Of God.

Fyrst the holy Wrytin­ges of the bible teache vs y^t there is one God almightye,Deut. vi. i. Tim. ii. Gen. xvii Exod. xv. Gene. i. Psal. c. iii and .x. Exod. iii. Iere. ix. Roma. ix. i. Lozin. xii. that hath neither beginning nor ēding whiche of his owne good­nes did create al thinges, of whō all thinges procede, & without whome there is nothinge, which is rightuous and mercifull, and whiche worketh al thinges in al after his wyll, of whome it may not bee demaunded wherfore he doth this or that.

The creacion of man.

Then that this very God did create Adam the fyrst man after his owne Image & similytude,Esay. xiv and. liiii. Iere. x. & xviii. and dyd ordeyne and appoynte [Page]him lorde of all the creatures in the earth.

Synne.

Whiche Adam by the enuy of the deuell,Sapi. ii. Roma. v. disobeying the commaundement of his maker, did fyrst synne & brought sinne into this world, such & so great that we which be sprong of him after the fleshe, are subdued vnto sin­ne, death, & dampnaciō, brought vnder the yoke and tiranny of the deuell.Ephe. ii.

Chryst was promysed.

And further that Chryst Ie­sus was promysed of God the fa­ther,Genes. iii xii. xvii. & xxviii. to be a sauyour to this Adā Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Dauid & the other fathers, which shulde delyuer them from their sinnes & tirannye of the deuell, that with a quycke & lyuynge faythwolde [Page]beleue this promis and trust of this Iesus Christ, hoping too haue this delyueraunce of and by him. And truely this promes is very oft rehearsed in the boo­kes of the olde testament, yea, & the olde Testament is this pro­mys, as it is called the newe, whiche teacheth that this pro­mys is fulfylled.

The lawe.

And that in the meane ceason whyle the fathers loked for sal­uation and delyueraunce promised, because mās nature is suche that he not onely can not,Exod. xx. and. xix. but also wyll not cōfesse hymselfe to be a sinner, and specially suche a Sinner that hath neade of the sauinge health promysed,Rom. v. the Lawe was geuen wherthrough men might knowe synne & that they are sinners, when they se that they do none of the thinges [Page]that the law biddeth or cōmaundeth them, with so glad and wyl­lynge a mynde as God requireth but rather agaynst their wylles, without affection, & as though they were constrayned wyth the feare of that hel whiche the lawe threateneth sayinge, cursed bee he that mainteineth not all the wordes of this lawe to kepe thē. And that this law was geuen to the intent that synne & the ma­lyce of mens hartes beinge the­reby the better knowen, men shulde the more feruently thryst after the comminge of Chryst,Deut. 27 Gal. iii. i. corin. i. whiche shulde redeame thē from their synnes. As it was figured vnto the Iewes, by manye cere­monies, hostes & sacrifices, wich were ordeyned of GOD not to the intēt to take awaye sinnes,Heb. xii. but to shewe and declare that he shulde be put awaye by fayth inIoan. i. [Page]the saluaciō promysed thorowe Christ, and whiche nowe be put awaye by the comminge of that Christ, whiche is the very hoost of the father, that taketh awaye all synne.

The comming of Christ.Luke. ii.

Last of all by the bookes of y^e newe testamēt,Gal. iiii. Ephe. i. Roma. v. T [...]um. [...]. Ephe. ii. Roma. v. Ioan. i. we are taught that Christ whiche was promy­sed and shadowed in the olde Te­stament, is sent of the father, at such tyme as he had determined with hym selfe, at suche tyme (I saye) as all wickednes florished. And that he was sent not for ani mans good workes (for they all were synners) but to the intent that he wolde truely shew the haboundaunt ryches of hys grace,Esay. iiii i. Iohn. ii ii. peter. i. Hebr. ii. whiche he had promised.

The lambe of God.

In the newe testament therfore [Page]it is moost euid entlye decla­red, that Iesus Christ the true Lambe and hoste, is come to the [...]arent to reconcile vs to the fa­ther, paying on the crosse the punyshment due vnto oure sinnes, and to delyuer vs from the bon­dage of the deliell (vnto whome we serued through synne) and to make vs the sonnes of God, syth he hath geuen vs the true peace and tranquilitie of con­science,Rom. v. Iohn. iii. and. vi. that we no longer doo feare the paynes of hell, whiche feare is put awaye bi the fayth, confidence and assuraunce, that the father geueth vs drawynge vs vnto hys sōne. For that faith is the gift of God, whereby we beleue that Christ is come into this worlde to saue sinners, whiche is of so great pyth, that they whiche haue it, desire to perfourme all the duties of loue [Page]to all men, after the example of chryst.

The holyghoost.

For fayth ones receyued,i. corin. i. and. v. God geueth his holyghost, wherwith he tokeneth and marketh al that beleue,Ephesi. i. wich is the pledge and erneste, that we shal surely possesse euerlasting lyfe, and that geueth witnes vnto our spirite,Rom. viii and. v. & graf­teth this fayth in vs, that we be the sonnes of God, pouring therwith y^t loue in our hartes which Paule describeth & setteth out to the corinthians.i, cor. xiii. By y^t fayth and confidence in Chryst,Galo. v. wiche by loue is mightie in operacion, and that shewed it selfe thorowe the workes of loue, stering men therto, but that Isay we are Iustified, y^t is, by y^t fayth, Chrystes father (which is become ours al­so thorowe that Chryst our bro­ther)H [...]br. [...] [Page]counteth vs for rightuous & for his sonnes,Citn. ii. imputing not our sinnes vnto vs thorow his grace.

Good workes.

To conclude, he came to the intent y^e we beyng clensed from our wicked & abhominable sinne and sanctified vnto God the father y^t is halowed vnto the vse of y^e father to exercise good workes, & forsaking y^e workes of y^e fleashe, shulde feelye serue in rightuous­nes and holynes al our lyfe lon­ge,Luke. i. Ephe. ii. thorowe good workes which God hath ordeyned to the intent y^t we shulde walke in them, declaring our selues therby to be surely casted vnto this grace, wyche woorkes who so euer hath not, declareth that he hath not fayth in Christ.

Christ our master:

Vnto whome we must come,Mat. xxi. and .xxiii. Iohn. 18. Ephe .v. i. Pet. ii. Hebr. iiii. i. Tim. ii. Hebr. xii. i. Iohn. ii Roma. vi Ion. xiiii Heb. iiii. and folow him with a cherefull harte, that he may instructe and teache vs, for he is oure maister meke & humble of hart he is our exāple of whome we must learne y^e rule of good liuing, further he is our priest, hye bishop & onely me­diatour whiche nowe sitteth on the right hāde of GOD y^e father, he is oure aduocate, & prayeth eue [...] for vs, whiche will vndoub­tedly obteyne what soeuer we desyre enther of hym or of his fa­ther in his name,i. Tim. i. Mat. xi. If we beleue that he wyll do it, for so hath he promised. Let vs therfore not doubte although we somtime sinne, with a confidence to comme vnto hym, and wyth a lyuinge and vndoubting fayth that we shal obteyne mercy. For therfore came he to thyntent to saue sin­ners, neyther requireth he anye [Page]thynge more of vs,i. Tess. ii. then to come vnto him without feare.

This is y^t Christ Iesus, whiche after he hath kylled the name of sinne w^t the breth of his mouth, shall sitte in his Maiestie & Iudge all men geuynge vnto euery one y^e woorkes of his bodi accor­ding to y^t he hath done,ii. Cor. v. i. cor. v. Mat. xxv whether it be good or bad, & y^t shall say vnto thē y^t shalbe on hys rigthand. Come ye blessed chyldren of my father inheret ye the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde,i. cor. v. And vnto thē that shalbe on his lyft hande, de­parte frome me ye cursed into e­uerlastyng fyre, whiche is prepared for the deuell & his aungels.ii. Pet. i. Then shall the ende come, and he shall delyuer vp the kingdome to God the father.

To the intent that we shulde knowe this, by the goodnes of [Page]God, working by his holi spirite: are the holy wrytings of the byble geuen vs,Ion. xvii and xx. Tha [...] we shulde know (I say) and beleue y^t there is ou [...] God, & Iesus Christe whome he hath sent & y^t in beleuyng we shulde haue euerlasting lyfe thorow his name.i. cor. iii. An other foundacion then this can no man haue, & saincte Paule desireth that he beholden a cursed that prea­cheth any other fayth and saluacyon thē onely by Iesus christ,Gal. iii. yea although it were an aungell of heauen. For of him, & thorow hym,Roma. [...] and for him are all thinges to whome, with the father & the holyghost, be honour and glory foreuermore. Amen.

Thre thynges are nedeful & expediēt for a mā to knowe to his saluacion, after that hee is ones come to lawfull or reasonable age and vnderstanding.

Fyrst.

A Man must knowe what he ought to doo, and what he ought to leaue, to the intente that he may knowe whiche is good and do the same, and that he also may know whi­che is euell, and leaue the same. And this do the .x. commaunde­mentes of God teache hym, cal­led the lawe geuen by Moses.

Secondly.

When a man doth ones fele that he of hys owne strength, and power, is not able to doo or to leaue these thynges without the helpe of God (for the fleshe as it is written to the Romaynes, can not fulfyl the Lawe) that he maye knowe where & by whome he may obteyne helpe, comforte, remedye and grace, for too ful­fyll the lawe. For she muste bee all fulfylled so that ther may not be one Iote or tytle vnfulfilled. [Page]And this theacheth hym the holi christen belefe or Crede. And fy­nallye, when a man perceyueth his belefe or fayth (in whiche all dependeth and consysteth, to bee feable and weake, that then he may knowe where & by whome he may take his refuge to bee holpen and strenghtened therein.

And this teacheth hym the prayer of our lorde Iesus Christ.

COncernynge the before named first article,Exod. xix sayncte

Paule to the Romaynes in the .iii. chap. sayth on this wyse,Roma. iii By the lawe (sayth he) commeth but the knowledge of synne. Therfore because that no man shulde boaste and baunte hym selfe of his vertue and holynes, but rather with al humilitie low lynes and mekenes, knowledge and confesse with the publicane, howe wretched synfull and my­serably [Page]he is. I do therfore particularly declare & set before al mēseyes, the .x. cōmaundementes of our Lorde God almighty geuen vnto Moses in two Tables made of stone,Antiqui. liori. r. [...]ha. 6. whereof y^e euerye table (as Iosephus describeth) particularly cōteyneth fyue commaun­dementes, In or by the whiche two tables (as it were in a cleare mirrour or glasse) euery mā may most easely see, fele and perceaue the whole estate of his harte.

THe fyrst cōmaundement of the fyrst table,Iere. v. teacheth feare, loue, fayth, hope, & sure confidence & trust in God aboue all thynges, and foundeth thus.

I am the Lorde thy God whyche haue brought the out of the lande of Egypt frō the house of bondage,Exo. xx. a and .liii. e thou shalt haue no­ne other Goddes in my sight.

That is.

Thou shalt ouely praye in spi­rite, [Page]& veritie vnto god y^e creatour ruler, & preseruer of all thynges. Thou shalte loue the same Lorde God wyth al thy harte,Mark. xii Deut. vi. and xxx.v wyth all thy soule, wyth all thy mynde, wyth all thy strēgth. Thou shalt put thy trust, fayth, hope & confidence in him onely. Thou shalte loue him aboue althinges, Thou shalt feare him & serue him onely w^t al thi harte, w^t al thi minde &c. Now where as I do heare saye, serue him onely, ye may not vn­derstande but y^e seruauntes are bounde to serue their masters, & subiectes heir superiour powers and such lyke, w^t al due reuerēce

Agaynst this commaundement do.

Al they whiche put their trust conforte refuge, confidence and mooste speciall succour and hope more in any creatures (how ho­ly soeuer they be) thē in God the [Page]father almightie, through his only and derely beloued sonne Iesus Chryst our lorde.

The second cōmaundement teacheth an in warde beholding of the inuisible thinges of God (y^t is his euerlastyng power & God head) by the meditacion, behol­ding and consideringe of the vi­sible thinges,Reg. v. Rom. i. made and created by the infinite power of God, and soundeth thus.

Thou shalte make y^t no grauē ymage nor any symylitude,Exo. xx. [...] Leuit. xvi neyther of it that is aboue in h auen, nor of it that is beneth vppō the earth, nor of it y^t is in the water vnder the earth, worship thē not, nor serue them not, for I the lorde thy God am a gelous God visitinge y^e sinne of y^e fathers vppō y^e chyldrē vnto the thirde & fourth generacyō of thē that hate me, And do mercy vppō many thousandes, that loue me [Page]& kepe my commaundementes.

That is.

The lorde God forbiddeth not the makinge of Images or symylytudes so farre fourth as they beno [...] abused. But he doth forbidde the Idolatry, supersti­cion and false relygion whiche these folyshe, braynles, frātyke and mad people haue vsed & yet in many places (God amend it) do vse in runnyng and gadding with thē by the streates bearing them on their shulders, roarynge & cryinge lyke madde people, & lyke Turkes heathen & in fidels (whiche knowe not GOD in dede) in settinge thē in their churches, houses and els where, in lighting of candelstapers & kneling and crouching before them in gylting and arraying of thē wich veluet, sylke, &c. sufferinge [Page]in the meane ceason our euen Christen to perish for colde & for lacke of succour.Ion. v. Sayn [...]t Iohn also reprēhendeth them saying, Babes kepe youre selues frome Images or symylitudes.

Lykewise the Prophet Esay sayeth.Ezay. 4 [...] GOD (sayth he) is ge­lous, he wyll geue his Power to none other, neyther his honour to the Gods.

Agaynst this commaunde­ment do.

All they of whome the Pro­phet Ieremy wryteth in diuer [...]e places,Ieremy. i and .iii. they (Isay) whiche for­sake and leaue God and ronne heare and there to Images and Symylitudes made of stone, wodde golde & syluer, for to ob­teyne comforte helpe,Sapi. 1 [...] & remedy Neyther are they ashamed to speake wyth hym that his with­out [Page]soule, and to call for health vnto him that hath no myght, & call for lyfe vnto the deade.

THe thyrd cōmaundement teacheth to extolle,Le [...]it. xix eccl. xxiii psal. 11. r Hester. 1 r Dan. 2. r Deut. v. Le [...]it. 24 laude prayse and with all reuerence to magnifye the moost blessed na­me of God, and soundeth thus.

That is.

Thou shalt in no wise sweare nor curse,Leu. xix. b Math. v. Iacob. v. Psalm. lxxiiii. cxiiii. [...]xv but thy saying shalbe yea, yea, and no, no. Feare and tremble when thou namest the same. And be not ashamed to cō ­fesse y^e same name before mē, but laude, prayse, blesse & cal vppō y^e same moost holy name. If y^u art in daunger or in any nede take your refuge to the same name of [Page]the almightie God, as to a moost sure ancker.

Agaynst this commaundemēt do all they whiche for a light matter,eccl. xxiii leui. xxiiii i. corin. vi do name the same moost holye name of God, Curse, sweare and blaspheme by the same, in sicknes or aduersitie. And they also, whiche vse the same name to sorcery or witchcraft. And they whiche attribute, reken or accompte all honour vnto them selues,

Furthermore all they y^t take God to witnes in a false matter. And they whiche do not stedfast­ly trust and beleue to bee true all that whiche God hath spoken & taught. Or thy whiche eyther do heare or se the same moost ho­ly name dispysed and dishonou­red,Hebr. vi. & do not withstand the same to the vtter must of their power. But to sweare in a iust cause to [Page]gods honour, and to the proffit of thy neighbour, beyng therto required by the iustice or officer, is not forbidden here.

THe fourth Commaundemēt teacheth to haue a quyet harte in God,Mat. xii. i. cor. x. Roma. x. ezay. lvii exod. xx.b & .xxiii.b. ceasing frō al bodely labour, & soundeth thus.

That is.

Sease from al bodely labour and trauayle, and frome sinne. and do good restyng in God hea­ring his worde, & seke rightuous­nes before thyne eyes al the da­yes of thy lyfe, sufferinge him to worke thy health and saluacion through Iesus Christ, and rest in hym.

Syxe dayes mayest thou labour and do al y^t thou haste to do But y^e seuēth daye is y^e Sabboth [Page]of the lorde thy God, in it thou shalte do no maner of worke, neither thou nor thy sonne, nor thy doughter nor thy seruaunt, neyther thy cattell, neyther yet the straunger that is within thy ga­tes. For in sixe dayes the lorde made heauen and earth, and the sea, and al that in them is, and rested the seuenth daye. Wherfore the lorde blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it.

Chryst sayd,Mat. xii [...] and .xii. Ezay. lvi. it is l [...]full to do good on the Sabboth daye. Therfore the sonne of man is lorde euen of the Sabboth daye The lorde sayth by his prophet, kepe equitie and do ryght. &c.

Blessed is the mā that doth this, and the mannes chylde whiche kepeth the same.

He that taketh hede that he vnhalowe not the Sabboth (y^t is) if thou kepe thi selfe y^t thou do [Page]not euell for to vnhallowe the Sabboth, but to fulfyl my couenaunt (sayth the lord (then shalt thou be called too the pleasaunt holy and glorious Sabboth of the lorde. Where thou shalt be in honour, so that thou do not after thyne owne Imaginacion, neyther seke thyne owne wyll, nor speake thyne owne wordes,Hebr. xiii. Let vs feare therfore (sayth Sainct Paule) leaste anye manne for­saking the promes of enteringe this rest, shulde seme at any ty­me to haue bene disapoynted. For to vs is declared the Gospel, as wel as to thē. But it profyted not thē y^t they hearde the worde.

Because they that hearde it, coupled it not with faith, For we whiche haue beleued, do enter into this rest &c. That is to sai, into eternal life, which christ y^e lord of y^e Sabboth hath obteined for vs.

Agaynst this cōmaundemēt do all they whiche vppon the sondaye, yea at all tymes when they can or maye, do not heare gods word, for to be taught and instructed by the same. And thei whiche onelye trust vppō theyr owne wisdome. They which at­tribute their good workes (in case thei haue any) to them selues, and not to God. Also they which spende and consume their time, vppon Sondayes and other da­yes in slouthfulnes, in drinking dronke in vayne talke in dicing carding, gaming, fighting, da­uncing & suche lyke wickednes abusynge the day and tyme, As by experiēce dayly may be sene, at fayrs, assemblies, bankettes and feastes,Esay. v. where as menne haue greate delyte in harpes, re­beckes, fiddels, tabrets, flutes pipes & muche drinkinge, but the [Page]poore are litle remembred or re­garded. And spēd and wast thus their time in al disorder & vngodly liuyng, wher as they ought on such dayes moost of al to hear Gods word, to distribute their almes to y^e poore, to visit the sicke, to prayse and thanke god and so confesse and bewayle their syn­nes whiche they all the weke before haue committed.

THe first cōmaundement teacheth to be subiect & obedient vnto our elders,Deut. xxi: geue. ix. Eccle. iii. as fa­thers & mothers and superiour powers wyth all humilitie and lowlynes,i. Tit. iii. alwayes in the feare of god, and soundeth thus.

That is.

Honour thy father & thy mo­therEccle. vii [Page]frome the whole harte, & for­get not the sorowfull trauayle that thy mother had with the, re­membre that thou wast borne thorow them, & how canst y^u recō ­pence them the thinges that thei haue done for the?Ephe .v. Mat .xv. Mar .vii. Saynct Paule sayth, honour thy father and thy mother. this is the first com­maundement that hath any promes, that thou mayst be in good estate, and lyue long vppon the earth. By this commaundemēte Christe teacheth vs not onely to haue our f [...]ther, and mother in reuerence, and to obey them, but also to minister vnto their neces­sitie. The chyldren of wisdome are,Eccle. iii. a congregacyon of the righ­tuous. and their exercise is obe­dience and loue.

Heare me youre father (o my deare chyldren) and do therafter, that ye may be safe. For the lord [Page]will haue the father honoured of the chyldrē, and loke what a mo­ther commaundeth hir children to do, he wyll haue it kept. Who so honoureth his father, shall haue ioye of hys owne chyldren, And whan he maketh his prayer he shalbe heard. He that honou­reth his father, shal haue a longe lyfe, and he that is obedient for the lordes sake, his mother shall haue ioye of hym.

He that feareth the lorde, ho­noureth his father and mother, & doth thē seruice as it were to the lorde hym selfe Honour thy fa­ther, in dede, in worde, and in all pacience, that thou mayest haue hys blessyng. For the blessyng of the father buyldeth the houses of the chyldren, but the Mo­thers curse roteth out the foun­dacions, He that forsaketh hys father, shall come to shame, and [Page]he that defieth his mother, is cursed of god. My sonne perfourme thy workes w^t louing mekenes, so shalt thou be loued aboue o­ther, men, & shalte fynde fauoure in the sight of God. Honour the elders that haue cure of soules, as pastoures Curates, Priestes, Scolemasters, declarers & prea­chers of Gods worde, yea thou shalte honour them with double honour, that is, we ought not o­nely to be obedient vnto their doctrine and learning, but we are a so bound to finde them bodely foode, sustenaunce and all other necessaries.

The scripture sayth,Deut. 25 r Mat. x. a thou shalte not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne, And the labourer is wor­thy of his rewarde.

Submyt your selues also vnto y^e higher powers as Empe­rour,i. cor. ix. b [Page]Kinges princes and rulers,Hebr. xiii. Rom. xiii a. and. b. and gyue suche tribute, tolle, custome and honoure as is due too thē, And in lyke case to thy lorde or lady, master or mastres, alwayes with the feare of God.

Agaynst this cōmaundemēt do.Eccle .iii. All they whiche are ashamed of their elders in their pouertie & nede, or they whiche angre them vexe them, curse them murmur, grudde, or are rebels against thē. Furthermore they whiche slaunder and blame the ministers of Gods worde.

Item all they whiche make any tumulte,i. Pei. iii. Leuit. xix Eccl. viii i. Tim. va ii. Reg. iii Gene. iiii Rom. xii. dissenciō or debate agaynst the superiours, yea al­though they wer wicked.

They whiche wyll not obey their Master & Mastres. They whiche wyll not ryse vp before a graye heade, nor gyue reuerēce vnto the aged.

The sixth commaundement teacheth peace, vnitie and quiet­nes euery man whether it be frē de or foo, and soundeth thus.

That is.

Thou shalt beare no rancour enuy or malice in thi harte,i. Pet. ii. thou shalte not chyde fight, scorne nor mock with any man.

Thou shalt not bakbite neyther desier to be auenged. Wyll & wysh them good that do euell. Blesse them that curse you.Matth. v Be not hynderfull to any man in woorde, thought, or dede, y^t you may be parfecte chyldrē of your father whiche is in heauen. For he maketh the Sunne too ryse both on the euell & on the good. & sendeth hys rayne on the iust, & on the vn [...] ▪ H [...] that loueth [Page]not his brother, abideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a murtherer. &c.

Agaynst this commaunde­ment do all they whiche a venge one euell with an other.i. Pet .iii. Whiche are wroth, & angrye wyth their neighbours, Whiche threten prouoke, mocke, deride or dispise their Christian brother. Whiche vpbrayde their neybors, casting them their fautes in theyr tethe. Whiche forgiue not their Enne­mies, and praye not for them. Whiche chyde, braule, fight and suche lyke. And he that dooth all these before named thinges, doth not onelye agaynst this com­maundemēt, but also al thei whiche do not let, hinder,Lactanti­us de vero cultu. libr vi. capi. x [...] correct & to their power, punish these before­named euels. This ꝯmaundemēt is not trāsgressed by rulers & iu­sticers in y^t they vse the sweardeRom .xiii [Page]of Iustice righfully in punis­shing of the wicked and in defending of the good.

The seuenth cōmaundemēt teacheth shamefastnes,Esap. i. Math. v. Pro. xxii. honestie and Chastitie, both in wordes dedes and thoughtes, and soundeth thus.

That is.

Kepe your fiue sences from wantonnes,Ephe. iiii. Tii. i. iii. and from the wor­kes of all maner of vncleānes. A voyde & eschewal excesse of deyntie meates and drinkes eschew also,Ezech. xvi all Idelnes & the occasions whiche maye prouoke too wan­tonnes and vncleannes. Chryst sayth,Math. v. ye haue heard how it was sayed to theim of olde tyme.

Thou shalt not commit adulte­ry, But I saye vnto you, that: [Page]whosoeuer loketh on a wyfe, lu­sting after her, hath ꝯmitted adultery with her already in his har­te. And saynct Paule sayth,i. corin. vi knowe ye not that your bodies are the members of Christe? shall I nowe take the membres of Christ and make them the mem­bres of an harlot? God forbydde. Doo ye not knowe that he that coupleth hym selfe with an har­lot is become on body? for they (sayth he) shalbe two in one flesh But he that is ioyned vnto the lorde, is one spirite. Flye fornica­cion, Euerye sinne that a man doth, is without the body, but he that is a fornicatour, sinneth a­gaynst his owne bodye. Eyther know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the holighoost? whiche dwelleth in you, whome ye haue of God. And howe that ye are not your owne, for you [Page]are derelye bought. Therfore glorify god in your bodyes and spi­rites whiche are gods. Let wed­loke he had in price in all poyn­tes, and let the chambre bee vn­defiled, for whorekepers and ad­uouterers God wyll iudge.Hebr. xiii.

Agaynst this commaunde­ment do all they whiche beside lauful matrimony haue any carnall copulacion, or commyt anie vnclēnces w^t vnlyke creatures a­gaynst nature, & agaynst y^e lawe of God. Suche as stirre, moue or prouoke other parsons to leche­ry and unclennes, with songes, ballettes Riddels, vncomelye lā ­guage, baudy wordes,Amos. vi. gesture, countenaunce, felinge and gro­pynge. They whiche do not a voyde or eschue al glotony, dron kennes, outrage, ydelnes and a­fleshly desiers, for suche vices pro­uoke to al kynde of vnchaste ly­uying. [Page]And vnder this cōmaundemēt is aprehended rauisshing of women, whorehunting, baudy places, stewes, dishonest houses in a towne or Cytie,Roma. i. whiche are dennes of theues and robbers, to the destruction of mennes goo­ges, bodies, and soules. And they whiche commit these enormy­ties, and wickednesses are not o­nely giltie herin,Iosue. vii Gen. xxxi but also al they whiche suffer thē, and do not per­turbe, let or hynder them to their power.

The eygth commaundemēt teacheth lyberalitie,i. Cor. ix. Pro. xvi. mildenes & through a broken spirite not too esteme riches, and soundeth thus

That is.

Be hindefull to no man, but further, helpe, counsell,Math. v. parte and distribute gladly of all that [Page]whiche thou hast receyued more of God then other men, whether it be in woordly goodes and temporall substaunces, or in spiri­tual giftes, as learning, wisdom and good counsell, yea gyue to hym that asketh,Math. x. Math. vi. and from hym that wolde borrow, turne not thy face.

Christ sayth, steale not. De­fraude or begile no man. If any man will sue the at the Lawe, & take thy coate frome the, let hym haue thy cloke also. Paule also sayth, now is there vtterly a faulte amonge you,i. Cori. vi because ye go to lawe one with an other. Why rather suffer ye not wrōg? why rather suffer ye not your selues to be robbed? [...]phe. ii ii yea euen your selues do wronge and robbe, & that the brethern.

Let hym that did steale, steale no more, but let hym rather labour [Page]with his hādes some good thing, that he may haue to giue to him that nedeth.

Agaynst this cōmaundemēt do all vsurers, and they that craf telye defraude, deceyue and be­gile their neighbour, whether it be priuely or apertlye. And they whiche do pyll and poll other men of their goodes, by false learning processe, weyght, measure, coyne, ware or marchaundise. Also they whiche kepe a way or withold the labour of ther even Christē,Leuit. xix or deny the debte which is due.i. Ioan. ii They wich do se their neyghbour in nede, and wyl not helpe or succoure hym to their power. They that do not defēde the losse of their neyghbour to their power. And in this cōmaundement is comprehēded all strife, debate and variaunce for fylthy lucres sake. Finally, al y^t whiche [Page]in any wise may apparteyne to auarice or couetousnes.

THe nynth commaundemēt teaheth alwayes & euery whereto be rightuous,Dan. xiii Psal. v [...]i. lxxii. lxxiii. x [...]vi. Hebr. xii. Pro. xxv. iust true, & vpright in wordes with­o [...]t al doublenes of harte, and soundeth thus.

That is.

A boyde all lyes, and speake alwayes the trueth without resp [...]t of money, goodes, dif [...]es, re­wardes, mede, drede, fauoure, f [...]ndshippe or hatred, alwayes with stedfastnes. Also f [...]aring no man, not rega [...]ding the losse of body or goodes.i. Pet iii. Iudge alwayes rightfully without exce [...]ion of parsones.Mar. [...]iii Refrayning thy [...]on­g [...] frome euell talke, and thy lyppes that they speake no gile [Page]eschewing euell, & doyng good. For of euery ydell morde y^t thou hast spoken,Ephe. iiii must thou gyue ac­count at the day of Iudgement. Let no filthy communicaciō procede oute of thy mouth, but y^t is good to edify with al. Let al bit­ternes, fearsnes, wrath, roaryng & cursed speakying be put away frome you. Let no fylthines, fo­lish talkyng nor testing (whiche are not cōlye) be ones named a­mong you,Ephesi. v. but rather geuying of thankes.

Agaynst this cōmaundement do al they which hide, couer,Math. x. clo­ke or do not declare the truth. Or they which falsely do enterprete or expound Gods moste blessed worde, turning, wrasting, & wrything the same, to their in sacia­ble gredenes, auarice,Sapi. i. & couetousnes, & not to y^e honour of god, nor to y^e edifying, & learning of their neighbour.

They wych falsely do lye in the law,Eccle. v. before y^e iustice or elswhere. They that speake with two tonges. They that boast thē selues in their euel, & other in their wic­kednes. They that beare fier in the one hand and water in the o­ther hāde,Eccle. ii. being double of harte, or waueryng with all windes, as traytours are wont to do.

THe tenth commaundement teacheth to dyspyse al trā ­sytorye thynges, and not to couet or desyre the thyng whiche is thy neyghbours, & soun­deth thus.

That is.

Let your couersacyon bee [Page]without couetousnes.Luke. xii. H [...]r. xiii. and bee content with that ye haue already, and couet not that thynge which an other doth possesse but hauing foode and rayment (not further regardinge transytorye thynges) [...]eke,Tim. vi. desyre and wysh for the thynges whiche conty­nue,Collo. iii. and endure for euermore. What soeuer you wolde y^e men shulde do to you euē so do to thē.Mat. vii. To loue a mans neyghboure as him selfe is a greater thinge then al burnt offynges & sacrifices.Mark. xii Be not ouercome w^t lust, for the care of this worlde,i. Tim. vi & y^e deceytfulnes of ryches, choke the worde. Godlynes is great riches, if a mā be content w^t y^t he hath. For we brought nothing into y^e worlde, & it is a playne case, y^t we shal cary nothing out. When we haue food & raymēt let vs therwith be [Page]content. They that wyl be riche fal into temptacion and snares, and into many noysom lustes, whiche drowne mē in perdicion, and destruction.

For couetousnes is the roote of all euell, wich whylesome lu­sted after, they erred frō y^e fayth, and tangled them selues wyth many sorrowes.

Agaynst thys commaunde­ment do al they whiche through an insatiable couetous harte, not onely do steale and robbe by force, violence or otherwyse, but also they which with an inward desier wold do the same in case it were possible to thē, or that they coulde bryng it to passe. For our sauiour Chryst sayth hym selfe in the Gospell,Math. v. that not onely he whiche hath to do with an o­ther mans wife, is an aduoute­rer, But also he wych loketh on [Page]an other mās wife (iustinge after her) hath committed aduouterye wyth her already in hys harte. Thus than is this last cōmaun­demente of couetyng and desy­ringe the full summe and conclusyon of al the other beforenamed commaundementes.Ecele l.

These wordes whiche I com­maunde the thys day, shalbe in thyne harte, & thou shalte whrit them on thy chyldren, and thou shalte talke of thē whē thou arte at home in thy house, & as thou walkest by y^e way, & whan thou lyest downe, & whan thou rysest vp, & thou shalt binde them for a signe vppon thyne hande, & they shal [...]e papers of remembraunce, betwene thine eies,Deut. xii. & thou shalte wryte them vppon the postes of thy house, and vppon thy gates.

Take hede, and here all these wordes whiche I cōmaunde the that it maye go well with the, and with thy children, after the for euer,Deut. vi. See thou doo y^t whiche is right in the sight of thy lorde, that thou mayste prosper, ye shal not do after all the thynges that seme good in thyne owne eyes, [...] what soeuer I commaunde you,Deu. [...]xx. vii. y^t do, and put nought therto nor take ought therfrom. Cursed be he that maynteyneth not all the wordes of this law to do thē.

THese beforenamed tenne commaundemētes dyd the Lorde God,i. [...]eg. vii [...]ake. x [...] gyue vnto Moses hys seruaunt (as we haue before declared) in two tables made of stone. [...]. xii Wherof in the first is comprehended or conteyned, the first, chefest and moost pryn­cypal commaundemente,Deu. iiii. of the whiche Chryst speaketh, sayng, [Page]Thou shalte loue the lorde thy God wyth all thy harte, wyth all thy soule and whithe all thy mynde. Thys chefe commaun­demente and summe of the first table, comprehendeth in it, fyue other speciall commaundemen­tes, in the whiche we may know and learne, what we ought to do, and to leaue, in that whiche concerneth or toucheth God our heauenly father.

And in the seconde table is comprysed the secōde commaun demente, lyke vnto the first, that is to saye, Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe.

That is.

What soeuer thou woldeste that other men shulde do to the,Mat. vii. do euen the same vnto them. This commaundemente com­prehendeth also in it, fyue other [Page]commaundementes, in the whi­che we may learn to know what we ought to do, and to leaue, in that that cōcerneth or toucheth our [...]uen Christē or neyghbour. So y^t in these two cōmaundemē tes are comprehended the whole lawe and prophetes.Rom. xiii And euery man maye lightly perceyue, that therin, although y^e woordes are fewe) are very playnlye and perfe [...]tlye declared, al kinde of good workes and commaundemētes, whiche in any wyse might bee commaunded or geuen to any mā, both, for to leade a vertuous and Godlye lyfe towardes God, and also howe to vse and behaue ourse [...]ues with our neyghbour, both to lyue, & to dye. And who soeuer shall do his vttermost di­ [...] [...] [...]o the obseruacyon, and [...] the same, he shall not [...] hour in the whi­che [Page]he might sai, what good workes might I do, whiche might be grateful, pleasaunt & acceptable vnto God? Neyther let no man maruayle although he finde not here commaunded that we shuld do any thyng to our own behoufe, but that weshulde do it to the behoufe of other, that is, Fyrst to God and after that to our neyghbour. So that although (in ma­ner of speakinge) a man were blinde yet notwitstanding maie he easelye heare, sea & fele that the fulfillyng of the lawe, dooth cōsist in loue & charitie. I meane not loue, and charite towards our selues, but towardes other. Wherby it maye iustly be sayde, He lyueth best, that lyueth to o­ther. Agayne, he lyueth worst, y^e lyueth to hym selfe. And ther­fore may easely bee spied how fewe there he whiche lyue well & [Page]vertuously.Rom. xiii Psal. xiii liii. Roma. iii To the whiche the prophet Dauid and. S. Paule iustly say, Ther is not one that lyueth as he ought to lyue, no not one, according as the before named tenne commaundemen­tes doo require.

Here myght a man aske.

What remedy then? Is ther no man that lyueth as he ought to do? And it is written in the lawe, Cursed bee euerye mā, whiche continueth not in al thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe, [...]al. iii. deu. xxvii to do thē. Who thē can be saued? shall we all be dāpned? Heare the sayinge of.Roma. xii and .iii. S. Paule, God (sayth he) hath comprehen­ded al men vnder sinne and that by & through the lawe which geueth vs the knowledge of our sinnes, to the intent that he shulde haue mercy on all men, And that [Page]through faith in Iesu Christ our redeamer. By,Act. xiii. in and through whome, all that the carnall men were not able in the fulfyllynge of the lawe, is now al fulfylled & wholy finished for vs, through his precious death. Vanquisshinge, helle, sinne, deuell and euerlastyng death.

Concerninge the seconde article be­fore rehearsed. S. Paule to the Bala­thians in the thirde chapter sayth. The rightuous lyueth by fayth.

Then of necessite a man must beleue if he will be founde righ­tuous before God.Rom. x. And for as muche as the same faith or belefe must come through the hearinge of that whiche men ought to be­leue, Gyue eare, learne and vn­derstande in the instruction folo­winge, called Simbolon Apostorum, all that a Christian is che­fely bounde to beleue. Whiche [Page]is deuyded into thre partes, euē lyke by the same is acknowled­ged thre parsones,i. John. v. Gen. t. in one indiui­divle God heade or deitie.

THe first part of the Chry­sten fayth or beleue, ma­keth mencion of the firste parson of the holy tri [...]ite, God the hea­uenly father, and soundeth thus

That is.

I know,Exo. xd. Hebr. x [...]l. thynke, and beleue in my harte, that my God is in heauen about, and in the earth beneth, and y^t there is none other God, and all thynges he thorow hym and in him He is the maker and creatour of all creatoures what soeuer is in heauen,Ephe. i. & on earth. The lorde is my strength, and glorye, and is become to [Page]me a father and a sauiour. Al­myghtye is hys name. Lorde who is like vnto the amonge the mightye that art so great in thy holynes,Hebr. i. fearfull and laudable, that shewest wonders and reyg­nest for euer, and aboue: Lorde God full of compassion and mer­cye,Exo. xxx. iiii. whiche art not lightly angry, but haboundaunt in mercy and truth, and kepest mercye in store for thousandes,Ephesi. i. and forge­uest wickednes, trespasse & sinne He hath electe or chosen vs too beehys chyldren through Iesus Chryst. And therfore we shal him onely worshippe, and besydes hym none other God Also we shal feare hym as an almyghtye God,Deut. vi. Psal. ii. xxxiiii. Mat. xii. And as a mercyfull fa­ther shall we loue him, wyth all our hart with al our soule with al our power and myndes. And [Page]vppon hym must stande all ou [...] hope.Iere. vii. Iacob. i. For he is the father of light of the which al mankind lyueth.

Where is there suche a God as thou art (o lorde) that pardo­nest wickednes and forgeuest of fences, and castest al our synnes into the bottome of the sea?

Thus good lorde.

I do vtterly renounce & for­sake the fende of hel, all I dolatry interiour, and exteriour all wit­checraft, mishelefe & al false doc­trine which is not Gods worde. I vtterlye departe, fall and flee from all creatures, whiche are in heauē aboue, or in earth beneth, yea, and my selfe also as of my selfe. And do cleaue vnto the onely inuisible and almighty which is without beginnyng, & myth out endyng, whiche hath made all that is made, & whiche ruleth [Page]all after his godly wyl and pro­uidence.

THe secōd parte of the beleue is,Math. i. Esay. vii. of the second parson of the holye trinitie, God the sonne, GOD & mā Iesus Christ our sauiour, and soundeth thus.

That is.

I beleue & knowledge wyth my harte, and confesse wyth my mouth, that the same Iesu christ whiche the Iewes put to death, the very worde, and sede whiche was promised to our forefathers Abrahā, Isaac & Iacob is y^e very sonne of the liuing God, God & man, without whome,Iohn. 14. no man commeth to God the father, ney­ther can bee saued by any thing [Page]that harte can thinke, or mouth can speake, saue onely in and through the same Iēsus Christ, lorde and sauiour of all christian men. The wich to my behoufe, & necessite, was conceyued of the holyghost, aboue al mens vnder­standyng, and that without the worke of man, and without all fleshly power, to the intent that he of his owne mere mercy (for it so pleased him) shuld clēse, purify and make spirituall both my concepcion & the cōcepcion of al mē, with concepcion is happened in synne. I beleue that he is borne to myne vse & behoufe of y^e pure & vndefiled virgin mary, a sonne of God beyng God from the begin­ning a sōne of mā, now becō mā, to the intēt that he shul make vs the chyldrē of God. Of a virgin, to the intent y^e he shuld purify & clēse vs of our spots and synnes.

That is.

I beleue that he suffred the moost shameful death & tormētes of the crosse, & that for my trans­gression, iniquite and sinnes, de­stroying therby all the tormētes of euerlastynge dāpnacion whi­che I haue deserued. He suffred death,Ezay. liii Apoca. v. Ephe. iiii. Roma. i. Act. v. ii. cor. xxv Hcbr. x. Psal. eiii. ii. cor. xv. wherby he vanquished and ouercame euerlasting death and damnacion, to the intent y^t we, through hys death shulde obteyne immortalyte. He was bu­ried, and descended into hell, to the intent that we (through ba­ptisme) shuld be buried with him in death, & now walke in a new spirituall lyfe.

That is.

I beleue that he vppon the thirde daye (as a vanquisher of hel, deuel and death) rose agayne for our rigtuousnes geuyng vs an example by the same bys re­surrectiō, that we also shall ryse frō death at the day of dome. He ascēded into heauen, leading a­way captiuite captiue,Ephe. iiii to the in­tēte y^t he shuld be a true aduocate & a faythful medial our, betwene God his heauenly father and vs wretched sinners. He sitteth at the right hande of GOD equall wyth hys father,Philip ii. rulyng and hauyng power ouer all thynges, both in heauē & earth. In whose name all knees must bow both in heauen. hell and earth.

That is.

I beleue that the selfe same Iesus Chryst at the day of dome or iudgement (which day is onli knowen to him) lyke as he ascended into heauē, shall come again to iudge the quicke and the dead The quicke, that are all fayth­full Christians, & the dead, that are al wicked, vnfaythful & dāp­ned people. And shall say to the faythful,Mat. 25. and .xx. c. Psal. vi. b mat. vi. b luk. xi. i. c ezay. xx. f Mat. xvi i. Cor. v. Come hether ye blessed of my father, inheret the kyngdome whiche is prepared for you from the beginning of the world but (alas) to the dampned shal he saye. Departe frome ye cursed, into the euerlastynge fyre, whi­che is prepared for the Deuell & hys aungels.

The thirde parte of the belefe or fayth, is of God the holyghost the thirde parson of y^e blessed tri­nitie, [Page]sanctifyinge all thynges and soundeth thus.

That is.

I beleue that no man can at tayne or come vnto God the fa­ther, than onelye by the woorke and meane of the holighost, who with God the father, through Iesu Christ, is woorkinge & geuing lyfe to all thynge, without who me nothyng is lyuyng nor holy Furthermore I beleue that here vppon the earth is a Christiā ca­tholyke church or congregacion of the faithful, which is nothing els then a communion of the congregacion or assemblinge toge­ther of faythful christians spiri­tually in one GOD, in one faith & in one baptisme. Of the which [Page]congregacyō or assemblie Chryst is the head wych congregacyon also is gouerned and daylye en­creased through the holy ghoste, through or by the administraciō of the holye sacramētes & miste­ries destributed & geuen to euery one by the handes of the priestes administratours and preachers of Gods worde. Furthermore, I also beleue that no man can bee saued onles he become a felow­mēbre of this congregaciō, and y^e nether Iew, Turke nor heretike cā or may be saued, onles he first be recōsiled & made at one, in & w^t the same holy assēbly or cōgregaciō.Mat. [...]vi. In the which, & no where els, is for geuenes of synnes, for she hath receyued y^e power of God to binde & to lose This is y^e onelye spouse of our lord iesuschrist, whiche is not adorned w^t glyttering shining costly, or trāsitory thyn­ges [Page]of this world, nether hauing dominion nor bearing rule in rychesses, kyndoms, gold, or pre­cious stones, but is abiect, dispi­sed, persecuted, oppressed, & trou­bled, yea, in a maner wholy couered, hid and disfigured w^t bloude through martirdom of the reprobate and vnfaitful, whose surest sygne or token to knowe herby is the declaring & professing of y^e gospell, both in word and dede.

That is.

I beleue also that there shalbe a generall resurrection or rising agayne of all men, whiche euer haue bene or euer shall be. So y^t this corruptibile and transitory flesh & body, after that it shalbe dead, rotten & turned into earth, shalbe restored vnto lyfe, whiche [Page]lyfe both of the soule and body, I beleue stedfastly, shall neuer ende.

To the blessed in euerlasting ioye.Ephe. ii. And to the dampned in e­uerlastyng sorrow. He that sin­serely confesseth this (sayth. S. Ignacius) and beleueth it, he is happye.

Concernyng the third parte and article before rehearsed,Luk. xxii. ma. xvi. b Luk. xi. b. Chryst in the gos­pell techeth vs saying Pray, that ye fall not into temptacion.

Hauyng respect vnto the worde of him whiche can not lie let vs praye to GOD with the father of the possed yongman, saying, Lorde strengten & en­crease our fayth, for without the we can do nothyng, so wretched, so corrupt and so frayle is our nature, yea (through her owne loue so blynded, that [Page]that of her owne selfe, she cā not wyll nor obeye the commaundement of God, so farre is our min­de and inclynacion ronne astray frome the pristine or former in­nocency, in the transgressinge of the commaundementes of God, by our first father Adā. So that in case we shulde be compelled to striue agaynst our ennemies the deuell, the worlde and our owne flesh (which standeth vs in hand to do so long as we are cladde w^t thys mortall body) wyth our owne strength, without the assistence and helpe of God, we shuld by and by euē at the first assault, and sounde of the trumpet, caste bothe our weapon and shylde frome vs, and wholye despayringe, leaue our courage, fal and yelde,Mat. ix. and suffer oure selues to be ouercome in such wyse y^t they shulde easelye beare rule & haue [Page]dominion ouer vs. But the gra­ce of God workyng in vs a per­fect fayth and hope with the de­des of charite is able ynough to worke al thing in vs, wich other wise we shuld not be able to ful­fyl. Now to y^e intent we lose not this fayth or belefe, and that the same decrease or diminish not in vs, but rather may encrease, augment and waxe fruteful, there is nothynge better,Luk. xi. more profyta­ble or necessary, then to pray to God without ceasyng. For our lorde Iesus Chryst sayth hymselfe, Seke & ye shal finde, knock and it shalbe opened vnto you, pray, & it shalbe geuen vnto you But he that wyll pray to God,Marc. ix. w^t an ernest harte, must bee thus disposed. First a mā must knowe hys owne infirmitie, and wea­kenes, and confesse to haue nede of helpe. For (as we reade) the [Page]sycke hath onelye neade of the Phisician, and hym wyll he glad­ly helpe, lyke as the blessed vir­gin mary her selfe witnesseth in her songe,Luke. li. saying he hath fylled the hungry wyth all goodnes, & hath sent the ryche awaye em­pty and voyde. What auayleth it that thou prayest, when thou doest not know, & fele that thou hast nede? Is it not to scorne, & mocke wyth God? Ipocrisy and fayned prayer? Thou wilt aske, how and in what maner shal we pray to God for to obteyne those thynges whiche are necessarye for vs? Heare therfore, least per­chaunce thou praye for those thynges whiche are not lawful and mete, in the steade of thē whiche are moost necessarye, & pro­fytable for the. For therby it oft chaunceth that God dooth not heare vs as. S. Iames sayth be [Page]we aske a misse. And as Paule sayth to the Romaynes, we ourselues know not what is moost necessary for vs to aske.Iacob. iiii

And therfore the most highest doctour & master Iesus Christ (who best knoweth what is proffyta­ble & necessarye for our health & saluacyon) hath described and taught vs a moost sure rule how we shulde & ought to praye, set­tynge GOD his heauenlye Fa­ther as a sure Marke before our eyes, to whome we shuld lyft vp our hartes, & inwardde though­tes, to hym (I saye) aboue in the highest, we that labour & are ladē wyth synne, here in this vale of feares. And he sayth, when thou wylt pray, thou shalt pray thus

Now is to bee noted, as be­fore [Page]sufficientlye is declared, that it is impossible to make an earnest, harty and perfect pray­er, except a man, first and before all thynges, confesse his owne faute and disease. And therfore I haue set a brief lamentacion and confession before euery peticion of the lordes prayer, to the intent that the sinfull consciēce might therby be stirred & kindled to make the more feruent, & ear­nest prayer vnto God, desyring hys helpe. And after that, the cō ­tent, and declaracyon of the same ryght goodly expounded and opened to the honour of God, and vtilyte and edifyca­cyon of all men.

First vppon that poynte. Our father whiche art in heauen.
Confession.

O merciful euerlasting god, [Page]moost louynge father, of whome all fatherlye mercy fauour, and goodnes commeth, & procedeth, both in heauen, & erth. I poore miserable and wretched creatur, knowledge, & confesse before thy fatherly mercy, that I, lyke the ryottous sonne, haue despised & not regarded all the same thy fatherlye loue and trust, & haue & shewed my selfe dysobediēte to­wardes the, and haue not geuē eare to thy moost blessed worde, and louyng exhortacyons, but haue folowed the voyce of stra­ungers, and haue cleaued more to the doctrine of men, then to thy commaundementes.

O bountuous louyng God, father of vs all, who manifoldly shewest thy benefyttes, & doest distribute and gyue thy gyftes as wel to y^e wicked, as to y^e good yea, somtyme more corporally [Page]to the wicked then to the good. I knowledge and cōfesse before the, that I haue not loued other men as my brethern; nor reuerē ­ced them, as thy chyldren but in pride haue exalted my selfe a­boue my brother, despising, hating and enuying hym, as y^e vn­faythful seruaunt did his fellow brethern in the Gospel. And furthermore I confesse (mooste m [...]ke & louynge father (y^t I haue fyrst sought helpe and counsel by the creatures here beneth vppō erth and not by the who art aboue in the heauens euerlastyng and al­mighty,Mat. 24 and onely canst & wilte helpe, as a good father of vs all, I haue most of all set my thoughtes yea (alas y^e whyle) my whole harte, mynde, trust and all my desire vppon erthely temporal and transitory thynges, and haue not lyfted the same vp vnto the [Page]whiche art in heauen, lyke as I ought to haue done, for the whiche I crye the mercy.

Prayer and confession.

O louyng father, thou hast of thyne entier goodnes created vs vppon earth, and for nothing hast thou deliuered vs from euer lastyng death, whiche we were gilty and had deserued. O good father we are not worthy to bee thy chyldren, for we haue syn­ned agaynst thy rightuousnes.Psal. xv. Neuertheles by the commaun­dement of thyne onelye sonne, we do boldly say, our father. O thou faythfull father, what shall we gyue the agayne, or where­with shal we recompence the for thi greate loue & goodnes which thou, through thi mercy & synguler goodnes, hast geuē vs power to be thi childrē & to becō heyres [Page]of thy kyngdome wyth thy dere sonne Iesus Christ? Thou art truely our faythfull, and trusty father, for thou bearest vs lyke a moost ge [...]le and kinde father hys chylde in his armes, & thou ledest vs wyth thy rightaude, that we (although we sometime through weakenes do stumble) are not al together broused,Psal. xv. and destroyed of our enemies,zacha. ii. Thou doest pre­serue and kepe vs lyke the apple of thyne eyes, and he that tou­cheth vs (o father) toucheth the. O mylde & lyberall father, howe richely hast thou endued thy children,Psal. xxi. wyth y^e wholesome meate of thy Godly worde, for nowe do the poore sit downe, they eate and are fylled, & prayse the lorde wyth all them whiche after the mocion of the holyghoost, seke the wyth all their harte. Thou hast geuen that lyuynge water, [Page]where wyth we maye quentche and expeliche drye thurst wyth­out ceasynge. O father howe lo­uingly and kyndelye doest thou cal vs, through the mouth of the prophet Ezay, sayinge,E [...]ay. lv. All they that are thurstie, come to the waters, and ye that haue no money make hast, come but that ye may haue to eate. Come buy wyne, & mylke wythout money or mo­ney worth. Wherfore do ye laye o [...]t your money for the thyng y^t fedeth not, and spende your la­bour for the thing that satisfieth you not? But harken rather vn­to me, and ye shal eate of the best, and your soule shall haue her pleasure in plentuousnes. En­clyne your eares,Act. xiii. d i [...]. Re. v [...] ez [...]ch. xxx [...]iii. and come vnto me take hede, & your soule shall lyue. For I wyl make an euerla­sting couenaunt w^t you, euē the sure mercies promised to Dauid. [Page]Therfore moost kinde father,l. Reg. iiii we confesse, and reuerence the lyke chyldren do their father here vp­pon the harth. Thou dwellest in the heauens wyth thy Aungel­les, who are not troubled wyth the fleshe but (alas) we dwell vp­pon this earth, in this miserie in all trouble, aduersite and tēpta­cion We ought also to bee hea­uenly separed from al worldely and earthly spottes or wrincles & a pure holy temple of thy holy Maieste.Apo. xxi. Lyke y^u hast promysed. They shalbe my people, & I wil­be their God, & I wil dwel wyth them to the ende of the worlde.

O moost wyse father, thou knowest our weakenes and infirmyte, how that in this heauye burthen of the flesh, no man is pure, no man is vngilty (by or through his owne strength) be­fore thy face.esay. lxiiii All our rightuous­nesses [Page]are as the clotes stayned wyth the floure of a woman, we fal euerychone as y^e leafe, for our synnes cary vs away lyke the wynde.Tre [...]o [...]. [...] To bryng furth any thing of our selues, wherby we might become rightuous, we are not able. All our fathers (whiche nowe are gone) haue synned & are fallen from the, & are become vnproffitable, neither was there one y^t dyd good, But thou lorde hast made vs rightuous, & clēsed vs, so that we are heauēly, and a kyngdome wherin thou sittest. And vnder thy fete, haste thou y^e earth to a fotestole, so that we do altogether lye vnder thy myght and power, wyth fleshe & bloude not seking oure owne lust & desire, but thy wyll, not the thinges y^t are here in this worlde, but in heauen,eccle. xliii where thy sonne Iesus Chryst sitteth on the righthāde. [Page]The heauēs & firmamēt in their continuall course are obedient vnto the, and serueth vs also continually, geuing vs light & clea­renes into the worlde to the ease of al men, as wel the wicked as y^e good, by the whiche thy great pitie, mercy and goodnes is expressed & declared vnto al the worlde Moost gētle father, graunt that we may so diligently serue thy maiestie, and all menne for thy take, both wicked and good rightuous & vnrightuous.psal. xviii And bold­lye declare, & pronounce with­out ceasynge, (lyke as the hea­uēs do) thy Godly honour before all men, so that therby thy mightie name may be praysed & mag­nified for euermore.Lactanti. For we are created and made, through thy goodnes, to thy honour to know ledge, confesse and serue the.

For all e [...]ates.
Confession.

O heauenly father lorde God, whose name is hallowed aboue all other names euerlastingly, & also called on ouer me in baptis­me. I confesse before the, that I (alas y^e whyle) haue not magni­fied & worshipped the same name as I ought to do. But haue arrogantly and presumptuously at­tributed al honour vnto my selfe and haue exalted and boasted mi selfe in my workes and dedes, & other thy giftes. Furthermore I haue also made thy name a cloke to myne Idolatry, tyranny, wi­lines, knauery, also through ypocrisy swearyng cursing murmuring and vayne talking, greatly abusing and dishonouring the same, wherfore I crye the mercy

Prayer and confession.

Thy name ( [...] father) bee hal­lowed & magnified for eu [...]more, for vnto the apparteineth al sau de & euerlasting praise, but vnto vs, all shame and confusion, for all that we are, that are we by and through thy mercye, and all what we receyue, we receyue at thy mylde and lyberall handes. So that no mā nedeth to boaste as though he had it of hym selfe. But thou openest thy hand and fyllest al creatures with thy blessynges. O moost gentle father, let vs fall frō our selues, wholy abiecting and despayring of our owne flesh, strength, so that we neyther trust to our selues nor yet to our good workes,psal. cxxii but y^e we maye fix or sette our eyes vp­pon the, lyke the seruaunt fixeth or setteth his eyes vppō hys ma­ster tyll tyme y^e thou haue mercy on vs. For if it were not for thy [Page]mercy, were as Sodoma & Go­mo [...]ra. Ther [...]e, thy name bee fauctified & blessed from the ry­syng of the sōne vnto the going downe of the same.Roma. ix. Graunt (o father) y^e oure soule without cea­syng and all our strength with­out lothsomnes or tediousnes, maye laude & prayse the in woor de & dede. And although we dyd al those thinges whiche thou cō ­maundest vs shape in vs suche a harte y^• we yet may say that we are vnprofitable seruauntes.Luk. xvii. For if we haue any thyng that good is, it commeth from thy grace. O father, take frō vs all pride and the loue of our selues to the intent that we esteme our selues no more thē we ought to do, & y^t we exalte not our selues aboue other, But that we (thynkyng, & knowyng y^e thou hast geuen vs power & strength accordinge to [Page]thy good wil and pleasure) with all humilitie and lowlynes, may walke after thy. Godly cou [...]a­unt and wyll. That we may say with that princely prophet Da­uid.Psalm. c. xiii. Not vnto vs (o lord) not vn­to vs, but vnto thy name gyue y^e prayse, for thou art onely lorde both of heauen and earth.

Confession.Psalm. l [...]xvi.

O lorde God, I complayne, lament and be wayle my miserie vnto y^e, that I haue bene captiue ( [...]h wretch that I am) in that straunge lande of babilon, in the lande of death, geuyng my membres to the seruitude of sinne, to striue agaynst thy holy kyng­dome And although I haue for­saken y^e deuel & all his workes in baptisme, yet al y^e notwithstan­ding, I am become (wo vnto me) [Page]vnfaythful, forsworne and haue fled from the, and ronne to thyne ennemie [...], Haue mercy on me.

Prayer and confession.

Come (o lorde) and make thy dwellyng wyth vs, and let vs be attone wyth y^e, so that we maye remayne or contine win the, and thou in vs. Lo [...]ng father, make our tree (whiche is barren and nought) moyst, to the intēt that with feruēt loue, it maye, bringe furth ripe pleasaunt and sauery frute. O moost kyude father, graunt that we duely, & iustly may sanctifre and make holy thy, sabboth day, whiche thou wyth all diligence hast commaunded vs.

Suffer all fleshly lustes and wic­ked desires to cease in vs. And lyke as euery creature, both in heauen and earth, doth obey the, and suffer them selues [Page]to be ruled & gouerned of y^e. But so (mo [...]t gētle father( drawe and plucke out of our hartes all such thynges as seameth good in our sight, to y^e intēt that thou mayest rule vs, not after our but after thyne owne wyl. For we knowe that the wayes of man are not his, and that it lyeth not in man to stirre or leade his wayes whe­ther he lysteth.Pro. xvi. Thus good lorde) graunt that we paciently & whithe a quiet harte, may suffer thy hand whē it toucheth vs, & suffer vs gladly & cherefully to beare all such thinges as it shal please the to laye vppon vs, whether it be good fortune or euell, aduersite, sickenes, shame, stripes, yea, & death also. And su [...]fer our owne nature so to rest, to bee quiet and cease, that she couet, seke and de­syre not (through superfluitie, and desyre of vengaunce) to [Page]breake or trāgresse the holy sab­both daye.

Prayer and coufession.

O my lorde God, to the I ma­ke my mone & complaynt that I haue followed myne owne will, to thy dishonour & to my shame, & haue resisted thy moost Godly wyll, for the whiche I am very sorye.

Prayer and confession.

Therfore (o moost best father) be not myne but thy wyll fulfil­led. Thy wyll is done and fulfil­led in heauen amongest the Aungels, whyche wythout all diffi­culte do accordynge to thy wyll, & trēble & quake at thy becking. The Sunne and Mone kepe their course, and neuer trans­gresse [Page]the same. Euen so ought it to be w^t vs also, but we wre [...] ­ched synners are to fraile, and in our nature we fynde nothyng that is after thy Godly wyl, but agaynst the and thy moost holy Lawes, thus doth our poysened olde Adam kycke and stryue, ac­cording to his olde kynde I gra­unte in dede, that in the in warde man we do fynde a delyte & pleasure in thy lawe, but in our fleshly menbres is an other lawe that is, the lawe of the hart. And therfore that we wolde, we do not, but that thynge that we wolde not,Rom. vii. we do. Therfore (O moost louing and gentle Father) gyue vs thy Lawe in wardelye in vs, and write the same in our hartes to the intēt that we may feare and loue the, and walke in thy commaundementes. Gyue vs a newe harte, sēdyng thy spi­rite [Page]in wardly in vs, that he may kindle vs so myth thy loue, that we maye loue y^e with al our hart wyth all our strength, aboue all thynges, and that we maye loue our neyghbour for thy sake in thankefulnes, for the vnspeaka­ble riches whiche thou hast ha­boundauntlye poured vppō vs, euen as our selues. For he that hath loue, fulfylleth the lawe, & he that loueth not resteth or stic­keth in the death. We ought of dutie to be people accordyng to thy harte, doing all thynges ac­cordyng to thy wyll,Rom. xiii but where is ther one such among vs? And who can giue vs a harte to feare the, and to kepe thy commaundementes at all tymes, so that it maye happen or chaunce well vnto vs & our chyldren? O lorde thou onelye arte he. Thus (good lorde) clense our hartes, and the [Page]hartes of our sede, that we with all our strength, and wyth al our soule, may loue the and lyue. Make vs whole, thē are we whole, Make vs blessed, then are we blessed: For thou art our laude & prayse. Oh, howe oft is our wyll contrarye vnto thy wyll, and a­gaynst thy lawes? she had manie tymes rather or lyuer that there were no Lawe,Psalm. L. nor no God, nor no trueth. Oh, howe is oure harte and vnderstandyng darke­ned, so and in such wise that we can not se our selues? therfore) o lorde) haue mercy on vs accor­ding to thy great mercy, & shape or create in vs a newe harte, and poure thy perfect spirite in vs, so that no more we, but rather thou lyue ī vs, & worke al our workes accordinge vnto thy Godly wil, to the intēt that thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen, in the [Page] [...] so that the [...] & rage agaynst thy [...] eyther let it be sub­iecte [...] the euell lustes, but let it be one spirite with thy spirite, And let it haue a pleasure & dis­pleasure, in that thyng y^t thou arte pleased and displeased with

Confession.

I can not deny but must nedes knowledge and confesse, that I (alas the while, good father) abhorringe the liuinge breade of my soule, haue fylled and fed my soule, wyth the draffe and chaffe of straunge & worldlye doctrine, lyke a swine, wherwith I am be­come feble, impotent and withe­red, for the whiche I am sorye, & with al my harte cry the mercy.

Prayer and confession.

Thus louing father and [...] uer of al consolacion▪ [...]ou that fedest al flesh. Gyue [...] bread,psa. cxxxv I meane that [...], b [...] y^t whiche the soule of man is made alyue gyue vs that same at all tymes, to the intēt that we wanting the same, perish not for hunger. Gyue vs faythful and lear­ned Preachers, that may iustly & duely fede our soules, setting & bearing before vs thine onely sonne Iesus Christ, leauing all fables,Treno. ii. dreames, vayne and false doctrine, to the intente that we thy shepe, bee not slayne vppon thy holy mount in thy holye ta­bernacle. O louing father, open our eares of vnderstandinge, to the intent that we may vnder­stand, conceyue, trust & stedfastly beleue ī thi holy worde, & ther by borne a new in a better lyfe thē we haue ledde hitherto, maye w^t [Page]Iesus Chryst [...]s thy [...]hildren, be receyued of the ī thy Godly loue and fauour. Lorde of thy clemēcimekenes and mercy gyue vs vnderstandyng that we may proue the spirites whether they bee of the or of some other,i. Ioan. 4 for the wic­ked and malignaunt spirite can sōtime alter & chaunge hym selfe into an Aungel of lyght.ii. Cor. xi. O lord drawe vs through thy mercy vnto thy sonne Iesus Christ, that we may iustly and perfectly re­ceaue hym in our hartes,Iohn. vi. for he is the lyuing breade, whiche des­cended from heauen. Gyue vs also (most gentle father) oure bo­delye foade, after thy Godly wil Rayne, Sunshine and mete we­ther for the frutes of thy feldes indue ceason, to thintent that we takyng sufficiently of the same, may laude, prayse and ma­gnify the. O mooste worthy [Page]father, let vs not bee sorrowfull and carefull for those thynges that we shulde eate and drinke, or where with we shuld be cladde Let vs cast al our care vppon the for thou carest for vs, & thou knowest before we aske of the, what is necessary for vs,Mat. vi. yea, many tymes thou geuest it vnto vs be­fore we aske it. Giue vs not to great abundaunce of ryches, least we be thereby occasioned to exalt our selues against the, and agaynst our neighbours, or that we forget not thy great good­nes and mercy, neyther gyue vs so great pouertie & nede y^e we be cōstrayned to begge breade, or to steale, or prouoked too sweare, & blaspheme, thy holy name through vnpacient suffering.

But gyue vs our daylie sustena­unce, neuertheles accordinge to thy Godly wil. We of duety most [Page]diligently labour & worke, but vnto y^e, as he that geueth the en­crease, we shall cast all our care, we are al in thy hande, & there is none that can resiste thy Godly will Thou (good father) geuest vnto vs,Iob. ix. and hast power to take agayn from vs, yf thou geuest, then doest thou accordyng vnto thy mercye, yf thou takest, then doest thou accordyng vnto thy rightuousnes.

Confession.

O heauenly father, I haue bene hardnecked, stifnecked and stubborne against those whiche haue offended me, & haue not willinglye remitted or forgeuen thē their trespasses, but I haue much more accounted and estemed the [Page]offence whiche they haue done agaynst me, then that whiche I haue done agaynst thy Godly maiestie. I haue set the synne of my neyghbour before, & mine behinde,Luke. vi. & haue muche soner spied a mote in my brothers eye, then a blocke in myne owne eye. By reason wherof, I haue not har­teli or duely (as I ought to haue done) desired that thou woldest forgyue me my synnes, the whi­che (alas wretch that I am) are ineffabile and innumerable. Wherfore I cry the mercy.

Prayer and confession.

Meke and gentle father, we are exceding greatly ī thy debte & haue not, nor know not wher­with to pay the. We know no­thyng better, then y^t we fall pro­strate before thy fete, and cast vp our eyes towardes the, and cry [Page]the [...] [...] mercifull and [...] his ful of thy mercy [...] that no man is holy nor saued by hys owne workes only,Psal. xxii except thou haue mercy on hym & forgeue him his synnes. Happy are they whose synnes are forgeuen & couered. Happy is that man whose syn­nes are not imputed or rekened vnto hym.psal. xxxi O mercifull father if we go not about to make our selues vngilte, fautles or inculpa­ble, thē shalt thou forgiue vs all oure synnes. And if we through or by confessiō, do knowledge or discouer our sinnes, then shalt thou thy selfe couer them, & cloke or hide our shame. In our spirite (o heauenly father) is a great deceyt, the whiche withoute the brightnes of thy Godlye light, we can neyther see nor knowe.

We loue our selues, we seke y^t [Page]is ours, we feare ad [...]r [...], we loue not y^t, we se [...]e not [...] is thyne yea not so muche as [...] corporall or bodelye thynges.

Therfore we do se our dampna­cion wherin we are, and there is none that can redeme or delyuer vs, excepte we cal & cry vnto the out of the depth.

O father forgyue vs our trespasses, through thy greate merci lyke as a louinge father forge­ueth his childe for thou hast pro­mised it vnto vs sayinge,Ezech. 18. yf y^e vngodly will turne away from all his sinnes that he hath done and kepe all my commaundementes & do the thing y^t is equal & righte doubtles he shal liue & not die for I haue no pleasure in y^e death of a sinner (saith the Lorde) but ra­ther y^t he cōuerte & lyue.ii. Pet. iii Iere. iii. Agayne thou hast committed fornicaciō with many louers, yet turne a­gayn [Page]to me & I wil receaue the.

O moost kinde father, thinke vppon thy promises, haue mer­cye on vs, & forgiue vs oure trespasses, as we forgiue thē y^t haue trespassed agaynst vs. O moost louing father, we confesse & graunt y^t it lyeth not in our power to forgyue our ennemies,Luk. vi. yea, & to loue thē as y^u cōmaundest, so is our nature poysoned & infected y^t it is impossible for vs to do it. The loue of our selues, which is y^t roote of all Synne, seketh al­wayes y^t whiche is hers & not y^t which is thyne, or y^t which is to thy honour, or y^t which is proffi­table to our neyghbour. Thus (good father) plant in vs y^e true brotherly loue, y^e we (as y^u hast done & taught vs) may w^t all our harte loue thē, forgiue thē & pray for thē. Verely I do know (most louig father) y^t if we forgiue not [Page]oure neyghbour thou shalt ne­uer forgiue vs our synnes.

Furthermore I knowe that no sacrifice or prayer is acceptable or pleasaunt vnto the, as longe as we reconsyle not our sel­ues with our brother. Therfore geue vs grace that we may for­giue our devtoures, then shalt thou also forgeue vs our offēces, for thou art kynd and full of mercy And thou art come downe from heauen here vpō this earth for synners that repent and a­mend their lyfe.

Confession.

O my lord God my heauēly father, I haue oft & many times (alas the while) geuyng place vnto temptacion. Lyke an vn­faythfull [Page]depute or liuetenaunt who (through slouthfulnes and neglygence, towardes his lorde) yeldeth and geueth ouer hys ca­stel or bulwarke vnto the enne­mies, Neyther haue I beue only satisfied w^t this miserable wret­chednes or fragilitie and synne, but haue had pleasure and delite therein, in such maner that I haue willingly stirred, moued and geuen my selfe ouer and defiled my selfe lyke aswine in the mud­dy and filthy puddle and myre. And haue not endeuoured my selfe to that whiche is euerla­sting, and good. Forgeue (o fa­ther) & helpe the feble and weake,

Prayer and confession.

O moost bounteous father, thou whiche art a kynde and lo­uyng helper of all thē that feare the, and call on the in nede, [Page]trouble and persecutiō. Beholde & consider that our life is a strife and continual warrefare here in this world. Our ennemies cease not, the deuell goeth about lyke a roaringe lyon sekinge whome he may deuoure. The glorious & flatteting worlde in lyke case, laugheth vpon vs on euery side. And our owne flesh, and ghostly or inward enemie ceaseth neuer to spurre and striue agaynst the spirite and that so vehemently, that of very necessite we are cō ­pelled to cal vppon the for helpe ayde and comforte, as to a fayth full father, who wil not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our power but shal faythfull ye helpe vs at oure right side,i. Cor. iiii. to the intente we shulde not be ouercome of our ennemies. O comforter and father of al consolacion comfort vs in all our aduersitie, for thou art a [Page]father of all consolacion & thou shalt strength [...]s and make vs alyu [...] eue [...] in the middest of per­secucion. O lorde we desier not 06 to bee deliuered frō the crosse nor yet that thou take vs from the worlde before y^t our houre come whiche thou hast appoynted.

But deliuer and make vs fre frō euell and suffer vs not to perishe betwene our ennemies, For if thou diddest not helpe vs, our soule shulde immediatlye dwell in hell, and that fearfull Image of death shuld without ceasyng torment trouble and vexe vs in euerlastyng darkenes in the snates of hell. O thou speciall helper of all weake and troubled crea­tures, if thou (accordinge vnto thy Iudgement) suffer vs to fal (for there is no man which hath not synned) yet lyft vs vp a­gayne. And like as a mother lyst [Page]teth vp her childe that is fallen, euen delyuer vs from all th [...] thynges whiche might or [...] be hinderfull vnto vs. O mo [...] true father, thou kepest thy coue­naunt and promis at all tymes and euermore, We trust in y^e that lyke as thou ones haste deliuered vs from all euell, through thy Sonne Iesus Christ, thou shalt preserue & saue vs through the effusion and sheddinge of his holy and precious bloude, with the whiche he hath sprinkled and clensed vs of all our synne vp­pon the crossr.

Conclusion of the lordes prayer or pater noster.

This prayer we send vnto y^e o almightie, euerlasting God, heauenly Father, stedfastlye trustinge in thy bottomles mercy, and holy promises. For thyne o­nely [Page]sonne our [...] Iesus Christ, [...] [...]aun­ded [...] [...]ge, Aske,Luke. xi. & it shalbe [...]e vnto you, knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you. And what soeuer thou askest be­leue, and it shal happen vnto the What soeuer thou askest my fa­ther in my name (sayth Christ) he shall gyue it the. Therfore (o holy father) we come vnto the,Iohn. 14. in the name of thyne onely sonne, not douting but that thou wilt heare vs, But, o lorde, gyue vs our peticion and request, not ac­cording as it shall seine good in our sight, or accordyng to our wyll, But whē thou shalt thinke it time, and as thou wylt, and by such meanes & wayes as shalbe most agreable to thy Godly wil.

A brefe instruction of Baptysme.

THere are th [...]e whiche be [...] recorde in heauen,Iohn. v. the [...] ­ther, the W [...]e & th [...] [...] ghoost, & these thre are due [...] Our lord Iesus Christ sayde vnto his disciples,Mat. xvi Go ye your way into all the worlde, and preach y^e Gospell vnto al creatures. Who so beleueth and is baptised, shalbe saued, but who so bele­ueth not, shalbe dampned. When we then are baptised, we recey­ue a sure witnes, that al we whiche beleue in Chryste, are was­shed and clensed in the precious bloude of that lābe, Iesus Christ our sauiour whiche was put to death. And the dipping in y^e wa­ter signifieth vnto vs, that we are mortified of synne, of oure owne wyll and of all fleshlye desier, and after this maner are we buried with Chryste in y^e fonte. And that we are lifted again out [Page]of the fo [...]e [...] that [...], y^t is [...] [...]y [...]ne which might dr [...]ge vs to death, in a newe spirituall lyfe. And also y^t after this tēporall death, we shal ryse agayne into euerlastinge lyfe. And vppon this we receaue our name, & thus are our names written in the rolle of the chri­stian knightes of Chryst, vnder the standarde of the holy crosse, as long as we lyue.

Prayer.

O moost blessed foregoer and guyde of the Christen people Iesus Chryst who, submitting and humblyng thy self vouchsauedst to bee baptised of Iohn in the Iordane, & werest not only bap­tised in water, but also in bloud and in the holyghoost, vouchsafe euen so to enclyne, bowe and [Page]dispose our outward lyfe, wyth our inwarde my [...] [...] [...]ctes and desyres in the [...] rightuousnes, so that we [...]yng now mortified and dead of the olde Adā through thy holy wit­nes of baptysme, by the worke, & operacion of the holy ghost, may alwayes haue our holye couenaunt in remembraunce, & before our eyes, that vowe or couena­unt (I saye) whiche we haue ta­ken vpon vs in baptysme, to the intent that we maye, as fayth­full campions, striuyng agaynst the world, the deuell aud y^e flesh, vanquish and ouercom thē with all other wych myght bee noy­some or hinderfull vnto vs. Amē.

A bryefe Instruction of christes supper, in the whiche he geueth vs his flesh, and bloud.

Saynct Paule sayth to the Corinthians.g. corin. xi. Mat. xxv That wych I de­liuered [Page]vnto you receyued I of the lorde.Mat. xiii Luke. xxi.

For the lord [...] Iesus the same nyght in the whiche he was be­trayed, toke bread and gaue thā kes, and brake it, and sayde, Take ye, and eate ye, this is my bodye, whiche is broken for you. Thys do in the remembra­unce of me. After the same maner also he toke the cuppe when supper was done, and sayde. This cuppe is the new testament in my bloude, this do (as oft as you drinke it) in the remembraunce of me. For as oft as ye shall eate of thys bread and drinke of this cup, ye shall shewe the Lordes death vntyll he come.

Wherfore who soeuer shal eate of this breade, & drike of this cuppe of y^e lorde vnworthely, shalbe gyltye of the body, and bloude [Page]of the lorde. [...]. corin. xi But let a man exa­men him selfe, and so let him eate of this breade, and drinke of this cuppe. For he that eateth & drin­keth vnworthely eateth, & drin­keth hys owne damnacion, be­cause he maketh no difference of the lordes body. This hath the sonne of God first instituted vn­to vs, to the intent we shulde do the same thyng after hym, euen vnto the ende of the worlde, and that we outwardly shulde kepe, holde and exercise oure selues in thys supper of thankesgeuing, hauinge alwayes in remembra­unce hys inexplycable loue and benefite sshewed towardes vs, & left vs in a Testament to a corroboracion or strēthening of our beleue or fayth.

Prayer.

O most blessed and holy blou­deshearder [Page]for all synneful crea­tures Iesus [...] so our [...] sen­ces or vnderstandyng, so and in such wise (I say) that we altogether through one perfect know­ledge, in one fayth and in one spirite, may so vse this misterie and holy sacrament in the christen cō munion and receaue the same in suche wyse, euen as thou hast instituted it, to the intent that we may come wortely to thy communion, and that we maye there so eate and drinke, and being assembled in feruent cha­rite and brotherly loue, may de­clare thy bitter death to eache o­ther, & haue the same alwayes in our remembraunces, not doubtyng but stedfastly bele­uyng and contynuinge therby vnto death, that thy holye Bo­dye and moost precious bloud [Page]hath be [...]e [...]ffred [...]es for all [...] ­pon [...]he [...] of [...] [...] ­fect att [...] [...] forgeuenes of all ou [...] [...]yn [...]es.

Furthermore gyue vs grace (o lorde) that we and all men maye rightlye and iustly knowe to what end and wherfore thou diddest institute and ordeyne thys new Testament to the intent that we through the same power, with a perfect beleue in the same, may stedfast­ly continue a­gaynst our ennemies. Amen.

Fyrst.
How the spirituall Prelates ought to vse them selues towardes the commē people.

BEholde, I send you forth as shepe, among wolues.

Go ye your way, & teache all nacions & baptise thē in the name of the father, & of the sōne [Page]& of the holi ghoost.mat. r 7. c And teach thē to kepe al thynges, what soeuer I haue comma [...]ed you.Col. i. a.

Ye haue not cho [...] [...] [...]ut haue chosen you,Iohn. xv. Mat. [...]0 b & ordeined you that ye go & bryng furth frute. And ye shal beare me witnes, not onely at Ierusalem,Iohn. xv. Act. i. a. and .ii. d. but also throughout the land of Iury, & Samaria, & to y^e vttermust coa­stes of the earth.Ioan. xxc Receyue y^e holy­ghost. Whose sinnes soeuer ye remitt thei are remitted & whose sī nes soeuer ye reteyne,Mat. x. mat. 18. b thei are reteyned. Verely I say vnto you, what soeuer ye shall binde vppō earth, shalbe bound also ī heauē, and what soeuer ye lowse vppō earth, shalbe also loused in heauē Take hede vnto your selues, and to all the flocke, [...]ct. xx. d. among the whiche the Holyghost hath set you to bee bishopes to feade the con­gregacion of God, whiche he [Page]h [...] [...] [...]owne [...] cam [...] [...] ys gone [...] all heauens,Ephe. iiii. to f [...] [...]a [...],i. Cor. xii. hath set some to be apostles, some to bee prophetes some to bee Euangelistes some to bee shephardes and teachers wherbithe saynctes myght bee coupled together thorow commē seruice, to y^e edifieng of y^e body of Christ.i. Tim. iii Leuit. xxi Ezech. 44 Titu. iii. A byshop must be blamelesse. The husband of one wife, sober discrete, manerly h [...]rberous, apt to teach, not geuen to moch wyne, no fighter, not geuen to filthy lucre, but ge [...]le abhorring stryfe abhorryng couetousnes, & one that ruleth hys owne house ho­nestly, hauing obedient chyldrē wyth al honestie. For if he cānot rule hys owne house, howe shall he care for the ꝯgregaciō of God?

The seruaunt of y^e lord ought [Page]not to striue,i. Tim. i Gal. vi. a but to be gētle vnto euery mā apt to teach, are [...] can forbeare the [...] with mekenes enforme [...] resist, if God at any tyme wyl geue thē repētaunce for to know y^e truth, and to turne agayn from the snare of the deuel, which are holdē i prison of him at his wyll.

Preach y^e worde,2. Tim. 4. beferuent, be it in season or out of ceasō, ipro­ue, rebuke exhorte w^t allong suffering & doctrine. For y^e time wil come when they shall not suffer wholsome doctrine, but after their own lustes, shal thei (whose eares itch) get thē, an heap of teachers & shal turne their eares frō the trueth and shalbe geuē vnto fables. But watch thou i al thinges, suffer aduersite, do y^e workes of a precher of the gospell, fulfill thine office vnto the vttermust. Se y^e thou know y^e numbre of thicatell,Pro. 27. c [Page]& loke wel to thy flockes.Iohn. 10 Titu. i. b. A Bishop must cleaue fast vnto y^e true worde of doctrine, y^e he may be able to exhort wyth wholsom learning & to iproue thē that sai agaynst it.i. Pet. v. Acto. v. c. Act. xx. d. The elders which are amōge you I exhort, whiche am also an Elder and a witnes of y^e affliction in Christ, & partaker of the glory that shalbe opened. Fede Christes flock whiche is a­mong you & take y^e ouersight of them not as though ye were cō ­pelled therto but willynglye, not for the desire of fylthy lucre,Titu. ii. a but of good mide, not as though ye were lordes ouer y^e pharisshēs but y^e ye be an exāple to y^e flocke Who soeuer wyl be great amōg you let him be your mynister, & whosoeuer wil be chefe,Mat. xx. d. let hym be your seruaunt. Euē like as y^e sonne of man came, not to be serued, but to do seruice & to geue [Page]hys lyfe to a redēption for many

Go and preach the Gospell,Mat. x. saying. The kingdom of heauen is at hand, Heale the sicke, clense the lepers, rayse the deade, cast out the deuels, Frely ye haue receyued, frely gyue agayne.Matth. xx ii [...]i. mat. xxv. Who is now a faithful seruaunt, who me hys Lord hath made ruler o­uer his boushold, that he may gyue them meate in due ceason? Blessed is that seruaunt whome hys lord (whan he commeth) shal finde, so doing. Uerely I say vn­to you, he shall set hym ouer all his goods. But & if the euell ser­uante shal saye i his hart,Apoe. xvi. Tush it will be long or my lorde come & begin to smite his fellowes yea and to eate and drinke wyth the drōken, y^e same seruauntes Lord shall come in a day whan he lo­keth not for him, & in an houre y^e he is not ware of, & shall heawe [Page]hym in peces & giue hym hys re­ward w^t ypocrites, where shalbe waylinge & gnasshing of teth. I haue made the a watch man vnto the house of Israel,Ezech. 33. that where as y^• hearest anye thynge out of my mouth, thou mayest warne them in my behalfe Se that ye do thus in the feare of the lorde,i. para. 19 and faythfully in a perfect hart, in al causes that come vnto you from your brethern (whiche dwell in their Cyties) betwene bloud and bloud, betwene law & commaundement, betwene sta­tutes & ordenaunces, ye shal en­forme thē y^e they sine not against the lorde, & so the wrath to come vppon you and your bretherne.Luke. x. Possesse neither gold nor siluer. For y^e labourer is worthy of hys rewarde. Go not frō house to house, And into what soeuer cytye you entre, and they receyue [Page]you eate such thinges as are set before you.

How the commen people ought to vse and behaue them selues to wardes the spirituall prelaces.

Let euery man thys wise e­steme vs,ii Cor. iiii. i. Cor. vi. Deui. 39. Iere. 34. euē for the ministers of Chryst, & stewardes of the secre­tes of god. Now is there no more required of the stewardes, then that they bee found faythfull.Eccle. 4.

Humble thy soule vnder the el­der, and bow downe thy head to a man of worshyppe.Ecc. vii. d Deut. xii. Num. viii b. and. c. Feare the lord with all thy soule & honour his ministers, loue thy maker w^t al thy strength, & forsake not his seruauntes. [...]. Tim. vc Feare the lord w^t all thy soule, & honour his priestes. The Elders y^e rule well, are wor­thy of double honour, moost spe­cyall ye they whiche labour i the worde & in teachinge.Deut. xxv For y^e scri­pture [Page]sayth▪ Th [...] shalt not mosell the mou [...] of the oxe y^t trea­deth out [...]e corne.i. Thes. v. And y^e labou­rer is worthy of his rewarde We beseke you brethern, y^t ye know them which labour among you, & haue the ouersight of you in y^e Lorde and geue you exhortaciō,Heb. xiii. that ye haue thē the more ī loue, for their wordes sake and bee at peace with them. Remēbre them whiche haue y^e ouersight of you,i. Cor. ix. whiche haue declared vnto you y^e word of God. The ende of whose conuersacion se that you loke vppō & follow their fayth. Obey thē, & submit your selues vnto thē, for they watch for your sou­les, euen as they that must gyu [...] accountes therfore. Who goeth a warfare at any tyme vppō his owne wages? Who planteth a vinyarde & eateth not of y^e frute therof? Who fedeth a flocke, & ea­teth [Page]not of y^e milke of y^e flocke?Rom. xv d Galla. vi If we haue sowen vnto you spiri­tual thinges, is it a great thyng if we repe your bodely thynges? but if other bee partakes of thys power on you wherfore are not we rather? Know ye not y^t they which labour ī y^e tēple, haue their liuing of y^e tēple?Mat. x. a. And thei y^e wayte at the aulter, enioye the aulter Euen thus also hath y^e lorde or­deyned y^t they which preach the Gospel shulde lyue of y^e Gospell. Ezechias ꝯmaunded y^e people y^t dwelt at Ierusalē, [...]. Para. zi. a. y^t they shulde giue porciōs of their goodes vn­to y^e priestes, y^e thei might y^e more stedfastly ēdure ī y^e law of y^e lorde.

If a matter be to hard for y^e in iudgemēt betwene bloude, and bloude,Dent. 18. betwene plee, and plee betwene stroke & stroke. Thou shalt ryse & go to y^e priestes y^e leuites & to the iudge whiche shalbe [Page]at that [...] are of them & they shal [...] how to iudge & thou shalt do therafter, as they say vnto y^e. And if any mā deale presumptuouslye, so that he har­keneth not vnto the priest (which standeth to do seruice vnto the lorde thy God) or to the Iudge, the same shall dye.

Howe the worldly and superiour powres, as Emperours, Kinges, Princes, Iudges, & rulers ough to liue with their subiectes.

Heare, (o ye kynges) & vnder­stand.Sap. vi. a O learne ye y^t bee Iudges of the endes of y^e earth giue eare, ye y^t rule y^e multitudes,Rom. xiii & delite in much people. For y^e power is ge­uen you of the lord, & the strēgth frome the highest, which shal trie your workes & search out your Imaginaciōs, howe y^t ye, beyng officers of his kingdom, haue not executed true iudgement haue [Page]not kept y^e lawe of rightuousnes nor walked after y^e w [...]ll of God.

A king shall not haue many horses,Deut. xvii nether shal he haue many wiues, nether shal he gather him syluer & golde to muche. He shall not lyft vp hys hart aboue hys brethern & shal not turne a syde from the commaundementes of God, neither to y^e righthand nor to the lyfte hande.Pro. xx. d Mercy, and faythfulnes preserue the Kyng, and with louyng kyndenes hys seate is holden vp.pr [...]n. xxix The feare of the king that faythfully iudgeth the pore, shall continue sure for euermore. Lyke as a roaryng lyon, and an hungrye beare, euē so is an vngodly prince ouer the poore people. Where the prince is without vnderstanding there is great oppression and wronge But if he bee such one as hateth couetousnes,Mich. ii. a he shal lōge reygne [Page]Heare,Den. xvii Iere. v. a. Psal. 131 o [...] of y^e house of Iacob, [...] of y^e house of Israel, shu [...] li [...] y [...] know what were [...] & right but ye hate y^e good, & loue y^e euil, ye plucke of mens skinnes,Iere. 23 a and. 21. d zacha. vii. b. &. viii. c & the flesh frō their bones. Kepe equitie & rightuousnes, delyuer the oppre [...]sed frō the power of y^e viole it, do not greue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherles nor y^e widdowe,Psal. ii. a ezay. 37. c & sheade no innocēt bloude in this place.

Be wise now therfore (o ye kynges) be warned ye y^t are iud­ges of the earth. Serue the lorde with feare & reioyce before hym wyth reuerēce.Sap. i. a 3. Reg. 3. a Kysse the sonne lest the lorde be angrye, and so ye perish from the right way. O set your affection vppon wisdome. ye that be iudges of the earth.Eccle. vii Iob. ix. a. and. c. Make no labour too bee made a Iudge, except it so were y^e y^u couldest mightelt put downe wicked­nes. [Page]Take hede ye [...] what ye do,Luke. xix. for ye execute [...] the [...] ­gement of men,ii. par. xix but of the lorde. And he is wythe you in iudge­mēt. Therfore let the feare of the lord be wyth you, & beware & do it, for with the lord our God ther is no vnrightuousnes nor res­pect of parsōs, nor accepting of giftes.Eccl. 4. b. In iudgemēt be mercifull vnto the fatherles as a father, & be in steade of an husband vnto their mother.Pro. ix. a Wyth true iudge­mēt the king setteth vp the land, but if he be a mā that taketh gif­tes, he turneth it vpside downe.Dell. xvii Be no accepter of persons, ney­ther be desirours of gifts, for thei make wise mē blynde & chaunge the wordes of the rightuous. He y^e hath respect of persons, ī iudgemēt,Pro. ii. doth not wel, & why? He wil do wrong, yea, euen for a pece of breade. A wise iudge wyll ordre his people with discreciō, & whe­re [Page]a mā of, vnderstāding beareth rule ther [...]e [...]h it well, As y^e rud­ge of the people is hīselfe,Pro. xxix euē so are his officers, & loke what ma­ner of mā y^e ruler of y^e citie is, such are they y^e dwell therin. The vn­godly taketh giftes out of the bosom to wrast y^e wayes of iudge­ment.Pro. xxvii Apoc xxiii Thou shalte not wrast the righ of the pore ī his cause, kepe y^e farre frō false matters,Deu. xvii Exo. xxiii Susan. 8. Ecc. xx. [...] The in­nocēt & rightuous shalt thou not slea, Thou shalt take no giftes, for giftes blinde euē thē that are sharpe of sight, & wrast the rygh­tuous causes.Leuit. [...]4 Ezay, vi c Pro. iii. a Deut. 17. Ezech. 1 [...] Cursed is he that wrasteth the right of y^e widdow, Wo vnto them that are conning men to suppe out wine, and ex­perte to set vp dronkennes, These gyue sentence with the vngodly for rewardes, but condemne the iust cause of the rightuous.

Wo be vnto you (o ye iudges) [Page]that make vnryghtuous lawes,Mat. r3. Ezay. 28. & deuyse thynges Wh [...]e bee to harde for to kepe, wher thorow y^e pore are oppressed on euery syde, & the innocentes of my people, are therwych robbed of iudge­ment y^e widdowes may be your pray,Eccle. 32. Deu. xvii. & that ye may robbe the fatherles If thou be made a ruler, pride not thy selfe there in, but be thou as one of the people.

Let him that ruleth be diligent.Rom. xii.

How subiectes shall behaue themselues towardes theyr superiours, and temporall rulers.

The rulers of the people shalt thou not blaspheme.Exod. 2r Act. 23. a. pro. 24. a and. xx. Feare the lord and the kyng, and kepe no company with the slaunderous, for their destruction shall come sodenly.

Pray for kinges and rulers.

Warne the people that theyi. Tim. ii. [Page]submit the se [...]es vnto princes, & to the higher [...]ctorite,Titu. 3. a. Rom. 5. a 1. pet. 2. a i. pet. ii. b & to o­bey the officers. Submit your selues vnto all maner ordena­unce of men for the lordes sake, wheter it be vnto the king as vnto the chefe head,Titu. 3. a. or vnto rulers as vnto thei y^t are sent of him for the punishmēt of euell doers, but for the prayse of thē that do wel.

Let euery soule submit hym selfe to the auctorite of y^e higher powers. For there is no power but of God.Rom. xiii The powers y^t be are ordeined of God, so y^t who soeuer resisteth y^e power, resisteth the or denaunce of God.Sapi. vi. 1. pet. a. b And they y^t re­sist, shal receyue to thē selues dā ­pnaciō. For rulers are not to bee feared for good workes, but for euel. And the ruler bearet not the sweard for nought.Rom. xiii For he is the mynister of god a taker of ven­geaunce too punish hym that [Page]doth euell. Wherfore ye must ne­des obey not onelye for punish­mēt, but also because of cōsciēce. For this cause must ye gyue tri­bute also. For they are gods my­misters, which mayntein the sa­me defence, Giue to euerye man therfore his dutie,Rom. xiii Mat. 7. Tribute too whome tribute belōgeth, custom to whome custom is due, feare, to whome feare belōgeth,Mat. 22 c Mat. 7. d Rom. xiii Honour to whome honour perteyneth.

Giue vnto the Emperour that which is the emperous. And giue vnto God that whiche is Gods.

How parentes as father and mother ough to rule and bryng vp theyr Children in the feare of the lorde.

If thow haue sonnes, bring thē vp ī nurtour & learning,Ecc. vii. c and. 1 [...]. a and holde thē in awe frō their youth vp. If thou haue doughters, kepe their bodie & shewe not thy selfe [Page]cherefull toward thē. Mary thy doughter, & [...] shalt thou perfor­me a we [...] matter, but gyue her to a man of vnderstandyng. Who so loueth his childe holdeth him stil vnder correctiō y^e he may haue Ioye of hym afterwarde.Eccle. 30 He that teacheth his sonne, shall haue Ioye of hym, & nedeth not too bee ashamed among his ac­qua yntaunce.Pro xiii. c Deut. vi a Wo so enformeth & teacheth his sonne greueth the ennemy, & before frendes ye may haue ioye of him. If thou die yet art thou as though y^u were not deade, for thou hast lefte one be­hinde the y^e is like vnto y^e. An vn­tamed horse wil be hard, & a wātō child wil be wilful. If thou brīg vp thy childe delicatelye, he shall make the afrayde, & if thou playe wyth hym, he shall bryng the to heauines. Laugh not w^t hī, least thou wepe with him also, & leaste [Page]thy teth bee set on edge at y^e last.

If thy doughter be wanton kepe her straightli, least she cause thyne enemies laugh y^e to scorne and the whole cytie to geue the an euell reporte, and so thou be­fayne to heare thi shame of eueri man. Thou shalt not holde thy doughter to whoredom, y^e y^e land fal not to whordome, & ware ful of wickedites. If thy doughter bee not shametast, holde her stra­yghtli least she abuse her selfe thorowe ouer much libertie. Bewa­re of al the dishonestie of her eyes

There shalbe no whore a­mong the doughters of Israell,Deut. 23 Num. 25 Mich. i. b Eccl. 22 neyther whorekeper among the sonnes of Israel. A misnurtered sonne is the dishonoure of the father, A folish doughter shalbe ly­tle regarded. And she that com­meth to dishoneste, bringeth her father in heauines.

A doughter y^e is past shame dishonoureth [...] father and her husbād, [...] rate not your childrē, [...] of a [...]esperate minde He y^e spareth the rodde hateth his sōne,Collo. iii. but who so loueth hym, holdeth him eueri nurtour,Pro. 13. c Psal. 23. Heb. xii. b Psal. 33 Ephe. i. a ye fathers prouoke not your children vnto wrath, but bring thē vp in the nurtour, and informa­cion of the lord. Witholde not correction frō thy chylde for if thou beatest him with y^e rodde, he shal not die therof.Pro. 33 and .xiii. c Eccle. 33. Thou smitest him wyth the rodde, but thou dely­uerest his soule from hell Let the elder man be sober, honest, discre­te, sounde in the fayth, in loue, in pacience.Litu. ii. c Let the olde women shew them selues as it becometh holynes, that they bee no false accusers, not geuen to much wyne, that they teach honest thynges, that they enforme the [Page]yong women to bee, sober myn­ded, to loue their husbāds, to [...]ue their children, to be [...]crete, chast huswifly, good, obedient vnto their husbandes, that the word of God be not euel spoken of.Gen. iii Let the yongmen like wise be sober.

How youth shall obey their elders, honouring them in the feare of the lorde.

Ye children obey your elders in the lord,Ephe vi. a Collo. iii Exodi. xx for that is right. Ho­nour thy father & thy mother, y^e is the first cōmaundement y^e hath ani promes, that thou mayst prosper and lyue long vppon earth.Titu. ii. a i. Pet. ii Ecc. vii. c and. iii. a. Let the yongmē be soberminded

Ye yonger submit your selues vnto the elder.

Honour thy father from thy whole harte, and forget not the sorrowfull trauayle that thy mother had wyth the.

Remembre that thou wast [Page]borne thoro [...] [...], & how caust thou reco [...] thē the things that they haue [...] for y^e:Lob. iii a Holde thy mother in honour all the da­yes of thylife, For thou oughtest to remembre what,Lob. iiii. & how great parreles the suffred for the ī her wombe. My sonne care and bee wise so shal thyne harte prosper in the way. Let not thyne harte be gelous to follow synners but kepe the styl in the feare of y^e lord al the day long.Pro. xxiiii Kepe no compa­ny with wine bibbers and riot­tours eateres of flesh for such as be dronkardes and riottoursshal come to pouertie,Pro. xxii. and he that is geuē to much slepe, shal go with a ragged coate. Geue eare vnto thi father that begatte the, and dispise not thy mother whā she is olde.

The lord wil haue y^e father honoured of y^e childrē,Eccle. [...] & loke what [Page]a mother commaundeth hir chil­dren to do, he wyll haue it kept. Who so honoreth his father,Exod. r 0 Deut. v. c hys synnes shalbe forgeuen hym, & he that honoureth hys mother, gathereth treasure together. Who so honoreth his father, shall haue ioy of his owne chyldren, & whan he maketh hys prayer, he shalbe hearde. He that feareth the lorde, honoureth hys father and mother, and doth thē seruice, as it were vnto the lorde hym selfe, Honour thy father in dede,Geue. ii. [...] and. 4 9. Deut. z 4. in worde & in all Pacience, y^t thou mayest haue his blessyng for the blessyng of the father buyldeth vp the house of the chyldrē, but the mothers curse, roteth out the foundacions. My sonne make much of thy father in hys age, & greue him not as long as he ly­ueth. And if his vnderstandyng fayle, haue pacience wyth him▪ & [Page]despise him [...] [...]th, He y^• [...] come to shame, & [...] his mother, is cursed of God.Pro. xix d He y^t hur­teth his father, or shutteth out hys mother, is a shamefull, and an vnworthy sonne.Leuit. xxi Thou shalt rise vp before a gray hede, & shalt gyue reuerence vnto the aged.

How the master and mastres ought to vse them selfes towardes their serua­untes.

He that dilicatelye bringeth vp his seruaunt frō a chyld,Pro. xxix shal make hym hys master at length. Where as thi seruaunte worketh truelye, entreat him not euel,Eccle. 7 c nor the hyreling y^t is faythfull vnto the. Loue a discrete seruaunt as thyne owne soule. The fodder, y^e whippe & the burthē belongeth vnto the asse, meate, correction, and worke vnto the seruaunt. If thou let thy seruaunt laboure, [Page]thou shalt finde rest, but if thou let him go I dell, he shal seke [...] ­bertie. The yoke, & the whippe bow downe the necke, but tame thou y^e euel seruaunt with bandes & correctiō. Set him to worke, for y^t belōgeth vnto him, and becommeth hym well If he bee not obediēt, binde his fete, but do not to muche vnto him ī aniwise, & without discreciō do nothing If thou haue a faythfull seruaunt, let hym be vnto y^e as thyne owne soule, for in bloud hast thou gotten him, if ȳ entreatest him euel,Collo. iii. & kepest him hard, he wil ronne a way frō y^e, ye ma­sters, do vnto your seruauntes y^t which is iust & equal, & knowe y^t ye also haue a master ī heauē. ye masters,Ephe vi. a Eccle. zz. Collo. iii c put away your threateninges, & know y^t their God, is your God also, neyther is there any respect of persons [Page]with him [...] lyon in thy [...] owne house, destroying thy houshold fo [...]es,Tobi. iii. Deut. 24 & oppres­sing them y^t are vnder the. Who soeuer worketh any thing for the, immediatly geue him his hyre, & loke y^t thi hyred seruauntes wages remaine not by the ouer night.Leuit. xix Tob. xiiii Eccl. 2. z. b Eccl. z 4 c Eccle. 5. c The workemans labour shal not byde with the vnto the morning, He the defraudeth the labourer of his hyre, is a bloud­sheader.

How seruauntes ought too bee haue them selues in the seruice of theyr ma­sters or lordes. Dames or mastresses.

Let as many seruauntes, as are vnder the yoke, counte their masters worthy of all honour, y^t the name of God & his doctrine be not euell spoken of. Se that they whiche haue beleuing ma­sters, despise thē not, for thei are Brethern, but rather doo them [Page]seruice, for so much as they are beleuing & beloued, & partakers of the benefyte,Col. iii. c. Ephe. vi. T [...]tu. ii. b i. Pet. ii a ye seruauntes, be obediēt vnto your bodely ma­sters in all thinges not with eye seruice as menpleasers, but ī sin glenes of harte, fearing God. What soeuer ye do, do it hartely euē as vnto y^e lord & not vnto mē. And be sure, that of the lorde, ye shal receaue the reward of the in heritaunce, for ye serue the lorde Christ ye seruauntes be obediēt vnto your masters,Titu. ii. a Ephe. i. a. Col. iii. a. & please thē ī al thinges, not answering thē againe, neither, be ye pikers, but shewe al good saythfulnes, that in al thinges ye may do worship vnto the doctrine of God our sauiour. ye seruauntes obey your masters with all feare, not onely if they be good & curteous but also though they be froward For that is grace, if a man for [Page]conscien [...]e tow [...] God endure gre [...] [...]. For what praise is it if whā ye be buffeted for your fautes ye take it paciēt­ly. But if whan ye do wel ye suffer wrong, and take it paciently that is grace wyth God.

The duety of maried men towardes their wiues.

Departe not from a discrete and good woman that is fallen vnto the for thy porcion in the feare of the lorde.Eccle. vii The gift of her honestie is aboue golde. If thou haue a wyfe after thyne owne minde,Eccl. ix. b forsake her not & commit not thy selfe to the hatefull. Vse thy selfe to lyue ioyfull ye w^t thy wife whome thou louest all the dayes of thy lyfe (whiche is but vain) that God hath geuen the vnder the sunne all the dayes of thy vanitie,Mat. vi. Pro. v. c. for that is the por­cion [Page]in this lyfe of al thy labour & trauayle y^e thou taken▪ vnder y^e sunne, ye husbādes loue your wiues, euen as Christ loued the congregacion,Ephe. v. c Bal. ii. c. Titu. z. c. i. Pet. z. a & gaue hym selfe for it to sanctifye it & clensed it in the fonteyne of water by the worde, to make it vnto him selfe a glorious rgregacion, hauing no spot nor wryncle nor any [...]uch thing but y^t it shulde be holi & without blame. So ought mē also to loue their wiues, euē as their own bodies He y^t loueth his wife,Mat. v. d loueth him selfe. Who so e­uer putteth away his wife (ex­cept it be for fornication) causeth her too breake matrimony.i. Pet. iii a i. Pet. iiii And who so euer marieth hir y^t is de­uorsed, breaketh wedlocke, ye mē dwel w^t your wiues accordīg vnto knowledge, geuīg honour vnto y^e wife, as vnto y^e weaker vessel, & as vnto thē y^t are heyres [Page]wyth you of the grace of lyfe, that your prayers be not let. If any man make a vow vnto the lorde or sweare an othe,Num. xxx Deu. xxiii so that he bynde hys soule, he shall not breake his word, but do all that is proceaded out of his mouth.

The duetie of maried women to war­des theyr husbandes.

Let the women submit thē selues vnto their husbandes,Ephe. v. c Collo iii c i. pet. iii. a as vnto the lorde. For the husband is the wiues head, euē as Christ also is y^e head of the rgregacion & he is the sauiour of hys body. Therefore as the congregacion is in subiection to Christ,Cor. ix. a lykewise let the wiues be in subiection to their husbādes in all thinges. ye women be subiect vnto your husbandes, that euen they whi­che beleue not the worde,i. Pet. iii. i. Cor. xi a may wythout the worde bee wonne [Page]by your conuerfacion whā they beholde your rue [...]saciō in feare. Whose apparell shal not be out­warde with broydred heare,Ephe. v. Collo. iii c ii. Tim. ii and hanging on of golde, or in put­ting on of gorgious aray but let the inwarde man of the harte be incorrupte wyth a meke, and a quiet spirite whiche before God is much set by For after this maner in the olde time did the holy women whiche trusted in God, tyer them selues, and were obe­dient vnto their husbandes, euē as Sara obeyed Abrahā & called him lorde.Gen. xviii Let the women aray them selues in comely apparell withshamefastnes, and discrete behauiour, not w^t broydred hear or gold or Pearls or costly aray,i. Tim. ii. but with suche as it becommeth women that professe Godlynes thorow good workes.i Cor. xiiii Ephe. v. Let your wiues kepe silence wyth al sub­iection. [Page]Suffer not a woman to teach nor to haue a [...]torytie o­uer the man, but for to be in silē ­ce. For Adam was firste formed,Gen. iii. & then Eue. Adam also was not deceaued, but the woman was de­ceaued, & hath brought in y^e trāsgression. Notwithstandyng tho­rowe bearing of childrē she shal­be saued, if she cotinue in fayth, & in loue & in sanctifyinge w^t di­screcion. Let your wiues kepe silence in the congregacion, for it shal not be permitted vnto thē to speake, but to be vnder obediē ce as the law sayth, But if they wil learne any thing let thē axe their husbandes at home.Num. xxx For it becommeth not women to spea­ke in the congregacion, A man shalbe lord and ruler in his house and the womā shalbe subiect too her husbande. If a maried womā make a vowe, and if she haue let­ten [Page]go our of hir lyppes a bond ouer hir soule, & her husband heare it, & holdeth his peace therat the same day y^t he heareth it, thē her vowe, & band wherwith she hath bounde her selfe ouer hir soule, shall stande in effecte But if her husband forbid her y^e same day y^e he heareth it, thē is y^e vowe louse y^e she hath vppon her, & the band also y^t she hath lettē go out of her lippes ouer her soule.

Of the state of matrimony ī general.

In the beginning God created man & woman,Mat. i. a Geue. ii. d for this cause shal a man leaue father, and mo­ther, and cleaue to his wife. And they two shalbe one flesh, nowe are they not twayne, but one fleash. Let no mā therefore put a sonder that which God, hath coupled together. [...] Cor. vii. To awoyde who­redome, let euery man haue hys [Page]owne wyfe, [...] let euery woman haue her [...], let the man gyue vnto the wyfe due beneuolence lyke wyse also y^e wyfe vnto the mā. The wyfe hath not power ouer her owne body, but the husband, and lykewyse the man hath not power ouer hys owne body, but the wife. With­drawe not your selues one from an other,Iob. vi. d and. vii. a Ioel. ii. c. except it be with y^e con­sent of both for a tyme that ye may gyue youre selues vnto fa­styng and prayer, and thē come together agayn, least fathā t [...]pt you for your incontinency.Hebr. xiii. Let wedlocke bee had in price in all pointes, and let the chambre bee vndefyled.

For whorekepers & aduoute­rers God wyll iudge. The lorde fauoureth man, and wyfe that agre well together.

Happy is the man that hath a [Page]vertuous wife,Eccle. [...]ii and. ci. d. Eccle. xx vi. d. for the numbre of his yeares shalbe double. A woman shall not seperate her selfe from her husband, but if she sepe­rate her self, that she remayn vn­maried, or bee reconsiled to her husband.1. Cor. vii. A womā that is in sub­iection to the man, is bounde vnto the law whyle the man liueth but if the man dye,Rom. vii. thē is she loused from the lawe that cōcerneth the man. If she be with an other man, whyle her man lyueth, she shalbe called a wedlocke breaker But if the man be dead,Mat. v. d thē is she fre frō the lawe, so that she is no wedlockbreaker if she be with an other man.

Of the state of virgins.

I say to them that are vnmaried & to widdowes (sayth.Cor. 7. a S. Paule) It is good for thē y^t they abyde also as Ido.Tim. v. b But if they can [Page]not abstayne, let thē mary, for it is better to mary thē to burne. As cōcerning virgins I haue no commaundemēt of the lorde,1. cor. vii [...] ne­uertheles I say my good mea­ning as I haue obteyned mercy of the lord to be faythfull. I sup­pose it is good for the present necessite, for it is good for a man so to be.Num. xxx Art thou bound vnto a wi­fe, seke not to be loused Art y^e loused frō a wife, seke not a wife If a damsell make a vow vnto y^e lord while she is in her fathers house, and vnmaried, & her vow or bād y^e she maketh ouer her soule cōmeth to her fathers eares, and he holde his peace therto, then all her vo­wes, and handes that she hath bound her selfe withall ouer her soule, shall stande in effect.

Of the state of widdowes.i. Tim.

She that is a right widdow [Page]and desolate, putteth her trust [...] God,Luk. iii. f. ii. Cor. i. & continueth in prayer, & supplication night & day. But she that lyueth in pleasures, is dead euen yet alyue. A widdow must bee without blame.Gala. vi. But if there be any that prouideth not for his owne, & specially for thē of his houshold, the same hath denied the fayth,1. Pet. ii. and is worse then an infydell. Let no widdow bee chosen vnder threscore yere old, & such one as was y^e wyfe of one man, & well reported of in good workes if she haue brought vp childrē wel,1. Tim. v. if she haue bene har­berowes, if she haue wasshed the saictes fete,ii. Pet. iiii if she haue ministred vnto thē whiche were in aduer­sitie, if she were cōtinually geuē to all maner of good workes. But the younger widdowes refuse. For whā they haue begon to waxe wāton against Christ thei [Page]will mary hau [...]g [...] [...]npua­cion, because [...] broken the first fayth [...] this they are ydel, & learne to ronne about frō house to house. Not only are they ydell, but also trifling & bu­sy bodies, speaking thinges whiche are not comly.Num. xxx The vow of a widdow, & of her y^e is deuorsed, al that she bindeth her selfe with­all ouer her soule, shall stand in effect vppon her.

Exhortacion to the rich of this worlde.

If ryches encrease, set not your hart vppon them.Psal. li It becommeth not a couetous man and a nygarde to be rich, & what shuld a nygard do with golde? He that wyth all hys carefulnes hea­peth together vnrightuously, gathereth for other folkes,Eccl. 23 and an other man shall make good [Page]there wyth his goods. He [...] wicked vnto him self, how shuld he be good vnto other men? How can such one haue any pleasure of hys goods? there is nothyng worse, then when one disfauou­reth him self, & this is a reward of his wickednes. If he do ani good he doth it not knowing therof & against his wil, & at the last he declareth his vngraciousnes.Pro. r 7. Eccle. iii. A ni­garde hath a wicked eye, he tur­neth away his face and despiseth his owne soule. A couetous man hath neuer in ough in the porciō of wickednes, vntyl y^e tyme that he wither awaye, and haue lost his owne soule.Ecc. 24. b Eccle. iiii To. iiii. b Luke. xvi. A wiked eye spareth bread, & ther is scarsenes vppon his table. My sōne do good to thy selfe of that thou hast, and giue the lord hys due offrynges. Do good vnto thy frende before thou dye, and accordyng to thy [Page]abylitie [...] out [...] [...] ough [...] [...] selfe, [...]ob. i. [...] [...]. Tim. vi & not [...] Charge thē whiche are [...] in this woorlde that they be not [...]d, nor trust in the vncerteyne ryches but in that lyuing God (whiche geueth vs aboundauntly all thinges to enioy thē) that thei do good,Mat. vi d that they be ryche in good workes, y^t they giue, & distribute with good wyll, gatheryng vp treasure for them selues, a good foundacion agaynst that tyme to come,To. iiii. b that they may lay hand on eternally fe. Geue almes of thy goodes, & turne neuer thi face frō the pore, for almes deliuereth frō death, & suffreth not the soule to come in darkenes. A great confort is al­mes before the hye God, vnto all them the do it. Let neuer pride haue rule in thy mynde, nor ī thi [Page]woord for in pride began all de­struction, Happy is the rich that is found without fa [...]e,Geue. iii. and [...] turneth not from the right [...]ay for golde,Eccle. iiii neyther put [...]th hy [...] trust in mon [...]i or treasure. Go to know ye rich men, wepe & howle on youre wretchednes that shal come vppō you,Tim. vi your ryches are corrupt your garmētes are mo­atheatē, your golde and your siluer are cank [...]ed & the rust of thē shalbe a witnes agaynst you, & shal eate your flesh as it were fyre, ye haue heaped treasure toge­ther in your last dayes.Leuit. x. c Deut. 24 Too. iiii. c Beholde the hyer of the labourers which haue reaped youre owne feldes (which hier is of you kepte backe by fraud) crieth, & y^e cries of them whiche haue reaped, are eatred into the eares of y^e lord sabaoth.Luke. xv c ye haue lyued in pleasure on the earth & in wantonnes, ye haue [Page]condempned and haue kylled the Iust,Eccle. x. b & he hath not resisted you. There is nothing worse then a couet [...]us mā. What pridest thou thē, O thou asshes: there is not a more wicked thīg thē to loue money. And why? such one hath his soule to sel, yet is he but a fyl­thy donge whyle he lyueth. Although the phisician shew his helpe neuer so long, yet in con­clusiō it goeth after this maner, to day a kyng, to morrow dead. For whan a man dyeth, he is the hyere of beastes, serpentes & wormes. Wo he vnto the proude wel thy in Sion too suche as thinke them selues so sure vpon the mo­unt of samaria.Amos. vi. Luke. vi Whiche hold thē selues for the best of the world, and rule that house of Israell e­uen as they list, beholde [...]s the border of the land of the Phil­stines wider then yours?

ye are taken out for the euel day, ye that sytte in the stole of: wyl­fulnes, ye that lyghe vpō beddes of Iuory and vse your wanton­nes vpon your couches,Iob. xxi. Ezay. v b. Reg. v d ye that eate the best lambes of the flocke & the fattest calues of y^e droaue, ye that sing to the lute, & in playing of instrumentes cōpare your selues vnto Dauid, ye that drinke wine out of gobbletes, and a­noynte your selues wyth y^e best oyle,Prouer xi Psal. 40 but no man is sory for Io­seps hurte. Who so trusteth ī his ryches, shal perish Blessed is he y^t considereth the pore, for the lorde shall delyuer hym in the tyme of trouble.Ma. ix. c Luke. xi. d Eccle. 36 Se that ye gather you not treasure vppon earth where rust & mothes corrupt, & where theues breake through & steale, But gather you treasure toge­ther in heauē where nether rust nor mothes corrupt,Pro xxiiii and where [Page]theues nether breake vp nor yet steale.Luk. xii. c For wher your treasure is ther is your harte also, ye can­not serue God, and mammon. Make you frindes wyth the vn­rightuous mammon,Luk. xv. a that whan ye shall haue nede, they maye receaue you into the euerlastyng tabernacles. All they that wyll be ryche fall into tēptacion and snares and into many folish and noysome lustes,Tim. vi b Pro. 33 whiche drowne men in destruction & dāpnacion. For couetousnes is the roote of all euell, whiche whyse some lu­sted after, they erred frō the fayth and tangled them selues wyth many sorrowes.

Exhortacion to the poore, sicke and impotent Parsons.

Blessed are the poore ī spirite,Mat. v. a Luke. vi. Pro. xv for theirs is the kyngdom of hea­uen. All the dayes of the poore are miserable, but a quiet hart [Page]is a continuall feast. Better is a lytle with the feare of the lorde, thē great treasure,Psal. 36. Pro. xix. Better is the poore that trueth Godly, thē the blasphemer that is but a foole. A poore man leading a godly lyfe, is better then the ryche that go­eth in fro warde wayes.Pro. 27 a A small thing y^t y^e rightuous hath is bet­ter then great ryches of the vn­godly The lord knoweth the da­yes of the Godly,Psal. xxx Prou. 15 b Eccl. 28 c i. Tim. vi and there in he ritaunce shal endure for euermo­re. The lorde is a defence for the pore, a defence in y^e tyme of trouble. For the lord forgetteth not y^e complaynt of the pore. The lord shal delyuer y^u pore frō the migh­ty, and the wretched and misera­ble pore sely people, which haue no helpe. The lord wyll not for­get the pore, the pacient abiding of such as be in trouble shall not perish for euer.Psal. xx [...]. He shalbe fauou­rable [Page]to the simple and pore, he shall preserue the soules of such as be in aduersitie. He shall dely­uer their soul? from extorcion & wronge, & deare shall their bloud be in hys sight. The prayer of y^e pore goeth out of the mouth, & commeth vnto the eares,Eccle. xxi Exod. v. b and his vengeaunce (or defence) shal comand that hastely. A simple man whiche laboureth and worketh, is better then one that is gor­gious, and wanteth breade.

Thou art the poore mans helpe (o lorde) a strength for the ne­defall in hys necessytie.Pro. xxii. Eccl. x c d Thou art a defence vnto hym agaynst euell wether,Ezay. xxv and a shaddow a­gaynst the heate.

The pore shal not alway be out of remembraunce, the pacient a­bidyng of such as be in trouble, shall not perishe for euer.Psal. 71 a The lord shall kepe y^t sim [...]le flocke by [Page]theyr right, defend the childrē of the pore and punishe the wron­geous doers.Ezay. xii The pore sely peo­ple couet water, & they can get none, & their tong is waxed dry for thrust, I the lord shal hear thē I the God of Israell wil not for sake thē.Iacob. i a Hath not God chosen y^e pore of this world which are rich in fayth, and heyres of the king­dom whiche he promised to them that loue hym?Eccl. xi. The pore y^t wan­teth strength & hath great pouertie, the eye of God loketh vpō hī to good, setteth him vp from hys lowe estate & lifteth vp his heade

Exhortacion to the artificer or handi­craftes man.

In y^e sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade,Geue. iii. till thou be turned agayne vnto earth whē ­ce y^t art taken. Man is borne to labour,Iob. v. a. like as y^e birde for to flye. [Page]An ydell hand maketh pore,Pro. x. a: but a quicke labouringe had maketh riche. Who so gathereth in Sommer, is wyse,Eccl. zi. c Rom. xii. but he that is slou­gish in haruest bringeth him selfe to confusion. In all thy workes be deligent and quicke, so shall there no sicknes happē vnto the.Eccle. x. d Be not proud to do thy worke, & despayre not in the tyme of ad­uersitie.Pro. xvi. i Who so is slouthful and slacke in hys? about, is the Bro­ther of hym that is a wayster. Slouthfulnes bryngeth slepe,Pro. xix & an ydell soule shal suffre hungre. The deuises of one that is dili­gent bring plenteousenes,Pro. xxi a but he that is vnaduised commeth vnto pouertie.ii. Tess. iii He that laboureth not shall not eate. A man shall go forth to his worke, and tyll hys land vnto y^e euenīg.psal 103 Thou shalt eate the labours of thyne owne handes,psal. 127 so shal it go wel with the [Page]and thou shalt bee blessed. Thy wife shalbe as a fruteful vi [...]e vppō the walles of thy house. Thi chyldren lyke the oliue braun­ches round about thy table. To thus shal the man be blessed that feareth the lord.Eccl. v. b. Iob. x. b A labouring mā sleapeth swetely, whether it bee litle or much that he eateth, but the aboundaunce of the rich, wil not suffer him to sleap Take not ouer greate trauayle and labour to bee rich.Pro. xxiiii Iere. xvii Eccle. xix A labouringe man y^t is geuen vnto dronkennes, shall not be rich. Delyte not thou in slepe,Pro. xv. least thou come vnto pouer te, but open thyne eyes, and thou shalt haue breade inough. All that a man eateth and dryn­keth yea,Eccl. 3 [...] b what soeuer a man enioyeth of al hys labour, the same is a gyfte of God.

Exhortacion to Religious or denout parsons.

Iacob f. c This is a pure reli­gion ordey ded of god other religious as f cotes gyr­dles, bo­tes et c. are famed Ipoctisy. Eccle. ii.Pure deuocion and vndefy­led before God the father is this To visite the frendles, & widdo­wes in their aduersitie, and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde. If any man among you seame deuout and refrayne not his tong, but deceaue hys owne harte, this mans deuocion is in vayne. The feare of the lorde is the right good, seruice that pre­serueth, and iustifieth the harte, and geuith mirthe and gladnes.

Exhortacion to the marchaunt.

It is nough, it is nough saith y^e bier, but whē he hath it,Pro. xx he doth prayse it. A false balāce is an ab­hominaciō vnto y^e lord,Pro. xi. a. deale not wrōgfully w^t thy neighbour,Leuit. xix w^t metyard, weight or mesure, Whā thou sellest ought vnto thi neighbour,Deut. 23. Leuit. xi or biest any thyng of hym [Page]deceyue nor oppresse hym not. Thou shalt not haue in thy bag­ge two maner of weyghtes, a great and a smal. Neyther shalt thou haue in thy house dyuers measures, a great and a small / y^e thy lyfe may be long in the land / which y^e lord thy God shall geue the: for wo so euer dothe so, is an abhominaciō vnto the Lord thy God, God knoweth both the de­ceyuer, & hym that is deceaued.Iob. xii

Exhortacion to the husbaudman.

Who so tylleth his ground shalbe fylled wyth breade.Pro. xii Who so hoordeth vp his corne, shalbe cursed among the peple / but blessyng shal lyght vppon his heade that selleth it.Prone. xi Whan thou hast reaped downe thine haruest / and hast forgottē a sheafe in the felde thou shalte not turne agayne toDeut. 24 Leuit. xix [Page]fech it / but it shalbe for the stran­ger, the fatherles & the widdow / that y^e lorde thy▪ God may blesse the in all the workes of thy han­des. In lyke case when thou hast plucked thine olyue trees and vinyarde,Leuit. xix Deut. 24 Whan thou reapest thy land thou shalt not reape downe the vttermust borders of it round a bout, nor gather it al clean vp. Euen so lykewise thou shalt not plucke thy vinyarde cleane also / nor gather vp y^e grapes that are fallen downe / but shalt leaue thē for the pore and straungers for I am the lord your God.

Exhortacion to souldiours or meu of warre.

Whan thou goest out to ba­tayle aginst thine enemies / and seist horses & charets of the peo­ple more thē thou:Deu. x. a be not afrayd of them. Now / wen ye are come [Page]nigh vnto the battayle, y^e prieste shall step furth & speake to y^e peo­ple, and saye vnto thē.Deu. xii. c Num. 14 1. Mat. 4 Deut. xxv Heare (o ye people) ye go this daye into y^e batayle against your ennemies, let not your hait faynte. Feare not, be not a frayed of them, for the lorde your God goeth wyth you,Num. xxi to fight for you, agaynst your enemies, that he may saue you. Whan thou commeth nygh vnto a city too fight agaynst it, thou shalt offer thē peace. But if they wyll not deale peaceably with the,Deut. x. c & wil warre with the thē befege it. Whā thou must ligh a lōg seasō before a city agaynst y^t which thou makest war to take it, thou shalt not destroy y^e trees nor heawe thē down with y^e axe for thou mayest eate of the frute, for it is but woode vppon y^e felde and no man, & cannot come & be bul warkes against the. But the [Page]trees that thou knowest that mē eate not of, those shalt thou de­stroy, and rote out, and make bul warkes thereof against the citie that warreth wyth the tyl thou haue ouercome it. Let hym that is a fear de & faynte, turne home agayne.Mat. iii b i. Ieg. 14. It is a smal matter for many to be ouercome with few, yea, ther is no difference too the God that is in heauen-to deliuer bi a greate multitude or by smal companye, for the victory of the battell standeth not in the mul­titude of y^e host but the strength commeth from heauen, ye Soul­diours do no man wrong,Luk. iii. b and be content with your wages.

Exhortacion to custumers toluers, and publicanes.

ye custumers and tolners, require no more of the people then is apoynted you.

Exhortacion to lombardes & vzurers.

If thy brother ware pore and fal in decay beside the,Leuit. 25 Exo. xxv Deut. 24 Ezech. 18 thou sha [...] receaue hym as a straunger [...] ­gest, that he may lyue by the, and thou shalt take no vsury of hym, nor more then thou hast geuen, but shalt fear thy God, that thy brother may lyue beside the. For thou shalt not lend hym thy mo­ney vppon vsury, nor delyuer hym thy meate vppon aduaun­tage. Let no man take vsury of his brother.Deut. 24 Ero. xxii Leui. xxv Thou shalt occupye no vsury vnto thy brother, ney­ther with money nor wyth food nor wyth any maner of thyng y^e vsury may bee vsed withall, that the lorde thy God may blesse the in all that thou takest in hand. Whā one of thy brethern is waxed pore in any cyt ye within the land whiche the lord thy GOD shall geue the,Deu. xv a [...]. Iohn. 7 thou shalte not hardē thyne hart, nor withdraw [Page]thyne hande from thy poore brother, but shall open thyne hand vnto him & send hym according as he hath nede. Beware y^t ther be not a point of belial in thine hart, thō [...] thinke not y^e he shal not geue it the agayne. For if thou lokest not frendly vppō thy brother,Rom. x. b & geuest hym nothyng them shal he cry ouer y^e vnto the lorde, & it shalbe counted synne vnto y^e. But thou shalt geue him For because of it shall y^e load thy God blesse the in al thy workes, & in al that thou puttest thy hād vnto. The land shall neuer bee without pore, therfore & maund I the & say, y^t thou open thine hā de vnto thy Brother, whiche is nedye and poore in thy land. If thou lend a pore body (sayth god) thou shalte not lye downe to slepe wyth hys pledge,Deu. xiiii shalt delyuer hym his pledge a­gaine [Page]gayne whan the Sunne goeth downe y^t he mai slepe i his owne rayment & Blesse the so shal the same be rekened vnto rightuousnes before y^e lord thy God.Psal. xiiii Lord (sayth dauid) who shall dwell in thy tabernacle: Who shal res [...] vppon thy holye hyl. Do that sweareth vnto his neighbour and disapointeth him not. He y^t geneth not hys money vppon, vsury, & taketh no rewarde, agaynst, the innocent.Ezech. 18 If a man doe Godly, & do the thyng that is equall, and ryght, be greueth no bodye, he geueth hys detter his pledg a­gayn, he parteth his meat wyth the hungry, he clotheth the na­ked, he lendeth nothyng vpō, vsury, he withdraweth his hand frō doyng among, he hādeleth fayth fulli betwixt man & mā.Mat. ii▪ Psal. xiii This is a rightuous man, he shal surely lyue, sayth the lorde God. Thou [Page]hast receyued giftes too shedde bloud. Thou hast taken vsury,Ezech 2 2 & increase Thou haste oppressed thy neyghbours by extorcion, & forgottē me, sayth the lord God. He that hath pitie vppon the po­re lendeth vnto the lord,Pro. xix. and loke what he layeth out, it shalbe payed hym agayne.

Exhortacion to Whore moungers, and fornicatours.

The lyppes of an harlot are a dropping hony combe,Pro. v. b. Prouer. 7 and her throte is softer thē oyle. But at the last she is as bytter as wor­mewode, & as sharpe as a two edged sworde. Her fete goo downe vnto death, and her steps pearse thorow vnto hel. She regardeth not y^e path of life so vnstedfast a­re her wayes y^t y^e cast not knowe thē. Heare me therfore (O my sō ­ne) and depart not from the wordes [Page]of my mouth. kepe thi waie farre frō her, & come not nygh y^e dores of her house. That thou morne not at the last (whē thou hast spent thy body & goods) and then say. Alas, why hated I nurtour? Why dyd my hart despise correction? Wherfore was not I obedient vnto the voyce of my teachers and harkened not vnto thē that enformed me?Pro. v. c. Iob. 31. a My son­ne, whi wilt thou haue pleasure i an harlot, & enbrace the bosom of an other woman? For euery mans wayes are open in y^e sight of the lord & he pondreth al their goinges.pro. xxx. c The mouth of an har­lot is a depe pyt wherin he fal­leth that the lord is angry with al A folish retcheles womāful of wordes, & suche one as hath no knowledge sitteth in the dores of her house vpon a stoole aboue in the city,Pro. ix. b. to call such as go by, [Page]and walke strayght in their wa­yes. Who so is ignoraunt (sayth she) let him comhither, and to the vn wise she sayth, stolen waters are swete, & the bread that is priuely eatē, hath a good taste. But they consider not that death is there, & that her gestes go downe to hell. He that loueth harlots,Pro. xxix spēdeth a waye all that he hath. Turne away thi face frō a beautifull woman, & loke not vppon the fayrenes of other. Many a man hath perisshed thorowe the beaut ye of women, for thorow it the desier is kindled as it were a fyre. A whoore is a depe graue and a harlot is a narrdow pit.Eccl. ix. x Mar. v. c

She lurketh lyke a these, & those that be not aware, she bryngeth vnto her. Let vs not cōmit who­redome as some of them dyd, and fell in one day, thre and twenty thousand.

The wyll of God in that ye shuld absteyne from whoredom,ii. Tess 4 Ephe. iiii. Tob. vi. d Roma. i c that euery one of you shulde knowe how to possesse his vessel in holynes and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence as y^e heathen whiche know not God.Ephe. iii Mat. xiid Let no fylthy communication procead oute of thy mouth, but that whyche is good too edify withal. And greue not the spirit of God, wherwith you are sea­led vnto the day of redemption. Fle whordom,i. Cor. 6. c All synnes that a man doth, are without the body. But he that committeth whore­dom synneth agaynst hys owne body. Know ye not that your bodye is the Temple of the holy­ghost? whome ye haue of God, & are not your owne.Gall. v. c i. Cor. vib Aduouterers whoremongers, fornicatours, & vnclean parsons, shall not inhe­ret the kingdome of God. Shuld [Page]I then (sayth the lorde) for all this haue mercy vppon the?Iere. v thy chyldren haue forsaken me, and sworne by them y^t are no Gods. And albeit they were bound too me in mariage, yet they fell to aduoutery, & haunted harlots hou­ses. In the desyre of vnclenly lust,Ezech 2 2 Iere. ix a they are hecome lyke the sto­ned horse, euery man neyeth at hys neyghbours wife. Shuld I not correct this, sayth the lorde? And shuld I not be avenged of e­ueri people that is like vnto this

Exhortacion to dronkardes.

Wo bee vnto thē that rise vp early, to vse thē in dronkennes,Iob. xxi b & yet at nyght are more superflu­ous in wine. In whose cōpanie are harpes & lutes tabrettes & pipes. But thei regarde not y^e workes of the lord, & consider not the operacion of his handes.

Wo be vnto them that are con­ning men to sup out wine,Pro. iii. a and expert to set vp drokennes. Where is wo? Where is sorrow? Where is stryfe? Where is brawling? where are woundes without cause?Pro. xxiii Where be read eyes? Is it not amōg those that bee euer at the wine, & seke onelye wher the best is, & occupy thē selues to dri­ke out goblets, glasses, & cups? Loke not thou vppon the wyne howe read it is, & what colour is in the glasse. It goeth down softly, but at y^e last it biteth lyke a serpēt, & styngeth lyke an Ad­der. And whā a mā is dronke,Luke. xi. c Rom. xiii he casteth hys eyes vnto straunge women, & doth muse vppon fro­ward thynges. Take hede vnto your selues that your hartes be not ouerladen with excesse of eating & with dronkennes.ii. Esdraii Wyne is maruel ous strong, and ouer [Page]commeth thē that drinke it / it de­ceaueth the mind / and bringeth both the pore man & the kyng to dotage & vanitie.Pro. xx Thus doth it with the bondmā / & w^t the free / with the poore & rych. It taketh away their vnderstandinge / and maketh thē careles & mery, so y^t none of thē remēbreth any heauines, dette / or duety. It causeth also a man to think that y^e thing which he doth is honest & good, & remembreth not in what au­ctorite he is / & that he ought not to do such thinges. More ouer when men are drinking, they forget all frendship, all brotherlye faythfulnes & loue. But as sone as they are dronken they drawe oute the sweard & wil fight. And whā they are layd down frome their wine / & so rysen vp agayn, they cā not tell what they dyd.

Wine is a voluptuous thing &Pro. xx. a [Page]drōkennes causeth sediciō,Ephe. v.b who so delyteth therin, shal neuer bee wyse.Proue. xi Ephe. v. Bee not y^e a wyne bybbet for wyne hath destroyed mani a man. O how wel contēt is a wi­se man with a lytle wine? The fire proueth the hard yron, euen so doth wine proue y^e hartes of y^e proud, whē their be drōken. Wine soberly dronken, quikeneth the life of mā. If y^e drinkest it mesurably, thou shalt be tēperate. Wine was made from y^e beginnyng to make mē glad (& not for dronkennes) wine measurably drōken, is a reioycyng for y^• soule & bodye. But if it bee dronken w^t exeos, it maketh bitternes & sorrow vnto the minde. Dronkennes tilleth y^e mind of the folish, with shame, & ruine, diminisheth the strength, and maketh woundes. Bee not dronken, for therin is exces.

Exhorcaciō vnto al sinners generally

The same soule that sinneth shal dye. The child shal not bea­re the fathers offence, nether shal the father beare the childes offē ­ce. But the rightuousnes of the rightuous shalbe vpon him selfe and the wickednes of the wicked shalbe vppon him selfe also. But if the vngodlie wyll turne awaie from all his synnes that he hath done & kepe my commaundemē ­tes, & do the thinge that is equall and right, doutles he shall lyue & not dye. And I wyll thinke no more vppon all his sinnes that he did before. For I haue no pleasure in y^e death of a synner (saith the Lorde God) but rather that he conuert and lyue.

A generall exhortacion vnto al men.

Thou shalt reprehende thy brother whan he synneth, least hys offence come ouer all men.

Be ye all of one minde, one suf­fer with an other, loue as bre­thern, bee pitifull, be curteous. Recompence not euell for euell, nether rebuke for rebuke, but contrary wyse, blesse, & knowe that ye are called therto, euen that ye shulde bee heyres of the blessyng. For who so listeth to lyue,Geue. xii. Mat. xv & wold fayne se good dayes let hym refrayn hys tonge from euell, and hys lyppes that they speake no gyle. Let hym eschue euell and do good. Let hym seke peace, and ensue it. For the eies of the lord are ouer the rightuons, and his eares are open vnto theyr prayes. But the face of the lorde behol­deth them that do euell.

The prayer for the mornyng.

O Almighty and most gentse God, we thanke the for the swete flepe & co [...]fortable rest y^e thou hast geuen vs thys night. And for as much as y^e hast cōma­unded by thi hol [...] worde, that no man shuld be ydle, but alwaies occupied, in v [...]ret [...]ous exercises euery man accordyng to his callyng. We most humbly beseche the that thyne eyes may a [...]tend vppon vs dayly doinsh vs, in for now [...]out vs, cher she, cōfort and gouerne all our councel, [...]u dyes, & labours. In suche wyse that we maye so spend this day accordyng to thy in [...]ost blessed will withoute hur [...]inge of oureneyghbour, that we may dili [...]ētly and warely ese [...]ue and auoy­de althynges that si [...]ilde displease the, set them alwayes before [Page]our eies, lyue in thy feare, & euer worke that, that ma [...] befound acceptable before thy diuine maieste vnto the prayse of thi moost holy name, through Iesu Christ our sorde. So bee it.

An other prayer for the Mornyng.

SEing that thou (O heuely father) art that one & alo­ne almightie god, whiche art in euery place, b [...]holdest the councels, deusses & workes, yea the verxe thoughtes of all men, & geuest to euery one according to their dedes. We beseche the that (for as muche as thou hast moost gracioussye preserued vs thys night) we may not spod this day after our owne minde & pleasure (whyche is alwayes, euell and [...]cked) but earnestly loke vp­pon, and dylygen [...]ly folow thy fatherly wyl, thyne euerlasting [Page]councell, thy healthfull word, & pleasure which is alwayes good perfect and holy, and fulfyll the same wyth good harte, that thy diuine name may alwayes bee sanctifyed, both now & euer for vs myserable synners, through thy derely beloued sonne Iesus Christ, our lord and sauiour So beyt.

After that thou hast prayed on this maner (seing that we be all synners) it shall be expedient (if thou hast conuenient leasure therunto) to confesse thy self on this maner vnto God the father.

The confession of our synners vnto God the father.

O Almyghty God, and hea­uenly father, maker of heauen & earth, I confesse my selfe vnto the euen frō the very hart, [Page]that I am a miserable wretched and abhomynable synner. And haue wyckedly trangressed all thy holy commaundementes, & the diuine preceptes of thy Godly wyl. The synnes (alas which I haue committed in my flesh a­gaynst the) are so great and so excedingly increased, that thei are no lesse innumerable then y^e sandes of the sea, And they thrustme downe euen as an intollerable burdē. In these wicked sines (oh lord God) haue I hetherto wal­ked accordyng to the wyll of the prince of the worlde, whyles I dyd that was pleasaunt too the Fleshe and euell lustes, through vayne thoughtes, the blindnes of my hart, the outward presen­ce of Godlynes, & fayned fayth. Thys cam too passe (Ah wretch that I am) because that I did neuer earnestly stryue agaynst the [Page]suggestions of Sathan, nor the concupiscences or desyres of the world, nor yet the lustes of my flesh. But filthily obeyed them a thousand tymes more, than the admonicions of thy holy spirite. O lord my God. It cam to passe also, that I dyd set nought by thy Godly counsell dispised thy holy name and feared thy ven­geaunce and heauy displeasure nothing at al. But what soeuer I haue in this behalfe offended thy most Godly maieste, it fore repenteth me, and the faulte gre­ueth me euen vnto the very har­te. And if it were not (o most mee cifull father) that thou haddest layde vp mercy in the bowels, bloud and woundes of Iesus Christ thy sonne and our lorde, for so many as vnfaynedlye re­pent and truly beleue, be theyr sinnes neuer so great & many I [Page]shuld se none other way but throwe my selfe downe headlōg through disperaciō, into the bottomles pit of hell. But for as much as thou hast set thy welbe loued sonne Iesus Christ to bee our mediatour and mercy stocke. And hast promised grace mercye & forgeuenes of sinnes to as many as aske it ī his name, through fayth in his bloud. Therefore in this time of grace & mercy, I mi­serable synner com nowe vnto the, & desier the milord God that y^e wil graunt me, thorowe y^e our lord Iesus Christ, a ryght, & true fayth. And for hys sake forgeue me al mi sīnes & make me to walke daili more & more ī a new hart & in y^e frutes of y^e holyghost, that I may vtterli despise al y^e vngodly lustes of this worlde, & that I may bee found continent, pure of lyuing, temperate, good rygh­tuous, [Page]honest, diligēt in al good­nes, meke mercyful modest, humble and redy to forgeue suche as offend me, euen frō the very har­te. And so lyue all the dayes of my life accordyng to thy diuine wil and true feare. That I may dye to the worlde to all synne, & to my selfe. And wyth a good cō ­fidence and mery hart, loke for the comming of the lorde and my sauiour Iesus Christ. To whom wyth the and the holyghost bee all honour and glorye for euer, and euer. So be it.

Thou mayest (if thou wylt) after thy confession say the lor­des prayer, called the Pater no­ster. And so commēding thy selfe vnto God, fall to som honest and vertuous exercise accordyng vnto thy callinge, but what soeuer thou doest, do it with purenes of [Page]harte, & wyth synglenes of eye yea so do it, as though God were present, and loked vppon the, as vndoubtedly he doth.

The prayer too bee sayd when thou goest to bedde.

O God the almighty lord, bi whose ordre and will, the night & darkenes do now approch, where in we shall geue our selues to quiet and slepe. We moost instauntly desier the, that thou graciously receaue vs into thy tuicion and keping, that the prince of darkenes do not hurte vs wyth hys terrours and feres. And although we must slepe be­cause of our feblenes, yet let our hart and mind watcha vnto the. God thou before vs and shew vs the way as a piller of fyre, that we may follow the as wel ī rest, as in busines and occupacions [Page]of this lyfe. And graunt that we be not founde in thy sight, chyl­dren of night and darkenes, but of daye & lyght through Iesus Christ our lorde. So be it.

An other prayer.

THis oure mortal bodie, whiche through sinne daylie de cayeth & diminissheth, must at y^e last altogether perish & be­come earth, wherof it is come, & made, and thē shall our vanitie, whiche we through our owne ignoraunce haue made vnto our selues, take an ende. But moost mercifull creatour & maker of all thinges vouchsafe so to breake, deuide and dissolue me thy pore creature, who am gathered, knit and made of the, & graunt that I may alwates haue in mind thī dissolucion, and of whome I am knit together, hauing an eye to [Page]what place I must go, to the in­tent that Inot beinge prepared, be not brought without nupcial or bridal garment, before thy iudgement seat. For like as whē the day is ones past, we giue our selues to rest, euen so must we, this lyfe being ended, rest in y^e death. Nothing is more lyke vnto lyfe then the daye, & nothynge more lyke vnto death thē y^e night. And nothyng so lyke the graue or sepulchre as the coutch bed or bed stead. Thus good keper, and de­fender from all euell, graunt vs now lying in impotency & seblenes of our selues, that thorough the, we may bee preserued thys nyght from all the assaultes of the deuell of hell. Amen.

Whan thou goest to thy labour at worke.
Prayer.

O Most kynde, and gentle heauenly father, thou knowest, and hast also taught vs, how great the weakenes of man is, so that no man (without thy Godly help) can do nothing. Thus vouchsafe to sēd vs thi ho­lye spirite, y^e he may strengthen, stirre, and moue our vnderstan­dyng and reason in al thynges that we thys daye outwardly shal go about and take in hande, or of that we in wardli shal thinke or haue in mynde, too the in­tent that it may all bee done too thy glory, & to the proffit of our neyghbour. So beit.

Whan a man is bounde towarde a­ny iourney.

THis ourlyfe moost merciful lorde, is nothyng els but a pilgrimage, and through fare, for we haue here no aby­dyng [Page]or dwellyng place. We are com from the, and we must returne agayne vnto the, But amon­gest or betwene all the trappes, assaultes, pittes and snares, whiche the deuell hath layd out and spred abrode, for vs, blynded in synne, vouchsafe thou, o Lorde Iesu Christ, to lead vs with thy right and, for thou art a true, trusty, and sure frende. Open our eyes, to thintent that we mysse not y^e way which y^u thy selfe art, but leade vs through and by thi felfe vnto thy father to thintent that all we may bee made one wyth the and hym, euen lyke as thou art one wyth him. O moost mercyful lord lyke as thou doest send thy holy Aungels to bee de­fenders of as mani as serue and please the wyth a symple inno­cent and pure hart, by the whi­che they be led lyke yong childrē [Page]are led of them whiche are elder, & stronger than thei. And lyke as thou diddest vouchsafe too sende thyne Aungell Baphaell, to be a guyde vnto the Sonne of that reuerent man Tobi, vouchsafe euen so (O Lorde) to send vs the same Aungell, although we are not so worthy as the same Tobi was, that he may encourage, & lead vs through that way whi­che is not pleasaunt vnto vs but vnto the. So be it.

Whan a man commeth home or is at his sourness ende.
Thankesgeuing and prayer.

I Thanke the, o heauenly fa­ther, for thy great grace, & mercy, which thou hast she­wed vnto me in going forth and in returnyng or cōming agayne through thi holy blessing which thou geuest vnto all them that [Page]kepe thy holye word, and do ther after. Graunt vs o gracious god here where we haue no abyding or dwellyng place, a sure and quiet consciēce through thy son­ne Iesus Christ who is our one­ly rest So be it.

For Kinges, Princes and Rulars.
Praper.

O Lorde of lordes Iesus christ thou art an example and glasse mirroure of thē which gouerne and beare rule of reaimes, countreyes and cities, whom thei ought to follow, for thou art the best & the wisest, and therfore canst thou not erre nor doo any other thyng but well. Vouchsafe with the light of thy clearnes & w^t the fire of thy loue to kindle y^e hartes of al such as y^u through thy Godly prouidence [Page]hast instituted, and ordeyned to bee rulers ouer the people, to the intent that they through the as through or by a foregoing light may se and perceiue what is best to be done, and fulfyll the same and that they takyng the alwa­ies for a sure marke of their eye, do not that thynge which one­ly seameth good in their syght, but that whiche may bee too thy honoure, to our proffit & to their health and saluacion, to thintēt also that they may iustlye, and duely minister, and execute their office geueng vnto thē of the so that we wyth thē and thei wyth vs may lead a peaceable, ver­tuous and quiet lyfe. So beit,

For all teachers and preachers of the moost holy word of God.
Prayer.

O Mercyfull priest chefe Bi­shop and true good heard IESVS Chryst, vou­chesafe through thy holy spirite to strengthen all preachers, and teachers whiche thou hast cal­led, and sent to be labourers in thy holy haruest, for to breake, and distribute the bread of thy holy word, to thintent that thei may boldly, & earnestly set their soules in the defence of thy holy word, and for their shepe against all the threateninges, and false prophets, whiche go about to seduce, and bryng vs out of the right waye, for their bellyes sake, through their false doctrine, To the intent that they may so teache, and declare vs thy holy lawes and Gospe I that we may be taught and edyfied, and that also thy Godly honour mai dayly more, and more bee magny­fyed [Page]thereby. Amen.

For all them which lye in the ext [...]e me panges of death, or otherwise.

O Pytifull phisicyan & hea­ler both of soule and body Christ Iesu. Vouchsafe too cast thyne e yes vppon thy poore sin­nefull creature. N. who lyeth here captiue, & bound w^t sicknes turning hys weakenes too thy glory & to his health. And vouch safe good lord, to sende hym pa­ciēt sufferaunce that he may sted fastly continue to the ende, and that he may with a true and perfecte fayth fyght manfully a­gaynst all temptacions of the deuell, when he maye no longer cotinue. So be it.

For all women bound with the lor­des bandes.
Prayer.

Good truharted lorde Iesu Christ, lyke as thou diddest confort & deliuer thy disci­ples, & all elect & chosen men and women, in al their nede, martir­dome, and paynes whiche they suffred of the tyrauntes wrong­fully, and diddest also cure & hea­le them of their wondes, paynes and smart, thore we hope of the crowne of euerlastyng lyfe. Euē so vouchsafe (thou whiche art a helper of all thē that call on the in trouble and nede) to delyuer this pore, weake vessell which is here bound with a fruit after thine owne similitude and lykenes (not withstanding that she hath deserued in transgressynge of thy holye commaundement to bryng furth her chyldren in paying, and wo) that she may bee made a glad and ioyfull mo­ther through that new creature [Page]wyth good spede, that the chyl­de may haue name and christen­dome, and that the mother may be purified to thy honour, and to hyr health So beit.

For all parsons generally.
Prayer.

O Worthy brydegrome of all Chrystē soules IESVS Chryst, who hast a lyngu­ler respect to thy congregacion which thou also promisedst that thou woldest neuer forsake hyr▪ Reioyce augment and encrease the same, through a spirituall conuersion of many new crea­tures, of them whiche as yet do not perfectly knowe the, too thintente that all we together, through one God, one sautour, one fayth, one baptism, one spirite, one iudgement, and mynde, [Page]may bee made chyldren of [...] heauenlye [...] [...] whereof [...] a co [...] [...] the one [...] Iesu Chryst [...], & a [...]ic­toure of peace loue and good­nes, mollyfy and soften our hartes and all our powers that we (wisshyng all goodnes the one to the other) we specially that beare the name of Christians to the intent that al men may therby bee drawen vnto the, and se that we are thy disciples and followers.

For the Cytie or towne where in thou dwellest.
Prayer.

Except thou (o mercyfull lorde God, almighte) kepe the Citie, the watch men [Page]wake but in vayne that kepe it Therefore o lorde God, send thy holy spirite in the hartes, of thē whiche rule our cytie or towne to the intent that we wyth thē, and they with vs, may lyue in thy Godly feare, so that it may go well wyth vs. And suffre vs not good lorde, to put out trust any more in worldly power as money, horse, weapon, artillery gonnes or stronge walles, but much rather in the whiche art a defender of al thē that put their whole affiaunce and trust in the

For all frutes of the earth.
Prayer.

O Good father and geuer of all goodnes god almightie we poore sely wormes of the earth, labour and take pay­nes, dyg and delue, tyll & plow, [Page]plant & sowe, & can do no more But thou onely mayest & wylt gene the encrease in due tyme. Therfore moost best, yea, onelye good father and God vouchsafe (through thy diuine prouidēce) to preserue and kepe all the fru­tes of the earth, & suffre the same to grow and encrease too a per­fect grouthe, althoughe we are not worthy of it, out for thy na­mes sake, too the intent we may vse them to our necessitie, & sus­tinaunce with thankesgeuinge and alwayes to thy glory. So be it.

A generall confession.

O Lorde God almighty, fa­ther of mercy and God of all confort,Rom. iii. Gene. vi. and .iii. we thy pore crea­tures resort vnto the knowled­ging and cōfessing our selues before thy glorious maiestie, that we al are greuous sinners & can [Page]of our selues doo nothyng but synne. For al our ymaginaciōs, intentes and thoughtes are en­clined, and disposed vnto euell from out youth vp.Osee. xiii ii. Cor. ii. Phili. ii. Gene. iii. Ephe. ii. Psal. lii. Iohn. xv. Eza. lxi. ii Iere. xii. Our damp­nacion commeth of oure selues, we oure selues are not able to thynke a good thought It is thou only that doest worke in vs both the will and the dede. We are but earth and naturallie the children of wrath. We of our selues are but vayn, yea lighter then vanite it selfe. We can do nothing without the ther is not one of vs whole, we are all vn­clean and all our rightuousnes is but as a fylthy cloth. We ha­ue no more power to do good of our selues, then a man of Inde hath power to chaunge his skinn [...], or the leopard hir spots. No­we according to this euell, and corrupt inclinacion of our na­ture, [Page]so haue we liued ī thought word and [...]de.dani [...]l. ix We haue sy [...]ed we haue [...]ded, we haue gone back frō thy laid & haue not har­kened vnto thy worde. We haue not loued the o lorde our god, vs all our harte with all our soule, withall our strength and wyth all our power. We haue bene so­re transgressours of thy comina­undementes, we haue not put our whole trust and confidence only in the. We haue in our troubles & nede not sought for helpe onely in the. We haue not called onely vppon thi name, but with false confidence with vayne su­persticion, and vn [...]aufull othes haue we blasphemed thy name. We haue prayed and made intercession vnto stockes, and stones and made thy creatures our ad­uocates and mediatours, contrary to thy woorde We haue repo­sed [Page]our trust and affiance in our owne dedes and in suche woor­kes as haue bene deuised by mē ­nes fantasies▪ besides the scri­pture. We haue wandred on vayne pilgrimages offringe vp money, candels and tapers too ymages and relykes, with suche lyke supersticion. We haue bene slouthfull in our busines We haue not bene feruent and diligēt in doinge of our duetie, special­ly on such dayes as bee appoin­ted for y^e preaching of thi word, we haue not plyed our selues wholy to learne it, nor occupied our tyme in prayer and geuyng of thankes vnto the. And as touching y^e loue that we ought too haue vnto all men, and women for thy sake, we haue not ben er­nest in at al tymes We haue not loued our neighbour as our sel­ues. We haue not done as we wolde bee done vnto. We haue [Page]been vngentle, vnpaciēt, vncur­teous, froward, angry & displeased, we haue reioyced, in our neighbours hurt, & bene sory of his welfare, We haue bene ledde w^t false doctrine & [...]ours frō the way of thy truth. We haue syn­ned w^c our fathers we haue done amys. We haue dealt wickedly. Therfore our moost dere father which art in heauē, for as muche as we haue blasphemed the, and not sought alway the glory of thy name, graunt nowe y^e from hense forth thy name maye bee sanctified, and hallowed in vs, Graunt now that thy kingdom may come, and that in steade of sinne & errour, y^u onelye mayest raigne ī vs, graunt nowe y^t our wil may be cōformable vnto thine, and that in all aduersitie we may be hartely wel content too suffre thy will to bee done in vs. [Page]Graunte nowe, that we bee ne­uer destitute of our dayly food, but that we may all way be no­risshed wyth thy word in our soules, and haue suche a compe­tent lyuing in this lyfe, as is necessary for our bodyes Graunt now, that we may euen from our hart rotes forgiue one an o­ther all maner of trespace, as thou for Iesu Chrystes sake thy sonne hast mercifully forgeuen vs. Graunt now that where as the world the deuell & our owne flesh doth dayly tempt and pro­uoke vs to synne, we may tho­row that strength be able to re­sist all their temtacion. Graunt now that thorow thy helpe and grace, we may be delyuereo from all euell, from all daunger and parell of soule and body, from all synne, hell and damnacion, from all pride, and enuy, from [Page]al wrath and slouthfulnes, from couetous vnmeasurable and fylthy lyuing. Graunt nowe, that from hence forth we maye bee content wyth suche fatherly prouision as thou hast made for vs alredi. Graunt now that we maye bee temperate in eatyng, and drinking. And of so honest and clenly conuersacion, that we gyue no man occasion of e­uell. Graunt now that in stead of our olde fayned workes we may bee occupyed wyth suche frutes of thy holy spirit as thy word maketh mencion of. Gra­unt now, that accordyng to thy wholsom moniciō of thy blessed apostle Peter, and of all the scr [...] ­pture besyde,Peter. we may be fayth­full, true and obedient vnto the kyng our souereygne lorde, and supreme head immediatly vnder chryst. And not onlye vnto all [Page]suche officers as be sent of hym but also vnto al suche wholsom lawes, and iniunctions as by hys auctorite bee made for the tranquilitie & welth of vs hys subiectes. Graunt now that we all may encrease in the knowledge of the, that oure youth may be brought vp in vertu, that children maye obeye their fathers, and mothers, y^e seruauntes may be true to their masters, that lād lordes may bee gentle to their tenauntes, that husbandes may be louing to their wiues, & wy­ues lykewise to their husbādes, that men maye kepe their hou­shold in the feare and knowledge of the that ydle people may bee set to laboure, and that all suche as bee poore in dede, may be wel and louingly prouided for. Gra­unt that for the loue of the, we may fede the hōgry, gyue drinke [Page]to the thursty, clothe the [...]ked, giue con [...] to [...] that [...]ee [...] the [...] that [...] pri [...]g & [...] such as [...] [...] now [...] [...]ther that what soeues thou forbid­dest, we may forbeare it, & what soeuer thou [...]o [...]endest, [...] we may euery one in hys call you performe the same, and so conti­nue in thy seruice tyll our ly [...]es ende, that all our thoughtes, wordes and dedes may redound vnto the glory of the, now and euermore. Amen.

Thankes be geuen to God, obedience vnto our prince, and loue to our neyghbours.

The oracion of Iob in his most gre­uous aduersitie and losse of goodes.

N [...]ked cam I out of mi m [...] chees wombe, and naked shall I turn agayne. The lorde gaue, and the lorde hath taken away, is it hath [...]leased the lord so is it donne, now blessed be the name of the lorde.

Prayer in prosperite.

I Geue the thankes, o God almighte whiche not onely hast endued me wyth the giftes of nature, as reason power and strength, but also hast plen­tifully geuen me the substaunce of thys worlde I knowl [...]dge o lorde that these are thy giftes, and confesse wyth holy Sainer Iames that ther is no perfet nor good gift but it commeth frō the (o father of lyght) whiche geuest frelye and castest no man in the teth. I knowledge wyth the prophet Agge, that golde is thyne [Page]and siluer is thine, and to whom it pleaseth the thou geuest it, to the godly, that they may bee thy disposets and distributours therof, and to the vngodly, to heape vp their damnacion wythall. Wherefore my moost mercifull God, I humbly beseke and desire the to frame in me wyth thy ho­ly spirite a faythfull hart, and ready hand to distribute these thy good giftes accordyng too thy wyll, and pleasure, that I treasure not vp here, where the­ues may robbe and mothes cor­rupt, but to treasure in thy hea­uenly kyngdome, where ney­ther thefe may steall, nor mothe defyle, too myne owne comfort (whom of thy mercy thou hast promised to reward therfore) too the good example of the humble and meke of thy congregacion and to the glorye of thy name. [Page]To whome with thy sonne an [...] holyghost, bee all honour and prayse worlde without ende.

Amen.

The maner or saying grace after the doctrine of holy scripture.
Grace afore meate.

THe eyes of all loke vnto the O lord, and thou geuest thē their food in due ceason, Thou openest thine hand & fyl­lest euery lyuing creature with thy blessyng.

Grace afore meate.

I know (sayth the Apostle) and am full certified in the lorde Iesu,Rom. 1 r [...] that ther is nothyng vn­cleane of it selfe, but vnto hym that iudgeth it to bee vncleane, to hym it is vncleane. But if thy brother be greued ouer thi meat, [Page]thē wa [...]kest thou not now after charit [...], [...] not [...]th thy meate him, [...]or [...] [...]ed

Grace afore meate.

Let not our treasure there­fore be euell spoken of.Rom. 14 For the kyngdom of God is not meate, and drinke, but rightuousnes & peace and ioye in the holyghost.

Grace afore meate.

Meate doth not further vs vnto God. If we eat,i. Cor. 8. we shall not therefore bee the better, If we eat not, we shall not there­fore bee the worse. But take he­de that thys your lybertie bee not an occasion of falling to the weake.

Grace afore meate.

Meate hath God created to bee receaued wyth thankes,i. Tim. of [Page]which beleue and know y^e truth. For euen cr [...]re of God is good and no [...]ng to bee refused that is re [...]a [...]ed w [...]th thankes ge­uyng, for it is sanctified by the woorde of God and prayer.

Receaue your meate without grudgyng, Take hede ye neuer abuse the same▪ Geue thankes to God for euery thyng, And alwai prayse his holy name Who so doth not, is sore to blame No e­uell en ensample se that ye gyue

Thus dooth Gods worde tea­che you to lyue.

What soeuer ye doo in word or dede do al in the name of our lorde Iesu Chryst geuyng thankes vnto God the father by him.

Grace after meate.

T [...] [...] vs [...] openyng [...] for fyllyng [...] full blessing [...] the, for thy son [...] [...] not onely t [...] [...] from abu [...]ng o [...] [...] [...] ­so to lend vs thy [...] [...]hat we may euer dee t [...] [...] vnto the therfore. Amen.

Grace after meate.

Thankes be vnto the, O lord God almightie (most beare father of heauē) for certifying vs [...]y thi blessed worde, that all kynde of meates are cleane, & we beseche the lend vs thy grace, that we may alway thankfully receaue the same, not onely without su­persticion or s [...]rupulosyte of consciēce, but also without greuing [Page] [...] oure brethern, And s [...] to w [...] in [...] w [...]y of Godly lo [...] and [...] w [...]th our me [...]te [...] hym, for wh [...] [...] Iesus Christ dyed a [...] [...] as [...]or vs.

Grace after meate.

Thākes bee vnto the, O God almightie (moost de [...]re father of heauē (for openyng vnto vs thy blessed worde, which is our trea­sure, our pearle, yea, & our ryches more precious then eyther golde or precious stone. And we besech y^t though corporal meate & drike be no part of thy kyngdome, yet ordre thou vs also in receauing the same, that we neuer geue occasion of slaundring thy woorde or offending the weake. Amen.

Grace after meate.

Thākes be vnto y^t O lord God almighty (moost deare father of heauē) for laying vp our salua­ciō only in thi selfe, & not in any [Page]kynde of meate. And we besech y^e guide vs so in the [...]se therof that we may follow such [...] make for peace, & [...] edify one an other [...] togeue vnto the weake [...] occa­sion of falling from thy worde.

Grace after meate.

Thākes bee vnto the O lorde god almight ye most deare father of heauē for ordeyning thy creatures to bee meate foode & fuste naunce vnto out bodyes, & hast sāctified thē by thy blessed word &c. We besech the make vs so to to encrease in stedfastnes of thy Fayth, in perfecte knowledge of thy truth, & in continuaunce of feruēt prayer vnto y^e, y^t to vs also thei may be sanctified & holy & y^e we may euer both thākefully re­ceaue thē, & vertuouslie vse thē, to y^e good ensāple of other. Amē.

Blessed is he that exercisethEccl. 50 d [Page]hym selfe in these thynges. And who so taketh suche too hart, shalbe wise. If he do these thin­ges, he shalbe strōg in all. For the light of [...] [...]ord leadeth him.Iohn. 14. If ye know there thinges, Blessed are ye if ye do thē.Luk. 11. e Iocob. 4. Iohn. 2. The seruant that knoweth his lordes will, & doth it not, shalbe beaten with many strypes But he that fulfylleth y^e worde of God, abideth for euer. These thynges are written to y^e intent y^e we shuld beleue,Iohn xx d that Iesus Christ is the sōne of God & y^e we thorow hym myght haue life euerlastyng, Whiche the chefest goodnes vouchsafe to geue vn­to al them that shal eyther heare or rede this present lytle boke.