✚ The third Sermon domesticall vn­to their children, of the con­ception of Christe.

TO the first sentence of our belief, well beloued childr [...] this clause is wont to bean nexed (I beleue in Iesus Christ our lord) Anbic can not be declared, what strength is in this worde, our lorde, for heere we witnes y ^t we doo beleue that Iesus Christe, hathe brought and delyuered vs from the captiuitie of synne, death, hell, and the deuil vndernethe his domynion. And nowe doth rule all these enemyes, and that we through Christ, be higher then these e­nemyes: for Christ hath gotten vnto vs. and not vnto him selfe, a tryumphaunte victorie, of suche tyranycall enemyes. By what meanes Christe hath brought vs vnderneth his power: the sequell & folowynge sentences of our belief, doo more playnely testifye. And fyrste, it fo­loweth, which was conceyued by y ^e ho­ly [Page] ghost, that is, I beleue Iesus Christe our lorde to be conceyued in the womb of the holye Virgyn Mary, but not cō ­ceiued by the meane of the seede of mā, but of the holy ghost, which in y ^e womb of the Vyrgyn Mary dyd make the ve ry body of Chryste. And that is it, that Damel saith, the seconde Chapter, that Chryste is the stone cut oute with oute handes, that is (as some men thynke) withoute the seede of man to be conceyued in the wombe of the Vyrgin Ma­rye.

And the Aungell Gabriel, luke the fyrst chapter, the Vyrgyn demaundyng how she should conceyue a sonne, seyng that she neuer knewe man, he answered The holy ghoste shall come vpon the, & the power of the highest shall ouer sha­dowe the. For this cause, Christ wold be conceiued by the holy ghost, that our vnpure conception gylty of dampnatiō (for in synne we are conceyued the .I. psalme) should be purged by hym, lest for the syn of our conception, we shulde be caste into eternall death: he therefore whiche doth beleue that Christe was cō cey­ued [Page] by the holy ghoste, in the womb of the virgyn his mother for hys cause, may trewly get and vendicate vnto him selfe purely, the conception of Christe: euē in lyke case as al other thyngs whi­che Christe didde: for Christe is all ours: and all thynges which Christ dyd, they be to be accompted in the self same place as if we had done them our selues, the which thynges when we haue certifyed oure selues in, wee can neuer be trow beled in anye other thynge anye more. Christe Iesus whiche is oure lord, hath alwaye rule in vs, and euen the same which was conceyued by the holy ghoste, clense throughly our vn­pure conceptyon, and gyue vs his grace to beleue, that vndoubtedly it is all made cleane bye him. So be it.

The fourth sermon domesti­call to their chyldren, of Christes byrthe.

A Few dayes a go, welbeloued children, ye haue hearde that the chur­che of Christe doth beleue y ^t he is y ^e son of god, y ^t euerlastyng god, w ^t the eternall god the father in lyke power as the father. Row, when Christe the sonne of god also is very man, it foloweth in the belief (I beleue in Iesus Christe, which was borne of Mary the Virgyn) And here is great occasion gyuen vnto me, to speake largely of the byrthe of Chryste. But when y ^t he is dyligentely written of by one of the Euangelystes and fyrst of Sainct luke .ij. Chapter: Thyther will I sende you. And at this tyme we will fyrste intreate, what it is to beleue. Christ to be borne of Mary the Virgin. It is to declare brieflye, nothynge else then to beleue that Christe is the sonne of God, takyng very humaine flesh, of the Virgin, he was borne trew man and y ^t euen of the holy Virgin, whose flower of chastitie was not taken awaye, no: [Page] chaunged, neither before the byrthe, neither in the byrthe, neyther after y ^e byrth. And for this cause, I do beleue that this thynge was done, that he should cleane pourge as well my vnpure natiuitie, as al other mens, and that he shouldbe that promised seede vnto Abrahā our father in the which as well I, as all other men be blessed, that is, that we should folow the remyssion of oure synnes, and an e­ternall lyfe, and that we shoulde be deli­uered from the power of the denyll.

And fyrste we muste heere marke, y ^t euery man must ve [...]dycate and chalenge vnto hym, the natiuitie of Chryst, and y ^t Chryste was borne of the Virgyn Mary for his cause, and he muste make hys soule to beleue that his natiuytie is truely pourged and made clene by Christes natyuitte, and for to folowe the eternall saluation.

And that this was no hyndrance vnto him, for this syngeth dayly the church, onles our lyttell sonne Christ had byne born vnto vs, we should haue perysued for euermore, for this cause, for that we were conceyued in synne, and bor [...] i [...] [Page] synne. And as Paul to the Ephesians y ^• ij. chap. saith. We are borne y ^e childrē of wrathe, that is, wee of oure owne strength do performe this one thyng for the which thinge, god is angry with vs and doth condempne vs. Christ therfore is borne, that we beyng the chyldren of wrathe, shoulde be made well beloued chyldren of god, by hys holy natyuytie and that he shoulde wasshe awaye the fylthynes of oure synnes, of our vnpure natiuytie, throughe hys holy natiuytie. Paul to the Galathyaus y ^e iiij. Cha. de clareth briefly wherfor crist was borne, when he sayethe, But when the fulnes of tyme was come, God sent his sonne made of a womā that those which were gyltie vnder the law, he shoulde redeme that we should be taken for hys sonnes by adoption: Saynt Paul meaneth here in hys saying, when the tyme was fulfil led, that Christe shoulde be sente here in to this worlde, god the father not being requested, nor prouoked through our de seruynges, but through his vnspeakea­ble mercy, towardes man kynde, sente not aunge [...] nor Prophete, but his son, [Page] not that the sonne shoulde here loke af­ter his own cōmodities & profites, but y ^t he shoulde vendycate and chalenge vs from condemnation of the lawe, which could not make amendes for our owne selues by our owne deseruynges, for y ^e which he dyd abundantly make am [...]nds for vs, and he beyng the trew lambe of God, should take awaye oure synnes Ihon the fyrste Chapter: y ^t so by Christ the onely naturall sonne of god, we the whiche shoulde beleue in hym, shoulde be made the sonnes of adoption of the heuenly father, and the heyres of god & the coinherytours of Iesus Christe, too the Romayns y ^e .viij. Chapter, which is soo greate a well sprynge of eloquence that as it is euermore worthe & worthy, it can not be expownded: god the father shewynge to vs and towardes vs hys mercy in Christ Iesu, what tong is able to declare or expres y ^e commodites whi­che Christ Iesu the sonne of god and of Mary the vyrgyn, hath brought vnto vs by his holynatiuite? But what shuld we do? When god for y ^• his vnspeakea­ble goodnes doth desyre nothingels but [Page] that we should be thankefull vnto him, and gyue dayly thankes, both vnto god the father, and vnto our Christ, euen vnto hym, for that, that for oure saakes, he dydde vouchesafe hys onely Sonne, the cause of our helth, to be borne of the virgin Mary, to this end, that he obeying the will of his father, did not refuse to take our fleshe on him, and to make vs free from the curse of the lawe, from synne, from the tyrany of the deuyl. Let vs therfore gyue thankes vnto god the holy ghoste, for that he did make by his holy power, both the body and soule of Christe, in the wombe of the holy Vyr­gyn, that CHRIST beynge verye man, should get vs our saluatiō, & shulde bryng vs to euerlastinge lyfe, prayse be vnto god the father and his sonne Iesus Christe, and to the holye gost, now & euermore so be it.

The fyfte Sermon domesti­cal vnto their Children, of the passyon of Christ.

IT foloweth as ve knowe, welbe­loued chyldrē, in our belief which suffered vnder pontius Pylate, y ^t is, I beleue in Iesus Christe, bothe the sonne of god & of the Virgin, which suf­fered vnder Pontius Pylat, for as there may be no doubt of the natiuitie of christ therfore is it added into the belief, borne of mary the Vyrgyn, where the name of the Virgyn is plainelye expressed, euen also (as I myght vse the wordes of saincte Cypriane) least the passione of Christ shoulde wauer as a vaine and phā tasticall thinge, the tyme where in christ did suffer, verely whē Poncius Pylate was lieutenante of the Romain Impire, it is expressed very wel. What is it to be­leue, that christ suffered vnder pontius pilate, this thinge is meante in it, that he shoulde make a mendes for my synnes, and therfore, to go vnto so vyle a death, for Peter in his first Epistle the second chapiter, saith, Christ did beare in his bo­dy [Page] our synnes, vpon the crosse, where by we beinge dead to sinne, should lyue vnto iustice, with whose strypes wee are made hole, & addeth vnto this thynge y ^e saying of Esaye. In the .liij. Chapter. Truelye he did beare our infirmities, and he did suffer our paines. It is trulye by cause I wold expound y ^e thyng more at large. The passion of Christ after y ^e mind of sainct Augustine, is two waies to be taken, first, as an holy sacrament, & thē as an example, as a sacrament trewly, for that it signifieth & kylleth synne in vs. As an example that we should frely and [...]lilyngely heare all maner of euyls w ^t a good herte, whiche be sente to vs by Christ, perswadynge with our selues, y ^t all thoose afflyctions in the passyon of Christ, are made acceptable in the syght of god, & that also, if nede shall require, we offer our selues to Christ, euē as a sa­crifice willyngly for oure neyghboures euen as Christe did offer him selfe a sacrifyce for vs to god the father, as a smelle of a good and swete sauer. Ephesyans the v. chapter. For whi Christ dyd suffer for vs, leauynge to vs an example, that [Page] we shoulde folow his foote steppes, and here Christ sayth, Mathew the .x, Chapter. Who so euer doch not take his cros and folowe me, is not worthy of me. Iesus Christe graunte that we maye take his passion with a trewe faythe, and we being once entred into his fote stepes, may come thyther where he is come, syttynge on the ryghte hande of god al­mighty. To whom be prayse & glo­ry, worlde w ^t oute ende. Soo be it.

The sixte domesty call Sec mon to their children of the crosse of Christ▪

WE haue not as yet expoūded, well beloued Chyldren, all those thyn ges by y ^e which Christ was made our lorde, for now we must intreate of this thinge which we do professe in our belief. I beleue in Iesus Christe whiche was crucified, which without doubt I do protesse that I do beleue, that Christ the sonne both of god, and the Virgyn was my priest in the very crosse, and y ^• he hath offered a liuely sacrifice to god, [...]uen hym self for my sinnes. And y ^• there is none other satisfaction for my sinnes, which god the father doth receyue, but onely this one oblation of Christ vpon the crosse, which offeryng was once of fered in the crosse. But euen so that all which beleue truely in Christ, he dooeth helpe thē alway, & make thē clene frō al their sins, y ^• remēbraunce of which oblation & Christ hath left in hys supper vnto vs for Cristes words be these. [...]u .xxij. This is my body whiche shall be betrayed for you, do this in my remembraunce. And [Page] Paul y ^• [...]ieste Epistle to the Corinthiās the xi. Chap. setteth fourth, y ^• Christe after the same maner dyd take the eup, and sayde, this eup is the newe testamet in my bloude, do ye thys so often as ye shall drynke of it in the remembraunce of me. Sainct Chrisostome in his com­mentaries vpon the Epistles of Saynte Paul to y ^• Hebrews, sayth. That thyng that we do, it is done in his remēbrance, the which is done &c.

Furthermore, for the oblation made & done, vpon the crosse for our syns, Paul dothe testifye in many places, for to the Ephesy ans the .v. Chapiter he sayeth. Christ deliuered hym selfe for vs an offeryng & sacrifice to god, in a swete sauour of a swete smell. Where Paul (welbe lo­ued children) withe fewe wordes, doth declare y ^• the sacrifices of y ^• old testament were figurs of y ^• sacrifice of Christ made on the crosse, to the Hebrues the .ix. Chapter. Christ was once offered for vs for to take awaie the synnes of manye men. And vnto y ^• Hebrues the .x. Chap­ter. Here truely Christe once beyng of­fered a sacrifice for our synnes, doth sy [...] [Page] at the ryght hande of god, for with one oblation / he made perfecte for euer all those whiche be sainctified. To the Col­lossians the ij. Chapter. He forgyuyng vs al our synnes, hath put out the hand writinge that was against vs, conteined in the law writen, and that hath he takē oute of the waye. and hath fastined it to hys crosse, and hathe spoyled rule and power, and hath made a shewe of them openly, & hath tryumphed ouer them in his own person, w ^t which words Paul writeth y ^• christ did triumph on y ^e crosse. For euen in lyke case, as those whiche make a triumph, beare about w ^t thē, the thynge which betokeneth the victorye & do shew vnto the people, y ^• rememberaunce of their victory: so Paul sayth y ^t Christe, as a triumphe on the crosse, dyd shewe vnto his cruell enemyes y ^• weare ouercome, that is to say, he hath driuen awaye the deuyl, death, & sinne, and hath set fourth openly a token of his victorye where by it may be open to all natyons by the onlye victorye, gotten by Christe in the Crosse, of synne, deth, & the deuil: not onlye vnto hym selfe, but vnto al vs [Page] whiche shall put our hole confidence to be saued, ye do vnderstand, I trust, now welbeloued children, what it is to beleue that Christ was crucyfyed, synce then y ^• Christ hath declared vnto vs by his cros suche greate benefites, and that only of his free goodnes and mercy, let vs therfore be thankefull vnto hym, and let vs crucyfie our flesshe, that we may say [...] Paul, with our affectes and our concu­piscences, y ^• is let vs bridle the wantōnes of our flesh, and our euill affections wich the spirite of god. And let vs not do rudely those thinges which y ^e flesh procureth vs to do, the which al myghtye Christ graunte vs, to whome with god the father and the holy goste be prayse honour & glory world w ^t out end so be it.

The seuenth Sermon Dome­sticall to their children, of the death and the buriyng of Christe.

IT is not vnknowen vnto you (as I thinke.) welbeloued children, that we shal dye al once. Hebrues 9. chapter. For when euen vnto one, all we were giltie with sinne, death began to rule all men, after these saiynges. 1. Corint. 13. Chap. The pricke of death is sinne: and lest death myght swalow you vp. Christ maketh for your purpose: for why, he dyed for this cause, y ^t he mighte satisfie for oure s [...]nnes, and breake the strēgth of death, for the which we should dye, and death woulde swalowe vs vp. Seeyng that therefore there is made sa­tisfaccion for our sinnes by Christ, death can no more deuour men: for why, the death of Christ is our death, the satisfac­cion of Christ for our sinnes, is our satis­faccion. Therefore we say in our belefe. I beleue in Iesus Christe, sonne bothe of god and of the virgin, dead and buryed. [...] I confesse, that I beleue christ [...] died for me, and I also with him and [...]

The tenth sermon domesti­cal, vnto their chyldren, of the Ascention of Christ.

THis day, as ye know, well beloued chyldren, we shall intreate of thascention of Iesu Christ, vnto the hea­uens, in y ^e which there re­mayne goodlye testimonies, [...]oth oute of the Prophetes, the Euaungelistes & the wrytyngs of the Apostles. For Da­iud saith, Psalm xv. He doth ascend on hygh, he hath led captiuitie captiue, he hath giuen giftes to men, whiche place of the Psalme, Paul dothe open. E­phesians the .iiij. Chapter. and in the fortye and syxte Psalme. Dauid sayth. Godde hath ascended in gladnesse and the Lorde in the voyce of the trompet. The fourtenth Psalme, whyche hathe ascended vpon Cherubyn, and hath ta­ken hys flyght vpon the feathers of the wynd. The hundreth & nynth Psalme. The lorde saide to my Lorde, syt on my ryght hand. Furthermore, Mark, xvi. and Luk .i. Chap. in thactes doth make [Page] mention playnely in euery place of the story of the ascention of Christ. and Pe­ter in his first Epistle y ^e .iij. Chap. Saith of Christe, which is on the ryght hande of god, syttynge in heauen. And Paul to the Ephe .v. Chap. After the efficacye and strength of his power, whiche hee did exercyse in Christ, when he shoulde be raysed up from the dead, and to cause hym to syt on his right hand in heauen, ye do here how goodly the testimonies of holy scripture be brought in of the as­cencion of Christ. But euery man maye easily say. I beleue in Iesus Christe the sonne both of God, and of the Virgyn, whiche hath ascended vp to the heauēs, and sitteth on the right hand of god the father almightie. So doth not euery mā knowe the meaning of these wordes, or vnderstande them, or beleue them. It is nothyng els to beleue that christe hathe ascended vp to the heauens, and to sytte on the right hand of God the father al­mightie, then that therefore Christe dyd lyft vp hymself from our syghte, that he myght haue to doe with all men, to rule in all men, to be preached of al men, and [Page] that he might be in all men, and that he myght heare the prayers of all men, and helpe our cause, and defend vs against al euils, and to pray for vs, and to take the office of an intercessour for vs, and an ad­uocate. Romains the eyght chapter, and the first epistle of S. Iohn the .ij. Chap. Furthermore, we muste not thinke that Christ is farre frō vs, but we must thinke clene otherwise. Whē that he did walke here in earth, he was farre from vs: now truely after that he hath ascended vp in­to the heauens, and there shall sit on the ryght hand of god the father almightie, that is to saye, that he shoulde haue lyke power, glory, and honour, like kingdom w ^t god the father, he is nere vs, although our reason cannot compasse it, it maketh no matter, for it is an article of our faith we must haue a faythe of those thynges which our reason can haue no vnderstā ­dyng of, wherfore we must make our re­son captine in the obedience of our faith. Who wyl not now, welbeloued childrē, reioyce and be gladde? when he heareth that Christe for our sakes hath ascended vp into the heauens, that it shoulde pro­spere [Page] vs in all our thyuges both bodye & soule? Who wyll feare now any of hys enemies: whē he doth heare y ^• christ sit­teth i [...] heauē at y ^e right hand of god the father, and gouerneth euery mans hert, that men cannot do any thynge, but as he wyll, and shal permyt. Furthermore if at any tyme, we are sodenly taken wyth any of our enemies, or when we do come in peryls, we ought constantly to beleue y ^• is done by the wyl of oure sauiour Christ: Iesus Christ rule vs alway, and giue vs that grace y ^• we may suffer our selues to be ruled of hym. So be yt. ❧

The eleuenth domesticall sermon to their Chyldren of the latter iud­gemente.

HEtherto, welbeloued Chyldren ye haue heard how Christe was made our lord and sauyour, that is to saye, made satis [...]action for our syn­nes, hath vendicated and worme vs freely from death, the deuyll / and hell: and hathe deserued for vs, remyssion of oure synnes, and lyfe euerlastyng. Now the [...] doth remayne (as ye maye heare) howe christ now at the last, shal shew him selfe openly in his latter iudgement vnto al y ^• world, & veryly to be a mercyfull lord of y ^• godly, that is, a delyuerer of them & lord of al thyng, & to the wicked, a sharp iudge. Therfor, it folow [...]th in y ^• belief, I beleue in Iesu christ y ^• son both of god, & of y ^• vyrgin, which frō thence y ^• is to say, frō the right hand of god y ^• father, shall come to iudge both y ^e quicke & the dead: With the which words I p [...]ofesse this thing, y ^• I beleue y ^• Christ at length whē he shal see his time, wyl come in his glo­ry, & all his holy Anngels w ^t him, & shall [Page] litte on the seate of his glory▪ Matthew xxij. Chapter. And he shall come also, not as in his firste commyng, for to preache vnto men the gospell of grace, or to saue the worlde, but to iudge both the quicke and the dead. And how that shalbe, both Christ and his apostles declare. Matth .xxvi. chapter. Christ saith, when the sōne of man shall come (where now he spea­keth of his second commyng) in his glo­ry, and al his aungels with hym, thē shal he sitte vpon the seate of his glorye, and there shalbe gathered together beefore him al nasions, & he shal separate thē. &c. Ye knowe this place. Marke .xiij. chap. Christ saith, then they shall see the sonne of man come in the cloudes with greate power and glory. Luke .xxi. cha .i. Thess .iiij. chapter. We that shalbe leafte in the commyng of the lord, shall not preuente those whiche haue slept, for thesame lord with that exhortacion, and in the voice of the Arch aungell / and the trump of God shall descend from heauen, & fyrste those that be dead in Christ shall ryse, then we whiche shall liue, whiche shalbe left, shal be taken with them in the cloudes in the [Page] metyng of the lord in the ayer, & so shall we be with the Lord alway .ij. epystle of Peter .iij. chapter. The dayes of y ^• Lorde shall come as a thefe in the nighte, with the whiche the heauens shall vanishe a­way as a storme, the elementes beeynge hotte shalbe dissolued, and the earth also and al those thinges that are therin shal be burnt vp. &c.

Behold, ye here (welbeloued children) how Christ shall vse his last iudgement. Furthermore, of signes, which shalbe as tokens of the commyng of Christ, reade vnto your self the Euangelistes, and the second epistle to the Thessalonyans, the second chapter, the seuenth boke of La­ctantius of the institution of holy thyn­ges. For it is to long to rehearse here all, nor there is no small numbre of testi­monies whiche do appere in euery place in the prophetes, of this second comyng of Christ. Dauid sayth .xcvi. psalme. Th [...] shal the tongue of woodes reioyce from the face of the Lord, for because he shall come to iudge the earth. Esay the secōd chapter, And he shall iudge the nations, and he shall reproue many people.

[Page]Esai .lxvi. Psalm Behold the lord shall come in fier, and his chariot shal be as a boysterouse wind These few testimoni­es of the Prophetes, welbeloued chyl­dren, I haue recited here, that ye myght know the s [...]cond commyng of christ, e­uen before: or as wel as the first cōming of Christ, by the holy ghost: which was spoken by y ^• Prophetes, and also pre [...]a­ticy [...]ated or prophecied. Now, seyng y ^• it is most trew welbeloued children, that christ shal come at length to iudgement, it doth belong vnto vs, first both w ^t our life & behaueour to haue in remēbrance christ which shal come to iudge: for thys is a goodly saying of S. Augst. the xlix. Psalm. which saith. Whē euer [...] mā doth waie in his hert & seeth what place fayth taketh here, if we do beleue y ^• iudgemēt for to come, brethren we shall l [...]ue wel, now is y ^• time of mercie, y ^• time of iudgement shalbe. And Paul .ij. Cor .v. Chap. saith. Wherfore let vs stryne with oure selues, if we be present at home, or with out makyng our iourney, that we maye please hym, for al we must shew our self before y ^• iudgement seat of god & christ, [Page] that euery man may beare those things which haue ben done by his body. Furthermore, if we truely beleue y ^• last iudgment of Christ, we shal make our hertes glad, that in that tyme, all we the which haue cast our confidence surelye in hym both shall receiue the crowne of our iu­stice .ij. Tim .iiij. Chap. And we shal liue also with our head Christ for euermore .i. Tessa .iiij. Chap. What oughte to bee more desyred of vs, then wherebye wee may loke vpon the face of Christ, which is the immaculate Image of God, the first begotten of all creatures, by whom all thinge was made, which is in heauē, and which is in yearth? Colloss .i. Chap. Our lord Iesus Christe graunte, that in lyke case as here in earth we be one, so y ^• we may so leade our lyfe w ^t hym, euen togyther for euermore. Let euer this latter iudgemente, welbeloued Chil­dren be alway before your eies, ¶ I shall maruell if ye shal not haue a great ac­compt or good eye to youre lyuynge. So be it

The twelfth Domesticall ser­mon to their chyldren, of God the holy ghost.

SEeyng that I haue taken vpon me (welbeloued children) to ex­pound the belief, I haue told to you christians, without any controuersy or doubt, that we shoulde beleue with a [...]yngle eye, that there is but one god, and yet three persons, whiche haue the selfe same diuine substaunce: and as I shall vse the wordes of the olde auncyente d [...] ­uynes, or consubstanciall, whiche is god the father, god the sonne, and god the holy ghost. We haue spoken hytherto very muche of god the father, & god the sōne. And now the course of our talke dooeth requyre, that we should intreate now of god the holy gost. The holy gost also to be god, the holy scripture doeth playnly proue. But lest I should be tedious vnto you with the multytude of Scryptures I wyll bryng forth onely some places of scrypture, by the whiche ye shall knowe the deitie of the holy ghoste, and that ye may both defend your conscience frō the assaultes of the deuill. Mathew the laste [Page] chap. Christe sayeth vnto his discyples, whom he wylled to god through all the world: Go, and teache all nations, and baptise them in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost. [...]o [...], here Christ doth attribute the godhead vnto the holy ghost: for when I must beleue in the holye ghoste, then I make hym a god, for I must beleue and put my trust in no man, but in God. This argumente dooeth Razianzene the fifth [...]oke of his holy writing vse, whose words be these. But yf the holy gost be a creature, how do we beleue in hym, or be confirmed in him? and it is not al one thyng, to beleue in any thyng, and to beleue of any thing for that thyng is attributed to the god­head, the other thyng to euery creature. And this argument S. Cyprian dooeth touche in his expositiō of the belefe. Da­uid .xxxij. psalme, saieth. The heauēs wer made with y ^• word of god, and with the spiryt of his mouth all their powers, and here is also opened a testimony, that the holy ghost is god, as heauen, & all thyng whiche is in heauen was made by hym. Psalme. Cxxxviii. Whyther shall I god [Page] from the spirite. And whyther shal I flie frō thy face? It is in no creatures power for to be in all places, or to fulfyll all the world: but that pertayneth only to God the creator. Furthermore, that the holie ghost is very god, these places may satis­fy you for this tyme, of the Godhed of y ^• holy gost. Now I come to the belief, in y ^• whiche we say. I beleue in the holy gost with the whiche woordes I saye, that I professe to beleue not onely, that the ho­ly ghoste is god, with true god y ^• father, and very god the sonne, and for to come forth of them bothe: but also, maketh in me that thyng, that his name doth syg­nifye, truely that he doth sanctifye me: with what meanes that is done, y ^• nexte sentences of the belefe do declare. But truely, to beleue in the holy ghoste, is to beleue, that our hartes are led by hym, are styrred by him, are moued to beleue the ghospell of Iesu Christ, and that by hym we are broughte to the knowledge of the father and Christ: and by hym, [...]e folow Christ our lord / and our defender from all kynde of bondage. For no man [...] beleue at any time eyther the gospel [Page] or can by any meanes beleue christ to be his lord, onles it be geuē him by y ^• holye gost. Therfore, y ^• congregatiō s [...]geth in a song. Now we beseche the holy ghost, y ^• first he wil geue vs a true faithe, & that he wil kepe vs before we come to an end & whē we cōehome out of this life full of misery, Lordhaue mercy on vs, where y [...] here deere childrē, y ^• right faith both in y ^• gospel to be asked of the holy ghost and Christ. Corint .xij. No man can say Lord Iesus, but by the holy gost. To be short the holy ghost is the same spirite, by whō our heauenly father bothe woorketh all thyng in vs, and doth quicken thē in vs. And here the congregation doth synga­gayne of the holy ghost Withoute the holy ghoste, there is nothyng in manne, and nothyng is without synne. Where­fore (welbeloued chyldren) when eyther ye wil heare the word of god, or doo any thing, pray ye to Christ, y ^• he would send vnto you y ^• holy ghost, y ^• whatsoeuer ye shal here or do, y ^• ye may both heare it [...] do it luckely and happily. And first, we must desire christ y ^• the holy gost may not leaue vs so long as [...]e be in this worlde▪ [Page] but at all tymes he maye be chiefly pre­sent with vs, that he may defend us from the manyfold snares of the deuell / & pre­serue our hertes, that they beyng alway intente and beeholdyng onely Iesus Christ our sauiour, may not bee troubled with any thing contrarye to his commaun­dement. So be it.

The thirtenth domesticall ser­mon to their chyldren, of Chri­stes Churche.

IN the last sermon (welbe­loued childrē) ye haue herd that to beleue in the holye ghost, is nothyng els then to beleue that the holy gost is very god with verye God the father, and very god the sonne, and that he doth make us verily holye, euen as his holye name doeth signifie: and nowe ye shall [Page] heare, how by the holy gost we ar made holy, and what thynges appertayn vnto him from the first beginning of y ^• world, and what appertaineth to hym euen to the end of the world. This foloweth in the belefe. I beleue the holy churche, the communion of samtes. Here ye oughte to bee admony shed (wherefore we saye here.) I beleue the holy church, and not in the holy churche. Saint Cyprian doth make aunswere here, for this cause it is done, that the creator ought to be separated from the creatures, and holy thinges may be separated from humayne thyn­ges. Furthermore, whē we professe that we do beleue holy churche, we shew and set forth the holynes of the church, whi­che can not be set forth before our corpo­rall eyes, for those thynges which we be­leue, are not seene with our eyes, and so is the holynesse of the churche hydden, for god hath wrapped his churche with many kyndes of infirmities, with sinne, with errours, and with a thousande ma­ner of crosses he doeth oppresse it, that it seemeth to be nothyng lesse then holye. Therfore whosoeuer doeth not obserue [Page] and marke the maner of god bilig [...]tly, & seeth or beholdeth y ^• errours, sinnes, and daily falles in those mē, which be born a­gain w ^t the water of regeneration, & haue both y ^• word of god, & do kepe it in faith, cannot but greatly be offēded, & thinke, that those are not to be taken of the holy churche. But here perchaunce thou wilt saye. But what is the Churche? Heare welbeloued children, this word, Ecelesia, is Greke word, and in [...]aten, it signifi­eth, Societatem, or, Concionem, or, Coetuns populi, in Englishe, it signifieth a felow­shyp, an asse [...]ble, or a congregatyon of people. And this is this holy churche, called a certayne feloweshyppe of holye [...]enne uppon yearthe, warrynge vnder Chryste by the holy ghost. ( [...]o, beholde the offyce of the holy ghoste) congrega­t [...]d in one fayth, mynde, and vnderstan­dyng, and mdewed with manye gyftes. Briefly, the holy church is al those whi­che beleue in Christ: & this thing signifi­eth these wordes. I beleue the cōmuniō of samtes. Whiche wordes (as the holy fathers testifie with one voyce) the holy churche is expoūded to be a communiō. [Page] or a felowship or congregatiō of saintes. And this is the th [...]g y ^• [...]. August. writeth, in a sermon of al saintes. Our holy mo­ther y ^• faithful churche being sured in all the world, taught chafflictions of Christ in the hed Iesu Christ. &c. But here per­chaūce also, you thinke with your selues Behold how is it, y ^• holy church of christ which (as I haue said a little before) sō ­time falleth hedlong into sinne? I make answere. The holy church is by faith [...] Iesu Christ, whilest truly it doth beleue, that by Christes bloud it is washed clene frō all sinne .i. Iohn n. chap. And y ^• holy church of Christ is, those that do abstain from the sinnes of the flesh, and do exer­cise thēselfs with spiritual exercises. Fur­thermore, it is not so holy, that vtterly it lacketh al euill desires, may be oppressed with no wicked opinions. For y ^• church of god must confesse her sinne: therfore, she praieth, y ^• her sinnes may be forgeuē. Wherfore she beeleueth to haue remis­sion of her synnes. So that now we per­ceiue, that saintes do sinne, do [...]alle, and are disceiued, but unawares, for they wil not willyngely forsweare Iesu Christ▪ [Page] and renounce his gospell, wherfore they do optayne the remission of their sinnes: and if they do at any tyme erre from the doctrine of Christ, so that neglygentely they be oute of the waye, there is made ready for them forgeuenesse: for why, sō ­tyme, and specially about y ^• end of theyr lyfe, they be brought somwhat to remē ­braunce of their synnes, and repente of their synnes, and geue the victory onely to the trueth, and vnto the mercy of Ie­su Christe But peraduenture here, wel­beloued childrē, again you would know of me, whether the holynes of y ^• church, may by any meanes be hid from Christ: Or whether the church of Christ may bee knowen by any exteriour sygnes, as I haue said a litle before: wherin I wylsy­gnify vnto you, the churche of Christ to be▪ wheresoeuer the pure worde of God is taught, and the sacramentes admini­stred, as Christ hath instituted them, the people be styrred to liue godlye, & where they do pray vnto god for kynges, prin­ces, and al ordinary gouernours and ru­lers. Behold, these be the signes of chri­stes church, when therfore I do professe [Page] and saie. I beleue the holy churche. I confesse this chyng: I beleue that there is vpon the earthe a companye of holye saintes, whiche do beleue in Iesus christ of the whiche company I am one: yea and a membre of the same, and professe that I am a partener of all good thyn­ges whiche they do: In the which com­pany I am associate vnto thē by the holy Ghoste, for that that I haue hard the word of God: and now heare it. Iesu Christ graunt that we may be in his holy Churche, and that we maye continuallye there remayne. So be it. ☜ ☞ ❧

The .xiiii. domesticall or how­ [...]holde sermon to their chyldren, of the remission of synnes.

Last of al ye haue heard, wel beloued chyldren, that we by the holy ghost, and by y ^• word of god, are associat to the holy church. And heare now what thyng is doen in the church, the holy ghost beyng our guyde. There foloweth in our belief: I beleue y ^• remis­sion of sinnes. Here I do confesse that I doo beleue the holy churche to haue the remission of synnes: The remissiō of syn­nes is, when our sinnes are forgeuen vs freely by Christ. Whiche forgeuenes is made by the preachyng of the woord of god, and the administration of the sacra­mentes among the church of Christ, and geuen to vs by onely Iesus Christ, both through his merites and promise. For thus saith S. Paul. Rom .iii. cha. Verely [...]e are iustified frely by his grace, that is the grace of god by the redēption, which is in christ Iesu. Ephe .i. chap. By whō, that is to say, by christ we haue forgeue­nes, & remissiō of our sinnes by his blud. [Page] The same words Paul writeth, Colloss .i. chap. And Christ hym self sayeth in the last chapter of Luke. This ought Christ to suffer, and ryse the third day frō death and vnderneath his name, repentance & remission of sinnes to be preached amōg all nations. And Paul saieth, Actes .xiij. chap. Be it knowen to you (O ye men) that by thys, that is Christ, remissyon of synnes is declared vnto vs. But where­fore do I tarry, in bringing forth so ma­nye testimonyes of Scripture? as who should say, that all holye scripture were not full of testimonies, that by only Ie­su Christ, the remission of our synnes is graunted and promysed to vs▪: and it is not only fortified by y ^• opē places of scripture, but also cōfirmed by the sētences of many holy men. For what other thyng doth baptisme represēt (and what doth y ^• supper of the lorde also? then y ^• by onely Iesu christ y ^• forgeuenes of our sinnes is both gotten & promised. For the which thyng (I trust) we shall haue leysure at an other tyme to speake more of. Fur­thermore, for that, that we are made par­takers of y ^• remissiō of sines by crist both [Page] gotten and promised vnto vs, only oure faith in Iesu Christe causeth it, for who that dooeth beleue and that with all hys hert, that Christ came into this world for this cause, was borne, suffred death, was crucified, and rose frō death, y ^• he myghte attain the forgeuenes of synnes, he tru­ly hath optayned the forgeuenes of hys sinnes, for the whiche thing, welbeloued chyldren / let not your conscience doubt, and beholde. I wyll set forth here before you, a fewe places of scripture, which ye shal haue alway in remēbraunce. Christ saith, Iohn. in. chap. As Moses hath ex­alted the serpent in desert, so must y ^• sōne of man be exalted, that all whiche beleue in hym shall not perishe. Balat .ij. chap. We do beleue in Iesu crist, that we shal be iustified by faith, and not by the wor­kes of the law. Furthermore, to be iusti­fied, as ye haue heard ofte, is to obtayne the forgeuenes of sinnes, or els of an vn­iust man to be made iust. Ephe .ij. chap. With grace are ye made safe by faith. Act .xiii. chap. By him (that is by christ) remission of sinnes is declared vnto vs, in that thyng that he whiche beleueth is [Page] iustified: And this S▪ Ambro [...]n his commentaries upon y ^e .iii [...]. chap. to the [...]o▪ whiche place I wyll declare by the way Thei be manifestly blessed, whose [...] be forgeuē them without any labour or anye worke, and that offences be coue­red, so that (to their iustifica [...]ion) [...] required no workes of thē, but only that they should beleue. As I [...], [...] of these places, welbeloued [...] easily vnderstand, that only [...] in christ doth remitte vs of our sinnes. But here perchaunce you would say. And how is this faith gottē in Christ? Heare with a fewe wordes, faith is gotten in Chryste▪ partly of heryng the word of god, or the ghospell, partly of the holy gost, whiche maketh vs beleue the promises of christ. Paul Ro .x. chap. saith. Faith commeth by hearyng, and hearyng by the woord of god Peter saith, Actes .xi. chap. That when he did preache vnto the Gentiles, the holy ghost did fall among thē. Whi­che place, as many other mo, doth proue plainly in the actes of the Apostles, that the holy ghost did stirre vp the hertes of men by the word, that thei might beleue [Page] [...] y ^• now [...] belief▪ [...]nnes is▪ [...]yng [...]g as [...] church [...], [...] w [...]ch [...]ly [...]h [...] [...]org [...]enes o [...] [...]e is, both for [...]hat that god y ^• fa [...] for Iesu Christes sake hath forgeuen vs our synnes [...], [...] also for that that we offending ou [...] an o­ [...]her, do forgeue one an other. Wherfore welbeloued children, pray vnto Christ y ^• he would vouchsafe to admit vs alwaies as of his churche, for those that be not of his churthe, they neuer obtayne the for­geuenes of their sinnes, & those be not of his church, which wil deserue y ^• forgeue­nes of their sinnes by their own merites and not by y ^• gospel, & faith in Iesu christ [...] we haue declared & said of this [...]ēt [...]y for this tyme.

The fiftenth domestical or hou­shold sermon to their chyldren, of the resurrection of the dead.

Fewe men, welbeloued children, do willingly dye: and y ^• cause is (as I thinke) partli for that we ar more desirous by our nature of life thē death, partly for that in fewe of vs there is true faith, that there shalbe a resurrection of y ^• dead: for if this faithe were strong in vs, truly it could not be, but y ^• we shuld wil­lingly dye: but that this sentence of y ^• re­surrection which shalbe of the dead, may bee made to you more familyer, and y ^• it once well vnderstand, myght make you the willynglyer to departe this presente lyfe: we shall speake a fewe wordes at this present time of it. We saye therfore in our belief, I beleue the resurrection o [...] the flesh: where, by this flesh vnderstand you this our body, as you myghte saye, I beleue that this my very body shall at lengthe ryse agayne, or I beeleue the resurrection of this bodye. Wherefore exercise your mynde to beleue this, that our body, which now here we see, shalbe raised again, but the condition & qualitie [Page] [...]hanged (as I may vse the wordes of S. Cyprian) For why, this our bydy y ^• shal rise, shalbe incorruptible and immortall, not only the iuste (as S. Cyprian saieth) but the sinners also. The iuste truely, for because they shal euer tarry with christ, and y ^• sinners without any remedy, shal euer tarry in euerlasting payn .i. Corint .xv. chap. For this corruptible body must put on incorruption, and this mortall bodye, must put on immortalitie. Iob xix. chapter. I know that my redemer li­ueth, and in the latter daye, I shall ryse from the earth: and againe I shalbe co­uered with my skynne, and in my fleshe I shall see God, whom euen I my selfe shall see, and myne eyes shall loke vpon. Furthermore, of the resurrection y ^• shall be of the dead, there be many goodly te­stimonies in holy scripture. Ezech .xxxv. chap. saith. Behold, I shal open your se­pulchres, and shal bring you out of your sepulchres. Daniel .xii. cha. And many of those whiche slepe, shall come out of the dust of the earth, some to euerlasting life some to their rebuke: that they maye al­way see, Christ saith. Iohn .i. The houre [Page] shall come, in the whiche all that be in y ^• graues shall heare his voyce, and those which haue done good, shal go to the re­surrectiō of life, and those that haue done cuyll, to the resurrection of condēnation. Matt .xxii. Christ saith also, of the resur­rection of the dead, haue ye not red, that it hath bene said vnto you of god, which saith? I am the god of Abraham, the god of Isaac, and the god of Iacob. God is not the god of the dead, but of y ^• liuyng, And vnto those apply y ^• saiyng of Paul .i. Corint .xv .i. Thessa .iiii. and Philip .iij. Chapter. In the whiche places there be goodlye testimonyes of the resurrection y ^• shalbe of the dead. But here perchaūce ye would saye: and how, and after what sort, shall the resurrection of the dead be. To these words doth Paul make vs an­swere and say .i. Corint .xv. chap .i. Thess .iiii. chap. We tell you verily this thyng, as the word of the Lorde, that we which liue, and shalbe least to the commyng of the lord, shall not preuente and come be­fore those whiche doo slepe: For y ^• same lord with a commaundemēt & the voyce of the Archaungell, and the trumpette of [Page] god should descend from heauen, & those that be dead in Christ shal rise first, then we which do liue, which shalbe left, shal­be taken together with them in y ^• clou­des in the ayre to the meatyng of y ^• lord, and so shal we be alway with the Lorde, these be the wordes of S. Paul, & when he addeth at the latter ende, & so shall we be alwai with the lord▪ he declareth how much ioye remaineth to those which die in Christ, that at length thei shall ryse to euerlastyng life. Furthermore, he decla­reth what we shall doo, after that we are relieued, we shall come out of y ^• earth to immortalitie & euerlasting life: or we be­ing yet aliue shalbe changed to immortalitie: with y ^• which thoughtes if our hert shal sōtimes be occupied, we shal easily etolerate & beare this death, whiche maie be a meane vnto vs to an immortalitie & euerlastyng lyfe. The cause y ^• we do ryse christ through his holy resurrectiō hath beserued for us, y ^• no man should think y ^• it cōmeth of his own workes. Of y ^• whi­che Paul doth speake .i. Cor .xv. Chap. & in other places of his epistles, of y ^• which I haue made mētiō a litle before: & now [Page] [...] shall [...] in a [...]y [...]e. [...]or [...] gloriouse [...] chap. Whi [...] [...] scarce half holy and [...]y [...]y [...]ost do [...]h daily [...] his protection, & doth [...] stes churche, the [...]org [...]s, vntyll suche tyme as we [...]o an o [...]her lyfe, in the whiche [...] made [...]an [...] and holye / and [...]h [...] we shal [...] deliuered frō sinne, deat [...], and from a [...] euils in our body, whiche shalbe immortall and incorrupryble. God that is our mercifull father, gra [...]e that we may see one another [...]oyfully and gladly in that day, and that w [...] may perpetual­ly remayn with our head Christ, to whō be prayse [...] the holy [...]

The sixtenth Sermon Dome­sticall to their children, of the life euerlastyng.

THere both remayn nowe the last article of our belief, as ye knowe wel beloued chyldren, of y ^• which although we did sum what sprake in the last sermon, yet for all that, we will com­mon wich a few wordes of it at this pre­sent tyme. I therfore in the belief saye, I befour the life euerlastyng, with y ^• which wordes. I confesse that I beleue, that after that I shall ryse from deathe to lyfe, that I shall neuer dye: but that I shall haue euerlastyng lyfe with Christe our head, whiche is declared openlye in the holy scriptures. Daniel .xii. chap. sayeth, And many of those whiche slepe, shall a­make from out of the doust of the earth, some to life euerlastynge, some to theyr rebuke or punishment, that they myght alway see. Oseas .xiii. chap. I shall dely­uer them out of the handes of death, and shall redeme them from death. Ezechiel xxxiii. Chapter, I liue (saith the Lorde) I wyll not the death of a synner, but that he should be conuerted and line .i. Thess, [Page] iiii. chap, sayeth, that we shall be alwaye with the lord, from the resurrection and death: therfore we shall liue perpetually with hym. But here some men woulde say. But what shall this eternall life be? Esai .lxvi. chapter, sayeth. In this place where he maketh mention of the last re­surrection of the dead, then shalbe a Sa­both day, of a saboth day: and a moneth of a moneth &c: That is to say / then shal it perpetually be holy day, and saynctes shal perpetually worship the lord, that is they shall knowe the Lord, and shal lyue without any spot of synne, and shall dye no more. And the same thyng doth Iob be are witnesse of, & sayeth in the sixte [...]ch cha. I know that my redemer liueth. &c Whiche place I brought out in the laste chap, and here referre Christes saiynges Iohn .xvii. chap. This is the lyfe euerla­styng, that they may know the to be the only very god, and him which thou hast sent Iesu Christ. Beholde, he saieth, that the lyfe euerlasting, is the knowledge of the father and Christs. And this eternall lyfe shall apperrayne to sa [...] & tho [...] that be godly the wicked synners truely [Page] shall liue alway, but to this purpose that they shal alway continue and remain in euerlastyng paynes. Wherefore Dauid saith. Psal .xxxi. The death of synners is cursed, as he might say, although in this lyfe god doth not punish alway sinners yet for all that, aster this lyfe they shall be punished of god greuously. And ther­fore loke here vpon the saiyng of Christ. Matt .xxv. chap. And these shall go, that [...]o to say, the vngodly / into euerlastynge punishmēt, but those that be godly, to e­uerlastyng lyfe: for this euerlastyng life and eternall ioye, as Esai saith in y ^• .xxxv. chap. is deuided and geuen to vs of god for Iesu Christes sake. Roma. 5. So that grace shold reigne by righteousnes to e­uerlasting life by Iesu Christ. Ro .vi. ch. The life euerlastyng is the gyfte of god by Christ Iesu our lord. And truely this lyfe euerlastyng is not deuided to all mē by Christ, but only to those which beleue in Christe, that is, whiche do beleue that Christ by his deathe, his resurrection, by his as [...] to the h [...], hath deser­ued for [...] [...]ife euerlastyng. Iohn iii, [...] beleueth [...] sonne, [...] lyfe [Page] euerlastyng, and he that beleueth not in the sonne, shal not see life, but y ^• wrath of god doth remain vpon him. Iohn .vi. ch. This is his wyll whiche sent me, that e­uery one whiche seeth the sonne, and be­leueth in hym, hath euerlastyng life, and I shall rayse hym in the latter daye: and in the same chap. Verily verily I say vn­to you: he that beleueth in me, hath euerlastyng life: marke this word, hath. This euerlastyng life gotten for vs by Chryst, shall cause, that as I truste, weibeloued children, when Christe shall call vs from hence, we shall willyngly departe, seeing that ye perfitely know, Iames .iiii. chap That ye shall vanishe awaye out of this transitory world, not muche vnlike vnto a smoke, whiche doth appere for a lyttle time, & so both vanish awai, & so for to go to euerlasting life. In the which we shal see Christ face to face, whom here we do perceiue as a figure in a glas: as I might vse the wordes of S. Paul, that is to say only euen with faith & in wordes .i. Cor .xiii. chapter. The grace of our lord Iesu Christ, & the loue of god, & the partaking of the holy gost be with al you. So be it.

The seuententh domesticall or houshold sermon vnto their chyldren of Baptisme.

OF late in a certayn sermon welbeloued childrē, I haue said that in the Churche of Christe, there is remission of sinnes, whiche is cōmu­nicated to you by the sacramentes: and that ye may the more liuelye vnderstand it, I will speake a fewe wordes of the sa­cramentes, and chiefly of those whyche Christe hath instituted, that is to saye, of Baptisme, and the supper of the Lorde, and in this present sermon we will begin to speake of baptisme, and an other time (yf god wyll send vnto me his grace) I shall speake of the supper of the lord: and least this word, sacrament, should troble you, marke that this word sacrament, is for the most part diffined of diuines, that it is a vysible fourme, of the inuysyble grace of Christ, as for an exaumple, Baptisme, of the whiche we speake, is a Sa­cramente, for in that is a visible fourme, for as I shall vse the woordes of S. Au­gustine, whiche he writeth to Marcelli­n [...] ▪ [Page] in his fyrst epistle. In baptisme the eyes [...] see the puttynges into the wa­ [...]r, or the touchynges of the water: but the ea [...]es heare the promyse of grace. Whosoeuer shal beleue, and shalbe bap­tysed, shalbe saued. With these sensyble thynges / God geueth vs his inuisyble grace and redemption, which is in christ Iesu. And these fewe wordes be spoken of the definition of a sacrament: and now I come to baptisme, of the whiche euery christen man ought to knowe thre thyn­ges. First, what is baptisme? afterward wherfore babtism is instituted? thē who be made partakers of baptisme. That I may god vnto the fyrste, baptisme is no­thyng els, but water put vnto the word and commaundemente of God, and by that word sanctified, or that I wil brief­lyer define it. Baptisme is the water of god, not that this water of the owne na­ture is better then other water, but that vnto this water, both the word of God, and the commaundement also is put vn­to it. But here some mā might say, what maner of woord is that? And what ma­ner of commaundemente of god is that, [Page] where with baptisme is made. Hea [...] the word of god is that, that Christ saith Marke the last chap. Whosoe [...]er shal be leue, and shalbe baptised, he shalbe saued whosoeuer shal not beleue, shalbe dā [...]ed This is the cōmaundement of god, that Christ saith, Matt .xxviii. chapter. Go ye therfore, baptisyng them in the name of the father, and of the sōne, and of the ho­ly gost. Wherfore be these Anabaptistes men of our tyme so fra [...]e, whiche [...]e­hemently [...]ye▪ how can the water helpe our soules? Here▪ welbeloued chyldren, baptisme is not only the water, whyche we washe our handes with: but it is the water mixe with the word, the commaundement▪ and the institutiō of Christ: whi­che yf thou dost take away frō baptisme tho [...] [...]ast left it naked without any god [...] apparell. But at this present, I purpose not with my self to concend with y ^• Ana­baptist, ye know, what baptisme is: ther­fore heare now, wherfore it was institu­ted of Christ, that is, how y ^• it doth profit vs: wherfore it was ordeyned, y ^• wordes of Christe teache playnelye. Who [...]oe­uer shall beleue, and shall bee baptysed▪ [Page] shall be saued. Of the whiche woorde you may [...]iden [...]e percey [...]e the m [...] ­nyng. And the fr [...] and ende of bap­tisme is, that we should bee saued. To be sa [...]ed, is to be take [...] awaye from synne, the deuyll, and [...]h, and [...]o be brought into the kyngdome of Christe, and to haue euerlastyng lyfe with Christe. And here ye heare agayne, welbeloued chyl­dren, howe muche we oughte to sette by baptisme, as a thyng that bryngeth vn­to vs an [...]nspekeable treasure. Of the whiche chyng i [...] maye be playnlye per­ceyued of vs, that baptisme is not [...]leane water, as the babling Anabaptistes [...]la [...] ber▪ for by pure water (as I th [...] [...]) we can not bryng the deuyll or [...]de [...]h [...]nd [...]e the yoke, nor obtayne remission of syn­nes, nor get the grace of God, and wh [...] Christe, and the holy ghoste▪ with all his gyftes▪

Furthermore, who bee those that [...] made partakers of this so g [...] a trea­sure? Heare nowe▪ Christe sheweth this thyng with fe [...]e woordes, in the [...] Chapter of S. [...] the [...]ange [...] when he sayeth, who so euer shall bee­le [...] [Page] and shall be baptised, shall be saue [...], where ye heare that we are made apt by faith, that we should vse that diuine wa­ter for our own necessitie, that is, that we may folowe a [...] length that thyng, which is by that [...]olso [...]e water, whiche is mix­ed with the word and commaundement of God, promised to vs: and let not this be scrupulous with your conscience, that the priest, or mynister of the congregatiō doth geue into vs baptisme, by y ^• which we get suche vnspekeable gyftes: for the pastour is the mynister of God, and it is so with the when thou art baptysed of a minister, as if thou shouldest be baptised of god hymself. And this is the thyng y ^• Christ speaketh of▪ Matt. the last Chap▪ Baptisyng them in the name of y ^• father the sonne, & the holy ghost, as he mighte say, [...]hose that are baptysed, be not bap­tysed in the name of the minyster of the churche, whiche doth minyster the bap­tisme, but in the name of go [...] the father, [...]he sonne▪ and the holy ghoste, that is to [...] [...]hen men be baptysed of you, they [...] perswaded in th [...] myndes to beleue [...] [...]e so, as though god shuld baptyse [Page] them, and say with his own mouth. Be­hold, I baptise thee in my name, and I forgeue the all thy sinnes, and I receiue the into my fauour: and I wil be thy de­fender alwayes, but in the steade of an a [...]gmenter, I wil adde alway this thing Baptisme in his owne signification and figure is taken for repentaunce, which is the third sacrament as some mē affirme, for repentance, is to mortifie the old mā and to leade a newe lyfe. Wherfore who soeuer is penitent and sory for those euyl actes that he doth in his lyfe tyme, is al­way occupyed in baptysme, which doth not onely set foorth a newe lyfe, but also doth worke, & beginneth alway to work yea, and also is alway styrred to worke. Therfore baptisme doeth indure euen so long as we haue any breath in our body For why, although any man doth styde from it by synne: yet for all that, we may come to it agayn, and mortifye the old [...] man: that is to say, wrath, lecherie, co [...]e­ [...]ousnes, pryde, vngodlynesse, and other vices, whiche we haue taken of the nati­ [...]itie of Adam. Christ Iesu the author of baptysme, geue vnto vs all, that we may [Page] [...]e made partakers of the fruites of bap­tisme, and that we may continue in hym so long as we here liue. So be it.

❧The .xviii. Domesticall or ho [...]sholde sermon to their chyldren, of the supper of the Lorde.

GOd accustometh for y ^• most part, welbe loued chyldren, to adde vnto his holy pro­mises certain signes, y ^• the [...] should alway be the more redie in our remembrance, & shoulde ad­monish vs of his holy promise, for in like case, whā god had promised Noe. Gene .ix. ch. That he would no more after this subuert and drowne the vniuersal world with water. He addeth vnto his promes an heauenly signe, namely, a raine bow. In like case. Gene .xvi. When God had promised Abraham his blessyng, whiche should remain to al nations by his sede: he did adde vnto it the signe of circūcisiō the signe of the righteousnes of faith, as Paul saith. Rom .iiii. chap. In the new [...] testament, Christ the sonne of God dy [...] [Page] adde vnto his promise of remissiō of syn­nes / and life euerlastyng, signes, baptism and the supper of the lord. Of the which supper, we purpose at this time by gods grace to speake a fewe words. And fyrst marke the sacrament of the bodye & the bloud of our Lord, is called by many na­mes. For Paul .i. Corint .xi. chap. calleth it the supper of the Lorde, whiche supper we do represent, whē we haue takē that sacrament whiche Christe euen at y ^• pre­sent tyme, goyng to his death for vs, did begyn with his disciples in the euening. It is called the sacrament of thākes ge­uyng, because it is instituted by this na­me, to be a sacramēt, as Chriso▪ saith. Let vs geue thankes vnto Christe, for his in­effable benefites whiche he hath bestowed vpon vs, by his moost bitter passyon: It is called a communion, for that the supper of the Lorde, was woonte [...]o bee solemnysed, in and amonge the congre­gation of Chrysten people, they beeyng once gathered together.

Therefore, learne what is the supper of the lord, and then wherfore it was insti­tuted [Page] of Christ, and what profites we do receiue by it: and last, who oughte to bee admitted vnto this supper. The supper of the lord is, when Christ said vnto his disciples, take and eate, this is my bodie, whiche is geuen for you, this is my blud whiche is shed for you in the remyssion of sinnes. To the whiche wordes Christ addeth breade and wine, with the which the faithful receyue his very bodye, and his very bloud spiritually: which .ii. syg­nes, be as seales, that the words of christ be agreable vnto the trewth. Wherfore was this sacramente instituted? for two causes (welbeloued chyldren) firste that we should not doubte that there is geuē to vs truely, whiche the gospel doth pro­mise vs, that is the remission of synnes, and lyfe enerlastynge, for Iesu Chrystes sake, then, that we shoulde declare our fayth before the world, for before god it is sufficient for vs to beleue the ghospel▪ but for because God suffereth vs here to lyue for this cause, that we should be profitable to all men, and the faythe that is hydden in our hartes, we shoulde shewe outwardly before men: He hath institu­ted [Page] to vs baptisine, and the supper of the lord, by the whiche figurs▪ y ^• world doth know that we are Christians. But here ye myght say perchaunce. Is not Bap­tisme sufficient for vs? Wherfore should we receyue the supper of the lord▪ seyng that we myght by baptisme be admoni­shed of the remission of our sinnes, and the lyfe euerlastyng by Christ, and thus declare our profession. But here ye, wel­beloued chyldren, by baptisme truely we are reuiued, and regenerated firste, as ye haue heard in the sermon before. Sence we can not here put of the olde skynne, and for the moast part are throwen into dyuerse stormes of temptations, Christe hath left here vnto vs in spirite and faith to receiue his body and his bloud, with the whiche we maye make strong oure faith against so many assaultes of temp­tations, and so by thē to be strengthened more and more. I thinke ye loke for now that I should shewe to you, what com­modities or frutes we do receiue by y ^• sa­crament of the body and blude of Christ, and for because I will be shorte, this sa­crament ledeth vs to two commodities, [Page] one is, for that it maketh vs brethrē, [...] [...]oheyrs of Iesu Christ, so that of hym [...] vs together, there is one house: an other cōmoditie is, that we are roupled among our sehies with mutual loue and chary­tie, by this sacrament, and we are cōpel­led one to loue an other: whiche .ii. frui­tes of this sacrament, Paul w ^t one band (as they saye) doth knit together .i. Cor .xv. chap. saiyng. The [...]uppe of blessinge whom we do blesse, is it not the communion of the bloud of Christe? The breats whiche we breake: is it not the commu­nion of the body of Christ? Behold, here Paul hath placed it underneth one fruit and commoditie, because we should bee one breade and one bodye, for all wee be partakers of the same bread: and lo, here is an other commoditie: And these be the wordes of S. Paul. Ciprian in his .vi. e­pistle y ^• .i. boke, doth interprete these wordes this: saiyng. Furthermore, the lords sacrifice doth declare the christian vnitie to be annexed vnto him, with a strong & inseparable loue: for whē the lord calleth (as it were) his body / bread, made of the puttyng together of manye cornels, he [Page] doth declare our people (whome he dyd bear) to be vniced and knit together: and when he calleth his bloud wine / pressed out of many chisters & beries, & brought into one forme: he signifieth also unto vs that we are coupled together with y ^• cō ­mi [...]tion of the multitude vniced, & these be the woordes of S. Ciprian. There re­mayneth that I should [...]eache you, wel­beloued chyldrē, who be those that shuld [...] admitted to receiue the sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ. I woulde that ye should not be ignoraunt in thys thyng: thei ought to be admitted to this sacrament, whiche know perfitely what this Sacramente is, and whiche can tell wherefore they wyll receyue it, ye haue heard a litle before the wordes of Christ [...] the sacrament to be the signes of the bo­dy & the bloud of Christ. The cause true­ly, wherfore any may wil receiue this sacramēt, should be this, that they wylre­ceiue this sacramēt, for y ^• they would cō ­firm their fayth, to the comforte of theyr [...]onscyence. And this wayes we shall vse this sacrament rightly, orels if this cause which I haue spoken of, do not cōpel vs [Page] it is not so good that we shuld come to the receiuyng of this sacrament. Other thynges, whiche might be spoken of the sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ, I wyll speake of an other [...]y [...]. And these thynges whiche I haue spoken of, rep [...]e them diligently with your selfes, y ^• ye may rightly [...]se the sup­per of the Lorde. ❧