A19564:39
Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular…Catechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler…
Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular commodity and profit of children[n] and young people. Set forth by the most reverend father in God Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and MetropolitanCatechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler commoditie and profyte of childre[n] and yong people. Set forth by the mooste reuerende father in God Thomas Archbyshop of Canterbury, primate of all England and Metropolitane
printed for Gwalter Lynne, 1548
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But let Christian people weed out from the bottom of their hearts the roots of such inordinate love of any creature. And let them think after this sort, wherefore should I offend God for this or that thing, I know that this lucre or this honour upon the which I am tempted and do so much set my heart, is not God, it is but a creature, which can not save me, nether deliver me from death, or any other adversity. Wherefore I will love only my God with all mine heart, I will do all things for his sake chiefly, and I will only above all things obey him.
But let Christian people weede out from the botome of their hartes the rootes of suche inordinate loue of any creature. And let them thinke after thys sorte, wherefore shoulde I offende God for this or that thing, I know that this lucre or this honor vpon the whiche I am tempted and do somuch set my harte, is not God, it is but a creature, which can not saue me, nether delyuer me from death, or any other aduersite. Wherefore I wyll loue only my God wyth all myne harte, I wyll do all thynges for his sake chiefly, and I wyll onely aboue all thynges obey him.
Hitherto you have heard how by these three ways, by fearing, by trusting, and by loving, we may easily make a God of a creature, which in deed is no God but rather ⟨p. xiiii⟩an idol, set up by our own fantasy. But this is an horrible sin against the first commandment of God, and so much the more perilous, because it lurketh in the corners of mans hart most secretly. The world is full of this sin, and specially they that have hypocrite hearts, for all their painted holiness, are infected with the rustiness of these vices. And to the intent that you may the better know these heinous offences against the first commandment and the sooner eschew them, I will declare them unto you, by a few and short examples. Some there be that do so greatly fear the conjunctions and influences of the heavenly planets and bodies above, that when they judge by their learning in Astronomy, or hear say of other men, that the signs in heaven ⟨image 22⟩