Gooste, by whose healpe we maye wythstande synne, and be delyuered from the same. The whiche matiers sayncte Paule doth knyt vp in one bryef sentence, not so shorte as notable and weyghtye, sayinge. Christe was delyuered to deathe for oure synnes, and dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification. In the whiche sentence saynct Paule doeth not onely declare what Christe dyd, but also for what ende, and for whome he suffered death, and rose agayne. For seynge that Christe was that moost innocent lambe,

that neuer was blotted with any spot of syn, and yet he

suffered for vs as a synner, it is euident hereby, that he dyed not for himselfe, but toke vpon him oure synnes, and bore for vs the burden which we shuld haue borne. Moreouer seing that Christ was not ouercome by deth but by his myghty power he dyd vanquyshe death, and rose frome deathe to lyfe, and sytteth at the ryght hande of the Father, hereby we maye euidently perceyue, that the great wrath and indignation of God to vs, hathe an ende, and that by our liuely faith in him our synnes be forgyuen vs, and that we be reconsiled into the fauoure of God, made holy and ryghtuous. For than God doth no more impute vnto vs our former synnes, but he doth impute and giue vnto vs the iustice and ryghtuousnes of his Sonne Jesus Christ whiche suffered for vs. These are but fewe wordes, but surely they be of greate importaunce. For in this sentence saynct Paule includeth the summe and effecte of the holy ghospell, when he sayeth. Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes, and rose agayne for oure ryghtuousnes. For lykewise as when an other man doeth pay my raunsome and satisfye or suffre for me, I my selfe am iudged to paye the same, and no man after can accuse me therof. And when an other is bounde for me, yf he be by any lawful meanes discharged, I my selfe am counted to be dyscharged also, euen so forasmuche as Christe hymselfe, toke vpon him the bande of death for vs, and to satisfye for vs, and so

did in deede by hys death, we our selues for whom he was thus bounde iustely be delyuered and dyscharged from death and damnation. And so we be counted righteous for asmuche as no man dare accuse vs for that syn, for the which satisfaction is made by our Sauiour Christ. And when oure Sauiour Jesus Christ had thus satisfied for our synne, and so ouercame deathe and hell, than lyke a most valiant conquerer he ascended into heauen, where God hys Father receyued him with a moost gloriouse triumphe, and placed, hym on hys ryghte hande, and made him Lorde ouer all creatures, and therefore he is called in the Crede also our Lorde. For yf he had not raunsomed and redemed vs, we had bene cast downe to hel for euer. But seynge that he redemed and bought vs, therfore be we his and he is our Lorde and Mayster, and hym we must loue, obey and

serue.

And this is oure moste hye and euerlastynge comforte, that Jesus Christ is our Lorde and we his seruauntes. For because he is oure Lorde, therefore he wyll defende vs, and delyuer vs from all daungers. And althoughe we be synners, yet he wil forgiue vs our synnes, because he hathe payed the raunsome and det due for the same. And although we dye, yet he wil rayse vs vp agayne, because he hathe ouercome and conquered death. And although we be neuer so muche afrayed of the sorowes and paynes of hell, yet they shall not be able to holde vs, bycause that to theym that be hys seruauntes, he hathe broken hell, and set open the gates thereof. Wherfore seynge that we haue so myghtye a Lorde and Maister we be out of all peryll and daunger.

But we agayne aboue all thynges, we muste studye to obey oure Lord and Mayster, and do those thinges whiche he commaundeth. For he hath redemed and bought vs for thys entente and purpose, that we shoulde be iust and holy, as he hymselfe is holy. And he that

is not obedient vnto Christes commaundementes shall be sore punyshed, for oure Lorde Jesus Christ shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead.

Wherefore good children, laboure wyth all diligence and studye, that when Christe shall come againe to iudge the world, he may finde you holy and obedient. For then he wyll rewarde you wyth euerlastyng lyfe. After thys maner Christ redemed vs from synne, and from the horryble offence of Adam, by whome we were al condemned. For by Christes passyon and death, and by hys ghospell we haue obteined thus much, that we may beleue and trust in God. And trustyng in God, we haue his holy Spirite, whereby we maye also loue God. And thys Holy Gooste renueth vs and clenseth vs from all euell lustes and desires, that we beynge thus made holye and rightuouse, maye kepe Goddes commaundementes, and serue our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherfore good chyldren, beleue ye with al your heart in thys Jesus Christ the onelye Sonne of God oure Lord, and doubte not but that he hath suffered for our synnes, and contented the iustyce of his Father for the same, and hath brought vs agayne vnto his fauour, and made vs his wel beloued children and heyres of hys kyngdome. And when you be asked, howe vnderstande you the second parte of the Crede, you shall answer. I beleue that Jesus Christ, veray God, begotten of God the Father, and verye manne, borne of the Virgin Marie, is my Lorde, whiche by hys precyouse bloode and holy passyon, hathe redemed me, a myserable and damned wretch from all my synnes, frome death eternall, and from the tyrannie of the Deuell, that I should be his owne true subiect, and lyue within his kyngdome, and serue hym, in a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and iustice, euen as oure Lorde Christe, after he rose from deathe to lyfe, lyueth and raygneth euerlastyngly. Or elles if you wyl answere more shortely, you may say, thus. I beleue that Christe

Acts i. ii.

was deliuered to death for our sinnes, and rose againe for our iustification.

THE THIRDE SERMON OF OUR SANCTIFICATION.

NOWE remayneth the third parte of the Crede to be declared, whiche entreateth of our sanctification, how we be made holy. And it is spoken in these wordes.

I beleue in the Holy Gost, the holy catholicke churche, the communion of saynctes, the forgyuenes of synnes, the risyng agayne of the bodye and lyfe euerlastyng. Amen.

In the seconde parte of the Crede (which treateth of our redemption and pryce giuen for vs) you haue bene taughte (good children) to knowe the seconde persone in Trinitie, Jesus Christe what he is, and what he hath done for vs, that he was made man for our sakes, that he toke vpon him our synnes, and suffered for vs the feare and panges of deathe and hel, and had victory ouer them by hys passion and death. And after by his godly and victorious power he arose again from death to lyfe. And after this most glorious conquest, he ascended into heauen, where he sitteth at the ryghte hande of his Father, and is our Lorde, and we his seruantes derely boughte.

Al this you haue learned in the last sermon, but now good children, in this thirde parte of the Crede, you shall lerne to knowe the thirde person in Trinitie, the Holy Gost, and also his benefites and giftes that we maye knowe, what we haue receyued of God after our redemption, wherby we may be made mete to come to euerlastynge lyfe thorough the merites of Christ. For althoughe our Lord Jesus Christ, hath redemed vs from the captiuitie of synne death and hel, and hath set vs agayne in the fauor of God, yet we should haue no knowledge of these great benefites, we should feale in our consciences no comforte ioy or peace, by the same, yf they were not declared vnto vs by the preaching of Gods most holy word.

And our consciences should styl remaine troubled, and the feare of eternal death, and all noughty desiers and concupiscences of the frayle fleshe, shoulde euer remaine in vs (euen as from Adams time thei be in vs as sone as we be borne) and so we shuld be vtterly vnapte to the kyngdom of God and lyfe euerlasting, yf we shulde stil remayne, as we be borne. For yf we wyl be the heyres of God and euerlastynge lyfe, we must be borne agayne, and sanctified or made holy, as apperteyneth to the children of the most holy God. Nowe this newe birthe and sanctification, the Holy Gost worketh in vs. And therfore he is called the Holy Gost, because al thing that is sanctified or hallowed, is sanctified or made holy by hym. Wherfore when the Holy Goost is not in man, then it is not possible that he should be holy, althoughe he dyd all the good workes vnder the sunne. And for this cause saincte Paule, writing to the Romaines, doth cal the Rom. i. Holy Gost, the Spirite of sanctification, that is to say, the Spirit that maketh holynes. Lerne therefore good children, that al we must be made holy and newe men, by the vertue of the Holy Gost, and that we can not atteyne this holines by our awn strength or workes, and