Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	law_n	life_n	power_n	7,129	5	5.5274	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03087	A simple, and religious consultation of vs Herman by the grace of God Archebishop of Colone, and prince Electour. [et] c. by what meanes a Christian reformation, and founded in Gods worde, of doctrine, administration of the deuine sacramentes, of ceremonies, and the hole cure of soules, and other ecclesiastical ministeries may be begon among men committed to our pastorall charge, vntil the Lorde graunt a better to be appoynted either by a free, and Christian cou[n]sayle, general, or national, or elles by the states of the empire of the natio[n] of Germanie, gathered together in the holye Gost; Einfaltigs Bedencken, warauff ein christliche in dem Wort Gottes gegrünte Reformation an Lehr, Brauch der heyligen Sacramenten un Ceremonien, Seelsorg und anderem Kirchendienst, biss auff eines freyen, christlichen, gemeinen oder nationals Concilii, oder dess Reichs Teutscher Nation Stende, im Heyligen Geyst versamelt, Verbesserung, bei denen so unserer Seelsorge befohlen, anzurichten seye, English	Wied, Hermann von.; Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Bucer, Martin, 1491-1551.	1547 (1547)	STC 13213; ESTC S103980	258,817	620

with true repentaunce and griefe of synnes and fayth fixed vpon oure Lord. Further that thei heare embrace the wordes here of the lord and al giftes as the words giftes of saluatiō euerlasting life as thei be in dede For this actiō is a proper and principal work of our saluatiō wherin Christ himself offceth geueth to vs all his thinges that he was made for vs that he suffred and deserued accordinge to hys name Iesus he sheweth himself a sauiour vnto vs in wordes and dedes Neyther is there anye word or dede of his set before vs to be folowed or done that doth not properly and effectuously make to our euerlastyng helth so that we take holde of it and vse it with true fayth As in this present action of the holye supper he hath heaped together with singuler and most feruente desyre to do vs good and hath comprehended in a summe and set befor vs to be knowne embraced and enioyed al those thynges that for oure saluation he spake commaunded suffred dyd and willed vs to do Wherfore whan we here those holsome wordes of Chryst in the holy Supper Take eate drynke Surely we must receyue the Sacramentes with great religion and moste bounden thankfulnes of mynde And it is a great abhominatiō to dispise the Lorde callyng vs so gently and so louingly bidding vs to this feast of health and meat of euerlastyng lyfe not to make hast most gredely to this heauenly and blessed banket Thirdly the pastours shal warne the peple that they dout nothing but the Lord him selfe is present in the myddest of theym and geueth them this very body and bloude that thei euer may more fully liue in hym and he in thē and that they may dayly grow more and more into hym whych is the heade and be moued of him as hys lyuely and vncorrupt members and require of him confidently al good thynges and al euils to be taken away and finally that they may receiue the thynges most aboundantly which thei aske For as we receiue hym in this sacrament so we receiue with him al thinges that pertain to the children of God And forasmuch as this exhibition and receiuyng of the body and bloude of Chryste this thinge and action is so heauenlye and diuine a matter of fayth and of the newe testament the pastours shall warne this also that men excludyng the iudgement of theyr owne reason geue fayth simply to the Lordes wordes and that they study to receyue this heauenly meat and this blessed communion of our onelye sauioure and Lorde with singuler desire and thankfulnes of mynde Fourthly the preachers shall diligentlye warne the people that they ernestly considre those most blessed wordes of the Lord which is geuē for you which is shed furth for you and for many vnto the forgeuenes of sinnes Item this is the newe testamēt in my bloud or this is the bloud of the newe testamente For by this only thyng that Chryst on the crosse offred his holi body and bloud to the father for our sinnes we be recōsiled to God and deliuered from the power of satan and hel beyng made the sonnes heyres of God and the newe leyge of grace the testamente of eternal saluation is ordained and confirmed betwene God and vs that God wil be our father also and acknowledge vs to bee his people yea his sonnes and heyres that he wyll driue al euils from vs and heape al good thynges vpon vs both present and to come finally that in the last day he wil raise vs from the dead and settle vs in an heauenly and ful blessed lyfe The fourth thinge that the Lorde deliuered and dyd in his holye supper is this that he saide Do this in the remembraūce of me And he gaue manie other holsome cōmaundementes to his disciples and exhortacions For he taught thē and warned them afore hande wyth manye wordes of hys passion and the fruit that we receyue by the same of his resurrection and heauenly kingdome of the office and ministerie of christen men and chiefely of theyr apostolike offyce to preach hys kingdome in al the world and together in to it the scatered children of God and to confirme and further them in the same For this cause than the preachers shal warne diligently as often as this sacrament is ministred that thei must studiously stirre vp and celebrated the remembraunce of Christe by godlye and diligente handelynge and preaching of the Gospel whereby thei shal faithfully declare to the people how necessarie it was for vs that the sonne of God shoulde take oure flesh and with hys death deliuer vs from eternall death and the terannye of Satan and howe greate benifites he obtayned and gaue vs and dayly gyueth vs thoought hys death and resurrection that is to wit remission of sinnes the spirite of adoption a newe and blessed powre of liuinge the felloshippe of resurrection vnto a verie heauenlye diuine and euerlastinge lyfe All whiche thinges muste be muste religiously preached and considered in the holie supper Wherefore in this must hollie action the doctrine of the Gospell and the lawe muste be diligently beaten in that the Lordes death and resurrectiō and al thinges that he was made for vs that he dyd and suffred that he obteyned for vs and perfourmed and dayly perfourmeth be muste studyously preached and that the remembraunce of him be fully and perfectly celebrated to this end that our fayth in him and new and blessed lyfe in the lame maye be euer confirmed and augmented Therefore we vse yet of the custome of the olde church that open and principal sermons be made a boute this ministracion of the holye masse The pastours and teachers of cōgregacions shall often and faythfully warne and enstructe the people of all these thinges So the chosen of God shal easly suffer them selues to be led awaye from al abuses of thys most reuerende and holie sacramente and be brought agayne to the true and holsome vse of the same For the shepe of Christe knowe the voyce of theyr shepeherde and folowe him hertely This maner surly canne not be obscure or vncertayn to they in that sauour anye thynge of Christ All christiane Doctrine consisteth herein and is grounded hervpon that men be taught to kepe all those thinges that oure Lorde Iesus Christe commaunded as the father hym selfe witnessed of hym from heauen sayinge Thys is my welbeloued sonne here him And he sayeth of himselfe to the Apostles al power in heauen and erth is giuen to me teach and make all the heathen my disciples baptise them in the name of the father and the sōne and the holye goste and teache them to kepe al these thsnges that I haue commaunded you But it is euident that this our only master and Lorde instituted the sacramente of thanckes gyuinge wyth these wordes and commended it vnto vs. Do this in the remēbraunce of me meaninge that that he hymselfe dyd and that that the Euangelistes

raysed him vp vnto supreme highnes and gaue hym a name aboue al names that in the name of Iesus all knees shoulde bowe etc. After that Christ hath thus handled our matter before the father and pleased his anger afterwarde he executeth the office of a faithful intercessour and patrone he turneth him self to vs he entreateth vs that he may heale oure synnes and weaknes For thys cause he sayed to his disciples All power in heauen and in earth is gyuen vnto me go therfore and teache al nations and receyue them into my discipline preache the Gospel to euerie creature baptising thē in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie goste he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued and he that beleueth not shal be damned And teache them to keepe all those thinges that I haue cōmaunded you Thus thorowe thys shorte and simple preachinge of the Gospell he executeth the busines of oure iustification after a merueylous sorte Therfore as the strēgth and vse of the law muste be declared to the people so the vse and vertue of the Gospell muste be propouned and beaten in wyth singuler diligence For it is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleueth Ro. i. First then the preachers shall teache that the Gospell bringeth to vs remission of synnes if we beleue it truely and vnfaynedly and determine thorow this fayth that God for his sonnes sake wyll be mercifull vnto vs and accepte vs and compt vs for sonnes not for the dignitie of our workes and they shall teache that therfore it bryngeth peace to our consciences which by reason of synne were fearefull and brused of whiche peace the angelles sange in the tyme of the natiuitie of Christe Glorie in the highest to God and in the earth peace to men And Esaie the discipline of peace is vpon hym Itē Paule Roma v. Iustified of fayth we haue peace towardes God thorowe oure Lorde Christe Iesus Ephe. ij he is our peace etc. Esaie lij Ro. x. howe beautiful are the feete of them that preach peace etc. For where the voice of the Gospel soundeth not oure consciences can haue no peace as Dauid wytnesseth Psal xxxvij There is no whole part in my bodie by reason of thy wrath neither is there peace in my bones bycause of my synne etc. Secondly the Gospell bryngeth to vs the ryghtuousnes of Christe in whiche we maye trust as done for vs and gyuen vnto vs aswell as if we had perfourmed it oure selues For so Paule sayeth i. Cor. i. Christe Iesus is made vnto vs of God wysedome ryghtuousnes sanctification and redemption and Philip. iij. That I may be founde in hym not hauynge my ryghtuousnes of the lawe but that that is thorowe the fayth of Iesus Christ etc. For thys is a perfect true and euerlastyng rightuousnes For our vertues be farre from that ryghtuousnes and perfection of lyfe whiche the lawe of God requireth And besydes that verie manie synnes abyde euer in vs and wonderfull weaknes as Esaie sayeth lxiij all we are as one defiled and all oure ryghtuousnes as a garmēt of beggerlie patches And the Psal O Lorde entre not into iudgemente wyth me etc. which sentence teacheth merueilous playnelye that we can not sette oure worthines agaynste the iudgement of God Wherfore if our saluation shall be certayne vnto vs it must leaue vpō some other rightuousnes and that a perfecte rightuousnes namely vpon the ryghtuousnes of Christe as Paule wytnesseth Ro. viij God hath not spared his owne sonne etc. Therefore oure Iustification and oure rightuousnes before God which S. Paule and all the other Apostles teache consisteth in two thinges in forgiuenes of synnes and gyuynge of the rightuousnes of Christ thorowe fayeth And thys onely is a sure certayne and perpetuall ryghtuousnes which Christ hath caryed vp into heauē with him selfe to the ryght hande of God where no man can oppresse it or ouerthrowe it as innumerable daungers fal vpon our ryghtuousnes dayly Therefore our lyfe is sayed to be hidden wyth Christe in God Col. iij. And seing that we glorie of thys our Lorde and sauiour and his rightuousnes our lyfe is in the heauens Philip. iij. For where our treasure is there is our herte Wherfore the ryghtuousnes of God gyuen to vs in Christe must be diligently and continually beaten into the people by the preachers and they muste take verie good hede that the knowledge and truste thereof be not corrupted and that men slyde not backe agayne to the confidence of mannes ryghtuousnes For though that true fayth in Christ be neuer wythout good workes and loue yet workes deserue not remission of synnes neither is a man acceptable to God for workes but for Christes sake whyle he embraceth and holdeth by fayth his rightuousnes and redemption gyuen vnto hym Thirdly when a mynde affrayed wyth the feelyng of Goddes wrath susteyneth it selfe wyth the voice of the Gospel and thorowe the knowledge of the sauiour Christ and promises of God whiche Christe fulfilleth vnto vs the holie spirite is present and worketh in our hertes a sure truste of Goddes beniuolence and adoption of euerlastyng lyfe For in hearinge of the Gospel the holie spirite is gyuen as Paule wytnesseth Gala. iij. Thys one thinge I desire to learne of you receiued ye the spirite thorow the dedes of the lawe or thorowe the preaching of fayth Item iiij Bicause ye be children God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne etc. And Iohn vij he that beleueth in me as the scripture sayeth fluddes of lyuely water shall flowe out of his bealy thys thynge sayeth Iohn he spake of the spirite whom they shoulde receyue that beleued in hym And thorowe thys receyuynge of the holie gooste a newe generation is caused whereof Iohn speaketh i. Chap. As many as receyued him he gaue them power to be the sonnes of God them I say that had beleued in his name whiche were not borne of bloud nor of the wyll of man but of God Item Ro. vij who so euer be ledde wyth the spirite of God they be the children of God And. ii Cor. iii. we representing the glorie of the Lorde in a glasse wyth a ryght face are transfigured to the same Image from glory to glorie as of the spirite of the Lorde that is to saye when we receyue thorow fayeth the exedinge mercie of God promised and exhibited in Christe the holy goste worketh in vs a newe lyfe and a newe knowledge of God vnknowen to mannes reason Moreouer thys fayth thys knowledge of God in Christ and assenting to his promises thorowe the worke of the same holie spirite the spirite of adoption kendleth susteyneth cōserueth and encreaseth such loue of God suche desire to gratifie and to serue God and to approue our selues to hym in all thynges to glorifie hym that wyth verie great diligence and carefulnes we keepe our selues from al synne and moste earnestly applie oure selues to all good workes The holy scriptures describe

baptisme Item to the Ro. xi he sayeth that we be brainches of the wylde olyue and be grafted into the naturall olyue that is to saye into the people of God thorowe Christ and that the roote beareth vs and not we the roote In an other place he sayeth that we haue receyued the same spirite of fayth with the fathers ij Corhin iiij Item Petre in the actes xv We truste that we shall be saued not by the lawe but by Christ onely as our fathers dyd also which were vnder the law For thys cause not only the Apostles but also the prophetes condempned al them as bastardes and straungers from the Testament and breakers of Goddes couenaunt whiche wythout fayth and the spirite of adoption would be called Israelites by reason of the lawe that they had receyued and for the onely keepyng of the ceremonies outwardly For the law and the couenaunte of God requireth chiefelye fayth towardes God and loue from the whole hert and whole soule and al strēghthes and commaundeth vs so to loue oure neighbour as we loue our selfe where vpō In al ceremonies Christe was shadowed and fayeth in hym was required as Christe wytnesseth the whole lawe and the prophetes depende Thus also Christe was shadowed and after a certaine wise exhibited in all ceremonies and fayeth in hym was required Finally all promises eyther of spirituall or corporall thynges were therfore made to the fathers as Christ him selfe promiseth vnto vs all good thynges if we seeke the kyngdome of God and the ryghtuousnes thereof that being deliuered from all euyls and daungers and enryched with all good gyftes we maye loue God more feruently and studie the more to obeye his cōmaundementes and magnifie his name Wherefore it perteyneth to preachers to applie handsomely vnto vs the promises and threates propouned to the people of Israel sundrie wayes aswel in open sermons of the lawe as in exemples and therof they must euer diligently warne the people that God wyl bountuously exhibite his healpe and gyue them all good thynges beleuyng in hym and obeyinge his commaundementes And cōtrarie wyse that he wyl vndoubtedly rendre punishemenent aswell presently as in the lyfe to come to the vnfaythfull and despicers of his worde These thynges shal cause the people to be returned and furthered in the feare and zeale of God As for the difference of the olde Testament The differēce of the olde and new Testament made with the fathers and the newe instituted by Christ the apostles it is thre folde First because the olde Testamēt was made wyth Abraham onely and his seede namely the people of Israel after the fleshe and wyth them whiche outwardelye also embraced the same religion But the newe Testamente was made wyth all men and nations thorowe the whole worlde as manie as beleue the Golspell and become his chyldren thorowe fayeth Secondly because in the olde Testament beside fayth obedience of the law circumcision other outward rytes of ceremonies were required But in the new Testament nothyng is required but fayth loue wyth the fruites of those vertues and a fewe ceremonies which Christ him selfe did ordaine Thyrdely for that that God had not yet opened so clearly to the olde people the grace of the Mediatoure Christe and because he helde them in great feare and bondage But the whole misterie of Christe is more fully reueiled to the newe people and a greater libertie of outwarde thynges is graūted For in the new Testamēt there is no differēce of personnes places or ciuilitie cōmaūded but Christe bad that his gospel should be preached to euery creature that al men of all nations shoulde be called to his kingdom affirming that al should be saued that shoulde beleue and be baptised Wherfore Paule also wrate that those heathē that were cōuerted were not now straūgers but the citizens of the saintes and housholde of God This in the steede of circumcision and other ceremonies with which thei were innumerably laden in the olde Testament Christe hath lefte sacramentes wyth hys church as S. Augustine sayth verie few in nombre moste certaine in obseruation and moste reuerende in signification that is to saye baptisme and the celebration of his bodye and bloude Finally he hath nowe opened the mysteries of hys grace much more clearely than in tymes paste to the fathers and he hath powred vpon vs more abundantly the spirite of ad optiō and hath mad vs fre frō Mosaical rites al rudimētes of the world And he so gouerneth our hertes with his spirite that of our owne accorde we submitte oure selfe to euerie ordinaunce of man for the profit of our neighbours appliynge oure selfe to euery mannes health and edificacion towardes saluation and seruinge plainly with a free and wyllinge spirite not constrained Furthermore they must obserue that there is other maner of speakynge of the olde testament whiche Paule and the prophetes than vse whan they reproue the vaine confidence of the Iewes in the Testament and lawe of God whiche they obserued onely outwardly with out fayth in Christe For in this place they shewe what the olde Testament After what sorte sacrifices were commaunded in olde tyme. is and what it aualeth wyth out grace and fayth in Christe Of whiche Ieremie speaketh cha vii Thys sayeth the Lord of hostes the God of Israel put your brunt offeryngs to your sacrifices and eate felsh for I spake not to your fathers and I gaue them no cōmaundement in the daye whan I brought them out of the laude of Aegipte cōcerninge brunte offringes and sacrifices but I cōmaūded them this thinge saiynge heare my voyce and I wil be your God and you shal be my people and walke in all the wayes that I haue commaunded you that you maye be in good case Lo the Lorde witnesseth that he gaue not the lawe of brunte offringes and sacrifices that he commaunded hys people notinge concerning this matter which thinge the prophete spake not absolutely of the lawe but as it was corruptly obserued of the vngodly Iewes whiche though they stil apeace prouoked God with al maner of wickid deedes yet they laboured in vaine to appease God with sacrifices done with out repentaunce and fayth That the prophete than myght more strougly throwe doune thys false confidence in them vsinge an hyperbolical or exedynge speache he sayeth that God commaunded nothynge concernynge sacrifices For God ordeyned sacrifices for thys purpose that in them faith towardes God and Messias myghte be exercised not that a libertie of sinning and careles lyuing should be established In lyke maner S. Paule speaketh of the olde Testament to the Gala. iiij Where he maynteyneth the doctrine of the Gospell agaynste false apostles whiche taughte that fayeth in Christe sufficed not vnto saluation but that men had neede of circumcision and other Mosaicall ceremonies whereby it came to passe that while they despiced the grace of Christ they retayned nothynge of the lawe and the olde Testamente but the letter and a

certayne outwarde visour For he that putteth not all hys hope and saluation in Christe onely hath nowe cast away Christe altogyther Wherefore that the Apostle myghte open more euidently to the Galathians that the lawe and ceremonies of Moyses do not profitte nowe wythout Christe yea that they hurte verie muche He compareth the olde Testamente to Hagar Abrahams handmayde and the newe Testament of Christ to free Sara And he maketh the olde Testament or lawe to brynge forth bondemen and carnall chyldren lyke Hagar whiche wyll persecute the spiritual chyldren borne of the free woman wherefore at the laste they be put from the enheritaunce of God as Hagar was dryuen out Howe the olde Testament engend●eth bondmen and enemies of the verie God●ie of Abrahams house wyth hyr sonne And surely as manie as seeke not al health from Christe alone but aske part of the lawe and outwarde ceremonies they are the bondmē of the lettre and rudimentes of the worlde and not the children of God yea they hate and persecute all maner of wayes the chyldren of God which studie to worship God in spirite and truth and be borne agayne of the spirite But God made not his couenaūt nether with Abraham nor with Moyses for thys ende that thei should glory in the lettre and prerogatiue of the flesh refusing Christ but that they should put al theyr trust and hope of saluation in the promised Messias for whose sake god would be theyr sauiour and protectour and they thorow the faith of the same messias should be the people and worshyppers of God Seinge then that the Galathians beinge seduced thorowe fals● Apostles dyd putte some hope in the lawe and in the Ceremonies that the lawe appoynteth the Apostle propouned vnto them the olde testamēt to cōsider what it brought to passe after that sorte that they trusted in it So in an other place he cōpareth the ministerie of Moyses wyth the ministery of the Gospell and newe Testamente and he testifieth that the fyrste is the ministerie of the lettre and of domnation as it is in dede to al them whose hertes God hath not purged with the fayth of his sonne and confirmed vnto them the new Testamēt of grace and adoption of the chyldren of God thorowe the holie goste whiche gyueth witnes vnto our spirite that we be the chyldren of God and teacheth vs to cal vpō God with confidence and affection of chyldren and to crye Abba O father Hither the lawe and ministerie of Moyses ought to brynge vs Christe sayeth to the Iewes If ye beleued Moyses ye would beleue me to for he wit nesseth of me Paule also the law is a guide vnto Christe But the false Apostles wyth whom Paule fighteth in no wyse taughte this vse of the olde Testament but they cōtended that Mosaical ceremonies must be keepte of necessitie euen in the newe Testament and that we shoulde not seeke for saluation in Christe onely As they then abused the ministerie of Moises against Christ and to make the fayth of Christe of none effecte so they made the Testament of suche sort vnto them selues as the Apostle calleth the ministerie of the lettre and of damnation Wherefore the Apostle dyd ryghtly set that ministerie agaynste the ministerie of Christ and of the newe Testament to whō it oughte to serue and to brynge to Christe the onely Mediatour obteiner and confirmer of the newe Testament yea of all Testamentes and leiges of Goddes beniuolence Out of thys maner of speakynge of the olde Testamente the lawe and Moyses his ceremonies cometh it that S. Paule after the preaching of the kingdome of Christ in the gospel called the ceremonies of Moyses beggerly and weake rudimētes because that after the appearyng of Christe and the comen publishing of the Gospell into al the worlde they ledde no more to Christe but rather were an hyndraunce and let The epistle to the Hebr. speaketh also of thys abrogation of the olde Testamēt saying The olde Testament is abrogated and abolished But the couenaunt of the olde testament as it was made of God wyth the olde sayntes is euerlastynge and consisteth herein that he sheweth and exhibiteth hym selfe vnto them a God a gyuer of eternall lyfe and that they be his people Thys couenaunt of God wyth the chosen is established thorowe the preachynge of the Gospell and the olde Testamente is fulfylled wyth the newe And though all the couenauntes of gods beniuolence whiche from the begynnynge of the worlde haue bene made wyth men were obteyned and confirmed thorowe Iesus Christe whiche renueth our hertes and onely writeth the lawe in them neuertheles the knowledge of Christe and a more plentifull dealynge forth of the holie goste was gyuen after the ascention of Christe and preachynge of the Gospell published thorowe the worlde And as there was feare and bondage in the olde people so loue and libertie of the spirite is more gyuen to the newe But seinge that feare and loue bondage and fredome be togyther and at one tyme and haue bene in all Godlie men the one Testament is conteyned in the other amonge all the chyldren of God as saynte Austen sayth there is one grace one Christ one fayeth one adoption and therefore also one people of God and one couenaunte of saluation Onely as I sayed the glorie and knowledge of Christe was further and more plentyfull reueyled after the ascention of Christ into heauen and the grace of the holie gooste was more aboundauntly shedde forth and therefore true and euerlastynge ryghtuousnes was communicated to more people and more effectuouslie For whiche cause Saynt Paule magnifieth so greatlie the rytches of the new Testamente and calleth it a misterie hydden from the begynnynge of the worlde sayinge that it was reueyled in the tyme of the Gospell by the Apostles thorowe the holie Goste namely that the heathen be co-heriters and of the same body with the olde people and partetakers of the same promises in Christe Iesu Wherefore if after thys sorte the preachers shall discerne and declare the thynges that as well in common as appropriatly be attributed in the scriptures to the olde and newe Testamente they shall teache the people the wrytynges of the prophetes and Apostles more certaynlye and more fruitefullye and beynge truely instructed vnto the kyngdome of God as a rytche and liberall householder they shall brynge out of the treasures of the scriptures all the promises threates exemples and commaundementes of God deliuered vnto both the people And they shall declare that in al the promises euen of bodily thinges the promises Howe Christ is enclosed in al the promises of Moyses of grace in Christ and euerlastyng lyfe be enclosed For thys promise is conteyned in all the promises of God made to the electe people of God lyke as vppon the benifit of reconciliation and adoption by Christ all other depende yea wythout thys there be no true benifittes and worthy of the children of God So they shall teache that the threates of

surely we haue deserued that we shulde suffre eternally those punishmentes that the sonne of God suffred for vs seynge that inobedience and stubburnnes agaynste God do euer remayne in vs. Hereof it commeth that the Apostles in theyr sermons as we maye see in the actes were wonte to ioyne together the deathe and resurrection of Christe as the principal poyntes of Christian doctrine which al mē ought euer to haue in theyr sight And vndoubtedly they euer declared the same diligently and taught thereby howe Christe thorough the preordeined purpose and prouidence of God was deliuered and died for our sinnes and rose for oure ryghteousnes Wherefore thorough the preachinge of the passion and death of Christ they exhorted the people to acknowledge theyr sinnes and to repent truly and by the testimonies of the resurrection they stirred them vp to fayth and truste of grace and for gyuenes of synnes For they that can truly beleue and perswade them selues that the sonne of God was smitten for theyr sinnes and that the horriblenes of oure synnes is so greate that it behoued the sonne of god to suffre so shameful and cruel a punishmente for the purgation of them while he would redeme vs from eternal death these men vndoubtedly shal be ashamed repentaunt of theyr sinnes such men shal abhorre excedinglye and feare synnes And so they shal conceyue a liuely and substātial repentaunce Wherfore whan Paule exhorteth to profit and go forwarde in repentaunce of sinnes and warneth that we liue not to satisfie sinnes but to kille them in vs and to dye concerninge the same he is wonte to make mention of the passion and death of Christe Roma vi Knowe ye brethern that as manie of vs as be baptised into Christe Iesus we be baptised into his death That he dyed he dyed for synne Item hym whiche knew not sinne he made sinne for vs that is to saye a sacrifice for synne The Apostle doeth the same thynge in manie other places where he allureth to a newe lyfe and to amendement that is to saye to true repentaunce Ephesi iiij Philip. ij iij. and. Collo ij and in other places For whiche cause also in mentioning both the Sacramentes Baptisme and the the supper of the Lorde he preacheth of the death and passion of Christ For as he sayd of baptisme that we are buried with Christ so he addeth in the description of the supper do thys in my remembraunce For as often as ye shall eate thys breade and drynke of this cuppe ye shall shewe forth the death of the Lorde tyll he come So. S. Petre sayeth also Se that hauyng your conuersation in feare ye passe the tyme of your dwellynge knowyng that you were redemed frō your vayne conuersation whiche ye receyued of the fathers teachynge not wyth transitorye thynges as with syluer and golde but with the precious bloude as of an vnspotted and vndefiled lambe Christe After the same sorte it shall be the preachers parte aswell in sermons as in the administration of the Sacramentes to shewe forth diligently to the people the death of the Lorde as the onely satisfaction for oure synnes and thorowe the same to rayse them vp and to dryue them vnto repentaunce And they muste witnesse to them that synne careleslie and stubburnly the thynge that is in the Epistle to the Hebru that is to saye that suche with theyr wicked life do stampe the sonne of God with theyr fete and defile the bloude of the Testament and therefore shall be punished of God at length horriblebly and euerlastyngly ¶ Of the true propre vse of Gods lawe FOrasmuche as the true acknowledgynge of synnes is necessarie to repētaunce or contrition the lawe of God must be continually declared and beaten into the people and the horrible punishmentes whiche God in the lawe threatneth to them that synne both wyth terrible wordes and moste dreadfull exemples whiche he sheweth in punishing the vngodlie must be sette before them For though Christe alone be the author of repentaunce towardes God that is to saye of holesome contrition and griefe for synne whereby the herte of man is perfectlye turned vnto God and brought agayne vnto the obedience of him yet he wyll that the preachynge of his lawe be applied to thys purpose and he wyll not denie the encrease of his spirite when it is faythfully applied Thys thynge then is chiefely to be warned to the entent that men maye be ryghtly taught of the lawe namely that all that is called the lawe or commaundemēt of God is so in dede that declareth vnto vs what god requireth of vs what pleaseth him and what displeaseth hym And this thing must What is to be vnderstāded by the name of the lawe necessarely be taughte because of thē which thinke that the lawe is not conteyned in the bokes of the newe Testamēt and that there be no cōmaundementes taught therein And agayne that there is no Gospell in the olde Testament Which errour maketh mē vnfitte and vntowarde to vnderstāde the scripture a right Wherefore where so euer commaundemētes are taught with whiche god sheweth what he alloweth ordisalloweth in vs whether they be in the newe Testament or in the olde they ought to be compted for the lawe of God and they must be none otherwyse taughte and declared then those that Moyses taught Secondly we must knowe thys also that there is a double vnderstādyng of the law A double vnderstandinge of the lawe The fyrste is flesly and grosse when men thynke that onely outwarde actes are prohibited in the lawe whiche if a man auoyed metely wel he hath satisfied the law though there remayne styll in the mynde euyll affections and concupiscence repugnant and cōtrarie to the lawe which is onely restrained for feare of punishmentes that it breake not forth into outwarde mischeuous actes As if a man should thinke when the law sayth Thou shalte not steale that he hath obeyed thys precept when he hath holden him selfe from manifest robberie and thefte though in the meane whyle his herte boyle wyth couetise and carefulnesse of thys lyfe and burne wyth the desire of an others good Surely thys vnderstandynge of the lawe is a false and a verie heathnishe erroure whiche maketh nothing els then hipocrites of whiche sorte that pharisee was standyng in the tēple and praying I thanke the God that I am not as other men be raueners vn iuste adulterers as also thys publicane is They then that thynke so carnally of the lawe haue muche a do and greate difficultie to come to the knowedge of Christe For they loke onely to outwarde workes which they thynke they can perfourme wyth their owne strength and therfore they truste that they maye obteyne forgyuenes of synnes and saluation wyth theyr owne workes And as for the preachynge of free remission of synnes thorowe Christe and the ryghtuousnes of fayeth they are either offended wyth it or despice it as folishe The vayle in olde tyme layed ouer the face of

Moyses when the chyldren of Israell coulde not directe theyr eyes vnto his face signified thys vngodlie persuasion For suche men haue theyr wyttes blynded as the Apostle sayth For as then the Isralites onely behelde the vayle layed vpon Moyses his face and not the face it selfe So these hypocrites se not the true meanynge of Goddes lawe but styckynge in the letter they folowe a carnall vnderstandynge whiche they falsely laye vpon the clearnes of the lawe as a certayne couer Thys vayle remayneth vnto thys daye in readynge of the olde Testament in all them from whom Christ taketh it not awaye whiche onely with his spirite openeth the true vnderstāding of the lawe Wherefore the Apostle sayeth but when they shall be turned to God the vayle shall be taken awaye The other vnderstandyng of the lawe is true and spiritual whē we vnderstand that not onely outwarde naughtie workes are prohibited but also inwarde that is to say euyl cōc●piscēce euyl affections al thoughtes wordes dedes wyll inclination and what so euer thynges either in our body or soule be moued in anie wyse agaynste the lawe of God Then we acknowledge that not onely outward discipline is required of vs and vertues whiche wythout grace we maye perfourme of our owne strength but suche workes as the holie gooste hym selfe worketh in vs as a true and perfecte truste of grace and Gods healpe thorow Christe Iesus true inuocation in al perilles feruent loue of God and oure neighboure perfecte obedience from the whole herte and al oure strengthes to be pure and fre frō al naughtie motions and to be inclined and caryed onely hereunto that thou serue God onely that thou prayse and magnifie hym onely with the true loue of hym and of thy neighbour with al kindes of good workes wherby thou mayest further the health of men and therein sette forth the glorie of God Thys true and holesome vnderstandynge of the lawe is necessarie for all men wherewyth as all men be reproued of synne so also they be called backe vnto repentaūce and a waye vnto theyr hertes is prepared for the Lorde Thus also oure Lorde Iesus Christe interpreted certayne commaundementes of the lawe Math. v. wyllynge vndoubtedly that the rest shoulde be so vnderstanded and declared After the same sorte Paule lykewyse declareth the strength of the lawe Roma viij saying the lawe is spiritual but I am fleshly solde vnder synne Seinge then that the lawe is spiritual it requireth spiritual workes But man beinge fleshly doeth onely the workes of the fleshe For an euyll tree bryngeth not forth good fruites He then that wyll satisfie the lawe muste be made a pirituall man and he muste do spirituall workes as those be that the holy spirite worketh in vs as the true faith of Goddes worde and burnynge loue and feare of God and the fruites of these vertues We keepe no precept of our owne strēgth Whereof it appeareth that we can not do the leste cōmaundementes of the lawe thorowe oure owne strengthes wythout the healpe of the holie goste The brightnes that shone in Moyses his face whiche the eyes of the Israelites coulde not abide signified the vnderstandynge of the lawe For as the Israelites could not suffre with there eyes this bryghtnesse but beinge afrayed fledde away So carnal reason can not attaine this vnderstandinge of the lawe but rather abhorreth it and iudgeth it veri mad For if it were so thincketh she al men must needes be damned eneriechon and she weneth that God doeth vniustly wyth vs if he commaunde those thynges that we can not perfurme of our owne strength This reasō casteth away the true vnderstandinge of the lawe and casteth a vaile before hyr eyes and conforteth hir selfe with this false opinion that we haue free wil and if we do asmuch as lyeth in vs that God can not but take it in good worth and that he requireth nomore of vs at al. But we that beleue in Christe and be taught of the holye goste knowe that thys is the true sentence of the lawe whiche we haue proposed For we see the face of Moyses vncouered and haue obtained that that Paule spaketh of ii Cor. iii But whan they shal be conuerted vnto the Lorde the vayle shal be takē awaye For after that we haue knowne and do beholde Christ thorough fayth a new glorie of god shyneth in vs and we are transformed to the same image of Christe goynge forth dailye from the clearnes of thys new lyfe be gon in vs to the clearnes of Christes lyfe and that thorough the spirite of the Lorde Seinge that Christ thā thorough the know ledge of hym selfe gyueth vs thys spiritual lyght and clearnes of newe lyfe it is certaine that it is required of vs in the lawe and that it is necessarie for vs vnto saluation For Christ came for thys purpose rose agayne and entred in to his heauenly kingdome that he myght restore and finishe the same in vs where vnto we were first made and are called agayne by the lawe of God Wherefore the face of Moyses is now vncouered and the true vnderstandinge of the lawe is disclosed vnto vs which be conuerted to Christe the Lorde and be holde hym thorough fayth and in hym partly knowe enioye and liue the lyfe that God alloweth Thirdly whan that it is declared what muste be vnderstanded by the name of the lawe of God what is the true meaninge and interpretation of the lawe we must considre and teach diligētly for what vse and ende the lawe was gyuē to vs of God For thought we haue in few wordes some what toutched it that is to wit that the lawe was gyuen for this purpose that thorough the knowledge of synnes whiche it causeth it myght worke repentaunce neuer theles we must declare this thing some what more plētifully And for asmuch as S. Paul taught the strenghth and nature of the lawe wyth singuler diligence and plaines as a man that perceyued that the strength of the lawe beinge not wel declared and knowen men wil be iustified rather with the keepinge of outward discipline and coūterfaite workes of the lawe than with fayth in Christe we thinke good to consider three sentences of Paule where wyth he moste clearely and playnly expouned the strength and nature and vse of the lawe that thus asmuch as is possible we maye take awaye that festred errour of mē wherby they go about to satisfie the law with theyr owne strēgth and being cōtēted with anoutward vaine shewe of rightuousnes they neglecte Christe and haue no care at al of the true ryghtuousnes of the herte these be the sayinges of Paule Thorow the lawe is the knowledge of syn Ro. iii. the lawe worketh wrath Ro. iiii The lawe is our scholemaister to Christ Ga. iii. Out of the first saiynge whiche is thys thorough the lawe cometh knowledge of synne we muste learne and teach that thorough the falle of Adam there is so greate darkenes broughte in to mannes reasō that of

our selfe we can not vnderstande what synne is and therefore that God gaue vs the lawe that we might know sinne therebi For thys cause we muste be resolued herevpon that that is synne in ded that God Reason of hir selfe vnderstandeth not what is sinne forbiddeth and contrarye wyse that that is a good worke that God commaundeth Wherefore whan we turne our selues from the lowe of God and looke vpon it negligētly as we haue done a greate while with the great hurte of the church the true knowledge also of synne is clearely lost and lykewyse of ryghteousnes than wyth coūterfaite sinnes and good workes we vexe both our selues and other in vaine which thinge manie haue done and do yet vnto this day For if anye thynge be omytted agaynst suprestious vowes and against other thinges What sinnes were falsely fayned whiche God requireth not if we haue been slacke in the afflictions of the bodye taken vpon vs for no regarde of Godlynes and much lesse for the vsynge of the same or if we haue lette passe anye other inuention of men that profiteth nothinge to true ryghteousnes for these thinges superstitions men are meruailously grieued and compte them for synnes they shryue them selues of these thinges carefully and thinke that they must wash thē awaye with singuler repentaunce Contrarywyse if they haue perfourmed anie thinge herein they thinke that they haue done a noble act and haue deserued much of God In the meane whyle they neglecte in them selues and wincke at those true and most greuous synnes frō whiche as from headspringes al other euil thoughtes wordes and deedes flowe out as these be the neglectinge of God and hys worde vnbelefe distruste of Godds promise despiceing of hys threates sondrye nawghtye lustes naturally engendred in vs. But whyle these verye synnes and vices be not yet knowen to vs and therefore grieue vs not how can we ryghtly acknowledge thē and aske forgiuenes of them thorough Christe Wherefore that we maye truly acknowledge oure synnes and be deliuered frō them thorough Christe we muste needes knowe them and considre them not after our reason nor mannes Paule knewe not synne without the lawe traditions but after the lawe of God Paule so greate an apostle in vii to the. Ro. wryteth thus of him felfe I know not sinne but thorough the lawe yea I had not knowen that concupiscence is sinne excepte the lawe had saide Thou shalte not luste And though the same apostle say in the same Epistle cha ii that the heathen which haue no lawe doe the thinges of the lawe by nature and that they hauinge no lawe be a lawe to them selues shewinge the workes of the lawe wrytten in theyr hertes yet it is knowen by the whole doctrine of this apostle and al the scripture that men endued onely wyth the iudgement of nature and whyche haue not the spirite that begetteth a newe determine nothynge effectuouslye but of outwarde discipline and of sinnes committed agaynst the same to stirre vp true repentaunce thereof in thē sleues For they which onely haue the lyght of reason neglecte the thinges that they cōmitte agaynst the faith in God and true worshippinge of God because they beleue not nor truste in God nor calle vpō him wyth a true herte They are nothinge payned for those thinges nether haue they anye care at al to amende the same and to turne to God and to approue them selues vnto hym with true fayth and truste Thys the apostle wrate of the wyse amonge the heathen whyche had gotten anye knowledge of God Where as they know God saieth he they honored not him as God neither were thankefull but were begiled thorough theyr thoughtes and their ignoraunte herte was darckned Whan thei beleued them selues to be wyse they where made fooles and chaūged the glory of thim mortal God thorough an image not onely made after the lyknes of manne but also of forefooted and crepinge beastes But God which is ritche in mercie gaue his spirite the teacher of all truth to manie of them both before and after the geuynge of the lawe wythout the ministerie of thys lawe onely thorowe the comon lawe of nature and doctrine receiued from the fathers And by thys spirite they both knewe and dyd the thynges that pertayne to the lawe and were to them selues in steede of a lawe Of whiche thynges they coulde do none thorow the only light of that nature wherwyth they were borne into thys world For seinge that Paule coulde not acknowledge synne without the lawe gyuē reueiled frō aboue vndoubtedly the doctrine of the law of God is necessarie to all men that they maye knowe theyr synne therby Wherfore the lawe muste be sette forth and repeted to the people wyth all diligence that they may learne to haue it euer in theyr eyes and to considre it reuerently and to directe theyr myndes and all theyr doinges thereunto that thorow true and substantial knowledgyng of synne a lyuely repentaunce of the same maye be prycked vp For that is a true and holesome knowledge of synne when we do not onely acknowledge what synne is but also that we are giltie of synne And the lawe was gyuē to steare vp in vs such a knowledge of sinne For it sayeth not onely that murther auoutrie thefte and suche lyke be synnes but it sayeth kyl not thou yea be not angrie with out a cause committe not thou auoutrie yea desire not an other mannes wyfe steale not thou yea defraude not thy neyghboure in anie busines He that heareth these thynges wyth a purged mynde and lyghtened wyth the spirite of adoption acknoledgeth that it is required in the law that we embrace and perfourme the thinge that God commaundeth wyth all our herte wyth all our soule and wyth all our strength and that we all togyther abhorre from that that he forbyddeth wyth al our vnderstandynge all oure wyll and all our nature Therefore when a man perceyueth that he is yet farre frō this true obedience and studie of Goddes lawe he acknowledgeth hym selfe though he absteyne outwardly from murther adulterie theft and fraude of his neighbour to be neuertheles before God a murtheer an adulterer and a thefe and to be in daunger for giltines of all these euyls For all be it that he hath not conceyued in his mynde ani reuengeaunce luste or wronge nor hath consented to cōmitte the same whereof no man wyl lightly boste neuerthels he shall fynde in him selfe an inclination and a readines of mynde to the same mischiues Thus when he laboureth to lift vp his mynde vnto vertue gētlenes liberalitie and patiēce he feeleth his mynde repugnynge and euer wyth drawyng it selfe from those dedes and if it be somewhat steared vp thereunto yet he perceyueth it to faynt therin and not to be moued and to burne wyth so greate desire as it shoulde But this lust to do euil this repugnaūce to good this difficultie slownes fayntnes and slarkenes be verie synnes before God because they be agaynste the

lawe of God whiche of right requireth of vs that we do the thinges that he commaundeth vs to do moste desirously and abhorre the thynges that he forbiddeth with al our herte and all our strength so that we abhorre nothynge more in all oure lyfe Here of it appeareth playnly that we are taughte by the lawe of God whyle we beholde it after the meaning of Christ that we be not onely sinners but also prisoners and solde vnder synne For we can not represse in any wise those inward motions with our owne strength which thing whē we learne and acknowledge out of the lawe then we haue a true and an holesome knowledge of the lawe Therfore as the Apostle teacheth diligently and beateth in thys knowledge of the law so al preachers must be most diligēt to teach and print the same in the people omitting the subtile disputations of the lawe that make nothinge to the purpose For while they cōtinually beate in this substantial obseruaūce of the law which Paule teacheth they shall steare vp in men a true knowledge of synnes and thereby a lyuely and effectuous repentaunce and a careful and earnest conuersation vnto Christe For they that geue them selues earnestly to thys perfecte obediēce of the law and turne their lyfe thereunto shall muche better perceyue then anie man can teache how great corruption there is of nature and howe greate tirannie of synne in vs. An other sayinge of Paule whereby we may know the true vse of the lawe is thys The lawe worketh wrath wherwith the Apostle signifieth that we do not onely not acknowledge sin of our selues but also neglecte it when we haue acknowledged it and dispice carelesly the iudgement and wrath of god against synne which the law threatneth as though God were not so much offēded with our sinnes as the scripture wytnesseth and as though he could wynke at them Where as yet Dauid testifieth that God wyl not iniquitie For thus he sayeth Thou arte not the God that wylleth iniquitie And thou hatest al that worke iniquitie and shalt destroy them that speake lyes Wherfore God would fraye steare and moue vs agayne wyth his heauenly voice that we myght feele his wrath in oure consciences And thys he doeth wyth threateninges of punishmētes and miseries which he added to his cōmaundemētes in the law both corporall and euerlastynge manie tymes and ryght horribly and al sinners shal suffre them if they repent not and be deliuered thorowe Christ Therfore the preachers muste diligently declare to the people these punishmētes miseries that at length they maye vnderstande the wrath of God and feele it in theyr cōsciences that being frayed wyth the intollerable iudgement of God they may be steared to seke grace in Christ and deliueraunce from thys wrath of God Hereof it appeareth sufficiently that the law was not geuē to testifie and to quicke but that thorowe it we mighte vnderstande that synne raygneth myghtely in vs and that we shoulde seeke an other waye wherby we myghte come into Goddes fauoure and obtayne that lyfe that the Gospell sheweth namely fayeth in Christ Wherof S Paule wrate to the Galathians iij. For if there had bene a lawe that had bene able to quycken ryghtuousnes had ben of the lawe in dede But the lawe iustifieth not but condemneth while it prescribeth and requireth that that God requireth of man to be done and threateneth death and hell to all them that perfourme not the thynge that it prescribeth and requireth whiche thynge no man can do For we are so destitute of the glorie of God and true ryghtuousnes so solde to sinne and plainly so dead as Paule witnesseth that the law it self which should be a remedie vnto vs and brynge vs againe to lyfe is turned into oure destruction and casteth vs further into hell concupiscence beinge steared vp thorowe it and synne encreased Wherefore thys is the vse of the whole lawe that it shewe vs thys oure perdition thorowe synne and that it dryue vs beinge stryken wyth true griefe for syne and wyth the feare of Goddes iudgement and being destistute of all hope of saluation to begotten otherwyse to Christe the sauiour which thorowe his passion and death hath remoued the wrath of God from vs hath obtayned fauoure gyueth the spirite of regeneration thorowe whiche spirite beinge sanctified and strengthened we are dryuen forth to worke well and we are stayed wyth this consolation that he is oure onely Meditoure and Sauiour whiche maye sette his perfect obediēce and rightuousnes betwene the father and vs and at length in the resurrection wyll deliuer vs from all synnes and gyue vs perfecte ryghtuousnes The thyrde place of Paule is thys The The lawe is our guyde or scholemaister to Christe law was made vnto vs a scholemaister vnto Christ Thys ende then of the lawe must be diligentlye declared and repeted in sermons For all we haue yet neede of thys scholemaistringe accordyng to the measure of fayth and the spirite gyuen to euery one For there remayneth a greate weakenesse in vs all by reason whereof we haue neede thorowe the feare of the seruile spirite to be euer dryuen to Christe and to be kept in the obedience of God vnto a fulle libertie of the spirite of chyldren Further more no small parte of christian people in thys laste and so corrupte age of the worlde after so notable a defection from the lawe of God foloweth theyr lustes without care and lyueth in manifest vices It is then as necessarie to preache the lawe to thys kynde of people and to rayse them vp from the sleepe of theyr vices thorowe the feare of Goddes iudgementes and to dryue them to Christe as it was to the olde people Therefore it shall pertayne to the preachers whyle they exhort to good workes to beate in diligently the cōmaundementes of the lawe the promises and threates ioyned to the commaundementes Howe be it they muste do it wyth such moderation that togyther wyth principall diligence they teache that it is Christe onely that worketh the true obedience of the lawe and that he satisfied thorowe his obedience that that wāted in ours wherin there is no perfection For as longe as we lyue here oure obedience is verie sclender and vnperfecte nor satissieth the lawe at anie tyme whiche lawe setteth thys marke of our obedience that we loue God wyth our whole herte our whole soule and all our strenghthes Wherefore those places in the lawe and in the prophetes that preache of Christ Euē the lawe leadeth and remitteth to Christe whereof there be manie in the scripture shal be declared and commended to the people wyth greate diligence For the lawe profiteth vs not onely in this poynte that thorouge the knowledge of synne whiche it stirreth vp and the feare of Goddes wrath whiche it causeth it calleth vs agayne to Christe and keepeth vs thorough obediēce towardes god in Christ and yet by none other strēgth thā of Christ but also it magnifieth and sheweth

them lieth they shall studie to maynteyne common peace and honest maner of lyuyng But besyde the forsayed seditious opinions some haue brought forth yet more abominable of whiche company they were that inuaded the Citie Monster whiche taughte that the officers dissentyng frō them oughte to be abrogate and they dyd sette vp a newe tirannie vndre the name of the kingdome of Christe Whiche thynge perteyneth not only to the ouerthrowynge and reprouynge of the ordinaunce of God as euerie cōmon power is but it is a sinne agaynst the cōmaundement cōcerning the magnifiyng of Gods name vndre a false pretence of Gods name to oppresse the cōmon officers and to turne the Gospell into an outwarde politike gouernaunce And to make this leude doctrine more pleasaunt they fayned the holy goste to be the authour of theyr furour falsly imaginyng visions and prophetes whiche they brought forth most vnshamefastly agaynst the word of God wryttē which they taugh● to be playnely despised All whiche thynges be the actes of extreme vngodlines and barbarousnes whiche God is wont to punishe with notable and horrible exemples euen in thys lyfe as appeared in the verie same men of Monster whom we named before For the thynges that chaunced amonge them were surely horrible and to be cōpared with the moste notable thynges that euer happened in the worlde The preachers shall exhorte men diligently to considre religiously these so sore rigorous and terrible exemples and iudgementes of God whiche being cōsidered they wyll more vehemently abhorre both from Anabaptistes and all other heretikes and they shall learne to iudge and determine more certainly of hearing the word of God which God hym selfe hath so boūtuousnes set before vs in the holy scriptures and so merueilously preserueth vnto thys daye And they shal begynne to order theyr lyfe accordyng to the prescription of Gods worde wyth all feare and godly carefulnes they shall also haunt ecclesiastical assembles studiously and they shall caste awaye the loue of them selues and the despisynge of the congregation and the holie ministerie and shall not inuade other mennes offices Surely our aduersarie the deuyl ceaseth not nor slu●breth but watcheth and seeketh to pull men from God wyth infinite craftes gyles deceits and sclaūders Wherefore the preachers shal exhort the people wyth great diligence to the feare of the Lorde and they shall be reteyned in sinceritie of fayth and communion of the congregation and ledde in the waye of the Lorde wyth continuall prayers holesome doctrine and diligent exhortation An other kynde of vngodlie doctrine wherewyth the Anabaptistes fight agaynst the congregation of Christe is concernyng spirituall matters For fyrste they denie original synne and they wyl not acknowledge howe greate filthines howe greate impietie and euer pestilent corruption was broughte vpon vs all thorowe the fall of Adam Further bicause they admitte not original sinne they also refuse the baptiisme of chyldren and in asmuche as in them lyeth they drawe awaye the moste parte of men from God and eternall saluation Thyrdly they boste them selues to be ryghtuous and to please God not purely and absolutely for Christes sake but for theyr owne mortification of them selues for theyr owne good workes and persecution if they suffre any Wherfore thei deuise many workes to them selues for which they haue not the commaundement of God and boste them selues wyth arrogant hypocrisie they refuse the dignitie of ciuile matters and thei thynke that that imagined crosse is a greate passion asmuche as they maye they quenche the doctrine of fayth teachyng men to trust in their owne workes Fourthly they despise the outwarde ministerie and doctrine of the churche they denie that God worketh by them They teach that we must loke for priuate illuminations and vilions Wherefore they auoyed the cōmon sermons of the churche and holie assembles of the people of Christe they withdrawe frō the sacramentes whiche they wil to be nothyng els than outward sygnes of oure professiō and felowship as the badges of capitaines be in warre thei deni that they be workes and ceremonies instituted of god for this purpose that in them we shulde acknowledge embrace and receyue thorough fayth the mercie of God the merite and cōmuniō of Christ and that God worketh by these signes and exhibiteth vnto vs the gytes in dede whiche he offereth wyth these signes And though all the Anabaptistes do not holde all these vngodlie opinions yet there be verie fewe that haue not the moste parte of these And there be some whiche followe and teache thynges yet more abmominable then these Agaynst these common errours of Anabaptistes the preachers must teach the people at certayne tymes and declare the verie same places of the scripture for which chiefly the Anabaptistes make all thys busines Wherin they shall not onely do the congregations good in thys poynte that they shall be ware leste the leauen of the Anabaptistes spreade anie farther and corrupte more but they shal also brynge to passe that the faythful of Christe shall be more plentuously and certaynely enstructed and cōfirmed of al the doctrine of Christe and chiefely of the controuersies whiche these heretikes moue that is to saye of ciuile officers of the dignitie of the politike thinges of othes of cōmon iudgemētes of punishmētes of the proprietie of goodes of lawful bargaines And it shal be verie profitable oftē to repete these thynges in teachynge that the myndes of Christes faithful may be armed against the doinges of the Anabaptistes They shal labour diligently to declare out of the scriptures and propre testimonies of the holy goste that this whole maner of ciuile lyfe fellowship● and gouernaunce was taught and ordeined vndoubtedly of God hym selfe that they be the verie workes and benifittes of God whiche he wyll adurne wyth his benifittes as Paule testifieth Ro. xiij And all the prophetes and Apostles preache wyth Moyses that it is the commaundement of God that we shoulde obey the officers lawefully ordeyned that the subiectes be not rebellious to the officers nor go aboute to plucke them frō theyr place And thys place of S. Paule concernyng officers muste be truely proprely and diligently declared by reason of the busie spirites whiche thynke that the kyngdome of Christe is not wel exalted excepte all earthlie powers be abolished and that they vse not the libertie whiche he gaue excepte they caste of all yokes of mannes bondage But the Gospell teacheth and offereth a spirituall kyngdome that is to say that Christ sitteth on the ryght hande of his father and prayeth for vs and gyueth forgyuenes of synnes and the holy goste vnto the church that is to saye to thē that beleue in hym and call vpon hym The Gospell not onely wythdraweth nothynge from the ciuile lyfe fellowshippe or gouernaunce nor troubleth nothynge in the same but also it encourageth instructeth rightly to maynteyne thys lyfe felowship and gouernaunce of ciuile matters For it bryngeth to passe that all they whiche beleue the Gospel submitte them selues to all

euerlastynge lyfe and part takers of all his benifittes bycause we be the coheyres of his Christe beinge deliuered from the tirannie of the diuell synne death and hell Wherefore I beseche you for Gods sake and your saluation that ye wyll worthely esteme and thankefully embrace so wonderfull abundaunt grace of God whiche is exhibited in thys Sacrament For Baptisme is a greate comforte vnto vs in oure daungers and afflictions and it is the fyrste entraunce vnto all the benifittes of God and to the blessed feloshyppe of all saintes Therefore that we maye considre thys vnspeakeable benifitte of God wyth a presenter minde and greater religion we must fyrste remembre into howe greate euyls the fall of Adam thrue vs. And contrariewyse how vnmeasurable grace God exhibited to mankynde thorow his sonne in that that he hath redemed vs from the same euylles by baptisme Thirdly howe thys so great mercie of God ought to be euer before our eyes in all perilles and with howe great prayses we should magnifie the grace of god which we haue receyued thorowe baptisme Fyrste then we muste considre wyth all diligence that all we thorowe the synne of Adam and enuie of Satan be subiect to the wrath of God and moreouer damned and be holden prisonners vnder the power and kyngdome of the diuell vndre death synne and hell so that we being by nature the children of wrath coulde appease God by no strength of man no vertues or workes For all that is in vs and all our workes be cursed of God and subiecte to the tirannie of Satan by reason of our corrupted nature For seinge that thorowe the inobedience of our fyrst Adam of whō we are all borne into this natural and earthlie lyfe we come al into the worlde giltie and cursed of God so that we muste all dye in hym and beare his earthie Image in thys mortall bodie it feloweth that all our lyfe and all the dedes of our nature so corrupted be condemned of God though they appeare neuer so godlie and holie before men For what so euer is borne of fleshe is flesh that is to say straūge from God repugning to the spirite and adiudged to death and hell Wherefore fleshe and bloud shal not atteine to the kyngdome of God For whatsoeuer is fleshe it sauoureth fleshely thynges and so lyueth it is an aduersarie to God for it is not subiecte to the lawe of God Wherefore they that be fleshely can not please God the wysedome of the fleshe is death And therefore oure Lorde Christe disputyng wyth Nicodemus concludeth thus Verely verely I saye vnto the excepte a man be borne agayne of water and of the spirite he can not entre into the kyngdome of God Secondly we must considre howe plentifull the grace of God gyuen to vs in baptisme is wherin his bountuousnes and loue towardes men truly appeareth in asmuche as he hath saued vs not thorowe the workes of ryghtuousnes whiche we had done but accordyng to his mercie by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holie gost For he thorow the vertue of his worde washeth awaye and abolisheth whatsoeuer maketh vs giltie and condemneth vs as in olde tyme he drouned in the redde sea the enemies of his people and destroyed al mākynde wyth the floude eyghte soules reserued whiche were saued in the arke So this lauer of water saueth vs thorow the word not in washyng away the fyl●h of the fleshe as it chaunseth in all other washynges but thorowe the certification of a good cōscience towardes God by the resurrectiō of Iesus Christ For by the vertue of Goddes couenaunt we are cleansed in our cōsciences and we are certified both thorow the worde and an outwarde signe that all the synnes that defiled and condemned vs be playnly abolished bycause they be forgyuē and be dead Therfore thorowe baptisme we determine certeynly that we are acceptable vnto God and ioyned vnto hym wyth an euerlastyng couenaunt of grace so that nothynge can seperate vs frō hym or condemne vs. Wherfore hensforth we muste not onely eschewe synnes but also feare them and abhorre frō them none otherwyse then from hel as men dead vnto synnes For all we as S. Paule wytnesseth whiche be baptised into Christe Iesus be baptised into his death for we are buryed wyth hym into death Therfore we be dead to synne and to the whole olde mā and broughte forth in Christe so farre that nothynge can condemne vs or seperate vs from the grace of God For he that is deade is iustified from synne he is no more subiecte to the tirannie of synne death and hell though he feele the remnauntes of synne in the fleshe yet those be not imputed vnto cōdemnation by reason of the iustification of the spirite in Christe Furthermore Baptisme worketh a newe lyfe in vs and acceptable to God For as Christe was reysed from the deade by the glory of the father so he worketh in vs with his spirite that we also maye walke in newnes of lyfe For if we be grafted in hym by the lykenes of his death surely we shal also be part takers of his resurrection vnto euerlastyng lyfe knowinge thys that oure olde man is crucified wyth him that the bodie of synne should be abolished that hereafter we serue not vnto synne Wherfore let vs recōpte that we be dead to sinnes in dede and liue to God in Christ our Lorde in whom also we be circumcised wyth a circūcision made wythout handes whyle we put of the bodie of synnes thorow the circūcision of Christ We are buried wyth hym thorow baptisme wherein we haue also rysen agayne wyth hym by the fayth of the workynge of God For God whiche raysed Christe from the deade hath quickened vs with him euen when we were dead thorowe synnes by the vncircumcision of the fleshe or fleshly lyfe For though our lyfe be hidden in God with Christ yet whē Christe our lyfe shall appeare then shall we also in hym be manifested in glorie as men whom God of his exceadyng mercie hath begotten agayne into a lyuely hope thorow the resurrection of Iesus Christe from the dead vnto I saye an incorriruptible inheritaunce vndefiled and that fadeth not away not of corruptible seede but vncorruptible namely the lyuely worde of God by which worde baptisme consisteth and worketh all the forsayed thynges in vs truely and effectuously Thyrdly we shall cōfort our selues with so great excellencie of the grace of God and benifittes bestowed vpon vs thorowe baptisme and we shall euer thanke God and that so muche the more studiously as we shall be oppressed wyth more greuous calamities confirmynge our fayth hereby that God worketh in vs mortifieth the olde mā and repayreth the newe though not after a visible sorte yet by the vertue of baptisme thorowe the worde and the spirite Wherefore lette vs confirme oure consciences and thynke that God careth for vs and that for the merite of his sonne we be acceptable and deare to hym and when we be

thy brest that the power of Christe crucified may be euer thy succour and sure protection in all thynge ❧ Then let hym saye to the people The Lorde be wyth you ❧ Let the the people answere And wyth thy spirite ❧ The pastour Let vs praye Almightie and euerlastyng God the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe I call the vpon thys N. thy seruaunte for whom the churche requireth the Sacramente of baptisme and therein thy grace and spirituall regeneration and thou saydeste aske and ye shal receyue etc. so gyue thy grace and mercie to thys chylde as thy church prayeth the that he maye obteine the redemption of thy sonne and inheritaunce of euerlastynge and blessed lyfe whiche thy cōgregation seeketh for hym thorowe baptisme Open to hym the dore of thy kyngdome at whiche thy churche knocketh for hym thorowe Christe our Lorde Amen ❧ Let vs praye Further almightie God whiche in olde tyme dyddeste destroye the wycked worlde wyth the floude accordynge to thy terrible iudgement and dyddeste preserue onely the familie of godly Noe eighte soules of thy vnspeakable mercie and which also dyddest droune in the redde sea obstinate Pharao the Kynge of the Egiptians wyth all his armie and warlike power and causedist thy people of Israel to passe ouer with dry feete and wouldest shadowe in them holy baptistisme the lauer of regeneration furthermore whiche dyddeste consecrate Iordane wyth the Baptisme of thy sonne Christe Iesu and other waters to holie deepynge and washynge of synnes we praye the for thy exceadynge mercie loke fauourably vpon thys Infante gyue hym true fayeth and thy holie spirite that what so euer fylth he hath taken of Adam it maye be drouned and be put awaye by thys holie floude that being seperated from the numbre of the vngodlie he maye be kepte safe in the holie arke of the churche and maye confesse and sanctifie thy name wyth a lustie and feruent spirite and serue thy kyngdome wyth constant truste and sure hope that at length he maye atteyne to the promises of eternal lyfe wyth all the godlie Amen ❧ The pastour The Lorde be with you ❧ The people And wyth thy spirite Heare the Gospell of oure Lorde Iesus Christe Marke x. In that tyme they broughte chyldren to Iesus that he might toutch them But the disciples rebuked them that broughte them When Iesus sawe that he toke indigna ion and sayed vnto them sulfure the litleoues to come vnto me etc. Beleue these wordes and thys deede of our Lorde Iesu Christe vpō them and doubt not but that he wyll so receyue your chyldren also and embrace them wyth the armes of his mercie and gyue them the blessynge of eternall lyfe and the euerlasting communion of the kyngdome of God The same Lorde and our Sauiour Iesus Christe confirme and encrease thys your fayth Amen ❧ After thys the pastoure shall laye his handes vpon the chyldes heade and the godfathers touching the child shall praye wyth hym Oure father whiche arte etc. Then they shall also rehearse the crede I beleue in God the father etc. ¶ Let vs praye After thys the churche shall synge the Psal Cxiiij Item Cxv. and. Cxxxvi. When Israell went forth etc. Not to vs Lorde etc. Item prayse the name of the Lorde etc. Ye seruauntes prayse the Lorde ❧ The pastour The Lorde be with you ¶ The people And wyth thy spirite ❧ Let vs praye Almightie and euerlastynge God heauenlie father we gyue the eternall thankes that thou haste vouchsafed to cal vs to thys knowledge of thy grace fayth towardes the. Encrease and confirme this fayth in vs euermore Gyue thy holie spirite to thys infant that he maye be borne agayne and be made heyre of euerlastyng saluation which of thy groce and mercie thou hast promised to thy holie churche to olde men and to children thorow our Lorde Iesus Christ which liueth and reigneth wyth the nowe and for euer Amen ❧ Thus gyuynge his blessynge let hym dimisse the congregation ❧ Of administration of Baptisme The daye folowinge let the infantes beinge exorcised the daye before be broughte agayne to the cōgregation a litle before the supper of the Lorde whō there the pastour after that the Gospel is reade and declared and the crede songe shal bid to be broughte to the foūtstone and shal exhort the parētes the godfathers and kinsfolke after the maner folowinge Beloued in Christ yesterday by the grace of God we hearde how exceading and vnspeakable mercie is exhibited in Baptisme Ye haue renounced Satā and the worlde ye haue cōfessed the fayth of Christe ye haue promised obedience to Christ and the cōgregation and ye haue required of God the father that for his sōnes sake our Lorde Iesus Christ he will deliuer these infātes from the kingdome of darkenes and settle thē in the kingdome of his beloued sōne You must remēbre these thinges and doubt nothing but that we shal receyue all these thynges that we require if we beleue Therefore liftynge vp your mindes vnto the Lorde appeare ye here with all religion as in the sighte of almightie God the father the sōne and the holie gost and receiue ye sure fayth and thankesgiuing the benifitte of regeneration and adoptiō into euerlastyng life of the one god him selfe the father the sonne and the holie goste And bicause the Lorde hym selfe commaunded vs to baptise in the name of the father the sōne and the holie gost vndoubtedly god him selfe baptiseth our infātes cleanseth thē frō sinnes deliuereth thē frō euerlasting death putteth vpō thē his owne rightuousnes and gyueth them life eternal We must acknowledge with true faith and euer magnifie these exceading benifittes of God Wherfore that we may steare vp our fayth and mindes Let vs heare the wordes of S. Paule folowing concernynge thys matter ❧ To Tite Chapter iij. But after that the goodnes and loue of oure sauiour God towardes mē appeared not of the workes of ryghtuousnes whiche we dyd but after his mercie he saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renuing of the holie goste etc. ❧ The pastour The Lorde be wyth you ❧ The people And wyth thy spirite ¶ Out of the Gospell of Mathewe the laste Chapter The Lorde Iesus said vnto his disciples All power in heauen and in earth is gyuen vnto me Go ye therfore into al the worlde and preache the Gospell to al creatures and teach al the heathē baptising thē in the name of the father the sonne the holie gost etc ❧ The pastour The Lorde be with you ❧ The people And wyth thy spiritie ❧ Let vs praye Almightie and mercifull God and father thou diddest promise to Abraham oure father and the father of all that beleue and in him thou dyddeste promise to vs also his chyldren that thou wouldeste be a God to vs and to oure seede Wherefore as thou diddest receyue the infantes of the olde people into grace and into thyne owne people by circumcisiō And thy sonne Christe Iesus our Lorde and

maye studye to do those thynges with al oure hertes whiche pertaine to oure helth thorough oure Lorde Iesus Christe ¶ Heare ye the Gospel Iohn iij. God so loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten sonne that al whych beleue in him shoulde haue lyfe euerlainge ¶ Or. i. Timo. i. ¶ This is a sure sainge and worthey of all embrachynge that Iesus Christe came in to this worlde to saue sinners ¶ Or Iohan. iij. ❧ The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen althinges in to his handes he that beleueth in the sonne hath lyfe euerlastynge ❧ Or Acte x. ❧ All the prophetes beare wytnesse vnto Christ that all that beleue in him receiue remission of theyr sinnes thorought hym ❧ Or. i. Iohan. ij ❧ My litel children if anye haue synned we haue o iuste aduocate with the father Iesus Christ and he is an attomement for our synnes ❧ Whan the pastour hath shewed to The people one of the sayde Gospels He shal saye further Because our blessed Lorde hath lefte thys power to his congregacion that it maye absolue them from sinnes and restore them in to the sauour of the heauenlie father which being repētance for theyr sinnes do truly beleue in christ the lord I the minister of christ the congregacion declare and pronoūce remission of synnes the fauoure of God and life euerlastinge thorought our Lord Iesus Christ to all thē which be sorie for their sinnes which haue true faith in Christ the Lord and desire to opproue them selues vnto him After this where clerckes or scholars shal be they shal syng some what in latine taken out of the holye scriptures for an entraunce or begininge After that thei shal singe kyrie eleson and gloria in excelses but because that kyrie eleson is a cōmune praier of the congregacion and gloria in excelses is also a cōmune thankes giuing let the people sing both in douch After this songe he that shall execute the holie ministerie shal recite a collect in douch but yet so that all the people maye well vnderstand it For therefore the ministre speaketh thys sentence to the people The Lorde be with you And let vs praie and the people answereth And with thy spirite signifiinge thereby that they also praye together with the minister For so Chrisostome interpreteth this saiynge And because thys must be a cōmune praier of the whole congregacion it is called a collet for that that a praier gathered of the wyshes of al that be presēte is offred to god by the minister or because it is a prayer of the cōgregacion gathered together and prainge together vnto the Lord But the purer collectes and more cōsonāt to the holie scriptures must be chosen out of which sorte we wil cause some to be set furth After the collectes there shall folowe accordynge to the custoume a lesson of an epistle which shal be red in suche a place the reader turninge hys face to the people that it maie be hearde and vnderstāded of the whole cōgregaciō Wher fore it shal be also red in douch because that lesson pertayneth to the instruction and admonition of all the people After the epistle where clerckes be lette alleluia be songe in latine or a graile or sequence if they haue anye pure and some douch songe Than let the Gospel be red in douche to the people whych reading an interpretacion and ordinarie sermon shall folowe furth with and after the sermon a praier for al states of men and necessites of the congregation after this sorte Almightie euerlastinge God and mercyfull father which by thy dere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles cōmaundest that we shoulde come before the in his name and diddest promise that thou wouldest mercifully giue vs whatsoeuer agreinge together we should aske in his name we beseche the by thy sonne our only sauiour first that thou wilte mercifully forgiue vs al our sinnes iniquites which we acknowledge and cōfesse here in thy sighte and that thou wilte fauourally turne awaye from vs thorough the bloude and satisfaction of thy sonne our mediator thy most iuste wrath whyche we haue deserued thorough so manifolde transgression of thy commaundementes But confirme thou in vs thy holye spirite that we maye holy giue ouer our selues to the obedience of the now and euer that calinge vpon the alwaies for our selues and for other we maye obteine thy grace and helpe We praie therefore cheifely for thy congregacions deliuer them from a … olues hired seruauntes which ether spoile and deuour thy shepe miserabli or tratrouously for sake them and destroy them and proudly reioise and delite thēselues in theyr destruction Geue thē good and faithful ministers and pastours preserue the same Encrease thy holie spirite in al persones whiche be at this holie ministerie that therein they maye faythfully serue the and with the profite of thy flocke that thy scatered sheepe maye thorough thy gospell be gathered to thy dearesōne the high and only true shepeherde and bishoppe of oure soules Iesus Christe from all straynge ether of errours or of synnes breifely that they maie be brought againe to the true communion of him that there maye be one flocke and one shepeherde So we praie the also holie father for thy seruauntes the ministers of ciuile gouernaūces for our most gracious emperour king for all other kynges princes and magistrates And specially we praie the for our most reuerende archebisoppe and ryght excellent prince for his consel and officers for the consel and magystrates of thys citie Gyue all these thy holie spirite that they maye truly knowe and embrace Christe thy sonne to whom thou hast giuen al power and al iudgement in heauen and in erth and that accordinge to their strength they maye so serue his kingdome that thei maie so gouerne vs whiche are in dede subiectes to them but be the creatures of thy hande and the shepe of thy pastures that in thys place and euerye where we maye lyue a peacible and quiete life with al godlines and honesti and being deliuered fro al fear of our enimies we maie serue the in al righteousnes and holines we pray also heauenlie father for al those moreouer whiche yet pertayne not to thy kyngedome cause the lyght of thy gospel to shyne vnto them also drawe thē to they sonne oure sauioure that beleuinge in him they bee saued with vs. And as touchinge them whom thou haste some what drawen vnto hym so that thei graunt him to be their sauiour and the sauioure of al men but neuer theles thei haue not yet bound them selues to al obedience of the gospel encrease in these the faith and knowledge of they sōne which thou hast giuen thē that they maye thoroughlye geue ouer their selues vnto the obedience of him and of his congregacion and that they may magnifie the in the same thorugh out al their lyfe wyth godlie saiynges and doinges Furthermore we praye the father mercyful God the great conforter of the

shal be propouned and declared to the people And wereas we haue no certayne knowlege of the Apostles doynges besyde those thynges that we reade in the Gospels the Actes of the Apostles and in theyr Epistles vpon the holye dayes of those Apostles of whome the holye scripture maketh no peculiar mention the pastoures muste warne the people and enstructe thē of the office of the Apostles and of the ministerie of the gospel generally out of these lessons of the Gospel Iesus sente his twelue disciples c. Mathe. x. Item Iohā xv I am a true vyue and you be braunches c. Or out of some other lyke lesson For hidden writinges called Apocripha or suche histories as men doubte of the certaintie therof ought not to be red in churches whiche thinge was also decreed in the holye counsels Forther vpon those dayes on whiche the memories of the more notable sayntes haue ben customeably celebrated heretofore whether men cease from bodylye labour vpon those dayes or not lette the pastours make holye sermons and theyr in if there be anye historie of those saintes worthey belefe lette them bringe furth out of the same pure examples of fayth and true frutes of fayth and lette thē preach and exalte the same that they may be folowed So yet that some lesson of the holye scripture be red aforehande at the beginninge that the sermon maye be deriued out of that lesson cheifely as we reade that the holye fathers dyd also And if anye supersticious tales monstrous false miracles of saynetes haue ben accustommed to be sette furth heretofore vpon those dayes the postours shal studie to bringe furth and confute those lyes as in lyke maner al false worshippinge of sayntes And lette them alwayes declare in these sermons wyth al faythfulnes and diligēce how sondrie and horrible impieties and abommacions haue flowē ouer the people thoroughe suche monstrous praises and false worshippinges of saintes where with as the glorie of God so the honour of saintes also hath ben horibly defaced obscured Wherefore as often as anie holie daye or memorie of Sayntes shal happen the ministers of the congregacions shall warne the people howe the memories of saintes maye be godly celebrated namely thus first that we knowe theyr fayth and the frutes of the same that we haue in reuerence the gyftes and meruaylous worckes of God that we prayse and magnifie God for them further that thereby we confirme in our selues faith and hope towardes God and praye God with more confidence to giue vs lyke fayth and to confirme the same for asmuch as he hath promysed that he wylbe our God no-lesse than he is the God of the Sayntes departed Thirdly that we be enflamed by the examples of the Sayntes to folowe them godly that we also maie raise vp the giste of God that is giuē vs and religiuossi folowe the steppes of the Saintes euery man accordinge to his vocacion Finally forasmuch as almost in al the other holye dayes yea euen in those whyche were appoynted for the remēbraunce of Christ the sauiour manifold superstition is crepte in and manie vngodlie fables and very heathnish obseruaciōs haue borne aswinge lette the pastours enquire diligently what parte of these toyes and superstitions remayneth yet in ani people and lette them confute the same ernestly by the scriptures and call men backe agayne from those erroures to worshippe God in spirite and truth and that purely and simply accordinge to his word For he hath redeined vs with the precious bloud of his sonne Christ the vnspotted lambe from these vaine rites deliuered from the fathers i. Peter i. ¶ Of fastinge dayes and of lent TThe pastours and teachers of congregacyons shall dilygently teach the people what true fastynge is out of those thynges that we haue touched before concerninge Christian faste For thereby anye man maye easely se that a true faste and suche as wee beginne out of true fayth must be taken vpon vs willingly with true repentaunce and wyth a godlye geale to make our supplicacious to God not bi anie necessite of a lawe not for the custome of men other wyse they shall teach that it is not only of none effecte before God but is also abominacion vnto hym For it is euident that that wil to faste that repentaunce and desire to praye humbly to God can be stiered vp by no commaundement outwardly vsed For we haue not receiued the spirite of Christ by the lawe but thorough the hearinge of the Gospell Gala. iij. Wherefore nether the Lorde himselfe Christe nor the Apostles or the saintes either after them prescribed anye certayne daye for fastinge by a lawe but only exhorted the congregacion and euerie Christian man to fast godli their consciences in the meane while beinge boūde with no lawe So in the olde testament fastinge was commaunded by the lawe only vpon one daye in the yere Wherefore it can not become vs the ministers of the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite to make lawes of fastynge and there wyth to snare the consciences of Christian people Therefore we thincke it shal be sufficient that the pastours exhorte the people diligētely to godlie fastes and vpō the fasting daies to allure them with those exercises of religion whyche the fathers also vsed Whereof we haue entreated before in theyr place Wherefore we wil haue lente to be kepte after thys sorte Firste that the preachers admonisch the congregacion dyligently as at al other ceasons so at this tyme also of their weaknes and of theyr synnes and exhorte them to true and liuelie repentaunce Secōdly that they declare that the more religious sorte of Christen men and the feruenter in the zeale of Christe haue euer obserued to giue them selues somewhat more at certaine tymes to the worckes of repentaunce as fasting ernest supplications and liberal almes by that meanes renuinge in them selues the studie of godlines and stirring vp themselues frō their natural faintnes and sluggishnes in goinge forwarde in the waye of the Lorde For our nature is so defiled with vngodlines and peruerse lustes of thinges partaining to this life that all care of god wareth feble and colde in vs if we do not often raise it vp and kendle it with singuler meditacion of goddes worde and feruent preayers to God Further more lette them declare that the obseruacion of lente was instituted of the olde fathers for thys purpose that if anie in the rest of the yere had fallen in to some greuous sinnes or liued carelesly being touched with no iuste repentaunce of theyr sinnes or other wyse had behaued them selues neglygētli in religion both which euils are woūte to inuade verie manie such persones should be stirred vp and kendled at this tyme to ernest repentaunce of their sinnes and liuelye exercises of godlines by sondrie and graue sermōs bi religious supplicatiōs of the whol congregacions and also by the examples of them that were more feruent in the zeale of godlines that they also