ymagined and deuysed these thynges in dede they doo speake thynges that are true but verily in my iuggement they do not expresse that which is proprely declared by these wordes saue only that in the name of holy church all these thynges are couertly and secretly comprehended But this thynge is true without controuersye or doute that there is no gyftes in the catholyke churche All graces â— gyftes issuen from the hede Christe but they do come to it from the hede that is to wytte Christe although dyuerse membres haue dyuerse offyces and operations DISCIPLE There is not in al the world any thyng that good is but it dothe come from Christe MAGISTER Trouth it is but we do nowe speake of those thynges which by fayth in Christ and by the sacramentes of the churche do gyue true holynes and vertue For els god dothe gyue many commodytes and good gyftes euen to wycked men ye and to asses and oxen also DISCIPLE If they be not of the company or felowshyp of the churche whiche doo lyue wyckedly and agayne we do not know surely of the most part of men whether they be good or euyll A notable question what maner a societe is that of men which do not know eche other MAG Aunswere Nor we doo not knowe any of the aungelles althoughe they do wayte on vs neyther doost thou knowe thyne owne soule and yet of it is it longe that thou dost lyue that thou dost moue or styrrâ—â— and that thou haste wytte and perceyuyng Noman is compelled or constrayned to knowe certaynly whether this man oâ— that man be a lyue membre of the churche It is sufficyent to beleue that in the earth there is such a certayn societye and felowshyp of them that are predestinated to lyfe whiche company Christ hath glewed or ioyned to gether with his spirite whether they be amoÌ„g the Indianes or els amonge the Gaditanes or els amonge the Hyperboreanes orels among the people of Affryke And it may be so that iÌ„ the world there are some landes other Ilandes or els drye landes which are not yet found of maryners or geographers in which for all that the Christen faythe is stronge quycke To beholde the secrete partes of mannes harte belongeth onely to god by reason wherof it cometh to passe that the iudgemeÌ„tes of men very oftentymes are vncertayne DIS Why thaÌ„ are certayn men caste out from the churches MAG The iudgementes of men are vncertayn i. Tim. v. There are certayn manyfeste and open crymes whiche as Paule saythe do goo afore vnto iudgemente Of these crymes men do iudge as they maye for the conseruatioÌ„ of the publyke ordre Nota. And yet for all that it happeneth otherwhyses that the theffe whiche is hanged on the galowes is fauteles and that the iudge which hath condemned hym is worthy an haulter and it may be also that the person that is excommunicated is in the felowshyp and communion of the churche and that he which dyd excoÌ„municate hym is cut away and departed from the churche Also it is possyble that he which is drawne to the fyer for an heretyke is a very pleasaunte sacrifyce to god and that they whiche brought hym to the fyer are worthy to be brente DIS What euen than also whan a man is excommunicated and caste out of the churche for knowne and euydente murthere or sacriledgeâ— MAG ye verily for iâ— maye be that afore that the byshop doo throwe forth the lyghtenyng or sentense of excommunication agaynst the malefactoure he be all redy by true contrition of harte retourned agayne into the fauoure of almyghty god And yet this thynge because it is vnknowne to men doth not auayle or help hym any whyt but that he shall be kepte from the entryng iÌ„ to the chyrch why god wold it to be vnknowne to men who are predestinated and who not DIS why wold god haue this in the meane season to be vnknowne who are verily good and predestinated to eternall lyfe MAG Lest euyll men despairyng shold synne more hayghnously and that good men sholde lyue more warely and mekely Seynge that there are euen nowe so many and so greate debates and stryues what maner a battayle wold be thaÌ„ if there were a manifeste dyfference wherby the one sorte myght be knowne from the otherâ— Iohan. xiii Our lord wold not so muche as vtter or dysclose and shewe to his other dysciples who it was that sholde betraye hym Nowe for asmuche as it is vnknowne whome god hath elected vnto blessed immortalyte both they that do stande are carefull lest they doo fall and they that are falne and doo lye on the grounde do laboure and enforce themselues to ryse and gete vp agayn Finally those persones whiche are feruente hote in charite do study and gyue theyr mynde to doo good bothe to good men and euyll men to those that are openly euyll to the entent that they shold waxe wyse agayne and amend to those of whome they doute whether they be good or euyl to the ende that they shold be made better if they be good all redy And albeit that charite dothe here lese her offyce or worke yet for all that doth she not lese her rewarde DIS which are those sacramentes of the churche of whiche you made mention incident lye and by the waye not longe ago And what meaneth or signifyeth this worde sacrameÌ„t MA. what this worde sacrament doth signifye Those men which haue spoken more exactely and perfytely doo call sacramentum an othe or an obligacion or bonde confirmed strengthed by the comyng betwen of god or of religion But our forefathers haue applied vsed the sayd word to signify that thyng whiche the Grekes doo call a mystery thou mayst call it a religiouse or holy secrete or priuyte D. Why is it called a secrete or priuyter MAG Because the commune sorte of the people was secluded and kept a part from the medlyng with those thynges Albeit nowe a dayes many thynges are done openly as whan the water of baptyme is consecrated and halowed But these ceremonyes and also the wordes wherwith they are done were hyd and kepte secrete from the people and were taughte amonge the byshopes from one to another to the entent that men shold haue the sacramentes in more reuereÌ„ce and worshyp As soon as euer the bysshop made redy and was aboutward to consecrate the brede and the wyne it was not laufull for any lay men to remayne and abyde within the grates or chauncelle And a certayne Pope of Rome whan he had aunswered somewhat to a certayne byshope as I wene of Englande demaundynge a certayne question concernyng the rytes and ceremonyes of the mysteries he durste not put in wrytyng the wordes with which the oyle is coÌ„secrated and halowed leste peraduenture if the lettres had ben taken by the waye which thyng chauÌ„ceth oftentymes the secret myght happe to haue ben vttered and dysclosed This cause in dede is
Iohan. xi am resurrection and lyfe And Paule lykewyse seldome dothe vse this worde any where but in the good parte And our lorde maketh a distinction and difference of resurrections in the .v. chapitour of IhonÌ„ sayng And those which haue done good workes shall come forth vnto the resurrection of lyfe IohonÌ„ v. And those that haue done euyll workes vnto the resurrection of iudgement for iudgemente here he calleth condemnation This thynge is more expresly sayd and spoken in the symbole of Athanasius At whose comynge all men must ryse agayne with theyr owne bodyes and shall rendre and gyue accompt or reckenynge of theyr owne dedes And those which haue wrought well shall go into eternall lyfe those that haue wrought euyll shall go into eternall fyer So also sayth Paule in the .vi. chapitour to the Romanes Roma vi The wage or hiere of synne is deathe but eternall lyfe is the benifyte and gyfte of god by Christe Iesu our lorde He added here eternall or euer lastyng because that lykewyse as vnto those that are damned there shall be no hope of release so on the other parte agayne the godly persones shall haue no maner feare lest theyr felicitye and ioye myght be at any tyme eyther ended or els minyshed the pleasauntnes and ioyfulnes wherof shall greatly be augmented and encreased by that communion and felowshyp of all holy men For charite whiche neuer falleth awaye i. Cor. â—iii shall there be moste feruente and hote Nowe charite is no lesse gladde of other mennes welthe and weldoynge than of her owne Neyther is there any cause why we do nede here to ymagine pleasures of the body which do stand iÌ„ meate drynk or the fleshely company of man womaÌ„ for there shal be than none vse or profyte of these thynges but the bodyes shal be spirituall in which we shall lyue as the aungelles of god done Mat. xxii Now the felicite of aungels is to see the face of the father whiche is in heuen And our lorde sayth the same in the gospel of IhonÌ„ Io. xvii This is the euerlastynge lyfe that they maye knowe the alone whiche are the very god and Iesu Christ whome thou hast sent That knowlege begynneth here by faythe And there it shal be fynyshed and made full perfyte whan we shall behold see the glorie of hym his face beyng clerely shewed discouered DIS Are these thynges sufficyente to the purchasyng obtaynyng of saluation MAG For the obtaynyng gettyng of baptyme these thynges are sufficient to a lay man for to beleue but also that are learned somewhat growne in age â—ught to beleue all thynges that are expressed in the holy scriptures or whiche are of the sayd scriptures euidently gathered or concluded besydes this what so euer thyng the catholyk church hath with vniuersall and contynuall consent approued and allowed which churche if it haue ordayned or decreed any thing after such fasshyon it was probable and very lykely that eyther it was begonne of the Apostles and so hath contynued as it were gyuen by hande from the elders to the yoÌ„gers orels it was brought forth to vs out of the preuye and secrete storehouse of the scriptures or els it hath ben shewed and put in theyr myndes by the inspiration of the holy ghoste accordingly as the state of tymes dyd requyre And as touchynge to contentiouse and darke doctrine or opinions in all suche thynges it shall be sufficient for the and suche as thou arte to professe with this ware and wyse circumspection Concernynge these thynges I beleue as the churche beleuyth This is a more sure waye and more farre from all daunger than boldly to affirme that thyng wher of thou arte in doute or which thou doest not perceyue or vnderstonde DIS But in â—xtreme ieoperdye whether it is A notable question sufficient to kepe and holde faste the belefe in harte and mynde or els are we bound also to professe with our mouth MAG Aunswere To this poynte sayncte Paule shall make aunswere to the for me ☞ With the harte saythe he we beleue vnto ryghtuosnes Roma x. and with the mouth confession is made vnto helthe and saluation And our lorde hymselfe threteneth in the gospell Math. x. Mar. viii that he wyll not be acknowne of hym for his soldyer afore his father who so euer shall haue ben afrayde or ashamed to professe hym afore men But it is one thynge not to profâ—sse and another thynge to denye where there is no hope of frute or good to be done and yet the ieoperdye is very greate it is not necessary or requisite that thou sholdeste vtter or bewray thyselfe in such wyse as we do rede that certayne men haue vnprouoked and vncalled euen of theyr owne accorde runne forth into the market that they myght be slayne and put to deathe with other Christen men or â—ls that they haue raged agaynste the solemne festiuytes of Paganes not for the entente that they wolde brynge any man to Christe but to th ende that after they were slayne of them they myght be accompted and reckened amonge martyres Christ dyd lycence or graunt to his apostles no maner violent defence of theÌ„selues agaynst wycked men but he onely gaue theÌ„ leue to flee Actes xii Actes ix Peter fledde out of prison Paule fledde out of Damaske beyng let downe by a baskette of the walles But so often tymes as the thyng shall come to suche an exigente or pynche that the name of our lorde Iesu is to be glorified both amonge good men and badde men the christen and the hethen than ought we all the entycementes or pleasures eke the feares and displeasures of the world vtterlye despysed set at nought cherefully and boldly to professe that whiche the chyrche hath taughte Elcesaite The doctrine and opinion of the Elcesaites is refused and condemned whiche taught that in the tyme of persecutioÌ„ men myght lawfully denye Christ with wordes so that they kept styll the syncerite of the faythe in theyr harte and mynde which saying if it were true thaÌ„ dyd Peter the Apostle in vayne wepe so many teares for that he beyâ—ge troubled with feare of dethe had denyed his lord and mayster thries Math. xâ—vi whan he had not yet so muche spirituall knowledge of hym as the lyghte of the gospell hath opened vnto vs. Tertulliaâ—â— TertulliaÌ„ agayn to much leanyng and inclynyng to the contrary parte doth not so much as graunt leaue to flee in persecution saying that than to flee is a kynd of denyinge Christe And his sayinge in certayne circumstancies maye be true but doutlesse they doo lesse offende whiche stricken with worldly feare doo denye Christ onely with theyr mouthes than do they whiche for temporall profytes sake do forsake theyr captayne Christe whose sworne soldyers they became in baptyme both with harte and also with tonge DIS Whan tourmentes are thretened more greuouse and paynfull
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
wherfore let vs laye a parte these symylitudâ—s and lykenesses And that thynge whiche maÌ„nes reason can not attayne vnto nor ê‘ceyue let fayth holde stedfastly beleue That thyng which holy scripture doth teaâ—he whiche Chryste beynge corporallye in â—arth dyd teache whiche hath ben confirmed with so many miracles whiche the spirite of Chryste doth teach by the churche that thynge I saye is to be accompted and taken for more certayne vndowted than is that thynge whiche hath ben proued by a thousand euident and playne demonstrations or whiche thou doste perceyue .vi. C. bodyly senses yf thou haddest so many DIS Is it not lawfull than to inquyere and make serche of the diuine thynges MA. To whome how farre forthe it is lawfull to enserche of godly thynges yes veryly it is lawfull namely to those whiche haue theyr wittes well exercised but it muste be done with drede it must be done sobrelye it muste be done after that they haue sette a sure fundation or grounde warke of faythe fynally as farre forthe and no farder than is graunâ—ed to man in this mortall lyâ—e in whiche we do see god by faythe But as iâ— were in a glasse and in a ryddle and obscure maner For els to speke of the diuinâ— nature euen so as it is in very dede not the very myndê of auÌ„gelê are able to coÌ„prehend it so that there is place euen there vnto fayth which doth beleue that thynge whiche passeth all reason vnderstondynge of ony creature created Therfore by good ryght the fyrst worde of this philosophie is Credo I beleue Credo DIS Two syllables MA. ye but who so euer speaketh thesâ— two syllabes from his very herte vnfaynedly he is blessed For no man doth beleue verylye and truly in god who onely doth verelye beleue in god but onely he whiche dothe take for certayne and vndoubted thynges what so euer thynges are writen in the bokes of the holy scrypture hopyng without ony doutfullnes or dystruste all such thyngê as the sayd scriptures do promyse And whiche in this lyfe doth put hymselfe and his and all his goodes vnto the wyll of god forsakynge and renouncynge his owne wyll in all thynges Although a thousande deathes wer threttened vnto hym and thoughe all the hole power of the deuylles wolde go about to do hym myscheffe he is very sure and saffe from all daungere who so euer hath settled hym self faste on this rocke yf this faithe do wante or fayle neither doth baptisme neither ony sacramentes of the churche proufighte ony whitte or auayle nether doth any good workes helpe ony whitâ— to eternall saluation For Paule doth proâ—ounce iâ— to be synne what so euer is without fayth The coÌ„meâ—dation of Fayth This faythe coupleth and ioynethe vs to god the father this same dothe associate vs to Christe our hede this same faythe by the spirite of Christe doth make vs to be chosen and taken into the noumbre of the sonnes of god This same faythe dothe graffe vs into the eternall coÌ„pany felowshyppe of Aungells and of all holy sayntes This fayth doth shyne before vs geue vs lyghte in the darknes of this lyfe sheweng what is verily to be eschewed and what to be folowed desyred This fayth doth arme vs and make vs bolde without ony feare inuincible agaynst all the engynes and all the ordinaunce of the world of the deuille This fayth doth mightely and effectuesly coumforâ— vs in trybulation aduersite with the hope of the heuenly good or felicite hauyng this saying alwayes in her mouth ☞ yf god be on our syed who can be agaynst vs And that sayenge also The afflictions and tribulatioÌ„s of this worlde are not worthy of the glorye to come which shall be shewed in vs. This fayth doth truly quiete and sette at reste the mynde of man Of this faythe after the mynde of saynte Paule dothe come and vnto it is to be wihted or imputed what so euer thynge at ony tyme hathe ben don strongely vertuosly and temperately of suche as haue ben excellente in holynesse By this fayth we do lyue well beloued of God by this faythe we doo dye cherefullye and with good truste towarde god by this faythe we are created vp vnto blessed immortalyte Agayn of the defaulte wante of fayth what euylles do springe of vnbeleffe springeth superstition sorcerie idolatry and couetousnes cosen to it Ambition Blasphemy heuynes desperation pride feare of death desyre of vengeaunce fynally what so euer vices or synnes doo raygne in the hole worlde DIS Uerily I do here many men oftentymes wyshynge to themselues prosperouse healthe longe lyfe and ryches But I do here very few men that do desyere this so excellentely a good gyfte of god MAG No meruayle thereof for verily there are but fewe that doo knowe what thynge and after what maner is to be desyred and prayed for For this gyfte of faythe it were mete and conuenyente contynually and Luce. xâ— without ceassyng to knocke at the eares of god that he wolde vouchesaffe to geue vs faythe and to encreace his gyfte in vs euerye daye more and more DISC. yet neuer the lesse the comune sorte and moste parte of men do calle those that are not very wyse Credulos that is to saye redye to geue credence And a certayne wyse man of the Hebrues dothe name those persones leues corde lyghte mynded whiche doo easylye and soon geue credeâ—ce MAG Fyrste it is no poynte neither of lyghtnes neither of credulite to geue credence to those thynges whiche thynges it hath by so manye argumentes and euydente tokens ben declared to come not from men but from god Paule sayth ☞ that he wolde not geue credence Galat. â— no not euen to an AuÌ„gell yf he dyd teache ony thynge dissonaunt or dysagreynge from the Gospelle of Christe But rather it is a poynte of arrogance and presumptuose folyshenes to dowte of these thynges whiche haue ben taughte and geuen to vs withe soo greatte authorite and therefore saynte Paule writeth Roma i. that the folishe herte of the philosophers was blynded because the lyghte of fathe was absente yf ony man beyng vnlettred wold bable and striue agaynst suche a philosopher as was Arystotâ—le or Pythagoras or yf there haue ben ony other conynger thaÌ„ either of theÌ„ both whan he dyd dyspute de materia prima of the principles and causes of thynges de infinito or of the largenes the mouynge and the vertue of the heuenly speres and wolde dowte of euery thyng that hymselfe could not by his one witte attaynâ— vnto and perceyue shold he not be called an arrogaÌ„t and madde foole But how much greatter madnes is it there fore not to geue credence to the diuine philosophie because mannes vnderstandynge can not attayne to the perceyuynge of manyâ— thynges And there is by a thousand partes more difference betwen god and man be he neuer so greatly learned thaÌ„ is betwen the wiseste
a season that he myghte purchace and obtayne the blessynge of god for vs. It dyd also pertayne and belonge to the faythe and credence of the historie that he sholde dye condemned by open iudgemente and that he sholde geue vp the ghoste a hyghe vpon the crosse leste onye man myghte els suspecte and mysdeme either that it was no very deathe orels that another man hade ben putte in Christes stede Laste of all it was conueniente that he sholde dye on hyghe with his armes stretched out abrode whiche for his vnspeakable charite dyd couete to embrace all men and wylled all men to be saued lykewyse as he sygnyfienge the kynde maner of his death to his discâ—ples sayde Ioan. xiâ— WhaÌ„ I shal be lyfted vp froÌ„ earth I wyl drawe all thyngê vnto myne owneselfe And I tolde the gaue the knowledg also here to fore that the lorde came into the worlde not onely to clense vs from our synnes For what causes our lorde came in to the worlâ—e but also bothe to shewe vs the waye by which we must come to eternall glorye and also to geue streÌ„gth to our weaknes by reason of which we are prone redy to fall agayne into synnes also are to eble to beare either ê“sperite or aduersite but with the one that is to witte with prosperite we are corrupted made wanton and proude and with the other we are dismaide mated and stricken into heuinesse and despayre For who so euer with ful fayth and trust setteth his tyes stedfastlye vpon Christe fastened on the crosse that persone as he is afrayde soo ofte in a certayne maner to crucify Christe agayn as he doth coÌ„mitte those thynges for the washynge awaye of whiche he suffred death who soo euer doth coÌ„mitte those synnes from whiche Chryste dyed to make vs free doth after a certayne maner crucifie Christe agayne euen so scasely is there ony man so feble weake mynded but that he doth more pacieÌ„tly with more quiete mynde suffre the afflictioÌ„s of this worlde whan he doth considre recken in his mynde howe many thynges he hathe suffred for vs which was free froÌ„ all inflection of synne And who can be founde so vngentle vnkynde that he wyl not loue hym agayn whiche dyd so fyrste loue hym and with so great benefyghtes prouoke hym to loue agayn Brefflye all the philosophie wisdome all the solace coÌ„forth al the strength of a christeÌ„ mynd is iÌ„ the crosse of Chrst. But the consyderation of these matters belongeth not to this businesse whiche we nowe purpose and haue in hande DIS why wold he hange in the middes betwen two theues MAG To shewe that euen to malefactours and synnefull persones there is hope of saluation in the myddes of theyr vere ponishementes yf they wyll beseche desire sorowfully the mercy of Christ. DI. Why wolde he not that his legges shold be brokend MAG Num. ix Because it was so darkely prophecied before you shall breake no bone of it DI. ye but these thynges were not so don because it was prophecied and sayde before that they shold be don after such maner but therefore were they sayde before because god had so eternally ordayned and perfixed that they sholde be don in suche wyse MA. Thou doest very well a righte to thynke that there was nothynge don in Christe without skylle or by fortune and chaunce but that all thynges were done by the decre ordinaunce of eternall god But yet the scripture dothe otherwhiles speake after this maner vt implerentur scripture id est that the scriptures sholde be fulfylled How this coÌ„iunctioÌ„ vt is taken other whiles in the scripture But in this maner of speakyng the coniunction vt id est that dothe nat betoken the ende and finall cause but that that foloweth cometh to passe and the proffe of the thyng The scripture wente before the proffe or perfourmaunce dyd folowe and cam after And it was very semely and conuenieÌ„t that that moste sacred and blessed body of Christe shold haue no maner faughte or deformite that is to witte none vnperfighte membre lame or croked lykewise as it is beleued that our bodies shall nat haue in the generall resurrection To cause beleffe of his resurrection the printes and tokens of the fyue woundes were sufficiente whiche as it were certayne preciouse stones do nat disfigure that blessed body but do beautify and anorne it And for the same purpose he wolde naâ— that his body sholde corrupte putrify in the graue Ioannis .xix. He dyed and gaue vp the ghoste afore it cam to the breakyng of the legges and he rose agayne afore that the deade body was corrupted These thyngê do so coÌ„mende the dignite of hym that they do not let or hyndre the verite of his nature D Why wold Ioannis .xix. he be layde vp into a newe graue in which neuer ony man had ben layde as yet and besydes that cutte or hewde out of the naturall stronge roche of stone whi Christe wolde be buried in a new sepulchre MA. This thynge dyd make partely for the dignite of Christe and partelye for the fayth and credence of the history But in euery one of these thynges are hydde greate mysteryes whiche thou shalte than here whan thou hast layde awaye thyne infauncie i. Cor. iii. Nowe we do offre mylke vnto the as to an infauÌ„te or yonge babe D. Seynge that this history is coÌ„firmed estableshed by so many argumeÌ„tes haue there ben ony meÌ„ whiche dyd dowte of the trouth MA. The Iewes do graunte coÌ„fesse that Iesus was crucified verye matter in dede The Iewes but they do denye that he was crucified for the saluatioÌ„ of the worlde There haue ben also certayne christeÌ„ men which do ê“fesse that Christe dyd verily suffre in his humanite that for the helth of the worlde but the same did supose raither thaÌ„ fastly affirme that lykewise as he suffred in his body here vpon earth for lyue meÌ„ euen so his soule dyd suffre iÌ„ helle for the soulê that were kepte holdeÌ„ there agayne that after his resurrection he was crucified or shal be crucified in the ayer for the spretes of the ayer Basilides Basilides a maÌ„ full of pytye god knoweth doth deny that Christe hymselfe was fastened on the crosse Luce. xxiii but he sayth that one Simon of Cyrene was hanged vp in his stede whiche was compelled to be Christes vicare in bearyng of his crosse But yf it were soo that an other man was crucified in his stede than dyd he hymselfe neither dye neither ryse agayne neither dyd he redeme vs with his owne deathe But these are but the dreames and fonde fantasies of maÌ„nes mynde The scripture dothe moste manifestlye teache vs that Christe hath not suffred but ones for all that he died vpoÌ„ the crosse vnder PoÌ„ce Pilate that he died not for ony other creatures saue onely