thynges what so euer it hath lyked hym in heuen and in earthe in the see and in all depe waters DI. Creatorem celi et terre id est the creatoure of heuen and of earthe â—hy is the father onelye called the creatoure of the worlde MAG Forsoth the creation of the worlde is coÌ„mune to all the thre persones For the father hath made all creatures by the sonne the holy ghoste workynge together with them bothe But yet in suche wyse that thou mayste not imagine here neither ony instrumeÌ„t neither yet ony mynyster But it was conueniente and accordynge that the begynnynge of the euangelycall profession sholde be consonaunte and agreable with the begynnynge of the olde testamente that we myghte at the leaste eueÌ„ hereby perceyue and vnderstonde that the authoure of both lawes is all one Thus begynneth the boke of Genesis In the begynnynge God dyd create both heuen and erthe Genesis .i. Now the Iewes I speke of the coÌ„mune sorte the most parte of them knewe nothynge at all of the sonne and of the holy ghoste they knewe onelye the father not because he hath begotten the sonne beyng also god but because he was the maker aâ—d the gouernoure of mankynde and the fountayne originall cause of all creatures For this worde Father is a worde beto kenynge begynnynge and it is euydent and vndowted that the moste perfighte nature and maner of a begynnynge or originall cause is in the father Father For as muche as he alone as saynt Cipriane saythe is without ony authoure or father whiche onely is the authoure of al thyngê without exception DIS why doth some other call hym Creatorem some agayne call hym FactoreÌ„ whome he doth here calle Conditorem MA. The Grekes haue but onely one worde Poutin which is coÌ„mune to signifie authorem creatorem and factorem id est an authoure a creatoure and a maker after what so euer maner it be that he doth make how be it the Latyne toâ—ge doth refuse this word Factor Certayne men for cause of a distinction and difference to be hadde haue taughte that he doth create whiche doth bryâ—ge for the and make somewhat of nothynge whiche belongeth onely to god and that he dothe make whiche frameth or shapeth ony thynge of some matere or stuffe as for exauÌ„ple nature gendreth bringeth forth the tre of the sede the goldesmyth dothe make a pece or a goblet of syluer It cometh therfore iÌ„ to disputatioÌ„ whether god had created heuen earth for as muâ—he as there semeth to haue ben Chaos afore he made the worlde that is to say a matter or stuffe without ony shape or fassioÌ„ he dyd not therfore creat the worlde of noughte howe be it yet it maye be well sayde that he made it of noughte seynge that he made the same thyng wherof al thyngê haue ben made To th enteÌ„t therfore that all suche subtile argumentations sholde be excluded certayne men hade leuer vse this worde coÌ„ditorem DIS why dyd he raithâ—r calle hym conditorem celi et terre idest the maker of heuen and of earthe than conditorem vniuerse creature id est the maker of all creatures MAG Because as I sayde ryghte nowe he had leuer couÌ„trefayte folowe the wordes of the begynnynge of the boke Genesis ☞ Heuen coÌ„prehendeth and contayneth all thynges About the earthe all the other elementes do moue rounde These two partes of the world are most set forth vnto our senses And the scripture as I tolde you ryghte nowe doth oftentymes attempre and shape her speche accordynge to mannes wittes and capacite He that hath made heuen and earth hathe dowtâ—es made all thynges whiche are contayned in them DIS But the symbole callyd SymboluÌ„ Nicenum or symbolum Constantinopolitanum doth adde these wordes visibilium omnium inuisibilium that is to say the maker of all thynges both visible and vnuysyble MAG That same Crede sayth the same thynge that doth this crede but it speaketh more playnly and euydently leste ony man sholde thynke that Aungelles or the soules of men were not created of god That thiÌ„ge whiche is sayde here couertly saynt Paule the Apostle doth expresslye pronounce in the fyrste Chapitour to the Collossianes i. Collos. ◠☞ For by hym all thynges were made in heuen and in earthe both visible thyngê vnuisible thynges whether they be thrones or dominations or pucipates or potestates all thiÌ„ges haue ben made by hym and in hym what so euer thiÌ„g had neuer begiÌ„nynge But the aungelles are the ministers of god whome they do contynually without ceassyng reuerently with drede glorifie aâ—d worshyppe as there maker lorde And what so euer thyng hath had begynnynge it hath had his originall begynnynge of god onely whiche alone neither hath had begynnynge neither euer shall haue endynge neither is contayned iÌ„ place neither is moued iÌ„ tyme. DIS What remaineth now but that we maye go vnto the secounde article MA. I thynke it better to tarye somewhat also abowt this article DIS I am redy to do as shall please you MA. The fyrste degre than vnto helthe is Credere deum esse id est to beleue that there is god The second is Credere deâ— that is to geue credence vntoâ—goddes wordes The thyrde is to caste all our thoughte and mynde vpon hym with full confidence and truste He that doth not beleue that god is he professeth nothynge to be at all in as muche as all thynges that are are of god He that beleueth god whiche is Credere deâ— he doth professe hym to be true in all thynges He that putteth al his trust in god professethe that all thynges are gouerned of hym and that there is nothynge neyther better nor wyser than he who so euer douteth of these latter thynges he dothe nat truly beleue that fyrste thyâ—ge that is to wete that god is For no man dothe truly beleue that god is whiche dothe fayne or ymagine hym to be otherwyse than he is ye moreouer they do the more shamefully erre of bothe whiche whan they do professe that there is god yet for all that do denye that he is almighty or alknowyng orels do deny that the world was made by hym â—â—f it were made of him yet do deny that it is gouerned of hym Euen lykewyse as thou thy selfe if I be nat begylâ—d wolde be lesse disconteÌ„ted with him which sholde suppose or wene that thou arte nat borne than with hym whiche dyd beleue that thou haste no senses or mannes reason suche other thynges without whiche a man leseth the name of a man D. For sothe it is euen very so as you do saye M. He that nameth a kynge dothe in this one worde comprehende manye excellente thynges he that nameth god in thys one worde dothe coÌ„prehende an infinite sum of all good thynges Many men saye with theyr mouthe ☞ Credâ— in deum I beleue in god but he whiche with a christen mynde dothe saye I beleue
than that whiche our lorde hymselfe hath vouchesafed to prescribe teach for the sonne knoweth beste with what fourme and maner of prayer his father most specially is delyted and pleased DIS But those preceptes and commaundementes were gyuen by Moyses to the Iewes Nowe our lorde hath delyueryd vs from that lawe MAG God forbyd it my deare sonne the whole lawe is owers and agreith with the gospell saue that we do now professe knowlege that thyng to be done fulfylled which they dyd loke for afterwarde to come and also saue that the same thyng which was spoken and put forth to them as beynge rude begynners in rydles and darke fygures to vs is sayd spoken in a more playne and clere maner Onely certayne outward ceremonies are partely put quyte and clene away and partely are chaunged and applyed to the â—uangelicall vertue and holynes But as for the other preceptes or coÌ„maundementes the gospell dothe none otherwyse delyuer and make vs free from them saue that by the reason that charite is augmented in vs we do those thynges wyllyngly and gladly of our owne accorde whiche the commune sorte and moste parte of the Iewes dyd for feare of payne or ponyshement for els what a lyberty I beseche you sholde that be if we myght forsweare our selues do adultery or coÌ„mytte theft Dyd Christ therefore come into the worlde that we sholde haue lyberty to synne vnponyshed No verily but that we sholde not synne at all as beynge borne agayne into hym whiche knoweth no whytte of synne we do honoure and worshyp the same god whom the Iewes dyd honoure all be it as touchynge to the rytes or ceremonyes and maner of immolations and sacrifices we do worshyp hym after another fasshyon And the fountayne of all the commaundementes is that fyrste that is to saye the greatest of all ☞ to loue god with all our harte and our neyghboure as our owneselfe for this speche dothe summarily and brefly comprehende all the preceptes of lyuynge who so euer doth want these two poyntes although he doth perfourme fulfyll that thyng whiche the wordes of the lawe do prescribe and commaunde and though he doth auoyde and estewe that which the lawe doth forbydde yet for all that doth he not obserue and fulfyll the lawe as for exaumple if a man doth not kyll his enemye not for that he dothe not owe hym euyl wyl but for that he doth feare the ponyshement thretened by the lawe this man is a manqueller afore god But that man whome in the heate of angre the loue of god and of his neyghboure doth reuoke and call backe from doyng myschefe which thinketh thus to hymself god forbyd that for cause of any man beynge enemy to me I sholde fall out from the frendshyp and loue of god hurte my neyghboure to whome althoughe he be an euyll man yet I ought to wyll well for goddes sake to whome it is moste pleasaâ—â—te and acceptable if for an iniurie and displeasure we doo a good tourne agayne neyther forceth it to me though man doth make but euyll recompence to me for my benefytes I haue a trusty aâ—d a sure faythfull detter to whome I lende this stock to haue encreace he wyll pay me agayn with inestimable lucre or gaynes that man I say that thus doth thynk onely hath obserued fulfylled the commaundement of the law D. Now I long to here those .x. lawes wryten with the fynger of god MA. They are recited in the xx chapitour of Exodi neyther do they nede any declaration for the wordes of a lawe ought to be playne and clere if any thyng in them doth nede or requyre an interpretour or expositour there are very many men whiche haue done this allredy sufficiently Onely I shall in few wordes admonyshe aâ—d gyue warnyng that euery one of these preceptes dothe stretch further and are extended more largely namely amonge christen men than the commune sorte and the moste parte of men doth iudge or thynke The fyrst precepte therfore is this The fyrst coÌ„maundemeÌ„t ☞ Thou shalt not haue any strauÌ„g goddes in my syght thou shalt not make the any grauen ymage nor any maner similitude or lykenes whiche is in the firmament aboue and whiche is in the earthe benethe neyther of those thynges whiche are in the waters vnder the earth This precepte agreith with the fyrste artycle of the Crede so that it nedeth not here to make many wordes and I haue allredye tolde the that this precepte is violated and broken not onely of them which do worshyp the sonne the mone and the sterres or els a man a serpente an oxe or a kowe or a dogge or els do worshyppe the ymages of these reherced thynges or els offendes in stede of god but also to idolatry do enclyne appertayne all curiouse artes and crafâ—es All curiouse artes appertayne to idolatrie of diuyning and sothesaying of iuglyng of doyng cures by charmes or withcraft in whiche althoughe there be none expresse conspiration with deuylles or wycked spirites yet neuertheles is there some secrete dealyng with them and so therefore a secreâ—e denyinge of god If thou desyrest an euident argument and token herof it is redy and not to seche whan the inchauntoure goeth about to take out of thy body the hede of a darte or of an arow say this with good fayth to thyselfe if this thynge be done with the wyll and pleasure of god I praye god it may do me helpe or ease if not I had leuer suffre the wound of my body than the wyckednes of my mynd thou shalt see the inchauntour to laboure all in vayn Neyther is it vnknowne to me what they are wont to laye for themselues which do sette greate store by the art called magia naturalis and whiche do greatly esteme and regarde the iudiciall astronomye It belongethe to the christian religion and holynes to I lee euen from those thynges also whiche haue the parell and daunger or els the apperaunce of impietye or mysbelefe That man refuseth and forsaketh all these thynges who so euer he be that truely professyng one very god hath abiured all false goddes Nor we ought not so much as to receyue any benefyte of any man which is gyuen with the offendynge and displeasynge of god To make shorte Euery cryme appertayneâ—h to idolatry Euery cryme is a spyce of idolatrie He that for his wyues pleasure hath offended god hath renyed god and hath honoured his wyfe for a goddesse He that for the kynges pleasure doth spoyle wardes and fatherlesse chyldreÌ„ that neuer deserued it or which doth commytte any other lyke cryme he dothe honoure the prynce in stede of god let them flatter and dysceyue themselues as much as they lyste let them reherce this precept euery day a thousand tymes professyng god with theyr mouthes yet Paule cryeth agaynste them saying they denye god with theyr dedes or workes Tite i. DIS Why are they not than ponyshed
seynge that our lorde hymselfe in so many places of scripture doth make meÌ„tion of his â—oule and doth call hymselfe the sonne of man as whan he sayth Mat. xxvi ☞ My soule is heuy euen vnto the death And whaÌ„ he sayth Father into thy handes I do coÌ„mende my soule And Luce. xxiii Iohan. x. Iohan. viii Noman doth take my soule or lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ me you do seche to slee me beynge a man whiche haue spoken the trouthe vnto you And seynge that Paule witnesseth the same sayinge i. Timot. ii The mediatoure betwen god men the man Christe Iesus yf they do geue credeÌ„ce to the scriptures how or with what face dare they deny that thynge whiche the scriptures done so manyfestly expresse pronunce yf they do not beleue the scriptures howe may they for shame desyre to be accompted taken for ChristeÌ„ men yf they wolde seme to be philosophers who euer ones dreamed that that thynge myghte be called a man whiche lacketh the fourme of man whiche fourme I meane the soule whaÌ„ it is presente causeth one to be a maÌ„ whaÌ„ it goeth away caused that thynge whiche was before a man than to lese the name of a man Those men whiche haue so wondrefull madde opinions they stonde in daunger them selues and not vnworthyly leste they may seme not to be men Neither was the opinion whiche Apollinarius dremed muche wiser than these aforereherced whiche dothe suffre a soule to be geuen to Christe Apollinarius but so that he dothe take froÌ„ the sayd soule the mynd or vnder standynge for in quicke plantes there is a certayne lyfe for els they sholde not growe neither sholde they els be sayde to dye whan they do widder or drye vp And in brute beastes also there is a lyfe and soule for els they shold haue no fealynge or perceyuyng But mynde or reason and vnderstondynge amonge al sensyble creatures is onely to man This mynde is the princypall power of the soule by whiche it dothe dyscerne and iudge euery thynge from other by whiche it dothe ioyne or knytte together or els diuide and departe thyngê in sondre and by whiche it gathereth or concludeth one thynge of another by argumeÌ„tation and reasonynge But howe may they for shame professe Christe to be a man whiche do take awaye from hym that thynge by whiche man dothe cheflye and principallye dyffre from other beastes DIS Dyd than the mynde of Christe by reasonynge of thynges knowne gather and conclude suche thynges as were vnknowne to hym MA. There was nothynge vnknowne to Christe and yet as concernynge the condition and state of nature he hadde a reasonable soule For not aungelles neither do vnderstonde by reasonynge so as we do nether shall we our self fes vnderstonde in the general resurrection so as we do nowe But perfection added to nature doth not take awaye the veryte of nature For els the bodyes gloryfyed sholde be no bodies And yet is it none heresye or erroure to saye that the soule of Christe beganne to knowe certayne thynges whiche by the presence of the godhede it dyd afore perfyghtelye â—ee and perceyue I saye begane to knowe the same thynges otherwise after the maner of men not for that he knew theym not before But because the maner of his knowynge now was sondry and diuerse from the maner of his knowynge before Iohan. i. He had seen Nathanael whan he was vnder the Figge tree because he dyd knowe it more certaynly than we do those thynges whiche we do see with our iyes But afterwardes whan he saw hym with his bodyly eyes in dede he dyd not learne ony newe thyng whiche he knew not before but he sawe otherwise the same thynge that he hadde sene before Appollinarius Apollinarius addeth another madde opynyon that the worde dyd not take vnto it fleshe or body but that somewhat of the worde was tourned into fleshe mysunderstondynge the wordes of sayncte Iohan. Iohan. i. ☞ Et verbum caro factuÌ„ est id est and the worde was made fleshe that is to say after his false interpretation the worde was chaunged into fleshe lykewyse as the ayer condensated and made thycke or grosse is tourned into water and as the water raryfied and made fyne and subtyle is tourned into ayer But a man is not made of a countrefayte worde tourned into an humayne bodye but man is made of a reasonable soule and a mortall body yf by the worde they do vnderstonde the sonne of god god as he is made of nothynge soo can he not be tourned into ony thynge nor ony thynge into it yf we wyll speke proprely And yf philosophers do deny that fiere maye be tourned into water which are both creatures how much more agaynste all reason is it a thynge increated to be tourned into a thynge created But you wyll saye they make the worde a creature but a more excellente creature than all aungelles But yet euen betweÌ„ an aungell and the body of man there is more dyfference than is betwen fyar and water But this erroure conceyued folyshely of the euaÌ„gelystes wordes the wordes immediately folowynge do refelle and confute Iohan. i. Et habitauit in nobis that is to say and he hathe dwelled amonge vs. For that thynge is not sayde to be conuersaunte in body whiche is transformed into body But the body is well aryghte called the dwellynge place of the soule And man is well and aryghte called the temple of god Eutyches in greke is as muche to say as happie whiche is no righte name for that vnhappy wretched heretike And nowhitte wiser is the erroneouse opinion of falsenamed Eutyches whiche dyd putte in Christe to be but onely one nature compost and made of diuine and humane nature hothe to gether yf he hadde sayde that one syngulare persone hadde ben vned of two natures and that euen one persone indiuiduale as the terme of logicions is some what he hadde ben to be herde and beleued for it is certayne and vndowted that there was in Christe two or also thre sondrye natures and distincte eche of them from other Man is composte and made of a soule and a bodye But the diuine nature because it is moste syngle it refuseth all names or wordes of composition It vned or dyd knytte it selfe into one hypostase or persone by the meanes of the soule beynge ioyned and cleuynge to the bodye but it was not confused or mengled into the same nature Nestorius whiles he dothe dylygently eschewe Nestorius this lymekylle he felle into the colekylne professynge in Christe to be two perfighte natures the nature of god and the nature of man Prouerbe but he maketh than as manye persones denyenge the worde to haue ben vned and knytte to man into one persone but onely to haue inhabited maÌ„ by grace wherfore he gathereth and concludeth that in one Christe there is one persone of man
ymagined and deuysed these thynges in dede they doo speake thynges that are true but verily in my iuggement they do not expresse that which is proprely declared by these wordes saue only that in the name of holy church all these thynges are couertly and secretly comprehended But this thynge is true without controuersye or doute that there is no gyftes in the catholyke churche All graces â— gyftes issuen from the hede Christe but they do come to it from the hede that is to wytte Christe although dyuerse membres haue dyuerse offyces and operations DISCIPLE There is not in al the world any thyng that good is but it dothe come from Christe MAGISTER Trouth it is but we do nowe speake of those thynges which by fayth in Christ and by the sacramentes of the churche do gyue true holynes and vertue For els god dothe gyue many commodytes and good gyftes euen to wycked men ye and to asses and oxen also DISCIPLE If they be not of the company or felowshyp of the churche whiche doo lyue wyckedly and agayne we do not know surely of the most part of men whether they be good or euyll A notable question what maner a societe is that of men which do not know eche other MAG Aunswere Nor we doo not knowe any of the aungelles althoughe they do wayte on vs neyther doost thou knowe thyne owne soule and yet of it is it longe that thou dost lyue that thou dost moue or styrrâ—â— and that thou haste wytte and perceyuyng Noman is compelled or constrayned to knowe certaynly whether this man oâ— that man be a lyue membre of the churche It is sufficyent to beleue that in the earth there is such a certayn societye and felowshyp of them that are predestinated to lyfe whiche company Christ hath glewed or ioyned to gether with his spirite whether they be amoÌ„g the Indianes or els amonge the Gaditanes or els amonge the Hyperboreanes orels among the people of Affryke And it may be so that iÌ„ the world there are some landes other Ilandes or els drye landes which are not yet found of maryners or geographers in which for all that the Christen faythe is stronge quycke To beholde the secrete partes of mannes harte belongeth onely to god by reason wherof it cometh to passe that the iudgemeÌ„tes of men very oftentymes are vncertayne DIS Why thaÌ„ are certayn men caste out from the churches MAG The iudgementes of men are vncertayn i. Tim. v. There are certayn manyfeste and open crymes whiche as Paule saythe do goo afore vnto iudgemente Of these crymes men do iudge as they maye for the conseruatioÌ„ of the publyke ordre Nota. And yet for all that it happeneth otherwhyses that the theffe whiche is hanged on the galowes is fauteles and that the iudge which hath condemned hym is worthy an haulter and it may be also that the person that is excommunicated is in the felowshyp and communion of the churche and that he which dyd excoÌ„municate hym is cut away and departed from the churche Also it is possyble that he which is drawne to the fyer for an heretyke is a very pleasaunte sacrifyce to god and that they whiche brought hym to the fyer are worthy to be brente DIS What euen than also whan a man is excommunicated and caste out of the churche for knowne and euydente murthere or sacriledgeâ— MAG ye verily for iâ— maye be that afore that the byshop doo throwe forth the lyghtenyng or sentense of excommunication agaynst the malefactoure he be all redy by true contrition of harte retourned agayne into the fauoure of almyghty god And yet this thynge because it is vnknowne to men doth not auayle or help hym any whyt but that he shall be kepte from the entryng iÌ„ to the chyrch why god wold it to be vnknowne to men who are predestinated and who not DIS why wold god haue this in the meane season to be vnknowne who are verily good and predestinated to eternall lyfe MAG Lest euyll men despairyng shold synne more hayghnously and that good men sholde lyue more warely and mekely Seynge that there are euen nowe so many and so greate debates and stryues what maner a battayle wold be thaÌ„ if there were a manifeste dyfference wherby the one sorte myght be knowne from the otherâ— Iohan. xiii Our lord wold not so muche as vtter or dysclose and shewe to his other dysciples who it was that sholde betraye hym Nowe for asmuche as it is vnknowne whome god hath elected vnto blessed immortalyte both they that do stande are carefull lest they doo fall and they that are falne and doo lye on the grounde do laboure and enforce themselues to ryse and gete vp agayn Finally those persones whiche are feruente hote in charite do study and gyue theyr mynde to doo good bothe to good men and euyll men to those that are openly euyll to the entent that they shold waxe wyse agayne and amend to those of whome they doute whether they be good or euyl to the ende that they shold be made better if they be good all redy And albeit that charite dothe here lese her offyce or worke yet for all that doth she not lese her rewarde DIS which are those sacramentes of the churche of whiche you made mention incident lye and by the waye not longe ago And what meaneth or signifyeth this worde sacrameÌ„t MA. what this worde sacrament doth signifye Those men which haue spoken more exactely and perfytely doo call sacramentum an othe or an obligacion or bonde confirmed strengthed by the comyng betwen of god or of religion But our forefathers haue applied vsed the sayd word to signify that thyng whiche the Grekes doo call a mystery thou mayst call it a religiouse or holy secrete or priuyte D. Why is it called a secrete or priuyter MAG Because the commune sorte of the people was secluded and kept a part from the medlyng with those thynges Albeit nowe a dayes many thynges are done openly as whan the water of baptyme is consecrated and halowed But these ceremonyes and also the wordes wherwith they are done were hyd and kepte secrete from the people and were taughte amonge the byshopes from one to another to the entent that men shold haue the sacramentes in more reuereÌ„ce and worshyp As soon as euer the bysshop made redy and was aboutward to consecrate the brede and the wyne it was not laufull for any lay men to remayne and abyde within the grates or chauncelle And a certayne Pope of Rome whan he had aunswered somewhat to a certayne byshope as I wene of Englande demaundynge a certayne question concernyng the rytes and ceremonyes of the mysteries he durste not put in wrytyng the wordes with which the oyle is coÌ„secrated and halowed leste peraduenture if the lettres had ben taken by the waye which thyng chauÌ„ceth oftentymes the secret myght happe to haue ben vttered and dysclosed This cause in dede is
adde patreÌ„ father MA. For a distinction of hym from the other persones for it foloweth anone after Et in Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium eius vnâ—cuÌ„ And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne he alone is called father because he alone begate the sonne Howe be it yf this worde god be so taken that it do declare the hole trinite and do coÌ„prehende all the .iii. persones together than is god well called a father because he is the begynnynge originall cause of all thynges created And yf thou vnderstonde this word father in a generall sence for that of which ony thynge taketh originall begynnynge than is the fyrst persone father simpliciter of all thiÌ„ges he hath not begotteÌ„ the holy ghost but no more hathe he begotten neither man nor aungell of his one substaunce But because after a peculiare maner he is sayd to be the father of those that do drede or feare hym after the same maner he is sayde to be the god of them in the .xxxii. Psalme Blessed is the nation or poeple whiche haue the lorde to theyr god And likewyse in the câ—liii ps But that god hath begotteÌ„ a sonne of his oune substauÌ„ce this is proprely beloÌ„gyng to the fyrst persone he created the worlde Iacobi i. but not he alone he begetteth good men thorow the worde of lyfe but he doth it by the sonne and by the holy ghoste But the onelye sonne none saue the father alone hath begotteÌ„ D. what lykewise as one man begetteth another man MA. ye lykewise forsoth in these poyntes that he begatte a sonne that he begatte god of god But as I haue sayde before in euery collation or coÌ„parison similitude whiche is translated from creatures vnto god there are many thynges disagreynge and farre vnlyke For neither the father dothe transfuse or geue from hyâ— ony parte of his substauÌ„ce into the sonne but he hath coÌ„muÌ„icated the same hole substauÌ„ce to his sonne neither do he that begetteth he that is begotteÌ„ make two goddes so as the father beyng a maÌ„ the sonÌ„e beyng a maÌ„ do make .ii. men Neither is the personne that begetteth in tyme ony whit afore the ê‘sonne that is begotteÌ„ but the eternite of them both is all one I passe ouer to reherce other thynges wiche are innumerable DI. whan one man adopteth or of fauoure taketh another man vnto his sonne he doth not verely begette hym But whaÌ„ he hath a sonne by his wyfe than he is sayde to haue verylye begotten a sonne because he hath don it accordynge to nature yf it be so than as you do saye that the father dothe begette the sonne soo many maner wayes vnlyke to the facioÌ„ that a man begetteth a sonne howe can he be sayde veryly to begette hym M. yes verily he doth by so much the more truely begette in that he doth begette in vnlyke maner vnto man that is to say he dothe so muche the more perfightlye begette For the generation of man coÌ„pared vnto that vnspeakable generation it is but only a certayne shadowe of generation For yf it be called amonge vs true generation because it is accordynge to the nature of man muche more ryghtefully that is called true generation which is according to the nature of god Excepte peraduenture thou wylte saye that god hathe not veryly truely made the worlde because he hath made it farre otherwise thaÌ„ a man doth make a citie or a howse Neither is god therefore not sayde to be verely lyghte lyfe wisdome power mynde because these wordê are otherwise sayde of theÌ„ than of god D. Is it lawfull to call god a substaunce MAG yf by a substauÌ„ce thou doste sygnifie betoken a persone whiche hath beynge it is not wickedlye sayde yf thou do professe one essence to be in thre substaunces How be it yet it is better to refrayne from these wordes which certayne holy meÌ„ haue vsed in the olde tyme at the leaste wise because of the strauugenes of them yf by substauÌ„ce thou do vnderstande that to whiche accidentes are inherente than is iâ— erroure to geue this name to god whiche is most symple neither beyng made of matere and fourme neither mengled with accidentes but what so euer is in hym is one and a singule substaunce And yf ony suche maner wordes be geuen to god in the holye scripture as for exaumple yf we do rede that god is angry that god is pacified that god doth repenteâ— that god doth forgete that god â—oth remeÌ„bre know thow that in all suche places the scripture dothe atteÌ„pre shape her language accordynge to our wittes capacite euen lykewise as a louyng mother dothe lyspe speake vnperâ—â—ightely whan she speaketh to her yong babe But yf thou calle a substaunce a thynge substauncially beynge of it selfe than is there nothynge wherunto this worde substauÌ„ce doth better agre than vnto god For by hym it hathe beynge what so euer hath veryly beynge nowe than he hym selfe muste nedes haue moste perfightlye beynge whiche geuethe to all thynges theyr beynge DISC. These thynges me semeth haue ben holyly playnly disputed of you But seynge that there are many other wordes which be agreyng ben attributed vnto god as wisdome goodnes eternite vnchauÌ„geablenes trouth iustice mercie many other such innumerable why is god here expressely called oiÌ„poteÌ„te nothyng els why god is onelye called almighty in the Crede M. Forsoth thou dost aske demauÌ„d ful wisely for who so euer doth truly ê“fesse god iÌ„ so doyng he doth also ê“fesse all thyngê which be agreyng belongynge to the nature of god But â—or as muche as in this Symbole the thynges are taught to beg ynners whiche are to be beleued raither than to be discussed because there are very many thyngê not onely in the creation of the world but also in the redeÌ„ption the coÌ„summation of the same whiche do seme vnpossible to maÌ„nes reason iudgemeÌ„t therefore to exclude all suche maner reasonynge is added here this worde almighty Whan Aristotel doth reasone proue by insoluble argumeÌ„tê that this worlde hath ben eternally without ony begynnynge because that of nothynge nought caÌ„ be made we do auÌ„swere that he is almighty which created the world of nought Philosophers do saye that ther can be no retourninge or recourse from the pryuation to the habite and therfor that neither Christe was borne of a virgine neither hathe risen from death to lyfe but we do make aunswere vnto them that god is almighty whiche worketh these thynges The iewes do denye that a man can be borne of a womaÌ„ whitout maÌ„nes helpe but we do make auÌ„swer that it is god which wylled this to be don which was borne which dyd prepare the wombe of the virgine Therfor to coÌ„firme the fayth beleffe of weake persones no word dothe make or helpe mor thaÌ„ doth this word almighty But we oughte to saye with the faythfull maker of the Psalmes Psal. cxxxiiii The lorde hathe made all