that it is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy because the wil of man doth not simply and alone accomplish that worke why is it not of the contrary truely inferred that it is not in God that sheweth mercy but in mā that willeth because Gods mercy doeth not solely performe that action Furthermore if no Christiā dare affirme that it is not in God that sheweth mercy but in man that willeth lest hee should most plainly gainesay the Apostle it followeth thē that we take this his saying Viz. That it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy to be true in as much as the whole work is to be attributed vnto God who both prepareth that good will which is in man as standing in neede of his assistance and afterwards also helpeth the same beeing so prepared For the good will or will to doe good in man goeth before many of Gods gifts but it is not precedent to all And when it followeth commeth after Gods gifts yet is it a companion amongst them For it is both waies read in holy scripture viz. Both his mercy shall goe before me also his mercy shall follow me It preuenteth or goeth before him that is backward to make him willing and followeth him that is forward and willing lest his will become frustrate For why are we admonished to pray for our enemies beeing of themselues vnwilling to liue vertuously but onely that God would worke a will in thē to doe well Wherefore also are we willed to ask at Gods hands to the end we may obtaine but that our petition may bee performed by him to whom we are petitioners By whom also it is wrought that we will or desire that which wee pray for We pray therefore for our enemies that Gods mercy may preuent and goe before them as it hath done before vs. We pray also for our selues that his mercy may attend vpon vs. OF CHRIST THE MEdiator CHAP. 33. That Christ is our Mediator peace-maker with God because he maketh him our friend by the oblation of that sole sacrifice which is himselfe MAnkinde therefore was detained in the state of iust damnation and all were the children of wrath of which wrath it is written Because all our daies are in declination and we our selues are fallen into thy displeasure our yeares are folded vp as a Spiders webbe Of which wrath Io◠also saith For man which is borne of woman is short of life and his daies full of sorrow Of which wrath also our Lord Iesus saith He that beleeueth in the sonne he shall inioy euerlasting life but he which doth not beleeue in him is not in the state of saluation but Gods wrath and indignation abideth vpon him Hee saieth not It shall come vpon him but it abideth vpō him With this euery mortall creature is borne Whereupon the Apostle saith For wee were also by nature the children of Gods wrath euen as others were Seeing therefore all mortall creatures were by originall sinne in this displeasure of God the same lying so much the more heauily vpon vs by how much our own sins added therunto did also aggrauate the same by their greatnesse and aboundance a mediator in this case was behoouefull and necessarie that is to say a reconciler who pacified Gods wrath by the oblation of that sole sacrifice whereof all the sacrifices of the Law and Prophets were but shadows Wherupon the Apostle saith For if when wee were enemies we were recōciled to God by the death of his son much more now beeing reconciled shall himself by his blood-shedding be a protection vnto vs against his wrath and indignation For when God is angry the perturbation which is in him is not such as is in the minde of a man when hee is offended But the word being borrowed from the passion which is in mortall creatures Gods reuēge which of it self is neuer but iust putteth on the appellatiō of anger or wrath Inasmuch therefore as we are reconciled vnto God by a Mediatour receiuing the holy Ghost whereby we are made friēds of foEs for that how many soeuer be sanctified by the spirit of God become the sonns of God this recōciliatiō cōmeth of the meere mercy of God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. CHAP. 34. That Christ who is the word of God to the end he might be our mediator peace-maker with God did take flesh and was incarnate of the virgin Marie OF which Mediator to speak in that ample manner as the matter it selfe doeth deserue would aske a long discourse yet could not worthily bee expressed by the pen of any man For who could with fit words set forth this onely thing namely that the word was made flesh and dwelled in vs to the ende we should beleeue in the onely sonne of God the father beeing omnipotent borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie and that the word was so made flesh as although the flesh was begotten by his diuinitie or deitie yet was there not any mutation or change of his diuinitie or deitie into the flesh Moreouer in this place we are to take this word Caro which is flesh to bee homo that is man the speech figuratiuely signifying the whole by the part which for example this saying doeth demonstrate namely Because by the workes of the lawe all flesh that is to say euery man shall not be saued For we may lawfully say that in this susception or incarnation there was no defect in the humane nature the same nature beeing yet voide of all sinnefull copulation not such as is begotten betweene man and woman in carnall concupiscence wrapping vs in the bond of sinne the staine of which originall guilt is washed away by regeneration but such as was fit to bee borne of a virgin beeing a thing conceiued in the faith not in the lust or sinnefull appetite of the mother For if in the birth of him that was borne her integritie had beene blemished then should he not haue beene borne of a pure virgin and the whole Church should also vntruly confesse which God forbid that hee was borne of a virgin which Church following the example of Christs mother doth daiely bring forth members of that mysticall body and yet notwithstanding is a virgin still Read if you list my Letters touching the virginity of Saint Mary writtē to that renowmed man Volusianus of whome I doe here make mention with all reuerence and loue CHAP. 35. That Christ who consisteth of two natures namely diuine and humane is notwithstanding but one in subsistence CHrist Iesus therefore the son of God is both God and man God before all worlds and man in this age or world wherin we liue God because hee is the word for God was the word and man because to make an vnitie of the person a reasonable soule and the flesh were adioyned to the word Wherfore as he is God he and the father be one
both diuine and humane is notwithstanding the onely begotten son of God the father from whome the holy Ghost doth proceed How then doe we say that Christ was borne of the H. ghost if the holy Ghost did not beget him or is it so said because he made him The reason is because as Iesus Christ is God all things were of his creation but as hee was man he himselfe was created made according to the saying of the Apostle For he was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh But seeing the whole Trinitie did create and make that creature which the virgin did conceiue and bring forth tho appertaining and adioyned to the person of the sonne for the workes of the Trinitie be inseparable why is the holy ghost onely named in the making of this creature Is it because whē one of these three bee named in any one worke that the whole Trinitie is assistant in that work It is euen so and may be made plaine vnto vs by example or demonstration Howbeit wee must no◠any longer stand vpon this point For it remaineth that wee declare how it is said that he was borne of the holy Ghost beeing no way the sonne of one same holy Ghost For no more may the world without impietie be called the sonne of God because God made the same neither else that it was borne of him but rather wee may rightly say that it was made or created or builded or ordained by him or vse wordes of the like sense Seeing therefore wee doe confesse that hee was borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie it is a matter of great difficultie to discusse how he should not bee the sonne of the holy Ghost but the sonne of the virgin Mary notwithstanding that hee was begotten both of the one and of the other Without all doubt he was not borne of him as of a father though hee were so of her as of a mother CHAP. 39. Not euery thing that is said to be borne of any thing may properly be called the sonne of that it is said to be borne of IT is not therefore to be granted that whatsoeuer is borne of any thing it should straightway bee called the sonne of the selfe same thing For to omit other instances the begetting of a sonne by a man is after one manner and the growing of the haire of a mans head the breeding of a lowse and of a worme in mans body is after another sort not any of which kinds is to be tearmed a sonne Therfore to speak no more of these because it is vnseemly to compare them with a thing of so diuine a nature they verely which be born of water and the holy Ghost no man can properly call them the sonnes of the water but be truely called the sonns of God of the Church their mother In like manner therefore is Christ beeing begotten of the holy Ghost the sonne of God the father and not of the holy Ghost For that also which we haue spoken touching the haire of the head and the rest maketh onely for this purpose to let vs to vnderstand that not euery thing begotten of any mās body may consequētly bee called the sonne of him of whom hee is so borne no more than it followeth that all they which be called the sons of any person must therefore of necessitie be begottē of the same person whose sonns they be called such as be they which be adopted sonnes Againe some be called the sons of Gehenna or hell not because hell was their father or begot them but because they be prepared for that place Much like to them which be called the sons of Gods kingdome because they are prepared for the same CHAP. 40. In that Christ is said to be borne of the holy Ghost is meant that man in like manner by the meere grace of God which is called the holy Ghost and the word of God is partaker of the diuine nature and vnited or ingrafted into the person of Christ SEing therefore something may bee borne of any creature and yet not so as it needs must bee his sonne Neither on the other side euery one which is called a sonne must necessarily be the naturall childe of that person whose sonne hee is called Then without all doubt this maner of generation wherby Christ was borne of the holy Ghost not as it were his sonne and yet as it were the sonne of the virgin Mary doth couertly conuaie into vs the grace of God whereby man without any workes or merits precedent in his first conception or generation whereby he had his beeing is so vnited to the word and the diuine nature in the vnitie of the person of Christ as that consequently one and the same creature should be the sonne of God which was the sonne of man and likewise the sonne of man beeing Gods childe By which incarnation or assumption of humane nature in Christ the grace of God should be after a sort naturall to that man which was the childe of God the same being incapable of sinne which grace was in that regard to bee expressed vnder the name or title of the holy Ghost Because he is so properly God that also hee may bee called the gift of God Whereof to speake sufficiently were too tedious in discourse TOVCHING REGEneration and the parts thereof CHAP. 41. That Christ was without original sinne and that he was that sacrifice for our sinnes by the which wee were reconciled to God HEe therefore beeing not ingendred or conceiued by any pleasure of carnall concupiscence and therefore not infected with any originall sinne also by the grace of God beeing in respect of the vnitie of his person by a wonderfull and vnspeakable meanes annexed and conioyned to the worde which was the onely begotten sonne of God not by grace but by nature and therefore no actuall sinner himselfe yet was hee notwithstanding in respect of the similitude of sinfull flesh wherin he came called a sinner or sin beeing to become a sacrifice for satisfaction of sinnes Which sacrifice or oblation he truely became whereof other sacrifices performed in the old law were but shadowes Hereupon after the Apostle had said Let vs beg reconciliation or attonement with God for his Christs sake he forth-with addeth this affirming That God for our sakes made him to become sinne who was of himselfe blamelesse and without sin that through him we should be righteous in Gods sight He saith not as it is reade in certaine vitious books He that knew no sinne becam sinful for our sakes as thogh Christ in regard of vs should commit sin But he saith That man which knew no sinne which was Christ was made sin by God to whome wee were to be reconciled that is to say was made an oblation or sacrifice for sinnes wherby that attonement should be wrought He therfore was made a sinner that wee might be righteous Yet is hee not our righteousnes but Gods neither
yet righteousnes in regard of vs but in respect of himselfe like as he gaue demonstration that he was sinne not of his owne nature but of ours not in himselfe but in respect of vs put vpon him in the similitude of sinnefull flesh wherein he suffered and was crucified That although there dwell no sinne in him yet should hee after a sort die vnto sinne in that death which hee suffered of the flesh wherein there was a resemblaÌ„ce of sin And for that hee was not an ancient transgressor with Adam hee doth by his new resurrection declare or prefigure our restitution to life from that olde death wherein wee were dead through sinne CHAP. 42. That our death and resurrection by Christ is sealed in the sacrament of Baptisme THis is that great sacrament of Baptisme which is celebrated in vs to the ende that all they which be capable of grace are made dead vnto sinne because his flesh beeing the similitude of sinne suffered the death and so shall they also be renewed in their liues by baptisme euen as Christ was raised from death to life out of the sepulchre of whatsoeuer age they shall happen to bee at the time of their baptisme CHAP. 43. That all sinnes as well of infants as olde men which be baptized be washed away in baptisme AS no man therefore from the new borne babe to the most aged creature is to be excluded from baptisme so is none again which dieth not vnto sinne through baptisme Howbeit infants doe onely die vnto originall sinne and they which bee olde doe die vnto all such sinnes as by euill life they haue added to originall sinne deriued from Adam in their natiuitie TOVCHING ORIGInall and actuall sinne CHAP. 44. Vnder the name of that word Sin in the singular number many sinnes be many times included and so againe vnder the appellation of many sinnes one particular sinne is comprehended THey be therefore most commonly said to bee dead vnto sinne when as yet without all question they be dead to many nay to all manner of sins which they haue particularly committed either in thought word or deed Because the singular number doth most commonly imply the plurall As for example it is said of that verse of Virgil touching the horse of wood broght into Troy Vterumque armato milite complent With Souldier arm'd they fill'd his belly full Albeit the same was repleate with many souldiers And in the Booke of Numbers it is written Beseech therefore the Lord that he will take from vs the Serpent he saith not the Serpents wherewith the people were afflicted meaning by one infinit serpents like vnto that one And so on the other side is that one originall sinne included in the plurall number when wee say that infants be baptized to the remission of sinnes and not to the remission of sinne wherein the speech is inuerted or contrarily vsed as whereby the singular number is signified by the plurall Like as it is spoken at Herod in the Gospel when he was dead they are dead which sought the life of the childe It was not said he is dead So likewise in Exodus they made said he vnto themselues golden gods whereas indeed they made but one calfe alone whereof it is spoken O Israel these bee thy gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt In which place the plurall is put for the singular CHAP. 45. That in the first sinne of man which is called Originall there be diuers kindes of sinne included and not one alone HOwbeit in that one sinne which by one man entred into the world and passed thorough all mankind for which also infants be baptized many sinnes may be vnderstood if the same were seuered and diuided as it were into his members For pride is there also to bee found because man loued rather to bee subiect to himselfe than to the will of God Sacriledge also is to be ascribed vnto man because he beleeued not And homicide also because hee threw humselfe downe vnto death As also spirituall fornication because the integritie of mans will was corrupted by the perswasion of the serpent And likewise theft because hee did eate of the forbidden meate Auarice also because hee desired more thaÌ„ might haue contented him And so of any sin besides which vpon more diligent examination may be found or gathered out of this actuall or committed sinne CHAP. 46. That infants be not onely guiltie of the sinnes of their gift father's that is to say Adam and Eue but of their owne and the sinnes of their immediate parents added to originall sinne That therefore regeneration is necessarie for them because that generation or of 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 IT is also not impropably said that ininfants stand-found for their fathers faults not onely of the first parents Adam Eue but also of their owne fathers from whom they did naturally descend For that text of holy scripture where it is said I will lay the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children doth make them liable to that 〈◊〉 alwaies before such time as by regeneration they beginne to haue aâ— neerest in the new TestameÌ„t which Testament was prophesied in the saying of Ezechiel that children should not beare the burthen of their fathers iniquities Neither yet that that Proverbe should bee more vsed in Israel affirming the fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens â—ecth were set on edge Euery one therfore is to be borne anew whether he may be freed from that sinne wherein he was borne For the sinnes which hee afterwards committed by euill life may be salued by repentaÌ„ce whereof we haue visible examples after baptisme By which reason recreation was ordained for none other couÌ„sel but because our generation is vicious insomuch as the man which is borne in pure wedlooke may say I am conceived in iniquities and my mother hath borne 〈◊〉 with my sinne while I was 〈◊〉 wombe In which place hee hath not say I was conceiued in iniquitie and sinne which hee might very well haue said but hee had rather say in iniquities and sinns because both in that one sinne which hath infected all mankinde and is so great as thereby the whole nature of man was consequently changed made subiect vnto death as I haue formerly maintained by reason Many other be included and other also committed by parents which albeit they cannot alter or confound nature as originall sin doth yet do they by imputation make the childreÌ„ answerable for the same except the free mercy grace of God do helpe to make satisfaction CHAP. 47. It is a matter left vncertaine whether all the sinnes of forefathers as well actuall as originall be extended to posteritie and to how many descents they be conuaied BVt now as touching the sins of the Parents wherein from Adam to euery mans own father beeing their progenetors euery child doth succeed his father It is a disputable questioÌ„ that not without cause whether the childe that is borne shall be
beeing said to be a nature that is polluted and euil but that which is good is also euill and that coÌ„uertibly it cannot be euill which is not likewise good Because all which is called by the name of nature is good neither should any thing become euill if the thing it selfe which is euill had not an essence nature or being There can therefore bee none euill if there be no good Which assertion though it may seeme absurd yet the coherence of this argument doth as it were without euasion driue vs to this conclusion And we must take heed lest we stumble vpon that saying of the Prophet where we reade Woe be vnto them which say that good is euill and that euill is good who say that sweet is sower and sower sweet who call darkenesse light and light darkenesse But yet God doth say that an euill man out of the treasure of his owne heart doth bring forth euils Now what is an euill man but an euill nature because maÌ„ is that which we call nature And if man bee in some measure good or a kind of good because hee is nature what other thing is an euil man but an euill good Howbeit when wee separate and distinguish these two properties wee doe also find that he is not therfore euill because he is a man nor therefore good because hee is sinfull but good in as much as he is a man and euill because he is a sinner Whosoeuer therefore affirmeth that man as he is man is euill or saith that that which is called good is euil he incurreth the seÌ„tece of the Prophet saying Woe vnto theÌ„ which say that good is euill For he doth depraue the work of God which is maÌ„ coÌ„mendeth the fault of man which is sinne For all nature although it is vitious is good in as much as it is nature euill in as much as it is polluted and corrupted CHAP. 14. Good and euill which be in themselues repugnant may contrary to the rules of Logicke stand together and be in one and the selfe same thing yea and euill may spring out of that which is good WHerefore in these contraries which be called good and euill that rule of Logicke faileth affirming that two cotraries cannot stand together in any one thing For there is no firmament clowdy and cleere at one instant no meat or drinke sweet and sower together no mans body white and blacke in one the selfe same place no beauty deformity in one face at once Which thing is obserued in many and almost in all contraries that they cannot be in any one thing together Now seeing no man doubteth that good euill be contraries so may they not onely be together but also euils cannot simply be without good things or but in things which be good although on the contrary things which be good may bee without euils For a man or an angel may bee not vnrighteous because vnrighteousnes cannot be in any but either in a man or in an angel And these two contraries be so combined as if ther were not good wherein euill might dwell euill should haue no beeing at all Because corruption should not haue any subiect not onely where to abide but also from whence it may spring and haue a beginning except there were something that might be corrupted For if good were not neither should there be corruptioÌ„ which is none other thing than a banishmeÌ„t of that which is good Euils therfore take their roote froÌ„ goodnesses and bee not at all but in things that be good neither hath any nature of euil any other foudatioÌ„ For if it should consist of it selfe no doubt it should be good as it is a nature and beeing an vncorrupted nature should becom either a notable good or else could not possibly bee a nature subiect to corruption except it were also good in some measure and that good in like sort blemished with corruption CHAP. 15. He doth meete with a double obiection the one drawne from the words of Christ the other from the obseruation of nature it selfe NOw when we say that euils doe spring originally from things that be good let it not be taken to be repugnant to the saying of Christ affirming that a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruits for as it is truely said a Grape cannot be gathered from thornes because a grape cannot spring out of them And so by the selfe same reason as an euill tree cannot yield good fruits no more can an euill wil or disposition yield good workes Howbeit good ground may as wee see beare both grapes and also thornes In like maner from the nature of man which is good may spring both a will that is good and a will that is badde Neither hath that will which is euill and vitious any other roote originally but from the good nature of an angell or of a man Which thing Christ himselfe in that place where he speaketh of a tree and fruits most plainely sheweth For he saith Either make the tree good and the fruit thereof good or make the tree had and the fruit bad Giuing vs therby a sufficient caueat or example that euill fruits grow not of a good tree nor good of an euil and yet both these trees may grow in that ground to which â—e directed his speech CHAP. 16. How farre forth the knowledge of naturall things is necessarie for vs to the obtaining of true felicitie WHich matters standing thus as they doe although that verse of Viâ—gill doth like vs very well saying Right happy doe I coâ—nt that man Of things the reasons giue that can Yet doe we not think it enough and sufficient for the attainment of felicitie to know the causes of the wonderfull corporall motions of the world namely the motions of the planets and the reuolutions of the celestiall globes and spheres which causes lie hidden in the inscrutable bowels of nature namely What makes the earth to quake What swels the Ocean maine Where of the bowels beeing broke Do fall into their ioynts again With many other things of like nature but rather we ought to search out the causes of good euill and that also so farre-forth as it is in mans power and facultie in this life beeing full of errors and miseries For we are to direct our course to that marke of felicity where no miserie shal afflict vs nor any error intrappe vs. For if the causes of corporall motions were so needfull for our instruction then ought there none to bee preferred before the reasons of the health of our own bodies Wherein beeing ignorant our selues seeing wee seeke vnto Physicians to knowe the same who then doth not see a reason how patiently to content himselfe with his owne blindenesse and ignorance in that which to mortal creatures is vnseene as touching the secrets of heauen and earth TOVCHING ERROR and lying CHAP. 17. Here he meeteth with with an obiection teaching vs that neither euery one which is ignorat
and as he is man the father greater than he For beeing the onely sonne of God and that not of grace but by nature to the end therefore that he might be replete with grace he is also made the sonne of man and the selfe same hee beeing both of both is yet but one Christ because when he was in the figure of his deitie hee thought it to be no robberie vnto God for that it was his naturall essence which was to bee equall with God the father But hee afterwards debased himselfe taking vpon him the habite of a seruant and yet not leesing or diminishing the habite of his godhead By reason whereof both he became an inferiour and remained also an equall with God the father beeing yet but one though as is before affirmed of two natures Howbeit one in respect of the worde whereby is meant his godhead and another in respect of his manhood For in respect of the word or his deitie hee is equall with his father and in respect of his manhood inferior to the father The onely sonne of God and yet also the sonne of man the onely sonne of man and yet the same also the sonne of God beeing not two sonnes vnto God as he is God and man but the sole c onely sonne of God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ beeing God without all beginning and man with a beginning CHAP. 36. It was not vpon any merit of mā no not of the manhood which was in Christ himselfe that he was made man THe mercy of God in this Chapter is by it selfe most highly and euidently extolled For what deserued the humane nature which was in the man Christ that it should be specially chosen to bee vnited in the person of the onely begotten sonne of God What will to doe well what deuotion or zeale to any good intent or what precedencie of good works whereby this man deserued to be vnited to the person of God And was he first a man and this singular benefit ordained for him that hee should of himselfe tie God vnto him by some speciall desert For from the time that hee was made man by the assumption of the flesh he began to be none other thing than the onely sonne of God and that also in respect of the Godhead which was the worde by the assumption whereof he was made flesh that is to say man as well as he was God that euen as euery man is but one in person though hee consist of two parts that is to say the reasonable soule and the flesh so was Christ but one person beeing both the worde and also man To what other ende then was this so great glory freely no doubt bestowed vpon mākind without any merits precedent but onely to giue euident demonstration and testimony of Gods great and only mercy in this vnion to such as looke into the same truely and with good consideration that all mortall creatures may vnderstand they be iustified from their sins by the same mercy fauour by which it was wrought and came to passe that the man Christ could not bee polluted with sinne In which manner the angell saluted his mother when hee brought her tidings of this birth which followed saying Haile full of grace And a little after he saith Thou hast found fauour in Gods sight Which two sayings of beeing filled with grace and finding fauour in Gods sight doe import that she should not only become the mother of him that was her Lord and Sauiour but also of the Lord and Sauiour of all mankinde And of Christ himselfe Iohn the Euangelist saith And the worde was made flesh and dwelled in vs and we sawe said he his glory beeing the glory of the only begottē of his father full of grace verity Wherin it is to be obserued that where hee saith that the word was made flesh that was to say full of grace And wher he saith the glory of the onely begotten of the Father that is to say fulnesse of veritie or truth For truth it was that he was the only sonne of God not by grace but by nature And of meere fauour and grace hee tooke vpon him the manhood and that in such an vnitie or coniunction of the person as he himselfe also became the sonne of man TOVCHING CHRISTS Incarnation CHAP. 37. CHAP. 37. Now by the manner of his conception wee are to vnderstand that the word did through grace onely and not through any merit of his humanitie assume and put vpon him the body of man vniting the same vnto him NOw therfore the selfe same Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God that is to say our onely Lord was borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie And on the other side the holy Ghost is of the gift of God which gift also is equall with the giuer By which reason the holy Ghost is God not inferior either to the father or to the sonne Whereupon it is to be inferred that seeing the birth of Christ touching his man-kinde is to be imputed to the influence of the holy ghost what other thing is demonstrated therin than the meere grace of God For when the virgin demanded of the Angel how it should come to passe which hee told her because shee did not carnally knowe any man the Angel answered The holy ghost shall replenish thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee and therefore that holy one which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God And whereas Ioseph would haue put her away accounting her to bee an adulteresse because he knew shee was not with child by him hee receiued this answer from the angell Bee not afraid to retaine Marie as thy wife still for that which is borne or conceiued in her that is to say that which thou suspectest to bee begotten by another body is of the holy Ghost CHAP. 38. That Christ is neither the sonne of the holy Ghost no yet begotten or conceiued by him as by a naturall father ARe wee yet therefore to affirme that the holy Ghost is father vnto Christ as he is man as namely that God the father begot the word and the holy Ghost his humanity of which substances Christ beeing vnited made one is by that reasō on the one side the son of the father in that he is the word and on the other side the sonne of the holy Ghost as he is man as though the holy Ghost as it were his father did beget him of the virgin his mother Who dare be so bold as to auouch this neither is it needful by argument or disputation to declare what other absurdities doe followe hereof seeing this one assertion is so absurd in it selfe as the eares of the faithfull cannot indure to heare it Therefore as it is in the Creed our Lord Iesus Christ beeing God of God and man begottē of Mary the virgin and the holy Ghost consisting of either substance that is to say