a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
easely beleeue his going vp into heauen S I would know the cause wherefore it is said that Christ went vp into heauen and of his most holie Mother it is said that she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen not that she ascended or went vp M The reason is easie For that Christ being God and man went vp into heauen by his owne powre as he also rose by his owne powre But his Mother who is a meere creature though most worthie amongst all others was raysed from death and assumpted vnto the kingdome of heauen not by her owne power but by the power of God S What meaneth He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie M You must not imagine that the Father is on the left-hande of the Sonne nor that the Father is in middest hauing his Sonne on the right-hand and the Holie-Ghost on the left corporally For as well the Father as the Sonne according to his God-head and the Holie Ghost are euery where Neither can it be properly said that one is on the right-hand of an other but to bee at the right hand in this article signifieth to be in equal height glorie and maiestie because when one is side by side of an other one is not higher nor lower then the other And to vnderstand this maner of speach the holie Scripture in the Psalme 109. which beginneth Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. doth once saye that the Sonne doeth sitte at the right hand of the Father and an other time saith that the Father is at the right hand of the Sonne instructing vs that they are in deed in equal height as we haue said So that Christ when he went vp into heauen ascended aboue all the Quyars and orders of the Angels of the blessed soules which he caried with him ariued vnto the high throne of God and there stayed not going aboue his Father neither remayning vnder him but resting as we may say side by his father as equal with him in glory greatnes S Seeing Christ is God and man I would know if he sit at the right hand of the Father as he is God onlie or as he is also man M Christ as he is God is equal to the Father as he is man he is lesse then the Father yet for so much as Christ God and man are not two Christes nor two persons but one Christ onelie and one person onlie therefore it is saide that Christ God and man sitteth at the right hand of the Father And so the humanitie of our Lord to wit his flesh and soule â—re in the throne of God on the right hand of God the father Not by their proper worthines but because they are vnited to the person of the true and natural Son of God S I would haue some similitude to vnderstande this M Take the similitude of a kings robe wheÌ„ the king being vested with his purple robe sitteth in his royal throne al the Princes of his kingdome sit below him the kings robe is in a more eminent place then the Nobles them selues are because it is in the selfe same throne with the King And this is done not because the robe is of equal dignitie with the king but because it is ioyned to the King as his proper garment So the flesh and the soule of Christ do sitte aboue al the Cherubims and Seraphims in the same seat with God not by the dignitie of their owne nature but because they are vnited vnto God not onely as the garment is vnto the king but in much nearer sorte to wit by personal vnion As hath bene said Of the seuenth Article S FRom thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead When shall this comming of our Lord be M It shal be at the end of the world For you are to vnderstand that this world is to haue an end and to bee destroied with an inundation of fire which wil burne all thinges vpon the earth And there shal be no more dayes nor nights nor Mariages nor marchandise or anie of these things which you now see So that in the last day of this world which no man can know how neere it is nor how long hence Christ wil come downe from heauen to make the general Iudgment And these words From thence he shal come do forewarne vs not to beleeue anie that shal cal him selfe Christ or that would deceiue vs as Antichrist wil endeuour to do towards the end of the world For that the true Christ wil not come forth of anie desert or obscure place but wil come from the highest heauen with so much glorie and maiestie as no man can doubt whether it be he or no. Like as when the Sun riseth it commeth with so much light as no man can doubt whether lt be the Sun or no. S Wherefore do we say that he shal iudge the quicke and the dead shall not al men be dead at that time and all then rise againe M By the quick and the dead may be vnderstood the good which liue with the spirituall life of grace and the bad which are spiritually dead by sin But it is true also that Christ will come to iudge the quicke and the dead corporally because at that day many shal be dead and manie shall be found aliue Who though they be liuing in that last daye and some also shall bee young or children yet all shall die in an instant and suddenly rise againe thereby to pay the debt of death S I haue heard many times that whosoeuer dyeth in mortall sinne goeth presently vnto hell and whosoeuer dyeth in the grace of God goeth presently to Purgatorie or to heauen how then are all to be judged the sentence being already giueÌ„ M At the death of euery one the particular judgement is giuen of that soule which departed from the bodie but after at the last day there shall be an vniuersall judgement of the whole world And this for manny causes First for Gods honour because manie nowe seeing bad-men in prosperitie and good-men afflicted imagine that God doeth not gouerne the world well But at that time it shall be cleerly seen how God hath seene noted all things and how with great justice he hath giuen vnto the bad some temporall prosperitie in recompence of some good works of theirs of smal momeÌ„t intending afterwards to giue them eternall paine for their mortall sins And contrariwise vnto the good he hath geuen temporal affliction for punishmeÌ„t of some veniall sinnes or to geue them occasion to make them do penance intending afterwards to reward them with an infinite treasure of glorie for their good workes Secondly for the glorie of Christ because he being vniustly condemned and by manie not knowne nor honored as he ought to be it is reason there should be a day when al the world shal know him honour him either by force or for loue as their true king Lord of al.
ruleth the soules harts of good Christians giuing them spirite and grace to serue him willingly to seeke his glorie aboue all things The kingdome of glorie shal be in the other life after the day of iudgement for that then God wil raigne with all the Saints ouer all things created without any resistaÌ„ce For theÌ„ al the force of the diuels shal be taken away also of al peruerse men who shal be shut vp in eternall prison of hel In that time shal death also be extinguished corruption with al the tentations of the world of the flesh which now trouble the seruaÌ„ts of God So that shal be quiet peaceable kingdome with secure possessioÌ„ of perfect eternal felicity S Which of these three kingdomes â—s spoken of in this petition M Not of the first for that is not to come but is now come Neither of the second for that is spoken of in the first petition is in a great part already come But here is spoken of the third which is to come and is expected with great desire of al those that know the miserie of this life so in this petition we demand our chiefe good and the perfect glory of both soule and bodie S If the kingdome of God which we desire may comequickly shal begin after the day of Iudgment then we desire demand that this world should speedely end that the day of iudgement should come shortly M So it is for thought the louers of the world can haue no worse newes then to heare the day of Iudgement named yet the citiznes of heauen who liue now as pilgrimes and banished men here below in earth haue no other greater desire Where vpon S. Augustin saith that like as before Christ came into the world al the desires of the Saincts of the ancient law were directed to the first comming of Christ so now al the desires of holie men of the new law are directed to the second comming of the same Christ which wil bring vs perfect beatitude S Let vs passe vnto the third petition What do those wordes signifie Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen M In these words is demanded grace to obserue wel the law of god For that the eternal life which is the end of man being demanded in the second petition it was conuenient that the principal meanes to arriue vnto that end should be demanded next after this principal meanes is the obseruing of the commandements of God as our lord hath said if thou wilt enter into eternall life keep the commandements for so much as wee are not able of our selues to kepe all the commandements in such sorte as we ought therefore we demand of God that his wil be done by vs that is that he geue vs grace to fulfil his wil in obeying wholly and in al things his holie commandements S I desire to know whether that besides the fulfilling the wil of God in obseruing the commandements we are bound also to conforme our willes with Gods wil when he sendeth vs tribulations M We are bound at the lest not to murmour nor to grudge at the prouidence of God because al that he sendeth or permitteth he doth it to a good end to wit to giue vs occasion of greater merite if we be good or els to purge vs if we be bad S To what purpose is added In earth as it is in heauen M To teach vs that we ought to endeuour to obey God and to obserue his holie commandements with that perfection promptnes gladnes with which the Angels do obey in heauen who neuer committed anie litle default in obseruing al the commandements of God It may be also said that we desire and demaund that sinners signified by the earth may obey God as the Saints do obey him who are signified by heauen Or els that the whole Church signified by the earth may intirely obey God as Christ who is signified by heauen obeyd him S Let vs come vnto the fourth petition what meaneth Geue vs this day our daylie bread M With great reason bread is demanded that mainteineth life after that grace hath been demanded which is life it selfe For that the first thing that anie one begining to liue desireth is food where with life is maintained But you haue to vnderstande that in this prayer spirituall bread is principally demaunded which is the meate of the soule and secondarily corporall bread which is the food for the body And by spirituall bread is vnderstood the most holy Sacrament of the altar that is the celestial and diuine bread which merueilously nourisheth the life of the soule likewise the word of god is vnderstood which by preaching or reading of spirituall bookes helpeth no little to nourish the same life of the soule Finally is vnderstood the inspiration of God prayer and euery other thing which helpeth to maintaine and increase grace in vs the which as is saide is the life of the soule By corporall bread is vnderstood all that is needful vnto vs to maintaine the life of the bodie which is as an instrument of the soule to do good workes S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is ours M With great mysterie this bread is called ours for if we speake of the blessed Sacrament that is our bread because of our saluation it was formed by the holy ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin and in a certaine manner bakte in the Ouen of the holy Crosse serued vp on the table of the Altar by the handes of Priests And moreouer it is ours because it is the bread proper of the children and may not be giuen vnto dogges that is to say to Infidels nor to those that are in mortall sinne If wee speake of the doctrine wee call it our bread to witte that which is distributed by the true preachers vnto the children of the Holy Church and not the strange bread to wit that which al heretikes giue vnto their followers which is corrupt and pestiferous bread But if we speake of corporall bread we defire that God will giue vs our owne bread and not that which belongeth to others to wit that he wil help vs in iust and lawfull gaines And againe that he blesse our lands possessions and all our labours to the end that without injurie and fraud we may procure our liuing S Wherefore is it saide that this bread is dailie M It is called dailie that is to saye bread for euerie daye for that wee desire not superfluous or curious things but simply that which may suffice for the daies refection and as well for the soule as for the bodie especially knowing that wee are pilgrims and strangers in this life S Wherfore is it said Giue vnto vs M Because albeit we are willing to labour to haue bread as well spirituall as corporall yet wee know that our labours should all bee vaine if God concurred not with his grace as
worthy of honour for that she hath in her selfe but for that also which is in the fruit of her wombe Because the praise of the fruite redoundeth to the tree and the glorie of the child redoundeth to the mother And because Iesus is not onlie true man and blessed amongst men but is also God blessed aboue all things as S. Paul teacheth vs therefore his mother is not onely blessed amongst women but shee is blessed amongst all the creatures as well in earth as in heauen S Declare vnto me I pray you that which remaineth of the Aue Maria. M In the words following the holy Church repeating the principall praise of our Ladie which is to bee the mother of God and so shewing that she can obtain of the same God what shee pleaseth desireth her to make intercession for vs who haue great need thereof being sinners that she help vs while we liue and in particular at the poynt of death when we shal be in greatest danger S I would gladly know wherefore it ring to the Aue Maria three times in the day to wit in the morning at midday and in the euening M To the end we may vnderstand that we haue need to make recourse often to the helpe of God and of the Saints being in the middest of enemies visible inuisible And that we ought not to thinke it sufficient to haue recourse to the armour of praier in the beginning of our works but that we must do the same in the progresse and in the end There is also an other mysterie in this ringing thrise to the Aue Maria. That is holie Church would haue vs continually to remember the three principal mysteries of our RedemptioÌ„ the Incarnation the Passion and the Resurrection And therfore willeth that wee salute our B. Ladie in the morning in memorie of the Resurrection of our lord at midday in memorie of the passion at night in memory of the Incarnation Because as we are certaine that our Lord was mayled on the Crosse at midday rose in the morning so it is probably thought that the Incarnation was in the night Cap. VI. The declaration of the ten Commandements S HAuing now vnderstood the Creede and the Pater noster with the Aue Maria I desire that you would declare vnto mee the ten commandements of the law of God for that this is the third principall part of the christian doctrine as you told me in the beginning M You haue reason to desire to learne to vnderstand well the ten coÌ„mandements of the law of god be cause that faith and hope without charity without obseruing of the â—aw are not sufficient to saluation S What is the cause that seing in the world in the Church there are so many lawes and commandements this lawe of the Commandements is preferred before all the rest M Many reasons may be alleadged concerning the excellencie of this law First for that this law was made by God written by himselfe first of all in the hearts of men afterwards in twotables of stone secondly because this is most ancient lawe of all others as the fountain of all the rest Thirdly because this is most vniuersal law that is to be found for it bindeth not onely Christians but Iewes also Gentils aswell men as wemen aswell rich as poore aswell Princes as priuate men aswell the learned as the ignoraÌ„t Fourthly because this law is immutable caÌ„not be taken away nor dispensed withal by any Fiftly because it is necessary to euery one to saluation as our lord hath often taught vs in his holy gospel lastly bceause it was promulgat with greatest solemnity in mount Sinay with sound of Angelical truÌ„pets with great thunder and lightning from heauen in the presence of al the people of God S Before you come to the declaration of the commandementes in particular it would be gratful to me to vnderstand briefly the summe and order of them M The end of al the commandementes is the loue of God and of our neighbour for they al teach vs not to offend God nor our neighbour and for this cause they are diuided into two partes and were written as I haue already said in two tables of stone The first part contayneth three commandementes which instruct vs of the bond wee haue to God The second containeth seuen other precepts which teach vs the bond we haue to our neighbour But you must know that albeit in one table there were no more then three precepts in the other seaueÌ„ yet the two tables were equall and both full written for the three first were written with more words and the other seauen with fewer and so the seauen shorter precepts were equal touching the writing vnto the three longer S Wherefore are the Commandements of the first table three M Because they teach vs to loue God with hart with tongue with worke S Why are the commandementes of the second table seauen M Because one teacheth vs to do good to our neighbour the other six teach vs to do him no euil First in his person after in his honour lastly in his goodes And that neither in thought worde nor deede S Let vs now come vnto the commandementes them selues And first shew mee the wordes where with they were writen by God in those tables M The wordes are these I am the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of seruitude 1 Thou shalt not haue strange Gods in my sight 2 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine 3 Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbaoth day 4 Honour thy father thy mother 5 Thou shalt not murder 6 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 7 Thou shalt not steale 8 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9 Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10 Thou shalt not couet the neighbours goods S What meane those wordes which goe before the commandementes M In those words are yelded foure reasons to shew that God can geue a law and that we are bounde to obserue it The first reason is in the word I am the Lord because God being our chief and highest Lord who hath created vs of nothing he may doubtles geue vs a law as to his proper seruants The second is in that word God because that word signifieth that our Lord is not only Lord or Maister but he is also supreme Iudge and gouernour and as such a one can geue a law and punish those that obserue it not The third is in that word thine because besides the bond which we haue to obey God as seruants their maister and as subiects their Prince we haue an other bond by reason of the packt which God doth make with vs and we with him in holie Baptisme For therein God taketh vs for his owne adopted children and we take him for our proper Father as God also taketh all the faithfull for his
if that be done vnto sainctes who raigne with Christ in heauen which is done vnto some men in earth S But what shal we say of the Reliques of Saincts which vnderstand nothing and yet we kneele and pray vnto them M We do not pray to the Reliques which we know wel do not vnderstand but we honour the holie Reliques as those which haue bin the instruments of the holy soules to do many good workes and shal againe in their times be liuing bodies and are to vs in the meane time deare pledges of the loue which the Saints did do beare vnto vs. And therefore we doe praye before the same Reliques vnto the Saintes desiring them by these deare pledges which we keepe of them that they remember to helpe vs as wee remember to honour them S The same perhaps may be said of Images M So it is for the Images of our Lord of our Ladie other Saints are not taken by vs for gods therefore they cannot be called Idols as those were of the Gentils but they are holden for Images which make vs to remember our Lord our Ladie and other Saints so they serue such as caÌ„not read in place of books For that by Images they learne many mysteries of our holy faith the life and death of many Saints And the honour we do vnto them we do it not because they are figures of paper or of mettal or because they are well-coloured wel made but because they represent vnto vs our Lord our Ladie or other Saints and for that we know that the Images do not liue nor haue sense being made by the hands of men we do not demand any thing of theÌ„ but we pray before them vnto those whom they represent vnto vs to wit our Lorde our Ladie or other Saints S If Reliques and Images doe not vnderstaÌ„d how then do they worke so many miracles to such as doe recommend themselues vnto them M God worketh al the miracles but he worketh them often by the intercession of Saints and chiefly of our blessed Ladie oftentimes he doth them vnto those who praye vnto the Sainctes before their Reliques or Images and sometimes hee vseth the Reliques and Images as instruments of such miracles to shew vnto vs that our deuotion towards the Saincts and towards their Reliques and Images doth please him S When therefore it is said that one is recommended to such Reliques or such Images and hath receiued grace it is to be vnderstood that he is recommended to that Sainct to whom those Reliuques or Images pertaine and that God by the intercession of that Sainct and by the meanes of those Reliques or Images hath done him that grace S So it is and I am glad that you haue well vnderstood al that I haue said vnto you S I would lastlie knowe for what cause God the Father is paynted like an old man and the Holy Ghost like a Doue and the Angels like young men with wings seeing God and the Angels are spirits and haue no corporall figure which can bee drawen by Painters as pictures of men may be M When God the Father is painted in forme of an old man and the Holie Ghost in forme of a doue and the Angles in forme of young-men that which they are in themselues is not painted because as you haue said they are spirits without bodies but that forme is painted in which they haue somtimes appeared And so God the Father is painted like an old-man because he appeared in that forme in a vision to Daniel the prophet And the Holie Ghost is painted in forme of a doue because in that forme he appeared vpoÌ„ Christ when he was baptised by Saint Iohn Baptist And the Angls are painted in forme of yong men for that they haue somtimes so appeared Moreouer you are to know that manie thinges are painted to make vs vnderstand not what they are in themselus but what properties they haue or what effecte they vse to worke So it may be said that God the Father is painted in forme of an olde man to make vs vnderstand that he is most ancient to wit eternal before al created things And the Holie Ghost is painted in likenes of of a doue to signifie the giftes of innocencie puritie sanctitie which the Holie Ghost worketh in vs. And the angels are painted like yong meÌ„ because they are alwaies faire ful of strength and with winges because they are readie to passe whyther it shal please God to send them and with white garments and with holie stoales because they are pure and innocent and ministers of his diuine Maiestie Of the second commandement S LEt vs come to the second coÌ„mandement what meaneth thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine M In this coÌ„mandement is handled the honour and dishonor of God touching wordes that is honour is commanded and dishonour is forbidden And this commandement may be deuided into foure partes because God is honored or dishonored by wordes in foure sortes First God is honored by naming him often with charitable affection and is dishonored by often naming him to no good purpose Secondly he is honored by an oath and he is dishonored by perjurie Thirdly he is honored by obseruation of vowes dishonored by breaking of vowes once made Fourthly hee is honored by calling vpon him and praising him and dishonored by blaspheaming and cursing him S Declare to me the first part M In simply naming God as also our Ladie and other Saintes one may well doe an euil For those that â—oue God much remember him often and often speake of him and they do it with deuotion affection as is seen in the Epistles of Saint Paul where the holie name of Iesus Christ is very often read For as S. Paul had Christ in his hart so he had him in his mouth But there be others who of an euil custome wheÌ„ they are angrie or when they iest not regarding what they say name God or some Saint because nothing els comes to their mind And this is euil for it is a kinde of tearing the most holie name of God Which is to geue you an example though not equal as if one hauing a pretious garment should weare it in all places and at al times not regarding the preciousnes thereof S Declare nowe the second part which concerneth swearing M An oath or swearing is nothing els but to cal God as witnes of the truth But that it be lawfully done three things ought to accompany it to wit truth justice judgement as God himselfe doth teach vs by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy And as God is honored by an oath made with dew circumstances we professing therby that he seeth al things and is the soueraigne truth defeÌ„der of the trueth so by the contrary the same god is greatly dishonoured when an oath is made without truth or without iustice or without judgement for he that so sweareth maketh shew
beneath in which men do dwel which are the two most noble creatures of all others the which also all others do serue as they are also bound to serue God who hath made them of nothing and placed them in so high estate The declaration of the second Article S DEclare vnto me now the second article what signifyeth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord M The same God omnipotent of whom wee haue spoken in the first article hath one true and naturall Sonne who is called Iesus Christ that you may see in some sort howe God hath begotten this Sonne take the example of a looking-glasse whē one doth looke in a glasse presently he produceth an Image of himselfe so like as no difference can be found in so much as it is not onely like in shape but in moouing also for that if the man mooue the Image wil also mooue and this Image being so like is not made by any labour neither is it long in making nor with instruments but in a moment and with one looke onely In like manner you haue to thinke that God beholding him selfe with the eye of vnderstanding in the glasse of his Diuinitie doth produce an Image most like vnto him selfe And because God hath geuen vnto this Image al his owne substance his owne being which wee can not do in beholding our selues in a glasse therefore that Image is the true Sonne of God albeit our Images which wee see in glasses are not our sonnes Hereof you must gather that the Sonne of God is God as the Father and one the same God with the father seeing he hath the same substance that his Father hath furthermore you haue together that the Son of God is not yonger then his Father but was alwaies as his father alwaies was because he was begotten by Gods only beholding himselfe and God hath alwaies beholden him-selfe Lastly you haue togeather that the Sonne of God was not begotten with help of a woman nor in length of time nor in delight of concupiscence nor any other imperfection because as it hath bin said hee was begotten of the Father alone by the only beholding himselfe with the most pure eye of his diuine vnderstanding S What doth it meane that this Son of God is called Iesus Christ M This name of Iesus signifyeth a Sauiour Christ which is his surname signifyeth high Priest and king of all kings because as I haue told you in declaring the signe of the Crosse the Son of God became man to redeeme vs againe with his blood to bring vs to eternall saluation And so when hee became man he tooke this name Sauiour to shew that he was come to saue vs he was honoured by his Father with the title of Highest Priest and Supreame King for that Christ doeth signifye all this and hereof wee are called Christians S What is the reason that all men take off their caps or bowe downe when Iesus is named which is not done to other names of God M The reason is because this is the proper name of the Sonne of God and all other names are common and againe because this name doth represent vnto vs how God humbled himselfe for vs in making himself man Therefore we for gratitude bow our selues vnto him and not onely wee men but the Angels of heauen also and the diuels of hell doe bow to this name the one for loue and the other by force for that God will that all reasonable creatures do bowe vnto his sonne seeing that he hath abased himselfe for our loue to the death of the Crosse S Wherefore is it saide that Iesus Christ our Lord M Because he hath created vs together with his Father and so is our Master and Lord as his Father is And moreouer for that by his trauels and Passion hee hath brought vs againe from the captiuitie of the Diuel as we shall say by and by Of the third Article S IT Followeth that you declare vnto me the third Article what it meaneth who was conceiued by the Holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie M In this Article is declared the new and merueilous maner of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God You know that all other men are borne of father and mother that the mother remaineth not a Virgin after the conceiuing and bringing foorth of a childe But the Sonne of God intending to make him selfe Man would haue no Father in earth but a Mother onely to wit the perpetuall and most pure Virgin Marie in whose wombe the Holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie one and the selfe-same God with the Father and the Sonne by his infinite power formed of her moste pure blood the bodie of a most perfect childe at the same time created a most noble soule ioyning it to the same bodie all which the Sonne of God vnited to his owne Person And so Iesus Christ that before was onely God became man who as hee is God hath a Father without a Mother and as he is Man hath a Mother without a Father S I would haue some example or similitude to vnderstand how a Virgin can conceiue M The secrets of God must be beleeued although they be not vnderstood because God can do more thē we can easely vnderstand therefore it is said in the beginning of the Creed that God is omnipotent Yet there is a fit example in the creation of the world You know that ordinarily the ground doth not bring forth corne vnlesse it be plowed sowne watred with raine warmed with the sunne and yet in the beginning when corne was first brought forth the earth being neither tilled nor fowne watred nor warmed and so was a virgin in her kinde suddenly by the only commandement of God almighty by his powre it brought foorth corne euen so the vnspotted wombe of the B. Virgin MARIE without companie of man at the only commandement of God by the worke of the Holy Ghost brought foorth that precious corne of the liuing bodie of the Sonne of God S If Iesus bee conceiued by the Holie Ghost it seemeth that it may be said that the Holie Ghost is his Father as he is man M It is not so because to be a Father it is not sufficiēt to make a thing but it is necessarie that it be made of the substance of the maker and therefore we say that the Maison is not the father of the house because he maketh it of stones and not of his proper substance So the holie ghost hath made the bodie of the Sonne of God but he hath made it of the blood of the virgin not of his own proper substance and therefore the Son of God is not the Sonne of the Holie Ghost but the Sonne of God the Father as he is God because hee hath his Godhead of him and he is the Son of the B. virgin as he is man for that he hath mans flesh of her S Wherefore is it said
particular people and the faithfull take God for their owne proper God and Lord. The fourth is in those wordes which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt out of the house of seruitude for that besides so manie other bondes there is this of gratitude for that God hath deliuered vs from the seruitude of the diuel of sin which was signifyed by that seruitude of Egipt and of Pharao from the which the same God deliuered the people of the Iewes S Declare vnto mee now the first commandement M The first Commandement containeth three parts The first is that we ought to haue God for God The second that we must not take any other thing for God The third that wee must not make Idols to wit statues or Images taking them for Gods and that we must not adore the same Idols S Declare vnto me the first part M God will be taken for that which he is to wit for true God which is done by exercising foure vertues towards his diuine Majestie to wit Faith Hope Charitie and Religion Hee that beleeueth in God taketh God for God because he taketh him for the chiefe veritie and in this the Heretiks do sinne for they doe not beleeue in him Hee that hopeth in God taketh God for God for that he holdeth him for most faithful most pittifull and also most potent confidently considering that he can and wil help him in al his necessities in this poynt those do sin that despaire of the mercy of god or do trust more in men thē in god or so much in mē as in God he that loueth god aboue all thinges taketh God for God for that hee taketh him for the chiefe goodnesse and in this poynt those do sin that loue any creature whatsoeuer more then god or equal with God And much more doe they sin that hate God Finallie whosoeuer adoreth god with greatest reuerence as the vertue of Religion teacheth vs taketh god for god for he taketh him for the first beginning and author of all things and in this poynt they offend that beare small respect to God and to thinges consecrated vnto him as Churches hallowed vessels Priestes and the like and those also that honour men equally with God or more then God S Declare I praye you the second part of this commandement M In the second part God willeth and commandeth that wee take no created thing for God And in this the Gentils offended in olde time who not knowing the true God did take and adore for God diuers creatures as the Sunne the Moone or some dead men In the same Inchanters Witches offend and al Sorcerers Negromancers and Soothsayers who gaue to the diuel of hell that honour which is due onely to God some of them take him and adore him for their God and thinke by his meanes to fore-tell things to come or to find treasures or to attain vnto other their dishonest desires For the diuel being deadly enemy to all mankinde deceiueth often this poore sort of people and with vaine hopes causeth thē to commit many sins in the end to loose their souls and many times their bodies also S Declare to me the third part M In the third parte God doeth command that not only we take not the things created by him for God as hath ben saide but that much lesse wee make to our selues any thing to take it adore it for God Wherein the Gentils offended who were so blinde that they made Idols to wit statues of Gold or of siluer or of wood or of stone and made it be thought that they were Gods Chiefly because the diuels some-times entred into them and caused them to speake or to mooue themselues so they sacrificed vnto them and adored them And because the holy Martirs would not in any wise do the same they put them to death with moste cruell torments S Is there any thing else in this commandement M There is annexed by God a terrible threatning to those that doe contrarie to this commandemēt a great promise to those that obserue it For after the giuing of the commandemēt God spake those words I am a jealous God who punish not only those that loue me not but their posteritie also vnto the fourth generation and shewe mercie to those that loue me vnto a thousand generations Where marke well that our Lorde saith that he is a jealouse God to the ende wee may vnderstande that he can punish most grieuously because hee is God and that he will punish most grieuously because he is jealous of his honour and of justice and of right and therefore cannot beare with impietie and iniquitie Which is against those that sinne continually yet liue merily as if God had no care therof But by this you see God hath care wil shew it when time is S What meane thit that God punisheth such as do euil vnto the fourth generation and giueth rewarde vnto those that doe well vnto a thousand generations M God punisheth vnto the fourth generation for that for the most part a man doth not liue longer then to see the children of his Nephewes or at the moste the Nephewes to his Nephewes he will not punish others of his posteritie then the sinner himselfe may see But in doing well God extended himselfe not only vnto the fourth generation but vnto a thousande if there were so manie For that our Lord is more inclined to reward then to punish because that hee rewardeth is of his owne goodnesse and therefore hee doth it very willingly but that hee punisheth any it commeth of our sinne and therefore hee doth it as it were perforce to wit vrged by our peruersenesse S Wherefore is this threat and this promise joyned to the first commandement onely M Because this is the principall commandement of more importance then the rest Againe for that it is the first and so being spoken of the first it may be vnderstood also of the rest S I desire to know how the honour which wee giue to Saints and their Reliques and Images is not against this commandement For it seemeth that wee adore all these things seeing we kneele vnto them and praye vnto them as we do vnto God M The holie Church is the spouse of God and hath the holy Ghost for her master And therefore there is no danger that she should be deceiued or that she should doe or teach others to do any thing that were against the commandements of God And to come to the particular wee doe honour and call vpon Saintes as friends of God who can helpe vs with their merits and prayers before him but wee doe not take them for gods neither adore them as God neither importeth it that we knele because this reuerance is not proper to God alone but is done also vnto creatures of high dignitie as to the Pope and in manie places religious persons kneele vnto their Superiours So that it is no maruel