They are certayne customeable reuerēt doings and Ceremonyes ordeyned by Christe that by them he might put vs in remēbrāce of his benefits we myght declare oure profession that we be of the nomber of thē which are partakers of the same benefites and whyche fasten all theyr affiaunce in hym that we are not ashamed of the name of Christ or to bee termed Christes Scholers Master Tell me my sonne how these two sacramentes be ministred baptisme and that whyche Paule calleth the supper of the Lord. Scholer Hym that beleueth in Christ professeth the Articles of the Christian religion myndeth to be baptised I speake nowe of thē that be growē to ripe yeres of discretion sith for the yōg babes theyr parentes or the churches professiō sufficeth the minister dyppeth in or washeth with pure cleane water onlye in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost thē commendeth him by praier to God in to whose churche he is now openly as it wear enrowled that it mai please God to graunte hym hys grace whearhy ▪ he may answer in belefe and life agreablye to his profession Master What is the vse of the Lordes supper Scholer Euē the very same that was ordayned by the Lord himself Iesus Christ ▪ Which as S. Paul sayeth y ◠same nyghte that he was betrayed tooke breade and when he had geuen thankes brake it sayde Thys is my body which is brokē for you Do thys in the remembraūnce of me In like maner whē supper was ended he gaue thē the cuppe sayenge Thys cuppe is the newe testamēt in my bloud ▪ Do thys as ofte as ye shall drinck thearof in the remēbraunce of me Thys was the maner and order of the Lordes supper whyche we ought to holde kepe that the remēbraunce of so great a benefite the passyon and deathe of Christ be alwaye kepte in mynde that after that the worlde is ended he may come and make vs to fit wyth hym at hys owne borde Master What doth baptisme represēt set befor oureyes Scholer That we are by the spirite of Christ new borne and cleansed from syn that we be members and partes of his churche receiued into the communion of sainctes For water signifieth the spi rite Baptisiue is also a fygure of our burial in Christ and that we shall be raysed vp agayne wyth hym in a newe lyfe as I haue before declared in Christes resurrection Master What declareth betokeneth the supper vnto vs whych we solemnly vse in the remembraunce of the Lorde ▪ Scho. The Supper as I haue shewed a lytle before is a certayne thankfull remembraunce of the deathe of Christe for asmuch as the bread representeth his bodi betrayed to be crucifyed for vs The wyne standeth in steade place of his bloude plentuouslye shed for vs. And euen as by breade and wyne oure natural bodies are susteined and nourished so by the body that is y ◠flesh bloude of Christ the soule is fedde through fayth and quickened to the heauenlye and godly lyfe Master Howe come these thynges to passe Scholer Theese thynges come to passe by a certayne secreate meane and liuelye working of the spirit when we beleue that Christ hath ones for all gyuen vppe his bodye aud bloude for vs to make a sacrifice and moost pleasaūt offring to his heauenly father and also when we cōfesse and acknowledge him oure onlye sauyour hie Bishoppe mediatoure and redemer to whome is dewe all honour and glory Master All this thou doest well vnderstande For me thinketh thy meanynge is that faith is the mouthe of the soule whearby we receiue thys verye heauenlye meate full both of saluatiō and immortalitye dealt among vs by the meanes of the holy ghost Now sythe we haue entreated of the sacramentes passe forward to the other partes of Gods seruyce Scholer I will do your cōmaūdemēt Thear remaine two thinges belongyng to the perfection of Gods seruice First our Lord Iesus Christes wil was that ther shoulde be teachers and Euangelistes that is to saye preachers of the gospell to this entent that hys voyce myght continually be hard soūd in his church He that coueteth as all oughte to couet to beare the name of a Christiane maye haue no doubte that he ought wyth moste earnest affection and feruēt desyre endeuour himselfe to heare and soke into his mynde the worde of the Lord not lyke the words of anye man but lyke as it is in dede the word of almigh tie god Secōdarily bicause all that is good and that ought of a Christian to be desyred cometh vnto vs frō God and is by him graunted thearefore of hym we ought to require al things and by thankesgeuinge acknowledge them all receyued of him Which thing he so well liketh that he estemeth it in stede of a passing pleasauut sacrifice as it is most euidēt by the witnesse of the prophets Apostles Master Hast thou any certayne and appoynted maner of prayeng Scho. Yea forsoth euen the very same that oure Lorde taught his disciples and in them all other Christians Who beynge on a tyme required to teache them some sort of praier taughte them this Whē ye pray quod he say Our father whych art in heauen hallowed be thy name Thi kingdom come Thy will be done in earthe as it is in heauen Gyue vs thys day our dayly breade and forgyue vs our trespasses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynste vs. And lead vs not into temptaciō But delyuer vs from euell For thyne is the kyngdom power glory for euer Amē Maist. How thinkest thou◅ is it lawfull for vs to vse any other wordes of prayer Scho. Althoughe in thys short abridgement are suffiently conteyned all thinges that euery Christian ought to praye for yet hathe not Christe in thys prayer tyed vs vp so shorte as that it we are not lawfull for vs to vse other woordes and maner of prayer But he hathe set out in this prayer certain principall poyntes whearvnto all our prayers should he referred But let eche mā aske of God as hys present nede requireth Whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name saith Christ he shall gyue it you Master For as much as there is in all this praier nothing doubtfull or beside the purpose I woulde heare thy mynde of it Scholer I do well perceyue what y ◠wordes do signifie Master Thinkest thou then that there is in it nothynge ◅arcke nothynge hidde nothyng hard to vnderstād Scholer Nothing at al. For neither was it Christes plesure that there shuld be any thynge in it dareke or farre from our capacity specyally sithe it belongeth egally to all and is as necessarye for the lewd as the learned Mast. Therefore declare vn to me in fewe woordes eche parte by it selfe Scholer When I say oure father which art in heauē thys do I thincke with my selfe
rehearse Now therfore I wyll demaunde the questioÌ„s of certain pointes Scholer Do as shall please you Maister for ye maye more perfectlye instruct me in those thinges that I do not throughly vnderstand and put me in remembraÌ„ce of that I haue forgotteÌ„ and printe in my mynde deeper suche thynges as haue not taken stedfast hold thearin Master Tell me thâ—… â—…f by his death we get pardon of oure sinnes was not that enough but that he must also rise againe froÌ„ the deade â–ª Scho. It was not inough yf ye haue a respect eyther to hym or to vs. For vnlesse he hadde rysen agayne he shoulde not be taken for the sonne of God For whyche cause also whyle he hong vpoÌ„ the crosse thei that saw hym vpbrayded hym and sayde he hath saued other but can not saue hym selfe Let hym now come downe from the crosse and we will beleue hym But now vprisyng from the dead to euerlasting continuaunce of life he hathe shewed a mutche greater power of hys godheade then if by commyng downe froÌ„ the crosse he had fled from the terrible paines of death For to dye is comoÌ„ to all men but to louse the bondes of death and by his owne power to rise againe that properlye belongeth to Iesus Christe the onlye begotten sonne of God the only author of lyfe Moreouer it was necessarye that he should ryse again with glorie that the sayengs of Dauid and other prophetes of God myghte be fulfylled whych told before that neither hys body should se corruption nor hys soule be left in hel As for vs we neither had bene iustified nor had had anye hope left to ryse agayne had not he rysen agayne as Paule doth in diuerse places playnly shewe For if he had remayned in the prisoÌ„ of death in graue and bene holden in corruption as al men besyde how could we haue hoped for saf ty by hym whych saued not himself It was mete therfore needefull for the part that he had in haÌ„d and for the chiefe staye of our sauegarde that Christe shoulde fyrst delyuer hymselfe from deathe and afterwarde assure vs of safetye by his vprisyng agayne Master Thou hast touched my sonne the chiefe cause of Christes risinge agayâ—… â–ª Now would I faine heart thy mynde of his going vp into heauen What answere thinkest thou is to be made to them that say it had beâ—… better for hym to tarie hear with vs presentlye to rule gouerne vs For besyde other diuerse causes it is â—…lye that the loue of the people toward theyr prince specially beyng good and gracious should grow the grea ter by his present company Scholer All theese thynges whych he should do present that is to saye if he were in company amoÌ„g vs he doth theÌ„ absent He ruleth maintayneth strengthneth defeÌ„deth rebuketh punysheth correcteth and performeth all suche thynges as do become such a prince or rather God himself Al those thinges I saye performeth he which belong eyther to our neede or profit honour or coÌ„moditie Beside this Christ is not so all together absent from the world as mani do suppose For albeit the substaunce of his body be takeÌ„ vp from vs yet is his Godheade perpetuallye presente wyth vs although not subiect to the sight of our eyes For thynges that be not bâ—…dylye can not be perceiued by any bodyly meane Who euer sawe hys owne soulâ—… No man Yet what is theaâ—… more present or what to 〈◊〉 man nearer than hys owne soule Spiritual thinges 〈◊〉 not to be seen but wyth the eye of the spirite The arfeâ—… he that in earth wyll see the Godhead of Christ let hym open the eyes not of his bodye but of hys mynde but of his faith and he shall set him preseÌ„t whom eye hath not seen he shall see him present and in the myddes of them whearsoeuer be two or three gathered together in his name he shal see him present wyth vs euen vnto the ende of the â–ª world What sayde â–ª Iâ—… shall he see Christe present â–ª Yea he shall both se feele him dwellyng within himselfe in sutch sorte as he dothe hys owne proper soule For he dwelleth and â—…ydeth in the mynde and harte of hym whyche fasteneth all hys trust in hym Master Uery well but oure confession is that he is asceÌ„ded by into heauen Tell me thearfore how that is to be vnderstanded Scholer So vse we commoÌ„lye to say of him that hath attayned to any hye degree or dignitie that he is ascended vp or aduaunced in to some hye roume some hye place or state because heâ—… hath chaunged hys formeâ—… case and is become of more honor thaÌ„ the rest In sutâ—… case is Christ gon vp as hâ—… before came down He came downe from hiest honour to deepest dishonoure euen the dishonour and vyle state of a seruant and of the crosse â–ª And lykewyse afterwards he went vp from the depest dyshonoure to the hyest honoure euen that same honour whych he had before hys goyng vp into heauen yea aboue all heauens to the very roial throne of god muste needes be euident by moste iust reason that hys glory and maiestye myghte in comparison agreably answer to the proportioÌ„ of hys basenesse and reprochefull estate This doth Paul teach vs in hys wrytynge to the Philippians he became obedient eueÌ„ vnto death yea the very death of the crosse Whearfore God bath both aduaunced hym to the hyest state of honour and also geuen hym a name aboue al names that at y â— name of Iesus eueri kne shold bow of al things in heaueÌ„ earth hell But although he be alredy gone vp into heaueÌ„ neuertheles bi his nature of godhead by his spirit he shal alwaies be preseÌ„t in his church eueÌ„ to the end of the world Yet thys proueth not that he is preseÌ„t amoÌ„g vs in his body For his Godhead hath one propertye his maÌ„head another Hys maÌ„head was create his godhed vncreate His maÌ„head is in soÌ„â—… one place of heaueÌ„ his godhed is in such sort ech wher that it filleth both heauen â–ª earthe But to make thys poiÌ„t plainer by a similitude or comparing of like to like Ther is nothyng that doth trulier like a shadow expres Christ theÌ„ the soÌ„ne for it is a fit image of the light and brightnes of Christ. The soÌ„ doth alway kepe the heaueÌ„ yet do we sai that it is preseÌ„e also in y â— â–ª world for without lyght thear is nothyng present that is to say nothyng to be seen of any man for the sonne wyth hys lyghte fulfilleth al things So Christ is lyfted vp aboue all heauens that he maye be preseÌ„t wyth all and fully furnyshe all things as S. Paul doth saye But as touchynge the bodylye presente of Christe heare in earthe if it be lawfull to place in comparison great thinges wyth small Christes bodye is present to our faith as the sonne whâ—… it is seen is preseÌ„t to the eyâ—… â–ª the bodie wherof
although it do not bodylye touche the eye nor be presently wyth 〈◊〉 together hear in earthe yet is it present to the sight notwithstanding so large a distaunce of space betwen So Christes body which at his glorious going vp was coÌ„ueyed from vs which hath left the worlde and is gone vnto hys father is a greate way absent froÌ„ our mouth euen then when we receyue wyth our mouth the holye sacrament of his body and bloude Yet is oure fayth in heauen and beholdeth that sonne of righteousnesse and is presently together wyth him in heauen in sutch sort as the syghte is in heauen with the body of the sonne or in earthe the sonne wyth the syght And as the sonne is present to all thinges by hys light so is Christe also in hys godhead Yet neither can from the body the light of the sonne be sondred nor from hys immortall bodye the godhead of Christe We muste thearfore so say that Christes bodye is in some one place of heaueÌ„ and hys godhead euerywhear that we neyther of hys godhead make a body nor of hys bodye a God Master I see my son thâ—…n art not ignorant after what sorte Christ is rightly sayd to be from vs in bodye and with vs in spirit But thyâ—… one thyng would I knowe of thee why Christ our lord is thus conueied awaye froÌ„ the syghte of oure eyes and what profit we take by his goyng vp to heauen Scholer The chefe cause theâ—… of was to plucke out of vs that false opinion whyche sometyme deceaued the Apostles theymselues that Christ should in earth visibly reigne as other kinges and rufflyng princes of the world This errour he minded to haue vtterly suppressed in vs and that we shuld thyncke hys kyngdome to consyst in hyer thynges Which thinge he thearfore thoughte fytter because it was more for our comoditie and profitte that some such kyngdome should be set vâ—… as the foundacions thearof should rest vpon our fayth Whearfore it was necessary that he shoulde be conueyed away from vs past perceyuing of all bodily sense that by thys meane oure faythe might be styrred vp and exercised to consyder hys gouernement and prouidence whom no syght of bodylye eyes can behold And forasmutch as he is not kyng of some one country alone but of heaueÌ„ and earth of quick and dead it was moste conuenient that hys kingdome should be otherwyse gouerned then our senses may aâ—…teine vnto For ells he shold haue bene constrained some tyme to be caried vp to heauen sometyme to be dryuen downe to the earthe to remoue sometyme in to one countrey sometyme into another and lyke an earthly prynce to be caryed hether thether by dyuerse chauÌ„ge of chaunsable affayres For he could not be preseÌ„tli with all at once vnlesse hys body weare so turned in to Godheade that he myght be in all or in many places together as Eutyches and certeyne lyke heretykes helde opinion Yf it so wear that he myghte be eche whear present with al at one verye instaunt time then wear he not man but a ghoste â–ª neyther shoulde he haue â–ª had a trewe bodye but a fantasticall whearof shoulde haue spronge foorth with a thowsaÌ„d errors all whych he hath dispatched by carienge hys bodie vp whole to heauen In the meane season he â–ª remaynynge inuisible gouerneth his kingdoÌ„e and commen weale that is his church â–ª with soueraign wysdome and power It is for men to rule theyr commune weales by a certayne ciuile policie of men but for Christ and God by a heaueÌ„ lye godlyke â–ª order But all that I haue hetherto sayde conteyneth but a small parcell of the profytte that we take by the caryenge vp of Christes body into heauen For ther ar many mo thinges that heare might be rehearsed whearof large store of fruite is to be gathered But specially this may not be left vnspoken that the be nefits are sutch so greate â–ª which come vnto vs by the deathe risynge agayne and goinge vp of Christ as no tonge eyther of men or angeles is able to expres And that you maye knowe my mynde hearein I wyll rehearse certayne of the chefe whearunto as it wear two principall poyntes the rest may be applyed I say therfore that both by these and other doings of Christ two coÌ„modities do growe vnto vs the one that al the thinges that euer he hath don â–ª for our profyt and behofe he hath done theÌ„ so that they be as well oure owne yf we will cleaue thearunto wyth stedfast and lyuely faith as if we had done them oure selues He was nailed to the crosse we wear also nayled with him and in him oure synnes punished â–ª He dyed was buryed we lykewyse with our sinnes are dead buried that in sutche sorte that all remeÌ„braunce of our synnes is vtterly taken out of mynde He is risen again and we are also risen again wyth hym that is are so made partakers of hys rysyng againe and lyfe that from hensforth death hath no more rule ouer vs. For y â— same spirit is in vs that raised vp Iesus froÌ„ the deade Finallye as he is gone vp into heauenly glorye so are we lifted vp with hym Albeit that these thynges do not nowe appeare yet then shall they all be broughte to light wheÌ„ Christ the lightâ—… of the world shal shew him self in his glorye in whome all oure blisse is layde vp in store Moreouer by hys goyng vp are grauÌ„ted vs the giftes of the holy ghost as Paule doth sufficiently witnesse Ephe. iiii The other commoditie which we take by the doinges of Christ is that Christe is set for an example vnto vs to frame our lyues thereaster Yf Christe hath bene deade if he hath bene buryed for sin he was so but ones If he be risen agayne if he be gone vppe to heauen he is but ones risen but ones gone vp FroÌ„ hensforth he dieth no more but lf neth with God reygneth in euerlastyng continuauÌ„ce of glory So if we be deade if we be buried to sin Howe shall we heare after lyue in the same If we be rysen again with Christ if by sted fast hope we lyue nowe in heauen with him heauenlye and godlye thinges not earthly and frail we ought to set oure care vpon And euen as hearetofore we haue borne the image of y â— earthli man so from henseforward lette vs beare the image of the heauenly As the Lord Christ neuer ceased to do vs good by bestowing vpoÌ„ vs his holye spirite by garnyshinge his churche wyth so many notable giftes and by perpetual praying to his father for vs Lyke reason oughte to moue vs to aydâ—… oure neyghboure wyth all our endeuoure to maintain as much as in vs lyeth the bond of charity And to honoure Christ our Lord and sauioure not wyth wythed tradicions and cold deuises of men but wyth heauenly honour spiritual in dede most fyt for vs that giue it hym
execute moste greuous punyshmente On the other side he that liueth accordynge to the rule of these lawes shal fynde both prayse and blysse and God also hys mercyful and boūtyfull good Lord. Master Thou haste shortlye sette out the. x. commaundementes Now then tell me how all these thinges that thou haste particularlye declared Christe hath in fewe wordes conteyned settyng◅ forth vnto vs in a sūme the whole pyth of the law Scholer Wil you that I knit vp in a briefe abrydgement all that belongeth bothe to God to men Master ◅ea Scho. Christ sayeth thus Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God wyth al thy hart wyth all thy soule wyth all thy mynde and with al thy strength Thys is the greatest commaundement in the lawe The other is lyke vn ▪ to this Thou shal◅ loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Up ▪ on these two commaundemētes hang the whole law ▪ and the Prophetes Master I wyll nowe that thou tell me further what lawe is that whyche thou speakest of that whych we call the lawe of nature or some other besydes Scholer I remēber maister that I learned that of you longe ago that it was ingraffed by God in the nature of man whyle nature was yet sounde and vncorrupted But after the ētrā◅ of synne although the wyse were somewhat after a sort ◅ot vtterly ignorant of that ◅yght of nature yet was it ◅y that tyme so hydde from the greatest part of mē that they scāt perceyued any shadow thereof Master What is the cause that god willed it to be written out in tables and that i◅ should be priuatli appointed to one people alone Scholer I wyll shewe you ▪ By oryginal synn◅ and euel custome the image of God in mā was so at the begynning darkened the iudgemēt of nature so corrupted that man him selfe doth no◅ snfficiently vnderstād wha◅ difference is betwene ho◅ stye and dyshonestye rygh◅ and wrong The bountyfull God thearefore myndynge to renewe that image in vs fyrst wrought this by y ◠law wrytten in tables that wee myght knowe our selues therin as it were in a glasse behold the fylthe and spots of oure soule and stubborne hardnes of a corrupted hert that by thys meane yet acknowledgynge our synne perceiuing the weakenes of our fleshe and the wrathe of God fear◅ely bent agaynste vs for synne we myghte the ◅ore feruently long for oure ◅ior Christ Iesus which ◅y hys deathe and precious ◅prynklynge of hys bloude hath clensed and washed away our sinnes pacified the wrath of the almyghtye father by the holye breathe of hys Spirite createth newe hartes in vs and reneweth our mindes after the image and lykenesse of theyr Creator in true ryghteousnes holynes Whych thyng neither the iustyce of the lawe nor any sacrifices of Moses were able to performe And that no man is made ryghteous bi the law it is euidēt not onelye thereby that the ryghteous lyueth by fayth but also hereby that no mortal man is able to fulfyll all that the law of both the tables commaundeth For we haue hindraūces that striue agaynste the lawe as the weakenes of the fleshe frowarde appetite and lust naturally engēdred As for sacrifice cleansynges washinges and other ceremonies of the lawe they were but shadoes lykenesses images and figures of the trew and euerlastyng sacrifice of Iesus Christ done vppon the crosse By the benefit wherof alone all the synnes of all beleuers euen from the begynnynge of the worlde ▪ ar ◅ardoned by the onlye mercye of God and by no desert of ours Master I heare not yet why almyghty Gods wyll was to declare hys secrete pleasure to one people alone whi che was the Israelites Scholer Forsooth that had I almost forgotten I suppose it was not don for this entent as thoughe the lawe of the. x. commauudements dyd not belong generally to ail men for asmuche as the Lord our God is not onelye the God of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles but rather this was ment thearby that the true Messias whiche is our Christ myght be knowen at hys commynge into the worlde who muste nedes haue beene borne of that natiō and none other for true perfourmannce of the promise For the whych cause Gods pleasure was to appoynt out for hymselfe one certaine people holy sōdred from the rest and as it were peculiarly hys owne That bi this meane his diuine worde might be continually kept holy pure and vncorrupted Master Hitherto thou hast wel satisfied me deare sōne Now lette vs come to the Christian confession whych I wyll that thou playnlye reherse vnto me Scholer It shall be done I beleue in God the father al myghty maker of heauen and earthe And in Iesu Christ hys only sonne our Lorde whych was conceiued by the holy Gost borne of the virgin Mary Suffered vnder Pōce Pilate was crucified dead and buryed He went downe to hell the thyrde daye he rose agayne from the deade He went vp to heauen sytteth on the ryght hande of God the father almighty from thence shall he come to iudge the quycke and the dead I beleue in y ◠holy gost I beleue the holy vniuersall church the communion of sayntes the forgeuenes of synnes the rysynge agayne of the flesh the lyfe euerlastynge Master All these my sōne thou hast rehersed generallye and shortelye Therefore thou shalt do wel to set out largelye all that thou hast spokē particularlye that I may playnly perceiue what thy belefe is concerning ech of them And fyrst I wolde heare of the knowledge of god afterward of the right seruing of hym Scholer I wil wyth a good wyl obey your plesure dear Maister as far as my simple wytte wyll suffer me Aboue all thynges we muste stedfastly beleue and holde that God almyghtye the father in the begynnyng of nothyng made fashyoned this whole frame of the world and al things what soeuer are conteined therin and that they all are made by the power of hys worde that is of Iesu Christe the sonne of God Which thing is sufficientlye approued by witnes of scriptures Moreouer that whē he had thus shapen all creatures he ruled gouerned saued them by hys bountie and liberall hand hath ministred yet also ministreth most largelye all that is needefull for mayntenaunce and preseruynge of oure lyfe that we should so vse them as behoueth myndeful and godlye chyldren Master Why dost thou call God father Scholer For two causes the one for that he made vs all at the beginning and gaue life vnto vs all the other is more weyghtye for that by hys holy spirit and by faith he hath begottē vs agayne makynge vs hys chyldren gyuing vs hys kyngdome and the enheritaunce of lyf◅ euerlastynge wyth Iesu Christ hys owne trew and naturall sonne Master Seynge then God hath created all other thinges to serue man and made man to obey honour gloryfye him What canst thou say more of the
Scholer I will proue howe well I can do it your pleasure is maister as I take it that I point ye out some certaine congregation that may be seene Master That it is in dede so it shal be good for y ◠to do Scholer That congregation is nothing elsse but a certayne multytude of menne which wher soeuer they be professe the pure vprighte learning of Christ and that in such sort as it is faithfully set fourth in the holye testamēt by the Euangelists and Apostles whiche in al points are gouerned and ru led by the lawes statutes of theyr kinge and hye Byshoppe Christe in the bonde of charity which vse his ho lye misteryes that are commonlie called sacramentes with such purenesse simplicity as touchinge theire nature and substaunce as the Apostles of Christ vsed and left behinde in writing The marckes therefore of this churche are firste pure preachyng of the gospel thē brotherly loue out of which as members of al one body springeth good wyl of eche to other thirdlye vprighte and vncorrupted vse of the Lordes sacraments accordynge to the ordynaunce of the Gospell laste of all brotherlye correction and excōmunication or banishynge those out of the church that wyll not amend their liues This marcke the holye fathers tearmed discipline This is that same churche that is grounded vpon the assured rocke Iesus Christ and vpō trust in hym This is that same church which Paul calleth the piller and vpholding stay of truth To this church belōg the keies whearwyth heauen is locked and vnlocked for that is done by the ministration of the worde wherunto properly appertayneth the power to bynde and louse to holde for gylty and forgiue synnes So that whosoeuer beleueth the Gospell preached in thys church he shal be saued but whoso beleueth not he shal be dāpned Master Now wold I fain heare thy beliefe of the holy ghost Scholer I confesse him to be the thyrd person of the holy trinitie Andsith be is equal with the father the sonne of the verye same nature that he ought egally to bee worshipped with thē bothe Mast. Whi is he called holy Scholer Not onelye for hys owne holynesse but for that by hym are made holye the chosen of God and members of Christe And thearfore haue the scriptures termed him the spirit of sanctification or makyng holy Master Wherin consysteth thys sanctification Scholer Fyrste we be newe gotten by his inward motion And therfor said Christ we muste be newe borne of water and of the spirit Thē by his inspiration are we adopted as it wer bi choise made the chyldren of God For whych cause he is not causelesse called the spirit of adoption By his lyght are we lightened to vnderstand Gods misteryes By hys iudgemēt are sinnes pardoned and reteined By his power is the fleshe wyth her lustes kept downe tamed Bi his pleasure ar the manifold gyftes dealt amonge the holye Finallye by hys meanes shal our mortal bodies be relyued Therfore in the author of so great gifts we do not wythout a cause beleue honor cal vpō him ▪ Master Wel thou hast now said sufficiently of the holly ghost But thys woulde I heare of thee why it immediatelye foloweth that we beleue the holye vniuersall churche and the communiō of Sayntes Scholer These two thinges I haue alwai thoght to be most fitly coupled togither Because the felowshyppes and incorporacions of other men procede and be gouerned by other meanes policies but the church whyche is an assemble of men called to euerlastinge saluacion is bothe gathered together gouerned by the holy ghost of whom we euē now made mention Which thyng sith it can not be perceiued bi bodily sense or light of nature is by right and for good rea son heare reckened amonge thynges that are knowē by beleife And thearfore thys calling togither of the faith full is called vniuersall because it is bonde to no one speciall place For God thorowout al costes of y ◠world hath them that worshyppe hym Whych thoughe they be far scattered a sonder by diuerse distāce of countries and dominions yet ar they members most nearlye ioyned of that same bodi wherof Christe is the heade and haue one spirit fayth sacramētes prayers forgiuenesse of sinnes and heauēly blisse common among them all and be so knyt with the bōd of loue that they e◅deuour thēselues in nothyng more than eche to help other and to build together in Christ. Master Seynge thou haste already spokē of the knowledge of god and his members I woulde also heare ▪ what is the true seruyce of God Scholer Fyrst we must consider that the right trewe knowledge of God is the principal and onli fundatiō of Gods seruyce The same knowledge fear doth foster and mayntayne whyche in scriptures is called the begynnyng of wisedōe Faith and hope are the proppes and staies whearupō leane all the rest that I haue rehearsed Furthermore charitie whych we call loue is lyke an euerlastyng bonde by the strayght knot wherof al other vertues be boūd in one together and theyr force encreased These be the inward partes of Gods seruice that is to say whyche consyst in the mynde Master What hast thou to say of the Sabbat or the ho ly dai which euē now thou madest mention of amonge the lawes of the firste table Scholer Sabbat is as much to sai as rest It was apoin ted for onlye honoure and seruice of God and it is a figure of that reast and quiet nes whiche they haue that beleue in Christe For oure trust in Christ doth set our myndes at liberty from all slauishe feare of the law sin deathe and hel assuring vs in the meane season that by him we please God that he hath made vs hys chyldren and heiers of his kingdome wherby thear groweth in our hartes peace and true quietnes of mind whiche is a certayn foretaste of y ◠moste blessed quiet whiche we shall haue in hys kyngdome As for those thynges that are vsed to bee done on the sabbothe daye as Ceremonies and exercises in the seruyce of God they are tokens and wytnesses of thys assured truste And mete it is that faithfull Christiās on such daies as are apointed oute for holye thynges shold lay asyde vnholy your kes and gyue them selues earnestly to religion and ser uynge of God Master What be the parts of that outwarde seruynge God whyche thou saydest euen now dyd stand in certain bodily exercises which are also tokēs of the inward seruinge hym Scholer Fyrst to teache and heare the learnynge of the gospel thē the pure and naturall vse of the ceremonies and sacramentes last of all prayer made vnto God by Christe and in the name of Christ which without faile obteineth the holly ghoste the moste assured author of all trew seruynge God and vpryght religion Master Tell me what thou callest sacramentes Scholer
that it canne not be but that he must heare me and be pleased wyth my praiers For I am hys Sonne although vnprofitable disobedient and he on the other side is my moste bountyfull father moste readye to take pity and pardon me Maist. Why doste thousaye he is in heauen is he in sō◅ o◅e certayne and lymited place in heauen ▪ what me◅ ▪ neth that which he sayth of hym selfe I fyll bothe heauen and earthe agayn the heauen is my seate and the earthe my footestoole Scholer Hereof haue I spoken some what before wher vnto I wyl ioyne this that foloweth Fyrst of all as oft as we do say which arte in heauen it is as much to sai as heauēly and diuine For we ought to thyncke much hier of our heauenly father thā of our earthly He is also sayde to be in heauen for this cause that in that hye and heauēly place the n◅ ble and wonderful workes of God do the more clearly and gloriously shewe them selues and he is now declared to be in euerlasting and full felicity whereas we abide yet banyshed in earthe full wretchedlye Moreouer as the heauen by vnmeasurable widnesse of compasse conteyneth all places the earthe and the sea and no place is thear that maye be hidde from the large reatch of heauen sith it is at euery instāt of time to euery thing present So hearby may we vnderstād that god is likewyse present to eche thynge in eche place He seeth heareth and gouerneth al thinges he beyng hym self a spirite and moste farre from al earthlye and mortall state Wytnesse whereof Hieremy the Prophete Am not I saythe the Lorde a God neare vnto you and am not I a God farre of shall anye man be able to shroude hym selfe in suche a corner that I can not espye hym This is a pithye sentence to driue feare into vs that we offend not that Lorde of so large a dominion wherby also we are perswaded assuredly to beleue that God wyll heare whensoeuer we shall stande in nede For he is at al times and in all places presente This foundacion then laid and so sweete and plesaunte entraunce prepared ther foloweth the fyrst parte of the Lordes prayer wherein we requyre that not onlye wee but also all other who soeuer maye in holynes honor reuerence and worshyp hys name Master Howe is that to bee done Scholer I shall shewe you then we do that when leauing all those that haue the name of gods be thei in hea uen or in earthe or worshipped in temples in dyuerse shapes and images wee acknowledge him alone oure father Prai to the true god and Iesus Christ hys onlye sonne whome he hath sent and by pure vnfained praier call vpon him alone wyth vprightnes of life and innocencye Master Thou hast sayd berye well proceede Scholer In the second parte we require that hys kyngedome come For we see not yet all thynges in subiection to Christe we see not the stone he wed offrō the moūtayne wythoute woorke of mā which all to brosed and brought to nought y ◠image whiche Daniell desc◅iueth that the onlye rocke Christe may obtayn and possesse the dominiō of the hole world graūted him of his father Antichrist is not yet slayne For thys cause do we longe for and praye that it may at length come to passe and be fulfylled that Christe may reign with his sainctes accordinge to Gods promises that hee maye lyue and bee Lorde in the worlde accordynge to the decrees of the holye Gospell not after the traditions and lawes of mē nor pleasure of worldlye tyrauntes Master God graunte hys kyngdome may come and that spedilye Scholer Moreouer sithe it is the chyldrens duty to frame theyr lyfe too theyr fathers wyll and not the fathers to bowe to the childrens pleasure forasmuch as our wyl is ◅ommonly by tickling of affeccions and stirringe of lustes drawen to dooe those thynges that God is displesed with it is reasō that we hange whollye vppon the b◅k of our heauēly father wholy submit oure selues to his heauenli gouermnēt Wherefore for thys cause we mortall mē do pray that we maye in like case be obedient to his commaūdemēt as are the sonne and Mone and other sterres in heauen whiche bothe by ordinarye courses and by lightninge the earthe with vncessaun◅e beames execute the Lordes wyll continuallye Or that we as the āgels and other spirites ▪ diuine in al pointes obey him which bestowe al theyr trauayle diligently to accomplish hys godly commaundementes Next after that he teacheth vs to aske of our heauenly father our breade wherby he meaneth not meate onlye but also all thynges elles needefull for maynetenaunce and preseruinge of life that we maye learn that God alone is authoure of al thynges which maketh the fruytes of the earthe bothe to growe and encrease to plentye Wherefore it is meete that we c◅ll vpon hym alone in prayer which as Dauid sayth ◅ loue feedeth a◅d maynteyneth all thinges Master Some suppose this place to meane that bread that Christe maketh men◅on of in the .vi. of Ihon. That is of the true knoweledge and taste of Christe that was borne and dyed for vs wherwyth the faithfull soule is fedde The reasō wherupon they gather this is the greke woorde epiousion whereby they vnderstande supernaturall ghostly heauenly and diuine This mea nynge I refuse not for both these expositions may fitlye agree with this place but whi calleth he it daily bred whiche is also signified by thys worde epiousion Scholer We aske daily bread that myghte be alwayes presente and accompanye vs contynuallye to slake and satisfye oure thyrstye desyre and vnsaciat stomacke least otherwise we shuld be as Christ sayeth carefull for to morowe because the morowe shall care for it selfe For it shall come not wythout his own discōmoditie care Wherfore it is not reason that one day shoulde encrease the euell of another It shall be sufficient for vs dayly to aske that our most bountifull father is readye dayly to gyue Now foloweth the fifthe requeste wherein we beseeche the father to forgeue vs oure trespasses and de◅auts that we haue committed This request doutles is veri necessarye sithe there is no man liuinge free from sinne Here therfore must we cast away all trust of our selues Heare must we plucke downe our courage Here must we prai oure moste mercifull father for the loue of Iesu Christe hys moste deare and obedyent sonne to pardō forgeue and vtterly blot oute of hys boke our innumerable offēces Heare oughte we in the meane seasō to be myndfull of the couenauute we make wyth God That it maye please God so to forgeue vs our trespaces as we our selues forgiue theim that trespasse agaynste vs. Therfore it is necessarye that we forgyue and pardone all men all theyr offenses of what sort or condition so euer thei be If we forgiue men there faultes our