The first is that God the father (that everlasting and endless majesty) is our most gentle & merciful father. That God the son, is our redeemer and mediator between the father and us. And that God the holy ghost, is the common sanctifier or hallower, of all them that have a true faith in God. The second, is the preaching of the gospel, the administration of baptism, and the sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the ⟨image 163⟩which we are made partakers of all the inheritance of heaven, & of all the benefits of Christ. The third, is prayer. The fourth, is the cross of affliction and adversity, which God sendeth to all godly men, to make them to know him, to prove thereby & try their faith, to mortify their flesh & to make clean the corruption of the same. And here I speak only of the cross, which good men suffer. For the afflictions of the unfaithful and ungodly, do rather hurt them, then make them holy. For inasmuch as their unpatientnes, is increased by such adversity, they be brought to more desperation and damnation. Now it is very good for you to know these things, that you may also know, that there is nothing in heaven or earth better for us, than is the true knowledge of God, and that these excellent gifts and benefits, ⟨p. cxli⟩cannot be had, but only in the foresaid church or congregation, and no where else. But when the true church (which is ruled by the holy ghost, & the word of God) doth promise us these so great riches and benefits, we ought not to doubt, but that we have already received them. And when the church doth appoint and ordain us, to be preachers and ministers of these most precious treasures, we must steadfastly believe, that God effectually worketh with us that he is present with us, and that he at all times doth strengthen us against the world and the devil, and that he doth help us to do all things according to our calling prosperously and with good success. Secondly we must believe the remission of since. Therefore next unto this article, I believe the ⟨image 164⟩holy catholic church, the communion of saints is added, the forgiveness of since. For where so ever the church of Christ is, there is freely offered that eternal comfort above all measure, that is to say, the favour of God, and remission of since. And without that church is no remission of sin.
The first is that God the father (that euerlastīg and endles maiestye) is our most gentle & mercyful father. That God ye sonne, is our redemer and mediatour betwene the father and vs. And that God the holy gost, is ye commen sanctifier or halower, of all theim yt haue a true faithe in God. The second, is the preaching of ye gospel, thadministration of baptisme, and the sacrament of the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ, by the ⟨image 163⟩whiche we are made partakers of all the inheritaunce of heauē, & of all the benefites of Christe. The third, is prayer. The fourth, is the crosse of affliction and aduersitie, whiche God sendeth to all godly men, to make theim to knowe him, to proue therby & trye their faith, to mortifye their fleshe & 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 disperatiō and damnatiō. Nowe it is very good for you to knowe these thinges, that you may also knowe, that there is nothyng in heauē or erthe better for vs, thā is the true knowlege of God, and that these excellent gyftes and benefites, ⟨p. cxli⟩cannot be had, but onely in the foresayde churche or cōgregatiō, and no where els. But whan the true churche (which is ruled by the holy gost, & 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 ye 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 ⟨image 164⟩holy catholique churche, the communion of saintes is added, ye 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 synne.
