Lectures of I. B. vpon the xii Articles of our Christian faith briefely set forth for the comfort of the godly and the better instruction of the simple and ignorant ¶ Also hereunto is annexed a briefe and cleare Confession of the Christian faith conteining an hundreth articles according to the order of the Créede of the Apostles Written by that learned godly martyr I. H. sometime Bishop of Glocester in his life time 1. Pet. 3. vers 15. Be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and reuerence Imprinted at London by C. Barker ⧠To the right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham Knight principal Secretarie to her Maiestie and one of her Highnesse most honorable priuie Counsell Io. Ba. wisheth in this life the feare of God and in the life to come euerlasting rest with Iesus Christ. COnsidering right honorable that diuers both of our countrymen and others haue very paynefully and fruitefully laboured to set forth the exposition and meaning both of the ten Commandements also of the Lordes prayer and that in the English tongue I thought good not to meddle any further that waye seeing so good an entrance was made vnto it But neither seeing nor hearing of any that had giuen forth any sermons or lectures vpon the articles of our Christian faith a thing as necessarie as the other I was the more emboldened to set this treatise forth that the simple and ignorant which can but only reade and haue this benefite to profite themselues withall might haue the true and playne meaning of euery article of their faith as they haue the exposition of the Lordes prayer and ten Commandements For if this Creede commonly called the Creede of the Apostles shall onely be sayde without booke and rehearsed of the people without the meaning of it in more words then they can not take such cōfort out of these articles as were requisite because they do not vnderstande them And so great and excellent mysteries lying hid shal do no good because they are not opened and reuealed to the simpler sort The cause that moued me to present these my first fruits vnto your Honour was That partly you had heard them read vnto you your Honors accepting of them as fauoring the trueth shall incourage others to doe the like and reade them more diligently I haue not laboured to be curious in this matter but so plaine as the weakest of capacitie might easely vnderstande for whose sake and not for the learned I was willing to publish this worke according to that talent that the Lorde in mercy hath committed vnto me his seruant for the building vp of his spirituall temple I doubt not but by the working of Gods holy spirit in you in reading of these articles nowe and then your Honour being voyde of waightier matters and affayres when leasure shall serue you shall finde some comfort and consolation in them Although they be playne yet are they true neede no eloquence to set them forth for trueth seeketh no corners to hide her selfe in Onely her feare is least she should be hid I graunt it might seeme a needlesse and fruitlesse thing to write bookes and publishe them in these dayes wherein are such store that nowe bookes lacke readers rather then readers want bookes but if a man consider well with him selfe he shall finde that a great many of them tende not so much to set forth godlines as wantonnes neither do they profit the Church and common wealth but rather hurt and hinder it as much as in them lyeth so that it had bene better that a great many of them had bene suppressed and neuer bene written They hurt many for they leade yong men vnlesse Gods spirit guide them the better to vtter destruction These are not the bookes that teach young men which are by nature wanton and wilde and giuen to lustes to refraine from libertie of the flesh but rather giue them the bridle to these wanton lustes and appetites and pitie it is they should bee suffered in a Christian cōmon wealth These idle bookes teach not a man to amende and correct his wayes but vtterly to peruert them A young man therefore shall clense his wayes not by these meanes but by ruling himself according to the word of the Lord as the Prophet Dauid hath forewarned Psal 119. so then although the store of bookes in our dayes is great yet the number of them that encrease true godlinesse is not so great but that it may be augmēted And albeit some one booke please not euery man yet another may seeing there are diuers and diuers giftes giuen to edifie that all men may be without excuse before the Lorde If any find fault and say This writer is too hard and hye for my capacity he may haue an easier if this man bee too eloquent and fine he may haue another that is more simple and playne for God be thanked there is great varietye of giftes in the Church of Christ and as it is in the body naturall of men that al members are not alike nor haue the same function yet all are necessary and although the foote be not so excellent a member as the hand or the eye yet for the vse of the body it is as necessary profitable neither can the head say to the foote I haue no neede of thee but one hath neede of the helpe of another for the maintenance of the whole So it is in the mystical body of the Church some haue more excellent giftes then others and some may be likened to the head some to the eye and some to the hand other of inferiour giftes to the foote and to the legge which yet surely can not be despised or lightly set by considering the body can not want them neither is this onely to be seene in the mysticall body of the Church wherein some are pastors some doctors some Deacons and some haue the gift of eloquence some of knowledge some of vtterance some of tongues But this may be perceiued in the body of the common wealth wherein some are kinges and rulers appoynted of God to bee heades ouer others and some are craftesmen and artificers some husbandmen and plowmen farre inferiour to the other and yet notwithstanding as necessary is the poore labouring man for the ciuil body as is the magistrate and superiour for if all should rule who shoulde obey if all againe should obey who should rule or gouerne but nowe the Lorde hath so tempered and disposed these thinges in his infinite wisedome that there should be no disorder and that euery one should be indetted and bounde to another that so loue and vnity might be kept and maynteyned in al. For no one man hath all giftes giuen vnto him that hee might stande in neede of his neighbour and loue him the better hauing that gift which hee seeth him selfe to be destitute of Thus being willing
Adam or shal be to the last man that shal be borne here vpon the earth None can escape this iudge or hide himselfe away from his sight which seeth into the bottome of the sea euen into the middest of the earth and hell none shal be forgotten not the lest childe that is for he hath all written in his bookes both good and bad great and small for these are the wordes of the holy Ghost We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ And againe As I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bowe to me and euery tongue confesse to me None then shal be missing no not the great Monarches Emperours and Kings of the earth shall helpe theÌ„selues here or flee away but they shal be brought to iudgement and stand at the barre as others do be brought as lowe as the lowest Wel let vs apply this doctrine for our vse to profit by it Of this doctrine that we must al come to iudgement and none escape Paul gathereth this argument and lesson that knowing the terrour of the Lorde we should doe our duety that both dwelling at home and remouing from home wee may be acceptable vnto him For it made Paul the more rouÌ„dlie to doe his office and function in preaching saying We knowing this perswade men and are made manifest vnto God and I trust also that we are made manifest vnto your consciences 2. Corin. 5. Fourthly let vs see the maner and order of this generall iudgement Our Sauiour Christ doeth most liuely describe it in the 25. of Matthewes Gospel saying When the Sonne of man commeth in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit vpon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shephearde separateth the sheepe from the goates and he shal set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on his left then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thirstie and ye gaue mee drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me in vnto you I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me and so forth Then shal he say to them on his left hand Depart froÌ„ mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels For I was an hungred and yee gaue mee no meate I thirsted and yee gaue me no drinke c. And these shall goe into euerlasting payne and the righteous into life eternall Here wee see the fourme and order of this iudgement described most liuely vnto vs in the person of Christ a King putting some on the ryght hande and some on the left hande S. Paul also doth set it out vnto vs most excelleÌ„tly that the Lord Iesus shall descend froÌ„ heauen with a shoute and with the voyce of the Archangel and Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall ryse first and wee which remayne aliue shall bee caught vp with them also into the cloudes to meete the Lorde in the ayre and so shall we bee euer with the Lorde Where note that he â—etteth it out onely for the comfort of the godly making no mention in this place of the wicked Saint Peter saith It shall be as a thiefe in the nyght in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elementes shall melt with heate and the earth with the woorkes that are therein shal be burnt vp 2. Pet. 3. S. Iohn in the Reuelation doeth very effectually expresse this thing in like maner for he saieth that a great white throne was set which he saw and one that sate vpon it and the dead stood both great smal before God the bookes were opened the sea and death and hel gaue vp their dead and euery man was iudged according to the things written in the bookes Reuel 20. Wee learne this good lesson by it as Peter doeth teach vs that seeing the maner of this great and last day of iudgement by Christ shall be so terrible in respect of the alteration of the creatures wee ought to be holy in all conuersation and godlinesse looking and hasting for the comming of that day of the Lord Iesus to iudgement And here furthermore wee gather that heauen and earth shall be dissolued and made newe that this worlde nowe shall haue an ende as it had a beginning contrary to the false opinion of the Philosophers and wicked Atheistes of our time which thinke that all things shall continue as they doe for euer Thus much for the maner of the iudgement Nowe as concerning the time our Sauiour Christ hath forewarned vs that it is not for vs to knowe the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power Act. 1. For of that daye and houre knoweth no man no not the angels which are in heauen neyther the Sonne him selfe but my Father onely saith Christ Which is to be vnderstoode that Christ knoweth not the latter day as hee is man but as he is the eternall God and one with his Father euen his wisedome he knoweth it and al things else We see then that the day and houre is most vncertaine and yet the thing it selfe most certaine that it shall be But although this day and houre be vnknowen yet notwithstanding our Sauiour Christ hath giuen vs signes and tokens of his comming which may sturre vs vp the more warily to waite for his comming These things our Sauiour sayd shoulde come to passe before he came we see they are fulfilled already many shall come in his name to deceiue vs saying I am Christ shall deceyue many we shall heare of warres nation shall rise against nation realme against realme there shall be famine earthquakes and pestilence in diuers places the godly shal be afflicted killed and hated of al men for Christs sake many shall bee offended at the Gospel and betray one another the father the sonne and the sonne the father the brother against the brother shall rise and put him to death false prophets shall aryse and deceiue many iniquitie shal be increased and the loue of many shall bee colde and the Gospel shall bee preached vnto all nations and then shall the end come Furthermore there shal be signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres the sunne shal be darkened the moone shall not giue her lyght and the starres of heauen shall fall which things haue come to passe whither you take them litterally or allegorically for both the sunne and moone hath beene eclipsed and signes and wonders haue appeared in the starres and if ye take the sonne for the worde of God and Gospel we see it hath bene darkened and abused by the Papistes The
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
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
to reioyce because our redemption draweth on For how should we feare whē Christ wil make vs iudges with him as he sayth Ye that haue folowed me in the regeneratiō shal sit vpō twelue thrones iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And Paul sayth Doe ye not know that the saintes shal iudge the world Not that we shale be iudges with Christ but that we shal allow approue his iudgemēt For to speak properly the elect shall not be iudged but the wicked shall be iudged to euerlasting fire This certainly is no smal comfort for weake cōsciences to consider that the prince shal iudge his owne people subiectes the head his members the aduocate his clients How then can he condemne those for whose safegard he doth come will ratifye y◠promise of euerlasting blisse which he hath promised here in this life by his Gospel We shal not thē be cited before any other tribunall seate thē of our louing bridegrōe who shal make himselfe ready to receiue his spouse wife vnto himselfe for euer Reuelat. 21. This day is called the mariage day of the Lambe and his supper and his wife shall then be arayed with pure and fine linen and shining which is the righteousnes of sayntes Let vs therefore be glad and reioyce and giue glory to him that sitteth vpon the throne There can be no day here so ioyful as this yea al comfort is nothing to this that Christ shal be our iudge He cānot cast away thē for whom he hath died he cannot deny himself Paul whē he considered of this iudge and iudgemēt reioyced euē in prisō that a crowne of righteousnes was laid vp for him which the righteous iudge Christ Iesus would giue vnto him in that day 2. Tim. 4. And here we learne a very good lesson by the way that if Christ be our iudge we must whē we cā not haue redresse here or iudgement equally ministred vnto vs referre our causes and matters of iniurie to him who is able to reforme all things and will at his comming So that we must not which are priuate men reuenge our owne quarels and iniuries but commit them al to him without murmuring and hee will iudge them iustly Then this doth teache vs patience to wayte for this comming of Christ to iudge all thinges orderly And this good counsayle did Saint Iames giue in his time to the poore oppressed labourers husbandmen which were defrauded by the rich men had their hier and wages kept backe hee doeth comfort them in this respect that Christ wil come to iudge their cause saying Be patient brethren vntill the comming of the Lord and settle your heartes for the comming of our Lorde draweth nere Yea and our sauiour Christ sayde Luk. 18. that God will auenge his elect which cry day and night vnto him and that shortly Whereby we may gather also that the day of iudgement is not farre off as the wicked doe suppose but draweth on euery day neerer then other Let vs therefore as our sauiour doth counsel vs watch and pray continually that we may be able to stand before him at his comming to iudgemēt We see then that we must commit our causes to Christ offer our complaintes against the wicked to him and then doutles with our eyes we shal behold see the reward of the wicked Psal 91. As this is very comfortable doctrine to the godly to heare that Christ is their iudge and auditor of al their causes so is it as doleful and grieuous a thing to the wicked and cast awaies to wey with themselues that Christ their enemy shal be their iudge whome they haue alwayes in their life time hated made a mocke of and had in vtter contempt both him his Gospel and ministers of his word and sacraments This shall pearce them to the very heart to see him their iudge whom they could neuer abyde yea his sight and presence shal be so feareful and terrible vnto them all that they shall curse the time that euer they were borne for they shal hide themselues in dennes and rockes of the mountaines and shall say to the hilles Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stande These and the like wordes shall they vtter for dolour and anguish of minde and yet finde no comfort for they haue refused the Lorde and God of all comfort here vpon the earth and therefore shall not haue him there to be their comforter And S. Iohn doeth tell vs who these are to whome this iudge Iesus shal be so fierce and cruel euen the kinges of the earth and the great men and the riche men and the chiefe captaines and the mightie men and euery bond man and euery free man Reuelation 6. not meaning all kings and noble men but some of euery state and sorte of men yea the greater part of euery degree of men especially of great men for not many noble not many wise not many mightie men are called to the knowledge of the Gospel lest they should bragge but rather the poore the base the vnwise are chosen because they should not vant of their worthinesse as Paul doeth tell vs in the 1. Corinthians 1 Chap. most notably To conclude this part seeing the Lord shal be iudge to the wicked euen the Lord Iesus to render flaming fire and vengeance vnto them that know not God and obey not his Gospel this may teach them to feare and to liue somewhat more orderly if not for the loue of God of heauen and vertue yet for feare of hell death and damnation to auoyde the punishment that wil light vpon sinne at that day Let vs come to the third poynt The persōs that shall come before this iudge to be examined and trìed in iudgement they are sayde here to be the quicke and the dead that is to say al both the liuing and the dead But here some may aske this question Seeing it is appointed to al mē once to die because they are mortal how is it said here that some shall be quicke and aliue at the comming of Christ To this wee make answere that they that shal be aliue at the second comming of Christ to iudgement shall as it were dye for they shall all be changed and renewed and that suddenly as if they had bene long dead before and this is the meaning of Paul 1 Corinth 15. Wee shal not all dye that is wee shall not all be layde in the graue as others but we shall all be in a moment altered which shal be in steade of a death vnto vs. So we see what we haue to answere to this question The persons then that are to be sūmoned cited to appeare by the voyce of the Archangel trūpet of God in a woord generally are all men that euer haue bene from the first man
moone which doth represent the Church which taketh her light from the sunne Iesus Christ hath byn persecuted turned into blood and not giuen her light by reason of troubles and the starres which are likened to the preachers haue fallen away and otherwise stept aside These things and the lyke may put vs in minde that the cōming of Christ is not far off euen as when we see the trees begin to budde we know then that the spring time is neere We know furthermore that the time of this iudgement shal be very sudden as the lightnings or as the cōming of a thiefe and as the sudden crying out of a woman with childe For as it was in the dayes of the floud in Noes time the waters came and tooke them all away so shall the comming of the sonne of man be Likewise also as it was in the dayes of Lot they ate they dranke they bought they solde they planted they buylt they gaue in marriage and married wiues but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rayned fire brimstone from heauen and destroyed them all After these ensamples shall it be in the day whē the Sonne of man is reuealed And surely this day is hid from our eyes that we shoulde be prepared euery day not be secure or careles to differre repentance and put it off from day to day as a great many do among vs. Seeing then the time is at hand and yet vnknowē we ought to be prepared and be in a readines to follow our Masters counsel for he saith Take heed to your selues least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeting drunkennes and cares of this life and least that day come on you at vnwares for as a snare shall it come vpon all them that dwell vpon the face of the whole earth Watch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe that ye may stande before the Sonne of man This daye is as the day and time of our death as we knowe not when we shall die and yet it is most certaine that we shall die so it is with this day And whether a man shoulde looke for the day of his death or this day of iudgement first truely I can not tell they are both so vncertaine neither haue we longer warrant of time prescribed vnto vs in the scriptures of the one then of the other I praye God the Lord Iesus may finde vs as good seruants doing his will and woorke at his comming that wee may haue our candles burning in our handes with oyle in our lampes and the marriage garment on our backes ready to open the doore when he cōmeth and knocketh for vs. Happy shal we be if the Lord find vs so doing otherwise if he finde vs smiting our felow seruants eating and drinking being drunken he shal come vpon vs at vnwares and cut vs in pieces giue vs our portion with the vnbelieuers hypocrites where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Let vs therefore I beseeche you brethren by the Lorde Iesus knowing the time is short and at hande euen in the doores gird vp the loines of our minde that when our Sauiour knocketh we may open vnto him immediatly Thus wee see what we haue to note and learne vpon the time of the comming of Christ vnto iudgement The place also is to be considered the nations and kinreds of the people that shall appeare that day are so many and innumerable that the earth shall not bee able to conteyne them all therefore Saint Paul saith that we shall be caught vp in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre So that all shall bee taken vp into the ayre as the place of iudgement But I come to the last poynt which is more materiall to our purpose for what ende this great and last day is reserued and kept in store It hath two endes or causes why it is ordayned of the Lorde the one is that the godly may be deliuered out of their miseries and troubles which they haue here stoutly endured for Christes sake and be receyued into euerlasting life The other is that the wicked reprobate and all the companie of infidels which haue herecontemned the Lord liued in pleasure and delites of the fleshe may be iustly punished as they haue well deserued with euerlasting fire brimstone which is the second death For it might seeme if there were no iudgement or life after this that the Lord were notiust in his doings for neither are the godly and ryghteous rewarded many times in this life neyther are the vngodly punished for their offences while they liue here for the most part Now God is most iust which will rewarde all godlines and vertue and seuerely punish vice and wickednes These two endes doth our Sauiour mention in the general iudgement the one sort saith he shall goe into euerlasting life and the other sort into euerlasting fire Matth. 25. Saint Paul likewise doth make mention of these causes in the second epist of the Thessalonians the first chapter shewing as well what the good shall haue as the bad saying on this wise It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shewe him selfe from heauen with his mighty angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that do not knowe GOD and which obey not the Gospel of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power thus much for the wicked Now foloweth rewarde for the good when hee shall come the bee glorified in his saintes and to bee made marueylous in all them that beleeue in that day Here wee may haue a notable discourse as is in any place of scripture why our sauiour Christ shal come to iudgement both in respect of the good and bad yea the wicked angels and spirites them selues as Iude saith hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines of darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great day This day is greatly desired and longed for of the godly and especially of the true ministers of Christes Gospell that their cause may bee knowen to bee good agaynst the wicked and their sayings veryfied concerning this iudgement for surely there is nothing almost seene of God or beleeued of the wicked vntyll that day Tell them of this day and terrifie them with it they make a mocke at it they count them for fooles and simple persons that liue a godly and Christian life but when this day commeth as it will come certainly it will make a recompence for all and they shall finde all our sayings threatnings to be most true Therefore the godly desire it in respect of Gods glorie chiefly which the wicked haue defaced A great many of them thinke that there
is neyther hell nor heauen God nor Deuill and that all are but fables that wee speake of this day and so they growe to an vtter contempt of God and all godlines But as the Lord liueth they shall finde it true by experience which they woulde not here embrace by fayth yea they shall confesse themselues starke fooles and the godlie men to bee wise in deede Wisedome 5. Christ Iesus shall bee that great Lorde and riche master of the house which shall come to take an account of his seruantes talentes giuen vnto them to encrease and vse to his honour and glory and to the good and diligent seruauntes shall hee giue rewardes and ioy but to the vnprofitable seruauntes stripes and paine eternall This shal be the newe married bridegrome and husbande which shall come to make a choise of the wise and chaste virgins which haue kept them selues pure vnto him from the foolishe and vnchaste which haue defyled them selues with the wicked worlde In that day Christ shal be that good and diligent husbandman which shal come to gather the wheate in the time of haruest into his barnes for his owne vse but shall burne the chaffe with vnquenchable fire And to conclude hee shall be that great shepheard which shall diuide the lambes and sheepe from the goates the one to sitte on his right hande in ioy the other to sitte on his lift hande in sorowe to this ende no doubt shall our sauiour Christe come and then shall it be saide O happie and thrise happie was hee that was a faithfull seruant a chaste virgin to Christ the good corne the meeke lambe of Iesus Christ But this of the wicked spoken then shal be too late and repentance at that time shal be in vayne I counsell all men therefore that will not there repent that euer they were borne as the wicked shall doe that they woulde in the name of Iesus Christe repent here betime and aske the spirite of the Lord to amende their liues that they put not off from day to day vntill they are olde or haue all thinges as they woulde The Lorde will come suddenly vpon such an one taking him away in his sinne If wee woulde lay the remembraunce of this iudgement day often before our eyes to sturre vp our selues withall and to awaken our dull spirites and senses it woulde keepe vs in great feare and awe before our Lorde GOD and drawe vs from much sinne and abomination which nowe for lacke of thinking vpon this day is committed euery where both at home and abroade as well in the countrey and base mens houses as in the court and great mens places Well wee shoulde doe as a godly father did in the primitiue Church that whether wee eate or drynke whether wee sleepe or wake or whatsoeuer wee doe wee shoulde thinke alwayes this day to be at hande and the voyce sounding in our cares arise yee dead and come to iudgement Notable of al others is that lesson that Solomon doth giue vnto vs in the booke of the preacher the 11 and last Chapters concerning this matter hee mocketh and derideth them that delite in sinne as you see men commonly doe and afterwarde threatneth and terrifieth them with this last iudgement saying Reioyce O young man in thy youth and let thyne heart cheare thee in the daies of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eies Marke now what sosowre sauce foloweth this sweet meate but knowe sayth hee that for all these thinges GOD will bring thee to iudgement for God wil bring euery work into iudgemēt euery secret thing whether it be good or euill A notable glasse for all men to looke vpon is this finall iudgement Wee are taught by these thinges that our felicitie and pleasure consisteth not in this life neyther can we haue it here but it is in the lyfe to come layde vp for vs in Christ Here are confuted all worldlings which thinke there is no other lyfe after this no ioy or payne This day can not bee fearefull to the godly for it is called our blessed hope Titus 2. and the godly doe loue it 2. Timothie 4. If it bee fearefull and terrible to any as it is it is to those that haue no hope of heauen and to those that put their whole pleasure and felicitie here belowe in their money and ill gotten ryches To the fearefull and vnbeleeuyng and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and lyers and couetous persons this day shall bee fearefull and terrible yea it shall make them all to quake for feare for they shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fyre and brymstone which is the seconde death Reuelation 21. This day and the cogitation thereof serueth most fitly to put men in mynde of their dueties and callyngs before the Lorde for so our Sauiour Christe applied it in his tyme in his Gospell saying to them that were worldely mynded What shall it profite a man though he should win the whole worlde if he lose his owne soule or what shall a mā giue for recompēce of his soule marke his reason why it is dangerous thus to hazarde and venture his soule for saith he the sonne of man shal come in the glory of his father with his angels and then shall hee giue to euery man according to his deedes Mat. 16. so doth Paul charge Timo. especially by this iudgement day saying I charge thee before God before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and in his kingdome Preach the worde be instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort with al long suffering and doctrine 2. Timothie 4. As if hee shoulde say in effect There is a day of iudgement kept in store therefore doe thy duetie diligently This day of iudgement shall make vs very carefull to shewe foorth all good woorkes For Christ shall pronounce the definitiue sentence vpon all men according to their workes not that the godly haue deserued or merited heauen by their good workes that is too great a thing to bee gotten by woorkes for Christ hath already deserued that for vs by his good workes if wee beleeue in him But Christ shall make mention of woorkes to shewe and to signifie to all the worlde that the godly haue not beene idle or vnfruitfull in this life as the hypocrites are whose sheepe skinnes then shall be plucked off and then shall they appeare to bee rauening wolues for this cause shall the iudgement bee according to workes to sturre men vp here while they heare this to good works and to make manifest to al men that the godly haue walked innocently and that the wicked haue followed the lusts of the flesh Our faith can not be seene and therfore Christ shal speake according to the effect and consequent of it which is seene and that is good woorkes Christ before sheweth the cause
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
to Christ are gentle as sheepe not cruel as wolues for they shall not hurt nor destroy in al the mountayne of my holines saith the Lorde of hosts by his Prophet This name of the church excludeth y◠bloody church of Rome for they are as wolues cruell beastes deuouring the sheepe as well with vs appeared in Queene Maries dayes howe bloodthirstie they were in that the wolues slewe so many of the sheepe of Christ It is called the spouse of Christ therefore they that giue them selues to another head and husband as the false Romanes doe are not of this church It is also compared and likened to the moone because the churche taketh all her light and brightnes of Iesus Christ the true sunne of righteousnes as the moone doeth take of the sunne all her light which thing the Papistes doe not for they ascribe not all to Christ but some things to the Pope some to them selues and others And as the moone is not alway visible being in her change so is not this churche to the eye of man alwayes in a visible she we as the proude churche of Rome is but hath sometime warre and aduersitie sometime peace prosperitie It is moreouer like vnto a ship vpon the seas tossed in deede with the waues from one place to an other but yet neuer drowned because Christ Iesus is in it and holdeth the sterne with his hande These thinges vnto the which the church is likened doe very well conuince Rome to be no church of God at all for it is alwayes visible to the eie and in great wealth and prosperitie as Babylon was so it boasteth of her selfe as shee did It neuer at all mourneth or is in the pit of afflictiō as Christ said his church shouldbe Iohn 16. And as we reade in Ezechiel 9. this church of Rome doth alwayes laugh and reioyce and neuer feeleth the rodde which is a token of bastards and such reprobates and not of Gods children Heb. 12. This true church of Christ is but one For there is but one mediator one husband and therefore one spouse and one body as Paul proueth Ephes 4. and is called vniuersall because it is in all partes of the earth and the Lord hath of his church out of all nations and kinreds tongues Reuel 7. Which church yet notwithstanding is deuided into particular churches of euery coūtrey kingdom where as they al make but one general church For they are ioyned together in the same spirite fayth baptisme and Lorde Iesus which is one head to them all There was a particular church in the house of Philemon as Paul reporteth in that epistle and he also calleth the Corinthiās a church others too vnto whom he wrote meaning that they were speciall churches of this vniuersall church And here the ignorance of the Papistes is seene and manifested which make that to be general and catholike which is but particular special For although their Rome were a true church yet can it not be termed by any meanes Catholike except all the saintes and good men aliue vpon the earth were in it which can not be Here thē they are deceiued in the worde Catholike making that to bee generall which is but in part so Paul did neuer write to any church which hee called Catholike for if hee had meant so that Rome had bene the catholike church when hee wrote vnto it then could he not properly haue called Corinth a church at all The summe of all that we haue said hitherto is thus much that there is an holy church whose head is Iesus Christ alone to this end and purpose called of God by his woord that it should gloryfie him for his goodnesse For looke whatsoeuer our God doth he doth it in y◠behalfe of his holy church For this end doeth hee destroy sometymes mightie kingdomes and great Princes that hee might deliuer his church and verily for this ende doeth hee keepe and preserue so long this wicked worlde vntill the number of his elect be fulfilled He neuer destroyed any nation but it was for his churches sake Oh howe greatly are we then bound to the goodnes of this our Christ which worketh so great thinges for vs shall we not magnifie his grace shal we not yeelde him continuall thanks and that in the middest of the great congregation Beleeue me deare brethren we are elect ereated redeemed iustified sanctified preserued dayly by his power shal be gloryfied in the life to come with his holy angels and saintes that we should set forth his praise glory And this is y◠thing which the blessed Apostle S. Peter doth in his first Epistle the second Chapter so earnestly exhort vs vnto saying To the church of God the trewe christians of Pontus Asia Cappadocia Galatia and Bithynia and in them to vs all you are sayth he a chosen generation a roial priesthood an holy nation a people set at lybertie Marke nowe dearely beloued the chiefest poynt to what ende all these thinges are done vnto vs that yee shoulde sayth hee shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse vnto his marueilous light Doe wee nowe shewe foorth his goodnesse with thankesgiuing then are we good Christians and serue to the ende whereunto the Lord hath made vs. Are wee not all carefull of this duety to praise God his name daily Surely we haue then transgressed and degenerated from the ende of our creation and calling The praise of God is such a thing so hye and so excellent that if all the Angels in heauen with their force and might and all the men in earth with all their speach and eloquence goe about to set it forth and declare it they shall not do it sufficienly and as it deserueth to be done We ought then to do what lieth in vs and this thing doth the triumphant church in heauen of Angels and Saints teache vs that we should neuer cease to exto his name at al times as they do for they cannot satisfy themselues with crying Holy holy holy is the Lorde God of hostes the whole worlde is full of his glory Esay 6. And in the Reuelation the fourth chapter the foure beastes and the Elders cease not day nor night crying Holy holy holy Lorde God almighty which was which is and which is to come And yet for all this wee here in earth can satisfy our selues and be contented to set foorth his praise either neuer a whit or els so negligently and by such startes as wee declare wee haue no great loue and care thereunto so colde is our zeale in this poynt and yet most hot in trifles and vanites apperteining to our pleasures profits in this life Wee haue nowe heard dearely beloued the meaning of this article concerning the Catholike Church what it is and who is the head of it what authoritye it hath by what signes it may bee alwayes knowē from the Romish or false Church We
haue also declared that it is called Catholike because it is not tyed to any time persons or place whatsoeuer but is dispersed euery where as seemeth good to the Lord. We haue furthermore shewed vnto you what be the markes of it and what are not the trewe signes of it and that it consisteth not in multitude of people but in weight of trueth Last of al we haue made manifest to what end y◠Lord hath gathered a church together vnto himselfe here in earth which is that hee may be honoured and gloryfied in it accordingly by their good workes and christian conuersation Now let vs giue thankes to Iesus Christ the head of this Church in that hee hath vouchsafed to make vs the holy members of it which were before the firebrandes of hell and a generation of Satans broode Let vs moreouer prayse his name for as much as he doth daily preserue vs by his fatherly goodnes and diuine prouidence in this sheepefold of his from all wolues and rauening beastes which otherwise would deuoure vs. And because he doth feede vs in it with wholesome greene pastures of his holye worde and leadeth vs foorth to the waters of life and comfort to refreshe our soules let vs not be vnmindful or vnthankfull to him for this so great a benefit Now let vs most humbly pray vnto him that he would vouchsafe to keepe vs in this church of his vnto the ende lest we wander and go astray from it as lost sheepe and beseech we him that he would continue his graces heauenly promises made vnto vs so liberally in his Gospel that from day to day we may grow in holines toward him as becōmeth this church vntil the time come that our full redemption from him shall appeare This God graunt vnto vs not for our sakes but for Christ Iesus sake which hath purchased al these things for vs with the shedding of his most precious blood vpon the crosse for our sinnes To this Iesus Christ with the father and the holy Ghost his power be rendred all praise and glory honour dominion and thankesgiuing both now and for euermore Amen The tenth Lecture vpon the tenth article of our Christian fayth which is The Remission of sinnes IN the article going next before we haue heard what wee haue to beleeue concerning y◠church which is the house of Christ Now followe the ornaments and benefits which the Lord in mercy doth wil bestowe vpon this house which are in number three 1. Remissiō of sinnes in this life 2. Resurrectiō of our bodyes frō corruption at the last day of iudgement 3. And euerlasting happines in the life to come These benefites are great so inestimable that wee can not worthyly conceiue of them being couered with flesh and bloud and therefore wee are the lesse thankeful then otherwise we should be if we did or could deepely consider of them for they are such iewels as the Lord doeth only bestow vpon his children and none els and therefore they are put after the Church and communion of Saintes as thinges following the state of the church necessarily for none can haue them but such as abide in the church and are true liuely members of Iesus Christ ingraffed into his body by faith The first of these graces is the remission or forgiuenesse of all our sinnes The meaning therefore of this article for the capacity of the simple in moe wordes is this I that am a Christian doe stedfastly beleeue that almighty God both hath doeth and will of his mercie forgiue me all my sinnes both originall and actuall committed before and after baptisme howe many and great soeuer they be not for any woorke or merit of mine which am an vnprofitable seruant but for the sacrifices sake of Christes death and passion wherein hee is wel pleased by whose righteousnes because I am clothed and apparelled by beleeuing in him vnfeignedly I am sure and certayne that I am deliuered from euerlasting death and hel which is the reward of sinne Romanes 6. This is the playne and simple meaning of this Article and is proued and confirmed vnto vs out of scriptures aswel of the olde as of the newe Testamēt In the 31. of Ieremy we reade thus This shal be the couenant that I wil make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I wil put my law in their inward partes and write it in their heartes and I wil be their God and they shal be my people For I will forgiue their iniquitie wil remember their sinnes no more So likewise we haue the proofe of this in the second epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 5. God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them And in the second to the Colossians Ye which were dead in sinnes in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him freely forgiuing you all your trespasses We see thē this doctrine to be warranted with y◠testimonies of the holy ghost So that we neede not to doubt any thing at al of it Seeing then the the first entrance into the house of the Lord is by putting away of all our sinnes and because we haue nothing to do with God except our offences be blotted and wiped out of his remembrāce Let vs a litle I pray you dearely beloued brethrē in Christ marke what we haue to cōsider in this article for our instructiō edificatiō vnto a godly life We say here that we doe beleeue that there is a remission of sinnes for the children of God and seruants of Christ The first thing therefore that we ought to learne and beare in minde vpon this article is that we confesse and acknowledge most humbly and meekely our sinnes before God For if we say and graunt a remission of sinnes wee must also confesse that wee are sinners otherwise wee can not at all haue pardon of them Secondly we must cōsider by whom this remission doeth come vnto vs and for whose sake it is Thirdly by what meanes we are made capable and partakers of this so great a benefite As concerning the first poynt it is playne and euident that wee are all of vs miserable sinners before GOD which looketh vpon the hearts of men and tryeth them For who can iustly and truely saye of him selfe My heart is cleane I am no sinner Nay Salomon doeth tell vs that there is not a man that sinneth not 1. Reg. 8. Eccle. 7. And Saint Iohn sayeth playnely that if we say we haue no sinne we doe but deceyue our owne selues and there is no trueth in vs. We are begotten conceyued and borne in sinne we liue and are brought vp in sinne and shall any man be so impudent and shamelesse as to deny that he is a sinner God forbid The Apostle sayeth All men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God Rom. 3. But we neede not to goe farre for the proofe of
vpon them The other cause is in respect of the wicked and reprobate vpon whom the Lorde will shewe his perfite iustice against sinne and wickednes cōmitted of thē without repentance These will hee make vessels of his wrath which shal burne in thē with an vnquenchable fire without ende and mercie who because here they haue not bene throughly punished or sometimes not at all therefore the full measure of their punishment is reserued til that great day then to be powred out vpon them in fire and brimstone in that burning lake continually which neuer shall haue ende For these causes is this resurrectiō whereof wee speake ordayned To speake of the end for the godly first so it is that the Lord hath promised in mercie to reward all his faythfull seruants which commeth not manie times to passe in this life therefore there remaineth a life to come to be shewed in the resurrection of the flesh And if all godlinesse bee sure to bee recompensed with a promise of a good turne in the life to come as Paul declareth to Timothie the first Epistle and fourth Chapter Then out of all doubt very expedient and necessarie it is that there shoulde be a resurrection If any man say The soules of the faythfull are rewarded as soone as they depart from the bodie with this promise of life and therefore they seeme not to lacke a rewarde although there be no resurrection and so God is true of his promise I answere that as the bodyes of the faythfull while they liued well here haue bene temples of the holie Ghost to serue the Lord withall and as not onely in soule but also in body through diuers tentations and persecutions they haue bene afflicted for Christ and haue still bene vnder the crosse so surely they also with the soule shall be glorified and rewarded according to the things that they haue done And to this agree the wordes of the holy Apostle We must all sayeth he appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receyue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill 2. Corin. 5. Here he nameth expresly the body otherwise the rewarde were vnperfite if in one part onely it were bestowed The Lord will not suffer the giuing of a cuppe of colde water to his saints to goe vnrewarded much more therefore will he rewarde those that haue giuen their bodies to be consumed in the flames of fire for his cause and the Gospel so that if any lose his life for his sake in this worlde he shall finde it in the worlde to come with an hundred fold more with all happinesse and ioy restored vnto him If we looke vpon all the saints that haue bene from time to time we shall see that they had no felicitie nor happinesse in this life The Epistle to the Hebrewes speaking of the excellent fayth of the olde Patriarkes and ancient fathers sheweth vs what was their estate in this life for their good woorkes and deedes Some were racked and woulde not bee deliuered others were tryed by mockings and scourginges by bandes and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slayne with the sworde they wandered vp downe in goates skinnes and sheepes skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented wandring in wildernesses and mountaynes and dennes and caues of the earth If we aske the end why they suffered and endured such things of the wicked the same Apostle doeth make vs answere This they did that they might receiue a better resurrection And surely they had bene fooles to endure such tormēts of body if the body and soule had perished in their death and graue as doe the bodies of bruite beastes without any hope of the resurrection Consider ye the Apostles how they were rewarded here for their preaching and godly life did they not all for the most part in the ende suffer death and martyredome for their labour howe was Paul rewarded of the Lorde in this life did hee not whippe and scourge him when hee receiued him for his sonne yes truely And he confesseth what his whole life was after his conuersion nothing but a sea of troubles miseries fightings without and terrours within hunger and thirst colde nakednesse bandes and pouertie were the rewardes that the Lorde gaue him here insomuch that hee might seeme to be in worse case after his conuersion to Christ then before if hee had iudged of his afflictions by a worldly and carnal eye and not according to faith as did carnall Demas and therefore because hee felt miseries in this life in Christianitie reuolted from Paul and embraced this present euill worlde 2. Timothie 4. These things made Paul to say that vnlesse there were a resurrection his state had bene most miserable of al others for what saith hee aduantageth it me to suffer these things if the dead rise not agayne then let vs eate and drinke and liue in pleasure So we see the hope of the resurrection stayed him from running into condemnation with the wicked he confessed els where that his crown was not here in this life but was layde vp for him And al these vexations of the bodies of soules of mindes and consciences of men is to teach them that no blessednesse is to bee hoped for in this our vale of miserie but we looke for a citie to come whose builder and maker is God seeing wee haue none here that is permanent Our sauiour when he comforted his disciples agaynst persecutions to come when as they shoulde bee mocked reuiled taunted yea and killed for his sake willed them in that day to be glad and to reioyce for their rewarde was great in heauen Hee said not in earth that their mindes might be with drawen frō this life to the euerlasting rest out of this world And this can not be but in the resurrection of our bodies They that will haue their reward in this life in short transitorie pleasures of sinne for a season feasting sporting them selues in their wantonnes vngodly delites are impatiēt to looke wait for the heauenly promise of ioyes that shal haue no ende are like vnto the rich man both proude and gluttonous that fared deliciously euery day and went in purple and silke not regarding the poore estate of Lazarus and therefore nowe in hel receiueth paine punishment endles which in his life time receiued pleasure cōfort But they that with paciēce quiet minds can take al things in good worth whether it be sicknes or pouertie or shame ignominie which the Lord here sendeth to thē in this life for a trial of their faith can looke vp vnto y◠celestial life to come tarying the Lords leasure these men are like to poore Lazarus which in deed in his life time receiued paine but is now comforted beyond all mās expectation with an euerlasting comfort Luke 16. Dauid pronounceth thē blessed that
feare the Lord yet if we respect the presēt time it doth not so appeare to vs but rather the contrary for what blessednes is here either in the body or in the soule if we speake of a sounde perfit happines as he meāt it The soule is infected with sinne the vnderstanding is darkned the things we know not are moe in number then the things we know so that our knowledge which should beautifie and adorne out soule is vnperfect and this not onely in thinges naturall and ciuill but also in heauenly mysteries and matters of greatest waight importance so that Paul might well crye out and say O mortall man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Rom. 7. No happinesse therefore in this life of the minde of man but that which is is rather a shadowe and a visour then any true sight of happinesse For it doeth not yet appeare what we shal be although nowe we are the sonnes of God but this shall appeare when Christ shall come in glory Colos 3. Now if any griefe of mind which is inwarde come to the soule then it seemeth to bee in hell and this dolour surmounteth all the passions and paynes of the body Let any man consider the bodie and he will say that it can not bee happie in this life the diseases and sicknesses of it are so many in number that they haue passed the arte and skil of the best Physitions to heale them And if the diseases of the body were away yet were there calamities a thousand to proue it to be in a very wretched case as longe as it is subiect to sinne in this pylgrimage What crosses are shame to vs ignominie contempt and reproche which cause many most desperately to hang themselues What is pouertie with her children as lacke of friendes meate and drinke want of apparell which is necessarie lodging and house roome with such thinges These miseries a man may haue although hee had health of body although yet these thinges bring sickenes with them commonly What then are other externall dangers as the wounding and hurting of our selues the spoyling of our goods dangers vpon the land of theeues vpon the sea of drowning and if we scape that there is danger of vngodly Pirates These crosses being layde together and weyed in the balance of iustice wil coūterpeise ouerweigh al our pleasures that are or may bee inuented in this life so great is the heape of miseries in this life And these troubles that I haue aboue rehearsed as they are common to all so especially to the godly to make them not to bee in loue with this worlde seeing the Lorde hath reserued the blessed resurrection for them Wherefore dearly beloued call now to remembrance the dayes that are passed and consider the sayntes which after they had receiued light endured a great fight in afflictions as our martyrs did in Q. Maries dayes partly while they were made a gazing stocke both by reproches afflictiōs being tossed to fro suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods And knowe you deare brethren that ye haue in heauen a better and a more induring substance then al the golde siluer of princes Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward in this day of the resurrectiō of your bodies For ye haue neede of patience that after ye haue done the will of the Lorde yee may receiue the promise of eternall life For yet a very litle while and Iesus Christ the authour of this resurrection that shall come will come and will not tary Thus much for the ende of this resurrection in respect of the seruantes of Christ which then and not before shall fully be rewarded and made perfitely blessed in euery part both body and soule wherein they haue serued their Lorde faythfully when they were aliue Nowe let vs see the ende for the which all the wicked shall rise againe at that day which also standeth with the iustice of the Lorde to recompence them after their demerites As not onely the soules of the wicked haue offended their GOD by their sinnefull thoughtes and cogitations but also their bodyes haue bene slaues vnto sinne and haue giuen their members ouer to serue vnrighteousnesse so it standeth with equitie that not onely their mindes and consciences be tormented but also their bodyes by the which they here haue wrought all these abominations should feele the rewarde stipende of sinne which is the euerlasting death euen the seconde death of the soule and body together This punishment is deferred most commonly in this life and who in so good estate as concerning the bodie here as the wicked and such as contemne the Lorde In so much that their prosperitie wealth haue moued the godly to wonder at the secret iudgements of the Lord in this their case This thing mooued the Prophete Habakkuk to crye vnto the Lorde for vengeance agaynst the wicked being troubled with their prosperitie and successe Wherefore doest thou looke sayth hee vpon the transgressours and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then hee whereof they reioyce and are glad Habakkuk 1. This complaynt likewise made the prophet Ieremie in his time in the 12. of his prophecie saying O Lord if I dispute with thee thou art righteous yet let mee talke with thee of thy iudgementes wherefore doeth the way of the vngodly prosper why are they in wealth that rebelliously trāsgresse These were Ieremies words cōcerning the ill men but he addeth more Thou hast planted them and they haue taken roote they growe and bring foorth fruite thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reynes Dauid founde by experience the like successe of the wicked in his dayes also and therefore saith that hee fretted at the foolish when hee sawe the prosperitie of the wicked For saith hee there are no bandes in their death but they are lusty strong they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued with other men Therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them and cruelty couereth them as with a garment their eyes stand out for fatnesse they haue more then heart can wishe they are licentious speake wickedly of their oppression they talke presumptuously they set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walketh through the earth Here you haue a description of their life and of their prosperitie what the one is what the other is also their life is licentious and yet it goeth well with them for these transitorie goods but what doth Dauid confesse of him selfe which was the childe of God Daily saith he haue I bene punished and chastened euery morning Psal 73. Seeing this standeth so with the wicked shall wee not say that they shal be punished elsewhere Yes no doubt there is a iudgemēt day kept in store for them where they shall be punished although they haue liued in
or the chamber of presence for a mā can haue no accesse thither vntill he haue passed through many other doores and houses so surely it is in the life to come We can not come or enter into the kingdome of heauē euen the priuy chamber of Iesus Christ and there behold his presence except we first passe by many doores in this life which doe leade vs thither as for example we must first passe by our election then by our creation thirdly by our redemption wrought by Christ vpon the crosse fourthly by iustification fiftly by sanctification of life and last of all we must come to the resurrection as the last doore if we will haue our finall glorification which is euerlasting life to beholde and inioy the sweete and louing countenance of the Lorde Yea Paul goeth further and sayth that by many tribulations as strayte doores and gates which wring vs wee must enter into the kingdome of God Needes therefore must the resurrection be ioyfull whē as it leadeth vs directly to such a palace of pleasure as shall neuer ende therefore is called of Peter the time of refreshing both of bodye and soule in the presence of the Lorde Actes 3. The holy Apostle willed the Thessalonians to cōfort them selues with the ioyfull remēbrance of this day 1. Thess 4. For it shal be vnto vs as a new birth or natiuitie in al purenes And if wee so celebrate the dayes of our birth wherein we were borne into a vale of myserye and troubles howe ought wee to celebrate and keepe holy this day wherein we shall be exempted from all curses of this present life This day is termed our marriage day if we reioyce here when we are married to a mortall creature peraduenture to our greater payne and trouble thē before oh dearely beloued how should we be affected what tokens of ioy ought we to shewe foorth when wee shal be marryed to the sonne of God Christ Iesus for euer in fayth and trueth with a band which neuer shal be broken as the Lord speaketh in Ose 2. chapter and Reuelat. 19. In this day shall the gates of heauen be set wide open vnto vs which were shut vp before our bodies shall so much excell the bodyes which we now beare about with vs as the sunne doeth passe and ouercome the moone in brightnesse and light O what a ioye is this to haue our estate like vnto the blessed Angels of God most pure and diuine creatures If this cannot moue vs I see nothing that may doe it I am sure this reward so moued good Moses that hee forsooke the kingdome in Egypt and suffered paine with the people of God to come to this life in the ende Hebr. 11. Yea this hope of life to come made Abraham to leaue his coūtrey and to goe to the land of Canaan as a poore stranger Gen. 12. This made Paul to go through thicke and thinne in this life that he might attayne to the resurrection when he had seene the ioyes and pleasures that were shewed vnto him in Paradise when hee was taken vp thither 2. Cor. 12. Of this ioy our Sauiour gaue his disciples a tast in the Mount when hee was transfigured before them but it was nothing in respect of this Nowe as these thinges are most comfortable to the godly to heare that their bodyes shall be raysed vp to such glory So is this day most fearefull to the vngodly which haue here liued a dissolute life For they shall say at that day to the hilles Fall vpon vs and to the mountaynes Couer vs. but this shall not preuayle for they shal be raised vp but to their shame and confusion for euer as Daniel saith Cha. 12. They shal come forth as our sauiour sayth but to the resurrection of condemnation and so to be punished from the presence of the Lord Iesus with the worme of cōscience which shal neuer leaue to bite thē with the fire which shal not be quenched So they shal perish worthily through their owne corruption and receiue the wages of vnrighteousnesse as they which count it pleasure dayly to liue dilitiously These men would willingly wishe that this day might neuer be but it shal come vpon them and that suddenly and they shal be taken and snared not escape this iudgement For they must yeeld an accoūt of al their vngodly works wherby they haue both displeased the Lord and euil intreated his sayntes here vpon earth Thus you haue heard dearely beloued brethren the treatise of the resurrection by the scriptures discoursed First how that there is a generall rising of all fleshe Secondly the endes wherefore it is ordayned and then the cōfortable doctrine that the godly by this may lay hold on in all miseries of this life Nowe it remayneth for a finall conclusion that while we liue here we indeuour to haue our part in the first resurrection with Christ that we may by this come to the second and be blessed with him Let vs therefore giue thankes to our Lord Iesus Christ who is the resurrection and the life in that he hath vouchsafed to giue vnto vs an assurance of it in his owne person in that he rose againe from the dead And let vs likewise pray vnto him that we may so liue as we may be children of this happy resurrection to life hauing an effectual fayth with charitie which worketh by loue in vs that al our actions whatsoeuer may be seasoned powdered with it preparing our selues against this day with mortifying of our flesh seeing wee shal meete so victorious glorious a Lord comming in the cloudes let vs purge our selues from all filthinesse of the fleshe and spirit for no vncleane thing shall enter in with him God for his sonnes sake giue vs the grace to doe these things to the which blessed and immortall God with the sonne and the holy Ghost be rendred all prayse glory and thankesgiuing for euermore Amen The twelfth Lecture vpon the twelfth article of our Christian fayth which is The life euerlasting THis is the last article of our Christiā faith the last greatest benefite that God doth bestow vpō his church which is y◠third benefit of thē that followe the church for after remission of sinnes and the resurrection of our bodyes followeth this free gifte of life which is the ende of all our fayth as S. Peter calleth it 1. Pet 1. The resurrection going before giueth a passage vnto this endlesse life for except that resurrection come we cannot fully haue this benefit As remission of sinnes by Christ is the greatest gifte that God doeth bestowe vpon his children in this life so in the world to come this euerlasting life doeth so far surmount all the rest as the earth in cōpasse doth passe the bignesse of a tennys bal. This article shal then haue his effect whē Christ shal come to iudgment not before For of al the articles of our faith these three only
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
with meekenesse and reuerence And nowe let vs giue thankes as wee are continually bounde to our heauenly Father in that it hath pleased him to make vs Christians to beleeue these articles of our fayth to our great and endlesse comfort And let vs pray vnto him withall in the name of his welbeloued Sonne that he would giue vs grace to growe more and more euery day in this fayth that wee may not onely liue in it but also in the ende of our dayes die in it most constantly that so wee may bee blessed And that it woulde please him to giue this grace not only to vs but to all people nations of the earth especially to his vniuersall Church wheresoeuer it be dispersed abroade in all quarters of the earth And in this Church let vs pray for the state of all Kinges and Princes that wee may liue a godly and quiet life with all peace and honestie especially let vs commende to his fauour the Church of Englande desiring him to blesse it as hee hath done these many yeeres and to continue his holy Gospel amongst vs although wee for our vnthankfulnesse haue deserued to haue it taken away from vs long agoe Desyre wee of him in mercy still to beholde his seruant and handmaide our Queene and soueraigne that shee may bee still zealous to set forwarde the Gospell of Christ and to roote vp all superstition and idolatrie within her realme that shee may bee wise to foresee and preuent all mischiefes and dangers that are likely to hang ouer our heades that so shee may haue a long a blessed reigne ouer vs to his glory the profite and commoditie of all her louing subiectes Let vs likewise desire of God to blesse all her most honourable Counsell with true godlinesse and wisedome from aboue that they may boldly and stoutly minister to her maiestie the best aduice for the better ouerseeing and gouernment of this Christian common wealth wherein they liue that all their counselles and policies may especially bee directed to the honour of God Pray we him to blesse the state of the ministerie of this lande the Byshops and Pastours of his worde that not onely in worde but also in good and godly conuersation of life they may beautifie the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ beseech we him to roote out from his ministerie al rauening wolues papistes Atheistes blinde and vnlearned ministers and dumme dogges which seeke onely to fill their bellies and not to edifie the congregation that if it be his will he would giue to euery Church her faithfull and wise dispenser of the mysteries of Christ And because the schooles of good learning are as Nurses and well springes thereunto let vs desire Christ to giue his spirite amongst them also in the vniuersities that good learning and godlines may growe and increase dayly more and more Lastly for the whole body of this common weale let vs pray that God would keepe them al in his feare from the hiest to the lowest and giue them duetiful and obedient heartes towarde their prince and magistrates which are by his authoritie set ouer them for their welfare and happinesse These thinges and all other graces he onely graunt vnto vs which onely is able and wise and hath immortalitie which dwelleth in the light that no man can see to whom with his sonne Christ Iesus and the holy Ghost his infinite power bee rendred all prayse honour and glory for euer and euer Amen The Lorde be praysed ⧠A declaration of the holy Communion THe holy Communion called also the Lordes Supper was ordeined not of any mortall man but of the Lorde Iesus himselfe that as often as wee come vnto it for often it is to be receiued we shoulde remēber the great loue of our master Christ who loued vs so well that he gaue his body and blood for to redeeme vs from all our sinnes That this great benefite should neuer be forgotten of Christians he instituted that we shoulde receiue bread and wine in the remembrance of his death therfore this sacrament hath two partes the one is the outward signes bread and wine to put vs in mind that as bread doth nourish the body so doth Christs body nourish our soules receiued spiritually by faith into our heartes Ephe 3. 17. as wine doth refresh vs quēch our thirst so doeth his blood refresh our minds and wash them from sinne quench the spiritual thirst of our soules and this sacrament of Christes death is not giuen vs in bread onely but in wine also to teach vs that Iesus Christ is all in all vnto vs not only meate to feede vs Iohn 6. 35. but also drinke to quench our thirst as he saith Iohn 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke And so hee is also our apparell Put you on the Lorde Iesus Rom. 13. 14. The other part of this Supper is spirituall the remission of sinnes and heauenly graces receiued of vs as truely as wee receiue the signes of them if wee beleeue for this is to confirme our faith in this matter that we shoulde doubt no more of Gods fauour then we doubt whether we haue receiued the visible signes Nowe for the comming to this Supper that wee deceiue not our selues we must haue these two things first repentance of our former sinfull life to bee sorie for it which is done by trying and examining our selues whether wee bee heartily sorowfull or no for our offences secondly we must haue faith in Iesus Christ that yet we despaire not for our great sinnes but trust to haue mercy at his handes when we cal vpon him so that before we come vnto this banket wee must prepare our selues to come worthily reuerently in faith hope and loue this is the examination In receiuing of it our mindes must not bee on the bread and wine or vpon any other earthly thinges but vpon the body and blood of Iesus Christ in heauen signified vnto vs by these things belowe After wee haue receiued wee must giue vnto Christe most humble and heartie thankes for feeding vs with his body and blood and meditate and thinke vpon this continually not returne to our olde life againe Thus doing you shal be sure to come as the Lorde requireth and as a good Christian ought to do Which the Lorde graunt vnto you for his mercies sake Amen A briefe and cleare confession of the Christian faith conteining an hūdreth articles according to the order of the Creede of the Apostles written by that learned and godly Martyr I. Hooper sometime Byshop of Glocester in his life time Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie THis Creede following being made by the reuerend Father Iohn Hooper is deuided into fiue principall partes The first whereof intreateth of God the father the second of God the Sonne the third of God the holy Ghost the fourth of the catholique Church the fift and last part
other aduersaries of Christ the which presently doe yet exercise tyrannie vpon all his members and holde them vnder their clawes chaynes and bondes But then we as people rauished with ioye shall saye this worde which is written O death where is thy victorie Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde The xl Article I beleeue that this maruaylous terrible and fearefull iudgement vnto the euill wicked and reprobate is very much desired and of great consolation vnto the good the faithfull and the elect because that then their whole redemption that is to saye of the bodie shall bee made an ende of and they shall receyue the fruite of their labours Then their innocencie shall openly bee declared and knowen to all the worlde and they shall see the vengeance and condemnation of the wicked which haue vsed them tyrannously afflicted and tormented them in this worlde whose iniquitie shall bee manifested by the Lorde and shal be clearely knowen of all to their great confusion and to the honour and glory of the righteous children of God the which shall be in peace and perfite tranquillitie and shall haue full reioysing and fruition of all that he hath promised and prepared for all those that loue him the which no eye hath seene no eare hath heard neyther can bee comprehended by the heart of man Therefore doe I abyde this great daye of retribution with a great desire as the same which shall bring and shewe vnto mee the selfe same good thing The xli Article I beleeue that we shall not all dye but that we shall bee chaunged in a moment that is to saye that in this last daye and iudgement generall some shall be founde aliue the which dyed not neyther shall they die as concerning the separation of the bodie from the soule but shall continue aliue eternally to the ende that Christ may be knowen to bee Lorde and Iudge of the liuing and dead and that his grace and merites may be found greater then the sinne of Adam For as sinne hath raygned vnto death so likewise must grace raygne thorowe Iesus Christ vnto eternall life The same neuerthelesse shall be changed transformed from corruption vnto incorruption from mortalitie vnto immortalitie from contempt and ignominie vnto glory after such sort that they shal be made partakers of all the giftes graces benefites the which the Lorde shall giue vnto those that before were dead in him the which shall not be before the others but all together shal be taken vp in the cloudes and in the ayre and shall all together be with the Lord. This is the second poynt of my faith touching Iesus Christ the seconde person in Trinitie and of his restoring and repayring of man let vs nowe come to the third poynt which is of the holy Ghost by whom man beyng restored is mayntayned and preserued in his integritie and perfection 3. I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting Amen The xlii Article I beleeue that the holy Ghost is a diuine person distinct from the Father and the Sonne proceeding from them both in and through all thinges equall and coeternall with them by the which holy Ghost the Church hath alwayes bene is nowe and shall be ruled guyded directed and gouerned vnto the ende of the worlde By whome also all the Saintes Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ haue spoken And therefore I do neither beleeue nor receiue any other Vicar or Lieutenant to Christ vpon earth within his Church then this holy Ghost which can not be receiued of the wicked The xliii Article I beleeue that the holy Ghost is the pledge and earnest of our heauenly heritage by the which we be assured ascertained and certainly perswaded in our consciences that we be the children of God brethren adoptiues to Iesus Christ and consequently coheires of eternal life The same holy Ghost also is the finger of God the which imprinteth in our heartes and spirites the faith of these things aforesaide It sealeth and confirmeth the promises of the Lord within our hearts thorowe his goodnes and grace because we should in no wise doubt The xliii Article I beleeue that this holy Spirit dwelling in vs through his grace and vertue doth regenerate vs into a newnesse change of liuing mortifying in vs all that is of vs and of the old man of the flesh and of the world and quickening al that is his in vs So that we liue not thenceforth after our own lusts but according to the wil of God Which holy Ghost also worketh in vs all good workes and doeth reprooue rebuke condemne the world of sinne of righteousnes iudgemēt The xlv Article I beleeue that the holy Ghost is the teacher of the ignorant which teacheth guydeth and leadeth vs vnto the knowledge of the trueth and by it onely are we brought deliuered out of darkenes set in the perfit light Likewise I beleeue that it is the comforter of the poore afflicted persecuted in all their troubles vexations and aduersities doeth so helpe strengthen comfort and assist all such that it will not suffer them to despaire as doe the wicked reprobate but maketh them to taste and feele the sweetenes goodnes mercy of God the Father which by persecution and diuers tribulations leadeth his owne vnto eternall glory The xlvi Article I beleeue that this holy Ghost is the spirit of life which quickeneth al other spirits as well heauenly as earthly that the same only of it selfe is holy that all others by it are made holy So that if any spirits be holy as there be either in heauen or in earth they are none otherwise holy but by the holines of the same holy Ghost and that is the cause why I beleeue in him that is to saye for that cause I put my whole faith hope trust affiance in him euen as I haue sayd before of the Father the Sonne This is the third poynt of my faith which is concerning the holy Ghost the third person in the holy Trinitie by the which holy Ghost after that we are made by the Father and repaired and restored by the Sonne wee are maynteyned and gouerned vnto the ende There remayneth nowe to entreate of the fourth poynt of my faith which is concerning the Church and of the things that concerne the same 4. I beleeue the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saintes I beleeue and confesse one onely Catholike Vniuersal Church which is an holy congregation assemblie of all faithful beleeuers which are chosen predestinate vnto euerlasting life before the foundations of the worlde were layde of whose nomber I count my selfe beleeue that I am through the onely grace and mercy of the Father by the merits of my good Lord and Master Iesus Christ not
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
to beare vs out Seeing all other vaine questions are condemned of the Apostle Saint Paul Titus 3. The like is to be vnderstoode in making of the earth to comprehende all things in the earth whatsoeuer I doe see heare and vnderstande By the creation of these thinges celestiall and terrestiall I doe consider with my selfe these foure most excellent and diuine vertues in God which comprehende all the rest in them and to the which they may bee referred First by the great and wonderfull creation of the vniuersall worlde I learne to come to the consideration of his vnspeakeable power and greatnesse that he was able without and payne or labour at all yea with great ease and pleasure to create heauē and earth with his onely worde as the Prophet Dauid sayeth He spake the worde and it was done O what a great God is this to be feared ouer all the earth for his wonderfull greatnesse and Maiestie This doeth put vs in minde what a mighty God we do serue that wee may from our heart feare him The seconde thing to be considered in this creation generall is his infinite and inestimable wisedome in disposing so orderly and placing so seemely all thinges in their place and degree as it is most wonderfull to beholde with such beautie and proportion in euery creature that vnlesse we be too too blockishe we must crye out with Dauid and say and confesse O Lord howe wonderfull are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all And againe Great is our Lorde great is his power yea his wisdome is infinite To see the goodly order of heauen it will make a man to be astonied at the wisedome of his God more then the Queene of Saba was when shee came to see and heare the wisedome of Solomon For this wisedome by whome all thinges were made is the Sonne of GOD Iesus Christ the wisedome of his Father Iohn 1. Hebr. 1. And here we learne of this wisedome which he hath vsed and shewed in the creation a good lesson for our comfort that as the Lorde is almightie and able to deliuer vs his children and Church from the wicked so doeth hee knowe the wayes and meanes most perfitly and readily howe to doe it at all times For his knowledge passeth our vnderstanding farre Therfore Peter said The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the godly out of tentation and trouble and to punish the wicked 2. Pet. 2. So that when man can finde no way no deuice or meane how to shift him self out of daunger yet the Lord by his wisedome and knowledge hath diuers wayes to helpe Diuers examples of this are in the holy Scriptures when Moses and the Israelites were so entangled and compassed about that there seemed no way for them to escape so that Moses prayed to the Lorde most earnestly to deliuer them for he him selfe sawe no meanes howe to doe it being on euery side on the ryght hande and on the left compassed in with the hie hilles before them was the great redde sea behind them was the huge host of Pharao so that nowe all hope of life and succour was taken away then the Lorde founde a way in the middest of the sea to deliuer his people and to drowne his enemies so he declared his wisedome in preseruing them so miraculously So likewise when the virgin Marie dyd not see howe she shoulde conceyue and bring foorth a sonne being a mayde and not knowing any man and therefore sayde to the angel Howe shall this come to passe so strange and rare a matter the Lorde founde a readie way howe he brought it to passe that she conceiued by the operatiō of the holy ghost This made Solomon in his Prouerbs to say Chapter 21. There is no wisedome there is no vnderstanding there is no coūsell against the Lord. For he ouerthroweth the subtill fetches of the wisedome of this worlde as of Ieroboam in his politike counsel to make calues of Achitophel in his wilie practises The Pharisees in their snare that they had layde for our Sauiour Christ were taken them selues to their shame and reproche Thus the Lorde scattereth abroade the deuises of the wicked kings and princes of this worlde by his wisedome for theirs is foolishnesse to his 1. Cor. 3. Saint Paul is rauished with the consideration of this great wisedome and cryeth out saying O the depth of the riches wisdome and knowledge of God howe vnsercheable are his iudgements his wayes past finding our Rom. 11. Wee must then applie these things to our selues to receiue comfort and consolatiō by them When we looke vp into heauen downe in the earth or in the sea let vs thinke vpon the wisedome of the Lorde and glorifie him in it and say O Lorde howe wise art thou in all thy doings howe great is thy knowledge vnto me such knowledge is too excellent for me it passeth my reache and capacities So saide Dauid saye vnto God O how wonderful art thou in thy workes Unlesse we doe this we are vnthankefull beholders of Gods wisedome if we praise him not for it We may see it in our owne selues and in others euery day in our creation of our body and soule howe wise and wonderfull hee is These thinges we must meditate vpon dayly and thinke otherwise we are no better then bruite beastes which see them onely and beholde them but consider nothing in them Here we learne our duetie to our good God 3 Thirdly in the creation of the worlde we beholde as it were in a glasse the goodnesse of God his mercie towarde all men but especially to the elect and chosen that for them and their sakes he hath created these things and doeth dayly preserue by his prouidence euerye one of them so that hee hath not made them for him selfe I meane that hee needed not any of them being all sufficient in him selfe most happie and blessed which is meant by his name Shaddai which signifieth that hee is sufficient of his owne nature So that a true Christian man may say that his heauenly Father hath made all thinges for his vse and benefite heauen one daye to receiue him the earth to maynteyne him all creatures to serue him the Sunne Moone Starres to lyght him liuing creatures to feede him and to recreate him the angels to keepe and to preserue him in his wayes by his Fatherly appoyntment O what great benefites are here that we receiue of our mercifull Father by his creation of all things Here we learne our duetie to be thankful to God for them in the name of Iesus Christ his Sonne to vse these benefits to his honour and glorie to the profit and commodity of his Church and our brethren here with vs. And here I see by Gods goodnesse and mercie towarde me that hee hath not onely created these things at the first but he doeth preserue them euery houre by his power otherwise they woulde vanishe away and come to nothing
as Dauid sayeth If thou take away thy breath from them That is his power from his creatures they dye So that here we see Gods prouidence ouer vs and all things For he woorketh dayly by preseruing and keeping his creatures in their estate as Christ saith My Father hitherto woorketh and I woorke by maynteyning things created For God is not like a carpenter that maketh an house and setteth it vp in deede but afterwarde neuer peraduenture seeth it againe but leaueth it to the dweller and owner of it the master thereof and careth no more for it If God shoulde deale so with vs it woulde be ill and wrong with vs for the deuill woulde dayly destroy vs if he did not keepe vs and all ours For we are not able to keepe our selues no not a minute of an houre Here therefore acknowledge in the mercie of God his Fatherly care and prouidence ouer vs and all his creatures 4 The last thing we learne of the creation of the worlde is the iustice of God how he gouerneth it rightly in equitie iudgement as the Prophet singeth All the waies of the Lord are iudgement equite For vnlesse hee dyd execute his iustice vpon the wicked they woulde destroy his Church but he keepeth them vnder as it were with a bridle and hampereth euen the proude tyrants and deuils of hell by his seuere iustice shewed vpon them So that the Lorde is iust in all his wayes yea his wil is a most perfite rule and patterne of iustice Dauid often repeateth this lesson to terrifie the wicked Iust art thou O Lorde right are thy iudgements Psalm 119. So sayde the Emperor Mauricius being killed by Phocas This do the wicked confesse thēselues when they feele his heauy hand vpon them for their sinnes and offences as Pharao did when the hayle destroyed the cattell of Egypt saying vnto Moses Aaron I haue nowe sinned the Lorde is righteous but I and my people are wicked Exod. 19. Thus the reprobate whether they will or no must confesse the Lorde to be righteous in his workes For as the Lord is merciful to Forgive the sinnes of his children that are truely penitent and not obstinate so is he also a most iust Iudge ouer all the earth to execute his sharpe punishments vpon the malitous and wilful sinners The Iudge of the worlde doeth according to iustice as Abraham sayde of him when he was about to destroy Sodoma Gen. 18. I delite sayth the Lorde in iustice mercy and iudgement Ierem. 9. Examples of his iustice he hath shewed in the flood brought in vpon the wicked Example of his mercie in sauing Noe and his familie so that his iustice and mercie goeth alwaies together as Dauid saith I will sing of mercie and iudgement Psal 101. representing the person of Christ which should be in his kingdom as wel iust as mercifull a Lion of the tribe of Iuda to teare in pieces the wicked and a Lambe to preserue his with al gentlenesse softnesse Looke vpon Sodome how the Lord shewed there his extreme and seuere Iustice vpō those miscreants to consume them with fire and brimstone from heauen most terribly Gen. 19. and as Peter sayeth Made them an example for all ages and posterities to come of his iustice against sinne and vncleannes 2. Pet. 2. But yet then hee deliuered iust Lot out of tentation and trouble Note his mercy in it to the good godly I might heere recken vp the examples of Sennacherib of Achab of Nabuchodonozor of Herode of Iulian and such other persecuting kings and Emperours against the Church of Christ whome all God in his iustice hath ouerthrowen and vtterly destroyed This we learne that God doeth also preserue the state of mankinde by his iustice that one doeth not ouerrunne another as wilde beastes Then by this wee learne to stand in feare of Gods iustice if we sinne at any tyme desperately least we be caught vp with it and suddenly consumed If his wrath be kindled yea but a litle blessed are al they that put their trust in him Psalme 2. For our God in his wrath and iustice is a consuming fire as Hebr. 12. And it is an horrible thing to fall into his handes If he be angry who may abide or stande in his sight when the hilles melte away and the sea is dried vp and the hard rockes cleaue asunder O that we had this consideration of his iustice before our eyes continually it would keepe vs from all sinne and vngodlines for therefore we sinne because wee feare not this iustice of the Lordes There is no feare of god sayeth Dauid of the wicked before their eyes therefore they sinne We see then what wee haue to note vpon this article of our Christian beliefe and what commodity commeth vnto vs of the creation of all thinges by God howe we gather and consider of his infinite greatnesse by his wonderfull woorkes for the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke And this is one way to come to God as to be without excuse before his tribunall seate in the day of iudgement when the secretes of all heartes shall be disclosed and all thoughts opened before the Lorde By this creation the heathen men are without excuse and haue knowen him generally as Paul sayeth Romanes the first chap. That which may be knowen of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the worlde being considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neyther were thankefull but became vayne in their imaginations their foolish heart was full of darknesse when they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles God is knowen three wayes by his works by his worde and by his holy spirit of adoption Although God be knowen by all these wayes of his elect yet he is knowen of the reprobate onely by his worde and workes which see the workes and heare his worde but neuer haue his Spirite directing them aright which is proper onely to his owne children Of the first way speaketh Paul in this place vnto the which the creation is a glasse to bring vs to a full consideration of his greatnesse Wel we learne by the creation of heauen and earth his power his wisedome his goodnesse and iustice and whatsoeuer else may be in God This is great comfort to the godly and bringeth great boldenesse vnto them and trust in the last day that they haue such a father and do beleeue in such a God as is maker of heauen and earth this teacheth vs our duetie to referre all our actions to his honour and glory to cōfesse him alone to acknowledge that he made vs and not we our lelues to liue to him to dye to him to do al things for his sake
that hath made all for vs as good seruantes should be more carefull of their masters honour profite thē of their own Nowe let vs giue thankes to such a God that hath vouchsafed to giue vs faith to beleeue in him being so mightie a God and we so lowe and base children so mercifull a father vnto vs notwithstanding we are vnthankefull sonnes to him And let vs praye vnto him to confirme this faith and to encrease it in vs euery day till we come to a perfect man in Iesus Christ Let vs desire of him to giue vs grace to behold this his wonderful and diuine worke of his creation wherin hee hath shewed his wisedome power mercy and iustice vnto al men that we may magnifie it as it doth require worthyly with our heartes and set forth his honour and glory in these thinges with thankes giuing for all his benefites seeing they appertayne vnto vs our bodyes and soules which are fed and nourished by them This grace and mercy let vs desire him to continewe vnto vs for his Christes sake our sauiour who hath dearly bought vs to whom with the holy ghost his infinit power three persons and one euerliuing God bee rendred all power prayse glory honour and thankesgiuing both nowe and for euer Amen The seconde Lecture vpon the creede which is vpon the seconde article And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lorde which was conceiued by the holy Ghost WE haue seene in the first article going before the thinges which we haue to beleeue as concerning God the father in his creation now followeth consequently what we haue to beleeue of God the sonne Iesus Christ as concerning his incarnation and all the benefites of his death and passion which is the second part of the creede as we deuided it And here in this article you must vnderstande and repeate as in the former so in this also I beleeue in Iesus Christ that is I trust in him and put my whole confidence in him that hee is my onely sauiour and that God will for his sake forgiue me all my sinnes For it is not sufficient to beleeue in God the father to know him vnlesse we also beleeue in his only begotten sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde and knowe him also As Iohn repeating the wordes of our sauiour Christ saith This is life eternal that they know thee to be the onely very God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17. So that our sauiour Christ ioyneth and matcheth in one the knowledge of him selfe with the knowledge of the father as he sayeth also in another place Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shal die in your sins We see then that if we must beleeue in Iesus Christ he is one God with the father and a creator other wise it were idolatry to beleue in any that is not God And that we may beleue in him this is warrāted vnto vs by his owne commandement saying in the 19. of Iohns gospel to his disciples Let not your heart be troubled beleeue ye in God beleeue also in me A notable place to prooue this matter Where we may also learne that if we beleeue in God our hearts shal not be troubled nor wauer hither thither not hauing any place to rest in For therfore in our miseries dāgers are we vexed troubled out of measure because we put not our full trust in the father the sonne Nowe let vs see with what titles our Christ is beautified adorned with for our cōfort consolation first of all he is here called Iesus which is an Ebrew word soūdeth in English as much as Sauiour which name the Angell gaue vnto him by Gods appoyntment before he was conceaued in the wombe of the virgin Mary his mother As we reade notably set forth vnto vs in the first of Matth Shee shal bring foorth a sonne and cal his name Iesus or sauiour for he shall saue his people from their sinnes and offences And for this cause he came into the worlde as he testifieth of him self The sonne of mā came to saue that which is lost not to destroy soules but to saue and to giue his life a redemption for many Luk. 19. By this we learne that there is no other Sauiour appoynted for mā either in heauē or earth but only Iesus and they that wil haue saluation of God the father must haue it onely at his handes Therefore doeth the scripture pronounce of him that there is no other name giuen vnder heauen vnto men wherein they must be saued but only in the name of Iesus Christ For this is the stone which is become the head stone and the chiefe in the corner neither is there any saluation in any other Act. 4. We haue then to seek our saluation not in Angels not in saints not in men or in our selues but in him onely that hath the key of Dauid that shutteth heauen and no man openeth it and openeth it no man shutteth This is the first title of dignitie and honour that is giuen vnto him of his father the next is that hee is called Christ which is a Greeke word and signifieth in English Anoynted which doth more plainly effectually declare his office function giuen him of the father for vs. For he was anoynted for three especiall purposes first to bee our Prophet to teach vs secondly our priest to offer him selfe a sacrifice for vs and thirdly our king to rule to defēd vs from our enemies These things are al giuē vnto vs to vnderstande in this name Christ For as al the Prophets and priestes and kinges in the time of the olde law before the comming of Christ were anoynted with oyle by the commandement of God as God cōmanded Elias to anoynt Eliseus Prophet in his stead Moses was cōmaunded to anoynt Aaron hye priest and Samuel to anoynt Saul Dauid to be kinges so was Christ also anoynted not with oyle materiall as they but with spiritual oyle of gladnesse as Dauid saieth aboue his fellowes that is with the holy ghost aboue al mē for he had it without measure Ioh. 3. 34. So then as the Prophets priests kings were all figures shadowes of Christ anoynted with oyle to signifie that they must be gentle meeke soft to al their brethren so it was also necessary that Christ should performe al this that was prefigured by him And first we see that Christ toke vpon him the office of a Prophet to teach the people his fathers wil not thrusting in him selfe as the false prophetes did whom the Lord sent not at al but being thereto lawefully called authorised by his father from heauen saying Heare him that is to be our doctour and teacher our Prophete and Scholemaster Being thus ordayned a Prophet to teach vs he executed his office and calling most diligently most paynfully and faithfully for he taught them in season and out of season earely and late
same nature with the father for he is one with his father This is the third title giuen to our sauiour Christ that he is the only begotteÌ„ sonne of God but there may a question bee inade How is Christ the only sonne of God seeing we also are soÌ„nes as he is as Iohn saith As many as beleeue in Christ he gaue theÌ„ power to be the soÌ„nes of God To this we answere that Christ is the only sonne of God by nature substance and we by grace adoption which before were not For as when a man hath no childreÌ„ he maketh some by adoption and fauor whoÌ„ he loueth to enioy his lands and inheritaÌ„ce â—ounting them as his owne so it is with God and vs. He hath no moe sonnes but one onely by nature substance but by his loue and grace he maketh vs his deare children by adoption in Christ for all is done for Christes sake our elder brother as Paul proueth Ephe. 1. He hath predestinated vs to be adopted for sonnes in Iesus Christ For this then that we are sonnes to so high great a God a Lord and king ought we not to be very thankeful ought we not by all meanes to set forth his honor glory more then our own Surely we should do so for how would I loue that king here in the earth or that Queene or that noble maÌ„ that should make me a poore begger borne his louing sonne by adoption Now much more ought I to loue the sonne of God that hath made me sonne to his father by his death satisfaction And wheÌ„ Christ is called the only begotten sonne of God we must not imagine a carnall or grosse begetting as is here among meÌ„ but a diuine and heauenly incompreheÌ„sible and vnspeakable to our capacity before al beginnings most mystical secret The last title that is giueÌ„ to Christ here is the dignity honor of a Lord. We cal him our Lord that by right for his we are who hath bought vs redeemed vs by his owne body from the deuill sinne al other euils and mischiefes And this is that that the Apostle speaketh of that therefore Christ died and rose agayne that he might be lord of al both dead quicke Rom. 14 and againe Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price 1. Cor. 6. And therefore is he made lord and king of his father ouer all the world that al should worship and honour the sonne as they honour the father him selfe for he is not only the head of men but of all the Angels in heauen as it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. Ephe. 1. Thus ye see how Christ is appoynted Lorde and heyre of all thinges therefore is he called here our Lord and we then confesse our selues to be his seruantes and subiectes to do his wil and commaundement He is called also our Lord because we should conceaue comfort by it in trouble that he will be a most gratious lord vnto vs also as wel as vnto others as Thomas said of him so must we say and bee perswaded My God and my Lord. Iohn 21. Which was conceiued by the holy Ghost Nowe foloweth his coÌ„ceptioÌ„ by the holy ghost not by the seed of man for if he had bin conceiued by man he had not bene voyde of sinne as Ioh chap. 3. ver 6. Iob. 6. chap. 25. verse 5 6. and so shoulde he haue bene vnfit to deliuer vs from sinne Therefore our sauiour saith For them I do sanctifie my self And such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmeles vndefiled seperated from sinners and made hier then the heauens As that which went before did proue vnto vs sufficiently his diuinitie and godhead that he was yesterday to day for euer as is proued in the Epistle to the Hebrews cha 13. so this coÌ„ception in the wombe of the virgin doth proue that he is very and true man had a beginning according to his humanitie as the scriptures doe witnes vnto vs that he was made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh RoÌ„ 1. And that God seÌ„t his soÌ„ne into the world made of a woman Gal. 4. The maner of this conception is described liuely vnto vs by S. Luk. Cha. 1. For after that the Angel had told Marie that she should conceiue in her woÌ„be and bring forth a sonne and cal his name Iesus she asked howe it should come to passe saying she knew no man then the Angel telleth her that the holy ghost should come vpon her the power of yâ— most high should ouershadow her therefore that holy thing which shal be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God So likwise in Matth. 1. we reade that when Ioseph her husband would haue put her away priuily thinking she had bene with child of some maÌ„ the Angel called vnto him being thus minded in a dreame saying Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy ghost We see then that al flesh in Adam had corrupted his way before the Lord that the ordinary generatioÌ„ of maÌ„ was vncleane therfore it was necessary that Christ that should redeeme others from sinne should not be subiect to it himself but bee borne by an extraordinarie meane to cleanse vs froÌ„ all our sinnes both original actual which he was voyde of by reasoÌ„ of this coÌ„ceptioÌ„ wherfore Christ must be both maÌ„ God to redeeme vs Man because maÌ„ had offended our sinnes had deuided him froÌ„ vs as a cloude doth the bright sunne from our eies he must be God also to make reconciliatioÌ„ to God his father for vs for no Angel in heauen was able to do this office of mediation but the only God maÌ„ Iesus Christ the true mediator for al our sinnes past present or to come Here coÌ„sider the great loue of Christ toward mankinde that despised not our flesh to take it vpoÌ„ him beeing God equall to his father and hath inuested and couered himselfe with our nature but yet without sinne This doth teach vs our duety towards him in thaÌ„kfulnes our duty towards our neighbors in yelding vnto them in matters for their behalf not to please our selues but to beare with them debase our selues for them as Christ hath done for vs already Phil. 2. Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesus We learne by the coÌ„ceptioÌ„ of Christ by the holy ghost that he was thus coÌ„ceiued to make our sinfull conception pure For we are conceiued and borne in sinnes euery one of vs eueÌ„ the best of vs al that come of Adam Dauid lamenteth the impurity imperfection of his conception and birth saying Behold Lorde I was borne in iniquitie in sinne hath my mother conceiued me Psal 51. as if he would say The cause of this my outward
his prophesie of this wonderful natiuitie of our Sauiour Iesus saying in his Chap. 23. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will raise vp vnto Dauid a righteous branch a king shal reigne prosper shal execute true iudgement iustice vpō the earth In his daies Iuda shal be saued and Israel shall dwell safely and fulnesse of time as the Apostle speaketh was come then God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Law that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4. God then as in this so in all other things is true and iust of his promise and couenant that he maketh to a thousand generatiōs as saith the Prophet For nothing can let him to bring his words to passe his power is infinit ouer all And although it be said that Marie was maried to Ioseph Ioseph tooke her home to him to be his wife yet she was a virgin for Ioseph knewe her not so that Christ was borne of her being a virgin Ioseph was spoused to her in this respect that he should be an aide and comfort for her in her trouble and paine in her flight into Egypt in her great pouertie for she was so poore that she had no chamber to be deliuered in but laid our Sauiour Christ in a manger For these causes was Ioseph called her husbande also that shee myght be voyde of suspition of fornication and Christ not thought to be borne out of wedlocke or in adulterie 2 Secondly for our instruction let vs consider the whole maner of Christs birth after what sort and fashion it was S. Luke doth declare the order of it very liuely saith that whē Ioseph Mary were at Bethlehem the dayes were accomplished that shee shoulde be deliuered she brought forth her first begotten sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes and layde him in a cratch or manger because there was no roume for thē in the Inne By these words we see the maner of Christs birth howe it was very poore and base in respect of the world nothing glorious in the eies of men or as myght beseeme so great a prince as he was He that might haue bene borne in a most magnificent and royall palace would be borne in a stable or oxe stall and he which could haue bene layde in a most sumptuous bed of doune with silke veluet wrought garnished yet notwithstanding woulde bee layde in a vile manger This doth passe the reach and capacitie of mans witte and doth expresse vnto vs how that the Lords waies are not our wayes nor his doinges as ours are For then surely woulde hee not haue had Christ his Sonne to bee borne so poorely and without al honour and estimation here in the earth But here we see the great loue of Christ towardes vs the woulde so be borne for our sakes So that in this is fulfilled that notable saying if S. Paul the Apostle 2. Corinth 8. Chap. 9. saying Ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ y◠he beīg rich for your sakes became poore that ye through his pouertie myght be made rich A notable lesson to take pouertie in good part if the Lord for iust causes lay it vpon vs. And not only was he borne so poorely miserably but also liued so afterwarde all his life time while he was here vpon the earth for that space of 2. or 3. and thirty yeres insomuch that when he was borne he stedde into Egypt frō Herod that sought to kil him no doubt with trouble paine Afterward he liued with the beneuolence liberalitie of certaine good womē as of Mary Magdalene Ioanna that wife of Chuza Herods stewarde Susanna many other which ministred vnto him of their substance Luk. 8. 3. so that he himselfe doth pronounce to one that would folow him for gaine estimatiō in this life that the sonne of mā meaning him self hath not where to lay or hide his hed but is in worse case thē the foxes which haue holes or the birds of the aire which haue their nests Mat. 8. By this we learne to take pouerty patiently which the Lorde himselfe hath sanctified in his owne body neither to thinke it accursed And we learne thereby the contempt of this worlde for Christ had nothing glorious in the face and eyes of man hee was not riche but poore If wee haue riches let vs not thinke so much or highly of them or be puffed vp by them for Christ had them not If wee be poore let vs remember that Iesus Christ was poore also in this life It is sufficient for vs and enough if we may be riche after this life not that these riches and worldly thinges are ill if they be vsed to Gods glory but Christ would teache vs by his example that first his kingdome is not of this world then not to be greeued if we lacke these transitorye thinges for hee had them not at all wherefore if we haue meate and drinke and raiment we must be content The circumstances of his birth are the place of it and the tyme. As concerning the place Matthewe and Luke both agree in one that it was Bethlehem for so was it long before prophecyed of by the Prophet Micheas Chap. 5. saying And thou Bethlehem Ephrathah art little to be among the thousands of Iuda yet our of thee shall come foorth vnto me one that shal be the ruler in Israel whose goings foorth shall be from the beginning and from euerlasting Where hee setteth foorth vnto vs plainely both the humanitie of Christ and also his diuinitie his humanitie in that hee sayth hee came out of Bethlehem and his diuinitie in that his going foorth was from euerlasting The place then was Bethlehem no great and famous citie as Ierusalem was but a poore and obscure towne nothing spoken of among men Here wee may see againe that as Christ shewed great humilitie in the maner of his birth so did hee also in chusing so poore and vile a place as Bethlehem was And this was done no doubt to confound the wisedome of the wise and mightie which woulde haue thought rather that Christ should haue bene borne at Ierusalem or some such like notable and excellent citie Well our sauiour Christ chose Bethlehem and made it famous through his birth and reiected all other cities so is fulfilled that saying of Paul God hath chosen the weake things of the worlde to confound the strong and vile things and things that are despised hath God chosen to bring to naught the thinges that are that no fleshe shoulde reioyce in his presence 1. Corinthians 1. Verses 27. 28 29. Let no man therefore be grieued or ashamed if he be borne in a poore and base village for so was Christ borne and hee is nothing the worse for it hee may come as soone to heauen as they that are borne in the greatest
profite and comfort that we may take apply to our selues our soules and bodyes by it and what duetie is required of vs in this behalfe The commoditie that ariseth to vs and al Christians by his birth is that Christ came to saue that which was lost as Paul doth notably expresse the ende of his comming in the fleshe saying This is a true saying and by all meanes woorthy to bee receyued that Iesus Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners 1. Timothie 1. 15. Then we perceiue this that Christ was borne to redeeme vs. If he had not bene borne wee could not haue byn redeemed by him from the power of hell and of Satan This is a great matter and a most excellent wonderfull benefite For we vnderstande now plainly clerely by the word of the Lorde that the seede of the woman hath broken the serpents head Gen. 3. that there is a Lion and a Lambe in diuers respectes for his strength a Lion and a Lambe by his meeknes found worthy to open the booke to loose the seuen seales of it which no man was able to doe neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth Reuel 5. that there is a childe as Esaie sayth giuen vnto vs vpon whose shoulders the gouernmēt of heauen and earth is laide and doth cōsist We may saye therefore that a man is borne of the virgin Marie the true and naturall sonne of Adam of Abraham of Dauid which was promised in the lawe and Prophets such a man I say that hath conquered hell and death and damnation desiuered vs from the wrath of his father to come Of this our faith may gather a double fruite and cōmodite the one that there is a mediatour betweene God man euen the man Iesus Christ we haue this mediator for vs in heauen already the other that by the participation vnitie of his nature with ours he receiueth admitteth vs into the societie of him selfe and all his riches and treasures are made ours euen as the wife may say of her husband that al her husbāds goods lands are hers because she is one with him so may we say of our most gratious husband bridegrome Iesus Christ that all his store is now become ours For we are bones of his bones and flesh of his flesh as Paul telleth vs plainly Ephes 5. If this be so then wee ought to reioyce and be glad in our heartes as Paul sayth which is in the Lorde because that Christ the great iewell of God is sent into the worlde If we greatly reioyce triumphe when wee haue a mortall sonne an heyre here borne in earth vnto vs whō we knowe not whether he shall be good or ill a cōfort or paine vnto vs If I say we do reioyce at this vanity what ought we to do think ye dearly beloued brethrē whē we heare that sōne of God to be borne for vs the heire of all things a sonne that pacifieth his fathers wrath iustly conceiued against sinne such a childe as maketh vs children bringeth vs into his heauenly possession inheritance Ought we not trow you vnspeakeably to reioyce thanke God and his sonne Christ continually It is good reason so to do seeing it is our onely benefit and not his for he came and was borne for vs and not for him selfe The angels of God herein may teach vs our duety howe thankfull we ought to be and to reioyce for it not with a worldly and carnal ioy as many do but with a spirituall and heauenly ioy of minde and conscience as few doe At the birth of our sauiour there was a company and multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying Glory be to God in the high heauens and peace in the earth and towards men good will Luke 2. They reioyced in the Lord were thankful for it yet are much more ought we to do the like that his wil may be done in earth of vs as it is in heauen amongst them euen as we dayly pray Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen We haue in deede a celebration of this natiuitie of Christ which is miscalled of vs Christmas As the name is euil called Christmas of the Papists as if Christ should say Masse so is the time in it spent as lewdly of vs for the most part if not in massing yet in masking in carding and dicing in dauncing in bellie cheere in excesse of apparrell and in fond and foolishe playes sportes to passe the time away In these sinnes and vanities is the tyme of Christes natiuitie spent and consumed of vs. It were better to haue no day of it then so to keepe it and it is a great griefe to a godly mynde to see that tyme which shoulde be imployed to the seruice of God as it was in the primitiue Church altogether wasted and dedicated to offer sacrifices vnto the deuill for it is in it as it is vpon the Sundayes or Lordes day thoroughout the yeere The Sabbath which is appoynted for to heare Gods woorde and to pray in is turned altogether to play in and made a day of all wicked sport and pastime which is far from the ryght vse of it yet no Magistrate doeth correct it God giue an amendement one day of it to his honour and glory Amen Well so it is with this time of our Sauiours birth we shoulde giue thankes in it and wee neuer thinke of our duetie in it the most part of vs. If Emperours and Kinges haue celebrated the memoriall of their birth dayes then there is greater reason why we should remember the ioyfullest birth day that euer was or shal be I meane of Iesus Christ our sauiour borne so poorely and simply for vs. Not that we should so celebrate and keepe Christs birth day as wicked Herode did celebrate his natiuitie in feasting in daunsing in rash swearing and last of all in murdering the good saint of God Iohn Baptist Matth. 14. Mark 6. I say we must not so celebrate this birth day of Christ with him least wee be partakers of his punishment and payne But yet I feare a great many doe keepe this time no better Neither must we keepe this day of our brother Christes birth as Titus kept the birth day of his brother Domitian in killing the Iewes for his pleasure to triumphe and so defiled his handes with innocent blood surely we do not much better for although we kill not with the sworde yet we wound and kill our brethren with our tongues we quarrel we fight and are contentious wee sweare and blaspheme and so reuile the liuing Lorde and this is done most of all at the birth day of our Sauiour as also vpon this day of rest the Sunday with cardes and dice bloody othes Wel the Lord one day will take an account of these things of vs vnlesse we speedily repent and amende Thus we haue heard the thinges that may be
spirit by his grace and godhead which is euery where For he sayeth that he will not leaue vs fatherles but will come vnto vs which he meant by sending his spirit Iohn 14. We are not then to looke for Christes body here nowe vpon the earth as certaine heretikes do suppose euen as he him selfe saith Matt. 26. Me shal you not haue alwayes Surely this saying can by no meanes be true if his body be euery where in euery place at euery sacrament then is not his body departed from vs then is he not ascended into heauen but remaineth here still in the earth But the Angell sayde to the women that he was not there That was some place then he had a glorified body And it is said that heauen must conteine him vntill all things bee restored Act. 3. Surely being now ascended in body we neither reade of nor beleeue any other descension in body then that wherein he shall descēde to iudge at the latter day as the Angels spake to the disciples This Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen So that vnles we see Christ so come down as he went vp we will not beleeue the papistes that say he is in the boxe or pixe much lesse them that say he is euery where making him in deede to haue no body at all but altogether swallowed vp by his diuinitie For tell mee I pray you if Christ had meāt his body should alway remaine here vpon the earth why did he say that he must depart from them They cannot meane it of his diuinity but of his humanitie Againe what needed his disciples to bee so sorowefull for his going away if they had had his body with them Here they answere The disciples had not his body visibly but his body inuisible or not seene But surely the disciples if they had vnderstoode it so as the Papistes say of his inuisible body they were not such children but that they would haue contented them selues as well with his inuisible body as his inuisible spirit and grace afterwardes therfore they would needes know howe they should be comforted when hee was gone from them Christ told them by his spirite although inuisible and not by his body inuisible which surely would haue comforted them although they saw it not if it had then bene with them as his spirite was but Christ meant no such thing and therefore promised euer his spirit to them and all others after and not his inuisible body This is a plaine case but I leaue to discourse of it any further because I intend in this booke to edifie and instruct the simple readers onely in the poyntes of Christianitie concerning their faith and not to make any treatise for the learned Seeing then wee haue a great hie Priest which is entred into heauē euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold fast our professiō as the Apostle sayth and let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receyue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede For this was the third point that I sayde was to be obserued of vs to weigh with our selues what profit and commodity thereby doeth ensue to all the faythfull that hee is in heauen Surely this cannot be but great comfort to al the faithful for they all are assured by Christes ascension that they also shall one day euen at the resurrection of their bodies ascende with him for he is gone to prepare a place for them as he testifieth in Iohn 14. I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come agayne and receyue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Christ by his ascension hath opened the gates and doores of heauen and Paradise for vs which were shut against vs before so that wee had no entrance thither For this is most certayne and true that if the head be there then shall the body and members be there also and if our captayne be there then shall his souldiers which are we be one day with him and the master will haue there his seruantes to wayte and attend vpon him in his house And to be short seeing Christ is in heauen he wil haue his true Christians to be with him Is not this a great comfort in all troubles and hurlyburlies in this life to meditate vpon this that one day we shall come into the presence of our louing Master Iesus Christ Surely this would comfort any poore afflicted soule or body if he did remember it but we forget it and then what ioy can wee haue in this vale of miserie This comforted Dauid in his banishment saying When shal I come to appeare before the presence of God This reioyced Paul greatly when he sayd A crowne of righteousnesse is layde vp for me in that day when the Lord shal appeare 2. Timothie 4. So then this is the first and one of the greatest benefites that by Christes ascension wee haue an assurance of our owne For when Christ shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Colossians 3. But yet wee must remember that as Christ first suffered shame and reproche and bitter death also and so in the ende entred into heauen by diuers crosses and calamyties so must wee also for the most part enter in the same way with him for by many tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of heauen and all that wil liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecution For you knowe that the seruant must not looke to be better handled thē his master or the scholer to be in better case then his teacher nor we thē Christ Againe Christ by his ascension doth solicite al our sutes causes matters iniuries which we suffer to God his father For hee is our Atturney pleadeth for vs as Iohn sayth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Is it not a great comfort to a poore man that can not make friendes or come vp to the prince because of costs and charges to haue alway one of the priuy counsell to helpe and further his sutes as readily and diligently as if hee were there himselfe So surely it is with vs wee haue alwayes Iesus Christ at hand with God his father being of his most priuy and secrete counsell to make requestes to God for vs continually to pardon our sinnes to grant vs grace and all other thinges necessary This is singular ioy to a godly heart so that wee neede not to seeke any other Mediatour as the Papistes doe as if hee were not sufficient of him selfe or as mercifull to heare vs as his mother or Peter or any other saynt in heauen This is their folly and madnes let vs be contented with our only Mediatour Iesus Christ because he is most able and most willing to heare vs yea biddeth vs to come to
him for our causes Matthewe 11. Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are laden and I will refreshe you Therefore we may boldly and safely goe vnto him in our neede and necessitye and feare not Which of vs is it that if the prince did byd vs come at the first to her and not to any other of her priuy chamber but would come most willingly and be glad so to do Why theÌ„ come wee not to God at the first saying in his worde Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee Why come wee not to Christ that so louingly biddeth euery one of vs Wel let vs holde this for an vnfallible principle Christ being ascended is our onely spokesman neither let any man thinke that it is with Iesus Christ the king of all kings as it is with princes of the earth that because he is so hie and in so great dignitie and maiestie hee doth not therefore regarde or respect vs here vpon the earth so lowe nay Dauid telleth vs the contrary and meeteth with this obiection for hee sayth In deede the Lorde is hie aboue al nations and his glory aboue the heauens But yet hee sayeth that he abaseth himself to behold the things in heauen and in earth yea he rayseth the needy out of the dust lifteth the poore out of the dounghill to set him with princes Psal 113. So we see although the Lord be hye yet he hath respect vnto the lowly And Iesus Christ notwithstanding he be in all pleasure blessednes yet he thinketh vpon vs because he hath sometyme felt yâ— like miseries with vs we haue such an hie Priest that can be touched with our infirmities euen at this time also as he sayde to Paul persecuting his sayntes Saul Saul why doest thou persecute me Christ counted himselfe then to be persecuted although he were in heauen because his poore members were afflicted Actes 9. In deede princes here and noble men with vs many tymes knowe not the misery of others nay regarde it not because they haue neuer felt the like smart and knowe not what hunger or thirst or nakednes or imprisoÌ„ment or banishmeÌ„t or lacke of lodging meaneth not hauing suffered the like themselues But I say the case is farre otherwise with Christ who knoweth better what we lack then we our selues doe and hath borne the like burden with vs and doeth not forget vs nowe in his glory and honor as many do their poore friends wheÌ„ they are aduanced to any promotion dignitie by others Wherefore as Ioseph in all his rioltie and glory remembred did acknowledge his poore brethren before Pharao and all his house so doeth vndoubtedly our Sauiour Christ thinke vpon vs his poore brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren and he wil not be ashamed to confesse vs in heauen before his father and all his holy Angels For howe should the head be ashamed of his body or the husband of his wife Christ is not ashamed of vs his spirituall kinred as we are ashamed of our kindred many times when we are exalted aboue them nay hee is neuer ashamed of vs vnlesse wee be first ashamed of him For then in deede hee sayth Hee that is ashamed of me and my sayings here in earth before men I wil also be ashamed of him in heauen before my father and he that shal denye him here hee wil deny him there but hee that shal confesse him here he will confesse him there Mar. 8. Furthermore we are to vnderstand that although Christ by his ascension hath taken away his body from the earth which was not necessary for vs yet he hath left vnto his Churche and giuen vnto it as a most sure and firme pledge and earnest peny of his good will towardes vs his holy spirit alway crying in our heartes Father father working in vs that which is good acceptable in his sight This is the greatest comfort that may be to the faythful in this lyfe and therefore is this spirit oftentimes called by our sauiour Christ The coÌ„forter And this great and singular benefit we haue by his ascension for he sayde that vnlesse hee went his way from them the comforter would not come but if he went he would send him as in deede he did after his ascension most plentifully and doeth at this day vnto his giue his spirit either in greater or lesser measure to some more to some lesse as hee thinketh good This benefite then doe wee enioy by his bodily presence departing for a time from vs. This gift is to our soules the fountayne of life and the very welspring beginning of all our Christian regeneration and newe 〈◊〉 in Christ and so is called the spirit of Adoption because it is proper to Gods children and none other This spirit doth leade vs into al trueth mortifieth our euil deedes killeth sinne in vs reuiueth all goodnesse within vs maketh vs merry in the Lorde reioyceth vs in troubles and doeth neuer leaue vs destitute altogether of some comfort or other For this pledge out of our hearts can neuer be taken away all other worldly things may be taken away as from Iob they were who lost his goods lands wife friendes and children his bodye was afflicted his soule tormented yet in the middest of these calamities he had a comfort of this spirite in that he coulde say in fayth I knowe that my redeemer liueth which he â—therwise coulde not doe but by the motion and helpe of the holy Ghost as Paul â—eacheth vs to the first Corinthians the â—â—elâ—t Chapter in these wordes I declare vnto you brethren that no man can saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghost verse 3. Seeing then wee haue by Christs ascension the first fruites of his spirit we ought also to ascende with him into 〈◊〉 if not in body yet in soule in minde and heart and all our affections For where our treasure is there shoulde our hear the also Our treasure and only treasure Christ Iesus is in heauen therefore let our hearts he wholy with him as Paul saith Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee looke for the Lord Iesus who shall transfourme our vile body that it may be made like to his glorious body Phil. 3. So that as wee haue to learne by Christes resurrection a spirituall resurrection here in this life from sinne In like sort we learne also by these wordes of Saint Paul an holy and spirituall ascension into heauen by our desires and thoughts that we may ioyne to him euen nowe in fayth and spirite till wee all meete in body there at the fast day And truely if we coulde keepe our mindes so ascending vp into heauen it woulde be very benificiall for vs and ridde vs out of many daungers Wee see and learne by experience that the byrde is neuer insnared and caught of the fouler vntill he lyght and sit vpon the earth wheÌ„ he falleth to
in mercie towarde his Church they giue him the name of a meeke and gentle Lambe apparelled in white making no sturre or cry in the streetes not breaking a brused reede nor quenching a smoking flaâ—e Matthewe 12. But when the Prophets will sette foorth Christ in his maiestie and glorie after his ascension they giue him the name and propertie of a fierce Lion all apparelled in redde and bloody garmentes with a rodde and scepter of iron in his hande to rule and gouerne all nations And this no doubt is to cause make the enemies of his Church to quake euen as hee shewed him selfe in a vision to Saint Iohn his beloued disciple to comfort him no doubt but to terrifie the enemies which were shortly to goe about to destroy the Church of God Wee reade in the Reuelation 1. cha that as Iohn turned backe to heare the voyce that spake with him Christ shewed him selfe vnto him in his maiestie as he was able to conceiue for he saw seuen goldeÌ„ candlesticks in the midst of the seuen golden candlesticks one like vnto the sonne of maÌ„ clothed with a garmeÌ„t downe to the feete and girded about the pappes with a golden girdle his head and heares were white as white wooll and as snowe and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feete lyke vnto fine brasse burning as in a furnace and his voyce as the sound of many waters and he had in his ryght hand seuen starres and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged swoorde and his face shone as the Sunne shyneth in his strength This vision of Christ in his glorie was so fearefull that it made Iohn him selfe afrayde but the Lorde dyd shewe him selfe so to comforte his seruauntes which should suffer persecution a litle after but to threaten the enemies by his mightie power This is that which the holy Ghost spake long since by Dauid The Lorde reigneth let the people tremble hee fitteth betweene the Cherubims let the earth be mooued the Lorde is great in Zion and he is hie aboue all people The Lorde that is at thy ryght hande shall wounde Kings in the day of his wrath he shall bee iudge among the heathen he shall fill all with dead bodyes and smite the heades ouer great countreys Here wee see howe Dauid speaketh most magnificently of this glorious kingdome of Christ beyng nowe exalted aboue the heauens by his ascension howe hee assureth the enemies of destruction but promiseth deliuÌ„erie to the godly in the Church As Christ did alwayes deliuer his Church euen from the beginning Noah from the flood drowning the rest Lot from Sodome when hee consumed the remnant with fire the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt and the tyranny of king Pharao ouerthrowing his euennes in the redde sea for Christ was that great Angel that went before them likewise in destroying the Assyrians so many thousandes in one nyght and sauing good king Hezekia and the rest so did hee most wonderfully destroy great Babylon and ransome thence his owne prisoners finally howe he destroyed the Edomites the Ammonites the Moabites the Philistims and the Canaanites they that reade the hystories of the Bible shal wel perceiue as I say Christ hath done these thinges to his enemies before his incarnation so especially after hee was receyued vp in glorie hee hath done the like Howe mightily did hee suppresse and beate downe the great rage and furie of Saul beyng armed and sette as a fierce Tyger or Lion to destroy both man woman and childe of Christs flocke But the Lorde Iesus from heauen subdued him and made him as tame as a Lambe Actes 9. Did hee not cutte off inlyke sort that cruell tyraunt Herode that killed Iames had also taken Peter It is sayd that in his pryde he gaue not GOD the honour and glorye and therefore was immediatly strooken of the angel and most shamefully eaten vp of wormes Actes 12. Howe Iulian the Emperour that wicked forsaker and persecutour of the Christians was handled by the iustice of God and ended his life miserably So Zomenus in in his sixt booke of his storie the seconde Chapter doeth sufficiently declare that he was not killed by any of his enemies but by one of his owne souldyers And when he was strooken with the darte and wounded to death hee vnderstoode well the cause of it to bee for persecuting Christ and the Christians for hee tooke the blood out of his wounde and flang it vp into the ayre as if hee had seene Christ and accused him of his death as in deede hee was the chiefe authour of it to punishe that wicked reprobate which had so before contemned and mocked his worde and Gospel They that list to reade histories either prophane or diuine shall see howe the tyrantes and murdering Emperours of Christes Church haue bene by Iesus Christ in his glory taken miserably out of this life Consider all the Emperours of Rome that persecuted the Church what became of them and howe they dyed Was not Nero that monster partly by himselfe and partly by one of his owne men thrust through with a dagger as Suetonius and others do report Galba Otho and Vitellius did they not suffer the like Did not Domitian destroy his owne brother Titus and poisoned him and was not Titus a persecuter of the Iewes Domitian was miserably kylled by one Stephanus his man Maximinus slayne by his owne armye Commodus kylled of Narcissus Macrinus thrust thorowe by his souldiers Decius killed by his enemies Valerianus pearsed with a speare of the Persians Pilate after hee had crucified our Sauiour Christ within fewe yeeres after was hee not dryuen to hang him selfe for sorowe as Iudas did before him Dioclesian and Maximinian which were the authours of the tenth and last persecution agaynst the Christians deposed them selues of their imperial function by the secrete iudgement of God Maxentius the sonne of Maximinian dranke of the same cuppe with Pharao being both like enemies against Christ and his Church for Maxentius was drowned in the water with his harnesse vpon his backe The Popes of Rome being as great persecutours as euer were any of Christ and his Church many of them haue had very wretched and shamefull endes Alexander the sixt was taken away with the deuill by whome he aspyred to the papacie Looke vpon our papistes in Queene Maries dayes and see howe a great many of them dyed Wee â—acke not examples among vs euen fresh in memorie in those dayes Let a men consider with himselfe the vnhappie and vnfortunate endes of the last race of the kinges in Fraunce and he shall say that Christ euen in his glory doth marueilously defende his Gospel with the professours thereof rewardeth their enemies according to their desertes So that a man may iustly say and confesse with Dauid Doubtees there is a God that iudgeth in the earth surely there is a Christ that defendeth his Church for hee shall treade downe our enemies vnder vs
of heauen for y◠elect not their works but because they were blessed of his father and that the kingdome was prepared for thē before they were borne or did any good workes for it yea before the fundations of the worlde were layde as Paul Ephes 1 sheweth most notably Wherefore good Christians flee the corruption which is in the worlde and giue great diligence to bring forth good works for those are good and profitable vnto mē and so ye shall be knowen to bee good and fruitfull trees Ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith with vertue knowledge with knowledge tēperance with tēperāce patience with patience godlines with godlines brotherly kindnesse with brotherly kindnes loue For if these things be amōg you and aboūde they wil make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lorde Iesus Christ and he that hath not these things is blinde and can not see a farre off and hath forgotten that he was purged frō his olde sinnes Giue therefore diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things ye shal neuer fal for by this meanes an entring shall be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ We haue heard nowe the sixe articles that appertaine to the person of Iesus Christ and conteine the benefites he hath wrought for vs wherein is our whole saluation For if we seeke saluation his name Iesus doeth shewe it is in him alone If we desire puritie it is in his conception If we require a kinde of familiaritie and gentlenes wherewith he hath made him selfe like vnto vs we shall haue it in his natiuitie Wouldest thou haue redemptiō for thy sinnes looke it in his passion and death If newnes of life thou hast it in his resurrection If inheritance of the heauenly kingdome it is in his ascension If thou askest a full possession of it thou shalt haue it when hee commeth to iudgement To be briefe If thou desirest the giftes of the holy ghost absolution remission of sinnes satisfaction and purgation for thy vnclennes reconciliation mortification of the flesh and at a worde all treasures of euery heauēly gift thou hast them all in Iesus Christ as in a well euer springing and a fountaine that is neuer drie Of whose fulnes thou and all men haue receiued and he is made of God the father vnto thee wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption that thou shouldest glorie in him alone Take heede therefore that seeing he is all in all to thee that thou goe not from him to any other or ascribe any one part or portion neuer so litle of thy saluation to any creature whatsoeuer For if thou doe thou marrest all Iesus Christ will haue all or neuer a whit as Esaie sayeth I will not giue my glorie to an other Well to conclude this article let vs giue to Iesus Christ most humble and heartie thanks that he wil one day come downe from heauen to fetche vs vp thither vnto him to immortall blessednesse and let vs in the meane time desire of him the spirit of patience to wayte for his comming to iudgement for our full redemption that we may haue our oyle our garmentes and our lampes ready that we may be waking when he shall knocke and open the doore forthwith vnto him that in so doing we may enter in with him to the mariage there raigne perpetually with him in the glorie of his father Which he graūt vnto vs for his sonnes sake to whom with the holy ghost three persons and one immortall God in vnitie bee rendred all prayse glorie and giuing of thankes from this time forth for euer more Come Lord Iesus quickly Amen so be it The eight Lecture vpon the eight article of our Christian fayth I beleeue in the holy Ghost HAuing ended two partes of our Christian faith the one cōcerning God the father in the first article the other concerning Iesus Christ the second person in trinitie conteined in the sixe articles folowing nowe foloweth in order the third part concerning our faith in God the holy Ghost which is the third person in trinitie And this is the eight article of our beliefe I beleeue in the holy Ghost that is to say I that am a Christian man do beleeue and trust in God the holy ghost the third person in the blessed trinitie which proceedeth equally from the father and the sonne being the naturall essentiall power of them both of the same substance Which spirite sanctifieth comforteth me in all troubles and assureth me that I am the childe of God and seruant of Iesus Christ and shall haue his benefites plentifully powred vpō me Out of this article we learne two things first what is the holy ghost secondly what are his effects workes as well in it selfe as in man in whose heart it worketh and moueth him forward to that which is good to imbrace and followe it with all earnestnes but to hate and abhorre from the heart that which is naught and wicked This holy ghost or spirit is the euerlasting power and infinite might of God the father which spirite is no creature but a creator of all things and very God because we are here taught to beleue in him which suerly except he were very God were idolatrie to do for we must not beleue in any creature or put our trust in any but in God onely And that the holy ghost is God which certaine heretikes haue denied it is manifest in the fift chapter of the Actes of the Apostles where saint Peter speaking of the holy ghost nameth him God For he reprehendeth Ananias and Sapphira his wife for their hypocrisy and dissimulation and telleth them that they lyed vnto the holy ghost and immediatly after sayth that they lyed not vnto man but vnto God In the first of Genesis it is sayde that the spirite of the Lorde moued vpon the waters This was the third person in trinitie which except he had bene God could not haue so moued vpon this great depth and secretly by his power and maiestie preserued and maintained it from falling to nothing Dauid saieth All things were made and created by the breath of his mouth Therfore if he made al things he was very God For this is proper to God alone to make to create things That argument of Paul in the 1. Cor. 2. chap. doth sufficiētly proue this matter vnto vs where hee saieth that this spirit searcheth al things yea the deepe things of God and that no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God Now if the spirit of God knoweth al things searcheth al things thē is he very God for no creature doth this If this be so thē we rightly beleeue in the holy ghost here we gather this singular comfort that we may pray to this holy ghost at all times for his helpe to impart some of his knowledge vnto vs
because he hath all knowledge and vnderstanding This is the doctrine that we gather generally of this that the holy ghost is true very God For verily except he were God Christ would not cōmaunde his disciples to baptise in the name of the holy ghost putting him in equall condition and estate with the father and him selfe Not that we affirme that there be three Gods but this we meane In the one and inseparable diuine nature and essence of God we vnderstand three persons by them selues distinct one frō another But this mistery of the trinitie may better be beleeued and so it is of the faithfull then fitly expressed of any I leaue it therefore to speake any further of it vntill in the resurrection we shall see it as it is and perceiue that by sight euē face to face which nowe wee conceiue by our fayth onely Thus much of the holy ghost the third person in this trinitie Now let vs consider the wonderfull effectes of it which is a thing more profitable for vs. The effectes of the holy ghost are of two sortes eyther as they are considered in him selfe or as they are in the children of God the effects of the holy ghost in him selfe are the creation of the worlde the preseruation of it with al things therein from the beginning vnto this day Wherein we learne to giue thākes to this holy spirit for his goodnes extended vnto vs to pray to him cōtinually to mainteine vs by his power vertue that we fall not away from him For if hee take away his strength and operation from vs wee are as blynde men groping for the waye And this is that that Dauid speaketh of in his Psalme 104. If thou hide thy face they are troubled meaning all his creatures Agayne If thou sende foorth thy spirite they are created and thou renuest the face of the earth But our purpose is especially to speake here of those good giftes and effectes which this holy spirite doeth worke in men chiefly in the elect For there is no man but hath had some good gifte at one time or an other either in body or in soule from this holy spirit For strength beauty learning eloquence witte knowledge vtterance policie the gift of healing of tongues of miracles and such like are from aboue although these are common as well to the ill and reprobate as to the good and elect sonnes of God as Paul doth shewe and declare more at large in the 12. 13. 18. chapters of the 1. Corinthians Our meaning is to speake chiefly of the graces of Gods spirite in the hearts of his chosen as of fayth hope and loue vnfayned of the spirit of sanctification and adoption which are proper only to the elect and good are neuer cōmunicated to the wicked Of this spirit spake our sauiour Christ to his disciples that he would sende him vpon them and that the world could not receyue him This is that spirit by whome the father doeth place and put the elect in ful possession of all the goodes and inheritance of Iesus Christ and doeth keepe and preserue vs euery houre and doeth make vs partakers of all thinges necessary to saluation which thing it bringeth to passe when as it doeth create in our heartes and beget that excellent instrument of faith the chiefest worke of the spirit which bringeth foorth as a most fruitefull tree all other good fruites and workes of a Christiā man This faith doth the holy ghost ingender in our heartes when we heare the Gospel of Christ preached it is confirmed encreased in vs by the duely and reuerent receiuing of the sacraments of Christ By this faith after it is wrought in vs by the motion and operation of the holy spirite wee apprehend and take holde of all Christes benefites merites works and good deedes whatsoeuer and they are made accounted ours as if wee had done them our selues O wonderfull gift of the holy ghost that worketh so precious a iewel pearle in our heartes as farre surmositeth the price valew of euery thing beside This is the first effect of the holy ghost is marueilous in our eies An other property effect of this holy spirit is sanctification holines of life in the good godly only therfore he is called the holy spirit for this worke of holines in vs. For as it is proper to the father to create to the sonne to redeeme and rāsome so in like sort it is proper and peculiar to the holy Ghost to sanctifie Gods childrē effectually to moue their mindes to true holinesse And of this effect doth S. Paul speake in the 1. Cor. 6. shewing the Corinthians that they were wicked men as fornicatours idolatours extortioners couetous theeues such like but saith he you are washed but you are sāctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God As if we would say those good graces gifts of God were wrought imprinted in their consciences hearts by the persuasion of the holy ghost Necessarily therfore after our beleefe in the father the sonne followeth our beleefe in the holy ghost For whatsoeuer cōmeth frō thē as all graces do they are signed sealed vnto vs by the warrāt of the holy ghost Wherefore it is fitly compared to a seale whereby al the promises of the blessings of God through Christ are deepely ingrauen in our hearts that they cā neuer thēce be rased out any more but shal cōtinue for euer As we see the writing to be to no effect without a mans hand seale no more are the graces of God vnto vs to any purpose vnlesse he sēd the earnest of his spirit into our hearts which doth cōfirme thē vnto vs and assertaine our cōsciences the we are his childrē he our father Rom. 8. This is a notable effect is in such sort tasted of the godly approued of thē as neither the wisedōe of that world nor the sense vnderstāding of man is able to cōprehend neither cā yet be perceiued by the eyes of mē for these things are spiritually iudged discerned therefore no maruel if godly mē hauing the spirit of God and speaking therewith are mocked and derided of the carnall men in this worlde which haue him not neither can iudge any thing of him 1. Cor. 2. This spirit although it be one the same not many or deuide 1. Cor. 12. Ephes 4 yet in respect of the diuers sundry effects operatiōs of him in the church of Christ hee is called termed by the name of seuē spirits that is of many for his manifold gifts As in the fourth of the Reuelat it is said There were seuē lāpes of fire burning before the throne which are the seuen spirites of God that is a seuen fold spirit of God This spirit is called A spirit of wisedome and vnderstāding a spirit of strength and
counsell and the spirit of the feare of the Lord because it giueth al these qualityes vnto men and doeth teache vs the what good gift soeuer we haue we haue it frō the holy ghost the giuer of al and whatsoeuer we lacke we should seeke it likewise of the same spirit none other The holy Apostle rekoning vp the diuersities of the giftes of the holy spirit affirmeth alwayes That it is one and the selfe same spirit that giueth these things as the gift of wisedome of knowledge of faith of healing of miracles of prophecie of discerning spirites of tongues of interpretation of tongues al these thinges sayethe he worketh one and the same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he wil 1. Cor. 12. This doeth also teache vs that this spirit hath most plentifull store of giftes to enriche the body of the Church of Christ and that there is no want or lacke in him A great cōfort vnto vs to knowe whither to resort incōtinently for any good gifte to haue it forthwith For Christ hath promised this holy spirit to them that seeke aske and knock for it Luke 11. Doest thou feele thy selfe to lacke fayth or hope or loue or sanctification of life or any good and necessary gift to edifte Gods Church withall Pray to this holy spirit vse the ordinarie meanes he willeth thee as hearing the word prayer labour and study and this spirite shal be giuen thee This spirit was so necessary that our sauiour promised to send it aboue all things to his disciples to comfort them with when he departed from them For he breathed vpon them and said Receiue yee the holy ghost Ioh. 20. And afterwarde sent it downe more plentifully vpon them in the likenes of fire and clouen tongues Act. 2. Wher with they were not a little cōforted in their miseries troubles against their aduersaries which were not able to resist them speaking with this holy spirite Act. 6. This spirit is sayd to haue diuers names appellations in the scriptures to comfort vs withal in tētations He is called the spirit of trueth to teache vs the trueth and to leade vs into all trueth He is called also the cōforter because he dothrefresh cōfort our hearts nothing more thē in tētations aduersities as Paul found it true in the 2. Cor. 1. Cap. he is called the power of God because he worketh al things nothing is vnpossible vnto him sōetime he is named the autor of light because he doth illuminate enlightē our darke blind hearts with the bright sunbeāes of his wil pleasure Briefely he is the wel foūtaine of al goodnesse whereat we must draw al things needeful for vs in this life This being so it stādeth vpō euery one of vs to labour by all meanes possible to haue this spirit dwelling abiding with vs for euer For surely the necessitie of him is great the vse of him aboue most precious gold siluer pearls Psal 19. Dauid vnderstoode this right wel to be so for hee prayeth that God woulde not take away his spirite from him but stablish him with his free spirit Psal 50. For where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie and freedome from the seruice of the deuill from the slauery of sin We are by nature al of vs the children of wrath damnatiō earthly minded alwayes groueling to the ground being ouerloden burdened with the weight of our sinnes except we be raysed lifted vp by this spirit euē as the soule maintaineth vpholdeth the weake brittle body It cōmeth to passe then in vs no otherwise thē we see it by experience in bladders the which if they be empty cast into the waters for the weight of thē they sinke foorthwith are drowned But if they be blowen filled with wind wherewith they be made light they flyt aboue the water swim Euē so it fareth with vs How heauie we are with sin our cōsciences if we examine thē wel wil tel vs. Wherefore we cānot but sinke being tossed in the waues of the sea of this world drowned with the inordinate desires passiōs affectiōs of this life being altogether voyde of this spirite which should beare vs vp frō these surges tēpests of this life But now if we be filled replenished with this heauenly spirit thē shall we swim aboue triumph ouer sin wickednesse not be drowned with it Wherfore Paul wel weying with himselfe this dāger if we were destitute of the holy ghost willeth vs that we should not be drūke with wine wherin is excesse which maketh vs so heauie drowsie that we sinke but saith that should be filled with the spirit which causeth vs to mount vp to heauē Therefore is it that he so oftē times cōmādeth vs to walke in the spirit to do the works of the spirite which are loue ioy peace long suffering gētlenes goodnesse faith meekenes tēperāce We are with out this spirit as a ship in the sea without a gouernour or as a mā without his eyes in most dangerous case for tell me I pray you what is the cause why so many now a dayes run headlong to all wickednesse abominatiōs some to whoredōe some to couetousnes some to drūkēnes some to pride some to theft robberies some to one sin some to another what is the reasō I say but only this because God hath not giuē his holy spirit vnto thē to defēd thē frō these euils mischiefs And this cause doth S. Iude render in his Epistle for hauing rekoned vp the natural properties conditions of the wicked reprobate namely that they were despisers of gouernment autoryty as the Anabaptistes are defilers of the fleshe liuing in pleasure murmurers complayners walking after their owne lusts speaking proud things flatterers such like In the end hee addeth this as the cause mother of al these sinnes the not hauing of the spirit meaning in deede that because God hath not giuen thē his holy spirit therfore they were such kind of mē as he there painteth forth in their colours such as we dayly se here with vs. And yet for al this God is not boūd to any man to giue him his spirit as Paul proueth Rō 11. neither do they humble thēselues to aske his grace by earnest hearty praier for thē should they haue it Iam. 1. By the lacke and want of this spirite in other men wee may easily see what a benefite we haue by him to keepe and defende vs so mercifully euery houre in all our waies and actions of our life If this spirit leaue vs neuer so litle while to our selues then we fal into an hundred mischāces and euils as we see in Moses a singular man being left to his owne will and choyse but a litle he fell twise together to doubt and distrust of the power of the Lorde whether he were
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
Ephe. 1. and therfore in the place aboue recited this spirit is called the spirit of promise because it doeth assertaine and assure vs of all the blessinges and promises of God that are made vnto vs. In the Actes it is sayde that Lydia a woman being a seller of purple came to heare Paul preach the Gospel but marke what Saint Luke saieth whose heart sayeth he the Lord opened that shee attended to the things which Paul spake So that except God open our closed and hard shutte hearts by the secret inspiration of this holy spirite in vayne shall we eyther preach or the people heare We haue neede then all of vs before we come to heare his word pray to God to giue vs grace to perceyue vnderstand his will and mysteries to soften our stony hearts that they may receiue the worde and to circumcise our eares to heare it This it that Dauid sayde O Lord open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy Lawe and againe O giue me vnderstanding I wil keepe thy Lawe Now Dauid knewe very well that all these things were done by the operation of Gods spirite as Paul sayeth The spirit hath reuealed these things vnto vs 1. Cor. 2. for it is hee that helpeth all our infirmities Rom. 8. This is the marke whereby God doeth seale and print in the forehead to be seene of all men those that are his and without the which no man can truely assure him selfe that he belongeth vnto Christ for as the same Apostle witnesseth If any man haue not the Spirite of Christ the same is none of his Nowe how greatly this holy spirit is to be desired of all of vs there is no man that hath read the Scriptures but well vnderstandeth This made Eliseus a notable man the scholer of Elias when his master bad him to aske of him what he would that he might do it for him before he was taken away from him into heauen that he asked his spirite to bee doubled vpon him whereby he might the better serue the Lord and his Church in his vocation and calling 2. King 2. and so by this spirit he wrought wonderful miracles and did much good by it to the whole kingdome of Israel Wee see by this petition of this notable father godly man what we also shoulde especially desire of God in our prayers not riches or wealth so much which al do perish but this holy spirite which liueth remaineth for euer in them that haue him and can neuer be lost or taken away And this is the self same thing that our Sauiour Christ would haue vs to aske in our praiers of God his father for speaking of praier to his disciples he sheweth that God his Father is most ready to giue vs our requests as soone as we aske of him as our earthly father is willing to bestow that vpon vs which he is able to giue And of all other things that God giueth he maketh mention of this spirit saying If ye which are euill can giue good giftes vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to thē that desire him Luk. 11. Signifying this Spirite to be the excellentest gift that God coulde giue or we desire of him We haue nowe heard the meaning of this article of the holy Ghost what it is and what are the wonderfull and comfortable effectes of it in the Church and howe the Lorde hath promised neuer to leaue his destitute of it vnto the worlds ende We haue seene also howe we must beleeue in him as the true and euerlasting God equally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne because he is the power and vertue whereby they doe worke and create all things Seeing therefore this heauenly spirit is so necessarie and so great a treasure let vs that are true Christians most duetifully thanke our heauenly Father for bestowing of him vpon his whole familie here in earth and vpon euery one of vs that are his seruants wherby we are knowen in the worlde and among our selues that wee are his owne And let vs also pray vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ the sender of this holy spirit to kindle and stirre him vp in our heartes dayly more and more that by his assistance we may haue an earnest feeling and lothing of our sinnes and so bee brought to doe his will and pleasure with a carefull keeping of all his commaundements vntill we all come to a full perfection in Iesus Christ euen vnto that hope which is layde vp for vs in the newe and heauenly Ierusalem which Christ hath purchased full dearely for vs with his owne precious heart blood To whom with his Father and the holy ghost three persons in trinitie and yet one God in vnitie be rendred all prayse honour glorie and thankes giuing both nowe and for euermore Amen The ninth Lecture vpon the ninth Article of our Christian fayth The holy catholike Church the communion of Saints WE haue declared alreadie vnto you three parts of this our Christian fayth the fyrst wherein we doe beleeue and confesse the Father to bee the Creator and maker of all things the seconde part wherein we acknowledge the Sonne Iesus Christ the redeemer of mankinde the thirde sheweth vnto vs the holy Ghost the comforter of our heartes and the confirmer of all these things which are conteyned in these former eyght articles which we haue proued all out of the euerlasting worde of GOD. Nowe followeth consequently the fourth part of our Christian beliefe which is concerning the Church the ninth article with other three which are annexed vnto the Church as the especiall blessings and benefites which flowe and issue out of the former partes and alwayes doe accompanie and followe the spouse of Christ The causes and matter of our saluation being alreadie handled the effect doeth followe which is the Church Otherwise in vayne shoulde God create and Christ redeeme and the holy Ghost inspire and confirme these benefites and giftes vnlesse there were some that myght bee partakers of those treasures brought out and founded by the blessed Trinitie Againe seeing the kingdome of Christ is euerlasting it is very necessarie and requisite that there be alwayes some which may acknowledge him for their King and gouernour To this ende hath Christ his continuall Church and shall haue to the ende of the worlde as he hath had euer from the first beginning The meaning therefore of this article is this I beleeue that God almightie hath alwayes had from the first creation of the worlde and hath presently and shall haue vnto the consummation of the worlde his Church here in earth which is the cōmunion of Saints that is to say a company and congregation of faythfull men and women which doe truely beleeue in Iesus Christ acknowledging him for their onely Sauiour and seruing him according to his worde receyuing his Sacraments and taking holde of all his mercies and benefites by fayth onely
in his blood and for this cause doe wee beleeue that there is but one true Catholique Church and no moe which shall continue for euer although Satan and his ministers goe about by all meanes possible to ouerthrowe and subuert it Wee are then taught here to beleeue that there is an vniuersall Church of Christ and not to beleeue and trust in it as we doe in God for that were idolatrie to trust in men and put our confidēce in them But wee must trust in GOD onely and not in this Church as the Papistes woulde beare vs in hande because the Church is but the company of the elect and chosen and are men Nowe wee can not beleeue and put our hope in any thing that is a creature for that were blasphemie to say and wee are also accursed if wee do so as the holy Prophete Ieremie hath by the mouth of the holy Ghost forewarned vs saying Thus sayth the Lorde Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lorde for hee shall be like the heath in the wildernes and shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabite the parched places in the wildernesse in a salte lande and not inhabited Ier. 17. By these woordes then of the holy ghost we learne not to beleeue in the Church but that there is an holy Church of Christe in this worlde euery where dispersed and scattered abroad through the face of the whole earth This article doeth declare vnto vs what the Church is terming it the communion of Saintes or fellowshippe of the godly eyther with Christ or els with themselues in loue furthermore what maner of Church this is is here likewise set downe that it is holy by reason of Christ her head catholike because it is not tied to any one place as Rome but generally is in all places of the earth tossed as a ship vpon the sea frō one coast to another as pleaseth God to dispose of it To these things two other pointes may be adioyned to make vp the perfit discourse of it and to the which all other thinges incident to any maner question of the Church may bee easely referred The one is to consider who is the vniuersall head and gouernour of this catholique Church the other by what true markes notes signes and titles this Church may be knowen and discerned from the false and counter faite synagogue of Satan that is from the whorishe and Babylonicall strumpet of Rome which falsly taketh vpon her the name of this chaste wife and spouse of Christe being an vncleane and a most adulterous harlot which hath long agoe forsaken her bridegrome Iesus Christ as it shall God willing hereafter better appeare in the discourse and tract of this matter Seeing the Church is likened to an house 1. Timothie 3. and euery house is builded and gouerned of some man Hebr. 3. it is necessarie that this house also which is the Church of the liuing God haue some builder head of it to looke vnto it which is both able to do it most ready to helpe it The builder of this Chruch is Iesus Christ Mat. 16. 18. he is the only head of it as S. Paul doth proue most manifestly vnto vs both in the 1. 4. chap. of the epistle of the Ephesians and the 1. chapter to the Colos saying God hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feet and hath giuen him ouer al thinges to be the head to the Church which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in al things And againe Let vs folow the trueth in loue and in al things growe vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receyueth increase of the body vnto the edifiyng of it selfe in loue Ephe. 4. So in the Colos 1. 18. He is the head of the body of the Church Out of this doeth the body of Christ which is his Church receyue a special and singuler comfort against al tētations that they shal be defended preserued for euer for Christ cā not forsake his body he cā not but loue it nourish it with those spiritual graces which come proceede frō him the head fountaine For as we see in the body naturall how that the head receiueth not meate for it selfe but for the cherishing and increasing of the strength of the body and the rest of the members so the Lorde Iesus is not an head for himself but for vs neyther hath hee receyued all power and authoritie of his father with the fulnesse of the holy Ghost to keepe it to him selfe but to giue and to impart it most louingly and liberally to his true members to make them to grow vp more and more till they come to a perfection in him If Christ therefore haue strength holinesse power and all other good giftes and graces of the spirite then may the Church assure her selfe of them all because the wife may recken that all the goodes and landes of her husbande are hers and wee knowe that the Church hath this dignitie and prerogatiue which is inestimable and full of wonderfull loue that shee is counted and called as shee is in very deede the chaste wife and spouse of Christe here vpon the earth to whome hee is ioyned with the coniunction and fellowshippe of his heauenly spirite I haue sayth Paul prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin vnto Christ 2. Corin. 11. Cantic 4. Ezechiel 16. Ephesians 5. What noble man will bee content to take a poore wretched beggerwoman out of the streetes full of ragges and filthinesse to make her his wife And yet the Lorde Iesus hath done greater thinges in mercie for vs then this for when hee passed by hee looked vpon vs and beholde our tyme was as the time of loue hee spredde his skirtes ouer vs and couered our filthinesse yea hee sware vnto vs and entred into couenant with vs and we became his owne So is the Lorde in mariage become nowe our head and wee his spouse let vs then take heede that wee admitte no others into his loue or defile our selues with whoredome and idolatrie in giuing our faith and allegeance to straungers and false goddes whome wee knowe not Our husbande is very ielous ouer vs hee can not abide another man to bee admitted vnto his bedde for that were spirituall fornication and adulterie before him which hee wyll punishe most seuerely as hee did in the Israelites which brake couenant with him and betooke them selues to Idoles and bowed downe to them in steade of him as the Prophete declareth Ezechiel 16. Seeyng then Christ is appoynted the head of his Church and that one wife as there is but one bodie which is the Church can haue but one husbande to bee her
3 or to a family and shall the houshold and family be aboue the authoritie and will of the master shall the seruantes and children haue greater authoritie in their doings then the Lorde and father of the house Howe doe these thinges agree together And howe hath Satan the God of this worlde blynded the eyes of the Pope and his shauelings that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shoulde not shine vnto them But let vs heare their proofes and arguments for this authoritie The church say they hath allowed and approued the scriptures discerned the false from the true admitting the Gospell of Matthewe Marke Luke and Iohn and reiecting the Gospell of Nicodenius and Thomas with others therefore it is aboue the scriptures A goodly argument and reason As if they should argue thus I doe allowe and approue the authoritie of the prince therefore I am greater and aboue her authoritie If they would make this reason with her as they make the like with Iesus Christ they might peraduenture come short home and be found traitours to her as in the supremacie of the Pope they all are if they holde their owne doctrine mainteine it as they are to Iesus Christ their chiefe prince Againe one man telleth another which is the king and discerneth him from one that is not the king therefore he that doeth thus tel and discerne the king from another mā is greater then the king in authoritie This is their reason all one The church forsooth because it hath discerned the true writings of the holy Ghost from those that were coūterfaite and false therefore they will haue the church to be aboue this worde which is vtterly false and in no point foloweth They might by this reason proue them selues or others to be aboue God him selfe because many can discerne and tyre the true and liuing God from the forged and false gods and they can tyre and separate the true spirite from the lying spirite therefore they are greater in authoritie then this spirite of God is Who seeth not these things to bee so childish that they neede no refutation at all because if they be once examined by the touchstone they fall of them selues and do easely descrie what they are Well let vs holde this for a grounde most certaine and sure which can not bee shaken that the worde which Christ hath spoken in his fathers name the same shall iudge in the last day as hee him selfe sayth Iohn 12. verse 48. Then if the worde be iudge it is belike greater and aboue them that must be iudged by it which is the church in the latter daye euen as the iudge here is of greater authoritie then the partie whome he iudgeth And here by the way falleth to the ground another false positiō of theirs that say the interpretatiō of the scriptures must be according to the church nay it must be according to the word which is the iudge for if this be a matter of controuersie who shall determine and decide it but the ordinarie iudge as we see the lawes must bee interpreted not according to the censure and iudgement of them to whome they were giuen but after the will and meaning of the iudge and lawe giuer which made them so the scriptures must bee interpreted by the scriptures and the worde by the worde and that which is spoken obscurely in one place by that which is declared and vttered more plainely in an other place As for example The papistes to proue that sinnes may be forgiuen hereafter in an other worlde in their fayned purgatorie bring this place out of the 12. chapter of Matthewe where our sauiour saith that he that speaketh a worde against the holy Ghost shall not bee forgiuen neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Ergo say they to establish their purgatorie some sinnes may be forgiuen after this life and where is that but in purgatorie but if they had read the thirde of Marke handling the same matter and conferred one place with an other they should haue seene there that our sauiours meaning was to shewe that the horriblenes of this sinne was so great that it should neuer be forgiuen for these are his verie wordes there Verely I say vnto you al sinnes shal be forgiuē vnto the childrē of mē blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme but he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenes but is culpable of eternall damnation Mark 3. So likewise is that place in Matthewe of the keyes expounded in Iohn 20. by remitting or retaining of sinnes by all the Apostles and not by Peter only Nowe out of this note that Christ is the head and only great shepheard of his church commeth forth many good fruitfull branches for this whole church that is many good lessons for vs in doctrine maners For if Christ be the head of this congregation then it shal be perpetual and for euer because the head of it is for euer therefore the body must be so also As the Lord promiseth in Ieremie cha 31. saying This saieth the Lorde which giueth the sunne for a light to the day and the courses of the moone and of the starres a light to the night which breaketh the sea when the waues thereof roare his name is the Lord of hostes If these ordinances depart out of my sight sayeth the Lorde then shall the seede of Israel cease from being a nation before me for euer Thus sayth the Lorde If the heauens can be measured or the foundations of the earth be searched out beneath then will I cast off all the seede of Israel for all that they haue done sayth the Lorde By the which wordes the Lorde meaneth that his church shall continue for euer as the sunne moone starres doe which surely is very comfortable to all his to consider that they shall be for euer as their head is and haue immortalitie with him Againe if Christ be from the beginning then he hath had this church also from the beginning first in Adam then in Abel and Seth and so foorth in Noe. And this he hath and will preserue for they are his members whome he loueth and feedeth as a father doth his deare and owne children Psalm 103. And if Christ be the head of it it must needes be holy also as here we doe beleeue For howe should the body be vnholy when the head is so holy although this holines be not ful and perfite here for the church is in a continuail warrefare and fight against sinne and wickednesse yet it shall be perfited hereafter when it shal be fully ioyned with her head in heauen In the meane season it is called holy because it contendeth for holinesse and because the holinesse of Christ is imputed vnto it but this is not in it selfe for the church is taught to pray daily Forgiue vs our trespases and there is no man without sinne that liueth here in earth 1. Ioh. 1. yea this
this matter Our Sauiour Christ hath taught his to say dayly and hourely euen as long as they liue Forgiue vs our sinnes or trespasses Matth. 6. It is therefore a deuilish pride and presumption to say whosoeuer he be that he is no sinner for surely thē Christ can not helpe him for he came to saue sinners And yet there are some in the world and haue bene also that haue denied this So greatly that Satan bewitched them Well if these testimonies of scripture did not condemne them sufficiently yet I am sure their owne heart consciences some time or other wil accuse thē and their own mouth witnes against them Iob telleth vs this thing plainely in his booke Chap. 9. If I would iustifie my selfe my owne mouth would condemne me We see thē that we are al of vs euen the best wretched sinners Nowe as we are sinners so we must also learne to confesse and acknowledge these sinnes otherwise it is to no purpose if a man be a sinner and will not confesse it If a man be sicke and eyther doeth not or will not acknowledge it hee can not lyghtly bee healed of the Physitian for he wil not seeke vnto him Except a man feele his wound he will not go to the Surgeon and vnlesse a man be ignorant and seeth the want of his knowledge that he ought to haue he wil neuer desire to be further instructed but continewe still in his ignorance and blindnesse Who desireth meate that is not hungry or drinke that is not thirstie or clothes that thinketh he hath apparel ynough My meaning is this It is not ynough for a man to thinke he is a sinner vnlesse he hath an earnest and an effectual feeling of his sinnes in his conscience that they are as an heauy grieuous burden vnto him Thē if he come to Christ he shall quickly haue remedy for thē For he came not to cal the righteous y◠is thē that thought themselues ryghteous boasted of it for in deed there is none righteous before him but he came to cal poore sinners to repentāce And this agreeth with that notable saying of Paul that Christ Iesus came into this world to saue sinners wherof he cōfessed himself to be chiefe 1. Tim. 1. There is a notable place cōcerning this matter in the fourth of Luke where our Sauiour Christ entring into the Synagogue of Nazareth to reade and to preach on the Sabboth day found the place where it was writtē of him in the 61. of Esay saying The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath anointed me that I should preach the Gospel to the poore he hath sēt me that I shoulde heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and recouering of sight to the blinde that I shoulde set at libertie them that are brused and that I shoulde preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord. This place doeth shewe for whom Christ Iesus is sent and is meete that is for the poore the broken hearted the captiues in sinne the blinde in minde the bruised in pryson If we feele our selues to be such men Christ is sent vnto vs otherwise hee is not for vs. And this is the cause that made our Sauiour to keepe companie most commonly with Publicans and sinners and such as were infected with great sinnes offences as Marie Magdalene and Matthew and Zaccheus for these did willingly confesse their sinnes vnto him and so he cured them But on the contrary side hee refused the company of the Scribes and Pharises the hie Priestes and Doctors of the lawe because although they were sinners yea and grieuous sinners too yet they had an opinion of holines and righteousnesse in them selues aboue other men and iustified them selues before our Sauiour Christ as we see in the parable of the Publicane and Pharise that went vp both of them to praye into the Temple Luk. 18. These Pharises our sauiour saide they had no neede of the Physician because they dyd not acknowledge their infirmitie and weakenesse vnto him Christ in deede is meate but for the hungry Iohn 6. he is water and drinke but for the thirstie Esay 55. Iohn 7. he is a refreshing but for them that are loden and burdened Matth. 11. Doe wee giue almes at any time to a stout begger that although he haue neede yet wil not confesse it and aske his almes gently acknowledging his pouertie No more surely will the Lorde giue vnto any spirituall almes vnlesse wee shall humble our selues before him with true feeling of our pouertie and miserie For verely herein we must all of vs bee lyke vnto beggers that to mooue pitie and compassion shewe not the best thinges they haue if they haue any but the worst as their ragges their sores their pouertie and nakednesse And this moueth men the sooner to pitie them Dearely beloued in Christ the case standeth so and no otherwise betweene the Lorde and vs. If we will get any thing it is by falling downe and humbling our selues and not by vaunting of any thing that is in vs for he resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and lowly Do we not see it so by experience Is not the best pasture and meddowe grounde in the lowest places and valleyes and the most barren grounde in the hyghest hilles and mountaines So the graces of the Lorde rest in the lowe stomacke and heart and flee from the hye and loftie minde Let therefore euery hill and mountayne be layde lowe Luke 3. A notable example of this meeke and humble confession of our sinnes we haue in the Prophete Dauid who although he were a King yet when he was reprehended and reprooued sharpely of the Prophete Nathan for his adulterie and murder sayd without any replying or checking of the Prophete most mildely I haue sinned vnto the Lorde And therefore he heard incontinently that sweete answere from the Lorde The Lorde also hath put awaye thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. of Kinges 12. Chapter This thing Dauid reporteth of himself in the Psalme 32. Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto the Lorde neyther hid I mine iniquitie For I thought I will confesse agaynst my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lorde and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Looke in the Psalme 51. where hee describeth the same more at large This lesson is to be learned of vs all that when we commit sinne we shoulde not cloke our sinne as the hypocrites doe Looke vpon the poore Publicane and vpon Peter the one confessed them humbly the other wept for them most bitterly And surely so dyd all the good men doe from time to time Howe often doe the Prophetes Esay and Daniel confesse their sinnes and the sinnes of the people Did not Tobiah do the like and Paul him selfe doeth in many places confesse with griefe of minde that he was a persecuter of the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 15. yea that he had the relikes of sinne still abiding in him Rom.
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
as if wee had done them if wee doe but beleeue in him Good workes must bee done of vs for these three causes first because God hath commanded them secondly because he is glorified by them as our Sauiour sayeth Matthewe the fift Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Thirdly they must be done because they profite and further our poore neyghbours and brethren the needy members of Iesus Christ and in helping them wee helpe Iesus Christ himselfe Matth. 25. For so doeth hee account it as done to himselfe You may adde to these a fourth cause why good workes are to bee done although they saue vs not because they shall bee signes and tokens to men of our faith which is hid and within vs and shall declare that we are good Christians euen as the tree is knowen by his fruite for if wee haue no good workes surely wee haue no good faith but a deuils faith as Iames sayeth although wee bragge neuer so much of our faith This faith doeth not saue but is a dead faith without any workes The true faith that wee spake of before it doeth not saue vs in respect of the worthinesse or dignitie of it but because it doeth looke vnto Christ his marke or obiect and doeth apprehende him with his workes The Papistes saye that faith alone can not iustifie vs because it is vnperfect as wee say workes are which therefore can not saue vs. But we must vnderstand that the reason is not alike for we may haue a true a liuely faith in Christ although it be not in euery poynt perfit absolute No man can haue a perfit faith in this life for it doeth stil increase and growe in greater measure but the children of God they haue and may haue a true faith cleansed from hypocrisie and dissimulation And this true faith doeth iustifie euery one that looketh vp to Christ as well as a perfite faith Faith is likened to an hand whereby a man doeth receiue any thing Now we knowe by experience that one with an vnperfit hande that either lacketh a finger or a thumbe or that hath his hand sore or otherwise blemished may as well with his lame hand receiue a good and fine piece of golde from a riche man for his almes as one that hath a whole or sounde hande so may wee receyue from Christ if wee beleeue but a litle as much as a grayne of mustard seede in quantitie wee may receyue remission of sinnes and all other benefites of his death and passion as well as he that hath a stronger faith and a greater And nothing shall be vnpossible vnto vs as Christ sayde to his disciples in the like matter Matth. 17. Nowe faith is sayde to bee a firme and a constant assent of the minde to the wordes of God wrought by the motion of the holy ghost for the saluation of all the beleeuers Seeyng then so many excellent thinges are giuen vnto vs if wee abide faithfull and beleeue in the Lorde and seeing furthermore on the contrary part wee are depriued of all these promises and giftes if we haue no faith it behoueth vs to looke about and to examine well our selues our hearts our cōsciences our inwarde parts and affections to see whether we be in this faith or no and whether we cā vnfainedly persuade our selues before the Lorde that wee haue this true faith in Iesus Christ If we haue it let vs continue and abide in it to the end that we may be saued let vs vse the godly meanes and exercises of Christianitie whereby it may increase and waxe stronger in vs let vs frequent the hearing of sermōs and the worde of God in reading it also priuatly and let vs ioyne prayer to the Lord for this excellent gift of faith Likewise the sacraments are to be vsed which are an increasing of this faith vnto vs but with reuerence let vs often vse them Finally the cōpany and societie of the godly shall helpe much to this matter For as faith is gotten by these meanes so is it continued in vs and is lost if these exercises bee away If any feele him selfe voyde of faith let him beseeche the Lord Iesus the author of faith and giuer of it and say with the Apostles Lorde increase my faith and let him vse the wayes that I spake of euen now for faith commeth by hearing of the word of God which when we heare the holy Ghost worketh in vs yea the holy Ghost it selfe then commeth into our heartes by hearing the worde as it is reported in the Actes that while Peter spake the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the worde Actes 10. This fayth is our wedding garment without it wee shall be excluded and shut out from the marriage of the Lambe It is the oyle which we must alwayes haue in our lampes in a readinesse against the bridegrome come at midnight As the fire goeth out for lacke of wood so is fayth extinguished in vs for lacke of the worde of God and earnest hearty prayer wherby it is mainteyned The Iewes were cut off for their meredulitie Well we stand yet by faith let vs take heede least in thinking we stande we fall If the true and naturall oliues were not spared how shal we escape that are the wilde oliues if we prouoke the Lord These things although partly they haue bene touched already yet they cannot be spoken of too much seeyng they are the dueties of of all Christians the cōmandemēts of the Lord. This doctrine of faith in Christ Iesus that we are iustified by it alone by it obtaine remission of sinnes without the works of the law is not priuate to some but cōmon to al that do vnfeynedly beleeue it whether they be rich or poore prince or begger bond or free Iew or Gētile in this countrey or that al are one in Christ Iesus who is brother to all alike and there is no respect of persons with God Actes 10. which is a father alike to all that call vpon him in faith and trueth This as it is ioyfull and comfortable to all so is it most specially to all them that are afflicted in minde to them whose calling is but base and abiect in the worlde to such whom the worlde maketh no account of briefly to all that are in pouerty and miserie forsaken of the worlde for Christes sake Neyther is this doctrine new or strange as the aduersaries doe falsely slaunder it which say it was neuer heard of before the time of Luther It is not so this doctrine is as ancient as the Prophets of God are all they are witnesses vnto it and was in the primitiue Church taught of the Apostles For what els do we say but that we receiue remission of sinnes through faith in Christes name And doth not S. Peter in the Actes the tenth chapter say the very same and confirmeth it
by the testimonies of all the Prophetes Marke his wordes wel for they proue our purpose and confirme the three points that we haue set downe in this article first that we al are sinners secōdly that Christ doth forgiue thē freely thirdly y◠by faith it is we lay holde on this remissiō His words are these euery one of them very effectuall To him saith hee meaning Christ of whom hee made that excellent sermon going before vnto the captaine Cornelius giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shal receiue remission of sinnes Peter doeth shewe that this doctrine which wee teache is not newe or hereticall but catholike and such as the Prophetes them selues all long agoe did teache that by fayth in Christ euery one that beleeueth shall haue pardon of all his sinnes whether they be committed before or after baptisme whether they be actuall or originall or whether they be in thought or in worde or in deede if wee beleue stedfastly they shall all bee forgiuen vs for Christs sake I speake here nothing of that great and horrible sinne against the holy Ghost which is irremissible I hope in the Lorde wee shall neuer haue any thing to doe with it and therefore I will not intreate of it or what it is Let this bee our comfort that wee that haue any feare of God any loue to Iesus Christ our sweete sauiour any reuerence to heare his blessed worde and Gospell and to receiue his holy sacramentes we I saye that haue any motion to these thinges are farre off from this sinne and it shall not come nere our dwellings You haue heard nowe dearely beloued what it is we haue to learne and beare away vpon this article what is the meaning of it what partes of doctrine it doeth conteine in it This article and the beliefe of it is very comfortable yea the ioyfullest thing of all others in this life is to heare of the remission of sinnes and that of all when the least of them is able to plucke vs downe to hell and there to holde vs in chaynes of darkenesse for euer and euer without any hope of recouery were it not for his mercies in Iesus Christ The Lorde doeth in deede bestowe dayly many good and great blessings vpō vs in his mercy for the which wee ought continually to thanke him but this benefite of the washing away of all our sinnes in Christes blood doeth as farre passe and excell them all as either the Diamonde doeth the stone in the streate or els the purest and finest golde that may bee the filthiest drosse and durt that can be founde so great a grace is it in Christ freely to haue all our sinnes wiped out of Gods remembrance But nowe let vs giue as wee are dieply bounde most humble and hearty thankes to God the father for sending Iesus Christ his sonne into the worlde to take vpon him our sinnes and to beare them all away in his body and let vs withall thanke this good and bountiful sauiour Iesus Christ for vouchsauing to humble him selfe so farre for our sakes as to haue our sinnes imputed vnto him and to bee layde vpon his backe and to suffer the punishment dewe for them all And let vs also pray both night and daye vnto him to take them away from vs more and more and to kill this raging sinne within vs by the scepter of his holy woorde and operation of his mighty spirite that notwithstanding sinne be in vs as it shall be to the last daye yet it may not reigne in vs or be a tyrant ouer vs but that we may mortifie it from time to time vntill wee come to that state wherein it shall bee cleane put awaye and altogether destroyed which will bee when we shall meete together in the ioyfull and happy resurrection of our bodyes whereof we are to speake in the article following These thinges the Lorde God graunt vnto vs al for his sonnes sake to whome with the holy Ghost be rendred all prayse and glorie and thankesgiuing both nowe and for euer more Amen The eleuenth article of our Christian faith and the eleuenth lecture vpon it which is The resurrection of the body IN the fourth part of this our Christian beliefe which was of the church I declared that there were three consequents or benefites annexed vnto it The first you haue heard which was the remission of sinnes Now doth ensue the second which is the resurrection or rising againe of our flesh and bodie And this article doeth folowe in very good and apt order after the former for as by the first Adams sinne and ours our bodies became mortall subiect vnto death so hauing remission of our sinnes by Christ the second Adam our bodies shal hereafter be made immortall raised from death to an euerlasting better life thē that which we should haue had in Paradise if Adam we had cōtinued in our state of innocency This resurrection is the repairing and the renuing againe of the whole man to a most blessed and perfite estate of lyfe The meaning therefore of this article is thus much I that am a Christian do most certainely beleeue that not only my body but the bodyes of all men that euer haue bene from the beginning of the world to the end of it shall at the last day of iudgement by the power of Christ at his comming be raysed vp againe being the same in substance but not in qualities whether they be rotted in the graue or burnt in the flaming fire or consumed of beastes or drowned in the sea deuoured of fishes or els of birds And I moreouer beleeue that they shal be ioyned to their soules inseperably at the which resurrection the godly shall haue a full ende of all their miseries and paynes here with full possession of eternall life and that the wicked and reprobate shall goe into euerlasting hel fire which is prepared for the deuil and his angels This is the true sense and meaning of this article of the resurrection Now let vs see what good lessons may be gathered out of it for our instruction that wee may the better profite in the way of true godlinesse and Christianity Three things are to be cōsidered in this resurrectiō First that according to the scriptures there shall one day be a generall resurrection of good and bad Secondly to what ende this shal be Thirdly the consolation and comfort that wee may reape and inioy by this resurrection in the applying of it to our owne consciences I am not ignorant howe that very many thinges must be repeated here which haue bene spoken of before both in the article of Christes resurrection which is a playne confirmation and proofe of this and also in the other artice of his cōming agayne to iudgement which shal be then when this article shal be fully accomplished vnto vs. These thinges are so incident the one to the other I meane Christes
pleasure here otherwise the Lorde should not bee iust Looke vpon the 21. chap. of Iob and you shall see that long before Dauid he tooke vp the like complaint then when he sawe that wealth ease in this life of the godlesse contemners of religion We see howe the Iewes the children of God were stil afflicted of their enemies kept vnder the rod when as their persecutors the Assyrians y◠Caldeans the Persians the Grecians the Romanes with the rest liued in al wealth peace and worldly prosperitie It remayneth therfore that they one day should feele the rewarde of sinne in their bodies which haue sinned the which thing seldome commeth to effect in this present state of life The Lord hath said by Esaie his Prophet in the 65. chap. Behold my seruants shal eate and ye shal be hungry behold my seruāts shall drinke and ye shal be thirsty behold my seruants shal reioyce and ye shal be ashamed behold my seruants shal sing for ioy of heart and ye shall crie for sorow of heart and shal houle for vexatiō of minde Although this be somewhat accomplished euen here vnder the kingdome of grace wherby the godly do reioyce the wicked are somewhat quailed yet shall it especially be seene in the kingdome of glory when the elect shal be fully set in sure possession of all ioyes and the wicked haue full measure of all their deserued punishments To end thē this matter the vse of this doctrine is this seeing the wicked shal be rewarded seuen fold into their bosome and shall make and giue an account very strait of all their life wickedly vngraciously spent vpon the earth let not vs freat at them before the time as Dauid counselleth vs neither let vs enuy their hie so prosperous estate for they shall soone be cut down like grasse shall wither as the greene herbe Lo see their cōtinuance to what thing it is likened of the holy Ghost Psal 37. The third thing in this resurrection is the comfort that thereby doth ensue to the godly when they thinke meditate vpō it which surely is very great For they that are wel perswaded in minde of the resurrectiō of their bodies can not but at the last houre of death depart ioyfully merrily out of this life yea desire this day as the faithful and godly do as Paul did I desire saith he to be losed to be with Christ The hope great cōfort of the resurrection made him to pray so But they that are not fully persuaded of this true article die very vnwillingly with griefe sorow of mind thinking they shal lose all pleasure here inioy none in the life to come as the Epicures belly gods do imagine whose liues sayings are most liuely set forth in the second of Wisdom which chapter I would greatly wishe to be read of all men Againe the sure beliefe of this doth comfort vs when we haue here lost our deare friends and acquaintance because one day we shal inioye their company againe So did Paul comfort the Thessaloniās that they should not be fory for them that were dead as those that haue no hope that they shal see thē againe as the heathens did who lamēted out of al measure for their friēds as in deede hauing no hope at al of the resurrectiō as we see it came to passe in Cicero who could not be comforted for the death of his daughter Tulliola whom he loued so well although his friend Seruius wrote most comfortably vnto him The cogitation hereof doeth arme vs against all persecutions to suffer all thinges with a quiet and ioyfull mynde as the martyrs did endure all kindes of tormentes in their bodies because they knewe their bodies should bee after a more excellent and glorious sort restored to thē againe in an other life Furthermore this will cause vs to abstaine from all vnlawfull pleasures of the flesh and of sinne considering we shall haue pleasures in the resurrection without ende and that wee shall reape there ioy without wearines if wee faint not here With this resurrection did Iob comfort him selfe in his greatest extremities saying I knowe that my redeemer liueth and that I shall see him in my flesh Iob 19. This was the comfort of Paul in all his persecutions that hee suffered for the Gospel of Christ that the dead should rise againe the good to glorie the wicked to shame and reproche 1. Cor. 15. Our sauiour exhorted rich men in this lyfe to giue almes to the poore because they should be recōpensed in the resurrection of the iust Luk. 14. Esay cōforteth the afflicted church in his time with hope of the resurrection saying Thy dead shal rise euē with my body shal they rise Esaie 26. And what is els the cōfort of the godly at this day in such sorowfull times and dangerous dayes of sinne but onely the sure hope of this blessed resurrectiō This is a comfort to euery godly man when he thinketh vpon it For this day is called the restoring of all things againe to their former perfection Act. 3. It would greatly reioyce the lame mā or creeple to heare that all his limmes should bee restored againe perfectly as they were at the first Likewise it would make glad the heart of the naked to heare that he should be clothed with most pretious garments of silke and gold And why then should not we reioyce ten thousand times more to heare that we shall be restored to all integritie of body and soule and clothed with most perfite and pure innocency of life for euer and euer For our comfort this day is likened to the pleasant time of haruest wherein the godly shall be gathered into the barne of Christ as pure wheat and the wicked cast out into the fire as the vnprofitable chaffe good for nothing Matth. 13. So that they which sowe here in teares shall there reape in ioy This day is also termed by Christ Paul the day of the redemption of our bodies from all miseries for they shall bee no more sicke weake deformed lame naked hungry thirsty and that which is the greatest of all they shall cease from sinning any more for they shal be like the glorious body of Iesus Christ without spot or blemish And is not this a singular comfort The finest body here is but a carion in respect of the foulest there In this day the righteous shall haue dominion ouer the wicked Psalm 49. Dauid when he considered of this day so ioyfull sayde that his heart did reioyce because his body should not for euer be left in the graue Psalm 16. This day is called of Paul to Titus 2. The blessed hope of the effect which it hath to make vs there all blessed without ende in ioy vnspeakeable This resurrection which leadeth vnto euerlasting life may well be likened to the last doore that in the court or palace of kings leadeth into the princes priuy chamber
entreateth of the benefites or fruites which we receiue by the same fayth which he maketh in number three the first is the forgiuenesse of sinnes the second is the resurrection of the fleshe the third last fruit is life euerlasting Of these fiue parts he hath made an hundreth seuerall articles the first parte conteyneth 14. The second 27. The third 5. The fourth 41. The fifth and last part conteyneth thirteene articles the contents of which articles are handeled as followeth A briefe and cleare confession of the Christian faith containing an hundred articles according to the order of the Creede of the Apostles I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth The first Article I Beleeue in one God onely one in essence and substance three in person the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost I beleeue in the Father as the originall and beginning of all things as well visible as inuisible Of whome also they depende as well in their being as also in their conseruation and he dependeth vpon none but on him selfe being eternall and euerlasting without end or beginning I beleeue in the Sonne as the diuine worde and wisdome of the father which is eternally and before al worlde 's engendred of the father of his proper substance and nature because in him shineth his shape and proper Image which otherwise is inuisible vnto mortal man I beleeue in the holy Ghost as a vertue eternall power which neither is made nor created neither engendred but proceeding of the father and of the sonne eternally euen as a loue proceeding from both persons The second Article I beleeue that these three persons are of one and the selfe same essence and substāce nature authoritie power will goodnes wisdome and eternitie and that these three are but one spirituall substance eternall without ende or beginning true good iust mercifull of a souerayne power and wisdome hauing and containing in it selfe all goodnes not needing any thing The third Article I beleeue that this God which is one in essence and three in person ought onely to be serued honored feared loued worshipped and to be called vpon in all our necessities as he that onely can and will prouide therefore and none other And therefore I say and confesse that I beleeue in one God onely that is to say that I knowledge and receiue him for one onely Lord master and sauiour of whome proceedeth all that is good in me by whom I can do al things without whom I can do nothing In him onely doe I set mine affiance and set mine heart hoping that he assisting me with his holy spirit shall be with me against all mē and that he will deliuer me from al perils and daungers through his grace and mercie without any merites of mine owne and that he shall minister to me all things necessarie as well for my soule as body euen like a good father as hee hath promised by his holy word The fourth Article I beleeue that the same God almightie hath of nothing created from the beginning both heauen and earth and all things in them conteined that is to say all things as well heauenly as earthly visible as inuisible reasonable as vnreasonable sensible as insensible the which hee doth entertaine leade guide gouerne by his diuine wisdom without whose prouidēce nothing commeth to passe either in this world or in the other The fift Article I beleeue that the same God the father the sonne and holy Ghost after that hee had created all things did create and shape man to his own image likenes that is to say immortal good iust true wise mercifull and perfit in all things making him partaker of the goodnes iustice and other perfections of God hauing a will that could agree in all things vnto the will of his Lorde but all that thorowe grace without any kinde of merit The vi article I beleeue also that as the Lord hath created al things heauenly and earthly for the seruice of man and to the ende that by his creatures he might come to the knowledge of the creator euen so also hath he formed made man for thim selfe that of him and by him he might be knowen loued feared serued honored which is the greatest good thing that is or can be in man and that in him might shine the image of diuine vertues and perfections through good works the which God hath ordeined because wee should walke in them vnto his honour and praise to the confusion of the aduersary and that by this meane the fal of the Angels might be repaired and that mā might possesse the euerlasting kingdome made and prepared for him before the foundations of the worlde were laide The vii article I beleeue that the same man was ordeined of the Lord God a master ruler ouer all his creatures the which thing he hath lost through his sinne aswell for his owne part as also for al his posteritie The which rule Lordship I beleeue doth chiefly appertaine vnto Iesus Christ verely God man to those vnto whom he wil communicate the same as vnto his owne faithfull and not vnto the infidels and damned The viii article I beleeue that the first man through the craft and subtiltie of Satan did slide and fall from the excellencie wherein the Lord had created him consenting thorowe his owne free will which at that time he had vnto the subtil suggestion of the Serpent whereby he lost the graces that the Lorde had giuen him in such sort that of wise hee became foolish of iust vniust of true a liar of perfit altogether vnperfect hauing frō thenceforth a will wholly corrupted which neither could nor would agree with the will of God but altogether with the wil of the deuil the worlde the flesh sinne which could do nothing of him selfe but euill seeing that he is altogether carnal bond captiue and sold vnder sinne This is the free yea to say more truely the bond will that man hath in this present life The ix Article I beleeue that this disorder and corruption of nature was not only in Adam because of his sinne but is also in all men generally which come of him Iesus Christ only excepted and that in such sort that all men after their own nature are corrupt vniust lyers ignorant vnkind and imperfect in al things haue no power of their owne nature to do thinke speake or will any thing that may please God vntil that they be regenerate renewed by the spirit of the Lord. The x. Article I beleeue that this corruption of nature otherwise called original sinne is the fountayne roote of all other sinnes for the which all the miseries aduersities that wee endure in this present life aswell in bodye as soule do come vnto vs yea in the end double death that is to say both of bodie soule These be the fruites rewards of sinne But although the same
be due common to all men generally neuerthelesse the Lord through his mercy hath reserued to himselfe a certaine nūber which are onely knowne to himselfe the which he hath drawē from this corrupt heape hath sanctified clensed the same in the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ by meanes thereof hath made them vessels of election honour apt vnto all good workes The xi Article I beleeue that the Father in Iesu Christ his sonne thorow the holy Ghost hath elected chosē those y◠are his owne according to his good will before the foundations of the world were layed whō he hath predestinate vnto eternall life that there by they might be his children adoptiues ouer whom he hath without comparison a much greater care thē the best father can haue ouer the best child in the world for he suffereth not that any thing shall come to passe either on high in heauen or beneath on earth which shall not be for their good and great profite The xii Article I beleeue that the father through his sonne with the holy ghost hath alwaies frō the beginning intended to restore mā vnto whom after he had sinned he shewed him selfe promising vnto him that blessed seede by whome the heade of the serpent should be troden downe and by whome the faithful shoulde receyue blessing By this promise which hath since bene oftentimes ratifyed and confirmed to the holie fathers man which otherwise had dispayred in sinne is releeued holpen comforted and clothed with hope euen vnto the ful performing thereof The thirteenth Article I beleeue also that after this promise the Lorde hath prescribed and giuen the lawe of the commandements to man promising life to the obseruers therof death to the transgressours of the same and hee gaue them not to the ende that man should seeke iustification saluation or life therein but for the policie peace and tranquilytie of his people for the defence of the good for the chastenyng and punyshing of the wicked to preserue eche one in his office but especially that therebye man might the better know himselfe his disease his pouertie and imperfection and by meane thereof to take an occasion to humble himselfe before this lawe giuer to seeke remedy saluation life in some other that is to saie in the holie promised seede which is Iesus Christ For this cause the lawe is called a scholemaster to come to Christ the which also serueth vs for a glasse to knowe our sinnes by and to encrease the same knowledge in vs. Likewise it serueth vs for an accuser to accuse vs before the Lorde and for a seuere and cruell iudge to declare the wrath and iudgement of God ouer vs and his condemnation vnto eternall death and by this meane to make vs afraide and to bring vs vnto dispaire vntill we be comforted by the Gospell through faith in Iesus Christ wherby we are deliuered frō all these causes These are the offices of the lawe the which are turned into our good through fayth in the Gospell the which hath other offices and cleane contrary For the rest I confesse that the lawe of the Lorde is good iust holy and perfit and where the same doth not bring vs vnto perfection it is not long of it selfe but of vs which are altogether vnperfect and can in no wise accomplish the same no not to touch it with our litle finger The xiiii article I beleeue and confesse Iesus Christ to be the fulnes the ende and accomplishmēt of the Lawe to the iustification of all that beleeue thorow whom and by whom only all the promises of the father be accomplished yea euen to the vttermost the which also alone hath perfectly satisfied the Lawe in that which no other amōgst men coulde persourme for so much as the law doeth cōmaund things impossible y◠which neuertheles mā must accōplish not by working but through beleeuing For so is the lawe accomplished through faith and not through works by this meanes shal man find the righteousnes of faith to be auaileable before the Lord not the righteousnesse of works y◠which leadeth nothing vnto perfection As concerning the first poynt of my faith this is y◠which I beleeue of the father y◠things that are made by him consequētly of the holie Trinitie also of the soule of man Nowe let vs come to the second point which is of the Sonne of God and of the thinges done by him especially of the restoring repairing agayne of man 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lorde which was cōceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descēded into hel the third day he rose againe frō the dead he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead The xv Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ is veryly God and verily man hauing two natures comprehended in one person a nature diuyne after the which he is the onely naturall sonne of God equall with the father in all thinges and a nature humane after the which he is verye man in al things like vnto vs synne excepted The xvi Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ the sonne of God in the fulnesse of the tyme appointed of the father from the beginning was sent into the worlde by the father was made perfect man and was conceiued in the wombe of a woman being a pure virgine called Marie of her proper substance of her proper bloud so that he was found a perfect man descēding of the seede of Adā Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid other fathers vnto whome the promise was made The .xvii. Article I beleeue also that all this was done by the working of the holye Ghost without the worke of man to the ende that all that was wrought therein might be holye and without spot pure and cleane And that thereby our conception might be made cleane holy which of it selfe is altogether spotted and defyled with sinne The xviii Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ was borne of the Virgyne Marye without any manner of sinne and without breach of her virginitie so that by his pure and holye natiuitie he hath purified and made holye ours which of it self is altogether vncleane defyled with sinne In this Natiuitie of Christ I see and consider the first estate condition of man with his fall which was y◠cause of Christ his cōming into the world Likewise in this I see and consider the fauour and inestimable loue of God the father which hath presented and giuen his onely sonne to serue vs. I see also and consider in this Natiuity the charytie of the sonne which hath abased humbled himselfe to lifte vs vp became poore to make vs riche became bonde to make vs free became the sonne of man to make vs the children of God
heires of eternal life By whose comming the nature of man is repaired and made noble and man that was lost and destroyed was thereby releeued sette in his perfection and hath recouered all that he hath lost through sinne yea and more By the same meane also all the treasures graces and blessings of the Lorde are giuen communicated vnto man but all this through grace without any merites The nineteenth Article I beleeue also and confesse by the holy scriptures an other conception and birth of Iesus Christ which is spirituall the which I say is of no lesse dignitye then the first The which is that euery one that is faithfull ought to conceaue into his heart and spirite Iesus Christ through a trewe and liuely faith and to bring him foorth by open confessing of him with his mouth as often and when soeuer it shal be needefull I doe esteeme this conception and natiuitie to be so necessary to saluation that if the virgin Mary had not more blessedly borne Iesus Christ in her heart and spirit then in her belly her carnall motherhoode would haue profited her little By and for this cause are we called mothers brethren and sisters of Iesus Christ The twentieth Article I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ is verely Christ that is to say the Messias annoynted by the holy Ghost because he was y◠very king the Prophet and great sacrificer that should sacrifice for all that beleeue the which also is promised in the Law and is y◠same of whom al the Prophets haue spokē This annoynting of Christ is not corporall of a material and visible oyle as was that of the kynges Priestes and Prophetes in tymes past but it is spirituall of an inuisible oyle which is the grace giftes of the holy Ghost wherewith he is replenished aboue all others So that this anoynting is descended euen vnto vs which haue felt and proued the sweetnesse thereof and by it also we beare the name of Christiās that is to say anoynted The xxi Article I beleeue that this sacrificing of Iesus Christ was not Leuiticall or carnal to immolate offer vp and to sacrifice beastes kyne and other sensible thinges as did Aaron his successours but spiritual to offer and sacrifice himselfe that is to say his body bloud for the remission of the sinnes of the whole worlde Euen as likewise his kingdome is not of this world carnall but spiritual which consisteth in the guyding gouerning of his owne by his holy spirit ouer whome he raigneth by his worde and that to the destruction of al his aduersaries which are sinne death hell Satan and all infideles wicked and reprobate The xxii Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ hath verely exercised these three offices that is to saye of a Prophete of a King and a sacrificer not onely in this worlde being a mortall man as we are but also that he exerciseth yet daily the same in heauen before the face of the father where he sitteth and appeareth continually for vs and from thence by his holy Spirit doeth teach helpe maynteine and defende his owne and therefore is hee called a Prophete a King and a great Sacrificator after the order of Melchisedek that is to say eternall and not after the order of Aaron which had his ende with the Lawe The xxiii Article I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ after that hee had preached the Gospel in the countrey of Iudea and Galilee by the space of three yeres or there about declared him self to be the naturall Sonne of God aswel by his marueilous workes as by his words and the writings of the Prophets was vniustly and falsely accused by the Priestes whom when they had taken and in their counsell vniustly had condemned him to death they brought him bound to Pilate the Prouost then at Hierusalem who at the instance of the sayde Priestes dyd vniustly wrongfully and without cause condemne him to death and that the most horrible and slaunderous death that coulde be imagined or deuised that is to saye to be put on the crosse crucified betweene two theeues as if hee had bene their Prince and Captaine The which thing hee suffered and endured willingly and innocently without deseruing the same For otherwise coulde he not haue satisfied for vs neither could his crosse haue profited vs. The xxiiii Article I beleeue also that while hee was vpon the sayd crosse dying and giuing vp his spirite vnto God his Father he descended into hell that is to say He did verily taste and feele the great distresse and heauinesse of death and likewise the paynes and tormentes of hell That is to say the great wrath and seuere iudgement of God vpon him euen as if God had vtterly forsaken him yea as though God had beene his extreeme enemie so that hee was constrayned with loude voyce to crye My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This is simply my vnderstanding of Christ his descending into hell And besides I knowe well that this article hath not from the beginning bene in the Creede and that many others haue otherwise both vnderstanded and interpreted it which esteeme that Christ verely and in deede descended into hell to the place of the damned alledging the text of Saint Peter the which I confesse is yet couered and hid from me The Lorde vouchsafe to open the gate vnto vs and to giue vs an entrance into such mysteries The xxv Article I beleeue that all this was done not for him selfe which neuer committed sinne in whose mouth was neuer founde deceite nor lie but for the loue of vs poore and miserable sinners whose place he occupied vpon the crosse as a pledge or one that represented the person of all the sinners that euer were be nowe or shall be vnto the worldes ende And because they through their sinnes haue deserued to feele tast of the extreme paynes of death to be forsaken of God and of all creatures to feele the wrath and seuere iudgement of God vpon them Christ which was their pledge satisfying for them vpon the crosse hath fealt and endured all the same and that altogether to make vs free to deliuer vs from all these paynes from the wrath and iudgement of GOD from condemnation and eternall death And I doe clearely reiect and esteeme as fables all the Limbos of the fathers and of yong children Purgatorie and such other like to bee follyes mockeries and abuses which are inuented and founde out by man without the worde of the Lord. For I neyther beleeue nor receyue more then two places in the worlde to come that is to say heauen for the faythfull and elect with the angels and hell for the infidels reprobate with the deuils The xxvi Article I beleeue and consider this death and passion euen as I doe all other mysteries of Iesus Christ not onely as touching the historie as a paterne and example to followe as was that of the holy men and women which
are dead for the Lordes quarell but also principally as touching the cause fruites and vses thereof thereby to knowe the greatnesse of my sinnes the grace and mercie of the Father and the charitie of the Sonne by whome wee are reconciled vnto GOD deliuered from the tyrannie of the deuill and restored to the libertie of the spirite This is the glasse without spotte to teache vs to knowe our filthinesse the lauer or cleare fountayne to wash and clense vs the infinite treasure to satisfie all our creditours Of whome and by whome onely the diuine iustice is fully satisfied for all the sinnes of all that haue beene be nowe or shall bee vnto the ende of the worlde And therefore I doe beleeue and confesse that Christ his condemnation is mine absolution that his crucifying is my deliuerance his descending into hell is mine ascending into heauen his death is my life his blood is my clensing and purging by whome onely I am washed purified and clensed from all my sinnes so that I neyther receyue neyther beleeue any other Purgatorie eyther in this worlde or in the other whereby I may bee purged but onely the blood of Iesus Christ by the which all are purged and made cleane for euer The xxvii Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ by the sacrifice of his bodie which hee offered vpon the tree of the crosse hath defaced and destroyed sinne death and the deuill with all his kingdome and hath wholie performed the woorke of our saluation and hath abolished and made an ende of all other sacrifices So that from thence foorth there is none other propiciatorie sacrifice eyther for the liuing or the dead to bee looked for or sought for thē the same For by this one onely oblation hath he consecrated for euer all those that are sanctified The xxviii Article I beleeue that the holy Supper of the Lorde is not a sacrifice but onely a remembrance and commemoration of this holy sacrifice of Iesus Christ Therefore it ought not to be worshipped as GOD neyther as Christ therein conteyned who must bee worshipped in fayth onely without all corruptible elements Likewise I beleeue and confesse that the Popish masse is the inuention and ordinance of man a sacrifice of Antichrist and a forsaking of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ that is to say of his death and passion and that it is a stinking and infected sepulchre which hideth and couereth the merite of the blood of Christ and therefore ought the masse to bee abolished and the holy Supper of the Lorde to be restored and set in his perfection againe The xxix Article I beleeue also that as the Prophete Ionas was in the Whales bellie which is a place of corruption three dayes and three nyghtes without being corrupted and the thirde daye came out of him alyue without any maner of hurte Euen so Iesus Christ after hee was dead was layed and put in a newe Sepulchre which is a place of corruption in the which hee was three dayes and three nyghtes not touched with any kynde of infection of fylthinesse or corruption but continued in his perfection to declare the vertue of his blood to accomplish the wrytings of the holy Prophetes and to verifie the trueth aswell of his bodie as of his death with whome I beleeue that the lawe was buryed abrogated and abolished as touching the faythfull not as the acquiting of an obligation whereby they shoulde bee no more bounde to lyue and walke therein but onely as concerning condemnation that is to saye that the transgression of the Lawe condemneth them not before the iudgement seate of GOD because of their fayth which they haue in Iesus Christ And therefore with in one Sepulchre I doe comprehend three things to bee buried That is to saye Christ the Lawe and all the faythfull which ought to be crucified and buried with Christ through the mortification of their flesh The xxx Article I beleeue that as Iesus Christ was put to death for our sinnes so also hee rose agayne the thirde daye for our iustification vnto euerlasting life wherein hee hath openly declared him selfe both GOD and man obtayning the victorie ouer all his aduersaries and hath confounded and beaten downe all his enemies that is to say the worlde sinne death hell and Satan not for him selfe but for vs that beleeue in him knowing that his victorie is ours and that in him and by him wee ouercome the selfe same enemies obtayning the victorie ouer them vnto the honour of the Lorde and our great profite The xxxi Article I beleeue and consider this resurrection of Iesus Christ not onely as an hystorie as was that of Lazarus and other such like which miraculously were raysed vp by the vertue of the Lorde but also as the example and cause efficient of my rysing againe and as the earnest and first fruites of the generall resurrection of all that beleeue That as Iesus Christe was raysed vp the thyrde day after his death vnto eternall lyfe thorowe his diuine vertue Euen soe by the same vertue I hope one day to bee raysed vp in bodye and soule vnto eternall lyfe after that I haue here in this worlde beene raysed vp in spirite thorowe liuely and true faith in newnes of life mortifiyng and crucifiyng the fleshe with the affections and concupiscences of the worlde the which ought to bee dead and crucified to vs and wee to it For wee are buried with Christe in his death thorowe Baptisme to the ende that as hee is risen from death by the glorie of the father without dying any more euen so wee shoulde walke in newenesse of life without seruing of sinne any more searching alwayes principally for the thinges that are on high heauenly and eternall and forsaking the earthly and transitorie thinges of the worlde knowing that wee haue not here an abyding Citie but that we must seeke for that which is to come The xxxii Article I beleeue and confesse that Iesus Christ the fourtieth day after his resurrection visibly and before all his Apostles did ascende into heauen that is to saye in the maiestie of his father in glory and eternal felicitie in the which hee was before hee came into this miserable worlde to become man yea euen before the foundation of the worlde was layde that is to say from euerlasting The xxxiii Article I beleeue that he is ascended into heauen to accomplishe and to fynishe all thinges and to open heauen for vs that wee might ascende after him and followe him as our head to bee eternally knitte with him in glorie the which thing here wee beginne thorowe fayth In like maner hee hath done the same for the benefite of his Churche that hee might sende vnto his Apostles that comforter that hee promised them by the which they were comforted instructed and guided in all trueth and there by is his Church supported maintayned and defended against all the blastes of Satan and all the gates of Hell The xxxiiii Article I beleeue
also that hee is ascended into heauen to bee our Patrone intercessour mediatour and aduocate and that hee nowe appeareth for vs before the face of the father obtayning for vs grace and abundance of all good thinges in such sorte that I neither knowledge nor receiue anye other mediatour betwixt GOD and man neyther any other aduocate or intercessour before GOD the father then his onely sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde To him doe I resorte with him doe I holde my selfe contented and none other doe I search for neyther will I fearyng to blaspheme the name of GOD by giuyng that vnto the creature that appertayneth onely to the Creator and to the seruant that which onely apperteyneth vnto the master The xxxv Article I beleeue that all they which demaunde seeke for or receyue any other mediator intercessour or aduocate towardes GOD the father then Iesus Christ his Sonne the same blasphemeth agaynst God and doeth dishonour vnto Iesus Christ and vnto the saintes by whom he prayeth For as God the father wil bee knowen serued loued feared and honoured in his Sonne and by his onely sonne Iesus Christ and not by any other meanes euen so will hee be prayed vnto and called vpon in his and by his onely Sonne Iesus Christ and none other wise In this I will neither dispraise nor thinke or speake euil of the blessed Saintes which are in heauen with the Lord but I wil haue them in honour and reuerence them as the faythfull saints of the Lord as the Temple of the holy Ghost as the true members of Christ and haue them as glasses paterns before myne eyes to followe them aswel in their honest life good conuersation as also in their faythfull and holy doctrine And as concerning them or by thē I do vnderstand none other thing knowing that al my good my helpe and succour proceedeth of God onely by the meane of Iesus Christ alone which hath made the Saintes worthie of his glorie by his onely grace by the which also I beleeue hee will make mee worthie with them to bee their companion in glory that wee all together shoulde giue vnto him onelyall honour prayse and glorie for euermore The xxxvi Article I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ is set on the right hande of God the father almightie that is to say that he reigneth in one and the same maiestie and equall power with God his father by the which hee so gouerneth his owne vnto the worldes ende that the power of none aduersarie can annoye them without his permission and will I beleeue also that the Father hath made him Lorde and ruler ouer all creatures as well heauenly as earthly giuing vnto him all power ouer heauen and earth and that he hath lift him vp aboue all rule power and Lordship and aboue euery name that is named not onlie in this worlde but also in the worlde to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all thinges to bee the head of his Church which is his body Ephe. 1. 21. And therfore I neither receiue neither acknowledge any other Head of the Church but onely Iesus Christ which hath giuen his blood to wash away the filthines and to heale the woundes thereof and the same to preserue nourish defende and gouerne by his holy spirite The same is the onely Head and foundation of the Church whereon euery one ought to builde according to his vocacion The xxxvii Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen and that hee is there corporally that is to say in fleshe in body and in soule after such sorte that hee neither is nor can after the same meane and fashion be here beneath on earth with vs for as much as his body although it bee glorious can not bee in diuers and many places at one time but be so in one place after the nature of a glorified bodie that it can not bee in an other otherwise it shoulde not bee a true and naturall bodie but phantasticall that is to say a thing apparant and not in deede which is false and wholye agaynst our faith And therefore doe I saye and confesse that the true and naturall bodye of Christe is in heauen and that from thence hee shall not come vntyll hee hath made all his enemies his footestoole and then shall hee come to iudge the quicke and dead The xxxviii Article I beleeue that when the number of the electe children of GOD shall bee accomplished the Lorde Iesus in the selfe same bodie in the which hee suffered and was crucified with the which hee rose and ascended into heauen in the selfe same shall hee come with great power and Maiestie visiblye in a cloude euen as hee ascended and that to iudge both the quicke and the dead and shall render vnto euery one according to iustice vnto the good that hee shall finde amongst them according to their goodnesse and vnto the euill according to their wickednesse This iudgement shall bee general that is to saye all shall bee called and personally summoned therevnto by the voyce of an Angell at the which all shall appeare as well the good as the euyll the electe as the reprooued to the ende that euery one maye render an accompt and reckonyng before the iudgement seate of Christe of all that hath beene done by them in this worlde whether it be good or euill yea euen of their idle woordes the which they esteeme no sinne Then shal be saued all those that are founde written in the booke of life The xxxix Article A beleeue that then shal be made the total and last separation of the good from the euill of the elect from the reprobate the which now are all mingled together as the good and the euil fish in one nette the chaffe and the corne the cockle with the wheate but when the haruest commeth hee which hath the fanne in his hand shal make a separation and shall gather the corne into his garner but the chaffe and cockle he shal cast into the fire to burne eternally Then shall perfitly be declared and knowen the iustice and mercy of the Lorde and likewise the fruite of the crosse blood of Iesus Christ the which thing nowe we knowe onely but in parte but then the good and elect shall knowe the Father vpon whome they haue buylded their hope and shal not be confounded in like maner the wicked shal knowe the Father against whome they haue stumbled whom they haue refused contemned and despised and shal be confounded Then shall the Lorde make an ende of his office and ministerie for his mysticall body shall then be wholly finished and accomplished with all his members and he shal render vp his kingdome and his espouse which is the Church vnto God his Father altogether glorious irreprehensible and acceptable without spotte or wrinkle Then shall perfectly be ouercome destroyed and confounded Satan and hell sinne and death and all
by meanes of my good workes merites which in deede are none The xlviii Article I beleeue that this Church is inuisible to the eye of man is onely to God knowen that the same Church is not set compassed and limited within a certaine place or boundes but is scattered spread abroad throughout all the worlde but yet coupled together in heart will and spirite by the bond of faith charitie hauing and altogether knowledging one onely God one only head and Mediator Iesus Christ one faith one lawe one Baptisme one spiritual Table wherein one meate and one spirituall drinke is ministred to them vnto the ende of the worlde This Church contayneth in it all the righteous and chosen people from the first righteous mā vnto the last that shal be found righteous in the end of the world and therefore doe I call it Vniuersall For as touching the Visible Church which is the Congregation of the good and of the wicked of the chosen and of the reprobate generally of al those which say they beleue in Christ I doe not beleeue that to bee the Church because that Church is seene of the eye and the faith thereof is in visible things The xlix Article I beleeue that this Inuisible Church is the fielde of the Lorde God wherein is neyther darnell nor cockle it is the house and dwelling place of the holy Ghost and within that Church is neither Cain Iudas neither the wicked rich Gluttō That Church also is the fold of Christ wherein is no stinking and infected beastes but all cleane and vndefiled sheepe and lambes which bring forth their fruites in due time season The same Church is the body of Christ wherein there is neuer a rotten corrupt or infected mēber It is the Spouse of Christ which is pure cleane without wrinckle without spot It is holy without blame cleansed and sanctified in the blood and by the worde of her head and welbeloued spouse Iesus Christ for that cause they cā in no wise perish which by liuely faith are grafted therin The L. Article I beleeue that the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost are scattered and giuen vnto euery member of the same Church not so much for their particular profite commoditie as for the general profit commoditie of the whole Congregation Church and that thorow grace wholy without any merite according to the good pleasure prouidence of God to some more to some lesse that to the end we should know that one hath neede of another and that we should be ready to helpe one another in all necessities as wel bodily as spiritually euen as it becommeth members of one body The Li. Article I beleeue the Communion of Saintes that is to say I beleeue that all whatsoeuer our Lorde God giueth in this worlde whether it be benefites and blessings that concerne the body or the spirit he giueth the same singularly to the profit commoditie of the whole Church and therfore ought the same to be distributed communicated to all that are faithful but chiefely to those that are in necessitie that like as we doe communicate and are knitte in one God one faith one Lawe one Baptisme and be partakers of one spirituall Table euen so we may communicate be partakers together of and in those things which do proceede come vnto vs by meanes of the aforesayde thinges For otherwise we can not be Christians or faithfull stewardes of Christ Here vtterly I renounce and abhorre the Anabaptistes maner of making common goods wiues and such other like things and onely doe I allow the Apostles making of things common which hauing possessing any goods priuately vsed to distribute thereof to euery one according as the same had neede and as necessitie required The Lii Article I beleeue that this Church is like vnto the Arke of Noah within the which is safetie and life and without the same is but death decay and destruction For as Christ is and doeth raygne in his Church euen so Satan is and doeth raygne in and through all that are out of that Church The which true Church is mayntayned and vpholden by the Spirite of Christ is ruled and gouerned by his holy worde and is nourished and fedde with his holy Sacraments That Church shal alwayes haue enemies shall still be tormented in the sea of this world with the thunderings of Antichrist and by the wounds and tempest of Satan For all the gates of hell doe arme set out themselues against this Church But in these waues shee shall not be drowned but shall abide for euer because shee hath a good defence and foundatiō which is Iesus Christ the righteous And for this cause I cal her the Church militāt which wayteth for the triūph of those that be blessed which are where as is nothing but peace ioy and euerlasting consolation The Liii Article I beleeue that the Lord God hath giuen vs three principal signes and marks by the which we may knowe this his Church that is to say the word the Sacraments discipline I call that only the word which was reuealed by the holy Ghost vnto the holie Patriarks Prophets Apostles of Iesus Christ the which word is cōtained within the canonicall bookes of the olde new Testamēt by the which word we are made cleane thereby do receiue the selfe same thing as much as we do by the Sacramentes that is to say Iesus Christ by his worde which is the worde of faith giueth communicateth himselfe vnto vs aswell as by the Sacramēts albeit it be by another maner fashiō The Liiii Article I beleeue that the same worde of God is of a farre greater aucthoritie then the Church the which worde onely doeth sufficiently shewe and teach vs all those things that in any wise concerne our saluation both what we ought to do and what to leaue vndone The same worde of God is the true paterne and perfect rule after the which all faithful people ought to gouerne and order their liues without turning eyther to the right hand or to the left hand without chāging any thing thereof without putting to it or taking from it knowing that all the works of god are perfect but most chiefly his word The Lv. Article I beleeue that as onely Iesus Christ amongst all men is holie and true that all others are sinners and lyers euen so likewise the onely doctrine of the same Iesus Christ is holy and true al other doctrines are vnpure false This doctrine of Iesus Christ is a well a fountaine of life a lampe or pillar of fire to guyde vs the bread of the soule the power of God vnto saluation to al that beleeue And therfore whatsoeuer happeneth the same ought onely to bee aduaunced preached heard vnderstande receiued of all the worlde to the comfort and saluation of those that beleue to the greater damnation of
blasphemers despisers of God heretikes all other that make sects to deuide themselues from the people thereby to breake the vnitie of the Church all that are periured all that resist and are disobedient to father mother and their superiours all sedicious persons murtherers quarrellers sowers of discord whoremongers theeues couetous persons drunkardes gluttons generally all those that leade a wicked and a slaunderous life For such maner of people haue no parte nor portion of the kingdome of God and for that cause such ought to be cast thrust out of the Church For with such it is not lawfull to keepe any company to eate drinke or to haue any frendship except it be for the wynning of them and bringing of them to repentance The lxxi Article I beleeue that the Popish masse is not neither can be the holy supper of the Lord but the meere inuencion of men which were both lyers and wicked yea it is as contrary to the holy supper as the nyght is vnto the day and Belial to Christ as it may appeare to al people more cleare thē the noone day by conferring comparyng the institution of the holy supper as the same is recyted written by the Euangelist and especially by the Apostle Saint Paul vnto the celebration of the masse And therefore the Masse can be no remembrāce of true sacrifice that is to say of the death passion of Christ as the holy supper is But the Masse is an vtter forsaking of the same because it doeth attribute and ascribe to it selfe that which doeth appertayne only to the bloud of Christ shedde vpon the Crosse that is to say satisfaction purgation and remission of sinnes with the increase of grace and because men are compelled to do godly honour vnto the creature in stead of the Creator to a morsell of bread in the steade of Iesus Christ our only Lord Sauiour and redeemer The lxxii Article I beleeue that the third marke or cognisaunce of the Church which is ecclesiastical discipline is very cōmodious profitable yea very necessary to the catholike church for the comfort of the good for the punishmēt of the euil the which also I do receiue and to the same doe submit my selfe because I knowe that it is the ordinance of Christ in his Church in like maner the same was practised by the Apostles in the primitiue Church that because all should be done honestly in good order which is a thing honest necessary for euery congregation The lxxiii Article I beleeue that the power to binde and loose to excommunicate and to absolue that is commonly called the keyes of the Church is giuen of God not to one or two or to some particular person but to the whole Church that is to say to all the faythfull and beleeuers in Christ not for to destroy vndoe or cast away but to edifie to aduance al And therefore I say confesse that excommunication absolution ought not neither can it be giuen at the lust and pleasure of some particularly but by the consent of all the Church or at the least by the greater or most sound part of the same when they be congregated assembled together in the name of Christ and the same to be done with prayer The lxxiiii Article I beleeue that this excommunication exercised and executed rightly according as Iesus Christ hath declared and commāded the same in the Gospel is of so great authoritie strength power that it may shut vp heauen from men in such wise that all those that are worthyly excommunicated are cast out of the Church militant and also shal be cast out of the Church triumphāt which is heauē except they repent It is the sword that is so sharpe to cut off the rotten members of Christes mystical body which is his Church It is the key to shut vp the Heauens from the wicked It is a rodde to chasten them which neuerthelesse is not vsed to confound them but as a spirituall medicine to amend them to receyue them to make thē whole bring them againe to the same estate frō the which they are fallen The .lxxv. Article I beleeue that this excommunication which is the last rodde of the Church ought not neither can it be exercised towarde any maner of person which first hath not receyued professed the faith and religion of Christ And euen likewise the same can not be pronounced for smal matters as for money debts such like neither ought it to be executed towarde all sinners but only against open rebellious and obstinate sinners when brotherly correction commanded by Christ in the gospel doeth take no place And therefore al they do generally abuse this rodde which doe excommunicate the Christians for small trifles without vsing first brotherly correction And likewise do they also that excommunicate the Iewes Turkes the Heathen and other infidels yea and bruite beastes meaning thereby to thrust cast out of the christian church those that neuer were in it The lxxvi Article I beleeue herewith that the vnity of the spirit peace concord and charytie that is to say true amytie and brotherly loue the sweet friendly helping supporting one of an other is also one of the works signes of the true catholique Church of the faithful children of God by the which they are knowen to be of the schoole and of the number of Iesus Christ his disciples And wee must not glory in our selues in the title of christianitie or of the faith saying I beleeue I beleeue if wee haue not this charitie peace loue and true vnity of heart together agreeing one with another in all good workes For the true faith neuer goeth without these things by the which also it declareth and many festeth it self to all These are the signes and markes of the true christian Church vnto the which it is linked and bound and not vnto any certayne place time or personages And there is the Church perfect where these markes are found and vsed and on the other part if any one of the same be lacking then is not the same perfect And albeit that this whole perfection for the estate of this present world cannot be founde in the Church militant neuerthelesse the fault thereof must be acknowledged before the Lord and the remedy and ordering thereof be committed to him The lxxvii Article I beleeue and receyue in this Church two swords that is to say two powers the one is ecclesiasticall and spirituall the which lyeth and consisteth in the only administration of the woorde and of the Sacraments the which beareth neither rodde nor staffe other then the tongue neither doeth vse any other knyfe then the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God Likewise I confesse that all those that haue this sword in their handes ought to be without blame aswell in their lyuing as in their doctrine otherwise they ought to be deposed others to
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
not to deserue or merite any thing thereby at Gods hande or by the same to escape eternall condemnation but onely because God hath commanded them and that they might testifie the loue that we haue vnto our Lord and our obedience to his holy woorde and commaundement and to the intent that in vs and by vs hee might be glorified and that our neighbours aswell the infidels vnbeeleeuers as the faithful might therby be edified and in like maner to shewe and to manifest the faith that we haue in God and in his worde as the good tree sheweth it selfe and is knowne by his fruite yea to make sure and certaine vnto vs our calling election predestination To these endes serue all the good works commaunded by God and who soeuer doeth them to any other ende doeth misuse them sinneth and doth iniurie to the blood of Christ and dishonoureth God and his word for in so doing he declareth Christ died in vayne The xcii Article I beleeue that there is none either in this worlde or in the other worlde eyther in heauen or in earth which can forgiue mee and pardon my sinnes but onely God which hath giuen power and authoritie to the ministers of his worde to declare to all faithfull beleeuers which are of a contrite heart and be truely penitent that all their sinnes through the free mercy of God are forgiuen them through the blood of Iesus Christe which was shedde for them yea to declare vnto them that they are pardoned of their sinnes and that the same is done by the ministery of the worde of the holy Church in the which this remission is exhibited and giuen and not otherwise But on our part is required perfecte repentance the which hath two partes The first is contrition that is to say the knowledging hating and abhorring of sinne the which thing is administred by the Lawe and bringeth vs to despaire if with the contrarie we be not holpen with a lyuely fayth and the mercie of GOD the Father thorowe the blood of Iesus Christ which proceedeth out of the Gospel This fayth comforteth vs maketh vs stedfast and causeth vs to fynde fauour before the iudgement seate of God The xciii Article I beleeue that sinne dwelleth stil in man yea in the very saintes and children of God after their newe birth through Baptisme and the holie Ghost the which sinne neuerthelesse shall not be laied to their charge because of the faith they haue in Iesus Christ for as al the sinnes of the infidels and reprobate bee damnable and shall not bee pardoned because of their infidelitie euen so all the sinnes of the faithfull and chosen bee veniall sinnes and forgiueable because of their faith And therefore I beleeue that there is one onely sinne that is mortall and irremissible which is vnbeliefe or infidelitie that is to say not to beleeue in the sonne of GOD. For where true faith in Christ is founde there all sinnes are hid couered and pardoned I beleeue the resurrection of the flesh which is the second fruite of my faith The xciiii Article I beleeue that there shall bee one resurrection which shall bee generall to all the worlde aswell of the good as of the badde which shall bee in the ende of the worlde by the power of Christ and through the ministerie of the angels the which with a great voice of a trumpette shal cal together all the worlde before the Lorde and shall gather together the electe and chosen from the foure windes euen from the highest of the heauens vnto the endes of the earth and deuide the euill from the good and the wicked shall they cast into the fierie fornace where is weeping and gnashing of teeth and then shall the righteous shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their father and shall bee together and bee companions with the Angels of God This is the seconde resurrection and blessed is hee that shall haue part of portion therein for the same shall not be touched with the seconde death The xcv Article I beleeue that this resurrectiō shal be of the flesh not of the spirit that is to say that the spirit or soule of mā shal not rise because it is immortal dieth not But the body which before aswel by the reasō of nature as also because of sinne was subiect vnto death and corruption to rotte and to be brought to ashes shall be raysed vp and shal be coupled with his owne proper soule and spirite and shall bee set in a more perfect estate then that wherein the first man was before hee sinned and shall be clearely exempted from al maner of corruption of sinne and so consequently from all maner of imperfections and shall bee fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ The xcvi Article I beleeue that I shall rise not in any other mans flesh and body but in myne owne that I brought out of my mothers wombe euen with the self same body and bones that I haue at this present but the same altered and chaunged made of mortall immortall of corruptible incorruptible of vile and contemptible glorious And therefore I doe waite for the comming of my sauiour Iesus Christ the which through his power will change my vile body which was but a cast-away to make it like vnto his owne glorious bodie according to the power whereby he is able to subiect all things to him selfe I beleeue eternall life which is the third and last fruite of my faith The xcvii Article I beleeue that I shal rise as I haue said with all the faithful and elect not to die any more as did they that miraculously were raysed vp from death as well by Christ the Prophets the Apostles and such other but vnto a life that is immortall euerlasting shall endure for euer to raygne eternally with God both in body soule And thereof I am sure and doubt nothing at all knowing that whosoeuer doubteth of his saluation by Christ the same shall not bee saued Wherefore as I am sure and certaine that Christ is dead and risen againe for me and therein do not doubt euen so am I sure and certaine of my saluation wrought by him and that without fayle I shall be saued and by him shall enter into eternall life The xcviii Article I beleeue that then I shal see him face to face whome now I see as thorow the glasse of faith and then shall knowe him perfitly whome now I know but in part who after that he hath destroyed and confounded al his aduersaries and hath made them his footestoole shall make all thinges newe for the glory of those that are his Thē shal he be an whole God in all and ouer al things Then shal none teach his brother saying Knowe the Lord for then all shall knowe him from the greatest vnto the least The xcix Article I beleeue also that as the spirites of the infidels wicked and reprobate after they are departed from their bodies incontinently do goe to hell vnto euerlasting fire their bodies neuerthelesse abiding in the earth corrupting and rotting euen so likewise the soules and spirites of the faithfull and chosen children of God incontinently after they doe depart from their bodies without any tarying are on high in heauen to be in glory with the Lord and there do stil wayte with an earnest desire for the comming and whole redemption of their bodies the which they haue left rotting and corrupting in the earth the which thing they shall obtayne at the last daye and not before Wherefore I refuse the fonde opinion of the Sleepers which affirme that the spirits of the saintes are not yet in heauen but do sleepe in a certaine place vnknowen to vs vntill they shal receiue their bodies at the last day At which day the mysticall body of Christ wholly perfectly and fully must enter into eternall glory The C. Article I beleeue for a conclusion that as the Saintes and the blessed when the iudgement is ended shall goe with Christ triumphantly through the aire in body and soule to dwell euerlastingly in glory with him his Angels euen so the wretched wicked and miserable damned shal go to hell in bodie and soule with the deuil and his angels eternally to dwel and to be tormented with him in the fire of hell which neuer shall be quenched whereas shall be continuall weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth stung to the quicke with the worme that neuer shall dye From the which the Lorde God of his great mercie and grace vouchsafe to preserue and keepe vs. Amen FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie Anno 1581. Actes 16. 1. Tim. 2. Potentia Dei Sapientia Dei Bonitas Dei God is knowen three wayes Psal 45. 7. Luk 9. 35. Christs priest hoode Psal 110. 5. Heb. 9. 14. Matth. 16. Luke 19. Psal 22. 1. Matt. 27. 46. Iohn 8. 56. Actes 4. 12. Col. 2. 14. Actes 27. 37. Matth. 28. 6. Gen. 4. 14. Exod. 8.8 and 9. 28. Gen. 27.38 2. Cor. 25. Luke 1. 75. Luke 24. What it is to sit at Gods right hand Iohn 1. 18. and 4. 24. Esaie 11. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Esa 1. Luke 17.