tymes dasell whē thei perswade them selues to see manye thynges where in deede they see but one Lykewyse suche as doo so rashlye vnaduisedly with vnpure mynde vngodly intent reade and serche the scriptures of God doo forge imagen many straunge sentences there vpon perswadynge them selues to see many thynges therein where in deede they see not one therof so heuye headed be thei with pride ambicion couetousnesse so daselyng ar their eyes with selfe loue pertinacy disdainfulnesse But good countreimen remembre the great care and trauell of the most redoured prince or he coulde the loue that he wolde bring it vnto your hādes forget not that it is a hygher matter then the booke of Rodynhoode Consyder what commodytie ensueth by the righte vse therof Deceaue not the louyng exdecracion of so hygh and fatherly a Prince conceyued of you do not frustrate his traueil and labours Prouoke not Goddis vengeaunce vpon you dooe not abuse his holye worde Spoyle not your louies from suche heauenly and inestimable treasures and comforte do not tourne it into our owne confucion And frame your selues yet at lengthe worthelye to vse this incomparable Margatete put on a single and a doues eye which seeth only heauenly thynges Let your heartes be inflamed with hote desire towarde it It doth not vouchesafe vulgarelye to be loued after a commen sorte to be affected it requyreth a thirsty mynde a hungrye and greedye stomake but after it a lone And at the fyrst entraunce in to it ye must laye a parte all pride vainglory and disdainfulnesse oute of your heartes For although the Courte of Goddis woorde be veray large and ample loftye and hyghe yet the doore wherein ye must enter is veray lowe and none can enter into it but such as are lowe humble and meeke of spyrite And it is a serten token that ye haue good successe in that Courte and that ye are well in fauour with the high Lorde therof if you daily proue more more mylde meeke sobre humble and lowlye of heart Suche only dothe he reteygne in fauour to suche only he vouchsafe to talke in that his holy worde and disclose his high secrete misteries whiche are shutte vp vnto the arrogaunt proude It reioyseth the ploughmans hert to behold the eares of his grayne or corne rather to hange downewarde then to stande bolte vp right because he knoweth perfectly them to be lodē these void of good fruyte The high plowghman Christ coueyteth to see the same in you to whom ye shall be an acceptable and fruytfull heruest if your heades be not cocked vp with vayn glory self-loue and pride but bowed downe with all humilitie and meekenesse If it proue not so with you thynke not that ye haue any whyt proffeted in his worde For as Menedemus was accustomed to saye that manye sayled to the scole of Athens which at beginnyng seemed to them selfes sapient soone after became Philosophers that is studious of sapiēce Anone Rethoricioners And finally Idyotes and vnlerned Euen so if ye worthelye entre the scoole of this Heauenly Philosophye and accordingly proffyt therin where before ye seemed in your owne conceyte to your self fes ioyly men gay felowes and as well seene as the best doctor of them all ye shall quyckly be out of this conceyte with youre selfes Euery day ye shal be lesse arrogaūt lesse proude euery houre challenge lesse knowledge vnto you and say with Socrates finallye Hoc scio quod nihil scio This know I that I know nothynge and this is to knowe all Reade it therfore with all humblenesse w ith all mekenesse of herte with pure entent a nd godly purpose to th ende ye may proffytte therin proffytte therin that ye may knowe your dewtye dewe to God the worlde And knowyng it haue ye prompt wyll ready hande sweete foote to mynde practyse and folow the same to thuttermost FINALLY if anye remayne emongest vs quycke as yet lyuely mēbres of Iesus Christ so remayne we styll Be we not discomforted for any thing wee see There are many heresies no wondre there haue ben more Many are infected with them why not therfore they are permitted to tempte proue the wytte of man Let not all this remoue vs from our standing but for asmoche the weakenesse of man gyueth might to heresies they of them selfes beyng of no force and myght and the deuyll there cometh onlye preueyleth where faythe is feble to withstande and resyst see we stande sure see our house be euermore well warded with the stronge and impenitrable bolte of faythe It is no wondre as I haue sayde that heresyes are it is a greater occasyon of wonder if we be found so slenderly prouided and so yll appointed as not to be able to repell and keepe of so weake an enemy For if we arme our selfes with vnwaueryng faythe in Iesus Christ no dout we shall be stronge of power sufficient to frustrate our aduersarye the deuyll his intent who daily laboureth by sundry pollicies to discharge that comfortable weapon from vs to th ende he mought enter our holdes He is verye craftye politycke and therfore tempteth vs with many fayre flatteryng meanes all to deceaue and intrappe oure simplicitie that we wold forsake the holsome grayn of the hyghe Lorde and lay hande vpon his dampnable Zizan And as Hyena the beast dothe immitate the voyce of man Yea and learneth to call some one by name to the ende that the same called furthe he maye deuoure The lyke pollicye Satan vseth to ketche vs in hys snare He inuiteth vs vnto him by many fayre names and entieth our heartes with manye goodly promyses to none other ende but to deuoure vs bothe body and soule But wee are well warned of this crafty tyraunt it were much shame to be vnarmed at any tyme agaynst him He hath sent emongst vs many a stout and craftye whelpe nowe a dayes to make away for him that he may enter into our holdes I say some of them appearynge vnto vs lyke them selfes that is deuellyshe without cloke or semblaūce of godlynesse and these can not begile vs. But some agayn transfigurate and fascyoned into Angelles of lyghte suche may muche preuayle in their maisters quarell with suche as are wauerynge doubtfull and weake in the faythe of Iesus Christ oure high Capitayne But resyst wee them manfully feare we not to answere vnto them as the people Cinniensis aunswered vnto the Embassetours of Brute whiche treated with them to yelde vp their Cytie in to the handes of theire Capitayne Brute Valer Mar. ii 6. La. 4. to whom their answere was in this wile Ferrum sibi a maioribus quo vrbem tuerentur non aurum quo libertatem ab imperatore auaro emerent relictum Oure Auncetoures sayde they lefte vnto vs weapon to defende the Cytie not golde to redeeme it of a couetous Emperour The deuyll by his faythfull Embassetours ministers perswadeth with vs dailye
delyuered vs from the seruitude of Satan dyslorded him of vs and tooke the lordshyp and domynion ouer vs vppon him selfe Arri. BVT not to trouble your lordship any lenger with my rude barberous talke shortly thus I thinke of Iesus Chryst Verely that he was the most electe vessel the orgen or instrument of the deuine mercy a Prophet and more then a Prophete the son of God but according to the spreete of Sanctificacion the syrst begotten but emongest many brothers c. Proct. HEre is Christe defined as vnchristeanly as euer I herd and who so is werye of the christianitie let hym beleeue as ye teache for in dede it is contrary to Christe and al Christianitie but who soeuer â—eioâ— seth in the name Iesus Christe and looketh to enioye lyfe euerlastynge through him he must nedes confesse and beleue Christe to be otherwyse then ye do presently acknowledge Fayne wold you that Christ shuld not be god but your faint profe ther of declareth what spirite ye ar of â— NotwithstaÌ„dyng ye do what ye caâ— which is nothyng in effect whâ— can any doo more against so heygâ—â— and manifest truthe Ye leaue â—â— one stone vnmoued to further yâ—â— purpose saue only the chiefest stone which wyll not rolle that waye with all that you canne And ye are well content to let it alone proue ma\steries with the rest Much lyke ye are vnto Patroclus who when he went into the warres toke with him all the armour and weapons of Achilles hys speare only excepted which he thought to be to weghty great for hys arme No otherwyse you descendynge into the fielde agaynst Christ is deuienitie brought with you to ouerthrowe the same all kynde of armour and weapon saue only the veritie and truthe whiche was not for your weariÌ„g the speare and shyelde of all Catholyke and Christian men of force in all suche causes to vpholde and support the â—â—ght in spyght of all myght And â—â—ith this weapon as I haue hither vnto made you to stoupe so a none I dought not I shall geue you the doune fall And here ioyne wee in this quarell In this your discripcion of Christ I fynde that all yâ— your inteÌ„tis altogither wycked yeâ— some parte of your woordes in the same sounde well and maye be well taken as where ye saye that Christ was the moste elect vessell was the orgeyn or instrument of the deuine mercye was a Prophet more then a Prophet These phrases are good Catholyke in a good Catholike mans mouthe where the intent is pure godly Therfore your wordes that sounde Iesus Christ to be a moste electe vessell be they good but your intent that wold haue him an elect vessell only must needes â—â— wycked Your wordes that souâ—â—â— Iesus to be the orgen of the deuâ—â— mercy he they good but your inâ—â— whiche wolde haue him an orgeâ—â—â— instrumeÌ„t only of the deuine mercy and not the author of mercy mercy it self must needes be wycked Your wordes that sounde Iesus Christ to be a Prophet and more then a Prophet be they good but your intent which wole not haue him the giuer of all prophercye as God almighty must nedes be wicked because it concordeth not with the veritie of Christis condicion and consent of all the Catholyke Church which beleueth stefastly bothe aswell that whiche your wordes affirme and that also which your intent denyeth It foloweth in our descripcion He is the sonne of God but accordynge to the spirite of sanctifâ—yng Your But maâ—â—festly discloseth where at ye shute Which terme is yours the rest is in S. Paule to the Romains but not â—â—nakedly as ye haue alleaged it as here afterwarde it shall appeare First let vs examine what ye meane when ye say that Christ is the sonne of God but accordyng to the spirit of sanctuiyng If ye meane as S. Paule meaneth then your meaning is good if not then is your meanyng deuelysh wycked But your But I say vttereth your intent verely that Christ is the sonne of God onlye as other good men are whose heartes the holy ghost hathe anctified ye meane the sonne of God by adopcion and therfore ye knyt vp your definicion with First gotten but amongst many brothers S. Paules wordes wholye and sincerely without wrestyng maÌ„gling of them are these Rom. 1. of his sonne which is made of the seede of Dauid to â—â— chyng the flesh declared the soâ—â—â— of God in power accordyng to 〈◊〉 holye spirite and by his resurrecâ—â—â— from the dead This is S. Paule sentence conteinynge muche more then ye brought in eke somewhat lesse by your But whiche if it were in Paul as it is in yours then your next But myght folowe the better In these wordes S. Paul teacheth Christ to be not only the Sonne of man touching the flesh but also the Sonne of God and true God by three wayes that is to saye By power by the spirite and by resurrection By power as by miracles and workes whiche were aboue the condicioÌ„ of man of which he spake in Iohn Ioh. v. x. Si veâ— bis meis non creditis operibus saltem credite .i If ye beleue not my wordes yet haue credit to my workes By the holy gost as in sundrye places so in that that the holy ghost came doune in visible forme vppon hym what tyme the â—oyce of the father sounded Mat. iii. xvii Hic est silius meê° in quo mihi bene cuÌ„placui .i. This is my sonne in whom I am well pleased And hether unto appertayneth that of Ioh. in his caconicall epysiel Et spiritus est qui testificatur He promised also to sende and accordynge to his promyse dyd sene the holye ghost to be a comforter and gyde in his bodely absence vnto all such as faythfully trace his wayes Which was for god to do and not maÌ„ The thyrde argument whice S. Paul vseth in that place to proue Christes deuinitie is his resurrection For who could rayse hym selfe froÌ„ death by his owne power and vertue but the naturall son of God which said Tollite templum hoc et in triduc excitabo illud .i. Destroye ye this teÌ„ple and in thre dayes I wyl builde it vy agayne Iohn x. ego ponam animam meaÌ„ iterum sumam eam nemo tolleâ— eam a me sed ego ponam eam ameipsâ— potestateÌ„ habeo ponendi eam iteruÌ„ potestatem h abeo sumeÌ„di cam That is to saye I wyl put my soule from me and I wyll take the same again vnto me None shall take it frome me but I wyl put in from meselfe I haue power in my selfe to putte it awaye and I haue power in me to take it agayne Ye see then what s Paule meaned in that place and ye heare howe that other partes of the scriptures do confirme also his menyng intent in that behalf Wherfor your meanyng and intent which is repugnaunte hereto must needes be wycked
⧠THE FAL OF THE LATE ARRIAN ⧠He that beleueth in the sonne of god hath euerlasting life But he that beueth not is condemned alredy because he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God Iohn ill ⧠TO THE MOSTE VERTVOVS LADY THE Lady Maries grace daughter to the right puissaunt kyng Henry the .viii. and sister to our most redoubted king Edwarde the .vi. Iohn Proctour her most humble oratour wissheth from God grace peace and helthfull felicitie AFTER that I had giuen our late Arrian the fall moost Gracious Marye I bethought me vnder whose shylde I myght haply calenge the game And diligently considering with my selfe how that all my labours and the fall which I haue gyuen tende onelye to the mayntinaunce of the honor and glorye of the Glorious Virgin Marye in defendynge and vpholdynge the sweete fruit of her blessed wombe Iesus Christ in his true diuinitie and perfect equalitie with God the father which my aduersary wolde haue gladly leyde on the grounde vnder whose banner thought I with better luck mought I entre the triumphe and synge the victorye then our Noble Marys whose natiue gentylnesse is suche that as her grace can not but vouchsafe her good wyl in all honest quarelles so in this especially she wyll not but wyll and doo thuttermost moued as well for the name sake as also through the heuenly conformitie of most godlye qualities in her to the hygh resemblaunce perfect imitacion of the other As who that dwelleth euermore in Galile Mary dwelleth in Galile iÌ„habiteth Nazareth espoused to Ioseph visited by Gabriel Mat. i. the most glorius transmigracion from the inordinate loue of the creatures into the Creator of al Inhabiteth most willingly Nazareth the sloure of virginitie the braunche of diuine influence Accompanyeth continualye with Ioseph the increase and augmentacion of fayth and loue Admitteth dailye into the priuey closet of her heart Gabriell the fortitude and might of God Through whose ioyfull Annuntiation her soule springeth vp with hope Affecteth the fulnesse of Grace the presence of the Lorde And obteyneth a sertayne singularitie of blessednesse amongest all Ladyes Mary riseth and goeth into the Mountayne cometh into the Cytie of Iude entreth the house of zacharye salutith Elyzabeth Lu. i As who againe daily riseth from synne from worldlye vanities and delyces Goeth into the mountaynes towarde the heauenly Ierusalem Cometh into the Citie of Iude the Citie of worthy prayse and diuine honor into the house of God to confesse her vnto his holy name Entreth the house of Zacharye the faythfull worthy remeÌ„braunce of the Lorde his preseptes Swetely saluteth Elizabeth the saturitie and fulnesse of her God Onely satisfieng her greedy desyre in him Qui solus replet in bonis desiderium nostrum And as the true handmayde of the Lorde Mery coÌ„ceyueth beareth bryngeth forth Iesê° Christ Math. i. conceiueth most worthely in her heart Beareth in perpetuall memorye And bringeth forth Iesus Christ true God and man in most goodly practise of godly lyfe Thus most Gracious Marye blessed handmayden of the Lorde debatyng with my selfe your Noble nature and heauenly disposicions wherin your Grace so nygh approcheth to the perfection of that your Graces celestiall paterne the holye Virgin Marye that in some mans head wytte myght well gather and reason conclude not a misse one the same soule to be of bothe the bodyes onely chaunged accordyng to Pythagoras lawe I saye occupyeng my imaginacion after this sorte within the circuite of youre Graces excellencye I fynde matier ynough encouragyng me to wyll that I wolde to lyke as I lysted to doo in dede no lesse then in mynd me thought I was euer a doyng Wherfore as well for contentacion of myne owne priuat affection as that also I suppose it most meete and congruent I haue not letted to committe these my labours into the handes of the people vnder the supporte and recognisaunce of your Graces title and name Wherby I doubte not but the honest godly sort wil like it the better the cankred and enuyous shal haue lesse force to endomage or hynder Although I know their bytyng carpyng styng wyl not a litle be sharpened therby agaynst the same my doyngs which I gladly do acknowledge shall atchiue no small ornament and grace through these four letters MARY Thus in euery thyng Enuye dothe comitat vertue no otherwyse then shadowe the bodye Howbeit for my parte I do neither couet the praise of th one ne regarde the dispraise of thother Only my desyre is to exhibet a laboure in thoÌ„s eye commendable without respecte of their commendation And in the others fansye vituperable withoute care or regarde of theire nyppe and checke The fruite no doubte of bothe thonlye floure of your Graces name shinyng in their eye at the firste entraunce shall brynge forthe and yelde vnto me in suche plenty that it shall greatlye ensence and prouoke me herafter in the like oportunitie to wil most with the best all if my power can do least with the worst In meane tyme I most hertely desire your grace to aspyre fauour that that present is the matier for the worthynesse the Author for his forward good wyll Both of the matier the author his entent your hyghnesse shall haue further instructioÌ„ if the same vouchsafe to reade my preface to my CouÌ„treimen of England wherin I do bothe touche teache accordyng to my skyll connyng and towarde th ende therof doo disclose a worde or two concernyng the late Arrian and his fall Thus the Lorde of Lordes Kyng of Kynges Iesus Christ preserue and continue your Grace in all honor glory welth nowe and euer Amen ⧠THE PREFACE vnto my countrey men of Englande IT IS not vnknowen to the christian reader that the deuil as he is the continuall aduersary of mankynde so coÌ„tinually at al times and seasons he laboreth by wonder full sundry craftes to ouerthrowe extinct the Euangelicall doctrine the only comforte and stay of man and to wery the faythefull folowers of the same ¶ In the firste buddynge tyme of Christ his churche lorde with howe many afflyctions was the same inuaded with howe many waues of sundry persecutions knocte and bet at with howe many tourmentes deathes tryed Agaynst which the crueltie of Princes The peruerse maliciousnesse of the Iues The impious rage of heretikes and finally the whole world with al kynde of deuelysh engines and malicious policies had as ye wolde say made insurrection And although Annas and Cayphas reigne not styll Nero and Diacletian are not euer yet euer shall Iesus Christ and suche as faythfully beleue in him suffre persecution to th ende of the worlde as Paul doth wytnes And in this present tyme what dauÌ„gerous tragedyes hathe Satan styrred vp what straunge perilous heresyes hath he reysed among the people of God Who seyng the great follye the habundauÌ„ce of iniquitie in these dayes among
the people doth not or laugh hertely with Democritus or bitterly lament with Heraclitus of which men I haue read in Auncient wryters that thones facion custome was euermore to laughe thothers to lament and weepe at al thynges coÌ„monly practised amongest the people of their tyme. If they bothe were nowe liuynge they wolde I suppose euen dye the one with laughyng at the foly the other lameÌ„tyng the great iniquitie of the people of bothe there was neuer more plenty as is in our tyme. For my parte I can rather lament and sorrow with Heraclitus the present state of this worlde then otherwise laugh with Democritus For what hert in whiche remayneth any sperkle of honesty and godlynesse wold not rue the great impietie of these dayes wolde not bewayle the wyckednesse of this tyme Wherin it is to be seene to speake nothynge of Anabaptistes Libertines Marcyonistes with other a noÌ„bre which are presentlye riefe amongeste the people that call into doubte and question whether Christ be comen or not Yea some without doubt question or controuersie moued at all feare not impiously to auouche teache and affirme that our only Iustice peace our only pathway to euerlastyng lyfe our only Mediator and Sauyour our onely propiciacion for synnes Iesus Christ is not true god but a mere creature a passible man only What more worthye Democrites laughters or Heraclites teares then suche outragious follye suche vnbrydled iniquitie And is this an easye persecution a small greefe trow ye to the faythful Congregation to the right beleuers of Iesus Christ and fauourers of his holye worde that contrary to so many and mighty testimones of the scriptures after the most glorious bloodshed slaughter of so many godly Martyrs for corroboracion of the same After so great vnitie vniuersally receyued in Christ his Churche touchyng this hygh truthe of his diuinitie it shulde be nowe denyed that he is true GOD equall in his diuinitie to the father Howbeit there was no other lykelyhood but that suche monstruous metamorphosye shulde happen I remembre the Cineke Diogenes who passyng by the house of a certayne lauysh and ryotous persone where vpon the dore it was written This house is to be solde Yea of my fayth ê™ Dyogenes I espyed very wel and prophecyde in my mynde that by reason of thyne vnmesurable surfetyng thou wolde at laste spue vp some whole house Euen so of suche dissolute ryotyng such vnmeasurable gourmaundyng and daungerous surfeitynge of the people in all abhominacion vyce and vncleannesse as haue ben in these later times practised amongest them to the miserable deuastacion of Christ his vyneyarde prophanacion of the pure vnspotted religioÌ„ antiquacion of al honest godlye and decent Ordres what els was there to be loked for but that some of them wolde at last euomet and spue forthe some suche monstruous portent prodigious matter of long tyme not hearde of before so abhominable filthy and stynkynge that no true Christian myght abyde the hearyng sauour or syght therof Were we not sufficteÌ„tly instructed by the scriptures that towardes th ende of the world heresies shuld opteyn a great stroke emongest the people We myghte iustly wondre to see so many strauÌ„ge scismiks and opinions in these oure dayes sprong vp and so manye infected with the same But beyng resolued by Goddes woorde that they shal be let vs not wondre either that they are or for that so manye be infected with them Whiche are therfore sent permitted that the fayth of man in hauing temptacion shuld haue also probacion The greatest wondre is to se such nombre of heresyes so nygh home so manye infected with them within this I le of England Within Englande I saye where euerye man euery womaÌ„ pretendeth to be a gospeller euery boye eche gyrle trayned exercised in readynge the holy Scripture of Iesus Christ A hygh name a noble trayne and most godly exercise If we matched them gentle frendes and Countreymen with godly mynde good affection to practyse and folow that which we reade and heare of Gods true worde in our life behauiour But our tongue soundeth muche in tune our phrase is Lorde Lorde the lord knoweth our maners gear all togyther oute of tune our lyfe nought nought We beare it in our haÌ„des we se it with our eye we here it with our eares we rolle it vp with our tonge but our coÌ„uersacion lyuyng sauour nothyng therof at all but daily worse worse experience proueth If it be no mater of woÌ„der that we thus wander yet in such darkenes which haue the lyght amongst vs that we be thus spotted and defiled with so many sores of perilous heresyes which cary about with vs the glasse of knowledge that we be thus far out of square which haue the streyght rule and right square at hande What wonder is it if other talke or that the holsome worde of god which is so fraÌ„ke in your mouthes neuer came so farre as youre hertes Gals iii. Quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati Who hath bewytched you gentle frendes Countreimen what ayleth you that you wyl not obey to the truthe but thus headlong runne into all vntruthes thus irreuerentlye wander in to all vngodlynesse and pitefully stray in to all vnrighteousnesse Ones merueilously ye were bewytched by that Romysh man the peuysh Pope what tyme he helde your heades vnder his girdle of iniquitie Then as the Poet Diphilus in a tragedy which he pleyed at Rome in the Theatre sayd of great Pompei Valetius Mar. â— i vi cap ii Miseria nostra magnus est Our miserye is the great meanyng it by Pompei who was called gret Pompei So thaÌ„ ye mought haue sayde Miseria nostra Papa est Our misery is the Pope the great pompe of the worlde Now he beynge disclosed what he is with all his trickes his false forged powre abrogated and discharged who hath nowe bewytched you who now Miseria nostra gentle brethren that in the bryght day ye canne not see In the playne pathe ye canne not walke without fallyng that hauynge the true square and streyght rule your lyues square not your workes all croked out of frame and rule That Noble Henrye Kynge of Kynges now dissolued dwellyng with Christ That heuenly Iosias I say dyd much for you what tyme not without great traueyle study not withoute tirannicall hatred of forrein powers therby procured vnto him he brought home that comfortable lyght that pleasaunt foode of soulles and gaue it eche of you in your handes What tyme ye were yoked to the Popes bulles he vnyoked you and pulled your neckes out of that miserable bondage Where you were lynked to his prolyng pardons he purchased a free pardone vnto you of them all Further where ye were nouseled in Idolatrye and trayned in worshippyng stockes and stones he cared to discharge suche blockes oute of youre way where you were grosly fedde vpon the marry she of mans tradicions he
studyed to acquaynt you with the fine diet of christes true word c. Thus good gracious Lorde was he vnto you in procurynge and grauntyng How faithfull and honest subiectes proue ye in receiuyng and exercisyng so precious and riche treasures What perfection haue they wrought in you I can not say the truth without your gret shame But seeynge ye be not ashamed of shamefull doynge blame me not if I be not a shamed to do you to wyt thereof Then ye were halfe blynde and nowe ye see nothyng Then stockes and stones were in your eye and nowe God is oute of your hertes Then ye sought pardones in paper for youre synnes and nowe ye synne without repentaunce in your hertes Then ye kepte a grose dyet and nowe you surfet inordinatlye in all abhominacion and iniquitie Then ye were not in the ryghte way and now ye are to to farre of Then dydde ye stomble amonge cloddes and brakes and now ye fal doune right euen in the playn path Finally then ye had muche zeale without all knowledge and nowe ye haue muche knowledge without all zeale Then knew ye least and folowed most and nowe ye knowe most and followe least What a monstruous metamorphosie what a straunge alteracion of maners is this Who hathe bewytched you now my frendes what euyll ghoste What wycked spirite hathe benuÌ„med you of your wittes now Nemo leditur nisi a serpso No man is hurt but through him selfe it was a wyse and true sentence of Tullye The euyll ghoste of your owne selfe loue pride ambicion The wycked spirit of temeritie contempte and rashnesse all togyther possessyng your hertes hathe thus bewytched you not to obey folow the truthe wherby in steade of christians ye are become AntichristiÌ„as for true Gospellers ye proue Anababtistes Libertines Ebbionitts Arrians Seleutians Saduces Pellagians foule and blasphemous Heretykes This is true that I say and I am lothe to say it wolde God it were false I proued a lyer but reporte of some is certayne proufe by experience can not lye I se it daily more more true and I am sorye for it in my hearte because I loue you Other heare it and laugh at the same in their myndes because they hate you It is a good matter for your enemyes to reioyce for your frendes to weepe at It is glad tidynges to the one and heauy newes to thother And as we exceede in all hereticall and blasphemous opinions so retayne we also all vnclennesse all fylthynesse of lyfe emongste vs. Righteousnesse is fledde Vertue is banyshed the countreye they canne haue no dwellynge place here to abyde The fynes and incomes so great the reÌ„tes so hygh at the lords hande The entreteinment of other so churlysh The neyghboured eche where so vnplesauut When hath there ben heard of such intollerable pride The eare whiche wâ—â— heart his owne lyfe rebuked shall dwell in the midle of them that he wyse SalomeÌ„ of suche vnsasiable greedynes for the gruÌ„mel seede durtye mucke of this vayn world then haue latelye reigned amongste them which were in aucthoritee our rulers and in godly conuersation of lyfe shulde haue ben heades and Capitaynes also When hathe there ben hearde of the lyke headynesse Letter of ouer muche licence cometh great pâ—stilence â— There flattery ambicion and rashnesse as nowe a dayes is yet practised euen in the pulpettes where hence the syncere and pure worde of God shulde be taught and preached with all mekenesse with al humblenesse with all simplicitie When hath there ben harde of the lyke dissolutenesse disorder disobedience and daungerous lybertie as is presentely in vre amongest the Commons But th one sorte is well purged whereof certen haue reaped as they haue sowen Whose false gouernemente is to manyfeste howe soo euer certen busy personnes haue lately talken in defendynge their falte moste worthye condemnation and condemnynge the doynges of the kynges moste prudent councelours therin beste worthy commendation But the lord grante them his grace that they maye acknowledge theyr transgression and earnestly repente them for the same and that where they haue liued a lyfe worthy deathe euerlastynge yet throughe herty repentaunce they may dye the deathe in Iesus Chryste that maye turne theim to lyfe euerlastynge and that this their fal may be to al other that are or hereafter shall be appoynted rulers ouer the people sufficient example and feyre warnyng how they shulde behaue them selfe in that vocation To whome for further instruction be this sayde Intelligite erudimini qui iudicatis terram seruite Dominio in timore exultate ei cum tremore Ye that are called to be Rulers ouer the people as well Kynges as other Ciuil heades and magistrates vnderstande sayth the Prophet and be instructed whiche do iudge the earthe serue ye the lord in feare and reioyce vnto him with dreade This ought to be your studie and traueile to serche after the knowledge and vnderstandynge of God his lawes that such maters as shall come in coÌ„trauersy before you ye may decide and determine accordyng to equitie and iustice And to th ende ye may leade your people in the right path of the lord The roote of wisdome is to fere god and the brauÌ„che therof shall long time endure SalomoÌ„ and prouoke them by your example to lyue in righteousnesse serue ye the Lorde in feare without whiche nothyng but synne for looke what example of liuyng what presidents of doynges what paterne of maners what lessons of honestye and godlines what discipline of mercy gentlenesse thei receiue at your handes suche wyll your people folow Therfore if your liuiÌ„g be not godly pure ye stande in dauÌ„ger not only of your owne partes but of your peoples also For as the crased ship by lekyng in water into it doth not only drowne her selfe but as manye as be in her Euen so if you that be heades and Rulers lyue in wyckednesse If the ship of your owne soule be ouer whelmed with the waue of iniquitie what merueyle is it if the people that stand a borde with you be drowned in the same shipwracke with you also If ye leade your lyues out of all honest godly order what meruayle is it if they lyue inordinatlye If ye lyue as lawlesse persons what merueile if thei stray out of all lawes If ye be so proude that ye haue forgotten your byrthe was but syn your lifetyme but as yâ— bubble in that water in deth yeshal be but wormes meate what merueyle if ther remembre it not If ye be so blynded in vayne glory that ye can not discerne the true goodes frome the false the righte treasures form the counterfeiet To vse yâ— Puâ—lâ—ke Weale for a perticuler geyne or aduauÌ„tage is not oÌ„nly a thynge toule dishonest but also mischeuous and very adhominable Seneca If your hertes be so rapte to cumulate heape to gyther the coÌ„modities of this corrupte worlde with the incuÌ„moditie of ye
preest in the Churche of Alexandry the yeare of our Lorde CCC and .xx. who was the fyrst Dadd and parent of this impe now eftsones buddynge and springyng vp through your engendryng and trauell and as he then so you wolde gladlye nowe father it vpon the holy worde of God to the ende it might prosper and come forwarde the better and the people by suche pretence allured shulde cull coll embrase and make much of it as thought it were the true fruite of that holye worde But ye are foule deceaued syr your carde of .x. can not out â—ace vs so for we know what ye haue in youre hande as well as your selfe Ye may not looke therfore to spede better then he that went before you of whom I shall more largelye speake afterwarde If he at that dayes was founde what he was and by the whole Councell of Nicene whervnto the Emperoure Constance the greate with CCC and .xviii. Bishops was assembled condemned as an heretike his opinion iudged to be of the deuyll and not of God Looke not you hardely for any better successe or fortune especially now in these dayes vnder great EDWARD whose yeares not so matjure as CoÌ„stancynes Yet in Grace Vertue as great in all iudgement as rype to descerne suche wycked bastarde wares from the sincere and pure Merchaundes of Christ is holy testameÌ„t Who incesstantly laboureth daily to wede out banysh extincte all suche wyckednesse from his people and the same to enstruct with the vnfallyble rule how and by what marke and token they may certenly knowe auoyde detest all suche as ye are with youre fruites of iniquitie tho they be faced and coloured with neuer so gret holynesse This Mayden Kynge Noble EDWARD Securis rationum vestrarum as Demosthenes was wont to say of Phosion toward him selfe ward the ax of al your wycked purposes cutteth downe faste by he roote what so euer is not planted vnder the commission and warrant of Iesus Christ but let vs see what foloweth of yours Arri. TO whiche sacred founten iust and right faith ought to cleaue and leane in all contrauersyes touchyng Religion chiefly in this poynt whiche seemeth to be the pyller and stay of our religioÌ„ where it is called into question concernyng the inuocation of sayntes or expiacion of soules A man may err without great dauÌ„ger in this point being the grouÌ„d and foundacion of our fayth We may not err without damage to religion I call that true religion whiche instructeth maÌ„s mynd with right faith and worthy opinion of God And I call that right faith which doth credit beleue that of God which the scriptures do testify not in a few places the same depraued detort in to wrongsense but as ye wyll saye throughlye with one and the same perpetuall tenor and concent Proct. GREAT Alexandre kynge of Macedonie what tyme diuers persons had hyghly commended the frugalitie spare maner of liuynge that Antipater vsed who leade a life homely voyde of delices Yea ê™ Alexander Foris albo vtitur pallio Antipater intus vero totus purpuratus est That is to saye Antipater weareth a whyte robe outwardlye but within he goeth in purple euery inche of him Notyng the conserable sparyng of the sayde Antipater where as in very deede he was that notwitstandyng as ambicious and stately as the best The lyke hipocrisy coulerable handlyng gentle reader but in a hygher matter this felow presently vseth to deceue seduce and intrapp thy simplicitie But feare not to say or beleue it with out saiyng that he weareth a white robe outwardly but within he is dashst vp in purple euerye ynche of him that is he beareth the in hand with hys outwarde wordes that he is an honest plaine man and a good Christian and yet notwithstanding in veray deede he is a great hereticall blasphemor agaynst Christ euery ynche of him If naked wordes ought only to be weyed and expended as sufficient testimony and triall of a man who better christian then this man whose wordes in this place sounde as godlye as any can be spoken But good Christian reder I exhort councell the agayne and agayne for the loue of God take heede of suche false prophetes Tho they speake and glose neuer so fayre tho the scripture drop oute of their mouthes neuer so thycke yet I crye take heede weygh and consyder with thy selfe well to what ende purpose their plesauÌ„t faire talke their mouthes full of scripture do tende and then by grace ye maye anone fynde them saye vnto your selfe as Phosion sayde vnto the people of Athens beyng very brag vpon the heresay or brute of Alexander his death If he be dead to day ê™ Phosion he wylbe dead to morow also so furth c. If it be true that they tell you it wyll be styll true folowe the prouerbe Festina lente This hast spedeth best wheÌ„ al other hast maketh wast Beholde howe iolylye thys man preacheth to vs nowe in this place Ryght fayth must leane saythe he cleaue to the Worde of God That is well The scriptures must try and decide all contrauersyes touchynge true Religion That is well Trew Religion is that whiche instructeth with right fayth and worthy opinioÌ„ of God And that is well Ryghte fayth is that which doth beleue and credit that of God which the scriptures with one concent throughout do testify of him Wonderous well Finally he improueth such as doo depraue detort and wrest the scriptures into wronge sense all this is meruelously well spoken yea nor Paule neither Peter taughte better doctrine Sed fugite hinc pueri later anguis in herba Marke gentle Reader to what ende purpose all this geare goeth and then thou shalte well perceaue both Actu 8. ê™ illi noÌ„ est sors i sermone isto that he hath no parte in the tale told by him as Paule sayde to Symon Magus how that all this whyle also he laieth but whiles to deceaue the he setteth thy teeth an edge with a pleasunt bayte the rather to take thee with the hooke whiche yet thou seest not For is it not his purpose intent to perswade thee that Christ was but a creature a passible man and not God equall to his Father in his deuine nature Yes for soth and is not this cleane contrary to al scripture true Religion and ryght fayth Nothyng more contrary as it shal apeare afterwarde Yet now he wolde make thee beleue that he wyll decide thys matter by the sciptures accordyng to right fayth and true religion O plene omni dolo omni falacia sili diaboli inimice omnis iusticiae non desinis vias domini peruertere rectas Acto xiii O full of all subteltie and al deceatfulnesse Ictu 13 the chylde of the deuyll and ennemy of all righteousnesse ceasest thou not to ê‘uert the streight waies of the Lord Could Paule trow ye speke this senteÌ„ce then to
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
nec metior quantirateÌ„ nec qualis sit intueri sufficio c. Patienter me ferre oportet si operatorem vniuersitatis non intelligo qui in minimis operationum suorum particulis meam profiteor caecitatem That is If syath S. Ciprian I do neither know the beginnyng nor measure the quantitie of my soule which obteineth the souereigntie of my body nor am able to vnderstand what thing it is c. I must paciently suffre and holde me content if I comprehende not ne vnderstand the worker and onlye doer of all thyng that is which do gladlye professe acknowledge my blyndnesse in the least particle of his workes This is a playne truthe and confyrmed by dyuers manifest testimonies of the Sriptures And I suppose the whole world thynketh no otherwyse of God especially amongest Christians I dare sai there are none that affirme the contrary I meruel therfore what moueth you to pronounce of vs so as tho we that beleue Christ to be veray God and man shulde by the same meanes make God comprehensible If ye can make this to be a good argument I beleue that Iesus Christ is both God and maÌ„ Ergo I make God coÌ„prehensible Ye see further in a milstone then I can or any man els I beleue Yf I hadde bynne with you what tyme ye wrote that I wolde haue knockt at youre elbowe to haue knowen that knacke for my lerynge For it is incomprehensible to my reason how your wytte can iustlye comprehende God therefore to be made comprehensible by cause Christ is god and man This soundeth I dare avouch to euery Christian eare veray folysh and absurde And as these reasons whiche hetherunto ye vse to ouerthrowe Christes deuiniâ—ie be meruelouslye weake and slender of no importaunce at all euen so are all that afterwarde folowe barran without substaunce pythe or any good matter so that I may well saye of you as a certayn Lacon said of a Nightingall beinge carren leane without fleshe Voâ— tu es praeterea nihil A voyce ê™ he thou art beside nothing Yet verelye I canne a lowe the pretye conueyaunce bragge and arte in whiche ye vse to make that youre nothynge seeme some thinge euen as we delite in the dieserdes gesture and settynge oute his parte yet his mater all together vnpleasaunte to eche honest and vertues man Howbeit that wyl not helpe for your nothynge wyll come to naught tho ye strayne your wyttes neuer so muche to make it some what The Lorde was not retayned of your councell ini plantynge it Therfore ye knowe what must folowe But to the purpose We that be true Christians do not make God comprehensyble Yet by the Scriptures we comprehende that Chryst hath in hym two natures one of Godhead thother of manhead Wherby we comprehend in faythe that he is bothe true God and true man And being both God and man that he comprehended in him the propryetes of both natures By the qualites proper to th one our sences myght comprehende that he was man visible and mortall By the proprietes of thother our faythe appprehendethe that he was God Creator of all thinges essence inuisible of any creature incomprehensible possessinge together with his father essencially al lyfe al sapience al eternite hym selfe beynge also lyfe it selfe sapience it selfe eternite it selfe comprehending in him selfe al creatures in the worlde And he comprehended of none For he is saythe Saynt Austen Liber iii. Cap. i. de trinitate Sine qualitate bonus sine quaÌ„titate magnus .i. Without qualytie good without quantytie great This is the faythe and assertion of the whole Christianitie Howe commeth it to passe then that ye shulde fasten this error vpon vs as to make God a comprehensible thyng seinge we affirme playnelye in manyfest wordes the contrarye But thus goeth youre argumente Chryst was here emongst men comprehensible Chryst was God ergo God was comprehesible And herevnto ye add to vndo Christes Godhead and to saue hole Godes incoÌ„preheÌ„sibilitie that God by the scriptures is incoÌ„prehensible therfore ye wolde conclude that Christ was not God because he was compreheÌ„sible To answer you briefelye I say Christ both god and man in his humanitie was comprehensible in his deuinitie incomprehensible Againe by reasoÌ„ of that vnion of ii natures knit and ioyned together in the person of his godhead as we may say God dyed for vs so may we truelye saye also God is comprehensyble both true touching the fleshe whiche he true God receiued his deuinitie remayninge styll immortall and incomprehensyble And that Chryst had in hym .ii. natures whereby he was God and man I haue al redy declared but not so fuselye or as the mater permitted or as I myght In th one I shuld haue founde no ende in thother I shulde haue byn to tedyous Yet I doughte not but I haue sayde sufficient therein for the Chrystyan Readers contentacyon And as occacion shal be mynistred so wyll I more largely treate of the same in the processe ensuing Nowe syr where ye contende that Iesus Chryst was a creature comprehensible and therfore not the incomprehensible creator your reason is false bycause he was both hauing in him ii natures one creat wherby he was man and a peered a comprehensible creature the other increat throughe which he was God of all creatures creator incomprehensible inuisible and immortall Arri. FOR howe may it be thought true religion whiche vnitethe in one subiecte contraryes as visibilitie and inuisibilitie mortalitie and immortalitie c. Proct THe ruÌ„nyng streame saith Plutarke hath not any serten coulour but is euermore of that colour whereof the grounde is whiche is subiecte vnto it All heretykes most commonly are at the same pointe euermore vnlyke them selues at all tymes redye to chaunge theyr hewe and coloure to saye and vnsaye as present occacion dothe serue Or ye haue forgoten that whiche ye sayde in the beginninge of this your laste senteÌ„ce or els ye vse to say one thing thinke an other other els because ye wyll not be condemâ—ned in any thynge ye wyll abyde by nothynge that ye say and this is a wyse touch ê™ Wyll Somer Dyd ye not ryght nowe affirme that god was incomprehensible that his workes councelles and wyll coulde not by any reason of creature be comprehended searched and knowen dyd ye not in effect graunt al this euen in the line goynge before And in your proces ensuing are not these your wordes God is not comprehensyble of any create vnderstandynge explycable with no speche And nowe that ye come in with youre howe may it be thought a true religion whiche vniteth in one subiecte contraryes c. Is it not a playne declaracion that ye haue or forgoteÌ„ that your former assertion or that ye speke otherwyse then ye thought or els that ye wyll abyde by nothinge no lenger then it may serue for your purpose For by this your how c. do ye not graunt that God and his councell is comprehensible
reason and blinde senses for the determinacion of such supernaturall matiers I can no more preuayle in teaching you then dothe the corke in vpholdig the net that it may swyme aboue water when so much led is annexed that it vyolently pull the same to the bottom Where ye saye therefore Howe may it be thought true religioÌ„ that vniteth in one subiecte contraries c. To make you an aunswere that ye may vnderstande I replye vnto you with the lyke phrase How may it be thought a true relygyon which techeth that a virgin brought forthe a chylde without the seede of man If ye can make good this ye canne not but admytte thother alsoâ— both beynge true for one consyderacion The worde of God telleth you that Marye conceaued and delyuered a chylde withoute the carnall knowleage of man and ye do belyue it why Because your reason can comprehende howe it may come to passe No why then bycause the worde ye wyll say doth wytnes that it was so lykewyse the same worde is a playne testymonye that in Iesus Christ were vnited .ii. contrarye natures th one inuisible and immortall thother visible and mortal why do ye not beleue it Why dought ye more of the religion that teacheth vs the vnion of suche contraries in Chryst then of that relygion which reacheth vs that a virgin brought forth a chylde seyng both haue one and the selfe same grounde Here your howe gyueth me occasyon to speake of the wonderfull myracles which Chryst wrought emongest vs. aboue al humayne reason to th ende this myght not seeme vnpossyble to your fayth tho your wytte can not compasse it that Iesus Chryst was bothe God and man To whom beinge omnipotent all thinge is easye and possible be it neuer so difficult and impossible to mans vnderstanding and iudgement But to avoide tediousnes I wyll not vse the occasion As it is true and Godlye relygion which teacheth vs that Chryst did such miracles so is it a true and Godly religyoÌ„ to beleue that Christ is true God and perfecte man for both were lyke possible to him And of both we haue lyke proufe By his worde we are assured he dyd them and by his word also we are put out of dought he dyd this Thus haue I taughte you howe it maye be thought true relygion whiche vniteth contraries in one subiecte And touchinge your principle of natural Philosophie coÌ„traries can not concurre in one subiect I meruel much that ye wold vse it to try and decide the hie misteries of god therwith al. Howe be it I shulde not much meruell therat For as the serpent called Amphisbena hath a head at both endes and vseth bothe partes in steade of a tayle as it ly kethe him In like maner such inconstant and wauerynge persons as ye are nowe by this nowe that wayes doo defende your selues applying euery thinge to your in tent framyng the same to proue improue as your fansy like And as Hyena is sometyme a male somtyme a female so ye one whyle ye be deuynes an otherwyle Natural phylosophers as ye perceue how your purpose may best succeade and go forwarde But truly as the people in Asya named Androgini do so imitate bothe kyndes that they be nor men nor women euen so ye counterfeicte to pley bothe deuynes and Natural Phylosophers after suche sorte that ye proue your selfes to be none of both Where ye talke of relygioÌ„ of fayth gods misteries ye counterfect a deuyne But where ye cum in with your contraryes in one subiect ye speake foly shely Phylosophycally I wolde haue sayde Agayne in that ye councell Natural Phylosophie for the declaracyon of deuinitie ye bewraye your selfe to be no deuine And in that ye include the hygh suê‘naturall misteries of God within the circuite compasse of Naturall Philosophie ye declare your selfe to be no Philosopher not knowynge that the dicyon and Limities therof extend no further then naturall matters Thus whyles ye wolde be seene bothe a deuyne and a Phylosopher ye shewe your selfe to be none of bothe And as ye are neyther good deuyne nor cunnynge Phylosopher accordynge to youre skyll in the one and cunnynge in the other ye haue so vndescreately coupled deuinitie and Philosophie together in this your sentence that the fruite spronge of that compulacion is nor deuinitie ne Philosophie but as the Mule engendred betwyx an Asse and a mare is nether Asse nor mare so by this youre vnnaturall coniunction of supernaturality and Naturallytye togyther yee haue brought forthe but to youre selfe alone I hope a fowle prodigious monster all vnlike to deuynytye all vnknowe to Philosophy As That Christ is not GOD and man accordynge to true Religion because naturall Philosophyes Rule is that Contraryes can not be in one subiect PerchauÌ„ce ye are mery of this talke well I wyll make an ende strayght waye As ye can not reason Natural Philosophie by deuinitie so can ye not teache diuinitie by Naturall Philosophy In th one faith admitteth no impossibilitie to be In the other reason contendeth nothynge possible to bee if by reason it be not comprehensible In th one faythe maketh all thing reasonable that is aboue reason In thother reason maketh all thyng incredible which is not within reason Therfore as in can not stande by naturall Philosophy one thyng to be both visible inuisible mortall and immortall in one respecte because contraryes can not be founde at once in one subiects by reason So is it perfecte true Religion by deuinitie to beleue that one thyng is visible and inuisible mortall immortall bycause contraryes are vnited in one subiecte contrary to reason Arri. IT IS laufull by many wayes to see the infirmitie of Iesus Christ whome Paule in the last Chapiter to the Corinthians of the seconde epist denyeth not to be crucifyed through infirmitie And the whole course and consent of the euangelicall historye doth make him subiecte to the passioÌ„s of man as hungre thyrst werynesse and feare to the same end lykewise at swere anxietie continuall prayer the consolacion of the angell agayn spittyng whypping rebukes or checkes his corpes wrapte in the lynnen clothe vnburyed And to beleue for sothe that this nature subiect to these infirmities and passioÌ„s is God or any parte of the deuine essens What is it wother but to make God mighty and of power of th one parte weake and impotent of thother parte whiche thynge to thynke it were madnesse folly to perswade other impieties Proct ANACHARSIS saiyng was that the Athenians occupyed their money to no other ende but to number by the numbrynge vp gatheryng togither these places of the scripture so nycely against Christê deuinitie may we not iustly thynke good syr that ye haue reade the holy scriptures to pyke out matter stuffe therhence rather to mainteyne disputacion talke then for any other godly ende and purpose If ye can denye this how happened then that ye haue heaped these sentences to gither only
be companyons of darkenes with them But Chryst brought lyghte into the worlde made open the veritie whereby he healed all They entysed and allured them to all abhominacioÌ„ and wickednes But Christ toke away the synnes of the worlde They tumble downe into the pyt of hell theyr worshyppers But Chryst auaunceth his into heauen Satan also is called god but Chryste and he gods far vnlyke Thone author of all goodnes thother author of al wyckednesse th one peace maker thother soweth dyssension and stryfe wheresoeuer he is receyued Thone treated al thinges good in the right vse thother laboureth to make all thinges yll by abuse Th one sauâ—th thother leeseth Th one calleth to euerlastynge lyfe thother to euerlastynge fyre The bely is called God likewise yea so is Couetousnes or auacies a great god now a dayes to whome much blasphemy idolatry is committed euerywhere If Paule douted not to call auarice idolatrye If Christ in the Gospell doth set manimon agaynst God as an other god I maye boldlye auouche them to be blasphemers and idolaters whiche serue the same which do more estâ—me their money then the true God As this auarice of money is the cause of muche mischief so it engendreth one wonderful yl thyng betwent the Princes of therth and their people I meane flatery adulacion wheâ— by the subiect perswadeth the 〈◊〉 oftenymes that he is Gods felow attributeth deuine honor vnto him driueth in to his head that all thyng is well godly what so euer he shall attempte all if it be directly against God and all to creepe in to fauour to aspiere to promocion and wealth And the Kyng or Prince of thother parte is not offended therwithall but taketh vppon hym what suche kynde of men ascribe vnto him So that it chaunceth somtymes that the people in stede of a good Christian Kyng haue a very tyraunt a spoyler oppressor of the Comen weale mainteyners of all iniquitie vyce reynyng ouer them And the Kyng agayne in stede of honest subiectes and graue councelours hath flatterers pyckthankes and holders vp yea and nay Finally what so euer ye preferre before God and his holy preceptes that same ye make a god But if it had lyked you to haue compared theire deedes as well as the name and the cause whoe they are called gods with Christis doingê the cause why he is god ye mought haue benne soner a shamed of your leude comparison And sayde with Dauid Non est similis tui Domine non est secundum opera tua That is None lyke vnto the O Lorde and none accordyng to thy workes Seekest thou honor and renoume he giueth the euerlasting glory Desyrest thou souereigntie he admitteth the into his kyngdome wherof shall be no ende Requirest thou richesse in him thou maist possesse all thynges who only is Lorde of all Seekest thou oracles or the certeintie of thynges Thou hast the scripture of most certen truthe in which he true God speaketh vnto the oute of his priuie closet as ofte as thou lyst Wylt thou haue pleasure he only gyueth perfect ioye whiche no man can take away Delyrest thou ease he cryeth mercifully Omnes qui laborati onorati estis venite ad me ego reficiam vos That is to say All ye that laboure and are laden come ye to me I wyl refresh you If to your gods this may be worthely applyed then out of doute your comparison was right and ye may iustly affirme them true gods as Iesus Christe is to whome the Scripture dothe ascribe this with much more mightely prouyng him to be God not in name only but in power and vertue deuine To conclude I say therfore with s Paule that though there be whiche are called goddes whether in heauen or in erthe as there be many goddes and lordes many yet vnto me there is but one God which is the Father of whom ar all thyngê we in him one Lorde Iesus Christ by whome are all thynges and we by hym This sentence of s Paule your selfe brought in but curtailed as ye vse all the rest for ye lefte oute the laste parte therof and good cause why for it made all agaynst your wicked purpose Therfore in any case see ye alleage not one worde as nyghe as ye can that may make agaynst your but wring and wrest tosse tugge mangle and heaw euery part therof vntyll ye frame it to your mynde if ye caÌ„ not leaue it cleane out a gods name take that which wyl serue And to theude the Christian Reader may vnderstande that ye are youre craftê maister in this point ye haue craftely practysed the same in all the places almost which ye haue hither vnto hereafter wyl alleage for the maintenauÌ„ce of your blasphemous error And where as the former sentence out of Paule ye curtayled now ye alleage another place of S. Paule but the myddes the bodye of the same cleane left out onlye ye bryng in the head and the tayle the rest discharged whiche is the effecte and chiefest parte of all it is out the .ix. to the Rom. and this is your alligacion S. Paule calleth Christ God blessed for euer But betwene God and blessed for euer S. Paul hath these wordes ouer al thinges and this is his saiyng Christ which is God ouer all thynges blessed for euer Amen Blessed s Paule wolde putte vs out of doubte that Iesus Christ was God not in name only as other are but in deede not in opinion but in nature power true God and therefore he added ouer all thynges for to be God ouer all thynges is only agreable to the omnipotent nature But S. Paule his mynde yours is not lyke And therfore no meruell if ye agree not in woordes He mynded to declare him to be true God and therfore he sayeth Christ God ouer al things but you wolde perswade that he is God only in name as other manye are and therfore ye say Christ god blessed for euer leauyng out ouer all thinges which wordes strongly only proue in that place the true Godhead in Christ For to be called God or to be blessed for euer is no proufe that he is true GOD The Prophetes with other were called goddes Dyuers were blessed foreuer yet none of bothe true goddes therby But to be called God and God ouer all thynges yea by the mouth of S. Paule what double can there remayne in any Christian mans herat but that Iesus Christ is true God And the place of S. Iohn Iohn xx which ye also reciâ—e doth confirme Pauls menayng and confounde your wicked opinion very plainly Yet can ye lyke pourselfe bryng it in craftely for contirmacioÌ„ and probacion of your iniquitie it is not to be denyed that Christ studyed to auoyde the crime of blasphemy But what dyd he therfore graunte that he had committed blasphemye in callynge God Fathe Or dyd he deny that he was the naturall Sonne of God the father
muche more iustlye maye I accuse you good syr which promysed so largelye in the firste entrie of your matter that you wolde folow in decidynge and determinynge the same not the wordê of the scriptures only but the right vnderstanding of the same also And yet hytherunto haue vsed th one not thother haue recited the wordes and lefte the syncere and true meanyng of the same The Athenyens deuysed not corne alone but also lawes as bothe fytte for them but of bothe th one they reteyned in vre onely as thereby to feede and pamper vp their carcases Thother whereby they knewe theyr dyssolute lyfe and beastely maners shulde be noted and corrected they let slipe and wolde not exercise You lykewyse all yf ye were appoynted vpon both and promysed to vse not the wordes of the scripture only but also the catholyke sence of the same Yet styll contrary to your fyrste appoyntment and promyse ye only vse th one yea forcyng the same to put on more straunge formes fygures then euer Proteous hadde and al to maynteine and defende youre follye so dyuers and varyable But the syncere meanynge of the wordes in scripture ye haue not hetherunto vsed but obstynatlye refused In this pointe I can not alowe you and Aristoteles doth condemne you If it be incident vnto youre nature that when your promyse consisteth of .ii. partes th one shuld be false thother true then belike it is naturall vnto you And forasmuche that whiche is naturall can not easely be routed out of man it is to be feared leaste ye wyll dye an heretycke Ye haue brought iÌ„ scryptures and euer more doo brynge by clusters and heapes to make good your concept but the true vnderstandynge of the scriptures ye seldome mell with al. Thone ye lyke well and therfore ye tye it at your gyrdel before you to th ende ye wyll alway folowe it but thother ye haue thruste in the wallette with your owne deedes hanging behind at your back to thend you wold not be coÌ„bred with the sight of any of both at any tyme. God wolde haue bothe coÌ„ioyned together but ye your felowes haue made a playne deuorse to th end ye might without checke of th one committe aduoutery with the other And as I do nowe tell you of it so haue I done afore and after wyll as ofte as I perceyue you so to abuse the scriptures And if ye be ashamed to here of it after this sort be also ashamed hereafter eftsones to do it And for my parte when ye shal be a fearde to mynister the occasion then shall I feare to leye it to your charge To approche to our purpose Ye saye that in the Scriptures Chryst is termed by these names as humble meeke obedient c And agayne worme lyon syn with other the lyke Whiche names ye saye may not be admytted to the deuyne nature therfore ye conclude that Chryste beyng called by these names can not haue in him the deuyne nature And how well it foloweth who so blynde that seethe not I haue by the scriptures declared at large the Chryst was not God alone nor man alone but bothe God and man And had in him self not onelye the nature of man as ye wolde haue it but the veray nature of god also as ye wolde not he hadde with your good wyl And as he was true man so was he humble obedyent meeke pacient Which names haue great commendacion in man ye saye and so let them haue in hym To the deuyne nature ye wyll not haue them applied well I wyll not much contende against you therin I graunte againe that he is called by these names in the scripture as sheepe ly on synne c. But to affirme that he is not true god therfore because he is termyd by suche names it were to groselye and more then folye As well ye may conclude that he was not man For a sheepe is not man nor the lyon man nor the worme man But Chryst in called sheepe lyon and worme ergo he is not maÌ„ As iuste as germans lyps By the same reason I mought proue that the father is not God because in Deute iiii he is called ignis and Eccle. xxxix Fluuius and Hiere ii Fons with dyuerse other names applyed vnto hym in the Scritpures The application of whiche names aswell prouethe the father not to be God as the son So by your allegacion we shal haue no God anone But acknowledge rather bothe the father and the sonne to be God and vnderstaÌ„d with me that such names are attrybuted to Chryste to do vs knowledge howe that Chryst all yf he was true God and thoughte it no roberye to be equall with God the father in all omnipotensye As Paul wytnesethe of hym Yet for our sakes becam eman and in his humanitie dyd humble him selfe as man in this worlde was obedient to his sendynge gentlely and pacyentlye suffered thextreme crueltye and outragious vilany of the Iues excerctsed vppon him And for this innocensie in him and pacience he is called ouis and agnus in the Scryptures And to saye some thynge the rest He is called Lyon in consyderacion of his fortytude and power Whereby he vanquysshed the rorynge Lyon our aduersarye the deuyll Accordynge to that in the Appocalyppes Vicit leo de tribu Iuda Apoca. v. That is the lyon from the trybe of Iuda hath ouercome Whiche is spokeÌ„ of Chryst who suffered meeke as a lamme conquered stronge as a Lyon the rorynge Lyon I saye whiche as the scrypture sayth roometh about sekynge whom he may deuoure Bothe are called Lyons th one Lyon in power thother Lion in cruelty th one myghty to defend thother stronge to destroye He is called Vermis a worme in consideracion of the humilitie which was in hym aboue other who dyd humble hym selfe to all thynges for oure sakes Pouertye is an heuye burdeÌ„ and he wolde be most poorest for oure sakes Peyne is an harde thinge and he wolde suffer most bitter paynes for our sakes Death of all thingse most bytter And he submytted hym selfe vnto the same for oure sakes More spytefull then death is ignomy And he refused not to be spytted at to be checked slaundered dysdayned and blasphemed for our sakes Yea in that he receyued our common nature he was equal with other men But in that he was so pore and lyued in such peine and dysdayne he was inferioure to many Agayne in that he was mortal and died he was as al other are But in that he suffered wyllynglye suche kyne of death and for oure desertes he was vnder the condycion of many men In consyderacyon wherof he sayth by the mouth of the Prophete Ego vermis non homo That is I a worme and not man Howbeit besydes this saynt Austen supposeth hym to be called Vermis for an hyegher consideracion Why is Chryst called worme sayeth he Because he aunswereth he was mortall he was borne of the fleshe and begoten
by the same wordes which ye aleage instructeth the Corinthians that albeit al thynges whether it be Paule either Appollo or Cephas whether it be life or death c. ar ordeyned to their weale and comforte yet ought they not to glory in them but in Christ only throughe whome they haue atchyued all and who is their head their god and therfore not to glory in man only but in him whiche is bothe God and man euen as he himselfe dothe glorye in God his Father Arri. YEA more aptly is this declared of Paule whyles he explaneth that of Dauid he hathe subiecte all thynges vnder his feete c. Cor. xv Proct. THE whole and perfect sentens of Paule is thus Then cometh the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the Father when he hathe putte doune all rule aucthoritie and power for he must reigne tyll he hath put all hys enemyes vnder his feete but where he sayth all thing is put vnder him it is manifest that he is excepted whiche dyd putte all thynges vnder him when all thynges are subdued vnto him then shall the Sonne also him selfe be subiecte vnto him that put all thynges vnder him that god may be all in al. These are s Paules wordes Nowe syr what fynde ye herin that improueth Christis deuinitie Assuredly nothyng all if ye fynde in this sentence of S. Paule that the Sonne shal be subiected vn to the Father for her vpon pyrcheth your hope to compas your purpose which wyl neuer turne to good hap And if ye please to comefurth of this wylfull ignoraunce and conforme you to ensue trace the knowledge of Gods worde accordynge to the Catholyke and Christian faith then shall ye vnderstande that in thys place s Paule dothe the CorinthiaÌ„s to wyt that then shall th ende come when all thynges shall be subdued vnto Iesus Christ and Christ the sonne shall delyuer vnto his father his kyngdome that is the Church the whole noÌ„ber of the Elect which he hathe by his death redemed then also Christ the Sonne him selfe shal be subiect vnto the father touchyng the dispensacion of the flesh and in his membres the sayntes by whiche it is meaned that then the misterye of Christ shall ceasse the preachyng of the Gospell shal be leaft and no longer any suche in the euerlastyng kyngdome of God and the sayntes shall be as was in the Militaunte Churche when the worlde was subiect vnto the preachyng of the Gospell For where no synne and disease is there needeth no remission or medecyne And thys subiection of the sayntes shall be the most free kyngdome vnto theym For then Iesus Christ veray God and man shall be all in all God in God reignynge ouer all thynges creature in creatures and to God subiect as a creature And howe shal he not be all in all which is thonly goodnesse of al the righteousnesse of all i Ioh. ii Ioh. xiiii Psa xrvi Ephes ii the lyfe of all comfort of all health of all the felicitie of all the peace of all and glory of al in whoÌ„ al haue life euerlastiÌ„g abouÌ„ding in all good thyngê And how shall he be subiected vnto the father whose magestie honoÌ„r glory is the same with the fathers who sayeth Ego Pater vnuÌ„ sumus i. I and the Father be all one Iohn x. And howe shall he notte reigne euerlalstingly with God the father as god Iud. viii whiche proceded frome the Father before all begynnynges whyche vnmade and vncreate Iohn i. made and created all thynges with his father and of whom it is writen Mich. iiii Et regnabit Dominus super eos in monte Syon ex hoc nuÌ„c vsque in seculum .i. And the Lorde shall reigne ouer them in the mounte of Syon for nowe and euer more Agayn Iohn xii Nos audiuimus ex lege ê™ Christus manet inaeternum i. We haue hearde out of the lawe that Christ coÌ„tinuth for euer And of whom it is writen by Luke Luke i. Regnabit in domo Iacob inaeternum .i. He shall reygne in the house of Iacob for euer Verely touchynge the dispensacioÌ„ of the flesh and the misterye nowe in force and vre Christ shal be subiected vnto the father but beynge true God consubstanciall sonne of God the father hath shal euerlastiÌ„gly haue one indiuisible reigne kyngdome with the father Thus are ye answered taught as the pure chatholyke faith teacheth in Iesus Christ who graunte that ye may lykewyse beleue Arri. CHRIST lyueth through the vnitue of God and there is one only Lorde c. what more manifest then this Proct. VERELY nothiÌ„g more manifest against you nothing more playne to confounde your folye 1. Cor. 13. Christ lyueth through the vertue of God that is true and thereby s Paule meaneth that altho Christ was crucified through infirmitie of the flesshe whiche he caryed about yet relyued he againe by the deuine power vertue of god whiche was in him selfe beyng veray God and in whom sayth saint Paule all fulnes of the deitie dwelled corporally naturally Colos ii What dothe this make agaynst Christê deuinitie yea doth it not mightelye make with it And the place that foloweth doth so plainly confirme the same that ye may be ashamed to recite it to the contrary There is but one Lorde whiche is Iesus Christ c. sayeth S. Paule What of this is not Christ therfore God because he is thonly lord Oh what blyndenes is this Quis vos facinauit Galla. 3. Who hath bewitched you no dought the blynde may see that wyll see herein whtche you vppon wilfulnes wil not se doth Paul saye ye teache that there is but one onelye Lorde Iesus Chryst and do not you see that by the same Saynt Paul byndethe you to beleue that Iesus Chryst is god the self same thyng essens that God the father is For yf no other Lorde is but Chryst how shall the father be lorde then if he be not the same thyng essence that the sonne is and if they bothe be not one in Godhead The father is called Lorde for it is written the Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde here the father is called Lorde and the sonalso Lorde Yet Paul sayth that there is but one Lorde the son Iesus Chryst throughe whome all thingse and we by hym how maâ— this stande yf we make the father and the sonne dyuers in nature and not on No doute the father and the son al one the father God and lorde the sonne God and lorde bothe one God both one lorde and one both And this appellacion lorde when it is applyed to Chryst is of the same force importauÌ„ce in the scriptures that God is of He is called Lorde more often then God aswell for that the Prophetes most commonly called him Lord and also because that name dothe more allude to the mysterie of his incarnacion Throughe which he