Adams trasgression S. Forasmuche as he displeased God therfore dyd God punyshe hym withall his posteritie so that euer synce that fall of Adam both he and we all are depriued spoyled of the image of God and so are borne into the worlde euen from our mothers wombe sinners vnrighteous and children of wrathe M. Than canst thou not be saued S. After my fyrst byrth I cānot be saued but through my secōde byrth in Christe I haue an vndoubted hope and assured trust to be saued M. What art thou than after thy seconde byrth S. I am a christian M. What is a Christian S. A Christian is one that acknowlegeth himselfe a synner and beleueth stedfastly that God our heauēly father is mercyfull vnto hym through the gloryous passion and bloud sheddyng of our sauiour Iesus Christe M. Whereby knowest thou that thou art a Christian S. Because I doe faythfully beleue the same and vpon this belefe am baptysed or chrystened in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holye ghoste M. What belieuest thou of the father of the sonne and the holy ghoste S. I beleue that the father is God the sonne is God the holy ghoste is God and yet as these are three destincte persones eguall in substaunce glorye and maiestie so is he but onely one God eternall without begynnyng euerlastyng without ende almyghtifull and altogether bounteous good mercyfull louyng tendre beneficiall vnto man M. What dooest thou ferther beleue of thesame God the father the sonne and the holy ghoste S. I dooe firmely and stedfastely beleue whatsoeuer is wrytten of God in the holy scriptures and all that euer is conteyned in the speciall poyntes and artycles of the chrysten religion whiche the lorde hym selfe taught vs and commaunded his dysciples to teache the same M. What are the speciall pointes of the christen religion and howe many are they S. They are syxe M. which syxe be they S. The fyrst is the .x. commaundementes ii The artycles of the holy christian fayth iii. The holy prayer of the Lorde iiii The woordes and institucion of the holy baptisme v. The woordes of the holy supper of the Lorde vi The woordes of the Ecclesiasticall discipline and brotherly correccion M. Now rehearse me the woordes of all the syxe pryncypall poyntes and articles one after an other as I haue out of the places of Goddes holy scripture taught it vnto thee before this tyme. S. The .x. commaundementes are wrytten in the xx chapiter of Exodus in these wordes i. I the lord am thy God which haue brought the out of Egipt out of the land of bōdage thou shalt haue none other Goddes besyde me or in my syght ii Thou shalt make to thyselfe no grauen ymage nor symylitude of any thyng that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneth or in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt neyther bowe thee downe before them nor shewe any seruice or reuerence vnto them For I am the lorde thy God a strong and gelous God for I auenge the vnrighteousnesse of the fathers vpon the children euen vnto the thyrde and fourthe generacion of them that hate and despyse me and I shewe mercye euen vnto the thousandest generacion of them that loue me kepe my commaundementes iii. Thou shalt not take the name of thy lorde god in vayne For the Lorde wyll not suffer him vnpunished that taketh his name in vayne iiii Remembre that thou kepe the Sabboth daye holy Sixe dayes shalte thou laboure and doe all thy buisinesse but the seuenth daye is an holy Sabboth day vnto the lord thy god Vpon that daye shalt thou doe no woorke at all neyther thou thy selfe nor thy sonne nor thy daughter neyther thy manseruaunte nor thy mayd seruaunt nor thy cattell nor thy geast whiche kepeth or lodgeth in thy house For in syxe dayes made the lord heauē and earth and the sea withal that is therin but vpon the seuenth daye dyd he rest from all maner of labour therfore the lorde hath honoured and halowed the Sabboth daye v. Honour thy father and mother that thy dayes maye bee prolonged in the lande that the Lorde thy God wyll gyue thee vi Thou shalt not murther vii Thou shalt not commit aduoutry viii Thou shalt not steale ix Thou shalt not beare false wytnesse against thy neighbor x. Thou shalt nor couet nor lust after thy neyghboures house thou shalt not luste after thy neybours wife nor his seruaūt nor his mayde nor his oxe nor his Asse nor after any thyng that is thy neybours ¶ The articles of the holy Christen feith and belefe are these and they conteyne .iii pryncipall articles I Beleue in God the father almyghtie maker of heauē and yearth And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our lord which was conceyued by the holy ghost borne out of the virgin Mary suffred vnder Ponce Pylate was crucifyed dyed and was buried Descended vnto the helles and vpō the thyrd day he rose again from the dead ascended vnto the heauens and syttteth at the ryghthande of God the father almyghtie from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead iii. I beleue in the holy ghost an holy Chatholyque Churche the communion of sainctes the forgeuenes of synnes the resurreccion of the fleshe and the lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ The Lordes prayer wrytten in the .vi. of Matthewe and the .xi. of Luke is this OVr father whiche arte in heauen halowed bee thy name thy kyngdome come thy will be doen vpon earth as it is in heauen Geue vs this daye our dayly bread And forgeue vs our trespaces as we forgeue them that trespace agaynst vs. And leade vs not in to temptacion But deliuer vs from the euill For thine is the kyngdome and the power and the glory for euer Amen ¶ The woordes and instituciō of the holy baptisme conteyned in the newe testament are these Math. xxviii ANd Iesus came spake vnto his dysciples saying All power is geuen vnto me in heauen in yearth Goe ye therfore and teache all nacions baptisyng theim in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy ghoste teaching thē to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaūded you And loe I am with you alway euen vntyll the ende of the worlde Marke .xvi. And he sayde vnto them Goe ye into all the worlde preache the Gospell to all creatures He that beleeueth and is baptysed shall be saued But he that beleeueth not shall be damned Roma vi Knowe ye not that all wee whiche are baptysed in Iesus Christ are baptised to dye with him We are buryed then with him by baptisme for to dye that lykewyse as Christ was raised vp frome deathe by the glorye of the Father euen so wee also shoulde walke in a new lyfe Gala iii. For all ye that are baptysed haue put on Christ There is no Iewe neyther gentile there is neyther bonde neyther free there is neither manne nor womā For ye are
A catechisme that is to saie a familiar introduccion and trainyng of the simple in the commaundementes of God and the principles of oure religion muche necessarie to be taught and knowen to all good christian people sette foorth in questions with direct answers to the same translated into Englishe for the behoufe and commoditee not onely of childreÌ„ but also of al suche deâ—â—â—â—â— lerners as are 〈◊〉 in the Latine toungue Suffre the litle children to come vnto me for theirs is the kyngdome of God Marc. x. ¶ Vnto the faythfull christian flocke and congregacion of Iesus Christe Edmonde Alen wisheth grace peace and mercye from God our heauenly father through our sauior Iesus Christe THe almightye and mercyfull God our heauenlye gracious moste deare father monisheth and warneth vs ye dearely beloued in our sauior Christ both by worde and also by diuerse exaumples that we all should take earneste care â—â—row for our youth that it be we instructe and brought vp in the true feare of God after suche a godly sorte that it myght liue in all vertue godlynes honestie And it is a thyng whereunto not onely the examples of the heathen but also our owne naturall reasoÌ„ dayly experience the loue of the comon wealth ought lawfully to moue and enforce vs. For asmuche as we dayly fele and perceiue right euidently what incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce doth insue where youth is neglecte not regarded And agayne what a treasure comfort coÌ„moditie it is vnto an whole comon wealth where youth is well brought vp in godly learnyng example and exercised in vertue holynesse This I saye myght be sufficient to styrre vp and to kindle our heartes toward the right institucion bryngyng vp of youth although we wer but very heathen But forasmuch as we are christian men and women and through out sauior Christ become the children of God therfore the most holy worde of God the example of our sauior Christ ought moste specially to allure prouoke vs vnto this moste holy and necessary office For fyrst it is euident ynough by the euangelistes what an high charge our sauior Christe geueth vs ouer youth Math. xviii .xix. and Marke x. Where by his hertye and louyng imbracyng of them he declareth manifestly that no seruice can bee more acceptable vnto him than that whiche is spent about them to bryng and induce them vnto him Lykewyse howe earnestly doeth S. Paul commaund all parentes to bryng vppe theyr children in nurture and exhortacion Ephe. vi and Collo iii. For the whiche cause all children haue a speciall commaundement of God to be obedience vnto theyr fathers mothers because they ought to be vnto them as the very deputies and officers of God in continually exercisyng them to the glorye and honor of God And howe highly almyghtie God regardeth the ryght institucion of youth we may learne out of the old testamente sufficiently and specially out of the .xviii cha of Genesis Wheras God openyng vnto the faythfull Abraham his mynde and purpose againste Sodoma Gomorra sayeth these woordes I knowe sayeth the Lorde that his children shall kepe the wayes of the Lorde and do that thyng whiche is ryght and iust that the Lorde may suffer that thyng to come to passe vnto Abraham whiche he hath promised hym c. This holy sentence of God ought to be alone sufficient vnto a christen man whiche is by faythe a childe of Abraham to moue hym to apply all indeuour and studye to the christen educacion of youth For here we haue a singulare comforte a sure promyse that if we be founde true faythfull towarde these gyftes of God our children than wyll God daily encrease augmente hys grace towarde vs and enduce vs into further knowledge of his godly wyll to the glory of his name welth of our soules And beside this God geueth strayght commaundemeÌ„t by expresse woordes in diuerse places that we shoulde in no wyse neglecte our youth As in the .vi. and .xi. of Deu. where God commauÌ„ded Moses that all menne shoulde teache theyr children and childrens children his lawes commauÌ„demeÌ„tes Lykewise through the ê“phete Dauid God speaketh these wordes in the .lxxviii. Psalme The lord hath made a couenaunt with Iacob and hath geuen Israel a lawe which their posteritie and heires should knowe and tell it vnto their children that they might also put and fixe their hope and coÌ„fidence vpoÌ„ God and kepe his comaundementes and not for get his workes c. By this we must nedes confesse and knowledge that it is an high thyng by god our heauenly father and the moste requisite speciall poyncte in a christen coÌ„gregacion that the chyldren be well taught and instructe in the wayes of the Lorde and in the couenaunte whiche God hath made with theyr fathers and theyr posteritie for euer in our Sauyour Christe For by this meanes only they must learne to knowe God to be fully persuaded of his mercy and goodnesse towarde them to put all theyr truste and confidence in him only and to loue and feare hym And this foundation once layed they shall afterwarde frame and buylde theyr whole lyfe vpon thesame and learne all humblenes obedience modestie vertue and godlynes in worde and dede and dayly be more inclyned and bente to the true religion and knowlege of God and euermore increase goe forwarde in thesame And thus the whole common welth shall receyue comforte and ioy by them And they in processe of time shall learne to instructe their chyldren in the Lorde in lyke maner And thus there shall neuer waxe any nettels thistles or wedes in this tillage of the Lorde nor they shall not perishe through our negligence For God suffereth vs to remaine in this worlde taketh vs not away immediatly after we haue atteyned to the knowlege of hym for no nother cause but that we should helpe further other vnto thesame that the glory perfite religion of God myght also bee planted waxe in our children posterytie And surely the negligence of men in this behalfe hath hytherto been the chefe cause of so many and dyuers heuy plagues of God As Christe doeth manyfestlye declare where he sayth Woo vnto hym that offendeth or hindreth youth c. It were better for hiÌ„ that he wer cast into the sea with a mylstone about his necke and drowned Wherfore all they that wyll auoyde this woe let them apply all that study and care with most earnest zeale and indeuor that their youth be wel instruct and brought vp For this can no man denye that the very occasion and grounde of all the mischiefe and wycked dissolutenes that reigneth in the worlde at this daye is that the bringing vp of youth is no better nor diligenter regarded Where subiectes are not so obedient vnto their heades and rulers as they ought to be it is moste specially in suche places where the institucion of youth hath been neglecte Likewise where
mā able to kepe and fulfill the law and .x. cōmaundements of god and so to attayne vnto euerlastyng saluacion of his owne naturall power and strength S. No for than should the sōne of God haue descended from heauen in vayne whiche came downe for none other purpose but to fulfill that for vs which no mā els was able for weaknes and infirmitie to accomplishe M. Why hath not man free libertie to kepe hymselfe from syn S. In the first creacion of man before his fall he was so created had suche libertie But thorow the transgression of Adam we were all depriued therof M. And why dyd God than geue vs suche commaundementes knowing before that we wer not able to fulfill and accomplishe them S. There are two special causes why god gaue the lawe of the .x. commaūdementes Fyrst that we myght therby learne to knowe both that perfeccion wherein man was fyrst created also the feblenes weaknes and corrupcion of our nature beeyng otherwyse inclined and affect than the lawe of god requireth Secondarily that it myght bee our scholemaister and guide vnto the onely sauior and mercy stole Christe whiche is the ende of the lawe For seyng we perceyue by the lawe that we are miserable synners and not able to perfourme that whiche the lawe requireth we must nedes flee vnto Christ for helpe and comforte staying our selues vpon hym only thorowe a true and a perfecte fayth M. Well God geue vs all suche a fayth Nowe what is the seconde speciall poynte or article of the christen religion S. The articles of the holy Christian faythe M. Declare me those articles of the fayth first what faythe is S. Faythe is a sure trust and a stedfaste confidence in the very true eternall liuing god wherthorowe our hartes are thorowly perswaded that he wyll bee mercyfull vnto vs thorowe the death and passion of his onely begotten sonne our lorde Iesus Christe M. Whervnto serueth this fayth S. It serueth profiteth vs for this pourpose to teache vs what we must hope and loke for to receyue of God whereby we may learne to knowe what god is And it teacheth vs also how we may performe all that God requireth of vs in the .x. commundementes M. What dooeth it teache vs of God S. To beleue all thinges that are writen in holy scripture of him the summe and effecte whereof is conteyned in the articles of the common crede J beleue in God c. M. How may those articles be briefly deuided S. They maye be deuided into .iii. chief principall articles The first of god the father our creator The second of god the sonne our redemer The thirde of god the holy gost our sanctifier which hathe sanctified and brought vs to the knowlege of the father and of the sonne M. Me thinke by this diuisiō thou makeste .iii. gods god the father god the sonne and god the holy gost S. No the whole scripture teacheth that there is but one god as in the .vi. of Deut. The lord our god is one only god There is but one God and one father of all c. Ephe. iiii Item i. Timo. ii There is one God one mediator c. But in thesame one Godhead are three sondry persons of like substance accordyng vnto the three sondry workes whiche are knowen of God namely the creacion the redemcion the sanctificacion Wherof the fyrste is ascribed vnto the father the seconde to the sonne the thirde to the holye gost And for this cause we saie and beleue that there are three persons and but one God M. Whiche are the woordes of the first chiefe principal article S. I beleue in god the father c. M. What is it to beleue in god S. It is to knowe god as he is M. What is God S. God is the euerlastyng and endelesse welspryng of all goodnesse Iac. i. Roma iii by whōe we may seke whatsoeuer we lacke to whōe we may rūne and complayne in what sorow vexacion and nede soeuer we be and we shall be sure to finde comforte helpe succour and defence at him M. Why doeth the scripture call God a father S. To confyrme and stablishe our fayth also to comfort the weake and feble heartes of all faythfull beleuers M. What comfort is it vnto the to beleue that God is an almyghtye father S. It is a singular cōfort vnto me to beleue that the almightie God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe wyll also be my father and take no lesse but a thousande tymes more care charge and sorow for me a miserable worme than anye naturall father can do for his child and wyll repute and take me for a chyld and heyre of his kyngdome euerlastyng lyfe M. Is God suche a father vnto all men without excepcion S. No althoughe he be the lorde creator and susteiner of all yet he is onely the father of the faithful which know feare and loue his onelye begotten sōne and put their whole trust in him M. What comforte is it vnto the to beleue that God is almightie and creator of heauen and yearth S. Throughe beleuyng of that I am assured that I maye boldly and safelye trust and cōmitte my selfe vnto him whō no creature can hinder or let whiche as he of his fatherly goodnes wyll help vs so can he through his almyghtie power geue to vs his heritage and ayde vs in euery ease wherin and whāsoeuer he will Wherfore vnder his protecciō we may be of good comforte without feare of any maner of creature For all creatures must serue vs for our wealth profite M. If God be suche an almightie father why doeth he suffre his chyldren sometime to be so grieuously afflicted and vexed doeth not helpe them S. He suffereth it not as though he would not or coulde not helpe them but because it is for the glorye of his name for the sufferers soule helth that it should so be And although it semeth contrary to the affeccion and desyre of the fleshe yet the spirite of fayth feleth continually the present ayde of god in suche affliccion M. Is it sufficiente for vs thus to beleue of God the father as is nowe rehersed S. It is sufficiente ynoughe so that we learne thereby to putte all our hope and confidence of euerlasting lyfe and saluacion in hym only as the head welspring of all goodnes cōmittyng our selues vnto his almyghtie power and fatherly louyng goodnesse Which declareth hymselfe through his vnspeakable wysedome in the creacion of the world after suche sorte that no manne can bee excused whiche dooeth not put his trust in hym euer more adore worship glorifie him M. well what foloweth next S. The second principall article of God the sonne oure sauior Christe M. what are the wordes of this article S. J beleue in Jesus Christ c. M. What is al that to saye S. It is thus muche to saye I put al my trust
is a comfortable pledge or seale of the true lyuely foode of the soule it is the heauenly bread without whiche this hounger canne not bee satisfyed nor assuaged Therfore shoulde they receyue this sacrament oft because they haue oft nede of suche comforte M. Nowe which is the sixt speciall article of the christen doctryne S. The ecclesiasticall or churche discipline or brotherly correccion M. Where is any commaundement therof in the scripture S. In the .xviii. cha of Matthew in these wordes If thy brother sinne against the goe thy way and correct hym betwene the and hym alone c. M. What is to be noted out of these woordes S. Thre speciall poyntes Fyrste that euery christen man ought to correcte admonyshe other of hys faute pryuately and gently And yf he cannot doe it hymselfe than to cause some other to doe it for hym M. What shoulde bee the cause that euery man ought to admonishe other Shall not euery man answere for himselfe S. Forsouth this is the cause for asmuche as all faythfull are incorporate vnto our sauiour Christe in baptisme as mēbres of one body and are altogether chyldren and heyres of God and haue like parte and felowshippe of one euerlastyng heritage therfore ought eche one to saue and preserue the other from hel and from euerlastyng damnacion through godly correccion and admonicion and so to further his brother vnto heauen and vnto euerlastyng lyfe M. But howe shoulde this brotherly correccion and warnyng be putte in vre and be exercised S. With all humblenesse and frendlynesse and also with such wysedome and sobrenesse that his good name bee not hyndered but that he maye perceyue that none other thing is sought thereby sauyng alonely hys welth and emendemente M. How ofte should he be thus admonyshed S. Euen as ofte as there is any hope of his amendemente by such correccion and warnyng M. why doeth Christ commaund the to take one or .ii. vnto the yf thy brother will not amende at the warning and correccion of thee alone S. That he shoulde the more earnestlye bee conuinced of his faulte and not hable to denye it beyng correct or admonyshed therof by .ii. or .iii. wytnesses as the lorde teacheth onely to wynne hym therby M. What is the seconde note out of the fore rehersed wordes S. The seconde is the correccion of the churche M. who should execute that correccion S. Forsouth suche as are chosen and apoynted by the whole congregacion to be assistente vnto the minister in that behalfe M. Towarde what maner of parsons should suche correccion and admoniciō be exercysed S. Towarde suche as either regard not the priuate and secrete warnyng or els as offende the churche and congregacion with some greuous and notable enormytie that is manyfest and open M. Out of whiche woordes learnest thou that S. Out of these woordes where the lorde saieth yf he heare the not beyng admonished before .ii. or .iii. witnesses Than tell it vnto the whose congregacion c. And S. Paul wrytyng vnto Tymothe the ministre of the church of Ephesus confirmeth thesame where he sayeth suche as haue sined correct or rebuke them openly that other may be afrayed by theyr exaumple M. And should all that offende bee put vnto open shame before the whole congregacion S. No not put to open shame but earnestlye driuen and monyshed vnto repentaunce And such moderacion must be obserued therin as maye be thought best and moste conueniente to moue and wynne the synner vnto perfecte and trewe repentaunce M. Is it the dutye of those that are chosen and appointed of the congregacion to bee assistente vnto the ministers onely to correcte and admonyshe suche as haue committed open and manyfest crymes and such as would not receyue the pryuate and brotherly correccion and none other S. No not this onely but as trewe fathers and phisicions they ought to haue an iye and a regarde vnto all menne and to warne and exhorte euery one as they canne thinke it moste necessarye for the edificacion and emendemente of euery one M. Where hast thou any scripture for that S. Paul wrytyng vnto the Thessalonians cōfirmeth it by his owne example in these woordes You knowe sayth he that we haue exhorted and comforted euery one of you euen as a father doeth his children and we haue testified that ye should walke worthely as it becometh you before God whiche hathe called you vnto his kyngdom vnto his glory M. Well what is the thyrde pointe that thou notest out of the fore rehersed woordes S. The thirde is the byndyng and the loocyng M. What is it to bynde S. It is as muche as to exclude a manne out of the felowship or company of Christē people whereby he maye be ernestlye forced vnto a specyall and an vnfeyned declaracion of true repentaunce and amendement of his lyfe M. What maner of people ought so to bee bound S. All such as wyll not heare the Churche congregacion reprouyng and admonyshyng thē for their soule helth and all they also which haue offended the churche and congregacion with any manifest greuous and notable crimes M. The lorde maketh mencion onely of suche as wyll not receyue the warnyng and correccion of the churche S. But he hathe taught vs also thorowe the holy Apostle i. Co. v. s Paul to exclude out of the felowship cōgregacion of Christe all suche as are fallen into whoredome and other notable vices and to force or drieue thē vnto some speciall penaunce to be vnto thē as a correccion vntil thei declare with manifest frutes of repentaūce an ernest amēdmēt wherby they may edifie content the churche congregacion againe which they had before thorowe theyr greuouse sinnes offended M. Nowe what is it to loocen S. It is as much as to pronoūce forgeuenes of sinnes vnto such as haue declared their repentaūce amendment with a perfect ernestnes and to admit and receyue the same persons agayn vnto the felowshyp and cōmunion of the churche or congregacion and also of the holy sacramentes M. And must none be looced from theyr sinnes but suche as declare earnestelye theyr repentaunce and sorowe for their sinnes with plaine and euidente amendemente of theyr lyfe S. No none els For the Lorde commaundeth remission and forgeuenesse of sinnes to be pronounced and declared onely vnto suche as repente and bewayle theyr synnes and desyre and purpose truely to emende themselues For the ecclesiasticall disciplyne ordeyned of God for the order and edifiyng of his churche ought to bee executed and practised trulye and earnestly and not fayntlye or feynedlye for a shyne and a colour onely M. In whiche wordes is that commaunded of the Lorde S. In these woordes where he sayeth Verely I saye vnto you whatsoeuer you shall bynde vpon yearth that same shal be bound in heauen whatsoeuer you shal looce vpon yearth shall also be looced in heauē M. Vnder whose name authoritie muste this power be exercised S. Vnder
the name and authoritie of our sauior Iesus Christ also in the name of the whole congregacion M. After what maner and fourme S. with all godlye feruentnes and earnest praier vnto God For the which cause also it must be done in the open congregacion beeyng assembled together with theyr consente M. Proue me this by the woorde of God S. The Lorde sayeth in the chapiter before rehersed whansoeuer two or thre among you do consente together whatsoeuer they shall praye for that shall be doen vnto them of my father in heauen For whersoeuer two or thre are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest amōg them M. Here the lorde maketh mencion of two or three onely S. That he doeth to confirme the greater nūbre by the smaller M. But shewe me some scripture that maketh expresse mencion of the whole congregacion S. The holye Paul wryteth thus .i. Corin. v. J as one that am absent from you in bodye but yet present with you in spirite haue already as presente determined and concluded against him that hath committed that dede in the name of our lorde Iesus Christe and in your congregacion with my spirite and with the power or authoritie of our lorde Jesus Christe to geue him euer vnto the deuill to the confusion and perishyng of his fleshe that his spirite may be safe at the daye or cummyng of the lorde Jesus M. And what is the ministers or pastors duetie to doe in all this S. He ought in no wise to admit vnto the communion of the sacramentes suche as bee excluded by the churche or by the appoynted elders vntill suche time as they be reconciled therunto agayne And besides that he ought to bee as it were the mouth of the cōgregacion to open and to declare vnto the transgressours the heauinesse of theyr synnes to moue them vnto heartie repentaunce that they maye come out of the deuils snares M. But nowe cōcerning these that be sicke howe shall the minister ordre them S. If he perceyue that they be sorye and repentaunte for theyr sinnes and are desirous of the fauoure of God of remission than ought he to comfort them with some promyse of grace to preache vnto them free remission and absolucion in the presence of suche as are there by assistente leste peraduenture their conscience being vexed and their sickenes increased the wicked enemie preuent and ensnare them and so seduce and conueigh them into desperacion M. Where hast thou any example of scripture for that S. Our sauiour Christe as soone as he sawe the bedredde before hym doubtlesse in feare of hys synnes he sayed vnto him My sonne bee of good comforte thy synnes are forgeuen thee And agayne to the woman that had synned he sayed Goe thy way in peace thy fayth hath saued thee M. Hast thou no further commaundemente of the visitacion comfort of the sick to be doen by the ministers of the churche S. Yes the holye Apostle S. Iames teacheth that the praier of faythe whiche the seniors or elders of the churche doe make for the sicke shall help them and the lorde shall comforte them yf they be in synne it shall be forgeuen them M. Nowe what fruite and profite ought all this to worke in thee S. Fyrste I ought to learne hereby to receyue of any manne thankefully all maner of christian and brotherly correccion warning and informacion And also by the verye duetie and bonde of loue truely and faythfully to admonishe reproue my neyghboure whiche is euery christian man if I shal see him offēde M. why what hast thou to do with thy neighbour S. Forsouth forasmuche as we are all the mēbres of one body If I cā finde in my heart to see any to loyter and perishe in his synne not so much as to admonish him therof than it may appere that there is no christian loue in me M. Well what other fruit may thys doctryne worke in thee S. This also i. Corin. v. ii Thes ii that I contemne not in any wyse the disciplyne of binding loocyng of the churche but esteme drede it reuerently eschewyng and auoydynge all felowshippe and familiaritie of suche as wyll not conforme themselues vnto thesame M. what scripture haste thou for that S Euen the woordes of oure sauiour Christ wher he saieth Jf he heare not the church or congregacion than take or repute hym as an heathen and an vnchristian that is to say as an infidele that is sundered and seperate from al christian ordre and felowship But yet we ought not vtterly to reiecte and to hate him in our heartes but to praye hartily vnto God for hym that he may be conuerted from his wickednes againe and than with all ioyfulnes to receyue hym into all christen felowship agayne M. Well this is sufficient of this article also Now tell me what is thy dayly exercise in the seruice of God S. Morning and euening whan I arise or goe to bed lykewise before after meate I vse these prayers folowing or suche like Fyrste at my vprisyng I falle doune on my knees and lyftyng vp my handes and iyes vnto heauen I cōfesse my synnes vnto God my heauenly father after this maner A generall confession of synnes to be sayed euery morning O Almyghtie God our heauenlye father I confesse knowlege that I am a miserable a wretched synner haue manifolde wayes moste greuouslye transgressed thy moste godly cōmaūdementes thorow wicked thoughtes vngodlye lustes sinfull woordes dedes and in my whole lyfe In synne am I borne and conceyued and there is no goodnesse in me in asmuche as yf thou shouldest entre into thy narowe iudgemente with me iudgyng me accordyng vnto the same I were neuer hable to suffer or abyde it but must nedes peryshe and be damned for euer So lyttle help comfort or succour is there either in me or in any other creature Onely this is my comfort o heauenly father that thou diddest not spare thy only dere-beloued sonne but diddest geue him vp vnto the moste bittur moste vile slaūderous death of the crosse for me that he myght so pay the raūsom for my sinnes satisfie thy iudgement still and pacifie thy wrathe reconcyle me agayne vnto the and pourchace me thy grace and fauour and euerlastyng lyfe Wherefore thorowe the merite of hys moste bitter death and passion and thorow his innocent bloud sheadyng I beseche thee o heauēly father that thou wylt vouchsafe to bee gracious and mercyfull vnto me to forgeue and to pardon me all my synnes to lyghten my harte with thy holy spirite to renewe confirme and strengthen me with a right and a perfite fayth and to inflame me in loue towarde thee my neybour that I may hēceforth with a willing and a glad harte walk as it becūmeth me in thy moste godly commaūdementes and so glorifie prayse thee euerlastingly And also that I maye with a free conscience and a quiet