vs, so you muste nowe learne to beleue in the Holy Goste that hathe hallowed vs, and doth continually more and more renew and make holy, all those that beleue the gospell. For he that beleueth in Jesus Christe, that he is oure Lorde and oure Redemer, to him God gyueth the Holy Gost, to make him holye and ryghtuouse. As sayncte Paule witnesseth, saiyng. No man can cal Jesus, Lord, but by the Holy Goste. And for asmuch, as now it hath ben plainelie declared vnto you, after what sorte and manner the Holy Gooste doth sanctifie vs, it is your part, not onely to emprynt this lesson diligently in youre myndes, but also to desier God, with continuall and earnest prayers, that he wyll vouchesafe more and more to sanctifie you.

And as muche as lyeth in you, apply your selfes to heare godly sermons, and gyue youre hartes to God lyke waxe, apte and mete to receyue what thyng so euer it shal please him to prynt in you.

For he that is wyllynge and glad to lysten to godly sermons, he that is studyous to learne the word of God, wherin Christ is preached, and with a stedfast faith cleueth to the promise of the gospel, he is made partaker of this sanctification and holynesse, and of this so great comforte, and euerlastyng saluation. For God sayeth by his prophet Esaye. My worde shall not returne to me in vayne. And saynct Paule sayeth, that the gospell is the power of God, wherewyth he wourketh the saluation of all them that beleue.

Nowe the rest that folowethe in the Crede, is a shorte declaration of these thynges before rehersed. For it foloweth in the Crede.

I beleue the holy catholycke churche, that is to saye, all godly and Christen men must beleue, that the gospel or doctryne of Goddes grace thorowe the merites of oure Sauiour Jesus Christ, is neuer in vayne published in the worlde, or sowed abrode without fruit, but euer there is

founde some companye of men, or some congregacion of good people whiche beleue the gospel and be saued. And this companie of men whiche beleueth the gospell, although here vpon earth thei be seuered in sondry places, yet are they called one holy catholike or vniuersal churche of Christe, that is to saie, a multitude congregation or companye of Christen people. For this worde, churche, doth not here betoken a temple or churche buylded of tymber and stone, but it signifieth a companye of men lyghtened with the Spirite of Christe, whiche do receaue the gospel, and come together to heare Gods wourde, and to praye. And this Christen churche is a communyon of sainctes, that is to saye, all that be of this communion or company, be holy, and be one holy body vnder Christe their heed, they be one holy congregation or assemble. And this congregation receaueth of their hedde and Lorde Jesus Christe, all spirituall riches and gyftes that perteyneth to the sanctification and making holy of the same bodye. And these gostly treasuers, be commen to the hole body, and to euery membre of the same. For he that is vnfainedly a faythfull and godly man, is made partaker of these benefites. And these are the sayde gyftes, which be commen to the hole church of Christ and to euery membre of the same.

The first is, that God the Father (that euerlasting and endles maiestye) is our most gentle and mercyful Father. That God the Sonne, is our redemer and mediatour betwene the Father and vs. And that God the Holy Gost, is the commen sanctifier or halower, of all theim that haue a true faithe in God. The second, is the preaching of the gospel, thadministration of baptisme, and the sacrament of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Jesus Christ, by the whiche we are made partakers of all the inheritaunce of heauen, and of all the benefites of Christe. The third, is prayer. The fourth, is the crosse of affliction and aduersitie, whiche God sendeth to all godly

men, to make theim to knowe him, to proue therby and trye their faith, to mortifye their fleshe and to make clene the corruption of the same. And here I speake onely of the crosse, which good men suffre. For thafflictions of the vnfaithful and vngodly, do rather hurt them, then make them holy. For inasmuch as their vnpatientnes, is encreaced by such aduersitie, thei be brought to more disperation and damnation. Nowe it is very good for you to knowe these thinges, that you may also knowe, that there is nothyng in heauen or erthe better for vs, than is the true knowlege of God, and that these excellent gyftes and benefites, cannot be had, but onely in the foresayde churche or congregation, and no where els. But whan the true churche (which is ruled by the Holy Gost, and the worde of God) dothe promyse vs these so great riches and benefites, we ought not to doute, but that we haue alredye receaued them. And when the churche doth happoint and ordeine vs, to be preachers and ministers of these most pretiouse treasures, we must stedfastly beleue, that God effectuously worketh with vs. that he is present with vs, and that he at all tymes doth strengthen vs agaynst the worlde and the Deuyll, and that he doth helpe vs to do all thynges accordyng to our callyng prosperously and with good successe. Secondly we must beleue the remission of synnes. Therfore next vnto this article, I beleue the holy catholique churche, the communion of saintes is added, the forgeuenes of synnes. For where so euer the churche of Christ is, there is frely offred that eternall comfort aboue all measure, that is to say, the fauore of God, and remission of synnes. And without that churche is no remission of synne. Wherefore we must seke remission of synnes in the churche of Christ, and desier absolution. That when the true churche, by their ministers doth promyse vs remissyon of our synnes, and here in erthe dothe absolue vs, we may surely trust, that in heauen also before God

we be absolued and pardoned. Thirdly, we must beleue the resurrection of the fleshe, wherefore after tharticle of the remission of synne, foloweth next this article. I beleue the rysing agayne of the fleshe, for among other ponyshmentes for originall syn, layd vpon Adam, and his posterity, we daily see this horrible paine, that the goodly beawtiful bodye of man, created to immortalitie, must nedes ones be dissolued by deathe, and brought to a filthye and stinckyng corse and graue, that the that the tyranny of synne (whiche so long as we liue rageth in our fleshe) by our deathe may ceasse, and haue an ende, as saint Rom. vi. Paule saith vnto the Romanes. For by deathe of the

body cease all the desires, concupiscences and rages of the mynde whiche be against the wil and commaundementes of God. There ceassith also all synnes against our neighbours, as ire, enuie, lechery, couetuousnes, pride and all ill affectyons, and at the last day God shall rayse vs agayne from death, so that such infirmities and synnes, shall no more be founde in vs, but we shal be pure, spiritual, and immortal, and lyke to the bright and clere bodye of Christ. And that we may the more assuredly beleue this, both Christ himself rose from death, and many saintes also with hym. Fourthely we must beleue euerlastyng lyfe. Wherefore it foloweth in the Crede, I beleue euerlastynge lyfe, that is to saye. I beleue, that whan we shall ryse from death, then we shall lyue euer with Christe in parfite holynes and iustice, and in suche a gloriouse ioy as no toung can tell, nor hart thincke. And this treatise of the Crede, we must end with this wourde. Amen. which is asmuche to saye, as I beleue that al the articles of our beliefe before rehersed, be very true, and thereof I haue a sure faithe trust and confidence. Therefore good children, from the bottome of your hartes, you must beleue in the Holy Gost, whiche doth promyse vnto vs remission of our synnes, by al the true preachers and ministers of Goddes worde. And he

dothe also geue light to our hartes and myndes, and moueth vs to beleue Goddes worde, and to put our faith and trust in hym. And the same Holy Goost dothe dayly purifye and sanctifye vs, purge and clense vs from sinne and after this bodily death, shall rayse vs agayne to euerlasting life. And take this for a sure conclusion, and doubt nothynge thereof, that the Holy Goost, as he hath begonne these thinges in vs, so he will fynyshe the same in vs, yf we obey him, and continue in faith, vnto thende of our liues. For he that continueth vnto the ende, shal be saued. And this is the summe, and also the most plaine vnderstanding of this thirde parte of the Crede entreatyng of our sanctification or halowing. Wherefore good children, marke well this lesson, that when ye be demaunded, howe vnderstande you the thirde parte of the Crede, yee may answer thus I beleue, that neither by mans strength power or wysedome, neyther by myne awne endeuour, nor compasse of myn awne reason, I am able to beleue in Jesus Christ, or to come vnto hym. But the Holy Goost did call me by the worde of the gospell, and with the giftes of his grace, he hath hitherto endowed me, and halowed me, and in the true faith, he hathe hitherto preserued and confirmed me, and this he hath not done only to me, but also he calleth and gathereth togyther in the vnitye of one faith and one baptisme, all the vniuersal churche, that is here in earth, and he halloweth, kepeth and preserueth the same, in the true knowledge of Christ, and faith in his promyses. And in this churche he geueth free and general pardon, to me and to al that beleue in him, of al our synnes, offences, and trespasses, and at the last day he shall rayse me, and all other that be deade, and al that dyed in the true faithe of Jesus Christ, he shall glorifye, in the lyfe euerlastyng. Therefore to the sayde Holy Gost that sanctefyeth vs, with the Father that made and created