euer he were MAG A certayn kynge of the Lacedemonianâ—s whan he was asked of a certayne persone why the officers called Ephori dyd not ryse vp and geue reuerence to the kynge made aunswere and sayde euen for this cause because they are Ephori So lykewyse may I nowe make the aunswere they do affirme this after suche maner euen for this cause because they are men yf they haue redde ony thynge in they re workes whiche haue writen of late tyme that do they holde faste and cleue vnto with tothe and nayle but yf a man do alledg or brynge forthe vnto them ony thynge of the olde authoures whiche they do not rede such is the scrupulouse feare of them they do suspecte and mistruste as it is in the prouerbe that vnder euerye stone doth slepe a scorpion DIS Is not this than the symbole of the Apostles MAG yes werily for what soo euer is taughte here in this Crede the Apostles dyd learne of Christ and that which they had learned of hym they haue truely and faythefully taught to vs. A fewe wordes do not chaunge the vnchangeable veryte But these thynges now set a parte yf thow thynke it best make recourse agayn from the begynnyng to the endyng demauÌ„d of euery thyng particularly in such wyse as the spirite shall put into thy mynde DIS you haue shewed and taughte vnto me whâ— the fyrst place or begynnyng is geuâ—â—o the father that is to witte for that he is the fouÌ„tayne or spryng of the hole godhede all creatures But why doth it call the father onely god the sonne onely lorde and the ghoste nothyng els but holy seynge that the deite of them thre is all one The coÌ„mune vsage of the scripture in speakynge of the persones of the godhed MAG This is the coustome and vsage of the holy scripture that otherwhiles whan it doth speake of the persones it dothe sygnyfie the father by this name god as for exaumple our lorde hymselfe sayth in the Gospell yf you do beleue in god beleue also in me and saynt Paule sayth IhaÌ„n xiii God was in Christe reconcilynge the worlde to hymselfe Agayn God hathe not spared his owne sonne But of innumerable places in the scripture it is manifest and euidente that it is one and the same godhed of them all thre whan our lorde sayth in the gospell these wordes ☞ Baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghoste Math. 48. None of all the .iii. persones is called by this name god to thentente that we sholde vnderstonde and perceyue them all thre to be one god For onely god doth thorow fayth and baptisme forgeue synnes Other whiles also the same scriptures do signifie the sonnâ— by the name of god as whan we do saye that god was made man for the saluation of mankynde was borne of a virgine was deade and rose agayn from death to lyfe For neither dyd the father neither the holy ghoste take vpon them the nature of man or suffre death DI. Maye it by onye sensible argumente or token be declared and shewed howe the thre persones are sayde to be dystyncte and sondrye one from another and yet are one god MAG There is nothyng amonge creatures whiche proprelye maye be sayde to be lyke to the nature of god Neither are there ony wordes of men with whiche we maye proprelye speake of it neither are there ony images or similitudes of maÌ„nes mynde which may perfightly agree vnto the diuine essence And iniurie is don to that incomparable maieste alwayes to be had in honoure yf it be rashely and ouer boldlye coÌ„pared with naturall worldly thynges Howe be it yet I shall shewe the a certane similitude but farre vnlyke to it The fyrste similitude of the sonne and the sonne beames and the heate caused of the sonne his bâ—ames Beholde and considre the sonne and the beames that come from it and than the heate that cometh forth and is caused of theym bothe As the sonne is the fountayne out of whiche cometh bothe the lyghte the heate so is the father the fountayne out of which yssueth the sonne whiche is lyghte of lyghte And as of the sonne and of the bealmes both together cometh the heate or warmnes so from the father and the sonne bothe together procedeth and comethe forthe the holy ghoste Now imagine me that there were a sonne whiche neuer hadde begynnynge neither euer shall haue endyng shold there not than of this sonne come forth eternall bealmes and sholde also there not from them bothe procede heate egally etarnall with them bothe DIS yes dowtles MAG The .ii. similitude of the mynde reasoÌ„ wylle This collation similitude also pleaseth some men Mynde Reason and wyll are all in but one the same soule The mynde is the fountayne and orygynall reason that cometh of it doth iudge the wylle that procedeth and issuethe from them bothâ— doth loue So lykewise the father is the fouÌ„tayne the sonne is logos that is to saye reason The holy ghost is charyte or loue The .iii. sâ—mâ—litude mostâ— alowed The thyrde similitude and whiche is most alowed of learned men is of the mynde and of the worde conceiued in the mynde Now yf there were a mynd that were increated dowtles the worde of that mynd also shold be increated But that we may comprehende the holy ghoste also in this similitude lette vs imagine fyrst a mynde and secoÌ„daryly a worde broughte forth and gendred of it and in suche wyse stryekynge the eares of other men that yet neuer the lesse it dyd remayne and abyde stylle in the herte than thyrdly the breath with out whiche the mynde dothe not vtter or pronounce the worde The father is the minde the sonne is thâ— worde conceyued in the mynde the holy ghoste is the pronunciation and vtteraunce The .iii. simitude The father also after a certayne maner may be lykened to the fountayne or sprynge the sonÌ„e to the ryuer that cometh forth of the sprynge The holy ghoste to the fertilite and plenteousnes of the feldes which the spryng geueth or causeth by or thorow the ryuer There can be no perfighte simylytudes taken of ony creatures to declare the mysteries of the godhed sufficientlye But in these exauÌ„ples there are excedynge many thyngê dysagreyng vnlyke to the persones in the godhede For the beame is not the same thynge that is the sonne admytted that it be a substauÌ„ce And the heate is but an accydente and not a substaunce so farre is it awaye from beynge all one with the sonne with the beames And our worde is an accideÌ„te and a traÌ„sitory thynge and the breath wherwith we doo vtter and pronounce the wâ—rde is an accideÌ„te for that it is the mouyng of the ayere lykewise as the fertilite also of the feldes is no substaunce neither is it all one the same thynge with the fountayne the ryuer
was fyrst created and the same nature as it is after the fall of Adam Adam afore that he dyd synne was a very maÌ„ and yet for all that was he free from these incoÌ„modities and miseries wherwith we all are now oppressed Peccatum is takeÌ„ in diuerse significations in the scripture some of vs more some of vs lesse peccatum id est synne in the scripture is otherwhyles called the payne that is due to synnes and otherwhiles it is taken for the sacrifice wherwith they doo clense theyr synne and offence And therfore it was sayd to the prestes of the olde lawe ☞ Peccata populi coÌ„medetis id est you shall eate the synnes of the people meanynge the sacrifices which the people sholde offre for theyr synnes and saynte Paule in the seconde epistle the v. chapitoure to the CoriÌ„thianes sayth ☞ Eum qui non nouerat peccatuÌ„ pro nobis peccatuÌ„ fecit ii Cort. v. Hym that knewe no synne at al hath he made to be synne for vs. Our lorde receyued and tooke on hymselfe not onely the veryte of maÌ„nes nature but also the incoÌ„modities miseries whiche don accompanye the nature of man fallen those thynges onely excepted whiche either are not coÌ„uenieÌ„t or agreynge to the dignite of that persone which was both god and man orels which do exclude as I sayde before the fullnesse of grace For neither dyd he receiue proclyuyte or redynes to do synne no neither yet so much as power to synne neither dyd he receyue or take vnto hym erroure or ignoraunce And those incoÌ„modytes whiche he dyd receyue take vpon hym he toke them on hym not of the necessite of nature but voluntarely for our sake to make satisfaction for our offences to suffre for that whiche we hadde trespased DIS Why dyd he chaunge the preposition here sayenge de spiritu sancto er Maria virgine MAG The Grekes haue but one and the same preposition ex in both places but the signification of this preposition is diuerse All thynges are ex ipso et per ipsum id est of hym and by hym as of theyr authoure begynner A pece or goblete is made ex auro id est of golde as of the matter or stuffe ex arbore nascitur arbor id est of one tree cometh another tree by propagation of kynde So ex homine gignitur homo id est of a man is gendred a man DIS Why doth it here expresse the holy ghoste onely seyng that the hole trinite dyd worke together this wondrefull misterie M. Because in the gospell of Luke the aungell sayde to the virgine Luce. i. ☞ Spiritus sanctus superueniet in the id est The holy ghoste shall come vpon the. For oftentymes the scripture dothe attribute and geue to eche one of the persones certayne thynges as propre to it The scriptur doth attribut to eche one of the .iii. persoÌ„s in the godhed certayne thiÌ„ges as peculiare or propre whiche for all that are coÌ„mune all thre which for all that are coÌ„mune to all thre as for exaumple whan it geuethe to the father eternite and almightines to the sonne wisdome to the holye ghoste charite and goodnesse and whan the father is sayd to haue made the world by his son and to distribute and geue his giftes by the holy ghoste The symbole therfore and Gabriel in this mistery hath expssed the workynge of the .iii. persones Luce. i. The holy ghost sayth he shal come vpon the aud the power of the hygheste shall ouershadowe the whan thou hearest speake of the highest thou vndestondest and perceyuest the father to be presente as the fountayne authoure as of whome the sone is sente with the holy ghost whan thou hearst these wordes virtus altissimi the vertue or power of the highest thou vnderstoÌ„dest the sone whiche onely toke vpon hym maÌ„nes na nature For nether the father neither the holy ghoste dyd take our nature and become man For the holy ghost is coÌ„ueniently sayd to come vpon or as it is in the latyne suê‘uenire that all the worldly cogitation of man sholde be excluded which whaÌ„ it hereth the worde or name of coÌ„ception or birthe doth iÌ„magine the sede of man receiued in the wombe of a woman or whaÌ„ it is tolde and warned that a maÌ„ was borne of a virgine doth dreame and imagyne also some fowler thynge than these consyderyng and reckenynge what thynges are spred abrode by mennes tales of certayne woman whiche are reported and sayde to haue conceyued chylde by sede of man that hath ben swymmynge in the bathe and of Mares conceyuynge by of the wynde and of fendes or wicked spretes that haue gotten women with chylde I passe ouer here the fayned tales of poetes by whiche the gentiles or hethen peoples were ê‘suaded broughte in beleffe that of goddes womeÌ„ of goddesses men were geÌ„dred broughtforth heroes The euaÌ„gelist therfore to exclud al these porteÌ„tuose imaginatioÌ„s doth ê“fesse that there was here in stede of a husbonde the heuenly father which after a certayne maner dothe begette his sonne agayne he professeth that the begynnynge of this chylde was not of a deuylle or wicked sprite that hadde medled or hadde to do with the mother neither of ony illusion of wicked sprite but of the holye ghoste And that it is euen thus none otherwise Luce. i. the very tenoure and processe of the Euangelystes wordes doth declare openly whaÌ„ vnto the virgine beynge dismayd indowt at the mention made of conceyuynge and bearynge chylde demaundynge how and after what maner this thinge sholde be done the aungell easynge her mynde of this scrupule or dowte made aunswere in this wise The holy ghoste shall come vpon the. DIS why doth the symbole or Crede expresse the virgines name MAG For the more fayth and credence of the history So lykewise and for the same coÌ„sideration dyd it expresse the name of Iesu Christe so dyd it expresse the name and syrname of the deputy ruler vnder theÌ„peroure Ponce Pilate And for the same purpose dyd Luke here diligently expresse all the names of the moneth of god that sente the auÌ„gell of the auÌ„gell that was sente of embassage of the region of the cite of the husbaÌ„de of the tribe or kyndred and of the virgine whan he sayde these wordes Luce. i. ☞ And in the sixte moneth the aungell Gabriell was sent from god vnto a citie of Galile whiche was named Nasareth to a virgine beinge spoused to a maÌ„ whose name was Ioseph of the howse of Dauid And the virgins name was Marie Those men do not make narration after this forme and maner whiche do fayne lyes are afrayed to be espied perceyued Esaie inspired with the holy ghoste in olde tyme prophecied in this wise Esaie .vii. ☞ Behold a virgine shal conceyue and bryng forth a sonne and his name shall be called Emanuel whiche by interpretation is as muche to saye as
in body and soule But what sholde a man stryue agaynste them that doo denye the euidente scripture and agreynge with it selfe in so many places For nothynge hathe ben taughte more diligently of the Euangelystes than the argumentes and proffes of the resurrection And saynte Paule dothe not onely confirme the resurrection in euery place but he dothe also describe the maner of the resurrection to the Corinthianes and to the Thessalonianes i. Cor. xv i. Thessa. iiii For as for the opinion of them that were called Chiliaste Chiliaste whiche dyd dreame that by the space of a thousand yeres after the risynge agayn of our bodyes we shall enioye plentuosly in this world all suche maner pleasures wherewith the bodyly senses are delyted and pleased it is not worthy to be called an opinion but raither a prodigiouse and a wondrefull madde erroure And as for all the cauillations whiche maÌ„nes witte dothe engendre howe or by what meanes the same bodye whiche hath ben so manye maner wayes chaunged from one thynge into another can be restored agayne the very same in noumbre these cauyllations I saye are shaken of and putte awaye by faythe and beleffe by whiche we do beleue that he is god and that he is almyghty whiche worketh all these thynges that he is not subiecte vnder the lawes of nature whiche dyd create and make nature And what meruayle is it yf he dothe restore the body of that thynge that is whiche dyd fyrste at the begynnynge make heuen and earth and aungelles all of nothynge And seynge that we do dayly see soo many miracles in the workes of nature as for exauÌ„ple of a very lytle sede to ryse a great strong tree and of a gressehoper nowe beynge olde by castynge of his skynne to flye forthe a yonge one of a Eruoa id est cankerworme redy to dye to lepeforthe a lusty and a swyfte Papilionem .i. butterfly why sholde ony thynge seme vnbeleueable which god that is almighty dothe worke contrary to the lawes and course of nature It foloweth he asceÌ„ded into heueÌ„ and sytteth on the ryghte hande of god the father Ioan. iii. NomaÌ„ sayth saynte Iohan goeth vp into heueÌ„ saue he whiche hathe come downe from heuen the sone of man that is in heuen The worde or sone of god came downe from heuen not that he departed from the father or chaunged his place for as muche as the diuine nature is so in euery place that yet that notwithstandyng it is coÌ„tayned in no place but the same worde whiche by dyspeÌ„sation dyd come into the wombe of the blessed virgine after that he hadde finished the mystery of our redemption Actuum .i. beynge than incarnate dyd in verye dede ascende vp into heuen withdrawynge the syghte of his body from his disciples and caryeng or conuayenge vp the myndes of them to heuenly thynges that they sholde geue themselues mete vessells and apte to receyue the spirite that was to come Neither dyd he laye from hymselfe the body whiche he hadde taken vnto hym and leue it in the sonne soo as wretched Salencus dyd fondlye ymagine Salencus So he whiche as touchyng his diuine nature was alwayes in the same glorye with his father is nowe with his humane nature also sette in the glorye of his father beynge made lorde of all thynges whiche are in heuen and in earthe D. It semeth not vnreasonable nor vnmet to assygne or geue vnto Christe a ryght parte or a lefte parte as concernynge his body But in the father to ymagyne ony suche maner thynge it semeth too come nere and to be agreynge vnto the erroure of the Anthropomorphites MAG To sytte on the ryghte hande of the father is spoken not without a trope or fygure so that thou moste vnderstande by this maner of speakynge that he is egal in honoure and felow in raygnynge with the father what is meaÌ„t whan it is sayde that Christ sitteth on the fathers righte hande DISC. But why dyd they not rayther expresse this sentence and meanynge by playne and propre or mete wordes sayenge he wente vp into heuen where he raygnethe egall to the father MAGS I haue tolde the alredye that the scripture dothe oftentymes shape and apply her language vnto our affectioÌ„s Nowe the crede doth here coÌ„trefait the worde of the holy scripture for thus speaketh the holy ghoste in the psalmes of god the father of Christe glorified Psal. c.ix ☞ The lorde sayde to my lorde sytte thou on my right hande And our lorde hymselfe sayth in the Gospell Math. xxvi ☞ But yet for all that I say to you hereafter you shal see the son of man syttynge on the ryghte hande of god Lykewyse Peter the Apostle speakynge of Christe saythe i. Pet. ii ☞ whiche is syttyng in heuen at the ryghte hande of god In lyke maner saynte Paule writeth to the Ephesyanes Ephe. i. ☞ Accordynge to the workynge of his myghty power whiche he wroughte in Christ Iesu settynge hym on his owne ryghte hande in heuenly thyngê aboue all rule power myghte and dominatiâ—ns and aboue euery name whiche is named not onely in this worlde but also in the worlde to come Moreouer saynte Steuen in the Actes sawe Actuum .vii. the heueÌ„s open and Iesu standynge on the ryghte hande of god DISC. Howe dyd saynte Steuen see hym stande How Christe is sayd to syt and howe to stande on the righte hande of the father whiche in other places is sayde to sytte MAG Here also know thou to be a trope To sytte is a poynte of one that resteth of one that raigneth and of a iudge To stande belongeth to one that succurreth or helpeth He sytteth whiche without care gouerneth all thynges He standeth beynge redy to helpe al those that desyre helpe of hym In that he is a iudge he is sayde to syt in that he is an aduocate He is sayd to stande i. Ioan. ii we haue saythe saynte Paule an aduocate in heuen DIS But Christe as concerâ—ynge his humane nature is not egall to the father MAG How coulde that that is but a creature be egall to the creator But for cause of the vnyte of the person all those thyngê are well and a ryghte geuen to Christe whiche are agreynge to hym as touchynge his humane nature soo that we doo vse the names or vocables of the persone or vocabulis suppositi as some other men do call it DISC. In as moche as Mat. xxviii Christe dothe promyse that hymselfe wyl contynue and abyde with vs vnto the ende of the world Actuum .i. why was he lyfted vp into heuen bodyly in the syghte of al his disciples M. To this question dothe the apostle make aunswere in the thyrde chapiter to the Colossianes ☞ Seche you those thynges that are aboue where Christe is sittyng on the ryghte hande of god This syght was shewed to the bodyly eyes of them to th ende that he wolde kendle and
partener with them of rewarde and ioye D. If all the men women which haue ben by the space of so many thousand yeres syns the creation of the worlde shall stande afore Christes seate of iudgemente I beseche you what courte shall that be able to receiue and coÌ„tayne so great a multitude Or what tyme shal be sufficiente to the discussyng and examynynge of so many mennes dedes M. The scripture forsothe as I haue tolde the heretofore dothe attempre and shape her speche accordyng to the affections of men applyinge her selfe to our dull slowe vnderstondyng whan she saythe that Ro. xiiii all men shall be presented and broughte forthe vnto the iudgemente seate of Christe Lykewise and after the same maner as it saythe that ☞ some men shall be in daunger of iudgemente Mar. v. and other some in daunger of a couÌ„sayle and other agayne in daunger of hel fyere And also whan it saith that of euery idle worde an accompâ—e is to be geuen at the daye of iudgement Math. xii Agayne whan it telleth what the iudge shall saye to them that shall stande on the ryghte hande and what they shall auÌ„swere to hym agayne Math. xxv lykewise what they shall aunswere or what shall be sayde to them whiche shall sâ—and on the lefte hande The iudgemente of god is done farre after another maner thaÌ„ the iudgemente of men is done And yet shall it nat therfore nat be verily done because it shall nat be done after the maner of men This is very true that Christ shall appere in his body glorified vnto all men to good men vnto theyr solace and coumforthe to wicked men to theyr feare and discoÌ„forthe For this thynge do the aungelles expressly saye in the actes Actuum .i. whiche dyd appere forthewith after that our lorde was ascended into heuen This Iesus which is taken vp froÌ„ you into heueÌ„ euen after the same maner shall he com as you haue seen hym goyng He shall com euen the very same he shall be sene in the shape of maÌ„ but than shynynge with the glory of immortalyte The generall iudgemente shal be don in the twyncâ—iÌ„g of an eye But all this busynes shall be done in a momeÌ„te and as you wolde say in the twynclynge of an eye Neither shall there than nede ony longe or dylygente eâ—amination or tryall whan all the secretes of meÌ„nes hertes shall be open and whan euery maÌ„nes owne conscience shall condemne hym And the bodyes beynge than chaunged to immortalyte shal not thaÌ„ as they do now occupye space of place as touchynge to the thre maner dymensions that is to witte lengthe bredthe and depthe but innumerable bodyes shall may than be contayned in a very lytle space Forels maÌ„nes witte myghte greatly meruayle howe it may be that helle whiche they do prouably putte too be in the loweste partes of the earthe shall be able to receyue so many bodyes DISC. why dothe the quiere in the Crede that they do synge adde here these wordes Cuius regni non erit finis that is to saye of whose kyngdome there shal be none ende MAG This particle was added out of the wordes of the aungell which as we do rede in Luke Luce. i. spake in this wise to the blessed virgine ☞ And the lorde god shall geue too hym the seatte of his father and he shall raygne in the howse of Iacob for euermore why in the Crede of the masse it is added Cuius regni noÌ„â—rit finis And of his kyngdome there shall be none ende And this particle was added and putte to because of certayne men whiche dreamed certaine wonderfull blasphemies of the periodes and reuolutions of yeres whiche Plato dyd put of whiche Origene toke his eroure yf it be so that he dyd thynke that thynge in very dede Origenes whiche he hathe recyted reherced rayther than affirmed with asseueratioÌ„ in his bokes that is to witte that after certayn thousandes of yeres of fendes shall be made aungells and of aungells be made fendes And that they whiche are damned in the fyere of helle shal ones be delyuerde from theyr paynes and beynge purged shall retourne agayne to felycyte and blysse and finally that Christe shal be crucified agayne And so that the kyngdome whiche Christe hathe purchaced and gotten too hymselfe by his deathe sholde ones haue an ende This is a more fonde and folyshe blasphemye than that it is worthy to be confuted But yet because there were some amoÌ„g the Grekes whiche dyd somewhat easteme and regarde this dreame or tryflynge opinion the churches of the easte dyd adde this particle ☞ And of his kyngdome there shall be none ende The kyngdome of the deuyll is dissembled for a season whiche euen nowe also dothe rebell warre agaynst the kyngdome of Christe Lykewise the raygne of Antichriste shall laste but a while but the kyngdome of Christe after that it shall be clensed and ridde clene from all rebellion of the euyll persones it shall continue and endure for euer soo as the Prophete Daniell hat euideÌ„tly prophecied in the .vii. chapitoure For after that he hathe fyrste described his comynge with maieste and with many thousandes of aungels and by by after hathe described the dredefull iudgemente he addeth consequently these wordes ☞ And he hathe geuen to hym power Dani. vii honoure and kyngdome and all peoples and tribes and languages shal do seruice to him The power of him shal be an eternall power which shal not be taken away froÌ„ hym and his kyngdome shal be a kyngdom which shal not be corrupted or destroyed thus farforthe this Crede was sufficieâ—te yf the worlde had by symple faythe holden and kepte fast that whiche was taughte them But for as muche as the peruersite of heretikes dyd brynge in certayne wicked heresies erroniuse opinions of the thyrde persone whiche is the holy ghoste and because it semed to haue ben somewhat to darkely spoken and to obscure signification to haue ben geuen of the dispensation of the churche in this worlde therefore was this parte added whiche bothe dothe more clerely and euidently chalenge and mayntayne to the holye ghoste the diuine nature which he hath coÌ„mune to hym with the father and the sone and also doth playnly and lyghtesomly expresse and declare what gouernaunce is in Christes mysticall bodye by the holy ghoste it dothe therefore repete agayne the thyrde persone sayinge I beleue in the holy ghoste that by the same wordes professyng hym in the thyrde place it myght declare the distinction of the .iii. persones as touchynge to theyr ê“preties the egalyte eueÌ„nes of theÌ„ as touching to theyr nature lyke wise as no maÌ„ doth beleue with a chrsteÌ„ beleffe no man doth sette his moste coÌ„fidence and trust in a creature but in the onely god alone He that ê“fesseth hymselfe to beleue in the holy ghost dowtles he professeth hym to be god that noâ— another god
A playne and godly exposytion or declaratioÌ„ of the coÌ„mune Crede which in the Latin tonge is called Symbolum Apostolorum and of the .x. coÌ„maundementes of goddes law newly made and put forth by the famouse clarke Mayster Erasmus of Roterdame at the requeste of the moste honorable lorde Thomas Erle of wyltshyre father to the moste gratious and vertuous 〈…〉 Cum priuilegio ¶ To the ryght excellent most honorable lorde Thomas Erle of wylâ— shyre and of Ormonde 〈…〉 of Roterdame Greatynge I Sawe and perceued full wel moste honorable Erle that of some persones I shold be accused of lewde boldnesse and presumptyon yf I wold take vpon me to make any coÌ„mentary or worke vpon the Crede named the Symbole of the Apostels after so many and so famouse doctoures of the churche amonge whome Cipriane takynge this mater in hande fyrst of any Latyn man hath in suche wyse handeled it that no man that euer hathe folowed hym yet vntyll this day hath ben able to ouergâ—te hym or to come any thynge nere vnto hym Agayn on the other parte me thoughte I shold be accused of improbyâ—e and lewdenesse yf I wold not fulfylle and accomplyshe your requeste namely desyrynge so holy so vertuose a thyng with a goode and godly affectyon specyally seynâ—â— that you haue so well accepted taken in goode worth that my former seruyce rather than benefyghte done to you in expouÌ„dyng and declaryng the .xxii. psalme And I do knowe also wel enough that you do not requyre of me to take this lytle laboure for your owne cause whiche do not nede any instructyon or informacyoÌ„ of me But you do desyre it for other more ignoraunte vnlerned persones And therfore I haue so handeled the thynge that I haue shaped and ordred al myne oratyon and speche after suche forme and maner as myght be moste mete and agreynge to the capacyte of those that are symple Nether do I see or perceyue oâ—y whitte at all what laude or prayse I shall gete by this my laboure except it be peradueÌ„ture because that I haue spoken certayne thynges somwhat after a playn and homely perceyueable facyon how be it as for prayse I passe not vpon it But wolde god that the yonge Soldyers of the Chrystyan cheualry may take as much frute profyghte hereof as bothe your â—oste honourable lordeshyppe of your excellente Charyte and goodnes doth desyre and as I also accordynge to suche lytle power as god hath lente me haue endeuored my selfe and geuen dylygence that they sholde do In the meane season our lorde is to be prayed vnto that he of his bounte goodnesse â—yll supply that where my power doth wante and fayle that he whiche hath inspyred into you this deuoute and godly affectyon towarde his relygyon and â—ayth wyll vouchesaffe to sende prosperous lucke good ende not in this thynge onely but also in all other thynges whiche of loue and â—ele towardê the honoure of god and furtheraunce of vertâ—â— and good Christen lyuynge you shall enterpryse or begynne well moughte your honorable lordeshyppe fare yeuen at Friburge the yere of our lorde 1533 ¶ A Dialoge called the Symbole or instructyon in the christen fayth or belyue made by Mayster Erasmus of Roterdame The persones speakyngeâ—are the Mayster and the Disciple the one is marked by M the other by D. The fyrste instruction DISCIPLE I Am and haue ben a great whâ— le very desyrâ—â—â— and sorâ— loÌ„gynâ— in my mynde to be ascrybed and receiued into the company and felowshype of the chatholyke churche whiche is the howse of god Out of the churche whiche is the house of god is no hope of saluacyon out of the wiche churche no man ought to hope the obtaynynge of euerlastyng helth and saluatyon And therfore I beseche you that of your charyte you wyll helpe myn infancye that I may be spedde of this my desyre and purpose MA. If thou haue ben washed in the holy bathe of baptysme after due forme and maner than arte thou by the reason ther of eueÌ„ alredy admytted and receyued into the howseholde or company of the catholyke churche DIS ye but this thynge was don vnknowyng to me by my god fathers and godmother But nowe in as muche as god of his goodnesse hath grauÌ„ted me to come vnto this age whiche as it may be easyly corrupted to vyce and vngracyousnes and erroure so is it as I suppose apte to receyue instructyon to vertu and good lyuyng ryght beleffe I thynke it to be ryghte and accordynge both that I shuld fulfylle the promysse that my surtes haue made vp on my hede and also that I my selfe do prouyde see for myne owne helth and sauegarde do myn owne besynes also in myn owne persone not all by other folke wherfore I beseche and pray you that you wyll euen so deale with me as yf you dyd teache and informe a person hauynge no maner learnynge or knowlege at all MAG Deare sone that lorde whiche hath inspyred this mynde into the the same of his goodnesse shal promote and carye the forwarde vnto this that thou dost desyre DIS Do I not nede than to haue an instructer teacher MAG If ther wer no nede of an infourmer or teacher than sholde chryst haue sayde all in vayn these wordes to his apostles Mat. 16. Go you teache all natyons But though thou haddest gotten syx hundreth teachers to instructe the yet is it the lorde that doth truely effectuosly teache this phylosophye and wysdom For so it hath pleased god and hath lyked hym to geue his benefites and gyftes to one man by another man DI. why hath it lyked hym to do so MAG Fyrst to th entent that all pryde arrogancye myght be excluded why it haâ—â— plesed god to geue his bene fyghtâ— to one man by another .ii. causâ—â— whiche that spyryte the louer of meke anâ— myld myndes doth hate and abhorre and secoundaryly that thrugh doyng benefytes and good dedes eche to other charyte and loue myght be purchaced encreaced and nouryshed amonge chrysten folke And yet neuer the les neither may the doctour or teacher here chalenge ony whitte prayse to hymselfe yf he doth his offyce duety neyther the dyscyple or learner to hymself yf he doth profyght and go forwarde All the prayse euery whitte of it is due to god whiche inwardly by his spyryte bothe doth temper the organe instrumente of the â—eacher and also doth transforme and chaunge the mynde of the learner Let vs therefore both together beseche the lorde of his mercy that by his inspiration both thou mayeste wisely aske demaunde I also may frutefully and holsomely make aunswere vnto the. D. So be it M. Go to now thaÌ„ demauÌ„d D. That vnspeakeable beaute fayrnes of the house of god doth as I sayd meruaylousâ—y moue styrre my mynde and causeth me to be enamoured on it But I pray you which is the way for
iudged this partycle to be more euydente than that it neded to be expressed These wordes also were lefte out qui conceptus est because in the Gospell it is sayde ☞ Natum est for conceptum est for thus speaketh the aungell to Ioseph ☞ quod enim in eanatum est de spiritu sancto estâ—id est Math. ◠☞ For that whiche is conceyued in her is of the holy ghoste Therfore this worde natum est whiche is coÌ„mune bothe to the chylde that is conceyued and to the chylde that is brought forth into this worlde semed to the olde fathers a more propre and a more mete and conuenyente worde to signifie and betoken that thynge to haue ben doâ— by the workynge of the diuine spirite in as muche as neither in the conceyuynge was there ony concupyscence of man neither in the deliuerauÌ„ce or byrth was there ony violation of the virginall dignyte or integryte and clennes Besydes this this worde conceptus soundeth or sygnyfyeth a certayne thynge without facyon and vnperfyghte For by lytle lytle doth the sede crudde or grow to gether in the matryce of the woman and afterwarde taketh lyffe soule These thynges to saye of the conception of our lorde we are afrayd Agayn in the article folowyng he doth not say he suffred vnder Ponce Pilate so as we do saye but he sayde was crucified that he myghte not onely expresse the death of hym but also the maâ—er kynde of his death neither doth he adde was deed but onely sayeth was buryed For to that entente are men hanged on the crosseâ— that they shold there dye neither are men buried excepte they be vndowtedly deed And also whan he addeth and rose agayn that is to saye he reuiued agayn in so sayenge he doth openly and playnly enough professe that he was deed And saynct Augustin doth not dysagree or varye in this poynt froÌ„ Ciprian which repeteth it in this wise Therfore we do beleue vpoÌ„ hym whiche was crucyfyed and buryed vnder Ponce Pilate Neither dyd Cipriane saye He rose agayn from deed men but onely he rose agayn the thyrd day For no man reuiueth agayn but from death And whan he sayth That he sytteth on the ryghte hande of the father he addeth not of god neither almyghty which two wordes do seme to haue ben added and put to out of the symbole of Athanasiuâ— For what dyd it nede to expresse these wordes here in this place seynge that it hath before called the father of Iesu god almighty Neither doth he rede thus Credo in spirituÌ„ sanctum I beleue on the holy ghoste leste he mighte seme to begyâ—ne a newe symbole or crede but hauynge respecte and reformynge his speche vnto those thynges that wente before he had leuer vnderstande the verbe Credo whiche was also vnderstonded whan he spake of the sonne I beleue in god the father and in his onely sonne and in the holy ghoste For it is all one faith by whiche we do beleue the .iii. persones of one essence And anone after in the nexte article he sayth not in sanctaÌ„ ecclesiam but leueth out the prepositioÌ„ in shewyng the cause with many wordes why that preposition is not to be added Neither doth he adde this worde catholicaÌ„ nomore dotâ— saynt Austine neither adde it in the symbole but he addeth it in his interpretation sayenge vtique catholicam that is to witte catholique And what neded it to adde this worde catholique seyng that there is no churche holy but onely the catholique churche which churche this Epitheton or adiectiue sâ—taÌ„m holy disseuereth from all the churche of heretikes of the Iewes and of the paynyms and whan he sayth And in the holy ghost by by after doth put these wordes the holy churche leuyng out also the preposition in it is euidente that Ciprian dyd not rede in sctaÌ„m ecclesiaÌ„ And to make an ende that laste clause euerlastynge lyfe is also lefte out But this was sufficiently vnderstonded of the worde resurrection or risyng agayn that weÌ„te nexte before in which is coÌ„prehended the sondry diuerse rewardes of good men and wicked men And also of that clause gone before to iudge the quycke and the deade as we haue sayd before And that Cipriane dyd rede the Symbole none other wise than I haue recyted it is euâ—dente and easye to perceyue not onely by his interpretation and declaration made vpon the same but also by the Epiloge or recapytulatyon whiche he putteth to afterwarde in the ende For there shewynge that onely to the father sonne and holy ghoste is added this preposition in and not in ony wyse to the other articles he reciteth in this wise ☞ Sequitur nanque post hunc sermonem Sanctam ecclesiam RemissioneÌ„ peccatorum Huius carnis resurrectionem Non dixit in sanctam ecclesiam Nec in remissionem peccatorum Nec in carnis resurrectionem Which â—s thus muche to saye in Englyshe For it foloweth after these wordes The holy churche The remyssyon of synnes The rysynge agayn of this fleshe It seyde not in the holy churche Nor in the remyssyon of synnes Nor in the rysynge agayn of the fleshe Moreouer beynge abowt warde to expounde and declare this article The rysynge agayn of the fleshe he maketh this preface Sed vltimus iste sermo qui resurrectionem pronunciat summam totius perfectionis succincta breuitate concludit whiche is thus muche to saye But these laste wordes and speche whiche dothe pronunce and shewe the resurrection doth conclude comprehende the â—umme and effecte of al the hole perfection with coÌ„pendiouse breffnes dothe he not here opeÌ„ly call this clause the laste And these .ii. wordes vitaÌ„ eternaÌ„ Euerlastynge lyfe seme to haue ben added of some man either out of the symbole of Athanasius or â—ls out of that Crede whiche is songe in the masse Neither doth saint Augustin rede ony other wise in his lytle boke made of the Symbole saue onely that for de spiritu sancto he redeth per spiritum sanctum and whether he dyd adde this clause vitam â—ternam or no it is not very euydente but it is very probable lykely that he dothe agree with Cipriane dowtles he toucheth not this perceille he wente downe to helle neither doth he adde this pronoune huius carnis of this fleshe And Cipriane seynge that he hath shewed in other poyntes yf there were ony discrepaunce or variannce he wolde also no doute of it haue geuen knowledge in other thyngê yf it hadde ben ony otherwhise in the Romane Symbole than hymselfe doth recyte DIS Seynge that there is so greatte diuersite and variete in so fewe wordes what shame is there in them suche there be certayne whiche do fastly affirme with asseueration that this symbole was made and geuen of the Apostles by coÌ„mune assente and that also in writynge For who durste be so bolde to adde vnto orels to take awaye euen but one tytle from the writynge of ony Apostle whiche so
adde patreÌ„ father MA. For a distinction of hym from the other persones for it foloweth anone after Et in Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium eius vnâ—cuÌ„ And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne he alone is called father because he alone begate the sonne Howe be it yf this worde god be so taken that it do declare the hole trinite and do coÌ„prehende all the .iii. persones together than is god well called a father because he is the begynnynge originall cause of all thynges created And yf thou vnderstonde this word father in a generall sence for that of which ony thynge taketh originall begynnynge than is the fyrst persone father simpliciter of all thiÌ„ges he hath not begotteÌ„ the holy ghost but no more hathe he begotten neither man nor aungell of his one substaunce But because after a peculiare maner he is sayd to be the father of those that do drede or feare hym after the same maner he is sayde to be the god of them in the .xxxii. Psalme Blessed is the nation or poeple whiche haue the lorde to theyr god And likewyse in the câ—liii ps But that god hath begotteÌ„ a sonne of his oune substauÌ„ce this is proprely beloÌ„gyng to the fyrst persone he created the worlde Iacobi i. but not he alone he begetteth good men thorow the worde of lyfe but he doth it by the sonne and by the holy ghoste But the onelye sonne none saue the father alone hath begotteÌ„ D. what lykewise as one man begetteth another man MA. ye lykewise forsoth in these poyntes that he begatte a sonne that he begatte god of god But as I haue sayde before in euery collation or coÌ„parison similitude whiche is translated from creatures vnto god there are many thynges disagreynge and farre vnlyke For neither the father dothe transfuse or geue from hyâ— ony parte of his substauÌ„ce into the sonne but he hath coÌ„muÌ„icated the same hole substauÌ„ce to his sonne neither do he that begetteth he that is begotteÌ„ make two goddes so as the father beyng a maÌ„ the sonÌ„e beyng a maÌ„ do make .ii. men Neither is the personne that begetteth in tyme ony whit afore the ê‘sonne that is begotteÌ„ but the eternite of them both is all one I passe ouer to reherce other thynges wiche are innumerable DI. whan one man adopteth or of fauoure taketh another man vnto his sonne he doth not verely begette hym But whaÌ„ he hath a sonne by his wyfe than he is sayde to haue verylye begotten a sonne because he hath don it accordynge to nature yf it be so than as you do saye that the father dothe begette the sonne soo many maner wayes vnlyke to the facioÌ„ that a man begetteth a sonne howe can he be sayde veryly to begette hym M. yes verily he doth by so much the more truely begette in that he doth begette in vnlyke maner vnto man that is to say he dothe so muche the more perfightlye begette For the generation of man coÌ„pared vnto that vnspeakable generation it is but only a certayne shadowe of generation For yf it be called amonge vs true generation because it is accordynge to the nature of man muche more ryghtefully that is called true generation which is according to the nature of god Excepte peraduenture thou wylte saye that god hathe not veryly truely made the worlde because he hath made it farre otherwise thaÌ„ a man doth make a citie or a howse Neither is god therefore not sayde to be verely lyghte lyfe wisdome power mynde because these wordê are otherwise sayde of theÌ„ than of god D. Is it lawfull to call god a substaunce MAG yf by a substauÌ„ce thou doste sygnifie betoken a persone whiche hath beynge it is not wickedlye sayde yf thou do professe one essence to be in thre substaunces How be it yet it is better to refrayne from these wordes which certayne holy meÌ„ haue vsed in the olde tyme at the leaste wise because of the strauugenes of them yf by substauÌ„ce thou do vnderstande that to whiche accidentes are inherente than is iâ— erroure to geue this name to god whiche is most symple neither beyng made of matere and fourme neither mengled with accidentes but what so euer is in hym is one and a singule substaunce And yf ony suche maner wordes be geuen to god in the holye scripture as for exaumple yf we do rede that god is angry that god is pacified that god doth repenteâ— that god doth forgete that god â—oth remeÌ„bre know thow that in all suche places the scripture dothe atteÌ„pre shape her language accordynge to our wittes capacite euen lykewise as a louyng mother dothe lyspe speake vnperâ—â—ightely whan she speaketh to her yong babe But yf thou calle a substaunce a thynge substauncially beynge of it selfe than is there nothynge wherunto this worde substauÌ„ce doth better agre than vnto god For by hym it hathe beynge what so euer hath veryly beynge nowe than he hym selfe muste nedes haue moste perfightlye beynge whiche geuethe to all thynges theyr beynge DISC. These thynges me semeth haue ben holyly playnly disputed of you But seynge that there are many other wordes which be agreyng ben attributed vnto god as wisdome goodnes eternite vnchauÌ„geablenes trouth iustice mercie many other such innumerable why is god here expressely called oiÌ„poteÌ„te nothyng els why god is onelye called almighty in the Crede M. Forsoth thou dost aske demauÌ„d ful wisely for who so euer doth truly ê“fesse god iÌ„ so doyng he doth also ê“fesse all thyngê which be agreyng belongynge to the nature of god But â—or as muche as in this Symbole the thynges are taught to beg ynners whiche are to be beleued raither than to be discussed because there are very many thyngê not onely in the creation of the world but also in the redeÌ„ption the coÌ„summation of the same whiche do seme vnpossible to maÌ„nes reason iudgemeÌ„t therefore to exclude all suche maner reasonynge is added here this worde almighty Whan Aristotel doth reasone proue by insoluble argumeÌ„tê that this worlde hath ben eternally without ony begynnynge because that of nothynge nought caÌ„ be made we do auÌ„swere that he is almighty which created the world of nought Philosophers do saye that ther can be no retourninge or recourse from the pryuation to the habite and therfor that neither Christe was borne of a virgine neither hathe risen from death to lyfe but we do make aunswere vnto them that god is almighty whiche worketh these thynges The iewes do denye that a man can be borne of a womaÌ„ whitout maÌ„nes helpe but we do make auÌ„swer that it is god which wylled this to be don which was borne which dyd prepare the wombe of the virgine Therfor to coÌ„firme the fayth beleffe of weake persones no word dothe make or helpe mor thaÌ„ doth this word almighty But we oughte to saye with the faythfull maker of the Psalmes Psal. cxxxiiii The lorde hathe made all
thynges what so euer it hath lyked hym in heuen and in earthe in the see and in all depe waters DI. Creatorem celi et terre id est the creatoure of heuen and of earthe â—hy is the father onelye called the creatoure of the worlde MAG Forsoth the creation of the worlde is coÌ„mune to all the thre persones For the father hath made all creatures by the sonne the holy ghoste workynge together with them bothe But yet in suche wyse that thou mayste not imagine here neither ony instrumeÌ„t neither yet ony mynyster But it was conueniente and accordynge that the begynnynge of the euangelycall profession sholde be consonaunte and agreable with the begynnynge of the olde testamente that we myghte at the leaste eueÌ„ hereby perceyue and vnderstonde that the authoure of both lawes is all one Thus begynneth the boke of Genesis In the begynnynge God dyd create both heuen and erthe Genesis .i. Now the Iewes I speke of the coÌ„mune sorte the most parte of them knewe nothynge at all of the sonne and of the holy ghoste they knewe onelye the father not because he hath begotten the sonne beyng also god but because he was the maker aâ—d the gouernoure of mankynde and the fountayne originall cause of all creatures For this worde Father is a worde beto kenynge begynnynge and it is euydent and vndowted that the moste perfighte nature and maner of a begynnynge or originall cause is in the father Father For as muche as he alone as saynt Cipriane saythe is without ony authoure or father whiche onely is the authoure of al thyngê without exception DIS why doth some other call hym Creatorem some agayne call hym FactoreÌ„ whome he doth here calle Conditorem MA. The Grekes haue but onely one worde Poutin which is coÌ„mune to signifie authorem creatorem and factorem id est an authoure a creatoure and a maker after what so euer maner it be that he doth make how be it the Latyne toâ—ge doth refuse this word Factor Certayne men for cause of a distinction and difference to be hadde haue taughte that he doth create whiche doth bryâ—ge for the and make somewhat of nothynge whiche belongeth onely to god and that he dothe make whiche frameth or shapeth ony thynge of some matere or stuffe as for exauÌ„ple nature gendreth bringeth forth the tre of the sede the goldesmyth dothe make a pece or a goblet of syluer It cometh therfore iÌ„ to disputatioÌ„ whether god had created heuen earth for as muâ—he as there semeth to haue ben Chaos afore he made the worlde that is to say a matter or stuffe without ony shape or fassioÌ„ he dyd not therfore creat the worlde of noughte howe be it yet it maye be well sayde that he made it of noughte seynge that he made the same thyng wherof al thyngê haue ben made To th enteÌ„t therfore that all suche subtile argumentations sholde be excluded certayne men hade leuer vse this worde coÌ„ditorem DIS why dyd he raithâ—r calle hym conditorem celi et terre idest the maker of heuen and of earthe than conditorem vniuerse creature id est the maker of all creatures MAG Because as I sayde ryghte nowe he had leuer couÌ„trefayte folowe the wordes of the begynnynge of the boke Genesis ☞ Heuen coÌ„prehendeth and contayneth all thynges About the earthe all the other elementes do moue rounde These two partes of the world are most set forth vnto our senses And the scripture as I tolde you ryghte nowe doth oftentymes attempre and shape her speche accordynge to mannes wittes and capacite He that hath made heuen and earth hathe dowtâ—es made all thynges whiche are contayned in them DIS But the symbole callyd SymboluÌ„ Nicenum or symbolum Constantinopolitanum doth adde these wordes visibilium omnium inuisibilium that is to say the maker of all thynges both visible and vnuysyble MAG That same Crede sayth the same thynge that doth this crede but it speaketh more playnly and euydently leste ony man sholde thynke that Aungelles or the soules of men were not created of god That thiÌ„ge whiche is sayde here couertly saynt Paule the Apostle doth expresslye pronounce in the fyrste Chapitour to the Collossianes i. Collos. ◠☞ For by hym all thynges were made in heuen and in earthe both visible thyngê vnuisible thynges whether they be thrones or dominations or pucipates or potestates all thiÌ„ges haue ben made by hym and in hym what so euer thiÌ„g had neuer begiÌ„nynge But the aungelles are the ministers of god whome they do contynually without ceassyng reuerently with drede glorifie aâ—d worshyppe as there maker lorde And what so euer thyng hath had begynnynge it hath had his originall begynnynge of god onely whiche alone neither hath had begynnynge neither euer shall haue endynge neither is contayned iÌ„ place neither is moued iÌ„ tyme. DIS What remaineth now but that we maye go vnto the secounde article MA. I thynke it better to tarye somewhat also abowt this article DIS I am redy to do as shall please you MA. The fyrste degre than vnto helthe is Credere deum esse id est to beleue that there is god The second is Credere deâ— that is to geue credence vntoâ—goddes wordes The thyrde is to caste all our thoughte and mynde vpon hym with full confidence and truste He that doth not beleue that god is he professeth nothynge to be at all in as muche as all thynges that are are of god He that beleueth god whiche is Credere deâ— he doth professe hym to be true in all thynges He that putteth al his trust in god professethe that all thynges are gouerned of hym and that there is nothynge neyther better nor wyser than he who so euer douteth of these latter thynges he dothe nat truly beleue that fyrste thyâ—ge that is to wete that god is For no man dothe truly beleue that god is whiche dothe fayne or ymagine hym to be otherwyse than he is ye moreouer they do the more shamefully erre of bothe whiche whan they do professe that there is god yet for all that do denye that he is almighty or alknowyng orels do deny that the world was made by hym â—â—f it were made of him yet do deny that it is gouerned of hym Euen lykewyse as thou thy selfe if I be nat begylâ—d wolde be lesse disconteÌ„ted with him which sholde suppose or wene that thou arte nat borne than with hym whiche dyd beleue that thou haste no senses or mannes reason suche other thynges without whiche a man leseth the name of a man D. For sothe it is euen very so as you do saye M. He that nameth a kynge dothe in this one worde comprehende manye excellente thynges he that nameth god in thys one worde dothe coÌ„prehende an infinite sum of all good thynges Many men saye with theyr mouthe ☞ Credâ— in deum I beleue in god but he whiche with a christen mynde dothe saye I beleue
but the same god Erroneouse opinions concernynge the holy ghoste Certayn men haue sayde that the holy ghoste is not a substauce but that he is noughte els but the concitation or styrrynge of a godly mynde But this motion or styrrynge of our mynde is in dede caused and cometh of the holy spirite but it is not the verye holye goste selfe lykewise as imagination cometh of the soule but yet is it not the very soule selfe For the sayde motion or styrrynge of the mynde in vs is an accidente but that thynge that is god is neyder accidente neyther is it mengled to ony accidente Other some agayne haue sayde that the holye ghoste is a creature added as a minister or seruaunte to the sone whome also they do make a creature And these men do openlye denye the holye ghoste to be god Mat. xxviii But our lorde whan in the forme and maner of baptisyng he dothe ioyne the father the sone and the holy ghoste all .iii. together he dothe not mengle or ioyne a creature with the creator neither an accidente with a substaunce but he hathe expressed thre persones all of one essence But because the erroures coÌ„cernÿng the holy ghost haue not very greatly trobled and encombred or febled the churche of Rome but haue moste specially and chefly raged amonge the Grekes The errores coÌ„cernynge the holy ghoste raged moste in Grece londâ— therfor hath the symbole which was made in the councell holden at ConstaÌ„tinople added put to certayne wordes of the holy ghost callynge hym dominuÌ„ lorde and viuificatorem .i. quickener or maker alyue why the holy ghoste is called lorde In that it doth call hym lorde it doth make hym egal to the sone excludyng the name of a minister or seruaunte for there are not many lordes for the sone is not called lorde of the holy goste but the lorde of all thynges created whiche dominum or lordshippe is coÌ„mune to all .iii. persones Howe be it this greke word Kyrios is not alwaies a worde of dominion or lordshyppe Kyrios but otherwhiles it is a worde betokenynge authorite nowe is the holy ghoste authour of all those scriptures whiche the churche accoÌ„pâ—eth for diuine scriptures and of which the auâ—horite is inuiolable but because the father hath in the gospel testified wâ—tnessed of the sone Math. iii. This is my welbeloued sone herken to hym geuynge to hym most soueraigne highe authorite leste ony man shold thynke or suppose that the authorite of the holy spirite were lesse than the authorite of the sone they dyd adde put to Pneuma kyrion .i. the spirite the authour in that it doth cal hym viuificatoreÌ„ .i. quickener or lyfegeuer Et spuÌ„m dominum whythe same ghoste is called quickener it doth agayne make hym egall to the sone to the father for our lorde saith in the gospell of Iohan. As the father doth raise quicken vp and make alyue those that are deade Ioannis .v. so doth the sone also quicken make alyue whoÌ„ he lyste Leste ony man therfore sholde thynke that the holy ghoste were here excluded they added â—t viuificanteÌ„ .i. quicknyng or makyng alyue The differeÌ„ce betwen the speakynge of the sone the speakynge of the holy ghoste the differeÌ„ce betwen the qckenyng or raisyng vp deade men of the one of the other And lykewise as this difference there is that the sone hathe spoken openly in fleshe the holy ghost hath spokeÌ„ by the prophetes the same dayly dothe speke secretly by the churche euen so dyd the sone bodily raise vp deade men beynge both the authour also the fyrst frut of resurrection but the holy ghost by pardonynge forgeuyng synÌ„es doth spiritually quickeÌ„ make alyue for synne is the death of the soule froÌ„ which to reuoke call agayne ony man is a greatt thyng than it was to raise vp Lazarê° beiÌ„g .iiii. Ioannis .xi. dayes deade out of his graue saue onely that al thyngê are lyke muche or egally easy to be done of god But because this outward spiriâ— or breathe is a thynge inconstante waueryng vnstable leste ony man sholde ymagyne ony semblable and lyke thyng of the holy ghoste they called hym Kyrion that is to saye of substanciall and stronge inuiolable authorite Ioan. xv And in the gospell of Iohan our lorde hymselfe calleth hym the spirite of trouthe Thus muche as touchynge difference Quickener Nowe on the other syde because by the sendynge forthe and receyuynge in agayne of breath or ayer by course we do lyue bodyly the holy ghoste very conueniently and accordyngly is called spiritus viuificator .i. a quickenynge spirite whiche doth geue vnto vs causeth that we do lyue as touchynge the better parte of vs that is to witte the soule Agayne because this breathe or wynde seameth a certayne cruel and vnmercifull thyng whan it dothe rayse or styrre vp waues in the see whaÌ„ it doth cause the earthe to shake or quake and whan it tearethe trees in sondre they do geue to the holy ghoste goodnesse DI. why he is called the holye spirite Why is he called holy MA. For a difference from other spirites for we do rede in the scriptures that Saul had an euyll spirite sente of the lorde and that a lyinge spirite was in the mouthe of the prophetes i. Regum xix and .xvi. We rede also of the spirite vertiginis of the spirit of sothesayers of the spirite of gelosy we Leuit. xx Actuum .xvi. rede these wordes spirituÌ„ pessimuÌ„ .i. the moste euyll spirite the spirite of fornication Actuum xix spiritum nequam .i. the wicked spirite the vnclene spirite the spirite of this worlde the spirite of Satan we rede also the proude and highe spirites of man as in the .xvi. chapitoure of the prouerbes Ante ruinam exaltabitur spiritus .i. Afore his decaye and fall his spirite shall be lyfted vp in pride what meruailouse chaÌ„ges the holy gost worketh in maÌ„nes soule From all these spirites is the holy ghoste separated and disseuered whiche maketh men for proude and highmynded meke and mylde whiche ryddeth and delyuereth men from all companie and felowshippe of Satan whiche inspireth to mâ—n the very despisynge of this worlde whiche by faythe purifieth and clenseth the hertes of men whiche driuethe awaye all i. Cor. xiii malice and wickednesse whiche geueth true charite that is not misdemyng neyther i. Cor. ii thynket ony euyll which openeth the secreth misteries of the scriptures whiche ledeth into euery verite trouth D. Iohan. xvi Are nat aungelles also called spiritus sancti id est holy spirites MA. Yes verily and so are they in very dede So also the spirite of man is well called holy but there is but one spirite alone whiche is by nature holy and which of it selfe dothe sanctifie and make holy all thynges that are verily holy Spiritus What so euer
â—hynge is without body by a generall name is called spiritus a spirite or ghoste Iohan. iiii So is god in the gospell called a spirite whiche name is commune to all the thre persones as concernynge the diuine nature but whan we do ê“prely and specially meane signifie the thyrde person By what names the holy ghoste is called in the scripture we do call hym the holy spirite or ghoste the spirite of god the spirite of Christe spiritum paracletum .i. the spirite that is coÌ„forter or aduocate and the spirite of trouth And agaynst them whiche denyed that the prophetes made theyr prophecies by the inspiration of the holy ghoste but by a phanaticall or madde and vayne spirite the Synode of Nice or of Constantinople hathe added this particle Qui locutus est per prophetas that is to saye which spake by the prophetes that we sholde vnderstonde haue in knowledge that bothe testameÌ„tes were â—aughte and geuen by one and the same spiriâ—e and that iâ— was none other spirite whiche spake by the mouthe of the holy prophetes thaÌ„ euen the very selfe same Luce. iii. whiche descended vpon our lord in the lykenesse of a dowe and in the lykenesse of fyere cam vpon Actuum .ii. the disciples and which euen this daye resteth betwene the brestes of the spousesse the churche A notable question DI. Dyd the holy ghost take vpon hym the body in which he appered so as Christe toke his body vnto hym M. Aunswere No verily for Christ toke an humane body into the vnite of personage It was no. natural body that the holy ghoste appered in but the holy ghoste dyd so take vnto hym a body as aungels do oftentymes appere in the lykenesse of a man Those are but bodyes assumpte and nat naturall bodyes The same synode dyd adde these wordes also ☞ Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur .i. Whiche is worshipped and glorified together with the father and the son to thenteÌ„â—e that they myghte the more exclude the blasphemy of them which do make the holy ghoste inferiour to the son For creatures are glorified honoured but with the father the son nothiÌ„g is honoured saue only that that is god Under god and for godes sake holy men also are honoured but with god nothynge is honoured or glorified but that which is all one with hym And for the same purpose also is added this clause ☞ Qui ex patre filioque procedit that is to saye whiche procedethe of the father and the sone For as the sonne is argued and proued to be of the same substaunce with the father because he is begotteÌ„ of the father euen so is it concluded gathered that the holy ghoste also hath the same nature with them bothe for as muche as he prosedeth cometh forth of them bothe how be it these wordes filioque .i. and of the sone semeth to haue ben added of the Latyne men lykewise as in the symbole of Atanasius for as muche as this particle neither is hadde in the Greke symbole whiche we hadde set afore the newe testamente in our seconde edition of it neither yet in ony symbole whiche is recited in the canon lawe for I suppose it was not than yet receiued namelye in the churches of the easte that the holy ghoste dothe procede from bothe neither was the confession knowlegynge here of exacted of Christen men but it was sufficient to professe that he procâ—ded frome the father and that he dyd contynue and abyde in the son as it is expressed in the lyfe of sayncte Andruâ— the apostle Nat for that they dyd deny hym to procede also from the son but for that they durste nat fastly affyrme this thynge vntyll that our lorde dyd reuele and shewe it also vnto them For nat euery thyng that is sente of any persone dothe forthwith procede frome the substance of hym of whome it is sente A temporall sendynge is one thynge and an eternall procession or comyng forth is another thynge D. Seynge that the fathers with so many wordes dyd study and go about to exclude inequalite why dyd they nat breffly and expressly pronounce that the holy ghoste dyd procede beyng god of god in as moche as they haue diligently expressed of the son that he is god of god lyghte of lyghte very god of very god Deum de deo luâ—â—en de lumine deum verum de deo vero For so sholde all cauillations vtterly haue ben excluded M. To this I can nat tell what aunswere I sholde make saue only that the meruailouse religion and feare The religion drede that the olde fathers had to speake of diuine thinges whiche the olde fathers hadde to speake of the diuâ—ne matters and the wicked babling and talkatiuenes of certayne persones was the cause why they had leuer shewe and demonstrate by circumlocution the name of god than to expresse it to then tente that both the godly myndes shold vnderstonde and perceiue the mysterie and wicked persones sholde nat be prouoked to blasphemy But that thynge which that Synode dyd vtter by circuÌ„locution sayncte Athanase doth eâ—pressly pronounce saying ☞ The father is god the son is god the holy ghoste is god And yet are nat ther thre godes but there is but one god D. Why do they attribute and assigne to the holy ghoste goodnes and charite why goodnes â—harite are attributed to the holy ghoste M. Because vnto goodnes or benignite two thynges do belong that is to wytte for geuenes of synnes geuyng of gyftes vnto charite appertaineth conglutination or ioynyng together Lykewise as the membres and lymmes of our body do cleue together whole by the beâ—â—fight of the spirite euen so the misticall body of Christe is ioyned and knyt together by the holy ghoste Christe in the spirite of god dyd caste out deuils Luc. xi Math. xii And he calleth the holy ghoste the spirite of god But by synne wicked spirites do raigne in a man as our lorde dyd manifestly teache in the parable ☞ of the spirite that was driuen out whiche retourned agayn into his empty house with seuen spirites more wicked than hymselfe Lâ—c. xi Math. xii Therfore the good spirite is conueniently sayde by abolishyng and puttyng away synnes to dryue out euyl spirites Which whan it is done it doth nat suffre the house to be empte or voyde but doth garnishe and adourne it with diuerse gyfâ—es or graces that the vices driuen out shold haue none entrauÌ„ce in agayn And therfore Math. xiiâ— that blasphemy whiche is committed agaynst the holy ghoste is sayde in the gospel to be irremissible and suche as can nat be forgeuen For what hope of remiâ—â—ion dothe that man leue to hymselfe whiche dothe prouoke the authour of remission forgeuenes For charite as sayth say nete Peter dothe couer or hyde the multitude of synnes i. Petri. iiiâ— And to that synfull woman of
whome mentioâ— is made in the gospel many synnes were forgeuen because she loued moche Luc. vii Beside this our lorde geuyng auctorite to his apostles of forgeuyng sines breathed vpon theÌ„ sayiÌ„g Take you the holy ghoste Benignite or liberalyte is declared in this that the gyftes whiâ—he sayncte Paule reherceth very many and diuerse Ioan. xx Goodnesse or liberalite i. Cor. xii Rom. xii i. Cor. xii are called the benefightes of one spirite whiche distributeth at his owne pleasure to euerye man accordynge to the measure quantite of his faythe yt is the maner of theÌ„ that do triuÌ„phe to scatter caste from a hyghe place monaye or other gyftes amonge the people So lykewise Christe after that he was ascended into heuen there to make a triumphe accordyng to the prophecie of the Psalme wryter He ledde captiuite captiue leding away with hym those whome he had taken out froÌ„ hel neither coÌ„teÌ„ted with this Psal. lxiii Ephesi iiii he gaue giftes to men lefte behynd hym iÌ„ earthe that is to witte the gyftes of ê“phecie the gyftes of tongê the gyftes of knowlege the gyftes of curynge maladies or diseases the gyftes of expulsions agaynste poysons wicked spiritê Brefly he gaue the hole company of all vertues which gyftes eueâ—y one Christe hath distributed to his seruauÌ„tes dayly doth distribute by his spirite ¶ what this worde bonus doth signifie otherwhiles For this worde bonus .i. good to latyne men doâ—he sowne and signifie otherwhiles mylde gentel or mercifull and otherwiles bountuose and liberall Therefor saynte Paule prouokyng the Galathians from vengeance to humanite and gentylnesse doth in culke oft repete the name of the spirite sayenge Galat. vi ☞ yf we lyue in the spirite obrethereÌ„ let vs walke also in the spirite yf ony man shall be preueÌ„ted or taken in ony synne you that are spirituall instructe and amende hym that is suche one in the spirite of mildnes Dauid saythe Psal. c. xlii ☞ Thy good spirite shall coÌ„ducte and lede me in to the righte londe And saynte Paule sayth Rom. v. The charite of god is spredde or poured abrode in our hertes by the holy spirite whiche is geuen to vs. Rom. viii And writynge to the Romanes he calleth that the spirite of adoption by whiche we do crye father father Lyke thynges doth he write to the Galathians Galat. iiii Because you are the sones of god god hathe sente the spirite of his sone in our hertes cryinge father father These two wordes soâ—e and father are names of loue whiche no man can truly pronounce and speke but by the beâ—efighte of the holy ghoste lykewise as accordynge to the testimonie of Sayncte Paule 1. Cor. xii Noman doth call Iesu lorde but in the holy ghoste Those men that haue the spirite of this worlde do falsly crie father father They do falsely saye to Christ lorde lorde whose spirite they do wante Rom. viii ☞ For who so euer hathe not the spirite of Christ that man is none of Christes And lykewise as the holye ghoste is that ineffable bonde or knotte by whiche the thre persones are inseparable ioyned among them selues eche to other with eternall coÌ„corde euen so the same spirite with an vnlowseable bonde dothe ioyne the spousesse of Christe to her spouse and also dothe couple and knytte to gether all the meÌ„bres of Cristes misticall body with a ê‘petull bonde of loue amonge themselues euery one with other DIS yf the holy ghoste doth procede of the substance of god the father of the sone what dothe let that he may not be called sone MAGI Saynte Cyprian hilary Augustine thoughte it sufficiente to aunswere in this wise to this question because the scripture dothe call the seconde person sone and sayth that he is begotten and borne of the father but it doth in no place saye neither that the holye ghoste is begotten or borne neither dothe it call hym ony where sone This aunswere whiche so eâ—cellente men thoughte sufficiente it is conueniente and mete forthe to be contented withall yf out of two fountaynes or sprynges one ryuâ—â— dyd issue that riuer mighte well be saide to come forthe or to be sente from bothe those sayde springes but yet sholde it be called the sone of neither nouther of them bothe DIS Is it sufficiente than to beleue this that you haue taught me as touchynge to the holy ghoste MAG No verily but you muste also beleue that this spirite which was a fore sayde of the prophetes and promised of Christe dyd on whitsonday come down vpon the Apostles and Disciples soo as saynte Luke reherseth Actuum ii because of the wicked and blasphemouse arrogance of certayn persones whiche haue not ben afrayde to saye I am that comforter ☞ whome Christe promised to you Ioan. xiiii for to lede you in to all verite and truthe whether he were Maniche or whether he were Basillides or Montane or ony other of those execrable names DIS Actes ii Actuum viiiâ— That whiche came downe vpon the disciples and whiche was geuen to them that were baptized by layeng on of the Apostles handes whether was it the very substance of the holy ghoste A question notable orels was it some gyfte efficacie of the holy ghoste Aunswere MAG It is more prouable lykely that the holy spirite whiche as touchynge to his diuine nature fyllyng all thynges dothe contynue and abyde vncomprehended was there after a certayne speciall and peculiare maner vnder a visible sygne as touchynge to the propretie of his persone But to entremedle with these matters nowe at this tyme is as it is wonte to be sayd in the prouerbe to lepe ouer the hedge passe beyond the boundes Thou haste nowe gotteu knowledge of the spirite that sanctifieth all thynges nowe herken somewhat of the churche that is sanctiâ—ied of the sayde spirite DIS yf there haue ben a societie and felowshippe of all holy men froÌ„ the begynnynge of the worlde and yf that all godly men haue hadde the holy ghoste present with theÌ„ why was there no name to this secrete societie afore the tyme of the lawe For after the lawe geuen it was called the synagoge and after the Gospel geuen the name beynge chaunged it was called the churche MAG what name it hadde afore the olde lawe geuen it is not euideÌ„tly knowne of vs but yet that it hadde some name is very prouable lykelye seynge that the thynge was all one Christe hathe at all tymes knowne and acknowledged his spousesse neyther hathe she at ony tyme wanted the spirite of Christ. The churche stode in a verie fewe persones at the begynnynge But in the begynnyng lykewise as few men hadde knowledge of the dystynction of the persones but they dyd professe one god which speche doth comprehende secretly and closelye thre persones and fewe men dyd knowe the persone of the sone and fewer dyd knowe the holy ghost
thou shalt so much the soner beare away yf thou shalt vnderstonde it shalt know both the summe or effecte also the ordre of the thynge D. Therfore I longe M. Herken than and take hede Credo in deuÌ„ patreÌ„ oiÌ„poteÌ„tem creatoreÌ„ celi terre D. Thereupon is all my mynde set M. ☞ I beleue on god the father almightie creatoure of heueÌ„ and of earth And on Iesu Chryst his onely sonne Et in Iesum ChristuÌ„ filiuÌ„ eius vnicuÌ„ dominuÌ„ nostruÌ„ qui coÌ„ceptus est de spiritu sctoÌ„ natus ex Maria virgene passus sub Poncio Pilato crucifixus mortuus et sepultê° desceÌ„dit ad in ferna tertia die resurrexiâ— a moâ—tuisâ— AsceÌ„dit ad câ—los sedet ad dextraÌ„ dei patris oiÌ„potentis Inde venturus est iudicare viuos eâ— mortuos Credo c. Roma ix Math. xii our lorde which was coÌ„ceiued by the holy ghost and borne of the virgine Marie And suffred vnder Ponce Pilat was crucyfied dede buried Went downe to helle the thyrde day rose agayne from death to lyfe Ascended to heuens and sitteth on the righte haÌ„d of god the father almighty From thence shall he come to iudge both the quyck the dede I beleue on the holy ghost I beleue the holy churche Catholyke the coÌ„munion of saynctê The forgyuenê of synnes the rysynge agayn of the flesche the lyfe euerlastynge Amen D. I here of you a breffe worde M. And thou seeste a mustarde sede Now thou perciuest I trow that there is but one god whiche name for all that coÌ„prehendeth thre persones that is to witte the father which onely is of none other the sone which was begotten of the father afore al tyme. The holy ghoste whiche ê“cedeth from them both DIS I perceyue MA. Let not mannes witte imagine here ony transytorie or bodyly thyng all thynges here are eternall vnspeakable and incomprehensyble to the vnderstondynge of whiche mannes reason is obscure and blynde and they are perceyuede oneleye by fayth They are thre distincte in propretes but they are al .iii. of one and the same substance or nature or of one essence which some men do suppose to be the more apte and mete worde They are of one almyghtines of one maieste of one wisdome and of one goodnes There is an order in the diuine trinite but none inequalyte There is in dede an ordre in this trinite but inequalyte there is vtterly in it none at all For none of them is posterioure to the other in tyme. Neyther is one of them inferyoure to annother in dignite The diuysyoÌ„ of the Crede The deite of them all thre is one they .iii. are one god Hereof ryseth the most generall and most perfyghte distinction of the Symbole into partesâ— The father sone are knitte to gether by the holye ghoste The father hath the fyrste place the sone hath the seconde the holy ghoste hath the thyrde whiche is the charyte or loue and a certayne vnspeakable bonde or knotte of theÌ„ bothe The father maketh all thynges the sonne restoreth thynges fallen and decayde the holy ghost worketh to gether with them bothe D. I vnderstoÌ„de you very well MA. But in the sonne because he alone toke vnto hym the nature of man his diuine nature beyng in no poynte mynyshed or chaÌ„ged though he be one ê‘sone yet is there many substaunces that is to witte the diuine substance In Christ â—â— but one ê‘son and yet thre substaunces which he hath all one the same with the father and the holy ghoste the soule of man and the body of man whiche lykewyse as he was borne very god of god his father so was he borne a very maÌ„ of a womaÌ„ his mother To hym doth the church cleue as the body of maÌ„ doth cleue to the heed And lykewyse as that diuine spirite dothe ioyne and knyt together the father the sonne The churche is the misticall bodye of Christ ioyned to hym as to her hede by the diuin spirite euen so doth the same spirite glue the churche vnto Christe with a secrete and faste bonde not able to be lowsed The mystycall body therfore of Christe occupieth the .iiii. parte of the symbole or crede There are other diuisyons of the Crede but this diuisyon shall shew some lyght to hym that is a begynner Now therefore reherâ—e thou the symbole agayn of thy parte DIS I shall with a good wyll ☞ Credo in Deum patrem omnâ—potentem conditorem celi eâ— terre The fyrste parte of the Crede I beleue on god the father almyghty maker of heuen and of erth MA. Here thou haste the fyrste portion DIS Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum dominuÌ„ nostruÌ„ The seconde And on Iesu Christe his onely sone our lorde MA. Now arte thou entred into the .ii. parte of the symbol which teacheth the diuine nature of Christ wherof I tolde the before D. Qui conceptus est de spiritu sctoÌ„ naius ex Maria virgine Whiche was coÌ„ceyued by the holy ghost borne of Marie the virgine MA. Here thou hearest the very ê‘fyght nature of man in Christ shalt by by here the redeÌ„ption of mankynde DI. Passus sub Poncio Pilato crucifixus mortuus sepultus est Dyd suffre vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified deade buryed M. Thou hearest here besyde so many vndouted tokens declaryng hym to be a very man the meruaylouse battayle fygth of Chryst with the tyrauÌ„t the deuyll D. Descendit ad inferna He descended to the helle MA. Here thou hearest what that blessed soulle of Christe dyd at what tyme his deed body dyd reste in the sepulchre DI. Tertia die resurrexit a mortuis The thyrde day he rose from the deed M. Thou hereste here the victorie of the heed the hope of the meÌ„bres D. Ascendit ad celos He asceÌ„ded to the heueÌ„s M. Here thou hereste the triuÌ„phe of the victoriouse coÌ„querour D. Sedet ad dexteraÌ„ dei patris omnipoteÌ„tis He sytteth at the ryght hande of god the father almighty M. Mat. xxvâ—â—â— Here thou herest the euerlastyng insuperable monarchy or kyngdom of Christe to whome is geuen al power auctorite both in heuen earth D. Indeventurê° est iudicare viuos et mortuos From thence shall he come agayn to iudge the quycke the deed MA. Here thou herest his seconde comyng For at the former tyme he came in the humylyte â—ownes of the fleshe to be the sauyour of all meÌ„ Christes two coÌ„ynges after two soÌ„dry maners At the latter tyme he shal come in the glory of the father to iudge both good men wicked men to geue to euery man a reward according â—o his deseruingê Math. xvi The. iii. D. Credo in spirituÌ„ sctuÌ„m I beleue on the holy ghost M. Here thou hast the .iii. parte of the symbole or crede The. iiii DISC. ☞
Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam I beleue the holy churche c. MAS Here thou haste the .iiii. parte of the Symbole which describeth the misticall body of Christe that is the church Nowe if thou take Christ whol there are but thre portioÌ„s And the holy churche very well coÌ„ueniently is annexed ioyned to the holy ghost For by the gyfte and benefyghte of this ghoste is holy what so euer creature is veryly and truelye holy where fore of sayncte Paule it is called the spirite of sanctifycation Rom. i. This is that spirite of the spouse whiche neuer departeth or goeth awaye from the bosome of the spousesse And because Ecclesia in the Grek doth betoken a congregation Ecclesia by this spyrite doth cleaue togyther what so euer is well happely ioyned or knytte to gether This is that vnspeakable cyrcle whiche ioyneth or coupleth to gether the .iii. persones amonge them selues whiche with them also gâ—ueth good auÌ„gels and good men all together in one For the name of the churche maye comprehende also the blessed spirites all be it that god came not to redeme theÌ„ whiche contynued stable in that good and blessed state in whiche they were created But mankynd because it was falleÌ„ from the state in which it was made in the fyrst parentes Adam Eue it neded to haue a redemer But nowe go forth on with the resydue of the Crede DI. Sanctorum coÌ„munionem The coÌ„munion of saiÌ„ctes thre maner wayes taken and expouÌ„ded The coÌ„munion of saynctes MAG This parcell certayne men do so vnderstoÌ„de that it doth by apposytion expound the nexte parcell goynge before whiche is sanctam ecclesiam catholicam The holy catholike churche For this worde Ecclesia id est Churche is a name of societie and felowshippe and it is a contynuall a faste vnlowse able ioynynge to gether of all the membres of Christ amonge themselues eche with other How be it certayne other men do thynke rather that the .vii. sacramentes of the churche are be tokened by these wordes And certayne other agayn do thynke by these wordes to be sygnyfyed the coÌ„mune felowshyppe or parte takynge eche with other of all good workes D. Bemissionem peccatorum I beleue remission forgyuenesse of synnes MAG Here thou dost here what is the policie and good ordre of this cytie or coÌ„munaltie in this worlde in which worlde as there is no perfyghte felicyte euen so is there in it neither perfyghte puryte and clennes neither full saturyte and satisfyeng of mannes mynde And therfore it happeneth often tymes that they whiche haue greuously fallen in to synne haue nede of a remedie and that they whiche are weake and feble haue nede of strength and hartenynge Now either of these .ii. thyngê doth the grace of god geue sufficientlye vnto vs both by other meanes but pryncypally and especyally by the Sacramentes of the churche And therfore whan thou hearest remission and forgeuenesse of synnes thou hearest a double medicine or salue the one by the holy and blessed bath of baptisme and the other by the sacrament of penaunce Remission of synnes thorw baptisme and pâ—naunce DISC. Carnis resurrectionem I beleue the risynge agayn of the body MA. Here is opened shewed vnto the the ende of our warre and the consummation and perfection of the church aâ—d either the eternall felicite or els the eternall calamite miserie of the whole man that is to witte both in body and soule DI. Et vitam eternam And euerlastynge lyfe MAG Here thou heareste the vncomparable hiâ—re or wage and rewarde whiche our capitayne hathe prepayred and ordayned for his soldyers yf they warrynge faythefully accordyng to the ensaumple of theyr capitayne vnder his standerde or banner shall haue behaued them selues manfully euen vntyll theyr death Thou hast now all the pryncypalle and generall partes of this holsome tale or Comedy thou hast also all the actes and stenes of that heuenly order and setter forthe of this coÌ„medie sette in ordre by a wondre fulle and vnspekable dispensation DIS Are there ony that make a more subtile diuision of the Crede than this MA. ye there are certayne men of later tyme whiche in stede of .xii. artycles do make xiii Some there are agayn whiche make .xiiii. not accordynge to the ordre of the the texte But folowynge this consideration that all the artycles doo belonge either to the diuine nature of all the persones or els to the humaynâ— nature of Christ or els to the misticall body of Christe to euery one of these they do applye certayne artycles or parcelles so are there made .xiiii. articles But this distinction or diuision helpeth but smally and is of litle wayghte or value to the purpose that we haue in hand For after this maner myght men ymagyne also other diuisions accordynge to the diuersite of mennes wittes and to the diuerse considerations that may be made of the same thynges But that is the princypall heed poynt of all that he sayth here the world to haue ben myghtyly created of god and of the same god by his sone to haue ben wysely mercyfully redemed the begynnyng decourse of the churche the holy ghost gouernyng it by his secret inspiratyons breathynges the coÌ„summation and perfection of the churche whan the sonne shall delyuer his kyngdome hole perfyghte and quiete to his father DI. Certayne men doo assygne and geue to euery one of the Apostles one artycle of this Crede MAG yf they that so do saye true than are they disceyued whiche had leuer make .xiiii. artycles For what intente it was deuised that the Apostles made ech one of them one articule of the Crede But yet neuer the lesse this was profyghtably deuysed fownde out to thentente doutlesse that suche as were vnlettred myghte at ones with one laboure as it were by ymages sette in ordre emprynâ— and graue faste in thyr remembraunce both the names of the Aposteles also euery one of the articles For it shold be very conueniente and accordynge that all the parlers and closettes of Chriâ—ten men were decked adourned with such maner tables as these DIS O good lorde how copyouse philosophie or wisdome is comprehended in this so lytle and so shorte a symbole MAG But iâ— is very probable lykely that amonge theÌ„ in olde tyme the crede was yet shorter than this For it sholde seme that they made an ende of the crede with this clause Inde venturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos From thence shall he come to iudge the quycke the deed This may we gather of the symbole of Athanasius whiche though he doth declare this symbole yet doth he touche none of these thyngê Neither doth the symbole whiche is reherced in the canones for the symbole made in the couÌ„cell holden at Nice go ony further than the aforesayde clause saue onely that it addeth these wordes Et in spiritum sanctum And in the holy
ghoste whiche same symbole besyde this diffreth in many wordes bothe from this symbole and also from that symbole or crede whiche is songen in the masse whiche semeth to haue ben made in the synode holdeÌ„ at CoÌ„stantinople The same also is gathered of TertulliaÌ„ as of his boke made agaynste Praxea Agayn of the boke de virginibus velandis in the begynnyng Also in the boke de prescriptionibus hereticorum DIS Is ony of those thynges than superfluose whiche are added afterwardes MAG God forbydde But these thynges haue ben added and put to be cause of coÌ„tentiouse and grosse persones that the speche sholde be more expresse and euidente raâ—ther than fuller perfighter For whan thou hearest these wordes Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto whiche was coÌ„ceyued by the holy ghost thou herest the profession and knowledgynge of the thirde persone Agayn whan thou herest passus est that Christ hath suffred thou vnderstondest also forth with the churche for whiche he dyd suffre For our lorde dyd nother suffre for aungelles whiche neded it not neyther for the deuilles whiche were fallne neuer to be repayred or restored agayn muche lesse thaÌ„ dyd he suffre for beastê Thou herest also the fountayne of all remission for neither baptisme neither the sacrameÌ„â— of penaunce hath theyr efficacie and strength from ony where els than from the precyouse death of Christ. Also whaÌ„ thou herest Tertia die resurrerâ—â— a mortuis asceÌ„dit in celos That he rose â—gayn from death assended into heueÌ„ thou seeste the rysynge agayn of the bodyes to be shewed which we do all loke for with sure and stedfaste hope For the heade raignynge in heuen wyll not suffre his membres to be vnperfyghte and lackyng theyr one halffe He rose agayn whole and perfyghte and so shall we al so ryse agayn whole and perfighte Last of all whan thou hearest Inde ventrus est iudicare viuos et mortos From thence shall he come to iudge the quycke and the deade this worde iudicare to iudge doth signifie shewe the dyuerse rewardes of good meÌ„ of wicked synners whiche after warde was sayde more planly by these wordes Et vitaÌ„ eternam And the euerlastynge lyfe D. Why is this Crede called the symâ—ol of the apostles why the commuÌ„e Crede is called the simbole of the Apostles M. That by this tytle it mighte be distincte and knowne from the other Symboles that is from the Symbol made in the councell holden at Nice From the symbol made in the couÌ„cell holden at Constantinople from the symbol of Athanasiê° many other symbolê of many other meÌ„nes makyng it is very probable lykely that this was the fyrste symbole of all that euer was made And lykewise as in the olde tyme amoÌ„g those barbarouse symple truely knowynge no fraud or gyle euen in the greateste bargayns of all either there were no maner oblygations or endentures at all or els they were very shorte wrytyngê and it was sufficiente to make a note in a paper I do frely geue or bequethe so many acres of londe to suche or suche a churche euen so as longe as the puryte and synceryte of the fayth was quycke and stronge in the myndes of men either there was no nede at all of this wrytynge or oblygacyon or els it was sufftciente for it to be comprehended in very few wordes The curiosite of philosophers the peruersite of heretikes gaue the occasion of makynge so many so loÌ„g Credes The wicked curyosyte of philosophers and the peruersite of heretikes was the occasion of so many wordes and so many symboles to be brought in and euen lykewise as the crafte and subtyle falsehed of men hath ben the cause that in bargayns nowe a dayes there is nede of so many so longe instrumentes and wrytyngê But in none of all the churches dyd the feruent loue of holynes and vertue and the synceryte of the faythe longer contynue in vigoure strength neither haue fewer heresyes nor more slowlye cropen in to ony congregation or churche than into the church of Rome wold god that the pleasures of this world had no more pleÌ„tuosly flowen vnto it ye moreouer euen this selffe same Crede whiche sayncte Cipriane hath expounded and declared is somwhat shorter Credo in dâ—â— pre oiÌ„poteÌ„te Et in Iesu Christo filio eius vnico domino nostro qui natus esâ— de spiritu sancto ex Maria virgine Crucifixus sub Poncio Pito et sepultê° est Tertia die resurrexit AsceÌ„dit in celos sedet ad dextraÌ„ patris Inde venturus iudicare viuos et mortuos Et in spiritu sctoÌ„ sctaÌ„m ceelestiaÌ„ remissionem peccatorum Huius carnis resurrectionem thaÌ„ this is of owers as we do saye it DIS I beseche you reherce it to me yf it shall be no payne or greffe to you MAG Herken than ☞ I beleue in god the father almyghty And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde whiche was borne by the holy ghoste of the virgine Marie was crucyfyed vnder Poâ—ce Pilate buryed He rose agayn the thyrde daye he asceÌ„ded to the heuens sytteth on the ryght hande of the father From thence shall he come to iudge the quycke the dede And in the holy ghoste I beleue the holy churche The remyssyon of synnes And the rysynge agayn of this body DIS I perceyue here many thynges to be lefte out and somewhat also to be added MAG And sayncte Ciprian doth not dissemble or hyde that for forth with in the fyrste artycle he doth shewe that specyally chefly in the churches of the easte is added I beleue in god the father almysthty vnuysyble and vnpassyble Agayn he sayth that addytion he wente downe into helle not to be hadde in the Symbole or Crede vsed in the churche of Rome lykewise agayn in that percelle the risynge agayn of this fleshe he confessethe and knowledgethe the pronowne this to be added in the churche of Carthago There doâ— wante somthynges nay raither they do not wante but are vnderstonden of other thynges whiche are expressed and sette out alredy Saynt Cipriane semethe not to adde this sentence The creature and maker of heuen and of earthe But he gathereth this of the Greke worde Pantocrator PaÌ„tocrator For this worde dothe not somuche sygnyfie one that is almyghty as it dothe sygnyfie one that holdeth all thynges and that rulethe all thynges whiche worde dothe not expresse and shewe that the worlde was created and made by god but it dothe telle vs and putte vs in knowledge and remembraunce that it is gouerned of god Nowe wolde he not gouerne the worlde that had ben created and made of another And for as muche as euen the very gentyles or paynymes by the informacyon and teachynge of poetes doo beleue that the world was created by god and seynge that also the boke of Genesis dothe inculcate and reherce the same thynge by so manye wordes they
in god fyrste he dothe hate and defie certayne paganes whiche do nat beleue that there is any god at al. And he dothe no lesse hate them which do number and recken vp vnto vs manye and many folde goddes It is all one thyng in effecte to saye that ther are many goddes and to saye that there is no god at all where as in so sayenge they do graunte that there is no god at al. For if there be many goddes than is there some what where in one of them dothe differ from another now if that be any good thyng he is no god that lacketh or wanteth any thynge that good is And if it be an euill thing than can he nat be god that hathe any euill in hym Lykewyse he dothe hate them whiche do thynke nothyng to be at all saue only suche thynges wherof they haue perceiuynge by theyr bodyly senses Anthropomorphite To whome the Anthropomorphites are nat muche vnlyke whiche because they do rede in the scriptures of the eyes the face the mouthe the haÌ„des the harte the arme the wâ—mbe and the breste of god they dyd wene that god is a bodily thynge made of manes shape manes membres whan in very dede nothynge is forther frome all sensible matter thaÌ„ god is Iohan also dothe wryte IohaÌ„nis .iiii. ☞ That god is a spirite Moreouer he dothe abhorâ—e the Epicureis which do so grauÌ„te one god or mo than one to be The opinion of the Epicures that yet they do deny hym or them to care any whitte what is done in the worlde These that be of this opinion do make god eyther impotente orels folishe in that they do recken hym eyther nat able to gouerne that whiche he hathe created orels so euell wyll that he wyll nat do it orels so folyshe and dronken that he dothe nat retche therfore These thynges if they were sayde agaynste any mortall prynce they were wordes full of blasphemy How moche more than if they be spoken agaynst god But our lorde in the gospell sayeth playnly Math. x◠☞ That there dothe nat so muche as a litle sparowe fall vpon the ground without the wyll of the father And also that all the heares of his discipâ—es hedes are noumbred * So that nat so moche as one lyâ—le heare dothe peryshe excepte it be by his wyll And sayncte Peter agreably vnto these wordes of his mayster sayeth i. Petri. â—◠☞ Castynge all your care and thought vpon hym for he hathe care and mynd of you The same doth also detestate the blasphemy of the Ieues whiche do professe one god The erroure of the Iewes but they do deny the sonne the holy ghoste whan in very dede the substaunce or essence of god is so one that it is euen the same and to speake after the maner of logicions eadem numero the same in noumbre The substance of the godhed is al one and the same iÌ„ all the iii. persones Bothe in the sonne whiche was begotten of the father and also in the holy ghoste procedynge from them bothe The father cryeth from the cloudes This is my welbeloued sonne Math. xvii et Luce. iii. and the Iewe crieth agaynst it that he hathe no sonne The same father crieth by the mouthe of his prophete Iohel Iohelis iiâ— I shall poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe And the Iewe crieth there agaynste god hathe no holy ghoste but is solitary Agreyng vnto this madnes was folyshe and ignorant Noetus Noetus and the wicked heretike Gabelliê° Gabellius of whom sprong the heresy secte of them which were called Patrispassiaâ— The patrispassianes whiche dyd deuide the substauÌ„ce of god nat into thre ê‘sones but into thre voyces or names The father sayne they created the world the same in the name of the soÌ„ne toke vpon hym the nature of man and suffred passion The same agayn onely his name changed and nowe called the holy ghoste cam down vpon the disciples Here wittyngly and gladly I passe ouer the dremes more than blasâ—hemouse of Basilides Basilides and Mercio Marcio The Origenistes Origenistes also doo come verye nere vnto the impiete and wicked erroure of the Iewes which do make the sonne of god a creature and the holy ghoste the minister of that creature Cosen to these also is Arrius whiche graunted that the father hath a sonne but onely of wyll and lykenes Arrius and not of nature Howe be it he wyll also this similitude to be vâ—perfighte after suche facion as the shadow is lyke to the bodye because he dothe thynke that betwen the creatoure the creature ther can not be but a slendre an obscure similitude Eunomius But Eunomius doth farre excede the heresy of this sayd Arryus whiche taughte that the sonne is in all poyntes vnlyke to the father because that there is none affinite or lykenesse and agremeÌ„te betwen the creatoure and the creature nomore than is betwen a thyng that is infinite a thyng that is finite From this Eunomius Macedonius doth so dyssente Macedonius that yet he doth not assente vnto the doctryne of the church For he graunteth the sonne to be in all poyntes lyke vnto the father but he sayth that the holy ghoste hathe no poynte coÌ„mune with the father the sonne Manicheis Of the Manicheis we haue touched somewhat all redye whiche whils they doo make duo principia id est two principles coÌ„trarye the one to the other of the one of which visible thynges as they saye were created as â—uyll thyngê of an euyl pncyple of the other inuisible thyngê were created as good thiÌ„ges of a good pnciple without dowt they do of one god make two goddê the one good the other euel eueÌ„ likewise as do the heretikes called Gnostici Synerus Synerus whils he maketh tria principia .iii. princyples he maketh as many goddê agayn those that do seperate departe the sonne or the holy ghost from god where as in very dede they do cleue vnto hym by natur they doo go abowte to thruste vnto vs a maimed or an vnperfight god Also ther are some which in stede of god Nature do reckeÌ„ nature to be the cause of al thyngê whiche yf it be eternall almighty forsoth than it is god yf it be not such one than is it the minister of god a creatur made of god The same thyng is to be iudged as I supose of the second causes how be it iÌ„ my iudgemeÌ„t it is more agreing to the ChristeÌ„ religioÌ„ what so euer either nature or els the secondary causes doo worke The secoÌ„dari causes all that to ascribe geue vnto the efficacy mighty workyng of god onely which yf it shold ceasse neither the soÌ„ne shold geue lyghte neither the fyre shold be hot but all thyngê shold be sodaynly brought to nought he doth also execrat Selencus which doth
betokened ceremonies was not able to brynge the people of Israel into the londe of promisse or beheste But Iesus the capitayne that succeded hym broughte them into the sayde londe For there is none entrie or comynge to true felycyte but by faythe and grace whiche Iesus the sonne of a virgine hathe broughte offred to all men In this worde or name Christus Christ which in the gospelles and in the episteles of the Aposteles is often tymes repeted and inculked there is vpbrayded to the Iewes theyr folyshe and obstinate incredulyte and vnbeleffe whiche yet vntyll this daye do loke wayte after theyr Messias Ioan. x. For hym whome the latyn men do call vnctum anoynted the grekes do call Christū the Hebrues do cal Messiam And they do wayte after a kynge plentuosly appoynted with riches with armies or hostes of men and with other worldly aydes whiche may restore the nation or people of the Iewes beynge nowe reiected refused euerywhere outlawed into lyberty kyngdome And with this vayne hope that wretched nation doth cōforte theyr calamite that they are ī But the christē faythe doth teache vs that this is truly that onely Messias in the olde tyme promised of the prophetes by whome not onely one nation but through out the hole worlde as many as be true Iewes that is to saye as many as do professe the name of Christe be cyrcuncysed in herte sholde be not by bodyly weapons but by his owne blode delyuered frō the tyrannie of the deuyll and all theyr synnes cleane forgeuen sholde be restored vnto true lyberty in cōclusion by hym sholde be chosen made coinherytoures and partetakers with hym of the heuenly kyngdome Iesus This word Iesus is therfore expressed that there sholde be none erroure or mistakynge in the persone this name Christ is added put to lest ony man folowynge the Iewes Christe sholde looke for another Messias or another redemer He hathe comen ones for all He hathe ones for all perfourmed and finished that singulare and wonderfull sacryfice with the misticall cōmemoration and memoriall of whiche sacrifyce he wolde vs to be nouryshed strengthed vntyll he come agayn the seconde tyme not to be than a redemer but a iudge and a rewarder Fyrste therfore it hathe shewed to vs that verye man so wonderfull whiche was eternalle appoynted for this purpose that by hym the worlde sholde be redemed Anone after it shewethe to vs in the same verye god in these wordes filium eius vnicū dominum nostrum that is to saye his onely sonne our lorde For of god nothynge is proprelye begotten but god lykewise as of man accordynge to the course of nature nothynge is begotten but onely man DIS But the scripture doth oftentymes call good and vertuose men the sonnes of god MAG And for that cause is added here this worde vnicum or vnigenitū that is to say onely or onely begotten to separat this sonne of god by nature frō the sonnes whiche are called to the honoure of this name by the grace of adoption DIS Is it not lawfull to call Christ as touchyng the nature whiche he hath taken vpon hym the sōne of adoption MAG It is a more religiouse godly thynge to abstayne from suche tytles leste we mighte geue some holde to the Arrianes He is adopted whiche was not sonne before lykewise as we which by nature are borne the chyldrē of wrathe and displeasure by faythe in Christ Iesu are made the sonnes of god But Christe was eternally the sonne of god but after that he was conceyued by the holy ghoste his blessed soule was forthe with created full of all heuenly grace But all thoughe our Lorde was twies borne ones of his Father without tyme and afore all tyme and agayn of his mother a virgine in the tyme afore appoynted of god yet are there not two sonnes but onely one son and not another sōne but the same otherwise borne He was conceyued of the substaunce of the virgine that we sholde acknowledge the veryte of the humane nature But he was conceyued without mannes worke or helpe by the holy ghoste and that he was borne his mothers virginite not violated or appayred it was the prerogatyue of dygnyte DISE why is here added Dominum nostrū that is to saye our lorde MAGISTER with this name Lorde the holy scriptures do oftentymes honoure hym and namely the scriptures of the newe testamente why Christe is called our lorde In that he was god of god he was lorde of all the world and that not another sondry lorde from the father lykewise as he is not a sondry god from the father But after a certayne specyal and peculiar maner he is called the lorde of the electe and chosen whom he hathe wonne and delyuered from the dominiō of Satan and hathe made them to hym a people of acquisition i. Petri. ii For who so euer cōmitteth synne he makethe hymselfe seruaunte or bondeman to synne by synne Satan obtayneth tyranny Ioan. 8. Therfore the symbole admonesheth and teacheth vs that the dominion or lordeshippe is translated frō this moste cruell tyraunte vnto Iesus Christ farre most gentle and mercyfull lorde And by this title the scriptures of the newe testamēt do oftentymes betoken and signifie the sonne of god shewenge to whome they doo dedycate them selues hole whiche do receyue baptisme and to whose commaundementes they oughte afterwardes to obay all theyr lyfe tyme without ony resistence or grudgynge and vnder whose defence and protection they may be sure lyue quietly without ony feare Ioan. x◠☞ For nomā is able to take from hym ony thynge that he possesseth or hathe in his kepynge DIS The name of a lorde how is it agreynge to Christe as touchynge to his diuyne nature or as touchynge to his humayne nature or as touchynge to bothe natures MA. Forsoth as touchynge to both natures but not after one maner As touchynge to his diuine nature he was lorde of all thynges from the begynnynge of the world but as touchynge to the humayne nature whiche he toke vnto hym he deserued by deathe and rebuke or dyshonoure to entre into glory Philipens ii ☞ And a name was geuen to hym whiche is aboue all names that in the name of Iesu euery knee sholde bowe it selfe bothe of heuenly thynges of earthely thynges of thynges vnder earth DIS Is he than as he is man the lorde of Aungelles MAG ye veryly and of deuyls also DIS To whether substantiue is this nowne adiectiue vnicum id est onely referred to the worde filium sōne that goeth before or els to the word dominum lorde that folowethe MAG This adiectiue is sete doutfully betwen bothe those substātiues because it may agree with bothe For as he is the only sonne by nature so is he the only lorde of all thynges created Howe be it yet it is better to referre thys adiectiue to the worde
for the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of mankynde Saynte Paule sayth playnly ☞ Christe risynge ones from deathe Rom. vi diethe no more deathe hathe power no longer ouer hym And that he diede as touchynge to synne he died but ones for euer but as touchyng to that he lyueth he lyueth to god Peter cryeth i. Petri. iii. Christe dyed ones for our synnes Thou hereste here expresselye that he died ones Thou hereste that he rose agayne and that he shal dye no more and doest thou say that he died not hymselfe but that another maÌ„ was brought in in his stede and was his vicare in suffrynge deathe lykewise as it is redde in poetes fables that in the ilonde called Aulis a whight hynde was conuayde in in the stede of Iphigenia which sholde haue ben slayn in sacryfyce And dothe another of you crucifie his soule agayne in helle And another agayne of you crucyfye whole Christe agayn in the ayer Thou hearest the prince of Apostles cryenge openly i. Petri. ii Christ suffred for vs and wylt thou o Iewe that his death dothe not proufighte or auayle onye man Lette vs nowe procede to other thynges DIS It foloweth he wente downe to helle MAG This is the article which as I sayde before Cipriane sayth not to be hade in the Romane symbole no neither yet to be added in the churches of the Easte ye and moreouer although the symbole of the synode holden at Nice or of the Synode holden at Constantinople is none other thyng than a declaration of this symbole yet is there not there neither so much as ony thiÌ„ge that is correspondeÌ„t to this particle Finally the very incoÌ„â—innite vnhaÌ„dsome ioyniÌ„ge or hangynge togeder of the speche oration is an euidente argument that it is a percell thruste in amoÌ„ge the other articles by some other man These wordes The article descendit ad inferna was no percelle of the Crede at the fyrste makynge of it sepultus est id est was buried do belonge to the body which layde aslepe by death doth ryse agayn that is doth as it were waken from slepe But these wordes desceÌ„dit ad inferos .i. he went downe to helle they do referre vnto the soule which neither was buried neither dyd rise agayn but beyng departed soÌ„dried for a tyme shortly after retourned agayn into the deade body Whether saiÌ„t Thomas of Aquine dyd adde this particle I am somewhat in doute There is a certayne suspitioÌ„ that it shold be added of some othere man at the leaste by this argument for that it is not in the mete place For whaÌ„ he doth make the thyrde article of the resurrectioÌ„ he maketh the 4. article of the goynge downe to helle excepte peradueÌ„ture he meante this that Christe after that he was rysen agayne from death to lyfe went downe in body and soule to hell Another litle worke whiche goeth abrode bearynge the title of saynt Thomas vpoÌ„ the symbole doth interprete and declare the contrary here of and doth vse also a coÌ„trary order for there the goynge down to hell goeth before the resurrectioÌ„ how be it this sayde opuscle although it be a clarkely and an holy worke yet it semeth not to be the worke of Thomas of Aquine DI. Why was not this particle added or put to why this article was lefâ— out â—A Because the fathers of olde tyme dyd with great relygyon and feare take hede and beware that they wold not affirme ony thynge namely in the crede whiche were not expressed in the holye scriptures of both testamentes Nowe suche maner articles are all the other onely this one excepted DI. Howe thaÌ„ durste they that came after be so bolde to adde it MA. Because they semed to themselfes that they hadde gathered this euidently enough of the holy scriptures diligently boulted and examined to the which they do adde some reasones also not those verily moste stronge and inuiÌ„cible but yet not vtterly vnprobale They do aledge and brynge forth these authorites of the psalmes Psal. xxi Et in puluerem mortis deduxisti me .i. And thou hast brought me into the duste of deathe And Psal. xxix Que vtilitas in sanguine meo duÌ„ descendo in corruptionem .i. what proufighte is there in my bloude whils I do go downe into corruption And agayn Descendi in limuÌ„ profundi et non est substantia Psal. lxviii And that also Domine eduxisti ab inferno animâ—m meam saluasti me a desâ—endentibus in lacum that is to say Lorde thou haste broughte forthe my soule froÌ„ hell thou hast saued me froÌ„ the noumbre of them that go downe into the pitte Psal. xv And that also Non derelinques animaÌ„ meam in inferno .i. Thou shalte nat leue my soule in hell Actes .ii Whiche testimony Peter in the Actes dothe teache to haue ben prophecied afore of Christ nat of Dauid Psal. lxxxvii so as the Iewes dyd interprete it The alledge also this texte Eruiste animam meam ex inferno inferiori .i. Thou haste delyuered my soule from the nether more hell Agayn this texte estimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum factus sum sicut homo sine adiutorio inter mortos liber id est I was reputed amonge men goynge downe into a pytte I was made as a man without helpe among deade meÌ„ free and at lybertie Also that texte of Oseâ— the prophet ☞ Osâ—e xiii O mors ero mors tua et morsus tuus inferne that is to say O death I wyll be thy deathe and I shall be thy bytte o helle They brynge forth also of the gospell of Mathue the wordes of sayncte Iohan Baptist ☞ Arte thou he which shalte come Math. â—â— or shall we wayte after another for this speche some meÌ„ do interprete of Chistes goyng downe to hell They aledge also that texte of the Epistle oâ— Peter Christ was mortified and killed in dede as touchynge to his fleshe i. Pet. iii. but was quickened in spirte in which spirite he went also preached to the spirites that were in prisoÌ„ They alledge also of the .xxiiii. chapitoure of Ecclesiastici that whiche was spokeÌ„ and sayde vnder the persone of wisdome ☞ Penetrabo inferiores partes terre et inspiciam omnes dormientes et illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino id est I shall entre into the lower partes of the earth I wyll loke vpon all them that slepe I wyl lyghten all them that hope and truste in the lorde And many other lyke places of scripture But there is none of all these authorites that may constrayne hym that lyste to ihwarâ—e and fynde cauyllations to beleue that the soule of Christe wente downe by it selfe personalâ—ye to helle or as they call it to lymbum For the scripture dothe oftentymes call deathe and the graue by â—his name inferos whiche same worde is englysshed other whiles helle as for exaumple in the .xliiii. chapitoure of Genesis
hath alowed the bokes of the olde fathers to be redde The churche hath admytted and receyued theyr bokes not as canonycal scripture that is to say scripture of vndouted and sure auctorite not able to be disproued but they are receyued as the coÌ„mentaries and workes of men beynge bothe learned and also good and vertuose neyther Euerye maner erroure maketh not an heretykeâ— doth euerye maner erroure make a man forthwith an heretyke and in the olde tyme those that dyd expoune and declare the scripture were pardoned and hold excused if they did doute of certayn thingê of which it is not lawful to dout any longer after the sentence of the churche publyshed and openly pronounced or els if they dyd interpretate and expoune any thyng iÌ„ the scriptures otherwyâ—e than the authorite of the churche doth teache nowe For neyther were al the Grekes Heretykes which dyd professe that the holy ghoste dyd procede come forthe from the father alone nor no more peradueÌ„ture was Origen Origen neyther an heretyke therfore because that of desyre to serche out the trouth he dyd dispute whether the sonne and the holy ghoste had all one and the same diuyne essence with the father or els were creatures more excellent than all other creatures It was lawfull also more than CCC yeres after the incarnation of Christe to doute whether there were any clensynge fyer or fyer purgatorye whiche certayne men dyd iudge to be charite But it is a very poynt of an heretyke proudly and obstinatly to rebell and stryue agaynste the euydent veryte or trouth and whiche hath ben taughte with the publyke and commune authorite DIS The name of canonycall scripture howe many bokes dothe it comprehend and contayne The bokes of the canonical scripture MAG This thynge hathe sayncte Cipriane very playnly and brefly taught Fyrste the hole scripture is diuyded into two partes that is to wytte the olde testament and the newe The bokes of the old testament Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomium Iosue Iudicum Ruth Regum iiii In the olde testament are accompted and rekened the fyue bokes of Moyses that is to wytte Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri DeuteronomiuÌ„ also the .ii. bokes of Iesu Naue of Iudges and of Ruth Besydes these the foure bokes of kynges whiche the Hebrues do make but onely two bokes furthermore the boke Paralipomenon Paralipomeâ—â—â—â— that is to saye of thynges ouerhipped or lefte out whiche of the Hebrues is called the boke of Dayes or tymes Than the .ii. fyrste bokes of Esdre which the bebrues do reckeÌ„ both but for one for the thyrd the .iiii. boke of Esdre are accoÌ„pted amonge the Apocriphe scriptures Esdre ii Nexte after these are the .iiii. principal or greater Prophetes Esaias Iheremias Ezechiel and Daniel Esaie Iheremie Ezechiel Daniel To these is added one boke of the .xii. smaller Prophetes The .xii. smaller prophetes Iob psalmes ê“uerbes Ecclesiastes CaÌ„ticum caÌ„ticorum Besides this one boke of Iob one boke of the psalmes .iii. bokes of Salomon that is to witte the boke of Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Canticum canticorum within this nombre the Authorite of olde men dyd conclude the wolumes or bokes of the olde testamente beynge of trouthe wherof it was not lawfull to dout but now the boke also of Sapience Sapience is receyued into the vse of the churche whiche certayne men do iudge to be the boke of Philo a Iewe and another boke which is called Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiasticê° whiche men do thynke to be the boke of Iesu the son of Sirach there is receyued also the boke of Tobie and the boke of Iudith and the boke of Hester and the two bokes of the Machabeis Thobie Iudith Hester Machabeis There are receyued also the two Histories which are annexed to the boke of Daniel that is to wit the historie of Susanna and the history of Bel and the dragon whiche histories the Hebrues hadde not but saynte Iherome witnesseth that hymselâ—e dyd traÌ„slate them out of the edition of Theodotio But whether the churche hath receiued these bokê with the same authorite with the whiche they haue receiued the other bokê aforerehersed that knoweth the spirite of the churche Under the â—ytle and name of the newe testament the cheffe and principal place haue the .iiii. Gospelles of Mathue Marke Luke and Iohan and with these the Actes of the Apostles The bokes of the new testamente Mathue Marke Luke Iohan Actes Epistles Paule .xiiii. Peter ii Iames. i. Iâ—de i. Iohan. iii. Aâ—ocalipie The hebrues â—ake but .iii. kynde of scriâ—ture Canonica Nexte to these are the Epistles of the Apostles .xiiii. of saynâ—e Paules Two of Peters One of Iames the Apostle One of Iude. Thre of Iohan. And last of all in ordre is the Apocalipse of saynte Iohan. The Hebrues do diuide all scipture into .iii. kyndes or sortes The canonicall scripâ—ure they call that scripture which without ony controuersie or doute was wryten by the inspiration of the holy ghoste in whiche yf ony thynge be founde which semeth at the fyrste syghte folyshe vnmete and agaynste reason it is not lawfull to iudge that whiche is wryten but the mystery is religyously and deuoutly to be serched forthe and the dulnesse or slownesse of our wytte is to be founde faughte with all and not the scripture Hagiographa Another sort of scripture they do call hagiographam as wryten by holy men of holy thynges This maner scriptures they did so farre forth esteme and regarde that they were in dede reuerently red in the congregations or assemblees but not that the authoryte of them sholde constrayne or compell in matters earnest and of wayghte Apocripha Apocriphe scriptures they called suche as it was lawfull for euerye man to redde at home accordynge to his owne mynde and pleasure but in open or comen assemblees they sholde not be recyted or redde nor any man be strayned with the auctorite of them neyther is euery scripture forthwith canonicall whiche is red or songen in the churches and wolde god that it were amonge all men obserued and kept which was decreed in the counsell holden at Carthago that nothynge at all sholde be recited or redde in the churches saâ—e onelye the canonicall scripture the interpretation and declaration wherof was done in the olde tyme of prestes and byshopes by worde of mouthe The decrâ—e made in the couÌ„sel of Carthage concernynge what thinges shold be red in the churches DISCIPLE Now a dayes we are kept and put awaye froÌ„ the redynge of the holy scripture MAGISTER But this thynge was in the olde tyme a poynte of most greate and hyghest relygioÌ„ and holynes But the vndyscretnes and presumption of the reders caused and brought to passe that it was nedefull to shewe a staffe who so euer redeth the scriptures reuerently honourynge that thynge whiche he doth not vnderstonde or attayne the knowlege of How the holy scriptures are to
be red and for what entent And who so euer is so moche the more gladde to learne of a connyng man for that he is somewhat prepayred afore by redyng and who so euer redeth not to the entent for to be armed and made redy to contention of stryuyng but to take som what therof wherby he may be instructed to lyue holyly and vertuously that constitutioÌ„ stryketh not hym nor appertyneth any whyt to such a reder which constitutioÌ„ was ordeyned set agaynst temerite and vndiscrete presumption not agaynst the loue and exercise of vertue and godlynesse DIS In as much as of both testamentes there is all one the same god the father the same Christe the same holy ghost why is the one called the newe testamente the other the olde testamente for diuine or godly thynges knowe not of ony age or elderlynesse Why the one is called the olde and the other the new testameÌ„t MAG The godhed as thou sayste knoweth neither oldenesse or age neither newnesse but it was expediente for vs that certayne poyntes sholde be newed and chaunged in the exterioure outwarde thynges Christ consecratyng brede and wine called it the new testamente Math. xxvi what thynges are in the newe lawe chauÌ„ged froÌ„ the olde Now yf thou do aske of me what thyngê are newed or chaunged I could recken vp very many thynges Fyrst in stede of the shadowes of the lawe is succeded and coÌ„men in place the euidente open verite and that thyng whiche the lawe dyd promise by darke rydles and figures hathe ben perfourmed and shewed forth to the bodyly senses of men ii Cor. iii. The sleynge lettre hathe ben opened or disclosed and the quickenynge spirite hath appered Furthermore the outwarde ceremonies haue certayne of theÌ„ ben vtterly and clene taken away and certayne of them ben chauÌ„ged into another more meâ—e and conuenient thynge The Iudaicall choyse of meates is quyte and clene taken awaye we may lawfully weare garmentes of lynsayewolsaye we Deute xxii may plow or tyll the grouÌ„d Deute xxii with Oxe Asse because I wyll not reherce other thynges innumerable In stede of soo manye dyuerse kyndes of hostes and sacrifices we haue but onely one mysticall hoste or sacrifice In stede of the onelye temple of IherusaleÌ„ for â—â— was not lawfull to make sacrifice onywhere ellys we haue a churche spredde thrugh out the whole worlde in which Malach. i. i. Timoth is now offred a cleane sacrifice pure handes are lifted vp in euery place and in the stede of iniuriouse paynful circuÌ„cision is broughte in the easye bathe of babtyme The Sabbote daye is chaunged into the Sondaye In the stede of Moyses the seruauÌ„te of god is succeded Christ the sone of god The grace of the spirite which before was dispensed and dealed vnto a fewe persones and scracely hath nowe ben opeÌ„ly and plentuosly powred out vpon al nations which are vnder the skye Finally heuen whiche before was shyt euen to godly men also is sette open by the gospell For these thynges many other that are newed and chaunged it is well called the newe testamente nat for that it is vtterly another testamente than was before but for that it is otherwise geueÌ„ or taughte The Iewes Iewes of the olde tyme in the new testament christen men of these dayes in the olde testameÌ„t such of theÌ„ as thrugh hope of the heueÌ„ly lyfe did liue in the alacrite and cherefulnes of the spirite were in the newe testamente Agayne those men nowe a dayes whiche do measure and iudge holynes by outward ceremonies and which do gape gredily after earthly thynges beynge colde in charite hote to do vengeaunce suche ê‘sones I saye do euen yet cleue and contynue styll in the olde testamente for that they haue not yet done of nor layed from themselues the olde man DIS All these thynges hytherto for sothe are spoken of you very playnly and clerely MA. We are comen now to the holy churche in whiche we do worshyp the father the maker of all thynges the sonne the redemer of the world and the holy ghost the sanctifier of all thynges Let vs contynue and abyde in this church And in this churche let vs walke accordyng to the spirite not accordyng to the fleshe ☞ In this church let vs warre a good warre and fyghte a good felde i. Timot. vi ii Timo. iiii that we maye come vnto the wage and rewarde of the eternall lyfe But if thou thynke it beste let here be an ende of this communication ¶ The fyfth instruction DISCIPLE WHat meaneth it that to the churche is annexed and added the communion of saynctes MAG This particle SanctoruÌ„ coÌ„munionem SanctoruÌ„ communionem is not added in sayncte Cipriane neyther in sayncte Augustine neyther doo they so muche as by occasion make any mention of these wordes wherfore it is very lykely that this particle hath ben added of some man whiche wente aboute to declare what thynge was to be vnderstonden by the holy churche Ecclesia Ecclesia that is to say the churche is a societe felowshyp or company not of all maner men but of holy men or sainctes lykewyse as this word concio Concio to latyne men doth signify and betoken an assemblee or congregation not of what so euer maner men you lyste but of the citizens all of one commune weale assembled and gathered to gether in one to take counsayll concernynge the commune profytes And as for the diuynes of later tyme amonge â—home some doo interprete The diuines of later tyme do diuersly expounde sanctorum coÌ„munionem the holy â—hurche to be the societie of men milytauÌ„te and warryng in earthe vnder Christe theyr capitayne and The diuines of later tyme do diuersly expounde sanctorum coÌ„munionem the communion of saynctes to be the societie of saynctes triumphynge in heuen and other some agayne dâ—o expounde by The diuines of later tyme do diuersly expounde sanctorum coÌ„munionem sanctorum communioneÌ„ the suffrages of the churche profytable and auaylable to all men whiche are in the bodye of the churche Other some do expounde it to signifye the sacramentes of the church which do not profyte but onely to those which do aggregate and ioyne themselues to the churche Other some agayne do thynke by the name of Synaxis communion to be betokened the sacrament of the autre which of the Grekes is called Synaxis that is to saye a conciliation or ioynynge to gether for that by this mysterie is figured and coÌ„firmed the moste strayght coniunctioÌ„ or ioynyng to gether of the mysticall body with the hede and suche a mysticall societie or felowshyp of all them that doo truely professe the name of Christe as is the naturall societie of all the membres amoÌ„g them selues eche with other in the body of one and the same lyuyng sensible creature Those diuines I saye which haue
of sayncte Paule is the geste and inhabiter of godly myndes whiche hath consecrated for a temple vnto his owneselfe That man that doth beleue this howe is it possible that he shold not be afrayd to pollute the temple of god for it is polluted euen with vnclene thoughtes also althouh the dede be away and such an amiable and louely tenaunt or geste dryuen out to make of the temple of god a stable or lodgynge of the dyuell without concorde there is no holynesse nor felicite Christen concorde is greatly commended without which there is no religion or holynesse no felicite or welthe Of this concorde haste thou a perfyte exaumple in the father the sonne and the holy ghosteâ— Another exaumple nexte to it haste thou in the name of the church whiche is knyt to gether with so many bondes hauyng but one god one father all one lawes one baptyme all one the same sacramentes the same spirite and waytyng lokyng after all one and the same inheritauÌ„ce In this church if any man coÌ„tynue although he haue fallen he hath many of whom he may be holpen vp agayne â— neyther can he lyghtly miscary or peryshe hauynge so manye thousandê of intercessoures praying for hym Those shepe that kepe themselues within the walles or coÌ„passe of the fold are in lesse daunger of the wolf But because here in this world we haue continuall stryffe batayl with our aduersarye we must walke warely wysely accordyng to the lawes prescribed set oâ— our capitayne lord to the obseruyng kepyng of which for asmuch as our imbecillite weakenesse is nothyng suffycient of it selfe we must with coÌ„tynuall prayer beseche desyre heuenly helpe which is redy to all men if a maÌ„ do aske desyre it ferueÌ„tly if coÌ„tinually if with a tremblyng a reuerent fayth truste To bothe these we shall be more mete fyrste if we do referre all that belongeth to vs vnto god as the fountayne and authour SecoÌ„darely if we do accustome and wonte our selues to haue respecte not to the particular persones but to the whole vniuersall company or congregation of the churche If we wyll do the former of these two thynges in al prosperouse thynges and suche as come to passe accordyng to our myndes we shall gyue thankes to god and if any aduersyte shall chauÌ„ce vs whyles we do take it paciently as a thyng senâ—e of god eyther to amende vs or els to trye proue vs the outwarde euyll or grefe shall be tourned to vs into very good or profyte I shall gyue the an euident exaumple Thy corne cometh vp prosperously in the feldes here the pagane wyll prayse his owne policie and laboure he wyll prayse the temperate and sesonable wether of that somer But a christen man lykewyse as if he had receyued all these thynges of the hande of god he gyueth thankes to his bountuose father which with so greate largenesse and liberalite doth prouyde for his sonnes seruauntes And if any good thyng be gyuen or done to vs by men we shall acknowlege the goodnesse of the lorde whiche hath gyuen to this man that he is both wyllynge and also able to do it Agayne if any grefe or displeasure and hurte haue chaunced to vs by men and as we do thynke of wrake or vengeaunce it doth come to our mynde and remembraunce it is better to suffre this iniurye paciently lest if he be prouoked he do me greater hurte or displeasure he may beynge my frende recompence me this harme damage with much encreace and auauÌ„tage peraduenture we do so deserue som prayse of worldly wysdome but no prayse at all of godlynesse but if we do thynke thus to our selues the lord doth by this mannes malyce scourge me for his loue I wyl suffre this vexatioÌ„ what so euer it be by this meane bothe shall we be lesse angry with our neyghboure and also we shall be made more redy to the amendement of our lyfe than to reuengynge of the iniurye done to vs. Brefly worldly and carnall affections or desyres shall haue the lesse tyrannye in vs the violence of whiche is wont to plucke vs and carye vs awaye from the obseruation and fulfyllynge of goddes lawes to synnefull and wretched dedes Our mynd is therfore to be accustomed and wonted that in all thynges whether it be prosperite or aduersite it may forthwith sette her eyes fasâ—e towardes god Nexte thyng to this is that in our mynde we doo considre and beholde the vniuersall churche as one body vnder one hed Christe By this meane it shall be brought to passe that bothe we shall be the lesse greued with our harmes incommodites if we shall call to remembraunce reken that we do suffre them for many and with many And also we shall reioyce more of other mennes good fortune and welthe than of our owne neyther shall we haue enuye at any maÌ„ if we shall considre that it is our owne what so euer good thyng the felowshyp or company of the church hath Finally god shall here our prayers the more gladly and wyllyngly if we shall not euery man doo proprelye and seuerallye his owne busynesse but shall aske and desyre coÌ„mune profyte and furthraunce to his honoure and glorie For charite is the thynge that is most acceptable pleasauÌ„t to god i. Cor. xiii but she doth not seche those thynges that are her owne but those thynges that are Iesu Christes now the churche is the body of Christe By this meane shall it come to passe that our lorde beynge delyted with thy charite shall gyue the euen the same thyng which thou woldest haue desyred proprely particularely for thyne owne selfe more largely and plentuosly than if thou haddeste asked it onely for thyselfe This consideration if it shall be tourned by often vse and custome into an habyte it shall so enlarge and comforte our mynde that it shall not be offended with euery maner thynge neyther shall it stond styll at small offenses neyther whan it sholde doo a benefyte shall it nyggardly counte and recken he is a french man and I am an almayne he is a vyle rascalle and I am a noble man he sayd this or that not long agoo by me but shall cherefully and gladly gyue a benefyte as to the membre of Christe as to one that is christen as to one that is a man DISCIPLE If it sholde not be any payne or grefe to you I wolde very gladly learne this also of you which are the principal and chefe lawes accordyng to which as vnto the rule or lyne a man ought to directe and ordre his workes and also which is the beste sourme and maner of prayinge The .x. commaundementes of the law MAG The .x. preceptes of goddes law are knowne to euery man neyther can any man teache any better preceptes than those whiche god hymselfe hath gyuen or taught neyther can there any better fourme and maner of prayer be prescribed
as idolaters MA. Because partely the fraylte and weakenes belongynge to the nature of man doth excuse them and partely the greate multitude of them that do offende but especiallye because it is a verye harde thynge for vs to iudge of the mynde of maÌ„ Nota. But who so euer all theyr lyfe tyme of a set purpose doo goo aboute to gete ryches by ryghte or wronge by hoke or by croke do hunte after pleasures layinge a parte both the drede and also the loue of god let them knowe and vnderstande surely that they are no whytte better than thy are whiche doo brenne frankyn sence in the honoure of Iuppiter or whiche doo slee a lambe in sacrifice to Uenus or els a gotte in the honoure of the god Bacchus DIS Sythe in the same commaundemente ymages are with so greate diligence for boden to be made Of ymages in the churches howe fortuneth it that nowe a dayes the churches of christendome are full of ymages MAG The people of the Iewes was verye grosse and meruaylously inclynyng and redy to the superstition of the Gentiles so that scantly they dyd beleue any thynge to be whiche they dyd not see with theyr eyes and therfore the lawe with so many wordes fearyd them keapynge them farre away from the moste parylouse and daungerful pyt or dyche Nowe after that all paynnymrye is by the lyghte of the gospell extincte and destroyde there is not the same ieopardye and daunger that was than and if any poynte of superstition dothe remayne styll in the myndes of certayne vnlearned men it may easely be put awaye by good admonition and holye doctrine Untyll saynct Hieronymes tyme there were holy and deuout men and so were they taken and alowed whiche dyd not suffre any ymage to be in the churches neyther paynted nor grauen neyther wouen no not so muche as of Christe as I trowe because of the Anthropomorphites but by lytle and lytle the vse of ymages hathe cropen in into the churches And peraduenture it sholde not be verye vnsemely or vnsyttynge if in those places in whiche god is solemnelye and communelye honoured none ymages at all were sette besyde the ymage of Christe crucified Of paynting what profyte doth come if it be aptely conueniently vsed But yeâ— payntyng if it be metely and coÌ„ueniently vsed and put to besydes the honeste pleasure that it bryngeth or causeth it doth also helpe verye muche to remembraunce and to the vnderstondynge of the historie wherfore it was sayde not vnwysely nor vnproprely of one I wote not how but payntyng is to vnlearned men the same thynge Pictures are the bokes of vnlearned meÌ„ that bokes are to learned men ye moreouer euen a learned man also dothe otherwhyles in payntynge see more than he doth in bokes or wrytyng and is more vehemently moued or styrred to affections as we shold be more moued and styrred if we dyd see Christe hangyng on the crosse than if we dyd rede that he was crucified And payntyng setteth the thing forth to the eye as farre forth as is possible and perfourmeth that euidencie makynge the thynge manifeste which many men with crafty spech and narration do couete to attayne and yet can not but the lyfe of Christe and of the apostles namely that whiche is shewed and wryten in the canonicall scriptures shold do very well to be set in alayes or yles in the porches and in cloystres For suche maner ymages do put into our myndes certayn holy and godly thoughtes euen whan we are occupyed about other thynges And lykewyse as of the olde fathers it was very well constituted and ordayned that nothynge sholde be recited or red in the churches besyde the canonicall scripture so were it conuenient and wold do very well if in holy places there were nothyng set forth in picture or caruyng which is not had in the holy scriptures Last of all Exodi .xxv. Moyses by the commaundement of god dyd set in the tabernacle two cherubims of golde in the hyghest partes of the Propitiatorie iii. Reg. viâ— And in the vessels of the temple whiche Salomon dyd buylde there were grauen ymages of oxen of lyons and of the cherubims Agayne in the thyrde chapitoure of the second boke of Paralipomenon the cherubims are grauen on the walles In the mytre of the bishop was the ymage of the mone Exodi xxviiâ— in his garmeÌ„t the ymages and similitudes of pomes granates It is not lykely therfore that to the Iewes was vtterly forboden all kyndes sortes of ymages but it was forfended theÌ„ that they sholde haue ymages after the maner of the paynymes that is to saye which sholde be set forth to be adourned and worshypped The boke of Deuteronomium as it were expoundynge and declaryng this same whan it dothe reherce this precepte it addeth Deute v. ☞ Non adorabâ—s ea neque coles thou shalt not honoure nor worshyp them And for the same purpose and entent was added in the .xx. chapitoure of Exodi these wordes coram me .i. in my syght or presence or afore me That ymage is set in the syght of god which is made egall to god for nothyng that wanteth reason Adoratio is apte to receyue adoration that is to say outward veneration worshyp nor cultum that is to wyt inwarde veneracion and honoure Cultus A christen man if he dothe bowe his hede to the ymage of Christe crucified he knoweth that none honoure is due to the wodde or tree but through the occasioÌ„ of the ymage he doth worshyp that thynge which the ymage doth represent Now if any man for the loue of Christe doth loue the ymage of Christ iÌ„ so much that he doth otherwhy les kysse it dothe laye it vp in a clene place so that superstition be away I do suppose that this affection deuotion is not vnpleasaunt to god For els whan we do iÌ„ the chyrch kysse the gospel boke we do not worshyp the parchemente or the gold or the yuery but we do worshyp the doctrine of Christ. And peradueÌ„ture it shall not be vnprofytable if the bysshopes euerye one of them in his owne diocese do ordayne decree concernyng this matter according to the present vtâ—lite of theyr flocke but yet so that it be done without disturbauÌ„ce sedition iniurie for that there sholde be ymages in the churches there is not so muche as euen any constitution made by maÌ„ that doth coÌ„maunde it Nota. And as it is a more easy thyng soner brought about euen so it is also a more suerer way further from leoperdye to put out all ymages from the churches than to obtayne or bryng about that neyther measure shal be passed in them nor superstition mengled or put to in the vsyng of them Now although the mynd be pure from all superstitioÌ„ yet it is not without the apperauÌ„ce of superstitioÌ„ whaÌ„ one yâ— maketh his prayers dothe knele or fall downe flat afore a treen
awaye from the beâ—â—tie and comelynes of the open coÌ„munâ— assemble Therfore this lawe was chefely priÌ„cipally gyueÌ„ to weake men of grosse mynd to the entent that by outward reste of the body they shold learne to haue theyr mynd also idle at reste froÌ„ all troublouse affections desyres that is to wyte froÌ„ hatred from wrath froÌ„ ambition desyre of honoure or promotioÌ„ from all fleshely lust such other carnal affectioÌ„s They therfore that dyd so reste on the sabbot dayes y they spende those dayes eyther in slepe or in tryflyng tales or in sluggeshnes or idlenes they dyd in no wyse obserue fulfyll this commaundement for as much as they dyd not that thynge for whose cause this precept was gyuen And therfore the lawe speketh thus Remembre thou that thou do sanctifie the daye of reste for to sanctifie is to spende in holy workes and not to prophane or pollute it with any operations vnsemely or vnmete for god DIS Why was the .vii. day appoynted to this MAG The lawe it selfe hathe expressed the cause sayng Sabbatum ☞ The seuenth day is the sabbote of thy lorde god Now sabbaton in the Hebrue tonge is as much to say as reste This same thing was more playnly spoken in the .xxxi. chapitour of Erodi In syx dayes the lorde made heuen earth and in the .vii. day he ceased or rested froÌ„ al worke Do not here imagine a frame or buyldynge wrought and fynished with the labour of .vi. dayes and than the mayster workman beyng wery on the syxte daye to haue recreated refreshed hymselfe of his werynes in the seuenth day with rest and idlenes The entent of the whole boke of Genesis The whole mysticall scripture of Genesis entendeth this that the Iewes sholde remembre that this world was created made of god not to th ende that we shold reste in those thynges which are of this worlde but that we by the thynges created hauyng knowledge of the creator maker shold according to his exaumple reste from the loue of visyble thynges by faythe and innocencie of lyfe whiche is the true peace and reste of the mynd make haste vnto that eternall reste Thou hearest here after a certayne maner thre sondrie sabbots Thre manâ—â— sabbotes The fyrst was the sabbote of god alone without vs. The secounde sabbote is owers by his beneficence and goodnes but vnperfyte here in this lyfe The thyrde sabbote is perfyte in the worlde to come Besydes this he wold that the vnkynde and forgetfull people sholde haue in remembrauÌ„ce the mercy of god by which they had ben delyuered from the most harde and cruel seruitude of Pharao which figure doth also teache vs that we sholde haue in memorie that we haue ben redemed by the bloud of the vnspotted lambe from the most fowle tyrannye of the dyuell lest thorow vnkyndnes we doo fall agayn into greater bondage and thraldome DIS you sayd ones that the lawe of Moses as concernyng ceremonies was abrogated and taken awaye But this commaundement for the most parte semeth to appertayne to the kynd or sorte of ceremonies MAG I sayd that certayne ceremonies were abrogated but not all for it is not abrogated to pray vnto god knelyng on our knees neyther is fastyng nor sermons abrogated I sayd that certayne were chaunged and applyed to the euangelical holynes and honouryng of god of whiche sorte is the obseruation and kepynge of the sabbote daye why the .vii. daye was chaunged into the .viii. daye DIS Why than is the .vii. day tourned to vs into the .viii. daye MAG Uerily it is credible that it was done by the auctorite of the Apostles The day was chaunged leste if we hadde agreed with the Iewes in this poynte we myghte seme to agree with them in the residue also lykewyse Chrysostome as Chrysostome and yet not he alone doth with meruaylous dilygence and affection feare awaye christen men from fastyng vpon the same dayes on whiâ—h the Iewes dyd communely customably fast DIS Than was not the .vii. daye without greate skylle for greate consideration chaunged into the .viii. why more in to the .viii. day than into the .x. or .xii. or any other daye day rayther than into the .x. or into the xii day MAG Thou sayest very wel For god after a certayne maner hathe twyse created or made the worlde and man in it for fyrste he created it of nought doutlesse by his sonne God after a certayne maner hath made the world twyse Secondarily by the same sonne beynge incarnate he restored that which was perysshed and forlorne There he is sayde to haue rested from the worke of creation Here Christe restynge from the workes of dispensation whyles he resteth with his body in the graue he dothe as it were abrogate and put away the iudaicall obseruyng of the sabbote day and whyles he rysethe agayne immortall early in the breake of the .viii. day he coÌ„mended to vs the euangelicall sabbote And therfore is this day called dies dominicus .i. the day of the lorde and in it dothe the quyere in the churche synge ☞ Hic dies quem fecit dominus id est Psal. C.xvii This is the day whiche the lorde hath made and it is called Dies Pasche .i. the daye of passynge ouer by the verye name puttynge vs in remembraunce of the olde figure Exodi â—ii ☞ The Iewes after that they hadde ben refreshed and fedde with a lambe they passed ouer the rede see We beyng refreshed and wedde with the bloude of Christ do go to the heuenly lande Exodi xii The bloude of a lambe spryncled on the sydes of the dore saued them from the destroynge aungell the bloude of Christ hath delyuered vs from the tyrannye of synne DIS These thynges forsothe done meruaylously well agree to gether in euerye poynte But is it ynough if a man do worshyppe and honoure god on the sondayes MAG To godly meÌ„ euery daye is sondaye and after what maner To those that are veryly vertuous and godly euery day is sonday or the lordes daye not for that he dothe alwayes abstayne from outwarde laboures or workes but for that he dothe euery day as ofte as he hath oportunite oftentymes lyfte vp his mynde towardes god stirrynge vp faythe prouokynge charite kendlynge hope praysynge hym with hymnes desyryng some holsome thyng of hym gyuenge thankes to hym for all thynges But lykewyse as it is a poynt of godlynes to practise this thynge dayly so is it an exceding greate and an horrible offence not to do it on the sondayes whan the institution and ordinaunce of Christe and of the apostles and the commune assemble and comynge to gether of the christen people besydes this to holy redyng the prechyng of the worde of god and holy and deuoute ceremonies instituted of good holy fathers done prouoke and call vs hereunto DIS whether they do synne deadly that work on the
god is the father of all men To make recompence to those persones by whome eyther we haue receyued or recouered our lyfe is a poynte belongyng to pietie or naturall loue To do a good tourne to them whiche haue afore done good to vs is a poynte of kyndnes Greate honour loue thanke is oâ— duetie to be gyuen to our maysters and teachers And to our maysters or teachers also we owe excellent singulare loue and honoure because that lykewyse as of our pareÌ„tes it is longe that we lyue euen so of our teachers it is longe that we lyue well and lykewyse as we may thanke our parentes and are detters to them for the lyfe of our body euen so may we thanke our teachers and are detters to them for the lyfe of our mynde We are borne brutyshe and beastly for what els can we make of it by teachyng and information we are made men Uery much honoure therfore is due to those parentes which haue gyueÌ„ vnto vs all these thynges to gether DIS What if both the mother doo refuse the yrkesomnesse of gyueng her chyldern sucke and neyther father nor mother doth teache and nourtoure them to good maners but do vse theyr chyldren as if they were bonde slaues and do requyre obedience and seruice of them to honest dedes MAGISTER The lesse that they haue ben beneficiall and haue done the office of parentes to theyr chyldren the lesse honoure is due to them and yet for all that they also are to be obaydâ— and pleased for goddes sake accordyngâ— to that saynge of the tragedie If thouâ— were not my father excepte peraduenture they doo commaunde or appoynte thynges to be done whiche are displeasaunte to almyghty god for than it is mete and accordynge to say vnto them ☞ we oughte to obey god rather than men Actuum .v. Nowe that whiche hath ben sayd of the parentes appertayneth also to al those whiche are ioyned to vs by nerenesse of bloud or which haue done those benefytes to vs which naturall and louynge parentes are wont to do to theyr owne chyldren Nota. for to haue begotten the body is the leaste parte of the offyces belongyng to parentes It doth no doute of it be come vs to be beneficiall towardes all men but yet there is an ordre to be vsed in doyng of benefytes There is an ordre in doyinge benefytes Nexte after our father and mother as euery one is nexte of bloude to vs so is he fyrste to be holpen and releued lest our liberalite beynge consumed and spent vpon other fremmed persones we haue not wherwith to succurre helpe our owne kynsfolke Saynt Paule pronounceth that i. Timo. v. womaÌ„ to be worse thaÌ„ an infidele which takethe no care nor prouydethe for her owne householde not for that it is a more greuous synne not to haue mynde and care of our kynsfolke than it is not to gyue credence to the gospell but for that such a maner woman doth not so much as that benefyte to her kynsfolke which euen the very hethen women are wont to do to those that are of theyr kynneâ— al be it that the faythe and religion of the The religion of the gospell doth not abrogate but dothe make perfyte the affectioÌ„s of nature Marci vii gospell dothe not abrogate or put away the naturall affections but dothe make them full and perfyte And in the gospell our lorde doth disalow them which caryng no whytte for theyr fathers and mothers dyd gyue theyr goodes iÌ„ offrynges into the treasure of the temple I wyll adde this moreouer This precept doth not onely appertayne to fathers mothers but also it appertayneth to byshopes to teachers to offycers and rulers whiche after a certayne maner done beare the roume and stede of parentes for to whome so euer honoure is coÌ„maunded to be gyuen they are agayne euen by the same commaundement bydden to do those benefytes and workes vnto which greate thanke and honoure is due And therefore sayncte Paule in the .vi. chapitoure of his Epistle to the Ephesianes in other places repetyng this precept coÌ„maundemeÌ„t dothe puâ— both parties in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of theyr office duetie Ephe. vi And you fathers sayth heâ— do not ê“uoke your chyldreÌ„ to angre 〈◊〉 wrath but brynge theÌ„ vp in the instrucâ—tion the correction or the chastisemenâ— of the lord whaÌ„ he forbyddeth the chyldren to be moued or styrred vnto wrath he dothe exclude lordely rule or gouernauÌ„ce whaÌ„ he addeth in the correptioÌ„ or chastisemeÌ„t of the lord he doth commend mylde gentyll teachyng informatioÌ„ to vertuous godly lyuyng that we sholde be such maner ones towardes theÌ„ that are vnder our rule gouernaÌ„ce as the lord hath ben towardê vs for with what face howe for shame they do coÌ„playne of theyr chyldreÌ„ that they are not thryftie vertuose whan theyr owne selues haue taught them brought them vp to ryote wantonnes vnthriftines D. Are thaÌ„ all those longelyued which done louyngly honoure succurre theyr pareÌ„tes M. This thyng hath s. Paule noted marked out that to this fyrste precept is added a rewarde euen in this lyfe also but it was nedeful to speake in such wyse to the grosse carnall Iewes which lyke infauÌ„â—es or babes were to be allured entysed to workes of vertue godlynes with the promysse hope of teÌ„porall coÌ„modites They beyng hardly cruelly handled in Egypte also beyng weryed with long iornayes through the desertes wyldrenesses were meruaylouse gredy desyrous to come ones into the lande of promission flowynge with mylke honey therefore it was added that it may be wel with the Deutero v. that thou maysthe long lyued vpoÌ„ the land which the lord shall gyue to the. And it is very lykely that many persones of that people to whom that lawe was gyuen dyd neuer come to the land that was promised to theÌ„ which yet for all that had vsed due honoure loue toward theyr parentes But those meÌ„ which done spiritually iudge spiritual thinges do not loke for the reward of vertue keping of goddes ê‘cept here in this world but they wayte after theyr reward in that land of lyuing people for it can not be wel with hym that lyueth euyll vngraciously this lyfe although it be coÌ„tinued ê“longed euen vnto extreme age yet is it not for all that a lyfe of long tyme but rather a momeÌ„t and a poynte of tyme if it be compared to that euerlastynge lyfe who hath beÌ„ verilye longe lyuynge That man hath lyued a longe season who so euer hath with well doyng here deserued the eternall lyfe and who so euer beynge brought to an ende in short season hath fulfylled many tymes howe be it euen in this lyfe also god oftentymes dothe paye the rewarde of louynge obedience and honoure vsed towardes the parentes it is some part of reward an honest fame or name