soule reason senses eyes eares all my other members Also I beleue that the same almyghtye Lorde and God doeth dayly gyue to me and to vs al meat dryncke cloth wife children house lande ryches cattell and all thynges necessarye to the mayntenaunce of our lyues and y t he doth dayly defende kepe and preserue vs from al peril and delyuer vs from all euell And all thys he doethe of hys owne mere mercie and goodnes without our worthynes or deseruynges For the which benefites it is our dutie to render to hym continualll and euerlastyng thankes to obey hym in all thynges to take hede that we be not vnkynde to him y t hathe shewed so greate kyndnesse towardes vs. ¶ A generall conclusion to be rehersed at the ende of euery sermon made vpon the Crede Thus you haue heard good children the true and playne meanynge of this parte of the Crede Now it is youre parte deapely to prynte the same in youre heartes that you maye put your hole trust and confidence in the true and lyuynge God oure heauenly father And forasmuche as fayth is the worke of god and the light of our hartes whiche God putteth in vs by hys worde and holy spirite so that we can not atteyne fayth and the knowledge of Christ withoute goddes word and true preachers therfore accustome your selfes euē from youre tendre age to hear the worde of God that he by his holy spirite maye moue and sturre vp your hertes to true fayth knowledge of him And beside that you shall desier God with moste harty praiers that as he hath giuen you the gifte of fayth so he wyll contynew and increase the same in you that as you growe in age so also you may growe in the knowledge of Christ. For he that beleueth in Christ is made thereby the sonne of god heyre of lyfe euerlasting And then he gyueth vs his holye spirite to kyndle charitie in oure hartes wherby we loue God and kepe all hys commaundementes All these benefytes we receyue by faythe in the whiche who so euer contynueth vnto the ende of his lyfe shalbe saued the whiche God graunte to vs all Amen The seconde sermon of our Redemption I Declared vnto you heretofore good childrē that the Crede entreateth chiefly of thre thynges that is to saye of God the father that made the world of God the sonne that redemed the worlde and of God the holy goost that sanctifieth the worlde And in the former sermon I taught you the hygh heauenly philosophie of the creation Wherfore now I will vttre vnto you the great mistery of our redempcion whiche is conteyned in these wordes of the Crede I beleue in Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holye goost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The thirde daye he rose from death He ascēded to heauen He sytteth on the ryghte hande of God the father almyghtie From thense he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead In this seconde part of the Crede we may learne to know the secōde person in trinitie the sōne of god Iesus christ our lord And as in y e first article ye haue learned what benefytes we receyue of God the father to the sustentation maintenaūce of this temporal transitorie lyfe so in this seconde parte we shall lerne to know how great treasures and ryche gyftes we haue receyued by y e sonne of God Iesus Christ to the atteinyng of y e perfect euerlastīg lyfe And here you may cōsider good childrē how great was the miserie how horrible was the indignation of God whiche we were brought vnto by Adam So great it was that neyther golde nor syluer nor anye other thynge was able to bye vs out of the same but onely Iesus Christ y e sonne of God y t by hys death effusion of hys moost precious blod And of this great misery and indignation of God towarde vs this was the cause At what tyme God had made Adam and Eue and set thē in paradyse he intreated them lyke a most louyng and gentle father For he made theym lordes ouer al liuely creatures both beastes fyshe and fowle and did giue vnto them al trees y t bare fruit that thei might feade thereon Onely he forbad theym that they shoulde not eate of the tree of knowlege of good ylle And yet he gaue theym warnynge of y e great losse damage that they should suffer if they eat of that tree saying When soeuer you shall tast of the fruyt of that tree you shalbe made mortal and shall dye Their dutie had bene vnto so gentle a God and so mercifull a father in their hartes to haue beleued him trusted him loued him to haue obeyed hym and to kepe all his commaundemētes gladly But our most craftye enemy Satan enuying mans felicitie spake to Eue by the serpent and sayde No you shall not dye but you shall be lyke Gods knowyng both good euell And with these most poysened wordes perswaded Eue to eate of the fruyt whiche was forbydde And Eue gaue of the same to Adam who also did eat therof and so did breake gods commaundemente Nowe I praye you marke good childrē what thei lost by this their disobedience First when Adam and Eue wer thus deceyued by y e serpent and perswaded that God dyd not fauoure theym but had enuye at theim that they shoulde haue knowledge of good and yll and that for enuye he forbad thē to eate of that fruit that shoulde gyue to them so great knowlege they did no more trust God but beganne to trust themselues and did study to care prouide for thē selues Secondarily whē they no more trusted God they coulde no more finde in their hartes to loue hym but began to dote vpō them selues to thynke y t they had no better frende neither in heauē nor earth thē their awn selfes And after y t thei had thus put their trust and cōfidence in themselues and dotyngly loued all that was their awne by by folowed feare and concupiscence For by an by they beganne to hate and eschewe all thinges that wer paynful or vnpleasant to the fleshe and dotynglye to lust long for such thinges as wer delectable and pleasant to the fleshe Hereby you perceiue good children how our first parētes Adam and Eue poisened with the venome of the serpente were cast into .iiii. horrible vices or diseases The firste is that they dyd not trust in God The second that they dyd not loue God The third that they did not feare him but as a cruell tyranne The fourth that they were replenished with concupiscence and euyll desiers lustes and appetites And these be the rotes of originall synne oute of the whiche all other synnes do spryng and growe So Adam and Eue had a very great fal that fel from gods benediction
correction yet we se how the fathers loue remayneth what pitie and compassiō he hath of them howe lothe he is to beate theim and wolde rather forgyue theim yf it wer not for their benefite and amendment And whē the childe falleth on his knees and asketh forgyuenes promysynge amendement we see how redy and willynge the father is to forgiue Now seyng our earthly fathers be so louynge to their children muche more God our heauenlye father wil be our most kynde and louyng father wil nourysh kepe and defende vs teache instructe vs the way to euerlastyng saluation And yf we fall into anye errore or synne yet for Christes sake he is wyllynge to forgyue vs and althoughe he punysheth vs here for a tyme yet he doethe it of fatherlye loue that he beareth towardes vs not to punyshe vs for euer but to amend vs and to make vs to know our faultes and to bryng vs agayne into the right waye And lyke a most louyng father he correcteth vs for a smal tyme in this worlde lest he shoulde punyshe vs for euer in y e worlde to come Of this therefore so louyng and so mightie a father we may wel reioyce and haue an excedynge great comforte farre passyng any harte to thynke or tongue to tel And hym agayn we ought moste entierlye to loue and obey seyng that he is our father and hath loden vs with so many gyftes and benefites With glad hartes therfore you ought to saye this prayer which whā you say you speake with God the father in heauen he heareth you and lyke a most kynde father dothe graunt al that you aske Often tymes also and ernestly you must praye whan you ryse in the mornyng whan you go to the churche whan you eate drynke whan you go to bed whan you awake out of your slepe that frō your youth you maye accustome your selfes both gladly and oftē to praye For by prayer we shall obteyne all thynges that eyther Christ hathe purchased for vs or our heuenly father hath promised to vs. Nowe this also you must dilygently considre that we say O father which art in heuē to dyscerne hym from our fathers whiche be here vpon earthe For we haue fathers here in earth whiche be but men and be not able to saue vs. But in heauen we haue an other maner of father of far more might a spiritual an euerlastīg father whiche in al oure nedes is able to helpe vs and finallye to gyue vs helth lyfe euerlasting And as childrē take of their carnal fathers fleshe and blode and many tymes be veray lyke theim in their face and countenaunce so take we of our heuēly father our soule and spirite and therein we ought to resemble our heuēly father that is to saye we ought to beleue his worde obey his commaūdementes forbere those thinges that he forbyddeth and in all thynges be conformable to hys holy wyl and worde And than is he assuredlye oure gentle father and we his dere children And than as he dwelleth in heuen in a lyght passynge all measure euyn so shall we dwel wyth hym in heauen for euer These great thynges whiche far excede the capacitie of mannes vnderstanding our sauiour Christ doth teache in these fewe wordes whan he teacheth vs to saye O our father whiche art in heauen Now folowe in this holy praier certen petitions wherein be comprehended all thynges that be either conteyned in y e ten Commaūdementes or elles promised in the Crede These petitions good childrē you shall lerne with al diligence that you may know what you shoulde aske The thre first petitions entreate of the matters perteynynge to y e first table The other .iiii. speake of thīges promised in the Crede belongynge to the seconde table as herafter you shall heare The first petition conteyneth matters of the first and seconde commaundement I am thy God Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine And these be the wordes of that petition Thy name be halowed BEfore I told you good children y t we go not before god we pray not first that God wil be our God and our father but god of hys inestimable mercye dothe preuent vs dothe cal vs by hys worde dothe cal vs vnto faithe doth gyue vs his spirite to know him for our father and Lorde before we coulde thynke therof and seke for God But now seing that by his word faith he hath called vs and by Baptisme hath grafted vs in Christ and made vs membres of his churche we ought not to be slouthful nor ydle but study to go forwarde increace in godlynes and to praye thus Our father whiche art in heuen for asmuche as thou hast gyuen vnto vs being vnworthy thi holy gospell and hast chosen vs and not we the and seyng that thou haste sent vnto vs preachers whiche teache vnto vs thy word wherby we be sanctified and instructed in the faith so that nowe we maye know the for God and partelye fulfyl the first commaundemente now fulfyl O father y t thou haste begonne procede to helpe vs that we maye fulfyl the seconde commaūdemēt that is y t thy name mai be halowed that is to say may be honored as holy This prayer pleaseth God and he heareth it God giueth vs grace strength that we maye halowe his name To halowe the name of God is not to make it holye whiche in it selfe is euer most holy but to halowe his name is to take it for holy reuerentlye to vse it as a most holy thing of great feare and loue to God to beware that we speake not of his name vaynely nor with out great reuerence to confesse his name to laud him extolle him in all necessities to call vpon hym And on the other syde we do violate the holye name of God whan we abuse the same to euyll and naughty thinges whan we speake euyll of God or godlye thynges whan we teache any false doctrine of God and his religion or abuse the name of God to ydoltarie and errours or whan by the name of God we be forsworne Also whan by the name of God we curse mē or other creatures or whan we speake of God godlye thīges make therof but scoffing gestyng And whan we lyue not accordynge to the worde of God and regarde not God but gyue euyl exāple to other both to thinke and speake of God and godly thinges lyghtly and contemptuously as they passed not of them But nowe it is an horryble hearyng good childrē that we be called the churche of Christ and christen men we be taughte that God is oure Lorde and father and yet we be so faynte so euyll naughtye and vnkynde people that we do not halow nor reuerētli vse his name Therfore it is more than nede to praye and instantlye to pray for Gods helpe that we mysuse not his name vnreuerētly but that we maye halowe it and most hyghly honour it
be their true and faithfull subiectes of their realmes And euery king geueth commaundementes vnto his subiectes gouerneth theim in suche wyse that they do not euery man what he lyst hym selfe but what it pleaseth his prince to cōmaunde hym Euen so almighty God hath here in earth in his church an heuenly kyngdō And this kyngdō which Christ in his gospell so often calleth the kyngdome of heauen begynneth among his faithful peoble in this worlde And al that truly beleue kepe his commaūdementes parteyne vnto thys kyngdom And whan God by his gospel begynneth to cal vs vnto this kyngdom than the kyngdom of God commeth vnto vs and begynneth in vs. For God beginneth and in dede is the kyng and Lorde of theim that be godly he gouerneth and ruleth theim so that they worke not after y e lustes and desiers of their owne fleshe but as the Lord God who is their kyng teacheth and commaūdeth theim by his worde And kynges and great men in this worlde rule and gouerne by forse by soore threatenynges and greuous paynes and comstrayne their subiectes to obedyence and so they ought to do for it is the ordinance of God but God doeth not order his affaires so ī this forsaid kingdom of heuen but ruleth his subiectes lyke a gentle father by the worde of his gospel and by the holy gost that after this sort God causeth his ghospel to be preached vnto vs howe Christe for our sakes suffered death was buried and rose againe as before you herd in y e Crede Moreouer he openeth oure hertes gyueth vs faith to beleue his gospel And to them y t beleue his gospel he giueth the holy gost which doth gouerne vs and leade vs vnto all trueth For fyrste by faythe we be iustified before God for fayth maketh vs partakers of y e iustice of christ and planteth vs in Christ and he that by true faithe do receyue the promyse of grace to him God gyuethe the holye ghoste by whome charitie is spred abrode in our hertes whiche perfourmethe all the commaundementes Therfore he that beleueth in Christ and truely beleueth y e gospel he is iust holy before God by y e iustice of Christ whiche is imputed gyuē vnto hī as Paule saith Ro. iii. we thinke y t mā is iustified by faith w tout workes He is also iust before y e world because of y e loue charitie which the holy gost worketh in his herte Secondly faith worketh peace and quietnes in oure heartes and consciēces For by faith we be certified that our synnes be forgiuen Therfore saythe sayncte Paule to the Romanes Beyng iustified we haue peace and quyetnesse wyth God by our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thirdely this peace bringeth vnto vs a great and synguler ioy in our hertes and consciences and maketh vs for this excedyng benefite of gods mercy and grace towarde vs feruentely to loue him gladly to laude and praise him to honoure his name and to professe the same before all the worlde euermore to gyue vnto hym moste harti thankes and to be swift and redye to do all thinges that maye please God and to eschewe those thynges that may dysplease hym Thys good children is the sayd kyngdome of God whan by the gospell and the holy ghoste God raygneth in oure hartes whan he worketh in vs our Iustification that we hauynge peace of conscience may haue ioye and comforte in the holy gost of the abundance and plentifulnes of grace and the benefytes of Christe And this is that thinge whiche sayncte Paule speaketh of to y e Romaynes The kyngdome of God is iustice peace and ioy in the holy gost Nowe as an earthly kyng doeth gouerne his subiectes by hys lawes and commaundementes and by his mighte and power so doeth God rule and gouerne his church and true faithfull people whiche although they be here in earth yet they be of his heuenly kyngdome suche I saye he gouerneth by the holy worde of his gospell and the power of the holy ghost whom he powreth plentifully vpon al them that beleue the gospel and by that comfortable worde of the ghospell he gentilly entiseth and drawethe vs vnto him that we should gladly of our owne free will obey him For God loueth not seruyce constrayned by forse suche as slaues and bonde menne do more for the feare then loue but he wold haue his people to serue him willyngly of hearte and loue as Dauid said in the .cx. Psalme And this is the forsayde kyngdome of God whan he dothe in suche wyse raigne in vs and gouerne vs that we do not wourke after our owne wylles but in body and minde do ceasse rest from our owne euyl workes and shrewed wylles and folowe the workyng of God and the holye goste in vs. And this is to sanctifye the sabbot daye that is to say to kepe an holy rest whan we honor God with true honour whan we heare dilygently the worde of God whē we yelde our selfes clerly to God that his holy spirite maye worke in vs holy godly heuenly workes y t is to say iustice peace comfort other workes of y e holy gost Therfore he that praieth thus Thy kingdome come he prayeth nothynge elles but that God wil gyue vs grace that we maye rest from our own propre willes that we do not those thynges that delyte the body and please oure appetites but that we maye suffre God by his holy worde spirite to worke in vs holy workes that so the thirde cōmaundement maye be fulfilled Remembre that thou sanctifye the sabboth daye For so doth Esaye declare this commaūdement saying If thou worke not after thine own wyl in my holy day than thou shalt be called a pleasant rest to sanctifye and honoure the Lorde yf thou honoure him so that thou worke not after thyne owne wayes nor fynde the meanes to folowe thyne own wil nor speake thyne owne pleasure than shalt thou haue pleasure in the Lorde For all these thynges therfore good children ought you to praye to God that hys kyngdome maye come that he wil here in earth begynne his kyngdome in vs that we maye obey him in suche wyse as you haue herde Nowe the kyngdome of God commeth vnto vs two maner of wayes first by his worde faithe whan the gospell is preached vnto vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ delyuered vs frō synne death and hel by crosse death resurrection For by the preaching of his word we do lerne to put oure truste in God and to loue God And this knowlege and faith in Christe increaseth from tyme to tyme not only in theim that haue but newlye begonne to beleue but they also whiche many yeares haue professed Christe do profyt in the same faith more and more For their faith and loue towardes God by the dayly preachyng of the gospel is confirmed made more strong Secondly the kyngdome of God shall come to vs at the laste daye whan
the euerlastynge glorye and kyngdome of God shalbe reueled whan at the laste daye we shalbe raysed from death to lyfe and be receyued into the kyngdome of heauen where we shalbe made perfytely iuste holy and safe for euer whiche thynge so long as we be here in this worlde is hyde from vs and appereth not clerlye vnto vs but at that last daye shal appere to all men that excedynge ioye which no tonge is able to expresse As saith saint Iohn in hys Canonical epistle Yet it appereth not what we shalbe but we know that whan it shall appere we shalbe lyke vnto hym and we shall see hym euen as he is All these thynges oure Lorde God causeth to be preached in the hole worlde of his mere goodnes and most abundāt mercie not for our workes or merites but before we desiered him But although it be preached through y e world yet it should not auayle vs if we beleued not that is to say if he came not into oure hartes yf the kyngdome of God wer not within vs. Therefore must we with all dilygence praye that God not onely may make this to be preched but also y t he wil gyue faith not onely to other but also to our selfes And shortly this is the summe of this petition that God by his syncere preachers wil sende his worde and gospel of Christ and by his holy spirite brynge vs to the faith and obedience to God and daily to encreace the same And than vtterly to abolyshe and take awaye from vs the rest of the worlde whiche is wicked and disobediēt withal their sinne and wickednes and to receiue vs in to his eternall kyngdome and glorye This is the meanyng plaine vnderstanding of this secōde petition The kyngdome of god cōmeth of it selfe w tout our prayer but here we pray that it may com to vs. Whiche commeth to passe whan the heauenly father gyueth vs his spirite to beleue his holy word to lyue wel and godly here in his churche for a tyme and after in heauen for euer The thirde petition Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen YE haue herde how in the former petycions we require of our Lord God to gyue vs al thinges that perteyne to his glorye and to the kyngdom of heauen whereof he hath gyuen vs commaundemente in the three preceptes written in the first table Nowe foloweth the thirde peticyon wherin we praye God to graūt vs that we maye fulfyll the other seuen commaūdementes also the whiche intreat of matiers concernyng this worldly kingdome and transitorye lyfe that is to saye to honoure our parentes and gouernours to kyl no man to committe none adulterye to absteyne from thefte and lyinge and to behaue our selfes in all thinges obedyentlye honestlye peaceably and godly And these be the wordes of this petitiō Thy wil be don in erth as it is in heauen And to the intent that you maye the better vnderstande this petition you shall knowe that there be two maner of kingdomes The first is the kingdome of God or of heauen wherof we spake in the second petition The other is an earthly or worldly kyngdome of the whiche you shall nowe heare Nowe our Lord God is the chiefe ruler and gouernoure in bothe these kyngdomes In the kyngdome of heauen he doth so raygne that he begynneth in vs here in this world the kingdome of euerlastyng lyfe and saluation And the worldlye kingedomes he doeth so gouerne that here he gyueth vs peace and quietnes that we may heare and learne the kyngdome of God and so atteyne the kyngdom of heuen And God hath ordeined in this erthlye kyngdome commen officers and rulers vnder him whiche he hath appoynted for thys purpose that they shoulde in his name gouerne the commen people and laboure with all dyligence that peace and quietnes maye be maynteyned in the same And he hath gyuen them the authoritie of the sworde that they shoulde not onely therewyth defende the godlye but also punishe malefactours and breakers of the commen peace and quietnes as traytours rebellions māquellers adulterers theues and false wytnesse bearers and all wronge doers to other men accordynge to the sayinge of sayncte Paule in the .xiii. chapiter to the Romayns Let euery soule saieth he submit himself vnto the higher powers For there is no power but that commeth of God And the powers that be are ordeyned of God Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the superiour powers resisteth the ordinaunce of God And they that resist do purchase to thēselues damnation For the rulers are not fearefull to theym that do good but to theym that do euell wylte thou be withoute feare of the powers do well then and so shalte thou be praised of the same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But yf thou do euell then feare for he beareth not the sworde in vayne For he is y e mynister of God to punishe him that doeth euell Wherefore you muste nedes obey not onely for feare of punyshement but also for veraye conscience By these wordes you may well perceyue good children that it is Gods will and pleasure that we shoulde leade here in this worlde an honest and quyet lyfe and that they whiche be sedytyous and full of trouble and vnquietnes in the commen wealthe shoulde be punyshed And vpon these considerations he hath gyuē vs these commaundementes Honour thy father and mother Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not commytte adulterye Thou shalte not steale Thou shalte beare no false witnesse against thy neyghboure Thou shalt not desier anye thynge that is thy neyghbours And God hath commaunded the gouerners of commen welthes to punyshe suche as do not obey these commaundementes and he himselfe wyll punyshe theym also wherefore lette suche as be disobedient loke for punyshment not onely of the gouerners here in the sight of the worlde but also of God hymselfe And the gouernours whiche accordyng to gods commaundement do correcte and punyshe offenders they do wourshyppe God highly and do to him a pleasaunt and acceptable sacryfice And God hathe ordeyned the higher powers and quietnes to be in commen welthes that thereby we might heare and learne the gospell more easely and quietly For where as warre and sedycion is there is not the place to preach the worde of god with fruyt profit For the whiche cause saynt Paul wrytynge to Tymothye sayeth on this wyse I charge you that prayers and supplications be made for all men for kinges and for al that are in authoritie that we may lyue a quiet and a peaseable lyfe with all godlynesse and honestye For this is good and accepted in the syght of God our sauiour whiche wylleth all men to be saued and to come to the knowlege of the truth Nowe therefore forasmuche as we know by Goddes holy commaundementes what his wyll is it is our part to confirme our willes to his wyll and to desier him to giue vs his grace and ayde to accomplyshe his most holy
am in this opinion that God is not so cruel a reuenger But that he hath forgyuen me For suche an opinion without goddes worde is not a trew faith nor is able to stande in the daūgerous skirmyshes of tēptation But trewe faith must euer be stayed vpon the certen worde wourke of God Now God dothe not speake to vs with a voyce soundynge out of heauen But he hath giuen the kayes of the kingdom of heauen and the authoritie to forgyue synne to the ministers of the churche Wherefore let him that is a sinner go to one of theim let him knowlege and confesse his synne and praye him that accordyng to gods commaundemente he wyll gyue him absolution and cōfort him with y e worde of grace and forgyuenes of his synnes And when the minister dothe so then I ought stedfastly to beleue that my synnes are truly forgyuē me in heauen And suche a faythe is able to stande stronge in all skyrmyshes and assautes of oure mortal enemy y e deuel forasmuche as it is buylded vpō a sure rocke that is to say vpō the certen word and worke of God For he that is absolued knoweth for a suertye that his synnes be forgyuen him by the minister And he knoweth assuredlye also that the minister hath autoritie from God himselfe so to do And thirdely he knoweth that God hath made this promise to his ministers sayed to them To whom ye forgyue synnes vpon earth to him also they shall be forgyuen in heauen Wherefore good children gyue good eare to this doctrine when your synnes do make you afrayed and sadde then seke and desyer absolution forgyuenes of your synnes of the ministers whiche haue receaued a commission and commaundement from Christ hymselfe to forgyue men their synnes and then youre conferences shal haue peace tranquillitie quietnes But he that dothe not obey this counsell but beyng ether blynd or proude doth dispyse the same he shal not fynde forgyuenes of his synnes neither in hys awne good wourkes nor yet in paineful chastysementes of his bodye or any other thynge whereto God hath not promysed remission of sinnes Wherfore dispyse not absolution for it is the commaundemente and ordinance of God and the holy spirit of God is present and causeth these thinto take effect in vs to worke our saluatiō And this is the meaning and playne vnderstandynge of these wordes of Christ which you hearde heretofore rehersed whiche are writen to thentēt y t we shoulde beleue that whatsoeuer goddes ministers do to vs by Gods commaūdement are as muche auaileable as yf God hymselfe shoulde do the same For whether y e minysters do excommunicate opē malefactors and vnrepentant persons or do gyue absolution to those which be truly repentant for their synnes and amende their lyues these actes of the ministers haue as great power authoritie and be cōfirmed and ratified in heauē as thoughe oure Lorde Iesus Christ himselfe had done the same Wherefore good children learne these thinges dilygentlye And whē you be asked how vndrestāde you the wordes before rehersed ye shall answer I do beleue that what soeuer y e ministers of Christ do to vs by gods commaūdemēt either in excommunicatinge open and vnrepentante synners or in absoluyng repentant persons all these their actes be of as greate authoritie and as suerly cōfirmed in heauen as yf Christe shoulde speake the wordes out of heauen So ye haue good children the begynnynge and foundation of the ministers of gods worde and of the authoritie of the kayes as our lord Iesus Christ did first ordeyne and institute the same The whiche our sauiour Christ did institute and appointe for this purpose that our consciences myghte thereby be comforted and assured of the forgyuenes of synnes and to haue the inestimable thresures of the gospel as often as we haue nede thereof That we thereby being made stronge in oure faith might so continewe to thende of our life And he that continueth to the ende shal be saued The which graunt vs the most merciful God Amen ¶ A sermon of the Communiō or the Lordes supper OUr Lorde Iesus Christ good children in the .xv. chapter of Iohn speketh these wordes I am the true vyne and my father is the husbande man Euerye braunche that beareth not fruyte in me he wyll take awaye And euerye braunche that beareth fruyt he wyll prune that it maye bring forth more fruit Now are ye cleane thorowe the wourdes whych I haue spoken to you Dwell in me and I wyll dwel in you As the braunche can not beare fruit of it selfe excepte it growe in the vyne no more can ye excepte ye abid in me I am the vine ye are the braunches He that abideth in me I in hym bryngeth forthe muche fruite For wythout me ye can do nothīg By these wordes our Lord Iesus Christe doeth teache vs veraye plainlye how we be iustified saued before god For as y e braunch of a vyne brīgeth forth no fruyt except it abyde in the vyne so we can not be rightuous excepte we abyd in Christ. And as y e braūche of a vine doeth not flouriche nor kepe lōg his sappe but withereth away is cast into the fier when it is cut from the vyne euen so be we damned and can not be saued whē we forsake our master Christ Nowe ye haue heard good children howe by baptisme we are so plāted in Christ y t by him we haue forgyuenes of our sinnes and are grafted in hym as the braunche is in the vyne And as the braunches haue sappe and lyfe of the vyne that they maye bryng forth fruyte so we also which beleue in Christe and are baptised haue receyued of hym the holy goste that we maye be iustified And yf it chaunce vs to fall from Christe thorowe synne or vnbelefe or to be put out of the Christen congregation for our open and manifest synnes yet ye haue hearde howe we are receyued agayne in to the bosome of the churche and ioyned to Christes bodye by the authoritie of the Kaies and absolution But yf we wil be iustified and saued it is not ynoughe to be planted in Christ but we must also abide and continue in hym Wherfore nowe foloweth that doctrine which teacheth vs how we ought to ordre our selues that we maye styll abyde and growe in Christe after that we are grafted in hym And this doctrine is conteyned in the institution and receauynge of the supper of oure Lorde Iesus Christ. For as by baptisme we are borne agayne and as by the authoritie of the Kaies and penance we are lifted vp agayne when we are fallen in to synne after baptisme so by the commuinion of the holy supper of the Lorde we are preserued and strengthened that we maye be able stedfastly to stād fyght against the violent inuasiōs of sin the power of y e deuel Wherefore good children forasmuche as ye be alredye planted in Christ by baptisme learne also I praye you
CATHECHISMVS That is to say a shorte Instruction into Christian Religion for the synguler commoditie and profyte of childreÌ„ and yong people Set forth by the mooste reuerende father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitane Gualterus Lynne excudebat 1548. ¶ The Kyng ought to be feared as the roaryng of a LyoÌ„ who ê“uoketh him vnto anger offeÌ„deth agaiÌ„st his owne soule â–ª pro. xx ¶ Let not the book of this law depart out of your mouthes Bâ—… recorde therein daye and nyghte that you maye do accordynge â–ª all that is wrytten therin Iosua â–ª i x. Deut. xvii d To the moste excellent prince Edward the VI. by the grace of God kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the Fayth in earth of the churche of Englande and Irelande immediatly vnder God supreme heed youre graces humble subiecte Chaplayne Thomas Archebysshop of Canterbury wissheth aboundaÌ„ce of al grace godlynes with a longe prosperous raigne IT is not vnknowen vnto the hole world most excelleÌ„t Prince y t your graces father a Kynge of mooste famous memorie of a feruent and ernest godly disposition and tender zele towardes y e settyng forth of goddes glorie moste diligently trauaylled for a trewe a ryght reformation and a quiet concorde in Christes religion thorowout al hys dominions wherin vndoubtedly he brought many thynges to a godlye purpose and effecte dyd abolyshe take away muche blyndnes and ignorance of God many great errors fonde and pernitious superstitions and abuses that had crepte into thys churche of Englande Irelande a longe time And I perceiuing that your magestie by thaduyse of youre moste dere vncle my lorde Protector and the reste of youre graces moste honorable counsel is moste desyrous perfytly to finyshe and brynge to passe that your father dyd mooste Godlye begynne do thynke that there is nothynge more necessarye for the furtheraÌ„ce hereof then that it myghte be forseen howe the youthe tender age of youre louynge subiectes maye be broughte vp and traded in the trewth of Goddes holy worde For it is thought not to me onely but to manye others that neyther your graces father shoulde haue been inforced in hys tyme to haue taken so greate paynes for the reformation of Christes religion neyther yet youre hyghnes in thys your time shoulde nede with suche greate difficultie go about to further goddes cause and hys trewe seruice with so many lawes iniunctions and proclamations yf so greate negligence of theducation of the youth had not bene so much suffered and the necessarie poyntes and articles of our religion profession omitted of those whose office and bounden dewty was to haue moste diligeÌ„tly instructed the youth in the same Or yf the aunciente and laudable ceremonie of Confirmation hadde continued in the olde state and bene duely vsed of the ministers in time coÌ„uenient where an exacte and strayghte examination was had of all suche as were of ful age bothe of theyr profession that they made in baptisme touching theyr belefe and kepyng of goddes coÌ„maundementes with a generall solemne rehersall of the sayde coÌ„maundementes and of all tharticles of theyr fayth Surely there can be no greater hope of any kinde of persones other to be brought to all honest conuersation of lyuynge or to be more apte to set forth and mayntayne all Godlynes and trewe religion then of suche as haue ben from childhode noryshed and fed wyth the swete milke and as it were the pappe of goddes holy worde and brydled and kept in awe with hys holy coÌ„mauÌ„dementes For commenly as we are in youth brought vp so we coÌ„tinue in age and sauer longest of that thynge that we fyrste receaue and taist of And as a fayre table fynely pulyshed tho it de neuer so apte to receaue eyther pyctures or wrytinges yet it doth neyther delyte any mens eyes neither yet profyte any thing except the paynter take hys pensill set to hys hande and wyth labour and cunnyng replenyshe it wyth scriptures or fygures as apertaineth to hys science euen so the tender wyttes of yonge chyldren beynge yet naked and bare of all knowledge thorow the grace of God be apte to receaue goddes gyftes yf they be applyed and instructed by suche schole maysters as haue knowledge to brynge them vp leade them forwardes therin And what can be more apte to be grauen or paynted in the tender hertes of youthe then Goddes holy worde what can lead them a ryghter way to god to thobedience of theyr Prince and to al vertue and honestie of lyfe then the syncere vnderstandyng of Gods worde whyche alone sheweth the waye howe to knowe hym to loue hym and to serue hym What can better kepe and staye them that they do not sodenly and lyghtly fall agayne from theyr fayth What can cause them more constantly to wythstande thassaultes of the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe and manfullye to beare the crosse of Christ theÌ„ to lerne in theyr youth to practise the same And verely it semeth no new thing that the children of them y t be godly should be thus instructed in the faythe and commaundementes of God euen from theyr infancye For doeth not God coÌ„maunde hys people to teache hys lawe vnto theyr chyldren and chylders chyldren Hath not thys knowledge continued from tyme to tyme amoÌ„gest them to whome God promysed to be theyr God and they hys people Doeth it not appeare by playne expressed wordes of Paule that Timothe was broughte vp euen from a chylde in holy scriptures Hath not the commaundementes of almyghtye God thartycles of the Christian faythe and the Lordes prayer been euer necessarelye sence Christes tyme requyred of all both yonge and olde that professed Christes name yea though they were not learned to reade For doutles in these thre pointes is shortlye and playnlye included the necessarye knowledge of the whole summe of Christes religioÌ„ and of all thynges appertaynyng vnto euerlastyng lyfe In consyderation wherof in thys tyme of your gratious reformation of all vngodlynes and the setting forth of Goddes trewe glorie I knowyng my selfe as a subiecte greatly bounden and muche the more by reason of my vocation to set forward the same am persuaded that thys my smal trauayll in thys behalfe taken shall not a lytle helpe the sooner to brynge to passe your godly purpose For by thys lytle treatyse not only y e youth of your graces realme may lerne to know God and howe they maye mooste purelye and syncerelye honoure glorifie and serue hym and may also learne their office and dewtie howe they oughte to behaue themselfes first towarde God secondly towardes your Magestie and so towardes all ministers vnder the same towardes theyr fathers and mothers and all other persones of what sorte or degree soeuer they be but also manye of the older sorte suche as loue God and haue a zele to hys honoure and glorye and yet in theyr youth throughe negligence were brought vp in ygnoraunce may
by hearyng of their children learne in theyr age that which passed theym in theyr youth And as myne intente and endeuoure is to profytte both and accordynge to myne office to bryng bothe to the righte knowledge of God so my most earnest and humble prayer vnto God contynuallye shalbe that my good mynde and desyre maye haue good successe and take effecte accordynge to myne expectacion Whiche thing I assuredly hope shal come to passe yf it woulde please youre highnes to suffer this lytle boke by me offered vnto youre Magestie to be redde taughte and learned of the chyldren of youre moste louyng subiectes in whome is great hope of al grace godlynes vertue Youre Graces humble subiecte and Chaplayne Thomas Archbishoppe of Canterbury ¶ A short Instruction into Christian religion for the synguler commoditie and profite of children and yonge people Ouersene and corrected by the moost reuerende father in God the Archebyshoppe of Canterburie The preface THis treatice gentile reader is not wrytten for the Curattes preachers for many of them haue so muche knowledge in holy scripture thankes be to God that they be alreadye sufficiently instructed in these matters But it is written for the behoue of the yong childreÌ„ whiche muste be brought vp with playne and shorte lessons For wee see daylye by experience that who so euer wyll teache children must vse muche discretion wysedome not to geue them to much at one time lest he dull and oppresse their wittes and yet that which he gyueth theim he muste often and many times reherse and repete vnto them agayne as nere as he can after one manner of wise and with the same wordes For if thei teache them now this now that now with these wordes now with other then the childreÌ„ learne litle or nothing thei kepe almost nothing in memorye beside that they waxe wearie of learnyng conceaue a lothsomnes therto and be more slothfull and vnapte to learne Forasmuch therfore as it was to be feared that euery pastor woulde not take the paynes to drawe out such a shorte forme of teachynge to the children nor we thought good to burden euery one with so great labours and also yf euery pastor seuerally should deuise a forme for his parishe it myght chaunce that there should be as many soundrye formes as there be pastors which diuersitie myght engender muche diuision and controuercie and be also much hinderaunce to the children yf in one place thei learne one forme and in an other place an other forme For to exchewe the said inconueniences we haue thoughte good to deuise this shorte manner and forme tynstructe children and yong men wherby they maye both shortlie and easely learne the chief pryncipilles and begynnynge of ChristeÌ„ religion and doctrine and learne aswell howe they oughte to lyue as also what they should beleue And whan they haue learned this in their tender age they shal not onely vnderstande godlye sermons and al other godly doctrine and bookes y e better but also they shall become godly men and wise louers of true religion and godlynes and to al states and orders of lyfe aswell ecclesiasticall as ciuill be more apte and towarde vnto whiche godly purpose all fathers and mothers Curattes and preachers and al christeÌ„ Magestrates and officers should with all theyr mynde and endeuore gyue their ayde and helpe Wherunto God of his grace graunt hys fauour and assistaunce Amen ¶ A shorte Instruction concernyng the ten commaundementes ¶ A general begynnyng for all sermons GRace peace and mercie be with you all froÌ„ God the father and from his onely begotten sonne Iesu Christe oure Lorde AmeÌ„ That we may profectablie and with fruite teache learne the word of God let vs call for grace and praye the Lordes praier Pater noster A generall preface to be rehersed after the prayer in the begynnyng of eche sermon made vpon the ten commaundementes THe Prophete Dauid good Children lyke a coÌ„men scholemaster in the schole of God doeth preache on thys faschyon in the xxxiiii psalme come hither he saith my sonnes herken vnto me I wil teache you the feare of the Lorde who so euer desireth to lyue and woulde fayne see good dayes let him refeaine his tongue froÌ„ euyl hys lyppes y t they speake no deceit let him eschew euel do good Let him seke peace and pursue it Now my derely beloued childreÌ„ I know suerly that there is none amonge you but that he woulde wyshe to see good dayes and lead a Godlye and quiet lyfe Then muste you folowe the counsell of the prophete Dauid with all dilygence to learne the feare of the Lord whilest ye are yet yong tender of age For y t which meÌ„ learne not in theyr youth y e same do they learne in theyr age with more difficultie Therfore learne now with all diligence the feare of the Lord deare children then shal you ware men of excellent vertue and leade a godlye lyfe and shall see good dayes For a blessed and quiet life is not bought with riches nor gotten by â—â—â—oure but by learnynge the feare of God And he that feareth his maker as an almyghtye God and Lorde which dothe mercifully healpe them that be good and greuously punysheth the wicked he wyll dyligentlye take hede that he doth nothinge contrarye to goddes pleasure but wil kepe hys commaundementes so muche as is in his power And suche godlye children proue learned and wyse men whiche maye be able to profit other and the commen welth also as Dauid saith in an other place The feare of the Lorde is the begynnyng of wisedome Wherfore if you feare God and haue a desyre to be occupyed in godlynes then learne the ten commaundementes wherby God hath taughte vs what pleaseth what dyspleaseth hym what thynge is good and what is euell And yf you learne these lessons perfectly then therby you shal purchase vnto you the beginning of trew and godly wisedome whiche is suche wisedom that many men wel striken in yeares do not attaine to it And yet this wisedom and knowlege of the ten commauÌ„dementes is but onely the begynnyng of sapience for it is the teaching of the lawe But when the doctrine of fayth in Christe is taughte vnto you then you lerne a greater and higher wysedome the whiche the vngodlye or vnfaythfull do not vnderstand nor perceyue but god onely doeth gyue it downe frome heauen to make vs feare him and beleue his holy worde Wherfore good children learne nowe dylygently the beginning of wisedom that is to saye tholy ten commauÌ„dementes and gyue so good eare vnto them that you maye learne them without booke and reherse them when you come home ¶ Here folowe the ten commaundementes which must be recited so tretably and distinctly that children by often hearinge of them maye print them in theyr memories and faye them by rote These are the holy ten commaundementes of the Lorde our God The firste I Am the Lorde thy
not make to the any grauen ymage or lykenes of any creature thou shalt not kneele nor bow thy selfe downe to it For what can be more contrarie to the dignitie of man then he whom God hathe made Lorde ouer all creatures to kneele or to doe reuerence to the image of a creature God hath so fashioned man that he hath gyuen him a bodye standynge streighte vp and a countenaunce to loke vpwarde into heauen And why then shoulde he bow himself downward to the earth or to creatures made of earthe whych be rather to be troden vnder his fete then to be worshipped of him There is nothynge more againste reason then that he whiche hathe lyfe sense and reason should worshyppe that thinge which can neyther see feele moue heare nor vnderstande Wherefore God saieth plainly thou shalt not worshyppe ymages that is to saye thou shalte not gylte them and set them in costlye tabernacles and decke theim with coates or shertes thou shalte not sense them make vowes or pilgremages to them sette candelles before them and offer vnto them thou shalt not kysse their feete and bowe downe vnto them For God sayeth I am a ielouse God and will not gyue my honour to any creature but wyll greuouslye punyshe them that breake this my commaundemente Yea I wyll punyshe their children and posteritie vnto the thirde and fourthe generation And this indignation of god agaynst ydolaters hath at sundrye tymes be shewed by greuouse punishementes for our examples For Salomons idolatrie y e kingdomes of Israell and Iuda were deuyded and thereof dyd ensue a continuall dyscorde betwene these two kyngdomes And for ydolatrye God commaunded Moses to hange the capitaines of the people and of the people were slayne xxiiii thousande And the bokes of the Iudges Kynges and the Prophetes be ful of like histories howe almyghtye God for ydolatrie was offended with the Israelites and gaue theim into the handes of their enemies and into the subiection and bondage of all nations about them which did persecute kyl them And when they in their afflictions cried vnto y e lorde he refused them saying Go and crie to the gods whiche you haue chosen they wyll saue you in the time of youre necessitie What greater punyshemente can there be then this to be cast awaye from God when we haue mooste neede of his helpe and comforte And in Deuteronomie almyghtye God commaunded by his prophet Moses saying Cursed be he that shall make a grauen or molten ymage abhominable before y e Lorde the worke of an artificers hande and shall set it in a secrete place And all the people shall answere and say Amen Here you see how he is accursed of god that setteth but one ymage in a secret corner of his owne house to wourshippe it But muche more daunger it is to set vp ymages in the tēple of God which is y e open cōmen place to honore the only lyuing god But peraduenture some will saye that we are forbydden to worship ymages but not to haue ymages To this I answer First as touchynge the ymage of God that whan God spake vnto the children of Israell in the mount of Oreb they heard a voice but they saw no maner of ymage or lykenes of any creature And the cause was this Lest if he had appeared in the similitude of a mā or womā or of any beast vpon earthe or of any birde in the ayer or fishe in the water or of any other creature the ignoraunt people would paraduenture haue made an ymage like therto and haue worshipped it Therfore they did se no maner of ymage because they shoulde make no ymage of God Least that yf they had made any ymage of god they would also haue worshipped it And forasmuche as God is a goste not onely inuisible but also incōprehensible therfore he cā neither be made w t handes nor cōpassed by wit nether is it possible y t any thing made by mannes hande shoulde represent God vnto vs as his ymage so far those two be vnlyke God and an ymage made by man For God is a goste without ende without measure withoute mixture without corruption and most perfecte But an ymage is a body hathe an ende maye be compassed and measured it is myxed corruptible and vnparfit God is lyfe in him selfe of whom al thinges haue lyfe but ymages can nether heare see nor moue nor haue neither reason vnderstanding nor lyfe Therefore sayeth God hym selfe by his prophet Esaie that no similitude nor ymage can be made of him God shewed himselfe vnto the people in the mount of Oreb but in a clowde smoke and fyer declaring thereby that no man can come to the parfite knowledge of God as he is in him selfe The Propiciatorie also whereby God was signified was hidde and not sene aswel for that it stode in sancta sanctorum where the people neuer came as also for because the Cherubynes couered it with their wynges But in case any paynter or caruer were so connyng that he cold make an ymage which shuld perfytly represent vnto vs God which is impossible yet he ought to make no suche ymage And if it wer made it ought to be destroied because god hathe forbyd anye ymage to be made of hym For as it is forbydde to haue any straunge goddes so it is also forbide to haue any ymage of y e true lyuing God And yf any wil say that it is forbyde to make an ymage of God to thintent to wourshippe it but I doo not worshippe it nor haue it for that intent but onely that it may stere me to the remembraunce knowlege of God To this I aunswer that God did forbide the making of his ymage least this parrell shoulde followe that thou shouldest worshippe it Therefore thou doest offende although thou doest not worshippe it and that not only because thou doest againste goddes worde and commaundement but also because thou putteste thy selfe wilfully in very great peril and daūger specially seyng that of our corrupte nature wee be moost highly enclyned to Idolatry superstition as experience from tyme to tyme hathe taught vs euen from the begynnyng of the worlde And here appeareth y e abuse of our tyme which folowing rather the phantasye of caruers or paynters than y e worde of God haue set vp in churches the ymage as thei cal it of y e Trinitie where they portured God y e father lyke an olde man with a long hore berd And what can symple people learne herby but errore and ignorāce Haue not mani thought that God the father is a bodyly substaunce that he hath a face and berd hādes and fete because they see him so painted And for this consideracion saith sainte Austen it is a detestable thing for Christen men to haue any suche ymage of God in the church whereby it appeareth that in sainct Austens tymes ther wer no suche ymages in christen churches but that it is an inuention of y e papistes
deade wher thou canst not suffre the true ymages mēbres of Christ liuely sainctes to be placed Peter refused to be wourshipped of Cornelius likewyse dyd Paule and Barnabas to be honored of men and the aungel also refused to be honored of a man forasmuche as speciall honoure and seruice appertaineth only to god Neuerthelesse in ciuile honor and seruyce we be subiecte to kynges princes parentes maisters and al superiors to honoure and serue thē of duety as God of vs requyreth But al these thinges cesse after their death they that wil say that they nether worship ymages nor the sainctes in ymages but God onelye in the sainctes and ymages they pretende the same excuse that the heathen Idolatrers did For they sayd lykewyse that they worshypped not blockes nor stones but God in theym and yet thei wer great ydolatrers But these men that pretende so manye excuses for their ydolatrye as all ydolatrers euer haue done yet in very dede they worship not onely creatures but also the ymages of creatures Whan they knele kysse sense them For whan they see an ymage of the Crucyfyx or of a saint by the way doo they not bow downe and put of their cappes vnto it But they do that say they not to y e ymage but to Christ But why than doo they it whan they se the ymage and not before Marye saye they for the ymage putteth vs in remēbraūce of christ But let them truly aunswer this as they thinke in their hartes As often tymes as they remembre Christe before they see the ymage doo they bowe downe and put of their cappes or no Certayne it is that thei do not but assone as thei come to the ymage they doo And therefore in veraye dede they doo that honor to the ymage and not to Christ nor to the saint whatsoeuer they pretende But they fantasy som holines or vertue to be in the ymages specially whan they be set vpon high in the churche the commen place to honor god alone and therefore they ronne rather to one churche than to another and honor one Image rather than another for elles why are not the ymages in the caruers and painters shoppe as wel kneled vnto worshipped as they y t be set in y e church And yf they dyd their reuerence to christ not to the image seing that Christ is in heauen to heauen they shuld loke vp wher christ hī self is and not gase vpon an ymage Seyng therefore that it is an horrible ydolatry to wurshyp the Sunne which is a most goodly creature of God and representeth vnto vs the wonderfull worke of God Let euery man consydre how diuilyshe ydolatry it is to worship our awne ymages made by our awn handes Yt is not also taught you in all the scripture that you shoulde desyre saincte Rocke to preserue you from the pestilence to pray to saint Barbara to defēde you from thondre or gonneshot to offer to saincte Loy an horse of waxe a pigge to sainct Anthonye a candel to sainct Sithe But I shoulde be to longe yf I shoulde reherse vnto you all the superstitions that haue growe out of the inuocation and praying to saintes departed wherwith men haue been seduced and goddes honoure geuen to creatures This was also no smal abuse that wee called the ymages by the names of the thinges whome they did represent For we were wont to say This is saincte Annes aulter my father is goone a pylgrymage to our lady of walsyngame in our churche sainct Iames standeth on the right hand of the highe aulter These speches we wer wont to vse although they be not to be cōmended For sainct Austen in thexposition of the .cxiii. psalme affirmeth y t they who do call suche ymages as the carpenter hath made by the names of those thinges whiche God hath made do chaūge the truth of god into a ly It is not also taught you in all scripture Thus good children I haue declared how wee wer wōt to abuse ymages not that hereby I condempne your fathers who were men of greate deuotion and had an ernest loue towarde God altoughe their zeale in all pointes was not ruled and gouerned by true knowledge but they were seduced and blynded partely by the commen ignorance that rayned in their tyme partely by the couetuousnes of their teachers who abused the simplicity of the vnlerned people to the mayntenaunce of their awne lucre and glorye But this haue I spoken to shewe you how crafty the deuil and his ministers haue been euen of late tyme to allure Christen mē to Idolatry vnder the pretence and title of deuocion holynes and religion that you being warned of suche abuses may the better knowe and auoyde them incase at any tyme Satan or his messengers woulde entyse you vnto suche superstition again For yf mariners y t haue passed y e daungers of the seas and are safelye entred into the hauē be naturally moued to shewe to suche as sayle to those places from whence they came what parrelles they shall passe by and howe also they maye auoid the same Howe muche more ought we that haue already passed the diepe seas and daungers of superstition to warne you good children of these perrelles and to teache you whiche are nowe as it were entring into the troublesome seas of this worlde how you maye auoyde these so great daungyers And it is veray necessary for preachers at all tymes to admonyshe exhorte and cal vpon you to auoid this most haynouse and detestable synne of ydolatrye For not onelye the prophetes in tholde testamente wer very ernest to cal vpō the Iewes to eschewe this synne of ydolatry but thappostles also be very diligent to disswade Christē mē from y e same And we haue to much experience in the worlde that of ymages commeth worshippyng of them and ydolatry For sainct Austen vpon the .cxiii. psalme affirmeth that simple men be more moued and stirred to bowe downe to ymages and worship thē because they haue mouthes eyes eares noses handes and feet then they be moued to contēpne thē althoughe they perceiue they cā neither speke see smell feale nor goo It cannot be sayde that ymages be necessarie for then we condempne the appostilles and al the holy men in the primatiue church yea and Christe hymselfe also because they vsed no suche thynge nor yet that they be profitable for yf they had either Christe woulde haue taughte it or the holy goste woulde haue reueled it vnto the appostles whiche they dyd not And yf they dyd the appostilles were very neelygente that woulde not make some mention of it and speake some good word for ymages seyng y t they speake so manye against them And by this meanes Antichriste and his holy papistes had more knowledge or feruente zeale to geue vs godlye thynges and profitable for vs thā had the veray holy saintes of Christe yea more than Christ himselfe and the holy goost Now forasmuch good children
any office in the commen wealth beware that you gyue no cause nor occasion to othes not necessarie For whatsoeuer sinne is committed by suche othes that God doethe impute to thofficer whiche exactethe the same and not to the subiectes whiche are bownde to obey not onelye for feare of punyshemente but also for conscience sake Thirdely we abuse the name of God not onely in vayne but also very vngodly when with horrible cursyng bannynge by the name of God we wyshe to other the vēgeaunce of God The whiche syn now in our time is moche vsed Insomuche that now a dayes you shall heare not onely men but also womē and childrē outragiouslye curse and banne bothe themselfes and other sayinge after this wise By goddes soule I woulde I hadde neuer been borne or I woulde the grounde shoulde open and swalowe me vp By Goddes body I woulde thou wert hanged by goddes passion I woulde the deuell had the by goddes woundes I woulde it were on a wylde fire or suche other lyke deuylyshe cursiges wishīges which offence is not onelye abominable before god but also so shamefull before the worlde that it abhorreth good christen eares to heare suche haynous blasphemie For sainct Paul in the seconde chapter of thepistle to the Philippians writeth thus In the name of God all knees do bowe downe bothe in heauen in earthe and vnder the yearth that is to saye Not onelye Aungelles and men do wourship oure Lorde and God Iesus Christe but also the damned spirites and deuelles in hell do quake at his name and by their trēblyng do declare that they most reuerently acknowlege the name of hys maiestye But these more then deuylishe swerers banners and cursers without reuerence to the mooste honorable name of God without curtesye or bowing to him who with a becke maketh all the worlde to shake do blowe bluster oute of theyr vngodly mouthes suche blasphemies as by the same they do not onelye hyghly dishonour God but also do wyshe to their neighbours all kinde of miseries plages and aduersities that can be imagined whereas oure dutye is to loue our neyghbour wishe wel to him as to ourselfes Nowe consyder what a great wickednesse it is to wyshe euyll thinges to men by the name of God seyng that by thys name we ought to desier and praye for all good thinges bothe to oure selues and to oure neyghbours Wherfore when ye heare ani man vsing suche spytefull curses and blasphemies of gods name doute not but y t he in y t deede is wurse then the deuyll himselfe For the deuil when he heareth god named trembleth therat and dateth not so vnreuerently behaue hymselfe to that moste holy mane where as these wretched and most vngodly persones do shewe no feare nor reuerence thereto at all But ye good children take hede for gods sake that you accustome not your selfes to suche kynde of blasphemies And when you shall heare other outragyng with suche horrible curses flye frome theym as frome pestilence and thynke this with youre selfe I wyll conuey me out of this naughtie companye leste peraduenture I also maye be infected with this contagious custome of swearynge and cursing and so maye be made at the lengthe more abhominable in this poynt than is the deuill hym selfe Fourthly the name of God is taken in vayne when men do abuse the worde of God purposelye makynge false expositions vpon holy scripture and wrestynge the same frō the true sense to their euil purpose or whan men make a trifle or a lawghynge sporte of the wordes of holy scripture as these papistes do whiche say that thys verse of y e Psalme He shall drinke of the broke by the way and therfore he shall lyft vp his hedde is verefied of the gose and the gaundre This abuse doth brede a contempte of the worde of God and it doeth corrupt or mynishe the authoritie of Gods doctrine Fyftly they do misuse the name of God whiche do abuse it to charmes witchcraft sorceries nicromācies inchaūtemētes cōiuringes And this is not onely a great syn but a thynge of hys owne nature moste vayne and folishe For perswade your selfes this thynge for a suertie good chyldren that all kynd of witchecraft is of hys own nature nothing elles but lies gyles and subtilenes to deceaue ygnoraunt and simple mē as manye haue proued by experiēce to theyr great losse and vtter vndowynge Wherfore beware of them beleue them not do not learne them neyther feare that an nother mans inchauntementes are hable to hurte you For they be nothing els but the deuils instrumentes by the whiche he doeth prouoke men to horrible synnes that the name of God may be blasphemed dyuerse wayes y t we may defile our soules with detestable ydolatrie that one man may suspecte an other that anger enuy and hatred myght be sowen amonge men and that out of thys roote myght sprynge vp backbytyng slaūderyng al myschief This vice pleaseth well the deuyll but God hath forbid it and cōmaūded in y e olde lawe that whitches sorcerers and cōiurers should suffre punishmēt of death Wherfore good childeren feare the Lorde and take not hys holy name in vayne beware of ydolatrye forsware not absteine from othes and curses refrayne your tongues from al vntruthes raylynges skoffes and iestes whē you talke of holy scripture or matiers concernyng religion flye frō all kynde of wytchecrafte and inchauntementes For to this commaūdemēt god hath added a speciall threatenynge saynige thus He shall not be giltles before the lord that taketh his name in vayne Beleue surely good children that these be veray weyghty wourdes and of great importaunce and thinke not thus with your selfes what is this so great a mater I spake not these wourdes in ernest but in borde I pray you for Christes sake do not defende your fault with such excuses but beware that you take not in vaine the name of God ▪ nether in ernest nor in sport For the holy name of God is to be wourshipped with all honor and religion and he that doth not obey thys commaundemente hym the lorde shall not count gyltles but shall punishe him greuously And when God punisheth he sendeth amonge vs sycknesses pestilence hungre derth battel robberies sedition manslaughter suche lyke with these plages he taketh vēgeance on oure sinnes Therfore we ought to feare his wrath and not to take his name in vayne Hither to you haue hearde fyue wayes wherby we may take the name of God in vaine nowe it shall be declared vnto you howe you shoulde rightly and duely vse the name of God Considre that we be professed in to our religion and baptised by y e name of God wherfore good childerne listen diligently to this lesson and lerne that we ought to vse the name of God thre wayes by inuocation and callynge vpon him by cōfession of his name and his wourd by thankes gyuyng As touchinge the firste we be bounde in all our necessities and parrels to
call vpon the name of God to flye to hym for succoure with all our hope and confidence and not to runne to witchecraftes charmes sorceries and suche lyke vanities for God himselfe saieth cal vpoÌ„ me in y e day of thy tribulation I wil deliuer the and thou shalt glorifye me Here ye heare good children that God doth commaunde vs to call vpon him and not vpon any other creatures besides him and he saieth in expresse wordes call vpon me in the tyme of thy tribulation in aduersytye wheÌ„ thou art in nede and dauÌ„ger Wherfore no maÌ„ should dyspaire what soeuer kynde of afflyctions doth chaunce vnto him but praye for helpe from heauen and cal vpon the name of the Lorde who by his mighty strong hand is able and by his fatherly affeccioÌ„ wil deliuer and helpe vs what soeuer how great soeuer affliction and teÌ„tatioÌ„ ouerwhelmeth vs therfore he saieth I wil heare thy praier Here marke good childerne that it is your bounden dewtie to praye to God that they do synne heynouslye whiche do not praye wherfore ye shal learne the Lordes prayer whiche Christe hym selfe hath taught and appoynted and ye shal saye it dayly For this commaundemente dothe bynde vs to praye forasmuche as it forbiddeth thabuse of gods name commaundeth his name to be handled reuerently and religiously But we delyuer the and thou shalt honour and glorify me Here you perceiue good children that God oure heaueÌ„ly father doth hear our prayers and heapeth vpon vs infinite benefites for this cause purpose and intent y t we shoulde be glad ioyful to praise him with all our hart reÌ„dre thaÌ„kes vnto him Wherfore wheÌ„ soeuer we praie before we aske any new benefite we ought to thaÌ„ke him for tholde to glorifye his name for y e great treasures of giftes heretofore geuen vnto vs. And by this meanes both he wyll be the more willyng to heare oure prayers and also oure faithe shalbe the more strengthened and confirmed For when we call to oure remembraunce how God oftentymes heretofore hath herd our supplications and delyuered vs out of manye perrellous daungiers we be therby moued lesse to doubt of his goodnes and stedfastlye to hope that he nowe also wyll be as merciful vnto vs as he was wont to be in tymes passed Therfore sayeth the prophete Dauid I wyl call vpon the Lord praysyng him and he wyll saue me from myne enemyes Now therefore good children ye shall learne this lesson and practise it dilygently firste of al to prayse and thanke God for al hys benefites and afterwarde to call vpon him in all youre necessities So God wyll be the more redye to heare youre peticions and youre faith also thereby shall be the more nourished and increased For he that wyll trewely and effectuallye praye before al other thinges must beleue and perswade himselfe for a suertie y t God wil heare his praier Wherfore good children nowe I praye you learne so to vnderstande this seconde commaundement that ye take not the name of God in vayne that ye gyue not your selfes to Idolatrye that ye sweare not customablye nor without a necessarie cause that ye neuer commit periurie y t you curse no bodye y t ye abuse not the name and worde of God to vntruth vncleane and vnhonest coÌ„municatioÌ„ that ye applye not your mindes to witchcraftes sorceries For these faultes as yet neuer escaped vnpunyshed before God Contrarywyse you shall reuerentlye vse the name of God to his glorye and to the profit of youre neyghbour by callyng vpon him by praying and giuyng thaÌ„kes vnto him by opeÌ„ professioÌ„ of his doctrine religioÌ„ And when ye shal be demaunded howe vndrestande ye the seconde commaundemente ye shall aunswere We oughte to loue and feare God aboue all thynge not to abuse his name to ydolatrye charmes periurie othes curses ribaldrye and scoffes that vndre the pretence and coloure of his name we begyle no man by swearynge forswearynge and lyinge but in all our nedes we should cal vpon him magnifye and prayse him and with oure tongues confesse vtter and declare oure faythe in him and his doctrine The thirde sermon YE haue herde how the second commaundemeÌ„te is to be vnderstanded in the which we learne howe we ought to ordre our selfes towarde God both in herte and in wordes Nowe foloweth the thirde precepte whiche is this ¶ RemeÌ„bre that thou saÌ„ctifye the Sabboth daye THis commaundemente good children teacheth how we should behaue our selfes toward God in workes For wheÌ„ we haue a mynde to serue God and to shew to him as to our Lord and maker the greatest pleasure that we can then we muste not chose by thaduyse of oure owne imagination nether this nor that worke but we must saÌ„ctifie the sabboth day y t is to say employe bestow it vpoÌ„ godly holy workes busines And here note good chyldreÌ„ that y e Iewes in the olde testameÌ„t were commaunded to kepe the Sabboth daye and they obserued it euery seuenth day called the sabbot or satterday But we Christen men in the newe testament are not bound to such coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of Moses law concernyng dyfferences of tymes dayes and meates but haue libertie fredoÌ„ to vse other daies for our sabboth dayes therein to heare y e worde God and to kepe an holy rest And therefore that this Christian lybertye maye be kepte and mainteyned we nowe kepe no more the sabboth or saturday as y e Iewes do but we obserue the Sondaye certayne other daies as y e magestrates do iudge it coÌ„uenieÌ„t whom in this thinge we ought to obey And to theÌ„tent you maye the better perceyue such thinges as shall be spoken herin considre I pray you howe wonderfull a commaundemente this is When worldly lordes masters receyue men into their seruyce they byd theim not kepe holy daye but they set theÌ„ on worke appoynte theim diuerse labors to be done for their seruice and behofe But our Lorde God doeth not so with vs in this commaundement He biddeth not vs to doo neyther this nor that woorke he commaundeth vs not to gadde hether and thither on pilgrimage to paynt gylâ—e or clothe sayntes ymages to set vp candels before theim nor to exercise anye suche fayned mannes workes and false honorynge of God as the deceiptefull Monkes and Friars wer wont to teche vs but he biddeth vs to rest from labours and commauÌ„deth vs to kepe holy day But yet note good children that wheÌ„ you heare say that God hath commaunded to reste from workes you must not gather herof that you shoulde cesse from suche good workes by the whiche your neyghbour is releued as to gyue almes to the poore to preache the worde of God to instruct y e ignoraunt and suche like for god hath commaunded suche workes to be donne he doth ernestly require them of vs but although we do these workes neuer so dilygently yet by theym we onlye serue and healpe
oure neyghbour for Goddes sake But when we wyll serue God onely with suche a kynde of worke that perteyneth not to our neyghbour but is propre and seuerall to God alone than God commaūdeth you not to set before your eyes any outwarde worke but to rest from such workes For this God requireth of vs in thys commaundement And now good children listen vnto me and you shall know the cause why god doth thus He is so riche a God and his maiestie is so mighty y t he hath no nede of our outwarde workes nor wourshyppinges Againe he is so gentle lyberal and mercyfull that of his awne accorde he desireth to do good to all men wherby his name is praysed and honored Therfore he y t wil do pure seruice honor to God let hym gyue himselfe to rest and quietnes not workyng to be made holy by his owne outwarde workes but let hym kepe holy day let him suffer the benefites of God to be powred lyberally and frely vpō hym For to beleue that we receaue all good thinges frely from God to acknowlege them with a trew fayth and gladly to prayse thanke God for thesame is the most excellente and highest honor that can be yelded to him in this life But it is not sufficiēt for vs to kepe y e Sabboth day But the Lorde saith Thou shalte sanctifie the Sabboth day that is to saye we shall bestowe that day about holy heuenly godly thynges Now yf ye desier to knowe with what holye workes you shoulde passe away this day you shal vnderstāde that we can do no geater holy workes thā to heare y e worde of god and to learne y e trew feare of God the right faith in him to prepare our selfes that we may worthely be partakers of the Lordes table therby to receyue great comfort to the quiet of our consciences confirmatiō of oure fayth And moreouer on such dayes cheflye we ought in faythe and spirite feruently to praye to God to gyue vs all good thinges that we lacke and haue nede of and to defende and deliuer vs frō all yl thynges And thus praing we shal not faile to be hearde These be y e chiefe holy daye workes by the whiche God rather serueth and worketh for vs then we for him For when he by hys mynisters causeth his wourde to be preached vnto vs when he distributeth to vs ineffable gyftes of hys sacramentes when he heareth our prayers he is rather beneficial vnto vs thē we be to him Therfore theffecte sūme of this commaundement is as God shoulde say thus Good childerne wil you serue me do that thing that may please me then truste not in your awne workes nor put your confidence in theim For I haue no nede of your labour and workes Come hyther I wyll teache you what ye ought to beleue and to do I wil comforte you wyth the meruelous giftes of my sacramētes I wil heare your praiers you can not giue to me greater honor thē to repayre to me and to suffer me y t I maye powre my benefites vpon you that you may acknowlege me to be your father that you may cast your hole affiance in me and y t you maye loue me as chyldren loueth their fathers and mothers But of this matter you shal heare more in the Crede or articles of the faith In the meane tyme you shall specially marke that althoughe euery man hath nede to labour daily for his dayly fode yet God hath gyuen vs Sabboth dayes or resting tymes in the whiche he hath commaunded not onelye the maisters themselues but also their seruantes and cattel to cesse from bodily labores And yet on those dayes he fedeth vs aswel as on the workynge dayes By the whiche he signifieth vnto vs that althoughe we toyle not continually vntil we be wery yet he wil gyue vs aboūdantly all thinges necessarie when we obey his will first of all seke the kyngdome of God that all other thinges maye be gyuen vs. Hytherto good children you haue bene taughte in what holy workes you ought to spende the Sabboth day now it shall be declared vnto you how great a sinne it is not to sanctifye the same The whiche synne is then committed when we vpon the holye dayes do not heare with greate dilygence and reuerence sermons the most frutefull woorde of God when we do not gyue our myndes to prayer and other Godly workes but to idlenes eatinge drynkynge bankettynge dauncynge lechery dicing cardynge backebytynge slaunderyng and other vngodly workes For the which abuse of holy daies God is grieuously prouoked and punisheth vs greuouslye with dyuerse kyndes of plages but specially with nede and pouertie For so God threateneth in the .xxviii. chapter of Deuteronomie that mē shall labour and toyle bothe daye and nyght and yet shall not be able to worke themselues out of pouertie And it is no meruell For when God gyueth them restynge dayes they doo not sanctifie the same they do not heare the worde of God nor pray to him but wickedly dispise God and his honor spendyng the sabboth daye in the aboue named synfull and vngodly lyfe wherfore God iustly punisheth them with pouertie But peraduenture you wyl say God doth not punishe all y e breakers of this commaundemente with nede and pouertie Trueth it is in deede some there be whiche God doeth not punishe in this lyfe but defferreth theyr punishement vntill the houre of death whē they be vtterlye forsaken of hym whiche is a payne most horrible and euerlastyngly condemned if they amend not in due tyme. Therfore good children eschewe these synnes that be so heynous in the sight of god sanctifie youre Sabboth daye be desirouse to heare the woorde of God praye continually and gyue thankes to God for all his benefites In so doyng you shall surelye please hym and he shall sende you his grace fauour blessynge that all thing maye prosper wyth you that you maye with ioye and gladnes serue youre Lorde God and enioy manye sabbothes or restyng dayes For God is wel content that we haue many restynge dayes so that we spende them wel in holy and godlye exercises and cause not only oure bodyes to rest from labours but also oure myndes from synne For we must kepe the Sabbothe daye not onelye with our bodye but also with oure hartes and myndes which we do when we bridle our owne wil and fleshely lustes and with all reuerence humble our selues to Goddes wyll so that when we reherse the Lordes prayer we maye saye trewly and hertely Thy wyll be donne in earth as it is in heauen For so God testifieth by the prophet Esaie in the .lviii. chapiter saying yf thou wilt absteyne from doyng thy wyll on my holy daye then thou shalt be called a pleasāt Sabboth day that is to saie whē we submit our wyl to the holy wil of God and patiently suffre those thinges whiche he worketh in vs and willeth vs to suffre
then we shall trewlye kepe the Sabboth daye and therein laude and praise our Lorde God For this is no true kepyng of y e Sabboth daye when y e bodye cesseth from labors and in the meane season a mans mynde is holly occupyed howe he maye deceaue his neighboure how he maye obtayne hys pleasures howe he maye reuenge him self on his enemyes Or els when a mans herte boyleth with murmurynge grudgynge and impatiencie and doth not obediently bende himselfe to the wyll of God nor pacientlye suffereth his workes but tosseth and turmoyleth himselfe with hys awne cares thoughtes and compassynges For when shall suche an herte kepe a Sabboth or resting day or earnestly prayse God wherfore let vs learne to kepe holy day not onely from bodily labors but also from all euell thoughtes and carnall desiers But these maters good chyldren paraduenture doth passe your capacities For men haue busynes ynough all their lyfe tyme perfytely to learne and practyse this lesson wherefore at this time I wil require no more of you good children but onely to beare away this plaine and shorte instruction that the cheuest worshippyng of God standeth not in outwarde workes but when we keape the Sabbothe daye aswell with mynde as with bodye when we heare the worde of God when by praier we call vpon his name and be partakers of his sacramētes By whiche thinges we be monished instructed strēgthened and defended to be the more constante in our faith And this is the trewe sense meanyng of this precepte Wherfore good children marke it wel I praye you and when it shall chaunce you to be demaūded how vnderstande you the thirde commaundemente Ye shal answer we ought to feare and loue our Lord God aboue al thinges to heare diligently and reuerentlye his holye worde with al diligence to folow the same The fourth sermon ¶ A declaration of the fourth cōmaundement YOu haue hearde the thyrde commaundemente whereby we learne howe to vse our selues towardes God in oure deedes and woorkes nowe foloweth the fourth commaundement which is this ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother that thou maist leade a longe lyfe in the land whiche the lorde God shall giue vnto the. THis good children is y e first and chief commaundemente of the seconde table whiche doethe teache vs how we oughte to behaue oure selfes towarde our neyghboure And thys commaundemente speaketh of the most excellent and most deare personages vnto vs that lyue vpon the yearth as of our parentes and rulers of the commen wealth and it teacheth howe we shoulde order our selues towardes theim that is to saye to honoure and dreade them It entreateth of no small or trifelyng thinges but contayneth matiers of verye greate importaunce and it gyueth greate wysedome to all them that do rightlye vnderstande it Wherefore good children lysten to it dylygentlye that you maye knowe the trewe meanyng therof And firste of all ye shall vnderstande that God dyd gyue vs these ten commaundementes for this cause that by them we might learne what dothe please him For this is a doctryne most certayne that we vpon earth can interpryse or worke nothynge that maye better please him than to kepe his commaundementes And they be most foles of all that go about to serue God and winne his fauour with suche workes as he himself hath not commaunded For of suche Christe sayeth in the xv chapter of Mathewe They wourshippe me in vayne with the commaundementes of men But thys we maye be sure of that it pleaseth God that we shoulde honour our father and mother and obey them And for this cause all the workes also whiche they commaunde vs to do do please God yea the moste vyle workes y t they appoynt vs vnto as to swepe the house to poure water into the lauer and such like Now this is a very great cōforte for vs to know for a suertie y t these small druggynge workes do highlye please god bicause in doyng thē we obey our parentes Contrarywise those kyndes of wourshyppynge God those ceremonyes and wourkes which be donne to please God w tout his commaundement and besides his wourde do nothynge at al please him although the world do neuer so highly esteme praise theim For it is the commaundement of God onely and nothynge elles y e maketh our workes holy and precious in his sight Nowe here god cōmaūdeth vs to honor our father and mother that is to saye to stande in awe of them wyllyngly to obey them to loue them and haue them in reuerence and to helpe them with all the meanes we can For these wourdes honor thy father and mother do cōteine al these thinges And we be boūde to yelde vnto thē this honor forasmuche as God hath gyuē them vnto vs as maisters tutors gouernors and rulers in his stede and by thē hath powred vpon vs many hygh and great benefites wherby we be most streyghtly bound to honor them not to dyspise them But when we do not feare them whē we lightly regard them when they be angrye wyth vs then we dispise them And this is a verye haynous synne before God For in no wyse we shoulde contemne them but ought to take very great heede that we displease them not no not in trifelyng thinges Also when we do not obey thē wyllynglye then also we dyspyse them for he that doth not obei his father mother he is a presumptuous person and thinketh hymselfe wiser or better then they and this is a greate contempt and an heynous synne before god Wherfore good childrē do not so dispise your fathers and mothers but obey them with all your harte and be subiect vnto thē Furthermore when we do not loue oure fathers and mothers then it is not possible that we should hartely honor them wherfore we must beare an heartie and feruents loue towardes theym speciallye seynge that God hath thorough them powred so manye benefites vpon vs as we shal declare more at large herafter Besides this it is our bownden dewtie to vse all kynd of gentlenes and lyberalytie towardes our fathers and mothers and in all thinges to shewe kindnes vnto them before all other parsons For when we do any pleasure to other men we loke y t they shoulde thanke vs for y e same But of our fathers mothers we oughte to loke for no thākes but w t our benefites we must honor thē y t is to say we must ordre ourselues towardes thē no otherwise then we woulde do towarde kinges princes and lordes to whom when we offer any presente we thynke not that they be bound to render vnto vs any great thankes for the same but we humblye fall on our knees before them instantly desyryng them that they wyl vouchesafe to take in good parte so smal a gyfte wherein we declare oure good wyll farre to passe oure habilitie and wyth all reuerence we sue vnto theym that of theyr clemency they wyl accepte our good hartes and myndes On
wyfe her husbande lykewyse For this withdrawynge of the one frō the other althoughe it be but for a tyme yet yf it be donne agaynste the wil of ether partie it is syn although both of thē kepe their bodies vndefyled Secondarely yf you wil kepe this cōmaundemēt you must abstayne frō all fylthye wordes vncleane cōmunicatiō you muste not craftely go aboute with flatery and louynge wordes to deceyue the simplicitie of yong women you must not with fayre promyses or gyftes entise them to foly neyther with wanton songes or vnhonest dalyance kyndle the fire of lecherie but asmoche as is possible you shall auoid all wanton lokes and vnchaste gestures to muche nysenes in trymmynge and deckynge youre bodyes and apparellyng them to gorgiously and all kyndes of craftye entycementes whiche louers do vse to please y e eyes and myndes of their peramoures whereby they maye allure them to loue and lechery Thyrdly you must eschew all vncleane myndes and thoughtes For althoughe the worlde doethe neyther see nor punishe the synnes of our thoughtes yet God which sercheth mens hertes and raynes doeth both see and punishe them Therfore Christe sayth He y t seeth a woman to lust after her hath alredye committed adultery in hys harte You must also diligently auoyde al occasions by the whiche suche vnlawfull lustes are prouoked as surfetyng dronkenes idlenes wanton daunsing such like For Christe in this sermon of adultery sayeth Yf thy ryght eye gyue the an occasion to synne pul it out and cast it from the. For it is better that one of thy members peryshe then that thy whole bodye shoulde be cast into hell Muche more then yf surfetynge banketyng or suche other lyke do giue you occasion of synne you ought diligently to eschew them lest you fal into so perrellous a daungier Fourthly you oughte not only to kepe youre owne bodyes and soules chast and pure frome all vncleanes but also you muste take heede that you gyue no occasyon ayde or counsell to anye other to committe adulterye but asmuche as lyeth in you you shall studye that honest and chast lyuyng may be obserued of all men For these thynges both please God and be moche profitable to euerye cōmenwelthe You shall therfore vnderhande this commaundemente after thys sorte that you abstayne frome all adulterye and whoredome both in hearte woorde and dede that you auoyde all euell occasion bothe by youre selues and by other that we all maye leade a godly chast and pure lyfe that the bonde or knot of wedlocke maye not be broken or loosed Wherby the commen wealthe maye haue plentye of good and vertuous children whiche maye be able in tyme to come eyther to be preachers and ministers of Goddes most holy worde or to beare commen office in thadministration of the commen wealth to the glorie of God and profit of their neighbour Wherfore good children when ye shalbe demaunded how vndrestande you the syxth commaundement ye shall answere We ought aboue all thynges to loue and dreade our Lorde God and for his sake to lyue chastly in will worde and dede and euerye man is bownde to loue and cheryshe his wife The seuenth sermon ¶ An exposition of the seuenth commaundemente Thou shalt not steale YE haue hearde in the exposition of the syxte cōmaundemente howe we shuld behaue our selfes toward our owne wifes and oure neyghbours wifes also by the which commaūdemente as God hathe fortifyed wedlocke that no man shal besyge or assaut it so by the vertue and strength of this seuenth commaūdement Thou shalt not steale he defendeth oure neyghbours goodes and riches wherby he lyueth himselfe his wife children and familie For this precepte teacheth vs howe we should ordre our selues towardes oure neyghbours goodes and cattell that by fraud or stealth we conuey nothinge frō him that by violence or extorcion we take nothynge from hym but study to defende and encrease hys riches with as good a wyll as we would do oure owne And here note good children that this worde thefte doeth not onely signifie open robberies extorcions and manyfest poollyng but also all maner of craftes and subtile wayes by the whyche we conuey our neyghbours goodes from him contrarye to his knowledge or wyll althoughe the gyle haue neuer so fayre a coloure of vertue and honesty And to thentente you maye the better vnderstande this thinge I shall declare it vnto you by certen examples And fyrste I wyll begynne wyth Magistrates or commen officers God hathe commaunded vs to paye to prynces and gouernours of the commen wealth rentes seruices tributes customes toll subsidies pensions and other yerelye reuenewes wherby they maye be the more able to susteine and beare the charges of the commen admynistration and also to punyshe theim that be yll and to defende those that be good But when the magistrates do ouercharge theyr subiectes and exacte more of them then is nedefull to the mayntenaunce of the commen charges and so empouerishe and oppresse them whome they ought from all iniury and wronge to saue and defende then thys sore exaction is a notable and haynouse kynde of thefte in the sight of God Lykewise it is whā they do wring monye out of theyr subiectes handes vniustly and agaynste theyr wylles And tributes or subsidyes yf they take none but suche onely as of ryght are due vnto them yet yf they bestowe not the same as they ought to do but wastfullye spende that monye whiche was gathered for the maintenaunce of the commē charges and consume it in riot and vnlawful pleasures than they committe thefte before God Also God shall iudge them theues when for couetuousnesse they leaue suche thinges vndone whiche be necessarie to be done for the commen profite As when thei appoynt not good and mete men to be rulers vnder them byshoppes persons curates and scholemaysters because they grudge to gyue theym an honest and sufficient lyuyng but wyll take out of the commen sort to minister suche hygh offices those that will serue for lest monie And rulers of cities be theues when they suffer the necessarie buildinges of the citie as churches yelde halles the towne walles commen brydges comductes or suche lyke to decaye or fall to ruyne For so thorow their neglygence or couetousnesse the commen money is not employed to such vses for the whiche it was gathered Also Byshoppes pastors preachers and curates be theues whē for mennes fauour and their owne lucre they hydde the truethe of Goddes woorde and teache lyes and theyr owne dreames and sell all thinges for monie As of late tyme here in Englande manye of theym had great gaynes by diriges seruices to synge for sowles trentals pylgrimages pardons and suche lyke deceytes This kynde of deceyte in vttryng false ware for good is thefte before God For menne therby be deceyued whiche woulde gyue no monye at all for suche marchandise yf they were taught and warned of theyr abuses Likewise Lawers aduocates sergeants attorneis and procters are theues before God when
haue in heauen And this doth plainly and shortly teache vnto you the Crede For in the Crede wherin we saye thus I beleue in God y e father almightye And I beleue in Iesus Christ his onely sonne and last of all we saye I beleue in y e holy gost these thre sentences be asmuche to saye as I beleue in God whiche is the father the sonne and y e holy gost Infidels and vngodly people do not knowe this nor can vnderstande the same But Christē men haue this mysterye so openlye declared vnto them in the worde of God that babes and yong childrē may heare and learne this lesson almost as soone as they be able to crepe out of their cradell Wherefore we are boūde hartely to thāke God which hath opened vnto vs so great wisedome and mysteries Hereby you perceaue good childerne that in this shorte treatice called the Crede as I said before we be taught what God is that is to saye God the father God the sonne and God the holy gost Also herby we learne what great benefytes God hath gyuen vnto vs and howe tenderly he loueth and fauoreth vs lyke a moost gentle and mercifull father In y e whiche knowlege consisteth our felicitie and blessednes For yf we did only knowe what God were dyd know nothing of his wil towarde vs whether he were our frende or foo fauourable or angrie pleased or displeased with vs then oure conscience beynge waueryng and doutful shoulde be destitute and voide of comforte Wherfore lysten to me dilygently good childerne that you maye knowe what benefites those be which god hath gyuen among you what loue he beareth towarde you and what is the hope of euerlastynge lyfe to the whiche we be called The benefites of God towarde vs be infynite and innumerable yet neuertheles as God himself is thre persons the father the sonne and the holy gost so there be thre specyall workes whereby he hath declared his singular loue towarde vs. The first is that God the father hath creat made vs of nothing and gyuen to vs bodye and soule and all thinges necessarye to the maintenaunce of our lyues and hath made vs lordes ouer al erthly creatures The seconde is that whan we were all borne in synne God y e sonne dyd redeme vs from our synnes and wicked lyfe The thirde is that the holy gooste doth renewe our hartes sanctifye vs and make vs the temples of God And in these thre benefytes gyuen vnto vs by y e thre parsons of the most blessed Trinitie consisteth the matier and effecte of the hole Crede For this is the briefe summe of the Crede to saye I beleue in God the father whiche did creat and make me I beleue in God the sonne whiche did redeme me And I beleue in the holy gost whiche hath sanctifyed and halowed me For the whiche consyderations we entende to deuyde this our exposition made vpō the Crede into thre partes of y e which the first shalbe of y e Creation the second of the Redemptiō and the third of Sanctificatiō And first we will entreat of the Creation which is expressed in these wordes I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauē earth Where note good children that this worde I beleue signifyeth asmuche in this place as I truste So that this sentence I beleue in God the father is asmuch to saye as I trust in God the father and loke assuredly to receaue all good thinges at his hande Wherefore this is the meanyng of the forsaid artycle that we ought to put oure trust in no creature but in the true and liuing god only For no creature cā do vs any good or harme without the wil of him We oure selues made not oure selues as it is writtē in the psalme nor we can nether saue ourselfes nether delyuer vs from any perrel Therfore we ought to put our trust in God only sticke fast to him hang vpon hym and to loke for al good thinges at his hande They therfore that trust in men in theyr fauour or frēdship they that trust in their owne learnyng wysedome riches power frendes or any such thing they do not truely beleue in God truly holly trust in him nor loke for al good thinges from him but rather dispise him and worship for theyr God and make an ydole of that thynge wherin they put their trust and so greuously offēd god Wherfore it must nedes be that at the length thei must be brought to confusion and ruine that they may lerne by their owne fal and decay that those wer but vaine thynges wherin they put their truste cōfidence and that onely God is the sure rocke and staye vpon whome who so euer leaneth shall not be deceyued nor confounded For it is the Lord god whiche daily pourethe vpon vs infinite benefites whiche giueth vs al thinges y t we haue nede of defendeth vs from all thinges y t may hurt vs ether in body or in soule And this is y e fatherly loue whiche he bereth toward vs to do al goodnes toward vs without our merites or deseruynges Wherefore we ought to trust in him yelde our selfes holly into his protection to loke for all good thinges at his hande with a mery harte and constant faith to cleaue to his goodnes in all thynges And this is the highest and chiefest sacrifice wher with God is pleased worshipped And whosoeuer beleueth in him after thys sort those he taketh for his welbelouyd children and in all thynges he declareth to thē that he is their louyng father Wherefore good children let vs not put our trust in any creature or in any worldly thing but at all tymes let vs fastē oure sure trust in our Lord God So we shalbe made his children and enioy lyfe euerlastinge Nowe considre good chyldren what a God he is in whome we beleue and in whome we put oure trust He is God the father the almyghtye maker of heauen and earthe And these woordes good children ought not slyghtly to be passed ouer for they be of greate weight and importaunce Wherfore I pray you as it were in balance to wey them dyligently and learne to vnderstande theym For these wordes conteine not in them worldly phylosophye or mannes sapience but heauenly and Godly wysedome Wherfore I praye you gyue good eare whiles I do declare them to you First this article teacheth vs that God is almyghtye that is to saye that he hath power to worke do all thinges whatsoeuer pleaseth hym and no creature in heauen or earth is able to let or withstande him and that no thynge is vnpossible vnto him And this is the foundacion and begynnynge of christian knowledge and faith to beleue that God is almyghtye The whiche many men do not beleue and yet neuertheles they will be counted christen men or rather great clarkes In thys number be they that do not beleue the bodye of Christ truely to be gyuen in the
fauoure loue in to gods curse angre dyspleasure that fel from original iustyce into original syn by the which fal al the strēgth and powers both of their bodyes and soules were sore decaied corrupted And as oure firste parentes Adam Eue were infected and corrupted euen so be we that be their children For as we see by dayly experience y t commenly gowtie parentes begetteth gowtie children And yf the father and the mother be infected with the leprie we se commenly that the childrē borne betwene them haue the same dysease So lykewyse as our first parētes Adam and Eue dyd not put their trust in God no more do they y t be carnally borne of theim And as they loued not God so their childrē loue him not And as they folowed their owne concupiscence lustes and appetytes and not the wil of God euen so do all their yssue So that all their posteritie vpon earth be sinners euen in their mothers wombes For thei haue not their truste in God they loue not God they haue not a fatherly feare vnto hym they be ful of yl lustes appetites desiers as you haue herde good children in the .ix. and tenth commaundementes And for this cause the scripture dothe say that all we are conceyued and borne in synne And sainct Paule sayeth that by nature we be the children of Gods wrathe So that we all shuld euerlastingly be damned yf Christ by his death had not redemed vs. Wherfore good children marke well this parte of youre Crede that teacheth you bothe to knowe Christe and by what meanes he dyd redeme you For firste in the Crede he is called the only sonne or onely begotten sonne of God Whereof it muste nedes folowe y t he is very God by nature borne of God the father before the foūdacion of the worlde was layde He is the euerlastyng wisedome and worde of God by the whiche God the father made all thinges That he is also verye man it is euidently expressed in these wordes I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche was conceyued by the holy gooste borne of the virgyne Marye suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified deade and buried And these .ii. forsaide thinges I can not comprehende more shortely nor aptely than by these wordes Christ our Lorde is verye God and very man Secondly learne this also by what meanes Christ dyd redeme vs. For what soeuer God hath commaunded in the ten commaundementes whiche we haue not fulfylled because we be all synners y t Christe himselfe hathe fulfylled for vs. And what soeuer punishment we haue deserued to suffre of God for oure synnes and offences that Christe hath taken vpō himself suffered for vs. By this you may perceyue howe requisite it was that Christ God and man should be conceyued by the holy gooste and borne of a pure virgyn For if Christ shoulde redeme vs and satisfye for our synnes than must he nedes be holy without synne For yf he had bene gyltye and a synner then coulde not he haue holpen his owne selfe but he must nedes haue had an other Sauyor and Redemer for him aswel as we haue for vs. For what soeuer he had done or suffred shuld haue bene worthely for hys owne offences yet could he not haue satisfied for hym selfe muche lesse then he coulde haue satysfyed for other Wherfore it was necessary yf he should satisfye for vs that he should be conceyued of the holy gooste and borne of a virgyn that his natyuitie myght be pure wythout synne and not corrupte as ours is That oure corrupte and damnable natiuitie myghte be purified and made holy by the holy and pure natiuitie of Christ. Therfore we say in the Crede He was conceyued of the holy goost borne of the virgyn Marye that Christe beynge pure and cleane frome all synne mighte redeme synners and satisfye for theim Now for asmuch as the iustice of God dydde require that Christe should suffer and make satisfaction for vs and do all thynges that we were bound to do it was necessarie that he should be made man For if he had not bene a veray naturall man he coulde not haue done for vs all those thynges which we were bound to do And agayne yf he had not bene veraye God he coulde not haue bene pure and cleane from al syn and so haue made a true and perfect satisfaction for oure synnes For no man can perfectly fulfyll the wyl of God but God himself alone Wherfore in that he suffered for our synnes therby he declared that he was a verye pure and natural manne Agayne he gaue moost certayne and euydente tokens of hys Godhed in that he ouercomed and vanquyshed the deuell synne and deathe For yf he hadde not bene veraye God he coulde not haue losed the bandes of death nether haue raysed himselfe frō death to lyfe So you hear good childrē y t our lorde Iesus Christ was very God and very man not cōceyued in syn as we be but conceyued by the holye goost and borne of the moste pure virgyn Marie And as man he suffred deathe for vs and descended into hell But as naturally God he losed the bandes and paynes of hell he destroyed the kyngdome of death he rose from deathe to lyfe and so payed the raūsome for our synnes and toke away all the gylthynes of the same Therfore when we beleue in Christ and stedfastly cleuyng to the worde of God suerly perswade oure selues in oure hartes that we be thus redemed by Christe then God is no more angry or displeased with vs for our synnes but freely and mercyfullye he forgyueth vs all our offences for the deathe and passiō of his sonne Iesus Christ and he gyueth vs also the holye gooste by whose healpe we maye wythstande synne and be delyuered from the same The whiche matiers sayncte Paule doth knyt vp in one bryef sentence not so shorte as notable and weyghtye sayinge Christe was delyuered to deathe for oure synnes and dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification In the whiche sentence saynct Paule doeth not onely declare what Christe dyd but also for what ende and for whome he suffered death and rose agayne For seynge that Christe was that moost innocent lambe that neuer was blotted with any spot of syn and yet he suffered for vs as a synner it is euident hereby that he dyed not for himselfe but toke vpon him oure synnes and bore for vs the burden which we shuld haue borne Moreouer seing that Christ was not ouercome by deth but by his myghty power he dyd vanquyshe death and rose frome deathe to lyfe and sytteth at the ryght hande of the father hereby we maye euidently perceyue that the great wrath and indignation of God to vs hathe an ende and that by our liuely faith in hī our synnes be forgyuen vs and that we be reconsiled into the fauoure of God made holy and ryghtuous For than God doth no more impute vnto vs our former synnes but he doth impute
and giue vnto vs the iustice and ryghtuousnes of his sonne Iesus Christ whiche suffered for vs. These are but fewe wordes but surely they be of greate importaunce For in this sentence saynct Paule includeth the summe and effecte of the holy ghospell when he sayeth Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes and rose agayne for oure ryghtuousnes For lykewise as when an other man doeth pay my raunsome and satisfye or suffre for me I my selfe am iudged to paye the same and no man after can accuse me therof And whē an other is bounde for me yf he be by any lawful meanes discharged I my selfe am counted to be dyscharged also euen so forasmuche as Christe hymselfe toke vpon him the bande of death for vs and to satisfye for vs so did in deede by hys death we our selues for whō he was thus bounde iustely be delyuered and dyscharged from death and damnation And so we be counted righteous for asmuche as no man dare accuse vs for that syn for the which satisfaction is made by our Sauiour Christ. And when oure sauiour Iesus Christ had thus satisfied for our synne and so ouercame deathe and hell than lyke a most valiant conquerer he ascended into heauen where God hys father receyued him with a moost gloriouse triumphe and placed hym on hys ryghte hande and made him Lorde ouer all creatures and therefore he is called in y e crede also our Lorde For yf he had not raunsomed and redemed vs we had bene cast downe to hel for euer But seynge y t he redemed and bought vs therfore bewe his he is our Lorde and mayster hym we must loue obey and serue And this is oure moste hye and euerlastynge comforte that Iesus Christ is our Lorde and we his seruauntes For because he is oure Lorde therefore he wyll defende vs and delyuer vs from all daungers And althoughe we be synners yet he wil forgiue vs our synnes because he hathe payed y e raūsome and det due for thesame And althoughe we dye yet he wil rayse vs vp agayne because he hathe ouercome and conquered death And althoughe we be neuer so muche afrayed of the sorowes and paynes of hell yet they shall not be able to holde vs bycause that to theym that be hys seruauntes he hathe broken hell and set open the gates thereof Wherfore seynge that we haue so myghtye a Lorde and maister we be out of all peryll and daunger But we agayne aboue all thynges we muste studye to obey oure lord mayster and do those thinges whiche he commaundeth For he hath redemed and bought vs for thys entente and purpose that we shoulde be iust and holy as he hymselfe is holy And he that is not obediēt vnto Christes commaundementes shall be sore punyshed for oure Lorde Iesus Christ shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore good children laboure wyth all diligence and studye that when Christe shall come againe to iudge the world he may finde you holy and obedient For then he wyll rewarde you wyth euerlastyng lyfe After thys maner Christ redemed vs frō synne and from the horryble offence of Adam by whome we were al condemned For by Christes passyon death by hys ghospell we haue obteined thus much that we may beleue and trust in god And trustyng in God we haue his holy spirite whereby we maye also loue God And thys holy gooste renueth vs and clemeth vs from all euell lustes and desires that we beynge thus made holye and rightuouse maye kepe Goddes commaundemētes and serue our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore good chyldren beleue ye with al your heart in thys Iesus Christ the onelye sonne of God oure Lord and doubte not but that he hath suffered for our synnes and contented the iustyce of his father for y e same and hath brought vs agayne vnto his fauour made vs his wel beloued children and heyres of hys kyngdome And when you be asked howe vnderstande you the second parte of the Crede you shall answer I beleue that Iesus Christ veray God begotten of God the father and verye manne borne of the virgin Marie is my Lorde whiche by hys precyouse bloode and holy passyon hathe redemed me a myserable damned wretch from all my synnes frome death eternall and from the tyrannie of the Deuell that I should be his owne true subiect and lyue within his kyngdome and serue hym in a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and iustice euen as oure Lorde Christe after he rose from deathe to lyfe lyueth and raygneth euerlastyngly Or elles if you wyl answere more shortely you may say thus I beleue that Christe was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The thirde sermon of our Sanctification NOwe remayneth the third parte of the Crede to be declared whiche entreateth of our sanctificatiō how we be made holy And it is spokē in these wordes ¶ I beleue in the holy gost the holy catholicke churche the communion of saynctes the forgyuenes of synnes the risyng agayne of the bodye and lyfe euerlastyng Amen IN the seconde parte of the Crede which treateth of our Redemption and pryce giuen for vs you haue bene taughte good children to knowe the seconde persone in Trinitie Iesus Christe what he is and what he hath done for vs that he was made man for our sakes that he toke vpon him our synnes and suffered for vs y e feare and panges of deathe hel and had victory ouer them by hys passiō and death And after by his godly and victorious power he arose again from death to lyfe And after this most glorious conquest he ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the ryghte hande of his father is our Lorde and we his seruantes derely boughte All this you haue learned in the last sermon but now good childrē in this thirde parte of the Crede you shall lerne to knowe the thirde person in trinitie y e holy gost and also his benefites and giftes that we maye knowe what we haue receyued of God after our redēption wherby we may be made mete to come to euerlastynge lyfe thorough the merites of Christ. For althoughe our Lord Iesus Christ hath redemed vs from y e captiuitie of synne death and hel and hath set vs agayne in the fauor of God yet we should haue no knowledge of these great benefites we should feale in our cōsciences no comforte ioy or peace by the same yf they were not declared vnto vs by the preachīg of gods most holy word And our consciences should styl remaine troubled and the feare of eternal death and all noughty desiers and concupiscences of the frayle fleshe shoulde euer remaine in vs euē as frō Adams time thei be in vs as sone as we be borne and so we shuld be vtterly vnapte to the kyngdō of God lyfe euerlasting yf we shulde stil remayne as we be borne For yf we wyl be the heyres of god euerlastynge
lyfe we must be borne agayne sanctified or made holy as apperteyneth to y e childrē of y e most holy God Nowe this newe birthe and sanctification the holy gost worketh in vs. And therfore he is called the holy gost because al thing that is sanctified or hallowed is sanctified or made holy by hym Wherfore when the holy goost is not in man then it is not possible that he should be holy althoughe he dyd all the good workes vnder y e sunne And for this cause saincte Paule writing to the Romaines doth cal the holy gost the spirite of sanctification that is to say the spirit that maketh holynes Lerne therefore good children that al we must be made holy and newe men by the vertue of the holy gost and that we can not atteyne this holines by our awn strength or workes and therfore we must beleue in the holy gost that he wil sanctyfye vs at such tyme and place and after that sorte maner as it shall please him And it is our part to gyue place to his workynge not to w tstande thesame And therfore we saye in this Crede I beleue in the holy gost But it is necessarye some thynges here to speake of the maner of sanctification how and after what maner y e holy gost doth hallowe vs y t we maye so prepare our selfes or rather gyue place to the holy goost whiche preuenteth vs that he with his lyght and almighty strenght and power maye worke hys wyll in vs. Now I desier you to marke dyligently by what meanes fashion the holy gost dothe worke thys sanctification or halowyng in vs. After y t our Lorde Iesus Christ by his death passion and resurrection had redemed vs and obteyned for vs that our synnes should be forgyuen and we be made the childrē of God shortly after in the feest of Pētecoste he sent down vp on his Apostles the holy goost in the lykenes of fyery tongues The whiche holy goost gaue them wysdome connynge audacitie and constācie to teach boldly this holy gospell of Christe that is to saye this christen faith whereof we do speake And where they could not be presēt thēselfe or long abide continew in their awne persons thither they sent their disciples other godly learned mē to thē they gaue the holy gost by layng their hādes vpō their heades And this rite or ceremonie to ordē preachers mynisters of gods worde hath cōtinued in the churche euen from the Apostles tyme vnto this day and shall endure vnto the worldes ende For saincte Paule saieth How shal men beleue without a preacher And how shal men preache excepte they be sente And here you may learne that this holy gospel whiche we preache and the doctrine of y e grace of Christe taught in the hole churche cōmeth not of the wil of mā but by the cōmaūdemēt of God by y e motion of the holy gost which doth sturre vp mēs myndes to publishe gods most holy worde and doth worke by his secret inspiration in the prechers and ministers of the same For they wer not able so muche as to open their moughtes to teache so highe mysteries and heauenlye wysedome yf the holy gost did not moue theim therto and worke in theim Neyther wolde the hearers so greatlye esteme the preachers worde and giue so good eare vnto it excepte the holy goost dyd parsuade theym that y e doctrine of the gospell wer of God and cam from heauen Now the holy goost worketh by this worde on this fashiō First he that beleueth y e gospel and receaueth the doctrine of Christ is made the sonne of God as sayncte Iohn witnesseth in his gospel saiyng As manye as receiue him he hath gyuē them power to be made the children of God For when we beleue in Christ and are baptised then we be borne agayne and are made the children of God And when we be his children then he gyueth the holy gost into our hartes as sainct Paule testifieth writyng thus Forasmuche as you be now the children of God therfore God hath sent the spirite of hys sonne into your hartes which cryeth Abba father And when we haue receaued y e holy gost he doth kyndle in our hartes true loue towarde God as saincte Paull writeth in the pistle to the Romaynes in the fifthe chapter The loue of God saith he is poured abrode in our hartes by the holy gost which is gyuen to vs. And where as the true loue of God raygneth there are gods commaundements kept and there begynneth a certen obedience to his wil and pleasure Forthermore the holy goost dothe staye the fleshe and y e lustes of thesame and helpeth vs to ouercome theim that we be not caried away by them but may continew in clennes and holynes of lyfe These be the benefites and workes of y e holy gost in vs. And to thentent you maye the more easely beare them awaye I wil as briefly as I can repete theym agayne vnto you First of all y e holy gost prouoketh stirreth vp men to preache gods worde Than he moueth mēs hartes to faith calleth them to baptisme and than by faith and baptisme he worketh so y t he maketh vs newe men agayne And whē we be thus newely borne and made again and be bicome the children of God then the holy gost doth dwel in vs and make vs holy godly that we may be y e temples of God in whome God maye dwell and inhabite Also thys holy ghoste doeth daylye more and more encrease and establyshe our faythe that we lyke moste louing childrē maie colle and embrace our heuēly father and hang fast about his necke The same holy goost doeth also assure and warrant vs that our synnes be forgyuen and that our pardon is signed with Gods seal He doeth also kyndle in vs a feruent loue towardes God and maketh vs wylling to kepe gods law and commaundementes and helpeth vs also to fyght agaynste synne and to wythstande oure yll appetites and desyers Furthermore with the crosse of syckenes diuerse other kindes of afflictions and aduersities the holy gooste doth as it were crucifie and mortifie vs to the world that we may lyue to Christ. And this worke he woorketh continually in vs and cesseth not vntil he hath wrought in oure hartes a perfecte faythe a perfect charitie and vntyl synne and all euell desyres be cleane at lengthe purged oute of vs by the death of our bodies And then we shalbe perfecte in all holines and cleane delyuered from all synne aduersitie and be heires of oure fathers kyngdome and hys true and most derely beloued children Wherefore good chyldren as heretofore you haue bene taught that we oughte to beleue in God the father that made vs and in God the sonne that redemed or boughte vs so you muste nowe learne to beleue in the holy goste that hathe hallowed vs and doth cōtinually more and more renew
and make holy all those that beleue the gospell For he that beleueth in Iesus Christe that he is oure Lorde and oure redemer to him God gyueth the holy gost to make him holye and ryghtuouse As sayncte Paule witnesseth saiyng No man can cal Iesus lord but by the holy goste And for asmuch as now it hath ben plainelie declared vnto you after what sorte and manner the holy gooste doth sanctifie vs it is your part not onely to emprynt this lesson diligently in youre myndes but also to desier God with continuall and earnest prayers that he wyll vouchesafe more and more to sanctifie you And as muche as lyeth in you apply your selfes to heare godly sermons and gyue youre hartes to God lyke waxe apte and mete to receyue what thyng so euer it shal please him to prynt in you For he that is wyllynge and glad to lysten to godly sermons he that is studyous to learne the word of god wherin christ is preached w t a stedfast faith cleueth to y e promise of y e gospel ▪ he is made partaker of this Sāctificatiō and holynesse and of this so great comforte and euerlastyng saluation For God sayeth by his prophet Esaye My worde shall not returne to me in vayne And saynct Paule sayeth that the gospell is the power of God where wyth he wourketh the saluation of all them that beleue Nowe the rest that folowethe in the Crede is a shorte declaration of these thynges before rehersed For it foloweth in the Crede I beleue the holy catholycke churche that is to saye all godly and Christē men must beleue that the gospel or doctryne of goddes grace thorowe the merites of oure sauiour Iesus Christ is neuer in vayne published in the worlde or sowed abrode without fruit but euer there is founde some companye of men or some congregacion of good people whiche beleue the gospel and be saued And this cōpanie of men whiche beleueth the gospell although here vpō earth thei be seuered in sōdry places yet are they called one holy catholike or vniuersal churche of Christe that is to saie a multitude cōgregation or companye of Christen people For this worde churche doth not here betoken a temple or churche buylded of tymber and stone but it signifieth a companye of men lyghtened with the spirite of Christe whiche do receaue the gospel and come together to heare gods wourde and to praye And this Christē churche is a cōmunyon of sainctes that is to saye all that be of this cōmunion or cōpany be holy be one holy body vnder Christe their heed they be one holy congregation or assemble And this congregation receaueth of their hedde and Lorde Iesus Christe all spirituall riches and gyftes that perteyneth to the sanctification and making holy of the same bodye And these gostly treasuers be commen to y e hole body and to euery membre of the same For he that is vnfainedly a faythfull and Godly man is made partaker of these benefites And these are the sayde gyftes which be commē to y e hole church of Christ and to euery membre of the same The first is that God the father that euerlastīg and endles maiestye is our most gentle mercyful father That God y e sonne is our redemer and mediatour betwene the father and vs. And that God the holy gost is y e commen sanctifier or halower of all theim y t haue a true faithe in God The second is the preaching of y e gospel thadministration of baptisme and the sacrament of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the whiche we are made partakers of all the inheritaunce of heauē of all the benefites of Christe The third is prayer The fourth is the crosse of affliction and aduersitie whiche God sendeth to all godly men to make theim to knowe him to proue therby trye their faith to mortifye their fleshe to make clene the corruption of the same And here I speake onely of the crosse which good men suffre For thafflictions of the vnfaithful and vngodly do rather hurt them then make them holy For inasmuch as their vnpatientnes is encreaced by such aduersitie thei be brought to more disperatiō and damnatiō Nowe it is very good for you to knowe these thinges that you may also knowe that there is nothyng in heauē or erthe better for vs thā is the true knowlege of God and that these excellent gyftes and benefites cannot be had but onely in the foresayde churche or cōgregatiō and no where els But whan the true churche which is ruled by the holy gost the worde of God dothe promyse vs these so great riches and benefites we ought not to doute but that we haue alredye receaued them And when y e churche doth happoint and ordeine vs to be preachers and ministers of these most pretiouse treasures we must stedfastly beleue that God effectuously worketh with vs that he is present with vs and that he at all tymes doth strengthen vs agaynst the worlde and the deuyll and that he doth helpe vs to do all thynges accordyng to our callyng prosperously and with good successe Secondly we must beleue the remission of synnes Therfore next vnto this article I beleue the holy catholique churche the communion of saintes is added y e forgeuenes of synnes For where so euer the churche of Christ is there is frely offred that eternall comfort aboue all measure that is to say the fauore of God and remission of synnes And without that churche is no remission of synne Wherefore we must seke remission of synnes in the churche of Christ and desier absolution That when y e true churche by their ministers doth promyse vs remissyon of our synnes and here in erthe dothe absolue vs we may surely trust that in heauē also before God we be absolued pardoned Thirdly We must beleue the resurrection of the fleshe wherefore after tharticle of the remission of synne foloweth next this article I beleue the rysing agayne of y e fleshe for among other ponyshmentes for originall syn layd vpon Adam his posterity we daily see this horrible paine that the goodly beawtiful bodye of man created to immortalitie must nedes ones be dissolued by deathe and brought to a filthye and stinckyng corse and graue that the tyranny of synne whiche so long as we liue rageth in our fleshe by our deathe may ceasse haue an ende as saint Paule saith vnto the Romanes For by deathe of the body cease all the desires concupiscences and rages of y e mynde whiche be against the wil and commaundementes of God There ceassith also all synnes against our neighbours as Ire enuie lechery couetuousnes pride and all ill affectyons and at the last day god shall rayse vs agayne frō death so that such infirmities and synnes shall no more be founde in vs but we shal be pure spiritual and immortal and lyke to the bright clere bodye of Christ. And that we
may y e more assuredly beleue this both Christ himself rose from death and many saintes also w t hym Fourthely we must beleue euerlastyng lyfe Wherefore it foloweth in the Crede I beleue euerlastynge lyfe that is to saye I beleue that whā we shall ryse from death then we shall lyue euer with Christe in parfite holynes and iustice and in suche a gloriouse ioy as no toung can tell nor hart thincke And this treatise of the Crede we must end with this wourde Amen which is asmuche to saye as I beleue that al the articles of our beliefe before rehersed be very true and thereof I haue a sure faithe trust and confidence Therefore good children from the bottome of your hartes you must beleue in the holy gost whiche doth promyse vnto vs remission of our synnes by al y e true preachers ministers of goddes worde And he dothe also geue light to our hartes and myndes and moueth vs to beleue goddes worde and to put our faith and trust in hym And the same holy goost dothe dayly purifye sanctifye vs purge and clense vs from sinne and after this bodily death shall rayse vs agayne to euerlasting life And take this for a sure conclusion and doubt nothynge thereof that the holy goost as he hath begonne these thīges in vs so he will fynyshe thesame in vs yf we obey him and continue in faith vnto thēde of our liues For he y t cōtinueth vnto y e ende shal be saued And this is the summe and also the most plaine vnderstāding of this thirde parte of the Crede entreatyng of our sanctificatiō or halowing Wherefore good children marke well this lesson that when ye be demaunded howe vnderstande you the thirde parte of the Crede yee may answer thus I beleue y t neither by mās strength power or wysedome neyther by myne awne endeuour nor cōpasse of myn awne reason I am able to beleue in Iesus Christ or to come vnto hym But the holy goost did call me by the worde of y e gospell and with y e giftes of his grace he hath hitherto endowed me halowed me and in the true faith he hathe hitherto preserued and confirmed me this he hath not done only to me but also he calleth and gathereth togyther in the vnitye of one faith and one baptisme all the vniuersal churche that is here in earth and he halloweth kepeth and preserueth thesame in the true knowledge of Christ and faith in his promyses And in this churche he geueth free and general pardō to me and to al that beleue in him of al our synnes offences and trespasses and at the last day he shall rayse me and all other y t be deade and al that dyed in the true faithe of Iesus Christ he shall glorifye in the lyfe euerlastyng Therefore to the sayde holy gost that sanctefyeth vs with y e father that made and created vs and the sonne that redemed vs be geuen all honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ A generall preface to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon made vpon the Lordes prayer YE haue learned heretofore good childrē in y e Crede what we ought to beleue and in the ten cōmaūdemētes what we ought to do but we can neyther beleue nor do as we ought to do excepte the holy gost worke with in vs bothe a true faith also a dewe obedyence towardes God and his lawe For faith is the gyfte of God and all good thinges commeth from the father of lightes Therefore we must nedes aske and craue these benefites at his hande whiche only is the gyuer of theim For so Christ saieth that God the father wyll gyue to vs his children all thinges so that we sue to hym for theim And the prophet Dauyd saieth Cal vpon me in the daye of thy trouble and I shal deliuer the and thou shalt glorifye me Also our Sauioure Christ commaūdeth vs to do y e same sayng Aske and you shal haue seke and you shall fynde knocke and the dore shall be opened vnto you Now therfore seyng that we haue learned what we shoulde beleue and do it is most necessary for vs to cal for gods grace with most feruēt and ernest prayers that we may be able to performe y e thinge whiche we are bounde to do For our sauiour Christ hath promised vs that what soeuer we aske the father in his name he wyll gyue it vs. Also he saieth that what soeuer we aske yf we beleue we shal receaue y e same Wher is to be noted that yf we wyll obteyne oure requestes we must aske in y e name of Christ and also trust assuredly that for Christes sake our praiers shal be heard To aske in Christes name is to aske accordynge to his wil that is to say to aske y t which he hath commaunded Therefore when we praye we may saye thus O God our father and the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ which art in heuē I durst not of myne awn head be so bold to come vnto thy most highe and excellent maiestye to desyer any thyng of the but thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ hath commaūded me so to do and only in his name and at his commaūdemente am so bolde Therfore yf thou hear me y u hearest thy dearly beloued sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ. And yf thou heare me not thē thou hearest not Iesus Christ him selfe who hath sent me to the and hath commaunded me to aske in his name Of this prayer made in fayth speaketh saincte Iohn in his epistle saying This trust we haue in God y t when we aske any thynge accordinge to his will he doth heare vs. Therefore we shoulde stedfastly beleue that God doth heare our prayer For he that beleueth not he shall obtayne nothynge And therefore Christe saith If you beleue you shall obtayne And to thentent that we should beleue surely thynke that we be herde he hath promysed to graunt what soeuer we aske in his name And agayne to thentent that we shuld knowe and be suer that we praye accordyng to his wil he hymselfe hath taught vs howe what we should praye and aske Therfore it is not in our lybertye whether we wil praie or not but by goddes commaundement we be boūde to praye as you haue hearde in the seconde commaundement Now therefore with all dilygence lerne good children y e holy prayer of y e Lord which y e greate doctour and our Lorde Iesus Christ taught vs hymselfe saying to his disciples Ye shall praye after this maner OUre father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kyngdome come Thy wil be don in earth as it is in heauē Geue vs this day our daily bread And forgeue vs our trespaces as we forgeue them that trespace against vs. And suffre vs not to be led into temptacion But delyuer vs from euyl Amen This good children is the prayer of the Lorde
whiche althoughe it be short yet it conteyneth moste great and weyghty matters suche as neyther aungell nor man nor other creature was able so pitheli to cōprise in so few wordes For in this prayer Christ oure Lord teacheth vs to aske all thynges y t eyther be cōmaūded vs in the ten cōmaundementes or promysed vs in y e article of our Crede Wherfore good children you ought to endeuour your selfes not only to lerne without y e boke this most holy prayer taught vs by Christes owne mouthe our great master teacher but also you ought to giue dilygence to vnderstāde iustlye to weye euery worde of so great a master that when you be apposed herein you maye be able to make a directe answer and also in tyme to come to teache your childrē the true vnderstāding of this praier as you youre selfes be nowe instructed For what greater shame can ther be before God and man thā whā in our mouthes we professe our selues to be christē men and to knowe what we ought to beleue and howe to lyue and yet to be ignoraunt what thynge we ought to aske of God and after what maner we ought to aske those thinges whiche he of his goodnes hath promised most largely to gyue vs. Or els yf we knowe howe and what to aske yet of neglygence slouth or contempt of God not to aske the same in dede in suche wise as we ought to do Specially seynge y t the propre office of a Christen man is to call vpon God in all his busynes and necessities to gyue thankes and euermore to honoure his mooste blessed name with moost hye laudes and prayses Wherfore good children for asmuche as God hath commaunded vs to resorte to hym boldelye and to moue oure selues to him in all our troubles and aduersities and hathe promysed that he wyll heare our praiers delyuer vs and graunt vs al thinges necessary for our saluatiō let vs not refuse this honoure that we be called vnto let vs not refuse this remedie helpe ayde and succoure that is freelye offered of oure most mercifull father to all his children that wyll call vpon his name For this is a sacrifice most acceptable to God wherwith he is moost higly honored and pleased Wherfore good children bothe daily and hourely accustome your selfes euen from your tender age to praye to your heauenly father for all thinges necessarie Offer vp vnto hym at youre vprisinge and downe leyinge before youre meales and after your meate this sacrifice of your lyppes the oblatiō of praise and thankes gyuing wourshippe hym at al tymes with the frankyncense of thys prayer taught vnto you by your sauiour Christ. The perfume wherof yf it be cast into the burnynge coles of faythe and charitie it perceth the cloudes and is so swete and pleasant vnto God that it vanishethe not awaye vntyll it haue obteined that thynge that it was sente for For it is writen that the prayer of a iust man can do much with god and the eyes of the Lord do looke vpō the rightuous and his eares be opened to heare theyr prayers Wherfore studye you to be the children of God and there is no doubte but youre heauenly father wyll gyue all good thinges which you shal desire of him in the name of his sonne and your brother Iesus Christ to whom be all glorye nowe and euer Amen This preface must be rehersed before euery sermon of the Lordes prayer The fyrst sermon ¶ A declaration of the fyrst peticion NOw good childrē to the intente you maye the better vnderstande this prayer you shall fyrst learne thys lesson that we wretched synners do not fyrst preuente God and go before him in the worke of our iustification but it is God that layeth the fyrst foundation of our saluation he begynneth with vs and fyrste calleth vs by the gospell Fyrst he sendeth vnto vs godly and faythful ministers by whom we be baptised and before we do anye good woorke he offereth vnto vs hys grace he sēdeth vnto vs preachers and messengers of peace whiche declare vnto vs the glad tidinges of the gospell and the promises of the fauoure of God towardes all them that truely repente theym of theyr euyll lyuynge and do moue theym to put theyr trust in Gods mercye for pardon of the same God also openeth our hertes that we maye lysten and gyue credit to his holy preachers as Christ hym self sayeth Ye haue not fyrste chosen me but I haue chosen you Nowe forasmuche as God hathe thus called vs to the fayth and by fayth hath gyuen vs lyght in our heartes that we maye forsake all straunge Gods and beleue onely in him now it is our parte to lead our lyfe in godlynes to desier god with hertye and feruente prayers that it maye please hym to make perfecte that thyng which he hath begonne in vs to healpe strengthen vs that by his grace we may be able to do those thinges whiche he hath commaunded vs and that he wyll augment and increase our fayth in vs. For the prayer of the vnfaythful is nothinge worth before God and without faithe it is vnpossible to please God Therefore God must beginne and cal vs by his worde and put faith in our heartes or elles we shoulde neuer aske nothing of him And for this cause we be not taught in the lordes prayer to saye to God Father graunt me to beleue that thou art my father but we be taught to say thus Oure father whiche arte in heauen halowed be thy name That is to saye o Lorde God our heauenly father before I beganne to praye and before I knewe thy name thou through thin exceding greate mercye didst sende vnto me thi preachers by whom thou didst declare vnto me that thou art my father for Iesus Christes sake and thou didst open my heart that I might beleue that thou arte my father Therfore graunt I besech the my heauenlye father that thy name maye be halowed And he y t taketh not God to be his father yet he maye lerne that it is so by this prayer For Christ our Lorde knewe most certenly the wil of his heuenly father that is to say that he would be oure moste swete and louynge father for els he woulde not haue taught vs this title our father and therfore must we again vpō our parties haue suche a loue and obedience to hym as becommeth the childrē vnto their father conceyue a most assured trust in God who is all our fathers that we shall lacke nothyng necessarye for vs and that nothyng shalbe able to hurt as long as we haue so mighty and so louyng a father We see by dayly experience howe intierlye the fathers loueth their children what care they take to bryng theim vp in vertue and lernyng and to get theim good maysters and gouernours howe they labore to prouide for their liuing and al thīges necessary for theim And if perchance theyr childrē cōmitteth any faulte for the whiche they deserue
oure selfes and prouoke other to do the lyke whiche we shall do yf we preache and teache the worde of God purelye and agree vnto the same in pure innocent lyuynge so that no man can reprehende vs yf we beleue Gods word ▪ and professe thesame in all necessities call vpon hys name and gyue hym thankes for all his benefites But whan false doctrine is taughte than the name of God is defiled and false doctrine is honored and taken for the holy worde of God which in dede is not holy but wicked and the false inuentiō of the deuyll the inuentour of all lyes and falsehode And howe can the holy name of god be more horribly abused thā whan the deuyls lyes and false inuentions be sette out and honoured vnder the pretence and coloure of Gods holye name that by that meanes the people maye the sonner be deceyued Moreouer the name of God is not halowed but blasphemed and dispised whan the true woorde of god is cruelly persecuted as Cain persecuted his brother Abell For whan the vngodly hypocrites do call the gospell and true doctrine of Christe heresy and errore than is God as it were accused of heresy which gaue the sayde doctrine whiche is an horrible blasphemie of Gods name Also whan we beleue not the worde of God than we violate and do iniurie to y e name of God not takynge hym to be true The name of God is halowed also but lytle regarded and contemned whan the gospel worde of God is not boldely professed before the worlde For he that denyeth y e gospel and doth not constantly stāde vnto it but for feare of men doth shrynke from it and reuoketh those thinges which before he hath truly godly taught he counteth not Iesus Christ the sonne of the lyuing God nor hys holy worde and gospell to be of that value and estimation that he wil for their sakes speake boldely or suffer any thynge before the kynges and powers of the worlde Also we do not halowe y e name of God whan we cal God our father and bost our selfes to be his childrē and yet that thing whiche we professe we do not parforme by holy and godly liuing For an vnthristy wicked child is a dishonour to his father Herof complayneth God by the Prophet Ezechiel the .xxvi. Chapter saying By you my name is blasphemed amonge people nations And he also regardeth not the holy name of God that doth not cal vpon God and gyue thankes to god as though he wer not the very true God which hath holpen hym and both can and wyll helpe him in all his nedes For he that knowlegeth himselfe that he is holpē of God he of dewty must nedes gyue hym thankes therefore and he y t trusteth to be holpē must lykewyse cal vpon hym for the same Therefore briefly to conclude he y t teacheth any other thā goddes true doctrine that beleueth not in the name of Christe that doth not boldely confesse y e worde of God that doth not leade hys lyfe accordyng to the gospel that doth not cal vpō God in al necessitie that doth not willyngly and gladly gyue thankes to God for al his benefites he dispiseth God and his holy name gyueth occasion to other to do y e lyke which of al other is the greatest offence to God Therefore we ought to praye that God kepe and defende vs from this synne This is the meanynge plaine vnderstandynge of this petition The name of God is of it selfe holy but in this petitiō we desier that we may also halow it which we do whan the worde of God is purely sīcerely taught whā we walke and lyue accordynge to the gospel This graunt vs O heuēly father For he that teacheth other doctrine than the pure word of God he dyshonoreth and defyleth the worde of God Wherfore from this synne good Lorde defende vs. Lerne these thinges dilygentlye good children and whan you be asked how vnderstande you this first petition you shall aunswer The name of God of it selfe is holy but here we do aske that it may be halowed of vs. And whā you be asked how is it halowed of vs Answere whan the worde of God is puerly and syncerelye taught whan we leade our lyfe in this worlde holyly and godly as it becommeth the veray true children of God Here in this point succour vs good Lorde helpe vs O heauenly father For he that either teacheth or liueth otherwise than the worde of God requireth he dyshonoreth and polluteth the worde of God The generall conclusion in all sermons of the Lordes praier Thus you haue herde good children the summe and mynd of this firste seconde thirde c. peticion kepe this in your memorye cease not to make your prayers vnto the Lorde nothyng dowting but he wil heare you make you holy and veray godly as the true children of God without faulte whiche haue their father in heauen For he hath promysed to graunt vs what soeuer we aske in his name And in his name we aske when so euer we say his prayer and vse the same forme of praier whiche he prescribed vnto vs and commaūded vs so to praye Therefore we ought to beleue in our hartes that God doth heare for so muche as he is oure father For whan we giue faithe vnto hys promyses than surelye he hearethe vs and by our prayer we trust to obteyne that thynge which we aske and to obey and parforme such thinges as he hath commaunded which thing God graunte vs all Amen Thy kyngdome come BEfore you herd in the first petytion howe we praye in it that God wyll graūt vs that we may fulfyll the seconde commaundemente that is to saye that we take not the name of God in vaine but that it maye be sanctified and honored by vs. Nowe foloweth the seconde petitiō wherin we pray y t God wil graunt vs strength to fulfyll the thirde commaundement whyche is reuerently to vse and to halow y ◠sabboth day whiche is not done by easynge only from all outward bodely laboures but it is chieflye done whan we mortifye the desyers of the fleshe dilygentlye heare the worde of God and obeye the same in our hartes whiche we can not do without a special and synguler grace and fauoure of God Therefore we haue nede feruently to praye euyn as Christe hath caught vs in this secōde petition Thy kingdome come That you maye vnderstande these wordes rightly iustly take good dilygent hede that you may lerne what y t kingdome is whiche you do aske The kyngedome of God as saynt Paule saieth Rom. xiiii is iustice peace and ioye in the holy gost And although these wordes paraduenture seme vnto you harde and darke yet you shal vnderstande theym yf you take good hede You knowe that Emperours kinges in this worlde haue their realmes kyngdomes and those people that be within their landes and dominions and dewly obey their lawes and commaundemētes those
wyll saying as Christ hath taught vs. Thy wyll be donne in earthe as it is in heauen And because the wyl of God wherby he requireth here in earth obedience to lawes and gouernours is expressed very plainly in the seuen latter commaundementes before rehersed therefore whensoeuer you wyll make thys prayer to God and saye Thy wil good Lorde be done in earth as it is in heauen you must before call to your remembraunce these seuen commaundementes with their exposition vnto you hertofore declared For in this shorte request you comprise asmuche as yf you shuld praye on this fashion O God oure mooste mercyfull father in heauen gyue vs thy grace and healpe that we maye obey our parentes and commen officers and honour them with all our hertes keape vs frome manslaughter from enuye hatred malice anger desyre of reuengynge and all euell myndes towarde our neyghbours Graunt that we may hartely loue oure neyghbours and do theim good both in wordes and deades Graunte vs to lyue purelye and chastely to auoyde all occations of offence to prouoke no bodye to vncleane lyuynge but y t we maye studye to saue euery mans womans chastitie and honestye Graunt that neyther by thefte gyle or anye craftye meanes we take brybe or keape awaye anye mans goods from him but rather that we maye helpe theim to saue and kepe their riches and yf any of thē be in pouertie that we maye be wyllyng to releaue them wyth our almes and charitie Graunte that we hurte no man wyth false witnes bearing or lying but that we maye bothe iudge and speake all goodnes of our neyghboure Kepe vs from all euell lustes and desyres that we couet not oure neyghbors goodes nor hauke or hunt after any thinge that is hys For all these be the commaundementes of thy holy godlye wyll wherto thou hast commaūded vs to be obedyente And marke well these wordes I praye you good children that we do not onely praye God that hys wyll maye be donne but also we desyer y t it maye be fulfylled here of men in erth euen as it is of the angels in heauen Nowe the angels in heauen fulfyll Gods wyll most perfectlye bothe with moost feruent loue and moste perfyte obedience And there is not in anye of the heauenly spirites any euell desier to do any thynge contrarye to gods wyll but they be whollye inflamed with moste perfecte loue towarde God Euen so oughte we also to be that dwell here in earth But the wekenes and euylnes of mans hart is so greate that we be not able to perfourme the same For oftentymes we obey Gods wyll nothyng at all but gyue our selues wholly to the lustes of our fleshe oftentimes we do that God requirethe of vs grudgynglye coldly as it were halfe agaynste our willes This is a great feblenes or rather an horrible sykenes lepry corruption and pestylente contagion of originall synne by meanes wherof they that be most holy here in earthe be not perfecttely iust and rightuous but euer they want many thinges that belong to their perfection We must therefore continually praye God to gyue vs his grace helpe that we may fulfyll his holy wyll and be made as iust and obediente as the angels whiche be in heauen Forthermore good children you shall note that when we saye thy wyll be donne we do not onelye praye for our selues but for other also that bothe we they maye do the holy wyl of God And whē any man goeth about to do anye vngodly thinge whiche is agaynste gods wyll then we praye in this petition that God wyll let his naughty purpose that gods wyl onely maye be donne This praier also is against the deuyl and thys most corrupte worlde that neither the deuels will neither the wyll of the wicked worlde maye be done For when we heare the gospell preached vnto vs and gyue credyte to it and frame our lyfes and conuersation after the same then Satan rageth and is sore greued and vexed than he calleth all hys wittes vnto him setteth all hys studye craftye to styrre vp false and braynesyke doctors to sowe the cockell of heresye and erroneous opinions wher the good sede of gods word was first sowē Thē he is busye to rayse vp persecutions seditiōs insurrections cōmotyons warre and blasphemies whereby ye maye let the worde of God to haue his course and trouble the kingdome of Christe And Satan is not alone whē he fyghteth against Christ and his kyngdome but he hath on his syde this false and deceyuable worlde and also oure owne fleshe whyche do not cease to intyce and moue vs agaynst gods most holy wil. But when we say in the lordes prayer thy wyll be donne then we do not only pray that both we and other maye kepe gods commaundemētes but we praye also that the moste naughty wyll of the Deuel and the corrupte worlde maye be broken and only the wyll of God maye be fulfilled that in commen welthes maye be peace and quietnes the gospell frely fruitefully preached and that we may lede in this world holy and godly lyues And forasmuche as Christe oure Lord hath cammaunded vs thus to praye and hath promysed that whatsoeuer we aske the father in his name he wyl gyue it vnto vs we ought stedfastly to beleue and nothyng doubte but that he wyll staye all the craftye imaginations and compassynges of the worlde and the deuel and defende vs against all persecutions that we maye kepe and lerne his worde in peace and quietnes Wherefore our dewtie is stedfastly to cleue to the gospell dylygently to studye and learne the worde of God and constantly w tout feare to confesse and abyde by the same For Christ himself saith He that confesseth me before men I wyll also confesse and acknowlege him before my father in heauen But he that denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father in heauen Also good childrē you shal dilygently learne this lesson whiche I praye you to prynt wel in your memories that in this peticion we yelde oure selues wholly to God to be ordered after his wyll and pleasure and willynglye to beare what soeuer crosse or trouble he shal lay vpon our sholders For we praye y t hys wil maye be done than we forsake our awne wyl and make a whole resignation thereof into Gods hādes that it may not take effecte whiche of it selfe desier nothynge but helth of body riches honors rest and quietnes where as gods wyll is contrarye that oftentymes we shoulde be tryed in oure faithe by aduersyties and beare oure crosse as our Lorde and mayster Christ was crowned with thornes and nayled on the crosse for oure sakes This sainct Paule witnesseth writyng these wordes whom God hathe chosē before the beginnyng of the worlde them also hath he ordeyned to be lyke the image of his sonne And our sauioure Christe himselfe sayeth He that taketh not his crosse foloweth me is not worthye to
be my dysciple And this is not a token of gods angre when he sendeth vs afflyetion or aduersitie but rather a signe of his loue toward vs. For he chasteseth euery childe whome he loueth as the wyse man Salomon witnesseth And they that fele not his rodde be not his true children but rather bastardes as sainte Paule writeth in thepistle to the Hebrues Wherefore good children larne patience that you may gladly suffer aduersitie For correction is a teachyng and whē God shall trye your faith with sycknes pouertie persecution or any other kynde of aduersitie reioyce and be glad For these be euident tokens of gods fatherly loue towarde you and that he wil kepe you cleane from synne and corruption of this worlde and brydle your wyll that you maye learne to knowe gods holy wyll whiche is a wonderful wisdome And therefore sayncte Paule so many tymes repeteth in his epystles these wordes that is to say that you maye knowe the wyll of God For this knowledge is a most high and heauēly wysedome and obedyence most lyke to the obedience and holines of thangels in heauen And you be bounde to obey God in sufferyng his rodde and crosse For God in our baptysme hath made this couenaunt with vs that we must dye and be buryed with Christe be grafted in his passion and death if we wil ryse againe and be glorified with him in the kyngdome of heauen whereunto he is rysen and assended Wherefore good children marke wel these lessons that you maye learne pacience in all afflictions and aduersities whether you suffre sycknes pouertie reproches or persecution for the gospel And what soeuer kynde of aduersitie troubleth you perswade your selues for a suertye that it is Gods wil that you should suffer and be tryed And therfore Christ sayeth One heare shal not fal from your headde without the wyll of your father whiche is in heauen Therfore yf perchaunce at any tyme you shalbe moued to impacience in your trouble and aduersitie then with all your hertes call vpon God for his ayde and succour desyre hym to sende you the gyfte of pacience and saye Thy wyll good Lorde be done and not ours For so oure sauyour Christ hath not onely taught vs to pray but he himselfe also dyd vse the lyke prayer not longe before he suffered his passion And this is the playne meaning of this thirde petition concernyng y e fulfyllyng of Gods wyll Nowe I pray you good children applye your willes and mindes to learne y e same that whē you be demaunded how vnderstād you y e thirde petition you may answer after this maner Althoughe Gods holy wyll be done w tout our praier yet we pray that it maye be done in vs and fulfylled among vs here in earth Which is done whan God doeth ouerthrow and destroy the wicked counsels of the deuell of worldlye people and of oure owne fleshe whiche do all that lyeth in theim to let and hynder the kyngdome of God and the halowynge of his name and doeth kepe vs in the true knowledge of his worde in the lyuely faithe of Christ in hys loue and obedyence of hys commaundementes For this is the holye and perfecte wyll of God whiche God graunte vs to keape nowe and euer Amen Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade YE haue herd how in the former petitions we desyer of God to gyue vs al thinges that belong to the fulfyllynge of hys holy commaundementes that we maye leade a godly lyfe aswell towardes God as also towarde oure neighbours Wherby we be euidently taught that we be not able to fulfyll the lawe and commaundementes of God without the grace of Christe and Goddes healpe Nowe foloweth the other four peticions in the whiche we praye God that he wyll vouche safe to gyue vs all those thinges whiche be promysed vnto vs in the gospell and whiche our Crede teacheth vs to loke for And first in this fourth petition we sue to God to graunte vs all those thinges which we be taught to beleue in the first parte of oure Crede concernyng our creation For when we saye Gyue vs thys daye oure daylye breade we praye to God that as through his great mercye and goodnesse he dydde create vs so he wil lykewyse nouryshe and feade vs. Wherefore good children yf you wyll vnderstande this peticion you must call to your remembraunce those lessons which wer taught you in the first article of oure belefe intreatyng of the creation For seynge that God hathe made heauen and earth he is lorde and mayster of al creatures in heauen or erthe and all be vnder his wil and pleasure And forasmuche as he made them all for vs he hath appointed them all to serue vs and to healpe and releue our necessities Wherefore let vs not be carefull for meate or drincke or other thinges necessary for oure lyuynge But lette vs put oure confidence in God oure father whiche hath made vs and giuen vs our lifes and we may be sure that he wyll also sende vs all thinges necessarie for the preseruation and maintenaūce of the same For seyng that he made al creatures of nothing it muste nedes be that all creatures muste obey hys wil and commaundemente And in case ther were not in the world creatures sufficient to nourish vs yet we shoulde not mistrust hym for he is able to make newe creatures to gyue vs all thinges necessarie And to the intent that no man shoulde truste in hymselfe thynkynge that by his owne wysdome or laboure he is able to get all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of his lyfe Christe hathe taught vs to aske these thynges of oure heauenlye father whiche onely is able to preserue and feade vs. Of him therefore oughte we hertely to aske the same saying Gyue vs this daye oure daylye breade For this thinge tendeth to the glorie of god and syngulerly pleasethe him whan we aske of hym al thynges necessarie for vs. And for this cause God hath commaunded vs to praye contynually wythout ceasynge And our sauyour Christ hath promysed vs that he wyl gyue vs all thynges whiche we shall aske in his name And it is euident by the wordes of this petition that we ought oftentymes to praye For Christ hath not taught vs to aske our sustinaunce for fyfthy or thre score yeare nor yet for one yeare no nor for one moneth or weake but he hath wylled vs to aske our dayly breade And he saieth Be not carefull for to morowe for to morow bryngeth care enough of it selfe Now yf we shal not be careful for to morow but onely require of God sustinance necessarye for the present daye it is manyfest hereby that it is gods wyll that we shoulde aske agayne of him to morow For we shal haue asmuch nede of meate and drynke to morowe as we haue this presēt daye yet we praye not for to mrowes fode but for this dayes sustinance onli Wherefore good children accustome
these sacramentes is baptisme by the whiche we be borne again to a new and heauenly lyfe and be receaued into gods churche and congregation whiche is the foundation and pyller of the trueth The seconde is absolution or the authoritie of y e keyes wherby we be absolued from suche synnes as we be fallen into after oure baptisme The thirde sacrament is the communion or y e Lordes supper by the whiche we be fedde and nourished and fortified in y e faith of the ghospell and knowlege of Christ that by this fode we maye growe more and more in newnes of lyfe so that we maye be no longer children but maye waxe perfecte men and ful growē in Christ. For I wolde you should wel know this good children that a Christen mās knowlege and lyfe is a more excellēt thing than vnlerned people can iudge For a christen man hathe the certen worde of God where vpon he maye grounde hys conscience that he is made a christen man and is one of Christes mēbers which he is assured of by baptisme For he that is baptysed maye assuredlye saye thus I am not now in this wauering opiniō that I only suppose my selfe to be a christiā man but I am in a sure belefe that I am made a Christen mā For I know for a suerty that I am baptised I am sure also that baptysme was ordeyned of God and that he whiche baptysed me did it by gods commission and commaundemente And the holy goste doth witnes that he whiche is baptysed hathe put vpon hym Christ. Wherfore the holy gost in my baptisme assureth me that I am a Christen man And this is a true and syncere fayth whiche is able to stande agaynste the gates of hell for asmuche as it hath for it the euydence of gods worde and leaneth not to any mans saying or opinion Furthermore good chyldren you shall dylygentlye learne the cause wherefore we are baptysed You haue alredy herde y t by baptisme we be borne agayne The cause of this our secōd birth is the synfulnes and filthynes of our first birth For by our first natiuitie whan we were borne of our fathers and mothers all we were borne in synne and whē we yssued out of oure mothers wombe we were laden with synne and Gods angre as it was at large declared vnto you in the exposition of y e ten cōmaundements and speciallye in the last cōmaundement For as Adam did synne and by sinne was so corrupted both in his body and soule that by his awne power or strēgth he was not able to do any good thinge euen so all the children ofspring of Adam be borne synners so that they can not be iustified by themselues or by their awn strength but are inclined and bent to synne at all tymes And as saynt Paul saieth by nature they be the children of Gods wrath That is to saye God is angrye w t vs for those synnes whiche by nature be as it wer a kynne to vs and we be borne with theim into this world But when we be borne againe by baptisme thē our sinnes he forgyuen vs and the holy goste is giuē vs which doth make vs al so holy doth moue vs to al goodnes Wherefore good children whē a man is baptysed it is as muche to saye as he dothe there confesse that he is a synner and that he is vnder the rule and gouernaūce of sinne so that of himselfe he can not be good or ryghtuous And therefore he commeth to baptisme and there seketh for helpe and remedy and desyreth God first to forgyue him his synnes at length to deliuer him clerely from all synne and perfectely to heale his soule from the sykenes of synne as the physitian doth perfectely heale his patient from bodely diseases And for his parte he promyseth to God againe and solemply voweth that he wyl fyght againste synne with all his strength and power that he wyll gladly beare the crosse and al suche afflictiōs as it shal please God to lay vpon him and that also he wil be contēt to dye y t he may be perfectly healed and delyuered from synne For God doth forgiue vs our synnes by faith but by afflyctions and death he dothe take theim cleane away as saint Peter witnesseth sainge He y t suffereth or is afflycted in y e fleshe doth cesse from synne And sainct Paule sayeth he that is deade is iustified or delyuered from synne These be the promyses which we make whē we are baptised And of this mind must all they be whiche shall haue any fruite by baptisme Wherfore seyng all you that be here are alredy baptysed continewe I praye you in this good mynde and purpose knowlege in your hartes before God that you be synners be sory for y e same and praye to God to heale and delyuer you frō youre sinne Beware you fal not to sinne againe haue no delite in sinne nor synne not wyllyngly But be godly and holy and suffer gladly suche afflictions as God shall lay vpon your backes And yf you do thus then your baptisme shal be auaile able vnto you God shall worke in you by his holy spirit and shall fynyshe in you all those thinges which by baptisme he hath begon Hitherto you haue herde what we promyse to God when we are baptised now learne also I pray you what God worketh in vs by baptisme what benefites he gyueth vs in the same For baptysme is not water alone and nothinge els besides but it is the water of god and hath his strength by y e worde of God and is a seale of gods promyse Wherefore it doth worke in vs all those thinges where vnto God hath ordeyned it For oure Lord Iesus Christ saieth Go and teache all nations and baptyse them in the name of y e father and the sonne and the holy gost This god commaunded his disciples to do Wherfore by the vertue of this commaūdement which came from heuen euen from the bosome of god baptisme doeth wourke in vs as the wourke of God For when we be baptised in the name of God that is as muche to saye as God him selfe shoulde baptise vs. Wherfore we oughte not to haue an eye only to the water but to God rather whiche did ordeine the baptisme of water and commaūded it to be done in his name For he is almyghtye and able to worke in vs by baptisme forgiuenes of our synnes al those wonderful effectes and operatiōs for the whiche he hathe ordeyned the same althoughe mannes reason is not able to conceyue the same Therfore consider good chyldren the greate treasures and benefytes whereof God maketh vs partakers when we are baptised whiche be these The firste is that in baptisme our synnes be forgyuen vs as sainct Peter witnesseth saiynge Let euerye one of you be baptised for the forgiuenes of his synnes The seconde is that the holy gost is gyuen vs the whiche doth sprede abrod the loue of
God in oure harte whereby we maye kepe Goddes commaundementes accordyng to this saying of saynt Peter Let euerie one of you he baptised in the name of christ and then you shall receyue the gyft of the holy ghost The thirde is that by baptisme the whole rightuousnes of Christ is gyuen vnto vs that we maye clayme the same as our owne For so saincte Paule teachethe saying As many of ye as are baptised in Christe haue putte vpon you Christ. Fourthly by baptisme we die with Christ and are buried as it were in his bloude death that we shoulde suffer afflictions and death as Christ himself hath suffered And as that man whiche is baptised doth promise to God that he wyll dye with Christ that he maye be deade to synne and to the old Adam so on the other part God doth promise againe to him that he shalbe partaker of christes death and passion And also God maketh al afflictions whiche he sufferethe to be good and profitable vnto him as was the passion of Christ and not damnable as it was to Iudas and dyuerse other vngodlye parsons By thys which I haue hetherto spoken I trust you vnderstaÌ„de good children wherfore baptisme is called the bath of regeneratioÌ„ and howe in baptisme we be borne agayne and be made new creatures in Christe The whiche doctryne you shall the better vnderstande yf you consider in what coÌ„dition you were before you were baptised and in what state you stande in after your baptisme Firste before we were baptised it is euideÌ„t that we were synners and he that is a synner can haue no peace nor quietnes of coÌ„science before he come to Christ so muche he feareth Goddes wroth and euerlastyng damnation But after that oure synnes in baptisme be forgyuen vs and we beleue the promyse of God and so by oure faith be iustified than our conscyences be quieted and we be glad and mery trustyng assuredly that God is no more angrye with vs for our former offences and that we shal not be damned for y e same And thys is a meruelous alteration and renewyng of the inward manne the whyche coulde be wrought by the power of no creature but by God alone Also before we were baptised we were slaues and boundemen to synne so that we neyther coulde do that good which we would haue done nor could kepe vs from that euil whiche we would not haue done as saint Paule complaynethe of himselfe But whan by baptysme the holy gost was gyuen vs the whiche did spread abrode the loue of god in our hartes and did also delyuer vs from y e boundage and tyrannye of synne and gaue vs new strength power to wrastle against synne and manfullye to withstande our gostly enemye the deuel thaÌ„ after a certen maner we were able to fulfyl gods commauÌ„dementes And this is a greate chaunge and renewyng of the inwarde man And this I wold you shoulde know for a suertye good childreÌ„ stedfastly beleue y e same that no child of y e Iewes or Turkes whiche is not baptysed hathe the holy ghoste neyther that anye suche can vnderstande the worde of God neyther that anye suche is holy or righteous before God Wherefore you shall thanke God with all youre harte whiche hath brought you to baptysme And when you beleue in the name of Christ and loue the ghospell and are glad dyligeÌ„t to hear y e same theÌ„ this is a suer tokeÌ„ y t by the gospel you haue receaued y e holy gost Furthermore he that is a synner not baptised althoughe he had the holy ghoste to this effecte to helpe him to fight againste synne yet oftentymes he is ouer come and falleth to synne And althoughe he doth oftentimes ouercome sinne yet this is a great vnperfectenes y t he dothe it not willingly but that this fight against sinne is tedious and greuous vnto him Wherefore he is euer in perrel lest he be ouercome of syn And in case he doth manfully w tstande synne yet he seeth that his iustyce and obedience be to weake and vnperfecte to stande before the iudgement of God as in dede no man not the holyest is able to stande before y e iudgemeÌ„t of God by his awne rightuousnes But when in baptisme the rightuousenes of Christ is gyuen and imputed to hym then he is delyuered from al those perrels For he knoweth for a suerty that he hath put vpoÌ„ him Christ and that his weakenes imperfectioÌ„ is couered hydde with the perfecte ryghtuousnes and holynes of Christ. Wherfore after baptisme he doth not trust in his awne rightuousnes but in Christ only And he is no more pensyue or doubteful coÌ„syderynge his awne weaknes but he is ioyful because he coÌ„sidereth that he is made partaker of Christes rightuousnes And this agayne is a great alteratioÌ„ and renewyng of the inwarde man These newe affections and spiritual mocions are in the soulles of suche as are borne again by baptisme but they be vnknowne to worldly men and suche as be not led by the spirite of God And wheÌ„ they that beleue and be baptysed do continewe in this their faith to â—he ende of their lyues then God shall rayse them vp from death to lyfe that they maye be immortall and lyue euerlastingly with christ And then when syn and the kingdome of death is vtterli abolished and destroied we shalbe perfectly holy and rightuous both in body and soule And for this cause our sauioure Christ doth cal in y e gospel the rysyng againe from death a regeneration or a seconde begettyng Al these thynges doth baptisme worke in vs wheÌ„ we beleue in Christe And therefore Christe sayeth He that wyll beleue and be baptysed shall be saued But he that wyl not beleue shalbe damned Wherefore good children learne dylygentlye I praye you the fruyt operation of baptisme For it worketh forgyuenes of sin it delyuereth from death power of the deuel it gyueth saluation euerlastynge lyfe to all them that beleue As the wordes of Christes promyse doth euydently witnesse But peraduenture some wil saye Howe can water worke so greate thinges To whome I answere that it is not the water that dothe these thinges but the almyghtye worde of God whiche is knyt and ioyned to the water faith which receyueth gods worde promyse For with out the worde of God water is water and not baptisme But when the worde of the liuing God is added and ioyned to the water then it is the bathe of regeneration and baptisme water and the lyuely springe of eternall saluation and a bathe that wassheth our soules by the holy ghoste as saynct Paule calleth it saying God hath saued vs thorowe hys mercy and made vs partakers of the rightuosnes of hys welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ. Now consyder depely I praie you how great benefytes these be that you maye not be vnkynde to him that hath done so much for you but stedfastlye beleue these thinges mortifye synne
patiently suffre al dyseases aduersities whiche it shal please god to send you and than without dowte you shalbe saued Wherefore good childrē learne these thinges dilygentlye and when you be demaunded what is baptisme Thē you shal answer baptisme is not water alone but it is water inclosed and ioyned to the worde of God and to the couenaunte of Gods promyse And these be the wordes wherby our Lorde Iesus Christ did ordeine baptisme which be written in the last chapter of sainct Mathew Go and teache all nations baptisynge theym in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost And when you shalbe asked what auayleth baptisme you shal answer Baptisme worketh forgyuenes of synne it delyuereth from the kyngdome of the deuel and from death giueth lyfe and euerlastyng saluation to all them that beleue these wordes of Christ promise of god which are wrytten in the laste chapter of sainct Marke his gospel He that wil beleue and be baptised shalbe saued But he that will not beleue shalbe damned Thirdly yf a man aske you how can water bryng to passe so greate thynges ye shall aunswer Uerely the water worketh not these thynges but the worde of God whych is ioyned to the water and fayth whiche dothe beleue the worde of God For without the worde of God water is water and not baptisme but when the worde of the lyuyng God is ioyned to the water then it is baptisme and water of wonderful holsomnes and the bath of regeneration through the holy gohst as saincte Paule writeth God saued vs by the bath of regeneratiō and renewyng of the holy ghost whom he powred vpon vs plenteously by Iesus Christ our sauiour that we beyng made rightuous by his grace maye be heyres of euerlastyng lyfe Fourthly Yf a mā aske you what doth the baptisynge in the water betoken aunswer ye it betokeneth that olde Adam with all synnes and euel desyers ought daylye to be kylled in vs by trewe contritiō and repentaunce that he may rise againe from death and after he is risen with Christ may be a new man a new creature and may liue euerlastyngly in God and before God in rightuousnes and holynes As saincte Paule wryteth saying All we y t are baptised are buried w t Christe in to death that as Christ rose agayne by the glorie of his father so we also should walke in newnes of lyfe Thus ye haue hearde good children what is ment by y e wordes of baptisme by the which we are borne again and made newe to euerlastynge lyfe Learne these thynges dilygentlye and thanke God who in Christ hath called you to be partakers of so large and ample benefites And expresse baptisme in your lyfe and baptisme shalbe the greatest comforte to you bothe in your lyfe tyme and also in youre death bed For by baptisme we be grafted into the death of Christe wherfore synne deathe or hell can not hurte vs but we shall ouercome all these thynges by fayth as Christe himselfe ouercame theym And so by this newe byrthe we shall enter into the kyngdome of God and lyfe euerlastynge The whiche God graunte vs all Amen ¶ A sermon of the authoritie of the Kayes THe holye Apostle sainct Paul good children in the tenth chapiter of hys epistle to the Romaynes wryteth on this fashion Who so euer shal cal vpon the name of y e lord shall be saued But how shal they call on hym on whom they beleue not How shal they beleue on him of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare without a preacher Howe shal they preach expcept they be sente By the whiche wourdes saynct Paule doeth euidently declare vnto vs two lessons The fyrst is that it is necessary to our saluation to haue prechers and ministers of Goddes mooste holy worde to instructe vs in the true fayth and knowlege of God The seconde is that preachers must not runne to this hyghe honore before they be called therto but they muste be ordeyned and appoynted to this office and sent to vs by God For it is not possible to be saued or to please God without fayth no mā can truely beleue in God by his owne wytte for of oure selfes we knowe not what we shoulde beleue but we must nedes heare Gods woorde taught vs by other Agayne the teachers except thei be called and sent can not frutfully teache For the seede of Goddes wourde doeth neuer brynge forth fruyt onles the Lorde of the haruest do gyue increase and by hys holye spirite do wourke with the sower But God doeth not worke with the preacher whom he hathe not sente as saynct Paule sayeth Howe shall they preache yf they be not sent Wherfore it is requisite that preachers should be called and sent of god and they must preache according to the authoritie and commission of God graūted vnto them wherby they may strengthen mennes belefe and assure their consciences that God hath commaūded them to preache after this or that fashion For els euerie manne shoulde styll be in doubt and thinke after this sort Who knoweth whether thys be true whiche I heare the preacher saye who can tell whether God hath commaunded him to preach these thynges or no And in case he teacheth no thynge but truth yet I am not sure that God wyll wourke with me as the preacher promyseth Perchaunce these promises perteine to other and not to me These doubtes in the tyme of temptation might trouble mens myndes yf we were not assured that our Lorde Iesus Christ him selfe hathe both ordeyned and appointed ministers preachers to teache vs his holye wourde and to minister his sacramentes and also hath appoynted theym what they shall teache in his name and what they shall do vnto vs. Therfore he called them and sent them and gaue thē instructions what they should do and speake to vs in his name to the intente that we shoulde gyue sure credence vnto theyr wordes and beleue that god wyll worke with vs accordyng to his wordes by them spoken And he hath promised therfore y t what soeuer they shoulde bynde vpon earth shoulde be bounde in heauē whatsoeuer they shuld lose vpon earth shuld be losed in heauen also Wherfore good children to the intente you maye stedfastlye beleue all thinges whiche god by his ministers doeth teache and promise vnto you and so be saued by your fayth learne diligently I prai you by what wordes our lord Iesus Christ gaue this cōmissiō cōmaundemēt to his ministers reherse thē here worde for word that so you may print thē in your memories and recite them the better when you come home The wordes of Christ be these ¶ Our Lorde Iesus brethed on his Apostles sayd Receaue the holye gost whose synnes ye forgyue they are forgyuen vnto them And whose synnes you reserue they are reserued Now good childrē you shal employ your selfes not onely to reherse these wordes without boke but also to vnderstande
what our Lord Iesus Christ ment by them that when you shall be asked any question herein you maye make a dyrect answere and that also in tyme to come you maye be able to instruct your children in the same For what greater shame can ther be eyther in the sight of God or of man then to professe thi selfe to be a Christen mā yet to be ignorāt in what place of scripture and by what wordes Christ commaūded faith and forgyuenes of synnes to be preached Seing y t a Christē man ought to beleue nothyng as an article of his faith except he be assured that eyther it is gods cōmaundement or his worde Now good children that you maye the better vnderstande these wordes of our sauiour Christe you shall knowe y t our Lorde Iesus Christ whē he beganne to preache he ded cal and chose his twelue Apostils and afterwarde besydes those twelue he sent forth thre score and tenne dysciples and gaue thē authoritie to preach the gospel And a litle before his death and passiō he made his prayer to his heuenly father for theim for all those that shoulde beleue thorow their preaching As it is declared in the gospel of sainct Iohn Now it is not to be doubted but y t Christes praier was heard of his heauenly father wherefore it foloweth that as mani as beleued the preaching of Christes discyples were as surely saued as yf they had heard and beleued Christ hymselfe And after Christes assention the Apostelles gaue authoritie to other godly and holye men to minyster gods worde and chiefely in those places wher ther wer Christen mē alredy whiche lacked preachers and the Apostles theim selues could not longer abide with them For the Apostles dyd walke abrod into diuerse partes of the worlde and did studye to plant the gospel in many places Wherefore wher they founde godly men and mete to preache gods worde they layed their handes vpō them and gaue them the holy gost as they theimselues receaued of Christ the same holy gost to execute this office And they that were so ordeyned were in dede and also were called the ministers of God as the Apostles theimselues were as Paule sayeth vnto Tymothy And so the ministratiō of gods worde which our Lorde Iesus Christ hymselfe dyd first institute was deryued from the Apostles vnto other after theim by imposition of hādes and gyuynge the holy ghost from the Apostles tyme to our dayes And this was the consecration ordres vnction of the Apostles wherby they at the begynnynge made Byshopes and pryestes and this shall continewe in y e churche euen to the worldes ende And what soeuer rite or ceremonye hath ben added more than this commeth of mannes ordinaunce and policye and is not commaūded by goddes worde Wherefore good children you shal gyue due reuerence honour to the ministers of y e churche and shal not meanely or lyghtly esteme them in the executiō of their office but you shall take them for gods ministers and the messengers of our Lorde Iesus Christe For Christ himselfe saieth in y e gospel He that heareth you heareth me And he y t dyspiseth you dyspiseth me wherefore good children you shal stedfastly beleue al those thinges whiche suche ministers shall speake vnto you from the mouth and by the commaūdement of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And what soeuer they do to you as when they baptyse you when they gyue you absolution and dystribute to you the bodye and bloude of our Lord Iesus Christe these you shall so esteme as yf Christe hymselfe in his awne person dyd speake and minister vnto you For Christe hath commaunded his ministers to do this vnto you and he hymselfe althoughe you see him not with your bodily eyes is present with his ministers and worketh by the holy ghost in thadministration of his sacramentes And on the other syde you shall take good hede beware of false and priuye preachers whiche pryuely crepe into cities and preache in corners hauyng none authoritie nor being called to this office For Christe is not present with such prechers ▪ and therefore dothe not the holy gost worke by their preching but their worde is withoute fruite or profyt and they do great hurte in commen welthes For suche as be not called of God they no doubte of it do erre and sow abrode heresye and naughty doctrine And yet you shal not thinke good childrē that preachers whiche be lawfully called haue authoritie to do or teache what soeuer shal please thē But our Lord Iesus Christ hath gyuen them playne instructions what they ought to teache and do And yf thei teache or do any other thynge then is conteyned in their commission then it is of no force nor we ought not to regarde it And for this cause our sauioure Christ dyd breath into hys discyples and gaue them the holy gost For where the holy gost is ther he so worketh that he causeth vs to do those thynges whiche Christe hath commaunded And whā that is not done than the holy ghost is not there Wherefore all thynges whiche we shall so speake or do can take none effecte Now the summe of the commission whiche Christ gaue to his dysciples was this that they shoulde preache repentaunce and forgyuenes of synne in his name And he added therto bothe a promise a threatnyng saying He that wil beleue and be baptised shalbe saued But he that wil not beleue shall be damned Wherfore all thinges whiche the ministers of y e churche do saye or do to vs ought to be directed to this ende y t they maye lowse vs and declare vnto vs the forgyuenes of our synnes whē we truly repent and beleue in Christ. But when we do not repent vs of our synne and forsake the same or do not beleue the gospel then they ought to bind or reserue sinne and to declare vnto vs that yf we styl continew in sinne we shal be dampned for euer And when the minysters do thus execute their cōmission then they obey God whose synnes soeuer they forgyue in earth their synnes be forgyuen in heauen also And contrarye wyse whome soeuer they binde in earth their sinnes be boūde also in heauē But yf the ministers wolde interprise to do contrary to their cōmission that is to say to forgyue synnes to vnrepentaunte synners and vnbeleuers or to bynde their synnes and denye theim absolution that be repentaunte and truste in the mercye of God then they shoulde not do wel nor their acte shoulde be of any force but they shoulde deceaue themselues and other also And than shoulde that be true that Christ speaketh in the gospell When the blynde leadeth the blinde both fall into the diche But when the ministers do trulye execute their office you oughte good children to take great comforte and to confirme your faithe therby that you maye stedfastlye beleue and in all temptations answere your aduersarye the deuell after this maner God hathe
him selfe to be eaten and dronken of vs Christen people vnder the forme of breade and wine Furthermore yf any maÌ„ wil aske ye wher is this writen ye shall answer These be the wordes which the holy Euangelistes Mathewe Marke Luke and the Apostle Paule do writ Our Lorde Iesus Christ the same nyght that he was betrayed toke breade and gyuyng thankes brake it gaue it to his disciples and said Take eate This is my bodye whiche is giuen for you Do this in remembraunce of me Lykewyse he toke the cup after he had supped and giuynge thankes gaue it to them and sayed Drynke of this all ye This is my bloude of the new testament which is shed for you and for manye for the forgyuenes of synnes Do this as often as ye drincke in remembraunce of me Furthermore yf any man aske ye what auayleth it thus to eate and drynke ye shall answer These wordes do declare what profit we receaue thereby my bodye whych is giuen for you my bloud which is shed for you for the forgiuenes of synnes By the whiche wordes Christe declareth that by this sacramente and wordes of promyse are gyuen to vs remission of synnes lyfe and saluation For where as forgyuenes of synne is ther is also lyfe and saluation Againe yf a man wyl go further with you aske you How can bodily eatyng and drynkynge haue so greate strength and operation ye shall answer To eate and to drynke doth not worke so great thynges but this worde promyse of God my bodye whiche was gyuen for you my bloude whiche was shede for you for y e remyssion of sinnes This worde of God is added to the outwarde sygnes as the chief thing in this sacramente He that beleueth these wordes he hathe that thinge whiche the wordes do promyse that is to saye forgyuenes of his synnes Besyde this yf a man aske of you who be they that do worthely receaue this sacrament ye shal answere That fastyng abstinence and suche other lyke do perteyne and are profitable for an outward discypline or chasticement of y e body But he receaueth the sacrameÌ„t worthely that hath faith to beleue these wordes My bodye whiche was gyuen for you my bloude whiche was shed for you for the remission of synnes But he that beleueth not these wordes or doubteth of theÌ„ he receaueth the lordes supper vnworthely For this worde giuen for you doth require a faithful and beleuyng harte So good children ye haue the trew vnderstanding of y e wordes of Christe and the trew vse of the holy supper of the Lorde Learne al these lessons dilygently I pray you that ye also in tyme to come maye worthely receaue this sacrament and from daye to daye sticke and cleaue more stedfastlye to the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ and so coÌ„tinuyng in Christe maye bryng forthe good fruyt And yf you do so then youre heauenly father wil purge and prune you as the husbande man dothe the brauÌ„ches of his vyne that ye may daily floryshe more and more bring forth fruit more plenteouslye that God may be glorified by you and your fruyt maye abyde contynually And so at the length ye shall receaue lyfe and euerlastynge saluation and glorie with oure sauiour Iesus Christ the which God graunt vs all Amen FINIS ¶ The contentes of this boke The preface THe first coÌ„mauÌ„dement fo ix The .ii. coÌ„mauÌ„dement fo xx The .iii. commauÌ„dement fo xxxi The .iiii. coÌ„maundement fo xxxix The .v. coÌ„maundement fo liiii The .vi. coÌ„maundement fo lxiiii The .vii. coÌ„maundemeÌ„t fo lxxiii The .viii. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t fo lxxxiii The .ix. commaundement fo xcii The .x. commaundement fo xcix Deut. xi ii Tim. iii. Psa. xxxiiii 1. Pet. iii. Prouerb xii xiii xxi Iac. i. iii Psal. cxi Exo. xx Mat. xviii 〈…〉 Math. vi Luke xxi deu xxviâ—… Esa. lviii Mat. xv Deut. xxi i. Tim. v. Ephe. vi Actes v. Ephes. v. Roma vii Math. v. Rom. xiii Genes ix Math. xix Gene. i. i. Cor. vii Deut. xxiii Ephes. v. Luce. xi Mat xxvâ— Pro. xxvi Thes. v. 1. Cor xiii Ephes. v. Mat. xviii Roma â— Psal. xiii i. Timo. i. Hebr. xii Mat. xvi Roma iii. i. Cori. ii Ioh. xv 〈◊〉 iiii Mat. vi Psal. li. Ephes. ii Roma i. Iohn ii Galat. iiii Rom. vi Iacob i â–ª Psalm i. Mat. vii Iere. xxix Mar. vii Luke xi Ioh. xvi Ioh. xiii â–ª Mark xi Roma iii. Rom. iiii Rom. xiiii Psal. cx Esa. lviii i. Iohn iii Math. x. Luke xii Rom. viii Luke ii â–ª Prou. liiâ— â–ª Hebr xii Luke xxi Lu. xviii Iohn xiii Mat iiii Deut. vi mat xviii 〈◊〉 iiii â–ª i. Cor. xii Apoca. xii Rom. viii Iohn iii Math. â—â— Titum iii Iohn iii. a Rom. vi a Collo ii b â— Pet. iii. â— mat xxviii Mar. xvi Ephes. ii i. Pet. iiii ActuÌ„ ii Rom. xvii ActuÌ„ iii. ActuÌ„ iii. 1. Cor. iii. â— Iohn vi b Actum ii â— Roma x â— Mat. xvi Iohn xx â— Mark iii. Luke vi Luke x. Iohn xvii Luke â— Mat. xviii 〈◊〉 xviii Mark ii Luke v. Iohn ix Mat. 26. c Mar. 14. c Luc. xxii b Iohn vi and xiii i. Cor. xi c i Cor. xi i Ioh. xiii â— i. Ioh. ii â— and .iii. b i Corin. x. Iohn vi