the euerlastynge glorye and kyngdome of God shalbe reueled whan at the laste daye we shalbe raysed from death to lyfe and be receyued into the kyngdome of heauen where we shalbe made perfytely iuste holy and safe for euer whiche thynge so long as we be here in this worlde is hyde from vs and appereth not clerlye vnto vs but at that last daye shal appere to all men that excedynge ioye which no tonge is able to expresse As saith saint Iohn in hys Canonical epistle Yet it appereth not what we shalbe but we know that whan it shall appere we shalbe lyke vnto hym and we shall see hym euen as he is All these thynges oure Lorde God causeth to be preached in the hole worlde of his mere goodnes and most abundāt mercie not for our workes or merites but before we desiered him But although it be preached through y e world yet it should not auayle vs if we beleued not that is to say if he came not into oure hartes yf the kyngdome of God wer not within vs. Therefore must we with all dilygence praye that God not onely may make this to be preched but also y t he wil gyue faith not onely to other but also to our selfes And shortly this is the summe of this petition that God by his syncere preachers wil sende his worde and gospel of Christ and by his holy spirite brynge vs to the faith and obedience to God and daily to encreace the same And than vtterly to abolyshe and take awaye from vs the rest of the worlde whiche is wicked and disobediēt withal their sinne and wickednes and to receiue vs in to his eternall kyngdome and glorye This is the meanyng plaine vnderstanding of this secōde petition The kyngdome of god cōmeth of it selfe w tout our prayer but here we pray that it may com to vs. Whiche commeth to passe whan the heauenly father gyueth vs his spirite to beleue his holy word to lyue wel and godly here in his churche for a tyme and after in heauen for euer The thirde petition Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen YE haue herde how in the former petycions we require of our Lord God to gyue vs al thinges that perteyne to his glorye and to the kyngdom of heauen whereof he hath gyuen vs commaundemente in the three preceptes written in the first table Nowe foloweth the thirde peticyon wherin we praye God to graūt vs that we maye fulfyll the other seuen commaūdementes also the whiche intreat of matiers concernyng this worldly kingdome and transitorye lyfe that is to saye to honoure our parentes and gouernours to kyl no man to committe none adulterye to absteyne from thefte and lyinge and to behaue our selfes in all thinges obedyentlye honestlye peaceably and godly And these be the wordes of this petitiō Thy wil be don in erth as it is in heauen And to the intent that you maye the better vnderstande this petition you shall knowe that there be two maner of kingdomes The first is the kingdome of God or of heauen wherof we spake in the second petition The other is an earthly or worldly kyngdome of the whiche you shall nowe heare Nowe our Lord God is the chiefe ruler and gouernoure in bothe these kyngdomes In the kyngdome of heauen he doth so raygne that he begynneth in vs here in this world the kingdome of euerlastyng lyfe and saluation And the worldlye kingedomes he doeth so gouerne that here he gyueth vs peace and quietnes that we may heare and learne the kyngdome of God and so atteyne the kyngdom of heuen And God hath ordeined in this erthlye kyngdome commen officers and rulers vnder him whiche he hath appoynted for thys purpose that they shoulde in his name gouerne the commen people and laboure with all dyligence that peace and quietnes maye be maynteyned in the same And he hath gyuen them the authoritie of the sworde that they shoulde not onely therewyth defende the godlye but also punishe malefactours and breakers of the commen peace and quietnes as traytours rebellions māquellers adulterers theues and false wytnesse bearers and all wronge doers to other men accordynge to the sayinge of sayncte Paule in the .xiii. chapiter to the Romayns Let euery soule saieth he submit himself vnto the higher powers For there is no power but that commeth of God And the powers that be are ordeyned of God Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the superiour powers resisteth the ordinaunce of God And they that resist do purchase to thēselues damnation For the rulers are not fearefull to theym that do good but to theym that do euell wylte thou be withoute feare of the powers do well then and so shalte thou be praised of the same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But yf thou do euell then feare for he beareth not the sworde in vayne For he is y e mynister of God to punishe him that doeth euell Wherefore you muste nedes obey not onely for feare of punyshement but also for veraye conscience By these wordes you may well perceyue good children that it is Gods will and pleasure that we shoulde leade here in this worlde an honest and quyet lyfe and that they whiche be sedytyous and full of trouble and vnquietnes in the commen wealthe shoulde be punyshed And vpon these considerations he hath gyuē vs these commaundementes Honour thy father and mother Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not commytte adulterye Thou shalte not steale Thou shalte beare no false witnesse against thy neyghboure Thou shalt not desier anye thynge that is thy neyghbours And God hath commaunded the gouerners of commen welthes to punyshe suche as do not obey these commaundementes and he himselfe wyll punyshe theym also wherefore lette suche as be disobedient loke for punyshment not onely of the gouerners here in the sight of the worlde but also of God hymselfe And the gouernours whiche accordyng to gods commaundement do correcte and punyshe offenders they do wourshyppe God highly and do to him a pleasaunt and acceptable sacryfice And God hathe ordeyned the higher powers and quietnes to be in commen welthes that thereby we might heare and learne the gospell more easely and quietly For where as warre and sedycion is there is not the place to preach the worde of god with fruyt profit For the whiche cause saynt Paul wrytynge to Tymothye sayeth on this wyse I charge you that prayers and supplications be made for all men for kinges and for al that are in authoritie that we may lyue a quiet and a peaseable lyfe with all godlynesse and honestye For this is good and accepted in the syght of God our sauiour whiche wylleth all men to be saued and to come to the knowlege of the truth Nowe therefore forasmuche as we know by Goddes holy commaundementes what his wyll is it is our part to confirme our willes to his wyll and to desier him to giue vs his grace and ayde to accomplyshe his most holy
ten commaundementes ¶ A general preface to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon made vpon the articles of our Faith commonly called the Crede YHe holy apostle saynct Paule good childern writteth expressely that withoute faith it is vnpossible to please God Also Christ himselfe saieth He that beleuethe and is baptised shall be saued Now I trust ther is none among you but he is desirous to please God and enioye euerlastynge lyfe Then yf you wyll attayne therto you must chiefely and most diligently applye youre myndes to learne the christian faythe and the articles of the same For you haue hearde that without it there is nothing able to reconcile vs to God y e father to pacifie his wrath and to bringe vs to the lyfe euerlastyng For althoughe the tenne commaūdementes are an excellēt godly and heauenly doctrine yet we can not be saued or iustifyed by theym For we be not able of our owne strength and power to fulfyll the lawe and goddes holy commaundementes But by theym we onelye do learne what God requireth of vs and so be brought to the knowledge of our synne For this is the office of the lawe as saincte Paule sayeth to teache vs our offences and to set before our eyes the great feare of God and the indignation whiche we haue deserued by breakynge his commaundementes to the intent that we acknowledgyng our owne weakenesse shoulde flye to Goddes grace and mercye This feare of God is learned in the ten commaundementes and it is the begynnyng of wysedome But the holy christian fayth is a muche more hyghe and excellente knowledge and wysedome as sayncte Paule wytnesseth saying We speake wysedome amonge theym that are perfecte such wisdome as is not of thys worlde nor of the rulers of thys worlde whiche be mortall but we teache the wysedome of God whiche is secret and hyd which God ordeyned before the worlde vnto oure glorye whiche wysedome none of the rulers of this worlde dyd knowe These be the wordes of sayncte Paule whereby he declareth that the science of fayth passeth al other sciences and teacheth heauenly and eternall wisedome that excedeth all mennes philosophye For by faythe we learne to knowe God what he is and what loue he beareth towarde vs and howe great benefites he hath heaped vpon vs. For by fayth we be made y e childrē of God and he giueth vnto vs the holy goost whiche doeth lyghten and kyndle our hartes that we maye begynne to kepe hys lawe whiche els of our owne strengthe we were not able to kepe and fulfyll Wherfore good children it is necessarie for you to learne y e doctrine of faithe for without it we can not be iustified or brought agayne into gods fauour For no man is iust or rightuous before God that hath not the holy gost and he that will receyue the holy gooste muste beleue in Christe for by faith we receyue the holy goost therefore by faith we be iustified Agayne yf we wyll be saued we must knowe God and our Lord Iesus Christ as it is written Iohn the .xvii. But we can not knowe God and his sonne Iesus Christ but by faith therfore faith iustifieth vs and bringeth lyfe euerlastyng Wherfore good children applye your selfes dylygently to learne ▪ the Christian faith the which nowe I wil shortely reherse vnto you The Apostles Crede I Beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and erth And in Iesus christ his only sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holye goost borne of the virgin Marye Suffred vnder Ponce Pylat was crucified dead and buried he descended into hel And the third dai he rose againe from death He ascended into heauē and sitteth on the ryghte hande of God the father almightye From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I Beleue in the holy gost The holy Catholyke churche The communion of saintes the forgiuenes of sinnes The resurrection of the bodye And lyfe euerlasting Amen This is the summe of oure christian faith wherein God hath shewed vnto vs what he is how great benefites he hath gyuē and daily doth gyue vnto vs to thentent that we should cast y e anchore of our faith vpon him take sure holde of his mercye and goodnes and comforte oure selues with the same bothe in oure lyfe tyme and also at our death Wherfore good children be dilygent not onely to saye by rote the wourdes of your Crede but also to vnderstande what is ment by the same so y t whē you be asked any question therof you maye be able to make a direct answere and also in tyme to come to teache y e same to your children For what thīg can be more shame to a Christen man then to professe the relygion of Christ and yet to be ignorant in the chief pointes of Christes faith and his doctrine Considering that euery Christen man is bounde openly to declare his faith whē nede shal so require and to instruct his children in the same y t they maye come to the true knowledge of Christ. This generall begynnynge muste go before euery sermon of the Crede The first sermon of the Creation TO thentent good children that you maye the better vnderstande the true Christian faythe and doctrine you muste fyrste of all learne and knowe that God is a spirituall or gostly substance as Christ sayth Iohn the .iiii. God is not a bodily thing whiche maye be sene and felte He is present in euery place he seeth and beholdeth all thinges whiche we do speake or thynke and yet he is not measured with any ende tyme or place And forasmuche as mannes witte coulde not serche or fynde out the knowlege of thys highe misterie of the substaunce of God Christ himselfe the sonne of God dyd open to vs that beleue in hym what God is That is to say that there is God the father God the sonne and God the holy goste three persones and yet one true and euerlastyng God And it is your boūdē dutie good children diligently to learne thys lesson And although these thinges passe all mennes capacities and is a doctrine harde for you to learne yet in tyme to come you shal heare more of this matier In the meane season beare awaye I praye you thys one lesson that there is one true and euerlastinge God and yet three persones the father the sonne and the holy gost And this we call the Trinitie because these thre the father the son and the holy goost are one godlye substaunce And it is a great shame for you that be christē children not to learne this lesson For all you were baptised in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy goost and thereby you were made christen and the childrē of God and obteyned remission of youre synnes Wherfore it is your dutie to learne knowe in whose name you ar baptised that so you maye truly know God and youre father which you
may y e more assuredly beleue this both Christ himself rose from death and many saintes also w t hym Fourthely we must beleue euerlastyng lyfe Wherefore it foloweth in the Crede I beleue euerlastynge lyfe that is to saye I beleue that whā we shall ryse from death then we shall lyue euer with Christe in parfite holynes and iustice and in suche a gloriouse ioy as no toung can tell nor hart thincke And this treatise of the Crede we must end with this wourde Amen which is asmuche to saye as I beleue that al the articles of our beliefe before rehersed be very true and thereof I haue a sure faithe trust and confidence Therefore good children from the bottome of your hartes you must beleue in the holy gost whiche doth promyse vnto vs remission of our synnes by al y e true preachers ministers of goddes worde And he dothe also geue light to our hartes and myndes and moueth vs to beleue goddes worde and to put our faith and trust in hym And the same holy goost dothe dayly purifye sanctifye vs purge and clense vs from sinne and after this bodily death shall rayse vs agayne to euerlasting life And take this for a sure conclusion and doubt nothynge thereof that the holy goost as he hath begonne these thīges in vs so he will fynyshe thesame in vs yf we obey him and continue in faith vnto thēde of our liues For he y t cōtinueth vnto y e ende shal be saued And this is the summe and also the most plaine vnderstāding of this thirde parte of the Crede entreatyng of our sanctificatiō or halowing Wherefore good children marke well this lesson that when ye be demaunded howe vnderstande you the thirde parte of the Crede yee may answer thus I beleue y t neither by mās strength power or wysedome neyther by myne awne endeuour nor cōpasse of myn awne reason I am able to beleue in Iesus Christ or to come vnto hym But the holy goost did call me by the worde of y e gospell and with y e giftes of his grace he hath hitherto endowed me halowed me and in the true faith he hathe hitherto preserued and confirmed me this he hath not done only to me but also he calleth and gathereth togyther in the vnitye of one faith and one baptisme all the vniuersal churche that is here in earth and he halloweth kepeth and preserueth thesame in the true knowledge of Christ and faith in his promyses And in this churche he geueth free and general pardō to me and to al that beleue in him of al our synnes offences and trespasses and at the last day he shall rayse me and all other y t be deade and al that dyed in the true faithe of Iesus Christ he shall glorifye in the lyfe euerlastyng Therefore to the sayde holy gost that sanctefyeth vs with y e father that made and created vs and the sonne that redemed vs be geuen all honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ A generall preface to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon made vpon the Lordes prayer YE haue learned heretofore good childrē in y e Crede what we ought to beleue and in the ten cōmaūdemētes what we ought to do but we can neyther beleue nor do as we ought to do excepte the holy gost worke with in vs bothe a true faith also a dewe obedyence towardes God and his lawe For faith is the gyfte of God and all good thinges commeth from the father of lightes Therefore we must nedes aske and craue these benefites at his hande whiche only is the gyuer of theim For so Christ saieth that God the father wyll gyue to vs his children all thinges so that we sue to hym for theim And the prophet Dauyd saieth Cal vpon me in the daye of thy trouble and I shal deliuer the and thou shalt glorifye me Also our Sauioure Christ commaūdeth vs to do y e same sayng Aske and you shal haue seke and you shall fynde knocke and the dore shall be opened vnto you Now therfore seyng that we haue learned what we shoulde beleue and do it is most necessary for vs to cal for gods grace with most feruēt and ernest prayers that we may be able to performe y e thinge whiche we are bounde to do For our sauiour Christ hath promised vs that what soeuer we aske the father in his name he wyll gyue it vs. Also he saieth that what soeuer we aske yf we beleue we shal receaue y e same Wher is to be noted that yf we wyll obteyne oure requestes we must aske in y e name of Christ and also trust assuredly that for Christes sake our praiers shal be heard To aske in Christes name is to aske accordynge to his wil that is to say to aske y t which he hath commaunded Therefore when we praye we may saye thus O God our father and the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ which art in heuē I durst not of myne awn head be so bold to come vnto thy most highe and excellent maiestye to desyer any thyng of the but thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ hath commaūded me so to do and only in his name and at his commaūdemente am so bolde Therfore yf thou hear me y u hearest thy dearly beloued sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ. And yf thou heare me not thē thou hearest not Iesus Christ him selfe who hath sent me to the and hath commaunded me to aske in his name Of this prayer made in fayth speaketh saincte Iohn in his epistle saying This trust we haue in God y t when we aske any thynge accordinge to his will he doth heare vs. Therefore we shoulde stedfastly beleue that God doth heare our prayer For he that beleueth not he shall obtayne nothynge And therefore Christe saith If you beleue you shall obtayne And to thentent that we should beleue surely thynke that we be herde he hath promysed to graunt what soeuer we aske in his name And agayne to thentent that we shuld knowe and be suer that we praye accordyng to his wil he hymselfe hath taught vs howe what we should praye and aske Therfore it is not in our lybertye whether we wil praie or not but by goddes commaundement we be boūde to praye as you haue hearde in the seconde commaundement Now therefore with all dilygence lerne good children y e holy prayer of y e Lord which y e greate doctour and our Lorde Iesus Christ taught vs hymselfe saying to his disciples Ye shall praye after this maner OUre father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kyngdome come Thy wil be don in earth as it is in heauē Geue vs this day our daily bread And forgeue vs our trespaces as we forgeue them that trespace against vs. And suffre vs not to be led into temptacion But delyuer vs from euyl Amen This good children is the prayer of the Lorde
correction yet we se how the fathers loue remayneth what pitie and compassiō he hath of them howe lothe he is to beate theim and wolde rather forgyue theim yf it wer not for their benefite and amendment And whē the childe falleth on his knees and asketh forgyuenes promysynge amendement we see how redy and willynge the father is to forgiue Now seyng our earthly fathers be so louynge to their children muche more God our heauenlye father wil be our most kynde and louyng father wil nourysh kepe and defende vs teache instructe vs the way to euerlastyng saluation And yf we fall into anye errore or synne yet for Christes sake he is wyllynge to forgyue vs and althoughe he punysheth vs here for a tyme yet he doethe it of fatherlye loue that he beareth towardes vs not to punyshe vs for euer but to amend vs and to make vs to know our faultes and to bryng vs agayne into the right waye And lyke a most louyng father he correcteth vs for a smal tyme in this worlde lest he shoulde punyshe vs for euer in y e worlde to come Of this therefore so louyng and so mightie a father we may wel reioyce and haue an excedynge great comforte farre passyng any harte to thynke or tongue to tel And hym agayn we ought moste entierlye to loue and obey seyng that he is our father and hath loden vs with so many gyftes and benefites With glad hartes therfore you ought to saye this prayer which whā you say you speake with God the father in heauen he heareth you and lyke a most kynde father dothe graunt al that you aske Often tymes also and ernestly you must praye whan you ryse in the mornyng whan you go to the churche whan you eate drynke whan you go to bed whan you awake out of your slepe that frō your youth you maye accustome your selfes both gladly and oftē to praye For by prayer we shall obteyne all thynges that eyther Christ hathe purchased for vs or our heuenly father hath promised to vs. Nowe this also you must dilygently considre that we say O father which art in heuē to dyscerne hym from our fathers whiche be here vpon earthe For we haue fathers here in earth whiche be but men and be not able to saue vs. But in heauen we haue an other maner of father of far more might a spiritual an euerlastīg father whiche in al oure nedes is able to helpe vs and finallye to gyue vs helth lyfe euerlasting And as childrē take of their carnal fathers fleshe and blode and many tymes be veray lyke theim in their face and countenaunce so take we of our heuēly father our soule and spirite and therein we ought to resemble our heuēly father that is to saye we ought to beleue his worde obey his commaūdementes forbere those thinges that he forbyddeth and in all thynges be conformable to hys holy wyl and worde And than is he assuredlye oure gentle father and we his dere children And than as he dwelleth in heuen in a lyght passynge all measure euyn so shall we dwel wyth hym in heauen for euer These great thynges whiche far excede the capacitie of mannes vnderstanding our sauiour Christ doth teache in these fewe wordes whan he teacheth vs to saye O our father whiche art in heauen Now folowe in this holy praier certen petitions wherein be comprehended all thynges that be either conteyned in y e ten Commaūdementes or elles promised in the Crede These petitions good childrē you shall lerne with al diligence that you may know what you shoulde aske The thre first petitions entreate of the matters perteynynge to y e first table The other .iiii. speake of thīges promised in the Crede belongynge to the seconde table as herafter you shall heare The first petition conteyneth matters of the first and seconde commaundement I am thy God Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine And these be the wordes of that petition Thy name be halowed BEfore I told you good children y t we go not before god we pray not first that God wil be our God and our father but god of hys inestimable mercye dothe preuent vs dothe cal vs by hys worde dothe cal vs vnto faithe doth gyue vs his spirite to know him for our father and Lorde before we coulde thynke therof and seke for God But now seing that by his word faith he hath called vs and by Baptisme hath grafted vs in Christ and made vs membres of his churche we ought not to be slouthful nor ydle but study to go forwarde increace in godlynes and to praye thus Our father whiche art in heuen for asmuche as thou hast gyuen vnto vs being vnworthy thi holy gospell and hast chosen vs and not we the and seyng that thou haste sent vnto vs preachers whiche teache vnto vs thy word wherby we be sanctified and instructed in the faith so that nowe we maye know the for God and partelye fulfyl the first commaundemente now fulfyl O father y t thou haste begonne procede to helpe vs that we maye fulfyl the seconde commaūdemēt that is y t thy name mai be halowed that is to say may be honored as holy This prayer pleaseth God and he heareth it God giueth vs grace strength that we maye halowe his name To halowe the name of God is not to make it holye whiche in it selfe is euer most holy but to halowe his name is to take it for holy reuerentlye to vse it as a most holy thing of great feare and loue to God to beware that we speake not of his name vaynely nor with out great reuerence to confesse his name to laud him extolle him in all necessities to call vpon hym And on the other syde we do violate the holye name of God whan we abuse the same to euyll and naughty thinges whan we speake euyll of God or godlye thynges whan we teache any false doctrine of God and his religion or abuse the name of God to ydoltarie and errours or whan by the name of God we be forsworne Also whan by the name of God we curse mē or other creatures or whan we speake of God godlye thīges make therof but scoffing gestyng And whan we lyue not accordynge to the worde of God and regarde not God but gyue euyl exāple to other both to thinke and speake of God and godly thinges lyghtly and contemptuously as they passed not of them But nowe it is an horryble hearyng good childrē that we be called the churche of Christ and christen men we be taughte that God is oure Lorde and father and yet we be so faynte so euyll naughtye and vnkynde people that we do not halow nor reuerētli vse his name Therfore it is more than nede to praye and instantlye to pray for Gods helpe that we mysuse not his name vnreuerētly but that we maye halowe it and most hyghly honour it
oure selfes and prouoke other to do the lyke whiche we shall do yf we preache and teache the worde of God purelye and agree vnto the same in pure innocent lyuynge so that no man can reprehende vs yf we beleue Gods word ▪ and professe thesame in all necessities call vpon hys name and gyue hym thankes for all his benefites But whan false doctrine is taughte than the name of God is defiled and false doctrine is honored and taken for the holy worde of God which in dede is not holy but wicked and the false inuentiō of the deuyll the inuentour of all lyes and falsehode And howe can the holy name of god be more horribly abused thā whan the deuyls lyes and false inuentions be sette out and honoured vnder the pretence and coloure of Gods holye name that by that meanes the people maye the sonner be deceyued Moreouer the name of God is not halowed but blasphemed and dispised whan the true woorde of god is cruelly persecuted as Cain persecuted his brother Abell For whan the vngodly hypocrites do call the gospell and true doctrine of Christe heresy and errore than is God as it were accused of heresy which gaue the sayde doctrine whiche is an horrible blasphemie of Gods name Also whan we beleue not the worde of God than we violate and do iniurie to y e name of God not takynge hym to be true The name of God is halowed also but lytle regarded and contemned whan the gospel worde of God is not boldely professed before the worlde For he that denyeth y e gospel and doth not constantly stāde vnto it but for feare of men doth shrynke from it and reuoketh those thinges which before he hath truly godly taught he counteth not Iesus Christ the sonne of the lyuing God nor hys holy worde and gospell to be of that value and estimation that he wil for their sakes speake boldely or suffer any thynge before the kynges and powers of the worlde Also we do not halowe y e name of God whan we cal God our father and bost our selfes to be his childrē and yet that thing whiche we professe we do not parforme by holy and godly liuing For an vnthristy wicked child is a dishonour to his father Herof complayneth God by the Prophet Ezechiel the .xxvi. Chapter saying By you my name is blasphemed amonge people nations And he also regardeth not the holy name of God that doth not cal vpon God and gyue thankes to god as though he wer not the very true God which hath holpen hym and both can and wyll helpe him in all his nedes For he that knowlegeth himselfe that he is holpē of God he of dewty must nedes gyue hym thankes therefore and he y t trusteth to be holpē must lykewyse cal vpon hym for the same Therefore briefly to conclude he y t teacheth any other thā goddes true doctrine that beleueth not in the name of Christe that doth not boldely confesse y e worde of God that doth not leade hys lyfe accordyng to the gospel that doth not cal vpō God in al necessitie that doth not willyngly and gladly gyue thankes to God for al his benefites he dispiseth God and his holy name gyueth occasion to other to do y e lyke which of al other is the greatest offence to God Therefore we ought to praye that God kepe and defende vs from this synne This is the meanynge plaine vnderstandynge of this petition The name of God is of it selfe holy but in this petitiō we desier that we may also halow it which we do whan the worde of God is purely sīcerely taught whā we walke and lyue accordynge to the gospel This graunt vs O heuēly father For he that teacheth other doctrine than the pure word of God he dyshonoreth and defyleth the worde of God Wherfore from this synne good Lorde defende vs. Lerne these thinges dilygentlye good children and whan you be asked how vnderstande you this first petition you shall aunswer The name of God of it selfe is holy but here we do aske that it may be halowed of vs. And whā you be asked how is it halowed of vs Answere whan the worde of God is puerly and syncerelye taught whan we leade our lyfe in this worlde holyly and godly as it becommeth the veray true children of God Here in this point succour vs good Lorde helpe vs O heauenly father For he that either teacheth or liueth otherwise than the worde of God requireth he dyshonoreth and polluteth the worde of God The generall conclusion in all sermons of the Lordes praier Thus you haue herde good children the summe and mynd of this firste seconde thirde c. peticion kepe this in your memorye cease not to make your prayers vnto the Lorde nothyng dowting but he wil heare you make you holy and veray godly as the true children of God without faulte whiche haue their father in heauen For he hath promysed to graunt vs what soeuer we aske in his name And in his name we aske when so euer we say his prayer and vse the same forme of praier whiche he prescribed vnto vs and commaūded vs so to praye Therefore we ought to beleue in our hartes that God doth heare for so muche as he is oure father For whan we giue faithe vnto hys promyses than surelye he hearethe vs and by our prayer we trust to obteyne that thynge which we aske and to obey and parforme such thinges as he hath commaunded which thing God graunte vs all Amen Thy kyngdome come BEfore you herd in the first petytion howe we praye in it that God wyll graūt vs that we may fulfyll the seconde commaundemente that is to saye that we take not the name of God in vaine but that it maye be sanctified and honored by vs. Nowe foloweth the seconde petitiō wherin we pray y t God wil graunt vs strength to fulfyll the thirde commaundement whyche is reuerently to vse and to halow y ◠sabboth day whiche is not done by easynge only from all outward bodely laboures but it is chieflye done whan we mortifye the desyers of the fleshe dilygentlye heare the worde of God and obeye the same in our hartes whiche we can not do without a special and synguler grace and fauoure of God Therefore we haue nede feruently to praye euyn as Christe hath caught vs in this secōde petition Thy kingdome come That you maye vnderstande these wordes rightly iustly take good dilygent hede that you may lerne what y t kingdome is whiche you do aske The kyngedome of God as saynt Paule saieth Rom. xiiii is iustice peace and ioye in the holy gost And although these wordes paraduenture seme vnto you harde and darke yet you shal vnderstande theym yf you take good hede You knowe that Emperours kinges in this worlde haue their realmes kyngdomes and those people that be within their landes and dominions and dewly obey their lawes and commaundemētes those
these sacramentes is baptisme by the whiche we be borne again to a new and heauenly lyfe and be receaued into gods churche and congregation whiche is the foundation and pyller of the trueth The seconde is absolution or the authoritie of y e keyes wherby we be absolued from suche synnes as we be fallen into after oure baptisme The thirde sacrament is the communion or y e Lordes supper by the whiche we be fedde and nourished and fortified in y e faith of the ghospell and knowlege of Christ that by this fode we maye growe more and more in newnes of lyfe so that we maye be no longer children but maye waxe perfecte men and ful growē in Christ. For I wolde you should wel know this good children that a Christen mās knowlege and lyfe is a more excellēt thing than vnlerned people can iudge For a christen man hathe the certen worde of God where vpon he maye grounde hys conscience that he is made a christen man and is one of Christes mēbers which he is assured of by baptisme For he that is baptysed maye assuredlye saye thus I am not now in this wauering opiniō that I only suppose my selfe to be a christiā man but I am in a sure belefe that I am made a Christen mā For I know for a suerty that I am baptised I am sure also that baptysme was ordeyned of God and that he whiche baptysed me did it by gods commission and commaundemente And the holy goste doth witnes that he whiche is baptysed hathe put vpon hym Christ. Wherfore the holy gost in my baptisme assureth me that I am a Christen man And this is a true and syncere fayth whiche is able to stande agaynste the gates of hell for asmuche as it hath for it the euydence of gods worde and leaneth not to any mans saying or opinion Furthermore good chyldren you shall dylygentlye learne the cause wherefore we are baptysed You haue alredy herde y t by baptisme we be borne agayne The cause of this our secōd birth is the synfulnes and filthynes of our first birth For by our first natiuitie whan we were borne of our fathers and mothers all we were borne in synne and whē we yssued out of oure mothers wombe we were laden with synne and Gods angre as it was at large declared vnto you in the exposition of y e ten cōmaundements and speciallye in the last cōmaundement For as Adam did synne and by sinne was so corrupted both in his body and soule that by his awne power or strēgth he was not able to do any good thinge euen so all the children ofspring of Adam be borne synners so that they can not be iustified by themselues or by their awn strength but are inclined and bent to synne at all tymes And as saynt Paul saieth by nature they be the children of Gods wrath That is to saye God is angrye w t vs for those synnes whiche by nature be as it wer a kynne to vs and we be borne with theim into this world But when we be borne againe by baptisme thē our sinnes he forgyuen vs and the holy goste is giuē vs which doth make vs al so holy doth moue vs to al goodnes Wherefore good children whē a man is baptysed it is as muche to saye as he dothe there confesse that he is a synner and that he is vnder the rule and gouernaūce of sinne so that of himselfe he can not be good or ryghtuous And therefore he commeth to baptisme and there seketh for helpe and remedy and desyreth God first to forgyue him his synnes at length to deliuer him clerely from all synne and perfectely to heale his soule from the sykenes of synne as the physitian doth perfectely heale his patient from bodely diseases And for his parte he promyseth to God againe and solemply voweth that he wyl fyght againste synne with all his strength and power that he wyll gladly beare the crosse and al suche afflictiōs as it shal please God to lay vpon him and that also he wil be contēt to dye y t he may be perfectly healed and delyuered from synne For God doth forgiue vs our synnes by faith but by afflyctions and death he dothe take theim cleane away as saint Peter witnesseth sainge He y t suffereth or is afflycted in y e fleshe doth cesse from synne And sainct Paule sayeth he that is deade is iustified or delyuered from synne These be the promyses which we make whē we are baptised And of this mind must all they be whiche shall haue any fruite by baptisme Wherfore seyng all you that be here are alredy baptysed continewe I praye you in this good mynde and purpose knowlege in your hartes before God that you be synners be sory for y e same and praye to God to heale and delyuer you frō youre sinne Beware you fal not to sinne againe haue no delite in sinne nor synne not wyllyngly But be godly and holy and suffer gladly suche afflictions as God shall lay vpon your backes And yf you do thus then your baptisme shal be auaile able vnto you God shall worke in you by his holy spirit and shall fynyshe in you all those thinges which by baptisme he hath begon Hitherto you haue herde what we promyse to God when we are baptised now learne also I pray you what God worketh in vs by baptisme what benefites he gyueth vs in the same For baptysme is not water alone and nothinge els besides but it is the water of god and hath his strength by y e worde of God and is a seale of gods promyse Wherefore it doth worke in vs all those thinges where vnto God hath ordeyned it For oure Lord Iesus Christ saieth Go and teache all nations and baptyse them in the name of y e father and the sonne and the holy gost This god commaunded his disciples to do Wherfore by the vertue of this commaūdement which came from heuen euen from the bosome of god baptisme doeth wourke in vs as the wourke of God For when we be baptised in the name of God that is as muche to saye as God him selfe shoulde baptise vs. Wherfore we oughte not to haue an eye only to the water but to God rather whiche did ordeine the baptisme of water and commaūded it to be done in his name For he is almyghtye and able to worke in vs by baptisme forgiuenes of our synnes al those wonderful effectes and operatiōs for the whiche he hathe ordeyned the same althoughe mannes reason is not able to conceyue the same Therfore consider good chyldren the greate treasures and benefytes whereof God maketh vs partakers when we are baptised whiche be these The firste is that in baptisme our synnes be forgyuen vs as sainct Peter witnesseth saiynge Let euerye one of you be baptised for the forgiuenes of his synnes The seconde is that the holy gost is gyuen vs the whiche doth sprede abrod the loue of
this fashion we ought to behaue our selues towardes our fathers and mothers and when so euer we be able to do them any pleasure we must honour them after the sayde maner and reuerently beseche thē that they wyll take well in worth suche small tokens of our deutye and loue towardes them For we can not rendre vnto oure fathers mothers any gyft or presente so weyghty y t shal be able to coūterpoyse the kyndnes which they haue deserued at our handes or can in any part recumpense the great goodnes benefites which thei haue heaped vpō vs without nūbre So good children note well I pray you what is ment by this worde honor whiche in this place comprehēdeth feare dreade reuerence obedience loue towardes our parentes and that it is oure dewtie to lade theim with all kindes of gentlenes and lyberalitie And when we haue donne all that we can do yet not to loke for thankes againe at their handes but rather to thanke them that they wolde vouchesafe so gently to accept our small benefytes For god hath appointed thē to be our maisters tutors and gouernors ouer vs wherefore of dewtye we owe vnto them this seruice and obedience And onlesse we ordre our selues to oure parentes after suche maner as is before rehersed God wil be greuously offēded with vs sore punishe vs. As it is plainly declared in Moses law in the .xxi. chapter of Deuteronomie where these wordes are writtē If a man haue a frowarde and stubburne childe whiche wil not heare his fathers mothers cōmaundemēt beyng corrected disdaines to obey them they shall take him bryng him before the iudges of the cytie and shall saye thus Thys oure sonne is stubburne disobedyent he wil not heare vs nor be ruled by vs he is a ryoter lyueth vngodly Then all the people shall stone him to death that this myscheuous wede may be weded out of y e congregation and al the people maye heare of his punishmēt and feare to committe lyke offēce Hereby you may learne good children how greatly thys synne dyspleaseth God seyng that in hys lawe he hath appoynted so payneful a punishement for dysobedient children Hitherto you haue herde what it is to honor your parētes now heare also the cause why God hathe so diligētly cōmaunded this thinge Our lorde God hath gyuen vs so many benefites by our fathers and mothers y t no tongue can worthely expresse theim For God vseth our parentes as his meanes by whome he gyueth vs lyfe breth fode and al thinges necessarie to the maintenaūce of this lyfe Therfore we oughte to wourshyp theym as the chosen instrumentes of God And forasmuche as God hymselfe is inuisible to vs here in earth whome we neyther se bodily nor heare hys voyce therfore he hathe appoynted oure fathers and mothers in hys stede to talke wyth vs and to teache vs what we ought to do and what to eschewe Euen as the scholemaster doth oftentymes commyt hys scholers to hys vscher that he in the scholemasters absence maye teache and gouerne them and hym they ought to reuerence and obey And as the scholemaster doth sharpely correcte chastiseth those schollers y t wyl not be ruled by his vscher so God wil greuously punyshe those children y t doeth not obey their fathers mothers For he hath appoynted them to be his deputies vschers in y e educatiō gouernāce of vs his children For God is the chefeste worker and maker of all thynges he is the hyghest scholemaker and our fathers mothers are the instrumentes and toyles wherby God doth worke vs make vs and fashyoneth vs. For God is the eternall and mooste maruelous creator and he daylye doeth create But when he entendeth to make mā he maketh him not now of a glod of earth as he did whē he first made Adam but he vseth our parētes to this straunge wondrefull worke maketh vs by theym And this is the firste and greatest benefite that God by oure parentes doth gyue vs bothe bodye and sowle And after that yonge chylderne be borne into this world we se how they lye certen yeres crying in their cradels not able to helpe themselues At what tyme excepte God did nouryshe vs by oure fathers and mothers ther wer no remedie but y t we muste neades peryshe And when god doth entend to feade vs in our cradels he doth not sende downe breade from heauen as he did Māna but he wonderfully fylleth our mothers dugges full of mylke wherwyth she may gyue sucke to vs and also he sendeth to oure fathers sufficiente riches wherby they maye brynge vp their children And this is the seconde benefite that God by our parentes doth nurse vs feade vs and bryng vs vp more tendrely then the henne doth her yong chekyns Furthermore God sendeth vs Christian parētes which cause vs to be baptised and grafted into Christ and to be made the children of God For yf our parentes were not christened we were lyke to be wrapped in cōtinuall blindnes and errours For you see no Iewes children come to be baptised and if we should haue heathen parentes dye without baptisme we should be dāned euerlastingly And in case we died not in our infancie yet we shoulde be vngodly brought vp in thouses of Heathē and vnchristened parentes and should be taughte euen from oure tendre age to hate and dispise the trew faith of Christ as we may see an example by Turkes Iewes children whiche vehemently hate the fayth of Christ among tenne thousād of them scase one desireth to be baptised And this is y e third great benefit y e God by our parētes doth brīg vs to baptisme to Christ his church doth plant in our hertes an ernest loue towards Christes religion that wyllynglye and gladly we become Christians Besides this when we be growē to suche age y t it is tyme for vs to go to schole then god teacheth vs by our parentes his most excellent doctrine that is to saye tharticles of our faythe the ten commaundementes the Lordes prayer Furthermore oure parentes do teache vs the nourture and ciuilitie of good maners that we maye proue gentle quiet and faire cōditioned and suche with whom honest men wyll be gladde to kepe companye From our parentes we haue oure countrey then whyche nothynge is more pleasant vnto vs and the fredome fraunchesies and lyberties of y e citie in the whiche we wer borne Our parentes also leaue vnto vs oftētimes great plentie of riches and landes for oure inherytāce They also teache vs dyuerse wayes of marchaundise mani handycraftes and all kyndes of sciences by the which we may honestly and in the waye of treuth get oure lyuyng here in this world And although they be compelled of necessitie oftentymes to vse the ayde and helpe of scholemasters and other connyng men in dyuerse kyndes of faculties yet because all these thinges be done at the commaundemente costes and charges
haue in heauen And this doth plainly and shortly teache vnto you the Crede For in the Crede wherin we saye thus I beleue in God y e father almightye And I beleue in Iesus Christ his onely sonne and last of all we saye I beleue in y e holy gost these thre sentences be asmuche to saye as I beleue in God whiche is the father the sonne and y e holy gost Infidels and vngodly people do not knowe this nor can vnderstande the same But Christē men haue this mysterye so openlye declared vnto them in the worde of God that babes and yong childrē may heare and learne this lesson almost as soone as they be able to crepe out of their cradell Wherefore we are boūde hartely to thāke God which hath opened vnto vs so great wisedome and mysteries Hereby you perceaue good childerne that in this shorte treatice called the Crede as I said before we be taught what God is that is to saye God the father God the sonne and God the holy gost Also herby we learne what great benefytes God hath gyuen vnto vs and howe tenderly he loueth and fauoreth vs lyke a moost gentle and mercifull father In y e whiche knowlege consisteth our felicitie and blessednes For yf we did only knowe what God were dyd know nothing of his wil towarde vs whether he were our frende or foo fauourable or angrie pleased or displeased with vs then oure conscience beynge waueryng and doutful shoulde be destitute and voide of comforte Wherfore lysten to me dilygently good childerne that you maye knowe what benefites those be which god hath gyuen among you what loue he beareth towarde you and what is the hope of euerlastynge lyfe to the whiche we be called The benefites of God towarde vs be infynite and innumerable yet neuertheles as God himself is thre persons the father the sonne and the holy gost so there be thre specyall workes whereby he hath declared his singular loue towarde vs. The first is that God the father hath creat made vs of nothing and gyuen to vs bodye and soule and all thinges necessarye to the maintenaunce of our lyues and hath made vs lordes ouer al erthly creatures The seconde is that whan we were all borne in synne God y e sonne dyd redeme vs from our synnes and wicked lyfe The thirde is that the holy gooste doth renewe our hartes sanctifye vs and make vs the temples of God And in these thre benefytes gyuen vnto vs by y e thre parsons of the most blessed Trinitie consisteth the matier and effecte of the hole Crede For this is the briefe summe of the Crede to saye I beleue in God the father whiche did creat and make me I beleue in God the sonne whiche did redeme me And I beleue in the holy gost whiche hath sanctifyed and halowed me For the whiche consyderations we entende to deuyde this our exposition made vpō the Crede into thre partes of y e which the first shalbe of y e Creation the second of the Redemptiō and the third of Sanctificatiō And first we will entreat of the Creation which is expressed in these wordes I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauē earth Where note good children that this worde I beleue signifyeth asmuche in this place as I truste So that this sentence I beleue in God the father is asmuch to saye as I trust in God the father and loke assuredly to receaue all good thinges at his hande Wherefore this is the meanyng of the forsaid artycle that we ought to put oure trust in no creature but in the true and liuing god only For no creature cā do vs any good or harme without the wil of him We oure selues made not oure selues as it is writtē in the psalme nor we can nether saue ourselfes nether delyuer vs from any perrel Therfore we ought to put our trust in God only sticke fast to him hang vpon hym and to loke for al good thinges at his hande They therfore that trust in men in theyr fauour or frēdship they that trust in their owne learnyng wysedome riches power frendes or any such thing they do not truely beleue in God truly holly trust in him nor loke for al good thinges from him but rather dispise him and worship for theyr God and make an ydole of that thynge wherin they put their trust and so greuously offēd god Wherfore it must nedes be that at the length thei must be brought to confusion and ruine that they may lerne by their owne fal and decay that those wer but vaine thynges wherin they put their truste cōfidence and that onely God is the sure rocke and staye vpon whome who so euer leaneth shall not be deceyued nor confounded For it is the Lord god whiche daily pourethe vpon vs infinite benefites whiche giueth vs al thinges y t we haue nede of defendeth vs from all thinges y t may hurt vs ether in body or in soule And this is y e fatherly loue whiche he bereth toward vs to do al goodnes toward vs without our merites or deseruynges Wherefore we ought to trust in him yelde our selfes holly into his protection to loke for all good thinges at his hande with a mery harte and constant faith to cleaue to his goodnes in all thynges And this is the highest and chiefest sacrifice wher with God is pleased worshipped And whosoeuer beleueth in him after thys sort those he taketh for his welbelouyd children and in all thynges he declareth to thē that he is their louyng father Wherefore good children let vs not put our trust in any creature or in any worldly thing but at all tymes let vs fastē oure sure trust in our Lord God So we shalbe made his children and enioy lyfe euerlastinge Nowe considre good chyldren what a God he is in whome we beleue and in whome we put oure trust He is God the father the almyghtye maker of heauen and earthe And these woordes good children ought not slyghtly to be passed ouer for they be of greate weight and importaunce Wherfore I pray you as it were in balance to wey them dyligently and learne to vnderstande theym For these wordes conteine not in them worldly phylosophye or mannes sapience but heauenly and Godly wysedome Wherfore I praye you gyue good eare whiles I do declare them to you First this article teacheth vs that God is almyghtye that is to saye that he hath power to worke do all thinges whatsoeuer pleaseth hym and no creature in heauen or earth is able to let or withstande him and that no thynge is vnpossible vnto him And this is the foundacion and begynnynge of christian knowledge and faith to beleue that God is almyghtye The whiche many men do not beleue and yet neuertheles they will be counted christen men or rather great clarkes In thys number be they that do not beleue the bodye of Christ truely to be gyuen in the
Lordes supper to theym that receyue the sacramente althoughe Christe hymselfe sayeth playnely Take eate thys is my bodye And why do they not beleue this verely because they dyd neuer trulye beleue thys article that God is almyghtye but they thynke that God is not able to work or do that thing which they can not compasse with their awne wit and reason But you good children folowe not suche but beleue you with all youre hearte that God is almyghtye that he is able to worke and do all thynge that he wylleth and perfourme all thing that he speaketh or promiseth And in so doyng you shall fynde great peace and quietnes in your consciences For this is an excedyng comforte for vs stedfastly to beleue this article that God is almyghty For hereby we be perswaded in all perels and aduersities to put our trust in him forasmoche as he is able to delyuer vs out of al troubles and affections although they seme to mans reason remediles Hereby also we be taught to humble oure selues before God and not to be proude neyther to dyspyse or forget hym when all thynges goeth after our owne wyll but to consyder that God is almightie and able with a becke to ouerturne kingdomes to cast downe the ryche to exalte the poore to punyshe the wicked and to destroy vs yf we prouoke him to angre Wherefore good children marke well this worde Almighty whiche is as muche to saye as this No man is so sore sycke but God is able to heale hym No man is so poore but God can make hym riche No mā is so symple or dul wytted whom he is not able to make wyse No man is so vyle or lytle regarded but he is able to promote him to highe honours No man is so greate a synner but he is able to iustifye him Wherefore in all chaunces we must put our truste in God onelye For he is able to do what soeuer he willeth and all thynge is subiecte vnder hys dominion Furthermore in this article God is called maker of heauen and earth that is to saye God made heauen and earthe and all thynge contayned therein of no thynge For God made not these thynges as a carpenter maketh an house whiche can not woorke yf he lacke hys toyles stuffe But he onelye sayde lette it be done and by and by all thinges were done And therefore he hathe a newe title whiche was neuer herde among all the Philosophers beynge called the creatour of the worlde that is to saye that by his woorde he wonderfullye made all thynges of nothynge And as soone as he did speake by and by al the worlde stode vp and was made Thus he made manne and gaue hym bodye and soule reason and wysedome and dyd sette vnder his gouernaunce the yerth and all thyng that groweth theron as all kynde of trees wyth their fruytes all kyndes of herbes and floures all fyshes of the sea foules of the ayer and al maner of beastes tame or wylde and he made man Lorde ouer all these creatures that he myghte vse theym partely to his norishement and foode and partely to hys apparell and ornament of hys bodye in so muche that he made the Sunne Moone and all y e sterres for thys ende that they shoulde serue mā And that is most comforte to vs of all he made al these creatures before he did creat mā declaryng therby that he is carefull for vs and prouydeth suche thinges as we haue nede of yea before we be borne Wherefore good children let vs be of good chere and putting our trust in God let vs reason on this fashiō For asmuch as God made heauē and earth it is euidēt therby that he is Lorde and mayster of the same and that all thynges aswell in heauen as in earthe are donne accordyng to his wil. And forasmuche as he made all thynge for vs it is also manyfest therby y t he willeth all creatures to do vs seruice let vs therfore folow y e counsel of Christ who saith Be not careful for your life what ye shall eate or drynke nor yet for your bodye what raiment ye shal put on Is not y e lyfe more worth then meat and the bodye more of value then rayment Beholde the foules of the ayer the whiche do neyther sowe nor reape nor carye into the barnes and yet your heauenly father doth feade theim Are not you much better thē thei Cōsider the lilies of the feld how they growe They labour not thei spynne not And yet I saye vnto you that Salomō himselfe when he was in his most gorgious roialtie and glorye was not apparelled lyke one of these Nowe yf God dothe so apparell a floure which althoughe it florysheth to day yet to morow it wythereth away is cast into a fournas shal he not muche more do y e same for you o ye men of litle faith These be the wordes of Christ good children by the which he exhorteth vs to put our trust and confidence in God our father and stedfastlye to beleue that he whiche hath gyuen to vs our lyfe is both able willyng also to gyue vs all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of our lyfe For he is the maker of al thinges all creatures obey hys wyl and commaundement and if there lacked any thinges y t shuld helpe vs he is able euery daye to make all newe agayne as euery yeare he maketh all thynges to renewe and spryng agayn Thus by these wordes we learne y t God hath made heauen and earth and all thynges conteyned therin for vs and for oure commoditie and that he is both can and wyl gyue vs our dayly foode and lyuyng Wherfore let no mā trust to his own wit reasō or cōpassinge thinking y e he is able to get his liuing or riches by hys awne carefulnes or to maynteyne hys lyfe but let vs put our trust in God oure father almightie he will feade nouryshe and mainteyne vs as long as it shall please him Neuertheles it is our parte to laboure diligentlye and euery man is bounde to do his dutie in his vocatiō and calling For God willeth not that we shoulde be idle and lye all the day on the one syde lokyng that he shuld put meat in our moughtes as the nourse dothe feade yong children but he commaundeth vs to plye our laboures and occupations and then to cast all carefulnes and put it vnto hym Thus good children I haue expounded vnto you y e first article of our belyfe conteinyng the doctryne of the creation and making of the worlde the whiche heauenly philosophie to the intent you may the more easely beare it in youre memories I wyl knit it vp in few wordes that whē you be demaunded howe vnderstande you the fyrste article of youre belyfe you maye thus shortly answere I beleue that God y e father hath made me and al creatures in heauē and earth that he hath gyuē to me and conserueth my bodye and
whiche althoughe it be short yet it conteyneth moste great and weyghty matters suche as neyther aungell nor man nor other creature was able so pitheli to cōprise in so few wordes For in this prayer Christ oure Lord teacheth vs to aske all thynges y t eyther be cōmaūded vs in the ten cōmaundementes or promysed vs in y e article of our Crede Wherfore good children you ought to endeuour your selfes not only to lerne without y e boke this most holy prayer taught vs by Christes owne mouthe our great master teacher but also you ought to giue dilygence to vnderstāde iustlye to weye euery worde of so great a master that when you be apposed herein you maye be able to make a directe answer and also in tyme to come to teache your childrē the true vnderstāding of this praier as you youre selfes be nowe instructed For what greater shame can ther be before God and man thā whā in our mouthes we professe our selues to be christē men and to knowe what we ought to beleue and howe to lyue and yet to be ignoraunt what thynge we ought to aske of God and after what maner we ought to aske those thinges whiche he of his goodnes hath promised most largely to gyue vs. Or els yf we knowe howe and what to aske yet of neglygence slouth or contempt of God not to aske the same in dede in suche wise as we ought to do Specially seynge y t the propre office of a Christen man is to call vpon God in all his busynes and necessities to gyue thankes and euermore to honoure his mooste blessed name with moost hye laudes and prayses Wherfore good children for asmuche as God hath commaunded vs to resorte to hym boldelye and to moue oure selues to him in all our troubles and aduersities and hathe promysed that he wyll heare our praiers delyuer vs and graunt vs al thinges necessary for our saluatiō let vs not refuse this honoure that we be called vnto let vs not refuse this remedie helpe ayde and succoure that is freelye offered of oure most mercifull father to all his children that wyll call vpon his name For this is a sacrifice most acceptable to God wherwith he is moost higly honored and pleased Wherfore good children bothe daily and hourely accustome your selfes euen from your tender age to praye to your heauenly father for all thinges necessarie Offer vp vnto hym at youre vprisinge and downe leyinge before youre meales and after your meate this sacrifice of your lyppes the oblatiō of praise and thankes gyuing wourshippe hym at al tymes with the frankyncense of thys prayer taught vnto you by your sauiour Christ. The perfume wherof yf it be cast into the burnynge coles of faythe and charitie it perceth the cloudes and is so swete and pleasant vnto God that it vanishethe not awaye vntyll it haue obteined that thynge that it was sente for For it is writen that the prayer of a iust man can do much with god and the eyes of the Lord do looke vpō the rightuous and his eares be opened to heare theyr prayers Wherfore studye you to be the children of God and there is no doubte but youre heauenly father wyll gyue all good thinges which you shal desire of him in the name of his sonne and your brother Iesus Christ to whom be all glorye nowe and euer Amen This preface must be rehersed before euery sermon of the Lordes prayer The fyrst sermon ¶ A declaration of the fyrst peticion NOw good childrē to the intente you maye the better vnderstande this prayer you shall fyrst learne thys lesson that we wretched synners do not fyrst preuente God and go before him in the worke of our iustification but it is God that layeth the fyrst foundation of our saluation he begynneth with vs and fyrste calleth vs by the gospell Fyrst he sendeth vnto vs godly and faythful ministers by whom we be baptised and before we do anye good woorke he offereth vnto vs hys grace he sēdeth vnto vs preachers and messengers of peace whiche declare vnto vs the glad tidinges of the gospell and the promises of the fauoure of God towardes all them that truely repente theym of theyr euyll lyuynge and do moue theym to put theyr trust in Gods mercye for pardon of the same God also openeth our hertes that we maye lysten and gyue credit to his holy preachers as Christ hym self sayeth Ye haue not fyrste chosen me but I haue chosen you Nowe forasmuche as God hathe thus called vs to the fayth and by fayth hath gyuen vs lyght in our heartes that we maye forsake all straunge Gods and beleue onely in him now it is our parte to lead our lyfe in godlynes to desier god with hertye and feruente prayers that it maye please hym to make perfecte that thyng which he hath begonne in vs to healpe strengthen vs that by his grace we may be able to do those thinges whiche he hath commaunded vs and that he wyll augment and increase our fayth in vs. For the prayer of the vnfaythful is nothinge worth before God and without faithe it is vnpossible to please God Therefore God must beginne and cal vs by his worde and put faith in our heartes or elles we shoulde neuer aske nothing of him And for this cause we be not taught in the lordes prayer to saye to God Father graunt me to beleue that thou art my father but we be taught to say thus Oure father whiche arte in heauen halowed be thy name That is to saye o Lorde God our heauenly father before I beganne to praye and before I knewe thy name thou through thin exceding greate mercye didst sende vnto me thi preachers by whom thou didst declare vnto me that thou art my father for Iesus Christes sake and thou didst open my heart that I might beleue that thou arte my father Therfore graunt I besech the my heauenlye father that thy name maye be halowed And he y t taketh not God to be his father yet he maye lerne that it is so by this prayer For Christ our Lorde knewe most certenly the wil of his heuenly father that is to say that he would be oure moste swete and louynge father for els he woulde not haue taught vs this title our father and therfore must we again vpō our parties haue suche a loue and obedience to hym as becommeth the childrē vnto their father conceyue a most assured trust in God who is all our fathers that we shall lacke nothyng necessarye for vs and that nothyng shalbe able to hurt as long as we haue so mighty and so louyng a father We see by dayly experience howe intierlye the fathers loueth their children what care they take to bryng theim vp in vertue and lernyng and to get theim good maysters and gouernours howe they labore to prouide for their liuing and al thīges necessary for theim And if perchance theyr childrē cōmitteth any faulte for the whiche they deserue
be their true and faithfull subiectes of their realmes And euery king geueth commaundementes vnto his subiectes gouerneth theim in suche wyse that they do not euery man what he lyst hym selfe but what it pleaseth his prince to cōmaunde hym Euen so almighty God hath here in earth in his church an heuenly kyngdō And this kyngdō which Christ in his gospell so often calleth the kyngdome of heauen begynneth among his faithful peoble in this worlde And al that truly beleue kepe his commaūdementes parteyne vnto thys kyngdom And whan God by his gospel begynneth to cal vs vnto this kyngdom than the kyngdom of God commeth vnto vs and begynneth in vs. For God beginneth and in dede is the kyng and Lorde of theim that be godly he gouerneth and ruleth theim so that they worke not after y e lustes and desiers of their owne fleshe but as the Lord God who is their kyng teacheth and commaūdeth theim by his worde And kynges and great men in this worlde rule and gouerne by forse by soore threatenynges and greuous paynes and comstrayne their subiectes to obedyence and so they ought to do for it is the ordinance of God but God doeth not order his affaires so ī this forsaid kingdom of heuen but ruleth his subiectes lyke a gentle father by the worde of his gospel and by the holy gost that after this sort God causeth his ghospel to be preached vnto vs howe Christe for our sakes suffered death was buried and rose againe as before you herd in y e Crede Moreouer he openeth oure hertes gyueth vs faith to beleue his gospel And to them y t beleue his gospel he giueth the holy gost which doth gouerne vs and leade vs vnto all trueth For fyrste by faythe we be iustified before God for fayth maketh vs partakers of y e iustice of christ and planteth vs in Christ and he that by true faithe do receyue the promyse of grace to him God gyuethe the holye ghoste by whome charitie is spred abrode in our hertes whiche perfourmethe all the commaundementes Therfore he that beleueth in Christ and truely beleueth y e gospel he is iust holy before God by y e iustice of Christ whiche is imputed gyuē vnto hī as Paule saith Ro. iii. we thinke y t mā is iustified by faith w tout workes He is also iust before y e world because of y e loue charitie which the holy gost worketh in his herte Secondly faith worketh peace and quietnes in oure heartes and consciēces For by faith we be certified that our synnes be forgiuen Therfore saythe sayncte Paule to the Romanes Beyng iustified we haue peace and quyetnesse wyth God by our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thirdely this peace bringeth vnto vs a great and synguler ioy in our hertes and consciences and maketh vs for this excedyng benefite of gods mercy and grace towarde vs feruentely to loue him gladly to laude and praise him to honoure his name and to professe the same before all the worlde euermore to gyue vnto hym moste harti thankes and to be swift and redye to do all thinges that maye please God and to eschewe those thynges that may dysplease hym Thys good children is the sayd kyngdome of God whan by the gospell and the holy ghoste God raygneth in oure hartes whan he worketh in vs our Iustification that we hauynge peace of conscience may haue ioye and comforte in the holy gost of the abundance and plentifulnes of grace and the benefytes of Christe And this is that thinge whiche sayncte Paule speaketh of to y e Romaynes The kyngdome of God is iustice peace and ioy in the holy gost Nowe as an earthly kyng doeth gouerne his subiectes by hys lawes and commaundementes and by his mighte and power so doeth God rule and gouerne his church and true faithfull people whiche although they be here in earth yet they be of his heuenly kyngdome suche I saye he gouerneth by the holy worde of his gospell and the power of the holy ghost whom he powreth plentifully vpon al them that beleue the gospel and by that comfortable worde of the ghospell he gentilly entiseth and drawethe vs vnto him that we should gladly of our owne free will obey him For God loueth not seruyce constrayned by forse suche as slaues and bonde menne do more for the feare then loue but he wold haue his people to serue him willyngly of hearte and loue as Dauid said in the .cx. Psalme And this is the forsayde kyngdome of God whan he dothe in suche wyse raigne in vs and gouerne vs that we do not wourke after our owne wylles but in body and minde do ceasse rest from our owne euyl workes and shrewed wylles and folowe the workyng of God and the holye goste in vs. And this is to sanctifye the sabbot daye that is to say to kepe an holy rest whan we honor God with true honour whan we heare dilygently the worde of God whē we yelde our selfes clerly to God that his holy spirite maye worke in vs holy godly heuenly workes y t is to say iustice peace comfort other workes of y e holy gost Therfore he that praieth thus Thy kingdome come he prayeth nothynge elles but that God wil gyue vs grace that we maye rest from our own propre willes that we do not those thynges that delyte the body and please oure appetites but that we maye suffre God by his holy worde spirite to worke in vs holy workes that so the thirde cōmaundement maye be fulfilled Remembre that thou sanctifye the sabboth daye For so doth Esaye declare this commaūdement saying If thou worke not after thine own wyl in my holy day than thou shalt be called a pleasant rest to sanctifye and honoure the Lorde yf thou honoure him so that thou worke not after thyne owne wayes nor fynde the meanes to folowe thyne own wil nor speake thyne owne pleasure than shalt thou haue pleasure in the Lorde For all these thynges therfore good children ought you to praye to God that hys kyngdome maye come that he wil here in earth begynne his kyngdome in vs that we maye obey him in suche wyse as you haue herde Nowe the kyngdome of God commeth vnto vs two maner of wayes first by his worde faithe whan the gospell is preached vnto vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ delyuered vs frō synne death and hel by crosse death resurrection For by the preaching of his word we do lerne to put oure truste in God and to loue God And this knowlege and faith in Christe increaseth from tyme to tyme not only in theim that haue but newlye begonne to beleue but they also whiche many yeares haue professed Christe do profyt in the same faith more and more For their faith and loue towardes God by the dayly preachyng of the gospel is confirmed made more strong Secondly the kyngdome of God shall come to vs at the laste daye whan
wyll saying as Christ hath taught vs. Thy wyll be donne in earthe as it is in heauen And because the wyl of God wherby he requireth here in earth obedience to lawes and gouernours is expressed very plainly in the seuen latter commaundementes before rehersed therefore whensoeuer you wyll make thys prayer to God and saye Thy wil good Lorde be done in earth as it is in heauen you must before call to your remembraunce these seuen commaundementes with their exposition vnto you hertofore declared For in this shorte request you comprise asmuche as yf you shuld praye on this fashion O God oure mooste mercyfull father in heauen gyue vs thy grace and healpe that we maye obey our parentes and commen officers and honour them with all our hertes keape vs frome manslaughter from enuye hatred malice anger desyre of reuengynge and all euell myndes towarde our neyghbours Graunt that we may hartely loue oure neyghbours and do theim good both in wordes and deades Graunte vs to lyue purelye and chastely to auoyde all occations of offence to prouoke no bodye to vncleane lyuynge but y t we maye studye to saue euery mans womans chastitie and honestye Graunt that neyther by thefte gyle or anye craftye meanes we take brybe or keape awaye anye mans goods from him but rather that we maye helpe theim to saue and kepe their riches and yf any of thē be in pouertie that we maye be wyllyng to releaue them wyth our almes and charitie Graunte that we hurte no man wyth false witnes bearing or lying but that we maye bothe iudge and speake all goodnes of our neyghboure Kepe vs from all euell lustes and desyres that we couet not oure neyghbors goodes nor hauke or hunt after any thinge that is hys For all these be the commaundementes of thy holy godlye wyll wherto thou hast commaūded vs to be obedyente And marke well these wordes I praye you good children that we do not onely praye God that hys wyll maye be donne but also we desyer y t it maye be fulfylled here of men in erth euen as it is of the angels in heauen Nowe the angels in heauen fulfyll Gods wyll most perfectlye bothe with moost feruent loue and moste perfyte obedience And there is not in anye of the heauenly spirites any euell desier to do any thynge contrarye to gods wyll but they be whollye inflamed with moste perfecte loue towarde God Euen so oughte we also to be that dwell here in earth But the wekenes and euylnes of mans hart is so greate that we be not able to perfourme the same For oftentymes we obey Gods wyll nothyng at all but gyue our selues wholly to the lustes of our fleshe oftentimes we do that God requirethe of vs grudgynglye coldly as it were halfe agaynste our willes This is a great feblenes or rather an horrible sykenes lepry corruption and pestylente contagion of originall synne by meanes wherof they that be most holy here in earthe be not perfecttely iust and rightuous but euer they want many thinges that belong to their perfection We must therefore continually praye God to gyue vs his grace helpe that we may fulfyll his holy wyll and be made as iust and obediente as the angels whiche be in heauen Forthermore good children you shall note that when we saye thy wyll be donne we do not onelye praye for our selues but for other also that bothe we they maye do the holy wyl of God And whē any man goeth about to do anye vngodly thinge whiche is agaynste gods wyll then we praye in this petition that God wyll let his naughty purpose that gods wyl onely maye be donne This praier also is against the deuyl and thys most corrupte worlde that neither the deuels will neither the wyll of the wicked worlde maye be done For when we heare the gospell preached vnto vs and gyue credyte to it and frame our lyfes and conuersation after the same then Satan rageth and is sore greued and vexed than he calleth all hys wittes vnto him setteth all hys studye craftye to styrre vp false and braynesyke doctors to sowe the cockell of heresye and erroneous opinions wher the good sede of gods word was first sowē Thē he is busye to rayse vp persecutions seditiōs insurrections cōmotyons warre and blasphemies whereby ye maye let the worde of God to haue his course and trouble the kingdome of Christe And Satan is not alone whē he fyghteth against Christ and his kyngdome but he hath on his syde this false and deceyuable worlde and also oure owne fleshe whyche do not cease to intyce and moue vs agaynst gods most holy wil. But when we say in the lordes prayer thy wyll be donne then we do not only pray that both we and other maye kepe gods commaundemētes but we praye also that the moste naughty wyll of the Deuel and the corrupte worlde maye be broken and only the wyll of God maye be fulfilled that in commen welthes maye be peace and quietnes the gospell frely fruitefully preached and that we may lede in this world holy and godly lyues And forasmuche as Christe oure Lord hath cammaunded vs thus to praye and hath promysed that whatsoeuer we aske the father in his name he wyl gyue it vnto vs we ought stedfastly to beleue and nothyng doubte but that he wyll staye all the craftye imaginations and compassynges of the worlde and the deuel and defende vs against all persecutions that we maye kepe and lerne his worde in peace and quietnes Wherefore our dewtie is stedfastly to cleue to the gospell dylygently to studye and learne the worde of God and constantly w tout feare to confesse and abyde by the same For Christ himself saith He that confesseth me before men I wyll also confesse and acknowlege him before my father in heauen But he that denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father in heauen Also good childrē you shal dilygently learne this lesson whiche I praye you to prynt wel in your memories that in this peticion we yelde oure selues wholly to God to be ordered after his wyll and pleasure and willynglye to beare what soeuer crosse or trouble he shal lay vpon our sholders For we praye y t hys wil maye be done than we forsake our awne wyl and make a whole resignation thereof into Gods hādes that it may not take effecte whiche of it selfe desier nothynge but helth of body riches honors rest and quietnes where as gods wyll is contrarye that oftentymes we shoulde be tryed in oure faithe by aduersyties and beare oure crosse as our Lorde and mayster Christ was crowned with thornes and nayled on the crosse for oure sakes This sainct Paule witnesseth writyng these wordes whom God hathe chosē before the beginnyng of the worlde them also hath he ordeyned to be lyke the image of his sonne And our sauioure Christe himselfe sayeth He that taketh not his crosse foloweth me is not worthye to
be my dysciple And this is not a token of gods angre when he sendeth vs afflyetion or aduersitie but rather a signe of his loue toward vs. For he chasteseth euery childe whome he loueth as the wyse man Salomon witnesseth And they that fele not his rodde be not his true children but rather bastardes as sainte Paule writeth in thepistle to the Hebrues Wherefore good children larne patience that you may gladly suffer aduersitie For correction is a teachyng and whē God shall trye your faith with sycknes pouertie persecution or any other kynde of aduersitie reioyce and be glad For these be euident tokens of gods fatherly loue towarde you and that he wil kepe you cleane from synne and corruption of this worlde and brydle your wyll that you maye learne to knowe gods holy wyll whiche is a wonderful wisdome And therefore sayncte Paule so many tymes repeteth in his epystles these wordes that is to say that you maye knowe the wyll of God For this knowledge is a most high and heauēly wysedome and obedyence most lyke to the obedience and holines of thangels in heauen And you be bounde to obey God in sufferyng his rodde and crosse For God in our baptysme hath made this couenaunt with vs that we must dye and be buryed with Christe be grafted in his passion and death if we wil ryse againe and be glorified with him in the kyngdome of heauen whereunto he is rysen and assended Wherefore good children marke wel these lessons that you maye learne pacience in all afflictions and aduersities whether you suffre sycknes pouertie reproches or persecution for the gospel And what soeuer kynde of aduersitie troubleth you perswade your selues for a suertye that it is Gods wil that you should suffer and be tryed And therfore Christ sayeth One heare shal not fal from your headde without the wyll of your father whiche is in heauen Therfore yf perchaunce at any tyme you shalbe moued to impacience in your trouble and aduersitie then with all your hertes call vpon God for his ayde and succour desyre hym to sende you the gyfte of pacience and saye Thy wyll good Lorde be done and not ours For so oure sauyour Christ hath not onely taught vs to pray but he himselfe also dyd vse the lyke prayer not longe before he suffered his passion And this is the playne meaning of this thirde petition concernyng y e fulfyllyng of Gods wyll Nowe I pray you good children applye your willes and mindes to learne y e same that whē you be demaunded how vnderstād you y e thirde petition you may answer after this maner Althoughe Gods holy wyll be done w tout our praier yet we pray that it maye be done in vs and fulfylled among vs here in earth Which is done whan God doeth ouerthrow and destroy the wicked counsels of the deuell of worldlye people and of oure owne fleshe whiche do all that lyeth in theim to let and hynder the kyngdome of God and the halowynge of his name and doeth kepe vs in the true knowledge of his worde in the lyuely faithe of Christ in hys loue and obedyence of hys commaundementes For this is the holye and perfecte wyll of God whiche God graunte vs to keape nowe and euer Amen Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade YE haue herd how in the former petitions we desyer of God to gyue vs al thinges that belong to the fulfyllynge of hys holy commaundementes that we maye leade a godly lyfe aswell towardes God as also towarde oure neighbours Wherby we be euidently taught that we be not able to fulfyll the lawe and commaundementes of God without the grace of Christe and Goddes healpe Nowe foloweth the other four peticions in the whiche we praye God that he wyll vouche safe to gyue vs all those thinges whiche be promysed vnto vs in the gospell and whiche our Crede teacheth vs to loke for And first in this fourth petition we sue to God to graunte vs all those thinges which we be taught to beleue in the first parte of oure Crede concernyng our creation For when we saye Gyue vs thys daye oure daylye breade we praye to God that as through his great mercye and goodnesse he dydde create vs so he wil lykewyse nouryshe and feade vs. Wherefore good children yf you wyll vnderstande this peticion you must call to your remembraunce those lessons which wer taught you in the first article of oure belefe intreatyng of the creation For seynge that God hathe made heauen and earth he is lorde and mayster of al creatures in heauen or erthe and all be vnder his wil and pleasure And forasmuche as he made them all for vs he hath appointed them all to serue vs and to healpe and releue our necessities Wherefore let vs not be carefull for meate or drincke or other thinges necessary for oure lyuynge But lette vs put oure confidence in God oure father whiche hath made vs and giuen vs our lifes and we may be sure that he wyll also sende vs all thinges necessarie for the preseruation and maintenaūce of the same For seyng that he made al creatures of nothing it muste nedes be that all creatures muste obey hys wil and commaundemente And in case ther were not in the world creatures sufficient to nourish vs yet we shoulde not mistrust hym for he is able to make newe creatures to gyue vs all thinges necessarie And to the intent that no man shoulde truste in hymselfe thynkynge that by his owne wysdome or laboure he is able to get all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of his lyfe Christe hathe taught vs to aske these thynges of oure heauenlye father whiche onely is able to preserue and feade vs. Of him therefore oughte we hertely to aske the same saying Gyue vs this daye oure daylye breade For this thinge tendeth to the glorie of god and syngulerly pleasethe him whan we aske of hym al thynges necessarie for vs. And for this cause God hath commaunded vs to praye contynually wythout ceasynge And our sauyour Christ hath promysed vs that he wyl gyue vs all thynges whiche we shall aske in his name And it is euident by the wordes of this petition that we ought oftentymes to praye For Christ hath not taught vs to aske our sustinaunce for fyfthy or thre score yeare nor yet for one yeare no nor for one moneth or weake but he hath wylled vs to aske our dayly breade And he saieth Be not carefull for to morowe for to morow bryngeth care enough of it selfe Now yf we shal not be careful for to morow but onely require of God sustinance necessarye for the present daye it is manyfest hereby that it is gods wyll that we shoulde aske agayne of him to morow For we shal haue asmuch nede of meate and drynke to morowe as we haue this presēt daye yet we praye not for to mrowes fode but for this dayes sustinance onli Wherefore good children accustome
godly men be common to vs all For whan soeuer anye Godly man requireth any good thynge of God he also requireth the same for vs alone for no man oughte to praye for him selfe And this is a greate consolation for all Christian people For the scripture sayeth that the prayer of one iust man may do muche wyth God And therfore whan manye iust and godlye men do make their supplications vnto God with one accorde we may be sure that their prayers are herde And thys is the playne sense and exposition of this fourth petition Now good children I pray you diligently to remember these thynges that when you be asked thys question howe vnderstande you the fourth petition you may answere God doeth sufficientlye prouide for vs meate and lyuyng with out our desire neuerthelesse we desyre him to graunt vs that we maye knowe that we haue all thynges at his handes and that we may gyue to him due thankes for the same And yf further anye man wyll aske you what is mente by thys worde our dayly breade aunswere that by daylye breade is vnderstande all thynges necessarie for oure lyuynge as meate drynke clothe house lande cattel monye housholde stuffe a good wyfe obedyente chyldren trustye seruaūtes good gouerners a wel ordered commen wealth commen peace and tranquilitie seasenable wether holsome aier health of body constant frendes honest neighboures and suche lyke thynges whereby we maye leade in this worlde a Godly and quiet lyfe ¶ And forgyue vs oure trespaces as we forgyue them that trespace agaynst vs. YOu haue hearde howe we desyer of God oure father that for asmuche as he is the onelye and true maker of heauen and earth he wyll vouchsafe to preserue and nouryshe vs his children and that we ought to trust for this thing of no creature but of God only as you haue lerned in the firste article of oure Crede which intreateth of the creatiō Now foloweth the fifth petitiō in y t whiche we desyer God to giue vs al those thīges y t we haue lerned in the seconde parte of oure Crede whiche speaketh of our redemption and teacheth vs howe by the passion death and resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe we be delyuered from synne death and hel that with ioye and myrthe we maye loke for that daye in the which he shal iudge both y e quicke and the dead The wordes of this peticion be these Forgyue vs our trespaces as we forgyue theym that trespace agaynste vs. To the intent good childrē that you maye the better vnderstande this petition you shal call to your remembraunce that lesson whiche you lerned a lytle before that is to saye that Christ hath promysed that he wyll gyue vs all thinges whiche we aske in faithe and true belefe Nowe true faith is grounded vpon the promyse of god and it is not buylded but vpon the foūdacion of his word Wherfore yf we wyll aske any thing in true belefe we must aske as the worde of God teacheth vs and we muste take suer holde of Gods promise declared in the scripture For it is not faithe to beleue oure owne phantasies or dreames of the whiche God hath nothynge spoken or taught As yf a man would beleue that by Goddes healpe he shoulde not be drouned although he leapte into the sea this were no faith but a tēptaciō of god a very heynous sinne commyng dowtles of the deuel who on this wise tēpted our master Christ when he set him vpon the pinnacle of the temple in the holy cytie and said vnto him If thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe But Christe refused so to do answered thus Yt is written Thou shalte not tempte thy Lorde God Nowe there is not in the whole scripture anye one promyse that God wyll helpe me yf I do any suche acte but yf we do suche thynges as God hathe commaunded vs he hathe made vs manye promyses that he wyll ayde and succour vs in al our necessities and troubles By the whiche promyses he hath declared his fatherly loue towardes vs intendyng therby to stirre and prouoke vs to runne vnto him in all oure cares and nedes Wherefore it is our bounden dutye to cal vpon his name in al our necessities to trust vpon hys promyses to put him as it were in remembraunce of them and ernestly to desier hym to performe y e same But amonge al other promyses this promyse is speciallye to be remembred where Christ promyseth thus Yf ye will forgyue men their trespaces my heauenly father also wyll forgyue you youre trespaces But yf you wyl not forgyue men their trespaces thē wyl not my heuēly father forgiue you In the whiche promyse Christe dothe not onely offer vnto vs remission of our synnes and suche thynges as apperteyne to euerlastyng lyfe but also he promiseth vs hereby peace and quietnes in this transitorye lyfe with concord and a louyng harte towarde our neyghboure And accordynge to this promyse Christe our master hath taught vs to pray after this sort Forgiue vs our trespaces as we forgiue them that trespace agaynst vs. For it were not reasonable nor agreyng to iustyce that we should require God to forgiue vs our trespaces agaīst him whē we are not minded to forgyue our neighbours their offēces against vs. Nor God would neuer heare vs yf we shoulde so praye For yf we haue causes why we wyll not forgyue our neighbors thē suerly God hath both mo more weightie causes wherfore he wil not forgyue vs. So that yf God were mynded to forgyue vs oure synnes yet yf we be not mynded to forgyue our neyghbors he wold stay and as it wer cal againe this his purpose by the reason of oure vncharitablenes and dissobediēce as Christe hymselfe doth playnly teache vs by the example of the seruaunt whyche after he had hys dette forgyuen him was compelled to paye all the monye wherof before he was dyscharged by hys maysters pardon because he wold not forgyue his felow Wherefore good childrē accustome your selfs euē from your tendre age gladly to forgyue them that haue offended you Be not desyrous to reuenge your awn quarels and thē youre heuenly father wil also forgyue you Yf you be angry synne not nor let not the sunne set vpon your anger For it is not possible that any man can trewlye beleue that God hath forgyuen him hys synnes when he hymselfe is not willyng to forgiue his neighbore Wherfore God our heuēly father dyd not entende to hurte or hindre vs when he sayde that he woulde not forgyue vs except we dyd forgyue other and yf we forgyue our neyghbors their offēces that then he wil also forgyue vs. But God dyd knyt thys condytion to this promyse for our great welth and benefyte For vnder these wourdes ther lyeth hyde great cōforte for troubled conscyences where vnto yf you wil lysten dilygently ye shal knowe the synguler goodnes of God and his fatherly loue towardes you It
offenders And whē such commen gouernours do their office in punishyng open malefactors thē they do a true honour and seruice to god ar his ministers as saint Paul sayth to y e Romaynes The magistrate is Gods officer And when the publike minister doethe kil an opē transgressor we oughte to thinke y t God kylleth hym for asmuche as the officer doethe the same by the commaundement and ordynance of God Wherfore good children althoughe menne do neuer so greate wronge vnto you and hurte you ether in your bodies or goodes yet take it paciently refrayne your handes from bloudshedyng strike no man violently but committe the matier to God For he hath saied leaue vengeance to me and I wil reuenge But ye in no wise shall kil nether in will worde nor dede For there be diuerse wayes to commit murther The first is when with any kynde of weapon or violence we slay our neyghbour as theues do be the hyghe wayes Also yf we gyue any commaundement or counsell that oure neyghboure shoulde be slayne by other or yf we spreade abrode any euel brute or slaunder of any man by occasyon of y e which he is put to death Furthermore we kill when ether with worde or dede we maye and do not delyuer hym whome other men entende to kyll And when we see our neyghbour in perryll of lyfe and do not helpe him but suffer hym to dye for hunger to be drowned or burned Besides this we be manquellers when we beare angre hatred and malyce agaynste oure neyghbours and when with greate angre and furye we do rayle on him curse him and wishe vengeaunce to lyghte vpō him For whersoeuer angre hatred enuye and malycyousnes reygneth there is manslaughter whiche althoughe it be not performed in dede with the hande sword yet it is done in hart mind and wyll For as fyre kyndled with a litle sparke doeth oftentymes greate hurte and damage can not easely be quēched so whā the sparkes of angre hatred and enuye do set on fyre mans hearte they do oftentimes prouoke more hurte than euer a man thoughte and some time they styrre to committe suche offences as in all his lyfe he neuer thought vpon and for the whiche afterwarde he soroweth all the dayes of his lyfe So that the wel spring of manslaughter is malice and enuye And therfore sayncte Iohn in his Epistle sayeth He that hateth his brother is a manqueller And Christ saieth He that is angrye wyth his brother is worthy to be iudged For to be angrye is with the herte to kyll Wherfore that commaundemēt that sayeth thou shalt not kyll doeth also forbyd to be angry Furthermore Christ sayeth he that sayeth to his brother Racha that is to saye he that with voice or gesture sheweth anye token of an angry herte is worthye the sessyons but he that sayeth thou foole is worthy the fyre of hel In these sentences our master Christ teacheth vs that in wordes is manslaughter committed when we vtter the poyson of our herte with any suche wordes wherby the venome of our herte is perceyued But when we burst out into suche raylynge slaunderouse and contumelious wordes agaynst any man that he maye lese therby his estimation or good name then we be more heynous murtherers And here also Christ teacheth vs how greuouslye we shall be punished both in this life and in the life to come yf we dyspise this commaundemēt of god For he doeth not only say he that kylleth but he also that is angrye with his brother is worthy iudgement that is to saye is gyltye before God of so great a cryme that he hath deserued to be arrested violentlye to be drawen in to the place of iudgement and there opēly to be accused and arrayned of the same But he y t with voyce or gesture dothe vtter the malice of his hert is worthy the sessions that is to saye he hath committed so greuous an offence in the sight of God y t it is not nowe necessarie to empanel a quest to inquire whether he hath deserued punishment or no forasmuche as his offence is manyfest but the greatnes of the synne hath onely neede of a sessiō or a numbre of iudges to determine how greuously such an offēder ought to be punished But he whiche inflamed with angre calleth his neighbour by such approbrius wordes that his estimacion and good nameis hurte and decayed he is worthye hell fyre that is to saye he hath synned so heynously that he hathe deserued tormentes both in this world and in an other worlde except he repent in tyme and obteyne hym pardone by the passion of Chrste But most of all kyllyng with the hande and effusion of bloud shall be punished wyth moste greuous paynes bothe in this lyfe and in the lyfe to come As oure Lorde God declared to Noe saynge I wyll requyre youre bloode of the handes of all beastes and of the handes of man For who so euer shedeth mans bloode his bloode shall be shed agayne And in case the manqueller escape mans handes and punishment of the commen offycer or yf they that haue Goddes sworde in theyr handes be neglygent in doynge theyr office or wyl be blynded with affections and corrupted wyth monye yet God wyll not let manslaughter to escape vnpunished For he hath sayde that he hymselfe wyll inquire of bloodshedynge and syt in iudgement vpon manquellers As it is playnly declared vnto vs by the horryble example of Cain who kylled his brother Abell For not onelye in this lyfe God dyd so sore punyshe hym that hys conscience was vexed with suche vnquietnes and horryble feare that all hys bodye shooke and trembled mooste pitifully and he coulde abid or rest in no place but lyke a banyshed man or runne agate wandered euerne where but also now after this lyfe he is cursed of God and damned for euer This fearfull payne good chyldren ought to warne vs to be diligent in kepyng this commaundement that we kyll not neyther in wil worde nor dede but contrarywyse to endeuour oure selfes to practise Christes lessons who hath taught vs gentylnes mildnes long sufferance and pacience For he saith Blessed ar they that suffer persecutiō for rightousnes for theyrs is y e kyngdō of heauen Wherfore good children marke ernestly what God here commaūdeth Ye shal not saieth he be angrye but loue your enemies ye shal not slaūdre or backbite other but speake wel euen of those that hate you accordyng to y e cōmaūdemēt of Christ. Yf a mā strike y t on the cheke resist not but whosoeuer shall gyue the a blow on the ryght cheke turne to hym the other also And if any man wil sue y t at y e law take away thy coat let him haue thy clooke also And whosoeuer will compell the to go one myle go with him twayne Do good to them that hate you pray for them that hurte and persecute you that ye maye be the children of your father whiche is
in heauen All these are the wordes of Christ. And yf perchaunce we haue donne any manne wronge or prouoked oure neyghboure to angre then with great diligence we ought to laboure that in al hast and spede we maye be reconciled For Christ saieth Yf thou offrest thy gyft at the aulter there remembrest that thy brother hath any thīg against the leaue there thyne offering before the aulter go thy waye first be reconciled to thy brother then come offre thy gyft Oblations and sacrifices wer in tholde testament a very commendable and an highe kynde of worshipping god For asmuche as he hymselfe dyd appointe and commaunde them And yet Christ here teacheth that God is better honoured with kepyng his commaūdementes than with our offeringes And to be reconsiled to our neighbour is a sacrifice more acceptable vnto him then to offer oblacions Furthermore the keping of these commaūdementes helpeth muche to mayntayne the tranquillite peace and quietnes of the commē wealth For Christe sayeth Agree wyth thyne aduersarie quickely whiles thou arte in the waye with him y t is to saye we must refrayne our selfe from discorde variance hatred contencion and asmuche as lyeth in vs seke peace concord and quietnes ▪ lest we be caste into prisō from whence we shall not be deliuered except we pay y e vtmost farthynge And in these ciuile and worldlye courtes althoughe oure cause be good and rightfull yet is it possible that iudgemente be gyuē against vs. And in case that at the length we haue sentence on our side yet the sute therof shal be so chargeable vnto vs y t we shal for the moste parte spende more mony in waginge of the law than we shall gayne by the sentence Wherfore ther is nothyng better or more profitable then to seke for concorde and peace as muche as is possible And as it is our parte to lyue in peace with all men so it is our dutie also to make them at one which be at variaunce For Christ saieth Blessed be the peace makers for they shal be called the children of God Wherfore good children printe wel in your remēbraunce that God hath commaūded Thou shalt not kyll and that we can not offer a more acceptable sacrifice to God then to kepe his cōmaundemētes Make your selfes strong therfore patiently to suffre all thynges reuenge not your selues but leaue al punyshement to God and he wyll reuenge your quarrelles Be not inflamed wyth angre hatred or enuye against your neighbor do no wrōg to hym beare with his weakenesse and forbeare hym hurte hym not but rather defēde him from hurt sow and norishe vnitie peace and frendshyp betwene all men make agrementes loue daies betwene them that be fallen at discorde auoyde all occasyons of angre or displeasure as braggynge boastyng reuilynge tawntynge scornynge dicynge bankettyng riote and suche lyke offences And contrariwise loue your neighbour do good to all men as farre as youre abilitie wil serue you speake well of euery bodye and laboure with all youre power to saue the lyfe of youre neyghbour For this is the dutie of all godlye menne to preserue and defende their neyghbour frendely to admonyshe him of his faultes to instruct him and to comforte him For we be bound to healpe oure neyghboure in hys necessitie to lende hym money to gyue to him when he asketh to refreshe his hunger with meate and drynke to clothe his nakednes to receaue into oure house the harbourles to comforte hym when he is sicke For all these offices and effectes of trew humanitie loue and charitie God commaunded when he said Thou shalt not kil And this is the trew meanyng of the fifth precepte Wherfore good children marke it well and when you be asked howe vnderstande you the fifthe commaundemente you shall aunswere we oughte to loue and dreade oure Lorde God aboue all thinges so that for hys sake we hurt not our neighboure nether in his name goodes cattel life or body but that we aide comforte and succoure hym in all hys necessities troubles and afflyctions ¶ The syxte sermon ¶ An exposition of the syxte commaundement ¶ Thou shalte not committe adultery IN y e last sermon ye were taught how we should behaue ourselfes towarde oure neyghboure that we kyll hym not neyther in wil word nor dede neyther hurte hym in hys goodes or bodye Now a man yf he be a man in dede and no monster next after his owne bodye doeth moost dearely loue hys wyfe wherefore nexte foloweth the syxte commaūdement Thou shalt not committe adulterye the whiche teacheth vs howe we shoulde order our selues towardes oure wyfes that we shoulde loue theym not forsake theym or breake the promyse of wedlocke with theim but louingly kepe theym companye Also that we should not luste after an other mans wyfe neyther wyth faire wordes or gyftes intyse her away from her husbande but laboure with all diligence that wemen both maried and vnmaryed maye kepe their chastitie vndefyled For God himself did institute and ordeine mariage did halow it with his awne blessyng Wherfore we maye be sure that this state of lyfe pleaseth god and that it is his wyll to haue it kept with out pollucion or dishonestie For god after that he had made Adā he sayde thus It is not good that Adam shoulde be alone lette vs make for him an helpe And when Adam was a sleape y e lorde toke one of his ribbes and made a woman of the Rybbe whiche he had taken from Adam And he brought her to Adam and Adam sayd This is now bone of my bones fleshe of my fleshe For thys cause a mā shall leaue hys father and mother shall be ioyned with his wife they shall be twayne in one fleshe And the Lorde God blessed theym sayeng Growe and increace and replenishe the earth tyll it By this you maye learne good children that God hymselfe dyd institute mariage wyth hys owne worde Wherefore there is no doubte but that thys kinde of lyfe is holy and doeth hyghlye please God As thapostell Paule writeth to y e Hebrues Wedlocke is honourable the bed therin is vnspotted but adulterers and fornicatours god doth cōdemne Furthermore god saith Grow increase Here he declareth y t the fruyt of wedlocke that is to say children are y e gifte of God For yf he had not commaunded thys thing by his worde then maried folkes could haue had no childrē Wherefore ye shall by these wordes chefely learne that there is a great difference betwene wedlocke and the vnlawfull cōpanye betwixt man and woman For in mariage the acte of generatyon betwene the husbande and y e wife is no synne for God hath ordayned it it pleaseth him but fornication adulterye be sin which God hath forbid and thei highly displease him To maried folkes he hathe sayed Growe increase and fill the earth but to horemōgers harlots he hath not sayed so but hath cōdēned thē Childrē begotten in