and made bounde vnto the lawe to redeme them which were vnder the law that we thorow election myght receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the naturall sonne Christ beyng in the shape of GOD and thynkyng it no robbery to equall with God neuerthelesse made him selfe of no reputaâ—…ion toke on hym y â— shape of a seruaunt became like vnto men was found in his apparell as a man Without doubt great is thys mystery of godlynesse God was shewed in the fleshe was iustified in the spirite was sene of aungels was preached vnto the gentils was beleued on in earth and receyued vp in glory Remember that Iesus Christ beyng of the seede of Dauid rose agayne from death accordyng to my gospell He that sanctifieth and they whiche are sanctified are all of one For whiche causes sake he is not ashamed to cal theÌ„ brethreÌ„ saying I wil declare thy name to my brethreÌ„ and in the myddes of the congregation wil I prayse thee And againe I will put my trust in hym And againe behold here am I the children which god hath geueÌ„ me For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh bloud he also hym selfe likewise tooke part with them for to put downe thorowe death hym that had Lorshyp ouer death that is to say the deuill and that he myght deliuer them which thorowe feare of death were all their lyfe time in dauÌ„ger of boÌ„dage For he in no condicion taketh on him the auÌ„gels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym Wherfore in all thinges it became him to be made like vnto his brethreÌ„ that he myght be mercifull and a faithfull hys priest in thinges concerning god for to purge y â— peoples sinnes For that it fortuned him selfe to be teÌ„pted he is hable to succour them also that are tempted Dearely beloued beleue not euery spi rit but proue the spirites whether they are of God or not For many false Pro phetes are gone out into the worlde Hereby shall ye know the spirit of god Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in y â— flesh is of god And euery spirit which coÌ„fesseth not y â— Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of god And this is the spirite of Antichrist of whoÌ„ ye haue hard how y â— â—…e shuld come euen now already is he in the world Many deceyuers are entred into the world whiche confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a deceiuer and an Antichrist ☞ Examples out of the new Testament WHen the tyme was come y â— the blessed promised sede should be borne God sent his messenger Gabriell vntâ—… that holy Uirgine Marye whiche was of the house of Dauid which among ma ny other thinges sayd vnto her feare not mary For thou hast founde grace with God Behold thou shalt conceyue in thy wombe and beare a Sonne c. ☞ Note that the aungell sayth thou shalt conceyue He sayth not heauen shall conceyue And the aungell like as the Prophet vsed this word conceiue to declare that the flesh whiche Christ had was truly and naturally taken of the substaunce of his mother Mary the virgine For to conceiue is none other thyng than a woman to be a very true naturall mother by ministryng parte of her corporall substaunce to her childe wherof also the child is formed and made Now on this maner by the workyng of the holy ghost without the sede of man did this blessed virgine conceyue Christ it therfore truly foloweth that Christe brought not hys body with hym from heauen but receyued it of the naturall substaunce of his mother Mary And because we should not doubt of this thyng the aungell calleth Iesus Maries sonne If Christ had not ta ken his humanitie of the blessed Uirgine of her nature and substaunce and so be made very true and perfect man the aungell had not sayd truth when he called Christ her sonne For neyther should Mary haue bene Christes mother nor Christ Maries sonne And so should the aungell haue brought a false and a lying message from God whiche is the selfe truth But let God be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ The godly and vertuous womaÌ„ Elizabeth wife to â—…acharie the priest said to Mary her Co sen beyng newly conceiued with childe thorow the operacion of the holy ghost blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe And whence happeneth thys vnto me y â— the mother of my lord shoulde come vnto me what soeuer thys holy woman sayth here it muste nedes bee beleued as an infallible truth For she speaketh not of her owne head but as she was filled w t the holy ghost In this her salutacion she calleth Christe the fruite of Maries wombe If Christe bee the fruite of Maryes wombe as vndobutedlye hee is then is Christ made of the substaunce of Mary and is her true and naturall sonne or els were it a manifest lye to call Christ the fruite of her wombe Who is so madde to call a thyng the fruite of a tree that neuer had the nature of a tree Were it not double madnes to call a peare the fruite of a chery tree so greate a fondnes and a greater lye had it bene to call Christ the fruite of Maries wombe if he had brought his body with hym from heauen or from any other place But as it is truly sayd thys peare is the fruite of a peare tree because it had hys beyng and naturall substaunce of the nature and substaunce of a peare tree so likewise is it truly said Christ is the fruite of Maries wombe because he had hys beyng and naturall substaunce as concernyng hys humanitie of the nature and substaÌ„ce of Mary Let God therefore be true and all heretikes lyers IEsus sayth Luke grew in wisedome and age thys also declareth Christ to to be true man seyng he grew in age and strength of bodye yea and also in wisedome after the maner of other children all though in the gyftes of the mynde he farre excelled all other men as the Scriptures testifie God sayth Dauid euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes S. Ihon Baptist also spea keth of Christ on this manner God geueth not the spirit by me sure vnto him ☞ If Christ had brought hys body with hym â—…oÌ„ heauen so could not Christes body haue ben a naturall body nor haue growen after the man ner of other chyldren but should haue bene as bygge when it came from heauen into the Uirgines wombe as it was on the same day that it was put to death But the holy Scriptures teache vs that Christ is the fruite of Maryes wombe that he is her sonne that he was borne a litle childe and grewe in age after the manner of other children vntill he became a perfect man It therefore truly followeth that he brought not his body with him
walles be builded againe 62. wekes but w t heard trou blous time After these 62. wekes shall Christ be slaine and they shall haue no pleasure in hym Thou Bethelem Ephrata art litle among the thousandes of Iuda out of thee shal come vnto me which shall bee the gouernour in Israell whose out go ing hath bene from the beginnyng and from euerlastyng Be glad and reioyce O doughter of Sion for lo I come to dwell in y â— midst of thee saith the Lord. At the same time there shal many heathen cleane to the Lord and shal be my people Behold I wil sende my messenger which shall prepare the waye before me and y â— Lord whom ye would haue shall soone come to hys temple ye euen the Messenger of the couenaunt whome ye looke for This is our god and there shal none other be compared to hym It is he that hath found out all wisedome and hathe geuen her vnto Iacob his seruaunt and to Israel hys beloued Afterward did he shew himself vpon earth and dwelte among men Examples out of the olde Testament AFter that Adam and his wyfe thorow the crafty perswasions of Satan had transgressed gods commaundement god in the presence of them both euen for their comfort and for the quietnes of their conscience sayd vnto the ser pent I will set enmitie betwene thee a woman betwene thy seede her sede The selfe same seede shall tread downe thy head and thou shalt treade vppon hys heele These wordes of God the father spokeÌ„ vnto the serpent shewe euidently and manifestlye proue that Iesu Christ our Lorde is the true and natural sonne of Mary and vnfainedlye tooke his flesh and humanity of her For this word seede in thys place signifieth the whole substaunce of Christes manhode and proueth euidently that whatsoeuer Christ was being man he truly and naturally receiued it of the corporall substaunce of Mary his mother the virgine Cursed therefore is the heretike Appelles which thought that Christ had receyued his body of the elementes in the ayre and passed through the virgine as the water passed through a pipe Cursed are these heretikes Cerdo Marcian and Manes whiche holde that Christ had a fantastical body appearing to be man pet hauing no parte of manhode in hym Cursed is that heretike Ualentinus with his Apes the Anabaptistes which hold that Christ tooke no fleshe of Marye his mother the virgine but brought hys bodye with him froÌ„ heauen God the father calleth Christ the seede of the womaÌ„ He therfore is the naturall sonne of Mary his mother and receyued hys whole bodely substaunce of the most pure virgine or els should God greatlye haue erred which called hym the seede of a womaÌ„ but let God be true and all heretikes lyers TO Abraham god the father sayd in thy sede all nations of the earth shal be blessed This sede is Christ as S. Paul decla reth to the Galathians whiche borne of the virgine Mary came of the sede of Abraham ☞ Now if Christ had taken no flesh of Mary how could he haue come of the sede of AbrahaÌ„ But that we should be without all doubt coÌ„cernyng Christes humanitie and be certaine that he was the true and naturall sonne of Mary re ceiuyng his manhoode neither of the elementes of the ayre nor yet bringinning it with him froÌ„ heauen but takyng it of the true and naturall substaunce of Mary his mother God sayth expresly In thy seede Let vs note well this pronown Thy. In thy sede sayth he and not in the sede that Christ shall bryng from heauen or out of the ayre Howe could Christ iustly haubene called Abrahams sede if he had neuer taken any part of Abrahams substance But the Apostle sayth Christ toke the sede of Abraham and not of the aungels so that he must be lyke to his brothers in all thinges Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers In like maner the Lord swore a truth vnto Dauid and wyll not go from it I wil saith he set vpon thy seat one of the fruite of the wombe Here Christ which before was called the sede of a woman the sede of AbrahaÌ„ is called the fruite of Dauids woÌ„be ☞ What caÌ„ be spoken more playnly to declare and proue that Christ came of the sede of Dauid as concernyng his fleshe If Christe be the fruite of Dauids belly I meane concernyng his posteritie for Mary the mother of Christe came of the stock and kindred of Dauid so doth it euidently followe that Christ passed not thorow the woÌ„be of his mother without any partâ—… king of y â— natural substaÌ„ce of his mother as y â— wa ter passeth and runneth thorowe the pype and yet receyueth no part of the pypes substaunce but rather that he tooke a perfect body of substaunce of his mother and so became true and perfect man Otherwise should not he haue ben the fruite of Dauids belly neither should God haue kepte hys othe and promise made vnto Dauid But let God be true and all heretikes lyers THe Prophet Esay doth lyuely describe painte set forth both the mother of Christ and Christ him selfe in these wordes The Lord sayth he shall geue you a token Beholde a virgine shall conceyue and beare a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Emanuel But ter hony shall he eate y â— he may know to refuse the euill and chose the good ☞ First as concernyng Christes mother we learne here that she was a pure and vndeâ—…yled mayde and that she and not the heauen nor the ayre conceyued and brought foorth Christe her sonne In that she conceyued and brought forth Christe it is euident that she was vnfaynedly Christes naturall mother ministres part of her â—…bstaunce to the perfourmyng and makyng aâ—… her sonne thorow Gods operacion and dyd the duty and office of a true mother in all poyntes And where as the Prophete calleth Christ her â—…onne he declareth manifestly that Christ tooke his flesh of the substaunce of his mother Mary the virgine and is her true and naturall sonne or els to what ende shoulde he bee called hee sonne And that we should be as assuredly perswaded of hys humanitie of Mary hys mother as of his deitie of God his father The Prophet calleth hym Emanuell that is to say God and man true God of God his father anâ—… true man of Mary hys mother And because there should want nothyng vnto the true perfite and full dis cription of Christes humanitie but that Christ shoulde be declared to bee a true and a naturall childe and not fantasticall nor celestiall the Pro phet as it were with certain notes and markes both lyuely set forth and sheweth that he after that maner of other children shall eate butter Hony that is to say refuse buter and vnsauery meatâ—…s and chose those that are sweete and plea saunt in taste This were vaynly put in of the Prophete if Christe
his bloud manye of his Disciples vnderstandyng his wordes grosely as the papistes doo vnderstande the wordes of the Lordes Supper wente backe and forsoke him and walked no more with him Then said Iesus to y â— twelue will ye also goe away Then Simon Peter aunswered him Lord to whome shall we goe Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and are sure that thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng god Iesus heard that the Iewes had excommunicate the blinde man whome he had made to see and when he had found him he said vnto him doest thou beleue on the sonne of god He answered and said who is it Lord y â— I myght beleue on him And Iesus sayde vnto him thou hast sene him and he it is y â— taketh with thee And he sayd lorde I beleue and he worshipped him Martha said vnto Christ I beleue y â— thou art Christ the sonne of god which should come into the world Iesus sayde to Thomas bring thy finger hether and see my handes and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be no more faithles but beleuing Thomas answered and said vnto him My Lord and my god Iesus said vnto hym Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued The Enuche sayd vnto Phillip see here is water what doth let me to bee baptised Phillip said vnto him If thou beleue with all thine heart thou maiest And he aunswered and said I beleue y â— Iesus Christ is the sonne of god The restoryng of y â— blind to their sight the raysing vp of the dead vnto life the cleÌ„sing of the leapers the healyng of theÌ„ that were diseased with the palsey the restoring of men possessed with deuils vncleane spirites to their whole minde the makyng of the deafe to heare and the dumme to speake with the other mi racles that Christ wrought do euidently proue Christ to be the natural sonne of god yea and god himselfe Against the heresie of them vvhich hold that Iesus Christ the sonne of God toke no fleshe of Mary hys mother ☞ I feyther Sathan wyth hys subtle suggesti ons or anye of hys decetifull worke men wyth theyr crafty reasons and falsifiyng the holy scrip tures goe about to perswade thee that Iesus Christ the sonne of God tooke no fleshe of that blessed virgine Mary hys mother but brought hys body wyth hym from heauen enarme thy selâ—…e wyth these authorities of gods worde against theyr pestilent and damnable dartes Sentences out of the olde Testament I will set enmitie betwene thee and the woman betwene thy seede and her seede The verye selfe same seede shall treade downe thy head and thou shalte tread vpon his hele In thee all kynreds of the earth shal be blessed In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The scepter shall not departe from Iuda and a lawe geuer from betwene his fete vntil Sâ—…lo come and vnto him shall the gathering of the people be He shall bynde his fole vnto the vine hys Asses colte vnto the braunche He washed his garment in wyne and his man till in the bloud of grapes His eyes are redder then wine and his teethe whiter then mylke There shall come a star of Iacob and raise a Scepter of Israel Out of Iacob shall he come that shall haue dominion I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethreb lyke vn to thee wil put my wordes in hys mouth he shal speake vnto them all that I shal coÌ„mauÌ„d him and whosoeuer wil not har ken vnto the wordes whiche hee shall speake in my name I wyll require it of hym I wil set vp thy sede after thee which shall be of thy sonnes and will stablish his kingdoÌ„ He shall build me an house and I will stablish his seate for euer I will bee his father and he shall bee my sonne and I wil not put away my mercy from him as I did from him y â— was before thee but I will set him in my house and in my kingdome for euer his seate shall be sure for euer I haue sworne once by my holines y â— I will not fayle Dauid Hys seede shall endure for euer and his seate also like as the sunne before me He shall stande for euer more as the moone and as the faithfull witnes in heauen The Lord hath made a faithful othe vnto Dauid and he shall not shrink froÌ„ it out of the fruite of thy body shal I set vpon thy seat Behold a Uirgine shall conceaue beare a sonne and shall call hys name Emanuell Unto vs a child shal be borne vnto vs a child shal be geuen vpoÌ„ his shoulder shall the kingdome lye he shall be called with his owne name the wonde rous geuer of councell the mighty god the euerlasting father y e prince of peacer he shall make no ende to encrease the kingdome and peace and shall sit vpon the seate of Dauid and in his kingdom to set vp the same to establish it with equitie and rightousnes from henceforth for euer more This shall the gelousy of the Lord of hostes bring to passe There shal come a rod forth of the kin dred of Iesse a blossoÌ„ out of his roote The spirit of the Lord shall light vppon it the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirite of councel streÌ„gth the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of god c. Behold the tyme commeth sayth the Lord that I will raise vp the righteous braunche of Dauid which shall beare rule and discusse matters with wisdoÌ„ and set vp equitie and righteousnesse agayne in earth In his tyme shall Iuda be saued and Israell shal dwel without feare And this is the name y t they shall cal him eueÌ„ y e lord our rightous maker Behold the time commeth sayth the lord that I wil performe the good thing which I haue promised vnto the house of Israell and to the house of Iuda In those dayes and at the same time I wil bryng forth vnto Dauid the braunch of righteousnesse and he shall doe equitye and righteousnes in the lande In those dayes shal Iuda be helped and Ierusalem shal dwel safe and he that shal call her is euen god our righteous maker For thus the Lord god promiseth Dauid shal neuer want one to sit vpon the stole of the house of Israel I will rayse vp vnto them one onely shepeheard euen my seruant Dauid he shall feede them and he shall be theyr shepeheard I the Lorde will bee theyr god and my seruaunte Dauid shall be their prince Euen I the Lorde hathe spoken it Understand this and marke it well that from the tyme it shall be concluded to go and to repayre Ierusalem againe vnto Christ there shal be seuen wekes Then shal the stretes
had no bene a naturall child takyng his flesh or the substance of Mary his mother and not bryngyng hys body with hym from heaueÌ„ or I know not from whence as the vngodly Anabaptistes in these our dayes do most fastly dreame But let God be true and all heretikes lyers IN another place the Prophete sayth there shall come a rodde foorth of the kyndred of Iesse and a floure shall florishe out of hys roote ☞ In thys place the Prophete doth so openlye declare Christe to be true man and the naturall sonne of Mary the virgin that it is won der that any Hereticke can haue so wâ—…oryshe a forehead once to denye iâ—… Thys rodde and â—…loure which spryngeth out of rodde and kintâ—… 〈◊〉 Iesse is Christ the Lord â–ª The roote out of the whiche floure vndefiled virgine Marye Christes mother whiche came of the kynred of Iesse kyng Dauids father Can any man deny but that the floure is of the same nature and substaunce that the tree is of whiche beareth the floure If we grauÌ„t the floure to be of the na ture and substaÌ„ce of the stocke that beareth the floure why are the Anabaptistes more wicked and cruell agaynst Christ the floure and fruite by Gods ordinaunce of the holy virgine then vnto the stocke and roote of euery floure of the fielde Can the floure of an OraÌ„ge spryng out oâ—… an Oke No more can the humanitie of Christ which is the blossome and floure of Mary take his originall of the ayre of heauen or of such other matter they know not what But as the floure of the OraÌ„ge springeth out of the OraÌ„ge tree and is of the very same nature and substaÌ„ce that the OraÌ„ge tree is so likewise Christ being the floure of the most blessed Uirgine tooke his begynnyng of her and is of the very same substaunce and nature that she is Let God therefore be true and all heretikes lyers AFter the. 62. weekes sayth the Prophet Daniell shall Christ be slaine and they shal haue no pleasure in him ☞ The sleyng of Christ euidently proueth that Christ was vâ—…y man yea and a maâ—… mortall and subiect vnto death so well as we If he had brought his body with him from heauen â–ª so had bene a celestiall body â–ª an impassible and immortal body But for asmuch as Christ feared death â–ª â—…uffed the paines of death yea and dyed in dedâ—… accordyng to the Scriptures it followeth that Christ was true and vnfayned man takyng his humanitie of that holy virgine Mary his mother and lyued in all pointes lyke man sinne alone extepâ—…e and at the last dyed for our synnes â–ª as the Apostle sayth Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament THe booke of the kyndred of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Iacob begat Ioseph the husbande of Mary of whome was borne that Iesus whiche is called Christ. The byrthe of Iesus Christe was on this wise WheÌ„ hys mother Mary was maried to Ioseph before they came together she was found with child by the holy ghost Then Ioseph her husbande being a perfect man and loth to defame her was mynded to put her away secret ly While he thus thought beholde the aungell of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife For that whiche is conceyued in her is of the holy ghost She shal bryng forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue hys people from their sinnes All thys was done to fulfil y â— whiche was spokeÌ„ of the Lord by the Prophet Esay saying beholde a mayd shall be with child shall bryng foorth a sonne and they shall call hys name Emanuell whiche is by interpretacion GOD with vs or God and man The aungell gabriell was sent from god vnto a citie of galile named Nazareth to a virgin spoused to a maÌ„ whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name was Mary And the auÌ„gel went in vnto her said Hayle ful of grace y â— Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women When she sawe hym she was abashed at hys saying and caste in her mynde what maner of salutation that should be And the aungell sayd vnto her feare not Mary for thou hast fouÌ„d grace with god thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalte call hys name Iesus He shall be greate shall be called the sonne of the hyest And the Lord god shall gâ—…ue vnto hym the sea 〈◊〉 of his father Dauid and he shall reygne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of hys kyngdome shal be none ende Then â—…ayd Mary vnto the aungell howe shal this bee seyng I knowe not a mane And the aungell aunswered and sayde vnto her the holy ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the hyest shall ouershadowe thee Therfore also that holy thyng which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of god Elizabeth was filled with the holye ghost and cried with a loude voyce and sayd Blessed art thou among women â—… blessed is y â— fruite of thy wombe And whence hapneth this to me that the mo ther of my Lord should come to me c. It fortuned while they wer there her time was come y â— she shuld be deliuered And she brought forth her first begotteÌ„ son wraped him in swadling clothes layd him in a maunger because there was no roume for theÌ„ within y â— Inne Behold I bring you tidings of great â—…oy y â— shal come to all y â— people For vnto you is borne this day y â— city of Dauid â—… sauiour whiche is Christ the Lord. The child grew and waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedome the grace of god was with him Iesus encreased in wisdome and age and in fauour with god and man Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the papes whiche gaue thee sucke The worde was made fleshe dwelt among vs. Dauid was a Prophet knewe that god had sworne with an othe to hym y â— the fruite of his loynes that is to say Christ should sit on his seate God dyd sette vp Dauid to be theyr kyng of whom he reported saying I haue founde Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man after my owne heart he shall fulfill all my will Of this mans sede hath god accordyng to hys promise brought forth to the people of Israell a sauiour euen Iesus Iesus Christ the sonne of god was be gotten of the seede of Dauid as pertaynyng to the flesh Christ as concernyng the flesh came of the Israelites To Abraham and hys seede were the promyses made He sayth not in the sedes as many but in thy seede as in one whiche is Christ. When the tyme was full come God sent hys Sonne borne of a woman
from heauen or I know not from whence â–ª as the wicked Anabaptistes teache at this present but that he vnfaynedly tooke it of Mary hys mother â–ª and is her true and naturall sonne formed made of the nature and substaunce of her body Let God therfore be true and all Heretikes lyers ☞ Christe calleth hym selfe many tymes in the gospell the sonne of man to declare that as concernyng the fleshe he is the sonne of Abraham â–ª of Dauid forasmuch as he tooke his maÌ„hode of Mary whiche was of the stocke kynred of AbrahaÌ„ Dauid â–ª to whoÌ„ God promised that of their sede of the fruite of their woÌ„be one shuld be borne in whom all nacions of the earth shall be blessed So is it euident that Christ is the naturall sonne of Marye the virgine Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Christ in many places of the holy scripture is called the sonne of Dauid â–ª not onely because hee was promysed vnto Dauid but bycause he came of his kynred and tooke flesh any bloud of his stocke and family euen of the most vndefiâ—…ed virgine Mary hys mother Christ therfore is true and perfect man of the blessed virgine â–ª had no fantasticall nor heauenly body Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Christ was borne wrapped in cloutes layd in a maunger sede circumcised embrased in armes grewe was made stronge in spirite profited in wisedome and age hungred thyrsted eate dranke wept was wery slept reioyced was moued with wrath and indignation sorowed was heauy sad was in such an agony that his sweat was lyke drops of bloud trickelyng downe to the grounde feared death and at the last suffered the most spytefull death of the crosse and was buryed All these are manifest tokens and euident signes of Christes true man hoode Neyther could he haue done or suffered these thynges â–ª if he had a fantasticall body or a body brought from heauen Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers CHrist after his resurrectioÌ„ appeared vnto his disciples sayd vnto them peace be vnto you The disciples beyng abashed afraide supposing that they had sene a spirite he sayd vnto them why are ye troubled and why doo thoughtes arise in your hartes Behold my handes and my fete that it is eueÌ„ I my self haÌ„dle me see For a spirit hath not flesh bones as ye see me haue ☞ Here Christ after hys resurrection proueth and shewed hym selfe not to bee a fantasticall but a very man not to haue an heauenly body but a body of fleshe and bones And to declare him selfe true and perfect maÌ„ he dyd eate before them â—… peece of a broyled fishe and of an honye tombe Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers PEter in a certayne sermon declared vnto the Iewes that Christ as concernyng the fleshe came of the fruite of Dauids loynes ☞ In the whiche wordes he manifestly declareth his fayth concernyng Christes humanitie which is that Christ is very â—…an commyng of the sede of Dauid takyng his manhode of the blessed virgine which came of the stocke of Da uid Hereof may we also learne that the true and Christen faith is to beleue that Iesu Christ tooke his flesh of Mary his mother brought not his body with him from heauen as the wicked Anabaptistes hold PAul in his Epistle to the Romaines playnly teacheth that Christ as concernyng the flesh came of the fathers of the old Testament that is to say Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid c. In this Epistle to the Galathians he sayth that wheÌ„ the time was full come God sent his sonne made of a woman ☞ He sayth not that he was made afore of the elementes in the ayre or that he brought hys bâ—…â—…y with hym from heauen but that he was made of a woman that is to say tooke hys begynnyng and naturall substaunce of Mary hys mother concernyng hys humanitie AGaine in his first epistle vnto Timothe he nameth the man Iesus Christ a mediator betwene god man ☞ This name Mediatour proueth Christ both God and man For he that should be a mediator betwene God and man set them at one y â— were at debate make peace among them that before dyd disagree and conioyne them to perpetual amitie which before were ennemies one to another yea and by hys owne dignitie worthinesse and iustice make a loue day for euer and euer betwene God and man must haue in hym both the nature of God and the nature of man Christ is that one and alone mediatour which hath by his death ad passion set God and man together in an euerlasting peace and quietnes which before thorowe sinne we are at strife and debate As Christ therfore is true God so is he true man God I say of God the father and man of vs of our flesh and of our bloud or els should blessed Paule erre which calleth hym a mediatour â–ª But let God be true all heretikes liers ☞ Finally in his epistle vnto the Hebrewes after that he had spoken much of the deuine nature of Christ prouing Christ to be very god he also setteth forth Christes humanity and pro ueth hym to be true and naturall man made of our flesh and of our bloud this alone excepted y â— we receyued our nature with sinne and in sinne and by natural coniunction Christ receiued his humanity of hys mother without sinne wythout the company of any man by the operation of the holy ghost But let vs heare the wordes of the Apostle For as muche as the children were pertakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe likewise toke part with them ☞ Here as S. Paule declareth euidently that as the children that is to say men be pertakers of flesh and bloud so lykewise Christ because he might destroy him that had lordship ouer death that is to say the deuill by the death in his owne body was made pertaker of the same that is of flesh bloud No man doubteth that our flesh is of the nature and substance of a womaÌ„ no more is it to be doubted that Christ toke his fleshe of the nature and substance of Mary his mother seyng the epistle saith that Christ was made per taker of flesh and bloud wyth vs. This coulde he not haue ben if he had brought his body with hym from heauen or had taken it of anye other then of a naturall woman although a pure and vndefiled Uirgine Therfore lyke as a man taketh hys nature of his parentes so lykewise toke Christ by humain nature of the blessed Uirgine his mother He sai eth moreouer He meanyng Christ in no place taketh on him the aungels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym Here the Apostle manifestlye confuteth the wicked opinioÌ„ of them which teach that Christ had a celestiall body or a body made of the ayre and plainly affirmeth that he toke the sede
escape vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall pea rish and come to nought He that gathereth his goodes with a ly ing toung shall leese all and be in peril of his life He that kepeth his tonge kepeth his life from troubles A lying witnes shall perish haue thou no delite to speak lies against thy brother nor yet against thy frend haue no pleasure in lying for the vse therof is naught The mouth that lyeth sleyeth the soule ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament SAthan brought forth the first lie when he made our grandmother Eue beleue that if she and her husband did eate of the forbidden fruite they should be as Gods Therefore is he a lyar and the Father of lying The two iudges whiche accused the moste vertuous woman Susanna of vnclennes because she woulde not agree to their most filthy vnhonest request were moste abhominable lyers and slaunderers but they receiued a reward worthye their lying All the false prophets of y e olde law which â—…ained them selues to be sent of God and yet prophecied lyes to please the Princes and rulers withall were lyers ond blasphemers of God Sentences out of the new Testament LYing set aside let euery man speak the truth to his neighboure for as much as we are members together Lye not one to another Let no filthy communication proceade out of your mouthes but y â— whiche is good to edifie Let all bitternes fearcenes and wrath roring and cursed speaking be put away from you with all maliciousnes Be curteous one to another and merciful for geuiÌ„g one an other eueÌ„ as god for christes sake forgaue you Let neither filthines nor foolishe talking neither iesting whiche are not comely be once named among you but rather thankesgeuing Examples out of the new Testament THe Scribes and the Phariseis with y e other enemies of Christe whiche called Christ a wine bibber a glotton a deceiuer of y e people a blasphemer one possessed w e a deuill suche one as forbade the people to pay tribute vnto Cesar. c were moste ab hominable liers and blasphemers Ananias and Saphira died sodenly because they lied They were liers blasphemers whiche said that the blessed Martir saint StepheÌ„ spake blasphemous words against Moyses and agaynste God when of God no man spake more godlye nor of Moses more reuerentlye They also that complayned of the Aposties of Christ calling them sedicious persons and teachers of new learninge were also liers and slaunderers So many as make or loue lies shal be cast among murtherers and Idolatrers in the lake of hell burning with fire brimstone Against pride or vayne glory IF thou be tempted vnto pride or vayne glory of the deuill that old enemy of mankind defend thy selfe with these scriptures Sentences out of the olde Testament Thou shalt saue O Lorde the people that are humble meke and lowlye but the hygh looke of the proude thou shalt bring downe The Lord will saue suche as be of an humble spirite The Lord hateth a proud countenaunce Disoain pride â–ª a wicked way a mouth that is double tonged I vtterly abhorre sayth the Lord. The Lord abhorreth all such as be of a proude harte hys hande is agaynst theyr hand they shal not escape vnpunyshed Better it is to be of humble mind with the lowly then to deuide the spoyle wyth the proud Presumptuousnes goeth before destruc tion and after a proud stomacke there fol loweth a fall Why art thou proude thou earth and ashes Pride is hated before God and man Pride is the beginning of all sinne and â—…e that maynteined that shal be cursed and at the last he vtterlye destroyed God hath destroyed the seates of proud Princes and set vp meeke in theyr steade Wo be vnto you that are wise in your owne eyes I hate the pride of Iacob and I abhore his pallaces â—…ayth the Lord. Let neuer pride haue rule in thy mind nor in thy word for in pride began all destruction â–ª Examples out of the olde Testament LUcifer for his pride fell down from the glory of heauen into the paines of hel Pharao for his pride was plagued and at last drowned Sennacherib for all his boasting pride and proud crakes cowardly fled away and afterward was slaine of his own sonne Nabuchodonozor was so punished for his pride that he was made of man a beast til he had geuen ouer his pride confessed him self to be but a man that God alone is the Lorde worthye all glorye and honoure Proud Aman was hanged on those ga lowes whiche he had set vp for good Mardocheus Sentences out of the new Testament LEarne of mee saieth Christe for I am meeke and humble in hart He that eralteth him selfe shal be made lowe and he that lowely meketh and submitteth him self shal be exalted Be not hie minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sorte Be not wise in your owne opinions What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou haue receiued it why reioy sest thou as though y u hast not receiued it Humble your selues in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you vp Submit your selues euerye man one to another knit youre selues together in lowlines of minde For God resisteth the proude and geueth grace to the humble Submit youre selues therfore vnder the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you when the time is come Examples out of the new Testament MAry that blessed virgen being meke humble and lowly was made the mother of oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesu Christ. Peter Iames Andrew Iohn the other disciples of Christe were humble and low ly in their owne eyes and estraunged froÌ„ all pride and arrogancy Christe therefore chosed them to be his Apostles Our Sauiour Christe disdained not to washe his disciples fete to geue vs an example of humilitie and of brotherly loue The proud Pharisy was reiected and cast away as vnrighteous because hee bosted him self of his good dedes and dispised the poore Publicane King Herod vpon a daye appointed a rayed himselfe in royall apparell set him in his seate and made an oration vnto the people The people gaue a shoute saying it is the voyce of a god and not of a man And immediatly the angel of the lord smot him because he gaue not god the honour and he was eaten of the wormes and gaue by the ghost Against feastyng glotony and dronkennes TO auoyde feasting glotony and dronkennes â–ª set these holy scriptures euer before the eyes of thy mynde Sentences out of the olde Testament WYne make folke lecherous and dronkenship causeth brawâ—…ing and chyding Who so hath a pleasure in them shall not be wise He that loueth banketes shal be brought â–ª to pouerty Whoso deliteth in wine and de licious meates shall not