may y e more assuredly beleue this both Christ himself rose from death and many saintes also w t hym Fourthely we must beleue euerlastyng lyfe Wherefore it foloweth in the Crede I beleue euerlastynge lyfe that is to saye I beleue that whā we shall ryse from death then we shall lyue euer with Christe in parfite holynes and iustice and in suche a gloriouse ioy as no toung can tell nor hart thincke And this treatise of the Crede we must end with this wourde Amen which is asmuche to saye as I beleue that al the articles of our beliefe before rehersed be very true and thereof I haue a sure faithe trust and confidence Therefore good children from the bottome of your hartes you must beleue in the holy gost whiche doth promyse vnto vs remission of our synnes by al y e true preachers ministers of goddes worde And he dothe also geue light to our hartes and myndes and moueth vs to beleue goddes worde and to put our faith and trust in hym And the same holy goost dothe dayly purifye sanctifye vs purge and clense vs from sinne and after this bodily death shall rayse vs agayne to euerlasting life And take this for a sure conclusion and doubt nothynge thereof that the holy goost as he hath begonne these thīges in vs so he will fynyshe thesame in vs yf we obey him and continue in faith vnto thēde of our liues For he y t cōtinueth vnto y e ende shal be saued And this is the summe and also the most plaine vnderstāding of this thirde parte of the Crede entreatyng of our sanctificatiō or halowing Wherefore good children marke well this lesson that when ye be demaunded howe vnderstande you the thirde parte of the Crede yee may answer thus I beleue y t neither by mās strength power or wysedome neyther by myne awne endeuour nor cōpasse of myn awne reason I am able to beleue in Iesus Christ or to come vnto hym But the holy goost did call me by the worde of y e gospell and with y e giftes of his grace he hath hitherto endowed me halowed me and in the true faith he hathe hitherto preserued and confirmed me this he hath not done only to me but also he calleth and gathereth togyther in the vnitye of one faith and one baptisme all the vniuersal churche that is here in earth and he halloweth kepeth and preserueth thesame in the true knowledge of Christ and faith in his promyses And in this churche he geueth free and general pardō to me and to al that beleue in him of al our synnes offences and trespasses and at the last day he shall rayse me and all other y t be deade and al that dyed in the true faithe of Iesus Christ he shall glorifye in the lyfe euerlastyng Therefore to the sayde holy gost that sanctefyeth vs with y e father that made and created vs and the sonne that redemed vs be geuen all honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ A generall preface to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon made vpon the Lordes prayer YE haue learned heretofore good childrē in y e Crede what we ought to beleue and in the ten cōmaūdemētes what we ought to do but we can neyther beleue nor do as we ought to do excepte the holy gost worke with in vs bothe a true faith also a dewe obedyence towardes God and his lawe For faith is the gyfte of God and all good thinges commeth from the father of lightes Therefore we must nedes aske and craue these benefites at his hande whiche only is the gyuer of theim For so Christ saieth that God the father wyll gyue to vs his children all thinges so that we sue to hym for theim And the prophet Dauyd saieth Cal vpon me in the daye of thy trouble and I shal deliuer the and thou shalt glorifye me Also our Sauioure Christ commaūdeth vs to do y e same sayng Aske and you shal haue seke and you shall fynde knocke and the dore shall be opened vnto you Now therfore seyng that we haue learned what we shoulde beleue and do it is most necessary for vs to cal for gods grace with most feruēt and ernest prayers that we may be able to performe y e thinge whiche we are bounde to do For our sauiour Christ hath promised vs that what soeuer we aske the father in his name he wyll gyue it vs. Also he saieth that what soeuer we aske yf we beleue we shal receaue y e same Wher is to be noted that yf we wyll obteyne oure requestes we must aske in y e name of Christ and also trust assuredly that for Christes sake our praiers shal be heard To aske in Christes name is to aske accordynge to his wil that is to say to aske y t which he hath commaunded Therefore when we praye we may saye thus O God our father and the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ which art in heuē I durst not of myne awn head be so bold to come vnto thy most highe and excellent maiestye to desyer any thyng of the but thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ hath commaūded me so to do and only in his name and at his commaūdemente am so bolde Therfore yf thou hear me y u hearest thy dearly beloued sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ. And yf thou heare me not thē thou hearest not Iesus Christ him selfe who hath sent me to the and hath commaunded me to aske in his name Of this prayer made in fayth speaketh saincte Iohn in his epistle saying This trust we haue in God y t when we aske any thynge accordinge to his will he doth heare vs. Therefore we shoulde stedfastly beleue that God doth heare our prayer For he that beleueth not he shall obtayne nothynge And therefore Christe saith If you beleue you shall obtayne And to thentent that we should beleue surely thynke that we be herde he hath promysed to graunt what soeuer we aske in his name And agayne to thentent that we shuld knowe and be suer that we praye accordyng to his wil he hymselfe hath taught vs howe what we should praye and aske Therfore it is not in our lybertye whether we wil praie or not but by goddes commaundement we be boūde to praye as you haue hearde in the seconde commaundement Now therefore with all dilygence lerne good children y e holy prayer of y e Lord which y e greate doctour and our Lorde Iesus Christ taught vs hymselfe saying to his disciples Ye shall praye after this maner OUre father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kyngdome come Thy wil be don in earth as it is in heauē Geue vs this day our daily bread And forgeue vs our trespaces as we forgeue them that trespace against vs. And suffre vs not to be led into temptacion But delyuer vs from euyl Amen This good children is the prayer of the Lorde
God in oure harte whereby we maye kepe Goddes commaundementes accordyng to this saying of saynt Peter Let euerie one of you he baptised in the name of christ and then you shall receyue the gyft of the holy ghost The thirde is that by baptisme the whole rightuousnes of Christ is gyuen vnto vs that we maye clayme the same as our owne For so saincte Paule teachethe saying As many of ye as are baptised in Christe haue putte vpon you Christ. Fourthly by baptisme we die with Christ and are buried as it were in his bloude death that we shoulde suffer afflictions and death as Christ himself hath suffered And as that man whiche is baptised doth promise to God that he wyll dye with Christ that he maye be deade to synne and to the old Adam so on the other part God doth promise againe to him that he shalbe partaker of christes death and passion And also God maketh al afflictions whiche he sufferethe to be good and profitable vnto him as was the passion of Christ and not damnable as it was to Iudas and dyuerse other vngodlye parsons By thys which I haue hetherto spoken I trust you vnderstaÌ„de good children wherfore baptisme is called the bath of regeneratioÌ„ and howe in baptisme we be borne agayne and be made new creatures in Christe The whiche doctryne you shall the better vnderstande yf you consider in what coÌ„dition you were before you were baptised and in what state you stande in after your baptisme Firste before we were baptised it is euideÌ„t that we were synners and he that is a synner can haue no peace nor quietnes of coÌ„science before he come to Christ so muche he feareth Goddes wroth and euerlastyng damnation But after that oure synnes in baptisme be forgyuen vs and we beleue the promyse of God and so by oure faith be iustified than our conscyences be quieted and we be glad and mery trustyng assuredly that God is no more angrye with vs for our former offences and that we shal not be damned for y e same And thys is a meruelous alteration and renewyng of the inward manne the whyche coulde be wrought by the power of no creature but by God alone Also before we were baptised we were slaues and boundemen to synne so that we neyther coulde do that good which we would haue done nor could kepe vs from that euil whiche we would not haue done as saint Paule complaynethe of himselfe But whan by baptysme the holy gost was gyuen vs the whiche did spread abrode the loue of god in our hartes and did also delyuer vs from y e boundage and tyrannye of synne and gaue vs new strength power to wrastle against synne and manfullye to withstande our gostly enemye the deuel thaÌ„ after a certen maner we were able to fulfyl gods commauÌ„dementes And this is a greate chaunge and renewyng of the inwarde man And this I wold you shoulde know for a suertye good childreÌ„ stedfastly beleue y e same that no child of y e Iewes or Turkes whiche is not baptysed hathe the holy ghoste neyther that anye suche can vnderstande the worde of God neyther that anye suche is holy or righteous before God Wherefore you shall thanke God with all youre harte whiche hath brought you to baptysme And when you beleue in the name of Christ and loue the ghospell and are glad dyligeÌ„t to hear y e same theÌ„ this is a suer tokeÌ„ y t by the gospel you haue receaued y e holy gost Furthermore he that is a synner not baptised althoughe he had the holy ghoste to this effecte to helpe him to fight againste synne yet oftentymes he is ouer come and falleth to synne And althoughe he doth oftentimes ouercome sinne yet this is a great vnperfectenes y t he dothe it not willingly but that this fight against sinne is tedious and greuous vnto him Wherefore he is euer in perrel lest he be ouercome of syn And in case he doth manfully w tstande synne yet he seeth that his iustyce and obedience be to weake and vnperfecte to stande before the iudgement of God as in dede no man not the holyest is able to stande before y e iudgemeÌ„t of God by his awne rightuousnes But when in baptisme the rightuousenes of Christ is gyuen and imputed to hym then he is delyuered from al those perrels For he knoweth for a suerty that he hath put vpoÌ„ him Christ and that his weakenes imperfectioÌ„ is couered hydde with the perfecte ryghtuousnes and holynes of Christ. Wherfore after baptisme he doth not trust in his awne rightuousnes but in Christ only And he is no more pensyue or doubteful coÌ„syderynge his awne weaknes but he is ioyful because he coÌ„sidereth that he is made partaker of Christes rightuousnes And this agayne is a great alteratioÌ„ and renewyng of the inwarde man These newe affections and spiritual mocions are in the soulles of suche as are borne again by baptisme but they be vnknowne to worldly men and suche as be not led by the spirite of God And wheÌ„ they that beleue and be baptysed do continewe in this their faith to â—he ende of their lyues then God shall rayse them vp from death to lyfe that they maye be immortall and lyue euerlastingly with christ And then when syn and the kingdome of death is vtterli abolished and destroied we shalbe perfectly holy and rightuous both in body and soule And for this cause our sauioure Christ doth cal in y e gospel the rysyng againe from death a regeneration or a seconde begettyng Al these thynges doth baptisme worke in vs wheÌ„ we beleue in Christe And therefore Christe sayeth He that wyll beleue and be baptysed shall be saued But he that wyl not beleue shalbe damned Wherefore good children learne dylygentlye I praye you the fruyt operation of baptisme For it worketh forgyuenes of sin it delyuereth from death power of the deuel it gyueth saluation euerlastynge lyfe to all them that beleue As the wordes of Christes promyse doth euydently witnesse But peraduenture some wil saye Howe can water worke so greate thinges To whome I answere that it is not the water that dothe these thinges but the almyghtye worde of God whiche is knyt and ioyned to the water faith which receyueth gods worde promyse For with out the worde of God water is water and not baptisme But when the worde of the liuing God is added and ioyned to the water then it is the bathe of regeneration and baptisme water and the lyuely springe of eternall saluation and a bathe that wassheth our soules by the holy ghoste as saynct Paule calleth it saying God hath saued vs thorowe hys mercy and made vs partakers of the rightuosnes of hys welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ. Now consyder depely I praie you how great benefytes these be that you maye not be vnkynde to him that hath done so much for you but stedfastlye beleue these thinges mortifye synne
him selfe to be eaten and dronken of vs Christen people vnder the forme of breade and wine Furthermore yf any maÌ„ wil aske ye wher is this writen ye shall answer These be the wordes which the holy Euangelistes Mathewe Marke Luke and the Apostle Paule do writ Our Lorde Iesus Christ the same nyght that he was betrayed toke breade and gyuyng thankes brake it gaue it to his disciples and said Take eate This is my bodye whiche is giuen for you Do this in remembraunce of me Lykewyse he toke the cup after he had supped and giuynge thankes gaue it to them and sayed Drynke of this all ye This is my bloude of the new testament which is shed for you and for manye for the forgyuenes of synnes Do this as often as ye drincke in remembraunce of me Furthermore yf any man aske ye what auayleth it thus to eate and drynke ye shall answer These wordes do declare what profit we receaue thereby my bodye whych is giuen for you my bloud which is shed for you for the forgiuenes of synnes By the whiche wordes Christe declareth that by this sacramente and wordes of promyse are gyuen to vs remission of synnes lyfe and saluation For where as forgyuenes of synne is ther is also lyfe and saluation Againe yf a man wyl go further with you aske you How can bodily eatyng and drynkynge haue so greate strength and operation ye shall answer To eate and to drynke doth not worke so great thynges but this worde promyse of God my bodye whiche was gyuen for you my bloude whiche was shede for you for y e remyssion of sinnes This worde of God is added to the outwarde sygnes as the chief thing in this sacramente He that beleueth these wordes he hathe that thinge whiche the wordes do promyse that is to saye forgyuenes of his synnes Besyde this yf a man aske of you who be they that do worthely receaue this sacrament ye shal answere That fastyng abstinence and suche other lyke do perteyne and are profitable for an outward discypline or chasticement of y e body But he receaueth the sacrameÌ„t worthely that hath faith to beleue these wordes My bodye whiche was gyuen for you my bloude whiche was shed for you for the remission of synnes But he that beleueth not these wordes or doubteth of theÌ„ he receaueth the lordes supper vnworthely For this worde giuen for you doth require a faithful and beleuyng harte So good children ye haue the trew vnderstanding of y e wordes of Christe and the trew vse of the holy supper of the Lorde Learne al these lessons dilygently I pray you that ye also in tyme to come maye worthely receaue this sacrament and from daye to daye sticke and cleaue more stedfastlye to the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ and so coÌ„tinuyng in Christe maye bryng forthe good fruyt And yf you do so then youre heauenly father wil purge and prune you as the husbande man dothe the brauÌ„ches of his vyne that ye may daily floryshe more and more bring forth fruit more plenteouslye that God may be glorified by you and your fruyt maye abyde contynually And so at the length ye shall receaue lyfe and euerlastynge saluation and glorie with oure sauiour Iesus Christ the which God graunt vs all Amen FINIS ¶ The contentes of this boke The preface THe first coÌ„mauÌ„dement fo ix The .ii. coÌ„mauÌ„dement fo xx The .iii. commauÌ„dement fo xxxi The .iiii. coÌ„maundement fo xxxix The .v. coÌ„maundement fo liiii The .vi. coÌ„maundement fo lxiiii The .vii. coÌ„maundemeÌ„t fo lxxiii The .viii. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t fo lxxxiii The .ix. commaundement fo xcii The .x. commaundement fo xcix Deut. xi ii Tim. iii. Psa. xxxiiii 1. Pet. iii. Prouerb xii xiii xxi Iac. i. iii Psal. cxi Exo. xx Mat. xviii 〈…〉 Math. vi Luke xxi deu xxviâ—… Esa. lviii Mat. xv Deut. xxi i. Tim. v. Ephe. vi Actes v. Ephes. v. Roma vii Math. v. Rom. xiii Genes ix Math. xix Gene. i. i. Cor. vii Deut. xxiii Ephes. v. Luce. xi Mat xxvâ— Pro. xxvi Thes. v. 1. Cor xiii Ephes. v. Mat. xviii Roma â— Psal. xiii i. Timo. i. Hebr. xii Mat. xvi Roma iii. i. Cori. ii Ioh. xv 〈◊〉 iiii Mat. vi Psal. li. Ephes. ii Roma i. Iohn ii Galat. iiii Rom. vi Iacob i â–ª Psalm i. Mat. vii Iere. xxix Mar. vii Luke xi Ioh. xvi Ioh. xiii â–ª Mark xi Roma iii. Rom. iiii Rom. xiiii Psal. cx Esa. lviii i. Iohn iii Math. x. Luke xii Rom. viii Luke ii â–ª Prou. liiâ— â–ª Hebr xii Luke xxi Lu. xviii Iohn xiii Mat iiii Deut. vi mat xviii 〈◊〉 iiii â–ª i. Cor. xii Apoca. xii Rom. viii Iohn iii Math. â—â— Titum iii Iohn iii. a Rom. vi a Collo ii b â— Pet. iii. â— mat xxviii Mar. xvi Ephes. ii i. Pet. iiii ActuÌ„ ii Rom. xvii ActuÌ„ iii. ActuÌ„ iii. 1. Cor. iii. â— Iohn vi b Actum ii â— Roma x â— Mat. xvi Iohn xx â— Mark iii. Luke vi Luke x. Iohn xvii Luke â— Mat. xviii 〈◊〉 xviii Mark ii Luke v. Iohn ix Mat. 26. c Mar. 14. c Luc. xxii b Iohn vi and xiii i. Cor. xi c i Cor. xi i Ioh. xiii â— i. Ioh. ii â— and .iii. b i Corin. x. Iohn vi
sore although I see nothinge before myne eyes but present deathe or daūger yet wyl I not despaire yet will I not mystrust God yet wyl I not hurt my soule w t sinne For I am sure that this creature whiche so sore persecuteth vexeth or troubleth me is no God but is vnder the hand power of y e trew lyuinge God I knowe that one heere of my heade can not be takē away from me without the wil of hym that is onelye and alone the trew liuing god He is my maker my lord my god him wil I feare more then the mighty power of any man more then the crafty imaginations of myne enemyes yea more then any creature in heauen or in earthe Yf I be wrongfully entreated and do suffer iniustli he can easely delyuer me ▪ and so preserue me that no parrel shal touch me The second way is whē men put their hole confidence in other thinges than in God and haue these or suche lyke thoughtes wythin themselfes I woulde I hadde suche riches or landes I woulde suche a man were my frende then shoulde I be ryche happye and blessed thē should I be sufficiently defended and armed agaynste all chaunces that maye happen vnto me in thys worlde They that thinke thus haue such riches landes and creatures for a God ▪ although with their tongue they say not so yea althoughe thys affection lye hidde in our hearte so secretly that we our selfes shoulde scantly knowe of it But the godly maye not suffer any such thoughtes to entre in to their heartes but ought thus to reason with theimselues Althoughe I haue veraye great aboundance of frendes and riches although I flowe in pleasures honor and glorye and in all worldely thynges whyche a man can desire yet by these thynges I haue not true saluation For these creatures are not God wherfore they can not saue me neither delyuer me from the tyrannie of the deuyll or the wrath of God But the lorde is God alone Yf I shal displease him he is able to take al my frendes and riches away from me or elles otherwayes to brynge to passe that all these thynges shall worke my distructiō Wherfore he alone is to be feared and in hym alone we must fasten the anker of our trust and confidence The thirde way is when a man so hartly loueth and delighteth in any thyng besydes God that for it he doeth and suffereth willingly all thynges that are to be done or suffered not greatly regardynge whether it pleaseth or dyspleaseth God then this man maketh thys creature whiche he so feruently loueth his god although in wordes he doth not vtter it But let Christian people weede out from the botome of their hartes the rootes of suche inordinate loue of any creature And let them thinke after thys sorte wherefore shoulde I offende God for this or that thing I know that this lucre or this honor vpon the whiche I am tempted and do somuch set my harte is not God it is but a creature which can not saue me nether delyuer me from death or any other aduersite Wherefore I wyll loue only my God wyth all myne harte I wyll do all thynges for his sake chiefly and I wyll onely aboue all thynges obey him Hytherto you haue herde how by these thre waies by fearing by trustyng and by louyng we maie easely make a God of a creature whiche in dede is no God but rather an ydoll set vp by oure awne phantasie But this is an horrible sinne against the first commaundement of God and so muche the more parrellous because it lurketh in the corners of mannes hart most secretly The worlde is ful of this synne and specially they that haue hypocrite hartes for all their paynted holynes are infected with the rustenes of these vices And to thentent that you maye the better knowe these haynous offenses against the first commaundemente and the soner eschewe them I will declare them vnto you by a fewe and shorte examples Some ther be y t do so greatly feare the cōiūctions and influencis of the heauenly planettes and bodies aboue that when they iudge by their lernynge in Astronomye or heare say of other men that the signes in heauen do threaten commen plages or calamities by and by they tremble for feare and not castynge theyre hope and trust in God they be soo amased that they can not tel whether to runne to auoyde the daunger Other ther be that thinke that when the Sonne Moone or any other planetes is in this or y t signe it is an vnlucky thinge to enterpryse this or that and vpon suche dismolde daies as they call them they wyll begyn no new enterprise because they thinke y t it shulde not haue good successe or prosperous ende And many lyke kyndes of ydolatrye is vsed euen among christen people But y e prophet Hieremie doth expressely forbyd this in the .x. chapter sayng Feare not the signes of the skie as the hethen do Furthermore manye there be that stande in suche awe to tyrannes that for feare of them they denye the trew word of God These mē take tyrannes and rulers of this worlde for goddes For they imagyne that yf suche men fauoure them thē thei shalbe safe for euer But the prophete Dauid in the .cxlvi. psalme doth gyue contrarie counsel sayng thus Put not your cōfidence in princes in the sonnes of men in y e which is no saluatiō Some men also put their hole affiaunce in money and phantesie that they whiche haue plentye of money can lacke nothing Therfore they gyue themselfes holye to couetusnes to the desier to hurd vp riches they set their minde vpon filthy lucre they scratche what they can not regardynge whether they get by right or by wrong Suche men wurship their riches for their God But saint Paule in the .iii. chapter to the Colossians saieth Forsake couetusnes whiche is a seruice to ydolles Some set their trust in their owne wourkes thinkyng that by them they may be deliuered from synne reconcyled to the fauour of God iustified before him and by them also to atteyne eternal saluacion These haue their merites wourkes in the steade of God This is the greatest ydolatrie that can be vnder the sunne and a playne denyall of the fayth in christ as here after it shall be declared vnto you at large in the treatise of fayth Other ther be that be seruaūtes to their owne belyes gyuynge theim selues holly to eatynge and drynking bodely pleasures somuch y t in cōparisō of bodily pleasures they eyther dispise or elles forget God Such men make their belie their God as saint Paule writeth of thē saying Some therbe which sellyng the wourde of God do teache peruersely whose God is their belye But that thinge where in they do nowe glorye shalbe their confusion By these examples you maye easelye perceaue howe by to muche fearing trusting and louyng we make a God of a creature which in dede is not God
Lordes supper to theym that receyue the sacramente althoughe Christe hymselfe sayeth playnely Take eate thys is my bodye And why do they not beleue this verely because they dyd neuer trulye beleue thys article that God is almyghtye but they thynke that God is not able to work or do that thing which they can not compasse with their awne wit and reason But you good children folowe not suche but beleue you with all youre hearte that God is almyghtye that he is able to worke and do all thynge that he wylleth and perfourme all thing that he speaketh or promiseth And in so doyng you shall fynde great peace and quietnes in your consciences For this is an excedyng comforte for vs stedfastly to beleue this article that God is almyghty For hereby we be perswaded in all perels and aduersities to put our trust in him forasmoche as he is able to delyuer vs out of al troubles and affections although they seme to mans reason remediles Hereby also we be taught to humble oure selues before God and not to be proude neyther to dyspyse or forget hym when all thynges goeth after our owne wyll but to consyder that God is almightie and able with a becke to ouerturne kingdomes to cast downe the ryche to exalte the poore to punyshe the wicked and to destroy vs yf we prouoke him to angre Wherefore good children marke well this worde Almighty whiche is as muche to saye as this No man is so sore sycke but God is able to heale hym No man is so poore but God can make hym riche No mā is so symple or dul wytted whom he is not able to make wyse No man is so vyle or lytle regarded but he is able to promote him to highe honours No man is so greate a synner but he is able to iustifye him Wherefore in all chaunces we must put our truste in God onelye For he is able to do what soeuer he willeth and all thynge is subiecte vnder hys dominion Furthermore in this article God is called maker of heauen and earth that is to saye God made heauen and earthe and all thynge contayned therein of no thynge For God made not these thynges as a carpenter maketh an house whiche can not woorke yf he lacke hys toyles stuffe But he onelye sayde lette it be done and by and by all thinges were done And therefore he hathe a newe title whiche was neuer herde among all the Philosophers beynge called the creatour of the worlde that is to saye that by his woorde he wonderfullye made all thynges of nothynge And as soone as he did speake by and by al the worlde stode vp and was made Thus he made manne and gaue hym bodye and soule reason and wysedome and dyd sette vnder his gouernaunce the yerth and all thyng that groweth theron as all kynde of trees wyth their fruytes all kyndes of herbes and floures all fyshes of the sea foules of the ayer and al maner of beastes tame or wylde and he made man Lorde ouer all these creatures that he myghte vse theym partely to his norishement and foode and partely to hys apparell and ornament of hys bodye in so muche that he made the Sunne Moone and all y e sterres for thys ende that they shoulde serue mā And that is most comforte to vs of all he made al these creatures before he did creat mā declaryng therby that he is carefull for vs and prouydeth suche thinges as we haue nede of yea before we be borne Wherefore good children let vs be of good chere and putting our trust in God let vs reason on this fashiō For asmuch as God made heauē and earth it is euidēt therby that he is Lorde and mayster of the same and that all thynges aswell in heauen as in earthe are donne accordyng to his wil. And forasmuche as he made all thynge for vs it is also manyfest therby y t he willeth all creatures to do vs seruice let vs therfore folow y e counsel of Christ who saith Be not careful for your life what ye shall eate or drynke nor yet for your bodye what raiment ye shal put on Is not y e lyfe more worth then meat and the bodye more of value then rayment Beholde the foules of the ayer the whiche do neyther sowe nor reape nor carye into the barnes and yet your heauenly father doth feade theim Are not you much better thē thei Cōsider the lilies of the feld how they growe They labour not thei spynne not And yet I saye vnto you that Salomō himselfe when he was in his most gorgious roialtie and glorye was not apparelled lyke one of these Nowe yf God dothe so apparell a floure which althoughe it florysheth to day yet to morow it wythereth away is cast into a fournas shal he not muche more do y e same for you o ye men of litle faith These be the wordes of Christ good children by the which he exhorteth vs to put our trust and confidence in God our father and stedfastlye to beleue that he whiche hath gyuen to vs our lyfe is both able willyng also to gyue vs all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of our lyfe For he is the maker of al thinges all creatures obey hys wyl and commaundement and if there lacked any thinges y t shuld helpe vs he is able euery daye to make all newe agayne as euery yeare he maketh all thynges to renewe and spryng agayn Thus by these wordes we learne y t God hath made heauen and earth and all thynges conteyned therin for vs and for oure commoditie and that he is both can and wyl gyue vs our dayly foode and lyuyng Wherfore let no mā trust to his own wit reasō or cōpassinge thinking y e he is able to get his liuing or riches by hys awne carefulnes or to maynteyne hys lyfe but let vs put our trust in God oure father almightie he will feade nouryshe and mainteyne vs as long as it shall please him Neuertheles it is our parte to laboure diligentlye and euery man is bounde to do his dutie in his vocatiō and calling For God willeth not that we shoulde be idle and lye all the day on the one syde lokyng that he shuld put meat in our moughtes as the nourse dothe feade yong children but he commaundeth vs to plye our laboures and occupations and then to cast all carefulnes and put it vnto hym Thus good children I haue expounded vnto you y e first article of our belyfe conteinyng the doctryne of the creation and making of the worlde the whiche heauenly philosophie to the intent you may the more easely beare it in youre memories I wyl knit it vp in few wordes that whē you be demaunded howe vnderstande you the fyrste article of youre belyfe you maye thus shortly answere I beleue that God y e father hath made me and al creatures in heauē and earth that he hath gyuē to me and conserueth my bodye and
fauoure loue in to gods curse angre dyspleasure that fel from original iustyce into original syn by the which fal al the strēgth and powers both of their bodyes and soules were sore decaied corrupted And as oure firste parentes Adam Eue were infected and corrupted euen so be we that be their children For as we see by dayly experience y t commenly gowtie parentes begetteth gowtie children And yf the father and the mother be infected with the leprie we se commenly that the childrē borne betwene them haue the same dysease So lykewyse as our first parētes Adam and Eue dyd not put their trust in God no more do they y t be carnally borne of theim And as they loued not God so their childrē loue him not And as they folowed their owne concupiscence lustes and appetytes and not the wil of God euen so do all their yssue So that all their posteritie vpon earth be sinners euen in their mothers wombes For thei haue not their truste in God they loue not God they haue not a fatherly feare vnto hym they be ful of yl lustes appetites desiers as you haue herde good children in the .ix. and tenth commaundementes And for this cause the scripture dothe say that all we are conceyued and borne in synne And sainct Paule sayeth that by nature we be the children of Gods wrathe So that we all shuld euerlastingly be damned yf Christ by his death had not redemed vs. Wherfore good children marke well this parte of youre Crede that teacheth you bothe to knowe Christe and by what meanes he dyd redeme you For firste in the Crede he is called the only sonne or onely begotten sonne of God Whereof it muste nedes folowe y t he is very God by nature borne of God the father before the foūdacion of the worlde was layde He is the euerlastyng wisedome and worde of God by the whiche God the father made all thinges That he is also verye man it is euidently expressed in these wordes I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche was conceyued by the holy gooste borne of the virgyne Marye suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified deade and buried And these .ii. forsaide thinges I can not comprehende more shortely nor aptely than by these wordes Christ our Lorde is verye God and very man Secondly learne this also by what meanes Christ dyd redeme vs. For what soeuer God hath commaunded in the ten commaundementes whiche we haue not fulfylled because we be all synners y t Christe himselfe hathe fulfylled for vs. And what soeuer punishment we haue deserued to suffre of God for oure synnes and offences that Christe hath taken vpō himself suffered for vs. By this you may perceyue howe requisite it was that Christ God and man should be conceyued by the holy gooste and borne of a pure virgyn For if Christ shoulde redeme vs and satisfye for our synnes than must he nedes be holy without synne For yf he had bene gyltye and a synner then coulde not he haue holpen his owne selfe but he must nedes haue had an other Sauyor and Redemer for him aswel as we haue for vs. For what soeuer he had done or suffred shuld haue bene worthely for hys owne offences yet could he not haue satisfied for hym selfe muche lesse then he coulde haue satysfyed for other Wherfore it was necessary yf he should satisfye for vs that he should be conceyued of the holy gooste and borne of a virgyn that his natyuitie myght be pure wythout synne and not corrupte as ours is That oure corrupte and damnable natiuitie myghte be purified and made holy by the holy and pure natiuitie of Christ. Therfore we say in the Crede He was conceyued of the holy goost borne of the virgyn Marye that Christe beynge pure and cleane frome all synne mighte redeme synners and satisfye for theim Now for asmuch as the iustice of God dydde require that Christe should suffer and make satisfaction for vs and do all thynges that we were bound to do it was necessarie that he should be made man For if he had not bene a veray naturall man he coulde not haue done for vs all those thynges which we were bound to do And agayne yf he had not bene veraye God he coulde not haue bene pure and cleane from al syn and so haue made a true and perfect satisfaction for oure synnes For no man can perfectly fulfyll the wyl of God but God himself alone Wherfore in that he suffered for our synnes therby he declared that he was a verye pure and natural manne Agayne he gaue moost certayne and euydente tokens of hys Godhed in that he ouercomed and vanquyshed the deuell synne and deathe For yf he hadde not bene veraye God he coulde not haue losed the bandes of death nether haue raysed himselfe frō death to lyfe So you hear good childrē y t our lorde Iesus Christ was very God and very man not cōceyued in syn as we be but conceyued by the holye goost and borne of the moste pure virgyn Marie And as man he suffred deathe for vs and descended into hell But as naturally God he losed the bandes and paynes of hell he destroyed the kyngdome of death he rose from deathe to lyfe and so payed the raūsome for our synnes and toke away all the gylthynes of the same Therfore when we beleue in Christ and stedfastly cleuyng to the worde of God suerly perswade oure selues in oure hartes that we be thus redemed by Christe then God is no more angry or displeased with vs for our synnes but freely and mercyfullye he forgyueth vs all our offences for the deathe and passiō of his sonne Iesus Christ and he gyueth vs also the holye gooste by whose healpe we maye wythstande synne and be delyuered from the same The whiche matiers sayncte Paule doth knyt vp in one bryef sentence not so shorte as notable and weyghtye sayinge Christe was delyuered to deathe for oure synnes and dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification In the whiche sentence saynct Paule doeth not onely declare what Christe dyd but also for what ende and for whome he suffered death and rose agayne For seynge that Christe was that moost innocent lambe that neuer was blotted with any spot of syn and yet he suffered for vs as a synner it is euident hereby that he dyed not for himselfe but toke vpon him oure synnes and bore for vs the burden which we shuld haue borne Moreouer seing that Christ was not ouercome by deth but by his myghty power he dyd vanquyshe death and rose frome deathe to lyfe and sytteth at the ryght hande of the father hereby we maye euidently perceyue that the great wrath and indignation of God to vs hathe an ende and that by our liuely faith in hī our synnes be forgyuen vs and that we be reconsiled into the fauoure of God made holy and ryghtuous For than God doth no more impute vnto vs our former synnes but he doth impute
and giue vnto vs the iustice and ryghtuousnes of his sonne Iesus Christ whiche suffered for vs. These are but fewe wordes but surely they be of greate importaunce For in this sentence saynct Paule includeth the summe and effecte of the holy ghospell when he sayeth Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes and rose agayne for oure ryghtuousnes For lykewise as when an other man doeth pay my raunsome and satisfye or suffre for me I my selfe am iudged to paye the same and no man after can accuse me therof And whē an other is bounde for me yf he be by any lawful meanes discharged I my selfe am counted to be dyscharged also euen so forasmuche as Christe hymselfe toke vpon him the bande of death for vs and to satisfye for vs so did in deede by hys death we our selues for whō he was thus bounde iustely be delyuered and dyscharged from death and damnation And so we be counted righteous for asmuche as no man dare accuse vs for that syn for the which satisfaction is made by our Sauiour Christ. And when oure sauiour Iesus Christ had thus satisfied for our synne and so ouercame deathe and hell than lyke a most valiant conquerer he ascended into heauen where God hys father receyued him with a moost gloriouse triumphe and placed hym on hys ryghte hande and made him Lorde ouer all creatures and therefore he is called in y e crede also our Lorde For yf he had not raunsomed and redemed vs we had bene cast downe to hel for euer But seynge y t he redemed and bought vs therfore bewe his he is our Lorde and mayster hym we must loue obey and serue And this is oure moste hye and euerlastynge comforte that Iesus Christ is our Lorde and we his seruauntes For because he is oure Lorde therefore he wyll defende vs and delyuer vs from all daungers And althoughe we be synners yet he wil forgiue vs our synnes because he hathe payed y e raūsome and det due for thesame And althoughe we dye yet he wil rayse vs vp agayne because he hathe ouercome and conquered death And althoughe we be neuer so muche afrayed of the sorowes and paynes of hell yet they shall not be able to holde vs bycause that to theym that be hys seruauntes he hathe broken hell and set open the gates thereof Wherfore seynge that we haue so myghtye a Lorde and maister we be out of all peryll and daunger But we agayne aboue all thynges we muste studye to obey oure lord mayster and do those thinges whiche he commaundeth For he hath redemed and bought vs for thys entente and purpose that we shoulde be iust and holy as he hymselfe is holy And he that is not obediēt vnto Christes commaundementes shall be sore punyshed for oure Lorde Iesus Christ shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore good children laboure wyth all diligence and studye that when Christe shall come againe to iudge the world he may finde you holy and obedient For then he wyll rewarde you wyth euerlastyng lyfe After thys maner Christ redemed vs frō synne and from the horryble offence of Adam by whome we were al condemned For by Christes passyon death by hys ghospell we haue obteined thus much that we may beleue and trust in god And trustyng in God we haue his holy spirite whereby we maye also loue God And thys holy gooste renueth vs and clemeth vs from all euell lustes and desires that we beynge thus made holye and rightuouse maye kepe Goddes commaundemētes and serue our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore good chyldren beleue ye with al your heart in thys Iesus Christ the onelye sonne of God oure Lord and doubte not but that he hath suffered for our synnes and contented the iustyce of his father for y e same and hath brought vs agayne vnto his fauour made vs his wel beloued children and heyres of hys kyngdome And when you be asked howe vnderstande you the second parte of the Crede you shall answer I beleue that Iesus Christ veray God begotten of God the father and verye manne borne of the virgin Marie is my Lorde whiche by hys precyouse bloode and holy passyon hathe redemed me a myserable damned wretch from all my synnes frome death eternall and from the tyrannie of the Deuell that I should be his owne true subiect and lyue within his kyngdome and serue hym in a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and iustice euen as oure Lorde Christe after he rose from deathe to lyfe lyueth and raygneth euerlastyngly Or elles if you wyl answere more shortely you may say thus I beleue that Christe was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The thirde sermon of our Sanctification NOwe remayneth the third parte of the Crede to be declared whiche entreateth of our sanctificatiō how we be made holy And it is spokē in these wordes ¶ I beleue in the holy gost the holy catholicke churche the communion of saynctes the forgyuenes of synnes the risyng agayne of the bodye and lyfe euerlastyng Amen IN the seconde parte of the Crede which treateth of our Redemption and pryce giuen for vs you haue bene taughte good children to knowe the seconde persone in Trinitie Iesus Christe what he is and what he hath done for vs that he was made man for our sakes that he toke vpon him our synnes and suffered for vs y e feare and panges of deathe hel and had victory ouer them by hys passiō and death And after by his godly and victorious power he arose again from death to lyfe And after this most glorious conquest he ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the ryghte hande of his father is our Lorde and we his seruantes derely boughte All this you haue learned in the last sermon but now good childrē in this thirde parte of the Crede you shall lerne to knowe the thirde person in trinitie y e holy gost and also his benefites and giftes that we maye knowe what we haue receyued of God after our redēption wherby we may be made mete to come to euerlastynge lyfe thorough the merites of Christ. For althoughe our Lord Iesus Christ hath redemed vs from y e captiuitie of synne death and hel and hath set vs agayne in the fauor of God yet we should haue no knowledge of these great benefites we should feale in our cōsciences no comforte ioy or peace by the same yf they were not declared vnto vs by the preachīg of gods most holy word And our consciences should styl remaine troubled and the feare of eternal death and all noughty desiers and concupiscences of the frayle fleshe shoulde euer remaine in vs euē as frō Adams time thei be in vs as sone as we be borne and so we shuld be vtterly vnapte to the kyngdō of God lyfe euerlasting yf we shulde stil remayne as we be borne For yf we wyl be the heyres of god euerlastynge
lyfe we must be borne agayne sanctified or made holy as apperteyneth to y e childrē of y e most holy God Nowe this newe birthe and sanctification the holy gost worketh in vs. And therfore he is called the holy gost because al thing that is sanctified or hallowed is sanctified or made holy by hym Wherfore when the holy goost is not in man then it is not possible that he should be holy althoughe he dyd all the good workes vnder y e sunne And for this cause saincte Paule writing to the Romaines doth cal the holy gost the spirite of sanctification that is to say the spirit that maketh holynes Lerne therefore good children that al we must be made holy and newe men by the vertue of the holy gost and that we can not atteyne this holines by our awn strength or workes and therfore we must beleue in the holy gost that he wil sanctyfye vs at such tyme and place and after that sorte maner as it shall please him And it is our part to gyue place to his workynge not to w tstande thesame And therfore we saye in this Crede I beleue in the holy gost But it is necessarye some thynges here to speake of the maner of sanctification how and after what maner y e holy gost doth hallowe vs y t we maye so prepare our selfes or rather gyue place to the holy goost whiche preuenteth vs that he with his lyght and almighty strenght and power maye worke hys wyll in vs. Now I desier you to marke dyligently by what meanes fashion the holy gost dothe worke thys sanctification or halowyng in vs. After y t our Lorde Iesus Christ by his death passion and resurrection had redemed vs and obteyned for vs that our synnes should be forgyuen and we be made the childrē of God shortly after in the feest of Pētecoste he sent down vp on his Apostles the holy goost in the lykenes of fyery tongues The whiche holy goost gaue them wysdome connynge audacitie and constācie to teach boldly this holy gospell of Christe that is to saye this christen faith whereof we do speake And where they could not be presēt thēselfe or long abide continew in their awne persons thither they sent their disciples other godly learned mē to thē they gaue the holy gost by layng their hādes vpō their heades And this rite or ceremonie to ordē preachers mynisters of gods worde hath cōtinued in the churche euen from the Apostles tyme vnto this day and shall endure vnto the worldes ende For saincte Paule saieth How shal men beleue without a preacher And how shal men preache excepte they be sente And here you may learne that this holy gospel whiche we preache and the doctrine of y e grace of Christe taught in the hole churche cōmeth not of the wil of mā but by the cōmaūdemēt of God by y e motion of the holy gost which doth sturre vp mēs myndes to publishe gods most holy worde and doth worke by his secret inspiration in the prechers and ministers of the same For they wer not able so muche as to open their moughtes to teache so highe mysteries and heauenlye wysedome yf the holy gost did not moue theim therto and worke in theim Neyther wolde the hearers so greatlye esteme the preachers worde and giue so good eare vnto it excepte the holy goost dyd parsuade theym that y e doctrine of the gospell wer of God and cam from heauen Now the holy goost worketh by this worde on this fashiō First he that beleueth y e gospel and receaueth the doctrine of Christ is made the sonne of God as sayncte Iohn witnesseth in his gospel saiyng As manye as receiue him he hath gyuē them power to be made the children of God For when we beleue in Christ and are baptised then we be borne agayne and are made the children of God And when we be his children then he gyueth the holy gost into our hartes as sainct Paule testifieth writyng thus Forasmuche as you be now the children of God therfore God hath sent the spirite of hys sonne into your hartes which cryeth Abba father And when we haue receaued y e holy gost he doth kyndle in our hartes true loue towarde God as saincte Paull writeth in the pistle to the Romaynes in the fifthe chapter The loue of God saith he is poured abrode in our hartes by the holy gost which is gyuen to vs. And where as the true loue of God raygneth there are gods commaundements kept and there begynneth a certen obedience to his wil and pleasure Forthermore the holy goost dothe staye the fleshe and y e lustes of thesame and helpeth vs to ouercome theim that we be not caried away by them but may continew in clennes and holynes of lyfe These be the benefites and workes of y e holy gost in vs. And to thentent you maye the more easely beare them awaye I wil as briefly as I can repete theym agayne vnto you First of all y e holy gost prouoketh stirreth vp men to preache gods worde Than he moueth mēs hartes to faith calleth them to baptisme and than by faith and baptisme he worketh so y t he maketh vs newe men agayne And whē we be thus newely borne and made again and be bicome the children of God then the holy gost doth dwel in vs and make vs holy godly that we may be y e temples of God in whome God maye dwell and inhabite Also thys holy ghoste doeth daylye more and more encrease and establyshe our faythe that we lyke moste louing childrē maie colle and embrace our heuēly father and hang fast about his necke The same holy goost doeth also assure and warrant vs that our synnes be forgyuen and that our pardon is signed with Gods seal He doeth also kyndle in vs a feruent loue towardes God and maketh vs wylling to kepe gods law and commaundementes and helpeth vs also to fyght agaynste synne and to wythstande oure yll appetites and desyers Furthermore with the crosse of syckenes diuerse other kindes of afflictions and aduersities the holy gooste doth as it were crucifie and mortifie vs to the world that we may lyue to Christ. And this worke he woorketh continually in vs and cesseth not vntil he hath wrought in oure hartes a perfecte faythe a perfect charitie and vntyl synne and all euell desyres be cleane at lengthe purged oute of vs by the death of our bodies And then we shalbe perfecte in all holines and cleane delyuered from all synne aduersitie and be heires of oure fathers kyngdome and hys true and most derely beloued children Wherefore good chyldren as heretofore you haue bene taught that we oughte to beleue in God the father that made vs and in God the sonne that redemed or boughte vs so you muste nowe learne to beleue in the holy goste that hathe hallowed vs and doth cōtinually more and more renew
oure selfes and prouoke other to do the lyke whiche we shall do yf we preache and teache the worde of God purelye and agree vnto the same in pure innocent lyuynge so that no man can reprehende vs yf we beleue Gods word ▪ and professe thesame in all necessities call vpon hys name and gyue hym thankes for all his benefites But whan false doctrine is taughte than the name of God is defiled and false doctrine is honored and taken for the holy worde of God which in dede is not holy but wicked and the false inuentiō of the deuyll the inuentour of all lyes and falsehode And howe can the holy name of god be more horribly abused thā whan the deuyls lyes and false inuentions be sette out and honoured vnder the pretence and coloure of Gods holye name that by that meanes the people maye the sonner be deceyued Moreouer the name of God is not halowed but blasphemed and dispised whan the true woorde of god is cruelly persecuted as Cain persecuted his brother Abell For whan the vngodly hypocrites do call the gospell and true doctrine of Christe heresy and errore than is God as it were accused of heresy which gaue the sayde doctrine whiche is an horrible blasphemie of Gods name Also whan we beleue not the worde of God than we violate and do iniurie to y e name of God not takynge hym to be true The name of God is halowed also but lytle regarded and contemned whan the gospel worde of God is not boldely professed before the worlde For he that denyeth y e gospel and doth not constantly stāde vnto it but for feare of men doth shrynke from it and reuoketh those thinges which before he hath truly godly taught he counteth not Iesus Christ the sonne of the lyuing God nor hys holy worde and gospell to be of that value and estimation that he wil for their sakes speake boldely or suffer any thynge before the kynges and powers of the worlde Also we do not halowe y e name of God whan we cal God our father and bost our selfes to be his childrē and yet that thing whiche we professe we do not parforme by holy and godly liuing For an vnthristy wicked child is a dishonour to his father Herof complayneth God by the Prophet Ezechiel the .xxvi. Chapter saying By you my name is blasphemed amonge people nations And he also regardeth not the holy name of God that doth not cal vpon God and gyue thankes to god as though he wer not the very true God which hath holpen hym and both can and wyll helpe him in all his nedes For he that knowlegeth himselfe that he is holpē of God he of dewty must nedes gyue hym thankes therefore and he y t trusteth to be holpē must lykewyse cal vpon hym for the same Therefore briefly to conclude he y t teacheth any other thā goddes true doctrine that beleueth not in the name of Christe that doth not boldely confesse y e worde of God that doth not leade hys lyfe accordyng to the gospel that doth not cal vpō God in al necessitie that doth not willyngly and gladly gyue thankes to God for al his benefites he dispiseth God and his holy name gyueth occasion to other to do y e lyke which of al other is the greatest offence to God Therefore we ought to praye that God kepe and defende vs from this synne This is the meanynge plaine vnderstandynge of this petition The name of God is of it selfe holy but in this petitiō we desier that we may also halow it which we do whan the worde of God is purely sīcerely taught whā we walke and lyue accordynge to the gospel This graunt vs O heuēly father For he that teacheth other doctrine than the pure word of God he dyshonoreth and defyleth the worde of God Wherfore from this synne good Lorde defende vs. Lerne these thinges dilygentlye good children and whan you be asked how vnderstande you this first petition you shall aunswer The name of God of it selfe is holy but here we do aske that it may be halowed of vs. And whā you be asked how is it halowed of vs Answere whan the worde of God is puerly and syncerelye taught whan we leade our lyfe in this worlde holyly and godly as it becommeth the veray true children of God Here in this point succour vs good Lorde helpe vs O heauenly father For he that either teacheth or liueth otherwise than the worde of God requireth he dyshonoreth and polluteth the worde of God The generall conclusion in all sermons of the Lordes praier Thus you haue herde good children the summe and mynd of this firste seconde thirde c. peticion kepe this in your memorye cease not to make your prayers vnto the Lorde nothyng dowting but he wil heare you make you holy and veray godly as the true children of God without faulte whiche haue their father in heauen For he hath promysed to graunt vs what soeuer we aske in his name And in his name we aske when so euer we say his prayer and vse the same forme of praier whiche he prescribed vnto vs and commaūded vs so to praye Therefore we ought to beleue in our hartes that God doth heare for so muche as he is oure father For whan we giue faithe vnto hys promyses than surelye he hearethe vs and by our prayer we trust to obteyne that thynge which we aske and to obey and parforme such thinges as he hath commaunded which thing God graunte vs all Amen Thy kyngdome come BEfore you herd in the first petytion howe we praye in it that God wyll graūt vs that we may fulfyll the seconde commaundemente that is to saye that we take not the name of God in vaine but that it maye be sanctified and honored by vs. Nowe foloweth the seconde petitiō wherin we pray y t God wil graunt vs strength to fulfyll the thirde commaundement whyche is reuerently to vse and to halow y ◠sabboth day whiche is not done by easynge only from all outward bodely laboures but it is chieflye done whan we mortifye the desyers of the fleshe dilygentlye heare the worde of God and obeye the same in our hartes whiche we can not do without a special and synguler grace and fauoure of God Therefore we haue nede feruently to praye euyn as Christe hath caught vs in this secōde petition Thy kingdome come That you maye vnderstande these wordes rightly iustly take good dilygent hede that you may lerne what y t kingdome is whiche you do aske The kyngedome of God as saynt Paule saieth Rom. xiiii is iustice peace and ioye in the holy gost And although these wordes paraduenture seme vnto you harde and darke yet you shal vnderstande theym yf you take good hede You knowe that Emperours kinges in this worlde haue their realmes kyngdomes and those people that be within their landes and dominions and dewly obey their lawes and commaundemētes those
moueth you eyther by force or by stelthe or els by some craftie meanes to picke it from them and so to deceyue your neyghbour But it is your parte to withstand this temptation and to kepe Gods commaundement whiche sayeth Thou shalte not steale And after this sorte we be tempted in the other coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of God also and tried whether we wyll be obedyent vnto them or no. But we muste striue agaynste teÌ„ptation manfully withstande the same y t we do nothing against gods coÌ„maundement Now when we wyll resyst temptation and not obey the same but kepe the commaundementes of God then we must haue the help and assistance of the holy Ghost For without the holy Ghost no man can be rightuouse and good And for this cause also he is called the holy ghost because he maketh men rightuous pure and holy And god doth giue the holy ghoste to al them whiche do beleue with all their hearte in Iesus Christ our Lorde For by this tokeÌ„ sainct Paul teacheth vs to knowe that we haue the holye ghost No man saith sainct Paul can call Iesus Lorde but by the holy gost And saynt Iohn in his epistel canonicall wryteth thus WheÌ„ we do truely confesse Iesus Christ to be our Lorde than we be borne of God and haue his holye spirite Wherefore good children beleue with all your hartes that Iesus Christe the true sonne of God dyed and rose againe for you that he hath purchased forgyuenes of synnes and euerlastynge lyfe for you and that he is so your Lorde that you shalbe sure to dwel with hym in euerlastyng lyfe Forthermore ye shall beleue that Christ doth gyue you the holy gost who doth sanctifye you helpe assiste you that ye be not led into temptation but that ye may obey God as you haue heard in the ten commaundementes And as longe as we lyue here vpon earthe we must not loke to be voide of temptations For all our lyfe in this worlde is subiecte to dyuerse temptations Some tyme the fleshe tempteth vs some tyme the false deceiptful worlde some tyme the deuel tempteth vs who hath euer had a most feruent desire to do vs hurt And all the temptations of these oure enemyes do leuell at this prycke to bryng vs to do against gods cammaundementes But it is oure partes manfully to withstande suche temptations that we assent not to any euel And yet we are not able to withstande these our enemyes onles God helpe vs by the holy gost Wherfore when soeuer we be tempted to do anye thing againste gods commaundementes there is no better remedy then to cal for gods helpe and to say as Christ taught vs. Good Lorde suffer vs not to be leade into temptation For when we do so God heareth our prayers he sendeth the holy gost and helpeth vs that we be not led into temptacion And now good children y t you maye the better withstande suche temptations you shal here learne that there be thre kyndes of temptacioÌ„s The first is the temptation of y e fleshe as wheÌ„ we are tempted to do any thing whiche is pleaâ—aÌ„t to the fleshe and yet it is synfull As when the fleshe dothe prouoke vs to lecherye adulterye dronkenes and suche like Or when we be tempted to leaue any thinge vndone which is painful greuous to the fleshe and yet of it selfe it is holy and rightuous as when we suffer afflictions against our wyl when we do not gladly fast when we do not gladly gyue almes fraryng lest we shall lacke our awne selues and not haue ynoughe to maintayne our pryde and pleasures The seconde temptation is of the worlde as when thorowe euel companye we be corrupted in our awne lyuynge and prouoked to folow noughty examples Also when we swarue from that which is right honest for feare of persecution dyspleasure indignation or threatnynge of men Or when men thorowe their falsehede malice or craft do moue vs to anger enuy or hatred The thirde temptation is of the deuel as when we feale in our hartes sodein and vehement motions to do euel yet neyther the fleshe nor the worlde doth prouoke vs to the same But euel thoughtes do so sodenly come into our myndes that we our selues do not wel knowe from wheÌ„ce they came Such euyl thoughtes no doute of it come from the deuel For the deuel is a spirit whom we can neither feal nor see Wherfore he can set our hartes afyer so sodenly that we shall not knowe from whence suche soden fire and sparkes do come Also when the fleshe and the world do tempte vs then Satan also taketh occasion thereby to enter in at y e gate which they haue set open for hym and maketh their temptation so stroÌ„g that it is harde for vs to withstaÌ„d and ouercome the same And all these temptations good children be against gods commundementes Wherefore hereby you shall learne to knowe what is temptation For whan any thing coÌ„meth in to youre mynde by the whithe you are prouoked to do against gods commaundemeÌ„t y t is temptation Wherefore beware you do not thesame but desyer of God helpe and assistence against temptation For in this staÌ„deth a Christian and holy lyfe that as oure synnes be forgyuen vs by Christ so we ought euer to withstande synne that we suffer it not to enter in to vs or to raigne ouer vs. For what a monstrous thynge should Christen relygion be yf we that be Christen menne whiche confesse synne to be nought against God and desier God to forgyue vs our synne shoulde contynewe still and walke in synne after that God most mercyefully hath forgyuen vs the same Also we maye easely withstande temptation and sinne if we beleue truly and praye ernestly For we haue lerned in y e doctrine of faith that we caÌ„ not be rightuous pure and holy of our selues but y e holy gost doth purify clense and halow vs. And yf we beleaue this stedfastly then we ought to pray with a feruent spirite and saye thus Lorde our heuenly father we be seche the suffer vs not to be led into temptation And yf we thus praye then God wil heare vs and wil gyue vs strength against him that tempteth vs and against his temptacion For a Christen mans life is a coÌ„tinual warre vpoÌ„ earth so long as we liue in this world we maye not loke to haue peace or quietnes but as in y e sea one wawe commeth after an other so in this worlde one temptation foloweth an other So that when we haue ouercome one temptation by and by an other is at hande paradueÌ„ture greater then the first Wherfore in this sixt petition we do not praye thus O heauenly father graunt that we may haue no teÌ„ptations but we say thus O heueÌ„ly father suffer vs not to be led into teÌ„ptation To be led into temptation is when God suffereth the greatnes of temptatioÌ„ so to grow that we be not able to ouercome y e same
often as ye do it in remēbraunce of me it is euident herby that Christe causeth euen at thys tyme his bodye and bloude to be in the sacrament after that maner and fashion as it was at that tyme when he made his maundye with his disciples For elles we coulde not do that thyng whiche his disciples dyd But Christ hath commaunded vs to do the selfe same thing that his disciples dyd and to do it in the remembraunce of him that is to saye to receaue his bodye and bloude euen so as he himselfe did gyue it to his dysciples And let not the foulyshe talke of vnbeleuers moue you who are wont to aske this question Howe can the pryest or minister make the bodie and bloude of Christ To the whiche I answer that the minister doth not this of himself But Christ himselfe doth gyue vnto vs his fleshe blode as his wordes dothe euydētly declare Nether let their argumētes or reasons perswade you whiche say y t the sacramēt ought not to be receaued vnder both kyndes but vndre one kynde only For Christ gaue to his disciples both kindes and hath bydde vs that we also shoulde do the same And when he gaue the cuppe to his dysciples he added therto this commaundemēt in these expresse plaine wordes saying Drinke ye al of this Now we ought to obey god more then men We ought therefore to receaue the sacrament vnder both kyndes as Christe commaunded vs. And regarde not the gageling of theim that speake againste the vse of the sacramētes vnder both kyndes sayinge It maketh no great matier whether ye receaue it vndre both kyndes or one alone y t it perteineth not to saluation to receiue it vnder both kindes But what shal I dispute long in this matier Take this for a cōclusion that it is only laudable good to do that thinge whiche Christ hathe commaunded and not to swarue from the same So we ought to receaue this blessed sacrament in the remembraunce of Christ as saint Paule saieth that is to saye we ought to preache his death vntil he come againe For he wil suerely come againe and iudge bothe the quicke and y e deade as ye haue lerned in your Crede In the meane season we ought to remembre and preach his death that he hath redemed vs with his death and sheding of his most precious bloude purchased for vs forgyuenes of oure synnes And this we ought euer to haue in oure remembraunce that in no wyse we forget this his exceding great benefyte and that we seke not for remyssion of synnes by any other wayes or meanes then by fayth in Christe Nowe when we preache the death of the Lord and shewe that he hathe redemed vs thereby we ought also to call this to our remembraunce that he dyed not for vs onely but for all men that beleue in him And forasmuche as Christe loued al men so entierely that he dyed for theym we ought for Christes sake to loue our neyghbours for whom Christe hathe dyed For Christ sayeth All men shall knowe by thys token that ye be my disciples if one of you loue another And this is it that saincte Paule sayeth All we that be pertakers of one breade are one bodye and one breade As often therefore good children as you shal come to the Lordes table whiche ye shall vse to do when ye shall come to further yeares of discretion you shal seke the comforte of your consciences and do as sainct Paule saieth in these wordes Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of the breade and drynke of the cuppe For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his awne damnation because he maketh no dyfference of the Lordes bodye And when ye shal haue examined your selues ye shal fynde that ye are synners and that ye haue nede that Christ should giue his bodye for you and shede hys bloude for you And this to do is truly to examine and trye youre selues For sainct Paule saieth Yf we wold iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. But when we are iudged of the Lorde we are chasticed that we should not be dampned with the worlde For him that doth not acknowlege his faute God doeth iudge and chastice with dyuerse afflictions that at the length he maye cause him therby to confesse his fautes and repent him that his synnes may be forgyuen him Ye shal also examine yourselues whether ye be able to do y t Christ commaundeth and to beleue that Christ saith Furthermore ye shal make an inquirie in your conscyences whether you be gladde in youre harte to forgyue youre neyghboure his offences against you and to loue him hartely and vnfaynedly for Christes sake For when ye do thus then ye worthely receaue the body and bloud of Christ. And he that so receaueth it receaueth euerlastyng lyfe For he doth not only with his bodyly mouthe receaue the bodye and bloude of Christ but he doth also beleue the wordes of Christ wherby he is assured that Christes bodye was gyuen to death for vs that his bloude was shed for vs. And he y t this beleueth eateth and drynketh the bodye and bloude of Christ spiritually Of this Christ speaketh when he sayeth He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloud abydeth in me and I in him And when we be planted in Christ then we maye come to this holy supper as often as we wyll that by this gostlye fode we may dayly more and more waxe stronger in our faith that Christe was gyuen to be the raunsome for our synnes and that he dwelleth in vs and we in him For seyng that we are planted in Christ by baptisme and are bound to grow and increase in him and to be made lyke vnto him it is not conueniēt that we shoulde onely haue a waueryng opinion that we dwell in Christe and growe in faith charitie but we muste haue a sure worde and worke of God to the whiche we maye leane in all temptations therby be assured that we do spiritually growe and increase in Christe And this worde and worke of God is set before our eyes in the Lordes supper For seyng oure sauioure Christ doth gyue vs his bodye to be oure meate and his bloude to be our drynke and thereby doth declare that he wil effectually dwel in vs strengthen and preserue vs to euerlastyng lyfe we may stedfastly beleue that Christ doth worke in vs and that he wil giue vs gostly strength and stedfastnes that we lyke grene braunches maye continew in the vyne and so be full of sappe and bryng forth good fruit And this is the meanynge and playne vnderstandynge of the wordes of the Lordes supper Wherefore learne them dilygently I pray you y t when ye be asked what is y e Cōmuniō or the lordes supper ye maye answer It is the trew body and true bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche was ordeyned by Christ