with the cares of thys life I had not knowen what lust had ment except the law had sayd thou shalt not lust Make not prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it Mortifie your earthy members fornication vncleannes vnnaturall lust euill concupiscence c. Godlines is great riches if a man be content with that he hath For we brought nothing into the worlde neyther can we cary any thyng out But when we haue foode and rayment let vs be content therwith They that haue a minde to be riche fall into temptation and snares of the deuill into many folishe and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction For couetousnes is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred froÌ„ the fayth tangled them selues with many sorrowes But thou man of God flie such things Follow righteousnes godlines fayth loue pacience meekenes c. Let your conuersatioÌ„ be without couetousnes and bee content with such thinges as ye haue alreadie Loue not the world nor those thinges that are in the worlde For all that is in the world as the concupiscence of the fleshe and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the world passeth away and the lustes therof but he that doth the will of God abydeth for euer ¶ The summe of these x. CoÌ„maundementes and all other lawes of God Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all y e vttermost of thy power This is the first and greatest commaundement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self In these two commaundementes are contayned the whole law and the Prophets Owe nothyng to any man but that ye loue one an other for he that loueth an other hath fulfilled the lawe For these commaundementes Thou shalt not coÌ„mit adulterie Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt beare no false witnes Thou shalt not lust and all other commaundementes are briefly comprehended in these wordes Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe The end of the law is loue out of a pure hart and of a good coÌ„science and of a fayth not fayned What soeuer ye would that men should do vnto you do ye euen the same to them also for this is the law and the Prophetes ¶ Of Repentaunce ¶ What Repentaunce is REpentaunce is an inward sorow of the mind wrought by the holy ghost for the sumes tofore committed agaynst God ioyned both with a perfect fayth to be forgeuen for Christes sake and also with a full determined purpose froÌ„ henceforth to amend and to lead a new life ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures I now reioyce not that ye were sory but y â— ye so sorrowed that ye repented For ye sorrowed godly so that in nothing ye were hurt by vs. For the sorâ—ow y e is wrought by God causeth repeÌ„tance vnto saluation not 〈◊〉 be repented of coÌ„trariwise worldly sorow causeth death The seruaâ—nt of God must inâ—ourme them that resist the truth if that God at any tyme will geue them repentaunce for to know the truth and that they may come to them selues againe out of the snare of the deuill which are holden of hym captiue at hys will 〈◊〉 me O Lorde I shall be conuerted for thou art my Lord God â—ea as soone as thou turnedst me I repented and as soone as thou shewedst my sinnes vnto me I smote my thigh yea I was confouÌ„ded and right greatly ashamed O Lord turne thou vs vnto thee and so shall we be turâ—ed I will poure cleane water vpon you ye shall be cleane yea froÌ„ all your vncleannes froÌ„ all your Idols shall I clense you A new hart also wil I geue you and a new spirite will I put into you As for that â—â—ony hart I wil take it out of your body and geue you a fleshy hart I will geue my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my commaundementes to kepe my lawes to fulfill them And ye shall be my people and I will be your God O thou God of Hostes turne thou vs shewe vs the light of thy countenance we shall be whole ¶ Of the fruites of repentaunce declared by the worde of God Seeke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is nie Let the vngodly man forsake hys owne wayes and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lord so shall he be mercifull vnto him and to our God for he is very ready to forgeue O Israell if thou wilt turne thee then turne vnto me saith the Lord. And if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight thou shalt not be moued Be circumcised in the Lord and cut away y â— foreskin of your hartes that my indignation breake not forth lyke fire kindle so that no man may quench it because of the wickednes of your imaginations If the vngodly will turne away from all his sinnes that he hath done and keepe all my commaundementes and do the thing that is equall and right doubtles he shall liue not die As for all his sumes that he did before they shall not be thought vpoÌ„ but in his righteousnes that he hath done he shall liue For haue I any pleasure in y â— death of a sinner sayth the Lorde God but rather that he coÌ„uert and liue Be conuerted and turne you cleane from all your wickednes so shall there no sinne do you harme Cast away from you all your vngodlines that ye haue done Make you new hartes and a new spirite Wherfore will ye die O ye house of Israell seing I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dieth sayth the Lorde God Turne ye then and ye shall liue As truely as I liue sayth y â— Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but much rather that the wicked turne from hys way liue Turne you turne you from your vngodly wayes O ye house of Israell Oh wherefore will ye die The wickednes of the wicked shall not hurt hym when soeuer he conuerteth from hys vngodlines Turne you vnto me sayth the Lord of Hostes and I will turne me vnto you Turne you vnto me with all your hartes with fasting weeping and mourning Rent your hartes and not your clothes Turne you vnto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull long suffering and of great compassion and ready to pardon wickednes Repent of the life that is past for the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is at hand Bring forth the fruites that belongeth vnto repentance For euen now is the axe put vnto the roote of the tree so that euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen down cast into the fire
The Principles of Christian Religion necessary to be knowen of all the faythfull set forth to the great profite in trayning vp of all youth by Tho. Becon Iohn xiij If ye know these thinges blessed are ye if ye doe them Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate AN. 1569. ¶ Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAC TAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calimo pictor arte vides Mentis quā nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis 〈◊〉 ipse suis. ¶ The Contentes of this Booke Of fayth WHat fayth is What benefites we receiue of God through◠fayth The Articles of the Christian fayth with confirmations of the same out of the holy Scriptures Of prayer What prayer is What benefites we receiue of God by prayer The Lordes Prayer called the Pater noster with confirmations of euery peticion out of the holy Scripture Of the law What the law is To what vse the law was geuen The x. commaundementes of God with confirmations of euery commaundemēt out of the holy Scripture Of Repentaunce What repentaunce is Of the fruites of repētaunce declared by the word of God Of Baptisme What Baptisme is For what vse Baptisme was ordained Of the Lordes Supper What the Lordes Supper is To what vse Christ did institute it The duty of all estates and degrees accordyng to the doctrine of Gods holy word The dutie of the hye powers and of the other temporall Magistrates The dutie of Subiectes toward the hi◠powers The dutie of Byshops and Ministers of Gods worde The duetie of Parishioners vnto the Ministers of Gods word The dutie of Husbandes vnto their wiues The duetie of Wiues vnto their Husbandes The duetie of Fathers and Mothers vnto their children The duetie of Children towardes their Fathers and Mothers The duetie of Maisters to their Seruauntes The duetie of Seruauntes to their Maisters The duetie of Widowes The duetie of Olde men The duetie of Olde women The duetie of Young folke The duetie of all degrees and estates generally both toward God and their neighbour FINIS To the most gentle and godly disposed childe M. Thomas Cecill sonne to the right honourable Syr Williā Cecill Knight and Secretary to the Kings Maiestie Thomas Becon wisheth the fauour of God with the encrease of vertue and learning II of holy letters we be not sleepie nor vaine readers but diligētly marke what we read we shall easilie perceaue that among other commaundementes of God this is not the last nor the least which he geueth cōcerning the bringing vp of youth in y ◠knowledge of his blessed will For y ◠godly wisedome knoweth right well that except the younglinges of a common weale be vertuously brought vp and faithfully framed according to the right rule of Gods holy appointment it can not come to passe but that his glory the good parentes being once deceased must needes bee obscured in thys world the inuocation of his name cease and all godly religion decay yea the men them selues if they bee worthy that name must needes become brutelike and be caryed about with euery straunge doctrine cōtemne all laudable lawes breake all good orders follow their fleshly appetites lyke vnreasonable beastes so at last bring both thēselues their realmes vnto vtter destruction Therfore as God in his holy law requireth of parentes nothing more earnestly thē to bring vp their children vertuously and according to his word so likewise all godly fathers and mothers haue euer from the beginning done their vttermost endeuour to traine vp their younglinges euen from the very cradells in the nurture feare and doctrine of the Lord supposing them selues then best to please God and most to doe the true office of godly and naturall parentes when they studie how to garnish not theyr childrens bodies with gay and sumptuous vestures but their mindes with noble and precious vertues not bow to lift them vp to transitory dignities worldly honours which as dayly experiēce teacheth are more brittle then glasse and fade away lyke the grasse but how to make them honourable and prayse worthy in the sight of good mē and profitable to the cōmon weale through vertue learning wisedome and counsell And the more the parentes them selues did excell other in knowledge wisedome and learning the greater desire had they to bring their children vnto the lyke perfection bearing heauily that theirs shoulde in any poynt degenerate from their fathers vertues and not orderly aunswere to the godly qualities of their noble parentes Histories both godly and Ethnicke doe minister vnto vs examples aboundantly in this behalfe which I would here gladly recite if I had not attempted the lyke enterprise already in my preface to the Gouernance of Vertue Againe if I were not fully perswaded that you haue heretofore both red and also heard of your teacher the same or els the like histories Your right honourable and most worthy father knowing the good pleasure of God in thys behalfe hath also after the example of all other noble godly parentes painfully trauailed both by him self and by learned teachers to bring you vp euen frō your cradell in the knowledge of Gods will and of good letters that you might as in age so likewise in vertue and learning grow and encrease vnto hys comfort vnto your owne commendation vnto the profite of the common weale hereafter And as your father is learned and hath a brest stuffed with all godly vertues so is hys desire to haue you both learned vertuous that when he shall geue ouer to nature God so disposing hee may leaue behinde hym hys owne image yea as I may so speake hym selfe not onely in lineamentes of body but also in vertue in godlines in wisedome in knowledge and by thys meanes bee counted of hys posteritie a worthy member of the common weale both in him selfe and 〈◊〉 hys sonne It is your dutie therfore to satisfie the good desire of so naturall a father and to aunswere the expectation of many which looke to finde in you hereafter that vertue learning wisedome and grauitie that is euidently perceaued in your most worthy father Thys shall bee brought to passe if according to your beginning ye goe forth diligently to call on the name of God to applie your mind to good letters to giue eare to the wholsome admonicions of your most deare father and to take heede to the daily exhortations of your teacher euer framyng your life according to your knowledge And that ye may do this the more cōueniently I geue you thys little treatise which shall aboundauntly instructe you in those pointes of Christian Religion which at thys present do most of all become your age In it are cōtained the principles of our profession which I haue so opened with the conference of the other scriptures that they may worthily seeme to striue with large Cōmentaries I haue also set forth the duties
God but one The Father Thou O Lord art our father and redemer Thy name is from euerlasting Haue not we all one father Hath not one God created vs Why then doth euery one of vs despise hys owne brother so breake the couenaunt of our fathers Call no maÌ„ your father vpon the earth for one is your father which is in heauen We haue but one God euen the father of whom all thinges are One Lorde one fayth one baptisme one God and one father of all which is aboue al and through all and in you all Almightie I am the almightie God walke before me and be thou perfecte Thou O Lorde art the great and mightie God whose name is the Lord of Hostes great in counsell and excellent in worke Beholde I am the Lorde God of all fleshe is there any thyng to hard for me Shall any thyng be vnpossible in my sight saith y â— Lord of Hostes With God al things are possible O Lorde God almightie true and righteous are thy iudgementes Maker of heauen and earth In the beginning God made heauen and earth The heaueÌ„s O Lord are thâ—â—â— the earth also is thine thou hast layde the foundation of the round worlde and all that therin is The Lorde made the heauens and spread them abroad and set forth the earth with her increase which geueth breath vnto the people that is in it and spirite to them that dwell therin O Lord God it is thou that hast made hauen and earth with thy great power and hie arme â–ª there is nothing hid from thee O Lorde thou art God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is God made all thinges thorowe Iesu Christ. ¶ The second Article ANd in Iesus Christ hys onely begotteâ— Sonne our Lord. ☜ The confirmations And in Iesus Christ. He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlasting life But hee that beleueth not on the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth vpon hym Thys is the worke of God y â— ye beleue on him whom he hath sent If ye beleue not that I am hee ye shall die in your sinnes Christ said to y â— blind man whom he had made to see doost thou beleâ—â—a on the Soone of God He answered and soyd who is it Lord that I might beleue on him Iesus sayd vnto hym Thou hast seene hym and he it is that talketh with thee And he sayd Lord I beleue and he worshipped hym Christ sayd vnto Martha Hee that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shall hee liue And whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die Beleuest thou this She sayd vnto him yea Lord I beleue that thou art Christ the â—onne of God which shoulde come into the world Ye beleue in God beleue also in me This is God the fathers commaundemeÌ„t that we beleue on the name of hys sonne Iesus Christ. He that beleveth on the sonne of God hath the witnes in hym selfe He y â— beleueth not God hath made hym a lier because hee beleued not the recorde that God gaue of hys sonne And this is that record how that God hath gaueÌ„ vnto vs eternall life this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not y â— sonne hath not life His onely begotten Sonne The Lord said vnto me y â— art myn soÌ„ne this day haue I begotteÌ„ thee This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God God hath so loued y â— worlde that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne that euery one y â— beleueth on him may not perishe but haue euerlasting life For God sent not hys sonne into the world to condemne the world but that y â— world should be saued by hym He that beleueth on hym is not condemned but hee that beleueth not is already coÌ„demned because hee hath not beleued on the name of the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of God In this appeareth y â— loue of God toward vs because y â— God sent hys onely begotten sonne into y â— world that we might liue through hym Our Lord. I am the Lord and thys is my name My glory will I geue to none other neyther myne honour to grauen Images God is faythfull by whom ye are called vnto the fellowship of hys sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. There is but one Lord eueÌ„ Iesus Christ by whoÌ„ are all thynges and we by hym Ye call me Master and Lorde ye say well for so am I in deede ¶ The thyrd Article WHich was conceaued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgin Mary ☜ The confirmations Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost Ioseph y â— sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife For that which is conceaued in her commeth of the holy ghost The holy ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of y â— â—iert shalt ouershadow thee Therfore that holy thyng which shall bee borne shall be called the sonne of God Borne of the Virgin Mary Beholde a Uirgin shall coÌ„ceaue and 〈◊〉 are a some and thou shalt call hys name Emanuell Unto vs is a childe borne and vnto vs a sonne is geuen There shall come a rod forth of the kinred of I say and a blossome shall florishe out of hys roote Iacob beg at Ioseph y â— husband of Mary of whom Iesus was borne which is called Christ. She shal bring forth a sonne and y â— shalt call hys name Iesus For he shall saue his people froÌ„ their sins Beholde thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalt call hys name Iesus When the tyme was full come God sent hys sonne made of a woman made bonde vnto the lawe ¶ The fourth Article HE suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was cruciâ—â—ed dead buried He descended into hell ☜ The confirmations He suffered vnder Ponce Pilate The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the rulers toke counsell together agaynst the Lorde and agaynst hys annoynted Of a truth O Lord agaynst thy holy childe Iesus whom thou hast annoynted both Herode and also Ponce Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered them selues together in thys citie for to do whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell determined before to bee done I geue thee the charge in y â— sight of God which quickneth all thinges and before Iesu Christ which vnder Ponce Pilate witnessed a good witnessing that thou keepe the commauÌ„dement and be without spot c. Was crucified They pearsed my handes and my feete He was wounded for our offences smitten for our wickednes They shall loke vpon me whom they haue pearsed As Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the
Probations out of the holy Scriptures I will call vpoÌ„ the Lord which is worthy to be praysed so shall I be safe from myne enemyes King Ezechias by prayer was deliuered from the proude wicked tyraunt Senacherib both hee and all hys So likewise was Ioseph Daniell Susanna Peter c. By prayer we get the victory of our enemies in battell ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The people of Israell gotte the victory ouer the Amalechites so long as Moyses prayed for them When the blacke Mores came out to fight agaynst Asa King of Iuda Asa prayed vnto the Lorde and the Lorde gaue him the victory so that all his enemies were destroyed in battell Read y e chapter Iudas Machabeus after he had called on the name of the Lord got a noble victory of Gorgias and his company By prayer we obtaine health of body ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The miracles which Christ wrought vpon theÌ„ that were diseased fled vnto hym for helpe with faythfull prayer proue this true By prayer we obtaine all thinges necessary for the body ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Moyses by prayer obtained MaÌ„na from heauen for the Israelites Helias by prayer obtained raine of God to water the earth By prayer our sinnes are forgeuen vs. ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures I sayd I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer to thee in a time when thou mayest be found I forgaue thee all that det wheÌ„ thou desiredst me The sinfull Publicaue praying for remission of hys sinnes went home more righteous in the sight of God then the proud Pharisey If any be diseased among you let him call for the elders of the coÌ„gregation and let them pray ouer him and annoint him with oyle in the name of y e Lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise hym vp and if he be in sinnes they shall be forgeuen hym By prayer we ouercome the deuill and all our ghostly enemies ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Thys kinde of deuils is not cast out but by prayer and fasting Watch and pray that ye fall not into temptation The spirite is willing but the fleshe is weake By prayer we obtaine God the holy Ghost ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures If ye which are euill can geue your children good giftes how much more shall your father which is in heauen geue the holy ghost to them that desire it of hym As the disciples of Christ were gathered together in one place and continued in prayer they were all filled with the holy ghost By prayer we obtaine all good thinges both for the body and soule ☞ Probations out of the holy Scriptures What thinges soeuer ye desire wheÌ„ ye pray beleue that ye receaue them and ye shall haue them The haruest is much but the labourers are fewe Pray ye therfore the Lorde of y e haruest that he will send labourers into hys haruest If any of you lacke wisedome let hym aske of hym that geueth it euen God which geueth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth and it shall bee geuen him But let him aske in fayth c. The Lord is euen at hand Bee careful for nothing but in all prayer and supplication let your peticions bee knowen vnto God with thank esgeuing ¶ Many other benefites receaue we of God through prayer which here to rehearse were to long Read diligently my booke called the Pathway vnto Prayer and that shall sufficiently instructe thée in all thingâ—s concerning prayer ¶ The Lordes prayer called the Pater noster with confirmations of euery Peticion out of the holy Scripture The Disciples sayd vnto Christ Lord teach vs to pray And he said vnto them when ye pray say Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name c. ¶ The Preface of the Lordes Prayer OVr Father which art in heauen ☞ The confirmations Our Father Is not the Lord God the father and thine honour Hath hee not made thee ordayned thee Thou O Lorde God art our father and redemer Haue we not all one father Hath not God made vs no â—hy doth euery one of vs then despise hys owne brother Should not a sonne honour his father and a seruaunt hys master If I bee now a Father where is myne honour If I bee a Lorde where is my feare Ye haue not receaued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receaued y â— spirite of adoption wherby we cry Abba that is to say father The same spirite certifieth our spirite that we are the sonnes of God If we bee sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God fellow heyres annexed with Christ. Which art in Heauen HeaueÌ„ is my seate â–ª and the earth is my footestoole The Lorde hath prepared his seate in heauen Our God is in heauen hee doth whatsoeuer pleaseth hym Unto thee lift I vp myne eyes which dwellest in the heauens Call no man father vpon earth for one is your father which is in heauen ¶ The first Peticion HAllowed bee thy name ☞ The confirmations I will make the name of my holines to be knowen amoÌ„g my people of Israell and I wil not let my holy name to be euill spoken of any more but y â— very heathen also shall know that I am the Lord the holy one of Israell The time shall come that who soeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued From the rising vppe of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentries yea and that in all places The Lord gaue and the Lorde hath taken away Now blessed bee the name of the Lord. Sing vnto the Lorde and prayse hys name Bee telling of hys saluation from day to day Declare hys honour among the Heathen and hys wonders among all people I will declare thy name vnto my brethren In the middest of the congregation will I prayse thee The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flyeth vnto it and shall be saued By Christ do we offer the sacrifice of prayer alwayes vnto God that is to say y e fruite of those lips which confesse hys name ¶ The second Peticion THy Kingdome come ☞ The confirmations Seeke fyrst the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof and all thynges shall be ministred vnto you The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence the violent plucke it vnto them Who soeuer receaueth not the kingdome of God as a childe hee shall not enter into it Except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he can not enter into the kingdome of God
which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue no straunge Gods before me ☜ The confirmations The Lord he is God and there is none but he alone Understand and thinke it in thy hart that the Lorde hee is God in heauen aboue vpon the earth beneath neither is there any other Heare O Israell The Lord our God is God alone Thou shalt loue y â— Lord thy God with all thine hart and with all thy soule with all thy might Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and serue hym alone If thou forget the Lorde thy God walke after strauÌ„ge Gods and serue them and worship them I testifie vnto you that ye shall surely perishe Now O Israell what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and walke in hys wayes and loue hym and serue the Lorde thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and keepe the commaundementes of the Lord If thine hart turne away from God so that thou wilt not heare hys word but go astray and worship strauÌ„ge Gods and serue them I pronouÌ„ce vnto you this day that ye shall surely perishe and not liue long on the earth See now how that I yea that I am God there is none but I. I will assure thee O Israell if thou wilt â—arken vnto me There shall no straunge God bee in thee neither shalt thou worship any other God I am the Lord thy God Besides me there was neuer any God neither shal there be after me I am yea I am the Lord alone besides me there is no Sauiour There is none other God but I. A true God and such a one as saueth there is none but I alone Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule and withâ— all thy minde This is the first and greatest commaundement This is euerlasting life euen to know thee y â— alone true God and whoÌ„ thou hast sent Iesus Christ. There is none other God but one And although there be y t are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there bee many Gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God There is one God and one Mediatour ¶ The second Commaundement THou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the likenes of any thyng that is in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath nor in the waters vnder the earth Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them For I the Lorde thy God am a ielouse God and visite the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the thyrd and fourth generation of theÌ„ that hate me and shew mercy vnto thousandes to them that loue me and kepe my Commaundementes ☜ The confirmations Ye shall not turne vnto Idolls nor make you Gods of metall Take heede vnto your selues that ye forget not the appointment of the Lorde your God which hee made with you and that ye make you no grauen image nor any picture that the Lorde thy God hath forbidden thee For the Lorde thy God is a consuming fire a ielouse God If ye do wickedly and make any maner of grauen image and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke hym to anger I call heauen and earth to recorde agaynst you thys day that ye shall shortly perishe Ye shall ouerthrow the altars of the Idols breake downe their pillers cut down their groues and burne their grauen images with fire For thou art an holy nacion vnto the Lord thy God Cursed be the man that maketh any carued or molten image an abomination vnto the Lorde the worke of the handes of the craftesman putteth it in a secrete place and all the people shall aunswere and say Amen Confounded be all they y â— worship carued images and that delite in vaine Gods I am the Lorde and this is my name My glory will I geue to none other neither mine honour to grauen Images ¶ Read the 44. and 46. chapters of Esay Be conuerted and forsake your Idoles The seeking out of Idoles is the beginning of whoredome and the bringing vp of them is the destruction of lyfe For they were not froÌ„ the beginning neither shall they continue vnto the end The wealthy idlenes of men hath found theÌ„ out vppon the earth therefore shall they come shortly to an end The honouring of abominable images is the cause the beginning and the end of all euill ¶ Read the 13. 14. 15. and 16. chapters of Wisedome Read also the 6. chapter of the Prophet Baruck We preach vnto you that ye shoulde turne from these vanities vnto the liuing God which made heauen and earth and the sea and all thinges that are therein My sentence is y t we trouble not theÌ„ which froÌ„ among the Gentiles are turned to God but y t we write vnto them that they abstaine theÌ„ selues froÌ„ the filthines of Images They are not Gods which are made with handes Be not worshippers of Images No worshippers of images shall inherite the kingdome of God Babes keepe your selues from Images ¶ The third Commaundement THou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vayne for the Lorde will not holde hym giltles that taketh hys name in vayne ☜ The confirmations Ye shall not sweare by my name in vayne neyther shalt thou defile the name of thy God I am the Lorde He y â— hath not sworne to deceaue hys neighbour hee shall receaue blessing from the Lord and mercy from God hys Sauiour He that blasphemeth the name of the Lorde let hym be slaine and all the multitude shall stone hym to death Thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth in equitie and righteousnes My curse and vengeance sayth the Lord shall fall vpon his house that falsly sweareth by my name and shall remaine in his house and consume it with the timber and stones therof Ye haue heard how it was said to them of old tyme thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe vnto the Lord those thinges that thou swearest But I say vnto you sweare not at all neyther by the heauen for it is Gods seate neither by the earth for it is hys footestoole neither by IerusaleÌ„ for it is the citie of the great king neither shalt thou sweare by thy head because thou canst not make one heare white or blacke But your coÌ„munication shall be yea yea and nay nay For what soeuer is added more then these it coÌ„meth of euill Aboue all thinges my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth neither any other oth but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into hypocrisie Let not thy mouth bee accustomed with swearing
for in it there are many falles A maÌ„ that vseth much swearing shall be filled with wickednes and the plague shall neuer go from hys house And if he sweare in vaine he shall not bee found righteous for hys house shall be full of plagues The wordes of y â— swearer bring death God graunt that it bee not found in the house of Iacob but they that feare God esehue al such and lie not weltring in 〈◊〉 O prayse the Lord with me and let vs magnifie his 〈◊〉 together All our glory is in God all the day long and we will prayse thy name for euer Call on me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt honour me Because he hath trusted in me I will deliuer hym yea I will defend hym because he hath knowen my name He shall call vpoÌ„ me and I will heare hym yea I am with him in trouble I will deliuer him and bring hym to honour With long life will I satisfie hym and shewe hym my saluation The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flyeth vnto it and shall be â—aued The time shall come that who soeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued ¶ The fourth Commaundement REmember that thou keepe holy the Sabbaoth day Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seueth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lorde thy God in it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy manseruaunt nor thy maydseruaunt nor thy cattell nor thy straunger that is within thy gates For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherfore the Lord blessed the Sabbaoth day and â—allowed it ☜ The confirmations In any wise see that ye kepe my Sabbaothes for it is a signe betwene me and you in your generations for to know that I the Lord am he that doth sanctifie you The maÌ„ that was found gathering stickes on the Sabbaoth day was stoned to death at the commaundement of God Blessed is the man that taketh heede that he vnhalloweth not the Sabbaoth that is to say keepeth him selfe so that he doe no euill All they which keepe them selues that they vnhallow not the Sabbaoth I meane that they fulfill my couenaunt them will I bring to my holy mountaine and make theÌ„ ioyfull in my house of prayer If thou on the Sabbaoth day turne thy feete so that thou do not the thing which pleaseth thy self in my holy day but geuest God the honour so that thou doe not after thine owne imagination neither seeke thine owne will nor speake thine own wordes then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lord and I will cary thee hie aboue y â— earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lordes owne mouth hath so promised There shall be a new Sabbaoth for the other olde Sabbaoth and all 〈◊〉 shall come to worship before me sayth the Lord. There remaineth yet a rest to the people of God For hee y â— is entred into his rest â—ath ceased also froÌ„ his owne workes as God dyd from hys Let vs study therfore to enter into that rest least any maÌ„ fall after the same ensample of vnbeliefe ¶ What it is to keepe holy the Sabbaoth day To keepe holy y â— Sabbaoth day 〈…〉 from bodily labour that thou shouldest the more licenciously geue thy minde to the wearing of gallant apparell to baâ—cketting to idle talke to vaine pastime such other filthy pleasures of the flesh but that thou setting aside all worldly business shouldest the more freely apply thy selfe to read heare and learne the woâ—d of God to pray in the temple with the congregation to bee thankfull to God for his benefites to bee present at the ministration of y â— holy Sacramentes to be partaker of y â— mysteries of the Lordes body and bloud to geue some good thing to the reliefe of the poore to visite and comfort the sicke them that are in prison and casting away the workes of the fleshe wholy to exercise thy selfe in the fruites of the spirite ¶ The second Table of the Law coÌ„tayning â—ixe Commaundementes wherin is decâ—ared our dutie towardes our neighbour ¶ The fift Commaundement HOnour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God gâ—â—eth thee ☞ The confirmations Ye shall reuerence euery maÌ„ his father and his mother Whosoeuer hee bee that curseth hys father or his mother let hym die for he y â— hath cursed his father and mother hys bloud be vpoÌ„ him He that smiteth his father or mother let hym be slaine for it If any man haue a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient that he will not harken vnto y â— voice of his father nor y â— voyce of his mother they haue chastened him he will not obey them then shall his father his mother take him bring him out vnto y â— elders of that citie to the gates of that same place say vnto the elders of the citie this our sonne is stubborne disobedient will not harken vnto our voyce he is a riotour and a drunkard And all the men of that citie shall stone hym with stones vnto death Cursed be he that curseth his father and mother and all the people shall say Amen My sonne heare thy fathers doctrine and forsake not the law of thy mother For that shall bring grace to thy head shall be as a chaine about thy necke A good childe will harken to his fathers warning but hee that is scornefull will not heare when hâ— is reproued He y t hurteth hys father or 〈◊〉 teth out his mother is a shamefull and an vnworthy sonne Who so robbeth his father and mother and fayth it is no 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is like vnto a destroyer Who so laugheth his father to scâ—rne and setteth his mothers coÌ„maundemeÌ„t at â— ought the rauens picke out his eies in the valley and deuoured be he of younge â—gles The Lorde will haue the father honoured of the children and loke what a mother commaundeth her children he will haue it kepâ— Who so hâ—noureth hys father shall haue a â—ye of his owne children and when hee maketh hys prayer he shall be heard He that honoureth his father shall haue a longlife and he that is obedient for the Lordes sake his mother shall haue ioye of him He that feareth the Lord honoureth his father and mother doth them seruice as it were vnto the Lorde him selfe Honour thy father in deede in word in all pacience y t thou mayest haue Gods blessing hys blessing shall abide with thee at y e last The blessing of the father buildeth vp the houses of the children but the
your God The Prophet which shall presume to speake a word in my name which I haue not commaunded hym to speake or that he speaketh in the name of straunge Gods the same Prophet shall die Iehu king of Israell caused all the priestes of Baal to be slaine and all the images to bee fet out of the temple of Baal to bee burnt He caused also hys captaines and men of warre to breake the image of Baal and to destroy the house of Baal so y t Baals house was made a draft house vnto thys day And because Iehu thus sought the glory of God and destroyed idolatry with the maintainers therof he liued quietly in hys kingdome vnto hys dying day and hys children vnto the fourth generation sat on the seate of Israell King Iosias put downe the ministers of Baal whom the kings of Iuda had fouÌ„ded to burne incense in the hill altars and cities of Iuda that were round about Ierusalem also them that burnt incense vnto Baal to the Sunne to the Moone to the Planets and to all the Hoste of heauen That they ought to iudge equally ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Ye shall doe no vnrighteousnes in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour y e poore nor honour the mightie but in righteousnes shalt thou iudge thy neighbour Moses sayd to y â— Iudges heare the cause of your brethren iudge righteously betwene euery maÌ„ and his brother the straunger that is with hym See that ye know no faces in iudgement but heare the small as well as the great and be afrayde of no man for the iudgement is Gods King Iehosaphat said also to the Iudges Take heede what ye do for ye execute not the iudgementes of man but of God which is with you in iudgement Wherfore now let the feare of the Lord be vppon you and take heede be doing the thing that pleaseth hym For there is no vnrighteousnes with y â— Lord our God that should haue any respect of persons or take rewardes A king that sitteth in the throne of iudgement and looketh well about hym driueth away all euill He that sayth to y â— vngodly thou art righteous him shall the people curse yea the comminaltie shall abhorre hym But they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight and a rich blessing shall come vpon them Iudge the thing that is right O ye sonnes of men O loue righteousnes ye that are the Iudges of the earth That they ought to take no bribes ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures Thou shalt take no giftes for giftes blinde the fight and peruert the wordes of the righteous Wrest not thou y â— law nor know any person neither take any reward for giftes blind the wise and peruert the wordes of the righteous That which is iuste and right shall thou follow that thou mayest liue and enioy the land which the Lord geueth thee Thou shalt seeke out among all the people men of actiuitie such as feare God true men hating couetousnes and make them heades ouer the people The fire shall consume y â— houses of such as are gredie to receiue giftes Woe be to them y â— geue sentence with y â— vngodly for rewardes but coÌ„demne the iust cause of the righteous Therfore like as fire licketh vp the straw and as the flame consumeth y â— stubble eueÌ„ so theyr roote shall be as corruption their blossome shall vanish away like dust He that kepeth hys hand that he touch no reward he which stoppeth hys eares that hee heare no counsell against the innoceÌ„t bloud he it is that shall dwell on hie That they ought not to oppresse the common people ☜ Probations out of the holy Scriptures The encrease and prosperitie of the commons is y â— kinges honour but the decay of the people is the confusion of the prince Like as a roaring Lion and as an hungry Beare euen so is an vngodly prince ouer the poore people Where the prince is without vnderstanding there is great oppression and wronge but if he bee such a one as hateth couetousnes hee shall long raigne When the righteous haue the ouerhand the people are in prosperitie but when the vngodly beare rule then that people mourne With true iudgement y â— king setteth vp the land but if he be a maÌ„ y â— oppresseth the people with gatheringes he turneth it vpside downe O heare thys worde ye that do poore meÌ„ wronge and oppresse the needie ye that say to your Lordes bring hether let vs drinke Therfore the Lorde hath sworne by hys holines The dayes shall come vpon you that the enemies shall cary you away c. O woe be to the proud wealthy to such as thinke theÌ„ selues so sure which hold them selues for the best of the world and rule the house of Israell euen as they list Ye are taken out for the euill day euen ye that sit in the stoole of wilfulnes Ye that lye vpon beds of Iuory â—nd vse your wantonnes vppon your couches ye that eate the best lambes of the flocke and the fattest calues of the droue ye that sing at the lute and in playing of instrumentes compare your selues to Dauid ye that drinke wine out of goblets and annoynt your selues with the best oyle but as for Iosephes hurt none of you all are sory for it Therfore now shall ye be the first of them that shall be led away captiue and the lustie cheere of the wilfull shall come to an end c. The Lorde is minded to smite the great houses For ye haue turned true iudgement vnto bitternes and the fruite of righteousnes into wormewoode O ye that oppresse the poore and destroy the needie in the land shall not your destruction come vppon you as a water streame c. O ye heades of the house of Iacob ye leaders of the house of Israell should not ye know what were lawfull right But ye hate the good loue the euill Ye plucke of men skinnes and the fleshe from their bones Ye eate the flesh of my people and fâ—ay of their skinne ye breake their bones ye chop them in peeces as it were into a Caldrone as fleshe into a pot Now the time shall come that when they call vnto the Lorde hee shall not heare them but hide hys face from them because that through their own imaginations they haue delt so wickedly c. Beholde here am I sayd Samuell to the children of Israell beare recorde of me before y â— Lord before his annoynted Whose oxe haue I takeÌ„ or whose Asse haue I taken whom haue I done wrong to whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receaued any bribe to blind my eies therwith and I will restore it you againe They sayd thou hast done vs no wronge nor hurt vs neither hast thou taken ought