IT is the deutieAl Christi­ans shulde know their profession▪ of them al, whō Christe hath re­deemed by hys death, that they not onelye be seruauntes to obey, but also Children to in herite: so to know, which is the true trade of lyfe, & that God lyketh, that thei maye be able to aunswere to euery demaunde of Religion, and to rendre accompte of theyr fayth and profession.

And this is the playnestTeachyng by questy­ons▪ waye of teachinge: whyche not onelye in Philosophye Socrates, but also in oure Religiō Apolina [...]ius, hath [Page] vsed: that bothe by certaine questyons, as it were by poynctinge, the ignoraunte might be instructed: and the skilful put iu remembraūce, that thei forgette not what thei haue learned. Wether fore hauinge regarde to the profyte, which we ought to seke in teaching of youth: & also to shortnes, that in our [...] hole Scholyng, ther should be nothyng, either ouer flo­wyng or wantyng: haue cō ­ueied the whole sōme into a dialogue, that the matter it selfe, might be the plainer to perceiue, & we the lesse stra [...] in other matters besyde the [Page ii] [...] ▪ Thus thē beginneth y^• Master to appose his scoler.

Sith I know (dearChyl [...]rē to be taughte trew rely­gion. [...].) that it is a great part of my deutie, not onely to se that thou bee instructed in [...]d letters: but also earne­ [...]y and diligētly to examin what sort of Religion, thou [...], in this thy tender [...]: I thought it b [...]st to [...] thee by certaine questi­ [...], to the intent I may perfectly knowe, whether thou hast wel or il trauailed ther­in. Now therfore te [...] me (my sonne) what Religion that is which thou professest.

That, good Master [Page] I professe, which is the [...] ligion of the Lorde [...]:Christiā re ligion. which in the. xi. of the Actes is called the christiā [...].

Do [...]st tho [...] then [...] fesse thy self to be a [...] of Christian godlinesse▪ [...] religion, and a [...] our Lorde Christ▪

That forsothe [...] I coufesse, and play [...] [...] boldly pro [...] yea, [...] accom [...]t [...]the who [...] [...] al my [...], as in the th [...] whiche is bothe of [...] [...] ­uour, then that the [...] ­nesse of my wytte maye [...] ­tayne [...] it▪ and also more approching to God des ma­iestie, [Page iii] than that I, by anye [...] of v [...]eraunce, may ea­sely expresse it.

Tell me then (deere s [...]n) as exactly as thou cāst, in what poyntes thou thin­kest that the sīnne of Chri­stian Religion standeth.

In two poin [...]tes,Partes of Christiā re ligion. that is to say: trew fayth in God, and assured persuasiō mncè [...]ed of all those thyn­ges, which are conteined in the holy Scriptures: and in charitie, whiche belongeth both to God & to our neigh boure.

That fayth which is [...] bi hearing and [Page] readyng of the worde, [...] dooeth it teache the concer­nyng God?

This doeth it prin­cipallyWhat god is. teache: that there is one certayne nature, one sub­stāce, one ghost and heauēly mynde, or rather an euerla­styng spirit, without begin­nyng or endyng, whiche we call God: whom al the peo­ples of the worlde ought to worshyp, with souerayn ho­nour, and the hyest kynde of reuerence. Moreouer oute of the holy wordes of GOD, which bi the prophetes and the beloued of almyghtye God, are in the holye [...]okes [Page iiii] published, to the eternal glo­ryThe [...] and the gos pell. of his name. I learne the lawe and the thretnynges therof: then the promyses & the gospel of god These thinThe scrip­tures pre­serued frō the begyn­nyng. ges fyrst wrytten by Moses and other men of God, haue bene preserued hole & vncor­rupted, euen to our age: and sythens that, the cheife arti­cles of our fayth, haue bene gathered into a short abryd­gement, whych is comonly called the Creede, or Sym­boleThe cre [...]e of the Apostles.

Why is this abridg­mente of the faythe termed with y^• name of a symbole▪ Scho. A symbole is as much [Page] to say, as a sygnt, mark, pr [...] ­uyecalled a [...]mbole. token, or watch worde, whereby the souldioures of one campe are known from their enemies. For this rea­son the abridgement of the fayth, whereby the Christi­ans are knowne from them that be no Christians, is ri­ghtly named a Symbole.

Fyrst tell me sōwhat what thou thynkest of the lawe: and then afterward of the Crede or Symbole.

I shall doe (good Maister) with a good wyll as you commaund me. The [...]awes of the first ta­ble. Lorde God hathe charged vs by Moses, that we haue [Page v] none other God at all, but hym: that is to say, that we take him alone, for oure one only God, oure maker, andOne God sauiour. That we reuerence not, nor worshippe any por­traiture or ani image whatImages, soeuer whether it be pain­ted, carued, grauen, or by a­nye meane fashyoned howe soeuer it be. That wee takeTakyug the name of God. not the name of oure Lorde God in vaine: that is either in a matter of no wayght or of no truthe▪ Last of al thys ought we to hold stedfastlyThe Sab­bat. and wyth deuout conscyēce: that we kepe holyly and re­ligiously the Sabbat day: [Page] which was appointed [...] from the other, for rest, and seruice of God.

Uerye well. Nowe haste thou rehearsed vnto me the lawes of the fyrst ta­ble: wherein is, in a summe, conteyned the knowledge, & true seruyee of God. Go for­ward and tell me, which be the dutyes of charitye, and oure loue towarde men.

Dooe you aske me (maister) what I thinke o [...] the other parte of the lawe, whiche is commonly called [...]awes of the seconde table. the second table?

Thou sayest new, my sonne, that is it in deede [Page vi] that I wold faine hear of.

I wyll in few w [...] ­des dispatche it, as my sim­ple wit wyll serue me. Mo­ses hathe knitte it vppe in a sh [...]rte summe: that is, that with al louing affection, we honoure and reuerence oure father & mother. That we [...] k [...]ll no man. That we com­mit no aduoutrie. That we steale nothynge. That we [...]are false wytnes agaynst [...]. Last of all that we co­ [...] nothynge, that is oure [...]yghboures.

Howe is that com­maundemente, of the hono­ringe father and mother, [...] [Page] be vnderstanded?

Honoure of fatherHonour of Parentes. and mother cōteineth loue, feare, and reuerence: yea [...] it further standeth in obey­inge, succouring, defe [...]ding, and nourishing thē, if neede require. It byndeth vs also moste h [...]ly, and with [...] natural affection, to [...] the magistrate: to reuerence the Mi [...]ysters of the churche, oure [...]cholemasters, with al oure elders, and betters.

What is [...] Murther. in that commaundement [...] doe not kyll.

That we hate, [...], [...] reuile no man. [...] [Page vii] i [...] [...] vs, that we [...] t [...]en our f [...]es: do good to them that hate vs: and [...] we praye for al prospe­ [...] and good happe to our verye mortal ennemies.

The [...] not commiting ad­uoutry, what thinkest tho [...] [...]

Forsothe this com­ [...] [...]duoutry. conteyneth ma­nye thinges For it forbid [...] not only to talke [...] mans wy [...]e, or any other womā vnthastly: bu [...] also to touche her, yea, or to cast an eye at her wāton [...]e: o [...] wyth lustfull looke to be­holde [Page] her: or by anye [...] ▪ nest meane to w [...]oe her▪ [...] ther our selues, or any other in our behalfe: finally hear in is debarred al kind of [...] thy, & strayeng lust▪

What thynkest thou of the commaūdement▪ not to steale?

I shal shew [...] [...]heft. breifly as I haue done the rest▪ yf it please you to [...] me▪ It commaūdeth [...] beguyle no [...] ▪ to [...] no vnlawfull wares: [...] [...]e no mā hys wealth: & to thynke nothing profytable, that either is not iust▪ or [...] [...]reth from ryghte and ho­nesty: [Page viii] Breifely, rather wyl­lynglye leese that is thyne owne, than thou wrongful­lye take that is anothers, and turne it to thyne owne commoditie.

Howe maye that commaundement be kepte,False wyt nesse. of bearynge no false wyt­nesse?

Yf we neyther oure selues speake anye false or vayne lye: nor alowe it in o­ther, eyther by speeche or si­lence, or by our present com­panye. But wee oughte, al­wayes to maintayne truth, as place and tyme serueth.

Now remaineth the [Page] last cōmaundement, of [...] coueting any thyng that is our neighbours: what mea­neth that?

Thys lawe dotheCouetise of ano­thers. generally forbyd al sortes [...] euell lustes: and commaun­deth vs to bridle & restraine al greedye vnsatiable desire of our wyl, whyche holdeth not it selfe wythin the bon­des of right and reason: and it wylleth that eche man be cōtent wyth his estate. But who so euer coueteth more then ryght▪ with the losse [...] hys neighbour, and wrong to an other: he breaketh & vtterly looseth the bonde of [Page ix] charitie, and felowshippe a­monge men, Yea and vponThe re­warde of y^• godly aud vngodly. hym (vnles he amende) the Lorde God, the most sterne reuenger of the breakynge hys law, shall execute moste greuous punyshmente. On the other side, he that liueth accordynge to the rule of these lawes, shal fynde both prayse and blysse: and God also hys mercyful and boū ­tyfull good Lord.

Thou haste shortlye sette out the. x. commaunde­mentes: Now then tell me, how all these thinges, that thou haste particularlye de­clared, Christe hath in fewe [Page] wordes conteyned, settyng [...] forth vnto vs in a sūme, the whole pyth of the law.

Wil you that I knit vp in a briefe abrydgement, all that belongeth bothe to God & to men?

[...]ea.

Christ sayeth thus:The sūme of the lawe by Christe. Thou shalt loue the Lord, thy God, wyth al thy hart: wyth all thy soule: wyth all thy mynde: and with al thy strength. Thys is the grea­test commaundement in the lawe. The other is lyke vn▪ to this: Thou shal [...] loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe. Up▪ on these two commaunde­mētes hang the whole law▪ [Page x] and the Prophetes.

I wyll nowe that thou tell me further, what lawe is that whyche thou speakest of: that whych we call the lawe of nature? orThe lawe of nature. some other besydes?

I remēber maister that I learned that of you longe ago: that it was in­graffed by God in the na­ture of man, whyle nature was yet sounde and vncor­rupted. But after the ētrā [...] Ignorance brought i [...] by corrup­ [...]ion of na­ture. of synne, although the wyse were somewhat after a sort [...]ot vtterly ignorant of that [...]yght of nature: yet was it [...]y that tyme so hydde from [Page] the greatest part of mē, that they scāt perceyued any sha­dow thereof.

What is the cause, that god willed it to be writ­ten out in tables: and that i [...] should be priuatli appointed to one people alone?

I wyll shewe you▪ Why the lawe was wrytten in tables. By oryginal synn [...] and euel custome, the image of God in mā, was so, at the begyn­ning darkened: & the iudge­mēt of nature, so corrupted: that man him selfe doth no [...] snfficiently vnderstād, wha [...] difference is betwene ho [...] stye and dyshonestye, rygh [...] and wrong. The bountyfull [Page xi] God thearefore myndynge to renewe that image in vs: fyrst wrought this by y^• law wrytten in tables, that wee myght knowe our selues, & therin, as it were in a glasse, behold the fylthe and spots of oure soule, and stubborne hardnes of a corrupted hert: that by thys meane yet, ac­knowledgynge our synne: & perceiuing the weakenes of our fleshe: and the wrathe of God fear [...]ely bent agaynste vs for synne: we myghte the [...]ore feruently long for oure [...]ior Christ Iesus: which [...]y hys deathe and precious [...]prynklynge of hys bloude, [Page] hath clensed and washed a­way our sinnes: pacified the wrath of the almyghtye fa­ther: by the holye breathe of hys Spirite createth newe hartes in vs: and reneweth our mindes after the image and lykenesse of theyr Crea­tor, in true ryghteousnes, & holynes. Whych thyng nei­ther the iustyce of the lawe, nor any sacrifices of Moses were able to performe. AndNone made righ­teous by y^• [...]awe. that no man is made rygh­teous bi the law, it is euidēt: not onelye thereby, that the ryghteous lyueth by fayth: but also hereby that no mor­tal man is able to fulfyll all [Page xii] that the law of both the ta­bles commaundeth. For we haue hindraūces that striue agaynste the lawe: as the weakenes of the fleshe: fro­warde appetite, and lust na­turallyCeremo­nies of the law. engēdred. As for sa­crifice, cleansynges, wash­inges, and other ceremonies of the lawe: they were but shadoes, lykenesses, images and figures of the trew and euerlastyng sacrifice of Ie­sus Christ, done vppon the crosse. By the benefit wher­of alone all the synnes of all beleuers, euen from the be­gynnyngeSinnes for giuen by Christes death only of the worlde▪ ar [...]ardoned, by the onlye mer­cye [Page] of God, and by no desert of ours,

I heare not yet, why almyghty Gods wyll was to declare hys secrete plea­sure to one people alone, whi che was the Israelites.

Forsooth that hadWhy the lawe was gyuen to one people I almost forgotten, I sup­pose it was not don for this entent, as thoughe the lawe of the. x. commauudements dyd not belong generally to ail men: for asmuche as the Lord our God is not onelyeThe moral lawe com­mune to al the God of the Iewes, but also of the Gentiles: but ra­ther this was ment thearby that the true Messias, whi­che [Page xiii] is our Christ, myght be knowen at hys commynge into the worlde: who muste nedes haue beene borne of that natiō, and none other, for true perfourmannce of the promise. For the whych cause, Gods pleasure was to appoynt out for hymselfe one certaine people, holy, sō ­dred from the rest, and as it were peculiarly hys owne. That, bi this meane his di­uine worde might be conti­nually kept holy, pure, and vncorrupted.

Hitherto thou hast wel satisfied me, deare sōne. Now lette vs come to the [Page] Christian confession, whych I wyll that thou playnlye reherse vnto me.

It shall be done. IThe crede. beleue in God, the father al myghty: maker of heauen and earthe. And in Iesu Christ, hys only sonne, our Lorde: whych was concei­ued by the holy Gost: borne of the virgin Mary: Suffe­red vnder Pōce Pilate: was crucified: dead: and buryed. He went downe to hell: the thyrde daye he rose agayne from the deade. He went vp to heauen: sytteth on the ryght hande of God the fa­ther almighty: from thence [Page xiiii] shall he come, to iudge the quycke and the dead. I be­leue in y^• holy gost. I beleue the holy vniuersall church: the communion of sayntes: the forgeuenes of synnes: the rysynge agayne of the flesh: & the lyfe euerlastynge.

All these (my sōne) thou hast rehersed general­lye and shortelye. Therefore thou shalt do wel, to set out largelye, all that thou hast spokē particularlye: that I may playnly perceiue what thy belefe is concerning ech of them. And fyrst I wolde heare of the knowledge of god, afterward of the right [Page] seruing of hym.

I wil wyth a goodThe ma­ [...]uge and preseruati­on of the world. wyl obey your plesure (dear Maister) as far as my sim­ple wytte wyll suffer me. A­boue all thynges we muste stedfastly beleue and holde: that God almyghtye, the father, in the begynnyng, & of nothyng, made & fashyo­ned this whole frame of the world, and al things what soeuer are conteined therin: and that they all are made by the power of hys worde, that is of Iesu Christe the sonne of God. Which thing is sufficientlye approued by witnes of scriptures. More­ouer [Page xv] that, whē he had thus shapen all creatures, he ru­led, gouerned & saued them by hys bountie and liberall hand: hath ministred, & yet also ministreth most large­lye all that is needefull, for mayntenaunce and preser­uynge of oure lyfe: that we should so vse them, as beho­ueth myndeful and godlye chyldren.

Why dost thou call God father:

For two causes, theWhy wee cal God fa ther. one, for that he made vs all at the beginning, and gaue life vnto vs all: the other is more weyghtye, for that by [Page] hys holy spirit and by faith he hath begottē vs agayne: makynge vs hys chyldren: gyuing vs hys kyngdome and the enheritaunce of lyf [...] euerlastynge, wyth Iesu Christ hys owne, trew, and naturall sonne.

Seynge then God hath created all other thin­ges to serue man: and made man to obey, honour, & glo­ryfye him: What canst thou say more of the begynning and makyng of man?

Euen that whyche Moses wrote: that God sha­pedThe ma­king of mā the fyrste man of claye: and put into hym soule and [Page xvi] life: thē, that he cast Adam in a deade sleepe, & brought foorth a woman, whome he drewe oute of hys syde, to make her a companiō with hym of al his life & wealth. And therfore was man cal­led Adam, because he tookeThe na­mes of A­dam & [...] hys beginning of the earth: and the womā called Eue. because she was appoynted to be the mother of al liuīg.

What image is that, after the lykenesse whereof, thou sayest that man was made?

That is most abso­luteThe image that man was made after. righteousnesse and per­fect holynes: whyche moste [Page] nearely belongeth to the [...] ­ry nature of God: and mos [...] clearely appeared in Christ our new Adā. Of the why­che in vs, thear scante are to be seen any sparcles.

What▪ are ther sc [...] to be seen?

It is true forsooth:Gods y­mage defa ced in mā. for they do not now so shi [...], as they dyd in the begyn­ning, before mans fall: for as much as man by the dark­nesse of synnes, and myst of errours, hath corrupted the bryghtnesse of thys image. In suche sorte hath God i [...] hys wrathe wreaked hym vpon the synful man.

But I pray the tell me, wherefore came it thus to passe▪

I wyll shewe you. When the Lorde God had made the frame of thys world, he hym selfe planted a garden, full of delyte and pleasure, in a certaine place, Eastward, and called it E­den. Wherein besyde other passynge fayre trees, not far frō the myddes of the gar­den was thear one specially called, the tree of lyfe, and a­nother called y^• tre of know­ledge of good & euell. Here­in the Lord of his singuler loue placed man: and com­mitted [Page] vnto hym the gar­den to dresse, and looke vn­to: geuynge hym libertie to eate of the fruites of all the trees of paradyse, except the fruite of the tree of know­ledge of good & euell. The fruite of thys tree if euer he tasted, he shoulde wythout fayle die for it. But Eue, de­ceyued by the deuell coun­terfetynge the shape of a ser­pent, gathered of the forbid­den fruite: whych was for the fayrenes to the eye to be desyred: for the sweetenesse in tast to be reached at: and pleasaūt for the knowledge of good & euell▪ and she eate [Page xviii] thearof, and gaue vnto her housba [...] to eate of the same. For which doing, they both immediatly dyed, that is to say: were not, only subiect to the death of the bodye, but also lost the life of the soule, whyche is ryghteousnesse. And foorthwith the image of God was defaced in thē: and the most beautiful pro­portion of ryghteousnesse, holynesse▪ truth and know­ledge of God, was confoū ­ded and in a maner vtterly blotted out. Thear remay­ned the earthly image, ioy­ned with vnrighteousnesse, guyle, fleshly mynde, & depe [Page] ignoraūce of godli and hea­uenly thinges. Hereof grew the weakenes of our flesh [...] ▪ hereof came thys corruptiō, and disorder of lustes & af­fectiōs: hereof came that pe­stilence: hereof came that seede and nurishmēt of sins wherwyth mankynd is in­fected, and it is called synneOrigynall synne. originall. Moreouer therby nature was so corrupted, & ouerthrowen, that vnlesse the goodnes, and mercye of almyghty God had holpē vs bi the medicine of grace, euē as in bodi we are thrust down into al wretchedness [...] of death: so muste it needes [Page xix] haue bene, that al mē of all sortes should be throwen in­to euerlasting punyshment, and fyre vnquencheable.

Oh the vnthanke­fulnesse of men! But what hope had our first parents, and from thence fourth the rest; whearby they wear re­leue [...] ▪

When the LordeThe mea­nes of [...] tion. God had both wyth words and dedes chastised Adam and Eue (for he thrust them both out of the gardē wyth a most greeuous reproche) he then cursed the serpent, threatnynge hym, that the tyme should one day come, [Page] when the seede of the [...]omā should breake hys head. Af­ter ward the Lord God sta­blyshed that same gloryous and most bountiful promise: fyrst with a couenant madeGods [...]. betwene hym and Abrahā, by circumcision, and in Isa­ac hys sonne: then agayne by Moses: last of all by the oracles of y^e noble prophets.

What meaneth the serpentes head: & that seede that God speaketh of▪

In the serpēts headThe Ser­pents head lieth all his venim [...], [...]d the whole pyth of hys lyfe and force. Thearfore do I take the serpents head to betok [...] [Page xx] the whole power, and king dome, or more truli the tirā ­nie of the old serpe [...]t the de­uel. The sede (as saint▪ PaulThe seede of the wo­man▪ doth plainly teache) is▪ Ie­sus Christ the sonne of God, very God and veri man: cō ­ceaned of the holy Gost: en­gendred of the wombe and substaū [...]e of Marie, the bles­sed pure & vndefiled maide: and was so borne & [...]ostred by her as other babes de, sa­uinge that he was most far from all infection of synne.

All these founda [...]i­ons that thou hast layed ar most [...]rew. Nowe thearfore let vs: go forwarde to those [Page] hys doinges, whearin lie [...] our salua [...]ion and conquest agaynst that old serpent.

It shalbe done, good Maister. After that Christe Iesus hadde delyuered in­charge to his Apostles that most ioyfull, and in al poin­tes heauenlye doctryne, the gospell, whych in greeke is called Euangelion, in Eng­lysh good tidinges: and had as by sealyng stablished the same wyth tokens, and mi­raclesChristes [...], deathe▪ re­furreccion and ascen­sion. innumerable, whe [...] of all hys lyfe was full: at lēgth was he sore s [...]urged: mocked wyth pottyng, sco [...] ­nyng, and spyttynge in hys [Page xxi] face: laste of all hys handes and [...]ete bored thorow with nayles: and he fastened to a crosse. Then he trulye dyed: and was truly buryed: that by hys moste sweete sacri­fice, he myghte pacifye his fathers wrath against mā ­kynde: and subdue hym by his death, who had y^e authoritie of deathe, which was the deuel: ‘forasmuch not on­lye the lyuinge, but also the deade, wear they in hell, or elsse whear, they all felt the power & force of this death: to whom lieng in prison (as Peter sayeth) Christe prea­ched, though dead in body, [Page] yet relyued in Spirite.’ The third daye after, he vprose a gayne, a lyue in bodye also: and wyth manye notable profes, the space of .xl. daies, he abode among hys disci­ples, eatyng and drynkyng with thē. In whose syghte he was conueyed away in a cloud, vp into heauen, or ra­ther aboue al heauēs: wher he now sitteth at the ryght hand of God the father: be­ing made Lorde of all thin­ges, be they in heauen, or in earth: kynge of all kynges: our euerlasting & onlye hee Bisshoppe: our only attour­nye: only mediatour, onely [...] [Page xxii] peace maker betwene GodThe spirite sēt downe. and men. Now sithēs that, he is entred into his glori­ous maiestie: by sendynge downe his holy spirit vnto vs (as he promised) he ligh­teneth our dark blyndnesse: moueth, ruleth, teacheth, cleanseth, cōforteth, and re­ioyseth our myndes: and so will he styll continually do, tyll the end of the worlde.

Well, I se thou hast touched the chiefe Articles of our religion, and hast set out, as in a shorte abrydge­ment, the Creede, that thou diddest rehearse. Now ther­fore I wyll demaunde the [Page] questiōs of certain pointes.

Do as shall please you Maister: for ye maye more perfectlye instruct me, in those thinges that I do not throughly vnderstand: and put me in remembrāce of that I haue forgottē: and printe in my mynde deeper, suche thynges, as haue not taken stedfast hold thearin.

Tell me th [...]. [...]f by his death we get pardon of oure sinnes: was not that e­nough, but that he must al­so rise againe frō the deade▪

It was not inough,The resur­rection of Christe ne­cessarie. yf ye haue a respect, eyther to hym, or to vs. For vnlesse [Page xxiii] he hadde rysen agayne, he shoulde not be taken, for the sonne of God. For whyche cause also, whyle he hong vpō the crosse, thei that saw hym vpbrayded hym and sayde: he hath saued other, but can not saue hym selfe. Let hym now come downe from the crosse, and we will beleue hym. But now vpri­syng from the dead to euer­lasting continuaunce of life, he hathe shewed a mutche greater power of hys god­heade, then if by commyng downe frō the crosse he had fled from the terrible paines of death. For to dye is comō [Page] to all men: but to louse the bondes of death, and by his owne power to rise againe, that properlye belongeth to Iesus Christe the onlye be­gotten sonne of God, the on­ly author of lyfe. Moreouer it was necessarye, that he should ryse again with glo­rie, that the sayengs of Da­uid and other prophetes of God myghte be fulfylled, whych told before: that nei­ther hys body should se cor­ruption: nor hys soule be left in hel. As for vs, we neither had bene iustified, nor had had anye hope left to ryse a­gayne, had not he rysen, a­gayne, [Page xxiiii] as Paule doth in di­uerse places playnly shewe. For if he had remayned in the prisō of death, in graue: and bene holden in corrup­tion, as al men besyde: how could we haue hoped for saf ty by hym whych saued not himself? It was mete ther­fore, & needefull, for the part that he had in hād: and for the chiefe staye of our saue­garde: that Christe shoulde fyrst delyuer hymselfe from deathe, and afterwarde as­sure vs of safetye by his vp­risyng agayne.

Thou hast touched (my sonne) the chiefe cause [Page] of Christes risinge agay [...] ▪ Now would I faine heart thy mynde of his going vp into heauen. What answere thinkest thou is to be made to them, that say: it had be [...] better for hym, to tarie hear with vs, presentlye to rule & gouerne vs? For, besyde o­ther diuerse causes, it is [...] ­lye, that the loue of the peo­ple toward theyr prince, spe­cially beyng good and gra­cious, should grow the grea ter by his present company.

All theese thyngesChrist go­uernith his Church ab [...]ent. whych he should do present, that is to saye, if he were in company amōg vs, he doth [Page xxv] thē absent, He ruleth, main­tayneth, strengthneth, defē ­deth, rebuketh, punysheth, correcteth: and performeth all suche thynges as do be­come such a prince, or rather God himself. Al those thin­ges (I saye) performeth he, which belong eyther to our neede or profit: honour or cō ­moditie. Beside this, ChristGod Christe is absent and presente in the worrd▪ is not so all together absent from the world, as mani do suppose. For albeit the sub­staunce of his body be takē vp from vs: yet is his God­heade perpetuallye presente wyth vs: although not sub­iect to the sight of our eyes. [Page] For thynges that be not b [...] ­dylye, can not be perceiued by any bodyly meane. Who euer sawe hys owne soul [...] No man. Yet what is thea [...] more present? or what to [...] man nearer, than hys owne soule. Spiritual thinges [...] not to be seen, but wyth the eye of the spirite. The arfe [...] he that in earth wyll see the Godhead of Christ: let hym open the eyes, not of his bo­dye, but of hys mynde, but of his faith: and he shall set him presēt, whom eye hath not seen: he shall see him pre­sent, and in the myddes of them, whearsoeuer be two [Page xxvi] or three gathered together in his name: he shal see him present wyth vs, euen vnto the ende of the▪ world, What sayde▪ I [...] shall he see Christe present▪ Yea, he shall both se & feele him dwellyng with­in himselfe: in sutch sorte as he dothe hys owne proper soule. For he dwelleth and [...]ydeth in the mynde and harte of hym whyche faste­neth all hys trust in hym.

Uery well, but oureChristes [...] cension. confession is that he is ascē ­ded by into heauen. Tell me thearfore how that is to be vnderstanded.

So vse we commō ­lye [Page] to say of him, that hath attayned to any hye degree or dignitie: that he is ascen­ded vp, or aduaunced in to some hye roume: some hye place or state: because he [...] hath chaunged hys forme [...] case, and is become of more honor, thā the rest. In sut [...] case is Christ gon vp, as h [...] before came down. He came downe from hiest honour to deepest dishonoure, euen the dishonour and vyle state of a seruant, and of the crosse▪ And lykewyse afterwards he went vp, from the depest dyshonoure, to the hyest ho­noure, euen that same ho­nour, [Page xxvii] whych he had before, hys goyng vp into heauen, yea, aboue all heauens, to the very roial throne of god, muste needes be euident by moste iust reason, that hys glory and maiestye myghte in comparison agreably an­swer to the proportiō of hys basenesse and reprochefull e­state. This doth Paul teach vs, in hys wrytynge to the Philippians: he became o­bedient euē vnto death: yea, the very death of the crosse. Whearfore God bath both aduaunced hym to the hy­est state of honour: and also geuen hym a name aboue [Page] al names: that at y^• name of Iesus eueri kne shold bow, of al things in heauē, earth & hell. But although he be alredy gone vp into heauē: neuertheles bi his nature of godhead, & by his spirit, he shal alwaies be presēt in his church: euē to the end of the world. Yet thys proueth not that he is presēt amōg vs in his body. For his Godhead hath one propertye: his mā ­head another. Hys māheadChristes bo dily presēce was create: his godhed vn­create. His māhead is in sō [...] one place of heauē: his god­hed is in such sort ech wher, that it filleth both heauen ▪ [Page xxviii] earthe. But to make thys poīt plainer, by a similitude or comparing of like to like. Ther is nothyng that dothChriste cō ­pared to y^• sonne. trulier, like a shadow, expres Christ, thē the sōne: for it is a fit image of the light and brightnes of Christ. The sō doth alway kepe the heauē: yet do we sai that it is presēe also in y^• ▪ world: for without lyght thear is nothyng pre­sent, that is to say, nothyng to be seen of any man: for the sonne wyth hys lyghte ful­filleth al things. So Christ is lyfted vp aboue all hea­uens, that he maye be presēt wyth all, and fully furnyshe [Page] all things as S. Paul doth saye. But as touchynge the bodylye presente of Christe heare in earthe (if it be law­full to place in comparison, great thinges wyth small) Christes bodye is present to our faith: as the sonne, wh [...] it is seen, is presēt to the ey [...] ▪ the bodie wherof, although it do not bodylye touche the eye, nor be presently wyth [...] together hear in earthe, yet is it present to the sight, not­withstanding, so large a di­staunce of space betwen. So Christes body which at his glorious going vp was cō ­ueyed from vs: which hath [Page xxix] left the worlde, and is gone vnto hys father: is a greate way absent frō our mouth, euen then when we receyue wyth our mouth, the holye sacrament of his body and bloude. Yet is oure fayth in heauen: and beholdeth that sonne of righteousnesse: and is presently together wyth him in heauen, in sutch sort as the syghte is in heauen with the body of the sonne: or in earthe the sonne wyth the syght. And as the sonne is present to all thinges by hys light: so is Christe also in hys godhead. Yet neither can from the body the light [Page] of the sonne be sondred: nor from hys immortall bodye the godhead of Christe. We muste thearfore so say, that Christes bodye is in some one place of heauē, and hys godhead euerywhear: that we neyther of hys godhead make a body: nor of hys bo­dye a God.

I see (my son) th [...]n art not ignorant, after what sorte Christ is rightly sayd, to be from vs in bodye, and with vs in spirit. But thy [...] one thyng would I knowe of thee: why Christ our lord is thus conueied awaye frō the syghte of oure eyes: and [Page xxx] what profit we take by his goyng vp to heauen.

The chefe cause the [...] Our profit by Christes ascenci [...]. of was, to plucke out of vs that false opinion, whyche sometyme deceaued the A­postles theymselues: that Christ should in earth visi­bly reigne, as other kinges, and rufflyng princes of the world. This errour he min­ded, to haue vtterly suppres­sed in vs: and that we shuld thyncke hys kyngdome to consyst in hyer thynges. Which thinge he thearfore thoughte fytter, because it was more for our comoditie and profitte: that some such [Page] kyngdome should be set v [...],Causes of Christes as c [...]tion. as the foundacions thearof should rest vpon our fayth. Whearfore it was necessary that he shoulde be conueyed away from vs, past percey­uing of all bodily sense: that by thys meane oure faythe might be styrred vp and ex­ercised to consyder hys go­uernement and prouidence, whom no syght of bodylye eyes can behold. And foras­mutch as he is not kyng of some one country alone: but of heauē and earth: of quick and dead: it was moste con­uenient that hys kingdome should be otherwyse gouer­ned [Page xxxi] then our senses may a [...] ­teine vnto. For ells he shold haue bene constrained, some tyme to be caried vp to hea­uen: sometyme to be dryuen downe to the earthe: to re­moue sometyme in to one countrey, sometyme into a­nother: and lyke an earthly prynce to be caryed hether & thether, by dyuerse chaūge of chaunsable affayres. For he could not be presētli with all at once, vnlesse hys body weare so turned in to God­heade, that he myght be in all or in many places toge­ther: as Eutyches, and cer­teyne lyke heretykes helde [Page] opinion. Yf it so wear that he myghte be eche whear present with al, at one verye instaunt time: then wear he not man, but a ghoste▪ ney­ther shoulde he haue▪ had a trewe bodye, but a fan­tasticall: whearof shoulde haue spronge foorth with a thowsād errors: all whych he hath dispatched by cari­enge hys bodie vp whole to heauen. In the meane sea­son he▪ remaynynge inuisi­ble, gouerneth his kingdōe and commen weale, that is his church▪ with soueraign wysdome and power. It is for men to rule theyr com­mune [Page xxxii] weales, by a certayne ciuile policie of men: but for Christ and God, by a heauē lye godlyke▪ order. But all that I haue hetherto sayde conteyneth but a small par­cell of the profytte, that we take by the caryenge vp of Christes body into heauen. For ther ar many mo thin­ges, that heare might be re­hearsed, whearof large store of fruite is to be gathered. But specially this may not be left vnspoken: that the be nefits are sutch, & so greate▪ which come vnto vs by the deathe, risynge agayne, and goinge vp of Christ: as no [Page] tonge eyther of men or an­geles is able to expres. And that you maye knowe my mynde hearein: I wyll re­hearse certayne of the chefe: whearunto as it wear two principall poyntes, the rest may be applyed. I say ther­fore: that both by these and other doings of Christ, two cōmodities do growe vnto vs: the one, that al the thin­ges that euer he hath don▪ for our profyt and behofe heChrist do ing [...]s for [...] behofe hath done thē: so that they be as well oure owne, yf we will cleaue thearunto wyth stedfast and lyuely faith, as if we had done them oure [Page xxxiii] selues. He was nailed to the crosse: we wear also nayled with him: and in him oure synnes punished▪ He dyed: & was buryed: we lykewyse with our sinnes are dead, & buried: & that in sutche sorte that all remēbraunce of our synnes is vtterly taken out of mynde. He is risen again: and we are also risen again wyth hym: that is, are so made partakers of hys ry­syng againe and lyfe, that from hensforth death hath no more rule ouer vs. For y^• same spirit is in vs that rai­sed vp Iesus frō the deade. Finallye, as he is gone vp [Page] into heauenly glorye: so are we lifted vp with hym. Al­beit that these thynges do not nowe appeare: yet then shall they all be broughte to light, whē Christ the light [...] of the world, shal shew him self in his glorye, in whome all oure blisse is layde vp in store, Moreouer by hys go­yng vp are graūted vs the giftes of the holy ghost: as Paule doth sufficiently wit­nesse. Ephe. iiii. The otherChristiā ex ample of lyfe vnto vs. commoditie, which we take by the doinges of Christ, is: that Christe is set for an ex­ample vnto vs, to frame our lyues thereaster. Yf Christe [Page xxxiiii] hath bene deade: if he hath bene buryed for sin? he was so but ones. If he be risen a­gayne: if he be gone vppe to heauen: he is but ones risen: but ones gone vp. Frō hens­forth he dieth no more, but lf neth with God: & reygneth in euerlastyng continuaūce of glory. So if we be deade: if we be buried to sin: Howe shall we heare after lyue in the same? If we be rysen a­gain with Christ: if by sted fast hope we lyue nowe in heauen with him: heauen­lye and godlye thinges, not earthly and frail, we ought to set oure care vpon. And e­uen [Page] as hearetofore, we haue borne the image of y^• earthli man: so from henseforward lette vs beare the image of the heauenly. As the Lord Christ neuer ceased to do vs good, by bestowing vpō vs his holye spirite: by garny­shinge his churche wyth so many notable giftes: and by perpetual praying to his fa­ther for vs: Lyke reason oughte to moue vs to ayd [...] oure neyghboure wyth all our endeuoure: to maintain as much as in vs lyeth, the bond of charity. And to ho­noure Christ our Lord andDonor of Christ. sauioure: not wyth wythed [Page xxxv] tradicions and cold deuises of men, but wyth heauenly honour & spiritual in dede, most fyt for vs that giue it, & hym that shall receyue it, euen as he hathe honoured & doth honour hys father. For he that honoureth him honoreth also the father, of whiche he him self is a sub­stantiall witnesse.

The end of the world ho [...] scripture calleth the ful fyllynge & parformaunce of the kyngdome and mistery of Christ, and the renewing of all thynges: For (saythe [...]he Apostle Peter in his se­ [...]ōd Epistle the third chap­ter.) [Page] We loke for a new hea­uen: and a new earth, accor­ding to the promise of God: whearin dwelleth ryghte­ousnesse. And it semeth rea­son that corruption, vnsted­faste chaunge, and synne, wherunto the whole world is subiect, shoulde at length haue an end. Now bi what way, and what fasshiō cir­cumstaunces these thinges shal come to passe▪ I would fayne heare the tell.

I will tell you asThe end of [...] world well as I can, accordyng to the wytnesse of the same, A­postle. The heauens shall passe awaye like a storme▪ [...] [Page xxxvi] elementes shal melt awaye: the earthe, & all the workes therein▪ shall bee consumed wyth fyre: as thoughe he shuld say: as gould is wont to be fined: so shal the whole world be purified with fire, and be broughte to hys full perfection. The lesser world, whiche is man, folowynge the same, shall lykewyse bee delyuered from corruption and chaunge. And so for mā this greater worlde (which for hys sake was first crea­ted) shall at lēgth be renew­ed: & be clad wyth another hew, much more pleasaunt and beutifull.

What then remay­neth?

The laste and gene­rallThe [...]ay of dome. dome. For Christe shall come: at whoes voice al the deade shall ryse againe▪ per­fecte and sound both in bodi and soule. The whole world shall beholde hym, sittynge in the Royall throne of hys Maiestie: and after the exa­mination of euerye mannesThe resur rection. conscience, the laste sentence shalbe pronoūced. Then the chyldren of God shall bee in perfecte possessyon of that kingdome of fredome from death and of euerlastig life: whyche was prepared for [Page xxxvii] theim, before the foundacy­ons of the world were layd. And they shal reygne wyth Christe for euer. But the vngodlye that beleued not, shall be throwen frō thense into euerlastynge fyre, ap­poynted for the deuyll and hys angelles.

Thou haste saide y­nougheThe holly Church. of the agayn rising of the deade. Nowe remay­neth, that thou speke of the holye churche: whearof I would very fayne hear thy opinion.

I wil rehearse that in fewe words shortly: whi­che the holye scryptures set [Page] out at large and plentifulli▪ Afroe that the Lorde God had made the heauen and erth: he determined to haue for himself a most beautiful kyngdome and holy comō wealth. The Apostles and the auncient fathers that wrote in Greeke, called it Ecclesia, in englyshe, a con­gregation or assemble: into the whych he hath admyt­ted an infinite nōber of mē: that should all be subiect to one king as their souereign and only one head: hym we call Christe, whythe is as mutch to say as anoynted▪ For the hye byshoppes, and [Page xxxviii] kinges among the Iewes, (who in fygure betokened Christ, whom the Lord an­noynted with his holy spi­rite,) wear wont by Gods appointment at theyr conse­cration, to haue materyall oile poured on them. To theWho be of Christs churthe. furnishyng of this common weale belonge all they, as many as do truly feare, ho­nour & cal vpon God, whol ly applyeng theyr mynde to holy and godly lyuing: and all those that puttynge all theyr hope & trust in hym, do assuredlye looke for the blisse of euerlastig lyfe. But as many as ar in this faith [Page] stedfast▪ weare forechosen, predestinate, & apoynted out to euerlastig lyfe, before the world was made. Wytnesse hereof they haue wythin in theyr hartes the spirite of Christ, the author, earnest & vnfailable pledge of theyr fayth. Whych faith only is able to perceyue the miste­ries of God: only bryngeth peace vnto the hart: onli ta­keth hold on the righteous­nes, that is in Christ Iesus

Doth then the spi­rite alone, and fayth (sleepe we neuer so soundlye, or stād we neuer so recklesse & sloth­full) so woorke all thynges [Page xxxix] for vs, as without any help of our owne to carye vs idle vp to heauen?

I vse (maister) as you haue taughte mee, to make a dyfference betwene the cause and the effectes▪ Causes of our iustifi­cation. The first, principall & moste perfect cause of oure iustify­enge and saluation, is the goodnesse and loue of God: wherby he chose vs for his, before he made the worlde. After that, god graūteth vs to be called by the preachīg of y^e Gospel of Iesus Christ, when the spirit of the Lord is poured in to vs: by whose guyding and gouernaunce [Page] we be led to settle our truste in God: and hope forthe per formaunce of all hys pro­mises. With thys choyse is ioyned, as companion, th [...] mortifyeng of the old man, that is of our affectiō & lust. Frō the same spirit also to­meth our sanctification: the loue of God, & of our neigh­bour: iustice: and vpryght­nesse of life: finally, to say all in summe, whatsoeuer is in vs▪ or maye be done of vs, pure, honest, true and good, that altogether spryngeth out of thys most pleasaunt [...] roote, from this most plen­tyfull fountayne, the good­nesse, [Page xl] loue, [...]hoyse and vn­chaūgeable purpose of god. He is the cause, the rest are the fr [...]tes and effectes. [...]et ar also the goodnesse, choise & spirit of God, and Christe himselfe, causes conioyned and coupled ethe wyth o­ther: which mai be reckened amonge the principall cau­ses of our saluation. As ofteIustifica­tion by fayth. thearfore as we vse to saye, that wee are made ryghte­ous and saued bi only faith: it is meante theareby: that fayth, or rather truste alone, doth lay hand vpon, vnder­stād and perceyue, our righ­teousmakyng to be geuē [...] [Page] of God freely: that is to say▪ by no desertes of oure own▪ but by the free gra [...]e of the almighti father▪ Moreouer sayth doth engender in vs the loue of our neyghbour▪ and sutch workes as god is pleased wyth all. For if it [...] a liuely & true faith, quik [...] ned by the holy ghost, she is the mother of all good say­inge and doynge. By thy [...] short tale is it euidēt, whēce, and by what meanes we at­tayne to be made righteous For not by the worthynesse of our deseruinges, were we eyther heartofore chosen, or long ago saued: but by the [Page xli] only mercy of god, and pure grace of Christ oure Lorde: whearby we weare in hym made to those good workes, that God hath apointed for vs to walke in. And al­thougheIrewe faithe and works vn­separate▪ good woorkes can not deserue to make vs righ teous before god: yet do thei so cleaue vnto faythe: that neither can fayth be founde without thē, nor good wor­kes be any whear wythout faythe.

I lyke verye well thys shorte declaration of fayth and workes: for Paul playnly teacheth the same. But canst thou yet further [Page] depaint me out that cōgre­gacion, whych thou callest a kingdome or comō weale of Christianes: and so set it out before mine eyes, that it may seuerally and playnly be knowen asonder frō eche other fellowshyppe of men?

I will proue howe well I can do it, your plea­sure is (maister) as I take it, that I point ye out some certaine congregation, that may be seene.

That it is in dede: & so it shal be good for y^• to do.

That congregati­onThe chur­che. is nothing elsse but a cer­tayne multytude of menne: [Page xlii] which, wher soeuer they be, professe the pure & vprighte learning of Christ, and that in such sort, as it is faithful­ly set fourth in the holye te­stamēt, by the Euangelists and Apostles: whiche in al points, are gouerned and ru led by the lawes & statutes of theyr kinge and hye By­shoppe Christe, in the bonde of charity: which vse his ho lye misteryes, that are com­monlie called sacramentes, with such purenesse & sim­plicity (as touchinge theire nature and substaunce) as the Apostles of Christ vsed and left behinde in writing. [Page] The marckes therefore ofMarks of the church this churche are: firste, pure preachyng of the gospel: thē brotherly loue, out of which as members of al one body, springeth good wyl of eche to other: thirdlye vprighte and vncorrupted vse of the Lordes sacraments, accor­dynge to the ordynaunce of the Gospell: laste of all bro­therlye correction, and excō ­munication, or banishynge those out of the church, that wyll not amend their liues. This marcke the holye fa­thers tearmed discipline. This is that same churche, that is grounded vpon the [Page xliii] assured rocke Iesus Christ and vpō trust in hym. This is that same church, which Paul calleth the piller, and vpholding stay of truth. ToKeies to bynde and loose. this church belōg the keies, whearwyth heauen is loc­ked and vnlocked: for that is done by the ministration of the worde: wherunto pro­perly appertayneth the po­wer to bynde and louse: to holde for gylty, and forgiue synnes. So that whosoeuer beleueth the Gospell prea­ched in thys church, he shal be saued: but whoso bele­ueth not, he shal be dāpned.

Now wold I fain [Page] heare thy beliefe of the holy ghost.

I confesse, him to beThe holly Ghost. the thyrd person of the holy trinitie: Andsith be is equal with the father & the sonne, & of the verye same nature, that he ought egally to bee worshipped with thē bothe.

Whi is he called holy?

Not onelye for hysWhy the holy goste is called holy. owne holynesse: but for that by hym are made holye the chosen of God, and mem­bers of Christe. And thear­fore haue the scriptures ter­med him the spirit of sanc­tification or makyng holy.

Wherin consysteth [Page xliiii] thys sanctification?

Fyrste, we be neweWhearin resteth the holy gost [...] sanctifica tion. gotten by his inward moti­on. And therfor, said Christ: we muste be newe borne of water, and of the spirit. Thē by his inspiration are we a­dopted, & as it wer bi choise made the chyldren of God. For whych cause he is not causelesse called the spirit of adoption. By his lyght are we lightened, to vnderstand Gods misteryes. By hys iudgemēt are sinnes pardo­ned and reteined. By his po­wer is the fleshe wyth her lustes kept downe & tamed. Bi his pleasure, ar the ma­nifold [Page] gyftes dealt amonge the holye. Finallye by hys meanes shal our mortal bo­dies be relyued. Therfore in the author of so great gifts, we do not wythout a cause beleue: honor, & cal vpō him▪

Wel, thou hast now said sufficiently of the holly ghost. But thys woulde I heare of thee: why it imme­diatelye foloweth, that we beleue the holye vniuersall churche and the communiō of Sayntes.

These two thinges I haue alwai thoght to be most fitly coupled togither, Because the felowshyppes [Page xlv] and incorporacions of otherCommu­nion of Sainctes. men, procede and be gouer­ned by other meanes & poli­cies: but the church whyche is an assemble of men called to euerlastinge saluacion, is bothe gathered together, & gouerned by the holy ghost of whom we euē now made mention. Which thyng, sith it can not be perceiued bi bo­dily sense or light of nature, is by right and for good rea son, heare reckened amonge thynges that are knowē byWhy the churche is called vni­uersall. beleife. And thearfore thys calling togither of the faith full is called vniuersall, be­cause it is bonde to no one [Page] speciall place. For God tho­rowout al costes of y^• world, hath them that worshyppe hym. Whych thoughe theyCōmuniō of saints. be far scattered a sonder, by diuerse distāce of countries, and dominions: yet ar they members most nearlye ioy­ned of that same bodi, wher­of Christe is the heade: and haue one spirit, fayth, sacra­mētes, prayers, forgiuenesse of sinnes, and heauēly blisse, common among them all: and be so knyt with the bōd of loue, that they e [...]deuour thēselues in nothyng more, than eche to help other, and to build together in Christ.

Seynge thou haste already spokē of the know­ledge of god, and his mem­bers: I woulde also heare▪ what is the true seruyce of God,

Fyrst we must con­sider,Pa [...]tes of godstrew inward ser uice. that the right & trewe knowledge of God, is the principal and onli fundatiō of Gods seruyce. The same knowledge, fear doth foster and mayntayne, whyche in scriptures is called the be­gynnyng of wisedōe. Faith and hope are the proppes and staies, whearupō leane all the rest that I haue re­hearsed. Furthermore, cha­ritie [Page] whych we call loue, is lyke an euerlastyng bonde, by the strayght knot wher­of al other vertues be boūd in one together, and theyr force encreased. These be the inward partes of Gods ser­uice, that is to say, whyche consyst in the mynde.

What hast thou to say of the Sabbat, or the ho ly dai: which euē now thou madest mention of, amonge the lawes of the firste table?

Sabbat is as muchThe Sab­bat. to sai, as rest, It was apoin ted for onlye honoure and seruice of God: and it is a fi­gure of that reast and quiet [Page xlvii] nes, whiche they haue that beleue in Christe. For oure trust in Christ doth set our myndes at liberty, from all slauishe feare of the law, sin, deathe and hel: assuring vs in the meane season, that by him we please God, & that he hath made vs hys chyl­dren and heiers of his king­dome: wherby thear grow­eth in our hartes peace and true quietnes of mind: whi­che is a certayn foretaste of y^• moste blessed quiet, whiche we shall haue in hys kyng­dome. As for those thynges that are vsed to bee done on the sabbothe daye, as Cere­monies, [Page] and exercises in the seruyce of God, they are to­kens and wytnesses of thys assured truste. And mete it is, that faithfull Christiās, on such daies as are apoin­ted oute for holye thynges, shold lay asyde vnholy your kes: and gyue them selues earnestly to religion and ser uynge of God.

What be the parts of that outwarde seruynge God? whyche thou saydest euen now, dyd stand in cer­tain bodily exercises: which are also tokēs of the inward seruinge hym.

Fyrst, to teache, andOutward seruice of God. [Page xlvii] heare the learnynge of the gospel: thē the pure and na­turall vse of the ceremonies and sacramentes: last of all prayer made vnto God by Christe, and in the name of Christ, which without faile obteineth the holly ghoste, the moste assured author of all trew seruynge God, and vpryght religion.

Tell me what thou callest sacramentes?

They are certayneWhat sa­craments are. customeable reuerēt doings and Ceremonyes ordeyned by Christe: that by them he might put vs in remēbrāce of his benefits: & we myght [Page] declare oure profession, that we be of the nomber of thē, which are partakers of the same benefites, and whyche fasten all theyr affiaunce in hym: that we are not asha­med of the name of Christ, or to bee termed Christes Scholers.

Tell me (my sonne) how these two sacramentes be ministred: baptisme: and that whyche Paule calleth the supper of the Lord.

Hym that beleuethThe mini­stracion of baptysme. in Christ: professeth the Ar­ticles of the Christian reli­gion: & myndeth to be bap­tised (I speake nowe of thē [Page xlix] that be growē to ripe yeres of discretion: sith for the yōg babes, theyr parentes or the churches professiō sufficeth) the minister dyppeth in, or washeth with pure & cleane water onlye, in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy ghost: & thē commendeth him by praier to God, in to whose churche he is now openly as it wear enrowled, that it mai please God to graunte hym hys grace, whearhy▪ he may an­swer in belefe and life agre­ablye to his profession.

What is the vse of the Lordes supper?

Euē the very same,The vse of the Lords supper. that was ordayned by the Lord himself Iesus Christ▪ Which (as S. Paul sayeth) y^• same nyghte, that he was betrayed, tooke breade: and when he had geuen than­kes, brake it: & sayde, Thys is my body, which is brokē for you: Do thys in the re­membraūnce of me. In like maner, whē supper was en­ded, he gaue thē the cuppe, sayenge: Thys cuppe is the newe testamēt in my bloud▪ Do thys, as ofte as ye shall drinck thearof, in the remē ­braunce of me. Thys was the maner and order of the [Page l] Lordes supper: whyche we ought to holde & kepe: that the remēbraunce of so great a benefite, the passyon and deathe of Christ, be alwaye kepte in mynde: that, after that the worlde is ended, he may come, and make vs to fit wyth hym at hys owne borde.

What doth baptisme represēt & set befor oureyes?

That we are by theThe mea­ninge of baptisme. spirite of Christ new borne, and cleansed from syn: that we be members and partes of his churche, receiued into the communion of sainctes. For water signifieth the spi [Page] rite. Baptisiue is also a fy­gure of our burial in Christ and that we shall be raysed vp agayne wyth hym, in a newe lyfe, as I haue before declared in Christes resur­rection.

What declareth & betokeneth the supper vnto vs: whych we solemnly vse in the remembraunce of the Lorde▪ The mea­ninge of y^• Lords sup per.

The Supper (as I haue shewed a lytle before) is a certayne thankfull re­membraunce, of the deathe of Christe: for asmuch as the bread representeth his bodi,The bread betrayed to be crucifyed for [Page li] vs: The wyne standeth inThe wyne steade & place of his bloude, plentuouslye shed for vs. And euen as by breade and wyne, oure natural bodies, are susteined and nourished: so by the body, that is y^• flesh & bloude of Christ, the soule is fedde through fayth, and quickened to the heauenlye and godly lyfe.

Howe come these thynges to passe?

Theese thyngesHowe we feede vpō Christes bodye and bloud. come to passe by a certayne secreate meane, and liuelye working of the spirit: when we beleue that Christ hath, ones for all, gyuen vppe his [Page] bodye aud bloude for vs, to make a sacrifice, and moost pleasaūt offring to his hea­uenly father: and also when we cōfesse and acknowledge him oure onlye sauyour, hie Bishoppe, mediatoure, and redemer: to whome is dewe all honour and glory.

All this thou doestFayth the mouthe of the soule. well vnderstande. For me thinketh thy meanynge is: that faith is the mouthe of the soule: whearby we re­ceiue thys verye heauenlye meate, full both of saluatiō and immortalitye, dealt a­mong vs, by the meanes of the holy ghost. Now, sythe [Page lii] we haue entreated of the sa­cramentes, passe forward to the other partes of Gods seruyce.

I will do your cō ­maūdemēt. Thear remaine two thinges, belongyng to the perfection of Gods ser­uice. First our Lord Iesus Christes wil was, that therOffyce of Preachers shoulde be teachers and E­uangelistes, that is to saye preachers of the gospell: to this entent, that hys voyce myght continually be hard soūd in his church. He that coueteth (as all oughte to couet) to beare the name of a Christiane, maye haue no [Page] doubte, that he ought wyth moste earnest affection, and feruēt desyre, endeuour him­selfe, to heare and soke into his mynde, the worde of the Lord: not lyke the words of anye man, but lyke (as it is in dede) the word of almigh tie god. Secōdarily, bicause all that is good, and that ought of a Christian to be desyred, cometh vnto vs frō God, and is by him graun­ted:Prayer. thearefore of hym, we ought to require al things: and by thankesgeuinge ac­knowledge them all recey­ued of him. Which thing he so well liketh, that he este­meth [Page liii] it in stede of a passing pleasauut sacrifice: as it is most euidēt by the witnesse of the prophets & Apostles.

Hast thou any cer­tayne and appoynted ma­ner of prayeng?

Yea forsoth: euen theThe lords prayer. very same, that oure Lorde taught his disciples, and in them all other Christians. Who, beynge on a tyme re­quired to teache them some sort of praier, taughte them this. Whē ye pray, quod he, say: Our father whych art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. Thi kingdom come. Thy will be done in earthe [Page] as it is in heauen. Gyue vs thys day our dayly breade, and forgyue vs our trespas­ses as we forgyue thē that trespasse agaynste vs. And lead vs not into temptaciō: But delyuer vs from euell. For thyne is the kyngdom power & glory for euer. Amē

How thinkest thou [...] is it lawfull for vs, to vse a­ny other wordes of prayer?Whether we maye vse anye o­ther praier but the pa ter noster.

Althoughe in thys short abridgement are suffi­ently conteyned all thinges that euery Christian ought to praye for: yet hathe not Christe in thys prayer tyed vs vp so shorte, as that it [Page] we are not lawfull for vs to vse other woordes and ma­ner of prayer. But he hathe set out in this prayer certain principall poyntes, whear­vnto all our prayers should he referred. But let eche mā aske of God as hys present nede requireth. Whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name (saith Christ) he shall gyue it you.

For as much as there is in all this praier nothing doubtfull or beside the pur­pose: I woulde heare thy mynde of it.

I do well perceyue what y^• wordes do signifie.

Thinkest thou then that there is in it nothynge [...]arcke, nothynge hidde, no­thyng hard to vnderstād?

Nothing at al. ForNothyng in y^• lardes prayer hard to vn derstande. neither was it Christes ple­sure, that there shuld be any thynge in it dareke or farre from our capacity, specyally sithe it belongeth egally to all, and is as necessarye for the lewd as the learned.

Therefore declare vn to me, in fewe woordes, eche parte by it selfe.

When I say oureWhat we gather of our father father which art in heauē: thys do I thincke with my selfe: that it canne not be but [Page lv] that he must heare me, and be pleased wyth my praiers For I am hys Sonne (al­though vnprofitable & diso­bedient) and he on the other side is my moste bountyfull father, moste readye to take pity and pardon me.

Why doste thousaye,What is meant by, whych are in heauen. he is in heauen? is he in sō [...] o [...]e certayne and lymited place in heauen▪ what me [...] ▪ neth that which he sayth of hym selfe: I fyll bothe hea­uen and earthe: agayn, the heauen is my seate and the earthe my footestoole.

Hereof haue I spo­ken, some what before: wher [Page] vnto I wyl ioyne this that foloweth. Fyrst of all, as oft as we do say (which arte in heauen) it is as much to sai, as heauēly and diuine. For we ought to thyncke much hier of our heauenly father thā of our earthly. He is al­so sayde to be in heauen for this cause: that in that hye and heauēly place the n [...] ble and wonderful workes of God, do the more clearly and gloriously shewe them selues: and he is now decla­red to be in euerlasting and full felicity: whereas we a­bide, yet banyshed in earthe full wretchedlye. Moreouer [Page lvi] as the heauen by vnmeasu­rable widnesse of compasse, conteyneth all places, the earthe, and the sea: and no place is thear, that maye be hidde from the large reatch of heauen, sith it is at euery instāt of time, to euery thing present: So hearby may we vnderstād, that god is like­wyse present to eche thyngeGod is ech wheat in eche place. He seeth, hea­reth and gouerneth al thin­ges: he beyng hym self a spi­rite, and moste farre from al earthlye and mortall state. Wytnesse whereof Hieremy the Prophete. Am not I (saythe the Lorde) a God [Page] neare vnto you? and am not I a God farre of? shall anye man be able to shroude hym selfe in suche a corner, that I can not espye hym? This is a pithye sentence, to driue feare into vs, that we offend not that Lorde of so large a dominion: wherby also weGod al­waye pre­sent to helpe vs. are perswaded assuredly to beleue, that God wyll heare whensoeuer we shall stande in nede. For he is at al times and in all places presente, This foundacion then laid: and so sweete and plesaunte entraunce prepared: ther fo­loweth the fyrst parte of the Lordes prayer: wherein we [Page] requyre, that not onlye wee, but also all other who so­euer, maye in holynes, ho­nor, reuerence, and worshyp hys name.

Howe is that to bee done?

I shall shewe you,How god­des name is to be hal lowed. then we do that, when lea­uing all those that haue the name of gods, be thei in hea uen or in earthe, or worship­ped in temples, in dyuerse shapes and images, wee ac­knowledge him alone oure father: Prai to the true god, and Iesus Christ hys onlye sonne, whome he hath sent: and by pure vnfained praier [Page] call vpon him alone, wyth vprightnes of life and inno­cencye.

Thou hast sayd be­rye well proceede.

In the second parteChristes kingdome not yet per fect. we require that hys kynge­dome come. For we see not yet all thynges in subiecti­on to Christe: we see not the stone he wed offrō the moū ­tayne wythoute woorke of mā, which all to brosed and brought to nought y^• image whiche Daniell, desc [...]iueth, that the onlye rocke Christe may obtayn and possesse the dominiō of the hole world, graūted him of his father. [Page lviii] Antichrist is not yet slayne. For thys cause do we longe for, and praye that it may at length come to passe and be fulfylled, that Christe may reign with his sainctes, ac­cordinge to Gods promises: that hee maye lyue and bee Lorde in the worlde, accor­dyngeChristes kingdom. to the decrees of the holye Gospell: not after the traditions and lawes of mē nor pleasure of worldlye ty­rauntes.

God graunte hys kyngdome may come: and that spedilye.

Moreouer sithe it is the chyldrens duty to frame [Page] theyr lyfe too theyr fathers wyll: and not the fathers, to bowe to the childrens plea­sure:Gods will to be done forasmuch as our wyl is [...]ommonly by tickling of affeccions, and stirringe of lustes, drawen to dooe those thynges, that God is disple­sed with: it is reasō, that we hange whollye vppon the b [...]k of our heauēly father, & wholy submit oure selues to his heauenli gouermnēt. Wherefore, for thys cause, we mortall mē do pray, that we maye in like case be obe­dient to his commaūdemēt, as are the sonne and Mone and other sterres in heauen [Page lix] whiche bothe by ordinarye courses, and by lightninge the earthe with vncessaun [...]e beames, execute the Lordes wyll continuallye: Or that we, as the āgels and other spirites▪ diuine, in al pointes obey him: which bestowe al theyr trauayle diligently, to accomplish hys godly com­maundementes. Next after that he teacheth vs, to aske of our heauenly father, our breade: wherby he meanethOur day­ly bread. not meate onlye, but also all thynges elles needefull for maynetenaunce, and preser­uinge of life: that we mayeWhat bread mea neth. learn, that God alone is au­thoure [Page] of al thynges: which maketh the fruytes of the earthe bothe to growe and encrease to plentye. Where­fore it is meete that we c [...]ll vpon hym alone in prayer: which (as Dauid sayth) [...] loue feedeth a [...]d mayntey­neth all thinges.

Some suppose this place to meane, that bread, that Christe maketh men [...] ­on of, in the .vi. of Ihon. That is, of the true knowe­ledge and taste of Christe, that was borne and dyed for vs: wherwyth the faith­full soule is fedde. The reasō wherupon they gather this [Page lx] is the greke woorde epiousion Epiousiō. whereby they vnderstande supernaturall, ghostly, hea­uenlyDaylye breade or superna­turall. and diuine. This mea nynge I refuse not: for both these expositions may fitlye agree with this place: but whi calleth he it daily bred, whiche is also signified by thys worde epiousion.

We aske daily bread,Why wee aske oure bread to be daylye. that myghte be alwayes presente and accompanye vs contynuallye: to slake and satisfye oure thyrstye de­syre, and vnsaciat stomacke: least otherwise, we shuld be, as Christ sayeth, carefull for to morowe: because the mo­rowe [Page] shall care for it selfe.

For it shall come not wyth­out his own discōmoditie & care, Wherfore it is not rea­son, that one day shoulde en­crease the euell of another.

It shall be sufficient for vs, dayly to aske, that our most bountifull father is readye dayly to gyue. Now fo­loweth the fifthe requeste: wherein we beseeche the fa­ther to forgeue vs oure tres­passes and de [...]auts, that we haue committed. This re­quest,Forgyue­nes of trespasses. doutles is veri necessarye: sithe there is no man li­uinge, free from sinne. Here therfore must we cast away [Page lxi] all trust of our selues. Heare must we plucke downe our courage. Here must we prai oure moste mercifull father, for the loue of Iesu Christe hys moste deare and obedy­ent sonne, to pardō, forgeue and vtterly blot oute of hys boke, our innumerable offē ­ces. Heare oughte we in theOur coue­nant with god, as we forgiue. &c meane seasō, to be myndfull of the couenauute we make wyth God: That it maye please God so to forgeue vs our trespaces, as we our sel­ues forgiue theim that tres­passe agaynste vs. Therfore it is necessarye, that we for­gyue and pardone all men, [Page] all theyr offenses, of what sort or condition so euer thei be. If we forgiue men there faultes, our heauenly father shall forgiue vs oures.

Were these thingsCharita­ble for­giuenesse one to and ther cea­seth bram les. (my sonne) thus vsed: thear shuld not, at this daye, thus violentlye reigne, so manye brawles, so many contenti­ons, so many & so haynous disagremēts, eninities and hatreds of one man to ano­ther. But nowe wheras ech man, so stādeth in hys owne conceite, that he wy [...] not les [...] an ynche of hys ryght, ney­ther in honoure or wealthe, it chaunceth ofte that they [Page lxii] lease bothe theyr wealthe,The har­mes of cō ­tencion. theyr honour; and their life it selfe wythal. Yea they put from them selues, and turne awaye the fauoure of God, and euerlasting glory. But thou (my sonne) must not be ignorante of Christes com­maūdemēt: nor of that whi­che Paul techeth, that thouGood not euell to be rēdred for euell. suffer not thy self to be ouer­come of euell, that is suffer not thy selfe fo to be seduced by any other mans offence, as to repay euel for euel, but rather ouercome euell with good. I meane by doing hi good, y^t hath done the euell: by vsing hun frēdly, y^• hath [Page] shewed him self thi most cru [...]ll foe. Now go forward to the sixthe request.

I wyl, with a goodOur weak nesse. will, as you cōmaunde me. Forasmuchas we be feble, weake, subiect to a thousād periles, a M. tēptatiōs, easy to be ouercome, redy to yeld to euerye lyght occasyon, ei­ther to men fraughte wyth malice, or to our owne [...]ste and appetit, or finally [...] crafti malicious serpent [...] deuel: Therefore we beseche oure father, that hee bringeTempta­tion. vs into no such hard [...] and peril: nor leaue vs in the verye plunge of daunger, [Page lxiii] but if it come to that poynt, that hee rather take vs a­waye from the present mys­chief, and engynes of the de­uell, the authoure and prin­cipall cause of all euell, then suffer vs to runne headlong into destruction. Now haue you good Mayster, in fewe woordes, all that you haue taught me, vnlesse paraduē ture, somewhat be ouerslip­ped in the rehearsall.

Because thyne is the kyngdome power and glorye for euer. Amen. Why was it Christes pleasure to knytte vp our prayer, with this clause in the ende,

Partly that we shuldWhi this is added: for thyne is y^• king­dome. &c. declare our assured trust, to obtayne al things, that we before haue required. For there is nothynge whyche, if it be asked with faithe, he is not able or not willing to geue, who ruleth & gouer­neth all thynges, who is a­ble to doo all thynges, who is garnyshed wyth endlesse glorye.

These thynges when we re­hearse, of God oure father, there remaineth no cause to dout, or suspect, that we shal receaue, denyall. Partlye by so saying, we teache our sel­ues, [Page lxiiii] how mete it is, to make our sute to God, sithe besyde hym, none glistreth with so shining glory, none hath do­minion so large, or force so great, to be able to stay him from geuing that he hathe appoynted according to his pleasure, or to take awaye that he hath already geuen vs. And there is no euell of oures so great that may not be put awaye by his excea­dynge greate power, glorye and wysdome.

I like wel (my son) thys thy shorte declaration: and I see nothing left out, [Page] that oughte to haue beene spoken.

But yet thys one thynge wyll I adde thertoFayth in prayer. The chiefe and Princypall thynge, required in prayer, is that without al douting we stedfastli beliue, that god oure father wyll graunte what we do aske: so y^• it bee neyther vnprofytable for vs to receiue, nor vnfyt for him to giue. For hee that is not, assured but doutful, let himWhat to be asked in prayer. not thincke (as Iames. sai­eth) to gette anye thynge at the handes of God.

I se now (my deare sonne) howe diligently and [Page lxv] hedefullye thou hast apply­ed thy mynde, to those thin­ges that I haue taughte y^• howe godlye and vpryghte a iudgemente thou haste of gods true seruice: and of the duites of neighbours one to another. Thys remayneth [...]onest frame of lyfe. that from hensforth thou so frame thy life, that this hea uenly and godli knowledge decai not in the, nor lie soule­lesse and dead, as it were in a tombe of the flesh. But ra­ther see that thou whollye gyue thy self continually & earnestly to these godlie stu­dies. So shalt thou liue, not onlye in this present life, but [Page] also in the life to come▪ whi­che is much better and bles­seder, than thys life present. For Godlines (as Paul sai­eth) hathe a promise, not in thys lyfe onlye, but in the o­ther. It is conuenient ther­fore, that we earnestlye fol­low godlines, which plain­ly openeth the way to hea­uen,Knoledge desier fear & loue of God. if we wyll seke to attain therunto. And the principal poīt of godlines is (as thou hast declared euen now veri well) to know God only: to couet him only as the chefe felicity: to feare him as oure Lord: to loue and reuerence him as our father: with his [Page lxvi] sonne oure sauyoure Iesus Christe. Thys is he y^• hath be gotten and regenerat vs.Christe [...] benefites to vs. This is he which at the be­ginninge, gaue vs life and soule: whiche mainteineth: which blesseth vs with life of euerlasting cōtinuāce. ToGodless­nesse. thys godlynesse is directlye cōtrary godlessnesse. As for supersticion and hipocrisyeSupersti­tion & hip [...] crisie. they counterfet in dede, and resemble it, wher as neuer­thelesse they are most farre different from all true god­linesse: & therfore we ought to auoide theym, as a pesty­lence, as the venime, & most contagious enemyes of our [Page] soul and saluaciō. The next poynt of godlines, is to loueCharitie. eche man, as oure brother, For if God did at the begin­ning create vs al: if he doth fede and gouerne vs: final­ly if he be the cause and au­thor of our dwelling in this wide frame of the world: theThe name of brethrē. name of brother must nedes most fitly agree with vs: & with so muche streyghter bonde, shall we be bound to­gether, as we approche nea­rer to Christ, which is oure brother, y^• fyrst begottē & el­dest: whō he y^• knoweth not, he y^• hath no hold of, is vn­rightous in dede, & hath no [Page lxvii] place amonge the people of God. For Christ is the roote and foundation of al ryght and iustice: & he hathe pou­red into our hartes certaine naturall lessōs, as: Do that (sayeth he) to another, thatThe law of nature. thou woldest haue done vn to thi self. Beware therfore, thou do nothing, to ani mā, that thou thy self wouldest not willinglye suffer. Mea­sure all wayes another by thine own minde, & as thou select in thy selfe. If it greueMeasure another [...] thy selfe. the to suffer iniurye: if thou thincke it wronge that ano­ther man doth to the: iudge likewise the same in the per [Page] son of thy neyghboure that thou fealest in thy selfe: and thou shalte perceiue, that y^• dost no lesse wrongfullye in hurtyng another, thā other do in hurtīg the. Heare if we would stedfastlye fasten our fote: heareunto if we would earnestlye trauaill: we shuld attaine to y^• very hiest top of innocencye. For the firste de­gre therof is to offēd [...]omā: The next to helpe as muchDegrees of chariti. as in vs lieth, al mē: at least to wil & wish wel to al. The third (which is acoūted the cheif and perfectest) is to do good euen to our enemies y^• wrong vs. Let vs therefore [Page lxviii] know our selues: plucke out the faultes that are in vs, & Uices to be rooted out y^• ver­tues maye be planted in theyr place. in their place plāt vertues: like vnto the husbandemen that fyrst vse to shrubbe and roote out y^• thornes, brābles and wedes, oute of their ley land and vnloked to: & then eche wher therin scatter and throw in to the wō [...]e of the earth good & frutfull sedes, to bryng forth good fruite in their dew season. Likewyse let vs do. For first let vs la­boure to rote out froward & corrupt lustes: & afterward plant holy and fit condiciōs for Christian harts. Which, if they be watered, and fat­ted [Page] with the dew of goddes worde, and nourished wyth warmth of the holye ghost, they shall brynge forth dout lesse the most plentifull fruit of immortalitye and blessedThe blysse of the god lye. lyfe: whych God hathe by Christ prepared▪ for his cho­sen, before the foundacyons of the world were layde. To whome▪ bee all honoure and glorye. Amē.