a mynde of iÌ„finite vertu and power moste symple euerlastyng as whiche hathe ben afore all tymes and is nat chaunged in tyme. Of thys all myghty mynde thou knowest the whole worlde to haue ben created and created for mannes cause for god neyther hath nede of the world nor of man nor yet of any creature He is in hym selfe and of hym selfe moste perfyghte But because he is moste hyghly and perfyghtly good he wold nat be blessed hymselfe alone but hathe distributed of his beatitude and felicite vnto aungels and men to all creatures so farforthe as euery thyng is apte to receiue of the bountuosnes and liberalite of god How manye ways god hathe spoken to maâ— to geue to hym knowledg of hym selfe It was his wyl and pleasure to geue man knowledge of hymselfe speakynge to him in diuerse maners or facions Fyrst of all he spake after a certayne maner to mankynd whan by his sonne which is the worde of the father he dyd create of nought thys meruailouse frame of the worlde to the entente that of the worke we sholde gesse and make conâ—eture of the worker For suche a worke the fyrst speakyng by creation of the worlde coulde neyther man neyther yet auÌ„gel haue ben able to perfourme and finishe This was the fyrste degre or step to the knowledge of god Nexte after cam the lawe The seconde spekynge by the law writtenâ— the prophetes whiche dyd some what helpe the darknes and blindnes of maÌ„â—es mynd but it besydes that it was geuen to one nacion onely of the Iewes it dyd by figures and darke ridles shadowe god vnto vs preparyng the myndes of men to the lyghte of the gospell whiche by the sonne hathe shyned to vs. The philosophers abused the lyghte of nature to pryde And the lawe to the moste parte of the Iewes was an occasion of greater impiety and synne The worlde was ful of ydolatry The Iewes were puffed vp with pryde thrughe a vayne persuasion of ryghtuosnes Syâ—ne did raygne at large vnponyshed in the world whils the moste parte of men dyd folowe the fyrste pareâ—tes of mankynde but here the mercy of god dyd shewe forthe it selfe Psal. 14 4. ☞ whiche passeth surmounteth all his workes He dyd vouchesafe to waxe more nere and more familierly knowne vnto vs by the same soÌ„ne The thyrde speakynge by his owne son in the nature of mankynd that at the leaste wyse by the reason hereof we sholde be drawne to the louynge of him agayne being prouoked therunto by so many and so maruailouse benefightes He had created vs whan we were nothynge He wolde also restore vs. Whan we were forlorne for it had ben better neuer to haue ben created thaÌ„ after our crâ—acion to haue perished ben vtterly forlorne After the worlde meruailously created after the lawe geuen by god after the prophetes inspired with the spirite of god he sente hys onely sonne beynge made mâ—n that at the leaste wyse we men sholde loue hym beynge also a man And he sente hym nat to be a reuenger or ponysher but to be a sauioure by whose death he myght call vs agayn to lyfe what could the vnmesurable charite and loue of god haue done more than this He hathe shewed hymselfe palpable after a certayne maner vnto vs he hath also geuen hymselfe to deth as farre forth as he myght to th ende that he myghte restore vs to true helthe saluation God shewed his almighty power in the creatioÌ„ of the worlde his wisdome iÌ„ the redeÌ„ption of man He declared his almighty power cheffly in the creation of the worlde Nowe he hathe declared his vnmesurable mercy and his inscrutable wisdome his mercy in that he frely without ony deseruynge of our parte hath redemed vs. His wisdome in that he hath after suche forme and maner redemed vs. Therefore what excuse is there nowe lefte or what cauyllation can ony man lay forthe for hymselffe yf he do not regarde but do despise this so wonderfull goodnes of god This parte doth the Crede now teache Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vâ—â—cuÌ„ dominum nostrum id est And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde DISC. Why hath it sygnyfyed marked forth the persone of our redemer by these names MAG Ueryly for thentente to declare that the seconde persone which toke fleshe vpon hym is verye man of his mother and very god of god DIS Howe so MAG There are some which do wene that Iesus is the name of the godhed Christe a name of the humane nature and they seme to be moued and broughte to this opinion by the reason that in the Hebrue tonge Iesus is as muche to say as a sauyoure And Christê° as muche to say as anoynted Now no man can geue euerlastyng helthe and saluation saue onelye god And anoyntynge doth sygnyfie spirituall grace whiche chaunceth not but onely to man but in very dede bothe these wordes or names do belonge to the humayne nature Iesus For Iesus is a propre name of a singulare persone that is to witte of that man whiche alone of all meÌ„ was borne of a virgine whome saiÌ„t Iohan shewed poynted with his fynger that they sholde not receyue or embrace ony other man for the very redemer Ioan. i. ☞ Beholde sayth he the lambe of god Christe Christus is a name either of kyngdome or of prestehode For amonge the Iewes bothe prestes and kynges were anoynted with holy oyntemente and they of bothe sortes because of honoure were called Christi Nowe bothe these tytles or names are agreynge to Christe whiche is called Psal. c. ix Christe is bothe a preste and a kynge anointed not with outwarde corporall oile but with the fullnes of the diuine spirit a preste accordynge to the ordre of Melchisedech and whiche as a preste dyd offre hym selfe a very vnspotted lambe vpon the aultare of the crosse for the helthe and saluation of the worlde and whiche also as a kynge apperynge to his disciples after his resurrection sayde lyke a kynge vnto them ☞ To me is geuen all power and auctorite in heuen and in earth Mat. xxviii Neither dyd he refuse disallow the speche of the theffe knowledgynge and confessynge hym to be a kynge by these wordes Luce. xxiii ☞ Lorde remembre me whan thou shalte be commen into thy kyngdome How be it our lord was neuer anoynted with outward and bodylye oyle soo as Aaron was in the .xxix. cha of Exod or as kyng Saule was in the fyrste booke of kynges the .x. chapitoureâ— But this was he whome god hathe singularlye anoynted with the fullnesse of his spirite Iesus Howe be it by this worde or name of Iesu besydes that it doth betoken a singulare persone called to remeÌ„braunce the figure of the olde testamente Iosue figured Christe For that Iesus name dyd figure and represente â—esu the redemer Deute xxxi Moyses by whome is figured and
A playne and godly exposytion or declaratioÌ„ of the coÌ„mune Crede which in the Latin tonge is called Symbolum Apostolorum and of the .x. coÌ„maundementes of goddes law newly made and put forth by the famouse clarke Mayster Erasmus of Roterdame at the requeste of the moste honorable lorde Thomas Erle of wyltshyre father to the moste gratious and vertuous 〈…〉 Cum priuilegio ¶ To the ryght excellent most honorable lorde Thomas Erle of wylâ— shyre and of Ormonde 〈…〉 of Roterdame Greatynge I Sawe and perceued full wel moste honorable Erle that of some persones I shold be accused of lewde boldnesse and presumptyon yf I wold take vpon me to make any coÌ„mentary or worke vpon the Crede named the Symbole of the Apostels after so many and so famouse doctoures of the churche amonge whome Cipriane takynge this mater in hande fyrst of any Latyn man hath in suche wyse handeled it that no man that euer hathe folowed hym yet vntyll this day hath ben able to ouergâ—te hym or to come any thynge nere vnto hym Agayn on the other parte me thoughte I shold be accused of improbyâ—e and lewdenesse yf I wold not fulfylle and accomplyshe your requeste namely desyrynge so holy so vertuose a thyng with a goode and godly affectyon specyally seynâ—â— that you haue so well accepted taken in goode worth that my former seruyce rather than benefyghte done to you in expouÌ„dyng and declaryng the .xxii. psalme And I do knowe also wel enough that you do not requyre of me to take this lytle laboure for your owne cause whiche do not nede any instructyon or informacyoÌ„ of me But you do desyre it for other more ignoraunte vnlerned persones And therfore I haue so handeled the thynge that I haue shaped and ordred al myne oratyon and speche after suche forme and maner as myght be moste mete and agreynge to the capacyte of those that are symple Nether do I see or perceyue oâ—y whitte at all what laude or prayse I shall gete by this my laboure except it be peradueÌ„ture because that I haue spoken certayne thynges somwhat after a playn and homely perceyueable facyon how be it as for prayse I passe not vpon it But wolde god that the yonge Soldyers of the Chrystyan cheualry may take as much frute profyghte hereof as bothe your â—oste honourable lordeshyppe of your excellente Charyte and goodnes doth desyre and as I also accordynge to suche lytle power as god hath lente me haue endeuored my selfe and geuen dylygence that they sholde do In the meane season our lorde is to be prayed vnto that he of his bounte goodnesse â—yll supply that where my power doth wante and fayle that he whiche hath inspyred into you this deuoute and godly affectyon towarde his relygyon and â—ayth wyll vouchesaffe to sende prosperous lucke good ende not in this thynge onely but also in all other thynges whiche of loue and â—ele towardê the honoure of god and furtheraunce of vertâ—â— and good Christen lyuynge you shall enterpryse or begynne well moughte your honorable lordeshyppe fare yeuen at Friburge the yere of our lorde 1533 ¶ A Dialoge called the Symbole or instructyon in the christen fayth or belyue made by Mayster Erasmus of Roterdame The persones speakyngeâ—are the Mayster and the Disciple the one is marked by M the other by D. The fyrste instruction DISCIPLE I Am and haue ben a great whâ— le very desyrâ—â—â— and sorâ— loÌ„gynâ— in my mynde to be ascrybed and receiued into the company and felowshype of the chatholyke churche whiche is the howse of god Out of the churche whiche is the house of god is no hope of saluacyon out of the wiche churche no man ought to hope the obtaynynge of euerlastyng helth and saluatyon And therfore I beseche you that of your charyte you wyll helpe myn infancye that I may be spedde of this my desyre and purpose MA. If thou haue ben washed in the holy bathe of baptysme after due forme and maner than arte thou by the reason ther of eueÌ„ alredy admytted and receyued into the howseholde or company of the catholyke churche DIS ye but this thynge was don vnknowyng to me by my god fathers and godmother But nowe in as muche as god of his goodnesse hath grauÌ„ted me to come vnto this age whiche as it may be easyly corrupted to vyce and vngracyousnes and erroure so is it as I suppose apte to receyue instructyon to vertu and good lyuyng ryght beleffe I thynke it to be ryghte and accordynge both that I shuld fulfylle the promysse that my surtes haue made vp on my hede and also that I my selfe do prouyde see for myne owne helth and sauegarde do myn owne besynes also in myn owne persone not all by other folke wherfore I beseche and pray you that you wyll euen so deale with me as yf you dyd teache and informe a person hauynge no maner learnynge or knowlege at all MAG Deare sone that lorde whiche hath inspyred this mynde into the the same of his goodnesse shal promote and carye the forwarde vnto this that thou dost desyre DIS Do I not nede than to haue an instructer teacher MAG If ther wer no nede of an infourmer or teacher than sholde chryst haue sayde all in vayn these wordes to his apostles Mat. 16. Go you teache all natyons But though thou haddest gotten syx hundreth teachers to instructe the yet is it the lorde that doth truely effectuosly teache this phylosophye and wysdom For so it hath pleased god and hath lyked hym to geue his benefites and gyftes to one man by another man DI. why hath it lyked hym to do so MAG Fyrst to th entent that all pryde arrogancye myght be excluded why it haâ—â— plesed god to geue his bene fyghtâ— to one man by another .ii. causâ—â— whiche that spyryte the louer of meke anâ— myld myndes doth hate and abhorre and secoundaryly that thrugh doyng benefytes and good dedes eche to other charyte and loue myght be purchaced encreaced and nouryshed amonge chrysten folke And yet neuer the les neither may the doctour or teacher here chalenge ony whitte prayse to hymselfe yf he doth his offyce duety neyther the dyscyple or learner to hymself yf he doth profyght and go forwarde All the prayse euery whitte of it is due to god whiche inwardly by his spyryte bothe doth temper the organe instrumente of the â—eacher and also doth transforme and chaunge the mynde of the learner Let vs therefore both together beseche the lorde of his mercy that by his inspiration both thou mayeste wisely aske demaunde I also may frutefully and holsomely make aunswere vnto the. D. So be it M. Go to now thaÌ„ demauÌ„d D. That vnspeakeable beaute fayrnes of the house of god doth as I sayd meruaylousâ—y moue styrre my mynde and causeth me to be enamoured on it But I pray you which is the way for
god with vs. Math. i. That virgine the Euangeliste inspired with the same ghoste doth here shew vnto vs as it were with a fynger And the auÌ„gel as it were expoundynge and declaryng the prophecie of Esaie Luce. i. sayde And that holy thynge whiche shall be borne of the shal be called the son of god This is that Mary at whose name al the soulles of good men are recreated cheredâ— comforted whaÌ„ we do here Eue named we do ware inwardly sorowfull and do mourne whan we do here the name of Marie we do plucke vp our hartes and are lifte vp into good hope By Eue we are borne the chyldren of wrath and displeasure by Marie we are borne agayn the chyldren of grace and fauoure DI. Scholde he be accompted and taken for an heretike whiche wolde beleue that Marie the virgine after the byrthe of Christe hadde brought forth other chyldren by her husbande Of the perpetual virginite of our blessed lady MAG ye verily not onelye for an heretike but for a blasphemouse person also DIS And yet they say that this thynge is not expressed in the holy scripture MAG That is very trouth but thoughe it be not expressed yet is it euydently gathered and concluded of holy scripture and that it sholde be otherwise is manifestly repugnaunte to the dygnyte bothe of the sonne and of the mother Finally the catholyke church hath with so great consenâ—e beleued taughte fastly affyrmed it from the begynnynge of the gospell euen vntyll this day that it ought no whitte lesse to be beleued than yf it were expressed in the holy scriptures D. I longe to here the scriptures M. The prophete Ezechiel dyd signifie the perpetual integrite of the virgine by a darcke prophecie Ezech. xliii◠☞ Wwhan he beynge tourned towardes the way of the gate of the vttermore sanctuary which gate loked towarde the Easte herde the same spirite which dyd consecrat the chastite of Mary sayeng these wordê vnto hym This gate shall be shitte shall not be opened and no man shal passe thrugh it for the lorde god of Israell haâ—h entred in by it it shall be shitte to the prince Dyd not the prophet in these wordes very proprerly aptely enough descrybe painteforth the sacred wombe of the virgine out of whiche wombe that sone of rightuosnes hathe risen to vs whiche doth lighteÌ„ euery man that cometh into this worde Iohan. i. of whiche son zacharie also sayth in the gospell of Luke Luce. i. he hathe visited vs spryngynge or risynge from an high to geue lyghte vnto them whiche sitte in darknes in the shadowe of death This gate was shitte afore the tyme of her deliuerauÌ„ce of chyld it was shitte in the tyme of deliuerauÌ„ce it coÌ„tynued also stille shitte after the tyme of her delyueraÌ„ce it was open onely to the prince Christe whiche by his entrynge in dyd sanctifie it and by his goynge out dyd consecrate it for it dyd not loke but onely towardê the easte froÌ„whence the moste pure sonne dothe vprise that sonne I meane which neuer setteth or goeth downe and which reneweth and chereth all thynges It loked to the way of the outward sanctuare for this natiuite was without the coÌ„mune maner of natiuites of men hauing no whit of humane concupiscence or luste mengled or ioyned vnto it Finally whan she herselfe speketh thus to the aungell quia viruÌ„ noÌ„ cognosco .i. for I know no man Luce. i. she sheweth plainely her perpetual purpose of virginite DIS But seyng that wedlocke is an honorable thynge of it selfe and that company of man and wyfe together is without blame or syn what indignite or vnworthines sholde it haue ben yf the lorde hadde ben borne after suche maner as other prophetes were borne and as Iohan Baptist was borne which was more excelleÌ„t than al prophetes why Christ wolde not be begotten betwen man woman as other holy ê“phetes were MAG In dede wedlocke is an honourable thynge yf it be chastely kepte but ê‘petuall virginite is a farre more honourable thynge yf it be so that it be wylfully takeÌ„ for the loue of godlynes and vertue through concupiscence without whiche man is not conceiued The contagion infection of original synne goeth from one to another But more than auÌ„gelicall purite dyd be seme this heuenly chyldebyrthe I pray the tell me now yf ony man dyd tourne a teÌ„ple made of stone after it hadde ben ones halowed and sacred to god by a mortal byshop iÌ„to a showemakers shope wolde not all men crye out that it were shamefully and vnaccordyngly don DIS yes veryly and they wolde also ouerwhelme hym with stones MAG And yet is not the showemakers crafte ony filthy occupation And yf ony man wolde put a vessell that hadde ben consecrated and dedycated to baptisme or holy oyle or to other holy vses vnto prophane vses of the kechen sholde it not seme an intolerable contumely and despite DIS yes dowtles MA. And yet is there no faughte or synne in the cokes crafte D. It is trouth M. what is thaÌ„ to be sayde of the most sacred holy teÌ„ple of the blessed virgines body whâ—che not euery maner bishop hath dedicated with bodily oyle but the holy ghost hymselfe hath coÌ„secrated it with heuenly that diuine chylde rested so manye monethes as in a brydechaumbre in whiche also as in a workehowse the hole trinite dyd worke and finishe that mistery whiche is to be honoured worshipped euen of the aungelycall myndes Sholde it not seme a verye vnmeâ—e and vnsemely thynge yf it had ben open I wyll not say to man but euen to an aungell D. yes I perceyue it very playnly M. Now reken coÌ„sidre this with thy selfe whether we sholde rather geue credeÌ„ce to the church so coÌ„sentâ—g agreing together orels to the Iewes beynge not onelye in this poynte madde orels to vile and vnlerned Heluidius whose erroure taken of the scriptures mysunderstonded is so manifeste Heluidius that scasely he hathe fownde ony disciples of his erroure and also of the olde doctoures of the church hath ben scasely iudged worthy of confutation DIS I see and perceyue how greatly perpetuall virginite dyd beseme that byrthe But why wolde the lord be borne of a maryed woman why Christe wolde bâ— borne of a virgine beynge maryed to an husbande MA. It was prouided by that meane for the ionge virgine that she sholde haue a keper an inteÌ„der a nourysher and a minister without ony sinister suspytion of the wycked and mysdemynge coÌ„mun people and also that she sholde haue her spouse and husbande a waightie and substancyall wytnesse of her virginite it was semely and conuenient that suche a virgine as she was sholde be in moste highe and perfyghte tranquillyte and quyetnes and it was conuenient and mete that the mother of god shulde be not onely pure from all synne but it was also accordynge that she shold be not
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
but the same god Erroneouse opinions concernynge the holy ghoste Certayn men haue sayde that the holy ghoste is not a substauce but that he is noughte els but the concitation or styrrynge of a godly mynde But this motion or styrrynge of our mynde is in dede caused and cometh of the holy spirite but it is not the verye holye goste selfe lykewise as imagination cometh of the soule but yet is it not the very soule selfe For the sayde motion or styrrynge of the mynde in vs is an accidente but that thynge that is god is neyder accidente neyther is it mengled to ony accidente Other some agayne haue sayde that the holye ghoste is a creature added as a minister or seruaunte to the sone whome also they do make a creature And these men do openlye denye the holye ghoste to be god Mat. xxviii But our lorde whan in the forme and maner of baptisyng he dothe ioyne the father the sone and the holy ghoste all .iii. together he dothe not mengle or ioyne a creature with the creator neither an accidente with a substaunce but he hathe expressed thre persones all of one essence But because the erroures coÌ„cernÿng the holy ghost haue not very greatly trobled and encombred or febled the churche of Rome but haue moste specially and chefly raged amonge the Grekes The errores coÌ„cernynge the holy ghoste raged moste in Grece londâ— therfor hath the symbole which was made in the councell holden at ConstaÌ„tinople added put to certayne wordes of the holy ghost callynge hym dominuÌ„ lorde and viuificatorem .i. quickener or maker alyue why the holy ghoste is called lorde In that it doth call hym lorde it doth make hym egal to the sone excludyng the name of a minister or seruaunte for there are not many lordes for the sone is not called lorde of the holy goste but the lorde of all thynges created whiche dominum or lordshippe is coÌ„mune to all .iii. persones Howe be it this greke word Kyrios is not alwaies a worde of dominion or lordshyppe Kyrios but otherwhiles it is a worde betokenynge authorite nowe is the holy ghoste authour of all those scriptures whiche the churche accoÌ„pâ—eth for diuine scriptures and of which the auâ—horite is inuiolable but because the father hath in the gospel testified wâ—tnessed of the sone Math. iii. This is my welbeloued sone herken to hym geuynge to hym most soueraigne highe authorite leste ony man shold thynke or suppose that the authorite of the holy spirite were lesse than the authorite of the sone they dyd adde put to Pneuma kyrion .i. the spirite the authour in that it doth cal hym viuificatoreÌ„ .i. quickener or lyfegeuer Et spuÌ„m dominum whythe same ghoste is called quickener it doth agayne make hym egall to the sone to the father for our lorde saith in the gospell of Iohan. As the father doth raise quicken vp and make alyue those that are deade Ioannis .v. so doth the sone also quicken make alyue whoÌ„ he lyste Leste ony man therfore sholde thynke that the holy ghoste were here excluded they added â—t viuificanteÌ„ .i. quicknyng or makyng alyue The differeÌ„ce betwen the speakynge of the sone the speakynge of the holy ghoste the differeÌ„ce betwen the qckenyng or raisyng vp deade men of the one of the other And lykewise as this difference there is that the sone hathe spoken openly in fleshe the holy ghost hath spokeÌ„ by the prophetes the same dayly dothe speke secretly by the churche euen so dyd the sone bodily raise vp deade men beynge both the authour also the fyrst frut of resurrection but the holy ghost by pardonynge forgeuyng synÌ„es doth spiritually quickeÌ„ make alyue for synne is the death of the soule froÌ„ which to reuoke call agayne ony man is a greatt thyng than it was to raise vp Lazarê° beiÌ„g .iiii. Ioannis .xi. dayes deade out of his graue saue onely that al thyngê are lyke muche or egally easy to be done of god But because this outward spiriâ— or breathe is a thynge inconstante waueryng vnstable leste ony man sholde ymagyne ony semblable and lyke thyng of the holy ghoste they called hym Kyrion that is to saye of substanciall and stronge inuiolable authorite Ioan. xv And in the gospell of Iohan our lorde hymselfe calleth hym the spirite of trouthe Thus muche as touchynge difference Quickener Nowe on the other syde because by the sendynge forthe and receyuynge in agayne of breath or ayer by course we do lyue bodyly the holy ghoste very conueniently and accordyngly is called spiritus viuificator .i. a quickenynge spirite whiche doth geue vnto vs causeth that we do lyue as touchynge the better parte of vs that is to witte the soule Agayne because this breathe or wynde seameth a certayne cruel and vnmercifull thyng whan it dothe rayse or styrre vp waues in the see whaÌ„ it doth cause the earthe to shake or quake and whan it tearethe trees in sondre they do geue to the holy ghoste goodnesse DI. why he is called the holye spirite Why is he called holy MA. For a difference from other spirites for we do rede in the scriptures that Saul had an euyll spirite sente of the lorde and that a lyinge spirite was in the mouthe of the prophetes i. Regum xix and .xvi. We rede also of the spirite vertiginis of the spirit of sothesayers of the spirite of gelosy we Leuit. xx Actuum .xvi. rede these wordes spirituÌ„ pessimuÌ„ .i. the moste euyll spirite the spirite of fornication Actuum xix spiritum nequam .i. the wicked spirite the vnclene spirite the spirite of this worlde the spirite of Satan we rede also the proude and highe spirites of man as in the .xvi. chapitoure of the prouerbes Ante ruinam exaltabitur spiritus .i. Afore his decaye and fall his spirite shall be lyfted vp in pride what meruailouse chaÌ„ges the holy gost worketh in maÌ„nes soule From all these spirites is the holy ghoste separated and disseuered whiche maketh men for proude and highmynded meke and mylde whiche ryddeth and delyuereth men from all companie and felowshippe of Satan whiche inspireth to mâ—n the very despisynge of this worlde whiche by faythe purifieth and clenseth the hertes of men whiche driuethe awaye all i. Cor. xiii malice and wickednesse whiche geueth true charite that is not misdemyng neyther i. Cor. ii thynket ony euyll which openeth the secreth misteries of the scriptures whiche ledeth into euery verite trouth D. Iohan. xvi Are nat aungelles also called spiritus sancti id est holy spirites MA. Yes verily and so are they in very dede So also the spirite of man is well called holy but there is but one spirite alone whiche is by nature holy and which of it selfe dothe sanctifie and make holy all thynges that are verily holy Spiritus What so euer
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
whome mentioâ— is made in the gospel many synnes were forgeuen because she loued moche Luc. vii Beside this our lorde geuyng auctorite to his apostles of forgeuyng sines breathed vpon theÌ„ sayiÌ„g Take you the holy ghoste Benignite or liberalyte is declared in this that the gyftes whiâ—he sayncte Paule reherceth very many and diuerse Ioan. xx Goodnesse or liberalite i. Cor. xii Rom. xii i. Cor. xii are called the benefightes of one spirite whiche distributeth at his owne pleasure to euerye man accordynge to the measure quantite of his faythe yt is the maner of theÌ„ that do triuÌ„phe to scatter caste from a hyghe place monaye or other gyftes amonge the people So lykewise Christe after that he was ascended into heuen there to make a triumphe accordyng to the prophecie of the Psalme wryter He ledde captiuite captiue leding away with hym those whome he had taken out froÌ„ hel neither coÌ„teÌ„ted with this Psal. lxiii Ephesi iiii he gaue giftes to men lefte behynd hym iÌ„ earthe that is to witte the gyftes of ê“phecie the gyftes of tongê the gyftes of knowlege the gyftes of curynge maladies or diseases the gyftes of expulsions agaynste poysons wicked spiritê Brefly he gaue the hole company of all vertues which gyftes eueâ—y one Christe hath distributed to his seruauÌ„tes dayly doth distribute by his spirite ¶ what this worde bonus doth signifie otherwhiles For this worde bonus .i. good to latyne men doâ—he sowne and signifie otherwhiles mylde gentel or mercifull and otherwiles bountuose and liberall Therefor saynte Paule prouokyng the Galathians from vengeance to humanite and gentylnesse doth in culke oft repete the name of the spirite sayenge Galat. vi ☞ yf we lyue in the spirite obrethereÌ„ let vs walke also in the spirite yf ony man shall be preueÌ„ted or taken in ony synne you that are spirituall instructe and amende hym that is suche one in the spirite of mildnes Dauid saythe Psal. c. xlii ☞ Thy good spirite shall coÌ„ducte and lede me in to the righte londe And saynte Paule sayth Rom. v. The charite of god is spredde or poured abrode in our hertes by the holy spirite whiche is geuen to vs. Rom. viii And writynge to the Romanes he calleth that the spirite of adoption by whiche we do crye father father Lyke thynges doth he write to the Galathians Galat. iiii Because you are the sones of god god hathe sente the spirite of his sone in our hertes cryinge father father These two wordes soâ—e and father are names of loue whiche no man can truly pronounce and speke but by the beâ—efighte of the holy ghoste lykewise as accordynge to the testimonie of Sayncte Paule 1. Cor. xii Noman doth call Iesu lorde but in the holy ghoste Those men that haue the spirite of this worlde do falsly crie father father They do falsely saye to Christ lorde lorde whose spirite they do wante Rom. viii ☞ For who so euer hathe not the spirite of Christ that man is none of Christes And lykewise as the holye ghoste is that ineffable bonde or knotte by whiche the thre persones are inseparable ioyned among them selues eche to other with eternall coÌ„corde euen so the same spirite with an vnlowseable bonde dothe ioyne the spousesse of Christe to her spouse and also dothe couple and knytte to gether all the meÌ„bres of Cristes misticall body with a ê‘petull bonde of loue amonge themselues euery one with other DIS yf the holy ghoste doth procede of the substance of god the father of the sone what dothe let that he may not be called sone MAGI Saynte Cyprian hilary Augustine thoughte it sufficiente to aunswere in this wise to this question because the scripture dothe call the seconde person sone and sayth that he is begotten and borne of the father but it doth in no place saye neither that the holye ghoste is begotten or borne neither dothe it call hym ony where sone This aunswere whiche so eâ—cellente men thoughte sufficiente it is conueniente and mete forthe to be contented withall yf out of two fountaynes or sprynges one ryuâ—â— dyd issue that riuer mighte well be saide to come forthe or to be sente from bothe those sayde springes but yet sholde it be called the sone of neither nouther of them bothe DIS Is it sufficiente than to beleue this that you haue taught me as touchynge to the holy ghoste MAG No verily but you muste also beleue that this spirite which was a fore sayde of the prophetes and promised of Christe dyd on whitsonday come down vpon the Apostles and Disciples soo as saynte Luke reherseth Actuum ii because of the wicked and blasphemouse arrogance of certayn persones whiche haue not ben afrayde to saye I am that comforter ☞ whome Christe promised to you Ioan. xiiii for to lede you in to all verite and truthe whether he were Maniche or whether he were Basillides or Montane or ony other of those execrable names DIS Actes ii Actuum viiiâ— That whiche came downe vpon the disciples and whiche was geuen to them that were baptized by layeng on of the Apostles handes whether was it the very substance of the holy ghoste A question notable orels was it some gyfte efficacie of the holy ghoste Aunswere MAG It is more prouable lykely that the holy spirite whiche as touchynge to his diuine nature fyllyng all thynges dothe contynue and abyde vncomprehended was there after a certayne speciall and peculiare maner vnder a visible sygne as touchynge to the propretie of his persone But to entremedle with these matters nowe at this tyme is as it is wonte to be sayd in the prouerbe to lepe ouer the hedge passe beyond the boundes Thou haste nowe gotteu knowledge of the spirite that sanctifieth all thynges nowe herken somewhat of the churche that is sanctiâ—ied of the sayde spirite DIS yf there haue ben a societie and felowshippe of all holy men froÌ„ the begynnynge of the worlde and yf that all godly men haue hadde the holy ghoste present with theÌ„ why was there no name to this secrete societie afore the tyme of the lawe For after the lawe geuen it was called the synagoge and after the Gospel geuen the name beynge chaunged it was called the churche MAG what name it hadde afore the olde lawe geuen it is not euideÌ„tly knowne of vs but yet that it hadde some name is very prouable lykelye seynge that the thynge was all one Christe hathe at all tymes knowne and acknowledged his spousesse neyther hathe she at ony tyme wanted the spirite of Christ. The churche stode in a verie fewe persones at the begynnynge But in the begynnyng lykewise as few men hadde knowledge of the dystynction of the persones but they dyd professe one god which speche doth comprehende secretly and closelye thre persones and fewe men dyd knowe the persone of the sone and fewer dyd knowe the holy ghost
euen so was this socyete or felowshyppe amonge a fewe persones and it was coarcted and contayned within narowe meares or bowndes euen vntyll the lyghte of the gospel came But after that Christ the nature of man takeÌ„ vpon hym was coÌ„uersante amonge men that after he hadde redemed his spousesse with his owne deathe and hadde euidently ioyned her beynge made cleane with his owne bloud vnto hymselfe and hadde euidently and abuÌ„dauntly poured forth his spirite after that the grace of the gospell was plentuosly floweÌ„ iÌ„ not into one natioÌ„ alone but into the whole worlde the Apostles chauÌ„ged the name of the synagoge into the name of the church And it is not to be dowted but that it was done by the suggestioÌ„ inspiratioÌ„ of the holy ghost D. I longe to here the cause hereof M. Although there where no such differeÌ„ce in the wordê as there is yet dyd the chauÌ„g of the namâ— make for the glory of the gospell why the Apostles chauÌ„ged the name of synagoge into the name of the church or coÌ„gregatioÌ„ The name of synagoge was receyued coÌ„munely vsed among all men for the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the Iewes which professed the lawe of Moyses now likewise as the lawe of Moyses was hateful to al other natioÌ„s eueÌ„ so was the name of synagoge vnpleasauÌ„te mislykyng to the cares of the geÌ„tiles Mar. xvi Luce. xxiiii Actuum .i. but the apostlê whaÌ„ they were coÌ„mauÌ„ded of our lord to pche the Gospell to euery creature not onely within the termes limites of Iewry samary but eueÌ„ vnto the vttermost partê of the world also beiÌ„g taught by the holi ghost dyd know that there shold certayne Iewes afterwardes springe vp or ryse which wold face abowt to obscure deface the grace of the gospell the faythe Actuum .xv. in our lorde Iesu teaching that there was no hope of saluatioÌ„ to ony maÌ„ onlesse he were circumcised so by this symbole â—s it were by an earnest peny geueÌ„ dyd ê“fesse the hole lawe of Moyses the apostles I saye therfore wolde declare that the ceremonies of the lawe froÌ„ theÌ„seforth shold be abolished put away wold also declare the newnesse of grace by chaâ—ngynge the olde vocabules or names in the stede of the lawe callynge the gospel that is to witte a glad tydyng in stede of synagog now namyng the churche or congregation The lawe For the lawe dyd thretteÌ„ manace ponishemeÌ„t exactyng of men by coÌ„pulsion the obseruation or fulfillyng of the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes The gospell The gospel by the grace of the spirit by faith in Christe Iesu without the workes of the lawe doth ê“mise eternal lyfe now if the stiffnes froward stoburnesse of the Ieues was so great yt the apostlê were scasely able wâ— much busines to exclude theyr suê‘stitioÌ„ how muche more harde thyng wold it haue ben to do the same if in stede of the churche the synagoge had ben preached hearing styl the olde name they wolde haue wende supposed that there had iÌ„ the thyng also no whit at all ben chauÌ„ged D. Is there thaÌ„ also iÌ„ the wordê some differeÌ„ce diuersite Synagoga Ecclesia MA. Bothe wordes that is to witte Synagoga and Ecclesia are Greke wordes and Synagoga is sayde of the greke verbe synagein whiche signifiethe as muche as cogere .i. dryue together in one Ecclesia is sayde of the greke verbe Ekkalein Ecclesia whiche signifieth as muche as euocare to call out or to call forthe The formore worde therefor that is to witte synagoga is more mete and agreynge to the grosse Synagoga carnall harde and stoburne rebellyouse natioÌ„ of the Ieues whiche with feare of ponishemente or with hope of â—arthely coÌ„modites were kepte in or holden backe by the lawe as it were within hedges or rayles that they sholde not ruÌ„ne or falle into all wickednesse and synne And the lattâ—rmore worde that is to witte Ecclesia is more mete and conueniente to the Gentiles Ecclesia Churche whiche dyd lightely and easily obay the gospell beynge allured by theyr eares whiche thynge belongeth to men not drawne by the nosethriâ—les after the maner of bugles or other brute beastes A flocke of beastes is gatherd together but men are called forth into an assemble not to worke accordynge to the ceremonies of the lawe Rom. x. The obedience of the gentiles but to geue eare herkeÌ„ For fayth as sayth saint Paule is by hearynge The Gentiles were called forth from deade idoles to the lyuynge god from the darknesse of ignoraunce to the lyghte of the Euangelycall verite or trouthe they dyd obaye and folowe The obstinacie of the Iewes The Iewes were lykewise called out from ceremonies to true holynes from shadowes to lyghte from the lettre to the spirite and they dyd refuse to come And therefor it is come to passe that amonge the Gothes and Uandales the name of the lorde is called on worshypped and on the other syde the Iewes do contray wise euen vntyll this daye reuile and blaspheme the worshypfull name of Iesu in theyr synagoges do yet serue the lettre and do resiste the holy ghoste But where the spirite is there is lybertie It belongeth to seruaÌ„tes to be compelled but it appertayneth to sones to be called forth wherfor saint Paule also is wonte to name those that professe the grace of the gospell vocatos sanctos that is to saye sayntes calâ—led or saintes by vocation and callyng DIS What doth this worde Sanctus proprely declare and signifie to latyne men The significations of this worde sanctus holy MAGT That thynge is proprely called Sanctum whiche it is not lawful to violate defyle or breake As the lawes the walles the yates of a cytie are therefore SctaÌ„ id est holy or inuiolable because they are publyke or coÌ„mune And certayne thynges are therefore sancta that is to saye inuiolat because they are sacred and dedicated to god wherfore that thynge is called sanctum domino id est holy to the lorde whiche is sacred or dedicated to hym But the vse of this worde is otherwhiles translated to sygnyfie also clennes purite Nowe the holy churche is so inuiolable and not able to be hurte Math. xvi that accordynge to the sayinge of our lorde not the very yates of hel can preuayle agaynste it For none other cause is it inuiolable but onely because it is dedycated and sacred to Christe Ioan. x. ☞ From whome no man is able to plucke awaye that which his father hath geuen hym The churche is also pure and clene Ephe. v. because Christe hathe ☞ Purified hee and mad her clene with his owne bloud that he wolde make her a spousesse to hym selfe hauyng neither spotte neither wrincle By Spottes is betokened heresies and â—rroures This worde spotte ê‘tayneth ê“prely to heretykes whiche go abowt to defyle make fowle the pure verite with
sprinklyng to of filthy erroures This worde wryncle appertayneth to them whiche in dede do beleue ryghte wryncles do signify uyces and syâ—nes but yet do lede a lyfe defyled with the filthe of vices and synnes Wryncles do betoken age Suche one verily is that olde man whiche we haue receiued of Adam and whome Paule doth bydde vs ☞ to do Ephe. iiii of and to laye froÌ„ vs with all the actes dedes that do belonge to hym that we myghte do on vs the newe man and being renewed in the senses of our mind we myghte folowe the steppes of Christ and walke in newnes of lyfe Roma .vi. Christe is a delicate louer Christe is a delicate and a deynty louer he can nat fynde in his harte to loue the synagoge beynge wrincled with olde ceremonies and with the loue exercise of the olde law Neyther can he suffre or abyde the churches of heretikes beyng disfigured and made foule and euylfauoured with the leprie diuerse spottes of false doctrines and erroures D. If the olde sayng be true that no man lyueth fautles and without synne where is than that spousesse which in the canticles is praysed and is sayde Cantic iiii Tota pulcra â—s amica mâ—a et macula uon est in tâ— to be all fayre and beautyfull and without all maner spotte or wemme MAGISTER It is grauÌ„ted to very fewe men to lyue without the lyghter or smaller vyces or veniall synnes which by rechelesnes and ouersyght doo crepe and stele apon the nature of man But these small faughtes are rather small speckes thaÌ„ greate spottes and lykewise as they do dayly spring or rise eueÌ„ so be they dayly washed awaye either with prayer or with dedes of almoyse or with the recoÌ„pence aâ—d satisfaction of some good worke specially and principally with the receiuinge of the body of our lorde but from greate synnes or deadlye crimes they whiche haue professed Christ both owghte and also maye abstayne with the helpe and aide of the spirite of Christe DIS Do not they than whiche are defiled with great synnes or crymes appertayne belonge to holy churche MAG They do belonge and they do not belonge Howe greate Synners are of the church and how not In so muche and as farreforthe as faythe dothe remayne hole in them they do belonge to the churche neither are they kepte froÌ„ the coÌ„munioÌ„ and partetakynge of the sacramentes excepte it be soo that for some euidente enormite of crimes they be by the publyke and open iudgemente cut awaye from the company and felowshyp of the churhe what is the churche in his moste propre significacion But because this word Ecclesia id est Churche sayd in his moste propre signification dothe betoken the preuy or secrete society and feloweshyp of them that are predestinated to eternall lyfe of the whiche company a greate parte lyueth alredy with Christe and the other parte that remayneth alyue in this world is called for this entente and purpose that they sholde laboure and endeuoure themselffes vnto most hyghe and ê‘fyghte purite therefore is it wel sayde that the church hath no spot or wrincle How the churche hath neyther spot nâ— wryncle eyther by the figure synecdoche that is to witte sayinge that of the whole whiche is verified of the parte orels for cause of the marke or ende entended of whiche ende the logicions also do confesse and graunte a denominacion or name to be taken But yet otherwhiles this word or name churche is so dilated and stretched out so farre that it dothe comprehende and contayne as many as haue receiued the sacramente of baptisme whether they do lyue vertuosly or other wyse Sometyme the ministers or iudges of the church are called the churche to whome we oughte to obaye allthoughe they do openly and in syghte lyue an euyll lyfe as longe as it is so that they do nat commaunde or teache suche thynges as are contrary to goddes lawe and may nat stande with his coÌ„maundementes namely if there shold folowe more trouble and vnquyetnes of the takynge awaye to the commune weale of suche thynges than of the tole ratyng and suffryng of them There are also Psalme .xxv. churches or coÌ„gregacions of wicked men whiche the spouse dothe hate But whosoeuer professeth the holy churche doth execrate and abiure all schismaticall conspiration agaynst the tranquillite of the ecclesiasticall hierarchie lykewyse all conuenticles assemblees of heretikes with whatsoeuer gloriouse title they â—o set them selues forthe to the sale for they are innumerable but the doue is but only one Cantic ii D. In the olde tyme the heretikes also had churches in suche state of thynges whan euery one of them dothe crye ☞ Christe is nat there but here is Christ Marc. xiii by what marke or token maye we discerne and knowe that only doue of Christe from other M. That which doth swarue and go awrye from the holy scriptures is none of Christes D. But heretikes do euen with the very weapons of scripture oppugne and fyghte agaynst the churche M. And no meruayle of it for they do folowe that disceiuynge spirite whiche dyd Mat. iiiâ—â— assayle and temple the lorde hymselfe also vnto wickednes with the testimonies of scripture wrested wrenched to a wronge sense but the false interpretation of scriptures is to be coÌ„futed and disproued and put by with the true interpretation and declaration of the same D. In dede it was no maystry for Christ to do so but it is nat lykewise so easy a thynge for vs wretched men to do the same M. It is nat a parte belongyng and fitte for euery man to fyghte or dispute with heretikes but it appertaineth only to them whiche are instructed and well appoynted with that hole armure whiche the apostle Paule dothe Ephe. vi in certayne places otherwhiles reherce recken vp but to the and to suche other as thou arte it is sufficiente to kepe and holde faste by stedfaste and sure beleffe those thynges whiche the churche hath expresly openly taughte for thynges necessary vnto saluacion D. What shall he do whiche hathe receiued baptisme and hath taken instruction of beleffe in the churche or congregation of heretikes MAG Let hym not chauÌ„ge the baptisme which he hath receiued in the name of the father and the sone and the holy ghoste but let hym purge and clense his doctrine let hym withdrawe hymselfe from vnclene coÌ„gregations or assemblees and let hym reconcile hymselfe to the holy churche DI. But that is it whiche I desiered to knowe of you by what tokeÌ„ or marke the holy church may be discerned knowne from other MAG Howe or by what tokens the true Catholike churche may be knoweÌ„ from other There are many coniectures gesses by which gatherd together iÌ„ one it is easily and son perceiued and espied where the douue is The fyrst is the authorite of the olde Synodes namely approued alowed by the ê‘petuall
some maner cause But yet the more true more alowed cause is this For that in the sacramentes by certayn visyble and sensyble tokens and sygnes there is infused an insensyble grace correspondente and agreynge to the exteriour and outwarde tokens and sygnes DIS Howe many sacramentes be there of this sorte and kynde M. Of the old fathers they are taughte vnto vs to be .vii. in nombre The .vii. sacramentes that is to wyte matrimony or wedlocke i. wedlocke by whiche we are borne to this worlde ii Baptyme Baptyme by which we are borne agayne to Chryste to which sacrament is ioyned Penaunce iii. PenauÌ„ce which is as it were another baptyme by which we are reconcyled to god but not nowe frely and all out for nought neyther are the woundes healed without starres iiii Confiâ—mation Holye anoyntyng by which the yong christen soldyer is coÌ„firmed and strengthed against the temptations of the dyuell with this sacrameÌ„t were they wonte to be fenced or armed whiche were of age inclynyng and leanynge towardes the ieoperdye and pareyll of synnynge that is to wyte after they were seuen yeres olde They were â— olde tymes vii yeres old afore they were confirmed A none after as waxyng yonge men they were roborated and made stronge vnto greate batayles with the sacrameÌ„t of the aultare v. sacrament of the aultre by whiche is quyckened and styrred vp in vs the vertue and lyuelynes of fayth and we are thorow the commemoratioÌ„ of that holy and blessed death enryched with plenteouse grace renewynge in a mysticall maner as farre forthe as is lawful that onely sacrifice by whiche we haue obtayned saluation Agayn because in the tyme of deathe is the laste wrestlynge vi Extreme â—â—ction therfore is put to the extreme or laste vâ—ction by whiche eyther the syke man may recouer his helthe if it so please god or els he may with faith and good hope slepe in the lorde with these as it were with rewardes or gyftes the large benignite and liberalyte of Iesu dothe in the meane season comforte and encorage and harten his soldyers vntyll the tyme that the batayle or stryfe beyng fully ended they may be promoted to the stypende or wage of the heuenly lyfe vii Holy ordre There resteth or remayneth behynde holy ordre by whiche is gyuen auctorite to beare holy offyces to mynister holy thynges This sacrament maketh for the dignite and also the tranquillyte of the ecclesyasticall hierarchie for it is semely and accordyng that in the christen coÌ„mune weale the ecclesyastical offyces shold not be assygned and appoynted to any maner men what so euer they be but that certayne able and mete persones therfore shold be chosen and pyked out to execute them neyther can there be any concord where no man doth obeye another but euerye man dothe clayme and chalenge vnto his owne fleshe auctorite to doo what he lyste Roma xii i. Cor. xii For sayncte Paule among the gyftes of the holy ghost doth recken the gyfte of gouernaunce DIS what grace is gyuen by euery one of the sacramentes By the sacrâ—mentes are graces gyuen as is here particularly declared of eche one of them wedlocke Ephe. v. MAG If any man shall receyue these sacramentes so as they ought to be receyued in due maner by the sacramente of matrimonye the prayer of the preste beynge put to is gyuen the gyfte of the spirite by which the husbonde maye loue the wyfe with chaste loue lykewyse as Christe loued the churche and that the woman agayne of her parte may loue and reuerence her husbonde as her lorde for Christes sake and that bothe of them maye teache and brynge vp theyr chyldren if it please god to sende them any with very greate dilygence in the christen faythe vertuouse lyfe Baptyme ☞ Of baptyme it is no nede to speake There is no maÌ„ but he knoweth that in that sacrament Rom. vi the old man doth perysh all synne beyng vtterly destroyd and kylled whether you call it originall or personall synne and that a newe man doth ryse beynge purged and clensed from all spottes of synnes thorowe faith in Christ Iesu whome Paule calleth a newe creature Gala. vi ii Cor. v. It was mete and conuenient that he whiche was ones borne agayne in Christe and clensed with the bloude of Christe shold not retourne ii Pet. ii Prouer. xxvi agayne in to the soyle of myre and durte but for asmuche as in many men charite is colde and fayth is faynte the goodnes of god hath graunted the remedye of penaunce Penaunce of which we shall a none haue occasion and mete place to speake CoÌ„firmatioÌ„ And because yong tendre age is more inclynynge and redy to vyce and vnthryftynes than to vertue and godlynes by holy confirmation that proclyuyte is minyshed and docilite or aptenes vnto vertue is encreaced and augmented that it sholde not be infected with vyces afore that it doth playnly know what vyce is Furthermore because after the age of .xvi. yeres the dyuell doth laye all his ordenaunce and vse all his engynes agaynst the soldyer of Christe Fyrste of fleshely luste of glotonye and other pleasures thaÌ„ afterwardes of ambition and wrathe Sacramentâ— of the aulter He is than oftentymes amoÌ„g refreshed with strong meate and with heuenly drynke that he may be able with a stronge and bolde brest to receyue all the assaultes of the dyuell bearyng Christ hymselfe and his spirite in his breste In the olde tyme infaÌ„tes receyued the sacrament of the auter forthwith after theyr baptyme In the old tyme they gaue the bodye and bloude of the lorde euen vnto yonge infantes forthwith after theyr baptyme That custome is chaunged and peraduenture it were expedieÌ„t that also the custome of certayne regioÌ„s were chaunged in which confirmation is gyuen to infantes For asmuche as these two sacramentes are not of absolute necessyte so as baptyme is And therfore the mothers doo well to make haste vnto the sacrament of baptyme but those other two are gyuen more conueniently in theyr mete tyme and they are gyuen more profytably if to the sacrament be added also some lytle admonition or counsayll Holy ordre And to those which are chosen out to the mystical offices by the sacrament of ordre is augmented encreaced the gyfte of the holy ghoste to admynistre and execute worthily and accordyngly the offyce assygned put vnto them Lykewyse as we rede that â—ctes xiii the handes of the Apostles were layd on Paule and Barnabas that they myght go forth to the spredynge abrode of the gospell i. Timot. iiii And vpon Timothe handes was put on by the prestes as saynct Paule wyâ—nesseth wrytynge to hym This much to haue touched somewhat by the waye concernyng the sacramentes it is sufficient at this tyme. It foloweth in the Crede ☞ The remission or forgeuenes of synnes Noman dare
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