in al sinne and ouercommeth teaching vs by his example how to ouercome The deuil teÌ„pteth him with the lustes of the flesh with lust of the eies and with the desyre of worldly promocion with lust of the flesh saying If thou be the sonne of God speake that these stones be made bread But Christ answereth teaching vs to fight in like case Man shal not liue by bread only but by euery word that coÌ„meth out of the mouth of God He teÌ„pteth him bidding him cast himself down from the pinnacle because it was written that angels had charge ouer him Christ answereth thou shalt not tempt thy Lord thy Ged He tempteth him with desire of promotion with the lustes of the eies carying him into the mountain promising him the glory of y e world But he who made al the world refused worldly honor and teacheth vs that God only is to be worshipped Al sinne is conteined in the deuils thre temptacions and al vertue in Christes aunswers The deuil with thre proposicions wold inuegle Christ in all heresies but Christ confuteth him with thre scriptures And that thou shouldest not thinke that Christ is the holy ghost touching his incarnation he is sayde to be coÌ„ceiued of the holy ghost and in his baptising the holy comforter descendeth vpon him and when he is tempted the spirit leadeth him into wildernes wherfore he is vncoÌ„founded with y e holy gost Christ also suffreth death to deliuer vs from the tiranny of death not the father nor the holy ghost for he offred his flesh an odoriferous and swete smelling sacrifice to the father The cause why he humbled him self vnto death is forasmuch as our first parentes lost Gods fauour through pride for it was said vnto them taste and ye shal be as Gods For this cause it pleaseth Christ to ouercome the deuil by humilitie who through pryde entised vs from God and we also must ouercome by humilitie recouer Gods fauour by humilitie enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ through humilitie Doun therfore proud stomack down peacocks fethers down hygh mountaine and become a lowe valley The Lord wil breake down the house of the proude he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted as we may learne of the Publicane and the Pharisey We must returne to paradise by humilitie which we lost by pride Humilitie is the porter of heauen gates Fâ—ctus est obediens vsque ad mortem crucis He became obedient to the death of the crosse But why is Christ crucified for our sinnes Why did he chose this kind of death before other Truly because this kind of death is accursed and al that die of it as it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree For so it commeth to passe that Christ was accursed for vs to deliuer vs from Gods curse as Paul saith Christ hath deliuered vs from the curse of law in that he was made accursed for vs. Only he rose from death to lyfe only he ascended into heauen in the sight of his disciples not the father nor the holy ghost Some searching wittes demaunde whether Christ could not deliuer vs but by assumpting our nature by suffring moste cruell tormentes He could but he would not He toke our nature because he came to deliuer our nature that nether kind shulde thinke they are dispised he became man was born of a woman that the serpent which seduced both man and woman might be ouercome through both Moreouer he came not only to deliuer vs but also to be an example of good liuing We be desirous of riches he preferred pouertie we hunt for promotion he would not be a king we are careful to make heires to leaue many children after vs he dispised such fashion we disdaine to suffer wroÌ„g he suffred al wrong we can not abide to be reuiled he held his tong we hate our ennemies we ar vnpainful in doing our duties he was scourged and whipped of his own wil for vs we be sore afrayd of death he died for vs. He was sent also to heale our infirmities by well doyng which came through sinne How caÌ„ our couetousnes he healed but by his pouertie How can our furiousnes be cured but by his pacience How can our vnkindnes be recompeÌ„sed but by his loue How can our timâ—rousnes be boldened but by his resurrection Further howe could he more set forth his exceading loue toward vs theÌ„ in dieng for vs. A greater loue then this hath no man then to bestowe his life saith Christ speaking of his own death The deitie suffreth no infirmitie which is impossible wherfore it was necessary that he should take our nature vpoÌ„ him who came to heale our infirmities and to teach vs to cure them through wel doing If he had takeÌ„ them in any other nature theÌ„ we might think that he dispised our nature that he loued vs not that the example of his life belongeth nothing vnto vs. For if he had ben tempted in another nature or died how could we learn to withstand the deuil to ouercome teÌ„ptacions to dispise death of him Wherfore there was no way lyke this to redeme maÌ„ He is wisdom wherfore he toke the most wysest way The .xxvi. Chapter ¶ The holy comforter is vnconfounded how and why he descended in the likenes of a doue rather then of any other bird NOw that I haue proued Christ to be vncoÌ„founded mine order requireth to fortifie thesame thing of the most glorious and holy coÌ„forter the which is done partly already for in that we haue proued that Christ is not the holy ghost the blessed almighty comforter is vncoÌ„founded with him He is vncoÌ„founded also with the father in that he procedeth of the father in that he leadeth Christ into the wildernesse in that he is sent of the father as Christ saieth WheÌ„ the comforter shal come whoÌ„ the father shal sende in my name and in that he is sent of Christ also as it is written When the comforter shal come whoÌ„ I wyll sende in my fathers name For Christ sendeth him the father sendeth both him and the almighty comforter but he himselfe is vnsent That he sent Christ the Apostle testifieth When the time was ful come God sent his sonne borne of a woman and made bonde to the lawe the which must be vnderstand of the father because he sayth God sent his sonne Wherfore Christ himself sayeth I went out from the father and came into the worlde His sendyng and his comming is hys incarnation as I haue proued before So the almyghtie comforter is sayde to be sent bycause he appeared in visible formes as in the lykenes of a Doue and Fyre not that he became a Doue and Fyre as Christe became very man but that it pleased hym to worke his graces and benefites by a doue and fier that our harts might beleue his preseÌ„ce and know his power
wil in assent consent and not in their substaunce nature and diuinitie to which I make answer that in al the scripture they can not finde vnum sunt spokeÌ„ of thinges which differ in substauÌ„ce and nature Wherfore spoken of the thre persons thei proue theÌ„ to haue no diuersitie in ther nature if that be true thei must grauÌ„t of necessitie y t they be one God by nature S. Paul saith y t he y t plaÌ„teth he y t watreth vnuÌ„ sunt are one â–ª Are they of diuers substauÌ„ce nature no verely for both of theÌ„ were men He speaketh these wordes of himself of Apollo for the coÌ„gregation reioysed in them forbidding the Corinthians to reioyse in men and teaching them to reioyce in God only Wherfore these words Vnum sunt in this place are not spokeÌ„ of things which differ in substaunce Let vs ponder other textes The same Paul vnto the Galathians saith Al you Vnum estis in Christo Iesu are one in Christ Iesu. He speaketh this of the Gala. whiche al were of one nature of one lompe and substauÌ„ce For they al were men of men Here thou seest also reader that these wordes vnum sunt are not spoken of thinges which differ in substaunce But the Arrians reply that y e Apostle witnesseth that he which is ioyned vnto the Lorde is one spirit yet he is not of the same substaunce that the body is The latin there is not vnum sunt are one of which I doe speake but Qui adheret domino vnus spiritus est he y t is ioyned to the Lorde is vnus spiritus one spirit For vnus ioyned with another word as with spiritus may be spokeÌ„ of thinges which are of discrepant nature as iâ— is here but vnum sunt is neuer so spoken Search al the Bible through out and thou shalt find this to be true I graunt that the wordes vnum sunt be spoken often of assent in wil but only in those thinges which differ not in nature and substaunce And truly the father the son the holy ghost vnum sunt voluntate are one in wil and assent but also of one substauÌ„ce nature diuinitie forasmuch as vnum sunt are one is neuer spoken of things which differ in substauÌ„ce The Arrians replie further y t Christ praied for his elect vt sint unum that they may become one as he his father were one He doth not pray that they he the father may be one but that thei be one as he and his father be one both in nature and wil as it foloweth in thesame texte Vt omnes vnum sint sicut â—u pater in me ego in te ipsi in nobis vnum sint That they al may be one as thou father art in me I in thee that thei also may be one in vs. For mortal men can not be of the same substaunce that God is they may be one in God but not with God they may be one as the father Christ be but not of their nature that is the thre persons of the glorious trinitie are one in wyl assent substaunce also so the chosen after this life as they are now of one substaunce so shal they be then also not with God but in God of one assent coÌ„sent wil not squaring one with another for thei shalbe al one in Iesus christ Christ shalbe al thinges in al and God shalbe all thynges in al whiche proueth Christ God vnum sunt is spoken here of the elect which differ not in substaÌ„ce for they be men Therfore the father y e son the holy ghost ar of one substauÌ„ce diuinitie and if they be of one substaunce diuinitie they ar not thre Gods but one God as it is written Harken Israel the Lord thy god is one God He saith vnto Israel by Moises where are their gods wherin they trusted the fat of whose sacrifices thei eat and dranke the wyne of their vessels Let theÌ„ arise vp help you and be your shild Se now how I am alone that there is no God but I. I can kil make aliue what I haue smitten that can I heale I wil lifte vp my hand to heauen and say I liue euer If ther be many Gods their kingdom is deuided but the kingdom of God is euerlasting wherfore it is not deuided for euery kiÌ„gdom deuided shalbe destroied The hebrue word for God is Elohim whiche is not of the singuler number but of y e plurel For there be thre persones but it is alway ioyned with a verb singuler lest y t we shuld thinke there were many gods Moises vseth this word for the englishe which is God when he saith in the beginning god created heaueÌ„ earth wherfore we may learne that the world is the workmaÌ„ship of y e hole trinie This word is vsed coÌ„monly for god to signifie that whatsoeuer is done is the worke of the thre persones for as they be not seperable so they work vnseparablie The heathen supposed there were many Gods because it semed to them impossible for one to rule and gouerne all thinges yet they deuided the gouernance therof betwene thre geuing heauen and earth to Iupiter the seas to Neptune the lowe partes and hell to Pluto But the scriptures which is truth caÌ„not lye testifieth that the thre persons without deuision without labour or payne without tyme gouerne al thynges for their workes be vnseperable If so 〈◊〉 there be many Gods then is there somwhat where in one of them doth differ from another Now if that be any good thing he is no God that lacketh or waÌ„teth any thing y t good is For as he that nameth a kyng doth in this one word comprehend many excellent thinges so he that nameth God doth comprehend in this word an infinite sum of al good things We read of a certain ruler whiche called Christe good maister asking him what he shuld do to get and atchiue eternal life whom Christ rebuked saying why callest thou me good None is good but God only If God only be good theÌ„ al goodnes is in him as I haue proued in my first matter He is life is truth he is light he is strength he is health he is Thassos agathon that is a treasure heape of al goodnes And if that thing wherin they differ be an euil thing that can not be God y t hath any euil thing in him for he wilâ—eth no wickednes The Heathen which worship many Gods did do think no euill to come by theÌ„ by y e light which thei had of nature iudged theÌ„ to reuenge punish al that thei toke to be sinne Nowe if God be a rightuous punisher of vice he must be void of the same Wherfore naturall reason teacheth that there is but one God Doth not the noble and worthy Phylosopher Aristotle
worthines of the minister If their morthines or vnworthines make the sacraments effectual or not theÌ„ of two good the more worthy maketh theÌ„ more effectual and it wer better to be christened of Iohn than of Thomas of Inde better to be sent of Cephas than of Timothe better to receaue the coÌ„munioÌ„ at Pauls hand than of Apollo but their ministration differeth not we are forbidden to reioyce in men for nether he that planteth is any thing nether he that watreth wherfore al haÌ„geth of God who giueth the increase who only forgeueth sinne not of the worthines or vnworthines of the minister The key which Christ promised vnto Peter saying Tibi dabo claues regni caelorum To the I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen who answered in that behalf of al as all were asked is Gods holy word wherwith y e minister bindeth and vnbindeth vs as the keye doth shut open the dore The Papistes expound the keies to signifie a general authoritie supremitie grauÌ„ted vnto Peter aboue the other Apostles al kinges the whiche nowe they giue tâ— their great sire of â—ome as to y e only successer of Peter To these I aunswer that Christ gaue non of his Apostles further authoritie then he had himself for when he sendeth them he saith As my father sent me so I send you Wherfore was he sent Not to be ministred vnto but to minister vnto other The people wold haue made him their king head but he refused it he paid tribute to Cesar at Capernaum he was a minister of circumcision many yeares he saith vnto him whiche desired part of his brothers inheritauÌ„ce Who made me a iudge or deuider euer you Wherfore y e keies be no teÌ„poral authoritie Hath y e disciple a further authoritie then his maister Or is the seruaunt aboue his Lord Christ coÌ„maundeth Peter to pay tribute vnto Cesar to put vp his swerd who in the actes sendeth not other but he himself is sent of the Apostles to lay hands vpon them in Samaria which beleued through the preaching of Philip he is asked a count afterward why he went and eat with the vncircumcised he appointeth no maÌ„ in the roume of Iudas but al the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lottes beseching God to temper them that the lot might fal on y e most ablest Wherfor he was not head of Apostles kings Emperours but a felowe minister as he witnesseth of himself saying I exhort y e ministers among you which am their felow minister Albertus Pighius the Byshop of Romes chief Knyght in his controuersy of the Congregation peruerteth the scripturs to proue that Christ at his departing made him head of the church and general shepherd of his flock First touching the keyes he saith that the ciuil lawyers with y e keyes giue possessioÌ„ of house burrow town and citie As for an example Kyng Henry the eight of most famous memory was made Lord of Bulloin when they deliuered the keyes therof to his maiestie Moreouer Christ commenly calleth hys churche Regnum a kingdom or Monarchie If it be a kingdom saith Pigghius one must be head therof not many for that is a kingdom where one gouerneth If one must be head who is that but he and his successours that had y e keies of the kingdom geueÌ„ him These be reasons of deceitful vanitie and after the ordinaunces of the world not after Christ of which S. Paul warneth the CollossiaÌ„s to take hede Among lawyers possessioÌ„ and dominions is â—eueÌ„ by the key but we must learne what the key is of him that gaue it and not of Lawyers who telleth vs what the key is saying Wo be to you lawyers For ye haue taken away that key of knowledge Where no man can denie but that by the key of knowledge Gods word is ment signified whiche is the only key geuen to the Apostles This is the key wherwith the ministers are commaunded to lose and to bynd to forgeue and to retaine to blesse and to curse The byshop of Rome losing and iustifying men thorow traditioÌ„s and ceremonies and not with the key of gods word hath not Peters key but a pick-lock of whiche he bosteth himself to be head of the churche This key is the .ii. Testaments which Christ commaunded his Apostels to preach to al nacioÌ„s and because there be two testaments he calleth them keyes For euery Scribe of this kingdom bringeth forth of his treasure thinges both newe and olde newe thinges that is the swete tidinges of the gospel to vnbynd vs and olde thinges that is the olde Testament and Moises lawe to bind vs and euery minister hath this key as wel as Peter If Peter be head of the church bicause it is a kyngdom and scriptures ar to be expounded after the law and ordinauÌ„ces of y e world then Peters sonne shuld haue bene head after his father or if he had no sonne the next of his kinred not the Pope For in al kingdomes the sonne or the next of y e kinred is heire to the crown But nether Peter nor the pope be heads therof nor no other vpon the earth but the euerlasting Iesus Christ who nedeth no heir who hath promysed to be present with his congregation vnto the worldes end who nameth his congregation a kingdom not that he made Peter Lord auer vs or the Pope but because he is Lorde and we haue promised obedience vnto him Peter calleth hym our chief shepheard and forbiddeth priestes to be lordes ouer the parishes The Pope sayth that Peter is the rock vpon which the congregacion is founded and than he wil be Peters heire because Peter was once at Rome But the scriptures which are the true touchstone to examine al interpretations by teach vs that Christ is the rock not Peter when he saith vnto Christ thou art the sonne of the liuing God and is â—unswered Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my congregation These wordes vpon this rock are not to be vnderstand of Peter who was so vnconstaunt that he denied his maister thrise but of Christ who is y e sonne of the liuing God as S. Paul teacheth vs saying Petra auteÌ„ erat Christus That is Christ was the rock whom in another place he calleth our foundacion and saith No man can lay another foundation If no man can lay another foundation then Peter is not the foundatioÌ„ The scriptures vse to liken Christ and y e congregation to a bridgrome and hys wyfe for he is called the bridgrome and the church is called his spouse Wherfor S. Paul maketh matrimony a high mistery The husband appointeth no other to be head ouer his wyfe but he only is her head for els she should be vnder two heades no more doth Christ ouer the coÌ„gregation to which he is only husband a gelouse husband If Peter be
with the grosse lompe of the body And that we shuld firmly beleue stedfastly credit Ex quibus Christus est secundum carnem that he is of the fathers concerning the flesh S. Mathew S. Luke reken his kinred fetch his stock and generation from Adam Enok Noe Abraham Dauid Salomon Roboam Zorobabel c. Moreouer Christ came not only to dye fâ—r our synnes but also to be an ensample vnto vs and a perfect patern of good lyuing as shalbe declared afterward Forsomuch theÌ„ as we be partakers of flesh bloud he also Participauit eisdem toke part with vs. If he toke other flesh not made of his mother but of what matter it pleased him he toke no part with vs nether doeth his ensample belong vnto vs. He is our brother For S. Paul saith he is not ashamed to call theÌ„ brethreÌ„ saying I wil declare thy name vnto my brethren Now brethren be of one nature substauÌ„ce touching their flesh and body Therfor she that denieth Christ to haue taken his flesh of his mother is not the sister of Christ but the eldest first borne doughter of Antichrist Yet she pretended that she beleued that Christ was a true natural man but in dede she denieth his maÌ„hod for if he had any manhod or humanitie as no doubt he had he had it vndoubtedly of his mother or els he was no man If he had it not of his mother define shew froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he had it Yea they say it is vnknoweÌ„ and vndefined in the scripturs How theÌ„ can we warrant Christes humanitie against heretikes if we make it vncertain wherof he toke it and if it be vnknowen wherof it was shapen But albeit he toke fleshe of his mother yet it was holy flesh not synful flesh that he toke for so much as it was coÌ„ceiued and wrought by the ouer shadowing of y e holy ghost Al be it the seed and flesh of other be sinfull yet hers was not so but sanctified bi the holy spirite most cleane for to her it was said Benedicta tu inter mulieres Blessed art thou amongst women He is Lapis de monte excisus sine manibus comminuens c. The stone of which Daniell recordeth that was cut out of y e hil without hands which hath shal breake into pouder the goldeÌ„ siluer brasen and yron kingdâ—mes that is the .iiii. Monarchies and Empyres of the Caldies and Babilonians of the Medies and Persies of the Macedonians Grekes and of he Romains The hill out of the which this stone is taken is the tribe house of Iuda which dwelt was situate vpoÌ„ mouÌ„t Sion in Ierusalem and by the wordes without hands is ment that this stone without mans seed mans help nature came out of y e foresaid hil in that he toke his flesh on no earthly father but onelie of the substaunce of Marye his mother of whose breastes the said flesh was nourished afterward Christ was conceaued of the holy ghost not the father who touching his humanitie hath no father vpon earth as concerning his diuinitie he hath no mother in heauen Further he was borne of a Virgin for somuch as Virginitie is a far more honorable thing then wedlocke The blessed Virgin Credendo non concum bendo grauida facta est was made fruitful by faith not bi mans help by the spirite not by lechery For it was seeming that the vnspotted lambe Iesus Christ who shoulde blot oute our sinnes as the fyer melteth the waxe that he should be born without all originall sinne NotwithstaÌ„ding was borne Ex Virgine desponsata of a Virgin handfasted and maried partly y t the yong Virgin shuld not be destitute of a helper a keper a nourysher in her aduersitie and trauayle her progresse into Egipte partly also that none shuld recount wedlocke vnelean or matrimonie vn pure forsomuch as he vouchsafed to be borne therin Neither is it any dishonor any defacing to y e diuine nature that Christ who filleth all y e world filled the woÌ„be of y e blessed virgin no not if her flesh had bene sinful vnsanctified For his diuinitie is not defiled therbi no more then y e son shining vpoÌ„ carrein filthy â—akes is dishonoured or defyled through their stinking sents or rather much lesse for he made the sun For the diuinitie is said to be vndefilable not because it toucheth no thing vnclean but because it coÌ„tinueth cleane whatsoeuer it toucheth Wherfore he was not defyled with the Virgins womb but saÌ„ctified it halowed it with his presence made it most clean and chose himselfe a mother in earth because before he had a father in heaueÌ„ If ani man think because Christ was borne of the holy ghost that he is y e holy ghost sonne let him not be deceaued for it is no sure reason if any thing be born of an other to make it straight the son therof as for example We are borne of water and yet we are not the sonnes of water we are borne of the holy ghost yet we are not the sonnes of the holy ghost but the sonnes of our heauenly father Also lice heares lumbrykes are bred gendred of man â–ª yet no body calleth them the sonnes of man Likewise many ar called the sons of some and yet they cannot be said to be born of them as Eschinus is son to Mitio and yet not borne of him And y e scripture calleth them Filios Mortis the sonnes of death the sonnes Belliall the children of the deuill the children of sin perdition the soÌ„nes of wrath the soÌ„nes of hel which wer neuer born of it but made vnto ignominie and Filios dilectionis y e soÌ„nes of loue y e soÌ„nes of light of promise of strength of the kingdome not borne of it but such as shalbe felowe heyres with Christ are prepared for y e kingdom So our sauiour Christ is said to be conceaued of y e holy comforter and borne of him yet he is not his soÌ„ne but thonli soÌ„ne of God y e father vnto whom we be also sonnes but we be the sons of promise he is y e soÌ„ne begotteÌ„ we be sons through adoption Christ is the sonne of God by nature for asmuch as the scripture is that he was coÌ„ceaued of the holy ghost who being God became man We caÌ„not gather therof y t he is Christes father for touching his humane nature he was borne without a father as touching his other nature he lackeâ— a mother but rather we may reason that he is his mother for y e mother coÌ„ceaueth not the father and so he shall haue .ii. mothers the whiche is vnpossible wherfore he is the onlie sonne of God the father But why is he borne a babe a litell one not an able man as Adam was Adam was made an able man because he was made after the
who loueth me shal be loued of my father I wil loue him of the holy coÌ„forter y e fruit of y e spirit is loue Through this loue of al the thre persons Christ suffred death y t we might liue for of the father it is written God so loued y e world y t he gaue his only begotten son of Christ I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me gaue himself for me The spirit also gaue him for Paul saith of Christ which through the eternal spirit offred himself without spot vnto God They haue also one counsel for Esay calleth y e holy gost the spirit of couÌ„sel strength Christ is called Angeâ—â—s magni consilij an angel of great couÌ„sel because he is the wisdom of God they are of one wil they coÌ„maund forbid one thing their calling is not diuers but one And as the father is called Lord so is the holy coÌ„forter so is Christ. We reade that the spirit of the Lorde came vpon Sampson whom he calleth also his strength saying if my hear were cut of my strength would go from me But after that his seuen lockes were cut awai the scripture saith that the Lord departed from him calling the spirit which gouerned him Lord. If thei haue one nature one kingdom one power one counsel one operation one name one vertue one life one peace one grace one coÌ„mauÌ„dement one vocation one wyll and seyng they be one light one charitie one streame and one Lord how can they be diuers Gods There is a generall vnitie of al things in them wherfore thei must nedes be one God also I trust now it be sufficiently fortified and established that ther is but one god of heauen earth who gouerneth ordreth al thinges Natural reason proclaimeth this as it were out of some highe place vnto al creatures His almighty euerlasting power proueth y e same The Poets confesse and graunt him to be alone the Philosophers coÌ„discend to theÌ„ the Sibilles magnifie and acknowledge him y e false gods of y e Pagans theÌ„selues confesse him the Prophetes of the true God euermore taught this the EuaÌ„gelistes and Apostles fortifie the same nature preacheth one God which acknowledgeth one world faith telleth vs the same for there is but one fayth of both testaments as the Apostle witnesseth and baptisme also for there is but one bath of holy baptisme whiche is ministred in y e name of the trinitie The glorious death of many thousandes of maâ—tâ—rs both of men children women virgins which by no maner of tormentes could be plucked away from this faith haue sealed it and the constant and stedfast consent agrement and conspiration of all tymes and nacions with one minde and accord hath enacted this so that the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it The .xxix. Chapter ¶ Al the partes of the difinition made of God are proued to agre vnto Christ. AS I haue spoken of al iii. persones of the blessed trinitie together so now for a more euident profe of my last content I wyll fortifie out of the stoore house of y e scriptures y t al the parts of my definitioÌ„ made of y e only king of kinges immortal almighty God do belong appertein also both vnto Christ to the alknowing most blessed coÌ„forter The first persel of my difinitioÌ„ was God is a spiritual substance That Christ is a substance no maÌ„ wil deny for he is no accident Read my .xxiiii. chap. there y u shalt find this thing proued But how caÌ„ you proue y t he is a spiritual substaunce The prophet Ieremy saith Spiritus ante facieÌ„ nostram Christus dominus that is y e spirit before vs Christ y e lord Note y t he calleth him both a spirit lord If ther be no spirit he can not be God for god is a spirit and inasmuch as he is a spirit a substaÌ„ce he is a spiritual substaunce not touching his humanitie but touching y t nature in which he is lord as the prophet declareth very wel saying y e spirit before vs Christ the lord meaning that he is Lord in that he is a spirit for y e Lord is a spirit Pure nature foloweth in the difinitioÌ„ By the word pure is ment that God is one a singuler substaunce not myxt not compost Ether Christ is suche a substaunce or els he is a creature If he be a creatur theÌ„ is he subdued to vanitie not willingly for the Apostle witnesseth Quippe vanitati creatura subiacet non volens Euery creature is subdued to vanitie Christ is not subdued to vanitie Ergo Christ is no creature That Christ is not subdued to vanitie I proue thus The ruler of this world came and founde nothing in him Ergo he is not subdued to vanitie But some Arrians wil say y t he was subdued vnto vanitie in y t he toke our natur vpoÌ„ him to restore vs when we wer forlorn for the preacher crieth of all things vnder heauen al is but vanitie al is but plain vanitie Albeit this were truly spoken yet can not S. Pauls saying be verified of Christ who saith euery creature is subdued vnto vanitie not willingly Christ toke our nature willingly restord vs willingly by his precious death passion as he himself doth testifie no man doth take my life fro me but I put it away my self wherfore he is no creature Ergo he is a pure simple single nature without al mixture or composicion Immutable Paul telleth vs that he is immutable for in his letter to his countreymen he witnesseth that the father speaketh these wordes of the .ci. Psalm vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes they shall perishe but thou shalt endure They shal wax old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them they shalbe chaunged but thou art the same that is vnchauÌ„geable thy years shal not faile Lo y e father witnesseth that Christ is immutable We read also Iesus Christus heri hodie idem est etiam in secula Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same continueth for euer This propertie belonging to no creature proueth him God For God only is immutable Iesus Christ is immutable Ergo Ieus Christ is God Inuisible This is another propertie whiche the scriptures geue vnto God Christ is a spirit touching one nature â–ª then if al spirites if our soules be vnuisible how muche more is Christ vnuisible the maker of spirites and soules Paul calleth hym touchynge this nature vertutem dei the vertue or power of God Wherfore he is vnuisible vnsearchable Paule in the same place calleth him the wisdome of God the wisdome of God is vnsearchable There foloweth in the definition Filling heaueÌ„ earth