The Principles of Christian Religion necessary to be knowen of all the faythfull set forth to the great profite in trayning vp of all youth by Tho. Becon Iohn xiij If ye know these thinges blessed are ye if ye doe them Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate AN. 1569. ¶ Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAC TAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calimo pictor arte vides Mentis quā nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis 〈◊〉 ipse suis. ¶ The Contentes of this Booke Of fayth WHat fayth is What benefites we receiue of God through◠fayth The Articles of the Christian fayth with confirmations of the same out of the holy Scriptures Of prayer What prayer is What benefites we receiue of God by prayer The Lordes Prayer called the Pater noster with confirmations of euery peticion out of the holy Scripture Of the law What the law is To what vse the law was geuen The x. commaundementes of God with confirmations of euery commaundemēt out of the holy Scripture Of Repentaunce What repentaunce is Of the fruites of repētaunce declared by the word of God Of Baptisme What Baptisme is For what vse Baptisme was ordained Of the Lordes Supper What the Lordes Supper is To what vse Christ did institute it The duty of all estates and degrees accordyng to the doctrine of Gods holy word The dutie of the hye powers and of the other temporall Magistrates The dutie of Subiectes toward the hi◠powers The dutie of Byshops and Ministers of Gods worde The duetie of Parishioners vnto the Ministers of Gods word The dutie of Husbandes vnto their wiues The duetie of Wiues vnto their Husbandes The duetie of Fathers and Mothers vnto their children The duetie of Children towardes their Fathers and Mothers The duetie of Maisters to their Seruauntes The duetie of Seruauntes to their Maisters The duetie of Widowes The duetie of Olde men The duetie of Olde women The duetie of Young folke The duetie of all degrees and estates generally both toward God and their neighbour FINIS To the most gentle and godly disposed childe M. Thomas Cecill sonne to the right honourable Syr Williā Cecill Knight and Secretary to the Kings Maiestie Thomas Becon wisheth the fauour of God with the encrease of vertue and learning II of holy letters we be not sleepie nor vaine readers but diligētly marke what we read we shall easilie perceaue that among other commaundementes of God this is not the last nor the least which he geueth cōcerning the bringing vp of youth in y ◠knowledge of his blessed will For y ◠godly wisedome knoweth right well that except the younglinges of a common weale be vertuously brought vp and faithfully framed according to the right rule of Gods holy appointment it can not come to passe but that his glory the good parentes being once deceased must needes bee obscured in thys world the inuocation of his name cease and all godly religion decay yea the men them selues if they bee worthy that name must needes become brutelike and be caryed about with euery straunge doctrine cōtemne all laudable lawes breake all good orders follow their fleshly appetites lyke vnreasonable beastes so at last bring both thēselues their realmes vnto vtter destruction Therfore as God in his holy law requireth of parentes nothing more earnestly thē to bring vp their children vertuously and according to his word so likewise all godly fathers and mothers haue euer from the beginning done their vttermost endeuour to traine vp their younglinges euen from the very cradells in the nurture feare and doctrine of the Lord supposing them selues then best to please God and most to doe the true office of godly and naturall parentes when they studie how to garnish not theyr childrens bodies with gay and sumptuous vestures but their mindes with noble and precious vertues not bow to lift them vp to transitory dignities worldly honours which as dayly experiēce teacheth are more brittle then glasse and fade away lyke the grasse but how to make them honourable and prayse worthy in the sight of good mē and profitable to the cōmon weale through vertue learning wisedome and counsell And the more the parentes them selues did excell other in knowledge wisedome and learning the greater desire had they to bring their children vnto the lyke perfection bearing heauily that theirs shoulde in any poynt degenerate from their fathers vertues and not orderly aunswere to the godly qualities of their noble parentes Histories both godly and Ethnicke doe minister vnto vs examples aboundantly in this behalfe which I would here gladly recite if I had not attempted the lyke enterprise already in my preface to the Gouernance of Vertue Againe if I were not fully perswaded that you haue heretofore both red and also heard of your teacher the same or els the like histories Your right honourable and most worthy father knowing the good pleasure of God in thys behalfe hath also after the example of all other noble godly parentes painfully trauailed both by him self and by learned teachers to bring you vp euen frō your cradell in the knowledge of Gods will and of good letters that you might as in age so likewise in vertue and learning grow and encrease vnto hys comfort vnto your owne commendation vnto the profite of the common weale hereafter And as your father is learned and hath a brest stuffed with all godly vertues so is hys desire to haue you both learned vertuous that when he shall geue ouer to nature God so disposing hee may leaue behinde hym hys owne image yea as I may so speake hym selfe not onely in lineamentes of body but also in vertue in godlines in wisedome in knowledge and by thys meanes bee counted of hys posteritie a worthy member of the common weale both in him selfe and 〈◊〉 hys sonne It is your dutie therfore to satisfie the good desire of so naturall a father and to aunswere the expectation of many which looke to finde in you hereafter that vertue learning wisedome and grauitie that is euidently perceaued in your most worthy father Thys shall bee brought to passe if according to your beginning ye goe forth diligently to call on the name of God to applie your mind to good letters to giue eare to the wholsome admonicions of your most deare father and to take heede to the daily exhortations of your teacher euer framyng your life according to your knowledge And that ye may do this the more cōueniently I geue you thys little treatise which shall aboundauntly instructe you in those pointes of Christian Religion which at thys present do most of all become your age In it are cōtained the principles of our profession which I haue so opened with the conference of the other scriptures that they may worthily seeme to striue with large Cōmentaries I haue also set forth the duties
in the worde minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thinges Be not deceaued God is not mocked ¶ The duetie of husbandes vnto their wiues THe dutie of a faithfull husband vnto hys wife is to forsake all other for her sake to cleaue onely to his wife to loue her as Christ loued the congregation to cherish her as he would cherishe hys owne body to prouide for her to teach her the lawe of God to dwell with her according to knowledge and to geue honour vnto her although y â— weaker vessell as to one that is fellowe heyre with him of the grace of life ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my fleshe She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man For this cause shall a maÌ„ leaue his father and mother and shall be ioyned with hys wife and they shall become one fleshe Be glad with the wife of thy youth Let her brestes alway satisfie thee and holde thee euer coÌ„tent with her loue My sonne why wilt thou haue pleasure in an harlotte and embrace the bosome of an other woman Ye husbandes loue your wiues euen as Christ also loued the congregation gaue him self for it to sanctifie it clensed it in the fountaine of water through y â— worde to make it vnto him self a glorious coÌ„gregatioÌ„ without spot or wrinkle or any thing but y t it should be holy and without blame So ought meÌ„ to loue their wiues as their owne bodyes He that loueth his wife loueth him selfe For no maÌ„ euer yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the congregation c. Ye husbandes loue your wiues and be not bitter to them Ye meÌ„ dwell with your wiues according to knowledge geuing honour vnto the wife as vnto the weaker vessell as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of life ¶ The dutie of wiues vnto their husbandes THe dutie of an honest faythfull woman vnto her husband is to knowledge her husband to bee her head to bee subiecte vnto hym to reuerence hym to obey hym quietly to learne of hym to lead a blameles life to vse much silence peaceably circumspectly to looke vnto her housholde and to tier her self with such apparell as becommeth a sober Christian woman ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Ye women submit your selues vnto your own husbandes as vnto the Lord. For y â— husband is y â— wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the congregation the same is he y t ministreth saluation to the body Therefore as the congregation is in subiection to Christ euen so let the wiues be in subiection to their husbandes in all thinges Ye wiues submit your selues vnto your owne husbandes as it is comely in the Lord. I will that women aray them selues in comely apparell with shamefastnes discrete behauour not with broydered heare eyther golde or pearles or costly aray but as it becommeth women y t professe godlines through good works Let the womaÌ„ learne in silence with all subiectioÌ„ But I suffer not a womaÌ„ to teach neither to vsurpe authoritie ouer y â— man but to be in silence Ye wiues be in subiectioÌ„ to your husbandes y t euen they which obey not y â— worde may without y â— worde bee wonne by y â— conuersation of the wiues while they beholde your â—hast conuersation coupled with feare Whoâ—e apparell shall not bee outward with broydered heare hanging on of golde eyther in putting on of gorgious apparell but let the hid man which is in y â— hart be without all corruption so that the spirite be at rest quiet which spirite before God is a thing much set by For after this maner in the olde time did y â— holy women which trusted in God tier theÌ„ selues and were obedient to their husbandes euen as Sara obeyed AbrahaÌ„ and called hym Lord whose daughters ye are so long as ye do well ¶ The dutie of fathers and mothers vnto their children THe dutie of fathers mothers vnto their children is to traine them vp in the law of God to teach theÌ„ to know God his holy word euen froÌ„ their cradles to bring theÌ„ vp in good learning and necessary artes to bridle them from the folishe and noysome lustes of youth and to garnishe their life with sober and graue maners ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Set your hartes vnto all the wordes which I testifie vnto you this day ye shall coÌ„maund them vnto your children y t they may obserue do all y â— wordes of this law If thou haue sonnes bring them vp in nurture and learning holde them in awe from their youth vp If thou haue daughters kepe their body and shew not thy face cheerefull toward theÌ„ Mary thy daughter and so shalt thou perfourme a waightie matter but geue her to a man of vnderstanding He y â— teacheth his soÌ„ne shall haue ioy in him and nede not to be ashamed of him amoÌ„g his aquaintance He that spareth the rod hateth the sonne but who so loueth hym chasteneth hym betimes Ye fathers moue not your children to wrath but bring them vp through the doctrine and information of the Lord. How godly Salomon youÌ„g Toby SusaÌ„na Philip y â— Euangelistes daughters Timothe and such lyke were brought vp of their parentes the holy scriptures beare witnes ¶ The dutie of children toward their fathers and mothers THe dutie of childreÌ„ toward their parentes is in their minde to loue them outwardly to reuerence and honour them to obey them in all thynges that are agreable to Gods will and if they chaunce to fall into pouertie to helpe theÌ„ and to geue them wherof to liue ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Honour thy father froÌ„ thy whole hart and forget not the sorrowfull trauell y t thy mother had with thee Remember that thou wast borne through them and how canst thou recompence them the thinges that they haue done for thee Children obey your fathers and mothers in the Lord for y t is right Honour thy father and mother the same is the first coÌ„maundement in the promise that thou mayest prosper and liue long on earth Read the confirmations of the fift commaundement ¶ The dutie of Maisters to their Seruauntes THe dutie of Maisters to their Seruauntes is to entreate theÌ„ gently to geue them their couenauntes and to helpe theÌ„ that they may afterward be able to liue ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Where as thy seruaÌ„t worketh truly entreate him not euil nor y t hireling y â— is faythfull vnto thee Loue a discrete seruaunt as thine owne soule defraude him not of his libertie neither leaue him a poore man Ye maisters doe vnto your seruauntes that which is iust and equall putting away threatninges knowing
that ye also haue a maister in heauen Neither is there any respect of persons with God ¶ The dutie of Seruauntes to their Maisters THe dutie of seruauntes to their maisters is willingly with a free courage to serue theÌ„ for conscience sake not with y â— eye but with the hart to obey theÌ„ to honour theÌ„ gently to answere theÌ„ not to picke or steale away their goods but to be faythfull vnto theÌ„ in all thinges ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Ye seruantes obey theÌ„ y t are your bodily maisters with feare trembling eueÌ„ with y â— singlenes of your hart as vnto Christ not doing seruice vnto the eie as they y t go about to please men but as the seruantes of Christ doing the will of God froÌ„ the hart with good wil seruing the Lord not meÌ„ Knowing this that what soeuer good deede any man doth y â— same shall he receaue againe of God whether he be bond or free Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke count their masters worthy of all honour that y â— name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of Exhort seruantes to be obedient vnto their owne maisters and to please them in all thinges not aunswering againe neither to be pickers but that they shewe all good faithfulnes that they may do worship to the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all thinges ¶ The dutie of Widowes THe dutie of true auncient widowes besides the looking to their own houshold prouisioÌ„ making for their liuing is to put their trust in God to geue theÌ„ selues to the exercise of y â— spirite to frequent the teÌ„ple to be present at y â— sermons to visite the sicke to relieue y â— nedy to be rich in good workes to coÌ„tinue in â—upplications praiers both day and night But as touching the youÌ„ger widowes least they should waxe wanton against Christ follow Sathan breakyng their fyrst fayth promise that they made to God at their baptisme which is to abstaine from all vncleannes both of body minde and to lead a pure and honest life so cast theÌ„ selues into dauÌ„ger of euerlasting damnation it is conuenient that they mary again bryng forth childreÌ„ guide their house vertuously and so liue in the holy estate of matrimonie that no man may haue occasion to speake euill of them ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures She that is a true widow and frendles putteth her trust in God and continueth in supplications and prayers day and night Iudith y t vertuous widow in the hier partes of her house made her self a priuie chaÌ„ber where she dwelt being closed in with her maides She ware a smocke of heare and fasted all y â— dayes of her life except the Sabbaothes new Moones and the solemne dayes y t the people of Israell kept She was a womaÌ„ of a very good report with euery one for she feared y â— Lorde greatly and there was no body that spake an euill worde of her The godly auncient widow Anna departed not from the temple but serued God with fastings and prayers night and day ¶ Of the younger widowes THe younger widowes refuse For wheÌ„ they haue begun to waxe waÌ„ton against Christ they wil mary hauing damnation because they haue cast away their fyrst fayth And also they learne to go froÌ„ house to house idle yea not idle only but also tatlers and busie bodies speaking things which are not comely I will therfore y t the younger women mary to beare children to guide the house geue none occasion to the aduersary to speake euill ¶ The dutie of olde men THe dutie of olde meÌ„ is to auoide all lightnes both in word dede couÌ„tenance to talke of wisedome graue matters to be sober sage discrete to lead a pure vndefiled life y t they may be an ensample of true godlines to y â— youÌ„ger folke ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures God hateth an olde body that doteth and is vnchaste Age is an honourable thyng neuertheles it standeth not onely in the length of time nor in the multitude of yeares but a mans wisedome is the gray heare and an vndefiled life is the olde age Exhort the elder men to be sober sage discrete sound in the fayth in loue in pacience ¶ The dutie of olde women THe dutie of olde womeÌ„ is as in age so in maners to be sober sage auncient to weare no light apparell but such rayment as become their age profession to be no tatlers but to order their tounges discretely to be no tauerne huÌ„ters nor geuen to drunckennes but to lead a sober life to prouoke no youÌ„g women vnto leâ—udnes and dishonestie but rather to shew theÌ„ selues liuely glasses naturall myrrours of all godlines and honestie ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Exhort y â— elder women that they be in such raymeÌ„t as becoÌ„meth holines not being false accusers not geuen to much wine but that they teach honest thinges to make the younge women sober minded to loue their husbandes to loue theyr children to be discrete chaste huswifely good obedient to their husbandes that the worde of God bee not euill spoken of ¶ The dutie of younge folke THe dutie of younge folke is not to be proud but humble lowly and gentle gladly to heare the discrete talke of their elders and to be ordered by them not to be rash but sober minded in all their doinges ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Ye youÌ„ger folke submit your selues vnto y â— elders submit your selues euery maÌ„ one to an other knit your selues together in lowlines of minde For God resisteth y e proude and geueth grace to the humble Thou young man keepe coÌ„pany with the multitude of such elders as haue vnderstanding consent vnto their wisedome with thine hart that thou mayest heare all godly sermons and that the worthy sentences escape thee not If y u be among meÌ„ of higher authoritie desire not to coÌ„pare thy self vnto theÌ„ and when an elder speaketh make not thou many wordes Exhort the younge meÌ„ that they be sober minded ¶ The dutie of all degrees and estates generally both toward God and their neighbour THe dutie of all degrees estates generally both toward God their neighbor is to beleue in God to feare God to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes to loue god aboue al thinges our neighbor as our self to do none otherwise vnto other then we wish to be done vnto our selues ☞ Probations out of the holy He beleâ—â—â— God beleue also in me sayth Christ Fears God and keepe his commaundementes for that be loÌ„geth vnto all meâ—â— Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with â—ll thy hart with all thy soule and 〈◊〉 all thy mind Thys is the first 〈…〉 est commanndement And the second is like vnto it Thou shâ—â—
plentiously And let euery man do according as he hath purposed in hys hart not grudgingly or of necessitie For God loueth a cheerefull geuer God is able to make you riche in all grace that ye in all thinges hauing sufficient vnto the vttermost may bee riche vnto all maner of good workes as it is written He hath sparsed abroad and hath geuen to the poore and hys righteousnes remayneth for euer The office of thys ministration not onely supplyeth the nede of the saintes but also is abundant herein y t for this laudable ministring thankes might be geuen to God of many which praise God for y t obedience of your consenting to y ◠Gospel of Christ and for your singlenes in distributing to them to all mē and in their prayers for you which long after you for the abundaunt grace of God in you Thankes be vnto God for his vnspeakable gift ¶ The dutie of all estates and degrees ¶ The dutie of the hie powers and of the other temporall Magistrates THe dutie of the high powers and of the other temporall rulers is to be learned in the lawe of God to maintaine pure and Christian Religion to nourishe and defend the preachers and studientes of Gods worde to banishe all false religion idolatry to punishe yea and if they wil not turne to kill the preachers and maintainers of false doctrine to iudge equally indifferently without parcialitie to take no bribes nor to oppresse the common people but to care for thē as a father for his children to defend the good to correct the euill to auaunce vertue and to punishe vice That they ought to bee learned in the lawes of God ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The king shall not multiplie horses to him self neither ought he to multiply wiues vnto him self least his hart turne away neither shall he gather him siluer and golde to much And when he is set vpon the seate of hys kingdome hee shall write hym out a copie of this lawe in a booke And it shall bee with hym and hee ought to read therin all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lorde hys God and to keepe all the wordes of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to doe them and that his hart arise not aboue his brethren and that he turne not frō the commaūdement to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong his dayes in hys kingdome Let not the booke of thys lawe depart out of thy mouth but recorde therin day night that thou mayest obserue doe according to all that is written For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou do wisely Get ye vnderstanding now O ye kinges be learned ye that iudge the earth Serue the Lord in feare and reioyce vnto hym with reuerence Kisse the sonne least he be angry so ye perish frō the right way If your delight be in royall seates and scepters O ye kinges of y e people set your lust vppon wisedome that ye may raigne for euermore O loue the light of wisedome all ye that be rulers of the people ¶ Read the ix Chapter of the booke of Wisedome That they ought to maintaine pure and Christian Religion ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures How greatly king Dauid aduanced Gods religion sought hys glory the holy Scriptures make mencion Asa king of Iuda did that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God For he tooke away straunge altars hill altars and brake downe the images and cut down the groues and cōmaunded Iuda to seeke the Lorde God of their fathers and to doe according to the law and commaundement Yea he put away y e abominable Idols that hys father had made And he put down Maacha his mother from bearing rule because she had made images in groues And Asa destroyed her images burnt thē by the broke Cedron The Lord God therfore gaue hym and all his land rest and quietnes Iehosaphat king of Iuda sent to hys Lordes that they shoulde teach in the cities of Iuda with them he sent Leuites and priestes And they taught in Iuda and had the booke of the lawe of God with them went about through out all the cities of Iuda and taught the people And the feare of the Lorde fell vppon all the kingdomes of the landes y t were round about Iuda they fought not agaynst Iehosaphat And the Lord stablished the kingdome in his hand and all they that were in Iuda brought king Iehosaphat presentes so that hee had abundance of riches honour King Hezekia put away the hill altars and brake the images and cut downe the groues and all to brake the brasen serpent that Moses had made He renued the feast of the Passeouer He ordayned Priestes and Leuites to serue the Lord God prouided honest liuinges for them that they might substantially apply thē selues to the lawe of the Lord. And the Lorde was with hym so that he prospered in all thynges which he tooke in hand The good king Iosias beside the purging of Iuda and Ierusalem frō hill altars groues carued images and images of metall and such other kindes of idolatry he repayred the house of the Lord his God renued the feast of the Passeouer red in the eares of all the people the wordes of the lawe of the Lorde and made a faythfull promise vnto the Lorde that he and all hys people should walke according to the statutes of that booke And they turned not aside from the Lorde God of their fathers so long as he liued The Lorde God therfore deferred hys plague y t he had threatned to Iuda suffered Iosias to liue in much honour and brought hym to hys graue in peace so that hys eyes dyd not see the mischiefe that the Lorde God afterward brought immediatly vppon Ierusalem and vppon the inhabitors of the same Kinges shall bee thy nursing fathers and Queenes shall be thy nursing mothers That they ought to punishe yea and if they will not turne to kill the preachers and maintainers of false doctrine ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures If there rise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreames and geue thee a signe or wonder that signe or wonder which hee hath said come to passe and then say let vs go after straunge Gods which thou hast not knowen and let vs serue them harken not thou vnto the wordes of that prophet or dreamer of dreames For the Lorde thy God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lorde your God with all your hart with all your soule Ye shall walke after y ◠Lorde your God and feare hym and kepe his commaundement and harken vnto his voyce serue hym cleaue vnto hym And that prophet or dreamer of dreames shall die because he hath spoken to turne you away from the Lord
of any mans hand He sayd vnto them againe the Lorde is witnes agaynst you and hys annointed is witnes thys day that ye haue no euill in my handes What chaunced to Rehoboam king Salomons sonne for the vngentle entreating of hys coÌ„mons the holy histories do testifie Read iij. Regum .xij. Chapt. That they ought to care for the commoâ—â— as a father for hys children ☜ The confirmations Mercy and faythfulnes preserue the king and with louing kindnes hys seate is holden vp If thou be made a ruler pride not thy selfe therin but be thou as one of the people Take diligent care for them and looke well therto and when thou hast done all thy dutie set thee down that thou mayest be mery with theÌ„ receaue a crowne of glory With how fatherly a care Moses Samuell Dauid and diuers other noble princes gouerned their people the holy Scriptures doe euidently declare That they ought to defend the good and to correct the euill to aduaunce vertue and to punishe vice ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Learne to doe right apply your selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherles to his right let the widowes complaint come before you Thus the Lord commaundeth keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not greeue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherles nor the widow and shed no innocent bloud Execute true iudgement shew mercy and louing kindnes euery maÌ„ to his brother Do the widow the fatherles the strauÌ„ger poore no wrong and let no maÌ„ imagine euil against his brother in his hart Deliuer hym y â— suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressour and be not faint harted when thou sittest in iudgement Be mercifull vnto the fatherles as a father and be in stede of an husbaÌ„d vnto their mother so shalt thou be as an obedient sonne of the hiest and he shall loue thee more then thy mother doth My song shall bee of mercie and iudgement vnto thee O Lorde will I sing O let me haue vnderstaÌ„ding in the way of godlines when wilt thou come vnto me I will walke in my house with a perfect hart I will take no wicked thing in hand I hate the sinnes of vnfaithfulnes there shall no such cleaue vnto me A froward hart shall depart froÌ„ me I will not know a wicked person Who so priuily slaundreth hys neighbor him will I destroy who so hath also a proud looke an hie stomacke I will not suffer hym Mine eyes loke vnto such as be faithfull in the land that they may dwell with me who so leadeth a godly life he shall be my seruant There shall no deceitefull person dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tary in my sight I shall soone destroy all the vngodly that are in the land that I may roote out all wicked doers from the citie of the Lord. Rulers are not fearefull to them that do good but to theÌ„ y â— do euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of y â— same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But and if thou doe that which is euill then feare for he beareth not the sworde for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on hym that doth euill ¶ The duteie of Subiectes vnto the high powers THe dutie of Subiectes vnto the hie powers is honourably to speake of them hartily to loue and reuerence them humâ—bly to obey them for conscience sake in all thynges that fight not with Gods worde feruently to pray for them and willingly to pay such charges vnto them as they reasonably require eyther for the mainteinance of their princelike estate or els for the sauegarde of the common wealth ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Thou shalt not raile vppon the Gods that is to say the temporall Magistrates which execute that office of God neyther blaspheme the ruler of thy people Wishe the king no euill in thy thought and speake no hurt of the rich in thy priuie chaÌ„ber for a byrde of the ayre shall betray thy voyce and with her feathers shall she bewray thy wordes Let euery soule submit him selfe vnto the hier powers For there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordayned of God Who soeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God But they that resiste shall receaue to them selues damnation For rulers are not fearefull to them that doe good but to them that do euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of the same For he is y e minister of God for thy wealth But if thou do that which is euill then feare for hee beareth not the sworde for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on hym that doth euill Wherefore ye must needes obey not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake And for this cause pay ye tribute For they are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose Geue to euery maÌ„ therfore hys dutie tribute to whoÌ„ tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whoÌ„ feare belongeth honour to whoÌ„ honour pertaineth I exhort therfore that aboue all thinges prayers supplications intercessions and geuing of thankes be had for all men for kinges and for all that are in authoritie that we may liue a quiet and peaceable life with all godlines and honestie For that is good and acceptable in the â—â—ght of God our Sauiour Warne the subiectes that they submit theÌ„ selues to rule power that they obey y â— officers that they be ready vnto euery good worke that they speake euill of no maÌ„ that they bee no fighters but gentle shewing meekenes vnto all men Submit your selues vnto all maner ordinance of man for y â— Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the chiefe head either vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for y â— punishment of euill doers but for the prayse of theÌ„ that do well c. Feare God Honour the king ¶ The dutie of Bishops and Ministers of Gods worde THe dutie of Bishops Ministers of Gods word is first to feede Christes flocke with y â— sweete bread of Christes Gospell without mingling of the Phariseis leauen Secondly to lead a life agreable to their doctrine y â— they may teach both with word worke Thirdly to relieue y â— poore nedie with such goods as they receaue of y â— Church either by maintaining hospitalitie or els by some other godly meanes ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures ¶ Of Doctrine Goe vp vnto y â— hie hill thou that bringest good tidinges lift vp thy voyce with power O thou preacher lift it vp and be not afraide Cry now as loud as y â— canst leaue not of lift
vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their offeÌ„ces and y â— house of Iacob their sinnes I haue set watchmen vpon thy walles O Ierusalem which shall neuer cease day nor night to preach the Lorde Behold I put my wordes in thy mouth behold this day do I set thee ouer y â— people and kingdomes that thou mayest roote out breake of destroy make waste and that thou mayest build vp and plant Thou sonne of maÌ„ I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israell therfore take good heede to the wordes of my mouth and geue them warning at my commaundement If I say vnto thee coÌ„cerning the vngodly man that without doubt he must die and thou geuest him not warning nor speakest vnto hym y â— he may turne from hys euill way so to liue then shall the same vngodly man die in hys own vnrighteousnes but his bloud will I require of thy hand Neuertheles if thou geue waâ—ning vnto the wicked and he yet forsake not hys vngodlines then shall he die in hys own wickednes but thou hast discharged thy soule If thou louest me fede my shepe Woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospell We preach not our selues but Iesus Christ our Lord. We are not as the most part are which chop and chaunge with the word of God but out of purenes and by the power of God in y â— sight of God so speake we in Christ. Though we our selues or an angell from heauen preach any other Gospell vnto you then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed A Bishop must be apt to teach Geue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Preach thou y â— word be â—eruent in season out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine ¶ Of life and conuersation God sayd to the vngodly Why doost thou preach my lawes takest my testament in thy mouth Seing thou hatest to be reformed hast cast my words behind thee When as y â— sawest a theefe thou coÌ„sentedst vnto him and hast bene partaker with the adulterers Who soeuer doth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Be vnto them that beleue an ensample in worde in coÌ„uersation in loue in spirite in fayth in purenes Keepe thy selfe pure Studie to shew thy selfe laudable vnto God a workmaÌ„ that needeth not to be ashamed distributing the word of truth iustly In all thinges shew thy selfe an ensample of good workes in y â— doctrine with honestie grauitie and with the wholesome worde which can not be rebuked that he which withstandeth may be ashamed hauing no euill thing to say of you Feede ye Christes flocke as much as lieth in you taking y e ouersight of them not as coÌ„pelled therto but willingly not for y e desire of filthy luker but of a good minde not as though ye were Lordes ouer y e parishes but that ye be an ensample to the flocke And when y e chief shepeheard shall appeare ye shal receaue an incorruptible crowne of glory ¶ Of Hospitalitie Distribute vnto y â— necessitie of the Sainctes Be ready to harbour A Bishop must be a maintayner of hospitalitie Forget not hospitalitie for therby haue diuers meÌ„ lodged Angels vnwares ¶ The dutie of Parishioners vnto the Ministers of Gods worde THe dutie of Parishioners vnto the Ministers of Gods worde is outwardly to honour and reuerence them to receaue them as the Angels Ambassadors of God to regard theÌ„ as the ministers and stewardes of Gods misteries liberally to geue vnto theÌ„ what soeuer is necessary for the mainteinaunce of their degree and estate that they may quietly geue theyr mindes to y e studie of godly letters to prayer to the preaching of Gods worde and to the ministration of the Sacramentes ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Feare y e Lord with all thy soule honour hys ministers Loue thy maker with all thy strength forsake not his ministers Honor God with all thy soule reuerence hys priestes Geue theÌ„ their porcion of the first fruites and encrease of the earth like as it is coÌ„maunded thee The priestes that rule well are worthy of double honour most specially they which labour in y e word and teaching For y e scripture saith Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And the labourer is worthy of hys reward We besech you brethren that ye know them which labour among you haue the ouersight of you in the Lord and geue you exhortatioÌ„ that ye haue them in hie reputation through loue for theyr workes sake and be at peace with them Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues vnto them for they watch for your soules euen as they that must geue accomptes that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe In the priestes lippes should bee sure knowledge that meÌ„ may seke the law at hys mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hostes. Ye despised me not neyther did ye abhorre me but ye receaued me as an Angell of God yea euen as Christ Iesus For I beare you recorde that if it had bene possible ye would haue plucked out your own eyes and haue geuen theÌ„ vnto me He that receaueth you receaueth me and he that receaueth me receaueth hym that sent me He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth hym that sent me Let a man this wise esteeme vs euen as y e Ministers of Christ and stewardes of the misteries of God Bryng euery tith into my barne y t there may be meate in my house The workman is worthy of hys meate If the Gentiles be made partakers of their spirituall things their dutie is to minister vnto them in bodily thinges Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own cost who plaÌ„teth a vineyard eateth not of the fruite therof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of y t milke of the flocke For it is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not mosell y e mouth of the Oxe y â— treadeth out the corne Doth God take thought for oxen Saith he it not all together for our sakes For our sakes no doubt thys is written that he which eareth should eare in hope and he which threasheth in hope should be partaker of hys hope If we sow vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great thing if we reape your bodily thinges Do ye not know how y t they which minister about holy things liâ—e of the Sacrifice They which waite of the temple are partakers of the temple Euen so also did the Lorde ordaine y t they which preach the Gospel should liue of y â— Gospel Let hym that is taught
of all estates and degrees as they bee â—aught in Gods word that all ages and all kindes of people may here learne to know their dutie both toward God hys neighbour Neyther is any thyng taught in thys treatise that is not sufficiently fortressed with the authorities of the holy scriptures so that I doubt not but the godly learned which loue to heare the voyce of their shepheard Christ wil not disallow this my diligence Let other intreate of hie misteries clime vp to the hiest heauen I shall be content to write of thinges according to my knowledge and your capacitie to creepe vpon the ground Let other talke of the vnknowen secretes of the blessed trinitie of predestination of the state of the soules departed c. I will speake of the Articles of the Christian â—ayth of the Lordes prayer of the x. CoÌ„maundementes of the SacrameÌ„ts of Christes church c. Let other be counted y â— flowers of learning for opening I know not how secrete mysteries I force not to be called vnlearned so y â— I may know Christ crucified and in teaching him eyther by my writinges or sermons winne some vnto God But to end embrace vertue loue learning garnish your brest with the fruites of Gods spirite be not idle flie vaine and too much childishe pastimes spend your tyme fruitfully exercise your self in reading gods worde so shall God blesse you multiplie your yeares on earth and geue you ioyfull dayes vnto the great comfort of your self and the singular ioy of your honourable parentes whoÌ„ with you I wishe alway prosperously to do Fare ye well The Principles of Christian Religion Of Fayth What fayth is FAith is a sure perswasion and an vndoubted beliefe of y e hart in the mercifull promises of God made to all faythfull penitent sinners in Christes bloud and frely performed of God the father for Christes sake What benefites we receaue of God through fayth By fayth we which afore by nature were the children of wrath are made the sonnes and children of God ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures As many as receaued hym to theÌ„ gaue he power to be made y â— soÌ„nes of God euen theÌ„ y â— beleued on hys name which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of y â— flesh nor yet of the will of maÌ„ but of God All ye are y â— soÌ„nes of God because ye haue beleued on Christ Iesu. By fayth we which afore were sinners are iustified and counted righteous in the sight of God for Christes sake ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures We plainly affirme that a man is iustified by fayth without the workes of the law We being iustified by fayth haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesu Christ. We know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ we haue beleued on Iesu Christ that we might be â—ustified by the fayth of Christ not by the dedes of the lawe because by the deedes of the law no flesh shall be iustified As many of you as are iustified by the law are fallen from grace We looke and hope for in the spirite to bee iustified through fayth For in Iesâ— Christ neither is circumcision any thyng worth neyther yet vncircumcision but fayth which worketh by loue By fayth we are maryed vnto Christ. ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures I will mary thee vnto my self in fayth thou shalt know the Lord. Fayth is the wedding garment wherewith wee bee maried vnto Christ according to the parable which we read in the Gospell By fayth our prayers are accepted and heard of God ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures All thinges whatsoeuer ye aske in prayer if ye beleue ye shall receaue them Let him that prayeth aske in fayth and doubt not For hee that doubteth is like a waue of the sea which is tost with the windes and caried with violence Neyther let that man thinke that hee shall receaue any thing of the Lord. By fayth Christes fulfilling of the lawe is counted our fulfilling ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Christ is the fulfilling of the law to iustifie all that beleue Christ hath deliuered vs hee speaketh of the faythfull from the curse of the law in as much as hee was made accursed for our sakes Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren y t through thys man Christ is preached vnto you the forgeuenes of sinnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustified from all thinges from the which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moyses By fayth our workes are allowed before God for Christes sake ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Thine eyes O Lord loke vpon â—ayth Abells sacrifice was allowed of God because it was done in faith And so likewise were all the sacrifices which the holy Patriarkes and other godly men offered in the olde lawe By fayth euerlasting life is geuen vnto vs for Christes sake ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures As Moyses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that euery one that beleueth on hym may not perisâ—e but haue euerlasting life For God hath so loued the world that hee gaue hys onely begotten sonne that euery one that beleueth in hym may not perishe but haue euerlasting life He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlasting life But he y t beleueth not on y â— sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth on hym He that heareth my worde and beleueth on hym that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is scaped froÌ„ death vnto life This is the will of hym that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him hath euerlasting life ¶ The xij Articles of the Christian faythâ— with confirmations of the same out of the holy scripture ¶ The fyrst Article I Beleue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth ☜ The confirmations I beleue Without faith it can not be that any man should please God For he that commeth to God must beleue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that seeke hym In one God Heare O Israell the Lord our God is the Lord onely I am God there is none but I. I am y â— Lord there is els none I am the Lorde besides whom there is none other God A true God and such as saueth there is none but I alone I am he before whom there was neuer any God neither shall there be any after me I am yea I am Lorde alone and besides me there is no Sauiour I am the first and last besides me there is no God We are sure that there is none other