doe nether fede nor norish S. Augustin also subscribeth vnto them saying Accedat verbum elemento fit sacramentum he saith not succedat but accedat whiche is this much to say Let the word be added to the element and then it is made a sacrament Thus it is euident that y e bread and wyne which is the element remayneth and is not traÌ„substanciat both by autentical scriptures whiche do alowe thre similitudes and also by the consent of al the doctors and elder fathers For out of doubt Athanasius Basil Nazianzene Hierome Chrisostome and other both Latinistes and Grekes do not disagre with these Moreouer the rock was a sacrament of Christes bloud yet not transubstanciat They we drinke one spiritual drinke as Paul recordeth Likewise Manna was a sacrament of his body without any such mutacion You wil aske me then whether our sacramentes be better then the sacraments of the old testameÌ„t Yea truly but not of their own nature but thorow y e grace of God thorow the fulnes of time bicause in this testament the face of Christ is more clearly discouered and knowen and not thorow any transubstanciation These be y e daies which the Patriarkes Prophets desired to come the daies of saluation the acceptable time I haue opened the true meaning of Christes words this is my body and declared the necessitie the vse the fruit the mary and swetenes of the holy communion which fruit is incomparable For if all they whiche did but touch the hem of Christes garment receiued their perfect health How much more shall we be made strong and conforted if we haue Christ in vs. This holy communion geueth lyfe destroyeth death quickeneth our bodies lighteneth our soules banysheth synne and encreaseth vertue For as a litle wax powred vpon other wax is made al one with it euen so they that receiue this sacrament worthely abyde in Christ and Christ in them A little leauen sowreth a whole batch but the seldome receiuing of this sacrament if I say it be receiued worthely bryngeth remission of sinnes purgeth our soules maketh cleane our herts amendeth our vnderstandinges but the oftener the better All you that approch vnto this table and desyre to be braunches of the vyne and to be sealed into the felowship of the congregation forsake your sinfull lyuing entend to leade a newe conuersacion from the bottom of your hearts pourge out the olde leauen and become newe dough burie al affections and liue vnto vertue otherwyse ye nether eat Christes flesh nor drink his bloud He that eateth Christes flesh hath eternall life Yea mary saith the Papistes if he eat it digne worthely adding vnto the text or els making it false but he may receiue it vnworthely as Iudas did Examen this exposition with the touchstone opeÌ„ the scripture with the key not with the pick lock and thou shalt finde that Christes flesh is not receiued vnworthely In all the scriptures this word indigne vnworthely is but once read concerning this sacrament and there marke the bread the wyne is said to be receiued vnworthely not Christes most coÌ„fortable flesh and bloud Quicunque manducauerit paneÌ„ hunc c. He that eateth of this bread drinketh of this cup saith Paul vnworthely he shal be gilthy of the body and bloud of Christ. Lo he saith he that eateth of this bread vnworthely and drinketh of this cup not of the body bloud of Christ which alwaies be receiued vnto health Chose nowe gentell reader whether thou wilt beleue y e papistes which teach that Christes flesh is receiued of euil meÌ„ vnworthely â—r Paul which saith he that eateth of this bread that is not commen bread not dayly bread but sacramental bread that is ment by the word this If they can shew in any place of scripture where this word vnworthely is ioined with the body of Christ as I haue shewed where it is coupled with bread I will be of their opinion Christes flesh is meat according to his own saying Caro mea vere est cibus c. My flesh is very meat and my bloud is very drink Now meat doth hurt where it findeth a bely corrupt with naughtie humores Euen so this spiritual fode if it find a man defiled with sinne encreaseth his dampnation bryngeth hym vnto destruction not of the nature of it but thorowe the default of hym that receceiueth it Yea if we be defiled with corrupt humors we be no partakers of these deinties But peraduenture the Papistes wil reply if it be meat then is it receiued both of good and euil men for nether of both sortes can lyue without meat To this I auÌ„swere it is the meat of the soul not of the bodie the fode of the spirit not of the flesh and therfore it is not receiued of euill persones because the meat is good and they be euill so that this is a strong argument Christes flesh and bloud is meat ergo it is not receiued of euil men Moreouer Christes flesh and bloud is the vine as I haue proued before and we be the braunches Only the brauches be fed of the vine Euil men be not braunches of the vine Ergo euil meÌ„ be not partakers of y e vine Which is Christes flesh and bloud Therfor let no Iudas no SimoÌ„ Magus no man with a cloked mind thinke that he is fed with these deinties If it were not lawful for the vncircumsised in flesh to eate the figuratiue paschal lambe how much more is it vnlawful for y e vncircumcised vnclean in heart to tast of these deinties If he that despised Moises law was condempned without any mercy vnto death vnder two or thre witnesses how more greuously shall he be punished which treadeth vnder fote the sonne of God couÌ„teth the bloud of the new testameÌ„t as an vnholy thing wherwith he is sanctified Purge out y e old leuen or els thou maist not nor thou canst not eat this swete bread Paul testifieth that many among the CorinthiaÌ„s for y e abusing of this sacrameÌ„t were punished with weakenes with sicknes yea many stroken with death the whiche he wrot for our enstruction Against the coÌ„ming of our frend we make cleane our houses and loke diligeÌ„tly that al things be trym And are we negligent in puryfying of our mindes against the coÌ„ming of the great king who hath promised to dwell with vs after the receiuing of this holy meat I wold wysh that men wold geue thankes more customably immediatly after the receyuing therof vnto God for the redemption of mankinde and for all his benefites syngyng the C. Psalme O be ioyfull in the Lorde all ye landes serue the Lord in gladnes and come before his presence with a song And the Psalme that beginneth O com let vs sing vnto the Lorde let vs hartely reioyce in the strength of our saluacion let vs come before his presence with thaÌ„kes geuing
is immortal Christ his sonne also must nedes be immortall forasmuch as the father is lykened to the sunne and Christ to the clear and bright beames for he is the bryghtnes of the euerlasting light I would know of the Paulians Arrians whether the father in tyme begon to be a father or was a father euermore without tyme. If they graunt that he was a father euer the which thei can not denie then it must nedest folow that the sonne was euermore For he was not a father before he had a sonne but he was called a father of the sonne and he that is alwaies a father hath euermore alwaies a son If Christ was not euermore then time was before him the Apostle lieth calling him Primogenitum omnis creature first begotten of al creatures for time is a creatur was before him But time was made by Christ for all thinges wer made by him as y e beloued disciple witnesseth If he wer the maker of time thē he was before all time and that whiche was before al time is not moued in time but is without time without beginning immortal Wherfore Christ is immortal and then he is God for only God is immortal after this sort Likewise the alknowyng cōforter was euermore who is cōpared to the heat for an euerlasting heat must nedes procede out an euerlasting sunne and euerlasting beames He is digitus dei the finger of god If I cast out deuils in the fynger of God c. For where Luke sayth in the finger of God it is in Matthew I cast out deuils in the spirit of God Then ether we must confesse him to be without beginning and of the substaunce of God or els graunt that God once lacked a fynger and denie the same to be of the substaūce of the body Like reason may be made of christ who is the hand and the arme of God for God was neuer without his fynger hand ne arme and then al thre be of the same nature with the body And for so much as Gods finger is almyghty and his hand and arme likewise both Christ is almighty and the blessed cōforter also and Christ is God by nature and the holy comforter also For nothing is almighty and of the nature of God but God only But the Arians reply that y e father is elder thē the sonne and that he which begetteth is before him that is begotten Ego hodie genui te This day begat I thee This is true in fathers vpon earth but not in an euerlasting father who must nedes haue an euerlastynge sonne Nether doth this reason holde in al earthly thinges for fire gendreth light and heate procedeth from it and yet the fire gendring and light gendred heat proceding be Coena not one before the oother Therfor it is against reason that y e father begetting and Christ begotten the holy ghost proceding should be coeterne coimmortal not one before the other in time but eche one of them before al time And wel may the trinitie be likened to fyre and his heat light for God in the scripture is called fyre Dominus deus tuus ignis consumens est The Lorde thy God saith Moises is a consumyng fire And Ihon calleth him also light saiyng Deus lux est God is light in him is no darkenes at al. And Christ witnesseth of him self that he is light saying I am the light of the world who is Lumen de lumine light of light For as the fyre ministreth light to a multitude yet is not minished or cōsumed therbi so God bestoweth innumerable benefites vpon vs and yet his liberalitie is not hindred therw t. Likewise also in a cādel of which many other candels be light the light is not therby in any wise diminished or hurt at al. One supper doth not refreshe or suffise many as wel as few but y e voice of one preacher teacheth as wel a hūdred as one The sound of one bell is neuerthelesse when it is heard of many Euen so he who preserued the smal porcion of meal oyl for the wydowe and her son that was not diminished who with a very few loaues a certein fishes refresshed a great multitude so y t those things were not diminished but increased knoweth how to employ his benefites with out any losse or detriment to his liberalitie Moreouer as fire sēdeth forth both heat light but nether heat ne light sendeth fire so y e father sendeth both Christ and the alknowing comforter he is vnsent And as both the light the heat are of y e fire so Christ y e holy ghost both ar of the father the one begotten the other proceding and the father only is of him self of no other And as fire is not before heat light no more is the father before the sonne and the holy Ghost But in that place which I rehearsed out of Deuter. God is called fyre because he melteth the synnes of those that wyll amend as the fyre melteth war and punisheth the sinnes of disobediēt persones with vnquencheable fire and Iohn calleth him light for the same cause For light putteth away darknes and is contrary to it For these properties and diuers other the scriptures cal God the sun of rightousnes fier and light If we ponder thē diligently we shal fynde also the Image of the blessed Trinitie in our selues in our owne natures For it is written God made man after his Image after y e Image of god formed he him This Image is in our soules not in our bodies as I haue proued in my cōfutatiō of the Anthropomorphites or humaniformiās Mānes soul is a liuely Image of God The soul is a spirit almightie God is a spirite the soule quikneth ruleth the body the Trinitie gouerneth the maruelouse frame of this world Reason will and memory are thre but one and the same soule So y e father the son and y e holy ghost are thre distinct in propertie and one God Whatsoeuer thing the soule doth these thre be the workers therof Reason cannot discern good and euill truth falshed plainnes and craft profe sophisticatiō without either will or memory Neither will chuseth what him lyketh without the other nor memory remēbreth not things gone without reason and wil. These actions workes which are sayd properly to belonge only to memory and only to reason and will in very dede ar done by the workemanship of all thre So the father y e son and the holy ghost worke all things vnseparablie not that each of them is vnable to worke by him selfe but that they all thre are one God one spirite one nature as reason wil memory ar one soul. The sonne worketh alwayes wyth the father for whatsoeuer the father doth y ◠doth the sōne also and Christ recordeth that as his father worketh hytherto so he worketh ▪ The
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
ghost by baptisme doth regenerate vs make vs Gods children For that we should beleue him to be a worker in baptisme with the father and the sonne the bath of holy baptisme is commaunded to be ministred in this name also And for the same skill it pleased the gloriouse Trinitie he should appeare notably at Christes baptisinge in the likensse of a Doue And as for Christ he was not baptized for any wrincle of sinne but for our example and only erudition Seing then the Holye ghoste was a worker in Christes baptisme much more he is worker at our christeninges which proueth him to forgeue sinnes God only forgeueth sinne The Holy ghoste forgeueth sinne Ergo the Holy ghoste is GOD. To be called vpon and prayed vnto The holy ghost is to be praied vnto for what is baptisme but an inuocation of the father the sonne and the holy ghost as all thre be named so they all thre heare the prayer of the minister forgeue the sinnes of him which is christned and make him of the child of dampnation the heyre of saluation That we should fastly firmly beleue this workmanship of the whole Trinitie in our christeninges that thre persons euery one wer preseÌ„t at Christes baptising who had no nede of baptisme I say but only for our erudition and ensample The father notifieth himselfe in the voyce which souÌ„ded the son in mannes nature the aldoing coÌ„forter appeared notably in y e likenes of a doue Why in the likenes of a doue rather then of any other bird ie declared before Moreouer y e holy ghost both heareth our praiers for he is euery where and he helpeth our infirmities as y e Apostle witnesseth Ergo he is to be praied vnto Again faith is his gifte prophecie is his gifte vtteraunce miracles iudgemeÌ„t tonges healing be his gifts And truth for he is the spirit of truth and wisdom counsel sanctification life by thesame reason loue ioie peace pacience gentelnes goodnes fidelitie mekenes temperauncie be his graces and fruites as is proued before which proueth that he is to be praied vnto For the scripture vseth this reason to moue vs to pray vnto God that he is y e geuer of those thinges that are asked as the Apostle Iames saying if any of you lack wisdom let him aske of God which geueth And Paul he is able to do abundantly aboue al that we aske or thinke And Christ vseth thesame reasoÌ„ saying what soeuer ye aske in my fathers name he wil geue it you If the Papistes can shew that S. Paul and the blessed virgin other now being with Christ touching their souls in the earth touching their bodies doe nowe geue giftes and graces vnto vs truly I wold pray vnto them to geue me some But who is able to proue this out of the scriptures The spirit knoweth al thinges yea the botoÌ„ of Gods secretes much more the botom of our hearts ergo he is to be praied vnto Doth not he hear our prayers which commaunded to seperate Paul and Barnabas vnto the worke wherunto he had called them Paul was called an Apostle by God The holy ghost called Paul Ergo the holy ghost is God It is no trifle to preache but an earnest worke and labour and the labourer and workman is worthy of his wages The worke and office of saluacioÌ„ is vnrewarded in England and thought not â—ecessary which musâ— nedes bryng in the vncleane spirit of ignoraunce again Therfore let vs pray to the holy spirite to amend it to seperate mo Pauls to this honorable work and office It is a comâ— saying Honos alit artes rewardes norish aâ—tes and Magistrates are ordeined of God to maintein knowledge to destroy ignoraunce and sinne I wold wysh that preachers were sent abrode into the couÌ„trey as wel as to cities and great tounes for they are the shop of Christ as well as others And that as Christ disputed in y e temple and Steuen with the Libertines and Alexandrines And Paul when he went a preaching disputed in the audieÌ„ce of the people against those that would not hear the truth at Athens with Phylosophers and at Ephesus and other places that so now euery preacher which is knowen to be groundly learned and seperat to this office wheÌ„ he cometh to any parish which hath a popish person or curat that he shuld haue authoritie to examen them in the sacramentes other principal matters that they ether acknowledge y e truth before their parishes or els be coÌ„pelled to say their conscience and knowledge in open disputatioÌ„ with the preacher so that the church wardens of euery parish be ouerseers of thesame for auoiding of tumult disturbaÌ„ce By this meanes papistes others shuld best be won and ouercome and the people shuld learne more of one disputation theÌ„ in ten sermons Further if there be any suspected to be an Anabaptist in the sayd parishes I would to God well learned preachers were authorised to compell cal such to render accompt of their faith before the whole parishe and if it were found Anabaptisticall that the preacher enter disputation with hym and openly conuict hym by the scriptures and elder fathers if he remain obstinat thesame preacher to excomunitate him and then to midle no further with hym but geue knowledge therof to the temporall magistrates which for ciuile consideratioÌ„s may punishe hym with enprisonment death or otherwise as their wisdoÌ„s shall iudge most mete for a ciuile quietnes a godly order Now both papistes Anabaptistes complain that they are put to scilence the people haue more aâ—â—â—auÌ„ce in their scilence then in the preachers do thinke that they could perswade and proue their matters if they might be suffered But if this way were takeÌ„ it wold apeare most euideÌ„t that al their doctrine wer builded on the sand not on the rock There be many discrete sober wel learned preachers both in al y e elder fathers and in the scriptures whiche if this way were taken or another like would confound al heretikes and beat down papistrie and discourage the best learned of them and perswade the people after another sort then is done yet Thus did y e Apostles thus did y e elder fathers as Ambrose Iero. Aug. others as apereth of their works which be ether sermoÌ„s to y e people lessons homelies or disputatioÌ„s agaiÌ„st heretiks Now if a preacher come and preache in a parishe in the countrey if the person vicar or curat be of a corrupt iudgement as the most deale be by reason of the dayly company and familiaritie that they haue with their parysh thei do discredit the preacher when he is gone and marre all that he hath done which they nether could ne durst iustifiâ— before his face Therfore I would it were remedied this way or some other namely if they be maried men then they wil sclaunder them rayle on theÌ„
it is 5 Left hand of God 9 Logyck necessary 17 Lying hated of God Folio 36 Loue suffereth al thinges 86 Lybertines errour 111 Lawe is an axe 126 M Mouth of God what Folio 9 Man made after the Image of God 13 Mans soul what ther is in 14 Malachie maketh nothinge for y e masse is plainly declared 32. Fol. 34 Man that was wounded 35 Ministers haue no sacrifice but common with the laitie 36 Marchaunt man 37 Mydwyues of Egipt Folio 37 Mans soule is bothe mortal and immortall 47 Man maketh himselfe euill 51 Mens knowledge vnperfect 73 Mary Magdalen 76 Ministers howe they do forgeue retaine synne 79 Manichies confuted Fol. 148 N Nose of God what it signifieth 8 No sacrament is a sacrifice 35 No perfect difinition can be made of God Folio 99 O Only God is to be sworne by 10 Our lyfe a shadow in this world 16 Obiections answered Folio 29.42.44 Origenistes belefe 42 Oppression what mischief cometh therof 55 Our life a warfar 134 One God who ruleth all 147 One name 156 〈◊〉 grace 159 Our thoughtes miserable 179 P Picture none can be made of God 1.2 Papistes will haue their gloses 4 Papistes seke al meanes possible to driue vs from scripture 4 Phylosophy the true vse therof 18 Papistes saye here is Christ and there is Christ. 22 Pyghius calleth gods word a nose of waâ— Picklock 23 Pyghius argument answered 32 Peters vision 33 Papistes haue made seuen orders 36 Perfit causes 67 Peters keye what it is Folio 81 Pope cannot shew Peters last will 87 Proceading of the holy ghost 104 Parsonally 108 Papistes stubburn in their doings 116 Prophetes neuer prayed to no creaturs 121 Pithagoras 150 Perminides idem PreachiÌ„g a work â–ª 173 Papistes would be called to geue an auns to their faith 174 Peter prayeth to the holy spirit 175 R Right had of god 9 Reasons to proue thre persons 102.103 Resurrection 115 RaueÌ„s and not doues who 131 Reasons against praiyng to saynctes 146 S Symonides aunswer what god is 2 Spirit of god teacheth what god is 2 Straunge doctrine what it is 3 Samaritanes 3.2 Scripture is the power of god 4 Scripture ought to be studied 4 Scripture is the immortal sede 5 Shoulders of God what is ment 9 Synne seperateth vs from god 20 Substaunce of bread remayneth 24 Substaunce or natural propertie 26 Substaunce of bread not chaunged 27 Sacramentes of the new testament beter then the olde 27 SacrameÌ„tal receiuing necessary 30 Sacrifice of thaÌ„kes offred in all places 33 Scripture vseth to cal al thinges new 34 Scriptur ful of tropes and figures 39 Synne the cause of barones 49 Serpentes flyes and wormes why they were made 51 Syt in the temple of god what is signifieth 90 Samosathan an arch-heretike 109 Spirit is euery wher Folio 112 T Touchstone 3 Tong of god 9 This is my body expounded 24 Thre similitudes in y e sacrament idem Thankes ought to be geuen for the death of Christ. 50 Theues that robbed y e wouÌ„ded man 35 Thorder of ministers â–ª only 36 To affirme y t is false is to lye 38 The mouth that lieth killeth the soule 40 Trouble maketh vs to leran to know god 43 The cause in vs of coÌ„dempnation 45 The holy spirit is the maker of y e world 48 To maiÌ„tein a king 55 Thre opinions 66 To wash Christ. 76 To be renewed 96 the word substaÌ„ce 108 Thre bodies 109 The holy spirit forgeueth sinne 113 Two sortes of resurrections 115 The Godhead is vndefileable 125 The doâ—e a scholemaster vnto vs. 132 The workes of the .iii persons be vnseperated 139 Thaâ—es Milesius 149 Temples are to be dedicate to God only Fol. 176 V Uoice of God must be harkened vnto 1.2 Unwritten verities Folio 104 W What God is 1 WeapoÌ„s of our warfare 3 Worldly wisdom folyshnes 5 What is ment by these wordes he y â— is 7 Wombe of God 9 What stained red clothes be 11 Winges of God what they signifie 12 We shall see God face to face 16 Wickednes coueteth y e darke 2â— We caÌ„not escape gods hand 21 We must receiue the sacrament why 31 Wounded man what is signified 35 Wicked shal haue endles paine 42 Why god doth punish the Godly aferd 43 World is the workemanship of the whole trinitie 47 Why Christ is named a worde 48 World the workmanship of y e trinitie 49 Workes of God in beastes be not vnprofitable 51 Worlde gouerned by Gods prouidence 54 Why good men are afflicted 58 Why starres appeared at the birth of Christ Folio 64 Who is forgeuen and when 80 Who is the rock 83 Why Peter was named Sephas 84 Why Christ byddeth Peter thrise fede my shepe 85 What is most necessary in a preacher 86 Whether God can sin or lye or not 92 Word person 108 Why christ was born of a woman 120 Who are the brethren of Christ. 124 Why christ was born of a virgin espoused and maried 125 Why all men ar borne babes not able men Folio 126 We are the sonnes of God by adoption Fol. 126 Why Christ came in thende of the world Fol. 125 Why Christ was baptised 127 Why Christ suffered death 128 Why he died on the Crosse. 128 Why Christ toke our nature 128 Why the holy ghoste apered 130 Why the spirit is named oyle 167 FINIS AN OTHER TABLE TO finde harde textes and suche as haue bene abused for euill purposes plainly and truly expounded GEne 1. In y e begynninge God created heauen and earth 48 Gene. 1. The spirit of the Lorde was borne vpon the waters 49 Gene. 1. God saide let ther be light God said let there be a firmameÌ„t Folio 49 Gene. 1. Let vs make man to our similitude and after our likenes fol. 13. cha 27. fol. 138 Gene. 1. God behelde all that he had made â—o they were exceading good 49.50 Gen. 2. God rested the seuenth daye from all his workes 71.72 Gene. 3. Adam where art thou 73 Gene. 3. Cursed be the earth in thy worke in sorowe shalt thou â—ate therof 50 Gen. 3. The sede of the woman shal grinde the serpentes head 123 Gene. 4. Where is Abel thy brother 73 Gene. 6. I repent me y t I made man 73 Gene. 12. AbrahaÌ„ said to Sara his wyfe say I pray thee that thou art my sister 38.39 Gene. 18. And the lord appeared vnto AbrahaÌ„ and he lift vp his eies and loked and lo three men stoode not far froÌ„ him 103.104 Gen. 18. And ther came two angels to Sodom at euen 104 Gene. 24. You shall bring my hoare heares w t sorow vnto hel 43 Gen. 26. Isaac dwelled in Gerat the men of the place asked him of his wife he said that she was his sister 38 Gene. 27. Isaac sayde vnto Iacob art thou my son Esau and he said I am Esau thy eldest son 38 Exod. 1. And the mydwyues answered Pharao y e Hebrues womeÌ„ are sturdy women deliuered before we come at them God therfore
for God himself and therfore folowed him â–ª the which throughout the Bible be neuer spoken of any creature but only of him that made all creatures The name of God also declareth thys sence to be true which is Ihuh of foure letters in all tongues in Greke Theos in Latin Deus in English Dutch God in the FreÌ„ch Dieu in spanishe Dios in the Almaines tong Gott and therfore called Tetragram maton and in Latin Quadrilitterum deriued of Essendo or rather that word that signifieth Esse in the Ebrue is deriued of it The Iewes read for that worde Adonai not that it can not be expressed in their tongue but for a reuerence to Gods name the which as they thought was not once to be named The .iii. Chapter ¶ God is a spirit and how the scriptures do graunt vnto him a head eies handes feet and all other partes of mans body God is a bird a shoter a husbandman Christ is his Image and man also WE reade also in y e scriptures that God is a spirit and no corporall thing God is a spirit and thei that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth the Lorde no doubt is a spirit But you will say if God be a spirit how is it thâ—t the Prophet affirmeth him to measure heauen with his span to hold the waters with his fist the earth in thre fingers Dauid also saieth The eies of the Lord are ouer the rightuouse and his eares are opeÌ„ vnto their praiers and the hand of the Lord hath driueÌ„ out the HeatheÌ„ Hath a spirit fingers haÌ„ds eies and eares Whersoeuer scripture doth attribute vnto God a head eares eies eieliddes nose mouth lips tonge heart wombe handes right or left fingers or a finger an arm hinder partes fete it is not to be vnderstand litterally but a spirituall sence is to be gathered of such wordes Bycause our vnderstandinges be weak not able to perceiue God if he should vse such words as become his maiestie he boroweth coÌ„mon plain words to declare a difficult matter vnto vs and euen as mothers before they can teach their yoÌ„g babes to speak are faine as it were to lispe stammar stut with them so God to teach our capacities vseth these familiar maner of speches When thou readest that God hath a head thou must vnderstand his deuine nature which was beâ—â—re all thinges vnto it al thinges be obedieÌ„t His heares signifie his Angels and the whole multitude of the chosen Dan. 7. his clothing was as whit as snow y e hear of his head lyke pure woll where the head of God is his deitie and Godhead his clothing and his heares be his Angels and elect which be like whit snow and pure woll God is said to haue eies bicause he seeth al thinges and nothing is hid from him in whose sight as the Apostle telleth no creature is vnuisible for all thinges be nakâ—d and open vnto his eies His eies also sometimes be taken for his fauour The eies of the Lord are ouer the rightuous His eie liddes be taken for his secret iudgements His eie liddes beholde the children of men He is sayd to haue eares bicause he heareth al things The eare of the gelouse heareth all thinges the noise of the grudgings shall not be hid His nose doth signifie his inspirations in the herts of the faithful Smoke went out of his nosetrelles The face of God is the knowledge of his deuine nature of the whiche is wrytten shewe vs the lyght of thy couÌ„tenaunce and we shall be hole that is graunt vs to know thee Otherwyse Gods face signifieth y e vnuisible nature of Christes deuinitie as Exo. doâ—h declare you shal se my hinder partes but my face you can not see that is thou shalt se Christes humanitie but his diuinitie can not be seen Gods mouth is takeÌ„ for the sonne of God the father We haue prouoked his mouth vnto wrath or his commaundement The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Gods tongue is the holy Ghost My tongue is the pen of a redy wryter His arme signifieth Christ of whom Ieremy writeth Thou hast brought thy people of Israel out of the land of Egipt w t an almightie hand with a stretched out arme Wher also Christ is called y e hand of God For he is both his arme his hand Moreouer Gods hand is taken some tyme for his power Beholde ye house of Israel ye are in my hand euen as the clay in the potters hand Some time for his scourge saith he I wil stretche forth my hand ouer Iuda and Hierusalem and I wil rote out the remnaunt of Baal of the which scourge Iob saith the hand of the Lord hath touched me Furthermore Christe iâ— called Gods right hand The right hand of the Lord hath done maruelles the right hand of the Lord hath gotten the victory It is vsed also for the glory of the father concerning which he saith to his sonne syt on my right haÌ„d And in some places for euerlasting ioy and life And he shal set y e shepe on his right hand and the Goats on the left hand wher as his right hand is taken for uerlasting ioye so his lefte hand signifieth the tormentes of the wicked Gods finger is the holy ghost If I cast out deuils in y e finger of God c. For where Luke saieth in the finger of God it is in Mathew If I cast out deuils in the spirit of God Gods finger therfore is his holy comforter For as the hand finger and arme are thre and yet but of one body so y e father y e sonne and the holy ghost are thre persons and one substaunce one God The heart of God y e father signifieth the secret of his wisdom of which he begate his word that is his sonne without beginning without any passion my heart is enditing a good matter His wombe is vsed in thesame signification Of my womb before the morning star I begat thee God is said also to haue shulders because he beareth vp all thinges as it were vpoÌ„ his shulders for al things stand by him The hinder parts of God is Christs humanitie the which he toke vpon him in the end of the world that we might liue without end which is called also Gods fete For as his head signifieth his deuinitie so his fete signifie Christes humanitie the which is subiect vnto Gods deitie as our fete are vnto our heads Thou hast put all thinges in subiection vnder his fete In some places preachers of Gods worde be ment by his fete They that drawe nigh hys fete shal tast of his doctrine You swearers blasphemers which vse to swear by Gods heart armes nailes guttes legges and handes learne what these thinges signifie and leaue your abhominable othes For when thou swearest by Gods heart
mould of the earth as Moses telleth before ther was any similitude likenes or image of god in mā S. Paul also declareth this to be true saying be ye renued in the spirit of your mindes put on y e new mā which after the image of God is shapē in righteousnes true holines And in another place lie not one to another after that ye haue put of the old man with his works put on y e new which is renued in knowledge after y e image of him y t made him place as for the scorneful he shall laugh them to scorne God is not of such affection as a man is to be moued with mocage and laughter for he reioyceth not in the hurt of man but at his amendment and it is writtē Abhominatio domini omnis illusor God abhorreth scornefull persons but as y e man which laugheth at other mē is furthest from a mind to help them and to remedy their griefes so is God to such as dispise his commaundements set light by his threatnings are not moued wyth his promises this is Gods laughter scorning He is said to slepe when Christ lay dead in his graue whose death is called a swete slepe of Hieremye or els when he is slowe to helpe his elect out of trouble as in the. Psa 43. Arise wherfore doest thou slepe O Lord. And contrariwyse he is said to awake when he doth straight way without any tarying socour them help them and deliuer them He is said to forget vs when he taketh his mercy from vs for forgetting his statutes ordinaūces cōmaundements to remēbre vs when we chaunge not he Iesus Christe that is God yesterday to day continueth the same for euer He sitteth not after humane maner but after another sorte To raigne to sit be one thing in God of one signification meaning God raigneth ouer the heathen God sitteth in his holy seat he sitteth ouer Cherubin which is by interpretation fulnes of knowledge by which word angels be ment the myndes of good men for in them god sitteth and raigneth as Salomon testifieth The soule of the righteous is the seat of wysdome And scripture also attributeth stāding vnto God for long suffraūce wher with he calleth vs to repentaūce who is said also to go to walke not by chaunging of place for he filleth all places but by ocupying y e mynds of the faithful as in the Prophet I wil dwel amng them and walke amonge them and be their God where dwellinge walking and to be their God meane one When these thinges be spoken of God the chaunge is to be vnderstanded in vs and not in him as if you and I shoulde drinke both of one drinke and I shoulde lyke it and you mislyke it the diuersitie is not in the drink but in vs euen so God after dyuers cōditiōs of mē is said to be pleased with one and discōtented with another to remēbre some and forget other not that the very passions of anger of mercy of remēbraūce of forgetfulnes take place in him in whome is no affection no passion but the scripture vsethe these speaches for our weak vnderstandings feeding vs wyth mylke because we are not able to disgest stronger meate As long as we be in this lyfe we must learne of God such termes for our lyfe is a shadowe our knowledge is vnperfecte we se in a glasse in a darke speaking w t a corrupt eye Nothing can be properly spoken of God for then he shoulde not be vnspeakeable Who cannot se better in the clear lyght then in a shadow with out a glasse then in it we see in this lyfe as it were with a payre of spctacles but when the spectacles shalbe taken away we shal se clearly God face to face who was neuer sene yet with bodilye eyes Then shadowes glasses dark speaches spectacles mylke and the corrupte eye shalbe taken away according to the voice of the trumpetour when that which is perfect cometh y t which is vnperfect shalbe done awaye The .v. Chapter ¶ God is vnsearcheable THe scripturs teach him also to be ineffable in all tonges vnsercheable in thought nothing can attain vnto hym in so much that Paul crieth out O the deapnes of the rightuousnes and wisdom and knowledge of God How vnsearcheable ar his iudgements and his waies vntraceable If his iudgementes surmount our capacities much more he himselfe and if Paules muche more ours Logike the science of reason discussing all doubtes and cōtrouersies confuting all mens wisdome beholding the beames and brightnes of Gods glorious visage faileth in searching what he is and becometh folishnes I speake not this iudging Logike to be vnprofitable to the reader of Gods word no I thinke rather such as iangel against it to be void of all reason for as muche as they speake against the act of reason Logike is an excellent gift of God not to be dispised or discōmended least we be vnthankefull vnto God but to be diligently learned and commended Many clatter and prate that Peter and Paull neuer learned Logike Philosophie and such dregges whiche I deny for Christ said he would send them the conforter who should teach them al things If the holy ghost taught them all thinges he taught thē also Logike There you haue that the Apostles learned Logike But you wil reply that the holy ghost taught them al things necessary for a preacher Paul also declareth that Logike is necessary for a preacher when he saieth that a bishop must be Didacticos That is apt to teach Christ his Apostels in their sermons disputatiō letters vse al formes of arguments al sorts of reasonings all waies and meanes of inuentions as I would proue if I thought it nedefull to stand in this matter That whiche Paul writeth to the Collossians Videte ne quis c. Bewar least any man come spoile you through Philosophie deceitful vanitie maketh for philosophie not against it For Paul there biddeth thē take hede of such men that with their Philosophie went about to hinder the gospel to stop the prosperous successe of Gods word abusing Gods gift to the destruction of them self and other rebuking the il cōdicions of men and not dispraising the art for he himself was a great Philosopher Now if Philosophy did set forth a false vntrue matter that it confonded y e faith of many how much more is it able to set forth the truth The .vi. Chapter ¶ God is vnuisible and how not withstanding the faithful of the old testamēt saw him diuerse times BVt to retourne vnto our matter as he is vnsearchable so he is vnuisible as Paul recordeth vnto Timothe To the vnuisible God and wise only be honor and praise for euer and euer Ther be some thinges vnuisible which not withstanding be subiect to mutabilitie as mans thought memory wyll and all
With the C.iii. Psalme Praise the Lord O my soull For who coÌ„meth to the table of any man departeth without any thaÌ„kesgeuing it is called also a sacrament of thankesgeuing I wold men wold as diligently dispose them selues to receiue this sacrament as they do eftsones delight to talke of it if they would prepare them selues to receiue it more oft the holy Ghost would enstruct them and becom their scolemaster for wysdom entreth not vnto a soul subdued into sin But I heare some say I wil not come to receiue the sacrament for I can and do receiue the bodye and bloud of Christ at home in the field and in the church yea euery where withoute the sacrameÌ„t beleuing vpon his passion Truly if thou be godly mynded and do call his death to remembrauÌ„ce trusting to haue pardon of thy sinnes by the effusion of his bloud thou dost eat his body and drinke his bloude But thou art not godly mynded but carnall the seruaunt of sinne if thou dispise the ordinaunce of God and his coÌ„maundement who biddeth the take and eat and carnall and vngodly men do not receiue the body of Christ but the spirituall and godly Thou maist say likewyse I wil not com at the minister for remission of my sines and for absolution for God is not bouÌ„d to his sacramentes he pardoneth without the ceremony of ministration as he did y e thief Mary magdalen and other Sure it is God forgeueth thy sinnes before thou come to the priest if thou haue earnest repentaunce and true entent of amendement for he sayth In quacunque hora. c. In what hour soeuer y e vnrighteous man doth repeÌ„t c. and yet neuertheles he himself coÌ„mauÌ„deth y e to come to them for he hath geuen them authoritie to louse to bynd and to blesse and curse â–ª Now what their lousing blessing and absolution is shalbe declared herafter in the .xvii. Chapter So albeit Christes body be receiued in fayth withoute the sacrament yet thou must come vnto the sacrament because thou arte commaunded or els thou art an euill man It is not inough to receiue it spiritually we must receiue it also sacrameÌ„tally yea he that will not receiue it sacramentally neither doth he neither can he receiue it in faith spiritually for I haue proued before y e euill meÌ„ do not eat these dainties The .viij. Chapter ¶ God is full of vnderstanding GOD is also full of vnderstaÌ„ding If any man lack wysdom Iames biddeth him aske it of god which geueth to al men indifferentlye and castethe no manne in the teth and it shall be geuen him if he aske it without wauering without mistrust Dauid asking with a sure fayth obteyned his request in so much that he had more vnderstanding then all his teachers was wyser then the aged but what foloweth for because I kepe thy commaundements Thou askest not in fayth without keping of Gods commaundements ostende mihi fidem tuaÌ„ ex operibus shew me thy faith saith Iames of thy workes Kepe them he wil geue the vnderstanding His testimonies are a lanterne and geue light euen vnto the babes He gaue Salomon an vnderstanding heart to iudge his people and to discerne betwen good and bad so that ther was none lyke hym neyther before nor after He gaue him also honour and ryches and long lyfe which be his gyftes He opened the myndes of his discyples that they might vnderstand the scriptures He toke Paul vp into y e third heaueÌ„ and taught him things which cannot be vttered He â—â—lled Besaliell and Ahaliab with the spirite of God with wysdome vnderstanding and knowledg to fynde out curiouse workes to worke in golde and syluer brasse to karue in wood to graue in stone to make y e tabernacle of witnes the Arke y e mercy seat the table the pure candlestickes the alter of incense vestiments to minister in and the holy garments for Aaron the priest Wherfore he himself must nedes be full of all wysedome and all vnderstanding But these thinges as they were coÌ„mauÌ„ded to them of the ould law so we of the new lawe are not bouÌ„d to them because we haue no commaundement For as Paule writeth vnto his nation we haue an aulter wherof thei mai not eat which serue in the tabernacle The priesthod of the leuites ther sacrifices and ther lawes be disanulled Christes euerlasting priesthod hath made an end of all the Leuites priesthod yea and of all other priesthod saue onlye that whych belongeth to all Christen men The oblation of his body once for all vpon the aulter of the crosse which was a slayne sacrifice for our sinnes abolisheth all other and the lawe of his Gospel hath blotted oâ—t the lawe of the carnall commaundement But oure Romanes allege the prophet Malachy for the defence of the sacrifice of their masse and for their Popish priesthod by whom God saith I haue no pleasure in you and as for an offring I will not accept it at your hands For from the rysing of the Sunne vnto the going down of the same my name is great amongest the gentils yea in euery place shal there sacrifice be done and a clean offring offered vp in my name Albertus Pighius one of y e byshop of Romes chief knyghtes laboureth to proue that this text is ment of the oblacion of the masse whose reasons be these First that it cannot be taken for the oblation of Christes body on y e crosse for God promised here such a sacrifice that should be offred in al places and of the Heathen That was offred in one place in Iewry only and of the Iewes Moreouer it can not be such a sacrifice as Dauid coÌ„mended that a troubled spirit a broken and a contrit heart is a sacrifice vnto God for the Prophet speaketh here of a cleane sacrifice vnto God all that we offer vnto God is spotted vnclean and defiled as the clothes stayned with the flours of a woman The Prophet also speaketh of a new sacrifice that was not before but should be vsed among the Heathen and offred only of the priestes But we haue the sacrifice that Dauid praiseth commen with them of the old law and it is to be offered of all christen men and womeÌ„ wherfore it must nedes be spokeÌ„ of the masse This is Pighius reason yea the principal argument of al the papistes vnto which I besech you hear paciently my answer I entend to wryte a comentary to Malachie but I wil take it out of gods word and I wil open scripture with the key I defend that Malachie meaneth none other sacrifice then an oblacion of a pure and contrite heart and I proue it thus First Malachie speaketh of such a sacrifice as shall be offered in all places vnto God as vndoubtedly this hath bene shal be to the worlds end He speaketh also of a cleane sacrifice Is not y e oblacioÌ„ of
ignoraunce doth not argue Gods worcks to be vnprofitable yea Gods glory and wonderful power is more maruelous in making the litle flie to hear to tast and to fele with a mouth with legges with wynges a body the stomaâ—k the otheâ— inward partes then in an Elephant and more maruelous in a frog then in a great Whale and in a mouse then in a mightie horse If thou come into a riche mans house and seest much stuffe thou thinkest al to be to some purpose and darest thou iudge y t God in his house hath made any thing to no purpose Al Gods creatures ether be profitable or hurtful or not necessary thanck him for the profitable take hede of the hurtful and question not reason not of thinges not necessary For although thy capacitie can not perceiue it yet God hath made all thinges in measure and number and weight he made not y e deuil for he made him an aungel and he made himself a deuil by sinning when he fell from heauen as lightening For the deuill is as much to say as an accuser and a seducer of the Greke word Diaballi whiche signifieth to accuse to infame to disceiue God made man but he made not man euil so he made him an angel but not a deuil he made many angels but they made them selues euill for no euil commeth of him as it is written he beheld many thinges yea al that he had made and â—o they wer exceading good But why did he make him an angel knowing he wold become a deuil why did he make other aungels innumerable why many thousands of men women and children which he forseeth shalbe dampned Verely that he might declare himself to be rightuous in punishing the vngodly as he is merciful in rewarding the godly no man can blame him therfore but rather magnifie his rightuousnes He compelleth them not to sinne for which thei ar dampned Should God because he forsawe they would be euill absteine from creatinge them which is good Is it not lauful for him to do what him listeth with his own are their eies euyll bycause he is good should he not do well in making them because they would doe ill in offendyng him Of this thing seke a further aunswer in the .xii. of the boke of wysdom but let vs returne from whence we are straied al beit these questions are annexed vnto our purpose The smyth is not able to make any thing without Iron nor the Carpenter without wood nor the Tayler without cloth nor the Shomaker without leather nor the Potter without clay but God who is almightie made al thyngs of nothyng Before any thyng was what could there be to make them of except he would haue made them of hymself Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Qui viuit in eternum creauit omnia simul He that liueth for euer more made al thinges simul together that is God made first a confused heap called in Greke Chaos of nothing and of that heap he formed all thinges as it is written Qui fecisti mundum ex materia informi who hast formed the world of a confused heape He made this heap altogether where he saith in the beginning God treated all thynges heauen and earth for the heap is called there heaueÌ„ and earth as afterward also it is called the water the spirit of y e Lord was born vpon the waters So far no time no order of daies is mencioned afterward God of this heap in six daies shapeth al thinges so that both be true that God made the world in syx daies and that he made all thinges together This article of creation is necessary to be knowen for as muche as some deny God to be the maker of the world and geueth the glory therof to aungels as the Menandrians Saturnians Cerinthians al so the Nicolitanes it is y e first article of our Crede The .xv. Chapter ¶ God ruleth the world after his prouideÌ„ce and how he rested the .vii. day OTher graunt God to be maker of al thinges but they suppose that as the shypwright wheÌ„ he hath made the ship leaueth it to y e mariners medleth no more therwith as the carpenter leaueth the house that he hath made euen so God after he had formed all thinges left al his creatures to their own gouernauÌ„ce or to the gouernauÌ„ce of y e starres not ruling the world after his prouideÌ„ce but liuiÌ„g in ease quietnes as y e Stoiks Epicures diuers astrologers because it is writteÌ„ y t on the .vii. day God rested from al his workes To these I aunswer with the prophet Dauid God couereth the heauen with cloudes prepareth rain for the earth maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mouÌ„tains geueth foder vnto the cattel maketh fast y e bars of y e gates of Sion blesseth y e children within maketh peace in our borders filleth vs with the flour of wheat geueth vs snow lyke wol seatreth the hore frâ—â—t like ashes casteth forth his ise like morsels helpeth them to right that sustein wrong loseth men out of pryson geueth sight to the blind raiseth vp them that are fallen careth for straungers defendeth the fatherles socoureth the widowe wherfore he is not an idle God For as the body lyueth thorow the lyfe of the soul euen so the world continueth by Gods gouernaunce who ruleth it as y e maister doth his seruaunt without whom it perâ—sheth in the twinkling of an eie All thynges wayte vpon him to receiue fode in due season when he geueth it them they gather it when he openeth his hand they are filled with good things when he hideth his face thei are sorowful if he take away his breath they die and are turned again to dust The common wealth of y e Israelites teacheth vs how woÌ„derfully God prouideth for theÌ„ that he hath chosen He preserued Iacob froÌ„ his brother Esau he seÌ„t Ioseph into Egipt to make prouision against the .vii. dear yeares he sent darknes amongs the Egiptians he turned their waters into bloud and slue their fishe their landes brought forth frogges flies lyse grashoppers caterpillers yea euen in their kinges chambers he brought them forth of the house of bondage and slauery with siluer gold he rebuked the sea and dried ti vp he led them thorow the depe as in the wildernes he spred out a cloud to be a couering and fire to geue light in the nyght season at their desires came quailes and he filled them with the bread of heauen he opened the rock of stone and the waters flowed out so that riuers came into the wildernes he dried vp the waters of Iordan that y e people might passe ouer he ouerthrew the walles of Iericho and made the sunne to stand stil and the day was lengthened he sâ—ew mightie kings Sehon king of the Amorites and Og king of â—asan and gaue away their laÌ„d for an heritage
that there be three seueral persons saying In the begynninge God created Heauen and earth Where euideÌ„tlye by y e name of God the father and by the beginning his sonne by whome he made all thinges are to be vnderstand For who is the beginning but Christ who answereth the Iewes asking what he was I am y e beginning which spake vnto you and in whose behalfe Dauid speaketh in y e beginning of y e boke it is writeÌ„ of me After these words of the father the sonne it foloweth immediatly The spirit of God was borne vpon the waters the which is the thirde persoÌ„ in y e gloriouse trinitie Some take the spirite here for the wynd blowing vpon the waters If they examine the text diligently they shall fynd y e wynd was yet vnmade and that y e waters there do not signifie that which we call water coÌ„monly but the confused heape of which God formed all thinges If God were not a trinitie he wold not haue saide let vs make man to our similitude after our likenes â–ª For these words let vs our similitude our likenes cannot be spoken of one person Neither they which are spoken after the miserable captiuitie and faule of Adam The Lord God saide lo Adam is become as one of vs in knowledge of good and euill But here thou wilt say these Phrases proue not many personnes for doth not the king say we wil that this or that be done and yet he is but one Kinges and Emperours vse to say so because they haue couÌ„selloures commonly whose prudent aduises they folowe but of God it is wrytten Quis cognouit mentem Domini aut quis illi fuit a consiliis Who hath knowen the mind of the Lord or who is his counselloure And therfore he doth not say so for lyke coÌ„sideratioÌ„ but because y t as Pithagoras saith He is Ternarius numerus The third numbre which coÌ„nteineth al other numbres both vnitie euens oddes Esayas teacheth vs the same where he saith that he saw the seraphins flacker from aboue and cry each one to other Holy Holy Holy is y e Lord of Hostes. By this word holy thrise repeted we are taught that there be thre persons and â—y the wordes folowing the Lord of hostes not iterate that there is but one Lord. I will proue the same by the propertyes of the thre personnes The Congregation confesseth the father to be vnbegotten and no heretyke can deny it and the scripture telleth vs that the son is begotten to whome y e father saith Thou art my son this day I begat the not that the father is elder then Christ for as he was alwayes a father so he was neuer without a son but begat him without time also of my wombe before the mornyng star begat I the. God y e father hath no wombe or corporal form but by his wombe we must vnderstand his substauÌ„ce as if he said of my substauÌ„ce of my owne nature I begat thee If God the father begat Christ of his owne substaunce which is immutable howe could of the same substauÌ„ce his mutable flesh be made as our late Anabapt defend God begat God and light begat light as a man getteth a man and a dog gettech a dog for a man cannot get a dog The holy ghost is neyther called vnbegotten nor gotten For if we cal him vnbegotten we bring in .ii. fathers If we name him begotten we make .ii. Christs He is said to prosede equally from the father from the son as he is equally God equally almightye to be honored equally and euery wheare equally PeradueÌ„ture some wil requyre profe out of the scripture of y e proseeding of the holy coÌ„forter because we say that nothing is to be beleued vpon payne of dampdatioÌ„ which is not in y e scriptures For many do allege this processioÌ„ of the holy spirite for vnwritten verities therfore I say I wil proue it by certaine testimonies albeit I will not deny but that many thinges be true verities which be not in the scriptures as it is true that I wrote this boke not written it is true that king Edw. the .vi. God saue his noble grace is King of EnglaÌ„d vnwritteÌ„ But marke good christen people when we disalow vnwritteÌ„ verities we except such and do speake only of such thinges as be nedefull necessary for the sauing of our soules All such things we say be written in Gods boke For Ihon sayth these are written y t ye myght beleue and haue eternal life if we obserue these thiÌ„gs we shal haue eternal life what caÌ„ we desire more Al such necessari points be writeÌ„ Away therfore w t vnwritteÌ„ verities But how proue ye y e processioÌ„ of y e holy spirite bi scripture That he procedeth froÌ„ y e father christ techeth his disciples saing wheÌ„ y e coÌ„forter is come whom I wil send vnto you from the father he shall beare witnes of me That he procedeth also of Christ these S. Paules wordes be a sufficient record If there be any man that hath not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his For he can not be Christes spirit not proceding of him He is y e vertue which went out of him and healed y e people of Ierusalem of Tyre and of Sidon Further our Sauiour Christ after his victorious and gloriouse resurrectioÌ„ to teach vs that the holy ghost proceadeth from him equally as he doth from the father breathed on his disciples and said receiue the holy ghost and lo I send the promis of my father vpon you If therfore the father be vnbegotten y e son begotten not made the holy comforter proceding there be thre personâ—s not coÌ„founded together The father is a spirit and the sonne likewyse and the father is holy and the sonne likewise but nother of both is the holy spirit the holy ghost He is an vnspeakeable communioÌ„ of the father and sonne also therfore these two wordes be truly verified seuerally of theÌ„ both but not together If the holy ghost be the father he sendeth him self that is he proceadeth from himself If he be the sonne he is the son of the father and of Christ also for euery son is the son of twaine of the father of the mother But God forbid that we shuld imagin any such kind of thing in the father and Christ. If he be nether of both he is a seueral person No earthly man is able to discusse this natiuitie of Christ and procession of the holy ghost after what maner both be done for both be vnspeakeable as it is writteÌ„ Who can declare his generatioÌ„ Of the holy coÌ„forter it may be said also who can declare his proceding wherfor we must eschue curious talking of these misteries stedfastly beleue because of y e scriptures Christ saith the father is greater then I. If he be greater ether they be
two seueral persons or els the father is greater thē himself Dauid witnesseth y t the father setteth Christ on his right hād The Lord sayd vnto my Lorde syt thou on my ryght hand vntyll I make thyne ennemies thy fotestole And that he sytteth there we learne of saint Paul who exhorteth vs to seeke those thynges whiche are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Then ether they be two persons or els the Father speaketh to hym selfe and sytteth on his owne ryght hand The father heareth and Christ prayeth he blesseth Christ geueth thankes he commaundeth and Christ obeyed he teacheth and Christ learneth For Christ recordeth thys of hymself as my father taught me so I speake These properties learne vs that they be two persones vnconfounded for so much as we can not apply or refer thē to one person The visiō which appered to Abraham in the oke groue of Mambre declareth vnto vs a manifest distintion of the godhead yet not a Trinitie of Gods For he sawe thre men and yet he called them Lord not Lordes If that vision be pondred depely it is a glasse wherin we may behold the face of the glorious trinitie The maiestie nature of God himselfe for as those thre men were thre seuerall persons and yet were named but one Lord so the father the son and the holy ghost be thre persons one God Som wil replie that Abraham spake to one of the thre when he sayd Lord whom he acknowledged to be the chief taking the other for his ministers and seruauntes This is proued to be false of that which foloweth and the Lord went his way as sone as he had left talkyng with Abraham and Abrahā returned to his place and there went two aungels to Sodom at euen and Lot sat at y e gate of the city Lot calleth these two men after they had brought him without the citie cōmaunding him not to loke backward Lorde not Lordes Wherfore he whiche departed was not chief their Lord. If he had bene chief the scripture wold not name the twain remaining Lord which in calling the twain Lord also signifieth vnto vs that there was no superiorite no preheminence no prerogatiue among thē but equalitie as in the trinitie whiche is figured by these thre men Some wyll say that Lot speaketh not to both but to one of them Why then doth the scripture say Loth sayde vnto them oh nay my Lord behold for as much as thy seruaunt hath found grace in thy syght c. These two men signifie Christ and the holy Ghost not the father for so much as they saye that the Lorde sent them to destroy that place For Christ and the holy comforter are sent but the father is neuer sent but sendeth Notwithstāding he whiche departed before they came to Sodome sending them twaine thyther representeth the father of heauē of whō Christ and the holy ghost both be sent Now let vs se good christen people how this vision doth portrey or paint the Trinitie As thre men appeared so there be three persones As these three persones are named one Lorde so the Trinitie is one Lorde one GOD As the Father is vnsent so one of these is not sent and as the father sēdeth Christ and the holy ghost into this world so here twayne be sent of one vnto Sodome and Gomor as the twain which were sent are called one Lorde so Christ and the holy ghost are but one god Protogenes neuer painted Ialisus at Rodes so excellently nor Appelles Venus nor Policletus y e image of Doriphorus as this vision doth liuely declare y e properties of the glorious Trinitie of which thorow whiche for which al thinges are But let vs serche how the scripture vseth to speake of the Trinitie Iohn saith Ther ar thre which beare recorde on earth the spirite water and bloud and these thre are one The trinitie is signified by these thre The spirit is y e father for Christ calleth him so speaking of the true worshipping God is a spirit And by y e name of bloud we may vnderstand Christ who for our sakes is become flesh and bloud By the name of water the holy ghost is ment whome our sauiour Christ calleth water saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me ◠drink He y t beleueth on me saith y e scripture out of his belly shal flow streames of water of life This spake he saith Ihō the Euāgelist of y e spirit which they that beleued on him should receiue Wherfore as a spirit is not bloud ne water no more is the father the sonne or the holy ghost but a distinct person Christ is named also a dore a rocke a vine bread a bridegrome a kyng a Phisicion and his father a husbandman If the father be Christ he is the dore the rock the vyne yea rather as a husbandman and a vine be diuerse thinges so Christ is not the father The holy comforter is called fyer which all be diuers thynges from those often times and the finger of God and the oyle of gladnes and anoynting that figuratly be spoken of the father But my thinke I hear some suttell searching and craftie witted man replie that as Christ and the vine the dore the rock be diuers names of one thynge and the holy ghost and oyl ▪ and fier and annointing that so y e father the son and the holy ghost be thre names and one thyng and that the father is called by these names as he is called afore by the name of a husbandman This were somwhat if we had euident Scripture◠that the Father is Christ or the holy Ghost as we haue that he is a husbandman And so we haue say they For Christ sayeth I and my father are one and whosoeuer seeth me seeth my father These textes plucke vp thys opinion by the rootes For in that he sayth we are he teacheth vs that he and his father be not one persone For as muche as are can not be spoken of one persone And in that he sayth one he declareth that he is of the selfsame substaūce O the depenesse and exceading power of Gods word which with two sillables are and one confoūdeth two heretikes the Arrian and Patripassion The other text declaring the father to be sene in Christ doth not proue theim one persone but rather twayn teaching vs that whiche S. Paul wryteth to his countreimen that he is the brightnesse of the fathers glory and expresse image of his substaunce When men loke in a glasse behold their own faces they vse to say that they see them selues and they and that which they see be not al one When they se the picture of Christ in a painted cloth they say thei se Christ. If we se Christ in his picture if we se our selues in a glasse much more the father is sene in Christ who is
as the other Gods haue so the mo Gods they be in number the lesse is their power authoritie As for example y e king is most mighty who hath all the world vnder him for al things are his y e riches of al men belong vnto him If there be many kings they are of lesse power ther is no such authoritie among theÌ„ no such power for eueri one of them hath his dominion his portion to rule presumeth not beyond his owne bonds Euen so if ther be many Gods they are of lesse power but reason geueth God a perfit and an absolute power Wherfore ther is but one God only for asmuch as perfit power cannot be in many Also it ther be many howe do they knowe that they shal coÌ„tinue of one mynd and will If thei do not as it is like for it is a common saying Tot capita tot sensus as many myndes as heades then this diuersitie wil prouoke them to battail as we read in Homer who bryngeth in y e Gods fighting one with another some of theÌ„ takyng parte with the Troyanes some with y e Grekes for diuersitie in will causeth warre The heatheÌ„ grauÌ„t that God hath a generall aucthoritie and a perfite power but they saye that he hath many Gods of lesse power which ar called minores dij to gouern the world vnder him But thei lie for thei be no gods because thei be ministers vnder him nomore theÌ„ y e officers vnder the king as chauÌ„celers maires presideÌ„ts iudges shriues bailies and Constables are kinges God is not like a man he worketh all thynges without handes without any werinees or payne nether doth tyme measure his workes with whom it is Dixit facta sunt he spake the word and it was done WheÌ„fore he nether hath nede to rule vnder him nether can any such be Gods wherof it must nedes folow y t the world is gouerned by one God No citie is wel ordred but of one Mayre no host of meÌ„ but of one general captaine Wherfore the Grekes sayling vnto the famous citie of Troye chose Agamenon to be king of kinges and wylled all to be obedient vnto hym If in one host there be so many chief captains as there be thousands if euery haue his captain whom he must only obey no order no aray can be kept for euery captaine will be with his men where hym lysteth and euery one of theÌ„ wyl refuse to endaunger hymselfe and his men and wyl passe the ieopardie to hym that is next Euen so except by one God the whole worlde be gouerned all thynges wyl decay and peryshe If it be true which is comenly sayd among meÌ„ Omnis potestas impatiens est consortis that power receiueth no felowship howe much more is it true in that ineffable power which apperteineth to God whose highnes receiueth no felowship of any other What a king is to his realme that God is in y e world one realme hath but one so one world hath but on God For this cause and other the scriptures vse to call him a king No ship is well gouerned of many maisters no flock of mani shepeherdes no schole of many scholemaisters no citie of many Mayres no hoste of many captaines no kyngdome of many kinges all thinges stande and are preserued by an vnitie And Virgill recordeth this thing saying Principio celuÌ„ ac terras caÌ„posque liquentes Lucentemque globum lune titaniaque astra Spiritus intus alit totamque infusa per artus MeÌ„s agitat moleÌ„ et magno se corpore miscet First heaueÌ„ earth clay fields in dede with mone stars y e spirit w tin doth fede The mind spread through the vayns eke moues the mole Mixing it self vnto the body whole The Poet Virgil beareth record that there is but one God for one body hath but one mynd and God is the mynd of the world wherfore as there is but one world so there is but one God And that no man shoulde misâ—â—me this spirit and mynde of whiche he speakith not to be God he expoundeth these wordes in another place saiyng Deum namque ire per omnes Terrasque tractusque maris celumque profundum God goeth through al sene or vnsene with eye Through earth and sea through heauen depe an hie â—uide also in his boke called Metamorphosis witnesseth that one God formed al thinges of a confused heape I do not cal poetes to witnesse that I thinke any credite to be geuen to their wordes but to shewe that this thing is so manifest a truth that they which were blynd did se it But as I haue spoken of poets so wyl I speake of the Phylosophers Thales Milâ—sius one of y e seuen famous wise men held opinion that water is the stuffe matter of which al thinges were made and that God formed them therof grauÌ„ting both one God to be maker of al thinges also telling wherof For the scriptures call the confused heape of which al things were made bi the name of water as it is writteÌ„ The spirit of god was born vpon y e waters Pitagoras also defineth god to be a mynd filling ruling al the porcions of y e world And one body hath but one minde wherfore the world hath but one God For God is a mind the world is the body He also said that the nuÌ„ber of thre was the beginning of al things teaching the people of his time that god is a trinitie in a riddle obscure speach because it wold not be born openly If ther were many worlds as some thinke it wer some probabilitie to say ther were many gods Parmenides thinketh y t there is but vnuÌ„ ens The noble worthy philosopher Aristotle de partiÌ„g out of this life praied vnto y e same ens saiyng ens entium miserere mei And wel may god be called ens who only is of himself al things haue their being of him Plato also saith y t the â—ouernaÌ„ce of this world is a Monarchie that God only both made ruleth it Hermes trismagist teacheth thesame thing that he is vnsearchable Marcus Tullius the famouse orator agreeth with them who teacheth that God is Mens soluta quedâ— libera segregata ab omni concrecione mortali omnia sentiens omnia mouens that is to witte God is a simple mynde nether being made of matter form nether mingled with accideÌ„ts knowing all thinges and ordryng them The Sibilles also taught the same in old time which were womeÌ„ that did prophecie before the coÌ„ming of our sauiour Christ so called because they did disclose many of Gods secrets For the Aeolians cal the gods Sions â–ª not Theous counsel or secrets not Boulen but Bullen and there were ten of theÌ„ The most famous of them which was called Erithrea saith thus of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One God alone thete is I wot Both infinite
his letters professeth him self to be y e seauaunt of Iesu Christ wherfore he is to be honored theÌ„ he is one God with the father for it is writteÌ„ Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and hym only shalt thou serue You cal me saith Christ Lord and maister and ye say well for so am I. And he warneth vs that we call not one another maister for one is our maister The Apostle also witnesseth y t ther is but one diuinitie one power and maiestie of Christ the father saying although ther be y t are called Gods whether in heaueÌ„ or in earth as ther be gods many Lordes many yet vnto vs is ther but vnus deus one God which is y e father of whom are all thinges we in him and vnus dominus one Lorde Iesus Chriâ—st by whom are al thinges we by him For as in that he saith that ther is but one Lord Iesus Christ the father is not denied to be Lord so these wordes vnto vs ther is but one God which is y e father denie not Christ to be God He numbreth not him emong those whiche are Gods by nuncupation but ioyneth coupleth him with the father froÌ„ whoÌ„ he is vnseperable The Prophet Baruch saith of him he is our God and there is none other able to be coÌ„pared vnto him Wherfore ether we must graunt him to be one God with the father or els make the father vnderlyng to hys sonne for none is to be compared to him That the Prophet speaketh these words of Christ the same text folowing sheweth it is he that hath found out al wisdom and hath geuen her vnto Iacob his seruaunt and to Israell his beloued Afterward did he shewe himselfe vpon earth and dwelt among men This text declareth also that Christ gouerned the congregatioÌ„ of the Israelits in that it sayth he fouÌ„d out all wisdome and gaue her vnto Iacob and Israell Read that Chapter thou shalt fynd y t he prepared y e earth at the beginning filled it with all maner of foules and beastes and that he gouerneth the same and that he wotteth al things that he is great and hath no end high vnmeasurable which things all proue him one God with the father as he testifieth of himselfe saying to his father Hec est vita eterna c. This is life euerlasting that they might know thonly tru God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ that is that they might knowe the and Iesus Christ to be thonly true God Neither doth only here deny the holy ghoste to be one God with them forasmuch as he is of the same esseÌ„ce that they be for he procedeth of them both nomore then y e father is excluded by the same word and the sonne where it is written The thinges of God knoweth none but the spirit of God The father and Christ are not excluded from that knowledge which is said here to apperteine only to the holy ghost So wheÌ„ soeuer they two are said to be the only true God the almightie coÌ„forter is not denied to be god also with them We read in the reuelation of S. Ihon of a name which none knewe but he only who had it written that is Christ yet both y e father knewe it who knoweth al scieÌ„ce the almightie coÌ„forter also for he searcheth al thinges yea the botome of Gods secretes Wherfore wheÌ„ Moises crieth Harken Israell the Lorde thy God is one God when all the Prophets preach that there be no more Goddes but one the diuine nature and esseÌ„ce is not denied to Christ and to the almightie comforter nomore then dominion and Lordshippe is denied to the father because Paule saith to vs is but one Lord Iesus Christ. So God is said onli to haue immortalitie and yet nether Christ is immortal who saith vnto the rebelliouse Iewes Verely verely I say vnto you if a man kepe my word he shall neuer se death For if the keping of Christes worde lead vs to immortalitie howe much more is he himselfe immortal without beginning or end Neither y e holy comforter for of him Paule writeth If the bloud of oxen and of goates and the ashes of an heyfer when it was spryncled purified the vncleane as touching the purifieng of y e fleshe how much more shal y e bloud of Christ which through the eternal spirit offered himself withoute spotte vnto God pourge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God So God is said only to forgeue sinne only to be wise only to be mightie only to be good which textes and sayinges are spokeÌ„ of the gloriouse Trinitie If they were spoken of the father only as the Arrians teach then the euangelist wold haue said who can forgeue sinnes but the father only none is God saâ—e the father only Paule also sayth â–ª not vnto the father wyse only but vnto God king euerlasting immortal inuisible and wyse oniy that is to the blessed Trinitie be honoure and prayse for euer and euer For if we take him otherwise we make him a lier who grauÌ„teth power immortalitie and wisdome in diuerse and sundry places both to Christ our sauiour and to the spirite the comforter And these thinges do onlye apperteyne and belong to them thre neither are they attribute to any other Wherupon it muste nedes folowe that they be one God Nothing proueth this more plainly then the hebrue text whersoeuer the scripture cryeth vnto vs that ther is but one god Moses saith vnto y e Israelits Iehoua Elohenou Iehoua Ecadh that is the Lord our God is one God or one Lord â–ª This text can not be spoken of the father onlye for the hebrue word for God is Elohim of the plurell nuÌ„ber not of the singuler to teach vs that there be thre vnconfounded which neuerthelesse are declared to be one God and of one essence maiestie and power for so much as they are Iehoua Ecadh For Iehoua is the peculier special honorabâ—â— and most blessed name of God for which the Iewes dyd vse to reade Adonai not that it could not be expressed in their language but for a more reuerence to Gods name Moises also saith in another place vnto the it was shewed that y u mightst know that the Lord is God that ther is none but he wheras for god the english he vseth Elohim so for the Lord he vseth Iehoua Esay the Prophet doth likewise speking of one God and reiecting al other Wherfore the Trinitie is one euerlasting the only immutable inuisible and almighty God I will proue this to be true in these foure wordes power name light vertue for the father is almighty as it is written I am the Lord almighty And the sonne also is almighty for the wyseman calleth him y e almighty hand and the almighty word of God The holy comforter also is almighty forasmuch as he is
the finger of God wherfore thei are one God They haue also one name for the Apostles are commaunde to christen al nations in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost Note here that the scripture sayeth in y e name not in the names and to teache vs that there is one diuinitie one maiestie and one name of the thre persones the scripture telleth that Christ the holy ghost come not in diuers and sondry names but in one name Christ saith I come in my fathers name and ye receiue me not This name of y e father is Christes name also for the Lord sayth in the boke of departure to him Ego anticedo in nomine meo vocabo te nomine meo domini in coÌ„spectu tuo That is I wyl go before thee in my name and I wyll call thee by my name Lord in thi presence Thou learnest here that Christ and his father haue one name learne also that the almighty and alknowing comforter hath the selfsame name in that he cometh in the name of Christ as it is writteÌ„ that comforter the holy ghost whom the father wyl send in my name He is sent in Christes name wherfore he hath one name with hym the father This is the name of y e blessed trinitie of which it is wrytten ther is no other name vnder heauen in whiche we must be saued wherfore they haue but one diuinite I wil proue y e same of those thinges which the scripture saith of god God is light sayth Iohn in him is no darkenes Christ also is light for of IhoÌ„ the baptist it is writeÌ„ he was not y e light but to bear witnes of y e light which lighteth al men coming into the world God is light 1 Iohn 1. Christ is the true lyght Iohn 1. Ergo Christ is the true God Of the almightie comforter also it is written Signatum est super nos lumen the lyght of thy countenaunce O Lorde is sealed vpon vs but who is the light sealed who is the seale that is y e holy ghost of whom Paul writeth ye are sealed w t the holy spirit of promes whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce Note also y t he is not another light but thesame light that the father is for he is the light of his countenaunce wherfore he is the same God and one God with the father and the sonne But some felowe wil aske me where I find the father to be lyght truly in Paul who calleth Christ the brightnes of euerlasting lyght where by euerlasting lyght the father is ment Christ also is vertue for Paul calleth hym Dei virtutem atque sapienciam the vertue wisdome oâ— God We read also that the father is vertue where it is written Videbitis filium hominis ad dexteram virtutis ye shall see Christ ye shal se the sonne of man on the right hand of the vertue or power And that the holy ghost is vertue Christ witnesseth saying Accipietis virtutem adueâ—ientem in vos spiritus sancti you shal receiue vertue or power of the holy ghost Luke also speaketh this of the holy gost Virtus exibat de eo vertue gushed out of him wherfore thei be one God The son is life who saith I am the way truth life So the father also is life as IhoÌ„ witnesseth saying that which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue sene with our eies whiche we haue loked vpon and our handes haue handled of the word of lyfe for the lyfe appeared and we haue sene beare witnes and shew vnto you that eternal life which was with the father Here he named our sauiour Christ the word of life and eternal life But what meaneth he bi calling him the word of life then that he is the word of the father wherfore the father also is lyfe And if so be the Apostle call Christ lyfe why is not the alknowyng comforter lyfe who is the spyrite of lyfe as it is wrytten The spirite of lyfe was in the wheles Note here reader that Christ is not another lyfe but thesame life that the father is in asmuch as he is that eternal lyfe whiche was with the father For if he be one life with the father theÌ„ must he nedes be one god with him The father also is a flud as he recordeth of himself I will flowe vpon you like a water flud of peace and like a flowyng streame And Christ caleth y e almigtie comforter a fludde saying out of his belly shal flowe riuers of water of life This spake he of the spirit Wherfor the holy ghost is a flud or streame and that a mighty and great flud washyng and clensing the heauenly citie of Hierusalem from al filth and vnclennes as Dauid winesseth there is a flud which with his riuers reioyseth the citie of God the holy dwelling of the hyghest no other stream can wash purifie clense vs but this God graunt that this flud may ouerflow the bankes of Englande God send it into the court into the kinges chamber into his heart into his counsels chamber and into the middest of the parliameÌ„t house to wash banish away all couetousnes in spiritual thinges as ferming of benefices pluralities of prebendes personages absence froÌ„ cures from colledges improperations first fruites c. and parcialitie and the gredy wolfe of ambicion pride vnmercifulnes and oppression out of the hearts of nobilitie God send it into the hearts of Byshops that they may once againe yet be preaching prelates and al priestes that they may power forth clean pure doctrine as diligently as they haue powred holy water many a day The holy spirite is the true holy water the true flud wasshing away our sinnes not the vnprofitable ceremonies of the syre of Rome Wherfor our sauiour Christ must nedes be a flud also for out of him gushe these streames of eternal life They haue also one operation thei do worke al things vnseperabli as I haue proued in y e chap. before wher I declared mans soull to be the image of God wherfore they haue one diuitie Moreouer it is writteÌ„ grace with you and peace froÌ„ God the father and our Lord Iesus Christ. Behold thou seest here that one grace commeth from the father and the sonne one peace lykewise thesame also come from the holy ghost for of peace it is writteÌ„ the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring Zachary calleth him y e spirit of grace God hath promised to poure vpon Hierusalem the spirit of grace and mercy Peter saith to those that were pricked in their hearts through his preaching Accipietis graciaÌ„ spiritus sancti you shall receiue the grace of the holy ghost They haue also one charitie one loue for of y e father the son it is written
thou swearest by Gods wisdom when thou swearest by Gods armes thou swearest by Christ when y u swearest hands legs thou swearest by his humanitie wheÌ„ thou swearest by his tong and finger thou swerest by the holy ghost and swearing by his head thou swerest by his diuine and blessed nature and swearing by his heares thou abusest his creatures by which thou art forbiddeÌ„ to swear WheÌ„ an oth is necessary we are bounde to swear by God only vnto whom al honor is due for we honor that thing wherby we swear It is naught to swear by the Masse a prophanacion of Christes supper and a patched creature of the Byshop of Rome which was longer in patching then SalomoÌ„s great teÌ„ple in building Nether is it lawfull to swear by any sainctes as Iudges and Stewardes make the simple people do at cessions and courtes for if they be to be sworne by they are to be praied vnto and to be honored Dauid saieth all they that swear by him shalbe commeÌ„ded And Paul vnto the Hebrues speaketh thus that God because he had no greater thing to swear by swore by him self wherby we must gather y t we must swear by God only Thei that swear by his creatures or by the Masse be Idolaters But some wil say if we honor y â— thing wherby we swear let vs swear by God that we may honor him Brother be not deceiued God is honored by swering but how Truly when thou swearest by him in a waighty matter of life death before an officer or in any other matters of importaunce thou dost hym honor and homage but if in euery trifle thou call him to witnes thou dishononorest him and breakest his commaundement which saith Non assumes nomen domini c. Thou shalt not take y e name of thy Lord God in vaine Swear therfore by God as God hath commauÌ„ded thee thou honorest him I trust nowe it is euident that God not withstaÌ„ding all these forsaid partes and members is a spirit and no bodely no corporall no sensible thing If ther be any that think otherwyse I would fain learn how thei set the scripturs together which can not be contrary one to another for scripture is truth and truth can by no meanes be contrary to the truth If they wil proue of the places before that God is like man I will proue also because the scripture saith who is this y t cometh froÌ„ Edom with stained red clothes of Bosra whiche is so costly that God goeth in a red coat whiche if it be true he must nedes haue a tailer or els make it himself for those wordes ar spoken of God as the place sheweth But if we weigh the place diligently we shall find that Edom is the earth the stained red clothes are Christes bloude whiche he did shed vppon earth for our sinnes And they whiche demaund who he is be his creatures which shall maruel at the wisdom of God in deliuering mankind from the bondage of the spiritual Pharao by bloud by death by the crosse I wil proue also y t he hath shoes for he saith by Dauid ouer Edom wil I strech out my shoe And then he must nedes haue a shomaker or els make shoes him selfe But Edom is the earth the Apostels fete be his shoes for it is written how bewtiful are the fete of them which bryng glad tidinges of peace He stretched his shoe ouer the earth when he sent them to preach to al creatures For their sounde went into all landes their words to the ends of the world I may proue also with lyke argumentes vnto these bycause Gods worde doth attribute wynges vnto God that he is a byrd and so if he be lyke a man and a byrd both he is a moÌ„ster and bicause it doth attribute vnto him bow shaftes quyuer that he vseth shoting bicause it graunteth to him a fan a flore wheat chaffe that he occupieth husbandry Dauid saith defend me vnder the shadowe of thy wynges likening God to a bird forasmuche as he is no lesse carefull for his chosen then the Hen is for her chickens as Christ declareth very well crying Ierusalem Ierusalem howe often wold I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathered hir chickeÌ„s vnder hir winges and ye would not And it graunteth God bow and shaftes and a quiuer to signifie him to be a punisher of the vngodly and a rewarder of the Godly for as muche as men minister helpe or vengeaunce one to another oftentimes through bowes and shaftes and one Prince aideth an other with archers He hath bent his bow saith Dauid and made it ready he hath prepared weapons of death and ordeined arowes to destroy that is he wil aueÌ„ge euil meÌ„ he wil reward them for their oppression â–ª he wil punish them for their vngracious deuises except they amende he hathe whet his swerde And â—ell may God be compared to a shoter For as the shoter the lesse or more he draweth his shaft his stroke is therafter and if he draw it far and vp to the Iron then it payeth likenes of God Yea truly but in soule in mind in y â— inward man not touching his body Wherfore Augustin a man most expert in Gods word crieth out against the Image of the trinitie calling it Sacrilegium A staining of Gods honour and an Idoll because the glory of the immortall God is chaunged into y e similitude and Image of mortall man forbidding such an Image not only in the church but also in thought mind I suppose that the Antropomorphites erected this Image When Philip desired Christ to shew him the father he rebuked him and aunswered he that seeth me seeth the Father for he is the only Image of the Father as Paul writeth not a domme Image for he is his word not a dead Image for he is life and resurrection not couÌ„terfet for he is truth God is a spirit not fleshe a soull not a body The soull of man is sayde to be made Ad imaginem similitudinem dei after the Image of God because it is a spirituall creature vnuisible vncorruptible not of the substaunce of God as the Maniches and the Priscillianistes do falsly defend but made of nothing For then it should know all thinges as God knoweth and be ignoraunt of nothing it should be voyd of al affections mutabilitie and vnconstancie There is in mans soull reason discerning good from euil truth from falshead There is memory by the whiche he remembreth thinges past there is will by the whiche he choseth what hym lyketh Besides this our first parentes were made with out spot voyd of sinne clean righteous holy replenished with al floures of vertues and knowledge In these thinges man was formed after the lykenes of God In these we be like y e Angels our bodies we haue comen with the brute beastes it was made of the