vnto him selfe a glorious rgregacion hauing no spot nor wryncle nor any â—uch thing but that it shulde be holi without blame So ought meÌ„ also to loue their wiues eueÌ„ as their own bodies He that loueth his wife Mat. v. d loueth him selfe Who so euer putteth away his wife except it be for fornication causeth her too breake matrimony i. Pet. iii a i. Pet. iiii And who so euer marieth hir that is deuorsed breaketh wedlocke ye meÌ„ dwel with your wiues accordiÌ„g vnto knowledge geuiÌ„g honour vnto the wife as vnto the weaker vessel as vnto theÌ„ that are heyres wyth you of the grace of lyfe that your prayers be not let If any man make a vow vnto the lorde or sweare an othe Num. xxx Deu. xxiii so that he bynde hys soule he shall not breake his word but do all that is proceaded out of his mouth The duetie of maried women to wardes theyr husbandes Let the women submit theÌ„ selues vnto their husbandes Ephe. v. c Collo iii c i. pet iii. a as vnto the lorde For the husband is the wiues head eueÌ„ as Christ also is the head of the rgregacion he is the sauiour of hys body Therefore as the congregacion is in subiection to Christ Cor. ix a lykewise let the wiues be in subiection to their husbaÌ„des in all thinges ye women be subiect vnto your husbandes that euen they whiche beleue not the worde i. Pet. iii. i. Cor. xi a may wythout the worde bee wonne by your conuerfacion whaÌ„ they beholde your rueâ—sacioÌ„ in feare Whose apparell shal not be outwarde with broydred heare Ephe. v. Collo iii c ii Tim. ii and hanging on of golde or in putting on of gorgious aray but let the inwarde man of the harte be incorrupte wyth a meke and a quiet spirite whiche before God is much set by For after this maner in the olde time did the holy women whiche trusted in God tyer them selues and were obedient vnto their husbandes eueÌ„ as Sara obeyed AbrahaÌ„ called him lorde Gen. xviii Let the women aray them selues in comely apparell withshamefastnes and discrete behauiour not with broydred hear or gold or Pearls or costly aray i. Tim. ii but with suche as it becommeth women that professe Godlynes thorow good workes i Cor. xiiii Ephe. v. Let your wiues kepe silence wyth al subiection Suffer not a woman to teach nor to haue aâ—â—torytie ouer the man but for to be in sileÌ„ce For Adam was firste formed Gen. iii. then Eue. Adam also was not deceaued but the woman was deceaued hath brought in the traÌ„sgression Notwithstandyng thorowe bearing of childreÌ„ she shal be saued if she cotinue in fayth in loue in sanctifyinge with discrecion Let your wiues kepe silence in the congregacion for it shal not be permitted vnto theÌ„ to speake but to be vnder obedieÌ„ce as the law sayth But if they wil learne any thing let theÌ„ axe their husbandes at home Num. xxx For it becommeth not women to speake in the congregacion A man shal be lord and ruler in his house and the womaÌ„ shal be subiect too her husbande If a maried womaÌ„ make a vowe and if she haue letten go our of hir lyppes a bond ouer hir soule her husband heare it holdeth his peace therat the same day that he heareth it theÌ„ her vowe band wherwith she hath bounde her selfe ouer hir soule shall stande in effecte But if her husband forbid her the same day the he heareth it theÌ„ is the vowe louse the she hath vppon her the band also that she hath letteÌ„ go out of her lippes ouer her soule Of the state of matrimony iÌ„ general In the beginning God created man woman Mat. i. a Geue ii d for this cause shal a man leaue father and mother and cleaue to his wife And they two shal be one flesh nowe are they not twayne but one fleash Let no maÌ„ therefore put a sonder that which God hath coupled together â— Cor. vii To awoyde whoredome let euery man haue hys owne wyfe 〈◊〉 let euery woman haue her 〈…〉 let the man gyue vnto the wyfe due beneuolence lyke wyse also the wyfe vnto the maÌ„ The wyfe hath not power ouer her owne body but the husband and lykewyse the man hath not power ouer hys owne body but the wife Withdrawe not your selues one from an other Iob. vi d and. vii a Ioel. ii c. except it be with the consent of both for a tyme that ye may gyue youre selues vnto fastyng and prayer and theÌ„ come together agayn least fathaÌ„ tâ—pt you for your incontinency Hebr. xiii Let wedlocke bee had in price in all pointes and let the chambre bee vndefyled For whorekepers aduouterers God wyll iudge The lorde fauoureth man and wyfe that agre well together Happy is the man that hath a vertuous wife Eccle. â—ii and. ci d. Eccle. xx vi d. for the numbre of his yeares shal be double A woman shall not seperate her selfe from her husband but if she seperate her self that she remayn vnmaried or bee reconsiled to her husband 1. Cor. vii A womaÌ„ that is in subiection to the man is bounde vnto the law whyle the man liueth but if the man dye Rom. vii theÌ„ is she loused from the lawe that coÌ„cerneth the man If she be with an other man whyle her man lyueth she shal be called a wedlocke breaker But if the man be dead Mat. v. d theÌ„ is she fre froÌ„ the lawe so that she is no wedlockbreaker if she be with an other man Of the state of virgins I say to them that are vnmaried to widdowes sayth Cor. 7. a S. Paule It is good for theÌ„ that they abyde also as Ido Tim. v. b But if they can not abstayne let theÌ„ mary for it is better to mary theÌ„ to burne As coÌ„cerning virgins I haue no commaundemeÌ„t of the lorde 1. cor viiâ— neuertheles I say my good meaning as I haue obteyned mercy of the lord to be faythfull I suppose it is good for the present necessite for it is good for a man so to be Num. xxx Art thou bound vnto a wife seke not to be loused Art the loused froÌ„ a wife seke not a wife If a damsell make a vow vnto the lord while she is in her fathers house and vnmaried her vow or baÌ„d the she maketh ouer her soule coÌ„meth to her fathers eares and he holde his peace therto then all her vowes and handes that she hath bound her selfe withall ouer her soule shall stande in effect Of the state of widdowes i. Tim. She that is a right widdow and desolate putteth her trust 〈◊〉 God Luk. iii. f. ii Cor. i. continueth in prayer supplication night day But she that lyueth in pleasures is dead euen yet alyue A widdow must bee without
Christ our master Vnto whome we must come Mat. xxi and .xxiii. Iohn 18. Ephe .v. i. Pet. ii Hebr. iiii i. Tim. ii Hebr. xii i. Iohn ii Roma vi Ion. xiiii Heb. iiii and folow him with a cherefull harte that he may instructe and teache vs for he is oure maister meke humble of hart he is our exaÌ„ple of whome we must learne the rule of good liuing further he is our priest hye bishop onely mediatour whiche nowe sitteth on the right haÌ„de of GOD the father he is oure aduocate prayeth eueâ— for vs whiche will vndoubtedly obteyne what soeuer we desyre enther of hym or of his father in his name i. Tim. i. Mat. xi If we beleue that he wyll do it for so hath he promised Let vs therfore not doubte although we somtime sinne with a confidence to comme vnto hym and wyth a lyuinge and vndoubting fayth that we shal obteyne mercy For therfore came he to thyntent to saue sinners neyther requireth he anye thynge more of vs i. Tess ii then to come vnto him without feare This is that Christ Iesus whiche after he hath kylled the name of sinne with the breth of his mouth shall sitte in his Maiestie Iudge all men geuynge vnto euery one the woorkes of his bodi according to that he hath done ii Cor. v. i. cor v. Mat. xxv whether it be good or bad that shall say vnto theÌ„ that shal be on hys rigthand Come ye blessed chyldren of my father inheret ye the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde i. cor v. And vnto theÌ„ that shal be on his lyft hande departe frome me ye cursed into euerlastyng fyre whiche is prepared for the deuell his aungels ii Pet. i. Then shall the ende come and he shall delyuer vp the kingdome to God the father To the intent that we shulde knowe this by the goodnes of God working by his holi spirite are the holy wrytings of the byble geuen vs Ion. xvii and xx Thaâ— we shulde know I say and beleue that there is ouâ— God Iesus Christe whome he hath sent that in beleuyng we shulde haue euerlasting lyfe thorow his name i. cor iii. An other foundacion then this can no man haue saincte Paule desireth that he beholden a cursed that preacheth any other fayth and saluacyon theÌ„ onely by Iesus christ Gal. iii. yea although it were an aungell of heauen For of him thorow hym Roma â—â— and for him are all thinges to whome with the father the holyghost be honour and glory foreuermore Amen Thre thynges are nedeful expedieÌ„t for a maÌ„ to knowe to his saluacion after that hee is ones come to lawfull or reasonable age and vnderstanding Fyrst A Man must knowe what he ought to doo and what he ought to leaue to the intente that he may knowe whiche is good and do the same and that he also may know whiche is euell and leaue the same And this do the .x. commaundementes of God teache hym called the lawe geuen by Moses Secondly When a man doth ones fele that he of hys owne strength and power is not able to doo or to leaue these thynges without the helpe of God for the fleshe as it is written to the Romaynes can not fulfyl the Lawe that he maye knowe where by whome he may obteyne helpe comforte remedye and grace for too fulfyll the lawe For she muste bee all fulfylled so that ther may not be one Iote or tytle vnfulfilled And this theacheth hym the holi christen belefe or Crede And fynallye when a man perceyueth his belefe or fayth in whiche all dependeth and consysteth to bee feable and weake that then he may knowe where by whome he may take his refuge to bee holpen and strenghtened therein And this teacheth hym the prayer of our lorde Iesus Christ COncernynge the before named first article Exod. xix sayncte Paule to the Romaynes in the .iii. chap. sayth on this wyse Roma iii By the lawe sayth he commeth but the knowledge of synne Therfore because that no man shulde boaste and baunte hym selfe of his vertue and holynes but rather with al humilitie low lynes and mekenes knowledge and confesse with the publicane howe wretched synfull and myserably he is I do therfore particularly declare set before al meÌ„seyes the .x. coÌ„maundementes of our Lorde God almighty geuen vnto Moses in two Tables made of stone Antiqui liori r. â—ha 6. whereof the euerye table as Iosephus describeth particularly coÌ„teyneth fyue commaundementes In or by the whiche two tables as it were in a cleare mirrour or glasse euery maÌ„ may most easely see fele and perceaue the whole estate of his harte THe fyrst coÌ„maundement of the fyrst table Iere. v. teacheth feare loue fayth hope sure confidence trust in God aboue all thynges and foundeth thus I am the Lorde thy God whyche haue brought the out of the lande of Egypt froÌ„ the house of bondage Exo. xx a and .liii. e thou shalt haue none other Goddes in my sight That is Thou shalt ouely praye in spirite veritie vnto god the creatour ruler preseruer of all thynges Thou shalte loue the same Lorde God wyth al thy harte Mark xii Deut. vi and xxx v wyth all thy soule wyth all thy mynde wyth all thy streÌ„gth Thou shalt put thy trust fayth hope confidence in him onely Thou shalte loue him aboue althinges Thou shalt feare him serue him onely with al thi harte with al thi minde c. Now where as I do heare saye serue him onely ye may not vnderstande but the seruauntes are bounde to serue their masters subiectes heir superiour powers and such lyke with al due reuereÌ„ce Agaynst this commaundement do Al they whiche put their trust conforte refuge confidence and mooste speciall succour and hope more in any creatures how holy soeuer they be theÌ„ in God the father almightie through his only and derely beloued sonne Iesus Chryst our lorde The second coÌ„maundement teacheth an in warde beholding of the inuisible thinges of God that is his euerlastyng power God head by the meditacion beholding and consideringe of the visible thinges Reg. v. Rom. i. made and created by the infinite power of God and soundeth thus Thou shalte make that no graueÌ„ ymage nor any symylitude Exo. xx â— Leuit. xvi neyther of it that is aboue in h auen nor of it that is beneth vppoÌ„ the earth nor of it that is in the water vnder the earth worship theÌ„ not nor serue them not for I the lorde thy God am a gelous God visitinge the sinne of the fathers vppoÌ„ the chyldreÌ„ vnto the thirde fourth generacyoÌ„ of theÌ„ that hate me And do mercy vppoÌ„ many thousandes that loue me kepe my commaundementes That is The lorde God forbiddeth not the makinge of Images or symylytudes so farre fourth
thy children Psal xxi wyth the wholesome meate of thy Godly worde for nowe do the poore sit downe they eate and are fylled prayse the lorde wyth all them whiche after the mocion of the holyghoost seke the wyth all their harte Thou hast geuen that lyuynge water where wyth we maye quentche and expeliche drye thurst wythout ceasynge O father howe louingly and kyndelye doest thou cal vs through the mouth of the prophet Ezay sayinge Eâ—ay lv All they that are thurstie come to the waters and ye that haue no money make hast come but that ye may haue to eate Come buy wyne mylke wythout money or money worth Wherfore do ye laye oâ—t your money for the thyng that fedeth not and spende your labour for the thing that satisfieth you not But harken rather vnto me and ye shal eate of the best and your soule shall haue her pleasure in plentuousnes Enclyne your eares Act. xiii d iâ— Re. vâ—â— ezâ—ch xxx â—iii and come vnto me take hede your soule shall lyue For I wyl make an euerlasting couenaunt with you eueÌ„ the sure mercies promised to Dauid Therfore moost kinde father l. Reg. iiii we confesse and reuerence the lyke chyldren do their father here vppon the harth Thou dwellest in the heauens wyth thy Aungelles who are not troubled wyth the fleshe but alas we dwell vppon this earth in this miserie in all trouble aduersite and teÌ„ptacion We ought also to bee heauenly separed from al worldely and earthly spottes or wrincles a pure holy temple of thy holy Maieste Apo. xxi Lyke thou hast promysed They shal be my people I wil be their God I wil dwel wyth them to the ende of the worlde O moost wyse father thou knowest our weakenes and infirmyte how that in this heauye burthen of the flesh no man is pure no man is vngilty by or through his owne strength before thy face esay lxiiii All our rightuousnesses are as the clotes stayned wyth the floure of a woman we fal euerychone as the leafe for our synnes cary vs away lyke the wynde Treâ—oâ— â— To bryng furth any thing of our selues wherby we might become rightuous we are not able All our fathers whiche nowe are gone haue synned are fallen from the are become vnproffitable neither was there one that dyd good But thou lorde hast made vs rightuous cleÌ„sed vs so that we are heaueÌ„ly and a kyngdome wherin thou sittest And vnder thy fete haste thou the earth to a fotestole so that we do altogether lye vnder thy myght and power wyth fleshe bloude not seking oure owne lust desire but thy wyll not the thinges that are here in this worlde but in heauen eccle xliii where thy sonne Iesus Chryst sitteth on the righthaÌ„de The heaueÌ„s firmameÌ„t in their continuall course are obedient vnto the and serueth vs also continually geuing vs light clearenes into the worlde to the ease of al men as wel the wicked as the good by the whiche thy great pitie mercy and goodnes is expressed declared vnto al the worlde Moost geÌ„tle father graunt that we may so diligently serue thy maiestie and all menne for thy take both wicked and good rightuous vnrightuous psal xviii And boldlye declare pronounce without ceasynge lyke as the heaueÌ„s do thy Godly honour before all men so that therby thy mightie name may be praysed magnified for euermore Lactanti For we are created and made through thy goodnes to thy honour to know ledge confesse and serue the. Hallowed be thy name For all eâ—â—ates Confession O heauenly father lorde God whose name is hallowed aboue all other names euerlastingly also called on ouer me in baptisme I confesse before the that I alas the whyle haue not magnified worshipped the same name as I ought to do But haue arrogantly and presumptuously attributed al honour vnto my selfe and haue exalted and boasted mi selfe in my workes and dedes other thy giftes Furthermore I haue also made thy name a cloke to myne Idolatry tyranny wilines knauery also through ypocrisy swearyng cursing murmuring and vayne talking greatly abusing and dishonouring the same wherfore I crye the mercy Prayer and confession Thy name 〈◊〉 father bee hallowed magnified for euâ—â—more for vnto the apparteineth al sau de euerlasting praise but vnto vs all shame and confusion for all that we are that are we by and through thy mercye and all what we receyue we receyue at thy mylde and lyberall handes So that no maÌ„ nedeth to boaste as though he had it of hym selfe But thou openest thy hand and fyllest al creatures with thy blessynges O moost gentle father let vs fall froÌ„ our selues wholy abiecting and despayring of our owne flesh strength so that we neyther trust to our selues nor yet to our good workes psal cxxii but the we maye fix or sette our eyes vppon the lyke the seruaunt fixeth or setteth his eyes vppoÌ„ hys master tyll tyme the thou haue mercy on vs. For if it were not for thy mercy were as Sodoma Gomoâ—ra Therâ—â—e thy name bee fauctified blessed from the rysyng of the soÌ„ne vnto the going downe of the same Roma ix Graunt o father the oure soule without ceasyng and all our strength without lothsomnes or tediousnes maye laude prayse the in woor de dede And although we dyd al those thinges whiche thou coÌ„maundest vs shape in vs suche a harte yâ— we yet may say that we are vnprofitable seruauntes Luk. xvii For if we haue any thyng that good is it commeth from thy grace O father take froÌ„ vs all pride and the loue of our selues to the intent that we esteme our selues no more theÌ„ we ought to do that we exalte not our selues aboue other But that we thynkyng knowyng the thou hast geuen vs power strength accordinge to thy good wil and pleasure with all humilitie and lowlynes may walke after thy Godly couâ—aunt and wyll That we may say with that princely prophet Dauid Psalm c. xiii Not vnto vs o lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name gyue the prayse for thou art onely lorde both of heauen and earth Thy kyngdome come Confession Psalm lâ—xvi O lorde God I complayne lament and be wayle my miserie vnto the that I haue bene captiue â—h wretch that I am in that straunge lande of babilon in the lande of death geuyng my membres to the seruitude of sinne to striue agaynst thy holy kyngdome And although I haue forsaken the deuel all his workes in baptisme yet al the notwithstanding I am become wo vnto me vnfaythful forsworne and haue fled from the and ronne to thyne ennemieâ— Haue mercy on me Prayer and confession Come o lorde and make thy dwellyng wyth vs and let vs be attone wyth the so that we maye remayne or contine win the and thou in vs. Loâ—â—ng father make our