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
howe ye maye contynually abyde and growe in Christ the whiche thing is taught you in the vse of the Lordes supper Ye shall therefore dilygentlye learne the wordes by the whiche oure Lorde Iesus Christ did institute and ordeyne his supper that ye maye repet them word for worde and so prynt thē in your memoryes that you may beare them away with you home to youre fathers houses and there oftentymes reherse them And these be the wordes of oure sauioure Christe Our Lorde Iesus Christ the same nyghte that he was betrayed toke bread gyuyng thākes brake it gaue it to hys disciples saide Take eate this is my bodye whiche is gyuen for you Do this in remembraunce of me Lykewyse he toke the cuppe also after he had supped giuyng thankes gaue it to them and sayd Drynke of this al ye This is my bloude of the new testamente whiche is shed for you for many for the forgyuenes of synnes Do this as often as ye drynke in remembraunce of me Nowe ye shall dilygentlye laboure not onely to say without boke these wordes of our sauiour Christe but also to vnderstande what oure Lorde Iesus Christe mente by the same that ye maye make answer when ye be asked any question herein and that also in tyme to come ye may be able to teache your children as ye youre selfes are now instructed For what greater dishonestye can ther be eyther in the sighte of God or man then to professe youre selues to be Christian people and to receaue the sacramētes yet not to know what Christes sacramētes be wherfore they wer ordeyned For saint Paul sayth y t he whiche eateth and drynketh the supper of the Lorde vnworthely doth eate and drynke his awne damnation Nowe therfore good children that ye may truely vnderstāde the wordes of the lordes holy supper and that ye receyue not this sacramente to youre owne damnation learne here dylygentlye that the true vnderstandyng and vse of y e Lordes supper standeth in two thynges The fyrste is to do that whiche our lord himself hath commaunded The seconde is to beleue y t which he hath promysed Of these two I wil speake in order wherto I pray you gyue good eare First our sauiour Christ taketh breade in his hand he giueth thākes he breaketh it and gyueth it to his dysciples and sayeth Take eate Lykewyse he taketh the cup and sayeth Take drynke Wherfore we ought to obey those wordes to do that which our Lord commaundeth vs. For although Christ prescribeth no certen tyme when we ought to come together to his supper althoughe also he appoynte no certen noumber of dayes howe often in the yeare we ought to receaue this supper yet this is his holy godly wyl that at some tyme we shoulde receaue this sacrament And this to do is for oure great commoditie profite for elles our Lorde wolde not haue commaunded vs so to do who knoweth better thē we what helpe and comforte we haue nede of Wherfore if we wil be christes trew disciples then we must do as he himselfe commaundeth his discyples to do Let vs therefore go to this godly supper let vs eate drinke therof let vs not absteine frō the same w tout a great cause Secondarily Christ saieth of the breade this is my bodye and of y e cuppe he sayeth this is my bloud Wherefore we ought to beleue y t in the sacrament we receyue trewly the bodye and bloud of Christ. For God is almyghtye as ye hearde in the Crede He is able therefore to do all thynges what he wil. And as saint Paul writeth he calleth those thinges whiche be not as yf they were Wherefore when Christe taketh breade and saieth Take eate this is my body we ought not to doute but we eat his veray bodye And when he taketh the cuppe and sayeth Take drynke this is my blod we ought to thynke assuredly y t we drynke his veray blode And this we must beleue yf we wil be counted Christē mē And wher as in this perellous tyme certayne deceitful persons be founde in manye places who of very frowardnes wil not graunt that there is the body and bloude of Christe but denye the same for none other cause but that they cannot cōpasse by mans blynde reason howe this thinge shoulde be broughte to passe ye good children shall with all dilygence beware of suche persons that ye suffer not your selues to be deceaued by them For suche men surely are not trew Christyans nether as yet haue thei lerned the first article of y e Crede whych teacheth that God is almightye whiche ye good children haue alredy perfectely lerned Wherfore eschewe such erroneous opinions and beleue the wordes of our lord Iesus that you eate and drynke his veray body blode although mans reason can not comprehend how and after what maner y e same is ther present For the wysedome of reason must be subdued to the obedience of Christ as the apostle Paule teacheth Thirdly he sayeth that his body was gyuē to death for vs that his blod was shed for vs. Wherfore we muste beleue and confesse this thing that all we are conceaued and borne in syn as we haue learned in the ten commaundemētes and chiefely in the two last We are therefore by nature the childrē of gods wrath shoulde be damned for euer yf Christ had not redemed vs by his holy passiō For he was made mā for vs and dyd all thinges for vs whiche we were bound to do and coulde not do that is to saye he fulfylled the lawe for vs and toke vpon hym all that crosse whiche we moste rightuously had deserued for our iniquities and offenses and he shed his bloude for vs that oure synnes might be forgyuen vs. All these thinges we oughte stedfastly to beleue Wherfore they be in a great errore whiche wyll make satisfaction for their synnes with fastyng prayer almes dedes and suche lyke good workes For althoughe we are boūde to do these good workes yet they be not a sufficient price raunsome or satisfaction for oure synnes but onely the death and bloude of our sauyoure Christ was a sufficient and worthy sacrifice to take away our synnes and to obteyne for vs forgyuenes of oure offenses as it is written in the seconde chapter of saincte Iohn his firste epystle Christ is that sacryfice that pacyfyeth Gods dyspleasure obteyneth pardon for oure synnes and not for our synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde Fourthly Christ sayeth do this in the remembraunce of me Here also it is oure dutye to obey the worde of Christ and to do y t thing which he hath cōmaūded vs to do Wherefore good children doubt not but ther is the bodye bloud of our Lorde which we receaue in the lordes supper For he hath sayed so and by the power of his worde hath caused it so to be Wherefore seyng Christ saieth do this as
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
And besydes these abuses ther is an other that maketh an ydoll of y t trew and lyuynge God And that is when we imagyn by oure owne heades an other forme or shape of god his wil than is true in dede and otherwise thā he himself hath declared to vs in his wourde As for an example whē we beleue that God is a bodely thynge hauynge handes fete other membres lyke a man or that he is more pleased wyth wearynge of a graye fryars coule or halowed garmentes than with any other semely apparel or that he delighte with our wilworkes and worshyppynges whyche he neuer commaunded but we of our braynes haue deuysed theym Suche phantasie and false opinion I saye maketh an ydoll of the trewe God it is a great offence against y e first chiefe commaundemēt But of thys you shal heare more in other sermons Wherfore good children take hede of suche ymaginations that you frame not to your selfes with in the temple of youre hartes anye straunge god or ydoll But suffer the lorde to be your God for he doeth offer himself very louingly and with a fatherly affection to be your God Therfore he sayeth to eache of you I am the Lorde thy God that is to saye I am youre lorde and your father I woulde fayne that you should take me for your veray God onely Yf I am your Lorde where is the feare dewe vnto me Onely feare me as your Lorde obey me with al your hart trust in me praye to me call vpon me and loue me good children as your father Yt were our bounden dewtye to praye vnto him with most feruent desier that he woulde vouchesafe to be our God But his goodnes is somuche inclyned towarde vs that he preuentethe vs and before we desiere hym he offereth himselfe to vs saying I am the Lorde thy God onely acknowlege me for God When he sayth I am thy God it is asmuche as yf he shoulde saye I wil powre all kindes of benefites vpon thee what soeuer kynde of aduersitie troubleth the make the moone to me whan soeuer y u lackest any thinge aske it of me I am not farre from the I am thy God At all tymes I wyl be present with the and I will helpe the in all thinges Now good children dyligently learne ye this lesson and graue it into youre memories So you shal loue God and put your trust in him For this is the meanynge of this first commaundement that we ought to feare loue the Lord God aboue all thing fasten our hope in him Wherfore good children with all dilygence learne you this rule And when this question shalbe demaunded of you how do you vndrestand the first commaūdement then shal ye answer thus In this precept we be commaunded to feare and loue God with al oure harte and to put oure whole trust and confidence in him The conclusion Now ye haue hearde good children in a briefe summe the trewe sincere and playne exposition of y e first commaundement beare away I praye you this doctrine and diligentlye recorde it walke in the feare of the Lorde that you transgresse not these commaūdementes For what soeuer God byddeth that is right iust good and holye what soeuer he forbiddeth that is wrong vniust euil and synne He himselfe requireth of vs to kepe his commaundementes and not dispise them For he saith I am the Lorde thy God a stronge and a ielous God whiche do punyshe the children y t do hate me euen to the thirde fourth generacion for the iniquite of their parentes And contrariwyse I do shewe mercy to a thousande generacions of them that loue me kepe my commaundementes In these wourdes God dothe threaten greuous punyshementes to all them that breake these commaundemētes wherefore it is our dewtie to feare his indignation punishment not to prouoke his wrathe vpon vs by oure disobediēce And contrary he doth promyse his fauor and goodnes to all theim that kepe these his commaūdemētes Therfore we ought to loue him cast oure affiaunce in him and obey his commaundemētes And speciallye ye good childerne oughte to feare God kepe his preceptes and to desire grace and helpe of him y t you maye perfourme and fulfyll them For the feare of God is the begynnyng of all wysedome and it maketh men godly disposeth them to all good workes And suche hauynge the fauour of God may profit many bothe in commen and priuate affaires Out of this feare of God springeth also a good conscience peace and quietnes of the same as you haue herde out of the spalme whiche was rehersed in the beginnyng of the preface and yf we continew to thende of our lifes in this trew knowledge and faith of God thā he ouer and besyde the forsaide benefites will gyue vnto vs lyfe euerlastyng y t whiche he graunt to you that is blessed for euer Amen ¶ Note that both y e preface and the conclusion also of this firste sermon shalbe repeted thone in the begynnyng and thother in the later ende in euery sermon made for the residew of the commaundementes YE haue herd good children in the former sermon that all maner of Idolatrie is forbyd by this commaundement Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Where also it was declared vnto you howe you may commit spirituall ydolatrie by ouer muche fearyng trustynge and louyng of creatures But nowe I wyll speake of the moost grosse ydolatrie whiche standeth in wourshyppynge of ymages eyther of creatures or of God himselfe And this ydolatrye is forbyde by expresse wordes in this commaundement where God sayeth thus ¶ Thou shalt make the no grauē ymage nor any lykenesse of anye thynge which is in heauē aboue or in earth benethe or in the water vnder the earthe Thou shalt not bow downe vnto it nor wourship it These wordes by most interpretors of late tyme belonge to the first commaundement althoughe after the interpretation of manye aūcient autors they be the seconde commaundement in whiche wourdes it is to be noted that it is not withoute greate cause that God with so playne and expresse words doth forbydde wourshyppynge of ymages For he sawe that mans corrupte nature frō the firste tyme that he fell from God hathe euer ben enclined and redy to ydolatry and to bowe downe to creatures rather than to looke vp to God that made him Wherfore he inhibiteth all occations of the same God did also forsee that in the latter dayes men should come which woulde maynteine worshyppyng of images Not onlye with painted colors but also with paynted wordes saying We kneele not to the ymage but before the ymage we worshippe not the ymage but the thing which is represented by the ymage we worshippe not the creatures but the creatore in the creatures And suche lyke excuses the greatest ydolaters dyd alwaies pretend But to thentente they shoulde not so deceyue you God doeth oftentymes in holye scripture call vpon you sayinge Thou shalte
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
compelled to pay that monye whiche he neuer borowed Secōdarily he causeth him to lese his good name and credit and to be called a shameles lyer insomuche y t euery man wyl poynt at him when he goeth in the streates and saye Lo yonder goeth that vnfaythfull person whiche boroweth monye of his neighboure and denied thesame The whiche thing when it chaunceth the partie of whome this euel brute is sprede is vndone in this world and suffereth greater damage by the losse of his name then yf he shoulde lese al his riches Wherfore it is not without a cause that God so ernestlye forbyddeth vs to beare false witnes For as by trew witnes bearyng discorde strife and contention is ended both in the lawe and out of the lawe so by false testimonies strife discorde and variaunce is sowen and scatered and wrong thereby greatly mainteined Wherfore God in this commaundemente forbyddeth vs that with lies we slaundre not our neyghboure that we gyue no occasion to hatred dyscorde or debate but y t we studye to speake y e truthe and asmuche as it shall lie in vs to reconcyle men together For this is an excellēt vertue which highly pleaseth God For Christ saith in the gospel Blessed are they that make peace for they shall be called the childerne of God Wherfore good childrē beware chiefly that you be no liers nor false witnes berers but for any occasion you spare not to speake the trueth at all tymes and places and specyally when you be brought for witnesses into commen courtes or open iudgementes For God hymselfe hath ordeyned lawes courtes and officers to defende the good and to punyshe y e euel without the whiche there can be no peace or quietnes in this worlde They be the succour and sanctuarie of fatherles and motherles children of widowes and of all oppressed persons And he that shoulde go about to ouerturne this commen refuge of all persons that suffre wrong it can not otherwayes be but he muste nedes synne against y e ordinance of God and greuously hurt hys neyghboure But no man doth peruerte and ouerturne iustyce courtes and iudgementes more thē a false wytnes wherfore this is a very heynous synne before God For a false wytnes doth forsweare himselfe againste the seconde commaūdement he doth as much as lieth in him to ouerturne and destroye courtes and iudgements founded and establyshed by God he despiseth and deceueth y e iudge he hurteth hys neyghbor both in his name and goods he stoppeth y e peace frēdshyp and agremente the whiche shoulde haue ben made betwene the parties by the iudges trewe iudgemēt he mainteineth wrōg and continueth hathred debate and contention of the whiche foloweth brawlyng fyghtyng and oftentymes manslaughter The whiche heynous synnes God wil not suffer to escape vnscourged but horribly will punishe theim Wherfore let euery man auoyde false witnes bearyng as they would flye the plage or poyson By this commaundemente also God wythdraweth vs from all euel suspicions that we thynke not euel of our neyghbor nether expounde his wordes or deades to the wourst y t we suspecte hym not without a cause nor vtter to other our suspicions conceyued against any man as long as we knowe not certaynly the truth For they which groundyng thēselues vpon suspicions do rayse euel tales or vntrue brutes against their neighboure they do beare false witnes against hym and do more hurte then open lyers For they that lye openly or that in the face of y e courte beare false witnes against a man may be accused punyshed for theyr offence But mē can not so easely auoyde y e venomie of suche persons whiche secretly by poysened wordes or other meanes causeth his neyghboure to be suspected For they so secretly handle the matier y t they bryng their neighboure in slaunder and yet they wyl not be knowne that it commeth by theim And this is no small offense contrarie to thys eight commaundement Wherfore vtterly exchewe this vice be not suspicious of your neighbours takynge all thynges that you heare or see in theim to the worste but rather to the beste For this is the nature and propertie of Christen charitie as sayncte Paule saieth Charitie thinketh none euel And for the better vnderstanding of this cōmaūdemēt good children marke wel this that by this commaundement are forbidden al speakynges and communication whiche be against charitie to the hinderance of our neyghboure For what so euer we talke agaynste charitie is synne althoughe we speake nothynge but the trueth Therfore our lord Iesus Christ saieth men shall make an accōpt of euery idle worde Now yf we must make a rekenīg of idle wordes much more thē we shal rekē for our slaunderous wourdes againste our neighours Whiche synne although it raigne in the worlde to commonly yet it is an horrible and haynous offense Wherof many euils harmes but no good thinge doth aryse For when mens synnes be publyshed and spreade abrode many therby take occasiō of synne and thinke on this fashion Yf thys and that man haue donne thys thynge why maye not I do it also seyng it is a faute commenlye practised in the worlde Therfore sainct Paul saieth Whoredome couetousnes let it be not ones named amonge you And Christe saieth of hym that gyueth occasion of synne It wer better for him that a mylstone wer hanged about his necke and he to be cast into the botome of the sea Moreouer when we vse thus rashely to slaunder men it chaunceth oftentymes that the parties whiche be slaundered be made therby paste shame vnrepentaunte and more obstinate to continew in their wicked lyfe For by malicious slaunder many offenders be prouoked to rage and often times brust out into these woordes I wyll do it agayne because men talke of it What haue they to do wyth my dedes and such lyke wordes And some of thē be the worser in deede continuynge in their synnes al the dayes of theyr lyfe Where as yf they were gentely secretlye and frendly admonyshed they mighte be wonne brought to the righte waye againe Wherefore make not the wourste of mens faultes neyther be desyrouse to tell theym abrode althoughe you knowe the thynges to be trew But kepe the rule of Christ which sayth Yf thy brother trespace against the go tell hym his faulte betwene hym and the alone yf he heare y t thou haste wonne thy brother But yf he heare the not then take wyth the one or two that in the mouthe of two or three wytnesses euerye mater may stande yf he heare not them tell it vnto the congregation Yf he heare not the congregation let him be vnto the as an hethen a Publycane This is the best and moste honest waye to entreat synners and to handle other mennes faultes And he that wyll not vse this waye lette hym holde his tongue For bacbytynge and yl reportyng doth more hurt then good And it is not ynoughe for vs to refrayne oure owne tongue
soule reason senses eyes eares all my other members Also I beleue that the same almyghtye Lorde and God doeth dayly gyue to me and to vs al meat dryncke cloth wife children house lande ryches cattell and all thynges necessarye to the mayntenaunce of our lyues and y t he doth dayly defende kepe and preserue vs from al peril and delyuer vs from all euell And all thys he doethe of hys owne mere mercie and goodnes without our worthynes or deseruynges For the which benefites it is our dutie to render to hym continualll and euerlastyng thankes to obey hym in all thynges to take hede that we be not vnkynde to him y t hathe shewed so greate kyndnesse towardes vs. ¶ A generall conclusion to be rehersed at the ende of euery sermon made vpon the Crede Thus you haue heard good children the true and playne meanynge of this parte of the Crede Now it is youre parte deapely to prynte the same in youre heartes that you maye put your hole trust and confidence in the true and lyuynge God oure heauenly father And forasmuche as fayth is the worke of god and the light of our hartes whiche God putteth in vs by hys worde and holy spirite so that we can not atteyne fayth and the knowledge of Christ withoute goddes word and true preachers therfore accustome your selfes euē from youre tendre age to hear the worde of God that he by his holy spirite maye moue and sturre vp your hertes to true fayth knowledge of him And beside that you shall desier God with moste harty praiers that as he hath giuen you the gifte of fayth so he wyll contynew and increase the same in you that as you growe in age so also you may growe in the knowledge of Christ. For he that beleueth in Christ is made thereby the sonne of god heyre of lyfe euerlasting And then he gyueth vs his holye spirite to kyndle charitie in oure hartes wherby we loue God and kepe all hys commaundementes All these benefytes we receyue by faythe in the whiche who so euer contynueth vnto the ende of his lyfe shalbe saued the whiche God graunte to vs all Amen The seconde sermon of our Redemption I Declared vnto you heretofore good childrē that the Crede entreateth chiefly of thre thynges that is to saye of God the father that made the world of God the sonne that redemed the worlde and of God the holy goost that sanctifieth the worlde And in the former sermon I taught you the hygh heauenly philosophie of the creation Wherfore now I will vttre vnto you the great mistery of our redempcion whiche is conteyned in these wordes of the Crede I beleue in Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holye goost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The thirde daye he rose from death He ascēded to heauen He sytteth on the ryghte hande of God the father almyghtie From thense he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead In this seconde part of the Crede we may learne to know the secōde person in trinitie the sōne of god Iesus christ our lord And as in y e first article ye haue learned what benefytes we receyue of God the father to the sustentation maintenaūce of this temporal transitorie lyfe so in this seconde parte we shall lerne to know how great treasures and ryche gyftes we haue receyued by y e sonne of God Iesus Christ to the atteinyng of y e perfect euerlastīg lyfe And here you may cōsider good childrē how great was the miserie how horrible was the indignation of God whiche we were brought vnto by Adam So great it was that neyther golde nor syluer nor anye other thynge was able to bye vs out of the same but onely Iesus Christ y e sonne of God y t by hys death effusion of hys moost precious blod And of this great misery and indignation of God towarde vs this was the cause At what tyme God had made Adam and Eue and set thē in paradyse he intreated them lyke a most louyng and gentle father For he made theym lordes ouer al liuely creatures both beastes fyshe and fowle and did giue vnto them al trees y t bare fruit that thei might feade thereon Onely he forbad theym that they shoulde not eate of the tree of knowlege of good ylle And yet he gaue theym warnynge of y e great losse damage that they should suffer if they eat of that tree saying When soeuer you shall tast of the fruyt of that tree you shalbe made mortal and shall dye Their dutie had bene vnto so gentle a God and so mercifull a father in their hartes to haue beleued him trusted him loued him to haue obeyed hym and to kepe all his commaundemētes gladly But our most craftye enemy Satan enuying mans felicitie spake to Eue by the serpent and sayde No you shall not dye but you shall be lyke Gods knowyng both good euell And with these most poysened wordes perswaded Eue to eate of the fruyt whiche was forbydde And Eue gaue of the same to Adam who also did eat therof and so did breake gods commaundemente Nowe I praye you marke good childrē what thei lost by this their disobedience First when Adam and Eue wer thus deceyued by y e serpent and perswaded that God dyd not fauoure theym but had enuye at theim that they shoulde haue knowledge of good and yll and that for enuye he forbad thē to eate of that fruit that shoulde gyue to them so great knowlege they did no more trust God but beganne to trust themselues and did study to care prouide for thē selues Secondarily whē they no more trusted God they coulde no more finde in their hartes to loue hym but began to dote vpō them selues to thynke y t they had no better frende neither in heauē nor earth thē their awn selfes And after y t thei had thus put their trust and cōfidence in themselues and dotyngly loued all that was their awne by by folowed feare and concupiscence For by an by they beganne to hate and eschewe all thinges that wer paynful or vnpleasant to the fleshe and dotynglye to lust long for such thinges as wer delectable and pleasant to the fleshe Hereby you perceiue good children how our first parētes Adam and Eue poisened with the venome of the serpente were cast into .iiii. horrible vices or diseases The firste is that they dyd not trust in God The second that they dyd not loue God The third that they did not feare him but as a cruell tyranne The fourth that they were replenished with concupiscence and euyll desiers lustes and appetites And these be the rotes of originall synne oute of the whiche all other synnes do spryng and growe So Adam and Eue had a very great fal that fel from gods benediction
youre selfes frome youre tender age to pray gladly and often for that pleaseth God and he is veray redy to giue you al thinges that you nede so that we giue him his due honoure and aske of hym as our dutie is But specyally they that be godly muste vse to praye whan they go to bedde whan they ryse whan they go to the churche or syt doune at the table For these times are chiefly appoynted to prayer as scripture doth witnesse in many places And forasmuch as we be not able to get our dayly breade by oure owne wit laboure and dylygence except God giue it vs let vs therfore before all thynges seke his kyngdome and studye to please him that he may gyue vs al thinges necessarye for vs. And although many men in this worlde get their lyuyng and ryches by crafte and deceipte yet let vs absteyne from such vnlawful meanes For they do rather bryng pouertye to a man then ryches And althoughe brybers extorcyoners vsurers and craftye deceauers of their neighbours do prosper for a while in this worlde yet they seldome establyshe theyr thynges For it is written that scasely the thyrde heyre shal enioy goods yll gotten And God doth only wynke at theim suffryng thē to floryshe for a tyme that afterwarde he maye y e more greuouslye punyshe and sodenly destroy thē And when we desyer God to gyue vs our dayly breade thynke not Good children that our heuenly father wyl gyue vs only a morsell of bread and nothyng besyde but vnder the name of breade be all thinges conteyned whiche be necessarie to the maintenance of our lyfe as meate dryncke apparell house landes cattell and monye accordyng to the saying of sainct Paule God gyueth all thynge to our vse richely and aboundantly But Christe teacheth vs in this petition to aske only for our dayly breade for this entent that we shoulde be content with suche a meane as oure dayly vse and necessitie doth require and that we should not by ouermuche eatyng and drynkynge wastfully spende those thynges wher w t poore people myght be relyued For sayncte Paul doth commaunde vs to laboure and worke that we maye eate our awne breade also gyue to thē that haue nede The which commaundement we shall easely kepe yf we wyll be contente with a meane dyet and kepe a measure in our apparell But they that delyght in superfluitie of gorgyous apparel and deynty fare make pleasure the ende of their eatynge and drynkyng ▪ and not necessitie they be not wont to gyue muche to the poore but commenly suche do deceaue the nedye brybe and pyle from thē and oftentynes by plaine robberies force do steale other mens goods that they maye haue wherwith to mainteyne their charges and sumptuous expēses As we see by daily experience that couetous persons and the ryche men of this worlde that be gyuen to ryot superfluitye vse to gyue lytle or nothyng at all to y e poore Furthermore in this petition we do not only desier our bodily fode and sustinance but also all thyng necessarye to the same wherby we maye vse and inioy suche as God hath sent vs that is to saye we praye for seasonable wether and holsomenes of the ayer for helthe of bodye for peace and quyetnes of the commen welthe for trustye and faithful seruantes and suche lyke For except God sende a faire and seasenable wether all the fruites and corne growyng vpon the earth are lyke to peryshe and so all our laboure in plowyng sowyng and plantyng shall be bestowed in vaine Also he y t hath not his helth he can haue no pleasure in his riches or greatly ioy in his meat or drinke be it neuer so deinty Furthermore in warre time all thoughe God sende vs great plētye of corne and wyne yet all is destroyed of oure ennemyes somuche that we maye scante truste our frendes from spoilyng of vs. For than all is full of robbynge burnynge beatyng kyllynge and wasting with fire sworde And yf we haue any thinge lefte vs in the tyme of warre yet we can not quyetly haue y e vse of it for feare care and trouble of the warres And yf it be a tyme of peace yet yf thou haue an enemye within the walles of thyne awne house that is to saye yf thou haue an vnkynde or vnfaythful wyfe vnthryftye children vntrustye and neglygente seruauntes then by them thy lyuynge is wasted and cōsumed For al these do defraude the of thy dayly breade and by y e occasion of thy greate losse and hynderance The principal cause of all these aduersities is the deuel For he is so mortal an enemie to mankynde that he is desyrous not onli to destroy our souls with false doctrine and erroneous opinions but also throughe tempestes infection of the ayer dyuerse kyndes of sykenesses by famyne batteyl by the malyce and falsehed of oure owne householde and of our neyghbours he wolde fayne cōsume our lyfe helth house and goods clerely destroy them And this wicked spirite woulde ouerthrowe in a momente of an houre whole realmes commen welthes yf God dyd not let hym Wherefore we must ernestly pray to God that he wil staye this wycked spirite and gyue vs our daily bread that he wil preserue vs frō all sycknes that hauynge helthe of our bodyes we may vse inioy our substance And that also he wil sende vs godly and dilygente rulers to defēde vs from our enemyes and to prouide that nether our goodes be stollen from vs by thefes or robbers neyther lost or conuayed from vs thorowe the vntrustynes or falsenes of oure householde seruauntes Furthermore you shall note good childrē that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not taught vs to saye father gyue me my dayly breade but gyue vs oure dailye breade and lykewyse in all the petitions that folowe no man prayeth in the synguler noumber for himselfe alone but in the plurel noumber aswel for other as for himselfe By y e whiche lesson we be admonyshed of the brotherly charitie whiche one of vs shoulde beare towardes an other For we be all offenders and from our birth the children of yre Neuertheles God so loued vs that he gaue his only sonne Iesus Christ to suffer deathe for vs to obteyne for vs remyssion of oure synnes to reconcile vs to him to make vs his children Therefore nowe is God our father Christe oure brother and we be goddes children and heyres and coinheriters with Christ and amonge oure selues we be brethren and all brethrē to Christ. And therefore we ought to ioyne altogyther in one prayer and to be glad one to healpe another bothe in worde and dede to the vttermost of our power Furthermore this is a great comforte for vs to know that all the church and congregation of Christ doeth praye for vs and that all the treasurs of Gods riches that is to say Christ himselfe the kyngdome of heauen the holy gospell the sacramentes and the prayers of al
godly men be common to vs all For whan soeuer anye Godly man requireth any good thynge of God he also requireth the same for vs alone for no man oughte to praye for him selfe And this is a greate consolation for all Christian people For the scripture sayeth that the prayer of one iust man may do muche wyth God And therfore whan manye iust and godlye men do make their supplications vnto God with one accorde we may be sure that their prayers are herde And thys is the playne sense and exposition of this fourth petition Now good children I pray you diligently to remember these thynges that when you be asked thys question howe vnderstande you the fourth petition you may answere God doeth sufficientlye prouide for vs meate and lyuyng with out our desire neuerthelesse we desyre him to graunt vs that we maye knowe that we haue all thynges at his handes and that we may gyue to him due thankes for the same And yf further anye man wyll aske you what is mente by thys worde our dayly breade aunswere that by daylye breade is vnderstande all thynges necessarie for oure lyuynge as meate drynke clothe house lande cattel monye housholde stuffe a good wyfe obedyente chyldren trustye seruaūtes good gouerners a wel ordered commen wealth commen peace and tranquilitie seasenable wether holsome aier health of body constant frendes honest neighboures and suche lyke thynges whereby we maye leade in this worlde a Godly and quiet lyfe ¶ And forgyue vs oure trespaces as we forgyue them that trespace agaynst vs. YOu haue hearde howe we desyer of God oure father that for asmuche as he is the onelye and true maker of heauen and earth he wyll vouchsafe to preserue and nouryshe vs his children and that we ought to trust for this thing of no creature but of God only as you haue lerned in the firste article of oure Crede which intreateth of the creatiō Now foloweth the fifth petitiō in y t whiche we desyer God to giue vs al those thīges y t we haue lerned in the seconde parte of oure Crede whiche speaketh of our redemption and teacheth vs howe by the passion death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe we be delyuered from synne death and hel that with ioye and myrthe we maye loke for that daye in the which he shal iudge both y e quicke and the dead The wordes of this peticion be these Forgyue vs our trespaces as we forgyue theym that trespace agaynste vs. To the intent good childrē that you maye the better vnderstande this petition you shal call to your remembraunce that lesson whiche you lerned a lytle before that is to saye that Christ hath promysed that he wyll gyue vs all thinges whiche we aske in faithe and true belefe Nowe true faith is grounded vpon the promyse of god and it is not buylded but vpon the foūdacion of his word Wherfore yf we wyll aske any thing in true belefe we must aske as the worde of God teacheth vs and we muste take suer holde of Gods promise declared in the scripture For it is not faithe to beleue oure owne phantasies or dreames of the whiche God hath nothynge spoken or taught As yf a man would beleue that by Goddes healpe he shoulde not be drouned although he leapte into the sea this were no faith but a tēptaciō of god a very heynous sinne commyng dowtles of the deuel who on this wise tēpted our master Christ when he set him vpon the pinnacle of the temple in the holy cytie and said vnto him If thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe But Christe refused so to do answered thus Yt is written Thou shalte not tempte thy Lorde God Nowe there is not in the whole scripture anye one promyse that God wyll helpe me yf I do any suche acte but yf we do suche thynges as God hathe commaunded vs he hathe made vs manye promyses that he wyll ayde and succour vs in al our necessities and troubles By the whiche promyses he hath declared his fatherly loue towardes vs intendyng therby to stirre and prouoke vs to runne vnto him in all oure cares and nedes Wherefore it is our bounden dutye to cal vpon his name in al our necessities to trust vpon hys promyses to put him as it were in remembraunce of them and ernestly to desier hym to performe y e same But amonge al other promyses this promyse is speciallye to be remembred where Christ promyseth thus Yf ye will forgyue men their trespaces my heauenly father also wyll forgyue you youre trespaces But yf you wyl not forgyue men their trespaces thē wyl not my heuēly father forgiue you In the whiche promyse Christe dothe not onely offer vnto vs remission of our synnes and suche thynges as apperteyne to euerlastyng lyfe but also he promiseth vs hereby peace and quietnes in this transitorye lyfe with concord and a louyng harte towarde our neyghboure And accordynge to this promyse Christe our master hath taught vs to pray after this sort Forgiue vs our trespaces as we forgiue them that trespace agaynst vs. For it were not reasonable nor agreyng to iustyce that we should require God to forgiue vs our trespaces agaīst him whē we are not minded to forgyue our neighbours their offēces against vs. Nor God would neuer heare vs yf we shoulde so praye For yf we haue causes why we wyll not forgyue our neighbors thē suerly God hath both mo more weightie causes wherfore he wil not forgyue vs. So that yf God were mynded to forgyue vs oure synnes yet yf we be not mynded to forgyue our neyghbors he wold stay and as it wer cal againe this his purpose by the reason of oure vncharitablenes and dissobediēce as Christe hymselfe doth playnly teache vs by the example of the seruaunt whyche after he had hys dette forgyuen him was compelled to paye all the monye wherof before he was dyscharged by hys maysters pardon because he wold not forgyue his felow Wherefore good childrē accustome your selfs euē from your tendre age gladly to forgyue them that haue offended you Be not desyrous to reuenge your awn quarels and thē youre heuenly father wil also forgyue you Yf you be angry synne not nor let not the sunne set vpon your anger For it is not possible that any man can trewlye beleue that God hath forgyuen him hys synnes when he hymselfe is not willyng to forgiue his neighbore Wherfore God our heuēly father dyd not entende to hurte or hindre vs when he sayde that he woulde not forgyue vs except we dyd forgyue other and yf we forgyue our neyghbors their offēces that then he wil also forgyue vs. But God dyd knyt thys condytion to this promyse for our great welth and benefyte For vnder these wourdes ther lyeth hyde great cōforte for troubled conscyences where vnto yf you wil lysten dilygently ye shal knowe the synguler goodnes of God and his fatherly loue towardes you It