that case is amonges the Chrysten people called in Latyn Infidelis That is to saye Unfaythfull or Heathen And because God as before is declared hath made promyse and conuenaunt wyth man and is euer in hys wordes pro myses moost true moost iust moost constante and wyll as we must moost assuredly beleue and thynke performe and accomplyshe the same soo farre forthe as he hath promysed in any wise therefore God is cal led as he is in very dede Fidelis et verax that is to say Faythful and true obseruyng and kepyng his fayth that is to saye hys promyse to man requyryng that man shoulde lyke wyse kepe hys faythe and promyse towardes hym Nowe of these thynges that are before spoken it is manyfest that fayth as it is taken in the seconde accep is the perfecte faythe of a true chrystian man conteynynge the obedience to the hole doctryne and religion of Chryste And after thys sorte is faythe taken of S. Paule in his epystle to the Romaynes and in other places of Scrypture where it is sayde that we be iustifyed by fayth In whych places man may not thinke that we be iustifyed by fayth as fayth is a seuerall vertue seperated from hope and charytie from feare of God from repentaunce but by fayth there is ment not the late inuented and deuised faith that is to say onely faythe or fayth alone but faythe with the foresayde vertues coupled and ioyned to gether conteinyng as is aforesaide the obedience to the hole doctryne and religion of Chryst. And here by the way is to be noted that euerye man that doth offend God doth not vtterlye lose his fayth therby for both they that do synne by frailtie soden motions from which euen the iust men ar not holly free and be taught therefore of Chryste to saye with other Forgyue vs our trespaces c And the other also whych aduysedly fall into deadely synne as they that do committe murder adulterye and other abhominations albeit they be fallen from the liuelye and perfecte fayth for that they are disobediente to the doctrine and religion of Chryste whyche they dyd knowe yet there doth remayne in them so offēdyng the certeine and assured knowledge of God and his doctrine whiche is the faythe after the fyrste sorte and acception of fayth And that these ii thynges it is to wytte knowlege and obedience are sometime seperated and a 〈◊〉 Chryste in the. xii chapiter of Saint Lukes Gospell doth playnely declare it speakyng of a seruaunt that knoweth the wyl of his maister and doth it not And lykewyse S. James in his epystle sayeth that fayth may remayne wythout charitie Wherefore the truth being thus a transgressoure of the lawe of Almyghty God after baptysme dothe kepe a remorse of conscience the light of knowledg by fayth whereby he seeth the remedyes howe to at tayne the remyssion of synne and by a speciall gyfte of further grace is moued to vse the same remedyes and soo by faythe walketh the wayes ordeyned to at tayne remyssion of synne as in the Sacramēte of pe naunce shal be more perfytlye hereafter declared Thus haue you harde the. ii acceptions or takynges of fayth that the fayth of knowledge may remayne in hym that hath fallen frō the perfect faith of a Chrystian man But whether there be any specyall particuler knowledge whych man by fayth hath certaynely of hymselfe whereby he maye testyfye to hymselfe that he is of the predestynates whiche shall perseuer to the ende in their callyng there is not spoken as yet of nor 〈◊〉 can by the Scryptures or Dectoures be proued that any such fayth can or ought to be preached 〈◊〉 taught Truthe it is that in the Sacramentes 〈◊〉 by Chryste and vsed in his Catholique Churche here in earth we may constantly and assuredlye beleue the workes of god in them and the applycation of his grace and fauour therein to oure presente comforte with assuraunce also that he wyll not faile vs yf we fall not from hym And therfore we so contynewyng in the state of grace wyth hym haue warrante and may beleue vndoutedly that we shal be saued BVT FORASMVCH as our frayltye noughtines ought euer to be feared in vs it is therfore expedient for vs to lyue in contyuuall watche and in contynuall fight with our enemyes the deuyll the fleshe and the worlde and not to 〈◊〉 to muche of our perseueraunce and contynuaunce in the state of grace whych on our behalfe is vncertayne vnstable but dilygently and ofte to remembre the godly and wyse lesson of S. Paule in the. x. chapiter of his first epistle to the Corinthyans where he sayeth Qui se existimat 〈◊〉 Videat ne 〈◊〉 that is to saye he that thynketh or iudgeth him selfe to stande let him take hede that he fall not For all thoughe GODDES promysses made in CHRIST be immutable yet as it hath bene sayde afore he doth not make them to vs but with conditiō So that hys promyse standyng we maye yet fayle of the effect of the promyse hicause we kepe not our promis And therfore yf we assuredly do recken vpō the state of our 〈◊〉 as grounded vpon Goddes promisses and do not remember therwyth that no man shal be 〈◊〉 onlesse he lawfully fighte we shal tri umphe before the victori and so loke in vaine for that whych is not other wyse promysed but vnder a 〈◊〉 and after this sorte euery chrysten man muste and ought assuredly beleue ¶ Here foloweth the crede or the. xii Articles of the Christian fayth i. I beleue in God the father Almyghty maker of heauen and earth ii And in 〈◊〉 Christ his onely sonne oure Lorde iii. Which was conceyued by the holy gost borne of the 〈◊〉 Mary iiii Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate was crucifted dead and buryed descended into hel v. And the third day he rose agayne from death vi He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty vii From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade viii I beleue in the holy Ghost ix The holy Catholike churche x. The 〈◊〉 of saintes The forgiuenes of sinnes xi The resurrection of the body xii And the life euerlastinge Amen Here foloweth thexposition and declaratiō of this crede AS concernyng this crede there are v. points generally to be marked and obserued first that al chrysten people ought and must constantly beleue mayntayne and defende al those thinges to be true whych be comprehended in this crede in the other two credes whereo◠the one is vsed to be sayde at Masse beyng approued and establyshed by auncient generall counsayles and the other was made by the greate clerke holy man Athanasius And likewise we must also constantly beleue mainteyne and defende al other thynges whych are comprehended in the whole body and canon of the Byble Secondely that all thinges conteyned in thys crede or in any of the other ii credes or
lyfe and quietnes of conscience and yf at any tyme throughe our frail nes we hapen to fall we haue readye to rayse vs vpagayne the holye Sacramentes throughe the comfortable helpe whereof we be made sironge and so daye by daye more able to procede in al kynde of vertue and thus hauynge vpon earthe oure mother the holye churche which is the spouse of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God we maye be bolde to call vpon GOD our father and be assured that he wyl heare vs as hys dearebeloued chyldren and gyue vs the inheritaunce of heauen whyche is prepared for vs through our sauiour Iesus Christe To whōe wyth the father and the holy ghost be honour prayse and glory world without ende Amen H Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homelye of the Primacy or supreame power of the 〈◊〉 gouernor of the militant Church AS in euery natu rall and polytyke 〈◊〉 so in the churche militāt whych is a misticall body superioritie and inferioriti must neds be amōgest that m mbers thereof or ells it cannot endure And for thys cause speciallye our Sauiour Chryste when he was here conuersaunte on the Earth dyd hymselfe appoynte hys Apostles Disciples and there successours to haue the ouersyght cure and hygh gouernement of hys church to the worldes edde And to the intente that no man should contempne theyr aucthoritie he dothe saye in the thyrtenth of Saynt Ihon Amen Amen Dico vobis quis accipit si quem misero me accipit Qui autemme accipit accipit eum qui me misit That is to say Uerely Uerely I saye vnto you who that receyueth hym whome I sende receyueth me And he that receiueth me receyueth hym that sent me And in the tenth of Luke he sath Quiuos audit me audit qui uos 〈◊〉 me spernit Qui autem me spernit spernit eum qui misit me That is to saye He that heareth you hearethe me and he that dispiseth yon dispiseth mee and he that dispiseth me dyspiseth hym that sent me Of the Apostles also and theyr successours and of theyr charge ouer Christes flocke doth Saynt Paule speake in the fourthe chapiter to the Ephesyans saying Ipse dedit quosdam quidem A postolos quosdam autem Prophetas aliouero Euangelistas alios autem pastores et doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerū in edifieationem Corporis Christi donec 〈◊〉 omnes in unitatem fidei agnitionis filii dei in uirum perfectum in mensuram etatis plenitudinis Christi ut 〈◊〉 non simus paruuli flue tuantes neque clicuferamur omniuento doctrine in nequitia hominum in asturia ad circumuentionem erroris That is to saye He meanyng Chryste hath gyuen or appointed some to be Ipostles some Prophets some Euangelistes some pastores and teachers to the perfytynge or consummating of the holyons to doo the worke of the mynistery to edyfye the body of Chryst vntyll we all come together in one vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto the estate of a perfecte man after the measure of the age of the fulnes of Chryst that from henceforth we should not be as babes waueryng neyther should we be caryed aboute with euery blaste of doctryne in the wicked nes of men in the wylynes of them who go aboute to deceyue vs. Thys place of Saynt Paule most playnelye setteth before our eyes the aucthority and gouernemēt whyche our sauiour hath apoynted to contynue to the ende of the worlde in his churche and howe the Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Preachers and teachers are giuen of Chryst to hys pleple to gouerne them And therewyth al Saynt Paule in the sayde place she weth to what ende suche gouernement and authoritie is instituted it is to wytte for the spiritual edifieng of the hole body in the fayth for the defense of the hole bodye from the poyson of heresye And in dede no one thing can so muche suppresse heresye as yf the Anthoritie and gouernment 〈◊〉 be accordyngly therevnto estemed obeyed as 〈◊〉 Saynte Ciprian the blessed Martyr in hys fyrst boke and thyrd Epystle saieng Neque 〈◊〉 bereses obortae sunt aut 〈◊〉 sunt scismata 〈◊〉 lnde quod sacer 〈◊〉 dei non obtemperatur 〈◊〉 unus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos 〈◊〉 tempus iudex uice Christi cogitatur cuisi sneundum magisteria diui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uniuersa nemo 〈◊〉 sacerdotem collegia 〈◊〉 moueret That is to saye Neyther other where or hy othere meanes are heresies 〈◊〉 vp and scisines rysen than hereof that obedience is not gyuen to the preiste of God Nor one is consydered or thought to be in that churche for the tyme the preist and for the time the iudge in Christes stede vnto which one yf the hole fraternitie dyd according to the heauenly commaundements 〈◊〉 no man woulde stirre or moue anye thynge against the Colleges or cōpanies of preistes Hereby you may perceyue that saynt Cypryans cōclusion or iudgemēt is that the gouernment Ecclesiasticall and especially of one to be caken and reputed as Christes vicar is the best meane to let and suppresse heresies and that such one gouernor is 〈◊〉 be o beyed of all chrysten people which thynge may be proued very playnely and euidently by the holye scriptures them selues For the scryptures doo witnesse that our 〈◊〉 appoynted S. Peter to thys hygh rowme and charge ouer his hole flocke and no one of the Apostles 〈◊〉 In the. xxi of S. John it is wrytten howe oure sauiour after his resurrection appearing at the sea 〈◊〉 Tiberias to certen of hys Apostles amongest whome was Peter dyd fyrste take breade and fyshe and gaue vnto them And when they had 〈◊〉 them selues he fayde vnto Peter Simon Iohannes diligis me plus hijs 〈◊〉 ei 〈◊〉 domine tu scis quia amore Dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as eagnos meos Dicit ei iterum Simon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligis me Ait illi Etiam domine tu scis quia amo te Dicit ci Pasce 〈◊〉 meos Dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amas me Contristatus est Petrus qui a dixit 〈◊〉 tertio amas me 〈◊〉 ci Domine tu omnia nosti tu scis 〈◊〉 amote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oues meas That is to saye Symon the sonne of Ioannes 〈◊〉 thou loue me more then these do He aunswered vnto him Yea Lorde thou 〈◊〉 that I loue thee He sayde vnto him Fede my lambes 〈◊〉 he spake to hym agayne and sayde Simon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me He aunswered yea Lorde thou knoweste that I loue thee Hesayde vnto hym againe Feede my lambes Then spake he vnto him the third tyme and sayde Symon the sonne of Ioannes doest thou loue me Peter was sorie because Christ sayd vnto him now the thyrde tyme doest thou loue me and he aun swered and sayde Lorde thou knoweste all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee He sayde vnto him feede my shepe Thys processe of Scripture hath in it many
in certayne bokes and signes maye call to remembraunce the manifolde examples of vertues whyche were in the sainctes whome they doo represent And so we maye the rather be prouoked kyndeled stirred to yelde thankes to oure lord to prayse hym his said 〈◊〉 and to remember and lament our synnes and offences and to praye God that we maye haue grace to followe theyr goodnes and holye lyuyng 〈◊〉 for an example the ymage of oure sauiour hangeth on the Crosse of the rode or in paynted clothes walles or wyndowes as an open booke to the intent that besydes the exāples of vertues whyche we maye learne at Chryst we may be also manye wayes prouoked to remembre hys paynefull and cruell passion and also to cōsyder oure selfes when we beholde the same ymage and to 〈◊〉 and abhore oure fynne whych was the cause of hys cruell deathe And furthermore consyderyng what hygh benefytes we receyue by hys redemption we maye be prouoked in all oure distresses and troubles to runne for comforte vnto hym All these lessons wyth many mo be brought to oure remembrauuce by the boke of the 〈◊〉 yf we beyng fyrst well enstructed and taughte what is represented and mente thereby do diligently beholde and loke vpon it And as our sauiour Chryste is represented by thys ymage of the rode euen so the holy sayntes whych folowed hym be represented vnto vs by theyr ymages and therefore the sayde ymages maye well be set vp in churches to be as bookes for vnlearned people to put them in remembraunce of those sayntes of whome they maye learne examples of fayth humilitie charytie pacyence temperāce and of all other theyr vertuus and gyftes of GOD whych were in theym For whyche causes ymages maye be set in the churche and oughte not to be despised but to be vsed reuerentlye althoughe we be forbydden to geue goodes hououre vnto theym These lessones should be taught by euery curate to theyr parysheners And where as we vse to sense the sayde Images and to knele before theym and to crepe to the Crosse. wyth suche other thynges 〈◊〉 muste knowe and vnderstande that suche thynges be not nor ought to be done to the ymage it selfe but to God in his honor although it be done afore the ymage whether it be of Chryst of the Crosse or of our Ladye or of anye other Saynte Agayne thys commaundement dyd offende generally before the commynge of Chryste al gentylles and people that were not of the nation of Israell For they dyd geue goddes honoure vnto Idolles and worshypped false godes some one some another of the whyche forte there was a greate number For besydes theyr common goodes euerye countrye euery cytye or towne euerye house and familye had theyr prayer and peculyer gooddes where of is much mention made in authors both Chrysten and heathen And these gentilles thoughe they hadde knowledge of a very god yet as saynct Paule sayth Rom. 〈◊〉 they had 〈◊〉 and vayne fantasyes whyche led them from the truthe caused theym where they coūted thē selues wyse to become foles And agaynst thys cōmaundement offended the Iewes also manye and sondry tymes yea almost 〈◊〉 For notwythstandynge that they professed the knowledge and worshyppyng of the very true god yet they fell to the adoration of Idoles and false goddes as the holye Scripture maketh mencion in many places And here we make an 〈◊〉 touchynge thys seconde commaundement ¶ 〈◊〉 or declaration of the thyrde Commaundemente whyche is Thou shalte not take the name of thy Lorde God in vayne FOr the better and more 〈◊〉 vnder standinge of thys commaundemente you shall briefelye call to your remem braunce that as in the fyrst cōmaundemente there was a prohybytion to haue straunge Goddes and therin implyed that we must haue one God onelye And as in the seconde commaundemente there is a prohibition to make to the anye 〈◊〉 thynge c. to adore or honoure it wyth gods honoure and therein implyed that we muste adore and honoure God onelye wyth hys due and peculyer honoure So lykewyse in thys commaundement beynge also a negatyue there is a prohibition to take the name of thy Lorde GOD in vayne and therein is imployed thys affyrmatiue that we must take and vse the name of God ryghtely and reuetently And hereby appeareth howe one of these commaundementes dothe depende vpon another in verye good order As fyrste to haue one God onelye the seconde to geue vnto hym hys due honoure and the thyrde to vse hys name wyth reuerence And here you shall learne that albeit the 〈◊〉 of God beynge of itselfe fully perfecte and mooste holy cannot in it selfe eyther receyue increase of honoure and sanctification or decrease and diminutyon of the same yet concernynge the vse and abuse of it amongest men it maye be taken and coūted on the one side for sanctifyed and honoured as beynge well vsed And on the other syde for polluted and dyshonoured as abused and not well handled And here shall you note that the p ythe and 〈◊〉 effecte of this cōmaūdemente doth consyst in thys that we must ryghtlye vse the name of GOD and in no wyse abuse it and ryghtlye we 〈◊〉 and doo vse it and 〈◊〉 it by nyne specyall sortes and meanes amongest other Fyrst by confessyng openlye the name of God and of oure Sauyoure Iesu Chryste openynge and expressynge by our mouth the sayth of Chryst before all mē of what sorte state or condityou they be when the case so requirethe and not to cease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same for any pleasure or paine that maye grow and be geuen to vs or inflicted by them Of whyche sorte and maner our sauioure Chrysts in the 〈◊〉 chapiter of S Mathewe doth speake saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me coram hominibus 〈◊〉 ego eum coram patre 〈◊〉 qui in 〈◊〉 est saying also in the 〈◊〉 of Luke Qui me 〈◊〉 meos sermones hunc filius hominicis erubescet cum uenerit in maiestate 〈◊〉 patris sanctorum angelorum And Saynt Paule also in the x. chapter to the Romaynes 〈◊〉 Corde 〈◊〉 ad iustitiam ore dutem consessiofit ad salutem The Englishe of these three sentences is thys Euerye 〈◊〉 that wyll confesse or acknowledge me before men I also wyll confesse and acknowledge him before my father whiche is in heauen And who is ashamed of me or wyll not acknowledge me and my sayinges hym also the sonne of man when he shall come in hys maiesty and in the maiestye or presence of hys father and of the holy aungelles shal be ashamed of and not acknowledge By hearte or mynde one doth in dede beleue to iustice but by the mouth confession is made to health or saluation Accordyng where vnto the prophets Dauyd sayeth Confitemini domino inuocate nomen eius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal ciiii That is to say Do you make or gyue conseffion or prayse to oure Lorde and call vppon hys name doe you shewe or declare amonges the
brittle vessels Of our selues we be crabbe trees that can bryng furth no Aples we be of our selues of such earth as can bryng furth but weedes nettels brambles bryers cocle and darnell Our fruytes 〈◊〉 declared in the fyfte chapter to the Galathians We haue neitherfayth Charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thinge els that good is but of God and therefore these vertues be called there the fruytes of the holy ghoste and not the frutes of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched synners And let vs earnestly repent and humble oure selues hartely to cry to God for mercye Lette vs all confesse wyth mouth and harte that we be full of imperfections Let vs knowe our owne workes of what imperfection they be and then we shall not stande folyshly and arrogantly in our owne conceytes For truely ther is imperfections in our best 〈◊〉 we doo not loue God so muche as we are bounde to doo with all our harte mynde and power we doo not feare God so muche as we ought to doo we doo not pray to God but wyth great and many imperfections We geue forgeue beleue loue and hope vnper fectlye we speake thinke and doo vnperfectly we fyght agaynst the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe vnperfectly Let vs therefore not be ashamed to cō fesse playnely oure 〈◊〉 of imperfection yea let vs not be ashamed to confesse imperfection euen in al our workes Let none of vs be ashamed to sai with holy S Peter I am a synfull man Let vs all saye with the holy prophete Dauid We haue sin ned with our fathers we haue done amisse and dealt wyckedlye Let vs all make confession with the prodigall sonne to oure father and say with hym We haue synned agaynst heauē and be fore thee O father we are not worthy to be called thy sonnes Lette vs all saye wyth holye Baruche O lord our God to vs is worthely ascribed shame and confusion and to the righteousnes We haue sinned we haue don wicked ly we haue behaued our selues vngodly in all thy rightousnes Let vs al saye with the holy prophet Danyell O Lorde rightuousnes belongeth to thee vnto vs beldngeth cōfusion We haue synned we haue bene naugh tie we haue offended we haue fled frō the wee haue gone backe from all thy precepts and iudgementes So we learne of al good men in holy scripture to humble our selues and to exalte extoll prayse magnifye and glorifye God Thus ye haue hearde howe euill we be of our selus how of our selues by our selues we haue no good nes helpe nor saluation but contrary wyse synne dampnation and deathe euerlastynge whyche yf wee depely weyghe and consyder we shall the bet ter vnderstande the great mercy of God and how our saluation commeth onely b y Chyst for in our selues as of our selues we fynde nothyng whereby we may be delyuered from this miserable capti uitie into 〈◊〉 whyche we were cast throughe the enuye of the deuyll by transgression of Godes commaundement in our fyrst parente Adam We are al become vncleane but we al of our selues are not hable to clēse our selues nor to make one an other of vs cleane We are by nature the chyldren of Gods wrathe we are not hable of oure selues to make vs the chyldren and inheritours of Gods glorye We are shepe that 〈◊〉 astray we cānot without goddes grace and helpe come agayne to the shepefolde so greate is our imperfection and weakenes In our selues therefore maye not we glorye which of oure selues are nothyng but synnefull neyther maye we bragge of oure workes that we doo whyche all be so vnperfecte and vnpure that they are not of them selues hable to stande before the ryghteous throne of GOD as the holye Prophete Dauyd sayeth Enter not into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte O Lorde for no man that lyuethe shal be founde ryghtuous in thy syghte To God therefore must wee stye or els shall we neuer fynde peace rest and quyetnes of conscience in oure hartes For he is the father of mercyes and God of all consolation he is the Lorde with whom is plen teouse redemption He is the God whiche of hys owne mercy saueth vs and setteth oute his charitie and exceading loue towards vs in that of his owne voluntary goodnes when we were peryshed he saued vs and prouyded an euerlastyuge kyngedome for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are giuē vs of hys mere mercy freelye And for whose sake Trulye for Iesus Christes sake that pure and 〈◊〉 Lambe of God He is that dearely beloued sonne for whose sake God is fullye pacifyed satisfyed and set at one with man He is the Lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde of whome it maye be truely spoken that he dyd all thinges wel and in his mouthe was founde no crafte nor subtyltye Lykewyse he maye saye the prynce of the worlde came and in me hath nothinge He maye saye also which of you shall reproue me of anye faulte He is that hyghe and euerlastynge preiste whyche hathe offered him selfe to God whē he instituted the sacrament of the Aultar and once for all in a bloudye sacryfyce doone vpon the crosse with which oblatyon he hath made perfecte for euermore theym that are sanctified He is the mediatoure betwene God and man which payed our raunsome to God wyth hys owne bloude and wyth that hathe clensed vs from synne He is the Phisition whych healeth all our dyseases He is that sauioure whiche saueth the people from all theyr synnes To be short he is that flowing and most plenteous fountayne of whose fulnes all we haue receyued For in him are all the tresures of the wysedome and knowledge of God hydden And in hym and by him haue we from God the father al good thinges perteyning eyther to the bodye or to the soule O howe much then are we bounde to this oure heauenlye father for these his greate mercyes whiche he hath so plenteouslye declared vnto vs in Chryst Iesu oure Lorde and sauiourer What thankes worthy and sufficiente can we giue to him Let vs all wyth one accord burst oute wyth ioyfull voices euer praysynge and magnifying this Lord of mercy for hys tender kindenes shewed to vs in his dearelye beloued sonne Iesus Chryst our Lord. Let vs nowe iearne to knowe our selues our frailtie and weakenes withoute anye ostentation or vnastynge of our owne good dedes and merytes Let vs also knowledge the exceadynge mercye of God towarde vs and confesse that as of our selues commeth all euyll and dampnation so lykewyse of hym commeth all goodnes and saluation as God hym selfe saith by the Prophet Oze O Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe but in me onely is thy helpe and comforte If wee thus humbly submytte our selues in the sight of God we may be sure that in the time of his visitatyō he wil 〈◊〉 vs vp into the kyngedome of his derely beloued
stande in Who is there almoost emongest vs but that vncharitably calleth hys neighbour fole or som like euyl name yea who is ther in maner that doth not far passe thys degree of vncharitablenes And yet our sauiour nameth no mo degrees partely bicause the payne of thys thyrde degree beinge hell fyre no greater payne coulde be named for suche as should passe the same degre partly because the Chrystyan man should at the least be soo wary circumspecte in kepyng brotherlye loue and charitie that thoughe he dyd perchaunce so farre forgette hymselfe as to call hys brother foole vucharitably yet fardar than so he should not so much as thinke thoroughout his whole lyfe It is written of one Solon an infidell but yet a very polityke man howe when he made lawes for the gouernmēt of that famous citie of Athēs he in all hys lawes appoynted no punyshment for a parricide that is for suche a one as shoulde kyll hys father or mother and when he was demaunded why he prouided not for that case he aunswered that he verely thought and beleued that no one beynge brought vp in Athens vnder hys lawes wolde at any tyme attempte suche an heynous synne Euen so may we say of our sauiour that he speketh but of those fore saide three degrees of 〈◊〉 for that it is not lykely chrysten men beinge traded in Chrystes most parfyt religion woulde at any tyme proced in the violatyng of 〈◊〉 charitie fardar then so But here may be moued a question whether our sauioure hath so forbydden vs to be angry to saye Racha or thou foole one to an other that in no wise anye man may soo doo but therby he falleth in daunger of iudgement of councell or of hel fyre For answere to thys questiō it is to be noted that our sauiour in thys place forbiddeth vs al kynde of vncharitablenes and nothyng els For asmuch then as in that third of Mathewe S. Ihon Baptist calleth the scribes and pharisies adders brode and S Paule calleth the Galathians fooles and men without vnderstā ding in the second chapyter of his epistle writtē to them yea Chryst hymselfe in the. xxiiii of Luke calleth his dere beloued apostles fooles and 〈◊〉 of belefe and the thing which they dyd cannot be iudged vncharitable therefore we must say that when such as haue aucthoritie vpon a good and Godlye zeale rebuke trespassoures offenders therby to make them ashamed of there euyl doynges and the rather to leaue the same that this kind uf rebuking is lawfull and in no wise ment in the foresaid talke of Chryst. But the onely thing that is there forbydden is the breache of charitie when one man meaneth ne good at all to an other but for the onelye satisfyeng of his vncharitable harte wyshed hym hurte in his harte or vtteryng his secret vncharita ble mynde doth thou hym or tush at him or finally speaketh contumelious wordes expresly vnto hym callyng him fole ideot or by other lyke opprobrious names Wherefore to conclude seinge you nowe know what parfytte loue and charitie our sauiour Chryst doth requyre to be in vs let al accustomed tancour and malice from henceforth be vtterly banyshed from emongest vs that we dwelling in cha ritie may dwell in God and haue here in this lyfe GOD dwell in vs and in the worlde to come dwell in heauen wyth hym for euer which graunt vnto vs the blessed trinitie the father the sonne and the holye Ghoste to whome be all honor and glory worlde without ende Amen Io. Harpesfeld sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London 〈◊〉 An Homelie of the church what it is and of the commoditie thereof WHosoeuer good people wyll call to hys remembraūce that inestimable good nes of almyghtye God and his inesti mable mercye towards vs nothing deseruing the same yf there be any spot of heuenly grace in that person he shall be ashamed of hys owne vnthankfulnes and disobediens and be compelled to fall downe in body soule before our Lorde to aske pardon for his trāsgression Of the which goodnes and mercy of god you haue a sufficiente and moste euident declarati on in these godly and deuout homelies that are set fourth to you of the creation redemption of man Neuerthelesse for your further instruction gostlye comfort in this behalfe I haue thought good to lett you vnderstand an other hye benefytte geuen to vs by our sauioure and redemer Iesus Chryste that we hauyng perfyt knowledge of God maye euermore prayse and magnifye hym accordynge to our moost bounden duetye And this hye and heauenly benefyte is the holye catholyke churche whi che our deare and dreadefull Sauiour both before and after his paynefull deathe dyd ordeyne and ap poynt to be for euer to vs a moost louinge tender mother a perpetual preseruation for our soule helth and a pyller of truth in all our doutefull daungers Which churche forsomuch as he hath bene latelye assaulted by sundry sectes and heresies and so sore shaken that manye more is the pitie had separate them selues from the same and wylfully haue rune astray beynge ledde and caried with euerye waue and wynde of newe lerning I purpose by Godes grace to open shortly to you what this churche is what maner of church it is and what commoditie we haue by it Fyrst the churche is a conuocation of all people throughout the whole worlde professyng one faith of God and one vse of all the holy sacraments whi che churche because it is purchased and sanctified by the death of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe it is most derely beloued to God the father and is called in holy Scripture by most hie and excellent na mes as Corpus Christi Sponsa Christi Regnum celorum c. that is to say The body misticall of Chryste the spouse of Chryst the kyngdome of heauen For S. Paule speakyng of Chryste sayeth That he hath appointed sundry officers to maintaine the holy ones into the worke of ministration to the edifieng of the bodi of Christ. And kyng Salomon taught by the holy ghost dyd forsee the dignitie and beutye of his holye Churche and sayde in the name of GOD thereby 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 mea perfectamea That is to saye One is my doue and my perfyte one Wyth many other such louing words as my sister my spouse c. And Saynt Paule byddeth husbandes to loue theyr wyues euen as Chryst loued the church Lykewyse in the holy Ghospell our sauiour Chryst doth compare the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 thinges vnder the name of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 as vnto a kyng whych made o mariage for his sonne somtimes to tenne Uyrgynes and many such other by al which names callings we may learne that the churche is a high and excellent thing and derely beloued to almyghty God who for his churche sake did gyue hys onely sonne to most vyle death for that whiche also he hath prepared the kingdome of heauen Nowe
euerye one hath deliuered the fayth that they from the Apostles haue receaued and so euen from Chryste to this presente daye one fayth hath euer stande stedfaste Whiche thoughe it hath sundry tymes bene assayde and sore pynched yet euer hath it preuailed at the last and had the vp per hande accordynge to Christes promise neyther ought anye man lesse to credyt the catholike church because there are in the same dyuers euyll wicked synners For Christ him selfe doth compare the churche to a nette cast into the sea whiche taketh both good and bad fyshes but at th ende the good shal be reserued and the euyll cast awaye Was not twelue chosen by Christe yet one of them he calleth a deuyll Doth not Christe allo saye that Scribes and Phariseis doo syt in Moyses chayre neuerthelesse he wuld the people should obey theyr lessones Euen so though some members of Christes catholyke churche doo not lyue accordynge to theyr vocatyon yet ought no man therefore the lesse to regarde the fayth and doctryne of the same churche These thynges good people thoughe they are suffi cient to declare the holye Churche what it is and how it may be knowen yet I besech you most diligently to note and cary awaye one rule which shall neuer deceaue you but is a sure tryall of the ca tholyke churche and the fayth thereof This rule is not myne but taken out of a learned auncient and ryght godly father in Chrystes Churche He sayeth There are thre meanes to trye a churche or doctrine the first is antiquitie the second is vniuersalitie the third is vnitie By the fyrste we are taught that a true doctrine must be knowē by that it is not lately spronge vp or rysen but commeth from Chryst and his apostles and hath cōtynued styll in the churche By the seconde we maye vnderstande that a true faythe or doctryne of the churche is that onelye whiche vniuersallye in all countryes hath ben taught beleued By the thyrde we ought to learne that a true doctryne or faith of the church doth always agree and is alwaies one Nowe those three thinges wel noted may instruct and teach any Christian man to knowe the catholyke churche whiche euersynce the Apostles tyme and in all countryes with one consent in al things concerning our faith hath shewed her selfe the wor thy spouse of Chryst. Contrary wise false doctryne and heresye euerhath doone and shall doo to the worldes ende 〈◊〉 arise 〈◊〉 in priuate cor ners neuer agre with it selfe Which thyngs I myghte easely at large proue and open to you by playne and manifest demonstratiō But because 〈◊〉 the next homelie I intende to speake of the auctho citie of the churche and also of the commoditie and profite that we haue by the same here I wil make an ende besechyng al you good and godly people to geue your bodyes and soules an humble holy sacrifyce to almyghtye God prayinge euermore that we maye be altogether lyuely members of our sauioure Iesus Chryst and of hys catholike church here vpon earth and after this life partakers of the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen through the same our 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory world without ende Amen H Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An homely of the aucthoritie of the chutche declaryng what commoditie and profyt we haue thereby LYkewise as in the last homelye it was declared to you good chrysten people what the church is and how it maye be knowen soo nowe ye shall learne the aucthoritie of the same catholike church and the commoditie or profyt that ensueth to vs all beyng members of the same churche Fyrste whan our sauioure Iesus Chryst did send forth the twelue apostles to preach who were and are the cheite and principal pyllers of this catholyke church he dyd geue to them great power and aucthoritie as saynt Mathew beareth wytnes saying Iesus dyd call together the twelue disciples and gaue to them power ouer vncleane spirites that they should cast them out and shoulde heale al maner of diseases and infirmities And sundry tymes we do rede in the holy Gospell that our Sauiour Chryst doth speke to his Apostles after this maner Qui uos 〈◊〉 me audit qui uos spernit me 〈◊〉 That is to say He that heareth you hereth me and he that dispiseth you doth dispise me Meanyng and wyllyng thereby that all the worlde should knowe and confesse the aucthoritie of the catholike church which Christ him selfe dyd buyld in and vpon these hys holy Apostles And to the same purpose he sayd to thē I am non dicam uos seruus sed amicos c. That is to sai Nowe I wyll no more call you seruaunts but frendes for al thinges that I haue herd of my father I haue declared to you And agayne he sayeth As my father sente me euen so I send you By these and many such other places we maye see that our louyng 〈◊〉 did giue greate aucthoritie to his apostles But nowe it is expedient and nedefull to declare in what specyall poyntes this aucthoritie doth consist and that the same aucthoritie was not onely geuen to the Apostles of Chryst but also to theyr 〈◊〉 in the catholyke churche euer to endure Which aucthoritie though it be greate and manyfolde yet these are the chefest partes thereof that 〈◊〉 doo folowe Fyrste almyghtye God hath geuen power and aucthoritie to the catholike church to haue the true sense and vnderstandyng of the holy Scrypture yea and to approue also or reproue al writing as Scripture or no Scripture Whiche thynge good christen people you may well vnderstande to be moost true yf ye call to remembraunce who is the guyde and gouernour of the church that is to wit the holy Ghost as Chryst dyd promyse saying Ego rogabo patrem et alium paraclitum dabit vobis vt maneat 〈◊〉 ineternum that is to saye I wyll aske my father and he wyll giue to you an other comforter that he maye a byde with you for euer And after that our lorde and sauiour had rysen frō death he dyd breathe vpon hys Apostles and sayde A ccipite spiritum sanctum Take you the holy ghost and also after hys ascention into heauen accordynge to hys merciful promise he did send downe the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles as sayncte Luke writeth Nowe that the holy ghoste was not geuen to the Apostles onely but also to the catholyke churche to the worldes ende it is manifest forasmuche as Chryste dyd promyse the conforter vt maneat uobiscum ineternum That he should abyde sayeth he with you for euer Nowe we are moost 〈◊〉 that the Apostles of Chryste dyd suffer deathe for the faythe of Chryste and that within fewe yeres after they thus had receyued the holy ghoste Neuertheles Christ sending furthe hys Apostles to preache and baptyze
in the whole body and canon of the sayde bible are so necessary to be beleued for mans saluation that whosoeuer wyll not constantlye beleue those thynges or wyll obstynately beleue the contrarye of them cannot in that state remaynyng be the true and verye members of Chryste and his espouse the Churche but eyther are very infideles or heretikes and members of the Deuyll with whome yf they repent not they shal be per petually dampned Thyrdely that al Christen people ought must not onely beleue mayntayne and defende al the sayde thynges as moste certayne and infallible truthes of Gods worde neuer by any contrary opinion or aucthoritie to be altred or conuelled but also must take and interprete all the same thynges accordyng to the same sence vnderstandyng and meaning which the Holy ghost hath geuen thereto and whyche also the approued Doctours of the Catholike Churche haue receaued and agreably defended Fourthlye that all true Chrysten people muste vtterlye refuse and condempne all those opynyons whych were of long tyme past condempned in the iiii holye Counsayles That is to saye in the Counsell of Nyce Constātynople Ephese and Calcedonense Fyftly and fynallye That althoughe all thynges as they are nowe pertyculerlye vsed in the catholyque Churche here in Earth are not so distinctly particulerly and expreslye in all wordes fashions cyrcumstaunces and poyntes set forth taught and expressed in Scrypture yet the pithe the substaunce the matter the foundation grounde with the effecte thereof in general wordes are not onely comprehended and conteyned in Scrypture but also by expresse wordes confyrmed by other sufficient aucthoritie And seynge the Catholyke Churche hath soo receyued beleued allowed and approued the sayde thynges time out of mynde therfore it shal be a very great presumption and an vncomely parte anye man to controll or contempne any such thinges so receyued beleued allowed and approued by the sayd catholique church and in so doyng the same is in dede not worthy to be taken or reputed for a faythfull membre or obediente chyld of the sayd Church but for an arrogant noughty and very wycked person ¶ Here foloweth the exposition or declaration of the fyrst article of the Crede which is I beleue in God the Father almightye maker of heauen and earth FOr the better and more playne vnderstandyng of this article ye muste knowe that this worde Beleue taken by it selfe generallye and symplye spoken is to haue fayth after the fyrste acception or takyng of fayth as it hath bene before already decla red and shewed vnto you but these wordes I beleue in haue a farther and more particuler vnderstandyng it is to wyt to haue fayth after the second acception maner or takyng of fayth And therefore when we are cōmaunded to beleue in God we must not onely assent graunte and take for true thys one thynge that God is which in dede the very deuiles them selues do acknowledge and confesse or this second that all the wordes and sayinges of God reueled in Scrypture are of moste certayne trouthe and vnfallible veritie or this third that al thinges whyche were taught by the Apostles and whyche haue bene by a whole vniuersall consent of the Catholyke Churche 〈◊〉 taught and taken alwayes for true ought to be receaued and kept as a perfect doctrine Apostolyke But also we must haue a sure confidence and hope to attayne whatsoeuer God hath promysed for Christes sake and we muste also haue an hartye loue to God with obedyence to hys commaundementes then we do not onely 〈◊〉 God but also we do beleue in God This manner of 〈◊〉 that is to saye I beleue in we ought to haue on 〈◊〉 in God and not in any other creature of God els be it neuerso excellent And therfore in this crede the said maner of speakyng I beleue in is vsed only in ye. iii. articles which concerne the thre persons in trinitie that is the Father the Sonne and the holy ghoste for we do and ought to say I beleue in God the Father I beleue in God the Sonne and I beleue in God the holi gost we do not so saye in any thyng els as more at large shal be said whan it shal be spoken of the Catholyke Churche We muste further note that as by thys artycle we are bounden to beleue stedfastlye that both God is and that he is true in al his wordes and promises and as we are bounden to beleue lyke wise that god is omnypotent and creator of heuen and earth and that we must with this our beleif loue god cleaue onely to hym with al our harte and power continuynge and dwellyng styl with him in loue and obey inge vnto hys will aswell in al our inward thoughtes and affectiōs as also in our outward actes and dedes so must we abhorre and forsake all vice and noughtynes and not wysshe or desyre of God anye euyll or vngodly thyng And ouer this we must con stantly betake and commit our selues and all ours wholy vnto God and fixe all oure hole hope truste and confidence in God and we must quiet oure selues in him beleuyng perfitly and assuredly that he 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 shew no lesse goodnes loue mercy grace and fauoure vnto vs then he promysed by hys word to do wyth vs vsynge oure selues as afore is sayde 〈◊〉 we muste note touchynge thys article that God is a spirytuall and an inuisible substaunce or nature of infinite power eternall withoute begynnyng or endyng and of incomprehensible knowledge wysedome goodnes iustice and mercye We must also note for farther declaraiton of thys article that albeit ther be but one very true God beside or without whiche there is no other God yet there are in the Godhede three distincte persones the Father the Sonne and the Holy gooste and thoughe they are thre persons yet they ar not thre goddes but all oue God one nature one substaunce all one euerlastynge essence or beynge and all lyke and equall in might power wysedom knowledge ryghtuousnes and in al other thynges els belonginge to the deitie And moreouer we must knowe beleue that God the Father is the fyrst person in thys Trynitie godheadde yea and the Father of hys onelye begotten Sonne whych is the second person in Trinytie and that he the sayd Father dyd beget of hys owne substaunce the sayde seconde person by eternall generation that is to saye by generation that neuer had be gynnynge And where this article conteyneth farther that God the father is almyghty it is to be noted that thys worde almyghtye is as much to saye as that God the fathere maye do all thynges that he wyll in heauen and in earth and that nothyng to him is impossible and that his godly power and myght doth excell infinitelye and incomparablye all powers in Heauen earth and hell Soo that all other powers whyche be in Heauen earthe or hell be nothynge as of them selues but haue all theyr myghte force and strength of hym
and be all subiecte vnto hys power and cannot resyste or let the same And here with farther is to be learned that althoughe God be omnipotent and of infinyte power yet he is not the aucthor or worker of any synne for whensoeuer any synne is done by anye creature the same is wrought by the malyce of the deuil or fre wil of man or by both God onelye sufferyng and permyttynge the same to be done and not by his power and worke styrryng vp fertheryng or assystyng the malyce or the euyll thought or dede in that behalfe Fynallye concernynge those laste wordes of thys Artycle it is to wytte Maker of heauen and earth we are taughte and instructed thereby to be leue that God the father Almyghtye dyd at the begynnyng create fourme and make of noughte Heauen and Earth and al thynges visible and inuisible and that he dyd gyue vnto them al theyr power and myght and that he so from time to tyme continually doth preserue gouerne susteine and maynetaine the whole worlde and all the creatures therein by hys onely goodnes and hyghe prouydence that without his continuall workyng nothyng is or can be able in any wyse to endure ¶ The exposition or declaration cōcerninge the seconde Article of the Crede whyche is And in Iesu Christ his onelye sonne oure Lorde IN this article iiii thinges ar specially to be noted Fyrst that the second person in Trinitie is verye Iesus the second that he is Christ. The third that he is an onely Sonne and the fourth that he is our lord For the better vnderstandyng of which foure poyntes ye shall know that Iesus is asmuche to saye as a Sauiour S. Mathewe bearynge witnes therevnto in the fyrste Chapiter of his Gospell where the Aungell of God appearynge to Ioseph in a vision or dreame and speakyng to him of the blessed 〈◊〉 Marye and of the notable byrthe that she shoulde be beutified withal doth saye Pariet autem filium uocabis normen eius 〈◊〉 ipse enim saluum faciet populum suum a 〈◊〉 corun That is to saye She shall bringe forth a sonne and thou shalt call the name of hym Iesus for he shall make his people safe from theyr synnes Accordyng wherevnto S. Luke in the first chapiter of his Gospel sayeth that the Aungel of god 〈◊〉 vnto the sayd Uyrgin these wordes Ne time as Maria 〈◊〉 enim gratiam apud deum ecce 〈◊〉 in utero et paries 〈◊〉 et uocabis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say Feare thou not Mary for thou hast founde grace before God Lo or beholde thou shalte conceaue in thy wombe and bryng forth a sonne and thou shalt cal the name of him Iesus And agreable herevnto S. Luke in the second chap. of hys sayd Gospel sayeth 〈◊〉 postquā 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies octo ut circūcideret 〈◊〉 puer uocatum est nomen cius Iesus quod 〈◊〉 est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur That is to saye And after that eyght dayes were perfited or ended that the chylde should be circumcised the name of hym was called Iesus which was called or named of the Aungell before that he the saide child was conceiued in his mothers wombe Nowe forasmuche as the second person in Trinite was eternally preordeyned and appoynted by the decre of the whole Trinitie to be our redemer and Sa uiour therefore in this seconde Article here he is called Iesus And as concernynge this other name Chryst wherewith also the sayde seconde person in Trynyte is called and named ye shall know that Chryst is asmuche to saye as annoynted And by cause that God hath annoynted Chryst as the great Prophete Dauyd in his xliiii Psalme doth testyfye with the oyle of gladnes aboue his partakers or felowes and hath both anoynted him kinge and preist therefore the sayd second person in Trinytye is and ought to be called Christe And where the sayde second person is called also here in thys article an one ly sonne ye shall for the better vnderstandyng here of know that although almyghty God the father be the father of al people by creation and general grace yea and the father of all christen people by creation adoption and also speciall grace yet concernyng the godhed of our Sauiour Christe and the eternall generation of him wherof mention is made amonges other places Psalme 2. Psalme Cvi and Ioh. i god the father in that respecte is the father of Chryst only by dyuyne nature begettynge hym of his godly na ture and substaunce eternally Chryst beyng therein very God and of the same substaunce with God the father and with God the holy ghoste vnto whome he is equall in all thinges of the Godhed Where as cōcernyng the humanitie of Chryste God the father is greater then Chryste accordyng to chrystes owne sai yng testified in the. xiiii Chapiter of S. Johns gospell Patermaior me est That is to saye The father is greater then I. meaning his own humanite And in this respecte God the father is the father of Chryste by creation also adoption and grace And where moreouer the sayd seconde person is called here in this Article Our Lorde as in dede he is ye shall nothing there at maruayle at al conside ryng that by the sayd decree of the whole Trynytye it was also eternally preordeyned and appoynted that the sayd seconde person shoulde be oure Lorde redemynge and bryngynge vs frome the thraldome of the Deuyll and synne vnto his kyngdome Lordshype and gouernaunce worthely therefore to be called a kyng a pryest and a Lorde as hauynge done and fulfylled for all mankynde the verye offyce of a preist of a kynge and of a Lorde Of a preiste for that he offered vnto Almyghtye God a sacrifice euen hys verye bodye and Bloude which he beyng a preist after the ordre of Melchisedech dyd at hys maundye which was the nyght before he suffred death offer vnder the visible fourmes of breade and wyne institutynge there the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud commonly called the Sacramente of the Aultare and commaundynge his bodye and bloude in the sayde Sacramente to be offered vnto the worldes ende fulfyllyng thereby the sayinge of God the father spoken to Chryste the sonne Tues Sacerdos in et ernum secundum ordinem Melchisedech psal 106. That is to saye Thou art a preist for euer af ter the order of Melchisedech And Chryste dyd also fulfyll the offyce of a preist in that he vpon good Fryday which was the day next folowing did offer the same Bodye and bloude vpon the Crosse in the visible fourmes of fleshe and Bloude sufferynge hys naturall body there to be slayne and his bloude 〈◊〉 visibly to be shed for the remission of sin nodifference at all being in the substance of the thynges so diuerse ly offered at the maundy and vpon the Crosse but the difference standynge in the maner forme and outewarde doyng therof And as for the offyce of a kynge and Lord that he dyd fulfyll
he was caried vp into heauen ascendynge as the Psalmist in his lxvii Psalm doth saye Super 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad orientem That is to say Aboue heauens vnto the Easte And the sayd Difciples adorynge hym dyd retourne vnto Ierusalem These thynges beforesaid are speciallye testified by S. Marke in the xvi Chapyter Luke in the. xxiiii Iohn in the. xx by S. Luke also in the fyrst Chapyter of the Actes and by sondry other partes of the scrypture By the way it may be noted that this eleuation of Chryste into Heauen dyd muche differ from hys eleuatyon vnto the Crosse for there as Esay in the. lxiii Chapyter doth saye Chryst alone dyd treade the Presse where here as Dauyd in his lxvii Psalme and S. Paule in the. iiii Chapiter to the Ephesians doth saye Christe ascending into Heauen dyd leade captiuitie captiue with him and gaue gyftes to men Furthermore the eleuation vpon the Crosse was with mooste bytter sorowe and payne where the ascension into heauen was wyth most vnspeakeable ioye and wonderfull gladnes And it is not to be forgotten here that amongest other causes why Chryst would no lenger tarye here vpon earthe but ascende into Heauen there are fiue speciallye noted The fyrst that Chrystes body beynge gloryfyed Heauen and not the Earth was a place conuenyent mete for it to be cōuersaunt in The 〈◊〉 that by the sayde ascension he myght glorifye the humaine na ture whyche before that tyme was neuer admytted vnto heauen The thyrde that ascendyng into Heuen he myght be an aduocate and an intercessoure contynuallye for vs. Hebre. ix i. Iohannis ii The fourthe that so ascendyng he myghte shewe vs the waye and prepare vs a place Michee ii 〈◊〉 iiii The fyste and last that he myght sende the Holy Ghost vn to vs which he sayd he woulde not excepte he departed Ioannis 19. And thus much for the fyrste part of thys Article For the second parte of this article which is that Chryst Sitteth on the right hande of God the father Almyghtye ye shall vnderstand that to sit on the ryghte hande of God the father is not after a carnall and worldely fashion to be vnderstanded as who saith that God the father had like men a right hand and a lefte hand but by the sitting of Christ on the ryght hand of God the father is vnderstand and ment that Chryste hath and euer shal haue communicated vnto hym of God the father glory honoure power felicitie and euerlastynge monarchye gouernaunce rule and dominion ouer all pryncypates potestates powers dominions and ouer all creatures that can be named eyther in thys worlde or in the worlde to come ordeyned to be kynge of all kynges and Lorde of all Lordes and all thynges both in hea uen and also in Earth to ve cast vnder his fete and made subiecte to hym and he appoynted to be the cheife and principall heade of the vniuersall and hole Catholyke Churche which is his misticall Body hauyng vnder hym in his Churche here in Earth suche ministers and after such order and fashion as lyked him to appoynt and ordayne in the same And albeit that Chryste is ascended into Heauen and syttethe on the ryght hande of God the father almyghtye yet we maye not as the 〈◊〉 doo gether 〈◊〉 vpō contrarye to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 of Chryst in substaunce is not reallye and truelye in the Sacrament of the Aultare but contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chryst is bothe God and man and soo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or almyghty and hath by his godhed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto his manhode taken vp his Body and his 〈◊〉 nitie into heauen which to do is aboue the 〈◊〉 and reach of onely nature to accomplyshe and bryng to passe we ought with the catholyke Churche firme lye and stedfastlye beleue that 〈◊〉 as oure Sauiour Chryste bothe promysed to giue his bodye in a Sacrament and also perfourming his promise did it soo in dede as the 〈◊〉 and S. Paule also dothe testifye and declare the bodye therefore of Chryst doth both sit on the ryght hand of God the father almyghtye in heauen in the visible forme of a man accordyng to this article and is also verely real ly and truely in substannce in the Sacramente of the Aultare vnder the formes of breade and wyne And where in the. vii chapyter of the actes it is wrytten of S. Stephan that he dyd see Iesum stantem a dexteris virtu t is 〈◊〉 That is to say Iesu standing on the ryght hand of the power or vertue of God Whereby some haue gathered a contrarye ie in Scripture 〈◊〉 shall vnderstande that these wordes Christ to sytte or Christ to stand at the ryghte hande of God the father are not to be vnderstanded after the carnal and worldly maner and gesture of man but spiritually to signifye hys equalitie wyth God the father the partycipatyng of all glory with the same 〈◊〉 equalytie and partycipatyon in 〈◊〉 and the catholyke doctours is as well vnderstande by 〈◊〉 as by standyng Thus haue you hard the hole exposi tion of this vi Article conteynynge in effecte howe our Sauiour Iesus Chryst after that he hadde perfectely accomplished and performed the hole mistery of the redemptyon of mankynde by hys incarnation his byrth his passyon his death his buriall his discēdyng into Hell and rysyng agayne from death to life and after he hadde bene here in Earth conuersaunte with his Apostles and Disciples by the space of fortye dayes after his resurrection beyng amongest his Apostles and he in theyr sight assended into heauen in the verye fame his naturall bodye whyche was borne of the blessed vyrgyn hys mother and was cru cified vpon the crosse and so dydde wythdrawe hys accustomed visible conuersation from the presence of his Apostles and from the bodely sight of al other creatures By remembraunce whereof bothe they we should here in earth eleuate and lyfte vp our hole hartes myndes desyres all affections from earthly thynges and from all carnall and worldlye cares towardes heauene and heauenlye thynges and soo shoulde by hys grace prepare our hartes and make oure selues 〈◊〉 and apte to receaue hys spyrytuall gyftes which he sendeth into the worlde Wherfore the thing thus beinge let vs in dede lifte vppe oure hartes and myndes vnto Chryst thus syttynge at the right hand of God the father and there praying cōtynually for vs. And let vs soo in mynde nowe from henceforth dwel in contemplatiō of heuenly things during al the space of this mortal life that we may hereafter for euer dwell with the holy trinitie in glory euerlastyng Amen ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the. vii article of the crede whych is From thence he shall come to ' iudge the quicke and the deade IN this Article two thynges specyally maye be con sidered the fyrst is that Chryste beinge ascended into Heauen Shall come from thense And thesecond is that commyng from thense He shall iudge both the Quycke and the
written in the. xvi of Mathewe Tibi dabo claues regni celorum quodcunque ligaueris super terram crit ligatum et in celis et quodcumque solueris super terram erit solutum et in celis That is to saye Unto thee will I geue the Keyes of the kyngdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou doest bynde vpon earth shall also be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest vpon earth shall also be loosed in heauen Which 〈◊〉 all Chrysten men shoulde to theyr great comforte moste gladly imbrace and by al meanes be most carefull and wary to the vttermost of theyr power to kepe them selues in such state that they may styll enioye the fruit of this soo comfortable a priueledge Wherefore good people accordyng to the exhortation of the Prophete Ezechiell in the eyghtenth chapter Tourne and doe penaunce for all youre iniquities and youre iniquitye shall not be your destruction But youe shall vndoutedly accordyng to thys article be vnburdened of your synnes and made partakers of the communion of saynctes bothe in thys worlde and in the worlde to come Amen ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the eleuēth artycle of the Crede whiche is The resurrection of the Bodye Coucernynge thys eleuenth article for asmuche as it may seme itraunge to some men why thys word Body is here placed in the Englishe seyng the Latin is Carnis resurrcctionem That is to sai The resur rection of the fleshe 〈◊〉 shal knowe that in 〈◊〉 ture many tymes thys worde fleshe doeth signyfye the hole man as for example where it is wrytten in the fyrst of S. Jhon Verbum caro factum est that is to saye The worde was made fleshe the meanynge is that the sonne of god toke vpon hym the hole nature of man Agayne 〈◊〉 the fyrste chapiter of saynt Paules fyrste epystle to the Corynthians it is wrytten in thys maner Vt non glorietur omnis caro that is to say That no fleshe should glorye the meanynge is that no man should glorye Lykewyse where in the thyrde of S. Luke it is wrytten Videbit omnis caro salutare dei That is All fleshe shall se the sauiour sent of God The meanynge is that al men shall see the sauiour sent of god And manye tymes also thys sayde worde Fleshe doeth in scrypture signifye onely the bodye of man without any respect of the soule thereof as in the fyrst Chapyter of Genesis where Adam speakyng of hys wyfe Eue sayth in this maner Caro de carne 〈◊〉 that is Fleshe of my fleshe meanynge that her body was made of hys bodye Lykewyse in the. xxi of Job where Job sayeth Concutit carnem 〈◊〉 tremor That is Tremblyng dothe shake my fleshe meanyng there by hys fleshe hys bodye And accordynge to thys seconde acception thys Latyne worde Carnis Which is to saye Of the fleshe is taken here in thys article of the Latyn Crede and by cause the body and the fleshe here in this article doe signifye and meane one thing we maye both say the resurrection of the body and also the resurrection of the fleshe And therby we doe vnderstand that at the day of the generall dome or Judgemente when Chryste shall come as in the. vii article of thys Crede is contayned and sitte to iudge the quicke and the deade almighty God shall styrre and rayse vppe againe the very fleshe and bodies of all men women and Chyldrē both good and bad christened and heathen that euer lyued here in this world from the begynnynge of the same and died before that day And althoughe the sayde fleshe and bodyes were deade and buryed yea and consumed or by anye meanes destroyed yet God shall of his infinite power make them all at that day wholl and perfecte agayne And soo euerye man generally shall resume and take agayne the very selfe same bodie and flesh in substaūce which he had whi les he liued here on earth and so shall rise from death and liue agayne in the very selfe same bodie and soule which he had before 〈◊〉 whych tyme man thus beyng made perfect in coniunction of body and soule shall at that daye appeare before the hygh iudge our sauiour Jesu Chryst and there shall make an accompte of his workes and hys dedes such as he did good or euil while he liued here in thys worlde And for profe that the contentes of this article are true these authorities and testimonies both of the olde and the newe testamente shal be sufficient for this presente that is to witte the. xix of Job Esay xxvi Ezechi xxxvii Daniel xii Mathew xxii John v. Rom xiiii i. Cor. xv ii Cor. v i Thes iii. and. iiii Philip. iii. and the ii to Timoth. ii ¶ The exposition or declaration of the twelft Article of the Crede whiche is And the lyfe euerlastynge Amen In these fewe wordes is the moost comfortable and ioyous knyttynge vppe of this Crede that maye be For two excellent thinges are here sette fourth to be beleued the fyrst is Lyfe whiche all thynges do desyre the second is the Eternitie and continuall lastyng of it which is a thyng that maketh it most pleasaunte and most swete and most profitable And when I do saye that ther is a lyfe and also an euerlastyng lyfe I doo meane both concernyng the body and also concernynge the soule for vnto them bothe this euerlastyng lyfe shal without any endynge contynue and abyde B V T H E R E muste ye marke that lyke as the good shall enioye for euer thys mooste 〈◊〉 estate of euerlastyng lyfe to theyr vnspeakeable comforte and gladnes so also the noughtye and wycked shall bothe in bodye and also in soule receaue for euer punyshmente and tormente incessantly accordynge whervnto our Sauiour Chryst in the. xxv of saynte Mathewe sayeth Et ibunt hi in supplicium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 em in uitam eternam That is to saye And they meanynge the noughtye and wycked shall goe into euerlastinge punyshment but the iuste shall goo into lyfe euerlasting And herevpon maye be 〈◊〉 that though the noughtye and wycked shall continue for euer and haue immortalitie yet forasmuch they so contynuing shall neuer haue ioye but euerlastyng torment of body and soule without hope of forgyuenes and wythoute anye ende Therefore theyr contynuaunce and immortalitie is rather to be called euerlastynge deathe then euerlastynge lyfe or lyfe at all accordynge whervnto S. Paule in the. vi chapiter of his epystle to the Romaynes doth saye Stipendia enim peccatimors gratia autem dei uita 〈◊〉 in CHRISTO IESV domino nostro That is to saye The rewarde in dede of synne is death but eternall lyfe is the gyfte of God through Jesu Chryst our lorde So that such as haue led theyr lyues in obedience obseruation of Goddes commaundementes and die in true fayth and charitie shall then be perfectly 〈◊〉 tified puryfyed and delyuered frome all contagion of synne and from all corruptible and mortalitie of the 〈◊〉 and shal be perpetuallye glorified and
And they are also most readye remedies agaynst synne and do farre passe those of the old law For they were the shadowes of thinges to come and as sygnes and fygures were abolyshed Chryst after his comming hauinge fulfylled them and they were therefore abolyshed because they were fulfylled But these of the new testament were instituted both as greater in vertue better in profyt easier in mynystration and fewer in number as beynge but seuen and that they shoulde not onelye signifye but purge and sanctifye also In euerye of whiche seuen sacramentes the minister or dispenser of the same doth not execute in his owne behalfe or name but doth represent the person of our sauiour Iesu Christ to whome be honoure and glorye Amen ¶ Of the Sacrament of Baptysme and the exposition or declaration thereof BEcause the Sacrament of Baptisme is in order the fyrst of al Sacramentes and the gate or entrye by whiche we must and doe entre into the churche and vnto the other Sacramentes thereof to obteyne remission of oure synnes and is a thynge so necessarye that withoute it no man can enter into the kyngedome of God as Christe in the thyrde chapiter of S. Johns gospell doeth playnlye testifie sayinge Nisi quis renatus 〈◊〉 ex aqua 〈◊〉 spiritu sancto non potest 〈◊〉 in'reg 〈◊〉 dei That is to saye Excepte one be borne agayne of water and the holye ghoste he can not entre into the kyngdome of God Therefore in this noumbre of vii Sacramentes the Sacrament of Baptysme for these respectes shal occupie the fyrste place For the better vnderstandynge whereof ye shall emongeste other thynges consyder and note foure poyntes Fyrste ye shall note that in the Sacrament of Bap tysine there are certayne formall wordes necessarye and requysyte to be vsed in the ministration thereof Seconde that in the sayd Sacrament of Baptisme besydes the sayde formal wordes there is requyred al so an outwarde visible thing or element to be concur runt therewith Thyrde is to be considered the vertue force and effecte of the sayde Sacrament And iiii is to be declared what rites solempnities or ceremonies are required for the dewe administration of the sayde Sacramente Nowe concernynge the fyrst of these foure thynges to be noted in Baptysme ye shall knowe that oure sauyoure Chryste when he dyd sende hys apostles to preach throughout the hole worlde he dyd saye vnto them as is testyfyed in the xxviii Chapiter of Sayncte Mathewes Gospell Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra euntes ergo docete omnes 〈◊〉 baptizantes cos in nominc patris filij ci spiritus sancti That is to saye All power is geuen vnto me in heauen and in earth go you therfore and do you teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the ho ly Ghost By whyche playnly appeareth that oure 〈◊〉 Chryste in hys commyssyon geuen vnto hys apostles dyd prescrybe certayne formall wordes vnto them whiche they in administration of Baptysine shoulde vse accordyng whervnto the minister of the Churche being therein the successoure of the apostles doeth and must vse in the administration of the Sacramente of Baptisme these formall wordes I doe Baptise thee in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holye Ghost and thys muche for the fyrste poynte For the seconde poynte consydered in Baptysme ye shall note the specyall wordes of our sa uyour Christ in the foresayde iii. Chapiter of Sainct Iohns Gospell where speakynge of regeneration or Baptisme he vseth these wordes Aqua et spiritu sancto say ing Nisi quis renatus fucrit ex aqud spiritu sancto non potest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regnum dei Wherby it is euident that water which is a visible element and an open thyng is a substancial part of baptisme must nedes be concurrēt with the formall wordes vsed in the administration of Baptisme Accordyng wherevnto we 〈◊〉 reade in the. viii chapter of the actes that when Philip which was one of the seuē deacons actes vi had conuerted vnto the fayth of CHRIST a certayne noble man being in greate aucthoritie and offyce wyth Candate the Queene of Ethiope he dyd baptyse the sayde noble man wyth water so that water is required in Bap tisme The lyke wherof appeareth the x. Chapiter of the actes where it is euidente that Saynte Peter the apostle baptysed in water one Cornelms a Centuryon and others with hym Touchynge the thyrd thynge to be considered in Baptysme whych is the vertue force and effect ther of ye shall knowe that the forgeuenes or remyssyon of synnes and the grace of the holye ghost is the vertue force and effecte of baptysme as is manyfeste in the seconde chapiter of the actes where the blessed apostle S. Peter sayeth thus Penitentiam agite baptizes tur unusquisque uestrum in nomine IESV CHRISTI in remissionem peccatorum uestrorum et accipietis donum spiritus sancti That is to saye Do you penaunce let euerye one of you be Baptised in the name of Iesu Christe in remission of youre synnes and ye shall reccaue the gyfte of the Holye Ghoste Thys effecte and grace hath thys Sacrament of baptisme by the vertue and workyng of almyghty God there in by his minister accordynge to his owne promyse annexed adioyned to this Sacrament as playnly appeareth in the. xvi chapter of S. Marke where Christe geuinge commission to his Apostles to goe in the whole world to preache the gospell sayth these wordes Qui credideret baptisatus fuerit saluus erit that is to say Who shall beleue and be baptysed shal be saued And as concernynge the. iiii thyng to be considered in baptysme ye shall note that albeit of late some haue vntruely preached and reported that the maner of baptysinge or christening nowe vsed in the Church is not the same whiche was vsed in the prymatyue Churche but hath ben of late yeares inuented and deuised yet the auncient fathers bothe of the Greke of the Latyn Churche haue in theyr workes declared the contrarye for profe whereof amonges many other ye shal reade Denyce the Areopagyte in his boke De ecclesiastica hierarchia in the tytle De perficiendis in baptismate of whose aucthoritie none nedeth to doubte seyng that S. Luke in the. xvii of the actes maketh mention of him ye may reade also S. Cyprian in his fyrst boke and. xii Epistle where he sayth thus 〈◊〉 uero mūdari sanctificari aquā prius a sacerdote ut possit baptismo suo peccat a hominis qui baptisatur abluere that is to say The wa ter must fyrste be made cleane sanctified of the priest that it may clense the synnes of him that is baptysed Reade also S. Ambrose in hys treatise De ijs qui initiantur misteriis and in his fyrste boke al so De sacramentis And if you list rede Chrisostome in hys Homely entituled of Adam Eue where
Counsayle of Ephesus this same difference noted in whiche Counsayle Saynte Cyryll at that tyme was presidente and that difference or distinctyon is 〈◊〉 agayue by the same 〈◊〉 in his treatyse agaynst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undecimo and in the generall counsayle kepte at 〈◊〉 there is vsed in the Canons thereof the same distinction whyche is before specyfyed Nazianzen lyke wyse in his verses to the byshoppes and in his firste 〈◊〉 agaynst Iulian hath the same distinction And so haue sondrye other ryght 〈◊〉 fathers And passynge from thys distinction to declare vnto you the effecte and fruite that cōmeth of the dew oblation of the body bloude of Christ in the sacrifice of the masse ye shal vnderstād that nothinge beinge so acceptable vnto the father of heauē as is the body bloud of our sauiour Christ his sōne the catholike churche therfore in al the cōclusiōs of praiers petitions that are made vnto the father is accustomed commonlye to saye 〈◊〉 Christum Dominum nostrum that is to saye Throughe or for the sake of our Lorde Chryste or suche lyke wordes tendynge euer to the same purpose nothynge doutynge but that the thynge whiche is so asked in his name shall the soner be attayned in asmuche as Chryste hym selfe both learned vs so to doe and adioyued thereto the promyse of obreynyng the same as maye appeare in the. xvi of Iohn where Chryste sayeth thus Si quid petieritis patrem in nomine meo dabit uobis that is to saye 〈◊〉 ye aske my father any thinge in my name he will geue it vnto you Nowe the Catholyke churche doeth in the sacrifice of the masse not onelye praye in the name of Chryste as in other her prayers but wyth prayer doeth also offer vppe and exhibyte therein vnto the father in heauen the bodye bloude of hys dearelye beloued sonne oure 〈◊〉 Iesus Chryste by that meane as beyng the very 〈◊〉 and iucomparable meane passynge all other meanes to obteyne most frutefully most habundantlye moste assuredly all the merites and benefytes of Chrystes deathe to be applied vnto vs and that suche prayers as are made in the time of the masse and the sacryfyce thereof are specyall and aboue all other effectnall S. Augustyne proueth by scrypture dicuslynge mooste exactly thys place of S. Paule in the second chapter of hys fyrst epystle to Timothe where Saynt Paule thus wryteth Obsccro igitur primum omnium fieri obsecrationes 〈◊〉 tioncs postulatioms gratiarum actiones pro omnibus hominibus pro regibus et ommbus qui in 〈◊〉 consti uti sunt ut quietam et tranquillam uitam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omni pietate et chastitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bonum est et acceptum coram saluatore nostro 〈◊〉 qui omnes homines uult saluos fieri et ad 〈◊〉 nem ueritatis uenire That 〈◊〉 to saye I besech you therefore aboue all thynges that obsecrations 〈◊〉 supplications and thankes geuyng be made or had for all men for kynges and for all thē whyche are in high aucthoritie that we may lyue a quiet and a peasable lyfe in all godlynes and honestye For that is good and acceptable before GOD our Sauioure whose wyl is all men to besaued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth Upon whych place S. Augustyne discoursynge very dilygentlye in his 〈◊〉 epystle wrytten vnto Paulinas doeth saye that by those foure seuerali wordes of Saynt Paule it is to wite obsecrations obtestations supplications and thankes geuynge are mente the foure seuerall partes frequented in the hole Catholyke Churche in the diuine celebration whyche is done at Goddes borde As by the fyrst worde obsecrations to be vnderstand al that whych is sayde at the altar before that the breade and the chalyce set vpon the aultare be blessed By the second worde Whiche is ob testations to be mente all those prayers whyche be sayde from thence vnto the fractions of the hoūe in declaration of whyche parte Saynt Augustine doth expresly call thys sacrament the 〈◊〉 of the holye Aultare And by the thyrde worde Supplications to be vnderstanded that part wherein the byshoppe after the foresayd fractions doth turne vnto the people and blesse them and wherein also the sacramente is receyued And fynally by the fourth worde Which is thankes geuyng to be ment the very end and conclusion of the diuine celebration All whyche thynges concernyng the mynde of S. 〈◊〉 vpon those foure wordes of S Paule 〈◊〉 maye more at 〈◊〉 synde in the foresayde epistle of S. Augustine So then this place of Scripture thus vnderstanded doth most manifestly and euidently declare the great fruite and commoditie of the masse and the oblation of the same for immedyatlye in S. Paule foloweth that these foure partes should be executed to the ende Vt quietam et tranquillam uitam 〈◊〉 in omni 〈◊〉 chastitate That is To the ende that we mighte liue or leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Where is to be noted that when saynct Paule gaue thys exhortation to Tymothy chrysten men euery where dyd lyue vnder the domynion of heathen princes and yet S. Paule would these foure partes to be amonge the Chrysten menne frequented and vsed yea for the sayd heathen princes that they eyther shoulde perfectlye be conuerted there by or at the least some what relent from theyr soo out ragious and cruell 〈◊〉 wyth the chrysten men beynge theyr subiectes But nowe farther to procede in declaration of the inestimable 〈◊〉 and fruyte whych commeth of thys sacryfyce of the masse it shal be necessarye here to note vnto you that the fruyte thereof doth not onely extende it selfe to people beyng yet here vpon the earth lyuynge to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vuto them hauing good harte minde to take and receyue the profitte thereof grace and mercy at gods handes but it is also fruitefull vnto as manye as departyng thys presente lyfe are not vtterlye excluded from the fauour of God and the hope of the fruityon of the godheade 〈◊〉 asmuche as suche are membres of Chrystes mysticall bodye hauynge buylded vppon Chryste the foundation not onelye golde syluer and precyous stones but tymber hey and stubble also whyche by fyre must be consumed before they can enter into the kyngdome of heauen where is all puritie cleanenes and perfection And that these sortes maye by the sacrifice of the Masse be releaued and the soner deliuered oute of theyr paynes and therevpon be receaued into eternal ioye there are besyde the verye Scryptures of God infinite authorities of the most auncient fathers of Chrystes Catholyke Churche of which authorities we here nowe alledge certeyne of the mooste notable vnto you And fyrste we wyll brynge in Sainte Chrysostome in hys 96. homilye ad 〈◊〉 antiochenum where he wrytethe in thys maner Non temere ab apostolis hec sancita fuerunt ut in tremendis mysteriis defunctorum agatur commemoratio Sicunt enim illi sinde multum contingere lucrum utilitatem multam Stante sequidem
Lucerna corporis tui est oculus tuus Sioculus tuus fuerit simplex totum corpus tuum lucidum erit Si autem oculus tuus fuerit nequam totum corpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nebrosum erit That is to saye The light of thy body is thine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine eie be simple or 〈◊〉 then all thy body wil be bright or cleare but yf thine eie be euill or nought all thy bodye wil be full of darkenes Heare by the eye is vnderstanded the intente the regarde or purpose of mans hart and by the bodye is ment the wordes actes and 〈◊〉 of man procedynge from the harte and by that intente directed and ordered Therefore Saynt Paule agreing herevnto doth exhorte vs in his first Epistle to the Corynthyans and in the. x. chapiter saying thus Siue manducatis siue bibitis siue aliud quid facitis omnia in gloriam dei facite That is to saye Whether ye do eat whether ye do drink or whether ye do any other thinge ells do ye all thinges vnto the glory of GOD Nowe the thyrd way whereby we must obserue the commaundementes of GOD is with constancye and perseueraunce to contynue in the doyng of thē For as our Sauiour Chryst sayeth in the. x. of Mathewe Qui perseuer auerit usque in finem hic saluus erit That is to saye He that doth perseuer or continue vntill the very ende shall be saued And in dede so constantlye we shoulde kepe Goddes commaundementes that no temporall payne threatened or put vnto vs in this worlde shoulde moue vs to breake any of them Such a constant seruaunt to God was Susanna of whome we reade in the. xiii chapiter of Danyell that when she was prouoked to the synne of adultery by two olde iudges vnder no lesse paine then to be accused in open iudgement whiche was death by the lawe she woulde not graunte to that synnefull dede but sayde these wordes Angustie sunt mihi undique sienim hoc egero mors mihiest siautem non egero non effugiam manus 〈◊〉 Sed melius est mihi absque opere incidere in manus hominum 〈◊〉 peccare in conspectu domini That is to saye Alas I am in trouble on euery side for yf I committe this dede it is death to me and if I doo it not I cannot escape your handes Well it is better for me to fall in to the hands of mē than to synne in the syghte of GOD. We wyll passe ouer the honorable auncyent father Eleazar mencyoned of in the seconde boke and the. vi chapiter of the Machabees We wyl not stay vpon the. vii brethern and theyr mother spoken of in the. ii boke and seuenth chapiter of the Machabees of whiche one of the chyldren sayde Parati sumus magis mori quam patrias deileges preuaricari That is to saye We are redy rather to die then to breake or transgresse the lawes of God which oure fathers kepte But of late dayes in the tyme of oure pestiferous scisme the new broched brethern rather woulde tumble to hel headelonge then they would doo as the catholyke Churche from Chrystes tyme hetherto hath done concernynge the lawes of GOD and the rytes of the sayde catholyke churche And yet forsoth they wyll chaleng martyrdome but those seuen innocentes doo condempne them in this case And thys nowe haue ye heard howe ye should kepe the commaundementes of GOD to his pleasure firste in kepyng them all and euery of them and not in kepyng some and to offende in the other Secōdly in kepyng them with a ryght intention whyche is for the loue of God and eternall rewarde whych is God hymselfe And thyrdly in obseruyng the same with constancye and perseueraunce to the 〈◊〉 of our lyfe In which doinge ye kepe 〈◊〉 to the pleasure of God and to your eternall 〈◊〉 withoute kepyng of them ye neyther can please him nor haue lyfe euerlastyng accordyng to Chrystes owne sentence and iudgement when he sayd Si uis ad 〈◊〉 ingrediserua 〈◊〉 That is to saye 〈◊〉 thou wylte entre to lyfe kepe the commaundementes Nowe to come to speake of the thyrde parte or poynte of our diuision made in the begynnynge of thys preface it is to wytte of the greuous paynes punishmentes and afflictions that God in scrypture doth threaten and menace to be inflicted vpon such as breake hys commaundementes ye shall vnderstand first that the trangressours of Goddes law commaundementes are generally accursed of gods owne mouth as the Prophette Dauyd in the. 118. Psalme declarethe sayinge Maledicti qui declinant a mandatis tuis That is to saye Cursed be they which doo declyne or 〈◊〉 from thy commaundementes And of the particuler sharpe and dredfull scourges punyshmentes and plages whiche do lyght vpon the trangressours of these commaundementes ye may rede in the. 〈◊〉 chapiter of Leuiticus and in the. xxvii and. xxviii chapiters of Deuteronomy And howe that to the terrible example of other almyghtye God hath from tyme to tyme executed his Justyce vpon aswell pryuate men women as also vpon myghty rulers prynces kynges and emperours besydes thē vpon Townes Cities ye hole countryes and kyngedoms in scourgyng 〈◊〉 afflyetynge and plagynge them for breaking trangressing of his lawes commaūdementes the scryptures most habundantly do testify As that some were of the earth swalowed vp quicke euen vnto hell and euerlastynge payne and that other some yea fyne hole Cities with fyre brymestone poured downe from heauen were quyte brent vp and consumed and ferther that a greate number of chyldren by beares sent by God sodenly were deuoured for theyr lewde and wycked behauioure with very many other such lyke terrible examples in the Scryptures at large sufficientlye expressed which were to longe particulerlye here to rehearse and are easye there to be founde Wherefore to conclude thys thyrd parte we aduyse all men to haue contynually before theyr eyes that dreadeful saying of S. Paule in the. vi to the Romaynes Stipendia pecca timors That is to saye The stipend or rewarde of synne is death Meanyng thereby not onelye here in thys worlde temporall death of the body but also after thys lyfe death eternal payne in hell fyre And as concernynge the fowerth and last part of our first proposed diuision it is to wytte of the great rewarde and blessynges which shall come to them that in such sorte as before we haue expounded kepe the lawes and commaundementes of allmightye God fyrst ye shall note those comfortable words of almyghty God in the twentyth chapiter of Exodus where he sayth of hymselfe thus Faciens misericordiam in millia 〈◊〉 qui diligunt me 〈◊〉 custodiunt precepta mea That is to saye Doynge mercy vnto thousands to thē that loue me kepe my commaūdements And agayne in the. xxvi of Leuiticus he sayth Si in prae ceptis meis ambulaueritis mandatamea custodieritis feceritis 〈◊〉 dabo uobis pluuias temporibus suis terragignet germen suum pomis Arbores
to the example of Saynte Paule declarynge in the ninth chapyter of hys fyrste pystle to the Corinthyans where he sayth of hym selfe thus Subigo corpus meum in seruitute redicd ne cum alijs predicem ipse reprobus efficiar That is to saye I chastyce or tame my bodye and bryng it in subiection or bondage leaste whyle I preache to other I my selfe become a cast awaye The fourth is to auoyde Idlenesse for Idle personnes are ful of lustes and cōcupiscence And as it is wrytten in the. xxiii chapyter of Ecclesyasticus Multam malitiam docuit 〈◊〉 That is to saye Idlenes hath taughte much euyll As maye well be exemplyfyed in Sodoma of whyche it is wrytten in the xvi chapter of Ezechyell Beholde thys was the iniquitie of Sodom thy syster pryde saturitie or eatynge to the full excessyue wealthe and the ydlenes of her and her doughters And here you shall note that when we aduyse you to flye euyll companye and Idlenes we imploye therin that you shoulde alwayes haunte the companye of honest and godlye personnes and also euer to be ententiuelye occupyed in some vertuous ex excyse or meditation And by the waye we thynke thys good to note agayne vnto you as cōcernynge concupyscence that al be it not to haue it at al in thys lyfe is a thinge to vs impossible yet to consent vnto it or by the grace of God to dissent from it is a thing wel possyble vnto vs. And in dede to dissent frō or resyste concupiscence we owghte to the vttermooste of oure power and vsyng the specyall meanes before rehearsed or some of them we by the grace of GOD shal be hable so to doo And to procede further concernynge the declaration of this tenthe commaundemente ye shall knowe that all they be transgressoures of thys commaundemement who by delyberatiō and ful con sent doo cast or set theyr myndes and bartes to accomplyshe the concupyscence and desyre whych they haue to obteyne and gette vnlawefullye an other mans wyfe chylde seruaunt house lande cattayle or any thyng that is theyr neyghboures Secōdlye also they doo transgresse thys commaundement who through enuy be sory for theyr neyghboures wealth prosperitie or be glade of theyr sorowe hynderaunce or aduersitie Thirdelye and fynally all they do transgresse and breake thys tenth commaundemente who doonot sette theyr myndes and studyes to preserue maynetaine and defende vnto theyr neygheboures as muche as in them lyeth theyr wyues chyldren seruauntes houses landes goodes and all that is theyr neyghboures And thus endeth the tenne commaundementes wyth theyr expositions whyche almyghtye God graunte that we maye obserue and kepe for then we shal be sure to haue the kyngedome of heauen and to lyue eternally in ioye and felicitie ¶ Here nowe doth folowe the praier of oure Lorde called the Pater noster deuided into seuen petytions beyng wrytten in the vi chapter of Saynte Mathewe Oure father whiche arte in heauen halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Geue vs this daie our daily breade And forgeue vs our trespasses as we doo forgeue them that trespasse against vs. And let vs not be ledde into temptation But delyuer vs from euyll Amen ¶ The preface to the prayer of oure lorde called the Pater noster BEfore we shall enter vnto the speciall declaratiō of the petitions conteined in the prayer of oure lorde called the Pater noster we callynge to oure remembraunce the godlye coūsaile moste nedefull to be folowed in thys behalfe written in the. xviii chapter of Ecclesiastycus in these wordes Before prayer prepare thy mynde wyl for your good instruction declare fyrst of all vnto you in what sorte you oughte to prepare your mindes before you begynne to praye Knowe ye therefore that concernyng our dewe preparation vnto prayer three thynges are amongest other specyallye requisite on oure behalfe the fyrst is Fayth the second is Hope and the thirde is Charitie and as concernyng Faith Ye shall vnderstande that forasmuche as Praier is an eleuation or liftinge vppe of the hearte to God to aske of hym all suche thinges as be necessarye And to lyfte vppe ones hearte or mynde is vnfruitefull and vnpossible wythout faythe accordynge to the sayinge of Sayncte Paule who in the tenth chapyter to the Romaynes wryteth thus Howe shall they inuocate or call vpon him in whome they haue not beleued Therefore aboue all thynges faythe yea and stronge fayth must be in vs whensoeuer we doo goo aboute to praye for fayth teachethe vs two thynges the one to knowe our owne infyrmytie and miserable estate both in bodye and soule the other to knowe the maiestye of God hys almyghtye power and good wyll towardes vs. And of faythe wyth the greate vertue thereof in prayer our sauiour Chryste speakyng in the xxi of Saynt Mathewe sayinge Omnia quecunque petieritis in or 〈◊〉 credentis accipietis That is to saye All thinges whatsoeuer you aske in praier beleuinge or hauing faith you shall receyue them And as concernyng Hope Sayncte James in the fyrst chapyter of hys epystle wryteth thereof sayinge thus Si quis autem uestrum indiget sapientia postulet a deo quidat omnibus affluenter non improperat dabitur ei postulet autem in side nihil hesitans qui enim hesitat similis est fluctui maris qui auento mouetur circumfertur non ergo existimet homo ille quod aliquid accipiet a domino That is to saye Yf anie of you haue nede of wisedome lette him aske of God who giueth to al haboundantlie and dothe caste no man in the teth it shal be giuē vnto him But let him aske in faith nothing douting for he the douteth is like vnto the waue of that sea which is moued tossed of the wynde There fore lette not that man thynke that he shall re ceaue any thing at Goddes handes The propertye of hope in prayer is to cause a man pa cientlye wyth longe sufferaunce to abyde the wyll pleasure of God in the obteynaunce perfourmaunce of hys request and prayer For we may not prescrybe to God anye determynate or specyall tyme to accomplyshe oure prayer but we muste commytte vnto hys holy wyll bothe the manner howe and the tyme whē to helpe vs. Accordynge as 〈◊〉 prophete Dauyd doth counsayle vs in his xxvi Psalme sayenge Expecta dominum uiriliter ageconfortetur cor tuum sustine dominum That is to saye Looke for oure Lorde or abyde the pleasure of hym do thou manfully let thy hart be conforted and pacyentlye doo thou susteyne oure Lorde And of thys patyence in hope and of hope in prayer we haue a notable example in the seuenth and viii chapyters of the boke called Judyth where it is wrytten howe that a certayne towne of Jewrye called Bethulia was soore assaulted of the Assyryans in so much that the people of the sayd towne despayrynge of all ayde and succor
agaynste theyr enemyes dyd ernestlye solicite and moue Ozais theyr chiefe ruler to render vppe the towne to the Assyrians who than beseyged them And that the sayde Ozias dyd exhorte then the people to be quiet and patiente and to abyde the mercye of GOD duringe the space of 〈◊〉 dayes promising them that after fyue dayes yf God dyd not succoure or ayde them againste theyr enemyes he then woulde accordynge to theyr desyres render vppe the towne vpon whych aunswere of Ozias the Godly wydówe Judyth mislikyng greatly the same dyd rebuke Ozias sharpelye for that he would and dyd presume to ap poynte God anye tyme in whyche he shoulde deliuer them from the daunger that they were in and howe also she sayde to Ozias and to other that were wyth hym in thys maner Quod est hoc 〈◊〉 in quo consensit Ozias ut tradat ciuitatem Assyris si intra 〈◊〉 dies non 〈◊〉 uobis 〈◊〉 Et qui estis uos 〈◊〉 tentatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onest iste sermo quimisericordiam prouoces sed potiut 〈◊〉 iram exitet et 〈◊〉 accendat Posuistis uos tempus miserationis domini in orbitrium uestrum diem constitu istis ei That is to saye What thynge is thys wherevnto Ozias hath consented that he woulde delyuer the cytye to the assyrians yf wythin fyue dayes there come no succour or ayde vnto you And who are you that tempt our Lord God thys speache or sayinge is not suche as may prouoke the mercy of GOD but rather such as maye styrre vp hys anger and kyndle hys fury haue you putte or sette a time of the miseration or merci of our Lord and haue apointed or prescribed vnto hym a daye after youre wyll or pleasure Nowe concernynge Charytie whyche is the thyrd thynge requyred in prayer you shall vnderstand that wythout it no prayer 〈◊〉 be in anye wyse acceptable before the face of GOD. And therefore oure Sauyoure Chryste sayeth in the 〈◊〉 of Mathewe in thys wyse Yf thou offer thy gyfte at the aultar and there dooeste remember that thy brother hathe anye thynge agaynste the leaue thy gyfte ther before the Aulter and goo and be fyrste reconciled to thy brother and than come and offer thy gyfte Thus you see howe that yf you wyl haue your prayer harde and accepted of almyghtye God you muste of necessitie be fyrst prepared thervnto by faythe hope and charytie More ouer in the scryptures lefte for oure instruction and edifienge there are sondrye examples teachynge vs that prayer accumpanyed wyth fastynge and almes dedes is made therby a greate deale the more acceptable in the syghte of almyghtye God as apearethe in the twelue chapiter of the boke called Thoby wher the Aungell of God dothe saye vnto Thoby thelder as foloweth Bona est oratio cum ieiunio 〈◊〉 magis q̄ thesaurus 〈◊〉 That is to say Prayer with fastinge and almes dedes is good rather then to heape vp threasures of Golde Other examples also there are 〈◊〉 as of Kynge Iosaphat and the Iewes in the. ix 〈◊〉 of the seconde boke of Paralipomenon of Iudeth and the chyldren of Israell in the iiii chapyter of Iudythe of the Niniuites in the thyrd chapiter yf the prophet Ionas of Cornelius the conturiō in the x. chapyter of the actes of the Apostles but these are sufficiente And to procede further Concernynge 〈◊〉 ye shall note that when when we do praye our intent and the hole desyre of oure harte ought to be ioyned alwaye with the praier of oure mouth elles that reprochs wrytten by the pro phete Esaye in his xxix Chapyter recyted also in the. xv chapyter of Mathew may wel be verified on vs whyche is Populus hic lahijs me honorat cor autem corum longe esta me That is to saye Thys people honourethe me with theyr lyppes but theyr harte is farre from me And to drawe nere to oure purpose and speciallye to speake of oure Lordes prayer called the Pater noster you shall vnderstande that amongeste all the prayers whyche a Chrysten man maye make to God there is none soo worthy and so excellent a pray er as it is For it was not made and taughte vs by anye earthlye creature no nor by anye aungell of hea uen but by the very sonne of God our sauioure Iesus Chryste who is the eternal wysedome of God the father And the prayer is soo compendions and shorte that it maye easelye be learned and borne in mynd of all men so that excuse of ignoraunce or of not knowynge of it or of omyttynge the frequente vse and sayynge of it is cleane taken awaye from all personnes hauinge the vse of reason And thoughe thys prayer be shorte in wordes yet it is excedynge longe and pro founde in sence For in vii petytions comprysed in it it dothe conteyne all thynges that we canne desyre of God whether it be for the welthe of oure soule or of oure bodye or otherwyse and not onelye concerning thys lyfe but also concernynge the lyfe to come And it dothe kepe the selfe same order whyche we oughte to kepe in alloure desyres and petytyons For fyrste and aboue all other thinges we shoulde desyre that God be knowen honoured gloryfyed and magnyfyed bothe of vs and also the people of the worlde And that is it whych we do desyre of GOD in the fyrste petition sayinge Hallowed be thy name Secondlye we shoulde desyre at Goddes handes all thynges that are good and that doo we in the three petitions nexte folowynge for in the fyrste of the thre whyche is Let thy kyngdome come we doo aske eternall good thynges in the seconde whiche is Let thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heauen We doo aske spiritual good thynges And in the thyrde whyche is Gyue vs this day oure dayly breade We doo aske temporal good thynges appertaynynge to our bodely sustentation Thyrdelye as we oughte to desyre God to delyuer vs from al euyll soo doo we in the three last petitions for in the fyrste of them whyche is Forgeue vs oure trespaces as we doo forgyue thē that trespace agaynste vs. we doo desyre God to deliuer vs from synne and eternall deathe whyche is the rewarde of synne And in the seconde whyche is And leade vs not into temptation We do desyre to be deliuered from our spirituall enemyes and in the laste whyche is But deliuer vs from euyll We doo desyre be sydes other thynges that we may be delyuered from euyles temporall Breifely thys prayer of our Lord is so profound soo aboundaunt and so plenteous that there is no prayer whether it be wryttrn in the olde testament or in the newe but the summe and effecte thereof is conteyned in some of these seuen petytyons Wherefore we exhorte all people to saye thys prayet ofte distinctlye and 〈◊〉 and well to note the particuler declaration thereof which here foloweth ¶ The exposition or declaration of the fyrste petition of the Pater noster whyche is Oure father
whiche arte in heauen hallowed be thy name WE cannot comprehend in our mynde the great goodnes of God towardes vs in that he hath taughte vs here in the begynnyuge of oure prayer to cal hym Oure father Of truthe this was not vsed in the tyme of the olde testamente amongeste the Iewes for they lyued vnder the bondage of Moyses lawe as seruauntes and durste not call God theyr father but Lorde whych is a 〈◊〉 of maiestye and power but we Chrysten men are taughte by oure Sauioure Chryste hymselfe the author and maker of thys prayer boldelye to call God oure father whyche is a name of be 〈◊〉 mercy gentlenes and greate loue And yf the holy pa triarche Abraham who was called the frend of god dyd call GOD his Lord whan he made hys prayer vnto hym sayinge in the. xviii of Genesys Shall I speake to my Lorde seynge I am but dust and 〈◊〉 Howe muche lesse durste we haue called God our father except that he had so taught vs and commaunded vs to 〈◊〉 In why the hys doynge he hath gyuen vs ryghte great cause to put our hole con fidence in hym and to loke and truste for all good at his hande But ye wyll percase aske howe hathe almyghtye God made hym selfe to be oure father Trulye it is not by natural generation for after that sorte he onelye is father vnto Iesus Chryste but he hath made hymselfe to be our father by adoptinge vs 〈◊〉 hym throughe faythe in Chryste Iesus whych thyng he doth in the tyme of oure baptysme accordyng as it is wrytten in the fyrste of S. Iohn 〈◊〉 eis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dei fierihijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saye 〈◊〉 He Chryst gaue vnto them power to be made the sonnes of God to thē who beleue in hys name And in the. viii to the Bomaynes S. Paule sayeth 〈◊〉 haue receiued the 〈◊〉 of Adoption to be the sonnes of God in whych 〈◊〉 we doo crye Abba father And in the 〈◊〉 to the Ephesyans S. Paule sayeth Be ye folowers of God as mooste dearelye beloued sonnes and walke in loue as Chryst hath loued 〈◊〉 And in the fyft of Mathew our sauiour Christ saieth Be ye perfit as youre heauenlye father is perfit And here is to be noted a lesson that as 〈◊〉 worde father doth declare the greate 〈◊〉 mercy and loue of GOD towardes vs as well in creation as also in the redemption of man so it 〈◊〉 sheth vs agayne of oure duetye towardes hym and howe we be bound to shew agayne vnto hym our hole harte loue obedience and redynes to fulfyll with all gladenes and humilitye all hys preceptes and commaundementes And therefore whosoeuer presumeth to come to God with this prayer and to call hym father and yet hathe not full intente and purpose to vse hym selfe in all thynges lyke a kynde and an obedyente Sonne he commeth to him as Iudas came to Christ wyth a kysse pretendyng to be his frende and hys ser uaunte in callynge hym mayster and yet he was in dede a traytoure to hym and a deadelye enemye And for thys consideration euerye chrysten man that intendeth to make thys prayer ought inwardly and throughly to searche and examyne hym selfe and yf he fynde in hymselfe anye notable cryme for the whiche he oughte to be ashamed to cal GOD his father let hym accuse hym selfe therefore to God and recognyse hys vn worthynes saying as the prodygal sonne sayde father I haue offended the I am not worthye to be called thy sonne And wyth due repentaunce 〈◊〉 purpose and intente to amende hys naughtye lyfe let hym lyte vppe hys harte to God and callynge for hys grace of reconciliation let hym humbly say Oure father c. Neyther is it wythoute greate cause that oure sauyour Chryste teacheth vs to saye Oure father and not My father For thereby he geuethe vs clerly to vnderstande that as we our selues be the sōnes and chyldren of God by adoption throughe faythe so are all other Chrysten men and women the chyldren of GOD by the same faythe and therefore we ought to loue them all with perfecte loue and charytye as brethen and systers in God Oure heauenlye doctoure in thys worde doeth geue vs instruction of vnitye concorde and peace and to praye to God for all chrysten people knowen and vnknowen for and frende And for that purpose and effecte he hath not learned vs to saye My father whiche art in hea uen but he hath taught vs to saye Oure father whiche arte in heauen Lykewyse we saye not gyue me thys daye my daylye breade but Giue vs thys daye oure daylye breade nor we say not forgiue me my synnes and trespasses but forgyue vs oure synnes and trespasses Lykewyse we saye not delyuer me from euyll but Delyuer vs from euyll To sygnyfye that throughe faythe in Iesus Christe we are all the sonnes of God and therefore shoulde not the gentleman dyspyse the yoman nor the ryche the poore Malachye Malach. 2. doth saye Nunqui non pater unus omnium nostrum 〈◊〉 non unns deus creauit nos quare ergo unusquisque nostrum despicit fratrem suum That is to saye Haue not we all one father hathe not one God made vs all wherefore than doth euerye one of vs dyspise hys brother The prayer in dede that the proude Pharisey made Luke 18 〈◊〉 not acceptable vnto God bycause he dispised hys neighboure the publican Let vs al 〈◊〉 knowe our selues to be brethren in god through sayth equally to be hys chyldren And as concerninge these wordes whych art in heauen we maye not by theym vnderstande that God is conteyned and included wythin the heauenes as the aungelles and holy sayntes are for as Salomon sayeth in the thyrd booke of the kynges and the eyght chapyter The heauens of heauens doo not comprehende or include hym But in thys respecte he is sayde to be in heauen because he by hys almyghtye power doth conteyne kepe holde vp and mayntayne all the heauens and also all other creatures whyche are enclosed and shutte vnder the cope or compasse of heauen accordynge as S. Paule sayeth Collos. i. Omnia in ipso constant That is to saye All thynges in hym haue theyr beynge And therefore vnto god onelye we doo saye whyche arte in heauen Bycause that god onely as he hath made heauen and all thynges vnder heauen so he onely is in all the heauens and wyth hys almyghtye power conserueth and kepethe them in all theyr beyng And here must we note that we maye not thynke that god is so in heauen that thereby he can not be or is not in earth also as shall please hym selfe For truelye he is in all places by hys essence by hys presence and by hys power accordynge as he sayethe Hieremye xxiii Nonne coelum terram ego impleo That is to saye Doo not I fyll heauen and earth and he is sayde specyally to be in heauen for as muche as in heauen he
is manyfest and sheweth hys godheade hys dyuyne maiestye power glorye ioye and blysse eternall whyche he hath promysed to geue as a rewarde to al suche as doo perseuer in hys fayth and obedience accordynge as he sayeth Math. v. Merces uestra multa est in coelis That is to saye Youre rewarde is greate in heauen And here doo you marke that these wordes whych arte in heauen are so placed and set furth to styrre vp our heartes to God and to cause in vs an inward desyre and a greate care and studye to come to the place where our heauenly father is yea and muche to couete hys syghte and presence For lyke as a louyng chylde is euer desyrous to be where hys father is euen so oughte we euer to desyre to be wyth oure heauenlye father and to endeuoure our selues that our conuersation be al wythdrawen frō the worlde the fleshe and the deuyll and be set vpon heauen and heauenlye thynges as S. Paule teacheth Phil. iii. And therefore we shoulde contynuallye wayle and lament because we be not wyth oure heauenlye father saying with the prophet Psal. cxix wofull am I that my dwellynge vpon the earth is soo muche prolonged And by these wordes shoulde there be engendred in vs a stronge hope of eternall glorye And howe can we fayle thereof yf we wyll seynge oure heauenlye father hathe bothe the wyll and also the power to perfourme it Hys wyll we clearelye vnderstande in asmuche as he made hym selfe to be oure father hys power is well knowen for that he is a God of power and glorye and maker and preseruer of Heauen Earthe and of all that in them is And here shall you further note that these wordes Our father whych art in heauen are put lyke a prologue before all the seuen petitions yea and euery one of them may haue prefixed before them the same prologue declaryng playnely that no man can saye thys prayer truely and duelye that no pleasure of god and hys owne meryte excepte he haue fayth hope and Charytye for wythout faythe nor can say truelye O father and wy thoute charytye to hys neyghbour no man cane say truelye and meritoriouslye Oure father and wythout hope no man can saye truelye Whyche arte in hauen doo thou remyt vs our synnes And in these wordes Halowed be thy name it is to be noted that by the name of God is vnderstande God hym selfe the power of God the myght the maiestye the glory the wysedome the prouidence the mercye and goodnes of God and all such other good thynges as in scrypture be attribute vnto God And thys name is halowed when it is praysed gloryfyed sette furthe honoured and magnyfied of vs bothe in woorde and dede And where in thys petytyon we praye that hys name maye be hallowed it is not to be taken or thoughte that thys name of God whyche in it selfe is euermore moste holy most glorious most merueylouse and full of maiestye can be eyther aduaunced or dymynished by vs or any thyng that we can doo but we desyre here that thys moste holye name maye accordynge as it is in it selfe moste holy be so taken vsed honoured and halowed of vs and of all others as well heathen as chrystened lyke as on the contrary parte thys name is sayde to be polluted and defyled when we doo eyther in worde or in deede contumelyouslye and contemptuouslye or otherwyse dyshonor the same We desyre therefore in thys petytion that all false faythe by the whyche men eyther mystrust god or put theyr confidence in anye othere thyng more then in hym may be destroyed And that all wytche craftes and false charmes coniurations by the whyche Sathan and other creatures be inchaunted maye cease and geue place to goddes holy name and so lykewyse that all heresyes and false doctrynes maye vanyshe awaye so that goddes holy worde may be truely interpreted and purely taught and sette furth vnto al the worlde and that all infydels maye receyue the same and be conuerted to the ryght catholyke faythe whereby al disceyte hipocrisye and counterfaytynge of trueth of ryghteousnesse or of holynes may clearely be extincted Furthermore we do beseche and praye god here that his name may be halowed so that no mā should swere in vayne by it or otherwyse abuse the same to lye or deceyue hys neyghboure And generallye that none shoulde fall into pryde or ambition into desyre of worldlye glorye and fame into enuy malyce couetousuesse adulterye gluttonye slouth backbytynge sclaunderynge of hys neyghbours ne into any other euyll or wicked thoughtes and dedes whereby the name of god maye be dyshonored and blasphemed In thys prayer also we doo requyre god to graunte vs that in all perylls and daungers we ruime vnto hym as vnto our onely refuge and call vpon hys holye name and that in oure good woorde and woorkes we maye please and magnifye hym and be by hym preserued from the mooste damnable synne of vnkyndnes towardes hym And also that we whoo doo all readye professe the ryghte fayth may styl continue therein and maye doo and expresse the same aswell in oure outwarde conuersation as in confessynge it with our mouthe so that by oure good lyfe and oure good workes all other maye be moued to good and that by oure euyll woorkes and synnes no man maye take occasion to sclauuder the name or dimynyshe the laude and prayse of God but that all our woorkes and doynges may redoūd to the honor prayse and glorye of Goddes name ¶ The exposition or declaratiō of the seconde petition which is Thy kyngdome come THys seconde petition verye orderlye doth folowe vppon the fyrst for as in the fyrst we do aske of God our eternall father that hys gloryous name maye be knowen through out all the worlde and be of all people whether they be turkes Jues or heathen loued magnifyed and gloryfyed alwayes aswell as it is of vs Chrysten men which is a thynge aperteynyng to the dewe honor and glory of God and whych we ought of dutye fyrste and pryncipallye to desyre So in thys second petition we aske of God our heauenly father that he wyll vouchsafe to brynge vs to hys eternall kyngdome euermore to be wyth hym and partycypante of hys enerlastyng glorye and heauenly enherytaunce wyth Chryst Jesu our Sauiour whych is a thyng of al other that a mā may wysh to hys owne selfe the chief most greatest And for the declaratiō of thys second peticion you shall vnderstand that there are two kyngdomes the one contrarye to the other it is to wytte the kyngedome of god and the kyngedome of the Deuyll For as concernynge worldelye kyngdomes and dominions they 〈◊〉 they be well gouerned and guyded by order of Jystyce doo perteyne to the kyngoome of god as Saynte Paule testifyeth in the. xiii chapter to the Romaynes And 〈◊〉 they be misordered through want of 〈◊〉 vsyng Tyranye they doo pertayne to the kyngdome of the deuyll Nowe concernynge the kyngdome of
god it is of two fortes it is to wytte the kyngedome of grace in thys worlde and the kyngdome of glorye in the worlde to come and of the kyngdome of grace S. Paule dothe speake in the. xiiii to the Romaynes in thys wyse Règnum dei est iustitia pax gaudium 〈◊〉 spiritu sancto Qui enim in hoc seruit Christo placet deo probatus est hominibus That is to saye The kyngedome of God is iustyce and peace and ioy in the holy gost for he that in thys serueth Chryste pleasethe God and is allowed with men Lykewyse the sayd Saynt Paule speakynge of thys kyngdome of grace doth in the fyrste chapiter of hys epistle to the Collossenses say thus He hath translated or caried vs frome the power or kyngedome of darkenes into the kyngedome of his derelye beloued sonne in whome we haue redemption and remission of synnes And moreouer we doo reade in the fyfte of the Apocalipse after thys maner Fecisti nos deo nostro regnum That is to saye Thou haste made vs a kingedome vnto our God For doubtles so longe as we remayne in grace god doth raygne in vs as in a spirituall kyngedome and we as his faythfull people doo obeye hym therein And as concernynge the kyngedome of glorye in the worlde to come you shall vnderstand that oure Sauiour in hys second comminge which shal be at dōes day shal giue entrance perpetual possessiō therof to 〈◊〉 elect whēhe shal say vnto them as it is 〈◊〉 Comeye the blessed of my father doo you posselle the kyngedome prepared for you before the creation or beginning of the worlde Nowe concernynge the kyngedome of the Deuyll which is cleane contrarye to the kyngdome of God that in dede is a dominion or rule and souerayntye whych the deuyll hathe in the hartes of the wycked men and women who accordyng to his pernycious wyll and entycynges doo transgresse the commaundementes of God and doo make them selfe bonde and thrass to synne wyllyngly consentynge to the denyles tentations and drawen thereby to hys seruice and holden also therein by concupyscence of the fleshe by concupyscence of the eye and by pryde of life And of thys kyngedome of the deuyll S. Paule Ephe. ii doth speake sayinge He God the father hathe reuyued you al at ones when you were deade thorough your trespasses wherein in tymes past you did walke accordinge to the course of this worlde after the prynce of the kynge dome or power of this ayre the spirite which nowe worketh vpon the children of vnbeleif Accordynge wherevnto oure sauiour also Jhon xii doeth call the deuyll the prynce of thys worlde that is to saye of all euyll and wycked people lyuynge in the worlde And in the. xli chapter of Job the deuyll is called the kynge of al proude men And forasmuche as it is not in oure power to delyuer our selues from the 〈◊〉 of the Deuyll but onelye by Godes helpe For oure perdition and vndoing is of oure selues but oure helpe and faluation is of God as sayeth the Prophete Ozee cap. 13. therefore it is very necessarye for all true christen people to make this petition incessantlye vnto our heauenly father and to beseche hym according to this doctryne of Chryste that by hys grace helpe we may escape the dominion and power of the Deuyll and that we maye be made subiecte vnto hys heauenlye kyngedome Therfore in this petytyon we dysyre God to gyue vs afore all thynges true and constant fayth in him and in hys sonne Jesus Christ and in the holye Ghoste with pure loue and charitie towardes hym and all men to kepe vs also from infidelitie desperation and malyce whyche myghte be the cause of oure destruction and to delyuer vs from dissensions couctuousnes lecherye and euyll desyres and lustes of synne and so the vertue of his kingdom to come to reigne within vs that al our heart 〈◊〉 and wyttes wythall our strength inwarde and outwarde maye be ordered and directed to serue GOD to obserue his commaundementes and hys will and not to serue our 〈◊〉 the fleshe the worlde or the Deuyll We desyre also that this kingdome ones in vs begonne maye be daylye cucrcased and goo forwarde more and more so that all subtyll and secrete hate or slouth whych we haue to goodnes be not suffered to rule so in vs that it shall cause vs to loke back againe and to fall into synne but that we maye haue a stable purpose and strenghte not onelye to begynne the 〈◊〉 of innocencye but also to procede ernestly furthe in it and to perfourme accordynge to the sayinge of Saynt Paule Colosse i. where he prayeth that we maye walke worthelye pleasynge god in all thynges beyng fruitefull in all good workes growynge and increasynge in the knowledge of god Also Eph. iiii he doth saye Worke and doo the truth in charite and increase and goo forwarde in Christ. Therefore in this prayer desyrynge the kyngedome of god to come we requyre also that we beynge alredy receyued and entred into the kyngdom of grace and mercye of god may soo contynue and perseuer therein that after this lyfe we may come to the kyng dome of glorye whych endureth for euer and thys is that greate and feruent desyre where with good men beyng mortyfyed from worldely affections haue bene and be alwayes kyndled and enflamed as appeareth by Saynte Paule when he sayd Philip. I woulde be losed from this bodye and be with Chryste and he sayth Rom. eyght We that haue receiued the firste fruites of thy spyryte doo wayle and mourne in our selues 〈◊〉 and loking to be delyuered from the mortalitie miserles of this body into the glory of the children of God 〈◊〉 Thexposition or declaration of the thyrde petition whyche is Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen AFter that in the seconde petition we doo aske of God oure eternall father that hys kyngedome of grace maye come vnto vs in thys worlde that we maye finallye come to hys eternal kyngdome in heauen whyche is the hyghest degree of mans filicitye there doth by ryghte order folowe thys thirde petition wherein we doo aske of God oure eternall father that hys wyll maye be fulfylled here in earthe by the fulfyllynge and kepynge of hys commaundementes whyche is the best and mooste perfecte meanes to procure vnto vs the foresaide highe degree of our felicytie And for the better and playner vnderstandynge of thys thyrde petition you shall note that by disobedience and synne of our fyrst father Adam we be as of our nature onelye without the grace of God vnhable to fulfyll the wyll and preceptes of God and so are enclyned to loue our selues and oure one wylles that we canne not hartely loue neither god nor man as we oughte to doo And therfore we being once chrysten men it is requisite for vs to praye that lyke as the holye aungelles and saynctes in heauen in whome GOD reygnethe perfectlye and holye
signisye all kynde of vertue and goodnes and that by the Scribes and Pharyseis Chryste doth here meane certayne companies whiche were amonge the Iewes and dyd lyue accordynge to the letter of Moyses lawe so vpryghtly in the face of the world that they were commonly taken for parfyt men Decumenius an auncient father of the greke church doth so declare the foresayde wordes Wherefore when our sauioure requireth of vs that we in righ tuousnes shoulde passe the Scribes and Phariseis he meaneth that we Chrsten folke shoulde not onely outwardely seme good in the sight of the worlde as dyd the Scribes the Pharises but inwardlye also in our hartes shoulde be lyke wyse good in the syght of almyghtye God whiche they were not And because no faute is more greuouse then the breache of Christen Loue and Charitie therefore immediately after the foresayde generall sentence he instructeth vs after all other thinges in our durye touchinge Charitie sayinge Dictum est antiquis non occides qui 〈◊〉 occiderit reus erit iudicii Ego autem dico uobis 〈◊〉 omnes qui irascitur fratri suo reus erit 〈◊〉 That is to saye It was sayde to them of olde tyme Thou shalfe not sley whosoeuer dothe sley shal be in daunger of iudgemeÌ„t But I saye vnto you that whosoeuer is angry wyth his brother shal be in daunger of iudgement Behold good ChristeÌ„ people how perfit a charity Christ requireth in vs. For to vs he maketh the leaste breache of Charitie as daungerous as in olde tyme was the greatest breache to the Iewes The greateste breathe of Charitie is murdre and the 〈◊〉 thereof amongest the Iewes was iudgemente The leaste breache of Charyty is anger and yet the punishmeÌ„t appoynted for it to vs Christians by oure sauyoure hym selfe is lyke wyse iudgement Howe great dyfference of lyfe then I pray you must be betwene vs nowe lyuynge vnder the newe lawe and them that of olde tyme lyued vnder the olde lawe that is vnder that lawe of Moyses when as the selfe same payne that was then prescribed vnto them for the hyghest degre of vncharitablenesse is nowe dewe to vs for the lowest degre thereof How is it that meÌ„ flatter them selues wyth the pleasaunte name of Christian libertye and thinke that because Christ saieth in the xi of Mathew Iug in meum suaue est et onus meum leue That is to saye My yoke is swete and my burden lyghte that therefore suche streytnes of lyfe and playnefull trauell is not requyred of vs as was before tyme of the Iewes True it is in dede that Christen men are not at thys presente bounde to be cyrcumcysed or to offer vp vnto almyghtye GOD calues oxen shepe and Gotes or to goo thryse a yeare to Ierusalem or to forbeare swynes fleshe or to kepe other lyke obseruations of Moyses lawe but as touchynge the tenne commaundementes and all mortall Preceptes contained in the old testament we Christyans are bounde to the obseruation of them of all other thynges belongyng to the estate of the new testamente and so bounde as that in perfourmance and fulfyllyng of them we muste be muche more perfyt and more exacte then euer was the Iewes in obeyng Moyses lawe Nether is the yoke of Chryste called swete nor hys burden lyghte for anye ease or remission that we maye take in oure condition but for two other consyderacions of whiche the one is the abouÌ„daunce of grace gyuen nowe in the tyme of the newe testamente farre excedynge the measure of grace gyuen to the Iewees folowinge Moyses lawe the other is the greatnes of rewarde promysed to vs aboue the Iewes as wytnesseth amonge manye other auncient fathers Oecumenius also who wrytyng vpon the v. of Mathew sayeth after this sorte QuoniaÌ„ infantia in â—irilem iam transierit etateÌ„ et copiosa hominibus data sit gratia et maxis maproposita sunt premia neque eumiam possioterrae terrenorum quem bonorum aut prolis faecunditas aut long a vita seu victoria contra hostas premittitur sed reguum caeloruÌ„ adoptio et victoria contra damones me piâ—o magna exiguntur certaminaÌ„ That is to saye For asmuch as nowe infancy is passed into mans age and grace is plenteouslie giuen to men and moost greatest rewardes are promised for now nether possession of earth earthelye goodes nor longe lyfe nor fecundite of chyldren nor victorye agaynst oure mortal enemyes is promised but the kingdome of heaueÌ„ adoptioÌ„ to God and victory against deuels therefore of good reason great fyghtes are required of vs. Thus saith Oecumenius coÌ„cludyng that we christen men must more paynefully and manfully fyght agaynst our ghostly enemye then did the Iewes because we receaue more grace then they receued and haue promise made to vs of greater rewardes theÌ„ they had made to theÌ„ For these two causes we christen men must thynke the yoke of Chryst swete and his burden easye be the thinges which are requyred of vs neuer so hard to doo as this is one that we may not breake charitie so muche as in the lowest degree that can be that is in anger whych woord in the foresaid place of Mathew dothe sygnify a violation of breache of charitye not vttered or shewed forthe by any sygne but onely conceyued secretly in the harte and there lyenge hyd from knowledge of man but open and manifest to the eye of almyghty God who seith eueÌ„ the inwarde thoughtes of the harte this breache of charitye thoughe it seme to many a smale faute yet Chryste declareth it to be a greuouse faute and maketh it in the payne equall with murder committed of old tyme by the Iewes Nowe yf Chrysten men hauinge conceiued anger in theyr hartes do not by and by suppresse the same but proceade to a fardar breache of charitie that is to vtter theyr anger by any sygne or token than is this ther faut greter then the other and the punyshemente due for the same greater also accordynge to the woordes of Chryste who in the. v. of Mathewe saieth Qui auteÌ„ dixerit Racha â—eus erit concilio that is to say He that saieth to hys brother Racha shal be in daunger of counsel Where by Racha we muste vnderstande an outewarde sygne vttered by the mouth wyth breach of charitie and yet such a sygne as dothe sygnifye no expresse or particular reproch as to thou our brother or to tushe at hym And by councell we must vnderstand agreat punyshmente then was iudgemente After this our sauiour procedeth to the third degre of vncharitablenesse which is in woorde to cal our neyghboure by any euyll name as to call him foole Of this third degre Chryst sayeth Qui autem dixerit fratri suo fatue reus erit gehennae ignis that is to saye He that calleth his brother fole shal be in daunger of hell fyre beholde Chrystian people your lyfe in thys lesson as in a glasse and you shall see what daunger you
Uyrgin Mary his mother present with hym nor anye other of his dyseyples saue onely the. xii Apostles whome he appoin ted to be the head ministers of al his misteryes here on the earth and specially to be the ministers of this most blessed sacrament and the iustructours of al other touching the same Now what meneth it that our Sauiour was not content to offer them this sa crament onely but with the offeryng therof he said also vnto them Take eate take and drinke Do mē vse to offer to other meate and drynke for anye 〈◊〉 purpose but onelye that they shoulde eate and drynke thereof but bycause it was hys bodye and hys bloude therefore he fyrste byddeth them take and not feare to eate and drynke the same Besydes this it is to be well noted that that thre Euangelystes Mathew Marke and Luke did al three agree in the maner of the institution of thys sacramēt they wryting all three their gospels at sō dry tymes as Mathe we eyght yere after the ascencion of our sauiour Chryst. Marke x. yeares Luke xv yeares And where in doubteful speaches of our sauiour Chryst some one or other of that Euangelists euermore openeth playnly the very meaning of the speches yet touchyng these words this is my body no one of them maketh anye declaration vpon the same but they all leue them to be takē of vs as they sound and as of most plaine words they make no exposition or interpretation of them at all Whyche poynt must be well consydered And therefore note th at where Chryst sayde It is impossible for a rich man to entre into the kingdō of heuen bicause that meaning of these wordes may be dyuersly taken thereof S. Marke in his tenth chapyter declareth the very meaning of them saying It is harde for them that trust in there substaūce to be saued Agayne Chryst at another time said to the Iewes loose you this timple in thre daies shal I build it againe Andfor that the sense of these wordes is doughtfull S. Ihon there expoundeth them and sayeth that Chryst by the tēyle ment his body which should be by the Iewes put to death and by him the thirde daye shoulde be raysed from death to lyfe In the viii of Ihon oure sauiour sayeth He that beleueth in me as the scriptnre sayeth there shall ryuers of quyck water flow out of him And because this saing is obscure S. Iohn to make it open sayeth that he spake those wordes of the spirit which they that be leued in him should receyue In the. xii chapiter of S Ihon our sauiour sayth in this maner If I be lyfte vp from the earth I wyl draw al thin ges vnto my selfe And S Iohn by and by geueth vs the exposition saying that hereby he signyfyed what kynde of death he should suffer Manye other lyke places are there in the newe testamente the matter of which places is not so hyghe nor soo nedefull to be ryghtly vnderstanded as that meaning of these wordes this is my body and yet of these wordes no one Euangelist maketh any exposition bycause the wordes are playnely and symply to be taken as they were spokē Besides al this we haue in S. Paule in the xi Chapiter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians a goodly and a large processe touching thys Sacrament and yet in that whole processe no matter to instructe vs otherwyse to be leue of it than that there is in it the very body and bloude of our sauiour Chryst. For fyrste he vttereth the wordes of oursauiour euen as the Euangelists do as that he sayd this is my bodye and he maketh no declaration vpon the same Secondly where none of the Euangelists make mentiō of any paine due to the vnworthy receauer S Paule affirmeth that the vnworthy receyuyng of thys Sacramente bryngeth iudgement and dampnation Thirdly he telleth that for the vnworthy receauing hereof God plageth cities and cuntryes wyth sondrye greuous plages as with infirmitye with syckenes and with death also Forthely he geueth vs counsell dylygentlye to examine and trye our selfes before we come to gods borde If the very body and bloude of oure sauiour Chryst be not in dede in the sacramēt of the aultare why shold our sauiour so speake as he spake in the promisse made thereof why dyd he as he dyd in the instituting therof why dyd none of the Euāgelists so declare christes wordes why dyd sayncte Paule so terribly pronounce of the vnworthy receauynge of it and so ernestly warne vs of due preparation to be made therefore It is then most vndoutedlye to be of all chrysten people beleued that in the Sacrameut of the aultare there is the verye body and boulde of our sauiour Chryst worthy of all honour and glory the selfe same in substannce that is in heauen which thyng for Chryst to bryng to passe is a thyng most casye he being God almighty maker of heauen and earth and for hym to do is moost semely that as he gaue that bodye 'to deathe to redeme vs so he should giue the same in thys heauenly bankitte to fede vs that he myght be all in all The body of our sauiour Christ to be in very dede in heauen in the visible fourme of a mā and in the Sacrament of the Aultare inuisible vnder the visible 〈◊〉 of bread and wyne nether is impossible to hys power that made all thinges of noughte nether vnsemely for his exceadynge great loue towardes vs who so loued vs that for vs he dyd not refuse to suffer death and that the deathe of the crosse neyther yet is it agaynst hys wyll who of hys onely mercye so promysed and wyth hys omnipotent word so instituted it nother is it fynally vnfytte for hys wyse dome seynge he hath so ordeyned that euery naturall mothere nouryshe her chyldren wyth the substaunce of her owne body And why then shold christen men refuse to beleue it why do we not rather embrace it and gyue God moste hartye thankes for it being the greatest iewell that euer was amonge mortal men why do we not prepare our selues worthely to receaue it and as in all other poyntes of the christen religion so in the belefe of it geue credite to fayth and bryng reason and our senses in subiectiō vnder fayth but suffer our ghostly enemy by carnall reasons to bryng vs away into heresie quite and cleane to pull the ryghte faythe out of oure hartes Let vs all good people from hence forth be constaūt in the trueth and as all the catholyke churche beleueth and hath alwayes beleued let vs vndoutedlye perswade our selues that in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare there is vnder the fourmes of breade wine the seife same body of our sauiour Christ in sub staūce whych was borne of the Uyrgin Mary and suffered death on the crosse for vs to whō with the father the holy gost be all honor glory world wythout ende Amen
hath bene spoken and shewed vnto you yet neuerthelesse for the more euydente and playne vnderstandynge hereof ye shall knowe that diuerse wayes one dothe abuse and vnryghtly take the name of God and so doth trangresse this commaundement And fyrst all suche do it who eyther with fayre wordes and flattering intisements or for payne tormente or other meanes beinge ouercome do denye the true God or Chryste oure Lord or hys true holye and catholyke faythe vnto whome Christe in the tenthe of Mathewe gyuyth thretning after this maner Qui me 〈◊〉 coram hominibus negabo et ego 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patre meo That is to saye Who shal deny me before men I wyll denye also hym before my father And it shall not be taken for a good excuse yf they saye that in harte they dyd not so denye thoughe by mouthe or outward acte they dyd it so in dede for wrytten it is as before is sayde Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore dutem confessiofit ad salutem 〈◊〉 10 And that vngodlye by saying Iurata lingua est animns iniuratus That is to saye My toung is sworne but my harte or mynde is vnsworne is caste oute of doores and dyssalowed abhorred and reiected of all true and catholyke people Soo that herein Salomon most greuouslye offended who for the sake and loue of his wyfe dyd boylde a temple to the Idol Moab and also to Moloche the Idoll of the 〈◊〉 of Aminon And secondly agaynst this commaundemente doo offend alsuch as do beare and wil haue the name of Chrysten men and yet in theyr manners lyfe and conuersatyon doo all thynges contrarye to a Chrysten mans professyon For whych cause as saynt Paule Ro. 2 dothe saye the name of God is blasphemed amongeste the 〈◊〉 for the Chrysten men doo saye that they doo knowe God aud yet in theyr doynges they doo denye hym Tit. 1 〈◊〉 they transgresse thys commaundement who 〈◊〉 seke one ly theyr owne honoure and glorye in theyr doynges and gyue not god the prayse and honour but ascribe onelye to them selues the goodnes glorye and wysedome Of whome the Psalmistc in the. 48. Psalme sayeth 〈◊〉 nominasua in 〈◊〉 suis That is to saye They haue called or pute theyr owne names 〈◊〉 their landes Fourthly althey do breake this commaundement that doo not thankefullye acknow ledge the goodnes bountifulnes and mercye of God or call not vpon his name as they oughte to do bothe in prosperitie and aduersitie Fyftely 〈◊〉 such as throu ghe theyr unpacience do curse and 〈◊〉 them selues or almyghty God which thynge speciallye amongest hasarders and dyceplaers is frequented and vsed Al suche the scryptur in the. 24. of Leuiticus adiudgeth to death Syxtely all they that do vse to betake them selues to the diuii as commonly dyuerse doo in their talke or doo wyshe vnto themselfe a 〈◊〉 at theyr harte and that they neuer maye come in heauen or other suche lyke terrible thynges yf it be not soo or so as they saye they doo greatlye abuse and mystake the name of God Seuenthly all they whych do disho neste or dyshonor the name of God eyther their owne selues doynge it or elles not agayne sayinge and rebu kynge other the doers The commen flatterers also whych frame theyr toungue to talke as lykethe theyr lordes and Maysters thoughe it be in verye balsphemy and horrible vyce Preachers also suche as onely be men pleaseres and doo omytte to tell the people theyr faultes such also as beyng not lawefully called and sent do thruste them selues in to preach the word of God yea and they whyche wraste and mangle the scrypture with vntrue and vncatholike expositions They also that do deryde the holye mysteryes and sacramentes of Chryste And briefely al they that ether doo thynke or teache otherwyse then the Catholyke churche beynge decyued by succession from the Apostles vnto our tyme hathe thoughte and taughte or ells vnder the pretense of preachyng Goddes worde do in theyr sermons and collations sowe dyssensyon tumultes and rebellion especially agaynste theyr gouernours do greuously abuse the name of God and therefore worthy of greate punyshmente The like pu nishmeut or rather greater the periured persones are worthy to haue and they also moste offendynge and worthye muche punyshmente who in theyr common take by an vngodly vsage and leude custome doo at euery other worde swere eyther by god or his deathe or other such lyke greatly blaspheming the name of god And who so lyst to haue this matter of swering fulli lernedly examined dyscussed and declared Lette hym repare to the chapyter Et si Christus de iureiurando ther at length he shall fynde howe the sayinge of Chryste Mathew v and the saying of Saynt Iames cap. v. wyth other places that seme to forbydde swearinge maye stande with other places of Scrpture that do suffer and allowe the gyuynge of othes They fynallye do offend and that very greuouse lye agaynste thys commaundemente who do breake theyr vowes made to almyghty God For it is wrytten in the xxiii chapyter of Deuternomye after thys maner Whan thou haste made a vowe vnto thy lorde God thou shalte not slacke or make delaye to perfourme or paye it And in the fyfte of Ecclesiasticus it is wrytten thus Multo melius est non uouere quam post autem promissa non reddere That is to say It is great deale better not to make a vowe then after the vowe made not to accomplishe or do the thynges promysed And because amongest other thynges whych christen men doo vowe to God one is chastitie you shall knowe concernynge the same that from the very beginnynge of Christes churche suche kynd of vowe was taken iudged and estemed for lawefull honest and godly and that not onelye by the determination of man but cheifely also by the determination of our Sauyoure Chryste hym selfe as appeareth in the .xix. chapyter of Saynte Mathewe And therfore they whyche of late contrary to theyr vowes dyd take women vnto them vnder the name and coloure of Matrymonye haue greuously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offended almyghtye God as appearethe i. Tymoth v. where it is written Adolos centiores autem uiduas deuitd cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christo nubere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnationem 〈◊〉 primam fidem 〈◊〉 secerunt That is o saye The younger wydowes doo thou refuse for when they haue played the harlottes agaynste Chyste they wyll then marrye hauynge damnatyon because they haue frustrated or broken theyr fyrste faythe or promyse And here to conclude vpon thys commaundemente ye shall note that the Hebrues or Iewes to expresse and signifye the ineffable and wonderfull maiestie of GOD and his mooste hygh and euerlastynge domination and power do vse gyue dyuerse names therevnto with whyche beyng translated into Englyshe we do vse to name and cal God sometymes saying the God of vertues sometymes the Lorde of hostes sometymes almyghtye sometymes the maker of heauen and earth sometymes the kynge of glorye sometymes the kynge of kynges somtymes
the Lord of Lordes c. Of whose maiestie both heauen and earth also are fullye replenysshed ¶ Therposicition or declaration of the fourth Commaundement which is Remember that thou kepe holy the sabbot day FOr the better and more manyfest vnderstandynge of thys commaundement ye shall knowe that thys word Sabbotte vsed in the Englyshe toungue beinge referred to the interpretation or vnderstandinge and cō mon vsage of the Hebrues or Iewes dothe sygnyfye reste vpon the seuenth daye whyche we call Satur daye and 〈◊〉 Is to take reste vppon the sayde seuenth daye in whyche seuenth daye both they theyr chyldren there seruauntes and beastes dyd take reste and 〈◊〉 from all bodelye sernyle laboure that they were wonte to do Thys rest quiet nes with the sayde Hebrues or Iewes was but the rest of the body insomuch that yf an Hebreue or Iew dyd neuer so muche occupye or exercyse his mynde in carynge or thinkynge vpon worldely busynes yet yf he dyd not there with exercyse and occupye hys body with all he was accompted to kepe the letter of thys commaundement But wyth vs chrysten men there is requyred a greater perfection in thys behalfe for we muste besydes the due obsering of the sabbote in abstainyng our selues from bodily laboure haue also oure myndes quiet and free from all suche cares and gyue our sayde myndes intierly and holy vnto god the contemplation of godlye thynges not onelye prynatelye with oure selues but also publykelye 〈◊〉 duely to the churche and beynge godlie assembled with other there to heare the deuyne seruyce approued vsed and obserued in the catholyke church and withall to geue good eare to the word of GOD beyng there preached and to gyue thankes vnto god for hys greate benefyttes whyche to receyue we are mooste vnworthy consyderynge our noughty liuing and the abusynge of his sayde benefyttes And as in the churches we muste in the tyme of dyuyne seruyce on the sabbothe daye thus occupy oure selues deuoutlye So in all other places durynge the tyme of the sayde sabbothe day we absteining from bodely labour and other oure 〈◊〉 elye busynes by lawe not allowed muste occupye our selues in thought worde in dede as maye be to the glorye of God with the spyrytuall edifyinge bothe of our selues and also of oure neyghbours And emongest other thynges vpon the sayde sabbotte daye we muste visite the sycke persones and shewe and doo the workes of mercye to them other both bodely and ghostly euery one instructynge and teachynge his chyldren seruaunts and famyly in ver tue and goodes And albeit thys commauddemente when it was fyrste gyuen to the Iewes dyd fyrste bynde them and theyr successoures to kepe holye the Saturday beyng then taken and accepted for theyr Sabotte daye yet to vs chrysten men the Sondaye is oure Sabbote daye called in latten Dominica dies and so termed and named by Saynte Ihon in the fyrste chapyter of his Apocalypse or reuelatyon wher he sayeth 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 que appellatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uerbum dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesu fui in spiritu in dominica die c That is to saye I was in an Ilande whiche is called Pathe mos for the word of God and the testimony of Iesus Christ I was in spirite on the sonne day or the daie of our Lorde Of thys Sondaye or daye of our Lorde Saint Au gustyue in his 251. Sermon maketh a verye notable and godly processe as well concernynge the ryght vse of it as also of the altering of the sabbotte daye as it was vsed amongest the Iewes vpon the Saturday to the vse and kepyng of it vpon the Sonnedaye as emogest the chrysten people it is obserued and kepte And he the sayd Saynt Augustyne speakyng in his sayde sermon vnto the people sayeth thus Sciendum est fratris charissmi c. Whyche his sermon ther to auoyde superfluitie and tediousnes here in fyrste rehersynge the Latyn and then afterwardes puttinge there vnto the Englyshe we wyll onelye Englyshe faythfully translate here vnto you and moste worthy it is to be harde and learned And it is this Most derely beloued brethern it is to be knowen that therefore of our holye fathers it is ordened and commaunded to chrysten men that in the solempnyties of Saynctes and moste especiallye on the Sondayes the sayde chrysten men shoulde take reste and cease from earthlye busynes that they myghte be the more redyer and prompter to the dyuyne seruyce as not hauynge anye impediment or incommodytye whych myght staye or withdrawe them from it and myght leaue or forsake at that tyme earthlye care or thought to the intente that more easely they myghte take 〈◊〉 vnto or consyder the wyll of God of which thynge oure lorde hymselfe by hys prophet Psalmo 45 dothe saye Be you styll or quyet and do you consyder or see that I am GOD. But they who beyng entangled with diuerse cares and busynesses doo dyspyse thys sentence or sayinge of God and wyll not gyue or aplye them selues to dyuyne contemplation I feare me that in the iudgmente to come when they shall knocke at the gate of our lorde and requyre to be opened our Lord will aunswere and saye verelye I saye vnto you I knowe you not departe from me al you that do worke iniquitie And suche as nowe do neglecte to seke God are thē of hym to be refused Therefore my brethren let it not be paynefull or greuouse vnto you vpon the Sondayes and vpon the festyuall dayes of the Sayntes to gyue youre studye vnto the deuyne seruyce The apostles in dede and the apostolicall men dyd therefore decree or determyne the sondaye to be kept wyth deuout solempnitie for that oure redemer dyd vpon that daye ryse frome the deade And that day therefore is called in Latyn Dominicus That is to saye The daye of our Lorde That in it we absteyning from earthely workes and the enticemētes or flatterynge pleasures of the world may bende our selues to diuine seruyces onely giuing I saye to thys daye honoure and 〈◊〉 for the hope of oure resurrectyon whyche we haue in or by it For lyke as he our Lorde Iesus Chryste and sauyoure dyd ryse from the deade soo also we doo truste our selues to ryse at the laste daye And moreouer it appearethe euen in the holye Scryptures thys daye to be 〈◊〉 or highe for it is the fyrste daye of the worlde In it the elementes of the worlde were made in it Aungeles were created In it also Chryste dyd ryse from the deade 〈◊〉 it the holye Ghoste dyd from the heauens descend vpon the apostles and Manna also in the wyldernes was from heauen fyrste gyuen in it And by these figures and such lyke tokens thys daye of oure Lorde called Sondaye is notable And therefore the holye doctoures of the Church haue decreed or determyned to translate or brynge all the glory of the iudaicall Sabbote kept on the saturedaye into the sayde sonday that we myght celebrate in the veritie or truthe that whyche they