The Third Part of the Catechism

1. Repentance; Faith 2. Law 3. Prayer 4. Sacrament 5. Duty

Of the Law

Father. Now followeth the third part of the Catechism, which thou saidst, as I remember, is the law. Son. Truth it is.

Father. Of what law speakest thou? Son. Not of man’s, but of God’s law.

Father. What is this law of God? Son. It is a doctrine containing the certain and unchangeable will of God, teaching what things are holy and pleasant to God, and contrariwise what things are ungodly and displeasant unto him; again, commanding what we ought to do, and forbidding what we ought to leave undone.

Father. Give me examples of this thing. Son. Among the precepts which God will have to be done of us, these are comprehended [Deut. 6]: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy strengths.” Again [Exod. 20]: “Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.” The contrary commandments, I speak of such as forbid us those things which we ought not to do, are these and such like: “Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight.” “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” “Thou shalt not steal,” &c.

Father. To whom did God give his law? Son. He first of all gave it generally to all men, writing it in their hearts, whereby every man did know when he did well or otherwise, his conscience either commending or condemning him for his act: afterward the Lord our God gave it to the people of Israel, when he was determined to erect and stablish a new commonweal among the Israelites; that by this means they might know the certain and express will of God, and frame their lives according to the same.

Father. By whom did God deliver his law to the people of Israel? Son. By his servant Moses.

Father. Where? Son. In the mount Sinai. [Exod. 19]

Father. At what time? Son. The third month after that the people of Israel were delivered out of Egypt; in the year 430 after the promise made to Abraham concerning that blessed seed; and after the flood in the year 797; and from the beginning of the world, in the year 2454.

Father. After what manner was this law of God given? Son. With great glory, written with the finger of God in two tables of stone. For when this law of God should be given and published to the people of Israel, God himself, that mighty Lord, came down into the mount Sinai with fire; and there was heard great thundering and much lightning seen in the air. And there was a thick cloud upon the mount, and a noise of a trumpet exceeding mighty, insomuch that the people which were in the tents were wonderful afraid; for the smoke of the mount went up as the smoke of a furnace; so that the whole mount was exceeding terrible, and the noise of the trumpet was wonderful mighty.

Father. To what end did God give his law to the people of Israel? Son. Not only to the Israelites in times past gave God his law, (I speak not of the ceremonial or judicial, but of the moral law;) but to us also, and to so many as profess godliness, is that law given, and we owe now no less obedience to it, than heretofore the Jews did; so that we also, which are called Christians, ought diligently to do whatsoever is there commanded, and leave undone whatsoever is there forbidden.

Father. I grant. But my question is, to what end, or for what purpose God gave this law?

Son. First, that it should be unto us a certain, sure, and undoubted doctrine, opening and declaring the everlasting and unchangeable will of God, whereof we may learn both how to frame our life according to the good pleasure of God, and also what works we ought to do, wherewith we may please God, and serve him according to his holy will; lest we, following our own foolish fancies, corrupt judgments, blind zeals, and fleshly good intents, should attempt and do those things which are displeasant and unacceptable to the Lord our God; seeing it is written [Deut. 12]: “Ye shall not do every man what seemeth him good in his own eyes.” Again: “That I command thee, do thou only to the Lord: neither put thou any thing thereto, nor take ought therefrom.” Item [Deut. 4]: “Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you, neither do ought therefrom, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command you.” The holy apostle also saith [Eph. 2]: “We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesu unto good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them.”

And for this cause hath the law of God divers names in the holy scriptures, which tend unto this end. The prophet Esay and the psalmograph also call the law of God “a witness”, because it testifieth, sheweth, and declareth unto us the good will and pleasure of God. Esay writeth thus [Isa. 8]: “If any man want light, let him look upon the law and witness,” &c. David saith [Psa. 19]: “The witness of the Lord is true, and giveth wisdom even unto babes.”

Moreover, David, Salomon, and our Saviour Christ calleth the law of God “a light.” For as the light doth shew to him that walketh in darkness the way perfectly, and how he may safely walk, and without jeopardy; so likewise the law of God sheweth a Christian man how he ought to direct his ways, and to walk according to the will of God, neither declining on the right hand nor on the left. And as “he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth,” yea, for want of light he goeth out of his way, stumbleth, falleth, hurteth himself, and many times casteth himself into great danger; so, in like manner, he that walketh in the blind darkness and dark blindness of carnal reason, not having the light of God’s law, whereunto he may direct his footsteps, falleth into most filthy errors and heresies, embraceth idolatry and superstition in the stead of the true worshipping of God, and, forsaking the alone true God, honoureth idols and false gods: as we may see in the kingdom of the pope, where, for lack of the light of God’s word, who is able to express, what false religion, what superstition, what idolatry, what hypocrisy, what heresy, what monstrous sects, what errors, what wicked opinions, what kinds of all abominations do reign? Contrariwise, where the light of God’s word reigneth, there is an whole sea of good and godly things; but where the darkness of men’s traditions bear rule, there is a world of all evils. Without this light of God’s law we utterly know not how we ought to direct our pathways according to the will of God. Look what the “pillar of fire” [Exod. 13] was to the children of Israel, when they passed through the Red sea, in the night time; the very same unto us, which are tossed with the troublous waves of this world, is the law and word of God. The psalmograph saith: “Thy word, O Lord, is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my pathways.” Salomon also saith: “The commandment is a lantern, and the law a light.” David once again saith: “The commandment of the Lord is bright, and giveth light to the eyes.” Hither pertaineth the saying of our Saviour Christ: “This is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness more than light.” St Peter also saith: “We have a sure word of prophecy; and ye do well that ye take heed thereunto, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawneth, and the daystar arise in your hearts.” [Psa. 119, Prov. 6, Psa. 19, John 3, 2 Pet. 1]

Furthermore, St James compareth the law of God to a glass. [James 1] For as in a glass we see what is fair or foul in our face, so likewise when we look in the law of God, we easily see and perceive what is well or evil in our doings; so that through the benefit of this glass, I mean the law of God, we are provoked to amend those things that are amiss, which otherwise should remain and continue in us unto our damnation.

Secondly, forasmuch as man of himself is nothing else than a very lump of pride, and soon forgetteth his vileness, nakedness, corrupt and sinful nature, boasting himself even before God to be somewhat, when he is nothing else than mere vanity, and worthy of praise, when he is most worthy of everlasting damnation; as we may see in the parable or history of the proud Pharisee and sinful publican, [Luke 18] and in divers other of the holy scripture; God, willing to paint, shew, and set forth man to himself, as it were in his native colours, gave unto him his law, that by the consideration thereof he might learn to know himself, his misery, weakness, impiety, sin, and his unableness to fulfill the law of God, seeing the law is spiritual, and we are carnal; as St Paul testifieth: “By the law,” saith he, “cometh the knowledge of sin.” Again: “I know not sin, but by the law. For I had not known concupiscence or lust (to be sin), except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet, or lust. But sin took an occasion by the means of the commandment, and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. [Rom. 7, 3, 7; Exod. 20, Deut. 5] For verily without the law sin was dead. I once lived without law: but when the commandment came, sin revived; and I was dead. And the very same commandment, which was ordained unto life, was found to be unto me an occasion of death. For sin took occasion by the means of the commandment, and so deceived me, and by the self commandment slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good. Was that then which is good made death unto me? God forbid! Nay, it was sin, that it might appear, how that sin, by the means of that which is good, had wrought death in me; that sin, by the means of the commandment, might be out of measure sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin, because I allow not that which I do. For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If I do now that which I would not, I grant to the law that it is good. So then now it is not I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is to say, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing,” &c.

This end of the law is necessary to be known. For without this knowledge, we esteem of ourselves, of our strengths, of our free will, might, and power, more than becometh us: yea, we think ourselves through our own good works and merits worthy of the favour of God, remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and everlasting life, when we be least of all worthy of those things. But the law uttereth and sheweth us unto ourselves, and maketh evident, plain, and open before our eyes, our own wickedness, misery, and wretchedness; as we may see in Adam, Heva, Cain, David, Saul, Mary Magdalene, Peter, &c. Yea, the law accuseth, condemneth, killeth, and casteth us down headlong into hellfire, with all our works and merits, because we do not fulfill the law with such purity of heart, as the law doth require, according to this saying of our Saviour Christ [John 7]: “Did not Moses give you a law, and yet none of John vii. you keepeth the law?” Hereto belongeth the saying of St Peter [Acts 15]: “Why tempt ye God, that ye would put a yoke on the disciples’ necks, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Neither differeth the saying of Moses from this purpose: “Cursed be every one that abideth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, and fulfilleth them.” In consideration whereof the law is called “the killing letter,” “the ministry of death and damnation,” “the power of sin,” &c. [Deut. 27, Gal. 3, Rom. 4, 2 Cor. 3, 1 Cor. 15]

Thirdly, God hath given us his law unto this end, that, after we have perfectly learned of the law our corruption, our wicked nature, our impiety, our pronity unto sin, our slackness unto all goodness, and finally, our feebleness, yea, our nothing in fulfilling the holy, good, and righteous law of God, (lest we, beholding our damnation for not satisfying the will of God, should despair, and be made by this means inheritors of hellfire,) it should be unto us a schoolmaster to point and lead us unto Christ, which is “the end and perfect fulfilling of the law, to make righteous so many as believe on him” [Rom. 10]; that we, apprehending and laying hand through strong faith on his perfection and fulfilling of the law, might be counted righteous before God, and so become heirs of everlasting glory. For by this means, namely, through faith in Christ, we obtain that of God, which cannot be obtained of the law through works, that is to say, the favour of God, remission of sins, quietness of conscience, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and in fine, everlasting life, as these scriptures following do abundantly testify.

Our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 5]: “Think not that I am come to break the law or the prophets. No, I am not come to break, but to fulfill.” All things written in the law or in the prophets Christ hath unto the uttermost fulfilled, not for himself, but for us, that his fulfilling should be recounted our fulfilling, if we believe on him. This witnesseth St Paul, saying [Rom. 10]: “Christ is the perfect fulfilling of the law, to justify every one that believeth on him.” Again [Gal. 3]: “Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, while he was made accursed for our sake: for it is written, [Deut. 21] Cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree.” Item [Gal. 3]: “The law was our schoolmaster to drive us unto Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith. But after that faith is come, now are we no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the sons of God by the vii. faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Also in another place [Heb. 7]: “The law made nothing perfect, but was an introduction of a better hope; by which hope we draw nigh unto God.” Once again he saith [Gal. 4]: “When the time was full come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, and made bond unto the law, to redeem them which were under the law; that we through election might receive the inheritance that belongeth unto the natural sons.” Hereto appertaineth part of St Paul’s sermon, which blessed Luke reciteth in his chronicle of the apostles acts [Acts 13]: “Be it known unto you, ye men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and that by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

Fourthly, God ordained his law, that it should be a bit or a bridle to restrain the evil and disobedient persons from their evil and disobedience, and by this means at the least compel them to walk in an order, and do that which is good and righteous, if not for the love of God, yet for the fear of punishment, as the poet saith

“Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore;

Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae”

[Hor. Epist. I. xvi. 52, 53.]

Of this use or end of the law speaketh St Paul, saying [1 Tim. 1]: “We know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; understanding this, how that the law is not given unto a righteous man, but unto the unrighteous and disobedient, to the ungodly and to sinners,” &c. Again [Rom. 13]: “Rulers are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power? Do well then; and so shalt thou be praised of the same: for he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But if thou do evil, then fear; for he beareth not the sword for naught, but is the minister of God to take vengeance on them that do evil.”

These are the principal and chief causes, which I have now rehearsed, wherefore God hath given us his law, as I have learned of the holy scriptures.

Father. How many commandments doth this law of God contain? Son. Ten: whereof four appertain unto God, teaching what our duty is toward the Lord our God, how we ought to serve, honour, and worship him; again, how we ought to call upon, praise, and glorify his holy name, and behave ourself in all things that concern the glorious majesty of God. The other six teach us what our duty is toward our neighbour, and how we ought to behave ourselves toward him, both in thought, word, and deed. And for this cause God gave this his law written in two tables of stone [Exod. 20]: the one containing, as ye have heard, our duty toward God; the other, toward our neighbour.

Father. Rehearse the first commandment.

Son. “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, even out of the house of bondage: Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight.”

Father. Wherefore doth God use so solemn and noble preface in the beginning of the his commandments? Why calleth he himself “the Lord”? Son. The Lord is a name of great majesty and wonderful high excellency, which name is properly due unto our God alone, as he saith by the prophet: “I am the Lord: this is my name. I will give my glory to none other, nor my honour to graven images.” And he calleth himself by this name, “the Lord,” to declare and set forth unto us his might, power, and authority, which he of right hath to command all creatures, of whom he alone is the creator, that by this means we may diligently address ourselves unto the perfect accomplishment of his holy and blessed will.

Father. Why doth he call himself “our God”? Son. In calling himself “our God,” he giveth us to understand, that he alone is and will be our high goodness, comfort, help, defense, health, treasure, abundance of all good things, horn of plenty, and bottomless fountain, out of the which we may abundantly draw whatsoever is necessary either for the soul or for the body, both in this world and in the world to come; as he said to Abraham [Gen. 17, 15]: “I am the Almighty God (or as some read, El Shadai, that is, a God mighty in power, abundant in riches, sufficient to reward plentifully, and lacking of nothing): walk before me, and be without spot. I will make my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, throughout their posterities, that it may be an everlasting covenant; so that I will be the God of thee, and of thy seed after thee.” Again: “Fear not: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

Father. For what cause is mention made here of the deliverance out of Egypt, seeing not we, which are called Christians, but the Jews, were delivered out of Egypt, that house of bondage, even from the tyranny of that most wicked king, Pharaoh? Son. Their corporal deliverance was a figure of our spiritual deliverance, manumission, and freedom. For as the Israelites were delivered from the captivity [Exod. 14] of the cruel Egyptians by the outstretched arm and mighty hand of that most mighty God; even so likewise are we, which are of the household of faith, delivered and made free from the power of the devil, and from the bondage of the world, and from the yoke of sin, death, and damnation, by the passion and death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; yea, and that of God’s mere mercy and undeserved liberality, which hath chosen us a peculiar and several people unto himself, and given us the liberty of his most dear sons and the fellowship of everlasting life. In the preface therefore of his law, God maketh mention of the Israelites’ deliverance out of Egypt to this end, that we thereby should be put in remembrance of our deliverance out of the spiritual Egypt, that is to say, the tyranny of Satan and hell-fire, and by this means be provoked the more earnestly to embrace the law of God, and to frame our lives according to the same.

Father. What doth God require of us in this first commandment, “Thou shalt have no strange gods in my sight”? Son. First, in that we are forbidden to have any strange gods in his sight, he signifieth plainly unto us, that he is the one and alone true God, and that there is none other God but he alone, neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth.

Father. How provest thou that by the holy scripture? Son. Moses saith [Deut. 4]: “Take heed, and imprint it well in your heart, that the Lord is God, both above in heaven, and beneath upon the earth, and that there is none other God.” Again: “The Lord is God, and there is none other God but he only.” [Deut. 6] Item: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord only.” God himself saith: “See now that I, I am, and there is none other God but I.” Again [Psa. 81]: “Hear, O my people, for I assure thee, O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me, there shall be no strange god in thee, neither shall thou worship any other God. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.” By the prophet Esay he saith also [Isa. 14]: “I am, I am the Lord, and there is none other Saviour. I am the Lord, and besides me there is none other God. Consider, that I am he, before whom there was never any God, neither shall there be any after me. I am only the Lord.” Again [Isa. 14]: “I am the Lord, and besides me there is no God.” Hereto agreeth the saying of St Paul [1 Cor. 8]: “We know that there is none other God but one. For although there be that are called gods (as there be gods many, and lords many), yet have we but one God, even that Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

Father. Of this matter we heard abundantly afore in the declaration of the articles of the Christian faith. Go forth to express the will of God concerning the first commandment, as thou begannest. Son. Secondly, as I am commanded here to believe, confess, and grant, that there is but one only true and everlasting God, so likewise is it required of me that I put my faith, hope, trust, and confidence in no creature either in heaven or in earth, but in this one God alone; looking for all good things at his hand, be they worldly or heavenly; and thanking him for all the benefits that I receive, whether they appertain unto the body or unto the soul, with this confession, that whatsoever I have, being good and godly, I have it altogether of his mere mercy and undeserved liberality. For, as St Paul saith [1 Cor. 4]: “What hast thou, that thou hast not received? If thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as though thou hadst not received it?” St James also saith [James 1]: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.”

Father. How provest thou that thy whole faith, trust, and confidence ought to depend on this God alone? Son. Salomon saith [Prov. 3]: “Have thy faith, or put thy trust and confidence, in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own wisdom.” The prophet Jeremy [Jer. 17] pronounceth that man “accursed, which trusteth in man, maketh flesh his strength, and suffereth his heart to depart from the Lord.” But he calleth that man “blessed, which setteth his faith and putteth his confidence in the Lord,” depending wholly on him, and looking for all good things at his hand. St Paul also saith [Heb. 11]: “Without faith it is not possible to please God. For he that cometh unto God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him.” To be short, our Saviour Christ saith [Mark 11]: “Have your faith and confidence in God.”

Father. Requireth God in this commandment nothing else but faith in him? Son. Not only faith, but also love, which issueth and proceedeth out of faith, as fruit out of the tree, yea, and that “from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a faith unfeigned,” as St Paul saith, doth God require in this commandment. [Gal. 5, Psa. 1, 1 Tim. 1]

Father. Declare that by the scriptures. Son. Moses saith [Deut. 6]: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord only. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” In the gospel we read that a certain scribe demanded of Christ [Mark 12]: “Which is the chiefest commandment of all?” To whom he answered on this manner [Deut. 7, 30]: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” “And the scribe said unto him, Master, verily thou hast said right. For there is but one God, and there is none other besides him. And to love him with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, is more than burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Father. What requireth God in this commandment besides faith and love? Son. Fear: yea, and that not servile or thrall, but childish and reverent. For God is to be believed as God, loved as a father, feared as a Lord.

Father. Let me hear that proved by the scriptures. Son. Moses saith [Deut. 10]: “Now, Israel, what requireth the Lord thy God of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God; and that thou walk in all his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; and that thou keep the commandments of the Lord and his ordinances, which I command thee this day, that thou mayest prosper?” Salomon also saith [Prov. 3]: “Fear the Lord, and depart from evil: so shall thy navel be whole, and thy bones strong.” God himself saith by the prophet [Mal. 1]: “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master. If I now be a father, where is my honour? if I be the Lord, where is my fear?”

Father. Requireth God in this precept any other thing, besides faith, love, and fear? Son. Yea.

Father. What is that? Son. Honour and service.

Father. Where is that proved? Son. Moses saith [Deut. 6]: “Thou shalt honour the Lord thy God, and serve him alone.”

Father. What is the true honour and service of God? Son. To honour and serve him according to his word, and to do those works, not which carnal reason and blind zeal fancieth, but which God himself commandeth. Of this honour and service speaketh the Lord Christ in the gospel on this manner [John 4]: “The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father will have such to worship him. God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.” Zachary the priest also saith [Luke 1]: “God hath delivered us from the power of our enemies, that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.”

Father. May we not also honour and serve other, as angels, saints, or images, as we do God? Son. God forbid! God himself saith by the prophet [Isa. 13]: “I am the Lord: this is my name. I will give my glory to none other, nor mine honour to graven images.” We read in the holy scriptures, that when Cornelius the centurion, esteeming more of Peter than he ought to judge of a man, “fell down before Peter, and worshipped him, Peter took him up again, and said, Arise; for I am a man also.” [Acts 10, 14] The people of Lystra, for a miracle which was wrought among them, called Paul and Barnabas gods, and would have worshipped them as gods. “But Paul rent his clothes, and cried out, saying, Ye men, why do ye these things? We are mortal men also like unto you, and preach unto you the gospel, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the living God, which made heaven and earth,” &c. St John also fell down before the angel to worship him; but the angel forbad him, saying [Rev. 19, 22]: “Look, that thou do it not. I am the fellow servant of thee and of thy brethren, which have the testimony of Jesu. Worship God.” All the angels, saints, and blessed spirits cry with one voice [Psa. 115]: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give the glory, for thy mercy and truth’s sake.” They all with one accord cast their crowns before the throne of God’s majesty, praising and honouring him both day and night, worlds without end, and saying [Rev. 4]: “Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to take the glory, honour, and power; for thou hast made all things, and by thy will they are and were created.” How grievously did the prophet Helias rebuke the Israelites, which worshipped both God and Baal! Were not these his words, “How long will ye halt on both sides? If the Lord be God, follow him: if Baal be he, follow him”? [1 Kings 18]

Father. God then in this his first commandment requireth of us faith, love, fear, and honour. Son. Yea, verily, and that from the very bottom of the heart only and alone, as he saith by Salomon: “O son, give me thy heart.” For as “ God is a spirit,” so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth. [Prov. 23, John 4] And the law of God requireth not only of us outward honest and godly works, but also the pure affects and uncorrupt motions of the mind, with a perfect consent to the law of God concerning the full and due accomplishment of the same. Such as honour and worship God otherwise, God rejecteth and casteth them away by his prophet, saying: “This people draweth nigh unto me, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Verily, they worship me in vain.” [Isa. 29, Matt. 15]

Father. Hitherto have we heard, what we ought to do concerning the accomplishment of this first commandment. Declare now also what we are forbidden here to do, that we fall not into the transgression and breaking of this commandment, and so displease the Lord our God. Son. We are forbidden to believe, love, fear, and honour those whom the gentiles and heathen have heretofore through ignorance reputed and taken for gods, when indeed they are nothing but idols, yea devils, as the psalmograph saith [Psa. 96]: “The gods of the heathen are devils: it is the Lord that made the heavens.” We are forbidden also to use the art of magic, witchcraft, sorcery, charms, incantations, conjurations, &c.; to set our affiance and trust in any creature; to glory in ourselves, blood, kindred, wisdom, strength, riches, beauty, cunning, learning, eloquence, &c.; to seek health either of body or soul, as the giver thereof, at any creature in heaven or in earth, but only at the mighty hand of God, from whom alone “cometh every good and perfect gift” [James 1]: again, to receive or set forth any doctrine that fighteth with the word of God; in fine, to do any thing whereby the glory of God may be obscured, or his holy religion evil reported.

Father. In forbidding us to have strange gods, why doth God use these words, “in my sight”? Son. There is nothing hidden from the face of God, which “searcheth the hearts and reins;” to whose eyes also “all things are open and naked:” therefore doth God require of us in this precept not only an outward reverence of the body, but also the inward honour of the mind, yea, and that a pure and faithful mind, utterly estranged from all idolatry, superstition, hypocrisy, &c. [Psa. 7, Jer. 11, 17; Rev. 2, Heb. 4]

Father. Rehearse the second commandment.

Son. “Thou shalt make thee no graven or carved image, nor likeness at all of any thing that is in heaven above, or in earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not bow before them, nor worship them. For I the Lord thy God am a strong and jealous God, punishing the wickedness of the parents in the children until the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shew mercy until thousands unto those that love me, and keep my commandments.”

Father. There are some writers, yea, and those of no obscure fame, (as I may speak nothing of the long custom used in the church, which hath utterly left out this commandment, and to supply the number hath divided the tenth commandment into two, that is, into the ninth and tenth, contrary to the mind of the lawgiver, whose words, and the order also of the same, ought by no means either to be corrupted, altered, or changed,) which thrust out of the Decalogue or ten commandments this second commandment, as a ceremonial law, serving for the time, but now of none effect concerning us Christians, to whom it is, say they, lawful to have the images of Christ and of saints in churches, private houses, or elsewhere, without any offence or breach of God’s commandment; and therefore, to supply the number of the ten commandments, they also divide, as I said before, the tenth commandment into the ninth and tenth, making of one two, according to the custom used in the pope’s church. Son. As touching the custom of reciting the ten commandments according to the appointment of the bishop of Rome, in the which is utterly omitted this second commandment concerning the forbidding either of making or worshipping of images, it cannot be denied but it is wicked and ungodly, and left out of the pope and of his adherents of a set purpose for the maintenance of images in churches, brought in by the devil and antichrist contrary to the word of God; and therefore ought this custom utterly to be broken, and every commandment to be restored to his proper place, and so to be recited of the Christians, as it is now used in the best reformed churches.

And as for the judgments, or rather opinions and fancies, of certain learned men in this our age, which in this behalf remain still infected with the dirty dregs of that whore of Babylon, I can by no means approve and allow them. For whereas they say, that the second commandment concerning images is ceremonial, and only served for the people of Israel, and not for us, so that it is lawful for us to have images in our temples, chapels, houses, &c. notwithstanding this commandment; I utterly deny this their doctrine, and affirm it to be most wicked and utterly estranged from the truth of God’s word. For if this law be ceremonial, and we set without the limits thereof, then followeth it, that as it is lawful for us to have images in our churches, so is it lawful also to reverence, worship, or honour them: which is so great an absurdity, that I think they themselves will not allow it, except they be sworn chaplains to pope Gregory III, which made a law, that images should not only be had in churches, as laymen’s books, according to the doctrine of pope Gregory I, but that they also should be worshipped and had in greater reverence than ever they were before, and that whosoever were of a contrary opinion, he should be excommunicate and condemned for an heretic. [In a council held at Rome, A.D. 732. See Concil. Stud. Labbei. Lut. Par. 1671-2. Tom. VI. Cols. 1463, 4, 85.] For throughout the whole course of God’s law there is not one commandment so fortressed and confirmed with the testimonies of the holy scripture, and so urged to be observed and kept of God’s people, as this is, concerning the not having or worshipping of images. Therefore as the first, so likewise the second commandment abideth moral, and requireth like obedience. And whereas they exclude it from the number of the ten commandments, and rack that one tenth commandment into two for to supply the number, they do most unjustly, and contrary to the doctrine of the ancient fathers and old catholic doctors of Christ’s church.

For as our catechist declared unto us, Athanasius, Origenes, Chrysostomus, Gregorius Nazianzenus, Hieronymus, Ambrosius, with divers other, both of the ancient and late writers, number this precept among the ten commandments; and hold that it is a moral law, no less appertaining unto us Christians now, than it did in times past unto the Jews. He said, moreover, unto us, that in the church of God among the Jews, in the old law, there was no image suffered neither of God nor of any saint; although who knoweth not, what a great number of godly persons there lived before the coming of Christ, both patriarchs, judges, kings, priests, Levites, prophets, matrons, virgins, &c.? He added furthermore, that, almost five hundred years after Christ’s ascension, images could not be suffered to have any place in the temples of the Christians. He told us also an history of a certain holy bishop named Epiphanius, which, coming into a church to pray, saw a veil there hanging, wherein was painted the image of Christ, or of some saint. So soon as he saw it, being greatly offended thereat, he cut the image away, and said, that “it is contrary to the authority of the holy scriptures to have the image of any man in the church of Christ.”* He told us moreover of one Serenus, bishop of Massilia,* which did not only take away images out of the churches throughout all his diocese, but he also brake them on pieces, and burnt them. He brought forth also unto us certain laws and decrees of most noble and virtuous emperors”;* again, certain councils,* in the which it was decreed and enacted, that all images should be taken out of the churches and burnt openly; and that from henceforth no man should presume to make an image either of Christ or of any saint, nor cause it to be painted on the walls of the church where Christian men come together for to pray. He alleged unto us the sentence of the great and ancient clerk Lactantius, which saith, that “God cannot be truly worshipped in that place where an image is.”* Again: “If your saints (saith he), if the holy mother of Christ be in heaven, why do ye not lift up your eyes unto heaven? Why do ye rather look unto walls and unto stocks, than unto that place where ye believe that they are? What mean the temples, the tabernacles, yea, and (to be short) what mean those images?”* In fine, he said, that the use of images came from the heathen unto us, and alleged Eusebius* with certain other for his authors; and that therefore they ought by no means to be placed in the temples, chapels, oratories, or houses of the Christians.

Father. I can none otherwise but praise thee for thy good remembrance concerning the doctrine of your catechist, a man both godly and learned. But the image-mongers object and say, that they are laymen’s calendars, and are the very same to the lewd, simple, and ignorant people, that books are to the wise, discreet, and learned men. Son. What wisdom, knowledge, or learning can a man get of that thing which is a very block or stone, and utterly without sense? Can the dumb teach to speak? the blind to see? the deaf to hear? the lame to go? the dead to live? Can that which hath no understanding, no wisdom, no learning, teach us to understand, to be wise and learned? O unprofitable schoolmasters! O rude teachers! O too much beastlike instructors! “They have mouths,” as the psalmograph saith, “and speak not: eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears, and hear not: noses have they, but they smell not. They have hands, and handle not: feet have they, but they cannot go; neither can they speak through their throat.” They are not able to wipe away the dust from their faces. They have scepters and swords in their hands, but they are not able to defend themselves. They have candles burning before them, but they see none of them, neither take they any pleasure of the light. If the house burn over their heads, they are not able to flee that they may escape the danger of burning. If they fall down to the ground, they cannot rise up again. If any man striketh them, they cannot revenge their quarrel. If the worms eat them, they feel it not. If the owls, sparrows, doves, or any other fowls or beasts file [File: defile.] upon their heads, they perceive it not, neither are they angry at the matter. In fine, they be utterly unprofitable both to themself and to all other; so far is it off, that such idle idols and mumming mawmets can teach us any good thing. By the lessest creature that ever God made may we learn better to know God than by these dumb images, seem they never so glorious in the eyes of the foolish.

“The heavens,” saith David, [Psa. 19] “shew forth the glory of God; and the very firmament declareth his handiworks.” Hereto appertaineth the saying of St Paul [Rom. 1]: “That which may be known of God is made open to men. For God hath shewed it unto them, that the invisible things of God (that is, his everlasting power and Godhead) might be seen, while they are considered by the works from the creation of the world; so that they are without excuse, inasmuch as they knew that there is a God, and have not praised him as God, nor thanked him, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was blinded. When they counted themselves wise, they became fools, and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man,” &c.

How unmeet a schoolmaster a blind idol, a dumb mawmet, a popish puppet, a dead image is to teach us any good thing, these words of the prophet [Hab. 2] declare manifestly “What profiteth a graven image which the workman hath fashioned? a vain cast idol, and false lying image? Because the workman hath put his trust in it, therefore maketh he dumb images. But woe be unto him which saith to a block, Awake; and to a dumb stone, Arise! Can such one teach, or give any good instructions? Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath in it. But the Lord in his holy temple is he whom all the world should fear.” The prophet Esay also saith, [Isa. 44] that “images are profitable for nothing;” and addeth moreover, that the labour in making them is utterly lost. How then can they be profitable to teach? How can they then be the books of the lewd people? “The seeking out of images,” saith the wise man, [Wisd. 14] “is the beginning of whoredom; and the bringing up of them is the destruction of life. But they were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue for ever. The wealthy idleness of men hath found them out upon earth: therefore shall they come shortly to an end.” If the seeking out of images be the beginning of whoredom, that is to say, idolatry, which in the scripture is called whoredom, how can we be taught and brought unto God by them? If the bringing up of them be the destruction of life, how can they then bring us unto everlasting salvation? and how can they edify us and teach us the way of truth? Vain and unprofitable schoolmasters are these blind and dumb images.

When God determined to erect and set up the commonweal of the Israelites, he gave them not his image to look upon, that by the sight thereof they might learn to know him and to do his will (no, he only spake to them, any similitude of him they saw not, lest by this means they should have gone about to make his image, and have committed idolatry or spiritual whoredom with the same); but he gave them his holy word, [Deut. 6] charging and commanding them to hear and read that diligently, and to write it upon the gates and posts of their houses, that it might be always before their eyes, that they might the better frame their lives according to the same, and do that which is pleasant in the sight of God.

The prophet Esay sendeth not them that want the knowledge of God and of his holy word unto idols, images, and mawmets; but he commandeth them to make haste unto the holy scriptures, saying [Isa. 8]: “To the law and witness; if they speak not according unto this, they shall not have the morning light.” The psalmograph calleth not them blessed, which stand all the whole day gazing and looking on images, to see what they can pick out and learn of them; but he calleth them blessed and happy, which “delight in the law of the Lord, and exercise themselves in the studying, reading, and hearing of that day and night.” [Psa. 1] Again, he calleth not them blessed, which hunt and seek after images, but them which “search the testimonies of the Lord, and seek him with their whole heart.” [Psa. 119]

Furthermore, Christ, our Lord and Saviour, commandeth all those that will come unto the true knowledge of him, not to behold images, but to search the scriptures, saying: “Search the scriptures; for they are those that testify of me.” He saith also: “My sheep hear my voice.” He saith not, My sheep look upon my image. Again: “He that is of God heareth the word of God.” He saith not, He that is of God beholdeth the image of the Trinity, or of the crucifix. [John 5, 10, 8]

Moreover, when the wisdom of God was determined to call all nations of the earth unto the knowledge of the way of salvation, Christ commanded not painters and carvers to be set a work in making images throughout the world, that the people by beholding them may turn from their idolatry unto the worshipping of the true God; but he sent forth his apostles to preach the gospel to every creature, that they believing might be baptized [Matt. 28, Mark 16] in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and so obtain everlasting salvation. For, as St Paul saith [Rom. 10]: “Faith cometh by hearing; but hearing cometh by the word of God.” We are made faithful by hearing and believing the word of God, and not by looking and tooting [Tooting: prying, peeping] upon images; which rather draw men from the true faith of God than allure them unto it; so far is it off; that they be meet schoolmasters to lead us unto God.

If the blessed apostle St John had thought images to be profitable books to bring men unto the knowledge either of God or of themselves, he would never have commanded us [1 John 5] to “beware and to keep ourselves from images.” But he knew right well that nothing doth so much pluck away the minds of men from the honour of the true and living God (as daily experience teacheth, and as we have manifestly seen under the kingdom of the pope in the time of darkness, when the people went on pilgrimage unto images, sought their salvation of them, gilded them, costly arrayed them, gave gifts unto them, set up burning candles before them, kneeled before them, made vows unto them, prayed unto them, asked all good things of them necessary either for the body or for the soul, gave thanks unto them, censed them, imputed working of miracles unto them, yea, and honoured them as gods, rather going for help unto them with the feet of the body, than repairing unto the alone true helping God with the feet of the mind), as these dumb and deaf idols; and therefore he chargeth us above all things to avoid images, and by no means to have any thing to do with them, but to flee from them as from the plague and pestilence, yea, as from the devil and from everlasting damnation.

“Let them all therefore,” as the psalmograph saith [Psa. 97], “be confounded, and be brought unto utter confusion and shame, that worship carved idols, and glory in their images.” And let us that fear God cast away all such fond fancies and doting dreams, and give diligent attendance to the hearing, reading, and preaching of God’s word, and of that learn to know the way of salvation: so shall we be blessed, and come to the true knowledge of that alone true God and of his Son Jesus Christ; which thing bringeth unto us everlasting life, as the Lord himself saith [John 17]: “This is everlasting life, even to know thee the alone true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ.”

Father. Thou hast right well answered to the first and principal objection which the image-mongers make for the defense of their vain images, which doctrine they learned of pope Gregory I as we have tofore heard.* But they say moreover, that images are not only profitable books for the lewd people, but that they also move the beholders of them marvelously unto devotion and true godliness. Son. This is so vain, as nothing is more vain; so false, as that which is most false; so foolish, as it may worthily be counted the self foolishness. Can that move unto devotion, which itself is without all motion and devotion? Can the dead corpse of a captain encourage the soldiers unto battle? Can a featherless eagle teach other birds to fly? Can a waterless whale teach other fishes to swim upon the dry land? No more can these blockish idols, which are utterly without all senses, affects, and motions, move us unto devotion and unto the true worshipping of God, they themselves also being utterly godless, and most estranged from all that is godly. The holy apostle saith [1 Cor. 3]: “Neither he that planteth, nor yet he that watereth, is any thing worth; but the Lord God is altogether, which giveth the increase.” If neither the planter nor the waterer (whereby are understand the preachers of God’s word) profit nothing, except God giveth the increase, that is to say, worketh with their preaching through the influence of his holy Spirit (which thing to be true, divers places of the holy scripture declare manifestly); what are images then able to do, which have mouths, and speak not; eyes, and see not; noses, and smell not; hands, and feel not; feet, and go not?

Father. But God is able, say they, to work no less with the beholding of images in the hearts of men, than with the preaching of his word. Son. What God is able to do, we will not dispute now; although I know this to be an old refuge of the papists, and a sanctuary unto the which they flee in all their straits.

But let them shew by the word of God, that the beholding of images is no less an ordinary way appointed of God to bring men unto the knowledge of God and unto everlasting salvation, than the preaching of the word is, whereof St Paul speaketh on this manner [Rom. 10]: “Faith cometh by hearing; but hearing cometh by the word of God.” The prophet David saith also [Psa. 51]: “I will teach the wicked thy ways; and the ungodly shall turn unto thee.” Again [Psa. 18]: “The people, whom I knew not, have served me: through the hearing of the ear they were obedient unto me.” And God himself saith by the prophet [Isa. 55]: “Like as the rain and snow cometh down from heaven, and returneth not thither again, but watereth the earth, maketh it fruitful and green, that it may give corn and bread unto the sower; so the word also, that cometh out of my mouth, shall not turn again void unto me, but shall accomplish my will, and prosper in the thing whereto I send it.” Again [Jer. 1]: “I will watch diligently upon my word, to perform it.” Moreover, St Paul [Rom. 1] calleth “the gospel of Christ the power of God unto salvation for all that believe it.” And St James saith [James 1], that the word of God is of such efficacy, strength, virtue, might, and power, that “it is able to save the souls” of so many as receive it with meekness. Saith not also the Lord Jesus on this manner, [John 15] “Now are ye clean, because of the word which I have spoken unto you”? Let the image-mongers prove by the holy scriptures, that the beholding of images worketh this conversion, this repentance, this faith, this newness of life, this salvation, &c., in the gazers of them, that the word of God doth in the faithful believers; and we will admit them, their doctrine, and images, and suffer them to have place in our churches. But this can they not do: therefore vain are they, vain is their doctrine, and vain are their images, yea, stumbling blocks are they, thorns and pricks in the eyes of the simple, provoking rather unto abomination than unto devotion, unto wickedness than unto godliness, unto superstition than unto true religion, unto hypocrisy and idolatry than unto pure worshipping and serving of God, as experience hath heretofore taught us.

Again, our Saviour Christ saith [John 14]: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” If no man cometh unto the Father but by Christ, what help then images in this behalf? What make they unto the furtherance of true godliness and true religion? How move they unto devotion? Again, he saith [John 6]: “No man can come unto me, except my Father draw him.” If no man can come unto Christ, except the heavenly Father draweth him by his holy Spirit, what profiteth then in this behalf the beholding of images? Are they of such inward working in the hearts of men, that they are able to convert them unto God, and to bring them unto Christ? Yea, they lead away men from Christ unto vain spectacles, from the living God unto dumb idols, from true religion unto wicked superstition; so far is it off, that they move any man unto godly devotion or devout godliness. It is the office of the Holy Ghost to bring us unto Christ, and not the part of dumb idols. The Holy Ghost is appointed of God to be our schoolmaster for to lead us into all truth, and not idle images and monstrous mawmets. To place images therefore in the temples of the Christians to this end, that they should be the books of the lewd people, or that they should move us unto devotion, is nothing else than to make the Holy Ghost, as they use to say, Jack out of office, and to place a rabblement of vile and abominable idols in the stead of God’s Spirit to be the teachers and schoolmasters of the faithful. Perish mought all those vain mawmets from the face of the earth, with all such as glory and rejoice in them, that all the honour may be given to our Lord, that living God alone, whose name be praised forever!

Father. Amen. But these image-mongers have yet another defense for their idols, and say, that images are to be placed in churches, if for nothing else, yet for the adorning, decking, trimming, beautifying, and garnishing of the temples: which temples otherwise, say they, are more like barns than churches. Son. I answer with St Paul [2 Cor. 6]: “How agreeth the temple of God with images?” What concord is there between God’s service and idol service? Can God be worthily called upon in that place where so many mawmets stand, contrary to the commandment of God? Can God be worshipped there in spirit and truth, where so many idols are seen, which have neither spirit nor truth? What garnishing of the church is this, to see a sort of puppets standing in every corner of the church, some holding in their hands a sword, some a scepter, some a spit, some a butcher’s knife, some a gridiron, some a pair of pinsons, [Pinsons: pincers.] some a spear, some an anchor of a ship, some a shoemaker’s cutting knife, some a shepherd’s hook, some a cross, some a cup, some a boot, some a book, some a key, some a lamb, some an ox, some a pig, some a dog, some a basket of flowers, some a crosier staff, some a triple cross, some an arrow, some an horn, some an hawk, &c.; some bearded, some unbearded, some capped, some uncapped, some weeping, some laughing, some gilded, some painted, some housed, some unhoused, [With, or without, housings, a kind of stocking or boot.] some rotten, some worm-eaten, some coated, some cloaked, some gowned, some naked, some censed, some perfumed, some with holy water sprinkled, some with flowers and garlands garnished, &c.?

But why do I tarry in reciting these vain trifles and trifling vanities, wherewith the churches of the papists are stuffed? I think verily, that in the temples of the old pagans there was never found so much vanity and so many childish sights, as there be at this present day in those churches which are under the yoke and tyranny of that bloody bishop of Rome. These vain idols therefore do not adorn, but deform; not polite, but pollute; not deck, but infect, the temples of the Christians, and make them of the churches of God the synagogues of Satan; of houses of prayer, the vile cages of all filthy and unclean birds. For, as we heard before, Lactantius, that ancient and noble clerk, affirmeth plainly, that “God cannot be truly worshipped in that place where an image is.”*

The primitive church knew no such kind of beautifying and garnishing their temples: all things were then simple, plain, and homely, and altogether without such vain sights, which rather pluck away men’s minds from God, than allure them unto the true worshipping of him. For as “God is a spirit, so will he be worshipped in spirit and truth.” [John 4, Luke 16] The more simply all things are done in the church of Christ, the better is God served: “for that which before men seemeth to be of great estimation is before God great abomination.” The temples of the Christians are then best garnished, when the people that are in them be gathered together in the unity of the Holy Ghost, with strong faith toward God, and with fervent love one toward another, to hear the word of God, to call on the name of the Lord, to thank him for his benefits, to eat the supper of the Lord, to make collections for the poor, and to exercise themselves in such works as are pleasant to God and profitable to the brethren. All other superfluous deckings and trimmings, as they be the daughters of foolish fancy, so likewise serve they rather the fond desires of carnal and superstitious people, than make any thing at all unto the true honour of the Lord our God, to whom alone be all glory for ever.

Father. Amen. Let these things suffice for this present concerning the objections of the image-mongers for the maintenance of their idols in churches, and to declare that this precept of not making nor worshipping images appertaineth no less now unto us Christians than it did in times past unto the Jews. But come off, tell me, what is the good pleasure of God in the second commandment? Son. God, which is the searcher of the heart, and knoweth the corrupt, froward, and wicked nature of man, and [Gen. 6, 8] how even from his cradle he is prone, bent, and wholly given unto all that is ungodly, and specially unto new, strange, and counterfeit worshipping of God, invented of his own idle brain, blind zeal, good intent, corrupt judgment, contrary to God’s holy ordinance and appointment, [Deut. 12] which willeth none otherwise to be served, honoured, and worshipped, than he himself hath prescribed in his blessed law; to bridle this evil and corrupt affection of man, and to keep him within the limits of his godly commandments, that he run not a whore hunting after strange idols, but worship him according to his own appointment, and none otherwise, first of all in this his second commandment – forasmuch as nothing doth so alienate, estrange, and pluck away the heart of man from God and from all godliness, as idols, mawmets, images, and puppets, which be made and set forth before the eyes of the simple and unlearned people, to preach and represent unto them the majesty of God, which by no means can be counterfeit, seeing itself is both infinite and incomprehensible, and cannot be feigned nor set forth, no, not so much as shadowed by the art of man, although never so cunning either of graving or painting, in any corporal substance – chargeth and straitly commandeth his people, even so many as take him for their Lord and God, that they make no graven or carved image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, as the sun, moon, stars, &c.; or in earth beneath, as men, beasts, birds, worms, &c.; or in the waters under the earth, as fishes, and whatsoever liveth in the waters; lest by the making of such things they should go about after the manner of the heathen to counterfeit the majesty of God, and so, by beholding the same, at the last conceive an opinion on godhead and divine power to be in those images, and so fall to the worshipping of them, (as we read of divers nations both in God’s and man’s histories,) and by this means provoke God unto anger, which is both “a jealous God, and a consuming fire.” [Deut. 4]

Father. Is it not then lawful to make an image of God? Son. By no means: for it is plainly forbidden of God in this second commandment.

Father. Are there no more scriptures in the holy bible, which bear witness of this thing? Son. Yes, forsooth, very many.

Father. Recite part of them. Son. Moses, that most excellent prophet of God, saith [Deut. 4]: “The Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire. The voice of his words ye heard; nevertheless ye saw no image, but heard the voice only. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to do, namely, the ten verses, and wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the Lord commanded me at the same time to teach you his ordinances and laws, that ye might do thereafter in the land into the which ye go to possess it. Keep well your souls therefore, (for ye saw no manner of image in the day when the Lord spake unto you out of the fire upon mount Horeb,) that ye destroy not yourselves, and make you any image that is like a man, or woman, or beast upon earth, or feathered fowl under the heaven, or worm upon the ground, or fish in the water under the earth; that thou lift not up thine eyes toward heaven, and see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the whole host of heaven, and be deceived, and worship and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath created to serve all nations under the whole heaven.”

Again: “Take heed unto yourselves, that ye forget not the covenant of the Lord your God, and that ye make no images of any manner of fashion, as the Lord thy God hath commanded. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a jealous God. If when ye have begotten children, and childer’s children, and have dwelt in the land, ye mar yourselves, and make you images of any manner of fashion, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke him, I call heaven and earth to record over you this day, that ye shall shortly perish from the land into the which ye go over Jordan to possess it. Ye shall not dwell long therein, but shall utterly be destroyed.”

Also in another place [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall not turn yourselves unto images, and ye shall make you no gods of metal; for I am the Lord your God.” Item [Deut. 7]: “Thus shall ye do with those nations unto whom the Lord your God shall send you: ye shall overthrow their altars, break down their pillars, cut down their groves, and burn their images with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. Thee hath the Lord thy God chosen, that thou shouldest be his own peculiar people from among all nations that are upon earth.” Again [Deut. 12]: “These are the ordinances and laws which Deut. ye shall keep, that ye do thereafter in the land which the Lord God of thy fathers hath given thee to possess, as long as ye live upon earth. Destroy all the places wherein the heathen, whom ye shall conquer, have served their gods, whether it be upon high mountains, upon hills, or among green trees. And overthrow their altars, and break down their pillars, and burn their groves with fire, and hew down the images of their gods, and bring the names of them to naught out of the same place.” Once again he saith [Deut. 27]: “Cursed be he that maketh any carved image, or molten idol (an abomination unto the Lord, a work of the hands of the craftsman), and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.”

The prophet Esay also saith [Isa. 40]: “To whom will ye liken God? or what similitude will ye set up unto him? Shall the carver make him a carved image? and shall the goldsmith cover him with gold, or cast him into a form of silver plates? &c. Know ye not this? heard ye never of it? hath it not been preached unto you since the beginning? have ye not been informed of this since the foundation of the earth was laid, that he (God) sitteth upon the circle of the world, and all the inhabiters of the world are, in comparison of him, but as grasshoppers,” &c.?

God himself saith by the aforesaid prophet [Isa. 46]: “To whom now will ye liken me? and whom shall I be like, saith the Holy One?” Again: “Whom will ye make me like in fashion or image, that I may be like him? which take out silver and gold out of your purses and weigh it, and hire a goldsmith to make a god of it, that men may kneel down and worship it. Yet must he be taken on men’s shoulders, and borne, and set in his place, that he may stand and not move. Alas, that men should cry unto him which giveth no answer, and delivereth not the man that calleth upon him from his trouble! Consider this well, and be ashamed. Go into your own selves, O ye runagates; remember the things which are past since the beginning of the world, that I am God, and that there is else no God, yea, and that there is nothing like unto me.”

The prophet Esay saith once again [Isa. 44]: “All carvers of images are but vain, and their labour lost. They must bear record themselves that, seeing they can neither see nor understand, they shall be confounded. Who should now make a god, or fashion an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all the fellowship of them must be brought to confusion. Let all the work masters come and stand together from among men: they must be abashed and confounded one with another. The smith taketh iron and tempereth it with hot coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and maketh it with all the strength of his arms: yea, sometime he is faint for very hunger, and so thirsty that he hath no more power. The carpenter (or image carver) taketh the timber and spreadeth forth his line: he maketh it with some colour: he planeth it: he ruleth it, and squareth it, and maketh it after the image of a man, and according to the beauty of a man, that it may stand in a temple. Moreover, he goeth out to hew down cedar trees: he bringeth home elms and oaks and other timber of the wood, or else the fir trees which he planted himself, and such as the rain hath swelled, which wood serveth for men to burn. Of this he taketh and warmeth himself withal: he maketh a fire of it to bake bread, and afterward maketh a god thereof to honour it, and an idol to kneel before it. One piece he burneth in the fire: with another he roasteth flesh, that he may eat roast his bellyful: with the third he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha! I am well warmed, I have been at the fire. And of the residue he maketh him a god, and an idol for himself. He kneeleth before it, he worshippeth it, he prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my God. Yet men neither consider nor understand, because their eyes are stopped that they cannot see, and their hearts that they cannot perceive. They ponder not in their minds (for they have neither knowledge nor understanding) to think thus: I have burnt one piece in the fire; I have baked bread with the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh withal, and eaten it: shall I now of the residue make an abominable idol, and fall down before a rotten piece of wood? Thus he doth but lose his labour, and his heart, which is deceived, doth turn him aside, so that none of them can have a free conscience to think: May not I err? Consider this, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have made thee, that thou mightest serve me. O Israel, forget me not. As for thine offences, I drive them away like the clouds, and thy sins as the mist. Turn thee again unto me; and I will deliver thee.”

The prophet Jeremy saith also [Jer. 10]: “They hew down a tree in the wood with the hands of the workman, and fashion it with the axe: they cover it over with gold or silver: they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not. It standeth as stiff as the palm tree: it can neither speak nor go, but must be borne. Be not ye afraid of such; for they can do neither good nor evil. But there is none like unto thee, O Lord: thou art great; and great is the name of thy power.”

God him[self] saith by the prophet Osee [Hos. 13]: “Of their silver they make them molten images, like the idols of the heathen; and yet all is nothing but the work of the craftsman, &c. Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away, and like as dust that the wind taketh away from the floor, and as smoke that goeth out of the chimney. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, that thou shouldest know no God but me only, and that thou shouldest have no Saviour but only me.”

As I may at the last cease to gather the testimonies of the old testament, which both forbid and condemn the making of such images, as pluck the minds of men from the living God unto dumb mawmets, I would wish all men diligently to read and remember the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth chapters of the book of Wisdom, and the sixth chapter of the prophet Baruch; which lively paint and set forth in their true colours these images, idols, and mawmets, which many have in so great admiration, with all the vanities and abominations of them.

Father. Doth not also the new testament judge of images even as the old? Son. Yes, verily. The Holy Ghost varieth not in his doctrine. Paul and Barnabas said unto the people [Acts 14]: “We preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities (they speak of images and of image service) unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.” St Peter [An oversight, it would appear, for St. James.] likewise said to the congregation of God [1 John 5]: “My judgment is, that we trouble not them which from among the gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them, that they abstain themselves from the filthiness of images.” St John saith [1 John 5]: “Babes, keep yourselves from images.”

Father. But come off, my dear child, tell me, Is it not lawful for the Christians in no condition to have images? Son. There be some that so think, of whose judgment I am not. All such may worthily be resembled to the Turks, which, as they say, take this commandment of God so straitly, that they can by no means suffer any image to be made, no, not in profane and civil things.

Father. Is it then lawful in politic, civil, and worldly matters to have images? Son. It is not forbidden, which thing we may right well be learned in that gospel, [Matt. 22] where we read, that certain men came unto Christ, demanding of him, whether it were lawful to pay tribute unto Caesar, or not. Christ, willing them to shew him a piece of the money, asked, whose image and superscription that was which was graven on the coin? And when they said, “The emperor’s,” he answered, “Give unto the emperor that which is the emperor’s, and give unto God that which is God’s.” We read not here that Christ did condemn the image that was graven in the coin, neither that he said, Cast away this money for the image sake; for it is unlawful even in civil and profane things to have images: but, to declare that the use of images in profane and worldly matters is not unlawful, he approved the money, notwithstanding the image. And it is not to be doubted, but that money also, which he commanded Peter to take out of the fish’s mouth, and to give it for tribute unto the emperor’s officers, was also such money as was then customably paid to the emperor for tribute, having the emperor’s image upon it. Again, the money, which the disciples of Christ carried about with them for their relief and for the comfort of the poor which followed Christ, was also without all doubt of that money which was coined with the image and superscription of the emperor. All these things declare manifestly that in politic, civil, profane, and worldly things the use of images is not unlawful.

Father. If in politic and worldly matters, why not also in divine and holy things? Son. In the one is no peril; in the other, great danger, as we have learned too much by experience.

Father. Did not God command Moses, [Num. 21] after that he had given this law concerning images, to make the brasen serpent, and to set it up in the wilderness for the people of Israel to behold? Son. I grant. Notwithstanding, that was but a figurative image, serving for the time, prefiguring Christ, as we may see in the gospel [John 3], and therefore is now utterly abolished: as all figures, clouds, and shadows of the old testament vanished, when Christ, which is the very truth and light, came. Yea, long before the coming of Christ, that noble and godly king Ezechias, [2 Kings 18] when he saw the people abuse this image, kneel unto it, honour it, and burn incense unto it, he threw it down and utterly destroyed it, although set up at the commandment of God: which thing he would never have done, if he had known that commandment of setting up the brasen serpent to be moral (for every moral law is the certain, undoubted, unchangeable, and everlasting will of God); but being well assured that it was but a ceremonial law, serving for the time, and a figure or shadow of a better thing to come, when he saw it abused, so that by that means the glory of God was obscured, yea, and that honour given to an image which alone is due to the living God, he plucked it down, burnt it, and utterly destroyed it. For this is diligently to be noted, that no particular commandment taketh away the virtue of a general or universal law, as this law of images is in the book of God.

Father. Thou boldest then, that although it be tolerable, yea, and lawful in politic and worldly things, to have images, yet in matters appertaining unto godliness and religion it is neither tolerable nor lawful. Son. Not only I, but the holy fathers also of the primitive church were of that opinion, as we have tofore heard [John 4]: “God John is a spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.” Now, saith Lactantius, “God is never truly worshipped in that place where an image is”:* which thing made that holy bishop St Epiphanius, when he saw an image in the church, to take it away, and to cut it in pieces, affirming, that it is contrary to the authority of God’s word to have images in the church of Christ:* which thing also made many noble princes and holy bishops to give commandment, that all images of God, of Christ, of angels, and of saints, should be taken out of churches, and burnt openly, and from henceforth that no images should be made and brought into such places as Christian men use to resort unto for to pray unto their Lord God: if any did presume to do the contrary, he should suffer such punishments as was appointed by the law for such and so grievous offenders.*

Father. If it be not lawful to make images for religion sake, then is it not lawful for us to honour and worship them, as the custom was, and yet is, in the pope’s church. Son. No, verily. For as God in this commandment saith, “Thou shalt make thee no a graven image,” &c.; so likewise saith he, “Neither shalt thou bow down before them, nor worship them.”

Father. Here then are we forbidden in the way of religion not only to make images, but also to worship them. Son. Truth it is.

Father. Declare unto me by other scriptures also, that it is not lawful to worship images. Son. God saith by his servant Moses [Lev. 26]: “I am the Lord your God: ye shall make you no idols, nor image in your land, to bow yourselves thereto. For I am the Lord your God.” Moses also saith [Exod. 34]: “Beware, that thou make no covenant with the indwellers of the land, that thou comest into, lest they be the cause of thy ruin in the midst of it; but their altars shalt thou overthrow, and break down their gods, and root out their groves. For thou shalt have none other God, (for the Lord is called Jealous, because he is a jealous God;) lest, if thou make any agreement with the indwellers of the land, when they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, they call thee, and thou eat of their sacrifice, and lest thou take their daughters unto thy sons to wives, and the same go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons to go a whoring after their gods also.” Again [Deut. 11]: “Beware, that your heart be not deceived, that ye go aside and serve other gods, and worship them; and then the wrath of the Lord wax hot upon you, and he shut up the heaven that there come no rain, and the earth give not her increase, and ye perish shortly from the good land which the Lord hath given you.” Item [Deut. 13]: “If there rise up a prophet or dreamer among you, and give thee a token or wonder, and that token or wonder, which he spake of, come to pass, and then say, Let us go after other gods (whom thou knowest not), and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of such a prophet or dreamer. For the Lord your God proveth you, to wete, whether ye love him with all your heart and with all your soul. For ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and hearken unto his voice, and serve him, and cleave unto him. As for that prophet or dreamer, he shall die; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God.”

The psalmograph also saith [Psa. 97]: “Confounded be all they that worship carved images, and they that delight in vain gods.” The wise man saith [Wisd. 14]: “The honouring of abominable images is the cause, the beginning, and the end of all evil.” God himself saith by the prophet Esay [Isa. 42]: “I am the Lord, this is my name. I will give my glory to none other, nor my honour to graven images.” Hereto pertaineth the saying of St Paul [1 Cor. 10]: “Be not worshippers of images.” [1 Cor. 6] “For no worshippers of images shall inherit the kingdom of God:” yea, as St John saith [Rev. 21]: “They shall have their part in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Besides these sentences of the holy scripture, which utterly condemn the honouring and worshipping of images, we have manifest examples in the word of God of certain holy men, which did rather choose to suffer death, than they would serve, honour, or worship images. What a number of prophets and godly men did that most wicked woman, queen Jezebel, kill and murder, because they would not bow their knee to that foul idol, Baal! Read we not also in the book of Daniel the prophet, [Dan. 3] that three young men did rather choose to be put into a fiery furnace, and there to be burnt unto ashes, than they would once fall down before the golden image at the commandment of king Nabuchodonosor? Was not this their answer to the king, “O Nabuchodonosor, we ought not to consent unto the in this matter. For why? our God whom we serve is able to keep us from the hot burning oven, O king, and can right well deliver us out of thy hands. And though he will not, yet shalt thou know, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor do reverence to the image which thou hast set up.” Read we not again [B. & Dr.] that Daniel was commanded of the king to worship a certain image at Babylon called Bel? But Daniel answered and said, “I may not worship things that are made with hands, but the living God, which made heaven and earth, and hath power upon all flesh.”

What shall I speak of all the holy martyrs which were in the primitive church, and many years after, that suffered most bitter torments, yea, and very death, because they would not bow down before images, and honour them?

Image service is such and so great abomination not only before God, but also in the sight of all good men, that we read of certain noble princes, which could by no means abide such wickedness to be used in their kingdoms, and therefore utterly destroyed all those idols, images, puppets, and mawmets, that plucked away the people’s hearts from the honour of the living God unto image service. Read we not, [2 Kings 18] that king Ezechias put away the high places, and brake down the pillars, and rooted out the groves, and brake the brasen serpent, which Moses had made? “For unto that time had the children of Israel burnt incense unto it.” Read we not also, [2 Kings 23] that king Josias destroyed and utterly took away the images and idols, and all the abominations which were seen in the land of Juda and at Jerusalem; and that he commanded all the vessels to be taken out of the temple, which were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven, and that he burnt them without Jerusalem in the valley of Cedron, and caused the dust of them to be carried unto Bethel? Again, that he did break down the altars which Manasses had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, and caused the dust of them to be cast into the brook of Cedron; and the altar at Bethel, and the high place that Jeroboam made, which both he destroyed and made them unto dust, and burnt up the grove, &c.?

Read we not; moreover, [2 Chron. 33] that the wicked king Manasses, because that he walked after the abominations of the heathen, builded the high places, which his father Ezechias had broken down, set up altars, made grevous, [The true reading is no doubt groves.] worshipped all the host of heaven, caused carved images and idols to be made and set up in the house of the Lord, shed much innocent blood, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, was taken of the host of the king of the Assyrians, bound with chains, and so led away prisoner unto Babylon? Which Manasses being in trouble, after that he had humbled himself and prayed unto the Lord his God, his prayer was heard, and the Lord “brought him again to Jerusalem, even to his kingdom; so that Manasses knew that the Lord is God. Afterward put he away the strange gods and idols out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars which he had builded upon the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city, &c.”

What shall I speak of Constantine the Great, of Leo III., of Valens and Theodosius, of Philip, of Constantine, &c., most noble and worthy emperors, and of Sabanus, king of the Bulgarians,* with divers other godly princes, which all banished idols, images, or mawmets out of their dominions, and would by no means suffer them to be remaining in those places, where Christian men resort and come together to pray; lest the people should fall from the honour of the one and alone true living God, and be allured unto the vain worshipping of most vain images, and so heap the wrath and vengeance of God upon them, which as all sins, so likewise the sin and abomination of image-service, most highly doth detest and abhor?

What shall I here rehearse the most godly and virtuous acts of the reverend and holy bishops, Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus,* and Sirenus, bishop of Massilia,* and such like, which by no means could abide either images or image service in their diocese?

I pass over the most holy and Christian councils, Agathense, Tolitane, Elibertine, &c., which decreed that all pictures or images should be had out of the churches, and that nothing that is honoured or worshipped should be painted on the church walls.

All these things heretofore rehearsed do evidently declare, what is to be thought both of images made for religion sake, and also of the worshipping and honouring of the same.

Father. Now, my good child, forasmuch as in this second commandment of God we are not only forbidden to make images, but also to bow down to them, and to worship them; tell me what is meant or understand by the bowing down unto an image. Son. To bow down to, or before an image, which in Greek is προσκυνειν, and in the Latin adorare, is reverently with the body to fall down before it, to kneel unto it, to set it in a place where we use to worship God, to garnish it with costly array and precious jewels, to kiss it, to put off our cap unto it, and to shew any gesture of reverence outwardly unto it. All these things doth God forbid to be given to images in this his second commandment.

Father. Yet all these things are done to images in the pope’s churches. Son. Truth it is. For in divers popish books we read on this manner: “To all them that say this prayer following before the image of the crucifix, pitifully beholding the same, and devoutly kneeling upon their knees, are granted as many days of pardon, by divers popes of Rome, as be gravel stones in the sea, or grasses on the earth.”* Moreover, who knoweth not this to be a custom in the synagogues of the pope both on Good Friday, as they call it, and on Easter Day in the morning, to creep unto the cross, to kneel unto it, to kiss it, to offer gifts unto it, &c., while the priests and the clerks sing on this manner, Crucem tuam adoramus, Domine, &c.* “We worship thy cross, O Lord”; which is plain and manifest idolatry, and a work directly against the commandment of God?

St Ambrose writeth on this manner: “Helene found a title or superscription, but she worshipped the king, and not the tree; for this is an heathenish error, and the vanity of the ungodly; but she worshipped him that did hang on the tree, written in the title, &c.”* With what conscience then can the papists compel, as they do, the simple Christians to worship the cross, contrary to the doctrine both of the holy scriptures and of the ancient godly writers? This kind of worshipping required the devil at Christ’s hand; but he answered [Matt. 4, Deut. 6]: “Avoid, Satan. For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve.” This worship refused Simon Peter to be given unto him of Cornelius the centurion. [Acts. 10] “Stand up,” saith he, “I am a man also.” This worship also refused the angel, when John fell down at his feet, and said unto John [Rev. 19, 21]: “See that thou do it not. For I am thy fellow servant, and one of thy brethren, and of them that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship thou God.” If the apostle of Christ and the angel of God refused to be worshipped with falling down before them, and with kneeling unto them, is it reason that this worship, I mean, kneeling and bowing of the body, should be given to dumb idols and vain images? “Confounded and put to utter confusion and shame mought all they be,” saith the psalmograph, [Psa. 97] “which worship,” that is to say, kneel down before, “graven images,” or do any outward reverence unto them.

Father. We are not only commanded of God in this his second commandment, that we should not bow down before any image, but also that we should not worship nor honour them. What is meant by worshipping or honouring of images? Son. As by bowing down before an image is understand all outward reverence, which with our body we give unto it, whether it be by setting it in that place where we come together to honour God, as in churches, chapels, oratories, &c., or by kneeling unto it, or putting off our cap unto it, or garnishing it, or kissing it, &c.; so likewise by worshipping an image is meant to pray unto it, to offer gifts and sacrifices unto it, to go on pilgrimage unto it, to seek health, help, and salvation at it, to flee unto it in our necessities, to put our faith, hope, and confidence in it, and to make it, as I may so speak, a very God; which is plain idolatry and image service.

Father. These things also are done at this present day in the kingdom of the pope. Son. It is the more to be lamented. All good and godly men ought to study, unto the uttermost of their power, to banish these so great and grievous pestilences from the bounds of Christendom, that all the worship, honour, glory, and praise may be given to God alone, as he himself saith by the prophet [Isa. 13]: “I am the Lord: this is my name. I will give my glory to none other, nor my honour to graven images.” In the Acts of the Apostles we read, [Acts 14] that when the men of Lystra, with Jupiter’s priest, brought oxen and garlands, and would have done sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, because of the miracle that Paul wrought among them, in healing a man which was impotent of his feet, and a cripple even from his mother’s womb, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, “The gods are become like unto men, and are come down unto us; calling Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the preacher;” the apostles rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying and saying: “Ye men, why do ye this? We are mortal men also like unto you, and preach unto you the gospel, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that therein is.” If the apostles of Christ refused to be honoured, to have gifts and sacrifices offered unto them, &c., is it then seemly that such honour should be given to dumb images, idols, and mawmets? Neither outward worship nor inward honour ought to be given unto such vanities. “Blessed is that man,” saith the psalmograph, [Psa. 40] “whose hope, affiance, and trust is in the name of the Lord, and that hath not regarded these vanities and foolish fond fantasies.” These image-mongers may justly be resembled to the priests of Baal, which called on the name of Baal from the morning unto the noonday, and yet were not heard. [1 Kings 18] So likewise these new Baalites and idolaters, though they cry never so much upon these idols and images, yet shall they never be heard. “For they have ears and hear not, &c. They that make them are like unto them, and so are all such as put their trust in them. But let Israel trust in the Lord; for he is their succour and defense.”

Father. Hitherto have we heard what the good will and pleasure of God is in this his second commandment, concerning images. Go forth now, and declare unto me that which followeth in this precept. Son. The words that follow are these:

“For I the Lord thy God am a strong and a jealous God, punishing the wickedness of the parents in the children, until the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew mercy until thousands, unto those that love me and keep my, commandments.”

Father. Why doth the Lord our God call himself “a strong God”? Son. To declare that his divine majesty is so great, infinite, unmeasurable, and incomprehensible, so excellent and far passing the reach and compass of man’s wit or reason, that it can by no means be expressed or set forth by any similitude, likeness, or image, that man can devise. For seeing that heaven and earth, and all that ever is contained in them, cannot represent God, much less are vile and vain images able to do this, which are made with man’s hand, and have neither life nor moving, nor any thing at all that is like our most strong and mighty God, as both Esay and Baruch do right well testify. [Isa. 44, Bar. 6] He is also called a strong God, to declare that he is of sufficient might and power to help and to defend all those that put their trust in him, with whatsoever kind of adversity they be assailed; and that, as he is able, so likewise he will alway be present with his saving health unto all such as unfeignedly cleave unto him, refusing utterly all false gods, idols, images, mawmets, puppets, &c., and seeking their health and salvation both of body and of soul at his merciful hand only and alone.

Father. But why doth he call himself “a jealous God”? Son. To declare that he by no means can abide that that glory which is due from us to him alone should be given to any creature, although never so excellent, either in heaven or in earth, much less to vain images, dumb idols, monstrous mawmets, and popish puppets; no, nor any part of that glory; as he saith by the prophet [Isa. 42]: “I am the Lord: this is my name: I will give my glory to none other, nor my honour to graven images.” As of God we receive all good things appertaining either unto the body or unto the soul, so likewise owe we unto God alone all our faith, love, fear, service, honour, glory, praise, &c., as Moses saith [Deut. 6, Matt. 4]: “Thou shalt honour the Lord thy God, and serve him alone.” And as a true wedded husband, that loveth his wife dearly, tendereth her above all creatures, resteth in her love only, rejoiceth and delighteth in her alone, cherisheth her, and maketh sufficient provision for her in all things, so that at his hand she hath abundantly all good things, yea, and that without any lack, cannot abide that his wife should give her love, or any part of her love to any other man, but to him alone; so in like manner cannot God suffer, which hath taken us to his spouse, and married us unto him in faith, that we should set our love upon any other but upon him alone, of whom we receive all good things necessary both for body and soul, or that we should give the glory and praise of our salvation to any but to him alone. [Eph. 5, Hos. 2, 1 Cor. 4, James 1] Therefore to declare how impatient he is of any rival or paramour, and how vehement his love is toward us, and how fervently again he requireth of us to be loved, he compareth himself to a jealous lover or husband, and us to a wife; signifying by this comparison how pure, chaste, and unspotted, yea, and utterly estranged from all other creatures, our love toward God ought to be. This perceived the psalmograph right well, when he said [Psa. 73]: “Thou destroyest all them that run a whore-hunting from thee. But it is good for me to cleave hard to God, and to put my trust in the Lord God.”

Father. What is it to run a whore-hunting from God? Son. To forsake the Lord our God, and to follow creatures; to pluck our faith and love from God, and to give it unto strange gods; to seek health and salvation, remission of sins and everlasting life, at the hand of any, either in heaven or in earth, saving only at the hand of the Lord our God, which alone is the author, beginner, and finisher of our salvation. And to pluck us away from this whore-hunting and spiritual whoredom, which is nothing else than idolatry or image service, he doth not only call himself a jealous God, but he also addeth, that he will punish the wickedness of the parents “in the children, until the third and fourth generation of them that hate him.”

Father. What wickedness is that which God will so extremely punish? Son. Every sin is wickedness. God will by no means suffer the transgression and breaking of his holy commandments unpunished: as it is written [Isa. 5]: “Woe be unto them that sin, and keep not my commandments, saith the Lord; for I will not spare them.” Again [Deut. 27, Gal. 3]: “Cursed is every one which abideth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, that he may do them.” And albeit all kind of sins do greatly offend the majesty of God, so that he will leave none of them unpunished; yet this sin of idolatry or image service do most highly displease him: neither will he by any means suffer the transgression and breaking of this second commandment, which forbiddeth idolatry and image service, to escape without punishment, as divers histories of the holy scripture do manifestly declare. And therefore it is here to be noted by the way, that God calleth the idolaters, image servants, or worshippers of strange gods, his enemies and such as hate him. Is it to be thought that such can escape unpunished? It is not therefore without a cause, that God, tendering our health and salvation, in this his second commandment forbiddeth both the making and worshipping of images. If we will avoid the worshipping of images, let us cease to make them, and place them in our temples, chapels, oratories, &c.; and so shall we easily escape from the danger of idolatry or image service, which is so grievous an offence, and so wicked and abominable sin before the Lord our God, that he threateneth to punish it in the children of the idolatrous fathers, until the third and fourth generation.

Father. This seemeth to me very lamentable, that God should punish the wickedness of the parents in their children’s children. Son. This on this wise is to be understand. If the children of the parents, which were wicked idolaters, commit that same idolatry which their fathers have committed, and continue in the same wickedness wherein their forefathers have lived, then will God not only punish the parents which have so offended, but also their children, yea, and their children’s children, which commit the like offence, yea, and that so much the more grievously, because they be the idolatrous children of idolatrous fathers, and have more pleasure to walk in the wicked steps of their most wicked fathers, than to give ear to the righteous laws of the most righteous God.

Father. But what if the parents be wicked and the children godly, as it sometime chanceth, and as we also find in the holy scriptures, shall the children notwithstanding be plagued and punished for their fathers’ offences? Son. God forbid. For it is written [Ezek. 18]: “The soul that sinneth shall die. If a man be godly, and do the thing that is equal and right (he eateth not upon the hills: he lifteth not his eyes up to the idols of Israel: he defileth not his neighbour’s wife: he meddleth with no menstruous woman: he grieveth nobody: he giveth his debtor his pledge again: he taketh none other man’s good by violence: he parteth his meat with the hungry: he clotheth the naked: he lendeth nothing upon usury: he taketh nothing over: he writhed with [Writhed with: turned away.] his hand from doing wrong: he handleth faithfully betwixt man and man: he walketh in my commandments, and keepeth my laws, and performeth them faithfully); this is a righteous man: he shall surely live, saith the Lord God. If he now beget a son that is a murderer and a shedder of blood; if he do one of these things (though he do not all); he eateth upon the hills; he defileth his neighbour’s wife; he grieveth the poor and needy; he robbeth and spoileth; he giveth not the debtor his pledge again; he lifteth up his eyes unto idols, and meddleth with abominable things; he lendeth upon usury, and taketh moreover; shall this man live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these abominations, he shall die: his blood shall be upon him. Now if this man beget a son also, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and feareth, neither doth such like; namely, he eateth not upon the mountains; he lifteth not his eyes up to the idols of Israel; he defileth not his neighbour’s wife; he vexeth no man; he keepeth no man’s pledge; he neither spoileth nor robbeth any man; he dealeth his meat with the hungry; he clotheth the naked; he oppresseth not the poor; he receiveth no usury, nor any thing over; he keepeth my laws, and walketh in my commandments; this man shall not die in his father’s sin, but shall live without fail. As for his father, because he oppressed and spoiled his brother, and did wickedly among his people, he is dead in his own sin. And yet say ye: Wherefore then should not this son bear his father’s sin? Therefore, because the son hath done equity and right, hath kept all my commandments and done them; therefore shall he live in deed. The soul that sinneth shall die. The son shall not bear the father’s offences, neither shall the father bear the son’s offence. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself; and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself also.”

Of these words, which I have borrowed out of the prophet Ezechiel, is it plain and evident, that, although the parents be wicked and idolatrous, yet if their children be not polluted and defiled with the same wickedness and idolatry, but lovers of God, studious of his holy word, and diligent walkers in his laws and commandments; they shall be free from those plagues and punishments which their wicked and ungodly fathers have most justly deserved, and be no partakers of God’s displeasure, indignation, and vengeance in this behalf. Therefore, where it is said that God will punish the wickedness of parents “in the children, until the third and fourth generation,” it is to be understand of those children which, having wicked fathers, follow the steps of their fathers, committing the same wickedness which they tofore have committed, without repentance or amendment of life. The other, which are free from the wickedness of their parents, are also free from the curses and plagues of God, and be in the number of those which are mentioned in the end of this second commandment.

Father. What is that? Son. “And shew mercy until thousands, unto those that love me and keep my commandments.”

Father. What learnest thou of these words? Son. Verily, that as God is righteous and severe in punishing the wicked doers, which transgress his commandments, so likewise is he merciful, gentle, and liberal to all such as love him, and study to frame their lives according to his holy word; as the apostle saith [Rom. 2]: “Unto them that are contentious, and not obedient to the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall come indignation and wrath, trouble and anguish, upon all the souls of men that do evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. But unto all them that do good (shall come) praise and honour and peace, unto the Jew first, and also the Greek. For there is no respect of persons before God.”

Father. What is meant by this, that God, in plaguing the wickedness of the parents in the children, will only extend his punishment until the third and fourth generation, yea, and that none otherwise, except they follow the wickedness of their fathers, as we heard tofore; but in shewing mercy unto those that love him and keep his commandments, he saith, that he will extend and stretch forth his merciful kindness and kind mercy until thousands, that is to say, infinite generations? Son. This declareth unto us, that the mercy of God is greater than his anger, and that he is more bent to loving-kindness than to severe justice. And with this agreeth the saying of that blessed virgin Mary [Luke 1]: “His mercy,” saith she, “endureth throughout all generations upon them that fear him.” The psalmograph also saith [Psa. 103]: “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not alway be chiding, neither will he keep his anger for ever. He will not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our wickedness. For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him. Look how wide the east is from the west; so far will he set our sins from us. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him, &c. The merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him, and his righteousness upon their childer’s children; even such as keep his covenant, and think upon his commandments to do them.”

Father. We have largely talked of all things concerning this second commandment of God; whereof we have learned, that we ought to make no image of God, nor of any other thing for religion sake, nor yet give any adoration or worship to them, but serve the Lord our God “in spirit and truth;” [John 4] forasmuch as he is a spirit, and is chiefly delighted with spiritual things. Go forth now, and recite unto me the third commandment.

Son. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” [Exod. 20, Deut. 5]

Father. What is the will of God in this law? What requireth he of us? Son. First, he forbiddeth us to abuse his holy name through false, light, or vain swearing, or to call his name unto witness in any matter, except it be godly, charitable, true, grave, weighty, and necessary. Again, he chargeth us straitly, that we do not usurp his glorious name in any kind of superstition, sorcery, enchantment, witchcraft, conjuration, invocation of devils and wicked spirits: Item, that we do not dishonour the name of the Lord our God through our evil behaviour. Secondly, he requireth of us that in matters of faith, or in grave and weighty causes of controversies, where an oath is necessarily required, and ministered unto us by them which are in authority, we swear not by the name of any creature that is in heaven or in earth, but only by his blessed and glorious name: again, that in all our necessity, sickness, sorrow, and care, we flee unto the name of no creature neither in heaven nor in earth, but only unto his holy name for aid, help, and succour, which is “a strong tower” [Prov. 18] for all them that resort unto it; seeing that “there is no name given unto men under the cope of heaven wherein they may receive salvation” [Acts 4] either of body or of soul, but this one only name of that most mighty Lord our God. Also, that in our prosperity, when all things go well with us, we shew ourselves thankful unto him, laud, praise, magnify, and extol his holy, blessed, and glorious name: Item, that we set forth, preach, and declare his holy word, and advance his pure and true religion, without the intermixture or mingling of any man’s doctrine. Finally, that we to the uttermost of all our power, even with our whole strength both of body and soul, seek continually the advancement, glory, and honour of God’s most glorious and honourable name, never attempting, either in word, deed, or thought, that may in any point before men obscure or deface the majesty of the Lord our God.

Father. How provest thou by the word of God, that we are forbidden in this third commandment falsely, lightly, or vainly to swear by the name of God? Son. God saith by his servant Moses [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall not swear falsely by my name, neither shalt thou unhallow the name of thy God; for I am the Lord.” By the prophet Zachary he also saith [Zech. 8]: “The things that ye shall do are these: speak every man the truth unto his neighbour: execute judgment truly and peaceably within your gates: let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his neighbour; and love no false oaths; for all these are the things that I hate, saith the Lord.” Jesus the son of Syrach writeth on this manner [Ecclus. 23]: “Hear me, O ye children: I will give you a doctrine, how ye shall order your mouth: whoso keepeth it shall not perish through his lips, nor be hurt through wicked works. As for the sinner, he shall be taken in his own vanity: he that is proud and cursed shall fall therein. Let not thy mouth be accustomed with swearing; for in it there are many falls. Let not the naming of God be continually in thy mouth; for like as a servant which is oft punished cannot be without some sore, even so whatsoever he be that sweareth and nameth God shall not be clean purged from sin. A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with wickedness; and the plague shall never go from his house. If he beguile his brother, his fault shall be upon him: if he knowledgeth not his sin, he maketh a double offence; and if he swear in vain, he shall not be found righteous, for his house shall be full of plagues. The words of the swearer bringeth death, (God grant that it be not found in the house of Jacob!) but they that fear God eschew all such things, and lie not weltering in sin.”

Our Saviour Christ also forbiddeth all manner of vain and light swearing in these words [Matt. 5, Lev. 19, Exod. 20, Deut. 10]: “Ye have heard how it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform thy oath to God. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for [it] is God’s seat; nor yet by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King: neither shall thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But your communication shall be yea, yea, nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than that cometh of evil.” St James also saith [James 5]: “Above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, neither by earth, neither by other oath. Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into dissimulation.”

Father. Where are we forbidden in the holy scripture to usurp the name of the Lord, of God, in any kind of superstition, sorcery, enchantment, &c? Son. God saith [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall not turn yourselves to the soothsayers, neither shall ye ask any thing at the expounders of tokens, that ye be not defiled by them; for I am the Lord your God.” Again [Lev. 20]: “If any soul turn him to the soothsayers and expounders of tokens, so that he goeth a whoring after them, I will set my face against that soul, and will root him out from among his people. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy, even your God. And keep ye my statutes, and do them; for I am the Lord that sanctified you.” Moses also saith [Deut. 18]: “When thou comest into the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee, thou shalt not learn to do the abominations of these nations, that there be not found among you that maketh his son or daughter go through the fire, or a prophesier, or a chooser out of days, or that regardeth the birds’ crying, or a witch, or a conjurer, or soothsayer, or an expounder of tokens, or that asketh any thing of the dead. For whosoever doth such is abomination unto the Lord.” The prophet Esay also saith [Isa. 8]: “If they say unto you, Ask counsel at hat. viii. the soothsayers, witches, charmers, and conjurers, then make them this answer: Is there a people anywhere that asketh not counsel at his god, whether it be concerning the dead or the living? If any man want light, let him look upon the law and testimony,” &c.

Father. Are we also forbidden here to dishonour the name of the Lord our God through our wicked and evil behaviour? Son. Yea, verily. For God himself complaineth in the holy scripture, [Isa. 52, Ezek. 36, Rom. 2] that his name is greatly dishonoured and evil spoken of among the heathen, because of the corrupt manners and ungodly conversation of such as profess his name. Therefore the holy apostle St Peter exhorteth us, [1 Pet. 2] that we “lead an honest conversation among the heathen; that whereas they backbite us as evildoers, they, judging us of our good works, may glorify God in the day of visitation.” And our Saviour Christ commandeth us, [Matt. 5] that our “light should so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.” For as nothing in this world doth more dishonour the name of God than the wicked life of such as with their mouth “profess God, and with their deeds deny him” [Titus 1]; so likewise nothing in this life doth more advance and set up the glorious majesty of the name of the Lord our God, than when such as profess his holy name live godly, virtuously, and honestly.

Father. Is it lawful for a Christian man in any case to swear? Son. Yea, in all such cases as I tofore rehearsed.

Father. How is that proved? Son. St Paul saith [Heb. 6]: “An oath is the end of all controversy, or strife.” And God himself saith [Jer. 4]: “O Israel, if thou wilt turn thee, then turn unto me, saith the Lord. And if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, thou shalt not be moved; and shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in equity, and in righteousness.” Again [Jer. 12]: “If they (that trouble my people) will learn the ways of them to swear by my name, The Lord liveth, like as they have learned my people to swear by Baal, then shall they be reckoned among my people. But if they will not obey, then will I root out the same folk, and destroy them, saith the Lord.” Moses also saith [Deut. 6, 10]: “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, and swear by his name.” The psalmograph also saith [Psa. 63, 15]: “All they that swear by him (that is to say, God) shall be commended.” Again: “He shall dwell in the tabernacle of God, and rest upon his holy hill, that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not.” It is so far off from sin to swear in a true and necessary cause, that we read, that God himself did swear. The psalmograph hath these words [Psa. 110]: “The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech.” In the books of the prophets we read that the manner of swearing which God used was this: “As truly as I live.” The evangelical history declareth, that Christ’s oath was this: “Verily, verily, I say unto you.” St Paul also did swear, as we may see in his epistles. What shall I speak of Abraham and Abimelech, of Joseph, of the princes of Israel, of Josue, of David, and such like? All these histories do evidently declare, that it is not forbidden by God’s law for a Christian man to swear by the name of the Lord his God, and to call God for a witness in a true and just cause, and specially when it is required of the magistrates and head rulers for the avoiding of controversies, that peace and quietness may be had among their subjects. [Ezek.33, John 3, 4, 6, 8; Rom. 1, 9, Gen. 21, 42, & 47; Josh. 9, 1 Sam 20, 24; 1 Kings 1, 2]

Father. May magistrates then lawfully require an oath of their subjects? Son. Yea, most lawfully.

Father. Where is that declared in the word of God? Son. [Gen. 24, 21, 26, 31, 47] We read, that Abraham required an oath of his servant; and the servant sware at his master’s commandment. King Abimelech required an oath of Abraham, which was a stranger in his land; and Abraham did swear. Abimelech also, king of the Philistines, required an oath of Isaac, that he should do him and his people no harm; and Isaac agreed to his request, and sware. Jacob sware unto Laban, when he was required. Jacob, otherwise called Israel, required of his son Joseph an oath, that he should not bury him in Egypt, but among his fathers; and Joseph sware. Divers such like examples are to be found in the holy scriptures, which do plainly declare, that Christian men may lawfully take an oath, when it is required of them by such as are in authority. Are not these [Exod. 22] the words of the law of God? “If a man deliver his neighbour money or vessels to keep, and it be stolen from him out of his house; if the thief be found, he shall restore double. But if the thief be not found, then shall the good man of the house be brought before the gods” (that is to say, before the magistrates, or head rulers), and “shall swear that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s good.” [Psa. 82, John 10]

Father. Doth this third commandment of God require of us also, that in all our adversity and trouble we flee unto the name of God, as unto a strong tower, for help and succour, and diligently with strong faith call upon it? Son. Yea, verily. For this is the commandment of God [Psa. 1]: “Call on me in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt honour me.” And as we are commanded to call on the name of God in our trouble, so likewise are we most graciously promised to be heard, as it is written: “Every one that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And God himself saith by the psalmograph: “Because he hath put his trust in me, I will deliver him: I will defend him, because he hath known my name. When he calleth upon me, I will hear him: yea, I am with him in his trouble, and I will deliver him, and bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” [Joel 2, Acts 2, Rom. 10, Psa. 91]

Father. Is it also required of us in this commandment that we be thankful to the name of the Lord our God for his benefits? Son. Is it not reason that we be thankful to him and praise his name, of whom we receive all that we have, appertaining either unto the body or unto the soul, that good is or godly? [1 Cor. 4, James 1]

Father. It is indeed reason and right. Son. This is the commandment of God by the psalmograph: “Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise or thanksgiving.” And God himself saith [Psa. 50]: “Whoso offereth unto me thanks and praise, he honoureth me; and this is the way whereby I shall shew him the salvation of God.” The psalmograph himself also saith [Psa. 69]: “I will praise the name of God with a song, and magnify it with thanksgiving; and it shall please God better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.”

Father. Are we commanded also in this law to confess and set forth the true religion and doctrine of God to other, whensoever the glory of God doth require, and the salvation of the brethren, although the cross, yea, death itself should follow? Son. Yea, that is our duty; and whosoever doth it not, he transgresseth this commandment of God, and hath no portion in the inheritance of God’s kingdom, as our Saviour Christ testifieth, saying [Matt. 10, Luke 12]: “Whosoever confesseth me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever denieth me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Again [Mark 8, Luke 9]: “Whosoever is ashamed of me and of my sayings before this whorish and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man also be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Not to confess the truth of God, when the glory of God and the salvation of our neighbour require, is none other thing than to deny the truth and to blaspheme the name of God, and to envy God his glory and praise. And [Matt. 16] “what doth it profit a man to win the whole world, and at the last to lose his own soul? Or what can a man give to redeem his soul withal?” In God’s cause, and in the matter of truth, they are not to be feared that slay the body, and that done, they can do no more; but that Lord is to be feared which is able to destroy both body and soul in hellfire. “For the truth strive thou unto the death,” saith the wise man, “and God shall fight for thee against thine enemies.” [Matt. 10, Ecclus. 4]

Father. Besides these things heretofore rehearsed, are we bound by this commandment to seek the glory of God’s most holy name above all things, and not to attempt anything either in thought, word, or deed, that may in any point obscure the honour of it? Son. Who doubteth of that? For this thing only ought to be the alone study of a true Christian, even to the uttermost of his power to advance the glory of God’s most glorious name. Therefore thus stirreth up the psalmograph himself, and saith [Psa. 103]: “Magnify the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thine infirmities; which saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness,” &c.

Father. But what mean these words that follow in the commandment? “For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Son. [Deut. 4, Exod. 20] In these words the Lord our God, which is a mighty and jealous God, yea, and a consuming fire, declareth how greatly he is angry with them that do abuse his holy name, and honour it not on such sort as is above specified. And although God gave ten commandments, which he will diligently to be observed of all men, yet to none of them all specially doth he add any threatenings but only to the second and third commandments: by this signifying unto us, that although his godly majesty detesteth, abhorreth, and hateth all sins, yet the sin of idolatry and the abusing of his holy name most chiefly; and that whosoever transgresseth these two commandments, he will most extremely plague and punish them; in this world temporally, and in the world to come eternally, except they repent and amend.

Father. Are there any sentences in the holy scripture which also declare the anger, wrath, and vengeance of God against all such as transgress this commandment, and abuse his holy name? Son. Many and divers.

Father. Rehearse some of them. Son. God himself saith by the prophet Moses [Lev. 24]: “Whosoever blasphemeth his God shall bear his sin; and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall die the death. The whole congregation shall stone him. As the stranger, so shall he of the household be also. If he blaspheme the name (of God), he shall die.” And in the prophet Zachary we read on this manner [Zech. 5]: “I turned me, lifting up mine eyes, looked, and behold, a flying book. And he said unto me, What seest thou? I answered, I see a flying book, of twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the whole earth. For all thieves shall be judged after this book, and all swearers shall be judged according to the same. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, so that it shall come to the house of the thief, and to the house of him that falsely sweareth by my name, and shall remain in his house, and consume it with the timber and stones thereof.” The wise man also saith [Ecclus. 23]: “Let not thy mouth be accustomed with swearing; for in it there are many falls. Let not the naming of God be continually in thy mouth; for like as a servant which is oft punished cannot be without some sore, even so whatsoever he be that sweareth and nameth God shall not be clean purged from sin. A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with wickedness; and the plague shall never go from his house, &c. The words of the swearer bring death.”

Father. These authorities of the holy scripture declare evidently, how greatly God abhorreth the abuse of his holy name, either through false, vain, or light swearing, or otherwise; so that it is not without a cause said in this precept, that the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” But let us go forth and hear the fourth commandment. Son. The fourth commandment of God is this:

“Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it shalt thou do no manner of work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy servant, nor thy maid, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.” [Exod. 20, Deut. 5]

Father. What is the will of God in this commandment? Son. God in this his law requesteth of us two things: First, that we keep holy the Sabbath day: Secondly, that on the seventh day we rest from all worldly and bodily business, labours, and works, that we may the more freely serve the Lord our God, and consider the things which appertain unto the salvation of our souls.

Father. What signifieth this word Sabbath? Son. Rest, and ceasing from servile labour and outward works.

Father. What is it to sanctify the Sabbath day? Son. Not to pass over that day idly in lewd pastimes, in banqueting, in dicing and carding, in dancing and bear baiting, in bowling and shooting, in laughing and whoring, and in such like beastly and filthy pleasures of the flesh; nor yet in bargaining, buying and selling, as they do which run to fairs and markets on the Sabbath day and on other holy and feastful days (for this is not to sanctify, but to profanate, not to hallow, but to defile the Sabbath day); but, all such madnesses and wickednesses laid aside, and the mind utterly sequestered from all worldly things, and the body free from all servile works, to address ourselves, and to apply our whole mind and body unto godly and spiritual exercises; as unto the consideration of the mighty power of God in creating all things both in heaven and in earth, yea, and that of nothing, through his word, for the wealth and commodity of man: again, unto the consideration of God’s unoutspeakable goodness in preserving and maintaining those his creatures for the use and profit of man: Item, unto the humble and reverent hearing or reading of God’s holy word; unto the faithful and diligent calling on the name of God by fervent prayer; unto the unfeigned and hearty thanksgiving to God for his benefits no less diversely than plenteously declared unto us; unto the worthy receiving of the holy mysteries of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu; unto the visiting, counseling, comforting, and helping of the poor and miserably afflicted persons; unto the utter giving over of all the studies, devices, and works of the old man; unto the earnest embracing of the fruits of the Spirit; and in fine, unto the whole giving over of ourselves unto the good will of God, to work in us by his holy Spirit whatsoever his blessed pleasure shall be, that he alone may live, rule, reign, and triumph in us.

Father. Are there any sentences in the holy scripture, which confirm this law of the Sabbath day? Son. Yea, many and divers. Father. Rehearse part of them.

Son. God said to Moses [Exod. 31]: “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say: Keep my Sabbath; for it is a token between me and you and your posterities, that ye may know how that I am the Lord which halloweth you: therefore keep my Sabbath; for it shall be holy unto you. [Num. 15] Whoso unhalloweth it shall die the death. For whoso doeth any work therein shall be rooted out from among his people. Six days shall men work; but upon the seventh day is the Sabbath, that is to say, the holy rest of the Lord. Whoso doeth any work upon the Sabbath day shall die the death. Therefore shall the children of Israel keep the Sabbath, that they may keep it also among their posterities for an everlasting covenant. An everlasting token is it between me and the children of Israel. For in six days made the Lord heaven and earth, but upon the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” Again he saith unto Moses [Lev. 23]: “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall call holy days. Six days shalt thou work; but the seventh day is the rest of the Sabbath, and shall he called holy. Ye shall do no work therein; for it is the Sabbath of the Lord, wheresoever ye dwell.”

By the prophet Esay God also saith [Isa. 56]: “Keep equity, and do right, &c. Blessed is the man that doth this, and the man’s child, which keepeth the same; even he that taketh heed that he unhalloweth not the Sabbath, that is, he that keepeth himself that he do no evil, &c. Unto them that keep my Sabbath, and hold greatly of the thing that pleaseth me, and keep my covenant, will I give in my household and within my walls a better heritage and name, than if they had been called sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not perish, &c. All they which keep themselves, that they unhallow not the Sabbath, namely, that they fulfill my covenant; them will I bring unto my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.” Again, God by the same prophet saith [Isa. 58]: “If thou on the Sabbath day turnest thy foot away from doing thine own will and pleasure in my holy day, then shalt thou be called unto the pleasant, holy, and glorious Sabbath of the Lord, where thou shalt be in honour; so that thou do not after thine own imagination, neither seek thine own will, nor speak thine own words. Then shalt thou have thy pleasure in the Lord, which shall carry thee high above the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the Lord’s own mouth hath so promised.”

By the prophet Jeremy God speaketh also on this manner [Jer. 17]: “Take heed for your lives, that ye carry no burden upon you in the Sabbath day, to bring it through the gates of Jerusalem: ye shall bear no burden also out of your houses in the Sabbath. Ye shall do no labour therein, but hallow the Sabbath, as I commanded your fathers. Howbeit, they obeyed me not, neither hearkened they unto me, but were obstinate and stubborn, and neither obeyed me, nor received my correction. Nevertheless if ye will hear me, saith the Lord, and bear no burden into the city through this gate upon the Sabbath; if ye will hallow the Sabbath, so that ye do no work therein; then shall there go through the gates of this city kings and princes, that shall sit upon the seat of David, &c. But if ye will not be obedient unto me, to hallow the Sabbath, so that ye will bear your burdens through the gates of Jerusalem upon the Sabbath; then shall I set fire upon the gates of Jerusalem, and it shall burn up the houses of Jerusalem, and no man shall be able to quench it.”

Again, by the prophet Ezechiel he saith [Ezek. 20]: “Walk not in the statutes of your forefathers: keep not their ordinances, and defile not yourselves with their idols; for I am the Lord your God. But walk in my statutes: keep my laws and do them: hallow my Sabbaths; for they are a token betwixt me and you, that ye may know how that I am the Lord.”

Father. Are the Christians also no less bound unto the observation and keeping of the Sabbath day than the Jews were in times past? Son. As concerning the seventh day, which was the Jews’ Sabbath, wherein they were commanded to rest and cease from all outward labour, we be free from that law, and are no more bound to the restful keeping thereof than of any other day. In consideration whereof, the godly fathers of Christ’s church turned the Jews’ Sabbath day into the Sunday, which is now called the Sabbath of the Christians, to declare, that we Christians are free from the keeping of the aforesaid Jewish Sabbath, and that it is in the liberty of the Christian magistrates to appoint what day they will to be the Sabbath of the Christians; and therefore we shall note, that the law concerning the Sabbath day is partly ceremonial, and partly moral. It is ceremonial, as touching the external rest, and the self seventh day, which now is abrogated with all the other Mosaical ceremonies through the coming of Christ; so that in this behalf we be free from that law. Notwithstanding, as touching the keeping of the public ministry, I mean, the Christians to repair together unto their temples on some certain day in the week at the appointment of the godly Christian rulers, to pray unto God, to give thanks to God for his benefits, to hear God’s word, to receive the holy mysteries of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, &c., and, that they may do these things the more conveniently, to sequester both their bodies and minds from all worldly things and servile works, &c.; in this behalf this law concerning the Sabbath abideth moral, and is to be observed also of the Christians, not only spiritually, but also corporally, except some grave, weighty, urgent, and necessary cause persuadeth to the contrary, that by this means they may learn the better to exercise themselves in matters of God and godliness, and seek by that temporal rest, how they may attain unto the perpetual rest of the world to come.

Father. Declare to me by the word of God, that the Christians are free from the Sabbath of the Jews. Son. Our Saviour Christ said unto the Pharisees [Matt. 12] (when they found fault with his disciples, because that “they being hungry plucked of the ears of the corn, and did eat on the Sabbath day, saying unto him, [1 Sam. 21] Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath), Have ye not read, what David did, when he was hungry, and they also that were with him? How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shew breads, which were not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that the priests in the temple break the Sabbath, and yet are blameless? But I say unto you, that there is one here greater than the temple. [Hos. 6] But if ye knew what this were, I have pleasure in mercy and not in sacrifice, ye would not have condemned innocents. For the Son of man is Lord even over the Sabbath.” In another place he also saith [Mark 2]: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore is the Son of man Lord even over the Sabbath.” St Paul also saith [Gal. 4]: “Seeing ye now know God (yea, rather are known of God), how is it that ye turn you back again unto the weak and beggarly traditions, whereunto ye desire again afresh to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am in fear of you, lest I have bestowed labour on you in vain.” Again [Col. 2]: “Let no man trouble your consciences about meat, or drink, or for a piece of an holy day, as the holy day of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are the shadow of the things that were to come.” Item [1 Tim. 4]: “Bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, as a thing which hath promises of the life that now is, and of the life to come.”

Father. It appeareth by the words of the apostle in his epistle to the Hebrews, that we Christians have also a Sabbath. Son. What are those words?

Father. Thus saith he [Heb. 4]: “There remaineth yet a Sabbath or rest unto the people of God. For he that is entered into the rest of God ceaseth from his works, as God doth from his. Let us make haste, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest that any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

Son. This Sabbath or rest, whereof the apostle here speaketh, is not corporal, but spiritual; not worldly, but ghostly; not outward, but inward; consisting rather in the quietness or rest of the mind than of the body, being a very figure of that godly and everlasting quietness and rest, which through Christ we shall have after this life in the kingdom of God the Father. For a Christian man being at quiet with God in his conscience, by ceasing from doing evil works, and by conforming of himself unto the will of God, even in this world hath heaven in his breast, as I may so speak even as the faithful man, which believeth in Christ, hath everlasting life even in this world, as it is written [John 3]: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” The Sabbath therefore of the Christians is spiritual and everlasting, not to be observed one day in the week only, after the manner of the Jews, but every day so long as we live, by ceasing to do evil, and by studying to do good, as it is written [Isa. 66]: “There shall be a new moon for the other, and a new Sabbath for the other; and all flesh shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord.”

Father. Notwithstanding these things, which thou hast spoken of the spiritual, inward, and everlasting Sabbath of the Christians, thou dost not take away the Sabbaths and feastful days, which are appointed of the rulers of Christ’s church to be observed of their subjects, that they may the more quietly give themselves to spiritual and godly exercises. Son. God forbid. For so should I sin both against faith and charity. [Rom. 13, 1 Pet. 2, Heb. 13] Against faith: because I should directly strive against God’s word, which commandeth not to resist but humbly to obey the godly and righteous ordinances of the high powers, forasmuch as “there is no power but of God”; and “he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and purchaseth to himself everlasting damnation.” Against charity: because I should transgress and break that good and godly order, which is both confirmed by public authority, and also received with the common consent of all faithful congregations, avancing greatly both the glory of God, and making not a little to the increase of our knowledge in the mysteries of our salvation through the blood of Christ.

Father. And is it lawful for us upon our Sabbaths and feastful days in any case to labour? Son. “It is lawful,” as our Saviour Christ saith, “to do good even on the Sabbath day.” [Luke 6] We read, that on the Sabbath day Christ healed divers persons that were diseased, and restored them to their health, to give us an example to do the like, when either faith, charity, or necessity requireth. For to the true godly, every day is the Sabbath day; forasmuch as they spend every day in holy works, and have nothing to do with such deeds, as be uncomely to be done of true Christians; forasmuch also as every day they lift up their minds unto God, call on his holy name by fervent prayer, praise his glorious majesty, and have their meditation in the law of the Lord, yea, and that in the midst of their godly travails and labours. Notwithstanding, except great necessity or urgent causes do require that we should work on the Sabbath day, or on other feastful days appointed by public authority unto holy exercises, we ought not to break that godly quietness on such holy days, but diligently apply our minds (all worldly business set apart) unto such heavenly and godly studies and actions, as the solemnity of those feasts requireth. If any man without necessary cause attempteth the contrary, he greatly offendeth, as I have heretofore said.

Father. But wherefore doth God in this law make mention of labour, commanding us to work six days in the week, and to rest on the seventh? Son. God at the beginning, so soon as man had transgressed and broken his holy commandment in paradise, and had eaten of the forbidden fruit, enjoined Adam, and in him all his posterity, this penance, that in the sweat of his brows and in the labour of his hands [Gen. 3] he should eat his bread, and get his living, until he returned into the earth: for earth he was, and unto earth he should return. Therefore, whereas the Lord our God had from the beginning laid this yoke of labour upon all men’s neck, commanding them to work and to travail for their living so long as they remained in this vale of misery, no day excepted, and is now determined to erect and set up a comely order in the public weal of the Israelites, wherein he will have his wonderful works considered, his word preached, his glorious name called upon and praised, his people brought unto the knowledge of his holy will, matters of their soul health regarded, spiritual exercises practiced, &c.; he reneweth here his former penance of labour laid upon man for his disobedience, commanding him not to live idly, dissolutely, and slothfully, but diligently to travail by all lawful means to get his living with the labour of his hands and the sweat of his brows, yea, and that six days in the week: notwithstanding, that such godly exercises, whereof I have tofore spoken, may the more conveniently be brought to pass, he exempteth man from labour and servile occupations on the Sabbath day, commanding him on that day to rest, and to give himself to corporal quietness, that he may the more freely give his mind to spiritual and godly things, and on that day no less to seek after things pertaining unto the salvation of his soul, than he the six days past laboured for the things which concern the health and preservation of his body. And to provoke man the more earnestly both unto labour and also unto the hallowing of the Sabbath day, God setteth forth himself an example unto us of them both, that is to say, of labour on the six days, and of rest on the Sabbath, which is the seventh day; affirming that “in six days he made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day,” so that “he blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.” [Gen. 2]

Father. We are then commanded of God in this precept two things: first, six days to labour; secondly, to rest from labour on the seventh day, yea, and that unto this end, that we may pass over that day in godly and spiritual exercises. Son. So is it.

Father. Are there any other places of the holy scripture, which command us to labour with our hands, and to get our living with the sweat of our brows? Son. We have plenty, both of sentences and of examples. God said unto Adam immediately after his fall [Gen. 3]: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, until thou dost return unto the earth, out of the which thou art taken. For earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou return.” The psalmograph saith [Psa. 128]: “Thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: so shalt thou be blessed, and it shall go well with thee.” That mirror of patience saith [Job 5]: “A man is born to labour, and a bird to fly.” The wise man saith [Prov. 6]: “Go to the emmet, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and learn to be wise. She hath no guide, nor overseer, nor ruler; yet in the summer she provideth her meat, and gathereth her food together in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, thou sluggish man? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yea, sleep on still a little; slumber a little; fold thine hands together yet a little, that thou mayest sleep: so shall poverty come unto thee, as one that traveleth by the way, and necessity like a weaponed man.” But if thou be not slothful, thy harvest shall come as a springing well, and poverty shall flee far from thee. Again [Prov. 10]: “Whoso gathereth in summer is wise; but he that is sluggish in harvest bringeth himself to confusion.” “An idle hand maketh poor; but a quick labouring hand maketh rich.” Also in another place: “Whoso is slothful and slack in his labour is the brother of him that is a waster.” Item [Prov. 20]: “Delight not thou in sleep, lest thou come unto poverty; but open thine eyes, that thou mayest have bread enough.” “A slothful body will not go to plough for cold of the winter: therefore shall he go a begging in summer, and have nothing.”

St Paul also saith [Eph. 4]: “Let him that stole steal no more, but let him rather labour with his hands the thing which is good, that he may give unto him that needeth.” Again [1 Thess. 4]: “We beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more, and that ye study to be quiet, and to meddle with your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may behave yourselves honestly toward them that are without, and that nothing be lacking unto you.” Item [2 Thess. 3]: “When we were with you, this we warned you of, that if any would not work, the same should not eat. For we have heard say, that there are some which walk among you inordinately, working not at all, but being busy-bodies. Them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness, and eat their own bread.”

Father. Rehearse some examples of labour out of the holy scripture. Son. Adam,

even in paradise, was commanded of God to keep and to till the garden. Cain was a plowman. Abel was a shepherd. Thubal exercised music. Thubal-cain was a worker in brass and iron. Noe was an husbandman, and planted a vineyard. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and many of the ancient patriarchs were keepers of sheep. [Gen. 2, 4, 9, 13, 26, 29, 37] Joseph was a magistrate and ruler in the commonweal. Moses was a shepherd, and afterward a governor in the public weal of Israel. The children of Israel laboured painful in the land of Egypt. David kept sheep, and afterward was king over Israel. The prophet Elizeus was a plowman and tilled the earth. The prophet Amos was a shepherd and kept sheep. [Gen. 41, Exod. 3, 1; 1 Sam. 16, 1 Kings 19, Amos 1]

Joseph, the husband of Mary the virgin was a carpenter. Christ likewise was a carpenter, and laboured for his living, till he came to the office of preaching. Many of Christ’s disciples were fishermen. Matthew the evangelist was a custom gatherer. Luke the evangelist was a physician. Tabitha, otherwise called Dorcas, made coats and garments with her own hands for the poor people. A certain godly and religious woman, called Lydia, was a seller of purple. Aquila and Priscilla his wife were makers of tents [Matt. 13, Mark 6, Matt. 4, John 21, Matt. 9, Col. 4, Acts 9, 16, 18]: of the which occupation St Paul also was, which lived not idly, nor yet of the sweat of other men’s brows, but got his living with the labours of his own hands, because he would be chargeable to no man, as these his words do manifestly declare: “We labour and work with our own hands.” [1 Cor. 4; 2 Thess. 3] Again: “Ye yourselves know, how ye ought to follow us. For we behaved not ourselves inordinately among you: neither took we bread of any man for nought; but wrought with labour and sweat night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you: not but that we had authority, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, to follow us. For when we were with you, this we warned you of, that if any would not work, the same should not eat.” Also in another place he saith [Acts 20]: “I have desired no man’s silver, gold, or vesture: yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.”

Father. Is it not lawful then for Christian men to cease from work on those six days, seeing that God saith, “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work”? Son. Even as on the Sabbath day, wherein we are commanded to cease from bodily labour, it is lawful, when charity or necessity requireth, to work, as we have tofore heard; so likewise is it lawful on the other six days to abstain also from labour, when the glory of God, or any other necessary cause, doth require.

Father. As God setteth forth himself unto us an example of labour for six days; so doth he of rest for the seventh day. “For in six days the Lord made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day.” Son. Truth it is.

Father. Of the Sabbath day and of the sanctifying thereof, we have tofore sufficiently heard. Rehearse therefore the next commandment.

Son. “Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

Father. This commandment pertaineth not unto the person of God, m the other four, which we have tofore heard. Son. No, verily. For the law of God was written [Exod. 31] with the finger of God in two tables of stone. The first table containeth four commandments, and those pertain unto the worshipping and honouring of God. The other table comprehendeth six, and those concern our duty toward our neighbour. Of the which six this is the first, which I have now rehearsed.

Father. Why is the commandment concerning our duty toward our parents set next in order to the precepts, which concern our office and duty toward God? Son. To declare that, next unto God, we owe the chief honour, worship, and reverence to our father and mother.

Father. What is it to “honour thy father and thy mother”? Son. Not only to give them outward reverence, to rise up unto them, to give them place, to put off our caps, to kneel unto them, to ask them blessing, &c., but also honourably to esteem them, godly to think of them, heartily to love them, humbly to obey them, diligently to pray for them, charitably to conceal and hide their faults, in all honest things to gratify them, in their need to help and succour them, and in fine, at all times to do all good things for them, whatsoever lieth in our power.

Father. Are there other testimonies contained in the holy scripture, which also require this duty of us toward our parents? Son. Yea, very many.

Father. Rehearse some of them. Son. Moses saith [Lev. 19]: “Let every one reverence his father and mother?” Jesus, the son of Syrach, writeth on this manner [Ecclus. 3]: “Hear me, your father, O my dear children, and do thereafter, that ye may be safe. For the Lord will have the father honoured of the children; and look, what a mother commandeth her children to do, he will have it kept. Whoso honoureth his father, his sins shall be forgiven him; and he that honoureth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure together. Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his own children; and when he maketh his prayer, he shall be heard. He that honoureth his father shall have long life; and he that is obedient for the Lord’s sake, his mother shall have joy of him. He that feareth the Lord honoureth his father and mother, and doeth them service, as it were to the Lord himself Honour thy father in deed, in word, and in all patience, that thou mayest have God’s blessing; and his blessing shall abide with thee for ever. The blessing of the father buildeth up the houses of the children; but the mother’s curse rooteth out the foundations. Rejoice not when thy father is reproved; for it is not honour unto thee, but a shame. For the worship of a man’s father is his own worship; and where the father is without honour, it is the dishonesty of the son. My son, make much of thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth. And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not in thy strength. For the good deed that thou shewest to thy father shall not be forgotten; and when thou thyself wantest, it shall be rewarded thee (and for thy mother’s offences thou shalt be recompensed with good, yea, it shall be found for thee in righteousness), and in the day of trouble thou shalt be remembered. Thy sins also shall melt away, like as the ice in the fair warm weather. But he that forsaketh his father shall come to shame, and he that despiseth his mother is cursed of God.” Again he saith [Ecclus. 7]: “Honour thy father from thy whole heart; and forget not the sorrowful travail that thy mother had with thee. Remember that thou was born through them; and how canst thou recompense them the things that they have done for thee?” Old Toby said to his son [Tob. 4]: “Hold thy mother in honour all the days of thy life. For thou oughtest to remember what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.” Our Saviour Christ also hath these words in the gospel [Matt. 15]: “God commandeth, saying, Honour father and mother; and he that curseth father and mother, let him die the death.” St Paul likewise saith [Eph. 6]: “Ye children, obey your fathers and mothers in the Lord; for that is right. Honour thy father and mother (the same is the first commandment in the promise); that thou mayest prosper, and live long on earth.” Again [Col. 3]: “Ye children, obey your fathers and mothers in all things; for that is well-pleasing unto the Lord.”

Father. Are there any ensamples contained in the holy scriptures of such as practiced this obedience toward their parents? Son. Yea, verily.

Father. Recite part of them. Son. Isaac shewed such obedience to his father Abraham, that when he at the commandment of God should have been offered for a sacrifice unto the Lord, [Gen. 22] he did not once resist his father, but willingly suffered himself to be bound, and to be laid on the altar above upon the wood, being ready also to be slain of his father, if God had not otherwise provided. Likewise read we of young Tobias, which, when his father sent him unto a far country about certain businesses of his, refused not to take so great a journey upon him, but meekly answered his father, and said [Tob. 5]: “Father, all that thou hast commanded me will I do, and that diligently.” As I may let pass the other examples; have we not Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour a perfect example in this behalf? First, in as much as he is the only-begotten Son of God, he so obeyed the good will and pleasure of his heavenly Father, that [Phil. 2] “when he was God and equal with God, he made himself of no reputation, taking on him the shape of a servant, and became like unto men, and was found in his apparel as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross.” Again, in that he is man, and the son of Mary the virgin, read we not, that he, being a child, was obedient to Mary his mother, and to Joseph her husband? Are not these the words of blessed Luke? [Luke 2] “Jesus went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was obedient unto them.”

Father. Owe we such honour and obedience to our fathers and mothers, that we are bound by the commandment of God to obey them in all things, and to do whatsoever they command us? Son. The honour and obedience is great, I confess, which the children owe to their parents: notwithstanding, if they command any thing contrary to the word of God, in this behalf they are not to be obeyed. The honour due unto parents is so far to be executed, as it may stand with the honour of God. If it doth in any point obscure that, then is it utterly to be rejected and cast away. And we may right well and with a good conscience say [Acts 5]: “We must obey God more than men.” Therefore the apostle saith very aptly [Eph. 6]: “Ye children, obey your fathers and mothers in the Lord; for that is right.” Fathers and mothers are none otherwise to be obeyed, than in the Lord, that is to say, than their obedience may stand with the Lord’s pleasure and with his holy word. If they command contrary to this, they are by no means to be obeyed. The Father of the spirit and of the new man is more to be honoured and obeyed, than the father of the flesh and of the old man. The honour and obedience toward God, which the law of the first table requireth of us, is more to be regarded, than the honour and obedience toward man, which the law of the second table requireth of us.

Father. Give me an ensample of such things, as wherein we may not obey our parents. Son. Let it so be, that our parents were so wicked and ungodly, that they would command us to forsake the true living God and his pure religion, and to follow strange gods, and the trifling traditions of men: in this behalf they are not to be obeyed, but we must rather obey God, which saith by Moses his servant, [Deut. 6, 12] “Thou shalt honour the Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve.” Again: “That I command thee, do that only to the Lord: look thou neither put ought thereunto, nor pluck any thing from it.” Moreover, let this be the case, that some evil-disposed father and mother would entice their daughter for lucre’s sake to play the whore, and to make her body common to other: in this behalf she may by no means obey the commandment of her parents, but she must rather obey God, which saith, “Thou shalt not play the whore: there shall be no whoremonger among the sons of Israel, nor no whore among the daughters of Israel.” [Deut.23]

Father. Prove by the word of God, that the wicked commandments of ungodly parents are not to be obeyed. Son. God saith by the prophet [Ezek. 20]: “Walk not in the commandments of your fathers: keep not their ordinances, and defile not yourselves with their idols; for I am the Lord your God. But walk in my statutes: keep my laws, and do them.” Again he saith by another prophet [Zech. 1]: “Be ye not like your fathers, unto whom the prophets cried aforetime, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of hosts: Turn you from your evil ways and from your wicked imaginations. But they would not hear, nor regard me, saith the Lord.” Hereto pertaineth the saying of that most noble and virtuous king Ezechias [2 Chron. 30]: “Be not ye like your fathers and your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, which gave them up to be destroyed, as ye see. And now be not ye stiff-necked, like as were your fathers, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his holy place, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve the Lord your God; and the fierceness of his wrath shall turn away from you.” Our Saviour Christ saith also [Matt. 10]: “Think not that I am come to send peace into the earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they that are of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”

Father. Hitherto hast thou right well declared, what it is to honour father and mother, and how far honour and obedience is to be shewed unto them. Now declare unto me what is meant by the words that follow: “That thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Son. That we, which of ourselves and of our own nature are too much ingrate, unthankful, ungentle, unkind, yea, churlish, and very unmindful of benefits, those specially, which come from our parents, whom we think to do too little for us, when they be most beneficial toward us, may be provoked, moved, and stirred the more diligently to satisfy this commandment, I mean, to honour our father and mother, God addeth to this his precept a pleasant, bounteous, and liberal promise; which is this, that such as honour their parents from the bottom of their heart, and seek to pleasure them to the uttermost of their power, shall have in this world many good and cheerful days, long, yea, and that quiet and joyful life, good success in all their affairs, abundance of worldly substance, health, peace, rest, comfort, joy, glory, honour, &c. and see their children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, as it is written: “Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord from out of Sion shall so bless thee, that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long; yea, that thou shalt see thy childer’s children, and peace upon Israel.” [Psa. 128]

Father. And shall all these good things chance to those children also, that unreverently behave themselves toward their parents? Son. Nothing less. For of such children speaketh the holy scripture on this manner. First, God the Father saith [Deut. 21]: “If any man hath a son, that is stubborn and disobedient, that he will not hearken unto the voice of his father and the voice of his mother, and they have chastened him, and he would not hearken unto them; then shall his father and his mother take him, and bring him out to the elders of that city, and unto the gate of the same place, and say unto the elders of the city, This our son is stubborn and disobedient, and will not hearken unto our voice; he is a rioter, and a drunkard. And all the men of that city shall stone him with stones unto death. And thou shalt put evil away from thee; and all Israel shall hear and fear.” Again [Lev. 20]: “Whosoever he be, that curseth his father or his mother, let him die; for he that curseth his father and mother, his blood be upon him.” And again [Exod. 21]: “He that smiteth his father or mother, let him be slain for it.” Also in another place [Deut. 27]: “Cursed be he that curseth his father and his mother; and all the people shall say, Amen.”

The wise man also saith [Prov. 19, 20, 30]: “He that hurteth his father, and shutteth out his mother, is a shameful and an unworthy son.” “Whoso curseth his father and mother, his light shall be put out in the midst of darkness.” “Whoso laugheth his father to scorn,

and setteth his mother’s commandment at nought; the ravens pick out his eyes in the valley, and devoured be he of the young eagles.” What miserable end abideth those children which dishonour and disobey their parents, the histories of Heli the priest’s children, and of Absalom David’s son, do sufficiently declare. [1 Sam. 4]

Father. It is good therefore, my dear child, that all children give ear to this admonition of the wise man [Prov. 23]: “Be obedient to thy father that begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.” “Do so that thy father and mother may be glad of thee; and that she that bare thee may rejoice.”

But come off, tell me, doth this fifth commandment of God bind us only unto the honour, reverence, service, and obedience of our parents? Son. Our schoolmaster, and also our catechist, taught us that this commandment of God doth not only require of us honour and obedience toward our fathers and mothers, but also toward the temporal magistrates, and the ministers of God’s word, and toward our elders and all such as be our superiors and governors. For if it be meet and convenient, that we should honour and obey them which are the parents of this our body; is it not also seemly, that we do honour and obey the temporal magistrates, through whose benefit this our body is well governed and enjoy peace and quietness? again, that we reverence the spiritual magistrates, I mean the preachers of God’s word, which beget us anew, not with mortal and corruptible seed, but with immortal and incorruptible seed, I mean, the precious word of God, that word of life and everlasting salvation? Is it not also comely, that we honour and reverence such as excel us, not only in age, but also in learning, wisdom, knowledge, counsel, experience, &c.? All these aforesaid to honour, reverence, and obey, this commandment of God bindeth us: which thing to neglect is great wickedness.

Father. Prove by the word of God, that we ought to honour and obey the temporal magistrates, no less than our carnal parents. Son. Salomon saith [Prov. 24]: “My son, fear thou the Lord and the king, and keep no company with them that slide back from his fear.” Moses saith [Exod. 22]: “Thou shalt not rail upon the gods (he meaneth the magistrates, which exercise the office of God in the commonweal, and represent the majesty of God), neither blaspheme the ruler of the people.” Our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 22]: “Give the temporal ruler the things that appertain unto the temporal ruler.” St Paul saith [Rom. 13]: “Let every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God. But they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation, &c. Wherefore ye must needs obey, not only for fear of vengeance, but also because of conscience. And even for this cause pay ye tribute. For they are God’s ministers, serving for the same purpose. Give to every man therefore his duty; tribute, to whom tribute belongeth; custom, to whom custom is due; fear, to whom fear belongeth; honour, to whom honour pertaineth.” Again he saith [Titus 3]: “Warn them that they submit themselves to rule and power, that they obey the officers,” &c. St Peter also saith [1 Pet. 2]: “Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man, for the Lord’s sake; whether it be unto the king, as unto the chief head; either unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evildoers, but for the praise of them that do well.” Again: “Fear God: honour the king.”

Father. Have we any examples in the holy scripture of this honour and obedience toward the higher powers? Son. Very many, both in the old and new testament. The Israelites, [Exod. 32] specially such as were the faithful people of God, were obedient always to Moses their magistrate, and to the other rulers appointed by him, not only men of the temporalty, but also of the spiritualty, as they say; I mean, the priests and the Levites. When Joshua in Moses’ stead was appointed ruler by God over the Israelites, and commanded them to do certain things at the appointment of God; they answered all with one voice, and said [Josh. 1]: “All that thou hast commanded us, we will do; and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. Even as we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. And whosoever he be, that doth disobey thy mouth, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, let him die. Only be strong and of a good courage.” And as the Israelites obeyed Moses and Joshua, so likewise did they obey the judges and kings that succeeded them according to the law of God.

And this obedience toward the higher powers, as I said before, was not only practiced of the temporalty, but also of the spiritualty, to declare that all degrees of estates owe obedience to the temporal power; for Aaron the high priest was obedient to Moses, whom God appointed ruler over his people, and did whatsoever he commanded him. [Exod. 32; 1 Sam. 22] Achimelech the high priest and all the other priests of the Lord were obedient to king Saul, and called themselves his servants, and him their lord, not once resisting the fury of the most furious king, but rather choosing to suffer death patiently under so great a tyrant, than once to resist him disobediently. What shall I speak of David, Salomon, Ezechias, Josaphat, Josias, &c., which had the bishops, priests, and Levites and other spiritual ministers always humble subjects, and obedient unto them without any resistance?

As I may at the last come to the new testament; did not Mary the mother of Christ, and Joseph her husband, obey the commandment of Augustus the emperor, when the whole world should he taxed, and went into their city Bethlehem? Did not Christ teach obedience toward the high powers? Did he not pay tribute? Was not he content to die under the temporal rulers, and confess that their power was given them from above? Did not the apostles of Christ so in like manner both teach and do? Did not Paul willingly ever obey the public magistrates, Festus and Felix, with such like? These histories do sufficiently declare, what honour, reverence, and obedience we owe to the temporal rulers. [Luke 2, Matt. 17, 22; Mark 14, Luke 22, John 19, Acts 25]

Neither lack we in the holy scriptures histories also, which do manifestly declare, what a great sin disobedience is, and how grievously God hath punished it. To whom are the histories of Dathan and Abiron, of Zamri and Baasa unknown? of the which the two first, for their sedition, conspiracy, and disobedience against the higher powers were swallowed up alive of the earth, with all that ever they had, so that they went down quick unto hell; the other two most miserably perished. [Num. 16; 1 Kings 16] I pass over the histories of Miriam, Aaron’s sister, of Theudas, and of Judas Galileus and such like, [Num. 12, Acts 5] whom God, for their disobedience toward the higher powers, suffered not to escape unpunished. It is good to follow the example of David, which shewed such honour and reverence to king Saul, [1 Sam. 26] being both a wicked ruler, and also his mortal enemy, that he would not once hurt him, nor yet suffer any other to do it, although he had sufficient opportunity and occasion at divers times to have slain him, if he had been minded. “The Lord forbid,” saith he, “that I should lay my hand on him.” Again [2 Sam. 1]: “Kill him not. For who,” saith he, “shall lay hands on the Lord’s anointed, and be not guilty? The Lord liveth, he dieth not, except the Lord smite him, or that his day be come to die, or else go to battle, and there perish.”

Father. What if the princes be wicked, and command us to do wicked things? Shall we then also obey them? Son. In this behalf we owe them no honour, no reverence, no obedience. So long as they are the ministers of God, that is to say, seek the glory of God, the advancement of his holy religion, the increase of virtue, and the suppression of vice, [Rom. 13] we are bound by the commandment of God to obey them, not only for fear of punishment, but also for conscience sake: but if they cease to be the ministers of God, the promoters of his true religion, the advancers of virtue, and the suppressers of vice, we owe them no honour, no reverence, no obedience in this behalf; but with a good conscience we may say unto them with the apostles [Acts 5]: “We must obey God more

than men.”

Father. How provest thou by the word of God, that magistrates commanding wicked things are not to be obeyed? Son. God is the highest magistrate, and his will is to be tendered before the fancy of any inferior magistrate. Therefore if the inferior magistrate commandeth any thing that is contrary to the commandment of the highest magistrate, I mean God, it is not to be obeyed, but utterly to be rejected and cast away, as these examples of the holy scripture do manifestly prove.

That wicked king Pharaoh gave out this most wicked commandment to midwives of Egypt, [Exod. 1] that they should kill all the men-children of the Israelites, and by no means suffer them to live. But the midwives fearing God would not in any condition obey this commandment of the king, but suffered the men-children to live. [1 Sam. 22] When king Saul commanded his footmen that stood about him to kill the priests of the Lord, the king’s servants would not once move their hands to fall upon the priests of the Lord, neither would they once touch them. [Dan. 3] King Nabuchodonozor caused a golden image to be made, and commanded that all his subjects should fall down before it and worship it. Notwithstanding, the servants of God, Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago would by no means worship that idol, but rather choosed to be cast into an hot burning oven, and so to be consumed unto ashes, than they would once obey the most wicked commandment of so wicked a king. [Dan. 6] King Darius made a law, that whosoever did ask any petition either of any god or man within thirty days, except it were only of him, the same person should be cast into the lions’ den. But Daniel the servant of God would by no means obey this commandment of the king, but choosed rather to be cast into the lions’ den, and so be devoured, than he would cease so long time to pray unto the Lord his God. [1 Macc. 2] Mathathias, when he was commanded of king Antiochus’ commissioners to do sacrifice, and to burn incense unto idols, and to forsake the law of God, as many of Judah and Jerusalem had done according to the king’s commandment, utterly refused it, and stoutly burst out into the words, saying: “Though all nations obey the king Antiochus, and fall away every man from keeping of the law of their fathers, though they consent to his commandments, yet will I and my sons and my brethren not fall from the law of our fathers. God forbid we should: that were not good for us, that we should forsake the law and ordinances of God, and to agree unto the commandments of king Antiochus. Therefore we will do no such sacrifice, neither break the statutes of our law, to go another way.” And when he had spoken these words, there came one of the Jews, which openly in the sight of all did sacrifice unto the idols upon the altar, in the city of Modin, according to the king’s commandment. When Mathathias saw this, it grieved him at the heart, so that his reins shook withal, and his wrath kindled for very zeal of the law. With that he start up, and killed the Jew beside the altar, and slew the king’s commissioner, that compelled him to do sacrifice, and destroyed the altar at the same time [Num. 25]: such a zeal had he unto the law of God, like as Phinehes did unto Zamri, the son of Salom.

What shall I speak of that most noble woman and of her seven sons, [Macc. 7] which all did rather choose not only to suffer most grievous torments, but also most cruel and bitter death, than they would once obey the king’s commandment in eating swine’s flesh against the law of God? I pass over the most notable history of that most worthy and ancient father Eleazarus, [2 Macc. 6] which, refusing also to obey the king’s commandment in eating swine’s flesh, desired rather to die gloriously than to live with shame, and so offered himself willingly to the martyrdom, yea, to the very death.

The noble enterprise of the apostles is more known, than it needeth here to be recited; [Acts 4] which, when they were commanded that they should no more preach in the name of Christ, would not obey the head rulers in this behalf, but continued still in preaching the gospel of Christ diligently. And when they were convented before the magistrates, and demanded why they shewed themselves so disobedient to their commandment, they stoutly and boldly answered: “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, judge ye. We can none otherwise than speak those things which we have seen and heard.” Again: “We must obey God more than men.” O courageous hearts! [Acts 5]

And as I may interlace one history, although not mentioned in the sacred bible, yet worthy to be remembered, our catechist, entreating on a certain time of obedience due unto princes, told us this history. “The Roman emperor Diocletian,” said he, “commended one of his captains called Maurice, being a Christian man, to prepare an army against the Christians, and utterly to destroy them, except they would give over the faith of Christ, and worship the gods of the Romans, and do sacrifice unto them. But Maurice, valiant not only in body but also in mind, strong in arms, but stronger in faith, courageous in martial affairs, but more courageous in matters of God, stoutly and boldly answered on this manner: ‘O emperor, I am ready to serve thee in all thy righteous and honest affairs, neither have I at any time refused to do thee service. Notwithstanding in this behalf, know thou, O emperor, I neither may nor will obey thy commandment, being both wicked and ungodly. For I myself also am a Christian man, and must obey God on whom I believe, and of whom I look for the crown of everlasting glory, more than thee, O emperor, of whom I have only mortal and transitory rewards. Therefore be it known unto thee, O emperor, that I will rather suffer my blood to be shed, than once according to thy commandment attempt to hurt any that profess Christ, being linked and joined with me in one faith, baptism, and doctrine’.”*

[*The story referred to is that noted one of Mauritius, or Maurice, and the Theban legion. These are said to have perished, to the number of 6660, rather than take any part in the persecution of their brother Christians. There is an account at length extant under the name of Eucherius, bishop of Lyons, though it probably was not from his pen. The speech (of which that in the text seems to be an abstract) is there fully given, as made by the soldiers to Maximian, the colleague of Diocletian. See Acta Sanct. Martyr. Agaunens. Auct. Sanct. Eucherio Lugd. Episc. in Max. Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Lugd. 1677. Tom. VI. p. 867.]

Father. Of the temporal magistrates and of the honour and obedience due to them, we have sufficiently heard. But come off, tell me, doth this fifth commandment of God require of us also, that we honour, reverence, and obey the ministers of God’s word? Son. Yea, no less than the temporal ministers. For as the one conserveth the body, so doth the other the soul: yea, both of them watch for the safeguard of the body and of the soul.

Father. Declare by the word of God, that we owe no less honour, reverence, and obedience to the ministers of God’s word, than we do to the temporal rulers or to our corporal parents. Son. The names which be appropriated to the ministers of God’s word, do abundantly declare in what great honour and reverence we ought to have them.

Father. Which are they? Son. They be called in the holy scriptures “shepherds,” “watchmen,” “overseers,” “feeders of the Lord’s flock,” “angels of the Lord,” ambassadors of God,” “salt of the earth,” “light of the world,” “fishers of men,” “servants of God,” “apostles of Christ,” “God’s labourers,” “Christ’s ministers,” “stewards of the secrets of God,” “elders,” “prophets,” “teachers,” “ensamples to the flock,” &c. Who, hearing the ministers of God’s word to be called with such honourable names, is not straightways moved to give honour and reverence unto them, and to esteem them as precious jewels and noble treasures? [Ezek. 34, 33; Mal. 2, Matt. 5, 4; Rom 1; 1 Cor. 3, 4; 1 Pet. 5; 1 Cor. 12; 1 Tim. 4; 1 Pet. 5]

Father. But let me hear what the holy scripture speaketh in this behalf. Son. The wise man saith [Ecclus. 7]: “Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and honour his ministers. Love thy Maker with all thy strength, and forsake not his servants. Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and honour his priests.” God the Father saith [Deut. 12]: “Beware that thou forsake not the Levite (he meaneth the minister of his word), as long as thou livest upon the earth.” Our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 10, Luke 10]: “He that receiveth you receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; but he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” St Paul saith [1 Thess. 4]: “He that despiseth despiseth not man (he meaneth the preacher of God’s word) but God, which hath given his holy Spirit into you.” “We beseech you, [1 Thess. 5] brethren, that ye know them which labour among you, and have the oversight of you in the Lord, and give you exhortation; that ye have them in high reputation, through love for their work’s sake, and be at peace with them.” Again [1 Tim. 5]: “The elders that rule well are worthy of double honour; but most specially they which labour in the word and teaching. For the scripture saith [Deut. 25, 1 Cor. 9, Matt. 10]: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox, that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive none accusation, but under two or three witnesses.” Also in another place he saith [Heb. 12]: “Obey them that have the oversight of you, and submit yourselves unto them; for they watch for your souls, even as they that must give accompts, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief. For that is a profitable thing for you.”

Father. If any man sheweth disobedience to the ministers of God’s word, and will not honour nor reverence them according to the commandment of God, shall they escape unpunished? Son. Heard ye not before what Christ saith? [Luke 10] “He that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” Can there be any greater dishonour be done to a prince, than when his ambassador is evil entreated? Can that king take in good part the disobedience of those subjects which disobey and resist his commission, published for their wealth by his officers? No more can God abide that his ambassadors and commissioners, I mean the preachers of his holy word, should be contemned, despised, and not regarded, or their sermons, which are the infallible oracles of God, neglected and nothing set by. Yea, such despisers of God’s preachers, and of their doctrine, did never, nor never shall, escape unpunished.

What drove Adam and Heva out of paradise into this vale of misery, [Gen. 3] making them of immortal mortal, of incorruptible corruptible, of God’s friends God’s enemies, of the inheritors of everlasting glory firebrands of hell, &c., but disobedience to God and to his holy word? What caused the whole world once to be drowned, [Gen. 7] eight persons only excepted, but disobedience to the preachers and to their doctrine? Again, [Gen. 19] what provoked God to consume Sodom and Gomorre, and certain other cities, with fire and brimstone from heaven, but that they contemned. the preacher of God’s word, and his heavenly doctrine? What was the occasion that God did so oftentimes plague with hunger, sword, fire, and pestilence, the Israelites, but that they despised the prophets of God and their preachings? How came it to pass that whole Jewry came to havoc, and finally both destruction and desolation, certain years after Christ’s ascension, but that they did nothing regard the doctrine of Christ and of his apostles, but utterly sought the decay and utter confusion of them both? How doth our Saviour Christ cry out against certain cities, which despised the preachers and the doctrine that they taught! Are not these his words? [Matt. 11, Luke 10] “Woe unto thee, Chorasin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the miracles which were shewed in you had been done in the city of Tyre or Sidon, they had repented of their sins long agone in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless, I say unto you, it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art lift up unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the miracles which have been done in thee had been shewed in Sodom, they had remained until this day. Nevertheless, I say unto you, it shall be easier for the land of Sodom at the day of judgment, than for thee.”

Father. What if they which take upon them to be the ministers of Christ and the preachers of his word, teach false doctrine, and the traditions of men, corrupting rather than correcting our minds with their wicked doctrine, and labouring to bring us rather unto the perdition than salvation of our souls? Shall we also in this behalf honour, reverence, and obey them? Son. Nothing less. [Matt. 23, Psa. 1] For they are now no more the ministers of Christ, but the servants of antichrist; no more the angels of light, but the messengers of darkness; no more the sons of God, but the bond-slaves of the devil. Therefore have we nothing to do with them. For they sit not in the chair of Moses, but in the chair of pestilence; so that, if they require any obedience of us because they occupy the place, and yet not the office, of Christ’s ministers, we may with a good conscience refuse so to do, and say with the apostles, “We must obey God more than men.” Christ sent forth his disciples to preach, not their own fancies, nor the traditions of their forefathers, but the gospel. “Go and preach the gospel,” saith he, “to every creature.” “Woe be unto me,” saith St Paul, “if I preach not the gospel!” The aforesaid apostle in a certain epistle writeth on this manner: “Though we ourselves or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, hold it accursed. [Acts 5, Matt. 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20; 1 Cor. 9, Gal. 1] As we said before, so say I now again: If any man preach unto you any other gospel than that ye have received, hold it accursed.” St John also saith [2 John]: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this learning, him receive not to house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” Such therefore as will be counted true ministers of Christ, and zealous preachers of his holy word, must observe this rule of St Peter [1 Pet. 4]: “If any man speak, let him so speak, that it be agreeable to God’s word;” and so are they worthy to be honoured, reverenced, and obeyed, as spiritual fathers, according to the commandment of God: otherwise there is neither honour, reverence, nor obedience due unto them, as our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 5]: “Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his saltness, what shall be seasoned therewith? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to cast out, and to be trodden down of men.”

Father. As I remember, thou saidst that your schoolmaster and also your catechist taught you, that not only corporal fathers and mothers, magistrates, and preachers are commanded to be honoured, reverenced, and obeyed, but also our elders, and all such as be our superiors and governors. Son. Truth it is.

Father. What meanest thou by elders? Son. Such as do excel us in age, wisdom, discretion, knowledge, learning, experience, &c.

Father. How provest thou by the holy scripture, that we ought to reverence our elders? Son. God saith by his servant Moses [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt rise up before the hoar-headed, and reverence the face of the old man, and dread thy God; for I am the Lord.” The wise man also saith [Ecclus. 6]: “Keep company with the multitude of such elders as have understanding, and consent unto their wisdom with thine heart, that thou mayest hear all godly sermons, and that the worthy sentences escape thee not. And if thou seest a man of discreet understanding, get thee soon unto him, and let thy foot tread upon the steps of his doors.” Again [Ecclus. 8]: “Think scorn of no man in his old age; for we wax old also, &c. Despise not the sermons of such elders as have understanding, but acquaint thyself with the wise sentences of them; for of them thou shalt learn wisdom, and the doctrine of understanding, and how to serve great men without complaint. Go not from the doctrine of the elders; for they have learned it of their fathers. For of them shalt thou learn understanding, so that thou mayest make answer in the time of need.” Also in another place he saith [Ecclus. 32]: “If thou be among men of higher authority, desire not to compare thyself unto them; and when an elder speaketh, make not thou many words.” Hereto agreeth the saying of St Paul [1 Tim. 5]: “Rebuke not an elder rigorously, but exhort him as a father; the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters with all pureness.”

Father. But what if our elders require those things to be done of us, which manifestly fight with the word of the Lord, and be contrary to the glory and honour of God? Shall we then hearken unto them, and obey them? Son. Yea, we shall rather say with the apostles, as we heard afore: “We must obey God more than men.” [Acts 5]

Father. What meanest thou by superiors and governors, whom this commandment also, as thou sayest, bindeth us to honour, reverence, and obey? Son. Schoolmasters, teachers, tutors, patrons, masters of occupations, &c. For St Paul saith [Heb. 13]: “Obey them that have the oversight of you, and submit yourselves unto them.” And that servants ought to honour and obey their bodily masters, appear plainly by these exhortations of St Paul [Eph. 6, Col. 3]: “Ye servants,” saith he, “obey them that are your bodily masters, with fear and trembling, even with the singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not doing service unto the eye, as they that go about to please men; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with a good will, serving the Lord and not men; knowing this, that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive again of God, whether he be bond or free.” Again [1 Tim. 6]: “Let as many servants as be under the yoke count their masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God, and his doctrine, be not evil spoken of. See that they which have believing masters despise them not because they are brethren, but rather do service; forasmuch as they are believing and beloved, and partakers of the benefit.” Also in another place [Titus 2]: “Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them in all things, not answering again, neither to be pickers, but that they shew all good faithfulness, that they may do worship to the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” St Peter also saith: “Ye servants, obey your masters with fear, not only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be froward. For it is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, and suffer wrong undeserved.”

Father. If the schoolmasters, teachers, tutors, patrons, masters of occupations, or. any other of our superiors and governors should command us that which striveth with the glory, honour, and word of God, is it to be obeyed? Son. You heard before what I said concerning honour, reverence, service, and obedience due unto men, of whatsoever degree or estate they be. If it may not stand with the honour, reverence, service, and obedience, which we owe unto God, it is utterly to be rejected and cast away. For the honour of God is to be considered before the honour of man. Therefore in this behalf, if they require of us any honour, reverence, service, and obedience, that cannot stand with our duty toward God, we may with a good conscience answer with the apostles, and say [Acts 4, 5]: “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, judge ye.” “We must obey God more than men.”

Father. Thou hast satisfied me right well in this fifth commandment. Come off, rehearse unto me the next precept, as it followeth in order.

Son. “Thou shalt not kill.”

command- ment.

Father. What doth God require of us in this his commandment? Son. First of all, that no private person shall kill another, although injured and wronged.

Father. Prove that by the word of God. Son. God saith [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not avenge thyself, nor be mindful of wrong against the children of my people, but shalt love thy neighbour even as thyself.” The wise man also saith [Prov. 22]: “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but put thy trust in the Lord; and he shall defend thee.” Hereto agreeth the saying of the apostle [Rom. 12]: “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide aforehand things honest, nor only before God, but also in the sight of all men. If it be possible (so much as is in you), live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, [Deut. 32] Vengeance is mine, I will reward, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with goodness.”

Father. What if any man, overcome with ire and madness for the avengement of his own private cause, killeth his neighbour? Shall he be pardoned, and not rather suffer death? Son. Whosoever committeth willful and pretensed murder ought not to be pardoned, but rather to be killed, as he hath killed.

Father. How provest thou that by the word of God? Son. God saith [Gen. 9]: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, his blood shall be shed again. For in the image of God did God make man.” Again [Lev. 24]: “He that killeth any man, let him die the death.” “And if a man maim his neighbour, as he hath done, so shall it be done to him again;

broke [Broke: breach.] for broke, eye for eye, and tooth for tooth: even as he hath maimed a man, so shall he be maimed again.” Also in another place [Exod. 21]: “He that smiteth a man, that he die, shall be slain for it.” Our Saviour Christ said unto Peter [Matt. 26]: “Put up thy sword into his sheath; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

Father. Is it not lawful by any means to kill? Son. For a private man it is not lawful: for a temporal magistrate it is lawful.

Father. Where findest thou that in the word of God? Son. God speaking to the temporal ruler saith: “Thou shalt have no pity on him (the murderer), but thou shalt require soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, foot for foot, hand for hand.” David, that most noble king, saith in a certain psalm [Psa. 101]: “I shall soon destroy all the ungodly that are in the land, that I may root out all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.” The apostle also saith [Rom. 13]: “Rulers are not to be feared of them that do well, but of them that do evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power? Do well then, and so shalt thou be praised of the same: for he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But if thou do that which is evil, then fear; for he beareth not the sword for nought. For he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doeth evil.” St Peter also saith, that the “rulers are ordained of God for the punishment of the evildoers, but for the praise of them that do well.” [1 Pet. 2]

Father. What doth God require more of us in this his precept? Son. Secondly, he requireth of us not only that we should not kill, but also that we should bear no hatred, anger, nor malice in our hearts against our neighbour.

Father. For this cause then is the law called of St Paul “spiritual,” [Rom. 7] because it requireth not of us only outward and civil righteousness, but also inward and spiritual justice, even pure and uncorrupt motions of the mind; so that the law must be fulfilled both with the inward and outward man, both with body and soul. Son. Yea, verily; and so doth our Saviour Christ interpret and expound the whole law of God contrary to the doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees. [Matt. 5]

Father. Let me hear it proved by the word of God, that we are forbidden to bear any hatred, anger, malice, envy, displeasure, &c. in our hearts against our neighbour. Son. God saith [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but shalt in anywise rebuke thy neighbour, that thou bear not sin for his sake.” The wise man saith [Prov. 6]: “There are six things which the Lord doth hate, and the seventh he utterly abhorreth a proud look; a lying tongue; hands that shed innocent blood; an heart that goeth about with wicked imaginations; feet that be swift in running to do mischief; a false witness that bringeth up lies; and such one as soweth discord among brethren.” Our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 5]: “Ye have heard that it was said to them of the old time, Thou shalt not kill; for whosoever killeth shall be in danger of judgment. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of judgment; and whosoever saith unto his brother, Racha, shall be in danger of a council; but whosoever saith, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire. Therefore if thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest, that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thine offering before the altar, and go thy way first, and be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time thy adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the minister, and then thou be cast into prison. Verily, I say unto thee, Thou shalt not come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” St Paul saith [Eph. 4]: “Let all bitterness, and fierceness, and wrath, and roaring, and cursed speaking be put away from you, with all maliciousness. Be ye courteous one to another, merciful, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Hereto appertaineth the saying of St John [1 John 3]: “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a manslayer; and ye know that no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

Father. I perceive now right well, that we may not only not kill, hurt, or noy our neighbour in any condition, either with hand, weapon, tongue, &c., but also that we may not so much as once hate him, or bear malice or anger in our hearts toward him, although it should never burst out either into word or deed: if we do, we are transgressors of the law of God, and before the majesty of God plain murderers and manslayers. Son. So is it.

Father. Who can so warily and circumspectly walk in the pathways of Christian charity, or so continue in brotherly love, but that sometime he falleth into anger and displeasure with his neighbour? Son. We are all frail indeed, and ready at every hour to fall. Therefore if at any time we pass the bounds of charity, and slip into the rage of anger, it is good to follow this most wholesome counsel of the apostle: “Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place unto the backbiter.” [Psa. 4, Eph. 4]

Father. We may not then continue in anger, nor seek to be revenged? Son. No, verily, but seek rather to be reconciled, as our Saviour commandeth us in the gospel. [Matt. 5] For the wise man saith [Ecclus. 28]: “He that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance at the Lord’s hand, which shall surely keep him his sins. Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done thee; and so shall thy sins be forgiven thee also when thou prayest. A man that beareth hatred against another, how dare he desire forgiveness of God? He that sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself, how dare he ask forgiveness of his sins? If he that is but flesh beareth hatred and keepeth it, who will entreat for his sins? Remember the end, and let enmity pass, which seeketh death and destruction; and abide thou in the commandments. Remember the commandments; so shalt thou not be rigorous over thy neighbour. Think upon the covenant of the Highest, and forgive thy neighbour’s ignorance. Beware of strife, and thou shalt make thy sins fewer. For an angry man kindleth variance, and the ungodly disquieteth friends, and putteth discord among them that be at peace.”

Father. What is required of us more in this precept? Son. Thirdly, God requireth of us not only that we should not kill, hurt, noy, or bear secretly in our hearts any anger or displeasure against our neighbour, but also that we should patiently suffer whatsoever is unjustly done against us, and for evil recompense goodness; when we are evil spoken of, speak well; when we are cursed, bless; when we are railed upon, give good words; when we are injured, forgive; when we have displeasure done unto us, do good, &c.

Father. Where are these things taught in the holy scripture? Son. That we ought patiently to suffer, whatsoever is unjustly done against us, we have our master Christ, whose disciples we profess ourselves to be, for a most manifest example, of whom St Peter writeth on this manner [1 Pet. 2]: “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an ensample that ye should follow his steps; which did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth; which, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but commit the vengeance to him that judgeth righteously.” St Paul also exhorteth us, [Eph. 4] that “with all lowliness and meekness, and with all humbleness of mind, we should forbear one another through love, and be diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace:” again, [Col. 3] that we should “forgive one another, if any man have a quarrel against another, even as Christ hath forgiven us.”

Father. Where are we taught to recompense evil with good? Son. St Paul saith [1 Thess. 5]: “See that none recompense evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.” Again [Rom 12]: “Recompense to no man evil for evil, &c. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will reward, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with goodness.” [Deut. 32, Prov. 25]

Father. Where readest thou, that when we are evil spoken of, we should speak well, &c.? Son. Our Saviour Christ, that most perfect schoolmaster of all perfect righteousness, saith [Matt. 5, Exod. 21, Deut. 19]: “Ye have heard that is said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil. But whosoever giveth thee a blow on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever will compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow, turn not thou away. Ye have heard that is said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies: bless them that curse you: do good to them that hate you: pray for them which hurt you and persecute you; that ye may be children of your Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his sun to arise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not the publicans also even the same? And if ye make much of your brethren only, what singular thing do ye? do not also the publicans likewise? Ye shall therefore be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” St Paul also saith [Rom. 12]: Bless them which persecute you: bless, I say, and curse not.” Hereto agreeth the saying of St Peter [1 Pet. 3]: “Be ye all of one mind, of one heart, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, meek, not rendering evil for evil, or rebuke for rebuke; but contrariwise, bless, knowing that ye are thereunto called, even that ye should be heirs of the blessing. For he that doth long after life, and loveth to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak not guile: let him eschew evil, and do good: let him seek peace, and ensue it.” [Psa. 34]

Father. Declare now in few words what God forbiddeth, and what he requireth, in this his sixth commandment, that we may proceed with the residue. Son. God forbiddeth us that outwardly we should kill, hurt, noy, hinder, strike, or smite our neighbour, or yet speak and report evil of him, or hinder his good name, or ungently entreat either him or any that do belong unto him. That same God forbiddeth us that inwardly we should malign, envy, or hate our neighbour. And the same Lord our God requireth of us, that [we] patiently suffer whatsoever is unjustly done against us; that we speak well of our neighbour; that we maintain his good name; that we further his commodity and profit; and seek all means possible, as to love him with our heart unfeignedly, so most readily to do for him and his to the uttermost of his power, that we may satisfy the will of God, which saith: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Again: “What ye would other men would do to you, do you the same to them.” [Lev. 19, Matt. 22, Rom. 13, Matt. 7, Luke 6]

Father. Let us hear the next commandment. Son. The next is the seventh in order, and soundeth thus:

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Father. What doth God forbid, or what requireth he, in this commandment? Son. First, forasmuch as God is the institutor and ordainer of the holy state of honourable wedlock, he utterly forbiddeth that such as profess that godly order, and have chosen that kind of life, should in any point defile themselves with whoredom, adultery, or with any kind of filthy uncleanness or unclean filthiness; but that they should live together in all godliness, purity, cleanness, and honesty all the days of their life, according to their promise made of one to the other, without the knowledge so of any strange flesh, that God may bless them and their marriage, and make them joyful parents of many children, which in this world may be good members of the Christian commonweal, and in the world to come blessed citizens of that glorious and heavenly Jerusalem. [Gen 2, Matt. 19, 1 Cor. 7, Heb. 13]

Father. Declare unto me by the word of God, that such as be married ought not to break their marriage vow, nor defile themselves with adultery or any other uncleanness.

Son. God saith [Lev. 20]: “The man that breaketh wedlock with another man’s wife, even he that breaketh wedlock with his neighbour’s wife, let him be slain, both the advouterer and the advouteress.” Again [Deut. 27]: “Cursed be he that lieth with his neighbour’s wife; and all the people shall say, Amen.” The wise man saith [Prov. 6]: “Keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the harlot, that thou lust not after her beauty in thy heart, and lest thou be taken with her fair looks. An harlot will make a man to beg his bread; but an honest married wife will hunt for the precious life. May a man carry fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt? Or can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be hurt? Even so whosoever goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, and toucheth her, cannot be unguilty. Men do not utterly despise a thief that stealeth to satisfy his soul, when he is hungry; but if he may be gotten, he restoreth again seven times as much, or else he maketh recompense with all the goods of his house: but whoso committeth adultery with a woman, he is a fool, and bringeth his life to destruction. He getteth himself also shame and dishonour, such as shall never be put out. For the jealousy and wrath of the man will not be entreated: no, though thou wouldest offer him great gifts to make amends, he will not receive them.” The ancient father Tobie said to his son [Tob. 4]: “My son, keep thee well from whoredom; and beside thy wife see that no fault be known of thee.” Job also saith [Job 31]: “I made a covenant with mine eyes, that I would not look upon a damsel. For how great a portion shall I have of God, and what inheritance from the Almighty on high? As for the ungodly, and he that joineth himself to the company of wicked doers, shall not destruction and misery come upon him? &c. If my heart hath lusted after my neighbour’s wife, or if I have laid wait at his door; O then let my wife grind unto another man, and let other men lie with her. For this is a wickedness and sin, that is worthy to be punished; yea, a fire that should utterly consume and root out all my substance.” Jesus, the son of Sirach, saith [Ecclus. 41]: “Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother. Be ashamed of lying before the prince and men of authority; of sin before the judge and ruler; of offence before the congregation and people; of unrighteousness before a companion and friend; of theft before thy neighbours. As for the truth of God and his covenant, be not ashamed thereof. Be ashamed to lie with thine elbows upon the bread: be ashamed to look upon harlots: be ashamed to turn away thy face from thy friend. Be ashamed to take and not to give: be ashamed also to look upon another man’s wife, and to make many trifling words with her maiden, or to stand by her bedside. Be ashamed to upbraid thy friend: when thou givest anything, cast him not in the teeth withal.”

Father. Are such only as are married forbidden to lead an incontinent life? Son. Both the married and unmarried are forbidden in this precept to exercise any corporal uncleanness in their life and conversation: whether they be linked with the chain of matrimony, or free from it, this commandment forbiddeth them to practice any kind of incontinency in their manners. Not only adultery, which (as they say) is committed between two married persons unlawful, or between a married and a single person, is here forbidden; [Deut. 23] but also fornication, which is the sin of uncleanness committed between two single or unmarried persons, as some writeth. To be short, God, speaking on this manner, “ Thou shalt not commit adultery,” forbiddeth all unlawful knowledge of man and woman, be they married or unmarried.

Father. Prove by the word of God, that not only adultery, but fornication also and all other uncleanness, is forbidden. Son. God saith [Deut. 23]: “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor whore-keeper of the sons of Israel.” Again [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not make thy daughter common, that thou wouldest cause her to be an whore, lest the land also fall to whoredom, and be full of wickedness.” The wise man saith [Prov. 2]: “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and thy soul delighteth in knowledge, then shall counsel preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee;” “that thou mayest be delivered from the strange woman, and from her that is not thine own; which giveth sweet words, forsaketh the husband of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house is inclined unto death, and her paths unto hell. All they that go in unto her come not again, neither take they hold of the word of life. Therefore walk thou in the way of such as be virtuous, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the just shall dwell in the land, and they that be perfect shall remain in it; but the ungodly shall be rooted out of the land, and the wicked doers shall be rooted out of it.” Again [Prov. 5]: “Apply not thyself to the deceitfulness of a woman. For the lips of an harlot are a dropping honeycomb, and her throat is more glistering than oil: but at the last she is as bitter as wormwood, and her tongue as sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down unto death, and her steps pierce through unto hell, &c. Keep thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house; that thou give not thy strength unto other, and thy years to the cruel; that other men be not filled with thy goods, and that thy labours come not in a strange house; yea, that thou mourn not at the last, when thou hast spent thy body and lusty green youth, and then say, Alas! why hated I nurture? why did my heart despise correction? wherefore was I not obedient unto the voice of my teachers, and hearkened not unto them that informed me? I am come almost into all misfortune, in the midst of the multitude and congregation, &c. Be glad with the wife of thy youth. Loving is the hind, and friendly is the roe. Let her breasts always satisfy thee, and hold thee ever content with her love. My son, why wilt thou have pleasure in an harlot, and embrace the bosom of another woman? For every man’s ways are open in the sight of the Lord; and he pondereth all their goings. The wickedness of the ungodly shall catch himself, and with the snares of his own sins shall he be trapped,” &c. “Hear me now, therefore, O my children, and mark the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart wander in the ways of an whore, and be not thou deceived in her paths. For many one hath she wounded and cast down: yea, many a strong man hath been slain by the means of her. Her houses are the way unto hell, and bring men down into the chambers of death.” [Prov. 7]

The holy apostle St Paul saith [1 Cor. 5]: “If any that is called a brother (that is to say, a Christian) be an whoremonger, or a covetous person, or a worshipper of images, either a railer, either a drunkard, or an extortioner; with him that is such see that ye eat not.” Again [1 Cor. 6]: “Know ye not, that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I now take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. Do ye not know, that he which coupleth himself with an harlot is become one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body: but he that is a fornicator sinneth against his own body. Either know ye not, how that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in you, whom ye have of God, and how that ye are not your own? For ye are dearly bought. Therefore glorify God in your bodies, and in your spirits, which are God’s.” [Gen 2, Matt. 19, Mark 10] “Be not deceived. For neither fornicators, neither worshippers of images, neither advouterers, neither weaklings, neither abusers of themselves with mankind, neither thieves, neither covetous persons, neither drunkards, neither cursed speakers, neither pillers shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Again [1 Cor. 10, Num. 25]: “Let us not be defiled with fornication, as some of them (the Israelites) were defiled with fornication, and fell in one day twenty-three thousand.” “For this is the will of God, even your holiness, that ye should abstain from fornication, and that every one of you should know how to keep his vessel in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, as do the heathen, which know not God, &c. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” [1 Thess. 4] Also in another place: “Mortify your earthy members, fornication, uncleanness, unnatural lust, evil concupiscence,” &c. Item: “Wedlock is honourable among all persons, and the bed undefiled. But whoremongers and adulterers God shall judge.” [Col. 3, Heb. 13]

Father. Doth God forbid us none other thing in this commandment, but only to abstain from the gross sin of adultery, fornication, incest, and such other corporal uncleanness? Son. All filthy talk, wanton countenances, singing of bawdy ballads, reading of amorous books, idle jesting, vain pastimes, and whatsoever maketh unto the provocation of fleshly appetite, as idleness, banqueting, wanton company-keeping, &c. is here also forbidden.

Father. Is it not then lawful to use merry talk, singing of pleasant ballads, reading of amorous books, &c.? Son. By no means. For St Paul saith [Eph. 4]: “Let no filthy communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to edify withal, as oft as need is, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not ye the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Again [Col. 4]: “Let your speech be always well-savoured, and powdered with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Also in another place [Eph. 5]: “As for fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as it becometh saints; or filthiness, or foolish talking, or jesting, which are not comely, but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, either unclean person, or covetous person (which is a worshipper of images) hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of [un]belief. Be not ye therefore companions of them.”

Father. Are we only forbidden in this precept the uncleanness of the body? Son. Not only. For God forbiddeth us here also the impurity and uncleanness of the mind. The law of God, as you know, is spiritual, and must be fulfilled not only outwardly but also inwardly, even with pure affects and clean motions of the heart. For even as he is very murderer and manslayer before God, which beareth hatred and malice in his heart against his neighbour, although he never lay hand on him, nor hurt him outwardly; so likewise is he a very adulterer and whoremonger before God, which nourisheth fleshly lusts in his heart, although he never commit the outward uncleanness. For as “God is a Spirit,” [John 4] so judgeth he all things of the spirit. If our hearts be once polluted and defiled with the evil lust and filthy concupiscence of any woman, we are straightways no less adulterers and fornicators before God, than we are before men, when we have outwardly committed the very act. And as I am guilty and worthy before men, when I have so wickedly behaved myself, of punishment, yea, of very death; so likewise am I before God guilty and worthy of everlasting damnation, so soon as the evil concupiscence entereth into my heart, and I with delight consent to the same.

Father. How provest thou this? Son. By the words of Christ, which saith [Matt. 5]: “Ye have heard, that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on another man’s wife to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Therefore if thy right eye hinder thee, pluck him out, and cast him from thee. For better is it unto thee, that one member perish, than that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” “And if thy right hand hinder thee, cut him off, and cast him from thee. For better it is unto thee, that one of thy members perish, than that all thy body should be cast into hell.” Again [Matt. 15]: “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, breaking of wedlock, whoredoms, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man.” St Paul also saith [Col. 3]: “Mortify your earthy members, fornications, uncleanness, unnatural lust, evil concupiscence,” &c. Hereto agreeth the saying of St Peter [1 Pet. 2]: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul; and see that ye have honest conversation among the gentiles, that, whereas they backbite you as ill-doers, they may see your good works, and praise God in the day of visitation.”

Father. Hath God at any time plagued this sin of adultery, whoredom, &c.? Son. Yea, very oft, and that most grievously.

Father. Shew me that out of the holy scripture. Son. To whom is this unknown, that the whole world was once drowned, eight persons only except? Was not whoredom one of the chief causes why the world was thus plagued with waters? Sodom with certain other cities were consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven: was not uncleanness of life a great occasion hereof? Were not the citizens of Sichem slain, because their prince deflowered Dina, Jacob’s daughter? Were there not slain in the wilderness twenty-three thousand men for whoredom? Was not the whole tribe of Benjamin afterward almost utterly destroyed for abusing a Levite’s wife? Perished not the sons of Heli the priest in battle, because of their too much unshamefaced wickedness committed with women? Who knoweth not, into what great miseries David fell, and his kingdom also, for the adultery which he committed with Uriah’s wife? How was Salomon plagued for his too much licentious living with women? [Gen. 6, 19, 34; Num. 25, 1 Cor. 10; Judg. 20, 1 Sam. 2; 2 Sam. 11; 1 Kings 11] Was not his most excellent wisdom turned into most extreme foolishness, when at the enticement of women he fell from honouring the true God unto the worshipping of idols? So true is it, which the prophet hath: “Whoredom, wine, and drunkenness take away the heart.” Many other and divers histories are found in the holy bible, which do sufficiently declare, how grievously God hath plagued adultery, whoredom, and all uncleanness, in every age; as I may speak nothing of the most grievous plague, which is everlasting damnation. [Hos. 4; 1 Cor. 6; Eph. 5; 1 Thess. 4; Heb. 13]

Father. Seeing that God doth so greatly detest and abhor this abominable vice of uncleanness; come off, tell me how it may be eschewed, that we provoke not God unto anger, and procure unto us his heavy displeasure, seeing, as the apostle saith, [Heb. 10] “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Son. To lead an honest, pure, and continent life, is the gift of God, and cannot be obtained by our own strengths, as the wise man saith [Wisd. 8]: “I know that I cannot be chaste, except God giveth the gift:” and as our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 19]: “All men cannot away with this saying (he meaneth, to lead a single life and unmarried) but they to whom it is given.” Notwithstanding, certain remedies may be devised against these most abominable sins of adultery and whoredom, which to practice it shall neither be ungodly nor unprofitable.

Father. Which are they? Let me hear them. Son. First, when Satan, that old adversary of mankind, which, as St Peter saith [1 Pet. 5], “goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour,” goeth about to attempt us unto incontinency, adultery, whoredom, incest, or unto any other uncleanness, which fighteth with the word of God; it shall be necessary to set before our eyes, not the desire of the flesh, not the filthy and short pleasure of the body, whereof followeth everlasting damnation, but the commandment of God, which saith, “Thou shalt not commit adultery:” and again, [Psa. 119], “Flee whoredom:” once again, “There shall be no whore among the daughters of Israel, nor no whore-keeper among the sons of Israel;” and cleave with tooth and nail, as they use to say, to these commandments of God, which he hath most straitly commanded to be observed and kept. For there is no weapon more apt to resist “the fiery darts” of Satan, than the word of God, as St Paul teacheth [Eph. 6], and as we have our Saviour Christ for an ensample. “Thy words have I hidden within my heart,” saith the psalmograph, [Matt. 4, Psa. 119] “that I should not sin against thee.” Again: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? even by ruling himself after thy word.” It shall not be unprofitable also to set before our eyes the grievous plagues, which God in every age poureth out upon the adulterers, fornicators, and all unclean persons; again, everlasting damnation both of body and soul after this life, if repentance, joined with faith, cometh not.

Secondly, forasmuch as we of ourselves are able to do no good thing, no, not so much as once to think a good thought (“it is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed”), [1 Cor.3, Phil. 2] it shall be necessary that, so soon as we begin to feel that the devil and the flesh begin to assail and to provoke us unto the breach of God’s commandment, and by this means to fall into whoredom, adultery, incest, &c., we straightways give ourselves unto prayer, according to this commandment of Christ [Matt. 26]: “Watch and pray, that ye fall not into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak.” For there is not a better armour against Satan and his subtle suggestions, than faithful and continual prayer. “The fervent prayer of a righteous man,” saith St James, [James 5] “availeth much.” “Call on me,” saith God [Psa. 50], “in the time of thy trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt honour me.” It shall be good to pray with the wise man and to say [Ecclus. 23]: “O Lord, thou Father and God of my life, let me not have a proud look, but turn away all voluptuousness fro me. Take fro me the lusts of the body: let not the desires of uncleanness take hold upon me,” and “give me not over into an unshamefaced and obstinate mind.” Pray also with the psalmograph on this manner [Psa. 119]: “O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. O stablish thy word in thy servant, that I may fear thee.” Again [Psa. 51]: “Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of thy help again; and stablish me with thy free Spirit.”

Thirdly, idleness above all things is to be eschewed, and some virtuous and honest labour is continually to be practiced, that our enemy find us not idle. For idleness is the chief “mistress of vices all,” as a certain ballad hath. Nothing doth so open both windows and doors to the tempter, as sluggish idleness. It is truly said of the poet:

“Otia si tollas, periere Cupidinis arcus.”

“If thou takest away idleness,” saith he, “Cupid the god of love shooteth his arrows in vain.” Again that same poet saith:

“Quaeritur, AEgistus quare sit factus adulter:

In promptu causa est, desidiosus erat.”*

[*Ovid. Remed. Amor. 139, 161, 2.]

“If any man will know,” saith he, “how it came to pass that AEgistus fell into adultery; it may soon be known, he was idle.” [Gen. 34] Read we not that Dina, Jacob’s daughter, through idleness, when she went out to see the daughters of the land, was ravished and deflowered of Sichem, the son of Hemar, the Hevite, lord of that country? Read we not that David, [2 Sam. 11] when he was once free from the persecution of Saul, and possessed his kingdom quietly, and by this means fell into idleness, committed adultery? What did so greatly cause Salomon to dote in the love of so many women, as wealth and idleness? [1 Kings 11; Ecclus 33] It is truly said of the wise man: “Idleness bringeth much evil.” Who knoweth not, what too much abominable uncleanness was practiced of the most filthy Sodomites? And was not idleness one of the principal causes thereof? These are the words of the prophet [Ezek. 16]: “Behold, the sins of thy sister Sodoma were these, pride, fullness of meat, abundance, and idleness: these things did she and her daughters. Besides that, they reached not their hand to the poor and needy, but were proud, and did abominable things before me. Therefore I took them away, as pleased me.”

Fourthly, as idleness above all things is to be eschewed, so likewise the company and communication of wanton and unhonest persons is utterly to be abhorred, if we purpose to lead a godly, pure, and honest life. For “evil words corrupt good manners.” [1 Cor. 15; Psa. 18] “With the holy thou shalt be holy, and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect. With the clean thou shalt be clean, and with the froward thou shalt learn frowardness,” saith the psalmograph. “Whoso toucheth pitch,” saith Jesus the son of Sirach, [Ecclus. 13] “shall be filled withal; and he that is familiar with the proud shall clothe himself with pride.” Again [Ecclus. 9]: “Look not upon a woman, that is desirous of many men, lest thou fall into her snares. Use not the company of a woman that is a player and a dancer, and hear her not, lest thou perish through her enticing. Behold not a maiden, that thou be not hurt in her beauty. Cast not thy mind upon any harlots in any manner of thing, lest thou destroy both thyself and thine heritage. Go not about gazing in every lane of the city; neither wander thou abroad in the streets thereof. Turn away thy face from a beautiful woman, and look not upon the fairness of other. Many a man hath perished through the beauty of women; for through it the desire is kindled as it were fire. An advouterous woman shall be trodden under foot, as mire, of every one that goeth by the way. Many a man wondering at the beauty of a strange woman hath been cast out; for her words kindled as fire. Sit not with another man’s wife by any means: lie not with her upon the bed: make no words with her at the wine, lest thy heart consent unto her, and so thou with thy blood fall into destruction.”

Became not Salomon an idolater by keeping company with idolatrous women? Became not the children of Israel wicked and ungodly by companying with wicked and ungodly people? [1 Kings 11; Num. 25, Mat. 26] Became not Peter, which, so long as he continued with Christ and his disciples, was faithful, constant, and steadfast in the love and service of Christ, a very denier and forswearer of his master, when he once accompanied himself with the servants of the high priest? Sara, Abraham’s wife, [Gen. 21] could by no means abide that her son Isaac should play and keep company with Ismael her handmaid’s son, but drove both him and his mother out of the doors. Jacob [Gen. 28] would by no means keep company with his ungodly brother Esau. Notable is this saying of Sara, young Tobias’ wife [Tob. 3]: “Thou knowest, O Lord, that I never had desire unto man, and that I have kept my soul clean from all uncleanly lust. I have not kept company with those that pass their time in sport; neither have I made myself partaker with them that walk in light behaviour.” Old Tobias would keep company with none, but with such as feared God; and he commanded his son, young Tobias, that he should keep no company, neither eat nor drink, with the sinners. [Tob. 2, 4] St Paul also chargeth us, [1 Cor. 5] that we should not eat nor keep company with such as are whoremongers and of a lewd disposition. If therefore we intend to have pure minds and chaste bodies, wherein as in a most sacred temple the Holy Ghost doth delight to dwell, let us diligently avoid the wicked company of wicked doers. [1 Cor. 3, 4; 2 Cor. 6]

Fifthly, to avoid uncleanness both of body and mind, it shall not a little help, if we be temperate and sober in our diet, considering with ourselves, that we live not to eat, but we eat to live; and nature is content with a little. It was wittily said of the poet: Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus [Ter. Eun. iv. v. 6.]; that is to say: “Temperance in eating and drinking cooleth and abateth the courageous lust of the flesh.” The wise man saith [Prov. 23]: “Look not thou upon the wine, how red it is, and what a colour it giveth in the glass. It goeth down softly; but at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth as an adder. So shall thine eyes look unto strange women; and thine heart shall muse upon froward things.” What a great provocation unto uncleanness intemperance of diet is, the history of Loth the patriarch doth plainly declare, which, not once giving place to the filthy Sodomites in any point of their abominations all the time of his being among them, at the last through drunkenness fell into such horrible wickedness, that he deflowered and defiled his own daughters. [Gen. 19] Was not the excess of eating and drinking one of the causes that the world was once drowned, and that Sodom and Gomorre with certain other cities were consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven? [Gen. 7, Luke 17, Ezek.16, Gen. 19]

It shall be good, therefore, if we intend to lead an honest and godly life, utterly estranged from the filthy sin of most filthy whoredom and adultery, to follow the most godly counsel of our Saviour Christ and of his apostles. Christ saith [Luke 21]: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness.” St Paul saith [Rom. 13]: “Let us walk honestly, as it were in the daylight, not in eating and drinking, neither in chambering and wantonness; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ; and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it.” Again [Eph. 5]: “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be ye filled with the Spirit.” St Peter also saith [1 Pet. 4]: “Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm ye yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he which suffereth in the flesh, ceaseth from sin; that he henceforward should live (as much time as remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God. For it is sufficient for us, that we have spent the time that is past of the life after the will of the gentiles, walking in wantonness, lusts, in excess of drinking, in drunkenness, and in abominable idolatry.”

Sixthly, forasmuch as matrimony is an honourable state of living, ordained of God,

sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and beautified with the first-fruits of Christ’s miracles; [Gen. 2, 9; Matt 19, Heb. 13, John 2; 1 Cor. 7] to the end that we may avoid all uncleanness in our life and conversation, and lead an honest and virtuous life before God and man, it shall be very meet and convenient for all such as have not received of God the gift of continence to take upon them the holy state of honourable wedlock, and to join unto them a wife in the fear of God, and so to live Christianly and quietly together, as St Paul saith [1 Cor. 7]: “To avoid whoredom, let every man have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. Let the husband give unto the wife due benevolence: likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And likewise the husband hath no power of his own body, but the wife. Withdraw not yourselves one from another, except it be with consent for a time, for to give yourselves to fasting and prayer. And afterward come together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.” Again: “If any cannot abstain, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn.” Also in another place [1 Thess. 4]: “This is the will of God, even your holiness, that ye should abstain from fornication, and that every one of you should know how to keep his vessel in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, as do the heathen, which know not God.” Item [Heb. 13]: “Wedlock is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled. But adulterers and whoremongers God shall judge,” that is to say, punish, plague, and condemn. To embrace therefore holy matrimony in the fear of God, if the gift of continence be not given, is the most sure way to avoid all uncleanness, both of the mind and body. And hereunto ought all kind of persons the more diligently to apply themselves, because it is the holy ordinance of God appointed unto that end.

Father. Hitherto have we heard, what God forbiddeth in this his seventh commandment: declare unto me now, what be also requireth in the same. Son. That will I do, yea, and that in few words.

First, whereas God saith, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” he declareth evidently, that he approveth and alloweth the holy state of honourable wedlock, and the godly life of the same; so that the very act of matrimony between the man and the wife, done in the fear of God, and unto that end for the which God did ordain it, is also pure and clean in the sight of God, as St Paul witnesseth [Heb. 13]: “Wedlock is honourable among all persons, and the bed undefiled.”

And forasmuch as matrimony is an holy state of life, God in the aforesaid precept requireth of all married persons, that they lead a pure, clean, and blameless life, that they be faithful and loving one to the other, that they break not the marriage vow, that they know not the company of any strange flesh, that they defile not themselves in mind with evil lusts and in the body with uncleanness; but that they be pure both in body and spirit, utterly estranged from all adultery, incest, whoredom, and whatsoever is unclean in the sight of God, living together in all godliness and honesty. And that the married folk may the better this do, God requireth also of them in this precept, that they suffer no fleshly thoughts to rise and rule in their hearts, but that they suppress them straightways through earnest and hearty prayer, and through the diligent consideration of God’s holy will, and through the fervent meditation of the sacred scripture: again, that they frequent the company of no lewd and evil-disposed persons, whereby they may be the rather provoked unto the breach of this commandment and unto dissolution of life: Item, that they avoid all wanton pastimes, all filthy communication, all uncomely gestures, all nice and lascivious apparel, all reading of wanton books, all beholding of unpure images or pictures, all banqueting and excess of eating and drinking, and besides, whatsoever may entice or move unto the filthy pleasure of the flesh; and finally, that in all their words and deeds there appear nothing in them but gravity, modesty, and honest behaviour, unto the good ensample of such as be their youngers and inferiors.

Moreover, God also requireth, in this his precept, of all single and unmarried persons, that they fly the lascivious lusts of frail youth, eschew all vain and foolish pastimes, abhor all wanton talk, despise all wicked counsels, refrain all ungodly company, contemn the reading or singing of bawdy ballads, refuse riot and all excess both in diet and apparel, and in fine, so utterly reject and cast away whatsoever is contrary to the purity of the mind or to cleanness of the body, that they, in their single life being free from all corruption of manners, may bring with them unto the holy state of honourable matrimony (if God afterward call them unto it) both pure minds and chaste bodies, and so continually be made the temples of the Holy Ghost, which delighteth to dwell in such bodies and hearts, as be pure, holy, virtuous, and given to the study of godliness and honesty.

Father. God make us such! Son. Amen.

Father. Let me now hear the eighth commandment. Son. It is this:

“Thou shalt not steal.”

Father. Tell me now, my dear child, what God forbiddeth, and what he requireth, in this his precept. Son. First, God forbiddeth here, that we by no means take away unjustly our neighbour’s goods, whether it be openly by force and violence, or secretly by craft or subtlety. For all this is termed theft in this commandment of God.

Father. Let me hear some authorities of the holy scripture, which forbid theft and the unjust taking away of our neighbour’s goods. Son. God saith [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall not steal, neither lie, neither deal falsely one with another.” The wise man saith [Prov. 29]: “Whoso keepeth company with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth blasphemies, and telleth it not forth.” The holy apostle saith also [Eph. 4]: “Let him that stole steal no more, but let him rather labour with his hands the thing which is good, that he may give unto him that needeth.” But we shall note that there be divers kinds of thieves, and therefore divers kinds also of theft.

Father. Why, are not they thieves only, which either violently take or craftily steal away other men’s goods? Son. No, verily. There be many thieves besides these, which steal, rob, poll, pill, and spoil, no less than the other, although before the world they be more glorious thieves, and not of so great infamy.

Father. Which are they? Son. Such as in buying and selling beguile and circumvent their neighbour with craft and subtlety, and use false weights and false measures: these also are thieves, and transgress this commandment of God, “Thou shalt not steal.”

Father. Where is that forbidden? Son. God saith [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong, neither rob him violently.” [Lev. 25] “If thou sellest ought to thy neighbour, or buyest of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not deceive one another.” The apostle saith [1 Thess. 4]: “This is the will of God, even your holiness, that no man oppress and defraud his brother in bargaining; because that the Lord is the avenger of all such things.” And as concerning false weights and false measures, God saith [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. True balances, true weights, a true epha, and a true hin shall ye have: I am the Lord your God.” Again [Deut. 25]: “Thou shalt not have in thy bag two manner of weights, a great and a small: neither shalt thou have in thy house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a right and just weight, and a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have, that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unright, are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” God saith also by the prophet [Mic. 6]: “Should I not be displeased for the unrighteous good that is in the houses of the wicked, and because the measure is minished? Or should I justify the false balances, and the bag of deceitful weights, among those that be full of riches unrighteously gotten; where the citizens deal with falsehood, speak lies, and have deceitful tongues in their mouths? Therefore I will take in hand to punish thee, and to make thee desolate because of thy sins.” The wise man also saith [Prov. 11]: “A false balance is an abomination unto the Lord; but a true weight pleaseth him:” Again [Prov. 16]: “A true measure and a true balance are the Lord’s judgment: he maketh all weights.” Item [Prov. 20]: “To use two manner of weights, or two manner of measures, both these are abominable unto the Lord.” Again: “The Lord abhorreth two manner of weights; and a false balance is an evil thing.”

Father. Ought satisfaction to be made unto all such as are thus deceived and wronged? Son. Yea, verily. For whatsoever is gotten with craft and subtlety, with unrighteous bargaining, with false weights and unjust measures, is before God plain theft; and therefore it ought to be restored.

Father. How provest thou that by the word of God? Son. Is not this the commandment of God, that if any man steal an ox or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore for one ox five oxen, and for one sheep four sheep? Are not these also the words of God? [Exod. 22] “A thief shall make restitution: if he have not wherewith, he shall be sold for his theft.” So likewise saith Salomon [Prov. 6]: “A thief, if he may be gotten, restoreth again seven times as much; or else he maketh recompense with all the good of his house.” Were not these the words of Zacheus unto Christ? “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have Luke xix. done any man wrong, I restore him fourfold.” [Luke 19]

Father. What other are there, which, transgressing this commandment, are also thieves before God? Son. Such as unjustly retain in their hands the reward or wages that is due to workmen or servants for their labour, pain, and travail.

Father. Are these thieves also? Son. Yea, verily: for they break the commandment of God.

Father. Why, what saith God in this behalf? Son. Thus saith he [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong, neither rob him violently: neither shall the workman’s labour abide with thee until the morning.” Again [Deut. 24]: “Thou shalt not defraud an hired servant that is needy and poor, whether he be of thy brethren or of the stranger that are in the land within thy gates; but thou shalt give him his hire the same day, and let not the sun go down thereon; (for he is needy and therewith sustaineth his life;) lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.” Saint James also saith [James 5]: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl on your wretchedness that shall come upon you. Your riches is corrupt: your garments are moth-eaten: your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness unto you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together, even wrath to yourselves in your last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers, which have reaped down your fields, (which hire is of you kept back by fraud,) crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton: ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: yea, ye have condemned and killed the righteous, and he hath not resisted you.”

Father. Remain there any other, that be guilty of theft through the transgression of this commandment? Son. Yea, very many. The rich men also, to whom God hath committed the goods of this world, not only of them to live themselves, but also to distribute some reasonable portion of the same to the poor and needy, and yet are so unfaithful to God and unmerciful to their poor neighbours, that they will consider nothing at all the miserable state of other, when necessity requireth, are very thieves and robbers; yea, and very murderers, as the wise man saith [Ecclus. 34]: “The bread of the needy is the life of the poor; but he that defraudeth him of it is a manslayer.” And these covetous and unmerciful rich men may be sure to obtain no mercy at the hand of God, but with that unpitiful rich glutton to be cast into hellfire, even into that “lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.” [Luke 16, Rev. 21, Matt. 5] For as they are “blessed which are merciful, and shall obtain mercy” at the hand of God at that great day of judgment; so likewise “shall the judgment be without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy.” [James 2, Matt. 25] It is a point of wisdom therefore for all rich men to follow this counsel of our Saviour Christ [Luke 16]: “Make you friends of wicked mammon, that, when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting tabernacles.” Again: such as they commonly call usurers, which are they that oppress their debtors with receiving too much gain for the loan of their money, corn, cattle, &c., are also thieves, and transgress this commandment.

Father. Where is it forbidden in the word of God, that we may not commit usury, that is to say, receive such unreasonable gain for the loan of our money, corn, cattle, &c., as we can get, although it be to the great damage, loss, yea, and almost utter undoing, of our debtors? Son. God saith by his servant Moses [Lev. 25]: “If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, thou shalt relieve him, both the stranger and sojourner, that he may, live with thee. And thou shalt take none usury of him, or vantage. But thou shalt fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy corn for increase. I am the Lord your God,” &c. Again he saith [Exod. 22]: “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be as tyrant unto him; neither shalt thou oppress him with usury.” Also in another place [Deut. 23]: “Thou shalt not hurt thy neighbour by usury of money, or by usury of corn, nor by usury of any thing that he may be hurt withal.”

Father. Of these authorities aforesaid, which thou hast alleged, methinks I may right well gather two things: one is, that if I lend unto my neighbour such things as God hath blessed me with, to do him pleasure and profit thereby, for any gain or advantage, as it shall be covenanted and agreed upon between him and me, I may not so let him out my things, that I shall grieve or oppress him by taking any commodity for the loan thereof, but suffer him so to have the use thereof for a reasonable gain, that I may not disprofit but profit him, not hinder but promote him, not drive him unto poverty but rather help that he may be able to live. Son. You say truth.

Father. The other is, that if my neighbour be fallen into poverty, I ought to lend him part of such goods, as God hath lent unto me, freely and without any advantage, looking for no gain at his hand, that by this means he may be delivered from the heavy yoke of poverty, and be able to live. Son. To such as be poor we are not only bound by the commandment of God freely and without any advantage to lend, but also to give. For thus are we taught of our Saviour Christ in the gospel [Luke 6]: “Give to every man that asketh of thee.” (He speaketh of the poor and needy, which have not of their own, whereof to live.) “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Lend, looking for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unkind and to the evil.”

What shall I speak of the labourers, of artificers, and men of occupation, of servants, and such other like, which, being hired diligently to do their work, negligently behave themselves in their business, idly and unfruitfully spending their time, which they ought faithfully and truly, yea, painfully and earnestly to bestow upon such works as are appointed unto them by such as have hired them? These also are thieves, and transgress the commandment of God.

Moreover, what shall I speak of those magistrates, princes, rulers, common officers, and governors of the public weal, which without just cause do overcharge their subjects with rents, services, tributes, customs, toll, subsidies, pensions, &c. and exact of them more than is needful to the maintenance of the common charges, and so impoverish and oppress them, whom they ought from all injury and wrong to save and defend? Again, which do not bestow the goods, which they receive for the maintenance of the commonweal, as they ought to do, but spend them away in riot and unlawful pleasures, or in things of vanity? These also are thieves before God, and shall grievously be punished of God for their misbehaviour; and they be of that company, of the which the prophet speaketh on this manner [Isa. 1]: “Thy princes are wicked, and companions of thieves. They love gifts altogether, and gape for rewards. As for the fatherless, they help him not to his right: neither will they let the widow’s causes come before them. Therefore saith the Lord God of hosts, the mighty governor of Israel, Out upon ye: I will ease me of mine enemies, and I will avenge me of mine adversaries.” The prophet Ezechiel saith also [Ezek. 22]: “Thy rulers in thee are like ravening wolves to shed blood, and to destroy souls for their own covetous lucre.” Hereto belongeth the saying of the prophet Micheas: “Hear, O ye princes,” saith he; “should not ye know what were lawful and right? But ye hate the good, and love the evil. Ye pluck off men’s skins, and the flesh from their bones. Ye eat the flesh of my people, and flay off their skin. Ye break their bones; ye chop them in pieces as it were into a caldron, and as flesh into a pot.” The prophet Sophonie saith also [Zeph. 3]: “Woe to that abominable, filthy, and cruel city, which will not hear, nor be reformed! Her trust is not in the Lord, neither will she hold her to her God. Her rulers within her are as roaring lions: her judges are as wolves in the evening, which leave nothing behind them till the morrow.”

Again, what shall I speak of those subjects, which, contrary to the law of God and good conscience, either grudge to pay, or else unjustly withhold, such taxes, tributes, customs, subsidies, tenths, pensions, &c. as are due to the magistrates or common officers for the conservation of the public weal, that they may be the more able to sustain and bear the charges of the common administration? These also are thieves, and grievously offend God, which by his apostle giveth this commandment [Rom. 13]: “Give to every man his duty, tribute to whom tribute belongeth, custom to whom custom is due, fear to whom fear belongeth, honour to whom honour pertaineth.”

Furthermore, what shall I speak of bishops, pastors, curates, preachers, and such other spiritual ministers, which, contrary to their profession and calling, steal away from the people of God the nourishment both of their souls and bodies, while they neither feed them with the true and sincere word of God, which is the food of the soul, nor yet with corporal sustenance for the comfort of their bodies; but like bellied hypocrites and voluptuous epicures give themselves to the pleasures of the flesh, to eating and drinking, to dicing and carding, to hunting and hawking, &c. being led with no care toward the flock of Christ, whom he hath so dearly purchased, even with his own dear and precious blood; [Acts. 20, 1 Pet. 1] but so framing their life, as though there were no life after this, or as though they should never render accompts of their pastoral office to the high pastor and shepherd Christ? [John 10] These are also thieves, and deserve at the hand of God most grievous punishment. Against these sluggish, unmerciful, and thievish pastors God crieth out by his prophet, saying [Ezek. 34]: “Woe be unto the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? Ye have eaten up the fat: ye have clothed you with the wool: the best fed have ye slain; but the flock have ye not nourished. The weak have ye not holden up: the sick have ye not healed: the broken have ye not bound together: the outcasts have ye not brought again: the lost have ye not sought; but churlishly and cruelly have ye ruled them,” &c. Yea, [John 10] these are those hirelings, thieves, robbers, and murderers, which enter not into the sheepfold by the door, but climb up some other way; which, when they see the wolf coming, leave the sheep and fly away. For they came only into the sheepfold to steal, to kill, and to destroy, and not to teach, to comfort and to edify, which is the very proper and true office of a faithful and godly pastor. “Woe be unto me,” saith St Paul, “if I preach not the gospel.” [1 Cor. 9]

Those parishioners also, which do detain and withhold such duties and payments, as by order of law are due to the ministers of God’s word for their labour, travail, and pain in the ministry, are thieves before God, and transgressors of his holy law. For “the Lord hath ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” “The workman is worthy his reward.” The priests “that rule well are worthy of double honour, but most specially they which labour in the word and doctrine. [1 Cor. 9; Matt. 10; 1 Tim. 5] For the scripture saith [Deut. 25]: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox, that treadeth out the corn.” And St Paul saith [Gal. 6]: “Let him that is taught in the word of God minister unto him that teacheth him all good things. Be not deceived: God is not mocked.”

Again, what shall I speak of those lawyers, advocates, attorneys, proctors, &c., which for their own gains do counsel a man to wage the law, making him to believe, that his matter is good, when in deed they think it naught; which also for money do so craftily handle or plead a matter, that they with their shifts and colours will purposely hide the truth, and make a good cause to seem bad, and a bad cause to appear good? Of those judges, which for bribes or any corruption do wittingly and willingly give wrong judgment? Of those merchantmen, brokers, chapmen, merchants’ factors, which require unreasonable gains in selling of their merchandise; utter corrupt and naughty wares for good; deceive their neighbour with false weight and measure, &c? Of husbandmen in the country, which for worldly lucre sell their corn, cattle, or any other victual, at unreasonable prices, and seek to make a dearth of things, where no need is? Of those gentlemen, which either take of their tenants such fines and incomes, or else so stretch out the prices and annual rents of their farms, that their farmers must either go on begging, or else sell their corn, hay, cattle, butter, cheese, &c. at such unreasonable prices, as shall turn unto the utter impoverishment of the buyers? Of those debtors, which, although they be able, yet for their own lucre will not pay their debts, nor at the day appointed restore that money which they have borrowed? Of such, as do not render the things which they have found, so far as they can come to knowledge of the true owners? Of them that do not give again such things as be committed to their custody for a time? Of gamesters, as dicers, and carders, &c., which direct their play only to this end, by unlawful pastimes, yea, by craft and subtlety, to deceive their neighbour, and to win away their substance? Of prodigal persons, which, lashing [Lashing; lavishing.] out their goods without discretion or measure, afterward fall into beggary, and from beggary many times unto thievery, and from thievery come to the pillory, yea, to the halter? Of valiant and sturdy beggars, which, being able to labour and to get their living with the sweat of their brows and with the labour of their hands, walk up and down idly from door to door, and without all shame, through their importune begging, get that unto them, which is due to such as be indeed poor, and are not able to work for the infirmity and weakness of their body?

To conclude, what shall I speak of all them that do hawk and hunt for other men’s goods against the will of the owners, or do hurt them in any part of the same, &c.? All these aforesaid are thieves before God, although the world doth not so judge them, nor punish them for the same.

Father. There is a great number of thieves by thy reckoning. Son. The world is full of privy thieves. For there is almost no state or kind of life, from the highest to the lowest, of the which there be not many that have broken this commandment. Whosoever dealeth with his neighbour unjustly or untruly, and otherwise than he would that his neighbour should deal with him, he is before God a very thief and a robber. For this is the commandment of Christ [Matt. 7, Luke 6]: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye the very same unto them.” “For look with what measure ye mete unto other, with the same shall it be mete again to you.”

Father. Why, will God punish them also that transgress this commandment? Son. Why should they escape unpunished?

Father. Let me hear it proved by the word of God, that the transgressors of this commandment shall not escape free from punishment. Son. God commanded in the law of Moses, [Exod. 21, Deut. 24] that if any person among the Israelites did steal a man, and sell him, the same should suffer death. Again, [Exod. 22] if any did steal an ox or a sheep, that he should restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. Item, that it should be lawful for a man taking a thief in his house before daylight to kill him. The wise man saith [Prov. 29]: “He that is partaker with a thief hateth his own soul.” St Paul writeth, [1 Cor. 6] that “thieves, extortioners, robbers, pollers, &c., shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” He addeth, moreover, [1 Thess. 4] that “if any man oppress or defraud his brother in bargaining, the Lord will be avenged of him.” Jesus the son of Sirach saith [Ecclus. 5]: “Shame and sorrow goeth over the thief.”

The prophet Esay crieth out against the thief on this manner [Isa. 33]: “Woe be to thee that spoilest! for thou shalt be spoiled again.” So likewise doth the prophet Micheas, saying [Mic. 2]: “O woe be unto them that imagine to do harm, and devise ungraciousness upon their beds to perform it in the clear day! for their power is against God. When they come to have land, they take it by violence: they rob men of their houses. Thus they oppress a man for his house, and every man for his heritage. Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold, against this household I have devised a plague, whereout ye shall not pluck your necks. Ye shall no more go so proudly; for it will be a perilous time.” Again [Mic. 6]: “Should I not be displeased for the unrighteous good in the houses of the wicked, and because the measure is minished? Or should I justify the false balances, and the bag of the deceitful weights, among those that be full of riches unrighteously gotten; where the citizens deal with falsehood, speak lies, and have deceitful tongues in their mouths? Therefore I will take in hand to punish thee, and to make thee desolate, because of thy sins.”

The prophet Habacuc crieth out in like manner, saying [Hab. 2]: “Woe be unto him that Hall heapeth up other men’s goods! How long will he load himself with thick clay? O how suddenly shall they stand up that shall bite, and awake that shall tear thee in pieces! yea, thou shalt be their prey. Seeing that thou hast spoiled many nations, therefore shall the remnant of the people spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and unto all them that dwell therein. Woe be unto him that covetously gathereth together evil-gotten goods into his house, that he may set his nest on high, to escape from the power of misfortune! Thou hast devised the shame of thine own house; for thou hast slain too much people, and hast willfully offended, so that the very stones of thy wall shall cry out of it, and the timber that lieth betwixt the joints of the building shall answer. Woe be unto him that buildeth the town with blood, and maintaineth the city with unrighteousness!” Read we not, that the prophet Zachary saw a flying book of twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad, in the which was written the curse that shall fall upon all thieves? [Zech. 5] “I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, so that it shall come to the house of the thief, and shall remain in his house, and consume it with the timber and stones thereof.” The wise man also saith [Prov. 21]: “Whoso hoardeth up riches with the deceitfulness of his tongue, he is vain and a fool, and like unto them that seek their own death. The robberies of the ungodly shall be their own destruction; for they will not do the thing that is right.”

Moreover, in the book of Joshua [Josh. 7] we read, that Achan the son of Zereth stole and conveyed away a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred sicles [Sicles: shekels.] of silver, and a tongue of gold of fifty sicles weight, and that therefore at the commandment of God he was stoned unto death; and his stolen good with all that ever he had besides, his sons and his daughters, his oxen and his asses, his sheep and his tent, &c. were burnt with fire. Was not Gehezi, the servant of Elisa the prophet, stricken with leprosy even unto his dying day, both he and his seed for ever, because with craft and subtlety in his master’s name he took of Naaman the Syrian two talents of silver, and two change of garments? [2 Kings 5]

I pass over with silence king Antiochus, [2 Macc. 1] which, when he with his army entered into the temple, purposing to have spoiled it, and to take out of it great sums of money, was slain both he and his company, and hewn in pieces. What shall I here rehearse, [2 Macc. 3] how that king Saleucus, understanding that there were great sums of gold and silver in the temple of Jerusalem, sent Heliodorus his steward thither to take away the money, and to bring it unto him? But when the aforesaid Heliodorus with his men of war burst into the temple, and were about the treasure, the Spirit of God shewed himself openly, so that all they which presumed to obey Heliodorus fell through the power of God into great fearfulness and dread. “For there appeared unto them an horse with a terrible man sitting upon him decked in goodly array, and the horse smote at Heliodorus with his fore feet. Now he that sat upon the horse had harness of gold upon him. Moreover there appeared two fair and beautiful young men in goodly array, which stood by him, scourged him of both the sides, and gave him many stripes without ceasing. With that fell Heliodorus suddenly unto the ground. So they took him up (being compassed about with great darkness), and bare him out upon a bier. Thus he, that came with so many runners and men of war into the said treasure, was borne out, where as no man might help him; and so the power of God was manifest and known. He lay still dumb also by the power of God, destitute of all hope and life.”

These and such like ensamples contained in the holy scripture declare evidently, how greatly God detesteth and abhorreth robbing, stealing, spoiling, polling, picking, and all unrighteous dealing, and that he will by no means suffer it to escape unpunished.

Father. Thou sayest truth, my child. Here learn we also moreover, that all things that we do possess are not common, and at liberty to take them for all other also, and to do with them what they lust without check; but that there is a propriety and ownership of things among the people of God. Son. If it were otherwise, this commandment of God, “Thou shalt not steal,” were given in vain, and it were no theft nor robbery to take from my neighbour what I lusted, and to do withal what I would, seeing all things be common among the Christians, and nothing proper.

But the word of God teacheth us, that a Christian man may with a good conscience have riches, enjoy, and possess them, and use them as his own. For riches is the good gift of God, as Salomon saith [Prov. 10]: “The blessing of the Lord maketh men rich.” And Sirach saith, [Ecclus. 11] that “both riches and poverty cometh from God.” St Paul wrote not unto bishop Timothy, that he should command the rich men of this world, that they should not be rich, nor have any riches and possessions, but rather cast away their goods from them as things unlawful to be possessed; but he chargeth him [1 Tim. 6] to “command the rich men, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy them; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to give, and gladly to distribute, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain everlasting life.” It is not forbidden the Christians to have riches, but to set their whole heart upon the riches, as the psalmograph saith [Psa. 62]: “If ye have abundance of riches, set not your heart upon them.” “Blessed is the rich,” saith Sirach, [Ecclus. 31] “which is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money and treasures. Where is there a such one? and we shall commend him, and call him blessed; for great things doeth he among his people.”

Father. Doth not our Saviour Christ say, [Matt. 19] that “it is more easy for a cable rope to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven”? Son. I grant. But Christ speaketh there of such rich men as are mammonists and the slaves of mammon, as put not their trust in the living God, but in uncertain riches, as glory not in God, but have all their rejoicing in the goods of this world, as St Mark doth right well declare, which reporteth the words of Christ on this manner [Mark 10]: “Little children, it is a very hard thing for them that put their confidence in money to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Abraham was rich, and brought great possessions with him out of Egypt. Isaac, his son, was wonderful rich, and had great abundance of cattle. Jacob brought with him from Laban great multitudes of sheep and very much substance; for the Lord had blessed him. Joseph was a noble magistrate and a mighty ruler in Egypt, and was endued with great possessions. Job was exceedingly rich; for “he had of his own fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses,” and a very great family. Tobias also was so rich, that he was able daily to give and distribute alms to the poor. [Gen. 20, 24, 26, 31, 41; Job. 42, Tob. 1, 2] What shall I speak of the noble kings, David, Salomon, Ezechias, Josias, &c., and of the virtuous women Judith, Hester, &c., and such like; which all had great possessions and very many goods and riches; and yet were they the dearly beloved servants of God, and are now inheritors of everlasting glory?

Christ saith not simply, that the poor are blessed, and that unto them belongeth the kingdom of heaven, but the poor in spirit. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” saith he, [Matt. 5] “for unto them doth the kingdom of heaven belong.” Christ crieth not woe upon all rich men without exception, [Luke 6] but upon such only as repose all their consolation and comfort, all their joy and hope, in their riches. Riches, therefore, forasmuch as they are the gift and blessing of God, may right well be possessed of the true Christians: [Prov. 10, Ecclus. 11] neither do the possessions of this world hinder or let anything unto the obtaining of everlasting life, if we set not our heart upon them, if like good stewards we give and distribute them gladly, when necessity requireth, to the poor and needy members of Christ, and follow this counsel of the apostle: “The time is short,” saith he: “it remaineth that they which have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep be as though they wept not; and they that rejoice be as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy be as though they possessed not; and they that use this world be as though they used it not. For the fashion of this world passeth away.”

Father. Hitherto have we heard, my dear son, what God forbiddeth in this his law, “Thou shalt not steal,” and how grievously he will punish all such as transgress this commandment. Now it remaineth, that thou declarest unto me, what God requireth of us to be done in this law. Son. In this law God requireth of us, that we should not only not steal or unjustly convey away our neighbour’s goods by any means from him, and turn them unto our own use and commodity; but also that we should seek all means possible to save, keep, and defend his goods, to help him, to study how we may, either in word or in deed, pleasure him, that his goods through us may not be diminished, but increased. Verily, so great care ought we to have for our neighbour, and for all things that appertain unto him, as we have for ourselves and for ours.

Father. How provest thou this? Son. It is soon proved. [Lev. 19, Matt. 22, Rom. 13, Gal. 5, James 2, Matt. 7, Luke 6, Deut. 22] God saith: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour even as thyself.” Again he saith: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so even to them also. For this is the law and the prophets.” And in the law of Moses God gave this commandment, saying: “Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or sheep go astray, and withdraw thyself from them but shalt bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then bring it to thine own house; and it shall remain with thee, until thy brother ask for them; and then deliver him them again. In like manner shalt thou do with his ass, and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all the lost things of thy brother, which he had lost and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise; for thou mayest not hide it. Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or ox fall down by the way, and withdraw thyself from them, but shalt help him to heave them up again.” Again he saith: “If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or ass going astray, thou shalt bring them to him again. If thou see thine enemy’s ass sink under his burden, thou shalt not pass by and let him alone, but shalt help him to lift him up again.

Here are we commanded of God to do good to our neighbour, to help, save, and defend our neighbour’s goods, that nothing of them perish; yea, and that not only if he be our friend, but also if he be our enemy, that we may be the children of our Father, which is in heaven; [Matt. 5] “for he maketh his sun to arise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous”: so far is it off, that we ought unjustly to take away his goods, or in any point to hinder him. What we ought to be to our neighbour, the parable of the wounded man and of the Samaritan do manifestly set forth unto us in the gospel of St Luke; which I would wish all men at all times to have before their eyes.

Father. What is that parable? Rehearse it unto me. Son. St Luke describeth it on this manner [Luke 10]: “A certain man (saith he) descended from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which robbed him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And it chanced that there came down a certain priest that same way, and when he saw him he passed by. And likewise a Levite, when he went nigh to the place, came and looked on him, and passed by. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came unto him; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, and poured in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to a common inn, and made provision for him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him: Take cure [Cure: care. It is still used, as in cure of souls.] of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will recompense thee.”

Father. This parable setteth forth our duty right well to our neighbour. Son. It teacheth us, that we should be ready at all times both with our heart, body, and goods to help and succour our neighbour: so far is it off, that we ought to envy him the good success of things, or the felicity of worldly goods, or unjustly by any manner of means to convey his goods unto us and unto our use; but rather rejoice, when all things go prosperously with our neighbour, and to the uttermost of our power labour that he and whatsoever pertaineth unto him may be safely preserved without all peril and danger. For charity and true neighbourly love seeketh not her own, but the commodity and profit of other.

Father. What requireth God of us more in this law? Son. That such as be rich should deal mercifully and liberally with the poor, helping their necessity and relieving their poverty. For unto this end hath God blessed them with worldly substance, that they should be merciful and bounteous to the poor, and gladly and willingly minister unto them all good things, as faithful and trusty stewards of the Lord’s treasures.

Father. Let me hear it proved by the word of God, that the Lord our God requireth of the rich men this mercy and liberality to the poor. Son. The holy scripture is large in this behalf. God saith [Deut. 15]: “There shall be no needy person nor beggar among you, that the Lord thy God may bless thee.” Again: “If any of the brethren among you be poor within any of thy gates, in the land which the Lord God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother; but open thine hand unto him, and lend him sufficient for his need which he hath. Beware, that there be not a wicked point in thine heart, that thou wouldest say, The seventh year, the year of freedom, is at hand; and therefore it grieveth thee to look on thy poor brother, and givest him nought, and he then cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee; but give him, and let it not grieve thine heart to give unto him; because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand to. The land shall never be without poor. And therefore I command thee, saying: Thou shalt open thine hand unto thy brother that is needy and poor in the land.” The wise man saith [Prov. 3]: “Withdraw no good thing from them that have need, so long as thine hand is able to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go thy way and come again: tomorrow will I give thee; whereas thou hast now to give him.”

Jesus the son of Sirach saith [Ecclus. 4]: “My son, defraud not the poor of his alms, and turn not away thine eyes from him that hath need. Despise not an hungry soul, and defy not the poor in his necessity. Grieve not the heart of him that is helpless, and withdraw not thy gift from the needful. Refuse not the prayer of one that is in trouble: turn not away thy face from the needy: cast not thine eyes aside from the poor for any evil will, that thou give him none occasion to speak evil of thee. For if he complain of thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard; even he that made him shall hear him. Be courteous unto the company of the poor. Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear unto the poor; but pay the debt, and give him a friendly answer, and that with meekness. Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest give.” Again he saith [Ecclus. 34]: “The bread of the needy is the life of the poor: he that defraudeth him thereof is a man-slayer. Whoso robbeth his neighbour of his living doth as great a sin, as though he slew him to death.”

The prophet Esay saith [Isa. 58]: “Loose him out of bondage, that is in thy danger. Break the oath of wicked bargains. Let the oppressed go free, and take from him all manner of burdens. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the poor wayfaring man home into thine house: when thou seest the naked, cover him, and hide not thy face from thy neighbour, and despise not thine own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health flourish right shortly: thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee.” And the prophet Zachary saith [Zech. 7]: “Execute true judgment: shew mercy and loving-kindness every man to his brother. Do the widow, the fatherless, the stranger, and poor no wrong; and let no man imagine evil against his brother in his heart.”

Tobias saith [Tob. 4]: “Give alms of thy goods, and turn never thy face from the poor; Tub iv. and so shall it come to pass, that the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee. Be merciful after thy power. If thou hast much, give plenteously: if thou hast little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little. For so gatherest thou thyself a good reward in the day of necessity. For mercy delivereth from all sin and from death, and suffereth not the soul to come in darkness. A great comfort is mercy before the high God unto all them that shew it.” “Look that thou never do unto another man the thing that thou wouldest not another man should do unto thee.” “Eat thy bread with the hungry and poor, and cover the naked with thy clothes.”

Moreover Christ our Saviour saith [Matt. 5, 6]: “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow turn not thou away.” “Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth, where the rust and the moth do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for you treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” “Be ye merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful. [Luke 6] Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosoms. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, shall other men mete to you [a]gain.” [Luke 12, 14] “Sell that ye have, and give alms: and prepare you bags that wax not old, even a treasure that faileth not in heaven, where no thief cometh, neither moth corrupteth.” “When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the feeble, the lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be happy: for they cannot recompense thee; but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous.” “Make you friends of unrighteous mammon, that, when ye shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” [Luke 16]

The blessed apostle St Paul saith [Rom. 12]: “Distribute unto the necessity of the saints. Be ready to harbour.” “If thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with goodness.” “Let us not be weary of well doing: [Gal. 6] for when the time is come, we shall reap without weariness. While we have therefore time, let us do good unto all men, but specially unto them which are of the household of faith.” And to bishop Timothy he writeth thus [1 Tim. 6]: “Charge them which are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy them; that they do good; that they be rich in good works; that they be ready to give, and gladly to distribute, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain everlasting life.”

St James also saith [James 2]: “The judgment shall be without mercy unto him that sheweth no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What availeth it, my brethren, though a man saith he hath faith, if he have no deeds? Can faith save him? If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace; God send you warmness and food; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what shall it help? &c.”

St John saith likewise [1 John 3, 4]: “Whoso hath the goods of this world, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” “And this commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God should love his brother also.”

In the gospel [Matt. 25] we read, that the merciful at the day of judgment shall receive this mercy at the hand of God, that they shall be made inheritors of the heavenly kingdom. Contrariwise, the unmerciful shall for their portion have everlasting damnation in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; as we have the unmerciful rich glutton for an example. [Rev. 21, Luke 16]

Father. What is more required of us in this commandment of God? Son. God requireth also of us in this his law, that we should be content with that we have, and not falsely and unjustly go about to be rich with the incommodity and hindrance of our neighbour, but be well pleased with our own, whether it be much or little, avoiding covetousness, which is the root of all evils, in all our life and conversation.

Father. Where are we taught to be content with our own? Son. The blessed apostle saith [1 Tim. 6]: “Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath. For we brought nothing into the world, neither may we carry any thing out. But when we have food and raiment, we must therewith be content. They that will be rich fall into temptation and snares of the devil, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men into perdition and destruction. For covetousness of money is the root of all evil: which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and tangled themselves with many sorrows. But thou, man of God, fly such things. Follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness,” &c. Also in another place he saith [Heb. 13]: “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have already. For he hath said, [Josh. 1] I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: so that we may boldly say, [Psa. 118] The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man may do unto me.” Hereto agreeth the saying of Sirach [Ecclus. 29]: “Be it little or much that thou hast, hold thee content withal; and thou shalt not be blamed as a vagabond; for a miserable life is it to go from house to house.”

Father. What requireth God more of us in this precept? Son. He requireth that every man in his vocation and calling shall so live, that he shall not only not hurt his neighbour either in thought, word, or deed, but also do good to all men, so much as lieth in him.

The magistrate ought not to take too much of his subjects, nor to overcharge them with intolerable payments, but only to lay such burdens upon them, as they may well and conveniently bear, yea, and that for the maintenance of the commonweal; ever setting before their eyes, that they are the ministers of God, appointed to bear rule not for their own profit and commodity, but for the wealth and profit of God’s people; as St Paul saith [Rom. 13]: “The magistrate is the minister of God for thy wealth.” Hereto agreeth the saying of Jesus, the son of Sirach [Ecclus. 32]: “If thou be made a ruler, pride not thyself therein, but be thou as one of the people. Take diligent care for them, and look well thereto; and when thou hast done all thy duty, sit thee down, that thou mayest be merry with them, and receive the crown of honour.”

The subjects ought not to withhold any thing unjustly that is due to the temporal rulers, but gladly and willingly to give, whatsoever is required of them for the maintenance of the commonweal.

The bishops, pastors, and curates ought diligently to feed the flock of Christ with the true and pure word of God, to maintain hospitality for the relief of the poor and miserably afflicted Christians, and to be an example to the flock in all godliness and honesty. [John 21; 1 Pet. 5; 1 Tim. 3; 4]

The parishioners ought to reverence the spiritual ministers, as fathers that begat them in Christ through the gospel, as the angels of God, as the stewards of the mysteries of God, and to give them double honour, and to provide and aforesee, that they lack no good thing necessary for their estate, that their ministry be not hindered. [1 Cor. 4; Gal. 4; 1 Cor. 4; 1 Tim 5; Gal. 6; 1 Thess. 5]

Such as be officers in the law ought above all things to seek equity and justice, to give counsel according to right, to boult out the truth, to judge indifferently without respect of persons, not to prolong for filthy lucre’s sake the causes of their clients; but with all expedition and convenient haste to dispatch them, [Isa. 1, Jer. 7, 22; Zech. 7, 8] yea, and that according to right and conscience, ever setting before their eyes this notable admonition, which the most noble king Jehosaphat gave to the judges [2 Chron. 19]: “Take heed,” saith he, “what ye do; for ye execute not the judgment of man, but of God, which is with you in judgment. Let the fear of the Lord be therefore upon you; and take heed, and see that ye do the thing that pleaseth him. For there is no unrighteousness with the Lord your God, that he should have respect of persons or take rewards.”

They that exercise themselves in merchandise, in buying and selling, in husbandry, in manual arts and handy occupations, &c., ought so to travail in their mysteries, that, all craft and subtlety, all falsehood and dissimulation set apart, they may deal truly and faithfully with all men, having ever an eye not so much unto their own private profit, as to the commodity of the country wherein they dwell; remembering also, that we be not born for ourselves, but to do good to other and to serve other.

The gentlemen and landlords ought so to let out their farms, lands, tenements, lordships, &c., for a reasonable price, that their tenants may be able to live under them, to nourish their family, to bring up their children in good arts, to maintain hospitality, to help to bear the charges of the commonweal, to sell their corn, cattle, and all other victuals, for a mean and indifferent price, and to do good unto such as have need of their help.

Such as are indebted ought truly and faithfully at the day appointed to pay their debts, and to live of their own.

Such as live after an unlawful and wicked means, as dicers, carders, jesters, counterfeit fools, &c., ought to cast away this licentious kind of living, and to practice some honest and seemly art, wherewith they may be able not only to eat their own bread with a good conscience, but also to profit other, as the apostle saith [Eph. 4]: “Let him that stole steal no more, but let him rather labour with his hands the thing which is good, that he may give unto him that needeth.” Again [2 Thess. 3]: “We require you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesu Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that behaveth himself inordinately, and not after the institution which he received of us. For ye yourselves know how ye ought to follow us. For we behaved not ourselves inordinately among you: neither took we bread of any man for nought; but wrought with labour and sweat night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you: not but that we had authority; but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For when we were with you, this we warned you of, that, if any would not work, the same should not eat. For we have heard say that there are some which walk among you inordinately, working nothing at all, but being busybodies. Them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness, and eat their own bread.”

They also that are called beggars, and get their living by asking alms from door to door, if they have their limbs, and be able to work, ought not to run up and down idly, but to labour with their hands for their living, and with the sweat of their faces to eat their own bread, and to be able also to give somewhat unto the needy. For let them know this to be a most certain truth, that, if they be able to labour and will not, they are thieves before God; and every morsel of bread or meat, that they eat by this their begging, turneth to their own damnation; forasmuch as they eat away the living of the poor needy man, which, is feeble, sick, lame, &c. [Psa. 128, Gen. 3, Eph. 4; 2 Thess. 3]

Servants, workmen, day-labourers, and such other like, ought diligently to labour and to serve their bodily masters, which have hired them, and of whom they take wages, “not with eye-service only as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart with a good will, serving the Lord and not men, knowing this, that whatsoever good thing a man doeth, the same shall he receive again of God, whether he be bond or free.” [Eph. 6. Col. 3, Titus. 2; 1 Pet. 2]

In fine, all persons of every degree ought so to frame their lives according to the will of God, that they should not at any time attempt any thing toward their neighbour, that they would gladly refuse to be done to themselves; but live with such an upright mind toward all men, that they should be no less careful for their neighbour’s commodity, than they are for their own; so far is it off that any enterprise to the contrary ought to be attempted of them that profess godliness.

If all men on this manner would endeavour themselves to frame their lives according to the rule of God’s word, sin should soon decrease, and virtue increase; self-love should shortly be banished, and neighbourly love take place; private profit should quickly cease, and common commodity rise, grow, prosper, flourish, reign, triumph.

Father. God make us true professors and faithful practicers of his holy will! Son. Amen, good Lord.

Father. Now have we passed over eight of God’s commandments. Let me now hear the ninth. Son. This is it:

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

Father. What is the will of God in this law? Son. In the four last commandments, which concern our duty toward our neighbour, first, we have learned how we ought to behave ourselves toward our parents, superiors, and elders; secondly, what our duty is toward our neighbour concerning his body; thirdly, how we ought to behave ourselves toward our neighbour concerning his wife; fourthly, what our duty is toward our neighbour concerning his goods. Now followeth the fifth commandment of the second table, which is the ninth precept in order, wherein we are taught, how we should behave ourselves toward our neighbour concerning his good name and fame. For he doth no less offend, which oppresseth his innocent neighbour with false witness, than he which killeth him with weapon. Neither is that thief more worthy of punishment, which with open violence or with subtle and crafty means spoileth a man of his goods, than that person, which with lying and false witness-bearing robbeth a man of his good name and fame: which good name doth so far excel all the riches of this world, as the sun in quantity and brightness surmounteth and passeth the least star in the firmament. The wise man saith [Prov. 22]: “Like as the clearness of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, so doth a good name feed the bones.” Again he saith [Prov. 22]: “A good name is more worth than great riches; and loving favour is better than silver and gold.” Item [Eccles. 7]: “A good name is more worth than precious ointment.” Jesus the son of Sirach saith [Ecclus. 41]: “Labour to get thee a good name; for that shall continue surer by thee than a thousand great treasures of gold. A good life hath a number of days; but a good name endureth ever.” Therefore, forasmuch as “the tongue,” as St James saith, [James 3] “although a little member, boasteth great things, is a fire and a world of wickedness, defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set afire even of hell,” being “an unruly evil, and full of deadly poison;” God in this his law declareth unto us, how we should behave ourselves toward our neighbour in tongue and speech, as he hath taught us in his laws aforesaid, how we should behave ourselves toward him in body and in bodily acts. And as we are forbidden, in the four commandments above rehearsed, to hurt our neighbour with our body or with the deeds thereof; so likewise in this precept are we forbidden to hurt our neighbour with our tongue, or with any word that proceedeth from the same. And in this behalf God commandeth us here expressly, that we bear not false witness against our neighbour.

Father. What doth God forbid, or what requireth he, in this commandment? Son. First, he forbiddeth, that, when any matter being in controversy is brought before the judge, and we be called of him to be witnesses in this behalf, we, contrary to our conscience and knowledge, either for favour toward the one part, or for displeasure toward the other part, should bear false witness or give wrong evidence against our neighbour, to the impoverishment and loss of his goods, or to the appairing [Appairing: impairing.] of his good name, estimation, and fame.

Father. Is this bearing of false witness forbidden in other places also of the holy scripture? Son. Yea, verily. God saith by his servant Moses [Exod. 23]: “Thou shalt not accept a vain tale, neither shalt thou put thy hand with the wicked, to be an unrighteous witness (against thy neighbour). Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither answer in a matter of plea, that thou wouldest (to follow many) turn away from the truth,” &c. Again [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not go up and down as a privy accuser among thy people, neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.” Also in another place [Deut. 27]: “Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger, fatherless, and widow; and all the people shall say, Amen.” “Cursed be he that taketh a reward to slay the soul of innocent blood; and the people shall say, Amen.” The wise man saith [Prov. 24]: “Be not a false witness against thy neighbour, and speak no falsehood with thy lips.” Again [Prov. 25]: “Whoso beareth false witness against his neighbour, he is a very club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.” Our Saviour Christ saith [Matt. 19]: “Thou shalt Matt. xix. not speak false witness.” Again [Matt. 15]: “Out of the heart come false witnesses and evil speakings: these defile a man.”

Father. Is God angry with such as bear false witness against their neighbour? Son. Who doubteth of that? Gave he not this commandment by his servant Moses to the people of Israel? [Deut. 19] “If any unrighteous witness rise up against a man to accuse him of trespass, then both the men which strive together shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent inquisition. And if the witness be found false, and that he hath given false witness against his brother, then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to do unto his brother; and thou shalt put evil away from thee. And other shall hear and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickedness among you. And thine eye shall have no compassion, but soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” This thing read we practiced in the two elders, which gave false witness against the virtuous and chaste lady Susanna; also in those princes and lords, which sought the destruction of Daniel the prophet. [Dan. 6] Furthermore, the wise man saith: “The Lord hateth a false witness that bringeth up lies.” Again: “A false witness shall not remain unpunished; and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.” Also in another place he saith: “A false witness shall perish; but he that is a true man boldly speaketh that he hath heard.” [Prov. 6, 19, 21]

Father. Is false witness-bearing only forbidden in this precept? Son. Not only that, but also all other vices and abuses of the tongue.

Father. Where is lying forbidden in the word of God? Son. God saith by his servant Moses [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall not lie.” The wise man saith [Prov. 6]: “God hateth a lying tongue.” Jesus the son of Sirach hath these words [Ecclus. 4]: “In no wise speak against the word of truth; but be ashamed of the lies of thine own ignorance. Shame not to confess thine error, and submit not thyself unto every man because of sin.” Again [Ecclus. 7]: “Make no lies against thy brother, neither do the same against thy friend. Use not to make any manner of lie; for the custom thereof is not good.” Once again he saith [Ecclus. 20]: “A lie is a wicked shame in a man, yet shall it be ever in the mouth of the unwise. A thief is better than a man that is accustomed to lie; but they both shall have destruction to heritage.” The psalmograph saith [Psa. 5]: “Thou, O Lord, shalt destroy all them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor both the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.” The holy apostle saith [Eph. 4]: “Put away lying, and speak every man truth unto his neighbour; forasmuch as we are members one of another.” Again [Col. 3]: “Put away wrath, fierceness, maliciousness, cursed speaking, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his works, and have put on the new man, which is renewed into the knowledge and image of him that made him.”

Father. Will God punish them also that are liars? Son. Heard you not even now out of the words of Salomon, that “God hateth a lying tongue”? Again, of Jesus the son of Sirach, that “the liar shall have destruction for his heritage”? Item of the psalmograph, that “God will destroy them that speak lies”? Moreover Salomon saith “Lying lips are abomination unto the Lord; but they that labour for truth please him.” Again he saith: “The mouth that lieth slayeth the soul.” Read we not also in the last chapter of St John’s Revelations, that “such as make leasings shall have their portion with enchanters, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone”? The devil is a liar and the father of all lying. Therefore whosoever followeth him in this behalf shall with him feel the like and very same torments in hellfire. [Prov. 6, Ecclus. 20, Psa. 5, Prov. 12, Wisd. 1, Rev. 21, Gen. 3, John 8, Matt. 25]

Father. A reward worthy such an act. But come off, tell me, is false witness-bearing and lying only forbidden in this precept? Son. Not only: for slandering, evil reporting, backbiting, defaming of our neighbour, with all other vices of the tongue, are here also forbidden.

Father. What saith the holy scripture of these things?

Son. God saith [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not go up and down as a privy accuser among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart,” &c. Jesus the son of Sirach saith [Ecclus. 5]: “Be not a privy accuser as long as thou livest, and use no slander with thy tongue. For shame and sorrow goeth over the thief, and an evil name over him that is double-tongued; but he that is a privy accuser of other men shall be hated, envied, and confounded.” Again [Ecclus. 21]: “A privy accuser of other men shall defile his own soul, and be hated of every man; but he that keepeth his tongue and is discreet shall come to honour.” Also in another place [Ecclus. 28]: “Beware of strife, and thou shalt make thy sins fewer. For an angry man kindleth variance, and the ungodly disquieteth friends, and putteth discord among them that be at peace.” “A tongue that beareth false witness bringeth death. The slanderer and double-tongued is cursed; for many one that be friends setteth he at variance.” St Paul saith [Rom. 12]: “Bless them which persecute you: bless (I say) and curse not.” Again [Eph. 4]: “Let all bitterness, and fierceness, and wrath, and roaring, and cursed speaking be put away from you with all maliciousness. Be ye courteous one to another, merciful, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Father. Fall these also into the displeasure of God? Son. Yea, verily. Heard ye not afore, that “he which is a privy accuser of other men defileth his own soul”? “Out of the heart,” saith our Saviour Christ, [Matt. 15] “proceed evil thoughts, murders, breaking of wedlock, whoredoms, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, or evil speakings. These are the things which defile a man.” Again he saith [Matt. 12]: “Of every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give accompts in the day of judgment. For out of thy words shalt thou be justified, and out of thy words thou shalt be condemned.” St Paul saith, [1 Cor. 6] that “cursed speakers shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Father. Now that we have heard what God forbiddeth in this his law, declare also unto me what he requireth of us, that we may learn to know and to do his blessed will and pleasure.

Son. First, he requireth of us, that we boldly and without fear (whensoever we be called of any temporal ruler to bear witness in any matter) testify the truth, and by no means, neither for love nor for hatred, dissemble and cloak that which we know to be true, but freely utter it, although displeasure at the hands of the ungodly should follow; as the wise man saith [Ecclus. 4]: “For righteousness take pains with all thy soul, and for the truth strive thou unto the death; and God shall fight for thee against thine enemies.” This is God’s commandment. [Exod. 23] “Thou shalt not hinder (saith he) the right of the poor in their suit. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous see thou slay not; for I will not justify the wicked. Thou shalt take no gifts; for gifts blind the sight, and pervert the words of the righteous.” Again [Lev. 19]: “Ye shall not do unrighteousness in judgment. Thou shalt not favour the poor, nor honour the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.” The wise man also saith [Prov. 12]: “A just man will tell the truth, and shew the thing that is right; but a false witness deceiveth. A slanderous person pricketh like a sword; but a wise man’s tongue is wholesome. A true mouth is ever constant; but a dissembling tongue is soon changed.”

Secondly, God requireth of us, that we should not only not backbite, slander, and defame our neighbour, but also that we speak well of him, defend his good name, set forth his good report, maintain his honest estimation, and rather cover, cloak, and dissemble our neighbour’s faults, than accuse and publish them unto his hindrance and destruction, as Salomon saith: “Evil will stirreth up strife; but love covereth the multitude of sins.” Hereto pertaineth the saying of St Peter: “Above all things have fervent love among yourselves; for love shall cover the multitude of sins.” [Prov. 10; 1 Pet. 4]

Thirdly, it is required of us, not only that we shall not through our misreports and slanderous words set neighbours together at variance, but also, if any be at dissension among themselves, to help to reconcile them, to make them friends, to set them at one, and to link them together again in true amity and unfeigned love, that we may be of that number of whom our Saviour Christ speaketh on this manner: “Blessed are they which make peace; for they shall be called the sons of God.” [Matt. 5]

Fourthly, God requireth of us, that we should at all times so use our tongue, that it may profit, not disprofit our neighbour, quiet, not disquiet him, further, not hinder, his good name and estimation; and in fine, so to use our tongue, that it may be the organ of the Holy Ghost, ready at all times to set forth the glory of God and the commodity of our neighbour.

And that we may the more conveniently this do, it shall not be unprofitable at all times to set before our eyes these sayings of the holy scripture. David saith [Psa. 34]: “What man is he that lusteth to live, and would fain see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Eschew evil and do good, seek peace and ensue it.” [Psa. 140] “For a man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth: evil shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him.” Therefore prayeth that prince-like prophet on this manner [Psa. 141]: “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips.” Salomon hath these golden sentences [Prov. 10, 17, 25]: “Where much babbling is, there must needs be offence; but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” “A Prov. xvii. wise man useth but few words; and he is a man of understanding, that maketh much of his spirit. Yea, a very fool, when he holdeth his tongue, is counted wise, and to have understanding, when he shutteth his lips.” “A word spoken in due Prov. xxv. season is like apples of gold in a graven work of silver.” Jesus the son of Sirach saith [Ecclus. 18, 22]: “Learn before thou speak.” “Who shall set a watch before my mouth, and a sure seal upon my lips, that I fall not with them, and that my tongue destroy me not?” The holy apostle saith [Eph. 6]: “Let no filthy communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to edify withal, as oft as need is; that it may minister grace to the hearers.” Again [Col. 4]: “Let your speech be always well savoured and powdered with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” St James saith [James 1, 3]: “Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” “If any man among you seemeth to be devout, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s devotion is in vain.” “The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things: it is a fire and a world of wickedness: it defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set a-fire even of hell:” it is “an unruly evil, full of deadly poison,” &c. St Peter also saith [1 Pet. 3, Psa. 34]: “Render not evil for evil, or rebuke for rebuke; but contrariwise, bless, knowing that ye are thereunto called, even that ye should be heirs of the blessing. For he that doth long after life, and loveth to see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil and do good: let him seek peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous; and his ears are open unto their prayers.” Again: “The face of the Lord is over them that do evil.” And to be short, it shall not a little profit, but help greatly, to remember this saying of our Saviour Christ: “Of every idle word that men shall speak they shall render accompts at the day of judgment.” [Matt. 12]

Father. Thou hast satisfied mine expectation concerning the ninth commandment. Rehearse me now the tenth commandment, as it followeth in order. Son. It is this:

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, his servant, his maid, his ox, his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”

Father. What is the good pleasure of God in this commandment? Son. Forasmuch as the words of the aforesaid commandments seem by outward appearance to require nothing of us, but politic, civil, and external justice or righteousness; lest that any man should think to have fulfilled the law by bringing forth, after a certain manner, the outward works of the law, and so think himself to be somewhat, when indeed he is nothing, and by this means glory of his own perfection and righteousness, whereas all his glory ought to be only in the Lord our God, as it is written, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord;” [2 Cor. 10; Jer. 9; 1 Cor. 1] God, willing to shew man unto himself, what he is, with all the strengths of his free will, with all his perfection and righteousness, with all his good works and merits, in this his law requireth of us not only politic, civil, and outward justice, but also spiritual and inward justice, with the full and perfect consent of the mind, with the unspotted cleanness of the heart, with the pure thoughts, godly desires, and holy affects of the spirit; yea, and that without any grudging or concupiscence to the contrary: which thing is impossible for any natural man to do, which “understandeth not the things that belong unto God:” which of himself is not able so much as to think a good thought: whose heart (as of him which by nature is the child of wrath, begotten, conceived, and born in sin) is lewd and unsearchable: whose “imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil continually even from his youth:” whose “righteousness and best works are as a cloth defiled”; [Two words are omitted.] forasmuch as “the law is spiritual,” and he “carnal, sold under sin,” yea, and the very bond slave of Satan, not able of himself either to think, breathe, speak, or do, that is praiseworthy before God. [1 Cor. 2; 2 Cor. 3; Eph. 2, Psa. 51, Jer. 17; Gen. 6, 8; Isa. 64, Rom. 7; 2 Cor. 3]

And here must all flesh with all humility and reverence fall down before the majesty of God, [Rom. 3] and confess themselves most grievous sinners, and worthy of everlasting damnation, forasmuch as they are justly proved transgressors of the law of God; seeing it is written [Deut. 27, Gal. 3]: “Cursed be every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to fulfill them.” For no man liveth which fulfilleth the law of God with such purity of mind, with such obedience of heart, with such free will of the spirit, and with such pure and uncorrupt motions of the inward man, as the law requireth, according to this saying of our Saviour Christ [John 7]: “Moses gave you a law; and yet none of you keepeth the law.” “We know,” saith St Paul, [Rom. 7] “that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.”

Father. God, therefore, in this his tenth and last commandment requireth of us not only outward justice, but also inward righteousness, so that we may not once lust or covet against the law of God. Son. Not only in this last commandment, but in all the other also God requireth that we shall not only, after a certain manner, fulfill them outwardly, but also inwardly, with a full and perfect consent of a pure and uncorrupt heart, without any grudging or concupiscence to the contrary.

Father. Prove by the word of God, that we may not so much as once lust or covet against the will of God, and that concupiscence is sin before God. Son. That concupiscence is sin, it is manifest by these words of the apostle [Rom. 7]: “I had not known,” saith he, “what lust had meant, except the law had said, Thou shalt not lust. But sin took an occasion by the means of the commandment, and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.”

Now, that we are forbidden to lust or covet contrary to the commandment of God, and that, if we do otherwise, I mean, nourish any evil concupiscence or lust in our heart, although it never burst out into outward work, we are transgressors of the law of God, and worthy of everlasting damnation, it appeareth manifestly by these words of Christ [Matt. 5]: “Whosoever looketh on another man’s wife to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Here is it evident, that God requireth not only an outward cleanness of the body, but also an inward purity of the mind; so that we must be unspotted both in body and in mind. For as he is an adulterer before man, which is apprehended in the very act of gross adultery; so likewise is he an adulterer before God, which only in his heart lusteth after another man’s wife, although he never commit the act, no, nor once make mention of it so much as by word. [John 4] “God is a Spirit,” and he judgeth all things of the spirit. If the spirit and inward man be once polluted with filthy lusts and fleshly concupiscences, we are straightways before God transgressors and breakers of his law, and worthy to be condemned unto everlasting fire, although we appear never so holy, pure, and honest before the blind world, which only seeth and considereth the outward deeds, and cannot behold the secrets of our heart, which only are known unto God. Therefore Christ, the Wisdom of the Father, and the true interpreter of the law, in the aforesaid sentence pronounceth him not only an adulterer, which committeth the gross act of adultery, but also which only in his heart nourisheth fleshly and unclean lusts; to declare unto us, that the law of God, as St Paul saith, [Rom. 7] “is spiritual,” and requireth not only an outward cleanness of the body, but also a perfect purity of the mind, utterly estranged from all evil, wicked, and ungodly concupiscences and lusts. Hereto pertaineth the saying of Jesus, the son of Sirach [Ecclus. 25]: “Thou shalt not lust after the beauty of a woman, lest thou be provoked in desire toward her.”

And as our Saviour Christ expoundeth this commandment spiritually, [Matt. 5] “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” declaring that not only pure bodies but also clean minds, uncorrupt affects, godly motions, &c., are required unto the perfect fulfilling thereof; so likewise doeth he in the other. This kind of doctrine used also both the apostles and prophets; as for an ensample, let us take this commandment [Exod. 20, Deut. 5]: “Thou shalt not kill.” Whereas the words seemeth only to forbid gross manslaughter, the mind of the lawgiver, which is the Lord our God, is that we shall not only not kill our neighbour, but also bear no malice nor envy against him in our heart, but rather love him, and seek to preserve him to the uttermost of our power. For Moses writeth on this manner [Lev. 19]: “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart.” “Thou shalt not avenge thyself, nor be mindful of wrong against the children of my people; but thou shalt love thy neighbour even as thyself.” St John also saith [1 John 3]: “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a manslayer: and ye know that no manslayer hath everlasting life abiding in him.”

Of these authorities of the holy scripture do we learn, that this commandment of God, “Thou shalt not kill,” forbiddeth us not only to abstain from gross manslaughter, but also from all malice, envy, hatred, and all manner of displeasure-bearing against our neighbour; so that before God he is not only a manslayer, which with weapon killeth his brother, but he also which in his heart hath conceived malice, hatred, and displeasure against his neighbour, although it never bursteth into outward and gross manslaughter, as the history of Cain doth evidently declare: in the which we read that, before he murdered his brother Abel, God would not once vouchsafe to look neither unto Cain nor unto his gifts. [Gen. 4; 1 John 3] Why so? Because of the malice and hatred which he had already conceived in his heart against his brother Abel. He was now before God a bloody murderer, and had transgressed this commandment of God, “Thou shalt not kill,” and therefore worthy of everlasting damnation. The wise man also saith [Ecclus. 34]: “The bread of the needy is the life of the poor: he that defraudeth him of it is a plain murderer.” Here the unmerciful man is called a murderer, not that he hath with any weapon slain the poor man, but because he hath withdrawn that from the poor and needy, through the covetous affection which is in his heart, that should sustain the miserable life of the poor. The blind world recounteth the unmerciful man no murderer; but before God such one is both a murderer and the heir of everlasting damnation, as St James saith [James 2, Matt. 25, Luke 16]: “The judgment shall be without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy.” Thus may we see, that all the commandments of God require of us not only an outward and civil righteousness, but also an inward and spiritual justice, with pure affects and clean motions of the mind, utterly sequestered from all carnality and imperfection.

Father. Let me hear more sentences of the holy scripture, wherein we are forbidden to nourish evil concupiscences and wicked lusts in our hearts: for many be of this mind, that evil lusts and ungodly thoughts defile not man. Son. That which in the holy scriptures is forbidden is plain sin. Evil concupiscence in the word of God is forbidden; therefore is evil concupiscence sin. And as touching wicked and unclean thoughts, thus saith the holy scripture [Prov. 6]: “God hateth and utterly abhorreth an heart that goeth about with wicked imaginations.” Again [Wisd. 1]: “Froward thoughts separate from God.” Item: “Inquisition shall be made for the thoughts of the ungodly; and the report of his words shall come unto God, so that his wickedness shall be punished.” Our Saviour Christ saith also [Matt. 15]: “Out of the heart met xv. proceed evil thoughts: these are the things which defile man.” Now as concerning the sentences, which forbid the filthy raging lusts of the heart, the scripture is full of them in every place. Salomon saith [Prov. 4]: “Keep thine heart with all diligence; for thereupon hangeth life.” Jesus the son of Sirach saith [Ecclus. 5, 18, 41, 25]: “Follow not the lusts of thine own heart.” Again: “Follow not thy lusts, but turn thee from thine own will: for if thou givest thy soul her desires, it shall make thine enemies to laugh thee to scorn.” Also in another place: “Be ashamed to desire another man’s wife, and to make many trifling words with her maiden, or to stand by her bedside.” Item: “Look not too narrowly upon the beauty of a woman, lest thou be provoked in desire toward her.” Salomon saith again [Prov. 6]: “Lust not after the beauty of a strange woman in thine heart, lest thou be taken with her fair looks.” The prophet Zachary saith [Zech. 7, 8]: “Let no man imagine evil against his brother in his heart.” Again: “Speak every man the truth unto his neighbour: execute judgment truly and peaceably within your ports. None of you imagine evil in his heart against his neighbour, and love no false oaths; for all these are the things that I hate, saith the Lord.”

Our Saviour Christ saith [Mark 4]: “The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, do so choke the word, of God, that it is made unfruitful.” Again [Luke 21]: “Take heed that your hearts be not overwhelmed with the cares of this life.” St Paul saith [Rom. 13]: “Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it.” Again [Col. 3]: “Mortify your earthy members; fornication, uncleanness, unnatural lust, evil concupiscence,” &c. Also in another place [1 Tim. 6]: “Godliness is great riches, if a man be content with that he hath. For we brought nothing into the world, neither may we carry any thing out. But when we have food and raiment, we must therewith be content. They that will be rich fall into temptation and snares of the devil, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men into perdition and destruction. For the covetousness of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and tangled themselves with many sorrows. But thou, man of God, flee such things. Follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Item [Heb. 13]: “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have already. For he hath said, [Josh 1] I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: so that we may boldly say, [Psa. 27] The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man may do unto me.” St James saith [James 1]: “Let no man say, when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God. For as God cannot be tempted with evil, so neither he himself tempteth any man unto evil. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away and enticed of his own concupiscence. Then when lust is conceived, she bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” St John also saith [1 John 2]: “See that ye love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, as the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Father. Doth evil concupiscence or lust also so displease God, that he will punish it? Son. We heard afore out of the mouth of Salomon, [Prov. 6] that God hateth and utterly abhorreth that heart, which goeth about with wicked imaginations; and that God will punish the wickedness of an ungodly mind. [Wisd. 1] The like thing heard we of the prophet Zachary. [Zech. 7, 8; Rom. 8] St Paul also saith, that “if we live after the flesh, we shall die,” that is to say, be damned for ever. And in the first book of Moses we read, [Gen. 4; 1 John 3; Jude] that Cain was found a murderer before God, before he slew his brother, because of the malice and hatred that he had conceived in his heart against his brother; so that God would neither look upon him nor upon his offerings. Therefore was he cursed, and all his lifetime was he a fugitive and a vagabond, and is now a damned soul in hellfire. In the aforesaid book [Gen. 12] also read we, that God smote Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because in his heart he burned with evil concupiscence and fleshly lust toward Sara, Abraham’s wife; whom notwithstanding he had not touched, neither knew he that she was Abraham’s wife. The like thing read we of king Abimelech. [Gen. 20]

Father. What requireth God then of us in this his last commandment? Son. That we, having contented minds with such things as wherewith God hath blessed us; should not desire unlawfully any thing that appertaineth unto our neighbour, but rather do our diligence, that whatsoever is his may remain his, unto his own commodity and profit; yea, and if we be able further to pleasure him or his, to do it unto the uttermost of our power, being no less godly and profitably affected toward him, than we are toward ourselves, yea, and that from the very heart. In fine, God requireth of us both in this last precept and in all other, that we bring unto the fulfilling of his law, not only outward, but also inward righteousness, not only the innocence of the body, but also the purity of the mind; so that both our bodies, and souls, hearts, minds, desires, and thoughts be pure, clean, and without spot, according to this saying of St Paul: “Ye are dearly bought; therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, which belong unto God.” [1 Cor. 6]

Father. Rehearse me the sum briefly of all the commandments of God, that we may know, in few words, what is our duty to do both toward God and our neighbour. Son. Christ saith [Mark 12, Matt. 22]: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is Lord only. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like unto this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. In these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” [Matt. 7, Luke 6] “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them also: for this is the law and the prophets.” St Paul saith [Rom. 13]: “Owe nothing to any man, but this, that ye love one another. For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For these commandments, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not lust, and so forth, if there be any other commandment, it is all comprehended in this saying, namely, Love thy neighbour as thyself. Love hurteth not his neighbour: therefore is love the fulfilling of the law.” Again he saith [Gal. 5]: “All the law is fulfilled in one word, which is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Also in another place [1 Tim. 1]: “The end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” St John saith [1 John 3, 4]: “This is God’s commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that we love one another.” “For this commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God should love his brother also.”

Father. Well, now have we heard, my dear son, what the law is; to what end the law was given; and how many commandments of the law there are; and what is required of us that we should do concerning the fulfilling of them. This law of God seemeth unto me a very heavy yoke and a burden almost intolerable, if the righteousness of Christ in this behalf did not help us, which (as St Paul saith) is [Rom. 10] “the perfect fulfilling of the law to justify all that believe.” Now, forasmuch as a new life requireth new manners, and our faith and love toward God is to be declared in the obedience of his law, and in the framing of our life according to his holy commandment; which thing of ourselves and of our own strengths we by no means are able to perform, [2 Cor. 3] seeing we be not able so much as to think a good thought, much less to accomplish the will of God with such purity and innocence of heart, as is required of us; come off, tell me, what is now to be done, that we may obtain some both will and strength, whereby we may be able to shew ourselves not altogether negligent in conforming ourselves to the blessed will of God, but [Matt. 5] that our “light may so shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.” Son. This question, O my dear father, is asked in due time. To obtain will and strength to walk in the law of God, there is none other way but only to fly unto faithful and hearty prayer, and to crave of the Lord our God by humble supplication the help of his holy Spirit, which may renew our hearts, and engraft in us new affects and new motions, that by this means we may become new creatures, unto the glory, praise, and honour of his holy name. And the order of the doctrine of the catechism requireth now, that we speak of prayer, which is the fourth part of the catechism, as you heard.

Father. Well said, my son. For we have passed over the first three parts; that is to say, repentance, faith, and law. Now remaineth the fourth part to be entreated of, which thou sayest is prayer. Son. Yea, verily.

Father. What order wilt thou take in this treatise of prayer? Son. I will, first, by the grace of God and through the help of his holy Spirit, declare what prayer is. Secondly, how we ought to address ourselves unto prayer. Thirdly, I will declare and expound the Lord’s prayer; forasmuch as that of all prayers is the best and most excellent, both because of the maker of it, which is the Lord Jesus, and also because in few words it containeth abundantly whatsoever is necessary to be desired either for the body or for the soul.

Father. I allow thy order well. Tell me therefore, my son, what prayer is.