WHere as we ꝑceiued that after we had created mā, ſettinge him in a place of high pleaſure, leuīg him in the councell of his owne handes to choſe whether that he wolde die or not die. And thus beynge a ſpiritual body, after our own ſimilitude coulde not for all this ſtande in the ſame ſtate but abuſinge our celeſtiall giftes, and fel from our precept, neglecting what liberte to him was deliuered, ſo chaunginge him ſelfe from heuenli libertie vnto eternall bondage, in whome we ſe what he was of him ſelfe nothinge but ſinfulnes, refuſing our liberties & fill vnto the fulnes of his owne ſinne. Whom we lamented of oure mere mercy, coūcelling with our ſelfe we wolde not haue him whole loſt, vpō which conſideracion we exiled him our compani, and to liue in the borders of our waſt grounde, takinge him & his as aliantes & ſtraungers vnto vs, exempt from eternal wiſedom and ſo brought to worldly policies. Notwithſtāding as we haue ſaid our petie and clemencie prouided al maner of thinges and comodites for him by the which he might ꝑceiue our potencial power, as wel before towarde him as then. Wherfore vpon cōſideracion of our owne good will we enacted by oure owne councel ſo to prouide & to ſet againe at libertie, the daūgers alſo to take away that mā was fallen in, which coulde not be done but thorow him that was clene & pure without ſinne, for ſinne coulde not take awaye ſinne? but the time we reſerued vnto our owne ſelfe, and at the length to ſtabliſhe and confirme our ſaide act and purpoſe we ſent downe our only begottē ſonne to ꝓclaime oure wil what it was, vnto the which he ſet to his ſeales hanginge vpon the croſſe, giuinge vp his life thorowe moſte painful death, by the whiche the attonement was made betwene man and vs, and ſo our anger was pacified and we haue alſo prepared eternal reſt for mā ſo that after this he wil kepe couenant with vs, and liue in our lawes and ſtatutes that we haue ſet forth by our high court of parliament, both of lordes ſpiritual and temporal to the ſame conſentinge.

¶ We haue enacted in our heuēly court that man ſhall loue vs aboue al thinge with hert, ſoule, & minde, and al the powers he hath, & to haue none other God or goddes but vs, and vs onely to ſerue vpon the paine of euerlaſtinge dampnacion. ¶ We haue enacted alſo by the auctorite aforeſaid that our bleſſed name be not taken in vaine but moſte reuerētly to be had in honor vpon ye paine before reherſed, & vterly of vs forſakē to ye cōfirmaciō wherof our vicegerēt Ieſus Chriſt willeth mā not ſwere at al, but yt his othe ſhalbe yea, yea, nay, nay, for what ſoeuer is more is ſin. Alſo Iames the apoſtle archbiſhop of al Galacia ſayth. Let your yea be yea & your nay be nay, & Salomō to whom we gaue great wiſedō ſo yt many regions wondred ther at, giueth warnīg to great ſwerers & ſayth yt our plage ſhal not depart frō ye houſe of a cuſtomable ſwerer. wherfore who ye offēdeth in this is vtterly of vs forſaken.

¶ Prouided always yf ye ſhalbe required of your faith of any in auctorite to whō ye are doutful or ye obediens to your prīce ſhalbe required of you by othe, & beſydes to teſtifie for ye truth of your neibour ſo much as eqite & iuſtice doth reqire ye maye lawfully take vs to witnes for your faith, & to take vs to witnes for yor obediēs & to iuſtify your neibour in a right cauſe ye may reherſe our name for ſo is it not in vaine the acte before notwithſtandinge.

Furthermore we wilbe worſhipped ye .vii. day, ye mā ſhal giue vs honor & worſhip for ye beneficial kindnes yt we haue done to him, ſeaſing frō al labours that daye both he & al his. ¶ Prouided always wher as nede ſhal reqire as our only ſonne & vicegerent Ieſus Chriſt gaue exāple in healing ye lame mā vpon ye ſabboth day: ſo ye al actes may redoūde vnto our glory lawfully to be vſed ye acte before notwithſtandinge.

¶ Further be it enacted for ye vnite & concorde which we wold ſhuld be betwene our creatures, we will one ſhal do vnto another as he wold be don to. To ye cōfirmaciō of this ſaid act our only ſon & vicegerēt ſaieth, man ſhall praye vnto vs for the forgiuenes of his ſinnes, none otherwiſe then he doth forgiue other Alſo the ſaid Ieſus Chriſt ſaieth: openinge this acte very plainly. Yf ye ſhal forgiue thoſe that hath offē ded you your heuenly father ſhal al ſo remit you your offences he wil al ſo that man ſhal forgiue his mortal enemies, and to bleſſe where as they do curſe. And although the auctoritie of this acte be ſufficient as is before ſpoken yet mā ſhal vnderſtāde our lordes of our ꝑliamēt haue giuē their voice vnto it. And firſt the lord ſecretary Ihon the euangeliſt ſette his hande and writ: Deus caritas eſt. God is charite, who that abideth in charite abideth in God and God in him. And Paule, the lorde chaūceler ſayeth: Yf he could ſpeak with tonges of men or with tonges of angels ſo that he coulde remoue mountaines with his faith. Yf he ſhulde giue his body to be burned without he haue charite it ꝓfiteth nothinge, ſo that in concluſion he doth affirme and ſaieth. Caritas nō querit que ſua ſunt. Charite ſeketh not only his owne but that that longeth to Ieſus Chriſt our only ſōne and Vicegerent, whoſe example we wil mā ſhal folow, ſayeng: Mandatum nouum do vobis, vt diligatis inuicem ſicut dilexi vos. To you I giue a new cōmaundement, that ye loue one another euen as I haue loued you. Alſo mā ſhal vnderſtande, our loue was vnſpeakable towarde him as our lord ſecretary Iohn the euāgeliſt writ. Sic deus dilexit mū dum, vt vnigenitum ſuū daret pro mundum. We had ſuche loue vnto man, that we gaue our welbeloued ſonne for him, that al that beleue in him ſhuld not periſhe, but haue lyfe euerlaſtinge. Wherfore we will by our heuenly cōmaūdemēt that this acte do extende to all creatures one to loue another, for as our lord chā celer Paul ſaith loue is ye fulfilling of ye lawe, & ye cōtrary where loue is not there is not god, & where god is not there is wickednes, and where wickednes is there is dampnacion. ¶ Alſo it is enacted mā ſhalbe obediēt vnto his father & mother in doyng their cōmādemēt, & in ſo doing we made mā a ꝓmiſe yt his life ſhuld be longe vpō ye erth to this we haue cōſtitute kīges & rulers to gouerne the erthe to whō we will haue dewe honor geuē, for we haue ſet them as oure cōmiſſioners vnder vs to execute our will for the whiche we will they be had in reuerens, for the corboratinge of the ſame, our only ſon obeyd them, & alſo gaue cōmaundement yt tribute, tol, & cuſtome ſhulde be giuen vnto them. Alſo lord chanceler Paul ſayth, let euery ſoule ſubmit them ſelues vnto the higher powers & not to obey thē only for fere but for cōſciēs ſake. Moreouer Peter which was ye poore fiſher & toke fyſhe dayly wt his nettes we exalted him to be of ye domeſtical houſholde wt our only ſonne & vicegerent, & ſo boldned his hert & ſprete yt we made him to take mē in ye ſpūal net whoſe faith cōfeſſed yt Chriſt was ye ſon of vs ye liuing god, to yt whiche al ye felowſhip agreed, & for ye which cōfeſſion ſo made by faith he was tranſlated to an high office there made ye ſuꝑuiſer of our church ſpūal, whoſe auctorite is no leſſe toward vs then the lord ſecretary Ihon or the lorde chāceler Paule to be beleued. And this act doth Peter ſuꝑuiſer of our buildinge cōfirme, ſayenge: ſubmit yor ſelues to al maner of ordināces of mē for ye lordes ſake whether it be vnto ye kynge as vnto ye chefe heed, or vnto rulers, as vnto them yt are ſent of him for ye poniſhmēt of euell doers, but for ye praiſe of them yt do well, for ſo is the will of God here mā muſt obey them for our ſake, for ſo willeth Peter ther helpe & ſocour with bodye and goodes to be at the kinges cōmaundement, therfore we wil and by the conſent of our lordes ſpiritual and tēporal, that this acte doth ſtāde in ful ſtrength & vertue. ¶ Prouided alwaies ſo that yf father or mother commaunde any thinge contrarie vnto oure wil, or more then they haue in our cōmiſſion, that then it ſhalbe leful for man to ſaye as Peter ſuperuiſer anſwered the rulers, what time they wold haue put him to ſcilence in confeſſinge and preachinge Ieſus Chriſt & that they had caſt aſyde the ſtone as Peter layed vnto their charge, which was become the head corner ſtone and that ther was no helth in none other, nor no name wherin any ſaluacion ſhuld conſiſt but only our only ſonne and Vicegerent Ieſu Chriſt, boldlye he ſaid howe that he was more bounde to obey God then mā, ſo wol we haue you to ſay, the acte before notwithſtandinge. ¶ Further it is enacted, thou ſhalt not kil. Thou ſhalt not ſtele. Thou ſhalt beare no falſe wytnes againſt thy neighbour. Thou ſhalt not luſt after thy neighbours wyfe. Thou ſhalt not luſt after thy neighbours houſe, lande, ſeruāt, maide, oxe, aſſe, or what ſo euer he hath, to this acte al lordes in heuen both ſpirituall & temporall doth confirme and agre vnto the ſame, and vnto the tranſgreſſours ther longeth dāpnacion. ¶ Alſo we enacted, Curſed is he that maketh any caruen ydol or ymage, whiche we abhorre, (for it is the owrke of mans handes) and curſed is the handes that maketh them to the intent to haue them worſhipped, for we wil no worſhippe ſhalbe giuen vnto them. For we are God al alone & al honor lōgeth vnto vs, who was honored whē we were all alone in our own glory, who is worthy to haue honor, but he yt made al thinge honorable. Therfore as our lorde chāceler Paule ſayth, Soli deo honor et gloria. Honour glory wt al praiſe be vnto vs. It reioiſeth vs to heare mā ſay wt a faythful hert. Tu ſolus dn̄s, tu ſolus ſanctꝰ, tu ſolus altiſſimꝰ. Alſo we knowe that they praiſe vs & laude vs, when they ſay or ſinge wt a faithful herte. Laudamꝰ te, vn̄dicimꝰ, te, adoramꝰ te. The do we laude, ye do we bliſſe, ye do we worſhip, & the do we glorify. Gracias agimꝰ tibi ꝓpt magnā gliam tuā Vnto the giue we thākes for thyne owne great glorye, ſo yt no creature hath any glory to glory in but we, ye which glory cā not be expreſſed with tonges nor yet wt hert, yet we be not ſtrāge therof, but in our houſe ther is many māſiōs prepared for our louing ſubiectes, as chriſt hath declared, & yet notwtſtāding whē ye courſe of ye trāſitory worlde ſhall haue his ende & al thinge cōcluded as we haue decreed what cā any of our creatures ſay, how they dyd attaine to ye ineſtimable ioyes yt they ſhall haue of thē ſelues? no no. Could they bye it by any man̄ of wayes, & to ſay we had no nede of no helpe but of oure owne power cam we hether? no no, they muſt cōfeſſe wt our ambaſſitor Dauid. Nō nobis dn̄e nō nobis, ſed noīe tuo da gliā. Not of vs lord, no not of vs yt we poſſeſſed theſe ioyes, but ye glory muſt redoūde to thy name. as chriſt ſaith, ther is none good but god, ſo wil we yt mā ſhal knowe wtout vs they cā do nothing: for we herd yt our childrē of Iſrael ſayd to Moſes▪ yt tſtey wold ꝑforme & do al yt we had cōmāded. Neuertheles to bringe thē from their owne truſte & holines, & yt they myght knowe & ꝑceyue yt it is we yt worketh all in all thinges: we axed Moſes who ſhuld giue them ſuch a hert. Therfore we wil haue al honour we wilbe praied vnto, we will be truſted vnto, for ther is none to matche with vs, for they are oure creatures and we are their God, ſo is there no gods that hath ani ſuch vertues or graces but onely we. Wherfore we ſtreytly cō maunde by the vertue of this oure ſayd acte that no perſon or perſons do not take any part or parts of our honour from vs, and to giue vnto ydolles or ymage, but to gyue vnto euery creature his honour, as we haue it enacted, vppon the paine of our euerlaſtinge puniſhmēt & dredful indignaciō without redemptiō. ¶ Furthermore we haue enacted by our owne power, and alſo by the conſent of our lordes ſpiritual and temporal, that no man dothe eyther adde or take frō our heuenly lawes otherwiſe then we haue enacted as we our ſelfe haue ſaid vnto Moſes the ſpeaker of our ꝑliamēt what time he receiuid our actes deliuering thoſe ſame vnto the childern of Iſraell. Alſo our vicegerent Ieſus Chriſte ſaieth that man ſhal do the father of heuins wil for I come not ſaieth he to do mine owne will, but his will that hath ſent me. Alſo Iohā the euāgeliſt our ſecretary ſaith: Curſed is he that ſhall adde any thinge vnto that that is written in the miſtery of this lawe, yf any man ſhal adde any thing, God ſhal adde vnto him the plages that are contained in the ſame. Moreouer the ſaid lorde ſecretarye ſayeth, yf any man come vnto you and bringe not this doctrine, receiue him not into your houſes, neither ſalute him, for he that ſaluteth him is partaker of his euel dedes. Furthermore Paule lorde chaunceler ſayeth. Other foū dacion canne no man laye, then that which is laid alredy. The lorde chā celer cōfirmith it more & ſayth yf an āgel ſhuld come frō heuē to declare any other doctrine, he forfendeth to giue no credens, wherfore we wyll that our lawes doth ſtāde in his ful ſtrength & vertue without corrupcion of other doctrine.

¶ Further be it enacted it ſhalbe lawful for al men to haue theſe our lawes ordinances and ſtatutes day lye red in their houſes, as oure captaines of oure armies had both Ioſue and alſo Eſdras, and alſo oure ſpeaker of parliamēt Moſes ſayd. Audi filii Iſrael, declaring to them they ſhulde writ it vpon the poſtes and gates of their houſes, and to haue it in remembrance it ſhulde be boūde vnto their handes and ſo whetted vpō their childrē that none other doctrine ſhuld take place that according as Paule lorde chanceler ſayeth. He wold of one to go before another in ſpiritual knowlege. And Dauid the noble kynge and one of oure chefe ambaſſitours yt brought meſſage of oure godlye pleaſure to come, ſettynge forth alſo what profitablenes was in ye knowlege of our lawe ſayd. Lex dn̄i immaculata conuertens aīas teſtimoniū dn̄i fideli ſapientiam preſtans paruulos. The lawe of the lorde is parfyte, refreſhynge the ſoule, the teſtimony of the lorde is faithful miniſtringe wyſedome vnto the vnlerned, the cōmaū dementes of the Lord are ryght makinge glad the herte, tho thinges whyche God cōmaūdeth are plaine and pure? and they lyghtē the eyes. The feare of the Lorde is pure and holye abydynge for euer, the pleaſures of the Lorde are trewe and ryghte in euerye parte more worthyer to be deſyred then golde and precious ſtones, ſwetter then the honye combe when it droppeth.

Thys ambaſſitour kynge Dauid was in aſſurauns he neuer fel after he had our holye and heuenly lawe in his hert where as he ſaid. Lucerna pedibus meis, verbum tuum domine, et lumen ſemitis meis.

O Lord thy worde is a lanterne vnto my fete, and alſo a light vnto my pathes. And more ouer he ſaid. Iuraui et ſtatui cuſtodiri iudicia iuſticie tue. I haue ſworne euen in the botome of my hert and ſhal ꝑforme it to kepe thy iuſte pleaſures. So that in euery place this faithful Dauid profeſſed our lawe to be of wonders efficacy ſtrengthe and vertue, that in maner he dyd wonder at thē, and with a great vehemency ſpake. Mirabilia tua domine &c. Meruelous are thy teſtimonies, wherfore my ſoule obſerueth them, to come but to the dore of thy ſcripture lighteneth and giueth vnderſtandynge to the vnlearned. This was he of whome we ſayde we haue choſen a mā euen to our owne hert. Furthermore our ſecretary Iohn the euangeliſt at the entringe firſt into hys office ſayd. In the beginninge was the worde and the worde was wyth God, & God was the worde, ſo that by his auctorite who ſo euer receiueth our lawe receiueth vs, and the contrary who ſo receiueth not oure lawe, receiueth not vs. Wherfore man ſhal vnderſtande, it is our wil & godly pleaſure to haue our moſte ſacred worde to go forth whiche is the comforte for man to guyde hys whole lyfe with all, and it was full auctoriſed by our only ſonne & Vicegerent Ieſus Chriſte whiche dyd performe the conſummacion of our ſayd lawe, but we wil by the vertue of this ſaid acte, that any perſon or ꝑſons do not onely receiue this our law carnally but we wil it ſhalbe receyued ſpiritually, or els as Peter the maiſter of our buildinges ſayth it ſhulde be better yf they had neuer aknowen it.

¶ Prouided alwayes that yf any perſon or perſons do not accōpliſhe and fulfyl this our ſayd lawe, that then it ſhalbe leful for hym or them to ſaye with our faithfull ambaſſitour Dauid peccaui or peccauimus cū patribꝰ nr̄is. Iniuſte egimꝰ iniqi tatem fecimus. I haue ſinned or we haue ſinned with our fathers we haue lyued & walked ſinfully, & haue done iniquite, ſo that yf we ſhal perceyue amendement of lyfe be had amonge men that then we wyll euen fatherly accepte their hertes for the ſayd confeſſions ſake & ſpūall myndes the act before notwithſtādinge. ¶ Further be it enacted that euery perſon or perſons which murmure or groge yt this our ſayd lawe ſhuld proſecute for mannes conſolacion, we abiecte clene our heuēly regimēt to euerlaſting punyſhment, & euery perſon or perſons that be tranſgreſſours of oure ſayd lawes, and be in minde to cōtinue ſtyl in ſuch rebellious life, ſhal haue like puniſhmēt & be wiped clene out of ye boke of lyfe. ¶ Prouided alwayes we wold mā ſhuld knowe our pardon is incōparable ſo that men wilbe obedient & reconſiled vnto our lawe, when ſo euer our grace is offerde. For we wil not the death of no ſynner, yf he wil cōuert & turne, we wil turne to hym againe & wyl thinke nomore on his diſobediēs, his ſinnes ſhal paſſe frō our ſyght as corrupt water that is put into a faire running ryuer. So yt we wyl mā ſhall lay ful holde truſtyng hole to ye reſtituciō yt we haue by our owne ſōne & vicegerent ꝓuided for hī which is ye painful paſſiō yt our ſōne dyd ſuffer in whoſe blode we be moued to mercy, when ſo euer mā by fayth layeth the ſame before vs. Clerelye as we ſayde before (of the ſynnes that man hathe done) to thinke no more on them, that act before notwithſtandinge.

¶ Further be it enacted our Beatitude ſhalbe vpon almen, that ſhall with a willynge herte do or conſent to obſerue and do all that we haue cōmaunded, their catel, their corne, with al other their ſubſtance, ſhalbe multiplied and encreaſed. And contrary euery perſon or perſons that with a grudgynge hert do not or at the leaſt conſent vnto al that we haue cōmaunded to the vttermooſt of their powers, that then let them be ſure that oure moſte godly encreaſe ſhalbe withdrawen from them, for curſed ſhal they be, their corne, their catel, with al other their ſubſtance. ¶ Prouided alwayes, it ſhalbe mete for vs to take oure pleaſure aboue al other. And where as we dyd permyt ſathan to tempt oure onelye ſonne and Vicegerent Ieſus Chriſt And alſo in lyke caſe oure faythfull ſeruāt Iob, to be tried by aduerſite. It ſhalbe vnderſtande many times we be ſo minded to proue our faithfull, & to withdrawe vaine thinges frō them to bring them to the knowlege of more parfiter gyftes. For it is our nature diuers times to ſet vp and after to pul downe many times we exalt the wicked to drowne them hole in their lubricite. For of al creatures, we know the intent of the creaciō, we are as the potter that maye do what him lyſt with the lumpe of claye when he hath it in his hādes, to make it a veſſell of honoure or a veſſel of diſhonour, and yet we wyll not be reſoned with al for the cauſe, but we wyl man ſhal aplye his hole wil vnto our will, and to ſaye wyth our only ſonne and Vicegerent Ieſus Chriſt. Fiat voluntas tua. Not our wylles, but this thy wyll in all thinges maye be done. For thy wyll is holy and is a wyll that can not alter and chaunge, vnto the which all creatures in heauen, earth, and hell muſte obeye. Yf man ſhall thus obedientlye proſtrate his whole herte vnto oure correction. Whether it be in loſſe of goodes ſycknes or any other aduerſities, what ſo euer it ſhall pleaſe vs to touche man with all. That then man ſhall be ſure we wyll ſo vſe hym at length, he ſhal not be tempted aboue that he is able to beare. And as our lorde chanceler Paule ſayeth. Who ſo euer doth put their truſte in vs ſhall not be confounded. And oure ambaſſitour kynge Dauid ſayeth. Multi tribulationes iuſtorum, et de omnibus hiis liberauit eum dominus. Vnto the iuſte happeneth many tribulacions, but the lorde deliuereth them from all. Therfore we wyll man ſhalbe faythful in temptacion yea and to gyue vp hys hole lyfe into our handes, and to feare nothing that ſhall come of vs, what ſo euer ſhalbe layed to his charge but to remember that in all thinge we ſeke his profyte, yea thoughe that we take his temporall lyfe from hym in the whiche we wyll be glorifyed, and glorifie him agayne. For as it is ſayd. Precioſa in conſpectu domini, mors ſanctorum eius. That is the death of the faithful is precious in our ſyght we wyl man ſhall take no paines for our pleaſure but that we wyl double recompens agayne. For our only ſonne and vicegerent hath ſayd. Beati qui lugent. Beati qui perſecuntur &c. Bleſſed are they that mourne for they ſhalbe comforted, bleſſed are they that ſuffer ꝑſecucion for righteouſnes ſake for thers is ye kingdome of god, bleſſed are you when men ſhall reuile you & perſecute you, & falſly ſaye al maner of euyl ſaynges againſt you for my names ſake. Reioyce & be glad for great is your rewarde in heuen. what may be more ſayd, what thing can we more promiſe, wherfore mā ſhall vnderſtande in all thynges we wyll that man ſhalbe obedient and confirmable vnto our will and godly pleaſure, the acte before notwithſtandynge.

¶ Alſo we haue enacted that euery perſon or perſons ſhal vnderſtande that neuer after this we ſhall alter or chaunge any parte or partes of that we haue inacted but as our Vicegerent ſayeth. Heuen & earth ſhal alter, but our worde ſhall not alter, for our word is our owne ſelfe, and we are not chaungeable in our ſelfe we are omnipotēt, wtout beginning wtout endinge, holieſt of al holieſt, ſo fixed & knet in euerlaſtinge truth that al that we haue ſaid can not alter nor be vndone, but euermore to ſtande. Wherfore by vertue of this ſaid acte we wyl that none other of oure terreſtriall creatures ſhall in their counſel or councelles, inueye or ſuppreſſe any parte or partes of that that we haue ſayde or enacted, but that euery perſon or perſons in al their councels ſhal haue proſpect to our lawes groundynge them ſelues on our foūdacion that we haue layed. For we knowe our ſelfe to be as wyſe as they in al thinges, what was mete and what was vnmete, whoſe lawes alſo be ſanctifyed by our lawes if they be conſonant, and whoſe lawes alſo be acurſed by our lawes, yf they be contrarye, ſo that with what meaſure ſo euer is delyuered, the ſame ſhalbe delyuered agayne yet by our law, althinge ſhal be iuſtly iuged.

¶ Be it knowen therfore that thys is the fyrſte and the laſt parliament that we haue or wyll to enacte oure lawes for euermore. And when the tyme ſhall come (as we haue it appointed) to cal kinges & emperours with all other potentates before vs to render accompt before vs for the executinge of oure wyll and lawes whether they haue bene done worthelye or vnworthelye before vs it ſhal appere, and thoſe that we haue founde faythfull and truſty we ſhal deliuer them from the daungers of the lawe to raigne wyth vs euerlaſtinge. And againe the tranſgreſſours or malefactours of the ſame, ſhal fal into euerlaſting curſe of the lawe, which is dampnacion for euer more.