one. For I am baptized, and I do believe, that Christ is my Lord, by his death hath redeemed and delivered me from all my sins, and hath given to me eternal righteousness and holiness. And let him be holden accursed, whosoever shall not give this honour unto Christ, to believe, that by his death, his word, &c. he is justified and sanctified.

Wherefore, rejecting this foolish and wicked opinion concerning the name of saints, (which in the time of Popery and ignorance we thought to pertain only to the saints which are in heaven and in earth, and to the hermits and monks which did certain great and strange works,) let us now learn, by the holy Scriptures, that all they which faithfully believe in Christ are saints. The world hath in great admiration the holiness of Benedict, Gregory, Bernard, Francis, and such like; because it heareth that they have done in outward appearance, and in the judgment of the world, certain great and excellent works. Doubtless Hilary, Cyrill, Athanasius, Ambrose, Augustine and others were saints also, which lived not so strait and severe a life as they did, but were conversant amongst men, and did eat common meats, drank wine, and used cleanly and comely apparel; so that in a manner, there was no difference between them and other honest men, as touching the common custom and the use of things necessary for this life, and yet were they to be preferred far above the other. These men taught the doctrine and faith of Christ sincerely and purely, without any superstition; they resisted heretics, they purged the church from innumerable errors, their company and familiarity was comfortable to many, and especially to those which were afflicted and heavyhearted, whom they raised up and comforted by the word of God. For they did not withdraw themselves from the company of men, but they executed their offices even where most resort of people was. Contrariwise, the other, not only taught many things contrary to the faith, but also were themselves the authors and first inventors of many superstitions, errors, abominable ceremonies, and wicked worshippings. Therefore, except

at the hour of death, they laid hold of Christ and reposed their whole trust in his death and victory, their strait and painful life availed them nothing at all.

These things sufficiently declare, who be the true saints indeed, and which is to be called a holy life; not the life of those which lurk in caves and dens, which make their bodies lean with fasting, which wear hair, and do other like things with this persuasion and trust, that they shall have singular reward in heaven above all other Christians; but of those which be baptized and believe in Christ, which put off the old man with his works, but not at once; for concupiscence and lust remaineth in them so long as they live, the feeling whereof doth hurt them nothing at all, if they suffer it not to reign in them, but subdue it to the Spirit.

This doctrine bringeth great consolation to godly minds, that when they feel these darts of the flesh wherewith Satan assaileth the Spirit, they should not despair; as it happeneth to many in the Papacy, which thought that they ought to feel no concupiscence of the flesh; whereas notwithstanding, Hierome, Gregory, Benedict, Bernard, and others, (whom the Monks set before them as a perfect example of chastity and of all Christian virtues,) could never come so far as to feel no concupiscence or lust of the flesh. Yea they felt it, and that very strongly. Which thing they acknowledge and plainly confess in divers places of their books.

Therefore, we rightly confess in the articles of our belief, that we believe there is a holy church.' For it is invisible, dwelling in Spirit, in a place that none can attain unto; and therefore, her holiness cannot be seen, for God doth so hide her and cover her with infirmities, with sins, with errors, with divers forms of the cross and offences, that according to the judgment of reason, it is no where to be seen. They that are ignorant of this, when they see the infirmity and sins of those which are baptized, which have the word and believe it, are byand-by offended, and judge them not to pertain to the church. And in the meanwhile, they dream that the hermits, and monks, and such other shavelings are the

church, which honour God with their lips, and worship him in vain; because they follow not the word of God, but the doctrines and commandments of men, and teach others to do the same. And because they do certain superstitious and monstrous works, which carnal reason magnifieth and highly esteemeth, therefore they judge them only to be saints, and to be the church; and in so doing, they change and turn this article of faith clean contrary, 'I believe that there is a holy church,' &c. and instead of this word I believe' they put in 'I see.' These kinds of righteousness and holiness of man's own devising, are nothing else but spiritual sorceries, wherewith the eyes and minds of men are blinded, and led from the knowledge of true holiness.

But thus teach we, that the church hath no spot or wrinkle, but is holy; and yet, through faith only in Christ Jesus. Again, that she is holy in life and conversation, by abstaining from the lusts of the flesh and exercise of spiritual works; but yet, not in such sort that she is delivered from all evil desires, or purged from all wicked opinions and errors! For the church always confesseth her sins, and prayeth that her faults may be pardoned; also, she believeth the forgiveness of sins. The saints therefore do sin, fall, and also err, but yet through ignorance. For they would not willingly deny Christ, nor forsake the Gospel, &c.; therefore, they have remission of sins. And if through ignorance they err also in doctrine, yet is this pardoned; for in the end they acknowledge their error, and rest only upon the truth and the grace of God offered in Christ; as Hierome, Gregory, Bernard, and others did. Let Christians then endeavour to avoid the works of the flesh, but the desires or lusts of the flesh they cannot avoid.

It is very profitable therefore for them to feel the unclean lusts of the flesh, lest they should be puffed up with some vain and wicked opinion of the righteousness of their own works, as though they were accepted before God for the same. The monks being puffed up with this opinion of their own righteousness, thought themselves to be so holy, that they sold their righteousness

and holiness to others, although they were convinced by the testimony of their own hearts that they were unclean. So pernicious and pestilent a poison it is for a man to trust in his own righteousness, and to think himself to be clean. But the godly, because they feel the uncleanness of their own hearts, therefore they cannot trust to their own righteousness. This feeling so maketh them to stoop, and so humbleth them, that they cannot trust to their own good works, but are constrained to fly unto Christ their mercy-seat and only succour; who hath not a corrupt and sinful, but a most pure and holy flesh, which "he hath given for the life of the world! (John iv. 51.) In him they find a sound and perfect righteousness! Thus, they continue in humility, not counterfeit and monkish, but true and unfeigned, because of the uncleanness which yet remaineth in their flesh; for the which, if God would straitly judge them, they should be found guilty of eternal death. But because they lift not up themselves proudly against God, but with a broken and a contrite heart, humbly acknowledging their sins, and resting wholly upon the benefit of the Mediator Christ, they come forth into the presence of God, and pray that for his sake their sins may be forgiven them; God spreadeth over them an infinite heaven of grace, and doth not impute unto them their sins, for Christ's sake!

This I say, to the end that we may take heed of the pernicious errors of the Papists touching the holiness of life, wherein our minds are so wrapped, that without great difficulty we could not wind ourselves out of them. Wherefore do you endeavour with diligence, that ye may discern, and rightly judge between true righteousness and holiness, and that which is hypocritical; then shall ye behold the kingdom of Christ with other eyes, than carnal reason doth, that is with spiritual eyes, and certainly judge those to be true saints indeed, which are baptized, and believe in Christ, and afterwards, in the same faith whereby they are justified, and their sins both past and present are forgiven, do abstain from the desires of the flesh. But from these desires they are not

thoroughly cleansed, for the flesh lusteth against the spirit. Notwithstanding, these unclean and rebellious lusts do still remain in them, to this end, that they may be humbled; and being so humbled, they may feel the sweetness of the grace and benefit of Christ. So these remnants of unclean lusts and sins do nothing at all. hinder, but greatly further the godly, for the more they feel their infirmities and sins, so much the more they fly unto Christ, the throne of grace; and more heartily crave his aid and succour, to wit, that he will cover them with his righteousness, that he will increase their faith, that he will endue them with his Holy Spirit, by whose gracious leading and guiding they may overcome the lusts of the flesh, that they may rule and reign not over them, but may be subject unto them. Thus true Christians do continually wrestle with sin, and yet notwithstanding in wrestling, they are not overcome, but obtain the victory.

This have I said that ye may understand, not by men's dreams, but by the word of God, who be true saints indeed. We see then how greatly Christian doctrine helpeth to the raising up and comforting of weak consciences, which treateth not of cowls, shavings, shearings, fraternities, and such like toys; but of high and weighty matters, as how we may overcome the flesh, sin, death, and the devil. This doctrine as it is unknown to justiciaries, and such as trust in their own works, so it is impossible for them to instruct, or bring into the right way, one poor conscience wandering, and going astray, or to pacify, and comfort the same when it is in heaviness, terror, or desperation.

GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR HIS DIVINE TEACHING.

PSALM CXviii. 21.

I thank thee, O Lord, that thou humblest me; and again, becomest my salvation.

These are the sacrifices, this is the worship which are offered up by the righteous, or Christians, in the New