god with vs. Math. i. That virgine the Euangeliste inspired with the same ghoste doth here shew vnto vs as it were with a fynger And the auÌ„gel as it were expoundynge and declaryng the prophecie of Esaie Luce. i. sayde And that holy thynge whiche shall be borne of the shal be called the son of god This is that Mary at whose name al the soulles of good men are recreated cheredâ— comforted whaÌ„ we do here Eue named we do ware inwardly sorowfull and do mourne whan we do here the name of Marie we do plucke vp our hartes and are lifte vp into good hope By Eue we are borne the chyldren of wrath and displeasure by Marie we are borne agayn the chyldren of grace and fauoure DI. Scholde he be accompted and taken for an heretike whiche wolde beleue that Marie the virgine after the byrthe of Christe hadde brought forth other chyldren by her husbande Of the perpetual virginite of our blessed lady MAG ye verily not onelye for an heretike but for a blasphemouse person also DIS And yet they say that this thynge is not expressed in the holy scripture MAG That is very trouth but thoughe it be not expressed yet is it euydently gathered and concluded of holy scripture and that it sholde be otherwise is manifestly repugnaunte to the dygnyte bothe of the sonne and of the mother Finally the catholyke church hath with so great consenâ—e beleued taughte fastly affyrmed it from the begynnynge of the gospell euen vntyll this day that it ought no whitte lesse to be beleued than yf it were expressed in the holy scriptures D. I longe to here the scriptures M. The prophete Ezechiel dyd signifie the perpetual integrite of the virgine by a darcke prophecie Ezech. xliii◠☞ Wwhan he beynge tourned towardes the way of the gate of the vttermore sanctuary which gate loked towarde the Easte herde the same spirite which dyd consecrat the chastite of Mary sayeng these wordê vnto hym This gate shall be shitte shall not be opened and no man shal passe thrugh it for the lorde god of Israell haâ—h entred in by it it shall be shitte to the prince Dyd not the prophet in these wordes very proprerly aptely enough descrybe painteforth the sacred wombe of the virgine out of whiche wombe that sone of rightuosnes hathe risen to vs whiche doth lighteÌ„ euery man that cometh into this worde Iohan. i. of whiche son zacharie also sayth in the gospell of Luke Luce. i. he hathe visited vs spryngynge or risynge from an high to geue lyghte vnto them whiche sitte in darknes in the shadowe of death This gate was shitte afore the tyme of her deliuerauÌ„ce of chyld it was shitte in the tyme of deliuerauÌ„ce it coÌ„tynued also stille shitte after the tyme of her delyueraÌ„ce it was open onely to the prince Christe whiche by his entrynge in dyd sanctifie it and by his goynge out dyd consecrate it for it dyd not loke but onely towardê the easte froÌ„whence the moste pure sonne dothe vprise that sonne I meane which neuer setteth or goeth downe and which reneweth and chereth all thynges It loked to the way of the outward sanctuare for this natiuite was without the coÌ„mune maner of natiuites of men hauing no whit of humane concupiscence or luste mengled or ioyned vnto it Finally whan she herselfe speketh thus to the aungell quia viruÌ„ noÌ„ cognosco .i. for I know no man Luce. i. she sheweth plainely her perpetual purpose of virginite DIS But seyng that wedlocke is an honorable thynge of it selfe and that company of man and wyfe together is without blame or syn what indignite or vnworthines sholde it haue ben yf the lorde hadde ben borne after suche maner as other prophetes were borne and as Iohan Baptist was borne which was more excelleÌ„t than al prophetes why Christ wolde not be begotten betwen man woman as other holy ê“phetes were MAG In dede wedlocke is an honourable thynge yf it be chastely kepte but ê‘petuall virginite is a farre more honourable thynge yf it be so that it be wylfully takeÌ„ for the loue of godlynes and vertue through concupiscence without whiche man is not conceiued The contagion infection of original synne goeth from one to another But more than auÌ„gelicall purite dyd be seme this heuenly chyldebyrthe I pray the tell me now yf ony man dyd tourne a teÌ„ple made of stone after it hadde ben ones halowed and sacred to god by a mortal byshop iÌ„to a showemakers shope wolde not all men crye out that it were shamefully and vnaccordyngly don DIS yes veryly and they wolde also ouerwhelme hym with stones MAG And yet is not the showemakers crafte ony filthy occupation And yf ony man wolde put a vessell that hadde ben consecrated and dedycated to baptisme or holy oyle or to other holy vses vnto prophane vses of the kechen sholde it not seme an intolerable contumely and despite DIS yes dowtles MA. And yet is there no faughte or synne in the cokes crafte D. It is trouth M. what is thaÌ„ to be sayde of the most sacred holy teÌ„ple of the blessed virgines body whâ—che not euery maner bishop hath dedicated with bodily oyle but the holy ghost hymselfe hath coÌ„secrated it with heuenly that diuine chylde rested so manye monethes as in a brydechaumbre in whiche also as in a workehowse the hole trinite dyd worke and finishe that mistery whiche is to be honoured worshipped euen of the aungelycall myndes Sholde it not seme a verye vnmeâ—e and vnsemely thynge yf it had ben open I wyll not say to man but euen to an aungell D. yes I perceyue it very playnly M. Now reken coÌ„sidre this with thy selfe whether we sholde rather geue credeÌ„ce to the church so coÌ„sentâ—g agreing together orels to the Iewes beynge not onelye in this poynte madde orels to vile and vnlerned Heluidius whose erroure taken of the scriptures mysunderstonded is so manifeste Heluidius that scasely he hathe fownde ony disciples of his erroure and also of the olde doctoures of the church hath ben scasely iudged worthy of confutation DIS I see and perceyue how greatly perpetuall virginite dyd beseme that byrthe But why wolde the lord be borne of a maryed woman why Christe wolde bâ— borne of a virgine beynge maryed to an husbande MA. It was prouided by that meane for the ionge virgine that she sholde haue a keper an inteÌ„der a nourysher and a minister without ony sinister suspytion of the wycked and mysdemynge coÌ„mun people and also that she sholde haue her spouse and husbande a waightie and substancyall wytnesse of her virginite it was semely and conuenient that suche a virgine as she was sholde be in moste highe and perfyghte tranquillyte and quyetnes and it was conuenient and mete that the mother of god shulde be not onely pure from all synne but it was also accordynge that she shold be not
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
grauÌ„te that god made the worlde Selencus but he sayth that the matter or stuffe wherof he made it was eternal without begynnyng makyng a thyng without shape or facion vnê‘fight egal vnto god he doth also execrat hath the opinioÌ„ of Menander which folowiÌ„g Plato dyd teach that the worlde was not made of god Menaâ—der but of auÌ„geles callyng auÌ„gels those whom Plato calleth sprytes the soÌ„nes of the cheffe pncipal goddes Saturnius And he hateth also Saturnius which is more shameful out of the right opinion thaÌ„ these afore reherced whiche drâ—amed the world to haue ben made of seuen auÌ„gels also he hatâ—th Basilides most shamefully errig of al other Basilides which sayd that the world was created of heuen But nowe I am werye to speake onye more of erroures heresies whiche are innumerable and without ende Breffly and generally who so euer thynketh of god otherwise than he is in very dede or els dothe not thynke hym to be suche one as the auctorite of the diuine scripture hathe described hym vnto vs that persoâ—e doth not beleue and trust in god but he putteth his hope in an idole Thou seest here hou great philosophie and wisdome this one so shorte an article hath taught vs and froÌ„ howe great darknes monstruose erroures it hathe deliuerd vs. DIS Forsoth now I perceyue and see well that it is a greatte thynge to say vnfaynedly and with the harte It is no smal thynge to say truly froÌ„ the herte Credo in deum Credo in deum id est I beleue and truste in god MAG ye thou wol dest euen muche more saye this yf thou dydest recken and considre hou greate a multitude of men there is vpon whome saynte Paules sayeng may be verified Tit. i. ☞ They professe themselues to knowe god but in theyr dedes they doo denye hym Nota. what so euer thynge man doth preferre afore god and more set by than by god that same thynge he maketh a god to hymselfe DIS Howe so MA. God saythe what so euer thynge man doth loue regarde more thaÌ„ god that thynge he maketh his god thou shalte not doo none adultery nor fornication The concupiscence and luste of the fleshe byddeth the to coÌ„mit adultery here who so euer not regardynge god doth obaye his concupiscence and luste doth he not after a certaine maner forsake god iÌ„ his place set vp his owne concupiscence DIS It appereth so MAG God sayth Do not forsweare the or do no periury and Couetousnes byddeth a man to do periurye dothe not the couetouse man here in the sted of the very and true god worshippe Mammon The scripture teacheth vs that god is psente eueriwhere and that there is nothynge hydde from his iyes Hebre .iiii. But do those men beleue this whiche dayly do coÌ„mitte that thyng vnder the iyes of god which they durst not be bold to coÌ„mite in the presence syght of man DI. It apperethâ— that no. M. They which for the death of theyr children or for theyr wares or goodes takeÌ„ from them doo hange themselues or otherwise for do themselues do those persones beleue that all the world worldly thynges are wisely and mercifully gouerned of god DIS It is meruayle yf they do veryly beleue so MAGIS They that with theyr hole hert mynd all theyr lyfe tyme do serue the worlde Prouer. ii ☞ Beynge mery whan they haue done euyll and reioysynge in synne and vngratiousâ—es doo these men beleue that god doth suffre none euyll dede vnponyshed but that they which wold not here make amendes for thyr synnes by repeÌ„taunce are sente into euerlastyng fyre DIS In my iudgemente either they do not beleue it or els it is but a verye cold and faynt beleffe that they haue of it MAG Agayn they that considerynge the greatnesse and grauyte of ther offeÌ„ces do despeyre of forgeuenê do those persones beleue that god is of infynyte mercye DIS It is not very lykely that they do MAG It is therfore a thynge of no lytle wayghte and no lytle helpynge vnto a godlye and blessed lyfe a man with a quycke and lyuelye faythe to knowe the verye god who so euer vnfaynedlye and from the herte dothe beleue that he is moste perfyghtelye good and moste perfyghtlye fayre howe can he loue onye thynge aboue hym And who so euer beleueth that he is almyghtye wyll not goo abowte too resyste hym that can not be ouercomen who so euer beleueth that he is of most hyghe and perfyghte wysdome that persone wyll neuer grudge agaynst god in aduersyte and trybulatyon For as that man myghte seme and be accompted lewede by the iudgement of all men whiche beyng hymselfe vnlerned wolde fynde faughte with the phisicion and wolde rebuke hym for that he doth prescribe sondry thynges to sondry bodies so lykewyse he sholde be vtterlye folyshe and without witte whiche wolde iudge god in lyke maner as though he knewe not what is beste for euery man The phisicion doth anoynte and bathe one man another man he seareth and cutteth another he dothe lette bloode to another he mynystrethe a clyster or geueth a laxatyue medycyne too another he geueth a byndynge medycyne To some man he comaundeth abstynence To a another he prescrybeth certayne kyndes of meattes he counsaylethe one man to reste and slepe another he dothe forbydde to slepe and we do saye he is a physycyon he knoweth what is expedyente for the person beynge sycke and dyseased And whan god geueth to one man ryches and dothe take the same away from another doth sende to some man chyldren and to another sendeth none at all and to one man geueth prosperouse helth to another sendethe a body full of sicknesses and diseases do we say why doth god handle men after this facion and do we not rayther saye he is god and knoweth what is expedyente for euery man He that beleuethe god to be most ryghtuose he wyll neuer promise hymselfe to escape vnponished for his misdedes And who so euer beleuethe that he dothe knowe all thynges that man wyl not lyghtly do that thynge in the syghte of god whiche he wolde be ashamed to do in the syght of a good and an honest man who so euer beleueth that he is moste sothefast and true wyll drede the paynes or ponishemeÌ„tes that are thretened to wycked men and wyll haue loue and desiere vnto that eternall blysse whiche is promised to good and vertuose men who so euer doth beleue that â—his worlde was created for mannes cause that person whiche waye soo euer warde he shal tourne hym selfe shal be stirred and prouoked to honoure and worssyppe the great goodnes and lyberalyte of god and he shall be afrayde to vse the thynges whiche god hath grasâ—ted to hym otherwise thaÌ„ to his honoure and glorye But let here be the ende of this coÌ„munication After that thou hast made thy prayer to god Leuiticâ—
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