and vnbegot Who is called also for the same skil ametor and apator motherles and fatherles She witnesseth also that this god made heauen and garnished it with lightes made earth and the waters saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ther is alone one chief god which did make The heauen the sun the mone and eke the stares The steady earth and sea fluds that shake With all fruit bearing trees c. And that he is only to be honored and none other thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him only worshyp ye That ruleth the world alone Which hath from the beginning be And euer shalbe one And she bringeth a reason why for as muche as he is gouernour of the world and only without beginning ending An other Sibille also crieth that this is the voice of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am one God my self alone And beside me God is there none Appollo also whom the folysh people for his wisdom supposed to be god worshipping him as God after his death when he was demaunded what God was made this aunswer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is of himself and of none other Whom naught can hurt who neuer had a mother Whose name can by no meanes be ful exprest Who in the syre doth lyue and take his reste Lo this is God as for thangels and we Of this great God a right smal porcion be Be not discontent genle reader that I myngle the sayinges of Philosophers and Poetes with the veritie of the scriptures For Paul citeth Poetes to fortify Gods prouideÌ„ce saying In him we liue moue and haue our beyng as certein of your owne Poetes saye for we are also his generatioÌ„ the Prophetes also make relation of Giantes and of the valley of Titans Esay telleth of the maremaides and of the doughters of sparowes and Ieremy saith of BabiloÌ„ that the doughters of Marmaydes shal dwel in it The wyseman also speaketh of theÌ„ Ezechiell mencioneth the destruction of Gog and Magod which all be spoken of much in Poetes The scriptures also vse to teach vs truth by fables as y e parable of trees in the boke of Iudges wytnesseth and many other But to turne to our matter there is but one God forasmuch as all men confesse hym to be a father both because he is the fountaine of all thinges and also geueth al necessaries to men as a father But it is against nature for any man to haue many fathers wherfore it is against natur to worship many gods He is a Lord also and a Maister for to hym belongeth to auenge and punyshe But no man can serue two Maisters Wherfor if God be to be honored he is one god not many If ther be many ther can be no God which only is to be honored But how can the father the son the holy ghost being thre be one God Truly because thei ar one mind one spirit one substance can not be seperate The father is as it were a pleÌ„tiful spring or fountain the sonne is a riuer gushing out of it The father is the sunne Christ is the beame issuing out of it The beam can not be seperat from the Sunne nor the Riuer from the spryng Christ also is the haÌ„d of God and the holy comforter is his finger the hand and finger are not seperat from the body I wil declare this with a familier example If a father haue a sonne whom he loueth so muche that he maketh him ruler of his house yet y e house is said to be gouerned by one maister and ruler not many So the worlde is the house of one God the father and the sonne because they disagre nether in nature ne in will are one God The kinges image is called the king Christes image Christ and yet they be not two kinges nor two Christes so the father Christ are one God for Christ is the fathers image no dead image for he is life and resurrection nor counterfait for he is truth nor dumme for he is the word But the Arrians reply that as I say Dauid and Salomon ar of one substaunce and yet they be thre men not one man y t so albeit the father the sonne and the holy ghost be one in substaunce yet they are not one God I aunswer that Isay Dauid and Salomon are called thre meÌ„ not one man because euery one of them although they be of one substaunce hath a diuersitie in time in knowledge in bignes in place For there can be no vnitie where there is diuersitie But the father the son and the holy ghost are one god forasmuch as ther is no diuersitie amoÌ„g them They are al thre immortal of like knowledge maiestie not conteined in place but fillers of al places Many also are called by the name of maÌ„ as the lord is my helper I care not what man may do vnto me it is better to trust in God then in man But in men there is vnitie of certein thinges only as of nature or loue or faith General vnitie belongeth only to the father the sonne the holy ghost wherfore they be one God Further that the father and Christ are one God the prophet Esay teacheth saying the lord hath said moreouer the occupiers of Egipt the marchauÌ„tes of the Morians Sabees shall come vnto thee w t tribute thei shalbe thine thei shal folow thee go with cheines vpon their fete They shal fal down before thee make supplicatioÌ„ vnto thee for god is in thee ther is no other God beside thee God the father speketh these words to Christ who is one God with the father for y e father is in him saith that ther is no god beside him If thou deny them to be one God thou deniest the diuinitie of the father who saith to Christ God is in thee ther is no God beside thee because he is in his son for it is written The father that dwelleth in me is he that doeth the workes I am in the father the father in me ther is no God beside him because thei both ar one God God is in god yet ther be not two Gods the Lord is in y e Lord yet thei be not two Lords for we are forbidden to serue two Lords Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire But both the father and Christ ar to be honored and serued For of Christ it is writteÌ„ that the thre wyse men kneled doun and worshipped hym and opened their treasures and offered vnto him giftes gold frankensence and myrre By gold confessing him to be a kyng by frankensence to be God and by myrre to be man nether ar they blamed therfore A womaÌ„ of Cane worshipped him and obteineth her reâ—uest And Paul in the beginning of al
hogs filthy couetous men to roote and treade down thy vineyard any lenger but hold vp the staffe of thyne enheritaunce Let not the preaching of thy smete son encrease the damnacion of thy people but doe thou drawe and turne them worke their ameÌ„dement who holdest in thy handes the hartes of rulers and al meÌ„ Al these enormities be the fruites of euil hartes make them O God cleane hearted that they may powre forth good fruites by the operation of thy holy spirit who preserue your grace in good health and make your gouernment prosperous to you to this Realme and to the churche of God So be it At London the .xxvi. of Iune ¶ Maister doctor Byll Images are made to put vs in mynde Of that which is dead or farre absent But God is neither as we do fynde But aye liuing and eche where present Images are cursed grauen by mans wyt In place that are set for any religion But an Image made out of holy wryt Is not forbidden in myne opinion An Image is painted here in this boke Neither with false 〈◊〉 nor maÌ„s inueÌ„tioÌ„s But out of Gods boke set out to all folke Fruitfull necessary to al true christiaÌ„s Hutchinson shope it for good men to regard With thankes his costes with prayse his paynes rewarde AN EXACT TABLE OF AL the principall matters conteined in this boke A ABsolutioÌ„ of the the minister 90 Abraham lyed not to Abymeleck Fol. 38 Abrahams vision 103 135 A clene sacrifice 33 Accidens remaine in in the sacrament 117 Against fate and destinie or the influence of the starres 61 Against Peters premacy â—â— A glasse 104 A glasse to se God in Fol. 138 Against prayinge to sainctes 145 An exhortatioÌ„ to swerers 1â— Angels are Gods repers Fol. 13 Against the corporall presence 21 All lying is forbidden 37 All thinges were made of nothing 52 A new sacrifice 34 An exhortation to kinges 55 Angels apere in diuers shapes 66 Angels ar ministring spirites 74 Anabaptistes doctrine euill 80 Anabaptistes aledge two seedes in Mary Fol. 123 Anabaptistes would be calde to geue a reconing of their faith Folio 173 Arme of God 9 Armour to fight against the deueil 118 Aâ—rius interpretation coÌ„futed 155.142.178 Aristotle 150.145 As there is a God so is there a deuil â–ª 117 A single nature not mixâ— 161 B Baptisme commaunded Fol. 1 Baptisme purifieth vs. fol. 1 Baren ground resembled to men â—â— â–ª Byshop Firmius answer to the king 40 Bishops must haue an eye to their vocatioÌ„ Folio 87 By the euerlastinge word al things wer made 110 Borne vpon the waters what it is 49 C Cause of sicknes 50 Christ became man why 120 Christ toke both soule and body 121 Christ brought not his flesh from heaueÌ„ 1â—â— Christ toke not the fede of angels 12â— Christs flesh holy 124 Christes flesh is to be worshiped 177 Christ borne of a pure virgin 124 Christ not the holy ghostes sonne 128 Christ did decke him self with our nature Folio 126 Christ why he was teÌ„ted 1â—7 Christ suffered for vs. Folio 106 Christ â–ª the begotteÌ„ son of God 103 Christ confuted his enemies with scriptures 4 Christ not in the sacrameÌ„t touching his humanitie 21 Christes body receiued from heaueÌ„ by faith Folio 23 Christes fleshe geueth life 23 Christ is the vyne touching his flesh 24 Christs priesthod hath ended the Leuites 32 Câ—â—ist loked vpon Peter â—â— Christes praier preserued Peter 87 Christes comming or sending what it is Folio 125 Christ is a substaÌ„ce 161 Christ is a spirit 161 CleaÌ„â—hes .iiii. reasons Fol. 60 CorrinthiaÌ„s punished for abusing the sacrament 29 Creatures are not punished by desteny 67 Corporally 108 D Dauid obtained vnderstanding how 31 Deuill no fleshly mocion 119 Deuils confesse Christ to be the sonne of God 119 Dial declarth y e dai 56 Diues Lazarus 58 Diagoras 59 E Eyes of God what they signifie 8 Earth cursed of God why â—â— Epiphanius 95 Euil meÌ„ receiueth not Christes body 28 F Fantasticall heads 2 Fancies what cause 3 Face of God what it signifieth 8 Fate what it is 67 Father vnbegotteÌ„ â–ª â—3 Fete of God what 10 Fear god aboue al. 21 First point of our profession 1 Finger of God 92 Figure of Christ. 110 Filleth heuen earth Folio 162 G God a pure substance Fol. 99 God a pure natur 14 Gods nature hid from our eies 12 Gods maiestie shewed Folio 3 Gods power vpholdeth y e heauens 62 Gods remission goeth before our loue 78 Gods word the keye of knowledge 52 gods sho what it is 11 Gods remission goeth before our pardo 74 God is a father 152 God is life 158 God only of hiÌ„self 62 God is a spirit 27 God is full of vnderstanding 31 God ia full of truth mercy 41 God is full of rightuousnes 43 God is ful of compassion 45 God is a floud or streme 158 God worketh al thiÌ„gs to purposes 56 God honored by swearing how 10 God is saide to be an husbandman 12 God is said to be a shoter how 12 God is saide to be angry how 15 God is said to slepe 15 God loketh vpon the earnest repentant 89 God was seene of the fathers how 18 God seeth the wicked euery where 21 God geueth vnderstanding to his 31 god is ful of mercy 41 God loueth whome he scourgeth 44 God saueth no man against his will 45 God maker of al thiÌ„gs Fol. 47 God made not the deuyll 51 Gods iudgement vnchercheable 17 Gods head 8 Gods repers 13 God robed of his 2 Good angels 115 Gospel is the spiritual sword 4 Gospel a sermon of gods mercy 5 Gospell maketh true christians idem H Hears of god 8 Hand of god 9 How god doth laugh Fol. 15 How god is said to awake to forget to remember to sit to staÌ„d to go to walke 16 How god is in all places 20 How god dwelleth w t vs. idem How god is vnto all men idem How Paule was a citezen of Rome 40 Hell hath thre significations 43 How god is said only to be immortal 46 How God is said to reste the seuenth day 71 How God is saide to repent 73 Howe we doe forgeue one another 77 How the Pope loseth and bindeth 83 How y e father is sene in Christ. 105 Holy ghost to be praid vnto 113 Holy ghost appeared like a doue 130 How Christ is a flour or a rose 132 How God is named y e somme of vnderstaÌ„ding 135 How God is fyre 〈◊〉 lyght 137 Heathen opinion confuted 144 How the father Christ and the holy spirite be one God 152 I Image of God 1 Image of the father is an Idol 13 Image of God lost 14 I am the vine this my body are diuers phrases 24 Iacobs saying to his father is no lie but a mistery 39 In hel no redeÌ„tion 42 Immortall properly Folio 47 Impossible for herd Fol. 94 K Kingdomes why they are translated 55 Kingdomes scourged why 58 L Leauen of the Phariseis 3 Letter kylleth what
are one 106 Ioh. 14. If a man loue me he wyll keepe my worde and my father also wyl loue hym and we wil come vnto him and dwell with him Folio 20 Iohn 14. Whosoeuer seeth me seeth my father 105 Ioh. 15. I am the vine and ye are the braunches 23 Iohn 15. My father is an husbandman 23 Ioh. 16. He shal iudge the world of sin 167 Iohn 17. This is life euerlastinge that they might knowe thee the only true God whoÌ„ thou haste sent Iesus Christ. 154 Ioh. 17. I pray not for them alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleue on me thorowe their preaching that they al may be one as thou fatherr art in me c. 143 Iohn 20. Whosoeuer synnes ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ„ and whosoeuer sinnes ye retaine they are reteyned 79 Iohn 20. Receiue the holy spirite 171 Iohn 20. And many other thinges did Iesê° which are not written these are written that ye might beleue c. and haue lyfe eternall 104 Iohn 21. SimoÌ„ Ioanna louest thou me more then these and he saide yea lord thou knowest I loue thee He sayde vnto him feade my laÌ„bes He said to hym again louest thou me Peter aunswered yea Lord thou knowest I loue thee He said vnto him feade my sheape And he asked hym the third tyme. 85.86 Actes 10. And there came a voyce to hym aryse Peter kyll and eate but Peter sayde God forbyd Lorde for I haue neuer eaten athyng that is vncleane or comen 175 Act. 10. Whyle Peter thought on his vision the spirite sayde vnto him beholde men seke thee aryse therfore get the down and go with them for I haue sent them 176 Actes 19. Paul passed thorow the vpper coastes and came to Ephesus and found certeyne disciples and sayd vnto them haue ye receyued the holy ghost and they sayde no. And he sayde wherwith were ye then baptised And they sayd with Iohns baptisme And it foloweth when they heard that they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesu agayn and Paul layd his handes on them and â–ª thei spake with tongues and prophecied 91 Act. 22. Then the captain came vnto Paulâ— and sayd to him Tell me art y u a Romaine he saide yea And the Captaine aunswered with a great summe obteined I this fredom And Paul sayd I was free borne 40 Rom. 3. By the dedes of the law no flesh shall be iustified 121 Rom. 5. The lawe entred that syn should encrease 126 Rom. 8. We know not what to desire but the spirit maketh intercession myghtely for vs with gronyng whiche can not bee expressed with tonge 131 Rom. 8. God sent hys sonne in the likenes of sinful flesh 125 Ro. 8. Euery creatur is subdued to vanite 166 Ro. 9. Who can resist his wyl 44 1 Cori. 2. The eie hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred in to the heart of men the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym 170 1 Corin. 2. The spirite searcheth all thynges yea the bottom of gods secretes For what maÌ„ knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of maÌ„ which is in him Euen so the thinges of god none knoweth but the spirit of God 170 1 Cor. 6. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustifieth by the name of the Lord Iesu and the spirite at our God Fol. 171 1 Cor. 6. Your bodies are the temple of the holy ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God ye are not your own for you are dearly bought Therfore glorifie God in your bodies 176 1 Corint 8. Althomgh there be that are called gods in heauen earth as ther be many gods and Lordes many yet vnto vs is there but one God which is the father of all thinges we in him and one lord Iesus Christ by whoÌ„ are all thinges and we by him 154 1 Corin. 10. One loafe one body we that bee many 52 1 Cor. 14. The secrets of his hart are opened and he falleth down on his face and worshyppeth God saiyng that God is in you in dede Fol. 177 1 Cor. 15. By a man came death and by a maÌ„ cometh the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead for as by AdaÌ„ al die so by christ al be made aliue 120 2 Cor. 3. The letter killeth the spirit geueth lyfe 4 2 Cor. 10. The weapoÌ„s of our war are not carnall thynges but the power of God to cast down strung holdes 3 Galat. 3. There is no Iew nether Gentil nether bonde ne free ne man ne woman 107 Gala. 4. In the fulnes of tyme God sent his sonne 125 Galath 4. God sent Christ. 125 Gal. 4 Borne of a woman idem Philip. 2. Beware of dogges beware of euil workers beware of discention for we are circumcision seruing the the spirite whiche is God 35 Philip. 2. He became obedient to the death of the Crosse. 128 Colo. 2. Beware lest any man come spoile you through Philosophie and deceitful vanitie 17 Col. 2. In Christ dwelleth all the fulnes of y e godhead corporally or bodely 108 2 Tessa 2. He shall syt in the temple of God and shew him selfe as God 88 1 Timo. 1. Unto God king euerlasting immortall inuisible and wise only by praise 155 1 Timo. 2. God would haue all men saued come to the knowledge of the truth 45 1 Timo. 6. He that is blessed and mighty only which only hath immortalitie 155.156 Hebr. 1. Which being the bryghtnes of his glory expresse image of his substaunce 106 Hebr. 6. It is impossible that they whiche were once lightned haue tasted of the heauenly gifte and were become partakers of y e holy ghost c. if they fall should ryse again by repentaunce crucifiyng vnto themselues again the son of God and making a mock of hym 91.92 Hebr. 13. Be not caried about with diuerse straunge learning 3 Iaco. 1. Cometh doun froÌ„ the father of light Fol. 45 1 Iohn 1. God is light and in hym is no darkenes 137 1 Iohn The seede of God remaineth in him Fol. 123 1 Iohn 5. There are thre which bear record on earth the spirit water and bloud and these thre are one 104 1 Iohn 5. There are iiâ— which beare recorde in heauen the father the worde the holy gost and these thre are one Folio 142 Apoc. 19. He had a name written that none knew but he him selfe Folio 78 FINIS The first Chapter ¶ We must learne what God is of Gods word and not of mans wisdome THe first point and chief profession of a true christen man is most stedfastly to beleue that ther be thre persones and one God as we are taught in Baptisme whiche is commaunded to be ministred in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy spirit For in y e bath of holy baptisme we are regenerate washed purified and made the children of God by the workmanship of the thre persons which formed also heaueÌ„ and
ascension as in their actes is regestred The papistes replie that the scripturs are not sufficieÌ„t and able to confouÌ„d heretikes but their interpretations and gloses vpon them because they be not plaine and euident but dark and hard and may be wrested to many purposes How did Christ confute the deuil With scripture or expouÌ„ding the scriptures Again Gods word is a lanterne a light it turneth the soule it geueth wisdome eueÌ„ vnto babes it reioyseth y e hart it lightneth the eyes it is a candle shining in a darke place therfore not hard nor darke but easy plain and to be studied of all men hygh low pore and rich spirituall and lay For the holy pacieÌ„t man Iob saith that the lyfe of man is nothing els then a very warfare vpon the earth ful of misery trouble set about with a great multitude of mortal enemies the deuil the world and the flesh Wherfore the sweard of Gods word is very necessary vnto al that be in this warfare For who goeth to battell without a sweard Doth not he y t taketh away thy sweard betray the vnto thyne aduersaries Christe saith he y t hath no sweard let him sel his coat by him one and the papistes seke al meanes possible to spoyle y e people of their sweard which is Gods word saieng it wil make them heretiks for Litera occidit spiritus est qui viuificat The letter killeth and the spirit quikneth is Gods word the letter TheÌ„ we must not reade it â–ª least it kill vs least it make vs heretykes But harken what master Doctour of all veritye saith Sermo tuus veritas est Thy word is truth And Peter calleth the selfe same immortall seed by which we are borne a newe and which lasteth and lyueth for euer Doth immortal seed kyl vs Doth truth make vs heretikes Christ declareth the operatioÌ„ of this seed saieng now you ar cleane by my word Paule saith Fides exauditu that faith commeth therof not heresy These frutes this seed engeÌ„dreth where it is sowen truth cleannes of life regeneration and faith He that talketh with wyse men becometh wiser by ther coÌ„munication And shall not he that talketh with God y e authour of al wysdom in his scriptures be edified therby TheÌ„ what is Littera occidens the murthering letter Truly the lawe which causeth anger by which cometh knowledge of sin which is a scolemaster vnto Christ. The lawe first killeth that Christ may make alyue it condempneth that Christ may iustify it sheweth sinne he healeth sinne The gospel is a sermon of Gods mercy that he hathe blotted out oure sinnes by fayth onelye in Chrystes bloude it maketh no heretykes xii men by preachynge of it made the vnfaythefull and heretikes faithful and true Christians this candel was not light to be put vnder a bushel but to be set in the candelstick to geue light to them that be in Gods house For Christe crieth wo worth them that take away the key of knowledge nether entring them selues ne yet suffring other to enter The key of knowledge is Gods holy testament and word that whiche before we called the touchston to discerne good doctrine froÌ„ euil When thei had taken the touchstone from vs they made vs beleue that Peuter was siluer and they sold vs copper for gold making y e scriptures a nose of wax and a tenis baule wresting them vnto euery purpose Thus we sée from wheÌ„ce we must fetch the knowledge of God verely out of Gods word whiche is the truth and not out of the questionistes or schole meÌ„ or other like For he saith by his Apostle I wil destroy the wisdome of the wyse and I will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Where is the wise where is the Scribe wher is the searcher of this world Hath not God made y e wisdom of this world folishnes As God is knowen only of himself so we must only learne of hym what he is As for man he knoweth no more what God is then the vnreasonable beastes know what man is yea and so much lesse as there is more difference betwene God and man then betwene man and the beastes Wherfore all leauen al straunge doctrine and mans wisdom set apart I will see what the scriptures teach vs concerning God nor I wil not disdain to aske where I shall see cause nor be ashamed to learne where I am ignorant desiring him that readeth this treatise where the scripture is plain to beleue for except we beleue we shal not vnderstand where it is doubtfull to search with me where he seeth himself out of the way to reuoke his opinion where he seeth me in an errour to enforme me and I will be glad to learne and so we shall folow the rule of charitie searching both after God whome it is written Seke the Lorde and hys strength seke his face euermore The second Chapter ¶ God only is of him self WHen Moses desired y e Lord to shew him his name the Lord saide vnto him I am that I am That is to wit I am of my self I am only Nothing is of it selfe without creation without corruption saue only I which am that I am Whiche vnderstanding God himself doth declare speaking further vnto Moses this shalt thou saye vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel He that is did send me vnto you for nothiÌ„g is saue only God forasmuch as they stand not by their proper strength but by the power and goodnes of him The heauens the waters the earth the hillâ—s would fall onles he measured the heauen with hys span held the waters in his fist comprehended the whole earth in thre fingers weyed the mountaines and hilles in a balaunce by which phrases is ment that he gouerneth ordreth and disposeth theÌ„ as he listeth Nether the Sunne could geue light ne yet the fire heat al thinges would decay and perishe onles he did rule them as the soull doth mans body vnto whom only that belongeth and apperteineth â–ª which the Grekes cal on the Latinistes est as witnesseth the Apostle Non est in illo est non sed est in illo est Of all other thinges non may be said for once they were not but not of God because he was alwaies he is and he is to come all thinges haue their being of him and he of him self Except we vnderstand this saying he that is sent me vnto you after this sort it maketh no difference betwene God and his creatures For all be it they haue not their beginning of themselues but of him yet it is truly said of them that they are Moreouer what could y e Isralites haue thought Moses to haue ment by these wordes he that is then a certain man sent hym vnto them If they had taken Moises so they would not haue left Egipt and folowed hym into the wyldernes but they toke these wordes he that is
spirituall creatures and whatsoeuer also is visible is also mutable God is said only to be inuisible bicause he is void of all mutabilitie He saieth vnâ—â— Moyses no man shall see me and lyue By Iohn Baptist no man hath sene God at any time If no man hath seen GOD howe did the faithfull of the olde Testament se him The scripture saith that the Lord spake vnto Moises face to face as a maÌ„ speaketh vnto his frend And Micheas affirmeth vnto king Achab the wicked I saw the Lord sit on his seat and all the company of heaueÌ„ standing about him Steauen also y e first martir that we read of in the new Testament loking vp stedfastly with his eies vnto heauen sawe y e glory of God Iesus standing on his right hand To these I answer Moises saw not God with his bodely eies who is a spirit nor thou cannot gather any such thing of the text which saieth that God spake vnto hym face to face as a man vnto his frend that is God talked familiarly with hym not that he sawe him in that place albeit we read oftentimes that God appeared vnto him and to all the Israelites but not in his owne nature and substaunce but in his creatures and visible formes For Moises desireth God afterward if I haue fouÌ„d fauour in thy â—ight shew me thy self manifestly wherfore he did not se him manifestly before but only talked with him And as for Micheas and Steauen they sawe God as Paul did when he was caried vp vnto the third heauen with the eies of their belefe of their minde not of their body As long as we continue in this life we shall neuer se the deuine and blessed nature because our hartes be vnclean Blessed be the pure in hart saieth Christ for they shal se God This lyfe is a warfare and a purifying of our hartes by faith from sinne As long as the warfare endureth there is no perfect victory of sinne for victory maketh an ende of warre the victory of sinne is the perfect vision of Gods glory whiche is gotten by faith as Iohn the beloued disciple testified This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith Who is he that ouercommeth the worlde but he that beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Of these it appereth that God is a pure nature vnchaungeable vnsearcheable inuisible The .vii. Chapter ¶ God is euery where and howe Christ is in the Sacrament HE is also euery where by nature not by grace according to which he saith by Ieremy heauen and earth do I fill For the heauens be hys seat and the earth is his fotestole Thys thing belongeth only vnto God and to no creature nether spirituall ne corporall A certain Christen man being demaunded of a Phllosopher where God was enquired of him wher he was not Wherfore the sonne and the holy ghost be no creatures for of the sonne it sayd wisdom reacheth from one end vnto an other mightely and ordereth al thinges louingly and of the holy comforter lykewyse The spirit of the Lord filleth the round compasse of the worlde and vpholdeth all thinges There is a great difference betwene mans soull and his body but exceading more difference betwene God his creatures who made both the soull and the body He is not sayde to fulfyll the world as the water the ayre the Sunne light which by deuisioÌ„ be in many places he is in al places without diuision wholy and conteined in no place But as a sound or noyse is hard more of some lesse of other some being of equal distaunce from it as they be of quick or dull hearyng so all be it God be present with all thinges yet he is in some more plentifully in some lesse not with parcialitie but according to the diuersities of their capacities If God be in all places how is it true that wysdom doth not enter into a frowarde soule ne dwell in a body subdued vnto synne Surely synne doeth seperate vs from God for what coÌ„pany hath lyght with darkenes What concord hath Christ with Beliall What felowship hath truth with falshod I answer God is said to dwel to enter where he fauoureth where he loueth after whiche sort he is not in the wicked but after another sort he is in them For where he is not by hys fauour and grace he is by his righteousnes where he is not a benefactour he is a punysher where he is not a dweller he is an auenger But Christ saieth if a man loue hym that his father and he wyll come to hym if they wyll come to hym they were not with hym before and so God is not in al places This text sheweth howe all suche thinges are to be vnderstanded in God The words expouÌ„d one another which be these If a man loue me he wyl kepe my word and my father also wyll loue him and we wil come vnto him dwell with him Where the comming of God the father and dwelling is the same that goeth immediatly before my father also wyl loue hym These wordes be a good comentary to the other wordes before we wyl come to hym we wil dwel with him Wherof it is manifest that all such phrases darke speaches and ridels make nothing against the presence of God in al places but rather fortifie and establish it we can go no whither from his spirit we can flie no where from his face if we climme vp vnto heaueÌ„ he is there if we go down vnto hell he is also there We must not imagin him to be coÌ„teined in place and yet he is al thing in al. He is to all men as he findeth them he is good in them that he findeth good yll to them that be yll he is a helper in them that be good and a punisher in theÌ„ that be euill If thou lokest for any succour help or ayd at Gods hand forsake that is euill aâ—d folowe that is good When thou stealest or goest about aduoutry thou tariest for the darke thou louest the night because thy workes be of darkenes lest thou shouldest be seen and shamed lest thou shouldest be taken and hanged Thou goest vnto the kings high way and takest a standing thou goest to thy neighbours house and robbest hym thou ridest vp to London to sue thy neighbour to robbe him of his right Cal to remembraunce that God is with thee euery where he is with thee goyng he is with thee by the way he is with thee when thou art doing thy deuelish purpose he staÌ„deth by and loketh on wryting thy fact as it were in a paire of tables and at the last day he wil make it knowen vnto al men to thy vtter confusion shame and condemnation If thou be afrayed of men that destroy the bodi fear him that hath power to throw both thy body and soull headlong into hell into the lake that
would not this mistery shoulde be hidden from you brethren lest ye should be wyse in youre owne conceites for asmuch as blindnes is partly happened in Israell tyl the fulnes of the Gentyles be come in Of these places it appeareth that Iacobs saying I am Esau thi eldest sonne is as much to say as the last shall be fyrst and the first last which is a true saying and no ly because it is a mistery For if we count misteries to be lyes we must couÌ„t likewise al parables and metaphores all tropes and fygures to be no lesse in which y e meaning is to be coÌ„sidered and not the proper signification of y e worde Christ is called a Lion a rocke a dore a Lambe the children of the kingdome are called good seed and the wycked tares The father of heaueÌ„ is named a husbandman Gods word a sweard a hamer a key Mannes lyfe is called a span a shadowe c. These maner of speaches be no lyes but playne demonstrations of hard matters in easy common termes We be taught by y e lion rocke and dore which we know what Christ is whom we know not and by the husbandman we learne what God y e father is By the sword the hammer the streÌ„gth of Gods work by the key howe it is to be expounded by the spanne the shadowe the shortnes of mans lyfe which be frutefull matters In seÌ„blable maner in this story we learn of Esau the blindnes of y e Iewes and of Iacob y e yonger the fulnes of y e Gentiles Now to speake of y e midwyues of Egipt and of Rahab God dyd not reward them for their lye but for their mercye because they dealte kyndly wyth his people for whych also he forgaue them their ly wherein theye sinned vndoutedly greuously For the mouth which lyeth kylleth the soule If those midwyues had ben perfect womeÌ„ they wold haue refused that office wherunto Pharao apointed them for it was to murder the infantes of the Israelites and Rahab had don better if she had not lyed but answered I know where they be but because I feare God I wil neuer shewe it They could haue lost nothing by this aunswer although thei had suffred death therfore For blessed be y e dead that dy in the Lord. By the other way they gat them houses vpoÌ„ the earth but this way they might haue purchast that house of whych it is wrytten blessed be they which dwell in thy house they shal prayse the euermore Stories make mentioÌ„ of one Firmius bishop of Tagasta who makyng this answer in such a case lost naught therby WheÌ„ the Emperour sent his officers to search after a certeine man whome he had hidden he beyng enquyred for him said he would not deny but that he had hidden him because of lying but that he would neuer betray him for which aunswere he was greuously pained but no pain could cause him to disclose where the man was The Emperour marueling at his stedfastnes deliuered him Iehu in his lying is no more to be folowed then in the sinne of IeroboaÌ„ the sonne of Nabat which made Israel sinne with the golden calfes in Bethel Dan. For it is written of him that he forced not him self to walke in y e law of the Lord God of Israell with all his heart S. Paul made no lie for he was in dead a citezin of Rome because his father was fre as at London the children of fre men be citezeÌ„s and fre Nowe as concerning our sauiour Iesus Christ God forbid that we should say he lyed in whose mouth no gyle could be found who speaketh of him self I am the way the truth His pretending to go further was no lying but a true meaning for he went further afterward when he ascended vp into the heaueÌ„ in the sight of his Apostles which thing only was meÌ„t by his pâ—etending to go further for it is a mistery No man therfore can affirme y â— Christ lyed but he that denieth him to haue ascended many false thinges are fained to signifie and teach true thinges which be no lies for they be not spoken as thinges true as thinges done but to teach vs what we should do as the narration of Lazarus and the rich man the parable of him which had two sonnes of the whiche one abode at home wyth his father the other went into far countries the parable of trees in the booke of Iudges which spake one to another the parable of the vineyard of the virgins of ten grotes of the shepe of the vnrightuous iudge of mustardsede and of the Pharisie and the Publicane If all these be lies Christ is a great and notable her who spake alwaies in parables to y e people the Prophetes are lyers yea all the scripture is ful of lies not only the scripture but all heathen wryters vse this maner of teaching as Horatius making the litle mouse to speake and Esopus geuing language to foules fishes and four foted beastes and yet no any wyse man slaundred them at any time of lying Thus it is euideÌ„t that they which mainteine lying rack the scripturs and open them not with Peters key but with a pielock and that the examples brought for lying ether be no lies but iestes as Nasica or misteries as Iacobs Christes or true sayings as Abrahams Isaac Paul or els if they be lies as Ennius mayd Sara the midwiues Raab Iehu they are earnestly to be eschued for no lie is of the truth and whatsoeuer is not of y e truth is naught seing God is truth The .x. Chapter ¶ God is ful of compassion HE is also ful of mercy letting the sunne shine vpoÌ„ good and euil sending rain to both sortes Thou most gracious Lord bringest forth grasse herbes for cattel and fode out of the earth thou geuest vs wine to make our harts glad and oyl to chere our couÌ„tenauÌ„ce bread to strengtheÌ„ y e hert thou satisfiest al meÌ„s desires w t good things specially of those that be mercifull as y e only begotten sonne maketh proclamacion in y e mountain blessed are y e merciful for they shall receiue mercy The erth is ful of thi mercies it O lord reacheth vnto y e heaueÌ„ no place is empty of thy mercies The Origenistes defend that Gods mercie perceth into hel that al men the deuils also shal at leÌ„gth be saued alledging this scripture His mercy be vpon al his workes and the mercy of God is vpon all flesh They bring also Gods righteousnes in iudgemeÌ„t which thei deny to punish sinne euerlastingly for then the punishment should be greater then y e fault which is teÌ„poral and hath an end This is a merciful heresie but God sheweth no mercie against his truth His truth saith depart froÌ„ me ye cursed into euerlasting fier which is prepared for the deuil his aungels No maÌ„ can
gathered them together as the hen gathereth hyr chickens vnder hir wynges and they would not suche be not saued for God saueth no maÌ„ against his wil. Ther is theÌ„ no parcialitie no vnrightuousnes with God whose iudgemeÌ„ts be vnsearchable but neuer against iustice aboue our capacitie but neuer against equitie Who is able to discusse why some die old some yong some in midle age why some be poore some rych some gentlemen some Lordes some kinges some of a base ston and other infinite diuersities If these thinges were necessary to be knowen God wold haue opened theÌ„ in his scriptures but in that he speaketh not of theÌ„ iudgeth theÌ„ vnprofitable for vs to know Let vs beleue that God worketh al these thinges and that therfore they must nedes be right iust bicause he is y e workmaÌ„ not searching things aboue our vnderstandings but say with S. Paul O the depenes of the riches and wisdom knowledge of God how vnsearcheable are his iudgements and his waies vntraceable for who hath knowen y e mind of the Lord or who was his counceller The .xii. Chapter ¶ God is ful of compassion HE is full of all goodnes S. Iames witnessing of him y t euery good gifte is from aboue cometh down from the father of light that is father of good meÌ„ for thei are called light Vos estis lux mundi you are the light of y e world What haue we that we haue not receiued He is liberal pacient merciful wise strong constant equall faithfull magnifical aâ—â—able liberal geuing to all meÌ„ indifferently casting no man in the teeth Pacient calling vs thorowe his long suffring vnto repentaunce Merciful not dealing with vs after our sinnes nor rewardyng vs according to our wickednes Wyse for of his wysdome Dauid saith there is no number Strong for he is our buckeler our shield our strength and defence the rock of our might and castel of our health ConstaÌ„t with whom no man can proue any variablenes Equall for there is no parcialitie with God there is no Iewe nether gentile nether bound nor free nether man ne woman but all be one in Christ Iesu. Faithfull for he is a strong God and a faithfull stable in all his wordes Magnificall for the work of the Lord is great and worthy to be praysed the heauens the Sunne and the Starres the waters and great fyshes therin are the worck of thy fyngers Affable exhorting vs continually to aske knock and pray vnto hym and talkyng with vs moste familiarly first by holy Fathers hys Prophets and Patriarkes afterwarde by his only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christ walking hear vppon earth to whome belongeth all power maiestie rule and honor We read of a certen ruler which called Christ good maister askynge him what he should do to obtain euerlasting lyfe whome Christ rebuked saying why callest thou me good none is good saue God only If God only be good then all goodnes is in him The xiii Chapeer ¶ God only is immortall and yet neuertheles the myndes of menne and Aungels be immortall HE is without beginning without ending How caÌ„ he haue any beginnyng of whome al things take their originall Howe can he haue anye end who is of himselfe by no other thing Heauen and earth perisheth and all y t is in them shall fade awaye as grasse and as the floure of the field but oure God lyueth eternallye who speaketh of himselfe I am Alpha Omega the beginning and y e ending which is which was and which is to come Paul affirmeth the same vnto his disciplâ— Timothe geuing al honor and rule vnto God who only hath immortalitie If only God haue immortalitie why doth Christ forbyd vs to feare men which slea the body and caÌ„not slea the soule howe is man formed after the Image similtude of God Howe can the immortalitie of the mynd be defeÌ„ded and of Angels truly mans soule is immortall and yet only God is immortal for this word onely doth not deny this priuilege to other things as to mannes soul to the Angels but God is said only to be immortall as he is said onely to be good only to forgeue sin Mans soule is immortal but clean after an other sort then God who only hath immoralitie For the scripture testifieth of mans soul that it dieth saying suffer y e dead to buay their dead that is to say let the dead in soule bury y e dead in body It is troubled with affections with passions and subiect to mutabilitie But it so dieth thorow vice that it ceaseth not to liue in his owne nature It is so mortal that it is also immortall Wherfor God is only euerlasting immortal euermore who is only immutable And if this interpretation do not content the heare an other That is immortall properlâ— which is w tout beginning without ending Al creatures haue a begynnynge of the which some neuerthelsse are called immortall because they haue no endynge as the angels mans soul but only God is properly immortall who speaketh of himselfe I am which is which was which is to come This beloÌ„geth only to God and to none of his creatures to none of the works of his fingers of which som may truly say that thei be ar to come but not that thei were because once they were not The .xiiij. Chapter ¶ God is the maker of all things wherof he made them by whome and who made the Deuil and of the begynning of sin euil IN the beginnig GOD made al things wherfore he hath no beginning that which neuer had beginning can not haue ending When I say God made all things I mean that the father the son and the holy spirite formed heauen earth angels men and all other creatures of nothing For of the son it is writteÌ„ al things were made by him and of the holy comforter by y e word of the Lord were the heauens made and al the hostes of them by y e breath of his mouth wher the latin is Spiritus Yea in the beginnyng of the boke it is writteÌ„ of them both that they be no creatures of y e son in y e beginning God created heaueÌ„ and earth that is in Christ. For he answereth y e Iewes askyng what he was I am the beginnyng which speake vnto you and in whose behalf Dauid speaketh In the beginning of the boke it is writteÌ„ of me Paule to the Hebrues repeteth the latter text and expoundeth it of Christ. And Dixit Deus fiat lux c. God said be ther light be there a firmameÌ„t God said the waters be gathered together God said be there lights in the firmament This phrase and maner of speaking is ioyned with the creation of euery thing What did God say what language did he speake Did he speake grek latin Italian freÌ„ch spanish english or hebrue Mark
ignoraunce doth not argue Gods worcks to be vnprofitable yea Gods glory and wonderful power is more maruelous in making the litle flie to hear to tast and to fele with a mouth with legges with wynges a body the stomaâ—k the otheâ— inward partes then in an Elephant and more maruelous in a frog then in a great Whale and in a mouse then in a mightie horse If thou come into a riche mans house and seest much stuffe thou thinkest al to be to some purpose and darest thou iudge y t God in his house hath made any thing to no purpose Al Gods creatures ether be profitable or hurtful or not necessary thanck him for the profitable take hede of the hurtful and question not reason not of thinges not necessary For although thy capacitie can not perceiue it yet God hath made all thinges in measure and number and weight he made not y e deuil for he made him an aungel and he made himself a deuil by sinning when he fell from heauen as lightening For the deuill is as much to say as an accuser and a seducer of the Greke word Diaballi whiche signifieth to accuse to infame to disceiue God made man but he made not man euil so he made him an angel but not a deuil he made many angels but they made them selues euill for no euil commeth of him as it is written he beheld many thinges yea al that he had made and â—o they wer exceading good But why did he make him an angel knowing he wold become a deuil why did he make other aungels innumerable why many thousands of men women and children which he forseeth shalbe dampned Verely that he might declare himself to be rightuous in punishing the vngodly as he is merciful in rewarding the godly no man can blame him therfore but rather magnifie his rightuousnes He compelleth them not to sinne for which thei ar dampned Should God because he forsawe they would be euill absteine from creatinge them which is good Is it not lauful for him to do what him listeth with his own are their eies euyll bycause he is good should he not do well in making them because they would doe ill in offendyng him Of this thing seke a further aunswer in the .xii. of the boke of wysdom but let vs returne from whence we are straied al beit these questions are annexed vnto our purpose The smyth is not able to make any thing without Iron nor the Carpenter without wood nor the Tayler without cloth nor the Shomaker without leather nor the Potter without clay but God who is almightie made al thyngs of nothyng Before any thyng was what could there be to make them of except he would haue made them of hymself Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Qui viuit in eternum creauit omnia simul He that liueth for euer more made al thinges simul together that is God made first a confused heap called in Greke Chaos of nothing and of that heap he formed all thinges as it is written Qui fecisti mundum ex materia informi who hast formed the world of a confused heape He made this heap altogether where he saith in the beginning God treated all thynges heauen and earth for the heap is called there heaueÌ„ and earth as afterward also it is called the water the spirit of y e Lord was born vpon the waters So far no time no order of daies is mencioned afterward God of this heap in six daies shapeth al thinges so that both be true that God made the world in syx daies and that he made all thinges together This article of creation is necessary to be knowen for as muche as some deny God to be the maker of the world and geueth the glory therof to aungels as the Menandrians Saturnians Cerinthians al so the Nicolitanes it is y e first article of our Crede The .xv. Chapter ¶ God ruleth the world after his prouideÌ„ce and how he rested the .vii. day OTher graunt God to be maker of al thinges but they suppose that as the shypwright wheÌ„ he hath made the ship leaueth it to y e mariners medleth no more therwith as the carpenter leaueth the house that he hath made euen so God after he had formed all thinges left al his creatures to their own gouernauÌ„ce or to the gouernauÌ„ce of y e starres not ruling the world after his prouideÌ„ce but liuiÌ„g in ease quietnes as y e Stoiks Epicures diuers astrologers because it is writteÌ„ y t on the .vii. day God rested from al his workes To these I aunswer with the prophet Dauid God couereth the heauen with cloudes prepareth rain for the earth maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mouÌ„tains geueth foder vnto the cattel maketh fast y e bars of y e gates of Sion blesseth y e children within maketh peace in our borders filleth vs with the flour of wheat geueth vs snow lyke wol seatreth the hore frâ—â—t like ashes casteth forth his ise like morsels helpeth them to right that sustein wrong loseth men out of pryson geueth sight to the blind raiseth vp them that are fallen careth for straungers defendeth the fatherles socoureth the widowe wherfore he is not an idle God For as the body lyueth thorow the lyfe of the soul euen so the world continueth by Gods gouernaunce who ruleth it as y e maister doth his seruaunt without whom it perâ—sheth in the twinkling of an eie All thynges wayte vpon him to receiue fode in due season when he geueth it them they gather it when he openeth his hand they are filled with good things when he hideth his face thei are sorowful if he take away his breath they die and are turned again to dust The common wealth of y e Israelites teacheth vs how woÌ„derfully God prouideth for theÌ„ that he hath chosen He preserued Iacob froÌ„ his brother Esau he seÌ„t Ioseph into Egipt to make prouision against the .vii. dear yeares he sent darknes amongs the Egiptians he turned their waters into bloud and slue their fishe their landes brought forth frogges flies lyse grashoppers caterpillers yea euen in their kinges chambers he brought them forth of the house of bondage and slauery with siluer gold he rebuked the sea and dried ti vp he led them thorow the depe as in the wildernes he spred out a cloud to be a couering and fire to geue light in the nyght season at their desires came quailes and he filled them with the bread of heauen he opened the rock of stone and the waters flowed out so that riuers came into the wildernes he dried vp the waters of Iordan that y e people might passe ouer he ouerthrew the walles of Iericho and made the sunne to stand stil and the day was lengthened he sâ—ew mightie kings Sehon king of the Amorites and Og king of â—asan and gaue away their laÌ„d for an heritage
Of which scriptures it doth consequently folow that he gouerneth the world by his prouidence not by the whale of fortune or by force of destinie For if he gouerneâ— theÌ„ he gouerneth vs seing the earth is the Lordes al that is therin the coÌ„passe of y e world al that dwel therin But some do say that he gouerned the Israelites the sede of Abraham the chosen generatioÌ„ but not the refydne of the earth which he gaue vp to their own gouernaunce Verely God ruled all as he is Lord of al. For Paule preacheth to the Athenians that we liue moue and be in him He gaue them also rain light corn grasse as he hymself teacheth Iob out of a storme saying Who deuideth the abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of waters into riuers or who maketh a way for y t stormy wether that it watereth and moystureth the dry and barren grounde to make grasse grow wher no body dwelleth Who is the father of rayne Or who hath begotteÌ„ the drops of our dewe out of whose wombe came the yse Who hath gendred y e coldnes of the ayer y t the waters are as hard as stones and ly coÌ„geled aboue the depe Did he not styr vp Pharao among y e Egiptians Benhadad among y e Sirians Salmanasar amoÌ„g the Assirians Nabuchodonozer among y â— Babilonians Darius among the Medes Artaxarces among the Parthians Alexander among the Macedonians and Vaspasian amoÌ„g the Romaines In the boke of y e Kinges Elias is coÌ„maunded to anoynt Hasaell king of Siria Iehu of Israell Eliseus to be Prophete in his roume Wherby he teacheth vs y t he maketh Prophetes and Kings and taketh away their kingdomes as it is written Propter iniustitias iniurias diuersos dolos c. Because of vnrighteouse dealing wrong dyuers deceipts kingdomes shalbe traÌ„slated from one to another for y e power of the earth is in the hand of God If kings wold earnestly beleue this which is Gods owne voice behold how many kings he deposed in y e boke of kings and for what causes they wold be as earnest to set forth Gods glory that is to cause the gospell to be preached thorowe their dominioÌ„s and to relieue their pore brethren which be members of the same body that they be children of the same father and heires of the same kingdome and that which is done to them is done to Christ as thei haue ben diligent politike yea rather deceitfull in encreasinge their reuenues in filling their hutches w t gold siluer thei wolde first seke for the kingdome of God then God wold be ther castle cast al other things vpoÌ„ theÌ„ or els he is vntrue of his promes One being demauÌ„ded how a king might rule safely and assuredly answered if he dâ—uyse good lawes and se them diligently practised This is a necessary lesson for al princes that wil lyue in quietnes or that wil enioy their crounes with long continuance And a king aught to be a father to his subiects not onli to the gentlemeÌ„ but rather to his pore coÌ„mons for they haue more nede He is the head of them as wel as of the other What causeth vprores insurretioÌ„s soner then oppressioÌ„ of the pore Or what prouoketh y e wrath of God more against them If I were demaunded how a king might not only pas his time safeli but also al his posteritie ofspyrng coÌ„tinue in possessioÌ„ of the kingdome I wold answer if he seke the glory of God vnfaynedly For if kyngdomes be translated for vnrightousnes they ar preserued by rightousnes If promotion come neyther from the east nor from the west but from the king of heauen the wai to attein it and to maintein and continue iâ— â–ª is to please the king of heaueÌ„ The pacient man Iob saith that almightye God oftentimes for the wickednes and sinne of the people suffereth an hipocrite to reigne ouer them Nowe I thinke that ther was neuer more godly pretence more outward shew of holynes more dissimulation in Rulers then now is and this is Ipocrisy and all the people be lyke the rulers I warant you I wold wish that all kings wold diligeÌ„tly reade ouer and earnestly beleue y e cronicle of the kings there thei should fynd that which is written by me kyngs do raigne Cirus kyng of Persie caused a proclamatioÌ„ to be made throughout his empyre that the Lord God of heaueÌ„ had geuen him al the kingdomes of y e earth Is God of lesse abillitie now to do these things theÌ„ he was Or is he of les knowlege and vnderstaÌ„ding But to the matter againe If he do not gouerne y â— world by his prouidence it is either because he cannot and he is not able or that he will not or that he is ignoraunt what is done here But there is no ignoraunce with him to whome all thinges be naked and manifest and he lacketh no cunning for he is almighty and nothing is impossible to him and he lacketh no will for he is full of goodnes mercy compassion and promiseth plenty of all good things to the godly and scarcitie to the euill wherfore he ruleth al by his prouidence he causeth thuÌ„der lightning haile frost snow darknes life death barennes fruitfulnes raine faire wether wind hunger battel peace and pestilence as it is written prosperitie and aduersitie lyfe and death pouertie riches come of the Lord. God sendeth al these things partly to admonish vs of our frailnes partly to punish the il and partly to try the good as I haue intreated before I put case thou knewest not wherfore he ordeined many thinges as thou art ignoraunt why he formed thee a man and not a woman an English man and no Italian were that a iust cause denie hys prouidence Were it not a like thing as if thou shouldest deny that I would be at London at the beginning of Michaelmas tearme because thou knowest not my sute We must think almighty God to forme al thinges to good purposes al be it his workes surmount our capacities When y u â—okest vpon a dial which declareth how the daie passeth away thou art moued to thinke that it is made by art and not by chaunce If one wold carie a globe into Ireland whose dayly turnings would work thesame thing in sunne the Mone and the fiue mouable sterres whiche is done in heauen euery day and euery night which of theÌ„ wold thinke in y t wild countrie the globe to be made without singuler conning And do we think that God gouerneth the world the which comprehendeth both the dial and the globe and the makers of both bi luck and fortune Are the partes gouerned by reason framed by art finished by conning and not the whole Or did Archimides by art couÌ„terfet the mouinges of heauen and God not rule the same bi his prouidence If God doe not rule it there is some thing more
displesur where he is not a bene factor he is a punisher wher he is not a dweller he is an auenger Who can deny him to be a substauÌ„ce who filleth y e world not y e world only but Christ also the only sauiour of y e world of whoÌ„ it was written Iesus full of the holy ghost returned from IordaÌ„ If he fil the world he is God for this belongeth only God as I haue proued before If he be God theÌ„ is he a substaunce not an inspiracioÌ„ coÌ„ming from God as our english Saduces outlandish Libertins do teach The Prophet Esay recordeth y t he gouerned the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the Israelits y t he was their deliuerer out of Egipt their guid in y e wildernes y e worker of wonders saying where is he who brought theÌ„ froÌ„ y e water of y e sea as a shepherd doth his flock where is he which â—ed Moises by the right hand w t his glorious arme Where is he that led them in the depe as an horse is led in the plain and he answereth The spirit of the Lord led theÌ„ as a tame beast goeth in the field He gouerneth also the present congregation for Christ promiseth that he would pray the father to send vs another comforter to abide w t vs for euer And Paul testifieth that the spirit geueth to one vtteraunce of wisdome to an other fayth to an other giftes of healyng to another power to doe miracles to another prophecy to another iudgement of spirites to another diuerse toÌ„gues to another interpretacion which be necessary offices in the congregation so that the holy spirit may say also The father worketh hytherto so do I for he workth inseperably with the father and the son Wherof it must neades folow that he is a substaunce and that he is God for the gouernaunce of the world belongeth to the maiestie of the Godhead as I haue proued before If he were nothing but a Godly motion a good affection and inspiration he would not ne coulde haue shewed himselfe in the likenes of a doue and in the similitude of fyrie tongues He is the fynger of God he is fyre oyle anoynting water an aduocate a cole for all these the scripture geueth hym Wherfore he is a substaunce forasmuch as al these be substaunces not inspirations For the scripture doth not lyken substaunces to thinges that be no substaunces He is also to be prayed vnto to be called vpon for what is baptisme but an inuocation of the father the sonne the holy spirit and therfore a substauÌ„ce No man prayeth vnto an inspiration no man crieth to an affection Our praying vnto hym proueth hym to heare vs to be almighty God to be euery where to know the thoughtes of all men but nothing heareth nothing searcheth thoughtes but a substaunce then he can not be a thought a motion comming from God yea rather these properties proue hym to be the third persone in the ouer gloriouse deite That comforter sayeth Christ the holy ghost whom my father wyl send in my name he shall teach you all If he be a teacher he must nedes be a substaunce If he be an inspiration he is the doctrine which is taught not the teacher therof He gaue Symon an aunswer that he shuld not se death before he had sene the lord Christ. He through the mouth of Dauid spake before of Iudas He at Antioche coÌ„maundeth to seperate Barnabas Paul to the worck wherunto he had called them He forbiddeth theÌ„ to preach Gods word in Asia S. Luke of the actes telleth that he monished Philip to ioyne himself to the chariot of the gelded man Do not these textes proue him to gouerne the congregation Doe they not witnes him to be mindfull of both good and euil Doe they not deny hym to be an inspiration coming from God Do they not fortifie him to be a substaÌ„ce to be y e third persone to be God S. Peter when he saith holy meÌ„ of God spake by the inspiration of the holy ghost putteth a plain difference betwene him an inspiration for he is not the inspiration but the worker therof the sender of it Wherfore as the worckman is not hys worck as Protogenes is not Ialysus Appelles is not Venus the carpenter is not the house no more is the holy spirite an inspiration He also forgeueth synne maketh vs the sonnes of God for we ar christened in his name that we should beleue that y e holy spirit worketh in baptisme it pleased the almighty Trinitie y t he shuld notably appere at Christes baptising For this coÌ„sideration the holy coÌ„forter at that time shewed himself in the likenes of a doue Doth any aungel forgeue sinne or Archaungel No truly this belongeth to the father only the sonne only the holy ghost only But me thinketh one replieth Seraphin speketh vnto the Prophet Esay Behold this hath touched thy mouth and thine vnrightuousnes is taken away thy sinne forgiuen He saith not I haue taken it away but this speaking of a hote cole taken from the alter with the toÌ„gues not châ—rcoale not seacoale but the cole of the holy ghost who may be wel called a coale for he is fire The pacient man Iob telleth vs that almighty God garnished y e heauens with his spirit with his hand wounded the rebellious serpent w t whoÌ„ Dauid agreeth saying By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the spirite of his mouth Wherfore in y e worke of creatioÌ„ Moises maketh relation of him telling vs that the spirit of God was born vpoÌ„ the waters Basyl who for his great learning was surnamed Magnus expoundeth this place of the holy ghost saith that his predecessours toke it so for the word spirit can not signifie wynd there which was then not made Was borne vpon the waters is no blowyng but as much to say as he sat on the waters for as the Hen sytting on her egs hatcheth her yoÌ„g ones so the holy ghost hatched al creatures whiche there are called waters as it is wrytten when thou lettest thy spirit go fourth they are made so y u renuest the face of the earth Is the garnisher of the heauens maker of y e world forgeuer of synnes myndfull of the congregation no substaunce but a phantasie an imagination And here I suppose it be agreable vnto my matter to speake somwhat of al good aungels in general and euyl spirites for if I can proue them to be no motioÌ„s but substaunces much more the holy comforter is a substauÌ„ce But if it be beside our purpose yet it shal be a profitable necessary digression for there be many late Libertines and late English Saduces which wold teach out of scripture that there is nether place of rest ne paine after this life that hel is nothing els but a
with the grosse lompe of the body And that we shuld firmly beleue stedfastly credit Ex quibus Christus est secundum carnem that he is of the fathers concerning the flesh S. Mathew S. Luke reken his kinred fetch his stock and generation from Adam Enok Noe Abraham Dauid Salomon Roboam Zorobabel c. Moreouer Christ came not only to dye fâ—r our synnes but also to be an ensample vnto vs and a perfect patern of good lyuing as shalbe declared afterward Forsomuch theÌ„ as we be partakers of flesh bloud he also Participauit eisdem toke part with vs. If he toke other flesh not made of his mother but of what matter it pleased him he toke no part with vs nether doeth his ensample belong vnto vs. He is our brother For S. Paul saith he is not ashamed to call theÌ„ brethreÌ„ saying I wil declare thy name vnto my brethren Now brethren be of one nature substauÌ„ce touching their flesh and body Therfor she that denieth Christ to haue taken his flesh of his mother is not the sister of Christ but the eldest first borne doughter of Antichrist Yet she pretended that she beleued that Christ was a true natural man but in dede she denieth his maÌ„hod for if he had any manhod or humanitie as no doubt he had he had it vndoubtedly of his mother or els he was no man If he had it not of his mother define shew froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he had it Yea they say it is vnknoweÌ„ and vndefined in the scripturs How theÌ„ can we warrant Christes humanitie against heretikes if we make it vncertain wherof he toke it and if it be vnknowen wherof it was shapen But albeit he toke fleshe of his mother yet it was holy flesh not synful flesh that he toke for so much as it was coÌ„ceiued and wrought by the ouer shadowing of y e holy ghost Al be it the seed and flesh of other be sinfull yet hers was not so but sanctified bi the holy spirite most cleane for to her it was said Benedicta tu inter mulieres Blessed art thou amongst women He is Lapis de monte excisus sine manibus comminuens c. The stone of which Daniell recordeth that was cut out of y e hil without hands which hath shal breake into pouder the goldeÌ„ siluer brasen and yron kingdâ—mes that is the .iiii. Monarchies and Empyres of the Caldies and Babilonians of the Medies and Persies of the Macedonians Grekes and of he Romains The hill out of the which this stone is taken is the tribe house of Iuda which dwelt was situate vpoÌ„ mouÌ„t Sion in Ierusalem and by the wordes without hands is ment that this stone without mans seed mans help nature came out of y e foresaid hil in that he toke his flesh on no earthly father but onelie of the substaunce of Marye his mother of whose breastes the said flesh was nourished afterward Christ was conceaued of the holy ghost not the father who touching his humanitie hath no father vpon earth as concerning his diuinitie he hath no mother in heauen Further he was borne of a Virgin for somuch as Virginitie is a far more honorable thing then wedlocke The blessed Virgin Credendo non concum bendo grauida facta est was made fruitful by faith not bi mans help by the spirite not by lechery For it was seeming that the vnspotted lambe Iesus Christ who shoulde blot oute our sinnes as the fyer melteth the waxe that he should be born without all originall sinne NotwithstaÌ„ding was borne Ex Virgine desponsata of a Virgin handfasted and maried partly y t the yong Virgin shuld not be destitute of a helper a keper a nourysher in her aduersitie and trauayle her progresse into Egipte partly also that none shuld recount wedlocke vnelean or matrimonie vn pure forsomuch as he vouchsafed to be borne therin Neither is it any dishonor any defacing to y e diuine nature that Christ who filleth all y e world filled the woÌ„be of y e blessed virgin no not if her flesh had bene sinful vnsanctified For his diuinitie is not defiled therbi no more then y e son shining vpoÌ„ carrein filthy â—akes is dishonoured or defyled through their stinking sents or rather much lesse for he made the sun For the diuinitie is said to be vndefilable not because it toucheth no thing vnclean but because it coÌ„tinueth cleane whatsoeuer it toucheth Wherfore he was not defyled with the Virgins womb but saÌ„ctified it halowed it with his presence made it most clean and chose himselfe a mother in earth because before he had a father in heaueÌ„ If ani man think because Christ was borne of the holy ghost that he is y e holy ghost sonne let him not be deceaued for it is no sure reason if any thing be born of an other to make it straight the son therof as for example We are borne of water and yet we are not the sonnes of water we are borne of the holy ghost yet we are not the sonnes of the holy ghost but the sonnes of our heauenly father Also lice heares lumbrykes are bred gendred of man â–ª yet no body calleth them the sonnes of man Likewise many ar called the sons of some and yet they cannot be said to be born of them as Eschinus is son to Mitio and yet not borne of him And y e scripture calleth them Filios Mortis the sonnes of death the sonnes Belliall the children of the deuill the children of sin perdition the soÌ„nes of wrath the soÌ„nes of hel which wer neuer born of it but made vnto ignominie and Filios dilectionis y e soÌ„nes of loue y e soÌ„nes of light of promise of strength of the kingdome not borne of it but such as shalbe felowe heyres with Christ are prepared for y e kingdom So our sauiour Christ is said to be conceaued of y e holy comforter and borne of him yet he is not his soÌ„ne but thonli soÌ„ne of God y e father vnto whom we be also sonnes but we be the sons of promise he is y e soÌ„ne begotteÌ„ we be sons through adoption Christ is the sonne of God by nature for asmuch as the scripture is that he was coÌ„ceaued of the holy ghost who being God became man We caÌ„not gather therof y t he is Christes father for touching his humane nature he was borne without a father as touching his other nature he lackeâ— a mother but rather we may reason that he is his mother for y e mother coÌ„ceaueth not the father and so he shall haue .ii. mothers the whiche is vnpossible wherfore he is the onlie sonne of God the father But why is he borne a babe a litell one not an able man as Adam was Adam was made an able man because he was made after the
almightie coÌ„forter can not be absent from their works for he is the spirite of them both and fylleth the round compasse of the world If I wold gather all the workes of â—ch person into an induction I could manifestlye proue this to the capacitie of all men but it is to long to speake of their workes I will speake of the creation of the worlde of Christes incarnatioÌ„ of his miracles and resurrectioÌ„ prouing al these to haue ben done by the workmanshippe of the thre persons For if the Trinitie did worke inseperablye in these no doubte it hath don likewise in all other First touching the creatioÌ„ of the world no man distrusteth the fathers workimg of whom that is supposed to be spoken In the beginning God created heauen and earth If thou doubt of Christ the holy comforter herken what y e prophet Dauid saith by the word of the Lord were the heaueÌ„s made and bi the word of his mouth the glorious fairenes of them Wherfore heauen earth be the workmanship of the thre persons Was Christ conceaued in the wombe of Mary by the workemanship of the holy comforter and is he not maker of the world If the thre persons work euermore without seperatioÌ„ why doth the scripture graunt certein works to one person certein to another Truly to teach vs that ther be thre persons that ther be thre distincte thre vncoÌ„founded Onely the person of the father soundeth the voice in Christes baptisme only the holy ghost appeareth lyke a doue only Christ is incarnate Notwihstanding both the flesh of Christ and y e voice of the fatheâ— and the apparitioÌ„ of the al-knowing coÌ„forter be the workemaÌ„ship of the whole Trinitie I meane not that Christ the holy ghost souÌ„ded the voice but that thei were workers of the voice â–ª the father only souÌ„ded it not Christ not the holy ghost For they be distinct and vnconfounded they be thre not all one thre persons not thre names So the holy ghost only shewed himselfe in y e shape of a doue not the father not Chriâ—â— Neuerthelesse the doue in which he apeared was the workemanshippe of al thre So neither the father ne yet the blessed comforter were incarnate but Christ only Neuertheles the flesh nature of Christ was the workemaÌ„ship of the whole Trinitie whose workes be â—nseperable This may be gathered of the wordes of the Angell to Mary Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te virtus altistimi abuÌ„brabit tibi The holy ghost saith Gabriell shall come vppon the and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee By the highest the father is to be vnderstaÌ„d by these wordes Virtus altistimi the ver â—ue or power of the highest the sonne For so S. Paule calleth him to the Corrinthians saying we pâ—each Christ crucified vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallinge to the Greekes folishnesse but vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Grekes we preach Christe the power and wisdome of God The word virtus is transâ—ated in english vertue or power the greke word is Dunamis both in Paul and in the aunswer of the aungel PeradueÌ„ture some man wil denie that the father is ment by y e word Altissimus Therfore I wil fortifie his operation with an other reason Christes incarnatioÌ„ is his sending as I haue proued befor For who is sent thither wher he is already But he is euery wher touching his diuinitie Wherfore he is sent thither where he was not â—y appearing in his humanitie And it is plain that the father sent him wherfore the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ is the workmanship of the holy glorious Trinitie The scripture telleth that our sauiour Christ also by his word and commaundement did cast out many deuils but the same witnesseth y t the father and the holy ghost did worke with him lest thou shouldst thinke the works of the trinitie to be separable For of his fatheâ— he himself sayth The father that dwelleth in me is he which doth the workes And of the aldoing comforter also I cast out deuils in the scripture of God Lyke profe may be brought of all his other miracles So only Christ arose from death to life and yet the holy Trinitie raysed him For of the father it is wrytten who raysed Christ from death And of himself he testifieth saying to the Iewes asking a token Destroy this teÌ„ple and in thre dayes I shall rayse it vp again And that y e holy ghost raised him Paul is recorde and wytnes saying Wherfore if the spirit of him which raysed vp Iesu froÌ„ death dwel in you And Iohn also y e spirit quikneth For it is not to be takeÌ„ only of the quickening of our soules but of our bodies also nether is it vnlike that the holy comforter did rayse hym whome he formed in the virgins wombe Like proue might be made of all the peculier workes of the alworking comforter and of the father Wherfore their workes be no more separable then the workes of reason wil and memorie namely seing they be one God as the other thre be one soule The .xxviij. Chapter ¶ How there is but one God only the diuinitie of Christ and the aldoing comforter notwithstanding this vnitie NOw I haue almost declared al the contentes of this treatise that is what God is what persone signifieth and that there be thre persons in the glorious Trinitie For the profe of my last matter and content I wil first teache with euident scriptures that there is but one only God and theÌ„ with reasons not of phylosophy but gathered out of them for the scripture is profitable to teache to controll and to instruct Then I will proue that the same scripture graunteth al and eueri one of y e partes of the definition made of God to our sauiour Christ and that done I wyl fortifie also that al the partes of thesame definition are grauÌ„ted to the alknowing and almighty comforter The Christian congregation beleueth the father y e son and the holy gost to be one God not by nuncupation only but by vnitie of nature For if the multitude of theÌ„ that beleued were Cor vnum anima vna one heart and one soul if he which is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit if man wife be one flesh one body as y e Apostle witnesseth if al men be one substaunce touching ther nature if the scriptures testify that in humaine thinges many be one â–ª how much more are the father the sonne and y e holy ghost one God which differ not in nature substaunce for it is written there are thre which beare record in heauen the father the word the holy ghost these thre are one The vnitie of their nature proueth them not to be thre Gods but one God The damnable seâ—t of y e Arrians expouÌ„deth this text Hij tres vnum sunt these thre are one that thei be one in
as the other Gods haue so the mo Gods they be in number the lesse is their power authoritie As for example y e king is most mighty who hath all the world vnder him for al things are his y e riches of al men belong vnto him If there be many kings they are of lesse power ther is no such authoritie among theÌ„ no such power for eueri one of them hath his dominion his portion to rule presumeth not beyond his owne bonds Euen so if ther be many Gods they are of lesse power but reason geueth God a perfit and an absolute power Wherfore ther is but one God only for asmuch as perfit power cannot be in many Also it ther be many howe do they knowe that they shal coÌ„tinue of one mynd and will If thei do not as it is like for it is a common saying Tot capita tot sensus as many myndes as heades then this diuersitie wil prouoke them to battail as we read in Homer who bryngeth in y e Gods fighting one with another some of theÌ„ takyng parte with the Troyanes some with y e Grekes for diuersitie in will causeth warre The heatheÌ„ grauÌ„t that God hath a generall aucthoritie and a perfite power but they saye that he hath many Gods of lesse power which ar called minores dij to gouern the world vnder him But thei lie for thei be no gods because thei be ministers vnder him nomore theÌ„ y e officers vnder the king as chauÌ„celers maires presideÌ„ts iudges shriues bailies and Constables are kinges God is not like a man he worketh all thynges without handes without any werinees or payne nether doth tyme measure his workes with whom it is Dixit facta sunt he spake the word and it was done WheÌ„fore he nether hath nede to rule vnder him nether can any such be Gods wherof it must nedes folow y t the world is gouerned by one God No citie is wel ordred but of one Mayre no host of meÌ„ but of one general captaine Wherfore the Grekes sayling vnto the famous citie of Troye chose Agamenon to be king of kinges and wylled all to be obedient vnto hym If in one host there be so many chief captains as there be thousands if euery haue his captain whom he must only obey no order no aray can be kept for euery captaine will be with his men where hym lysteth and euery one of theÌ„ wyl refuse to endaunger hymselfe and his men and wyl passe the ieopardie to hym that is next Euen so except by one God the whole worlde be gouerned all thynges wyl decay and peryshe If it be true which is comenly sayd among meÌ„ Omnis potestas impatiens est consortis that power receiueth no felowship howe much more is it true in that ineffable power which apperteineth to God whose highnes receiueth no felowship of any other What a king is to his realme that God is in y e world one realme hath but one so one world hath but on God For this cause and other the scriptures vse to call him a king No ship is well gouerned of many maisters no flock of mani shepeherdes no schole of many scholemaisters no citie of many Mayres no hoste of many captaines no kyngdome of many kinges all thinges stande and are preserued by an vnitie And Virgill recordeth this thing saying Principio celuÌ„ ac terras caÌ„posque liquentes Lucentemque globum lune titaniaque astra Spiritus intus alit totamque infusa per artus MeÌ„s agitat moleÌ„ et magno se corpore miscet First heaueÌ„ earth clay fields in dede with mone stars y e spirit w tin doth fede The mind spread through the vayns eke moues the mole Mixing it self vnto the body whole The Poet Virgil beareth record that there is but one God for one body hath but one mynd and God is the mynd of the world wherfore as there is but one world so there is but one God And that no man shoulde misâ—â—me this spirit and mynde of whiche he speakith not to be God he expoundeth these wordes in another place saiyng Deum namque ire per omnes Terrasque tractusque maris celumque profundum God goeth through al sene or vnsene with eye Through earth and sea through heauen depe an hie â—uide also in his boke called Metamorphosis witnesseth that one God formed al thinges of a confused heape I do not cal poetes to witnesse that I thinke any credite to be geuen to their wordes but to shewe that this thing is so manifest a truth that they which were blynd did se it But as I haue spoken of poets so wyl I speake of the Phylosophers Thales Milâ—sius one of y e seuen famous wise men held opinion that water is the stuffe matter of which al thinges were made and that God formed them therof grauÌ„ting both one God to be maker of al thinges also telling wherof For the scriptures call the confused heape of which al things were made bi the name of water as it is writteÌ„ The spirit of god was born vpon y e waters Pitagoras also defineth god to be a mynd filling ruling al the porcions of y e world And one body hath but one minde wherfore the world hath but one God For God is a mind the world is the body He also said that the nuÌ„ber of thre was the beginning of al things teaching the people of his time that god is a trinitie in a riddle obscure speach because it wold not be born openly If ther were many worlds as some thinke it wer some probabilitie to say ther were many gods Parmenides thinketh y t there is but vnuÌ„ ens The noble worthy philosopher Aristotle de partiÌ„g out of this life praied vnto y e same ens saiyng ens entium miserere mei And wel may god be called ens who only is of himself al things haue their being of him Plato also saith y t the â—ouernaÌ„ce of this world is a Monarchie that God only both made ruleth it Hermes trismagist teacheth thesame thing that he is vnsearchable Marcus Tullius the famouse orator agreeth with them who teacheth that God is Mens soluta quedâ— libera segregata ab omni concrecione mortali omnia sentiens omnia mouens that is to witte God is a simple mynde nether being made of matter form nether mingled with accideÌ„ts knowing all thinges and ordryng them The Sibilles also taught the same in old time which were womeÌ„ that did prophecie before the coÌ„ming of our sauiour Christ so called because they did disclose many of Gods secrets For the Aeolians cal the gods Sions â–ª not Theous counsel or secrets not Boulen but Bullen and there were ten of theÌ„ The most famous of them which was called Erithrea saith thus of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One God alone thete is I wot Both infinite
who loueth me shal be loued of my father I wil loue him of the holy coÌ„forter y e fruit of y e spirit is loue Through this loue of al the thre persons Christ suffred death y t we might liue for of the father it is written God so loued y e world y t he gaue his only begotten son of Christ I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me gaue himself for me The spirit also gaue him for Paul saith of Christ which through the eternal spirit offred himself without spot vnto God They haue also one counsel for Esay calleth y e holy gost the spirit of couÌ„sel strength Christ is called Angeâ—â—s magni consilij an angel of great couÌ„sel because he is the wisdom of God they are of one wil they coÌ„maund forbid one thing their calling is not diuers but one And as the father is called Lord so is the holy coÌ„forter so is Christ. We reade that the spirit of the Lorde came vpon Sampson whom he calleth also his strength saying if my hear were cut of my strength would go from me But after that his seuen lockes were cut awai the scripture saith that the Lord departed from him calling the spirit which gouerned him Lord. If thei haue one nature one kingdom one power one counsel one operation one name one vertue one life one peace one grace one coÌ„mauÌ„dement one vocation one wyll and seyng they be one light one charitie one streame and one Lord how can they be diuers Gods There is a generall vnitie of al things in them wherfore thei must nedes be one God also I trust now it be sufficiently fortified and established that ther is but one god of heauen earth who gouerneth ordreth al thinges Natural reason proclaimeth this as it were out of some highe place vnto al creatures His almighty euerlasting power proueth y e same The Poets confesse and graunt him to be alone the Philosophers coÌ„discend to theÌ„ the Sibilles magnifie and acknowledge him y e false gods of y e Pagans theÌ„selues confesse him the Prophetes of the true God euermore taught this the EuaÌ„gelistes and Apostles fortifie the same nature preacheth one God which acknowledgeth one world faith telleth vs the same for there is but one fayth of both testaments as the Apostle witnesseth and baptisme also for there is but one bath of holy baptisme whiche is ministred in y e name of the trinitie The glorious death of many thousandes of maâ—tâ—rs both of men children women virgins which by no maner of tormentes could be plucked away from this faith haue sealed it and the constant and stedfast consent agrement and conspiration of all tymes and nacions with one minde and accord hath enacted this so that the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it The .xxix. Chapter ¶ Al the partes of the difinition made of God are proued to agre vnto Christ. AS I haue spoken of al iii. persones of the blessed trinitie together so now for a more euident profe of my last content I wyll fortifie out of the stoore house of y e scriptures y t al the parts of my definitioÌ„ made of y e only king of kinges immortal almighty God do belong appertein also both vnto Christ to the alknowing most blessed coÌ„forter The first persel of my difinitioÌ„ was God is a spiritual substance That Christ is a substance no maÌ„ wil deny for he is no accident Read my .xxiiii. chap. there y u shalt find this thing proued But how caÌ„ you proue y t he is a spiritual substaunce The prophet Ieremy saith Spiritus ante facieÌ„ nostram Christus dominus that is y e spirit before vs Christ y e lord Note y t he calleth him both a spirit lord If ther be no spirit he can not be God for god is a spirit and inasmuch as he is a spirit a substaÌ„ce he is a spiritual substaunce not touching his humanitie but touching y t nature in which he is lord as the prophet declareth very wel saying y e spirit before vs Christ the lord meaning that he is Lord in that he is a spirit for y e Lord is a spirit Pure nature foloweth in the difinitioÌ„ By the word pure is ment that God is one a singuler substaunce not myxt not compost Ether Christ is suche a substaunce or els he is a creature If he be a creatur theÌ„ is he subdued to vanitie not willingly for the Apostle witnesseth Quippe vanitati creatura subiacet non volens Euery creature is subdued to vanitie Christ is not subdued to vanitie Ergo Christ is no creature That Christ is not subdued to vanitie I proue thus The ruler of this world came and founde nothing in him Ergo he is not subdued to vanitie But some Arrians wil say y t he was subdued vnto vanitie in y t he toke our natur vpoÌ„ him to restore vs when we wer forlorn for the preacher crieth of all things vnder heauen al is but vanitie al is but plain vanitie Albeit this were truly spoken yet can not S. Pauls saying be verified of Christ who saith euery creature is subdued vnto vanitie not willingly Christ toke our nature willingly restord vs willingly by his precious death passion as he himself doth testifie no man doth take my life fro me but I put it away my self wherfore he is no creature Ergo he is a pure simple single nature without al mixture or composicion Immutable Paul telleth vs that he is immutable for in his letter to his countreymen he witnesseth that the father speaketh these wordes of the .ci. Psalm vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes they shall perishe but thou shalt endure They shal wax old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them they shalbe chaunged but thou art the same that is vnchauÌ„geable thy years shal not faile Lo y e father witnesseth that Christ is immutable We read also Iesus Christus heri hodie idem est etiam in secula Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same continueth for euer This propertie belonging to no creature proueth him God For God only is immutable Iesus Christ is immutable Ergo Ieus Christ is God Inuisible This is another propertie whiche the scriptures geue vnto God Christ is a spirit touching one nature â–ª then if al spirites if our soules be vnuisible how muche more is Christ vnuisible the maker of spirites and soules Paul calleth hym touchynge this nature vertutem dei the vertue or power of God Wherfore he is vnuisible vnsearchable Paule in the same place calleth him the wisdome of God the wisdome of God is vnsearchable There foloweth in the definition Filling heaueÌ„ earth
definition are proued to agree to the almightie comforter and spirit THe alknowyng comforter also is one God with them both for asmuch as it caÌ„not be denied but y t all and euery one of the same thinges doe apperteine vnto him For a plaine and euideÌ„t profe of this I will course ouer the difinition or rather descriptioÌ„ of God once again prouing the same to be the definition of the holy comforter God is a spiritual substaunce so is the holy comforter That he is a spirit no man wyl deny that he is a substaunce not a godly mocion or coÌ„citation not an accideÌ„t I haue proued in my .xxiii. Chap. He is also a pure nature vnmixed vncompost vncreate for he is no creature whiche all and euery one are bonde and seruauntes vnto their maker not fre nor at their libertie as it is written Vniuersa seruiunt tibi al thinges serue the. The holy spirit speketh this by Dauid He saith not seruimus we serue the but seruiunt thei serue Paul also saith Creatura liberabitur a seruitute corruptionis The creature shalbe deliuered from the boÌ„dage of corruptioÌ„ But of the holy ghost it is written vbi spiritus domini ibi libertas where is the spirit of the Lord there is fredome We read also of him that he deuideth to euery man seueral giftes as he wil. 1 Cor. 12 All creatures do serue Psalm 118. The holy ghost is at libertie 2 Cor. 3 Ergo the holy ghost is no creature And if he be no creature he is a singuler pure nature void of all coÌ„position and mixture Immutable what soeuer is immutable is a creatur Inuisible al spirits be inuisible but not immutable for to be both immutable inuisible apperteineth only to the maiestie of God Wherfore the holy ghost is God Filling heauen erth foloweth in y e diffinicioÌ„ which thing truly beloÌ„geth only to y e diuine blessed nature as y e Psalmograph witnesseth domini est terra plenitudo eius The earth the fulnes therof is y e Lords he sayth by Ierem. I fil heauen and earth Now that the blessed coÌ„forter doth so y e booke of wisdom telleth saying The spirite of the Lord filleth the round compas of the world and Dauid teacheth thesame saying whether shal I go theÌ„ from thy spirit whether shal I go from thy presence If I clime vp into heauen c. What angel what archaungel what rule what power what creature is sayde to fill the world the whiche the holy comforter doth Yea more then the whole world for he fylled the sauiour of the world as it is written Christ ful of the holy ghost returned from Iordan God only is euery where The holy ghost is euery where Ergo the holy ghost is God Vnsearchable no man can comprehend what maner of thing his own spirit and soul is and the mynd which almost iudgeth and discusseth al thinges is not able to discusse it self much more the spirit of the almighty God surmounteth our vnderstandinges and not only ours but also of angels and archangels for of the spirit Dauid writeth God which is thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnes aboue thy felowes The holy ghost is this oyl and anointmeÌ„t for Peter witnesseth that Christ was anointed with the holy ghost And wel is the holy ghost named the oâ—l of gladnes lest thou shouldest suppose him to be a creature For the nature of oyl is such that it wyl not be mingled with any moist creatur but heaueth aloft kepeth aboue when other naturs descend to the botom Ful of vnderstanding for he is the spirite of vnderstanding Ful of troth for he is y e spirit of troth which the world can not receiue and which procedeth froÌ„ the father of him it is wrytten he shal teach you al truth Ful of rightuousnes for as the sonne is our iudge so iudgement belongeth to the holy coÌ„forter as it is written when I depart I wyl send the comforter vnto you when he is come he shal iudge the world of synne of rightuousnes and of iudgemeÌ„t This text thacheth him to be a punisher of sinne an aueÌ„ger of vnrightuousnes wrong iudgemeÌ„ts Noble king Salomon through his inspiration gaue rightfull iudgement of the two infantes Daniel except he had bene inspired by him could neuer haue disclosed the lie of lechery When Susanna was condempned vnto death through y e false accusation of y e elders she cried with a loude voyce vnto God and obteined remedy When she was led forth vnto death it is regestred that the Lord raised vp the spirit of a yong child whose name was daniel c. Also the spirit of Moises was deuided among .lxx. of the elders of Israel that they might iudge the people according to right Wherfore the holy ghost who both teacheth other to iudge aright and is a iudge himselfe must nedes be ful of al righteousnes Ful of mercy He is ful of mercy forasmuche as he sent Christ to restore vs when we were forlorne as the Prophet telleth vs in Christes person Misit me dominus spiritus eius the Lord sent me and his spirit His sending is his incarnatioÌ„ as I haue proued before Full of wisdom for he is the spirit of counsel and wisdom Full of al maner of goodnes He is the spirit of life the spirit of knowledge wisdom and vnderstanding counsel strength of the fear of God of truth of sanctification of iudgement of adopcion of promes of grace and loue ioye peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnes it selfe faithfulnesse mekenesse temperauncie be the fruites and giftes of the holy spirit Eternal many things be euerlasting which had their beginning as aungels as the soule of man and other but they are not eternal for that apperteineth only to the maiestie of the deitie That the holy and almyghty comforter is eternal the Apostle witnesseth saieng How muche more shal the bloud of Christr who through the eternall spirite offered hym self without spot to God purge your coÌ„sciences He is not content to call hym eternall but telleth vs also that Christ through the spirit offered himselfe a slain sacrifice for our synnes And we reade that Christ before the foundacion of the world chose vs. Wherfore the holy comforter who was the worke maister therof was before the foundation of the worlde and for as muche as as he was before all he hath no ende For that whiche is with out all begynnyng is also without endyng God only is eternall The holy ghost is eternall Ergo the holy ghost is God Maker of al thinges Iob telleth that God with his spirite garnished the heauens vnto whoÌ„ Dauid agreeth saying the spirit of his mouth formed al the hostes of them Wherfore in the worke of creacion Moises maketh relatioÌ„ of him shewyng vs that the spirit of God was borne vpon the waters Basyl
meorum worship the fotestole of my fete the which is ioyned in vnitie of person to the diuine nature and promoted to the company and felowship of the deitie without al doubt the alknowyng conforter is to be honored of whom this flesh was conceiued For by the fotestole earth is vnderstaÌ„d as it is written Heauen is my seat the earth is the stole of my fete and by the erth Christes flesh is ment To worship any other earth is Idolatry and well may his flesh be called so for all flesh is earth The Arrians deny that the holy ghost is to be serued because Iohn writeth The hour now is when true worshippers shalâ— honour the father in spirit and truthe for suche the father seketh to worship him God is a spirit they that worship him must worship him in spirit in truth If thei deny the holy ghost to be honored because the EuaÌ„gelist doth not say the spirit is to be honored but God must be honored in spirit thei must deny likewise y t Crist is to be honored because he saith that God must be worshipped in truth for Christ saith I am truth God only is to be serued The holy ghost is to be serued Ergo the holy ghost is God Iustifying vs Paul proueth the spirite to be a iustifier saying ye are washed ye are sanctifietd ye are iustified by y e name of the Lord and by the spirit of our god Almighty this belongeth to the comâ—orter for he is the finger of God or els the finger of God is weake then is some impotencie in his hande in Christe for whatsoeuer the hand doth that doth the fynger also But Salomon â—alâ—eth the holy gost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is omnipotenteÌ„ omniscium almighty and alknowing He is the Lord of nature and therfore he can doe what hym lyâ—t as Christ and the father can God only is almighty The holy ghost is almighty Ergo the holy ghost is God These silogismusses and brief argumentes may be profitable helpers for thun-learned as it were with a 〈◊〉 dagger to dispatch and slâ—a â—he bâ—â—sphemouse heresie of the Arrians â–ª I could dilate thease thinges into a long volume if I would but my purpose is not at this present to write a defence of God but an Image I do enstruct a beginner not a diuine I do arme a yong soldiour to faith and beleif not an ould worne champion to battaile and fight Hereafter when I shalâ— sâ— occasion I will put forth a defence with a confutation and answer to contrary reasons Now I haue proued out of the storehouse of the scripture that there is but one definition of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste whereof it muste nedes folow that thei are but one God All thinges that agre in definition agre in essence and nature The father the son and the holy ghost haue one definition Ergo they haue one esseÌ„ce and nature This doctrine destroieth all the doctrine of the Arrians and proueth them coÌ„substanciall But me thinke I heare some Patripassian replie that if they agree in the definition they are confounded and are one person They agre in the definition of God not in the finition of paternitie or of a sonne or of a holy ghost for neyther Christe is the father nor the almightye and alknowynge comforter is Christe they be thre vnconfounded and yet one God and Lorde O God of our fathers and Lord of mercies thou that hast made all things with thy word and ordeyned man through thy wisdome that he should haue dominion and lordshippe ouer thy creatures which thou haste made and haste willed thy angels to minister vnto him that he shoulde order the worlde according to equitie righteousnesse and execute iudgement with a true heart geue to all thy people wisdom which is euer about thy seat endue them with the spirit of knowledge of councel and vnderstanding as thou didest promise by thy swete sonne that he should leade them into all truth for we are thy seruauntes and thy handmaidens the workes of thy fingers O send him out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy maiestie that he may gouerne vs that we may know what is acceptable in thy sight For he knoweth and vnderstandeth al thinges and can lead vs soberly in all our works and preserue and continue vs in his power so shall our workes be acceptable For what man is he that may knowe the councell of God or who can thinke what the will of God is The thoughts of mortall men are miserable and oure forecastes are but vncerteine And why our vnderstanding and spirite is depressed with the grosse lumpe and dongion of the corruptible bodie our time is but a space and shorte very hardlye can we discerne the thinges that are vpon earth and greate laboure haue we or we can fynd thinges which are before our eyes Who will then seke out the grounde of the thinges that are done in heauen Oh Lorde who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstanding and meaning except thou geue wisdome and send thy holy ghoste from aboue to reforme and redresse the waies of them which are vpon earth that men maie learne the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the and to lyue louingly one with another euery man being content with his owne vocation and folowe y e same be preserued through wisedome Graunt this GOD for thy sonnes sake Iesus Christe oure spokesman and aduocate to whome with the and the holie spirite be all praise dominion honoure rule and thankesgeuing now in our daies and euer So be it FINIS Sap. 1â— Rom. â— 1 Iohn â— Iohn 14 Luk. 1â— Eccle. 24 Mark 10 Iohn 17 2 Tim. 3 Hebr. 1 Sap. 7 Gala. 3 Math. 7 1 Cor. â— â— Tessa 3 Abiathaâ— Sodoc The Aapâ—stles The elder fathers were preaching prelates â— Cor. 7 Eccle. 10 Ennius Eccle. 1â— 3 Reg. 1â— Deut. 28 Math. 28 Deut. 4 Eccle. 1 Esaie 45 Simonides 1 Cor. 2 Iohn â— Li. x. hist. â—ripâ—r ca. 7 Roma 1 Esaie 1 Hebr. 1â— Strauâ—ge doctrinâ— what it is 1 Petr. 2 Iohn 1â— Math. 8. The leaueÌ„ of the Pharisies psal 110. a Luke 12. a Iohn 4 Samaritans Iewes 2 Cor. 10. Scriptuâ—â— is the power of god Roma 1. A swearde Ephe. 1. 2 Thes. 2 Math. 4 Math. 12 â–ª Math. 22 A lanterne Psa. 118. 2. Peter 1. To be studied of all mâ—n Iob. 7. gods word 〈◊〉 a sword Luke 22. 2. Cor. 2 Ihon. 17 1. Peter 1. Immortal seed Ihon. 15. Roma 10. 2. Cor. 3. The 〈◊〉 letter whaâ— it is Roma 4. Roma 3. Galath 3. Math. 5. Math. 5 Luke 11 gods word the key the touch stone Esay 33. â— Cor. 1. psal 104. Exod. 3 Esay 40 2 Cor. â— Iohn 4. 2 Cor. 3 Esay 40 psalm 33 psalm 4â— what godâ— head is His hearâ— Eies Psal. 33 Psalm 10 Eieliddes Eares Sap. 1 Nose â— Reg. 22. His face Psal. 79 Exod. 34 Mouth Threno