profite and comfort that we may take apply to our selues our soules and bodyes by it and what duetie is required of vs in this behalfe The commoditie that ariseth to vs and al Christians by his birth is that Christ came to saue that which was lost as Paul doth notably expresse the ende of his comming in the fleshe saying This is a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to bee receyued that Iesus Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners 1. Timothie 1. 15. Then we perceiue this that Christ was borne to redeeme vs. If he had not bene borne wee could not haue byn redeemed by him from the power of hell and of Satan This is a great matter and a most excellent wonderfull benefite For we vnderstande now plainly clerely by the word of the Lorde that the seede of the woman hath broken the serpents head Gen. 3. that there is a Lion and a Lambe in diuers respectes for his strength a Lion and a Lambe by his meeknes found worthy to open the booke to loose the seuen seales of it which no man was able to doe neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth Reuel 5. that there is a childe as Esaie sayth giuen vnto vs vpon whose shoulders the gouernmēt of heauen and earth is laide and doth cōsist We may saye therefore that a man is borne of the virgin Marie the true and naturall sonne of Adam of Abraham of Dauid which was promised in the lawe and Prophets such a man I say that hath conquered hell and death and damnation desiuered vs from the wrath of his father to come Of this our faith may gather a double fruite and cōmodite the one that there is a mediatour betweene God man euen the man Iesus Christ we haue this mediator for vs in heauen already the other that by the participation vnitie of his nature with ours he receiueth admitteth vs into the societie of him selfe and all his riches and treasures are made ours euen as the wife may say of her husband that al her husbāds goods lands are hers because she is one with him so may we say of our most gratious husband bridegrome Iesus Christ that all his store is now become ours For we are bones of his bones and flesh of his flesh as Paul telleth vs plainly Ephes 5. If this be so then wee ought to reioyce and be glad in our heartes as Paul sayth which is in the Lorde because that Christ the great iewell of God is sent into the worlde If we greatly reioyce triumphe when wee haue a mortall sonne an heyre here borne in earth vnto vs whō we knowe not whether he shall be good or ill a cōfort or paine vnto vs If I say we do reioyce at this vanity what ought we to do think ye dearly beloued brethrē whē we heare that sōne of God to be borne for vs the heire of all things a sonne that pacifieth his fathers wrath iustly conceiued against sinne such a childe as maketh vs children bringeth vs into his heauenly possession inheritance Ought we not trow you vnspeakeably to reioyce thanke God and his sonne Christ continually It is good reason so to do seeing it is our onely benefit and not his for he came and was borne for vs and not for him selfe The angels of God herein may teach vs our duety howe thankfull we ought to be and to reioyce for it not with a worldly and carnal ioy as many do but with a spirituall and heauenly ioy of minde and conscience as few doe At the birth of our sauiour there was a company and multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying Glory be to God in the high heauens and peace in the earth and towards men good will Luke 2. They reioyced in the Lord were thankful for it yet are much more ought we to do the like that his wil may be done in earth of vs as it is in heauen amongst them euen as we dayly pray Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen We haue in deede a celebration of this natiuitie of Christ which is miscalled of vs Christmas As the name is euil called Christmas of the Papists as if Christ should say Masse so is the time in it spent as lewdly of vs for the most part if not in massing yet in masking in carding and dicing in dauncing in bellie cheere in excesse of apparrell and in fond and foolishe playes sportes to passe the time away In these sinnes and vanities is the tyme of Christes natiuitie spent and consumed of vs. It were better to haue no day of it then so to keepe it and it is a great griefe to a godly mynde to see that tyme which shoulde be imployed to the seruice of God as it was in the primitiue Church altogether wasted and dedicated to offer sacrifices vnto the deuill for it is in it as it is vpon the Sundayes or Lordes day thoroughout the yeere The Sabbath which is appoynted for to heare Gods woorde and to pray in is turned altogether to play in and made a day of all wicked sport and pastime which is far from the ryght vse of it yet no Magistrate doeth correct it God giue an amendement one day of it to his honour and glory Amen Well so it is with this time of our Sauiours birth we shoulde giue thankes in it and wee neuer thinke of our duetie in it the most part of vs. If Emperours and Kinges haue celebrated the memoriall of their birth dayes then there is greater reason why we should remember the ioyfullest birth day that euer was or shal be I meane of Iesus Christ our sauiour borne so poorely and simply for vs. Not that we should so celebrate and keepe Christs birth day as wicked Herode did celebrate his natiuitie in feasting in daunsing in rash swearing and last of all in murdering the good saint of God Iohn Baptist Matth. 14. Mark 6. I say we must not so celebrate this birth day of Christ with him least wee be partakers of his punishment and payne But yet I feare a great many doe keepe this time no better Neither must we keepe this day of our brother Christes birth as Titus kept the birth day of his brother Domitian in killing the Iewes for his pleasure to triumphe and so defiled his handes with innocent blood surely we do not much better for although we kill not with the sworde yet we wound and kill our brethren with our tongues we quarrel we fight and are contentious wee sweare and blaspheme and so reuile the liuing Lorde and this is done most of all at the birth day of our Sauiour as also vpon this day of rest the Sunday with cardes and dice bloody othes Wel the Lord one day will take an account of these things of vs vnlesse we speedily repent and amende Thus we haue heard the thinges that may be
to performe all the duties of a faithfull minister of Iesus Christ vnto your honour I leaue to trouble you any furthet from other affayres of your Prince and countrey beseeching the Almightie to increase his gratious giftes in you to the honour of his holy name the profit of his Church and the consolation of your owne soule in the ende Which he graunt vnto your honour for his Christes sake Amen 1579. Your honours in the Lorde Iesus most humble to commande Iohn Baker To the Godly and Christian reader grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen I Haue for thy sake gentle reader set forth vnto thee briefly the meaning of al the articles of our Christian fayth which are necessary to saluation to this ende and purpose that as thou hast in English an exposition vpon the ten commaundements of almighty God and the Lordes prayer to knowe the better what they meane so thou mightest haue likewise in thy mother tongue some opening of these Christian articles which being well applyed to thy owne conscience by a liuely fayth thou shalt finde sweeter vnto thee then either hony or the hony combe a treasure to bee preferred before much gold yea the finest that may be And because sermons are not so common in euery parish Church as by the lawe of God and the prince they should be thou mayest therefore vse this booke priuately in thy house when thou shalt haue leasure as vpon the Sundayes and holy dayes at after noone The whole summe of thy faith is here set forth so plainely that thou mayest easily vnderstande it if the Lorde shall giue his grace to thee open thine eyes to see otherwise nothing can be easie to any man but an open booke shal be as sealed vnto men except the spirit reueale it vnto them which he will doe no doubt if thou seeke it by humble and earnest prayer to God in his sonnes name For surely this is the cause why many reading the Scriptures vnderstand them not because they come to them with vnprepared heartes not subdued with humilitie but presuming with their naturall witte to vnderstand the mysteries in them conteined But flesh blood doth not reueale these secret and hid thinges vnto vs. Other reade them without prayer to vnderstand them other some reade them but to dispute and talke of them with the learned and not to amende their liues being detected by them but onely to knowe them and let the practise goe But these men so doing can not be blessed Luke 11. cap. Wherfore dearely beloued Christian I exhort thee to reade the scriptures and all other bookes that tende to the declaration of the scriptures with a single eye and penitent heart not thinking or presuming any thing of thy selfe for the wind bloweth where it listeth as our sauiour sayth Iohn 3. And these diuine thinges are most commonly had from the wise and men of vnderstanding and opened by the spirit vnto litle babes Matth. 11. that is to such as are humble in their owne conceyte and in their owne eyes For the holy Ghost sayth Them that be meeke will hee guide in iudgement and teach the humble his waye Psal 26. So then the humble shal be exalted and they all that exalt them selues shal be brought lowe Luk. 14. fare well deare brother and vse this booke as it was meant to thy good and comfort which Iesus Christ graunt vnto thee Amen Thy louing Brother in the Lord alwayes to pray for thee I. B. ¶ Sermons vpon the Creede or xii Articles of our Christian faith I Beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord which was conceiued of the holy Ghost 3 Borne of the Virgine Marie 4 Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed descended into hell 5 The third day he rose againe from the dead 6 He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father Almightie 7 From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the holy Ghost 9 The holy Catholike Church the cōmunion of Saintes 10 The forgiuenesse of sinnes 11 The resurrection of the body 12 And the life euerlasting Amen The first Sermon vpon the first article I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth BEfore we come to speake of the meaning of these wordes it shall not be amisse to cōsider in a word or two who made this Christian order and forme of our beliefe The generall and common opinion receaued with the whole consent of the Church is that the xii Apostles of our sauiour Iesus Christ made this Creede euery one an article as a godly writer of our time one Aretius in his booke of questions doeth shew Therefore it is called the Apostles Creede But whether it were they or no that made it or any other it is no great matter seeing it is all the vndoubted trueth of Gods worde euery poynt of it agreeth with the rest of the holy scriptures written with the Spirit of Christ We haue many bookes in the olde new Testament which are written for our consolation comfort and that by the finger of God but yet we knowe not the names of those men that wrote them as the booke of the Iudges the booke of Kinges and the Chronicles and such like and in the newe Testament the Epistle to the Ebrewes These all are the holy worde of God but yet we knowe not the authors of them And it seemeth that the holy Ghost woulde haue their names suppressed and vnknowen because we shoulde receiue all Scripture alike and with the same authoritie which proceedeth from the mouth of God making no differēce of persons or choyse of men when all is trueth that is written and that we shoulde not consider so much who speaketh or writeth a thing as what is spoken written vnto vs. Thus much for the writers of this worke Nowe let vs consider the thing it selfe This Creede hath foure partes the first is of our faith beliefe in God the Father the first person in Trinitie the seconde is of our trust and beliefe in God the Sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour the second person in Trinitie the third is of our faith in the holy Ghost the power of God which is the thirde person in Trinitie the fourth and last parte is of the holy and Vniuersall Church of Christ and of those things that are to be beleued concerning the same which are contayned in the last three articles which are annexed and ioyned vnto the Church as The remission of sinnes the resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting These are the benefites which followe the Church This is the diuision of the Creede Out of the first article we haue to note these two things first that we must beleeue in God secondly what maner of God it is in whome we doe beleeue
his prophesie of this wonderful natiuitie of our Sauiour Iesus saying in his Chap. 23. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will raise vp vnto Dauid a righteous branch a king shal reigne prosper shal execute true iudgement iustice vpō the earth In his daies Iuda shal be saued and Israel shall dwell safely and fulnesse of time as the Apostle speaketh was come then God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Law that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4. God then as in this so in all other things is true and iust of his promise and couenant that he maketh to a thousand generatiōs as saith the Prophet For nothing can let him to bring his words to passe his power is infinit ouer all And although it be said that Marie was maried to Ioseph Ioseph tooke her home to him to be his wife yet she was a virgin for Ioseph knewe her not so that Christ was borne of her being a virgin Ioseph was spoused to her in this respect that he should be an aide and comfort for her in her trouble and paine in her flight into Egypt in her great pouertie for she was so poore that she had no chamber to be deliuered in but laid our Sauiour Christ in a manger For these causes was Ioseph called her husbande also that shee myght be voyde of suspition of fornication and Christ not thought to be borne out of wedlocke or in adulterie 2 Secondly for our instruction let vs consider the whole maner of Christs birth after what sort and fashion it was S. Luke doth declare the order of it very liuely saith that whē Ioseph Mary were at Bethlehem the dayes were accomplished that shee shoulde be deliuered she brought forth her first begotten sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes and layde him in a cratch or manger because there was no roume for thē in the Inne By these words we see the maner of Christs birth howe it was very poore and base in respect of the world nothing glorious in the eies of men or as myght beseeme so great a prince as he was He that might haue bene borne in a most magnificent and royall palace would be borne in a stable or oxe stall and he which could haue bene layde in a most sumptuous bed of doune with silke veluet wrought garnished yet notwithstanding woulde bee layde in a vile manger This doth passe the reach and capacitie of mans witte and doth expresse vnto vs how that the Lords waies are not our wayes nor his doinges as ours are For then surely woulde hee not haue had Christ his Sonne to bee borne so poorely and without al honour and estimation here in the earth But here we see the great loue of Christ towardes vs the woulde so be borne for our sakes So that in this is fulfilled that notable saying if S. Paul the Apostle 2. Corinth 8. Chap. 9. saying Ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ y◠he beīg rich for your sakes became poore that ye through his pouertie myght be made rich A notable lesson to take pouertie in good part if the Lord for iust causes lay it vpon vs. And not only was he borne so poorely miserably but also liued so afterwarde all his life time while he was here vpon the earth for that space of 2. or 3. and thirty yeres insomuch that when he was borne he stedde into Egypt frō Herod that sought to kil him no doubt with trouble paine Afterward he liued with the beneuolence liberalitie of certaine good womē as of Mary Magdalene Ioanna that wife of Chuza Herods stewarde Susanna many other which ministred vnto him of their substance Luk. 8. 3. so that he himselfe doth pronounce to one that would folow him for gaine estimatiō in this life that the sonne of mā meaning him self hath not where to lay or hide his hed but is in worse case thē the foxes which haue holes or the birds of the aire which haue their nests Mat. 8. By this we learne to take pouerty patiently which the Lorde himselfe hath sanctified in his owne body neither to thinke it accursed And we learne thereby the contempt of this worlde for Christ had nothing glorious in the face and eyes of man hee was not riche but poore If wee haue riches let vs not thinke so much or highly of them or be puffed vp by them for Christ had them not If wee be poore let vs remember that Iesus Christ was poore also in this life It is sufficient for vs and enough if we may be riche after this life not that these riches and worldly thinges are ill if they be vsed to Gods glory but Christ would teache vs by his example that first his kingdome is not of this world then not to be greeued if we lacke these transitorye thinges for hee had them not at all wherefore if we haue meate and drinke and raiment we must be content The circumstances of his birth are the place of it and the tyme. As concerning the place Matthewe and Luke both agree in one that it was Bethlehem for so was it long before prophecyed of by the Prophet Micheas Chap. 5. saying And thou Bethlehem Ephrathah art little to be among the thousands of Iuda yet our of thee shall come foorth vnto me one that shal be the ruler in Israel whose goings foorth shall be from the beginning and from euerlasting Where hee setteth foorth vnto vs plainely both the humanitie of Christ and also his diuinitie his humanitie in that hee sayth hee came out of Bethlehem and his diuinitie in that his going foorth was from euerlasting The place then was Bethlehem no great and famous citie as Ierusalem was but a poore and obscure towne nothing spoken of among men Here wee may see againe that as Christ shewed great humilitie in the maner of his birth so did hee also in chusing so poore and vile a place as Bethlehem was And this was done no doubt to confound the wisedome of the wise and mightie which woulde haue thought rather that Christ should haue bene borne at Ierusalem or some such like notable and excellent citie Well our sauiour Christ chose Bethlehem and made it famous through his birth and reiected all other cities so is fulfilled that saying of Paul God hath chosen the weake things of the worlde to confound the strong and vile things and things that are despised hath God chosen to bring to naught the thinges that are that no fleshe shoulde reioyce in his presence 1. Corinthians 1. Verses 27. 28 29. Let no man therefore be grieued or ashamed if he be borne in a poore and base village for so was Christ borne and hee is nothing the worse for it hee may come as soone to heauen as they that are borne in the greatest
he therefore saye that is the poore man that because he hath this rewarde he hath deserued it If he so do he doth very vnthankfully When the seruant hath done his duetie can he clayme any thing of his master by merite I trowe no sayeth our Sauiour Christ Luke 17. Neyther doeth the master thanke him So we if we had done all things commaunded vnto vs as we are farre from performing the least of them yet we are vnprofitable seruants and what doth an vnprofitable seruant deserue at the Lordes handes Surely not the kingdome of heauen if he deserue any thing it is stripes Let vs not therefore thinke that we can deserue ought at Gods handes or gratifie and pleasure him so that he shoulde be beholding to vs of duetie to do any thing for vs. This is a very deuilish opinion Christ hath deserued at Gods hāds all thinges necessarie for vs therefore if we be in Christ we shall haue all thinges wee can desire The lande of Canaan which was but a type figure of heauē the Iewes coulde not get by their owne righteousnes but only by the free promes of God in mercy made vnto them It seemeth they had some opinion of their own deseruings as the Papistes haue now therefore Moses gaue thē oftētimes in charge to attribute al to the fauour of the Lord not to their good works as appeareth in the 7. 8. 9. of Deut. but especially in the 9. chap. wheras he saith Heare O Israel thou shalt passe ouer Iorden this day to go in and possesse nations greater mightier then thy selfe cities great and walled vp to heauen A people great tall euen the children of the Anakims whō thou knowest of whom thou hast heard say Who can stande before the children of Anak vnderstād therfore that this day the Lord thy God is he which goeth ouer before thee as a cōsuming fire he shall destroy them he shall bring them downe before thy face so thou shalt cast them out destroy them suddenly as the Lord hath said vnto thee Speake not thou in thy heart after that the Lorde thy God hath cast them out before thee saying For my righteousnes the Lorde hath brought me in to possesse this land but for the wickednes of these nations the Lord hath cast thē out before thee For thou entrest not in to inherit their land for thy righteousnes or for thy vpright heart but for the wickednes of these nations the Lord thy God doeth cast them out before thee that he might performe the word which the Lord thy God sware vnto thy fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob Vnderstād therfore that the Lorde thy God giueth thee not this good land to possesse it for thy righteousnes for thou art a stifnecked people Thus you see how in many words the Lord throweth down all their worthinesse and extolleth his onely goodnes towards thē Now if they were not able to get purchase this tēporal land of the earth how shal we gel heauē if a man cā not builde an house and finish it except the Lord builde it Psal 127. How can any man buylde an house for himselfe in heauen The Israelites were taught to saye that their abundāce in meate drinke other blessings of this life came frō the Lorde not frō their owne power or strēgth Deut. 8. vers 17. And shall we be so iniurious to God so vnthākful to Christ so presūptuous against the holy ghost as to say we haue gottē to our selues euerlasting life God forbid that this foolishnesse shoulde enter into the heart of any man Seeing then al these smal things come not for our owne deserts vnto vs but for his Christes sake much more must we ascribe to his goodnesse this great benefite of life euerlasting As concerning this life to come to aske as many do fondly and curiously rather then godlily whether wee shall knowe one another or whether we shal all be alike in degree I thinke these questions to be such as S. Paul willeth vs to eschew put away farre frō vs. This is certaine our knowledge there shall be most perfite and absolute for then shall I knowe as I am knowen and no ignorance of any thing that is necessarie shall be in vs and euery man shall bee contented and haue his full ioye in all measure of his quantitie so that the least pynte potte shall be as full for his measure as the greatest tunne is with his quantitie All men there shall haue fulnesse of ioye Psalme 16. The Lord sende vs thyther and we will be content with the lowest roune as Dauid professed of himselfe The best question for al to aske especially of the simple and vnlearned is to know throughly the way that bringeth vs thither which is onely Iesus Christ the way the trueth and the life Iohn 14. And so dyd our Sauiour answere for being curiously demaunded of one howe many shoulde be saued he tolde him the meanes howe he shoulde be saued And so must wee doe also and not feede the fancies of men or delite their vaine humors I am sure there bee many men that will aske what we shall doe in heauen and what we shall eate and drinke or whether we shal be clothed there which can not tell howe to come thither if they were demaunded the question And what a madnesse is this to striue for the shadowe and to let the body goe to enquire to knowe things which we are not commaunded to search after and to let goe those things which we are bound to knowe And this vice is most common to them whom we terme fine witted felowes which contemne common and necessarie questions to seeke out deepe and profound questions nothing at all tending to godlinesse but rather to the subuersion and ouerthrowe of all religion and honestie These men the holy Ghost doeth wil vs to auoide and seeing they are fooles to answere them with silence to their foolish questiōs These things breede strife and controuersie about words and they are like to that serpent Hidra which of one idle head bring foorth a great manie to destruction Here is no mention made of hel or of death because all that is in this confession of fayth is set downe for the onely comfort of the godly and not for their terrour Notwithstanding as there is a life and a great rewarde for the godly after this race is ended So is there a hell and seconde death prepared of olde for the wicked and reprobate For our Sauiour Christ speaking of this life speaketh also ioyntly of the euerlasting destruction in fire which is for the deuill and all his angels and those that in this life haue serued him here with their bodies and soules and all their members These sayeth Christ shall goe into euerlasting payne Matt. 25. Where Origen and all those that thought this payne should not be for euer are most playnely confuted for Christ affirmeth it
mightie Father So it is said in the beginning of our prayer Our father to comfort vs but it is said also in heauen to magnifie his power greatnes ouer al things Likewise in the giuing of the Law it is saide Heare O Israel I am the Lorde great terrible no doubt to put thē in mind to feare him reuerently and not to presume vpon him But yet he addeth comfort afterward saying Thy God to deliuer thee hereafter which hath bene thy God already Thus we see that both must goe together Gods iustice and Gods mercie as Dauid said Thy rod thy staffe they cōfort me Psal 23. Wee call him father not in respect of our creation for so he is our Maker and Creator neither in respect of our gouernment for so he is our Lord and master and those names are not so comfortable vnto vs because hee is so that is a Lord and maker euen to the wicked and reprobate But wee call him father first in respect of Christ which is his onely begotten and beloued sonne Then in that we are his children adopted in Christ our elder brother which hath made vs all sonnes and children to his heauenly father by his death and passion by his obedience by his fulfilling of the lawe and by his satisfaction for our sinnes as Iohn saith Chap. 3. Behold what loue the father hath shewed vnto vs that we should bee called the sōnes of God This is a marueilous comfort that the God of the whole earth the Lord of lords is a louing father vnto vs. And this is in Christ Iesus that wee haue this dignity prerogatiue aboue others not in our selues nor by birth and nature for so we are the sonnes of Gods ire wrath of cōdēnatiō because of our sinful father Adā transgressing Gods cōmandemēt Whē we name him almighty we do not cōceiue him to haue such a power which he doth not vse but in saying this we confesse and acknowledge that he hath al things creatures vnder his power obedience euen the deuils themselues as we see in the Gospel how they submitted thēselues to Christ the sonne of God how he asked leaue before he could do any thing to Iob Iob. 1. Again we must needes graūt that being omnipotēt and almighty he doth all things that are done he ruleth gouerneth heauen earth the sea and hel all things in them the whole world at his beck doth bend yeld it self So that our God being so mighty is not an idle God in heauen as the wicked do imagine but disposeth al things by his iust wise prouidēce howsoeuer they fal out nothing cōmeth to passe wtout his wil and coūsel no not the flight of Sparrowes Mat. 10. For if the Lord should not vphold heauen and earth yea the whole world with his power it would fal to nothing to dust ashes therefore it is said that Christ doth susteine all things by the worde of his might Hebr. 1. And here our faith hath a double cōfort by the prouidence omnipotēcie of God First because it considereth that God hath sufficient power to defende his Church Secōdly because he is willling to do it It foloweth maker of heauē earth This proueth that he is almighty because he hath made heauē earth of nothing when it was not Gen. 1. And this doth notably confute the wicked false opinions of the Philosophers as Plato Aristotle who greatly to the derogation impairing of Gods glory power thought held that the world was eternal frō the beginnings and neuer made neither should haue ende But this is false blasphemous against God We learne here another lesson in our faith that the world was made and had a beginning and shall haue an ending as Moses proueth the one Peter the other 2. Epist 3. Chap. Now by making of heauē and earth we vnderstand al things conteined in heauen earth as the sea For Dauid saith The sea is his and he made it 95. Psa The things in heauē as his angels the things in earth men beasts fishes foules worms al other sensles creatures whatsoeuer It is therfore as if we should say maker of al things visible which we see inuible which we see not as in the Creed of the coūsell of Nice in more fully expressed And this was done because of the Heretikes called the Maniches which did appoynt two beginnings of things created the one good which was God and him they made the beginner of all good thinges the other they imagined to be ill which was the deuil and him they set ouer the euill things and supposed him the maker of them But these men were deceiued which thought any ill thing to be created and made ill at the first for the scripture doth otherwise pronounce of al things that they were exceeding good Genes 1. But in that any thing is ill it is by deprauation and corruption by the sinne of man of Adam and not by creation for the deuill was made an Angel but he fell and lost his first estate and so became a deuill and wicked spirit by his owne corruption and will as Peter proueth 2. Epistle 2. Chap. Nowe if the deuill made some things thē God made not al but what saith the scripture The Lord hath made al things for his owne sake he saith not some things but al nay he goeth further addeth euen the wicked for the day of euil not that he created them wicked for hee made them in Adam perfit and good but he hath appointed them to serue to his honour and glory although they bee vessels of wrath he is glorified in them after a sort although not so as hee is glorified in the good For therefore dyd he sturre vp Pharao King of Egypt because he woulde shewe his glory vpon him Rom. 9. Seeing then God hath made heauen he hath made also all the ornaments of heauen as the heauenly spirits the Sunne the Moone the Starres to gouerne the earth by their light For in that we giue him the creation of the greater wee must needes graunt the lesser and hee that can make the great and huge heauens of nothing is able also to make the things conteyned in them of lesse importance As concerning the Angels it is sufficient for vs to know that they were all made of the Lorde for his wil and pleasure to be his ministring Spirites to execute his commandementes and iudgements against the wicked and for to serue for those that shal be heires of saluation Hebr. 1. It is but curiositie to enquire of the time of the creation or of the orders and estate in heauen Moses telleth vs a good and short lesson that heauen and earth were made perfect in sixe dayes with al the hostes and furniture of them and saieth no more of this matter to teache vs sobrietie in these things to wade no farther then we haue the warrant of the worde
little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue vnto you the kingdome Luke 12. He shoulde haue sayde great flocke according to the Papistes opinion Againe when one asked our sauiour Christ whether there were fewe that shoulde be saued hee answered in effect that it was so saying Striue to enter in at the strayte gate for many I saye vnto you will seeke to enter in and shall not be able Luke 13. Here Christ sayeth flatly that many that is the multitude shall not enter in at heauen gates which yet notwithstanding must bee saued if the Church as the aduersaries saye consist of multitude for the Church shall bee saued Here Christ excludeth multitude from his Church and kingdome and in the 7. of Matthewe wee shall see that hee maketh paucitie and the small number to bee an argument of his Church quite contrarie vnto the blinde Papistes saying Strayte is the gate and narrowe is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it Are there fewe that finde this gate then are there but fewe of this Church of Christ Wherefore wee haue the more neede to watche to striue and to contende to be of this small companie for surely many are called to the Gospell but fewe and very fewe are chosen But let vs see the examples of the holy Scripture Was not Noah onely founde righteous with his housholde before the Lorde when the flood was brought in vpon the wicked worlde For all flesh had corrupted his way before God Genes 6. Was the greatest multitude in Sodome founde to be of this Church of God Surely if it had bene so Sodome had not bene destroyed But there were not ten righteous men to bee founde within it onely Lot with his wife and two daughters escaped the fire all the rest were wicked and therefore most fearefully cōsumed with fire and brimstone from heauen to make others to feare th◠like sinnes as Saint Peter sayeth Gen. 19. 2. Peter 2. There came but two into the promised lande of Canaan of all the sixe hundred thousande men beside women and children that came out of the lande of Egypt and they were Iosua and Caleb the rest iustly perished in the wildernesse for their vnbeliefe and disobedience But let vs see further when this Church was more increased in the times that followed Was not Elias onely against the foure hundred false prophetes of Achab and Iezabel 3. Reg. 18. And did not he thinke that there had bene none aliue that appertayned vnto the Lorde but he onely And although the Lorde sayd vnto him that he had reserued vnto himselfe seuen thousand that had not bowed the knee to the idole Baal yet was that to the multitude and number of y◠wicked that were then in Israel Againe was not the kingdom of Israel farre greater then the kingdome of Iuda and yet was the true worshippe and seruice of the Lorde onely with the Iewes in Ierusalem and not in Dan or Bethel where were the golden calues of Ieroboam Was not Micheas in his time onely one Prophete that was good against foure hundred lying prophetes of Achab He was ouercome there by multitude and yet hee had onely the trueth and worde of the Lorde on his side 3. Reg. 22. If wee list to come neerer the time of Christ vnder the Gospell we shall see the fewest to holde with him Was not the whole multitude of the Iewes with the chiefe Scribes and Pharises and hye Priestes against Christ and condemned him to death crying Crucifie him crucifie him Iohn 19. Afterwarde in the succession of the Church wee shall see the Christians to bee the smallest number Vniuersalitie then and multitude is no argument of the Catholike Church of Christ but rather the contrarie may bee affirmed the least number to be his Secondly they will haue Antiquitie to bee a note and token of this Church If they will stande to Antiquitie and long prescript and continuance of time euen here also must they needes fall For their Masse with her reliques was neuer heard of within the space of fiue hundred yeeres at the least after Christ as a godly and learned man doeth auouche vnto them which if they coulde prooue he woulde haue subscribed vnto them and their transsubstantiation was neuer spoken of before the Council of Lateran and so all their trumpery hath bene patched together by Popes and Councils at diuers times Whereas wee can prooue our holy Communion euen from Christ and his Apostles vsing it in the same order with bread and wine in a knowen tongue as he did to his Apostles If their Masse be of such great antiquitie as they beare vs in hande it is great maruayle that the very name of it can not once be founde or read of in the Scriptures but it is an vnknowen name for an vnknowen thing Here we see antiquitie doeth confute them although antiquitie be not alwayes a good argument to prooue a matter by For if it were then murder shoulde be good which is as auncient as Cain the seconde man that was here vpon the earth Gen. 4. From the first king of Israel which was Ieroboam after that the kingdome was deuided in Solomons time vntill the last king of the same kingdome which was Hoshea the golden calues were still mainteyned which were erected first of all by Ieroboam and continued for the space of three hundred yeeres or there about And yet for all this was not their religion good although they receyued it still by tradition custome from their fathers by the prescript of so many yeeres For the Prophetes notwithstanding did still reprehende the idolatrous and wicked kinges for their superstitious worshipping of these calues which they shoulde not haue done if the argument of our Papistes bee good to bring and alleadge their forefathers custome traditions Councils and antiquitie for then Achab might haue sayde vnto Elias if this be true why doest thou reprehende me for this worshippe I haue receyued it from the first king Ieroboam and my fathers haue liued and dyed in it and I haue antiquitie to pleade for mee But Elias knewe well ynough that this was no argument and therefore tooke him vp sharpely as we may our Papistes although they haue had their Masses these seuen or eyght hundred yeeres Agayne if antiquitie or custome bee a generall rule to confirme a doctrine in religion then myght the Pagans and Ethnikes haue alleadged agaynst the Apostles these thinges when they came to preache Christ Iesus crucified vnto them and to alter their olde religion wherein they had continued so long Wee see then that antiquitie fauoureth them not at all neither yet can they father their Church and religion which they haue at Rome vpon the succession ordinarie descent of their Bishops and Popes seeing trueth goeth not by succession inheritance but by the grace and mercy of God But if succession of bishops and hie Priestes as they fayne from Peter to this time doeth prooue
to Christ are gentle as sheepe not cruel as wolues for they shall not hurt nor destroy in al the mountayne of my holines saith the Lorde of hosts by his Prophet This name of the church excludeth y◠bloody church of Rome for they are as wolues cruell beastes deuouring the sheepe as well with vs appeared in Queene Maries dayes howe bloodthirstie they were in that the wolues slewe so many of the sheepe of Christ It is called the spouse of Christ therefore they that giue them selues to another head and husband as the false Romanes doe are not of this church It is also compared and likened to the moone because the churche taketh all her light and brightnes of Iesus Christ the true sunne of righteousnes as the moone doeth take of the sunne all her light which thing the Papistes doe not for they ascribe not all to Christ but some things to the Pope some to them selues and others And as the moone is not alway visible being in her change so is not this churche to the eye of man alwayes in a visible she we as the proude churche of Rome is but hath sometime warre and aduersitie sometime peace prosperitie It is moreouer like vnto a ship vpon the seas tossed in deede with the waues from one place to an other but yet neuer drowned because Christ Iesus is in it and holdeth the sterne with his hande These thinges vnto the which the church is likened doe very well conuince Rome to be no church of God at all for it is alwayes visible to the eie and in great wealth and prosperitie as Babylon was so it boasteth of her selfe as shee did It neuer at all mourneth or is in the pit of afflictiō as Christ said his church shouldbe Iohn 16. And as we reade in Ezechiel 9. this church of Rome doth alwayes laugh and reioyce and neuer feeleth the rodde which is a token of bastards and such reprobates and not of Gods children Heb. 12. This true church of Christ is but one For there is but one mediator one husband and therefore one spouse and one body as Paul proueth Ephes 4. and is called vniuersall because it is in all partes of the earth and the Lord hath of his church out of all nations and kinreds tongues Reuel 7. Which church yet notwithstanding is deuided into particular churches of euery coūtrey kingdom where as they al make but one general church For they are ioyned together in the same spirite fayth baptisme and Lorde Iesus which is one head to them all There was a particular church in the house of Philemon as Paul reporteth in that epistle and he also calleth the Corinthiās a church others too vnto whom he wrote meaning that they were speciall churches of this vniuersall church And here the ignorance of the Papistes is seene and manifested which make that to be general and catholike which is but particular special For although their Rome were a true church yet can it not be termed by any meanes Catholike except all the saintes and good men aliue vpon the earth were in it which can not be Here thē they are deceiued in the worde Catholike making that to bee generall which is but in part so Paul did neuer write to any church which hee called Catholike for if hee had meant so that Rome had bene the catholike church when hee wrote vnto it then could he not properly haue called Corinth a church at all The summe of all that we haue said hitherto is thus much that there is an holy church whose head is Iesus Christ alone to this end and purpose called of God by his woord that it should gloryfie him for his goodnesse For looke whatsoeuer our God doth he doth it in y◠behalfe of his holy church For this end doeth hee destroy sometymes mightie kingdomes and great Princes that hee might deliuer his church and verily for this ende doeth hee keepe and preserue so long this wicked worlde vntill the number of his elect be fulfilled He neuer destroyed any nation but it was for his churches sake Oh howe greatly are we then bound to the goodnes of this our Christ which worketh so great thinges for vs shall we not magnifie his grace shal we not yeelde him continuall thanks and that in the middest of the great congregation Beleeue me deare brethren we are elect ereated redeemed iustified sanctified preserued dayly by his power shal be gloryfied in the life to come with his holy angels and saintes that we should set forth his praise glory And this is y◠thing which the blessed Apostle S. Peter doth in his first Epistle the second Chapter so earnestly exhort vs vnto saying To the church of God the trewe christians of Pontus Asia Cappadocia Galatia and Bithynia and in them to vs all you are sayth he a chosen generation a roial priesthood an holy nation a people set at lybertie Marke nowe dearely beloued the chiefest poynt to what ende all these thinges are done vnto vs that yee shoulde sayth hee shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse vnto his marueilous light Doe wee nowe shewe foorth his goodnesse with thankesgiuing then are we good Christians and serue to the ende whereunto the Lord hath made vs. Are wee not all carefull of this duety to praise God his name daily Surely we haue then transgressed and degenerated from the ende of our creation and calling The praise of God is such a thing so hye and so excellent that if all the Angels in heauen with their force and might and all the men in earth with all their speach and eloquence goe about to set it forth and declare it they shall not do it sufficienly and as it deserueth to be done We ought then to do what lieth in vs and this thing doth the triumphant church in heauen of Angels and Saints teache vs that we should neuer cease to exto his name at al times as they do for they cannot satisfy themselues with crying Holy holy holy is the Lorde God of hostes the whole worlde is full of his glory Esay 6. And in the Reuelation the fourth chapter the foure beastes and the Elders cease not day nor night crying Holy holy holy Lorde God almighty which was which is and which is to come And yet for all this wee here in earth can satisfy our selues and be contented to set foorth his praise either neuer a whit or els so negligently and by such startes as wee declare wee haue no great loue and care thereunto so colde is our zeale in this poynt and yet most hot in trifles and vanites apperteining to our pleasures profits in this life Wee haue nowe heard dearely beloued the meaning of this article concerning the Catholike Church what it is and who is the head of it what authoritye it hath by what signes it may bee alwayes knowē from the Romish or false Church We
entreateth of the benefites or fruites which we receiue by the same fayth which he maketh in number three the first is the forgiuenesse of sinnes the second is the resurrection of the fleshe the third last fruit is life euerlasting Of these fiue parts he hath made an hundreth seuerall articles the first parte conteyneth 14. The second 27. The third 5. The fourth 41. The fifth and last part conteyneth thirteene articles the contents of which articles are handeled as followeth A briefe and cleare confession of the Christian faith containing an hundred articles according to the order of the Creede of the Apostles I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth The first Article I Beleeue in one God onely one in essence and substance three in person the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost I beleeue in the Father as the originall and beginning of all things as well visible as inuisible Of whome also they depende as well in their being as also in their conseruation and he dependeth vpon none but on him selfe being eternall and euerlasting without end or beginning I beleeue in the Sonne as the diuine worde and wisdome of the father which is eternally and before al worlde 's engendred of the father of his proper substance and nature because in him shineth his shape and proper Image which otherwise is inuisible vnto mortal man I beleeue in the holy Ghost as a vertue eternall power which neither is made nor created neither engendred but proceeding of the father and of the sonne eternally euen as a loue proceeding from both persons The second Article I beleeue that these three persons are of one and the selfe same essence and substāce nature authoritie power will goodnes wisdome and eternitie and that these three are but one spirituall substance eternall without ende or beginning true good iust mercifull of a souerayne power and wisdome hauing and containing in it selfe all goodnes not needing any thing The third Article I beleeue that this God which is one in essence and three in person ought onely to be serued honored feared loued worshipped and to be called vpon in all our necessities as he that onely can and will prouide therefore and none other And therefore I say and confesse that I beleeue in one God onely that is to say that I knowledge and receiue him for one onely Lord master and sauiour of whome proceedeth all that is good in me by whom I can do al things without whom I can do nothing In him onely doe I set mine affiance and set mine heart hoping that he assisting me with his holy spirit shall be with me against all mē and that he will deliuer me from al perils and daungers through his grace and mercie without any merites of mine owne and that he shall minister to me all things necessarie as well for my soule as body euen like a good father as hee hath promised by his holy word The fourth Article I beleeue that the same God almightie hath of nothing created from the beginning both heauen and earth and all things in them conteined that is to say all things as well heauenly as earthly visible as inuisible reasonable as vnreasonable sensible as insensible the which hee doth entertaine leade guide gouerne by his diuine wisdom without whose prouidēce nothing commeth to passe either in this world or in the other The fift Article I beleeue that the same God the father the sonne and holy Ghost after that hee had created all things did create and shape man to his own image likenes that is to say immortal good iust true wise mercifull and perfit in all things making him partaker of the goodnes iustice and other perfections of God hauing a will that could agree in all things vnto the will of his Lorde but all that thorowe grace without any kinde of merit The vi article I beleeue also that as the Lord hath created al things heauenly and earthly for the seruice of man and to the ende that by his creatures he might come to the knowledge of the creator euen so also hath he formed made man for thim selfe that of him and by him he might be knowen loued feared serued honored which is the greatest good thing that is or can be in man and that in him might shine the image of diuine vertues and perfections through good works the which God hath ordeined because wee should walke in them vnto his honour and praise to the confusion of the aduersary and that by this meane the fal of the Angels might be repaired and that mā might possesse the euerlasting kingdome made and prepared for him before the foundations of the worlde were laide The vii article I beleeue that the same man was ordeined of the Lord God a master ruler ouer all his creatures the which thing he hath lost through his sinne aswell for his owne part as also for al his posteritie The which rule Lordship I beleeue doth chiefly appertaine vnto Iesus Christ verely God man to those vnto whom he wil communicate the same as vnto his owne faithfull and not vnto the infidels and damned The viii article I beleeue that the first man through the craft and subtiltie of Satan did slide and fall from the excellencie wherein the Lord had created him consenting thorowe his owne free will which at that time he had vnto the subtil suggestion of the Serpent whereby he lost the graces that the Lorde had giuen him in such sort that of wise hee became foolish of iust vniust of true a liar of perfit altogether vnperfect hauing frō thenceforth a will wholly corrupted which neither could nor would agree with the will of God but altogether with the wil of the deuil the worlde the flesh sinne which could do nothing of him selfe but euill seeing that he is altogether carnal bond captiue and sold vnder sinne This is the free yea to say more truely the bond will that man hath in this present life The ix Article I beleeue that this disorder and corruption of nature was not only in Adam because of his sinne but is also in all men generally which come of him Iesus Christ only excepted and that in such sort that all men after their own nature are corrupt vniust lyers ignorant vnkind and imperfect in al things haue no power of their owne nature to do thinke speake or will any thing that may please God vntil that they be regenerate renewed by the spirit of the Lord. The x. Article I beleeue that this corruption of nature otherwise called original sinne is the fountayne roote of all other sinnes for the which all the miseries aduersities that wee endure in this present life aswell in bodye as soule do come vnto vs yea in the end double death that is to say both of bodie soule These be the fruites rewards of sinne But although the same
therefore they are not only Idolaters which worship and serue Idoles and strange Gods as the Ethnicks such like but also all those which worship and serue the true God of heauen after their owne fantasie or after the traditions of men without faith without the word of God otherwise thē God hath commaunded them And they only are Christians which do confesse and serue one onely God which is in heauen according to his word and commandement all whose woorkes aswell outwarde as inwarde corporall as spirituall bee the true seruice of the Lorde because the same are done in the fayth of the Sonne of God and according to the calling of the Lord after the which euery faythfull bodie ought to walke The Lxxxvi Article I beleeue and confesse that it is not lawfull for a Christian to be present eyther in spirite eyther in bodie at the idolatrous sacrifices neither to enter into their temples while they are in doing of their idolatries and sacrifices if it be not of purpose to rebuke and vtter their impietie and to teache the trueth as the holy Prophetes and Apostles did and not to dissemble as the hypocrites doe For if the bodie be the creature of God as it is in deede aswell as the soule and be the Temple of the holy Ghost and a member of the mysticall bodie of Christ and if it shall one day rise and possesse eternall life with the soule it must then followe of necessitie that it ought to be wholly dedicated vnto the ryght seruice of God in this worlde together with the soule and the spirite or else they can not at the generall resurrection be coupled together but must be separated asunder the one to be with God in heauen whome it loued and the other to be in hell with the deuill whom it serued the which thing is impossible for that cause I say that al such dissimulatiō is a plaine forsaking of Christ and of his Gospel Likewise I beleeue and confesse that all maner of such dissemblings by the which the trueth of the Gospel is hid the word of the Lord despised infidelitie and ignorance confirmed and the weake are offended the same can not be of God but of the deuill and altogether against the trueth of Gods worde And therefore there must be no halting on both sides but wee must goe and walke foorthryght and strayghtly before this great Lorde which seeth beholdeth and knoweth all things yea euen before they are begonne The Lxxxvii Article I beleeue also that the beginning of all Idolatrie was the fynding out and inuention of Images which also were made to the great offence of the soules of men and are as snares and trappes for the feete of the ignorant to make them to fal Therefore they ought not to be honoured serued worshipped neyther to bee suffered in the Temples or Churches neyther in any other places where Christian people doe meete together to heare and vnderstande the word of God but rather the same ought vtterly to bee taken awaye and throwen downe according to the effect of the second commandement of God and that ought to bee done by the common authoritie of the Magistrate and not by the priuate authoritie of any particular man For the wood of the gallowes whereby iustice is done is blessed of GOD but the Image made by mans hande is accursed of the Lorde and so is he that made it And therefore wee ought to beware of Images aboue all thinges This is that I beleeue of the Catholike faith and of the thinges that concerne the same and is for the fourth point of my faith Nowe resteth to speake of the fruites that proceed out of the same and what I receiue by the same faith which fruites are in number three whereof the first is The forgiuenesse of sinnes The Lxxxviii Article I beleeue that al those that are come and shall come of the race and lyne of Adam generally are conceiued borne in iniquitie and corruption except Iesus Christ only and that they are all sinners transgressers and breakers of the law and wil of the Lord and according to their nature they are corrupt the children of wrath worthy of Gods iudgement of condemnatiō eternal death all needing the grace and mercie of God and of Christes blood shedding For God hath wrapped all vnder sinne to the intent hee woulde haue mercie vpon all through Iesus Christ our Lorde The Lxxxix Article I beleeue that the knowledge of sinne proceedeth of the lawe but the remission and forgiuenesse of sinne commeth of the Gospel and is giuen vs by the onely grace and mercie of God in the blood of Iesus Christ through the faith wee haue therein whereby wee are counted righteous before God not through our good woorkes or deseruings neither by the merites of any other creature either in heauen or in earth For I knowe not neither do I alow any other merites but the merites of my good Lord master and onely sauiour Iesus Christ who hath merited and sufficiently satisfied for vs hath paide for his owne their dette in wiping out the hande writing and obligation which was against vs and in taking the same from vs hath fastened it vnto the Crosse The xc Article I beleeue that this iustifiyng faith is a meere and singular gift of God the which is commonly giuen by the hearing of Gods woorde whereupon onely it is builte and not vpon the doctrines and traditions of men I call a iustifiyng faith a certaine assurance and earnest perswasion of the good will loue grace bounteousnesse and mercy of God towarde vs whereby we are assured verily perswaded in our hearts of the mercy fauour and good will of God the father that he is on our side and for vs against all that are against vs and that he wil be a mercifull father vnto vs pardoning our sinnes and will giue vs his grace make vs his children by adoption and admitte vs for heires vnto eternal life and all this freely in his sonne by his only sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and not for our merites or good workes This faith can doe all thinges and to it nothing is impossible the which faith is neuer perfect nor great ynough in vs and therefore ought wee alwayes to praye with y◠Apostles saying Lorde increase our faith helpe our vnbeliefe For that faith only doth comfort vs maketh vs holy maketh vs righteous and acceptable before the Lorde it declareth vs to be the children of GOD and heires of eternall life the which faith also is the mother the spring and roote of all good workes like as infidelitie is the fountaine and roote of all wickednes The xci Article I beleeue also that good workes are not superfluous vayne and vnprofitable but necessarie to saluation I call good workes not those which are done after the fantasie or commaundement of men but onely those that God by his woorde hath commaunded to bee done the which ought to be done