are one 106 Ioh. 14. If a man loue me he wyll keepe my worde and my father also wyl loue hym and we wil come vnto him and dwell with him Folio 20 Iohn 14. Whosoeuer seeth me seeth my father 105 Ioh. 15. I am the vine and ye are the braunches 23 Iohn 15. My father is an husbandman 23 Ioh. 16. He shal iudge the world of sin 167 Iohn 17. This is life euerlastinge that they might knowe thee the only true God whoÌ„ thou haste sent Iesus Christ. 154 Ioh. 17. I pray not for them alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleue on me thorowe their preaching that they al may be one as thou fatherr art in me c. 143 Iohn 20. Whosoeuer synnes ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ„ and whosoeuer sinnes ye retaine they are reteyned 79 Iohn 20. Receiue the holy spirite 171 Iohn 20. And many other thinges did Iesê° which are not written these are written that ye might beleue c. and haue lyfe eternall 104 Iohn 21. SimoÌ„ Ioanna louest thou me more then these and he saide yea lord thou knowest I loue thee He sayde vnto him feade my laÌ„bes He said to hym again louest thou me Peter aunswered yea Lord thou knowest I loue thee He said vnto him feade my sheape And he asked hym the third tyme. 85.86 Actes 10. And there came a voyce to hym aryse Peter kyll and eate but Peter sayde God forbyd Lorde for I haue neuer eaten athyng that is vncleane or comen 175 Act. 10. Whyle Peter thought on his vision the spirite sayde vnto him beholde men seke thee aryse therfore get the down and go with them for I haue sent them 176 Actes 19. Paul passed thorow the vpper coastes and came to Ephesus and found certeyne disciples and sayd vnto them haue ye receyued the holy ghost and they sayde no. And he sayde wherwith were ye then baptised And they sayd with Iohns baptisme And it foloweth when they heard that they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesu agayn and Paul layd his handes on them and â–ª thei spake with tongues and prophecied 91 Act. 22. Then the captain came vnto Paulâ— and sayd to him Tell me art y u a Romaine he saide yea And the Captaine aunswered with a great summe obteined I this fredom And Paul sayd I was free borne 40 Rom. 3. By the dedes of the law no flesh shall be iustified 121 Rom. 5. The lawe entred that syn should encrease 126 Rom. 8. We know not what to desire but the spirit maketh intercession myghtely for vs with gronyng whiche can not bee expressed with tonge 131 Rom. 8. God sent hys sonne in the likenes of sinful flesh 125 Ro. 8. Euery creatur is subdued to vanite 166 Ro. 9. Who can resist his wyl 44 1 Cori. 2. The eie hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred in to the heart of men the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym 170 1 Corin. 2. The spirite searcheth all thynges yea the bottom of gods secretes For what maÌ„ knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of maÌ„ which is in him Euen so the thinges of god none knoweth but the spirit of God 170 1 Cor. 6. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustifieth by the name of the Lord Iesu and the spirite at our God Fol. 171 1 Cor. 6. Your bodies are the temple of the holy ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God ye are not your own for you are dearly bought Therfore glorifie God in your bodies 176 1 Corint 8. Althomgh there be that are called gods in heauen earth as ther be many gods and Lordes many yet vnto vs is there but one God which is the father of all thinges we in him and one lord Iesus Christ by whoÌ„ are all thinges and we by him 154 1 Corin. 10. One loafe one body we that bee many 52 1 Cor. 14. The secrets of his hart are opened and he falleth down on his face and worshyppeth God saiyng that God is in you in dede Fol. 177 1 Cor. 15. By a man came death and by a maÌ„ cometh the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead for as by AdaÌ„ al die so by christ al be made aliue 120 2 Cor. 3. The letter killeth the spirit geueth lyfe 4 2 Cor. 10. The weapoÌ„s of our war are not carnall thynges but the power of God to cast down strung holdes 3 Galat. 3. There is no Iew nether Gentil nether bonde ne free ne man ne woman 107 Gala. 4. In the fulnes of tyme God sent his sonne 125 Galath 4. God sent Christ. 125 Gal. 4 Borne of a woman idem Philip. 2. Beware of dogges beware of euil workers beware of discention for we are circumcision seruing the the spirite whiche is God 35 Philip. 2. He became obedient to the death of the Crosse. 128 Colo. 2. Beware lest any man come spoile you through Philosophie and deceitful vanitie 17 Col. 2. In Christ dwelleth all the fulnes of y e godhead corporally or bodely 108 2 Tessa 2. He shall syt in the temple of God and shew him selfe as God 88 1 Timo. 1. Unto God king euerlasting immortall inuisible and wise only by praise 155 1 Timo. 2. God would haue all men saued come to the knowledge of the truth 45 1 Timo. 6. He that is blessed and mighty only which only hath immortalitie 155.156 Hebr. 1. Which being the bryghtnes of his glory expresse image of his substaunce 106 Hebr. 6. It is impossible that they whiche were once lightned haue tasted of the heauenly gifte and were become partakers of y e holy ghost c. if they fall should ryse again by repentaunce crucifiyng vnto themselues again the son of God and making a mock of hym 91.92 Hebr. 13. Be not caried about with diuerse straunge learning 3 Iaco. 1. Cometh doun froÌ„ the father of light Fol. 45 1 Iohn 1. God is light and in hym is no darkenes 137 1 Iohn The seede of God remaineth in him Fol. 123 1 Iohn 5. There are thre which bear record on earth the spirit water and bloud and these thre are one 104 1 Iohn 5. There are iiâ— which beare recorde in heauen the father the worde the holy gost and these thre are one Folio 142 Apoc. 19. He had a name written that none knew but he him selfe Folio 78 FINIS The first Chapter ¶ We must learne what God is of Gods word and not of mans wisdome THe first point and chief profession of a true christen man is most stedfastly to beleue that ther be thre persones and one God as we are taught in Baptisme whiche is commaunded to be ministred in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy spirit For in y e bath of holy baptisme we are regenerate washed purified and made the children of God by the workmanship of the thre persons which formed also heaueÌ„ and
wytnesse let vs aske the scripture what the deuill is let vs enquire of Peter Paul let the Prophets the Euangelists testifie S. Peter saith that our aduersari the deuil walketh about like a roaring lion seking whome he mak deuour He compareth him to a Lion he walketh he seeketh And the chosen vessell Paule warneth vs to put on y e armour of God that we may stand stedfast against the crafty assaults of y e deuil forasmuch as we wrestle noe against flesh bloud but against rule against power against worldly rulere of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse for heauenlye things He maketh a difference betwene the deuill his assaults which be beastly affectioÌ„s saieng against y e crafty assalts of the deuill and he calleth them rulers powers wherfore thei be no fleshly motions But you will say he calleth them spirituall wickednesses a wickednesse is no substauÌ„ce So Terence calleth Dauus Scelus Tully calleth Cateline Pestis so the scripture caleth God loue truth and light il men darknes We read in y e story of Iob y t wheÌ„ y e seruauÌ„ts of god came stode before the Lord Satan came also among them God talketh w t him and he aunswereth that he had walked through the land and craueth of God to suffer him to scourge Iob without whose leaue he could do nothing After he rayseth the Sabees against Iob he kylleth his seruaunts he slayeth his childreÌ„ he smiteth him with marueilous sore byles froÌ„ the sole of his fote vnto his croune so y t he scraped away the filth of them with a potsherd Did an affection worck these things or a spiritual rule and substauÌ„ce To deceiue wycked king Achab he promiseth that he wil be a liyng spirit in the mouth of .iiii. C. prophets he vexeth kiÌ„g Saul Christ seeth him as lightning falling doun from heauen he blyndeth all those that beleue not the Gospel he worketh al iniquitie he seduced Adam and Eue he is y e enemy which soweth tares to destroy the sede of euerlasting life y t is of Gods worde he is the strong harnessed man and spirituall Pharao ouercomeÌ„ of our sauiour Christ he is the gouernour that ruleth in the aier and king of this world he setteth Christ on the pinacle of the temple and on a high mountain sheweth hym the glory of y e world he buffeteth S. Paul leâ—t he should be exalted out of measure through the abuÌ„daunce of reuelations he striueth w t Mighel the Archaungell disputeth about the body of Moises he shal cast the faithful congregation into pryson for .x. days he is the dragon cast out of heaueÌ„ by the bloud of the lambe and pursuing the woman Then he is no fleshly motioÌ„ vnles our sauiour Christ had such beastly motions vnlesse also heaueÌ„ were ful of such which was ful of traiterous angels In the countrey of the Gargasites two deuils seing christ cried out what haue we to do with thee O Iesu son of God art thou come hether to torment vs before y e time And they besech him of leue to go into the herd of swine Do affections cry talke kil smite fall from heauen tempt Christ pursue the church Christ telleth vs they shalbe punished in the fyre with the wicked saying depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the deuyll and hys aungels S. Peter sayeth that God spared not hys aungels that synned but cast them downe into hell and delyuered them in to chaynes of darkenes to be kept vnto dampnation Paull commaunded the Corinthians to deliuer him which helde his fathers wife to SataÌ„ for the destructioÌ„ of the flesh He meaneth not that thei should giue him ouer to the lustes of the flesh suffer him to abide in vaine pleasures Wherfore deuels ar no fleshly lustes carnal motions sensuall affections Deuels beleue tremble saith Iames. They confesse Christ to be the sonne of God as in the EuaÌ„gelists we may read more theÌ„ once or twise But I think our Saduces wilbe edified more by a coniurer theÌ„ by the words of godlines wherfore I send theÌ„ to coÌ„iurers sorcerers enchauÌ„ters charmers witches which wyl learn and perswade theÌ„ that there be deuils and that they be not lustes of the flesh but spirituall substaunces spirits created for vengeaunce which now in y e end of the world shall powre out theyr strength to plucke the Lambe of God out of the myndes of al men If therfore al angels both good and euil be substauÌ„ces and not Godly or beastly lustes much more God the holy ghost maker of al spirites knower of thoughtes gouernour of the church forgeuer of syns hatcher of y e creaturs filler of al places is a spiritual substaunce no inspiration The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Christ is vnconfounded why he became man why he was borne of a woman he toke both the soule and body of man why he chose a virgin to be borne of and why a virgin hand fasted and maried why he was a babe at his beginning not an able man as Adam was at his first creation why he came so long after Adams fal why he was baptised tempted crucified c. NOw albeit both Christ be a substaunce and the holy ghost also yet it doeth not folow that thei be two persons in the supergloriouse trinitie for they may be both one as the Sabellians do teache Wherfore now I wil proue that they be vnconfounded y t which being proued no man can doubâ—e hereafter but thei be two persones for a persone is an vnconfounded substaunce We may learne out of Gods boke that nether the father nor the holy comforter toke mans nature vpoÌ„ them but Christ only For as through a natural man we were banyshed out of paradise made the children of euerlasting damnation so it pleased the almightie trinitie nether by an aungel or Archaungel but by a natural man to restore vs againe make vs heires to saluation as Paul witnesseth by a man came death by a man commeth resurrection of the dead For as by Adam al die eueÌ„ so by Christ al be made aliue And the will of God was that he shuld be born of a woman God sent his son Factum ex muliere borne or made of a woman But why was Christ born of a woman Truly because syn death ouerflowed the world through y e first woman he worketh the misterie of life and rightuousnes by an other woman y t the blame of sinne should not be imputed to his creature which is good but to y e will by which Eue sinned For seing he is a sauiour both of men and women he becoÌ„meth man forsomuch as maÌ„ is the better kind yet he is borne of a womaÌ„ y t we shuld beleue him to be a sauiour of women also so that his birth of a woman his becomming maÌ„ declareth him
tormenting and desperat conscience and that a ioyful quiet mery conscience is heauen and that deuils ar euil thoughtes good aungels good thoughtes First if this doctrine be true we beleue in vaine the resurrectioÌ„ of our bodies which is grouÌ„ded of scripture nothing els so y t if you beleue scripture this is a false pretensed damnable doctrine If our bodies shal not ryse then is Christ not risen saith Paul al preachiÌ„g is vanitie but our bodies be dead through y e syn of AdaÌ„ shalbe raised through the rightuousnes of Christ Iesus By a man came death of soul body and by a man cometh resurrection of soul body Were not many christen men baptysed ouer dead mens graues in the primatiue church in token that the dead should rise againe S. Paul in his .xv. Chapter to the Corinthians the first letter doth nothing els but confute this damnable opinion of the Saduces denying the resurrection which now the Libertines begin to renew But our Saduces grauÌ„t the resurrection they say we must rise froÌ„ syn if we wil come to heaue which is a mery and ioyful conscience There be two sortes of resurrections expressed in Gods word of which it is written Lykewise as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by y e glory of the father Euen so we also should walke in a new life This new life is resurrection from sinne Christes raising is the other resurrection that is of the body which began in Christ the first fruits of the dead For Paul saith He that raysed vp Christ from death shal quickeÌ„ our mortal bodies in another place it shall rise a spiritual body Our Saduces because they ether wil not or can not perceaue the difference betwene these two sortes of resurrection which both are in scripture grauÌ„t in words deny in dede both heauen hel both good aungels il defending al resurrection to be from sinne to vertue froÌ„ vice to godlines froÌ„ vnclennes to sanctifitation Resurrection from sinne is but a figure of the other resurreccion For Paul saith Christ being once raised from death not from synne who neuer sinned dieth no more Likewyse imagen ye also that ye are dead coÌ„cerning sinne but are aliue to God TheÌ„ it disanulleth not resurrection of bodies but fortifieth the same forasmuche as if there be a shadow there must nedes be a body Now let vs search what the scripture teacheth vs of good aungels beleue them For a scripture geueÌ„ by inspiration of God is profitable to teache to control to amend and it is truth No maÌ„ can deny aungels to be creaturs and almighty Gods workmanship as Paul witnesseth He maketh his aungels spirites and his ministers flames of fyre How then are they inspirations Luke regestreth that at Christes birth a multitude of heauenly souldiours which wer angels song glory to God on high and peace in earth and reioysing to men Therfore they be no inspirations Did an inspiration appeare to priest Zacharie burning inceÌ„se in the temple Did an inspiration shew him that Elizabeth his wife shuld beare him a sonne Did an inspiration make him specheles No truly for the aungel telleth what he is saying I am Gabriel that standeth in the syght of God and am sent to speak vnto thee In y t he saith I stand I am sent he declareth that he is a substauÌ„ce And if Gabriel be a substance y e rest be also substaÌ„ces They reioyse ouer euery sinner y â— repenteth they behold the face of the father in heauen they assist beare vs vp in their hands thei cari Lazarus into Abrahams bosome they minister vnto Christ after his temptation they deliuered y e law vnto the Israelites thei shal come to the generall Iudgement with Christ and after the resurrectioÌ„ they shalbe made like vnto them If they be inspirations tell me how speaking singing staÌ„ding seÌ„ding ioye seing punishing handes helpe and infinite other things which the scripture geueth to Angels can be in an inspiratioÌ„ and without a substaunce Me thinke this assercion hath affinitie with the doating opinion of transubstaÌ„tiation For our Romanistes although they more stubburnely then truely and more obstinately then deuoutly defend that no bread remaineth after the consecration yet they cannot deny but that many accidents remaine as the culloure of bread the tast of bread bredth length and other the which cannot be in y e comfortable and swete flesh of Christ wherfore either the substauÌ„ce of bread remayneth or els we must sai with the papists that these things be without a substauÌ„ce the which is as if we should say there is sickenes and there is helth there is cold and heat moisture drith but ther is no such thing as a body An angel of y e Lord comforteth Agar y e Egiptian besyde the well of Seer and commauÌ„deth her to returne to her mistris Abraham promiseth his seruaunt that an Angel shall ayd and further him in his iourney Iacob when he blesseth Ephraim Manasses prayeth y t the Angel of y e Lord which had ben his succour at all times might blesse and multiplie them We read that an Angell gouerneth y e hostes of the Israelites an Angel of the Lord killeth thousaÌ„ds of the Assyrianes Angelles certifie women of Christes resurrectioÌ„ and the disciples of his glorious returne Wheafore they be no inspiratioÌ„s no mocioÌ„s cuÌ„ming from God but spiritual substauÌ„ces and ministring spirites sent to minister for their sakes which shalbe heyrâ—s of saluation Now as I haue spoken of good Angels so I thinke it no lesse nedefull somwhat to speake of euil Angels For ther be many late borne Saduces which haue perswaded theyr owne wauering myndes and allure the consciences of others to y â— to the foresaid opinion that the deuill is nothing but Nolitum or a filthy affecton of the flesh and swaruing from honesty vertue and godlines I thinke such haue either already said in their harts ther is no God or y t they may as easely be brought thervnto as Cherea was vnto Pamphila Cherea durst not ieopard in his owne apparell but fained himself to be anoteer Euen so our late Saduces Libertines will not reason these thinges stifly for disturbing y e coÌ„monwelth or rather for losing their lyues But it is to be feared that vnder the coloure of christians they say they reason in the way of disputation when they speake from y e bottom of their hearts If any man winch at my wryting he declareth y t he is a Saducie If there be a God as we most stedfastly must beleue verely ther is a deuill also if ther be a deuill there is no surer argument no stronger profe no playner euidence that ther is a God Be not al euill angels spirits Then ar they not sensual motioÌ„s but spiritual substauÌ„ces But I will leaue argumeÌ„ts call truth to
the chiefest It ordreth the mynde gouerneth the body directeth al our workes and affaires teaching vs what ought to be done what is to be left vndone without whiche nether a kyng can rule his subiectes nor the captaine guide his armie nor a Byshop enstruct his flocke ne any man of science or craftes man shewe forth and practise his arte or occupation Nowe if we recount other thynges to be of great price and value your wysdome knoweth that the knowledge of God surmouÌ„teth so farre all other sciences as God hymselfe excelleth all other creatures And thesame without denay is most profitable and necessary both vnto kynges Dukes Erles and Lordes as appereth Psalm ii Deute xvii Esay xlix where they be named the nourses of Religion and also vnto gentlemen marchauntmeÌ„ yeomen husbandmen to al degrees spirituall and temporal Vaine are all men which haue not the knowledge of God sayth the wyseman and Paul testifieth that because it semed to them not good to haue the knowledge of god god gaue them vp into a leude minde to their own heartes lust and to all vnclennes For if he be lyght suche as know not hym do stumble in darkenes if he be the waye they that be ignoraunt haue loste theyr waye if he be the truth al suche as haue no acquaintaunce with hym be blinded disceiued if he only be good we must borow craue all good thinges of hym alone if al science be the lordes we must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods scholers if he only be almighty all our power strength and habilitie cometh froÌ„ him if he be life the end of such as be ignorauÌ„t wil not seke to know the Lord shal be eternal death For our sauiour mercie stock saieth y t this knowledge is eternal lyfe This is eternal life to know thee Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 〈◊〉 be y e true God But we must fetch the right knowledge and true description of hym out of holy wryte whiche as the Apostle telleth is profitable to teache to controll to amende and to instructe in all rightuousnes I haue made this treatise of hym out of the same and forasmuche as my entent and matter herein is to portray and paint our sauiour Christ who is the bryghtnes of the euerlastyng lyght the vndefiled glasse and liuely Image of the diuine maiestie I doe call it the Image of GOD. Or els because suche thinges be here opened and discouered which be necessary to be beleued and knowen of the laye and vnlearned people I would not haue them vtterly lacke Images name it if ye wyl the laye mans boke for images wer wont to be named Libri laicoruÌ„ the bokes of the laitie I am not the fyrst that hath painted Christ Paul painted hym longe sithe to the Galathians as he wytnesseth I haue paynted Iesus Christ before your eyes and haue cruâ—â—fied him amongst you and all the other Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes were painters My mynd is not to portraye any newâ— â—â—raunge or vnknowen Image but to renew and repayre again the olde Image that Paul made which hath bene so darkened with gloses and is so bespotted with coloures of mans witte so stayned through shamefull couetousnes libertie and gredy ambicion that marueyle it is to se men so vnreuerent towardes the maiestie of God their maker Seneca a wise and sage Phylosopher willeth y t mete giftes be not vnmeetely geuen to vnmete persons as armour to women nettes to studentes wyues to boyes and Christ the wysdome of God commaundeth Geue not that which is holy to dogges neyther caste ye pearles before swyne meaning therby that all kynd of giftes ought to be agreable and answerable to their degrees and vocacions to whome they are geuen Nowe what thyng coulde bee deuised more agreable to your graciouse estate then his Image whose glory honour you haue alwayes sought to aduaunce not without great daunger of your goodes and lyfe for whiche you are bound to render hym moste harty thankes that he chose your grace for a blessâ—â— instrumente to sweepe cleane his house and churche to redresse all abuses and to restore agayne his fallen and decayed glorye maugre the head of all ennemies Therfore I do presente and dedicate this Image honorable father vnto your grace bothe for the worthines of the matter whiche is incomparable for the metenes of your person for a perpetual monument of my good wyll towardes your Lordship and also for a testimony token and declaration of my zeale and beneuolence to my contrey men If I shal se it to be profitable to them I shall be encoraged to take mo fruitfull matters in hande in whiche I desyre continually to occupy my selfe but the worlde is so euyll so vnkynde so vnthankefull to studentes that pouertie causeth them to remitte and slacke their studies and to seke the worlde to maynteine their necessities Aboundaunce and wealth dwelleth only with those whyche haue Gods houses in possession whiche eate vp hys people lyke bread and are not content to lyue vpon theyr owne sweate but doe lyue vpon other mens goods and laboures vpon the church goodes which are the pores I do meane all suche as in the papistical tyme were wont to lyue of their landes to kepe good hospitalitie to mainteine scholes and houses of almes and nowe they be purchessars and sellers awaye of the same vsurers rent raysers grasiers and farme mongers wherby hospitalitie tillage and many good houses be decayed in Englande and the Realme is vnpeopled and disfurnyshed Besydes some be berebrwers some fermers of benefices some persons some vicares byers of improparations some deanes of colledges some prebendaries and officers also in the kynges house Agayne priestes which should be preachers and distributers of the holy sacramentes be lawiers commissaries chauncellors officialles proctors receiuers stewards the office of saluacioÌ„ is vnregarded through couetousnes And lawiers whiche be no priests be parsons vicars prebendaries against the ordinauÌ„ce of God of whiche saynt Paule recordeth Euen so dyd the Lorde ordeine that they whiche preache the gospel should lyue of the gospel and no other neither kynge Lorde Gentleman ne lawier And 〈◊〉 this mingle maÌ„gle of spirituall and temporall regiment and offices is suffered as if ther were nether god ne magistrate ordeined of god to redresse suche abuses What marueile is it if mans ordinaunces and statutes be broken wher the ordinaunce of God is plainly resisted and not receiued Other some that pretend they be true preachers of Gods word and are counted holy and discrete men reteined the kynges chapleines and with other lordes both spirituall and temporall be in deede benefice mongers prebend mongers haue many archdeaconships deanries and they do not the office of one of their vocatioÌ„s some once a yere or twise peraduenture doth preach a sermon before the kyng or at y e spittle or at Pauls crosse to delude and paynte the worlde and to
Of which scriptures it doth consequently folow that he gouerneth the world by his prouidence not by the whale of fortune or by force of destinie For if he gouerneâ— theÌ„ he gouerneth vs seing the earth is the Lordes al that is therin the coÌ„passe of y e world al that dwel therin But some do say that he gouerned the Israelites the sede of Abraham the chosen generatioÌ„ but not the refydne of the earth which he gaue vp to their own gouernaunce Verely God ruled all as he is Lord of al. For Paule preacheth to the Athenians that we liue moue and be in him He gaue them also rain light corn grasse as he hymself teacheth Iob out of a storme saying Who deuideth the abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of waters into riuers or who maketh a way for y t stormy wether that it watereth and moystureth the dry and barren grounde to make grasse grow wher no body dwelleth Who is the father of rayne Or who hath begotteÌ„ the drops of our dewe out of whose wombe came the yse Who hath gendred y e coldnes of the ayer y t the waters are as hard as stones and ly coÌ„geled aboue the depe Did he not styr vp Pharao among y e Egiptians Benhadad among y e Sirians Salmanasar amoÌ„g the Assirians Nabuchodonozer among y â— Babilonians Darius among the Medes Artaxarces among the Parthians Alexander among the Macedonians and Vaspasian amoÌ„g the Romaines In the boke of y e Kinges Elias is coÌ„maunded to anoynt Hasaell king of Siria Iehu of Israell Eliseus to be Prophete in his roume Wherby he teacheth vs y t he maketh Prophetes and Kings and taketh away their kingdomes as it is written Propter iniustitias iniurias diuersos dolos c. Because of vnrighteouse dealing wrong dyuers deceipts kingdomes shalbe traÌ„slated from one to another for y e power of the earth is in the hand of God If kings wold earnestly beleue this which is Gods owne voice behold how many kings he deposed in y e boke of kings and for what causes they wold be as earnest to set forth Gods glory that is to cause the gospell to be preached thorowe their dominioÌ„s and to relieue their pore brethren which be members of the same body that they be children of the same father and heires of the same kingdome and that which is done to them is done to Christ as thei haue ben diligent politike yea rather deceitfull in encreasinge their reuenues in filling their hutches w t gold siluer thei wolde first seke for the kingdome of God then God wold be ther castle cast al other things vpoÌ„ theÌ„ or els he is vntrue of his promes One being demauÌ„ded how a king might rule safely and assuredly answered if he dâ—uyse good lawes and se them diligently practised This is a necessary lesson for al princes that wil lyue in quietnes or that wil enioy their crounes with long continuance And a king aught to be a father to his subiects not onli to the gentlemeÌ„ but rather to his pore coÌ„mons for they haue more nede He is the head of them as wel as of the other What causeth vprores insurretioÌ„s soner then oppressioÌ„ of the pore Or what prouoketh y e wrath of God more against them If I were demaunded how a king might not only pas his time safeli but also al his posteritie ofspyrng coÌ„tinue in possessioÌ„ of the kingdome I wold answer if he seke the glory of God vnfaynedly For if kyngdomes be translated for vnrightousnes they ar preserued by rightousnes If promotion come neyther from the east nor from the west but from the king of heauen the wai to attein it and to maintein and continue iâ— â–ª is to please the king of heaueÌ„ The pacient man Iob saith that almightye God oftentimes for the wickednes and sinne of the people suffereth an hipocrite to reigne ouer them Nowe I thinke that ther was neuer more godly pretence more outward shew of holynes more dissimulation in Rulers then now is and this is Ipocrisy and all the people be lyke the rulers I warant you I wold wish that all kings wold diligeÌ„tly reade ouer and earnestly beleue y e cronicle of the kings there thei should fynd that which is written by me kyngs do raigne Cirus kyng of Persie caused a proclamatioÌ„ to be made throughout his empyre that the Lord God of heaueÌ„ had geuen him al the kingdomes of y e earth Is God of lesse abillitie now to do these things theÌ„ he was Or is he of les knowlege and vnderstaÌ„ding But to the matter againe If he do not gouerne y â— world by his prouidence it is either because he cannot and he is not able or that he will not or that he is ignoraunt what is done here But there is no ignoraunce with him to whome all thinges be naked and manifest and he lacketh no cunning for he is almighty and nothing is impossible to him and he lacketh no will for he is full of goodnes mercy compassion and promiseth plenty of all good things to the godly and scarcitie to the euill wherfore he ruleth al by his prouidence he causeth thuÌ„der lightning haile frost snow darknes life death barennes fruitfulnes raine faire wether wind hunger battel peace and pestilence as it is written prosperitie and aduersitie lyfe and death pouertie riches come of the Lord. God sendeth al these things partly to admonish vs of our frailnes partly to punish the il and partly to try the good as I haue intreated before I put case thou knewest not wherfore he ordeined many thinges as thou art ignoraunt why he formed thee a man and not a woman an English man and no Italian were that a iust cause denie hys prouidence Were it not a like thing as if thou shouldest deny that I would be at London at the beginning of Michaelmas tearme because thou knowest not my sute We must think almighty God to forme al thinges to good purposes al be it his workes surmount our capacities When y u â—okest vpon a dial which declareth how the daie passeth away thou art moued to thinke that it is made by art and not by chaunce If one wold carie a globe into Ireland whose dayly turnings would work thesame thing in sunne the Mone and the fiue mouable sterres whiche is done in heauen euery day and euery night which of theÌ„ wold thinke in y t wild countrie the globe to be made without singuler conning And do we think that God gouerneth the world the which comprehendeth both the dial and the globe and the makers of both bi luck and fortune Are the partes gouerned by reason framed by art finished by conning and not the whole Or did Archimides by art couÌ„terfet the mouinges of heauen and God not rule the same bi his prouidence If God doe not rule it there is some thing more
in al sinne and ouercommeth teaching vs by his example how to ouercome The deuil teÌ„pteth him with the lustes of the flesh with lust of the eies and with the desyre of worldly promocion with lust of the flesh saying If thou be the sonne of God speake that these stones be made bread But Christ answereth teaching vs to fight in like case Man shal not liue by bread only but by euery word that coÌ„meth out of the mouth of God He teÌ„pteth him bidding him cast himself down from the pinnacle because it was written that angels had charge ouer him Christ answereth thou shalt not tempt thy Lord thy Ged He tempteth him with desire of promotion with the lustes of the eies carying him into the mountain promising him the glory of y e world But he who made al the world refused worldly honor and teacheth vs that God only is to be worshipped Al sinne is conteined in the deuils thre temptacions and al vertue in Christes aunswers The deuil with thre proposicions wold inuegle Christ in all heresies but Christ confuteth him with thre scriptures And that thou shouldest not thinke that Christ is the holy ghost touching his incarnation he is sayde to be coÌ„ceiued of the holy ghost and in his baptising the holy comforter descendeth vpon him and when he is tempted the spirit leadeth him into wildernes wherfore he is vncoÌ„founded with y e holy gost Christ also suffreth death to deliuer vs from the tiranny of death not the father nor the holy ghost for he offred his flesh an odoriferous and swete smelling sacrifice to the father The cause why he humbled him self vnto death is forasmuch as our first parentes lost Gods fauour through pride for it was said vnto them taste and ye shal be as Gods For this cause it pleaseth Christ to ouercome the deuil by humilitie who through pryde entised vs from God and we also must ouercome by humilitie recouer Gods fauour by humilitie enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ through humilitie Doun therfore proud stomack down peacocks fethers down hygh mountaine and become a lowe valley The Lord wil breake down the house of the proude he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted as we may learne of the Publicane and the Pharisey We must returne to paradise by humilitie which we lost by pride Humilitie is the porter of heauen gates Fâ—ctus est obediens vsque ad mortem crucis He became obedient to the death of the crosse But why is Christ crucified for our sinnes Why did he chose this kind of death before other Truly because this kind of death is accursed and al that die of it as it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree For so it commeth to passe that Christ was accursed for vs to deliuer vs from Gods curse as Paul saith Christ hath deliuered vs from the curse of law in that he was made accursed for vs. Only he rose from death to lyfe only he ascended into heauen in the sight of his disciples not the father nor the holy ghost Some searching wittes demaunde whether Christ could not deliuer vs but by assumpting our nature by suffring moste cruell tormentes He could but he would not He toke our nature because he came to deliuer our nature that nether kind shulde thinke they are dispised he became man was born of a woman that the serpent which seduced both man and woman might be ouercome through both Moreouer he came not only to deliuer vs but also to be an example of good liuing We be desirous of riches he preferred pouertie we hunt for promotion he would not be a king we are careful to make heires to leaue many children after vs he dispised such fashion we disdaine to suffer wroÌ„g he suffred al wrong we can not abide to be reuiled he held his tong we hate our ennemies we ar vnpainful in doing our duties he was scourged and whipped of his own wil for vs we be sore afrayd of death he died for vs. He was sent also to heale our infirmities by well doyng which came through sinne How caÌ„ our couetousnes he healed but by his pouertie How can our furiousnes be cured but by his pacience How can our vnkindnes be recompeÌ„sed but by his loue How can our timâ—rousnes be boldened but by his resurrection Further howe could he more set forth his exceading loue toward vs theÌ„ in dieng for vs. A greater loue then this hath no man then to bestowe his life saith Christ speaking of his own death The deitie suffreth no infirmitie which is impossible wherfore it was necessary that he should take our nature vpoÌ„ him who came to heale our infirmities and to teach vs to cure them through wel doing If he had takeÌ„ them in any other nature theÌ„ we might think that he dispised our nature that he loued vs not that the example of his life belongeth nothing vnto vs. For if he had ben tempted in another nature or died how could we learn to withstand the deuil to ouercome teÌ„ptacions to dispise death of him Wherfore there was no way lyke this to redeme maÌ„ He is wisdom wherfore he toke the most wysest way The .xxvi. Chapter ¶ The holy comforter is vnconfounded how and why he descended in the likenes of a doue rather then of any other bird NOw that I haue proued Christ to be vncoÌ„founded mine order requireth to fortifie thesame thing of the most glorious and holy coÌ„forter the which is done partly already for in that we haue proued that Christ is not the holy ghost the blessed almighty comforter is vncoÌ„founded with him He is vncoÌ„founded also with the father in that he procedeth of the father in that he leadeth Christ into the wildernesse in that he is sent of the father as Christ saieth WheÌ„ the comforter shal come whoÌ„ the father shal sende in my name and in that he is sent of Christ also as it is written When the comforter shal come whoÌ„ I wyll sende in my fathers name For Christ sendeth him the father sendeth both him and the almighty comforter but he himselfe is vnsent That he sent Christ the Apostle testifieth When the time was ful come God sent his sonne borne of a woman and made bonde to the lawe the which must be vnderstand of the father because he sayth God sent his sonne Wherfore Christ himself sayeth I went out from the father and came into the worlde His sendyng and his comming is hys incarnation as I haue proued before So the almyghtie comforter is sayde to be sent bycause he appeared in visible formes as in the lykenes of a Doue and Fyre not that he became a Doue and Fyre as Christe became very man but that it pleased hym to worke his graces and benefites by a doue and fier that our harts might beleue his preseÌ„ce and know his power
almightie coÌ„forter can not be absent from their works for he is the spirite of them both and fylleth the round compasse of the world If I wold gather all the workes of â—ch person into an induction I could manifestlye proue this to the capacitie of all men but it is to long to speake of their workes I will speake of the creation of the worlde of Christes incarnatioÌ„ of his miracles and resurrectioÌ„ prouing al these to haue ben done by the workmanshippe of the thre persons For if the Trinitie did worke inseperablye in these no doubte it hath don likewise in all other First touching the creatioÌ„ of the world no man distrusteth the fathers workimg of whom that is supposed to be spoken In the beginning God created heauen and earth If thou doubt of Christ the holy comforter herken what y e prophet Dauid saith by the word of the Lord were the heaueÌ„s made and bi the word of his mouth the glorious fairenes of them Wherfore heauen earth be the workmanship of the thre persons Was Christ conceaued in the wombe of Mary by the workemanship of the holy comforter and is he not maker of the world If the thre persons work euermore without seperatioÌ„ why doth the scripture graunt certein works to one person certein to another Truly to teach vs that ther be thre persons that ther be thre distincte thre vncoÌ„founded Onely the person of the father soundeth the voice in Christes baptisme only the holy ghost appeareth lyke a doue only Christ is incarnate Notwihstanding both the flesh of Christ and y e voice of the fatheâ— and the apparitioÌ„ of the al-knowing coÌ„forter be the workemaÌ„ship of the whole Trinitie I meane not that Christ the holy ghost souÌ„ded the voice but that thei were workers of the voice â–ª the father only souÌ„ded it not Christ not the holy ghost For they be distinct and vnconfounded they be thre not all one thre persons not thre names So the holy ghost only shewed himselfe in y e shape of a doue not the father not Chriâ—â— Neuerthelesse the doue in which he apeared was the workemanshippe of al thre So neither the father ne yet the blessed comforter were incarnate but Christ only Neuertheles the flesh nature of Christ was the workemaÌ„ship of the whole Trinitie whose workes be â—nseperable This may be gathered of the wordes of the Angell to Mary Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te virtus altistimi abuÌ„brabit tibi The holy ghost saith Gabriell shall come vppon the and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee By the highest the father is to be vnderstaÌ„d by these wordes Virtus altistimi the ver â—ue or power of the highest the sonne For so S. Paule calleth him to the Corrinthians saying we pâ—each Christ crucified vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallinge to the Greekes folishnesse but vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Grekes we preach Christe the power and wisdome of God The word virtus is transâ—ated in english vertue or power the greke word is Dunamis both in Paul and in the aunswer of the aungel PeradueÌ„ture some man wil denie that the father is ment by y e word Altissimus Therfore I wil fortifie his operation with an other reason Christes incarnatioÌ„ is his sending as I haue proued befor For who is sent thither wher he is already But he is euery wher touching his diuinitie Wherfore he is sent thither where he was not â—y appearing in his humanitie And it is plain that the father sent him wherfore the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ is the workmanship of the holy glorious Trinitie The scripture telleth that our sauiour Christ also by his word and commaundement did cast out many deuils but the same witnesseth y t the father and the holy ghost did worke with him lest thou shouldst thinke the works of the trinitie to be separable For of his fatheâ— he himself sayth The father that dwelleth in me is he which doth the workes And of the aldoing comforter also I cast out deuils in the scripture of God Lyke profe may be brought of all his other miracles So only Christ arose from death to life and yet the holy Trinitie raysed him For of the father it is wrytten who raysed Christ from death And of himself he testifieth saying to the Iewes asking a token Destroy this teÌ„ple and in thre dayes I shall rayse it vp again And that y e holy ghost raised him Paul is recorde and wytnes saying Wherfore if the spirit of him which raysed vp Iesu froÌ„ death dwel in you And Iohn also y e spirit quikneth For it is not to be takeÌ„ only of the quickening of our soules but of our bodies also nether is it vnlike that the holy comforter did rayse hym whome he formed in the virgins wombe Like proue might be made of all the peculier workes of the alworking comforter and of the father Wherfore their workes be no more separable then the workes of reason wil and memorie namely seing they be one God as the other thre be one soule The .xxviij. Chapter ¶ How there is but one God only the diuinitie of Christ and the aldoing comforter notwithstanding this vnitie NOw I haue almost declared al the contentes of this treatise that is what God is what persone signifieth and that there be thre persons in the glorious Trinitie For the profe of my last matter and content I wil first teache with euident scriptures that there is but one only God and theÌ„ with reasons not of phylosophy but gathered out of them for the scripture is profitable to teache to controll and to instruct Then I will proue that the same scripture graunteth al and eueri one of y e partes of the definition made of God to our sauiour Christ and that done I wyl fortifie also that al the partes of thesame definition are grauÌ„ted to the alknowing and almighty comforter The Christian congregation beleueth the father y e son and the holy gost to be one God not by nuncupation only but by vnitie of nature For if the multitude of theÌ„ that beleued were Cor vnum anima vna one heart and one soul if he which is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit if man wife be one flesh one body as y e Apostle witnesseth if al men be one substaunce touching ther nature if the scriptures testify that in humaine thinges many be one â–ª how much more are the father the sonne and y e holy ghost one God which differ not in nature substaunce for it is written there are thre which beare record in heauen the father the word the holy ghost these thre are one The vnitie of their nature proueth them not to be thre Gods but one God The damnable seâ—t of y e Arrians expouÌ„deth this text Hij tres vnum sunt these thre are one that thei be one in
who loueth me shal be loued of my father I wil loue him of the holy coÌ„forter y e fruit of y e spirit is loue Through this loue of al the thre persons Christ suffred death y t we might liue for of the father it is written God so loued y e world y t he gaue his only begotten son of Christ I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me gaue himself for me The spirit also gaue him for Paul saith of Christ which through the eternal spirit offred himself without spot vnto God They haue also one counsel for Esay calleth y e holy gost the spirit of couÌ„sel strength Christ is called Angeâ—â—s magni consilij an angel of great couÌ„sel because he is the wisdom of God they are of one wil they coÌ„maund forbid one thing their calling is not diuers but one And as the father is called Lord so is the holy coÌ„forter so is Christ. We reade that the spirit of the Lorde came vpon Sampson whom he calleth also his strength saying if my hear were cut of my strength would go from me But after that his seuen lockes were cut awai the scripture saith that the Lord departed from him calling the spirit which gouerned him Lord. If thei haue one nature one kingdom one power one counsel one operation one name one vertue one life one peace one grace one coÌ„mauÌ„dement one vocation one wyll and seyng they be one light one charitie one streame and one Lord how can they be diuers Gods There is a generall vnitie of al things in them wherfore thei must nedes be one God also I trust now it be sufficiently fortified and established that ther is but one god of heauen earth who gouerneth ordreth al thinges Natural reason proclaimeth this as it were out of some highe place vnto al creatures His almighty euerlasting power proueth y e same The Poets confesse and graunt him to be alone the Philosophers coÌ„discend to theÌ„ the Sibilles magnifie and acknowledge him y e false gods of y e Pagans theÌ„selues confesse him the Prophetes of the true God euermore taught this the EuaÌ„gelistes and Apostles fortifie the same nature preacheth one God which acknowledgeth one world faith telleth vs the same for there is but one fayth of both testaments as the Apostle witnesseth and baptisme also for there is but one bath of holy baptisme whiche is ministred in y e name of the trinitie The glorious death of many thousandes of maâ—tâ—rs both of men children women virgins which by no maner of tormentes could be plucked away from this faith haue sealed it and the constant and stedfast consent agrement and conspiration of all tymes and nacions with one minde and accord hath enacted this so that the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it The .xxix. Chapter ¶ Al the partes of the difinition made of God are proued to agre vnto Christ. AS I haue spoken of al iii. persones of the blessed trinitie together so now for a more euident profe of my last content I wyll fortifie out of the stoore house of y e scriptures y t al the parts of my definitioÌ„ made of y e only king of kinges immortal almighty God do belong appertein also both vnto Christ to the alknowing most blessed coÌ„forter The first persel of my difinitioÌ„ was God is a spiritual substance That Christ is a substance no maÌ„ wil deny for he is no accident Read my .xxiiii. chap. there y u shalt find this thing proued But how caÌ„ you proue y t he is a spiritual substaunce The prophet Ieremy saith Spiritus ante facieÌ„ nostram Christus dominus that is y e spirit before vs Christ y e lord Note y t he calleth him both a spirit lord If ther be no spirit he can not be God for god is a spirit and inasmuch as he is a spirit a substaÌ„ce he is a spiritual substaunce not touching his humanitie but touching y t nature in which he is lord as the prophet declareth very wel saying y e spirit before vs Christ the lord meaning that he is Lord in that he is a spirit for y e Lord is a spirit Pure nature foloweth in the difinitioÌ„ By the word pure is ment that God is one a singuler substaunce not myxt not compost Ether Christ is suche a substaunce or els he is a creature If he be a creatur theÌ„ is he subdued to vanitie not willingly for the Apostle witnesseth Quippe vanitati creatura subiacet non volens Euery creature is subdued to vanitie Christ is not subdued to vanitie Ergo Christ is no creature That Christ is not subdued to vanitie I proue thus The ruler of this world came and founde nothing in him Ergo he is not subdued to vanitie But some Arrians wil say y t he was subdued vnto vanitie in y t he toke our natur vpoÌ„ him to restore vs when we wer forlorn for the preacher crieth of all things vnder heauen al is but vanitie al is but plain vanitie Albeit this were truly spoken yet can not S. Pauls saying be verified of Christ who saith euery creature is subdued vnto vanitie not willingly Christ toke our nature willingly restord vs willingly by his precious death passion as he himself doth testifie no man doth take my life fro me but I put it away my self wherfore he is no creature Ergo he is a pure simple single nature without al mixture or composicion Immutable Paul telleth vs that he is immutable for in his letter to his countreymen he witnesseth that the father speaketh these wordes of the .ci. Psalm vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes they shall perishe but thou shalt endure They shal wax old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them they shalbe chaunged but thou art the same that is vnchauÌ„geable thy years shal not faile Lo y e father witnesseth that Christ is immutable We read also Iesus Christus heri hodie idem est etiam in secula Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same continueth for euer This propertie belonging to no creature proueth him God For God only is immutable Iesus Christ is immutable Ergo Ieus Christ is God Inuisible This is another propertie whiche the scriptures geue vnto God Christ is a spirit touching one nature â–ª then if al spirites if our soules be vnuisible how muche more is Christ vnuisible the maker of spirites and soules Paul calleth hym touchynge this nature vertutem dei the vertue or power of God Wherfore he is vnuisible vnsearchable Paule in the same place calleth him the wisdome of God the wisdome of God is vnsearchable There foloweth in the definition Filling heaueÌ„ earth