Godhead be distinguished into three distinct persons S. Then ye would that I should beleeue Trinitie in Vnitie three to be in one and one to be in three that is three persons in one diuine Essence and one diuine Essence in three persons F. Yea truly and that in this Trinitie there is the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost but in the vnitie onely one God and the same foreuer S. I like well of your plaine maner of teaching wherof I haue taken no meane instruction and comfort Now tell me father I beseech you how God is called the father F. God is called the father Although God be the common father the creator the author the gouernour and the susteyner of all things yet here he is called a father in respect of the sonne whom he hath begotten before all worldes very God of very God S. How is he called the sonne F. God the Sonne He is called the sonne in two respects first as hauing a relation to the father of whom he was begottē to whō and with whom he is coessentiall coequall and coeternall Secondly in that he became man and was borne of the virgin Mary S. The sonne was made a perfect man And was the sonne a perfect man as he was a perfect God F. Yea for as he is perfect God of the substance of God his father so is he perfect man of the substance of the virgin Mary his mother S. So then ye say that he had a reasonable soule as he had a humane bodie for this necessarily followeth F. Yea for as a perfect man consisteth both of a humane body and a reasonable soule so thou must beléeue that this second person in the Trinitie had not onely such a bodie but also such a soule as he was man S. And was that his diuine nature combined with his humane nature in this person F. Yea doubtlesse The godhead and manhood conioyned in one Christ and thereof béeing God and man he became one Christ S. VVho was his mother as he is God and who was his father as he is man F. Is he is God he hath no mother and as he is man he hath no father S. And yet he hath both father and mother must I not beleeue so Father Yes for as he is Christ he hath God his Father in heauen and the Virgin his Mother on earth S. How then was he begotten as he was man F. Of the holy spirite inspiring the holy virgin without the knowledge of any man Luke 1.35 S. This is a wonderfull conception F. So is it indeede howbeit with God it was nothing impossible S. The holy Ghost How is God called the holy spirite F. Not onely in that he is that spirituall Essence but also in that he powreth foorth of his vertues and graces wherein he is sayd to procéede from the father and the sonne S. What is that holy spirite then F. That diuine person in the Trinitie which procéedeth from the father and the sonne to whom and with whom he he is both coeternall and coessenciall which replenisheth the faythfull with all good things S. Then this I learne that the father is the first person in the diuine Trinitie not made nor created The sonne is the second person begotten of the father the holy Ghost is the third person proceeding from the father and the sonne F. Thou sayest well and it is needefull that thou thus beléeue as touching the Trinitie S. VVhat do you distinctly attribute to those three distinct persons F. Although that neither the Godhead is diuided nor the persons seperated in substāce or working Distinct operations of the three distinct persons howsoeuer they be distinguished yet to euery one of those persons is attributed a proper worke in and for the good of the chosen S. VVhat is that which is properly attributed to God the father F. Election and creation S. What is there attributed to the son F. Redemption iustification saluatiō S. VVhat may we attribute to the holy Ghost F. Illumination regeneration and sanctification S. What is that which ye call election Election F. Election is that diuine choyse and sure mercie of God whereby before he made the world he did foreknow them whom he wold glorifie that they might stand before him without blame and become his adopted children through Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will Ephe. 1. S. VVas there no good thing then in man which God foresaw to merite or deserue this choyse F. Nothing at all for whatsoeuer he did therein God elected his of his own accord and that freely was of his owne accorde S. And is not man able to deserue for this F. Never albeit he should liue tenne thousand yeares neyther indeede dath God expect it for God elected him of his owne will so he elected him fréely knowing well that man could neuer be of power to requite him S. Then we haue no merite whereof to challenge heauen or to iustifie our selues before God F. None at all therefore we are said to be seruants vnprofitable and sinners S. The approbation of man before God By whom are we accepted and iustified then F. By Christ Iesus our Lord who dyed for them whom the father had known before and chosen S. Creation Ye attributed also to God the worke of creation what hath God created and of what matter hath he created the same F. God hath created heauen and earth yea and that of no former matter for to create is properly to make something of nothing S. Then so in them hath God created me F. Yea and he hath made and formed thee S. Of what matter hath he made mee The matter whereof man was made F. As touching thy body of the dust of the earth as touching thy soule of the breath of life S. VVhat thing was I then made F. A liuing soule S. In whose image was I formed F. In the Image of God Gen. 1.27 S. VVhat Image is that for God is a spirite F. Wisdome holinesse righteousnes The image of God and all perfection S. Now what say ye of the proper office of the sonne The proper office of Christ F. As God the father elected and created so the sonne redéemeth iustifieth and saueth S. VVhat is that which ye call redemption redemption F. The recouering agayne buying fréeing of that which was sold the price thereof béeing paied so he redemptiō of mankinde is the recouering fréeing and taking home agayne of mankinde from the bondage of hell death and the diuel his ransome béeing payed S. How was man sold away into that miserie F. Through his owne sinne and rebellion agaynst the law of God S. The malice of the diuel Who moued him to that rebellion F. The Diuel by his subtill temptatiō S. How did the Diuell tempt him F. He abused the bodie of the serpent in whom he spake thereby beguiled first
kingdome of Christ fayth remission of sinnes righteousnesse holinesse and to a new life and life euerlasting S. How then am I called F. God béeing merciful vnto thée allureth thée externally by his worde preached and inwardly by the motion of his spirite S. Are both these namely the outward inward calling necessary for a christiā F. Yea and therefore we ought not to neglect the one nor contemne the other S. Thus farre haue you disputed in order touching the sonne howbeit one thing remayneth yet doubtfull my father the which I would gladly ye should discusse F. What is that my sonne S. Ye said that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost are one thing and that the diuine Nature cannot essentially be diuided and yet that neither the father nor the holy Ghost was made flesh but the sonne onely which also was the alone redeemer of mankinde Not the father nor the holy Ghost was incarnate but the sonne August de incarna cohu Iudaeos how I pray you may this be F. Let him resolue this questiō who hath for an example thereof so elegantly produced the harmonie of a musicall instrument consider sayth hée the musical instrument as it yéeldeth the harmonical sound therein thrée things séeme to be present together as namely the arte or cunning the hand and the corde the arte doeth suggerate or indite the hand striketh and the corde soundeth three here worke together yet onely the corde soundeth neyther the arte nor the hand yéeldeth sound but then only when they worke together with the corde euen so neyther the father nor the holy ghost hath taken flesh yet haue both wrought together with the sonne the corde onely yéeldeth the sound Christ onely hath béene incarnate The operation consisted of all the three but as the yéelding of the sound appertayneth onely to the corde so the taking of flesh appertayneth onely to Christ S. Ye haue excellently resolued me in this doubt and so haue sufficiently instructed me touching the sonne the second person of the diuine Trinitie Now at length I remember that to the third person ye attributed illumination regeneration and sanctification F. The workes of the holy Ghost It is true for these three things are proper to the holy ghost albeit that in the same the whole Trinitie hath his operation S. What meane ye by this illuminatiō Illumination F. Illumination as it is generally taken noteth sometimes the new birth sometimes the viuification sometimes the fréedome sometimes the iustification of a man but in this place by Illumination is meant that lightning of reason and iudgement wrougth in the faithfull by the diuine vertue whereby the eyes of the soule béeing opened they both sée God and learne to walke in his waies S. Then it appeareth that sometimes they haue beene darkened in their vnderstanding and know not at all how to order themselues F. It is most certaine thereof did men runne into so many grosse errours in the world as a punishment for their sinnes S. Right needefull then was it that Christ after his departure from his disciples sent the holy Ghost vnto them F. Thou hast sayd the truth for by the vertue thereof they were lightned and led into all trueth S. How is this holy spirit sayd to be giuen or receiued F. How the holy Ghost is said to be giuen As concerning his graces vertues operations and effects for otherwise being God incomprehensible and replenishing al things he is neither giuen nor taken nor said properly to remoue to go or to come from one place to another S. Ye also attributed to the holy ghost regeneration what meane ye by that F. Regeneration Regeneration is of that which is engendred againe or new borne S. Shew me this more plainely F. Euery man is spiritually dead by reason of sin therefore it is néedeful that he be reduced to that Image of God which is in him defaced by a new birth and hereof is he made a new man S. The old man VVhat is the olde man F. It is the fleshlie man S. VVho is that fleshlie man F. It is he which is not indued with the spirit of God but by nature without the holy spirit which is also called the outward man that is he which consisteth of the body and the sences which is giuen to affections and is mortall The same is also called the body of sin that is a body subdued to sinne flesh sensuall and earthly S. VVhat is that new man The new man F. It is that spirituall man S. VVho is he F. The man inspired with the graces of gods spirit whereof he is a new creature and spirit or the spirituall and inward man that is one regenerated by the worke of the holy ghost that very soule and the image of God which through faith and grace doth flourish euen in the middest of afflictions neither may he be by any meanes extinguished to this also belongeth the first and second man Ro. 5.8 1. cor 15. Adam is that first Christ is that second the first is terrene or earthly the second is celestiall or heauenly S. How doth the holy Ghost worke this in vs. F. He conuerteth vs vnto God conforming vs to the image of his sonne in the renewing of our mindes the which in the scriptures is often vnderstood in the worde Repentance S. It was not then for nought that both God and his prophets in the old Testament and Christ and his apostles in the new haue so often excited and called the people to repentance F. Well sayde neither without this can a man enter into the kingdome of heauen Io. 3.5 S. What oportunitie taketh the holy ghost in the working of this regeneratiō F. The hearing of the worde of God whereof fayth is engendred in the hart of man S. Ye also attributed as I remember to the holy spirit sanctification and what is that F. Sanctification Sanctification is the purifying of a man from all prophanitie the cleansing of a man by the mortificatiō of the flesh and the confirmation and application of vs to God by the viuification of the spirit the which indeede is the end of our deliuerance from hell death the diuell S. Thus haue I learned what are the chiefe attributes or properties of those three distinct persons in the diuine Trinitie now what remayneth els for me to learne my good father F. What God requireth of vs. Yea thou hast hard what Iehouah hath done for thée Now also must thou learne what he requireth thée to yéelde vnto him S. And what is that my good father F. Repeate the Theme or argument of our talke thou shalt therby know it S. I made thee saith Iehouah that thou shouldest be my seruant therefore thou Israell forget me not F. Well then The end of our creation redemption and regeneration to what end did Iehouah make thée aunswere me to the wordes of our Theme S.
The 8. F. First he forbiddeth thée to take away from thy neighbour by stealth or any vnlawfull meanes eyther his externall good possessioÌ„s or his good name fame and reputation Next he biddeth thée to expresse and exercise towards they neighbour the vertues of liberalitie aimes déedes and mercie according to thy power and that thou be beneficiall to him his goodes and fame S. The ninth What is prescribed me in the nynth comaundement F. First thou art therein forbidden al lying periuries back bitings contumelies brawlings contentions and flatteries next that thou reporte well of thy neighbour and that thou testifie and speake the truth of him in all things S. The ten commaundemente What biddeth he in the tenth commaundement F. That thou do not so much as couet that which is an others secondly that thou endeauour that euery one may retayne his owne yea and rather to wish him some part of that which is thine then vniustly to desire that which is his S. Thus haue ye fully satisfied me in this poynt But is a man able of himselfe to obserue and performe these commandements of Almightie God F. By no meanes and yet this notwithstanding Man is not able to fufill these commaundementes the Lord hath in his mercie ordeyned man a meane the same to performe after his good pleasure S. VVhat is that meane my father F. Christ Iesus Christ is the perfection and end of the law in whom the father is very well pleased and in and by whom all such as beléeue in him doe kéepe and performe the whole for he is both the perfection and end of the law S. How many things requireth he of vs therby F. Two things wherof the one is faith Faith and obedience the other is obedience in the which also is contayned the summe of religion neither without these two things can any one of these teÌ„ coÌ„maÌ„dements be obserued S. Which of these two things doth orderlye proceede go before the other F. Fayth goeth before obedience followeth after fayth is at the roote obedience is as the fruit faith is as the cause obedience as the effect the one promiseth the other performeth and this latter is a testimonie of the former expressing that in worde and déede which was in beléeuing conceiued in the hart by the operation of the holy ghost S. What thing is that which ye call faith F. What faith is Faith is defined to be that which maketh those things to be which are hoped for demonstrateth that which is not séene S. What kinde of faith is there required in this seruice of God F. That which is called the Christian and Liuely faith the same which is proper to the true Christians and fruitfull in godly vertues S. And what is that F. It is the gift of God engendred in the soule of the spirite of God by the preaching of the word and is defined a firme opinion Christian faith and constant conscience of righteousnes and saluation obtayned by none other meanes but onely by the frée mercie of God in his sonne S. What are the things which are chiefly obiected to this faith F. The Obiectes of faith Those things which here follow in order as first God that diuine nature in the vnitie next the same God in the Trinitie thirdly the holy Catholicke Church and lastly all those Articles of the Christian faith whereof we must not doubt but be absolutely and certeinly assured in our beliefe S. What are those Articles of beliefe F. The same which are comprehended vnder the title of the simbole of the Apostles that is I beléeue in God the father almightie marker of heauen and earth The Simbole of the Apostles and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the virgin Mary suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell the third day he rose agayne from the dead he ascending into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade I beléeue in the holy Ghost I beléeue the holy Catholick church the Communion of saintes the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the bodie and the life euerlasting S. Must I theÌ„ beleeue in al these things To bleeue 1. that God is 2. that whicâ— God saith 3. In Gâ—â— F. It is néedfull that thou beléeue all these things to be but it is not requisite that thou beléeue in them all S. Seeing therefore that this particle In maketh such a difference in what thing then must I beleeue F. Beleeue in the holy Trinitie In that holy Trinitie namely in God the father in God the sonne and in God the holy ghost which is in nature one thing S. And what must I beleeue without this particle In F. Beleeue the holy Church c. The holy Catholicke church those other things contained in the Articles which folow in the same simbole to be true S. Ye haue before this sufficiently taught me to knowe the former obicte of my fayth namely God in the trinitie and the Trinitie in the Vnitie nowe I pray you to declare vnto me those latter pointes and first what is that Catholicke church which yee would that I should constantly beleeue F. What this Church is By this church is meant the vniuersall companie or faythfull assembly of Gods people of the which some hauing passed the troubles of this life are with Christ in heauen and other some as yet are millitant on the earth where in the vnitie of the true doctrine and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments they cleaue together S. What is that communion of saints The communion of Sainte F. The fellowshippe familiaritie and amitie that the godly haue one with another in one fayth one hope one charity as children of one father in one house exercising mutuall beneficience works of mercie christian duties The forgiunesse of sins one towardes another S. VVhat is that forgiuenes of sinnes the which I must also beleeue F. It is the loosing and releasing of that band of obligation wherein we be tyed to eternall death and damnation yea and a pardon of that payne which our sins had deserued and that by the onely death merit of our Lord Iesus Christ S. VVhat must I beleeue touching the Resurrection of the flesh The resurection of the flesh F. That in the last day all men shall rise agayne with their bodies the godly to eternal life the wicked to eternal paine S. VVhat is that eternall life F. That blessed felicitie and happie condition which the elected saints shall haue and enioy after their resurrection from death in all eternitie The life euerlasting with Christ the sonne of God S. Thus haue ye taught me my good father what this Christian fayth is and what and wherin I must beleeue now let me know