any office in the commen wealth beware that you gyue no cause nor occasion to othes not necessarie For whatsoeuer sinne is committed by suche othes that God doethe impute to thofficer whiche exactethe the same and not to the subiectes whiche are bownde to obey not onelye for feare of punyshemente but also for conscience sake Thirdely we abuse the name of God not onely in vayne but also very vngodly when with horrible cursyng bannynge by the name of God we wyshe to other the vēgeaunce of God The whiche syn now in our time is moche vsed Insomuche that now a dayes you shall heare not onely men but also womē and childrē outragiouslye curse and banne bothe themselfes and other sayinge after this wise By goddes soule I woulde I hadde neuer been borne or I woulde the grounde shoulde open and swalowe me vp By Goddes body I woulde thou wert hanged by goddes passion I woulde the deuell had the by goddes woundes I woulde it were on a wylde fire or suche other lyke deuylyshe cursiges wishīges which offence is not onelye abominable before god but also so shamefull before the worlde that it abhorreth good christen eares to heare suche haynous blasphemie For sainct Paul in the seconde chapter of thepistle to the Philippians writeth thus In the name of God all knees do bowe downe bothe in heauen in earthe and vnder the yearth that is to saye Not onelye Aungelles and men do wourship oure Lorde and God Iesus Christe but also the damned spirites and deuelles in hell do quake at his name and by their trēblyng do declare that they most reuerently acknowlege the name of hys maiestye But these more then deuylishe swerers banners and cursers without reuerence to the mooste honorable name of God without curtesye or bowing to him who with a becke maketh all the worlde to shake do blowe bluster oute of theyr vngodly mouthes suche blasphemies as by the same they do not onelye hyghly dishonour God but also do wyshe to their neighbours all kinde of miseries plages and aduersities that can be imagined whereas oure dutye is to loue our neyghbour wishe wel to him as to ourselfes Nowe consyder what a great wickednesse it is to wyshe euyll thinges to men by the name of God seyng that by thys name we ought to desier and praye for all good thinges bothe to oure selues and to oure neyghbours Wherfore when ye heare ani man vsing suche spytefull curses and blasphemies of gods name doute not but y t he in y t deede is wurse then the deuyll himselfe For the deuil when he heareth god named trembleth therat and dateth not so vnreuerently behaue hymselfe to that moste holy mane where as these wretched and most vngodly persones do shewe no feare nor reuerence thereto at all But ye good children take hede for gods sake that you accustome not your selfes to suche kynde of blasphemies And when you shall heare other outragyng with suche horrible curses flye frome theym as frome pestilence and thynke this with youre selfe I wyll conuey me out of this naughtie companye leste peraduenture I also maye be infected with this contagious custome of swearynge and cursing and so maye be made at the lengthe more abhominable in this poynt than is the deuill hym selfe Fourthly the name of God is taken in vayne when men do abuse the worde of God purposelye makynge false expositions vpon holy scripture and wrestynge the same frō the true sense to their euil purpose or whan men make a trifle or a lawghynge sporte of the wordes of holy scripture as these papistes do whiche say that thys verse of y e Psalme He shall drinke of the broke by the way and therfore he shall lyft vp his hedde is verefied of the gose and the gaundre This abuse doth brede a contempte of the worde of God and it doeth corrupt or mynishe the authoritie of Gods doctrine Fyftly they do misuse the name of God whiche do abuse it to charmes witchcraft sorceries nicromācies inchaūtemētes cōiuringes And this is not onely a great syn but a thynge of hys owne nature moste vayne and folishe For perswade your selfes this thynge for a suertie good chyldren that all kynd of witchecraft is of hys own nature nothing elles but lies gyles and subtilenes to deceaue ygnoraunt and simple mē as manye haue proued by experiēce to theyr great losse and vtter vndowynge Wherfore beware of them beleue them not do not learne them neyther feare that an nother mans inchauntementes are hable to hurte you For they be nothing els but the deuils instrumentes by the whiche he doeth prouoke men to horrible synnes that the name of God may be blasphemed dyuerse wayes y t we may defile our soules with detestable ydolatrie that one man may suspecte an other that anger enuy and hatred myght be sowen amonge men and that out of thys roote myght sprynge vp backbytyng slaūderyng al myschief This vice pleaseth well the deuyll but God hath forbid it and cōmaūded in y e olde lawe that whitches sorcerers and cōiurers should suffre punishmēt of death Wherfore good childeren feare the Lorde and take not hys holy name in vayne beware of ydolatrye forsware not absteine from othes and curses refrayne your tongues from al vntruthes raylynges skoffes and iestes whē you talke of holy scripture or matiers concernyng religion flye frō all kynde of wytchecrafte and inchauntementes For to this commaūdemēt god hath added a speciall threatenynge saynige thus He shall not be giltles before the lord that taketh his name in vayne Beleue surely good children that these be veray weyghty wourdes and of great importaunce and thinke not thus with your selfes what is this so great a mater I spake not these wourdes in ernest but in borde I pray you for Christes sake do not defende your fault with such excuses but beware that you take not in vaine the name of God ▪ nether in ernest nor in sport For the holy name of God is to be wourshipped with all honor and religion and he that doth not obey thys commaundemente hym the lorde shall not count gyltles but shall punishe him greuously And when God punisheth he sendeth amonge vs sycknesses pestilence hungre derth battel robberies sedition manslaughter suche lyke with these plages he taketh vēgeance on oure sinnes Therfore we ought to feare his wrath and not to take his name in vayne Hither to you haue hearde fyue wayes wherby we may take the name of God in vaine nowe it shall be declared vnto you howe you shoulde rightly and duely vse the name of God Considre that we be professed in to our religion and baptised by y e name of God wherfore good childerne listen diligently to this lesson and lerne that we ought to vse the name of God thre wayes by inuocation and callynge vpon him by cōfession of his name and his wourd by thankes gyuyng As touchinge the firste we be bounde in all our necessities and parrels to
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
soule reason senses eyes eares all my other members Also I beleue that the same almyghtye Lorde and God doeth dayly gyue to me and to vs al meat dryncke cloth wife children house lande ryches cattell and all thynges necessarye to the mayntenaunce of our lyues and y t he doth dayly defende kepe and preserue vs from al peril and delyuer vs from all euell And all thys he doethe of hys owne mere mercie and goodnes without our worthynes or deseruynges For the which benefites it is our dutie to render to hym continualll and euerlastyng thankes to obey hym in all thynges to take hede that we be not vnkynde to him y t hathe shewed so greate kyndnesse towardes vs. ¶ A generall conclusion to be rehersed at the ende of euery sermon made vpon the Crede Thus you haue heard good children the true and playne meanynge of this parte of the Crede Now it is youre parte deapely to prynte the same in youre heartes that you maye put your hole trust and confidence in the true and lyuynge God oure heauenly father And forasmuche as fayth is the worke of god and the light of our hartes whiche God putteth in vs by hys worde and holy spirite so that we can not atteyne fayth and the knowledge of Christ withoute goddes word and true preachers therfore accustome your selfes euē from youre tendre age to hear the worde of God that he by his holy spirite maye moue and sturre vp your hertes to true fayth knowledge of him And beside that you shall desier God with moste harty praiers that as he hath giuen you the gifte of fayth so he wyll contynew and increase the same in you that as you growe in age so also you may growe in the knowledge of Christ. For he that beleueth in Christ is made thereby the sonne of god heyre of lyfe euerlasting And then he gyueth vs his holye spirite to kyndle charitie in oure hartes wherby we loue God and kepe all hys commaundementes All these benefytes we receyue by faythe in the whiche who so euer contynueth vnto the ende of his lyfe shalbe saued the whiche God graunte to vs all Amen The seconde sermon of our Redemption I Declared vnto you heretofore good childrē that the Crede entreateth chiefly of thre thynges that is to saye of God the father that made the world of God the sonne that redemed the worlde and of God the holy goost that sanctifieth the worlde And in the former sermon I taught you the hygh heauenly philosophie of the creation Wherfore now I will vttre vnto you the great mistery of our redempcion whiche is conteyned in these wordes of the Crede I beleue in Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holye goost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The thirde daye he rose from death He ascēded to heauen He sytteth on the ryghte hande of God the father almyghtie From thense he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead In this seconde part of the Crede we may learne to know the secōde person in trinitie the sōne of god Iesus christ our lord And as in y e first article ye haue learned what benefytes we receyue of God the father to the sustentation maintenaūce of this temporal transitorie lyfe so in this seconde parte we shall lerne to know how great treasures and ryche gyftes we haue receyued by y e sonne of God Iesus Christ to the atteinyng of y e perfect euerlastīg lyfe And here you may cōsider good childrē how great was the miserie how horrible was the indignation of God whiche we were brought vnto by Adam So great it was that neyther golde nor syluer nor anye other thynge was able to bye vs out of the same but onely Iesus Christ y e sonne of God y t by hys death effusion of hys moost precious blod And of this great misery and indignation of God towarde vs this was the cause At what tyme God had made Adam and Eue and set thē in paradyse he intreated them lyke a most louyng and gentle father For he made theym lordes ouer al liuely creatures both beastes fyshe and fowle and did giue vnto them al trees y t bare fruit that thei might feade thereon Onely he forbad theym that they shoulde not eate of the tree of knowlege of good ylle And yet he gaue theym warnynge of y e great losse damage that they should suffer if they eat of that tree saying When soeuer you shall tast of the fruyt of that tree you shalbe made mortal and shall dye Their dutie had bene vnto so gentle a God and so mercifull a father in their hartes to haue beleued him trusted him loued him to haue obeyed hym and to kepe all his commaundemētes gladly But our most craftye enemy Satan enuying mans felicitie spake to Eue by the serpent and sayde No you shall not dye but you shall be lyke Gods knowyng both good euell And with these most poysened wordes perswaded Eue to eate of the fruyt whiche was forbydde And Eue gaue of the same to Adam who also did eat therof and so did breake gods commaundemente Nowe I praye you marke good childrē what thei lost by this their disobedience First when Adam and Eue wer thus deceyued by y e serpent and perswaded that God dyd not fauoure theym but had enuye at theim that they shoulde haue knowledge of good and yll and that for enuye he forbad thē to eate of that fruit that shoulde gyue to them so great knowlege they did no more trust God but beganne to trust themselues and did study to care prouide for thē selues Secondarily whē they no more trusted God they coulde no more finde in their hartes to loue hym but began to dote vpō them selues to thynke y t they had no better frende neither in heauē nor earth thē their awn selfes And after y t thei had thus put their trust and cōfidence in themselues and dotyngly loued all that was their awne by by folowed feare and concupiscence For by an by they beganne to hate and eschewe all thinges that wer paynful or vnpleasant to the fleshe and dotynglye to lust long for such thinges as wer delectable and pleasant to the fleshe Hereby you perceiue good children how our first parētes Adam and Eue poisened with the venome of the serpente were cast into .iiii. horrible vices or diseases The firste is that they dyd not trust in God The second that they dyd not loue God The third that they did not feare him but as a cruell tyranne The fourth that they were replenished with concupiscence and euyll desiers lustes and appetites And these be the rotes of originall synne oute of the whiche all other synnes do spryng and growe So Adam and Eue had a very great fal that fel from gods benediction
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
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
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
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
lyfe we must be borne agayne sanctified or made holy as apperteyneth to y e childrē of y e most holy God Nowe this newe birthe and sanctification the holy gost worketh in vs. And therfore he is called the holy gost because al thing that is sanctified or hallowed is sanctified or made holy by hym Wherfore when the holy goost is not in man then it is not possible that he should be holy althoughe he dyd all the good workes vnder y e sunne And for this cause saincte Paule writing to the Romaines doth cal the holy gost the spirite of sanctification that is to say the spirit that maketh holynes Lerne therefore good children that al we must be made holy and newe men by the vertue of the holy gost and that we can not atteyne this holines by our awn strength or workes and therfore we must beleue in the holy gost that he wil sanctyfye vs at such tyme and place and after that sorte maner as it shall please him And it is our part to gyue place to his workynge not to w tstande thesame And therfore we saye in this Crede I beleue in the holy gost But it is necessarye some thynges here to speake of the maner of sanctification how and after what maner y e holy gost doth hallowe vs y t we maye so prepare our selfes or rather gyue place to the holy goost whiche preuenteth vs that he with his lyght and almighty strenght and power maye worke hys wyll in vs. Now I desier you to marke dyligently by what meanes fashion the holy gost dothe worke thys sanctification or halowyng in vs. After y t our Lorde Iesus Christ by his death passion and resurrection had redemed vs and obteyned for vs that our synnes should be forgyuen and we be made the childrē of God shortly after in the feest of Pētecoste he sent down vp on his Apostles the holy goost in the lykenes of fyery tongues The whiche holy goost gaue them wysdome connynge audacitie and constācie to teach boldly this holy gospell of Christe that is to saye this christen faith whereof we do speake And where they could not be presēt thēselfe or long abide continew in their awne persons thither they sent their disciples other godly learned mē to thē they gaue the holy gost by layng their hādes vpō their heades And this rite or ceremonie to ordē preachers mynisters of gods worde hath cōtinued in the churche euen from the Apostles tyme vnto this day and shall endure vnto the worldes ende For saincte Paule saieth How shal men beleue without a preacher And how shal men preache excepte they be sente And here you may learne that this holy gospel whiche we preache and the doctrine of y e grace of Christe taught in the hole churche cōmeth not of the wil of mā but by the cōmaūdemēt of God by y e motion of the holy gost which doth sturre vp mēs myndes to publishe gods most holy worde and doth worke by his secret inspiration in the prechers and ministers of the same For they wer not able so muche as to open their moughtes to teache so highe mysteries and heauenlye wysedome yf the holy gost did not moue theim therto and worke in theim Neyther wolde the hearers so greatlye esteme the preachers worde and giue so good eare vnto it excepte the holy goost dyd parsuade theym that y e doctrine of the gospell wer of God and cam from heauen Now the holy goost worketh by this worde on this fashiō First he that beleueth y e gospel and receaueth the doctrine of Christ is made the sonne of God as sayncte Iohn witnesseth in his gospel saiyng As manye as receiue him he hath gyuē them power to be made the children of God For when we beleue in Christ and are baptised then we be borne agayne and are made the children of God And when we be his children then he gyueth the holy gost into our hartes as sainct Paule testifieth writyng thus Forasmuche as you be now the children of God therfore God hath sent the spirite of hys sonne into your hartes which cryeth Abba father And when we haue receaued y e holy gost he doth kyndle in our hartes true loue towarde God as saincte Paull writeth in the pistle to the Romaynes in the fifthe chapter The loue of God saith he is poured abrode in our hartes by the holy gost which is gyuen to vs. And where as the true loue of God raygneth there are gods commaundements kept and there begynneth a certen obedience to his wil and pleasure Forthermore the holy goost dothe staye the fleshe and y e lustes of thesame and helpeth vs to ouercome theim that we be not caried away by them but may continew in clennes and holynes of lyfe These be the benefites and workes of y e holy gost in vs. And to thentent you maye the more easely beare them awaye I wil as briefly as I can repete theym agayne vnto you First of all y e holy gost prouoketh stirreth vp men to preache gods worde Than he moueth mēs hartes to faith calleth them to baptisme and than by faith and baptisme he worketh so y t he maketh vs newe men agayne And whē we be thus newely borne and made again and be bicome the children of God then the holy gost doth dwel in vs and make vs holy godly that we may be y e temples of God in whome God maye dwell and inhabite Also thys holy ghoste doeth daylye more and more encrease and establyshe our faythe that we lyke moste louing childrē maie colle and embrace our heuēly father and hang fast about his necke The same holy goost doeth also assure and warrant vs that our synnes be forgyuen and that our pardon is signed with Gods seal He doeth also kyndle in vs a feruent loue towardes God and maketh vs wylling to kepe gods law and commaundementes and helpeth vs also to fyght agaynste synne and to wythstande oure yll appetites and desyers Furthermore with the crosse of syckenes diuerse other kindes of afflictions and aduersities the holy gooste doth as it were crucifie and mortifie vs to the world that we may lyue to Christ. And this worke he woorketh continually in vs and cesseth not vntil he hath wrought in oure hartes a perfecte faythe a perfect charitie and vntyl synne and all euell desyres be cleane at lengthe purged oute of vs by the death of our bodies And then we shalbe perfecte in all holines and cleane delyuered from all synne aduersitie and be heires of oure fathers kyngdome and hys true and most derely beloued children Wherefore good chyldren as heretofore you haue bene taught that we oughte to beleue in God the father that made vs and in God the sonne that redemed or boughte vs so you muste nowe learne to beleue in the holy goste that hathe hallowed vs and doth cōtinually more and more renew
and make holy all those that beleue the gospell For he that beleueth in Iesus Christe that he is oure Lorde and oure redemer to him God gyueth the holy gost to make him holye and ryghtuouse As sayncte Paule witnesseth saiyng No man can cal Iesus lord but by the holy goste And for asmuch as now it hath ben plainelie declared vnto you after what sorte and manner the holy gooste doth sanctifie vs it is your part not onely to emprynt this lesson diligently in youre myndes but also to desier God with continuall and earnest prayers that he wyll vouchesafe more and more to sanctifie you And as muche as lyeth in you apply your selfes to heare godly sermons and gyue youre hartes to God lyke waxe apte and mete to receyue what thyng so euer it shal please him to prynt in you For he that is wyllynge and glad to lysten to godly sermons he that is studyous to learne the word of god wherin christ is preached w t a stedfast faith cleueth to y e promise of y e gospel ▪ he is made partaker of this Sāctificatiō and holynesse and of this so great comforte and euerlastyng saluation For God sayeth by his prophet Esaye My worde shall not returne to me in vayne And saynct Paule sayeth that the gospell is the power of God where wyth he wourketh the saluation of all them that beleue Nowe the rest that folowethe in the Crede is a shorte declaration of these thynges before rehersed For it foloweth in the Crede I beleue the holy catholycke churche that is to saye all godly and Christē men must beleue that the gospel or doctryne of goddes grace thorowe the merites of oure sauiour Iesus Christ is neuer in vayne published in the worlde or sowed abrode without fruit but euer there is founde some companye of men or some congregacion of good people whiche beleue the gospel and be saued And this cōpanie of men whiche beleueth the gospell although here vpō earth thei be seuered in sōdry places yet are they called one holy catholike or vniuersal churche of Christe that is to saie a multitude cōgregation or companye of Christen people For this worde churche doth not here betoken a temple or churche buylded of tymber and stone but it signifieth a companye of men lyghtened with the spirite of Christe whiche do receaue the gospel and come together to heare gods wourde and to praye And this Christē churche is a cōmunyon of sainctes that is to saye all that be of this cōmunion or cōpany be holy be one holy body vnder Christe their heed they be one holy congregation or assemble And this congregation receaueth of their hedde and Lorde Iesus Christe all spirituall riches and gyftes that perteyneth to the sanctification and making holy of the same bodye And these gostly treasuers be commen to y e hole body and to euery membre of the same For he that is vnfainedly a faythfull and Godly man is made partaker of these benefites And these are the sayde gyftes which be commē to y e hole church of Christ and to euery membre of the same The first is that God the father that euerlastīg and endles maiestye is our most gentle mercyful father That God y e sonne is our redemer and mediatour betwene the father and vs. And that God the holy gost is y e commen sanctifier or halower of all theim y t haue a true faithe in God The second is the preaching of y e gospel thadministration of baptisme and the sacrament of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the whiche we are made partakers of all the inheritaunce of heauē of all the benefites of Christe The third is prayer The fourth is the crosse of affliction and aduersitie whiche God sendeth to all godly men to make theim to knowe him to proue therby trye their faith to mortifye their fleshe to make clene the corruption of the same And here I speake onely of the crosse which good men suffre For thafflictions of the vnfaithful and vngodly do rather hurt them then make them holy For inasmuch as their vnpatientnes is encreaced by such aduersitie thei be brought to more disperatiō and damnatiō Nowe it is very good for you to knowe these thinges that you may also knowe that there is nothyng in heauē or erthe better for vs thā is the true knowlege of God and that these excellent gyftes and benefites cannot be had but onely in the foresayde churche or cōgregatiō and no where els But whan the true churche which is ruled by the holy gost the worde of God dothe promyse vs these so great riches and benefites we ought not to doute but that we haue alredye receaued them And when y e churche doth happoint and ordeine vs to be preachers and ministers of these most pretiouse treasures we must stedfastly beleue that God effectuously worketh with vs that he is present with vs and that he at all tymes doth strengthen vs agaynst the worlde and the deuyll and that he doth helpe vs to do all thynges accordyng to our callyng prosperously and with good successe Secondly we must beleue the remission of synnes Therfore next vnto this article I beleue the holy catholique churche the communion of saintes is added y e forgeuenes of synnes For where so euer the churche of Christ is there is frely offred that eternall comfort aboue all measure that is to say the fauore of God and remission of synnes And without that churche is no remission of synne Wherefore we must seke remission of synnes in the churche of Christ and desier absolution That when y e true churche by their ministers doth promyse vs remissyon of our synnes and here in erthe dothe absolue vs we may surely trust that in heauē also before God we be absolued pardoned Thirdly We must beleue the resurrection of the fleshe wherefore after tharticle of the remission of synne foloweth next this article I beleue the rysing agayne of y e fleshe for among other ponyshmentes for originall syn layd vpon Adam his posterity we daily see this horrible paine that the goodly beawtiful bodye of man created to immortalitie must nedes ones be dissolued by deathe and brought to a filthye and stinckyng corse and graue that the tyranny of synne whiche so long as we liue rageth in our fleshe by our deathe may ceasse haue an ende as saint Paule saith vnto the Romanes For by deathe of the body cease all the desires concupiscences and rages of y e mynde whiche be against the wil and commaundementes of God There ceassith also all synnes against our neighbours as Ire enuie lechery couetuousnes pride and all ill affectyons and at the last day god shall rayse vs agayne frō death so that such infirmities and synnes shall no more be founde in vs but we shal be pure spiritual and immortal and lyke to the bright clere bodye of Christ. And that we
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
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
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