AN INSTITVcion or Catechisme of the Christen Religion.

That all men be borne to religion or godlynes.

That all men be borne to religion or godlynes.

BEcause no man at all
can be founde, be he
neuer so barbarouse,
neuer so rudely & euyl
brought vp, but hathe some felyng
of religio~ or godlynes, & is
naturally disposed to the same:
it is playne that we all be made
to this purpose and ende, that
we shulde knowledge the maiestie
of our maker and the same

so knowledged to imbrace, and
with al feare, loue and reuere~ce
to worshyp. But (to let the vngodly
alone which seke nothing
els but to drowne this opinio~ of
God planted in theyr myndes
and to wype ye same out of theyr
memory) we at least which professe
godlynes and wolde be called
Christes folke, nedes muste
thynke that this brykle and vnstable
lyfe ought to be nothyng
els then a certayne saye or meditatio~
of immortalitie. Nowe,
the euerlastyng and immortall
lyfe we can no where fynde but
in god. Wherfore the chief care
and thought of our lyfe shulde
be to seke god, and with all the
endeuours of our mynde to get

vp vnto hym, and repose our
selues nowhere elles, saue in
him allonely.

What difference is betwene the false and true religio~.

FOr as muche as we knowe
this by our como~ sence and
vnderstandyng, that if our lyfe
be destitute and voyde of religio~
we lyue moste wretchedly, yea &
differ nothynge at all from the
brute and vnreasonable beastes,
there is no man that woll
seme to abhorre vtterly from al
godlines religion and seruice of
god. But nowe certaynly in the
maner and forme of expressyng
and declarynge this religion is

doubtles no lytle difference: for
the most parte of me~ be nat touched
with the true and syncere
feare of god, but bycause, whither
they wyl or nat, they be pricked
with this thought (whiche
euer amonge hathe recourse in
their myndes) yt there is a certayne
diuinitie or Godhed, at
whole pleasure they sta~d or fal,
beynge I saye therfore stryken
with the opinio~ of so great a power,
least they myght happen
to sturre the same against them
by their ouermoche negligence
or despysi~g: they gyue some maner
of worship (such as it is) vnto
this Godhed and power. In
the meane season yet leadyng a
moost beastly and lawles lyfe &

castyng vp all studies and endeuours
of honestye and good behauour:
they shewe the~selues
excedyng careles and wonderfull
recheles in despysynge the
ryghtfull dome and sharpe sentence
of god. And then, because
they measure not god by his infinite
maiesty, but by ye loutishe
and grosse vanitie of theyr wyt,
they so departe and traytrously
shrynke awaye from the trewe
god. Wherfore with what care
so euer they afterwarde busye
them selues howe they maye
worshyppe god, they are neuer
the better, but labour in vayne,
because they worshyp not the
euerlastyng God, but the dreames,
fansyes, & dotages of their

herte in stede of god. But as for
true religion & godlynes surely
it standeth nat in feare, whiche
wolde fayne in dede flee the iudgement
of god, and therfore because
it can nat flee it, feareth it
but it rather lyeth in trewe and
syncere affection, in louyng god
as a father, and fearynge hym
with all reuerence as a moste
drad soueraigne lorde, euermore
imbrasyng his ryghteousnes &
hatyng wors then deathe to offende
his maiestie. So who so
euer is roted in thys godlynes
and true religion dareth nat of
hys owne brayne forge hym a
god as he him selfe lusteth, but
seketh the knowledge of ye true
god, euen at god hym selfe, and

taketh him to be none other, tha~
suche as he sheweth and declareth
him selfe to be.

What we ought to knowe of God.

SYth the very maiestie of god
passeth ye capacite of mans
vnderstandyng, so farre that it
is impossible for him to co~ceyue
it, it is expedient for vs to honour
rather his hyghnes, then
rashely to serche it, least of suche
incomprehensible lyght we be
vtterly stryken downe. For this
cause then, god muste be sought
and searched out in his workes
as by certayne foresteppes, for
Goddes workes in scripture be

B.j.

called the shewes of thinges inuisible,
for as muche as they represente
before our eyes suche
thynges concernyng ye lorde as
other wayes coulde nat be sene.
This I saye, not that god wold
kepe our myndes in doubte, by
vayne and voyde speculations,
but that it is ynoughe for vs to
knowe ye true religion, I meane
faithe coupled with the feare of
god, and that the same is fyrste
breathed into vs, nourished and
strengthened only by god, for in
this vniuersall ordre and course
of thynges, we beholde the immortalitie
of our god, fro~ whom
all thynges flowe & haue theyr
begy~ning, we se also his myght
in that he made such a worke &

vpholdeth ye same, his wysdom
in that he hathe set in so goodly
ordre suche an infinite dyuersitie
of creatures, & keapeth the~
alwayes in the same to the eschewyng
of co~fusio~. We marke
also hys goodnes, whiche was
the very cause bothe that these
workes were made, and that
nowe also they stande sure and
stro~ge, his rightwysnes in that
so wo~derfully he declareth hym
selfe in defendyng the godly and
punishing the vngodly, we perceiue
also hys hyghe mercy, in
that so gentylly he suffreth our
wyckednes, to ye inte~t we shulde
returne as his mercy giueth vs
occasion to do. Here vpo~ myght
we at large be enformed (as

B.ij.

muche as were sufficie~t for vs)
of Gods maiestie and goodnesse
and what he is, but yt our dulnes
is so greate & the eyesyght
of our mynde so blount and daselyng
at so open a lyght. Neyther
is it onely a blyndnes that
thus causeth vs to stomble, but
there is also suche a frowarde
and cankred opinio~ in vs, as in
ponderyng the workes of God
taketh euery thyng a mysse and
cleane out of course, yea & tourneth
vp set downe all ye heuenly
wysdome so euidently apparaunt
in creatures. We muste
therfore nedes come to Goddes
worde, for in it, & by it (I meane
in the holy scriptures) God is
by his workes wonderous wel

descrybed vnto vs, where the
workes the~ selfes be weyed and
estemed not after our frowarde
iudgement, but by the rule of
the euerlasting truth. Here tha~
we learne that our God is the
only and euerlasting fountayne
of all lyfe, ryghtwysenes, wysdome,
power, goodnes & mercy,
from whom lyke as without exception
al goodness dothe come,
so all prayse ought worthely to
be rendred to him as his owne.
And by this meanes all thyngs
though they euidently appeare
in euery seuerall parte bothe of
heauen and earthe, yet to what
purpose they serue, what they
maye do, and vnto what vse we
muste vnderstande the~, we shall

B.iij.

easely espye whe~ we stey downe
to our selues, & consyder howe
god setteth forth his owne lyfe,
wysdome and power in vs, and
howe he practiseth his ryghtewysenes,
goodnesse, and mercy
towardes vs.

Of man.

MAn was fyrste made to the
ymage & lykenesse of God,
that in all hys ornamentes and
iewelles wherwt he was rychly
decked of god, he shulde honour
the maker of the same and worshyp
hym with suche kyndenes
as became him. But forasmuch
as he, trustyng so muche vpon
the excellencye of hys owne

nature that he had quyte forgoten
whence he came, and wherby
he was mainteyned, attempted
to auaunce hym selfe aboue
god, it was necessary he shulde
be spoyled of all goddes benefites
wheron he was so folyshely
proude, to the entent that wheras
he that was so rychely endowed
of Goddes bounteousnesse
thought scorne to know his maker
in hys felicitie, shulde nowe
beyng naked and destitute of all
his wealthe, learne to knowe hy~
in hys mysery. Wherfore so
many of vs as be spronge of the
sede of Adam, be borne very
fleshe of fleshe, ye lykenes of God
vtterly abolyshed and extincte
in vs, so that nowe vpon what

B.iiij.

parte so euer of man we cast one
eye, we can se nothyng, but that
is vnpure, vnhalowed and abominable
afore god. For ye wysdome
of man being blynded and
wrapte in infinite errours, withstandeth
alwayes the wysdome
of god, his frowarde wyl full of
corrupte affections, hateth nothynge
worse then gods ryghtwysnes,
his powers vntoward
to all good workes run hedlong
vpon all wyckednes.

Of free wyll.

SCriptures euery where
wytnesse that man is the
seruaunt of syn, wherby
is meant that his disposicion is
so tourned from the ryghtwysenes

of God, as he can neyther
thynke, luste, nor employe hym
to any thyng, but yt is vngodly,
croked, nawty and vnpure, for
the harte beyng so in the inner
partes enuenomed with ye poyson
of syn, can breathe nothyng
but the fruites of synne. Yet it
may nat be so taken, that man
is forsed to synne, as by vrgent
necessitie, for he synneth of hys
propre and most ready wyl. But
forasmuche as his affectio~s be
corrupte, he vtterly abhorreth
all ryghtwysenes of God, and
gredely renneth vpon all kynde
of wickednes. And so he is clene
shut out from the free power to
chose good from badde whiche
they call Free wyll.

B.v.

Of synne and deathe.

Synne in scripture, is called
not so muche the corruption
of nature, whiche in dede is the
heade spryng of al vyce, as ye ragyng
lustes that spryng therof,
yea the heynous abominacions
that brast out of these lustes, as
murther, thefte, aduoutry, and
other lyke. We therfore sy~ners
euen from our mothers wombe
be all borne to the wrathe and
vengeaunce of God, and euer
the elder we waxe, the more greuous
iudgement we heape vpo~
vs, so that all our lyfe longe we
go forwarde vnto deathe, for
sythe it is no doubte but all iniquitie
is cursed of goddes ryghtwysnes,
what shall we wretches

loke for at hys hande, but
very confusion, for that bryngeth
his displeasure with it, for
asmuche as we be pressed with
so greuouse a burden of synnes
and corrupted with so infinite
drosse of vnclennes. Thys
thought, thoughe it be hable to
ouerthrowe a ma~ with the fear
therof & euen dryue him downe
with despayre, yet to vs it is necessary,
that we beyng thus striped
of our owne ryghtwysnes,
destitute of all trustynge in our
owne power, and put backe fro~
all hope of lyfe, maye learne to
fall downe lowe afore the lorde
knowyng howe beggarly we be
of our selues, howe miserable,
and very villaynes, and thus

9

knowyng our owne wickednes,
dishabilitye & fal that we maye
gyue him all the prayse of holynes,
power, and saluation.

By what maner we be restored agayne to lyfe and healthe.

FRom this knowledge of our
selfe, so playnly shewing vs
howe we be nothyng at all, (if
it can be earnestly settle in our hertes)
there is a playne and redy
way to a more true knowledge
of God, yea he hym selfe hathe
nowe opened vs the fyrste gate
into his kyngdome thus vnder
mynyng the two moste noysom
pestilences, I meane the vnregardyng
of goddes vengeaunce

and ye false trust on our selues.
For then we begyn to lyfte vp
our eyes vnto heauen, whiche
afore dyd cleaue faste vnto the
grounde, and we that afore reposed
in our selues nowe thynke
longe for the Lorde. That same
lord & father of mercy although
oure synne hathe deserued the
contrary, yet for his vnspeakeable
mercy of hys owne mere
goodnes, sheweth hym selfe to
the troubled and astonyed conscie~ces,
and calleth vs home agayn
by what meanes he knoweth
most expedie~t for our weakenesse,
from straieng to the right
way, from deathe to lyfe, from
perdition to sauegarde, yea and
from the kyngdome of the deuyll

to hys owne kyngedome.
Wherfore euen to so many as
the lorde vouchsaueth to restore
to ye enheritau~ce of his heaue~ly
lyfe, he vseth such maner trade,
that they beyng sore wounded
in conscience by theyr synnes,
and weryed with the burthen
therof, myght be styrred to fear
him. Fyrste of al therfore he gyueth
vs his lawe, to exercise vs
vnto that knowledge.

Of Baptisme.

BAptisme is gyuen vs of
God, bothe to serue oure
faythe before hym, and to
serue our professio~ before men.
Fayth hath eye to the promyse,
wherby the mercyful father offerethe
vs the felawshyp of his
Christe, that we endowed with
hym myghte be partakers of
his goodes. And two thinges
it chiefly representeth vnto vs,
the clensynge, whiche we haue
in Christes bloude, and the
sleynge of our fleshe, whiche we
haue obteyned throughe his
deathe. For the Lorde co~mau~ded
his to be baptised into remyssyon

K.iii

of synnes. And Paule
teacheth that the churche is halowed
of Christ her spouse, and
washed in the lauer of water
in the worde of lyfe. Furthermore
he declareth that we be
baptysed into Christes deathe,
buryed with hym, to thinte~t we
might walke in newnes of lyfe,
wherby it is not meaned that
the cause or power of clensyng
and of newe byrth is in the water,
but onely that in this sacrament
is perceiued a knowledge
of suche gyftes: when we be accounted
to take, obteyne & purchase
that, whiche we beleue
to be gyuen vs of the Lorde,
whither we fyrste espye it, or
whyther it were knowen to vs

afore, and be here more certaynly
enformed of the same. Nowe
as touchyng our profession before
men, this Sacrament also
serueth, for it is a marke or token
wherby we openly professe
that we wyll be accompted amonges
the people of god, that
with all other godly personnes
by lyke relygion we worshyppe
that same one god. Syth then
in Baptysme the couenaunt of
the lord is specyally made with
vs: therfore of good ryght we
baptise also our infauntes in
that they be felowes and partakers
with vs of the euerlasting
couenant, wherein the Lorde
promyseth hym selfe to be the
God and graciouse lorde, not

K.iiii.

to vs onely, but to oure seede
also.

Of the lordes souper, or
sacrament of the
aultare.

VNto what ende the mystery
of this sacrament,
whiche saynt Paule calleth the
lordes souper, & is called of the
fathers Eucharistia and Synaxis,
was ordeyned, & whervnto
it serueth, the promesse
there added euyde~tly declareth
whiche is to acertayne vs, that
the lordes body was ones so offered,
so betrayed for our sakes
that now it is ours, yea and euermore
shall be, and that his
bloude was ones so sprynkled

and shed for vs, that it shulde
be ours for euermore. The bodyly
eye seeth but the sygnes &
figures of bread and wyne, but
the inwarde eye of fayth vnder
those signes seeth how the lord
gyueth the true partakynge of
his body and bloude, For all
thoughe he beynge now taken
vp into heauen, kepeth his residence
in heauen and no longer
in earthe, I meane in personall
and humayne lykenes, yet
no distau~ce of place can let him
to fede his faythefull with his
owne selfe, & so to worke that
they (thoughe heauen & earthe
be neuer so far asunder) shulde
yet haue moste presente felowshyp
and companye with hym.

K.v.

And hereof haue we a lesson gyuen
vs in this sacrament so certayne
and manifeste, that we
muste fastly beleue that chryst
with all his rychesse is here gyuen
and presented vnto vs, no
lesse then yf he stode euen personally
present, to be sene as he is
in his maiestie with our eyes &
to be felte with our handes, yea
and that with suche power and
myght, that not onely he bryngeth
to our soules an vndoubted
truste of euerlastynge lyfe,
but maketh vs sure also of the
immortalitie of our flesh beyng
quyckened of his immortall
fleshe, & after a maner takynge
part of his immortalitie. Wherfore
vnder the sygnes of bread

and wyne be presented and ministred
vnto vs the body and
bloude, to thintent we myghte
lerne yt they be not onely ours,
but also serue vnto vs for lyfe
and nourysshyng. Thus when
we se this most sacred and mysticall
bread, anone we must co~ceyue
this similitude, that lyke
as breade nourysheth, susteyneth,
and preserueth the lyfe of
our natural body: so is the body
of Chryste the fode, comfort,
and defence of our gostly lyfe.
When we se the forme of wine,
loke what profyte wyne bryngeth
to mans bodye, the same
muste we recken, spyritually to
be brought vnto vs in Chrystes
bloude. Now, this mystery

as it is a proufe and declaratio~
of the great bounty of God towardes
vs: so it ought to monysshe
vs, that we be not vnkynd
for the same his goodnes
and excedyng liberalitie shewed
vnto vs, but rather as oure
duetie is, auaunce the same wt
prayses, and magnifye it with
thankesgyuyng. And furthermore
that we shulde embrace
one of vs an other with suche
an vnite, as we se the membres
of one body knyt and fastened
amonges them selues. For
there can be no quycker spurre
to sturre brotherly loue amonges
vs, then whiles Chryste,
thus gyuynge hym selfe to vs
doth not onely allure vs by his

exemple, euer one of vs frely
to yelde and gyue hym selfe to
other, but also lyke as he maketh
hym selfe commune amonges
vs all, so in hym he maketh
vs all to be as one. But wolde
god we wolde lerne to measure
& to contemplate in our mynde
the greatnes of this so hyghe a
sacrament gyuen vs of god.
wolde god I saye we consydered
howe fowle a synne ingratytude
is, how horrible peynes
and punisheme~tes do ensue of
the vnreuerent handlynge and
prophanation of this sacrame~t.
Neither is it to be thought yt
those moste graue thretninges
yr s. Paule pronounceth be frustrat
& voyd. For thus he saith.

Wherefore who so euer eateth
this bread and dryncketh the
cuppe of the lorde vnworthely,
shall be gyltie of the body and
bloude of the Lorde. Let a man
therfore examine hym selfe and
so let hym eate of that breade &
dryncke of that cuppe. For he
that eateth and dryncketh vnworthyly,
eateth and dryncketh
his owne damnation, not decernynge
the body of the lorde.

Of the Pastors and herdmen
of the churche, and of
theyr power.

FOr as moche as the lorde
wyll that bothe his worde
and the Sacramentes be ministred

by men vnto vs: it behoueth
Curates or herdmen to
be set in offyce ouer the church,
which with pure doctrine may
enforme the people bothe pryuely
and apertly, ministre Sacramentes,
and with good exemple
instruct men vnto holynes
and purenes of lyfe. Who
so despiceth this institution &
this order, be vnruely and disobedient
not agaynst men but
agaynst god, in that they factiously
withdrawe them selues
from the felowshyp of the churche
which without this ministerie
by no meanes can stande,
for that hath no lytell authoritie,
that the Lorde ones witnessed,
sayenge, that he hym selfe

81

is receyued, when they be receyued,
and that he is caste oute,
when they be caste out, And to
thintent theyr office shulde be
no vyle thynge ne vnregarded,
they be endowed with a special
commaundement of byndynge
and loosynge, hauynge therto
a promesse, that what so euer in
earthe they bynde or loose, the
same is bounde and loosed in
heauen. And Chryst hym selfe
expounynge his worde declareth
that to bynde, is to holde
synnes, and to loose, is to release
them. Nowe by what fasshyon
they loose, the apostle expouneth,
when he saythe, that
the gospell is a power to saue
euery beleuer. Agayne what

waye they bynde, he declareth
when he saith that the Apostels
haue a redy vengeau~ce against
all disobedie~ce. For the summe
of the gospell is that we be seruauntes
of synne and death, &
that we be losed and made free
through the raunsome whiche
is in Chryst Iesu, and as many
as do not receyue hym for their
redemer, be bounde with newe
bondes of a greater condemnation.
But we muste remembre
that all this power which scripture
gyueth to pastours and
byshoppes is conteyned within
the mynistery of the worde, for
Chryst gaue not properly this
power to men, but to his word,
ordeynynge men onely the mynisters

L

thereof. Wherfore in
goddes worde whereof they be
made disposers & layers out,
boldely let them ieoparde euen
all thynges, and constreyne all
the power, glory, and pryde of
the worlde to stowpe and obeye
vnto it, by it let them co~maund
all men, from the hyghest to the
loweste, let them buylde Chrystes
house, pull down Satans
kyngdom, fede the shepe, slaye
the wolues, teache and exhorte
those that wyll lerne, reproue
the stubberne: but all togyther
in the worde, from whiche word
yf they swarue to theyr owne
dreames, and fanses: they be
no longer estemed for pastours
and shepeherdes, but rather

(for asmoche as they be pestile~t
wolues) ought to be dryuen awaye
and deposed. For Chryste
commaundeth none other to be
hearde, then suche as teache vs
the thynges that they haue taken
of his worde.

Of mens traditions.

SIthe we haue a generall
sentence of Paule, yt all
thynges in thassembles
& churches should be done comely
& in good order: ciuile ordinau~ces,
wherby as with bondes
an order and comly fasshyon
is kepte in the companye
of the Christians, and a concorde
thereby conserued, ought
not to be reckened amonges

L.ii.

mens traditions: but must rather
be referred vnto the rule
of the Apostle, so that they be
not beleued as thinges necessary
to our saluation, nor bynd
the consciences to any superstition
through them, nor be kept
as any worshyppynge of god,
nor that any holynes be reposed
in them. But such ordinau~ces
as vnder a tytle of spirituall
lawes be thruste vpon vs,
to bynde oure consciences, as
thynges necessary to gods honour,
alls suche lawes I saye
ought we earnestly to resyste,
for they do not only ouerthrow
the libertie whiche Christ purchased
vs, but also dymme the
true relygion, and defile gods

maiesty, who alone wol raygne
in our consciences by his word
Let this then abyde for a sure
gron~d, that all thinges be ours
and we Chrystes, and that god
in vayne is worshypped where
be taught doctrines, the commaundementes
of men.

Of excommunication.

EXco~munication is, wherby
notable horemongers,
aduouterers, vsurers, extortioners,
spoylers, rouers, pyrates,
brallers, ryoters, dronkardes,
seditious persons, wasters,
after they haue ben admonished,
and do not amende, be
reiecte and banysshed from the

L.iii.

company of the faythfull, accordynge
to the lordes co~maundement,
not that the churche casteth
them vnto perpetuall ruyne
and despayre, but it damneth
theyr lyfe & maners and
excepte they amende, the churche
ascerteyneth them or theyr
damnatio~. This order is therfore
necessary amo~ges the faithfull,
that sith the churche is the
body of Chryst, it ought not to
be defyled with such stynkyng
members, which redounde vnto
the shame of their head. And
moreouer least by company of
suche a naughty sorte (as it co~monly
chau~seth) the good also
myght be corrupte, It is also
profitable for them selues, that
their lewdnes be thus chastised
which, where as other wayes
by sufferaunce, they wold waxe
more wilful and obstinate, now
dryuen thus to shame, myghte
lerne to amende, whiche thyng
yf they can be wonne vnto, the
churche gentyllye receyueth
theym into her felowshyppe agayne,
and to the partakynge
of that same vnite, from whens
they were banysshed and shut
out. And least any man should
proudly despyse the iudgement
of the churche, or lytell regarde
that he by the churche is thus
condemned, the Lorde wytnesseth
that this iudgemente
of the faythfull is none other
thynge then the publysshynge

L.iiii.

of his owne sentence, and that
it is approued in heauen, what
they do in earth. For they haue
gods worde, wherby they may
damne the froward, they haue
agayne Gods worde whereby
they maye receyue those that retourne
vnto grace.