Fyrst the holy writinges of the Byble teach vs, that there is one God almyghtye, that hath neither begynyng nor endynge: whiche of his owne goodnesse dyd create all thynges: of whom all thynges procede, and without wh&obar; there is nothynge: which is ryghtous and mercyfull: and which worketh all thynges in all after his wyll: of whom it maye not be demaunded wherfore he doth this or that. ^note

Then that this verye God dyd create Adam the fyrst man after his owne ymage and symilitude, and dyd ordeyne and appoynte hym lorde of all the creatures in the earth. ^note Whiche Adam by the enuye of the deuyll disobeyinge the commaundement of his maker dyd fyrst synne, and broughte synne into this worlde, suche and so greate, that we whiche be spronge of hym after the flesh are subdued vnto syn, death and dampnacion, brought vnder the yocke and tyranny of the deuyll.

And further that Chryst Iesus his son was promised of God the father, to be a sauiour to this Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Dauid, and the other fathers: whiche shoulde delyuer them from theyr synnes and tyrannye of the deuyll, that with a quycke and lyuynge fayth wolde byleue this promysse: and trust to this Iesus Chryst, hopynge to haue this delyueraunce of hym and by hym. ^note And truly this promysse is very oft rehearsed in the bokes of the olde Testament, yea, and the olde Testam&ebar;t is this promysse: as it is called the newe, which teacheth that this promysse is fulfylled.

And that in the meane season / whyle the fathers loked for saluacion and delyueraunce promysed, bycause mannes nature is suche that he not onely can not, but also wyll not confesse hym selfe to be a synner, and specyally suche a synner that hath nede of the sauynge health promysed, the lawe was gyuen wherethrugh men myght knowe synne, and that they are synners: when they se that they doo none of the thynges that the lawe commaundeth with so glad and wyllynge a mynde as God requyreth: but rather agaynst theyr wylles, without affection, and as though they were c&obar;strayned with the feare of that hell whiche the lawe threateneth, saying: Cursed be he that maynteyneth not all the wordes of this lawe to kepe them. And that this lawe was gyu&ebar;, to thintent that synne and the malyce of mennes hertes being therby the better knowen, m&ebar; shulde the more feruently thyrst the commynge of Chryst, whiche shoulde redeme them from their synnes. As it was fygured vnto the Iewes by many ceremonyes, hoostes, and sacrifyces, which were ordeyned of God, not to thintent to take awaye synnes, but to shewe ∧ declare that they shoulde be put awaye by fayth, in the saluation promysed thorowe Chryst: and whiche nowe are put awaye by the c&obar;mynge of that Chryst, whiche is the very hoost of the father that taketh awaye all synne.

Last of all by the bokes of the newe testam&ebar;t we are taught, that Chryst whiche was promysed and shadowed in the olde Testament, is sent of the father, at suche tyme as he had determyned with hym self, at suche tyme (I saye) as all wyckednesse florysshed. And that he was sent not for any mannes good workes (for they all were synners) but to thintent that he wolde trulye shewe the aboundaunt rychesse of grace, whiche he had promysed.

In the new Testament therfore is moost euidently declared, that Iesus Chryst the true lambe and hoost, is come to thintent to rec&obar;cyle vs to the father, payinge on the crosse the punyshment due vnto our synnes: and to delyuer vs from the bondage of the deuyll (vnto whome we serued through synne) and to make vs the sonnes of God, syth he hath gyuen vs the true peace and tranquyllitye of conscyence, that we no longer do feare the paynes of hell: whiche feare is put awaye by the fayth, confydence and assuraunce that the father gyueth vs drawynge vs vnto his sonne. For that fayth is the gyfte of God, wherby we byleue þt; Chryst is come into this worlde to saue synners, whiche is of so greate pyth þt; they whiche haue it desyre to perfourme all the dutyes of loue

loue to all men, after the example of Chryst. For fayth ones receaued, God geueth hys holy ghost, wherwith he tokeneth and marcketh all that beleue: which is the pledge and earnest þt; we shall suerly possesse euerlastynge lyfe, and that geueth wytnes vnto our sprete, and grafteth this fayth in vs, that we be the sonnes of God: powrynge therwith that loue into oure hertes which Paul describeth and setteth out to the ^note Corinthians. By that fayth and confidence in Christ which by loue is myghtye in operacyon, and that sheweth it selfe thorowe the worckes of loue, stearinge men therto, by that (I saye) we are iustifyed: that is, by that faith Chrystes father (which is become ours also thorowe that Christ oure brother) counteth vs for righteous ∧ for his sonnes: imputyng not oure synnes vnto vs, thorow his grace.

To conclude, he came to thintent that we beynge cleansed from oure synnes, and sanctyfyed vnto God the father: that is, halowed vnto the vse of the father to exercyse good workes, renyinge and forsakynge the workes of þe; fleshe, shulde frely serue him in righteousnes, and holynesse all our lyfe longe: thorowe good worckes which God hath ordeyned to thyntent that we shulde walcke in them, declaryng oure selues therby to be suerly called vnto this grace: which worckes whosoeuer hath not, declareth that he hath not fayth in Chryst.

Wnto whom we must come, and folowe hym with a chearfull hert, that he maye instruct and teache vs: for he is oure mayster, meake and humble of hert: he is oure example of whom we must learne the rule of good lyuyng: further, he is oure preest, hye bysshop, and onely mediator, which nowe sytteth on the ryght hande of God the father, is our aduocate ∧ prayeth euer for vs: which will vndoubtedly obtayne whatsoeuer we desyre, ether of hym, or of his father in hys name: yf we beleue that he wyll do it when we requyre it. For so hath he promysed. Let vs therefore not doute, all though we some tyme synne, with a confydence to come vnto hym, and with a lyuing and vndoubtynge fayth, that we shall obtayne mercy. For therfore came he to thyntent to saue synners: nether requyreth he any thynge moare of vs then to come vnto hym without feare.

Thys is that Chryst Iesus / which after he hath kylled the man of synne with the breath of his mouth, shall syt in his maiestie and iudge all men, geuynge vnto euery one the worckes of hys bodye, accordyng to that he hath done, whether it be good or badde. And that shall saye vnto them that shalbe on hys ryght hande. Come ye blessed chyldren of my father, inheret ye the kyngdome prepared for you fr&obar; the begynnynge of the worlde. And vnto them that shalbe on hys left hande. Departe from me ye cursed, into euerlastynge fyre: which is prepared for the deuell and his angels. Then shall the ende come and he shall delyuer vp the kyngdome to God the father.

To thyntent that we shulde knowe thys, by the goodnesse of God worckyng by his holy sprete, are the holy wrytynges of the Byble geuen vs. That we shulde knowe (I saye) and beleue that there is one God, ∧ Iesus Christ whom he hath sent: and that in beleuynge we shulde haue euerlastynge lyfe thorowe hys name.

Another foundacyon then this can no man laye. And saynt Paul desyreth that he be holden acurssed which preacheth any other fayth and saluacyon, then onely by Iesus Christ: yee all though it were an angell of heauen.

For of hym, and thorowe hym, and for hym, are all thynges: to whom, with the father and the holy ghost, be honoure and glory for euermore. Amen.

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