A Catechism
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A13397.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A CATECHISME or institution of the Christian Religion.
Newely set forth by Richard Tauerner.
Anno. M.D.XXXIX.
Cum Priuilegio, ad imprimendum solum.
RICHARD TAVERner to the Christian Readers.
F OR as much as nat only fathers and mothers (which by the law of god be commanded to teache their children) godfathers and godmothers (which be as it were sureties for the same purpose) have been of longe time in such sort blinded and utterly ignorant in Christ's doctrine which nevertheless they profess, that they be nat able to Catechize, that is to say, to institute, teache, bring up, and instruct their children, for whom the one have promised to the church at the Christening of the same, the other are boūden by gods law (as afore is remembered) to se them taught and ryghtly instructed in the christē faith and laws of god: but also the priests thenselves which be their curates and pastoures (where as by Paul's sentence they ought to be apt to teache) partly for default of learning and partly for neglectynge their flock (like careless hyrelinges be be exceading defective in this be half: I therefore moved of christen charity to utter the little talent that God hath endowed me with, am enforced, according to the example of learned men in other coūtreis, to set forth unto my country men some handsome and compendiouse Catechism (which is so called because it instructeth, and bringeth up the yōge christiā in Christ's law) For undoubted such one is to be setforthe in the church to be learned and as it were drōken in of children, to be often̄ reuolued of men and women, yea and to be continually carried in the hands or bosoms (but much rather ī the hearts) of all ages, for an instruction to the ignorant persons, a comfort to the troubled, rejoice to the faithful, spurr to the slothful, brydell to the arrogant, relief to the desperate, occupation to the idle, refresshyng to the occupied, to be short, an argument and mater for sklender shepherds whereupon to instruct their cure.
Now therefore, like as the kings most excellent majesty moste worthy to be compared unto the godly king Hezekiah, which destroyed the moste detestable ydolatrie of the brazen serpent, by the high providence of God traueileth daily of a wonderful zeal he beareth to the auaūcement of godes true religion, to banysh all poprie and Romish marchaundyse within this his graces realm, to the unspeakable health of his people the church of England, to the supremacy whereof he is by the said providence of god now at last in spyte of all his enemies restored: So semblably it shall be your parte to embrace such pure, true and sincere doctrine of Christ as setteth forth the same, & so utterly to renounce nat only the Romisshe bishop our archenemie and the moste pestilent ouerthrower of all god lines, but also his deuelyshe laws, constitutions and superstitious things which have heretofore entangled our consciences contrary to the Evangelical liberty and trouthe of gods word.
That if ye shall appear lovingly & gredely to embrace this brief work, wherein is cōprysed as well compendiously as purely the hole doctrine of the christen religion: ye shall occasion me not only nat to repent me of my pains taken for your sakes in this behalf, but also to take the like when so ever I shall espy that my industry and diligence may serve to your edification, profit, instruction and pleasure, which thing is my only desire and instaūt prayer, as best knoweth god, that seeth all, to whom be all glory praise and thanks forever and ever. Amen.
AN INSTITVcion or Catechism of the Christian Religion.
That all men be borne to religion or godliness.
B Ecause no man at all can be found, be he never so barbarouse, never so rudely & • uyl brought up, but hath some felyng of religiō or godliness, & is naturally disposed to the same: it is plain that we all be made to this purpose and ende, that we should knowledge the majesty of our maker and the same so knowledged to embrace, and with all fear, love and reverence to worship. But (to let the ungodly alone which seek nothing else but to drown this opiniō of God planted in their minds and to wype y e same out of their memory) we at least which profess godliness and would be called Christ's folk, needs must think that this brykle and unstable life ought to be nothing else then a certain say or meditatiō of immortality. Now, the everlasting and immortal life we can nowhere find but in god. Wherefore the chief care and thought of our life should be to seek god, and with all the endeavours of our mind to get up unto him, and to repose our selves nowhere elles, save in him allonely.
What difference is between the false and true religiō.
FOr as much as we know this by our comō sense and understanding, that if our life be destitute and void of religiō we live moste wretchedly, yea & differ nothing at all from the brute and unreasonable beasts, there is no man that wool seme to abhor utterly from all godliness religion and service of god. But now certainly in the manner and form of expressyng and declaring this religion is doubtless no little difference: for the most parte of mē be nat touched with the true and sincere fear of god, but because, whither they will or nat, they be pricked with this thought (which ever among hath recourse in their minds) y • there is a certain divinity or Godhead, at whose pleasure they stand or fall, being I say therefore stryken with the opiniō of so great a power, least they might happen to stir the same against them by their ouermoche negligence or despysīg: they give some manner of worship (such as it is) unto this Godhead and power. In the mean season yet leading a most beastly and lawles life & casting up all studies and endeavours of honestye and good behavior: they show thenselves exceeding careless and wonderful recheles in despysynge the ryghtfull dome and sharp sentence of god. And then, because they measure not god by his in finite majesty, but by y • loutishe and gross vanity of their wit, they so depart and traytrously shrynke away from the true god. Wherefore with what care so ever they afterward busy them selves howe they may worship god, they are never the better, but labor in vain, because they worship not the everlasting God, but the dreams, fansyes, & dotages of their heart in stead of god. But as for true religion & godliness surely it standeth nat in fear, which would fain indeed flee the judgment of god, and therefore because it can nat flee it, feareth it but it rather lieth in true and sincere affection, in loving god as a father, and fearing him with all reverence as a moste drad sovereign lord, evermore imbrasyng his righteousness & hatyng worse then death to offend his majesty. So who soever is roted in this godliness and true religion dareth nat of his own brain forge him a god as he him self lusteth, but seeketh the knowledge of y • true god, even at god him self, and taketh him to be none other, thā such as he showeth and declareth him self to be.
What we ought to know of God.
SYth the very majesty of god passeth y • capacite of man's understanding, so far that it is impossible for him to cōceyue it, it is expedient for us to honor rather his highness, then rashly to serche it, least of such incomprehensible light we be utterly stryken down. For this cause then, god must be sought and searched out in his works as by certain foresteppes, for God's works in scripture be called the shows of things invisible, for as much as they represente before our eyes such things concerning y • lord as other ways could nat be seye. This I say, not that god would keep our minds in doubt, by vain and void speculations, but that it is enough for us to know y • true religion, I mean faith coupled with the fear of god, and that the same is first breathed into us, nourished and strengthened only by god, for in this universal order and cours • of things, we behold the immortality of our god, frō whom all things flowe & have they • begȳning, we se also his might in that he made such a work & upholdeth y • same, his wisdom in that he hath set in so goodly order such an infinite dyuersitie of creatures, & keapeth thē always in the same to the eschewyng of cōfusiō. We mark also his goodness, which was the very cause both that these works were made, and that now also they stand sure and strōge, his rightwysnes in that so wonderfully he declareth him self in defending the godly and punishing the ungodly, we perceive also his high mercy, in that so gentylly he suffereth our wickedness, to y • intent we should return as his mercy giveth us occasion to do. Here vpō might we at large be informed (as much as were sufficient for us) of God's majesty and goodness and what he is, but y • our dullness is so great & the eyesyght of our mind so blount and daselyng at so open a light. Neither is it only a blindness that thus causeth us to stomble, but there is also such a froward and cankered opiniō in us, as in pondering the works of God taketh every thing a mysse and clean out of course, yea & tourneth up set down all y e heavenly wysoome so eudiently apparaunt in creatures. We must therefore needs come to God's word, for in it, & by it (I mean in the holy scriptures) God is by his works wondrous well described unto us, where the works thē selves be weighed and esteemed not after our froward judgment, but by the rule of the everlasting truth. Here thā we learn that our God is the only and everlasting fountain of all life, ryghtwysenes, wisdom, power, goodness & mercy, from whom like as without exception all goodness doth come, so all praise ought worthily to be rendered to him as his own. And by this means all thing{is} though they evidently appear in every several parte both of heaven and earth, yet to what purpose they serve, what they may do, and unto what use we must understand thē, we shall easily espy whē we step down to our selves, & consider howe god setteth forth his own life, wisdom and power in us, and howe he practiseth his ryghtewysenes, goodness, and mercy towards us.
Of man.
MAn was first made to the image & lykenesse of God, that in all his ornaments and iewelles where w t he was rychly decked of god, he should honor the maker of the same and worship him with such kyndenes as became him. But forasmuch as he, trustyng so much upon the excellencye of his own nature that he had quite forgoten whence he came, and whereby he was maintained, attempted to auaunce him self above god, it was necessary he should be spoiled of all gods benefits whereon he was so folyshely proud, to the intent that whereas he that was so rychely endowed of God's bounteousnesse thought scorn to know his maker in his felicity, should now being naked and destitute of all his wealth, learn to know h y ̄ in his misery. Wherefore so many of us as be spronge of the seed of Adam, be borne very flesh of flesh, y e lykenee of God utterly abolyshed and extincte in us, so that now upon what parte so ever of man we cast our eye, we can se nothing, but that is impure, vnhalowed and abominable afore god. For y e wisdom of man being blinded and wrapte in infinite errors, with standeth always the wisdom of god, his forward will full of corrupt affections, hateth nothing worse then gods ryghtwysnes his powers untoward to all good works run hedlong upon all wickedness.
Of free Wyll.
SCriptures everywhere witness that man is the servant of syn, whereby is meant that his disposicion is so turned from the ryghtwysenes of God, as he can neither think, lust, nor employe him to any thing, but y • is ungodly, crooked, nawty and impure, for the heart being so in the inner partes enuenomed with y e poison of syn, can breathe nothing but the fruits of sin. Yet it may nat be so taken, that man is forsed to sin, as by urgent necessity, for he sinneth of his proper and most ready will. But forasmuch as his affections be corrupt, he utterly abhorreth all ryghtwysenes of God, and gredely renneth upon all kind of wickedness. And so he is clean shut out from the free power to chose good from bad which they call free will.
Of sin and death.
SYnne in script •• e, is called not so much the corruption of nature, which indeed is the head spring of all vice, as y e raging lusts that spring thereof, yea the heinous abominacions that brast out of these lusts, as murder, theft, aduoutry, and other like. Wetherfore sȳners even from our mothers womb be all borne to the wrath and vengeance of God, and ever the elder we wax, the more grievous judgment we heap vpō us, so that all our life longe we go forward unto death, for scythe it is no doubt but all iniquity is cursed of gods right wysnes, what shall we wretches loke for at his hand, but very confusion, for that bringeth his displeasure with it, for as much as we be pressed with so grievous a burden of sins and corrupted with so infinite dross of uncleanness. Thys thought, though it be hable to overthrow a mā with the fear thereof & even drive him down with despair, yet to us it is necessary, that we being thus striped of our own right wysnes, destitute of all trustynge in our own power, and put back frō all hope of life, may learn to fall down low afore the lord knowing howe beggarly we be of our selves, howe miserable, and very villaynes, and thus knowing our own wickedness, dishabilitye & fall that we may give him all the praise of holiness, power, and salvation.
By what manner we be restored again to life and health.
FRom this knowledge of our self, so plainly showing us howe we be nothing at all, (if it can earnestly settle in our hearts) there is a plain and ready way to a more true knowledge of God, yea he him self hath now opened us the first gate into his kingdom, thus under mynyng the two moste noisesome pestilences, I mean the vnregardyng of gods vengeance and y e false trust on our selves. For then we begin to lift up our eyes unto heaven, which afore did cleave fast unto the ground, and we that afore reposed in our selves now think longe for the Lord. That same lord & father of mercy although our sin hath deserved the contrary, yet for his unspeakable mercy of his own mere goodness, showeth him self to the troubled and astonished conscieces, and calleth us home again by what means he knoweth most expedient for our weakness, from straieng to the right way, from death to life, from perdition to safeguard, yea and from the kingdom of the devil to his own kingdom. Wherefore even to so many as the lord vouchsafeth to restore to y • enheritaūce of his heavenly life, he useth such manner trade, that they being sore wounded in conscience by their sins, and weryed with the burden thereof, might be stirred to fear him. Fyrste of all therefore he giveth us his law, to exercise us unto that knowledge.
Of the law of the Lord.
IN the law of god is delivered us the most perfect rule of all ryghtwysnes which we may well call the everlasting will of the Lord. For there in two tables hath he plainly and fully declared what so ever he requireth of us. In the first what worship his majesty alloweth, and in the other what offices of love be due to our neighbor in few commandments he hath expressed. Let us therefore hear the law, which done we shall se what learning we must take of it, and what truit we ought to gather thereof.
Exod. xx.
I am the Lord thy god, which have brought the out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no strange God's afore my face.
ONe piece of this commandment is in stead of a preface to the hole law, for whiles he affyrmeth that he him self is the Lord our God, he meaneth that he is such one as hath authority to command, and to whose commandments we ought to obey. As he saith by his prophet. If I be the father, where is love? If I be the lord, where is fear? he also reherseth his benefits, to reprove our vnkyndenes, if we obey not his voice. For with the same goodness whereby he preserved y • people of the Jews ones out of the bondage of Egypt, doth he also deliver all his servants frō their perpetual Egypt that is And where as he forbiddeth to have any other gods, he restrayneth us that we should not give that is gods duty to any other, then to him alonely. He saith therefore. Afore my face, whereby he declareth, y t he will not only be known as a god by outward confession, but also y • he will be truly takē for the only god inwardely in hert. These things belong properly to god alone, which without sacrilege can be given to none other, so that him only we ought to honor, in him to repose our trust and hope, him to thank for what soever good and holy thing we have, & unto him to render all praise of goodness & holiness.
Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image / nor any lykenesse of any thing / that is in heavē above / or ī erth beneth nor in the water / under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to thē / to worshype them.
LYke as in y e first commandment, god declared him self to be but one, so now he showeth, what a God he is, and howe he will be honored. He forbiddeth therefore to make him any lykenes. And the cause hereof he showeth in Deut. and in Isaiah: for that no bodily substance can be resembled to a spirit. He further forbiddeth us to honor any image as a thing of holiness. Let us learn then y • the worshypping of God is a spiritual thing, for like as god him self is a spirit, so he wool be worshipped in spirit & truth He addeth therefore an horrible thretnyng, whereby he would we knew, how grievously he is displeased w t the breach of this commandment. ( I am thy Lord God. ) This is afmoch as if he should faye that he only is the Lord God, on whom we ought to hange and that he cā suffer none to be his fellow, or matched with him, y • he will also defēde his majesty & glory if any go about to transpose it to graven ymanges or other things & with such vengeance as shall be neither short nor sengle, but y • shall reach to our childrē, our childrens childrē and unto their childrē also, evē as many as follow their fathers wickedness, lyk as again he setteth forth everlasting mercy & grace to the godly and their ofsprynge also, even to as many as love him and keep his law. In this thing he showeth us the largeness of his mercy stretched forth into a thousand generations, where as he assigneth his vengeance to reach only but to four generations.
Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vain.
HEre he forbiddeth us to abuse his holy name in swerynge, either for folysh tryfles or to establyshe our own lies. Othes ought not to serve neither to self will, nor pleasure, but to very necessity, where either the glory of God must be upholden, or a thing affermed that belongeth to the furtherance of our neighbors. Utterly he forbiddeth us to de file his holy name in anything, but to use it reverently & with high dignity according to his holiness, whether we swear or what other word so ever we speak of him. And for asmoche as the principal use of the taking of gods holy name chiefly consisteth in calling upon him: here we may understand that we have a commandment to call upon him.
In conclusion he appointeth the penalty, least those should trust to escape his reuengeaūce that have abused the holiness of his name by perturyes and blasphemous oaths, and therefore addeth that the Lord wool not have him unrevenged that taketh the name of his Lord God in vain.
Remember thou keep holy the sabbath day.
WE have marked three causes of this commandment, for it pleased God, under the quyete of the seventh day to give the people of Israel a figure of a ghostly rest, wherein the faith full ought to cease from their own will works, and suffer God to work in thē. Seconde, he would also that one certain day were assigned, wherein the people should assemble together to hear the law, and to do their honest ceremonies. Thirdly God would that servants and such as be at other men's commandment should have one day to rest in, y • they might have some release of their labor. As touching y • first cause, no doubt it ceased at the coming of Christ, for he is the truth, at whose presence forthwith all figures and tokens vanysh, he is the body, at whose coming, shadows be left, Therefore saith Paul, the sabbath was but a shadow of a thing to come, the truth whereof he expoundeth, where he teacheth we be buried with Christ, that by his death we might die to the corruption of our flesh. Now this is not done in one day, but in the hole coursse of our life it must be practiced, until at last being utterly dead in our selves, we may be filled with the life of God. Christians therefore ought not to have any supersticiouse keeping of days. But for as moche as the two latter causes ought not to be accounted with the old shadows, but serve a like for all times, therefore though the sabbath day be abolyshed, yet nevertheless amongst us even at this day, this commandment hath his place, that at certain days we should mete together for the hearing of gods word, for y e breakinge of the mystical bread and for common prayers to be made, also that servants and workmen may have release from their labors, for it can not be brought to pass (our infirmity is so great) that such assembles can be kept every day. Wherefore for y e destroieng of superstition, the Jews sabbath day is taken away, but for the kepinge still of good order and peax in the church, an other day is assigned to that be houfe. Therefore as the truth was given unto the Jews under a figure, so it is set forth to us without shadows, Fyrste that all our life longe we should practice a continual sabbath (that is to say) a rest from our works, that the Lord by his spirit might work in us. Seconde, that we should keep the lawful ordinances of the church appointed for gods word to be heard, for sacraments to be ministered, and general prayers to be made. Thirdly that we should not vngentylly ouercharg our feruauntes and prentyses with work.
Honor thy father and thy mother &c.
HEre is given us in commandment to have a ready service of hert towards our parents, and other which in stead of parents have rule over us by the ordinance of god, as the king and other his deputies, I mean that we embrace thē w t all reverence, obedience, kyndnesse, and all the service we cā do. For this is the will of the Lord, that we should recompense those that brought us into this life with kindness for kindness. And it maketh no mater whether they be worthy or unworthy to whom this honor is given, for whatsoever they be, God hath set them over us in stead of our parents and heddes and wol we honor them. yea this is the first commandment that hath any promise knit unto it, as Paul saith wherein whiles God promiseth the blessing of this life to those that honor their parētes with due reverence according to their bounden duty, he meaueth also that his most certain curse shall light on their necks that be stubborn and disobedient to their parents or other superior powers. But th{is} one thing by y e way is to be marked that we be not commanded to obey them, but only in the Lord, we may not therefore for their pleasure trangresse the law of the Lord, for then we ought not to take them for our parents and heddes, but for strangers which go about to withdraw us from the obedience of our true father.
Thou shalt not kill.
IN this commandment is forbyddē all violence, force, wrong, and generally all manner of trespace, whereby our neighbors body is hurt, for if we remember how man is made to the image of God, we ought to esteem him as an hallowed thing, so y t he cā not be distayned but y e image of God must be distayned also.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
HEre god dāneth all kind of horedom and uncleanness, for the Lord hath joined together y e man and womā in the law of marriage only. And with his blessing also hath he hallowed that couple, going together by his authority Whereby it is manifest, y • all other ioynyng save only in marriage is cursed before him Wherefore so many as have not the gift to refrain, which is a singulear gift and standeth not in man's power, let them case the intemperancy of their flesh with the honest remedy of marriage, for marriage is honorable amōges all men, but hore mongers and adnouterers god will judge.
Thou shalt not steal.
VTterly we be forbid one of us to lie in awaite for the goods of another. For god will not, y t in his people be any wrongful takinges, whereby y • pore should be vexed & oppressed nor any disceytes whereby the simple should be cōpased about, Wherefore if we wool keep our hand • s pure & innocent frō theft must refrain as well from all craft and subteltie as from violent extorcions.
Thou shalt bear no false witness &c.
IN this commandment the Lord damneth all sclaunderous checks, tawntes, & evil reapportes whereby our brothers good name is appeyred, he forbydeth also all manner lies whereby in any part our brother is hurt, for seeing a good name is more precious, then all other treasures, doubtless it can be no less hurtful for us to be robbed of our good name, then of our temporal goods, for to the undoing and spoylynge of a man a false witness, sometime worketh more myschiefe then the violent force of hands Wherefore like as in the other commandment above remembered the hand had a restraynt, so in this hath the tongue.
Thou shalt not desire thy neighbors house / thou shalt not desire thy neyghboures wife / nor his seruaūte nor his maid / nor his ox / nor his asse / nor any thing that is thy neighbors.
HEre the Lord maketh a restreynte upon as many as raunge over the lystes and bounds of charity, for where as other commandments forbid us to do contrary to the rule of love, this forbiddeth us even to think any such thing in heart, Wherefore by this commandment be reproved hatred, envy, and malice, even as well as murdre in the other precepts above rehearsed, lust also and inward vnclennesse of hert be here condemned, as well as horedome and aduoutrye in deed, And where in the other commandment were restreynede robhery and gile, here is also covetousness plucked in by the bryddell, where afore all opprobriouse words were • estrayned, here is also repreued malice of mind it self. So we se here howe universal a commandment this is, that extendeth so on every side. God requireth such a wondrous affection and brotherly love so fervent, y t by no lust he will have it arise against y e wealth and profit of our neyghboure. Thys is then y e pythe of this commandment, that such a study and mind we ought to have, y t webe incensed ne tychled with no manner of lust contrary to the law of charity, and that we be ready with all our hert to yield every man that is his. Now, that must we reckon to be every man's own, which by our bound̄ duty we owe unto him.
The pyth of the law
TO what purpose all the commandments of the law pertain: sufficiently declareth Christ our Lord, where he saith that the hole law is contained in two principal cōmaūdemes, that is, to love the Lord god with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our power, & to love our neighbor as our selves, which exposition he toke our even of the self law, for the first parte is red Deut. vi. and the other Leuiti .xix.
What profit cometh unto us by the Law only.
LO here a true exemplar & president of the right and holy life, yea a very perfect image of ryghtwysnes it self, so that if any mā can inlyuing express y e law of god, the same can lack nothing to his perfection afore god, In so moche (as he him self is witness) he promiseth to those that keep his law not alonly excellent prosperities and commodities of this life (which be reckoned Leuiti .xxvi. and Deut. xxvii.) but also the reward of everlasting life. On the contrary part he thretneth punyshment of everlasting death to those that have not fulfilled what so ever he hath given them in commandment to be done. Moses also whē he had published the law, called to witness heaven and earth, that he had setforth to the people good and evil, life and death. Now where as he show us the way of life, we must se what profit we have by this appoyntynge and shewynge of the way. Verily if our will were all together framed and bent unto the obedience of gods will, then were the only knowledge of the law enough for our salvation, but seeing our nature being flesshely and corrupt, warreth like an extreme adversary against gods law a thing of the spirit, and is in nothing amended by her good nurtur and instructions, therefore the law it self which was unto our salvation (if it could have had good hearers) is now become an occasion of sin and death, for asmoche as we be all cast & convict as transgressors thereof, So the more openly it declareth y e ryghtwysnes of god the more hemously doth it utter our wickedness. And again the higher transgressiō the law hath to lay to our charge, the more grievous iugemēt are we condemned to. Thus now the promise of life is utterly takē away, and only remaineth y • curse and that upon all our necks by occasion of the law.
The law is mean unto Christ.
NOwe though the wyekednes and damnation of us all be sealed up and confermed with witness of the law, yet this is not therefore done to the intent we should fall into despair, or in this extreme plūge run hedlong to our ownede struction, for the Apostle declareth us all damned by judgment of the law, to thintent every mouthe should be stopped, and all the world be brought under gods danger. And yet the same Apostle saith in another place that god hath shut up all men under unbelief, not to destroy all, nor to suffer thē to perish, but to have mercy upon all. The Lord therefore will that we by y e law thus being warned of our own weakness and vnclennesse: should take comfort vpō the trust of his power and mercy, and that in Christ, for whose sake he showeth him self so tender & merciful a father unto us. In the law can it not be seen that he rewardeth but only perfect rightwysnesse, which all we • acke, where as otherwise he is a straight judge of sins. But in Christ his face is all full of favor & grace even toward wretches and unworthy sinners This so wonderful a token of his exceeding, love he shown us by giving up his own son for us, in whom he hath against other he extendeth the rygorousnes of his judgment, let us suffer the cause to rest in his hands, for this thing he wool have unknown unto us all, and that not without good skyll, for neither the dullness of ourewyt is hable to abide such a light, ne the sklēder capacity of the same is in any part sufficient to conceive so great a power of his wysedom, For verily here who so ever will attempt to aduaūce him self, not refreynynge the rashness of his wit, shall find it true y t Solomon saith, whoso wool serche the majesty: shall be oppressed of the glory. Let us only determine this with our selves, that this same ordinance of the Lord, though it be secret unto us, yet it is righteous and holy, for if he would destroy all mankynd, doubtless he may of right do it. And surely in those whom he calleth back again from dānation: we can se nothing but his high goodness. Let us thā conceive with our selves that the chosē be y e vessels of mercy, as they be in deed, and that the forsakē be the vessels of wrath and not but of a just cause. But of thē both we may take occasiō and matter to advance gods glory. Neither yet shall we (as many men do) for a sure establyshment and knowledge of our saluaciō clyme up to heavē and sawcely enserch what God hath decreed of us afore the world began, which thought can no other thing do, but bring us in a miserable doubt and trouble, But let us rather be content with the witness wherewith y e Lord hath sufficiently made our salvation strong and sure, for like as in Christ were all the chosen even as many as afore the foundatiō of the earth was laid, ordained unto life: so is he y e person in whom resteth the assuraūce of our salvation, if we by faith receive and embrace him. For what other thing do we serche in the election, but to be partetakers of the everlasting life? And this saluaciō we obtain in Christ which was the self life from the beginning, and was made ruler over us unto life, that all those that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Wherefore if we possessinge Christ by faith possess also in him everlasting life, it is no point of our charge to make any further enquirye of gods eternal counsel, Christ is not only a glass wherein gods will is represented unto us, but also an evidence wherein it is after a manner sealed up for us.
What is true faith.
THe christiane faith ought to be taken neither for a bare knowledge of God, neither yet for such an understanding of scripture, as like a fansye flyeng here & there in the brain▪ worketh no good mocion no • goostly affection in the heart, as whē commonly men conceive in their heads certain opinions of such matters as seme to have strong reasons to make with them. But it is a sound & steadfast belief of heart, whereby we safely rest and stay our consciences in gods mercy promised us by his gospel, for thus shall we well defyne what belief is, if we earnestly behold • y • nature of gods promysses, which belief so hangeth upon the promise his proper foundatiō that if ye take the promise away, it forthwyth faileth & goeth to naught. Wherefore so longe as the Lord offerethe us his mercy by his promise in the gospel, if we faithfully trust thereunto we be counted in faith to receive his word. And thus doth the Apostle defyne faith, where he saith, faith is the ground of things that be trusted upon, and the proof of things not seen, He meaneth that faith is none other thing, but a certain & sure possession of all such things, as be promised us by God, & an evidence of things that as yet do not appear, I mean of the life everlasting, whereof we cōceyue an hope and an expectation upon the trust we have in the goodness of god so lyberally offered us in his gospel. And for as moche as all gods promises are strong in Christ, and after a manner performed and made good in him, it followeth vndoubtydly that Christ him self is the everlasting Butte and mark of our faith, in whom it may behold all the riches of gods depe mercy.
Faith is the gift of God
IF we well ponder and weye with our selves, how blind th{is} our wit is and howe far vnhable to attain unto God's heavenly secrecies, & with what doubt and mystrust our hert laboreth within us, then shall we well perceive howe far faith surmounteth and passeth all our natural power, howe also it is a singular and excellent gift of God, For scythe that no man (as Paul reasoneth) is of secret counsel with man's will, but only the spirit of mā, which is in man, howe may it be that man can have any certain knowledge of gods counsel? And for as moche as God's open truth is very weak amōges us, in those things that here we se before our eyes, how should it be strong and sure, where god only promyseth those things that never were seen by eye, nor yet cōceyued in mans wit? Now it is evident and plain that faith is a lyghtenynge of y e holy ghost, whereby our wyttes be lyghtened and our hearts established & strengthened with a sure stay of conscience, being thoroughly persuaded in our selves that God of his promise is so true, faithful, and just, that he cannot but perform what so ever he hath bound himself to by his holy word and promise. And for this cause faith is called y • pledge or ernest because it setteth our conscience at the stay of gods truth, It is also named a seal wherewith our hearts be sealed & marked against the day of the Lord, for the Lord himself is he that beareth witness to our spirit y t God is our father and we his dere beloved sons.
In christ we he made rightuouse by Faith.
FOr as moche as it is evident and plain, y t Christ is the everlasting Butte, and mark of faith, we can none other wise fele what profits & benefits we take by faith, thē only by looking and having a direct eye towards him, for unto this purpose was Christ given us of the father, that in him we might obtain everlasting life as he him self saith, this is the everlasting life, even to know one god the father, and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. Also he saith, he that believeth in me, shall not die forever, that if he die he shall live. But how may this come to pass? forsooth thus, we that be unclean by reason of sin, must be pourged and cleansed in him, for no unclean thing shall entre into the kingdom of God. Christ therefore maketh us parteners and as ioyntpatentes with him, so y t though of our selves we be sinners, yet for Christ's rightwysnes we be accepted for righteous at the iugement seat of god, And thus spoiled of our own righteousness we be clad, and endued with Christ's righteousness. So where as by works we be vnrighteouse, by faith in Christ we be made ryghteouse, I say we be justified by faith, not that we have any righteousness within us of our selves, but that Christ's ryghtuousnes is counted for our righteousness, and our wickedness is nothing at all laid to our charge, so that, with one word, we may call this righteousness forgyuenes of sins. The Apostle clearly declareth this, whiles oftentimes he setteth the righteousness of works with the righteousness of faith, and showeth howe y • one ouerwhelmeth and turneth the other upside down Now by what fashion Christ hath dedeserued us this ryghtousnes and in what partes it is contained ye shall se in the symbol of faith where every Article severally by it self shall be orderly rehearsed, whereupon is founded the hole belief of a christen mā.
By Faith we be hallowed and as it were seasoned to the obedience of the law.
LYke as Christ through his rightwysnes is a mean for us unto God y e father, that he being as it were our surety we be takē & reputed for ryghtwyse, so by the partakynge of his holy spirit he haloweth us to all pureness and innocence. For upon him rested the spirit of the Lord above all measure, I mean the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel, strength, knowledge, fear of the Lord, so that of his plently & fullness we all receive and drink up largely grace for grace. They therefore be deceived that boast their Faith in Christ, where they be utterly void & destitute of the halowynge of his spirit. For scripture teacheth that Christ is not only made our ryghtwysnes, but our halowyng also, for by the self same covenant y t the Lord maketh with us in Christ, he promyseth both to pardon our wickedness, and also to write his law in our hearts. Therefore the keeping of the law is no work of our hability, but of a spiritual power, whereby our hearts be pourged from their corruption & made soft in the obedience of ryghtuousnes. Now then the use of the law to Christian men is a far other thing from that it should be without faith, for whē ones God graueth in our hearts a love of his ryghtousnes, then the outward doctrine of the law which before did nothing but accuse us as well of weakness as of transgression, is now becomme a light to our feet that we should not straye from the straight way, it is now our wysedō, whereby we be informed, and styred to all honesty, it is our nurtonre which wool not suffer us to renne to moche at large in our self will and lust.
Of repentance and new birth.
HErevpon it is easy to understand, why repentance is alway joined with faith in Christ, why also the Lord affirmeth, that no mā can entre into the kingdom of heaven except he be borne a new, for repentance betokeneth a retournynge, whereby we bid the frowardenesse of this world farewell and repare again unto y e Lord's way. Now Christ because he is not the ministre of sin, doth wash away our sins, and decke us with his ryghtwysnes to the intent we should not stain this his grace with new fylthynes again, but ones chosen to be gods sons should consecrate and direct all our life from hensforth to the glory of our father. Thys work of repentance hāgeth on our new birth, which new birth, standeth upon two partes, the sleynge of our flesh, I mean of this corruption naturally spronge in us, and a spiritual quyckenynge whereby y e nature of man's is restored to her clennes. wherefor vpō this meditation we must labor & employ our selves all our live long, that we ones deed to sin and to our selves may live to Christ & to his ryghtuousnes. And whereas this new birth cā never be perfect so longe as we live in the prison of this mortal body, it must needs be that this same mind and study of repentance ought still to continue in us even unto death.
Howe ryghtwysnesse of good works and of faith may stand together.
GOod works that come of such a pureness of conscience doubtless be strong and allowed before god, For scythe god seeth his own ryghtuousnesse in them, he cannot but allow them, yet must we take hede, least we bear our self so halt in the vain affiaūce and trust of our good works, that we forget not how we be justified by the faith in Christ alonely. For there is no righteousness of works afore God, except it answereth to his righteousness, so y t who so goeth about to be justified by his own works, it is not enough for him, to bring out one good deed or two, but he must show forth a perfect obedience of the law, which thing is far awey yea from those that seme most of all to have profyted & gone forward afore other in the Lord's law, Besyde this although y • ryghtuousnes of god could be content and pleased with one good deed only, and no mo, yet should not god find so much as one good deed in all his saints, y t worthily evē of the self works deseruynge he might praise and commend as rightwyse. For this is y e very truth, seme it never so great a meruel, that no work we do is perfect on every side, but is blemyshed w t some wart either in one parte or other Wherefore sith we be sinners foiled with many remnauntes of vices, we must needs be justified another way thā by our self. Now certainly we have alway great need of Christ, that by his perfectness our vnperfectnesse may be covered, by his pureness our uncleanness may be washed by his obedience our iniquity may be blotted out, finally y t for his rightousnesse we may befreely taken as rightuouse w t out any respect of our works, which in no wise can be of such valoure to stand in the judgment of God. Thys notwithstanding, so longe as these our spots which other ways might blemyshe & stain our work{is} before God, be thus hyd and kept close, the Lord consydereth in them nothing but high pureness and holiness, where upon he vouchesaueth to give them high titles of praises, for he calleth and also estemeth them even ryghtousnesses yea and promyseth unto thē large rewards. So may we then shortly conclude that our felowshyp with Christ is of such strength & force, that for it we be not only freely reputed ryghtuous but also our works be reckoned us for justice and ryghtuousnesse, and be abundantly recompensed with an everlasting reward.
The Symbole of faith or Christian Crede.
WE told you heretofore what profit we take by our faith in Christ, now shall ye hear, what our faith ought to behold in Christ, & what to conceive of him to the stablyshment and confermynge of it. Certaynely this is declared in the Simbole or Christ̄ Crede, as howe Christ is made unto us by his father our wisdom, ransom, life, ryghtwysnes, and holiness. Now it maketh no great matter, who was the maker of this Symbol, or by what person{is} this abrydgeniēt of faith was set forth, which in it hath no human doctrine, but is gathered of most certain records of scripture. And because no man should muse why we knowledge our selves to believe in the father, the son, & the holy ghost, we woli some what speak hereof afore we entre into the Crede. When we name the father, the son, and the holy holy ghost, we make us nat three gods, but in most simple and pure unite of God, as well the scripture as the very experience of godliness show us God the father, his son and the spirit, so y t our understanding cā not conceive the father but it must also cōpryse as well the son (in whom shyneth y e fathers lively image) & the spirit in whom his power and might is opened. In one God therefore let us fyxe the hole thought of our mind, and yet in the mean season consider y • father w t y e sonne and his holy ghost.
I believe in one God the father almyghty maker of heaven and earth.
By these word{is} we be taught to believe not nakedly that there is a God, but also to know that he is our God, and to trust that we be of the noneber of those whom he promyseth to be their God, whom also he taketh for his own people. Thys God is called almighty whereby is meaned, that by his providence he disposeth all things, and at his pleasure governeth & through his power and might ordereth them, when we cal him maker of heaven and earth, we must therewith understand y t he continually nourisheth, susteyneth and quyckeneth whatsoever ones he made.
And in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord.
WHere above we said that Christ is he everlasting butte of our faith, this is easy to se, for as •• ch as all y e partes of our he • be here represented in him 〈◊〉 call him Jesus (which 〈◊〉 was given him from heaven), because he was sent to save his people from their sins. And therefore the scripture saith y t there is none other name given unto men whereby they might be saved. This additiō or surname christ betokeneth y t he was annoynted and thoroughly endowed with all the graces of the holy ghost, which in scripture be rehearsed under the name of oil, because without thē through drought and barennesse we wyther and dekaye. Throughe this annoin tynge of the father • as he first made king, subdu ••• unto him self all power in heaven and in earth, that in him we mought also be kings, having power over the devil, sin, death & hell, So thē was he consecrated pressed that through his sacrifice he might pacifye the father & bring us in favor again with him, to y e intent that in him we also might be preestes, offryng unto the father prayers, thanks, our selves and all ours by this same Christ, our mediator and reconcyler. Furthermore he is called y • son of God, not as other faithful men be by election only and favor: but that he is the very true natural son, & therefore is he named y e only, because he might be known from the rest. He is also our Lord, not only by his godheade which he had evermore the self same with the father, but also in that self flesh wherein he was exh •• ited unto us. For there is but one God, of whom be all things as Paul saith, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom be all together.
Which was conceived by the holy ghost / borne of the virgins Mary.
HEre we learn by what manner y • sonne of God became our Jesus, that is our savior, and our Christ, that is to say the anointed king to defend us, and preeste to bring us in favor with the father, for he put vpō him our flesh, to this intent that he now made the son of man should make us the sons of God with him, taking vpō him our poverty to advance us unto his rychesse, bearing our weakness to strengthen us by his power, receiving our mortality to give us his immortality, coming down upon the erth to exalt us unto heavē. Borne he was of the virgins Mary even because he might be know̄ the very son of Abrahā and David which was promised in the law and Prophets a very mā, like unto us in every point, only sin excepted, he was tempted with our infirmities to thintent he might learn to have compassion and bear w t us. Thys same Jesus was cōceyued in the womb of y • virgins by a wonderful & unspeakable power of y • holy ghost, to thintēt he might be borne not defiled with any fleshy corruption, but be sanctified in most high and perfect pureness.
Suffered under Ponce Pylate / was crucyfyed / dead & buried / and descended unto hell.
IN these word{is} we be taught after what sort Jesus paid our ransom, for this was cause why he was borne a mortal mā. For verily where as god was {pro}uoked to wrath through the disobedience of man: Jesus through his obedience put it away, shewynge him obedient to his father even unto death. And so ī his death he offered him self a sacrifice to the father, whereby his ryghtwysnes might ones • or ever be appeased, whereby y • faithful mought be hallowed for evermore, whereby also the everlasting satisfactiō mought be fully wrough and fynyshed. He shed his holy blood for the price of our ransom, to thintent both the fury of God which was kyndled against us might be qwenched and also our wickedness purged. There is no parte of his death that lacketh a misterye. He suffered under Ponce Pilate that is to wit, he was condemned by sentence of a judge, for a felon and euyldoer, for this purpose y t we through him thus condemned might be quite at the bar of the high judge, he was crucified, that in the cross which by God's law was cursed, he should sustain our curse, which curse our sins did deserve, he died, that through his death he might overcome death that gaped vpō us and henge over our heddes, and y • he might swalowe up y t same death, which elles had not he been, should have swallowed us up. He was buried to thyntēt we his fellows by the virtue of his death should be buried to sin, enfraunchyshed from the dominion of the devil and of death. And where we say he went down into hell, it is meant he was extremely handled of God, & that he felt the horrible sharpness of gods judgment in that he did put him self between us & God's wrath, and on our behalf satisfied the rygoure and sharp judgment of God, so did he pay & suffer the due pains not for his own iniquity, for he had none in him, but for our wickedness. Not that y • father was at any time angry against him (for howe could he be angry with his most dear son in whom is all his delight and pleasure? or howe could he be pacyfyed with his prayer with whom he were displeased?) but in this sense we say he bare the weight of gods rygorousnes, because being thus strycken and as it were scourged by the hand of God, he felt all the tokens and signs wherwythe god in his fume is wont to punysshe sinners, in so moche that when the Passion waxed strong over him, he was constrained strained to cry my God, my God, why hast y u forsaken me?
And the third day he rose again from death / he ascended into heaven and sytteth on the right hand of God the father almyghty / from thence he shall come to judge the quycke and the deed.
OF Christ's rysynge again we may gather a sure trust of victory, that we shall overcome death, for like as he could not be holden down by all y • pangs of death, but mightily did brast forth beyond all deaths power, so did he repress and quench all his stinges and that in such wise, as he is nat hable to styng us now anymore, at lease way to our destruction. So then his rising again,is first a right certain truth and even the ground of our rysyng to come, and also of this our present quickenyng, whereby we be raised up unto a newness of life. By his ascēsion or mounting up unto heaven, he opened us the way unto the kingdom of heaven, which in Adam was against all men shut, for he ascended in to heavē in our flesh as it were in our name, to the intent that even now in him by hope we may possess heaven, and after a manner sit even amongst the heavenly sprites. And assuredly he is not there w t out our high profit: for according to the office of his everlasting presthod he went into the sāctuary of god not made of man's hand, and there he laboreth as a continual attourney and mediator for us afore the father, where we say he sytteth on the right hand of god the father, it meaneth that he is crouned & proclaimed, king, judge, & Lord, over all things, y t by his power he might cōserve and govern us that his kingdom and glory may be our strength, power and boast against hell, It signifieth also that he hath received to dispose at his pleasure all the may be made perfect and filled, that is to wit, that his judgment moughte be manifested, in which day he alone shall be set up on high, and shall be all together in all men, gatherynge and receyuyng his faithful into glory, when Satan's kingdom shall be brought to confusyon, & utterly throw down.
The third.
Thy will be done in earth / as it is in heaven.
IN this petition we desire of god that as he is wont in heaven, so in erth he wovouchsaue to order and dispose all things, as his gracious pleasure shall be, to bring every thing to pass as shall like his wisdom best, to use all creatures at his own pleasure, and to subdue all wylles unto his. And thus requyrynge, we utterly refuse and abandon all our own desires, renouncynge and giving up unto the Lord what so ever affection, will, or lust, is in us, desyrynge his graciouse majesty that he suffer not the world to pass with us as we our selves would have it, but that he cause all our matters so to go forward with us, as he knoweth afore & forseeth best for us and as he hath appointed the same to be. Nor we do not only here ask, that god would make our own desire void and of no effect, even so many as be contrary and repugnant to his will, but also that he, extinguyshinge these our affections, would shape in us new thoughts, new minds, and new ententes, so that none other motion or lust be felt in us, then a pure consent and full agreement with his will, and for a conclusion that we wool nothing of our self, but as the holy spirit woi in us, by whose secrete instruction & teaching, we may learn to love those things that be pleasant to him, and to hate & abhor worse then death what so ever displease him. Now assured we are that displeaseth him y • is contrary to his word and institution.
Gyue us this day our daily bread.
HEre in general we ask of god all things necessary to the behouf of our bodies under the clementes of this world, not only to be fed and clothed, but, also what so ever thing he forseeth to be expedient for us to thintent ws mought eat our bread in peax. In this petition with few words, we betake our selves into his keeping, and commit us to his divine providence that he would feed, nouryshe and preserve us, for y • moste graciouse and tender father doth not disdain to take unto his keeping and tuiciō also this our body, y • he might exercise our faith in these same lytell small things, whiles we loke to receive at his hand all things what so ever we have need of even to a crumb of bread and a drop of water. Where we say Daily and this day, it meaneth that we ought only to ask things sufficient for our need, even as it were for no more but this day: With this assured confidence that our father, after that he hath nouryshed us this day, wool not fail us tomorrow. Now how much abundance so ever of goods through his benefit we have, yet it behooveth us to ask our daily bread thynkyng on this wise, that all our substance is nothing, but so farforth as god by powryng forth his blessing, shall prosper and increase, & that which is in our hands is none of ours but so farforth as god bestoweth it unto us and suffereth the use thereof in our hands from time to time. In that we say, Our bread, is highly declared the boūtyousnes of god, which maketh y • to be ours, which by no reason was dew unto us. Finally in that we desire it to be given us, it is meant that it is the pure & free gift of god, from whense so ever it come to us, though it seme never so moche to be gotten by our scyence and proper industrye.
The fyfthe.
And forgive us our trespasses / as we forgive them that trespass against us.
IN this petition we ask release, pardon, and forgiveness of sins to be received at gods hands, a thing 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 doubtless right necessary to all men and women without exception, And we call them dettes, (for so signifieth the greek and also the latin word) because we owe god a punishment for them as a price or penny worth due for the same. But by noo means can we make this payment good, unless we be discharged by this forgyuenesse which is the free pardon of his mercy. We ask this pardon to be given us, even as we forgive our detters, that is, as we spare them and forgive them, of whom we have been in any thing, either harmed, sharply handled, or contumeliously checked. This condition is here added, not that by our forgyuynge of other men's trespasses against us, we may or can deserve gods pardon, but it is here put for a • ygne & token to acertayne us, that so truly our sins be pardoned us of god, as we semblably in our own consciences forgive other, in case our heart be clean purged and void of all hatred, envy, and vengeance. On the contrary parte, we be warned that they be shakē of and expulsed from the number of gods children, so many as be ready to revenge, hard to forgive and that styffely bear malice in their hearts ayenst their neighbors, For all such are hereby monyshed not to be ones so hardy as to call god their father, nor pray to escape gods wrath, lyth in their own stomach they bear wrath and displeasure against other. yea Christ expressly saith, that unless we for give men their offenses, the father wol never forgive us ours Which thing he also teacheth by the parable of the king and his servants. Finally he wol have forgive us our neighbor not ones or twice, no not seven times only, but seventy times seven times, meaning herby, we ought continually from time to time to forgive our brother.
The syxte.
And let us not be led into temptation / but deliver us from evil. Amen.
IN this demand, we do not require, that we should never fele temptations, for by them rather it is our profit to be stirred and rubbed on the back, lest through ouermoche rest, we mought wax sloggardes, for the lord tempteth his chosen daily, chastysyng them by reproach, poverty, trouble, and other kinds of crucyfyenge. But this our prayer is, that with the temptatiō he wol make us a way out, so as we be not overcome and pressed down of any temptations, but that by his pour enstrengthened we may stand sure against all the power of our adversaries wherewith they assaulte us. Also that we taken to his governance, hallowed by his spiritual graces, and fenced with his protectiō may stand styffe against the devil, death, hell gates, and the hole kingdom of the devil, and this is to be delivered from evil. We must mark also howe God wol that our prayers be shapen. Truly we must shape them after the rule of charity, for so hath he taught us to pray, not for our own behoufe without any regard of our bretheren, but he commaūdeath us to be even as busy for their commodity, edificatyon and profit, as we would be for our own.
Continuance of prayer.
THis then it behooveth us to loke upon, that we go not about to bind god to any circumstancies, like as we be taught in this prayer, nor to assign him any law, or apoynt him any condycyon. For afore we conceive any prayer for us, we first require and forespeke that his will be done, whereby now we subdue our will to his, that as with a brydell now restrained, it should not p̄sum to force god to a course or trade. If our minds ones brought to such obedience, we suffer our selves to be ordered at tharbitremēt of gods prouisiō, easily we shall learn to continue in prayer, and referrynge our requests unto the lord, pacyently to awayt his pleasure, being assured that god is always present with us, though it seme not so, and that when he seeth his time, he wol declare that he gave no deaf ears to our prayers. That if after longe awaytyng, our mind cannot attain what it hath profyted by prayer, nor fele any fruit goten thereby: yet our faith shall certyfye us of that, that by felynge we could not perceive, even how we have obtained that expedient was for us. And thus shall faith work, that in poverty we may possess abundance, and in trouble comfort, for if all together go to wreck & fail us, yet shall god never fail us, never forsake us, sithens he can not disapoynte the awaytynge and longe suffraūce of his, him alone may we have in stead of all things, for he cōteyneth in him all goodness, which without doubt in time to come, he wool show us all at large and most fully.
Of Sacraments, wherefor they properly serve.
SAcramentes be ordained that both before god and man they should be exercyses of our faith. Before the lord they exercise our faith, whiles they establysshe it in gods truth, for where as the Lord perceived it expedyent for the ignorant of our flesh, he did setforth heavenly mysteries to be beholden under carnal elements. Not that any such powers be given to the self natures of things, as be propowned to us in sacraments, but that by the lords word they be signed hereunto. For y • promise cometh alway afore, which promise is contained in the word, then followeth the token to strengthen & seal the promise, & to make it of more authority amongst us, evē as the Lord forseech, that it is expedient for the capacite of our weakness. For undoubted so small and weak is our faith, that except it be propped up on every side, & born up by all means and ways possible, anon it wolle qwayle, be shaken a pieces, and overthrow̄. Now this faith is also amongst mē exercised by sacraments, whiles by the same it goeth openlie to show her self to the world, and is stirred up to render due praises to the Lord,
What a sacrament is, and how many there be.
A Sacrament is therefore properly an outewarde sign, wherein God representeth and witnesseth his good will towards us, to sustain the weakness of our faith. Or an other way more short & also more plain, A sacrament is a witness of gods favor, declared by an outward sign. Now there be divers holso me sacraments in the church, and namely seven recounted of the fathers, Matrimony, Baptism, Confirmation, Penaunce, Eucharistia commonly called the sacrament of the altar, Orders, and extreme unction.
Matrimonye, god him self did first institute in paradyse, and saint Paul calleth it honorable in all things.
By penaūce we attain the high benefit of absolution, neither ought we to neglect the power or keys of the church, scythe to it Christ saith, Whose sins so ever ye forgive shall be forgiven, & whose sins ye retain shall be retained. And again he saith, Who heareth you, heareth me.
The sacrament of orders, is whereby, by layeng on of y • hands, persons of such qualities and conditions, as Paul describeth to Timothy and Tite should be called and elected not only to ministre sacraments but moche rather to preach gods word purely & sincerely to the people.
Confirmation and extreme unction the ancient fathers of the church taking occasion and groundyng themselves upon the doings and acts of thappostles have received. But of baptism & Eucharistia because they be the principal sacraments & in the new testament instituted expressly by Christ himself, I intend somewhat more at large to entreat.
Of Baptism.
BAptisme is given us of God, both to serve our faith before him, and to serve our professiō before men. Faith hath eye to the promise, whereby the merciful father offerethe us the felawshyp of his Christ, that we endowed with him might be partakers of his goods. And two things it chiefly representeth unto us, the clensynge, which we have in Christ's blood, and the • leynge of our flesh, which we have obtained through his death. For the Lord commanded his to be baptized into remyssyon of sins. And Paul teacheth that the church is hallowed of Christ her spouse, and washed in the laver of water in the word of life. Furthermore he declareth that we be baptized into Christ's death, buried with him, to thintēt we might walk in newness of life, whereby it is not meaned that the cause or power of clensyng and of new birth is in the water, but only that in this sacrament is perceived a knowledge of such gifts: when we be accounted to take, obtain & purchase that, which we believe to be given us of the Lord, whither we first espy it, or whither it were known to us afore, and be here more certainly informed of the same. Now as touching our profession before men, this Sacrament also serveth, for it is a mark or token whereby we openly profess that we will be accounted amongst the people of god, that with all other godly persons by like religion we worship that same one god. Syth then in Baptysme the covenant of the lord is specyally made with us: therefore of good right we baptize also our infauntes in that they be fellows and partakers with us of the everlasting covenant, wherein the Lord promyseth him self to be the God and graciouse lord, not to us only, but to our seed also.
Of the lords souper, or sacrament of the altar.
UNto what ende the mystery of this sacrament, which saint Paul calleth the lords souper, & is called of the fathers Eucharistia and Synaxis, was ordained, & whereunto it serveth, the promise there added euydētly declareth which is to acertayne us, that the lords body was ones so offered, so betrayed for our sakes that now it is ours, yea and evermore shall be, and that his blood was ones so sprynkled and shed for us, that it should be ours for evermore. The bodily eye seeth but the signs & figures of bread and wyne, but the inward eye of faith under those signs seeth how the lord giveth the true partakynge of his body and blood, For all though he being now taken up into heaven, keepeth his residence in heaven and no longer in earth, I mean in personal and human lykenes, yet no distaūce of place can let him to feed his faithful with his own self, & so to work that they (though heaven & earth be never so far asunder) should yet have moste present felowshyp and company with him. And hereof have we a lesson given us in this sacrament so certain and manifest, that we must fastly believe that chryst with all his rychesse is here given and presented unto us, no less then if he stood even personally present, to be seen as he is in his majesty with our eyes & to be felt with our hands, yea and that with such power and might, that not only he bringeth to our souls an undoubted trust of everlasting life, but maketh us sure also of the immortality of our flesh being quyckened of his immortal flesh, & after a manner taking part of his immortality. Wherefore under the signs of bread and wyne be presented and ministered unto us the body and blood, to thintent we might learn y • they be not only ours, but also serve unto us for life and nourysshyng. Thus when we se this most sacred and mystical bread, anon we must cōceyue this similitude, that like as bread nourysheth, susteyneth, and preserveth the life of our natural body: so is the body of Christ the food, comfort, and defense of our gostly life. When we se the form of wine, loke what profit wyne bringeth to man's body, the same must we reckon, spyritually to be brought unto us in Christ's blood. Now, this mystery as it is a proof and declaratiō of the great bounty of God towards us: so it ought to monysshe us, that we be not vnkynd for the same his goodness and exceeding liberality shown unto us, but rather as our duty is, auaunce the same w t praises, and magnify it with thankesgyuyng. And furthermore that we should embrace one of us another with such an unite, as we se the members of one body knyt and fastened amongst them selves. For there can be no quycker spurr to stir brotherly love amongst us, then whiles Christ, thus giving him self to us doth not only allure us by his example, everyone of us freely to yield and give him self to other, but also like as he maketh him self commune amongst us all, so in him he maketh us all to be as one. But would god we would learn to measure & to contemplate in our mind the greatness of this so high a sacrament given us of god. would god I say we considered howe fowl a sin ingratytude is, how horrible peynes and punishemētes do ensue of the irreverent handlynge and {pro}hanation of this sacrament. Neither is it to be thought y • those moste grave thretninges y • s. Paul pronounceth be frustrate & void. For thus he saith. Wherefore who so ever eateth this bread and dryncketh the cup of the lord unworthily, shall be gyltie of the body and blood of the lord. Let a man therefore examine him self and so let him eat of that bread & drink of that cup. For he that eateth and dryncketh unworthily, eateth and dryncketh his own damnation, not decernynge the body of the lord.
Of the Pastors and herdmen of the church, and of their power.
FOr as moche as the lord will that both his word and the Sacraments be ministered by men unto us: it behooveth Curates or herdmen to be set in office over the church, which with pure doctrine may inform the people both pryuely and apertly, ministre Sacraments, and with good example instruct men unto holiness and pureness of life. Who so despiceth this institution & this order, be unruly and disobedient not against men but against god, in that they factiously withdraw them selves from the felowshyp of the church which without this ministry, by no means can stand, for that hath no lytell authority, that the Lord ones witnessed, saying, that he him self 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 is received, when they be received, and that he is caste out, when they be caste out, And to thintent their office should be no vile thing ne unregarded, they be endowed with a special commandment of byndynge and loosynge, having thereto a promise, that what so ever in earth they bind or loose, the same is bound and loosed in heaven. And Christ him self expounynge his word declareth that to bind, is to hold sins, and to loose, is to release them. Now by what fasshyon they loose, the apostle expouneth, when he saith, that the gospel is a power to save every beleuer. Agayne what way they bind, he declareth when he saith that the Apostles have a ready vengeance against all disobedience. For the sum of the gospel is that we be ineruauntes of sin and death, & that we be loosed and made free through the ransom which is in Christ Jesus, and as many as do not receive him for their redeemer, be bound with new bonds of a greater condemnation. But we must remember that all this power which scripture giveth to pastors and bishops is contained within the ministry of the word, for Christ gave not properly this power to men, but to his word, ordeynynge men only the ministers thereof. Wherefore in gods word whereof they be made disposers & layers out, boldly let them ieoparde even all things, and constreyne all the power, glory, and pride of the world to stowpe and obey unto it, by it let them command all men, from the highest to the loweste, let them build Christ's house, pull down Satan's kingdom, feed the sheep, stay the wolves, teache and exhort those that will learn, reprove the stubborn: but all together in the word, from which word if they swerve to their own dreams, and fanses: they be no longer esteemed for pastors and shepeherdes, but rather (for asmoche as they be pestilē wolves) ought to be driven away and deposed. For Christ commandeth none other to be heard, then such as teache us the things that they have taken of his word.
Of men's traditions.
SIthe we have a general sentence of Paul, y t all things in thassembles & churches should be done comely & in good order: civil ordinances, whereby as with bonds an order and comely fasshyon is kept in the company of the Christians, and a concord thereby conserved, ought not to be reckoned amongst men's traditions: but must rather be referred unto the rule of the Apostle, so that they be not believed as things necessary to our salvation, nor bind the consciences to any superstition through them, nor be kept as any worshipping of god, nor that any holiness be reposed in them. But such ordinances as under a title of spiritual laws be thrust upon us, to bind our consciences, as things necessary to gods honor, all such laws I say ought we earnestly to resyste, for they do not only overthrow the liberty which Christ purchased us, but also dymme the true religion, and defile gods majesty, who alone wol reign in our consciences by his word Let this then abide for a sure gron̄d, that all things be ours and we Christ's, and that god in vain is worshipped where be taught doctrines, the commandments of men.
Of excommunication.
EXcōmunication is, whereby notable horemongers, aduouterers, userers, extortioners, spoilers, rouers, pyrates, brallers, ryoters, dronkardes, seditious persons, wasters, after they have ben admonished, and do not amende, be reject and banysshed from the company of the faithful, according to the lords commandment, not that the church casteth them unto perpetual ruyne and despair, but it dainneth their life & manners and except they amende, the church ascerteyneth them of their damnatiō. This order is therefore necessary amōges the faithful, that since the church is the body of Christ, it ought not to be defiled with such stynkyng members, which redounde unto the shame of their head. And moreover least by company of such a naughty sort (as it commonly chaūseth) the good also might he corrupt, It is also profitable for them selves, that their lewdness be thus chastised which, where as other ways by sufferance, they would wax more willful and obstinate, now driven thus to shame, might learn to amende, which thing if they can be won unto, the church gentyllye receiveth them into her felowshyppe again, and to the partakynge of that same unite, from whens they were banysshed and shut out. And least any man should proudly despise the judgment of the church, or lytell regard that he by the church is thus condemned, the Lord witnesseth that this judgment of the faithful is none other thing then the publysshynge of his own sentence, and that it is approved in heaven, what they do in earth. For they have gods word, whereby they may damn the froward, they have again God's word whereby they may receive those that return unto grace.
Of civil rulers and governors.
THe Lord witnesseth, that not only he allowed temporal gouernaūces and the office of magistrates, but also for that with such honorable authority he setteth forth their dignity: highly he commendeth the same unto us, for he assureth us y • it is the work of his wisdom, that kings reign, that counselours discern justice, that the honorable be judges of the erth, yea & otherwhyles he callethe them gods, because they supplye and exequute his rowm, In an other place also they be reaported to exercise judgment even for god and not for man. Furthermore Paul recyteth the offices, amongst the gifts of god, and where as he maketh a longer treatye of them, he manifestly teacheth that their power is the ordinance of god, & that them selves be ministers of god to the praise of the weldoers, and to the vengeance of the 〈…〉 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 me 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 gods 〈…〉 yea all 〈…〉 they hither ••• 〈…〉 employe, that 〈…〉 the vniuersalle 〈…〉 true religion with 〈…〉 or spot, that they 〈…〉 the people with good 〈…〉 , that both openly and and pryuately they procure the weal, commodity & rest of their dominions. This cannot be done but by justice and judgment, which two things especially be committed unto them of the prophet Justice is to main 〈1 page〉 〈1 page〉 his heavenly myste • 〈…〉 •• crete counseles 〈…〉 •• arye to monissh •• 〈…〉 when they come 〈…〉 scriptures 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 and pleasau • 〈…〉