beleue vs to be most wyse Wherfore natural iudgement carnall reason serte a parte let vs become scolers to fayth vntyl we haue well learned this lesson And fayth wyll teache plainly what euery true Christian is bounde to thynke and beleue herein She wyll teache vs to beleue stedfastly that Iesus Christ is true God not made but whiche was from the begynnyng equall to God the Father agayne that Iesus Christ was true man borne of Mary styll Virgin that he dyed on the Crosse to redeme mankynde beyng lost through the fal of Adam and that he rysed a gayne the thyrde daye accordynge to his promesse Conqueror of death and synne and that he now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father a continuall solicitor for all that beleue in him Fayth wyl teache vs also that there be .iii. distincte and seueral persons the Father the Sonne the Holye Ghost yet no .iii. Godddes but one God all .iii. and all .iii. one God This is one parte of Faythes doetrine to hyge for our carnall senses to reach vnto And the it soundeth muche agaynst our reason to thinke it true yet it maketh all with oure saluation to beleue it most true And albeit right nowe good syr ye promysed to folow right fayth and the true vnderstandyng of the scriptures yet canne ye not brooke thys geare but earnestlye contende that there is no suche thynge because your eye and other your corrupte senses tell you that he was here in a visible forme and that he dyed c. whiche is not to be founde in the deuine nature ye say and I graunte forsothe that God is inuisible and immortall and that in no wyse the Godhead canne be seene or dye I graunte lykewyse that Christe was here seene in the worlde lyke a man and that he dyed yet fayth byddeth me to saye and a byde by that Iesus Christ is God notwithstandynge that visibilitie and that mortalitie If ye aske me by what rule I proue this very by the rule that neuer squareth not of mans inuencions but of the worde wherof the truthe it selfe is author Iesus Christe the true naturall and only sonne of god the father and in him self true God and man he and his woorde be all one he can not lye and hys worde can not be false his worde beareth wytnes that it is so and fayth therfore requyreth me to beleue it without further question Herken therfore and I shall tell how the scriptures in many places doo testifye of this truthe and to begynne at the old law I rede in the .xxv. Psalme Psa xiv Et concupiset Rex decorem suum quoniam ipse est Deus tuus adorabis eum The Kynge shall requyre his beautye for he is thy God and thou shalt worship him And in the .ix. of Esaye Esay ix Paruulus natus est nobis filius datus est uobis vocabitus nomen eius DEVS fortis Pater eternae vitae A lytle one is borne to vs and a sonne is gyuen to vs and his name shall be called mightye God father of euerlastyng lyfe In the fyrst of Iohn Ioh. i. In principio erat verbum verbum erat apud deum In the beginnyng was the worde and God Tues Christus filius dei viui Mat. x. was the worde In the .xx. of Iohn Thomas sayeth Dominus meus Deus meus .i. My Lorde my Godâ— And S. Collo ii Paule in the seconde to the Collosians writeth of him thus Iâ— quo hahitat omnis plenitudo deithtis corporalis that is In whom abydeth all fulnesse of the Godhead corporally The .ix. Rom. ix to the Romaynes Christus qui est Deus sup omnia laudanus in secula Christ whiche is God ouer all thynges blessed foreuer These places of the scripture do playniye declare and shewe that Christ is God Agayne who is euerlastyng but God Christ is euerlastyng therfore true God Ante luciferum genui â—â—â— That is Psal c.ix I saith God the Fatheâ— haue begotten thee before all begynnyâ—g and withoute begiÌ„nyng Saint Iohn recordeth the same Iohn i. In principio erat ver bum In the beginnyng the worde was It followeth to make the matter playne Et ver bum erat apud Deum et deus erat verbum omnia per ipsum facta sunt .i. And the worde was with God and God was the worde and all thinges was made by hym Yf al thing was made by hym then it foloweth that he was not made if he be not made then accordyng to saynt Austen he is no creature if he be no creature he is of the same substaunce and essence with the father if he be of the same essence with the father theÌ„ is he God euen as the father is What can be more playnely spoken And as I haue recyted a fewe places for the profe hereof so coulde I alleage a nomber mo tendynge to the same ende But ynoughe they saye is as good as a feaste One proufe more I wyll adde hereto touchyng Chryst deuinitie And then I shall come to the partes of your argumente In all the Scriptures throughe out euery where we be commaunded to adore and worship to inuocate to put our trust and confidence in Iesus Christ With the same facte the Scripture dothe artrybute vnto Christe power infinite that he is euery where that he searcheth the hertes heareth in all places at all tymes the supplycacions and prayers of the people and that he rewardeth iustyce and lyfe euerlastinge If this be so as it is not to be doughted the Scriptures bearing witnes to the same as after ye shall here Then of force it foloweth that Iesus Christ is true god and hath in hym the deuine nature For no creature ought to be iniuocated but God alone no creature is euery where but God alone in no creature we ought to put our truste and confydeâ—s but in God alone No creature sercheth the hertes but God alone no creature can rewarde life euerlasting but God alone And that Iesus Chryst oughte to be inuocated as he that can doo al this the scripture is cleere Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis onorati estis et ego reficiam vos i. Mat. xi Come ye to me all whiche do labor and are loden and I wyll refresshe you This one sentence wer ynough to perswade vs that Iesus Chryste ought to be called on and inuocated as he that doth here vs eueri where ayde and socoure vs euerye where Whiche is for God onely to do Concupiscet rex decorem tuuÌ„ quoniam ipse est de tuus adorabis eum Psa xiv The king shall require his beauty for he is thy God and thou shall honor hym Psa 72. Et timebunt eum do nec erunt sol luna .i. And they shall feare hym as longe as Soone and Moone shal be Qui non honorat filium non honorat patrem .i. Iohn
I trowe Notwithstandyng I beleued assuredly and was cleane out of doubte althoughe ye had not mencioned of it at all that youre mynde was not free from perturbacioÌ„ and trouble beyng so sore wouÌ„ded and greuoslye infected with that stinkyng leprye foule skabbe of moste daungerous blasphemy Therfore I canne not blame you good man if all labour seeme odious writyng difficult commentacion vnplesauÌ„t and greuous vnto you your myne being in such pitious maiadie carefull plyght Yet neuerthelesse suche was youre goodnesse and gentlenesse that neither the odiousnesse of laboure the dificulife of writiÌ„g nor the greuousnesse of commentyng coulde stay or let but your hande must haste with all speedye diligence to delyuer and bringe forthe that plesaunt Babe which ye had conceaued and went great with al so loÌ„g tyme before In the birth wherof your ioye comfort and pleasure wolde be so great you knew that the paynes and griefe of your trauell shuld be cleane forgotten within a lytle space Arrian WHICH myne opinioÌ„ by the coÌ„municatioÌ„ tofore had with your Lordship mighte haue ben euidenty noughe sufficiently knowen without writyng For first at the beginnyng when your lordship admitted me to disputacion before manye wytnesses and then after to priuate and familier talke I dyd plainly say all that then came into mynd verely I haue not dissimbled my opynion which I gotte not or borowed out of Sarcerius Conradus Pellican and suche garbages or rather synkes or gutters but out of the sacred fouÌ„teyn Proct. IN somer seasn as ofteÌ„ as it thuÌ„dreth more vehemeÌ„tly then lyghten then surely sayeth Plinie it betokeneth wyndes Euen so when any man thundreth with tauntes flaunderous nipps at another yet he him self no goodly man to speake of nor in any good knowledge neither in anye other honeste qualitle lyghtnyng or shinynge before hym with whom he fyndeth so much falt as ye do now by Sarcerius CoÌ„radus Pelicanus with their lyke is it not trowe ye a sure token and vehement presumption of a mynde rather puffed vp with wynde and ambicion then in very deede godly and charitable How so euer it lyke you to pronounce of them if iust triall and proufe be made you come not nygh to any of them by much in the knowledge both of the scriptures other kynde of learnyng also vnies ye haue better store yet left behynde in youre belye then hytherunto ye haue vttered For amongst maye good thingê which ech of them haue left vnto vs in writyng if they haue sayde in anye pointe a mysse it is in such matters wherein a maÌ„ may errwithout great dauÌ„ger as you seeme to grauÌ„t in your processe folowyng but I am wel assured none of them euer blasphemed Iesus Christ as to auouche and teache that he was not God that he had not deuine nature in him and that he was onlye a creat man as you be not ashamed to do Which opinion of youres I dare sai stinketh a thousand partes worse before God and all godly meÌ„ then the most filthy garbage synke or gutter that is therfor tho it please you to coÌ„pare them to suche vnclene refuse or garbage to fylthy gutters and synkes whiche is no slaunder in your mouth yet be not you of mynde to beleue that youre selfe is sweete and sauery For as ye haue not dissimbled your sentence and opinion ye saye no more wyll Ioissimble or couler with you herein I tell you therfore truth lyke a frend that your breath is so abhominable stinkyng by reason of that pestilent vapour fumyng vp from the synke of your blasphemous stomake that no Christian canne abyde it And where as ye thus depraue the wryters tofore remembred and theire lyke the cause not alleaged whiche moued you to reporte them so it is cleare that it was because hythervnto ye haue not learned to say wel of any body not for their desertes Howbeit the circumstaunce of your wordes may let vs tundersand the cause verly for that they teache defend iustifye Christ is deuinitie and you wyll none of that It were much more coÌ„mendable with your penne to confute by good learnyng if they be suche as ye adiudge them rather then thus slaunderously vpon no manifest occasion that ye alleage to diffame bacbite them But ye play as the beast called Bonasus whiche because he is not of power to resist with his hornes by reason they are so yll fauouredly bowed tourned inwarde as he runneth awaye letteth fall hys dounge wherwith as with fyre he burneth suche as pursue after hym and happen to touche it In lyke maner you syr forasmuch ye know ye ar to weke in any of their haÌ„des to make youre partie good if the matter shulde come to open triall by learnyng it lyke you well at least to shyte in theire wayes as the coÌ„men phrase is cowardly by hynde their backes in corners with your reprochefull slaunderous reportes extenuate their estimacion and name in all that ye can I can not tell what els I shuld thynke herein but that as a certen kynde of Mares writeth Columell beholdynge their owne forme and figure in the water anye tyme runne afterwarde mad Semblably you are so far in loue and dotage with the Impe ye haue now delyuered Pe rinde ac si ex ouo prodiisset that ye ar nexte dore to madnesse in which your rage ye fauour nor frend ne foe but barke byte as venemously as ye caÌ„ at al especially suche as fauour not the byrth of the same your fayre babe As I am sure Sar. Cont. Pellic with their lyke do not but vtterly detest abhorre as al godly writers do that euer wrote Therfore where as ye saye ye haue not Taken or borowed your opinion of them or their lyke whiche ye esteme no better then synkes and gutters I do beleue it well for none of them are Authours of fauorers of suche blasphemy how so euer thei can clere them selfes in other poyntes WherheÌ„ce theÌ„ was it engeÌ„dred saye on Ex sacro fonte Of the sacred fountayne ye saye What of Christes holy Testament yea so ye meane but the deuil it was as sone For none suche wycked generacion I know can sprink forth froÌ„ thence out of what sacred fountayne then a Gods name Of the sacred fountayne Styx that infernall lake I trowe called Fons sacer in the sense that Virgill the Poet sayeth Auri sacra fames .i. The sacred hunger of golde that is to say the cursed and damnable hunger or desyre of Golde So that of the sacred fountayne which is to wyt of the damnable and cursed fountayne called Styx runnyng beneth in hell as Poetes fayne I graunt you fyrst engendred this your deuelyshe chett wherof it was your chaunce to take a drafte that Belsebub or some other of the rable had brethed on before and infected with theire poyson which made your bellye to swell vp with this foule hel hounde As it happened lykewyse to youre predecessoure Arrius
Elimas the sorcerer so wel truli as I mai now sai it to you which ê“mised to folow the right menyng of the scriptures â—o cleue to ê‘fect faith true religion And by by contende labour with all your might to depraue the scriptures to ouerthrowe the Christian fayth suppresse religioÌ„ with your most detestable and cursed blsasphemye agaynst thauctor of all three Suche is the trust and policie of heretikes firste to premit a fayre paynted tale or thei approch to their wycked purpose faced and set forth with all holynesse therwith to tickle the eares of suche as heare them to th ende they shuld not mistrust their prosses ensuynge whiche in the beginnynge premyse so godlye But Christen Reader thou hast learned by datlye experience that all is not golde which glystereth And euery tree which doth floure and blossome fayre to the eye yeldeth not the best fruyte in th ende Therefore be not deceaued with their false and counterfayte trash tho it shyne and glyster neuer so bryght to your eye Be not in loue with their fruit tho they floure blossome neuer so freshlye They ar very liberal good felowes they wyl not stycke to gyue you the byeng of th one and a large taste of thother if you graunt to be a chepman of theirs But good Christians forsake all and then ye shall be â—ure to be the greatest gayners refuse all and then shall ye cary with you the best part which these kynde of merchauntes wolde spoyle from you the kyngedome of heauen I meane whiche is yours by inheritage through the precious purches â—f Iesus Christ and ye can not be â—efeated therof as long as you conâ—â—new constaunt in the fayth of him Therefore folowe you the ploughe â—arnestly vppon which ye haue set â—our handes and looke not backe â—hat ye be not founde vnmeete for â—hat kyngdome Luke iâ— Nullus enim qui â—anu superiniecta aratro retrorsum â—ertit oculos idoneus est ad regnum â—ei i. For none that putteth his haÌ„d â—p the plow loketh backe is fit for â—â—e kyngdome of God sayth Christ â—ut tell forthe your tale good syr Arri. WHAT the scriptures do witnes of God it is cleere and manyfest ynoughe for fyrst Paule to the RomaÌ„s declareth that he is euerlastynge and to Tymothie inuisible and immortall to the Thessaloniens lyuing and true Iames also teacheth that he is incoÌ„mutable whiche thinges in the olde lawe and Prophetes likewise are taught infixed inculcate so often that they can not escape the reader And if we thinke these Epithetous not vaynelye put but truely and profitably adiecte and that they agree to god And that we must not beleue him to be God to whome the same agree not We therefore cal God whiche onelye is worthy this name and appellacion euerlastynge inuisible incommutable incomprehensible immortall c. Proct. HEtherunto ye haue talked at pleasure and roued a brode at Randon as they say Now at length ye approch to the matter and pricke towarde the marke of your purposed entent but so nyghe that a man may syt at the white with Diogenes without daunger of hytting Therfore I wyshe the good Christian reder or I go further to sit hard at the white of Christes deuinitie iwth me whereat this felowe dothe nowe leuell aswell as he canne to perce the same through And then I warrant the. But if thou mislyke this standynge and beynge in feare of hurting shrynkest away and so chaungeste thy place then thou runnest wylfully into thyne owne destruction for suche is his cunnynge that tho he shutteth to hit the marke yet he mysseth the wole but euery tyme and his shafte lyghtethe emongest them that stande a loofe Therefore I say stand eueÌ„ as nyghe the marke ye can and beleue assuredly that it standeth in suche place as it is not for him or any other though he had the cunnynge and strengthe of the whole world to deface perce or disfigure it by any maner of meanes This if thou do my lyfe for thyne thou shalt be not onely in sauegard out of all daunger but also merelye beholde the farre wyde to shorte or ouer shotyng of him and laughe at the same to thy great comforte and solace to his and others no smal rebuke shame and confusyon that feare not to attempt such hyghe enterpryse whiche to atchyeue al wit lacke skyl al strength want might And muche les this yonge nouis is of force and power suffyciente and able ynough to the same whose Attyliery I assure the Chrystian Reader to put the in more comforte excide not the noÌ„ber of .iii. or .iiii. croked shaftes and they so weke fethered so blunte and dull headed that they can nother flee any thing shifte nor perce wheresoeuer they lyghten besydes that his bowe is dull his string woren his arme to to weake not able to drawe any length at all Onely he hath a pretye cast to make his arrowe by rufflinge the fethers to giue a yolye sound in the Ayer to th ende the simple and rude men that stande bye and heare it may therby beliue him to be a cunning man and a great doer and so to perswade theÌ„ to bette on his syde and become his skolers but out of dought his cunning is no greater his stuffe no better then I haue tolde the. But now to come out of this metaphor and to leaue the gentle Reader a whyle with this watche worde I wyl conuerte my oracyon and talke o the master of the game who of that lytle store beginnethe nowe to loose forth one of his Arowes against the whyte of Chrystes deuinitie and thus he saithe Arri. WHAT the scriptures do witnes of God it is cleere and manifest ynoughe and so forthe as is aboue rehersed Proct. WHat so euer the scriptures in any place do testifie of God that same am I wyllyng with al my might euermore to defend and teach And what soeuer your selfe shal gather maynteine and teache oute of the same holye scriptures ryghtlye vnderstanded touching God or any other Godlye matter I wyll neuer withstand or againe say you therin I wyll not contend agaynst you for vpholdyng and iustifying the scriptures and such truthes as ar therein expressed And therefor I do gladly and euery good Christian doothe with me acknowledge and graunte no les then ye haue in youre former wordes brought in for the scriptures beare wytnes that it is veraye true Conserninge the Eternitye of God sondry places as wel in the old as in the new testameÌ„t make p layne relacion Deus eternus dominus qui creauit terminos terriae non dificiet God saith Esaye the Lorde euerlastinge Esaye xi whiche created the lymittes of the yerthe and shall not decaye Paul to the Romans x. Chapiter Rom. xvi Iuxta delegacioneÌ„ eterni dei in obedientiam fidei c. At the commaundement of the eurelasting God for setting vp the obedience of fayth c. with
othe in thys sorte that he beleued as he had writeÌ„ hauing vnderneth his harmpyt priuelye a scroue of paper wherein he had writen his peculier sect and opinioÌ„ By this crafte deludyng the Emperour bearyng him in hande that he meaned the Decrees of the CouÌ„cell wher he thought nothing les This was a prety deuise but Gods punyshment immediatly folowed After he departed from the Courte as he was to the way goyng Euseb lâ— iii. Trip. hist cap. â—ii beyng prouoked to the stole in exhonoratynge nature he powred out all his bolwels and so dyed and horrible death Now touchyng Athanasius whoÌ„ you our late Arrian bringeth in as one that fauored your sect your predecessors the Arrians practysed all the vilany craft and subteltye they coulde deuise and ymagen not only to put him to worldly shame but also to bryng him to confusioÌ„ Of manye their deuelysh touches I wyll reherse one only by that one that wyse reader may coÌ„iecture the rest These stout clerkes and holy men therfor perceauyng that they were not able to make theire parâ—ye good by the scripture and probable argument but were euer confounded by Athanasius the inuinsible and inexpugnable bulwarke of the Catholyke veritie dyd so irritate and kyndle the Emperour Constantius Ceaser agaynste him with their malicious wrong suggestioÌ„s that he streigth awarded out his coÌ„missioÌ„ to certayn that wer at Tyre requiring them to make diligent enquyriâ— and strayte examinacioÌ„ of the sayd Athanasius his maners and behauyours Two principall crimes were layde to hys charge by the Arrians one was that he had by force rauyshed a woman thother That he had kylled a man whose arme he shulde cutte of to worke enchauntmentes with all To make the first accusacion good they had hyered a meete woman for their purpose that should come in to face out the same matter To proue thother they had callen vnto them one Arsenius whylom Athanasius lectour who fearyng the correction of his Master whome at a tyme he had offended ranne his waye from him This Arsenius the Arrians had shut vp close in a chaumbre to th ende they might with fayth belye him to be dead Arsenius notwithstandynge as sone as he perceaued wherabout they went what mischief they wrought towarde Athanasius or for that he abborred the facte or els supposing therby to come in fauour agayne with his master Athanasius priuelye by nyght conueyed him selfe away out of the chaumbre where he was hydden and came to Tyre by sea where his master Athanasius was to whom he opened all the mater Then Athanasius requireth Arsenius to hyde him self in some priuey place vntyll he shulde be called forthe for the triall of the matter The tyme is present the company assembled the iudges are sette the Commission read the woman apeareth the beare of a deadde corse is brought in before the iudges the arme cut of from a deade man beynge leide vpon the biere is vncouered All do se and beholde it and al at the fearefull sight therof do detest and condemne the crueltie of the deede The woman nowe saithe her lesson without boke whiche she had lerned before of the Arrians that she on a tyme receyued Athanasius in gestwise and that in the night she was oppressed by him and rauished againste her wyll Athanasius is brought forthe to his answere who as he was very holy so was he a very wyity man also as he whiche had accordinge to the lordes precept conioyned admatched together the simplicite of the doue with the prudence of the serpente warned secretly Timothie his prieste whiche was with him present that he shuld aunswere the woman as though he were Athanasius for he knewe perfeictly that nor he had seene the woman neither the woman him at any tyme before When she had ended her tale sayth Tymothe vnto her Sayest thou woman thou were rauyshed of me agaynste thy wyll perforce Yea ê™ she agayne by by with stomake ynough lyke a woman Thou euen thou I say in suche a place at such tyme dydest contaminate my womaÌ„ head and myne honestye by forcible meanes Thus was her false accusacion pretely disclosed thauctours therof shamfully disgraced dashed out of countinance Yet was not good Athanasius acquyted nor the woman punyshed for the slaunder because the same were Iudges whiche were his accusers They proceede to the seconde crime Beholde saye they the thynge it selfe speakethe this is the arme of Arsenius to what purpose and ende thou hast cutte of the same declare thou vnto vs. Then Athanasius asketh them wittely if they knewe well Arsenius whose arme this was Dyuers of them answered that thei knew him by syght very well Then Athanasius requyred that it myght be lawfull for him to sende for a certayne man whom he needed to haue present at the matter it was grauÌ„ted him For brieffe Arsenius is brought before them whose face vncouered beholde sayth Athanasius Arsenius is a lyue beholde here is his right arme here his left arme Now whose arme this is to what ende it is cut of declare ye for you knowe and so doo not I. What here dooest thou looke for geÌ„tle reader that Athanasius shuld be discharged Yea he had ben rent and torne in peces by hys aduersaryes had not Archelaus one of theÌ„ which wer chiefly appointed to here this examinacion plucked him out of their handes and conueyed hym away priuely from them More of thys Historye ye may reade in Eusebius as there remayneth behynde muche more worthye the readynge this is ynough for my purpose as therby to let the vnderstande gentle reader both what Athanasius was also what well disposed men Arrius and his companions were such ar the tabernacles of heretikes We haue none such now a daies I hope No in this tyme present there are none that persecute Athanasius his lyke All is well now the godly men are quiet Christ and his are in safegarde no body dothe persecute them now no body dare openly and maliciously slaunder backbyte disquiet and oppresse them now euery great man now is become Archelaus readye and willynge to defende the godlye and innocent men to deliuer them from the wicked assautes of their aduersaryes But for the more playne and manifest declaracion of Athanasius opinion herein I shall adiect to the ende of this boke the notable psalme that he made called Quicumque vult Arri. FOr if we be not able to coÌ„prehend nor the aÌ„gels nor our own soules which are thynges creat to wrongfully then and absurdly we make the Creatour of them comprehensible especially contrary to so manifeste testimonyes of the scriptures c. Proct. SAYNT Ciprian recordeth no lesse then ye haue sayd touching Gods incomprehensibilitie And I subscribe to both your saiynges because ye say the truthe therein HIs wordes be these Quod si animae meae quae corporis mei obtinet pricipatuÌ„ nec originem scio Cipriani ad Corne lium de carnalibus opecâ— bâ— christi in ê‘logo
withoute the companynge together of manne and womanne in the Acte of generacyon And therefore he saythe thus Sicut vermis calefaciente sole de puro limo formatur Aug de erposâ—ciove simboli ser i. sic spiritu sancto illustrante et sanctificante cor virginis nulla sementiua carnis origine operante concepta est vnde se vtrini Christus comparans per psalmistam ait ego sâ—m vermis non homo i. Non coÌ„ceptus more humano Which is as muche to saye As the worme is engendred of the pure and onely slyme or mudde beynge made hote with the warmesume euen so the holye ghost illustratynge and halowynge the herte of the vyrgyn she was conceyued with chylde without any humane acte of engendrynge wrought therein In conlideration whereof Chryste comparynge hym selfe to a worme sayth by Dauid I am a worme and not man that is I am not conceaned after the maner and fashyon of man Thus farre Saynt Austen Further he is called I graunte peccatum .i. synne but accordynge to his humanite in which he became the sacryfyce for synne to our inestimable comforte He was not in deed synne as the letter soundeth neither had he any syn in hym at any tyme. The peyne for synne onelye was in him which he admitted to him selfe to th ende he wolde put awaye and dyscharge from vs his people both as well the synne as the peyne dewe for the same In the lawe sayth S. Austen synne is taken for the sacryfyce for syn suche a syn was Chryst and none other In which sence S. Paul sayth 2. Cor. v. Eum qui non nouit peccatum pro nobis peccatuÌ„ secit That is he hath made him to be synne for vs which knewe no syn And therefore in the eyght to the Romans it is sayde of him Roma 8. Misit Deus filium suum in similitudinem car nis paccati That is God sent his son in the symylitude of synfull flesshe and not in fynfull fleshe Where as ye saye therfore that Chryst is called synne ye must vnderstand that worde syn to sygnyfye the sacrifyce for synne which he being veray true God and man vouchesaued to be to th ende he that was our creatour in his Godhead myght be also oure redemer in his manhead And we therby shulde be made that ryghtwysnes whiche before the father is allowed And this was nothynge preiudycyall to his deuinitie Fynallye of these names and the lyke aswell whiche ye haue pycked together as all the rest applyed to Iesus Chryst in the Scrypture ye ought reuerentelye to thynke that they are attributed vnto hiÌ„ in some consideracion touchinge his humanitie or els as Dionise Areopagita doth councel accordyng to some deuine anagoge that is an hyghe and subtyl vnderstandyng Nowe forth Arri. HE is called nowe and then the Image of God for that I suppose his lyfe is as ye wolde saye the glasse of the deuyne wyl to warde vs. Proct YEA and for that he is of the same essence and substaunce that the father is of And therfore he is also called splendor gloriae And Character substancie patris And in thapostolyke Crede Lumen de lumine Deum de deo That is light of lyght God of God And Chryst onlye is the ymage of God Other are secundum imaginem dei That is accordyng to the Image of God The father saythe vnto the son make we man and addeth secudnnm imagineÌ„ nostram That is accordynm to our Image By which wordes it is euident sayth saynt Austen that the father and the son are but one Image Arri. HE is called the worde also verelye because he was nerest vnto the father And as ye wolde saye the orgen or instrument of the deuine voyce For the worde is made fleshe what els dothe it signifye then that the felshe receyued the worde And that God the father dyd greeffe into Chryst as ye wolde saye by inplantacioÌ„ that heueÌ„ly doctrine which shuld concile vs vnto him and in maner coÌ„uerted the same into his nature That he shuld not say ne thinke any thyng but the worde of the Lorde not that the fleshe was conuerted into the deuine nature or admitted into societie and feloship with the same As it seemeth veray absurde at the fyrst blushe And that it is not true the style folowynge declareth plainely And he dwelleth emongest vs. c ful of grace Grace power is of God The fulnesse whereof doth make men desposed to the loue of God and the obseruacion of the lawe not Gods Proct. SYnguler as ye are so is youre iudgement vpon the scryptures singuler But I appeale to the wyse reader whether such singularity proceede not of a single wyt and thyne brayne As many as euer wrote vppon Iohn as dyuers holy and well lerned fathers haue donne Do expounde that plae of him the worde is made fleshe after this sorte That the worde the seconde person of the Godhead Iesus Christ came downe and was made fleshe that is to wit receaued the nature of man wholye and perfectly both body and soule vnitynge the same to the person of his Godhead And nowe syr contrarye to all theyr iudgementes and most of all contrary to saynte Iohn his minde who of purpose wrote his Gospell only to dysclose and declare Chryst his deutâ—itie ye haue shaped a straunge exposicion vpon that texte Bul howe fyt and meete what dâ—â—â—e perceaueth not The worde is made â—â—she that is to weete ye saye the flesâ—hâ—e receyued the worde and not the worde receyued fleshe which any reasonable man wolde certenly gather of that place And not that the fleshe receyued the worde For S. Iohn saythe not Caro verbum facta est The flesshe is made the worde But his phrase is Verbum caro factum est The worde is made flesshe whereof no man can iustlye gather that the flesshe receyued the worde but rather and as the truthe is the worde receyued fleshe for the worde was made fleshe sayth saynte Iohn meanyng by the worde made that the worde Iesus Chryst receyued and tooke vnto hym flesshe and by the worde fleshe he vnderstandeth the hole and perfecte nature of man bothe bodye and soule to th ende as I haue saide often that where as he was but the son of god and true God Nowe by the recepte of this nature he myght be knowen vnto vs the sonne of man and true man also He is therefore called the word not for that he was the origen or instrumente onelye of the deuyne voyce as ye saye he was But for thta he was in verytye the deuyne voyce it selfe and the true worde it self And this deuine voyce and true worde Chryst was made verelye fleshe That is to saye receaued of Marye the veray fleshe of man and became true maÌ„ as before true God So that nowe in one person he was perfecte God and perfecte man Yet his deuine nature not coÌ„uerted into the nature of maÌ„ or in any coÌ„sideracion admytted into
gathered togyther in my name there am I in the myds of theÌ„ The Father gyueth vnderstandyng so dothe the Sonne of whom it is sayd ii Tim. ii Vnderstand what I sayâ— for the lord wil geue the vnderstaÌ„diÌ„g Thus muche haue I done vpon the oportunitie receaued at your haÌ„des that ye may bothe vnderstande the equalytie of the Father and the Sonne and also hereby to occasion you to seke oportunitie for serchyng the scriptures aswell that ye maye perfectly knowe that which I haue nowe sayde as lykewyse to see the much more lefte vnspoken that may be sayde for the proufe of the same whiche you denye Nowe wyl I reherse your places one after another and answerethe same Arri. TO syt on my right hande and on my lyst hande is not in me to gyue Mat. xxii Proct ONE named Chius a vintner as Plutarche writeth if I remembre wel vsed to bye the best wynes for other to drinke and he him selfe wolde drynke none other but suche as were mustye and had loste their verdure whose seruaunt on a tyme beynge demaunded what hys Maister dyd at home mary ê™ he Cum adfint bona querit mala That is to say Where muche good is at hande he seeketh for that whiche is naught Let this Chius good syr be as it were a Christall for you to see your owne condicion and disease in that beynge in the vyneyarde on euerye syde beset in cluster with the grape of that heuenly nectar beyng in the treasury replenyshed with so many incomparable good thynges passyng golde pearle or precious stone yet leauinge so pleasaunt and good iuce Vappa sitis vappam neclectyng so dyuers and incomparable good thyngs Malus queris mala Ye hunt after that whiche is euyll And forasmuche in the Testament of Iesus Chryst whiche is that heuenlye vyneyarde and ryche treasury I speake of nothing can be founde but right good Ye practise to corrupte the good that it maye serue your naughty appetite wherwith it can not agre that Iesus Christ shuld be God but only a pure man as ye are And therfore ye haue gathered certayne places whereby ye wolde diswade Christ deuinitie and perswade him to be a Creature and man onlye And the fyrste place ye haue taken out of saynt Mathewe Mat. xx where it is sayde to syt on my right hande and on my lefte hande is not mine to giue Which wordê in deede were spoken by Christ to the mother of Zebedees children what tyme she fell doune before him and desyred that her two sonnes might syt in his kyngdome the one vpon his ryght hande the other vpon his left hand to whom Iesus finall answere was to syt vpon my right hande and on my left is not myne to gyue but vnto them for whome it is prepared of my father which is as much to say that accordyng to this present state wherin ye see me I am not come to dystribute the places seates of my kyngdome for know ye that frome the beginnyng my father I haue distributed and appoynted theym Therefore be not you carefull as thoughe they were voyde This is the right and true vnderstandynge of that place Now let vs see what woulde you conclude hereof that Christ is not God and howe so Perdye thus God is of power to gyue the seate on the right hande on the lefte hande in the kyngdome of heauen But to syt on the right hand and on the left hand is not myne to glue sayeth Christ Wherfore Christe is not God This argument is starke naughte and not worthe a rush For Christ beynge bothe perfect God perfect maÌ„ somtymes as I haue ofteÌ„ times sayde speaketh as God somtymes as man as here in this place in coÌ„sideracion of his manhead and accordyng to the present dispensacion of the flesshe whiche he receaued he sayth to the mother of Zebedees children that it is not in him to giue for any to sit on his right hand on his left hand Wherfore it foloweth not hereby that he is not God no more then it foloweth that he is not man when he speaketh as God And as in this place in consideracioÌ„ I say of his presente state then and hys humanitie he sayde that it was not in his power to dispose the seates of his kyngdome so mought you haue easely found without great seekyng in other places howe that he dothe chalenge vnto him the same thynge whiche here he seemeth to refuse as where he sayth App. iii. Qui vicerit dabo illi sedere c. To him that shall ouercome I shall graunt to syt with me in my seat c. And in another place Verely Verely I say vnto you Luc. xxii that ye whiche haue folowed me in regeneracion what tyme the Sonne of man shall syt in the seate of his magestie ye shall also syt with him c. In whiche place Christ manifestly declareth that he hath power aucthoritie in him selfe to appoynt and dispose the places of the heueÌ„ly king dome therfore if by your owne reasoÌ„ Christ is not God because he saith to syt on his ryght hande and on his lefte hande it is not his to gyue why wyl not your reason serue you to beleue him to be very God which now sayeth I wyll graunte him to sytte with me and ye shall sytte with me in the seate of my magestie If ye deny him to be god because he hath not the power to distribute graunt the seatê of the heauenly kyngdoÌ„e wyll ye not confesse and beleue hym to be God if he hathe that power in him I can not thynke how ye can auoyde it And do not these places proue certenlye that he hathe that power in hym If not then what saye ye to that in Math Mat. 28. Omnis poiestas concessa est mihi in coelo in terra Vnto me is geuen all power in heauen and in earth sayth Christ If all power in heauen and earth be gyuen to him then is it in his power to dispose the seatê of his kingdome in heauen if not then is he a lyer that sayeth all power in heauen and in earthe is gyuen to me But Christ is true and truth it selfe and his worde can not be false Now syâ— I make this reason It is for God and not man to apoynte the places of the heuenlye kyngdome but Chryst hath power to appoynt the places of the heuenlye kyngdome wherefore Chryst is veray God Answere hereunto at your leysure yf ye can And this aunswere is suffycyente to your nexte texte whiche is thus Arri. OF THAT day or houre no maÌ„ knoweth neyther the aungels whiche are in heauen nor the sonne but the father onely c. Proct THE son knoweth not of that daye and houre accordynge to his humanitie by any naturall reason but yet the son knoweth perfectlye dothe the daye and houre otherwise wise howe may it be said of him Iohn x. Ego et Pater vnum sumus