vs chiefly on hande to knowe howe he is mynded towardes vs. Quest That thou maiest knowe this what considerest thou chiefely in God. Ans Perfect iustice and perfect mercye Quest VVhat callest thou iustice and what callest thou mercy Ans These thinges are not in God as qualities But by gods iustice I meane that Gods nature is so pure and sounde of it selfe that he vtterly hateth and most seuerely punisheth all vnrighteousnes And by the name of perfecte mercye I meane that whatsoeuer he bestoweth vpon vs and specially the benefit of euerlasting life procedeth wholy of his mere free gift and grace Quest But these thinges agree not together For how is he a most sore punisher for those thinges which hee giueth of his mere grace Ans That these thynges doo very well agree the father hath well shewed in his sonne who hath made full satisfaction for our sinnes and is giuen vnto vs fréely by the father Quest Did not the father then or the holy ghost aby the death for vs Ans No truely none of them both but alonely the sonne whom the father sent and whom the holy Ghost teacheth and sealeth fast in vs. Quest Is not the Sonne verye God by nature and consequently the immortalitie it selfe as well as the father and the holy Ghost Ans Yes Neither were he our sauior if he were not God. Quest How then could he die Ans Where as by his godhead he was the eternall life it selfe he became man that he might die in the flesh Quest But the sonne is god vnchangeable how then is he become man Ans Not by minglyng the natures or properties together nor by any chaungynge of God into man or of man into God of whiche thynges none of bothe is possible but by so straite and familiar knittyng of the Sonnes Godhead to the nature of man taken vnto it that the Sonne of God béeyng very God and very man is henceforth one person Iesus Christ Quest And what maner of vnion is this Ans In gréeke it is called hipostaticall and in English Personall and so it is in déede Quest. I pray thee describe it that it may be vnderstoode at leaste wise after a sorte Ans The thinges are sayd to bée vnited in nature whiche come together into one nature whether the same be done without any growyng together mixyng together or turnynge one into another like as the three persons of the Godhead are one moste single substance or whether it be don by only knitting together like as the soule and body méete together as essentiall partes in making that which is man or whether it be by meanes of som mixture or turnynge of the one into the other like as befalleth in the interchange of the elements in thinges that be mixed And thinges are saide to be vnited personally which are ioyned in suche wyse as there ryseth therof but one selfsame person like as the body soule are so vnited to make the one nature of man that they close together into one person or particular Of this sort is also the vnion of the two natures in christ which ioyne together not to make some one third thing as Eutiches misweened but to make both one person without any confusion either of the natures themselues or of the essentiall properties And I sayd an vnion of natures but not of persons least it might be surmised that two persons were growen into one whereas in Christ there is one nature whych a man may see is peculiar to the woord it selfe and in that nature resteth also the other nature that was taken to it that is to with the nature of man For the person of god tooke not to it the person of man but the diuine nature and that in the onely person of the sonne that is to saye in respecte that the same godhed was the sonne and not in respecte that it was eyther the father or the holy ghost toke vnâ—o it mannes nature destitute of it owne â—ersonship as I myght terme it Therefore to bee short lyke as in the Godhead â—here bee three persones coming together â—n one selfesame nature euen so in christ â—here be two natures ioyned together in the one persone of the Sonne so as the â—hree persons are not three gods but one God by reason of the most single vniting of the three persons into one selfsame nature neyther are there two Christes but â—ne Christ by reason not of two perfect persons but of two perfect natures ioyned together not to make some one third nature but vnited into the person of the â—onne in which person both the natures â—re vphilde Quest Neyther comprehend I this secrete Ans Then yet agayne reuerence thou the thing that thou comprehendest not For all the whole Scripture cryeth out that it is moste true And if it were not so he shoulde not bee a Iesus that is to saye a sauiour to vs nor yet Christ that â—s to saye annoynted as our Soueraigne â—nd euerlasting Kinge Prophete and Préeste Quest. But coulde not God haue saued man by som other meane lesse remoued from our capacities Ans Certesse he could But this was the moste conuenient meane for him to shew as well his singular iustice as his singular mercy Quect How so Ans Because that if he had either saued vs without full satisfaction or exacted the same satisfaction of any other than of the nature that was indetted he might haue séemed to haue béene vnmindefull of his iustice and therfore it was requisite that our sauiour should bée a man But had he ben but only man hée shoulde neuer haue discharged gods wrathe and so consequently he should not haue ben able to winde himselfe out of it and muche lesse to deliuer vs And therfore it behooued that the flesh whiche was taken shoulde be sustayned and borne vp by the nature of the godhead most perfectly vnited vnto it Furthermore as concernyng mercy could there be geuen any surer euidenter yea or more diuine assurance of most perfect mercifulnesse thaÌ„ that the father hath euen his owne only sonne for his enemies and the sonne likewise geuen his â—wne life willyngly for vs that are most â—nworthy Quest It is euen so But was not Christ â—imselfe giltlesse An â–ª Yes forsoothe And therfore he was â—onceiued by the holy Ghost in the virgin â—ary not onely without any spot of vnâ—eannesse but also endewed with moste â—ingular sowndnesse and purenesse in his â—eash For otherwise he himselfe shoulde â—aue had néede of an other to bee his sauiâ—ur neither could his oblation haue pleaâ—â—d God neither truely coulde God haue â—ounde in his hart to haue vnited himself â—o so vncleane a nature Quest Coulde it then stand with the naâ—ure of the soueraigne Iustice to exacte â—unishmeÌ„t for other folks sinnes at the â—ands of a man that was moste giltlesse â—ea and also most holy An. In déede the father might haue séeâ—ed
full power sauinge him that hath made all thinges subiect vnto it Quest what meanest thou by essentiall properties An. That which beinge taken away the thing must of necessity no more be that which it was afore As for example if a body bée bereft of quantitie it must of necessitie cease to be a body Quest But God is almightie An. Who denies that Qu. Ergo he can bring to passe that one selfsame body may either bee in many places at once or somwhere as in a place and other somwher not as in a place but after some other incomprehensible maner An. That god can cause a thing y is not to be any more aswell as he hath caused the thinge to be which was not no man doubteth except he be stark mad and therfore a much les likelihod is it that he sholde not be able to alter the shapes qualities of thinges at his pleasure But to bringe to passe y a thinge should at once both be and not bee or at once be of suche sort and not of such sort god cannot do because he cannot lye And not to be able to lye is not a signe of weakenes but of vnuariable mightines Quest Then do you conclude that Christ is now absent from vs as concerning his madhod Ans Yea and so far of from vs as the earth where we be is distant from that place which is aboue al the heauens whither that fleshe of his is caried vp Q. Yet hath he himself said that he was then in heauen when he talked with Ni codemus vpon earth An. This and such other thinges are ment by cōmunicating of proprieties Quest What callest thou proprietie A That which logicians call propre after the fourth maner As for example to be infinite is a proprietie in the nature of the godhead and quantity is a proprietie in all thinges created and specially in bodily thinges Quest Then is this communicating false for asmuch as such maner of proprietie ceaseth to be propre or peculiar assone as it becommeth common An. This later part I simplye graunt vnto but not vnto the other Quest But these two thinges seeme to sticke inseperably together An. Then take thou the case to stand thus Either of christs natures y is to say his godhead his manhod keepe still theire essential properties to themselues with out communicating them the one to the other accordinge as I haue saide already which thing vnlesse we graunt infinite and vtterly wicked absurdities will insew For if his godhead shuld receiue into it selfe y properties of his manhod it shuld be trāsformed into māhod cōtrariwise if his manhod shuld admit into it selfe y properties of his godhead it shuld become a certaine counterfet godhead so as christ might be said to be neither verie god nor very man so consequently he shuld not be our sauior And therefore there is not any intercommuning either of natures or of essentiall properties For loke how false and wicked are these propositions flesh is the godhead and the godhead is flesh euen so false and wicked are these also Christs flesh is euery where or Christ is euery where as touching his flesh christs godhead is not euery wher◠or christ is not eueri wher as touching his godhead most false of al thē are these The godhead was crucifyed or died christs flesh is infinite Now although these two natures together with theire essentiall properties cannot communicate eche wyth other as I sayde afore yet are they vnited in such sort as they make but one selfesame partie or one person onely Therefore loke how false are these saide speches the godhead is flesh and flesh is the godhead ▪ so true catholyke are these god that is to wit the word is a man a man is god And that is by reason of the vnitie of y persons which springeth not of the comunicating of natures for as I told you there is no suche thinge vnlesse ye take cōmunicating for vnion whyche were to vnproper but of the vniting of natures For god is not a man in that he is god which thing must notwithstanding nedes folowe if the natures of the very essences that is to say of the godhed and of the manhod communicated eche with other that is to wit were the one as wel as y other but in another respect that is to wit in y he hath vnited a man vnto him Neither is a man god in y he is a man but in another respect namely in that he is vnited vnto god And looke what I haue said cōcerning the natures the same must also be vnderstoode cōcerning the essentiall properties which are vncōmunicable as well as y other Most trewe therfore are these speeches they must be laid forth in former wise god y is to wit y word was conceiued borne suffered was crucified died was buried rose againe namely in that he vnited a mā vnto him not in that he is god So also are these spéeches A man is y eternal infinite and inuisible son of god filling al things c. not as in himselfe y is to say not in y he is a man nor by any cōmunicating of properties but in y he ys takē into one person by the son of god Quest But these maner of speeches seme hard and very strange Ans Nay truly If thou woldest caste away thy misconceiued and preiudiciall opinion thou sholdest find thē to be excedinge fit to let forth the vnion of y natures which is so great y looke what thing cannot be sayde of the seuerall y is to wit of the godhead by it self or of the manhod by it self The same may very well be attributed to eyther of both ioyntly ▪ y is to wit eyther to god or to the man and that is because y of the two natures their is not made one nature but one person And therfore we auouche that in the natures there is an vnion not an vnitie and the the vnite is of the person onely Whervpon it cummeth to passe that the whole person not only is signified by the name of the whole person y is to say by Iesus which comprehendeth both y natures vnited together but also is ment by the name of either of both the natures that is to say by the sonne of god the sonne of man howbeit as considered ioyntlye not seuerally So also wheras the name Christe that is to say anointed agreeth properly but to the manhod onlye for the godhead was not anoynted but did anoynt yet doth it betokē y who le person And it is a cōmon ordinary matter in al things to speake of persons after the like maner to shew y vniting of the partes of which the vnity of y persō cōsisteth So this maner of spéeche Peter is an apostle is as proper as may be agreing to Peters whole persō to the seueral parts therof y
to do his sonne wrong if he had puâ—ished him as an offender He strake â—im therfore not as an offender but as â—ne that of his owne accord was willyng â—o yeeld himselfe as a borowe or suretie for the vnryghtuous and therefore thâ— father did nothyng that myght not wâ— stand with his iustice Quest But why was he condempned â—â— the barre before the Iudge and also exâ—cuted by the death of the Crosse seynâ— he coulde haue dyed otherwise also foâ— vs Ans To the ende it might thereby thâ— better appeere that he became accurseâ— for our sakes and that he toke vpon hyâ— the whole wrathe of his father against our sinnes to set vs at full liberty Quest But death is incident to the bodie onely and therfore by this death oâ— his he seemeth to haue discharged buâ— onely our bodies And yet notwithstanding all of vs dye still VVhereupon iâ— seemeth to followe that he saueth neyther bodie nor soule Ans It was requisite that Christ should take vnto him both soule and body togeether that he might both die for the fyrsâ— death is the separation of the soule from the body and also that being become perfecte man he might deliuer men whole â— perfecte Quest Meanest thou then that he suffered also the paines whereunto our soules â—e subiecte â—ns Yea verely for it is euen the chiest part of Christes sufferinges that beâ—es the extreme tormentes of most cruâ—l death he also endured for our sakes â—e most horrible weight of gods wrath â—an the whiche nothinge can bee more â—eadfull durynge whiche tyme hys Godhead did as it were rest in hym all â—e whyle to the intent that the manâ—de whiche he had taken vnto hym alâ—houghe it quite quayled not vnder the â—urden whyche otherwise had been vnâ—llerable to the verye Angels myght â—otwithstanding most sharply feele and â—â—nally beare out gods whole wrath vnâ—tterably inflamed agaynst all the sinnes â—f all the chosen euen till satisfaction were made to the full Therefore at what â—ime he hung vppon the Crosse he was â—lso in the middes of the torments of hell â—hat he might fully deliuer vs from both the deathes Quest But I pray you if he came to deâ—iuer vs from death why did he himself dye Ans Because that else the said soueraine iustice of god whiche it béehooued to be satisfied should not appéere in our redemption And therefore the more glorious is Christes victory euen in this respect that hée ouercame death by diyng Quest Why then doo the chosen sort die seyng Christ hath vanquished death for them Ans Because Christe is not come to restore vs into the same state of this world which wée haue lost in Adam but to remooue vs into farre better immortalitie which thing cannot bée done except wee depart out of this worlde Therfore albeit that this separation of the soule and bodye whiche is called the firste deathe sprange of sinne the remnantes wherof are euen in the holiest men yet notwithstandyng if ye marke well the purpose drift of God he strikes not the chosen with it properly as a iudge but sendes it to them as a most louyng father that calles away his children home to himselfe and therfore it not onely frayeth not the beléeuers but also refresheth and chéereth them Quest VVhy then did not that power of his vtter it self out of hande agaynst death Ans Verely it vttered it self out of hand in asmuche as his body suffered not any corruption Neuerthelesse it was his wil to haue it lie buried for a space bothe to the intent that his beyng dead in déede his death beynge confirmed also by the seales of his enemies might prooue his resurrection whiche was to insew anon after also to the intent hée might lyke a conqueror pursew death fléeyng away before him into his innermoste dungeon consequently perfume our graues with the quickening sent of his owne death Quest Is his resurrection then a witnes that he vndertooke to die willyngly to purchace immortalitie for vs Ans It is so For hée is rysen by his owne power neuer to die any more to the ende that wée also shuld be quickened in him for euermore Quest But why went he vp into heauen and not rather taried still with vs Ans In body he is verely and in deede gone away from vs amonge whom hée was and is mounted aboue all heauens where he was not afore in bodye bothe to the intent that hée beyng the first that is risen from death myght fyrst take possession of the heauenly kingdome triumphing ouer his vanquished enemies and also to teache vs to hye vs thitherwarde where he hath prepared a place for vs. And yet is he all the while present wyth vs by his spirite gouerning his Churche as the head gouerneth the members that be ioyned vnto it Quest Then hath he shifted his place to goe thither where as is no place Ans It is so he hath chaunged place accordinge as the thinge done witnesseth and according as the verynesse of a bodye yea thoughe it be glorifyed requyreth But hys chaunging of place is according to that nature whiche is bounded that is done not to forsake vs for in as muche as Christ is one persone God and man together he is neuerthelesse still present with his seruauntes by his whole power because hee is verye God but tâ— wythdrawe vs from the earthe and to teache vs to seeke heauenly thinges And where as thou sayest there is no placâ— whether as he is ascended it is a fondâ— imagination Let this suffice thee namely that the godhead onely is infinite anâ— that all other thinges either in heauen or aboue heauen or in earth or in the bottomelesse déepes and consequently his body which though it be a glorified body is notwithstandyng still a mans bodie are accordynge to the nature of them finite and bownded with place And how they be contained in that eternall glory wée shall then perceiue when wée come thither ourselues Quest Thou seemest then to deuide Christ or to make two Christs of whoÌ„ the one is present and thother is away Ans When I say that Christ is absent as concernyng his flesh and yet auouche him to be verily present both as concernyng his godhead and also if he be considered as a whole thing that is to say as one person God and man I deuide him not but take away the confoundyng of his natures Quest What is ment by his sitting at the right hand of the father Ans That he hauyng layd aside not the verines of his flesh but all infirmitie frailtie of the flesh is now aduaunced to such state of glorie as surmounteth all name That is to wit that his fleshe is already fully glorifyed by the godhead which dwelleth bodily in it without beréeuing it of the own essence or esseÌ„tiall properties and y it ordereth and ruleth all things in heauen and earth with
is to wit both to his soule his body but this maner of spéech â–ª Peter is the soÌ„ of Ionas agreeth to him as he is whole togither as he is considered to be some hole thinge y is to wete as he is considered by vnitie of person and not to bothe the seuerall partes of him sauyng in respecte of the one parte onely namelye of the body except perhaps thou thinkest that the soule also is begotten It is a like forme of speche when we terme any man a mortall creature or a reasonable creature â–ª which terme doubtlesse doe fitly agree to the whole man as he is whole by reason of the vnite of his person and yet that is but in respecte of some one of his partes only Yea truly the force of this personal vnion is so great that a man may speake of it in the same phrases of spech stil eueÌ„ after it is dissolued as if a man shoulde say Peter lyeth buried at Rome for we wil put the case to be so the proposition shal be trew and yet but in respect of his body onely albeit that Peter that is to say the whole person be named Quest VVherfore dost thou then term it a comunicating of properties if there be no comunicating of natures and essentiall properties in dede An. By communicating of properties wee meane not the very personall vnion or the maner of the vnion but the report that is made by reason of the personall â—…nion of the two natures in whiche reâ—ort the essentiall propertie or the opeâ—ation that agreeth to some one of the naâ—ures is attributed to the person in ioint â—esse and not in seueralnesse And forâ—smuch as this report is true ther must â—eedes also be truth contained vnder it Howbeit in the aforesayd respect that is â—o saye of the whole persone considered â—oyntly together Quest Then coÌ„cludest thou again that Christ as concerning his flesh is departed verely and in dede out of the earth vp aboue all the heauens and therefore is absent from vs that are vpon earth An. So is it And yet I graunt that Christ being man is still present wyth vs howbeit in another respect than of his manhod that is to wete in that the selfe same Christ which is man is God also yea and if thou wilt I graunt thee thus much more that Christes manhood also is present howbeit in other respect that is to wit not in it selfe or in it owne substaunce but in respect that it cleaueth by personall vnion vnto the word which is euery where therfore also is in verye deede in his supper Quest VVhat doth Christ then auail â—… now as touching his fleshe if hee hauâ— forsaken vs A. Nay he hath not forsaken vs in aâ— muche as euen now also in his glorifyed fleshe he disposeth althinges both in heauen and earth and hath receiued a namâ— that is aboue all names at hys fatherâ— hand By vertue of which aucthoritie he quickneth cherisheth and gouernetâ— his church in this worlde by hys secret vnutterable power â–ª and ther withal reigneth in the mids of al his enemies And in heauen he maketh intercession to hys father vntill the time that the laste enemye namely death be vtterly put to flight Q. I pray you what maner of intercessioÌ„ is this that you speake of A. He maketh intercession first in pacifiyng the father towardes vs by the continuall freshnes of his owne innocencie and obedience and secondly because we cannot call vppon the father aright but in his name so as he steppeth euermore as an attonemeÌ„t maker betwixt vs and the father to the end that whatsoeuer we offer to the father may be well accepted 〈…〉 for the sute that som men dream that â—ist should make with knéeling down â—is fathers feete it is but fond deuicâ— suche menne as haue no skill to put a â—…erence betweene Christe when hée â—…s in weaknesse and Christe beinge â—…w in glory nor finally to discerne heaâ—…nly thinges from earthly thinges â—uest VVhat thinkest thou then of â—…em which do so wilfullye maintaine â—…at Christ is not a mediator in respect 〈…〉 both his natures â—ns I thinke them to be the deuils Inâ—…uments prepared to hinder the work 〈…〉 the Lord whiche thinge experience yt â—…lfe hath taught vs. â—uest But to be a meane betokeneth a â—…ace beneath the highest and it belonâ—eth to the lesser persoÌ„ to make meanes â—o the greater person Hereuppon I gaâ—her that they seeme too bee Arrianes â—hiche holde opinion that Christe is a â—eane and a meanemaker or mediator â—s touching his godhead also Ans I shoulde wonder that in so great â—…ght of the Gospell there coulde be any â—ound that woulde suffer themselues too be beguyled with so tryfling toyes if 〈…〉 deede it selfe bewrayde not that they nâ—uer folowed gods Gospell with a rygâ—â— zeale I speake of the wilfull sorte aâ—… of suche as are condemned by their own iudgement Quest But this is no answering An. The shamefulnesse of the matteâ— compelleth mee to bruste out into theâ—â— wordes because I see so manye haâ—… shrunke away vppon so small occasion 〈…〉 none first vnto the heresye of Arrius afterwards to the surmized opinioÌ„ of thrâ—… Gods finallye to the deuelishe dotagâ—… of Samosetane Go to therefore let vâ— enquire of them seuerally in order Quest Thinkest thou then ihat to beâ—… meane is another thiug than to be a mâ—…diator or meanemaker An. Yea truly For the word Meane maâ— betoken but the qualitie or state of a persone and so the thinge that is betwixtâ— two vttermore thinges maye bee deeâ—med a meane or a middle thinge But â— mediator or meanemaker betokenetâ— an Vmper or attonementseker Whiche are thinges so far diuerse that one mayâ— be a mediator or meanemaker whyche notwithstandinge is not of a meane or â—…ddle degree as when we seeke to set â—…en at one and contrarywise one maye of a meane or middle degree and yet shall not followe of necessitie that he is â—ediator Quest But Christ is both a meane and mediator An. I graunt it Quest If he be a meane in that he is the â—ord or the sonne theÌ„ it foloweth that â—â—e sonne is inferior to the father name â—…e as if hee were endewed with some â—…ind of Godhead that were a mean beâ—wene the godhead of the father the â—ature of man. An. Then wilt thou haue Christe to be meane as touchinge the one of his naâ—ures onely that is to wit as touchynge is manhod or els to be no meane at all Quest Nay but aunswer mee first to my â—emaund An. I answere then that haue thou an â—ye to whither of his natures thou list â—lone by it selfe christ caÌ„not be said to be â— mean for in that he is the sonne he is equal with the father and in that he is man he â—s equall with the residue of men Therfore stoode the manhood on hand of necessiâ—â— to borow this effectuall workinge at 〈…〉 hand
finde â—hat the ablenesse to bée willinge to reâ—eiue is geuen vntoo vs and also that â—ée bée willinge to receiue bothe togeâ—her in one selfe same moment For oâ—herwise the grace were in vaine Therâ—ore as many as impugne this manner â—f togither workinge as though it were â—epugnant too the grace of God they â—ewray their owne vnskilfulnesse many â—ayes consideringe that this selfsame â—ogether workinge is the gyfte of Gods grace and woorketh in such wise together with it as that in order of causes it is in déede the latter like as it foloweth immediatly after the cause that woorketh the effecte by reason whereof all thinges are fathered whollye vppon the onely grace of God and yet notwithstandinge God at once and in one selfsame moment bringeth to passe both that through grace wée may know and throughe grace wée doo knowe in déede that through grace we may 〈…〉 and through grace we do wil in deedâ—… and finally that through grace wee mâ—… doo and through grace wee doe indeedâ—… For the efficient cause in possibility caâ—… not be called efficient in working vntâ—… it be performed in very déede Moreouer sith there is not taken froÌ„ man neyther the ability of vnderstanding nor thâ—… abilitie of willing as I haue saide aforâ—… but onely the ability to vnderstand rightly and to will rightly it cannot bee denidâ—… but that at least wise ther is in him a natural together working bycause the wheâ—… as the first disposing grace is not receiueâ—… but of one that hath vnderstaÌ„ding wil and men by nature do generally vnderstand and will man receyueth the offered grace not as a block but as one that is endewed with vnderstanding wil and so farforth as he doth but vnderstand and will he worketh together with god his maker at whose hande he hath receyned those natural powers But in respect y he vnderstandeth well and willeth wel that must bee wholly attributed too the newcome grace whereby it commeth too passe that he prepareth to make himself ready to vnderstand aright to will aâ—ight and to doo aright when he hath reâ—eiued the grace and also that he vnderâ—…andeth willeth dooth rightly indeede Quest And what is it to be thought of â—…e effectes of the first grace An. That the first grace is effectuall it 〈…〉 to be imputed to Gods seconde grace â—…r wée should straytwaies fall from the â—…rst if there folowed not another immeâ—iatelye after to make the former effecâ—ual and so must ye procéede on stil from â—race to grace Que. But it could hardly be denied but â—hat assone as we haue receiued the first â—race we worke together with the rest â—f the graces folowing so consequeÌ„tâ—y that the later graces are bestowed for merit or desert of the former grace An. Away with the names of desert and merit which fight ful but against grace â—ow much so euer the halfe pelagian Soâ—histers prate to the contrarye He that â—enyeth vs to woorke together with the â—…rst grace denieth the efficacy of the first grace And looke what I haue sayde of the first grace the same doo I say of the graces that insew For that the fyrste grace is so effectuall as that wée vse 〈…〉 well wée may thanke the second graâ—… for it For were not the seconde graâ—… present yea both freely geueÌ„ freeâ—… effectual we shold not only not goe forward but also goe quite backe againe into a far worse state then wee were iâ— before Then as for this toogether working which as I said procedeth whollâ—… of the insewing grace what hath it inâ—… that may merite or deserue anye recompence at al Nothing at al for euen theâ—… when wee after a sorte doe vse it wellâ—… which thinge also if the matter be weâ—… lookte vppon is throughe grace wâ—… doo rather vse it amisse I confesse then that the faithefull seruauntes haue Talentes committed vntoo them But yet agayne it is of men grace that the woorkinge of those Seruauntes is allowed and that they bâ—… taken for faithfull Seruauntes anâ—… finally that rewarde is geuen vntoâ—… them which is not dewe vntoo them iâ—… anye other respecte than bicause iâ—… was freely promysed and is freely performed Quest But I woulde fayne learne this oâ—… you also How this corruption is spread to mankinde Namely whither it bee 〈…〉 nature or by imitacion â—… Forasmuche as ye bée sure inough 〈…〉 it is come in ye shoulde rather haue â—…ed how it might be driuen out again â—…euerthelesse because of many noysom â—…ours I will endeuer to satisfie you in â—…s behalfe also I answere therefore â—…t the maladie is first spread abrode by â—…ture and afterwarde confirmed by â—…itation â—â—est How can you prooue that â—…s By many textes of scripture when 〈…〉 wyll and speciallye by Paules arguâ—…nt grounded vpon effectes For euen â—…y also do die whiche could not imitate â—…am by reason they are not of yeres of â—…reaton but deathe is the rewarde â—…inne ergo all men are in originall â—…ne â—â—est VVhat if I shoulde saye that the â—…te death whiche is the seperation of 〈…〉 bodie and the soule and the looseâ—…ge of the same bodye againe into his â—…t groundes is naturall For all comâ—…unded thinges are naturally subiecte 〈…〉 dissolution An. God himselfe speakinge by Moysâ— wil disprooue you Besides this your aâ—gument holdes not of necessitie For â— thoughe the thinge that is compoundeâ— maye of it owne nature be dissolued yâ— notwithstandinge it is not dissolued â— verye déede vntill the cause that coâ—pounded it do first cease to mainteineâ— together What absurditie then is thâ— in my spéeche when I say that maÌ„ wâ— in such wise created of soule and bodyâ— yea that mans body was in suche wâ— compounded or compacted togither of â— elementes as the creator of them wolâ— haue maintained them togither for euâ— had not sinne stept in by the waye Quest I graunt then that mortal bodiâ— are begotteÌ„ of mortal bodies But whâ— is that to the corruptioÌ„ of the soule oâ— lesse thou think that the soules also aâ— conueied ouer from one into anotheâ— Ans What opinion manye of the olâ— wryters haue had concerning this mâ—ter I passe not neither will I greatlâ— striue about it so it be agréede vpon thâ— originall infection is spredde into vs â— nature Yet thinke I it not good too dâ— semble this that the doctrine of conueyiâ— ouer of the soule seemeth very awk to me for either must the whole soule or at least some péece of it be conueied ouer Nowe if the whole bée conueyed then doubtlesse must the partes of it néedes be quite dispatched out of hand But if there bée but some péece of it conueyed howe can anye péece of it bée cut away from an Essence that is most single Quest If the soule come not of the corrupt father but of him that is the father maker of spirits how coms it by that corruptioÌ„ Is it by infection of the body
that is knit vnto it like as an ointment the better it is the soner it takes a tange of the vncleane vessell Ans Truely me thinkes your reason is sufficient to satisfie al modest wits But how so euer the case standeth let thys suffice that like as Adam receyued the Image of god for himselfe and his so lost he it froÌ„ him and his and god accordinge as he had threatned forsaks their soules as sone as he hath created theÌ„ and sheded them into the bodie wherby it comes too â—asse that al of theÌ„ are borne the children â—f wrath namely as heires of corruption â—nd of their forefathers guiltinesse Que. Now then let vs returne to the only remedye of this mischeefe that is to wit to christ taken hold vpon by faith which is the gifte of god Therefore I wold haue you to declare vnto me what you meene by taking hold ingreffing incorporating communicating with Christ Ans They that imagine there is any ioyning or linking togither of the substances after what maner so euer they dreame it to be they be vtterly deceiued and iudge fleshly of spirituall and misticall thinges Ageine they that auouch Christes onely operacion or efficacie to be the thing wherof we be made parttakers seeme not to haue weyed sufficieÌ„tly the expresse textes of the scripture wherin Christ himselfe is plainly sayd to bee giuen vnto vs and also his workfulnesse in vs is described To the intent therefore that this coÌ„municating may be vnderstoode me must set downe twoo thinges Wherof the first is this y christ himself is made ours by the benefite of the father so as all beleuers may say this thing that is to wit christ the sonne of god manifested in the flesh is mine by the graunt and fréegifte of the father that I might in ioye it Quest Here I pray you giue me leaue to say a litle by the waye Surely he that so speketh is owner or maister of the thiÌ„g that was geuen him are we then owners or maisters of Christ and not rather hee the owner maister of vs Ans Seing that the father hath giuen vs vnto Iesus Christ that Christe himselfe hath redemed vs by giuinge himselfe for vs if any maÌ„ deny Iesus Christ to be the owner maister of vs yea and y of verye good right accursed be he Therefore when I say he is ours y is to wit which beleue I mene not the there is giuen vnto vs any superioriti ouer him but I say the he is géeuen and borne vnto vs or for our sakes As for example a maÌ„ takes a wife which must obey him be seruisable to him yet on the other side the wife may say like as I am this mans wyfe my father hath giuen me vnto him too haue aucthoritie ouer me so on the other side he is my husband and hath giueÌ„ him self to me to inioy him verely to the end he may loue me and cherishe mée as hys wyfe Whiche similitude thou knowest well ynough that the prophetes and the apostles do ordinarily vse to betokeÌ„ this communicating of Christ The other point of this communicating is y he is ours in suche wise as no coniunction of bodies whither it be naturall or artificiall may bee compared with it Yet notwithstanding it tendeth not to this end y there shold be made but one substance of his ours or but one person of his ours all which thinges are most grosse forgeries vtterly wide from the kingdome of heaueÌ„ but it tendeth to this end only y his spirituall workfulnes should be the more certein the more néere the more effectuall in vs And yet by the way this is certein y he in such wise becommeth ours y he be commeth one thing with vs in deede and the head members of any body cleaue not so fast to gether by nature as this coniunction of Christes is fast and streit knit vnto vs insomuch as we be fleshe of his fleâ—h bone of his bones howbeit it is wholly spirituall and misticall Quest I pray you shewe mee why you call it spirituall Ans I call it spirituall not in respect of the thing that is communicated for it is certeine y Christ is communicated vnto vs not onely in spirit but also in his whole manhod nor also as though this communication were imaginatiue and consisted onely in thought without the thing it self to settle vpon nor finally as though we were said to be become one thinge with Christ only in respect of coÌ„sent after which maner Luke saith that y beleuers where all of one hart and one mind But bicause all this takinge hold is done altogither by the mind by faith bicause the holy ghost is the partie by whose linking these thinges are knit togither which are so farre a sunder in respect of distance of place and y in such wise as that in this spiritual copulation Christ is as the head the churche is as his body drawing spirituall life froÌ„ him hir onely head And therfore all the whole reall growing together of the very substances into one aboute the which so many men haue striued now longe ago with so much ado and by meanes wherof that monstar of transsubstantiation and consubstantiation was afterwarde brough into the Lordes supper is a grosse forgery of mannes fondnes by no meanes agréeinge either with the spirituall life or with the verines of Christs body or with the proportion of faith Que. I heere well that Christ himselfe is receiued of the faithfull by faith I here that the church is spiritually cuppled to hir head by the bonde of the holye Ghoste but yet perceyue I neuer the more how these thinges that are so far a sunder should be vnited Quest I grauÌ„t so For it is not for nought that Paule crieth out that it is a greate mistery Rightly therfore dooth one giue warning that we shoulde rather labour to féele Christe liuinge in vs than to be made priuie to the reason of thys communion as whiche surmounteth our capacitie althoughe wee bee sure that it is spirituall and that faythe is the instruement in doinge of it Quest VVhat if wee shoulde say that Christe is communicated vnto vs onely as touchinge his force and efficacie and that wee should referre this place of Paules we bee members of his bodie of his fleshe and of his bones Vnto Christes incarnation â—n Concernyng Christes beyng one â—ith vs so as we may afterward drawe â—fe out of him being vnited with vs the â—ripture speaketh more manifestly of it â—an that it may bee applyed to his oneâ—â— operacion or working in vs in as â—uche rather as it is the foundation â—â—th of the effectuall intercommuning â—nd of the benefite of imputation which â—inge appeereth euen by the proportiâ—ablenesse that is betwene it bodely â—rrishment wherof Christ himselfe is â—e author For like as if a man will reâ—yue