¶ An heavenly act concerning how man shall live, made by our suffraine lord God the father, God the son, and God the holy ghost, and all the whole clergy in heaven consenting to the same.  
¶ Make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord, and put not of from day to day: for suddenly shall his wrath come, and in time of vengeance he shall destroy the.  Ecclesi. vi.  

God the father.  
WHere as we perceived that after we had created man, setting him in a place of high pleasure, leving him in the council of his own hands to choose whether that he would die or not die. And thus being a spiritual body, after our own similitude could not for all this stand in the same state but abusing our celestial gifts, and fell from our precept, neglecting what liberty to him was delivered, so changing himself from hevenli liberty unto eternal bondage, in whom we see what he was of himself nothing but sinfulness, refusing our liberties & fill unto the fullness of his own sin. Whom we lamented of our mere mercy, counciling with ourself we would not have him whole lost, upon which consideration we exiled him our company, and to live in the borders of our waste ground, taking him & his as aliens & strangers unto us, exempt from eternal wisdom and so brought to worldly policies. Notwithstanding as we have said our petty and clemency provided all manner of things and comodites for him by the which he might perceive our potencial power, as well before toward him as then. Wherefore upon consideration of our own good will we enacted by our own council so to provide & to set again at liberty, the dangers also to take away that man was fallen in, which could not be done but thorough him that was clean & pure without sin, for sin could not take away sin? but the time we reserved unto our own self, and at the length to stablish and confirm our said act and purpose we sent down our only begotten son to ꝓclaime our will what it was, unto the which he set to his seals hanging upon the cross, giving up his life thorough most painful death, by the which the atonement was made between man and us, and so our anger was pacified and we have also prepared eternal rest for man so that after this he will keep covenant with us, and live in our laws and statutes that we have set forth by our high court of parliament, both of lords spiritual and temporal to the same consenting.  
¶ We have enacted in our heavenly court that man shall love us above all thing with heart, soul, & mind, and all the powers he hath, & to have none other God or gods but us, and us only to serve upon the pain of everlasting damnation. ¶ We have enacted also by the authority aforesaid that our blessed name be not taken in vain but most reverently to be had in honour upon the pain before rehearsed, & utterly of us forsaken to the confirmation whereof our vicegerent jesus Christ willeth man not swear at all, but that his oath shallbe yea, yea, nay, nay, for what soever is more is sin. Also james the apostle archbishop of all Galacia saith. Let your yea be yea & your nay be nay, & Solomon to whom we gave great wisdom so that many regions wondered there at, giveth warning to great swearers & saith that our plague shall not departed from the house of a customable swearer. wherefore who the offendeth in this is utterly of us forsaken.  
¶ Provided always if ye shallbe required of your faith of any in authority to whom ye are doubtful or the obediens to your prince shallbe required of you by oath, & besides to testify for the truth of your neighbour so much as eqite & justice doth reqire ye may lawfully take us to witness for your faith, & to take us to witness for your obediens & to justify your neighbour in a right cause ye may rehearse our name for so is it not in vain the act before notwithstanding.  
Furthermore we willbe worshipped the vii day, the man shall give us honour & worship for the beneficial kindness that we have done to him, seizing from all labours that day both he & all his. ¶ Provided always where as need shall reqire as our only son & vicegerent jesus Christ gave example in healing the lame man upon the sabbath day: so the all acts may redound unto our glory lawfully to be used the act before notwithstanding.  
¶ Further be it enacted for the unite & concord which we would should be between our creatures, we will one shall do unto another as he would be done to. To the confirmation of this said act our only son & vicegerent saith, man shall pray unto us for the forgiveness of his sins, none otherwise than he doth forgive other Also the said jesus Christ saith: opening this act very plainly. If ye shall forgive those that hath offended you your heavenly father shall all so remit you your offences he will all so that man shall forgive his mortal enemies, and to bless where as they do curse. And although the authority of this act be sufficient as is before spoken yet man shall understand our lords of our parliament have given their voice unto it. And first the lord secretary John the evangelist set his hand and writ: Deus caritas est. God is charity, who that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him. And Paul, the lord chancellor sayeth: If he could speak with tongues of men or with tongues of angels so that he could remove mountains with his faith. If he should give his body to be burned without he have charity it perfecteth nothing, so that in conclusion he doth affirm and saith. Caritas non querit que sua sunt. charity seeketh not only his own but that that longeth to jesus Christ our only son and Vicegerent, whose example we will man shall follow, saying: Mandatum nowm do vobis, ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos. To you I give a new commandment, that ye love one another even as I have loved you. Also man shall understand, our love was unspeakable toward him as our lord secretary john the evangelist writ. Sic deus dilexit mundum, ut unigenitum suum daret pro mundum. We had such love unto man, that we gave our well-beloved son for him, that all that believe in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. Wherefore we will by our heavenly commandment that this act do extend to all creatures one to love another, for as our lord chancellor Paul saith love is the fulfilling of the law, & the contrary where love is not there is not god, & where god is not there is wickedness, and where wickedness is there is damnation. ¶ Also it is enacted man shallbe obedient unto his father & mother in doing their commandment, & in so doing we made man a promise that his life should be long upon the earth to this we have constitute kings & rulers to govern the earth to whom we will have dew honour given, for we have set them as our commissioners under us to execute our will for the which we will they be had in reverens, for the corboratinge of the same, our only son obeyed them, & also gave commandment that tribute, tol, & custom should be given unto them. Also lord chancellor Paul saith, let every soul submit themselves unto the higher powers & not to obey them only for fere but for conscience sake. Moreover Peter which was the poor fisher & took fish daily with his nets we exalted him to be of the domestical household with our only son & vicegerent, & so boldened his heart & spirit that we made him to take men in the spiritual net whose faith confessed that Christ was the son of us the living god, to that which all the fellowship agreed, & for the which confession so made by faith he was translated to an high office there made the suꝑuiser of our church spiritual, whose authority is no less toward us then the lord secretary John or the lord chancellor Paul to be believed. And this act doth Peter suꝑuiser of our building confirm, saying: submit your selves to all manner of ordinances of men for the lords sake whether it be unto the king as unto the chief heed, or unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers, but for the praise of them that do well, for so is the will of God here man must obey them for our sake, for so willeth Peter there help & succour with body and goods to be at the kings commandment, therefore we will and by the consent of our lords spiritual and temporal, that this act doth stand in full strength & virtue. ¶ Provided always so that if father or mother command any thing contrary unto our will, or more than they have in our commission, that then it shallbe leeful for man to say as Peter superuiser answered the rulers, what time they would have put him to silence in confessing and preaching jesus Christ & that they had cast aside the stone as Peter laid unto their charge, which was become the head corner stone and that there was no health in none other, nor no name wherein any salvation should consist but only our only son and Vicegerent jesus Christ, boldly he said how that he was more bound to obey God then man, so will we have you to say, the act before notwithstanding. ¶ Further it is enacted, thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steel. Thou shalt bear no false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbour's wife. Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbour's house, land, servant, maid, ox, ass, or what so ever he hath, to this act all lords in heaven both spiritual & temporal doth confirm and agree unto the same, and unto the transgressors there longeth damnation. ¶ Also we enacted, Cursed is he that maketh any carven ydol or image, which we abhor, (for it is the owrke of man's hands) and cursed is the hands that maketh them to the intent to have them worshipped, for we will no worship shallbe given unto them. For we are God all alone & all honour longeth unto us, who was honoured when we were all alone in our own glory, who is worthy to have honour, but he that made all thing honourable. Therefore as our lord chancellor Paul saith, Soli deo honor et gloria. Honour glory with all praise be unto us. It rejoiceth us to hear man say with a faithful heart. Tu solus dns, tu solus sanctus, tu solus altissimus. Also we know that they praise us & laud us, when they say or sing with a faithful heart. Laudamus te, unndicimꝰ, te, adoramus te. The do we laud, the do we bliss, the do we worship, & the do we glorify. Gracias agimus tibi ꝓpt magnam gliam tuam Unto the give we thanks for thine own great glory, so that no creature hath any glory to glory in but we, the which glory can not be expressed with tongues nor yet with heart, yet we be not strange thereof, but in our house there is many mansions prepared for our loving subjects, as christ hath declared, & yet notwithstanding when the course of the transitory world shall have his end & all thing concluded as we have decreed what can any of our creatures say, how they did attain to the inestimable joys that they shall have of themselves? no no. Can they buy it by any man of ways, & to say we had no need of no help but of our own power came we hither? no no, they must confess with our ambassitor David. Non nobis dne non nobis, sed nomine tuo da glian. Not of us lord, no not of us that we possessed these joys, but the glory must redound to thy name. as christ saith, there is none good but god, so will we that man shall know without us they can do nothing: for we herd that our children of Israel said to Moses▪ that tstey would perform & do all that we had commanded. Nevertheless to bring them from their own trust & holiness, & that they might know & perceive that it is we that worketh all in all things: we axed Moses who should give them such a heart. Therefore we will have all honour we willbe prayed unto, we will be trusted unto, for there is none to match with us, for they are our creatures and we are their God, so is there no gods that hath any such virtues or graces but only we. Wherefore we straitly command by the virtue of this our said act that no person or persons do not take any part or parts of our honour from us, and to give unto idols or image, but to give unto every creature his honour, as we have it enacted, upon the pain of our everlasting punishment & dreadful indignation without redemption. ¶ Furthermore we have enacted by our own power, and also by the consent of our lords spiritual and temporal, that no man doth either add or take from our heavenly laws otherwise then we have enacted as we ourself have said unto Moses the speaker of our parliament what time he receivid our acts delivering those same unto the children of Israel. Also our vicegerent jesus Christ saith that man shall do the father of heavens will for I come not saith he to do mine own will, but his will that hath sent me. Also johan the evangelist our secretary saith: Cursed is he that shall add any thing unto that that is written in the mystery of this law, if any man shall add any thing, God shall add unto him the plagues that are contained in the same. Moreover the said lord secretary sayeth, if any man come unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your houses, neither salute him, for he that saluteth him is partaker of his evil deeds. Furthermore Paul lord chancellor sayeth. Other foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid already. The lord chancellor confirmith it more & saith if an angel should come from heaven to declare any other doctrine, he forfendeth to give no credens, wherefore we will that our laws doth stand in his full strength & virtue without corruption of other doctrine.  
¶ Further be it enacted it shallbe lawful for all men to have these our laws ordinances and statutes day lie red in their houses, as our captains of our armies had both joshua and also Esdras, and also our speaker of parliament Moses said. Audi filii Israel, declaring to them they should written it upon the posts and gates of their houses, and to have it in remembrance it should be bound unto their hands and so whetted upon their children that none other doctrine should take place that according as Paul lord chancellor sayeth. He would of one to go before another in spiritual knowledge. And David the noble king and one of our chief ambassitours that brought message of our godly pleasure to come, setting forth also what profitableness was in the knowledge of our law said. Lex dni immaculata convertens animas testimonium dni fideli sapientiam prestans paruulos. The law of the lord is perfit, refreshing the soul, the testimony of the lord is faithful ministering wisdom unto the unlearned, the commandments of the Lord are right making glad the heart, though things which God commandeth are plain and pure? and they lighten the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure and holy abiding for ever, the pleasures of the Lord are true and right in every part more worthier to be desired then gold and precious stones, swetter than the honey comb when it droppeth.  
This ambassitour king David was in assurauns he never fell after he had our holy and heavenly law in his heart where as he said. Lucerna pedibus meis, verbum tuum domine, et lumen semitis meis.  
O Lord thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and also a light unto my paths. And more over he said. juravi et statui custodiri judicia justice tue. I have sworn even in the bottom of my heart and shall perform it to keep thy just pleasures. So that in every place this faithful David professed our law to be of wonders efficacy strength and virtue, that in manner he did wonder at them, and with a great vehemency spoke. Mirabilia tua domine etc. marvelous are thy testimonies, wherefore my soul observeth them, to come but to the door of thy scripture lighteneth and giveth understanding to the unlearned. This was he of whom we said we have chosen a man even to our own heart. Furthermore our secretary john the evangelist at the entering first into his office said. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, & God was the word, so that by his authority who so ever receiveth our law receiveth us, and the contrary who so receiveth not our law, receiveth not us. Wherefore man shall understand, it is our will & godly pleasure to have our most sacred word to go forth which is the comfort for man to guide his whole life with all, and it was full authorized by our only son & Vicegerent jesus Christ which did perform the consummation of our said law, but we will by the virtue of this said act, that any person or persons do not only receive this our law carnally but we will it shallbe received spiritually, or else as Peter the master of our buildings saith it should be better if they had never acknown it.  
¶ Provided always that if any person or persons do not accomplish and fulfil this our said law, that then it shallbe leeful for him or them to say with our faithful ambassitour David peccavi or peccavimus cum patribus nostris. injust egimus iniqitatem fecimus. I have sinned or we have sinned with our fathers we have lived & walked sinfully, & have done iniquity, so that if we shall perceive amendment of life be had among men that then we will even fatherly accept their hearts for the said confessions sake & spiritual minds the act before notwithstanding. ¶ Further be it enacted that every person or persons which murmur or groge that this our said law should prosecute for man's consolation, we abject clean our heavenly regiment to everlasting punishment, & every person or persons that be transgressors of our said laws, and be in mind to continued still in such rebellious life, shall have like punishment & be wiped clean out of the book of life. ¶ Provided always we would man should know our pardon is incomparable so that men willbe obedient & reconciled unto our law, when so ever our grace is offered. For we will not the death of no sinner, if he will convert & turn, we will turn to him again & will think no more on his disobediens, his sins shall pass from our sight as corrupt water that is put into a fair running river. So that we will man shall lay full hold trusting hole to the restitution that we have by our own son & vicegerent provided for him which is the painful passion that our son did suffer in whose blood we be moved to mercy, when so ever man by faith layeth the same before us. clearly as we said before (of the sins that man hath done) to think no more on them, that act before notwithstanding.  
¶ Further be it enacted our Beatitude shallbe upon almen, that shall with a willing heart do or consent to observe and do all that we have commanded, their cattle, their corn, with all other their substance, shallbe multiplied and increased. And contrary every person or persons that with a grudging heart do not or at the least consent unto all that we have commanded to the uttermost of their powers, that then let them be sure that our most godly increase shallbe withdrawn from them, for cursed shall they be, their corn, their cattle, with all other their substance. ¶ Provided always, it shallbe meet for us to take our pleasure above all other. And where as we did permit sathan to tempt our only son and Vicegerent jesus Christ And also in like case our faithful servant job, to be tried by adversity. It shallbe understand many times we be so minded to prove our faithful, & to withdraw vain things from them to bring them to the knowledge of more parfiter gifts. For it is our nature divers times to set up and after to pull down many times we exalt the wicked to drown them hole in their lubricite. For of all creatures, we know the intent of the creation, we are as the potter that may do what him list with the lump of clay when he hath it in his hands, to make it a vessel of honour or a vessel of dishonour, and yet we will not be reasoned with all for the cause, but we will man shall apply his hole will unto our will, and to say with our only son and Vicegerent jesus Christ. Fiat voluntas tua. Not our wills, but this thy will in all things may be done. For thy will is holy and is a will that can not alter and change, unto the which all creatures in heaven, earth, and hell must obey. If man shall thus obediently prostrate his whole heart unto our correction. Whether it be in loss of goods sickness or any other adversities, what so ever it shall please us to touch man with all. That then man shall be sure we will so use him at length, he shall not be tempted above that he is able to bear. And as our lord chancellor Paul sayeth. Who so ever doth put their trust in us shall not be confounded. And our ambassitour king David sayeth. Multi tribulationes justorum, et de omnibus hiis liberavit eum dominus. Unto the just happeneth many tribulations, but the lord delivereth them from all. Therefore we will man shallbe faithful in temptation yea and to give up his hole life into our hands, and to fear nothing that shall come of us, what so ever shallbe laid to his charge but to remember that in all thing we seek his profit, yea though that we take his temporal life from him in the which we will be glorified, and glorify him again. For as it is said. Preciosa in conspectu domini, mors sanctorum eius. That is the death of the faithful is precious in our sight we will man shall take no pains for our pleasure but that we will double recompense again. For our only son and vicegerent hath said. Beati qui lugent. Beati qui persecuntur etc. Blessed are they that mourn for they shallbe comforted, blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake for there's is the kingdom of god, blessed are you when men shall revile you & persecute you, & falsely say all manner of evil sayings against you for my name's sake. Rejoice & be glad for great is your reward in heaven. what may be more said, what thing can we more promise, wherefore man shall understand in all things we will that man shallbe obedient and confirmable unto our will and godly pleasure, the act before notwithstanding.  
¶ Also we have enacted that every person or persons shall understand that never after this we shall alter or change any part or parts of that we have enacted but as our Vicegerent sayeth. Heaven & earth shall alter, but our word shall not alter, for our word is our own self, and we are not changeable in ourself we are omnipotent, without beginning without ending, holiest of all holiest, so fixed & knet in everlasting truth that all that we have said can not alter nor be undone, but evermore to stand. Wherefore by virtue of this said act we will that none other of our terrestrial creatures shall in their counsel or councils, inveye or suppress any part or parts of that that we have said or enacted, but that every person or persons in all their counsels shall have prospect to our laws grounding them selves on our foundation that we have laid. For we know ourself to be as wise as they in all things, what was meet and what was unmeet, whose laws also be sanctified by our laws if they be consonant, and whose laws also be accursed by our laws, if they be contrary, so that with what measure so ever is delivered, the same shallbe delivered again yet by our law, althinge shall be justly judged.  
¶ Be it known therefore that this is the first and the last parliament that we have or will to enact our laws for evermore. And when the time shall come (as we have it appointed) to call kings & emperors with all other potentates before us to render account before us for the executing of our will and laws whether they have been done worthily or unworthily before us it shall appear, and those that we have found faithful and trusty we shall deliver them from the dangers of the law to reign with us everlasting. And again the transgressors or malefactors of the same, shall fall into everlasting curse of the law, which is damnation for ever more.   

¶ Printed at Amstredam be jan Peterson.