yf suche men fauour them, then they shal be safe for euer. But the prophete Dauid in the cxlvi. Psalme doth gyue contrarye counsell sayng thus. Put not your confidence in princes, in the sonnes of men, in the whiche is no saluation.

Some men also put their hole affiance in money, and phantesye that they whiche haue plentie of money can lacke nothyng. Therfore they gyue themselfes holly to couetusnes and to the desier to hurde vp riches, they set their mynde vpon filthy lucre, they scratche what they can, not regardynge whether they get by right or by

wrong.

Suche men wurship their riches for their God. But Sainct Paule in the iii. chapter to the Colossians saieth. Forsake couetusnes whiche is a seruice to ydolles.

Some set their trust in their owne wourkes, thinkyng that by them they may be deliuered from synne, reconcyled to the fauour of God, iustified before him, and by them also to attayne eternal saluacion.

These haue their merites and wourkes in the steade of God. This is the greatest ydolatrie that can be vnder the sunne, and a playne denyall of the faith in Christ, as here after it shall be declared vnto you at large in the treatise of fayth.

Other ther be that be seruauntes to their awne belies gyuynge them selues holly to eatynge and drynkyng, and bodely pleasures, so muche that in comparison of bodily pleasures they eyther dispise or elles forget God. Suche men make their belie their god, as Saint Paule writeth of them saying, Some ther be which sellyng the wourde of God do teache peruersely whose god is their belye. But that thyng where in they do now glorye, shalbe theyr confusion. By these examples you maye easelye perceaue, howe by to muche fearing, trustyng and louyng, we make a god of a creature, which in dede is not God.

And besides these abuses, ther is an other that maketh an ydoll of the trew and lyuyng God. And that is when we imagyn by our owne heades an other forme or shape of God and his wil, than is true in dede, and otherwise than he himself hath declared to vs in his wourde. As for an example, when we beleue that God is a bodely thyng hauynge handes, fete and other membres lyke a man, or that he is more pleased with wearynge of a gray fryars coule or halowed garmentes, than with any other semely apparell, or that he delighte with our wilworkes and wourshyppinges, whiche he neuer commaunded, but we of our braynes haue deuised them. Suche phantasie and false opinion, I saye, maketh an ydoll of the trewe God, and it is a great offense against the first and chefe commaundement. But of this you shal heare more in other sermons.

Wherfore good childerne take hede of suche imaginations that you frame not to your selues within the temple of your hartes any straunge god or ydoll. But suffer the Lorde to be your God, for he doth offer hymselfe very louingly and with a fatherly affection to be your God. Therfore he sayeth to eache of you, I am the Lorde thy God, that is to say, I am youre Lorde and your Father, and I woulde fayne that you should take me for your veray God onely. Yf I am your Lorde, wher is the feare dewe vnto me? Onely feare me as your Lorde, obey me with al your hart, trust in me, praye to me, call vpon me, and loue me good children as your Father.

Yt were our bounden dewtye, to praye vnto him with most feruent desier, that he woulde vouchesafe to be our God. But his goodnes is somuche inclyned towarde vs, that he preuentethe vs, and before we desiere him, he of fereth hymselfe to vs, saying. I am the Lorde thy God, only acknowlege me for God. When he sayth I am thy God, it is asmuche as yf he shoulde saye, I wil powre all kindes of benefites vpon thee, whatsoeuer kynde of aduer

sitie troubleth the, make the moone to me, whan soeuer thou lackest any thinge, aske it of me. I am not far from the, I am thy God. At al times I wil be present with the, and I will helpe the in all thinges.

Now good children, dyligently learne ye this lesson, and graue it into youre memories: so you shal loue God, and put your trust in him. For this is the meanynge of this first commaundement that we ought to feare and loue the Lord God, aboue all thing, and fasten our hope in him. Wherfore good children with all dilygence learne you this rule. And when this question shal be demaunded of you, how do you vndrestand the first commaundement? then shal ye answer thus. In this precept we be commaunded to feare and loue God with al oure harte, and to put our whole trust and confidence in him.

THE CONCLUSION.

Now ye haue hearde good childerne in a briefe summe, the trewe sincere and playne exposityon of the first commaundemente, beare awaye I pray you this doctrine, and diligently recorde it, walke in the feare of the Lorde, that you transgresse not these commaundementes. For what soeuer God byddeth, that is right, iust, good and holye, what soeuer he forbiddeth, that is wrong, vniust, euil and synne. He himselfe requireth of vs, to kepe his commaundementes, and not dyspise them. For he saith. I am the Lorde thy God, a stronge and a ielous God, whiche do punyshe the children that do hate me, euen to the thirde and fourth generation, for the iniquite of their Exod. 18. parentes. And contrariwyse, I do shewe mercy to a thousande generacions of them that loue me and kepe my commaundementes. In these wourdes God dothe threaten greuous punyshementes to all them that breake these commaundementes, wherfore it is our dewtie, to feare his indignation and punishment and not to prouoke his wrath vpon vs by oure disobedience. And contrary he doth

promise his fauor and goodnes to all theim that kepe these his commaundementes. Therefore we ought to loue hym, cast oure affiance in him, and obey hys commaundementes. And specially ye good childerne oughte to feare God, kepe his preceptes, and to desire grace and helpe of him, that you maye perfourme and fulfyll them. For the feare of God is the begynnyng of all wysedome, and it maketh men godly and disposeth them to all good workes. And suche hauynge the fauour of God, may profit many, bothe in commen and priuate affaires. Out of this feare of God, springeth also a good conscience, peace and quietnes of the same, as you haue herde out of the Psalme whiche was rehersed in the beginnyng of the preface, and yf we continew to thende of our lifes in this trew knowlege and faith of God, that he ouer and besyde the forsaide benefites, wyll gyve vnto vs lyfe euerlastyng the whiche he graunt to you that is blessed for euer Amen.

Note that both the preface, and the conclusion also, of this firste sermon shalbe repeted, (thone in the begynning, and thother in the latter ende) in euery sermon made for the residew of the commaunde

mentes.

YE haue herd good children in the former sermon, that all maner of idolatrie is forbid by this commaundement. Thou shalt haue none other gods but me. Where also it was declared vnto you, howe you may commit spirituall ydolatrie, by ouer muche fearyng, trustynge and louyng of creatures. But nowe I wyll speake of the moost grosse ydolatrie, whiche standeth in wourshyppynge of ymages, eyther of creatures or of God hymselfe.

And this ydolatrye is forbyd by expresse wordes in this commaundement, where God sayeth thus.

Thou shalt make the no grauen ymage, nor any lykenesse of anye thynge which is in heuen aboue, or in earth benethe, or in the water vnder the earthe. Thou shalt not bow downe vnto it, nor wourshyp it.

These wordes (by most interpretors of late tyme belonge to the fyrst commaundement, althoughe after the interpretation of manye auncient autors they be the seconde commaundemente) in whiche wordes it is to be noted, that it is not wythoute greate cause, that God with so playne and expresse words doth forbydde wourshippynge of ymages. For he sawe that mans corrupte nature from the fyrst tyme that he fell from God, hathe euer ben enclined and redy to ydolatry, and to bowe downe to creatures, rather than to looke vp to God that made him. Wherfore he inhibiteth all occations of the

same.

God did also forsee, that in the latter dayes men shoulde come which woulde mainteine worshippinge of images. Not onlye with painted colors, but also with paynted wordes, saying. We kneele not to the ymage, but before the ymage, we worshyppe not the ymage, but the thing whiche is represented by the ymage, we worshippe not the creatures, but the creator in the creatures. And suche lyke excuses the greatest ydolaters dyd alwaies pretende. But to thentente they shoulde not so deceyue you, God doeth oftentymes in holye scripture call vpon you sayinge.

Thou shalte not make to the any grauen ymage or lykenes of any creature, thou shalt not kneele, nor bow thy selfe downe to it.

For what can be more contrarie to the dignitie of man, then he, whom God hathe made Lorde ouer all creatures to kneele or to doe reuerence to the image of a creature.

God hath so fashioned man, that he hath gyuen him a bodye standyng streighte vp, and a countenaunce to looke vpward into heauen. And why then should he bow him

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