hym our god is to conceyue hym in our hartes to cleaue faste and surely vnto hym with harte and mynde to put all our trust confidence in him to set all our thoughtes and care aboue all thynges to please hym and to depend holely of hym takyng him to be infinitely good and mercyfull vnto vs beynge his creatures and continuyng in his flocke Secondly god commandeth vs thus to do to hym onely and to no creature nor to no false and fayned god For as a kynde and louynge man can not be content that his wyfe shulde take any other husband So can not our most kynd most louing god and creatour be pleased if we shulde forsake hym and take any other goddis And surely he is more presente with vs and more ready to shewe vs all kyndnes and goodnes than any creature is or can be And already of his gyft we haue al that we haue meate drynke clothe reason witte vnderstandynge dyscretion and all good thynges that we haue perteynynge bothe to the soule and the bodye And therfore he wylle not suffre vnpunysshed soo muche ingratitude and vnkyndenesse at our handes that we shoulde forsake hym and fyxe our faythe and godly truste in any other thinge besydes hym Thyrdly by this precepte god commandeth vs not onely to truste thus in hym but also to gyue hym the hole loue of our hartes aboue all worldly thynges yea and aboue our selues so that we may not loue our selues ne any other thyng but for him according as Moises saith in the boke of Deutronomie Thy lorde god is one god Deut. vi and thou shalte loue hym with all thy harte and with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strengthe and power And this loue muste brynge with it a feare that euen for very pure loue we ought to be muche ashamed and afrayde to breake the leaste of his commaundementes Lyke as the chylde the more he loueth his father the more he is lothe and afrayde to displease hym in any maner of case Fourthly all they offende agaynste thys commaundemente whiche set theyr hartes and mindes vpon any worldly thing aboue god For what so euer we loue aboue god so that we set our myndes vpon it more than we do vpon god or for it we wyl offende god truely we make that for the tyme our god For as saint Paule sayeth The couetous man maketh his goodes his god And the gluttonous man maketh his bealy his god For the one setteth his mynde vpon his goodes the other vpon his bealy more than they do vpon god and for them they will not sticke to offende god Also all they whiche haue more confidence in the creatures of god than in god do make the creatures of god theyr god And howe greuousely god is offended therewith we fynde in the boke of Paralipomenon ◠Par. xvi where it is written that whan Aza kynge of Iuda beynge sore constrayned by Baasa kynge of Israell sente for helpe to Benadad kinge of Syria and gaue hym greate treasure for to allure hym to his ayde Our lorde sente the prophete Hanani to Aza the kynge of Iuda who sayde vnto hym on this maner Bycause thou haste trusted in the kynge of Syria and not in thy lorde god therfore the hoste of the kynge Syria is escaped from thy handes Were not they of Ethiopia and Libia of farre greatter power bothe in charyottes and horsemen and in numbre and multitude whyche were innumerable and yet our lorde as longe as thou dyddest put thy truste in hym dyd yelde them in to thy handes The eyes of god do beholde all the worlde and gyueth strength to them that truste in him with all theyr harte In whyche wordes it dothe appere that it is layde to Azaes charge that he dyd not beleue in our lorde bycause he dyd more trust in Benadad the hethen prince thā in our lord It is noted also in the same chapiter that where as Aza had very great peyne in his feete he sought not to our lorde for remedy of his disease but trusted more in the art and remedy of phisike Wherby we maye learne that it is one great parte of perfit belefe in our lorde god to put our truste and confidence moste principally and aboue al other in him wherfore they that do otherwyse do transgresse this commandement and make to them other goddis Also all they transgresse this commaundement whiche eyther presume so muche vpon the mercy of god that they feare not his iustice and by reason thereof do styll continue in theyr synne or elles soo muche feare his iustyce that they haue no truste in his mercy Also they be of the same sorte whiche by lottes diuination chatterynge of byrdes and lokynge of mens handes or other vnlawfull or superstitiouse craftes take vpon them certeinly to tell determine and iudge before hand of mens actes and fortunes which be to come afterwarde For what do they but make them selues goddis in this behalfe as the prophete Esaie sayeth Tell vs afore what shall come Esai xii and we shall say that ye be goddis Also al they which by charmes and witchecraftes do vse any prescribed letters sygnes or carectes wordes blessynges roddes christall stones sceptures sweardes measures or for any superstitious entente charmes or wytchecraftes hange saincte Iohns gospelle or any other thynge aboute theyr neckes or any other partes of theyr bodies or vse to drynke holy water or any other suche vayne obseruation trustyng therby to continue in long life to dryue awaye syckenes to preserue them from sicnes fier water or any other peryll otherwyse than phisike or surgery dothe allowe doo also offende agaynst this commaundement But moste greuousely of all and aboue all other they do offende agaynst this commaundement whiche professe Christe and contrary to theyr profession made at theyr baptisme do make secrete pactes and couenantes with the deuyll or do vse any maner of coniurations to rayse vp deuyls for treasure or any other thynge hydde or loste or for any maner of cause what so euer it be for suche committe so hygh offence and treason to god that there can be no greatter For they yelde the honour due vnto god to the deuyll goddis ennemie And not onely all suche as vse charmes wytchecraftes and coniurations transgresse this chiefe and high commandement but also all those that seke and resorte vnto them for any counsayle or remedy accordynge to the sayinge of god when he sayde Let no man aske counsayle of them that vse false diuinations Deu. xviii or suche as take heede to dreames or chattering of birdes Let there be no witche or enchanter amonges you or any that asketh counsaile of them that haue spirites nor of sothesayers nor that seke the trouthe of them that be dead for god abhorreth all these thinges The exposition of the seconde commaundement of god ¶ Thou shalte not haue any grauen Image nor any lykenes of any thyng that
mayntenance support an vniust vsurpation for that church hath no more ryghte to that name than the churche of Fraunce Spayne England or Portugale whiche be iustly called catholyke churches in that they doo professe consent agree in one vnitie of true fayth with other catholike churches This vsurpation before rehersed well considered it may appere that the bishop of Rome doth contrary to goddis lawe in chalengynge superioritie and preeminence by a cloke of goddis lawe ouer all And yet to make an apparance that it shulde be soo he hathe and dothe wreste scriptures for that purpose contrary both to the true meanyng of the same and the interpretation of ancient doctours of the church so that by that chanleng he wold not do wrong onely to this churche of Englande but also to all other churches in claymyng this superioritie without any authoritie by god so to him gyuen For God by his goodnes hath called indifferently and equally all such churches in sundry places as his highe wisedome hath thought good to assemble and call vnto hym Moreouer the perfitte beleue of this article worketh in all true christen people a loue to continue in this vnicie and a feare to be caste out of the same and it worketh in them that be synners and repentaunte great comforte and consolation to obteyne remission of synne by vertue of Christis passion and administration of his sacramentes at the ministers handes ordeyned for that purpose for as muche as god doth not ordinarily giue suche thinges but onely within this churche It is to be noted that this churche of England and other knowen particular churches in whiche Christis name is truely honored called on and professed in faythe and baptisme be membres of the hole catholike churche eche of them by him selfe is also worthyly called a catholyke churche whan they merely professe and teache the faythe and relygion of Christ according to the scripture and the apostolike doctrine And so euery christe man oughte to honour gyue credence and to folowe the particular churche of that region soo ordered as afore wherin he is borne or inhabiteth and as al christen people as well spirituall as temporal be bounde to beleue honour obey our sauiour Iesus Christe the onely heade of the vniuersall churche soo lykewyse they be by his commaundemente bounde to honour and obey nexte vnto him selfe christen kinges and prynces whiche be the heade gouernours vnder him in the particular churches to whose offyce it apperteyneth not only to prouide for the trāquillitie and wealthe of theyr subiectes in temporal and worldly thynges to the cōseruation of their bodyes but also to forsee that within theyr dominions suche ministers be ordeyned and appoynted in theyr churches as can and wil truely and purely set out the true doctrine of Christe and teache the same and to see the commaundementes of god well obserued and kepte to the wealth and saluation of theyr soules The tenth article The communion of sayntes / The forgyuenes of synnes IN this article be taught two speciall fruites and benefytes whiche all men called of god and obeying to the same calling in theyr wyl and workes doo obteine by goddes grace in the saide catholike churche whiche benefites be the communion sayntes and forgyuenes of synnes And here is to be noted that althoughe this word Sayntines our english tungue signifieth proprely them that be departed this lyfe and be establysshed in glory with Christe Yet the same worde Saintes wherby in this article we expresse the latin worde Sanctorum is here extended to signifie not onely these before mencioned but also all suche as be called into this holy assemble and churche and be santified in our sauiour Iesu Christe And as touching the communion that is to say the mutuall participation of these sayntes ye must vnderstande that lyke as all the partes and membres which be liuing in the natural body of a man do naturally cōmunicate and minister eche to other the vse commoditie and benefite of all theyr forces nutrimentes perfections In so muche that it lieth not in the power of any man to say that the meate which he putteth into his owne mouth shal nouryshe one particular membre of his bodye and not an other but that all and euery one particularly shall receyue of the sayde nutriment and of the vertue and benefyte therof more or lesse accordyng to the naturall disposition portion and place whiche it hath within the same body euen so what soo euer spirituall gyftes or treasure is gyuen by god vnto any one membre of the holy church although the same be gyuen particularly vnto one membre and not vnto an other Yet the fruite and merites therof shall by reason of theyr abydyng together in the vnitie of the catholike churche redounde vnto the common profyte edifienge and increace of all the other membres of the same catholike churche In so muche that there shal nede no mannes autoritie to dispence and dystribute the same or to applye it vnto this membre or that but eche membre shall be made participante of the sayd treasure and shall haue and enioy the fruite and benefyte of the same in such quantitie and measure as for the rate and proportion of the faythe and charitie which he hath in the same body shall be expedient and necessary for hym to haue And hereby is notified and declared vnto vs the vtilitie and profyte whiche all the membres of the church do receiue by the merites suffrages and prayers of the churche And forasmoche as the moste blessed sacrament of the Aultare wherin by the myghty operation of goddis worde is really present in fourme of breade the naturall lyuynge body and bloude of our sauiour and redemer IESV CHRISTE increaseth and worketh in them that worthily receiue it the communion and coniunction in body soule of them to Christe and Christe to them with a mutuall coniunction also in loue and charitie of eche good man in Christe to other Therfore the sayde sacrament may worthely be called the Communion of saintes And so the fyrst parte of this article hath ben by good deuout and lerned men expounded to sygnifie the sayde blessed sacrament of the aultare which we must beleue to be a reall effectuall communion of all saintes that is to say of al men whiche be called by the holy callynge of god and there with wyllyngely and obediently do knowlege and folowe the same In the seconde parte of this article we be taught to beleue remission of synnes which is one of the effectes and chiefe benefites of the moste blessed passion of Christe head of the holy churche whiche is called and assembled in his name in which churche is applyed the benefites of remission of synnes by the workynge of god in his sacramentes ministred in the same as shal be hereafter declared in theyr place ⧠The XI and XII article The resurrection of the body / and the lyfe euerlastynge AT the daye of the generall dome or
Mat. xxiiii Charitie is waxed colde and synne doth abound as Christ sayeth in the gospell that it shulde yet if christen men wyll auoyde the great indignation of god it shall be good for theym whan so euer they receyue this sacrament them selues or be presente where it is ministred or vsed as speciallye in the tyme of masse to behaue them selfe reuerently in pure deuotion and prayer and not to talke or walke vp and down or to offend their brethern by any euyl example of vnreuerence to the saide sacramente excepte they wyll declare theym selfe to haue smalle regarde to our sauioure CHRIST there bodyly present of whiche vnreuerence and contempt may ensue not onely spirituall punishemementes of god by withdrawyng his grace from suche vngodly persons i. Cor. xi but also bodily and opē scourge as saint Paul sheweth to the Corinthians That for the vnworthy entreatyng and vsynge of this sacramente many amonges them were weake sycke and dyed The sacrament of Matrimony AS touchynge the sacrament of matrimonye and the institution therof you shall vnderstande that almighty god at the fyrste creation of man consideryng of his infynite goodnesse and wysedome howe necessary it was to couple and conioyne man and woman togither in mariage as well for theyr mutuall aide and comfort and for the preseruation and continuance of mankynde in lawful succession as also that the same generation myghte after the falle of mā be exercised perpetually vnto the worldes end without synne and offence towardes god dyd conioine Adam and Eue together in mariage And thā instituted matrimony and consecrated and blessed it by his holy word as appereth in the boke of Genesis where is also described the vertue and effycacye of the same by these wordes folowyng Gene. ii Nowe this bone is of my bones and this flesshe is of my flesshe and therfore the man shall leaue hys father and mother and adhere and cleaue vnto his wyse and they shall be two in one flesshe and in one bodye By whiche wordes it is mente that by the vertue efficacy of matrimony rightfully and by the auctoritie of god contracted the man and woman which were before two bodyes be nowe vnyted and made one body duryng theyr lyues so that the husbande hath no power of his owne body to vse the same as hym lyst and with whom hym lyketh but it is hys wyues and with her onely he maye vse the acte of matrimonye Nor the wyfe hathe any power of her owne body to vse it as her lyst or with whom her liketh but her body is her husbandes body and with hym onely may she vse the acte of matrimony And therfore the sayde two persones so conioyned may not after be deuided for any affection to father or mother or for any earthely thynge in the worlde but eche muste adhere and cleaue to other for as muche as they be nowe two persones in one flesshe and in one body Secondely howe that almyghty god allowing and approuing the sayd institution of matrimony sanctified and blessed it with his holy worde immediately after Noes fludde sayeng vnto Noe and his chyldren in this wyse Rom. vl Increase and be ye multiplyed and replenyshe the earthe This institution of matrimonye thus allowed by god vnto Noe and his chyldren although it was a sufficient instructiō vnto them and all theyr posteritie howe to vse the same in al puritie and clennesse to goddis pleasure and his contentation Yet god consideryng the naturall inclination of man to malyce and synne dyd afterwarde further explycate and establysshe the same by his other lawes wrytten wherby god prohibited that any matrimony shulde be made in the degrees folowyng that is to say No man shall marry with his mother hys graundame his great graundame and so vpward neither may he marry with the wyfe his father his graundfather or his greate graundefather and so vpwarde neyther any man may marry with the syster of his father or of his mother his graundefather or his graundmother and so vpwarde neyther may any man marry with the wyfe of hym that is brother to his father his mother his graundefather his graundmother and so vpwarde And lyke wyse euery woman is forbidden to marry any man within any degrees aboue rehersed It is also further forbydden that any man shall marry with hys syster whether she be his hole syster or his halfe syster begotten in mariage or out of mariage neither may he marry with his brothers wyfe nor with his wyues syster Whiche lawes of prohibition in maryage althoughe they were not by expresse wordes of God declared at the fyrste instytution of matrimonye ne also whan the same was allowed after Noes flud yet god dyd ingraue and imprinte the same lawes in the hart of man before they were wrytten by Moyses And forasmuch as the natural lyght and knowledge of man was not onely by originall synne obscured and blynded but also in the most parte of men by the increace of synne and malyce in longe continuaunce and proces of tyme almoste peryshed and extincte In so muche that they coulde not perceyue nor iudge what thynges were of theyr owne nature naught and detestable in the syght of god ne yet howe farre the naturall honestie and reuerence whiche we owe vnto suche persones as be nere of our kynne or alliance vnto vs was extended God therfore wyllyng manne to returne from darckenesse commaunded his prophete Moyses to promulgate to declare by his worde vnto the people of Israell the sayde lawes of prohibition of matrimony in certayne degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie as is before mentioned In the declaration of the whiche lawes of prohibition Moyses soo tempred his wordes that it maye euidently appere therby that not onely the Iewes but also all other the people of the worlde were as muche and as streyghtly bounden to the continual obseruation of the same lawes as they were to the other morall lawes of the ten commandementes Thyrdely / that the coniunction betwene man and woman in matrimony dothe not onely signifie and represent the perfyte and indissoluble coniunction and vnion of the nature of god with the nature of man which was fulfylled whan the second person in trinitie descendyng from his father dyd take vpon him the very forme and substance of our nature and so these two natures were vnited and knyt togither in one persone but also therby is sygnified and represented the societie and coniunction in perfite and indissoluble loue and charitie betwene Christ and his church that is to say the congregation of al christen people And this to be true saynt Paule him selfe affirmeth in the fyst chapyter of the epistle vnto the Ephesians In whiche place the apostle myndynge to proue and perswade that al women beyng marryed oughte to loue to reuerence to honour to obeye to be subiecte vnto theyr husbandes in all thinges euen as the church is subiect vnto Christe and lykewyse that all husbandes ought and be