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
of wickednes Mouing likewise the subiectes to rebell against their lawful and natural princes and magistrates discharging thē of their othes and obedience vnto their rulers I saye he that doeth these things and worse may wel doubt of his saluation for he hath nothing to do in the kingdom of God And so all his adherents folowing his steppes religion whose liues are altogether most filthie and wicked may be in the same case and state with their holy father the Pope But they say We can by no meanes be sure of our saluation because we can not be sure of our perseuerance in the faith of Christ vnto the ende But this is vtterly false for the scripture sayth that the godly shall continue and perseuere vnto the ende Paul was sure that he had the spirit of God and that caused him to be perswaded that neyther thinges present neither things to come shoulde be able to separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde Then we may be sure that thinges to come shall not remoue vs from God Againe the loue of God is constant and perfite and whom he once loueth he loueth with an euerlasting loue euen vnto the ende as Christ is sayde to loue his Iohn 13. And to whome God hath giuen this spirite of adoption as he doeth to the Elect he neuer taketh it away but is stil a testimonie vnto their consciences that they shal be saued in the ende and cōtinue in the meane season in the faith and obedience of Christ Iesus their Lorde Yea Paul is persuaded of the Philippians and so must we be of our selues that he that hath begunne a good worke in vs wil performe it vntill the day of the Lord Iesus Christ Philip. 1. And he hath the like to the Corinthians that God wil confirme them vnto the ende 1. Cor. 1. And they that are elected shal continue For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. S. Iohn a man beloued of Iesus Christ and to be beleeued before our aduersaries doubted not to say and affirme for a trueth in his seconde Epistle to a vertuous Lady that the trueth which dwelleth in vs shal be with vs for euer If it shal remaine with vs for euer how should we doubt that it can forsake vs at any time either present or to come Proue your selues sayth Paul whether ye are in the faith examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobats Here he wil haue vs to be throughly perswaded that Christ dwelleth in vs so to be sure of saluation vnlesse we will be counted reprobates which God forbid If the Papists wil be counted reprobates let them then doubt of their saluation if not then let them recant be assured of it with vs and amend their religion and maners speedily Neyther is this doctrine as some ignorant persons terme it a doctrine of rashnesse and presumptuousnes vnles Gods worde teach vs presumption But this is a very comfortable doctrine as at all times so especially at the houre of death when our consciences doe accuse vs and Satan assault vs and the paynes of death come vpon vs I saye this doeth comfort weake and feeble consciences not to despaire and the other doctrine of theirs doeth leade men the hye way to desperation to doubt whether they shall be saued or no. They saye we must feare It is true but not feare to bee damned For there is no damnation to them that are in Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. Neither must this feare bee without faith and hope for then it is a slauish feare of the whippe and scourge and not a childes feare to feare to displease his louing father Wee must then haue the feare of sonnes not of hired seruantes to feare to offende and displease so mercifull and louing a Father and not to feare and doubt of our saluation for it standeth not in vs but in a surer rocke and grounde which is Iesus Christ and if we beleeue in him we shall haue euerlasting life Iohn 3. Act. 17. And yet here we must take heede of another extremitie which the Messalians certaine heretikes with the Libertines Anabaptists that wicked sect of the familie of loue falleth into for all these presume too much of this spirit of God and of their reuelations because they ioyne not the spirite of God with his word but separate it from the word of Christ and so it is but a fayned spirite of their own fantastical braynes and not from God Nowe as the Papistes take too litle so these men take too much and whatsoeuer commeth first into their idle heades by and by they attribute it to the spirit of God be it neuer so wicked and so these commōly contemne the outwarde worde and preaching of the Gospel with the administration of the Sacraments whereas we knowe that the spirite goeth and is giuen by the ministerie of the worde and is ioyned with it as Acts. 10. we reade that while Peter spake the worde the holy ghost fell on all them that heard the preaching not before the worde came for Christ giueth not his spirit but by the hearing of his Gospell first preached as Paul sayde to the Ephesians After ye heard the worde of trueth the Gospel of your saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy Spirite of promise Ephes 1. Here we see if any would pretend the spirit without the worde he may bee refuted for they goe both together the worde of trueth with the spirite of promise For it is not our part to disseuer or disioyne those two things which God will haue coupled together in one And therefore the Prophetes which myght better haue vsed this prerogatiue of the spirit then they called alwayes the people to the worde of the Lorde God saying Heare the word of the Lord Thus sayeth the Lord and still The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Esay 1. They pretende not the spirit without the worde although they speake most plentifully by him 2. Epist of Peter 1. Chapter For the prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Furthermore another effecte of this Spirite is to moue the heart of man when the worde is preached vnto him for vnlesse Gods Spirite perswade and worke in our heartes within when the preacher soundeth in our eares the outward word he shal but speake as it were in the ayre beate the eare of man in vaine Paul well considering this sayde that he in deed had planted and Apollos another preacher had watered the worde but it is God sayeth he that giueth the increase And wee knowe that God woorketh all things in the heartes of his children by this spirite wherewith hee sealeth them after they haue heard and beleeued the worde preached
this holy spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redēption by your corrupt communication proceeding out of your mouthes and seeing he will be content to tarry with you and make his abode in your houses let all bitternes and anger and wrath and euill speaking be put farre away from you with all wickednesse For surely if these thinges be among vs he will depart from vs and then he leaueth vs to our owne willes This can not bee but a great griefe of minde for if our friende shoulde goe away from vs by our vncourteous dealing and vsing of him we woulde be sory much more shoulde we be sorie when such a friende departeth and leaueth our companie because we are giuen to vice and naughtinesse whose presence was all ioye and whose absence from vs is extreme miserie and cursednesse Wherefore as this spirite was obtayned by the meanes of prayer so is he kept and preserued with vs by earnest prayer and hearing of the worde and other such godly exercises of the Christians in which they are commanded to walke in For the fruite of the spirite is in all goodnesse righteousnesse and trueth approouing that which is acceptable and pleasing the Lord. And here is another effect woorthie the nothing that this holy Ghost inhabiting within the elect and children of God doeth make now their workes and labours to be acceptable vnto him which before his comming vnto vs were abominable vnpleasant vnto God not that our good works deserue any thing at his handes but because we are ingraffed vnto Christ by the seale of his spirit Therefore that which was ill in vs before is nowe made good and accepted as if it were perfite yea through this spirite which doeth so season inwardly our actions that they are liked of God we become thereby not onely his faithfull seruants deare friends but that which is much more his welbeloued sōnes as Paul sheweth vnto vs Because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirite of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Father father Wherfore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Nowe if thou bee a sonne thou art also the heire of god through Christ If this be so that we be made the sonnes of God and haue receiued the adoption of children by this holy spirite then we may assure our selues of saluation vnlesse the obedient childe may doubt of the good will of his louing father Here then falleth to the ground the doctrine of the Papistes that teach men to doubt and stande in feare of their saluation For is not this a very absurd and a foolish Position that they mainteyne that we may call God Father and yet doubt whether he will bestowe the inheritance of children vpon vs Shall I call him father and doubt of this For these are the wordes of the holy Ghost vttered by S. Paul That the spirite of God witnesseth with our spirite that we are the sonnes of God This being so marke what Paul inferreth bringeth in vpon this poynt If we be childrē we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Iesus Christ Shall I now be made appoynted an heire by good sufficient warrant of the holy Ghost which lyeth not nor deceyueth and yet doubt of my inheritance that were a mad thing Can the seruant doubt whether he be his masters man or shall receyue his wages when he weareth his masters coate and cognisance or can one doubt of the writing to be authentical and good that hath the parties hande and seale vnto it Or may a man doubt hauing receiued earnest in part of payment but that he shall in tyme conuenient haue the whole hauing bargained with an houest man Or doe we receyue the witnesse of honest men of credite nere in matters politicall and shall not we receyue the witnesse of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost which is greater and more to bee beleeued of vs when hee promiseth saluation to the beleeuers Surely if we doubt then we haue not faith for he that doubteth is not grounded in the faith but is like a waue of the sea tost of the winde and caryed away Iames 1. How can I haue hope of saluation as I am commaunded and yet be in despaire of it and doubt with my selfe A man can not hope for that whereof he doubteth Doeth not Saint Iohn say playnely We knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethrē He saith not We doubt of it And againe Hereby we knowe that he abideth in vs euen by his spirit which he hath giuen vs. And all this assurance commeth to passe by the testimonie and witnesse of this holie spirite which therefore is called the seale of God the earnest penie the spirite of trueth which can not deceyue or be deceyued And here I can not but maruayle at the ignorance and blindenesse of the Papists which while they go about to establish this doctrine of error they impugne and ouerthrowe another of their owne For they saye that a man may fulfill the Lawe of God perfitly nay they go further and say he may fulfil the Lawe and doe all that God hath commaunded in his worde written and more to which are workes of supererogation besides which he hath not commaunded and so in deede he hath not and these workes the Monkes and Friers doe bestowe vpon their friendes which lacke them for they haue ynough for themselues and these they sell to others which are the ouerplus and they call them the store of the Church Nowe thus standeth the case If they keepe the Lawe then they neede not doubt but that God wil giue them the rewarde of it which is life and saluation and why then doe they doubt if it be true they fulfill the commandementes then let them not distrust of their wages and hire Wherefore one of these two must needes follow If they keepe the Lawe then they neede not doubt of life If they doubt of saluation then it is certaine they keepe not the Lawe In one of these two they must needes bee founde lyers by their owne confession But in deede they are vntrue in both of them for it is false that they keepe the Lawe which is a yoke that can not be borne of any man except Christ seeing it is spiritual biddeth vs not to sinne neyther in deede neither in worde no not so much as once in thought Matth. 5. And the other is as false that we should doubt of our saluation But in deede the first author of this doctrine the Pope himselfe out of whose shop it came that great Antichrist and a man of all abominations that euer were might well teache this doctrine and doubt of his saluation liuing as he doth in filthy fornication with his Curtisanes and harlots at Rome sturring vp Christian Princes to warre one with another to mainteyne his vnsatiable ambition pride couetousnes with all maner
be placed in their roumes to put ordayne others that are better in their places The other power is temporall that is to say the magistrate which hath authority ouer externe and ciuill thinges to render according to right to euery man that which of right to him appertayneth The lxxviii Article I beleeue that the magistrate is an ordinance of God set in his church for the defence of the good godly and to chasten punish the wicked And also to the magistrate must be giuen tribute honour reuerence obedience in all thinges that be not in any wise contrary to Gods worde And I doe vnderstand this not only of the faithful Magistrate but also of the infidell wicked Tyrant vnto whome wee must obey as vnto the Lorde in all thinges so that he command nothing contrary to the word of God For then wee ought rather to obey God then man after the example of the Aposâ—les Peter and Iohn The Lxxix Article I beleeue that to the magistrate it doeth appertaine not onely to haue regarde vnto the common wealth but also vnto ecclesiasticall matters to take away and to ouerthrowe all idolatrie false seruing of God to destroy the kingdome of Antichrist and all false doctrine to promote the glorie of God to aduance the kingdome of Christ to cause the word of the Gospel euery where to be preached and the same to maintayne vnto death to chasten also and to punish the false prophets which lead the poore people after idoles and strange gods and in steade of the Gospell preache and teach the fables and traditions of men to the dishonour of God and Christ his Sonne and to the great decay of the whole Church To such a magistrate euery person of what estate degree or condition so euer hee bee ought to be subiect and him in all honest and reasonable things to obey because he representeth the person of a great Lord before whom euery knee ought to bowe And the same must not be forgotten in our prayers to the ende that the Lord may vouchsafe to guide and direct all his wayes that vnder him we may liue in godly peace tranquillitie The Lxxx. Article I beleeue that the magistrate as also the vse of othes and such like is the ordinance of the Lord for to leade the imperfection of man in his corrupt nature after his fall The which the faythfull after that hee hath assaied all other meanes may holily iustly vse in matters of controuersie which may chance betweene him and his neighbour to set an order and to make peace in al things And therefore hee that in necessitie will not vse this way ought rather to be iudged an Anabaptist then a Christian The Lxxxi Article I beleeue that the Magistrate holily may minister an othe vnto the faithfull in iudgement for the knowledge of the trueth and to make an ende of all controuersies matters in variance betweene man and man the which othe ought to bee taken in the onely name of the liuing God because it is the thirde commandement of the first table And albeit the perfection required to be in a Christian ought simply to vse yea yea and nay nay without any swearing neuerthelesse the faithfull may holily vse an othe in place time with discretion in the feare of the Lord for things honest iust and true for the verifying of the trueth when the honour of God or the sauing of a mans neyghbour dependeth vpon it or else not For the man that accustometh to sweare shall be filled with iniquitie and his house shall not bee without the plague And I confesse also that as euery othe vowe and promise made according to Gods worde be it to God or to men doeth binde and ought to be kept and obserued without breaking euen so those that are made without and contrary to Goos worde and commandement as are the religious vowes and such like which promise things impossible and contrary to the word of God doe not binde a man in any wise but with a good conscience may bee violated and broken For in wicked promises in foolish and vndiscrete vowes the faithfull wise and sage may change their purpose The Lxxxii Article I beleeue and confesse that marriage is an honorable estate amongst all men and the bedde vndefiled is holy and ought not to be broken It is instituted and ordayned of God for the bringing forth of children and to eschew fornication from the which estate of marriage none ought nor can be restrayned if there be no iust and lawfull let by the word of God but the same ought to be free to euery bodie of what estate sort or condition soeuer the same bee of for it is much better to marrie then to burne And for that cause all what soeuer they be men or women which haue not the gift to liue vnmarried ought to marry to the intent the Temple of the holy Ghost that is to say our bodies may not bee polluted and defiled The Lxxxiii Article I beleeue also that the forbidding of marriage for certaine persons likewise the forbidding of certaine meates the difference of dayes garmentes and such like is the deuilish doctrine of Antichrist and wholie against the Christian libertie of the Gospell taught by Iesus Christ the which deliuereth vs from all outwarde ceremonies of the lawe and setteth vs at libertie to vse all things with giuing GOD thankes So that it bee not done to the hurt of our neyghbour For all thinges are made holy by the worde of God and prayer to him that knoweth and receyueth the trueth Therefore to compell the Christians to these things is but to take from them and to robbe them of their Christian libertie and by tyrannie to set them vnder the curse of the lawe from the which Christ by his death passion hath deliuered them and it is one true marke and note to knowe Antichrist by The Lxxxiiii Article I beleeue that the pure and true seruice of God doeth not consist in these ceremonies outward things neither in babbling much and mumbling of long prayers neyther in crying and braying in the Church like Asses or the Priests of Baal but in spirituall things as liuely and true faith in God and his worde taught by Iesus Christ his onely Sonne which is of power and worketh through charity toward our neighbour true and perfect calling vpon Gods name with due obedience to his commandementes in humblenes of spirit according to his worde For as God is a Spirit so will he be worshipped and serued in spirite and trueth The Lxxxv. Article I beleeue that all Gods seruices without Gods worde and contrary to his commandement is idolatrie and iniquitie I cal idolatrie after the fashion of the Prophets not onely that which is done vnto the honor of an Idole or strange gods but also that which is done to yâ— honouring of the liuing God contrary to his word and commandement And
from thence which dyed in his faith before his comming in the flesh for they were in heauen already as concerning the soule for the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Wisd 3. Here then seeing Christ hath suffered and fulfilled all things for vs we may saye to God as concerning his iustice O righteous God if shame confusion and ignominie bee due to sinners for their euill desertes if death bee the stipende and reward of sinne Rom. 6. 23. If it deserue thy wrath and indignation most seuere If it be worthy to be punished not onely with most sharpe paynes of body but also extreeme torments of mynd and conscience briefely if it deserue hell and damnation for the vilenesse and filthinesse of it Then O most iust Father and God Christ thy Sonne hath suffered all these thinges to the vtmost hee hath paide al whatsoeuer thou canst require of mee for sinne he hath perfourmed thy bande and obligation and hath clearely canceled the handwriting that was against me For can there bee a greater burden with measure more heaped and full and pressed downe appoynted for sinne and iniquitie then this was which Christ Iesus thy beloued only Sonne which was in thy bosome hath borne already for me Therefore I beseeche thee most deare and tender Father whensoeuer my sinnes shall come into thy sight or question with thee which my aduersarie the deuill layeth before thee and me that then thou wouldest looke vpon Christ thy Sonne which is thy true looking glasse in whom thou shalt finde me to be most pure and innocent and to be of the same white colour with him and to shine most bryght in his righteousnesse which he giueth vnto me by faith if I beleeue in him as I can perswade my selfe most certainely and vnfaynedly that I doe Good Father for his sake receiue me into mercie and bestowe thy heauenly blessings vpon me because hee hath deserued them well at thy handes This prayer with boldnesse and confidence in Christes blood may a true Christian man make to God the Father when his sinnes shall begin to accuse him and herein may he finde comfort otherwise none at all For God is not pleased but in Christ and in his doings as he saith This is my welbeloued Sonne heare him Matt. 3. and 17. Where we note that Christ is our onely reconciler to God and our onely scholemaster to teach vs the trueth of Gods worde Thus haue we heard in this article the death of Christ a wonderfull and vnspeakable mysterie the circumstances of it the cause of the same the paines he suffered and what comfort we haue and enioy by it Nowe let vs giue to our heauenly Father most heartie earnest and continuall thankes for it and likewise to Iesus Christ that woulde vouchsafe to take it vpon him for our sakes such poore and miserable wretches as wee were It is the greatest and most precious Iewel and Diamonde that God coulde bestowe vpon vs. Let vs therefore pray vnto him to make vs deepely consider of the valewe of it in our hearts and mindes that we slightly esteeme not of so excellent a treasure but that wee may sell all and buy it Let vs furthermore desire of him that by the death of his Sonne hee woulde kill in vs all carnall and worldly lustes and mortifie our earthly members pride concupiscence ambition hatred couetousnesse and such lyke sinnes that wee walke in them no more Nowe seeing Christ hath dyed for them to put them all away and hath fastned and nayled them to his Crosse that we shoulde serue him being deliuered from the handes of our enemies without feare all the dayes of our life in holinesse and true righteousnesse before him This God graunt vnto vs for Christs sake to whome with the holy Ghost one blessed God be rendred all prayse and glory and thankes giuing for euer and euer Amen The fifth Lecture vpon the fifth article The third day he rose againe from the dead WE haue seene before three articles concerning the person of our sauiour Christ as his conception his birth his death which we haue expounded as God hath giuē vs ability by his grace Now foloweth the fift article concerning his resurrection from the dead And this doth folowe orderly in the beliefe after his death passion for so did Christ alwaies ioyne these two together his death and rising againe saying to his disciples Mat. 26. 21. Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and the sonne of mā shal be deliuered vnto the chiefe priests and scribes and they shall condemne him to death shal deliuer him to the Gētiles to mocke to scourge to crucifie but the third day he shal rise again This was spoken to comfort them that although they cōceyued great care sorow in hearīg that he should be killed yet they might take as great comfort againe to heare that hee was risen from the dead Christes enemies did in deede what they might and coulde to keep him downe still they layd a great stone and heauie vpon his graue they sealed the stone they made the sepulchre sure with a watch of souldiers Matth. 27. 66. But all was in vayne for Christ must needes be true of his worde and promise to arise againe the third day as he had often foretolde and prophecied of to his Apostles and of the which they were al witnesses and as S. Paul saith moe then fiue hūdred brethrē at once did see him If any require testimonies of his resurrection out of scripture let him read the 28. of Matth. the 16 of Mar. the 24. of Luke the 20. 21. of Iohn the 1. Cor. 15. with many other places of scripture Wherefore no man can doubt of the trueth of this article being confirmed by so many places of the word of God This resurrectiō was very necessary for vnlesse it had folowed and Christ risen again nothing had bene wrought concerning our saluation neither had death bene conquered nor satā destroied nor we redeemed perfectly from the dolours of death Therefore S. Peter saith that God hath raised him vp loosed the sorowes of death because it was vnpossible that he shoulde be holden of it Acts 2. 24. as Dauid also proueth Psa 16. Thou shalt not leaue my soule in the graue neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption This article doth proue vnto vs that Christ is both man and God man in that he did rise with his body in the which he fell and died before for it is vnproper to say that God doth rise againe for he doth neuer fall His resurrection doth proue him to be God also because he raysed vp himselfe the third day as he testifieth Destroy this temple meaning of his body and in three daies I wil reare it vp agayne Ioh. 2. 20. It is also saide that he was raysed vp by the glorie of his father but that is spokē as concerning his humanity
the outward signes whereby the Church of Christ may bee knowen from the temple of idoles I am not ignorant that there are other signes as the holy Ghost and faith which because they are inwarde and knowen to God and euery mans owne conscience I let them passe I onely speake here of the visible signes and markes of the church whereby it is manifested vnto men such as the worde and Sacramentes be If then these be the signes of true Christians let vs that are English men vse them diligently let vs in season and out of season heare the worde with reuerence embrace it let vs withal confirme it in our hearts as with a seale by the reuerent receiuing of the sacraments of our Lorde Iesus Christ This ground being layde that the Church is knowen by the worde of Christ and his Sacramentes beyng vsed as hee ordayned them we can not acknowledge the Church of Rome to be this Catholike Church of Christ for shee hath not these markes in her forehead For it is most manifest that shee hath burned this worde of Christ in the fire and refused it and in steade of it sette vp the worde of man the decrees of Popes and constitutions of their owne as the liues of Saintes in their Legende which is full of abominable lies they mainteyne their own traditions aboue this worde and haue them in greater estimation so that the neglect of their owne trumpery as to eate flesh in Lent or to breake their fasting dayes is more seuerely punished by them and made a greater matter then the open contempt of Gods Lawes For the adulterie of their Priestes Friers and their Nunnes was counted but a light matter no sinne with them Here we see what all the worlde may iudge of them and these thinges to bee true experience it selfe doeth testifie And if at any time they gaue the people the worde which is called of Paul the sworde of God wherewith all Christians ought to fight and therefore shoulde be common as well to the laytie as the Cleargie as they tearme them If I saye they gaue it at any time vnto them yet they gaue it as a sworde in the sheath that is in the Latine tongue wherein they vnderstoode nothing at all contrarie to the expresse wordes of Paul saying That all thinges shoulde bee done to edification in the Church and that hee had rather speake fiue wordes in a knowen tongue then fiue thousande without the vnderstanding of the people 1. Corinth 14. I saye these men are guyltie of the death of the Lordes people which sende them out to fight with their enemies and yet take awaye their weapons and swordes from them and so leaue them naked and bare to the spoyle of the enemie This did the Churche of Rome when it first tooke away here with vs the scriptures and worde of God in English from the people and fedde them with toyes fables of Beuis of South Hampton and such like fabulous bookes which were inuented by the deuils instruments to keepe the people from reading of the holy Scriptures And no maruayle if they did so that is take away the worde from them for they knewe well ynough that if the people had the Scriptures in their owne tongue they woulde quickly see and perceiue their knauery and treacherie that they so closely vsed in corners But when they had put out the candle they played many sluttish partes and no man sawe them although the Lorde then winked not at them but hath in his good tyme disclosed them to their shame his name be praysed therefore We see then that this false church of Rome hath dealt with the Scriptures and the people as the Philistins handled Samson for they put out his eyes and then they led him whither they woulde so the Papistes when they had subtilly put out the eyes of the people in taking from them the light of Gods worde and the Gospell of Christ they brought them where they listed made thē beleeue what they woulde They thought good to be ill ill good they called sweete sowre and sowre sweete light darkenesse and darkenesse lyght and all because they had not the word which was the true light vnto their paths and a lanterne vnto their feete Psal. 119. Then was it altogether thought good and godly to goe on pilgrimage to offer to Saintes to praye to them to haue images in Churches to beare candles to kisse the Pax to goe on procession with a thousand such trumperies which we were delited with as yong children in toyes and trifles whereas now we willingly cōdemne them and are ashamed of them because we haue the light which hath made them manifest and sheweth vnto vs that we henceforth be no more children wauering caryed about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men and with craftinesse whereby they lye in wayte to deceyue vs But let vs follow the trueth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ Ephes. 4. ver 14. 15. By these thinges we see that Rome is not the true Church because it hath forsaken the worde of God whereby the Church is gathered together as men to battell by the sound of a drumme or trumpet Nowe as they haue done in the word in mangling it so haue they in like maner corrupted and altered the true vse of the Sacramentes both in adding vnto them and taking away from them not being contented with the simplicitie and that order that Christ vsed them in To Baptisme haue they added of their owne spittle creame and salt with such like trash the cuppe haue they taken away from the common people and say it was ordayned for the Priestes onely when as our sauiour Christ sayde Drinke ye all of this Matth. 26. They say not al but the Priests onely so that when Christ sayth one thing they say another contrary vnto it Furthermore they worship the bread and say that it is turned into the bodie of Christ become God where they commit both idolatrie in worshipping a creature as the bread and blasphemie in that they say it is God Seeing then they haue not these marks for their church let vs see what markes they shewe vnto vs. First they say that their Vniuersalitie or multitude is a signe of the Catholike Church but this is vtterly false confuted both by the testimonies and authorities of the scriptures and also by many examples out of them For first if multitude make the Catholike Church then the Turkes and Pagans shall be the Church sooner and before the Papistes as the euent doeth shew for they are moe in number then the Christians or their pretended Catholikes which yet I thinke they will not graunt to be the Church But they will say Among the Christians the greatest number are the Church If this be so then sayde not our sauiour Christ truely when hee called his Church a little flocke saying Feare not
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
the Church by a lineall descent to be with them why then should not the hye Priests in Christes time as Annas and Caiaphas Ananias in the time of the Apostles be the true Church for they had their succession from Aaron the first hie Priest ordayned by God himselfe and might haue obiected this to Christ and did also their lineall desceÌ„t from Abraham and yet they were of the synagogue of Satan Christ doeth call them blinde guides generation of vipers hypocrites fooles and doeth not take them for his Church but whippeth them all out of it rather We see then that succession is nothing to prooue the Church by for then the Scribes Pharises and hye Priestes shoulde haue bene of the Church in Christes time They obiect furthermore a generall consent and agreement to prooue the Church vnto vs but we know that a consent and agreemeÌ„t without God and this worde is rather a conspiracy then a consent But to cut off this visour also in a worde was not there a general coÌ„sent of al the people of yâ— Iewes with the chiefe elders also the Scribes the Pharisees the hie priests with Herode and Pilate in the time of Christ to condemne him to crucifie him For Luke reporteth saying TheÌ„ al the multitude cried at once saying away with him and deliuer to vs Barabbas and the voices of them and of the hie priestes preuailed Luk. 23. Behold here was a whole and vniuersall consent agreement and yet for all that it was against the trueth euen Iesus Christ the author of al trueth But do they agree among them selues are they not at variance yet what purgatorie should be some appointing it to be fire some water some I se and snowe Were not the Dominican friers against the Franciscans about the conceptioÌ„ of the virgin Marie deuided Are they agreed about the matter of the sacrament some holding that he is there onely in qualitie some in qualitie quantitie too Doe they agree in the number order of their Popes and bishops Platina differing froÌ„ Eusebius some appointing mo and some lesse Are not fathers against fathers and councils against councils Popes against Popes aâ—â— regorie against them all in the name of the vniuer sall bishop which he iustly thinketh to be the name of Antichrist And yet shall we thinke they doe agree or that they can not erre or that these things aboue rehearsed as multitude antiquitie with custome consent traditions succession ancient fathers generall councils are sufficient proofes of the church to bee with them Councils haue erred and bene contrary one to an other for the couÌ„cil of CoÌ„stantinople ordained that images should not be had in the church after that the couÌ„cill of Nice the second erected them and decreed that they shoulde bee had and worshipped They also go about to proue their church by the authoritie of Doctors of the Churche but it is manifest that they haue all erred bin deceiued in some point or other yea euen of doctrine so that they are not to be rules notes to knowe this church by for they are but men haue now or theÌ„ in doctrine not only in maners slipped from the truth Ireneus Victorinus Lactantius subscribed to the opinion of the Millinaries which thought that Christ after the day of iudgement should raigne with his for a thousand yeeres here vpon earth being deceiued with the place of Iohn Reuel 20. not wel vnderstoode where as hee doth interprete that M. yeere in another place for euer Reue. 22. Augustine thought that all children dying without baptisme were damned which is an heresie Epiphanius defendeth that it was a tradition of the Apostles six dayes before Easter to eate nothing but bread and salt Ierom condemned the second mariages of men and counted them al a thing most absurde and erronious no better then fornication By these things then the church is not discerned neither is glorie pompe honor riches externall beauty and outward successe and happines any note of this church of Christ as the Papistes will beare vs in hande by reason of their glistering and glorious church of Rome The contrary thinges are markes of Christs Churche as pouertie affliction no shewe to the eye or any externall felicitie For Christ hath sayde his churche shall be vnder the crosse and not in any beauty or gorgeousnes to the outward eye of the worlde The harlot strumpet goeth most commonly better trimmed and decked in apparell then the honest woman and matrone of an house so is the whorish church of Rome it hath all things for to please well the outward senses to allure men vnto her It hath for the eare her delicate musicke singing piping organs and ringing of bels and this in excesse also It hath for the nose sweet smels frankinsense and such like For the eyes it hath to please them goodly copes crosses of siluer and golde pictures of Christ and many images of saintes with such like baggage and foolish trashe and for the belly to delite idle lubbers and loyterers there was good chere kept in abbeyes and monasteries but in the meane season what was all this to feede the hungry soules surely nothing The worde of Christ was then gone from them yea Christ him selfe was shut out with them and his mother Marie more sought to more prayed to and more esteemed then he him selfe Here were al things for the body and by this they would proue vnto vs that they were yâ— true church Wel if we would know the church let vs thinke it to be there where two or three are gathered together in Christes name and howe should they bee gathered together without his word and commandement And this agreeth to yâ— saying of S. Augustine If they will here admit him He that will knowe saith he which is the true church of Christ he can not know it by any other meanes then onely by the scriptures We see here how resolute he is in this case Ex homilia 49. operis imperfecti in Matth. And againe he saith Christians willing to receiue the stedfastnes of a true faith let theÌ„ fly to nothing but to the scriptures Otherwise if they looke vnto other things they shal be offended and perishe not vnderstanding which is the true church and so they shall fall into the abomination of desolation which standeth in the holy places of the church How we may plainely vnderstand what are the signes of the true church and what also are the bodies of the church of Antichrist at Rome euen murdering of the saints of Christ contempt of the word and sacrameÌ„ts worldly prosperitie with a multitude of ill men with sworde to defend it Furthermore this church that it may be the better knowen of vs therfore hath it diuers and sundry names in the scriptures lest we should be deceiued by yâ— false church It is called yâ— sheepfold of Christ doing vs to vnderstand that those yâ— belong
Lorde as beyng without Christ Thirdly the Iewes can haue or looke for no remission of sinnes because they haue reiected this Christ and go about to establish their owne righteousnesse by the workes of the Lawe whereas Christ is the full ende or perfection of the Lawe for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10. They haue a zeale but not according to knowledge and thinking to bee saued by the Lawe they all stande accursed and also accursed iustly by the Law before the Lord For cursed sayeth he is he that continueth not in all thinges that are written in this booke to doe them Galat. 3. They are detters then without Christ to keepe and perfourme the whole Lawe perfitly and absolutely vnto the Lorde which no man can doe no not they and therefore without a Sauiour they stande in a miserable case euen in the state of euerlasting damnation and perdition And last of all the false and Hypocriticall Christian which professeth with his mouth that hee knoweth and beleeueth in Christ and yet vtterly denyeth him in his whole life conuersation can hope for no remission of his sinnes continuing still as he doeth in disobedience and all kinde of abominations But the Lord hath dyed for sinners you wil saye and great and notorious sinners too trueth it is he hath done so but yet they are such sinners as repent and are sory for their former sinnes they lead not their life in voluntarie sinnes so that they shoulde delite dwel in sinne but they continue in the feare of the Lord. Briefely they are penitent sinners and not obstinate and wilfull persons that can not repent for whom the Lord hath died If we feele our selues to be such trembling sinners the Lorde hath a free remission of sinnes for vs whensoeuer we come vnto him for to whom doth the Lord looke Euen to him that is poore of a contrite spirit and trembling at his wordes But he that hardeneth his heart and goeth on still in his former wickednesse without remorse of cōscience at al he heapeth vp wrath vnto himselfe against the daye of wrath and maketh his sinnes so heauie vnto himselfe that they will presse him downe to hell These men must amend their ill liues and be heartily sory for their sinnes not in hypocrisie as Pharao was who said I haue sinned vnto the Lorde neither in desperation as Iudas who repented but not in faith But herein let them followe Dauid in the olde Testament and Peter in the Newe who repented and wept most bitterly but yet in hope had remission of their sinnes These men by their repentance afterwarde changed and altered their olde liues and conuersation their olde man with his maners was put off and the newe man which after God was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse was foorthwith put on and so they walked all their dayes afterward in a newe life Many men can say now a daies Oh I nowe repent I am sory for my sinnes yet by and by or the next daye they fall to the same or like sinnes againe Shal we thinke such men repent nay verely they deceyue but themselues and the worlde for God they can not deceiue Repentance is in the heart and not in the mouth for it is a turning and chaunging of the minde from ill to good As long therefore as we see their liues not to bee at all chaunged wee may boldely saye they repent not truely and therefore remission of sinnes is excluded from them Hee that repenteth truely altereth his wicked life as wee see it came to passe in Paul who after that hee was called and repented of his former life neuer returned agayne to persecute the Church of Christ neyther did hee liue as before hee did Well to conclude this part if this remission of sinnes come vnto vs by Christ let vs be sure to bee in his loue let vs not profane his holy name by our vile blasphemies in our mouthes dayly as the wicked doe but let euery one that calleth vpon this name depart from all iniquitie 2. Timothie 2. chapter The thirde thing to bee considered in this remission of our sinnes was as I sayde before the meanes by the which it may bee applyed vnto vs and receyued from Iesus Christ the authour of it For vnlesse wee also knowe this it is to no purpose to knowe the former two poyntes And this may bee made playne vnto vs by this similitude The poore man that is an hungred although hee knowe whyther to goe to some riche man or other for his meate and almes yet except he vnderstand what meanes and waye to vse to obtayne this reliefe of the riche man all is in vayne for if he should vse stoute and sturdy words when hee ought to be gentle or if he should commaunde it when hee shoulde intreate for it hee were not like to speede or if the riche man did offer him meate to be receyued with the hande and hee put foorth his foule feete to receyue it it were a very preposterous order and such a thing as myght iustly cause this man to withdrawe his liberalitie from him so surely the case standeth betweene our Lorde Iesus Christ the Prince of all heauenly treasures and vs poore sinners and wretches Albeit we well perceyue that hee hath remission of sinnes for vs yet wee must knowe the waye to please him when wee come to haue our sute obtayned And this waye to please him and to take the benefite that hee offereth is onely faith in his name For without faith it is vnpossible to please him For he that commeth vnto him must beleeue that he is and that hee is a rewarder of all them that seeke him as sayth the holy Ghost the eleuenth to the Hebrewes When therefore the Lorde Iesus offereth this great benefite of saluation vnto vs in the free remission of all our sinnes wee must not offer out to him our foule feete that is to saye our woorkes which are with many sinnes polluted and defiled for so wee myght cause him to bee angrie with vs and to keepe backe his gracious benefites But we must as he hath commaunded and alwaies in the Gospell requireth when he is about to doe vs any good beleeue onely in him that is offer vnto him our hande that is true faith which is a fitte thing and instrument to receiue his blessinges Neyther is this our saying but the phrase and maner of speache in the Scriptures Our Sauiour Christ did neuer any miracle or cure vpon the bodies of men but hee required faith of them and they being healed hee alwayes attributed it to the faith and confidence that they had in him and not to any good worke of theirs In the ninth chapter of the Gospel after Saint Matthews wee reade there of a very charitable deede of foure men that brought one being sicke of the palsie to our sauiour Christ as hee laye on his bed but what sayde our sauiour Christ concerning
there be wanting O what a ioye is this to the bodie to haue all thinges at commaundement that may well please and delight it The pleasures of Kinges and Queenes are nothing to those things wherof we speake yea the pleasures shal be so exceeding great that if all the ioyes pastimes of this life were compared vnto them they should be founde to be but pangues and torments Yea the cōtinuance of all our delites here for an hundred yeres is not like to the blessednes of one minute of an houre there nor worthy to be likened vnto it For verely to speake with Dauid I had rather be there but for one daye then here a thousand yeeres in all the triumphes that Emperours and Kings can make with all their power This is then the happines of the bodie Now howe great shall the blessednesse be when both the body and soule shal be conioyned together and raigne for euermore Surely as great as the glory of the Lorde is his excellent Maiestie which is infinite so great shall this glory of the Saintes be The loue of this life which is euerlasting should make me thinks kings princes to do their dueties to the Lord to raigne ouer gouerne their subiects in iustice equity and not to liue in pleasures The respect of these ioyes shoulde make Counsellers to speake the trueth boldely syncerely without flattering and dissimulation to princes considering what a rewarde is layde vp for them in heauen This shoulde make all Bishops and ministers of the worde to do their duetie in reprehending sinne stoutly and in contemning this vayne worlde in teaching the flock without lucre gayne seeing that when the great shepherd Iesus Christ shal appeare they shal receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory 1. Pet. 5. Finally the cōsideration of this life which is for euer might make euery estate and degree in their callings either hie or lowe to doe most cheerefully their seuerall dueties to all men that in the ende their parte may bee in the heauenly inheritaunce which fadeth not away O that our mindes were erected vp to these thinges they woulde not so lightly bee carryed away to sinne and wickednesse fearing least we shoulde leese these euerlasting ioyes This is the rewarde that Christ hath promised to them that followe him here in the regeneration that haue for his names sake forsaken houses brethren sisters father mother wyfe children and landes they shall inherite all things euen euerlasting life Matth. 19. This life shal be most happie and ioyfull eyther in respect of the persons with whome we shall be or else in respect of the place which is heauen the seate of God or in the consideration of the time which is for euer Although wee be here many times in a good place yet if our company be not good honest this can be no delite to a godly man Nowe in heauen we shall haue the glorious fruition of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost the societie of all the angels most excellent creatures the company of the Patriarkes the Prophets the Apostles the noble hoste of Martyrs briefly the fellowship of all the elect Saintes of God that euer haue bin This can not be but an vnspeakable delite to vs all when we consider of it Secōdly we shal be blessed in respect of the place for otherwise if the cōpany be good yet the place not correspondent vnto it in al things as not being large ynough or sweet or glorious there cā be no great delite there but this place is most answereable to the cōpany wide large faire sweete glorious euen the heauen of heauens the seate of the Almighty a place of ioy a place of cōfort a place of all spirituall delectation S. Iohn seeing it in the spirit hath described it as far forth as flesh blood can conceaue of it vnder earthly things I sawe saith he a newe heauen a new earth I saw the holy citie new Ierusalem come down from God out of heauē prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband Iohn compareth the place wherein we shal be to a citie most glorious excellēt whose shining was like to a stone most precious as a Iasper stone cleare as Chrystal whose wal was great hie which had twelue gates at the gates twelue angels The wal of the citie had twelue foūdations which were garnished with all maner of precious stones as Iaspers Saphires Emeraudes such like the building of the wall is of Iasper the citie was al of pure golde like vnto cleare glasse The twelue gates were twelue pearles and the streete of the citie is pure golde as shining glasse This Citie hath no neede of the sunne neither of the moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it the Lambe is the light of it The gates of it shall not bee shutte by day for there shal be no night there there shall be no death no sorowe no crying no payne for the first things are passed There shal be a pure riuer of water of life cleare as Christall and the tree of life bearing twelue maner of fruites And there shall be no more curse but Gods seruantes shall raygne there for euermore This is the place which Iohn hath shadowed out vnto vs as well as he could vnder these terrestriall benefites of golde and siluer and precious stones whereas in deede it can not be described as it is in it selfe because no man hath seene it and we beyng grosse and carnall must haue it by carnall and visible thinges set foorth vnto vs. Thirdly the excellencie of this life is seene in the continuance of it in that that it neuer decayeth or waxeth olde If here belowe we had all pleasures delites both for the soule and body yea although the place we were in were most excellent glorious and the company in al respects according to our desire good pleasant and honest yet if these thinges were but for a dayes or an houres continuance what great contentation of minde or recreation for the body might be here seeing wee must depart very shortly from these pleasures and then it had him as good if they had not bene at al. For all these thinges are like vnto pleasant musike in a sette of viols which when they cease once and cease needes must euery thing in this life be it neuer so pleasant then it is al one as if wee had neuer heard this musike so sweete and delectable to our eares there is no print or token of it left behinde but al vanisheth away with the very staying of it Euē as after the flying of a birde in the ayre or the passing of a ship in the sea there is no trace found after them Wis 5. But dearely beloued beleue me this life shal haue yeres without ende in vnspeakeable ioy in this so excellent a place we shal heare musike continually and yet it shal neuer cease
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
the vnbeleeuers the wicked and reprobate that beleeue not For as the Manna in the desert was to some sowre to other some a good and pleasant meate and as Christ is to some a stumbling stone to be offended at is appointed for the fall of the wicked the rising vp of the godly eueÌ„ so the word of the Gospel to some is a sauor of death vnto death to other some a sauor of life vnto life The which worde of the Gospâ—â— I receiue and take only to be my guyde according to the same to dye and to liue The Lvi Article I beleeue that the reading of the same word Gospel ought not neither can it be prohihibited forbiddeÌ„ froÌ„ any maner of person of what estate sort or condition so euer the same be of but it ought to be coÌ„mon vnto al the world as wel to men as women yea and yâ— in a vulgar or coÌ„mon language which all do vnderstande because it is ordayned appointed for al. And likewise the promises of God which are therein coÌ„tained do apperteine vnto al. And therefore Antichrist his members do exercise great cruell tyraÌ„nie vpon the faithful children of God as wel in that they take froÌ„ theÌ„ vtterly do forbid theÌ„ to reade the same worde in stead thereof set before theÌ„ dreames lies Canons daÌ„nable traditions as also because vpon payne of deadly sinne and eternall damnation they both forbid command things that in deede are but indifferent which maner of theirs is the only note marke to know Antichrist by The Lvii. Article I beleeue that this holy doctrine of the Gospel in the very time by God appointed â—as confirmed and approoued by heauenly â—iracles as wel by Iesus Christ himselfe the Prophets and Apostles as also by other good faithfull ministers of the same Gospell that after such a sort that for yâ— coÌ„firming thereof there is now no more need of newe miracles but rather we must content our selues with that is done simply and playnly beleeue only the holy Scriptures without seeking any further to be â—aught watching still taking heede to our selues that we be not beguiled deceiued with the false miracles of Antichrist wherewith the worlde at this day is stuffed which miracles are wrought by the woorking of Satan to confirme all kinde of idolatrie errors abuses and iniquities and thereby to blinde the poore and ignorant The which thing the Lorde God suffereth iustly to be done because they woulde not receiue the spirite of trueth to be saued yea God suffereth them to receyue the spirite of lying which hath power to deceiue to the ende they should be damned because they haue allowed lying iniquitie and haue refused righteousnesse and trueth The true miracles then are wrought by the only power of God for the confirming of his doctrine are wrought for the infidels sakes and not for the faithfull But the preaching and true receyuing of the holy worde of God is only giuen and ministred to the faithfull and to those that beleeue The Lviii Article I beleeue also the holy sacraments which are the seconde marke or badge of the true Church to be the signes of the reconciliatioÌ„ great atonement made betweene God vs thorow Iesus Christ They are seales of the Lords promises are outward visible pledges gages of the inward faith are in nomber only twayne that is to say Baptisme and the holy Supper of the Lorde The which two are not voyde and emptie signes but full that is to saye they are not onely signes whereby some thing is signified but also they are such signes as doe exhibite and giue the thing that they signifie in deede as by Gods helpe we will declare hereafter But as touching all the other fiue sacraments which with great abuse and superstition are receiued and vsed in the papisticall church that is to say Confirmation confession mariage absolution otherwise called the sacrameÌ„t of the priesthood and extreme vnction or anneling I saye that all these were ecclesiasticall ceremonies the which the holie fathers in their time vsed holily without any superstition euen as by their exaÌ„ple the same may be vsed this day so that it be done without any errour abuse and superstition and that in no wise it be hurtfull to the Christian libertie of the Gospell the which doeth deliuer our consciences from all outward beggerly ceremonies by man ordeined and deuised without the word of God The Lix Article I beleeue that baptisme is the signe of the newe league and friendship betweene God and vs made by Iesus Christ and it is the marke of the Christians nowe in the time of the Gospel as in time past circumcision was a marke vnto the Iewes which were vnder the Lawe Yea Baptisme is an outward washing done with water therby signifying an inward washing of the holy Ghost wrought through the blood of Christ The which baptisme ought as well to bee giuen and communicated to litle children as to those that be great according to Iesus Christ his ordinance once for all without any rebaptising This baptisme is the redde sea wherein Pharao that is to saye the deuill with his army of sinnes are altogether drowned and the Israelites passe thorowe it safely and afterward walking thorowe the desert of this worlde in great sorowes vexations and troubles doe vse daily for their comfort the heaueÌ„ly Manna which is the holy woorde of God vntill thorowe death they may enter into the heauenly land of promise The lx Article I beleeue also that baptisme is the entry of the church a washing into a newe birth and a renewing of the holy Ghost whereby wee doe forsake our selues the deuill the flesh sinne and the worlde For being once ridde of the olde man with all his concupiscences wee are clothed with the newe man which is Iesus Christ in righteousnes holines with him we dye are buried in his death to the ende that with Christ we may rise from death to the glorie of the father And euen likewyse being thus new borne wee should walke in newenes of life alwayes mortifying in vs that which is of vs that thereby the body of sinne may bee vtterly destroyed and plucked vp by the roote The lxi Article I beleeue that this baptisme ought to be ministred not with oyle salte spittell and such like baggage but onely in cleane and fayre water and that in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost according to the institution and ordinance of God without chaunging any thing therein putting any thing thereunto or taking any thing there fro and the same also to be vsed in a vulgare and common language that all the people may vnderstande for what so euer is done or sayd in the Churche of Christ ought to bee vnderstande and knowen of all that bee faithfull By this baptisme we are changed and altered from children of wrath
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