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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 Wherefore we must seke remission of synnes in synne. 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

Rom. vi.

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 tyranny of synne (whiche so long as we liue rageth in our fleshe) by our deathe may ceasse, and haue an ende, as saint 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

Jacob. i.

Psalm 1.

Mat. vii.

vs, and the Sonne that redemed vs, be geuen all honour and glorye world without ende. Amen.

A generall preface, to be rehersed in the begynnynge of euery sermon, made vpon the Lordes Prayer.

Ye haue learned heretofore good children in the Crede, what we ought to beleue, and in the Ten Commaundementes what we ought to do, but we can neyther beleue nor do as we ought to do, excepte the Holy Gost worke with in vs, bothe a true faith and also a dewe obedyence towardes God and his lawe. For faith is the gyfte of God, and all good thinges commeth from the Father of lightes. Therefore we must nedes aske and craue these benefites at his hande whiche only is the gyuer of theim. For so Christ saieth, that God the Father wyll gyue to vs his children all thinges, so that we sue to hym for theim. And the prophet Dauyd saieth. Cal vpon me in the daye of thy trouble, and I shal deliuer the, and thou shalt glorifye me. Also our Sauioure Christ commaundeth vs to do the same, sayng. Aske and you shal haue, seke Jer. xxix. and you shall fynde, knocke and the dore shall be opened vnto you. Now therfore, seyng that we haue learned what we shoulde beleue and do, it is most necessary for vs, to cal for Gods grace with most feruent and ernest prayers, that we may be able to performe that thinge whiche we are bounde to do. For our Sauiour Christ hath promised vs, that what soeuer we aske the Father in his name, he wyll gyue it vs. Also he saieth, that what soeuer we aske, yf we beleue, we shal receaue the Wher is to be noted, that yf we wyll obteyne oure requestes, we must aske in the name of Christ, and also trust assuredly, that for Christes sake our praiers shal be heard. To aske in Christes name is to aske accordynge to his wil, that is to say, to aske that which he hath commaunded.

Mar. vii.

Luke xi.
Joh. xvi.

Joh. xiv.

same.

Therefore when we praye we may saye thus. O God our Father and the Father of our Lorde Jesu Christ, which art in heuen, I durst not of myne awn head be so bold, to come vnto thy most highe and excellent maiestye to desyer any thyng of the, but thy welbeloued Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ hath commaunded me so to do, and only in his name and at his commaundemente am so bolde. Therfore yf thou hear me, thou hearest thy dearly beloued Sonne oure Lorde Jesus Christ. And yf thou heare me not, then thou hearest not Jesus Christ him selfe, who hath sent me to the, and hath commaunded me to aske in his name. Of this prayer made in fayth, speaketh saincte John in his Epistle saying. This trust we haue in God, that when we aske any thynge accordinge to his will, he doth heare vs.

name.

Therefore we shoulde stedfastly beleue that God doth heare our prayer. For he that beleueth not, he shall obtayne nothynge. And therefore Christe saith. If you Mark xi. beleue, you shall obtayne. And to thentent, that we should beleue and surely thynke, that we be herde, he hath promysed to graunt whatsoeuer we aske in his And agayne to thentent that we shuld knowe and be suer, that we praye accordyng to his wil, he hymselfe hath taught vs, howe and what we should praye and aske. Therfore it is not in our lybertye, whether we wil praie or not, but by Goddes commaundement, we be bounde to praye, as you haue hearde in the seconde commaundement. Now therefore with all dilygence lerne good children, the holy prayer of the Lord, which the greate doctour and our Lorde Jesus Christ taught vs hymselfe, saying to his disciples. Ye shall praye after

this maner.

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