euyll lyfe bryngeth to the euyll lyuer eternal death beleue he neuer so wel As S. Paule wituesseth in the. v. chapyter of his Epi stle to the Galathians where he sayth Walk af ter the spirite and fulfyll not the lustes of that fleshe For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit and the spirit contrary to the flesh These are cōtrary one to another so that you do not what ye would But and yf ye beled of the spirit then are ye not vnder the law The de des of the fleshe ar manifest which are these aduoutry fornicatiō vnclennes wātonnes ydolatry witchcrafte hatred variaūce 〈◊〉 wrath stryfe sedition sectes enuye murder dronkēnes glotteny and such like of which I tel you before as I haue told you in time past that they which commit suche thinges shal not inherit the kingdō of heuē Thus you perceaue that to the enioying of the death and passion of Chryst these two poyntes are requisit of our behalfe the one to beleue rightlye that other to lyue vpryghtly whych two poyntes no man is able otherwyse to know except it be by speciall reuelation from God but onely by the catholike churche which catholike church oure sauioure Chryste hath appoynted to be the onely scoole for al men to come and repayre vnto to learne such truth as is mete for them to know for the attayning of euerla styng life This catholike church and no other company hath that true vnderstanding of scripture the knowledge of all thinges necessary to saluatiō To this churche Christ maketh promis in that xvi of Thō saying Whē that spirit of truth shal come he shal teache you al truth To this church also he maketh that other promis written in the xxviii of Mathewe where he sayth Behold I am with you to the ende of the world This Catholike church thus gouerned by the holy Ghost assured alwayes of Chryst him selfe neuer yet fayled frō that time of the Apostles hitherto ne shal fail to the worl des ende nether can it be deceued in any necessary truth 〈◊〉 as Chryst promyseth in the. xvi of Mathe we saying That hel gates shal not pre uayle agaynst the churche where by hel gates he meaneth errour as yf he had sayd that the catho lyke churche shall neuer be ouercome with erroure For this cause S. Paule in the third chapter of his first epistle to Timothe calleth the catholike church the piller and ground of truth This catholike churche must in al ages nedes be an open knowen churche and such a companye as among which the trueth is openly preached ells Chryste woulde not haue sayde as it is wrytten in the. v of Mathew A citie that is seton a hyl can not be hid ne ther do men light a candle and putit vnder a bushel but on all cādelsticke and it geueth lyght vnto al that are in the house Wherfore they do great iniury to Chryst which saye that the catholyke church is an vnknowen church seinge it is that citie which our sauiour there mente that candell of which he there speaketh So manye as deuyde them selues frō this open knowen Churche of Chryst and refuse the doctrine thereof thoughe they be neuer so diligent in reading ofscripture yet shall they neuer truely vnderstande scrypture but runne continually farther and farther into errour and ignoraunce cuē as a mā that is once out of his way the farther and faster he goeth furth the more he loseth his labour Saynt Peter therefore in the fyrst Chapter of his secōd epystle geueth vs a most certayne an sure rule which if we folow we shall not fayle ryghtly to vnderstand scripture his rule is thys We haue sayth he A ryght sure word of prophecie wherevnto yf ye take 〈◊〉 as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place you doo wel vntil the day dawne and the daye starre arise in your harts So that you first knowe this that no prophecy in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation For that scrip ture came neuer by the wil of man butholy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost Here you se howe S. Peter willeth euery man fyrst of all to knowe that scripture must be vnderstanded after the generall meaning of Chrystes church and not after the priuate interpretation of any seuerall man or company And in the thyrde chapyter of the same Epystle he sayeth further that in S. Paules epistles are manye thinges harde to he vnderstanded whyche they that are vnlearned vnstable do peruerte as they do also the other scriptures to theyr own destruction ye therefore beloued seing you be 〈◊〉 afore hand beware leaste ye with other men be also plucked a waye through the erroure of the wicked fal from your owne stedfastnesse Lo here S Peter telleth the 〈◊〉 cause why men my svnderstand scrypture which is lacke of knowledge and lacke of constancie when men ether thorowe ignotaunce or thoroughe inconstancie swerue from the catholyke meanyng and folowe priuate interpretation Such men he sayeth do peruerte the scryptures to theyr owne destruction Saynte Paule also wrytynge to Tymothe and willing hym to be earnest in the study of scripture geueth him withal this foresayd rule saying in the very ende of his fyrst epistle O Limothie kepe sure that whiche is committed to thy custody auoide newe fangled termes and bosting of science falsely so called which science whyle some dyd professe they haue erred from the fayth The thinge which S. Paule sayeth was committed to 〈◊〉 custodye was the truth of the catholyk fayth which he sayth some fell from by reasonne of new fangeled termes and by reson aiso that they tooke vpon them knowledg beynge in dede ignoraunte And in the thyrde chapter of hys seconde epistle to Timothie he farther sayeth Contynue thou in that thinges which thou hast learned which also were commytted vnto the. S. I reneus also a blessed martyr and very nyghe to the tyme of the Apostles a man of greate learning and no lesse vertue and such a one as by the consente of all men had the perfyt knowledge and vnderstandynge of scryptures in his third boke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the arche heretyke and in the fowrth chapter of the same boke sayeth touchyng the catholyke churche in this maner We must not seke the trueth among other seing we may easely take it of the church for as much as the Apostels haue fully lefte with it as in a rich tresury all truth the who so listeth may thence take the drinkes of life for this is the entre to life All other are theues and robbers wherfore them must we auoyd that doctryne that the church teacheth we muste loue with great diligence embrace the tradition of the truth For what yf a controuersy shoulde happen to ryse vpon neuer so 〈◊〉 a questiō ought not men in that case to haue recourse to the most auncient churches in which the
the Lord of Lordes c. Of whose maiestie both heauen and earth also are fullye replenysshed ¶ Therposicition or declaration of the fourth Commaundement which is Remember that thou kepe holy the sabbot day FOr the better and more manyfest vnderstandynge of thys commaundement ye shall knowe that thys word Sabbotte vsed in the Englyshe toungue beinge referred to the interpretation or vnderstandinge and cō mon vsage of the Hebrues or Iewes dothe sygnyfye reste vpon the seuenth daye whyche we call Satur daye and 〈◊〉 Is to take reste vppon the sayde seuenth daye in whyche seuenth daye both they theyr chyldren there seruauntes and beastes dyd take reste and 〈◊〉 from all bodelye sernyle laboure that they were wonte to do Thys rest quiet nes with the sayde Hebrues or Iewes was but the rest of the body insomuch that yf an Hebreue or Iew dyd neuer so muche occupye or exercyse his mynde in carynge or thinkynge vpon worldely busynes yet yf he dyd not there with exercyse and occupye hys body with all he was accompted to kepe the letter of thys commaundement But wyth vs chrysten men there is requyred a greater perfection in thys behalfe for we muste besydes the due obsering of the sabbote in abstainyng our selues from bodily laboure haue also oure myndes quiet and free from all suche cares and gyue our sayde myndes intierly and holy vnto god the contemplation of godlye thynges not onelye prynatelye with oure selues but also publykelye 〈◊〉 duely to the churche and beynge godlie assembled with other there to heare the deuyne seruyce approued vsed and obserued in the catholyke church and withall to geue good eare to the word of GOD beyng there preached and to gyue thankes vnto god for hys greate benefyttes whyche to receyue we are mooste vnworthy consyderynge our noughty liuing and the abusynge of his sayde benefyttes And as in the churches we muste in the tyme of dyuyne seruyce on the sabbothe daye thus occupy oure selues deuoutlye So in all other places durynge the tyme of the sayde sabbothe day we absteining from bodely labour and other oure 〈◊〉 elye busynes by lawe not allowed muste occupye our selues in thought worde in dede as maye be to the glorye of God with the spyrytuall edifyinge bothe of our selues and also of oure neyghbours And emongest other thynges vpon the sayde sabbotte daye we muste visite the sycke persones and shewe and doo the workes of mercye to them other both bodely and ghostly euery one instructynge and teachynge his chyldren seruaunts and famyly in ver tue and goodes And albeit thys commauddemente when it was fyrste gyuen to the Iewes dyd fyrste bynde them and theyr successoures to kepe holye the Saturday beyng then taken and accepted for theyr Sabotte daye yet to vs chrysten men the Sondaye is oure Sabbote daye called in latten Dominica dies and so termed and named by Saynte Ihon in the fyrste chapyter of his Apocalypse or reuelatyon wher he sayeth 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 que appellatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uerbum dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesu fui in spiritu in dominica die c That is to saye I was in an Ilande whiche is called Pathe mos for the word of God and the testimony of Iesus Christ I was in spirite on the sonne day or the daie of our Lorde Of thys Sondaye or daye of our Lorde Saint Au gustyue in his 251. Sermon maketh a verye notable and godly processe as well concernynge the ryght vse of it as also of the altering of the sabbotte daye as it was vsed amongest the Iewes vpon the Saturday to the vse and kepyng of it vpon the Sonnedaye as emogest the chrysten people it is obserued and kepte And he the sayd Saynt Augustyne speakyng in his sayde sermon vnto the people sayeth thus Sciendum est fratris charissmi c. Whyche his sermon ther to auoyde superfluitie and tediousnes here in fyrste rehersynge the Latyn and then afterwardes puttinge there vnto the Englyshe we wyll onelye Englyshe faythfully translate here vnto you and moste worthy it is to be harde and learned And it is this Most derely beloued brethern it is to be knowen that therefore of our holye fathers it is ordened and commaunded to chrysten men that in the solempnyties of Saynctes and moste especiallye on the Sondayes the sayde chrysten men shoulde take reste and cease from earthlye busynes that they myghte be the more redyer and prompter to the dyuyne seruyce as not hauynge anye impediment or incommodytye whych myght staye or withdrawe them from it and myght leaue or forsake at that tyme earthlye care or thought to the intente that more easely they myghte take 〈◊〉 vnto or consyder the wyll of God of which thynge oure lorde hymselfe by hys prophet Psalmo 45 dothe saye Be you styll or quyet and do you consyder or see that I am GOD. But they who beyng entangled with diuerse cares and busynesses doo dyspyse thys sentence or sayinge of God and wyll not gyue or aplye them selues to dyuyne contemplation I feare me that in the iudgmente to come when they shall knocke at the gate of our lorde and requyre to be opened our Lord will aunswere and saye verelye I saye vnto you I knowe you not departe from me al you that do worke iniquitie And suche as nowe do neglecte to seke God are thē of hym to be refused Therefore my brethren let it not be paynefull or greuouse vnto you vpon the Sondayes and vpon the festyuall dayes of the Sayntes to gyue youre studye vnto the deuyne seruyce The apostles in dede and the apostolicall men dyd therefore decree or determyne the sondaye to be kept wyth deuout solempnitie for that oure redemer dyd vpon that daye ryse frome the deade And that day therefore is called in Latyn Dominicus That is to saye The daye of our Lorde That in it we absteyning from earthely workes and the enticemētes or flatterynge pleasures of the world may bende our selues to diuine seruyces onely giuing I saye to thys daye honoure and 〈◊〉 for the hope of oure resurrectyon whyche we haue in or by it For lyke as he our Lorde Iesus Chryste and sauyoure dyd ryse from the deade soo also we doo truste our selues to ryse at the laste daye And moreouer it appearethe euen in the holye Scryptures thys daye to be 〈◊〉 or highe for it is the fyrste daye of the worlde In it the elementes of the worlde were made in it Aungeles were created In it also Chryste dyd ryse from the deade 〈◊〉 it the holye Ghoste dyd from the heauens descend vpon the apostles and Manna also in the wyldernes was from heauen fyrste gyuen in it And by these figures and such lyke tokens thys daye of oure Lorde called Sondaye is notable And therefore the holye doctoures of the Church haue decreed or determyned to translate or brynge all the glory of the iudaicall Sabbote kept on the saturedaye into the sayde sonday that we myght celebrate in the veritie or truthe that whyche they
whiche arte in heauen hallowed be thy name WE cannot comprehend in our mynde the great goodnes of God towardes vs in that he hath taughte vs here in the begynnyuge of oure prayer to cal hym Oure father Of truthe this was not vsed in the tyme of the olde testamente amongeste the Iewes for they lyued vnder the bondage of Moyses lawe as seruauntes and durste not call God theyr father but Lorde whych is a 〈◊〉 of maiestye and power but we Chrysten men are taughte by oure Sauioure Chryste hymselfe the author and maker of thys prayer boldelye to call God oure father whyche is a name of be 〈◊〉 mercy gentlenes and greate loue And yf the holy pa triarche Abraham who was called the frend of god dyd call GOD his Lord whan he made hys prayer vnto hym sayinge in the. xviii of Genesys Shall I speake to my Lorde seynge I am but dust and 〈◊〉 Howe muche lesse durste we haue called God our father except that he had so taught vs and commaunded vs to 〈◊〉 In why the hys doynge he hath gyuen vs ryghte great cause to put our hole con fidence in hym and to loke and truste for all good at his hande But ye wyll percase aske howe hathe almyghtye God made hym selfe to be oure father Trulye it is not by natural generation for after that sorte he onelye is father vnto Iesus Chryste but he hath made hymselfe to be our father by adoptinge vs 〈◊〉 hym throughe faythe in Chryste Iesus whych thyng he doth in the tyme of oure baptysme accordyng as it is wrytten in the fyrste of S. Iohn 〈◊〉 eis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dei fierihijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saye 〈◊〉 He Chryst gaue vnto them power to be made the sonnes of God to thē who beleue in hys name And in the. viii to the Bomaynes S. Paule sayeth 〈◊〉 haue receiued the 〈◊〉 of Adoption to be the sonnes of God in whych 〈◊〉 we doo crye Abba father And in the 〈◊〉 to the Ephesyans S. Paule sayeth Be ye folowers of God as mooste dearelye beloued sonnes and walke in loue as Chryst hath loued 〈◊〉 And in the fyft of Mathew our sauiour Christ saieth Be ye perfit as youre heauenlye father is perfit And here is to be noted a lesson that as 〈◊〉 worde father doth declare the greate 〈◊〉 mercy and loue of GOD towardes vs as well in creation as also in the redemption of man so it 〈◊〉 sheth vs agayne of oure duetye towardes hym and howe we be bound to shew agayne vnto hym our hole harte loue obedience and redynes to fulfyll with all gladenes and humilitye all hys preceptes and commaundementes And therefore whosoeuer presumeth to come to God with this prayer and to call hym father and yet hathe not full intente and purpose to vse hym selfe in all thynges lyke a kynde and an obedyente Sonne he commeth to him as Iudas came to Christ wyth a kysse pretendyng to be his frende and hys ser uaunte in callynge hym mayster and yet he was in dede a traytoure to hym and a deadelye enemye And for thys consideration euerye chrysten man that intendeth to make thys prayer ought inwardly and throughly to searche and examyne hym selfe and yf he fynde in hymselfe anye notable cryme for the whiche he oughte to be ashamed to cal GOD his father let hym accuse hym selfe therefore to God and recognyse hys vn worthynes saying as the prodygal sonne sayde father I haue offended the I am not worthye to be called thy sonne And wyth due repentaunce 〈◊〉 purpose and intente to amende hys naughtye lyfe let hym lyte vppe hys harte to God and callynge for hys grace of reconciliation let hym humbly say Oure father c. Neyther is it wythoute greate cause that oure sauyour Chryste teacheth vs to saye Oure father and not My father For thereby he geuethe vs clerly to vnderstande that as we our selues be the sōnes and chyldren of God by adoption throughe faythe so are all other Chrysten men and women the chyldren of GOD by the same faythe and therefore we ought to loue them all with perfecte loue and charytye as brethen and systers in God Oure heauenlye doctoure in thys worde doeth geue vs instruction of vnitye concorde and peace and to praye to God for all chrysten people knowen and vnknowen for and frende And for that purpose and effecte he hath not learned vs to saye My father whiche art in hea uen but he hath taught vs to saye Oure father whiche arte in heauen Lykewyse we saye not gyue me thys daye my daylye breade but Giue vs thys daye oure daylye breade nor we say not forgiue me my synnes and trespasses but forgyue vs oure synnes and trespasses Lykewyse we saye not delyuer me from euyll but Delyuer vs from euyll To sygnyfye that throughe faythe in Iesus Christe we are all the sonnes of God and therefore shoulde not the gentleman dyspyse the yoman nor the ryche the poore Malachye Malach. 2. doth saye Nunqui non pater unus omnium nostrum 〈◊〉 non unns deus creauit nos quare ergo unusquisque nostrum despicit fratrem suum That is to saye Haue not we all one father hathe not one God made vs all wherefore than doth euerye one of vs dyspise hys brother The prayer in dede that the proude Pharisey made Luke 18 〈◊〉 not acceptable vnto God bycause he dispised hys neighboure the publican Let vs al 〈◊〉 knowe our selues to be brethren in god through sayth equally to be hys chyldren And as concerninge these wordes whych art in heauen we maye not by theym vnderstande that God is conteyned and included wythin the heauenes as the aungelles and holy sayntes are for as Salomon sayeth in the thyrd booke of the kynges and the eyght chapyter The heauens of heauens doo not comprehende or include hym But in thys respecte he is sayde to be in heauen because he by hys almyghtye power doth conteyne kepe holde vp and mayntayne all the heauens and also all other creatures whyche are enclosed and shutte vnder the cope or compasse of heauen accordynge as S. Paule sayeth Collos. i. Omnia in ipso constant That is to saye All thynges in hym haue theyr beynge And therefore vnto god onelye we doo saye whyche arte in heauen Bycause that god onely as he hath made heauen and all thynges vnder heauen so he onely is in all the heauens and wyth hys almyghtye power conserueth and kepethe them in all theyr beyng And here must we note that we maye not thynke that god is so in heauen that thereby he can not be or is not in earth also as shall please hym selfe For truelye he is in all places by hys essence by hys presence and by hys power accordynge as he sayethe Hieremye xxiii Nonne coelum terram ego impleo That is to saye Doo not I fyll heauen and earth and he is sayde specyally to be in heauen for as muche as in heauen he