CRANMER'S CATECHISM. Furthermore, in this article God is called, Maker of heaven and earth, that is to say, God made heaven and earth, and all things contained therein of nothing. For God made not these things as a carpenter maketh an house (which cannot if he lack his tools and stuff); but he only said, Let it be done, and by and by all things were done. And therefore he hath a new title, which was never heard among all the philosophers, being called, the Creator of the world, that is to say, that by his word he wonderfully made all things of nothing. And as soon as he did speak, by and by, all the world stood up and was made. Thus he made man, and gave him body and soul, reason and wisdom, and did set under his government the earth, and all things that grow thereon, as all kind of trees with their fruits, all kind of herbs and flowers, all fishes of the sea, fowls of the air, and all manner of beasts, tame or wild; and he made man lord over ail these creatures, that he might use them, partly to his nourishment and food, and partly to is apparel and ornament of his body, invoch that he made the sun, moon, and all the star, for this end. that they should serve man And that is most comfort to us of all; he made all these creatures with all the company of Heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name; evermore praising thee and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory : Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. CATECHISM. Answer. They did promise and vow three things in my name: First, that I should renounce the Devil and all his works, Ans. First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me, and all the world ;... THE SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. God, who by thy mighty power hast made all things of nothing; who also (after other things set in order) didst appoint, that out of man, created after thine own image and similitude, woman should take her beginning; and knitting them together, didst teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by matrimony hadst made one:.... Almighty God, who at the beginning did create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and did sanotify and join them together in marriage ;.... From the Thirty-nine Articles. ARTICLE I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity. There is but one living and true God...... The Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. CRANMER'S CATECHISM. Furthermore, in this article God is called, Maker of heaven and earth, that is to say, God made heaven and earth, and all things contained therein of nothing. For God made not these things as a carpenter maketh an house (which) cannot if he lack his tools and stuff); but he only said, Let it be done, and by and by all things were done. And therefore he hath a new title, which was never heard among all the philosophers, being called, the Creator of the world, that is to say, that by his word he wonderfully made all things of nothing. And as soon as he did speak, by and by, all the world stood up and was made. Thus he made man, and gave him body and soul, reason and wisdom, and did set under his government the earth, and all things that grow thereon, as all kind of trees with their fruits, all kind of herbs and flowers, all fishes of the sea, fowls of the air, and all manner of beasts, tame or wild; and he made man lord over all these creatures, that he might use them, partly to his nourishment and food, and partly to his apparel and ornament of his body, insomuch that he made the sun, moon, and all the stars, for this end, that they should serve man. And (that is most comfort to us of all) he made all these creatures he is careful for us, and provideth such things as we have need of, yea, before we be born. Wherefore, good children, let us be of good cheer, and, putting our trust in God, let us reason on this fashion. Forasmuch as God made heaven and earth, it is evident thereby that he is Lord and Master of the same, and that all things, as well in heaven as in earth, are done according to his will. And forasmuch as he made all things for us, it is also manifest thereby, that he willeth all creatures to do us service. Let us therefore follow the counsel of Christ, who saith, "Be not careful for your life, what ye shall eat or drink; nor yet for your body, what raiment ye shall put on. Is not the life more worth than meat, and the body more of value than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, the which do neither sow nor reap, nor carry into the barns, and yet your heavenly Father doth feed them. Are not you much better than they? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow they labour not, they spin not. And yet I say unto you, that Solomon (when he was in his most gorgeous royalty and glory) was not apparelled like one of these. Now if God doth so apparel a flower (which although it flourisheth to-day, yet to-morrow it withereth away, and is cast into a furnace), shall he not much more do the same for you, O ye men of little faith?" These be the words of Christ, good children, by the which he exhorteth us to put our trust and confidence in God, our Father, and stedfastly to believe, that he which hath given us our life, is both able and willing also to give us all things necessary to the maintenance of our life. For he is the Maker of all things, and all creatures obey his will and commandment: and if there lacked any thing that should help us, he is able every day to make us all new again, as every year he maketh all things to renew and spring again. Thus by these words we learn, that God hath made heaven and earth, and all things contained therein, for us, and for our commodity, and that he both can and will give us our daily food and living. Wherefore let no man trust to his own wit, reason, or compassing, thinking he is able to get his living or riches by his own carefulness, or to maintain his life, but let us put our trust in God, our Father Almighty: he will feed, nourish, and maintain us, as long as it shall please him. Nevertheless it is our part to labour diligently, and every man is bound to do his duty in his vocation and calling. For God willeth not that we should be idle, and lie all the day on the one side, looking that we should put meat into our mouths, as the nurse doth feed young children, but he commandeth us to ply our labours and occupations, and then to cast all carefulness, and put. it unto him. Thus, good children, I have expounded unto you the first article of our belief, containing the doctrine of the creation and making of the world, |