waye the fayth of Christ is confirmed in vs that God wyll also be good vnto vs accordynge to our portion and there is a desire steared vp in vs to folowe their exemples Thus the olde church worshypped the sayntes which thing appeareth by certayne soleme prayers called collectes For thus the churche prayeth ¶ In the memorie of the Apostles Petre and Paule Gd whiche haste consecrated thys daye wyth the martyrdome of thine apostles Petre and Paule graunt to thy churche to folowe theyr precepte in all thynges by whō it receyued the begynnyng of religion thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ On the feast of S. Iohn Baptist God whiche hast giuen vs thys present day honourable in the natiuitie of blessed Iohn graunte thy people the grace of spirituall ioyes and guyde the mindes of al the faithfull into the waye of euerlastynge lyfe thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ On the natiuitie of S. Stephane Graunt vs we beseche the Lorde to folowe the thynge that we haue in reuerence that we maye learne to loue euen oure enemies for we celebrate his natiuitie whiche coulde praye euen for his persecutours thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ In the cōmemoration of saynt Laurence Graunt we besech the almightie God that we maye quenche the flames of oure vices whiche gauest the blessed Laurence thy martyre to ouercome the fyer of his tormentes thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe ¶ In the memorie of S. Agatha God whiche amonge other miracles of thy power gaueste the victorie of martyrdome euen in a fraile kynde graunte mercifully that we maye walke vnto the by hyr exemples whose natiuitie we celebrate thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ In the cōmemoration of S. Cecilie God which makest vs merie with the yerely solemnitie of thy martyr blessed Cecilie graunt that we may folowe hyr in exemple of godlie conuersation whom we reuerence wyth humanitie Of thys sort be all suche prayers that be anie thinge olde In other made longe afterwarde though there be somewhat mengled of the merites and intercessions of sayntes yet they be not called vpon as Lordes they be not spokē to they be not desired that they wyll offre theyr owne merites for vs to the father or that they wil healpe vs with their intercessions but God onely the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe is called vpon and desired that he wyl vouchsafe to recompēce the good dedes euē of his sayntes in vs and that he wyll both steare vp and make effectuous theyr intercession for vs thorow our Lorde Iesus Christ not by the vertue of the sayntes The thirde abuse is when the wordes of a prayer otherwyse godlie and christian are drawen to an vngodly and vnlawfull ende as when thorowe the Lordes prayer we wil staunche bloude or dryue awaye wolues that they deuoure not our sheepe As some go about to wrest the Psalme xxxv To auoyed woundes Of whiche kinde innumerable superstitiōs and impieties are vsed of vngodlie enchaunters Therefore the preachers shal warne the people diligently how greuous a synne it is howe great wydkednes to abuse the word of god to such witchcraftes and enchauntmentes Which abuse is pernitious and abhommable no lesse thē the abuse of other false and idolatrious doctrine The fourth abuse is when the ende of prayer is peruerted when men reherse the wordes of the prayers wyth thys opinion that they thynke they do acceptable seruice to God and to the sayntes euen wyth thys worke of rehersyng whereas we must pray to God not to do hym some seruice wyth that worke but that we may call for the free healpe of God being in daunger of perils and euyls whiche we haue deserued or that being vnworthie we may receyue benifittes whiche we haue not deserued And that we maye praye wyth a fuller feelynge both of our owne miserie and of the diuine goodnes of Christe and wyth feruenter desire of Goddes healpe we muste vse holy wordes in our prayes But the comon people hath ben brought into thys errour longe sithens by vnfaythfull pastours that they offre the wordes of the Lordes prayer of the Angels salutation of the Psalmes and other prayers to God the blessed virgin other sayntes as some acceptable seruice or gift wherby they thinke they deserue muche of God and sayntes that they purge their synnes and obtayne the benifittes of God Which abuse of praying doth not onely fyght with the worde of God but also is folishe and mad euen by the iudgemente of reason and it may easely be taken away if the people be so enstructed of prayer as we haue shewed before The fyrst abuse in prayinge and no lesse to be reproued and corrected is thys that men communely beleue that theyr prayer is more commended to God and soner hearde by reason of places of whiche they thynke some to be more holy then some as if the prayers be made at certaine grauen stockes or relikes of sayntes or other places wherevnto men go on pilgrimage whiche is a greate dispitefull wronge to the grace and merite of our Lorde Iesu Christe by whom onely our prayers be acceptable vnto God in what place so euer they be made as he hym selfe promised Iohn xv What soeuer ye aske the father in my name he shall gyue it you And moreouer he sayed to the womā of Samarie Woman beleue me the houre cometh when ye shall worshippe the father neither in thys hille nor at Hierusalē God is a spirite and they that worship him must worshippe hym in spirite and truth Iohn iiij And Mathew xviij He sayeth If two of you consente togyther vpon the earth of anie thynge what so euer they aske it shal be done vnto them of my father whiche is in heauen For where two or three are gathered togyther in my name there am I in the middest of them Lo here the Lorde promiseth that we shall be hearde if we consent in prayer and that he wyl be a meane betwene vs and obtayne al thynges for vs of the father whē so euer and where so euer we shall come and agree in his name These promises al they diminishe that thynke they shall be hearde more certaynly and soner in anie place for the respect of grauen stockes or relikes of sayntes or some other outward prerogatiue of the place Howebeit it becometh vs to come to the temples and cōmon places and it healpeth to praye more deuoutly for this cause that the congregation cometh togyther in those places to prayer and bycause we are there more steared vp to praier thorowe the ministerie of the worde and other holie exercises and thorowe the very cōpanie of men prayinge togyther wyth vs. So priuate places haue thys comoditie to prayer that in them we maye praye wyth a more attentiue minde and more lifted vp to God For in these places there chaūce fewer thynges to call our myndes frō the thinges that we go about in our prayers For thys cause we reade that the Lorde Iesus prayed often in mountaynes and gardines as he comaunded vs
true and liuelie fayth they shoulde acknowledge oure Lorde Iesus Christ and confesse him to be the only sauiour and calle for his helpe in al trobles with a verie trust and exercise them selues in such worckes as in dede be good and fruteful in the holye sacramētes and other ceremonies of the church accordinge to Christes institution that godlines maie daily encrease more and more and that al thinges which be contrarie to Godes worde all sinnes and offences that be crept in to the church of God maye be abolisched wherefore attributinge nothinge ether to our wisdome or to the wisdome and doctrine of other but only encouraged and trusting in the true grace and sure promise of God the father and in the merite and strenghth of our Lord Iesus Christ the only hed and vigilant pastour of hys comgregation we haue determined to set furth accordynge to oure simplicite these thynges thus gathered after diligent deliberacion and correction asmuch as coulde be done in shorte tyme and asmuch as God helped vs wyth hys grace for some reformacion of Christian discipline For we graunte that it is our office to fede christes shepe and faithfully to loke to the congregacions cōmitted vnto vs. And we cal God our creator to witnesse whiche is euerlastinge truth and knoweth the hertes and seeth al thoughtes that we in al this matter of reformation seke nether our owne glorie nor oure priuate commodite but only haue respecte hereunto that the glorie of the almightie maye bee mooste largely set furth to the euerlastinge saluacion of oure men Therfore we besech al christen men of what condicion soeuer thei be which shal reade o◠heare this our preparation of a reformation by our Lord Iesus Christ whose cause matter and busines is hādled in this boke if thei shal finde anie thinge in it that shal not seme to be agreable to goddes worde and make to the true edificacion of fayth in Christe whiche resteth in the augmentacion of goddes encrease that they wil certifie vs thereof and gently teach vs out of the holie scriptur We wyll take the same by goddes grace in good parte and gladli embrace those thinges that we shal perceiue to helpe to the reparation of the church and we be readie to do them more diligently than it is set furth in this boke that nothinge wante to the nessarie reformacion of the church And contrarie wise we require of them that if they shal perceiue that the Lord hath mercifully giuē vs to attain his meaninge and wil they wil helpe vs wyth their beniuolence and diligence asmuch as they maye that these thinges as the holsome commaundementes of oure maker redemer iugde Iesus Christ maye be sette furth chiefely seing that they vnder stand that it becōmeth vs in nowyse in those thinges whiche we surely knowe to be enioyned and commaunded vnto vs by oure God and sauiour out of hys worde to differ any lōger either for the authorite and power of anie men or for the expectacion of a councell generall or nationall the thinges which perteine to the glorie of God and of his most dere sonne and the saluation of the people but rather as commodiously as we maye to propone the same to be obserued of our men and other asmuch as the almightie will helpe vs with hys diuine grace whiche we wishe to al them that seke the same truly thorough our Lord Iesus Christ As we cōmende vnto them this our obedience such as it is in this our purpose whiche we owe to the diuine maieste with al our subiectes and our office desiringe the same children of god which with a sincere herte wishe the amplification of Christes kingdom to whome vndoubtedly our necessarie diligence though it be slender shal be acceptable that they with their godlie praiers will diligentlye ayde in this our purpose and ministerie vs and our subiectes Which thinge how acceptable it was vnto vs we desire to declare to euerie one whan we shal be able ⧠Giuen at Buschonie ⧠A Table of the principall Articles in this boke of a Reformacion OF Doctrine That some Lesson muste be resited out of the holye Scripture before a Sermon and declared vnto the people That al Sermōs must be made to the magnifiyng of the Lord Christ Of the Trinitie Of the creacion and gouernaunce of all thynges Of the cause of synne and death Of original sinne and mannes wekenes before regeneration Of the olde Testament Of the difference of the olde and newe Testament Of preachyng peculiar to the newe Testament Of the preachyng of Repentaunce Of the true and proper vse of Goddes lawe A short exposition of the .x. commaundementes Of remission of synnes and iustification Of good workes Of the true and natural significatiō of this worde fayth Of the crosse and tribulations Of the church of God Of the vnitie or concorde of the church Of christian prayer A short exposition of the Lordes praier Of the abuse in prayer Of the true and false vse of Images Of Christian fast Of holy offerynges A premoniciō and commaundement against the errours of the Anabaptistes Of the administration of religion Of Sacramentes generally Of Baptisme The fourme of a Catechisme before Baptisme The exorcisme Of the administration of Baptisme Howe Baptisme must be administred at times not prescribed Of Confirmation Of the Lordes Supper At what tyme the Lordes Supper ought to be celebrated Of the cōmuniō of straungers and sickfolke Howe sicke persōs must be visited and how we must celebrate the cōmunion with thē Of communion in priuate houses for menne in health Of turning from sins and true repentaunce Of excommunication Of the makyng of Pastours Of the blessyng of Mariages Of Buriyng Of holy and feastful dayes Of fastyng dayes and Lent Of the difference of meates Of certayne other ryghtes or ceremonies of the church Of ecclesiastical rites vpon working daies Of peculiar dayes of procession Of Letany Of commune almes Of scholes for chyldren Of scholes of Diuinitie Of disputation By what meanes a christian reformation of holy ministerie and cure of soules maye be begunne and practised in parishes Of refourmyng of canonical colleges Of the reformation of monasteries both of men and women Of free and not Monasticall Colleges of virgins Of the ordre of selbrethren and laye brethrē The ende of the table Of Doctrine OUR sauiour Gods sonne Iesus Christ which cam into this world to the intent to open that wonder ful and hyd wil of God concernyng the saluation of mankynd after this sort spake to his disciples and to all them that are called to the ministery of his Gospel As the father hath sente me so I sende Iohn x. Marke the last Chap. you And in another place Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to euery creature teachyng theim to kepe all thynges that I haue cōmaunded you Further God eternal the father of our Lord Iesu Chryst Mat. iii. xvii spake thus from heauen of hys sonne Him heare
out of the worde of God as Paule witnesseth saiynge The swerde of the spirite is the worde of god Ephe. vi Seinge than the beginninge the middle and the ende of oure newe lyfe that is to say regeneration in to the saide lyfe the encrease of it and victorie agaynst Satan consisseth of the worde of God the feeders of congregations maye easely see in to what daunger of Goddes wrath they runne if anie be not parttakers of this regeneration thorough theyr negligence or if they that be borne agayne of the spirite wante the feedinge of goddes worde and the cherishinge of holesome doctrine of exhortation or if they falle from the lyfe and communion of Christe beinge sedused thoroughe false doctrines of men wherefore they that haue this office must euer with al diligence continue in readinge doctrine praier and other exercises spiritual that they maie saie with that faythful seruaunte Lorde thou deliueredest to me ten talētes and lo I haue gained other ten And that they maie heare agayne wel done faythful seruaunte thou wast faithful ouer fewe thinges I wil sette the ouer manie Entre in to the ioye of thy Lorde Wherfore that feeders and al ministers of congregations may the better vnderstande and handle the holye scripture we wil opē vnto thē a certaine way and we wyll declare in ordre the more notable places of the Chrystiane doctrine not that we would haue them to tary in these places but because we desire to haue them brought by these more easelie to the holy scripture it selfe out of which afterward they may be instructed more fully and perfectly ¶ That some leason out of the holie scripture muste be set forth to the people before the sermō and that the same muste be declared to them FYrste we wyll that the pastours take all theyr sermons that they make to the people out of some leason of the holie scripture whiche at the begynnynge of the sermon they shall recite wyth singuler reuerence grauitie As we know that the olde holy fathers vsed it euen from the tyme of the Apostles Which thing also was obserued in the synnagoges of the Iewes as it appeareth by that that we reade of the Lord. Luk. iiii of the synnagog Act. xiii into the whiche Paule and Baruabas entred vppon the Sabbath at Antioche of Pisidia Wherfore in olde tyme euerie congregation had peculiar readers whiche red the bokes of the holie scripture to the people out of the pulpette But this custome being abolished amonge other fautes of ecclesiasticall administration and in thys scarsnes of ministers of the worde by reason wherof Peculiar readers cānot be appointed in euerie congregation we wil that the pastours and preachers execute theyr office and religiouslie to reade to the people afore hande those thinges wherof they wyl speake that so thei may the more accustome them selues to heare the worde of God and that they maye be more fullly enstructed of their saluation It shall healpe also the pastours thē selues to make and finishe their sermons with better ordre if they shal folow the prescripte of the leason preposed and keepe thē selues wythin the bandes therof And they shall measure these leasons after the measure of those lessons that are accustomablye recited in Masses So the people maye more easily remēbre the thynges that shall be redde and the preachers also maye more comodiouslie declare them For they must diligently auoyd this faute that some haue that they tarie not vpon one or two wordes of the premised leason lettyng the reste passe vntoutched or fall quite to other matters then were redde Oure fayth must leaue vpon the pure and onelie worde of God wherefore that worde must be hearde and vnderstanded of euerie person Wherfore it shal be conuenient to reade out of the holie scripture and declare so muche as by likelihode the people may perceyue and retayne to the edification of fayth ¶ That al sermons must be made to set forth and magnifie Christ the Lorde FOrasmuch as Christ our Lorde is the ende of the lawe and Moses the psalmes Rom. x Luke the last Actes x. and the prophetes doe testifi and preach of hym that he is the onely sauiour of the chosen people in whom whosoeuer shal beleue shal receyue forgyuenes of sinnes thorowe his name all pastours must directe ordre theyr sermons to this marcke that they beare and declare witnesse of thys Christe For so he himselfe commaundid the Al christian doctrine is a testimonie of Christ the sauiour Actes i. i. Cor. ij apostles a litle before his ascention into heauen whan he instituted the holie ministerye of preaching you shal be witnesses vnto me at Hierusalē and in all Iurie and Samary vnto the vttermost endes of the earth Here of it cometh that S. Paule wryteth of hym selfe I iudged not myselfe to knowe anye thinge amonge you sauinge Iesus Christe and him crucified And he had a good cause to saye so For as he wrate to the Coloss al thinges were created by him that be in heauen and in erth visible and inuisible whether they be thrones dominations principates or powers All thynges were made by him and in him and he is before al thinges ▪ al thinges cōsist thorough is him He is the head of the body of the church which is the begining the frist begottē of the deade that he may be the chief in al thinges for it hath pleased the father that all fulnes shoulde dwelle in him and thorough hym to reconcile al thinges towardes hymselfe the thinges that be ether in heauen or in erth being pacified by the bloud of his crosse thorough the same persō Iohanne witnesseth the same thinges in the begininge of his gospel and epistle And the Lorde of hym selfe Iohan. v. iii. xii xvii and in manye other places Therefor Christe hym selfe comprehended the summe of the whole scripture in this sentence Luke the last repentaunce and remission of synnes must be preched in the name of Christ wherfore let the faythful ministers of congregations alwayes magnifie the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christe testifiynge that thys only sonne of God the true God and man is he by whome al thinges were made be Ephe. i. gouerned repared and renued which also ruleth al thinges with the worde of his power whyche gathereth together the scattered chyldren of God and straiyng sheepe Hebru i. Iohn x. and gyueth repentaunce and remission of sinnes For there is none other name vnder heauen gyuen to men wherein they shal be Act. v. Act. iiii Iohn xvii Iohn x. saued the power of all fleshe is gyuen to him that he maie gyue euerlastinge lyfe to al thē that the father hath gyuen hym He is that good shepeherde that giueth his life for his sheepe that he maye gyue them eternal lyfe which so defendeth and keepeth his sheepe that noman can take them out of his hande These and suche lyke testimonies of Christe must be often and diligintlye beatē
same haue mercie on me for thy sonnes Iesus Christe whiche for our sakes was made a sacrifice Kindle my minde with thy lighte and gouerne me with thy holy spirite whiche thou haste promised vs for thy sōnes sake Thus in our praier we must euer cōprehēd Christ the mediatour as the church hath vsen in collets A fourme of calling vpon Christ frō the beginning adding these wordes in th ende thorow Christ our Lorde Moreouer this is a true inuocation acceptable to God O Lorde Iesu Christe the sonne of God heare me loke vpō me pitie me and geue me thy holy spirite and eternal lyfe Thus we reade that S. Stephan Act. viij called vpō Christ Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Such prayer attibuteth vnto Christ the glorie of diuinitie for that that God hath reueiled him selfe in hym and worketh together with hym as we reade Io. v. what so euer the father worketh the same doeth the sonne also And in the xiiij He that seeth me seeth the father I am in the father and the father is in me This is the sentence of such an inuocation Lorde Iesu Christe sōne of God healpe me geue me thy holy spirite which together cōfesseth the father the sōne whiche is mediatoure and the holy gooste Wherefore this article of the diuine substaūce and of the thre persons must be learned and exercised in dayly prayers But forasmuch as this sincere doctrine of true and godly inuocatiō is horribly darkened Agaynst the inuocation of dead sayntes and ymages thorow that abomimable wickednesse and madnes vpon Idols whiche is cōmitted in calling vpō dead men their images bones wherunto they haue boūd not only diuine power but also a certen peculiar strēgth and efficacie of saintes wheras yet it is euidēt that we must assigne the power working of god to nothing in which god him selfe hath not expressedly witnessed in his worde that he wyl gyue the same but it is playne that deade mē helpe nobody Nor worke in ydoles for these causes I saye the people muste be called backe from suche ydolotrye vnto the true and religiouse inuocation of God as to a moste godlye worke and principall worshypping of God wherin we chiefely learne and feele which is the true fayth yea this is the only worke wherby the true people of God may be most discerned from the vngodly Of the creation and gouernaunce of al thinges OVre hole saluatiō and euerlasting lyfe consisteth herin that we truly knowe God in oure Lorde Iesus Christe that is to saye with a sure and lyuely fayth In thys knowledge the chiefest poynt is to knowe that it is God which made all thinges and preserueth and gouerneth the same alone wherfore the preachers shall studye to declare to the people wyth singuler dylygence and to beate into their heads those places of the scripture that teach and testifie of the eternal substaūce of God of his power knowledge goodnesse and seueritie for wythout this knowledge and fayth we can neuer truely and effectuously fele our sinnes much lesse repent and amende our selues neyther shal the law alone driue vs therunto for what shal eyther his preceptes or threates moue or feare vs of whose power bowntuousnes or seueritie as yet we knowe or fele nothinge substantially and effectuosely wherfore he that wil comme to God muste necessarily knowe afore hande and beleue that it is God which made preserueth and iudgeth all men and largelye rewardeth them that loue him Very many boste them selues to knowe God but in that that thei studi not to frame their life according to the wil of god dispising the worde of God they beare sufficiente witnes of thē selfe to the cōtrary namely that they say in theyr hertes there is no God though they confesse the same before men It is therfore ryght necessarye that preachers often tymes and with great diligence do propounde and beate in to theyr eares the common place of creation preseruacion and gouernaūce of all thynges And in the article of the creation of thynges the pastours shal diligently teach that that Lorde whiche delyuered the ten commaundementes the whole holy scripture and the gospell it selfe is the only true God and maker of thinges whiche of no thinge created heauen earth the sea and whatsoeuer is conteined in thē our selues also and alone preserueth the same throughe his power and hath partly made the other creatures subiecte vnto vs beinge created to his ymage appoyntynge them to a profitable vse and partly ordeyned them to the ministerye of the health both of the bodye and soule Wherfore the preachers shal often allege faythfully declare and printe in the mindes of theyr herers those places of the scripture that teache that God made vs and al other thinges of no thinge and that we were fashoned after the ymage of god finally that inferiour creatures be subiecte vnto oure rule by Goddes ordinance and that the superiour creatures be appoynted to procure oure healthe that the same herers maye dayly lerne more and more the almightines and goodnes of Goddes maiestie and that in them selues and in all other thinges that they handle in whyche they be occupyed whyche they beholde here or by any meanes do exercise they knowe hym haue him in reuerēce prayse him cal vpon him And that therby they may trust more fully in the almightines goodnes of God and more cherefully obey his cōmaūdementes and also feare his wrathe the more and that they maye vse all thinges whiche they do vse in this lyfe as the moste holy creatures and gistes of God and our sauiour wyth more holynes dayly and thankfulnes and larger liberalytie towardes theyr neighbours ▪ For this cause the prophets in the prayses of God do so magnifie and sette before our eyes with moste elegant descripcions the principal and notablest workes of God in the vniuersall nature of thynges as the heauens the son the moone the sterres the Why the holy scripture often propoūneth vnto vs the merueylous workes of God clowdes the wyndes mystes rayne dewe snowe froste thunder lyghtnynge mountaynes valleys fildes contreys medowes springes riuers standinge waters sondry trees and herbes the pryncypall kyndes of beastes both tame and wylde men and other innumerable workes of God For whiche many psalmes doe greatly magnifie the glory of God as psal xix xcv Ciiii. Cxxxvi. Cxlv. Cxlvii Cxlviii Iob doeth the same thinge from the xxxviii Chapiter to th ende of his booke And Esay in the .xl. chapter vnto th ende of hys boke Lyke places ye shal finde in other canonicall bookes euery where This contemplaciō of the notable workes of God and admiracion of the diuine maieste was the cause why Christe the Lorde hym selfe and other sayntes lyfted vp theyr eyes and handes to heauē whē they praye And in the fourme of prayinge the Lorde taught vs to saye Oure father whiche arte in heauen for when we behold wyth oure eyes and myndes those mooste excellent and wonderfull workes
whyle the congregation suffereth them they to whom they ministre the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ must neuer regarde the person or worthines of the ministers but the commaundement and promise of Christe in the holie ministerie For the Lorde maketh those thynges which he hym selfe hath ordeined in his churche to be effectuous vnto the health of his though the ministers be neuer so vnworthy and he requireth that the fayeth of his people be grouÌ„ded vpon his worde and not vpon the worthinesse of the ministers Therefore Christe sayeth he that heareth you heareth me that is to say it is my worde and it worketh thorowe me the fayeth of myne muste leane hereupon and not vpoÌ„ the vertue and worthines of the ministers For thys cause he compareth the churche to a fishers nette wherewith good and euyl fishes are taken And math xiij He testifieth that the euyll muste not be seuered from the good before the later daye The churche muste be exercised here and warre vndre the crosse not onely against fleshe and bloud but also against the deuyll hym selfe some of the membres thereof as it were stonpynge and gyuynge place some beinge quite ouerthrowen and some recoueryng them selues agayne and renuinge the fyghte And though manie in the churche shall gyue place to Satan and to the fleshe and shall be oppressed of these enemies yet euer some membres of the congregation must stande and ouercome some tyme more and sometyme fewer Wherfore there shal euer be some visible congregation on the earth as Christe hym selfe promiseth Mathewe the laste Lo I am wyth you vnto the ende of the worlde And Esaie xlix The Lorde sayeth And I haue made thys couenaunt wyth them sayth the Lorde my spirite which is vpon the and the workes whiche I haue putte in thy mouth shall not departe from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy sede sayth the Lorde from thys tyme vnto euerlastyng Thys sentence teacheth what the church is and that it shall endure euer And it is a great consolation to holde both partes that we maye be sure that God hath not cast awaye whole mankynde but that he wyll euer heare and saue vs. But where wyll he do thys thynge Answer Not amonge the heathen or desperate Iewes or Mahometistes or obstinate aduersaries of Christe but amonge theÌ„ onely whiche heare retayne and beleue the worde whiche the heauenlie father hath putte in the mouthe of the Prophetes and of his sonne and call vpon hym accordynge to his moste ample promises Thys consolation taken out of the doctrine concernynge the congregation is diligently to be considered and printed deeply into our myndes and therefore the preachers muste often rehearse these thynges to the people Furthermore that grosse and pernitious errour of the Donatistes and Anabaptistes muste be reproued whiche called the people from the worde of God and the sacrameÌ„tes to the person of the ministers deniyng there ministery to be effectuous which had sinnes agaynst conscience How be it this is the coÌ„maundement of God in the callynge of byshoppes and ministers that suche ministers be chosen for the coÌ„gregations as be not reproueable And if while they be in theyr ministerie they fal into wycked actes that they be remoued from the same agayne accordyng to the ordre whiche the Lorde hath appoynted wherof we wyll speake hereafter In the meane whyle as I sayed we muste euer haue regarde to the commaundement of God in the worde and the sacramentes and not to the person of the ministers For we speake here of the visible churche wherin good and badde be mengled togyther in thys lyfe And god made mankinde for this purpose that there myght be some amonge whom he myght be knowen whiche should call vpon him and magnifie hym And therfore also he sent his sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ and in hym he hath opened the exceding rytches of his grace towardes vs that they myghâ—e be vnfolded and distributed amonge vs wherby many myght be saued And bicause that these workes of Goddes goodnes muste be manifeste in the worlde there muste needes be a visible churche that is to saye suche a companie in whiche thys wyl of God towardes meÌ„ is preached and celebrated Therefore the Psalme sayeth of suche a visible churche Their sounde went into all the worlde But that the churche maye be knowen and discerned from other polities and people it hath certayne propre signes namely these that folowe The first signe is true doctrine deliuered to the church in the Gospel by Christe and the Apostles after a true vnderstanding The seconde is the true and lawfull vse of the sacrameÌ„tes which Christ ordeined The thirde signe is confession of godlie doctrine whiche is made both in callyng vpon God and reteynynge the coÌ„munion and discipline of Christe wyth the sayntes and also in professynge and maynteinyng the Gospel when neede is amonge them whiche be wythout the churche ¶ Of the vnitie or concorde of the churche AL be it that the churche in manie thynges be vnlyke the politike orders of the worlde for it is subiecte vnto the crosse yet it is like in that poynt that is principall and best in all comon weales that is to saye in greate vnitie and coniunction of the membres amonge them selues And the coniunction and vnitie of the churche consisteth in three poyntes chiefely The first is a coÌ„sent in the doctrine of the Gospell and true vnderstandynge of the same which seinge that the Iewes Mahometistes heretikes and aduersaries of the Gospell haue not they be not the membres of the churche though the Iewes and Mahometistes glorie much that they worshyppe the true God and manie of theÌ„ lyue well and honestly For it is certayne that they are not of the people of God and ther fore that they be cast away from God and damned for euer as many as blaspheme the sonne of God our sauiour and professe opeÌ„ly that they acknowledge hym not nor receyue his doctrine deliuered to the churche by Christ and his Apostles Therfore they be the enemies of god and subiected to eternall damnation In lyke maner though heretikes and persecutours of the Gospell reteyne some articles of the euangelicall doctrine and boste them selues to be christians and manie of them lyue honestly and excell in vertues of the outwarde lyfe yet they be not membres of the churche For the sentence Math. xij is sure and certayne he that blasphemeth the holie goste it shall not be forgyuen hym in thys worlde nor in the worlde to come For to blaspheme the holie gost is to speake euil of the allowed truth whiche was reueyled by the holie goste and the ministerie of the Apostles Item ij Iohn i. Euerie one that transgresseth and tarieth not in the doctrine of Christe hath not God So Gala. i. If anie man preache a Gospell to you besyde that that ye haue receyued be he accursed Hereof it maye be knowen also that they be none of the churche of Christ whiche folow straunge doctrine bicause that suche haue
partly heathnishe opinions of the diuine nature as Manicheus whiche fayned that there were two Goddes one good an other euyll both eternall and partly they haue Iewishe errours of the sonne of God and the holie Goste as Samosatenus and suche lyke Neither is it obscure that they perteine not to the churche of Christe whiche wythdrawe from Christe the Lorde the glorie of a Mediatoure assignynge the remission of synnes to the deseruynges of workes and deuising peculiar workes or worshippinges of God The same thynge do they whiche denie originall synne and seeke iustice thorowe theyr owne worthines whiche take awaye proprietie of goodes whiche coÌ„demne officers and iudgementes ordeined by the commaundement of God as the Anabaptistes do these felowes pinche from Christ and from the holiegoste whiche holy goste rebuketh original synne and ordeyneth and defeÌ„deth politike ordres Wherof it appeareth that suche be not the true membres of the churche bycause that either they refuse all togyther the doctrine of the Apostles or mangle some article of the the same interpretyng them agaynst the vniuersal consent of the true churche The seconde thynge required to the vnnitie of the churche is concorde concernyng the ryght vse of those sacramentes whiche Christe instituted The third is obedience towardes the ministerie of the Gospell in all those thynges for whiche we haue the commaundementes of God I meane that the people heare the worde of God of the ministers of the Gospell whiche be lawfully called and teache sincerely Item that they receyue the Sacramentes of them and obey them if thorowe the authoritie and iurisdiction of the churche ordeyned of Christe they be warned rebuked and punished for their synnes or excommunicated For the ministers must be necessarely obeied in those thinges which are commaunded in the Gospell Luke x. He that heareth you heareth me etc. Hebr. xiij Obey theÌ„ that be your gouerners for they watche for your soules as men that shall gyue accompte of their office etc. But the faythfull ministers suffre persecution of the open aduersaries of the Gospel and the administration by it selfe is full of great difficulties cares and miseries Wherfore it is a great crosse if there be added vnto it arrogant behauiour and contempt of theyr hearers So contrarie wyse it is a great consolation and disburthenyng of theyr labours and paynes when their hearers obey them in the Lorde and declare a thankfull mynde for their labours and cares Whiche thinge maketh also for thys purpose that the coÌ„sent of the whole church be maynteyned that the doctrine of Christe be sette forth more and more Finally that the offices of loue be busely excercised and that the instauration of the whole churche go wel forwarde As coÌ„trarie wyse where there is contempte and stubburnes of the subiectes the holie coÌ„cord of the people of God is drawen a sundre the doctrine of the Gospell is obscured and corrupted mutuall offices of edification are hindred and manie other offences sprynge vp and the wylde behauiour of manie encreaseth Therefore that the churche of the Lorde may be maynteyned and grow forth he coÌ„maunded him selfe that necessarie obedience should be shewed to the ministers of congregations in those thynges whiche be committed vnto them in the Gospell For they muste exercise the authoritie of Christ not of their owne Wherefore of them selues they haue no ryght to commaunde anie thing to the people of Christ neither ought the people to obey them if they do so For christian men can obey no man in those thinges whiche be agaynste God as all those thynges be whiche are ordeyned and enacted concernyng religion not of the coÌ„maundement of Christe But whyle the pastours require enioyne those thynges for which they haue the commaundement of Christe they that in thys case refuse to obey caste of the yoke of Christe Paule wyth a great spirite exhorteth to thys concorde of the church and agreinge togyther of the membres of Christe amonge them selues both in other places and also in the epistle to the Eph. iiij Therefore I whiche am a prisoner of the Lorde exhorte you that you so walke as it becometh the vocation wherwith ye are called with all submission and meakenes with softnes of mynde sufferynge one an other thorowe loue labourynge to keepe the vnitie of spirite by the bonde of peace One bodie and spirite etc. But it is manifest that Paul calleth that the vnitie of the spirite in thys place that is in the true doctrine of Christe and in the obedience of the commaundementes of God For the holie goste worketh thys vnitie in them whiche beleue and thys vnitie of spirite bryngeth and preserueth the true peace and edification of the churche And the maner and ordre of chosynge or callynge the ministers of the congregation which the holie goste hath appoynted in the scriptures maketh for the preseruation of thys vnitie For as S. Paule sayeth Ephe. iiij Christe ascending vp on high ledde captiuitie captyue and gaue gyftes vnto men prophetes apostles feeders and teachers And though Christe hym selfe as the apostle wytnesseth doth chose and appoynt ministers to his churche yet he doth the same for the moste parte by the worke and ministerie of his churche To whiche churche he hath coÌ„maunded to bringe vp and to teache perpetuallye some vnto thys ministerye whiche beinge furnished for the same ministerie must be called and appointed by lawfull chosynge and triall Wherefore there hath remayned euer in the churche a maner to bryng vp and frame some to the holie offices of the church and also to receyue them wheÌ„ they be brought vp and furnished and to ordeyne them when they be fitte for that purpose And thys ordinaunce must be euer religiously kepte that the churche may euer be edified by meâ—e teachers and curates as the Apostle teacheth diligently and comendeth to the Ephe. iiij and. i. Timo. iij. Tit. i. And thys must be one of the principal charges of the byshoppes that euer some be brought vp and taught and afterwarde also chosen and ordeyned beinge tryed to execute the same religiously as the apostle prescribed to his Timothe Tite and it was enacted and renued afterwarde by the decrees and canons of many counselles ¶ Of christian prayer TRue Christen praier healpeth also verie muche to the conseruation maynteynyng and encreasyng of godlines as we warned before For thorowe it we muste aske and receyue what so euer we loke for of God by fayth But thys exercise also of religion is waxen so colde yea is so quenched almoste that scarcely any know howe to praye truly and christianly In the begynnyng of the church the studie of praying so florished that not a fewe miracles were done by prayer wherof we haue manie exemples Neither should the strength of prayer be any thynge lesse nowe if we dyd applie it studiously and wyth true fayth Therfore that the diligencie of prayer maye be restored againe it shal be the ministers dutie to exhorte the people vnto it diligeÌ„tly
those dayes when fastynges are prescribed the people absteyne froÌ„ all other workes and busynes and wholy gyue them selues to heare Gods worde and to praye For thys coÌ„mon prayer of the churche hath a verie large promise propouned Math. xviij If two of you consent together vpon earth etc. Therefore we muste assemble together vnto prayer and we must applie the same that we do none other thing and that our hert and mynde be bent wholy bent thereunto Howbeit in priuate fastes in which the whole congregation is not called togyther to the worde of God and praier honeste and moderate labours of the body nothynge hyndre fastynge as they hyndre not prayer For the laboure it selfe healpeth to chastise the bodie and to drawe the mynde from the vauinitie of the world and to moue it to prayer and also to succour the poore And though at al tymes we must vse labour of the bodie for thys purpose that we may ease the neede of our brethern wheÌ„ we desirously call for the mercie and bountuousnes of God Then let thys sayinge of Paule haue place He that hath stolen lette him steale no more but let him rather worke wyth his handes that he maye succoure the needie But that faste that we take vpon vs of carefull desire to appease and to praye God wherof we recited some exemples out of the scripture byndeth a man wholy â—o prayers and other exercises of religion and draweth hym from al other cares and busines As we maye se in the faste of Dauid whiche he toke vpon hym his sonne borne of Bathseba beinge sycke he laye onely in duste lamented and knocked vpon the mercie of God wyth prayers Paule dyd the same thynge in that faste of three dayes when the Lorde had conuerted hym Fourthly the preachers shall teache that large almes muste be added to a godly fast that al vniuste burthens of our neighbours must be loosed and discharged and that we must succour the needie liberally For so the Lorde fayeth Esaie lviij Shoulde thys be the fast that I haue chosen that a maÌ„ should daily vexe his soule wryth his heade lyke a circle and caste on sacke cloth and ashes Wylt thou call thys a faste and an acceptable daye to the Lorde Is not thys rather the faste that the Lorde hath chosen Loose vngodly bondes remitte vsuries vniustly oppressynge make them free that be broken wyth pouertie and breake all burthens of dettes breake thy breade to the huÌ„grie harbour the needie and harbourles when thou seest the naked cloth hym For thys cause the holie fathers condemned all fastes as not christian nor acceptable to God though neuer so straite abstinence be kept in them and sharpe chastisyng of the bodie vsed if they that faste conuerte not theÌ„ selues from synnes wyth all their hertes to the Lorde and settynge asyde all cares and busines of thys lyfe giue them selues wholy to prayer and other exercises of religion and vse moste liberalitie towardes the pore Wherfore they taught that they which wil faste godly shoulde bestowe all that vpon the pore that they had spared in fastynge whiche is a verie rightfull thynge and takeÌ„ out of the verie nature of godlines I saye that the faythfull whyle they studiously cal for the mercie of God and desire his liberalitie shew theÌ„ selues also at that tyme chiefly mercifull and bountuous to their needie neighbours For we please God wyth such sacrifices Hebr. xiij Out of thys doctrine of christian fastes the councell Cabilonense enacted that there is required to true fastyng that the fasters The olde fathers celebrated the communioÌ„ of the supper of the Lorde on fastynge dayes at euentyde as ye may se in Athanasius de virginitate be preseÌ„t at the euening praiers which done and the coÌ„munion celebrated and alines distributed they shoulde receyue meate For the olde fathers celebrated the coÌ„munion of the holy eucharistia or thankesgyuynge on fastinges dayes at eueÌ„tyde But thys much of coÌ„mon fastyng For christian men haue a double faste a priuate faste whiche euerie man ioyneth to hym selfe or to his familie onely And a coÌ„mon faste which the gouernours of the coÌ„mon weale or the prouostes of the church inioyne to the whole coÌ„gregation for some coÌ„mon and greate necessitie that lyeth vpon all men When Dauid bewayled his synne and prayed that health myght be restored to his sicke sonne he kepte a priuate faste The fast of Cornilius was priuate whereof Luke speaketh act x. Item the faste of the Prophetisse But the faste of the Niniuites Hester Iosaphat and of many other was a coÌ„mon faste which thynge is required Ioell ij And an yerely faste in the daye of purgation is inioyned Leuiti xxiij The holy bishoppes in olde tyme and the auncient church kept two maner of these coÌ„mon fastes Some were yerely at certeine and appoynted tymes Some were not certeyne but were vsed accordyng to the necessitie that happened that they myght be readier to prayer Of the fyrst sorte lent is and other fastes returning euery yere at certeine dayes whiche dayly haue bene heaped in numbre wyth mennes traditions but verie muche hath bene wythdrawen from godlie abstinence and religious studie of prayinge to god For the institutioÌ„ of the olde churche is longe sithens corrupted For the olde byshoppes diligently exhorted the people to faste but they lefte mennes conscience free neither condemned them whiche would not or coulde not faste As Paule also onely exhorteth to faste and the Lorde him selfe layed no commaundement vpon vs coÌ„cernyng thys thinge but taught only how it should be kepte to the acceptation of the father not of men In thys moderation of exhortation and christian libertie manie wyll faste godlie and truly Now whereas fastes be most straitly inioyned no parte of fastynge or litle is kepte yea the greatest parte of the people know not what a true faste is And if anie faste and chastise theyr bodies they do it wyth manifeste vngodlines and despite of Goddes grace for wyth that worke they wyll satisfie for theyr synnes and deserue somewhat Forthermore the fathers condeÌ„ned them openly whiche were more careful for choyse of meates then for true abstineÌ„ce and chastisyng of the bodie And they reproued them also which though they vexed theÌ„ selues wyth abstinence yet in fastynge they regarded nothynge elles but abstinence nor dyd no more For we must faste for thys entent that we maye be more readie attentyue and feruent to prayer Now a daies fasting is thoughte nothynge els then to absteyne from the fleshe of foure foted beastes of birdes etc. For they serue theyr gul more daintily and exquisitely wyth fishes and other meates vpon fastyng dayes then vpoÌ„ other and they take asmuche at dynner as myght suffice for a good supper to And further that they maye seme accordynge to the olde custome to take meat after the euening praiers they haue those prayers before none Euensonge whiche accordynge to the name shoulde be sayed in the euenyng What other thynge
that custome that when they come togyther to heare the worde and to receyue the sacramentes the faythfull shoulde offre theyr oblations to the Lorde and consecrate them to hym for the vse of the pore Out of these places of the scripture and institution of the olde churche the preachers shall teache the people fyrste that the sacrifice of Christe is that onely propitiatorie sacrifice of good sauour whiche by it selfe is accepted to God the father and deserueth vnto vs forgyuenes of synnes grace and other benifittes of God and that it is the sacrifice which was shadowed in al the sacrifices of the law whiche made al the other acceptable vnto God As also the sacrifice of our selues and what so euer pleasaunte thynges we can do to God be allowed and accepted of God for respecte of thys onely propitiatorie sacrifice Without Christ there is nothynge acceptable No man can do any acceptable thynge wythout Christ Wherefore the preachers muste busely beate into the people that they thynke not that acceptable seruice or worshyppe maye be done vnto God with any sacrifice or oblation be it neuer so precious for the dignifie and worthines either of the thynge or of the offerer if the same sacrifice or oblation be not offered and made acceptable in Christe the Lorde thorowe his merite Secondly that they go not about to giue any other sacrifices to God thē those which we rehearsed before that is to say the sacrifice of them selues of a brused spirite and herte afflicted thorowe synnes Item a sacrifice of prayse and thankesgyuynge for the benifittes that they haue receyued wyth liberalitie towardes the pore and other thinges that make for the promotynge of the kyngdome of Christe Wherfore to offre to God great gyftes to buylde adourne and enriche tēples altares monasteries farther then that it prouoketh the religion of Christ wyth thys false opinion as thoughe these thynges were muche moore acceptable to God then if suche gyftes were bestowed vpon the pore for Christes sake be in no wise those sacrifices which God requireth or alloweth but wherewyth the wrath of God is more prouoked And therefore the people must be warned that corporal goodes must be offered to God for none other vse then that the religion of Christe maye be furthered that the holie ministerie maye be ordeyned and maynteyned that the necessitie of the pore maye be prouided for Finally that there maye be ministered to euerie bodie as muche as is needfull to lyue godly Therefore to buylde huge temples and to decke them wyth more thynges then be requisite to thys purpose that the congregation maye haue a comelie place whereunto they maye come togyther to heare Goddes worde to receiue the sacramentes and to do other thinges perteynyng to religion is not allowed of God For these thynges make nothing for the edification of faith in Christ or for the health of our neighbours wherevnto all christian mēnes benifites and good workes should be referred seing that Christ Iesus is the summe of all the commaundementes of God and th ende of the lawe that we I saye maye truly knowe him and take holde vpon hym so that we maye lyue in hym and he in vs. And further seinge that the ende of the law is loue out of a pure hert and good conscience and fayth vnfayued i. Timo. i. Therefore lette the thynge that S. Hierome teacheth haue place that is to wit that the temples of christen men muste be so builded and decked that out of them it may appeare our riches and glorie to be sette in the crosse of Christ and that we serue suche a Lorde that gathered his congregation in the moste pouertie of the worlde wythout golde The matter stode otherwise with the people of the olde testament wich had theyr peculiar rites theyr ceremonies theyr policie their ornamētes in the tabernacle and in the temple all whiche thynges after the cōmyng of Christe ceased That people had onely one temple whiche they decked wyth some outwarde gorgiousnes in the meane whyle neuertheles they were commaunded that they shoulde haue no begger amonge them Deut. xv In the daye of iudgemente when Christe shall pronounce the laste sentence of al men he shall say thus I haue hungred thyrsted I was naked a straunger weake in bondes and you ministered vnto me For what so euer ye dyd to one of these litleones I take it to be done vnto my selfe entre therefore into the kyngedome of my father whiche was prepared for you from the begynning But to those whiche haue not done these thynges to his litleones he shall saye Go into euerlastyng fyer etc. But we shal heare no mention made of buyldyng of temples and monasteries and deckynge of the same Let the pastours then teach the people to exhibite true worshippynges vnto God to decke his true and liuely temples that is to succour the pore and afflicted whiche be the true membres and bretherne of Christe Thys thynge God hym selfe dyd not onely commaunde vs but the holie fathers also require the same of vs. S. Ambrose wryteth thus in the .ij. boke of offices Chap. xx When the Lorde shal cōplayne and require why the goodes of the churche golde and costlie vessels were not bestowed vpon the vse of the pore and redemyng of prisoners if a man wyll laye the ornamentes of temples for his excuse and saye I was a feard lest the temple of God shoulde want ornamentes he shall heare of the Lorde Sacramentes require not golde neither do those thynges please by reason of golde whiche are not bought wyth golde The raunsomming of prisoners is the verie ornamēt of sacramentes and they be verie precious vesselles whiche redeme soules from death That is the true treasure of the Lord which worketh the same thynge that his bloude wrought Then sayeth he I acknowledge the vessel of the Lordes bloud when the chalice redemeth them from the enemie whom the bloud redemed from synne etc. But our naturall blyndnes and rebellion agaynste God causeth that we neuer worshyppe him according to his prescription And thorowe our naturall pryde and vngentlenes and neglectyng of our bretherne it cometh to passe that we thinke those thynges vaynly wasted and loste or not well bestowed whiche are spent vpon the needie and despised men before the worlde Therefore men fall so farre that they had leuer offre theyr gyftes to God for an ornament of wodde stones and deade bones and for the maynteinaunce of vnprofitable felowes then for the vse of the pore where as yet he testifieth that he wyll compte those thinges done vnto him selfe what so euer we bestowe vpon the pore for his sake promisyng that he wyl recompence the same in thys worlde and in the worlde to come Wherefore thys false and peruerse opinion of the fleshe muste be earnestly rebuked and diligently corrected that they maye omitte those sacrifices vnacceptable to god and that they succour the needie and afflicted persones wyth true sacrifices and acceptable to God And
the preachers must teach and exhorte the people diligently that they brynge all their gyftes and oblations into a cōmon treasurie of the churche and that liberallie And they shall declare moreouer that this is the deutie not onely of the riche but also of all men after the measure of the goodes whiche the Lorde hath graunted to euerie one of them For Christe offered him selfe for al men no lesse for the pore then for the riche It becometh then al mē to be thākfull and to remembre that pore wydowe whiche by the iudgement of Christe in offerynge of a farthynge gaue more into the cōmon hutche then all the other Marke xij We also God wyllyng shall take suche ordre for the makynge of a cōmon treasurie of the churche wherwyth not onely the pore and beggers shal be succurred but also stipendes shall be appoynted for certayne towarde yonge men whiche shall be brought vp and instituted vnto the ministeries of the churche Wherefore the preachers shal diligently exhort the people that they offre their oblations to the Lorde liberally as often as they come togyther to heare the Lordes worde to the holie baptisme to the receyuynge of the cōmunion of the supper of the Lorde to the cōmon prayers or on the sūdayes and other accustomed festes when mariages are blessed when thankes are gyuen to the Lorde for them which haue recouered them selues from some syckenes whē women lately deliuered go to churche and when so euer god hath gyuen peculiar gyftes to men whiche thynge he doeth euen dayly For we dayly enioye the moste ample benifites of God wherefore we must dayly declare our thākfulnes wyth godlie oblations that the ministerie of the churche maye be euer repared and susteyned and that all mennes necessities maye be bountuously succurred For it is a great and an vngodlie vnthākefulnes that whereas men bestowed so manie thinges most liberally vpon stones wodde and dead mennes bones vpon stationaries and such other vnprofitable fellowes and were cōstrained to bye sacramentes and other ecclesiasticall thynges wyth money nowe in the lyght of the Gospell they wyll not contribute a litle to maynteyne the necessarie and holesome ministerie of the churche to feede the pore the membres of Christe oure bretherne chiefly seinge that they be deliuered of manie superfluous charges whiche we haue rehearsed Therefore the people must be called by the preachers with greate diligence frō those superstitious oblations whiche they were wonte to offre vnto dead sayntes theyr stockes and relikes and they muste be enstructed and exhorted to true and acceptable sacrifices vnto God wherof we haue spoken ¶ A forefence and commaundemente agaynste the errours of the anabaptistes VVe are many wayes premonished both out of the worde of God and also out of histories of ecclesiastical matters that Satan laboureth by al meanes to steare vp and to brynge into the church sundrie sclaunders and offences aswell of doctrine as of lyfe Wherefore the pastours shall watch diligently to turne awaye and disapoynt these pernitious endeuours of Satā and to keepe and deliuer the people of God from all false doctrine In whiche thynge they muste watche chiefely at this tyme. For it is manifest that the anabaptistes runne vp and doune in moste places and with merueylous craftes and giles creepe in amonge the simple whiche also haue dryuen not a fewe out of theyr wittes whō they hold entāgled caught in a snare Agaynst this incōuenience it shal be right expedient if the pastours often enstructe the people of those articles of oure religion for whiche the anabaptistes chiefely moue controuersies and cōfute their dotyng dreames substātially out of the worde of God Hereby the people certaynly knowyng how vngodly theyr opinions be being so armed aforehande shal easely determine that the authours of suche doctrine must be necessarily eschued and condemned And the more that they shal abhorre frō the vngodly faininges and blasphemies of these men the more easely they shall be reteyned in the studie of sincere doctrine and ecclesiastical consent And the diligent handlynge and large exposition of suche places causeth al men in the cōgretion to be more plentifully and certeynely enstructed and confirmed in the doctrine of Christe And that the people maye be armed aforehande agaynste the vngodlie imaginations of these men the preachers muste entreate playnely and clearely of all theyr articles and shewe howe noysome and pestilent they be and full of all pernitious perturbation of the cōmon weale sedition horrible blasphemies against god and his holy Gospell For some make for the ouerthrowyng of outwarde politie some for the confirmation and ignoraūce of synnes to blow vp a truste of oure owne ryghtuousnes and establishe a contempte and violation of the sacramētes holy ministerie of the church The chiefest then of these muste be declared to the people by name and often repeted As these be where as they say that to administre the cōmon weale to exercise cōmon iudgementes to punishe yll doers be offices and workes contrarie to the preceptes of Christ whiche a christian man ought not to do Itē that to offre an othe or to sweare at the commaundement of them that administre the cōmon power or be lawfull Iudges is agaynst the Gospell Item that it is sinne for a man to haue anie thynge propre but that all christen men oughte to make theyr goodes common Item that a Catabaptiste maye forsake his wyfe whiche alloweth not his errours and contrarie wyse It is euident that these errours be seditious and that they muste be aswell restrayned as other seditious deuises and dedes are wonte to be Wherefore the cōmon officers muste punishe these felowes with cōueniēt rigorousnes And the preachers must shewe the people by the scriptures that these Imaginations be agaynst the Gospell and that they haue theyr begynnyng frō the naturall arrogantie of mē rebellion and cōfusion whiche fyghte agaynste the kyngdome of Christe The Anabaptistes whiche keepe not the difference of spirituall and politike lyfe vnderstande not that the Gospell teacheth the knowledge of God and the inuocation of hym in Christe Iesu oure Lorde and eternall ryghtuousnes and that neuertheles it improueth not these outward thynges to eate and to drynke wyth thankesgyuyng Item these ciuile thynges to gouerne the common weale exercise Iudgementes to make warre to go a warfare to obeye the officers to marie to keepe oure owne goodes to gette and mainteyne riches with labour and lawfull bargaynes to set forth sciences profitable for our lyfe to teache wel the youth and suche lyke whiche in godlie men are the verie worshippinges of God These thinges further godlines and cōmon tranquillitie and it is profitable to amplifie thys dignitie of polityke thynges whiche when they beginne to vnderstande then mē shall applie them selues more gladly to this diuine ordinaunce and they shall learne to exercise fayeth and loue in these actions of life And they shall obeye the officers wyth all theyr hertes and as muche as in
men wyth all theyr hertes for the Lorde Christes sake that they serue al maner of men and do them good in all thynges that perteyne to the neede of the bodie or to ciuile societie Therefore in thys ciuile lyfe societie they exercise theyr fayth and shewe exemples of loue towardes their neighbours wyth whom they lyue in all theyr necessities all maner of wayes What soeuer geÌ„tle behauiour there is in the world what so euer perteyneth or healpeth to faythfull and honest ciuilitie and participation of present thynges and to the maynteinyng and adurnyng of the common weale that christeÌ„ meÌ„ only do rightly vnderstand labour to perfourme most proÌ„ptly In like maner the pastours must often substantially declare and excusse those doctrines also that perteyne to a spirituall lyfe for whiche the Anabaptistes make muche busines as of originall synne of the baptisme of infaÌ„tes of the rightuousnes of fayth and these thinges they shall teache out of the holie scriptures as of original synne what an horrible euyll it is bycause mannes reason doeth noâ— se those thynges to be damned whiche remayne in the nature of man I meane the ignoraunce of God want of the feare of God and distrusting of God Item that God alloweth the baptisme of our infantes receyueth our infantes into his chyldren thorowe baptisme and maketh them heyres of his grace and euerlastyng lyfe That remission of synnes the communion of Christe the felowshoppe of a newe and blessed lyfe is only in the congregation of Christ and not amonge the Iewes or Turbes or other men amonge whom the Gospell is not preached the sacramentes of Christe are not administered but rather the name and doctrine of Christ is blasphemed The matter standing thus and seinge that it is euident that God wyl be the God of our seede also that is to saye a sauiour and authour of a newe and blessed lyfe to vs which thorowe Christ be made the sonnes of Abraham and heyres of the promyse and couenaunte whiche God Gene. xvij Gala iii. made wyth hym the father of all them that beleue the matter beinge thus I saye surely we maye conclude and it is playne that our infantes borne of vs synners and loste through synnes muste be offered to Christ be incorporated to him thorowe baptisme that by hym they maye be washed in the churche from synnes and haue his ryghtuousenes gyueÌ„ theÌ„ put vpon them For seing that the kingdome of Christ is reueiled amounge vs and the mistery of redemptioÌ„ and saluation wrought by Christe is more clearely and abundauÌ„tly exhibited and preached then before for manye Kynges and prophetes desired to heare and see the thinges that we heare and se and it was not giuen to them it muste needes be that they playnlie knowe not the Gospell of Christe and coÌ„munion of sayntes amonge them selues that were sayntes in dede and acceptable to God or els that they inuade Christe and his churche with a wicked furie whosoeuer they be that wyl not haue our infantes to be purged from synnes wyth the Sacramente of regeneration and to be planted in the churche of God seinge that it behoued infantes of the olde people to be sanctified and planted into the bodie of Christ whiche is the churche wyth that Sacramente that God then gaue them for thys purpose For why shoulde oure infantes perteyne lesse to the kyngdome of God then theirs seinge that thorow Christ we be grafted in the holy roote of that people and made partakers of the blessed fatnes of thys Olyue Ro. xâ— Furthermore we haue giueÌ„ vnto vs a migâ—tier spirite Romo viij But we be gotten iâ— synnes aswel as the Iewes and haue neede to be deliuered from synnes thorowe Christ and to be brought vnto the life of God and that in Christes church For there is not saluation wythout the churche where neither the worde nor Sacrament is Infantes then muste be planted into the church we must gyue them the signe that wytnesseth that the promise perteyneth vnto theÌ„ And forasmuche as in this time the Gospel the grace of God and redemption of Christe be more clearely and effectuously exhibited and preached in the churche both wyth wordes and sacramentes then amonge the olde people euerie man surely beinge rightly warned hereof excepte he be a verie vngodlie person shall acknowledge that oure infantes also muste be washed from synnes by baptisme whiche is the Sacrament of regeneration and that they muste be planted into Christe our Lorde and his churche in whiche church Christe worketh thorowe his worde and sacramentes as Ephesâ— v. Paule sayeth that Christ loued the coÌ„gregation and gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie it and cleanse it wyth the lauer of water etc. He describeth not the congregation wythout signes and without the worde Wherefore he sayeth also in an other place one bodie one spirite one Lorde one fayth one baptisme Whiche thynges surely do testifie that they whiche perteyne to the coÌ„gregation be planted into the same wyth some outwarde signe also If meÌ„ shall be warned hereof often and substantially they shal reuerentlie vse holie baptisme they shal come to it and stande by it more religiously and they shal more feruently pray for the grace of God to them selues and to the infaÌ„tes and wyth purer myndes and greater sanctification of them selues they shal labour to offre to Christe the Lorde both their owne chyldren and also the chyldren of the whole church according to the Lordes wordes suffre the litelones to come vnto me for the kingdome of heauen perteyneth to such Whiche moste sweete sayinge of the Lorde oure sauioure they shall also embrace wyth more certeyne fayth and wyth greater deuotion gyue God thankes for his so greate benifitte Men shall moreouer be moued and enflamed to procure theyr chyldren beinge grafted in Christe to be brought vp to hym and to his churche wyth greater diligence and they shall cause them to be nosseled in the knowledge of him that they may profite the church and wheÌ„ they be growen vp they shall dedicate them betymes as the membres of Christe vnto his churche being the sonnes and heyres of God and ioynte heyres wyth Christ In lyke maner the rightuousnes of fayth must be declared and sette forth by comparyng of the Anabaptisticall imaginations For that comparison shall brynge greater lyght to thys ministerie I saye when it shal be playnely shewed howe greate difference there is betwene the true ryghtuousnes of Christ and the hypocrisie of these heretikes For that rightuousnes that the Gospel teacheth is to take handfast of Christ the lorde with sure faith so that the mynde trust therin constantly and call vpon God the father thorowe Christe wyth the coÌ„fidence of chyldren and studie to glorifie the same wyth good workes wherewyth our neighbours may be holpen by al possible meanes accordynge to all the power of the holie goste that it hath receyued But the rightuousnes whiche the Anabaptistes teache and wherin they boste themselues is al
the Catechisme as may be fouÌ„d most readie meete thereunto though they be not priestes or in other ordinarie ministeries But howe and after what fourme the Catechisme must be expouned we wyll declare hereafter In cities we wyll that euen vpon the workynge dayes there be two holy asseÌ„bles euerie day in the which holie lessons shal be reade with prayers and Psalmes if ministers wante not and if the people wyll be entreated to come togyther diligently Let suche houres be appoynted for these assembles as shal be moste comodiouse to the people In villages if it maye be for the people let holie assembles be called togyther thryse a wieke in whiche mornynge prayers and exhortations shall be vsed out the scriptures If by reason of the negligence of the people it can not be done so often they shall procure that they come togyther once or twyse ¶ Of the holy Sacramentes generally LEtte the pastours and teachers remembre that it is there duetie to enstruct the people diligentlie not onely in the administration it selfe of the SacrameÌ„tes but also ofteÌ„ in their sermons when the place shall require it what is done and exhibited in the handlynge and dispensation of euery Sacrament How meÌ„ ought to prepare them selues to receyue the SacrameÌ„tes and wyth what trust we must take them and wherein we muste putte confidence of receyuing the benifitte of God in the Sacramentes and howe much diligence religion is required to the handlyng of sacrameÌ„tes not only of them which theÌ„ selues vse the sacrameÌ„tes but also of theÌ„ which be present at the administration and dispensation of the same and chiefly of the ministers whiche exhibite and distribute theÌ„ to other But chiefely they shall warne the people that they thynke not that they maye obteine the grace of God and communion wyth Christe in the Sacramentes thorowe the streÌ„gth and worthines of outwarde worke either in him that ministreth the sacrameÌ„tes or of hym that receyueth theÌ„ but onely thorowe the strength of God and merite of Christe whiche wil worke in his worde and Sacramentes and perfourme al those thinges vndoubtedly whiche he offereth in the Sacramentes and testifieth wyth his wordes to all them whiche receyue the Sacramentes accordynge to his worde wyth true fayth ¶ Of Baptisme BAptisme is a Sacrament of regeneration whereby we be planted and incorporated into Christe the Lorde and be buried into his death and put on the same and be made thorowe hym the sonnes and heryes of God Wherefore we muste handle and receyue thys Sacrament wyth greate reuerence and religion And therfore we must vse that maner of administrynge thys Sacramente and suche tyme muste be appoynted for the administration of the same that all thynges maye serue to steare vp and encrease reuerence and religion that this holy Sacramnent may be godly and holesomly administred and receiued Amonge the auncient fathers Baptisme was openly ministred onely at two tymes in the yere at Ester Witsontyde Which constitution bicause it shoulde be harde perchaunce to renue we wyl that Baptisme be ministred onely vpon the sundayes and holie dayes when the whole congregation is wonte to come togyther if the weakenes of the infantes lette not the same so that it is to be feared that they wyll not lyue tyll the nexte holie daye for oure mynde is that the handlyng of the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude called Eucharistia maye be ioyned with Baptisme and that they which brynge the infantes to Baptisme maye vse the bodie and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus Christ after the maner and institution of the primitiue churche But that all thynges maye be ministred and receyued religiously and reuerently the parâ—â—es of the infaÌ„tes shall signifie the matter betymes to the pastours and wyth the godfathers shall humbly require Baptisme for their infantes That if the parentes or the godfathers or both be subiecte to manifest crimes they may be corrected of the pastoure if they wyll admitte correction or if they be incorrigible that they maye be kepte from the communion of Baptisme lest they be present at so diuine a ministration vnto damnation and wyth daunger of offending the churche For they aswell make them selues gyltie of the bodie and death of Christ whiche vnworthelie be present at thys Sacramente of Baptisme and require the same for theyr Infantes wythout true fayeth in Christe as they whiche take the bodie and bloude of the Lorde vnworthely that is to saye not after the institution of Christe namely wythout true repentauÌ„ce and faith in Christe Whrefore if suche come vnto the pastours to aske holie Baptisme whether they be the parentes of the chyldren or theyr godfathers as be defiled wyth manifeste crimes and abominatioÌ„s the preachers shall exhorte them vnto repentaunce and warne them that they be not present at the administration of the Sacramente for that tyme leste they pull damnation vpon them selues and offende the churche For suche by reason of theyr wycked actes haue no parte in the kyngdome of God neyther be they to be admitted to the participation of the sacramentes excepte they repent openly But if the parentes be founde in suche crimes they shall desire theyr kinsfolke or other frendes whiche be as yet the true and lyuely membres of the churche that in theyr steede they wyll aske Baptisme for theyr infantes If the godfathers shal be iudged vnworthie of the church other shal be desired which haue good testimonie In the request of Baptisme the pastours shal aske them whether the infantes haue not receiued Baptisme already whiche thinge is wont to chaunce when the chylde is in perill of death For if they be baptised then the pastours shall do those thynges that we wyll declare hereafter coÌ„cernyng suche infantes But if they be not baptised or not certeynly baptised or not as it behoued and if the parentes and godfathers be not subiecte to those crimes for whiche they shoulde be kepte of from Baptisme they muste be diligently warned by the pastours of the exceadynge benefitte of regeneration in Christe whiche they desire to theyr chyldren Item of the horrible fall and gilte from whiche the infantes are deliuered in Baptisme thorowe Christe Then he shall exhorte them that they be present religiously at the exorcisme and Catechisme and so afterward at the ministration of baptisme laste of all that they vse togyther the Sacrament of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde For it becometh thys thynge to be done not onely for thys cause that they be the membres of Christe and it behoueth not to be present at the Lordes borde wythout part takynge but also bycause it is an vnworthie thynge to aske the communion of Christ for infantes and to receyue it in baptisme and not to receiue the same in the Sacrament for them selues wherein it is offered to theÌ„ also For if they aske and receyue the communion of Christ in Baptisme with true fayth they can not but aske the same for them selues and receiue it desirously beinge offered in
exercised wyth aduersitie and sundrie miseries we must remeÌ„bre that we are baptised and that in baptisme al our sinnes euils be ouercomed and deade and that they be dayly wasted and obolished more and more thorowe the crosse and suÌ„dry afflictions which God sendeth vnto vs and that the newe man is continually renued and repared thorow the vertue of the resurrection of Christe Therfore of ryght we oughte to thanke God for his so vnspeakeable mercie and we muste also praye therwyth that he wyll vouchsafe euer to further and at the last to finishe his worke whiche he hath begonne in vs and in all them whom he hath called to baptisme The preachers shal vse such exhortatioÌ„s loÌ„ger or shorter accordyng to the tyme out of the forsaid places of the scripture and other lyke and then they shall adde the interrogations folowyng ¶ InterrogatioÌ„s or demauÌ„des which shall be propouned to the godfathers and to the parentes of infantes Do ye beleue that those thynges be true whiche I shewed you out of the worde of God concernyng the corruption of nature thorowe originall synnne and concernynge regeneration in Christ our Lorde and euerlastyng communion wyth God whiche is exhibited thorowe holie baptisme ¶ Answere ¶ We beleue Do you require then wyth al your hertes and wyth true fayth that thys your infant whom ye haue brought and offered to Christe be deliuered from thys corruption of nature thorowe the merite and vertue of Christe in baptisme and be reconciled to God and borne againe into a new and perpetuall lyfe ¶ Answer ¶ We require it Do ye then renounce in your name and in the name of the chylde the deuyll and all his workes ¶ Answere ¶ We renounce And the worlde also and all his concupiscence ¶ Answere ¶ We renounce Do ye beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth ¶ Answere We beleue And do ye beleue that God wyll be a father to you and to thys Infante when it is baptised and that he wyll keepe you froÌ„ all euyll thorowe his almightie power wysedome and mercie and heape benifittes vpon you and that therefore you oughte to feare hym and loue hym aboue al thynges ¶ Answere We beleue Do ye beleue in our Lorde Iesus Christe his onely sonne which to redeme vs became maÌ„ suffered died was raysed froÌ„ death ascended into heaueÌ„ and sitteth on the ryght haÌ„de of the father froÌ„ theÌ„ce gouerneth his churche thorowe his almightie power and shal come in th ende of the worlde appeare to al meÌ„ a iudge of the dead and the quicke ¶ Answere We beleue Do ye confesse out of this fayth that our Lorde Iesus Christe is also your Sauiour and Sauiour of thys chylde whiche by his death hathe purged your synnes also and hath recoÌ„ciled you to God and instified you thorowe his resurrection and wyl at length fully finishe vp the Image and lyfe of God in you beinge cleansed from all synne ⧠Answere We confesse Do ye beleue also in the holie goste the holie and vniuersall churche the communion of saintes the remission of synnes the resurrection of the fleshe and lyfe euerlasting â–ª ⧠Answere We beleue Out of thys confession do you beleue that the holie goste wyl be your teacher and comforter and the teacher and comforter of thys chylde and that you be the true membres of the bodie of Chrisâ—e oure Lorde and of his churche and that thys childe by baptisme shall be a membre of Christe and his churche wherein he shall haue remission of sinnes a sure hope of resurrection and life euerlastynge ⧠Answere We beleue Wyll ye then take the infante from baptisme and compte hym for a verie sonne of God a brother and membre of Christe and as soone as he cometh to the vse of reason if peraduenture he shall leese his parentes or if they shall be negligente in thys behalfe wyll ye take the charge of him that he may learne the ten commaundementes the articles of oure fayth the Lordes prayer the sacramentes both at home and in the congregation that from his chyldehode he maye beginne to vnderstande the misterie of baptisme and the benefittes of Christe gyuen to hym therin and afterwarde when he is wel instructed in the religion of Christe that he confesse his fayth in the congregation wyth his owne mouth and thorow the participation of Christe that he gyue hym selfe to obedience towardes God and the congregation ¶ Answere We wyll ⧠Here the past oure shall exhorte agayne the parentes and the multitude standyng by RemeÌ„bre then beloued that ye must with all faythfulnes and diligence perfourme the thynge that ye haue promised here in the sight of god Christ our sauiour which is amonge vs and before his holie coÌ„gregation And all you parentes godfathers and other that staÌ„de by acknowledge this childe after that he hath receyued baptisme as the sonne of God and membre of Iesus Christ to whom the Angelles be presente as ministers and serue hym neither doubte ye but that what so euer good or euyll ye do to thys seelie Infant you do the same to God and to Christe the Lorde Lette it not be anie payne to you then that euery one of you accordynge to his state kynred and vncation procure thys chylde to be godlie and religiously broughte vp and instructed that at length he maye keepe all those thinges that Christe oure Sauiour commaunded to vs. It perteyneth then vnto you whiche are giuen of God to thys chylde to be parentes kynsfolke or godfathers to procure as sone as he is growen vp to brynge hym to scholes to the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ that he may be instructed moore fully in the misteries of Christe and in other thynges that he may perceyue the grace and exceadyng benifittes of God gyuen in baptisme that he gyue accompt of his fayth before the coÌ„gregation that he renounce in dede the diuyl the worlde wyth al concupiscences that he wholie gyue hym selfe to Christe our Lorde and to his coÌ„gregation to be obedient in all poyntes accordyng to his gospel and so coÌ„tinue in Christ our Lorde vnto th ende and euer go forward in newnes of lyfe as a lyuely membre of Christe and that beinge a fruiteful braunch in thys vinyarde he brynge forth the plentifull fruite of all good workes to the prayse of God and edification of the churche ⧠Here foloweth the Exorcisme or adiuration HEre the past oure shall coÌ„maunde the chylde to be brought nere him and shal demauÌ„d his name which knowen he shal say I coÌ„maunde all euyll spirites in the name of oure Lorde Iesu Christ to departe froÌ„ thys infant and to do hym no hurt anie maner of wayes ⧠After thys makyng the figure of the crosse wyth his thombe vpon his foreheade and vpon his brest let hym saye Take the figure of the holie crosse in thy foreheade that thou neuer be ashamed of God and Christ thy sauiour or of his Gospell take it also on
thy brest that the power of Christe crucified may be euer thy succour and sure protection in all thynge ⧠Then let hym saye to the people The Lorde be wyth you ⧠Let the the people answere And wyth thy spirite ⧠The pastour Let vs praye Almightie and euerlastyng God the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe I call the vpon thys N. thy seruaunte for whom the churche requireth the Sacramente of baptisme and therein thy grace and spirituall regeneration and thou saydeste aske and ye shal receyue etc. so gyue thy grace and mercie to thys chylde as thy church prayeth the that he maye obteine the redemption of thy sonne and inheritaunce of euerlastynge and blessed lyfe whiche thy cōgregation seeketh for hym thorowe baptisme Open to hym the dore of thy kyngdome at whiche thy churche knocketh for hym thorowe Christe our Lorde Amen ⧠Let vs praye Further almightie God whiche in olde tyme dyddeste destroye the wycked worlde wyth the floude accordynge to thy terrible iudgement and dyddeste preserue onely the familie of godly Noe eighte soules of thy vnspeakable mercie and which also dyddest droune in the redde sea obstinate Pharao the Kynge of the Egiptians wyth all his armie and warlike power and causedist thy people of Israel to passe ouer with dry feete and wouldest shadowe in them holy baptistisme the lauer of regeneration furthermore whiche dyddeste consecrate Iordane wyth the Baptisme of thy sonne Christe Iesu and other waters to holie deepynge and washynge of synnes we praye the for thy exceadynge mercie loke fauourably vpon thys Infante gyue hym true fayeth and thy holie spirite that what so euer fylth he hath taken of Adam it maye be drouned and be put awaye by thys holie floude that being seperated from the numbre of the vngodlie he maye be kepte safe in the holie arke of the churche and maye confesse and sanctifie thy name wyth a lustie and feruent spirite and serue thy kyngdome wyth constant truste and sure hope that at length he maye atteyne to the promises of eternal lyfe wyth all the godlie Amen ⧠The pastour The Lorde be with you ⧠The people And wyth thy spirite Heare the Gospell of oure Lorde Iesus Christe Marke x. In that tyme they broughte chyldren to Iesus that he might toutch them But the disciples rebuked them that broughte them When Iesus sawe that he toke indigna ion and sayed vnto them sulfure the litleoues to come vnto me etc. Beleue these wordes and thys deede of our Lorde Iesu Christe vpō them and doubt not but that he wyll so receyue your chyldren also and embrace them wyth the armes of his mercie and gyue them the blessynge of eternall lyfe and the euerlasting communion of the kyngdome of God The same Lorde and our Sauiour Iesus Christe confirme and encrease thys your fayth Amen ⧠After thys the pastoure shall laye his handes vpon the chyldes heade and the godfathers touching the child shall praye wyth hym Oure father whiche arte etc. Then they shall also rehearse the crede I beleue in God the father etc. ¶ Let vs praye After thys the churche shall synge the Psal Cxiiij Item Cxv. and. Cxxxvi. When Israell went forth etc. Not to vs Lorde etc. Item prayse the name of the Lorde etc. Ye seruauntes prayse the Lorde ⧠The pastour The Lorde be with you ¶ The people And wyth thy spirite ⧠Let vs praye Almightie and euerlastynge God heauenlie father we gyue the eternall thankes that thou haste vouchsafed to cal vs to thys knowledge of thy grace fayth towardes the. Encrease and confirme this fayth in vs euermore Gyue thy holie spirite to thys infant that he maye be borne agayne and be made heyre of euerlastyng saluation which of thy groce and mercie thou hast promised to thy holie churche to olde men and to children thorow our Lorde Iesus Christ which liueth and reigneth wyth the nowe and for euer Amen ⧠Thus gyuynge his blessynge let hym dimisse the congregation ⧠Of administration of Baptisme The daye folowinge let the infantes beinge exorcised the daye before be broughte agayne to the cōgregation a litle before the supper of the Lorde whō there the pastour after that the Gospel is reade and declared and the crede songe shal bid to be broughte to the foūtstone and shal exhort the parētes the godfathers and kinsfolke after the maner folowinge Beloued in Christ yesterday by the grace of God we hearde how exceading and vnspeakable mercie is exhibited in Baptisme Ye haue renounced Satā and the worlde ye haue cōfessed the fayth of Christe ye haue promised obedience to Christ and the cōgregation and ye haue required of God the father that for his sōnes sake our Lorde Iesus Christ he will deliuer these infātes from the kingdome of darkenes and settle thē in the kingdome of his beloued sōne You must remēbre these thinges and doubt nothing but that we shal receyue all these thynges that we require if we beleue Therefore liftynge vp your mindes vnto the Lorde appeare ye here with all religion as in the sighte of almightie God the father the sōne and the holie gost and receiue ye sure fayth and thankesgiuing the benifitte of regeneration and adoptiō into euerlastyng life of the one god him selfe the father the sonne and the holie goste And bicause the Lorde hym selfe commaunded vs to baptise in the name of the father the sōne and the holie gost vndoubtedly god him selfe baptiseth our infātes cleanseth thē frō sinnes deliuereth thē frō euerlasting death putteth vpō thē his owne rightuousnes and gyueth them life eternal We must acknowledge with true faith and euer magnifie these exceading benifittes of God Wherfore that we may steare vp our fayth and mindes Let vs heare the wordes of S. Paule folowing concernynge thys matter ⧠To Tite Chapter iij. But after that the goodnes and loue of oure sauiour God towardes mē appeared not of the workes of ryghtuousnes whiche we dyd but after his mercie he saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renuing of the holie goste etc. ⧠The pastour The Lorde be wyth you ⧠The people And wyth thy spirite ¶ Out of the Gospell of Mathewe the laste Chapter The Lorde Iesus said vnto his disciples All power in heauen and in earth is gyuen vnto me Go ye therfore into al the worlde and preache the Gospell to al creatures and teach al the heathē baptising thē in the name of the father the sonne the holie gost etc ⧠The pastour The Lorde be with you ⧠The people And wyth thy spiritie ⧠Let vs praye Almightie and mercifull God and father thou diddest promise to Abraham oure father and the father of all that beleue and in him thou dyddeste promise to vs also his chyldren that thou wouldeste be a God to vs and to oure seede Wherefore as thou diddest receyue the infantes of the olde people into grace and into thyne owne people by circumcisiō And thy sonne Christe Iesus our Lorde and
maye be more cōforted and the celebration of so great a sacrament more augmented and the benifite of Christ bestowed vppon the childe throughe Baptisme more commended the preachers shall alowe the same in the congregacion vsinge a lesson of the holye Gospel and praier after this sorte ▪ The pastor whā thei become which bring such an infante vnto the Lorde shal first demande of them Beloued in Christe forasmuche as we be al borne in synne and the wrath of God giltie of eternall death and damnacion and can by none other meanes get remissyon of sinnes righteousnes and euerlastinge lyfe than through faith in Christ and forasmuch as also this infant is borne subiect to these euils I meane of death and the wrath of god I aske of you whether he were offered to Christ and plāted in hym through baptisme If they answere that they so beleue he shal aske thē further by whom it was done and who wer presēt And whā they haue named them he shall aske him whiche bi there relacion Baptised the childe if he bee present or other whiche then were presente whether the name of the Lorde were called vpon him and prayer made for him If they answere that they did so he shall aske how the childe was baptised If thei than answere in water and wyth these wordes I baptise the in the name of the father the sonne and the holye gost he shal aske them laste of all whether they certainly knowe that thei haue rightly vsed the worde of god and if they answere that thei know and remembre that they dyd so lette the pastoure saye this moreouer Forasmuch as beloued in Christe I here that althynges concerninge the baptisme of this infante haue been done in the name of God and according to his institution I pronounce in the name of Christe that ye haue doone well For infantes wante the grace of God whych our sauiour Christ denieth not vnto theym whensoeuer it is asked for children according to his worde for he hath not bound the benifite of his redemption to anye places times or persōnes For in what place soeuer they that beleue in hym come to gether in hys name he is present in the middest of them and whan he is caled vpon thoroughe fayth he worketh in hys worde and sacramentes and he performeth in ded whatsoeuer he offreth in hys sacramentes promiseth in hys wordes And to confirme this fayeth and that we maye sterre vp our selues to thanke the Lorde for thys hys so greate benifyte ministred to this infante by baptisme lette vs heare out of the gospell howe the Lorde wyll haue children brought vnto hym and howe he wyll bountouslye blesse them whyche be offered vnto hym Marcke x. ¶ And thei brought children vnto him that he myght touche them etc. By these wordes of Christe we bee certified that as manye infantes as bee offered vnto Christ according to his word pertayne to the kingdome of God bee the chyldren of God the mēbres of Christ that the Angels be present with them as mynistres and that al the creatures of god be subiecte vnto thē to do them good Wherfore we must ministre to such with singuler diligēce that they maye bee well broughte vp in Christe and growe in him and this charge pertaineth to you parētes kinsfolkes godfathers and all other frendes which be of the body of thys our congregacion I commende than thys infante the sonne and heire of God the brother and coheire of christ the mēbre of christ and youre membre in Christe to your faithfulnes charge that ye procure hym wyth al diligence to be noryshied brought vp and enstructed to the Lord to whom he is borne again and to the kingdom of god to which he is borne againe eueri man accordinge to his vocation and power that assone as he can for hys age he maye learne to keepe all those thinges that Christe commaunded to bee kepte Wherefore it pertayneth to you chiefely parentes godfathers and kinsfoke thought all other in this congregation and all chrystian men to whome soeuer he shall come ought not to denye theire labour and healpe to procure that this infante assone as he may for his age be brought to the schole and to the congregaciō and be enstructed in the misteries wyth all faythfulnes that he may lerne to acknoledge and magnifie the moste ample benifites of God receyued in baptisme that afterwarde he maye professe his faith him selfe in the congregacion that with his owne voyce he maye renounce satan and the worlde with all his entysementes and workes before the holy congregacion that he may bynd himselfe to Christ and to his congregacion vnto all obedience and continue in the same vnto the ende as a liuelye membre of Christ and a branch continuyng in Christ and brynging furth plentiful frute vnto the praise and glorie of god and edificacion of his church After thys let him saie lainge his hande on the childe The lord bee with you Answere And with thy spirite Lette vs praye Lorde God the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ whiche haste be gotten agayne this infant of water and the holye goste and haste giuen him in holye Baptisme remission of all sinnes confirme the same with thy grace and guide and further this new life whyche thou haste giuen and fynyshe it vp where vnto thou haste bounde the infante with this hollye Sacramente Graunte also to hys parentes and to vs all that we maye faythfully and diligently serue the in takinge charge of hym that thoroughe hym and vs all they name dayly be more and more sanctified and thei kingdom promoted vnto the full fruision of blesfulnes thorough Christ our Lord. Amē But if they whiche offre the infante can not answere sufficiently to the sayd demandes so that thei graūt that they doe not wel knowe what they thought or dyd in baptising being sore trobled with the present dāger as it often chauceth than omittinge curious disputacions lette the pastoure iudge such an infante not to be yet baptised and let him do all those thinges that pertaninge to this ministracion as we described before that is to say let him vse an admonicion and catechisme to theim that brynge the chylde and an exorsisme of the childe the commen confession of the faith and al other thinges which done lette him baptise the infant with out condicion in the name of the father the soonne and the hollye goste ¶ Of the confirmacion of thildren baptised And sōlemne profession of theyr fayth in Christ and of therir obedience to be shewed to Christe and to his congregation THys custome hath beene obserued in the olde and newe testament of the institution of God that those whych in theyr first infancie were receiued into the grace of the Lord a mong the olde people by circumsicion and in the newe people by baptisme assone as they had vnderstanded this benifite of God whiche they had receyued and assone as they hadde a fore conceyued fayth in God
when they praye him so giue these chyldreÌ„ the thinge that we pray the for thorowe thy sonne Christ that when we shal now say our haÌ„des vpoÌ„ them in thy name and shall certifie them by thys signe that thy fatherly hande shall be euer stretched forth vpon theÌ„ and that they shall neuer wante thy holy spirite to keepe leade and gouerne theÌ„ in the way of health and in a very christian life graunt thou I say vnto them that they maye acknowledge these thinges wyth true fayth and that they may certeynly beleue that thou wilte defende theÌ„ with thy almightie ryghte hande and keepe them froÌ„ al euil and deliuer them and leade them to al good workes Finally that thou wylt neuer take thy holy spirite from them thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christ ⧠Here the pastour laying his haÌ„des vpon them shal say O Lorde Iesu Christ the sonne of God which saidest in the Gospel If you then beinge euyl caÌ„ gyue good gyftes to your children howe muche more shal my father giue the holie goste to them that aske hym Item If two consent together vpon the earth etc. Confirme thys thy seruante wyth thy holie spirite that he may coÌ„tinue in the obedience of thy Gospell and strongly resist the diuel and his owne weakenes and not greue the holie goste or trouble or offende thy churche wyth sclaunders but that his whole lyfe maye serue to the prayse of thy glorie his owne health and commune profitte of thy congregation as thou hast prescribed to vs and as thou haste promised that thou wylte gyue to them that aske the. Amen ⧠After thys lette the Hymne be songe Nowe al thankes etc. Nowe a good whyle sithens the signe of oyle was wonte to be vsed in confirmation but bycause they abused thys signe moost superstitiously and forasmuche as also amonge christian men signes and shadowes of spiritual thinges ought not to be so much regarded as the thynge and trueth it selfe the signe of layinge on of handes shall be sufficient in thys ministration whiche the Apostles and olde fathers thoughte sufficient And that thys Ceremonie maye be haÌ„dled wyth greater granitie and reuerence and wyth more fruite both of the chyldren and of the whole congregation the deanes wyth the visiters or parishe priestes of euerie congregation shal chose out suche a place in the temples froÌ„ whence the coÌ„fession and profession of the chyldren and other thinges that muste be done there wyth all maye be clearely hearde and perceyued of the whole congregation ⧠Of the Lordes supper MEn muste be muche and often taught and warned of this most holie Sacrament that it is as Paule witnesseth a coÌ„munion of the bodye and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus Christ wherin we muste so celebrate the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of him wyth greate religion and graue preachynge of his death and resurrection and of al thinges which he was made for vs whiche he dyd and suffered for oure saluation that our fayth in hym may be coÌ„firmed that we maye cleaue faster and lyne more fully in hym and he in vs. And forasmuch as the Lorde when he iustituted thys holie supper dyd saye Do thys in remembraunce of me the preachers shall diligently warne thys also that the Lorde coÌ„maunded that we shoulde do those thynges in this Sacrament whiche he hym selfe shewed to be done by his exemple Therefore we muste set the same acte of the Lorde before vs neither muste we in any wyse decline from the same or chaunge any thynge of it though an Angel from heauen or an Apostle did counsel and bidde vs so to do Which thinge the right holy bishop and martyr Ciprian gathereth well and truely out of these and many other wordes of the Lorde For if Christ be our onely Lorde and maister we as the ministers and disciples of hym muste needes folowe and do not the worde or dede of anie man or Angel but we muste folowe and do wyth al reuerence the thynges that he dyd and layed before vs to do neither maye we regarde what other dyd before vs but what Christe oure Lorde fyrste dyd whiche is before al thynges And al they that do not thys but chaunge somewhat of the institution of the Lorde in thys moste holie misterie ought not to be iudged his vicares or his priestes seing that for the traditions of men they caste away the commaundement of Christe The holie martyr wryteth these and muche moore seuere and earneste thynges in the same Epistle agaynste them that in the administration of this most holy SacrameÌ„t chaung any point of that the Lorde hym selfe did in his supper For he coÌ„maunded vs to do that onely Nowe if we consider howe Christe instituted this holye supper it appeareth clearelie out of the declarations of the euangelistes and saynt Paull that first he made his holie supper with his disciples and that he made the same one and commune to al that were preseÌ„t and with suche disciples as had wholye gyue theym selues to hys doctrine For thoughe Iudas were a fayned disciple and as Christ calleth him a diuyll neuertheles the other disciples dyd not yet knowe that for he dyd cleane to the Lorde in outwarde profession and lyfe as the rest did But the Lorde whan he gaue his disciples an exemple in hys supper where as he admitted Iudas he would not followe hys owne secret iudgement but that open manifest iudgemeÌ„t which his disciples might shoulde folowe afterwarde For thys cause â—n the old church which obserued that thing â—hat it had receiued of the Aposteles no maÌ„â—as admitted vnto the holye communion whiche hadde not witnessed hymselfe to be he disciple of the Lorde Further more such 〈◊〉 any companie and congregacion of the â—aythful had one supper only and that comâ—une to al so that thei al receiued the lordes â—ody in one bread and his blod in one cup. Whereof Paule writeth thus The cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse that is to saye wherwyth we giue thankes is it not the coÌ„munion of the bloude of Christe And the breade whiche we breake is it not the communion of the bodye of Christe For we beinge many are one breade and one bodie for we receiue al of one bread and of one cuppe Loo the Apostle speaketh of one cup in whoÌ„ one man gyueth not thankes for hym selfe and he speaketh of one bread whiche all we that come together breake beinge commune and he witnesseth that this is the coÌ„munion of the bodie and bloude of Christe whyche communion all we receyue together oute oâ— one Sacrament and we confirme the same because we are the members and bodye oâ— Christ Wherefore the Apostle willinge tâ— streÌ„gth the thinge that he had say I meame that the breade whiche we breake in the holie supper is the communion of the bodie oâ— Christ vsed these wordes we beinge many saieth he are one breade and one bodie as â—â— he woulde saye one breade is broken anâ— one sacrament is distributed amonge vs beinge manie for this
holie scripture the priestes haue nothyng more then the lay men but all thynges are commune to both and one breade of the Lorde and one cuppe is sette before al men togyther and equally Thus the Lorde instituted thus the olde churche obserued alwayes Therefore none other thynge coulde be instituted of meÌ„ neither dyd the fathers euer institute anie other thynge But in these later tymes when the gouernours of congregations dyd vtterlie neglecte theyr office thys abuse crepte in secretely that in the holy supper the Lordes breade onely should be distributed whether priestes or laye men dyd communicate But that all the abuses that haue crepte into thys Sacrament maye be vtterly takeÌ„ away and rooted vp by the true vse of thys Sacrament whiche the Lorde hym selfe coÌ„maunded the pastours and preachers shall diligently warne and exhort the people that as often as they come togyther to the holie supper of the Lorde with the bretherne they gyue them selues wholy to the Lorde to be his disciples that they thynke that all his wordes be spoken vnto them and that they beleue them certeynely that they feruently desire the communion of the Lorde to be encreased in them and that they receyue the same offered in the SacrameÌ„t wyth a faithfull and thankeful minde briefely that they euer go forwarde in the faith of Christ and in the whole newe lyfe wyth Christ neither stande there as dispisers of so great gyftes whiche in the holie supper be offered to all that are present nor make to them selues an hurtfull spectacle of a blessed teaste Surely he that is not meete to receyue the Sacrament is not meete neither to praye wyth the coÌ„gregation as S. Chrisostome doth rightly gather Thys Sacrament is not only the meate of the stronger but also the medicine of the weake onely lette no man receyue it whiche sticketh in synnes agaynste his conscience For he that coÌ„tinueth in such sinnes wyll not lyue in Christe the Lorde he refuseth his communion in dede and vtterly renounceth Christ and his kyngdome Wherfore he must absteyne froÌ„ those SacrameÌ„tes in whiche the coÌ„munion of Christe is exhibited And such sticke also in the condemnation of hell and haue no parte in the kyngdome of Christe Wherfore they can neither be present nor ought to be present at the holie supper nor pray wyth the congregation For no man that determineth to continue in open synnes and in the despite of God can call vpon God his father wyth true fayth and praye for the sanctification of his name the commyng of his kyngdome and obedience of his wyll But they that repent them selues of theyr synnes that desire the grace of God and reteyne the coÌ„munion and lyfe in Christe our Lorde and wishe the same to be encreased in them neither be commaunded by the congregation to absteyne these men I saye maye muche lyfte vp and conforte them selues wyth fayth and kendle them selues wyth the desire of a newe lyfe thorowe the participation of Sacramentes at euerie supper whereat they be present Therfore they ought not in anie wyse to despice so great bountuousnes of Christ the Lorde beinge freely offered to them but 〈◊〉 ther receyue it wyth mooste feruent 〈◊〉 and great thankefulnes remembryng 〈◊〉 blessed worde of the Lorde alluryng◠〈…〉 to him Come vnto me al ye that 〈…〉 Item take eate thys is my bodie 〈…〉 of thys al thys is my bloude etc. 〈…〉 thys meate and drynke he truly refresheth and receyueth vs vnto euerlastyng lyfe The fathers in the primitiue church which obserued the Apostles tradition estemed so muche these wordes of Christ that they excoÌ„municated them that were present at the Lordes supper and woulde not be parte takers of the sacramentes wyth the rest For thys cause was that ordeined that we reade distinct ij of the coÌ„stitutions wheÌ„ the consecration is ended let al coÌ„municate they that wil not let them not come into the temple For so the Apostles ordeyned and the holie Romaine churche holdeth Lo this decree speaketh of one consecration and it requireth that al that be present do coÌ„municate and that vndre the payne of excoÌ„munication It witnesseth also that the Apostles so constituted whiche had receiued it of the Lorde Item that the Romaine church doth so holde which thinge also al other coÌ„gregations obserued as many as had â—eteined thordinauÌ„ce of the lorde of thapostles This is the cause why S. Chrisostome so sore rebuked theÌ„ whiche in his coÌ„gregation taried in the temple at the celebration of the Lordes supper yet did not coÌ„municate and he saied that they stode at the Lordes supper vnshaÌ„fastly and stubburnly and not wythout the dispite of Christ and coÌ„tempt of his so great bountuousnes which he offereth vs in the holie supper For thei that be not the meÌ„bres of Christ neither of true repeÌ„tauÌ„ce and griefe of their synnes seeke renuinge of lyfe in Christe but wil coÌ„tinue in their sinnes willingly or haue offended the coÌ„gregation of Christe with so greuous sinnes that except they first repent and approue them selues wyth a better lyfe thei caÌ„ not come to the Lordes borde al these whiles the Lordes moste holy supper is ministred oughte to be awaye and not once to beholde the Sacrament of the Lorde as S. Chrisostome with greate grauitie warneth and that out of the deede and wordes of the Lorde whiche as he hym selfe did so he coÌ„maunded that this supper shoulde not be celebrated but wyth his disciples wyth suche I saye which haue gyuen them selues to his worde which desire remission of synnes and saluation out of true repeÌ„taunce and griefe of synnes which be made part takers of the newe TestameÌ„t and be the sonnes of God Al which thinges as we shewed before are coÌ„preheÌ„ded in the very wordes of the Lorde As the pastours then muste deligently teache and dissuade them whiche wyth the rest of the congregation can not communicate bycause they sticke in open synnes that they be not present at the holie supper and testifie vnto them that if they stande at the supper wyth suche a mynde they do spite vnto Christe and that it shall be damnation vnto them So they muste also diligently warne and exhort them which wyth a good conscience may be present at the supper that is to saye whiche truly beleue in Christ the Lorde that they receyue the Sacramentes wyth other membres of Christe But forasmuch as thys institution of the Lorde that all they whiche be present at the same supper of the Lorde should communicate of one breade and cuppe his bodie and bloude is to muche out of vse and couered a greate whyle sithens thorowe commune ignoraunce it shall be needefull to call men backe agayne treateably and gently to the obseruation of thys tradition of the Lorde and they muste beware that the myndes of the simple whiche neuertheles be the true disciples of the Lorde and are entangled in no mischiuous and wycked actes for the whiche they shoulde be restrayned from the Lordes
Gospel wyth true fayth that dying dayly more and more to our selues we may wholy giue ouer our selues to thy deare sonne our onely sauiour which onely thorowe his stripes and moste bitter death hath redemed vs frō sinnes and eternal damnation hath restored vs into thy fauour thorow his resurrection and heauenly kyngdome hath called vs vnto him selfe into his congregation and hath planted vs into hym selfe vnto euerlystyng lyfe and made vs his owne membres that we shoulde lyue more and more in hym and he in vs that thy holie name maye be more largely sanctified by vs in all oure lyfe and all our doinges that thy kyngdome may be amplified by vs and in other that at lēgth all thynges maye be done amonge vs vpon earth wyth suche prompnes and cherefulnes as they be done in heauen And for thys purpose that we maye wholy liue and serue vnto the gyue vs also our dayly bread etc. as in the prayer before After thys solemne prayer lette the whole congregation synge the Crede For thys confession of our fayth when the Gospell is hearde and declared oughte to be done of ryght by all men communely as al equally heard the Gospel and the declaration therof And bicause no man can heare the Gospell wyth fayth and knowe and cōsidre out of the same howe greate loue and gentlenes God hath shewed towardes vs in that that he gaue vs his sonne and all thynges wyth hym which shal not out of this fayth wholy gyue ouer and bynde hym selfe to oure Lorde Iesus Christe thys thynge foloweth also out of the nature of true fayth that the faythfull studie to declare thys byndyng of them selues to the obedience of Christe and thankefulnes of theyr myndes for so greate godnes of God towardes thē selues which at that tyme they more earnestly remembre wyth holie oblations for Christe being needie in his litleons Therefore whyle the Crede is in syngynge lette the faythfull offre theyr free oblations euerie mā according to the blessyng whiche he hath receyued of the liberall and bountuous hande of God To whiche office of fayth and godlines the pastours and teachers shall diligētly exhort the people teachyng them that these oblations ought to folowe the confession of fayth and prayer euen by the verie nature of true religion neither cā be absent from the same when we wante not wherewyth to declare thys liberalitie And that thys worke of religion maye be cōueniently done and rightly commended to the faythfull we wyl that there be some notable place appoynted in euerie temple not farre frō the altare which euerie man maye comely go to and where the faythful may offre theyr oblations opēly before the whole congregation Whiche after that the sacramēt is ended the officers of the holie treasure shall gather together and shal lay the same vp in the treasurie the congregation lokyng vpon them It was the maner of the olde church and that taken out of Goddes worde that after the preachyng of the Gospell before the ministration of the Sacramēt should beginne not onely those shoulde be commaunded to go out of the tēple whiche were not admitted into the cōgregation nor perteined there vnto but they also whiche were yet in repētaunce and not reconciled to the congregation wyth open absolution of sinnes Therfore bycause thys discipline was taughte of the Lorde hym selfe and oughte of ryghte to be called agayne into the congregation the pastours shall diligently and often exhorte those whiche lyue in suche synnes as be against theyr conscience that they leaue them and turne them selues wyth all theyr hertes vnto the Lorde And after that they be restored into the fauour of God and begynne agayne to be the true disciples of the Lorde then lette them be present at the Lordes supper and communicate But if anie will not suffre them selues to be brought thereunto and wyll continue in theyr synnes wyth so great cōtempt of God and his Christe let the preachers declare to suche that they maye not be present at the Lordes holie supper and if they take vpon them to be present that they do despite vnto Christe and prouoke vpon them selues the muste greuous iudgement of God As for other whiche lyue not wyth an euyll conscience and yet receyue not the sacramet wyth other or seldome receiue it the pastour must often warne them that it perteyneth to the dutie of a christen man to be often partaker of the Lordes bourde and so to feede and strēgthen his fayth and to witnes the same vnto the congregation to the edification of many seinge that God hath instituted thys moste holie exercise of religion for his that they myght therby be established and enflamed in fayth and study of godlines Wherfore we see that they whiche neglect so great a benifite of God become dayly colder in al godlines and religion For they greuously offende God thorowe cōtempt of his bountuousnes and they hurt the cōgregation verie sore wyth that euyll exemple and moreouer they make thē selues giltie of the Lordes bodie and bloude abhorryng this meate and drynke of euerlastynge lyfe so irreligiously and so vnthankefully But forasmuch as both the knowledge of thys misterie and moreouer al the discipline of the congregation is so much gone out of vse and therof cometh so great weakenes of the verie faythful the pastours must restore to the people the knowledge existimation of so greate misteries wyth conuenient and tymelie admonition and not trouble anie man wyth vntimely rigorousnes as we admonished before For firste the sheepe of Christe so miserably scatered and diseased muste be fully broughte to Christe and be healed before that any rigorous discipline be restored and exercised amonge them But howe so euer the rest be handled in the congregation at thys tyme they neuertheles that shall be admitted to the communion as sone as they haue made theyr oblation must go together to that place that shall be appoynted vnto them nigh to the altare For in euerie temple there muste some place be appoynted nigh the altare for them whiche shal communicate accordyng to the oportunitie and fitnes of euerie temple They then whiche shal be admitted to the cōmunion of the Lordes bourde shal stande in that place the men in theyr propre place and the womē in theyr place and there they shall gyue thākes and pray religiously wyth the pastour The gyuynge of thankes shall be handled after the accustomed maner but in douche that the people vniuersally may gyue thankes as both the exemple and the commaundement of the Lorde requireth and also the olde churche obserued ⧠The priest The Lorde be with you ¶ The people And wyth thy spirite ⧠The priest Lyfte vp your hertes The people We haue vnto the Lorde The priest Lette vs gyue thankes vnto the Lorde oure God ⧠The people It is meete and right ¶ The priest It is verely a thing worthy right meete and holsome that we gyue thankes vnto the alwayes and euerie where that we
a lesson these two exercises must be diligently retained namely that the childrē do euer declare the constructiō of the text and also adde the rules so that they recite the coniugations and declinations and shewe the rules of the same In this exercise of repetinge and examininge a lerned and faithful master shal teach how manie waies the same sentence maye be spoken in latine with such declaracions of the propriete and elegancie of the latine toung they shal cause more plentious fruit than may be here fully expressed But this matter consisteth altogether in the faythfulnes and dexterite of the master Wherfore men thoroughly learned faythfull and prompte in teachinge must be sought furth to haue the gouernance of scholes cheifely in greate townes In thys fourme there shal be a certayne howre appoynted euerye weeke at whyche howre the childrē shal reherse wythout boke the rules of grammar that they forget them not The masters maye also change thir lectures and in the howre deputed to virgil expoune Tullies epistles In thys furme also euerie childe shall write and delyuer euery weeke a latine Epistle that together thei may learne both to speake to write latyne The fourth fourme shal be of thē whiche haue lerned theyr grammare rules and construction and haue attained a metly good latyne toung To thē afterwarde some logike shal be red as the logik of Cesarius Philip or Sturmius and some easie accentinge as of Murmelius or some other lyke In thys fourme more ouer some bookes of Ouides Metamorphosis de Pōto and Tullies offices shal be red The childrē of this fourme shal also be sterred vp to write verses which they shall deliuer to the master euerie month But forasmuch as manie be of that nature that thei lern to mak verses with much difficultie the shole master shal vse such moderacion in requiringe thys studie that he maye exercise euerie one in that that he shall perceyue the nature of euerie one to preuaile in Howe be it he shall exhorte the dulle also to this arte that thei do not vtterly caste a waie thys art for the greate profite which it hath vndoubtedly But they shall stirre them to trauaile furth as much as they canne and to write some verses though they be but fewe For this exercise maketh perfite grammarians and putteth the youth in remembraūce of manie necessarie thinges of figures of sōdrie wayes to speake latine and fedeth maruailously copie of latine speach Two howres a weeke shal suffice for the readinge of logike But whan it is ended it must be begonne a gayne At other howres the master shal interprete to theim to whom logike is red the greke grammare if they be fitte for that purpose whan he hath ended the grammare he shal expoune Hesiodus or Phocilides or some like thinge as a wise master shal percieue to be profitable for the children But the exercises of grammar rules and construction shal not be omitted in thys fourme but shal be vsed in the repeticion of Ouide These be the lectures whiche maye conuenently be reade the seconde thirde fifte and sixte daye of the weke For seinge that christiā scholes ought chifely to serue for the mainteinaunce and furtheraūce of the knowlege of God among men and to retaine and promote the doctrine of Christe and the hole true Christian religion we wyll and commaund that vpon the furth daie of the weke the schole cease frō other lectures and exercises and that thys daye be bestowed vpon teaching the catechisme and demaūde what the chilhren canne saye therein And we wyll do oure endeuoure that some commē and vniforme Catechisme shal be vsed thorought the hole diocese For we must not graunte to the scholemasters that euerie one shall make a newe catechisme but we wyll that they all vse the receyued whiche they shal so decylre and beate in to children that the youth maye be kepte and euer furthered in the syncere knowlege of Christ in fayth and communion of the congregacion And the selfe same doctrine must be taught in the scholes and in the cōgrgaciōs Which thinges the ouerseers of the congregacions shal cheifly loke to Furthermore the scholemayster shal exhorte his elder sholars to the communion of the Lords supper but let him first enstructe them diligently of this sacrament and examen them Finally in this fourth daye of the weke whan the catechisme shabe handled let eueri childe of the lowest fourme be hearde whether he can faye in latine and in hys mother toung the partes of the catechisme that is to saye the Lordes praier the crede the ten commaundmentes the wordes of baptisme and of the Lordes supper and of discipline and christian correction as they are wrytten Math. xviij Vpon the same day the schole master shal grammatically interprete to hys elder sholers and to suche as canne attaine to it the Gospel of the sondaye nexte folowyng and shal declare the sume of that lesson to them and shewe them what thinges are touched therein concerninge faith and other vertues that the scholemaster and the youth may accustome them selues to knowe more certainly and to serch out more religiousli the thiuges that be taught in the Gosples lette the Saturday be bestowed vpon Musike that vpon that daye the rules of Musike may be taught and the yong men enstructed and exercised to singe cheifely those songes which vpon the nexte sondaye shal be sounge in the temple For scholemaysters and scholars must not only be present at the songes in the congregacions befor other but they must al so beare the cheifeste stroke not only vpon holie dayes but also vpon other dayes whā there shal be holye assembles as it shal be appointed after the cōdicion and commodites of euerie place In this mater suche moderacion must be kept that the childrens heath be not hurted in the winter thorought colde if they be deteined to long in the temple and that they be not so occupied in singinge that theyr study of lerninge be hindred It pertaineth also to the maintenaunce and encrese of grauite and religion in temples that to sondrie and longe songes be not vsed But these thinges and suche other that pertaine to the dignitie of holie assembles edificaciō of the people of Christ the visiters shal appoint accordinge to the oportunitie of euerie place ¶ Of the schole of deuinitie But for maiteinaunce of Christean doctrine and holesome administration of churches those firste beginninges are not onely required whyche be gotten in the scholes of children but furthermore it is necessarie that men giuen theym selues altogether to lerne perfetly the vniuersal scripture of the prophetes and the Apostles and to excusse al the hearde questions whyche haue exercised the churche from the begninge Item to knowe the waye and meane whereby the holy fathers in theyr time defēded the Lordes truth in the cōgregacion and kepete the same pure vnto vs and finallye howe we maye in our time defende and retaiue the same That there maye bee
is thys then a mocke and despite of the diuine maiestie From whiche the preachers muste dissuade the people wyth greate diligence and call them agayne to the true maner of fastyng whiche we haue declared But we wyl determine at a conuenient tyme of the maner of inioynynge and keepyng cōmon fastes and we wyll vse suche moderation as we truste shall profitte oure people vnto the maynteynyng and amplifyinge of the studies of godlines euen as thys muste be the ende and marke of all ecclesiasticall ordinaunces that they serue to the maynteynyng and settyng forth of godlines Wherefore as often as there shal be occasion of treatynge of faystynge either out of the scriptures that shal be expouned or by reason of the tyme appoynted to fastes or thorowe some other chaunce the preachers shal diligently warne the people of the vngodlines and abuses of fastes and shall labour to corret thē First and before all thinges sette no man thynke that he oughte to faste for thys purpose that he maye deserue somwhat of God wyth that worke neither let hym be persuaded that anie fast be it neuer so hard is allowed of God except it be taken vpon vs out of true repentaunce of synnes and a sure truste of Goddes mercie to be obteyned for oure Lordes sake Iesus Christe that is to saye with a conuersion to God from the whole hert Further that fastyng be so ordeyned and kept that it serue to true and godly humblynge chastisynge and sanctifyinge of the bodie that the spirite maye be readier to prayer and other exercises of religion Thys is a godlie and acceptable fast wherunto the preachers must busily exhorte the people And cheiefly the preachers shall call the people frō that vngodlines thorow whiche some faste vnto sayntes either of inioyned satisfaction as they call it or of theyr owne wylles or that they maye obteine with that worke certeyne benifittes of the sayntes thē selues or that they may haue theyr intercession before God for certeyne benifittes For as we sayed before christian tastyng is a certeyne preparation of a true and faythfull prayer vnto God thorow Christ our Lorde and not a worke wherewyth God is worshypped by it selfe muche lesse wherewyth we might deserue anie thyng at the sayntes handes For wyth fastyng we humble oure selues and pray for remission of synnes and Origene in Leui. Ho. x. Chap. xvi Faste from euyl doinges absteine fom euyl communication conteyne frō euil thoughtes Touche not the stolen breade of peruers doctrine desire not the deceyuable meate of philosophie whiche maye seduce the frō the truth Suche a fast pleaseth god Item Athasius de virginitate for the holy goste wherby we may do those thinges that be acceptable vnto God which neuertheles are onely acceptable thorowe Christe not for oure merite bycause that God onely is to be called vpon and worshypped of vs and not the sayntes And forasmuche as the true maner of fastyng is so muche corrupted and excesse in meates and drynkes so much encreased that some on the fastynge dayes wyll absteyne verie straitly from meate and some tymes from drynke to vsynge onely water whiche the next daye and on the verie holie dayes of the saintes whereunto they prepared thē selues wyth fastynge are not ashamed to drynke tyll they be dronken to lyue shamfully the preachers whiche thinge the holie fathers dyd also shall chiefely beate in abstinence frō synnes and all excesse and fleshly pleasures and they shall exhorte them to moderation and temperance of lyfe whiche thynge we reade that the Apostles did also Thus the people at length shal be broughte to true and godly fastyng ¶ Of holie oblations THE people muste diligently be taughte thys thynge that Christe is that only acceptable and propiciatorie Chrisostome in the epistle to the Hebr. Homeli xvii chapi ix And Cirill to the quenes of the ryght faythe do testifye of the one onely offeringe sacrifice thorowe whiche we obteyne of God grace saluation and al benifittes as all the prophetes and the Apostles wytnesse and chiefly the epistle to the Hebrues from the fourth Cha. vnto the tenth Nowe moreouer thorowe Christe we offre to god the father both our bodies and oure soules an acceptable sacrifice thorowe fayth vnto the prayse glorie of his name Whereunto S. Paule exhorteth vs Ro. xij saiyng I beseche you bretherne by the mercie of God that ye giue your bodies that is to saye your selues and your whole lyfe a lyuely sacrifice holy acceptable to God your reasonable seruice and frame not your selues after the figure of thys worlde etc. So Chap. xv He glorieth that he so administred the Gospoll of God that the offering of the heathen shoulde be acceptable sanctified thorowe the holie goste Suche a sacrifice is that also whereof the Psal li. syngeth A broken spirite and an humbled herte thorowe the true knowledge of synne and repentaunce for so he meaneth is a sacrifice vnto God For they which thorowe the gospell haue truly knowen Christ by Christ haue wholy yelded them selues vnto God whē being circūuēted of Satan ouercommed of theyr owne lustes they fal into great synnes and therefore be punished of God and exercised with sundrie afliction they offre to god in their prayers for grace an hert strycken wyth the repentaunce of synnes and touched with the feare of gods iudgemēt and an hūbled and brokē spirite Whē God conforteth these men agayne and lyfteth vp theyr conscience and deliuereth from all perils and tribulations they thāke God they glorifie hym and offre vnto hym a sacrifice of prayse the fruite of lyppes confessing vnto his name Hebr. xiij As the Psal Cvij wytnesseth rehearsyng vp the chiefest daungers and calamities wherewith God is wont to chastise and exercise men They cryed to the Lorde when they were aflicted and he deliuered them from theyr necessities wherefore they gyue thākes vnto the Lorde for his mercie and for his wonderful actes towardes the chyldren of men To these sacrifices of prayinge magnifiynge God and gyuynge of thankes the sacrifice of liberalitie towardes oure neighbours chiefly the needie is ioyned For with suche sacrifices we please God Hebr. xiij For when the godly praye for so ample benifites of God or gyue thankes for receyuyng the same thē the verie nature and proprietie of godlines requireth that for Gods sake and his prayse they be liberall and bountuous towardes the pore chiefely seynge that they knowe that God accepteth these benifittes as done vnto hym selfe For which cause God commaunded the fathers also in the olde testament that at those three yerelie feastes in which al the males should appeare in his syght they shoulde not come emptie before him but that euery mā should offre accordynge to his abilitie of that blessynge that euerie one had receyued of the Lorde Exod. xxij and Deut. xv Which oblations he would haue to be gyuen forth to susteine the Leuites wydowes orphanes straungers and other pore people And ther fore the olde churche reteyned