so much as touched onywhitte with the false tales of men For she onely is excellently chaste of whome the fame is aschamed to speake euyll And therfore this mystery was hydde kepte secrete a longe season For it is lykely that Marie and Iosephe dyd kepe these misteries in theyr herte vntyll suche tyme that after the sendyng of the holy ghost froÌ„ heuen the gospell dyd sprâ—ade abrode his lyghte thrugh out the hole worlde Considre therfore now how many thyngê we haue learned by this article coÌ„preheÌ„ded in few wordes fyrste that Iesus Christe is very god of god the same to haue ben borne very maÌ„ of a woman a virgine without the helpe or workynge of man But by the worke of the diuine spirite And that he hathe come in to this worlde nat only to redeme the worlde The causes of Christes comyng into the worlde but also to teache and instructe vs with moste full auctorite to kendle enflame vs with diuerse argumeÌ„tes vnto the loue of the heuenly lyfe Now considre me I praye the howe many horrible heresies erroures the lyghte of this verite hathe driuen awaye yt is very sore agaynst my wyl to reherce the detestable and abominable blasphemes with the vnhappy names of the authoures of them but yet thys thynge shal profyghte and healpe wel hereunto that we may bothe more fastly hold and kepe our beleâ—â—e and also geue thankes the more abundantly to god whiche hathe vouchesaued to open and shewe so greatte lyghte vnto vs. That many dyd erre and holde wronge opinions aboute his diuine natiuite of his father it is lesse to be meruayled Carpocrates Câ—rinthus Ebion Paulus Samosatensis Photinus But it is a poynte of more madnesse that his humane natiuite which hathe ben proued and declared by so many and so euident argumentes hathe ben assailed with so many monstres of opinions Carpocrates Cerintyusâ— Ebion Paulus Samosatensis and Photine in name but Scotine in very dede do graunte that Christ was a very man But they saye that he was a pure a mere man borne betwene man and woman after the maner of other menâ— albeit he had the soule of a prophete These men do mutilate and mayme the persone of Christ of more than the one halffe The same men do saye that Christe is called the son of god but by free adoption lykewise as other good vertuose men are And that he was nat at all afore that he was borne of the virgine These heretikes sayncte Iohan euaÌ„geliste dothe openly refelle and coÌ„fute pronouncyng plainly Iohan. i. That the selfe same worde which in the begynnyng was with god and was god to be made fleshe And in the same euangeliste our lorde hymselfe speaketh openly in this wyse Afore that Abraham was made Iohan. viii I am Agayne Paule in the .ix. chapiter to the Romaynes saythe Roma .ix. ☞ Of whome Christe cam as touchyng his body whiche is god ouer all thynges blessed for euer more Neither are the Manicheis any whitte lesse madde than these afore reherced which do gyue vnto Christ som parte of the diuine nature Manicheisâ— but they do styfly affyrme that he toke vpon hym mannes body nat a very body in dede but only a phantasticall body lykewise as we do rede that aungels and fendes haue otherwhiles apered iÌ„ bodily shape and lykenesse vnto men These persons do make Christe a iuglere or a trogeter and a wonderfull deceiuer of men But a phantasme is nat borne of a woman Neyther can a phantasme or spirite do those thynges whiche our lorde dyd so many yeres space throughout all hys lyfe tyme eatyng drynkyng slepynge waxyng wery hungrieng thurstynge speakyng beyng conuersaunte among men at none dayes geuynge hymselfe to be touched and handled to be crucified slayne He hymselfe also sayde to his disciples in the laste chapiter of Luke whaÌ„ they were astonied abashed because they thought that they had sene a spirite or a ghoste Luc. xxiiii ☞ Wherfore are you troubled saythe he and why do thoughtes and musynges ascende into your hertes Beholde my handes and my fete for it is euen myne owne selfe Handle me se for a spirite hathe neyther fleshe ne bones so as you do se that I haue Ualentine Nexte after these cometh Ualentine the framer forger of worldes whiche imagined Christe nat to haue ben gendred of the substauÌ„ce of the virgine but to haue broughte with hym a celestiall body from heuen or els which thyng madde Appelles dothe wene raither to be true a body taken of the elementes in the ayre Appelles and so to haue passed thrugh the body of the virgine lykewyse as liquoure and lyghte passethe through a pype of lede or throughe a cranel or hole But this is nat proprely to be borne but to passe throughe for neyther dothe the cranel or hoâ—e gendre or brynge forthe the sonne be alme but the sonne itselfe neyther dothe the pype gendre the liquoure but the fountayne or sprynge dothe it But whan Paule the apostle saythe vnto the Romaynes these wordes Ro. i. Qui factus est ex semine Dauid secundum carnem .i. Whiche as touchyng fleshe was made of the sede of Dauid and in the .iiii. chapiter to the Galatianes Misit deus filium suum factum ex muliere .i. Gala. iiii God sente his son made or gendred of a woman By these wordes he dothe openly professe that Christe dyd take the substaunce of his body of the substauÌ„ce of the virgins body Neither euery thynge whiche ony maner way is bredde or gendred of man is forthwith a man for els lyse sholde be called men But that thynge whiche is conceyued in the matrice or wombe of a woman of the very substauÌ„ce of man and in due and lawfulle tyme is borne broughte forth by naturall membres in all markes and tokens lyke a man and whiche is called a sonne that thynge veryly is a man Arrius Nexte cometh Arrius by soo muche the more wretched and madde in opynyon by howe muche he dothe more subtely craftily geue vnto Christ the body of a man taketh from hym the sowle of man saynge that the godhed was in stede of soule soo that in Christ after his opinion there were but two natures that is to witte the bodye of man and verbum id est the worde whiche same worde for all that Arrius willeth to be a creature in dede more excellent than all other creatures but yet a creature But with what face do they confesse grauÌ„t hym to be a man from whome they doo take awaye the better parte of man For who doth not know that man is made of .ii. separable substaÌ„ces that is to witte of the body as of the materiall substauÌ„ce and of the soule as of the fourme wherfore yf ony spirite doth moue the body of a deade man no man wyll calle it a man that he seeth but a wondre or monstre But
MA. No man is crouned saue onelye he whiche hath foughte lawfully But the paynes that are to be taken in this worlde are transytorye and laste but a shorte while The crowne or rewarde is euerlastynge and shall neuer corrupte or fade ii Timo. ii ii Cori. iiii i. Petri. v. furthermore that laboure or trauayle that is here the spyryte doth make dulcete swete with so many solacyes and coumfortes that all the resydue may be suffred and endured not onely pacyently but also gladly cherefully Iob. vii This lyfe is a battayle whether we wyll or not we can not chose but we muste warre eyther on goddes parte or els on the deuylles They that warre on the deuyllê parte Ioan. xii whiche is called the prince of this world do suffre more harde more paynfull thynges than do they that warre on goddes parte And Chrystes soldyers do ioye reioyce no lesse than they do which do seche and hunte after swete and plesaunte thynges bothe by londe and water The coÌ„paryson of the estate of Christeâ— sold yers and the deuy les werryes but they ioye after an other maner or facion Nay rather they onely are truly gladde and ioyfull besyde this the stypende or wages whiche these .ii. captaynes do paye to theyr soldyers are excedyngly farre vnlyke and contrary the one to the other that is to witte to triuÌ„phe eternally in heueÌ„ with theyr capitayne Chryste and to be geueÌ„ to the euerlastynge fyere of helle with the tyraunte the deuille DIS yt is a meruailouse thynge than that the commune sorte of men do lede theyr lyfe after suche maner as they do MA. The cause thereof is because manye men do pronounce the Symbole or Crede with theyr mouthe and few doo beleue with theyr harte or yf they doo beleue they beleue but coldely and fayntly D. But I haue a greatte whyle desyred to here the rudymentes and pryncyples of the heuenly philosophie i. Corintio i. MAG Rudimentes they are in dede but that whiche is lowest thynge here passeth and surmouÌ„teth farre all the hygheste poyntes of worldly wisdome But because we do beter and sooner perceyue those thynges which we are gredy very desyrouse to learne therfore they that do teache humanye disciplines are wonte to coÌ„mende the sayde disciplines vnto theyr disciples hearers by dyuerse meanes but principally because of the authoure of the matter of the fourme of the ende D. I do not well perceyue that whiche you do saye M. As for example the science of physike hath for the authorâ—re of it The authore of Phisieke Hippocrates yf we beleue poetes Appollo it treateth is occupied about thynges whiche do helpe or hurte the helthe of the body The matter whereof it treateth This is the mater or material cause of it it stoÌ„deth by knowledge of naturall thynges by experymentes The fourme The finall cause or ende of it Theauthour of the stoike philosophie The mater The forme The ende Thynke this to be the fourme the ende of it is the helth of the body as farre forth as is graunted to man for to haue helth in this worlde D. Thou makest here no mention of lucre M. That peradueÌ„ture is the ende or pryck where vnto certaine physicioÌ„s do laboure but yet the ende of the arte or scyence is the prosperouse helth of the body lykewyse the Stoyke phylosophie hath for the authoure of it zeno it treateth what is vire what is vertue it gathereth or concludeth with Dialecticall reasons it ê“miseth traÌ„quillite quietnes of mynde but in this lyfe onely it also false or diseytfull for nothyng doth verily qete set at reste the mynde of man saue onely the grace of Chryste which they dyd neuer so much as ones dreame of NothiÌ„g quseteth the mynde of man saue onelye the grace of Christe The author The matter The fourme and the ende of the chrysteÌ„ philosophie But of this philosophye of whiche thou begynnest now to be a learner the authoure is god the matt is vertuose lyfe the fourme is the inspyratyon of the aeternall god the ende is the heuenly lyfe naye rather to speake better all these thyngê is god hym self And zeno veryly in many thynges both doth dysceyue and is dysceyued And because he is dysceyued in the ende it coulde not be chosen but that he must nedes be dysceyued also in the meanes to the ende But here where god is al in al there can be none errour no clowde none ambyguyte or dowtfulnes He is the begynnyng he is the progresse or myddle course he is the ende Seyng than that we do fynd men whiche do desyre and go about to learne humayne dyscyplynes whithe excedynge great laboures and great costes bestowed a longe tyme with howe great feruoure of mynde is it mete to learne this philosophie which came from god and whiche by pure cleane lyfe with merualouse spede bryngeth vnto that blessed immortalyte DIS Math. xiii Forsoth you speake of a very precyose Margarite or perle wiche ought and not vnworthyly to be purchased and bought though a man sholde make sale of all the goodê that euer he hath to bye it withall M. ye moreouer it is well bought though a man purchase it with the losse of his lyfe ye though it dyd coste hym a thousant tymes his lyfe the purchase of it yet sholde it be bought good chepe and nothynge accordyng to the valure of it But I thynke it doth not nede me to reherce those thynges here which myghâ— make the beneuolence and wellwyllynge attente and docyle or apte to take instruction it is a great spoore to prycke prouoke a man to profyght and go foreward in ony scyence or crafte BeneuoleÌ„ce Attention Docilite the loue of the teacher But what thyng is more amyable or louely than is god nay rayther what thynge is ony whitte amyable at all besides hym And who can be slepy and not geue quycke attention to here hym surely and vndowtedly promisynge the eternall ioyes And he is easyly and sone made docile and apte to take instructioÌ„ who so euer both loueth god aboue all thyngê and geueth credeÌ„ce to hym alone in all thynges without ony distruste or doutfulnes DI. My mynde is kendled enflaÌ„med more and more MA. But let this coÌ„munication had hetherto yf thou lyst be the fyrst in structioÌ„ or lesson which whaÌ„ thou shalt haue well recorded and laboured ouer agayn to thy self by diligenâ—e consideration desyryng callyng for the helpe of the diuine spirite thaÌ„ retourne agayne to me and thou shalte be taught the residue DIS It shall be don The seconde Instruction Disciple I Haue don as you bad me I am more desirouse thaÌ„ I was to here the residue M. Thanke be therefore to the moste bounteouse and benigne spirite of Chryste Nowe it resteth or ramaineth fyrst of all to recyte the symbole or crede vnto the whiche
a mynde of iÌ„finite vertu and power moste symple euerlastyng as whiche hathe ben afore all tymes and is nat chaunged in tyme. Of thys all myghty mynde thou knowest the whole worlde to haue ben created and created for mannes cause for god neyther hath nede of the world nor of man nor yet of any creature He is in hym selfe and of hym selfe moste perfyghte But because he is moste hyghly and perfyghtly good he wold nat be blessed hymselfe alone but hathe distributed of his beatitude and felicite vnto aungels and men to all creatures so farforthe as euery thyng is apte to receiue of the bountuosnes and liberalite of god How manye ways god hathe spoken to maâ— to geue to hym knowledg of hym selfe It was his wyl and pleasure to geue man knowledge of hymselfe speakynge to him in diuerse maners or facions Fyrst of all he spake after a certayne maner to mankynd whan by his sonne which is the worde of the father he dyd create of nought thys meruailouse frame of the worlde to the entente that of the worke we sholde gesse and make conâ—eture of the worker For suche a worke the fyrst speakyng by creation of the worlde coulde neyther man neyther yet auÌ„gel haue ben able to perfourme and finishe This was the fyrste degre or step to the knowledge of god Nexte after cam the lawe The seconde spekynge by the law writtenâ— the prophetes whiche dyd some what helpe the darknes and blindnes of maÌ„â—es mynd but it besydes that it was geuen to one nacion onely of the Iewes it dyd by figures and darke ridles shadowe god vnto vs preparyng the myndes of men to the lyghte of the gospell whiche by the sonne hathe shyned to vs. The philosophers abused the lyghte of nature to pryde And the lawe to the moste parte of the Iewes was an occasion of greater impiety and synne The worlde was ful of ydolatry The Iewes were puffed vp with pryde thrughe a vayne persuasion of ryghtuosnes Syâ—ne did raygne at large vnponyshed in the world whils the moste parte of men dyd folowe the fyrste pareâ—tes of mankynde but here the mercy of god dyd shewe forthe it selfe Psal. 14 4. ☞ whiche passeth surmounteth all his workes He dyd vouchesafe to waxe more nere and more familierly knowne vnto vs by the same soÌ„ne The thyrde speakynge by his owne son in the nature of mankynd that at the leaste wyse by the reason hereof we sholde be drawne to the louynge of him agayne being prouoked therunto by so many and so maruailouse benefightes He had created vs whan we were nothynge He wolde also restore vs. Whan we were forlorne for it had ben better neuer to haue ben created thaÌ„ after our crâ—acion to haue perished ben vtterly forlorne After the worlde meruailously created after the lawe geuen by god after the prophetes inspired with the spirite of god he sente hys onely sonne beynge made mâ—n that at the leaste wyse we men sholde loue hym beynge also a man And he sente hym nat to be a reuenger or ponysher but to be a sauioure by whose death he myght call vs agayn to lyfe what could the vnmesurable charite and loue of god haue done more than this He hathe shewed hymselfe palpable after a certayne maner vnto vs he hath also geuen hymselfe to deth as farre forth as he myght to th ende that he myghte restore vs to true helthe saluation God shewed his almighty power in the creatioÌ„ of the worlde his wisdome iÌ„ the redeÌ„ption of man He declared his almighty power cheffly in the creation of the worlde Nowe he hathe declared his vnmesurable mercy and his inscrutable wisdome his mercy in that he frely without ony deseruynge of our parte hath redemed vs. His wisdome in that he hath after suche forme and maner redemed vs. Therefore what excuse is there nowe lefte or what cauyllation can ony man lay forthe for hymselffe yf he do not regarde but do despise this so wonderfull goodnes of god This parte doth the Crede now teache Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vâ—â—cuÌ„ dominum nostrum id est And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde DISC. Why hath it sygnyfyed marked forth the persone of our redemer by these names MAG Ueryly for thentente to declare that the seconde persone which toke fleshe vpon hym is verye man of his mother and very god of god DIS Howe so MAG There are some which do wene that Iesus is the name of the godhed Christe a name of the humane nature and they seme to be moued and broughte to this opinion by the reason that in the Hebrue tonge Iesus is as muche to say as a sauyoure And Christê° as muche to say as anoynted Now no man can geue euerlastyng helthe and saluation saue onelye god And anoyntynge doth sygnyfie spirituall grace whiche chaunceth not but onely to man but in very dede bothe these wordes or names do belonge to the humayne nature Iesus For Iesus is a propre name of a singulare persone that is to witte of that man whiche alone of all meÌ„ was borne of a virgine whome saiÌ„t Iohan shewed poynted with his fynger that they sholde not receyue or embrace ony other man for the very redemer Ioan. i. ☞ Beholde sayth he the lambe of god Christe Christus is a name either of kyngdome or of prestehode For amonge the Iewes bothe prestes and kynges were anoynted with holy oyntemente and they of bothe sortes because of honoure were called Christi Nowe bothe these tytles or names are agreynge to Christe whiche is called Psal. c. ix Christe is bothe a preste and a kynge anointed not with outwarde corporall oile but with the fullnes of the diuine spirit a preste accordynge to the ordre of Melchisedech and whiche as a preste dyd offre hym selfe a very vnspotted lambe vpon the aultare of the crosse for the helthe and saluation of the worlde and whiche also as a kynge apperynge to his disciples after his resurrection sayde lyke a kynge vnto them ☞ To me is geuen all power and auctorite in heuen and in earth Mat. xxviii Neither dyd he refuse disallow the speche of the theffe knowledgynge and confessynge hym to be a kynge by these wordes Luce. xxiii ☞ Lorde remembre me whan thou shalte be commen into thy kyngdome How be it our lord was neuer anoynted with outward and bodylye oyle soo as Aaron was in the .xxix. cha of Exod or as kyng Saule was in the fyrste booke of kynges the .x. chapitoureâ— But this was he whome god hathe singularlye anoynted with the fullnesse of his spirite Iesus Howe be it by this worde or name of Iesu besydes that it doth betoken a singulare persone called to remeÌ„braunce the figure of the olde testamente Iosue figured Christe For that Iesus name dyd figure and represente â—esu the redemer Deute xxxi Moyses by whome is figured and
And leste any man myghte fynde a cauillation and say that the prophecy is darke and that it myghte be that som other ê‘sone is meante in the sayde prophecie than Christe ActuuÌ„ viii Sayncte Luke in the .viii. chapiter of the actes telleth how Philippe which beyng warned of the holy ghoste had ioyned hymselfe to the chariote of the gelded man dyd by the information of the same spirite expounde and declare this whole place to him of the passion of Christe And holy and godly men do apply that vnto the passion of Christe whiche is red in the lamentacions of Iheremie Threnorum i. ☞ O all you that do passe by in the waye take hede and se whether there be sorowe or payne lyke vnto my sorowe and payne And in the gospell of Luke Luc. xxiiii our lorde saythe Oughte nat Christe to haue suffered these thynges and so to entre into his glory Also in the fyrste epistle of Peter and the seconde chapiter it is writen thus Whiche whan he suffred dyd nat manace or thretten Agayne in the same place Christ hathe suffred for vs leauyng you an ensample that you shold folowe his steppes But how shall we folowe hym in suffryng paynes and greffes if he hymselfe suffred or felte no payne or grefe at all And saiÌ„cte Paule in the .viii. chapiter to the Romanes saythe Yf it so be that we do suffre together with hym that we maye be glorified also with hym Sayncte Paule calleth here suffrynge together with hym nat to haue compassion and to be sory for another mannes euilles or hurtes and greffes but accordynge to the example of hym to suffre and abyde patiently the persecucion of euyll and wicked men And that Christ suffred in soule also euen his owne selfe doth witnesse sayeng Math. xxvi My soule is heuy euen vnto the deathe Adde hereunto that our lorde euen al his lyfe long dyd suffre many thynges for our sakes beynge hungry beynge thursty waxyng wery and faynte beyng reuiled and despighâ—uosly handled driueÌ„out taken bouÌ„deÌ„ bespetted and buffeted To these thiÌ„gê and to other lyke may this worde passus est id est he suffred belonge and be referred D. Why dothe the symbole or Crede so diligently expresse the kynde and maner of his deathe M. For the same consideration skyl for which it dyd expresse the name the forename of Pylate that is to witte for the more euidence of the history D. Why wold god redeme the worlde with the deathe of his owne sonne and that with suche maner deathe M. But do thou fyrst make me aunswere to one thynge If any phisicion beyng excellently skylled in his faculty dyd take vnto his cure a man that were sicke of a perilouse and deadly disease one that were nothing skylled in the crafte at all wolde aske hym the question why doest thou cure this man after this maner Sholde he nat seme lewde and very worthily Howe moche more lewde thynge is it than to requyre an accompte or a cause of god wherefore he wolde redeme the worlde after thys manner This thynge thou must surely and stedfastly beleue that nothyng pleaseth god but that that is beste whether it seme so to vs or not seme so DI. The fundation and groundewarke of my faythe standethe faste and vnshaken but yet I suppose it is lawfull religiously with reuerence to enquiere of these thynges MAG ye veryly and lawfull for vs also to make auÌ„swere but with the same religion and reuerence But these thynges doo require a peculyare and propre trâ—atise howe be it yet I wyll touche a fewe thynges as it were by the waye Death came into the worlde by an earthely man it was conueniente that the same sholde be takeÌ„ awaye by an heuenly man By vnlawfull plesure crope in the death and destruction of mankynde by paynes and doloures helthe and saluation was repayred By a virgine disceyued with the inspyration of the serpeÌ„te came calamite and miserie by a virgine made greate with chylde by the inspiration of the holy ghoste came agayne welth and felicite And that god beynge offended and dysplesed is reconciled and pacified by the bloud slaughter of brute beastes not onely the lawe of Moses dyd ê‘suad it but also Abel eueÌ„ forth with in the very begiÌ„nyng of the worlde dyd offre of the fyrst begoâ—teÌ„ of his shepe In so much that the very paynymes also which neuer had knowledg of the very lyuyng god yet were persuaded dyd beleue surely that meÌ„nes offences were clensed and washed awaye with deathe and bloude In certayne couÌ„tryes and amonge certayne people it was a coÌ„mune maner and custome al the yere longe dylygently to kepe and nouryshe a man whiche had wyllyngly and of his owne accorde offred hymselfe to death hym in the meane season they dyd haue in reuerence and wourshyppe as an holy oblation and sacrifice dedicated to god The maner of certayn paynymes And at the yeres ende they dyd caste hym into the see thynkynge iudgyng that by the death of that one man what so euer euylles and misfortunes were towardes the cyte myghte be tourned awaye and kepte from it And Codrus and Curtius the two Decii are hyghly and studiously praysed of authoures Ual. max. lib. v. titulâ— vi de pietate erga patriam whiche wyllynglye gaue themselues to death for the helthe and saluation of the coÌ„mune weale yt was coÌ„ueniente therefore and accordynge that a true and an effectuall hoste and sacrifice sholde be offred vp not for the incolumite and preseruation of one cyte â— or of one nation but for the helthe and saluation of the hole worlde whiche mighte take away the other hostes and sacrifices of all meÌ„ beynge eyther superstytyouse or els of smalle efficacie and strengthe For soo greate was the charite of Christe soo greate was his purite that he beynge ones offred vp in sacrifice mighte and shulde suffice to abolishe and take away all the synnes of mankynde althoughe there hadde ben moo worldes than one Leuitici vi For this dowtlesse was that very whole breÌ„te sacrifice which whole dyd brenne and was on fiere with the loue of mankynde Exodi .xii. This was that moste pure bloude of the vnspotted lambe whiche sprincled on the postes putte by the destroynge aungell whi Christe wolde dye on a crosse Nowe the kynde and maner of deathe besydes that it was moste paynfull it was also moste vyle shamefull maner of death that coulde be namely among the Iewes to whome he was execrable and hadde in abomination who so euer dyd hange on a tree It muste nedes be an excedynge greate payne whiche sholde for all men paye bye out the euerlastynge paynes and that was an happye and blessed shame and dishonoure whiche had to all men opened the waye to euerlastynge glory Now is there nothynge more execrable and odible to god than is synne This ignomyny curse he dyd translate vnto hymselfe for
enflame our myndes from earthely cares vnto the desyre of the heueÌ„ly lyfe whereof we be assured by Christes passion deathe Therfore that god hathe for cause of our saluacion sent his owne sonne into this worlde and hathe dâ—lyuered hym vnto the deathe of the crosse it maketh vs certayne and out of doubte that by him we are delyuered from the kyngdome of the deuyll and from the bond of synnes And in that he rose agayne whereof by his resurrection â—here is geuen sure truste and hope to vs that we shall reuiue agayne at that daye which he hathe wylled to be vnknowne to vs euen with the same bodyes whiche we do nowe beare about wherof by his ascension And in that he hathe ascended into heuen he hathe by an euidente argument taughte that we sholde nat seche true felicite here in this world but that we shold vse this worlde as it were a thorowefare i. Cor. vii as though we dyd nat vse it that we shold translate all our cares and thoughtes vnto that heuenly and eternal lyfe wherof by that he siteth on the righte hande of the father And in that he siteth on the ryghte hande of the father it dothe engendre and cause in vs a greate securite so that we do nat feare any of all the displeasures or fearfull thynges that are in the worlde for as moche as we haue so frendly and also so myghty an aduocate in heuen But leste this so great goodnes of the lord myght prouoke vs to synne the more boldly and more largely it is added strayghte-wayes after From thense shal he conâ— to iudge the quicke and the deade that we shold haue vnderstonding and knowledge that suche persones oughte there to loke for a sharpe sentence of the iudge without any mercy or fauoure whiche here haue despised wolde nat regarde the goodnes of the redemer The more that hathe ben geuen to vs Luce. xii so moche the more shall be required of vs and the strayghter accompte shall we geue For he shall come than nat in the forme and maner of a seruauÌ„te but in the maiesty of his father so as he himselfe speaketh euidently in the gospell of Mathue Math. xxv ☞ whan the son of man shall come in his maiesty and all the aungels with hym than shal he sitte vpon the seate of his maiesty and all peoples shall be gathered together afore hym There shall be made an euidente and one euerlastyng separation and disseuerynge of the godly people Math. xiii from the wycked and vngodly people whan the traÌ„mell neâ— shall be full drawne to the see banke The same thynges doth Peter preache in the .x. chapitoure of the Actes This is he which is ordained of god the iudge of the quicke and of the deade Actuum .x. He whiche here dyd suffre was coÌ„tented to be iudged vniustly for our sakes shal there iudge the whole world and shall rendre or geue to euery man accordynge to his workes Math. xxv Ioannes .v. whether they be good or badde DIS why wolde god that the daye of iudgemeÌ„te sholde be vncertayne and vnknowne to all men ¶ why god wold the day of generall iudgemente the daye of euery maÌ„nes deathe to be vnknoweÌ„ to vs. MAG Uerily for the same cause for whiche he wolde that eche one of vs sholde be moste certayne of his owne dyinge daye and yet for al that be vncerteyne of the same for there is no maÌ„ that dowteth that hymâ—selfe shall ones dye but no man doth yet for all that knowe certaynly whan he shall dye to thentente that we sholde euery houre be redy to departe and dye yf god shall call vs from hence DIS why is it added here the quicke the deade what is meÌ„te in the Crede by the quycke the deade For howe can deade bodyes be iudged M. The symbole i as much as it is whole taken out of the scriptures it dothe very conueniently accordyngly countrefayte and expresse the wordes of the scripture Certayne men do interprete here by the quicke godly persones and by the deade vngodly persones but this interpretation is somwhat to farre fetched To the symbole whiche was ordayned for symple persones symple and playne thinges are mete and coÌ„uenient The deade It is more probable by the deade to vnderstonde those that haue departed from theyr bodies afore the daye of iudgemente for as sone as they shall be reuiued risen agayne The quicke they shall be iudged and by the quycke those whome that daye shall fynde lyuyng in body whiche persones certayne men do beleue that in the very takyng vp and passage into the ayer they shall dye and forthwith lyue agayne Other some agayne do thynke that they shall nat dye Two opinions concernyng them whiche shall be lyuyng at the daye of dome but yet that they shall be chaunged to immortalite Neyther of these .ii. sentences or opinions doth the auctorite of the churche reiecte or disalowe albeit yet that opinion whiche thynketh that they whiche shall than be founde lyuynge in body shall nat dye but shall be translated to immortalyte is more agreyng to the wordes of sayncte Paule in the .xv. chapiter of the fyrste epistle to the Corinthianes and in the .iiii. chapiter of the fyrst epistle to the Thessalonianes But deuoute fayth doth nat loue coÌ„tencion DI. what nede any iudgement to be made than A notable quâ—stion seyng that the soules forthwith after that they are departed from the body are iudged alredy so that eyther if they haue departed fromhence beyng pure and clene they do go to the heuenly lyfe orels if they do departe in bondage of sine they are drawne strayghte to helle Orels if they be defiled with any smalle spottes they are borne into the clensynge fyere of purgatory what so euer or what maner one so euer that fyere of purgatory be MA. Aunswere There were certayne men whiche taught that neyther the wicked spirites neyther the wicked soules shall be geuen to eternall ponishementes and paynes afore that laste daye of the world It is an heresy coÌ„demned by the churche that no soule shall neyther be in heuen nor hell afore the day of doâ—e neyther that the soules of good and godly men shall enioye the heuenly lyfe afore the sayd day But the opinion of these men the auctorite of the churche hathe reiected and disalowed But this thyng is prouably beleued that to the wicked spirites after that generall iudgement the tourmeÌ„tes and paynes shall be augmented and encreased and that wicked men shall than fully suffre paynes in soule body bothe together lykewyse as also the felicite of good men shal than be full and ê‘fighte whaÌ„ they shal haue receiued theyr body than beynge glorified that the same body whiche they haue had a minister of good workes and a partener of affliccions the same they maye haue also a felowe
it to be expedient for me if not that which he shall gyue me for this daÌ„mage and losse is better than all wares Another man is payned and oppressed with sycknes and sendeth for an inchaunter the vertuose man saythe He is my lorde he is my father let hym scourge me euen as it shall please hymselfe so that he wyll acknowlege me for one of his sonnes and inheritoures of eternall felicite Breflye that man feareth but smally what so euer fearfull thyng is in this lyfe which doth truely feare hym that maye whan he is offended and displeased Math. x. send both body and soule into hellfyre He doth but lyghtly and smally hope for the commodites of this worlde whiche doth consydre and remembre that god after this transitorye and brefe lyfe doth promyse lyfe eternall And who is so madde that he wyll despyse or proudely disdayne any man if he do considre that hymselfe whole is lesse in comparison vnto that vnspeakeable magesty of god than is a gnatte in comparison to an elephant Or how can he despyse that man as vyle whom Christe no foolyshe merchaunt hathe vouchesafed to raunsome bye agayne with his owne bloude If it be a gaye and an excellent thyng to haue the beneuolence and fauoure of a prynce this is the prynce of princes If it be a dauÌ„gerouse thyng to runne into the displeasure wrath of a kyng this is the kyng of kynges and lord of all lordes Apo. xix Many men are sadde and heuye for that they are commen of a lowe a pore stocke or kyndred but fayth comforteth them agayn tellyng them that those men are truely noble gentlemen whome god dothe acknowledge for his sonnes and heyres of whome he is gladde to be called father Other agayne are made proude hyghmynded by the reason of theyr noble worshypfull auncesters but faythe shewethe them that there is one commune father of all men afore whome there is no dyfference betwen a prynce a page betwen a pore man a rych man betwen a bonde man a free man The more that euerye man is for vertuose lyuynge accepted in fauoure with hym the more noble the more myghty the more ryche he is This onely lord doth Christe shewe vnto vs whome we sholde worthily feare This onely father he doth shew to vs whome we sholde loue whome without any resystence gyueng many wordes agayn we sholde obey whome as sonnes not bastarde or goynge out of kynde we sholde countrefayte and folowe Be you saith Christ perfyte lykewyse as your heuenly father is perfyte Math. v. whiche causeth his sonne to ryse vpon bothe good and badde folke sendeth downe rayne both vpon the ryghtuose vnrightuose Those men that haue abundaunce and plentye of the coÌ„modites of this world as ryches honours nobilite power beaulty suche other thynges whiche are wonte to cause the mynde to swell and ware proude to them theyr pryde is anone tourned into feare if they do consydre to what lorde they are detâ—ers for all these thynges in whose handes power it lyeth whan so euer he lyste to take away froÌ„ vnkynd persones what so euer thynge he hath gyuen to kynde persons to whome they do know that accoÌ„ptes must be gyuen of euery particulare thyng and of whome they maye here forthwith these wordes * why or wherof art thou proude thou that arte noughte but earthe aâ—d asches Why art thou so ioly and makest thou it so gaye with other byrdes fethers Why dareste thou despyse thy neyghboure as a vyle caytyfe which hath the same father and the same lord that thy selfe hast Why dost thou disdayne hym as a bondeman seynge that he is redemed and boughte with the same pryce for whiche thyselfe was raunsomed Why settest thou lyght by hym and despysest hym as pore of whom the father hath care and mynde which is the lord of all thynges Were they pore men to whome the Apostle wryteth i. Cor. iii. Al thynges are yours you are Christes owne Why doeste thou set hym at nought as pore which is ascribed and called to the inheritaunce of the eternall lyfe as wel as thyselfe yea and which peradueÌ„ture shall in this poynte be preferred haue preeminence afore the For in the gospell it is sayd agaynst ryche men of the pore men Lucâ— xvi that they may receyue you into theyr euerlastynge tabernacles or dwellynge places He whome thou kepeste vndre as a bondemaÌ„ is thy felow seruaunt He whome thou despysest as vyle borne is thy brother he whome thou regardest not as beynge pore and frendeles hath aungelles minystrynge and doyng seruice to hym Thou beyng proude of the palace doste mocke and skorne the vyle homelye cotage of the pore man but for that pore man the coÌ„mune father of you both hath buylded the palace of the whole worlde for his cause do the startes shyne for his cause do the celestial spheres or circles moue and tourne rounde for his cause dothe the earth bryng forth her frutes as wel as for the. After this maner hath one the same faythe caused and broughte to passe that neyther the prosperite of this worlde can cause vs to be wanton and proude neyther â—â—uersite can make vs to despayre And who so euer dothe beleue that there is a god gouernynge all thynges that man beleueth that he is more present to eche one of vs than any man is present to hymselfe and that he doth more exactely and perfytly see and beholde the secrete corners of our harte than we do at none dayes see any body beyng set afore our eyes How than can it be but that man whether he be in darkenes or els in lyght or whether he be alone or els with many in company shall with much drede and muche reuerence so ordre his workes dedes leste there myght be any thynge that sholde offende and dysplease the eyes of his father and lord and also his iudge The whole world is the teÌ„ple of god This whole worlde is the temple of god in whiche he sytteth as hede and ruler If than it be so that we are ashamed in a temple of sâ—one to do any thynge vnhonest or vnsemely with how much more reuerence and drede oughte we to occupye our selfe in this temple There are dyuerse and sondrye dartes and weapons wherwith that tyraunte the dyuell goeth about to wounde vs but agaynst them all this onely shelde is sufficient * Credo in deum I beleue in god If he do stryke at the with the darte of pryde Pryde caste forth agaynste hym the shelde I beleue in god whiche howe greatly he dothe hate proude myndes he hath declared in Lucifer If he doth prycke the with wrathe to vengeaunce make aunswere wrathe I beleue in god whiche hath reserued and kept to hymselfe the auctorite and ryghte of doynge vengeaunce saying Rom. xii Deute xxxii Enuye Uengeaunce or ponyshement is myn and