The Cathechisme, or maner to teach Children and others the Christian fayth:

Vsed in all the landes and domi­nions that are vnder the mighty Prince Frederike, the Pals­graue of y e Rhene, Elector of the Empyre. &c.

Translated out of Latin into Englysh, by William Turner Doctor of Phisicke,

Easely to be vnderstanded and read, aswell of the people of the North cuntry, as others.

¶Imprinted at London, by Richarde Iohnes, dwel­lyng in the vpper end of Fléetlane. 1572.

A Cathechisme for Children.

QVESTION.

WHich is the onely comforte, [...]oth in lyfe and in death?

ANS. ¶That both concer­nyng my soule and my body, whether I liue or I dye, I am not mine owne, but be­long only vnto my most faithfull Lord and sauer Iesus Christ, who with his precious blud, moste fully makyng amendes for all my sinnes, hath delyuered me from the po­wer of the Deuyll, and kéepeth mée so: that without the wyll of my heauenly Father, ther can not so much as an h [...]ire fall from my head. Yea, and further that all things must serue for my saluation, wherfore he hath made mee sure of euerlastyng lyfe, by his holy spirite, & maketh mée prompt and redy from henceforth to lyue accordyng to his wyll.

QVE. ¶How many thinges are néedfull for thée to know, that thou mayst come by, and enioy this cumforte, that thou mayste both liue and dye blessedly?

AN. ¶Thrée: first, how great my sinne and wretchednes is: The second, by what meanes I may be deliuered from my sin: The thyrd is, what thanks I owe vnto my Lorde God for my deliuerance.

¶The first parte of mans wret­chednes or miserable state.

QVESTION.

BY what meanes shalt thou com by the knowledge of thy wretchednes?

AN. ¶BY the law of God.

QV. * What doth the lawe of God require of vs.

AN. ¶That doth Christ in a shorte sum teach vs. Mathew .xxij. and Luke .x. Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God, with all thy hart, with all thy soule, w t all thy thought and with al thy strength. This is the first, and greatest cōmandement. And y e second is lyke vnto this. Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thyne owne selfe

And the whole law & prophetes hang vpon these two commandements.

QV. Canst y u kéepe al these things ꝑfitly?

AN. No for I am ready & disposed of na­ture, to hate God and my neighbor.

QV. ¶Did God then make man so vn­toward, crooked, and so froward?

AN. * No, for he made him good, and vn­to the likenes of his owne selfe that is: en­dewed with trew rightuusnes & holynes, that he should rightly know god his maker and hartely loue him, & liue for euer w t him, to that end that he might loue and praise him.

QVE. * Then, from whence sprang vp this crooked frowardnesse of mans nature?

ANS. ¶Of the fall & disobedience of our first Father and Mother, Adam & Eue, by whō our nature is so made crooked & naughty, y t we al be concepued and borne in sin.

QV. * Are we then all so wounded, that we be vtterly vnsufficient to do any good thing, and disposed and ready to all vice & wickednes?

AN. Yea surely except that we be borne agayne by the Holy ghost.

QV. * Doth not God then doo wronge to man, whiles he requireth of him by y e lawe to doo those thinges which he is not able to doo, perfourme, and fulfill?

AN. ¶No, for God made Adam so, that he might fulfill those things, but he at the entisment of the Deuyll, and by his owne stubbornesse, both spoiled himselfe and his after commers, of those godly gifts.

QVE. Doth God let go vnpunished such stubburnes, and departing from him.

ANS. * Nay, he is by horible meanes angry, both with our sinnes that are graf­ted in vs by nature, & also w t them that we afterwardes worke and doo, and the same he punisheth by his moste rightuus iudgement, with present and euerlastinge punishmentes as he doth pronounce.

Cursed is euery man that abydeth not in all thynges that are written in the Booke of the Law, that thou shuld kepe them.

QVE. ¶Then is not God also mercifull?

AN. He is in déede mercifull, but so that he is also rightuus, wherfore his rightuus­nes requireth, that it y e is done against the moste highe maiestie of God, shuld be pu­nished with the greatest punishments both of soule and body.

¶The seconde parte, of the deliuerance of man.

QVESTION.

THen, when as by the right iudgemēt of God, we ar in danger both of euer­lasting paines, & of suche that lasteth here but for a time: is there yet any way or meanes wherby we may be deliuered from these paynes, & may be brought in fauour agayne with God?

AN. ¶God wyl y t we shall make amends or satisfaction vnto his rightuusnes, wher­fore we must néedes eyther by our selues, or by some other, content him.

QVE. ¶Can wée by our selues, make a­mendes or satisfaction vnto him?

ANS. ¶By no meanes at all, but rather from day to day, do encrease our det.

QV. ¶Can any creature in heauen or in [Page 4] earth, whiche is only a creature, make sa­tisfaction, recompence, or amendes for vs and our sinnes?

AN. None at all: For to begyn withal, God wyl not punish y t in any other creture which is due to be paid by man: and more­ouer it can not (because it is nothyng but a creature) abyde the wrath of God against sin, and deliuer other from the same.

¶QVESTION.

¶What maner of man is to be soughtout, to be our mediator and deliuerer?

AN. He which is in déede, a very ryght man, and perfitly rightuus, and yet more mighty thē al creatures, that is, he which also is euen very trew God.

QV. Why is it needefull that he should be a very man, and perfitly rightuus?

ANS. Because the rightuusnes of God requyreth, that y e same nature which hath sinned: should pay & make amends for sin. But he y t is a sinner can not pay and make amendes for other sinners.

QVE. ¶Why must he also be very God withall?

AN. That by his godly power, he may abyde the burthen of Gods wrath in his flesh, and maye gett agayne, and restore vnto vs, the rightuusnes and lyfe which we haue lost.

QVE. ¶Who is that mediator which is both very God and very man, and perfitly rightuus withall.

AN. * Our Lord Iesus Christ, which is made vnto vs, the wisdome of God, righ­tuusnes, hallower and deliuerer.

QVE. * How knowest thou this?

AN. ¶By the Gospell, which God dyd open in Paradise, and afterward hath far­ther set it abroade by the Patriarches and prophets & did darkly declare as it wer in a shaddow, by the Sacrifices and other cere­monies of the lawe, and last of al fulfilled, by his onely begotten sonne.

QV. Then, is saluation geuen by Christ to all men that perished in Adam?

AN. ¶Not to all: but onely to them y t by a trew faith are graffted in him, and re­ceyue or be pertakers of his benefites or good déedes.

QV. * What is faith?

AN. It is not onely a knowlege, wher­by I doo surely assent to all thinges which God hath opened to vs in his worde: but also a sure trust kindled in my harte by the Holy ghost through the Gospell, whereby I am at peace with God, surely rekenyng with my selfe and iudgeyng that forgeue­nes of sinnes, euerlastyng lyfe & rightu­usnes was geuē not only to other but also [Page 5] to me, that fréely by y e mercy of God, for the deseruing of Christ alone.

QV. * What are those thinges that a Christ [...]n man must néedes beleue.

AN. * All thinges y t are promised in the Gospel, y e sum whereof is contayned in the Creede, or articles of our faith, wherein is shortly conteyned as in a certayne shorte sum, the cheif poyntes of the catholike and vndoubted faith of all Christians.

QVESTION.

¶What is the Créede ye speake of?

ANSVVER.

I Beleue in God the Father almighty, maker of heauen & earth. And in Iesus Christe his onely begotten sonne our Lord. Which was conceyued by y e holy gost, borne of y e vir­gin Mary. Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead & buried, went downe into Hell. The thyrd day he rose agayne from the dead. And went vp into heauen, & sitteth there at the right hand of god y e Fa­ther almighty. From thence shall he come to iudge y e quicke & y e dead. I beleue in the holy gost. That ther is a catholike church. A communion of Saints. Forgeuenes of sinnes. The rising agayne of the flesh. And the lyfe euerlastyng. Amen.

QVE. Into how many partes, is this Créede deuided?

AN. ¶Into thrée partes, the firste is of the euerlasting father, and of our creation. The seconde is of the sonne, & our redemp­tion or deliuerance. The thyrd is of the Holy gost and makyng of vs holy, & sauing vs from sinne.

QV. ¶When as there is but one onely substance of God: why namest: thou three: the father, the son, and the Holy gost?

AN. ¶Because God hath so opened him self in his word, y t these thrée sundry persōs are that one trew & euerlastyng God.

¶Of the Father.

QVESTION.

WHat doest thou beleue, when y u sayest, I beleue in God the father almighty, maker of heauen and earth?

AN. ¶I doo beleue that the euerlastyng Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, which hath made of nothyng heauen and earth, and althinges that are therein: & with his euerlastyng counsel & prouision, vpholdeth and gouerneth al the same for Christs sake is my God and my father, and therefore so trust & rest in him, that I doo not doubt but he wyl prouide for me al thīgs nedful both for my soule and body, and that he wil also tourne vnto my Saluation, all the euyls [Page 6] and troubles y t he layeth vpon me in this troublesome lyfe, both because he can doo it, as an almighty God and will do it as a gentil Father.

QV. ¶What is the prouision, or proui­dence of God?

AN. The almighti power of god present in euery place, whereby it holdeth vp, as it were with his hand, & gouerneth heauen and earth and all creatures, in so much y t those things that grow vpon the earth, & rayne, also faire wether, and drines, plen­tuusnes in bearing & barrennes, meat and drink, health and sicknes, ryches & pouerti and to conclude: all thinges fall and come vnto vs, not without aduice or by chance, but by his fatherly aduised counsell, wyll and purpose

QVE. ¶What profite haue we by this knowlege of y e creatiō, & prouidēce of god? ANS. ¶That in aduersitie we maye be pacient and in prosperytie thankfull, and in time to come, we maye haue a very good hope in God our moste faythfull Father, knowing y t there is nothyng y t can drawe vs awaye from his loue, for all creatures are so in his Power, that withoute his wyll they can not onely doo nothynge, but euen not so much as to stere or moue.

Of the Sonne.

QVESTION.

WWhy is the Son of God called Iesus, that is the Sauer.

AN. * Because he saueth vs from al our sinnes, & as no saluatiō ought to be craued of any other, so can there none be found in other, but in him alone.

QV. * Then whether doo they beleue in the onely sauer Iesus, which séeke happy­nes & saluation of saints, or of themselues, or of any other thyng?

AN. * No, For although they boast thē ­selues, and reioyce in him as their Sauer in their words, yet for al that, in very ded [...] they deny the only Sauer Iesus, for either must Iesus not be a perfit Sauer, or els al they that receaue him with a trew faith for a Sauer, haue in their possessyon in hym, all thinges necessary vnto saluation.

QV. * Why is he called Christus, that is annoynted?

AN. * Because he was ordayned of the Father, and was annoynted of the Holy gost, the highest prophet and doctor, which hath opened vnto vs the secret counsel, and all y e wyll of his father concerning our re­demption & deliuerance. And y e hye Preist, who w t one sacrifice or offring of his body [Page 7] and no mo, hath bought vs agayne, and continually maketh intercession to his Father for vs. And a Kinge which gouerneth vs with his worde and his spirit, and defē ­deth and kepeth the Saluation which we haue gotten by hym.

QV. ¶But why art y u called a christian?

AN. Becaus through faith I am a mēber of [...]esus Christ, and am pertaker of his anointing▪ so that I confesse his name, & geue my selfe vp vnto him, to be a liuing offring of thankfulnes, in this life to fight against sin & Sathan with a fre and good conscience and afterwarde may hould & enioy the euerlastīg kyngdōe w t Christ ouer al cretures.

QV. ¶For what cause is Christ called the onely begotten son of god, whē we are also the sonnes of God?

AN. * Because Christ is only the euer­lastyng and natural son of the father euer­lastyng and we are but sonnes chosen and taken vp of the Father of fauour, for Christes sake.

QV. * Why callest thou hym our Lord?

ANS. ¶Because he byinge agayne our bodyes and soules from sinne, not with Golde nor Siluer, but with his precious bloud and deliuering them from all power of y e deuyll: hath claymed vs for his owne proper seruants belongīg vnto none other Lord or master

QV. ¶What beleuest thou, when thou sayest: he was conceiued by the holy ghost, and borne of the virgin Mary?

AN. ¶That the sonne of God, which, is, and abydeth trew and euerlasting god, hath taken the very trewe nature of man, of the flesh and bloud of the virgin Marye, by the workyng of the Holy ghost, that he might be also with al y e true seed of Dauid, lyke vnto his Brethern in all thinges, sauing onely in sinne.

QV. ¶What profite takest thou of the holy conception and birth of Christ?

AN. That he is our meane or mediator, and with his innocentnes & perfite holines couereth my sinnes in the which I am con­ceiued, to com into the sight of God.

QV. ¶What beleuest thou, when thou sayest he suffred?

AN. ¶That he, all the time of his lyf [...] while he was here vpon earth, but special [...] at his last time, dyd suffer the wrath of go [...] against the sin of all mankynd, that with his passion as one Sacrifice once for all, should purchace mercy, and should deliue [...] both our bodies and our soules from euer­lastyng damnation, and get vs the grace o [...] God, and rightuusnes, & euerlasting lyfe.

QVE. ¶For what cause dyd he suffer vnder iudge Pilate?

ANS, ¶That he being innocent, & yet condempned before a ciuyll iudge, might deliuer vs from the straight iudgement of God which we had deserued, & should haue suffred yf Christ had not suffred this sharp iudgement for vs.

QV. ¶Is there any other cause besyde, way that he shuld rather suffer on y e crosse, then dye any other death.

AN. ¶Yes, there is one in déede: for by this thing I am assured that he toke vpon himself the curse which was dew vnto me. For the death of the Crosse was cursed of God.

QV. * Why must Christ humble him­selfe euen vnto the death?

AN. * Because that the iustice & truth of God, could not be contented & swaged for our sinnes by ani other meanes, but by the death of the son of God.

QV. ¶Why was he also berried?

AN. ¶That therby he should haue sure witnesse that he was truely dead, and not feynedly.

QVE. But when as Christ dyed for vs, why must we also dye?

ANS. ¶Our death is not a makynge of amendes for our sinnes: but dyinge from Sinne, and a goynge into euerlastynge lyfe.

QV. What profit doo we further receiue by the sacrifice and death of Christ?

AN. * That by y e vertue of his death our old man is crucified, kylled and berried w t him, that the euyl desires and lustes of the flesh should not afterward rayne in vs, but that we shoulde offer our selues vnto him an offring of thanksgeueing.

QV. * Why is it further said: he went downe into Hell?

AN. * That in my greuous temptations and assaltes. I might stay [...] and make sur [...] my selfe by this comforte, that my Lord [...] Iesus Christ by vnspeakable veracious & griefes, painful troubles & feares of mind, into the which both before and most of all when he hanged on the crosse, he was cas [...] into: hath deliuered me from the sorowfull griefe and paynes of Hell.

QV. ¶What profite haue we by the ry­syng agayne of Christ?

AN. * Firste that by his rysinge agayne he ouercame death, that he might make vs partakers of his rightuusnes, which he had purchased vnto vs by his death. Moreouer, we are also styrred vp by his power vnto a new lyfe. And the thyrde profite is, that the resurrection of our head Christ, is a Pleadge and a perfite assurance vnto vs that we shall ryse agayne in glory.

QVE. How vnderstaundest thou this: that he is gone vp into heauen?

AN. ‡ That Christ (the Apostles lookyng on) was taken vp from the earth into hea­uen, & yet styll is there for our sakes, and wyl be vntyl he shall com againe to iudge the quicke and the dead.

QV. ¶Shal Christ not then be with vs vntyll the end of the worlde as he hath promised?

AN. * Christ is true God and true man and so according vnto his mans nature, he is not nowe vpon the Earth: but after his Godly nature, maiesty, grace and Spirit, he is neuer away from vs.

QV. ¶But whether by this meanes ar the .ij. natures of Christ pulled in sunder or no, if Christes man hed be not where so­euer his Godhed is?

AN. ‡ Nay, for when as the Godhead of Christ cannot be inclosed nor holden with­in any certaine compasse, and is present in euery place: it must néedes be a good argu­ment that his Godhead is without the na­ture of his manhead which he hath taken vpon hym, and reacheth farther and yet for all that it is fast in the same, and abydeth personally ioyned therevnto.

QV. ¶What fruite haue we by y e goyng vp of Christ into Heauen?

AN. Fyrst, that he maketh intercessiō for vs in heauen, vnto the father. Then y t wee haue our flesh in heauen, y t therby we may be surely assured, as by a sure pledge, that hereafter he wil take vs y t are his mēbers, vnto him which is our head. Thirdly, y t he sēdeth vnto vs his spirit ī y e stede of a pledge betwene him and vs, by whose strong wor­kyng, we seeke not earthly things that are aboue where he is sitting at the right hand of God.

QV. ¶Why is it further sayd, that he is sitting at the right hand of God?

AN. * Because Christ therefore is gone vp in to heauen, to shew that he is y e head of the church by whome the father gouer­neth all thynges.

QV. ¶What profit is this glory of our head Christ vnto vs?

AN. * Fyrst that through his holy spirite, he powreth into vs (his members) heauēly gyftes, the next is, that he shildeth and defendeth vs by his might, agaynst all our enemies.

QV. ¶What comfort hast thou by the commyng agayne of Christ, to iudge the quicke and the dead?

AN. * That in all my persecutions and troubles I doo looke vp to heauen holdynge my head cherefully vp for y e self same iudg, [Page 10] which purposedly before, dyd delyuer him­selfe to the iudgement of God for me, and hath taken away all curse from me, which shall cast all his and my ennemies into e­uerlastyng payne, & shal bryng me with al other chosen persons, into the heauēly ioys and euerlastyng glory.

¶Of the Holy ghost.

QVESTION.

WHat doest thou beleue of the holy gost?

AN * Firste, that he is true and euer­lastyng God, with the euerlastyng father and the sonne. Secondly that he is geuen vnto me, that by true faith he maketh mée partaker of Christ, and all his good déedes. And thirdly, comforteth mée, and abydeth with me for euer.

QV. ¶What is thy beléefe concernyng the holy and catholyke Church of Christ?

AN. * I beleue that the son of God doth gather (from the beginnynge of the world vnto the end) out of hole mankynd, a chosē company by the spirit and the word, agrée­ing together in a true faith and▪ that h [...] defendeth and saueth the same, and that I am one liuely member of that company, & shal so abyde for euer.

QV. ¶What meanest thou by the com­munion, and felowshyp of saints?

AN. * Firste, that all and euery one that beleueth, ar in cōmon, partakers of Christ and of all his good déedes, as his members and partes of his body, & then y t euery one man ought willyngly, redely, and cheare­fully, to bestowe the gyftes which he hath receyued, to the common profit and health of all men.

QV. ¶What beleuest thou, of the forge­uenes of sinnes?

AN. * That God for the satisfaction or mendes that Christ hath made, he hath put out the remembrance that my sinnes, and also of y t my crooked wickednesse wherw t I must fight al my lyfe time, and that he wil fréely geue vnto me the rightuusnes of Christ so that I shall not come at any tyme to iudgement, to be condemned.

QV. ¶What comfort hast thou by the ry [...]sing agayne of the flesh?

AN. * That not only my soule (after y t it shal departe from the body) shal straight way be taken vp vnto Christ her head, but also that this my flesh (raysed vp by this power of Christ) shal be ioyned agayne vn­to my soule, and shall be made lyke vnto y e glorius body of Christ.

QV. ¶What comfort takest thou, of y e article of euerlastyng lyfe?

AN, That for as much as I fele al redy, [Page 11] the beginninge of euerlastynge lyfe in my hart: it shall afterwarde come to passe that after this lyfe, I shall come to full and perfite blessednes, wherein I may prayse god foreuer, which blessednes neither eye hath séene nor eare hath hard, neither y e thought of man is able to reach vnto.

QV. ¶But when thou beleuest all these things. what profit hast thou therby?

AN. ¶That I am rightuus in Christ before God, & an heyre of euerlastyng lyfe.

QV. How art thou rightuus before god?

AN. * Onely by faith or beléefe in Iesus Christ, in so much y t although my consciēce did accuse me, that I haue sinned greuously agaynst all the commaundements of God, and haue kepte perfitly neuer one of them, and am also ready and disposed yet styll to al euyl: yet for al that (so that I can receiue all these good déeds of Christ by a true fayth of my mind) the perfit satisfaction or amēds makynge, the rightuusnesse and holynesse of Christ, is coumpted and geuen vnto mee by the only mercy of God, euen as though I had neuer done any sin, neither any spot should cleaue vnto me: and furthermore, as though I had fulfilled in mine own per­son, the obedience which Christ hath ful­filled & ꝑformed for me.

QV. ¶Why doest thou hold y t thou art made rightuus by faith alone?

AN. * Not because I doo please God with the worthynesse of my fayth, but because y e amendes makyng or satisfaction, rightuusnes and holynes of Christe, are my righ­tuusnes before God, & I can not take holde therof, and apply the same vnto me by any other meanes, then by fayth alone.

QV. ¶Why can not our good workes be rightuusnes: or at the leaste some parte of rightuusnes before God?

AN. * Because that rightuusnes y t must stand faste before the iudgemente of God, must be in all poyntes perfite and agreeing with the word of God, & al our good workes (euen the most holy and perfectest workes that we doo in this lyfe) are vnperfite and defiled with sinne.

QV. ¶How doo our good works deserue nothynge, when as God doth promise that be wyll geue a rewarde for them, both in this lyfe, and in the lyfe to come?

AN. * That reward is geuen not of de­seruing but of fauour.

QV. ¶Doth not this learning make mē to be careles, Godlesse, and of loose liuing?

AN. * No, for it is not possible but that they that are grafted into Christ throught fay [...]h, shall brynge foorth good and thanke­full fruits.

¶Of the Sacramentes.

QVESTION.

THen, séeing that only faith maketh vs pertakers of Christ and of good dedes, from whence cometh this fayth?

AN. * From the Holy ghost, who kind­leth it in our harts through the preachynge of the Gospell, and strengthneth the same by the vsing of the Sacraments.

QV. ¶What are the Sacraments?

AN. * They ar holy signes and seals set before our eyes, ordayned of god for that cause, that by them he might open vnto vs and settle or confirme more largely the promyse of the Gospell, that is to wyt: he ge­ueth fréely forgeuenes of sīnes, and lyfe e­uerlastyng, not only to the number of bele­uers, but to euery one that beleueth for that onely sacrifice of christ, which he made per­fite vpon the crosse.

QV. ¶Then, whether do both the word and Sacraments looke to that ende, y t they may lead our faith vnto y e sacrifice of christ fully ended on the crosse, as vnto y e gr [...]und of our saluation?

AN. * It is so indéed, for the holy Ghoste teacheth by the Gospell (& assureth vs by y e Sacramēts, y t al our saluatiō standeth in y e only sacrifice of christ, offred for vs vpon y e crosse.

[...]
[...]

QV. ¶How many Sacramentes hath Christ ordayned in the new testament?

AN. Two. Baptisme, & y e holy Supper.

¶Of Baptisme.

QVESTION.

HOw arte thou warned and assured in Baptisme that thou art partaker of that only Sacrifice?

AN. * Because Christ commaunded the outward washing putting to this promise: that I am assurely washed (by his bloud & the holy gost) from al my vncleanes of my soule, that is from all my sinnes, as I am outwardly washed with water wherby all the filthynes of the body is scowred away.

QV. ¶What is it, to be washed with y e bloud and spirite of Christ?

AN. It is to receiue of God, forgeuenes of our sinnes fréely for christes blouds sake, which he shed for vs in his sacrifice vpon y e crosse, and also to be made new men by the Holy gost, & by his making of vs holy: to be made members of Christ, that thereby wée may dye from sinne more and more, & may lyue holily and vnblamedly.

QV. ¶Where promised Christe that he wold so surely wash vs with his bloud and spirite, as we are washed outewardly with the outwarde water of Baptisme?

ANS. ¶In the .xvi. of Sainct. Marke, where as he firste ordeyned Baptisme, whose words are these. Go and teach all nations, and baptise them in y e name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy Gost. And he that wyll beleue and be baptised, shall be saued, but he that wyll not beleue shall be damned. And this promise is reher­sed agayne, wher as the Scripture nameth Bapisme the bath of the new birth, and washing away of sinnes.

QVESTION.

Is not the outward baptising with water, the washing away of our sinnes?

AN. * It is not: for onely the bloud of Christ maketh vs cleane from al sin.

QV. ¶Then why doth the holy Ghost cal baptisme the bath of the new byrth, and washing away of sin?

AN. * God, not w tout a great cause spea­keth so: to wit, not onely to teach vs, y t as the filthines of our bodies is scoured away w t water, so likewise are our sins washed and scowred away with the bloud & Spirit of Christ: but also much more, y t he might sicker and assure vs by this godly token and pledge, that we are as surely washed from our sinnes inwardely by the inward wash­ing, as we are outwardly washed with the outward and seable water.

QV. ¶Ought all young spechlesse chil­dren to be baptized

AN. * Yea in any case, for when as they belonge as well vnto the couenaunt or pro­myse, and to the chyrch of god, as they doo y t are fully growne and are perfit men & wo­men: and when as forgeuenes of sins and the Holy gost y t worker of fayth, is as wel promised to them through y e bloud of christ, as to them that are full growen men and women: they ar to be grafted into y e chyrch by baptisme, and are to be knowne from y e children of vnbeleuers or infidels, as in the olde testament, the children of them that beleued were knowne from them y t beleued not, by circumcision. In whose place & sted (now being taken away) Baptisme was appoynted.

¶Of the Supper of the Lorde.

QVESTION.

HOw art thou in the Supper of the Lord warned, assured, and sickered, that thou art partaker of that onely one sacrifice of Christ offred vpon y e crosse, and of all his good déeds?

AN. * Because Christ hath commanded me and al faythfull men, to eat of this bred that is broken, and to drinke of this cup y t is reached vnto me in y e remēbrance of him [Page 14] with promise put there to, y firste his bodye was assurely broken on the Crosse & offred for me, and his bloud as surely shed for me: as I se the bread of y e Lord broken vnto me and the cuppe of the Lord reched vnto me. More ouer that my soule is aswell fed vnto euerlastyng lyfe with his body which was crucified for vs, and with his bloud which was shed for vs, as I receyue with y e mouth of my body the bread and the wyne (which are tokens of y e body & bloud of our Lord) at y e hāds of my sheppard or elder of y e chyrch.

QV. What is it to eate the body y t was crucified, & to drinke y e bloud y t was shed?

AN, * It is not onely to embrace and re­ceyue the hole Passion and death of christ with a sure trust of minde, and to get by it forgeuenes of sinnes and lyfe euerlastyng: but also to bée so ioyned vnto his holy body more & more through the Holy gost which dwelleth in christ and in vs, that although he be in heauen & we in earth, yet for al y t, we are flesh of his fleshe, and bones of his bones, and as all the members or limmes of a manes body ar quickned or haue life of one soule, so are we quickned & gouerned & haue lyfe with one spirite.

QV. ¶In what place promysed Christe that he would as surely geue his body and bloud to be eaten & dronken to thē y t beleue [Page] as they doo eat the bread that is broken an [...] drinke the wyne out of the cup?

AN. * In the place where he dyd fyrst o [...] dayne his supper in these words. Our Lor [...] Iesus Christ in that night that he was betrayed tooke the bread, & after he had geue [...] thankes he brake it, & sayd: take eate, th [...] is my body which is broken for you, do th [...] in the remembrāce of me. And so lykewis [...] after supper he toke the cup, sayinge: thi [...] cup is the new testament in my bloud, do [...] this as oft as ye shal drinke, in my remembrance. For as ofte as ye shal eat this brea [...] and drinke of this cup, ye shal shew y e deat [...] of the Lord tyl he come .j, Cor. xj. This promise is rehersed again by S. Paule .j. Cor x. where he sayeth: The cup of thāksgeuīg wherwith we geue thanks, is it not the pe [...] taking of Christs bloud? is not y e bread y t w [...] breke, y e partaking of y e body of Christ? Because we beinge many are one bread & o [...] body, for we are al partakers of one bread

QV. ¶Are then bread and wyne made very body and bloud of Christ?

AN. * No, but as the water of baptism [...] is not turned into the bloud of Christ, neyther is the washinge awaye of sinne: bu [...] onely a token and pleadge of those thinge [...] that are sealed into vs in Baptisme, euen so is not the Breade of the Lordes Sup­per [Page 15] the very body of Christ. Notwithstan­ding, after the manner of speakinge of Sa­craments, and the accusstumed fashion of speakyng of the Holy gost of these thinges: bread is called the body of Christ.

QV. ¶Why then doth christ cal bread his and the cup his bloud, or the new testamēt through his bloud. And Paule calleth the bread and wyne, the communion or parta­king of his body and bloud?

ANSVVERE.

Christ speaketh so, not without great con­sideration to wite, that he maye not onely teach vs, that euen as bread and wyne hold vp and kéepe in the lyfe of the body so his crucified body and his bloud that wer shed, are the very trewe meate and drinke of our soule, wherby it is nourished in to euerla­sting lyfe: but also much more he speaketh so, to assure and sicker vs with this sée able token and pleadge, that we are as truly pertakers of his bodye and blood by the workyng of the Holy goste, as we haue receued these holy Tokens in the remembrance of him, with the mouth of our body, and also that his passion or suffring, and his obedi­ence or kéepynge of the whole lawe, are as surelye owers, as though we had suffe­red our owne selues for our sinnes, and had made amēds to god for them.

QV. ¶What diffrence is there betwen the supper of the Lord and y e popysh Mes [...]

AN. * The supper of the Lorde witnesseth that al our sins ar forgeuen vs throg [...] that onely one sacrifice that he once mad [...] on the crosse, and that we are also throug [...] the holy gost grafted into christ, who afte [...] his mans nature is onely in heauen at th [...] right hand of the Father, and wyll be worshipped ther of vs. But in the Messe it i [...] denyed that the quicke and dead haue forgeuenesse of sinnes through the passion o [...] Christ alone, excepte Christ be offred euer [...] day for them, by the sacrificyng mess prées [...] Moreouer it is taughte in the Messe, tha [...] Christ is bodely present vnder y e likeness [...] of bread and wyne, & is therefore to be worshypped in them. And so the foundacion o [...] the Mess is nothyng els, but a denyall of [...] one onely sacrifice & passion of Iesus chris [...] and cursed Iolatrie, maumetry, and worshippyng of by gods beside the lyuīg God.

QV. ¶Who ought to come to the sup­per of the Lorde?

AN. * Onely they that repent, and are very sory that they haue angred God with their sinnes, and yet trust that they are for­geuen them for Christs sake, & that the rest of their weaknes & vnperfitnes is couered whith his death and passion, who also de­syre [Page 16] to go forward, and grow more & more in honest lyfe and conuersation. But hy­pocrites, false feigners of holynes, & they y t repent not, and wyl not amend their liues, eat and drinke their owne damnation.

QV. ¶Ought we also to allowe them to this supper which shew them selues to bée faithlesse and vngodly, both in their owne confession and noughty lyfe?

AN. * No, for so is the couenaunt of god vnhallowed, & the wrath of God is styrred agaynst the hole church. Wherfore, the church of God (accordyng to the appoynt­ment of Christ and his Apostles) vsing the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen, ought to hold backe such from the Lords supper, vntyl they repent & amend their maners.

QV. ¶What are the keyes of y e king­dome of heauen?

AN. * The preachyng of the Gospell, & correction or discipline of the chyrch, wher­by the kingdome of Heauen is opened to them that beleue, and is shut vp agaynste them that beleue not.

QV. ¶How is the kingdome of heauen opened & shut, by y e preaching of y e Gospell?

ANS. * Where at the commaun­dement of Christe we openly declare and shewe, all and euery Mannes Sinnes are forgeuen them by God, for [Page] the onely deseruing of Christe, as often i [...] they receyue w t a true fayth & beléefe, th [...] promise of the Gospell. Of the contrary parte, it sheweth vnto all them that beleu [...] not, and to all hypocrites, feigners of holynes and are wicked within, that y e wrat [...] of God, and euerlastyng damnation hangeth ouer their heads, accordinge to which witnesse of the Gospell, God wyl iudge a [...] well in this lyfe, as in the lyfe to come.

QV. ¶How is the kingdome of heaue [...] shut too, or opened, by the correction or discipline of the Church?

AN. * When as according vnto the co [...] mandement of Christ, they that are chris [...] men in name, but shew them selues both i [...] in learning and lyfe fare from Christ, aft [...] that they haue bene certayne times brothe [...] ly warned to forsake their errors, and lea [...] their euil deedes, & are presēted or shewed t [...] the chyrch, or to them that are appointed [...] the chyrch vnto that office, and wyll not [...] bey their warning: they are shut out by [...] same, frō the vse of y e Sacraments, & fro [...] cōming to the felowship of Christs chyrch from God himselfe, and the kyngdome [...] Christ. But agayne if they promise to amend their liues and do so in deed, they a [...] receaued in to the Church agayn as members of Christe and of the Chyrch.

¶The third parte is of thankfulnesse.

QVESTION.

WHen as we are deliuered from al our sinnes and wretchednes without any deseruing of vs, by the onely mercy of God for Christes sake: why should we then doo good workes?

AN. * Because that after Christe hath bought vs agayne with his blood, & maketh vs new mē by his holy spirite, like vnto the ymage of himselfe, that we hauing receued so many good turnes, should shew our selues all our lyfe time thankefull to God, & that he may be honored, & afterward we euery man, maye be assured of his faith by his fruites, last of all: that we may wyn vnto Christ other, by our honeste & sober lyfe or good example of liuing.

QV. ¶Can they then not be saued being vnthankful, & abyde styl careles in sin, and ar not turned to god frō their wickednes?

AN. * In no case, for the scripture bereth witnesse y t no vnchast person, neyther wor­shipper of straing gods, neither hore master or aduouterers, neyther couetus men, nei­ther Théeues, nor Drunkardes, neither scoldyng raylers, neyther robbers, shall enter into the kingdome of God.

QVE. ¶In what partes standeth the turning of a man to God?

AN. * By the kylling or puttyng downe of the old man, and the quickning and ray­sing vp of the new man.

QV. ¶What is the kylling of y e old man

AN. * It is truely and with all thy harte to be sory that thou hast angred God with thy sinnes, and euery day more and more to hate them, and to flye from them.

QV. ¶What is the quikninge and ray­sing vp of the new man.

AN. True gladnes in god thrugh christ, and an ernest and redy desyre of a man to order his lyfe accordyng to the wyl of god, of doyng of all maner of good workes.

QV. Which are good workes?

AN. * Onely thei that are done in fayth accordyng to the law of God, & ar wrought for that end y t God may be honored therby, and not they that are deuised by vs, and in our opinion (withoute the worde of God) seeme to be good.

QV. ¶Which is the law of Good?

AN. * God hath spoken al these words,

¶The fyrst commaundement.

I Am the Lorde God whiche hath brought thee oute of Egipte, oute of the house of bondage. Thou shalt haue no other gods in my sight

¶The .II. commandement.

¶Thou shalt make vnto thee no grauen image, nor the lykenes of any thing that is in Heauen aboue, or in the erth beneth, nor in the water vnder the earth.

Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them: for I the Lorde thy God am a gelouse God, and visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children, vnto the thyrde and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew mercy vnto thousands in thē that loue me, and kepe my commandemen­tes.

The .III. commandement.

¶Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy god in vayne. For the Lorde wyl not hold hym gyltles that taketh his name in vayn [...].

The .IIII. Remember thou kepe holy the Saboth d [...]y. Syxe dayes shalt thou labor and doo all that y u hast to doo, but y e seuenth day is the Saboth of the Lorde thy God, in it shalt thou doo no manner of work, y u and thy Son and thy daughter, thy man seruāt and thy maide seruant, thy cattell, and the strainger that is within thy gate. For in six dayes the Lord made Heauen & earth the Sea & al that in them is, and rested the seuenth day: wherfore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and halowed it.

¶The .V. Honor thy Father & thy Mo­ther, that thy dayes may be long in y e land, which the Lorde thy God geueth thee.

¶The .VI. Thou shalt doo no murther.

¶The VII. Thou shalt not do aduoutry.

¶The .VIII. Thou shalt not steale.

¶The .IX. Thou shalt not beare fals witnesse agaynst thy neighbor.

¶The .X. * Thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house, nor his wyfe, nor his ser­uant, nor his maid, nor his oxe nor his asse, nor any thyng that is his.

QV. ¶How ar these commaundements denided?

AN. * Into two tables, of the which the former teacheth in it, foure cōmādements how y t we shall behaue our selues towarde God. The second table teacheth in six com­mandements, what dewty, good déeds, and gentylnes, we owe vnto our nei [...]bor.

QV. What requireth God of vs, in the fyrst table?

AN. * That euen so dearely as I loue the saluation of my soule, so earnestly should I shunne and flye Idolatrye, Maumetrye, or worshipping of false Gods, Witchcraft, Sorcerye, Enchauntmentes, supersticion, or worshippinge of God by other meanes then he hath taught in his worde, callyng for helpe of saintes or any other creatures. [Page 19] But that I should rightly confesse and ac­knowledge the onely and true God, and onely trust in hym, and should with great lowlinesse submit my selfe vnto hym, and looke for all good thinges of hym alone, and that with all my harte and with all the desires of the same: loue hym, and with re­uerence worshyp and honor hym so much, that I had leauer forsake all Creatures, then to doo any thyng contrary to his wyll.

QVESTION.

¶What is Idolatry?

ANS. * It is, in the stede of one God, or beside hym that is the true God, who hath opened and shewed hymselfe playnely and clearely in his worde, to feygne, ma [...]e or haue any thynge wherein thou beleuest or put test thy hope in.

QVE. ¶What requyreth the Seconde comaundement?

AN. * That we should not shew, set out, or expresse God, by any Image or figure, neither should we worshyp hym any other way then he hath commanded in his word hymselfe to be worshipped.

QV. ¶Whether thē ought any Images or lyknesses of thyngs to be made?

AN. * God neither ought, neither can by any meanes be coūterfeited, shewed or de­clard, by ani caster, foūder, keruer or payn­ter, [Page] and although they be suffred to expresse creatures, as herbes, trées, fishes, & byrdes, and such lyke: yet God forbiddeth their ymages to be made or had, y t through them we should worship or honor God, or geue to thē any worship, or outward reuerence.

QV. ¶Whether ought images to bée suffred to stand in churches to be lay mens bookes or no?

AN. * No no. For it is not séemely that we should be wiser then God who willeth that his church should be taught with the liuely preaching of his word, and not with dumme images.

QV. ¶What doth God ordayne in the thyrd commaundement?

AN. * That we should not onely, not vse his name spightfully and vnreuerently in bannyng, cursing, forsweareing, and rashly without a iust cause in any maner of sweareing at all, neither should we be per­takers of these horible and wicked sinnes, either by holdyng of our peace, or in winkyng at them, but that we should vse that holy name of God no otherwise but with deuocion, reuerence, and worship, that he may be worshipped and honored in all our words & déeds w t a true and stedfast confes­sion, & inuocatiō or callīg vpon his name.

QV. Is it thē so greuus a sin, to dishonor [Page 20] the name of God in swereyng and in cur­sing, that God is also angry with thē that wyll not (as much as lyeth in them) hinder forbid and let it?

AN. * Surely it is the moste greuus sin, neither is there any that angreth and dis­pleaseth hym more, then the spightful mis­using of his name. Wherefore it was his wyl that it shuld be punished with death.

QV. May not a man somtime godly and lawfully, sweare by the name of God?

AN * He may. Either when y e maiestrate Gods officer requireth or commandeth a man to sweare, or other wise when need re­quireth, that by this mene a man may get credit, & y e truth may be proued & stablished therwith that therby God may be glorified and praysed, & men may be holpen therby. For such a lawfull oth is aproued as holy by the word of God, & therfore it was well vsed of the fathers both in the old and new Testament.

QV. ¶Is it lawful for a man to sweare by saintes or other creatures?

AN. No, For a lawfull oth is the callīg vpō, or inuocatio of God, y t he (as onely the knower of y e secretes of y e harte) may geue witnesse vnto y e truth, & punish the swerer (yf wittingli he sweare falsly) but this ho­nor is to begeuen vnto no creature.

QV. ¶What hath God commaunded i [...] the fourth commandement?

AN. * First, that the seruing in the offic [...] of preching and ministring of y e sacramēts, and that the scooles should be kepte, mainteyned and prouided for, that I on y e hallyday and at other times when the chyrch [...] (for some necessary cause) gathred togethe [...] should ioyne my selfe vnto that holy felowship, to heare the worde of God diligentl [...] and héedefully, and to vse the sacramentes, and ioyne my prayers w t the cōmō prayers, and geue somthyng accordīg to my riche [...] vnto the poore, and afterwarde for all m [...] lyfe time, kepe halliday and forbeare from all yll déeds, geueyng place, and granting vnto God that through his holy spirite, he may work his works in me: & so may begin y e euerlastīg saboth or hallyday in this lyfe.

QV. ¶What inioyneth God vs to doo it the fift commandement?

AN. * That we should geue dew hono [...] and shewe faithfulnes to our Fathers an [...] Mothers, and to al that ar gouernors ou [...] vs, and should submite our selues with al [...] conuenient obedience, vnto their faithfull commandements & chastnings & y t we shuld suffer & beare w t their vices & maners, euer thinking this in our mind, y e god wyll go­uerne and guyde vs by their hand.

QV. ¶What doth God require in the sixt commandement?

ANS. * That I should doo no iniurie wrong or reproch to my neighbour neither with my wordes, gesture or outwarde be­hauur, either by my selfe, or by any other man, hate hym, hurt hym, or kyll hym: but to leaue & geue ouer al the desire of reuen­ging vnto God, nether that I should hurte my self, nor cast my self wittingly int [...] any ieoperdy. Wherefore God hath armed the Maiestrate his officer with the sword, that there should no murder be done.

QV. ¶Doth this commandement onely forbyd manslaughter?

AN. * Almighty God by forbiddyng of murder, teacheth that he hateth the roote & begining of murder: anger, enuy, hatred, and desire of wreaking or reuengyng, and that he taketh al these things for murder.

QV. Is it enough for vs, to kyl no man, by those meanes that are before rehersed?

AN. * It is not enough. For when as God forbiddeth anger, enuy, and hatred: he requireth that we shoulde loue our neigh­borres as our selues, should vse toward thē gentylnes, myldnes, mekenes, pacience & mercy, and to turne away or stop (asmuche as lyeth in vs) such thyngs as may be hurtful vnto thē. And finally y t we should so be [Page] mynded toward them, that we should goo euen vnto our enemies.

QV. What is the meanyng of the seuē commandement?

AN. * That God defieth al filthines, a [...] therfore we ought also to hate it, & vtter to defie it, & that we shoulde liue contrar [...] vnto all vncleanes, temperatly, soberly chastly, both in holy wedlocke and also [...] single lyfe.

QV. ¶Doth God forbyd no more in th [...] commandement, but aduoutri, fornicatio [...] and such kyndes of filthynes?

AN. * When as our bodyes & soules at the chyrches or Temples of the holy Go [...] the wyll of God is, that we shoulde ke [...] them both cleane, as hallowed vnto hym and therfore vtterly forbyddeth all déedes signes, tokens, gestures and wordes, filth desires, and what so euer intiseth a ma [...] therto.

QV. ¶What doth God forbyde in t [...] eyght commandement?

AN. Not only such thefts and robber it as the common officers doo punish: but [...] vnderstandeth vnder the name of theft, a crafty fetchs, drifts, subtyl means & ways whereby we hawke & lye in wayte, to tak [...] other mens goods from thē, or labor to co [...] uay thē vnto vs, either by might or violē [...] [Page] or by any false pretence of right, as though we had a iuste tytle to them, and yet haue none at all, Such meanes ar false weights false yeardes, elles, and false measures, counterfeit and vnlawful ware, counterfet and vnlawfull money, vsurye, & al vnlaw­full meanes and wayes that God hath for­bydden to get a mans lyuyng withal. Héer vnto may be put and ioynd all couetusnes and vnthrifty and prodigal powryng out, and spendyng and wastyng of Gods gifts, and euyll vsing of the same,

QV. ¶What are those thinges, whiche God commandeth here?

AN. That as much as is posible, I shuld helpe and increase the goods and profite of my neighbor. And that I should doo so vnto hym, as I wold he should doo vnto mée, and that I should doo my worke earnestly, truly and faithfully, that I mai therby be able to releue and helpe, them that haue néede.

QV. ¶What requireth the nynth com­maundement?

AN. * That I shall not beare false wit­nes agaynst any man, neither falsly turne the meanyng of any mans wordes, nether shal backbyghte any man, or spightfully rayle agaynste any man, neyther shall rashly without the shewynge of a law­full cause, condemne any man.

But with al the meanes that I can, I sha [...] slye and eschew al kynd of lyes & deceipts as the proper works of the deuyll, except [...] be disposed to stere vp agaynst me, the gr [...] uous wrath of God. In iudgments & othe [...] matters I shall folowe it that is true, an [...] stedfastly & fréely, tel & confesse the matte [...] as it is indéede, & morouer I shall (as muc [...] as I can) defende and increase, the go [...] name, fame, and credit of my neighbors.

QV. What forbiddeth the .x. commandement?

AN. That our hartes should not be moued or stirrid vp, with so much as with th [...] least thought or desire, agaynst any of god commandementes, but that we shall ha [...] and defy at all times, al kynd of sinne, an [...] shal delyte our selues in all rightuusnes.

QV. ¶Can they that are turned to Go [...] kepe perfitly, & fully, these cōmandements

AN. ¶No, For euen the holyest amōg all men (as longe as they lyue héere) ha [...] but smal beginings of this obedience. B [...] yet go so farre, that they earnestly (with [...] feigned desire) begin to liue, not onely a [...] cordyng vnto som of these commandem [...] tes, but accordyng to al the commandeme [...] tes of God.

QV. ¶Why wyll God then that hi [...] law shuld be so ernestly & sharply preched [Page 23] when there is no man in this lyfe, that is [...]ble to kepe it?

AN. * Fyrst, that all the time of our lyfe we shall confesse and acknowleadge how [...]reatly we are disposed of nature to sin, & [...]o thereby that we more greedely, and with [...] greatter desire, call for the forgeuenes of [...]ur sins, & y t we should always be occupied [...]n this, that we alwayes be thinking and [...]ecording with our selues of godlines, and [...]al vpon the Father for y e grace of the holy [...]oste, that we may be renewed & fashioned [...]o the lykenesse of god euery day more and more, vntyll at the length, after that we be departed out of this lyfe, we may with ioy and gladnes get the full perfitnes, that is purposed, set foorth, and requyred of vs.

❧Of Prayer.

QVESTION.

WHy is prayer necessary for a Chri­sten man?

ANS. * Because it is the chiefe parte of that thankfulnes that God requi­reth of vs, and also because God onely ge­ueth them his grace and holy spirit, who ar thinges necessary of hym, with true vn­feigned gronynges, and geueyng thankes for suche benefytes as they haue recei­ued.

QV. ¶What things ar required in th [...] prayer which shal please God, and be he [...] of him?

AN. * That we should aske of the onel [...] true God whiche hath opened him selfe [...] his worde (al those thinges whiche he hat [...] commanded to be axed, with a true desi [...] of the harte, and an inwarde felyng of o [...] beggerly need and wretchednes, & cast o [...] selues downe humbly and lowly in y e sig [...] of Gods maiestie, leane to this sure fou [...] dation, that although we be vnworthy, y [...] we shal surely be hard for Christes sake [...] he hath promised vs in his word.

QV. ¶What are those thynges that [...] commaundeth to be axed axed of hym?

AN. * Al thinges that are necessary b [...] for body and soule, which our Lorde Ies [...] Christe conteineth in his prayer that [...] hath taught vs.

QV. ¶Which is that prayer?

ANSVVER.

OVr father whiche art in he [...] uen, halowed be thy nam [...] Thy kyngdome come. T [...] wyll be done in earth as it in heauen. Geue vs this d [...] our dayly bread. And forge [...] vs our dettes, as we forgeue our dette [...] And lead vs not into temptation. B [...] [Page 24] deliuer vs from euyl. For thine is the king­ [...]ome, the power & the glorye, for euer and [...]uer. Amen.

QV. ¶Why doth Christ command that we should call God our father?

AN. That he might styrre vp in vs euen [...]n the very beginning of our prayer, suche [...]euerence as is méet for the sonnes of God [...]nd a bolde trust toward God which is to [...]e the ground of our prayer, to wyt, that God throgh Christ is made our father, and wyll much lesse denye vnto vs those things [...]hat we axe of hym with a true faith: then [...]ur earthly father wyl deny vnto vs, erthly thyngs. QV. ¶Why is it sayde fur­ther, whiche art in heauen?

AN. * That we shoulde not thynke to [...]ylely, bacely, or earthly, of his heauenly maiestie, and that we should looke for, and wayte of his almightynesse, for all things whatsoeuer ar necessary for our soules and bodyes. QVESTION.

¶Which is the first pitition or axyng?

AN. * Halowed be thy name, that is to say: at the beginninge, graunt vs that we may rightly know thee, and worship praise and honor thy almightines, thy wisedome, thy rightuusnes and gentylnes, thy mercy and thy truth and afterward, purpose and driue al our life, our thoghts words & deeds [Page] vnto this ende, thy most holy name be n [...] blasphemed, or euyll spoken of for vs, b [...] rather be hyghly honored and praysed.

QV. ¶Which is the second peticion?

AN. * Thy kyngdome come. That is g [...] uerne vs so with thy worde and spirit, th [...] we maye humble and submite oure selue [...] more and more vnto thée, kepe and incre [...] thy church, destroy the works of the deuy [...] and all power that lifteth it selfe agayns [...] thy Maiesty, disapoynt and make voyd an [...] of none effect, al he counselles that ar t [...] ken agaynst thy worde, vntyl thou may [...] (at the length) reigne and rule ful & perfit [...] when as thou shalt be all in all.

QV. ¶Which is the thyrd peticion?

AN. * Thy wyll be done in earth as it [...] in heauen. That is grant that we and a [...] men (renounsing and forsakyng our ow [...] wylls) may be obedyēt, redyly bent, and [...] out any grudge vnto the kepyng of thy w [...] which is onely holy, and that so euery o [...] of vs, may fulfyll and doo the office that [...] appoynted vnto vs, faithfully & cherefull [...] as the Angels doo in Heauen.

QV. ¶Which is the fourth peticion?

AN Geue vs this day our dayly bread. That is, geue vnto vs al thyngs which néedfull & necessary for this lyfe, y e throu [...] them we may knowledge & confesse y t the [Page 25] art onely the well, out of the which al good­nes doth spryng, and that all our care and labor, & also thy owne gyfts, are vnlucky and noysome vnto vs, except thou doo blesse them, & geue them increase. Wherefore graunt vs to turne away our trust from all creatures, and to put it onely in thée.

QV. ¶Which is the fifte peticion?

AN. * Forgeue vs our dettes, as we for­geue our detters. That is, for Christs blud sake, lay not to our charge that are wret­ched sinners, all our sins: and that crooked frowardnes which cleueth in vs styl, euen as we doo feele this wittnesse of thy grace in our hartes, that we intende & purpose sted­fastly to forgeue vnfeignedly w t our mind, all them that haue hurte or gréeued vs, or haue done vs any wrong.

QV. ¶Which is the sixt peticion?

AN. * Lede vs not into temptacion. But deliuer vs from euyl. That is, because we are so féeble & weake of nature, y t we can­not, one minute of an houre without help, stand stedfastly and not be ouer throwne, and our most greuous enemies, the deuyl, the world, and our owne flesh, vnsessably do fight against vs. Thou O our almighty father, hold vp and stay vs, and strengthen vs by thy might of thy Holy ghoste, that we fal not downe and bée ouercommed in [Page] this spirituall fight, but so long we maye stoutly withstand them, vntyll y t we maye get at length, the whole victory.

QVE. ¶How maketh he an end of this prayer?

AN. * For thine is the kyngdome, the power, and the glory, for euer. Amen. That is to say, we are all these thinges of thée, because thou art both our kyng, & art almightye, and both wyll, and can geue al these things vnto vs, and these thinges do [...] we therefore craue of thée, that by them, al [...]onor, glory, & worship, should come vnto thy holy name and not to vs.

QVE. ¶What meaneth this worde, Amen.

AN. * That the matter is sure and ou [...] of all doubt, and that my prayer is much more surely ha [...]d of God, then I doo feele i [...] my hart that I desyre it to be granted.

¶FINIS.
[figure]

A Prayer of the repentant person taken out of the workes of Erasmus.

O Most high creator and [...] of all thinges, when as I cal to remēbrance how greatly I haue stirred vnto anger thi maiesty with my sins: I doe defye mine owne foolishnes. When & wey with my selfe how gentle & liberal a father I haue forsaken, I loth and crye out against mine vnkyndnes. When I mark, in how wretched a bondage I haue cast my selfe, flyinge from such liberty and fréedome of the spirit that I had, I doo con­dem my madnes, and in alpoints mislyke my selfe. Neither is there any other thing that appeareth before mine eyes, but Hell fyre, & desperation, while thy vnavoydable rightuusnes in punishīg of sin doth so mak my conscience affrayde. But of the contra­ry part, when I consider thy vnmesurable and infinite mercy, which accordyng to the witnes of y e Prophet) passeth al thy works and whereby thou (after a certaine maner) art greater then thy selfe, & when as thou art gretest of al other, by and by, a certaine pleasaunt breath of hope, doth refreshe my mynd agayne. For why should I despayre [Page] to get forgeuenes of sinnes of him whiche so oft in y e bokes of the Prophets doth fréely of hym self, cal sinners to repentance: cry­ing that he wyl not haue the death of a sin­ner, but that he should liue: and further­more, because forgeuenes is alwayes in a redines to be graunted of thée, to them that are penitent & sory for their sinnes, as thy only begotten son hath declared oft times by diuers lykenesses: as by it of the loste péece of mony, that was lost and founde a­gayne. And of y e Shep y t was brought hom [...] agayne, on y e mans shoulder. But more euidētly, by y e similitude of y e prodigal son, whos image I do acknowledg ꝑfitly to be in me For most wickedly I haue left my most louing Father, and haue wickedly wasted away his substāce. And while I folow th [...] lusts of my flesh, and forget thy cōmandementes: I haue wrapped my selfe into the moste filthy bondage of si [...], & am brought vnto extreme beggerlynes, neither can I tel to whom I shuld flye for succor, but vnto him from whome I ran away. Let thy mercy receiue hym, makynge supplication vnto thée: whom y u hast hether to gentylly suffred, goynge astraye. I am vnworthy to lyfte vp mine eyes to thée béeinge in heauen, or to call thée by the name of a fa­ther, but I besech thée vouchsaue to turne [Page 27] thy eyes vnto mée, for thy countinaunce maketh a dead sinner to lyue agayne, and hym that is loste to come home agayne too repentance, for I ought to thank thy loue­yng countinance, euen for that that I mis­lyke my selfe. Thou hast vouchsafed to looke vpon me while I went a stray from thee. For thou hast geuen me eyes to sée in what miserable state I was, & thou came forth and met mée, and did breth into mée, the memory & desire of innocencie. I beyng a bondman, worthy all kynd of punishmēt desire not to be embraced & kyssed of thée. I desire not a long gowne and a ring, the badges & tokens of my olde dignitie which I haue cast away. I make not supplicacion that thou should receiue me vnto the honor of thy Sonnes, but it shall be innough for me, yf that thou receiue me among the nū ­ber of the moste vile runnegate bondmen, hauing their backs al ful of scars, by iustly deserued often beating: but at the least, I may cleaue vnto thee with som part of thy seruants, as in thy house are many dwel­lyng places. It shall not gréeue mee to bée numbred in this lyfe among the vilest, to bée tormented by repentaunce, to bée made foule with wéepyng: so that I be not departed from thée for euer. I beséech thée father, & desyre thée thrugh the death of thy [Page] onely welbeloued sonne, let mée haue th [...] spirit whiche may cleanse my harte, an [...] strengthen mée with his grace, that [...] neuer fal backe agayne by foolish vnheede [...] fullnes, thither from whence I am called backe agayne by thy gentilnes. So be it.

¶ A TABLE OF THE contentes of this booke.

  • OF the only comforte, both in this lyfe and at our departure. 2.
  • Of the wretchednes of man. ibidem.
  • That we haue no frée wyll or choyse of our selues. ibidem.
  • Of the wrath of God for our sinnes 3.
  • Of the mercy of God. ibidem.
  • Of the rightuusnes, or streight pun [...]shmēt of God. ibidem.
  • Of the deliuerance of man. ibidem.
  • Of satisfaction or makyng amends for sin. ibidem.
  • Who is our meane or mediator. 4.
  • What faith is. ibidem.
  • What things ar necessary to beleue. 5.
  • Of y e créed, or articles of our faith. ibidē.
  • Of the prouidence of God. 6.
  • Of y e going downe of christ to hell. 8.
  • That onely faith iustifieth. 11.
  • Of the Sacraments. 12.
  • Of Baptisme. ibidem.
  • Of the Lords supper. 13.
  • That Christ is not really, bodily, or fleshly, in the supper. 15.
  • Of y e keies of y e kingdome of heauen 16.
  • Wherfore we must doo good works. 17.
  • Of mortification or kyllyng or y e olde man [Page] and of our fleshly lusts & desires. ibid
  • The .x. commandements. ibide [...]
  • What is Idolatry.
  • Of inuocatian, or callyng vpon saints for helpe. ibide [...]
  • Against the vse of Images.
  • That the commandements can not be kepte fully or perfytly
  • Of prayer,
  • The exposition of the Lords prayer. or Pater noster. 2 [...]
  • A prayer taken out of the workes of Erasmus Rot.
¶FINIS.

Imprinted at London, in y e vp [...] end of Fléetlane: by Richard Iohne [...] and ar to be sold at his Shop ioyn­yng to the Southwest Dore of S. Paules Church.

R. I.

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