God in oure harte whereby we maye kepe Goddes commaundementes accordyng to this saying of saynt Peter Let euerie one of you he baptised in the name of christ and then you shall receyue the gyft of the holy ghost The thirde is that by baptisme the whole rightuousnes of Christ is gyuen vnto vs that we maye clayme the same as our owne For so saincte Paule teachethe saying As many of ye as are baptised in Christe haue putte vpon you Christ. Fourthly by baptisme we die with Christ and are buried as it were in his bloude death that we shoulde suffer afflictions and death as Christ himself hath suffered And as that man whiche is baptised doth promise to God that he wyll dye with Christ that he maye be deade to synne and to the old Adam so on the other part God doth promise againe to him that he shalbe partaker of christes death and passion And also God maketh al afflictions whiche he sufferethe to be good and profitable vnto him as was the passion of Christ and not damnable as it was to Iudas and dyuerse other vngodlye parsons By thys which I haue hetherto spoken I trust you vnderstaÌ„de good children wherfore baptisme is called the bath of regeneratioÌ„ and howe in baptisme we be borne agayne and be made new creatures in Christe The whiche doctryne you shall the better vnderstande yf you consider in what coÌ„dition you were before you were baptised and in what state you stande in after your baptisme Firste before we were baptised it is euideÌ„t that we were synners and he that is a synner can haue no peace nor quietnes of coÌ„science before he come to Christ so muche he feareth Goddes wroth and euerlastyng damnation But after that oure synnes in baptisme be forgyuen vs and we beleue the promyse of God and so by oure faith be iustified than our conscyences be quieted and we be glad and mery trustyng assuredly that God is no more angrye with vs for our former offences and that we shal not be damned for y e same And thys is a meruelous alteration and renewyng of the inward manne the whyche coulde be wrought by the power of no creature but by God alone Also before we were baptised we were slaues and boundemen to synne so that we neyther coulde do that good which we would haue done nor could kepe vs from that euil whiche we would not haue done as saint Paule complaynethe of himselfe But whan by baptysme the holy gost was gyuen vs the whiche did spread abrode the loue of god in our hartes and did also delyuer vs from y e boundage and tyrannye of synne and gaue vs new strength power to wrastle against synne and manfullye to withstande our gostly enemye the deuel thaÌ„ after a certen maner we were able to fulfyl gods commauÌ„dementes And this is a greate chaunge and renewyng of the inwarde man And this I wold you shoulde know for a suertye good childreÌ„ stedfastly beleue y e same that no child of y e Iewes or Turkes whiche is not baptysed hathe the holy ghoste neyther that anye suche can vnderstande the worde of God neyther that anye suche is holy or righteous before God Wherefore you shall thanke God with all youre harte whiche hath brought you to baptysme And when you beleue in the name of Christ and loue the ghospell and are glad dyligeÌ„t to hear y e same theÌ„ this is a suer tokeÌ„ y t by the gospel you haue receaued y e holy gost Furthermore he that is a synner not baptised althoughe he had the holy ghoste to this effecte to helpe him to fight againste synne yet oftentymes he is ouer come and falleth to synne And althoughe he doth oftentimes ouercome sinne yet this is a great vnperfectenes y t he dothe it not willingly but that this fight against sinne is tedious and greuous vnto him Wherefore he is euer in perrel lest he be ouercome of syn And in case he doth manfully w tstande synne yet he seeth that his iustyce and obedience be to weake and vnperfecte to stande before the iudgement of God as in dede no man not the holyest is able to stande before y e iudgemeÌ„t of God by his awne rightuousnes But when in baptisme the rightuousenes of Christ is gyuen and imputed to hym then he is delyuered from al those perrels For he knoweth for a suerty that he hath put vpoÌ„ him Christ and that his weakenes imperfectioÌ„ is couered hydde with the perfecte ryghtuousnes and holynes of Christ. Wherfore after baptisme he doth not trust in his awne rightuousnes but in Christ only And he is no more pensyue or doubteful coÌ„syderynge his awne weaknes but he is ioyful because he coÌ„sidereth that he is made partaker of Christes rightuousnes And this agayne is a great alteratioÌ„ and renewyng of the inwarde man These newe affections and spiritual mocions are in the soulles of suche as are borne again by baptisme but they be vnknowne to worldly men and suche as be not led by the spirite of God And wheÌ„ they that beleue and be baptysed do continewe in this their faith to â—he ende of their lyues then God shall rayse them vp from death to lyfe that they maye be immortall and lyue euerlastingly with christ And then when syn and the kingdome of death is vtterli abolished and destroied we shalbe perfectly holy and rightuous both in body and soule And for this cause our sauioure Christ doth cal in y e gospel the rysyng againe from death a regeneration or a seconde begettyng Al these thynges doth baptisme worke in vs wheÌ„ we beleue in Christe And therefore Christe sayeth He that wyll beleue and be baptysed shall be saued But he that wyl not beleue shalbe damned Wherefore good children learne dylygentlye I praye you the fruyt operation of baptisme For it worketh forgyuenes of sin it delyuereth from death power of the deuel it gyueth saluation euerlastynge lyfe to all them that beleue As the wordes of Christes promyse doth euydently witnesse But peraduenture some wil saye Howe can water worke so greate thinges To whome I answere that it is not the water that dothe these thinges but the almyghtye worde of God whiche is knyt and ioyned to the water faith which receyueth gods worde promyse For with out the worde of God water is water and not baptisme But when the worde of the liuing God is added and ioyned to the water then it is the bathe of regeneration and baptisme water and the lyuely springe of eternall saluation and a bathe that wassheth our soules by the holy ghoste as saynct Paule calleth it saying God hath saued vs thorowe hys mercy and made vs partakers of the rightuosnes of hys welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ. Now consyder depely I praie you how great benefytes these be that you maye not be vnkynde to him that hath done so much for you but stedfastlye beleue these thinges mortifye synne
sore although I see nothinge before myne eyes but present deathe or daūger yet wyl I not despaire yet will I not mystrust God yet wyl I not hurt my soule w t sinne For I am sure that this creature whiche so sore persecuteth vexeth or troubleth me is no God but is vnder the hand power of y e trew lyuinge God I knowe that one heere of my heade can not be takē away from me without the wil of hym that is onelye and alone the trew liuing god He is my maker my lord my god him wil I feare more then the mighty power of any man more then the crafty imaginations of myne enemyes yea more then any creature in heauen or in earthe Yf I be wrongfully entreated and do suffer iniustli he can easely delyuer me ▪ and so preserue me that no parrel shal touch me The second way is whē men put their hole confidence in other thinges than in God and haue these or suche lyke thoughtes wythin themselfes I woulde I hadde suche riches or landes I woulde suche a man were my frende then shoulde I be ryche happye and blessed thē should I be sufficiently defended and armed agaynste all chaunces that maye happen vnto me in thys worlde They that thinke thus haue such riches landes and creatures for a God ▪ although with their tongue they say not so yea althoughe thys affection lye hidde in our hearte so secretly that we our selfes shoulde scantly knowe of it But the godly maye not suffer any such thoughtes to entre in to their heartes but ought thus to reason with theimselues Althoughe I haue veraye great aboundance of frendes and riches although I flowe in pleasures honor and glorye and in all worldely thynges whyche a man can desire yet by these thynges I haue not true saluation For these creatures are not God wherfore they can not saue me neither delyuer me from the tyrannie of the deuyll or the wrath of God But the lorde is God alone Yf I shal displease him he is able to take al my frendes and riches away from me or elles otherwayes to brynge to passe that all these thynges shall worke my distructiō Wherfore he alone is to be feared and in hym alone we must fasten the anker of our trust and confidence The thirde way is when a man so hartly loueth and delighteth in any thyng besydes God that for it he doeth and suffereth willingly all thynges that are to be done or suffered not greatly regardynge whether it pleaseth or dyspleaseth God then this man maketh thys creature whiche he so feruently loueth his god although in wordes he doth not vtter it 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 Hytherto you haue herde how by these thre waies by fearing by trustyng and by louyng we maie easely make a God of a creature whiche in dede is no God but rather an ydoll set vp by oure awne phantasie But this is an horrible sinne against the first commaundement of God and so muche the more parrellous because it lurketh in the corners of mannes hart most secretly The worlde is ful of this synne and specially they that haue hypocrite hartes for all their paynted holynes are infected with the rustenes of these vices And to thentent that you maye the better knowe these haynous offenses against the first commaundemente and the soner eschewe them I will declare them vnto you by a fewe and shorte examples Some ther be y t do so greatly feare the cōiūctions and influencis of the heauenly planettes and bodies aboue that when they iudge by their lernynge in Astronomye or heare say of other men that the signes in heauen do threaten commen plages or calamities by and by they tremble for feare and not castynge theyre hope and trust in God they be soo amased that they can not tel whether to runne to auoyde the daunger Other ther be that thinke that when the Sonne Moone or any other planetes is in this or y t signe it is an vnlucky thinge to enterpryse this or that and vpon suche dismolde daies as they call them they wyll begyn no new enterprise because they thinke y t it shulde not haue good successe or prosperous ende And many lyke kyndes of ydolatrye is vsed euen among christen people But y e prophet Hieremie doth expressely forbyd this in the .x. chapter sayng Feare not the signes of the skie as the hethen do Furthermore manye there be that stande in suche awe to tyrannes that for feare of them they denye the trew word of God These mē take tyrannes and rulers of this worlde for goddes For they imagyne that yf suche men fauoure them thē thei shalbe safe for euer But the prophete Dauid in the .cxlvi. psalme doth gyue contrarie counsel sayng thus Put not your cōfidence in princes in the sonnes of men in y e which is no saluatiō Some men also put their hole affiaunce in money and phantesie that they whiche haue plentye of money can lacke nothing Therfore they gyue themselfes holye to couetusnes to the desier to hurd vp riches they set their minde 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 saint 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 atteyne eternal saluacion These haue their merites wourkes in the steade of God This is the greatest ydolatrie that can be vnder the sunne and a playne denyall of the fayth in christ as here after it shall be declared vnto you at large in the treatise of fayth Other ther be that be seruaūtes to their owne belyes gyuynge theim selues holly to eatynge and drynking bodely pleasures somuch y t in cōparisō of bodily pleasures they eyther dispise or elles forget God Such men make their belie their God as saint Paule writeth of thē saying Some therbe which sellyng the wourde of God do teache peruersely whose God is their belye But that thinge where in they do nowe glorye shalbe their confusion By these examples you maye easelye perceaue howe by to muche fearing trusting and louyng we make a God of a creature which in dede is not God
and giue vnto vs the iustice and ryghtuousnes of his sonne Iesus Christ whiche suffered for vs. These are but fewe wordes but surely they be of greate importaunce For in this sentence saynct Paule includeth the summe and effecte of the holy ghospell when he sayeth Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes and rose agayne for oure ryghtuousnes For lykewise as when an other man doeth pay my raunsome and satisfye or suffre for me I my selfe am iudged to paye the same and no man after can accuse me therof And whē an other is bounde for me yf he be by any lawful meanes discharged I my selfe am counted to be dyscharged also euen so forasmuche as Christe hymselfe toke vpon him the bande of death for vs and to satisfye for vs so did in deede by hys death we our selues for whō he was thus bounde iustely be delyuered and dyscharged from death and damnation And so we be counted righteous for asmuche as no man dare accuse vs for that syn for the which satisfaction is made by our Sauiour Christ. And when oure sauiour Iesus Christ had thus satisfied for our synne and so ouercame deathe and hell than lyke a most valiant conquerer he ascended into heauen where God hys father receyued him with a moost gloriouse triumphe and placed hym on hys ryghte hande and made him Lorde ouer all creatures and therefore he is called in y e crede also our Lorde For yf he had not raunsomed and redemed vs we had bene cast downe to hel for euer But seynge y t he redemed and bought vs therfore bewe his he is our Lorde and mayster hym we must loue obey and serue And this is oure moste hye and euerlastynge comforte that Iesus Christ is our Lorde and we his seruauntes For because he is oure Lorde therefore he wyll defende vs and delyuer vs from all daungers And althoughe we be synners yet he wil forgiue vs our synnes because he hathe payed y e raūsome and det due for thesame And althoughe we dye yet he wil rayse vs vp agayne because he hathe ouercome and conquered death And althoughe we be neuer so muche afrayed of the sorowes and paynes of hell yet they shall not be able to holde vs bycause that to theym that be hys seruauntes he hathe broken hell and set open the gates thereof Wherfore seynge that we haue so myghtye a Lorde and maister we be out of all peryll and daunger But we agayne aboue all thynges we muste studye to obey oure lord mayster and do those thinges whiche he commaundeth For he hath redemed and bought vs for thys entente and purpose that we shoulde be iust and holy as he hymselfe is holy And he that is not obediēt vnto Christes commaundementes shall be sore punyshed for oure Lorde Iesus Christ shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore good children laboure wyth all diligence and studye that when Christe shall come againe to iudge the world he may finde you holy and obedient For then he wyll rewarde you wyth euerlastyng lyfe After thys maner Christ redemed vs frō synne and from the horryble offence of Adam by whome we were al condemned For by Christes passyon death by hys ghospell we haue obteined thus much that we may beleue and trust in god And trustyng in God we haue his holy spirite whereby we maye also loue God And thys holy gooste renueth vs and clemeth vs from all euell lustes and desires that we beynge thus made holye and rightuouse maye kepe Goddes commaundemētes and serue our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore good chyldren beleue ye with al your heart in thys Iesus Christ the onelye sonne of God oure Lord and doubte not but that he hath suffered for our synnes and contented the iustyce of his father for y e same and hath brought vs agayne vnto his fauour made vs his wel beloued children and heyres of hys kyngdome And when you be asked howe vnderstande you the second parte of the Crede you shall answer I beleue that Iesus Christ veray God begotten of God the father and verye manne borne of the virgin Marie is my Lorde whiche by hys precyouse bloode and holy passyon hathe redemed me a myserable damned wretch from all my synnes frome death eternall and from the tyrannie of the Deuell that I should be his owne true subiect and lyue within his kyngdome and serue hym in a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and iustice euen as oure Lorde Christe after he rose from deathe to lyfe lyueth and raygneth euerlastyngly Or elles if you wyl answere more shortely you may say thus I beleue that Christe was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The thirde sermon of our Sanctification NOwe remayneth the third parte of the Crede to be declared whiche entreateth of our sanctificatiō how we be made holy And it is spokē in these wordes ¶ I beleue in the holy gost the holy catholicke churche the communion of saynctes the forgyuenes of synnes the risyng agayne of the bodye and lyfe euerlastyng Amen IN the seconde parte of the Crede which treateth of our Redemption and pryce giuen for vs you haue bene taughte good children to knowe the seconde persone in Trinitie Iesus Christe what he is and what he hath done for vs that he was made man for our sakes that he toke vpon him our synnes and suffered for vs y e feare and panges of deathe hel and had victory ouer them by hys passiō and death And after by his godly and victorious power he arose again from death to lyfe And after this most glorious conquest he ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the ryghte hande of his father is our Lorde and we his seruantes derely boughte All this you haue learned in the last sermon but now good childrē in this thirde parte of the Crede you shall lerne to knowe the thirde person in trinitie y e holy gost and also his benefites and giftes that we maye knowe what we haue receyued of God after our redēption wherby we may be made mete to come to euerlastynge lyfe thorough the merites of Christ. For althoughe our Lord Iesus Christ hath redemed vs from y e captiuitie of synne death and hel and hath set vs agayne in the fauor of God yet we should haue no knowledge of these great benefites we should feale in our cōsciences no comforte ioy or peace by the same yf they were not declared vnto vs by the preachīg of gods most holy word And our consciences should styl remaine troubled and the feare of eternal death and all noughty desiers and concupiscences of the frayle fleshe shoulde euer remaine in vs euē as frō Adams time thei be in vs as sone as we be borne and so we shuld be vtterly vnapte to the kyngdō of God lyfe euerlasting yf we shulde stil remayne as we be borne For yf we wyl be the heyres of god euerlastynge
and make holy all those that beleue the gospell For he that beleueth in Iesus Christe that he is oure Lorde and oure redemer to him God gyueth the holy gost to make him holye and ryghtuouse As sayncte Paule witnesseth saiyng No man can cal Iesus lord but by the holy goste And for asmuch as now it hath ben plainelie declared vnto you after what sorte and manner the holy gooste doth sanctifie vs it is your part not onely to emprynt this lesson diligently in youre myndes but also to desier God with continuall and earnest prayers that he wyll vouchesafe more and more to sanctifie you And as muche as lyeth in you apply your selfes to heare godly sermons and gyue youre hartes to God lyke waxe apte and mete to receyue what thyng so euer it shal please him to prynt in you For he that is wyllynge and glad to lysten to godly sermons he that is studyous to learne the word of god wherin christ is preached w t a stedfast faith cleueth to y e promise of y e gospel ▪ he is made partaker of this Sāctificatiō and holynesse and of this so great comforte and euerlastyng saluation For God sayeth by his prophet Esaye My worde shall not returne to me in vayne And saynct Paule sayeth that the gospell is the power of God where wyth he wourketh the saluation of all them that beleue Nowe the rest that folowethe in the Crede is a shorte declaration of these thynges before rehersed For it foloweth in the Crede I beleue the holy catholycke churche that is to saye all godly and Christē men must beleue that the gospel or doctryne of goddes grace thorowe the merites of oure sauiour Iesus Christ is neuer in vayne published in the worlde or sowed abrode without fruit but euer there is founde some companye of men or some congregacion of good people whiche beleue the gospel and be saued And this cōpanie of men whiche beleueth the gospell although here vpō earth thei be seuered in sōdry places yet are they called one holy catholike or vniuersal churche of Christe that is to saie a multitude cōgregation or companye of Christen people For this worde churche doth not here betoken a temple or churche buylded of tymber and stone but it signifieth a companye of men lyghtened with the spirite of Christe whiche do receaue the gospel and come together to heare gods wourde and to praye And this Christē churche is a cōmunyon of sainctes that is to saye all that be of this cōmunion or cōpany be holy be one holy body vnder Christe their heed they be one holy congregation or assemble And this congregation receaueth of their hedde and Lorde Iesus Christe all spirituall riches and gyftes that perteyneth to the sanctification and making holy of the same bodye And these gostly treasuers be commen to y e hole body and to euery membre of the same For he that is vnfainedly a faythfull and Godly man is made partaker of these benefites And these are the sayde gyftes which be commē to y e hole church of Christ and to euery membre of the same The first is that God the father that euerlastīg and endles maiestye is our most gentle mercyful father That God y e sonne is our redemer and mediatour betwene the father and vs. And that God the holy gost is y e commen sanctifier or halower of all theim y t haue a true faithe in God The second is the preaching of y e gospel thadministration of baptisme and the sacrament of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the whiche we are made partakers of all the inheritaunce of heauē of all the benefites of Christe The third is prayer The fourth is the crosse of affliction and aduersitie whiche God sendeth to all godly men to make theim to knowe him to proue therby trye their faith to mortifye their fleshe to make clene the corruption of the same And here I speake onely of the crosse which good men suffre For thafflictions of the vnfaithful and vngodly do rather hurt them then make them holy For inasmuch as their vnpatientnes is encreaced by such aduersitie thei be brought to more disperatiō and damnatiō Nowe it is very good for you to knowe these thinges that you may also knowe that there is nothyng in heauē or erthe better for vs thā is the true knowlege of God and that these excellent gyftes and benefites cannot be had but onely in the foresayde churche or cōgregatiō and no where els But whan the true churche which is ruled by the holy gost the worde of God dothe promyse vs these so great riches and benefites we ought not to doute but that we haue alredye receaued them And when y e churche doth happoint and ordeine vs to be preachers and ministers of these most pretiouse treasures we must stedfastly beleue that God effectuously worketh with vs that he is present with vs and that he at all tymes doth strengthen vs agaynst the worlde and the deuyll and that he doth helpe vs to do all thynges accordyng to our callyng prosperously and with good successe Secondly we must beleue the remission of synnes Therfore next vnto this article I beleue the holy catholique churche the communion of saintes is added y e forgeuenes of synnes For where so euer the churche of Christ is there is frely offred that eternall comfort aboue all measure that is to say the fauore of God and remission of synnes And without that churche is no remission of synne Wherefore we must seke remission of synnes in the churche of Christ and desier absolution That when y e true churche by their ministers doth promyse vs remissyon of our synnes and here in erthe dothe absolue vs we may surely trust that in heauē also before God we be absolued pardoned Thirdly We must beleue the resurrection of the fleshe wherefore after tharticle of the remission of synne foloweth next this article I beleue the rysing agayne of y e fleshe for among other ponyshmentes for originall syn layd vpon Adam his posterity we daily see this horrible paine that the goodly beawtiful bodye of man created to immortalitie must nedes ones be dissolued by deathe and brought to a filthye and stinckyng corse and graue that the tyranny of synne whiche so long as we liue rageth in our fleshe by our deathe may ceasse haue an ende as saint Paule saith vnto the Romanes For by deathe of the body cease all the desires concupiscences and rages of y e mynde whiche be against the wil and commaundementes of God There ceassith also all synnes against our neighbours as Ire enuie lechery couetuousnes pride and all ill affectyons and at the last day god shall rayse vs agayne frō death so that such infirmities and synnes shall no more be founde in vs but we shal be pure spiritual and immortal and lyke to the bright clere bodye of Christ. And that we
patiently suffre al dyseases aduersities whiche it shal please god to send you and than without dowte you shalbe saued Wherefore good childrē learne these thinges dilygentlye and when you be demaunded what is baptisme Thē you shal answer baptisme is not water alone but it is water inclosed and ioyned to the worde of God and to the couenaunte of Gods promyse And these be the wordes wherby our Lorde Iesus Christ did ordeine baptisme which be written in the last chapter of sainct Mathew Go and teache all nations baptisynge theym in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost And when you shalbe asked what auayleth baptisme you shal answer Baptisme worketh forgyuenes of synne it delyuereth from the kyngdome of the deuel and from death giueth lyfe and euerlastyng saluation to all them that beleue these wordes of Christ promise of god which are wrytten in the laste chapter of sainct Marke his gospel He that wil beleue and be baptised shalbe saued But he that will not beleue shalbe damned Thirdly yf a man aske you how can water bryng to passe so greate thynges ye shall aunswer Uerely the water worketh not these thynges but the worde of God whych is ioyned to the water and fayth whiche dothe beleue the worde of God For without the worde of God water is water and not baptisme but when the worde of the lyuyng God is ioyned to the water then it is baptisme and water of wonderful holsomnes and the bath of regeneration through the holy gohst as saincte Paule writeth God saued vs by the bath of regeneratiō and renewyng of the holy ghost whom he powred vpon vs plenteously by Iesus Christ our sauiour that we beyng made rightuous by his grace maye be heyres of euerlastyng lyfe Fourthly Yf a mā aske you what doth the baptisynge in the water betoken aunswer ye it betokeneth that olde Adam with all synnes and euel desyers ought daylye to be kylled in vs by trewe contritiō and repentaunce that he may rise againe from death and after he is risen with Christ may be a new man a new creature and may liue euerlastyngly in God and before God in rightuousnes and holynes As saincte Paule wryteth saying All we y t are baptised are buried w t Christe in to death that as Christ rose agayne by the glorie of his father so we also should walke in newnes of lyfe Thus ye haue hearde good children what is ment by y e wordes of baptisme by the which we are borne again and made newe to euerlastynge lyfe Learne these thynges dilygentlye and thanke God who in Christ hath called you to be partakers of so large and ample benefites And expresse baptisme in your lyfe and baptisme shalbe the greatest comforte to you bothe in your lyfe tyme and also in youre death bed For by baptisme we be grafted into the death of Christe wherfore synne deathe or hell can not hurte vs but we shall ouercome all these thynges by fayth as Christe himselfe ouercame theym And so by this newe byrthe we shall enter into the kyngdome of God and lyfe euerlastynge The whiche God graunte vs all Amen ¶ A sermon of the authoritie of the Kayes THe holye Apostle sainct Paul good children in the tenth chapiter of hys epistle to the Romaynes wryteth on this fashion Who so euer shal cal vpon the name of y e lord shall be saued But how shal they call on hym on whom they beleue not How shal they beleue on him of whome they haue not hearde Howe shall they heare without a preacher Howe shal they preach expcept they be sente By the whiche wourdes saynct Paule doeth euidently declare vnto vs two lessons The fyrst is that it is necessary to our saluation to haue prechers and ministers of Goddes mooste holy worde to instructe vs in the true fayth and knowlege of God The seconde is that preachers must not runne to this hyghe honore before they be called therto but they muste be ordeyned and appoynted to this office and sent to vs by God For it is not possible to be saued or to please God without fayth no mā can truely beleue in God by his owne wytte for of oure selfes we knowe not what we shoulde beleue but we must nedes heare Gods woorde taught vs by other Agayne the teachers except thei be called and sent can not frutfully teache For the seede of Goddes wourde doeth neuer brynge forth fruyt onles the Lorde of the haruest do gyue increase and by hys holye spirite do wourke with the sower But God doeth not worke with the preacher whom he hathe not sente as saynct Paule sayeth Howe shall they preache yf they be not sent Wherfore it is requisite that preachers should be called and sent of god and they must preache according to the authoritie and commission of God graūted vnto them wherby they may strengthen mennes belefe and assure their consciences that God hath commaūded them to preache after this or that fashion For els euerie manne shoulde styll be in doubt and thinke after this sort Who knoweth whether thys be true whiche I heare the preacher saye who can tell whether God hath commaunded him to preach these thynges or no And in case he teacheth no thynge but truth yet I am not sure that God wyll wourke with me as the preacher promyseth Perchaunce these promises perteine to other and not to me These doubtes in the tyme of temptation might trouble mens myndes yf we were not assured that our Lorde Iesus Christ him selfe hathe both ordeyned and appointed ministers preachers to teache vs his holye wourde and to minister his sacramentes and also hath appoynted theym what they shall teache in his name and what they shall do vnto vs. Therfore he called them and sent them and gaue thē instructions what they should do and speake to vs in his name to the intente that we shoulde gyue sure credence vnto theyr wordes and beleue that god wyll worke with vs accordyng to his wordes by them spoken And he hath promised therfore y t what soeuer they shoulde bynde vpon earth shoulde be bounde in heauē whatsoeuer they shuld lose vpon earth shuld be losed in heauen also Wherfore good children to the intente you maye stedfastlye beleue all thinges whiche god by his ministers doeth teache and promise vnto you and so be saued by your fayth learne diligently I prai you by what wordes our lord Iesus Christ gaue this cōmissiō cōmaundemēt to his ministers reherse thē here worde for word that so you may print thē in your memories and recite them the better when you come home The wordes of Christ be these ¶ Our Lorde Iesus brethed on his Apostles sayd Receaue the holye gost whose synnes ye forgyue they are forgyuen vnto them And whose synnes you reserue they are reserued Now good childrē you shal employ your selfes not onely to reherse these wordes without boke but also to vnderstande
soule reason senses eyes eares all my other members Also I beleue that the same almyghtye Lorde and God doeth dayly gyue to me and to vs al meat dryncke cloth wife children house lande ryches cattell and all thynges necessarye to the mayntenaunce of our lyues and y t he doth dayly defende kepe and preserue vs from al peril and delyuer vs from all euell And all thys he doethe of hys owne mere mercie and goodnes without our worthynes or deseruynges For the which benefites it is our dutie to render to hym continualll and euerlastyng thankes to obey hym in all thynges to take hede that we be not vnkynde to him y t hathe shewed so greate kyndnesse towardes vs. ¶ A generall conclusion to be rehersed at the ende of euery sermon made vpon the Crede Thus you haue heard good children the true and playne meanynge of this parte of the Crede Now it is youre parte deapely to prynte the same in youre heartes that you maye put your hole trust and confidence in the true and lyuynge God oure heauenly father And forasmuche as fayth is the worke of god and the light of our hartes whiche God putteth in vs by hys worde and holy spirite so that we can not atteyne fayth and the knowledge of Christ withoute goddes word and true preachers therfore accustome your selfes euē from youre tendre age to hear the worde of God that he by his holy spirite maye moue and sturre vp your hertes to true fayth knowledge of him And beside that you shall desier God with moste harty praiers that as he hath giuen you the gifte of fayth so he wyll contynew and increase the same in you that as you growe in age so also you may growe in the knowledge of Christ. For he that beleueth in Christ is made thereby the sonne of god heyre of lyfe euerlasting And then he gyueth vs his holye spirite to kyndle charitie in oure hartes wherby we loue God and kepe all hys commaundementes All these benefytes we receyue by faythe in the whiche who so euer contynueth vnto the ende of his lyfe shalbe saued the whiche God graunte to vs all Amen The seconde sermon of our Redemption I Declared vnto you heretofore good childrē that the Crede entreateth chiefly of thre thynges that is to saye of God the father that made the world of God the sonne that redemed the worlde and of God the holy goost that sanctifieth the worlde And in the former sermon I taught you the hygh heauenly philosophie of the creation Wherfore now I will vttre vnto you the great mistery of our redempcion whiche is conteyned in these wordes of the Crede I beleue in Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holye goost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The thirde daye he rose from death He ascēded to heauen He sytteth on the ryghte hande of God the father almyghtie From thense he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead In this seconde part of the Crede we may learne to know the secōde person in trinitie the sōne of god Iesus christ our lord And as in y e first article ye haue learned what benefytes we receyue of God the father to the sustentation maintenaūce of this temporal transitorie lyfe so in this seconde parte we shall lerne to know how great treasures and ryche gyftes we haue receyued by y e sonne of God Iesus Christ to the atteinyng of y e perfect euerlastīg lyfe And here you may cōsider good childrē how great was the miserie how horrible was the indignation of God whiche we were brought vnto by Adam So great it was that neyther golde nor syluer nor anye other thynge was able to bye vs out of the same but onely Iesus Christ y e sonne of God y t by hys death effusion of hys moost precious blod And of this great misery and indignation of God towarde vs this was the cause At what tyme God had made Adam and Eue and set thē in paradyse he intreated them lyke a most louyng and gentle father For he made theym lordes ouer al liuely creatures both beastes fyshe and fowle and did giue vnto them al trees y t bare fruit that thei might feade thereon Onely he forbad theym that they shoulde not eate of the tree of knowlege of good ylle And yet he gaue theym warnynge of y e great losse damage that they should suffer if they eat of that tree saying When soeuer you shall tast of the fruyt of that tree you shalbe made mortal and shall dye Their dutie had bene vnto so gentle a God and so mercifull a father in their hartes to haue beleued him trusted him loued him to haue obeyed hym and to kepe all his commaundemētes gladly But our most craftye enemy Satan enuying mans felicitie spake to Eue by the serpent and sayde No you shall not dye but you shall be lyke Gods knowyng both good euell And with these most poysened wordes perswaded Eue to eate of the fruyt whiche was forbydde And Eue gaue of the same to Adam who also did eat therof and so did breake gods commaundemente Nowe I praye you marke good childrē what thei lost by this their disobedience First when Adam and Eue wer thus deceyued by y e serpent and perswaded that God dyd not fauoure theym but had enuye at theim that they shoulde haue knowledge of good and yll and that for enuye he forbad thē to eate of that fruit that shoulde gyue to them so great knowlege they did no more trust God but beganne to trust themselues and did study to care prouide for thē selues Secondarily whē they no more trusted God they coulde no more finde in their hartes to loue hym but began to dote vpō them selues to thynke y t they had no better frende neither in heauē nor earth thē their awn selfes And after y t thei had thus put their trust and cōfidence in themselues and dotyngly loued all that was their awne by by folowed feare and concupiscence For by an by they beganne to hate and eschewe all thinges that wer paynful or vnpleasant to the fleshe and dotynglye to lust long for such thinges as wer delectable and pleasant to the fleshe Hereby you perceiue good children how our first parētes Adam and Eue poisened with the venome of the serpente were cast into .iiii. horrible vices or diseases The firste is that they dyd not trust in God The second that they dyd not loue God The third that they did not feare him but as a cruell tyranne The fourth that they were replenished with concupiscence and euyll desiers lustes and appetites And these be the rotes of originall synne oute of the whiche all other synnes do spryng and growe So Adam and Eue had a very great fal that fel from gods benediction