agayne vnto y e Lordes waye Nowe Chryste because he is not the ministre of synne dothe washe away our synnes and decke vs wyth hys ryghtwysnes to the intent we shulde not stayne thys hys grace wyth new fylthynes agayne but ones chosen to be gods sonnes shulde consecrate and direct al our lyfe from hensforth to the glory of our father Thys worke of repentauÌ„ce haÌ„geth on our newe byrth whych new byrth standeth vpon two partes the sleynge of our flesh I meane of thys corruption naturally spronge in vs and a spirituall quyckenynge wherby y e nature of mans is restored to her clennes wherfore vpoÌ„ thys meditation we muste laboure employ our selues al oure lyue loÌ„ge that we ones deed to sinne and to our selues maye lyue to Christe to his ryghtuousnes And wheras this new byrth caÌ„ neuer be perfect so longe as we lyue in the pryson of thys mortall body it muste nedes be that this same mynd and study of repentauÌ„ce ought styl to continue in vs euen vnto death Howe ryghtwysnesse of good workes and of faythe maye stande togither GOod workes that come of suche a purenes of conscience doubtles be stronge and allowed before god For sythe god seeth his owne ryghtuousnesse in them he can not but allowe them yet must we take hede least we beare oure self so hault in the vayne affiauÌ„ce and trust of our good workes that we forget not how we be iustifyed by the fayth in Christ alonely For there is no righteousnes of workes afore God except it answereth to his rightousnes so y t who so goeth about to be iustifyed by his owne workes it is not ynoughe for hym to brynge out one good dede or two but he must shewe forth a perfecte obedience of the lawe whyche thyng is farre awey yea frome those that seme moost of all to haue profyted gone forwarde afore other in the Lordes law Besyde thys although y â— ryghtuousnes of god coulde be content and pleased with one good dede only and no mo yet shulde not god fynde so muche as one good dede in all hys sayntes y t worthely eueÌ„ of the self workes deseruynge he myghte prayse and commende as rightwyse For this is y e very trouth seme it neuer so great a meruel that no worke we do is perfect on euery syde but is blemyshed w t some wart eyther in one parte or other Wherfore syth we be synners foyled with many remnauntes of vyces we muste nedes be iustified an other waye thaÌ„ by our selfe Now certeinly we haue alwaye greate nede of Christe that by hys perfectnes oure vnperfectnesse maye be couered by hys purenes oure vnclennes maye be washed by his obedieÌ„ce our iniquitie maie be blotted out fynally y t for his rightousnesse we maie befreely taken as rightuouse w tout any respect of our workes whyche in no wyse can be of suche valoure to stande in the iudgemeÌ„t of God Thys notwythstandynge so longe as these our spottes whyche other wayes myght blemyshe stayne oure workê before God be thus hyd and kepte close the Lorde consydereth in them nothynge but hyghe purenesse and holynesse where vpon he vouchesaueth to gyue them hyghe tytles of prayses for he calleth and also estemeth them euen ryghtousnesses yea and promyseth vnto theÌ„ large rewardes So maye we then shortly conclude that oure felowshyp wyth Christe is of such strength force that for it we be not onely freely reputed ryghtuous but also our workes be reckened vs for iustice and ryghtuousnesse and be aboundantly recompensed wyth an euerlastyng rewarde The Symbole of fayth or Christen Crede WE tolde you heretofore what profyte we take by our fayth in Christ nowe shall ye heare what our faith ought to beholde in Christ what to conceyue of him to the stablyshment and confermynge of it Certaynely thys is declared in the Simbole or ChristeÌ„ Crede as howe Christe is made vnto vs by his father our wysdome raunsome lyfe ryghtwysnes and holynes Nowe it maketh no greate matter who was the maker of this Symboll or by what personê this abrydgenieÌ„t of faith was set forthe whiche in it hath no humane doctrine but is gathered of most certain recordes of scripture And because no man shulde muse why we knowledge our selues to beleue in the father the sonne the holy ghoste we woli some what speake hereof afore we entre into the Crede When we name the father the sonne and the holy holy ghost we make vs nat thre goddes but in most symple and pure vnite of God aswel the scripture as the very experieÌ„ce of godlynes shewe vs God the father hys sonne and the spirite so y t our vnderstanding caÌ„ not conceyue the father but it must also coÌ„pryse aswell the sonne in whome shyneth y e fathers lyuely ymage the spirite in whom his power and might is opened In one God therfore let vs fyxe the hole thought of our mynd and yet in the mean season coÌ„sider y â— father w t y e soÌ„ne and his holy gost I beleue in one God the father almyghty maker of heauen and earth By these wordê we be taught to beleue not nakedly that there is a God but also to know that he is our God and to trust that we be of the noÌ„ber of those whom he promyseth to be their God whome also he taketh for his owne people Thys God is called almighty wherby is meaned that by his prouidence he disposeth al thinges and at his pleasure gouerneth through his power and myght ordereth them when we cal him maker of heauen and earthe we muste therwith vnderstande y t he coÌ„tinually nourisheth susteyneth and quyckeneth whatsoeuer ones he made And in Iesus Christ hys onely sonne our Lorde WHere aboue we sayd that Christ is he euerlastyng butte of our fayth thys is easy to se for asâ—â—ch as all y e partes of our heâ— be here represented in hym 〈◊〉 call hym Iesus which 〈◊〉 was gyuen hym from heauen because he was sent to saue hys people frome theyr synnes And therfore the scripture sayth y t there is none other name gyuen vnto men wherby they myght be saued This additioÌ„ or surname christ betokeneth y t he was aÌ„noynted and throughly endowed wyth all the graces of the holy ghost whiche in scripture be rehersed vnder the name of oyle because wythout theÌ„ through drought and barennesse we wyther and dekaye Throughe this annoin tynge of the father â—as he first made kyng subduâ—â—â— vnto him selfe all power in heauen and in earth that in hym we mought also be kynges hauyng power ouer the deuyll synne deathe hell So theÌ„ was he coÌ„secrated prest that through his sacrifice he myght pacifye the father bryng vs in fauour agayn with hym to y e inteÌ„t that in him we also myght be preestes offryng vnto the father prayers thankes our selues and all ours by thys same Christe our mediatour and reconcyler Furthermore he is called y â— son of God
not as other faythfull men be by election onely and fauoure but that he is the verye true natural sonne therfore is he named y e only because he myght be knowen frome the rest He is also oure Lord not onely by hys godheade whyche he had euermore the selfe same wyth the father but also in that selfe fleshe wherin he was exhâ—â—ited vnto us For there is but one God of whom be al thinges as Paule sayth and one Lorde Iesus Chryst through whom be all togither Which was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the virgine Marye HEre we lerne by what maner y â— soÌ„ne of God became our Iesus that is our sauiour and our Christ that is to saye the annointed kynge to defende vs and preeste to brynge vs in fauoure with the father for he put vpoÌ„ him our fleshe to thys intente that he nowe made the sonne of man shoulde make vs the sonnes of God wyth hym takyng vpoÌ„ hym oure pouertie to aduaunce vs vnto hys rychesse bearynge our weakenes to strengthen vs by his power receyuynge our mortalitie to gyue vs his immortalitie commynge downe vpon the erth to exalt vs vnto heaueÌ„ Borne he was of the virgine Mary euen because he might be knoweÌ„ the very sonne of AbrahaÌ„ and Dauid whyche was promysed in the lawe and Prophetes a very maÌ„ like vnto vs in euery point onely synne excepted he was tempted wyth our infirmityes to thintent he myght lerne to haue compassion and beare w t vs. Thys same Iesus was coÌ„ceyued in the woÌ„be of y â— virgine by a wonderfull vnspeakable power of y â— holy goste to thinteÌ„t he myght be borne not defyled with any fleshy corruption but be sanctified in most hyghe and perfecte purenesse Suffered vnder Ponce Pylate was crucyfyed dead buryed and desceÌ„ded vnto hell IN these wordê we be taught after what sort Iesus paied our raunsome for thys was cause why he was borne a mortal maÌ„ For verely where as god was ê“uoked to wrath through the disobedience of man Iesus through his obedience put it awaye shewynge him obedieÌ„t to hys father euen vnto deathe And so iÌ„ his deth he offred him selfe a sacrifyce to the father wherby hys ryghtwysnes myght ones â—or euer be appeased wherby y â— faithful mought be halowed for euermore wherby also the euerlastynge satisfactioÌ„ mought be fully wrough and fynyshed He shed hys holy bloud for the pryce of our raunsome to thintent both the fury of God whyche was kyndled agaynst vs myght be qwenched and also our wyckednes purged There is no parte of hys deth that lacketh a misterye He suffred vnder Ponce Pilate that is to wyt he was condemned by sentence of a iudge for a felon and euyldoer for this purpose y t we throughe hym thus condemned myght be quyte at the barre of the hygh iudge he was crucified that in the crosse whych by Gods lawe was cursed he shuld susteyne our curse whyche curse oure synnes dyd deserue he dyed that throughe hys deth he myghte ouercome deathe that gaped vpoÌ„ vs and henge ouer our heddes and y â— he myght swalowe vp y t same death whyche elles had not he bene shuld haue swalowed vs vp He was buryed to thynteÌ„t we hys felowes by the vertue of hys deathe shulde be buryed to synne enfraunchyshed from the dominion of the deuyll and of deathe And where we saye he wente downe into hell it is meaÌ„t he was extremely haÌ„dled of God that he felte the horryble sharpenesse of gods iudgement in that he dyd put hym self betwene vs Gods wrath and on our behalfe satisfied the rygoure and sharpe iudgement of God so dyd he paye suffer the due paynes not for his own iniquite for he hadde none in hym but for our wyckednes Not that y â— father was at any tyme angry agaynst hym for howe coulde he be angrye with hys most deare sonne in whom is all hys delyte and pleasure or howe coulde he be pacyfyed wyth hys prayer wyth whome he were displeased but in this sense we say he bare the weight of goddes rygorousnes because beynge thus strycken and as it were scourged by the hande of God he felte all the tokens and sygnes wherwythe god in hys fume is wonte to punysshe synners in so moche that when the Passion waxed stronge ouer hym he was constreyned streyned to crye my God my God why hast y u forsaken me And the thyrde daye he rose agayne frome death he ascended into heauen and sytteth on the ryght hande of God the father almyghty frome thence he shall come to iudge the quycke and the deed OF Christes rysynge agayn we maye gather a sure trust of victorye that we shall ouercome death for lyke as he coulde not be holden downe by al y â— panges of death but mightely dyd brast forth beyonde all deathes power so dyd he represse and quenche all hys stinges and that in suche wyse as he is nat hable to styng vs now any more at leaste waye to our destruction So then his rising agayne is fyrst a ryght certayn trueth and euen the grounde of our rysyng to come and also of this our presente quickenyng wherby we be raysed vp vnto a newnesse of lyfe By his asceÌ„sion or mounting vp vnto heauen he opened vs the way vnto the kyngedome of heauen whiche in Adam was agaynste all men shut for he ascended in to heaueÌ„ in our fleshe as it were in our name to the intente that euen nowe in hym by hope we may possesse heauen and after a maner syt euen amonges the heaueÌ„ly sprites And assuredly he is not there w tout our hygh profyte for accordyng to the office of his euerlastyng presthod he weÌ„t into the saÌ„ctuary of god not made of mans hande and there he laboureth as a continual attourney and mediatour for vs afore the father where we saye he sytteth on the ryght hande of god the father it meaneth that he is crouned proclaymed kynge iudge Lorde ouer al thinges y t by his power he myght coÌ„serue and gouerne vs that his kyngdome and glory maye be our strength power and boaste against hel It signifieth also that he hath receyued to dispose at his pleasure al the maye be made perfyte and fylled that is to wytte that his iudgement moughte be manifested in whiche daye he alone shall be sette vp on hyghe and shall be all togyther in all men gatherynge and receyuyng his faythfull into glorye when satans kingdom shal be brought to confusyon vtterly throwe doune The thyrde Thy wyll be done in earthe as it is in heauen IN this petition we desyre of god that as he is wonte in heauen so in erth he wovouchsaue to order and dispose all thinges as his gracious pleasure shalbe to bring euery thyng to passe as shall lyke his wisdom best to vse al creatures at his own pleasure and to
A CATECHISME or institution of the Christen Religion Newely set forthe by Richard Tauerner Anno. M.D.XXXIX Cum Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum RICHARD TAVERner to the Christen Readers FOR asmuche as nat only fathers and mothers whiche by the lawe of god be commaunded to teache theyr chyldren godfathers and godmothers whiche be as it were suerties for the same purpose haue bene of longe tyme in suche sorte blynded and vtterly ignoraunt in Christes doctrine whiche neuertheles they professe that they be nat able to Catechise that is to say to institute teache bryng vp and instructe theyr chyldren for whom the one haue promised to the churche at the Christening of the same the other are bouÌ„den by goddes lawe as afore is remembred to se them taught and ryghtly instructed in the christeÌ„ faythe and lawes of god but also the prestes theÌ„selues whiche be theyr curates and pastoures where as by Paules sentence they ought to be apte to teache partely for defaulte of lerning and partly for neglectynge theyr flocke lyke careles hyrelinges be be exceading defectiue in this be halfe I therfore moued of christen charitie to vtter the lytle talent that God hathe endowed me with am enforced accordynge to the example of learned men in other couÌ„treis to set forthe vnto my couÌ„trey men some handsome and compendiouse Catechisme which is so called because it instructeth and bryngeth vp the yoÌ„ge christiaÌ„ in Christes lawe For vndoubted suche one is to be setforthe in the churche to be lerned and as it were droÌ„ken in of chyldren to be ofteÌ„ reuolued of men and women yea and to be continually caryed in the haÌ„des or bosomes but much rather iÌ„ the hertes of all ages for an instruction to the ignorauÌ„t persons a coÌ„forte to the troubled reioyce to the faythfull spurre to the slouthfull brydell to the arrogant relief to the desperate occupation to the ydle refresshyng to the occupied to be shorte an argumeÌ„t and mater for sklender shepherdes whervpon to instructe theyr cure Nowe therfore lyke as the kynges most excellent maiesty moste worthy to be compared vnto the godly kynge Ezechias whiche destroyed the moste detestable ydolatrie of the brasen serpeÌ„t by the hygh prouidence of God traueileth dayly of a wonderfull zeale he beareth to the auauÌ„cement of godes true religion to banysh all poprie and Romyshe marchaundyse within this his graces realme to the vnspeakable healthe of his people the churche of EnglaÌ„de to the supremacie wherof he is by the said prouideÌ„ce of god nowe at last in spyte of all his enemies restored So semblably it shalbe your parte to embrace suche pure true and sincere doctrine of Christe as setteth forth the same so vtterly to renouÌ„ce nat only the Romisshe byshop our archenemie and the moste pestileÌ„t ouerthrower of al god lynes but also his deuelyshe lawes constitutions and supersticious thynges whiche haue hertofore intangled our consciences contrary to the Euangelicall libertie and trouthe of gods worde That if ye shall appeare louyngly gredely to embrace this brief worke wherin is coÌ„prysed aswell compendiously as purely the hole doctrine of the christen religion ye shall occasion me not only nat to repente me of my paynes taken for your sakes in this behalfe but also to take the lyke when so euer I shal espy that my industry and diligeÌ„ce may serue to your edification profyt instruction and pleasure whiche thynge is my onely desire and instauÌ„t prayer as best knoweth god that seeth all to whom be all glory prayse and thankes for euer and euer Amen GOD SAVE THE KYNGE AN INSTITVcion or Catechisme of the Christen Religion That all men be borne to religion or godlynes BEcause no man at all can be founde be he neuer so barbarouse neuer so rudely â—uyl brought vp but hathe some felyng of religioÌ„ or godlynes is naturally disposed to the same it is playne that we all be made to this purpose and ende that we shulde knowledge the maiestie of our maker and the same so knowledged to imbrace and with al feare loue and reuereÌ„ce to worshyp But to let the vngodly alone which seke nothing els but to drowne this opinioÌ„ of God planted in theyr myndes and to wype y e same out of theyr memory we at least which professe godlynes and wolde be called Christes folke nedes muste thynke that this brykle and vnstable lyfe ought to be nothyng els then a certayne saye or meditatioÌ„ of immortalitie Nowe the euerlastyng and immortall lyfe we can no where fynde but in god Wherfore the chief care and thought of our lyfe shulde be to seke god and with all the endeuours of our mynde to get vp vnto hym and to repose our selues nowhere elles saue in him allonely What difference is betwene the false and true religioÌ„ FOr as muche as we knowe this by our comoÌ„ sence and vnderstandyng that if our lyfe be destitute and voyde of religioÌ„ we lyue moste wretchedly yea differ nothynge at all from the brute and vnreasonable beastes there is no man that woll seme to abhorre vtterly from al godlines religion and seruice of god But nowe certaynly in the maner and forme of expressyng and declarynge this religion is doubtles no lytle difference for the most parte of meÌ„ be nat touched with the true and syncere feare of god but bycause whither they wyl or nat they be pricked with this thought whiche euer amonge hathe recourse in their myndes y â— there is a certayne diuinitie or Godhed at whose pleasure they staÌ„d or fal beynge I saye therfore stryken with the opinioÌ„ of so great a power least they myght happen to sturre the same against them by their ouermoche negligence or despysiÌ„g they gyue some maner of worship such as it is vnto this Godhed and power In the meane season yet leadyng a moost beastly and lawles lyfe castyng vp all studies and endeuours of honestye and good behauour they shewe theÌ„selues excedyng careles and wonderfull recheles in despysynge the ryghtfull dome and sharpe sentence of god And then because they measure not god by his in finite maiesty but by y â— loutishe and grosse vanitie of theyr wyt they so departe and traytrously shrynke awaye from the trewe god Wherfore with what care so euer they afterwarde busye them selues howe they maye worshyppe god they are neuer the better but labour in vayne because they worshyp not the euerlastyng God but the dreames fansyes dotages of their herte in stede of god But as for true religion godlynes surely it standeth nat in feare whiche wolde fayne indede flee the iudgement of god and therfore because it can nat flee it feareth it but it rather lyeth in trewe and syncere affection in louyng god as a father and fearynge hym with all reuerence as a moste drad soueraigne lorde euermore imbrasyng his ryghteousnes hatyng wors then deathe to offende his maiestie So who soeuer is roted in thys godlynes and true religion dareth nat
subdue all wylles vnto his And thus requyrynge we vtterly refuse and abandon all our owne desyres renouncynge and gyuynge vp vnto the Lorde what so euer affection wyl or lust is in vs desyrynge his graciouse maiestie that he suffer not the worlde to passe with vs as we our selues wolde haue it but that he cause all our matters so to go forwarde with vs as he knoweth afore forseeth beste for vs and as he hath appoynted the same to be Nor we do not onely here aske that god wolde make our owne desyre voyde and of no effecte euen so many as be contrarye and repugnant to his wyll but also that he extinguyshinge these our affections wolde shape in vs new thoughtes newe myndes and newe ententes so that none other motion or luste be felt in vs then a pure consente and ful agremeÌ„t with his wil and for a conclusion that we woll nothinge of our selfe but as the holy spirite woi in vs by whose secrete instruction teachinge we maye lerne to loue those thinges that be pleasauÌ„t to hym and to hate abhorre wors then deathe what so euer displease him Nowe assured we are that displeaseth hym y â— is contrary to his worde and institucion Gyue vs thys daye oure dayely breade HEre in generall we aske of god all thynges necessary to the behouf of our bodyes vnder the clementes of this worlde not onely to be fed and clothed but also what so euer thing he forseeth to be expedient for vs to thintent ws mought eat our bread in peax In this petition with few wordes we betake our selues into his kepynge and commit vs to his diuine prouidence that he wolde fede nouryshe and preserue vs for y â— moste graciouse and tender father doth not disdayne to take vnto his kepyng and tuicioÌ„ also this our bodie y â— he myghte exercise our fayth in these same lytell small thynges whiles we loke to receyue at his hande all thynges what so euer we haue nede of euen to a crumme of bread and a drop of water Where we say Dayly and this daye it meaneth that we ought onely to aske thinges sufficieÌ„t for our nede euen as it were for no more but this day With this assured confidence that oure father after that he hath nouryshed vs this daye woll not fayle vs to morowe Now how moch aboundaunce so euer of goodes through his benefite we haue yet it behoueth vs to aske our daily bread thynkyng on this wyse that all our substaunce is nothyng but so farforth as god by powryng forth his blessynge shall prospere and encrease that which is in our haÌ„des is none of ours but so farforth as god bestoweth it vnto vs and suffreth the vse therof in our handes frome tyme to tyme. In that we saye Our bread is hyghly declared the bouÌ„tyousnes of god which maketh y â— to be ours which by no reason was dewe vnto vs. Finally in that we desyre it to be gyuen vs it is meant that it is the pure free gyfte of god frome whense so euer it come to vs thoughe it seme neuer soo moche to be gotten by our scyence and propre industrye The fyfthe And forgyue vs oure trespasses as we forgyue theym that trespasse agaynste vs. IN this petition we aske release pardon and forgiuenesse of synnes to be receyued at goddes handes a thyng doubtles right necessary to all men and women without exception And we call them dettes for so signifieth the greke and also the latine worde bycause we owe god a punyshement for them as a pryce or peny worth due for the same But by noo meanes can we make this payment good oneles we be discharged by this forgyuenesse whiche is the free pardone of his mercy We aske this pardone to be gyuen vs euen as we forgyue our detters that is as we spare them and forgyue them of whome we haue bene in any thynge eyther harmed sharpely handled or contumeliously checked This condition is here added not that by our forgyuynge of other mens trespasses agaynst vs we may or can deserue goddes pardon but it is here put for a â—ygne token to acertayne vs that so truely our synnes be pardoned vs of god as we semblably in our owne consciences forgyue other in case our hart be cleane purged and voyd of all hatred enuye and vengeauÌ„ce On the contrary parte we be warned that they be shakeÌ„ of and expulsed frome the nombre of gods chyldren so many as be redy to reuenge harde to forgyue and that styffely beare malice in their hartes ayenst their neyghbours For all suche are hereby monyshed not to be ones so hardy as to call god theyr father nor pray to escape gods wrath lyth in theyr own stomake they beare wrath and displeasure agaynste other yea Chryste expressely sayth that onles we for gyue men theyr offences the father wol neuer forgiue vs ours Which thyng he also teacheth by the parable of the kyng and his seruauntes Finally he wol haue forgiue vs our neighbour not ones or twyse no not seuen tymes only but seuenty tymes seuen tymes meanynge herby we oughte contynually frome tyme to tyme to forgyue oure brother The syxte And let vs not be led into temptation but delyuer vs from euyll Amen IN this demauÌ„d we do not requyre that we shulde neuer fele temptations for by them rather it is our profyte to be styrred and rubbed on the backe lest through ouermoche rest we mought waxe sloggardes for the lorde tempteth his chosen dayly chastysyng them by reproche pouertie trouble and other kyndes of crucyfyenge But this oure prayer is that with the temptatioÌ„ he wol make vs a waye out so as we be not ouercome and pressed downe of any temptations but that by his powre enstrengthened we may stand sure agaynst all the power of our aduersaries wherwith they assaulte vs. Also that we taken to his gouernaunce halowed by his spirituall graces and fensed with his protectioÌ„ may stande styffe agaynste the deuyll death hell gates and the hole kyngdome of the deuyll and this is to be deliuered from euyll We must marke also howe God wol that our prayers be shapen Truely we muste shape them after the rule of charitie for so hathe he taught vs to praye not for our owne behoufe without any regarde of our bretherne but he commauÌ„deth vs to be euen as busye for theyr coÌ„moditie edificatyon and profyte as we wold be for our owne Continuance of prayer THis then it behoueth vs to loke vpon that we go not about to bynd god to any circumstancies lyke as we be taught in this prayer nor to assigne him any law or apoynt hym any condycyon For afore we conceyue any prayer for vs we fyrste requyre and forespeke that his wyll be done whereby nowe we subdue oure wylle to his that as with a brydell nowe restreyned it shulde not pÌ„sume to force god to a course or trade If our myndes ones