penance as he had at the firste entrie vnto Christis religion by the sacrament of Baptisme It is also to be noted that confessiō to the priest is in the church profitably commanded to be vsed and frequented for many other good causes specially for this cause that they whiche by custome be drowned in synne se not the abhomination and fil thines therof ne remembre the goodnes of god and want therfore contrition may by a good gostly father be stirred and moued to deteste lament their sinne by declaring vnto thē the word of god in such scriptures as serue for that purpose in suche wyse that not only contrition shal arise in the hart to the pleasure of god but also satisfaction ensue wherwith goddis merciful goodnes shal be cōtēted So that the wordes of absolutiō may be effectually pronoūced to the penitēt of the remissiō of his synnes Fynally it is to be remembred that not withstādynge this waye before described is the ordinary meane for penitent synners to opteine remission of synnes to be reconciled to the fauour of god yet in case there lacke a minister to pronounce the wordes of absolution or in tyme of necessitie whan a sinner hath not sufficient leysure or oportunitie to do the workes of penance before declared if he truly repent him of his sinful life and withal his hart purpose through goddis grace to change amende the same he shal vndoubtedly haue pardon and forgyuenes of all his missedoynges For as saynt Cyprian sayeth Euen in the houre of deathe whan the soule is ready to departe out of the body the greate mercifull goodnes of god despiseth not penaunce In so muche that than neither the greatnes of sinne nor the shortenes of tyme nor yet the enormitie of lyfe excludeth from the mercy of god if there be tru contrition and an vnfayned chaunge of the harte from synnefull conuersation The these that hanged vpon the crosse asked mercye with a contryte harte and forthwith was made a citezen of Paradise and where as he deserued condemnation punyshement this contrite hart changed his peyn into martyrdome and his bloude into baptisme yet not withstandyng no mā ought vpon hope of goddis mercy stil to continue in sinfull lyuing Like as no man wold be sycke in his body vpon hope to recouer helth For such as wyll not forsake theyr wickednes and yet thinke that god wyl forgyue them be oftentymes so preuented with the iuste plage of god that neither they haue time to cōuert nor grace to receyue the benefitte of forgyuenesse Therfore scripture saith Slacke not to conuert and tourne to god And linger not from day to day For his angre wyll come sodeynly in the time of vengeance he wyll distroy the. Wherfore imbracyng the mercy of god on the one syde and fearynge the iustyce of god on the other side Let vs at no time neyther dispayre mā ought to reson ouer farre nor go about to compasse the will and worke of god by his weake sense and ymagination But we muste without further serching giue firme assent and credence vnto Christis almighty worde by the whiche heauen earth were made not trouble our wittes in labouryng to comprehend the power and might of god but rather stedfastly giuing fayth to his word apply our hole wil and affection to atteine the fruite and profite of this moste holy sacrament towardes our saluation according to th entent of Christis institution Who of his inestimable mercy loue towardes vs willing that we shuld haue perfit hope strēgth comforte and ioy in him and that we shuld haue cōtinuall remembrance of his most dere charitie shewed towardes vs in his death and passion dyd institute this sacrament as a permanent memorial of his mercy and the wonderful worke of our redemptiō a perpetual fode nourishement for our spiritual sustentation in this dangerous passage and trauaile of this wretched life It is therfore necessary that in the vsyng receiuing beholding of this sacramēt we haue harty remēbrance of our most louing dere sauiour Iesu Christe that is to say that we thinke effectuously of his most bitter passiō whiche he being the lord of glory suffred for vs. And to be waile our synnes which were cause of the sayd death passion callyng mekely for grace and the mercy of god which most abundantly is obteined by the vertue merite of the same passion And thinking that our lord which gaue him self in that maner for vs wyll not forsake vs or cast vs awaye but forgiue vs if we truely repent and wyll amende become faithfull seruantes to hym whiche so derely hath bought vs paied for vs neither golde ne yet siluer as sainte Peter saith but his owne precious bloud Wherfore seinge we be so bought i. Pet. i. we muste know that we be not our owne that is to say We may not be at the libertie wildnes of our owne fleshe nor we maye not be seruantes to the worlde nor the deuyl but we must be seruantes to our lord maister Iesu Christ in all obediēce vnto rightwisenes godlines according to his wil cōmandementes Therfore when so euer we shall receyue or vse this holy sacrament we must take hede and haue reuerence to the maiestie therof and beware that we come not vnworthely thervnto i. Cor. xi For as saint Paule saith He that eateth of that heauēly fode or drinketh of the cuppe of our lord vnworthely that is to say without due reuerence faith repentance charitie the feare of god he eateth drinketh his own dānation bicause he putteth no difference betwene the body of our lord and other meates And further truly sense christen men ought to haue remembrāce of god whensoeuer they go to theyr bodely meate or drinke receiue it not without thanckes giuing vnto god as saint Paule saith whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do i. Cor. x. do it in the name of our lord Iesu Christ how moch more ought all christen men whan they come to be fed at the table of our lorde and to receiue this blessed and glorious sacrament to haue special entier deuotion with most thāckefull remembrance to god for his goodnes declared towardes vs in the benefite of our redemptiō And therfore amonges other names this sacrament is called Eucharistia that is to saye the sacrament of thankes and blessinge For as moche as it setteth before vs and doth exhibite vnto vs the very price of our redemtion and saluation whiche is the body of our lorde that suffred and died for vs. Furthermore here is to be noted as touching the receyuyng of this sacrament that although our sauiour Iesus Christ at the first institution therof in his supper did minister it vnto his disciples thā present vnder both the kindes of bread wine Yet that fascion maner of ministring is not so necessary to the receyuer excepte it be
lord conceyued great indignatioÌ„ against Hely the chiefe prieste i Reg ii bycause he dyd not duely correcte his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees i Reg. â—iii whan he knewe that they dyd greuously offende god and how in reuenging of theyr fathers negligence and remissenes in correcting of his children almighty god toke from Hely and all his issue and householde for euer the office of the high priesthode how his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees were slayne bothe vppon a day and Hely theyr father brake his necke This example of Hely is necessary for fathers to imprynt in theyr hartes that they may se theyr children well taught and corrected lest they runne into the great indignation of almighty god as Hely dyd and not onely in this world haue confusion but also in the worlde to come haue damnation for the mysorder of theyr children throughe their defaute and they muste not thynke that it is inough to speake somewhat to them whan they do amisse for so dyd Hely to his sonnes and yet our lord was not pleased bicause he dyd not moche more sharply correcte them and se them refourmed but whan wordes wyll not serue the fathers and mothers must put to sharper correction and by such discipline saue theyr soules orels they shall aunswere to god for them And truly they greatly deserue the indignatioÌ„ of god that whan they haue receyued of hym chyldren do not bringe them vp to his seruice but without regarde what coÌ„meth of them suffer them to runne into the seruice of the deuyl Wherfore al fathers ought diligently to consider and remembre how moche and how greuously they offende god and of how many euils they be the cause which either bring vp their children in wantonnes and idelnes and do not put them forthe be tyme to some facultie exercise or labour wherby they may after gette theyr lyuyng or occupie theyr lyfe to the profite and commoditie of the common weale or elles do suffer their chyldren in youth to be corruptid for lacke of good teaching and good bringing vp in the true knowlege of god and of his wyl and commandementes or committe in word or dede such thinges in the presence of their children wherof the yonge tendre hartes of the said children whiche like a smal twygge be inclinable euery way and by fraylenes of youth be inclyned to euyl do take so euyl example and corruption of vices and worldely affections that harde it wyll be for them after to eschue the same This coÌ„mandement also conteineth the honour and obedience which subiectes owe vnto their princes And also the offyce of prynces towardes theyr subiectes For scripture taketh prynces to be as it were fathers 〈◊〉 xlix nurses to their subiectes And by scripture it appereth that it apperteyneth vnto the office of princes to se that the righte religion true doctrine of Christ be mainteined and taught that their subiectes be wel ruled gouerned by good iust lawes to prouide and care that the people common weale maye encreace and to defende them frome oppression and inuasion as well within the realme as without their subiectes aiding them thervnto to se that iustice be ministred vnto them indifferently to here by themselues or by their mynisters beningly al their complaintes and to shew toward them although they offende fatherly pitie And finally so to correct them that be euil that they had yet rather saue them than lose them yf it were not for respect of iustice maintenance of peace and good ordre in the coÌ„mon weale And therfore al theyr subiectes must again on their partes and be bouÌ„de by this coÌ„mandement not onely to honour obey their said princes accordyng as subiectes be bound to do to owe theyr truth fidelitie vnto them as vnto their naturall lordes but they must also loue them as childreÌ„ do loue their fathers yea they must more tendre the suretie of their princes person and his estate than their owne or any others Euen like as the health of the head is more to be tendred thaÌ„ the health of any other membre And by this commandement also subiectes be bound not to withdrawe their said fealtie trouth loue and obedience towardes their prince for any cause what so euer it be ne for any cause they maye conspire against his person ne do any thing towardes the hinderance or hurt therof nor of his estate And furthermore by this commandement they be bounde to obey also all the lawes proclamations preceptes and coÌ„mandementes made by their princes and gouernours except they be against the commandementes of god And lykewyse they be bounde to obey all suche as be in authoritie vnder their prince as farre as he wyll haue them obeyed They must also gyue vnto their prince aide helpe and assistaunce whan so euer he shall requyre the same either for suretie preseruation or maintenaÌ„ce of his person and estate or of the realme or of the defence of any of the same against all persons And whaÌ„ so euer subiectes be called by their prince vnto pryuy counsayle or vnto the parliament where is the generall counsayle of this realme than they be bounde to giue vnto theyr prynce as theyr learnynge wysedome or experyence can serue them the moste faythefull counsayle they can and suche as may be to the honour of god to the honour and suertie of his regall person and state and to the generall wealthe of this hole realme And further if any subiecte shall knowe of any thynge whiche is or may be to the noyaunce or damage of his princis person or estate he is bounde by this commandement to disclose the same with al spede to the prynce him selfe or to some of his couÌ„sayle For it is the very lawe of nature that euery membre shal imploy him selfe to preserue defende the heade And surely wisedome and polycie wyll the same for of conspiracy and treason commeth no goodnesse but infinite hurte damage and perill to the common weale And that all subiectes do owe vnto theyr princes and gouernours suche honour and obedience as is aforesayde it appereth euidently in sundry places of scripture but specially in the epistles of saint Paul Rom. xiii and saint Peter For saint Paul saythe in this maner Euery man must be obedient vnto the hyghe powers for the powers be of god And therfore who so euer resisteth the powers resysteth the ordynaunce of god And they that resyst the ordynaunce of god shall get to them selues damnation For rulers are not feareful to them that be good but to them that do euil Wilt not thou feare the power Do well and thou shalte haue prayse of the same for he is the minister of god for thy welth But yf thou do euyll then feare for he beareth not the sworde without cause For he is the minister of god to punishe the euyll doer therfore you muste obey not onely for the feare of punysshement but also
holy conuersation in good workes good lyfe honour and glorifie him And that we may frō time to time so mortifie our owne natural corrupte and sinfull appetite and wyll that we may be euer redy like louyng children humblye lowly and obediently to approue allow and accomplysshe the wil of god our father in al thinges and to submitte our selues with all our harte vnto the same and to acknowlege that what so euer is the wil of god the same is most perfite most iust most holy and moste expedient for the wealth and helthe of our soules Wherfore in this petition also we desire of god true and stable pacience whan our wyll is letted or broken And that whan any man speaketh or dothe contrary to our wyll yet therfore we be not out of pacience neyther curse or murmure or seke vengeance agaynst our aduersaries or them whiche lette our wyll but that we may say well of them and do wel to them We pray also that by goddis grace we may gladly suffer al diseases pouertie dispisinges persecutions aduersities knowing that it is the wil of god that we shulde crucifie and mortifie our willes And whan any suche aduersitie chaunceth vnto vs attribute all vnto the wyl or sufferance of god giue him thankes therfore who dothe ordre all suche thynges for our weale and benefite eyther for the exercise and the triall of the good to make them stronger in goodnes and vertue or elles for the chastisement and amendement of the euyll to suppresse theyr euyll motions and desyres And also we pray that whā so euer it shal please god to call vs out of this transitory lyfe we may be wyllinge to die and that conformynge our wyll to the wyll of god we may take our deathe gladly so that by feare or infirmitie we be not made disobedient vnto hym We desire furthermore that all our membres eyes tongue harte handes and fete be not suffred to folowe the desyres of the fleshe but that all may be vsed to the wyll pleasure of god and that maliciousely we reioyse not in their troubles whiche haue resisted our wyll or haue hurte vs nor that we be enuiousely sory whan that they prosper and haue welfare but that we maye be contented and pleased with al thinge that is goddis wyll The fourth petition Gyue vs this day our dayly breade FOr the better declaration of this fourth petition ye shall vnderstand first that our lord teacheth vs not in this petition to aske any superfluous thing of plesure or delite but onely thinges necessary and sufficient and therfore he biddeth vs onely aske bread wherin is not ment superfluous riches or great substance or abundāce of thynges aboue our estate or condition but such thynges only as be necessary and sufficient for euery man in his degre and accordyng thervnto i. Tim. vi saint Paule saythe we haue broughte nothynge in to this worlde ne shall take any thinge with vs whan we depart hense And therfore if we christen mē haue meat and drinke and cloth that is to say thynges sufficient let vs hold our selues content for they that set their mindes on riches and wyl haue superfluities more than nedeth or is expedient to their vocation they fal into dangerous temptations into snares of the deuyll and into many vnprofitable and noisome desires whiche drowne men in to perdition euerlasting damnation for the spring and roote of all euils is such superfluous desyre The wyse man also making his petition to our lord saith Pro. xxx Giue me neither pouertie nor excesse but only thynges sufficient for my liuing left that hauing to moch I be prouoked to denie god to forget who is the lord on the other side lest that by pouertie constrained I fall in to thefte forsweare the name of my god These two wise men the one of the old the other of the newe testament agree with the lessō of our sauiour for both declare that they desire onely thinges necessarye sygnified here by breade and both refuse and renounce superfluities vnprofitable daungerouse and noysome Secondely in these wordes of our sauiour Iesu Christ be reproued all those persons which eate not their owne bread deuoure other mens bread of which sort be all those whiche liue of rauen and spoiles of theft of extortion of craft and deceite they also whiche neither labour with their handes nor otherwise apply their study industry diligēce to some thing which is good and beneficiall to the cōmon weale and to the honour of god but liue in ease rest idelnes wanton plesure without doinge or caring for any suche thyng And al they likewise be reproued which being called in this world vnto any rome office or authoritie do abuse the same do not emply them selfe according to theyr vocatiō Thirdly as the husbande man tilleth and soweth his grounde wedeth it and kepeth it from destroieng praying therwith to god for the encrease putteth al his truste in him to send him more or lesse at his pleasure euen so besides our owne diligence policy labour and trauaile we must also pray dayly to god to sende vs sufficient and we muste take thankefully at his handes al that is sent and be no further carefull than nedeth but putting to our endeuour set our hole cōfidence truste in him for our sauiour Christ saith in the gospel I say to you be not careful for your liuyng Math. vi what ye shall eate ne what clothes ye shall weare Is not life better than your meate your body better thā your clothinge Loke vpō the birdes of the aire they sowe not they reape not they bring nothinge in to the barne yet your heauenly father feedeth them be not you of more price then they Loke vpon the lillies of the fielde they labour not they spin not yet I tell you Salomon in al his precious roiall apparel was not so clothed as one of them therfore care you not for these thinges Leaue this care to them that knowe not god your heauenly father knoweth that you haue nede of all these thinges but seke you first the kingdome of god his rightuousenes the waies iustly truly to liue and thē god shal cast al these thinges vnto you These be the wordes of Christ ful of good comfortable lessons that we shulde not care ne set our hartes to moche vpon these worldly thinge ne care so moche for to morowe that we shall seme to mistrust our lord And here is a thing greatly to be noted in cōfort of the true laboring man for surely be he craftes mā or be he labourer doing truly his office whervnto he is called he maye in that state and kind of lyfe please god and atteine saluation as surely as in any other state or kynde of lyuinge And although our lord hath so prouided for some that they haue alredy sufficient and plenty for many
the deuyll and from his power and tyranny so that he shuld not by his malyce and gyles intice vs and draw vs into synne wherby we myghte fynally be broughte vnto euerlastynge damnation From the whiche also we pray here to be delyuered ¶ The salutation of the angell to the blessed virgine Mary HAyle Mary full of grace / the lorde is with the blessed arte thou emonge women And blessed is the fruite of thy wombe FOr the better vnderstanding of this salutation of the angel made to the blessed virgine Mary ye shall fyrst consyder how it was decreed of the hole trinitie That after the falle of our firste father Adam by which mankinde was so long in the great indignation of god and exiled out of heauen the seconde person the euerlastynge sōnne of the father euerlastyng shulde take vppon him the nature of mā and so as he was perfect god shuld be perfect man to redeme mankynd from the power of the deuill Luc. i. and to reconcile the same again to his lord god And for this purpose as saint Luce in his gospel declareth in the .vi. moneth after saint Elizabeth was conceiued with saint Iohn the Baptist the aungell Gabriel was sent from god into a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin which was despoused or ensured to a mā whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgines name was Mary And whan this angell came vnto this said virgin he said these wordes Hayle ful of grace the lord is with the blessed art thou emong women And whan the virgine hearing these wordes was troubled with theym and mused with her selfe what maner of salutation ti shuld be The angell sayd to her Feare not Mary be not abasshed for thou haste founde fauour in the syght of god Lo thou shalte conceyue in thy wombe and shalte bryng forthe a sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shall be great and shall be called the sonne of the hyghest And the lorde god shall gyue vnto hym the seat of Dauid his father And he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer And his kyngdome shal haue no ende Than sayd Mary to the aungelle Howe can this be done for I haue not knowlege of man And the aungelle answerynge saide vnto her The holy gost shall come from aboue in to the and the power of the hyghest shall ouershadowe the. And therfore that holy one that shal be borne of the shall be called the sonne of god And lo thy cousyn Elyzabeth hathe also conceyued a sonne in her olde age and this is the syxte moneth sythe she conceyued whiche was called the bareyn woman for there is nothyng vnpossible to god To this Mary answered Lo I am the handmayde of our lorde be it done vnto me as thou hast spoken And than forthwith vpon the departure of the angell Mary beyng newly conceyued with the most blessed childe IESVS went vp into the mountaynes with speede in to a citie of Iuda and came to the house of Zacharye and saluted Elyzabeth And as soone as Elyzabeth hearde the salutation of Mary the chylde sprange in her wombe and furthwith Elyzabeth was replenyshed with the holy goste and cried with a greate voyce and sayde Blessed arte thou emonge women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe And wherof cometh this that the mother of my lorde commeth to me For lo as soone as the voyce of thy salutation was in my eares the chylde in my wombe lept for ioy And blessed arte thou that dyddest beleeue for all thynges that haue ben spoken to the from our lorde shall be performed Secondly it is to be noted that the angel Gabriell which spake to the virgine was an high angel and an high messanger And truely it was conuenient that he shoulde be so for he came with the highest message that euer was sente whiche was the entreaty and leage of peace betweene god and man And therfore the fyrst word of his salutation that is to ssye Hayle or be ioyfull was very conuenient for the same For he came with the message of ioy and so sayde the other aungell whiche at the byrth of our sauiour appered to the shepherdes Luc. ii I shewe to you said he great ioye that shall be to all the people And surely consyderyng the effectes that ensued vpon his highe message all mankynde hadde great cause to ioy For man beinge in the indignation and displeasure of god was hereby reconciled Man beinge in the bondes of the deuyll was hereby delyuered Man beinge exiled and banyshed out of heauen was hereby restored thither againe These be suche matters of ioy and comforte to vs that there neuer was or shall be nor can be any lyke And not onely for this purpose he began with this high worde of comforte but also for he perceyued that the virgine being alone wolde be moche abashed and astonied at his maruailous and sodeine commyng vnto her And therfore he thought it expedient fyrst of all to vtter the worde of ioye and comfort whiche might put away all feare from the blessed virgine And he called her Full of grace by god endued so plentuously bycause she shulde conceyue and beare hym that was the very plenytude and fulnes of grace the lorde of grace by whom is all grace without whome is no grace And this is the syngular grace by which she is called not only the mother of man but also the mother of god Thirdly by these wordes The lord is with the is declared why the angell called her full of grace for surely our lorde is not with them that be not in grace nor tarieth with them that be voyd of grace and be in synne For there is a separation and dyuorce betwene the synfull soule and our lord as the wyse man saythe 〈…〉 Peruerse thoughtes make a separation and a diuorce from god Fourthly by these wordes Blessed arte thou emonge women was ment that there was neuer woman so blessed And truely she may wel be called so moste blessed emong all women for she had greate and high prerogatiues whiche none other woman euer had hathe or shall haue Is not this an high prerogatiue that of all women she was chosen to be mother to the sonne of god And what excellent honour was she put to whan not withstandinge the decree was made of his natiuitie by the hole trinitie yet the thyng was not done and accomplished without or before her consent was granted For the whiche so solemne a messanger was sent And also howe highe grace was this that after the defaute made through the perswasion of the firste woman our mother Eue by whom Adam was brought into disobedience this blessed virgin was electe to be the instrument of our reparation in that she was chosen to beare the sauiour redemer of the world And is not this a wonderfull prerogatiue to see a virgine to be a mother conceyue her chylde without synne we may worthily say