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Catechism
by Thomas Cranmer
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Excerpt:
PATER NOSTER.
A generall preface to be rehersed after the prayer, in the begynning of eche sermon made vpon the Ten Commaundementes.
THE prophete Dauid good children lyke a commen scholemaster in the schole of God doeth preache on thys
Psalmes. faschyoii in the xxxiiii. Psalme, Come hither he saith my xxxuii. sonnes, herken vnto me, I wil teache you the feare of the i Pet. iii. Lorde. Who so euer desireth to lyue, and woulde fayne jdi.xiii.xxi.see good dayes, let hym refraine his tongue from euyl, and hys lyppes that they speake no deceit, let him eschew Jac. 1.3. euil, and do good. Let him seke peace and pursue it.
Now my derely beloued children, I know suerly that there is none amonge you, but that he woulde wyshe to see good dayes, and lead a godlye and quiet lyfe. Then muste you folowe the counsell of the prophete Dauid, with all dilygence to learne the feare of the Lord whitest ye are yet yong and tender of age. For that which men learne not in theyr youth the same do they learne in theyr age with more difficultie. Therfore learne now with all diligence the feare of the Lord deare children, then shal you waxe men of excellent vertue, and leade a godlye lyfe, and shall see good dayes. For a blessed and quiet life is not bought with riches nor gotten by honoure, but by learnynge the feare of God. And he that feareth his Maker, as an Almyghtye God and Lorde, whiche doth mercifully healpe them that be good, and greuously punisheth the wicked, he wyll dyligently take hede, that he do nothynge contrarye to Goddes pleasure, but wil kepe his commaundementes so muche as is in his power. And suche godlye chyldren proue learned and wyse men, which maye be able to profit other and the common welth also, as Dauid sayth in an other place. Psal. cxi. The feare of the Lorde is the begynnyng of wisedome.
Wherfore if you feare God, and haue a desire to be occupyed in godlines, then learne the Ten Commaundementes, wherby God hath taughte vs, what pleaseth and what dyspleaseth hym, what thynge is good and what is euell. And yf you learne these lessons perfectly, then therby you shal purchase vnto you the beginning of trewe and godly wisedome, whiche is suche wisedom, that many men wel striken in yeares, do not attayne to
it. And yet this wisedom and knowlege of the Ten Commaundementes, is but onely the begynnyng of sapience, for it is the teaching of the lawe. But when the doctrine of fayth in Christe is taughte vnto you, then you learae a greater and higher wysedome, the whiche the vngodly or vnfaythfull do not vnderstand nor perceyue, but God onely doeth gyue it downe frome heauen, to make vs feare him and beleue his holy worde. Wherfore good children, learne nowe dilygently the beginning of wisedom, that is to saye, tholy Ten Commaundementes, and gyue so good eare vnto them, that you maye learne them without booke, and reherse them when you come home.
Here folowe the Ten Commaundementes, whiche must be recited so tretably and distinctly, that children by often hearinge of them, maye print them in theyr memories and saye them by rote.
These are the holy Ten Commaundementes of the Lorde our
God.
The Firste.
I am the Lorde thy God, thou shalt haue none other
goddes but me.
The Seconde.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne, for he shal not be gyltles before the Lorde, that taketh hys name in vayne.
The Thyrde.
Remember that thou sanctifie the sabboth daye.
The Fowrthe. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayst lyue a long lyfe in the lande whiche the Lord thy God shall gyue vnto thee.
The Fifth. Thou shalt not kyll.
The Syxte. Thou shalt committe no adulterye.
The Seuenth. Thou shalt not steale.
The Eyght. Thou shalt not beare false witnes agaynst thy neygh
boure.
The Nynthe.
Thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house.
