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
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
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
they for their owne gaynes do counsell a man to wage the lawe makynge hym to beleue that hys mater is good when in dede they thinke it naught Or when for monye they wil so craftely handle or plead a matter that thei with their shiftes and colors will purposely hyde the trueth and make a good cause to seme bad and a bad cause to appeare good wherwyth they shal so deceyue the iudge that they wyll cause hym vniustely to gyue sentence on theyr syde And the iudge himselfe is a thefe before God when he for brybes or anye corrupcion doth wittingly wyllingly gyue wronge iudgemente For he taketh from the partie that hath the good cause hys iust title and interest and gyueth it to the other partie that hath no right to it at all And thys is also no small theft when men craftely defraud the trew heyres of their inheritance or forge false testamentes and wyll not brynge to lyghte the trewe wyll but hyd and suppresse it Furthermore marchaunt men brokers chapmen marchauntes factors are theues when they require vnreasonable gaynes in sellyng of their marchaundyse or when they vtter corrupte and naughty ware for good when thei deceiue their neyghboure w t false weyght and measure when with forged letters and fayned newes they perswade other to be hasty to sell that kynde of ware good chepe whiche they knowe wyll be dere shortely after or elles by suche lyke crafte entice men to bye of them great plentye of that kynde of marchaundyse of the whiche they knowe that the pryce wil shortely after decay Or when wyth their lyes and periuries they cause a man to gyue more monye for any stuffe then he wold haue donne yf that he had knowen that they had lyed Also when the riche marchaunte men and vserers haue the heads of the poore handy craftes men so bounde vnder their girddels that the poore men of necessitie are compelled to brynge their ware to theim and when y e handy craftes mē do come to them and offer their stuffe than they fayne that they haue no nede of suche wares at that tyme and by suche meanes compell theym to sell their wares better chepe thē they be able to aforde theim not regardyng what greate losse theyr poore neyghbore doth suffer therby Also when by forstallynge regratyng agrementes in haules to rayse the price of thinges ingrossynge of marchaundise when one man or one companye getteth all in their awne hādes that no man maye haue gayne but they onely when by these or suche lyke deceites they compell the poore to bye at their own price suche wares as they must nedes occupie thē they be arrant theues before God For by suche fraude they begyle theyr poore neyghbors poolle theym of their monie agaynst theyr wylles The handycraftes men and daylye laborers also are theues when they do not applye theyr wourke diligently and faythfully but sell counterfeyted slyghtly wrought wares for substantial stuffe or require more for their labor and paynes then they haue deserued Lyke wyse it is of husbande men in the countrey to whome Lordes and gentle men let theyr lande to ferme to thentente y t they should plowe and tyl it that therby the commen welthe maye haue plentye of corne and dearth maye be auoided than if they be negligent or slouthful in plowyng the grounde or sel their corne cattal or other vitayle at vnreasonable prices to enriche themselues therby they be veraye theues before the face of God For Kynges lordes and gentle mē do not giue to their fermors the proprietie or inheritaunce of their landes but onely for certein rentes and seruices do let their grounde out by lease for this entent and purpose that the fermors should tyl the same And the fermour or husbande man to whome suche lease is made is nothynge elles but a seruaunt appointed by the lorde so to occupie his grounde y t ther by the commen people may be fedde nourished Now therfore yf he do not diligently plowe and sow the ground as he is appoynted or elles yf he set so excessiue a price vpon hys corne that the multitude whome his deutye is to feade is not able to bye it then he his gyltie of thefte before God For yf fermers and husband men were so owners of their fermes and landes y t they might chose whether they woulde plowe them or no then they shoulde nether be able to pay theyr rent due vnto their landlordes the commen people shoulde perchaunce dye for hunger Lykewyse this commaundemēt is to be vnderstand of householde seruaūtes whether they be men or women prentises iourney men or hyred labourers For all these receaue wages for this intente that they shoulde laboure and wourke for their maysters profyte and helpe their maysters in true gettyng and faithfull kepyng of their goodes to y e mayntenance of their householde But when suche seruātes be vntrusty negligent or slouthful in doynge their dutie when they wastfullye spende or consume their masters goodes when they require greater wages then they be worthye to haue when they start or runne from their maisters or tarye not so longe as they were bounde by their couenant then they breake this commaundemente Thou shalte not steale for asmuche as thei withdrawe frō their maisters that profyt whiche of dewtie they owe vnto them and do asmuche as lyeth in them to empoueryshe and vndo their maisters And to be shorte they that paye not to their seruauntes or wourkemen their wages in dew tyme accordyng to their couenante They which wil not at the day appointed restore that monye which thei haue borowed They which can and wil not pay their dettes for their awne lucre They y t do not render thinges whiche they haue found as farre as they can come to knowlege of the trew owners They that do not gyue agayne suche thinges as be committed to their custodie for a tyme. And generally all they that do hawke and hōte for other mens goodes against the wil of the owners or do hurte them in any parte of the same or elles yf they seke not their neighbours profyte as thei ought to do Al these I saye are theues before God although the worlde dothe not so iudge them nor punyshe them for the same Hereby you maye perceaue good children howe great misery reigneth in this wretched worlde and that men swimme as it wer in a floode of synne For the worlde is full of priuie theues and there is almoste no state or kynde of lyfe from the highest to the lowest of the whiche there be not manye that haue broken this commaundemente And yet we counte it a villanie to be called a thefe and not w t out good cause For thefes be punyshed with most shamefull death hangynge on the galowes or gybbyt And althoughe they escape hangynge in this worlde yet many tymes God punysheth them so that they lyue wretchedly all their lyfe tyme. For commenly euell gotten goodes is yll spent
fauoure loue in to gods curse angre dyspleasure that fel from original iustyce into original syn by the which fal al the strēgth and powers both of their bodyes and soules were sore decaied corrupted And as oure firste parentes Adam Eue were infected and corrupted euen so be we that be their children For as we see by dayly experience y t commenly gowtie parentes begetteth gowtie children And yf the father and the mother be infected with the leprie we se commenly that the childrē borne betwene them haue the same dysease So lykewyse as our first parētes Adam and Eue dyd not put their trust in God no more do they y t be carnally borne of theim And as they loued not God so their childrē loue him not And as they folowed their owne concupiscence lustes and appetytes and not the wil of God euen so do all their yssue So that all their posteritie vpon earth be sinners euen in their mothers wombes For thei haue not their truste in God they loue not God they haue not a fatherly feare vnto hym they be ful of yl lustes appetites desiers as you haue herde good children in the .ix. and tenth commaundementes And for this cause the scripture dothe say that all we are conceyued and borne in synne And sainct Paule sayeth that by nature we be the children of Gods wrathe So that we all shuld euerlastingly be damned yf Christ by his death had not redemed vs. Wherfore good children marke well this parte of youre Crede that teacheth you bothe to knowe Christe and by what meanes he dyd redeme you For firste in the Crede he is called the only sonne or onely begotten sonne of God Whereof it muste nedes folowe y t he is very God by nature borne of God the father before the foūdacion of the worlde was layde He is the euerlastyng wisedome and worde of God by the whiche God the father made all thinges That he is also verye man it is euidently expressed in these wordes I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche was conceyued by the holy gooste borne of the virgyne Marye suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified deade and buried And these .ii. forsaide thinges I can not comprehende more shortely nor aptely than by these wordes Christ our Lorde is verye God and very man Secondly learne this also by what meanes Christ dyd redeme vs. For what soeuer God hath commaunded in the ten commaundementes whiche we haue not fulfylled because we be all synners y t Christe himselfe hathe fulfylled for vs. And what soeuer punishment we haue deserued to suffre of God for oure synnes and offences that Christe hath taken vpō himself suffered for vs. By this you may perceyue howe requisite it was that Christ God and man should be conceyued by the holy gooste and borne of a pure virgyn For if Christ shoulde redeme vs and satisfye for our synnes than must he nedes be holy without synne For yf he had bene gyltye and a synner then coulde not he haue holpen his owne selfe but he must nedes haue had an other Sauyor and Redemer for him aswel as we haue for vs. For what soeuer he had done or suffred shuld haue bene worthely for hys owne offences yet could he not haue satisfied for hym selfe muche lesse then he coulde haue satysfyed for other Wherfore it was necessary yf he should satisfye for vs that he should be conceyued of the holy gooste and borne of a virgyn that his natyuitie myght be pure wythout synne and not corrupte as ours is That oure corrupte and damnable natiuitie myghte be purified and made holy by the holy and pure natiuitie of Christ. Therfore we say in the Crede He was conceyued of the holy goost borne of the virgyn Marye that Christe beynge pure and cleane frome all synne mighte redeme synners and satisfye for theim Now for asmuch as the iustice of God dydde require that Christe should suffer and make satisfaction for vs and do all thynges that we were bound to do it was necessarie that he should be made man For if he had not bene a veray naturall man he coulde not haue done for vs all those thynges which we were bound to do And agayne yf he had not bene veraye God he coulde not haue bene pure and cleane from al syn and so haue made a true and perfect satisfaction for oure synnes For no man can perfectly fulfyll the wyl of God but God himself alone Wherfore in that he suffered for our synnes therby he declared that he was a verye pure and natural manne Agayne he gaue moost certayne and euydente tokens of hys Godhed in that he ouercomed and vanquyshed the deuell synne and deathe For yf he hadde not bene veraye God he coulde not haue losed the bandes of death nether haue raysed himselfe frō death to lyfe So you hear good childrē y t our lorde Iesus Christ was very God and very man not cōceyued in syn as we be but conceyued by the holye goost and borne of the moste pure virgyn Marie And as man he suffred deathe for vs and descended into hell But as naturally God he losed the bandes and paynes of hell he destroyed the kyngdome of death he rose from deathe to lyfe and so payed the raūsome for our synnes and toke away all the gylthynes of the same Therfore when we beleue in Christ and stedfastly cleuyng to the worde of God suerly perswade oure selues in oure hartes that we be thus redemed by Christe then God is no more angry or displeased with vs for our synnes but freely and mercyfullye he forgyueth vs all our offences for the deathe and passiō of his sonne Iesus Christ and he gyueth vs also the holye gooste by whose healpe we maye wythstande synne and be delyuered from the same The whiche matiers sayncte Paule doth knyt vp in one bryef sentence not so shorte as notable and weyghtye sayinge Christe was delyuered to deathe for oure synnes and dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification In the whiche sentence saynct Paule doeth not onely declare what Christe dyd but also for what ende and for whome he suffered death and rose agayne For seynge that Christe was that moost innocent lambe that neuer was blotted with any spot of syn and yet he suffered for vs as a synner it is euident hereby that he dyed not for himselfe but toke vpon him oure synnes and bore for vs the burden which we shuld haue borne Moreouer seing that Christ was not ouercome by deth but by his myghty power he dyd vanquyshe death and rose frome deathe to lyfe and sytteth at the ryght hande of the father hereby we maye euidently perceyue that the great wrath and indignation of God to vs hathe an ende and that by our liuely faith in hī our synnes be forgyuen vs and that we be reconsiled into the fauoure of God made holy and ryghtuous For than God doth no more impute vnto vs our former synnes but he doth impute
may y e more assuredly beleue this both Christ himself rose from death and many saintes also w t hym Fourthely we must beleue euerlastyng lyfe Wherefore it foloweth in the Crede I beleue euerlastynge lyfe that is to saye I beleue that whā we shall ryse from death then we shall lyue euer with Christe in parfite holynes and iustice and in suche a gloriouse ioy as no toung can tell nor hart thincke And this treatise of the Crede we must end with this wourde Amen which is asmuche to saye as I beleue that al the articles of our beliefe before rehersed be very true and thereof I haue a sure faithe trust and confidence Therefore good children from the bottome of your hartes you must beleue in the holy gost whiche doth promyse vnto vs remission of our synnes by al y e true preachers ministers of goddes worde And he dothe also geue light to our hartes and myndes and moueth vs to beleue goddes worde and to put our faith and trust in hym And the same holy goost dothe dayly purifye sanctifye vs purge and clense vs from sinne and after this bodily death shall rayse vs agayne to euerlasting life And take this for a sure conclusion and doubt nothynge thereof that the holy goost as he hath begonne these thīges in vs so he will fynyshe thesame in vs yf we obey him and continue in faith vnto thēde of our liues For he y t cōtinueth vnto y e ende shal be saued And this is the summe and also the most plaine vnderstāding of this thirde parte of the Crede entreatyng of our sanctificatiō or halowing Wherefore good children marke well this lesson that when ye be demaunded howe vnderstande you the thirde parte of the Crede yee may answer thus I beleue y t neither by mās strength power or wysedome neyther by myne awne endeuour nor cōpasse of myn awne reason I am able to beleue in Iesus Christ or to come vnto hym But the holy goost did call me by the worde of y e gospell and with y e giftes of his grace he hath hitherto endowed me halowed me and in the true faith he hathe hitherto preserued and confirmed me this he hath not done only to me but also he calleth and gathereth togyther in the vnitye of one faith and one baptisme all the vniuersal churche that is here in earth and he halloweth kepeth and preserueth thesame in the true knowledge of Christ and faith in his promyses And in this churche he geueth free and general pardō to me and to al that beleue in him of al our synnes offences and trespasses and at the last day he shall rayse me and all other y t be deade and al that dyed in the true faithe of Iesus Christ he shall glorifye in the lyfe euerlastyng Therefore to the sayde holy gost that sanctefyeth vs with y e father that made and created vs and the sonne that redemed vs be geuen all honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ A generall preface to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon made vpon the Lordes prayer YE haue learned heretofore good childrē in y e Crede what we ought to beleue and in the ten cōmaūdemētes what we ought to do but we can neyther beleue nor do as we ought to do excepte the holy gost worke with in vs bothe a true faith also a dewe obedyence towardes God and his lawe For faith is the gyfte of God and all good thinges commeth from the father of lightes Therefore we must nedes aske and craue these benefites at his hande whiche only is the gyuer of theim For so Christ saieth that God the father wyll gyue to vs his children all thinges so that we sue to hym for theim And the prophet Dauyd saieth Cal vpon me in the daye of thy trouble and I shal deliuer the and thou shalt glorifye me Also our Sauioure Christ commaūdeth vs to do y e same sayng Aske and you shal haue seke and you shall fynde knocke and the dore shall be opened vnto you Now therfore seyng that we haue learned what we shoulde beleue and do it is most necessary for vs to cal for gods grace with most feruēt and ernest prayers that we may be able to performe y e thinge whiche we are bounde to do For our sauiour Christ hath promised vs that what soeuer we aske the father in his name he wyll gyue it vs. Also he saieth that what soeuer we aske yf we beleue we shal receaue y e same Wher is to be noted that yf we wyll obteyne oure requestes we must aske in y e name of Christ and also trust assuredly that for Christes sake our praiers shal be heard To aske in Christes name is to aske accordynge to his wil that is to say to aske y t which he hath commaunded Therefore when we praye we may saye thus O God our father and the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ which art in heuē I durst not of myne awn head be so bold to come vnto thy most highe and excellent maiestye to desyer any thyng of the but thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ hath commaūded me so to do and only in his name and at his commaūdemente am so bolde Therfore yf thou hear me y u hearest thy dearly beloued sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ. And yf thou heare me not thē thou hearest not Iesus Christ him selfe who hath sent me to the and hath commaunded me to aske in his name Of this prayer made in fayth speaketh saincte Iohn in his epistle saying This trust we haue in God y t when we aske any thynge accordinge to his will he doth heare vs. Therefore we shoulde stedfastly beleue that God doth heare our prayer For he that beleueth not he shall obtayne nothynge And therefore Christe saith If you beleue you shall obtayne And to thentent that we should beleue surely thynke that we be herde he hath promysed to graunt what soeuer we aske in his name And agayne to thentent that we shuld knowe and be suer that we praye accordyng to his wil he hymselfe hath taught vs howe what we should praye and aske Therfore it is not in our lybertye whether we wil praie or not but by goddes commaundement we be boūde to praye as you haue hearde in the seconde commaundement Now therefore with all dilygence lerne good children y e holy prayer of y e Lord which y e greate doctour and our Lorde Iesus Christ taught vs hymselfe saying to his disciples Ye shall praye after this maner OUre father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kyngdome come Thy wil be don in earth as it is in heauē Geue vs this day our daily bread And forgeue vs our trespaces as we forgeue them that trespace against vs. And suffre vs not to be led into temptacion But delyuer vs from euyl Amen This good children is the prayer of the Lorde
broughte in of later yeres whiche bryngeth vs not vnto the true knowledge of god but leadeth vs into errors and ignoraunce of God But if you wil lyfte vp your mindes to god good children to know his diuine maiestye hys infinite power wysedome goodnes and other his godlye perfections loke not vpon a deafe domme blynde lame and deade ymage made by a painter or caruers handes but loke vpon heauen and other creatures made by goddes awne handy worke loke vpon man who cā speake see smell heare feale and go and hath lyfe wyl and reason and whome no man but God himselfe made to be his lyuely image and similitude We haue also y e holy scriptures whiche declare vnto vs the wonderful workes of God by which thynges wee maye be ledde to the knowledge of God without painted or carued ymages Now paraduēture some wil say that Christ hathe a bodye and lykewyse haue saintes therfore of them we may haue ymages althoughe of God there can be made no ymage And further they wil say that the cause why ymages wer forbid was perryl of ydolatry and worshipping of theym So that where there is no suche peril we may haue ymages Yet as I will not vtterly deny but they may be had so I thincke it more cōuenient for christē religion that they shuld be taken out of Christen mens churches then that they shoulde be placed in the temple of God And of this my opinion I wil shewe you certaine good groundes to thintente that whan you be demaunded why we Englyshe men haue no ymages in our churches you maye be able to make therunto a reasonable aunswer and that also in time to come you may declare to your children what abuses haue crepte into the church by the occasion of ymages That if anye man shall hereafter god about craftily to brynge in ymages agayne for hys owne lucre sake they maye the soner perceyue hys Iuglynge and so the better auoide the perill and daunger Fyrst it is certaine that we neither haue commaundement counsell nor example of the scripture nor of the primatiue churche in thapostilles time nor many yeres after to set vp ymages in our churches As it maye appeare by the holy mā Epiphanius Bishop of Cypres a man of great estimation an .xi. hundreth yeres passed for his great lernyng and vertue and by whom not only in his lyfe tyme but also after his death god wrought many miracles He in an epistle which he wrote to the Bysshoppe of Hierusalem whiche epistle saint Hierome did translate out of Greke into Latine writeth that as he passed y e contrey about Hierusalem he founde in a church a cloth painted hauing the image of Christ or of a saynte And whā I saw saied he an ymage of a mā hang in the church of Christe contrarie to the authoritie of the scripture I cut it in peces counseled thē to buri some pore dead mā therin And after he wrote to the Bysshop of Hierusalem that he shuld commaunde al the priestes not to suffer suche images beynge contrary to our religion to hange in the church of christ Wherby it appeareth y t in those dayes ymages were not alowed to be sette vp in churches amonge christen menne yea al thoughe it were the ymage of Christe or any sayncte but that the vsage of ymages beganne after that tyme. And yf we wyl beleue aūcient Histories ymages wer brought into churches by the pollicye and force of the Byshoppes of Rome many good christian Emperors withstanding the same to their power But Idolatrie by the byshoppes of Rome preuailed and seduced many Christen Realmes Moreouer many images teache nothyng elles but erronious and supersticiouse doctrine For what reachethe the picture of sayncte Mychael waying soules and our lady putting her beades in the balaunce Forsoth nothing els but superstitiousnes of beades and cōfidence in oure owne merites and the merites of saincts nothynge in the merites of Christe For wheras oure good workes be not able to way against the deuel our lady muste laye her beades in balaūce that is to say wil workes diuised of oure awne braynes not commaūded of God and by them to saue vs. Which doctrine is very false and iniuriouse to Christe What did y e ymage of saint Sondaye teache But that Sondaye was an holye man accordynge to the which teaching beggers asked their almes for saynct Sondayes sake But I wyll leaue to speake of the euell doctrine whiche was taught by Images and I wyll declare vnto you y e ymages haue bene so abused that all the goodnes whiche myght come by theym was neuer cōparable to the great ignoraunce and blyndnes the superstition and idolatrie whiche haue been brought in and cōmitted by meanes of thē The whiche abuses good children your owne fathers yf you aske theym can well declare vnto you For they themselfes wer greatly seduced by certayne famouse and notoriouse ymages as by our lady of walsingham oure ladye of Ippeswiche Saynt Thomas of Canterbury Sainct Anne of Buckestone the roode of Grace and suche lyke whom many of your parentes vilitide yerely leauinge their owne houses and familyes To thē they made vowes pilgrimages thinkyng that God would heare their prayers in that place rather than in another place They kissed their feete deuoutrly and to theim they offred candles and ymages of waxe rynges beades gold and syluer aboundantly And because they that so taught them had ther by great cōmoditie they mainteined the same with fayned myracles and erroniouse doctrine teaching the people that God would heare their prayers made before this image rather than before another ymage or in another place wheras the Prophete Esay sayth that God doeth heare those that be truely penitent in euery place a lyke But peraduenture some wyl saye they dyd neuer teache vs to kneele to y e ymage but before the image But who I pray you gaue them commission to teache you to kneele before the ymage yf you make youre praiers to God why lyfte you not bothe your eyes and handes to heauen where God is why loke you rather vpon the walles vpon stockes and stones then thitherward where you knowe he is to whome you make your prayers What nedest thou which arte the ymage of God to kneele before the ymage of man Again they that be greued with takyng downe of ymages out of the churches will parchaunce say We worshipped not y e image but the sainct whome the ymage dyd signifye And who I praye you commaundeth you after this fashion to worship any sainct why shoulde wee geue that honoure to sainctes nowe after their deathe whiche they themselfes whan they were on lyue dyd vtterly refuse Yf a Christen man althoughe in dede he were a very holy man and a lyuing saint should set himself vpon an aulter in the church you would say to him come down syr that is no place for you to stande in And why shoulde than dōme ymages stande there whan they be
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
youre selfes frome youre tender age to pray gladly and often for that pleaseth God and he is veray redy to giue you al thinges that you nede so that we giue him his due honoure and aske of hym as our dutie is But specyally they that be godly muste vse to praye whan they go to bedde whan they ryse whan they go to the churche or syt doune at the table For these times are chiefly appoynted to prayer as scripture doth witnesse in many places And forasmuch as we be not able to get our dayly breade by oure owne wit laboure and dylygence except God giue it vs let vs therfore before all thynges seke his kyngdome and studye to please him that he may gyue vs al thinges necessarye for vs. And although many men in this worlde get their lyuyng and ryches by crafte and deceipte yet let vs absteyne from such vnlawful meanes For they do rather bryng pouertye to a man then ryches And althoughe brybers extorcyoners vsurers and craftye deceauers of their neighbours do prosper for a while in this worlde yet they seldome establyshe theyr thynges For it is written that scasely the thyrde heyre shal enioy goods yll gotten And God doth only wynke at theim suffryng thē to floryshe for a tyme that afterwarde he maye y e more greuouslye punyshe and sodenly destroy thē And when we desyer God to gyue vs our dayly breade thynke not Good children that our heuenly father wyl gyue vs only a morsell of bread and nothyng besyde but vnder the name of breade be all thinges conteyned whiche be necessarie to the maintenance of our lyfe as meate dryncke apparell house landes cattell and monye accordyng to the saying of sainct Paule God gyueth all thynge to our vse richely and aboundantly But Christe teacheth vs in this petition to aske only for our dayly breade for this entent that we shoulde be content with suche a meane as oure dayly vse and necessitie doth require and that we should not by ouermuche eatyng and drynkynge wastfully spende those thynges wher w t poore people myght be relyued For sayncte Paul doth commaunde vs to laboure and worke that we maye eate our awne breade also gyue to thē that haue nede The which commaundement we shall easely kepe yf we wyll be contente with a meane dyet and kepe a measure in our apparell But they that delyght in superfluitie of gorgyous apparel and deynty fare make pleasure the ende of their eatynge and drynkyng ▪ and not necessitie they be not wont to gyue muche to the poore but commenly suche do deceaue the nedye brybe and pyle from thē and oftentynes by plaine robberies force do steale other mens goods that they maye haue wherwith to mainteyne their charges and sumptuous expēses As we see by daily experience that couetous persons and the ryche men of this worlde that be gyuen to ryot superfluitye vse to gyue lytle or nothyng at all to y e poore Furthermore in this petition we do not only desier our bodily fode and sustinance but also all thyng necessarye to the same wherby we maye vse and inioy suche as God hath sent vs that is to saye we praye for seasonable wether and holsomenes of the ayer for helthe of bodye for peace and quyetnes of the commen welthe for trustye and faithful seruantes and suche lyke For except God sende a faire and seasenable wether all the fruites and corne growyng vpon the earth are lyke to peryshe and so all our laboure in plowyng sowyng and plantyng shall be bestowed in vaine Also he y t hath not his helth he can haue no pleasure in his riches or greatly ioy in his meat or drinke be it neuer so deinty Furthermore in warre time all thoughe God sende vs great plētye of corne and wyne yet all is destroyed of oure ennemyes somuche that we maye scante truste our frendes from spoilyng of vs. For than all is full of robbynge burnynge beatyng kyllynge and wasting with fire sworde And yf we haue any thinge lefte vs in the tyme of warre yet we can not quyetly haue y e vse of it for feare care and trouble of the warres And yf it be a tyme of peace yet yf thou haue an enemye within the walles of thyne awne house that is to saye yf thou haue an vnkynde or vnfaythful wyfe vnthryftye children vntrustye and neglygente seruauntes then by them thy lyuynge is wasted and cōsumed For al these do defraude the of thy dayly breade and by y e occasion of thy greate losse and hynderance The principal cause of all these aduersities is the deuel For he is so mortal an enemie to mankynde that he is desyrous not onli to destroy our souls with false doctrine and erroneous opinions but also throughe tempestes infection of the ayer dyuerse kyndes of sykenesses by famyne batteyl by the malyce and falsehed of oure owne householde and of our neyghbours he wolde fayne cōsume our lyfe helth house and goods clerely destroy them And this wicked spirite woulde ouerthrowe in a momente of an houre whole realmes commen welthes yf God dyd not let hym Wherefore we must ernestly pray to God that he wil staye this wycked spirite and gyue vs our daily bread that he wil preserue vs frō all sycknes that hauynge helthe of our bodyes we may vse inioy our substance And that also he wil sende vs godly and dilygente rulers to defēde vs from our enemyes and to prouide that nether our goodes be stollen from vs by thefes or robbers neyther lost or conuayed from vs thorowe the vntrustynes or falsenes of oure householde seruauntes Furthermore you shall note good childrē that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not taught vs to saye father gyue me my dayly breade but gyue vs oure dailye breade and lykewyse in all the petitions that folowe no man prayeth in the synguler noumber for himselfe alone but in the plurel noumber aswel for other as for himselfe By y e whiche lesson we be admonyshed of the brotherly charitie whiche one of vs shoulde beare towardes an other For we be all offenders and from our birth the children of yre Neuertheles God so loued vs that he gaue his only sonne Iesus Christ to suffer deathe for vs to obteyne for vs remyssion of oure synnes to reconcile vs to him to make vs his children Therefore nowe is God our father Christe oure brother and we be goddes children and heyres and coinheriters with Christ and amonge oure selues we be brethren and all brethrē to Christ. And therefore we ought to ioyne altogyther in one prayer and to be glad one to healpe another bothe in worde and dede to the vttermost of our power Furthermore this is a great comforte for vs to know that all the church and congregation of Christ doeth praye for vs and that all the treasurs of Gods riches that is to say Christ himselfe the kyngdome of heauen the holy gospell the sacramentes and the prayers of al
these sacramentes is baptisme by the whiche we be borne again to a new and heauenly lyfe and be receaued into gods churche and congregation whiche is the foundation and pyller of the trueth The seconde is absolution or the authoritie of y e keyes wherby we be absolued from suche synnes as we be fallen into after oure baptisme The thirde sacrament is the communion or y e Lordes supper by the whiche we be fedde and nourished and fortified in y e faith of the ghospell and knowlege of Christ that by this fode we maye growe more and more in newnes of lyfe so that we maye be no longer children but maye waxe perfecte men and ful growē in Christ. For I wolde you should wel know this good children that a Christen mās knowlege and lyfe is a more excellēt thing than vnlerned people can iudge For a christen man hathe the certen worde of God where vpon he maye grounde hys conscience that he is made a christen man and is one of Christes mēbers which he is assured of by baptisme For he that is baptysed maye assuredlye saye thus I am not now in this wauering opiniō that I only suppose my selfe to be a christiā man but I am in a sure belefe that I am made a Christen mā For I know for a suerty that I am baptised I am sure also that baptysme was ordeyned of God and that he whiche baptysed me did it by gods commission and commaundemente And the holy goste doth witnes that he whiche is baptysed hathe put vpon hym Christ. Wherfore the holy gost in my baptisme assureth me that I am a Christen man And this is a true and syncere fayth whiche is able to stande agaynste the gates of hell for asmuche as it hath for it the euydence of gods worde and leaneth not to any mans saying or opinion Furthermore good chyldren you shall dylygentlye learne the cause wherefore we are baptysed You haue alredy herde y t by baptisme we be borne agayne The cause of this our secōd birth is the synfulnes and filthynes of our first birth For by our first natiuitie whan we were borne of our fathers and mothers all we were borne in synne and whē we yssued out of oure mothers wombe we were laden with synne and Gods angre as it was at large declared vnto you in the exposition of y e ten cōmaundements and speciallye in the last cōmaundement For as Adam did synne and by sinne was so corrupted both in his body and soule that by his awne power or strēgth he was not able to do any good thinge euen so all the children ofspring of Adam be borne synners so that they can not be iustified by themselues or by their awn strength but are inclined and bent to synne at all tymes And as saynt Paul saieth by nature they be the children of Gods wrath That is to saye God is angrye w t vs for those synnes whiche by nature be as it wer a kynne to vs and we be borne with theim into this world But when we be borne againe by baptisme thē our sinnes he forgyuen vs and the holy goste is giuē vs which doth make vs al so holy doth moue vs to al goodnes Wherefore good children whē a man is baptysed it is as muche to saye as he dothe there confesse that he is a synner and that he is vnder the rule and gouernaūce of sinne so that of himselfe he can not be good or ryghtuous And therefore he commeth to baptisme and there seketh for helpe and remedy and desyreth God first to forgyue him his synnes at length to deliuer him clerely from all synne and perfectely to heale his soule from the sykenes of synne as the physitian doth perfectely heale his patient from bodely diseases And for his parte he promyseth to God againe and solemply voweth that he wyl fyght againste synne with all his strength and power that he wyll gladly beare the crosse and al suche afflictiōs as it shal please God to lay vpon him and that also he wil be contēt to dye y t he may be perfectly healed and delyuered from synne For God doth forgiue vs our synnes by faith but by afflyctions and death he dothe take theim cleane away as saint Peter witnesseth sainge He y t suffereth or is afflycted in y e fleshe doth cesse from synne And sainct Paule sayeth he that is deade is iustified or delyuered from synne These be the promyses which we make whē we are baptised And of this mind must all they be whiche shall haue any fruite by baptisme Wherfore seyng all you that be here are alredy baptysed continewe I praye you in this good mynde and purpose knowlege in your hartes before God that you be synners be sory for y e same and praye to God to heale and delyuer you frō youre sinne Beware you fal not to sinne againe haue no delite in sinne nor synne not wyllyngly But be godly and holy and suffer gladly suche afflictions as God shall lay vpon your backes And yf you do thus then your baptisme shal be auaile able vnto you God shall worke in you by his holy spirit and shall fynyshe in you all those thinges which by baptisme he hath begon Hitherto you haue herde what we promyse to God when we are baptised now learne also I pray you what God worketh in vs by baptisme what benefites he gyueth vs in the same For baptysme is not water alone and nothinge els besides but it is the water of god and hath his strength by y e worde of God and is a seale of gods promyse Wherefore it doth worke in vs all those thinges where vnto God hath ordeyned it For oure Lord Iesus Christ saieth Go and teache all nations and baptyse them in the name of y e father and the sonne and the holy gost This god commaunded his disciples to do Wherfore by the vertue of this commaūdement which came from heuen euen from the bosome of god baptisme doeth wourke in vs as the wourke of God For when we be baptised in the name of God that is as muche to saye as God him selfe shoulde baptise vs. Wherfore we oughte not to haue an eye only to the water but to God rather whiche did ordeine the baptisme of water and commaūded it to be done in his name For he is almyghtye and able to worke in vs by baptisme forgiuenes of our synnes al those wonderful effectes and operatiōs for the whiche he hathe ordeyned the same althoughe mannes reason is not able to conceyue the same Therfore consider good chyldren the greate treasures and benefytes whereof God maketh vs partakers when we are baptised whiche be these The firste is that in baptisme our synnes be forgyuen vs as sainct Peter witnesseth saiynge Let euerye one of you be baptised for the forgiuenes of his synnes The seconde is that the holy gost is gyuen vs the whiche doth sprede abrod the loue of