glorie Despysynge of prayse vayn glorie he although he was god yet bare the person and playde the part of a seruaunte or bondeman in earthe Iohan. vi whan a kyngdome was offred to hym he refused it the glorie of his doctrine of his miracles he referred whole to his father The vertue of charite is to hurt no man and to do good to all men Charite All his doctrine his doynge of miracles all to gether to be shorte his whole lyfe was nought ellys but benefyceÌ„cie wel doyng towardê all men he neuer sought those thynges that were for his owne profyt or pleasure but he speÌ„t his owne selfe whole vpon the profyte of other men This was that onely whole brenâ— sacrifice and most pleasaunt and acceptable to god How feruent a sayinge of charite was that whan he sayd ☞ I am come to send fyre into the earth and what els doo I wyll or desyre than that it shold be kendled and brenne Luce. xii I haue a baptyme wherwith I must be baptized and howe am I troubled and vexed in my mynde to haue it finyshed brought to an end IohnÌ„ .xv. No man sayth he hath greater charite or loue than to spend his lyfe for his frendes he not onely spente his lyfe but also suffred the ignominie and shame of the crosse and that for his enemyes also with his laste wordes Luce. xxiii praying for them by whome he was put on the crosse with whose blasphemouse wordes he was scorned reuyled euen in the tyme of his paynfull suffrynge And yet for all that dyd not the lord say vntruely for whan he sayde * no man hath greater charite he spake of the charite and loue that is in man There are tolde and recited in bokes raither than are beleued certayn exaumples of excellent loue and frendshyp that hathe ben betwen men as of one frende that hath put hymselfe in dauÌ„gyer and ieoperdye of his lyfe for another frend but the charite and loue that Christe had passeth all maner charite of men for that was an heuenlye and not an earthlye fyre which the holy ghost dyd kendle and not naturall affection and are not we ashamed to be called Christen men whiche not onely doo spende our lyfe for the sauyng of our frendes but also for a small profyte or auauntage with disceytes lyes periuryes do begyle our neyghboure with violence doo spoyle robbe hym with false accusations do brynge hym into daunger of his lyfe Despysynge of ryches Couetouâ—nes or loue of rychesse is a coÌ„mune vyce as the contempte and despisynge of ryches is an excelleÌ„t and a syngulare vertue But who was more naked and more pore in this world than he which had not where Math. viii Math. xxii he myght so muche as reste and laye downe his hede whiche knewe not the coyne of the emperoure I speake as touchynge his manhede whose clothes which spoyle was onely Iohan. xix left was distributed and parted among the soldyers I do not saye these thynges for that men sholde seche for paynfull and greuouse pouerâ—y but for thaâ— it is a shame and a fowle thyng to hym that hath professed Christe to take pouerty so vnpatiently that he sholde crye out and call hymselfe therfore many tymes a wretch and a caytyfe Why sholdeste thou be ashamed of pouerty which is commune to the with Christ the lord of all thynges Or why dothe any man lesse esteme or regarde his neyghbour for pouertyes sake and dothe not rayther worshyppe in hym the lykenesse of the lorde Wrath or desyre of vengeauÌ„ce is a tyrannicall affection It is an harde thynge to wyll well to hym whiche hathe minyshed thy substaunce whiche hath gone about to take away thy good name or thy lyfe But this thynge shall be made more easye to the Pacience if thou haue respecte and do loke vnto that pure vnspotted lambe whiche was so rayled on with so many reuylyng wordes so many wayes layde in wayte for to make short was boundeÌ„ bespytted buffeted vexed with all maner mockes scornes haÌ„ged on a crosse betwen .ii. theues yet neither with any word neither with any countenaunce or sygne euer gaue any signification or betokenynge of an angry mynde neyther spake any other thyng than wordes of most feruent charite and myldenesse Christe after his resurrection appered onely to his disciples and frendes After his resurrection also he appered onely to his disciples and frendes to the entente that he wolde bothe take away theyr heuynes and also confirme and establyshe theyr fayth he shewed hymselfe to none of the other vpbrayding and castyng in theyr tethe the purposes and enforcementes of theyr wycked myndes disapoyntyng and saying I am he whome you haue wrongefully condemned whome you haue reuyled whome you haue coueted in suche wyse to be destroyed that there shold not remayne so much as any sygne or token of an honest remembrauÌ„ce I am now alyue in spyte of all your tethes But what dyd he He charged commaunded his apostles that euen to those same of whome he had ben cruelly and vngoodly handled they sholde preache the grace of the gospell that is to say by fayth in Christe free forgeuenesse of all synnes and euerlastyng lyfe in the worlde to come This lyfe bryngeth with it many grefes and incommodites If we do suffre them patiently for the lordes sake To suffrâ— with Christ. we doo suffre to gether with hym but much more if we do suffre affliction vnworthily for ryghtousnesse and vertue If we do practyse this dayly that the desyres of the fleshe may without rebellion obey the spirite we do learne to dye with Christe To dye with Christe If beyng departed from this world not so much in body as in affection we doo come at that perfection we are buried to gether with Christ. To be buryed with christ If by baptyme from deade workes that I maye vse Paules wordes we beyng ones clensed from al spottes doo walke from hence forwarde in newenesse of lyfe not onely not rollyng agayne into the myer from whiche we were made clene but also hastyng to perfection by all degrees of vertues To ascende with Christ. than do we ryse agayne with Christe whiche raysed from deathe dothe no more dye whan by these meanes daylye in vs the contempte and despisynge of earthlye thynges doth encreace and therwith also doth encreace the desyre of the heuenly lyfe than do we with hym ascende into heuen with the fete of our bodyes treadyng on the earth but with the affections and desyres of the harte beyng conuersaunt in heuen in suche wyse orderyng all our thoughtes after suche maner temperynge and disposynge all our dedes workes as though we dyd lyue in the syght presence of god in the company of all saynctes as in very dede we doo Nowe are we come to the holy ghost whiche after the doctrine
thou shalt so much the soner beare away yf thou shalt vnderstonde it shalt know both the summe or effecte also the ordre of the thynge D. Therfore I longe M. Herken than and take hede Credo in deuÌ„ patreÌ„ oiÌ„poteÌ„tem creatoreÌ„ celi terre D. Thereupon is all my mynde set M. ☞ I beleue on god the father almightie creatoure of heueÌ„ and of earth And on Iesu Chryst his onely sonne Et in Iesum ChristuÌ„ filiuÌ„ eius vnicuÌ„ dominuÌ„ nostruÌ„ qui coÌ„ceptus est de spiritu sctoÌ„ natus ex Maria virgene passus sub Poncio Pilato crucifixus mortuus et sepultê° desceÌ„dit ad in ferna tertia die resurrexiâ— a moâ—tuisâ— AsceÌ„dit ad câ—los sedet ad dextraÌ„ dei patris oiÌ„potentis Inde venturus est iudicare viuos eâ— mortuos Credo c. Roma ix Math. xii our lorde which was coÌ„ceiued by the holy ghost and borne of the virgine Marie And suffred vnder Ponce Pilat was crucyfied dede buried Went downe to helle the thyrde day rose agayne from death to lyfe Ascended to heuens and sitteth on the righte haÌ„d of god the father almighty From thence shall he come to iudge both the quyck the dede I beleue on the holy ghost I beleue the holy churche Catholyke the coÌ„munion of saynctê The forgyuenê of synnes the rysynge agayn of the flesche the lyfe euerlastynge Amen D. I here of you a breffe worde M. And thou seeste a mustarde sede Now thou perciuest I trow that there is but one god whiche name for all that coÌ„prehendeth thre persones that is to witte the father which onely is of none other the sone which was begotten of the father afore al tyme. The holy ghoste whiche ê“cedeth from them both DIS I perceyue MA. Let not mannes witte imagine here ony transytorie or bodyly thyng all thynges here are eternall vnspeakable and incomprehensyble to the vnderstondynge of whiche mannes reason is obscure and blynde and they are perceyuede oneleye by fayth They are thre distincte in propretes but they are al .iii. of one and the same substance or nature or of one essence which some men do suppose to be the more apte and mete worde They are of one almyghtines of one maieste of one wisdome and of one goodnes There is an order in the diuine trinite but none inequalyte There is in dede an ordre in this trinite but inequalyte there is vtterly in it none at all For none of them is posterioure to the other in tyme. Neyther is one of them inferyoure to annother in dignite The diuysyoÌ„ of the Crede The deite of them all thre is one they .iii. are one god Hereof ryseth the most generall and most perfyghte distinction of the Symbole into partesâ— The father sone are knitte to gether by the holye ghoste The father hath the fyrste place the sone hath the seconde the holy ghoste hath the thyrde whiche is the charyte or loue and a certayne vnspeakable bonde or knotte of theÌ„ bothe The father maketh all thynges the sonne restoreth thynges fallen and decayde the holy ghost worketh to gether with them bothe D. I vnderstoÌ„de you very well MA. But in the sonne because he alone toke vnto hym the nature of man his diuine nature beyng in no poynte mynyshed or chaÌ„ged though he be one ê‘sone yet is there many substaunces that is to witte the diuine substance In Christ â—â— but one ê‘son and yet thre substaunces which he hath all one the same with the father and the holy ghoste the soule of man and the body of man whiche lykewyse as he was borne very god of god his father so was he borne a very maÌ„ of a womaÌ„ his mother To hym doth the church cleue as the body of maÌ„ doth cleue to the heed And lykewyse as that diuine spirite dothe ioyne and knyt together the father the sonne The churche is the misticall bodye of Christ ioyned to hym as to her hede by the diuin spirite euen so doth the same spirite glue the churche vnto Christe with a secrete and faste bonde not able to be lowsed The mystycall body therfore of Christe occupieth the .iiii. parte of the symbole or crede There are other diuisyons of the Crede but this diuisyon shall shew some lyght to hym that is a begynner Now therefore reherâ—e thou the symbole agayn of thy parte DIS I shall with a good wyll ☞ Credo in Deum patrem omnâ—potentem conditorem celi eâ— terre The fyrste parte of the Crede I beleue on god the father almyghty maker of heuen and of erth MA. Here thou haste the fyrste portion DIS Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum dominuÌ„ nostruÌ„ The seconde And on Iesu Christe his onely sone our lorde MA. Now arte thou entred into the .ii. parte of the symbol which teacheth the diuine nature of Christ wherof I tolde the before D. Qui conceptus est de spiritu sctoÌ„ naius ex Maria virgine Whiche was coÌ„ceyued by the holy ghost borne of Marie the virgine MA. Here thou hearest the very ê‘fyght nature of man in Christ shalt by by here the redeÌ„ption of mankynde DI. Passus sub Poncio Pilato crucifixus mortuus sepultus est Dyd suffre vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified deade buryed M. Thou hearest here besyde so many vndouted tokens declaryng hym to be a very man the meruaylouse battayle fygth of Chryst with the tyrauÌ„t the deuyll D. Descendit ad inferna He descended to the helle MA. Here thou hearest what that blessed soulle of Christe dyd at what tyme his deed body dyd reste in the sepulchre DI. Tertia die resurrexit a mortuis The thyrde day he rose from the deed M. Thou hereste here the victorie of the heed the hope of the meÌ„bres D. Ascendit ad celos He asceÌ„ded to the heueÌ„s M. Here thou hereste the triuÌ„phe of the victoriouse coÌ„querour D. Sedet ad dexteraÌ„ dei patris omnipoteÌ„tis He sytteth at the ryght hande of god the father almighty M. Mat. xxvâ—â—â— Here thou herest the euerlastyng insuperable monarchy or kyngdom of Christe to whome is geuen al power auctorite both in heuen earth D. Indeventurê° est iudicare viuos et mortuos From thence shall he come agayn to iudge the quycke the deed MA. Here thou herest his seconde comyng For at the former tyme he came in the humylyte â—ownes of the fleshe to be the sauyour of all meÌ„ Christes two coÌ„ynges after two soÌ„dry maners At the latter tyme he shal come in the glory of the father to iudge both good men wicked men to geue to euery man a reward according â—o his deseruingê Math. xvi The. iii. D. Credo in spirituÌ„ sctuÌ„m I beleue on the holy ghost M. Here thou hast the .iii. parte of the symbole or crede The. iiii DISC. ☞
and another person of god and that Marie is not well called the mother of god but onâ—ly the mother of man all be it that the anngell in Lukes Gospel dothe saye to the virgine Luce. i. ☞ For that holye thynge whiche shall be borne of the shall be called the sonne of god For the vnite of the personage causeth that by a certayne idiomatuÌ„ .i. communione of proprietes of speakynge euen those thynges whiche do not agree but onely vnto the humane natu re maye also be sayde aryghte of god but onely in the voyces concrete God was borne of a virgine but not the godhed God suffred but not the godhede and Man is god but not the Nature of man is the godhed But because there is none ende of errouxes I wyll make an ende of this rehersall and I feare leste I haue allredye made the werye with rehercynge soo manye erroures DISCIPLE Uerylye I haue pitie on these heritikes Howe be it yet there madnes hathe doone me good by reason of whome it is caused that bothe I do more clerely perceyue and see the trouthe and also do more fastly beleue it MAG The heretikes are worthy no thaÌ„ke herefore but god is very greatlye to be thanked whose goodnes hath tourned the malyce and wickednes of other men vnto his seruauntes in to the lucre and encreace of godlynesse DIS Why is not than the symbole or Crede made in the synode holden at Constantinople contented to saye natus ex Maria virgine id est borne of the virgine Marie but addeth et homo factus est that is to say and was made man MAGI For they which wold dispute ony thynge subtyly of Christe allthough they be holden with diuerse sondry erroures yet in this one thynge they do al agree that they do deny hym to be man in as muche as they do take from hym some thynge whiche yf we haue not none of vs sholde be called truely a very man Therefore is this expressed Et homo factus est that is to saye And he was made man that no man sholde come to baptisme beynge infected with the poyson of them For els what man is so farre without coÌ„mune iudgemeÌ„te and reason that whan he hereth saye that the two Gracches were borne of Cornelia wyll aske the question whether the two Gracches were men DIS Whereof come it than that these men were soo meruaylously blynde MAG Ueryly because they had leuer make serche and dispute of the diuine matters than symplely to beleue theÌ„ The scripture sayth that we shal haue none vnderstondynge or perceyuynge excepte we wyll beleue But they wold perceyue and vnderstonde by the prowde philosophie of the worlde afore that they wolde beleue Lette here therfore be the ende of this coÌ„munication that after thou haste recorded these thynges with thy selfe in thy mynde and haste geuen thankes to the diuine spirit thou mayste retourne the more cherefull and lusty to learne the residue that is behynde The fourth in struction DISCIPLE IT foloweth ☞ He suffred vnder Ponce pilate was crucified deade buried M. Those men that geue vnto Christe an imaginarye and phantasticall body the same men do saye that all suche thynges as it is red that Christe dyd suffre in hys humane nature he dyd nat suffre them in very dede but only phantastically and apparently But we whiche taughte by god do beleue that he was a very man do also beleue that he did suffre verily and mater in dede both in mynd in body and that he was verily crucified deade and buried The deathe of a naturall man is the separation of the soule from the body whiche separation whan it is ones made all we do knowe what maner a thyng the deade body is than but the soule be cause it is iÌ„mortal though the body be decayed and fallen awaye yet hathe it styll beynge lyuynge with Christe if it departed froÌ„ the body with faythe and lokynge after the resurrection and risynge agayne of her owne body D. What difference is there betewne an aungell and a soule that is separated from the body The differeÌ„câ— betwene an aungell and a soule separated frome the body M. Uerily this that a soule is in dede a mynde lykewise as aungels are but so created of nought whan it is putte into the body that it is naturally apte to geue life to gouerne and to moue nat euery maner body but that body only to whiche it is spicially appoynted and ordayned by god This diâ—fereÌ„ce is there betwene the deathe of Christe and the deathe of one of vs The differeÌ„ce betwene Christes deathe and oures that our soule by the violence of sicknesse and disease orels thorowe defaulte and wante of humoures is driuen out from our body But our lorde willyngly layde from hym his soule and lyfe euen lykewise as he dyd wylfully com to the crosse and passion A token hereof and an euidente argumente is Math. xxvii that he gaue vp the ghoste vpon the crosse immediately after a greate and a strong crye Ye moreouer his owne selfe also saythe in the gospell of Iohan. Iohan. x. ☞ Noman taketh away my lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ mine owne selfe D. But where was in the meane season the word or the seconde ê‘sone of the godhed whiche thou saydest to be so vned knytte to man that both together made one persone was it in the soule departed from the body orels was it in the deade body M. SaiÌ„t Augustine deuotely dyd beleue suppose that the godhed was neither separat froÌ„ the body neither froÌ„ the soule but was psente with theÌ„ both But it is bett not to entre into the coÌ„bre some mase of such maner questions out of whiche it is harde to fynde ony waye to gete out Now we do teache onely rudimentes and princyples and not the moste hyghe poyntes we do caste a fundation or grounde of our warke we doo not finishe and make it full perfighte for we do instructe a nouyce newely conuerted and not a diuine and to make an ende we doo informe a ionge soldier to faythe beleffe not an olde worne chauÌ„pion to battayle and fyghte DISC. Why do we adde these wordes passus est that is to say He suffred seyng that the sayde wordes are not â—â—ded of them in the olde tyme Dothe he not suffre who so euer is crucified MAG It appereth that this particle also was added agaynste certayne men whiche dyd imagine that the worde dyd as it were swalowe vp the body that it toke vnto it selfe and transfourming it after a certayne maner into it selfe dyd make it suche a maner body that it could nat fele any payne or greffe They say that Galanus was the authoure of this opinion Galanus But the scripture on euery syde speaketh openly agaynste this Fyrste Esaie the prophete saythe Esaie liii◠☞ He hath verily taken vpon hym our sycknesses and our sorowes and greffes he hathe borne
for the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of mankynde Saynte Paule sayth playnly ☞ Christe risynge ones from deathe Rom. vi diethe no more deathe hathe power no longer ouer hym And that he diede as touchynge to synne he died but ones for euer but as touchyng to that he lyueth he lyueth to god Peter cryeth i. Petri. iii. Christe dyed ones for our synnes Thou hereste here expresselye that he died ones Thou hereste that he rose agayne and that he shal dye no more and doest thou say that he died not hymselfe but that another maÌ„ was brought in in his stede and was his vicare in suffrynge deathe lykewise as it is redde in poetes fables that in the ilonde called Aulis a whight hynde was conuayde in in the stede of Iphigenia which sholde haue ben slayn in sacryfyce And dothe another of you crucifie his soule agayne in helle And another agayne of you crucyfye whole Christe agayn in the ayer Thou hearest the prince of Apostles cryenge openly i. Petri. ii Christ suffred for vs and wylt thou o Iewe that his death dothe not proufighte or auayle onye man Lette vs nowe procede to other thynges DIS It foloweth he wente downe to helle MAG This is the article which as I sayde before Cipriane sayth not to be hade in the Romane symbole no neither yet to be added in the churches of the Easte ye and moreouer although the symbole of the synode holden at Nice or of the Synode holden at Constantinople is none other thyng than a declaration of this symbole yet is there not there neither so much as ony thiÌ„ge that is correspondeÌ„t to this particle Finally the very incoÌ„â—innite vnhaÌ„dsome ioyniÌ„ge or hangynge togeder of the speche oration is an euidente argument that it is a percell thruste in amoÌ„ge the other articles by some other man These wordes The article descendit ad inferna was no percelle of the Crede at the fyrste makynge of it sepultus est id est was buried do belonge to the body which layde aslepe by death doth ryse agayn that is doth as it were waken from slepe But these wordes desceÌ„dit ad inferos .i. he went downe to helle they do referre vnto the soule which neither was buried neither dyd rise agayn but beyng departed soÌ„dried for a tyme shortly after retourned agayn into the deade body Whether saiÌ„t Thomas of Aquine dyd adde this particle I am somewhat in doute There is a certayne suspitioÌ„ that it shold be added of some othere man at the leaste by this argument for that it is not in the mete place For whaÌ„ he doth make the thyrde article of the resurrectioÌ„ he maketh the 4. article of the goynge downe to helle excepte peradueÌ„ture he meante this that Christe after that he was rysen agayne from death to lyfe went downe in body and soule to hell Another litle worke whiche goeth abrode bearynge the title of saynt Thomas vpoÌ„ the symbole doth interprete and declare the contrary here of and doth vse also a coÌ„trary order for there the goynge down to hell goeth before the resurrectioÌ„ how be it this sayde opuscle although it be a clarkely and an holy worke yet it semeth not to be the worke of Thomas of Aquine DI. Why was not this particle added or put to why this article was lefâ— out â—A Because the fathers of olde tyme dyd with great relygyon and feare take hede and beware that they wold not affirme ony thynge namely in the crede whiche were not expressed in the holye scriptures of both testamentes Nowe suche maner articles are all the other onely this one excepted DI. Howe thaÌ„ durste they that came after be so bolde to adde it MA. Because they semed to themselfes that they hadde gathered this euidently enough of the holy scriptures diligently boulted and examined to the which they do adde some reasones also not those verily moste stronge and inuiÌ„cible but yet not vtterly vnprobale They do aledge and brynge forth these authorites of the psalmes Psal. xxi Et in puluerem mortis deduxisti me .i. And thou hast brought me into the duste of deathe And Psal. xxix Que vtilitas in sanguine meo duÌ„ descendo in corruptionem .i. what proufighte is there in my bloude whils I do go downe into corruption And agayn Descendi in limuÌ„ profundi et non est substantia Psal. lxviii And that also Domine eduxisti ab inferno animâ—m meam saluasti me a desâ—endentibus in lacum that is to say Lorde thou haste broughte forthe my soule froÌ„ hell thou hast saued me froÌ„ the noumbre of them that go downe into the pitte Psal. xv And that also Non derelinques animaÌ„ meam in inferno .i. Thou shalte nat leue my soule in hell Actes .ii Whiche testimony Peter in the Actes dothe teache to haue ben prophecied afore of Christ nat of Dauid Psal. lxxxvii so as the Iewes dyd interprete it The alledge also this texte Eruiste animam meam ex inferno inferiori .i. Thou haste delyuered my soule from the nether more hell Agayn this texte estimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum factus sum sicut homo sine adiutorio inter mortos liber id est I was reputed amonge men goynge downe into a pytte I was made as a man without helpe among deade meÌ„ free and at lybertie Also that texte of Oseâ— the prophet ☞ Osâ—e xiii O mors ero mors tua et morsus tuus inferne that is to say O death I wyll be thy deathe and I shall be thy bytte o helle They brynge forth also of the gospell of Mathue the wordes of sayncte Iohan Baptist ☞ Arte thou he which shalte come Math. â—â— or shall we wayte after another for this speche some meÌ„ do interprete of Chistes goyng downe to hell They aledge also that texte of the Epistle oâ— Peter Christ was mortified and killed in dede as touchynge to his fleshe i. Pet. iii. but was quickened in spirte in which spirite he went also preached to the spirites that were in prisoÌ„ They alledge also of the .xxiiii. chapitoure of Ecclesiastici that whiche was spokeÌ„ and sayde vnder the persone of wisdome ☞ Penetrabo inferiores partes terre et inspiciam omnes dormientes et illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino id est I shall entre into the lower partes of the earth I wyll loke vpon all them that slepe I wyl lyghten all them that hope and truste in the lorde And many other lyke places of scripture But there is none of all these authorites that may constrayne hym that lyste to ihwarâ—e and fynde cauyllations to beleue that the soule of Christe wente downe by it selfe personalâ—ye to helle or as they call it to lymbum For the scripture dothe oftentymes call deathe and the graue by â—his name inferos whiche same worde is englysshed other whiles helle as for exaumple in the .xliiii. chapitoure of Genesis
¶ what this worde infery doth signifie otherwhiles in the scriptur◠☞ Morietur et deducent famuli tuâ— canos eius cum dolore ad inferos that is to saye He shall dye and thy seruauÌ„tes shall brynge his hore heares with sorowe to his graue He called here the aged bodye of Iacob horeheares and by this worde inferos he meante the sepulture or graue And this thynge dothe saynte Cipriane in fewe wordes in a maner shewe whan after that he hadde sayde before that this partycle is not hadde neyther in the churches of the west nor in the churches of the east he addeth afterwardes these wordes Uis tameÌ„ verbi videtur eadem esse in eo quod sepultus dicitur that is too saye Howe be it there semeth to be the same strâ—ngthe of the worde in that that he is sayde to haue ben buried As who sholde saye that descendere ad inferna were noughte els but to be buryed in the graue which our lorde speakynge of his owne buryall called to be in the hert of the earth In these testimonies which they alledge of the scripture there are certayne whiche are well nere of no wayghte but there is none of theÌ„ but eyther it is darke with the myste of allegorie orels it dothe receyue dyuerse and manifolde interpretations Neither are the reasons whiche they do brynge of muche more wayghte Amonge whiche one is playnly and vtterlye reiected and refused DISC. whiche is that MAG Because orygynall synne dyd not onely brynge the deathe of body but also the tourmente and payne of soules that by the reasone of it they sholde wante the vysyon and syghte of godes face therefore they do suppose it to be conuenyente and accordynge that lykewyse as Christe by thâ— deathe of his bodye dyd abolyshe and take awaye bodyly payne euen soo by suffrynge in his soule he sholde take awaye the payne of the soules DIS Are we than at lybertie whether we lyste to beleue or not to beleue this particle MAG yf the vniuersall churche hath now receiued it it is not lawful for the not to beleue it Nota. It is sufficiente for the to professe that Christe dyd so desceÌ„de ad inferos as the scripture and the churche dothe thynke and meane But yet as it is a poynte of Christiane wysdome not to beleue verye lyghtlye that thynge for certayne and vndowted whiche is not expressed in the holy scriptures euen soo is it a poynte of Christian mekenes not to refuse prowdly and frowardly that thynge whiche the relygyouse contemplacyon of good and godly men hathe taughte either to the solace and comforthe or els to the erudition of them that do beleue of whiche sorte are these thynges also That the holye ghoste toke one of the moste purest droppes of bloude out of the virgine Maries herte and layde it downe into her matrice and that hereof sodeynly was made the perfighte body of a man soo smalle as is a lytle spyder whiche is but euen nowe cropen forthe from the egge But yet with all the membres fulle fynyshed and perfyghte and that in the same momente a soule was infused and putte into it beynge euen verye than forthewith as perfyghte in all powers and qualytyes as it is mowe in heuen lykewyse that they doo teache that Christ by the reason of the complexion of his humane body whiche they wyll to haue ben in hym farre moste subtyle and so therfore of moste quicke and sharpefelynge dyd suffre more greuouse and bytter paynes than ony man may possibly suffre the payne of them onely excepted whiche are perpetuallye damned in helle These thynges and suche other lyke vnto these lette them be soo herde as deuoute and holy contemplations of men concernynge Christe but not as articles of the faythe Many suche maner thynges haue certaine men ymagyned also about this particle whiche we haue shewed to be an addytyon to the Crede tellynge what persones Christe dyd brynge out from helle and whome he dyd leue there stylle and what thynges with what wordes he dyd speake to euery one of the cyrcles But this is sufficiente for vs that he was ones in fleshe borne a very man that he dyd veryly suffre passyon that he hathe veryly died and ben buryed And that he hath verylye reuyued agayne the very same soule returned agayne into the owne naturall body It folowethe He rose agayne the thyrde daye vnlesse Christe had rysen agayne all hope of immortalyte had ben quite and clene taken from vs. But he rose agayne accordynge to the scriptures for this hathe the symble redde in the masse added lykewyse as the blessed Apostle Paule sayde i. Corâ— xv ☞ I haue taughte to you principallye that whiche I receiued and learned of the lorde that Christe hathe died ones for our synnes accordynge to the scriptures and that be hath ben buried and that he hathe rysen agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures But though the resurrectioÌ„ of our lorde hath ben shawwed before by so many figures of whiche our lorde hymselfe dyd expouÌ„de and declare one that is to witte Math. xii Ione .v. of Ionas whiche was iÌ„ the bely of a whal iii. dayes and .iii. nyghtes and though it haue ben promised by soo many oracles and prophesies of so many Prophetes and also so ofteÌ„tymes shewed before of Christe hymselfe with euidente wordes Luce. xviii nothyâ—ge darkened with ony myste of Trope or Allegory And finally hath ben confyrmed with so many euydente testimonies of the Apostles Math. xx Mar. x. yet all this not withstandynge there haue not lacked some men whiche in very dede as it is wonte to be sayde in the prouerbe in the very bryght lyght of the sonne were blynde and could not see Cerinthus For Cerinthê° sayde that Christ is not yet risen agayn but that he shall in tyme to come longe herafter rise agayn Other some agayn dyd fayne that Christe hymselfe is in dede risen agayne but yet that our bodyes shall neuer reuyue nor rise agayne whome saynte Paule dothe openly confute gatherynge that it dothe necessaryly folowe i. Cor. xv Yf Christe dyd not ryse agayne that neither shal we rise agayn and yf we shall rise agayne that Christe muste nedes than haue risen agayne For lykewyse as he dyd suffre for our sakes that we sholde be delyuered by hym from eternall deathe euen so hathe he also rysen agayne for our sakes that by hym we sholde gete and obtayne eternal lyfe i. Cor. xv He rose beynge the fyrste frute of them that slepe But he that is the fyrst can not be alone neither wyll the hede leue or forsake his membres Certayne men folowyng Ualentine for theyr authoure do graunte and confesse the resurrection of the spirite and of the soule Ualentine but the resurrection of the bodyes they do denye not withstondynge that in Christe was shewed the example and paterne of our resurrection Nowe he rose agayne whole that is to saye both
For euen the commune sorte and most parte of hethen folke also doth hate and abhorre them whiche do not regard theyr progenitoures and which done cast them into heuynes and discomfort And it is communely seen to come passe that as euery man hath vsed and behaued hymselfe towardes his father and mother euen so do his chyldreÌ„ vse and demeane theyrselues towardes hym neyther is there any greater or more greuous calamite that may happen to a man than to haue wycked and vnnaturall or vnkynd chyldren And vnkyndues deseruethe that the thynge which a maÌ„ hath receyued vndeseruyng he shall lose and forgo agayne not wyllynge we are detters for our lyfe to our progemtoures and parentes towardes whome if we be kynde it is ryghte and reason that we sholde longe enioy that which we haue taken or receyued And yet are not those men disceyued of the thynge here promised them to whome it chauncethe not to lyue longe here in this worlde For eyther this thynge is gyuen whiche is here promysed accordynge to the lettre or els some thynge much more excellent and better than it for that man doth not disceyue breake promyse which promisyng glasse dothe gyue a preciouse stone By these .iiii. preceptes we are warned and taught that we sholde be kynde towardes them that haue done vs good also that we sholde do good vnto them towardes whome we do after a certayne maner represente the person of god Nowe to represse the grosse malice of the Iewes those thynges are expresly forbyden by which one man hurteth another man The .v. precepte Of all iniuries the moste haynous and greâ—ous is manslaughter how be it in the name of manslaughter are contayned and vnder stonded all affections or passions by which we do go towardes manslaughter of the which the fyrst grece or steppe is wrat â—conceyued in the mynde hatred what wrath is wrathe is a sorowe or grefe desyryng greatly wroke or vengeaunce Hatred Haâ—tred is olde roted wrath an affection or passion at euery occasion redy to hurte wrath is the more vehement passion or grefe as beyng of a freshe rawe wound but hatred is the more incurable of the two Enuie Enuie is worse than they bothe whiche doth interprete iudge another maÌ„nes felicite and welth to be her owne iniurie hurt The next degre or steppe is wrathe breakyng out into a voyce or sounde of indignation which voyce our lord in the gospell calleth Racha Math. v. Racha The thyrd degree is grefe breakyng out into a manifest open raylynge or reuilynge word as whaÌ„ we say Thou sole AmoÌ„g men that man is accused of manslaughter which hath taken away the lyfe froÌ„ his neyghboure Afore god he is a man queller who so euer haâ—eth his neyghboure that is to saye beareth euyll wyll towardes hym wold hym harme for we are angry or miscoÌ„tented euen with those persons also to whom we owe beneuolence good wyll not to the entent that we wolde hurte them but that we myght ameÌ„d theÌ„ we do hate in a man not that thynge which god hath made but that thyng which he hymselfe hath made The false accuser the pykequarel in stede of a swerd of a darte of poyson vseth his tong to kyll men with al. The couetous man whyles he doth not succurre releue his nedy hungry neyghboure kylleth hym with famen for he doutles doth kyll He kylleth that maye saue wyll not whosoeuer dothe not saue whan he may saue Peraduenture his neyghbour doth not dye what thaÌ„â— yet asmuch as in hym is which dyd not help hym in his necessite whaÌ„ he was in ieoperdy he is kylled deade witches do kyll men with enchauntemeÌ„tes The backbyter slaunderour driueth men to deathe it forceth not howe or by what meanes one taketh awaye his neyghbours lyfe where so euer is a froward maliciouse mynd to hurt there is manslaughter womeÌ„ which with medicines prouoke castyng of theyr chylde afore the due tyme done coÌ„mitte infant slaughter Those ê‘sons which with slauÌ„drouse bokes done rayle on any maÌ„ apparyng his good fame done kylle slee with theyr penne D. If it be no maner way lawful to kyll or slee what shall we say of warres of opeÌ„ iudgemeÌ„tes M. In lawful ryghtful iudgemeÌ„tê it is the law self that killeth not the iudge Now the law is of god which commaundeth one membrâ— to be taken away for the helth and sauâ— garde of the whole body but yet surâ—geones and leches doo not fall to cutâ—tyng as longe as there is by any otheâ— waye hope to recouer helth A similytude betwen a iudge or a prince a surgeone so lykewysâ— it belongeth to a christeÌ„ iudge or princâ— and ruler not to come vnto the ponysâ—shement of deathe except he haue fyrstâ— assayd all other wayes and whan nonâ— otherway wyll helpe be compelled therunto A notable sentence He that iudgeth corruptelye oâ— whiche mysuseth the lawes applyengâ— them and makynge them serue to his owne pryuate hatrede or aduauntageâ— althoughe the malefactoure be worthy death yet doth the iudge commyt manslaughter Of warre As touchynge warre whaâ— shall I say wolde god that all men dyd so abhorre warres as thoughe it were parrycidye there to kyll any man in as muche as euery christen man is brother to other But in a batayle ryghtfully be gonne and lawfully made the law doth kyll and not maÌ„ Nota. But the prince which begynnethe warre not of neceâ—site noâ— for the loue and fauoure of the coÌ„munâ— weale but for his owne pryuate affections he doth committe so many muâ—â—dres or manslaughters as there be men that eyther done dye in that batayle or els dryuen to starue for hunger Adde this moreouer who so euer eyther for hatred or for hope of praye doth runne to batayle although he doth slee no body yet is he a maÌ„queller for there wanted not wyll but there wanted to the wyll power or occasion DIS A notable question Aunsâ—â—re what if a priuate persone bearynge none offyce doth kyll one that inuadeth hym in his owne defence MAG If sure and vndouted deathe be threttened hym and there be no waye to auoyde or escape I wolde counsayle hym that is a perâ—yte man harâ—ely to desyre and call for helpe of god which is oftentymes more nerer at hande than we do beleue seyng thaâ— we doo rede that euen a dragon beynge wakened with the crye of him of whom she had in tymes afore passed ben fedde and nouryshed hath runne vnto hym delyueryd hym froÌ„ theues Nota. In this case if he had leuer to be kylled than to kyll I wolde iudge that he hath done the office and duetye of a christen man But to that that it myghte be lawefull for a man to saue his owne lyfe by kyllynge of his aduersarie that â—ls wolde slee hym many thynges are requyred whiâ—che to pursue and speake of here
euer he were MAG A certayn kynge of the Lacedemonianâ—s whan he was asked of a certayne persone why the officers called Ephori dyd not ryse vp and geue reuerence to the kynge made aunswere and sayde euen for this cause because they are Ephori So lykewyse may I nowe make the aunswere they do affirme this after suche maner euen for this cause because they are men yf they haue redde ony thynge in they re workes whiche haue writen of late tyme that do they holde faste and cleue vnto with tothe and nayle but yf a man do alledg or brynge forthe vnto them ony thynge of the olde authoures whiche they do not rede such is the scrupulouse feare of them they do suspecte and mistruste as it is in the prouerbe that vnder euerye stone doth slepe a scorpion DIS Is not this than the symbole of the Apostles MAG yes werily for what soo euer is taughte here in this Crede the Apostles dyd learne of Christ and that which they had learned of hym they haue truely and faythefully taught to vs. A fewe wordes do not chaunge the vnchangeable veryte But these thynges now set a parte yf thow thynke it best make recourse agayn from the begynnyng to the endyng demauÌ„d of euery thyng particularly in such wyse as the spirite shall put into thy mynde DIS you haue shewed and taughte vnto me whâ— the fyrst place or begynnyng is geuâ—â—o the father that is to witte for that he is the fouÌ„tayne or spryng of the hole godhede all creatures But why doth it call the father onely god the sonne onely lorde and the ghoste nothyng els but holy seynge that the deite of them thre is all one The coÌ„mune vsage of the scripture in speakynge of the persones of the godhed MAG This is the coustome and vsage of the holy scripture that otherwhiles whan it doth speake of the persones it dothe sygnyfie the father by this name god as for exaumple our lorde hymselfe sayth in the Gospell yf you do beleue in god beleue also in me and saynt Paule sayth IhaÌ„n xiii God was in Christe reconcilynge the worlde to hymselfe Agayn God hathe not spared his owne sonne But of innumerable places in the scripture it is manifest and euidente that it is one and the same godhed of them all thre whan our lorde sayth in the gospell these wordes ☞ Baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghoste Math. 48. None of all the .iii. persones is called by this name god to thentente that we sholde vnderstonde and perceyue them all thre to be one god For onely god doth thorow fayth and baptisme forgeue synnes Other whiles also the same scriptures do signifie the sonnâ— by the name of god as whan we do saye that god was made man for the saluation of mankynde was borne of a virgine was deade and rose agayn from death to lyfe For neither dyd the father neither the holy ghoste take vpon them the nature of man or suffre death DI. Maye it by onye sensible argumente or token be declared and shewed howe the thre persones are sayde to be dystyncte and sondrye one from another and yet are one god MAG There is nothyng amonge creatures whiche proprelye maye be sayde to be lyke to the nature of god Neither are there ony wordes of men with whiche we maye proprelye speake of it neither are there ony images or similitudes of maÌ„nes mynde which may perfightly agree vnto the diuine essence And iniurie is don to that incomparable maieste alwayes to be had in honoure yf it be rashely and ouer boldlye coÌ„pared with naturall worldly thynges Howe be it yet I shall shewe the a certane similitude but farre vnlyke to it The fyrste similitude of the sonne and the sonne beames and the heate caused of the sonne his bâ—ames Beholde and considre the sonne and the beames that come from it and than the heate that cometh forth and is caused of theym bothe As the sonne is the fountayne out of whiche cometh bothe the lyghte the heate so is the father the fountayne out of which yssueth the sonne whiche is lyghte of lyghte And as of the sonne and of the bealmes both together cometh the heate or warmnes so from the father and the sonne bothe together procedeth and comethe forthe the holy ghoste Now imagine me that there were a sonne whiche neuer hadde begynnynge neither euer shall haue endyng shold there not than of this sonne come forth eternall bealmes and sholde also there not from them bothe procede heate egally etarnall with them bothe DIS yes dowtles MAG The .ii. similitude of the mynde reasoÌ„ wylle This collation similitude also pleaseth some men Mynde Reason and wyll are all in but one the same soule The mynde is the fountayne and orygynall reason that cometh of it doth iudge the wylle that procedeth and issuethe from them bothâ— doth loue So lykewise the father is the fouÌ„tayne the sonne is logos that is to saye reason The holy ghost is charyte or loue The .iii. sâ—mâ—litude mostâ— alowed The thyrde similitude and whiche is most alowed of learned men is of the mynde and of the worde conceiued in the mynde Now yf there were a mynd that were increated dowtles the worde of that mynd also shold be increated But that we may comprehende the holy ghoste also in this similitude lette vs imagine fyrst a mynde and secoÌ„daryly a worde broughte forth and gendred of it and in suche wyse stryekynge the eares of other men that yet neuer the lesse it dyd remayne and abyde stylle in the herte than thyrdly the breath with out whiche the mynde dothe not vtter or pronounce the worde The father is the minde the sonne is thâ— worde conceyued in the mynde the holy ghoste is the pronunciation and vtteraunce The .iii. simitude The father also after a certayne maner may be lykened to the fountayne or sprynge the sonÌ„e to the ryuer that cometh forth of the sprynge The holy ghoste to the fertilite and plenteousnes of the feldes which the spryng geueth or causeth by or thorow the ryuer There can be no perfighte simylytudes taken of ony creatures to declare the mysteries of the godhed sufficientlye But in these exauÌ„ples there are excedynge many thyngê dysagreyng vnlyke to the persones in the godhede For the beame is not the same thynge that is the sonne admytted that it be a substauÌ„ce And the heate is but an accydente and not a substaunce so farre is it awaye from beynge all one with the sonne with the beames And our worde is an accideÌ„te and a traÌ„sitory thynge and the breath wherwith we doo vtter and pronounce the wâ—rde is an accideÌ„te for that it is the mouyng of the ayere lykewise as the fertilite also of the feldes is no substaunce neither is it all one the same thynge with the fountayne the ryuer
wherfore let vs laye a parte these symylitudâ—s and lykenesses And that thynge whiche maÌ„nes reason can not attayne vnto nor ê‘ceyue let fayth holde stedfastly beleue That thyng which holy scripture doth teaâ—he whiche Chryste beynge corporallye in â—arth dyd teache whiche hath ben confirmed with so many miracles whiche the spirite of Chryste doth teach by the churche that thynge I saye is to be accompted and taken for more certayne vndowted than is that thynge whiche hath ben proued by a thousand euident and playne demonstrations or whiche thou doste perceyue .vi. C. bodyly senses yf thou haddest so many DIS Is it not lawfull than to inquyere and make serche of the diuine thynges MA. To whome how farre forthe it is lawfull to enserche of godly thynges yes veryly it is lawfull namely to those whiche haue theyr wittes well exercised but it muste be done with drede it must be done sobrelye it muste be done after that they haue sette a sure fundation or grounde warke of faythe fynally as farre forthe and no farder than is graunâ—ed to man in this mortall lyâ—e in whiche we do see god by faythe But as iâ— were in a glasse and in a ryddle and obscure maner For els to speke of the diuinâ— nature euen so as it is in very dede not the very myndê of auÌ„gelê are able to coÌ„prehend it so that there is place euen there vnto fayth which doth beleue that thynge whiche passeth all reason vnderstondynge of ony creature created Therfore by good ryght the fyrst worde of this philosophie is Credo I beleue Credo DIS Two syllables MA. ye but who so euer speaketh thesâ— two syllabes from his very herte vnfaynedly he is blessed For no man doth beleue verylye and truly in god who onely doth verelye beleue in god but onely he whiche dothe take for certayne and vndoubted thynges what so euer thynges are writen in the bokes of the holy scrypture hopyng without ony doutfullnes or dystruste all such thyngê as the sayd scriptures do promyse And whiche in this lyfe doth put hymselfe and his and all his goodes vnto the wyll of god forsakynge and renouncynge his owne wyll in all thynges Although a thousande deathes wer threttened vnto hym and thoughe all the hole power of the deuylles wolde go about to do hym myscheffe he is very sure and saffe from all daungere who so euer hath settled hym self faste on this rocke yf this faithe do wante or fayle neither doth baptisme neither ony sacramentes of the churche proufighte ony whitte or auayle nether doth any good workes helpe ony whitâ— to eternall saluation For Paule doth proâ—ounce iâ— to be synne what so euer is without fayth The coÌ„meâ—dation of Fayth This faythe coupleth and ioynethe vs to god the father this same dothe associate vs to Christe our hede this same faythe by the spirite of Christe doth make vs to be chosen and taken into the noumbre of the sonnes of god This same faythe dothe graffe vs into the eternall coÌ„pany felowshyppe of Aungells and of all holy sayntes This fayth doth shyne before vs geue vs lyghte in the darknes of this lyfe sheweng what is verily to be eschewed and what to be folowed desyred This fayth doth arme vs and make vs bolde without ony feare inuincible agaynst all the engynes and all the ordinaunce of the world of the deuille This fayth doth mightely and effectuesly coumforâ— vs in trybulation aduersite with the hope of the heuenly good or felicite hauyng this saying alwayes in her mouth ☞ yf god be on our syed who can be agaynst vs And that sayenge also The afflictions and tribulatioÌ„s of this worlde are not worthy of the glorye to come which shall be shewed in vs. This fayth doth truly quiete and sette at reste the mynde of man Of this faythe after the mynde of saynte Paule dothe come and vnto it is to be wihted or imputed what so euer thynge at ony tyme hathe ben don strongely vertuosly and temperately of suche as haue ben excellente in holynesse By this fayth we do lyue well beloued of God by this faythe we doo dye cherefullye and with good truste towarde god by this faythe we are created vp vnto blessed immortalyte Agayn of the defaulte wante of fayth what euylles do springe of vnbeleffe springeth superstition sorcerie idolatry and couetousnes cosen to it Ambition Blasphemy heuynes desperation pride feare of death desyre of vengeaunce fynally what so euer vices or synnes doo raygne in the hole worlde DIS Uerily I do here many men oftentymes wyshynge to themselues prosperouse healthe longe lyfe and ryches But I do here very few men that do desyere this so excellentely a good gyfte of god MAG No meruayle thereof for verily there are but fewe that doo knowe what thynge and after what maner is to be desyred and prayed for For this gyfte of faythe it were mete and conuenyente contynually and Luce. xâ— without ceassyng to knocke at the eares of god that he wolde vouchesaffe to geue vs faythe and to encreace his gyfte in vs euerye daye more and more DISC. yet neuer the lesse the comune sorte and moste parte of men do calle those that are not very wyse Credulos that is to saye redye to geue credence And a certayne wyse man of the Hebrues dothe name those persones leues corde lyghte mynded whiche doo easylye and soon geue credeâ—ce MAG Fyrste it is no poynte neither of lyghtnes neither of credulite to geue credence to those thynges whiche thynges it hath by so manye argumentes and euydente tokens ben declared to come not from men but from god Paule sayth ☞ that he wolde not geue credence Galat. â— no not euen to an AuÌ„gell yf he dyd teache ony thynge dissonaunt or dysagreynge from the Gospelle of Christe But rather it is a poynte of arrogance and presumptuose folyshenes to dowte of these thynges whiche haue ben taughte and geuen to vs withe soo greatte authorite and therefore saynte Paule writeth Roma i. that the folishe herte of the philosophers was blynded because the lyghte of fathe was absente yf ony man beyng vnlettred wold bable and striue agaynst suche a philosopher as was Arystotâ—le or Pythagoras or yf there haue ben ony other conynger thaÌ„ either of theÌ„ both whan he dyd dyspute de materia prima of the principles and causes of thynges de infinito or of the largenes the mouynge and the vertue of the heuenly speres and wolde dowte of euery thyng that hymselfe could not by his one witte attaynâ— vnto and perceyue shold he not be called an arrogaÌ„t and madde foole But how much greatter madnes is it there fore not to geue credence to the diuine philosophie because mannes vnderstandynge can not attayne to the perceyuynge of manyâ— thynges And there is by a thousand partes more difference betwen god and man be he neuer so greatly learned thaÌ„ is betwen the wiseste
adde patreÌ„ father MA. For a distinction of hym from the other persones for it foloweth anone after Et in Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium eius vnâ—cuÌ„ And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne he alone is called father because he alone begate the sonne Howe be it yf this worde god be so taken that it do declare the hole trinite and do coÌ„prehende all the .iii. persones together than is god well called a father because he is the begynnynge originall cause of all thynges created And yf thou vnderstonde this word father in a generall sence for that of which ony thynge taketh originall begynnynge than is the fyrst persone father simpliciter of all thiÌ„ges he hath not begotteÌ„ the holy ghost but no more hathe he begotten neither man nor aungell of his one substaunce But because after a peculiare maner he is sayd to be the father of those that do drede or feare hym after the same maner he is sayde to be the god of them in the .xxxii. Psalme Blessed is the nation or poeple whiche haue the lorde to theyr god And likewyse in the câ—liii ps But that god hath begotteÌ„ a sonne of his oune substauÌ„ce this is proprely beloÌ„gyng to the fyrst persone he created the worlde Iacobi i. but not he alone he begetteth good men thorow the worde of lyfe but he doth it by the sonne and by the holy ghoste But the onelye sonne none saue the father alone hath begotteÌ„ D. what lykewise as one man begetteth another man MA. ye lykewise forsoth in these poyntes that he begatte a sonne that he begatte god of god But as I haue sayde before in euery collation or coÌ„parison similitude whiche is translated from creatures vnto god there are many thynges disagreynge and farre vnlyke For neither the father dothe transfuse or geue from hyâ— ony parte of his substauÌ„ce into the sonne but he hath coÌ„muÌ„icated the same hole substauÌ„ce to his sonne neither do he that begetteth he that is begotteÌ„ make two goddes so as the father beyng a maÌ„ the sonÌ„e beyng a maÌ„ do make .ii. men Neither is the personne that begetteth in tyme ony whit afore the ê‘sonne that is begotteÌ„ but the eternite of them both is all one I passe ouer to reherce other thynges wiche are innumerable DI. whan one man adopteth or of fauoure taketh another man vnto his sonne he doth not verely begette hym But whaÌ„ he hath a sonne by his wyfe than he is sayde to haue verylye begotten a sonne because he hath don it accordynge to nature yf it be so than as you do saye that the father dothe begette the sonne soo many maner wayes vnlyke to the facioÌ„ that a man begetteth a sonne howe can he be sayde veryly to begette hym M. yes verily he doth by so much the more truely begette in that he doth begette in vnlyke maner vnto man that is to say he dothe so muche the more perfightlye begette For the generation of man coÌ„pared vnto that vnspeakable generation it is but only a certayne shadowe of generation For yf it be called amonge vs true generation because it is accordynge to the nature of man muche more ryghtefully that is called true generation which is according to the nature of god Excepte peraduenture thou wylte saye that god hathe not veryly truely made the worlde because he hath made it farre otherwise thaÌ„ a man doth make a citie or a howse Neither is god therefore not sayde to be verely lyghte lyfe wisdome power mynde because these wordê are otherwise sayde of theÌ„ than of god D. Is it lawfull to call god a substaunce MAG yf by a substauÌ„ce thou doste sygnifie betoken a persone whiche hath beynge it is not wickedlye sayde yf thou do professe one essence to be in thre substaunces How be it yet it is better to refrayne from these wordes which certayne holy meÌ„ haue vsed in the olde tyme at the leaste wise because of the strauugenes of them yf by substauÌ„ce thou do vnderstande that to whiche accidentes are inherente than is iâ— erroure to geue this name to god whiche is most symple neither beyng made of matere and fourme neither mengled with accidentes but what so euer is in hym is one and a singule substaunce And yf ony suche maner wordes be geuen to god in the holye scripture as for exaumple yf we do rede that god is angry that god is pacified that god doth repenteâ— that god doth forgete that god â—oth remeÌ„bre know thow that in all suche places the scripture dothe atteÌ„pre shape her language accordynge to our wittes capacite euen lykewise as a louyng mother dothe lyspe speake vnperâ—â—ightely whan she speaketh to her yong babe But yf thou calle a substaunce a thynge substauncially beynge of it selfe than is there nothynge wherunto this worde substauÌ„ce doth better agre than vnto god For by hym it hathe beynge what so euer hath veryly beynge nowe than he hym selfe muste nedes haue moste perfightlye beynge whiche geuethe to all thynges theyr beynge DISC. These thynges me semeth haue ben holyly playnly disputed of you But seynge that there are many other wordes which be agreyng ben attributed vnto god as wisdome goodnes eternite vnchauÌ„geablenes trouth iustice mercie many other such innumerable why is god here expressely called oiÌ„poteÌ„te nothyng els why god is onelye called almighty in the Crede M. Forsoth thou dost aske demauÌ„d ful wisely for who so euer doth truly ê“fesse god iÌ„ so doyng he doth also ê“fesse all thyngê which be agreyng belongynge to the nature of god But â—or as muche as in this Symbole the thynges are taught to beg ynners whiche are to be beleued raither than to be discussed because there are very many thyngê not onely in the creation of the world but also in the redeÌ„ption the coÌ„summation of the same whiche do seme vnpossible to maÌ„nes reason iudgemeÌ„t therefore to exclude all suche maner reasonynge is added here this worde almighty Whan Aristotel doth reasone proue by insoluble argumeÌ„tê that this worlde hath ben eternally without ony begynnynge because that of nothynge nought caÌ„ be made we do auÌ„swere that he is almighty which created the world of nought Philosophers do saye that ther can be no retourninge or recourse from the pryuation to the habite and therfor that neither Christe was borne of a virgine neither hathe risen from death to lyfe but we do make aunswere vnto them that god is almighty whiche worketh these thynges The iewes do denye that a man can be borne of a womaÌ„ whitout maÌ„nes helpe but we do make auÌ„swer that it is god which wylled this to be don which was borne which dyd prepare the wombe of the virgine Therfor to coÌ„firme the fayth beleffe of weake persones no word dothe make or helpe mor thaÌ„ doth this word almighty But we oughte to saye with the faythfull maker of the Psalmes Psal. cxxxiiii The lorde hathe made all
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
seynge that our lorde hymselfe in so many places of scripture doth make meÌ„tion of his â—oule and doth call hymselfe the sonne of man as whan he sayth Mat. xxvi ☞ My soule is heuy euen vnto the death And whaÌ„ he sayth Father into thy handes I do coÌ„mende my soule And Luce. xxiii Iohan. x. Iohan. viii Noman doth take my soule or lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ me you do seche to slee me beynge a man whiche haue spoken the trouthe vnto you And seynge that Paule witnesseth the same sayinge i. Timot. ii The mediatoure betwen god men the man Christe Iesus yf they do geue credeÌ„ce to the scriptures how or with what face dare they deny that thynge whiche the scriptures done so manyfestly expresse pronunce yf they do not beleue the scriptures howe may they for shame desyre to be accompted taken for ChristeÌ„ men yf they wolde seme to be philosophers who euer ones dreamed that that thynge myghte be called a man whiche lacketh the fourme of man whiche fourme I meane the soule whaÌ„ it is presente causeth one to be a maÌ„ whaÌ„ it goeth away caused that thynge whiche was before a man than to lese the name of a man Those men whiche haue so wondrefull madde opinions they stonde in daunger them selues and not vnworthyly leste they may seme not to be men Neither was the opinion whiche Apollinarius dremed muche wiser than these aforereherced whiche dothe suffre a soule to be geuen to Christe Apollinarius but so that he dothe take froÌ„ the sayd soule the mynd or vnder standynge for in quicke plantes there is a certayne lyfe for els they sholde not growe neither sholde they els be sayde to dye whan they do widder or drye vp And in brute beastes also there is a lyfe and soule for els they shold haue no fealynge or perceyuyng But mynde or reason and vnderstondynge amonge al sensyble creatures is onely to man This mynde is the princypall power of the soule by whiche it dothe dyscerne and iudge euery thynge from other by whiche it dothe ioyne or knytte together or els diuide and departe thyngê in sondre and by whiche it gathereth or concludeth one thynge of another by argumeÌ„tation and reasonynge But howe may they for shame professe Christe to be a man whiche do take awaye from hym that thynge by whiche man dothe cheflye and principallye dyffre from other beastes DIS Dyd than the mynde of Christe by reasonynge of thynges knowne gather and conclude suche thynges as were vnknowne to hym MA. There was nothynge vnknowne to Christe and yet as concernynge the condition and state of nature he hadde a reasonable soule For not aungelles neither do vnderstonde by reasonynge so as we do nether shall we our self fes vnderstonde in the general resurrection so as we do nowe But perfection added to nature doth not take awaye the veryte of nature For els the bodyes gloryfyed sholde be no bodies And yet is it none heresye or erroure to saye that the soule of Christe beganne to knowe certayne thynges whiche by the presence of the godhede it dyd afore perfyghtelye â—ee and perceyue I saye begane to knowe the same thynges otherwise after the maner of men not for that he knew theym not before But because the maner of his knowynge now was sondry and diuerse from the maner of his knowynge before Iohan. i. He had seen Nathanael whan he was vnder the Figge tree because he dyd knowe it more certaynly than we do those thynges whiche we do see with our iyes But afterwardes whan he saw hym with his bodyly eyes in dede he dyd not learne ony newe thyng whiche he knew not before but he sawe otherwise the same thynge that he hadde sene before Appollinarius Apollinarius addeth another madde opynyon that the worde dyd not take vnto it fleshe or body but that somewhat of the worde was tourned into fleshe mysunderstondynge the wordes of sayncte Iohan. Iohan. i. ☞ Et verbum caro factuÌ„ est id est and the worde was made fleshe that is to say after his false interpretation the worde was chaunged into fleshe lykewyse as the ayer condensated and made thycke or grosse is tourned into water and as the water raryfied and made fyne and subtyle is tourned into ayer But a man is not made of a countrefayte worde tourned into an humayne bodye but man is made of a reasonable soule and a mortall body yf by the worde they do vnderstonde the sonne of god god as he is made of nothynge soo can he not be tourned into ony thynge nor ony thynge into it yf we wyll speke proprely And yf philosophers do deny that fiere maye be tourned into water which are both creatures how much more agaynste all reason is it a thynge increated to be tourned into a thynge created But you wyll saye they make the worde a creature but a more excellente creature than all aungelles But yet euen betweÌ„ an aungell and the body of man there is more dyfference than is betwen fyar and water But this erroure conceyued folyshely of the euaÌ„gelystes wordes the wordes immediately folowynge do refelle and confute Iohan. i. Et habitauit in nobis that is to say and he hathe dwelled amonge vs. For that thynge is not sayde to be conuersaunte in body whiche is transformed into body But the body is well aryghte called the dwellynge place of the soule And man is well and aryghte called the temple of god Eutyches in greke is as muche to say as happie whiche is no righte name for that vnhappy wretched heretike And nowhitte wiser is the erroneouse opinion of falsenamed Eutyches whiche dyd putte in Christe to be but onely one nature compost and made of diuine and humane nature hothe to gether yf he hadde sayde that one syngulare persone hadde ben vned of two natures and that euen one persone indiuiduale as the terme of logicions is some what he hadde ben to be herde and beleued for it is certayne and vndowted that there was in Christe two or also thre sondrye natures and distincte eche of them from other Man is composte and made of a soule and a bodye But the diuine nature because it is moste syngle it refuseth all names or wordes of composition It vned or dyd knytte it selfe into one hypostase or persone by the meanes of the soule beynge ioyned and cleuynge to the bodye but it was not confused or mengled into the same nature Nestorius whiles he dothe dylygently eschewe Nestorius this lymekylle he felle into the colekylne professynge in Christe to be two perfighte natures the nature of god and the nature of man Prouerbe but he maketh than as manye persones denyenge the worde to haue ben vned and knytte to man into one persone but onely to haue inhabited maÌ„ by grace wherfore he gathereth and concludeth that in one Christe there is one persone of man
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
churche with some haynouse and manifeste crime not as I wene for that they dyd take awaye from suche maner men all hope of saluation but that they myght beryue them the honoure of the felowshyp or coÌ„pany to the puttynge of other men in feare of doynge the lyke whiche thynge saynâ—t Augustine doth wytnesse and recorde euidently of those persones whiche after beynge ones reconciled to the church by penauÌ„ce had falne agayn into the same or els into lyke cryme trespasse Man may shytte to man the dores of the churche but heuen no man may shytte but onely god So in the old tyme those persones which beynge prestes or deacons had committed an euident and manifeste cryme were put out of the clergy without any hope of commyng in agayne The same thyng was done to the byshopes But this seuerite or sharpenesse of correction also was mitigated of them that came after Concernyng coÌ„fession and satisfaction bothe there hathe ben greate stryfe in tymes passed and also now these dayes is renewed agayne Nota But I doo thynke and iudge it both most surest waye and also most mete to the sauyng and kepyng of the commune concorde with symple obedience to folowe that thyng which the auctorite of the church hath taught vs that is to say according to the prouerbe of the Brekes to bowe and lene towardes the better syde and to abstayne and forbere from such thynges wherof thou doste stande in doubte Now resteth and is behynd the last part of the Symbole or crede The risyng agayn of the fleshe Here thou heareste the endynge of the world whan Math. xiii Math. xxv good men shal be disseuered and sundred from euyll men so that the wycked and vngodly persones shall Apo. xxi haue no hope to haue an ende ones of theyr payne and tourmentes neyther the good and godly persones shall haue any sorow or greffe no nor yet haue any feare of euyl Roma viii whan also the very creature which doth now mourne with vs shalbt delyuered and set free from all maner incommodytes or displeasures How al thynges shall â—e new after the resurrection All thyâ—ges than shal be newe not by chauÌ„gyng of theyr substaunce but by the reason that theyr qualite shal be chaunged Fleshe By the name of fleshe here in this particle is vnderstanded and mente the body of man by Rysynge agayne rysyng agayn is mente reuiuyng and waryng lyue agayne All the articles of the Crede in very dede are to be holdeÌ„ and kept by faste and stable belefe The article of resurrectioÌ„ of all other is most firmely to be beleued but this article most specially of all other is firmely to be beleued which doth brynge moste chefly solace comforte to good vertuose men beyng in tribulation and aduersite here in this world and also on the other seyd agayn dothe putte wycked men moste in feare and drede which els wolde fall without measure or ende into all maner abominations and synnes if after this lyfe both good men and badde sholde not be the one rewarded the other ponyshed accordingly to theyr deseruynges This is the fundation and grounde of all our whole faythe whiche ought to be moste stronge and stable whiche if it be loose and vnstable al other thynges wel nere are beleued in vayn Let the wretched Sadduceâ—s therfore goo theyr waye Sadduceâ— which in so muche do not beleue the rysyng agayn of the bodyes that they do neyther Math. xxii Actuum xxiiâ— beleue that there are aungelles no nor yet any spiritê as who shold saye that there were nothynge verily beyng in the nature of thynges but onely that which is open and perceyueable to the bodyly senses from which senses nothing is more farre away than is the very godhed Fare wel they also whiche do professe that the soules shall ryse or reuiue agayne but the bodyes in no wyse where as in very dede the soule in as much as it is immortal can no more reuiue and ware alyue agayne than it can dye But they do call it the resurrection of soules whan they shall be called forth to blysse out of the secrete places in whiche after theyr madde dreames they had for a certayne tyme and season lyen hydde Fare well they also whiche do denye that this selfe same bodye whiche we do beare about with vs shall reuiue and lyue agayne but do say that to euery man shall be gyuen another body much more excellent and better than this is But we shal not be the same meÌ„â— if we shall not receyue agayne the same bodyes And I pray you what nede is it to create newe bodyes whan god by his almyghty power is able to restore these same bodyes to most perfyght clarite and bryghtnesse and also to blessed immortalite not chaungynge the substance of the body but chaungynge the qualites of the body into muche better Chiliaste Fare well also the Chiliastes whiche of the reuelation of sayncte IhonÌ„ misconstrued and wronge vnderstonded dyd dreame that we shall ones reuiue and lyue agayne and that by the space of a thowsand yeres we shall vse and enioye plentuosly all the delicies and voluptes of this wordle But we gyueng credence to the wordes of blessed Iob. Iob. xix And I shal be coumpased agayne rounde about with myne owne skynne and in myne owne fleshe I shall see my god whome euen I myn owne selfe shall see and not another person and also herkenyng and beleuyng saynâ—t Paule which wrote in this wyse ☞ He that hath reysed vp Iesu Roma viii shall rayse vp vs also with Iesu. We I saye vpon the faste credence and belefe of these aforereherced auctorites do recken our selfe moste sure and out of doute that all men shall reuiue and lyue agayne in the ende of the worlde with the same bodyes whiche they doo beare about in earth and that they shall none otherwyse ryse agayn than Christ hymselfe dyd ryse agayne whiche shall conâ—forme and make lyke our bodyes to his owne body glorified The immortalite of the bodyes shal be commune bothe to good men and badde men But to the wycked ê‘sones immortalite shall bryng or cause euerlastynge tourmentes and to the good and godly persones it shall brynge or cause eternal ioye and blysse How be it yet it ought rayther more truely to be called the eternall deathe of wycked men than the immortalite of them And therfore that particle euerlastyng lyfe whiche certayne persones haue added and put to out of the masse crede appertayneth onely to the good godly men where as the word of resurrection doth egally appertayn bothe to the good and to the badde Howe be it yet this worde resurrectioÌ„ also is so vsed otherwhyles Howe this word resurrection is takeÌ„ other whyles in the scriptures that it dothe appertayne onely to good men as for example whaÌ„ our lord sayth in the gospell of IhonÌ„ I
Iohan. xi am resurrection and lyfe And Paule lykewyse seldome dothe vse this worde any where but in the good parte And our lorde maketh a distinction and difference of resurrections in the .v. chapitour of IhonÌ„ sayng And those which haue done good workes shall come forth vnto the resurrection of lyfe IohonÌ„ v. And those that haue done euyll workes vnto the resurrection of iudgement for iudgemente here he calleth condemnation This thynge is more expresly sayd and spoken in the symbole of Athanasius At whose comynge all men must ryse agayne with theyr owne bodyes and shall rendre and gyue accompt or reckenynge of theyr owne dedes And those which haue wrought well shall go into eternall lyfe those that haue wrought euyll shall go into eternall fyer So also sayth Paule in the .vi. chapitour to the Romanes Roma vi The wage or hiere of synne is deathe but eternall lyfe is the benifyte and gyfte of god by Christe Iesu our lorde He added here eternall or euer lastyng because that lykewyse as vnto those that are damned there shall be no hope of release so on the other parte agayne the godly persones shall haue no maner feare lest theyr felicitye and ioye myght be at any tyme eyther ended or els minyshed the pleasauntnes and ioyfulnes wherof shall greatly be augmented and encreased by that communion and felowshyp of all holy men For charite whiche neuer falleth awaye i. Cor. â—iii shall there be moste feruente and hote Nowe charite is no lesse gladde of other mennes welthe and weldoynge than of her owne Neyther is there any cause why we do nede here to ymagine pleasures of the body which do stand iÌ„ meate drynk or the fleshely company of man womaÌ„ for there shal be than none vse or profyte of these thynges but the bodyes shal be spirituall in which we shall lyue as the aungelles of god done Mat. xxii Now the felicite of aungels is to see the face of the father whiche is in heuen And our lorde sayth the same in the gospel of IhonÌ„ Io. xvii This is the euerlastynge lyfe that they maye knowe the alone whiche are the very god and Iesu Christ whome thou hast sent That knowlege begynneth here by faythe And there it shal be fynyshed and made full perfyte whan we shall behold see the glorie of hym his face beyng clerely shewed discouered DIS Are these thynges sufficyente to the purchasyng obtaynyng of saluation MAG For the obtaynyng gettyng of baptyme these thynges are sufficient to a lay man for to beleue but also that are learned somewhat growne in age â—ught to beleue all thynges that are expressed in the holy scriptures or whiche are of the sayd scriptures euidently gathered or concluded besydes this what so euer thyng the catholyk church hath with vniuersall and contynuall consent approued and allowed which churche if it haue ordayned or decreed any thing after such fasshyon it was probable and very lykely that eyther it was begonne of the Apostles and so hath contynued as it were gyuen by hande from the elders to the yoÌ„gers orels it was brought forth to vs out of the preuye and secrete storehouse of the scriptures or els it hath ben shewed and put in theyr myndes by the inspiration of the holy ghoste accordingly as the state of tymes dyd requyre And as touchynge to contentiouse and darke doctrine or opinions in all suche thynges it shall be sufficient for the and suche as thou arte to professe with this ware and wyse circumspection Concernynge these thynges I beleue as the churche beleuyth This is a more sure waye and more farre from all daunger than boldly to affirme that thyng wher of thou arte in doute or which thou doest not perceyue or vnderstonde DIS But in â—xtreme ieoperdye whether it is A notable question sufficient to kepe and holde faste the belefe in harte and mynde or els are we bound also to professe with our mouth MAG Aunswere To this poynte sayncte Paule shall make aunswere to the for me ☞ With the harte saythe he we beleue vnto ryghtuosnes Roma x. and with the mouth confession is made vnto helthe and saluation And our lorde hymselfe threteneth in the gospell Math. x. Mar. viii that he wyll not be acknowne of hym for his soldyer afore his father who so euer shall haue ben afrayde or ashamed to professe hym afore men But it is one thynge not to profâ—sse and another thynge to denye where there is no hope of frute or good to be done and yet the ieoperdye is very greate it is not necessary or requisite that thou sholdeste vtter or bewray thyselfe in such wyse as we do rede that certayne men haue vnprouoked and vncalled euen of theyr owne accorde runne forth into the market that they myght be slayne and put to deathe with other Christen men or â—ls that they haue raged agaynste the solemne festiuytes of Paganes not for the entente that they wolde brynge any man to Christe but to th ende that after they were slayne of them they myght be accompted and reckened amonge martyres Christ dyd lycence or graunt to his apostles no maner violent defence of theÌ„selues agaynst wycked men but he onely gaue theÌ„ leue to flee Actes xii Actes ix Peter fledde out of prison Paule fledde out of Damaske beyng let downe by a baskette of the walles But so often tymes as the thyng shall come to suche an exigente or pynche that the name of our lorde Iesu is to be glorified both amonge good men and badde men the christen and the hethen than ought we all the entycementes or pleasures eke the feares and displeasures of the world vtterlye despysed set at nought cherefully and boldly to professe that whiche the chyrche hath taughte Elcesaite The doctrine and opinion of the Elcesaites is refused and condemned whiche taught that in the tyme of persecutioÌ„ men myght lawfully denye Christ with wordes so that they kept styll the syncerite of the faythe in theyr harte and mynde which saying if it were true thaÌ„ dyd Peter the Apostle in vayne wepe so many teares for that he beyâ—ge troubled with feare of dethe had denyed his lord and mayster thries Math. xâ—vi whan he had not yet so muche spirituall knowledge of hym as the lyghte of the gospell hath opened vnto vs. Tertulliaâ—â— TertulliaÌ„ agayn to much leanyng and inclynyng to the contrary parte doth not so much as graunt leaue to flee in persecution saying that than to flee is a kynd of denyinge Christe And his sayinge in certayne circumstancies maye be true but doutlesse they doo lesse offende whiche stricken with worldly feare doo denye Christ onely with theyr mouthes than do they whiche for temporall profytes sake do forsake theyr captayne Christe whose sworne soldyers they became in baptyme both with harte and also with tonge DIS Whan tourmentes are thretened more greuouse and paynfull
than any death what shall thaÌ„ the frayltye of man do MAG what is to be done in the greatte stormes of persecution Our lorde hymselfe hath prescribed a fourme and hath set vs an exaumple whaÌ„ that excedyng feare yrkesomnes agonye shall come so sore vpon vs we shall acknowlege the weyknesse of our ouwe might streÌ„gth wholly mystrustyng our owne power and ayde we shall caste our selues flatte vpon the grounde and with greate confidence and truste shall with wepynge desyre and call for the helpe of the diuyne power nothyng consideryng how greuouse or how cruell the thynges be that are manacyd or thretened to vs or howe frayle our condition and state is but consideryng and remembrynge howe myghty and howe mercyfull the lord is vnder whose defence and gouernaunce we do fyght which is not deafe whan he is called on with faith trust but eyther dothe delyuer from euylles or els dothe adde and encreace strength to vs that we may strongly and manfully endure and suffre Fayth is inuincible in al maner bataylle For faythe is a thyng verily inuincible in all kyndes of batayles for there do not lacke batayles and stryues euen amonge christen men also to such persones as do studye labonre to lyue godly in Iesu Christ. ii Timo. iii. Nowe who so euer done exercyse themselues dayly in these lyghter smalleâ— conflictes or skirmyshes are at that batayle founde vnafrayde wherfore it is conuenient and mete that the cheffest â— principall study of a christen soldyer be to quycken or styrre vp and also to encreace dayly the vigoure and lyuelynes of fayth A christen â—oldyer sholde pryncypallye study to quyâ—kâ—Ì„ encreace this fayth DIS By what meanes may one attayne this The meanes wherby he may do it M. The fyrst poynte is that whiche the lordr dothe teache ☞ Aske you shall haue But that the prayer maye not be ydle Prayer lette almoyse helpe not onely outwarde almoyse which refresheth comforteth the body but also spirituall almoyse Almoyse bothe corporall and spirituall by monysshynge louyngly hym that is out of the ryght waye by teachyng gentylly hym that is vnlearned by mercyfully forgeuynge hym that hath offended or hurte the. Hearing ofte sermones Readynge of holy wrytte RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce of Christes death To these adde also often hearynge of sermones and holy readynge sometyme the one sometyme the other by course often callyng to remembraunce of the deathe of our lorde namely whaÌ„ thou haste receyued his body bloude finally often coÌ„memoration rehersall of those men women whiche in tourmentes RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce of saynctes i. Timo. i. diuerse kyndes of death haue fought a good batayle or feld for Christ sake by these nouryshemeÌ„tes the sparke of fayth is nouryshed quyckened encreased D. Good syr I do gyue thaÌ„kes to the â—pirite of Christe whiche by the instrument of your tonge hath vouchesafed to teache me so meruaylouse philosophye and wysdome except there be yet any whyt more remaynynge behynde MAG There remayneth not much behynde that I may teache but peraduenture there resteth behynd somewhat wherof I may admonysh the if thou be not yet waxeÌ„ wery how be it this thyng haue I done all redy hertofore by the way DIS I verily by hearyng a lytle and a lytle do waxe more thrusty and desyrouse to here MAG Than that that resteth behynde we shall put to at our nexte commynge together The .vi. instruction DISCIPLE I Am comen agayne now lokynge and longynge for the laste messe of this moste delicate and swete feaste MA. This resteth or remayneth behynde to confirme eche thyng contaytayned in the Crede with diuerse testimonies of bothe testamentes For there is nothynge taught herein which was not many thousand yeres agoo diuersly shadowed by the figures of the lawe of Moyses and also shewed or told before by the oracles of the prophetes ye and certayn thynges also were euidently expressed As for exaumple that there are not manye goddes and that of one god this world was created for who so euer euen afore the lawe gyuen dyd lyue vertuosly godly dyd worshyp onely one god the creature of all the worlde Math. xi Prophecie ended in Iohan Baptiste Now the gyfte of prophecie resteth ceassed in IohonÌ„ Baptiste as in the ioynynge together of bothe lawes whose fortune it was that whome other prophetes as it were through a myst dyd shew a farre of for to come hym he shewed present poyntyng hym with his fynger But of all prophetes the moste sure and vndowtedly true prophete was our lorde to his owne selfe fullfyllynge with his dedes declarynge that which was shadowed by the obscure sayinges and figures of of the olde lawe amonge the people in parables and among his disciples somtyme couertly sometyme openly His diuine nature he shewed with workes and dedes rayther than expressed it with wordes And who shold euer haue vnderstonde that by the brasen serpente whiche was hanged vp on a stake was shadowed and figured Christ crucified Numeri xxi if our lorde hymselfe had not vouchesafed to expounde declare it Iohan. iii. Iohan. ii That sayinge of his louse you a sondre this temple and within .iii. dayes I wyll rayse it agayne was not vnderstanden not of his owne disciples vntyll after his resurrection Moreouer who wolde haue demed that Ione .ii. Ionas which was deuoured of a whale was cast forth agayne alyue on the thyrde daye dyd prefigure the buryal the resurrection of Christ. Math. xii And whan the tyme of his death drewe somewhat nere he gaue his disciples openly monition and knowlege afore that he shold be delyuered to the Gentiles to be mocked nayled on a crosse Math. xx but he comforteth the same agayn promysinge that he wolde ryse agayne on the thyrde daye Iohan. xxvi So lykewyse afore his death he tolde them somewhat darkely of his ascension but after his resurrection he tolde them agayne of the same more euidently Luce. xxiiii In lyke maner he tolde them before Math. xiii Luce. xiii that the mustarde sede that is to saye the fayth of the gospell from very small begynnynges shold be spredde abrode throughe out the whole worlde also shewed them before Iohan. xv xvi that shold chaunce betyde the preachers of the gospell Math. xxi This thynge also he tolde them before that the religion of the Iewes sholde be taken awaye and destroyed and the religion of the gospell translated conuayed to the Gentiles the Iewes styll contynuynge remaynyng in theyr darke blyndenesse vntyll that at mete conuâ—nient tyme accordyng to the prophecie of saynct Paule Roma .xi. ☞ of the Iewes Geutiles sholde be made one folde vnder the onely hedepapastour Christ. Iohan. x. Neither dyd he so much as hyde this from them that the chyrch sholde in tyme afterward to come be assayled with dyuerse heresies Math.
xxiiii but not ouerthrowne what nede me to make many wordes seynge that all thynges hytherto haue so chaunced comen to passe as they were prophecied foresaid to doute now than any whyt of the laste iudgemente and of the rewardes of good men and of wycked men semeth to be a poynte of extreme blyndenesse we do gyue credence to a diuyner or sothesayer if he haue tolde vs .iii. or .iiii. tymes before the trouthe as it hath after folowed and to hym that in so many thynges and so vnbeleueable after the iudgemente of man hathe all wayes ben founde true of his sayinges shall we not nowe gyue credence in one thynge that is behynde But this part for asmuch as it beloÌ„geth to the Iewes and Paganes more than to christeÌ„ men and hath also ben dilygently wryten taughte of Tertullian and Ciprian at this tyme I wyll passe ouer it beynge coÌ„tent as it were with a fynger to haue shewed and poynted to the fountaynes out of which thou mayst draw vp these thynges if it please the. Nowe resteth behynd the admonition and couÌ„saylle that we may lyue well and a ryght accordyng to the ryght fayth Faythe is of a fyre nature alwayes doynge A similitude Fayth is a thynge of a fyery nature where so euer it is it is not ydle but lykewyse as in a laumpe the oyle fedeth and norysheth the flamme lest it be quenched and go out so doo the workes of charite fede nouryshe faythe that it do not fayle or dye Fayth bryngethe forthe good workes and is nouryshed agayn of them Fayth geÌ„dreth and bryngeth forth good workes but they agayne of theyr parte do nouryshe theyr parente or mother And therfore dyd the lyghte fayle and goo out in the laumpes of the foolyshe virgines beâ—ause there waÌ„ted the oyle of good workes Math. xxv And all be it the rule fourme of good lyuynge is wont to be fet out of al the bokes of holy scripture yet for all that in this symbole or Crede howe so euer shorte it is there is contayned the hole philosophie of lyuyng well vertuosly neyther is there any vertue vnto which it dothe not instructe vs neyther is there any vyce agaynst which it doth not arme or fence the mynd of man In this short Crede is contayned the whole philosophie of lyuynge well â— vertuosly i. Pet. v. For the dyuel walketh about through the fold of the churche as it were a roryng lyon sechynge whome he myghte deuoure whome sayncte Peter byddeth vs resyste beyng stronge and bolde not with confidence and truste of workes or of our owne strength but in fayth DIS you haue armed me with fayth now you do charitably whan you teache a yonge soldyer to vse his armoure MAG Our lord hymselfe taughte vs that all the preceptes of the lawe are summaryly generally contayned in this one Matth. xxii ☞ Thou shalte loue thy lord god with all thyne harte with all thy soule and with all thy powers and thy neyghbour as thyne owne selfe But no man can loue god aboue all thynges except that he do beleue that there is nothyng more beautyful or fayrer nothyng better nothyng more true nothyng more amiable or louely than he For who so euer beleueth that any other thyng beâ—syde hym is eyther better or els egall to hym that man doth not beleue that he is god He therfore that hathe caste hymselfe whole vpon god can loue nothyng but that which he doth loue for goddes sake neyther can fâ—are anyethynge but that whiche he fearethe for goddes sake And euen forthwith with this begynnynge * Credo in deum I beleue in god are cutte awaye or at the leaste wyse are mitigated aswaged all the desyres of the fleshe to any of which if thou dost obey despisyng and not regardyng the commaundemeÌ„tes of god it is euydeÌ„t playne that thou makest to thyselfe another god what so euer thynge this is that thou preferreste afore god Math. vi Luce. xiiii Our lorde whan he dothe call god mammon or ryches two lordes contrarye the one the other he dothe as it were compare matche two goddes to gether sayncte Paule calleth couetousenes that is to saye loue desyre of money idolatrye Ephe. v. The same Paule noteth rebuketh them that are gyueÌ„ to lucre of money to the pleasures or profyâ—es of the body with a slaunderous reporte whose belye saythe he is theyr god Philip. iii. The same agayne wrytyng to the Corinthians calleth the dyuel the god of this worlde nor for that he is in very dede a god or a lorde but for that he is both a lord a god to them which despisyng the very lord god do gyue themâ—selues to hym into seruitute bondage And that which hath ben sayde of auarice the desyre of money or ryches the same is to be thought iudged of al vices namely capitale deadly Apostasie Apostasie that is to say forsakynge or goynge away is a slaunderous a rebukefull worde amonge christen men and not without a cause doutlesse for if among them which are nought els but meÌ„ the name of a rebel or a runne away or traitoure be abominable howe much more shame rebuke is it willingly wâ—thout cause to go away from such a capitayn to whome we are bounden with so many sacrameÌ„tes with so many gyftes so many bondes not vnto his better or to his egall or pere but froÌ„ the best capytayn of all to the very worst of alâ— the eares of al christeÌ„ meÌ„ wel nere do abhorre the name of Apostata but wolde god the mynde of them dyd lykewyse abhorre and hate the thynge selfe Thre maner of ordinauÌ„ce wherwith the dyuell goâ—th aboute to ouerthrow and vaynqueshe vs. Nowe the dyuell for the moste parte fyghteth agaynst vs goeth about to ouercome vs with thre maner engynes or ordynaunce that is to wyt ignorance hope of commodites â— and feare of the contraryes But pure faythe as it hathe ben sayd heretofore putteth away all darknesse or blyndenesse of the mynde but neyther flatterynge hope dothe begyle neyther gastfull feare dothe cause hym to shrynke or moue a foâ—e from his good purpose whiche hath set all his whole truste in god Faythe and sure truste in god putteth by all maner tâ—mtations Howe sore doth it vexe and trouble some mennes myndes the loue and desyer to knowe thynges after to comeâ— One man wysheth or desyreth longe lyfe and hateth deathe he counsayleth with astronomers and calkers of mennes natiuites But he that dothe verily beleue and truste in god beyng carelesse and without feare saythe with sayncte Paule Philip. i. To me Christ is lyfe and death is auauntage Another man hath a shyp frayghted or laden with costly merchaundyse he asketh counsayll of astronomers but the godly man sayth God send this bâ—age to be prosperouse and luckye â— if he shall iudge
I wyll requyte If enuye dothe brenne thy mynde saye ☞ I beleue in god which distributeth his giftes to euery man as he lyste hym self why shold I enuye my brother and felowe seruaunt the liberalyte bounty of our commune father and lorde How muche more ryght and reason is it that I shold gyue thankes to my father and lorde for two causes bothe for that he hathe gyuen so manye thynges to me aboue my deseruynge and also for that he dothe gyue these thynges to me by my brother for what so euer thynge is gyuen to any one of the membres that same thynge is both the vauntage and also the anourameÌ„t of the whole body Auarice If auarice dothe tempte and prouoke the to dysceyte and rauine or extorsion sayinge on lesse thou dost make haste to gather goodes by hooke or crooke by ryghte or wronge thou shalt be oppressed with pouerty in thyne age thy chyldren shall begge make aunswere I wyll not do it for Math. viâ— Lucc xii I beleue and truste in god that he the which fedeth the sparowes whiche clotheth and couereth the lylyes of the feldes shall not suffre his owne souldyer to starue and petyshe for hungre Glotony If concupiscence shall prouoke the to eâ—cesse and superfluite of meate or drynke and suche other saye god forbede that I shold do this ☞ for I truste or beleue in god whose lyberalite and bounty hath graunted me these thynges not to glotony and intemperance but to sobre and measurable vse what so euer parte hereof is bestowed vpon the fullfyllyng and satisfyenge of concupiscence it is thefte it is rauyne yea moreouer it is sacrilege it is idolatrye what so euer remayned aboue my necessaries it was the goodes of pore meÌ„ it was due to the meÌ„bres of Christ and that it is bestowed on drunkennes and surfeyte is in the contempte dyshonoure of god offred in sacrifice to deuylles If fleshely luste doth prouoke the to fornication and adultery Lechery refuse and defye it saying ☞ I beleue in god the father to whose eyes these thynges are displesaunte I wyll neuer do so lewedly that for so lytle a pleasure I wyll lesâ— the inheritaunce of the heuenly ioyes the securite and quietnesse of a good and clere conscience He is a foolyshe merchaunte which wyll alowe such maner exchaunge If I wolde be ashamed to commytte any such synne if my earthly father were present to loke on me howe much more ought I to feare the eyes syght of that heuenly father Nowe if we do come to Christ which hath more familiarly set forth afore vs the ensaumple of vertuose godly lyfe what parte is there of the christiane philosophie whiche we maye not sufficiently learne hereof who wolde not be kendled to the loue of virginite and chastite whan he heareth that Christ was borne of a virgine which also in his owne body hath commended virginite to vs Who wold not be ashamed to defyle wedlocke with adulteries or in wedlocke to serue the fleshely luste whan he considereth and calleth to mynde the wedlocke of Mary and Ioseph more chaste than all virginite The hyghâ— dignite of the nature of man Besydes this whan he shall considre and thynke that so muche honoure hath ben gyuen to the nature of man that it hath ben receyued to the company and felowshyp of the diuine persone in Christe and that it doth sytte on the ryght hande of the father sholde he not be afrayde to caste downe hymselfe to beastly pleasures of glotony lecherye The aungelles do acknowledge and do worshyp the mystery as sayncte Peter doth wytnesse in the fyrste chapitour of the fyrst epistle And therfore in the .xix. chapitoure of the Apocalipse whan S. Iohan fell downe on his knese to worshyppe the aungell the aungell forbad hym saying See that thou do not so I am thy felowe seruaunte and of thy brothern hauyng the testimonie of Iesu but afore the incarnation of Christe the same was not sayde lykewyse to Abraham or to Daniell whan they worshypped an aungell In as muche than as aungelles do confesse and acknowlege the dignite of the nature of maÌ„ how vnworthy and howe vilaynouse a dede is it to defowle it with the moste vyle fylthe of vyces and synnes Why do we not rayther herken to sayncte Peter exhortynge vs in this wyse ii Pet. i. By whome he hath gyuen to vs preciouse and most greate promysses that by reason herof we sholde be made parttakers of the diuine nature if that we wyl flee from the corruptioÌ„ that is in the world through concupiscence and lust Furthermore he that with pure whole fayth doth professe hym to be lord owner howe dare he be bold to steale any part of hymselfe from hym gyue it to the dyuell in as much as he is whole his owne to whoÌ„e he dedicated gaue hymselfe whole in baptyme He that professeth hym to be Iesu why doth he seche for saluation or helth of any other thyng than of hym He that professeth Christe moste souerayng kyng prest with what face doth he despyse make lyghte of his lawes with what face doth he suffre that blessed and honourable sacrifice to be offred for hymself in vayn which Christ wold to be frutefull helthfull to all meÌ„ The sonne of god for thy loue was made maÌ„ to the entent that he wold make the of a maÌ„ a god doist thou in despyte of hym make thyselfe of a man a creature more vyle worse than any brute beaste Besyde this what other thynge is all the lyfe the death the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ than a moste pure and clere myrrour or glasse of the euaÌ„gelical philosophy The lyfe of Christ is the myrroure of all vertues Obedience Obedience is hyghly coÌ„mended praysed not without good cause this without exceptioÌ„ is fyrste principally due to god Christ was obediente to his father euen vnto death that the death of the crosse Philip. iâ— Next after god it is due to the pareÌ„tê Luce. ii He was made obedient subiect to theÌ„ whaÌ„ he was not ê‘ceiued vnderstoÌ„den of theÌ„ Some obedieÌ„ce also is due to them that beare any coÌ„mune office although they be euyll men he dyd not withdraw hym selfe from iudgement but Math. xxvi whan Caiphas demaunded a question of hym requyryng aunswere therof in goddes behalfe he made aunswere and certayne aunswers Iohan. xviii and .xix. Luce. xxiii he made also to Pilate Herode he dyd not greatly regarde to aunswere for asmuche as he dyd not there beare any commune offyce or authorite but dyd onely for his pleasure myndes sake goo about to haue gotten some miracle wrought of hym Math. iiii Satan the tempter he dyd reiecte in al poyntes Luce. iiii of the vnclene spirites he dyd not so muche as suffre to be praysed It is a greate vertue to dyspise humane and worldly