I am not come to call the righteoâ—s but sinners to repentance Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease you Repent and beleue the Gospell I say vnto you that ioy shall bee in heauen ouer one sinner that repeÌ„teth more then ouer ninetie and nine iust persons which neede no repentaunce The sonne of man is come to â—eke to saue that which was lost Repent and conuert that your sinnes may be done away As ye haue geuen your members seruauntes to vncleannes and to iniquitie from one iniquitie to an other euen so now geue ouer your members seruauntes vnto righteousnes that ye may be sanctified Put of that olde man which is corrupt according to the deceaueable lustes and bee ye renued in the spirite of your minde putting on that new man which after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines Mortifiâ— your earthy members fornication vncleannes vnnaturall lust euill coÌ„cupiscence and couetousnes which is worshipping of Idoles For which thinges sake the wrath of God vseth to come on the disobedient children among whom ye walked sometime when ye liued in them But now put ye also away froÌ„ you all such thinges wrath fearcenes maliciousnes cursed speaking filthy coÌ„munication Lie not one to an other seing that ye haue put of the olde man with his workes and haue put on the new maÌ„ which is renued into the knowledge and image of hym that made hym Therfore as the electe of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnes humblenes of minde meekenes long suffering forbearing one an other and forgeuing one an other if any man haue a quarrell agaynst an other as Christ forgaue you euen so do ye Aboue all these thinges put on loue which is the bond of perfection And what soeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesu geuing thankâ—â— to God the father by hym ¶ Of Baptisme ¶ What Baptisme is BAptisme is the ordinaunce of Christ to washe euery beleuing Christian with water in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost S. Paule calleth Baptisme the fountaine of the new birth and renuing of the holy ghost ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures All power is geuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Goe ye therefore and teach all nacions baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost teaching theÌ„ to obserue all thinges what soeuer I haue commaunded you Goe ye into all the world and preach y â— Gospell to euery creature He that beleueth and is haptised shall be saued But he that beleueth not shall be damned Except a maÌ„ be borne froÌ„ aboue he can not see y â— kingdome of God Uerily verily I say vnto thee except a maÌ„ be borne of water and of y â— spirite he caÌ„not enter into the kingdome of God That which is borne of the fleshe is flesh and that which is borne of y â— spirit is spirite ¶ To what vse Baptisme was vsed First to be a sure seale and an euident testimony vnto vs that God the father for his sonne Iesus Christes sake hath freely forgeuen vs all our sinnes receaued vs into hys fauour and geuen vs the holy ghost by whoÌ„ we are borne a new not of mortall but of immortall seede by whom also we are made the sonnes and heyres of God and through sayth reckened pure and holy in hys godly sight ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued Repent you of your sinnes and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receaue the gift of the holy ghost Christ loued the congregation gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountaine of water through the worde to make it vnto him self a glorious coÌ„gregation without spot or wrinckle or any such thing that it should be holy and without blame Not by the deedes of righteousnes which we wrought but according to his mercy hath hee saued vs by y e fountaine of the new birth and renuing of y e holy ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that wâ— iustified by hys grace should bee made heyres according to the hope of eternall life Baptisme saueth vs not by the putting away of the filth of y â— flesh but in that a good conscience consenteth to God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ which is on the right hand of God and is gone into heauen Secondly to put vs in remembrance that for as much as we are become the souldiours of Christ we ought so long as we liue valiauntly to fight agaynst the deuill the world and the fleshe to mortifie all vncleane lustes to die vnto sinne and to rise againe new meÌ„ bearing the image of Christ and fashioning our conuersation and maners after his example that we may learne the Lord our God in such holines and righteousnes as is allowed before hym all the dayes of our life ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures know ye not that all we which are baptised into Iesus Christ are baptised to die with hym We are buried then with him by baptisme for to dye that likewise as Christ was raised from death by the glory of the father euen so we also should walke in a new life For if we bee graft in death like vnto hym euen so shall we partakers of the resurrection knowing this that our old maÌ„ is crucified with hym also that the body of sinne might vtterly bee destroyed y t hence forth we should not be seruauntes vnto sinne For hee that is dead is iustified from sinne Wherefore if we bee dead with Christ we beleue that we shall also liue with him All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ. Ye are buryed with Christ thorow baptisme in whom ye are also risen againe thorow fayth that is wrought by the operation of God which raysed hym from death If ye then bee risen againe with Christ seke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on heauenly thinges not on earthly thinges For ye are dead your life is hid with Christ in God When soeuer Christ which is your life shall shewe him selfe then shall ye also appeare with hym in glory ¶ Of the Lordes Supper ¶ What the Lordes Supper is THe Lordes Supper is an holy and heauenly bancket in the which the faythfull Christians besides the corporall eating of the bread the outward drinking of the wine do spiritually thorow fayth both eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud vnto the confirmation of their fayth the comfort of their conscience and the saluation of their soules ¶ To what vse Christ did institute hys holy Supper
Fyrst to put vs in remembraunce that hys body was broken and hys bloud shed for our redemption ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The Lord Iesus the same night in the which he was betrayed toke bread and when hee had geuen thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples saying Take ye eate thys is my body which is broken for you Thys doe ye in the remembrance of me After the same maner also he toke y ◠cup whē supper was done saying This cup is the new testament in my bloud This do as oft as ye drinke it in remēbrance of me For as oftē as ye shall eate this bread drinke of thys cup ye shall shew the Lords death till he come When they were eating Iesus tooke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayd Take eate this is my body And he tooke the cup and thanked and gaue it them saying drinke ye all of thys For thys is my bloud which is of the new testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes As they did eate Iesus tooke bread and when hee had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue it to them and sayd Take eate thys is my body And he toke the cup and when he had geuen thankes he tooke it to thē and they all dranke of it and he sayd vnto them Thys is my bloud of the new testament which is shed for many He tooke bread and whē he had geuen thankes he brake it gaue vnto them saying This is my body which is geuen for you This do in the remēbraunce of me Likewise also when he had supped he tooke the cup saying This cup is the new testament in my bloud which is shed for you Secondly to stirre vs vp vnto thankesgeuing while we consider how precious great and inestimable benefites we haue receaued of God the father by the death of hys sonne as deliueraunce from Sathan freedome from the curse of the lawe forgeuenes of sinnes the fauour and good will of God quietnes of conscience the holy ghost righteousnes victory against sinne death and hell saluation and finally euerlasting life That we should not be vnthankfull but rather ioyfully burst out into all kinde of spirituall prayses lauding and magnifying God the father for these hys most hie and singular free giftes the Lord Christ did institute thys holy supper Therfore it is called of the aunciēt Doctors Sacramentum Eucharistiae i. the Sacrament of thankesgeuing ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures All that beleued continued daily with one accorde in y ◠temple and brake bread from house to house and did eate their meate together with gladnes singlenes of hart praysing God Is not the cup of thankesgeuing for y ◠which we geue thankes partaking of the bloud of Christ Is not y ◠bread which we breake partaking of the body of Christ Thirdly to put vs in remembraunce that as the bread which we eate at the Lordes table is made of many graines one loafe and the wine pressed together of sondry grapes is made one wine so we being many are one body wherof Christ is the head And because we all are one body we ought all to be beneficiall one to an other one to loue an other one to beare with an other one to wishe well vnto an other and one to doe for an other what soeuer we be able euen to the vttermost of our power as our head Christ for our health and for our saluation disdained not to bestow his very life and to suffer death euen the death of the crosse for our redemption And as we presently at the receauing of the holy mysteries of Christes body bloud do inioy through fayth in Gods promises all the benefites which Christ obtayned for vs by hys blessed death and glorious passion so lykewise ought they that be partakers of the Lordes table euery one according to hys habilitie at that present to be beneficiall to the poore members of Christ and somewhat to geue that may relieue thē euer after also whē occasion is geuen gladly to distribute vnto the needie some porcion of their goodes wherwith God hath endued them That thys was the custome in the Apostles tyme and in the Primatiue Church yea and long after till the Popishe Masse had driuen out of the Church the right vse of the Lordes supper it is euident enough by diuers testimonyes both of the holy Scriptures and of auncient historyes That we are all one body ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures As we haue many members in one body and all members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery man among our selues one an others member We though we be many yet are one bread and one body in as much as we all are partakers of one bread As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of one body though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ. For by one spirite are we all baptised to make one body whether we bee Iewes or Gentiles whether we be bonde or free and haue all drunke of one spirite For the body is not one member but many c. Therefore if one member suffer all suffer with hym If one member be had in honour all members be glad also Ye are the body of Christ and members one of an other ¶ Of the distribution to the needie All that beleued kept thē selues together and had all thinges common solde their possessions and goods and parted them to all mē as euery man had neede Great grace was there with all them that beleued Neyther was there any among thē that lacked For as many as were possessours of landes or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde it downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede Distribute vnto the necessitie of the Saintes Be ready to harbour As concerning the gathering for the Sainctes let euery one of you vpō some Sabbaoth day put aside lay vp what soeuer is meete c. It is not my minde that other be set at ease and ye brought into combrance but that there be equalnes now at this tyme and that your abundance may succour their lacke and that their abundaunce may supply your lacke that there may be equalitie agreing to that which is writtē He that had much had not the more abundaunce and he y t had litle had neuer the lesse c. Read the Chapter Of the ministring to y t Saintes it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you for I know the readines of your mind c. Yet this I say he that soweth little shall reape little and he y t soweth in geuing largely and freely shall reape
Probations out of the holy Scriptures I will call vpoÌ„ the Lord which is worthy to be praysed so shall I be safe from myne enemyes King Ezechias by prayer was deliuered from the proude wicked tyraunt Senacherib both hee and all hys So likewise was Ioseph Daniell Susanna Peter c. By prayer we get the victory of our enemies in battell ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The people of Israell gotte the victory ouer the Amalechites so long as Moyses prayed for them When the blacke Mores came out to fight agaynst Asa King of Iuda Asa prayed vnto the Lorde and the Lorde gaue him the victory so that all his enemies were destroyed in battell Read y e chapter Iudas Machabeus after he had called on the name of the Lord got a noble victory of Gorgias and his company By prayer we obtaine health of body ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The miracles which Christ wrought vpon theÌ„ that were diseased fled vnto hym for helpe with faythfull prayer proue this true By prayer we obtaine all thinges necessary for the body ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Moyses by prayer obtained MaÌ„na from heauen for the Israelites Helias by prayer obtained raine of God to water the earth By prayer our sinnes are forgeuen vs. ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures I sayd I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer to thee in a time when thou mayest be found I forgaue thee all that det wheÌ„ thou desiredst me The sinfull Publicaue praying for remission of hys sinnes went home more righteous in the sight of God then the proud Pharisey If any be diseased among you let him call for the elders of the coÌ„gregation and let them pray ouer him and annoint him with oyle in the name of y e Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise hym vp and if he be in sinnes they shall be forgeuen hym By prayer we ouercome the deuill and all our ghostly enemies ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Thys kinde of deuils is not cast out but by prayer and fasting Watch and pray that ye fall not into temptation The spirite is willing but the fleshe is weake By prayer we obtaine God the holy Ghost ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures If ye which are euill can geue your children good giftes how much more shall your father which is in heauen geue the holy ghost to them that desire it of hym As the disciples of Christ were gathered together in one place and continued in prayer they were all filled with the holy ghost By prayer we obtaine all good thinges both for the body and soule ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures What thinges soeuer ye desire wheÌ„ ye pray beleue that ye receaue them and ye shall haue them The haruest is much but the labourers are fewe Pray ye therfore the Lorde of y e haruest that he will send labourers into hys haruest If any of you lacke wisedome let hym aske of hym that geueth it euen God which geueth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth and it shall bee geuen him But let him aske in fayth c. The Lord is euen at hand Bee careful for nothing but in all prayer and supplication let your peticions bee knowen vnto God with thank esgeuing ¶ Many other benefites receaue we of God through prayer which here to rehearse were to long Read diligently my booke called the Pathway vnto Prayer and that shall sufficiently instructe thée in all thingâ—s concerning prayer ¶ The Lordes prayer called the Pater noster with confirmations of euery Peticion out of the holy Scripture The Disciples sayd vnto Christ Lord teach vs to pray And he said vnto them when ye pray say Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. ¶ The Preface of the Lordes Prayer OVr Father which art in heauen ☞ The confirmations Our Father Is not the Lord God the father and thine honour Hath hee not made thee ordayned thee Thou O Lorde God art our father and redemer Haue we not all one father Hath not God made vs no â—hy doth euery one of vs then despise hys owne brother Should not a sonne honour his father and a seruaunt hys master If I bee now a Father where is myne honour If I bee a Lorde where is my feare Ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receaued y â— spirite of adoption wherby we cry Abba that is to say father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of God If we bee sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God fellow heyres annexed with Christ. Which art in Heauen HeaueÌ„ is my seate â–ª and the earth is my footestoole The Lorde hath prepared his seate in heauen Our God is in heauen hee doth whatsoeuer pleaseth hym Unto thee lift I vp myne eyes which dwellest in the heauens Call no man father vpon earth for one is your father which is in heauen ¶ The first Peticion HAllowed bee thy name ☞ The confirmations I will make the name of my holines to be knowen amoÌ„g my people of Israell and I wil not let my holy name to be euill spoken of any more but y â— very heathen also shall know that I am the Lord the holy one of Israell The time shall come that who soeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued From the rising vppe of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentries yea and that in all places The Lord gaue and the Lorde hath taken away Now blessed bee the name of the Lord. Sing vnto the Lorde and prayse hys name Bee telling of hys saluation from day to day Declare hys honour among the Heathen and hys wonders among all people I will declare thy name vnto my brethren In the middest of the congregation will I prayse thee The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flyeth vnto it and shall be saued By Christ do we offer the sacrifice of prayer alwayes vnto God that is to say y e fruite of those lips which confesse hys name ¶ The second Peticion THy Kingdome come ☞ The confirmations Seeke fyrst the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof and all thynges shall be ministred vnto you The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence the violent plucke it vnto them Who soeuer receaueth not the kingdome of God as a childe hee shall not enter into it Except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kingdome of God
The Principles of Christian Religion necessary to be knowen of all the faythfull set forth to the great profite in trayning vp of all youth by Tho. Becon Iohn xiij If ye know these thinges blessed are ye if ye doe them Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate AN. 1569. ¶ Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAC TAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calimo pictor arte vides Mentis quā nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis 〈◊〉 ipse suis. ¶ The Contentes of this Booke Of fayth WHat fayth is What benefites we receiue of God through◠fayth The Articles of the Christian fayth with confirmations of the same out of the holy Scriptures Of prayer What prayer is What benefites we receiue of God by prayer The Lordes Prayer called the Pater noster with confirmations of euery peticion out of the holy Scripture Of the law What the law is To what vse the law was geuen The x. commaundementes of God with confirmations of euery commaundemēt out of the holy Scripture Of Repentaunce What repentaunce is Of the fruites of repētaunce declared by the word of God Of Baptisme What Baptisme is For what vse Baptisme was ordained Of the Lordes Supper What the Lordes Supper is To what vse Christ did institute it The duty of all estates and degrees accordyng to the doctrine of Gods holy word The dutie of the hye powers and of the other temporall Magistrates The dutie of Subiectes toward the hi◠powers The dutie of Byshops and Ministers of Gods worde The duetie of Parishioners vnto the Ministers of Gods word The dutie of Husbandes vnto their wiues The duetie of Wiues vnto their Husbandes The duetie of Fathers and Mothers vnto their children The duetie of Children towardes their Fathers and Mothers The duetie of Maisters to their Seruauntes The duetie of Seruauntes to their Maisters The duetie of Widowes The duetie of Olde men The duetie of Olde women The duetie of Young folke The duetie of all degrees and estates generally both toward God and their neighbour FINIS To the most gentle and godly disposed childe M. Thomas Cecill sonne to the right honourable Syr Williā Cecill Knight and Secretary to the Kings Maiestie Thomas Becon wisheth the fauour of God with the encrease of vertue and learning II of holy letters we be not sleepie nor vaine readers but diligētly marke what we read we shall easilie perceaue that among other commaundementes of God this is not the last nor the least which he geueth cōcerning the bringing vp of youth in y ◠knowledge of his blessed will For y ◠godly wisedome knoweth right well that except the younglinges of a common weale be vertuously brought vp and faithfully framed according to the right rule of Gods holy appointment it can not come to passe but that his glory the good parentes being once deceased must needes bee obscured in thys world the inuocation of his name cease and all godly religion decay yea the men them selues if they bee worthy that name must needes become brutelike and be caryed about with euery straunge doctrine cōtemne all laudable lawes breake all good orders follow their fleshly appetites lyke vnreasonable beastes so at last bring both thēselues their realmes vnto vtter destruction Therfore as God in his holy law requireth of parentes nothing more earnestly thē to bring vp their children vertuously and according to his word so likewise all godly fathers and mothers haue euer from the beginning done their vttermost endeuour to traine vp their younglinges euen from the very cradells in the nurture feare and doctrine of the Lord supposing them selues then best to please God and most to doe the true office of godly and naturall parentes when they studie how to garnish not theyr childrens bodies with gay and sumptuous vestures but their mindes with noble and precious vertues not bow to lift them vp to transitory dignities worldly honours which as dayly experiēce teacheth are more brittle then glasse and fade away lyke the grasse but how to make them honourable and prayse worthy in the sight of good mē and profitable to the cōmon weale through vertue learning wisedome and counsell And the more the parentes them selues did excell other in knowledge wisedome and learning the greater desire had they to bring their children vnto the lyke perfection bearing heauily that theirs shoulde in any poynt degenerate from their fathers vertues and not orderly aunswere to the godly qualities of their noble parentes Histories both godly and Ethnicke doe minister vnto vs examples aboundantly in this behalfe which I would here gladly recite if I had not attempted the lyke enterprise already in my preface to the Gouernance of Vertue Againe if I were not fully perswaded that you haue heretofore both red and also heard of your teacher the same or els the like histories Your right honourable and most worthy father knowing the good pleasure of God in thys behalfe hath also after the example of all other noble godly parentes painfully trauailed both by him self and by learned teachers to bring you vp euen frō your cradell in the knowledge of Gods will and of good letters that you might as in age so likewise in vertue and learning grow and encrease vnto hys comfort vnto your owne commendation vnto the profite of the common weale hereafter And as your father is learned and hath a brest stuffed with all godly vertues so is hys desire to haue you both learned vertuous that when he shall geue ouer to nature God so disposing hee may leaue behinde hym hys owne image yea as I may so speake hym selfe not onely in lineamentes of body but also in vertue in godlines in wisedome in knowledge and by thys meanes bee counted of hys posteritie a worthy member of the common weale both in him selfe and 〈◊〉 hys sonne It is your dutie therfore to satisfie the good desire of so naturall a father and to aunswere the expectation of many which looke to finde in you hereafter that vertue learning wisedome and grauitie that is euidently perceaued in your most worthy father Thys shall bee brought to passe if according to your beginning ye goe forth diligently to call on the name of God to applie your mind to good letters to giue eare to the wholsome admonicions of your most deare father and to take heede to the daily exhortations of your teacher euer framyng your life according to your knowledge And that ye may do this the more cōueniently I geue you thys little treatise which shall aboundauntly instructe you in those pointes of Christian Religion which at thys present do most of all become your age In it are cōtained the principles of our profession which I haue so opened with the conference of the other scriptures that they may worthily seeme to striue with large Cōmentaries I haue also set forth the duties
of all estates and degrees as they bee â—aught in Gods word that all ages and all kindes of people may here learne to know their dutie both toward God hys neighbour Neyther is any thyng taught in thys treatise that is not sufficiently fortressed with the authorities of the holy scriptures so that I doubt not but the godly learned which loue to heare the voyce of their shepheard Christ wil not disallow this my diligence Let other intreate of hie misteries clime vp to the hiest heauen I shall be content to write of thinges according to my knowledge and your capacitie to creepe vpon the ground Let other talke of the vnknowen secretes of the blessed trinitie of predestination of the state of the soules departed c. I will speake of the Articles of the Christian â—ayth of the Lordes prayer of the x. CoÌ„maundementes of the SacrameÌ„ts of Christes church c. Let other be counted y â— flowers of learning for opening I know not how secrete mysteries I force not to be called vnlearned so y â— I may know Christ crucified and in teaching him eyther by my writinges or sermons winne some vnto God But to end embrace vertue loue learning garnish your brest with the fruites of Gods spirite be not idle flie vaine and too much childishe pastimes spend your tyme fruitfully exercise your self in reading gods worde so shall God blesse you multiplie your yeares on earth and geue you ioyfull dayes vnto the great comfort of your self and the singular ioy of your honourable parentes whoÌ„ with you I wishe alway prosperously to do Fare ye well The Principles of Christian Religion Of Fayth What fayth is FAith is a sure perswasion and an vndoubted beliefe of y e hart in the mercifull promises of God made to all faythfull penitent sinners in Christes bloud and frely performed of God the father for Christes sake What benefites we receaue of God through fayth By fayth we which afore by nature were the children of wrath are made the sonnes and children of God ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures As many as receaued hym to theÌ„ gaue he power to be made y â— soÌ„nes of God euen theÌ„ y â— beleued on hys name which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of y â— flesh nor yet of the will of maÌ„ but of God All ye are y â— soÌ„nes of God because ye haue beleued on Christ Iesu. By fayth we which afore were sinners are iustified and counted righteous in the sight of God for Christes sake ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures We plainly affirme that a man is iustified by fayth without the workes of the law We being iustified by fayth haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesu Christ. We know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ we haue beleued on Iesu Christ that we might be â—ustified by the fayth of Christ not by the dedes of the lawe because by the deedes of the law no flesh shall be iustified As many of you as are iustified by the law are fallen from grace We looke and hope for in the spirite to bee iustified through fayth For in Iesâ— Christ neither is circumcision any thyng worth neyther yet vncircumcision but fayth which worketh by loue By fayth we are maryed vnto Christ. ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures I will mary thee vnto my self in fayth thou shalt know the Lord. Fayth is the wedding garment wherewith wee bee maried vnto Christ according to the parable which we read in the Gospell By fayth our prayers are accepted and heard of God ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures All thinges whatsoeuer ye aske in prayer if ye beleue ye shall receaue them Let him that prayeth aske in fayth and doubt not For hee that doubteth is like a waue of the sea which is tost with the windes and caried with violence Neyther let that man thinke that hee shall receaue any thing of the Lord. By fayth Christes fulfilling of the lawe is counted our fulfilling ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Christ is the fulfilling of the law to iustifie all that beleue Christ hath deliuered vs hee speaketh of the faythfull from the curse of the law in as much as hee was made accursed for our sakes Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren y t through thys man Christ is preached vnto you the forgeuenes of sinnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustified from all thinges from the which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moyses By fayth our workes are allowed before God for Christes sake ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Thine eyes O Lord loke vpon â—ayth Abells sacrifice was allowed of God because it was done in faith And so likewise were all the sacrifices which the holy Patriarkes and other godly men offered in the olde lawe By fayth euerlasting life is geuen vnto vs for Christes sake ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures As Moyses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that euery one that beleueth on hym may not perisâ—e but haue euerlasting life For God hath so loued the world that hee gaue hys onely begotten sonne that euery one that beleueth in hym may not perishe but haue euerlasting life He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlasting life But he y t beleueth not on y â— sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth on hym He that heareth my worde and beleueth on hym that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is scaped froÌ„ death vnto life This is the will of hym that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth in him hath euerlasting life ¶ The xij Articles of the Christian faythâ— with confirmations of the same out of the holy scripture ¶ The fyrst Article I Beleue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth ☜ The confirmations I beleue Without faith it can not be that any man should please God For he that commeth to God must beleue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that seeke hym In one God Heare O Israell the Lord our God is the Lord onely I am God there is none but I. I am y â— Lord there is els none I am the Lorde besides whom there is none other God A true God and such as saueth there is none but I alone I am he before whom there was neuer any God neither shall there be any after me I am yea I am Lorde alone and besides me there is no Sauiour I am the first and last besides me there is no God We are sure that there is none other
God but one The Father Thou O Lord art our father and redemer Thy name is from euerlasting Haue not we all one father Hath not one God created vs Why then doth euery one of vs despise hys owne brother so breake the couenaunt of our fathers Call no maÌ„ your father vpon the earth for one is your father which is in heauen We haue but one God euen the father of whom all thinges are One Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and one father of all which is aboue al and through all and in you all Almightie I am the almightie God walke before me and be thou perfecte Thou O Lorde art the great and mightie God whose name is the Lord of Hostes great in counsell and excellent in worke Beholde I am the Lorde God of all fleshe is there any thyng to hard for me Shall any thyng be vnpossible in my sight saith y â— Lord of Hostes With God al things are possible O Lorde God almightie true and righteous are thy iudgementes Maker of heauen and earth In the beginning God made heauen and earth The heaueÌ„s O Lord are thâ—â—â— the earth also is thine thou hast layde the foundation of the round worlde and all that therin is The Lorde made the heauens and spread them abroad and set forth the earth with her increase which geueth breath vnto the people that is in it and spirite to them that dwell therin O Lord God it is thou that hast made hauen and earth with thy great power and hie arme â–ª there is nothing hid from thee O Lorde thou art God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is God made all thinges thorowe Iesu Christ. ¶ The second Article ANd in Iesus Christ hys onely begotteâ— Sonne our Lord. ☜ The confirmations And in Iesus Christ. He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlasting life But hee that beleueth not on the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth vpon hym Thys is the worke of God y â— ye beleue on him whom he hath sent If ye beleue not that I am hee ye shall die in your sinnes Christ said to y â— blind man whom he had made to see doost thou beleâ—â—a on the Soone of God He answered and soyd who is it Lord that I might beleue on him Iesus sayd vnto hym Thou hast seene hym and he it is that talketh with thee And he sayd Lord I beleue and he worshipped hym Christ sayd vnto Martha Hee that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shall hee liue And whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die Beleuest thou this She sayd vnto him yea Lord I beleue that thou art Christ the â—onne of God which shoulde come into the world Ye beleue in God beleue also in me This is God the fathers commaundemeÌ„t that we beleue on the name of hys sonne Iesus Christ. He that beleveth on the sonne of God hath the witnes in hym selfe He y â— beleueth not God hath made hym a lier because hee beleued not the recorde that God gaue of hys sonne And this is that record how that God hath gaueÌ„ vnto vs eternall life this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not y â— sonne hath not life His onely begotten Sonne The Lord said vnto me y â— art myn soÌ„ne this day haue I begotteÌ„ thee This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God God hath so loued y â— worlde that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne that euery one y â— beleueth on him may not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not hys sonne into the world to condemne the world but that y â— world should be saued by hym He that beleueth on hym is not condemned but hee that beleueth not is already coÌ„demned because hee hath not beleued on the name of the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of God In this appeareth y â— loue of God toward vs because y â— God sent hys onely begotten sonne into y â— world that we might liue through hym Our Lord. I am the Lord and thys is my name My glory will I geue to none other neyther myne honour to grauen Images God is faythfull by whom ye are called vnto the fellowship of hys sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. There is but one Lord eueÌ„ Iesus Christ by whoÌ„ are all thynges and we by hym Ye call me Master and Lorde ye say well for so am I in deede ¶ The thyrd Article WHich was conceaued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgin Mary ☜ The confirmations Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost Ioseph y â— sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife For that which is conceaued in her commeth of the holy ghost The holy ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of y â— â—iert shalt ouershadow thee Therfore that holy thyng which shall bee borne shall be called the sonne of God Borne of the Virgin Mary Beholde a Uirgin shall coÌ„ceaue and 〈◊〉 are a some and thou shalt call hys name Emanuell Unto vs is a childe borne and vnto vs a sonne is geuen There shall come a rod forth of the kinred of I say and a blossome shall florishe out of hys roote Iacob beg at Ioseph y â— husband of Mary of whom Iesus was borne which is called Christ. She shal bring forth a sonne and y â— shalt call hys name Iesus For he shall saue his people froÌ„ their sins Beholde thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call hys name Iesus When the tyme was full come God sent hys sonne made of a woman made bonde vnto the lawe ¶ The fourth Article HE suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was cruciâ—â—ed dead buried He descended into hell ☜ The confirmations He suffered vnder Ponce Pilate The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the rulers toke counsell together agaynst the Lorde and agaynst hys annoynted Of a truth O Lord agaynst thy holy childe Iesus whom thou hast annoynted both Herode and also Ponce Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered them selues together in thys citie for to do whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell determined before to bee done I geue thee the charge in y â— sight of God which quickneth all thinges and before Iesu Christ which vnder Ponce Pilate witnessed a good witnessing that thou keepe the commauÌ„dement and be without spot c. Was crucified They pearsed my handes and my feete He was wounded for our offences smitten for our wickednes They shall loke vpon me whom they haue pearsed As Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the
sonne of man be lifted vp that euery one which beleueth on hym may not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe Ye seeke Iesus y t was crucified We preach Christ crucified Christ hys owne selfe bare our sinnes in hys body on the tree that wee being deliuered from sinne should liue vnto righteousnes By whose stripes ye were healed Dead After thys ixij. weekes shall Christ be flame and they shall haue no pleasure in hym When we were yet â—â—uâ—ers Christ dyed for vs. Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures Buryed Hys grace was geueÌ„ hym with the condeumed First of all I deliuered vnto you that which I receaued how that Christ dyed for our sinnes agreing to the Scripture and that he was buryed Ioseph and Nicodemus tooke Iesus body and buried it in a new graue Hee descended into hell Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Thou through the bloud of thy couenaunt shalt let the prisoners out of the pit wherin is no water O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy destruction Christ hath once suffered for sins the iuste for the vniust to bryng vs to God and was killed as pertaynyng to the fleshe but was quickned in the spirite In which spirite hee also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison ¶ The fift Article THe thyrd day hee rose agayne from the dead ☜ The confirmations I layd me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me After two daies shall he quicken vs and in the third day shall hee raise vs vp so that we shall liue in hys sight Ye slew the authour of lyfe whom God hath raised vp from the dead Iesus Christ our Lorde rose agayne from the dead Christ died for our sinnes rose agayne for our iustification Iesus Christ rose agayn y â— third day according to the Scriptures Remember that Iesus Christ of the seede of Dauid rose againe froÌ„ death according to my Gospell ¶ The sixt Article HE ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie ☜ The confirmations Hee ascended into heauen God is gone vp with a mery noyse and the Lorde with y â— sound of the trumpe Thou art gone vp on hie thou hast led captiuitie captiue and receaued giftes for men It came to passe as hee blessed them hee departed from them and was caryed vp into heauen Iesus was taken vp on hie and a cloude receaued hym vp out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly vp toward heauen as he went beholde two men stoode by them in white apparell which also said ye meÌ„ of Galile why stand ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp froÌ„ you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene hym go into heauen WheÌ„ he went on hie he led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men That hee ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earth He y â— descended is euen the same also y â— ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all thinges And sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie ☜ The confirmations The Lord sayd vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy fotestoole When the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receaued into heauen and is sitting on y â— right hand of God Christ is on y â— right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. If ye be risen againe with Christ seke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the ryght hand of God Christ hath by hys own person purged our sinnes sitteth on the right hand of the maiestie on hie ¶ The seuenth Article FRom thence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and dead ☜ The confirmations The Lord shall iudge y â— world with righteousnes and the people with equitie Read the xxv chapt of S. Mathewes Gospell The father hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne because that all meÌ„ should honor the sonne as they honour the father Christ was ordayned of God to be iudge of quicke and dead We must all appeare before the iudgemeÌ„t seate of Christ that euery man may receaue the works of his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ which shall chaunge our vile body that he may make it lyke vnto hys glorious body accordyng to the working wherby he is able to subdue all thinges vnto hym selfe The Lorde Iesus Christ shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing in his kingdome God is ready to iudge y â— quicke and the dead ¶ The eight Article I beleue in the holy Ghost ☜ The confirmations The spirite of God moued vpon the face of the waters Take not thy holy spirite froÌ„ me When Christ was baptised the holy ghost came downe vpon hyâ— in the likenes of a doue Christ coÌ„maunded hys disciples to baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost The holy ghost shall reproue the world of sinne There are three which geue witnesse in heauen y â— father the sonne and the holy ghost and they three are one ¶ The ninth Article I Beleue the holy vniuersall congregation which is the fellowship of Sainctes ☜ The confirmations If he will not heare the congregation let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and as a Publicane Christ loued the congregation and gaue him self for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountayne of water through y â— word to make it vnto him self a glorious congregation without spot or wrinckle or any such thyng that it should be holy and without blame I write these thinges vnto thee that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the congregation of the liuing God the piller and ground of the truth All that beleued kept themselues together and had all thinges common and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all meÌ„ as euery man had neede And they continued dayly with one accorde in the temple brake bread from house to house and dyd eate their meate together with gladnes and singlenes of hart praysing God The multitude of them that beleued were of one hart and of one soule Neither sayd any of them that ought of the thinges which he possessed was hys owne but they had all thinges coÌ„mon And great grace was with them all Neither was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessors of landes or houses solde them and
brought the price of the thinges that were solde and layde it down at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede ¶ The tenth Article I Beleue in the forgeuenes of sinnes ☜ The confirmations I am he yea I am he which put away thine iniquities and that for mine owne sake and will remember them no more The Lorde shall put downe our wickednesses cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Loke how wide the east is from the west so farre hath hee set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a father pitieth hys owne children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto all them that feare him For hee knoweth perfectly wherof we be made he remeÌ„breth that we are but dust Christ hath taken vpon hym our infirmities and borne our diseases The sonne of man came to seeke and saue that was lost All that beleue in Christ shall not perishe but haue euerlasting life Thys is a true saying and worthy to bee noted that Christ Iesus came into y â— world to saue sinners The bloud of Iesus Christ maketh vs cleane froÌ„ all sinne If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the truth is not in vs. But if we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to make vs cleane from all iniquitie ¶ The xj Article I Beleue the resurrection of the body ☜ The confirmations I beleue that my redemer liueth and that I shall rise out of y â— earth in the latter day and that I shall be clothed again with this skinne and see God my Sauiour in my fleshe Yea I my selfe shall behold hym not with other eyes but with these same eies Thys hope is stedfastly set in my hart Thy dead men shall liue euen with my body shall they rise again Awake and sing ye that dwell in the duste For thy dewe is euen as the dew of herbes the earth shall cast out them that be vnder her O ye dry bones he are the worde of the Lord. Thus sayth the Lorde God vnto these bones beholde I will put breath vnto you that ye may liue I will geue you sinewes and make fleshe grow vpoÌ„ you and couer you ouer with skinne and so geue you breath that ye may liue and know that I am the Lord. Behold I will open your graues O my people and take you out of your Sepulchres The houre shall come in y â— which all that are in y â— graues shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and shall come forth they y t haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of damnation If Christ be preached how that he rose froÌ„ the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead If there be no rising agayne of the dead then is Christ not risen againe If Christ bee not risen agayne then is our preaching in vaine and your fayth also is in vaine Read the whole Chapter We know that he which raysed vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by the meanes of Iesus If we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose againe euen them also which sleepe by Iesus will God bring againe with him Read y â— latter end of the chapter ¶ The xij Article I Beleue euerlasting life ☜ The confirmations Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetuall shame reprofe The wise such as haue taught 〈◊〉 her shall glister 〈◊〉 the shining of heauen and those that haue instructed the multitude vnto godlines shal be as y â— starres world without end ¶ Read the. 2. Chapter of the 4. booke of Eâ—â—ras The righteous shall goe into euerlasting life My sheepe heare my voyce I know theÌ„ and they follow me and I geue them euerlasting life This is euerlasting life euen to know thee y t alone true God and whoÌ„ thou hast sent Iesus Christ. O Father these that thou hast geueÌ„ me I will that where I am there also they bee with me that they may see my glory which thou hast geuen me The eye hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neither haue the thinges entred into the hart of man which God hath prepared for them thâ—t loue hym We know that if our earthly maÌ„sion of this dwelling were destroyed we haue a building of God an habitation not made with hands but euerlasting in heauen Amen ¶ All these Articles aforesayd I with my whole hart beleue with my mouth vnfaynedly confesse to be true and agreable to Gods holy word ¶ The Prayer of the Apostles Lord increase our fayth ¶ Of Prayer ¶ What Prayer is PRayer is a lifting vp of a pure minde vnto God wherein we aske somewhat of God that is agreable to hys holy will ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures We know not what we shoulde desire pray for as we ought nevertheles the spirite it self maketh intercession mightely for vs with vnspeakeable gronings Howbeit he that searcheth the hart knoweth what the minde of the spirite is for hee maketh intercession for the sainctes according to y e pleasure of God The tyme commeth and is now already that the true worshippers shall worship in spirite and truth For y â— father will haue such to worship him God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and truth We are the circumcision euen we that serue God in spirite I will that all men pray in all places lifting vp pure haÌ„des without wrath and strife This people honoureth me with their lips but their hartes is farre from me verily they worship me in vaine Aske and it shall be geuen you Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receaueth and he that seketh findeth and to hym y â— knocketh it shall be opened Thys is the trust that we haue in God that if we aske any thyng according to hys will hee heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the peticious that we desire of hym What benefites we receaue of God by prayer By prayer we are deliuered out of trouble ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures When I was in trouble I called vpon the Lorde and hee graciously heard me Call on me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt honour me He shall call vpoÌ„ me and I will heare hym yea I am with him in trouble I will deliuer hym and bring hym to honour When any man in hys trouble did turne vnto the Lorde God of Israell and sought hym hee was found of hym By prayer we are preserued from our enemyes ☞
for in it there are many falles A maÌ„ that vseth much swearing shall be filled with wickednes and the plague shall neuer go from hys house And if he sweare in vaine he shall not bee found righteous for hys house shall be full of plagues The wordes of y â— swearer bring death God graunt that it bee not found in the house of Iacob but they that feare God esehue al such and lie not weltring in 〈◊〉 O prayse the Lord with me and let vs magnifie his 〈◊〉 together All our glory is in God all the day long and we will prayse thy name for euer Call on me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt honour me Because he hath trusted in me I will deliuer hym yea I will defend hym because he hath knowen my name He shall call vpoÌ„ me and I will heare hym yea I am with him in trouble I will deliuer him and bring hym to honour With long life will I satisfie hym and shewe hym my saluation The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flyeth vnto it and shall be â—aued The time shall come that who soeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued ¶ The fourth Commaundement REmember that thou keepe holy the Sabbaoth day Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seueth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lorde thy God in it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy manseruaunt nor thy maydseruaunt nor thy cattell nor thy straunger that is within thy gates For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherfore the Lord blessed the Sabbaoth day and â—allowed it ☜ The confirmations In any wise see that ye kepe my Sabbaothes for it is a signe betwene me and you in your generations for to know that I the Lord am he that doth sanctifie you The maÌ„ that was found gathering stickes on the Sabbaoth day was stoned to death at the commaundement of God Blessed is the man that taketh heede that he vnhalloweth not the Sabbaoth that is to say keepeth him selfe so that he doe no euill All they which keepe them selues that they vnhallow not the Sabbaoth I meane that they fulfill my couenaunt them will I bring to my holy mountaine and make theÌ„ ioyfull in my house of prayer If thou on the Sabbaoth day turne thy feete so that thou do not the thing which pleaseth thy self in my holy day but geuest God the honour so that thou doe not after thine owne imagination neither seeke thine owne will nor speake thine own wordes then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lord and I will cary thee hie aboue y â— earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lordes owne mouth hath so promised There shall be a new Sabbaoth for the other olde Sabbaoth and all 〈◊〉 shall come to worship before me sayth the Lord. There remaineth yet a rest to the people of God For hee y â— is entred into his rest â—ath ceased also froÌ„ his owne workes as God dyd from hys Let vs study therfore to enter into that rest least any maÌ„ fall after the same ensample of vnbeliefe ¶ What it is to keepe holy the Sabbaoth day To keepe holy y â— Sabbaoth day 〈…〉 from bodily labour that thou shouldest the more licenciously geue thy minde to the wearing of gallant apparell to baâ—cketting to idle talke to vaine pastime such other filthy pleasures of the flesh but that thou setting aside all worldly business shouldest the more freely apply thy selfe to read heare and learne the woâ—d of God to pray in the temple with the congregation to bee thankfull to God for his benefites to bee present at the ministration of y â— holy Sacramentes to be partaker of y â— mysteries of the Lordes body and bloud to geue some good thing to the reliefe of the poore to visite and comfort the sicke them that are in prison and casting away the workes of the fleshe wholy to exercise thy selfe in the fruites of the spirite ¶ The second Table of the Law coÌ„tayning â—ixe Commaundementes wherin is decâ—ared our dutie towardes our neighbour ¶ The fift Commaundement HOnour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God gâ—â—eth thee ☞ The confirmations Ye shall reuerence euery maÌ„ his father and his mother Whosoeuer hee bee that curseth hys father or his mother let hym die for he y â— hath cursed his father and mother hys bloud be vpoÌ„ him He that smiteth his father or mother let hym be slaine for it If any man haue a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient that he will not harken vnto y â— voice of his father nor y â— voyce of his mother they haue chastened him he will not obey them then shall his father his mother take him bring him out vnto y â— elders of that citie to the gates of that same place say vnto the elders of the citie this our sonne is stubborne disobedient will not harken vnto our voyce he is a riotour and a drunkard And all the men of that citie shall stone hym with stones vnto death Cursed be he that curseth his father and mother and all the people shall say Amen My sonne heare thy fathers doctrine and forsake not the law of thy mother For that shall bring grace to thy head shall be as a chaine about thy necke A good childe will harken to his fathers warning but hee that is scornefull will not heare when hâ— is reproued He y t hurteth hys father or 〈◊〉 teth out his mother is a shamefull and an vnworthy sonne Who so robbeth his father and mother and fayth it is no 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is like vnto a destroyer Who so laugheth his father to scâ—rne and setteth his mothers coÌ„maundemeÌ„t at â— ought the rauens picke out his eies in the valley and deuoured be he of younge â—gles The Lorde will haue the father honoured of the children and loke what a mother commaundeth her children he will haue it kepâ— Who so hâ—noureth hys father shall haue a â—ye of his owne children and when hee maketh hys prayer he shall be heard He that honoureth his father shall haue a longlife and he that is obedient for the Lordes sake his mother shall haue ioye of him He that feareth the Lord honoureth his father and mother doth them seruice as it were vnto the Lorde him selfe Honour thy father in deede in word in all pacience y t thou mayest haue Gods blessing hys blessing shall abide with thee at y e last The blessing of the father buildeth vp the houses of the children but the
is such see that ye eate not Neither fornicators neither adultrers neither weaklings neither abusers of theÌ„ selues with maÌ„kind shall inherite y â— kingdome of God Let vs not be defâ—â—ed with fornication as some of them were defiled with fornication and fell in one day xxiij thousand As for fornication all vncleannes let it not be once named amoÌ„g you as it becoÌ„meth sainctes or filthines or folishe talking or iesting which are not comly but rather giuing of thankes For this ye know y â— no whoremonger nor vncleane person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God This is the will of God euen your holines y t ye should abstaine from fornication that euery one of you should know how to keepe his vessell in holines honour and not in y â— lust of concupiscence as do the heathen which know not God Wedlocke is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled As for whoremongers and adultrers God shall iudge them Whoremongers haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone ¶ The eight Commaundement THou shalt not steale ☞ The confirmations Ye shal not steale neither lie neither deale falsly one with an other Thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong neither rob him violently neither shall thy workmans labour abide with thee till the morning Ye shall do no vnrighteousnes in iudgement in metyard in weight or in measure True balances and true waight shall ye haue I am the Lorde If thou sellest ought vnto thy neighbour or byest of thy neighbors hand ye shall not deceaue one an other If thy brother bee 〈◊〉 poore and fallen into decay with thee thou shalt relieue hym that he may liue with thee Thou shalt not geue hym thy money vppon 〈◊〉 nor lend him thy corne for increase Thou shalt not take vsury of hym or vauntage If one of thy brethreÌ„ among you be poore within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lorde God geueth thee thou shalt not haâ—den thy hart nor shut thyâ—e 〈◊〉 from thy poore brother but â—pen thine hand vnto him 〈…〉 The land shall neuer be without poore and therefore I commaund thee saying Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in thy land Who so keepeth company with a theefe hateth hys owne soule Wo be to thee y â— spoylest for thou thy selfe shalt be spoyled Breake thy bread to the hungry and bring the poore waudring into thine house When thou seest a naked man â—ouer him and so shalt thou not despise thy fleshe The theefe is cursed of God all that he hath shall come to nought Shame and sorow goeth ouer the theefe Anna olde Tobies wife went dayly to the weauing worke and looke what liuing she coulde gette with the labour of her handes she brought it home And it happened that she tooke a kid and brought it home and wheÌ„ her husbaÌ„d heard it cry he said looke that it bee not stollen if it bee restore it agayne to the owners for it is not lawfull for vs to eate or touch any thing that is stollen Geue almes of thy goods and turne neuer thy fare froÌ„ the poore so shall it come to passe that the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee Be mercifull after thy power If thou hast much geue plentiously if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to geue of that little For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward in the day of necessitie For mercy deliuereth from all sinne and from death and suffereth not the soule to come in darkenes Beholde Lorde sayd Zacheus the halfe of my goods do I geue to the poore if I haue done any maÌ„ wrong I restore him foure folde Neither theeues neither pillers shall inherite y e kingdome of God Let hym y t stole steale no more but let hym rather labour with his haÌ„des y e thyng which is good that he may geue vnto him that nedeth ¶ The ninth Commaundement THou shalt not beare false witnes agaynst thy neighbour ☜ The confirmations Thou shalt not accept a vaine tale neither shalt thou put thy hand to the wicked to be an vnrighteous witnes If any vnrighteous witnes rise vp against a man to accuse hym of trespasse then both the men which striue together shal staÌ„d before the Lord before the priestes the iudges which shall be in those dayes and the iudges shall make diligent inquisition And if the witnes be found false and that he hath geuen false witnes agaynst hys brother then shall you do to him as he had thought to do to his brother and thou shalt put away euill froÌ„ thee Cursed be he y t taketh a reward to stay the soule of innocent bloud and all the people shall say Amen The Lord hateth a false witnes that bringeth vp lies A false witnes shall not remaine vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perishe A false witnes shall perishe but he that is a true man boldly speaketh that he hath heard Who so beareth false witnes agaynst hys neighbour he is a very club a sworde and a sharpe arrow The mouth that lyeth slayeth the soule Thou O Lord wilt destroy all them that speake lies In no wyse speake agaynst the worde of truth but be ashamed of thy lying Use not to make any maner of lie for y â— custome therof is not good A theefe is better then a maÌ„ that is accustomed to lie but they both shall haue destruction to heritage The two elders that bare witnes against Susanna were stoned to death Out of the hart come false witnesses and those defile a man Euill speakers shall not inherite the kingdome of God Put away lying and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour for asmuch as we are members one of an other All lyers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone ¶ The tenth Commaundement THou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor hys maide nor hys Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is hys ☜ The confirmations Keepe thy hart with all diligeÌ„ce for therupon hangeth life God hateth an hart that goeth about with wicked imaginations Take heede that thou lust not in thy hart after the beautie of a straunge woman Euill thoughtes are abomination to the Lord. Who soeuer loketh on an other mans wife lusting after her hath committed adultery with her already in his hart Out of the hart procede euill thoughtes and those defile a man The cares of this world and the deceitfulnes of riches the lustes of other thinges choke the worde and make it vnfruitfull Take heede to your selues least at any tyme your hartes bee ouercome
of any mans hand He sayd vnto them againe the Lorde is witnes agaynst you and hys annointed is witnes thys day that ye haue no euill in my handes What chaunced to Rehoboam king Salomons sonne for the vngentle entreating of hys coÌ„mons the holy histories do testifie Read iij. Regum .xij. Chapt. That they ought to care for the commoâ—â— as a father for hys children ☜ The confirmations Mercy and faythfulnes preserue the king and with louing kindnes hys seate is holden vp If thou be made a ruler pride not thy selfe therin but be thou as one of the people Take diligent care for them and looke well therto and when thou hast done all thy dutie set thee down that thou mayest be mery with theÌ„ receaue a crowne of glory With how fatherly a care Moses Samuell Dauid and diuers other noble princes gouerned their people the holy Scriptures doe euidently declare That they ought to defend the good and to correct the euill to aduaunce vertue and to punishe vice ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Learne to doe right apply your selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherles to his right let the widowes complaint come before you Thus the Lord commaundeth keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not greeue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherles nor the widow and shed no innocent bloud Execute true iudgement shew mercy and louing kindnes euery maÌ„ to his brother Do the widow the fatherles the strauÌ„ger poore no wrong and let no maÌ„ imagine euil against his brother in his hart Deliuer hym y â— suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressour and be not faint harted when thou sittest in iudgement Be mercifull vnto the fatherles as a father and be in stede of an husbaÌ„d vnto their mother so shalt thou be as an obedient sonne of the hiest and he shall loue thee more then thy mother doth My song shall bee of mercie and iudgement vnto thee O Lorde will I sing O let me haue vnderstaÌ„ding in the way of godlines when wilt thou come vnto me I will walke in my house with a perfect hart I will take no wicked thing in hand I hate the sinnes of vnfaithfulnes there shall no such cleaue vnto me A froward hart shall depart froÌ„ me I will not know a wicked person Who so priuily slaundreth hys neighbor him will I destroy who so hath also a proud looke an hie stomacke I will not suffer hym Mine eyes loke vnto such as be faithfull in the land that they may dwell with me who so leadeth a godly life he shall be my seruant There shall no deceitefull person dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tary in my sight I shall soone destroy all the vngodly that are in the land that I may roote out all wicked doers from the citie of the Lord. Rulers are not fearefull to them that do good but to theÌ„ y â— do euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of y â— same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But and if thou doe that which is euill then feare for he beareth not the sworde for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on hym that doth euill ¶ The duteie of Subiectes vnto the high powers THe dutie of Subiectes vnto the hie powers is honourably to speake of them hartily to loue and reuerence them humâ—bly to obey them for conscience sake in all thynges that fight not with Gods worde feruently to pray for them and willingly to pay such charges vnto them as they reasonably require eyther for the mainteinance of their princelike estate or els for the sauegarde of the common wealth ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Thou shalt not raile vppon the Gods that is to say the temporall Magistrates which execute that office of God neyther blaspheme the ruler of thy people Wishe the king no euill in thy thought and speake no hurt of the rich in thy priuie chaÌ„ber for a byrde of the ayre shall betray thy voyce and with her feathers shall she bewray thy wordes Let euery soule submit him selfe vnto the hier powers For there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordayned of God Who soeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God But they that resiste shall receaue to them selues damnation For rulers are not fearefull to them that doe good but to them that do euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of the same For he is y e minister of God for thy wealth But if thou do that which is euill then feare for hee beareth not the sworde for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on hym that doth euill Wherefore ye must needes obey not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake And for this cause pay ye tribute For they are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose Geue to euery maÌ„ therfore hys dutie tribute to whoÌ„ tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whoÌ„ feare belongeth honour to whoÌ„ honour pertaineth I exhort therfore that aboue all thinges prayers supplications intercessions and geuing of thankes be had for all men for kinges and for all that are in authoritie that we may liue a quiet and peaceable life with all godlines and honestie For that is good and acceptable in the â—â—ght of God our Sauiour Warne the subiectes that they submit theÌ„ selues to rule power that they obey y â— officers that they be ready vnto euery good worke that they speake euill of no maÌ„ that they bee no fighters but gentle shewing meekenes vnto all men Submit your selues vnto all maner ordinance of man for y â— Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the chiefe head either vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for y â— punishment of euill doers but for the prayse of theÌ„ that do well c. Feare God Honour the king ¶ The dutie of Bishops and Ministers of Gods worde THe dutie of Bishops Ministers of Gods word is first to feede Christes flocke with y â— sweete bread of Christes Gospell without mingling of the Phariseis leauen Secondly to lead a life agreable to their doctrine y â— they may teach both with word worke Thirdly to relieue y â— poore nedie with such goods as they receaue of y â— Church either by maintaining hospitalitie or els by some other godly meanes ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures ¶ Of Doctrine Goe vp vnto y â— hie hill thou that bringest good tidinges lift vp thy voyce with power O thou preacher lift it vp and be not afraide Cry now as loud as y â— canst leaue not of lift
in the worde minister vnto him that teacheth him in all good thinges Be not deceaued God is not mocked ¶ The duetie of husbandes vnto their wiues THe dutie of a faithfull husband vnto hys wife is to forsake all other for her sake to cleaue onely to his wife to loue her as Christ loued the congregation to cherish her as he would cherishe hys owne body to prouide for her to teach her the lawe of God to dwell with her according to knowledge and to geue honour vnto her although y â— weaker vessell as to one that is fellowe heyre with him of the grace of life ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my fleshe She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man For this cause shall a maÌ„ leaue his father and mother and shall be ioyned with hys wife and they shall become one fleshe Be glad with the wife of thy youth Let her brestes alway satisfie thee and holde thee euer coÌ„tent with her loue My sonne why wilt thou haue pleasure in an harlotte and embrace the bosome of an other woman Ye husbandes loue your wiues euen as Christ also loued the congregation gaue him self for it to sanctifie it clensed it in the fountaine of water through y â— worde to make it vnto him self a glorious coÌ„gregatioÌ„ without spot or wrinkle or any thing but y t it should be holy and without blame So ought meÌ„ to loue their wiues as their owne bodyes He that loueth his wife loueth him selfe For no maÌ„ euer yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the congregation c. Ye husbandes loue your wiues and be not bitter to them Ye meÌ„ dwell with your wiues according to knowledge geuing honour vnto the wife as vnto the weaker vessell as vnto them that are heyres also of the grace of life ¶ The dutie of wiues vnto their husbandes THe dutie of an honest faythfull woman vnto her husband is to knowledge her husband to bee her head to bee subiecte vnto hym to reuerence hym to obey hym quietly to learne of hym to lead a blameles life to vse much silence peaceably circumspectly to looke vnto her housholde and to tier her self with such apparell as becommeth a sober Christian woman ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Ye women submit your selues vnto your own husbandes as vnto the Lord. For y â— husband is y â— wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the congregation the same is he y t ministreth saluation to the body Therefore as the congregation is in subiection to Christ euen so let the wiues be in subiection to their husbandes in all thinges Ye wiues submit your selues vnto your owne husbandes as it is comely in the Lord. I will that women aray them selues in comely apparell with shamefastnes discrete behauour not with broydered heare eyther golde or pearles or costly aray but as it becommeth women y t professe godlines through good works Let the womaÌ„ learne in silence with all subiectioÌ„ But I suffer not a womaÌ„ to teach neither to vsurpe authoritie ouer y â— man but to be in silence Ye wiues be in subiectioÌ„ to your husbandes y t euen they which obey not y â— worde may without y â— worde bee wonne by y â— conuersation of the wiues while they beholde your â—hast conuersation coupled with feare Whoâ—e apparell shall not bee outward with broydered heare hanging on of golde eyther in putting on of gorgious apparell but let the hid man which is in y â— hart be without all corruption so that the spirite be at rest quiet which spirite before God is a thing much set by For after this maner in the olde time did y â— holy women which trusted in God tier theÌ„ selues and were obedient to their husbandes euen as Sara obeyed AbrahaÌ„ and called hym Lord whose daughters ye are so long as ye do well ¶ The dutie of fathers and mothers vnto their children THe dutie of fathers mothers vnto their children is to traine them vp in the law of God to teach theÌ„ to know God his holy word euen froÌ„ their cradles to bring theÌ„ vp in good learning and necessary artes to bridle them from the folishe and noysome lustes of youth and to garnishe their life with sober and graue maners ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Set your hartes vnto all the wordes which I testifie vnto you this day ye shall coÌ„maund them vnto your children y t they may obserue do all y â— wordes of this law If thou haue sonnes bring them vp in nurture and learning holde them in awe from their youth vp If thou haue daughters kepe their body and shew not thy face cheerefull toward theÌ„ Mary thy daughter and so shalt thou perfourme a waightie matter but geue her to a man of vnderstanding He y â— teacheth his soÌ„ne shall haue ioy in him and nede not to be ashamed of him amoÌ„g his aquaintance He that spareth the rod hateth the sonne but who so loueth hym chasteneth hym betimes Ye fathers moue not your children to wrath but bring them vp through the doctrine and information of the Lord. How godly Salomon youÌ„g Toby SusaÌ„na Philip y â— Euangelistes daughters Timothe and such lyke were brought vp of their parentes the holy scriptures beare witnes ¶ The dutie of children toward their fathers and mothers THe dutie of childreÌ„ toward their parentes is in their minde to loue them outwardly to reuerence and honour them to obey them in all thynges that are agreable to Gods will and if they chaunce to fall into pouertie to helpe theÌ„ and to geue them wherof to liue ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Honour thy father froÌ„ thy whole hart and forget not the sorrowfull trauell y t thy mother had with thee Remember that thou wast borne through them and how canst thou recompence them the thinges that they haue done for thee Children obey your fathers and mothers in the Lord for y t is right Honour thy father and mother the same is the first coÌ„maundement in the promise that thou mayest prosper and liue long on earth Read the confirmations of the fift commaundement ¶ The dutie of Maisters to their Seruauntes THe dutie of Maisters to their Seruauntes is to entreate theÌ„ gently to geue them their couenauntes and to helpe theÌ„ that they may afterward be able to liue ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Where as thy seruaÌ„t worketh truly entreate him not euil nor y t hireling y â— is faythfull vnto thee Loue a discrete seruaunt as thine owne soule defraude him not of his libertie neither leaue him a poore man Ye maisters doe vnto your seruauntes that which is iust and equall putting away threatninges knowing