take not hede he wyll returne with seuen worse spirites and possesse vs a gaine And althoughe we be illuminat and haue tastid the heauenly gift and be made partakers of the holy gost yet may we fal and displease god Wherfore as saint Paule saith He that standeth ◠Corin. x let hym take bede that he fal not And here all phantasticall imagination curyous reasoning and vain trust of predestination is to be laid apart And according to the plain maner of speaking teaching of scripture in innumerable places we ought euermore to be in dreade of our owne frailtie naturall pronitie to fall to synne not to assure our selfe that we be elected any other wyse than by feling of spiritual motiōs in our hart and by the tokens of good and vertuous liuing in folowing the grace of god and perseuerynge in the same to the ende ii Petri. ii And this sainte Peter exhorteth vs to make our vocation and election sure and stable And Christ saieth Ma. xxii He that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued And in reuelation of saint Iohn Be faithful vnto death Apoc. ii and I shal giue the the crown of life Wherfore whan we be ones elected and admitted vnto goddis seruice as is aforesayde and haue receyued our iustification in baptisme or be restored thervnto by true penance than muste we continually walke after Christ bearyng our crosse and encreasinge in his grate by good workes and so doing procede go forwarde and encreace in our Iustificatiō according to the saieng of saint Iohn He that is iuste let him be more iustified For as the grace of god and the giftes therof that is to saye fayth repentance dreade hope charitie with other fruites of the holy gost do encreace in vs so do we waxe and encreace in our Iustification And therfore it is playne that not onely fayth as it is a distincte vertu or gifte by it selfe is required to our iustificatiō but also the other giftes of the grace of god with a desire to do good workes proceding of the the same grace And where as in certain places of scripture our iustification is ascribed to faith without any further additiō or mētion of any other vertue or gift of god it is to be vnderstand of faith in the second acception as before is declared in the article of faith wherin the feare of god repentance hope and charitie be included and comprysed all whiche must be ioyned together in our Iustification So that no fayth is sufficient to Iustification or saluation but suche a fayth as worketh by charitie as is playnely expressed by saint Paule in his epistle to the Galathians And that also our good workes Gala. v. which we do being ones iustified by faith and charitie auaile bothe to the conseruation and perfection of the said vertues in vs and also to the encreace and ende of our Iustification and euerlastinge saluation And althoughe we can neuer be iustified without these gyftes of the holy goste faith repentance hope charitie with desyre and study to bring forthe good workes Yet it is to be vnderstande that neuerthelesse we be iustified Gratis that is to say frely for as moche as all giftes or workes whereby our iustification is wroughte and accomplyshed come of the free mercy and grace of god and not of our deseruing So that our pride and glory in our selfe and our owne worthynes is vtterly excluded For we be not able of our selues as of our selues not as moche as to thinke any good thing but our ablenes and our sufficiency is of god which giueth vs the sayd gyftes of his own inestimable goodnes and dothe also assiste vs with his holy spirite and strength vs to kepe his commandementes And further where our kepyng of them is vnperfect and euen in the beste men wanteth a greate deale of that duetye to god whiche they ought and be bound to do yet almighty god of his mere mercye and goodnes accepteth the same as a perfecte fulfillynge of them for our sauiour Christis sake which hath fulfilled the law for vs and is the ende and perfection of the lawe to all that truely beleue in him And so we haue all Gratis that is to saye of his grace and not of our worthinesse or any merite goinge before grace but receiuing all of god as saint Paule saith i. Cor. iii. what hast thou that thou hast not receiued we referre all vnto his goodnes and mercy by the whiche we both come vnto the beginnynge of our iustification and do procede and go forwarde in the same and finally atteyne the ende therof and be brought to euerlasting life vnto the which the very way appoynted by Christe whose worde no man may change is to kepe and obserue the cōmandementes of god for he saith expressely If thou wylt enter into lyfe Math. xix kepe the commandementes that is apply thy hole study and affection to walke in the law of god wherin if thou perseuere thou shalt be saued And so after thy iustification thou shalte be glorified according to the order of god whiche saynte Paule speaketh of whan he sayth Quos iustificauit Illos glorificauit ⧠The article of good workes AL preaching and learnynge of the word of god in Christis churche ought to tende to this ende that men maye be induced not onely to knowe god and to beleue and truste in hym but also to honour and serue hym with good workes wrought in faith and charitie and vtterly to forsake the workes of synne and the fleshe which who so euer do committe excepte they repent and amend by penance they shal not as saint Paul saith inherite the kingdome of god And that holy scripture goth to this pointe to persuade men to lyue well and to do good workes saint Paule testifieth saienge vnto Timothe All scripture writen by the inspiration of god 〈…〉 is profitable to teache to reproue to correcte to instructe that the seruaunte of god may be perfecte and made apt vnto euery good worke And where as we speake of good workes it is to be vnderstand that we meane not only of outwarde corporall actes and dedes but also and rather of al inwarde spiritual workes motions and desires as the loue and feare of god ioye in god godly meditations and thoughtes pacience humilitie and such lyke And also it is to be vnderstande that by good workes we meane not the superstitiouse workes of mennes owne inuention whiche be not commanded of god nor approued by his worde in whiche kynde of workes many christen men and specially of them that were lately called religious as monkes friers nunnes and suche other haue in times past put theyr great truste and confidence Nor yet we meane not of suche moral actes as be done by the power of reason and naturall will of man without fayth in Christ which albeit of their owne kinde they be good and by the lawe and light of nature man
is taught to do them and god also many tymes dothe temporally rewarde men for doing the same yet they be not meritoriouse nor auaylable to the atteynynge of euerlasting life whan they be not done in the faythe of Christe and therfore be not accompted amonge the good workes wherof we do here intreat but we speake of suche outwarde and inwarde workes as god hath prepared for vs to walke in and be done in the faith of Christe for loue and respecte to god and can not be brought forthe onely by mans power but he must be preuented and holpen therto by a speciall grace And these workes be of two sortes for some be such as men truely iustified and so continuinge do worke in charitie of a pure harte and a good conscience and an vnfayned faith Which workes although they be of them selues vnworthy vnperfect and vnsufficient yet for as moch as they be done in the faith of Christe and by the vertue merites of his passion theyr vnperfectues is supplied the mercifull goodnes of god accepteth them as an obseruation and fulfillinge of his lawe and they be the very seruice of god and be meritoryouse towardes the atteyninge of euerlastinge lyfe And these be called the workes and fruites of rightuousnesse Other workes there be whiche be not so perfect as these yet they be done by the grace of god in faith and good affection of harte towardes god as those be which mē that haue ben in deadly sinne and by grace turne to god do worke bring forthe vpon respecte and remorse that they haue for theyr offences done against god And these may be called proprely the workes of penance As for exaumple whan a sinner hearing or remembring the lawe of god is moued by grace to be contrite and sorye for his offences and beginneth to lament his estate to fall to prayer and other good dedes seking to auoide the indignatiō of god and to be reconciled in to his fauour These workes come of grace but yet this mā is not to be accompted a iustified man but he is yet in sekinge remission of his sinnes and his iustification which the anguishe of his own conscience telleth him that he yet wanteth but he is in a good way and by these meanes doth entre into iustification and if he do procede with harty deuotion seke for further grace he shall be assured of remission of his sinnes and atteine his iustification and so be made able and mete to walke in the very pure seruice of god with a cleane conscience and to bringe forth the foresaide workes of rightuousnes in Christ which he can not do afore he be iustified And that suche workes of penance as we haue spoken of be required to the atteining of remission of synnes and iustification It is very euident and playne by scripture as when our sauiour Christe sayth Be penitent and beleue the gospel Marc i. that is to say Fyrst be contrite and knowlege your synnes than receiue the glad tidinges of remission of your sinnes And saint Iohn Baptist preached penance and made a way vnto Christ and taught men whiche came vnto hym what they shuld do to come vnto Christe and to haue remission of sinnes by hym as it is wryten in the thirde chapiter of Luke and specially that they which be ones christened and afterwarde fall from the grace of god by mortall syn can not recouer their iustification without penāce it is playne by the saying of saynt Peter vnto Simon Magus where he sayeth Act. vii Do penance for this thy wyckendnes and praye god if peraduenture this thought of thy hart may be forgyuen vnto the. And truely this waye and forme of doctrine is to be obserued which is the very trade of scripture wherin men be taught firste to leaue synnes and to retourne by workes of penance vnto god and that than they shall receiue remission of synnes and iustification And although suche workes of penance be required in vs towardes the atteining of remission of synnes and iustification yet the same iustification and remission of sinnes is the free gifte of god and conferred vnto vs Gratis that is to say of the grace of god wherby we doyng suche thynges and hauing suche motions and workes of penance be prepared and made more apte to receiue further grace of remission of our sinnes and iustification And it is not inconuenient that suche thynges shulde through grace be done by vs fyrst and yet it shulde be sayd that we receyue the sayde gyft freely For Christe sayth in the reuelation of saynt Iohn Qui sitit ueniat Apo. xxii qui uult accipiat aquam uitae gratis He that is thristy let hym come and he that woll lette hym take the water of lyfe frely Where he affyrmeth this gyfte of god to be freely gyuen conferred and yet there is required some labour before as to haue a wyll and desire to come which cōming can not be without arising by faithe and penance proceding in the same so to take the water of lyfe that is to say iustificatiō through our sauiour Christ whiche ones receiued in baptisme or after baptisme being recouered by penance although man dayly do offende and fall into dyuers veniall synnes by reason of his infirmitie and weakenesse and therfore hath nede of continuall and dayly repentance Yet as longe as he consenteth not to deadely sinne he leseth not the state of his iustification but remaineth styll the chyld of god And being in that state hath power by goddis grace dwellyng in hym to do suche workes as by acceptation of god through Christ be compted workes of rightuousnes and do serue for the preseruation and encrease of his farther iustification and be appointed by goddis most gratious promyse to haue euerlasting rewarde in heauen Whiche bothe inward and outwarde workes be not onely the declaring of our faith and confidence in god and of the grace whiche we haue receyued but also a continual exercyse nourishment preseruation encrease and perfection of the same For yf we shulde not after that we haue professed Christe apply our wyll to worke well accordyng to our sayd profession than shulde we falle from the grace of god and the estate of rightuousnes and iustification whiche we were ones set in and become agayne the seruantes of synne And as saint Peter saith we shuld be in wors case ii Pet. ii than we were before we receyued the knowlege of Christ And that we encreace in grace by workynge in the grace of god ones receyued it appereth by the worde of our sauiour Christ where he saith Omni habenti dabitur abundabit Meaning therby that who so euer vseth well the grace of god whiche is offred vnto hym al redy he shall haue more waxe plentyfull in grace wherfore as we contynue and perseuere in good workes so more and more we go forward and procede in our iustification and in encreasyng
A NECESSARY DOCTRINE AND ERVDITION FOR ANY CHRISTEN man set furthe by the kynges maiestie of Englande c. Psal xix Lorde preserue the Kyng and here vs whan we call vpon the. Psal xx Lorde in thy strengthe the Kynge shall reioyse and be meruailous glad through thy saluation The contentes of this booke The declaration of fayth The articles of oure beliefe called the Crede The seuen sacramentes The .x. commandementes of almyghty god Our lordes prayer called the Pater noster The salutation of the angell / called the Aue Maria. An article of freewyll An article of iustification An article of good workes Of prayer for soules departed ⧠HENRY THE EYGHT BY THE GRACE OF GOD KYNG of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the faythe and in earthe of the churche of England and also of Ireland supreme hed vnto all his faithful and louyng subiectes sendeth greetyng LIke as in the time of darckenesse and ignoraunce fyndynge our people seduced and drawen from the truth by hypocrisy and superstition we by the helpe of god his worde haue trauayled to purge and clense our realme frome the apparant enormities of the same wherin by openynge of goddes trueth with settyng furth and publishyng of the scriptures our labours thankes be to god haue not ben void and frustrate So nowe perceiuing that in the tyme of knowledge the deuil who ceasseth not in all tymes to vexe the worlde hath attented to returne agayn as the parable in the gospel she with into the hous purged and clensed accompanied with seuen worse spirites and hypocrisy and superstition beyng excluded and put away we fynde entered into some of our peoples hartes an inclination to sinister vnder standynge of scripture presumption arrogancye carnall liberty and contention we be therfore constrayned for the reformation of them in tyme and for auoyding of suche diuersitie in opinions as by the sayde euyll spirites might be engendred to sette furth with the aduise of our clergy suche a doctrine and declaration of the true knowledge of god and his worde with the principall articles of our religion as wherby all men may vniformely be ledde taught the true vnderstandyng of that whiche is necessary for euery christen man to know for the ordering of him selfe in this lyfe agreably to the will and pleasure of almyghty god Which doctrine also the lordes bothe spirituall and temporall with the nether house of our parliament haue both sene and lyke very wel And for knowlege of the ordre of the matter in this boke conteined for as muche as we knowe not perfectly god Faythe but by fayth the declaration of faith occupieth in this tretise the first place Wherunto is nexte adioyned the declaration of the articles of our Crede The crede conteinyng what we shulde beleue And incontinently after them foloweth the explication of the seuen sacramentes The sacramentes wherin god ordinarily worketh and whereby he participateth vnto vs his speciall giftes and graces in this lyfe Whiche matters so digested and set forth with simplicitie and plainesse as the capacities and vnderstandynges of the multitude of our people may easily receyue and comprehende the same The commaundementes There foloweth conuenientlye the declaration of the .x. commaundementes beyng by God ordeyned the hyghe way wherin eche man shulde walke in this lyfe to finishe fruitfully his iourney here and after to rest eternally in ioy with him Whiche bycause we can not doo of our selfe but haue nede alwayes of the grace of god as without whom we can neither continue in this lyfe ne without his speciall grace doo any thing to his pleasure wherby to atteine the life to come We haue after declaration of the cōmandementes expounded the .vii. The pater noster petitions of our Pater noster wherin be conteined requestes and suites for all thynges necessary to a christen man in this present lyfe with declaration of the Aue Maria The Aue as a prayer conteinyng a ioyfull rehersall and magnifiyng of god in the worke of the incarnatiō of Christ whiche is the grounde of our saluation wherin the blessed virgin our Lady for the abūdance of grace wherwith god indued her is also with this remembrance honoured and worshypped And for as muche as the heades and sensis of our people haue ben imbusied and in these dayes trauailed with the vnderstandyng of Freewill Iustification Freewyll Iustification Good workes Praier for soules Good workes and Praying for the soules departed we haue by the aduise of our clergie for the purgation of erronious doctrine declared and sette furthe openly plainly and without ambiguitie of speche the mere and certain truthe in them So as we verily truste that to knowe god and howe to lyue after his pleasure to the atteining of euerlastyng life in the ende this boke conteyneth a perfecte and sufficient doctrine grounded and established in holy scriptures Wherfore we hartily exhorte our people of all degrees willyngly and earnestly bothe to reade and printe in theyr hartes the doctrine of this boke considering that god who as saynt Paul sayeth distributeth diuideth to his churche his graces distinctly hath ordered some sorte of men to teache other and some to be taught that al thynges shulde be done semely and in ordre and hathe beautified and set furthe by distinctiō of ministers and offices the same church And consideryng also that for the one parte whiche shuld teache other is necessary not only knowlege but also learnyng and cunnyng in the same knowlege wherby they may be hable conueniently to dispence and distribute to their audience the trueth of god accordyng to theyr connyng for the edification of other and by true exposition of the scriptures accordynge to the apostolicall doctrine receyued and mainteined from the beginnyng and by conferring and declaration of them to conuince refell and reproue all errours and vntrouthes set furthe to the contrary finally be also able to giue an accompte as saynt Peter sayeth of that they professe It must be agreed than that for the instruction of this parte of the church whose offyce is to teache other the hauing redyng and studyeng of holy scripture bothe of the olde and newe testament is not onely conuenient but also necessary But for the other parte of the churche ordeined to be taught it ought to be denied certainly that the reading of the olde and newe testamēt is not so necessary for all those folkes that of duty they ought and be bound to reade it but as the prince and the policy of the realme shall thynke cōuenient so to be tollerated or taken from it Consonant whervnto the politike lawe of our realme hath nowe restrained it from a greate meyny esteming it sufficient for those so restrained to here and truely beare away the doctrine of scripture taught by the preachers and so imprint the lessons of the same that they may obserue and kepe them inwardly in their harte and as occasion serueth expresse
coupled togyther conteining as it is aforesayde the obedience to the hole doctrine and religion of Christe And here is to be noted that euery man that dothe offende god dothe not lose his faythe therby For they that synne by frailtie and sodeyn motions whiche iuste men doo not auoyde and be taughte therfore of Christ to say in their Pater noster Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgyue them that trespasse agaynste vs Yet those men so breaking their promyse with god and slackyng in suche care and desyre as they shulde haue to please god neuerthelesse be not accompted to haue lost theyr fayth therby yea they also who after the knowlege of god fall into deadly synne aduisedly as they that committe murther adultery and other abhominations and soo falle from faythe as it is taken in the seconde acception and be therfore out of the state of grace and fauour of god for the tyme yet do not those men fall frome fayth as it is taken in the fyrst acception Luc. xii that is to saye from certayne and assured knowledge of god and his doctrine And therfore the gospell speaketh of a seruaunt that knoweth the wyl of his lord and dothe it not And saynt Iames in his epistle sayeth Iacob ii that Faythe may remayne without charitie Wherfore a transgressour of the lawe of almyghty God after baptisme kepeth styll a remorse of conscience and the lyghte of knowledge by Faythe wherby he seeth the remedyes howe to atteyne remyssion of synne and by a special gyfte of further grace is moued to vse the same remedyes and so by faythe walketh the wayes ordeined to atteine remission of sinnes as in the sacrament of penance shal be declared Thus we haue shewed two acceptions of fayth and declared that the fayth of knowledge may remayne in hym that hath fallen from fayth after the second acception But whether there be any special particular knowlege which man by faith hath certainly of him self wherby he may testify to him selfe that he is of the predestinates which shal to th ende perseuere in their callynge we haue not spoken ne can not in scripture ne doctours find that any such faith can be taught or preached Truth it is that in the sacramētes instituted by Christ we may cōstantly beleue the workes of god in them to our present comfort and applycation of his grace and fauour with assurance also that he wyll not faile vs if we fall not from hym Wherfore so continuinge in the state of grace with hym we may beleue vndoubtedly to be saued But forasmoche as our owne frailty and naughtynes ought euer to be feared in vs it is therfore expedient for vs to lyue in contynuall watche and continuall fight with our enemies the deuyl the fleshe and the world and not to presume to moche of our perseuerance contynuance in the state of grace which on our behalfe is vncertayne and vnstable For although goddis promises made in Christe be immutable yet he maketh them not to vs but with cōdition so that his promise standyng we may yet faile of the promise bicause we kepe not our promise And therfore if we assuredly recken vpon the state of our felicitie as grounded vppon goddis promise and do not therwith remēbre that no man shal be crowned onles he laufully fight we shal triumph before the victory and so loke in vain for that whiche is not otherwise promised but vnder a condition And this euery christen man must assuredly beleue ¶ The Crede or the .xii. articles of the christen faythe iI Beleue in god the fatheralmighty maker of heauen and earth ii And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde iii whiche was conceiued by the holy goste borne of the virgine Mary iiii Suffred vnder Pōce Pylate was crucified dead buried and descended into hell v And the third day he rose agein frō deth vi He ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty vii From thens he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade viii I beleue in the holy goste ix The holy catholike churche x The communyon of sayntes The forgyuenes of synnes xi The resurrection of the body xii And the lyfe euerlastynge Amen THE NOTES Here folowe certayne notes for the better vnderstanding of this Crede FIrst it is to be noted that all and singular the .xii. articles conteined in this Crede be so necessarye to be beleued for mans saluation that who so euer wyll not constantly beleue them or wyll obstinately affirme the contrary of theym can not be the very members of Christe and his espouse the churche but are very infidelles or heretikes and members of the deuel with whom they shall be perpetually damned Secondly it is to be noted that all true christen men ought and muste moste constantly beleue maynteyne and defende all those thinges to be true whiche be comprehended in this Crede and in the other .ii. credes wherof the one is vsed to be sayde at masse and is approued by the auncyen generall councelles the other was made by the holye man Athanasius And also all other thynges which be cōprehended in the hole body canon of the bible Thirdly that all true christen men ought and must not onely repute take and holde all the sayde thynges for the most holy most sure and most certayne and infallible truthes of goddis worde and suche as neyther oughte ne can be altered or conuelled by any contrarye opinion or authoritie but also must take interpretate all the same thynges accordynge to the selfe same sentence and interpretation whiche the wordes of scripture do signifie and the holy approued doctours of the churche do agreably intreate and defende Fourthly that all true christen men ought and must vtterly refuse and condemne al those opiniōs contrary to the said .xii. articles of our crede whiche were of longe tyme paste condemned in the .iiii. holy counsels that is to say in the counsel of Nece Constanstinople Ephese and Calcidonense The fyrst article I beleue in god the father almighty maker of heauen and earthe FOr the plain vnderstandinge hereof euery materiall worde of this article shal be declared hereafter And first we muste knowe God that God is a spiritual and an inuisible substance or nature of infinite power and eternall without beginning or endyng of incomprehensible knowlege wysdome goodnes iustice and mercy and that there is but one very god thre persons the father the sonne the holy gost that these thre persons be not three goddis but all one god one nature one substance all one euerlastinge essence or being and all lyke and equall in might power wisdome knowlege rightwysnes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is none other god Moreouer we must knowe that god the father is the fyrst persone in trinitie Father and Father of his onely begotten sonne the second persone in
for the sustenance and reliefe of his people And yet in suche tymes of necessitie if their busines be not very great and vrgen men oughte to haue suche regarde to the holy day that they do bestowe some conuenient tyme in hearynge diuine seruyce as is aforesayde Against this commaundement generally doo offende all they whiche wyll not ceasse from theyr owne carnall willes and pleasures Also they whiche hauynge no lawfull impediment do not giue them selfe vpon the holy daye to heare masse to heare the worde of god to remembre these thinges in theyr myndes than let them humbly knowlege their fautes vnto god and aske for giuenes for the same with vnfained purpose in their hartes to conuert and retourne from theyr naughty lyues and to amende the same and let them also clerely and purely in theyr hartes remitte and forgiue al malice and displeasure which they beare to any creature Than let them fall vnto praier accordinge to the commaundement of Christ where he saith 〈◊〉 .xi. whan you beginne to praye forgiue what so euer displeasure you haue against any man And whan they be wery of prayer than let them vse reading of the worde of god or some other good or heauenly doctrine so that they do it quietly without disturbance of other that be in the church or els let them occupie their mindes with holsome and godly meditations wherby they may be the better and they that can reade maye be well occupied vpon the holy day if in tyme and place conuenient they reade sobrely and quietly vnto other suche as they haue charge of suche good bokes as be allowed whiche maye be vnto them in stede of a sermon for al thinges that edifie mans soule in our lord god be good and holsome sermons And truely if men wold occupie them selues vpon the holy dayes and spende the same dayes holily after this fourme and maner not onely in the house of god but also in theyr owne houses they shulde eschue therby moche vyce confounde theyr ancient ennemie the deuyll moche edifie both themselues and other and finally atteyne moche grace and highe rewarde of almyghty god Also men must haue specyall regarde that they be not ouer scrupulouse or rather supersticiouse in absteinynge from bodely labour vpon the holy daye For not withstandynge all that is afore spoken it is not ment but we maye vppon the holy daye gyue our selues to labour for the spedy perfourmaunce of the necessary affayres of the prynce and the common welthe at the commandement of them that haue rule and authoritie therin And also in all other tymes of necessitie as for sauynge of our corne and cattel whan it is like to be in dangier or lyke to be destroyed if remedy be not had in tyme for this lesson our sauiour teacheth vs in the gospell and we nede not to haue any scruple or grudge in conscience in suche case of necessitie to labour on the holy dayes but rather we shulde offende if we shulde for scrupulositie not saue that god hath sente for the sustenance and reliefe of his people And yet in suche tymes of necessitie if their busines be not very great and vrgent men oughte to haue suche regarde to the holy day that they do bestowe some conuenient tyme in hearynge diuine seruyce as is aforesayde Against this commaundement generally doo offende all they whiche wyll not ceasse from theyr owne carnall willes and pleasures Also they whiche hauynge no lawfull impediment do not giue them selfe vpon the holy daye to heare masse to heare the worde of god to remembre the benefites of god to giue thankes for the same to pray to exercise such holy workes as he appointed for suche dayes but as cōmonly is vsed passe the tyme either in idelnes in glotony in ryot or other vaine or idel pastime do breake this commandement For surely suche keping of holy day is not accordinge to the intent and meanyng of this commandement but after the vsage and custome of the Iewes and doth not please god but dothe moche more offende him and prouoke his indignation wrath towardes vs. For as saint Austine saithe of the Iewes They shulde be better occupied labouringe in their feeldes and to be at plough than to be ydle at home And women shulde better bestowe theyr tyme in spinning of woll than vpon the sabbot day to lose their tyme in leapyng or daunsyng and other ydell wantonnes All they do also offende against this commaundement whiche do heare the word of god and giue not good hede thervnto that they may vnderstand it or if they do vnderstand it yet they endeuour not theyr selues to remembre it or if they remembre it yet they study not to folowe it And all they breake this cōmandment whiche in masse tyme do occupie their mindes with other matters and lyke vnkind people remembre not the passion and death of Christ nor giue thankes vnto him whiche thinges in the masse tyme they ought specially to do For the masse wherin after the consecration is really present the very blessed body and bloudde of Christe is celebrate in the churche for a perpetuall memory of his death and passion And lykewyse do all those which in suche tyme as the cōmon prayers be made or the worde of god is taught not onely them selues do gyue none attendance thervnto but also by readyng walkinge talking and other euyll demeanour let other that wolde well vse them selues And lyke wyse do all they whiche do not obserue but dispise suche laudable ceremonies of the churche as set forthe goddis honour and apperteyne to good ordre to be vsed in the churche And therfore concerning suche ceremonies of the churche as haue ben institute by our forfathers and be allowed by the princes or kynges of the domynions whiche nexte to god be the chiefe heades of the churches althoughe men oughte not to haue soo fonde opinion of the said ceremonies to thinke that they haue power to remytte synne yet they be very expedient thynges either to excite or stirre vp mens deuotion and to cause them to haue the more reuerence toward the sacramentes as the hallowing of the fonte of the chalice of the corporace of the aultare and other lyke exorcismes and benedictions done by the mynisters of Christis churche or elles to put vs in contynuall remembrance of those spirituall thynges whiche be signified by them As sprinklinge of holy water dothe put vs in remembrance of our baptisme and of the bloud of Christe sprinkled for our redēption vpō the crosse Giuinge of holy breade doth put vs in remembraunce of the sacramēt of the aultare which we ought to receyue in right charitie And also that all christen men be one body mysticall of Christe as the bread is made of many graines and yet but one lofe Bearynge the candels on Candelmas day dothe put vs in remembrance of Christ the spirituall lyght of whom Symeon dyd prophecy as is redde in the churche that daye Gyuinge
in it selfe most holy be so taken vsed honoured halowed of vs of all others as well heathen as christened like as on the contrary part this name is sayd to be polluted and defyled whan we do either in worde or deede contumeliously and contemptuously or otherwise disshonour the same We desire therfore in this petition that al false faythe by the whiche men eyther mistruste god or put theyr confidence in any other thynge more than in hym maye be destroyed And that all witchecraftes and false charmes and coniuratiōs by the whiche Sathan and other creatures be inchanted may ceasse and gyue place to goddes holye name and so likewise that all heresies and false doctrines maye vanishe awaye so that goddis holy worde maye be truely interpreted and purely taught and set forth vnto all the worlde and that all infidels may receyue the same and be conuerted to the right catholyke faith wherby all disceite hypocrysie and coūterfaiting of truthe of rightuousnes or of holines myght clerely be extincte Furthermore we beseche and praye god here that his name may be halowed so that no mā shuld sweare in vayne by it or otherwyse abuse the same to lye or to disceyue his neyghbour And generally the none shulde fall into pride or ambition in to desire of worldly glory and fame into enuy malice couetousnes adultery glutteny slouth backebytynge Coll. i. slaundering of his neighbours ne into any other euyll or wicked thoughtes and dedes wherby the name of god may be dishonoured and blasphemed In this prayer also we require god to graunt vs that in all perilles and daungers we runne vnto hym as vnto our onely refuge and cal vpon his holy name and that in our good wordes and workes we may please and magnifie him be by him preserued from the most damnable sinne of vnkindnes towardes him And also that we whiche do alredy professe the right faith maye stil continue therin and may do and expresse the same as well in our outwarde conuersation as in confessynge it with our mouthe so that by our good lyfe and our good workes all other maye be moued to good and that by our euyll workes and sinnes no man maye take occasion to slaunder the name or dimynysshe the laude and prayse of god Phili. iii. but that all our workes doynges myght returne to the honour and prayse of goddes name Thy kyngdome come THis seconde petition is very necessary for no doubte our auncient ennemie the deuyll goeth aboute contynually by all craftye meanes to deceyue vs and bringe vs vnder his power and dominion And surely so longe as pryde and dysobedyence reigneth in vs so longe as yre enuye wrothe or couetousnes reigneth in vs so longe as glotteny lechery or any kynde of synne reygneth in vs so longe we be vnder the dominion and kingedome of the deuyll For the deuyll vndoubtedly is kyng ouer all the chyldren of pryde that is to saye ouer all them that be synners rebelles and disobedient vnto god And for as moche as it is not in our power to deliuer our selues from vnder this tyranny of the deuyll but onely by goddes helpe for our perdition and vndoing is of our selues but our helpe and saluation is of god Osc xiiii as saith the prophete Osee therfore it is very necessary for al tru christen people to make this petition incessantly vnto our heauenly father and to beseche hym accordynge to this doctrine of Christe that by his grace and helpe we may escape the dominion and power of the deuyll and that we may be made subiect vnto his heauenly kingdome therfore in this petition we desire god to gyue vs afore all thinges true and constant faith in him and in his sonne Iesu Christ and in the holy gost with pure loue and charity towardes him and al men to kepe vs also from infidelitie desperation and malice whiche mighte be the cause of our destruction to delyuer vs from dissentions couetousnes lechery and euyll desyres and lustes of sinne and so the vertue of his kingdom to come and to reigne with in vs that all our hart minde and wittes with al our strength inwarde and outwarde maye be ordered and directed to serue god to obserue his commandementes and his will not to serue our selfe the fleshe the worlde or the deuyll We desire also that this kingdome ones in vs begunne may be dayly encreased and go forwarde more and more so that all subtyll and secrete hate or slouth whiche we haue to goodnes be not suffered to rule so in vs that it shall cause vs to loke backe again and to fall into sinne but that we may haue a stable purpose and strength not onely to beginne the life of innocency but also to procede ernestly further in it and to perfourme it accordinge to the saieng of saint Paule where he praieth Coll. i. that we may walke worthely pleasynge god in all thinges being fruitfull in all good workes and growing and encreasing in the knowlege of god Also in an other place he sayth worke and do the truth in Charitie and encrease and go forward in Christe Ephe. iiii i Therfore in this prayer desiring the kingedome of god to come we require also that we being alredy receiued and entred in to the kyngedome of grace and mercy of god may so continue and perseuere therin that after this lyfe we may come to the kyngdome of glory whiche endureth for euer And this is that great and feruēt desire wherwith good men being mortified from worldly affections haue lyen and be alwaies kyndled enflamed as appereth by saint Paule Phili. i. whā he said I wold be losed frō this body and be with Christ And in an other place he saith Rom. viii we that haue receyued the first fruites of the spirite wayle and mourne in our selues wisshinge lokinge to be deliuered from the mortalitie and miseries of this body into the glory of the children of god The thirde petition Thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heauen FOr the better vnderstāding of this thyrde petition we muste know that by disobedience synne of our firste father Adam we be as of our nature onely without the grace of god vnable to fulfyll the will preceptes of god and so enclined to loue our selues and our own willes that we can not hartely loue neither god nor man as we ought to do And therfore we beinge ones christen men it is requisite for vs to pray that lyke as the holy aungelles and saintes in heauen in whom god reigneth perfectly and hooly do neuer ceasse ne shall ceasse to glorifie hym to prayse him and to fulfill his wil and pleasure in all thinges and that most readyly gladly without any maner of grudging or resisting therūto knowing certainly and clerely that his wyll is alway the best euen so that we the children of god in earth may dayly and continually prayse god by our
be it by goddis grace mercy it raigneth not nor is of god accompted for synne nor is hurtful but only to them that by consent yeld vnto it It wyl neuer cesse but one way or an other it wyll euer assaut vs if we do not fight with it and resist it continually it will ouercome vs and brynge vs into bondage so that the deuyll by this our concupiscence and our consent all vice and synnes be ingendred lyke as betwene man and woman children be ingendred accordinge to the sayinge of saynte Iames where he sayth Iacob i. Concupiscence whan she doth conceyue she bringeth forth synne and that of all sortes that is to say first actes and dedes contrary to the lawes of god and after that vse and custome of the same deedes and at length blyndnes and contempt For so the wise man sayth Pro. xviii The wycked man whan he cometh to the bottome of sinne setteth nought therby but blinded with euyl custome either thinketh the sinne that he vseth to be no sinne orels if he take it for syn yet he carith not for it but either vpon vain trust of the mercy of god which is in dede no right trust but a very presumptiō he wil cōtinue stil in purpose to syn orels vpon vain hope of long lyfe he wyll prolonge differre delay to do penance for the same vntyll the last ende of his life And so ofttimes preuented with sodaine death dieth without repentance Wherfore considering how daungerous it is to fal into sinne and how harde it is to arise the chief and the best way is to resist with goddis helpe the firste suggestion vnto synne not to suffre it to preuayle with vs but as soone as may be to putte it out of our myndes For if we suffre it to tary any whyle in our hartes it is great perill lest that consent and dede wyll folowe shortly after Secondly that our sauiour Iesus Christe teacheth not vs in this syxt petition to pray vnto god our father that we shuld be clerely without al temptation but that he wol not suffre vs to be ledde into temptation that is to say that whan we be tempted he woll giue vs grace to withstand it and not suffre vs to be ouercome therwith according whervnto saint Paule saith God is true and faithful i. Cor. ii and wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we maye beare but he wyl so moderate the temptation that we may susteyne ouercome it And saint Iames sayth Iacob i. Thinke that you haue a great cause to ioye whan you be troubled with diuerse temptations For the trienge of your faith bringeth pacience and pacience maketh perfect workes so that you may be perfect and sound lackynge in nothyng And almighty god also exhorteth vs and calleth vpon vs to fyght against temptations Iaco. i. saying He that getteth the victory agaynste them I shall gyue hym to eate of the tree of lyfe And againe he sayeth Apo. ii He that ouercometh them shall not be burte with the seconde deathe And saynte Paule saith ii Tim. ii No man shall be crowned excepte be fight laufully that is to say excepte he defende him selfe and resist his enemies at all pointes to his power And our sauiour giueth vs a good courage to fyght in this battaile Iohn xvi where he saieth Be of good comforte for I haue ouercome the world that is to say I haue had the victory of all synnes and temptations and so shall you haue if the faute be not in your selues For ye fyght with an aduersary whiche is already vanquyshed and ouercome The seuenth petition But delyuer vs from euyll IT is firste to be noted that lyke as in the syxte petition Christe taught vs to desyre of our heauenly father that we shuld not be ouercome with temptation ne broughte into synne so nowe in this seuenth and laste petition he teacheth vs to pray hym that if by frailenes we fall in to the captiuitie of the deuyll by synne he wyll soone delyuer vs from it not to lette vs contynue in it not to lette it take roote in vs not to suffre synne to raigne vpon vs but to delyuer vs free from it Synne is the exceding euyll from the whiche in this petytion we desyre to be delyuered And though in this petitō be also cōprehended all euils in the worlde as syckenes pouertie derth with other lyke aduersities yet chiefly it is to be vnderstande of synne whiche onely of it selfe is euyl and ought euer without condition to be eschued And as for other aduersyties neither we can ne ought to refuse whan god shall sende them neither we ought to pray for the eschuyng of them otherwyse than with this condition yf goddis pleasure so be Many thynges we suffre in this worlde and take theym for euyll but they be not euyll of them selfe All affections dyseases punysshementes and tormentes of the bodye all the troubles of this worlde and all aduersities be good and necessarye instrumentes of god for our saluation For god hym selfe who can not saye other than truthe sayeth Those that I loue I chastise Apoc i◠Hebr. xii And agayne the apostle sayeth He receyueth none but whom he scourgeth This is tyme of scourgynge and the tyme to come is the tyme of reste ease and blysse And surely it is a great token that we be in the fauour of god whan he dothe scourge vs and trieth and fyneth vs lyke golde in the fyre whyles we be in this worlde As contrary it is a greate token of his indignation towardes vs to suffre vs lyuyng euyll to continue in prosperitie and to haue all thynges after our wylle and pleasure and neuer to trouble vs or punyshe vs with aduersitie Therfore our sauiour Christ Iesus who knoweth what is best for vs teacheth vs to praye and desyre to be deliuered not chiefly from worldly afflictiōs trouble and aduersitie whiche god sendeth abundantly euen to them whom he best loueth and with whome he is best pleased But the euyll which we moste chiefely shulde pray to be delyuered from is Synne whych of it selfe is so euyll that in no wyse god can be pleased therwith And bycause our ancient enemy the deuyl who is the well and sprynge of iniquitie and is not onely hym selfe an homicide a lyer and an hater of the truth from the beginning but also is the very rote and occasion of all synne and the common prouoker and styrer of man to the same and the letter and hinderer of all vertue and goodnes bycause this ennemy neuer ceasseth but continually sercheth by all craftes and wyles to enduce vs to synne and so to deuoure vs and to bryng vs therby to euerlasting damnation Therfore lyke as we desyre here to be deliuered from synne so also we desyre that our heauenly father wyll saue vs and defend vs from this euyll the causer of synne that is to say