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
baptisme Item to the Ro. xi he sayeth that we be brainches of the wylde olyue and be grafted into the naturall olyue that is to saye into the people of God thorowe Christ and that the roote beareth vs and not we the roote In an other place he sayeth that we haue receyued the same spirite of fayth with the fathers ij Corhin iiij Item Petre in the actes xv We truste that we shall be saued not by the lawe but by Christ onely as our fathers dyd also which were vnder the law For thys cause not only the Apostles but also the prophetes condempned al them as bastardes and straungers from the Testament and breakers of Goddes couenaunt whiche wythout fayth and the spirite of adoption would be called Israelites by reason of the lawe that they had receyued and for the onely keepyng of the ceremonies outwardly For the law and the couenaunte of God requireth chiefelye fayth towardes God and loue from the whole hert and whole soule and al strēghthes and commaundeth vs so to loue oure neighbour as we loue our selfe where vpō In al ceremonies Christe was shadowed and fayeth in hym was required as Christe wytnesseth the whole lawe and the prophetes depende Thus also Christe was shadowed and after a certaine wise exhibited in all ceremonies and fayeth in hym was required Finally all promises eyther of spirituall or corporall thynges were therfore made to the fathers as Christ him selfe promiseth vnto vs all good thynges if we seeke the kyngdome of God and the ryghtuousnes thereof that being deliuered from all euyls and daungers and enryched with all good gyftes we maye loue God more feruently and studie the more to obeye his cōmaundementes and magnifie his name Wherefore it perteyneth to preachers to applie handsomely vnto vs the promises and threates propouned to the people of Israel sundrie wayes aswel in open sermons of the lawe as in exemples and therof they must euer diligently warne the people that God wyl bountuously exhibite his healpe and gyue them all good thynges beleuyng in hym and obeyinge his commaundementes And cōtrarie wyse that he wyl vndoubtedly rendre punishemenent aswell presently as in the lyfe to come to the vnfaythfull and despicers of his worde These thynges shal cause the people to be returned and furthered in the feare and zeale of God As for the difference of the olde Testament The differēce of the olde and new Testament made with the fathers and the newe instituted by Christ the apostles it is thre folde First because the olde Testamēt was made wyth Abraham onely and his seede namely the people of Israel after the fleshe and wyth them whiche outwardelye also embraced the same religion But the newe Testamente was made wyth all men and nations thorowe the whole worlde as manie as beleue the Golspell and become his chyldren thorowe fayeth Secondly because in the olde Testament beside fayth obedience of the law circumcision other outward rytes of ceremonies were required But in the new Testament nothyng is required but fayth loue wyth the fruites of those vertues and a fewe ceremonies which Christ him selfe did ordaine Thyrdely for that that God had not yet opened so clearly to the olde people the grace of the Mediatoure Christe and because he helde them in great feare and bondage But the whole misterie of Christe is more fully reueiled to the newe people and a greater libertie of outwarde thynges is graūted For in the new Testamēt there is no differēce of personnes places or ciuilitie cōmaūded but Christe bad that his gospel should be preached to euery creature that al men of all nations shoulde be called to his kingdom affirming that al should be saued that shoulde beleue and be baptised Wherfore Paule also wrate that those heathē that were cōuerted were not now straūgers but the citizens of the saintes and housholde of God This in the steede of circumcision and other ceremonies with which thei were innumerably laden in the olde Testament Christe hath lefte sacramentes wyth hys church as S. Augustine sayth verie few in nombre moste certaine in obseruation and moste reuerende in signification that is to saye baptisme and the celebration of his bodye and bloude Finally he hath nowe opened the mysteries of hys grace much more clearely than in tymes paste to the fathers and he hath powred vpon vs more abundantly the spirite of ad optiō and hath mad vs fre frō Mosaical rites al rudimētes of the world And he so gouerneth our hertes with his spirite that of our owne accorde we submitte oure selfe to euerie ordinaunce of man for the profit of our neighbours appliynge oure selfe to euery mannes health and edificacion towardes saluation and seruinge plainly with a free and wyllinge spirite not constrained Furthermore they must obserue that there is other maner of speakynge of the olde testament whiche Paule and the prophetes than vse whan they reproue the vaine confidence of the Iewes in the Testament and lawe of God whiche they obserued onely outwardly with out fayth in Christe For in this place they shewe what the olde Testament After what sorte sacrifices were commaunded in olde tyme. is and what it aualeth wyth out grace and fayth in Christe Of whiche Ieremie speaketh cha vii Thys sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel put your brunt offeryngs to your sacrifices and eate felsh for I spake not to your fathers and I gaue them no cōmaundement in the daye whan I brought them out of the laude of Aegipte cōcerninge brunte offringes and sacrifices but I cōmaūded them this thinge saiynge heare my voyce and I wil be your God and you shal be my people and walke in all the wayes that I haue commaunded you that you maye be in good case Lo the Lorde witnesseth that he gaue not the lawe of brunte offringes and sacrifices that he commaunded hys people notinge concerning this matter which thinge the prophete spake not absolutely of the lawe but as it was corruptly obserued of the vngodly Iewes whiche though they stil apeace prouoked God with al maner of wickid deedes yet they laboured in vaine to appease God with sacrifices done with out repentaunce and fayth That the prophete than myght more strougly throwe doune thys false confidence in them vsinge an hyperbolical or exedynge speache he sayeth that God commaunded nothynge concernynge sacrifices For God ordeyned sacrifices for thys purpose that in them faith towardes God and Messias myghte be exercised not that a libertie of sinning and careles lyuing should be established In lyke maner S. Paule speaketh of the olde Testament to the Gala. iiij Where he maynteyneth the doctrine of the Gospell agaynste false apostles whiche taughte that fayeth in Christe sufficed not vnto saluation but that men had neede of circumcision and other Mosaicall ceremonies whereby it came to passe that while they despiced the grace of Christ they retayned nothynge of the lawe and the olde Testamente but the letter and a
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
sauiour admitted chyldreÌ„ offered vnto hym right gently and blessed theÌ„ testifiynge that the kyngdome of God perteyneth to such So let it be thy pleasure to begette our infantes agayne and to adopte theÌ„ into sonnes vnto the felowship of euerlastynge lyfe by the sacrament of baptisme GrauÌ„t then heaueÌ„ly father that we may earnestly requir so gret riches of grace setfurth in baptisme for these infaÌ„tes that we may acknowledge and receyue them wyth true fayth beinge offered both in the worde and in the sacrament finallie that we maye euer thanke the and magnifie the for them And impute not to these infantes the synne of Adam issued into theÌ„ and engendred by their parentes regarde not the merites of theyr parentes and of all thys people but let the death and merite of thy sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ preuayle in them and impute vnto them his rightuousnes and obedience Plant them into his death and resurrection make them membres of his bodie put hym vpon theÌ„ that they maye be thy sonnes and heyres and continue for euer Graunte vs also that after Baptisme we maye acknowledge them for thy chyldren and membres of the bodie of thy sonne that we may godly brynge them vp in the feare of the vnto thy glorie that we maye healpe them in all corporall and spirituall thynges that also by them thy holie name maye be more magnified the kyngdome of thy sonne enlarged thy wyl be done in thys earth as in heauen Furthermore keepe them safe gyue them bountuously the necessaries of lyfe and preserue them from all euyll Amen ⧠Thys prayer ended lette the pastoure require the Infantes to be gyuen hym let hym aske the names that they shall haue and lette hym Baptise them saiynge I baptise the N. in the name of the father the sonne and the holie goste Let the godfathers forthwith receyue the Infant from Baptisme the priest saying as it foloweth The almyghtie euerlastynge God and father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe whiche hath begotten the agayne wyth water and the holie goste and hath forgiuen the al thy synnes confirme the wyth his grace vnto euerlastynge lyfe Amen ⧠The Pastour The peace of the Lorde be wyth you ⧠Answere Amen Here lette the whole congregation synge in Douche Nowe all thankes etc. or the Psalme God be mercifull vnto vs. Then let the pastour go forth in the ministratioÌ„ of the Lordes supper ¶ How baptisme must be menistead at other tymes But if the infantes be weake so that it is to be feared that they wyll not lyue to the nexte sondaie or holye daie or if for weyghtie matters Baptisme cannot bee ministred vppon those dayes the Pastoures shall warne the people that yet they bringe their chyldren to bee Baptised at those houres whan after the custoume the people resorteteth together to heare the lordes woâ—de But if that thynge cannot bee doone neyther baptisme in the meane whyle must not be denyed to the infantes offered therevnto whan so euer they be brought for as much as lieth in vs we must not suffer that any departe out of this lyfe without the sacrament of baptisme For the Lorde instituted baptisme that it maye be to vs a sacrament of regenecion and wasshinge of sinnes from whiche in this lyfe no man is free no not an infante one daye olde for it is oure parte to do in all thynges after the Lordes word and to receyue his giftes and benefites that way that he him selfe hath appoynted vnto vs. Whan baptisme than shal be mynistred vpon workynge dayes lette the pastours ioyne to gether in order the Catechisme exorcisme and baptisme and they shal moderate their exhortacions prayers according to the companie and strength of the child For if thei se that the childe is in daunger of lyfe and that the coÌ„panye is small they shal be shorte in all thynges And they shall vse only the first part of the admonicion which we willed to be saide before the Catachisme vnto these wordes wherefore we exhorte and praye you beloued etc. So they shal vse the firste parte only of the demaundes of euery article and in the exorcisme thei shal vse only one praier wyth the Lordes prayer the Crede and the Gospell Which thinges premised lette them Baptise the infante furthwith and let them exhort the parentes God fathers and other that stand by that thei determine certainly that the infant whether he lyue or dye is the sonne of God and heyre of euerlastinge life and if he lyue that they procure him to be broughte vp vnto religioÌ„ and goddes glorye according to the exhortacion sette before whiche beginneth After that beloued etc. ¶ Of baptisme ministred to childreÌ„ assone as they be borne for danger of lyfe The peple shal be taught and warned in sermoÌ„s that they presume not lightly to ministre priuatli this most diuine sacrameÌ„t for it is worthie to be ministred in the coÌ„gregacion bi peculiar ministers with al grauitie and reuereÌ„ce and that maketh much for this purpose that it maye be holesomely mynistred and receyued But if exterme necessitie pres vs that thei that be preseÌ„t with the child beinge in danger mayei ioyne them selues together in the Lorde and lyftinge vp their mindes religiously vnto God lette them calle for his mercye promised and exhibited in Christ Iesus our Lord vpon the infante and whan they haue sayde the Lordes prayer lette them baptis him in the name of the father the soÌ„ne and the hollye gost Which done lette them not doubte but that their infante is trulye baptised washed from sinnes borne agayne in Christ and made the sonne and heire of god lette theÌ„ than giue thankes to god for this his so greate benifite and let them not thynke that baptisme muste be renued in children so baptised for in all pointes asmuch as we maye we muste so do althynges as the Lord hath appoynted If any godlie man be present whan the infant is in extremitie lette hys ministerie be vsed to baptysme Further if it chaunce that the infante so baptised at home do liue it is conuenient that he be brought afterwarde to the temple of hys parentes kynsfolke and godfathers which must com with a good company and religiously as men that ought to giue thankes for this excedinge benifite of regeneracion ministred to their infante and to offer him to god and his sauiour in the congregatioÌ„ The pastours than shall aske theis men after what sort and with what wordes they baptised the infante whether they dyd baptise him as the Lord commaunded in water and in the name of the father the sonne and the holye gost Whiche if they shall answer that they called god vpon the childe and prayed for him and baptised in the name of the father the sonne and the holye goste and that thei beleue that he is truly clensed from sinnes borne againe to God the pastours must confirme them in this belefe and in no wise Baptise suche an infante againe And that men
bourde be striken and troubled wyth sore rebukes or vntymely thrustynge vnto the receyuynge of the Sacrament For there be not a fewe whiche though they can not thorowlie vnderstande this misterie and the perfecte vse of Sacramentes yet they haue suche fayth in Christe that they can praye wyth the congregation and be somewhat edified in fayth thorow holie doctrine and exhortations that be wonte to be vsed aboute the holie supper and the ministration thereof yea and they maye be taughte and moued by litle and litle to a perfecter knowledge of thys misterie and an oftner vse of the Sacramentes euen by thys that they be present at the holie supper which absteyne not from the Lordes supper of anie contempte of the Sacramentes which they acknowledge in them selues but of a certeine weakenes of men and preposterous reuerence of the Sacramente These men the pastoures muste fatherlie and gentlie teach and enstructe dayly of these misteries and brynge them fayre and softlie to a perfecter knowledge and vse of the same declarynge diligently and printynge in them the thynges that we haue taughte in this place concerning the true and perfect administratiō and vse of this Sacramēt and they must not fray them away and driue them frō the hole action of the supper whyle they haue anie hope of them that they wil go forward in the studie and communion of Christ ¶ At what tyme the supper of the Lorde muste be celebrated ⧠Therfore that thys moste holie Sacrament may be better knowen among al godlie men and that the true vse of it maye be more easely restored and muche estemed we wyll that it be ministred as sone as the people of euerie cōgregation for the moste part be well enstructe out of Goddes worde of the true vse of it onely vpon the sundayes and holie dayes or vpon suche dayes when great companies assemble together to commune prayer Thys thynge was obserued in the time of the fathers also in greater and muche more populous cōgregations then we haue For the Lorde instituted not thys Sacramēt vnto vs for a thinge to be beholded but he commaunded it to be ministred for the commune and holsome receyuyng of his bodie and bloude whiche thynges al the membres ought equally to receyue in euery great holie assemble from one table and one altare Hereof S. Ciprian amonge other alledgeth thys cause why we celebrate this holy supper in the mornyng whereas Christe dyd it after supper bycause sayeth he that when we suppe we can not cal the commune people to our feaste that we maye celebrate the trueth of the Sacrament al the brotherhode beinge present These be the wordes of Ciprian whiche he toke out of the doctrine of Paul i. Cor. x. which we alledged before For the truth of thys Sacrament is as the Apostle teacheth in the same place that all we whiche are the membres and bodie of Christe should receyue the bodie and bloud out of the same Sacramēt Wherfore the father 's iudged that thys supper is not truly rightly celebrated except the whole brotherhode be present I meane thys commune supper For the holie bishoppes dyd sometymes celebrate the holie supper priuately that is to saye the whole congregation not beinge present sometymes wyth straungers and sometymes wyth the better and feruenter sorte of bretherne and that in their peculiar prayinge places and sometymes also in priuate houses wyth sicke folke of whose communion we wyll speake hereafter And these the holie fathers called priuate masses not bicause that in them the Sacramentes were distributed to no bodie but bycause they were distributed to fewe and the whole cōgregation not beinge present and that euen as it were in a priuate place For the holie fathers celebrated no supper wythout distribution of the Sacramentes For they doubted not but that that dyd vtterly fyghte wyth the Lordes Institution ⧠Of the preparation to the supper of the Lorde Seinge that the Lordes supper as we sayed before ought not to be celebrated but wyth his disciples and for asmuche as the ministers must be faythfull disposers of the misteries of God and must take great hede that they caste not an holie thynge before dogges and pearles before swyne we wyll that the pastours admitte no mā to the Lordes supper which hath not first offered him selfe to thē and after that he hath first made a confession of his synnes being Catechised he receyue absolution accordyng to the Lordes worde And that there may be a certeine and appoynted tyme for the doinge hereof I meane that they whiche shall cōmunicate be prepared and sanctified to the cōmunion of Christ with an holy instructiō and prayer let the pastours procure that the people be called together in the temple at euentyde the day before the celebration of the Lordes supper and lette them make a preparation and sanctification vnto the Lordes bourde after thys sorte Wheree clerkes shall be or scholers let them in the meane ceason while the people come together syng a Psalme or two with a dominical antiphone or Hymne whiche yet we wyll haue to be pure that is to saye diffenting in no parte from the holie scripture To these let them adde the songe of the Lordes mother Magnificat and some conuenient Collecte Afterwarde when the people be come together they shall synge a Psalme in the Douche tonge And then the pastour or ministre to whom the office of thys preparation is committed shall reade some place of the Lordes supper out of the Euangelistes or out of Paule Chap. x. xi Of the firste to the Corhinthi or out of the Lordes sermon Iohn vi For though the Lorde speake not in that place of the Sacramēt of the supper whiche he had not yet made neuertheles he preacheth of the true eatynge of his bodie and drynkyng of his bloude for the exhibition wherof he afterwarde instituted the holie supper Out of such lessons the ministers shall diligently teache the people to what vse the Lorde ordeined his supper and howe we may receiue it holsomely after this sort ¶ Ashorte institution or sermon of the Lordes supper Forasmuche as we entende to keepe tomorowe the moste holie supper of our sauiour Christe by his healpe for the celebration of a blessed remembraūce of him and cōfirmation of our fayth first it is conuenient to declare with fewe wordes and call to our mindes the misterie of this right diuine Sacrament Before al thinges then the Lorde offereth vnto vs his fleshe and his bloude and biddeth vs to take the same and affirming that we shall not haue lyfe but shall remayne in euerlasting death excepte we eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud Let vs remembre and acknowledge that our fleshe and bloud that is to saye our whole nature is thorow wickednes so loste adiudged to eternal death by the iust wrath of God that of our selues we can neuer obteyne euerlastynge life and the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome Thys remembraunce acknowledging of our destruction
for the people for the behofe of seruauntes and workemen whiche can not alwayes be presente at the appoynted tyme of Goddes seruice and betwene thys assemble and the oppoynted tyme of commune seruice there shal be at the leste the space of an houre that they whiche wyll be present at the commune seruice maye haue leasure to prepare them selues thereunto Let this assēble be begonne wyth a douch Psalme and let it also depart wyth a douch Psalme Finally let there be made suche a sermon as shall declare the Catechisme wyth a shorte exposition of the Gospell And if there be in any congregation such a numbre of clerkes as both wyll and can synge the mornynge prayers let them endenoure them selues to syng songes out of the scripture onely and that wyth true fayth and pure myndes that they maye steare vp and confirme theyr fayth in Christe And if it chaunce that some of the people come thither let some lesson be reade vnto them and let them also be diligently moued to cōmune prayer Where scholers be let them come in to the church a litle before the commune seruice and synge in latine these three Psalmes Tedeum laudamus Benedictus dominus deus etc. wyth some pure antiphonie agreinge wyth the scriptures and a Responsorie and thus they maye be exercised in the scriptures for the knowledge wherof they go to schole cheifely At the euenynge prayers before the commyng together of the people the same vsage shal be obserued and in the steede of Tedeum Laudamus and Benedictus they maye synge some pure Hymne and Magnificat When the people be come together let them synge a Psalme or two in douch and then Magnificat and afterwarde let the Catechisme be handled and let some lesson be takē out of the scriptures and reade to the people whereunto there shal be added a cōmune prayer or collecte And so let the people departe wyth thankesgyuynge and blessynge If there be a custome receyued in any place to synge prayses a litle before nyghte the same maye be obserued so yet that in the steede of Salue regina and suche lyke some Hymne in douch with a commune prayer be songe to Christe the Lorde ¶ Of ecclesiastical rites vpon workyng dayes IN cities and other places where a meetely greate multitude of people and ministers be lette there be appoynted at the lest two assembles euerie daie in the mornynge and in the euenynge and that at houres moste commodious for the people In euerie assemble lette a lesson be reade and briefe exposition of the same wyth Douche Psalmes at the begynnyng and the ending and laste of al with commune prayer In verie populus cities if the people and ministers wyll permitte it there shall be two assembles before none one verie early in the mornyng for workmen and hyred seruaūtes the other after the rysynge of the sunne for straungers and citizins also of whō there is a great multitude euerie where whiche shal heaue leasure inough to appeare before God euerie daye that they maye heare his worde and make their prayers To whiche thynge the preachers shall earnestly and diligently moue the people for we haue verie greate neede of continuall doctrine exhortation and prayers vnto god It is conuenient for them then to whō God hath gyuen a sufficient lyuynge so that they maye omitte their handie worke so longe to occupie thē selues the more in spiritual workes to prayse God and to make supplications vnto hym for theyr neighbours chiefely seing that if anie tyme be bestowed vpon suche spirituall and godly exercises they do not onely leese nothynge of these temporall thynges but they rather gayne muche temporall and spirituall riches And that the people maye come wyth greater companie to suche assembles vpon the working daies the whole seruice which consisteth in syngyng readyng preachynge and prayers shall endure but an houre And the mornynge assemble of workmen shall be dimissed somewhat soner But as for the holie supper of the Lorde which the Lorde instituted not to be set forth for a vayne fyght but to be receyued for a cōmune remembraunce of his death and resurrection and a true communion of his bodie and bloude thorowe the Sacrament we see no cause why it shoulde be obserued vpō the working dayes when there is not a ful and iust assemble of the people For to handle thys right holie ceremonie or to allure men to handle it otherwyse then it was instituted and cōmaunded of God maketh vs giltie of the Lordes bodie and bloude the continuall dayly abuses of which Sacramēt howe great calamities they haue brought in to the world we feele alas dayly to much And if a lyuely and effectuous remēbraunce of Christe and gods benefites cā not be obteined and kepte with holy lessons Psalmes and prayers what other thynge shall we bringe to passe with the often celebration of the Lordes supper then to heape vp offences and gilt against the Lordes body and bloud For how cā they rightly vse the sacramētes whiche can not encrease and confirme their fayth out of the pure doctrine of Christ and cōtinual praier The old and feruent fathers in the true zeale of godlines thoughte that the matter was in right good case with thē if with semely attention and earnest repentaunce of misdeedes they myghte celebrate the Lordes supper with their people in whō the fayth of Christ as yet was more lyuely at the lest vpon the sundaies The pastours that dwel in villages shall ordeyne two assembles of the people euerie weke and three in the wynter in whiche some lesson shall be had wyth cōmune prayer ¶ Of peculiar dayes of supplicatious communely called professions DAyes of such supplications shal be appointed at certeine times namely when some notable necessitie or occasion shall chaunce whiche may prouoke vs to cal for the healpe of the God more vehemently as when we be aflicted of God wyth intemperatnes or corruption of the ayer wyth wante of vitaile seditions warres or wyth some other visitation or at the lest when we be pressed by reason of the greuous wicked actes of the whole people or of the ministers whiche haue rule of thē When these thinges happen lette vs vnderstande that we are chastised of God Wherfore let vs turne to him wyth all oure herte and wyth mooste earnest attention of mynde in fasting in weeping and lamētations as he him selfe warneth vs to do by his prophetes We reade moreouer that the prophete Samuel Kyng Iosaphat Esdras Ieremie and the Niniuites with other instituted and called together assembles for suche supplications We knowe also that suche prayers were made by the whole cōgregation of Ierusalem when Petre was taken whereby they obteined also deliueraunce of the same person There shall be then an ordinarie daye of supplication appoynted euerie moneth and that vpon wenesdaye or fridaye as it shall be moste commodious for the people And the whole people shal come together to thys conuocation none otherwise then they do
vpon holy dayes Then some lesson conuenient for the place and time shal be recited whereby the people may be steared vp to acknowledgyng of synne and amendement of the same wherewyth we prouoke the anger of God agaynst vs and deserue al maner of calamities Furthermore they shall also be moued to prayer for remission of sinnes for Goddes mercie and healpe and also they shall be steared to liberall almes Whereunto there shall succede a litanie in douch after the fourme that foloweth And whē the people haue also sayd their priuate prayers at length the pastoure shall ende commune prayers wyth some one of those collectes that folowe the litanie here Besides these cōmune prayers in Cities and where a greate companie of people is a litanie shall be songe wyth them that come together in the spirite and commune prayers shall be made vpon an appoynted daye euerie weeke But in those supplications which are appoynted for some notable necessitie and afflictiō sent of God an holy daye and fasting shall be proclaymed to the whole people at lest vnto the ende of cōmune prayers And in suche solemne dayes of supplication some vehemente and earneste lessons shall be reade out of the Prophetes concernyng repentaunce and renuinge and correction of lyfe and out of the same the intollerable wrath of God shall be propouned to the people most diligently and vehemently ⧠Litanie ⧠Lorde haue mercie Christe haue mercie Lorde haue mercie Christe heare vs O God the heauēli father haue mercy on vs O God the sonne redemer of the worlde haue mercie on vs. O God the holy goste haue mercie on vs. ¶ Be fauourable Spare vs O Lorde Be fauourable Deliuer vs O Lorde From al synne Deliuer vs O Lorde From al errour Deliuer vs O Lorde From all euyll Deliuer vs O Lorde From the awaytes of the diuyll Deli. etc. From sodeyne and euyll death Deliuer etc. From pestilence and hungre Deliuer etc. From warre and slaughter Deliuer vs. From sedition and priuie hatred Deliuer From lightenyng and tempestes Deliuer From euerlastynge death Deliuer vs etc. By the misterie of thy holy incarnation Deliuer vs O Lorde By thy holy natiuitie Deliuer vs. etc. By thy Baptisme fastynge and tentations Deliner vs O Lorde By thyne agonie and sweatynge of bloude Deliuer vs O Lorde By thy crosse and passion Deliuer vs. etc. By thy death and buriynge Deliuer vs. By thy resurrection and ascension Deliuer By the commyng of the holy goste the comforter Deliuer vs O Lorde In all tymes of our tribulation Deliuer In all tymes of our prosperitie Deliuer vs. In the houre of death Deliuer vs O Lorde In the daye of Iudgement Deliuer vs. etc. We synners beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylte vouchsafe to rule and gouerne thy holy and catholike churche We. That thou wylte vouchsafe to keepe the bishoppes pastours ministers of the church in holsome doctrine and holy lyfe We be That thou wylte vouchsafe to take awaye sectes and al offenses We beseche the to etc. That thou wylt vouchsafe to brynge them agayne into the waye of truth whiche stray and be seduced We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylt vouchsafe to treade Satan vndre our feete We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylt sende forth faythful workmen into thy haruest We be That thou wylt vouchsafe to gyue to al the hearers encrease of thi worde and the fruite of thy spirite We beseche the to here vs. That thou wylt vouchsafe to lifte them vp that be fallen and to strengthen them that stande We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylte vouchsafe to conforte and healpe the weaklinges and suche as be tempted We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylte vouchsafe to gyue peace and concorde to al kynges and princes We. That thou wylte vouchsafe to gyue oure Emperour perpetuall victorie agaynste the enemies of God We beseche That thou wylte vouchsafe to guyde defende our prince wyth his officers We be That thou wylte vouchsafe to blesse and preserue our officer and cominaltie We be That thou wylte vouchsafe to regarde and saue the aflicted and suche as be in daunger We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wilt vouchsafe to giue luckie deliueraunce and encrease to women wyth chylde and nurses We beseche the. That thou wylte vouchsafe to cherishe and keepe Infantes and sicke folke We besech That thou wylt vouchsafe to deliuer prisoners We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylte vouchsafe to defende Orphanes and wydowes and to prouide for them We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylte vouchsafe to haue mercie on all men We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wilt vouchsafe to perdon and cōuert our enemies persecutours and sclaunderers We beseche the to heare vs. That thou wylt vouchsafe to gyue and preserue the fruites of the earth We be That thou wilt vouchsafe to heare vs. We. The lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the worlde Haue mercie on vs. The lambe of God whiche takest away the synnes of the worlde Haue mercie on vs. The lambe of God whiche takest away the synnnes of the worlde Gyue vs peace Christe heare vs. Lorde haue mercie on vs. Christe haue mercie on vs. Lorde haue mercie on vs. Amen A prayer or collecte after litanie The minister Lorde deale not with vs after our sinnes The Quier Neither rendre vnto vs according to our iniquities The minister O God the mercifull father whiche despifest not the groning of the cōtrite nor contempnest the affection of them that morne be presēt at our prayers which we poure forth before the in the affictions which cōtinually laie vpon vs and heare the same mercifully that the thynge that the gyles of Satā and mē entende maye be brought to naught and dispersed by the deuise of thy goodnes that beinge hurte wyth no persecutions we may euer giue the thankes in thy holy congregation thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde Amē An other Collecte The minister Call vpon me in the daye of tribulation The Quier And I wyll deliuer the and thou shalte glorifie me The ministre Spare Lorde spare oure synnes And thoughe continuall payne be due vnto vs whiche synne wythout ceasyng yet graunte we beseche the that the thynge that we deserue vnto perpetuall destruction may passe frō vs vnto the furtheraunce of vertue thorowe our Lorde etc. An other Collecte The ministre Healpe vs O God our health The Quier And for the glorie of thy name deliuer vs and be mercifull to oure synnes for thy names sake The minister Almightie euerlastynge God by whose spirite the whole bodie of the congregation is sanctified and gouerned heare vs praying for al ordres and degres that bi the gift of thy grace al the same may serue the faithfully thorowe our Lorde etc. An other Collecte The minister Shewe vs Lorde thy mercie The Quier And gyue vs thy saluation The minister God from whom all holie desires good purposes and ryghtuous workes procede gyue
anie tyme brought by the wyl of man but the holy meÌ„ of God spake being stirred of the holie goste ii Petre. i. Wherfore all doctrines of men in the coÌ„gregation that are not grounded vpon the worde of God taughte in the holy scriptures Math. xv Esay xxix be vnprofitable pernicious as Christ witnesseth and Esay But the holye scripture is a certayne and a holesome doctrine vnto vs as Paul teacheth wher as he saith Euerye scrypture enspired from God is profitable for doctrine for reprouing for in struction which is in ryghteousnes that the man of God may be perfect prepared vnto euery good worke ij Timo. iij. Forasmuch as than this scripture propheticall and inspired from God is profifable and abundauntly sufficient for the perfecte knoweledge of true and holesome doctrine that the men of God maye be instructed and prepared to euery good worke and further that all erroures whiche be against religioÌ„ godlines may be disclosed and confuted all pastours and preachers muste alwaye needes take theyr sermons and doctrine out of the holy scripture Thei muste also take diligent hede leste at any tyme they mingle herewyth mannes doctrines and interpretations that haue not flowen out of thys pure fouÌ„tayne of Gods worde Wherefore that feaders and preachers That preachers ought to praie for eâ—crease of the holigost not to bewrapped in busynesses of thys lyfe maye ryghtly instructe the people of Christe out of these bokes of the holie gost in all thynges that be profitable and necessarie to knowe for saluation it is needefull that they geue theÌ„ selues to the studie of the holie scriptures wyth moste earnest and coÌ„tinuall care And that they maye do thys thynge with more fruite and attayne to the true vnderstandynge of the holy scripture let them pray continually wyth Godly petitions that the holie gooste maye be increased to them whiche is the onely interpreter of the holy scripture For the naturall man vnderstandeth it not as he also vnderstandeth not other spirituall thynges whiche thinge the Apostles teache vs sufficientlye wyth theyr owne example whiche as we reade in the last of Luke did not vnderstaÌ„de the scriptures before that Christe opened theyr minde The spirite theÌ„ before al thinges muste be sought for and obtained with faythfull prayer the spirit I saye of vnderstandyng the holy scripture a ryght both to the health and profit of our selues and also of other Wherfore it is nedeful that preachers wythdrawe them selues from carnal and worldly busines asmuch as the necessitie of this present life wil suffre that they geue them selues throughly to all spirituall exercises if they wyl both theÌ„ selues ryghtly vnderstand godlines and the holie scriptures and also profitably administre and faythfully dispence to the congregation of God the doctrine of saluation that euerye one of them teach meÌ„ committed vnto their charge aswel the rude as the quycke wytted and learned the most holy Gospel and doctrine of godlines vnto theyr saluation Item that they bryng to passe through that their ministery that euery man surely perceiue the prophetical euaÌ„gelical spech and geue hede therunto with al diligeÌ„ce as to a caÌ„del shining in a darke place that they wauer ii of Petre. i. not like children be caried about with euery wynde of doctryne but that folowing the truth in loue thei grow in him in al thinges which is the head namely Christ Ephe. iiij Further it is the office of pastours and ministers of the word that they exhorte theÌ„ Howe needeful exhortations be that be ryghtlye instructed in the doctryne of godlines and that they cal vpon them instantly that they abyde in that knowne doctrine beyng prepared and redy to suffre al thynges rather than that they wyll depart from it and that they testify them selues to be the chyldren of God with good workes and a christian lyfe For our aduersarye the Deuyl neuer kepeth holy day but walketh i. of Petre. v. Chap. about lyke a roaryng Lion sekyng whom he maye deuoure as Peter witnesseth And this he doth not only within with fiery dartes of temptations and fleshly intisementes agaynst the lawe of God but also without with the persecutions and assaultes of the myghtie and further with hypocrisie and a vayne shewe of false doctryne as our dayly experience testifieth Wherfore Bishops and preachers must procure wyth al studye that they ryghte diligentlye warne conforte and exhorte the weake in the fayth of Christ that they labour to resyst manfully the olde enemy euer endeuouryng himselfe to assaulte on euerye syde the flocke of the Lord and to continue in the fayth as s Peter teacheth vs. i. Peter v. And also Paul to the Ephesians vi Chapter But at what tyme and in what place such consolations and exhortations ought to be Exhortation to godlines is euer nedeful vsed it can not be certainly prescribed For it is not onely requisite opeÌ„ly in pulpettes but often at other tymes in other places as occasioÌ„ suffreth necessitie requireth As s Paule with greate grauitie admonisheth Timothe I besech the sayeth he before God and the Lord Iesus Christ which shal ij Timot. iiij iudge the quicke and the dead in his appearing and in his kingdom preach the word calle vpon them in tyme out of tyme reproue rebuke exhorte with al softnes and doctrine The Apostle approueth the same thinge also with his owne exemple in that last sermoÌ„ which he made at Miletes to the elders of the congregations Youe knowe saieth he from the first daye that I entred in to Asia after what sorte I was with you at al tymes seruinge the Lorde God with al humblenes of minde wyth many teares and temptations whiche chauÌ„ced vnto me throw the conspiracie of the Iewes howe I with drew no parte of those thinges that mighte be for your profith but I shewed vnto you and taughte you openly and in euerie house testifiynge both to the Iewes and to the Gretians that repeÌ„taunce that is towards God and that faith that is toward our lorde Iesus Take hede therfore to your selues and to the hole flocke Item watch ye remeÌ„bringe that by the space of .iii. yeres I ceased not nyght nor daye with teares to warne euerie man And in the first epistle to the Thess the .ii. cha You be wytnesses and you know how we were affectioned towardes euerie one of you as a father is towardes his Children desiring you confortinge and beseching that ye woulde walke worthely of God whiche hath called you in to his kingdom and glorie And it is necessary that such exhortatioÌ„s be done grauely with a certaine Godly vehemencie of minde and Let exhortatioÌ„ be vehemeÌ„t and ernest feruentnes that they may moue the people and stere vp good affecions in mennes mindes whereby they maye labour to continew and go forth in the way of the Lorde â–ª which thinge Paule signified by this sayynge that he maye be able to exhorte c. It shal
gyftes of God Wherfore it is merueylous necessarie that the preachers do euer wyth singuler reuerence propoune declare and beate into the people thys article of the creation and preseruation of thynges that is to wit that God made all thynges of nothynge and preserueth the same thorowe his owne onely power bringeth forth and gyueth vs al thynge thorowe his bountiousnes to the entent that they may serue to our vse health and felicite and that he maye require to be knowen and worshypped in these his workes and creatures For whiche cause those places of scripture which testifie set forth thys article shall be often alledged in their sermons faythfully declared and printed in the myndes of the people Of the gouernaunce and administration of all thynges IT is lyke necessary diligently to teache and admonishe the people of the gouernaunce and administration of thynges that they may know that they must aske and loke for healpe from God and learne therwyth that sinne and other horrible mischeifes in the world were not made by god but sprange from an other begynnynge as we wil shewe herafter Wherfore that that the scripture teacheth of the creation of thinges must be so taken as that that is taught Genes i. and. ii Psal xxxij Esai xliij and in manie other places by the prophetes and apostles and as that churche euer beleued that is to saye that God hath not lefte his worke once made as the carpenter leaueth the shippe that he hath made and cōmitteth it vnto the shyppeman beinge litle or nothynge carefull for it afterwarde But we must thinke thus that he is present with his worke and perpetually susteineth and gouerneth the same that he knoweth and beholdeth the doinges of all creatures that he seeth also the thoughtes of angelles men and diuelles and that there is nothing done wythout hym that it is he whiche wyth perpetual mouing gouerneth the heauenlie bodies maketh the grounde fruiteful gyueth life both to man and beast adding fode and other necessarie thynges as we reade actes xvij In hym we lyue are moued and haue oure beinge Hebr. i. he susteyneth al thinges wyth the worde of his power Coloss i. All thynges consist thorowe hym i. Tiuint iiii We trust in the liuinge god which is the sauiour of al mē chiefly of the faythful Here Paule testifieth that God gyueth lyfe not only to the faythful but also to the reste howe beit that is done in vnlike maner not with standinge he teacheth vs that God susteineth preserueth gouerneth the lyfe of al. As he defended Dauid against Goliath Saull Absalō and other his enemies and gaue hym manye other temporal gyftes and lykewyse encreased hym with spiritual benifittes and other gyftes with grace and the holye goste But amonge the heaten he healpeth manye with corporal giftes only as with victorye peace and ritches that politye maye be mainteined and that mankinde maye endure in erth so longe tyl he haue gathered together his whole congregation as Paul witnesseth i. Tim. vi God which quyckneth Item gyue precepte vnto the riche that they truste in God which gyueth vs al thinges abundantly to our commoditie Math. x. Two sparowes are sold for a farthinge and one of them falleth not vpon the groūde wyth out the wil of your father And the heares of your heades be al nombred Psal Ciii All thynges looke vpon the that thou wylte gyue them theyr foode in due ceason whan thou gyueste them they shal gather Whan thou openest thy hand all shal be filled wyth bountuousnes But when thou turneste awaye thy face they shal be trobled Thoue shalte take awaye theyr breath and they shall fayle and returne to theyr dust Thou shalt sende forth thy spirite and they shal be created thou shal renue the face of the erth Psal xxxiii God looke from heauen he seeth all the children of men he frameth theyr hertes euerye one and vndrestandeth al theyr workes Psal xxxvi Men and beastes shalte thou saue Lorde Psal Cxlvii Whiche couereth the heauē with cloudes and prepareth raine to the erth whiche bringeth forth grasse in the mountaynes whyche gyueth foode to theyr catail and to the yong crowes that cal vpon hym Psal Cxlv. The eyes of al loke vpon the Lorde and thou gyueste them foode in due ceason Thou openest thy hande and filleste euery creature wyth thy goodnes Io. v. my father vnto thys tyme worketh I worke By these places of the scripture we are taughte that God is present euerie where knoweth althinges conserueth and susteineth all thynges and gyueth lyfe and mouinge Wherefore this article muste be dyligently thaughte the peoqle and lerned of the same For though the heathē graūt that the world was made by god yet thei doute whether therebe anye prouidence whether God hath anye care of mennes matters and iudgeth them whether he heareth men that calle vpon hym whether he ministre fode peace helth and other benifittes to men but they thinke that these thinges begotten and mainteined by mans industrie As euer such heatheuish persuasions hange in the myndes of men whiche thinge many wordes and sentences of the vngodlye doe wel proue against which Ieremie in his lamētatiōs Cha. iii. crieth myghtely Who is this that sayeth out of the mouth of the highest nether good thynges nor badde come forth what murmureth man againste God and thincketh not howe greuously he offendeth God That the myndes of men than maye be deliuered from those heathnishe opinions the alleged testimonies of the scripture and suche lyke cōcerning the preuidence of God and goueruance of thinges must be deligētly cōsidered we must hold fast in memory that God looketh vpon the hertes of men and wyl iudge the doinges of euerye one that he with out doubte heareth them that cal ryghtly vpon him as it shal be shewed here after Item that he gyueth benifittes to men and frutefulnes of the erth defendeth them and theyr ofspringe from enemies preserueth commen weales et cet As we are cōmanded to aske these thinges and to looke for them from God whan we praye gyue vs this daye oure dayly breade and psal iv Cast thy care vpon the Lorde and he shal nonrishe the vp But howe can a man desire helpe from God if he dreame that God neglecteth creatures that he worketh not in al but that the creatures are caried at al auentures and that men doe al thinges as they list and of theyr owne strength This darcknes of mannes mynde must be ernestly reproued and we must laye euidēt testimonies of the scripture agaynst it For mannes mynde is far gone from God and is ful of doubtinge and horrible darckenes concerning God whiche that God mighte dreue out of oure myndes from the beginninge he hath opened him selfe wyth great miracles He sente also his sonne into the worlde openly which rose from death and raised many other from the dead Al which thinges oughte to strengthen oure faythe that we maye certifie our selfe that God is not ydle
eternal life therin only say with Dauid I wil praise the lorde alwaies his prayse shal be euer in my mouth etc. Secōdly they must warne mē that god throw this cōmaundemēt setteth the wickednes of our hert and whol nature before our eyes to be acknoledged by reasō wherof we neglect the due praising magnifying of god wherunto we should haue a burning desire For by nature we are so corrupted with vngodlines that it is tedious to vs to heare god praysed so far of it is that we study worthely to cōfesse him to cal vpō him to magnifie the glory of his maiestie Thorowe whiche faute it cometh to passe that wyth the lest incommodities or commodities of the worlde we suffre our selues to be frayed and to be turned awaye from the true cōfession of Goddes name and frō testifying of the Gospel And if god did not sufteyne vs wyth his power we shoulde al sone fall to thys poynte that we should abuse his holie name to periurie lyes superstition and open blasphemie Thyrdly the instruction of this cōmaundement How this cōmaundement is fulfilled must be taught that mē may learne that God thorowe thys commaundement sheweth vs our natural disease of vngodlines that therby he may dryue vs to Christe his sonne the true and onely Mediatoure whiche before hym may entreate for vs and obtayne forgyuenes of thys euyll and dayly represse the same thorowe the holie goste and at length vtterly abolishe it which may moue and kendle oure hertes wyth his spirite that we maye begynne the sanctification of his name in confessynge testifyinge and praysing his name and his worde with out feare in all places wyth all reuerence and chiefely keepynge oure selues from all abusyng of the name and worde of God Thus in the fourth commaundemente remembre that thou keepe holy the Saboth daye the preachers shal teache fyrste that it is commaunded that in those appoynted tymes when the cōgregation is wont to come togither to heare the worde of God to pray and to receyue the sacramentes all christian men assemble thyther setting asyde al other busines chiefely on the sondayes and holie dayes and that they heare the holie lessons deuoutly gyue somewhat to the poore vse the sacramentes etc. For we muste all seeke an encrease and confirmation of fayeth and of al godlines for our selues and for them that be committed to theyr charge thorowe these instrumentes of religion whiche the Lorde hym selfe gaue and commended vnto vs for that purpose and we muste thorowe oure exemples approue mayntaine set forth and commende to other the common ministerie of the congregation and the administration of the worde and sacramentes and other ecclesiasticall offices And moreouer euerie Christian man ought priuately with hym selfe and wyth his familie to exercise hym selfe often and busely in readyng the holy scriptures and in prayers Therefore preachers shal fyrst teache that this is commended in the thyrde commaundement Secondly they shal teache that in this cōmaundemente oure vice and vngodlines is shewed vnto vs forasmuche as we neglecte holie cōpanies the hādeling of Gods word the participation of the sacramentes and other exercises of religion and bicause it is paynefull to vs to appeare in the syghte of God our father and there to learne the holy knowledge of him and his wyl towarde vs and to gyue him thankes wyth worthy magnifying of his name and holy gyftes Thirdly they shall teache that the Lorde discloseth vnto vs the vice of oure nature to th entent to cal vs to the repentaunce therof and to dryue vs to Christ which turneth away his wrath agaynst the same synne and represseth it dayly more and more wyth his holy spirite and gyueth vs strength to resist that euil and kendleth in vs a loue of Godly doctrine prayer sacramentes al holy assembles and exercises of religion chiefly of them that be vsed vpō holy dayes For such daies we must with principal studie religion sanctifie to the Lorde and ceasse from bodili workes and seculer busines and giue our selues wholly to the exercises of religion Howe be it we muste also at other tymes come diligentlye togyther to praye to heare and to learne the worde of God and priuately euery man ought to gyue attendaunce for his owne parte and with his housholde to reading of the scripture to exhortation and prayer as we haue sayd For all these thynges this piece of the lawe concerning the Sabbath shal be our scholemaister vnto Christe if it be applied to our life After the same maner concerning the fyrste cōmaundement honour thy father and thy mother the people muste be taughte that by the honour of our parentes it is cōmaunded that we honour al them which exhibite vnto vs fatherly and motherly kindnes either in teachyng and warnyng thynges that be Godly and wholesome or in ministrynge necessarie thynges for our lyfe or in defendyng vs frō wronge of whiche sort the ministers and pastours be chiefely and the ciuile officers whiche we oughte to acknowledge to heare and to worshippe as our fathers with al humilitie obedience and thākfulnes And bycause there is no man but at some tymes he maye do vs some good turne the preachers ought to teache the people that God requireth in thys commaundement al that that S. Paule commaunded to the Ro. xiij saying go one before an other in honour Item to the Phil. ij Let nothinge be done by contention or vayne glorie but thorowe humilitie of mynde let euerie man thynke an other better then hym selfe Secondly it must be taughte out of thys commaundemēt that we haue such natural pryde that we wyl submit our selues to nobody obey nobody nor requite the benifites that we haue receuied wherof spring many variaunces diuisions of myndes and dissolution of al necessary frendshyp Thirdly thei must teach that God thorow the disclosyng of this euyl would ster vs vp to true holsome repentaunce driue vs to Christ the sauiour whiche turneth awaye the wrathe of God that we deserue with this vice and mortifieth the remnaunt thérof in the fleshe throughe the holye gost and bringeth vs so ferfurth that we studye dayly to represse that naturall arrogantie and pryde and that we compte worthy honour and do worshyp our parentes our ecclesiastical curates and other ciuile gouernours and al those that do vs good in doctrine warnyng counsel correction or with any other benefitte and further al mē with whom we lyue euery one accordyng to his state and dignitie Moreouer that we take al mēnes admonitiōs and rebukes in good worth submitte our selues gladly vnto thē obeye theyr pleasure and recompence theyr benifittes that thorowe out al oure lyfe we maye do good to many vnto the glorye of God wyth our moderation obedience and thankfulnes Whereunto thys precepte conceruynge the honouryng of oure parentes ought to be our scholemaister into Christe But in thys commaundement it is not to be omitted that S. Paule monisheth vs of that it is the fyrst with
father thorowe oure onely mediatour Christe and cal vpon hym onely in the name of his sonne wyth a sure truste of childreÌ„ towardes his more then fatherly loue wyth earneste feare also and reuerence and carefull supplication of mynde towardes his maiestie And to steare vp kendle and feede suche inuocation and praiyng Let them vse those instrumentes religiously whiche God hym selfe hath appoynted and coÌ„meÌ„ded for thys purpose I meane holy assembles the diuine scriptures the sacramentes and a godly contemplation of al his gyftes workes and iudgementes ¶ Of christian faste THe holy scriptures sette fastynge Augustine to Consulaine Priest epist lxxxviij Of the fastes of the olde fathers I sayth he in the wrytynges of the Apostles and euangelistes and all the newe testament reuoluyng that thinge in my mynde I se that fastynge is commaunded But vpon what dayes we shoulde faste or not fast by the commauÌ„demente of the Lorde or the Apostles I finde it not determined before vs as a certeyne peculiar preparation and way to more earnest prayer for the remission of sinnes for the singuler mercie grace of God and other singuler benifittes and gyftes As the Niniuites humbly prayed to God wyth moste straite fastyng for remission of synnes and forgyuenes of the punishment which God had declared vnto them Ionas iij. Such a faste it was also whiche God coÌ„maunded to the people of Israel the .x. daye of the .viij. moneth whiche was the daye of purgation in whiche all the people humbly praye God for the remission of synnes Leuiti iij. God also coÌ„maunded such a fast Ioel. ij When the people was punished of corne and wyth greuous warre for theyr synnes Turne vnto me sayeth he wyth all your herte wyth fastyng weepyng and bewaylynge Item in the same place Blowe vp a trompe in Sion sanctifie a faste etc. Such a fast also is described i. Samuel vij and thei came togyther in Masphath and drue water shedde it forth in the syght of the Lorde and fasted on that daye and sayed there we haue synned vnto the Lorde Item Dauides faste in the syckenes of his sonne whom he had fyrste of Bathseba God strucke also the yonge chylde whom the wyfe of Vrias brought forth vnto Dauid and he was despeyred of and Dauid humbly praied to the Lorde for the yonge chylde and Dauid fasted a faste and wente asyde and laye vpon the grounde Item Achab when Elias had declared vnto hym the reuengeauÌ„ce of god for the death of Naboth i. Kynges xx Of thys sorte was that faste of Paule which coÌ„tinued three dayes when the Lorde had conuerted hym nigh Damasco and had taken away his sight actes ix The faste that Iosaphat ordeyned when the Moabites and Ammonites had brought forth an huge armie agaynst hym was ioyned wyth prayer for the singuler benifitte and healpe of god The faste of Esdras was lyke wheÌ„ he prepared to returne into Iurie And that which Hester inioyned to hyr people wheÌ„ she wold speake to the kinge for the health of the people Of the same sorte it was also which the congregation of the sayntes at Antioche inioyned to them selues when laying on their handes they shoulde sende forth Paule and Barnabas to preache the Gospel to the heathen Actes xiij And it was also such a faste whiche the same two Apostles kepte when they woulde appoynte elders in the congregations of Asia whiche they had wonne to Christe Act. xiiij And that fasting ought alway to be ioyned to euerie earnest and solemne prayer the thyng that Paule wryteth of maried folkes teacheth sufficiently Let the husbande rendre due beniuolence to his wyfe and lykewyse the wife to hyr husbande defraude not one an other excepte anie thynge be done of agremente for a reason that ye maye gyue your selues to fastynge and prayer The preachers shall diligently obserue these and suche other testimonies of the holy scripture concernynge fastynge and they shal faithfully teach the people by the same Fyrst that fastyng is a certeyne propre maner and a certeyne parte of careful and earnest prayer vnto God as the places alledged and such other testifie and that it is not a worke acceptable to God by it self or holsome vnto vs. Secondly they shal diligeÌ„tly warne this also that fasting as prayer excepte it be obserued out of true fayeth and earnest repentaunce for our synnes it is not onely a thing vnacceptable to God but also abominable as if we faste by reason of the institution and custome of men or also to boste our selues whiche thinge Christe the Lorde noted Math. vi They darken theyr faces that it maye appeare vnto men that they faste A true faste and acceptable to God muste be taken in hande wyllyngly of mannes owne accorde of one whiche feeleth the burthen of synnes in his conscience whiche feareth the angre reueÌ„geaunce of God for his sinnes whiche therefore is dryuen diligeÌ„tly to seeke and praye for remission of synnes or whiche desireth to make readie hym selfe and after a certeyne wyse to sanctifie him selfe to pray more religiously for the benifittes of God Wherfore thys thynge whiche is in Ioel ij Chap. muste be euer diligently beaten into the people when we speake of fastynge Turne vnto me sayeth the Lorde wyth all your herte wyth fastyng etc. that men may learne that no fastynge pleaseth God but that that springeth out of true repentaunce and lyuely griefe for synnes and true conuersion to the mercie of God of whom we seeke remission of sinnes wyth singuler and feruent desire Thyrdly the preachers shall teache out â—f the alledged places and suche lyke that fastyng is not onely abstinence from meate and drynke but that there is required moreouer forasmuche as fastyng oughte to be a parte of carefull prayer for remission of sinnes and the grace of God that on the fastynge dayes we wythdrawe our selues vtterly from al pleasures and busynes of this lyfe and gyue our selues wholy to prayer wyth great humilitie of all our lyfe coÌ„ming from the herte and chastisynge of the bodie Hereof it came that the Lorde in Ioell commaunded to sanctifie a faste to call an asseÌ„ble to gather the elders together the spouse and the spousesse al the inhabitauntes of the lande into the house of God and crie vnto the Lorde He coÌ„maundeth also the infantes and the suckelynges to be broughte that by the syght and pitie of them they myghte be moued to greater repentaunce of theyr synnes and feruenter prayer for forgiuenes This is the cause why God so sore rebuketh the Iewes Esaie lviij Bycause on the fasting dayes they regarded theyr busynes and required theyr dettes And he testifyeth that he abhorreth theyr fastynges and that they be not those that he commaunded In whiche place thys thinge is diligently to be considered that therefore he hearde not their prayers nor accepted theyr fastes bicause they folowed theyr owne desires vpon the fastyng dayes Lo sayeth he in your fastinges your wyll is founde Wherefore it is conuenient that vpon
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
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
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
purpose that we being many which receiue this sacrameÌ„t with trâ—â— faith shoulde be more and more vnited in â— one bodie euen the bodie of Christ and thâ— we should altogether abide and liue in hiâ— and he in vs after that we hade gotten the true communion of his bodie Thys is singulerly to be noted that the Apostle willinge to proue that we which in the holye supper of the Lorde are partakers of the Lordes bodye and bloude be one bodye added furthwith For al we be parttakers of one bread whereby he signifyed also the communion of one cuppe Lette vs than consider this reason of the Apostle diligentli For if we testifie and declare therebi that we are one bodye and one breade of Christ and that we truly receyue and obteyne the communion of Christes bodye and bloude from the Lordes table whaÌ„ al we that come â—ogether to the Lordes table be parttakers â—f one breade and one cup two thinges suer â—â— folow hereof one that they which in one â—ongregacion of the faythfull doe minister â—ore than one supper of the Lord testifie of â—â—em selues therby that they be not one boâ—ye and one breade of Christ nether rightly â—â—ceiue nor haue the coÌ„munion of the Lordes â—odye and bloude The other is that they â—hiche be present at the Lordes supper and â—â—eyue not the sacramentes testifie by thys â—â—eir abstinences from the lordes table that â—â— wil not be a meÌ„ber with other Christiâ—â—s whyche receyue the sacramentes that they wyll not be one bodye with them and one breade of Christe if they be sufficiently enstructed of thys institution of the Lorde and haue not a lawful cause to abstaine froÌ„ the sacramentes Therefore for thys verye cause that the Lord conmanded vs to do that in his holie supper that he himselfe dyd and he celebrated it wyth those hys disciples only whych had wholy giuen theÌ„selues to hys doctrine and euer folowed hym and celebrated one supper only the prechers shal obserue two thynges First they shall teach and exhorte the people wyth all diligence that in thys most holy sacrament they shewe them selues the true disciples of the Lord that is to saye such as putte al their trust in the Lord hymself and haue bound them selues wholy to his worde and folowe the fame studiously in al thinges For thus the lord sayeth Iohn iij. If ye abyde in my worde ye are my disciples in deade But they that wyll declare themselues to be faythful ministres of the Lorde in the administracion of these misteries shall not admitte anie other to the lordes supper but such as be tried and haue confessed before the congregacion that they haue giuen theÌ„ selues to the Lorde and haue proued the same with theyr life as the Lord also celebrated the supper wyth chosen disciples Secondly that in one coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of the faythfull one supper be ministred and that the pastour himself celebrate it if he may by anie meanes at such tyme whan the whole congregacion is wont to come together as vpon sondayes and holye dayes if so be there shal be present that wyl communicate as men that be one bodye and one breade of Christ and are so outwardly also ioyned together of the Lord that thei pertain to one congregacion and pastoral cure and receiue the communioÌ„ of the Lord out of one bread and one cuppe The seconde thynge that the Lorde dyd in his supper is this he gaue thanges to the father and that in such language as the disciples might vnderstand al thinges and be sterred vp wyth hym to prayse God For whyche cause the pastours shall warne the people firste that in the administracion of thys sacrament we must gyue thankes to God throughe oure Lorde Iesus Christe for al the benifites that he hath gyuen and giueth to vs dayly and cheifely for that benifite out of whyche al other come and be made true benifites vnto vs I meane that he so loued vs that he gaue vs hys sonne a redemer that all that beleue in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe Iohn iij. wherefore he hath giuen vs all thynges wyth hym Ro. viij remyssion of synnes the spirite of adoption and al thinges that may dooe vs good ether in body or soule in this lyfe or in the life to come Secondly that the prieste and ministre of this sacrament in gyuinge thankes to God giueth thankes in his owne name and in the name of the whole coÌ„gregacion wherfor the people must lyft vp theyr mindes and herkeÌ„ to the thinges that are spoken of the priest that thei maye praise and thanke God together with the preist For in thys giuinge of thankes as Chrisostome well warneth all thinges must be commune betwene the people and the prieste where vnto all men that be present are called whan the preiste saieth lifte vp your hertes Item lette vs giue thankes to oure Lord God And they promise the same whan they Answer we haue vnto the Lord. It is worthi and right For in old time as S. Cipriane testifieth whan the prieste or ministre sayde lyfte vp your hertes the people aunswered we haue vnto the Lorde But all these thinges must be done before the Lord in spirite and truth Wherefore the people must wyth all dyligence ioyne theyâ— myndes wyth the wordes of the priest thaâ— with one hert one mouth thei may magnifi and thank God with him The. iii. and principal poynt in the Lordes supper is this that he distributed the bread and the cuppe to al and bad al take both that al should eate the bread and drink of the cup and added This is mi bodi which is giueÌ„ for you This is mi bloud of the new TestameÌ„te which for you and for many is shed furth vnto the remyssion of sins Out of these wordes of the Lord the pastour shal teach the people with great reuereÌ„ce and diligence that this is the principal point and work in the supper of the Lord that sacrameÌ„tes be distributed according to the insttitucioÌ„ of our Lorde Iesus Christ and receyued with true faith in Christ with this faith I saie that we certanly beleue that our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe is here present in the midest of vs and that he himself though iâ— be bi the ministerie of the church doth truly giue vs his body blod and together althinges whatsoeuer he obteined deserued by the offryng of his bodye on the crosse I meane remissioÌ„ of sins the euerlastyng couenant of Gods grace the blessed adoption of God that we be the sons heires of God â—is coheires Out of these thinges yâ— pastors â—hal teach warne the peple with al possible â—iligence First that they come to these most deuyne misteries not as the common sorte were wont to do heretofore wyth cold myndes far from a faythful and religious consideration of the thynges that bee here executed but that they sterre vp theim selues and come with a godly burning desyre of Christ flamynge furthe
with true repentaunce and griefe of synnes and fayth fixed vpon oure Lord. Further that thei heare embrace the wordes here of the lord and al giftes as the words giftes of saluatiō euerlasting life as thei be in dede For this actiō is a proper and principal work of our saluatiō wherin Christ himself offceth geueth to vs all his thinges that he was made for vs that he suffred and deserued accordinge to hys name Iesus he sheweth himself a sauiour vnto vs in wordes and dedes Neyther is there anye word or dede of his set before vs to be folowed or done that doth not properly and effectuously make to our euerlastyng helth so that we take holde of it and vse it with true fayth As in this present action of the holye supper he hath heaped together with singuler and most feruente desyre to do vs good and hath comprehended in a summe and set befor vs to be knowne embraced and enioyed al those thynges that for oure saluation he spake commaunded suffred dyd and willed vs to do Wherfore whan we here those holsome wordes of Chryst in the holy Supper Take eate drynke Surely we must receyue the Sacramentes with great religion and moste bounden thankfulnes of mynde And it is a great abhominatiō to dispise the Lorde callyng vs so gently and so louingly bidding vs to this feast of health and meat of euerlastyng lyfe not to make hast most gredely to this heauenly and blessed banket Thirdly the pastours shal warne the peple that they dout nothing but the Lord him selfe is present in the myddest of theym and geueth them this very body and bloude that thei euer may more fully liue in hym and he in thē and that they may dayly grow more and more into hym whych is the heade and be moued of him as hys lyuely and vncorrupt members and require of him confidently al good thynges and al euils to be taken away and finally that they may receiue the thynges most aboundantly which thei aske For as we receiue hym in this sacrament so we receiue with him al thinges that pertain to the children of God And forasmuch as this exhibition and receiuyng of the body and bloude of Chryste this thinge and action is so heauenlye and diuine a matter of fayth and of the newe testament the pastours shall warne this also that men excludyng the iudgement of theyr owne reason geue fayth simply to the Lordes wordes and that they study to receyue this heauenly meat and this blessed communion of our onelye sauioure and Lorde with singuler desire and thankfulnes of mynde Fourthly the preachers shall diligentlye warne the people that they ernestly considre those most blessed wordes of the Lord which is geuē for you which is shed furth for you and for many vnto the forgeuenes of sinnes Item this is the newe testamēt in my bloud or this is the bloud of the newe testamente For by this only thyng that Chryst on the crosse offred his holi body and bloud to the father for our sinnes we be recōsiled to God and deliuered from the power of satan and hel beyng made the sonnes heyres of God and the newe leyge of grace the testamente of eternal saluation is ordained and confirmed betwene God and vs that God wil be our father also and acknowledge vs to bee his people yea his sonnes and heyres that he wyll driue al euils from vs and heape al good thynges vpon vs both present and to come finally that in the last day he wil raise vs from the dead and settle vs in an heauenly and ful blessed lyfe The fourth thinge that the Lorde deliuered and dyd in his holye supper is this that he saide Do this in the remembraūce of me And he gaue manie other holsome cōmaundementes to his disciples and exhortacions For he taught thē and warned them afore hande wyth manye wordes of hys passion and the fruit that we receyue by the same of his resurrection and heauenly kingdome of the office and ministerie of christen men and chiefely of theyr apostolike offyce to preach hys kingdome in al the world and together in to it the scatered children of God and to confirme and further them in the same For this cause than the preachers shal warne diligently as often as this sacrament is ministred that thei must studiously stirre vp and celebrated the remembraunce of Christe by godlye and diligente handelynge and preaching of the Gospel whereby thei shal faithfully declare to the people how necessarie it was for vs that the sonne of God shoulde take oure flesh and with hys death deliuer vs from eternall death and the terannye of Satan and howe greate benifites he obtayned and gaue vs and dayly gyueth vs thoought hys death and resurrection that is to wit remission of sinnes the spirite of adoption a newe and blessed powre of liuinge the felloshippe of resurrection vnto a verie heauenlye diuine and euerlastinge lyfe All whiche thinges muste be muste religiously preached and considered in the holie supper Wherefore in this must hollie action the doctrine of the Gospell and the lawe muste be diligently beaten in that the Lordes death and resurrectiō and al thinges that he was made for vs that he dyd and suffred that he obteyned for vs and perfourmed and dayly perfourmeth be muste studyously preached and that the remembraunce of him be fully and perfectly celebrated to this end that our fayth in him and new and blessed lyfe in the lame maye be euer confirmed and augmented Therefore we vse yet of the custome of the olde church that open and principal sermons be made a boute this ministracion of the holye masse The pastours and teachers of cōgregacions shall often and faythfully warne and enstructe the people of all these thinges So the chosen of God shal easly suffer them selues to be led awaye from al abuses of thys most reuerende and holie sacramente and be brought agayne to the true and holsome vse of the same For the shepe of Christe knowe the voyce of theyr shepeherde and folowe him hertely This maner surly canne not be obscure or vncertayn to they in that sauour anye thynge of Christ All christiane Doctrine consisteth herein and is grounded hervpon that men be taught to kepe all those thinges that oure Lorde Iesus Christe commaunded as the father hym selfe witnessed of hym from heauen sayinge Thys is my welbeloued sonne here him And he sayeth of himselfe to the Apostles al power in heauen and erth is giuen to me teach and make all the heathen my disciples baptise them in the name of the father and the sōne and the holye goste and teache them to kepe al these thsnges that I haue commaunded you But it is euident that this our only master and Lorde instituted the sacramente of thanckes gyuinge wyth these wordes and commended it vnto vs. Do this in the remēbraunce of me meaninge that that he hymselfe dyd and that that the Euangelistes
preaching of the crosse and of the death of Christe ⧠Of the communion of wayfaring men and sicke folke When it shall chaunce that wayefaryng men or such as cōmitte them selues to daungerous iourneis or be sicke shal require the Lordes supper vpon workynge dayes fearyng that they can not come to the communion the nexte holy daye the pastours shall ministre the Lordes supper vnto them vpon any daye after that they haue receyued of them a conuenient confession of theyr sinnes and fayth in Christ Howe be it as much as maye be it shal be done in the mornyng and at suche time as some assemble of the people is wont to be gathered or at the leste they shal call some together to thys ministration of the supper When then they haue admonished and exhorted in the assemble suche as wyll take iourneis in hande or be sickely of these misteries and the whole fayth in Christe they shall administre the holy supper and distribute the sacramentes in that fourme and facion that we described before saueing that they maye omitte singyng and reade all thynges whiche neuertheles muste be done playnely and clearely and wyth greate grauitie But if the sicke folke be in suche case that they can not come to the temple the pastours muste go to them and giue them the holy supper at home so that they do all thynges according to the fourme prescribed or thys that foloweth whiche is peculiarly appoynted for sicke folke asmuche as the state of them to whom the sacramēt shal be ministred wyll suffre and asmuch as shal make for the edification of saith in them that be present The pastours muste also exhort the people that not onely theyr householde but also the neighbours and kinsfolke of the sicke endeuoure to come together to the celebration of that holie supper and to receyue the sacramentes together ⧠Howe sicke folke muste be visited and howe the communion muste be celebrated wyth them ⧠An other exhortation to the sycke person My brother in the Lorde forasmuche as the Lorde visiteth the wyth sicknes of the bodie that thou mayest reste the better in his wil thou must faythfully cōsidre recompt first that diseases are sent to vs frō the Lord God for none other cause then for synnes and that originall synne whiche was deriued from Adā vnto vs draweth death wyth it selfe and what so euer perteyneth to the kingdome of death that is to saye al maner of diseases sicknesses miseries and calamities For if we had continued in originall ryghtuousnes wythout synne death should not haue had any right vpon vs muche lesse diseases and other calamities Further thou muste remembre that leste we should despeare by reason of our sinnes diseases and other tētations and anguishes of death the Gospel was giuen vs that out of the same we shoulde learne and beleue that Christe the sonne of God deliuereth vs frō synnes and saueth vs if we beleue in hym and that two maner wayes Firste in purifiynge our hertes frō the wyll and gylt of synnes here in earth by the Gospell and sacramentes Act. xv purifiynge their hertes wyth fayth Secondly when that oure consciences be thus cleansed from synnes and reconciled to God the father by fayth in takyng away and purgyng synne by litle and litle out of our nature that at length beinge made pure and perfecte from all vices and holie in all poyntes we maye lyue wyth the holie God in heauē in diuine rightuousnes and innocencie Thyrdly that for the workyng and fulfyllynge hereof God oure father sendeth vnto vs sūdrie diseases death it selfe not bicause he is angrie wyth vs or wyll destroye vs but bicause thorowe verie fatherlie beniuolence and care he wyl steare vs vp vnto true repentaunce of synnes and fayth of his sonne and so deliuer vs bothe frō synnes wherin we yet sticke and moreouer from all euyls both corporall and spirituall vnto whiche we be subiect by reason of synnes whiche thing the holie scriptures testifie abūdātly For thus saith S. Paule i. Cor. xi When we are iudged of the Lorde we are corrected that we be not dāned wyth thys worlde Roma viij To them that loue God all thynges worke health neither can anie thynge disseuer them from the loue of God whiche is in Christe Iesu not afflictition nor anguyshe nor persecution etc. Fourthly forasmuch as these thynges be euen so as I haue said and bicause thou arte taught certified out of the Gospell which the sonne of God him selfe preached and cōfirmed with his death and resurrection that al thy synnes are caste vpon Christe yea vtterly taken awaye and abolished for euer of Christe him selfe so that God hath now no cause of wrath and condemnation agaynste the beleuynge in Christ but the grace of the father mercie lyfe and health be certeynely restored to the thorowe Christe considre all these so exceading benifites of god towards the wyth sure and certeyne fayth and confirme thys truste in thy selfe that God the father compteth the not nowe for suche one as thou waste borne of Adā and made tho rowe thyne owne synnes that is to saye hatefull vnto hym and appoynted vnto destruction but compteth the for Christes sake deare and destined to eternall lyfe and be thou persuaded that thou shalt lyue for euer by the ryghtuousnes and lyfe of Christe in perfecte blisfulnes as certeynly as it is certeyne that he suffered the wrath of God and death not for his owne synnes but for thine Seinge then that it is so see that thou comforte thy selfe wyth so great benifites and knowledge certeynely that synne death and hell hath nowe no ryght vpon the but that Christe the lambe of God hath taken away al those Iohn i. For he hath translated those thynges vpon hym selfe he hath ouercomed them by hym selfe and blotted them out foreuer Wherefore be of God comforte thy synnes be forgiuen the and there is no cause if from thy herte thou beleue in Christe the Lorde but thou maist certeynely and constantly thorowe Christe oure Lorde loke for al grace consolation tymely healpe and saluation from God Therefore wyth suche truste cōmitte and gyue vp thy selfe wholy to his mercifull and fatherly wyll sayinge wyth Dauid God is my lyght of whō shal I be a frayed Heauenly father thy wyll be done Into thy handes I commende my spirite Amen After thys exhortation if the state of the sicke person wyll suffre the pastoure shall reade before hym and the present congregatiō the Lordes wordes out of the .vi. of Iohn Frō thys place verely verely I saye vnto you excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man vnto the wordes of the Euāgeliste These wordes he spake in the synagoge And he shall declare the same texte for the cōforte and edification aswel of the sicke as of the congregation that is present But the exposition shal be moderated accordyng to the commoditie of the sicke person When thexposition is ended lette the pastour rehearse a commune confession
the possession of the inheritaunce of the heauenly kyngdome Wherefore remembrynge so great bountuousnes lette vs onely gyue thankes to the Lorde God and praye that he wyll teache vs earnestly to considre the thynges that be in the Psalme writer namely that our daies be shorte that we slide awaye violently lyke a shoure of rayne that we are as it were a dreame that we maye be chaunged incontiuently lyke an herbe whiche florisheth and is freshe in the morninge and in the euening wythereth and is cutte vp And these thynges we muste do for thys entente that we may come to our selues in tyme and be conuerted to a better lyfe that we may leade an honeste lyfe and acceptable to God in the feare of the Lord and finally that in death it selfe we may be preserued vnto euerlastyng lyfe thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ Praye ye to God Our father etc. When the prayer is done let the mininister saye ⧠The Lorde be wyth you ⧠Let vs praye Almightie God and moste louynge father encrease in vs the belefe of the resurrection where vnto thou haste called vs thorowe oure Lorde Iesus Christe that beinge grounded vpon thys beliefe we maye comforte oure selues in the death of thys oure brother or sister whose bodie we haue now committed to the earth accordyng to thy ordinaunce and that we maye also comforte oure selues in other calamities whyche in thys valleye of teares we worthyly suffre for oure synnes Further that we maye lifte vp oure myndes and thoughtes vnto the heauenlye lyfe to come and seke the thinges that are aboue where Christe thy sonne is sittinge at they right hande finally that diinge to sinne daily we maye serue the al the dayes of oure lyfe in all sanctification and ryghtuousnes throughe the same Christe oure Lorde ⧠Another collecte We gyue thanckes vnto the almyghtye God hauenlie father for that that thou hast vouchsafed to cal this our brother or sister to the knowledge of thi deare sonne and his communion and to preserue him in the same and nowe to sende for hym and remoue him to thy kingdome Graunte vs we besech the thorough the same thy sonne that in thys place and in al other we maie truly acknowlege our synnes earnestly lament them and knowe and prayse the dayly more and more in the newnes of lyfe and that so beynge strenghthned with good hope we maie loke for that blessed hope and appearinge of the glorie of the greate God and oure sauiour Iesus Christe whiche liueth God and raigneth with the in the vnite of the holye goste thorough out al generations Amen And for the consolacion of the faythfull in the Lord and mouinge the zeale of godlynes it shall be conuenient whan the corpse is brought to the burynge place to propoune and declare before the people gathered ther together the lesson folowinge out of the .xv. Chap. of the first to the Corinth But nowe Christe is risen from the dead c vnto this place what dooe we c. ⧠Or From thys place ⧠Thys I saye brethern that fleshe and bloude vnto the ende of the Chap. ⧠Or To the Philip. iij. ⧠For our conuersacion is in heauen vnto the ende of the Chap. ⧠Or To the Rom. vi ⧠And if we be dead with Christe we beleue that we shall lyue wyth hym c. vnto thys place lette not synne than reigne c. ¶ Of holy and festiual dayes FIrst we wyl that oure men vpon sondaies apply them selues wholy to the Lord and cease from all corporal worckes and busines and also from all iorneyes not necessarye and practising of merchaundises As God comauÌ„ded in his lawe In six dayes lette them finish and make an ende of all their worcke and lette them sanctifie the sondaye altogether vnto the Lorde that vpon that daie they maye be enstructed and renued in faith and religion out of goddes word And seuerli it is a great profe that that man careth litle for God and his owne saluacion which of the whole weke wyl not bestowe somuch as one daye vpon heauenlye matters to make hym selfe readye vpon that daye and to come together with a godlye zeale to heare goddes worde and to receyue the diuine sacramentes and to praye together with the sayntes For the spirite of the newe testament ought to kendle in vs a much more feruent studie of these thynges than was stirred vp in the olde people thorough the lawe Wherefore the preachers shal ofteÌ„ warne the people how greate a sinne it is to spende those dayes in idlenes surfettinge dronckennes riotte in nawghtye and filthye lustes as we se done communely which be appointed to God and to relygious and spirituall exercises For thorough this vngodlines the calamites that we suffer and that hange yet sorer ouer oure heades are specially prouoked The pastours than must pulle the people from thys vngodlines wyth all possible diligence by goddes worde ¶ Beside sondaies we wyl haue holy daies to be kepte and celebrated ⧠Christmas The daie of Stephane and Iohan. ⧠Of Circumcision ⧠Of the Epiphanie ¶ Of the conuersion of Paule ¶ Of the purificacion of Marie ¶ Of the Annunciation ¶ The thursdaie and fridaie before Easter for thys entente that vpon those dayes the historie of the passion of Christe maye be propouned and declared to the people ¶ Easter daye with the two dayes folowinge ¶ Ascension daye ¶ Whittesondaye with the mondaie folowinge The day of the natiuite of Iohn Baptist ⧠Of Peter and Paule ⧠The daie of the visitacion of Marie ⧠Of Michael vpon which daie a sermon shal be made of the Angels out of thys place Math. xviij Their Angels euer se the face c. Item hebru i. Angels be ministringe spirites c. ¶ Out of these places the pastours shall warne the people of this singuler benifite of God to wardes vs in that that he hath gyuen hys Angels to be the ministers of oure welth and they shall exhorte them to gyue God thankes continually for thys benifite and to take hede that they grieue not the Angels with theyr synnes but rather studie to make them gladde wyth all holynes and godlynes Vpon the festeas of the Apostles we wyl that the people cease from labour til the end of the holye sermon than it shal be lawfull for euerie man to returue to his worcke For it is euident that to cease from labour after dinner is hurteful to agreat parte of the people For in that time commenly they offende God with carnal wantoÌ„nes more greuously than vpon other dayes Therefore they that will kepe these hâ—lye dayes holye must se hereunto that they also sanctifie theÌ„ wholy to God and passe them ouer with godlie exercises of religion and not bestowe them vpon those thynges whereby the wrath of God is cheifely prouoked VpoÌ„ those holye dayes on which we celebrate and extol such benifites of God as be peculierly mentioned in the histories of the holie scripture the same histories
thy seruauntes that peace whiche the worlde can not gyue that our hertes beinge wholy cōsecrated to thy cōmaundementes and the feare of our enemies being remoued oure tyme thorowe thy protection maye be wythout stormes and quiet thorowe oure Lorde etc. An other Collecte The minister Entre not Lorde into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunt The Quier For no liuing creature shal be iustified in thy syght The minister Almightie God which knowest that we beinge in the middest of so great perels can not stande by reason of mannes weakenes graunt vs saluation of bodie and soule that by thy healpe we may ouercome those thinges whiche aflicte vs for oure synnes thorowe our Lorde etc. ⧠Of cōmune almes IT is the propre and necessarie office of euerie cōgregation rightly ordred and instituted to prouide that none amonge thē want necessarie thynges to lyue well and godly but that euerie mā whom God hath broughte and enioyned to eche cōgregation be ministred vnto asmuche as shall suffice hym to lyue godly and moreouer that they procure that no mā liue idly and be burtheuous to other to which ministerie the primitiue churche appointed Stephane wyth his cōpanions Act. vi Wherefore we wyll also procure that in euerie cōgregation some mē of notable godlines wysedome and faythfulnes beinge approued by the testimonies of euerie cōgregatiō shal be appointed by the visiters as many as shal seme to suffice for that purpose in euerie place These men shal note the names of all needie folke and shall diligētly obserue in what neede euerie man is and howe he liueth and they shal also exhort euerie man to worke accordynge to his strēgth and shal withdrawe almes frō them that cā worke and wyl not according to the saiynge of Paule he that worketh not lette hym not eate It shall perteyne to these prouostes of the holy almes to laye vp in the ecclesiasticall treasurie all maner almes and oblatiōs that godly men shal offre to the Lorde in the congregatiō or giue priuately and therout they shal distribute to pore folke according to euerie mānes necessitie and shal giue an accōpte of al that they receyue and lay forth to thē whom we wyll appoynt thereunto And that mē may offre their giftes to the Lorde more liberally we wyl that there be a peculiar place and chest ordeyned in euerie tēple for this purpose not farre frō the alter that it maye be in the sighte of al the people And the preachers shall diligently exhorte the people that they appeare not emptie before the Lorde chiefely vpon sūdaies and as oftē as a great cōpanie is gathered together when baptisme is ministred the Lordes supper cōfirmation the blessing of mariage and when men resorte together to a buriall Itē as oftē as mē priuately either desire the healpe of God in some greate necessitie or gyue thākes to God for singuler benifitee as whē the Lorde hath sent or remoued diseases or other daungers or hath otherwyse dealte bountuously wyth vs. Furthermore we wyll that the foure offeryng daies in a yere be kept that thei which communicate at the Lordes table may offre some gifte foure tymes in the yere whiche thing they ought to do no we the more gladly for that that they knowe that they truly offre to Christ him selfe in his mēbres according to his worde wherfore they shal heare in time to come that blessed voice Come the blessed of my father possesse a kyngdome prepared for you frō the begynnynge of the worlde for I hungred and you gaue me to eate etc. We wyl also prouide by the healpe of God that in no parte of these ablations of the faythfull be gyuen to anie bodie but suche as neede in deede and chiefely to Citizins and Iudwellers of euerie place and amonge those to them principally that be in greatest neede as to widowes Orphanes sicke folke such as be otherwise oppressed with nede miserie Finalli asmuch as may be spared shall also be giuen to straungers And forasmuche as this maner of gatherynge and distributing the offerynges and almes of the faythfull was taught of God him selfe both in the newe testament and in the olde the faythfull wyl gladly applie thē selues therunto and wil much rather cōferre these their almes into the cōmune treasurie of the cōgregatiō thē distribute the same to poure folke after their owne myndes For when most approued mē shal be made ouerseers of this matter by the hole cōgregatiōs after the institution of the holie goste what man is there that wyl stande so much in his owne conceyte that he wyll not beleue that suche men shall both se better than he hymselfe canne in whome Christ the Lorde is to be cherished and wyth a more sincere iudgement distribute to the membres of Christe For God is not absente with his blessinges from his owne institucions As for commen almes remayninge and other reuenues giuen to the Lord for the vse of the poore Item the goodes that fraternites haue for the same liberalite we wyl procure that they shal be broughte together by the visitours into the commune treasurie of euerye cōgregacion that al poore folke maie be more lyberally succoured It is a verye harde thinge and full of busines to minister thinges necessarie for lyfe to all persones that nede neuertheles bi the helpe of Christ the Lorde wee wyll so order this promision for the pore and cause it so to be administred that we doubte not it shall shortely come to passe that al maner of necessarie thinges shal be liberally ministred to all such as nede vn fainedly and that wilful beggerie shal be taken awaye and euerye man putte to such labour as shal be profitable and comodious for him so that he shal burthen no man with out cause If theyr remainie in anye plase hospitalles for poore people for orphanes for olde men and women for sicke and leprosse persones we shal procure that the same shal be diligently loked vpon and reformed that nedie and miserable folke for whome those prouisions were made maye haue consolacion and comforte from thens as largely and cōmodiously as maye be And the cheife deacons of congregacions and wardens of the holie treasure shal haue charge of them so that by them whiche heretofore haue had the procuration of such hospitalles all thynges shal be so administred as they were first instituted that all the necessites of the faythful maie be most commodiously holpen and succourred accordynge to the Lordes commaundment and that alfautes and incommodites whyche are wounte to crepe into these holi institutions shal be resisted in tyme and that effectuosly ⧠Of erectinge of Scholes for Children GOd hath comprehended in the writinges of the prophetes and the Apostles hys doctrine of saluacion whereby he bringeth men to euerlastinge life and sheweth vs awaye to calle vpon him and to praye to hym fore thinges that be verie necessarie to passe furth this present life handsomely and honestly He hath cōmaūded that men be taught this
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
office of al pastours and curates of soules that they vtterly bid al worldly and fleshly cares and busines farewel and caste the same froÌ„ theÌ„ as beside the lawe of god the canons require with great seueritie For coÌ„cerning the necessaries of life we wil faith fully procure that euery maÌ„ shal be liberally prouided for that beinge discharged of the care of this lyfe they maye wholy gyue theÌ„ selues both to lerne the holy scripture and to study the same day and night whiche onely enstructeth vnto saluation thorowe fayth in Christ and also to prayers wyth which only we may obteyne the true vnderstandyng of the scripture and the gift and grace to de liuer the same wholsomely vnto other and luckely to serue Christ the Lorde in thys office vnto the edification of the coÌ„gregation Fourthly we coÌ„maund that the pastours haue often coÌ„uocations and godly exercises in the same whiche we wyl appoynte in certeyne and conuenient places and tymes as the coÌ„moditie of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„s and ministers shall suffre and herein they shall vse none excuse excepte it be verie necessarie In these conuocations one shall faythfully enstructe warne and exhorte an other of the sincere vnderstandyng of the scriptures and of the holesome administracion of their office For seing that the knowledge and vse of a pastorall office is so miserably lost we wyll appoynte by oure visitors as much as we maye some pastours and teachers in certaine places which be some what more furnished in the knowledge and religion of the holie ministerie to whoÌ„e the other pastours and ministers dweling nigh aboute shal resorte euery weke or as often as it shal be conuenient and shal heare of them the exposition of the scriptures and other thinges pertaning to pastoral cure so better furnish theÌ„ selues vnto their office And if cases and difficultes hapeÌ„ in theyr ministerie out of which thei can not vnfolde theÌ„ selues let theÌ„ vse the counsel of these men And if they be warned that thei haue erred or don amis in ani thing let them take that warninge in good parte and regarde it wel and diligentli amend theÌ„ selues in that wherein they erred and lette them if they haue not fully execuited theyr office in anye pointe recompense the same studiously Further more we wil also institute greatter conuocations to be kepe twise a yere and beside those we wyll haue two to be kepte euerie yere in our cite of Colone as the olde custome is wherunto the Deanes onli shal resort and thei which haue some peculier busines there or be called thither To these conuocatioÌ„s than the pastours and Deanes euery man according to his ordre shal come together studiouslye neyther shal they absent them selues from thens except it be for a necessary cause we wil prouyde also that euery congregation shal be visited euery yeare by mete visiters whiche if they haue perceiued any faute to haue crept into the parishes which thei them selues caÌ„not amende they shall propoune the same in the greater conuocations that it maye be ameÌ„ded by the authoritie of a synode Wher for we wyl chuse men excellyng in wysdom faythfulnes and authoritie asmuche as the Lord shal geue to rule this conuocatioÌ„s and to execute visitations to whom we wil geue such authoritie that they maye resist fautes and inconueniences whan they aryse and vse fit remedies Nowe all the actes of conuocations and visitations must be referred hereunto that al parishes may haue faythful and mete ministers whych may execute their ministerye faythfully accordyng to Gods worde and want not iust defence against vniust violeÌ„ce and cauillations of wicked menne And that thei which haue not faithfully executed the holy ministery or be found to haue committed any faut in their liuyng be corrected or if that cannot be brought to passe that they be remoued from the holy ministery Finally forasmuch as sondry chaunses diseases and other lets of the holy ministery happen dayly vnto pastours as vnto meÌ„ this thing shal also be decreed in coÌ„uocations visitations whaÌ„ it happeneth to some minister by reason of siknes or some other cause that he cannot execute his ministery himselfe that some of his felowes if ther be sondry ministers in the same congregation as it happeneth in tounes or some of his neighbours if any haue no felow as it is wont to be in vilages shal supply the rome of the minister so empesched that the peple be not ani wher defrauded of the holye ministery of Christ ⧠Of the reformation of canonical colledges CAnonical colledges ar now a daies for the most parte of two sortes Some ther be into which the sons of Dukes Erles knightes and noble men are only receiued Ther be other in to which the children of other men ar admitted Nowe where as all these wil be counted clearkes and partly also priestes deacons subdeacons and some caÌ„nons that is to say reguler clarkes if a lawful and canonical reformation of these persons shoulde be taken in hand it behoued surely that al thei shuld buckle theÌ„ selfes to that maner of ministring to the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ also of liuyng which the rules prescribe to such persons that is to sai they should apply them selues to the cure of soules and to the edifiyng of the reste of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ in the doctrine of Christ I mean that the preistes should endeuour theÌ„ selues to preach and minister the sacramentes and gouerne ecclesiastical discipline the deacons and subdeacons should apply the ministery of the same doctrine and sacrameÌ„ts and the distributing of almes wheruÌ„to the other orders of the clerks shuld set their hands also eueri maÌ„ according to his place degre For this is the proper office of al the cleargie as the authorities of the caÌ„noÌ„s and olde fathers testifie to fede the flocke of Christ Clerkes fede the shepe I am fed sayth Ierome to He liodo where he numbreth him selfe amonge Monckes and sheweth a difference betwne Monckes and clearkes And where as in a christian reformation of churches we ought to haue a regard here vnto to seke this thing with al diligeÌ„c naÌ„ely that al thinges may be restored in the coÌ„gregations right coÌ„modiously with as lytle offence of meÌ„ as may be that the reformatioÌ„ consist not only in glorious writinges nothing in dede for the christian meÌ„ must do al thinges sincerly therfor in the reformaâ—ioÌ„ of ecclesiasticall matters we must brynge to passe that the holy ministery and hole doctrine of Christ may be restored to a sure instauratioÌ„ of religion and to the welth of the vniuersal congregatioÌ„ This ende thaÌ„ being set before vs sincerely regarded we think this way of reformation should be taken in hand in canonical colleges First we wil that our reuereÌ„d chapter of the hiest and principal colledge shal retaine and kepe styl their free and canonical election of al their felowes and prelates al their dignitie old laws libertes and preuileges as they hane had of old time and vse