meorum worship the fotestole of my fete the which is ioyned in vnitie of person to the diuine nature and promoted to the company and felowship of the deitie without al doubt the alknowyng conforter is to be honored of whom this flesh was conceiued For by the fotestole earth is vnderstaÌ„d as it is written Heauen is my seat the earth is the stole of my fete and by the erth Christes flesh is ment To worship any other earth is Idolatry and well may his flesh be called so for all flesh is earth The Arrians deny that the holy ghost is to be serued because Iohn writeth The hour now is when true worshippers shalâ— honour the father in spirit and truthe for suche the father seketh to worship him God is a spirit they that worship him must worship him in spirit in truth If thei deny the holy ghost to be honored because the EuaÌ„gelist doth not say the spirit is to be honored but God must be honored in spirit thei must deny likewise y t Crist is to be honored because he saith that God must be worshipped in truth for Christ saith I am truth God only is to be serued The holy ghost is to be serued Ergo the holy ghost is God Iustifying vs Paul proueth the spirite to be a iustifier saying ye are washed ye are sanctifietd ye are iustified by y e name of the Lord and by the spirit of our god Almighty this belongeth to the comâ—orter for he is the finger of God or els the finger of God is weake then is some impotencie in his hande in Christe for whatsoeuer the hand doth that doth the fynger also But Salomon â—alâ—eth the holy gost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is omnipotenteÌ„ omniscium almighty and alknowing He is the Lord of nature and therfore he can doe what hym lyâ—t as Christ and the father can God only is almighty The holy ghost is almighty Ergo the holy ghost is God These silogismusses and brief argumentes may be profitable helpers for thun-learned as it were with a 〈◊〉 dagger to dispatch and slâ—a â—he bâ—â—sphemouse heresie of the Arrians â–ª I could dilate thease thinges into a long volume if I would but my purpose is not at this present to write a defence of God but an Image I do enstruct a beginner not a diuine I do arme a yong soldiour to faith and beleif not an ould worne champion to battaile and fight Hereafter when I shalâ— sâ— occasion I will put forth a defence with a confutation and answer to contrary reasons Now I haue proued out of the storehouse of the scripture that there is but one definition of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste whereof it muste nedes folow that thei are but one God All thinges that agre in definition agre in essence and nature The father the son and the holy ghost haue one definition Ergo they haue one esseÌ„ce and nature This doctrine destroieth all the doctrine of the Arrians and proueth them coÌ„substanciall But me thinke I heare some Patripassian replie that if they agree in the definition they are confounded and are one person They agre in the definition of God not in the finition of paternitie or of a sonne or of a holy ghost for neyther Christe is the father nor the almightye and alknowynge comforter is Christe they be thre vnconfounded and yet one God and Lorde O God of our fathers and Lord of mercies thou that hast made all things with thy word and ordeyned man through thy wisdome that he should haue dominion and lordshippe ouer thy creatures which thou haste made and haste willed thy angels to minister vnto him that he shoulde order the worlde according to equitie righteousnesse and execute iudgement with a true heart geue to all thy people wisdom which is euer about thy seat endue them with the spirit of knowledge of councel and vnderstanding as thou didest promise by thy swete sonne that he should leade them into all truth for we are thy seruauntes and thy handmaidens the workes of thy fingers O send him out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy maiestie that he may gouerne vs that we may know what is acceptable in thy sight For he knoweth and vnderstandeth al thinges and can lead vs soberly in all our works and preserue and continue vs in his power so shall our workes be acceptable For what man is he that may knowe the councell of God or who can thinke what the will of God is The thoughts of mortall men are miserable and oure forecastes are but vncerteine And why our vnderstanding and spirite is depressed with the grosse lumpe and dongion of the corruptible bodie our time is but a space and shorte very hardlye can we discerne the thinges that are vpon earth and greate laboure haue we or we can fynd thinges which are before our eyes Who will then seke out the grounde of the thinges that are done in heauen Oh Lorde who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstanding and meaning except thou geue wisdome and send thy holy ghoste from aboue to reforme and redresse the waies of them which are vpon earth that men maie learne the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the and to lyue louingly one with another euery man being content with his owne vocation and folowe y e same be preserued through wisedome Graunt this GOD for thy sonnes sake Iesus Christe oure spokesman and aduocate to whome with the and the holie spirite be all praise dominion honoure rule and thankesgeuing now in our daies and euer So be it FINIS Sap. 1â— Rom. â— 1 Iohn â— Iohn 14 Luk. 1â— Eccle. 24 Mark 10 Iohn 17 2 Tim. 3 Hebr. 1 Sap. 7 Gala. 3 Math. 7 1 Cor. â— â— Tessa 3 Abiathaâ— Sodoc The Aapâ—stles The elder fathers were preaching prelates â— Cor. 7 Eccle. 10 Ennius Eccle. 1â— 3 Reg. 1â— Deut. 28 Math. 28 Deut. 4 Eccle. 1 Esaie 45 Simonides 1 Cor. 2 Iohn â— Li. x. hist. â—ripâ—r ca. 7 Roma 1 Esaie 1 Hebr. 1â— Strauâ—ge doctrinâ— what it is 1 Petr. 2 Iohn 1â— Math. 8. The leaueÌ„ of the Pharisies psal 110. a Luke 12. a Iohn 4 Samaritans Iewes 2 Cor. 10. Scriptuâ—â— is the power of god Roma 1. A swearde Ephe. 1. 2 Thes. 2 Math. 4 Math. 12 â–ª Math. 22 A lanterne Psa. 118. 2. Peter 1. To be studied of all mâ—n Iob. 7. gods word 〈◊〉 a sword Luke 22. 2. Cor. 2 Ihon. 17 1. Peter 1. Immortal seed Ihon. 15. Roma 10. 2. Cor. 3. The 〈◊〉 letter whaâ— it is Roma 4. Roma 3. Galath 3. Math. 5. Math. 5 Luke 11 gods word the key the touch stone Esay 33. â— Cor. 1. psal 104. Exod. 3 Esay 40 2 Cor. â— Iohn 4. 2 Cor. 3 Esay 40 psalm 33 psalm 4â— what godâ— head is His hearâ— Eies Psal. 33 Psalm 10 Eieliddes Eares Sap. 1 Nose â— Reg. 22. His face Psal. 79 Exod. 34 Mouth Threno
who for his great learning was surnamed Magnus expouÌ„deth this text of y e holy ghost and saith that his predecessors toke it so and S. Austen is of thesame mind Philip Melancthon aloweth their interpretacion as I declared before For truly y e word spirit can not signifie wynd in that place the which when these woâ—ds were spoken was vncreat What is ment theÌ„ by these wordeâ— Borne vpon the waters Verely no blast of wynd but that he sate on the waters for as the hen sitting on her egs hatcheth her yoÌ„gones so the holy ghost hatcheth al creaturs which ther are called waters as it is written when thou lettest thy spirit go forth they are made so thou renuest y e face of thy earth He that made all things is God Heb. iij. The holy ghost made al thinges Ergo the holy ghost is god Iob also saith of him Spiritus diuinus qui fecit me the diuine spirit who made me confessing him both diuine and his maker And as when we read Opera manuuÌ„ tuarum sunt celi The heaueÌ„s are the workes of thi hand we acknowledge Christ the maker of the worlde who is Gods hand so when we read Videbo celos tuos opera digitorum tuorum â—unam stellas que tu fundasti That is I wil behold the heauens the workmaÌ„ship of thi fingers the mone the starres whiche thou hast made Let vs acknowledge also the holy ghost Gods finger to be our maker for as much as thesame works in other places are called the workes of God For as when the hand worketh the fingers worke also so the hole trinitie formed al thinges of a confused heap whose workes be vnseperable as I haue proued before Gouernour of al thinges The canticle of Moises recordeth that he gouerned the congregation of the Israelites For when they had passed ouer the sea they gaue herty thankes for their deliueraunce to al the thre persons to y e father and the sonne in these wordes Thi right hand O Lord is glorious in power thy right hand hath also dashed the enemies and to the holy ghost saiyng with y e spirit of thine anger the water gathered together as a rock For Christ is Gods right hand and by the word spirit the holy ghost is ment in that he saith Lord he signifieth the father Wherfore their deliueraunce is the workmanship of the whole trinitie which worketh al things in heauen and earth But the Prophet Esay protesteth the gouernaunce of the holy ghost more plainly saying Where is he who brought them from the water of the sea as a shepeheard doth his flok Where is he whiche led Moises by the right haÌ„d with his glorious arm Wher is he that led theÌ„ in the depe as an horse is led in the plain and he answereth The spirit of the Lord led theÌ„ as a tame beast goeth in the field The same spirit gouerneth the present congregation geuyng to one vtteraunce of wisdome to another fayth to another giftes of healyng to another power to do miracles to another prophecie to another iudgement of spirits to another diuerse tongues to an other interpretation as the Apostle witnesseth which be necessary offices in the church Who gaue Simeon an aunswer that he shuld not se death before he had sene our spokesman Iesus Christ The holy ghost Who leadeth the congregation in to al truth who teacheth vs al veritie y e holy ghost Who coÌ„maundeth to seperate Paul and Barnabas to the worke wherunto he had called them that is to preach the swete tidinges of the gospel to the gentyles The holy ghost Who forbyddeth them to preache in Asia who coÌ„maundeth Peter to aryse and get hym down and go with Cornelius seruauntes who sent those seruauntes vnto Simon the Tannars house for Peter The holy ghost Who monysheth Philp the Deacon to ioyne hym selfe to the chariot of the gelded man which was chamberlein to Candace Quene of the Ethiopians The holy ghost Do not these textes proue hym to gouerne the congregation to be myndfull of both good and euyl Do they not denie him to be a creature do they not fortify him to be y e third person in the gloriouse Trinitie and to be God Yes verelye All thynges are gouerned by God The Holy ghost gouerneth all thinges Ergo the Holy ghost is God Knowing al things foloweth the which belongeth to the alknowyng comforter for asmuch as he is the spirite of knowelege The Apostle witnesseth that man neither by the helpe of his outward senses nor through the gift of reason can atteine to the vnderstaÌ„ding of those things which are prepared for the chosen He denieth this knowdlege to the senses saying Oculus non videt neque auris audiuit the eye hath not seene and the eare hath not heard for these be the two principall powers and to all mannes reason and wisdom by these words folowing Neque in cor nethre hath entred into y e heart of man the thinges c. for the heart is the place of vnderstanding Angels also are ignoraunt of some thinges as of the last day and houre which the father knoweth only But of the holy comforter it is written the spirit searcheth al things yea the bottome of Gods secretes Paule is not content only to say this of the spirite but he addeth two argumentes prouing the same The one is a similitude that as the spirit of man knoweth the thinges of man so the spirite of God knoweth y e things of God al things be his Ergo he knoweth al things His other reasoÌ„ is that y e spiritual man through his inspiration discusseth all thinges He who knoweth all thinges is GOD The Holy ghost knoweth all thinges Ergo the Holy ghost is GOD. The next propertie in my definition beloÌ„ging to God only is to forgeue sin How proue you that the holy ghost can do this Harken what Chryste our mercy stocke saith Receyue the holy ghost whose sinnes ye remit thei are remitted vnto them Note that the holy ghost pardonth sinne No man can remit sin they do onli minister forgeuenes in the name of the father of the soÌ„ne and of the holy ghost they pray God pardoneth they employ their seruice remâ—ssion and mercy coÌ„meth from aboue as I haue declared and proued in my Chapt. that God onely forgeueth sinne Furthermore ye are washed saith S. Paule ye are sanctified ye are iustified by the name of the Lord Iesu and by the spirite of oure God Ergo the spirite forgeueth sinne The Prophet Esay telleth that one of the Seraphins with a hot coale taken from the aulter wyth tongues touched his mouth and his sin was molten away He meaneth neither charcole nor sea cole but the cole of the holy ghost who maye be well called a cole for he is fier wherfore the holy ghoste doth forgeue sinne No man can deny but that in baptisme sinnes be forgeuen The holy
general head the Pope after him y e congregation is maried to many husbands hath many heads coÌ„trary to the order of honorable wedlock Christ only is y e dore the way the truth the liâ—â— y e true vine so he only is the rock foundaâ—ion in whom euery building coupled together groweth vp to an holy temple in y e Lord as S. Peter wytnesseth callyng hym a liuing and head corner stone disalowed of meÌ„ but chosen of God refused of the bylders vpholding the buylding that it fall not flat vpon the ground In the same place Peter calleth Christ the rock and not himself If you loke for the self same word But the papistes reply that we all as liuing stones are made a spiritual house by Christ. Why then say thei may not Peter be the stone whoÌ„ Christ named Cephas which is by interpretation a stone This text graunteth other to be the stone as wel as Peter for it is generally spoken of al christen men If y u be not a stone thou hast no felowship w t Christ. He named Peter Cephas that is a stone because when he beleued him to be Messias he became a stone of y e congregation As he gaue Bonargus to name which is y e sonnes of thuÌ„der to Iames Ihon not that they were to be thuÌ„dred preached but y t thei shuld be ernest preachers of Gods word Andrew bringeth him to christ in whoÌ„ he beleued through his preaching Christ welcomed hym w t most swete words saying thou art SymoÌ„ the sonne of Ionas thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretacioÌ„ a stone What meaneth Christ by these words but this SimoÌ„ before y u wast the son of Ionas that is the son of death as thi fathers was thou shalt no more be so but a ston of my congregatioÌ„ for which I am come to suffer because y u beleuest in me This is Christes meaning not y t Peter is the stone wheron we be buylded but a stone of the building a shepe which is lost recouered again a meÌ„ber of his congregatioÌ„ Christ only is y e ston wheron the building is founded We ar smal stones of y e bilding fouÌ„ded on him he only is y e rok which saueth his church from rain flouds the windes from hel gates froÌ„ syn death as he teacheth vs saying He that heareth my word doth therafter is like a man that builded on a rock Some may vnderstand this text otherwise y t Christ called Peter a stone not that he only is that but in the behalf of the whole coÌ„gregation If Peter wer not head of the church why doth Christ aske him thrise Petre amas me whether he loued him coÌ„maund him only thrise to fede his shepe Lo sayth the Romanistes here is he made head of y e church Here Christ going to his father coÌ„mitteth the congregation to his gouernauÌ„ce This place doth not establish Peters supremicie but rather deny it for as much as Christ giueth him no coÌ„maundement no aucthoritie but such as beloÌ„geth to al y e Apostels bidding him shew his loue in feding his flock preaching him For no maÌ„ wil preach him whoÌ„ he loueth not Doth not he geue like commaundement to al the Apostles saying Go and preach throughout al the world and to al creatures Then why doth he aske Peter only thrise and commaunde him thrise and not the other He asked him thrise because he denied him thrise that his thre nayes might be recompensed with thre confessions S. Augustin saith vpon this place Thre confessions are required for thre naies That the toÌ„g might do as much for loue as it had don for fear And Cyrillus sayth the same They expound it thus not for Peters primacie But I will speake this more plainly Christ did aske and commaund Peter thrise for two causes the one was that by his confessioÌ„ the rest of the Apostles shuld know that he was restored into fauour again from whiche he had fallen The other is y t al men might learne by Peter what thing is most nessary in a preacher which is that he loue him entirely and hertely whom he preacheth Paul speaking of ministers saith it is required of them that they be found faithful But who is faithful to hym whome he loueth not Moreouer diligence is required in a preacher as S. Paul teacheth his beloued sonne Timot. Preach thou the word be feruent be it in ceason or out of ceason improue control exhort with al long suffring doctrine What thyng causeth diligeÌ„ce so much as loue thorow loue shed abrode in our heartes by the holy ghost all thynges are made easy and swete vnto vs whiche before were both hard vnplesaunt For loue suffereth al thinges beleueth al thinges hopeth al thinges endureth al thinges There is a commen saying that nothing is hard to him whiche loueth Loue maketh labour trauail pain light sweet to the hunter yea in snow and foule wether in cold and frost at al seasons But they which loue not the pastime nether wil ne can abide such pains as to runne thorow thick and thin to leape hedges and ditches c. Through loue Christ was sent of his father and humbled himselfe to our nature and was whipt scorned wouÌ„ded and slaine for our sinnes as it is written God setteth forth his loue towardes vs forasmuche as whyle we wer yet siÌ„ners Christ died for vs. These things were swete plesauÌ„t vnto Christ. Through loue the Apostles reioice that they are beaten in the Actes Through loue S. Paule was beaten w t rods was often in hunger in watching in thirst in labour in coulde in nakidnesse often in perils of robberi in perils of wildernes in perils of y e sea in perils of false brethreÌ„ Through loue mani holy men haue ben burnt for y e truth racked stoned hewen in sonder slayne with swerdes hunger-pyned and drowned Fier and water is not more necessary for the preseruatioÌ„ of this terrenal life then loue in a preacher which is the mother of faithfulnesse of diligence of patience and of all vertue We read in Mathue how Christ before he sent his disciples to preach examined them what they thought of him saying whome say ye y t I am not that he was ignoraunt therof from whome nothing is hidden but to geue an example to our bishops to lay handes sodenly vpon no man to trie their doctryne to examine their learnings for lerning also is a qualitie most necessary in a preacher So in this place he examineth Peter whether he loue him because loue is so necessary I wold wish y t our magistrates and the ouerseers of Israel would set this exaÌ„ple of our sauiour Christ before their eies diligently folow it The captain going to battel mustreth gathering many together and choseth out the most ablest to serue
is immortal Christ his sonne also must nedes be immortall forasmuch as the father is lykened to the sunne and Christ to the clear and bright beames for he is the bryghtnes of the euerlasting light I would know of the Paulians Arrians whether the father in tyme begon to be a father or was a father euermore without tyme. If they graunt that he was a father euer the which thei can not denie then it must nedest folow that the sonne was euermore For he was not a father before he had a sonne but he was called a father of the sonne and he that is alwaies a father hath euermore alwaies a son If Christ was not euermore then time was before him the Apostle lieth calling him Primogenitum omnis creature first begotten of al creatures for time is a creatur was before him But time was made by Christ for all thinges wer made by him as y e beloued disciple witnesseth If he wer the maker of time thē he was before all time and that whiche was before al time is not moued in time but is without time without beginning immortal Wherfore Christ is immortal and then he is God for only God is immortal after this sort Likewise the alknowyng cōforter was euermore who is cōpared to the heat for an euerlasting heat must nedes procede out an euerlasting sunne and euerlasting beames He is digitus dei the finger of god If I cast out deuils in the fynger of God c. For where Luke sayth in the finger of God it is in Matthew I cast out deuils in the spirit of God Then ether we must confesse him to be without beginning and of the substaunce of God or els graunt that God once lacked a fynger and denie the same to be of the substaūce of the body Like reason may be made of christ who is the hand and the arme of God for God was neuer without his fynger hand ne arme and then al thre be of the same nature with the body And for so much as Gods finger is almyghty and his hand and arme likewise both Christ is almighty and the blessed cōforter also and Christ is God by nature and the holy comforter also For nothing is almighty and of the nature of God but God only But the Arians reply that y e father is elder thē the sonne and that he which begetteth is before him that is begotten Ego hodie genui te This day begat I thee This is true in fathers vpon earth but not in an euerlasting father who must nedes haue an euerlastynge sonne Nether doth this reason holde in al earthly thinges for fire gendreth light and heate procedeth from it and yet the fire gendring and light gendred heat proceding be Coena not one before the oother Therfor it is against reason that y e father begetting and Christ begotten the holy ghost proceding should be coeterne coimmortal not one before the other in time but eche one of them before al time And wel may the trinitie be likened to fyre and his heat light for God in the scripture is called fyre Dominus deus tuus ignis consumens est The Lorde thy God saith Moises is a consumyng fire And Ihon calleth him also light saiyng Deus lux est God is light in him is no darkenes at al. And Christ witnesseth of him self that he is light saying I am the light of the world who is Lumen de lumine light of light For as the fyre ministreth light to a multitude yet is not minished or cōsumed therbi so God bestoweth innumerable benefites vpon vs and yet his liberalitie is not hindred therw t. Likewise also in a cādel of which many other candels be light the light is not therby in any wise diminished or hurt at al. One supper doth not refreshe or suffise many as wel as few but y e voice of one preacher teacheth as wel a hūdred as one The sound of one bell is neuerthelesse when it is heard of many Euen so he who preserued the smal porcion of meal oyl for the wydowe and her son that was not diminished who with a very few loaues a certein fishes refresshed a great multitude so y t those things were not diminished but increased knoweth how to employ his benefites with out any losse or detriment to his liberalitie Moreouer as fire sēdeth forth both heat light but nether heat ne light sendeth fire so y e father sendeth both Christ and the alknowing comforter he is vnsent And as both the light the heat are of y e fire so Christ y e holy ghost both ar of the father the one begotten the other proceding and the father only is of him self of no other And as fire is not before heat light no more is the father before the sonne and the holy Ghost But in that place which I rehearsed out of Deuter. God is called fyre because he melteth the synnes of those that wyll amend as the fyre melteth war and punisheth the sinnes of disobediēt persones with vnquencheable fire and Iohn calleth him light for the same cause For light putteth away darknes and is contrary to it For these properties and diuers other the scriptures cal God the sun of rightousnes fier and light If we ponder thē diligently we shal fynde also the Image of the blessed Trinitie in our selues in our owne natures For it is written God made man after his Image after y e Image of god formed he him This Image is in our soules not in our bodies as I haue proued in my cōfutatiō of the Anthropomorphites or humaniformiās Mānes soul is a liuely Image of God The soul is a spirit almightie God is a spirite the soule quikneth ruleth the body the Trinitie gouerneth the maruelouse frame of this world Reason will and memory are thre but one and the same soule So y e father the son and y e holy ghost are thre distinct in propertie and one God Whatsoeuer thing the soule doth these thre be the workers therof Reason cannot discern good and euill truth falshed plainnes and craft profe sophisticatiō without either will or memory Neither will chuseth what him lyketh without the other nor memory remēbreth not things gone without reason and wil. These actions workes which are sayd properly to belonge only to memory and only to reason and will in very dede ar done by the workemanship of all thre So the father y e son and the holy ghost worke all things vnseparablie not that each of them is vnable to worke by him selfe but that they all thre are one God one spirite one nature as reason wil memory ar one soul. The sonne worketh alwayes wyth the father for whatsoeuer the father doth y ◠doth the sōne also and Christ recordeth that as his father worketh hytherto so he worketh ▪ The
the finger of God wherfore thei are one God They haue also one name for the Apostles are commaunde to christen al nations in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost Note here that the scripture sayeth in y e name not in the names and to teache vs that there is one diuinitie one maiestie and one name of the thre persones the scripture telleth that Christ the holy ghost come not in diuers and sondry names but in one name Christ saith I come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not This name of y e father is Christes name also for the Lord sayth in the boke of departure to him Ego anticedo in nomine meo vocabo te nomine meo domini in coÌ„spectu tuo That is I wyl go before thee in my name and I wyll call thee by my name Lord in thi presence Thou learnest here that Christ and his father haue one name learne also that the almighty and alknowing comforter hath the selfsame name in that he cometh in the name of Christ as it is writteÌ„ that comforter the holy ghost whom the father wyl send in my name He is sent in Christes name wherfore he hath one name with hym the father This is the name of y e blessed trinitie of which it is wrytten ther is no other name vnder heauen in whiche we must be saued wherfore they haue but one diuinite I wil proue y e same of those thinges which the scripture saith of god God is light sayth Iohn in him is no darkenes Christ also is light for of IhoÌ„ the baptist it is writeÌ„ he was not y e light but to bear witnes of y e light which lighteth al men coming into the world God is light 1 Iohn 1. Christ is the true lyght Iohn 1. Ergo Christ is the true God Of the almightie comforter also it is written Signatum est super nos lumen the lyght of thy countenaunce O Lorde is sealed vpon vs but who is the light sealed who is the seale that is y e holy ghost of whom Paul writeth ye are sealed w t the holy spirit of promes whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce Note also y t he is not another light but thesame light that the father is for he is the light of his countenaunce wherfore he is the same God and one God with the father and the sonne But some felowe wil aske me where I find the father to be lyght truly in Paul who calleth Christ the brightnes of euerlasting lyght where by euerlasting lyght the father is ment Christ also is vertue for Paul calleth hym Dei virtutem atque sapienciam the vertue wisdome oâ— God We read also that the father is vertue where it is written Videbitis filium hominis ad dexteram virtutis ye shall see Christ ye shal se the sonne of man on the right hand of the vertue or power And that the holy ghost is vertue Christ witnesseth saying Accipietis virtutem adueâ—ientem in vos spiritus sancti you shal receiue vertue or power of the holy ghost Luke also speaketh this of the holy gost Virtus exibat de eo vertue gushed out of him wherfore thei be one God The son is life who saith I am the way truth life So the father also is life as IhoÌ„ witnesseth saying that which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue sene with our eies whiche we haue loked vpon and our handes haue handled of the word of lyfe for the lyfe appeared and we haue sene beare witnes and shew vnto you that eternal life which was with the father Here he named our sauiour Christ the word of life and eternal life But what meaneth he bi calling him the word of life then that he is the word of the father wherfore the father also is lyfe And if so be the Apostle call Christ lyfe why is not the alknowyng comforter lyfe who is the spyrite of lyfe as it is wrytten The spirite of lyfe was in the wheles Note here reader that Christ is not another lyfe but thesame life that the father is in asmuch as he is that eternal lyfe whiche was with the father For if he be one life with the father theÌ„ must he nedes be one god with him The father also is a flud as he recordeth of himself I will flowe vpon you like a water flud of peace and like a flowyng streame And Christ caleth y e almigtie comforter a fludde saying out of his belly shal flowe riuers of water of life This spake he of the spirit Wherfor the holy ghost is a flud or streame and that a mighty and great flud washyng and clensing the heauenly citie of Hierusalem from al filth and vnclennes as Dauid winesseth there is a flud which with his riuers reioyseth the citie of God the holy dwelling of the hyghest no other stream can wash purifie clense vs but this God graunt that this flud may ouerflow the bankes of Englande God send it into the court into the kinges chamber into his heart into his counsels chamber and into the middest of the parliameÌ„t house to wash banish away all couetousnes in spiritual thinges as ferming of benefices pluralities of prebendes personages absence froÌ„ cures from colledges improperations first fruites c. and parcialitie and the gredy wolfe of ambicion pride vnmercifulnes and oppression out of the hearts of nobilitie God send it into the hearts of Byshops that they may once againe yet be preaching prelates and al priestes that they may power forth clean pure doctrine as diligently as they haue powred holy water many a day The holy spirite is the true holy water the true flud wasshing away our sinnes not the vnprofitable ceremonies of the syre of Rome Wherfor our sauiour Christ must nedes be a flud also for out of him gushe these streames of eternal life They haue also one operation thei do worke al things vnseperabli as I haue proued in y e chap. before wher I declared mans soull to be the image of God wherfore they haue one diuitie Moreouer it is writteÌ„ grace with you and peace froÌ„ God the father and our Lord Iesus Christ. Behold thou seest here that one grace commeth from the father and the sonne one peace lykewise thesame also come from the holy ghost for of peace it is writteÌ„ the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring Zachary calleth him y e spirit of grace God hath promised to poure vpon Hierusalem the spirit of grace and mercy Peter saith to those that were pricked in their hearts through his preaching Accipietis graciaÌ„ spiritus sancti you shall receiue the grace of the holy ghost They haue also one charitie one loue for of y e father the son it is written
ghost by baptisme doth regenerate vs make vs Gods children For that we should beleue him to be a worker in baptisme with the father and the sonne the bath of holy baptisme is commaunded to be ministred in this name also And for the same skill it pleased the gloriouse Trinitie he should appeare notably at Christes baptisinge in the likensse of a Doue And as for Christ he was not baptized for any wrincle of sinne but for our example and only erudition Seing then the Holye ghoste was a worker in Christes baptisme much more he is worker at our christeninges which proueth him to forgeue sinnes God only forgeueth sinne The Holy ghoste forgeueth sinne Ergo the Holy ghoste is GOD. To be called vpon and prayed vnto The holy ghost is to be praied vnto for what is baptisme but an inuocation of the father the sonne and the holy ghost as all thre be named so they all thre heare the prayer of the minister forgeue the sinnes of him which is christned and make him of the child of dampnation the heyre of saluation That we should fastly firmly beleue this workmanship of the whole Trinitie in our christeninges that thre persons euery one wer preseÌ„t at Christes baptising who had no nede of baptisme I say but only for our erudition and ensample The father notifieth himselfe in the voyce which souÌ„ded the son in mannes nature the aldoing coÌ„forter appeared notably in y e likenes of a doue Why in the likenes of a doue rather then of any other bird ie declared before Moreouer y e holy ghost both heareth our praiers for he is euery where and he helpeth our infirmities as y e Apostle witnesseth Ergo he is to be praied vnto Again faith is his gifte prophecie is his gifte vtteraunce miracles iudgemeÌ„t tonges healing be his gifts And truth for he is the spirit of truth and wisdom counsel sanctification life by thesame reason loue ioie peace pacience gentelnes goodnes fidelitie mekenes temperauncie be his graces and fruites as is proued before which proueth that he is to be praied vnto For the scripture vseth this reason to moue vs to pray vnto God that he is y e geuer of those thinges that are asked as the Apostle Iames saying if any of you lack wisdom let him aske of God which geueth And Paul he is able to do abundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke And Christ vseth thesame reasoÌ„ saying what soeuer ye aske in my fathers name he wil geue it you If the Papistes can shew that S. Paul and the blessed virgin other now being with Christ touching their souls in the earth touching their bodies doe nowe geue giftes and graces vnto vs truly I wold pray vnto them to geue me some But who is able to proue this out of the scriptures The spirit knoweth al thinges yea the botoÌ„ of Gods secretes much more the botom of our hearts ergo he is to be praied vnto Doth not he hear our prayers which commaunded to seperate Paul and Barnabas vnto the worke wherunto he had called them Paul was called an Apostle by God The holy ghost called Paul Ergo the holy ghost is God It is no trifle to preache but an earnest worke and labour and the labourer and workman is worthy of his wages The worke and office of saluacioÌ„ is vnrewarded in England and thought not â—ecessary which musâ— nedes bryng in the vncleane spirit of ignoraunce again Therfore let vs pray to the holy spirite to amend it to seperate mo Pauls to this honorable work and office It is a comâ— saying Honos alit artes rewardes norish aâ—tes and Magistrates are ordeined of God to maintein knowledge to destroy ignoraunce and sinne I wold wysh that preachers were sent abrode into the couÌ„trey as wel as to cities and great tounes for they are the shop of Christ as well as others And that as Christ disputed in y e temple and Steuen with the Libertines and Alexandrines And Paul when he went a preaching disputed in the audieÌ„ce of the people against those that would not hear the truth at Athens with Phylosophers and at Ephesus and other places that so now euery preacher which is knowen to be groundly learned and seperat to this office wheÌ„ he cometh to any parish which hath a popish person or curat that he shuld haue authoritie to examen them in the sacramentes other principal matters that they ether acknowledge y e truth before their parishes or els be coÌ„pelled to say their conscience and knowledge in open disputatioÌ„ with the preacher so that the church wardens of euery parish be ouerseers of thesame for auoiding of tumult disturbaÌ„ce By this meanes papistes others shuld best be won and ouercome and the people shuld learne more of one disputation theÌ„ in ten sermons Further if there be any suspected to be an Anabaptist in the sayd parishes I would to God well learned preachers were authorised to compell cal such to render accompt of their faith before the whole parishe and if it were found Anabaptisticall that the preacher enter disputation with hym and openly conuict hym by the scriptures and elder fathers if he remain obstinat thesame preacher to excomunitate him and then to midle no further with hym but geue knowledge therof to the temporall magistrates which for ciuile consideratioÌ„s may punishe hym with enprisonment death or otherwise as their wisdoÌ„s shall iudge most mete for a ciuile quietnes a godly order Now both papistes Anabaptistes complain that they are put to scilence the people haue more aâ—â—â—auÌ„ce in their scilence then in the preachers do thinke that they could perswade and proue their matters if they might be suffered But if this way were takeÌ„ it wold apeare most euideÌ„t that al their doctrine wer builded on the sand not on the rock There be many discrete sober wel learned preachers both in al y e elder fathers and in the scriptures whiche if this way were taken or another like would confound al heretikes and beat down papistrie and discourage the best learned of them and perswade the people after another sort then is done yet Thus did y e Apostles thus did y e elder fathers as Ambrose Iero. Aug. others as apereth of their works which be ether sermoÌ„s to y e people lessons homelies or disputatioÌ„s agaiÌ„st heretiks Now if a preacher come and preache in a parishe in the countrey if the person vicar or curat be of a corrupt iudgement as the most deale be by reason of the dayly company and familiaritie that they haue with their parysh thei do discredit the preacher when he is gone and marre all that he hath done which they nether could ne durst iustifiâ— before his face Therfore I would it were remedied this way or some other namely if they be maried men then they wil sclaunder them rayle on theÌ„