to expresse Rom. 8. Gal. 4. endueth oure mīdes with such a zeale and feruente affection as God requireth in prayer ¶ The minister Dothe this doctrine teache vs that we ought not to dispose and stirre vp our selues to prayer ¶ The childe Nothyng lesse but rather contrary wyse so ofte as we do not feele in our selues such a deuocion or disposition to prayer we ough to make our supplication vnto the lorde that it wyl please hym to geue vs of hys grace wherby we may be framed to prayer with such affection of mynde as we oughte to doe ¶ The minister As touchyng the vse of the tounge The tonge serueth to a very good vse in the makyng of our prayers thou doest not counte it vtterly vnprofitable in making of prayers ¶ The childe No verely for the wordes whiche the tōge vttereth doe many times helpe to cōfort and to styrre vp the affectiōs of the mind yea they do strengthen and holde in the mynde of man wherby his thoughte doth not wander so sodaynely from GOD as otherwyse it would moreouer for somuche as the tounge is a creature of GOD ordeined of him to praise and set forth hys glory aboue al other membres of the bodye it is reason and duetye that the tongue be employed by all meanes to that vse fynally the very feruente affectiō of the heart doth many times through a vehement mocion enforce the tounge to speake though a man did not purpose so to do ¶ The minister Since it is as thou sayest to what purpose is it to praye in a langage that a manne doth not vnderstande To praie in a straunge language is a mocking of God 1. Cor. 14. ¶ The childe It is to mocke God withal and a supersticious hypocrisie ¶ The minister Sonday 26 When we make our prayers vnto God do we it at al auētures without sure knowlege whether we shal obtayne any profyt or not either ought we to be surely perswaded that our prayers shal be heard ¶ The childe Prayer must procede of a sure confydence in goddes promysse We must haue this euermore as a sure foundation ground in all oure prayers that they shal be accepted of God that we shal obtaine our request so farforth as it shal be expedient and necessarye for vs where vpon Rom. 10. Sainct Paule sayeth that the right inuocatiō and prayinge vnto God procedeth of faith for if we haue not a sure affiance and trust in the bountyfull mercy of God it is vnpossible to make oure prayer vnto hym aryghte ¶ The minister What saiest thou then of them which be in doubt and vncertaine whether God wil heare them or not Matt 12. Mark 11. whosoeuer doubteth whether God heare his praier obtaynethe nothyng ¶ The childe Theyr prayers are vtterlye voide and nothing worth neither hath God made any promyse to any suche prayers for he saieth what soeuer we shal aske if we belieue he will graunt it vnto vs. ¶ The minister There is nothinge nowe behynde but to knowe by what meanes in whose name we maye come by thys sure confidence to presente oure selues before God consideryng that we are vyle synners Thre thinges make vs bold to aske of God 1. His promise Psal 50.91.145 Esa 30.65 Iere. 29. and farre vnworthy so to do ¶ The childe Fyrst of al we haue promises of God wherupō we must staye oure mīdes withoute hauynge any regarde of oure owne worthynes Secondaryly then if we be the children of GOD he doeth induce vs and pusshe vs forward with his holy spirite 2. His spirite Ioel. 2. Mat. 6. to the entente to allure vs to be familier with hym as with our louynge father and fynally to the ende that we should not be afrayde to come before hys glorious maiestye 3. The mediacion of Christ his owne sonne 1. Tim. 2. Hebru 4. 2. Ihon. 2. although we be but as poore woormes of the earth and moste wretched synners he hath geuen vnto vs oure Lorde IESVS to be our peacemaker and intercessoure to thintent that we by meanes of hys merites hauyng recourse vnto God our father myght haue an assured truste to fynde grace at hys hande ¶ The minister Doest thou meane it thus that we may not cal vpon God by prayer onlesse it be done in the name of oure sauioure Christ ¶ The childe we may not pray but in the name of our Sauiour Christe Ihon. 14. Yea I meane it euen so for we haue an expresse commaundement so to do and in so doynge we haue a sure promyse that throughe hys merytes and intercession al our requestes shall be graunted vnto vs. ¶ The minister Is it not then to be taken as a poynte of rashe boldenes or folyshe presumpcion to come forth hardely and to presente our selues before God himself assuryng oure selues that we haue our sauioure Christe for our aduocate and to set him before vs to the ende that God maye for hys sake accept both vs and our prayers ¶ The childe No verely for we make oure prayers as it wer by hys own mouth Rom. 8. for somuch as he himselfe openeth the waye for vs and maketh our prayers to be hearde yea and entreateth also continually for vs. ¶ The minister Sonday 37 Let vs comon now of the substance of oure prayers is it lawefull for vs to praye for all thynges that we fansye either is there a certaine rule to appoynt what thinges ought to be prayed for ¶ The childe If we shoold folowe oure owne wil and fantasye in making our prayers they should be very vnhansomlye framed For we are so blynde that we are not able to iudge what is good ād meete to be prayed for moreouer al oure desyres are so inordinate and repugnaunte to Gods wil that it is expediente for vs to brydle them and kepe them vnder ¶ The minister What is then to be done ¶ The childe We muste learne of God what is mete to be praied for seing he alone knoweth what is necessarye for vs and that he leadeth vs as it were by the hande so that we our own selues do nothynge but folow ¶ The minister What instruction hath he geuen vs for prayer ¶ The childe He hath taught vs sufficiently how and wherfore to pray throughoute the whole scripture but to the intente to bring vs to one certayne and sure marke he hath set forth vnto vs one maner of prayer wherin he hath brieflye comprehended all suche poyntes as be meete or lawfull for vs to demaunde ¶ The minister Rehearse that forme of prayer ¶ The childe It is the very same that oure Lorde Iesus taughte his discyples to praye Mat. 6. Luke 11. for whā they asked of hym how they should pray he answered that they shulde say on this wyse The faithfull prayer whyche our lord himself taught vs. OVre father whych art in heauen halowed be thy name thy kyngdome come thy will be done in earthe
as it is in heauen geue vs this daye oure daylye breade forgeue vs our trespaces as we for geue them that trespasse against vs and leade vs not into temptacion but delyuer vs from euyl For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory worlde withoute ende So be it ¶ The minister For the more easie vnderstandyng hereof tell me how manye articles or particuler requestes be conteined herein ¶ The childe Syxe The deuision of the lordes prayer of whiche the .iii. firste do concerne the glory of God withoute any respecte or consideration of our selues the other iii. touche vs properlye and concerne our wealth and profyte ¶ The minister Why then ought we to desyre any thing of God that bringeth no maner of commoditie vnto our selues ¶ The childe This is true that God of his infinite goodnes doth dispose and ordre all thinges in suche sorte that nothyng can turne to the glory of hys name which is not also profytable vnto vs so that when hys name is saynctyfyed honored he maketh it redounde to oure sanctyfycacion and whē hys kingdome cōmeth we are after a sort partakers therof yet notwitstādinge oure duetye is at suche tyme as we aske and desyre these thynges to haue onely regarde to hys honour without any consideration to our selues or to our owne commoditie and profit ¶ The minister By thy saying then though these .iii. first peticions are greatly profitable to vs yet we may not make them for anye other purpose but onely to desyre to haue God glorifyed honored ¶ The childe It is euen so and likewyse albeit the three first requestes be ordeyned to praye for thynges expedient and necessary for vs yet euen in them also we ought most earnestly to seeke goddes honor so that it must be the chief ende and marke wherunto all our wisshinges and desyres be dyrrected ¶ The minister Sonday 38 Let vs come now to the exposicion of it and before that we proceade any farther wherfore is god named here our father rather thenby some other name ¶ The childe Since in time of prayer speciallye we oughte to haue a strong confydence and a stedfaste assureaunce of Goddes fauour in our consciences In what sence we call God father it pleaseth God to be called of vs by a name whiche soundeth nothing but al swetenes boūtye and mercifulnes thereby to dryue away all doubtfulnes and feare and to make vs conceyue a bolde courage to come familyarelye into hys presence ¶ The minister Maye we then come boldlye and familiarely vnto god euen as a childe may vnto hys father ¶ The childe Yea and with a great deale more assured confidence to obteyne whatsoeuer we shall desyer for if we being euyll Mat. 7. cannot chose but geue vnto our children bread meate whē they aske it howe muche lesse can our heauenlye father refuse to geue vs such thinges as we haue neede of since he is not alonelye good but the very souerain goodnes it selfe ¶ The minister May we not proue sufficientlye by thys that God is named our father the same thing which we affyrmed touchyng Christe that our prayer ought to be grounded vpon sure trust in his merites intercession ¶ The childe Yes certainely for god doth acknowledge vs no otherwyse to be hys chyldren but onelye insomuch as we be the membres of hys deare sonne ¶ The minister Wherefore doest thou not rather call God thy father than our father as it were in comon ¶ The childe why we call hym our father Euery faythful mā may right wel call God hys father particularelye but in thys forme of prayer our sauiour Christ doth teache vs to pray in common that we myght remembre therby the duety charitie whiche we owe to oure neyghboures in our prayers and to monishe vs not to care onelye for oure selues ¶ The minister What meaneth thys clause which art in heauen ¶ The childe It is asmuche to saye as to name hym hygh myghtye and of a maiestye incomprehensible ¶ The minister To what purpose serueth that ¶ The childe It serueth to thys ende that when we cal vpon him by prayer we myghte learne to lyfte vp our mindes to withdraw our imaginacyon from thynking any thyng of hym wordly or earthly that we shoulde not measure hym by our fleshly iudgement and so make hym subiect or appliable to our wil or appetyte but rather that we myght with all humblenes of mynde honour hys excellēte maiestye and also that we myght haue occasion to putte so much the more our trust assuredlye in hym consideryng that he is Lorde and maister of all ¶ The minister Sonday 39 Make an exposicion of the fyrst peticion ¶ The childe peti ∣ tion The first The name of god is hys honor renoume wherby he is sanctified and praysed amongest men therfore we desyre that his glory may be auaunced aboue al thinges euery where ¶ The minister Doest thou meane that thys hys glory may eyther increase or dymynyshe ¶ The childe No verelye in it selfe In what sence we wyshe the setting forth of gods glorye but the meanynge hereof is that it may be knowen as it ought to be and that all the woorkes whiche God doeth maye appeare vnto menne to be gloryous and worthy of high praise euen as they be in very deede so that he myght by al meanes be magnifyed ¶ The minister peti ∣ tion The second What doest thou meane in the seconde requeste by the kyngdome of God ¶ The childe Thys kyngdome consysteth pryncypallye in two poyntes wherin the kingdome of God consisteth that is to saye fyrste in that he guydeth and gouerneth hys elect through hys holye spiryte And agayn in that he destroyeth bryngeth to vtter shame confusion the wicked whiche wil not become subiectes to his kyngdome to the ende that it maye euidentlye appeare that there is no power hable to withstande hys incomparable myghte ¶ The minister What vnderstandest thou in praying that thys kyngdome may come ¶ The childe The meanyng is that it wil please god from daye to day to encrease the number of his faithful flocke The kingdome of Christe that he wil continually more and more shew furth hys fauour in bestowyng the gyftes of his holy spirite emong them vntil the time come in whiche they shal be fullye replenished that it may also please hym to cause the lyghte of hys trueth more more to shine amongest vs that he will in suche wyse make hys iustice to be knowen that the deuyll and hys kyngdome of darkenes maye come to vtter confusion and that all wickednesse may be cleane abolished rooted out ¶ The minister Is nor thys requeste perfourmed in thys worlde ¶ The childe It is partly fulfylled already The perfeict state of Christes kyngdome yet our duety is to desyre that it may be continually increased and that he wil auaunce styll and further hys kingdome vnto such tyme as it
this place where as moste perfite and godly iudgemēt dyd assure vs ād exhortatiōs to the same encorage vs we thoght it better to frame the ryme to the Hebrewe sense thē to bynde that sense to the Englishe meter and so either altered for the better in suche places as he had not attayned vnto or els where he had escaped parte of the verse or some tymes the whole we added the same not as men desyrous to finde fautes but onely as suche which couuete to hyde theym as the learned can iudge It remayneth last of all that you vnderstande the reasons which mouede vs to chuse owte and followe this Catechisme of Geneua rather then any other for consyderinge that the true vse of a Catechisme is to instruct a christian fully in all pointes of belief and christian religion ād wherein this is moste easely order ly and perfitely taught that to be the best we coulde fynde none in so great a nombre which either for the facilitie is equall or els for the perfectiō to be compared Moreouer the daungers which hang ouer Christes Church in these dais moued vs verie muche for as men may see present signes of certaine barbarousnes and puddells of errors whiche are lyke to chaūce in the chur che of god so there is no better preseruation against the same then if all godly churches wolde agre in one kinde of doctrine and confession of faith which in all points were agreable to gods holy worde 48. Psal 89. a. that our posteritie might be confirmed by the vniuersall example of Christes Churche against all heresies persecutions and other daungers perceuinge that it is not onely the doctrine of one man but the consent of the whole christian church and that wherein all yowthe hathe bene broght vp and trayned in The which thinge seinge none hath so farre performed nor yet is in such towardnes to the same as this Catechisme is being for the worthines therof already translated into Hebrue Greeke Latin frenche Italian Spaynishe Dutch and Englishe we cowld do no lesse but willingly and gladly embrase the same Wherfore we beinge nowe vnder the same crosse of affliction that you owr deare brethern are and yet altogether the childrē of God our mercifull father through Iesus Christ desir you in his name with iudgement to reade our doings tryinge theym onely by the towchestone of his worde that either if they be founde fawtie they may be reiected or els if they be profitable god may be glorifyede his churche edifyed and the malicious confounded Fare wel deare bretherne and let vs all pray to our louinge god that he wold be mercifull vnto vs restore his holy woorde comfort and strengthen his children and finally confounde Satan Antichrist and all his enymies At Geneua the .10 of february Anno. 1556. THE CONfession of our faithe Which are assembled in the Englishe cōgregation at Geneua I beleue in god the father almightie maker of heauen and earth I 1 Rom. 10. b. BELEVE and cōfesse 2 Gen. 17. b. Psal 63. a. 139. a my lorde God eternal infinite vnmeasurable incomprehensible and inuisible 3 Gen. 1. a. Ephe. 4. a. one in substāce and 4 Gen. 1. d. 1. Io. 3. b. matt 3. d. 28. d three in persone father sonne and holy ghoste who by his almightie 5 Heb. 1. a. Prouer. 8. c. power and wisdome hathe not onely of 6 Gen. 1. a. Iere. 32. b. Psal 33. c. nothinge created heauen earthe and all thinges therein cōteyned and man after his owne 7 Gen. 1. d. Ephe. 4. c. Col. 3. b. image that he might in hym be 8 1. Cor. 6. d. Iohn 17. a. prouer 16. a. glorifiede but also by his 9 Matt. 6. d. luc 12. c. 1. Peter 5. c. Philip. 4.2 fatherlye prouidēce gouerneth maynteyneth and preserueth the same accordinge to the 10 Ephe. 1. b. purpose of his will And in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our lord I Beleue also and cōfesse 1 Matt. 1. d. act 4. b. 1. Tim. 1. d. Iesus Christe the onely sauiour and Messias who beinge equall with 2 Ioh. 1. c. philip 2. a 1. Tim. 3. d. 1. Ioh. 5. d. rom 9. b. God made him self of no reputation but tooke on him the shape of a seruant and became 3 Hebr. 2. d. philip 2. b. 1. Peter 2. d. 1. Ioh. 3. a. man in all thinges like vnto vs synne except to 4 Rom. 8. f. g. 1. Ioh. 2. a. assure vs of mercie and forgiuenes For whē through our father 5 Gen. 3. a. rom 5. d. Ephe. 2. a. Gal. 3. b. Adams transgression we were become childrene of perdition there was no meanes to bring vs from that yoke of synne and damnatiō but 6 Act. 4. b. 1. peter 2. a. Isaie 28. d. rom 9. g. onely Iesus Christe our lord who giuinge vs that by grace which was his by 7 Ioh. 1. b. Hebr. 1. c. rom 1. a. psal 2. c. nature made vs through faith the 8 Gal. 3. d. rom 8. c. ioh 1. d. ephe 1. a. childrene of God who whē the 9 Gal. 4. a. Act. 2. c. fulnes of tyme was come was cōceyued by the power of the 10 Isai 7. c. luk 1. d. rom 1. a. holy ghoste Which was conceyued by the holie ghost borne of the vigine Marie Suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucifiede◠deade an◠buried borne of the virgine Marie accordinge to the fleshe and 11 Act. 10. f. rom 1. a. preached in earthe the gospell of saluatiō tyll at lenght by tyrānye of the 12 Ioh. 7. e. 11. f. g. 12. c. matt 12. b. 27. b. luk 23. c. Isa 53. a. priestes he was gilteles cōdemned vnder Pōtius Pilate thē presidēt of Iurie ād moste slaunderously hanged on the crosse betwixte two theues as a notorious trespasser where takinge vpō hym the 13 Gal. 3. b. punishement of our synnes he delyuered vs frome the curse of the lawe And forasmoche as he beinge onely God could not feele deathe nether beinge onely man could ouercome deathe he ioyned bothe to gether and suffred his humanitie to be punished with moste cruell death felinge in him selfe the anger and seuere iudgement of God euen as if he had bene in the extreme 14 Act. 2. d. 1. peter 2. d. Isai 53. c. tormētes of hell He discended into hell and therfore cryed with a lowde voice 15 Psal 22. a. matt 27. c. My God my God why haste thou forsaken me Thus of his 16 Isa 53. a. hebr 9. c. 10. c gal 1. a. rom 4. d. 5. b. 1. Ioh. 1. b. fre mercie without compulsion he offred vp him selfe as the onely sacrifice to purge the synnes of all the world so that all other sacrifices for synne are blasphemous and derogate frome the sufficiencie herof The which death albeit it did sufficiently 17 Col. 1. c. reconcile vs to God yet the scriptures
comonly do attribute our regeneratiō to hys 18 Rom. 10. b. 1. peter 1. a. resurrection for as by 19 Mat. 28. b. Act 10. f. 1. Cor. 15. c. rysinge agayn frome the graue the third day The third daie he rose againe frome deathe he 20 Ose 11. d. 1. Cor 15. g. 2. Cor. 13 b. conquered deathe euen so the victorie of our faith standeth in his resurrection and therfore without the one we can not fele the benefite of the other For as by death 21 Rom. 4. d. synne was taken awaye so our rightuousnes was restored by his resurrectiō And because he wolde 22 Ephe. 4. b. Ioh. 14. Ephe. 2. b. accomplishe all thinges and take possession for vs in his kingdome he 23 Mar. 16. d. Luk 24. g. Act. 1. b. 1. Cor. 15. b. ascended into heauen He ascended into heauen to enlarge that same kingdome by the aboundant power of his 24 luk 24. g. Ioh. 14. b. Act. 2. a. spirite by whome we are moste assured of his contynuall 25 rom 8. g. heb 9. f. 1. Ioh. 2. c. intercession towardes God the father for vs. And althoghe he be in 26 Act. 1. c. 3. c. heauen as towchinge his corporall presence where the father hathe nowe set him on his 27 Col. 3. a. rom 8. g. heb 1. a. 10.12 right hande And sytteth at the right hand of God the father almyghtie committinge vnto him the administratiō of all 28 Ephe. 1. d. philip 2. b. Col. 2. c. thinges aswel in heauē aboue as in the earthe benethe yet is he 29 Matt. 28. d. present with vs his membres euen to the ende of the world in preseruinge and gouernynge vs with his effectuall power and grace who whē all thinges are 30 Act. 3. c. fulfilled which God hath spoken by the mowth of all hys prophetes since the world began wyll come in the 31 Act 1. b. same visible forme in the which he ascēded Frome thense shal he come to iudge the quicke an◠the dead with an vnspekable 32 Matt. 25. c. Philip. 3. d. Maiestie power and companye to separate the lambes frome the goates thelecte frome the reprobate So that 33 matt 24. c. Act. 10. f. 1. Cor. 15. c. 1. Thes 4. 2. Thes 1. 2. Tim. 4. a. none whether he be alyue thē or deade before shall escape his iudgement MOREOVER I beleue I beleue in the holie ghoste and confesse the holy ghoste 1 Matth. 3. d. 1. Ioh. 5. c. 1. pet 1. b. 1. cor 6. Ioh. 16. d. Act. 17. God equall with the father and the sonne whoe regenerateth and sanctifieth vs ruleth and guideth vs into all trueth persuadinge moste assuredly in our 2 consciences Rom. 8. c. gal 4. a. that we be the childrene of God bretherne to Iesus Christe and fellowe heires with him of lyfe euerlastinge Yet notwithstandinge it is not sufficiēt to beleue that God is omnipotent and mercifull that Christ hath made satisfaction or that the holy ghoste hath this power and effect except we do 3 Abac. 2. a. rom 1. b. 10. c 1. Ioh. 3. d. applie the same benefites to our selues which are Gods 4 Ioh. 17. a. elect The holie catholike churche the communion of sainctes I beleue therfore and cōfesse one holye 5 Matt. 16. c. Ioh. 10. a. Ephe. 5. b. rom 8. Can. 2. churche which as 6 Ephe. 1. d. Col. 1. d. 1. Cor. 12. c. membres of Iesus Christe thonely 7 Ephe. 4. d. heade therof 8 Ephe. 4. a. philip 3. d. Col. 2. a. cōsēt in faithe hope and charitie vsinge the giftes of God 9 Act. 2. g. 4. g rom 12. c. 1. cor 12. b. ephe 4. c. whether they be temporall or spirituall to the profit and furtherance of the same Whiche churche is not 10 Rō 111. a. sene to mans eye but onely knowen to God who of the loste sonnes of Adā hath ordeyned some as 11 Rom. 9. e eph 1. a. b. vessels of wrathe to damnation and hathe chosen others as vessels of his mercie to be saued the whiche also in due tyme he 12 Rom. 8. eph 5. c. callethe to integritie of lyfe and godly conuersation to make them a glorious churche to him selfe But that churche which is 13 Matt. 18. c. 1. cor 13. b. visible and sene to the eye hathe three tokens or markes wherby it may be discerned First the 14 Matt. 28. d. rom 10. c. 2. Cor. 3.4 ephe 2. d. Ioh. 10. a. 2. tim 3. d. 2. peter 1. d. worde of God cōteyned in the olde ād newe testament which as it is 15 Ephes 2. d. matth 17. c. Ioh. 10. a. b. aboue the autoritie of the same churche and onely 16 Ioh. 20. g. 2. tim 3. d. sufficient to instruct vs in all thinges concernynge saluation so is it left for 17 Ios 1. b. Ioh. 5. c. all degrees of men to reade and vnderstand For without this worde 18 Ephes 5. c. mat 15. b. neither churche concile or decree can establishe any point touching saluation The seconde is the holy 19 Matt. 26. c. 28. f. rom 4. a. Ephe. 5. f. sacrements to witt of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper which sacramentes Christ hathe left vnto vs as holie signes and seales of Gods promesses For as by Baptisme once receyued is signified that we aswel infants as others of age and discretion being 20 Rom. 5. b. Ephe. 2. a. Tit. 3. b. gal 3. c. rom 7. d. straungers frō God by originall synne are receyued into his familie and congregation with full assurance that althoghe this roote of synne lye hyd in vs. yet to the electe it shal not be 21 Rom. 4. a. Psal 31. a. imputed So the 22 1. Cor. 11. e. supper declareth that God as a moste prouident father doth not onely fede our bodies but also spiritually nurisheth our soules with the 23 Ioh. 6. d. graces ād benefites of Iesus Christ which the scripture calleth eatinge of his flesh and drinkinge of his bloode nether must we in the administratiō of these sacramētes followe mās phātasie but as Christ him self hath ordeyned so must they be ministred and by suche as 24 Heb. 5. b. Ioh. 3. d. by ordinarie vocatiō are therunto called Therfor whosoeuer reserueth and worshippeth these sacramēts or contrariwyse contemneth them in tyme and place procureth to him self damnatiō The third marke of this church is 25 Matt. 18. b. luk 17. a. leui 19. d. Ecles 19. b. ecclesiasticall discipline which standeth in admonitiō and correction of fautes The finall ende wherof is excommunication by the consent of the churche 26 1. Cor. 5. a. determyned if the offender be obstinate And besides this ecclesiasticall censure I acknowlage to belonge to this church a politicall 27 Rom. 13. a. wisdome 6. a Tit. 3. a. 1.
and ioyne these parties together in the 1 Heb. 13.2 honorable estate of matrimony which was instituted and auctorised by God hym selff in 2 Gene. 2. d. Pro. 18. d. paradise man beyng then in the state of innocencie For what tyme God made heauen and earthe and all that is in theym and had created and fasshoned man also after his owne similitude and likenes vnto whome he gaue rule and lordship ouer all the beastes of the earthe fisshes of the sea and fowles of the ayre he said it is not good that man lyue alone let vs make hym an helper like vnto hym selff And God brought a faste sleape vppon hym and toke one of his ribbes and shaped Eua therof doyng vs therby to vnderstand that “ In hebrewe man is called Isch and the womā Ischa wherby is wel expressed the naturall affinitie betwixt mā and his wife man and wife are one boddy one flesshe and one blood Signifyinge also vnto vs the 3 Ephe. 5. g. mysticall vnion that is betwixt Christe and his churche for the which cawse man 4 Gen. 2. d. Mat. 19. a. Mark 10. a. 2. Cor. 6. d. leaueth his father and mother and taketh hym to his wife ro kepe company with her the which also he ough to loue euē as owr sauior loueth his churche that is to say his 5 Iohn 17. b. Rom. 5. a. Hebr. 9. d. 1. peter 3. d. electe and faithfull congregation for the which he gaue his liffe And semblably also it is the 6 Ephe. 5. e. Col. 3. c. 1. peter 3. a. 1. Cor. 11. a. 1. Tim. 2. d. wiues dewtie to studie to please and obey her howseband seruyng hym in all thynges that be godly and honeste for she is in subiectiō and vnder the gouernance of her howsbande so long as they contynew bothe 7 Rom. 7. a 1. Cor. 7. g. Matt. 19. ◠alyue And this holie mariage beyng a thynge moste honorable is of suche vertue and force that therby the howsband hathe no more 8 1. Cor. 7. a. 1. peter 3 b. right or power ouer his own bodie but the wyfe and likewyse the wyfe hathe no power ouer her own body but the housband forasmoche as God hathe so knytt theym together in this mutuall societie to the procreation of children that they should 9 Ephe. 6. a 1. Tim. 2. d. bryng theym vp in the feare of the lorde and to the increase of Christes kyngdome Wherfore they that be thus couppled together by God can not be seuered or put a parte oneles it be for a season with thassent of 10 1. Cor. 7. a. bothe parties to thēd to gyue theym selues the more feruentlie to fastyng and prayer gyuyng diligent hede in the meane tyme that their longe beyng aparte be not a snare to bryng thē into the daunger of Satan through incontinencie and therfore to auoyde fornication euery man oughte to haue his owne wyffe and euery woman her owne howsband so that so many as can not lyue chaste are 11 Matt. 19. b. 1. Cor. 7. b. bownde by the commandement of God to mary that ther by the holye 12 1. Cor. 3. c. 6. d. 2. Cor. 6. d. leu 26. b. 1. peter 1. d. temple of God which is our bodies may be kept pure and vndefiled for synce owr bodies are now be come the very members of Iesus Christe howe horrible and detestable a thyng is it to make theym the members of an harlot Euery one oght therfore to kepe his vessel in all 13 1. Thess 4. rom 12. a Ephe. 5. d. purenes and holines for whosoeuer 14 1. Cor. 3. d. polluteth and defileth the temple of God hym will God destroye Here the minister speakethe to the parties that shal be mariede in this wise I Require and charge you as you will answar at the daye of Iudgement whē the 1 1. Cor. 4. a. Matt. 7. a rom 2. a. secretes of all hartes shal be disclosed that if either of you do knowe any impediment whie ye may not be lawfully ioyned to gether in matrimony that ye cōfesse it for be ye well assured that so many as be coupled otherwise then godes woorde dothe allowe are not ioyned together by God neyther is theyr matrimony lawfull If no impediment be knowen then the minister sayeth I take you to wittenes that be here present besechyng you all to haue good remembraunce hereof and moreouer if there be any of you which knoweth that either of these parties he contracted to any other or knoweth any other lawfull impediment let theym nowe make declaration therof If no cawse be alleaged the Minister procedith sayinge FORASMVCHE as no man speaketh agaynste this thynge you N. shall proteste here before God and his holy congregation that you haue takyn and are now contented to haue N. here present for your laufull wyfe and spowse promisyng to kepe her to loue ād intreate her in all thynges accordyng to the 1 Col. 3. d. 1. peter 3. b. Matt. 19. c. 1. Cor. 7. b. Mala. 2. d. dewtie of a faythfull howsband forsakyng all other durynge her lyfe ād briefelie to lyue in a holy conuersation with her kepynge faythe and trewthe in all poyntes accordyng as the worde of God and his holie gospell dothe commawnde THE ANSWERE EVEN so I take her before God and in presence of this his congregation THE minister to the spowse also saythe YOV N. shall proteste here before the face of God in the presence of this holy congregation that ye haue takyn and are now contented to haue N. here present for your lawfull howsband promisynge to hym 1 1. Cor. 11. a. Ephe. 5. c. Col. 3. c. 1. Tim. 2. d. 1. peter 3. a Ester 1. d. subiectiō and obedience forsakyng all other duryng hys lyfe and fynallie to lyue in a holy conuersation with hym kepinge faithe and truethe in all poyntes as Godes woorde doth prescribe THE ANSWERE EVEN so I take hym before God and in the presence of this his congregation Giue diligent eare to the gospell that ye may vnderstande how owr lorde wolde haue this holy contracte kept and obserued and how sure and faste a knott it is which may in no wyse be lowsed accordyng as we be taughte in the 19 chap. of S. Mathewes gospell THE pharisies came vnto Christe to tēpte hym and to grope his mynde sayinge Is it lawfull for a mā to put away his wife for euery lighte cawse he answered sayenge haue ye not read that he which created man at the begynnynge made theym male and female sayeng for this thyng shall man leaue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wife and they twayne shal be one flesshe so that they are no more two but are one flesshe Lett no man therfore put a sonder that which God hathe cowpled togethers IF ye beleue assueredlie these woordes which owr lorde and sauiour did speake accordyng as ye haue hard theym now rehearsed owte
aÌ„d wretchednes ys hyd and also couered aÌ„d blest ys he to whom the lorde imputeth not his sinne which in his hart hath hid no gyle nor fraude is founde therin verse 4 4 For whiles that I kept close my sinne in silence and constraynte My bones did weare and wast awaye with dayly “ Heb. roaringe mone and playnte verse 5 5 For night and day thy hande on me so greuouse was and smerte That al my bloud and humors moist to drynesse did conuerte Selah verse 6 6 I did therfore confesse my faute and all my sinnes discouer Isa 65. d. Then thou ò lord didst me forgiue and all my synnes passe ouer Selah verse 7 7 The humble man shall pray therfore and seeke thee in due tyme So that the floudes of “ The iuste maÌ„ shall not fhrincke for any aduersitie Selah waters great shall haue no power on him verse 8 8 Whan trouble and aduersitie doe compasse me aboute Thou art my refuge and my ioye and thou doest rydde me out verse 9 9 Come hither and I shall thee teache how thow shalt walke aright and wil thee guyde as I my self haue learned by profe and sight verse 10 10 Be not so rude and ignoraunte as is the horsse and mule Whose mouth without a rayne or byt from harme thou canst not rule verse 11 11 The wicked man shall manifold sorrowes and grieues sustayne But vnto him that trusteth in God hys goodnes shall remayne verse 12 12 Be merye therefore in the lorde ye iuste lyft vp youre voyce And ye of pure and perfecte hearte be glad and eke reioyce Exultate iusti Psal XXXIII I. H. ¶ He exhorteth good men to praise god for that he hath not only created all things and by his prouidence gouerneth the same but also is faithfull in his promeses He vnderstandeth mans heart and scatereth the counsell of the wicked So that no man can be preserued by any creature or mans strength but they that put their confidence in his mercie shall be preserued from all aduersitie YE righteous in the lord reioyce it ys a semely syght that vpright men with thank full voyce shuld prayse the god of might Prayse ye the lorde with harpe and songe in psalmes and pleasant thinges with lute and instrument amonge that soundeth with ten stringes verse 3 3 Syng to the Lorde a song most newe With courage geue him prayse verse 4 4 For why his woorde is euer true His woorkes and al his wayes verse 5 5 To iudgement equitie and ryght He hath a great good wil And with his giftes he doth delyght The earth throughout to fill Gen. 1. a. 6 For by the woorde of God alone The heauens al were wroghte Their hostes and powers euerychone Hys breath to passe hath broghte verse 7 7 The waters greate gathered hath he On heapes within the shore And hyd them in the depth to be As in an house of store verse 8 8 Al men on earth both least and most Feare god and kepe his lawe Ye that inhabite in eiche coste Drede hym and stand id awe verse 9 9 What he commaunded wroght it was At once with present spede What he doth wil is broght to passe With ful effect in dede verse 10 10 The counsels of the nacions rude No couÌ„sell can preuaill againest god but shall haue euell successe The lord doth dryue to noght He doth defeate the multitude Of theyr deuyse and thoght verse 11 11 But hys decrees continue stil They neuer slake or swage The mocions of his mynde and will Take place in euery age verse 12 12 O blest are they to whome the Lorde As God and guyde is knowne Whome he doth chose of mere accord To take them as hys owne verse 13 13 The lord from heauen cast his syghte On men mortal by byrth verse 14 14 Considering from hys seate of might The dwellers on the earth verse 15 15 The lord I say whose hand hath wroght Mans heart doth it frame For he alone doth know the thoght And woorking of the same God only deliuereth and preserueth his people 16 A kyng that trusteth in hys host Shal noghte preuayle at length The man that of hys migth doth bost Shal fal for al his strength verse 17 17 The troupes of horsemen eke shal fayle Theyr sturdy stedes shal sterue The strength of horse shal not preuaile The ryder to preserue verse 18 18 But loe the eyes of God entend And watche to ayde the iust With such as feare hym to offend And on hys goodnes trust verse 19 19 That he of death and all distres May set theyr soules from drede And if that darth the land oppresse In hunger them to feede verse 20 20 Wherfore our soule doth stil depend On God our strengthe and staye He is the shielde vs to defende And dryue all dartes awaye verse 21 21 Our soule in god hath ioy and game Reioysing in hys myght For why in hys most holy name We hope and much delyght verse 22 22 Therfore let thy goodnes ò Lorde Stil present with vs be As we alwayes with one accorde Doe onely trust in thee Benedicam Domino Psal XXXIIII Th. Ster ¶ After Dauid had escaped Achis accordyng as is written in the 1. Sam. 21. whome in this title he calleth Abimelech which was a generall name to all the kynges of the Philistynes he prayseth god for his delyueraunce prouokyng all others by his example to trust in god to feare and serue hym who defendith the god lie with his Angels and vtterlie destroyeth the wicked in theyr synnes I will geue laude × and honour both vnto the lord alwayes and eke my mouth foreuermore shall speake vnto his prayse ב I do delight to laude the lorde in soule and eke in voyce that humble men and mortified may heare and so reioyce verse × × Therefore see that ye magnifye with me the lyuyng lorde And let vs now exalte his name together with one accorde verse ד ד For I my selfe besoghte the lorde he answered me agayne And me deliuered incontinent from all my feare and payne verse ×” ×” Whoso they be that hym beholde shall see his light moste cleare their countenance shall not be dashed they need it not to feare verse ן ן This sely wretch for some reliefe vnto the lord dyd call Gen. 19.31.32 4. kyngs 6. Hebr. 1. who did him heare without delay and rydd him out of thrall verse ×— ×— The Angel of the lorde doth pitche his tentes in euery place To saue all suche as feare the lorde that nothyng them deface verse ט ט Taste and consider well therefore that God is good and iuste ò happie man that maketh him his onely staye and truste verse ו ו Feare ye the lorde his holye ones aboue all earthlye thynge For they that feare the lyuynge lorde are sure to lacke nothyng verse × × The lyons shal be hongerbit and pined with famine muche
in those days I meane to thee they shall present â—e attributeth the victorie to god their giftes of laude and praise verse 30 30 He shall destroye the speremens raÌ„cks these calues and bulles of might and cause them tribute paye and daunt all such as loue to fight verse 31 31 Then shall the lords of Aegypt come and presents with them bringe The Mores moste blacke shall stretche their hands vnto their lord and kynge verse 32 32 Therfore ye kyngdomes of the earth giue praise vnto the lorde singe psalmes to god with one consent therto let all accorde Selah 33 Who thogh he ride and euer hath aboue the heauens bright yet by the fearfull thunderclappes men may well knowe his might verse 34 34 Therfore the strength of Israel ascribe to God on hye whose might power doth farre extend aboue the cloudy skye verse 35 35 O god thy holynes and power is drad for euermore the god of Israell giuth vs strength praysed be god therfore Quam bonus Israell Psal LXXIII Th. St. ¶ The Prophete teacheth by his example that neyther the wordlie prosperitie of the vngodlie nor yet the affliction of the good oght to discourage gods children but rather oght to moue vs to consider our fathers prouidence and to cawse vs to reuerence godes iudgementes for asmuche as the wicked vanyshe awaye lyke smoke and the godlie enter into lyfe euerlastyng In hope wherof he resigneth hym selff into godes handes HOw euer it be yet god ys good and kinde to Israell And to all such as safely kepe theyr conscience pure and well Yet lyke a fole I almost slipt my feete began to slyde and or I wyst euen at a pinche my steps awrie gan glide verse 3 3 For when I sawe suche folishe men I grudgd and did disdayne That wicked men all things should haue without turmoile or payne verse 4 4 They neuer suffer panges nor grief as if deathe should theym smyte Their bodies are bothe stowte and strong and euer in good plite verse 5 5 And free from al aduersitie when other men be shent And with the reste they take no parte of plage or punishement verse 6 6 Therfore presumption dothe embrace their neckes as dothe a chayne and are euen wrapte as in a robe with rapine and disdayne verse 7 7 They are so fed that euen for fatt their eies oftymes oute starte And as for worldely goodes they haue more then can wisshe theire harte verse 8 8 Their lyfe is moste licentious boasting muche of the wronge Which they haue done to symple men and euer pride among verse 9 9 The heauens and the liuing lord they spare not to blaspheme And prate they do on worldely things no wight they do esteme verse 10 10 The people of god ofte tymes turne backe to see their prosperous state How harde it is for gods children them selues to auoide the tentations of the worlde And almoste drinke the selfe same cup and follow the same rate verse 11 11 How can it be that god say they should know and vnderstand These worldely thinges since wicked men be lordes of sea and land verse 12 12 For we may see howe wicked men in riches still encrease Rewarded well with worldly goodes and liue in rest and peace verse 13 13 Than why doe I from wickednes my fantasy refraine And washe my handes with innocentes and clense my heart in vaine verse 14 14 And suffer scourges euery day as subiect to all blame And euery mornyng from my youth susteine rebuke and shame verse 15 15 And I had almost sayd as they misliking myne estate Gods children oght not to be contemned because the worldelings are preferred in dignitie and worldely honors But that I should thy children iudge as folke vnfortunate * 16 Than I bethoght me how I might this matter vnderstande But yet the labour was to great for me to take in hande verse 17 17 Vntil the tyme I went into thy holy place and then I vnderstode right perfitly the ende of al these men verse 18 18 And namely how thou settest them vpon a slippery place And at thy pleasure and thy wil thou doest them al deface verse 19 19 Then all meÌ„ muse at that straÌ„ge sight to see how sodenlye they are destroyd dispatcht consumd and dead so horribly verse 20 20 Muche like a dreame when one a waketh so shall their wealth decaye their famous names in all mens sight shall ebbe and passe awaye verse 21 21 Yet thus my hart was grieued then my mynd was much opprest verse 22 22 So fond was I and ignoraunt and in “ Heb. before thee thys point a beast verse 23 23 Yet neuertheles by my right hande thou holdst me alwayes faste verse 24 24 And with thy counsell doest me gide to glorye at the laste verse 25 25 What thyng is there that I can wisshe but thee in heauen aboue Neither superstition nor yet feare or subtiltie of man colde drawe him from the true woorshipinge of God and in the earthe there is nothyng lyke thee that I can loue verse 26 26 My flesh and eke my heart do faile but God doth fayle me neuer For of my heart God is the strength my porcyon eke for euer verse 27 27 And loe all suche as “ thee forsake thou shall destroye eychone Heb. go a whooring from thee And those that trust in any thyng sauinge in thee alone verse 28 28 Therfore will I drawe nere to god and euer with him dwell In god alone I put my trust thy wonders will I tell Attendite Psal LXXVIII Th. St. ¶ He sheweth how god of his mercy chose his churche of the posteritie of Abraham castyng in their teathe the stubburne rebellion of their fathers that the children might not onelie vnderstande that god of his free mercie made his couenaunte with their auncitors but also seing them so malicious and peruerse might be asshamed and so turne wholie to god In this psalme the holy ghoste hath coprehended as it were the some of all godes benefites to the intent the ignorant and grosse people might see in fewe wordes theffecte of the whole stories Attend my people to my law and to my wordes enclyne my mouth shall speak straÌ„ge parables and sentences diuine which we our selues haue heard and learnde euen of our fathers olde and which for our instruction our fathers haue vs tolde verse 4 4 Because we should not kepe it close from them that shoulde come after Who shulde gods power to their race praise and all his workes of wonder verse 5 5 To Iacob he commandement gaue Deut. 6. a. howe Israell shoulde lyue Willing our fathers shulde thesame vnto their children geue verse 6 6 That they and their posteritie God hath left his worde for to be vnderstande of all men exceptinge nother degre nor age that were not spronge vp tho Shoulde haue the knowledge of the lawe and teache their seede also verse 7 7
he is a buckler and defence verse 12 12 The lorde hath vs in mynde and will vs blesse eichone the house I meane of Israel and the tribe of Aaron The litle ones aÌ„d cast awaies of the worlde be as neare to god as the great princes and maÌ„ of estate verse 13 13 And blesse will he all them that feare the lorde in deed as well the weake as them of strength which seeke to him at neede verse 14 14 With graces manifolde the lorde will all you blesse as wel your seede as you your selues with plentie and increase verse 15 15 For ye are deare to him that Lord is ouer all which made bothe heauen and the earth and things bothe great and smale verse 16 16 The heauens are the lords as his own dwellinge place but vnto men the earth he giueth ther on to runne their race verse 17 17 Surely they that are dead shall neuer praise the lord seinge god had elected this people to be glorified in if they had perished his glorie shuâ—de haue bene diminisshed Nor suche as in the graue are layd shall ther vnto accorde verse 18 18 But we that do here lyue shall thancke the Lord always with hart and mouthe singe thanks will we like wise all you him prayse Ad Dominum Psal CXX Th. Ster ¶ The praier of Dauid beiÌ„g now banished emoÌ„g the barbarous people of Arabia by the false reportes of enuious flaterers And therfore he lameÌ„teth his longe abode amongs those infidells who were geuen to all kinde of wickednes and contention IN trouble and in thrall vnto the lord I call and he doth me comfort deli er me I say from lyers lyppes alway and tonge of false report verse 4 4 What vantage or what thinge getest thou thus for to stinge thou false and flattering lier verse 5 5 Thy tongue doth hurt I wene no lesse then arrowes kene Of whote consumyng fyre verse 6 6 Alas to longe Islake He meaneth the shepherds tentes of Arabia which we re blacke with wether Can. 1. with in these tentes so blake which kedars are by name By whome the folke elect And al of Isaackes sect Are put to open shame verse 7 7 With them that peace did hate I came a peace to make And set a quyet lyfe verse 8 8 But when my woorde was tolde Causeles I was controld By them that would haue stryfe Ad te leuaui Psal CXXIII Th. St. ¶ A prayer of the faithfull which are afflicted by the wicked worldelinges and contemners of God O Lord that heauen doest possesse I lyft myne eyes to thee euen as the seruant lyfteth his his maisters haÌ„des to see As handmaides watch their mistres haÌ„des some grace for to atchyeue so we behold the lord our god tyll he do vs forgeue verse 4 4 Lorde graunte vs thy compassion and mercy in thy sight For we be fylled and ouercome with hatred and despyght verse 5 5 Our myndes be stuffed with great rebuke the ryche and worldly wyse Doe make of vs their mocking stocke the proude doe vs despyse Beati omnes Psal CXXVIII Th. St. ¶ He describeth the prosperous estate of theÌ„ that be maryed in the feare of god ioyning with all the promese of gods blessings to all them that liue in this honorable estate accordinge to his commandements BLessed art thou that feaâ•Œrest god and walkest in his waye for of thy labour thou shalte eate happie art thou I say Like fruitfull vines on the house sydes so doth thy wife springe out thy children staÌ„de lyke olyue plaÌ„tes thy table rounde about verse 4 4 Thus art thou blest that fearest God and he shal let thee see The promised Ierusalem and his felicitie verse 5 5 Thou shalt thy childrens children see to thy great ioyes increase and likewise grace on Israel prosperitie and peace Deprofund is clamaui Psal CXXX ¶ An effectuous prayer of him that for his synnes had susteyned great afflictions and not withstandinge he fully trusteth and assureth him selfe to obtayne mercye and forgiuenes of his synnes and at length delyuerance from all euells LOrde to thee I make my mone when daungers me oppresse I call I sygh playne aÌ„d grone trustinge to finde relesse Heare now ò Lorde my requeste for it is full due tyme and let thin eares aye be preste vnto this prayer myne verse 3 3 O lorde my God if thou waye our synnes and them peruse No man is iuste in gods sight who shall then escape and saye I can my selfe excuse verse 4 4 But lorde thou art mercifull and tournest to vs thy grace that we with hartes moste carefull shulde feare before thy face verse 5 5 In god I put my whole truste my soule waiteth on his will for his promes is moste iuste and I hope therin still verse 6 6 My soule to god hath regarde wisshinge for him all waye more then they that watche and warde to see the dawninge daye verse 7 7 Let Israel then boldelye in the lorde put hys truste he is that god of mercie that his delyuer muste verse 8 8 For he it is that muste saue Israel from hys synne and all suche as surelie haue their confidence in him Ecce quà m bonum Psal CXXXIII ¶ This psalme conteyneth the commendation of godly aÌ„d brotherly amytie which for the excellencie therof is compared to the moste precious oyle wher with the priestes only and instruments of the tabernacle were annoynted Exod. 30. O How happie a thinge it is and ioyfull for to see bretherne together fast to holde the bande of amitie It calleth to mynde that swete perfume and that costelye oyntemeÌ„t * which on the sa crifi cers head by gods precept was spent verse 3 3 It wette not Aarons heade alone but drencht his bearde throughout and finally it dyd renne doune his riche atyre about verse 4 4 And as the lower grounde doth drincke the dewe of Hermon hill and Zion with his siluer dropes the fields with fruite doth fill Euenso the lorde doth powre on them his blessings manyfolde These two laste verses ar songe at this marke * whose heartes and myndes without all gile this knot do kepe and holde Super flumina Babylonis Psal CXXXVII ¶ The people of god in their banishement seinge gods true religion decaye lyued in great anguishe aÌ„d sorrowe of hearte the which grief the Chaldeans did so litell pitie that they rather increased the same daily with tauntes reproches and blasphemies against god wherfore the Israelites desire god first to ponishe the Edomites who prouoked the Babylonians against them and moued by the sprite of god prophecie the destruction of Babylon wher they were handeled so tyrannouslye VVhen as we sate in Babylon the riuers round about and in remembrance of Sion the teares for grief braste out we hangd our harpes and instruments the willowe trees vppon for in that place men for their vse had planted many one God suffieth sometymes the wicked to vexe and torment
his children with newe aÌ„d sondrie afflictions 3 Then they to whome we prisoners were said to vs tauntinglie nowe let vs heare your hebrewe songes and pleasaunte melodie verse 4 4 Alas sayd we who can once frame his sorrofull hart to synge the prayses of our louyng god thus vnder a straunge kynge verse 5 5 But yet if I Hierusalem owte of my harte let slide then let my fyngers quite forgeat the warbling harpe to gide verse 6 6 And let my tonge within my mouthe be tied for euer faste if that I ioy The zeale that gods children haue towards their fathers glorie before I see thy full deliuerance paste verse 7 7 Therfore o lorde remembre now the cursed noyse and crie that Edoms sonnes againste vs made when they rased owre Citie Ier. 4.9 Ezech. 25. c. Remember lorde their cruell wordes when as with one accorde they cried on sack and rase their walles in despite of their lorde verse 8 8 Euen so shalt thou ò Babylon at length to dust be broght Esa 13. d. and happie shall that man be called that owre reuenge hathe wroght verse 9 9 Yea blessed shall the man be called that taketh thy children young to dasshe their bones agaynste hard stones which lie the streates among Lauda anima Psal CXLVI I. H. ¶ Dauid shewinge the great desire he had to praise God teacheth that none shuld put their trust in men but in God alone who is almightie and delyuereth the afflicted nourisheth the poore setteth prisonners at libertie comforteth the fatherles widowes and the strangers and raigneth kynge for euer MY soull praise thou the lorde all ways my god I will confesse while breath and lyfe prolonge my dayes my tong no tyme shall cease Trust not in worldly princes theÌ„ though they abound in welth Nor in the sonnes of mortall men in whoÌ„ there ys no helthe verse 4 4 For why their breath doth soone departe To earthe anon they fall And than the counsels of their hearte Decaye and perishe all verse 5 5 O happy is that man I saye Whome Iacobs God doth aide And he whose hope doth not decaie But on the Lorde is staide verse 6 6 Whiche made the yearth aÌ„d waters depe The heauens hye withall Which doth his word and promise kepe In ttueth and euer shall verse 7 7 With right alwayes doth he procede For suche as suffre wronge Actes 14. Apoc. 14. The poore and hungry he doth feede And loose the fetters stronge The Lorde doth seÌ„de the blinde their sight The “ they that are grieued and troubled with any kynde of sickenes or affliction lame to limes restore The Lorde I say doth loue the right And iust man euermore verse 9 9 He doth defende the fatherles The straungers sadde in hert And quite the widdow from distres And yll mens wais subuerte Thy Lorde and God eternally O Syon styll shall raygne In tyme of all posterytie For euer to remaine The commaÌ„dements of God Audi Israel Exod. xx Attende my people aÌ„d giue eare of ferlie thinges I will thee tell see that my wordes in minde thou beare aÌ„d to my preceptes listen well verse 1 1 I am thy souueraigne lord and god which haue thee broght from carefull thrall and eke reclaymd froÌ„ Pharos rod Make thee no gods on them to call verse 2 2 Nor facioned forme of any thinge in heauen or earth to worshipe it for I thy god by reuenginge with grieuous plagues this sinne will smit verse 3 3 Take not in vayne his holy name abuse it not after thy will for so thou might sone purchase blame and in his wrath he wolde thee spill verse 4 4 The lord froÌ„ worke the seueÌ„th day ceste and broght all things to perfit ende so thou and thyne that day take reste that to gods hestes ye may attende verse 5 5 Vnto thy parents honour giue as gods commandements do pretende that thou loÌ„ge dayes aÌ„d good maiest lyue in earth wher god a place dothe lende verse 6 6 Beware of murther and cruell hate verse 7 7 All filthie fornication feare verse 8 8 See thou steale not in any rate verse 9 9 False witnes against no man beare verse 10 10 Thy neighbours house wishe not to haue his wife or oght that he calleth myne his fielde his oxe his asse his slaue or any thinge which is not thyne The fautes Which chanced in printinge In Mariage Leafe 84. lyne 10. he reade be Psal Leafe 5. but. reade bent 38. rome reade frome Catech. Leafe 28. lyne 14. migh read might 40. lyne 25. minister read childe Morninge prayer Leafe 157. lyne 20. of worlde read of the worlde Line 24. golyd read godly THE CATECHISME OR MANNER to teache children the Christian religion wherin the Minister demandeth the question and the childe maketh answere Made by the excellent Doctor and Pastor in Christes Churche Iohn Caluin INTRATE PER ARCTAMVIAM Ephe. II. The doctrine of the Apostells and Prophetes is 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—ation of Christes Churche IOHN CRESPIN M.D.LVI Of the Articles of faithe ¶ The M nister Sonday The fyrst VVHAT is the principall and chiefe ende of mans life ¶ The Childe To knowe God wherunto man was createde and made ¶ The minister What moueth the to say so ¶ The childe Because he hath created vs and placed vs in this worlde to set forth his glory in vs. And it is good reason that we employ our whole life to the auauncement of hys glory seing he is the originall beginning fountayne therof ¶ The minister What is then the principall and chiefe felicitie of man ¶ The childe Euen the self same I meane to know God The greatest felicitie that man caÌ„ attayne to and to haue hys glory shewed furth in vs. ¶ The minister Why dost thou call this mans chiefe felicitie ¶ The childe Because that without it our condicyon or state were more miserable then the state of brute beastes ¶ The minister Hereby then we may euidently see that there can no suche miserye happen vnto man as not to lyue in the knowledge of God ¶ The childe That is moste certeyne ¶ The minister But tel me what is the true and right knowledge of God ¶ The childe Whan a man so knoweth God that he is in ful mind to honor him ¶ The Minister Which is the way for a man to honor God a ryght ¶ The childe It is to put our whole trust confidence in hym to studye to serue him in obeying vnto his wil commaundementes to seke cal vpon him for help in our necessities The right maner to worshyp god staÌ„deth in foure pointes looking for saluacion al good thinges at his hand And finally to acknowlage both wyth heart and mouth that he is the liuely fountayne of all goodnesse from whom onely al benefites and good thynges doe come ¶ The minister Sonday 2 Wel than to the end that these thinges may be discussed in order declared more at large
which is the first poynt ¶ The child The first is to put our whole confidence in God alone ¶ The minister Howe may that thing be done ¶ The childe We must first haue an assured knowledge that as he is almighty so he is all bountifull and parfitlie good ¶ The minister And is that sufficient The first point of honoring God ¶ The childe No. ¶ The minister Shewe the reason ¶ The childe For there is no worthines in vs why God should eyther shew his power to helpe vs or vse hys mercifull goodnes to saue vs. ¶ The minister What is than further requyred ¶ The childe This is requisite more that euerie one of vs be fully assured in his conscience that he is beloued of God that he will be both his father sauiour ¶ The minister Howe shall we be assured hereof ¶ The childe By his owne woorde wherin he vttereth moste playnlye vnto vs hys plentifull mercye in our sauiour Christ geueth vs vndoubted assurance of his louing mynd towardes vs. ¶ The minister The foundacion of our faith Well then I perceiue that the very ground to come by a sure confydence in God is to know him in our sauiour Christ ¶ The childe Yea truelye ¶ The minister Then briefelye what is the effecte and substaunce of thys knowledge of God in Christe ¶ The childe It is conteyned in the confession of the fayth vsed of all Christen men which is commonly called the Crede of the Apostles bothe because it is a compendyous and a briefe gatherynge of the articles of that faythe whiche hathe bene alwayes continued in Christes Churche and also because it was taken out of the pure doctrine of the Apostles ¶ The minister Rehearse the same ¶ The childe The Crede of the apostles I beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesu Christ hys onely sonne our Lorde Who was conceyued by the holye Ghoste borne of the vyrgyn Marye Suffered passion vnder Ponce Pylate was crucifyed dead buried and descēded into hell He rose agayne the thyrde daye from deathe He ascended into heauen and sytteth on the right hande of God the father almyghtye From thense he wil come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleue in the holye goste The holy Churche vniuersall the communion of Goddes electe the forgeuenesse of synnes the rysing agayne of the bodyes and lyfe euerlastyng ¶ The minister Sonday 3 To the intent that this confession maye be more particularely and playnely declared in to how many partes shal we deuyde it ¶ The childe In to foure principall partes The Christian faith standeth in four pointes ¶ The minister What be they ¶ The childe The fyrste concerneth God the father The seconde parte is of the sonne of God our sauiour Christe wherein briefly also the whole story of our redempcion is rehearsed The thyrde is touchyng the holye goste The fourth cōcerneth the holy Churche and Goddes free gyftes vnto the same ¶ The minister Seing there is but one God what moueth thee to make rehearsal of God the father God the sonne and God the holye gost as if ther were thre gods ¶ The childe As concerning the Trinitie Because that in the substance or nature of God wee haue to consider the Father as the fountayne beginning and originall cause of al thinges then secondarely his sonne who is hys euerlastyng wysedome thyrdly the holy ghoste who is his incōprehensible vertue and puissaunte myght which is extēded and spred vpon all creatures and yet neuertheles remaineth alwayes wholy in hymselfe ¶ The minister This is then the meanyng that there is no inconuenience at al to vnderstand seuerally and apart these three persons in the substāce of God who notwythstandyng is one and not therby deuyded ¶ The childe It is euen so ¶ The minister Make rehearsal nowe of the fyrst parte of the Crede ¶ The childe The first parte of the belief I beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth The minister Wherfore doest thou cal hym Father ¶ The childe I call hym so hauyng respect to Iesu Christ who is the euerlastyng worde begotten of God before all worldes without begynning The fathe who beyng afterwardes openly shewed vnto the world was euidentlye approuued and declared to be hys sonne Now seing God is oure Sauioure Christes father it foloweth necessarilye that he is also our father ¶ The minister What meanest thou by that thou callest hym Almightye ¶ The childe In that I say he is Almightye what is ment by this word almighti I meane not that he hath a power which he doth not exercise but contrariwise that al creatures be in his hād and vnder his gouernāce that he ordereth and dysposeth all thynges by hys vnsearcheable wisedome and prouidence that he ruleth the worlde as it pleaseth him and that continually he guydeth al thynges therin after hys own good pleasure The minister So then by thy saying the power of God is not ydle The power of god is not ydle nor vnoccupied but cōtinually exercised so that nothyng is done but by hym or by his leaue and ordinaunce ¶ The childe It is euen as you saye ¶ The minister Sonday 4 Wherfore is that clause added therunto Maker of heauen and earth ¶ The childe Because he hath made himselfe knowen vnto vs by his workes it is necessary for vs to seeke hym owt in thē Psal 14. Roma 1. For oure capacytye and the reache of oure vnderstanding is not sufficiēte nor able to cōprehende his diuyne substaunce but he hath made the world as a myrroure or glasse A glasse wherin we maye see God wherin we maye beholde his diuine maiestie in suche sorte as it is expediente for vs to knowe hym ¶ The minister Doest thou not comprehende all creatures in these two wordes heauen and earth ¶ The childe Yes verely they may righte well be vnderstanded in these two wordes seynge that all thinges be eyther heauenlye or earthlye ¶ The minister And why callest thou God only by the name of creator or maker seynge that to order thinges and to conserue them alwayes in their state is a thynge of muche more importaunce then to haue for one tyme created them ¶ The childe By thys worde Creator it is not onely meante that he dyd once create them hauyng no farther regarde to them afterwardes But we ought to vnderstand that as the worlde was made of him in the beginning euen so nowe he doth cōserue the same vpholdeth the state of thinges so that heauen and earth with the reste of the creatures Cōcerning the prouidence of God coulde not contynue in their estate if his power did not preserue them Moreouer seinge in this maner he dothe maintayne all thynges holdynge them as it were in his hand it must nedes folow that he hath the rule gouernance of all Wherefore in that that he is creator
of heauen earth it is he that by hys bountyfull goodnesse myghtye power and hyghe wisedome doth conducte and guide the whole order of nature It is he that sendeth raine and drought haile tempestes and fayre wether he sēdeth fertilite and barennes dearth and plentie health and sycknes to be shorte he hath all thynges at commaundement to do hym seruice at his owne good pleasure ¶ The minister What saiest thou as touching the deuels and wicked persons be they also subiecte to hym and at hys commaundement ¶ The childe Albeit that God dothe not guide them wyth his holy spirite Concernyng deuylles yet he doth brydell them in such sort that they be not able to styrre or moue without his permission and appointment yea moreouer he doth compel them to execute his will pleasure although it bee cleane agaynst theyr intent purpose ¶ The minister To what purpose doth it serue thee to knowe this ¶ The childe The knowledge hereof doeth wonderfully comforte vs for we might thinke our selues in a miserable case if the deuylles and the wycked had power to do any thynge contrary to Gods wil or appointment And moreouer we could neuer be quiete in our cōsciences yf we shuld think our selues to be in theyr daunger The deuill hath no power but of God But forsomuche as we know that God brydeleth them fast and chayneth them as it were in a prison in suche wise that they can do nothing but as he permitteth we haue iuste occasion not onely to bee quiete in mind but also to receyue most confortable ioye since God hath promysed to bee our protectour and defender ¶ The minister Sonday 5 Go to then lett vs come to the seconde parte of our beliefe The second parte of the beliefe ¶ The childe And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our Lorde ¶ The minister What is bryeflye the effecte and substance of thys parte ¶ The childe It is to acknowledge the sonne of God to be our sauiour and to vnderstand the meane wherby he hath redemed vs from death and purchased lyfe vnto vs. ¶ The minister What sygnifyeth thys worde Iesus by whych thou namest hym ¶ The childe It is as muche to saye as Sauyour This word Iesus Matt. 1. and thys name was geuen vnto him by the angell at Gods commandement ¶ The minister What is that of more estimacion than if that name hadde bene geuen vnto hym by men ¶ The childe Yea a great deale for since Goddes pleasure was that he shoulde be so named it geueth vs certayne knowledge that he is our very sauiour in dede ¶ The minister What sygnifyeth then thys woorde Christe whiche foloweth after This word Christe ¶ The childe This word Christe doth expresse more effectually his office and doth vs to wete that he was anointed of oure heauenlye father to sygnifye that he was ordeined to be a kynge Prieste and Prophete ¶ The minister How hast thou the knowlege hereof ¶ The childe By the scripture whiche doth suffyciently teache vs that anointynge dyd serue for these three offices or dignities the which be also attributed vnto hym in many places of the scriptures ¶ The minister But what maner of oyle was it wherewith he was anointed ¶ The childe It was no such material oile as we vse and as did serue in olde time to the ordeininge or institutiō of kynges Priestes and Prophetes but a farre more excellent oyle euen the grace of Gods holy spirite wherof the aunciente anointing in the olde testamente was a fygure ¶ The minister What maner of kyngdom is that wherof thou speakest ¶ The childe Thys kyngdome of Christe The kingdome o Christe is not earthly but spirituall the substaunce wherof doeth consist in Gods worde and in his holy spirite wherin is conteined both ryghteousnesse and lyfe euerlastynge ¶ The minister And what is his Priesthoode ¶ The childe It is an offyce and auctorytie to presente himselfe before God The pristhoode of Christe Heb. 7.8.9 10.13 to obtayne grace fauour for vs and to pacifye hys fathers wrath by offering vp the most acceptable sacryfyce of hym selfe vnto him ¶ The minister Why callest thou hym a Prophete ¶ The childe Bycause that he came downe into the worlde wherein Christ war a Prophete Esa 7. Hebr. 1. to brynge vnto vs the moste worthy ioyfull embassie or message of God his father to declare at large most euidently to the worlde his fathers wil and to finishe all reuelations and Prophecyes ¶ The minister Commeth there any profite vnto thee by those names and dignities of Christe ¶ The childe Yea they altogether belonge to our comfort and proffit For Christ did receiue all these of hys father to make vs partakers therof wherby we myghte euerye one receyue of hys fulnesse ¶ The minister Declare thys thyng vnto me more at large ¶ The childe He receiued the holy ghost in moste full perfection with all the giftes and graces of the same to bestowe them on vs and to distribute them vnto euerye one of vs in the measure and quantytye that God knoweth to be moste mete and expediente for vs and so by this meanes wee drawe oute of hym as if it were oute of a fountayne Christ is the fontayne of all goodnes all the spirituall gyftes that we haue ¶ The minister To what vse doth the kyngdom of Christ serue vs ¶ The childe To what vse the kyngdōe of Christ serueth vs. To set vs in libertie of conscience to lyue godly and holily that we beinge enriched with hys spirituall treasures and armed with his power may be able to ouercome the deuyll synne fleshe the worlde whych bee euery one pernycyous enemies vnto our soules ¶ The minister What profite haue we of his priesthoode ¶ The childe The profyte of Christes priesthoode Hebru vii viii.ix.x.xiii First by this meanes he is our mediator to bring vs into the fauour of God his father and againe hereby wee haue a fre entrye to come in and shewe oure selues boldely before God and to offre vp our selues with al that belongeth vnto vs for a sacrifice and in thys poynt we are felowes after a sorte of his priesthood ¶ The minister The vtilitye of his office in that he is a Prophete is yet behynde The childe Since our lorde Iesu hath receyued this office to become the master and teacher of hys flocke the ende of this dignitie is wherfore Christ was a prophete to bring vs to the righte knowledge of god and of his trueth so that wee myght become Gods houshold scholers and of hys familye ¶ The minister This is then it that a man may briefly gather of thy wordes that these thre titles or names of Christ do include thre sundry offices the which God hath geuen vnto his sonne to the entent to bestow the fruit profite of the same vpon his elect ¶ The childe Ye saye truely ¶ The minister Sonday
7 By what reason callest thou Christ the onely sonne of God synce God doth name vs also hys chyldren ¶ The childe As touching that that we are Gods children we be not so borne neither doth it come of our nature but only by his fatherly adoption by grace in that that God doeth vouchesafe to accepte vs and take vs for his children now our Lord Iesus beyng begotten of one very substance with his father and beynge of the selfe same nature and godhead may euen of good ryght be called Gods onelye sonne for that there is none other that can clayme that tytle by naturall ryghte but he alone ¶ The minister This is then the meaning that thys honour pertayneth peculiarelye vnto hym alone as vnto whome it belongeth by course naturall the whiche notwithstandinge he hath by free gyft of hys goodnes communicated vnto vs makyng vs partakers thereof in that we are becomen his own membres ¶ The childe It is euen so and therfore in respect of that his communicatyng and alyaunce with vs the scripture calleth Christe in an other place the fyrste borne among many brethren ¶ The minister What is the meanyng of that that foloweth ¶ The childe It doth vs to wete after what sort the sonne of God was annoynted of hys father to becume our sauior that is to say he tooke vpon hym our flesh therin fulfilled al thinges necessarye for our redempcion according as they be here rehearsed ¶ The minister What meanest thou by these two clauses Conceyued by the holye Ghoste Borne of the virgin Mary ¶ The childe The meanyng thereof is Christ became very manne Psal 32 Mat. 1. Luke 1. that he was fashioned in the blessed virgins wombe takyng very substaunce and manhod of her own body that he myght therby become the seede of Dauid as the Prophetes hadde a longe tyme before sygnyfyed and yet notwithstandyng all thys was wroughte by the secrete and merueilous power of the holye goste with out the company of man ¶ The minister Was it then nedefull that he shoulde take vpon hym oure very fleshe ¶ The childe Roma 3. Yea verely for it was conuenient that mans transgression and his disobedience agaynste God shoulde be purged lyke wise by the nature of man And moreouer if Christe had not bene partaker of our very nature 1. Timo. 2 Hebr. 4. he had not bene a meete mediatoure to make vs at one and to ioyne vs together with God his father ¶ The minister Than thys is thy saying that it behoued that Christ shoulde become very man to the ende he myghte execute the office of a sauiour in our shape and persone ¶ The childe Christe hath perfourmed that which lacked in vs. Yea verely For we must borowe of him all that which is lacking in our selues for this our defaut cold not otherwise be recouered ¶ The minister But for what cause was thys thyng wrought by gods holy spirite and not rather by the company of man according to the ordre of nature ¶ The childe Because the seede of manne is of it selfe all to gether corrupted with synne it behooued that thys conception of Christ should be wroughte by the power of the holy goste Christe was conceiued by the spirit of God wherby our sauiour might be preserued from all corrupcyon of synne and replenysshed with all maner of holynes ¶ The minister So then by these sayinges it is euidenly declared vnto vs that he whiche should purifye and clense other from fylthe of synne muste be hymselfe free and cleare from all spottes therof and euen from his mothers wombe dedicated kept holy vnto God in purenesse of nature so that he may not be giltie of that corrupcyon where with the whole stocke of man is generally infected ¶ The childe That is the very meanyng of my woordes ¶ The minister Sonday 8 How cummeth it to passe that he is our Lorde ¶ The childe Euen by the ordinance of God himselfe Christ is our lord who also made hym our gouernor to the ende that he myght execute hys fathers kyngdom both in heauen and in earth and that he myght be heade and ruler bothe of Aungelles and of goddes faythfull people ¶ The minister Wherfore speakest thou of his deathe immediatlye after hys birth leaueste out the whole story of hys lyfe ¶ The childe For because there is nothyng mencioned or spoken of in our Cred but that whiche peculiarelye belongeth to the pyth and substance of our redemption ¶ The minister Why is it not sayde playnely in one woorde that he dyed withoute anye speakynge of Ponce Pilate by whose iugement he suffered ¶ The childe The mencion that is made of Ponce Pilate was not onelye for this consideracion to make the storye of Christes Passion to haue more euident assurance but also to declare vnto vs that his death hath taken a way our condemnacion ¶ The minister How so ¶ The childe Fyrst he suffered deathe to the ende to take a waye the payne that was due vnto vs that we might be therby clearely delyuered from the same Now for so muche as we were in faute and gyltie before gods iudgemente as wicked mysdoers Christ myndyng to take vpon him our persone and to bayle vs Christe was condemned to cleare vs. by susteyning all our miserie vouchsaued to shew hymselfe before yearthly iudges to be condemned by the sentence or iudgement of the same that therby we myght be giltlesse cleare before the iudgemente seate of oure heauenlye iudge hys father ¶ The minister Notwithstanding Mat. 27. Luke 23. Pilate doth pronounce hym innocent and so by that he doeth not condemne hym as woorthye of deathe ¶ The childe Pilate dyd bothe the one and the other Christe was cōdened for vs. first he was pronounced innocente iust by the iudges owne mouth to sygnifye that he suffered not for hys owne deserte but for our trespaces And yet withal the same iudge dyd dyd geue solemnelye the sentence of deathe agaynst hym to testifye and expresse that he is our true pledge raunsome Christ was our raunsonne as he who also hath taken vnto hym oure condemnation to make vs quite and to deliuer vs from the same ¶ The minister That is wel sayd for if he had bene a sinner in deede he had not bene meete to haue suffered death for the offences of other and neuerthelesse to the end that we myght be clearely quitte and delyuered by hys condemnacyon Esai 53. it was necessary that he should be taken and counted as a malefactoure or misdoer ¶ The childe I meane no other thynge ¶ The minister Sonday 9 Wher thou saist Christ suffred on the crosse was that kynde of deathe more auaylable and of more importaunce than if he had bene otherwyse put to deathe Christe toke vpon hymselfe the curse due vnto vs that we might be free ¶ The childe Yea verely and touching that matter Sainct Paule
wayes this resurrection of Christe doeth profite vs ¶ The childe Thre maner of ways the firste The benefyte and vertue of Christes death standeth in .iii pointes that we haue fully obtained to be ryghteous therby Secondly that his risinge frō death is asure gage and certaine assuraunce unto vs that we shall ōce ryse agayne into a lyfe without ende and moste glorious Thyrdely Rom. 4.6 1. Cor. 15. that if we be in dede truely partakers of his resurrection we ryse nowe in this present worlde in to a new kynde of lyfe addicted wholy to serue God and to leade an holye conuersation agreable to his wil and pleasure ¶ The minister Sonday 12 Let vs goe forwarde to the reste ¶ The childe He ascended vp into heauen ¶ The minister Wente Christ vp into heauen in suche sort that he was no lōger abydinge in the yearth ¶ The childe Yea Christ ascended into heauē for whan he had performed whollye all thynges that were enioyned him by the commandement of his father and had accōplished all that was necessarie for our health it was not nedefulle that he shoulde remayne any longer in the worlde ¶ The minister What profyte haue wee by hys ascension ¶ The childe The Profytte of Christes ascension stādyth in two pointes We receyue double profyte thereby for since that our sauyoure Christe is entred into heauen in our name euen inlyke maner as he came downe from thēce for oure sakes onely he hath thereby made an open entrye into the same place for vs geuynge us withal an assured knowledge that the gate of heauen is nowe wyde open to receiue vs whych was before faste shutte through our synnes The seconde profite is that he sytteth there presente alwais in the syght of God the father to make intercessyon for us Rom. 6. Hebr. 7. and to be our aduocate to make answere for vs. ¶ The minister But is oure sauioure Christ so gone out of the worlde that he is no more here with vs ¶ The childe Matt. 28. No dowteles for he hymselfe sayeth the contrarye that is that he wyl be here presente with vs vnto the worldes ende ¶ The minister Is it meant of his bodely presence that he maketh promise so to cōtynue with vs ¶ The childe No verelye Luke 24. Actes 1. for it is a nother matter to speake of hys body which was lyfte vp out of this worlde into heauen and to speake of hys godlye power whiche is spred abrode throughout the whole worlde ¶ The minister Declare the meanīg of this sentēce He sytteth on the ryghte hand of God the Father ¶ The childe The vnderstandyng of that is Matt. 28. to signifye that he hath receyued into his handes the gouernance of heauen and yearth whereby he is kynge and ruler ouer al thynges ¶ The minister What signifieth this worde ryghthande and the fyttyng on the ryghthande whereof mention is here made ¶ The childe It is a similitude or a maner of speache borowed of earthly Princes To sit on the right hande of God whiche are wonte to place on their right side suche as they substitute nexte vnder them to see to the execution of lawes and to supplye their roume and offyce in their steade ¶ The minister Then thou meanest nothing els therby Ephe. 1. but that whiche S. Paule speaketh to the Ephesians that he was constitute and appointed head of the Churche set in authoritie aboue all powers Philip. 2. and that he hath receiued a name or dignitie passynge all other ¶ The childe My meanynge is none other ¶ The minister Goe forwarde to the residue ¶ The childe Sonday 13 From thence he wil come to iudge the quycke ād the dead that is to saye he will come doune from heauē and shewe himselfe visibly once agayne in iudgement euen in that shape Actes 1. wherin he was seen to ascend ¶ The minister Seynge the iudgemente of God shal be in the ende of the worlde how maye that be whych thou saiest some shal be a lyue and other some shal be dead namely since also it is a thing most certainly oppointed vnto all men Hebr. 9. to dye once ¶ The childe S. Paule maketh answer to this questiō himselfe saying that they which at that time shal be lefte on liue 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. shal be sodainly chāged in a momēt of time to the end that their corruptible nature maye be altered and that they may receiue a newe body whiche shal be no more subiect to corruption ¶ The minister Thy meaninge is then that this alteratiō or change shal be vnto them in steade of a death in somuche as it shal do a way abolyshe their former nature and make them ryse againe in a newe more glorious state ¶ The childe It is euen so ¶ The minister Doe we receyue any comfort by this that our sauiour Christ will come once to iudge the worlde ¶ The childe Yea verely and that a synguler great comforte for we are taught certeynly that hys commyng at that tyme shal be onely for our saluation ¶ The minister Wel then there is no cause why we shoulde be afrayde of the day of iudgement or wherfore we shoulde lothe the cummyng thereof ¶ The childe No truely Christe shal both Iudge vs and aunswer for vs. forsomuch as we shall appeare before no other iudge but him who is our aduocate and hath taken vpon hym to defende our cawse ¶ The minister Sonday 14 Let vs nowe come to the third parte ¶ The childe That part cōcerneth our fayth confidence in the holy goste The third parte of the crede ¶ The minister And to what purpose doth it serue vs ¶ The childe It doth vs to vnderstād that euen as God hath first redemed vs Of the holy gost and his giftes geuen euerlasting health vnto vs in Iesu Christ euē so it pleased hym to make vs partakers of these his graces ād benefites through his holy spirite ¶ The minister How so ¶ The childe In lyke maner as the bloud of Christe is the onelye thyng that pourgeth oure soules 1. Peter 1. euē so the holy ghost must sprinkle ād moysten our cōsciences with the same to make them pure and cleane ¶ The minister Yet this needeth a more euident declaration ¶ The childe It is no more to saye but that the holye spirite of God dwellyng in our heartes doth make vs feele the vertue and goodnes of our Lord Iesus Rom. 5. for it is he that doth open the eyes of our hearte to beholde gods benefites towardes vs he doeth seale and imprint his aboundante graces in our soules and this spirite doeth also regenerate vs and make vs new creatures in such sort Ephe. 1. that by his meanes we receiue to our most cōfort al those giftes and benefites which be offered vnto vs so plentifully in Christ our sauiour ¶ The minister Sonday 15
Thou meaneste not hereby that the good dedes of faythfull menne are to no purpose and vnprofytable ¶ The childe I meane nothing lesse for god promyseth to rewarde them largely both in this worlde in the life to come And yet thys notwithstandyng those rewardes of God be not geuē for the worthy desertes of oure dedes but onely because it pleaseth GOD of his goodnes to loue vs freely so to couer and forget our fautes that he wil neuer cal them any more to remēbraunce ¶ The minister Aright faythe is neuer ydle May we perswade our selues that we are iuste without good woorkes without the diligente applying of oure selues to walke in al Goddes holy commaundementes ¶ The childe That is not possyble for to beleue in Christ is as much to say what it is to beleue in Christ as to receiue Christ in such sort with such properties as he doth geue himselfe vnto vs now this is an euident thing that Christ doth not only promes to deliuer vs from death to restore vnto vs the louing fauour of god his father thorow the onely merites of his innocency But also he promiseth to make vs newe creatures by his holy spirite to the ende that we should leade a holy conuersacion in al good workes ¶ The minister Then I see that it is so farre from the offyce or workyng of faythe to make men despysers of good deedes or negligent to lyue godly that it is the very roote or lyuelye fountayne whereout all good woorkes doesprynge ¶ The childe Ye saye as the trueth is The effecte of the gospell is fayth repentance and for thys cause the doctryne of the gospell doeth consyste in these two poyntes faith and repentaunce ¶ The minister Sonday 21 And what maner of thynge is Repentaunce ¶ The childe It is and earneste dyspleasure to warde what repentāce is synne and therwith al a feruente desyre or longyng for godlines proceadyng of the feare or God and inducing vs to the mortifying of our carnall affectyons inclining vs altogether to the guiding and gouernaunce of the holy gost to serue God vnfeynedly ¶ The minister Thys then whiche we haue touched is the second poynt of a christen mans lyfe which standeth in seruyng of God ¶ The childe wherein the right seruinge of god stādyth Yea verely and we haue sayd also that the very ryghte and alowable seruyce of God doeth consyst in submyttyng our selues humbly vnto hym studying earnestly to doe according to hys wil. ¶ The minister Wherfore standeth gods seruice herin onely ¶ The childe Because he wil not be serued or wurshipped after our fantasy and imaginacion but after his own good pleasure ¶ The minister What rules or ordinaunces hath he prescrybed vnto vs to leade our lyfe by ¶ The childe His lawe ¶ The minister What thynges dothe yt conteyne ¶ The childe It is deuided into .ii. partes The law hath two partes where of the first doth containe foure commaundementes the seconde contayneth .vi. so that there be .x. in the whole ¶ The minister Who hath made this diuision therof ¶ The childe God hymselfe Exod. 32.34 Deu. 4.12 who also gaue it written in two tables vnto Moises saying that the whole was reduced into ten sentences ¶ The minister What is the matter or substaunce of the first table ¶ The childe It toucheth the due maner of woorshyppyng God The effecte of the first table ¶ The minister What is contayned in the seconde table ¶ The childe It sheweth vs in what maner we ought to behaue our selues towardes our neghboures The effect of the secōd table and what duetye we owe vnto them ¶ The minister Sonday 22 Rehearse the fyrste commaundement ¶ The childe The first cōmaundement Exod. 20 Deu. 5 HEarkē ād take heede Israell I am the lorde thy God whiche hath broght thee furth of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other God before my face ¶ The minister Declare the meanyng hereof ¶ The childe It is a preface to begynne withal or an introduction to the whole law for he doth chalenge here vnto himself first autoritie to commaund naming hymselfe euerlasting the creator of the world and agayne after he calleth himselfe oure God wherby he moueth our heartes to haue in reuerence to esteme highly hys doctrine for if that he be oursauior it is good reason that we be also hys louing subiectes and obedient people ¶ The minister what signifieth the deliurance out of Egypte But that whiche foloweth after touching the deliueraunce from the miserable bondage of Egipt is it not referred pecularely to the people of Israel ¶ The childe Yes verely as cōcerning the deliuerāce from bodely bondage howbeit it belongeth also generallye vnto vs all with out excepciō in so much as he hath delyuered oure soules from the spirituall captiuitie of synne and from the tirāny of the deuyll and hys kyngedome whereof the bōdage of Egipt was but a figure ¶ The minister Why doeth he make mencion of thys in the very beginning of hys lawe ¶ The childe It is done to put vs in remembraunce how greatly we are bound to shewe vnto hym al obedience in performyng of his will and to sygnifye vnto vs what ingratitude and vnkindnes it is to do the cōtrary ¶ The minister And what is briefly the effecte of that he requyreth of vs in thys fyrst cōmaūdemēt ¶ The childe He enioyneth vs to reserue vnto hym onely the honor due vnto hym The summe of the first cōmaundement and that in no wyse we alienate or put it from him geuing the same vnto any other ¶ The minister What is the honour due vnto hym alone ¶ The childe To worship hym The honor that is due to god alone to put our whole trust in hym to call vpō hymād such other like which be attributed peculiarly and onely vnto his maiestye ¶ The minister Wherfore is that clause putte to before my face ¶ The childe Forsomuch as he seeth knoweth al thinges iudgeth the secret thoghtes of mens heartes he signifieth vnto vs that he doth not account it sufficient if we make a countenaunce or be are a faire shew before mē but that his wil is that also in very dede euen from the bottom of our heart with feruent affection we do take him for our only God ¶ The minister Sonday 23 Rehearse the seconde commaundement ¶ The childe The seconde cōmaundemente touching Images and the worshiping of them Se thou make thee no grauen image neither any similitude of any thing eyther in heauen aboue either in the earth beneath or in the waters which be beneth the earth thou shalt do no honor vnto them nor wurship them ¶ The minister Doth he vtterlye forbydde the makyng of any images ¶ The childe No but he doth forbid expresly eyther to make anye image thereby to represente or figure
hinderaunce of Gods honour ¶ The childe In one kinde of othe he teacheth vs a generall rule to wete that we ought not sweare at all that is to saye that we maye not cal God to wytnes vnlesse it be done with al humblenes of minde hauing a reuerente feare towardes hys maiestye before oure eyes to the entent to glorifie hys name for euen as it is holye and of most worthy pryce so it behoueth vs to take diligent hede wyth what reuerence we shoulde name God that we doe not in suche sorte name hym or call hym to witnes that either we may seeme to passe lyghtelye of hym oure selues either whereby other maye take occasiō to haue him in small reuerence ¶ The minister How shal a man vse his name with suche due reuerence ¶ The childe If we doe neyther thynke nor speake of God nor of his workes but with all reuerence and honor ¶ The minister What foloweth this commaundemēte ¶ The childe He addeth vnto it a threatnynge that he wyll coumpt hym that vseth his name irreuerenlye as a wycked malefactoure ¶ The minister Seyng that God pronounceth threatiningly in other places in a generalite that he will punishe al transgressoures what vehemencye is there besides in these wordes ¶ The childe He doth expressy declare hereby in howe greate estymacion he hath the honour of hys holy name forsomuche as he sayeth precysely by euidente woordes that he can not abyde that any man doe vse it vnreuerently to the intent we migth with so much the more careful dilygence haue it in honor ¶ The minister Sonday 26 Let vs goe to the fourth commaundemente ¶ The childe REmembre to kepe holye the sabboth daye syxe dayes shalt thou laboure The .iiii. commaundement do any neadfull worke thou hast to do but the seuenth day is the reste of the lorde thy God thou shalte do no worke that daye neyther thou nor thy sonne nor thy doughter neither thy seruante nor thy handmayde no not thyne oxe or asse neither the straunger that is withe in thy gates for in syxe dayes God made heauē and earth and all that is in them but the seuenth daye he rested wherfore he hathe blessed the day of reste and hath dedicate it peculiarly to hymselfe ¶ The minister Geueth God in commaundemente that men shall trauaile sixe dayes euery weeke and so reste the seuenth ¶ The childe No he doth not precisely commaunde it but rather he doth geue menne leaue to trauaile aboute theyr commen busines for the tyme of syxe dayes and so maketh a restraint onely of the seuēth in the which he forbiddeth to laboure ¶ The minister Are we then bounde by Gods commaundement to refrayne one daye in the weeke from al maner of labour ¶ The childe This commaundemente hath a certayne speciall consideration in it for as touchynge the obseruation of bodely reste it belongeth to that parte of the olde law which is called ceremonial the which ceremonies were vtterly abolished at the comming of Christ ¶ The minister Sayest thou then that this commaundemente belongeth peculyerly vnto the Iewes that God did geue it onely for the time of the olde testament ¶ The childe Yea verely as touchyng the ceremonie therof and the outwarde bodely reste to be obserued therin ¶ The minister Why then is there any other thyng conteyned in it besydes the ceremonie ¶ The childe Yea truely for there be three consyderacions for the whych this commādement was geuen ¶ The minister What are they ¶ The childe The first is Thre consideracions for the whiche the sabboth day was ordained that it myght be a figure to represente our spiritual rest The seconde for a comely order to be vsed in the church or congregation And thirdely for the refreshyng of seruantes that they myghte haue some reliefe of theyr trauaile ¶ The minister What is that thou callest spiritual rest ¶ The childe That we cease to doe the workes of oure owne lustes wyl that the lorde may bring forth the woorkes of hys spirite in oure heartes ¶ The minister How may we do this ¶ The childe By mortifying our flesche and subduing the inordinate affections of our nature to the end that Gods spirite onely maye beare rule in vs. ¶ The minister Are we bound to this rest but one daye in the weeke ¶ The childe The spirituall Sabboth is cōtynuall It is our bounden duetye to continue in this rest alwayes so that when we haue once begon to entre in to it we muste goe on forwarde whiles oure lyfe lasteth ¶ The minister Howe happeneth it then that there is but one daye appointed to represent figure vnto vs a thinge that dureth our whole lyfe ¶ The childe It is not necessarye that the figure or shaddowe of a thyng doe resēble throughly in all pointes the thinge it is ordeined to represente it is to be thought suffyciente if they agre be lyke in sonne pointes ¶ The minister And wherfore was the seuenth daye appointed rather then any other ¶ The childe The numbre of seuen The nomber of seuen doth sygnifie ād importe a certayne perfection in the holye scripture wherfore the seuenth daye was moste meete to sette out vnto vs a thing that should stil continue moreouer it putteth vs in remembraunce that our spirituall rest or quietnes is not full nor perfecte whyles we lyue in this world neyther shall it be absolutely broughte to perfection vntyll we departe thys lyfe ¶ The minister Sonday 27 What is mente by that which our lord alleageth here saying that it behoueth vs to reste for so muche as he hath done the same ¶ The childe When God had created al his woorkes in syxe dayes he dedicated or appointed the seuenth to the vewe and beholding of his workmanship And to the intent we might be the more easely induced to the consideration there of he bringeth foorth his owne exaumple for that there is nothinge of so muche worthines to be desyred as to become lyke vnto him ¶ The minister Must we than daily haue consideration and remembraunce of goddes woorkes or is it inough to haue minde of them one day in the weeke ¶ The childe Verely our bound duety is to haue bothe daylye hourely a reuerent consideracion of hys merueillous woorkes We are bownde to praise God continuallie in his woorkes but for that we are through frailtie so negligent forgetful there is one certain daye peculiarelye appointed to renew from time to time the remembraūce of this our duety and that is the politique ordre which I spake of ¶ The childe What maner of ordre ought the people to obserue in that day ¶ The childe As touchinge pollitique or dre for dayes They are bounde that daye to come together and to geue diligente eare to the woorde of God to make theyr prayers vnto God and finallye to make open profession of their faith and religion ¶ The minister What meanest thou by saying
shall come at lengthe to full perfectyon the whiche thynge shal be at the day of iudgement what tyme God alone shal be magnifyed and all creatures shall appeare lowe being subiecte vnto hys maiestye 1. Cor. 15. yea when he shall be euydentlye seene to be all in all thynges ¶ The minister Sonday 40 In what sence prayest thou that Goddes wyll maye be doone ¶ The childe I desyre that al creatures may be readye and willyng to obey hym in suche sorte The third request towching the accōplishement of gods wil that what soeuer is done may be plesant to hym ¶ The minister Doest thou meane then that nothyng maye be done contrarye vnto hys wil and appoyntemente ¶ The childe Oure request is not only that he wil bring al thinges to passe as he hath appoynted by hys vnsearcheable counsell and prouydence but that it may please hym also to beate downe all rebellion that euerye man maye with a cherefull courage applye hymselfe to hys will onelye ¶ The minister In so doyng doe we not renounce and vtterly refuse our owne willes ¶ The childe Yes forsooth and we pray not onelye that it maye please him to ouerturne make voide and bryng to naught suche desyres as be in vs repugnyng vnto hys pleasure Regeneracion but that he wyll also in suche sort fashion oure myndes a newe and so frame the affections or lustes of our heartes that the worke of our owne wyll beyng set a parte his spirite may worke suche a will in vs as may be in all poyntes agreable vnto hym ¶ The minister Wherfore puttest thou vnto it In earth as it is in heauen ¶ The childe Because the Angels which be hys heauenly creatures study nothyng How gods wil is done in heauen but quietly to please hym without anye mocion or thought to the contrary we desyre that the lyke may be done in the earthe and that al men may be framed vnto a lyke willyng obedience ¶ The minister peti ∣ tion The fourth Come now to the second part what doest thou meane by the dayly bread which thou askest ¶ The childe That word conteineth al thinges whereof we haue neede in this present life what is ment by our daily breade not onely as touchīng meate drīke clothes but all maner of thynges that god knoweth to be expedient for vs in thys worlde wherby we maye haue the fruicion of hys benefites in quietnes ¶ The minister Why beggest thou of god thy daylye nouryshement since he hath geuen a charge vnto al men to gette theyr liuing with the labour of theyr handes ¶ The childe Albeit we are commaunded to trauaile and doe our endeuor yet the trueth is so that al our labour diligence and prouisiō that we can make is not able to procure vs a liuynge but the onely blessynge of God vpon our handes and trauayle whych prospereth the thinges we goe aboute in hys name moreouer thys is to be consydered that it is not meate or drynke that nourysheth vs notwithstandyng we be commaunded to make prouision for those thinges but the power of god mayntayneth our lyfe Deu. 8. and we vse them onelye as instrumentes ¶ The minister Why callest thou it our bread since we desyre that it maye be geuen vs ¶ The childe That cummeth of the onelye bountifulnes of God whose pleasure it was to name it oures albeit it is nothynge at al due vnto vs and agayn by thys woorde we are put in remembraunce not to desyre the bread that an other man hath trauailed for but to wyshe that ōly whiche we shal come by by honest lawful meanes agreeable to gods ordinaunce ¶ The minister Why saiest thou this daye calling it our dayly breade ¶ The childe wherefore we cal it daylie bread Those wordes do geue vs monicion to be contented and not to wyshe more then suffyseth for our necessitie ¶ The minister Seeyng thys is a common prayer belongyng indifferently to all men howe is it that the ryche who haue prouided aboundaunce of goodes for a longe tyme maye make thys petycyon for one daye ¶ The childe All men both ryche and poore muste vnderstande that what goodes soeuer they haue they can nothyng profyt them but so far forth as it pleaseth God to geue thē the vse thereof ād the enioyinge of them so that whan we haue plentye yet we haue nothyng onles he of hys goodnes geue vs also the fruicion and vse of the same ¶ The minister Sonday The 42. What is conteyned in the fyfth requeste ¶ The childe peti ∣ tion The .5 That it wyll please God to forgeue vs our trespasses ¶ The minister Is there any man lyuyng so iuste that nedeth not to make this requeste ¶ The childe No surely for our Lorde Iesus prescrybed thys forme of prayer to hys Apostels for the behofe of hys whole churche so then whosoeuer woulde exempte or priuilege hymselfe from the sayinge of this praier in so doing he refuseth to be of the company and felowship of Christes flocke in very dede the scripture doth playnly testifie that the moste perfecte manne that is Iob. 9. if he woulde allege one poynte to iustifye himselfe thereby before God shoulde be founde fautye in a thousande it is mete therfore that euery man haue a recourse cōtinuallye vnto the wel of Gods mercy ¶ The minister After what sort thinkest thou that our synnes be pardoned vs ¶ The childe In what sort our synnes are forgeuen Euen as the very wordes of Christe doe sounde for somuch as our sinnes be as debtes by whiche we are holden fast bond vnder the daunger of euerlasting damnacion we make supplycacyon vnto GOD that he wyll of hys mere goodnesse pardon them ¶ The minister Thou meaneste then that we obteyne forgeuenes of our synnes by the free mercye of God onely ¶ The childe It is euen so for we can by no meanes make amendes for the leste faute that we haue commytted if God dyd not vse his bountifull lyberalytie towardes vs by for geuynge them frely euery one ¶ The minister What profyte commeth to vs by that that we are pardoned of our sinnes ¶ The childe Besydes that that we are delyuered therby from the paynes of hell we become as acceptable vnto God as if we were innocent and without al spot of vnryghteousnesse and also our consciences be surely perswaded that he beareth a tender fatherlye affection towardes vs whereby we attayne to euerlastynge healthe and felycytye ¶ The minister When thou makest thy praier that he wyl pardon vs our offences euen as we pardon them which trespasse agaynst vs doest thou meane hereby that we meryte or deserue to haue oure synnes forgeuen in that that we forgeue other men theyr fautes ¶ The childe No verely for by that meanes we shoulde not haue pardon of oure synnes Oure sinnes be pardoned freely freelye and for naught neither should the remyssyon of them be suffycientlye grounded vpon
and certifye vs therein that we are bone of his bones and fleshe of his fleshe Ephe. 5 agayn that he is the bread of life whiche came downe from heauen to nourish our soules and in an other place Ihon. 6. that we are one with hym Ihon. 17. euen as he hymselfe is one with hys father and suche lyke ¶ The minister What is there more to be had in the sacramente or to what vse doth it serue vs besydes ¶ The childe This is the difference that Christe his benefites be more euidently liuely and plenteouslye set furth vnto vs for albeit that our sauiour Christ be in very deede exhibited vnto vs and is made oures by baptisme also and by the preachyng of hys word that is but in a parte as it were and not fully ¶ The minister What is it than briefelye that we haue by this sygne of bread ¶ The childe what doth the sygne of bread teache vs. That the bodye of our Lord Iesus for so muche as it was once offered vp for vs in sacrifice to bryng vs in to gods fauour is now geuen vnto vs to assure vs that we are partakers of thys ioyfull reconciliacion ¶ The minister And what haue we by the signe of wyne ¶ The childe what is signified to vs by the wyne It assureth vs that as oure lord Iesus dyd shed his bloud once on the crosse for a full pryce recompence of al our sinnes euen so he now geueth it vnto our soule to drinke wherby we should not doubt to receiue the fruite benefite therof ¶ The minister By these thy aunsweres I gather that the lordes supper doth direct and as it were conduite vs to the death and passyon of our sauiour Christe to the entent we may be partakers of the vertue ād profite therof ¶ The childe It doeth euen so for euen then when he suffered the onelye and euerlastynge sacrifice was offered vp for our redempciō Wherefore there remayneth nowe nothynge elles but that we should haue the fruites therof ¶ The minister The supper then was it not ordeyned to offer vp the bodye bloud of our sauiour to God hys father The lords supper is not a sacrifice propiciatorie ¶ The childe No Christ alone is the euerlastyng byshop Hebru 5. Mat. 26. for there is none but he alone vnto whō that office belongeth for so much as he is the euerlastynge sacrificer but the charge that he hath geuē vnto vs is that we doe receyue hys bodye ād not offre it ¶ The minister Sonday 53 Wherefore be there .ii. sygnes institute ¶ The childe Our Lorde dyd that to helpe thereby our infyrmite signifying that he is as wel the drinke as the meate of our soule The ordeining of two sygnes was for our wekenes to the end we might be content to seke our nourishment fully and wholy in hym and no where elles ¶ The minister Doth the second signe which is the cup belong indifferentely vnto al men ¶ The childe Yea and that by the commaundement of our sauiour Christ contrary whereunto we maye in no wyse doe ¶ The minister Receiue we in the supper onely the tokens of the thinges afore rehearsed eyther are they effectually in dede there geuen vnto vs ¶ The childe Forsomuche as our Sauiour Christ it the truth it selfe it is nothyng to be doubted that the promises whiche he made at his supper be not there in dede accomplished and that which is figured by the sygnes is truely perfourmed so then according as he there made promes and as the signes do represent theris no doute but he maketh vs partakers of hys verye substaunce to make vs also one with hym and in one lyfe with hym ¶ The minister How we receiue Christ in the supper But tel me how thys may be done seyng the body of our sauiour Christ is in heauen and we are here as pilgrimes on the earth ¶ The childe Verely it cummeth to passe by the woonderous and vnsearcheable woorkynge of hys spirite who ioyneth easelye together thynges beynge farre a sundre in place ¶ The minister Thy mind is then that his body is not presently included in the bread neither his bloud conteyned within the cup. ¶ The childe No not a whit but cleane contrary wise what is to be done yf we wyl ceceaue the subtance of the sacraments if we wil haue the substaunce of the sacrament the every thing which is signified therby we must at the receiuing therof lift vp our heartes into heauen where oure sauioure Christ is in the glory of his father from whence we haue sure hope that he wil come for oure redempcion therfore we maye not searche hym in these corruptible elementes as if he were presently there ¶ The minister So then thy iudgemente is that there be two thynges in thys Sacramente the substaunce of breade and wyne whyche we see wyth the eye touche with our hād ād feele or sauoure with oure taste also our sauiour Christ by whome oure soules are inwardlye nouryshed ¶ The childe You say truth Pleadges of oure resurrection and in such sort that we haue therewith also a sure token and as it were an earnest penye of the rysyng agayn of our bodies in somuch as they are already made partakers of the signe of lyfe ¶ The minister Sonday 54 How ought thys sacrament to be vsed ¶ The childe 1. Cor. 11. Saincte Paule teacheth the right maner of the vsyng therof which is that euery man examine hymselfe before that he come vnto it ¶ The minister Wherein ought a man to trye and examyne hymselfe ¶ The childe He muste considre whether he be a true membre of Christ our Sauioure ¶ The minister Wherby may a man haue sure knowledge thereof ¶ The childe If he haue a faythe or ryghte considence in Goddes promises The sure tokēs of a true Coristian being inwardlye sorye for hys synnes and doe loue hys neyghboure with an vnfeyned charitie not keping in his hearte anye rancoure hatred or debate ¶ The minister But is it requisite to haue a perfecte faythe and perfecte charitie ¶ The childe We must nedes haue both the one the other sound right not counterfaited but to speake of suche a perfection as vnto which nothing can be added a man shal not be able to finde it in the whole multitude of men so then thys supper had bene a thing ordeined in vaine if none were mete to come to it vnlesse he were throughly perfect ¶ The minister By this saying our imperfection doth no whit hynder vs from cumming therunto ¶ The childe No verely but rather contrariwyse it shoulde stande vs in no steade if we wer not vnperfecte for it is as an helpe and succour agaynste oure infyrmitye ¶ The minister Doe these two sacramentes serue to no other ende but to supporte and beare vp our imperfection ¶ The childe Yes they are also very signes
and badges of our profession that is to say by them we protest openly that we are the people of God and make open profession of our christen relygyon ¶ The minister What shall we then iudge of him that refuseth to vse them ¶ The childe We ought not to count hym a christen mane for in so doing he refuseth to confesse or knowledge hymselfe to be a christian and what is that els but as it were couertly to refuse Christe ¶ The minister Is it inough to receyue them bothe once onelye in oure lyfe tyme ¶ The childe Baptisme was ordeyned to be receiued but once wherefore it is not lawfull to be christened again but it is other wise to be thought of the supper ¶ The minister What is the reason therof ¶ The childe How it is that we receaue the supper oftimes though we maye be but once baptysed This by baptysme God doethe brynge and receyue vs into his churche and when he hath once receyued vs he declareth also to vs by the supper that he wyll feede vs continually ¶ The minister Sonday 55 To whome belongeth the minystracion of baptisme and of the Lordes supper ¶ The childe Vnto them who haue taken charge to preach openly in the churche To whom the ministracion of the sacrameÌ„tes doe belonge for the preachyng of Goddes worde and the ministracion of the sacramentes be thynges ioynctely belongyng to one kynde of office ¶ The minister Is there not a substancyal profe to be brought for thys ¶ The childe Yes verely Mat. 28 for our Lorde geueth speciall charge to hys Apostles as well to baptyse as to preach and as touchyng the supper he geueth them iniunction to folowe hys exaumple nowe he did the parte of a minyster in that he gaue and distributed it to others ¶ The childe The pastours who be the mynysters of the sacramentes ought they to receyue indifferently euery person that commeth ¶ The childe As touchyng baptisme whoe oughte to he shut out froÌ„ the supper forsomuche as there be none in our tyme baptysed but lytle chyldren there oughte to be no choise vsed but as coÌ„cerning the supper the minister muste haue so muche dyscrecyon as to refuse to geue it to them that be vtterly vnworthy ¶ The minister Wherfore ¶ The childe Because that otherwyse the supper of the Lorde should be defyled and dishonored ¶ The minister But yet our Lorde admytted Iudas to the holy supper notwithstanding his wickednes ¶ The childe wherefore Iudas was admitted to the supper Yea for his wickednes was hytherto hyd aÌ„d albeit oure Lorde knewe it ryghte well yet was it not notoryous and knowen vnto men ¶ The minister What waye is to be vsed then towardes the hipocrites ¶ The childe The minister ought not to exclude aÌ„dshut oute them as vnworthy but he must tary vntill it shall please GOD to make their close wyckednesse knowen ¶ The minister What if he hymselfe knowe or if he be prieuely aduertised of any suche ¶ The childe That is not a sufficiente cause for him to denie them the supper vnlesse he haue the thinge tryed by suffyciente profe and ther with the iudgement of the congregacion ¶ The minister Is it then meete to haue a polytyke order touchynge thys matter ¶ The childe What els if the congregacion be wel ordered there muste be certayne appoynted to watche and take dyligente heede for suche opeÌ„ crimes as may be committed and they hauynge auctorytye ought in the name of the whole congregation to inhibite such as be by no meanes mete neither can be partakers therof withoute the dyshonoure of God and the offence of the faythfull The ende of the instruction of children in the fayth THE MANER TO EXAmine chyldren before they be admitted to the Supper of the lord ¶ Fyrst the Minister asketh IN whome doest thow beleue ¶ The childe answereth I beleue in god the father and in Iesus Christ his sonne and in the holy ghoste and loke to be saued by non other meanes ¶ The minister The father the sonne and the holy ghost be they any more then one god ¶ The childe No althogh they be distinct in persone ¶ The minister What is the effect of thy fayth ¶ The childe That god the father of our lord Iesus Christ and so by hym of vs all is the beginnynge aÌ„d principall cause of all thiÌ„ges the which he gouerneth in such sorte that nothinge can be done with owte his ordinance and prouidence Next that Iesus Christ his sonne came downe into this world aÌ„d accomplished all thinges which were necessary for our saluation And asceÌ„ded into heauen where he sitteth at the right haÌ„d of the father that is that he hath all power in heauen aÌ„d in earth And shall come agayne frome thence to iudge the whole world Forthermore that the holy ghoste is very god becawse he is the vertue aÌ„d power of god aÌ„d impriÌ„teth iÌ„ our hartes the ê“messes made vnto vs in Iesus Christ And fynally that the churche is sanctified and delyuered from their synnes through the mercies of god and shall after this life rise againe to lyfe euerlastinge ¶ The minister Must we serue God accordinge as he hath commaunded or elles as mens traditions teache vs ¶ The childe We most serue hym as he hath taught vs bi his word and coÌ„maundementes and not accordinge to the commaundementes of men ¶ The minister Canst thow kepe gods commaundements of thy selfe ¶ The childe No verely ¶ The minister Who then doth kepe and fulfill theym in thee ¶ The childe The holy ghoste ¶ The minister When God then geuethe thee his holy ghoste caÌ„st thou parfytely obserue theym ¶ The childe No not so ¶ The minister Why God doth curse and reiect all such as do not in euery point fulfyll his commaundements ¶ The childe It is true ¶ The minister By what meanes then shalt thow be saued aÌ„d deliuered frome the curse of God ¶ The childe By the death and passion of our lord Iesus Christ ¶ The minister How so ¶ The childe For becawse that by his death he hath restored vs to lyfe and recoÌ„ciled vs to God his father ¶ The minister To whome doest thow make thy prayers ¶ The childe I pray to God in the name of our lord Iesus Christ our aduocat and mediator referring all my prayers to that scope which Christ our sauiour hath left vs as a moste sufficient and absolute rule ¶ The minister How many Sacraments are there in Christs Church ¶ The childe Two Baptisme and the lords Supper ¶ The minister What is ment by Baptisme ¶ The childe First it signifieth that we haue forgiuenes of our synnes by the blood of Christ Secondly it setteth before our eyes our regeneration or newe spirituall birth ¶ The minister What signifieth the Supper of the lord ¶ The childe That by the spirituall eatinge and drinkinge of the body and bloude of our lord Iesus Christ our sowles are norished vnto lyfe
frome heauen of whome who so euer eateth shall lyue for euer and raigne with hym in glorie worlde without ende So be yt A Thankes geuinge after meales LEt all nations magnifie the lord Psal 117. let all people reioyce in praysinge and extollinge his great mercies For his fatherly kindnes is plentifully shewede forth vpon vs and the trewth of his promesse endureth for euer WE render 1 Col. 3. c. thākes vnto thee ò lord God for the manifold benefites which we contynually receyue at thy bountefull hande not onely for that it hath pleased thee to feede vs in this present lyfe geuinge vnto vs all thinges necessarie for the same but especially because thow haste of thy free mercies 2 Rom. 8. c. Tit. 3. b. fashioned vs a newe into an assured hope of a farr better lyfe the which thowe hast 3 2. Tim. 1. b. declared vnto vs by thy holye gospell Therfore we humbly beseche the o heauenly father that thow wylt not suffer our affections to be so 4 1. Ioh. 2. ◠entangled or rooted in these earthly and corruptible thinges but that we may alwayes haue our mindes directed to thee on 5 1. Tim. 2. b. high continually watchinge for the 6 1. Cor. 1. b comminge of our lord and sauyor Christ 7 Rom. 8. d what tyme he shall appeare for our full redemption to whom with thee and the holie ghost be all honor and glorie for euer and euer So be it Euenynge prayers O LORD God father euerlastinge and full of pitie we acknowledge and confesse that we be not 1 Luk. 15. d. 18. c worthie to lyft vp our eies to heauen muche lesse to present our selues before thy Maiestie with confidence that thow wilt heare our prayers and grawnt our requestes if we consider our owne deseruinges for our consciences do accuse vs ād our synnes witnes against vs ād we knowe that thow arte ā vpright iudge which doest not iustifie the sinners ād wicked mē but 2 Exod. 2. a. ponishes the fautes of all suche as transgresse thy commaundementes Yet moste mercifull father since it hath pleased thee to 3 Psal 50. c. commaunde vs to call on thee in all our troubles and aduersities promesinge euen then to helpe vs when we fele our selues as it were swalloued vp of death and 4 Psal 18. a desperation we vtterly renounce all worldely confidence and flee to thy soueraigne bountie as our onely stay and refuge besechinge thee not to call to 5 Psal 79. b. remembrance our manifold synnes and wickednes wherby we contynually prouoke thy wrath and indignation against vs neither our negligence and vnkindnes which haue neither worthely estemed nor in our lyues sufficiently expressed the swete comfort of thy gospell reueled vnto vs but rather to accept the obedience and death of thy sonne Iesus Christ who by offeringe vp his bodie in 6 Hebr. 9 10 sacrifice once for all hath made a sufficient recompence for all our synnes Haue mercie therfore vpon vs o lord and forgiue vs our 7 Psal 19. d offences Teache vs by thy holie spirite that we may rightlye waye theym and earnestly repent for the same And so muche the rather o lord becawse that the 8 Psal 58. a reprobate ād suche as thow hast forsakē can not prayse thee nor call vpon thy name but the 9 Psal 5. e repētinge harte the sorowfull minde the consciēce oppressed 10 Psal 107. a hungringe and thirstinge for thy grace shall euer sett forthe thy prayse and glorie And albeit we be but 11 Psal 22. a. wormes and dust yet thow arte our creator and we be the worke of thy handes yea thow arte our 12 2. Cor. 6. b. father and we thy children thow arte our shepherde ād we thy flocke thow arte our redemer and we the people whom thow haste boght thow arte our God and we thyn enheritance 13 Ier. 10. b. Psal 6. a. Correcte vs not therfore in thyne anger ò lord neither accordinge to our desertes poneshe vs but mercifully chastice vs with a fatherly affectiō that all the world may knowe that at what 14 Eze. 18. d tyme so euer a synner doth repent hym of his synne frome the bottome of his hart thow wylt put away his wickednes owt of thy remembrāce as thow haste promesed by thy holy Prophete (.) This marke directeth vs to that part of the morninge prayer that is for thincrease of the gospell which also may be sayd here as tyme erueth Finally forasmoche as it hath pleased thee to make the night for man to rest in as thow haste ordeyned hym the day to trauell graunt o deare father that we may so take our bodely rest that our soules may contynually 15 Luke 12. e. watche for the tyme that our lord Iesus Christe shall appeare for our deliuerance owte of this mortall lyfe and in the meane season that we not ouercome by any 16 Mat. 6. b. tentations fantasies dreames or illusions may fully set our mindes vpon thee loue thee feare thee and rest in thee furthermore that our sleape be not 17 Luke 21. e. excessiue or ouermoche after the insaciable desires of our fleshe but onely sufficiēt to content our weake nature that we may be better disposed to lyue in all godly conuersation to the glory of thy holy name and profett of our brethern So be it A PRAYER MADE at the first assemble of the congregation When the confessiō of our faithe and Whole orders of the church Was there red and approued O lord God almightie and father moste mercifull there is 1 3. king 8. c. none lyke thee in heauen nor in earthe which workest all thinges for the glorie of thy name and the comfort of thyne elect Thow dydst once make man ruler ouerall thy creatures and 2 Gen. 1. d. 2. b. placed hym in the garden of all pleasures but how sone alas dyd he in his felicitie 3 Gen. 3. d. forget thy goodnes Thy people Israell also in their wealth dyd euermore runne 4 Exod. 23. b. astray abusinge thy manifold mercies lyke as all fleshe contynually rageth when it hath gotten libertie and externall prosperitie But such is thy wisdome adioyned to thy mercies deare father that thow 5 Ezech. 18. g. sekest all meanes possible to brynge thy chyldrene to the sure sens and lyuely feelinge of thy fatherly fauor And therfore when prosperitie wyll not serue then sendest thow aduersitie graciously 6 Hebr. 12. a. Prouerb 7. a. correctinge all thy chyldren whome thow receyuest into thy howshold Wherfore we wretched and miserable synners render vnto thee moste humble and hartie thankes that yt hath pleased thee to call vs home to thy folde by thy fatherly correction at this present wheras in our prosperitie and libertie we dyd neglect thy graces offred vnto vs. For the which negligence ād many other greuous synnes wherof we now accuse our selues before thee thow mightest moste iustely haue gyuen vs vp to 7 Rom. 1. d reprobate mynds and induration of our hartes as thow haste done others But suche is thy goodnes ô lord that thow semest 8 Esa 47. d. to forget all our offences and haste called vs of thy good pleasure frome all Idolatries into this Citie moste christianlye refourmed to professe thy name and to suffer some 9 Matth. 5. a. crosse emongeste thy people for thy trewth ād gospells sake and so to be thy 10 Luk 24. g. Acte 1. a. wytnesses with thy prophets and Apostles yea with thy dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christ our head to whome thow dost begynne here to fashon vs lyke that in his 11 1. Ioh. 3. a. glorie we may also be lyke hym when he shall appeare O lord God what 12 Psal 8. a. are we vpon whome thowe shuldest shewe this great mercye O moste louynge lord forgyue vs our vnthankefulnes and all our synnes for Iesus Christs sake O heauenly father increase thy holie spirite in vs to teache our hartes to crye 13 Gal. 4. a. Abba deare father to assure vs of our eternall election in Christ to reuele thy wyll more and more towards vs to confirme vs so in thy trewthe that we may lyue and dye therein and that by the power of the same spirite we may boldely gyue an accompts of our faith to all men with humblenes and mekenes that 14 1. Peter 3. c. where as they backbyte and slaunder vs as euyll doers they may be ashamed and once stopp their mowthes seinge our good conuersation in Christ Iesu for whose sake we beseche the o lord God to guyde gouerne and prosper this our enterprise in assemblinge our bretherne to prayse thy holie name And not onely to be here present with vs thy chyldrene 15 Math. 18. d. according to thy promesse but also mercifullie to assist thy like persecuted people our bretherne gathered in all other places that they and we consentinge together in one 16 Rom. 15. b. spirite and truethe may all worldly respectes set a part seke thy onely honor and glorie in all our and their assembles So be it 1. Cor. 3. No man can laye any other foundation then that which is layed euen Iesus Christe INTRATE PER ARCTAMVIAM Imprinted at Geneua by Iohn Crespin Anno. D. M.D.LVI the tenthe of february