seynge that our lorde hymselfe in so many places of scripture doth make meÌ„tion of his â—oule and doth call hymselfe the sonne of man as whan he sayth Mat. xxvi ☞ My soule is heuy euen vnto the death And whaÌ„ he sayth Father into thy handes I do coÌ„mende my soule And Luce. xxiii Iohan. x. Iohan. viii Noman doth take my soule or lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ me you do seche to slee me beynge a man whiche haue spoken the trouthe vnto you And seynge that Paule witnesseth the same sayinge i. Timot. ii The mediatoure betwen god men the man Christe Iesus yf they do geue credeÌ„ce to the scriptures how or with what face dare they deny that thynge whiche the scriptures done so manyfestly expresse pronunce yf they do not beleue the scriptures howe may they for shame desyre to be accompted taken for ChristeÌ„ men yf they wolde seme to be philosophers who euer ones dreamed that that thynge myghte be called a man whiche lacketh the fourme of man whiche fourme I meane the soule whaÌ„ it is presente causeth one to be a maÌ„ whaÌ„ it goeth away caused that thynge whiche was before a man than to lese the name of a man Those men whiche haue so wondrefull madde opinions they stonde in daunger them selues and not vnworthyly leste they may seme not to be men Neither was the opinion whiche Apollinarius dremed muche wiser than these aforereherced whiche dothe suffre a soule to be geuen to Christe Apollinarius but so that he dothe take froÌ„ the sayd soule the mynd or vnder standynge for in quicke plantes there is a certayne lyfe for els they sholde not growe neither sholde they els be sayde to dye whan they do widder or drye vp And in brute beastes also there is a lyfe and soule for els they shold haue no fealynge or perceyuyng But mynde or reason and vnderstondynge amonge al sensyble creatures is onely to man This mynde is the princypall power of the soule by whiche it dothe dyscerne and iudge euery thynge from other by whiche it dothe ioyne or knytte together or els diuide and departe thyngê in sondre and by whiche it gathereth or concludeth one thynge of another by argumeÌ„tation and reasonynge But howe may they for shame professe Christe to be a man whiche do take awaye from hym that thynge by whiche man dothe cheflye and principallye dyffre from other beastes DIS Dyd than the mynde of Christe by reasonynge of thynges knowne gather and conclude suche thynges as were vnknowne to hym MA. There was nothynge vnknowne to Christe and yet as concernynge the condition and state of nature he hadde a reasonable soule For not aungelles neither do vnderstonde by reasonynge so as we do nether shall we our self fes vnderstonde in the general resurrection so as we do nowe But perfection added to nature doth not take awaye the veryte of nature For els the bodyes gloryfyed sholde be no bodies And yet is it none heresye or erroure to saye that the soule of Christe beganne to knowe certayne thynges whiche by the presence of the godhede it dyd afore perfyghtelye â—ee and perceyue I saye begane to knowe the same thynges otherwise after the maner of men not for that he knew theym not before But because the maner of his knowynge now was sondry and diuerse from the maner of his knowynge before Iohan. i. He had seen Nathanael whan he was vnder the Figge tree because he dyd knowe it more certaynly than we do those thynges whiche we do see with our iyes But afterwardes whan he saw hym with his bodyly eyes in dede he dyd not learne ony newe thyng whiche he knew not before but he sawe otherwise the same thynge that he hadde sene before Appollinarius Apollinarius addeth another madde opynyon that the worde dyd not take vnto it fleshe or body but that somewhat of the worde was tourned into fleshe mysunderstondynge the wordes of sayncte Iohan. Iohan. i. ☞ Et verbum caro factuÌ„ est id est and the worde was made fleshe that is to say after his false interpretation the worde was chaunged into fleshe lykewyse as the ayer condensated and made thycke or grosse is tourned into water and as the water raryfied and made fyne and subtyle is tourned into ayer But a man is not made of a countrefayte worde tourned into an humayne bodye but man is made of a reasonable soule and a mortall body yf by the worde they do vnderstonde the sonne of god god as he is made of nothynge soo can he not be tourned into ony thynge nor ony thynge into it yf we wyll speke proprely And yf philosophers do deny that fiere maye be tourned into water which are both creatures how much more agaynste all reason is it a thynge increated to be tourned into a thynge created But you wyll saye they make the worde a creature but a more excellente creature than all aungelles But yet euen betweÌ„ an aungell and the body of man there is more dyfference than is betwen fyar and water But this erroure conceyued folyshely of the euaÌ„gelystes wordes the wordes immediately folowynge do refelle and confute Iohan. i. Et habitauit in nobis that is to say and he hathe dwelled amonge vs. For that thynge is not sayde to be conuersaunte in body whiche is transformed into body But the body is well aryghte called the dwellynge place of the soule And man is well and aryghte called the temple of god Eutyches in greke is as muche to say as happie whiche is no righte name for that vnhappy wretched heretike And nowhitte wiser is the erroneouse opinion of falsenamed Eutyches whiche dyd putte in Christe to be but onely one nature compost and made of diuine and humane nature hothe to gether yf he hadde sayde that one syngulare persone hadde ben vned of two natures and that euen one persone indiuiduale as the terme of logicions is some what he hadde ben to be herde and beleued for it is certayne and vndowted that there was in Christe two or also thre sondrye natures and distincte eche of them from other Man is composte and made of a soule and a bodye But the diuine nature because it is moste syngle it refuseth all names or wordes of composition It vned or dyd knytte it selfe into one hypostase or persone by the meanes of the soule beynge ioyned and cleuynge to the bodye but it was not confused or mengled into the same nature Nestorius whiles he dothe dylygently eschewe Nestorius this lymekylle he felle into the colekylne professynge in Christe to be two perfighte natures the nature of god and the nature of man Prouerbe but he maketh than as manye persones denyenge the worde to haue ben vned and knytte to man into one persone but onely to haue inhabited maÌ„ by grace wherfore he gathereth and concludeth that in one Christe there is one persone of man
â—hynge is without body by a generall name is called spiritus a spirite or ghoste Iohan. iiii So is god in the gospell called a spirite whiche name is commune to all the thre persones as concernynge the diuine nature but whan we do ê“prely and specially meane signifie the thyrde person By what names the holy ghoste is called in the scripture we do call hym the holy spirite or ghoste the spirite of god the spirite of Christe spiritum paracletum .i. the spirite that is coÌ„forter or aduocate and the spirite of trouth And agaynst them whiche denyed that the prophetes made theyr prophecies by the inspiration of the holy ghoste but by a phanaticall or madde and vayne spirite the Synode of Nice or of Constantinople hathe added this particle Qui locutus est per prophetas that is to saye which spake by the prophetes that we sholde vnderstonde haue in knowledge that bothe testameÌ„tes were â—aughte and geuen by one and the same spiriâ—e and that iâ— was none other spirite whiche spake by the mouthe of the holy prophetes thaÌ„ euen the very selfe same Luce. iii. whiche descended vpon our lord in the lykenesse of a dowe and in the lykenesse of fyere cam vpon Actuum .ii. the disciples and which euen this daye resteth betwene the brestes of the spousesse the churche A notable question DI. Dyd the holy ghost take vpon hym the body in which he appered so as Christe toke his body vnto hym M. Aunswere No verily for Christ toke an humane body into the vnite of personage It was no. natural body that the holy ghoste appered in but the holy ghoste dyd so take vnto hym a body as aungels do oftentymes appere in the lykenesse of a man Those are but bodyes assumpte and nat naturall bodyes The same synode dyd adde these wordes also ☞ Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur .i. Whiche is worshipped and glorified together with the father and the son to thenteÌ„â—e that they myghte the more exclude the blasphemy of them which do make the holy ghoste inferiour to the son For creatures are glorified honoured but with the father the son nothiÌ„g is honoured saue only that that is god Under god and for godes sake holy men also are honoured but with god nothynge is honoured or glorified but that which is all one with hym And for the same purpose also is added this clause ☞ Qui ex patre filioque procedit that is to saye whiche procedethe of the father and the sone For as the sonne is argued and proued to be of the same substaunce with the father because he is begotteÌ„ of the father euen so is it concluded gathered that the holy ghoste also hath the same nature with them bothe for as muche as he prosedeth cometh forth of them bothe how be it these wordes filioque .i. and of the sone semeth to haue ben added of the Latyne men lykewise as in the symbole of Atanasius for as muche as this particle neither is hadde in the Greke symbole whiche we hadde set afore the newe testamente in our seconde edition of it neither yet in ony symbole whiche is recited in the canon lawe for I suppose it was not than yet receiued namelye in the churches of the easte that the holy ghoste dothe procede from bothe neither was the confession knowlegynge here of exacted of Christen men but it was sufficient to professe that he procâ—ded frome the father and that he dyd contynue and abyde in the son as it is expressed in the lyfe of sayncte Andruâ— the apostle Nat for that they dyd deny hym to procede also from the son but for that they durste nat fastly affyrme this thynge vntyll that our lorde dyd reuele and shewe it also vnto them For nat euery thyng that is sente of any persone dothe forthwith procede frome the substance of hym of whome it is sente A temporall sendynge is one thynge and an eternall procession or comyng forth is another thynge D. Seynge that the fathers with so many wordes dyd study and go about to exclude inequalite why dyd they nat breffly and expressly pronounce that the holy ghoste dyd procede beyng god of god in as moche as they haue diligently expressed of the son that he is god of god lyghte of lyghte very god of very god Deum de deo luâ—â—en de lumine deum verum de deo vero For so sholde all cauillations vtterly haue ben excluded M. To this I can nat tell what aunswere I sholde make saue only that the meruailouse religion and feare The religion drede that the olde fathers had to speake of diuine thinges whiche the olde fathers hadde to speake of the diuâ—ne matters and the wicked babling and talkatiuenes of certayne persones was the cause why they had leuer shewe and demonstrate by circumlocution the name of god than to expresse it to then tente that both the godly myndes shold vnderstonde and perceiue the mysterie and wicked persones sholde nat be prouoked to blasphemy But that thynge which that Synode dyd vtter by circuÌ„locution sayncte Athanase doth eâ—pressly pronounce saying ☞ The father is god the son is god the holy ghoste is god And yet are nat ther thre godes but there is but one god D. Why do they attribute and assigne to the holy ghoste goodnes and charite why goodnes â—harite are attributed to the holy ghoste M. Because vnto goodnes or benignite two thynges do belong that is to wytte for geuenes of synnes geuyng of gyftes vnto charite appertaineth conglutination or ioynyng together Lykewise as the membres and lymmes of our body do cleue together whole by the beâ—â—fight of the spirite euen so the misticall body of Christe is ioyned and knyt together by the holy ghoste Christe in the spirite of god dyd caste out deuils Luc. xi Math. xii And he calleth the holy ghoste the spirite of god But by synne wicked spirites do raigne in a man as our lorde dyd manifestly teache in the parable ☞ of the spirite that was driuen out whiche retourned agayn into his empty house with seuen spirites more wicked than hymselfe Lâ—c. xi Math. xii Therfore the good spirite is conueniently sayde by abolishyng and puttyng away synnes to dryue out euyl spirites Which whan it is done it doth nat suffre the house to be empte or voyde but doth garnishe and adourne it with diuerse gyfâ—es or graces that the vices driuen out shold haue none entrauÌ„ce in agayn And therfore Math. xiiâ— that blasphemy whiche is committed agaynst the holy ghoste is sayde in the gospel to be irremissible and suche as can nat be forgeuen For what hope of remiâ—â—ion dothe that man leue to hymselfe whiche dothe prouoke the authour of remission forgeuenes For charite as sayth say nete Peter dothe couer or hyde the multitude of synnes i. Petri. iiiâ— And to that synfull woman of
Filium id est sonne because this distinction â—othe euidently expresse his diuine nature whiâ—he nature in that he is begotten of the father he hathe commune with the father D Why is it nat than sayde In vnico filio eius id est in his only sonne For so there sholde haue ben none ambiguite or doubte at all M. It was moste conueniente that the worde whiche is added because of difference sholde be put after For if he sholde haue sayde Unicum filium eius it myghte haue ben so taken and vnder standed that the name of the sonne of god dyd agree or belong to none saue only to that one man Iesus but nowe whan he addeth thys worde Unicum afterwardes he dothe nat diuide the name filium but he sheweth a distincte and sondry maner of generacion that we sholde vnderstande the seconde person whiche of god his father is borne very god without tyme the selfe same in tyme conueniente of god appoynted to haue ben borne of a virgine very man of woman Saynâ—te Augustine in hys lytle booke made of the Crede for one word putteth twayne sayinge ☞ Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnigenitum vnicum dominuÌ„ nostrum id est And in Iesu Christe his only begotten soÌ„ne our only lorde But for as muche as it is nat euidente by his declaration whether hymselfe dyd so rede or nat it is probable and lykely that the worde vnigenitum id est only begotten was added by some man whiche wente about to declare why he had sayde vnicum id est only For the soÌ„ne of god is other whyles in the scriptures called primogenitus .i. the fyrste begotten soÌ„ne as touchyng his nature humayne and vnigenitê° as touchyng to his diuine natiuite as for exaumple in the .viii. chapiter to the Romanes ☞ Ut sit ipse primogenitus in multis fratribus id est That he sholde be the fyrste begotten sonne among many brotherne And in the fyrste chapiter of Iohan. Uidimus gloriam eius gloriam quasi vnigeniti a patre id est We haue sene the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father Also in the thyrde chapitoure ☞ Siedeus dilexit munduÌ„ vt filium suum vnigenitum daret that is to saye God dyd so loue the worlde that he wolde geue his onelye begotten sonne As touchyng to his former generation neither is he our brother neither is he the heyre of god neither hath he brotherne nor coinherytoures As touchynge his latter more generation he hath bothe bretherne and coinheritoures DIS Is there no dyfference betwen vnicum and vnigenitum id est onely and onely begotten MAG He may be called vnicus id est the onely sonne which alone is remaynynge and lefte alyue of many chyldren but a man sholde not call hym aryght vnigenitum id est onely begotten sonne howe be it the interpretoures of the holye scripture doo translate this one greke worde monogenis other whiles vnicum onely other whiles vnigenitum onely begotten As in the .vii. chapitoure of Luke he is called vidue filius vnicus that is to say the onely soÌ„ne of the widowe whome the Euangeliste called Monogeni And ê“totokos that is to say primogenitus the fyrste begotten son is other whyles called vnigenitus id est the only begotten son for thus speketh Mathewe of the mother of Iesu Math. i. Luce. ii How it is to be vndersâ—onden that Christe is the fyrste begotteÌ„ son of Mary ☞ Peperit filium suum primogenitum .i. She broughte for the her fyrste begotten son For other whyles that thyng is called fyrste nat that goeth afore other thynges but whiche was neuer before as for exaumple when we do saye This day is the fyrste tyme that euer I sawe the emperoure it is well sayde and aryghte all though I neuer se hym agayne here after So lykewise he maye be called primogenitus .i. the fyrste be gotten son which is the fyrste that euer his mother broughte forthe althoughe she neuer do bryng forth any mo agayne after hym For els those thynges whiche the lawe dothe commaunde to be done in or aboute the fyrst be gotten sholde nat haue ben to be perfourmed fulfylled excepte there had folowed two chylde beariÌ„ges for he is nat called primus .i. fyrste but which is the formoste at the leaste of thre D. But if Christe euen as touchyng to his humane nature also is the lorde of all thynges how is it thaÌ„ that he is sayde to haue brotherne M. Albeit that Christ were nat the lord of al thynges as touchynge to hys humane nature yet that nat withstandynge he sholde be called aryghte the lorde of all thynges because of the vnite of hys hypostase or personage contenynge or comprehendynge in it selfe thre substaunces euen lykewise as it is well sayde that god hathe suffred and hath died for vs. But here this worde brother is nat a name betokenyng equalite but betokenynge lykenes kyndred and charyte After â—he same maner he vouchesaâ—fed of his goodnes to call hys disciples nat seruauntes Iohan. xv but frendes nat that he dyd renounce or forsake his ryghte and auctorite whiche in another place he acknowledgeth and taketh to hymselfe whan he saythe Iohan. xiii ☞ You do call me mayster and lorde and you saye well for in dede so am I but for thentente to declare his excellente charite and loue which refuseth nothyng so that it may do profighte And what nouelty or meruayle is it if he dyd vouchesafe to call them brotherne towardes whome he dyd nat disdayne to playe the minister Iohan. xiii The Iewes dyd cal all those that were of theyr owne nation brotherne but specially theyr cosens or kynsmen now was oure lorde a Iewe borne of the Iewes which thyng the Euangelistes Mathue and Luke haue euidently expressed in the genealogie of hym Math. i. Luc. iii. But in very dede all men are brotherne eche one to other by the reason that they at all of one and the same nature whiche nature cam forthe of one and the same progenitoures and in euery man is subdued and in daunger to lyke affections and miseries saue only in Christe I do excepte synne and what so euer is inclynyng to synne D. Originall synne is nat proprely any synne M. No but yet it letteth or hindreth the fulnes of grace Iohan. i. whiche was in Christ as saynete Iohan witnesseth but it inclineth a man to synne though it doth nat moue and driue a man perfightly to it This thynge is repugnaunte to the dignite of Christe For it was nat conueniente that he whiche was com to purge and clense the worlde from al synnes sholde be any maner waye agreyng or in clynyng to synne D. But to be huÌ„grie to be thrusty to be wery to be aÌ„guished to lothe to dye all these are buddes of originall synne and yet they are geuen to Christe in the scriptures MA. There is greate difference betweÌ„ the nature of man as it
so much as touched onywhitte with the false tales of men For she onely is excellently chaste of whome the fame is aschamed to speake euyll And therfore this mystery was hydde kepte secrete a longe season For it is lykely that Marie and Iosephe dyd kepe these misteries in theyr herte vntyll suche tyme that after the sendyng of the holy ghost froÌ„ heuen the gospell dyd sprâ—ade abrode his lyghte thrugh out the hole worlde Considre therfore now how many thyngê we haue learned by this article coÌ„preheÌ„ded in few wordes fyrste that Iesus Christe is very god of god the same to haue ben borne very maÌ„ of a woman a virgine without the helpe or workynge of man But by the worke of the diuine spirite And that he hathe come in to this worlde nat only to redeme the worlde The causes of Christes comyng into the worlde but also to teache and instructe vs with moste full auctorite to kendle enflame vs with diuerse argumeÌ„tes vnto the loue of the heuenly lyfe Now considre me I praye the howe many horrible heresies erroures the lyghte of this verite hathe driuen awaye yt is very sore agaynst my wyl to reherce the detestable and abominable blasphemes with the vnhappy names of the authoures of them but yet thys thynge shal profyghte and healpe wel hereunto that we may bothe more fastly hold and kepe our beleâ—â—e and also geue thankes the more abundantly to god whiche hathe vouchesaued to open and shewe so greatte lyghte vnto vs. That many dyd erre and holde wronge opinions aboute his diuine natiuite of his father it is lesse to be meruayled Carpocrates Câ—rinthus Ebion Paulus Samosatensis Photinus But it is a poynte of more madnesse that his humane natiuite which hathe ben proued and declared by so many and so euident argumentes hathe ben assailed with so many monstres of opinions Carpocrates Cerintyusâ— Ebion Paulus Samosatensis and Photine in name but Scotine in very dede do graunte that Christ was a very man But they saye that he was a pure a mere man borne betwene man and woman after the maner of other menâ— albeit he had the soule of a prophete These men do mutilate and mayme the persone of Christ of more than the one halffe The same men do saye that Christe is called the son of god but by free adoption lykewise as other good vertuose men are And that he was nat at all afore that he was borne of the virgine These heretikes sayncte Iohan euaÌ„geliste dothe openly refelle and coÌ„fute pronouncyng plainly Iohan. i. That the selfe same worde which in the begynnyng was with god and was god to be made fleshe And in the same euangeliste our lorde hymselfe speaketh openly in this wyse Afore that Abraham was made Iohan. viii I am Agayne Paule in the .ix. chapiter to the Romaynes saythe Roma .ix. ☞ Of whome Christe cam as touchyng his body whiche is god ouer all thynges blessed for euer more Neither are the Manicheis any whitte lesse madde than these afore reherced which do gyue vnto Christ som parte of the diuine nature Manicheisâ— but they do styfly affyrme that he toke vpon hym mannes body nat a very body in dede but only a phantasticall body lykewise as we do rede that aungels and fendes haue otherwhiles apered iÌ„ bodily shape and lykenesse vnto men These persons do make Christe a iuglere or a trogeter and a wonderfull deceiuer of men But a phantasme is nat borne of a woman Neyther can a phantasme or spirite do those thynges whiche our lorde dyd so many yeres space throughout all hys lyfe tyme eatyng drynkyng slepynge waxyng wery hungrieng thurstynge speakyng beyng conuersaunte among men at none dayes geuynge hymselfe to be touched and handled to be crucified slayne He hymselfe also sayde to his disciples in the laste chapiter of Luke whaÌ„ they were astonied abashed because they thought that they had sene a spirite or a ghoste Luc. xxiiii ☞ Wherfore are you troubled saythe he and why do thoughtes and musynges ascende into your hertes Beholde my handes and my fete for it is euen myne owne selfe Handle me se for a spirite hathe neyther fleshe ne bones so as you do se that I haue Ualentine Nexte after these cometh Ualentine the framer forger of worldes whiche imagined Christe nat to haue ben gendred of the substauÌ„ce of the virgine but to haue broughte with hym a celestiall body from heuen or els which thyng madde Appelles dothe wene raither to be true a body taken of the elementes in the ayre Appelles and so to haue passed thrugh the body of the virgine lykewyse as liquoure and lyghte passethe through a pype of lede or throughe a cranel or hole But this is nat proprely to be borne but to passe throughe for neyther dothe the cranel or hoâ—e gendre or brynge forthe the sonne be alme but the sonne itselfe neyther dothe the pype gendre the liquoure but the fountayne or sprynge dothe it But whan Paule the apostle saythe vnto the Romaynes these wordes Ro. i. Qui factus est ex semine Dauid secundum carnem .i. Whiche as touchyng fleshe was made of the sede of Dauid and in the .iiii. chapiter to the Galatianes Misit deus filium suum factum ex muliere .i. Gala. iiii God sente his son made or gendred of a woman By these wordes he dothe openly professe that Christe dyd take the substaunce of his body of the substauÌ„ce of the virgins body Neither euery thynge whiche ony maner way is bredde or gendred of man is forthwith a man for els lyse sholde be called men But that thynge whiche is conceyued in the matrice or wombe of a woman of the very substauÌ„ce of man and in due and lawfulle tyme is borne broughte forth by naturall membres in all markes and tokens lyke a man and whiche is called a sonne that thynge veryly is a man Arrius Nexte cometh Arrius by soo muche the more wretched and madde in opynyon by howe muche he dothe more subtely craftily geue vnto Christ the body of a man taketh from hym the sowle of man saynge that the godhed was in stede of soule soo that in Christ after his opinion there were but two natures that is to witte the bodye of man and verbum id est the worde whiche same worde for all that Arrius willeth to be a creature in dede more excellent than all other creatures but yet a creature But with what face do they confesse grauÌ„t hym to be a man from whome they doo take awaye the better parte of man For who doth not know that man is made of .ii. separable substaÌ„ces that is to witte of the body as of the materiall substauÌ„ce and of the soule as of the fourme wherfore yf ony spirite doth moue the body of a deade man no man wyll calle it a man that he seeth but a wondre or monstre But
and another person of god and that Marie is not well called the mother of god but onâ—ly the mother of man all be it that the anngell in Lukes Gospel dothe saye to the virgine Luce. i. ☞ For that holye thynge whiche shall be borne of the shall be called the sonne of god For the vnite of the personage causeth that by a certayne idiomatuÌ„ .i. communione of proprietes of speakynge euen those thynges whiche do not agree but onely vnto the humane natu re maye also be sayde aryghte of god but onely in the voyces concrete God was borne of a virgine but not the godhed God suffred but not the godhede and Man is god but not the Nature of man is the godhed But because there is none ende of errouxes I wyll make an ende of this rehersall and I feare leste I haue allredye made the werye with rehercynge soo manye erroures DISCIPLE Uerylye I haue pitie on these heritikes Howe be it yet there madnes hathe doone me good by reason of whome it is caused that bothe I do more clerely perceyue and see the trouthe and also do more fastly beleue it MAG The heretikes are worthy no thaÌ„ke herefore but god is very greatlye to be thanked whose goodnes hath tourned the malyce and wickednes of other men vnto his seruauntes in to the lucre and encreace of godlynesse DIS Why is not than the symbole or Crede made in the synode holden at Constantinople contented to saye natus ex Maria virgine id est borne of the virgine Marie but addeth et homo factus est that is to say and was made man MAGI For they which wold dispute ony thynge subtyly of Christe allthough they be holden with diuerse sondry erroures yet in this one thynge they do al agree that they do deny hym to be man in as muche as they do take from hym some thynge whiche yf we haue not none of vs sholde be called truely a very man Therefore is this expressed Et homo factus est that is to saye And he was made man that no man sholde come to baptisme beynge infected with the poyson of them For els what man is so farre without coÌ„mune iudgemeÌ„te and reason that whan he hereth saye that the two Gracches were borne of Cornelia wyll aske the question whether the two Gracches were men DIS Whereof come it than that these men were soo meruaylously blynde MAG Ueryly because they had leuer make serche and dispute of the diuine matters than symplely to beleue theÌ„ The scripture sayth that we shal haue none vnderstondynge or perceyuynge excepte we wyll beleue But they wold perceyue and vnderstonde by the prowde philosophie of the worlde afore that they wolde beleue Lette here therfore be the ende of this coÌ„munication that after thou haste recorded these thynges with thy selfe in thy mynde and haste geuen thankes to the diuine spirit thou mayste retourne the more cherefull and lusty to learne the residue that is behynde The fourth in struction DISCIPLE IT foloweth ☞ He suffred vnder Ponce pilate was crucified deade buried M. Those men that geue vnto Christe an imaginarye and phantasticall body the same men do saye that all suche thynges as it is red that Christe dyd suffre in hys humane nature he dyd nat suffre them in very dede but only phantastically and apparently But we whiche taughte by god do beleue that he was a very man do also beleue that he did suffre verily and mater in dede both in mynd in body and that he was verily crucified deade and buried The deathe of a naturall man is the separation of the soule from the body whiche separation whan it is ones made all we do knowe what maner a thyng the deade body is than but the soule be cause it is iÌ„mortal though the body be decayed and fallen awaye yet hathe it styll beynge lyuynge with Christe if it departed froÌ„ the body with faythe and lokynge after the resurrection and risynge agayne of her owne body D. What difference is there betewne an aungell and a soule that is separated from the body The differeÌ„câ— betwene an aungell and a soule separated frome the body M. Uerily this that a soule is in dede a mynde lykewise as aungels are but so created of nought whan it is putte into the body that it is naturally apte to geue life to gouerne and to moue nat euery maner body but that body only to whiche it is spicially appoynted and ordayned by god This diâ—fereÌ„ce is there betwene the deathe of Christe and the deathe of one of vs The differeÌ„ce betwene Christes deathe and oures that our soule by the violence of sicknesse and disease orels thorowe defaulte and wante of humoures is driuen out from our body But our lorde willyngly layde from hym his soule and lyfe euen lykewise as he dyd wylfully com to the crosse and passion A token hereof and an euidente argumente is Math. xxvii that he gaue vp the ghoste vpon the crosse immediately after a greate and a strong crye Ye moreouer his owne selfe also saythe in the gospell of Iohan. Iohan. x. ☞ Noman taketh away my lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ mine owne selfe D. But where was in the meane season the word or the seconde ê‘sone of the godhed whiche thou saydest to be so vned knytte to man that both together made one persone was it in the soule departed from the body orels was it in the deade body M. SaiÌ„t Augustine deuotely dyd beleue suppose that the godhed was neither separat froÌ„ the body neither froÌ„ the soule but was psente with theÌ„ both But it is bett not to entre into the coÌ„bre some mase of such maner questions out of whiche it is harde to fynde ony waye to gete out Now we do teache onely rudimentes and princyples and not the moste hyghe poyntes we do caste a fundation or grounde of our warke we doo not finishe and make it full perfighte for we do instructe a nouyce newely conuerted and not a diuine and to make an ende we doo informe a ionge soldier to faythe beleffe not an olde worne chauÌ„pion to battayle and fyghte DISC. Why do we adde these wordes passus est that is to say He suffred seyng that the sayde wordes are not â—â—ded of them in the olde tyme Dothe he not suffre who so euer is crucified MAG It appereth that this particle also was added agaynste certayne men whiche dyd imagine that the worde dyd as it were swalowe vp the body that it toke vnto it selfe and transfourming it after a certayne maner into it selfe dyd make it suche a maner body that it could nat fele any payne or greffe They say that Galanus was the authoure of this opinion Galanus But the scripture on euery syde speaketh openly agaynste this Fyrste Esaie the prophete saythe Esaie liii◠☞ He hath verily taken vpon hym our sycknesses and our sorowes and greffes he hathe borne
a season that he myghte purchace and obtayne the blessynge of god for vs. It dyd also pertayne and belonge to the faythe and credence of the historie that he sholde dye condemned by open iudgemente and that he sholde geue vp the ghoste a hyghe vpon the crosse leste onye man myghte els suspecte and mysdeme either that it was no very deathe orels that another man hade ben putte in Christes stede Laste of all it was conueniente that he sholde dye on hyghe with his armes stretched out abrode whiche for his vnspeakable charite dyd couete to embrace all men and wylled all men to be saued lykewyse as he sygnyfienge the kynde maner of his death to his discâ—ples sayde Ioan. xiâ— WhaÌ„ I shal be lyfted vp froÌ„ earth I wyl drawe all thyngê vnto myne owneselfe And I tolde the gaue the knowledg also here to fore that the lorde came into the worlde not onely to clense vs from our synnes For what causes our lorde came in to the worlâ—e but also bothe to shewe vs the waye by which we must come to eternall glorye and also to geue streÌ„gth to our weaknes by reason of which we are prone redy to fall agayne into synnes also are to eble to beare either ê“sperite or aduersite but with the one that is to witte with prosperite we are corrupted made wanton and proude and with the other we are dismaide mated and stricken into heuinesse and despayre For who so euer with ful fayth and trust setteth his tyes stedfastlye vpon Christe fastened on the crosse that persone as he is afrayde soo ofte in a certayne maner to crucify Christe agayn as he doth coÌ„mitte those thynges for the washynge awaye of whiche he suffred death who soo euer doth coÌ„mitte those synnes from whiche Chryste dyed to make vs free doth after a certayne maner crucifie Christe agayne euen so scasely is there ony man so feble weake mynded but that he doth more pacieÌ„tly with more quiete mynde suffre the afflictioÌ„s of this worlde whan he doth considre recken in his mynde howe many thynges he hathe suffred for vs which was free froÌ„ all inflection of synne And who can be founde so vngentle vnkynde that he wyl not loue hym agayn whiche dyd so fyrste loue hym and with so great benefyghtes prouoke hym to loue agayn Brefflye all the philosophie wisdome all the solace coÌ„forth al the strength of a christeÌ„ mynd is iÌ„ the crosse of Chrst. But the consyderation of these matters belongeth not to this businesse whiche we nowe purpose and haue in hande DIS why wold he hange in the middes betwen two theues MAG To shewe that euen to malefactours and synnefull persones there is hope of saluation in the myddes of theyr vere ponishementes yf they wyll beseche desire sorowfully the mercy of Christ. DI. Why wolde he not that his legges shold be brokend MAG Num. ix Because it was so darkely prophecied before you shall breake no bone of it DI. ye but these thynges were not so don because it was prophecied and sayde before that they shold be don after such maner but therefore were they sayde before because god had so eternally ordayned and perfixed that they sholde be don in suche wyse MA. Thou doest very well a righte to thynke that there was nothynge don in Christe without skylle or by fortune and chaunce but that all thynges were done by the decre ordinaunce of eternall god But yet the scripture dothe otherwhiles speake after this maner vt implerentur scripture id est that the scriptures sholde be fulfylled How this coÌ„iunctioÌ„ vt is taken other whiles in the scripture But in this maner of speakyng the coniunction vt id est that dothe nat betoken the ende and finall cause but that that foloweth cometh to passe and the proffe of the thyng The scripture wente before the proffe or perfourmaunce dyd folowe and cam after And it was very semely and conuenieÌ„t that that moste sacred and blessed body of Christe shold haue no maner faughte or deformite that is to witte none vnperfighte membre lame or croked lykewise as it is beleued that our bodies shall nat haue in the generall resurrection To cause beleffe of his resurrection the printes and tokens of the fyue woundes were sufficiente whiche as it were certayne preciouse stones do nat disfigure that blessed body but do beautify and anorne it And for the same purpose he wolde naâ— that his body sholde corrupte putrify in the graue Ioannis .xix. He dyed and gaue vp the ghoste afore it cam to the breakyng of the legges and he rose agayne afore that the deade body was corrupted These thyngê do so coÌ„mende the dignite of hym that they do not let or hyndre the verite of his nature D Why wold Ioannis .xix. he be layde vp into a newe graue in which neuer ony man had ben layde as yet and besydes that cutte or hewde out of the naturall stronge roche of stone whi Christe wolde be buried in a new sepulchre MA. This thynge dyd make partely for the dignite of Christe and partelye for the fayth and credence of the history But in euery one of these thynges are hydde greate mysteryes whiche thou shalte than here whan thou hast layde awaye thyne infauncie i. Cor. iii. Nowe we do offre mylke vnto the as to an infauÌ„te or yonge babe D. Seynge that this history is coÌ„firmed estableshed by so many argumeÌ„tes haue there ben ony meÌ„ whiche dyd dowte of the trouth MA. The Iewes do graunte coÌ„fesse that Iesus was crucified verye matter in dede The Iewes but they do denye that he was crucified for the saluatioÌ„ of the worlde There haue ben also certayne christeÌ„ men which do ê“fesse that Christe dyd verily suffre in his humanite that for the helth of the worlde but the same did supose raither thaÌ„ fastly affirme that lykewise as he suffred in his body here vpon earth for lyue meÌ„ euen so his soule dyd suffre iÌ„ helle for the soulê that were kepte holdeÌ„ there agayne that after his resurrection he was crucified or shal be crucified in the ayer for the spretes of the ayer Basilides Basilides a maÌ„ full of pytye god knoweth doth deny that Christe hymselfe was fastened on the crosse Luce. xxiii but he sayth that one Simon of Cyrene was hanged vp in his stede whiche was compelled to be Christes vicare in bearyng of his crosse But yf it were soo that an other man was crucified in his stede than dyd he hymselfe neither dye neither ryse agayne neither dyd he redeme vs with his owne deathe But these are but the dreames and fonde fantasies of maÌ„nes mynde The scripture dothe moste manifestlye teache vs that Christe hath not suffred but ones for all that he died vpoÌ„ the crosse vnder PoÌ„ce Pilate that he died not for ony other creatures saue onely
in body and soule But what sholde a man stryue agaynste them that doo denye the euidente scripture and agreynge with it selfe in so many places For nothynge hathe ben taughte more diligently of the Euangelystes than the argumentes and proffes of the resurrection And saynte Paule dothe not onely confirme the resurrection in euery place but he dothe also describe the maner of the resurrection to the Corinthianes and to the Thessalonianes i. Cor. xv i. Thessa. iiii For as for the opinion of them that were called Chiliaste Chiliaste whiche dyd dreame that by the space of a thousand yeres after the risynge agayn of our bodyes we shall enioye plentuosly in this world all suche maner pleasures wherewith the bodyly senses are delyted and pleased it is not worthy to be called an opinion but raither a prodigiouse and a wondrefull madde erroure And as for all the cauillations whiche maÌ„nes witte dothe engendre howe or by what meanes the same bodye whiche hath ben so manye maner wayes chaunged from one thynge into another can be restored agayne the very same in noumbre these cauyllations I saye are shaken of and putte awaye by faythe and beleffe by whiche we do beleue that he is god and that he is almyghty whiche worketh all these thynges that he is not subiecte vnder the lawes of nature whiche dyd create and make nature And what meruayle is it yf he dothe restore the body of that thynge that is whiche dyd fyrste at the begynnynge make heuen and earth and aungelles all of nothynge And seynge that we do dayly see soo many miracles in the workes of nature as for exauÌ„ple of a very lytle sede to ryse a great strong tree and of a gressehoper nowe beynge olde by castynge of his skynne to flye forthe a yonge one of a Eruoa id est cankerworme redy to dye to lepeforthe a lusty and a swyfte Papilionem .i. butterfly why sholde ony thynge seme vnbeleueable which god that is almighty dothe worke contrary to the lawes and course of nature It foloweth he asceÌ„ded into heueÌ„ and sytteth on the ryghte hande of god the father Ioan. iii. NomaÌ„ sayth saynte Iohan goeth vp into heueÌ„ saue he whiche hathe come downe from heuen the sone of man that is in heuen The worde or sone of god came downe from heuen not that he departed from the father or chaunged his place for as muche as the diuine nature is so in euery place that yet that notwithstandyng it is coÌ„tayned in no place but the same worde whiche by dyspeÌ„sation dyd come into the wombe of the blessed virgine after that he hadde finished the mystery of our redemption Actuum .i. beynge than incarnate dyd in verye dede ascende vp into heuen withdrawynge the syghte of his body from his disciples and caryeng or conuayenge vp the myndes of them to heuenly thynges that they sholde geue themselues mete vessells and apte to receyue the spirite that was to come Neither dyd he laye from hymselfe the body whiche he hadde taken vnto hym and leue it in the sonne soo as wretched Salencus dyd fondlye ymagine Salencus So he whiche as touchyng his diuine nature was alwayes in the same glorye with his father is nowe with his humane nature also sette in the glorye of his father beynge made lorde of all thynges whiche are in heuen and in earthe D. It semeth not vnreasonable nor vnmet to assygne or geue vnto Christe a ryght parte or a lefte parte as concernynge his body But in the father to ymagyne ony suche maner thynge it semeth too come nere and to be agreynge vnto the erroure of the Anthropomorphites MAG To sytte on the ryghte hande of the father is spoken not without a trope or fygure so that thou moste vnderstande by this maner of speakynge that he is egal in honoure and felow in raygnynge with the father what is meaÌ„t whan it is sayde that Christ sitteth on the fathers righte hande DISC. But why dyd they not rayther expresse this sentence and meanynge by playne and propre or mete wordes sayenge he wente vp into heuen where he raygnethe egall to the father MAGS I haue tolde the alredye that the scripture dothe oftentymes shape and apply her language vnto our affectioÌ„s Nowe the crede doth here coÌ„trefait the worde of the holy scripture for thus speaketh the holy ghoste in the psalmes of god the father of Christe glorified Psal. c.ix ☞ The lorde sayde to my lorde sytte thou on my right hande And our lorde hymselfe sayth in the Gospell Math. xxvi ☞ But yet for all that I say to you hereafter you shal see the son of man syttynge on the ryghte hande of god Lykewyse Peter the Apostle speakynge of Christe saythe i. Pet. ii ☞ whiche is syttyng in heuen at the ryghte hande of god In lyke maner saynte Paule writeth to the Ephesyanes Ephe. i. ☞ Accordynge to the workynge of his myghty power whiche he wroughte in Christ Iesu settynge hym on his owne ryghte hande in heuenly thyngê aboue all rule power myghte and dominatiâ—ns and aboue euery name whiche is named not onely in this worlde but also in the worlde to come Moreouer saynte Steuen in the Actes sawe Actuum .vii. the heueÌ„s open and Iesu standynge on the ryghte hande of god DISC. Howe dyd saynte Steuen see hym stande How Christe is sayd to syt and howe to stande on the righte hande of the father whiche in other places is sayde to sytte MAG Here also know thou to be a trope To sytte is a poynte of one that resteth of one that raigneth and of a iudge To stande belongeth to one that succurreth or helpeth He sytteth whiche without care gouerneth all thynges He standeth beynge redy to helpe al those that desyre helpe of hym In that he is a iudge he is sayde to syt in that he is an aduocate He is sayd to stande i. Ioan. ii we haue saythe saynte Paule an aduocate in heuen DIS But Christe as concerâ—ynge his humane nature is not egall to the father MAG How coulde that that is but a creature be egall to the creator But for cause of the vnyte of the person all those thyngê are well and a ryghte geuen to Christe whiche are agreynge to hym as touchynge his humane nature soo that we doo vse the names or vocables of the persone or vocabulis suppositi as some other men do call it DISC. In as moche as Mat. xxviii Christe dothe promyse that hymselfe wyl contynue and abyde with vs vnto the ende of the world Actuum .i. why was he lyfted vp into heuen bodyly in the syghte of al his disciples M. To this question dothe the apostle make aunswere in the thyrde chapiter to the Colossianes ☞ Seche you those thynges that are aboue where Christe is sittyng on the ryghte hande of god This syght was shewed to the bodyly eyes of them to th ende that he wolde kendle and
churche with some haynouse and manifeste crime not as I wene for that they dyd take awaye from suche maner men all hope of saluation but that they myght beryue them the honoure of the felowshyp or coÌ„pany to the puttynge of other men in feare of doynge the lyke whiche thynge saynâ—t Augustine doth wytnesse and recorde euidently of those persones whiche after beynge ones reconciled to the church by penauÌ„ce had falne agayn into the same or els into lyke cryme trespasse Man may shytte to man the dores of the churche but heuen no man may shytte but onely god So in the old tyme those persones which beynge prestes or deacons had committed an euident and manifeste cryme were put out of the clergy without any hope of commyng in agayne The same thyng was done to the byshopes But this seuerite or sharpenesse of correction also was mitigated of them that came after Concernyng coÌ„fession and satisfaction bothe there hathe ben greate stryfe in tymes passed and also now these dayes is renewed agayne Nota But I doo thynke and iudge it both most surest waye and also most mete to the sauyng and kepyng of the commune concorde with symple obedience to folowe that thyng which the auctorite of the church hath taught vs that is to say according to the prouerbe of the Brekes to bowe and lene towardes the better syde and to abstayne and forbere from such thynges wherof thou doste stande in doubte Now resteth and is behynd the last part of the Symbole or crede The risyng agayn of the fleshe Here thou heareste the endynge of the world whan Math. xiii Math. xxv good men shal be disseuered and sundred from euyll men so that the wycked and vngodly persones shall Apo. xxi haue no hope to haue an ende ones of theyr payne and tourmentes neyther the good and godly persones shall haue any sorow or greffe no nor yet haue any feare of euyl Roma viii whan also the very creature which doth now mourne with vs shalbt delyuered and set free from all maner incommodytes or displeasures How al thynges shall â—e new after the resurrection All thyâ—ges than shal be newe not by chauÌ„gyng of theyr substaunce but by the reason that theyr qualite shal be chaunged Fleshe By the name of fleshe here in this particle is vnderstanded and mente the body of man by Rysynge agayne rysyng agayn is mente reuiuyng and waryng lyue agayne All the articles of the Crede in very dede are to be holdeÌ„ and kept by faste and stable belefe The article of resurrectioÌ„ of all other is most firmely to be beleued but this article most specially of all other is firmely to be beleued which doth brynge moste chefly solace comforte to good vertuose men beyng in tribulation and aduersite here in this world and also on the other seyd agayn dothe putte wycked men moste in feare and drede which els wolde fall without measure or ende into all maner abominations and synnes if after this lyfe both good men and badde sholde not be the one rewarded the other ponyshed accordingly to theyr deseruynges This is the fundation and grounde of all our whole faythe whiche ought to be moste stronge and stable whiche if it be loose and vnstable al other thynges wel nere are beleued in vayn Let the wretched Sadduceâ—s therfore goo theyr waye Sadduceâ— which in so muche do not beleue the rysyng agayn of the bodyes that they do neyther Math. xxii Actuum xxiiâ— beleue that there are aungelles no nor yet any spiritê as who shold saye that there were nothynge verily beyng in the nature of thynges but onely that which is open and perceyueable to the bodyly senses from which senses nothing is more farre away than is the very godhed Fare wel they also whiche do professe that the soules shall ryse or reuiue agayne but the bodyes in no wyse where as in very dede the soule in as much as it is immortal can no more reuiue and ware alyue agayne than it can dye But they do call it the resurrection of soules whan they shall be called forth to blysse out of the secrete places in whiche after theyr madde dreames they had for a certayne tyme and season lyen hydde Fare well they also whiche do denye that this selfe same bodye whiche we do beare about with vs shall reuiue and lyue agayne but do say that to euery man shall be gyuen another body much more excellent and better than this is But we shal not be the same meÌ„â— if we shall not receyue agayne the same bodyes And I pray you what nede is it to create newe bodyes whan god by his almyghty power is able to restore these same bodyes to most perfyght clarite and bryghtnesse and also to blessed immortalite not chaungynge the substance of the body but chaungynge the qualites of the body into muche better Chiliaste Fare well also the Chiliastes whiche of the reuelation of sayncte IhonÌ„ misconstrued and wronge vnderstonded dyd dreame that we shall ones reuiue and lyue agayne and that by the space of a thowsand yeres we shall vse and enioye plentuosly all the delicies and voluptes of this wordle But we gyueng credence to the wordes of blessed Iob. Iob. xix And I shal be coumpased agayne rounde about with myne owne skynne and in myne owne fleshe I shall see my god whome euen I myn owne selfe shall see and not another person and also herkenyng and beleuyng saynâ—t Paule which wrote in this wyse ☞ He that hath reysed vp Iesu Roma viii shall rayse vp vs also with Iesu. We I saye vpon the faste credence and belefe of these aforereherced auctorites do recken our selfe moste sure and out of doute that all men shall reuiue and lyue agayne in the ende of the worlde with the same bodyes whiche they doo beare about in earth and that they shall none otherwyse ryse agayn than Christ hymselfe dyd ryse agayne whiche shall conâ—forme and make lyke our bodyes to his owne body glorified The immortalite of the bodyes shal be commune bothe to good men and badde men But to the wycked ê‘sones immortalite shall bryng or cause euerlastynge tourmentes and to the good and godly persones it shall brynge or cause eternal ioye and blysse How be it yet it ought rayther more truely to be called the eternall deathe of wycked men than the immortalite of them And therfore that particle euerlastyng lyfe whiche certayne persones haue added and put to out of the masse crede appertayneth onely to the good godly men where as the word of resurrection doth egally appertayn bothe to the good and to the badde Howe be it yet this worde resurrectioÌ„ also is so vsed otherwhyles Howe this word resurrection is takeÌ„ other whyles in the scriptures that it dothe appertayne onely to good men as for example whaÌ„ our lord sayth in the gospell of IhonÌ„ I
I wyll requyte If enuye dothe brenne thy mynde saye ☞ I beleue in god which distributeth his giftes to euery man as he lyste hym self why shold I enuye my brother and felowe seruaunt the liberalyte bounty of our commune father and lorde How muche more ryght and reason is it that I shold gyue thankes to my father and lorde for two causes bothe for that he hathe gyuen so manye thynges to me aboue my deseruynge and also for that he dothe gyue these thynges to me by my brother for what so euer thynge is gyuen to any one of the membres that same thynge is both the vauntage and also the anourameÌ„t of the whole body Auarice If auarice dothe tempte and prouoke the to dysceyte and rauine or extorsion sayinge on lesse thou dost make haste to gather goodes by hooke or crooke by ryghte or wronge thou shalt be oppressed with pouerty in thyne age thy chyldren shall begge make aunswere I wyll not do it for Math. viâ— Lucc xii I beleue and truste in god that he the which fedeth the sparowes whiche clotheth and couereth the lylyes of the feldes shall not suffre his owne souldyer to starue and petyshe for hungre Glotony If concupiscence shall prouoke the to eâ—cesse and superfluite of meate or drynke and suche other saye god forbede that I shold do this ☞ for I truste or beleue in god whose lyberalite and bounty hath graunted me these thynges not to glotony and intemperance but to sobre and measurable vse what so euer parte hereof is bestowed vpon the fullfyllyng and satisfyenge of concupiscence it is thefte it is rauyne yea moreouer it is sacrilege it is idolatrye what so euer remayned aboue my necessaries it was the goodes of pore meÌ„ it was due to the meÌ„bres of Christ and that it is bestowed on drunkennes and surfeyte is in the contempte dyshonoure of god offred in sacrifice to deuylles If fleshely luste doth prouoke the to fornication and adultery Lechery refuse and defye it saying ☞ I beleue in god the father to whose eyes these thynges are displesaunte I wyll neuer do so lewedly that for so lytle a pleasure I wyll lesâ— the inheritaunce of the heuenly ioyes the securite and quietnesse of a good and clere conscience He is a foolyshe merchaunte which wyll alowe such maner exchaunge If I wolde be ashamed to commytte any such synne if my earthly father were present to loke on me howe much more ought I to feare the eyes syght of that heuenly father Nowe if we do come to Christ which hath more familiarly set forth afore vs the ensaumple of vertuose godly lyfe what parte is there of the christiane philosophie whiche we maye not sufficiently learne hereof who wolde not be kendled to the loue of virginite and chastite whan he heareth that Christ was borne of a virgine which also in his owne body hath commended virginite to vs Who wold not be ashamed to defyle wedlocke with adulteries or in wedlocke to serue the fleshely luste whan he considereth and calleth to mynde the wedlocke of Mary and Ioseph more chaste than all virginite The hyghâ— dignite of the nature of man Besydes this whan he shall considre and thynke that so muche honoure hath ben gyuen to the nature of man that it hath ben receyued to the company and felowshyp of the diuine persone in Christe and that it doth sytte on the ryght hande of the father sholde he not be afrayde to caste downe hymselfe to beastly pleasures of glotony lecherye The aungelles do acknowledge and do worshyp the mystery as sayncte Peter doth wytnesse in the fyrste chapitour of the fyrst epistle And therfore in the .xix. chapitoure of the Apocalipse whan S. Iohan fell downe on his knese to worshyppe the aungell the aungell forbad hym saying See that thou do not so I am thy felowe seruaunte and of thy brothern hauyng the testimonie of Iesu but afore the incarnation of Christe the same was not sayde lykewyse to Abraham or to Daniell whan they worshypped an aungell In as muche than as aungelles do confesse and acknowlege the dignite of the nature of maÌ„ how vnworthy and howe vilaynouse a dede is it to defowle it with the moste vyle fylthe of vyces and synnes Why do we not rayther herken to sayncte Peter exhortynge vs in this wyse ii Pet. i. By whome he hath gyuen to vs preciouse and most greate promysses that by reason herof we sholde be made parttakers of the diuine nature if that we wyl flee from the corruptioÌ„ that is in the world through concupiscence and lust Furthermore he that with pure whole fayth doth professe hym to be lord owner howe dare he be bold to steale any part of hymselfe from hym gyue it to the dyuell in as much as he is whole his owne to whoÌ„e he dedicated gaue hymselfe whole in baptyme He that professeth hym to be Iesu why doth he seche for saluation or helth of any other thyng than of hym He that professeth Christe moste souerayng kyng prest with what face doth he despyse make lyghte of his lawes with what face doth he suffre that blessed and honourable sacrifice to be offred for hymself in vayn which Christ wold to be frutefull helthfull to all meÌ„ The sonne of god for thy loue was made maÌ„ to the entent that he wold make the of a maÌ„ a god doist thou in despyte of hym make thyselfe of a man a creature more vyle worse than any brute beaste Besyde this what other thynge is all the lyfe the death the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ than a moste pure and clere myrrour or glasse of the euaÌ„gelical philosophy The lyfe of Christ is the myrroure of all vertues Obedience Obedience is hyghly coÌ„mended praysed not without good cause this without exceptioÌ„ is fyrste principally due to god Christ was obediente to his father euen vnto death that the death of the crosse Philip. iâ— Next after god it is due to the pareÌ„tê Luce. ii He was made obedient subiect to theÌ„ whaÌ„ he was not ê‘ceiued vnderstoÌ„den of theÌ„ Some obedieÌ„ce also is due to them that beare any coÌ„mune office although they be euyll men he dyd not withdraw hym selfe from iudgement but Math. xxvi whan Caiphas demaunded a question of hym requyryng aunswere therof in goddes behalfe he made aunswere and certayne aunswers Iohan. xviii and .xix. Luce. xxiii he made also to Pilate Herode he dyd not greatly regarde to aunswere for asmuche as he dyd not there beare any commune offyce or authorite but dyd onely for his pleasure myndes sake goo about to haue gotten some miracle wrought of hym Math. iiii Satan the tempter he dyd reiecte in al poyntes Luce. iiii of the vnclene spirites he dyd not so muche as suffre to be praysed It is a greate vertue to dyspise humane and worldly
voyce or worde dothe signifye and betoken Now it is nothyng lyke of an ymage for there is no peryl lest the voyce or word of a man shold be worshypped but in ymages there is no ieopardye because certain philosophers haue taught that lykewyse as into a body beyng aptely made of nature a sowle doth entre euen so into an ymage proprely and connyngly made deuylles or wycked spirites do entre in And it is necessary that god by some sygne or token be declared and sygnifyed for and vnto whiche vse the speche of man was chefely and principally instituted and ordayned To the thyrd doute To the thyrde doute this aunswere take thou that after my mynd those men which done swere in theyr dronkennesse or in theyr angre or whiche for the entent to dysceyue or to hurt done wyttyngly for sweare theyrselues are rayther breakers of the fyrst precept and commaundement than of the second for such maner persones as thou doste saye eyther do not beleue that god is or els they do beleue that he is dull and foolyshe that he dothe not knowe what men done or els they beleuen that he is slepy and retcheles that he doth not care what they done or that he is euyll so that he doth fauour vices or els vnryghtuouse that he dothe not ponyshe noughtynes But those persons which eyther of custome or els without great cause do willfully swere they do synne trespase agaynste this seconde coÌ„maundement And that I maye aunswere somewhat also vnto the fourth doute To the iiiâ—â— doute Our lorde among his aduertisementes and counsaylles of perfection putteth this also that we sholde vtterly abstayne from swearynge any maner othe Math. v. The same thynge hathe semed best to certayn approued doctoures of the churche But with what coloure the custome may be excused of theÌ„ that nowe euery where done swere well nere in euery matter or busynesse let other men loke but veryly me semeth that an othe can scantly be excused but eyther by necessyte or els by the grauite and wayghtynesse of the matter By often othes we doo learne to forsweare our selues to make false othes I can not tell whether any man doo swere well which swereth willingly Nota. S Paule doth sweare but not for a cloke or garment nor for money but for the honoure and glorie of the gospell How be it yet I wyl not saye that euery custome or rashenes of swearynge is dealy synne but doutlesse it is very cousen aâ—d nere to synne and it is no good trustyng to this daungerouse waterbanke Therfore the more sure way is to folow the counsayll of our lord and of sayncte Iames. The thyrd coÌ„maundement The thyrd precept hath diuerse respectes for it appertayneth to the honouryng of god prescribyng appoyntyng euery .vii. day in which man shold altogether that is to say both in mynde and body gyue hymselfe to the workes belongyng to the honoure of god whiche is called Latria that is to wytte to hymnes to prayers to holy doctrine to sacrifices and to almoyse dedes and to other exercyses passetymes whiche do quycken and styrre vp fayth and loue towardes god leste any man myght excuse hymselfe and saye that he had no laysour for his necessary occupations busynesses to gather his mynd to those thynges whiche are appertaynynge to deuotion and honouryng of god It appertayneth also to humanite and gentlenesse towardes our neyghbour for so greate was bothe the vnmercyfulnes also the couetousnes of the Iewes in the olde tyme and euen so is it now a dayes of some christen men a lacke the more pitye it is that they wold graunt no recreation or reste at all from laboure to theyr bondemen to theyr handemaydes and to theyr hyred labourers or seruauÌ„tes beyng alienes and straungers And this cause dothe not the lawe dyssemble or hyde whan it addeth in the .v. chapitour of Deuteronomium Deute v. Remembre that thyselfe also hast ben bonde haste serued in Egypte and that thy lord god hath brought the out from thence to th ende that the remembrauÌ„ce of goddes myldenes and gentlenes shold be an exaumple to them of humanite and gentlenes to ve vsed towardes theyr neyghbour For lyke cause was the Iubile instituted that is to say the yere of lyberâ—tie and fredom euery seuenth yere The Iubileâ— Deute xv And as for that which is added in the .v. chapitour of Deuteronomium of the oxe also and â—â—e asse eyther it was set against the vnsatiable couetousnes of certayne men whiche whan it is not lawfull for themselues to exercyse any seruyle work yet doo let forthe theyr beastes to other men vpon the sabbot daye for lucre of money or els is it an hyperbole or exces added to the entent that we shold be remoued further awaye feom inhumanite and vnmercyfulnes towardes men syth we are bidden to spare euen our beastes also for this vnmercyfulnes or cruelty towarde brute beastes is a degree and steppe to vnmercyfulnes and crueltye towardes those men that are subiectes vnto vs for the oxe the asse also done vs seruice And as for this saynge of Paule â— Cor. x. ☞ Hath god any care or mynd of oxen He meaneth not by it that god hath no care at all of oxen for as muche as accordyng to the wytnesse of our lordes Math. x. owneselfe in the gospell there dothe not so much as a lytle sparow fall to the grounde without hym but he denyeth that goddes onely and chefe care is of oxen for lykewyse as he hathe created the helpynge beastes for mannes cause euen so dothe he care and prouyde for them for mannes cause â—IS What is a seruyle worke MAG For what worke is called serâ—yle sothe all maner outwarde worke which is wont to be exercysed for cause of luâ—re and getynge of money as husbondrie carpentrie bying and sellynge and suche other lyke DISCIPLE Why is that forboden that is an holy worke MAG For what entent the bodily laboure is forbodeÌ„ to be vsed on the sabbote day This outwarde worke is not forboden as beynge vitiouse and noughty but therfore is it prohibited that the worke which is of it selfe good sholde gyue place to that worke whichâ— is beste aud to that worke for whose For what worke man was created chiefly cause man was principally and chefely created and made that is to wyte that he shold know shold worshyp shold honoure and shold loue god aboue al thynges DIS May not god be honoured but by bodily reste and abstaynynge froÌ„ laboure MAG Nota. yes verily he bothe maye and ought to be honoured also in the myddes of our laboures But vnneth may a man lyfte vp his mynde towardes god so as is mete accordyng that he sholde do except he be free from such maner laboures which both do coÌ„sume spende away the tyme and also done challenge to themselues a greate parte of the â—ynde and done call