Catechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler commoditie and profyte of childre[n] and yong people. Set forth by the mooste reuerende father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, primate of all England and Metropolitane
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CATHECHISMVS, That is to say a shorte Instruction into Christian Religion for the synguler commoditie and profyte of childrē and yong people. Set forth by the mooste reuerende father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, Primate of all England and Metropolitane.
¶The Kyng ought to be feared as the roaryng of a Lyō, who ꝓuoketh him vnto anger, offēdeth agaīst his owne soule▪ pro. xx
[figure]
¶Let not the book of this law depart out of your mouthes. B
[...] recorde therein daye and nyghte, that you maye do accordynge▪ all that is wrytten therin. Iosua▪ 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 aboundāce of al grace & godlynes with a longe & prosperous raigne.
IT is not vnknowen vnto the hole world (most excellēt Prince) y
t your graces father a Kynge of mooste famous memorie of a feruent and
[Page] 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,
[Page] do thynke that there is nothynge more necessarye, for the furtherāce 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 &
[Page] profession omitted of those whose office and bounden dewty was to haue moste diligētly 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 cōuenient, 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 cōmaundementes, with a generall solemne rehersall of the sayde cōmaundementes 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
[Page] 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 cō maūdementes. For commenly as we are in youth brought vp, so we cōtinue 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
[Page] 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
[Page] Christ, thē 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 cōmaunde hys people to teache hys lawe,
Deut. xi. vnto theyr chyldren and chylders chyldren? Hath not thys knowledge continued from tyme to tyme, amōgest 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?
ii. Tim. iii. Hath not the commaundementes of almyghtye God, thartycles of the Christian faythe, and the Lordes prayer, been euer necessarelye (sence Christes tyme) requyred of
[Page] 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 religiō, 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] for the behoue of the yong childrē, 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 childrē 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,
[Page ii] 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 Christē religion and doctrine, and
[Page] 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 christē 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 / frō God the father and from his onely begotten sonne Iesu Christe oure Lorde. Amē. 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 cōmen scholemaster in the schole of God doeth preache on thys faschyon in the xxxiiii. psalme,
Psa. xxxiiii. come hither he saith my sonnes,
1. Pet. iii. 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
[Page iiii] him refeaine his tongue frō euyl. & hys lyppes y
t they speake no deceit, let him eschew euel, & do good.
Prouerb. xii.xiii, xxi Let him seke peace and pursue it.
Iac. i.iii.
Now my derely beloued childrē 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 mē 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
[Page] by
[...]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.
Psal. cxi.
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
[Page v] 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 commaūdementes, 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 commaū dementes,
[Page] 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.
[Page vi][figure] I Am the Lorde thy God / thou shalt haue none other Goddes but me▪
The seconde.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne / for he shal
[Page] not be gyltles before the Lorde / that taketh hys name in vaine.
The thirde.
Remember that thou sanctifye the Sabboth daye.
The fourthe.
Honour thy father and thy mother / that thou mayst lyue a longe lyfe in the lande whiche the lord thy God shall gyue vnto thee.
Thou shalt not beare false witnes agaynst thy neighboure.
The nynthe.
Thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house.
The tenth.
Thou shalt not couet thy neyghboures wyfe / nor hys man seruaunte / nor his mayde seruaunt / nor hys oxe / nor hys asse / nor anye thynge that is thy neyghboures.
Nowe good children these are the ten holye commaundementes
[Page] of the lorde God, in the whiche he hath opened his wyl vnto vs, and hath declared what is godly and what is vngodly, what we should do, and what we should not do. These ye shall learne with greate diligence, not only to reherse them but also to vnderstande what is ment by them, and what the lorde God doeth require of vs in these his commaundementes: to thintēt that when you be asked any questian of them, you maye answere to y
• purpose, and that also in time to come you may teache your children to feare God after suche sort and maner as you your selfes be nowe instructed. For it is a great shame, bothe before God and the worlde, for a Christen man to be ignoraunt in the commaundemē tes of God, and not to know that doctryne that perteyneth to euery
[Page vii] Christen man, seynge that euerye Christen man is bounde, openly to declare his doctrine, & to gyue a rekenyng of his fayth, whē nede shall so requyre, and to brynge vp his children in the same.
The first sermon.
Thou shalt haue none other Goddes but me.
[figure]
Exo. xxxii
A declaration of the first commaundement.
[Page]TO thintente good children that you maye the better vnderstande the lawe of the tenne commaundementes, you muste firste of all knowe, that God gaue to Moses the ten commaundementes, writtē in two tables of stone, wherfore they be diuided in two partes. In the first table were written the three firste commaundementes, pertaynynge to God, whiche teache vs howe we shoulde behaue our selues toward God, as well inwardelye in harte and mynde, as outwardly in wordes and deades. In thother table were grauen seuen preceptes, perteynynge to oure neyghboures, whiche teache vs howe we oughte to ordre our selues towardes our Prynces, magistrates and rulers,
[Page ix] towardes oure wyues children & seruauntes and towardes all states of men, teachynge vs that we shoulde not be dysobedient, that we do wronge to no man, that we hurt no man, that we ley not in wayte to kyll anye man, that we defloure not other mennes wyfes, and to be shorte, that we hurte not our neighboures, neither in body, goods nor good name.
But nowe let vs consyder the first commaundement, and the declaracion of the same. I am the Lorde thy God, thou shalte haue none other goddes but me. This commaundemente good children, teacheth vs howe we ought to vse oure hartes towarde God. Firste that we ought to acknoulege with all our harte, that God made heauen and earthe and all thinges conteyned therin, and to take hym
[Page] onely to be the true God and to be our God. Secondarely this commaundement teacheth vs to feare him, as a lyuyng God, because he doeth punyshe the vngodlye, and to cleaue vnto him with a sure faith, because he is true and faithfull and doeth not deceyue vs in any thing, whiche he hath spoken or promysed. Thyrdly this commaundement teacheth vs to loue him with all our heart, for of him we receiue oure lyfe, oure breath, oure health, and all other gyftes both bodyly and goostly. And we haue not the least of his giftes by our desertes, but he poureth them all vpon vs frely, through his infinite goodnes and endles mercy. Contrarywise we ought not to receaue into our hertes as God any creature eyther in heauen or in earth, that is to saye, we oughte to
[Page x] feare no creature neither in heauē nor in earth so much as God, neyther ought we to put such cōfidē ce & truste in any thynge, neyther should we so hartily loue any creature as our Lorde God omnipotent. For yf we attribute to anye creature so much feare, trust, loue as apperteyneth only to him that made all creatures, by and by we make that creature our God▪ and of it we frame to oure selues an Ydoll. The whiche is a very heynous, an abominable & horrible sinne, directly against the first table and the first and chefest commaundement of God. Therefore suche greate offences the trewe and lyuinge Lorde God will not leaue vnpunished, for he hymselfe sayeth: I am the Lorde, my title & my name is the Lorde, I wyl not gyue my glorye to another: meanyng
[Page] therby that he wyll not suffer that any other thinge shoulde be estemed as God besydes hymselfe, or that we shoulde gyue godly honoure in heart, affection woorde or deede to anye creature, but onely to hym that was neuer created, and yet dyd create all thinges.
But here peraduenture you wil muse good children, askyng this question: How can we haue other goddes before the Lorde, seeynge there is but one God, one Lorde, whiche hathe made heauen and yearth. To thys I aunswere that in deede there is none other God but that most excellent and omnipotent Lorde. Ley sure hold on this article w
t a stedfast faithe good children▪ beleue this, dowbting nothing therin, cleaue surely to this rocke. But yet this not
[Page xi] withstandyng, fooles, infidels, & vngodlye men, take some other thing for theyr God, the which in dede is not god, nor can be by any meanes. For lyke as many times we take some men for honest, riche or noble, whiche be not so in dede: so oftentimes we feare something asmuche as we do God, whiche is not God in dede. And of creatures we make goddes thre manner of wayes,
The fyrst is, when a man feareth anye creature, and thynketh thus with himself, yf such a thing be taken away from me, yf such a greate man be angrye wyth me, yf I escape not suche a daungier: then I am vtterly vndone, then I knowe not whether to runne for ayde and succoure, whether then shall I goo? who shall saue or helpe me? yf thou haue anye suche
[Page] thought of any creature, trewly in thine harte thou makest it a God, althoughe with thy mouthe thou doest not call it God. And this affeccion lieth lurckynge so deaply hydde within manye mens hartes, that they theimselfes scaselye feale or perceaue it. But this feare oughte to be remoued farre from vs. For we must cleaue stedfastly by faithe to the trew and lyuynge God, and in all kynde of aduersitie reason on this faschion. Althoughe men of greate power be myne enemyes, althoughe this or that perrell doeth presse me verye sore, although I see nothinge before myne eyes but present deathe or daūger, yet wyl I not despaire, yet will I not mystrust God, yet wyl I not hurt my soule w
t sinne. For I am sure that this creature whiche so sore persecuteth, vexeth
[Page xii] or troubleth me, is no God, but is vnder the hand & power of y
e trew lyuinge God: I knowe that one heere of my heade can not be takē away from me, without the wil of hym, that is onelye and alone the trew liuing god. He is my maker my lord & my god, him wil I feare more then the mighty power of any man, more then the crafty imaginations of myne enemyes; yea more then any creature in heauen or in earthe. Yf I be wrongfully entreated, and do suffer iniustli, he can easely delyuer me▪ and so preserue me, that no parrel shal touch me.
The second way is whē men put their hole confidence in other thinges than in God, and haue these or suche lyke thoughtes wythin themselfes. I woulde I hadde suche riches or landes, I woulde
[Page] [...][Page xii] [...][Page] suche a man were my frende, then shoulde I be ryche, happye and blessed, thē should I be sufficiently defended and armed agaynste all chaunces that maye happen vnto me in thys worlde. They that thinke thus, haue such riches landes and creatures for a God▪ although with their tongue they say not so, yea althoughe thys affection lye hidde in our hearte so secretly, that we our selfes shoulde scantly knowe of it. But the godly maye not suffer any such thoughtes to entre in to their heartes, but ought thus to reason with theimselues. Althoughe I haue veraye great aboundance of frendes and riches, although I flowe in pleasures honor and glorye, and in all worldely thynges whyche a man can desire, yet by these thynges I haue not true saluation. For these
[Page xiii] creatures are not God, wherfore they can not saue me, neither delyuer me from the tyrannie of the deuyll or the wrath of God. But the lorde is God alone. Yf I shal displease him, he is able to take al my frendes and riches away from me, or elles otherwayes to brynge to passe that all these thynges shall worke my distructiō. Wherfore he alone is to be feared, and in hym alone we must fasten the anker of our trust and confidence.
The thirde way is when a man so hartly loueth and delighteth in any thyng besydes God, that for it he doeth and suffereth willingly all thynges that are to be done or suffered, not greatly regardynge whether it pleaseth or dyspleaseth God, then this man maketh thys creature (whiche he so feruently loueth) his god, although in wordes
[Page] he doth not vtter it.
But let Christian people weede out from the botome of their hartes the rootes of suche inordinate loue of any creature. And let them thinke after thys sorte, wherefore shoulde I offende God for this or that thing, I know that this lucre or this honor vpon the whiche I am tempted and do somuch set my harte, is not God, it is but a creature, which can not saue me, nether delyuer me from death, or any other aduersite. Wherefore I wyll loue only my God wyth all myne harte, I wyll do all thynges for his sake chiefly, and I wyll onely aboue all thynges obey him.
Hytherto you haue herde how by these thre waies, by fearing, by trustyng, and by louyng, we maie easely make a God of a creature, whiche in dede is no God but rather
[Page xiiii] an ydoll, set vp by oure awne phantasie. But this is an horrible sinne against the first commaundement of God, and so muche the more parrellous, because it lurketh in the corners of mannes hart most secretly. The worlde is ful of this synne, and specially they that haue hypocrite hartes, for all their paynted holynes, are infected with the rustenes of these vices. And to thentent that you maye the better knowe these haynous offenses against the first commaundemente and the soner eschewe them, I will declare them vnto you, by a fewe and shorte examples. Some ther be y
t do so greatly feare the cōiūctions and influencis of the heauenly planettes and bodies aboue, that when they iudge by their lernynge in Astronomye, or heare say of other men, that the signes in heauen
[Page] do threaten commen plages or calamities, by and by they tremble for feare, and not castynge theyre hope and trust in God, they be soo amased that they can not tel whether to runne to auoyde the daunger. Other ther be that thinke, that when the Sonne, Moone, or any other planetes is in this or y
t signe, it is an vnlucky thinge to enterpryse this or that, and vpon suche dismolde daies (as they call them) they wyll begyn no new enterprise, because they thinke y
t it shulde not haue good successe or prosperous ende. And many lyke kyndes of ydolatrye is vsed euen among christen people. But y
e prophet Hieremie doth expressely forbyd this in the .x. chapter, sayng. Feare not the signes of the skie, as the hethen do. Furthermore manye there be that stande in suche awe to tyrannes
[Page xv] that for feare of them they denye the trew word of God. These mē take tyrannes, and rulers of this worlde for goddes. For they imagyne, that yf suche men fauoure them, thē thei shalbe safe for euer. But the prophete Dauid in the .cxlvi. psalme doth gyue contrarie counsel sayng thus. Put not your cōfidence in princes, in the sonnes of men, in y
e which is no saluatiō.
Some men also put their hole affiaunce in money, and phantesie that they whiche haue plentye of money can lacke nothing. Therfore they gyue themselfes holye to couetusnes & to the desier to hurd vp riches, they set their minde vpon filthy lucre, they scratche what they can, not regardynge whether they get by right or by wrong. Suche men wurship their riches for their God. But saint Paule in
[Page] the .iii. chapter to the Colossians saieth. Forsake couetusnes whiche is a seruice to ydolles.
Some set their trust in their owne wourkes, thinkyng that by them they may be deliuered from synne, reconcyled to the fauour of God, iustified before him, and by them also to atteyne eternal saluacion. These haue their merites & wourkes in the steade of God. This is the greatest ydolatrie that can be vnder the sunne, and a playne denyall of the fayth in christ, as here after it shall be declared vnto you at large in the treatise of fayth. Other ther be that be seruaūtes to their owne belyes gyuynge theim selues holly to eatynge and drynking, & bodely pleasures, somuch y
t in cōparisō of bodily pleasures they eyther dispise or elles forget God. Such men make their belie
[Page xvi] their God, as saint Paule writeth of thē saying. Some therbe which sellyng the wourde of God do teache peruersely whose God is their belye. But that thinge where in they do nowe glorye, shalbe their confusion. By these examples you maye easelye perceaue, howe by to muche fearing, trusting and louyng, we make a God of a creature, which in dede is not God. And besydes these abuses, ther is an other that maketh an ydoll of y
t trew and lyuynge God. And that is when we imagyn by oure owne heades an other forme or shape of god & his wil, than is true in dede, and otherwise thā he himself hath declared to vs in his wourde. As for an example, whē we beleue that God is a bodely thynge hauynge handes, fete & other membres lyke a man, or that he is more pleased
[Page] wyth wearynge of a graye fryars coule or halowed garmentes, than with any other semely apparel, or that he delighte with our wilworkes and worshyppynges, whyche he neuer commaunded, but we of our braynes haue deuysed theym. Suche phantasie and false opinion, I saye, maketh an ydoll of the trewe God, & it is a great offence against y
e first & chiefe commaundemēt. But of thys you shal heare more in other sermons.
Wherfore good children take hede of suche ymaginations that you frame not to your selfes with in the temple of youre hartes anye straunge god or ydoll. But suffer the lorde to be your God, for he doeth offer himself very louingly and with a fatherly affection, to be your God. Therfore he sayeth to eache of you, I am the Lorde thy
[Page xvii] God, that is to saye, I am youre lorde and your father, & I woulde fayne that you should take me for your veray God onely. Yf I am your Lorde, where is the feare dewe vnto me? Onely feare me as your Lorde, obey me with al your hart, trust in me, praye to me, call vpon me, and loue me good children as your father.
Yt were our bounden dewtye, to praye vnto him with most feruent desier, that he woulde vouchesafe to be our God. But his goodnes is somuche inclyned towarde vs, that he preuentethe vs, and before we desiere hym, he offereth himselfe to vs, saying. I am the Lorde thy God, onely acknowlege me for God. When he sayth I am thy God, it is asmuche as yf he shoulde saye, I wil powre all kindes of benefites vpon thee, what
[Page] soeuer kynde of aduersitie troubleth the, make the moone to me, whan soeuer y
u lackest any thinge, aske it of me. I am not farre from the, I am thy God. At all tymes I wyl be present with the, and I will helpe the in all thinges.
Now good children, dyligently learne ye this lesson, and graue it into youre memories: So you shal loue God, and put your trust in him. For this is the meanynge of this first commaundement that we ought to feare & loue the Lord God, aboue all thing, & fasten our hope in him. Wherfore good children with all dilygence learne you this rule. And when this question shalbe demaunded of you, how do you vndrestand the first commaū dement? then shal ye answer thus. In this precept we be commaunded to feare and loue God with al
[Page xviii] oure harte, and to put oure whole trust and confidence in him.
The conclusion.
Now ye haue hearde good children in a briefe summe, the trewe sincere and playne exposition of y
e first commaundement, beare away I praye you this doctrine, and diligentlye recorde it, walke in the feare of the Lorde, that you transgresse not these commaūdementes. For what soeuer God byddeth, that is right, iust, good and holye, what soeuer he forbiddeth, that is wrong, vniust, euil and synne. He himselfe requireth of vs, to kepe his commaundementes, and not dispise them. For he saith. I am the Lorde thy God,
Exo. xx. a stronge and a ielous God, whiche do punyshe the children y
t do hate me, euen to the thirde & fourth generacion, for the iniquite of their parentes. And
[Page] contrariwyse, I do shewe mercy to a thousande generacions of them that loue me & kepe my commaundementes. In these wourdes God dothe threaten greuous punyshementes to all them that breake these commaundemētes, wherefore it is our dewtie, to feare his indignation & punishment & not to prouoke his wrathe vpon vs by oure disobediēce. And contrary he doth promyse his fauor and goodnes to all theim that kepe these his commaūdemētes. Therfore we ought to loue him, cast oure affiaunce in him, and obey his commaundemē tes. And speciallye ye good childerne oughte to feare God, kepe his preceptes, and to desire grace and helpe of him, y
t you maye perfourme and fulfyll them. For the feare of God is the begynnyng of all wysedome, and it maketh men
[Page xix] godly & disposeth them to all good workes. And suche hauynge the fauour of God, may profit many, bothe in commen and priuate affaires. Out of this feare of God, springeth also a good conscience, peace and quietnes of the same, as you haue herde out of the spalme whiche was rehersed in the beginnyng of the preface, and yf we continew to thende of our lifes in this trew knowledge and faith of God, thā he ouer and besyde the forsaide benefites, will gyue vnto vs lyfe euerlastyng y
t whiche he graunt to you that is blessed for euer Amen. ¶Note that both y
e preface, and the conclusion also, of this firste sermon shalbe repeted, (thone in the begynnyng and thother in the later ende) in euery sermon made for the residew of the commaundementes.
[Page]YE haue herd good children in the former sermon, that all maner of Idolatrie is forbyd by this commaundement. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me. Where also it was declared vnto you, howe you may commit spirituall ydolatrie, by ouer muche fearyng, trustynge and louyng of creatures. But nowe I wyll speake of the moost grosse ydolatrie, whiche standeth in wourshyppynge of ymages, eyther of creatures or of God himselfe. And this ydolatrye is forbyde by expresse wordes in this commaundement, where God sayeth thus.
¶Thou shalt make the no grauē ymage / nor any lykenesse of anye thynge
[Page] which is in heauē aboue / or in earth benethe / or in the water vnder the earthe. Thou shalt not bow downe vnto it / nor wourship it.
These wordes (by most interpretors of late tyme belonge to the first commaundement, althoughe after the interpretation of manye aūcient autors they be the seconde commaundement) in whiche wourdes it is to be noted, that it is not withoute greate cause, that God with so playne and expresse words doth forbydde wourshyppynge of ymages. For he sawe that mans corrupte nature frō the firste tyme that he fell from God, hathe euer ben enclined and redy to ydolatry, and to bowe downe to creatures,
[Page] rather than to looke vp to God that made him. Wherfore he inhibiteth all occations of the same. God did also forsee, that in the latter dayes men should come which woulde maynteine worshyppyng of images. Not onlye with painted colors, but also with paynted wordes, saying. We kneele not to the ymage, but before the ymage, we worshippe not the ymage, but the thing which is represented by the ymage, we worshippe not the creatures, but the creatore in the creatures. And suche lyke excuses the greatest ydolaters dyd alwaies pretend. But to thentente they shoulde not so deceyue you, God doeth oftentymes in holye scripture call vpon you sayinge. Thou shalte not make to the any grauen ymage or lykenes of any creature, thou shalt not kneele, nor
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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 broughte in of later yeres, whiche bryngeth vs not vnto the true knowledge of god, but leadeth vs into errors and ignoraunce of God.
But if you wil lyfte vp your mindes
[Page] to god good children, to know his diuine maiestye, hys infinite power, wysedome, goodnes, and other his godlye perfections, loke not vpon a deafe, domme, blynde, lame, and deade ymage, made by a painter or caruers handes, but loke vpon heauen and other creatures, made by goddes awne handy worke, loke vpon man who cā speake, see, smell, heare, feale, and go and hath lyfe, wyl, and reason, and whome no man but God himselfe made to be his lyuely image and similitude.
We haue also y
e holy scriptures whiche declare vnto vs the wonderful workes of God, by which thynges wee maye be ledde to the knowledge of God without painted or carued ymages. Now paraduēture some wil say that Christ hathe a bodye, and lykewyse haue
[Page] saintes, & therfore of them we may haue ymages althoughe of God there can be made no ymage. And further they wil say, that the cause why ymages wer forbid, was perryl of ydolatry, and worshipping of theym. So that where there is no suche peril, we may haue ymages.
Yet as I will not vtterly deny but they may be had, so I thincke it more cōuenient for christē religion that they shuld be taken out of Christen mens churches, then that they shoulde be placed in the temple of God. And of this my opinion I wil shewe you certaine good groundes, to thintente that whan you be demaunded, why we Englyshe men haue no ymages in our churches, you maye be able to make therunto a reasonable aunswer, and that also in time to come
[Page] you may declare to your children what abuses haue crepte into the church by the occasion of ymages. That if anye man shall hereafter god about craftily to brynge in ymages agayne for hys owne lucre sake, they maye the soner perceyue hys Iuglynge, and so the better auoide the perill and daunger. Fyrst it is certaine, that we neither haue commaundement, counsell nor example of the scripture, nor of the primatiue churche in thapostilles time, nor many yeres after to set vp ymages in our churches. As it maye appeare by the holy mā Epiphanius Bishop of Cypres, a man of great estimation an .xi. hundreth yeres passed, for his great lernyng and vertue, and by whom not only in his lyfe tyme, but also after his death, god wrought many miracles. He in an
[Page] epistle which he wrote to the Bysshoppe of Hierusalem (whiche epistle saint Hierome did translate out of Greke into Latine) writeth, that as he passed y
e contrey about Hierusalem, he founde in a church a cloth painted, hauing the image of Christ, or of a saynte. And whā I saw (saied he) an ymage of a mā hang in the church of Christe, contrarie to the authoritie of the scripture, I cut it in peces, & counseled thē to buri some pore dead mā therin. And after he wrote to the Bysshop of Hierusalem, that he shuld commaunde al the priestes, not to suffer suche images, beynge contrary to our religion, to hange in the church of christ. Wherby it appeareth y
t in those dayes ymages were not alowed to be sette vp in churches amonge christen menne (yea al thoughe it were the ymage
[Page] of Christe or any sayncte) but that the vsage of ymages beganne after that tyme.
And yf we wyl beleue aūcient Histories, ymages wer brought into churches, by the pollicye and force of the Byshoppes of Rome, many good christian Emperors, withstanding the same to their power. But Idolatrie by the byshoppes of Rome preuailed, and seduced many Christen Realmes.
Moreouer many images teache nothyng elles but erronious and supersticiouse doctrine. For what reachethe the picture of sayncte Mychael waying soules, and our lady putting her beades in the balaunce. Forsoth nothing els, but superstitiousnes of beades, and cō fidence in oure owne merites, and the merites of saincts, & nothynge in the merites of Christe.
[Page]For wheras oure good workes be not able to way against the deuel, our lady muste laye her beades in balaūce, that is to say, wil workes diuised of oure awne braynes not commaūded of God, and by them to saue vs. Which doctrine is very false and iniuriouse to Christe. What did y
e ymage of saint Sondaye teache? But that Sondaye was an holye man, accordynge to the which teaching, beggers asked their almes for saynct Sondayes sake. But I wyll leaue to speake of the euell doctrine whiche was taught by Images, and I wyll declare vnto you y
e ymages haue bene so abused, that all the goodnes whiche myght come by theym, was neuer cōparable to the great ignoraunce and blyndnes, the superstition and idolatrie, whiche haue been brought in and cōmitted
[Page] by meanes of thē. The whiche abuses good children, your owne fathers, yf you aske theym, can well declare vnto you. For they themselfes wer greatly seduced by certayne famouse and notoriouse ymages, as by our lady of walsingham, oure ladye of Ippeswiche, Saynt Thomas of Canterbury, Sainct Anne of Buckestone, the roode of Grace, and suche lyke, whom many of your parentes vilitide yerely, leauinge their owne houses and familyes. To thē they made vowes & pilgrimages, thinkyng that God would heare their prayers in that place rather than in another place. They kissed their feete deuoutrly, and to theim they offred candles and ymages of waxe, rynges, beades, gold, and syluer, aboundantly. And because they that so taught them had ther
[Page] by great cōmoditie, they mainteined the same with fayned myracles, and erroniouse doctrine, teaching the people that God would heare their prayers made before this image, rather than before another ymage, or in another place, wheras the Prophete Esay sayth, that God doeth heare those that be truely penitent in euery place a lyke. But peraduenture some wyl saye, they dyd neuer teache vs to kneele to y
e ymage, but before the image. But who I pray you gaue them commission to teache you to kneele before the ymage, yf you make youre praiers to God, why lyfte you not bothe your eyes and handes to heauen where God is, why loke you rather vpon the walles, vpon stockes and stones, then thitherward where you knowe he is, to whome you make your prayers.
[Page] What nedest thou which arte the ymage of God, to kneele before the ymage of man.
Again they that be greued with takyng downe of ymages out of the churches, will parchaunce say. We worshipped not y
e image but the sainct, whome the ymage dyd signifye. And who I praye you commaundeth you after this fashion to worship any sainct, why shoulde wee geue that honoure to sainctes nowe after their deathe, whiche they themselfes, whan they were on lyue dyd vtterly refuse? Yf a Christen man althoughe in dede he were a very holy man, and a lyuing saint, should set himself vpon an aulter in the church, you would say to him come down syr, that is no place for you to stande in. And why shoulde than dōme ymages stande there, whan they
[Page] be 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
[Page] 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,
[Page] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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, as ymages be neither necessary nor profitable in our churches and tēples, nor were not vsed at the begynnynge in Christe nor thapostilles tyme, nor many yeres after, and that at length they were
[Page] brought in by Byshoppes of Rome maugre Thēperours tethe, & seing also that they be veri slaunderous to Christes relygion, for by them the name of God is blasphemed among the infideles, Turkes, and Iewes, whiche because of oure ymages do call christen religion Idolatry and wourshipping of ymages. And for asmuche also as they haue bene so wonderfully abused within this Ralme, to the highe contumelye and dyshonor of God, and haue been great cause of blyndnes, and of muche contention amonge the kinges maiesties louing subiectes, and were lyke so to be still yf they shoulde remayne, and chiefly seyng goddes worde speaketh somuche against thē. You may herby right well consydre, what greate causes and groundes the kinges maiestie
[Page] had, to take them away within his Realme, folowing herin the example of the godly kinge Ezechias, who brake downe the brasen serpent, whan he sawe it worshypped and was therefore greatly praysed of God, not withstandynge at the firste, the same was made and set vp by goddes commaundemente, and was not only a remembraūce of goddes benefites, before receaued, but also a figure of Christ to come. And not onely Ezechias, but also Manasses, and Iosophat and Iosias the best kynges that were of the Iewes, did pull doune ymages in the tyme of their Reygne. Consider than howe Godlye anacte is this to take away so manye ymages, not made by goddes cō maundementes, wherunto contrary to goddes commaundementes and his honor wer so manye Idolatries
[Page] cōmitted. For vnto Christē Princes office, and cure appertayneth y
e defēce of goddes true word & Christē relygion, & to take away all those thinges, which hynder or let true godlynes and relygion, or make trouble & contention, within their realmes. So good children you haue herde the true meanyng of these wordes. Thou shalt make to the no grauē ymage, thou shalt not bowe downe & worship y
e same, the which I pray you graue depely in your memories, y
t whē you be demaunded, what is ment by the wordes heretofore rehersed, you may answer. This cōmaundemēt forbiddeth vs al kind of ydolatry aswel bodely as goostly, & inhibiteth vs to geue y
e honor whiche is due vnto god to any creature or ymage of creature, but to worshyp God alone. And now note further
[Page] good childrē, y
t to thintēt we shuld honore only God, & obey him. He saieth y
t he is y
e Lorde our God, in whom be al good thīges, & of whō wee haue all. He saith also y
t he is strong & of such force, y
t he can ponishe vs at his pleasure if we dysobey him. Moreouer he calleth him selfe Ialose because he can abyde no cōpaniō, but as a man, y
e more pure & chast he is, y
e more he is greued if he perceue his wife to set her loue vpō any other, euen so is god, who hath takē vs to his spouse, if he se vs defiled w
t filthy ydolatry. Furthermore he saith y
t he wyl reuēge his maiesty & glori, if any mā wil translate y
t vnto any creature picture or ymage, & y
t w
t such vengeance, y
t it shal extēde vnto theyr childrē, nephewes & nephewes childrē. Like as on y
e other side he promiseth his mercye and goodnes to
[Page] their posterite, that kepe his law & cōmaūdementes. Employ therfore youre hole hartes & myndes to his preceptes good childrē, & exchewīg al ydolatry or honoring of caruinges or paintīges geue to god only his due honor and glory now & frō hensforth world w
tout ende. Amē.
The seconde sermon.
YE haue herd the declaraciō of y
e first cōmaundemēt, in y
e whiche we be taught howe we oughte to behaue oure selues towardes god in our hertes, now foloweth y
e secōde cōmaūdemēt which is this.
¶Thou shalte not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine / for he shal not be gyltles in the sight of the Lorde / that taketh his name in vayne.
THis cōmaūdemēt good childrē teacheth vs how we oughte to behaue our selfes toward God in wourdes, biddynge vs not to speake of the name of God in vaine or without great cause, but to vse it only whē it tendeth to y
e praise and glory of God, & to the profit of our neighboure, that euerye man maye perceaue by oure wourdes and communication,
[Page] that we in our hartes do reuerentlye and humbly feare, magnifie and worship God & his holy name. For by this oure good example other men are prouoked and encoraged to glorifye y
e name of God. And contrariwyse when in scoffynge & iestyng we be lighte to abuse the name of God, then other mē are offended, & therby also are made more vnreuerent toward God and lesse passe of god & godly thinges, and so by this meanes we burden oure selues with an other mans synne. For Christe sayeth in the ghospel of Mathew the .xviii. chapter.
Mat. xviii He that gyueth cause of offence to anye of the weake bretherne, it were better for him that a mil stone wer hanged aboute his necke, & so drowned in the botome of the sea. Wherefore I pray you, diligently beware, that you gyue
[Page xxi] no such kinde of offēce to your brethrē. Wherfore you shal now lerne how the name of God is taken in vaine, to thentēt you maye y
e soner eschew this syn. For y
e name of god is takē in vaine diuerse wayes.
The first is when men gyue the title & name of God, to those thinges whiche are not God in dede. As the heathen did call the Sonne the Moone, and the starres, goddes, also they called certen men as kinges & tyrannes goddes, & as y
e Iewes did, whiche made a calfe of gold and sayed: This is the God whiche brought vs out of Egipt.
[...] And this (good children) is so heinous a faulte, that God in the olde testamente commaunded him to suffre death that shoulde committe this synne, and yf anye citie had so offended, he willed y
e same cytie to be burned and vtterly destroyed,
[Page] and all that were founde therin to be kylled. Therefore let vs dilygently eschew this offence, or elles God wyll horriblye punyshe vs.
The seconde waye of takynge the name of God in vayne, is whē we forswere oure selues, or sweare deceiptfully, other in commen iudgement, or in oure dayly affaires and communicacion, entendynge thereby to deceiue our neighbour. Wherefore you muste diligentlye take hede that you vse not to swer lyghtly thorough an euell custome but do as Christ teacheth vs. Let your communicacion be yea,
Math. vi. yea, and nay, nay. But when necessite dryueth you to an othe, or y
e publyke officer commaundeth you to sweare, then be not forsworne, but speake the trueth and faithfullye perfourme and obserue that thing that you haue sworne. And yf it
[Page xxii] shall chaunche any of you in tyme to come, when you shall come to mans state, to be called to 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 vē geaunce 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
[Page] 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
[Page xxiii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page xxiiii] 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
[Page] 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, nicromā cies, 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
[Page xxv] 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
[Page] 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
[Page xxvi] 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
[Page] 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 vpō 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, whē thou art in nede and daūger. Wherfore no mā should dyspaire
[Page xxvii] 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 affecciō wil deliuer and helpe vs, what soeuer & how great soeuer affliction and tē tatiō 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
[...][Page] delyuer the, and thou shalt honour and glorify me. Here you perceiue good children, that God oure heauēly 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 rēdre thākes vnto him. Wherfore whē soeuer we praie, before we aske any new benefite, we ought to thāke 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,
[Page xxix] 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
[Page] 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 cōmunicatiō, that ye applye not your mindes to witchcraftes & sorceries.
Luke, xxi, 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 thākes vnto him, & by opē professiō of his doctrine & religiō.
And when ye shal be demaunded, howe vndrestande ye the seconde
[Page xxx] 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 commaundemēte 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.
[Page]¶Remēbre that thou sāctifye the Sabboth daye.
Nume. xv
[figure]
THis commaundemente good children teacheth how we should behaue our selfes toward God in workes. For whē 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
[Page xxxi] imagination, nether this nor that worke, but we must sāctifie the sabboth day, y
t is to say employe & bestow it vpō godly & holy workes & busines. And here note good chyldrē, that y
e Iewes in the olde testamēt 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 cōmaundemētes of Moses law concernyng dyfferences of tymes, dayes and meates, but haue libertie & fredō 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
[Page] daies, as y
e magestrates do iudge it cōueniēt, whom in this thinge we ought to obey. And to thētent 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 thē 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, gyl
[...]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
[Page xxxii] deceiptefull Monkes and Friars wer wont to teche vs) but he biddeth vs to rest from labours, and commaūdeth vs to kepe holy day. But yet note good children, that whē 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
[Page] 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
[Page xxxiii] 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, &
[Page] 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
[Page xxxiiii] 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 sacramē tes, 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
[Page] 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 aboū dantly 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
[Page xxxv] 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,
deu. xxvi
[...] that mē shall labour and toyle bothe daye and nyght, and yet shall not be able
[Page] 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
[Page xxxvi] 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,
[Page] 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,
Esa. lviii. 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
[Page xxxvii] 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
[Page] 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 sacramē tes. 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
[Page xxxviii] 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
[Page xxxix] 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
[Page] 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.
Mat. xv. 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
[Page xl] which be donne to please God w
t out 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
[Page] 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
[Page xli] 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
[Page] 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 this fashion we ought to behaue our selues towardes our fathers and mothers, and when so euer we be able to do them any pleasure, we must honour them after the sayde maner, and reuerently beseche thē, that they wyll take well in worth
[Page xlii] suche small tokens of our deutye and loue towardes them. For we can not rendre vnto oure fathers & mothers, any gyft or presente so weyghty, y
t shal be able to coūterpoyse the kyndnes which they haue deserued at our handes, or can in any part recumpense the great goodnes & benefites which thei haue heaped vpō vs without nūbre.
So good children note well I pray you what is ment by this worde, honor, whiche in this place comprehēdeth feare, dreade, reuerence, obedience, & loue towardes our parentes, and that it is oure dewtie to lade theim with all kindes of gentlenes and lyberalitie. And when we haue donne all that we can do, yet not to loke for thankes againe at their handes, but rather to thanke them, that they wolde vouchesafe so gently to accept
[Page] our small benefytes. For god hath appointed thē to be our maisters, tutors, and gouernors, ouer vs, wherefore of dewtye we owe vnto them this seruice and obedience. And onlesse we ordre our selues to oure parentes after suche maner as is before rehersed, God wil be greuously offēded with vs, & sore punishe vs. As it is plainly declared in Moses law in the .xxi. chapter of Deuteronomie where these wordes are writtē.
Deut. xxi. If a man haue a frowarde and stubburne childe, whiche wil not heare his fathers & mothers cōmaundemēt & beyng corrected disdaines to obey them, they shall take him & bryng him before the iudges of the cytie, and shall saye thus. Thys oure sonne is stubburne & disobedyent, he wil not heare vs, nor be ruled by vs, he is a ryoter & lyueth vngodly.
[Page xliii] Then all the people shall stone him to death, that this myscheuous wede may be weded out of y
e congregation, and al the people maye heare of his punishmēt, and feare to committe lyke offēce Hereby you may learne good children, how greatly thys synne dyspleaseth God, seyng that in hys lawe he hath appoynted so payneful a punishement for dysobedient children. Hitherto you haue herde what it is to honor your parētes, now heare also the cause why God hathe so diligētly cōmaunded this thinge. Our lorde God hath gyuen vs so many benefites by our fathers and mothers y
t no tongue can worthely expresse theim. For God vseth our parentes as his meanes by whome he gyueth vs lyfe, breth, fode and al thinges necessarie to the maintenaūce of this
[Page] lyfe. Therfore we oughte to wourshyp theym, as the chosen instrumentes of God. And forasmuche as God hymselfe is inuisible to vs here in earth, whome we neyther se bodily nor heare hys voyce, therfore he hathe appoynted oure fathers and mothers in hys stede to talke wyth vs, and to teache vs what we ought to do, and what to eschewe. Euen as the scholemaster doth oftentymes commyt hys scholers to hys vscher, that he in the scholemasters absence maye teache and gouerne them, and hym they ought to reuerence and obey. And as the scholemaster doth sharpely correcte & chastiseth those schollers y
t wyl not be ruled by his vscher, so God wil greuously punyshe those children, y
t doeth not obey their fathers & mothers. For he hath appoynted them to be his deputies &
[Page xliiii] vschers in y
e educatiō & gouernāce of vs his children. For God is the chefeste worker and maker of all thynges, he is the hyghest scholemaker, and our fathers & mothers are the instrumentes and toyles, wherby God doth worke vs, make vs and fashyoneth vs. For God is the eternall and mooste maruelous creator, and he daylye doeth create. But when he entendeth to make mā, he maketh him not now of a glod of earth (as he did whē he first made Adam) but he vseth our parētes to this straunge & wondrefull worke & maketh vs by theym. And this is the firste and greatest benefite, that God by oure parentes, doth gyue vs bothe bodye and sowle. And after that yonge chylderne be borne into this world, we se how they lye certen yeres crying in their cradels, not able to helpe
[Page] themselues. At what tyme excepte God did nouryshe vs by oure fathers and mothers, ther wer no remedie but y
t we muste neades peryshe. And when god doth entend to feade vs in our cradels he doth not sende downe breade from heauen (as he did Māna) but he wonderfully fylleth our mothers dugges full of mylke, wherwyth she may gyue sucke to vs, and also he sendeth to oure fathers sufficiente riches wherby they maye brynge vp their children. And this is the seconde benefite, that God, by our parentes doth nurse vs, feade vs, and bryng vs vp, more tendrely then the henne doth her yong chekyns. Furthermore God sendeth vs Christian parētes, which cause vs to be baptised and grafted into Christ, and to be made the children of God. For yf our parentes
[Page xlv] were not christened we were lyke to be wrapped in cōtinuall blindnes and errours. (For you see no Iewes children come to be baptised) and if we should haue heathen parentes & dye without baptisme, we should be dāned euerlastingly And in case we died not in our infancie, yet we shoulde be vngodly brought vp in thouses of Heathē and vnchristened parentes, and should be taughte euen from oure tendre age, to hate and dispise the trew faith of Christ as we may see an example by Turkes & Iewes children, whiche vehemently hate the fayth of Christ, & among tenne thousād of them, scase one desireth to be baptised. And this is y
e third great benefit, y
e God by our parē tes doth brīg vs to baptisme, & to Christ his church, & doth plant in our hertes an ernest loue towards
[Page] Christes religion, that wyllynglye and gladly we become Christians.
Besides this when we be growē to suche age, y
t it is tyme for vs to go to schole, then god teacheth vs by our parentes his most excellent doctrine that is to saye, tharticles of our faythe, the ten commaundementes, & the Lordes prayer. Furthermore oure parentes do teache vs the nourture and ciuilitie of good maners, that we maye proue gentle, quiet and faire cōditioned, and suche with whom, honest men wyll be gladde to kepe companye. From our parentes we haue oure countrey, (then whyche nothynge is more pleasant vnto vs) and the fredome fraunchesies and lyberties of y
e citie in the whiche we wer borne. Our parentes also leaue vnto vs oftētimes great plentie of riches and landes for oure inherytāce.
[Page xlvi] They also teache vs dyuerse wayes of marchaundise, mani handycraftes and all kyndes of sciences, by the which we may honestly and in the waye of treuth get oure lyuyng here in this world. And although they be compelled of necessitie, oftentymes to vse the ayde and helpe of scholemasters, and other connyng men in dyuerse kyndes of faculties, yet because all these thinges be done at the commaundemente, costes and charges of our parētes, therfore we ought chiefely to thanke theym for all these benefites. And this is the fourth benefite, that God by oure parentes doth teache vs the trewe knowledge of him and his worde.
Now these be the chiefest causes good children, why God hath commaunded vs to honoure oure parentes. And suerly they be cruell
[Page] children, y
t do not this, seynge that they haue receyued of their parē tes so great an heape of benefites. And trewly they wer wourthye to be stoned to deathe as stubburne childrē wer wont to be in the olde testamente. Wherfore good childrē, obserue diligently this cōmaū dement that you be not disobedyent nor vnkynde, but honor your fathers and mothers. And here you muste not thynke that you owe this subiection onely to your fathers and mothers, but the same obedience and honor is dewe also to all thē whose helpe and labour your parentes doeth oftentymes vse in gouernyng and teachynge you. Of the whiche sorte be youre tutors, scholemasters, preachers, pastors, & curates, youre masters that teache you your craftes, and also the magestrates, and commō
[Page xlvii] officers. For y
e holy scripture doth call all these fathers. And therefore when God sayth: honour thy father and mother, he comprehendeth within the boundes of thys commaundemente, all those parsons before rehersed. And this is done for these consideracions, For when the parentes do ley on theyr death bed then in theyr laste wil or testament they assigne and appoynt to theyr chyldren y
t be of nonage tutors, gardians, or gouernours to whō they resigne all theyr iurisdiction, which they had of God gyuen vnto theym ouer theyr children. To suche tutors or gouernours children ought to be obedient and honor them. For suche be lefte vnto theym in the steade of theyr parentes and they nouryshed theyr pupylles or wardes and make much of them,
[Page] & se that they be honestly brought vp in vertue and lernynge, and shall make a rekenyng for y
e same both before God and the worlde. Furthermore when that oure parentes eyther be not able sufficientlye to teache vs in their owne parsons, or haue not conuenient leysure to do the same, then they committe vs to scholemaisters, preachers, pastors and curates, and make theym theyr deputies. Therfore it is the deutie of children, reuerently to obey theyr teachers and curates. For saynt Paule sayeth. The elders that rule well, are worthye of double honour, specialli they that labour in the worde and teaching.
i. Tim. v. And saynt Peter sayeth. Obey them that are appoynted to gouerne you, for they do wake and watche for your soules as men that shall
[Page xlviii] make an accompt for the same.
Also it happeneth oftentymes, that parētes do put theyr children to other, either because they themselues are not able to fynde them, or teache theym handye craftes, or the arte of marchaūdyse, and when this chaunseth, then it is the offyce of chyldren to obey in all thynges and to honour euen as theyr parentes, those to whō they be thus cōmitted & with whō they dwel. For vnto such theyr fathers and mothers haue geuen theyr power and autoritie. Therfore saynte Paule sayeth. Seruauntes be obedient vnto youre maysters as vnto God, and so forth. But when children grow to mannes age,
Ephe. vi. and then refuse to be ruled by their parētes, masters, teachers and curates, and begynne to waxe wyld and wanton & to hurte,
[Page] other, thē the cōmē officers ought to chastise them. And the Magistrates & superiour powers ought to be honored and feared, euen as our fathers and mothers. For by theim we be defēded from our enemies, of theim we receaue lawes and statutes wherby we may liue in peace and quietnes, wherefore we ought to be glad and willynge to paye to thē tribute, taxes, tollages & subsidies, whereby they may be the better able to maintaine the tranquillitye of y
e commen welth. Learne therfore good childerne. that they be not onely called oure parentes, of whō we are begotten and borne, but they also be called to the honor & tytle of this name, whiche helpe them to bryng vs vp in vertue and learning. Suche be they whom we cal our tutors or gardians, teachers, masters, curates,
[Page xlix] and officers. Also this worde, honor, doth not onely containe the outwarde gesture of making cursey and puttyng of y
e cap, but they do trewly honour their parentes, whiche do feare and loue them, highly esteme them, gyue place to them, and rendre vnto theim all kynde of gentilnes & liberalitie, & yet do not obbrayd them, or cast their gyftes in their teath, but do cōfesse y
e stil thei be in their parentes dette, and as yet do owe them greater thinges. And this is a great poynt of wisedome, yea in worldly pollicie, to acknowlege y
t of bounden deutie we owe to these persons aboue rehersed honor and reuerence, and that God is highly pleased with this kynde of sacryfice. And that he doth sende vnto vs by these mē innumerable benefites, wherefore yf you wil be coū ted
[Page] good and godly childerne, and please God, then kepe this commaundement, obey your parentes and euery commen officer, feare them, be obedient to their lawes and statutes, be subiecte vnto thē in all thinges. Notwithstandyng yf the commen officer do byd you do any thinge expressely agaynst god, thē you may not obey hī, but say with y
e Apostle Peter, we must obey god rather then men.
Actes. v. And beware good children y
t you dispise not your parentes, or vncurtesely entreat thē, because perchaūce thei be simple men, rude, vnlerned, poore, weake, feable and impotēt by y
e reason of their olde age. For of what soeuer state condition or qualitie they be, yet by them God hath gyuē vs our lyfe, he hath ordained them to be our gouernors, & (as I haue declared heretofore)
[Page l] by theym he hath sent vs infinite benefites, wherfore we ought to honor them, obey them, to be willyng and redy both to learne and do that whiche they commaunde vs, & to eschew those thīges which they forbid vs. For this obedience pleaseth God and is a most acceptable honoring of him. Take hede also y
t you refuse not nor grudge to do such thinges as thei shal cō maunde you, nether that you play the truantes or runne away from your teachers, maysters or other artificers into whose house tuition and custodie your fathers and mothers shall committe you. For this is a great synne before God, the which shal not escape vnpunished. But specially you must eschew this most detestable kynde of disobediēce (which now a daies is very cōmen) that you intangle
[Page] not your selues w
t mariage without the knowlege and consente of your parētes. For this is a pointe not only of notable dysobedience, but also of great folyshenes. For what is more myserable or can trouble a mā more in this world, then a mariage euel matched and vnmetly coupled. This is that grefe and punishement that dayly troubleth & scourgeth vs all oure lyfe tyme, from the whiche there is no meanes to escape but by death onely. And it is to be feared, when we go about to marie oureselues, not makynge our parentes priuie to suche contractes or bargaynes but contemnyng theyr authoritie, that God wil not prosper such mariages, nor giue therto his fauour and blessyng. But if you wil kepe gods cōmaūdementes, & honoure your parents, then God wyl loue
[Page li] you, and powre hys gyftes vpon you most aboūdantly. Now good childrē you haue herde what you ought to do, I praye you be willing to performe that thing, which your bounden dewtie requireth of you. For saincte Paul saieth, that this is the first or chiefe commaū demente hauynge a promyse annexed vnto it.
Ephes. v. For herin god doth promyse, that he whiche doeth honour his father and mother, shall lyue a long lyfe, and shal abyde in his natiue countrey. And he that doeth not honoure theym, shalbe dryuen out of his countrey, & shal shortely dye. And surely this we proue to be true by dayly experyence. For when childerne be wanton, wilde stiffenecked, stubburne, and refuse to be ruled by their parētes and scholemasters, or do not serue their maisters truelye, when
[Page] thei wyl not haue in reuerēce their preachers and curates, or do not obey the common rulers, then God scourgeth theym, some wyth one punishment, some with an other. Some is maymed, some leaseth an eye, one hathe suche a fall from an horse y
t he lyeth for starke deade, an other is drowned. And here I wyl not speake of those vnthrifty young men whiche be pickers of quarels and in their wylfulnes thone slayeth thother. But yf perchaunce these dysobedyente childerne escape punyshmente in theyr yought, yet when they come to mans state, and kepe howses of their awne, then commonly suche children do not auoide this threat and indignation of God. For then many times they runne into suche dette, that they be compelled to forsake their natiue countrey, and
[Page lii] to flye into sanctuarie, or elles to wandre in straunge regions lyke banyshed menne, farre from their kynsfolkes acquaintaūce & frendes, where no man doth helpe thē, trust them, or hath pitie of theym.
And many of them, whilest they go aboute to auoyde extreme pouertie by lying, stelyng, robbyng, & other ill meanes are cast in pryson and afterward hanged. These and such lyke paynes men do worthely suffer in their age, whiche in theyr youth dysdayned to folowe the counsell of theyr parentes.
Wherfore good children, obey youre parentes and magistrates, then you shall proue wise men, able to helpe both your selues and other. Then God shall blesse you, that you may longe continewe in the contrey wherin you wer borne and bredde, and dwell amonge
[Page] your parentes, brethren & sisters, frendes and acquayntaūce many yeares. Then extreme pouertie shall not oppresse you, whereby you should be compelled to leaue your countrey, neyther the rages or partels of warre shal driue you out from thense. So manye and so great benefites hath God promysed to obedyent chyldren. And there is no doubt, but that he will perfourme that thinge whiche he hath promised. As we feale by experiēce, y
t as long as we obey oure parentes, and suffer our selues to be gouerned accordynge to Gods wyll, so long we be brought vp in the feare of God, to our great cō moditie and profit. And thys is the true meanynge of the fourthe precept, whiche I praye you depely to prynt into youre memories, that when you shall be asked how
[Page liii] you vnderstand the fourth cōmaū demēt, you may answer, we ought to loue & dreade our Lord God, & for his sake to honor our parētes, teachers masters & gouernours to obey thē & in no wise to dispise thē
The fifte sermon.
¶Thou shalt not kyll.
[figure]
Gene. iiii.
IN the former sermon it hath ben declared vnto you, howe you shoulde vnderstande the fourth
[Page] precept, in y
e which you haue learned, how you muste behaue youre selues towardes youre fathers & mothers & all cōmen ministers in the publyke weale. Now foloweth the fift commaundemente. Thou shalte not kyll. Whiche teacheth vs howe we oughte to ordre oure selues towardes eche of oure neighbours, that we hurte theym not, nether in theyr goodes, nor in theyr lyfe. For among al worldlye goodes, and bodely gyftes, there is none more precious thē healthe and lyfe. Therfore God before al other damages and hurtes doeth chiefely forbydde this, that we kil not our neyghbour. And this commaundement dothe not onelye restrayne our handes from kyllyng with violence and force, but it for byddethe also all angre, enuye, wrathe, hatred and malyce, that
[Page liiii] we be not manquellers neyther in harte, wourde nor deade.
Roma, vii. For the lawe is spirituall (as saynt Paule sayeth) and requyreth of vs obedience, not onli in outward worke but also in thaffection of hart and inwarde motions and most secret senses of the same. And it is an hye wysedome, to looke in the botome of this commaundemente, & ryghtly to vnderstande the same. Therfore our lorde Iesus Christ dyd expounde thys commaundement, his own selfe, lest we should erre and falsely vnderstande it, as the Iewes dyd. For the Iewes thought, that as long as they had refrayned theyr handes from killyng and slayng, so long they had kept this commaundement. And althoughe theyr hert had ben full of hatred, enuye, & malice towardes their neighbour, & with cōtumelious
[Page] wordes or dedes hadde gyuen occasion of manslaughter, yet thys they counted for no syn, and their scribes & pharises did so teache thē.
Math. v. Therfore Christ in the fifte of Mathew sayth. Uerely I saye vnto you, excepte your ryghteousnes excede the righteousnes of the scribes and pharises, ye can not entre into the kyngedome of heuen. Ye haue heard that it was sayde vnto them of the olde tyme, Thou shalt not kyll. Whosoeuer kylleth shalbe worthy to be iudged. But I saye vnto you, y
t who soeuer is angry with hys brother, shalbe worthy to be iudged. Here you see good children, that Christ doeth as ernestly forbydde hathered, angre and enuye, as he doeth bloudy māslaughter. For he that is angry with his neyghbour, killeth hys neyghbour in harte and
[Page lv] wyll and breketh this commaundemente of God, thou shalte not kyll. And marke well good children, that he sayeth not, thy hande shall not kyl, or thy sworde, spere, or gunne shall not slaye. But he sayeth, thou shalt not kyll, that is to saye, thou whiche arte made of bodie and soule, shalte neyther kil with any of thy bodely members, neyther yet with thy inward mind or wyll, neyther wyth woorde nor deede. But here paraduenture some wyll saye. What thinke you syr of traytors, commen theues, robbers and murtherers oughte not suche to be kylled? I answere that they ought to be kylled, but yet God saieth, thou shalt not kil, thou shalt kepe peace with all mē. Who then shall kyll suche malefactors? Leaue punishemēt to me (sayeth God) and I will reuenge.
[Page] God himself wyl do execution vpon suche open trāsgressors of hys lawes. And therfore here in this world, God hath ordeyned vnder him kinges, princes and other magistrates, and hathe gyuen theim their swordes to this vse, that thei should be his deputies in kylling such offenders. And whē such commen gouernours do their office in punishyng open malefactors, thē they do a true honour and seruice to god, & ar his ministers, as saint Paul sayth to y
e Romaynes.
Rom. xiii. The magistrate is Gods officer. And when the publike minister doethe kil an opē transgressor, we oughte to thinke y
t God kylleth hym, for asmuche as the officer doethe the same by the commaundement and ordynance of God. Wherfore good children, althoughe menne do neuer so greate wronge vnto
[Page lvi] you, and hurte you ether in your bodies or goodes, yet take it paciently, refrayne your handes from bloudshedyng, strike no man violently, but committe the matier to God. For he hath saied, leaue vengeance to me and I wil reuenge. But ye in no wise shall kil, nether in will, worde, nor dede. For there be diuerse wayes to commit murther. The first is when with any kynde of weapon, or violence we slay our neyghbour, as theues do be the hyghe wayes. Also yf we gyue any commaundement or counsell, that oure neyghboure shoulde be slayne by other, or yf we spreade abrode any euel brute or slaunder of any man, by occasyon of y
e which he is put to death. Furthermore we kill, when ether with worde or dede, we maye, and do not, delyuer hym whome other
[Page] men entende to kyll. And when we see our neyghbour in perryll of lyfe, and do not helpe him, but suffer hym to dye for hunger, to be drowned, or burned. Besides this we be manquellers when we beare angre, hatred and malyce, agaynste oure neyghbours, and when with greate angre and furye we do rayle on him, curse him, and wishe vengeaunce to lyghte vpō him. For whersoeuer angre, hatred, enuye, and malycyousnes reygneth, there is manslaughter, whiche althoughe it be not performed in dede with the hande & sword, yet it is done in hart, mind and wyll. For as fyre kyndled with a litle sparke, doeth oftentymes greate hurte and damage, & can not easely be quēched, so whā the sparkes of angre, hatred and enuye do set on fyre mans hearte
[Page lvii] they do oftentimes prouoke more hurte than euer a man thoughte, and some time they styrre to committe suche offences, as in all his lyfe he neuer thought vpon, and for the whiche afterwarde he soroweth all the dayes of his lyfe. So that the wel & spring of manslaughter, is malice and enuye. And therfore sayncte Iohn in his Epistle sayeth. He that hateth his brother is a manqueller. And Christ saieth. He that is angrye wyth his brother is worthy to be iudged. For to be angrye is with the herte to kyll. Wherfore that commaundemēt that sayeth, thou shalt not kyll, doeth also forbyd to be angry. Furthermore Christ sayeth, he that sayeth to his brother Racha, that is to saye, he that with voice or gesture sheweth anye token of an angry herte, is
[Page] worthye the sessyons, but he that sayeth, thou foole is worthy the fyre of hel. In these sentences our master Christ teacheth vs, that in wordes is manslaughter committed, when we vtter the poyson of our herte with any suche wordes wherby the venome of our herte is perceyued. But when we burst out into suche raylynge, slaunderouse and contumelious wordes agaynst any man, that he maye lese therby his estimation or good name, then we be more heynous murtherers. And here also Christ teacheth vs, how greuouslye we shall be punished both in this life and in the life to come, yf we dyspise this commaundemēt of god. For he doeth not only say, he that kylleth, but he also that is angrye with his brother, is worthy iudgement, that is to saye, is gyltye
[Page lviii] before God of so great a cryme, that he hath deserued to be arrested, violentlye to be drawen in to the place of iudgement, and there opēly to be accused and arrayned of the same. But he y
t with voyce or gesture dothe vtter the malice of his hert, is worthy the sessions, that is to saye, he hath committed so greuous an offence in the sight of God, y
t it is not nowe necessarie to empanel a quest to inquire whether he hath deserued punishment or no, forasmuche as his offence is manyfest, but the greatnes of the synne hath onely neede of a sessiō or a numbre of iudges, to determine how greuously such an offēder ought to be punished. But he whiche inflamed with angre calleth his neighbour by such approbrius wordes, that his estimacion and good nameis hurte
[Page] and decayed, he is worthye hell fyre, that is to saye, he hath synned so heynously, that he hathe deserued tormentes both in this world and in an other worlde, except he repent in tyme, and obteyne hym pardone by the passion of Chrste. But most of all, kyllyng with the hande and effusion of bloud shall be punished wyth moste greuous paynes, bothe in this lyfe and in the lyfe to come. As oure Lorde God declared to Noe saynge.
Genes. ix I wyll requyre youre bloode of the handes of all beastes, and of the handes of man. For who so euer shedeth mans bloode, his bloode shall be shed agayne. And in case the manqueller escape mans handes, and punishment of the commen offycer, or yf they that haue Goddes sworde in theyr handes, be neglygent in doynge theyr office,
[Page lix] or wyl be blynded with affections and corrupted wyth monye, yet God wyll not let manslaughter to escape vnpunished. For he hath sayde, that he hymselfe wyll inquire of bloodshedynge and syt in iudgement vpon manquellers. As it is playnly declared vnto vs by the horryble example of Cain, who kylled his brother Abell.
For not onelye in this lyfe God dyd so sore punyshe hym, that hys conscience was vexed with suche vnquietnes and horryble feare, that all hys bodye shooke and trembled mooste pitifully, and he coulde abid or rest in no place but lyke a banyshed man or runne agate wandered euerne where, but also now after this lyfe he is cursed of God, and damned for euer. This fearfull payne (good chyldren) ought to warne vs to be diligent
[Page] in kepyng this commaundement, that we kyll not, neyther in wil, worde nor dede, but contrarywyse to endeuour oure selfes to practise Christes lessons, who hath taught vs gentylnes, mildnes, long sufferance and pacience. For he saith. Blessed ar they, that suffer persecutiō for rightousnes, for theyrs is y
e kyngdō of heauen. Wherfore good children, marke ernestly what God here commaū deth. Ye shal not (saieth he) be angrye, but loue your enemies, ye shal not slaūdre or backbite other, but speake wel euen of those that hate you, accordyng to y
e cōmaūdemēt of Christ. Yf a mā strike y
t on the cheke, resist not, but whosoeuer shall gyue the a blow on the ryght cheke, turne to hym the other also. And if any man wil sue y
t at y
e law, & take away thy coat, let him haue
[Page lx] thy clooke also. And whosoeuer will compell the to go one myle, go with him twayne. Do good to them that hate you, pray for them that hurte and persecute you, that ye maye be the children of your father whiche is in heauen. All these are the wordes of Christ. And yf perchaunce we haue donne any manne wronge, or prouoked oure neyghboure to angre, then with great diligence we ought to laboure, that in al hast and spede we maye be reconciled. For Christ saieth. Yf thou offrest thy gyft at the aulter, & there remembrest that thy brother hath any thīg against the, leaue there thyne offering before the aulter, go thy waye, & first be reconciled to thy brother, & then come & offre thy gyft. Oblations and sacrifices wer in tholde testament a very commendable and an
[Page] highe kynde of worshipping god. (For asmuche as he hymselfe dyd appointe and commaunde them). And yet Christ here teacheth, that God is better honoured with kepyng his commaūdementes, than with our offeringes. And to be reconsiled to our neighbour is a sacrifice more acceptable vnto him, then to offer oblacions.
Furthermore the keping of these commaūdementes, helpeth muche to mayntayne the tranquillite, peace and quietnes of the commē wealth. For Christe sayeth. Agree wyth thyne aduersarie quickely, whiles thou arte in the waye with him, y
t is to saye, we must refrayne our selfe from discorde, variance, hatred & contencion and asmuche as lyeth in vs, seke peace, concord and quietnes▪ lest we be caste into prisō, from whence we shall not be
[Page lxi] deliuered except we pay y
e vtmost farthynge. And in these ciuile and worldlye courtes, althoughe oure cause be good and rightfull, yet is it possible that iudgemente be gyuē against vs. And in case that at the length we haue sentence on our side, yet the sute therof shal be so chargeable vnto vs, y
t we shal, for the moste parte, spende more mony in waginge of the law, than we shall gayne by the sentence. Wherfore ther is nothyng better or more profitable, then to seke for concorde and peace, as muche as is possible. And as it is our parte to lyue in peace with all men, so it is our dutie also, to make them at one which be at variaunce. For Christ saieth. Blessed be the peace makers, for they shal be called the children of God. Wherfore good children, printe wel in your remē braunce,
[Page] that God hath commaū ded, Thou shalt not kyll, and that we can not offer a more acceptable sacrifice to God, then to kepe his cōmaundemētes. Make your selfes strong therfore patiently to suffre all thynges, reuenge not your selues but leaue al punyshement to God, and he wyll reuenge your quarrelles. Be not inflamed wyth angre, hatred or enuye against your neighbor, do no wrōg to hym, beare with his weakenesse and forbeare hym, hurte hym not, but rather defēde him from hurt, sow, and norishe vnitie, peace and frendshyp betwene all men, make agrementes & loue daies betwene them that be fallen at discorde, auoyde all occasyons of angre or displeasure, as braggynge, boastyng, reuilynge, tawntynge, scornynge, dicynge, bankettyng, riote
[Page lxii] and suche lyke offences. And contrariwise loue your neighbour, do good to all men as farre as youre abilitie wil serue you, speake well of euery bodye, and laboure with all youre power to saue the lyfe of youre neyghbour. For this is the dutie of all godlye menne, to preserue and defende their neyghbour, frendely to admonyshe him of his faultes, to instruct him and to comforte him. For we be bound to healpe oure neyghboure in hys necessitie, to lende hym money, to gyue to him when he asketh, to refreshe his hunger with meate and drynke, to clothe his nakednes, to receaue into oure house the harbourles, to comforte hym when he is sicke. For all these offices and effectes of trew humanitie, loue and charitie God commaunded, when he said, Thou shalt not kil.
[Page] And this is the trew meanyng of the fifth precepte. Wherfore good children marke it well, and when you be asked, howe vnderstande you the fifthe commaundemente? you shall aunswere, we oughte to loue and dreade oure Lorde God aboue all thinges, so that for hys sake we hurt not our neighboure, nether in his name, goodes, cattel, life or body, but that we aide comforte and succoure hym in all hys necessities troubles and afflyctions.
¶The syxte sermon. ¶An exposition of the syxte commaundement
IN y
e last sermon ye were taught, how we should behaue ourselfes towarde oure neyghboure that we kyll hym not, neyther in wil, word nor dede, neyther hurte hym in hys goodes or bodye. Now a man (yf he be a man in dede and no monster) next after his owne bodye doeth moost dearely loue hys wyfe, wherefore nexte foloweth the syxte commaū dement.
[Page] Thou shalt not committe adulterye, the whiche teacheth vs, howe we shoulde order our selues towardes oure wyfes, that we shoulde loue theym, not forsake theym or breake the promyse of wedlocke with theim, but louingly kepe theym companye. Also that we should not luste after an other mans wyfe, neyther wyth faire wordes or gyftes intyse her away from her husbande, but laboure with all diligence that wemen both maried and vnmaryed maye kepe their chastitie vndefyled. For God himself did institute and ordeine mariage, & did halow it with his awne blessyng. Wherfore we maye be sure, that this state of lyfe pleaseth god, and that it is his wyll, to haue it kept with out pollucion or dishonestie. For god after that he had made Adā,
[Page lxiiii] he sayde thus. It is not good, that Adam shoulde be alone, lette vs make for him an helpe. And when Adam was a sleape, y
e lorde toke one of his ribbes, and made a woman of the Rybbe, whiche he had taken from Adam. And he brought her to Adam, and Adam sayd. This is now bone of my bones & fleshe of my fleshe. For thys cause a mā shall leaue hys father and mother & shall be ioyned with his wife, & they shall be twayne in one fleshe. And the Lorde God blessed theym sayeng. Growe and increace, and replenishe the earth, & tyll it. By this you maye learne good children, that God hymselfe dyd institute mariage wyth hys owne worde. Wherefore there is no doubte, but that thys kinde of lyfe is holy, and doeth hyghlye please God. As thapostell Paule
[Page] writeth to y
e Hebrues. Wedlocke is honourable & the bed therin is vnspotted, but adulterers, and fornicatours god doth cōdemne. Furthermore god saith. Grow & increase. Here he declareth, y
t the fruyt of wedlocke, that is to say, children, are y
e gifte of God. For yf he had not commaunded thys thing by his worde, then maried folkes could haue had no childrē Wherefore ye shall by these wordes chefely learne, that there is a great difference betwene wedlocke and the vnlawfull cōpanye betwixt man and woman. For in mariage the acte of generatyon betwene the husbande and y
e wife is no synne (for God hath ordayned it, & it pleaseth him) but fornication & adulterye be sin which God hath forbid, and thei highly displease him. To maried folkes
[Page lxv] he hathe sayed: Growe, increase and fill the earth, but to horemō gers & harlots he hath not sayed so, but hath cōdēned thē. Childrē begotten in mariage please God, but y
e generatiō of bastardes dyspleaseth him, & lacketh his blessyng, wherfore it is muche for the profit of y
e commen wealth, that wedlocke shoulde be kept purely and chastely, out of the whiche springeth the fruite of vertuous and honest children, which may proue honest men, and be mete to beare office in their cities and countreys. But where adulterye raigneth, wher yought doth both heare and see vnchastnes, there the infection of vncleanes spreadeth abrode, and doth poyson the multitude, and God at the length doth punyshe suche synnes with hunger, famyne, battayle, pestylence,
[Page] & suche lyke, vntill he hathe vtterly destroyed y
e whole realme or citie. Furthermore marke thys also diligently, y
t the Lorde saieth. Growe, increace, replenyshe the earth & digge it. Manye absteyne from mariage, because they be to careful how they shal liue, yf they wer maried. Therfore oure Lorde God doth here plainly shewe, that he wyll minister plentyfullye to maried folkes, all thynges necessarie to the maintenaunce of their lyfe, yf they put their trust in him, and apply their labours diligently. For he saieth, dygge, plowe or tyll the earth, as who shoulde say, I haue made for youre sake all thynges that growe vpon the earthe, I haue gyuen to you all kyndes of heastes, fishes, foules, that lyueth in the worlde, onely laboure you that you maye purchase
[Page lxvi] and possesse those my ryches truely and honestly. Nowe good childrē consider this, that it is not in youre awne lybertie, whether you wyll be maried or not. And thus I speake for thys purpose, that you should be the more dilygent to learne in tyme, some craft, way, or science, wherby you might kepe your house and get youre lyuing honestli, both for yourselfes, your wife & your childrē, for god wylleth all those to vse mariage, that can not lyue continētly. And Christ speaketh in the ghospell of saincte Mathewe of .iii. sortes of people that lyue withoute maryage.
Math. xix. There are some chaste, which are so borne euen frome theyr mothers wōbe. Some ther be whiche are made chast by menne. Other there be to whome God by a syngular gift hath gyuen the gyft of
[Page] chastite, which lyue vnmaried for this purpose and entent, that thei myght the better knowe and set furth the kingdome of God. And they that haue this excellent gift, let theim thanke God for it, for they maye lyue vnmaried. And Christ also doth praise this kynde of chastitie, sayinge. All men can not take this, he that can, let hym take it.
Gene. i. To all other God hath commaunded to vse the helpe of mariage, sayinge. Growe and multiplye.
i. Cor. vii. And saincte Paule saieth. He that can not lyue continētly, let him marie, for it is better to marie then to burne. Nowe forasmuche as mariage is a kind of lyfe so holy godly and honest, and y
t also it perteineth so muche to y
e profit of the commē wealth, that the promyse therein made shoulde be faythfullye obserued,
[Page lxvii] for y
e causes aboue rehersed, therfore God with this commaundemēt, as with a stronge bulwerke or fortresse hathe defended wedlocke, saying. Thou shalte be no wedlocke breaker. And to thentēt we mighte the better vnderstāde, what our Lorde God meante by this commaundemēt, Christ him selfe did expounde it, saying. Ye haue hearde howe it was sayd to them of tholde lawe. Thou shalt committe no adultery. But I say vnto you. He that loketh vpon a woman to lust after her, hath alredy committed adulterye in hys hart. For it is not ynough to absteyne from carnal copulation w
t an other mans wyfe, but we must absteyne also frome all wanton communicacion, all vncleane affections and thoughtes. Wherfore this commaundemēt. Thou
[Page] shalt committe none adulterie, is asmuche to say, as thou shalt not offende with thy neyghboures wife, neyther in acte, nor vncleane wourdes, nor in lokes, wynkes, beckes, or other vnhonest gestures and sygnes, neyther in affection & priuie motion of thy harte. But I cōmmaūd the (saieth God) that y
u be shamefast, chast, pure & vndefiled, whether thou be a virgin, wydow or maried. For these thre states of lyfe be holy & pure. Herein also we be commaunded, that we giue none aide nor counsel, cause or occasion to other to cōmit adulterie, nor gyue houserome harbour or lodging to such offenders, but as we ought to kepe our awne soules cleane from all suche vyces, so it is our deutie also to monyshe and dissuad al other from suche shameful interprises,
[Page lxviii] both with threates, punyshmentes and all meanes possyble to stoppe and let them from so great abomination.
And thinke not good children, that in this commaundemente, only wedlocke breakyng is forbyd, & that other whordome or lecherie is not forbyd, as some frantike mē do thinke, that single fornication betwene vnmaried parsons is not forbyd, because God in this cōmaūdement speaketh in expresse wordes onely of adulterers or wedlocke breakers, But take hede good childrē, that ye erre not with these vngodlye wicked parsons, but know ye for a suertie, that fornication, whoredome, lecherie and all kynde of vncleanes, by what so euer name or title it be called, is synne, and highly displeaseth god. For Moses
[Page] sayeth. There shalbe no whore among the daughters of Israel.
Deut. xxiii Also he sayeth. There shall be no whormonger among the children of Israel. And sainct Paule saieth in expresse wordes.
Ephes. v. Fornication and al vnclēnes let it not be ones named among you, as it becommeth sayntes. For this know for a suertie, that no whoremonger ether vncleane persone hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christ and God. Let no man deceaue you with vaine wordes, for suche thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon disobedient childrē.
By these wordes you maye easely perceyue good children, how greuouslye God doeth punyshe whores and whormongers. Wherfore flye whoredome as the pestilence and the deuels poyson. For God dyd forbyd whoredome
[Page lxix] and all kynde of vncleanes, when he sayde. Thou shalt not committe adultery. And he that is a whore haunter he shall hardelye escape wedlocke breakynge. For he that in his hart excheweth adultery, shall also exchewe fornicatiō. Wherfore if you wyl kepe this commaundemēt trewly, you must order yourselues after this maner. Fyrst of all and chefelye you must beware, that you committe not lecheri in acte and dede, but you muste lyue chastely and continently, vntyll suche tyme as by the healpe of God, consente of youre parentes, and counsell of your frendes, you may be maried lawfully. And then see that you obserue truly the fayth and promise made in matrimony. Wowe not other mēnes wyfes, but kepe companye with youre owne with
[Page] all dewe loue and fauoure. For saynt Paule sayeth. The woman hathe not power or lybertie of her owne bodye, but her husbande, lykewyse the husbande hathe not power or lybertie of hys owne bodye, but the wyfe. And let not one maried person be absent from the other, wythoute an vrgente and weyghty cause, neither let the husbande suffer hys wife in peril and daungier to sytte alone wythout his company or comforte, nor the 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,
[Page lxxi] 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
[Page] 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
[Page lxxi] 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
[Page] 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.
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 commaū demente, as God hathe fortifyed wedlocke that no man shal besyge or assaut it, so by the vertue and strength of this seuenth commaū dement. Thou shalt not steale, he
[Page] 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
[Page lxxv] 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
[Page] 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
[Page lxxvi] 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
[Page] 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 they for their owne gaynes do counsell a man to wage the lawe, makynge hym to beleue that hys mater is good, when in dede they thinke it naught. Or when for monye they wil so craftely handle or
[Page lxxvii] plead a matter, that thei with their shiftes and colors will purposely hyde the trueth, and make a good cause to seme bad, and a bad cause to appeare good: wherwyth they shal so deceyue the iudge that they wyll cause hym vniustely to gyue sentence on theyr syde. And the iudge himselfe is a thefe before God, when he for brybes or anye corrupcion doth wittingly & wyllingly gyue wronge iudgemente.
For he taketh from the partie that hath the good cause, hys iust title and interest, and gyueth it to the other partie that hath no right to it at all. And thys is also no small theft, when men craftely defraud the trew heyres of their inheritance, or forge false testamentes, and wyll not brynge to lyghte the trewe wyll, but hyd and suppresse it.
[Page]Furthermore marchaunt men, brokers, chapmen, marchauntes factors, are theues, when they require vnreasonable gaynes, in sellyng of their marchaundyse, or when they vtter corrupte and naughty ware for good, when thei deceiue their neyghboure w
t false weyght and measure, when with forged letters and fayned newes they perswade other to be hasty to sell that kynde of ware good chepe, whiche they knowe wyll be dere shortely after, or elles by suche lyke crafte, entice men to bye of them great plentye of that kynde of marchaundyse, of the whiche they knowe that the pryce wil shortely after decay. Or when wyth their lyes and periuries they cause a man to gyue more monye for any stuffe, then he wold haue donne yf that he had knowen
[Page lxxviii] that they had lyed. Also when the riche marchaunte men and vserers, haue the heads of the poore handy craftes men so bounde vnder their girddels, that the poore men of necessitie are compelled to brynge their ware to theim, and when y
e handy craftes mē do come to them and offer their stuffe than they fayne that they haue no nede of suche wares at that tyme, and by suche meanes compell theym to sell their wares better chepe thē they be able to aforde theim, not regardyng what greate losse theyr poore neyghbore doth suffer therby. Also when by forstallynge, regratyng, agrementes in haules to rayse the price of thinges, ingrossynge of marchaundise, when one man or one companye getteth all in their awne hādes, that no man maye haue gayne but they onely,
[Page] when by these or suche lyke deceites they compell the poore to bye at their own price, suche wares as they must nedes occupie, thē they be arrant theues before God. For by suche fraude they begyle theyr poore neyghbors, & poolle theym of their monie agaynst theyr wylles. The handycraftes men and daylye laborers also are theues, when they do not applye theyr wourke diligently and faythfully, but sell counterfeyted & slyghtly wrought wares for substantial stuffe, or require more for their labor and paynes then they haue deserued.
Lyke wyse it is of husbande men in the countrey, to whome Lordes and gentle men let theyr lande to ferme to thentente y
t they should plowe and tyl it, that therby the commen welthe maye haue
[Page lxxix] plentye of corne, and dearth maye be auoided: than if they be negligent or slouthful in plowyng the grounde, or sel their corne, cattal or other vitayle, at vnreasonable prices, to enriche themselues therby, they be veraye theues before the face of God. For Kynges lordes and gentle mē do not giue to their fermors the proprietie or inheritaunce of their landes, but onely for certein rentes and seruices do let their grounde out by lease, for this entent and purpose, that the fermors should tyl the same. And the fermour or husbande man, to whome suche lease is made, is nothynge elles but a seruaunt appointed by the lorde so to occupie his grounde, y
t ther by the commen people may be fedde & nourished. Now therfore yf he do not diligently plowe
[Page] and sow the ground as he is appoynted, or elles yf he set so excessiue a price vpon hys corne that the multitude (whome his deutye is to feade) is not able to bye it, then he his gyltie of thefte before God. For yf fermers and husband men were so owners of their fermes and landes, y
t they might chose whether they woulde plowe them or no, then they shoulde nether be able to pay theyr rent due vnto their landlordes, & the commen people shoulde perchaunce dye for hunger.
Lykewyse this commaundemēt is to be vnderstand of householde seruaūtes, whether they be men or women prentises, iourney men, or hyred labourers. For all these receaue wages for this intente, that they shoulde laboure and wourke for their maysters
[Page lxxx] profyte, and helpe their maysters in true gettyng, and faithfull kepyng of their goodes, to y
e mayntenance of their householde. But when suche seruātes be vntrusty, negligent or slouthful in doynge their dutie, when they wastfullye spende or consume their masters goodes, when they require greater wages then they be worthye to haue, when they start or runne from their maisters, or tarye not so longe as they were bounde by their couenant, then they breake this commaundemente. Thou shalte not steale, for asmuche as thei withdrawe frō their maisters that profyt, whiche of dewtie they owe vnto them, and do asmuche as lyeth in them to empoueryshe and vndo their maisters. And to be shorte, they that paye not to their seruauntes or wourkemen
[Page] their wages in dew tyme, accordyng to their couenante. They which wil not at the day appointed restore that monye which thei haue borowed. They which can, and wil not pay their dettes, for their awne lucre. They y
t do not render thinges whiche they haue found, as farre as they can come to knowlege of the trew owners. They that do not gyue agayne suche thinges as be committed to their custodie for a tyme. And generally all they that do hawke and hōte for other mens goodes against the wil of the owners, or do hurte them in any parte of the same, or elles yf they seke not their neighbours profyte, as thei ought to do. Al these (I saye) are theues before God, although the worlde dothe not so iudge them, nor punyshe them for the same.
[Page lxxxi] Hereby you maye perceaue good children, howe great misery reigneth in this wretched worlde, and that men swimme (as it wer) in a floode of synne. For the worlde is full of priuie theues, and there is almoste no state or kynde of lyfe, from the highest to the lowest, of the whiche there be not manye that haue broken this commaundemente. And yet we counte it a villanie, to be called a thefe, and not w
t out good cause. For thefes be punyshed with most shamefull death, hangynge on the galowes or gybbyt. And althoughe they escape hangynge in this worlde, yet many tymes God punysheth them, so that they lyue wretchedly all their lyfe tyme. For commenly euell gotten goodes is yll spent, and the thyrde heyre doth scasely enioy theim.
[Page]And when it chaūseth that suche vntrusty and slouthfull seruauntes, as I haue heretofore spoken of, shall kepe house of their owne, then God scourgeth theim with the same rodde, with the whyche they whipped other. For he sendeth theim vnfaithfull and neglygente seruauntes, whiche runneth awaye from theim, and serueth them as they were wonte to serue other. Wherfore good children, kepe well this commaundement. Absteine frome all kyndes of thefte, steale no thinge from no man, hurte no bodye, gyue and rendre to euery man that whiche is due vnto him, accordynge to his degre, state and callynge. And when you be put in truste with other mennes gooddes, handle them faithfully. You oughte to be muche better nowe than whan
[Page lxxxi] we were vnder the Byshoppe of Rome, for asmuche as we haue nowe receyued the ghospell and haue newely professed the pure truth of Goddes worde. Therfore yf we be now not better then we were before, surely God wyll more greuously punishe vs than he did before when we were in ignorance. For the Lorde sayeth in the ghospell. The seruaunte that knoweth his maysters wyll, and doeth it not, shalbe beaten wyth many strypes.
Now good children ye haue heard how this seuenth commaū dement forbyddeth you to hurte youre neyghbour, eyther in acte, worde or thoughte, it commaundeth you neyther pryuely nor openly, to steale or take awaye an other mannes goodes agaynste his wyll, it willeth you to commit
[Page] no theft in wordes, that is to say, to beware that neyther with lyes, swering, forswering nether w
t flatterie, fayre wordes, craftye cōmunication we defraude circumuent or begyle our neyghbour, neyther by threatnyng we cause him to depart from any portion of his goodes, or other wayes to noy him. Also it prohibiteth vs to commit theft in heart or thought, whiche we doo, when thorow the counsell of couetousnesse, we studie, compasse, and in agine howe we maye deceaue our neyghbour, and by hoke or by croke to get that thing whiche we couet to haue. But contrarywise this commaundemente chargeth vs to gyue and rendre to euery man that whiche is due vnto him, wyllyngly to serue and profyt all menne, to defende oure neighbour from al maner of hurt
[Page lxxxii] losse, and damage, (asmuche as it shall lye in vs,) so to ordre oure wordes and communication that therby (asmuche as shalbe possible) we maye healpe and comforte oure neyghboure, hertely to loue and fauour all men, and to enuye no man. Also thys precepte wylleth vs to be so farre absent from takynge awaye an other mannes good, that it byddeth vs to gyue parte of oure owne riches to them that lacke and desire it, according to the commaundement of Christ, whiche sayeth.
Luce. xi. Giue to euery man that doeth aske the. And agayne he sayeth. Gyue almes and all thynge shalbe cleane vnto you.
And in an other place, That whiche you do to one of the lest of myne (sayth Christ) that you do to me.
Mat xxv
[...]
Wherfore good children, when
[Page] you shall be demaunded, howe vnderstande you the seuenth commaundement? you shall answere. We ought to feare and loue our Lord God aboue al thinges, and for hys sake willingly to absteine from our neyghbors goodes and cattell, to take nothing from him, but to helpe him in his neede, and to defende and augment his ryches and commodities.
The eyght sermon. ¶An exposition of the eyghte commaundemente.
Thou shalt beare no false wytnesse agaynste thy neyghbour.
YE haue hearde how ye ought to vnderstande the seuenth precepte, by the whiche ye haue learned, y
t by no meanes we shoulde take awaye our neyghbours goodes agaynst his wyll. And when he committeth any thyng to our custodye, (eyther wyllyngly or constrayned by necessitie), then it is oure dutie to kepe, and saue the
[Page] same, as we woulde do in case it were oure owne. And forasmuche as our riches standeth not onelye in possession of landes, tenementes, cattell or money, but also in our good name, fame and estimation, (whiche farre passeth al gold syluer and precious stones,) therfore foloweth this commaundement. Thou shalte beare no false witnes agaynst thy neyghbour. For this commaundemēt teacheth vs, howe we shoulde behaue oure selues, in defendyng oure neyghbours good name, that we dishonest hym not wyth lyes, false accusations, or witnesse bearyng, that we slaunder him not, but studie to defende, increase and maintayne hys good name and fame, euen so as we would wyshe other men to do towarde vs. And here you shall dylygently marke and
[Page lxxxiii] bear away, how excellēt a treasure it is to haue a good name.
Pro. xxvi. For Salomon sayeth. A good name is better then muche riches, and more precious then balme or other straung oyntementes. And forasmuche as God so ernestlye forbiddeth other men, to hurt our good reporte and estymatyon, whiche menne haue conceyued of vs, it muste needes folowe, that muche more he forbyddeth oure selues, to do that hurt to oure selues, whiche he chargeth other not once to offer vnto vs, but he requireth of vs, that we with all diligence should studye to get vs a good name, and to kepe the same vnspotted and vndefiled. This we shall do, yf we applye our mindes to true vertue and vnfayned religiō, that our lyfe may be foūd fawteles, and men maye haue no
[Page] matier against vs, wherwith they maye wourthely charge vs. For it is not sufficient, only to abstein from syn, but we must also auoid all occasyon of the same, and as saynte Paule counselleth vs, we must refrayne from all outwarde apperaunce of euyll.
Thes. v. Wherfore good children liue vertuously, kepe Gods cōmaundementes, obey your parentes & elders, that you may be wel spoken of, and be takē for honest persons: For this doeth not onelye please God, but also is verye profitable for you. For this is the high wai that shal brynge you to riches, honor and promotion, to haue a good report and credit amonge youre neyghbours, and in no wise folowe you not y
e example of some lyght and shameles vnthriftes whiche care not what men saye of theym, and
[Page lxxxv] passe not yf all men speake euyll by them. For they be ashamed of no kynde of myschiefe. But such God wyll punyshe and commonly they shall haue an euell ende. But ye good children, shall endeuour your selfes, to preserue both youre owne good name & youre neghbours also, & to beware y
t ye beare no false witnes agaynst other mē, y
t is to say, that ye diffame not thē or impaire their good name by your lyes & slaunders.
For this worde, wytnes, in this place betokeneth all that thing which is spoken of our neyghbours, whē they go to law, or contende aboute any matier. As when one doth arrest an other, and sayeth. I lent this felowe so muche monie, & now he denyeth the same. Then yf any third parson come in, and saye I was present,
[Page] and did see when this man lent him this summe of monye, (wheras he saw no suche thinge in deade) then this false witnesse doth to his neyghboure double iniurye. For first he causeth that his neyghboure is compelled to pay that monye, whiche he neuer borowed. Secōdarily he causeth him to lese his good name and credit, and to be called a shameles lyer, insomuche y
t euery man wyl poynt at him when he goeth in the streates, and saye. Lo yonder goeth that vnfaythfull person, whiche boroweth monye of his neighboure, and denied thesame. The whiche thing when it chaunceth, the partie of whome this euel brute is sprede, is vndone in this world, and suffereth greater damage by the losse of his name, then yf he shoulde lese
[Page lxxxvi] al his riches. Wherfore it is not without a cause, that God so ernestlye forbyddeth vs to beare false witnes. For as by trew witnes bearyng, discorde, strife and contention is ended, both in the lawe and out of the lawe, so by false testimonies, strife, discorde and variaunce is sowen and scatered, and wrong thereby greatly mainteined. Wherfore God in this commaundemente forbyddeth vs, that with lies we slaundre not our neyghboure, that we gyue no occasion to hatred, dyscorde or debate, but y
t we studye to speake y
e truthe, and (asmuche as it shall lie in vs) to reconcyle men together. For this is an excellēt vertue, which highly pleaseth God. For Christ saith in the gospel. Blessed are they that make peace, for they shall be called
[Page] the childerne of God. Wherfore good childrē, beware chiefly, that you be no liers, nor false witnes berers, but for any occasion you spare not to speake the trueth at all tymes and places, and specyally when you be brought for witnesses into commen courtes or open iudgementes. For God hymselfe hath ordeyned lawes, courtes and officers, to defende the good, and to punyshe y
e euel, without the whiche, there can be no peace or quietnes in this worlde. They be the succour and sanctuarie of fatherles and motherles children, of widowes and of all oppressed persons. And he that shoulde go about to ouerturne this commen refuge of all persons that suffre wrong, it can not otherwayes be, but he muste nedes synne against y
e ordinance
[Page lxxxvii] of God, and greuously hurt hys neyghboure. But no man doth peruerte and ouerturne iustyce, courtes, and iudgementes, more, thē a false wytnes, wherfore this is a very heynous synne before God. For a false wytnes doth forsweare himselfe againste the seconde commaūdement, he doth as much as lieth in him to ouerturne and destroye courtes and iudgements, founded and establyshed by God, he despiseth and deceueth y
e iudge, he hurteth hys neyghbor both in his name and goods, he stoppeth y
e peace, frēdshyp and agremente, the whiche shoulde haue ben made betwene the parties by the iudges trewe iudgemēt, he mainteineth wrōg, and continueth hathred, debate and contention, of the whiche foloweth brawlyng, fyghtyng and
[Page] oftentymes manslaughter. The whiche heynous synnes God wil not suffer to escape vnscourged, but horribly will punishe theim. Wherfore let euery man auoyde false witnes bearyng, as they would flye the plage or poyson. By this commaundemente also God wythdraweth vs, from all euel suspicions, that we thynke not euel of our neyghbor, nether expounde his wordes or deades to the wourst, y
t we suspecte hym not without a cause nor vtter to other our suspicions conceyued against any man, as long as we knowe not certaynly the truth. For they which groundyng thē selues vpon suspicions, do rayse euel tales or vntrue brutes against their neighboure, they do beare false witnes against hym, and do more hurte then open lyers.
[Page lxxxviii] For they that lye openly, or that in the face of y
e courte beare false witnes against a man, may be accused & punyshed for theyr offence. But mē can not so easely auoyde y
e venomie of suche persons, whiche secretly by poysened wordes, or other meanes, causeth his neyghboure to be suspected.
For they so secretly handle the matier, y
t they bryng their neighboure in slaunder, and yet they wyl not be knowne that it commeth by theim. And this is no small offense, contrarie to thys eight commaundement. Wherfore vtterly exchewe this vice, & be not suspicious of your neighbours, takynge all thynges that you heare or see in theim to the worste, but rather to the beste. For this is the nature and propertie of Christen charitie as
[Page] sayncte Paule saieth. Charitie thinketh none euel.
1. Cor xiii, And for the better vnderstanding of this cō maūdemēt good children, marke wel this, that by this commaundement are forbidden al speakynges and communication, whiche be against charitie to the hinderance of our neyghboure. For what so euer we talke agaynste charitie, is synne, althoughe we speake nothynge but the trueth. Therfore our lord Iesus Christ saieth, men shall make an accōpt of euery idle worde. Now yf we must make a rekenīg of idle wordes, much more thē we shal rekē for our slaunderous wourdes againste our neighours. Whiche synne although it raigne in the worlde to commonly, yet it is an horrible and haynous offense. Wherof many euils & harmes,
[Page] but no good thinge doth aryse. For when mens synnes be publyshed and spreade abrode, many therby take occasiō of synne, and thinke on this fashion. Yf thys and that man haue donne thys thynge, why maye not I do it also, seyng it is a faute commenlye practised in the worlde. Therfore sainct Paul saieth. Whoredome & couetousnes let it be not ones named amonge you.
Ephes. v. And Christe saieth of hym that gyueth occasion of synne. It wer better for him, that a mylstone wer hanged about his necke and he to be cast into the botome of the sea. Moreouer, when we vse thus rashely to slaunder men, it chaunceth oftentymes, that the parties whiche be slaundered, be made therby paste shame, vnrepentaunte and more obstinate to continew in their wicked
[Page] lyfe. For by malicious slaunder many offenders be prouoked to rage, and often times brust out into these woordes. I wyll do it agayne, because men talke of it. What haue they to do wyth my dedes? and such lyke wordes. And some of thē be the worser in deede, continuynge in their synnes al the dayes of theyr lyfe. Where as yf they were gentely, secretlye and frendly admonyshed, they mighte be wonne & brought to the righte waye againe. Wherefore make not the wourste of mens faultes, neyther be desyrouse to tell theym abrode, althoughe you knowe the thynges to be trew.
Mat. xviii But kepe the rule of Christ which sayth. Yf thy brother trespace against the, go, & tell hym his faulte betwene hym and the alone, yf he heare y
t, thou haste wonne thy brother. But yf
[Page lxxxix] he heare the not, then take wyth the one or two, that in the mouthe of two or three wytnesses euerye mater may stande, yf he heare not them, tell it vnto the congregation. Yf he heare not the congregation, let him be vnto the as an hethen, & a Publycane. This is the best and moste honest waye to entreat synners, and to handle other mennes faultes. And he that wyll not vse this waye, lette hym holde his tongue. For bacbytynge and yl reportyng doth more hurt then good. And it is not ynoughe for vs to refrayne oure owne tongue from euyll reportes, but we must also take heede, that we gyue no occasion to other so to do, that is to say, we must nether mainteyne, reioyce nor comforte theim, that speake euyl of their neyghbours, but bothe with oure countenance
[Page] wordes and dedes, we must shew vnto theym, that we do not lyke suche communicacion, and so to stoppe the mouthes of suche bacby
[...]ers.
Now to make a briefe rehersal of suche thinges as haue ben spoken heretofore, you shall vnderstande (good chyldren,) that by this eyght commaundemente are forbyd all lyes, fraudes, and all cōmunication, wherby our neyghbours name maye be hurted, or by the whiche strife and contention may be prouoked or continued, whether it be in courtes of law or out of courtes. Hereby also we be commaunded not to be suspicious nor to expound our neyghbours woordes or deedes to the wourst, nor maliciousely to blow abrode theyr fautes, or in tellyng of them to make them wourse thē
[Page xcii] they be in dede, but we oughte alwayes to set our myndes of suche thinges as pertayne to the glorye of God and profit of our neyghboure, and in all places to speake well and charitably of euery mā. We must also maynteyne vnitie, peace and concorde, take all thing to the best, beare with oure neyghbours frailtie, and hyde hys fautes, when we can not amende thē. This is the true meanyng of this precept. Wherefore good children whē you shalbe demaunded, howe vnderstande you the eyghte commaundement, you shall aunswer. We ought to feare and loue oure Lorde God aboue all thynge, and for his sake to absteyne from all liynge, backebytyng, slaunderyng and yll reportynge, by the whiche oure neyghbours good name fame and credit may be impeched
[Page] or decayed, and rather to excuse hydde or gentely to enterprete another mannes faute, then malycyously to make the wourste of the same, and wyth the loude trumpe of our tongue to blast it abrode, to the knowlege of all the towne or place wherein we dwel.
The nynth sermon. ¶And exposition of the nynthe and tenth commaundement.
Thou shalte not desire thy neyghbours house / wyfe / man seruaūt / woman seruaunte / oxe / asse / nor anye thynge that is his.
THe nynthe and tenth commaundementes good children, be as it were briefe commentaries and expositions of the other commaundementes, that were spoken of before. For they declare vnto vs, that it is not ynoughe to kepe the former commaūdementes in outwarde woorkes, and not to hurte our neighbour neyther in his bodye,
[Page] wyfe, goodes, fame, name or estimation, but they declare also that we ought not to couet or desier any thinge that is our neyghbours. And they teache vs also y
e euell lustes & carnal desiers (whiche lurke in the secret corners of our hertes) are sinnes, for y
e which we shoulde be for euer damned, yf God should rendre vnto vs after iustice, and not after his mercye. Wherfore good childrē, you shal here learne that euyll lustes and appetites, whiche come vnto vs euen frome oure fyrste father Adam be synnes, and that no man or woman, no not infauntes in theyr mothers wombe, do lyue withoute suche lustes and appetites. For the whiche cause all men are synners, and there is not one man innocent before God, according to y
e saying of S. Paul.
[Page xciiii] All men haue synned, & haue nede of the glory of god.
Roma.
[...] To the which agreeth the Prophet Dauid, saying. Al men and women haue erred out of the right waye,
Psal. xiii. there is none that dothe good no not one. For this we feale in oure selues and proue by experience, that naturally we be full of yll desiers and lustes. For we delyte in thinges that be pleasant to the fleshe, and abhorre all thinges that be displeasant to y
e same. And these appetites & desires we maye perceaue to be euen in infantes which lye in their cradel. For whē suche yong babes do not lye softly or be greued with thirst, hūger or colde, they crie vnpatientlye. Lykewise when we shewe thē any pleasant thing to their eyes, and sodenly againe take it from them we see them wepe. And these be
[Page] playne and euident tokens, that infantes newly borne, be giuen to their owne willes and appetites, and are synners, for asmuche as thei transgresse this commaundement. Thou shalt not desire. And it is much necessary for you good children, to marke dilygently and to beare away this lesson, to thentent you maye therby acknowlege your awne synne. And let not the sayinges of certen vnlerned persons moue you, whiche affirme that infantes and suche as be vndre y
e yeres of discretion, are pure, innocēt and cleane without sinne. For this opinion is not true, nor agreable to holye scripture. And they that say so, deceaue both thē selues and other. For infantes are baptised for this purpose, y
t they by the same maye enioy remission of their synnes. And in case they
[Page xciii] neded not forgyuenes of their offences, thē they had no nede to be Christened. But ther be fewe that vnderstandeth this doctrine. For mans reason can not attayne to it, neither can it comprehēde, how infantes should be synners by the reason of lustes & desiers, called concupiscence in the whiche they be conceiued and borne, but they that leane to their naturall witte iudgeth yong babes to be innocēt and voyde of synne, because they committe no outwarde offence or actual synne. But we in this case must not iudge after our reason, but according to y
e worde of God, whiche euidently declareth vnto vs, that concupiscence is synne. For yf we were in dede cleane, fawtles and innocente, then oure nature woulde not so vehemently seke for those thinges whiche are
[Page] pleasaunt to oure appetites, but woulde be contente with y
t which God shoulde sende vnto vs, and whatsoeuer thing did please God, that also should please vs. Moreouer we shulde not so much desire to auoide suche thinges as be displeasant to the flesh, as we should desire to auoyde those thīges that be forbydde by gods law. Also we shoulde be more willyng to suffre all kynde of afflyctions, paynes and miseries (yf it were gods will that we should so do) then contrary to his wil, to hauke and hunte for pleasures, to seke to liue idely, to hurde vp riches, purchase landes or other commodities. But now we feale in oure selues, that euen from our tendre age and in our cradels also, we be cleane cō trary mynded. For we begynne to couet and lust for pleasant thynges,
[Page xcvi] lōg before we know whether God wyll gyue them vnto vs, or no. Also we abhorre and be werye of displeasant thinges, longe before we know whether it be gods will that we shoulde be relyued of the same or no. Yea although we knowe gods wil neuer so wel, yet we longe and lust for the contrarie. And this is surely a great offence. For gods will ought to be fulfylled and not ours, as we desier in the Lordes prayer. And to knowe this thing, good chyldren, is a point of high wisedom, to the which euery man doth not attain For thapostle Paule doeth confesse, that he had not knowen this synne, yf the lawe had not gyuen him warnyng of it. For he sayeth, I had not knowē concupiscence, yf the lawe had not sayed: Thou shalt not desire or lust. Wherfore
[Page] good children, locke vp this lessō in the cofer of your memories, by the whiche you shall learne trulye to feare God. For we oughte not then only to dreade God, when by outwarde acte or worke we breke his lawes, but also as often as we feale in vs these yll lustes & carnal desiers. And althoughe these lustes do for a time, as it wer slepe in vs, and do not sturre or moue vs, yet not withstandynge theyr quiet rest, we ought to knowe that they lye hyde in the priuye corners of our hartes, and that for al their slomberyng they be synnes before God. For yf God had not taken them for synnes, then he woulde not haue forbide them by this cō maūdement. Thou shalt not long or lust. For as sainct Paule saith. The lawe was not gyuen to the iust mā,
i. Timo. i. nor doth forbid any thing
[Page xcv] but synne only. Wherefore (good childrē) forasmuche as we knowe, that cōcupiscence lust or longyng is synne, we ought to eschewe and bridle it (asmuche as we maye) by gods grace. And it is our parte chiefly to take hede, that we consent not to the request of oure yll lustes, nor fulfyl in outwarde acte the desiers of the fleshe. And that you maye the better attayne to the vnderstandyng of this commaū dement, I wyll declare vnto you the other wordes of this commaū dement, thou shalt not desire thy neyghbours house. Where you shall note, that this worde, house, doth not onely signifye the house wherin men do dwell, but it betokeneth al the hole householde, and the whole state of y
e householder, and all thinges that belong vnto him. Some tyme it is taken for a
[Page] stocke or kynrede. As when we say, he & I come out of one house, meanyng thereby that we be both of one stocke or kyndrede. Wherfore this is the perfit sense of this commaundemente. When thy neighbour is a noble man borne, and hath goodly manors, greate cupbordes of plate, costlye hanginges of cloth of arris, great plenty of riches and aboundance of all thynges as apperteyne to suche a housholde, then thou shalt not desier his house, that is to say, thou shalte in no wyse wyshe y
t he might lese any of these thinges, to thētent y
t thou myghtes haue thē. Nor couetousnes or worldly desier oughte not so to rauyshe thy minde, y
t thou woldest be in y
e state of lyfe that he is in, but let that kynde of lyuyng please the, whervnto it hath pleased God to call
[Page cxvii] the. Wherfore good childrē lerne without booke (I praye you) this short lesson, and put it daylye in execution. Couet not, nor longe not for a more noble or welthy state, then God hathe already gyuen vnto you. But let euery man be content with his proginie, office, callyng, state and degree, for so ye shall please God, and obey hys wyll.
Furthermore they breake this commaundemente, that be desyrous to put theyr neyghbour out of his house or lande, to thentente that they maye haue the same. Also thou offendest herein, when thou arte glad to see thy neyghbour fall in decaye, & in hys nede dost offre to lende hym monye, to the entent he maye runne so farre in thy delte, that at length he shall be compelled to offre to y
t his inheritaunce
[Page] to be solde, now in this case if thou bie thesame, thou dost synne, yea although thou paye as moche money as the lande is worth. For thou oughtest to loue thy neyghboure as thyne owne selfe, and to wyshe vnto hym as good chaunce and great prosperitie, as thou wouldest to thy self. Nowe thou wouldest not gladlye be put from thyn owne patrimonie, thou wouldest not be oppressed with dette or pouertie. Therfore thou mayest not wyshe or do to thy neyghbour, that thou wouldest not other men shoulde do to the. Therefore thou mayste not hauke or hunte for his patrymonie, thou mayst make no traynes to brynge him in to thy snare, and to cause him to sell the same, but thou oughtest rather to helpe thy neyghbour both with thy counsel
[Page xcviii] and wyth thy money, to kepe still hys inherytaunce and not to defraude his heyres or posteritie of those landes, whiche hys auncesters by longe succession haue left to him and his heires. Now good children you haue hearde the true meanynge of the nynth precepte, and because it teacheth you, howe to ordre your herte, I praye you learne it by harte, that when you be demaunded, how vnderstande you the nynth commaundement, you maye answere we oughte to feare and loue oure Lorde God aboue all thynges, and for hys sake so to chastice oure eyes and lustes, that we desyer not oure neyghboures house, nor other thynge belongynge vnto hym, that we putte hym not frome hys possessyons or goodes but helpe him (asmuche as shall lye in vs)
[Page] to retayne▪ and kepe hys landes, goodes and all that is his.
The tenth sermon. ¶An exposition of the tenth commaundement.
Thou shalte not desyre thy neyghboures wyfe / nor hys man seruaunte / nor woman seruaunte / nor his Oxe / nor his Asse / nor any thynge that is his.
I Wyl not be long good children in declarynge vnto you the tenth commaundemēt, part lye bycause the wordes and sense of the same be so playne that they nede no longe declaratiō, partly bycause I haue all ready expounded the same in the former sermon. For these two last commaūdementes be so coupled together, that he whiche vnderstandeth
[Page] the one perfitely, shal easely perteyue the other, for they bothe haue one purpose and entent, to clense the inwarde manne, and to purge the hearte from all yll affections and lustes. But wheras the former commaundemente dyd forbydde vs, that we or shuld not wishe to succede our neyghbour in his lādes, honours dignities, a carnall man woulde peraduenture reason on this fashion. I graunt in deede, that I am forbyd, to couet al my neyghbours landes or goodes, but yet I may desire and intice from him one seruaūt, I may conuey from hym an Oxe, Asse or an Horse. For he hathe greate plentye of all these thinges, and maye spare one or two of them without any hinderaunce or great losse. And that whyche doeth hym but small seruice,
[Page c] by reason of hys greate aboundaunce, woulde do me moch pleasure, and greatly releaue my necessitie. To this obiection God himselfe doth answere in this last commaundemente, saying. Thou shalte not desire thy neyghbours wife, seruaunte, mayde, Oxe or Asse, no thou shalt desire no thing that is thy neyghbours. For god is the maker of all thynges, and Lorde of all creatures and he gyueth them to whō it pleaseth hym. Wherfore yf he haue gyuen anye thynge to thy neyghbour, whiche he hathe not sente to thee, enuye not thy neyghbour therefore, nor go about to conuey it from hym, but thynke this. Yf it were Goddes pleasure, that I shoulde possesse suche a thynge, or yf he knew that it wer for my welthe, to haue it, he woulde haue sente it to me,
[Page] aswell as to my neyghboure. For surely good chyldren, these rauenynge woulfes, that be euer thryftynge after other mennes goodes, lacke the benediction of God and therefore they can not long prosper, no not in this world For other they bryng nothyng to passe wyth all theyr gapyng glenyng and carefulnesse, or yf they obteyne theyr purpose, yet verely (all thynges accompte) theyr losse is greater then theyr gaynes. For in this worlde they lese y
e fauoure both of God and man, they lese their good name & fame, & ar called of euery man extorcioners, brybers pollers & piellers, deuourers of widowes houses, & oppressers of fatherles and motherles children. And what a gaynyng is it I praye you, by purchasynge of a lytle lande herein this lyfe to
[Page ci] purchase therwithal euerlastynge damnacion in hel? What profyteth it a man (sayeth Christ) yf he wynne all the worlde and lese hys awne soulle? what dyd Dauid wynne, when he lusted after the wyfe of Urie, & had his pleasure of her? did not God therfore so punyshe him, that he hymselfe lost all his awne wifes? For his sonne Absolon in the sight of al the people entred vnto his fathers wyfe, and defloured them all in his fathers owne house, and after dyd purswe his father Dauid euē vnto death. What did it profit Achab, that he slewe Naboth & toke possession of his vyneyarde? Ueryly God did punyshe him therfore in such sorte, that he caused him to be slayne in the next battayle that he went vnto and toke the kyngdom from al his succession, & destroyed
[Page] all hys lynage, and lefte not one man alyue, and beside all this, the dogges licked Achabes bloude in the same place wher he caused Naboth to be slayne. What gayned Iudas, when he solde oure Lorde Iesus Christ for thirtie peaces of syluer? verilye he was punyshed of God therefore, and was so tormented with the horrible feare of cōscience, that he ran to the halter for succour, and hanged himselfe. Wherwith as he ended y
e miseries of this life, so he began, the paines of the other lyfe. Lykewyse God, euen nowe a dayes doth punyshe these glyerynge keytes, that seke their pray in euery place, for commonly either they be deceaued of theyr expectacion for all their gapyng and pryenge, or yf they obteyne their praye, they purchase to themselfes therwith great mysfortune
[Page cii] and euel endes. Wherefore good children let this commaundement deapely synke into youre hartes, and considre wel, that it is no mā, nor creature, but God himselfe, y
t saith vnto you, Thou shalt not desier thy neyghbours wyfe, his man seruant, woman seruant, oxe, asse, or any other thing that is hys. For to desier these thinges, is a very heynous synne, & God will not suffre it to escape vnpunished. And althoughe men now a dayes take it but for a trifle whan a man hath a true and diligent seruant, to entice him awaye by all craftes and meanes, yet surely God wyl punishe the same sharpely. For as they entice their neyghbours seruaūts from theim, so god suffreth other men to alure their seruantes awaye lykewise. And moreouer this inconuenience cōmeth herby,
[Page] that whē seruantes perceaue men to sue for thē, they waxe so hawte and stubburne, that they wyll be contēt with no meane wages, and be so proude, that they regarde not their maysters, nor stande in awe of theim, but whan so euer theyr olde maysters, do displease theim, by and by they wil seke for a newe. And when they be not contēt with their olde wages, they desiermore. And this cōplaint of seruantes is now a dayes al most in euery mās mouthe, and yet it is not redressed, because it is the iust punyshment of God, wherewith he scourgeth theim, that allure their neyghbors seruantes from thē. And God doth not punyshe onely suche as entice other mennes seruātes from them but also all those that go about to gette anye other parte of their neyghbours goodes or cattel. For
[Page ciii] yf thou take thy neyghbors house ouer his hed, or put him out of his house by any crafty conueyance, then manye tymes God taketh vēgeance with syckenes or losse of thy goodes. Yf thou conuey awaye his cattell, commonly they prosper not, but dye of some kynd of moirrein. And whatsoeuer thinge we thus purchase and possesse, cōtrarie to godds commaundement, it lacketh the blessynge of God, wherfore it can not long endure or prosper. Therfore I pray you good childē, frame your affections and lyues accordyng to this rule. Be content that euery man may enioy and kepe to hymselfe, that thing which God hath giuen him. When gods pleasure shall so be, he wyll also sende to you, that whiche you desier. And he is able so to gyue it you, that your neighboure
[Page] therby shal suffre no losse or damage. Couet not youre neyghbours wife, house, seruaunt or any thynge that is his, except it be by his wil and consent. And yf it shal chaunce any of you, to be couenant seruaunts with any man, then let no craftye or malicious felowes persuade you, to forsake youre maysters, but do them faythfull seruice (as youre dutie is.) And trust not suche flateryng or slaunderous tongues, as go aboute to entice you frō your maysters. For suche men are the dyuels messengers, which entende nothing elles but to allure you to synne, and to brynge you into miserie. And beleue this good children, as a moost sure article of your faith, that our God is the true lorde of all thing, he is the gouerner and maister of all the worlde, and all is but his
[Page ciiii] owne householde. He first made vs, and from tyme to tyme doth daylye nouryshe vs. He doth set all thinges in ordre in his familie, he it is, that doth cal euery man to that office, state, ordre, degre and kynde of lyuyng, in the whiche it pleaseth hym to set theim. He wyll gyue to euery man, y
e thing which he hath nede of, so that we with all our hartes obey him. Wherefore ther is no cause whythou shuldest couet thy neighbors goods, or by any subtyl conueyance get them into thy handes. For this thinge wanteth the blessyng of God, yea it deserueth his curse & maledycciō. For scripture saith. Cursed is he, that doth not abide in all thinges, that be written in the lawe.
And nowe ye haue hearde good chylderne a plaine brief and true exposition of the tenth commaundement,
[Page] the whiche although it be last in number, yet I pray you let it not haue the last place in youre memorye, but one of the first and chefest seates of thesame. That as sone as you be demaunded thys questiō, how vnderstande you the tenth commaundement? you may be prompte and redie to answere, we ought to feare & loue our Lord God aboue al thinges, and for his sake willyngly to absteyne frō our neighbours wife, familie, goodes & cattel, & to helpe hym as muche as lyeth in vs, that he may kepe and possesse the same.
¶A general preface / to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon made vpon the articles of our Faith, commonly called the Crede.
YHe holy apostle saynct Paule (good childern) writteth expressely,
Hebr. xii. that withoute faith it is vnpossible to please God. Also Christ, himselfe saieth. He that beleuethe and is baptised, shall be saued.
Mat. xvi. Now I trust ther is none among you, but he is desirous to please God, and enioye euerlastynge lyfe. Then yf you wyll attayne therto, you must chiefely and most diligently, applye youre myndes
[Page] to learne the christian faythe and the articles of the same. For you haue hearde that without it there is nothing able to reconcile vs to God y
e father, to pacifie his wrath and to bringe vs to the lyfe euerlastyng. For althoughe the tenne commaūdementes are an excellēt godly and heauenly doctrine, yet we can not be saued or iustifyed by theym. For we be not able of our owne strength and power to fulfyll the lawe and goddes holy commaundementes. But by theym, we onelye do learne what God requireth of vs, and so be brought to the knowledge of our synne.
Roma. iii. For this is the office of the lawe (as saincte Paule sayeth) to teache vs our offences and to set before our eyes the great feare of God and the indignation whiche we haue deserued by breakynge
[Page cvi] his commaundementes, to the intent, that we acknowledgyng our owne weakenesse, shoulde flye to Goddes grace and mercye.
This feare of God is learned in the ten commaundementes, and it is the begynnyng of wysedome But the holy christian fayth is a muche more hyghe and excellente knowledge and wysedome, as sayncte Paule wytnesseth saying.
i. Cori. ii We speake wysedome amonge theym that are perfecte, such wisdome as is not of thys worlde, nor of the rulers of thys worlde, whiche be mortall, but we teache the wysedome of God, whiche is secret and hyd, which God ordeyned before the worlde vnto oure glorye, whiche wysedome none of the rulers of this worlde dyd knowe. These be the wordes of sayncte Paule, whereby he declareth
[Page] that the science of fayth passeth al other sciences, and teacheth heauenly and eternall wisedome that excedeth all mennes philosophye. For by faythe we learne to knowe God, what he is, and what loue he beareth towarde vs, and howe great benefites he hath heaped vpon vs. For by fayth we be made y
e childrē of God, and he giueth vnto vs the holy goost, whiche doeth lyghten and kyndle our hartes, that we maye begynne to kepe hys lawe, whiche els of our owne strengthe we were not able to kepe and fulfyll. Wherfore good children it is necessarie for you to learne y
e doctrine of faithe, for without it we can not be iustified, or brought agayne into gods fauour. For no man is iust or rightuous before God, that hath not the holy gost, and he that will
[Page cxxiii] receyue the holy gooste, muste beleue in Christe (for by faith we receyue the holy goost) therefore by faith we be iustified. Agayne yf we wyll be saued, we must knowe God and our Lord Iesus Christ,
Ioh. xv as it is written Iohn the .xvii. But we can not knowe God and his sonne Iesus Christ but by faith, therfore faith iustifieth vs and bringeth lyfe euerlastyng. Wherfore good children applye your selfes dylygently to learne▪ the Christian faith the which nowe I wil shortely reherse vnto you.
I Beleue in God the father almighty / maker of heauen and erth. And in Iesus christ his only sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holye goost / borne of the virgin Marye. Suffred vnder Ponce Pylat / was crucified dead and buried / he descended into hel. And the third dai / he rose againe from death. He ascended into heauē. and sitteth on the ryghte hande of God the father
[Page cviii] almightye. From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead.
I Beleue in the holy gost. The holy Catholyke churche / The communion of saintes the forgiuenes of sinnes. The resurrection of the bodye. And lyfe euerlasting. Amen.
This is the summe of oure christian faith wherein God hath shewed vnto vs what he is, & how great benefites he hath gyuē and daily doth gyue vnto vs, to thentent that we should cast y
e anchore of our faith vpon him, & take sure
[Page] holde of his mercye and goodnes, and comforte oure selues with the same bothe in oure lyfe tyme and also at our death. Wherfore good children be dilygent, not onely to saye by rote the wourdes of your Crede, but also to vnderstande what is ment by the same, so y
t whē you be asked any question therof, you maye be able to make a direct answere, and also in tyme to come to teache y
e same to your children. For what thīg can be more shame to a Christen man, then to professe the relygion of Christ, and yet to be ignorant in the chief pointes of Christes faith, and his doctrine? Considering that euery Christen man is bounde openly to declare his faith, whē nede shal so require and to instruct his children in the same, y
t they maye come to the true knowledge of Christ.
[Page cxxv]This generall begynnynge muste go before euery sermon of the Crede.
[figure]
The first sermon of the Creation.
TO thentent good children that you maye the better vnderstande the true Christian faythe and doctrine, you muste fyrste of all learne and knowe
[Page] that God is a spirituall or gostly substance,
[...]. iiii. as Christ sayth Iohn the .iiii. God is not a bodily thing whiche maye be sene and felte. He is present in euery place, he seeth and beholdeth all thinges, whiche we do, speake, or thynke, and yet he is not measured with any ende, tyme or place. And forasmuche as mannes witte coulde not serche or fynde out the knowlege of thys highe misterie of the substaunce of God, Christ himselfe the sonne of God dyd open to vs that beleue in hym what God is. That is to say, that there is God the father, God the sonne, and God the holy goste, three persones, and yet one true and euerlastyng God. And it is your boūdē dutie (good children) diligently to learne thys lesson. And although these thinges passe all mennes capacities,
[Page cx] and is a doctrine harde for you to learne, yet in tyme to come you shal heare more of this matier. In the meane season beare awaye (I praye you) thys one lesson, that there is one true and euerlastinge God, and yet three persones, the father, the sonne and the holy gost And this we call the Trinitie, because these thre, the father, the son and the holy goost are one godlye substaunce. And it is a great shame for you that be christē children, not to learne this lesson. For all you were baptised in the name of the father, and of the sonne and of the holy goost, and thereby you were made christen and the childrē of God, and obteyned remission of youre synnes. Wherfore it is your dutie to learne & knowe, in whose name you ar baptised, that so you maye truly know God and youre
[Page] father which you 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.
[Page cxxvii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxii] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page cxiii] 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 & cō fidence, 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxiiii] 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
[Page] 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 Lordes supper, to theym that receyue the sacramente, althoughe Christe hymselfe sayeth playnely. Take eate thys is my bodye. And why do they not beleue this? verely because they dyd neuer trulye beleue thys article,
[Page cxv] that God is almyghtye, but they thynke that God is not able to work or do that thing, which they can not compasse with their awne wit, and reason.
But you good children folowe not suche, but beleue you, with all youre hearte, that God is almyghtye, that he is able to worke and do all thynge that he wylleth and perfourme all thing that he speaketh or promiseth. And in so doyng you shall fynde great peace and quietnes in your consciences. For this is an excedyng comforte for vs, stedfastly to beleue this article, that God is almyghty. For hereby we be perswaded, in all perels and aduersities to put our trust in him, forasmoche as he is able to delyuer vs out of al troubles and affections, although they seme to mans
[Page] reason remediles. Hereby also we be taught, to humble oure selues before God, and not to be proude, neyther to dyspyse or forget hym when all thynges goeth after our owne wyll, but to consyder that God is almightie, and able with a becke to ouerturne kingdomes, to cast downe the ryche, to exalte the poore, to punyshe the wicked, and to destroy vs yf we prouoke him to angre. Wherefore good children marke well this worde. Almighty, whiche is as muche to saye as this. No man is so sore sycke, but God is able to heale hym. No man is so poore but God can make hym riche. No mā is so symple or dul wytted, whom he is not able to make wyse. No man is so vyle or lytle regarded, but he is able to promote him to highe honours. No man is so
[Page cxvi] greate a synner but he is able to iustifye him. Wherefore in all chaunces we must put our truste in God onelye. For he is able to do what soeuer he willeth, and all thynge is subiecte vnder hys dominion.
Furthermore in this article God is called maker of heauen and earth, that is to saye, God made heauen and earthe and all thynge contayned therein of no thynge. For God made not these thynges as a carpenter maketh an house, (whiche can not woorke yf he lacke hys toyles & stuffe.) But he onelye sayde, lette it be done, and by and by all thinges were done. And therefore he hathe a newe title whiche was neuer herde among all the Philosophers, beynge called the creatour of the worlde, that is to saye, that
[Page] by his woorde he wonderfullye made all thynges of nothynge. And as soone as he did speake, by and by al the worlde stode vp and was made.
Thus he made manne, and gaue hym bodye and soule, reason and wysedome, and dyd sette vnder his gouernaunce the yerth and all thyng that groweth theron, as all kynde of trees wyth their fruytes, all kyndes of herbes and floures, all fyshes of the sea, foules of the ayer and al maner of beastes tame or wylde, and he made man Lorde ouer all these creatures, that he myghte vse theym partely to his norishement and foode, and partely to hys apparell and ornament of hys bodye, in so muche that he made the Sunne Moone and all y
e sterres for thys ende, that they shoulde
[Page cxvii] serue mā. And (that is most comforte to vs of all) he made al these creatures before he did creat mā, declaryng therby, that he is carefull for vs and prouydeth suche thinges as we haue nede of, yea before we be borne.
Wherefore good children let vs be of good chere, and putting our trust in God let vs reason on this fashiō. For asmuch as God made heauē and earth, it is euidēt therby, that he is Lorde and mayster of the same, and that all thynges aswell in heauen as in earthe are donne accordyng to his wil. And forasmuche as he made all thynge for vs, it is also manyfest therby, y
t he willeth all creatures to do vs seruice, let vs therfore folow y
e counsel of Christ who saith.
Mat. vi. Be not careful for your life what ye shall eate or drynke, nor yet for
[Page] your bodye what raiment ye shal put on. Is not y
e lyfe more worth then meat? and the bodye, more of value then rayment? Beholde the foules of the ayer, the whiche do neyther sowe nor reape nor carye into the barnes, and yet your heauenly father doth feade theim. Are not you much better thē thei? Cōsider the lilies of the feld, how they growe. They labour not, thei spynne not. And yet I saye vnto you, that Salomō himselfe (when he was in his most gorgious roialtie and glorye) was not apparelled lyke one of these. Nowe yf God dothe so apparell a floure (which althoughe it florysheth to day, yet to morow it wythereth away & is cast into a fournas) shal he not muche more do y
e same for you, o ye men of litle faith? These be the wordes of Christ good children
[Page cxviii] by the which he exhorteth vs to put our trust and confidence in God our father, and stedfastlye to beleue, that he whiche hath gyuen to vs our lyfe, is both able & willyng also to gyue vs all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of our lyfe. For he is the maker of al thinges, & all creatures obey hys wyl and commaundement, and if there lacked any thinges y
t shuld helpe vs, he is able euery daye to make all newe agayne, as euery yeare he maketh all thynges to renewe and spryng agayn. Thus by these wordes we learne y
t God hath made heauen and earth and all thynges conteyned therin for vs, and for oure commoditie, and that he is, both can and wyl gyue vs our dayly foode and lyuyng. Wherfore let no mā trust to his own wit reasō or cōpassinge, thinking
[Page] y
e he is able to get his liuing or riches by hys awne carefulnes or to maynteyne hys lyfe, but let vs put our trust in God oure father almightie, he will feade nouryshe and mainteyne vs, as long as it shall please him. Neuertheles it is our parte to laboure diligentlye, and euery man is bounde to do his dutie in his vocatiō and calling. For God willeth not, that we shoulde be idle, and lye all the day on the one syde, lokyng that he shuld put meat in our moughtes, as the nourse dothe feade yong children, but he commaundeth vs to plye our laboures and occupations and then to cast all carefulnes, and put it vnto hym, Thus good children I haue expounded vnto you y
e first article of our belyfe, conteinyng the doctryne of the creation and making
[Page cxix] of the worlde, the whiche heauenly philosophie (to the intent you may the more easely beare it in youre memories) I wyl knit it vp in few wordes, that whē you be demaunded, howe vnderstande you the fyrste article of youre belyfe? you maye thus shortly answere. I beleue that God y
e father hath made me, and al creatures in heauē and earth, that he hath gyuē to me and conserueth my bodye and 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
[Page] 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.
[Page cxx]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
[Page] 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.
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.
[Page] 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
[Page cxxii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxiii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxiiii] 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 parē tes 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 fauoure & loue, in to gods curse angre & dyspleasure, that fel from original iustyce
[Page] 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
[Page cxxv] 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,
Psal. li. that all we are conceyued and borne in synne. And sainct Paule sayeth, that by nature we be the children of Gods wrathe.
Ephes. ii. 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,
[Page] 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 foū dacion 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
[Page cxxvi] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxvii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxviii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxix] 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
[Page] 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.
[Page cxxx]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.
[Page]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.
[Page cxxxi] 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.
[Page] 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,
[Page cxxxii] and rose againe for our iustification.
[figure]
Actū. i.ii.
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
[Page] 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[Page cxxxiii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxxiiii] 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,
Roma. i. 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxxv] 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
[Page] 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 cō maūdemēt 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
[Page cxxxvi] 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,
Iohn. ii 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.
Galat. iiii 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxxvii] & 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 heuē ly 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxxxviii] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page cxxxix] 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 cō panie of men whiche beleueth the gospell, although here vpō earth
[Page] 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
[Page cxl] 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
[Page] 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,
[Page cxli] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxlii] 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.
Rom. vi. 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
[Page] 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,
[Page cxliii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cxliiii] 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 cōmaūdemē tes 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.
Iacob. i▪ 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
[Page cxlv] wyll gyue to vs his children all thinges, so that we sue to hym for theim.
Psalm. i. 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.
Mat. vii. Iere. xxix. Mar. vii. Luke. xi. Ioh. xvi. 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,
Ioh. xiii▪ that what soeuer we aske, yf we beleue, we shal
[Page] 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 commaū demente am so bolde. Therfore yf thou hear me, y
u hearest thy dearly beloued sonne oure Lorde Iesus
[Page cxlvi] 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,
Mark. xi. 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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 cō maundementes, 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 &
[Page cxlviii] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page cxlix] 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cli] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clii] 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 cō mitteth any faulte, for the whiche they deserue correction yet we se how the fathers loue remayneth, what pitie and compassiō he hath of them, howe lothe he is to beate
[Page] 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,
[Page cliii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page cliiii] 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
[Page] 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 Commaū dementes, 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
[Page clv] be the wordes of that petition.
Thy name be halowed.
[figure]
Nume. xv.
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
[Page] 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
[Page clvi] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clvii] 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 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
[Page] 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,
[Page clviii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clix] 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
[Page] gospel. This graunt vs O heuē ly 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
[Page clx] 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
[Page] 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.
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
[Page] 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
[Page clxii] 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 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
[Page] among his faithful peoble, in this worlde. And al that truly beleue, & kepe his commaū dementes, 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
[Page clxiii] 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
[Page] 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.
Roma. iii. 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.
Rom. iiii. 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
[Page clxiiii] 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.
Rom. xiiii. The
[Page] 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
[Page clxv] his people to serue him willyngly of hearte and loue,
Psal. cx. 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.
[Page] 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 commaū dement,
Esa. lviii. 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
[Page clxvi] 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
[Page] 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.
i. Iohn. iii Yet it appereth not, what we shalbe, but we know that whan it shall appere, we shalbe
[Page clxvii] 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
[Page] 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 cō meth 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.
[Page clxviii]Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen.
[figure]
Mat. xxvi. Mar. xiiii. Luke. xxii. Iohn. vi. and .xviii
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
[Page] 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
[Page clxix] 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
[Page] 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, mā quellers, 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 thē selues damnation. For the rulers are not fearefull to theym that do good, but to theym that do euell.
[Page clxx] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clxxi] 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
[Page] vs his grace and ayde, to accomplyshe his most holy 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
[Page clxxii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clxxiii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clxxiiii] 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
[Page] 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 commaundemē tes, 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
[Page clxxv] 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
t out feare to confesse and abyde by the same. For Christ himself saith.
Math. x. Luke. xii. 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
[Page] 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.
Rom. viii. 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
[Page clxxvi] Christe himselfe sayeth. He that taketh not his crosse, & foloweth me is not worthye to be my dysciple.
Luke. ii▪
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.
Prou. lii
[...] ▪ 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,
Hebr, xii, 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
[Page] 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,
[Page clxxvii] 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,
Luke. xxi. 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
[Page] 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
[Page clxxviii] 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.
[figure]
Iohn. vi. a Mat. iiii. b and .xv d. Mar. vi. d viii. a. b. c. Luke. ix, b
Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade.
[Page]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
[Page clxxix] 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
[Page] 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
[Page clxxx] 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,
Lu. xviii. Iohn. xiii. 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
[Page] 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 youre selfes frome youre tender age, to pray gladly and often, for that pleaseth God, and he is veray redy, to giue you al thinges that you nede, so that we giue
[Page clxxxi] him his due honoure, and aske of hym as our dutie is. But specyally they that be godly, muste vse to praye, whan they go to bedde, whan they ryse, whan they go to the churche, or syt doune at the table. For these times are chiefly appoynted to prayer, as scripture doth witnesse in many places. And forasmuch as we be not able to get our dayly breade, by oure owne wit, laboure and dylygence, except God giue it vs, let vs therfore before all thynges seke his kyngdome and studye to please him, that he may gyue vs al thinges necessarye for vs.
And although many men in this worlde, get their lyuyng and ryches by crafte and deceipte, yet let vs absteyne from such vnlawful meanes. For they do rather bryng pouertye to a man, then ryches.
[Page] And althoughe brybers, extorcyoners, vsurers, and craftye deceauers of their neighbours, do prosper for a while in this worlde, yet they seldome establyshe theyr thynges. For it is written, that scasely the thyrde heyre shal enioy goods yll gotten. And God doth only wynke at theim, suffryng thē to floryshe for a tyme, that afterwarde he maye y
e more greuouslye punyshe, and sodenly destroy thē. And when we desyer God to gyue vs our dayly breade, thynke not (Good children) that our heuenly father wyl gyue vs only a morsell of bread, and nothyng besyde, but vnder the name of breade be all thinges conteyned, whiche be necessarie to the maintenance of our lyfe, as meate, dryncke, apparell, house, landes, cattell, and monye, accordyng to the saying of sainct
[Page clxxxii] Paule. God gyueth all thynge to our vse richely and aboundantly. But Christe teacheth vs in this petition, to aske only for our dayly breade, for this entent, that we shoulde be content with suche a meane, as oure dayly vse and necessitie doth require, and that we should not by ouermuche eatyng and drynkynge, wastfully spende those thynges, wher w
t poore people myght be relyued. For sayncte Paul doth commaunde vs to laboure and worke, that we maye eate our awne breade, & also gyue to thē that haue nede. The which commaundement we shall easely kepe, yf we wyll be contente with a meane dyet, and kepe a measure in our apparell. But they that delyght in superfluitie of gorgyous apparel and deynty fare, & make pleasure the ende of their eatynge
[Page] and drynkyng▪ and not necessitie, they be not wont to gyue muche to the poore, but commenly suche do deceaue the nedye, brybe and pyle from thē, and oftentynes by plaine robberies & force do steale other mens goods, that they maye haue wherwith to mainteyne their charges and sumptuous expēses. As we see by daily experience, that couetous persons and the ryche men of this worlde, that be gyuen to ryot & superfluitye, vse to gyue lytle or nothyng at all to y
e poore. Furthermore in this petition we do not only desier our bodily fode and sustinance, but also all thyng necessarye to the same, wherby we maye vse and inioy suche as God hath sent vs, that is to saye, we praye for seasonable wether and holsomenes of the ayer, for helthe of bodye, for peace and quyetnes
[Page clxxxiii] of the commen welthe, for trustye and faithful seruantes, and suche lyke. For except God sende a faire and seasenable wether all the fruites and corne growyng vpon the earth are lyke to peryshe, and so all our laboure in plowyng, sowyng and plantyng shall be bestowed in vaine. Also he y
t hath not his helth, he can haue no pleasure in his riches, or greatly ioy in his meat or drinke, be it neuer so deinty. Furthermore in warre time, all thoughe God sende vs great plē tye of corne and wyne, yet all is destroyed of oure ennemyes, somuche that we maye scante truste our frendes from spoilyng of vs. For than all is full of robbynge, burnynge, beatyng, kyllynge and wasting with fire & sworde. And yf we haue any thinge lefte vs in the tyme of warre, yet we can not
[Page] quyetly haue y
e vse of it, for feare, care and trouble of the warres.
And yf it be a tyme of peace, yet yf thou haue an enemye within the walles of thyne awne house, that is to saye, yf thou haue an vnkynde or vnfaythful wyfe, vnthryftye children, vntrustye and neglygente seruauntes, then by them, thy lyuynge is wasted and cōsumed. For al these do defraude the of thy dayly breade, and by y
e occasion of thy greate losse and hynderance. The principal cause of all these aduersities is the deuel. For he is so mortal an enemie to mankynde, that he is desyrous not onli to destroy our souls with false doctrine and erroneous opinions, but also throughe tempestes, infection of the ayer, dyuerse kyndes of sykenesses by famyne, batteyl, by the malyce and
[Page clxxxiiii] falsehed of oure owne householde and of our neyghbours, he wolde fayne cōsume our lyfe, helth, house and goods, & clerely destroy them
And this wicked spirite woulde ouerthrowe, in a momente of an houre whole realmes & commen welthes, yf God dyd not let hym. Wherefore we must ernestly pray to God that he wil staye this wycked spirite, and gyue vs our daily bread, that he wil preserue vs frō all sycknes, that hauynge helthe of our bodyes, we may vse & inioy our substance. And that also he wil sende vs godly and dilygente rulers, to defēde vs from our enemyes, and to prouide, that nether our goodes be stollen from vs by thefes or robbers, neyther lost or conuayed from vs, thorowe the vntrustynes or falsenes of oure householde seruauntes. Furthermore
[Page] you shall note good childrē, that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not taught vs to saye, father gyue me my dayly breade, but gyue vs oure dailye breade, and lykewyse in all the petitions that folowe, no man prayeth in the synguler noumber for himselfe alone, but in the plurel noumber aswel for other as for himselfe. By y
e whiche lesson we be admonyshed of the brotherly charitie, whiche one of vs shoulde beare towardes an other. For we be all offenders, and from our birth the children of yre. Neuertheles God so loued vs, that he gaue his only sonne Iesus Christ to suffer deathe for vs, to obteyne for vs remyssion of oure synnes, to reconcile vs to him, & to make vs his children. Therefore nowe is God our father, & Christe oure brother, and we be goddes children
[Page clxxxv] and heyres, and coinheriters with Christ, and amonge oure selues we be brethren, and all brethrē to Christ. And therefore we ought to ioyne altogyther in one prayer, and to be glad one to healpe another, bothe in worde and dede, to the vttermost of our power. Furthermore this is a great comforte for vs, to know that all the church and congregation of Christ, doeth praye for vs, and that all the treasurs of Gods riches, that is to say Christ himselfe, the kyngdome of heauen, the holy gospell, the sacramentes, and the prayers of al godly men, be common to vs all. For whan soeuer anye Godly man, requireth any good thynge of God, he also requireth the same for vs alone, for no man oughte to praye for him selfe. And this is a greate consolation for all Christian people.
[Page] For the scripture sayeth, that the prayer of one iust man may do muche wyth God. And therfore whan manye iust and godlye men do make their supplications vnto God, with one accorde, we may be sure that their prayers are herde.
And thys is the playne sense and exposition of this fourth petition. Now (good children) I pray you diligently to remember these thynges, that when you be asked thys question, howe vnderstande you the fourth petition? you may answere, God doeth sufficientlye prouide for vs meate and lyuyng with out our desire, neuerthelesse we desyre him, to graunt vs, that we maye knowe that we haue all thynges at his handes, and that we may gyue to him due thankes for the same. And yf further anye man wyll aske you, what is mente
[Page clxxxvi] by thys worde, our dayly breade? aunswere, that by daylye breade is vnderstande all thynges necessarie for oure lyuynge, as meate, drynke, clothe, house, lande, cattel, monye, housholde stuffe, a good wyfe, obedyente chyldren, trustye seruaūtes, good gouerners, a wel ordered commen wealth, commen peace and tranquilitie, seasenable wether, holsome aier, health of body, constant frendes, honest neighboures, and suche lyke thynges, whereby we maye leade in this worlde a Godly and quiet lyfe.
¶And forgyue vs oure trespaces / as we forgyue them / that trespace agaynst vs.
[Page]mat. xviiii d c & vi.v. Mar. xi. c Act. xvii. a
[figure]
YOu haue hearde howe we desyer of God oure father, that for asmuche as he is the onelye and true maker of heauen and earth, he wyll vouchsafe to preserue and nouryshe vs his children, and that we ought to trust for this thing, of no creature but of God only, as you haue lerned in the firste article of oure Crede, which intreateth of the creatiō.
[Page clxxxvii] Now foloweth the fifth petitiō, in y
t whiche we desyer God, to giue vs al those thīges, y
t we haue lerned in the seconde parte of oure Crede, whiche speaketh of our redemption, and teacheth vs, howe by the passion, death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe, we be delyuered from synne, death and hel, that with ioye and myrthe we maye loke for that daye, in the which he shal iudge both y
e quicke and the dead. The wordes of this peticion be these. Forgyue vs our trespaces as we forgyue theym that trespace agaynste vs.
To the intent good childrē that you maye the better vnderstande this petition, you shal call to your remembraunce that lesson, whiche you lerned a lytle before, that is to saye, that Christ hath promysed, that he wyll gyue vs all thinges,
[Page] whiche we aske in faithe and true belefe. Nowe true faith is grounded vpon the promyse of god, and it is not buylded, but vpon the foūdacion of his word. Wherfore yf we wyll aske any thing in true belefe, we must aske as the worde of God teacheth vs, and we muste take suer holde of Gods promise, declared in the scripture. For it is not faithe, to beleue oure owne phantasies or dreames, of the whiche God hath nothynge spoken or taught. As yf a man would beleue that by Goddes healpe he shoulde not be drouned, although he leapte into the sea, this were no faith, but a tēptaciō of god, a very heynous sinne, commyng dowtles of the deuel, who on this wise tēpted our master Christ, when he set him vpon the pinnacle of the temple in the holy cytie,
Mat, iiii, and said vnto
[Page clxxxviii] him. If thou be the sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe. But Christe refused so to do, & answered thus. Yt is written.
Deut. vi. Thou shalte not tempte thy Lorde God. Nowe there is not in the whole scripture anye one promyse, that God wyll helpe me, yf I do any suche acte, but yf we do suche thynges as God hathe commaunded vs, he hathe made vs manye promyses, that he wyll ayde and succour vs, in al our necessities and troubles. By the whiche promyses, he hath declared his fatherly loue towardes vs, intendyng therby to stirre and prouoke vs, to runne vnto him in all oure cares and nedes. Wherefore it is our bounden dutye, to cal vpon his name in al our necessities, to trust vpon hys promyses, to put him as it were in remembraunce of them, and ernestly
[Page] to desier hym to performe y
e same. But amonge al other promyses, this promyse is speciallye to be remembred where Christ promyseth thus. Yf ye will forgyue men their trespaces, my heauenly father also wyll forgyue you, youre trespaces. But yf you wyl not forgyue men their trespaces, thē wyl not my heuēly father forgiue you. In the whiche promyse, Christe dothe not onely offer vnto vs remission of our synnes, and suche thynges as apperteyne to euerlastyng lyfe, but also he promiseth vs hereby peace and quietnes in this transitorye lyfe, with concord and a louyng harte towarde our neyghboure. And accordynge to this promyse, Christe our master hath taught vs to pray after this sort. Forgiue vs our trespaces, as we forgiue them, that trespace agaynst vs. For it were not reasonable
[Page clxxxix] nor agreyng to iustyce, that we should require God to forgiue vs our trespaces agaīst him, whē we are not minded to forgyue our neighbours, their offēces against vs. Nor God would neuer heare vs, yf we shoulde so praye. For yf we haue causes, why we wyll not forgyue our neighbors, thē suerly God hath both mo & more weightie causes, wherfore he wil not forgyue vs. So that yf God were mynded to forgyue vs oure synnes, yet yf we be not mynded to forgyue our neyghbors, he wold stay, and (as it wer) cal againe this his purpose, by the reason of oure vncharitablenes and dissobediēce, as Christe hymselfe doth playnly teache vs,
mat. xviii. by the example of the seruaunt, whyche after he had hys dette forgyuen him, was compelled to paye all the monye wherof
[Page] before he was dyscharged, by hys maysters pardon, because he wold not forgyue his felow. Wherefore good childrē, accustome your selfs euē from your tendre age, gladly to forgyue them, that haue offended you. Be not desyrous to reuenge your awn quarels, and thē youre heuenly father, wil also forgyue you. Yf you be angry, synne not,
[...] iiii▪ nor let not the sunne set vpon your anger. For it is not possible, that any man can trewlye beleue that God hath forgyuen him hys synnes, when he hymselfe is not willyng to forgiue his neighbore. Wherfore God our heuēly father dyd not entende to hurte or hindre vs, when he sayde, that he woulde not forgyue vs, except we dyd forgyue other, and yf we forgyue our neyghbors their offēces, that then he wil also forgyue vs. But God
[Page cxc] dyd knyt thys condytion to this promyse, for our great welth and benefyte. For vnder these wourdes, ther lyeth hyde great cōforte, for troubled conscyences, where vnto yf you wil lysten dilygently, ye shal knowe the synguler goodnes of God and his fatherly loue towardes you. It is not vnknowen to God, how harde a thynge it is for vs to beleue, that God frelye and for his mere mercye wyll pardon vs whan we haue offended him.
Wherfore he hath added to his promyse this token, whereby we might be assured that he hath forgyuen vs, that is to saye, when we forgyue our neighbors. For although it be harde to forgyue our neyghbours, their offēces against vs, yet more harde it is, to beleue that God hath forgyuen vs. Let
[Page] vs therfore lay aside al anger and dyspleasure, and accustome our selues gladly to forgyue our neyghboures, that thereby we maye the soner beleue, that our Lorde God hath forgyuen vs. For God is muche more inclyned and redye to mercye, then we mortal menne be. Moreouer the forgyuyng of oure neyghboure, Christe here in dothe not only stablyshe our faith, y
t our synnes be forgiuē of God but also it doth nouryshe peace, concorde & brotherly charitie. For if we shuld not muche forbeare and forgyue one another, but euery man shuld studye howe he mighte be reuenged of his neighboure, for euerye matter, eyther by force or elles by subtiltie, then, we shoulde neuer haue measure nor ende of chiding, scoldynge, layinge in watche one of an other, deceauynge, lawyng,
[Page cxci] fightyng and suche lyke. Then fare wel all quietnes, peace, concorde and good ordre.
And this reuengynge of oure selfes should greatly hurt vs, both in oure bodye, soule, good name, honore and ryches, as experience dayly teacheth vs. For oftentimes we see, that whyle a man goeth to lawe for two or thre crownes, he spendeth twentye or thirthye. And manye men be kylled themselues whyle they go aboute to stryke or woūd other. Wherefore it is much better, one of vs to forgyue an other, then to prouoke and increace the anger and malyce one of another.
And although we lose part of our goodes thereby, yet we shall haue this great wynnynge therby, that God wil forgyue vs, euen as we forgyue them that trespasse agaīst
[Page] vs. And note wel (good children) that Christ doth not teache vs to saye, forgyue vs oure grosse synnes, but forgyue vs our dettes or trespaces. For it is a greater benefyte, to haue oure dettes and all offences forgyuen, then to haue oure grosse synnes forgyuen vs.
For that we proprely cal synne, which we do directly agaīst gods commaundement. But that is called dette, or offence whē we ought to do good & do it not, or do good vnperfitely, although dyrectly we do no hurte to no man. And we Christen men althoughe by baptisme we be made the chyldren of God, & receiue y
e holy gost, (which doeth healpe vs to withstande all euil, & to do y
t is good) & although we cōmit no grosse sin, nor breake the law by any outwarde acte, yet we do not perfectely fulfyll gods
[Page cxcii] commaūdementes, nor do al thinges whiche we ought to do. And when we do not all thinges which we oughte to do, then euer we be detters & synners in some thyng.
But God forgyueth vs these dettes for Christes sake, when we praye to him therfore, and forgiue our neighbours for his sake. And this is the cause, why we can not be iustified, or deliuered from syn, death, and hell, by oure own workes. For in asmuche as oure good workes be euer vnperfecte, and haue nede of pardon, therefore we must nedes be redemed by the passion, death, & resurrectiō of Christ, as it hath ben taught you in that part of y
e Crede, which intreateth of our redemption, wherfore in as much as, according to oure Crede, we beleue that God for Christes sake hathe forgyuen vs all oure
[Page] synnes and dettes, we oughte also earnestly to praye, y
t he wil deale with vs accordynge to our faithe, and forgyue vs our trespaces, as we forgyue theim, that trespace agaynst vs. And this is the playne vnderstāding of this fifth petitiō, whiche we dayly & hourely ought to make to God. And now I pray you (good children) that you wyll dilygentlye recorde the true meanyng of this petition. And when you be asked this question, howe vnderstande you the fifthe petitiō? Answere, and saye. Herein we desyere, that our heuenly father will not loke vpon oure synnes, and for theim, cast vs awaye. For we haue not deserued those greate gyftes and, grace whiche we desier at gods hādes, nor we be not worthye to haue the same, but we desyer God, that althoughe we dayly
[Page cxciii] offende him, & deserue greuous punyshmentes for our synnes, yet he of his mere grace & mercye wyl heare our prayers, and frely forgyue vs oure offences. And we offer our selues for his sake frō the botome of our heartes to forgyue them that haue offended vs.
NOwe you haue hearde, how in the fyfte petition, we desire God to giue vs all those thynges, whiche oure Lord Iesus Christ hath deserued for vs, by his passion, deathe and glorious resurrection, that is to say forgiuenes of our synnes, and all therto belongynge, euen as we forgyue them that haue offended vs, as you haue learned in the seconde
[Page cxciiii] part of the Crede, which intreateth of our Redemption. Now therfore foloweth the syxt petitiō, in the whiche we praye, that God wyll gyue vs all those thinges, whiche we haue learned in the .iii. parte of the Crede, whiche intreateth of our Sanctification, that is to saye, we desyre, that God will vouchesafe, to sende vs the holye ghost, whiche may assist vs in our continuall batell agaynste synne, the fleshe, the world and the deuel, that in all temptations and skyrmishes with the same, we may mā fully withstande theim, and ouercome theim. For this we desyre, when we say. And suffer vs not to be led into temptation. And to the intent, that ye maye the better vnderstande this petition, ye shall first dilygentlye learne this lesson, that althoughe synne is forgyuen
[Page] vs by Christ, yet it is not whollye purged or dryuen oute of vs, but synne yet sticketh fast in our flesh, which doeth tempte and prouoke vs to do against Gods commaundementes. For ye haue all redye lerned by the tenne commaundementes, what synne is, and what is very vngodlynes, to y
e intent ye may eschew it. Also you haue herd in your Crede, that God doth forgyue vs our synnes, and doeth no more condempne vs for the same, when we beleue in the son of God our sauiour Iesus Christe. But yet neuertheles, we feale the temptations of synne, which cleueth to vs lyke glewe. And that this is true euery one of you doth feale in your selues by dayly experience. For when you grudge to do that thing, whiche your parentes commaundeth you to do, then synne
[Page cxcv] tempteth you, and prouoketh you to stoubbernes and disobedience towarde your father and mother. But yelde not you to this temptacion, but obey your father and mother, as God hathe commaunded you. Lykewise when you see other children haue any gay thing, whiche pleaseth you so well, that you woulde fayne haue the same, then synne tempteth and moueth you eyther by force, or by stelthe, or els by some craftie meanes to picke it from them, and so to deceyue your neyghbour. But it is your parte, to withstand this temptation, and to kepe Gods commaundement, whiche sayeth. Thou shalte not steale. And after this sorte we be tempted in the other cōmaūdemē tes of God also, and tried whether we wyll be obedyent vnto them or no. But we muste striue agaynste
[Page] tēptation, & manfully withstande the same, y
t we do nothing against gods cōmaundement. Now when we wyll resyst temptation, and not obey the same, but kepe the commaundementes of God, then we must haue the help and assistance of the holy Ghost. For without the holy Ghost no man can be rightuouse and good. And for this cause also he is called the holy ghost, because he maketh men rightuous, pure and holy. And god doth giue the holy ghoste, to al them, whiche do beleue with all their hearte in Iesus Christ our Lorde. For by this tokē sainct Paul teacheth vs to knowe that we haue the holye ghost. No man (saith sainct Paul) can call Iesus Lorde,
i. Cor. xii. but by the holy gost. And saynt Iohn in his epistel canonicall wryteth thus. Whē we do truely confesse Iesus
[Page cxcvi] Christ to be our Lorde than we be borne of God, and haue his holye spirite.
Wherefore good children, beleue with all your hartes, that Iesus Christe the true sonne of God, dyed and rose againe for you, that he hath purchased forgyuenes of synnes and euerlastynge lyfe for you, and that he is so your Lorde, that you shalbe sure to dwel with hym in euerlastyng lyfe. Forthermore ye shall beleue, that Christ doth gyue you the holy gost, who doth sanctifye you, helpe & assiste you, that ye be not led into temptation, but that ye may obey God, as you haue heard in the ten commaundementes. And as longe as we lyue here vpon earthe, we must not loke to be voide of temptations.
For all our lyfe in this worlde, is
[Page] subiecte to dyuerse temptations. Some tyme the fleshe tempteth vs, some tyme the false & deceiptful worlde, some tyme the deuel tempteth vs, who hath euer had a most feruent desire to do vs hurt. And all the temptations of these oure enemyes, do leuell at this prycke, to bryng vs, to do against gods cammaundementes. But it is oure partes, manfully to withstande suche temptations, that we assent not to any euel. And yet we are not able to withstande these our enemyes, onles God helpe vs by the holy gost. Wherfore, when soeuer we be tempted, to do anye thing againste gods commaundementes, there is no better remedy, then to cal for gods helpe, and to say as Christ taught vs. Good Lorde suffer vs not to be leade into temptation. For when we do
[Page cxcvii] so, God heareth our prayers, he sendeth the holy gost, and helpeth vs, that we be not led into temptacion.
And now good children, y
t you maye the better withstande suche temptations, you shal here learne, that there be thre kyndes of temptaciōs. The first is the temptation of y
e fleshe, as whē we are tempted to do any thing, whiche is plea
[...]āt to the fleshe, and yet it is synfull. As when the fleshe dothe prouoke vs to lecherye, adulterye, dronkenes and suche like. Or when we be tempted to leaue any thinge vndone, which is painful & greuous to the fleshe, and yet of it selfe it is holy and rightuous, as when we suffer afflictions against our wyl, when we do not gladly fast, when we do not gladly gyue almes, fraryng lest we shall lacke our awne
[Page] selues, and not haue ynoughe to maintayne our pryde and pleasures. The seconde temptation is of the worlde, as when thorowe euel companye, we be corrupted in our awne lyuynge, and prouoked to folow noughty examples. Also when we swarue from that which is right & honest, for feare of persecution, dyspleasure, indignation or threatnynge of men. Or when men thorowe their falsehede, malice or craft do moue vs to anger, enuy or hatred. The thirde temptation is of the deuel, as when we feale in our hartes, sodein and vehement motions to do euel, & yet neyther the fleshe nor the worlde doth prouoke vs to the same. But euel thoughtes do so sodenly come into our myndes, that we our selues do not wel knowe from whēce they came. Such euyl thoughtes,
[Page cxcviii] no doute of it, come from the deuel, For the deuel is a spirit, whom we can neither feal nor see, Wherfore he can set our hartes afyer so sodenly, that we shall not knowe from whence suche soden fire and sparkes do come. Also when the fleshe and the world do tempte vs, then Satan also taketh occasion thereby to enter in at y
e gate, which they haue set open for hym, and maketh their temptation so strōg, that it is harde for vs to withstād and ouercome the same. And all these temptations good children be against gods commundementes. Wherefore hereby you shall learne to knowe what is temptation. For whan any thing cōmeth in to youre mynde, by the whithe you are prouoked to do against gods commaundemēt, y
t is temptation. Wherefore beware you do
[Page] not thesame, but desyer of God helpe and assistence against temptation. For in this stādeth a Christian, and holy lyfe, that as oure synnes be forgyuen vs by Christ, so we ought euer to withstande synne, that we suffer it not to enter in to vs, or to raigne ouer vs. For what a monstrous thynge should Christen relygion be? yf we that be Christen menne, (whiche confesse synne to be nought & against God, and desier God to forgyue vs our synne) shoulde contynewe still and walke in synne, after that God most mercyefully hath forgyuen vs the same.
Also we maye easely withstande temptation and sinne, if we beleue truly, and praye ernestly. For we haue lerned in y
e doctrine of faith, that we cā not be rightuous pure and holy of our selues, but y
e holy
[Page cxcix] gost doth purify clense and halow vs. And yf we beleaue this stedfastly, then we ought to pray with a feruent spirite, and saye thus. Lorde our heuenly father, we be seche the suffer vs not to be led into temptation. And yf we thus praye, then God wil heare vs, and wil gyue vs strength against him that tempteth vs, and against his temptacion. For a Christen mans life, is a cōtinual warre vpō earth, & so long as we liue in this world, we maye not loke to haue peace or quietnes, but as in y
e sea one wawe commeth after an other, so in this worlde one temptation foloweth an other. So that, when we haue ouercome one temptation, by and by, an other is at hande, paraduē ture greater then the first. Wherfore in this sixt petition, we do not praye thus. O heauenly father,
[Page] graunt that we may haue no tēptations, but we say thus. O heuē ly father suffer vs not to be led into tēptation. To be led into temptation, is when God suffereth, the greatnes of temptatiō so to grow, that we be not able to ouercome y
e same, but be so deceaued & blynded by y
e deuel, that synne is pleasant vnto vs, and we see nothyng in the same but pleasure and profit, and consyder not the anger of God due for synne, nor the poysen that lyeth hyd in the same, nor the payne that shal folow therof, and so we perswade oure selues, y
t we haue no more nede to watche or fyght against synne, but do consent to temptation, and yelde oure selues into the handes of our enemies. This Christ calleth to be led into temptation, as in oure comen speache we are wont to saye. This
[Page cc] leadde me, or this broūght me, in to this myschiefe. And that we be not led into temptation, it is oure part, ernestly to praye to God, as Christ hath taught and commaū ded vs.
So ye perceaue good childrē, the myserye of this transitorye & mortal lyfe, that it is full of temptations and snares. But we muste not gyue place to them, but withstande them, and lyue godly. But this we be not able to do, excepte y
e holy gost do sanctifye vs, & make vs pure and holy. Wherefore we ought to praye to God, that he wyll gyue vs the holy gost, & that he wyll vouchesaue, to assiste and strengthen vs, that we may withstande all temptations, and keape his holy commaundementes.
And this is the meanyng and playne vnderstādyng of thys sixt
[Page] petition. Wherfore good children I praie you diligentlye learne the same, that whē you be asked. How vnderstande you the sixt petition? you maye answere, God tempteth no man. But here we praye, that God wil kepe and defēde vs, that the deuel, the world and the fleshe deceaue vs not, and leadde vs not into vngodlynes, ydolatrie, blasphemie, desperation, or other horryble synnes. And althoughe we be tempted with these synnes, yet we desier God, that at length we may ouercome thē, and triumphe ouer them, by the helpe and assistence of the holy ghost.
Mat. ix.
[...]. and .xii. c. Mark, iii. Luke. xi.
[...].
YE haue hearde in the syxte petition, howe we sue to God, that he wyll rule, gouerne and strengthen vs, by his holy ghost, that we maye be able to fyght against synne, to w
t stande al the perellous tentations of the fleshe, the worlde and the deuyll, and to ouercome theim, so that we maye become ryghtuous and holye. Nowe foloweth the seuenth laste peticion, in the whiche
[Page] we desire God, to delyuer vs frō this perelous & cōtinual battail, & from all other euelles, that thys great daūgier may not continew for euer, but y
t at lēgth we mai haue some ende therof. And for this Christ taught vs to pray, & to say Good Lorde delyuer vs frō euel.
And now to the intent, that you may the better vnderstande thys petition, you shall knowe (good children) that this word, euel, doth not sygnifie in thys place, onely synne, against Goddes commaundementes, and vnbelefe agaynst Goddes promyse, but here it betokeneth all kinde of aduersitie and affliction, whiche we suffer for our synnes, eyther in oure bodies, soules, honors or riches, as ignorāce, blyndnes of mynd, sadnes, sorow, trouble of conscience, fayntnes of the heart, sickenes of the body, pouertie,
[Page ccii] sclaunders, dispising, reproches, persecutions, battayle, sedition, hunger, pestilence, & al plages, with the which Satā doth afflict and trouble vs, either by hymself, or by y
e wicked world, wherof he is prince and gouernoure. The whiche euyls no man can numbre nor reherse, for they be without numbre, and encrease daylye more and more. For the deuyll in this lattre tyme doeth dayly more and more rage against the true churche and people of God, forasmuche as he perceyuethe,
Apoca. xii. that hys kyngdome draweth to an ende, and a shorte tyme remayneth vntyll the day of iudgemente come, and his euerlastynge damnation.
Furthermore the worlde waxeth dayly worse and worse, and mē waxeth more wylde and vnrulye, synne, wickednes, malice and craftines
[Page] encrease aboue all measure, so muche that it is not possible to numbre the great floodes of euels whiche haue almoste ouerflowed the worlde. Amonge the whiche euels, there is suche blyndnesse and corruption of iudgement, that few therebe, whiche can rightly deserue what is good and what is euell. As for example. Many men when they be sycke, iudge bodily sicknes to be a great euell, wheras in dede (yf they woulde take it as they ought to do) it is to theim an occasion of greate goodnes. Who perchaunce (yf they shoulde haue contynuall health) woulde forget God, and runne hedlonge into daungerous perels, both of bodye and soule, from the whiche euyls, their bodyly diseases do staye and let theym. And so their bodyly syckenes, wourkethe in theym their
[Page cciii] soule health and saluation.
Also many menne sette al their mynde vpon riches, and welth of this worlde, whiche maketh them proude and hyghe mynded, full of reuengynge, idle and slouthful, piteles to y
e poore, and stubburne both toward god and their neighboure, to put their truste in theym selues, and to folowe bodyly pleasures, in ryotyng, surfetynge and bancketynge, whereof ensueth dyuerse diseases and sicknesses, wher as if they hadde ben poore menne, they woulde haue labored for their lyuynge, and shoulde haue lyued muche more temperatlye, healthefully, quietly and Godly.
And manye there be whiche veraye vnpacyentelye take aduersitie, and murmure againste God, whan their worldly diuises come not to passe after their myndes,
[Page] and manye tymes they know not what daūger they shuld haue come vnto, yf God had not letted theyr purpose, so that we knowe full lytle, what is for vs, or agaynste vs, what is good or yll, but as we be taughte by the word of God. And therefore we do not desyre God, to delyuer vs frome thys or that particuler or specyall euell, but we be taughte to praye to God, with these shorte wordes, and syghynges of the spirite, that God wyll vouchesafe to healpe vs, not as we shall thynke good, (whiche do not well knowe, what is good, nor what is yll for vs) but as it shall please him, and as he shall iudge profytable for vs, not prescribyng or appoyntynge vnto hym eyther tyme, place or maner of helpynge or delyueryng of vs.
[Page cciiii]For as sayncte Paule sayeth,
Rom. viii we knowe not what to praye for as we ought to do, but the spirite himselfe maketh intercession for vs wyth syghynges, whiche can not be declared. Neuertheles let not thys sayinge of saynct Paule dyscorage vs frome prayinge. For God is not so ignoraunt, that he nedeth, that we should expresse oure particuler requestes vnto hym. For he knoweth what we wante, before we open our mouthes to praye to hym. Wherefore Christe in the gospel teacheth vs thys lesson, whan ye praye (saieth Christe) bable not muche, as the Heythen do. For they thinke, that they shall be hearde, for their muche bablynge. But be not you lyke vnto them.
For your heauenly father, knoweth what you lacke before you
[Page] aske of hym. Now forasmuche as the euelles of this myserable lyfe, be so many, that we can neyther noumbre them, knowe theim, nor rightly iudge of them, (as I haue hertofore declared) therfor our master christ (which forbyddeth vs to vse many wordes in our prayers) hath as it were knyt vp together in one ferdel al y
e plages & aduersities y
t cā happen vnto vs in this worlde, and hath taught vs to say this short prayer. Good Lord delyuer vs from euel. As though he shoulde saye thus. Be not dyscoraged from praying, although you perfectely knowe not all the kyndes of euels, from the whiche you desyer to be delyuered, but only saye these fewe wordes, delyuer vs from euel, and by and by your heuenly father knoweth, frō what thynge he ought to delyuer
[Page ccv] you, and wyl gladly do it.
Now (good children) you see howe good and merciful is God our heauenly father, who so much loueth vs, and hath so fatherlye a care for vs, that he seeth what we lacke, & what euils he should deliuer vs frome, before we begyn to aske. And he requireth not, y
t we should vse many wordes, but only that from the depenes of oure hartes we shoulde cal vpon him, and do to him this honour, that is to say, to aske all thynges of him, to take him for our only God, and to truste assuredly, y
t he wil heare vs. Therfore good children, lerne perfytely thys lesson, that God wylleth and requireth of vs, that we in all necessities and daunger, that may chaunce vnto vs, should cal of hym for helpe, and to putte our trust and confidence in him alone,
[Page] and in no mā or creature besydes him. For y
e prophet Hieremye sayeth. Cursed be he, whiche doth put his trust in man, & maketh hī his defēce. And althoughe mē do oftentimes helpe & succour vs yet it is not men, that do it, but it is God that worketh these thinges by men, as by his instrumentes, whom he hath chosen for that purpose. But when God wil not helpe vs, then is ther no man, that is able, to delyuer vs. If we haue any wrong done vnto vs, then yf it please God to succoure vs, he doth it by his iudges and comen officers, whome he hath ordeyned for that purpose. But yf he be not mynded to delyuer vs, then al the men in y
e world can not helpe vs. Lykewyse when we be sycke yf goddes pleasure be not to make vs hole, what can all phisicians &
[Page ccvi] medycynes auayle vs? But yf he be willing to make vs hole again he worketh this thīg by phisitiās and medicines, whiche he hath or dened for y
e same vse. Our deuties is therfore, in all our nedes to call vpon God, to aske helpe of hym, to confesse y
t all goodnes cōmethe from hym, and to make him onely the authour and chyefe gyuer of al the good thinges that we haue, and to thanke him for the same. Neuertheles we muste also gyue due honour to gods instruments and meanes, by whom he worketh his benefites in vs. Forthermore good children marke dylygentlye thys lesson also, that we be not taught to say in this petitiō, kepe vs from euel, but deliuer vs from euel. And in desirynge God, to delyuer vs from euel, we do confesse (as the truthe is in dede) that as
[Page] long as we lyue in this myserable worlde, we be wrapped and subiect to all kyndes of euels, & that we be not able to delyuer oure selues, there from.
And the wel and heade, out of the which al these euyll do sprynge is original synne, in the whiche we were conceiued and borne in oure mothers wombes, whereby mans reason is so blynded, that of hymselfe he can not knowe God, nor his worde. And mans will also by this synne is so poysened, that he doth not obey the wyl of God, nor keape his commaūdements. Now because mans reason is blynded, it is easy for the deuel, to led mā to all errores, as Idolatry, heresies, wytchecraftes, inchauntementes, and to all kynde of superstitious and false doctrine. And these offē ces God doth punish with diuerse
[Page ccvii] and greuous plages, as w
t pryde, enuye, contencyon, detraction, slaunderyng, lying, raylyng, trouble and vnquietnes of conscience, feare and pensiuenes of the minde & suche like, which vices, so tormēt & gnaw our hartes, that they dayly wast & consume vs. And hereof ensue dyuerse dyseases sykenesses and infirmities, and at lengthe death it selfe. Also when mans wil is not ruled by gods lawe, but foloweth his awne affections & lustes, then he runneth hedlonge into all kynde of grosse and horrible synne, as to treason, sedition, adulteryes, theft, extorcion, brybery, begylyng and deceyuyng his neighbour, to pryde, enuye, anger, glotonye, brawlyng, fyghtynge and manslaughter. And because God of his iustice, can not suffer suche heinous synnes vnpunished, therfore
[Page] he suffereth y
e deuil, some time to infect y
e aier, some time to sturre vp greate and daungerous tempestes and stormes, some tyme he permytteth hym to destroye oure houses, catel, and riches, wyth fyre or water. Agayne, God suffereth hym some tyme to haue suche power ouer vs, for our sinnes y
t some he maketh to runne madde, some he causeth to drowne theimselfes, some to burne themselfes, some to cut their owne throtes, some hang theymselues. For this is Satans chiefe studye, to dryue mē to suche feare, trouble & anguishe of mind, that thorow pensiuenes & heuines of harte, he maye brynge theym to desperation. And this is his onely entēt and study, to bring as many as he cā, to euerlasting damnatiō. Nowe you haue heard (good children) into how great and horrible
[Page ccviii] euelles, we be brought vnto by original synne, so that euery momēt we be in daunger to be drowned with the ragyous floodes thereof. Wherefore surely we haue moste nede, cōtinually to crie to our heauenly father, desyryng him to deliuer vs from so great perels and euels. For we can not offer vnto God a more acceptable sacrifyce then by callynge vpon his holye name to acknowlege him for oure God, and to gyue him this praise, that he it is, whiche is bothe able and wyllynge to delyuer vs from all oure myseries. Furthermore (good children) you shall yet lerne here another lesson, worthye to be noted and remembred, whiche is this, that in this request we desier not God vtterly to destroye all those euels, that do vexe & trouble vs, & so to put theim cleare awaye,
[Page] (whych for a tyme we muste suffre for our sinnes) y
t they mai remaine no longer in this worlde, but we desyer God to deliuer vs frō the sayde euel, that is to saye, that after we haue suffered euel by some space of time in this life, and haue ben proued and tryed by the fyre of aduersite, that then (whē it shal seme good to our moste mercyfull father) he wil delyuer vs from the sayd euyls, that we peryshe not in them. For seing that we haue brought our selues into these myseryes, we muste patientlye suffer them for a tyme, because they by punyshementes due for our sinne, which we most worthely, haue deserued. And althoughe oure heauenly father, doth most mercyefully forgyue vs our offences, yet he dothe not take synne, cleane awaye, but durynge thys lyfe, we
[Page ccix] fyght agaynst synne, vntyl we die, and so be tryed and proued, whether we loue him and his commaū dementes, better then oure owne wylles and pleasures. Also oure mercyefull father layeth on oure backes diuerse afflictions and aduersities, to pul downe our proud and hyghe stomakes, and to mortifie our fleshe, that we may be like oure brother Christe, who by the crosse, ouercame synne, deathe, and the deuyll, and so entred into euerlastynge glorye.
So that in this petitiō we must lerne both wisedome and pacience, wisdome, to beware of synne, whā it prouoketh vs, and in no wise to folow the same. Pacience, to suffer willyngly the crosse and suche afflictions, as God shall sende vnto vs, & to pray god, with feruent desier, that he suffer vs not, to perishe
[Page] in the same, but mercifullye to defende vs, vntyll suche tyme, as it shall please hym clearly to delyuer vs, whiche shalbe, when we shal dye, and by Goddes power be raised agayne from death to lyfe, and be delyuered from all maner of euels. Therefore when we say in the Lordes prayer, delyuer vs from euyll, we chiefly desyre God, to send vs a good deathe, that then aboue all other tymes we may be delyuered from all euels.
For as muche as at that houre we be in the most daunger of all euels and temtations. Wherfore it is moste necessarie for vs, euen from our tender age, to praye to oure Lorde, that at that laste houre chiefly he wyll be good and gracious vnto vs, delyueryng vs from all maner of euell. So that death maye be to vs none euyll,
[Page ccx] but a clere acquayntaūce frome al euels. And this the lordes prayer, we must euer ende with this word. Amen. Wiche is asmuche to saye as suerly I trust it shalbe so. And it is not ynough to say Amen with our tongue only, but also Amen muste be in oute harte, and continew and tary there, that is to saye, we ought to beleue suerly and constantlye that our prayer is hearde, and that oure heauenly father wil graunt vs oure petitions. For so Christ hath promysed, that what soeuer we aske the father in hys name, it shalbe gyuen to vs. And for that intente Christe confirmeth this his promise w
t an othe, saying Amen.
Nowe you haue hearde good children, the true and playne exposition of the seuenth and last petition, whiche I praye you to place
[Page] in your memories, that when you be demaunded, howe vnderstande you the seuenth petition? you may redely answere.
Herein we generally desyre our heauenly father, to delyuer vs frō all euell and perell, bothe of body, soule, lande, catell and riches. And that when we shall ley on oure death bed, he wyll than graunt vs a good houre, that we may departe oute of thys vale of miserie in hys fauoure, and from thys transitorie lyfe, enter into life euerlastynge. The whiche God graunte vs all. Amen.
Mat. iii. b Mark. i.
[...] Luke. iii. c. Iohn. i. d.
OUre Lorde Iesus Christ good children▪ in y
e gospell of Iohn saith thus Except a man be borne agayne of y
e water and the spret,
Iohn. iii he can not enter in to the kyngdome of God. Nowe we ought to direct our hole lyfe to come to the kyngedome of heauen. For the Lorde sayth. First seke the kyngdō of god.
Math.
[...] And you
[Page] haue heard heretofore that we dayly make thys petition to god, thy kingdō come. Wherfore it is very necessarie for vs, to know, how we must be borne againe, & what thys secōd birth is w
tout the which we can not entre into the kingdōe of God. But when we speake of a seconde birth, you shal not so grosse lye vnderstande this sayinge, as though a mā which is once borne, should entre agayne into hys mothers wombe, & so be borne againe as he was before. (For it were great folyshenes so to thinke) But here we meane of a seconde birthe which is spiritual, wherby our inwarde man and minde is renewed by the holye ghost, so that our hertes and myndes receaue newe desiers, which they had not of theyr first birth or natiuitie.
And the seconde birth is by the
[Page ccxii] water of Baptisme, whiche Paule calleth the bathe of regeneration, because oure synnes be forgyuen vs in Baptisme, and the holy gost is powred into vs, as into goddes beloued childrē, so that by the power and wourkynge of the holye Ghost, we be borne agayne spiritually, and made newe creatures. And so by baptisme we enter into the kingdome of God, & shalbe saued for euer,
Titum. iii Iohn. iii. a Rom. vi a Collo. ii. b
[...]. Pet. iii.
[...] yf we continewe to oure lyues ende in the faithe of Christe.
Wherfore good childrē, cōsidre diligently y
e strength of baptisme, and marke wel, howe greate treasures and howe excellent benefites you receaued in youre baptisme, that you maye thanke God for the same, and comfort youre selfes by theim in all your temptations and endeuoure youreselfes, faithfully
[Page] to performe al thinges, which you promised in your baptisme. And that you mai do this y
e better, hear and learne the wordes of our master Christe, by the whiche he dyd ordeyne and institute baptisme.
And oftentymes repete the same, that you maye lerne them worde, for worde wythout y
e boke. These be the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ, spoken to his dyscyples.
Go into the whole world / and teache al nations / & baptise thē / in the name of the father / & the sonne / and the holi gost.
mat. xxviii Mar. xvi.
He that wyl beleue / and be baptised / shalbe saued. But he that wyll not beleue / shall be damned.
By these wordes oure Lorde
[Page ccxiii] Iesus Christe dyd institute baptisme, wherby we be borne agayne to the kyngdom of God. And you good childrē shall gyue diligence not onely to reherse these wordes, but also to vnderstād, what christe ment by the same. That when you be demaunded any questyon herein, you maye bothe make a dyrecte answere, and also in tyme to come be able to teache youre children, as you your selues are nowe instructed. For what greater shame can ther be, then a man to professe him selfe to be a Christen man, because he is baptised, and yet he knoweth not what baptysme is, nor what strength the same hathe, nor what the dyppyng in the water doth betoken? wher as all oure lyfe tyme we ought to kepe those promises, which there we solemply made before God and man, and all oure
[Page] profession and lyfe oughte to agre to our baptisme. Wherefore good children, to thentent you may the better know the strength & power of baptisme, you shall first vnderstande, that our lorde Iesus Christ hath instituted and annexed to the gospel, thre sacramēts or holy seales, of his couenāt and lege made with vs. And by these thre, gods ministers do worke with vs in the name and place of God (yea God him selfe worketh with vs) to confirme vs in our faith, & to asserten vs, that we are y
e lyuely membres of Gods trew churche, and y
e chosen people of God, to whome the gospell is sent, and that all those thinges belong to vs, wherof the promises of the gospel make mentiō. The first of these sacramentes is baptisme, by the whiche we be borne again to a new and heauenly
[Page ccxiiii] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page ccxv] 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
[Page] 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,
Ephes. ii. 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
[Page ccxvi] 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
[Page] theim cleane away, as saint Peter witnesseth,
i. Pet. iiii. 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,
[Page ccxvii] 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
[Page] 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,
[Page ccxviii] 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,
Actū. ii. 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
[Page] 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 vnderstāde good children, wherfore baptisme
[Page ccxix] is called the bath of regeneratiō, 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 cō dition you were, before you were baptised, and in what state you stande in, after your baptisme.
Firste before we were baptised it is euidēt, that we were synners, and he that is a synner, can haue no peace nor quietnes of cōscience 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
[Page] 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.
Rom. xvii 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
[Page ccxx] deuel, thā after a certen maner we were able to fulfyl gods commaū dementes. And this is a greate chaunge, and renewyng of the inwarde man. And this I wold you shoulde know for a suertye good childrē, & 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 & dyligēt to hear y
e same, thē this is a suer tokē y
t by the gospel you haue receaued y
e holy gost
Furthermore he that is a synner & not baptised, althoughe he had
[Page] 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
t stande 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 iudgemēt 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
[Page ccxxi] for a suerty, that he hath put vpō him Christ, and that his weakenes & imperfectiō, 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, cō syderynge his awne weaknes, but he is ioyful, because, he cōsidereth, that he is made partaker of Christes rightuousnes. And this agayne is a great alteratiō 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 whē they that beleue, and be baptysed, do continewe in this their faith to
[Page] [...]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, whē 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
[Page ccxxii] 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.
Actū. iii. God hath saued vs thorowe hys mercy
[Page] 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
[Page ccxxiiii] 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
[Page] 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.
Actū. iii. 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
[Page ccxxv] 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
[Page] 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.
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
[Page] 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
[Page ccxxvii] must nedes heare Gods woorde, taught vs by other.
Agayne, the teachers, except thei be called and sent, can not frutfully teache.
1. Cor. iii.
[...] Iohn. vi, b Actum. ii.
[...] 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.
Roma. x
[...]
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, graū ted 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
[Page] 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
[Page ccxxiii] 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,
Mat. xvi. 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
[Page] 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.
Iohn. xx:
[...]
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.
[Page ccxxix] 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 cō maundement, 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,
Mark. iii. Luke. vi. Luke. x. he sent forth thre score and tenne dysciples, and gaue thē authoritie to preach the gospel. And a litle before his death and passiō,
[Page] 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.
Iohn. xvii 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
[Page ccxxx] 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
[Page] 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.
Luke.
[...]. 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
[Page ccxxxi] 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▪
[Page] 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
[Page ccxxxii] 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.
[Page] 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 cō mission, 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
[Page ccxxiii] 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 sente to me one of hys ministers, he in the name and place of God, hathe declared to me the forgyuenes of my synnes, and hath baptised me in the assurance of the same.
Wherfore I doubte not but that my synnes be forgyuen, and that I am made the sonne & heire of God. Thus good children, you
[Page] ought generally in all temptations, to fortifie youre fayth, and to comforte your selfes, with the authoritie of Goddes word, but specially you shall learne this also, that oure Lorde Iesus Christe, dyd entende, by this authoritie of the Kayes, to comforte the troubled consciences of them, that after their baptisme, do fall in to haynous offences.
For it is not so easye a thyng, to rise agayn from synne, as the mad and blynde worlde doeth thynke, but when the deuel and oure faith shall skyrmishe together, then in those straites, and troubles of cō science, we haue nede of the helpe of some trewe minister of y
e churche, whych (as it were in our swonynge) maye lyft vs vp wyth the wourde of God, comforte and refreshe vs. As the wyse kyng Salomon
[Page ccxxiiii] doth declare by thys sentence. Wo to that man, whyche is alone, for when he falleth, he hath no mā to lyft hym vp agayn. And oure Lorde Iesus Christe, doeth speake so often tymes in the gospel of the authoritie of the kayes, and hathe added so great promyses to the same, that it may wel appere by the earnestnes of Christes wourdes, how careful he was for troubled consciences, and how fatherly an effection he had to comforte thesame. Wherof it vndoutedly foloweth, y
t we haue great nede of thys comforte, and that it is moche to be estemed and set by. For first of al our sauiour Christ, before he gaue these kayes ī dede, he promysed to Peter y
t he would gyue them, saying.
Mat. xviii. I wyl gyue to the, the kayes of the kyngdome of heauen. What so euer thou shalt
[Page] bynde vpon earth, shalbe bounde in heauen, and what so euer thou shall louse vpon earth, shalbe also loused in heauen. Secondarelye, Christe doeth teache vs, howe we shall vse these kayes, both in open and in secrete synnes. Of the vse of the kayes in opē synnes, Christ speaketh these wourdes. Yf thy brother trespace agaynst the,
[...]. xviii. go and tell hym hys faulte betwene him and the alone. Yf he hear the, thou hast wonne thy brother. But yf he heare the not, then take yet wyth the one or two, that vpō the mouthe of two or thre wytnesses, euery worde maye stande. Yf he heare not them tell it vnto the cō gregacion. Yf he heare not the cō gregation, let hym be vnto the, as an hethen and publican. Uerely I saye vnto you, what so euerye bynde on earth, shalbe bounde in
[Page ccxxv] heauen. And what so euer ye lose on earth, shalbe loused in heauen. And of the vse of the kayes, in priuye and secrete synnes, oure sauiour Christ hath taught vs by his awne dede and example. For the mā, that was sycke of the palsey, Christ said thus.
Mark. ii. Sonne cōceaue a stedfast fayth, thy synnes be forgyuen the. And as touching byndyng of synnes, he sayd to y
e hard herted and stubburne Iewes.
Luke. v. Iohn. ix. Yf you were blinde, you shulde haue no synne. But nowe bycause you saye, you see, your synne abydeth styll, that is to saye, it is not forgyuen. Thyrdlye, oure Sauioure Christe after his resurrectiō, gaue the kaies to his apostles (as before he had promysed) breathynge vpon theim, and saying. Receaue the holy gost, whose synnes ye shall forgyue, they are for
[Page] gyuen. Now forasmuche as oure sauioure Christe, in gyuynge the keyes, did promise vs so great cō forte, dyd so dylygentlye teache the vse of them, and dyd so faythfully, and louyngly ordeyne and commende them and put theim (as it wer) into the handes of his apostles & their successors, we ought in no wyse to dyspyse this greate authoritie, whiche God hath gyuen vnto men, but thankefully to vse it. For knowe this for a suertye good children, that it is a very great offence against God, lytle to care for hys great gyftes and benefites. Therefore when we fal agayne to great synnes, after that we are ones baptysed, we oughte not to walke in a certē rechelesnes, thynkyng that our synnes be forgyuen vs onely because God is merciful (For this opinion or wauering
[Page ccxxvi] imaginatiō, is more weake and feble, thē that in the feare and battaile of the conscience, it is able to stande against the violent force and craftye assaultes of the deuel) But in this fight betwene our cō science & the deuel, our great trust and comforte is y
e sure worde and worke of God, whiche maye asserteyne vs that our synnes are forgyuen, that is to say, whan we obteyne forgyuenes of oure synnes and absolutiō, of the ministers of the churche, to whome Christ hath deliuered the kaies, and hath promysed saying. Whose synnes ye shall forgyue in earthe, their synnes be forgyuen in heauen also.
And this also is to be reproued, that some men, whiche continue in manyfest and open synne, and go not about to amende their lyfes, yet they wil be counted christē mē,
[Page] and interpryse to receaue the same sacramētes, that other do, to come to y
e churche, to worship God, and to praye with other. Suche muste be warned of their fautes, and yf they refuse to heare and amende, then they ought to be excommunicate and put out of the christen cō gregation, vntil they repente and amende their lyfes. Lest by suche manifest sinne and euel examples, other men might be prouoked to do the lyke and so at length many might be infected, and the Christē religyon dispysed and euel spoken of, as thoughe it wer the worst relygyon, forasmuche as Christian men shoulde thā leade a shameful and vngodly lyfe. And so by this meanes, y
e name of God, and God himselfe, might be blasphemed amonge the heathen people. And althoughe those canons, ordynances
[Page ccxxvii] and rites, whiche be agreable to the gospel, (and were ordeyned in tyme past, to punyshe suche opē trāsgressors and malefactors) are nowe in oure tyme almost vtterly abolyshed and taken awaye, yet for this cause we ought not to dispise or cast awaye, the authoritye & vse of the kayes. For they which presumptuously do cast away all pokes of ecclesiasticall discipline or chasticement, & do let, that such kynde of correction, whiche is agreable to the gospel, maye not be restored againe, shall haue without doubte God for their iudge. But let vs praye our Lord Iesus Christ, that as it hath pleased him to restore vnto vs his moste blessed worde, and the true vnderstā dyng of the same, so also he wyll vouchesaue to rendre and sende agayne to vs, these and suche lyke
[Page] good and holsome ordinances, agreable to his worde.
Now when a man after baptisme hath greuously synned, and doubteth in his conscience, whether he be in the fauour of God or no (as oftentymes yt happeneth) then it is harde for hym to trust to his awn bare imaginations, thinking on this fashion. I know y
t I haue synned, but yet I 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
[Page ccxxviii] 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
[Page] 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
[Page ccxix] 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,
[Page] 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
[Page ccxxx] 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.
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
[Page ccxxxi] 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
[Page] 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
[Page ccxxxii] 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
[Page] 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, howe ye maye contynually abyde and growe in Christ the whiche thing is taught you, in the vse of the Lordes supper. Ye shall therefore dilygentlye learne the wordes, by the whiche oure Lorde Iesus Christ did institute
[Page ccxxxiii] and ordeyne his supper, that ye maye repet them word for worde, and so prynt thē in your memoryes, that you may beare them away with you home to youre fathers houses, and there oftentymes reherse them. And these be the wordes of oure sauioure Christe.
Our Lorde Iesus Christ the same nyghte that he was betrayed /
Mat. 26. c Mar. 14. c Luc. xxii. b Iohn. vi. and xiii, i. Cor. xi. c
toke bread / & gyuyng thākes / brake it / & gaue it to hys disciples / & saide. Take / eate / this is my bodye / whiche is gyuen for you. Do this in remembraunce of me. Lykewyse he toke the cuppe also / after he had supped / & giuyng
[Page] thankes / gaue it to them / and sayd. Drynke of this al ye. This is my bloude of the new testamente / whiche is shed for you & for many / for the forgyuenes of synnes. Do this as often as ye drynke / in remembraunce of me.
Nowe ye shall dilygentlye laboure, not onely to say without boke these wordes of our sauiour Christe, but also to vnderstande, what oure Lorde Iesus Christe mente by the same, that ye maye make answer, when ye be asked any question herein, and that also in tyme to come, ye may be able to teache your children, as ye youre selfes are now instructed. For
[Page ccxxxiiii] what greater dishonestye can ther be, eyther in the sighte of God or man, then to professe youre selues to be Christian people, and to receaue the sacramētes & yet not to know, what Christes sacramētes be, & wherfore they wer ordeyned? For saint Paul sayth, y
t he whiche eateth and drynketh the supper of the Lorde vnworthely, doth eate and drynke his awne damnation.
Nowe therfore good children, that ye may truely vnderstāde the wordes of the lordes holy supper, and that ye receyue not this sacramente to youre owne damnation, learne here dylygentlye, that the true vnderstandyng and vse of y
e Lordes supper, standeth in two thynges. The fyrste is, to do that whiche our lord himself hath commaunded.
The seconde is, to beleue y
t which
[Page] he hath promysed. Of these two I wil speake in order, wherto I pray you gyue good eare.
First our sauiour Christ taketh breade in his hand, he giueth thā kes, he breaketh it and gyueth it to his dysciples, and sayeth. Take, eate. Lykewyse he taketh the cup, and sayeth. Take, drynke. Wherfore we ought to obey those wordes & to do that, which our Lord commaundeth vs. For although Christ prescribeth no certen tyme, when we ought to come together to his supper, althoughe also he appoynte no certen noumber of dayes, howe often in the yeare we ought to receaue this supper, yet this is his holy & godly wyl, that at some tyme we shoulde receaue this sacrament. And this to do, is for oure great commoditie & profite, for elles our Lorde wolde not
[Page ccxxxv] haue commaunded vs so to do, who knoweth better thē we, what helpe and comforte we haue nede of. Wherfore if we wil be christes trew disciples, then we must do as he himselfe commaundeth his discyples to do. Let vs therefore go to this godly supper, let vs eate & drinke therof, & let vs not absteine frō the same, w
tout a great cause. Secondarily Christ saieth of the breade, this is my bodye, and of y
e cuppe he sayeth, this is my bloud. Wherefore we ought to beleue, y
t in the sacrament we receyue trewly the bodye and bloud of Christ. For God is almyghtye (as ye hearde in the Crede). He is able therefore, to do all thynges what he wil. And as saint Paul writeth he calleth those thinges whiche be not, as yf they were. Wherefore when Christe taketh breade, and
[Page] saieth. Take, eate, this is my body we ought not to doute but we eat his veray bodye. And when he taketh the cuppe, and sayeth. Take, drynke, this is my blod, we ought to thynke assuredly, y
t we drynke his veray blode. And this we must beleue, yf we wil be counted Christē mē. And wher as in this perellous tyme, certayne deceitful persons be founde in manye places, who of very frowardnes, wil not graunt, that there is the body and bloude of Christe, but denye the same, for none other cause, but that they cannot cōpasse by mans blynde reason, howe this thinge shoulde be broughte to passe, ye good children, shall with all dilygence beware of suche persons, that ye suffer not your selues, to be deceaued by them. For suche men surely are not trew Christyans,
[Page ccxxxvi] nether as yet haue thei lerned the first article of y
e Crede, whych teacheth, that God is almightye, whiche ye good children haue alredy perfectely lerned. Wherfore eschewe such erroneous opinions, and beleue the wordes of our lord Iesus, that you eate and drynke his veray body & blode although mans reason can not comprehend how and after what maner y
e same is ther present. For the wysedome of reason, must be subdued to the obedience of Christ, as the apostle Paule teacheth.
Thirdly he sayeth, that his body was gyuē to death for vs, & that his blod was shed for vs. Wherfore we muste beleue and confesse this thing, that all we are conceaued and borne in syn, as we haue learned in the ten commaundemē tes, and chiefely in the two last.
[Page] We are therefore by nature the childrē of gods wrath, & shoulde be damned for euer yf Christ had not redemed vs by his holy passiō For he was made mā for vs, and dyd all thinges for vs, whiche we were bound to do, and coulde not do, that is to saye, he fulfylled the lawe for vs, and toke vpon hym all that crosse whiche we moste rightuously had deserued, for our iniquities and offenses, and he shed his bloude for vs, that oure synnes might be forgyuen vs. All these thinges we oughte stedfastly to beleue. Wherfore they be in a great errore, whiche wyll make satisfaction for their synnes, with fastyng, prayer, almes dedes, and suche lyke good workes. For althoughe we are boūde to do these good workes, yet they be not a sufficient price, raunsome or satisfaction
[Page ccxxxvii] for oure synnes, but onely the death and bloude of our sauyoure Christ, was a sufficient and worthy sacrifice, to take away our synnes, and to obteyne for vs forgyuenes of oure offenses, as it is written in the seconde chapter of saincte Iohn his firste epystle. Christ is that sacryfice that pacyfyeth Gods dyspleasure, & obteyneth pardon for oure synnes, and not for our synnes onely, but also for the synnes of all the worlde.
Fourthly Christ sayeth, do this in the remembraunce of me. Here also it is oure dutye to obey the worde of Christ, and to do y
t thing, which he hath cōmaūded vs to do. Wherefore (good children) doubt not, but ther is the bodye & bloud of our Lorde, which we receaue in the lordes supper. For he hath sayed so, and by the power of his
[Page] worde hath caused it so to be. Wherefore seyng Christ saieth, do this as often as ye do it, in remē braunce of me, it is euident herby, that Christe causeth, euen at thys tyme, his bodye and bloude to be in the sacrament, after that maner and fashion, as it was at that tyme, when he made his maundye with his disciples. For elles we coulde not do that thyng, whiche his disciples dyd. But Christ hath commaunded vs, to do the selfe same thing that his disciples dyd, and to do it in the remembraunce of him, that is to saye, to receaue his bodye and bloude, euen so as he himselfe did gyue it to his dysciples. And let not the foulyshe talke of vnbeleuers moue you, who are wont to aske this question. Howe can the pryest or minister make the bodie and bloude of
[Page ccxxxviii] Christ? To the whiche I answer, that the minister doth not this of himself. But Christ himselfe doth gyue vnto vs his fleshe & blode, as his wordes dothe euydētly declare. Nether let their argumētes or reasons perswade you, whiche say, y
t the sacramēt ought not to be receaued vnder both kyndes, but vndre one kynde only. For Christ gaue to his disciples both kindes and hath bydde vs, that we also shoulde do the same. And when he gaue the cuppe to his dysciples, he added therto this commaundemēt, in these expresse & plaine wordes, saying. Drinke ye al of this. Now we ought to obey god, more then men. We ought therefore to receaue the sacrament vnder both kyndes, as Christe commaunded vs. And regarde not the gageling of theim that speake againste the
[Page] vse of the sacramētes vnder both kyndes, sayinge. It maketh no great matier, whether ye receaue it vndre both kyndes, or one alone, & y
t it perteineth not to saluation, to receiue it vnder both kindes. But what shal I dispute long in this matier. Take this for a cō clusion, that it is only laudable & good, to do that thinge, whiche Christ hathe commaunded, and not to swarue from the same.
So we ought to receaue this blessed sacrament, in the remembraunce of Christ, as saint Paule saieth,
i Cor. xi.i. that is to saye, we ought to preache his death, vntil he come againe. For he wil suerely come againe, and iudge bothe the quicke and y
e deade, as ye haue lerned in your Crede. In the meane season, we ought to remembre and preach his death, that he hath redemed
[Page ccxxxviii] vs, with his death and sheding of his most precious bloude, & purchased for vs forgyuenes of oure synnes. And this we ought euer to haue in oure remembraunce, that in no wyse we forget this his exceding great benefyte, and that we seke not for remyssion of synnes, by any other wayes or meanes, then by fayth in Christe.
Nowe when we preache the death of the Lord, and shewe that he hathe redemed vs thereby, we ought also to call this to our remembraunce, that he dyed not for vs onely, but for all men that beleue in him. And forasmuche as Christe loued al men so entierely, that he dyed for theym, we ought for Christes sake to loue our neyghbours, for whom Christe hathe dyed. For Christ sayeth.
Ioh. xiii.
[...]
All men shall knowe by thys token,
[Page] that ye be my disciples,
i. Ioh. ii
[...] and .iii. b if one of you loue another. And this is it, that saincte Paule sayeth. All we that be pertakers of one breade,
i Corin. x. are one bodye and one breade.
As often therefore good children, as you shal come to the Lordes table (whiche ye shall vse to do, when ye shall come to further yeares of discretion) you shal seke the comforte of your consciences, and do as sainct Paule saieth in these wordes. Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eat of the breade and drynke of the cuppe. For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthely, eateth and drinketh his awne damnation, because he maketh no dyfference of the Lordes bodye. And when ye shal haue examined your selues, ye shal fynde that ye are synners, and that ye
[Page ccxxxix] haue nede, that Christ should giue his bodye for you, and shede hys bloude for you. And this to do, is truly to examine and trye youre selues. For sainct Paule saieth. Yf we wold iudge our selues, we should not be iudged of the Lord. But when we are iudged of the Lorde, we are chasticed, that we should not be dampned, with the worlde. For him that doth not acknowlege his faute, God doeth iudge and chastice with dyuerse afflictions, that at the length he maye cause him therby to confesse his fautes, and repent him, that his synnes may be forgyuen him. Ye shal also examine yourselues, whether ye be able to do, y
t Christ commaundeth, and to beleue, that Christ saith. Furthermore ye shal make an inquirie in your conscyences, whether you be gladde in
[Page] youre harte, to forgyue youre neyghboure his offences against you and to loue him hartely and vnfaynedly for Christes sake. For when ye do thus, then ye worthely receaue the body and bloud of Christ. And he that so receaueth it, receaueth euerlastyng lyfe. For he doth not only, with his bodyly mouthe receaue the bodye and bloude of Christ, but he doth also beleue the wordes of Christ, wherby he is assured, that Christes bodye was gyuen to death for vs, & that his bloude was shed for vs. And he y
t this beleueth, eateth and drynketh the bodye and bloude of Christ spiritually. Of this Christ speaketh, when he sayeth. He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloud,
Iohn. vi. abydeth in me and I in him. And when we be planted in Christ, then we maye come to this
[Page ccxl] holy supper as often as we wyll, that by this gostlye fode, we may dayly more and more waxe stronger in our faith, that Christe was gyuen to be the raunsome for our synnes, and that he dwelleth in vs, and we in him. For seyng that we are planted in Christ by baptisme, and are bound to grow and increase in him, and to be made lyke vnto him, it is not conueniēt, that we shoulde onely haue a waueryng opinion, that we dwell in Christe, and growe in faith & charitie, but we muste haue a sure worde and worke of God, to the whiche we maye leane in all temptations, & therby be assured, that we do spiritually growe and increase in Christe. And this worde and worke of God, is set before our eyes in the Lordes supper.
For seyng oure sauioure Christ
[Page] doth gyue vs his bodye to be oure meate, and his bloude, to be our drynke, and thereby doth declare, that he wil effectually dwel in vs, strengthen and preserue vs to euerlastyng lyfe, we may stedfastly beleue, that Christ doth worke in vs, and that he wil giue vs gostly strength and stedfastnes, that we lyke grene braunches maye continew in the vyne, and so be full of sappe and bryng forth good fruit.
And this is the meanynge and playne vnderstandynge, of the wordes of the Lordes supper. Wherefore learne them dilygently I pray you, y
t when ye be asked, what is y
e Cōmuniō or the lordes supper? ye maye answer. It is the trew body and true bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christe, whiche was ordeyned by Christ him selfe, to be eaten and dronken of vs Christen
[Page ccxli] people, vnder the forme of breade and wine. Furthermore yf any mā 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,
[Page] 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.
[Page ccxlii] 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 sacramēt 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 thē, he receaueth the lordes supper vnworthely. For this
[Page] 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 cōtinuyng 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 braū 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
[Page ccxliii] receaue lyfe and euerlastynge saluation and glorie, with oure sauiour Iesus Christ, the which God graunt vs all. Amen.