Tit. iii. beleue. As the wordes of Christes promyse doth euydently witnesse. But peraduenture some wil saye. Howe can water worke so greate thinges? To whome I answere, that it is not the water that dothe these thinges, but the almyghtye worde of God (whiche is knyt and ioyned to the water) and faith, which receyueth Gods worde and promyse. For with out the worde of God, water is water, and not baptisme. But when the worde of the liuing God is added and ioyned to the water, then it is the bathe of regeneration, and baptisme water, and the lyuely springe of eternall saluation, and a bathe that wassheth our soules by the Holy Ghoste, as saynct Paule calleth it, saying. God hath saued vs thorowe hys mercye, by the bathe of regeneracion, and renewyng of the Holy Gost, whome he hath poured vpon vs plenteously, by Jesus Christ oure Sauioure, that we beynge made ryghtuous by his grace, maye be heyres of euerlastyng lyfe. This is a sure and trewe worde. Ye shall also dylygently labour good children, to kepe and perfourme those promises, which you made to God in your baptisme, and which baptisme doth betoken. For baptisme and the dyppyng into the water, doth betoken, that the olde Adam, with al his synne and euel lustes, ought to be drowned and kylled by daily contrition and repentance, and that by renewynge of the Holy Gost, we ought to ryse with Christ from the death of synne, and to walke in a new lyfe, that our new man maye lyue euerlastyngly, in rightuousnes and truthe before God, as, saincte Paule Rom. vi. teacheth saying. Al we that are baptised in Christe Jesu, are baptised in hys death. For we are buried with him by baptisme into deth, that as Christ hath risen from death by the glori of his Father, so we also shuld walke in newnes of lyfe. And this is the playne exposytion of the wordes of holy baptisme, that is to saye, that we shoulde acknowlege oureselues to be synners, desyre pardon and forgyuenes of our synnes, be obedient and wyll ing to beare Christes crosse, and all kynde of afflyction, and at the last to die, that by death we may be perfectly deliuered from synne. And therefore we ought to hate synne, and with al our power to fyght against synne. For God in baptisme hath forgiuen vs our synnes, and giuen vs the Holy Gost, and made vs partakers of the rightuousnes of hys welbeloued Sonne Jesus Christ. Now consyder depely I praie you, how great benefytes these be, that you maye not be vnkynde to him, that hath done so much for you, but stedfastlye beleue these thinges, mortifye synne, patiently suffre al dyseases and aduersities, whiche it shal please God to send you, and than without dowte you shalbe saued. Wherefore good children, learne these thinges dilygentlye, and when you be demaunded, what is baptisme. Then you shal answer. Baptisme is not water alone, but it is water inclosed and ioyned to the worde of God, and to the couenaunte of Gods promyse. And these be the wordes, wherby our Lorde Jesus Christ did ordeine baptisme, which be written in the laste chapter of sainct Mathew. Go and teache al nations, baptisynge them in the name of the Father, and the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost. And when you shalbe asked what auayleth baptisme? you shal answere. Baptisme worketh forgyuenes of synne, it delyuereth from the kyngdome of the Deuel and from death, and giueth lyfe and euerlastyng saluation, to all them that beleue these wordes of Christ, and promyse of God, which are written in the laste chapter of sainct Marke his gospell. He that wil beleue, and be baptised, shalbe saued. But he that wil not beleue shalbe damned. Thirdly, yf a man aske you, how can water bryng to passe so great thynges? ye shall aunswer. Uerely the water worketh not these thynges, but the worde of God, whiche is ioyned to the water, and fayth whiche dothe beleue the worde of God. For without the worde of God, water is water, and not baptisme, but when the Tit. iii. worde of the lyuyng God, is ioyned to the water, then it is baptisme, and water of wonderful holsomnes, and the bath of regeneration, through the Holy Ghost, as saincte Paule writeth. God saued vs by the bath of regeneration, and renewyng of the Holy Ghost, whom he powred vpon vs plenteously, by Jesus Christ our Sauiour, that we beyng made rightuous by his grace, maye be heyres of euerlastyng lyfe. Fourthly. Yf a man aske you, what doth the baptisynge in the water betoken? aunswere ye, it betokeneth, that olde Adam with all synnes and euel desyers, ought daylye to be kylled in vs, by trewe contricion and repentaunce: that he may rise againe from death, and after he is risen with Christ, may be a new man, a new creature, and may liue euerlastyngly in God, and before God, in rightuousnes and holynes. As saincte Rom. vii. Paule wryteth, saying. All we that are baptised, are buried with Christe in to death, that as Christ rose agayne, by the glorie of his Father, so we also should walke in newnes of lyfe. Thus ye haue hearde good children, what is ment by the wordes of baptisme, by the which we are borne again, and made newe to euerlastynge lyfe. Learne these thynges dilygentlye, and thanke God, who in Christ hath called you to be partakers of so large and ample benefites. And expresse baptisme in your lyfe, and baptisme shalbe the greatest comforte to you, bothe in your lyfe tyme, and also in youre death bed. For by baptisme we be grafted into the death of Christe, wherfore synne, deathe or hell, can not hurte vs, but we shall ouercome all these thynges by fayth, as Christe himselfe ouercame theym. And so by this newe byrthe we shall enter into the kyngdome of God, and lyfe euerlastynge. The whiche God graunte vs all Amen. THE holye apostle sainct Paul good children, in the tenth chapiter of hys Epistle to the Romaynes, wryteth on this fashion. Who so euer shal cal vpon the name of the Lord, shall be saued. But how shal they call on hym, on whom they beleue not? How shal they beleue on him of whome they haue not hearde? Howe shall they heare without a preacher? Howe shal they preach, expcept they be sente? By the whiche wourdes saynct Paule doeth euidently declare vnto vs, two lessons. The fyrst is, that it is necessary to our saluation, to haue prechers and ministers of Goddes mooste holy worde, to insturcte vs in the true fayth and knowlege of God. The seconde is that preachers must not runne to this hyghe honore, before they be called therto, but they muste be ordeyned and appoynted to this office, and sent to vs by God. For it is not possible to be saued, or to please God, without fayth, and no man can truely beleue in God by his owne wytte, (for of oure selfes we knowe not what we shoulde beleue) but we must nedes heare Gods woorde, taught vs by other. Joh. vi. b. Agayne, the teachers, except thei be called and sent, 1 Cor. iii. a. can not frutfully teache. For the seede of Goddes Actum.ii.e. sent. wourde, doeth neuer brynge forth fruyt, onles the Lorde of the haruest do gyue increase, and by hys holye Spirite do wourke with the sower. But God doeth not worke with the preacher, whom he hathe not sente as saynet Roma. x. b. Paule sayeth. Howe shall they preache, yf they be not Wherfore it is requisite, that preachers should be called and sent of God, and they must preache according to the authoritie and commission of God, graunted vnto them, wherby they may strengthen mennes belefe, and assure their consciences, that God hath commaunded. them to preache after this or that fashion. For els euerie manne shoulde styll be in doubt, and thinke after this sort. Who knoweth whether thys be true, whiche I heare the preacher saye? who can tell whether God hath commaunded him to preach these thynges or no? And in case he teacheth no thynge but truth, yet I am not sure that God wyll wourke with me, as the preacher promyseth? Perchaunce these promises perteine to other, and not to me? These doubtes, in the tyme of temptation, might trouble mens myndes, yf we were not assured, that our Lorde Jesus Christ himselfe hathe both ordeyned and appointed ministers and preachers to teache vs his holye wourde, and to minister his sacramentes, and also hath appoynted theym, what they shall teache in his name, and what they shall do vnto vs. Therfore he called them and sent them, and gaue them instructions, what they should do, and speake to vs, in his name, to the intente that we shoulde gyue sure credence vnto theyr wordes, and beleue that God wyll worke with vs Mat. xvi. accordyng to his wordes by them spoken. And he hath promised therfore, that whatsoeuer they shoulde bynde vpon earth, shoulde be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer they shuld lose vpon earth shuld be losed in heauen also. Wherfore good children, to the intente you maye stedfastlye beleue, all thinges whiche God by his ministers doeth teache and promise vnto you, and so be saued by |