteth as is afore rehersed leste peraduenture it myghte be thoughte to some persones that suche auctorities powers and iurisdictions as patriarches prymates archebysshoppes and metropolitanes now haue or heretofore at any time haue had iustly and laufully ouer other byshoppes were gyuen theym by god in holy scripture We thynke it expediente and necessarye that all men shulde be aduertised and taught that all suche laufull powers and authorities of any one bysshoppe ouer an other were and be gyuen to them by the consent ordynaunce and posytiue lawes of men onely and not by any ordynaunce of god in holy scripture And all other power and authoritie whiche any bysshoppe hath vsed or exercysed ouer an other whyche hathe not benne gyuen to hym by suche consente and ordynaunce of menne as is aforesayde is in verye deede noo laufull power but plaine vsurpation and tyrannye And therfore where as the byshoppe of Rome hath heretofore claymed vsurped to be head and gouernour of all priestes and byshops of the hole catholyke churche of Christe by the lawes of god It is euydent that the same power is vtterly fayned and vntrue and was neyther gyuen to hym by god in his holy scripture nor allowed by the holy fathers in the auncient generall counsels nor yet by the consent of the hole catholyke churche For it is playne that Christe neuer gaue vnto saint Peter or to any of the apostels or theyr successours any suche vniuersall authoritie ouer all the other But he set them all indifferently and in lyke power dignitie and authoritie as it dothe euidently appere in all suche places where any authoritie is gyuen to them by Christe And also by sainte Paule in his epistle to the Galathians where he compareth him selfe to Iames Gala. ii Peter and Iohn̄ whiche were the most notable emonge the apostles affirminge hym selfe to be equall in authoritie with them And as concerning the most auncient and most famouse holy generall counsayles it is euydent that they gaue the byshops of Rome no suche authoritie for in them be dyuerse actes and decres playnely testifieng the contrary As fyrst in the former counsaile of Nece emonge other there is one decree that the patriarches of Alexandria Antiochia shuld haue like power ouer the countreys about those citees as the byshoppes of Rome haue had ouer the coūtreis about Rome Also in the counsayle Mileuitane in which coūsayle saint Augustine was presente and subscribed to the same it was decreed that if any clerke of the countreys of Aphrike wolde appeale out of Aphrica vnto any bysshoppes beyonde the sea that suche a one shulde be taken through out al the countreys of Aphrica as a person excommunicate Moreouer in the general counsayle Constantinopolitan the fyrste it was likewyse decreed that euery cause and controuersy betwene any persons shulde be determined within the prouinces where the matters dyd lye and that by the byshops of the same prouinces And also that no byshops shuld exercise any power out of his own dioces or prouince And this was also the mynde of the holy doctour and martyr saint Cypriane and of the other holye fathers of Aphrica before the tyme of any generall counsayle And for the better and more playne and assured confirmation that the bishop of Rome hath no suche vniuersall authoritie neyther by goddis lawene yet by any ordinances of any ancient catholyke coūsayle It is to be considered that in the .vi. great counsayle Carthaginense the bishop of Rome sente his legates to that counsaile to alledge and vendicate his vsurped primacy and by title of the same to defend and mainteine the receyuing of appeles made vnto hym of causes and controuersies commenced in Aphrike bycause the hole counsaile had by theyr decree prohibited forbidden before al suche appeles to any toreyn byshop In the entreting and debatyng of which matter the bishop of Rome for his title alleged onely a canon made as he pretended in the firste Nicene counsaile The bishops of Aphrica denieng any such canon to be made For triall wherof messangers were sent to the patriarches sees of the orient to make searche for the hole canons of that counsayle And finally after longe diligēt searche whā the hole canons were brought forthe from thense there was no such canon emonges them as the byshop of Rome for his sayde title had alledged Whervpon two thynges are to be noted as euident by the premisses Firste that the bishoppe of Rome hath no such primacy nor any such can challenge by any wordes in scripture For than the byshop of Rome wolde at that tyme by his legates haue alleged it and the great multitude of so many fathers as were assembled in that Aphrican counsayle of whō saynt Augustine was one were so wel profoundly lerned in holy scripture that no such thynge if it were there coulde haue ben hidde vnto them And also they were soo good and vertuouse that if they had knowen it there they than wolde haue made no acte before to the contrary nor yet at that tyme so ernestly and extremely refused it The seconde thyng to be noted as euident by the premisses is that the byshops of Rome haue no suche power giuen them by any auncient generall counsayle For they at that tyme of this Aphicane counsayle wold than haue alleged it where in dede they alleged none but a pretensed canon of the fyrst Nicene counsayle which after great trial searche as is aforesayde coulde neuer be founde in the autentikes And that chapiter autentique which of al the canons of that counsayle moste concerneth the bishop of Rome maketh directly playnly against the sayde pretensed vniuersal primacy giuyng as is saide before to other patriarches lyke and equal authoritie in theyr countreys as bishops of Rome had and vsed than in the countreis about Rome Thirdly that the bishops of Rome had no such vniuersall primacy gyuen vnto them by the cōmon cōsent of the hole catholyke church it wel appereth in that the dyuers patriarches
asshes on ashwednesday doth put vs in remembrance that euery christen manne shulde considre that he is but ashes and earth and thervnto he shall retourne Bearyng of palmes on palme sonday dothe put vs in remembrance of the receiuynge of Christe in to Hierusalem a lyttell before his deathe and that we must haue the same desyre to receyue him in our hartes Crepynge to the crosse on good friday there offeryng vnto Christ before the same and kyssynge of it declareth our humble submission and thankes giuynge to Christ for our redemption whiche he hath wroughte for vs vpon the crosse And so finally the settyng vp of the sepulchre of Christe whose body after his death was buried And al other like laudable customes rites and ceremonies do put vs in remembrance of some spiritual thyng And therfore they be not to be contemned and caste away but obediently to be vsed and continued as thynges good and laudable for the purposes abouesaid The exposition of the .v. commaundement of god Honour thy father and thy mother IN this commandement / by these wordes Father and mother is vnderstande not onely the naturall father and mother whiche dyd carnally begette vs and broughte vs vp but also princes and all other gouernours rulers and pastours vnder whom we be nourished and brought vp ordred guiged And by this worde Honour in this commandement is not onely ment a reuerence and lowlines in wordes and outwarde gesture whyche chyldren and inferiours ought to exhibite vnto their parentes and superiours but also a prompt and a redy obedience to theyr lawfull commandementes a regarde to theyr wordes a forbearyng and sufferinge of them an inward loue and veneration towardes them a reuerence feare and lothenes to dysplease or offende them and a good wyll or gladnes to assiste them ayde them succour them and helpe them with theyr counsayle with their goodes and substance and by all other meanes to theyr power as hereafter is declared This is the very honour and duetie whiche not onely the chyldren do owe vnto theyr parentes but also all subiectes inferiours to theyr heades and rulers And that children owe this duetye to theyr fathers it appereth in many places of scripture in the prouerbes it is written Prou i. Obey my sonne the chastisement of thy father be not negligent in thy mothers commandementes Deu xxvi In the boke of Deutronomie it is also written Accursed be he that doth not honour his father and his mother And in the boke of Leuiticus it is sayde Leuit. xix Let euery man stande in awe of his father mother 〈◊〉 xxi And yf any man haue a stubburne and a disobedient sonne whiche wyll not heare the voyce of his father and mother and for correction wyll not amende and folowe them Than shall his father and mother take him and brynge hym to the iudge of the citie and saye This our sonne is stubburne disobedient and dispiseth our admonitioÌ„s and is a riotour and a drunkerde Than shal al the people stone him to death and thou shalt put away the euill from the that all Israell may here therof and be afrayde Exod. xxi And in the boke of Exody it is also writteÌ„ He that striketh his father or mother he shall be put to deathe And lykewise be that curseth his father or mother shall be put to death And in the boke of prouerbes Prouer. xxviii the wise man also saith He that stealeth any thyng froÌ„ his father or mother is to be taken as a murtherer And although these great punysshementes of disobedient children by death be not now in the newe lawe in force strength but lefte to the ordre of princes gouernours and their lawes yet it euidently appereth how sore god is agreued dipleased with such disobedieÌ„ce of children towardes their parentes for as moche as in the olde lawe he did appointe thervnto so greuouse punishementes And as almyghty god doth threaten these punishementes vnto those children whiche do breake this commandement so he doth promise great rewardes to them that kepe it For he that honoureth his father saythe the wyseman Eccle. iii. his synnes shall be forgyuen hym And he that honoureth his mother is as one that gathereth treasures who so euer honoureth his father shall haue ioy in his owne children and whan he maketh his prayer vnto god he is herde He that honoureth his father shall haue a long and a prosperous lyfe And as the chyldren by this commaundement be bounde to honour and obey theyr parentes accordinge as is afore expressed so it is implied in the same precepte that the parentes shulde nourysshe and godly brynge vp their chyldren that is to say that they muste not onely fynde them meate and drinke in youth and also set them forwarde in learnynge labour and some other good exercise that they maye eschue idlenes and haue some crafte or occupation or some other lauful meane to get their lyuynge but also they muste learne them to beleue and truste in god to loue him to feare him to loue their neighbours to hate no man to hurte no man to wisshe well to euery man so moch as they may do good to euery man not to curse not to sweare not to be riotous but to be sobre and temperate in al thinges not to be worldly but to set their mindes vpon the loue of god heaueÌ„ly thinges more than vpon teÌ„porall thinges of the worlde And generally to do all that is good to eschue all that is euill and this the parentes ought to do not by cruell entreatinge of theyr children wherby they might discourage them and prouoke them to hate theyr parentes but by charitable rebuking threatning and charitable chastising and correcting of them whan they do euyll and cherishynge mainteyninge and commending them whan they do well This office and duetie of the parentes towardes theyr chyldren is witnessed in many places of scripture First saint Paule writeth thus Epâ—e vi Fathers prouoke not your children vnto angre but bringe them vp in the correction and doctrine of god Deut. vi And in Deutronomy al myghty god saythe Pro. xxix Teache my lawes and commandementes to thy children And the wise man saith The rod of correction giueth wisedome The chylde that is left to his owne will Prou. xiii shal be confusion to his mother And in an other place he saith He that spareth the rod hateth his sonne and he that loueth hym will se hym corrected Pro. xxiii And in an other place he saythe Se thou withdrawe not from thy childe discipline and chastysynge if thou strike hym with the rodde he shall not die thou shalte strike him with a rodde and shalt therby deliuer his soule from hell 〈…〉 And on the other syde it is written The sonne vntaught and vnchastised is the confusion of his father And for this cause we fynde in the boke of the kinges how that our
lord conceyued great indignatioÌ„ against Hely the chiefe prieste i Reg ii bycause he dyd not duely correcte his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees i Reg. â—iii whan he knewe that they dyd greuously offende god and how in reuenging of theyr fathers negligence and remissenes in correcting of his children almighty god toke from Hely and all his issue and householde for euer the office of the high priesthode how his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees were slayne bothe vppon a day and Hely theyr father brake his necke This example of Hely is necessary for fathers to imprynt in theyr hartes that they may se theyr children well taught and corrected lest they runne into the great indignation of almighty god as Hely dyd and not onely in this world haue confusion but also in the worlde to come haue damnation for the mysorder of theyr children throughe their defaute and they muste not thynke that it is inough to speake somewhat to them whan they do amisse for so dyd Hely to his sonnes and yet our lord was not pleased bicause he dyd not moche more sharply correcte them and se them refourmed but whan wordes wyll not serue the fathers and mothers must put to sharper correction and by such discipline saue theyr soules orels they shall aunswere to god for them And truly they greatly deserue the indignatioÌ„ of god that whan they haue receyued of hym chyldren do not bringe them vp to his seruice but without regarde what coÌ„meth of them suffer them to runne into the seruice of the deuyl Wherfore al fathers ought diligently to consider and remembre how moche and how greuously they offende god and of how many euils they be the cause which either bring vp their children in wantonnes and idelnes and do not put them forthe be tyme to some facultie exercise or labour wherby they may after gette theyr lyuyng or occupie theyr lyfe to the profite and commoditie of the common weale or elles do suffer their chyldren in youth to be corruptid for lacke of good teaching and good bringing vp in the true knowlege of god and of his wyl and commandementes or committe in word or dede such thinges in the presence of their children wherof the yonge tendre hartes of the said children whiche like a smal twygge be inclinable euery way and by fraylenes of youth be inclyned to euyl do take so euyl example and corruption of vices and worldely affections that harde it wyll be for them after to eschue the same This coÌ„mandement also conteineth the honour and obedience which subiectes owe vnto their princes And also the offyce of prynces towardes theyr subiectes For scripture taketh prynces to be as it were fathers 〈◊〉 xlix nurses to their subiectes And by scripture it appereth that it apperteyneth vnto the office of princes to se that the righte religion true doctrine of Christ be mainteined and taught that their subiectes be wel ruled gouerned by good iust lawes to prouide and care that the people common weale maye encreace and to defende them frome oppression and inuasion as well within the realme as without their subiectes aiding them thervnto to se that iustice be ministred vnto them indifferently to here by themselues or by their mynisters beningly al their complaintes and to shew toward them although they offende fatherly pitie And finally so to correct them that be euil that they had yet rather saue them than lose them yf it were not for respect of iustice maintenance of peace and good ordre in the coÌ„mon weale And therfore al theyr subiectes must again on their partes and be bouÌ„de by this coÌ„mandement not onely to honour obey their said princes accordyng as subiectes be bound to do to owe theyr truth fidelitie vnto them as vnto their naturall lordes but they must also loue them as childreÌ„ do loue their fathers yea they must more tendre the suretie of their princes person and his estate than their owne or any others Euen like as the health of the head is more to be tendred thaÌ„ the health of any other membre And by this commandement also subiectes be bound not to withdrawe their said fealtie trouth loue and obedience towardes their prince for any cause what so euer it be ne for any cause they maye conspire against his person ne do any thing towardes the hinderance or hurt therof nor of his estate And furthermore by this commandement they be bounde to obey also all the lawes proclamations preceptes and coÌ„mandementes made by their princes and gouernours except they be against the commandementes of god And lykewyse they be bounde to obey all suche as be in authoritie vnder their prince as farre as he wyll haue them obeyed They must also gyue vnto their prince aide helpe and assistaunce whan so euer he shall requyre the same either for suretie preseruation or maintenaÌ„ce of his person and estate or of the realme or of the defence of any of the same against all persons And whaÌ„ so euer subiectes be called by their prince vnto pryuy counsayle or vnto the parliament where is the generall counsayle of this realme than they be bounde to giue vnto theyr prynce as theyr learnynge wysedome or experyence can serue them the moste faythefull counsayle they can and suche as may be to the honour of god to the honour and suertie of his regall person and state and to the generall wealthe of this hole realme And further if any subiecte shall knowe of any thynge whiche is or may be to the noyaunce or damage of his princis person or estate he is bounde by this commandement to disclose the same with al spede to the prynce him selfe or to some of his couÌ„sayle For it is the very lawe of nature that euery membre shal imploy him selfe to preserue defende the heade And surely wisedome and polycie wyll the same for of conspiracy and treason commeth no goodnesse but infinite hurte damage and perill to the common weale And that all subiectes do owe vnto theyr princes and gouernours suche honour and obedience as is aforesayde it appereth euidently in sundry places of scripture but specially in the epistles of saint Paul Rom. xiii and saint Peter For saint Paul saythe in this maner Euery man must be obedient vnto the hyghe powers for the powers be of god And therfore who so euer resisteth the powers resysteth the ordynaunce of god And they that resyst the ordynaunce of god shall get to them selues damnation For rulers are not feareful to them that be good but to them that do euil Wilt not thou feare the power Do well and thou shalte haue prayse of the same for he is the minister of god for thy welth But yf thou do euyll then feare for he beareth not the sworde without cause For he is the minister of god to punishe the euyll doer therfore you muste obey not onely for the feare of punysshement but also
praier superfluous neyther there wanteth any petition suite or request for suche thinges as be necessarie for oure iourney and passage in this worlde or for oure furtherance to that â—eming of the lyfe and glorye euerlastinge Secondly that euery good christen man may be assured to atteine the requestes made in this praier if he shall enforce hym selfe and apply his hole harte and wyll to the wyll and grace of hym vnto whom this prayer is made and also if he shal vtter and offer the said petitions inwardly with his hart and with suche faith confidence and truste in god as he requireth For surely no prayer is thankfull vnto god Ps cxviii Exod. xiiii but that whiche is made with the hart And therfore the prophet Dauid crieth to our lorde with all his hart And Moyses is noted to crye out aloude whan he spake no word with his mouth but he spake aloude with his hart And our lord by his prophete noteth Psal xxix that some pray with theyr lyppes and in their hartes minde nothinge lesse than that which they praye for And therfore who so euer intendeth by saying his Pater noster to atteyne his desyre he must haue with faith a good and ernest deuotion and his hart as nigh as he can voyde of vayne thoughtes and applyed to god so that the entente and desyre of his harte maye be ioyned alwaies with the prayer of his mouth And for this purpose it is mete moch requisite that the vnlearned people shulde vse to make theyr prayers in their mother tounge which they best vnderstand wherby they may be the more moued and stirred vnto deuotion and the more ernestly minde the thinge that they pray for Our father which art in heauen halowed be thy name OF these wordes Our father placed in the beginning of this petition all true christen meÌ„ ought to conceiue a great comfort and ioy in that they be taught and commaunded in this prayer to take almighty god for their father and so to call him as for example If oure soueraine lorde the kynge wolde saye to any of vs take me for your father and so call me what ioye in harte what comforte what confidence wolde we coÌ„ceyue of so fauourable graciouse wordes Than moch more incoÌ„parably haue we cause to reioyse that the king prynce of al princes shewith vnto vs this grace goodnes to make vs his children And surely as the naturall sonne may assuredly trust that his father wyll do for him all thinges that may be for his settyng forth and aduancemeÌ„t euen so we may vndoubtedly assure our selues that hauyng almighty god to our father vsinge our selfe as obedient children we shall lacke nothynge whiche may be profitable for vs toward the euerlastinge inheritaunce prepared for vs. And here is to be noted a lesson that as this word Father declareth the great beneuolence mercy and loue of god towardes vs as well in the creation as also in the redemption of man so it admonisheth vs againe of our duetie towardes him and howe we be bounde to shewe againe vnto hym our hole harte loue and our obedience and redynes to fulfyll all his preceptes and commaundementes with all gladnes and humilitie And therfore who so euer presumeth to come to god with this prayer and to call hym father and yet hath not full entente and purpose to vse hym selfe in all thinges lyke a kinde and an obedient sonne he coÌ„meth to hym as Iudas came to Christe with a kisse 〈◊〉 xx.i. pretending to be his frende and his seruant in callyng hym mayster and yet he was in dede a traytour to hym and a deadly ennemy And for this consideration euery christen man that intendeth to make this prayer ought inwardly and thoroughly to inserche and examine him selfe and yf he finde in him selfe any notable crime for the whiche he ought to be ashamed to call god his father Let him accuse him selfe therof to god and recognise his vnworthynes sayeng as the prodigall sonne sayde Father I haue offended the Luc. xv I am not worthy to be called thy sonne And with due repentaunce and firme purpose intente to amende his naughty lyfe let him lyfte vppe his harte to god and callinge for his grace of reconciltation humbly say Our father c. Moreouer by these wordes Our father is signified that we ought to beleue that almighty god is the common father of al true christen people and fatherly regardeth all throughe and by the meane of our sauiour Iesu Christe vnto whom all faitheful and obedient christen men be brethern by grace and adoption and called to inherite with him the kingdome of heauen And they be also brethern eche one to other hauing al one father which is god almighty And therfore we ought not onely to be of one spirite towardes our said father and to employ and endeuour our selues to the vttermost to please him and to kepe his lawes and commandementes but we ought also eche to consent with other in perfite loue charitie eche to helpe further other towardes the saide inheritaunce of heauen And fynally in al our praiers to god eche to coÌ„prise other and to praye for other lyke as in this prayer we be taught to say Our father gyue vs our breade forgiue vs our synnes suffer vs not to fal into temptation and delyuer vs from euyll By these wordes whiche art in heauen we be taught that we ought to haue an inwarde desyre and a great care study to come to the place where our heauenly father is and moche couet his sighte and presence For lyke as a louynge chylde is euen desirous to be where his father is euen so oughte we euer desyre to be with our heauenly father and to endeuour our selues that our conuersation be al withdrawen from the worlde the fleshe and the deuyll and be sette in heauen and heauenly thinges Phili. iii. as saint Paule teacheth and we shulde continualy wayle and lament bycause we be not with oure heauenly father sayenge with the prophete Ps cxix wofull am I that my dwellynge apon the earthe is so moche prolonged In these wordes Halowed be thy name it is to be noted that by the name of god is vnderstande god him selfe the power of god the myght the maiestie the glory the wysedome the prouidence the mercy and goodnes of god and al suche other good thynges as in scripture be attributed vnto god And this name is halowed whan it is praised glorified sette forthe honoured and magnified of vs both in worde and deede And where in this petition we praye that his name myghte be halowed it is not to be taken or thought that this name of god whiche in it selfe is euermore moste holy most gloriouse most marueylous and full of maiestie can be eyther aduanced or diminished by vs or any thyng that we can do but we desyre here that this most holy name may accordinge as it is
is of it self vnable And so likewise although there remayn a certain fredom of will in those thinges which do ê‘teyn vnto the desires workes of this present life yet to ê‘forme spirituall heuenly thinges Frewyl of it self is insufficieÌ„t and therfore the power of mans frewyl being thus wounded decayed hath nede of a phisition to heale it and an helpe to repaire it that it may receyue lyght and streÌ„gth wherby it may se and haue power to do those godly spiritual thynges which before the fall of AdaÌ„ it was able might haue done Ps Cxviii To this blyndnes and infirmitie of mans nature procedyng of original synne the prophet Dauid had regard whan he desired his eies to be lightned of almighty god that he might consider the meruaylous thinges that be in his lawe And also the prophet Hieremy saying Hele me O lord and I shal be made hole Hier. xviii Saint Augustine also playnely declareth the same saying We conclude that frewyll is in man after his fall whiche thyng who so denieth is not a catholike man but in spirituall desyres workes to please god it is so weake and feble that it can not either beginne or performe them onelesse by the grace and helpe of god it be preuented and holpen And hereby it appereth that mans strength and wyll in all thynges whiche be helthfull to the soule and shal please god â–ª hath nede of grace of the holy goste by whiche such spirituall thinges be inspired to men and strength and constance giuen to perfourme them if men do not wylfully refuse the sayde grace offered vnto them ¶ And lykewyse as many thynges be in the scripture whiche doo shewe freewylle to be in man so there be no fewer places in scripture whiche do declare the grace of god to be so necessary that if by it freewyl be not preuented and holpen it can neither do nor wyll any thyng â—…n xv good and godly Of which sorte be these scriptures folowynge without me ye can do nothing No man commeth to me Iohn vi ii Cor. iii. except it be gyuen hym of my father we be not sufficient of our selfe as of our selfe to thinke any good thing Accordyng vnto whiche scriptures and suche other like it foloweth that free wyll before it maye wyll or think any godly thing must be holpen by the grace of Christ and by his spirite be preuented and inspyred that it may be able therto And being so made able may from thensforthe worke togither with grace and by the same susteyned holpen and mainteyned may do and accomplyshe good workes auoyd synne perseuere also and encrease in grace It is surely of the grace of god onely that fyrst we be inspired and moued to any good thynge but to resyst temptations and to persyste in goodnes and go forwarde it is bothe of the grace of god and of our free wyll and endeuour And fynally after we haue perseuered to the end to be crowned with glory therfore is the gift and mercy of god who of his bountifull goodnes hath ordeyned that rewarde to be gyuen after this lyfe accordinge to suche good workes as be done in this lyfe by his grace Therfore men ought with moch diligence and gratitude of mynde to consyder and regarde the inspirations and holsome motions of the holy goste and to imbrace the grace of god whiche is offered vnto them in Christe and moueth theym to good thinges And furthermore to go about by all meanes to shew them self such as vnto whom the grace of god is not gyuen in vayne And whan they doo feele that not withstandinge their diligence yet throughe their owne infirmitie they be not able to doo that they desyre than they oughte earnestly and with a feruent deuotion and stedfast faythe to aske of hym whiche gaue the begynnynge that he wolde vouchesafe to performe it whiche thynge god woll vndoubtedly graunt accordynge to his promyse to suche as perseuere in callynge vppon hym For he is naturally good and willeth al men to be saued and careth for them and prouydeth al thyng by whiche they may be saued except by their owne malice they woll be euil and so by rightuous iudgement of god perishe and be loste For truely men be to theym selues the autours of synne and damnation God is neither autour of sinne nor the cause of damnation And yet dothe he moste ryghtuousely damne those men that do with vices corrupte their nature whyche he made good and doo abuse the same to euyll desyres agaynste his moste holy wyl Wherfore men be to be warned that they do not impute to god their vice or theyr damnatioÌ„ but to them selues whiche by freewyl haue abused the grace and benefites of god All men be also to be monisshed and chiefely preachers that in this hygh matter they lokynge on bothe sydes soo attempre and moderate theym selues that neyther they soo preache the grace of god that they take away therby freewylle Nor on the other syde so extoll free wyll that iniury be done to the grace of god The article of Iustification FOr the more clere vnderstandynge of this article folowynge it is to be noted that all men after the fall of Adam naturally descendyng and comming of him be borne in originall synne that is to saye they lacke that original iustice and innocency wherwith Adam in his creation was endued and whiche also all his posteritie shulde haue had if he throughe his disobedience and breakyng of the commandement of god had not lost the same from hym selfe all his posteritie And further also they be borne with concupiscence wherof springe vnlaufull desires repugnant and contrarye vnto the lawes of god and be giltie to euerlasting deathe and damnation from the whiche they can in no wyse be delyuered by any strength or power that is in them but rather fall daily into further displeasure of god by committyng and addyng of many actuall synnes Wherfore to the entent that man might be deliuered out of this wretched miserable state whervnto he had brought him selfe and might recouer againe the same thinges that were giuen vnto him in his fyrste creation and therby atteyne the euerlasting blisse in heauen it pleased almighty god of his great and infinite mercy and goodnes to sende his owne onely begotten sonne the seconde person in trinitie to take vpon him the nature of man and therin to worke the mistery of our redemtion that is to say to deliuer vs from the captiuitie of the deuill synne and damnation to be the very meane of our reconciliation to god of our iustification And surely this reconciliation of mortal man to the fauor of god immortal did necessarily require such a mediatour betwene them as had in hym selfe the perfect nature of them bothe which is the very propertie of a meane betwene two to be partener with bothe them betwene whom he taketh vpon hym to be a meane For if he be