Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

¶An Homily of the salvation of mankind, by only Christ our saviour, from sin and death everlasting.

¶An Homelie of the saluacion of mankynd, by onely Christ our sauior, from synne and death euerlastyng.

Because all men be sinners, and offenders against GOD, and breakers of his law and commandments, therefore can no man by his own acts, works, and deeds, (seem they never so good) be justified, and made righteous before God: but every man of necessity, is constrained to seek for another righteousness, or justification, to be received at Gods own hands, that is to say, the remission, pardon, and forgiveness of his since and trespasses, in such things as he hath offended. And this justification or righteousness, which we so receive by Gods mercy, & Christs merits, embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God, for our perfect and full justification. For the more full understanding hereof, it is our parts and duty, ever to remember the great mercy of God, how that (all the world being wrapped in sin, by breaking of the law) God sent his only son, our saviour Christ into this world, to fulfil the law for us: and by shedding of his most precious blood, to make a sacrifice and satisfaction or (as it may be called) amends, to his father for our since: to assuage his wrath and indignation conceived against us,¹ for the same. In so much that infants, being baptised, and dying in their infancy▪ are by this sacrifice, washed from their since, brought to Gods favour, and made his children, and inheritors of his kingdom of heaven. And they ⟨image 15⟩which actually do sin after their baptism, when they convert and turn again to God unfeignedly, they are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their since, in such sort, that there remaineth not any spot of sin, that shall be imputed to their damnation. This is that justification, or righteousness, which saint Paul speaketh of, when he sayeth: