The fyrste instruction.

DISCIPLE. I Am and haue 1 ben a great wh [...] / le very desyr [...] and sor [...] lōgyn [...] in my mynde: to be ascrybed and receiued into the company and felowshype of the chatholyke churche / whiche is the howse of god / Out of the churche / whiche is the house of god / is no hope of saluacyon. out of the wiche churche no man ought to ho­pe the obtaynynge of euerlastyng helth and saluatyon. And therfore I beseche you / that of your charyte you wyll hel­pe myn infancye: that I may be spedde of this my desyre and purpose. MA. If 2 thou haue ben washed in the holy bathe [Page] of baptysme after due forme and maner than arte thou by the reason ther of / euē alredy admytted and receyued into the howseholde or company of the catholy­ke 3 churche. DIS. ye but this thynge was don vnknowyng to me / by my god fathers and godmother. But nowe / in as muche as god of his goodnesse hath graūted me to come vnto this age / whiche as it may be easyly corrupted to vy­ce and vngracyousnes and erroure so is it (as I suppose) apte to receyue instru­ctyon to vertu and good lyuyng & ryght beleffe / I thynke it to be ryghte and ac­cordynge / both that I shuld fulfylle the promysse / that my surtes haue made vp on my hede: and also that I my selfe do prouyde & see for myne owne helth and sauegarde / & do myn owne besynes also in myn owne persone / & not all by other folke / wherfore I beseche and pray you / that you wyll euen so deale with me / as yf you dyd teache and informe a person hauynge no maner learnynge or knowlege 4 at all. MAG. Deare sone / that lorde / whiche hath inspyred this mynde into the: the same / of his goodnesse / shal promote and carye the forwarde vnto 5 this / that thou dost desyre. DIS. Do [Page 4] I not nede than to haue an instructer & teacher? MAG. If ther wer no nede 6 of an infourmer or teacher: than sholde chryst haue sayde all in vayn these wor­des / to his apostles. Mat. 16. Go you & teache all natyons. But though thou haddest gotten syx hundreth teachers / to instru­cte the / yet is it the lorde / that doth truely & effectuosly teache this phylosophye and wysdom. For so it hath pleased god and hath lyked hym to geue his benefi­tes and gyftes to one man: by another man. DI. why hath it lyked hym to 7 do so? MAG. Fyrst / to thentent / that 8 all pryde & arrogancye myght be exclu­ded:why it ha [...] plesed god to geue his bene fyght [...] to one man by ano­ther .ii. caus [...] whiche / that spyryte the louer of meke an [...] myld myndes: doth hate and abhorre / and secoundaryly / that thrugh doyng benefytes and good dedes / eche to other charyte and loue myght be purchaced / encreaced / and nouryshed amonge chrysten folke. And yet neuer the les neither may the doctour or teacher here chalenge ony whitte prayse to hymsel­fe / yf he doth his offyce & duety neyther the dyscyple or learner to hymself yf he doth profyght and go forwarde. All the prayse / euery whitte of it: is due to god / whiche inwardly by his spyryte / bothe [Page] doth temper the organe / & instrumente of the [...]eacher: and also doth transforme and chaunge the mynde of the learner. Let vs therefore both together beseche the lorde of his mercy / that by his inspiration / both thou mayeste wisely aske & demaunde: & I also may frutefully and 9 holsomely make aunswere vnto the. D. 10 So be it. M. Go to now thā / & demaūd. 11 D. That vnspeakeable beaute & fayrnes of the house of god / doth (as I sayd) meruaylous [...]y moue & styrre my mynde: and causeth me to be enamoured on it. But I pray you which is the way for a man 12 to entre into it? MA. who so euer wyll entre into a howse: gothe to the gate. 13 DI. Shew me the gate. M. Saynct 14 Paule sheweth it / that heuenly doctour Hebr. 11.☞He that cometh to god (saythe he) must belyue. And in the .v. chapytre to th [...] Romanes. By whome: we haue waye and entraunce thrugh fayth: into this grac [...].Hebr. 11. Agayn to the Hebrues: he sayth.Fayth is the dore / wherby we entre into the howse of god: that is the churche. without fayth it is vnpossyble to please god. The dore or the gate of fayth is a very low dore or gate / but after that one is entred ones with in it / it sheweth to hym the vnspeakable maie [...]te of the power / of the wysdome / and of [Page 5] the goodnesse of god. Stoupe therefore and bowe downe thyn heade / that thou mayst be worthy to entre / and go in. DI. what is this / that you do saye?15 MAG. I meane Laye from the / and 16 sette a parte all carnall witte or iudge­mente / and the subtyle argumen [...]es of mannes natural reason / that thou mayste symply and vndowtedly beleue / and geue credence / vnto what so euer thyng the authoryte of god hath taught vs to our helthe and saluacion / although to mannes reason and iudgemente / it doo seme neuer so muche false / folyshe: vnreasonable / and vnpossyble. Mannes rea­sonynge and argumentatyon: maye dy­sceyue / the bodylye senses or wittes of man maye dysceyue / onely god / as he can not but be god: so can he neyther dys [...]eyue / nether be dysceyued. DIS.17 what is faythe? MAGI. To defyne 18 Faythe somewhat playne and famylyarly / to the that arte vnlearned:The [...]ii. pryn­cipal powers of man̄es soule / vnderston­dyng & wyll. There are two pryncypall powers of mannes soule: that is to witte: the vnderston­dynge / and the wyll. By the power of vnderstondynge: we do iugde what is to be chosen / and by the wyll: we do desyre that thynge / whiche vnderstondynge [Page] or reason (which are both one) hath shewed vs for to be desyred. Both those .ii. partes hath ben corrupted thrugh the crime & offence of them / which were the fyrst parentes of all mankynde / that is to witte / Adam and Eue.Thrugh the offence of A­dā and Eue both mannes vnderstōdyn­ge & also his wyll are vicyated and cor­rupted. The contagy on of this euyll hath yssued from them / into all theyr posteryte and ofsprynge. And by the reason here of it is brought to passe / that both with our reason / as with a corrupte [...]ye / we do wene & iudge thynges to be / which are not / or els not to be suche maner thynges / as they are in very dede / and also that with our cor­rupted wylle (which thynge chaunceth oftentymes to sycke men) we do desyre noysome and deadly thynges / in the stede of profytable and holsome thynges. Agaynst these .ii. euylls / the goodnes of god hath prouyded for vs / two remedꝭ / that is to witte / Fayth / whiche puryfy­eth and clenseth the hert that is to say / the mynde and reason / as beyng the foū tayne of the soule / and charyte / whiche strayghteneth & amendeth our croked & corrupte wyl.Two reme­dies agaynste the aforesay­de euyll faith whiche pur­geth the hert & charite whiche straighteneth the cro­ked wyll & appetyte. Fayth as it were a lygh [...] shynynge before vs in the darke dry­ueth away all erroure / in those thynges specyally:¶Fayth. whiche do apertayne and be­longe [Page 6] to helth and saluacyon.Charyte. Charyte putteth away croked and lewde affecty­ons and desyrres / that we myghte desyre and folowe onely those thynges / whiche god hath prescrybed or cōmanded. Fayth iudgeth / and teacheth what is to be don.Charyte is the seruaunt of fayth. Charyte executeth the same in worke / as beynge the mynyster & ser­uaunt of fayth.Faythe hath one iye. Cha­rite hath .ii. But the iye of fayth is fyxed & sette fast pryncypally vpon god. charyte hath as it were two iyes / with the ryght iye it loketh stedfastly on god and the left iye it boweth or tourneth a syde towarde thy neyghboure / whils it loueth god / as beyng the most hyghe & perfyghte goodnes / aboue all thynges / and loueth the neyghboure / as beynge naturall cosen: for goddes sake.what faythe is. Faythe therefore / where of we doo speake / is a gyfte infused & putte into mānes myn­de / of god / thrugh whiche man without any dowtefulnes doth beleue all those thynges to be most true / whiche so euer god hath taughte and promysed to vs / by the bokes of both testamētes / the old and the newe. This fayth stretcheth it self to thre maner tymes / that is / to the tyme / that is passed / to the time / that is prese [...]t / and to the tyme that is to come [Page] that is for to saye / fyrste it beleueth that the worlde was made by god / and what so euer thynge the holy diuine scripture maketh mētyon to haue ben don in olde tyme passed. S [...]condarely: that the worlde: and the churche is gouerned of the same: god euen this daye also. And laste of all / that all those thynges shall come to passe & be fulfylled: what so euer the sayde scryptures doth eyther promyse to good & vertuose men: or els doth thretten to wicked and vngodlye perso­nes. All these thynges / we doo thorow the gyfte of fayth / farre more certaynly beleue: than we do those thyngꝭ / whiche we do gather by argumētacyon & reasonynge or els of which we haue sure per­ceyuynge and konwleg by all our ow [...] ­warde sences.Fayth is the most sure kowledge / that is ī this worlde. DIS. But in as muche as the bokes of holy scrypture haue co­me to vs by men: where of than cometh that stedfast and sure persuasyon or be­leffe. There is no man so wycked: as to thynke or iudge / that god may besuspe­cted of fals [...]h [...]d and vntruth / but it may be dowted / whether all those bokes ha­ue b [...]n wryten by the inspiratiō of god. MAG. Ueryly this certaynte ryseth of many causes:The causes mouīg vs to [...]eue fast and sure credence to the holy scryptures of god. but pryncypally & chef­ly [Page 7] of one: fyrste of all: it ryseth of natur­all consente / for those thynges: whiche are taughte in those bokes: are a great parte of them / agreble to the naturall iudgement of reason / a certayne sparke wherof remayneth yet styll euen in men after the falle.Naturall. Consente. Secondaryly of the mer­uaylouse wondres or myracles / by whi­che both the olde and also the new testa­mente hath ben geuen and taught.Miracles. For neyther haue suche wondres ben done euer at ony other tyme / or in ony other thynge: neyther euer ony man eyther durste / or coulde haue fayned lyke thyn­ges vnto them besydes this of the mer­uaylouse and wondrefull consente and agremente of all the thynges amonge them selffe and of eche with other. DI. Of whiche thynges? MAG. Of the fygures: and the prophecyes:The perfyghte argumente of the fygur­es & prophecyes of the olde testamēt both among them selues & also with the new testamente. whiche proprely do appertayne and belonge to the olde testamente. Adde hereunto the truthe and euydence in the perfor­mynge and fulfyllynge of those thyngꝭ whiche the olde testamēte eyther hadde shadowed & signyfyed by figures: or els had promysed by the mouthe of the profetes. In the examynatyon of witnesse: [Page] thou knowest well / that the consente & agremente of the recordes amonge thē selues / is of great wayghte and greatly to be regarded. Compare that Chryste / whiche by many darke redles and fygures is sygnyfyed & shadowed in the law of Moises / & whome so many Prophetꝭ dyd promyse / and that at dyuerse & son­dry tymes / with hym / whome the hystory of the Gospell doth sette forth playnly afore oure iyes / as it were in a sca­fold: and thou shalt see all thes thynges perfyghtly agree to gether. Ouer & besydes this / Prophetes do meruaylously consente and agree amonge themselues one with another / where as among the phylosofers of the world / there is great stryfe and contraryete of dyuerse & son­dry 5 opynyons. Adde also to these thyn­ges afore reherced / the constante and stedfaste consente and agremente of all tymes and of all natyons / & the faste cō spyration of them vnto this phylosofye hole with one mynde and accorde / for who euer wrote ony thynge / were he neuer of [...]o hyghe & excellente witte / whi­che the whole world dyd so receyue / whiche the world dyd with so great cōstan­cye and stedfastnes retayne & cleue vnto [Page 8] that so many thousandꝭ of men / of chyldren / of women / and of vyrgyns / nether with dyuerse & sondry kyndes of death / nether with tormentes / more fearefull than death / coulde be plucked away frō it / whose myndes the lyghte of Fayth had puryfyed? And this thynge is by so much the more meruaylouse and won­derfull:The wonderfull vertue & myght of the Christiane philosophie. for that this philosofye / as it were a certayne sonne / dyd sodeynly shyne and geue lyghte thrugh out the whole worlde / and dyd ouercome and gete the vyctory / nether by the helpe of myghte and power / nether of ryches / nor of ony mannes crafte or polycye / nether fynally by ony worldly helpe or ayde / & also for that it hath hetherto agaynste the power of kyngꝭ / agaynste worldly wys­dome / agaynst heretykes beyng a thowsand maner wayes instructed & armed to impyete / and to be short agaynste all the engynes of the Deuyll / stande faste and sure / not able to be shakē / accordyn­ge to the promysse of Chryst.Math. xvi. And the gates of helle shal not preuayle agaynst it. DIC. I perceyue now / some lyght 23 to shyne euē to myn iyes also though beyng half blynd. But whiche is that chef and pryncypall thynge? MAG. Uery­ly 24 [Page] thou hast touched it allredy of thyne 25 one accorde. DIS. Howe so? haue I 26 touched it vnwares? MAG. For thou fealest and perceyuest (as thou sayeste) some lyghte to haue schyned in to the iyes of thyn harte. This is doutles the spyryte of Chry [...]te:Fayth is caused pryncypallye by the in­s [...]yration of the holy gho­ste. whiche hath now be gonne to shewe his effycacyte & strēgthe in thy harte: and as I hope and tr [...]ste: shall fynysche and make perfyghte tha [...] whiche it hath begonne. For this is the earnest peny or pledge of the dyuyne spyryte: whiche by his secrete inspyratyon doth so confyrme strengthen: and estab­leshe mannes mynde: that neyther the power of the deuylls: neyther aungells: neyther ony creature at all: is able to departe it: and plucke it awaye from the the fayth and hope: whiche are in. Chryste Iesu. Suche an affectyon: can no ꝑ­suasyon of men gendre in our myndes: whiche is a very sure and vndowted token: that all these thynges are don & wrought frō aboue / by god. For no maner thyng doth sette the mynde of man at quyetnesse and reste: saue onely this 27 phylosofye. DIS. O happy are they: whome it hathe chaunced to haue this 28 gyfte. MAG. Let vs praye / & desyre i [...] [Page 9] sure truste: and we shall haue it. DI. yt 29 but whan you doo name the bokes of both testamentes: you do name & speake of a greatte (be cause I wyll not saye of an vnmeasurable) see / but what thynge do you aduyse me to learne: that am ye [...] very ignoraūte / and more than an infaū te or babe in Chryst? MA. The world­ly 30 scyences inuented by men: haue (as thou knowest) theyr rudymētes & pryn­cyples. So lykewise this heuenly phylosophie also / hath certayne rudymentes and pryncyples or rules and instructy­ons whiche are fyrste taughte to hym / that is a yonge beginner and learner in 31 it. DIS. Whence shall I fetche these 32 sayde rudymentes? MAG. you maye fynde them in the Symbole or Crede / whiche partely for the auctoryte of it / & partely for a dyfference from other symboles:why the commūe Crede i [...] called the simbole of the Apostles. is called the Symbole or Crede of the apostles / and the olde authores doo otherwyles calle it the Rule of the fayth or beleffe. This is a speche breflye comprehendynge in fewe wordes / the summe of those thynges: whiche are ne­cessarely to be beleued of all men vnto eternall saluacyon. This Symbole or Crede / in the olde tyme / they that were [Page] baptyzed wh [...]n they were growne in a­ge: dyd recyte openly / euery man with his owne mouth (and ware than called Cathecumeni) afore that they were dopped 33 in the holsome water. DIS. why is it called the rule of fayth or beleffe.why the crede is called the rule of fayth 34 MA. Because that accordynge to this styffe and stronge inflexyble squyere or rule of veryte and trouth: all the opynyons of men are dyrected and corrected / & by it also all the erroures swaruyng & goynge awrye from the trouthe / bothe of hethē paynymes / of Iewes / and of heretikes: are straightened and amended / for the trouth of god is single / & alway­es contay [...]neth one / and vnmoueable / 35 whiche sayth / Math. xxiiii. Heuen and erthe shall passe awaye / but my worde shall abyde and not passe awaye. DIS But what meaneth this worde Symbole? MA. 36 Symbolum is a Greke worde / whiche cometh of the verbe Symuallo:The sygnifi­catiōs of this greke worde symbolum. whiche signifieth the same that confero doth in the latyne tonge / that is / to brynge together. This worde symbolū:The fyrst signifi [...]ation of this worde symbolū. the Gre­kes haue vsed many maner wayes / and in diuerse significations. For otherwhiles / they do calle symbolum / the seale or marke: which is emprynted on lettres / & [Page 10] vessels: to thentēt that they shold not be opened of suche as were not mete & cōuenyent. Sometyme agayn / they do calle symbolū a gage (whether it were mony or a ryng / or ony other thyng) that they gaue from thē / as many as were appoī ­ted / & had made ꝓmyse to haue a cōmu­ne bākette or feast together:The seconde signification to the assuraunce / that euery one of thē shold kepe his appoyntemēt / & no man withdraw: or absente hym selffe.The .ii [...]. Besydꝭ this also / they do calle symbolū / the token / that is geuen betwen the spouse and the spou­sesse / of theyr consente eche of them to other: to the ende / that neyther of them maye shrynke from theyr promysse and bargayn. And last of all / they calle sym­bolum / that token or cognysaunce:The .iiii. whiche was geuen to the soldyers / as many as foughte vnder one and the same stan­derde and bannere / whiche sometyme was a watcheworde / sometyme it was without wordes / and therfore of them it is called Symbolon Aphonon / id est / dumbe tokē / without ony voyce or sounde. And this was don to thende / that the soldyers whiche were all vnder one captayne: sholde knowe eche other / and that yf onye wolde attempte or goo a­about [Page] to worke ony gyle or dysceyte: by this marke and token / they myght ha­ue perceyuyng and knowledge of hym. D. These thyngꝭ haue you spoken very plainly & clerely. But I desyre & long to here the conuenyence and agremente of the namꝭ (that is to say) why the Crede is called by this name symbolū or how this name agreeth to it.How all the .iiii. significa­tions of sym­bolū: do agre vnto the crede MAG. Thou seest / that in baptisme / the forehede of hym that is regenerat: is merked or sealed with the fygure of the crosse. And saynct Paule calleth the Corinthianes whiche had professed the gospell: The sealyng of a vessell or of an epystel. his epystle / not wrytē forsoth with ynke in parchemente: but in theyr hartes / with the spyryte / wiche spyryte is called the fynger of god.ii. Cor. iii. Luce. xi. ii. Cori. iiii. The mynde that is ones thus sealed and marked to god it is not lawfull to breake vp / or to open / to the deuyll. And the same Paule speaketh in this wise to the Corinthyans. We ha­ue this treasure in earthen vesselꝭ. The mynde therfore of man / thrugh baptys­me: is made the vessell of the holy ghost whiche vessell is sealed or marked with the sygnete of fayth / ye moreouer Chryste hath sealed it with his one bloode. And in the gospell. Luce. xiiii.our lorde compa­reth [Page 11] the kyngdome of heuen / that is toThe gage be longyng to a cōmune feast or bankette. wytte / the grace of the gospell / vnto a wytte / the grace of the gospell / vnto a feaste royall / vnto whiche / all men of all nations are called. Now who so euer hath professed Chryste in baptysme: he hath geuen a gage / to come to this no­ble feast / so that it is not lawful for hym now to starte backe.The tokē ge­uen betwen the spouse [...] the sposesse. Besyed this / we do rede oftentymes / that Chryste is called by the name of a spouse as the churche likewyse is called by the name of a spouse / as in the mystycall cantycle / and in the thyrde chapytour of Iohan / ye more ouer / the soule of e [...]he man in the professyon of the Faythe: is wedded vnto Chryste her spouse / saynct Paule de­clareth this / wrytynge to the Corin­thyanes. ☞I haue maryed you to one husbande / that you shold shew your selues a chast virgine / to Chryst.ii. Cori. xi. Ther­fore a token is geuen of bothe partyes / that it can not be lawful for either other at ony tyme to go about a dyuorcement Chryste geueth the earnest or pledge of his spirite. Man beleuynge with his harte to his iustificatyon / and confessinge or knowledgyng with his mouth / to his helth and saluacyon: doth agayn of [Page] his part / geue a tokē or pledge / to Chryste. Ephe. v. Great is the misterie (as sayncte Paule saith) of this mariage whiche is made / & knytte with a faste / & a sure vnlousable bonde / betwen Chryste and the churche. DI. I verely dyd wene euer vntyll this tyme / that onely vyrgins ꝓfessynge the religious lyfe / had ben wedded to Chryste. MA. Forsoth they are agayn maried: raither than maried / & in the ordre of spouses: they are cheffe in preeminence / beynge so muche the more nere to the spouse: by howe muche they are more lyke vnto hym / but in baptis­me: the soules euen of mariners also / & of carters / and of shomakers / are made the spousesses of Chryste.It is all one spirit that is geuen to all them that be­leue in Chrest of what estat or degree soo euer they be. Poore & rych hygh & lowe / all are one in Christe. And it is all one and the same token / that is geuen to all men / as well to the vileste beggar as to the mightest kynge or prince that is. And of this thynge doutles / oughte those / that are abiectes and out castes / in the sighte of the worlde: to take a certayne godly pride: for that in such thyn­ges whiche onely doth geue the verie true felicite / and whiche do make men truely excellēte / truly riche / truly migh­ty and truly noble: they are egall and matches to kyngꝭ and prynces / be they [Page 12] neuer so ryche and great of power. DI. you shewe here the meruailouse and wō derfull benignite and goodnesse of god. MAG. Whome can that moste meke and gentyl Lambe refuse or reiecte / whiche:Luc. xxiii. whan the theffe hangynge on the crosse dyd professe: forthwith dyd bydde hym to the brydall feaste / and of a synne full person and blaphemouse agaynste hymselfe: made hym parte taker with hym of his kyngdome? DIS. Forsoth all thynges agreeth meruailously well hetherto. MAG.The watche­worde or the badge of sol­diers in war­re. Finally and laste of all / they whiche are newe borne agayn by the holy bathe of baptisme: they do professe the Euangelycall cheualrie or warre / and do become seruauntes and soldiers vnder the immortall captayne Iesu Chryste / and are boūden with his mylytare sacramentes / and do receyue the gyfte or rewarde of the spirite. So that it is a poynte of extreme vnfaithe­fullnes / and also vnkyndenesse: to forsa­ke this capitayne / and runne from hym to the tyraunte the deuille.who do forsake Christ thi [...] capitayne. Nowe all they do forsake hym / not onely whiche do denye Chryste / and doo runne vnto the turke or to the Iewes:

[Page]But also which with theyr hole herte & mynde are geuen to the worlde / & worldly cōmodytes and pleasures. For the ryghtuose man also falleth euen sēuen tymes in a daye. But he ryseth anone agayn by the quycknes and strength of fayth / whiche / lyke fyere doth alwayes laboure vpwarde vnto heuenly thyngꝭ. DIS. Wolde god that spyryte wolde vouchesaffe to wryte in my herte / & to seale faste that / whiche he hath wryten: with a sure and an inuyolable Symbo­le or seale. M. Wold god he wold vouchesaffe to cōmytte to thy harte and myne that inestymable treasure: and that whiche he hath put & layde vp in our hertꝭ: to make sure and defende with his seale or marke. DIS. But we must than of­fre and geue to hym cleane parchemēte and a cleane vessell. MAG. ye & euen this thinge also shall he hymselfe graūt vnto vs / howe be it not without out owne helpe and workynge there vnto. DIS. O how happy and blessed a feaste is that / whiche both in this worlde hath the ioye of a good and clerre conscience: and from hence doth sende vs vnto the celestyall feaste? MAG. ye more­ouer how happy and how blessed a ma­ryadge [Page 13] is that: whiche maketh vs one with god / whome to cleue & stycke faste vnto: is moste hyghe & syngulare felycyte? D. But cheualry or warre is a name of laboure & trauayle. MA. No man is crouned saue onelye he whiche hath foughte lawfully. But the paynes that are to be taken in this worlde: are tran­sytorye / and laste but a shorte while.

The crowne or rewarde is euerlastynge / and shall neuer corrupte or fade.ii. Timo. ii. ii. Cori. iiii. i. Petri. v. fur­thermore that laboure or trauayle that is here / the spyryte doth make dulcete & swete with so many solacyes and coumfortes: that all the resydue may be suf­fred and endured not onely pacyently / but also gladly & cherefully.Iob.vii. This lyfe is a battayle: whether we wyll or not / we can not chose / but we muste warre eyther on goddes parte or els on the de­uylles. They that warre on the deuyllꝭ parte / Ioan. xii. whiche is called the prince of this world / do suffre more harde & more paynfull thynges / than do they / that warre on goddes parte. And Chrystes soldyers do ioye & reioyce no lesse / than they do / which do seche and hunte after swete and plesaunte thynges / bothe by londe and water:The cōpary­son of the estate of Christe [...] sold yers and the deuy les werryes. but they ioye after an [Page] other maner or facion. Nay rather they onely are truly gladde and ioyfull / besyde this the stypende or wages / whiche these .ii. captaynes do paye to theyr sol­dyers: are excedyngly farre vnlyke / and contrary the one to the other: that is to witte to triūphe eternally in heuē with theyr capitayne Chryste: and to be geuē to the euerlastynge fyere of helle with the tyraunte the deuille. DIS. yt is a meruailouse thynge than / that the commune sorte of men do lede theyr lyfe af­ter suche maner / as they do. MA. The cause thereof is / because manye men do pronounce the Symbole or Crede with theyr mouthe: and few doo beleue with theyr harte / or yf they doo beleue: they beleue but coldely and fayntly. D. But I haue a greatte whyle desyred to here the rudymentes and pryncyples of the heuenly philosophie.i. Corintio. i. MAG. Rudimen­tes they are in dede / but that whiche is lowest thynge here: passeth and surmoū teth / farre all the hygheste poyntes of worldly wisdome. But because we do beter and sooner perceyue those thynges / which we are gredy & very desyrouse to learne: therfore they that do teache hu­manye disciplines / are wonte to cōmende [Page 14] the sayde disciplines vnto theyr disciples & hearers by dyuerse meanes / but principally because of the authoure / of the matter: of the fourme / & of the ende. D. I do not well perceyue that whiche you do saye. M. As for example / the sci­ence of physike hath for the author [...]re of it:The authore of Phisieke. Hippocrates / & (yf we beleue poetes) Appollo / it treateth & is occupied about thynges / whiche do helpe or hurte the helthe of the body.The matter whereof it treateth. This is the mater or material cause of it / it stōdeth by knowledge of naturall thynges / & by expery­mentes.The fourme. The finall cause or ende of it. Theauthour of the stoike philosophie. The mater. The forme. The ende, Thynke this to be the fourme / the ende of it is the helth of the body as farre forth as is graunted to man for to haue helth in this worlde. D. Thou makest here no mention of lucre. M. That peraduēture is the ende or pryck where vnto certaine physiciōs do laboure / but yet the ende of the arte or scyence: is the prosperouse helth of the body / lykewyse the Stoyke phylosophie hath for the authoure of it: zeno / it treateth: what is vire & what is vertue / it gathereth or concludeth with Dialecticall reasons / it ꝓ­miseth trāquillite & quietnes of mynde: but in this lyfe onely / & it also false or diseytfull / for nothyng doth verily qete & set at reste the mynde of man: saue onely [Page] the grace of Chryste / which they dyd neuer so much as ones dreame of.Nothīg quseteth the mynde of man: saue onelye the grace of Christe. The author The matter / The fourme / and the ende of the chrystē philosophie. But of this philosophye / of whiche thou begynnest now to be a learner: the authoure is god / the matt: is vertuose lyfe / the four­me: is the inspyratyon of the aeternall god / the ende: is the heuenly lyfe / naye rather to speake better: all these thyngꝭ is god hym self. And zeno veryly in many thynges both doth dysceyue and is dysceyued. And because he is dysceyued in the ende: it coulde not be chosen / but that he must nedes be dysceyued also in the meanes to the ende. But here where god is al in al: there can be none errour / no clowde / none ambyguyte or dowtfulnes. He is the begynnyng: he is the progresse or myddle course / & he is the ende Seyng than / that we do fynd men / whiche do desyre and go about to learne humayne dyscyplynes / whithe excedynge great laboures / and great costes besto­wed a longe tyme: with howe great fer­uoure of mynde is it mete to learne this philosophie / which came from god / and whiche by pure & cleane lyfe / with mer­ualouse spede bryngeth vnto that bles­sed immortalyte? DIS.Math. xiii. Forsoth you speake of a very precyose Margarite or [Page 15] perle / wiche ought (and not vnworthy­ly) to be purchased and bought: though a man sholde make sale of all the goodꝭ that euer he hath / to bye it withall. M. ye moreouer it is well bought: though a man purchase it with the losse of his lyfe / ye though it dyd coste hym a thou­sant tymes his lyfe the purchase of it: yet sholde it be bought good chepe / and nothynge accordyng to the valure of it. But I thynke / it doth not nede me to reherce those thynges here / which mygh [...] make the beneuolence and wellwyllyn­ge / attente and docyle or apte to take instruction / it is a great spoore to prycke & prouoke a man to profyght and go foreward in ony scyence or crafte:Beneuolēce Attention. Docilite. the loue of the teacher. But what thyng is more amyable or louely: than is god? nay rayther / what thynge is ony whitte amya­ble at all: besides hym? And who can be slepy / and not geue quycke attention: to here hym surely and vndowtedly promisynge the eternall ioyes? And he is easyly and sone made docile and apte to take instructiō: who so euer both loueth god aboue all thyngꝭ / and geueth credē ce to hym alone in all thynges / without ony distruste or doutfulnes. DI. My [Page] mynde is kendled & enflāmed more and more. MA. But let this cōmunication had hetherto (yf thou lyst) be the fyrst in structiō or lesson / which whā thou shalt haue well recorded and laboured ouer agayn to thy self / by diligen [...]e considera­tion / desyryng & callyng for the helpe of the diuine spirite / thā retourne agayne to me / and thou shalte be taught the re­sidue. DIS. It shall be don.

The seconde Instruction.

Disciple. I Haue don / as you bad me / & I am more desirouse: thā I was: to here the residue. M. Thanke be therefore: to the moste bounteouse and benigne spirite of Chryste. Nowe it resteth or ramaineth: fyrst of all to recyte the symbole or crede vnto the: whiche thou shalt so much the soner beare away / yf thou shalt vnder­stonde it: & shalt know both the summe or effecte: & also the ordre of the thynge. D. Therfore I longe. M. Herken than and take hede.Credo in deū patrē oīpotē ­tem creatorē celi & terre. D. Thereupon is all my mynde set. M. ☞I beleue on god the father almightie: creatoure of heuē and of earth. And on Iesu Chryst his onely [Page 16] sonne:Et in Iesum Christū filiū eius vnicū dominū nostrū qui cōceptus est de spiritu sctō / natus ex Maria virgene / passus sub Poncio Pilato / crucifixus / mortu­us / et sepultꝰ descēdit ad in ferna / tertia die resurrexi [...] a mo [...]tuis [...] Ascēdit ad c [...] los sedet ad dextrā dei patris oīpoten­tis. Inde venturus est iudicare viuos e [...] mortuos. Credo. &c. Roma. ix. Math. xii. our lorde which was cōceiued by the holy ghost: and borne of the virgine Marie. And suffred vnder Ponce Pilat was crucyfied: dede: & buried. Went downe to helle & the thyrde day rose agayne from death to lyfe. Ascended to heuens: and sitteth on the righte hād of god the father almighty. From thence shall he come / to iudge both the quyck & the dede I beleue on the holy ghost. I beleue the holy churche Catholyke: the cōmunion of saynctꝭ. The forgyuenꝭ of synnes: the rysynge agayn of the flesche: & the lyfe euerlastynge. Amen. D. I here of you a breffe worde. M. And thou seeste a mu­starde sede. Now thou perciuest: I trow that there is but one god: whiche name for all that cōprehendeth thre persones: that is to witte: the father: which onely is of none other / the sone which was begotten of the father / afore al tyme. The holy ghoste: whiche ꝓcedeth from them both. DIS. I perceyue. MA. Let not mannes witte imagine here ony transytorie or bodyly thyng / all thynges here are eternall / vnspeakable / and incomprehensyble / to the vnderstondynge of whiche / mannes reason is obscure and blynde / and they are perceyuede oneleye [Page] by fayth. They are thre distincte in pro­pretes / but they are al .iii. of one and the same substance or nature / or of one essence (which some men do suppose to be the more apte and mete worde) They are of one almyghtines / of one maieste / of one wisdome / and of one goodnes.There is an order in the diuine trinite but none ine­qualyte. There is in dede an ordre in this trinite / but ine­qualyte there is vtterly in it none at all For none of them is posterioure to the other / in tyme. Neyther is one of them inferyoure to annother / in dignite.The diuysyō of the Crede. The deite of them all thre: is one / & they .iii. are one god. Hereof ryseth the most ge­nerall and most perfyghte distinction of the Symbole into partes [...] The father & sone are knitte to gether by the holye ghoste. The father hath the fyrste place / the sone hath the seconde / the holy ghoste hath the thyrde whiche is the charyte or loue / and a certayne vnspeakable bonde or knotte of thē bothe. The father maketh all thynges / the sonne restoreth thynges fallen and decayde / the holy ghost worketh to gether with them bothe. D. I vnderstō de you very well. MA. But in the sonne because he alone toke vnto hym the na­ture of man his diuine nature beyng in no poynte mynyshed or chāged / though he be one ꝑsone / yet is there many sub­staunces / that [Page 17] is to witte / the diuine substance / In Christ [...] but one ꝑson and yet thre substaunces. which he hath all one & the same with the father and the holy ghoste / the soule of man / and the body of man / whiche lykewyse as he was borne very god of god his father: so was he borne a ve­ry mā / of a womā his mother. To hym doth the church cleue: as the body of mā doth cleue to the heed. And lykewyse as that diuine spirite dothe ioyne and knyt together the father & the sonne:The churche is the misti­call bodye of Christ ioyned to hym as to her hede / by the diuin spi­rite. euen so doth the same spirite glue the churche vnto Christe / with a secrete and faste bonde / not able to be lowsed. The mystycall body therfore of Christe / occupieth the .iiii. parte of the symbole or crede. There are other diuisyons of the Crede but this diuisyon shall shew some lyght to hym / that is a begynner. Now therefore reher [...]e thou the symbole agayn of thy parte. DIS. I shall with a good wyll. ☞ Credo in Deum patrem omn [...]potentem conditorem celi e [...] terre. The fyrste parte of the Crede. I beleue on god the father almyghty maker of heuen and of erth MA. Here thou haste the fyrste portion. DIS. Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum dominū nostrū.The seconde. And on Iesu Christe his onely sone / our lorde. MA. [Page] Now arte thou entred into the .ii. parte of the symbol which teacheth the diuine nature of Christ / wherof I tolde the before. D. Qui conceptus est de spiritu sctō / naius ex Maria virgine: Whiche was cōceyued by the holy ghost / & borne of Marie the virgine. MA. Here thou hearest the very & ꝑfyght nature of man in Christ / & shalt by & by here the redēp­tion of mankynde. DI. Passus sub Poncio Pilato crucifixus mortuus & sepultus est. Dyd suffre vnder Ponce Pilate / was crucified / deade / & buryed. M. Thou hearest here / besyde so many vndouted tokens declaryng hym to be a very man: the meruaylouse battayle & fygth of Chryst / with the tyraūt the de­uyll. D. Descendit ad inferna. He descended to the helle. MA. Here thou hearest / what that blessed soulle of Christe dyd: at what tyme his deed body dyd reste in the sepulchre. DI. Tertia die resurrexit a mortuis. The thyrde day he rose from the deed. M. Thou hereste here the victorie of the heed / & the hope of the mēbres. D. Ascendit ad celos. He ascēded to the heuēs. M. Here thou hereste the triūphe of the victoriouse cō ­querour. D. Sedet ad dexterā dei patris [Page 18] omnipotētis. He sytteth at the ryght hande of god the father almighty. M.Mat. xxv [...] Here thou herest the euerlastyng & insuperable monarchy or kyngdom of Christe / to whome is geuen al power & auctorite / both in heuen & earth. D. Indeventurꝰ est iudicare viuos et mortuos. From thence shall he come agayn / to iudge the quycke & the deed. MA. Here thou herest his seconde comyng. For at the former tyme / he came in the humy­lyte & [...]ownes of the fleshe to be the sauyour of all mē.Christes two cōynges after two sōdry maners. At the latter tyme / he shal come in the glory of the father / to iudge both good men / & wicked men / & to geue to euery man a reward according [...]o his deseruingꝭ.Math. xvi. The. iii. D. Credo in spiritū sctūm. I beleue on the holy ghost. M. Here thou hast the .iii. parte of the symbole or crede.The. iiii. DISC.☞ Sanctam ecclesiam catholicam. I beleue the holy churche. &c. MAS. Here thou haste the .iiii. parte of the Symbole / which describeth the misticall body of Christe / that is the church. Nowe if thou take Christ whol there are but thre portiōs. And the holy churche / very well & cōueniently is an­nexed & ioyned to the holy ghost. For by the gyfte and benefyghte of this ghoste is holy: what so euer creature is veryly [Page] and truelye holy / where fore of sayncte Paule it is called the spirite of sanctify­cation.Rom. i. This is that spirite of the spou­se: whiche neuer departeth or goeth a­waye from the bosome of the spousesse. And because Ecclesia in the Grek / doth betoken a congregation:Ecclesia. by this spyrite doth cleaue togyther: what so euer is well & happely ioyned or knytte to ge­ther. This is that vnspeakable cyrcle / whiche ioyneth or coupleth to gether / the .iii. persones amonge them selues / & whiche with them also g [...]ueth good aū ­gels and good men / all together in one. For the name of the churche maye comprehende also the blessed spirites / all be it that god came not to redeme thē whiche contynued stable in that good and blessed state / in whiche they were crea­ted. But mankynd / because it was fallē from the state / in which it was made / in the fyrst parentes Adam & Eue: it neded to haue a redemer. But nowe go forth on with the resydue of the Crede. DI. Sanctorum cōmunionem.The cōmunion of saīctes thre maner wayes taken and expoūded The cōmunion of saynctes. MAG. This parcell / certayne men do so vnderstōde / that it doth by apposytion expound the nexte parcell goynge before / whiche is [Page 19] sanctam ecclesiam catholicam The holy catholike churche. For this worde Ecclesia (id est) Churche: is a name of societie and felowshippe / and it is a contynuall & a faste vnlowse able ioynynge to gether of all the membres of Christ / amonge themselues / eche with other. How be it certayne other men do thyn­ke rather / that the .vii. sacramentes of the churche are be tokened by these wordes. And certayne other agayn do thynke / by these wordes to be sygnyfyed the cōmune felowshyppe or parte takynge eche with other of all good workes. D. Bemissionem peccatorum. I be­leue remission & forgyuenesse of synnes. MAG. Here thou dost here / what is the policie and good ordre of this cytie or cōmunaltie / in this worlde / in which worlde as there is no perfyghte felicyte euen so is there in it neither perfyghte puryte and clennes / neither full satury­te and satisfyeng of mannes mynde. And therfore / it happeneth often tymes that they whiche haue greuously fallen in to synne: haue nede of a remedie / and that they whiche are weake and feble: haue nede of strength and hartenynge. Now either of these .ii. thyngꝭ / doth the [Page] grace of god geue sufficientlye / vnto vs both by other meanes: but pryncypally and especyally by the Sacramentes of the churche. And therfore whan thou hearest remission and forgeuenesse of synnes: thou hearest a double medi­cine or salue the one by the holy and blessed bath of baptisme / and the other / by the sacrament of penaunce.Remission of synnes thorw baptisme and p [...]naunce. DISC. Carnis resurrectionem. I beleue the risynge agayn / of the body. MA. Here is opened & shewed vnto the / the ende of our warre / and the consummation and perfection of the church / a [...]d either the eternall felicite: or els the eternall cala­mite & miserie of the whole man / that is to witte / both in body and soule. DI. Et vitam eternam. And euerla­stynge lyfe. MAG. Here thou heareste the vncomparable hi [...]re or wage / and rewarde / whiche our capitayne hathe prepayred and ordayned for his soldy­ers: yf they warrynge faythefully accordyng to the ensaumple of theyr capitayne / vnder his standerde or banner / shall haue behaued them selues manfully / e­uen vntyll theyr death. Thou hast now all the pryncypalle and generall partes [Page 20] of this holsome tale or Comedy / thou hast also all the actes and stenes of that heuenly order and setter forthe of this cōmedie sette in ordre by a wondre fulle and vnspekable dispensation. DIS. Are there ony that make a more subtile diuision of the Crede: than this? MA. ye there are certayne men of later tyme: whiche in stede of .xii. artycles / do make xiii. Some there are agayn / whiche make .xiiii. not accordynge to the ordre of the the texte. But folowynge this consideration / that all the artycles doo belonge either to the diuine nature of all the persones: or els to the humayn [...] nature of Christ: or els to the misticall body of Christe / to euery one of these / they do applye certayne artycles or parcelles & so are there made .xiiii. articles. But this distinction or diuision helpeth but smally / and is of litle wayghte or value to the purpose: that we haue in hand. For after this maner myght men ymagyne also other diuisions / accordynge to the diuersite of mennes wittes / and to the diuerse considerations that may be made of the same thynges.

[Page]But that is the princypall & heed poynt of all: that he sayth here the world to haue ben myghtyly created of god / and of the same god / by his sone / to haue ben wysely & mercyfully redemed / the begynnyng & decourse of the churche the holy ghost gouernyng it by his secret inspiratyons & breathynges / the cōsummation and perfection of the churche whan the sonne shall delyuer his kyngdome hole / perfyghte and quiete to his father. DI. Certayne men doo assygne and geue to euery one of the Apostles: one artycle of this Crede. MAG. yf they that so do saye true / than are they disceyued: whiche had leuer make .xiiii. artycles.For what in­tente it was deuised / that the Apostles made ech one of them one articule of the Crede. But yet neuer the lesse this was profyghta­bly deuysed & fownde out: to thentente doutlesse that suche as were vnlettred: myghte at ones with one laboure / as it were by ymages sette in ordre: empryn [...] and graue faste in thyr remembraunce / both the names of the Aposteles / & also euery one of the articles. For it shold be very conueniente and accordynge / that all the parlers and closettes of Chri [...]ten men were decked & adourned with such maner tables / as these. DIS. O good lorde / how copyouse philosophie or wis­dome [Page 21] is comprehended in this so lytle / and so shorte a symbole? MAG. But i [...] is very probable & lykely / that amonge thē in olde tyme the crede was yet shor­ter / than this. For it sholde seme / that they made an ende of the crede with this clause. Inde venturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos. From thence shall he come to iudge the quycke & the deed. This may we gather of the symbole of Athanasius / whiche / though he doth declare this symbole: yet doth he touche none of these thyngꝭ. Neither doth the symbole / whiche is reherced in the canones / for the symbole made in the coūcell holden at Nice: go ony further than the aforesayde clause / saue onely / that it ad­deth these wordes. Et in spiritum sanctum. And in the holy ghoste / whiche same symbole besyde this / diffreth in many wordes / bothe from this symbo­le / and also from that symbole or crede / whiche is songen in the masse / whiche semeth to haue ben made in the synode holdē at Cōstantinople. The same also is gathered of Tertulliā / as of his boke made agaynste Praxea. Agayn of the boke de virginibus velandis / in the be­gynnyng. Also in the boke de prescripti­onibus [Page] hereticorum. DIS. Is ony of those thynges than superfluose: whiche are added afterwardes? MAG. God forbydde. But these thynges haue ben added and put to be cause of cōtentiouse and grosse persones / that the speche sholde be more expresse and euidente: ra [...] ther than fuller & perfighter. For whan thou hearest these wordes. Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto. whiche was cōceyued by the holy ghost: thou herest the profession and knowledgynge of the thirde persone. Agayn whan thou herest passus est: that Christ hath suffred: thou vnderstondest also forth with the chur­che / for whiche he dyd suffre. For our lorde dyd nother suffre for aungelles / whiche neded it not / neyther for the de­uilles: whiche were fallne neuer to be repayred or restored / agayn muche lesse thā dyd he suffre for beastꝭ. Thou herest also the fountayne of all remission / for neither baptisme / neither the sacramē [...] of penaunce / hath theyr efficacie and strength from ony where els: than from the precyouse death of Christ. Also whā thou herest Tertia die resurrer [...] a mortuis ascēdit in celos. That he rose [...]gayn from death / & assended into heuē [Page 22] thou seeste the rysynge agayn of the bo­dyes to be shewed / which we do all loke for with sure and stedfaste hope. For the heade raignynge in heuen / wyll not suf­fre his membres to be vnperfyghte and lackyng theyr one halffe. He rose agayn whole and perfyghte: and so shall we al so ryse agayn whole and perfighte. Last of all / whan thou hearest. Inde ventrus est iudicare viuos et mortos.

From thence shall he come to iudge the quycke and the deade: this worde iudica­re to iudge doth signifie & shewe the dy­uerse rewardes of good mē / & of wicked synners / whiche after warde was sayde more planly by these wordes. Et vitā eternam. And the euerlastynge lyfe. D. Why is this Crede called the sym [...]ol of the apostles?why the commūe Crede is called the simbole of the Apostles. M. That by this tytle it mighte be distincte and knowne from the other Symboles / that is from the Symbol made in the councell holden at Nice. From the symbol made in the coū cell holden at Constantinople / from the symbol of Athanasiꝰ / & many other symbolꝭ / of many other mēnes makyng & it is very probable & lykely / that this was the fyrste symbole of all / that euer was made. And lykewise as in the olde tyme amōg those barbarouse / symple & truely [Page] knowynge no fraud or gyle / euen in the greateste bargayns of all / either there were no maner oblygations or enden­tures at all / or els they were very shorte wrytyngꝭ / and it was sufficiente to ma­ke a note in a paper / I do frely geue or bequethe so many acres of londe / to su­che or suche a churche: euen so as longe as the puryte and synceryte of the fayth was quycke and stronge in the myndes of men: either there was no nede at all of this wrytynge or oblygacyon / or els it was sufftciente for it to be comprehended in very few wordes.The curiosi­te of philoso­phers: & the peruersite of heretikes / gaue the occasi­on of makyn­ge so many & so lōg Credes The wicked curyosyte of philosophers / and the peruersite of heretikes / was the occasion of so many wordes and so many symboles to be brought in / and euen lykewise as the crafte and subtyle falsehed of men / hath ben the cause: that in bargayns nowe a dayes there is nede of so many & so longe instrumentes and wrytyngꝭ. But in none of all the churches dyd the feruent loue of holynes and vertue / and the syn­ceryte of the faythe longer contynue in vigoure & strength / neither haue fewer heresyes: nor more slowlye cropen in to ony congregation or churche: than into the church of Rome: wold god that the [Page 23] pleasures of this world had no more plē tuosly flowen vnto it / ye moreouer euen this selffe same Crede / whiche sayncte Cipriane hath expounded and declared is somwhat shorter:Credo in d [...] pre oīpotēte. Et in Iesu Christo filio eius vnico domino nostro qui natus es [...] de spiritu sancto / ex Maria virgine. Cru­cifixus sub Poncio Pi­to / et sepultꝰ est. Tertia die resurrexit. Ascēdit in ce­los sedet ad dextrā patris Inde ventu­rus iudicare viuos et mortuos. Et in spiritu sctō / sctām ceelestiā / remissionem peccatorum. Huius carnis resur­rectionem. thā this is of owers as we do saye it. DIS. I beseche you reherce it to me / yf it shall be no payne or greffe to you. MAG. Herken than.

☞ I beleue in god the father almyghty. And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our lorde / whiche was borne by the ho­ly ghoste of the virgine Marie: was crucyfyed vnder Po [...]ce Pilate: & buryed. He rose agayn the thyrde daye: he ascē ­ded to the heuens: & sytteth on the ryght hande of the father. From thence shall he come to iudge the quycke & the dede. And in the holy ghoste. I beleue the holy churche. The remyssyon of synnes. And the rysynge agayn of this body. DIS. I perceyue here many thynges to be lefte out: and somewhat also to be added. MAG. And sayncte Ciprian doth not dissemble or hyde that / for forth with in the fyrste artycle / he doth shewe that specyally & chefly in the churches of the easte is added. I beleue in god the father almysthty vnuysyble and vnpassyble. Agayn he sayth that addytion [Page] he wente downe into helle: not to be hadde in the Symbole or Crede vsed in the churche of Rome / lykewise agayn in that percelle the risynge agayn of this fleshe: he confessethe and knowled­gethe the pronowne this to be added in the churche of Carthago. There do [...] wante somthynges / nay raither they do not wante: but are vnderstonden of other thynges / whiche are expressed and sette out alredy. Saynt Cipriane semethe not to adde this sentence.

The creature and maker of heuen and of earthe. But he gathereth this of the Greke worde Pantocrator.Pātocrator.

For this worde dothe not somuche syg­nyfie one that is almyghty: as it dothe sygnyfie one that holdeth all thynges / and that rulethe all thynges / whiche worde dothe not expresse and shewe / that the worlde was created and made by god: but it dothe telle vs and putte vs in knowledge and remembraunce / that it is gouerned of god. Nowe wolde he not gouerne the worlde / that had ben created and made of another.

And for as muche as euen the very gentyles or paynymes / by the informacyon [Page 24] and teachynge of poetes / doo beleue / that the world was created by god / and seynge that also the boke of Genesis dothe inculcate and reherce the same thynge by so manye wordes: they iud­ged this partycle to be more euydente than that it neded to be expressed.

These wordes also were lefte out / qui conceptus est: because in the Gospell it is sayde.☞ Natum est for concep­tum est / for thus speaketh the aungell to Ioseph / ☞quod enim in eanatum est de spiritu sancto est [...]id est:Math. [...].

☞ For that whiche is conceyued in her: is of the holy ghoste. Therfore this worde natum est / whiche is cōmune bothe to the chylde that is conceyued / and to the chylde that is brought forth into this worlde: semed to the olde fa­thers a more propre and a more mete and conuenyente worde / to signifie and betoken / that thynge to haue ben do [...] by the workynge of the diuine spirite / in as muche as neither in the concey­uynge was there ony concupyscence of man: neither in the deliueraūce or byrth was there ony violation of the virgi­nall dignyte or integryte and clennes / [Page] Besydes this / this worde conceptus soundeth or sygnyfyeth a certayne thynge without facyon and vnperfyghte. For by lytle & lytle doth the sede crudde or grow to gether in the matryce of the woman: and afterwarde taketh lyffe & soule: These thynges to saye of the con­ception of our lorde: we are afrayd.

Agayn in the article folowyng / he doth not say he suffred vnder Ponce Pilate so as we do saye: but he sayde was crucified: that he myghte not onely expresse the death of hym: but also the ma [...]er & kynde of his death: neither doth he adde was deed: but onely sayeth was buryed. For to that entente are men hanged on the crosse [...] that they shold there dye: nei­ther are men buried: excepte they be vn­dowtedly deed. And also whan he ad­deth and rose agayn: that is to saye: he reuiued agayn: in so sayenge he doth o­penly and playnly enough professe / that he was deed. And saynct Augustin doth not dysagree or varye in this poynt frō Ciprian / which repeteth it in this wise. Therfore we do beleue vpō hym: whiche was crucyfyed: and buryed vnder Ponce Pilate. Neither dyd Cipriane saye. He rose agayn from deed men: [Page 25] but onely / he rose agayn the thyrd day. For no man reuiueth agayn: but from death. And whan he sayth. That he syt­teth on the ryghte hande of the father: he addeth not of god / neither almyghty which two wordes do seme to haue ben added and put to / out of the symbole of Athanasiu [...]. For what dyd it nede to expresse these wordes here in this place / seynge that it hath before called the fa­ther of Iesu: god almighty? Neither doth he rede thus. Credo in spiritū san­ctum. I beleue on the holy ghoste: leste he mighte seme to begy [...]ne a newe sym­bole or crede / but hauynge respecte / and reformynge his speche vnto those thyn­ges that wente before / he had leuer vn­derstande the verbe Credo: whiche was also vnderstonded whan he spake of the sonne. I beleue in god the father / and in his onely sonne / and in the holy ghoste. For it is all one faith: by whiche we do beleue the .iii. persones of one essence. And anone after in the nexte article / he sayth not in sanctā ecclesiam: but leueth out the prepositiō in shewyng the cause with many wordes / why that prepositi­on is not to be added. Neither doth he adde this worde catholicā / nomore dot [...] [Page] saynt Austine neither adde it in the symbole: but he addeth it in his interpretation / sayenge vti (que) catholicam that is to witte catholique. And what neded it to adde this worde catholique: seyng that there is no churche holy / but onely the catholique churche / which churche this Epitheton or adiectiue s [...]tām holy disseuereth from all the churche of heretikes of the Iewes: and of the paynyms / and whan he sayth. And in the holy ghost / & by & by after doth put these wordes / the holy churche: leuyng out also the preposition in: it is euidente that Ciprian dyd not rede in sctām ecclesiā. And to make an ende: that laste clause / & euerlastynge lyfe is also lefte out. But this was suffi­ciently vnderstonded of the worde resurrection or risyng agayn that wēte nexte before / in which is cōprehended the son­dry & diuerse rewardes of good men and wicked men. And also of that clause gone before: to iudge the quycke and the deade / as we haue sayd before. And that Cipriane dyd rede the Symbole none other wise than I haue recyted / it is e­u [...]dente and easye to perceyue / not one­ly by his interpretation and declarati­on made vpon the same: but also by the [Page 26] Epiloge or recapytulatyon whiche he putteth to afterwarde in the ende. For there shewynge that onely to the father sonne / and holy ghoste is added this preposition in / and not in ony wyse to the other articles: he reciteth in this wise.

☞ Sequitur nan (que) post hunc sermo­nem. Sanctam ecclesiam. Remissionē peccatorum. Huius carnis resurrectio­nem. Non dixit in sanctam ecclesiam. Nec in remissionem peccatorum. Nec in carnis resurrectionem. Which [...]s thus muche to saye in Englyshe. For it foloweth after these wordes. The ho­ly churche. The remyssyon of synnes. The rysynge agayn of this fleshe.

It seyde not in the holy churche. Nor in the remyssyon of synnes. Nor in the rysynge agayn of the fleshe. Moreouer beynge abowt warde to expounde and declare this article. The rysynge agayn of the fleshe: he maketh this pre­face. Sed vltimus iste sermo qui resurrectionem pronunciat / summam totius perfectionis succincta breuitate conclu­dit (whiche is thus muche to saye) But these laste wordes and speche / whiche dothe pronunce and shewe the resurre­ction / doth conclude & comprehende the [Page] [...]umme and effecte of al the hole perfection / with cōpendiouse breffnes / dothe he not here opēly call this clause the laste? And these .ii. wordes vitā eternā Euer­lastynge lyfe: seme to haue ben added of some man either out of the symbole of Athanasius: or [...]ls out of that Crede / whiche is songe in the masse. Neither doth saint Augustin rede ony other wise in his lytle boke made of the Symbole / saue onely / that for de spiritu sancto: he redeth per spiritum sanctum / and whe­ther he dyd adde this clause vitam [...]ter­nam or no it is not very euydente: but it is very probable & lykely / that he dothe agree with Cipriane / dowtles he tou­cheth not this perceille he wente downe to helle: neither doth he adde this pro­noune huius carnis of this fleshe. And Cipriane / seynge that he hath shewed in other poyntes / yf there were ony discre­paunce or variannce: he wolde also no doute of it haue geuen knowledge in other thyngꝭ / yf it hadde ben ony other­whise in the Romane Symbole / than hymselfe doth recyte. DIS. Seynge that there is so greatte diuersite and variete in so fewe wordes: what shame is there in them (& suche there be certayne) [Page 27] whiche do fastly affirme with asseueration / that this symbole was made and geuen of the Apostles by cōmune assente / and that also in writynge? For who durste be so bolde to adde vnto orels to take awaye euen but one tytle from the wri­tynge of ony Apostle: whiche so euer he were? MAG. A certayn kynge of the Lacedemonian [...]s / whan he was asked of a certayne persone / why the officers called Ephori dyd not ryse vp and geue reuerence to the kynge: made aunswere and sayde / euen for this cause: because they are Ephori. So lykewyse may I nowe make the / aunswere / they do affir­me this after suche maner / euen for this cause: because they are men / yf they ha­ue redde ony thynge in theyre workes / whiche haue writen of late tyme: that do they holde faste / and cleue vnto with tothe and nayle / but yf a man do alledg or brynge forthe vnto them ony thynge of the olde authoures / whiche they do not rede (such is the scrupulouse feare of them) they do suspecte and mistruste (as it is in the prouerbe) that vnder euerye stone doth slepe a scorpion. DIS. Is not this than the symbole of the Apost­les? MAG. yes werily / for what soo [Page] euer is taughte here in this Crede / the Apostles dyd learne of Christ / and that which they had learned of hym: they haue truely and faythefully taught to vs. A fewe wordes / do not chaunge the vn­changeable veryte. But these thynges now set a parte (yf thow thynke it best) make recourse agayn from the begyn­nyng to the endyng / & demaūd of euery thyng particularly / in such wyse as the spirite shall put into thy mynde. DIS. you haue shewed and taughte vnto me / wh [...] the fyrst place or begynnyng is ge­u [...] [...]o the father / that is to witte / for that he is the foūtayne or spryng of the hole godhede / & all creatures. But why doth it call the father onely god / & the sonne onely lorde / and the ghoste nothyng els but holy: seynge that the deite of them thre is all one?The cōmune vsage of the scripture in speakynge of the persones of the godhed. MAG. This is the coustome and vsage of the holy scriptu­re / that otherwhiles whan it doth spea­ke of the persones: it dothe sygnyfie the father by this name god / as for exaum­ple / our lorde hymselfe sayth in the Go­spell. yf you do beleue in god beleue also in me / and saynt Paule sayth.Ihān. xiii. God was in Christe reconcilynge the worlde to hymselfe. Agayn God hathe not [Page 28] spared his owne sonne. But of innume­rable places in the scripture it is mani­fest and euidente: that it is one and the same godhed of them all thre / whan our lorde sayth in the gospell these wordes.

☞Baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghoste.Math. 48. None of all the .iii. persones is called by this name god: to thentente / that we sholde vnderstonde and percey­ue them all thre to be one god. For one­ly god doth thorow fayth and baptisme forgeue synnes. Other whiles also the same scriptures do signifie the sonn [...] / by the name of god / as whan we do saye / that god was made man for the saluation of mankynde / was borne of a vir­gine / was deade / and rose agayn from death to lyfe. For neither dyd the father neither the holy ghoste / take vpon them the nature of man / or suffre death. DI. Maye it by onye sensible argumente or token be declared and shewed / howe the thre persones are sayde to be dystyncte and sondrye one from another: and yet are one god? MAG. There is nothyng amonge creatures: whiche proprelye maye be sayde to be lyke to the nature of god.

[Page]Neither are there ony wordes of men / with whiche we maye proprelye speake of it / neither are there ony images or si­militudes of mānes mynde / which may perfightly agree vnto the diuine essen­ce. And iniurie is don to that incompa­rable maieste alwayes to be had in ho­noure: yf it be rashely and ouer boldlye cōpared with naturall & worldly thyn­ges. Howe be it yet / I shall shewe the a certane similitude / but farre vnlyke to it.The fyrste similitude of the sonne and the sonne beames / and the heate caused of the sonne: & his b [...]ames. Beholde and considre the sonne / and the beames that come from it / and than the heate / that cometh forth and is caused of theym bothe. As the sonne is the fountayne / out of whiche cometh bothe the lyghte / & the heate: so is the father the fountayne out of which yssueth the sonne / whiche is lyghte of lyghte. And as of the sonne and of the bealmes both together / cometh the heate or warmnes so from the father and the sonne bothe together / procedeth and comethe forthe the holy ghoste Now imagine me / that there were a sonne / whiche neuer hadde begynnynge / neither euer shall haue en­dyng: shold there not than of this sonne come forth eternall bealmes? and sholde also there not from them bothe procede [Page 29] heate egally etarnall with them bothe? DIS. yes dowtles. MAG.The .ii. similitude of the mynde / reasō & wylle. This collation & similitude also pleaseth some men / Mynde / Reason / and wyll / are all in. but one & the same soule. The mynde is the fountayne and orygynall / reason that cometh of it doth iudge / & the wylle that procedeth and issuethe from them both [...] doth loue. So lykewise the father is the foūtayne: the sonne is logos / that is to saye / reason. The holy ghost is charyte or loue.The .iii. s [...]m [...] ­litude & most [...] alowed. The thyrde similitude: and whiche is most alowed of learned men: is of the mynde / and of the worde conceiued in the mynde. Now yf there were a mynd / that were increated: dowtles the worde of that mynd also shold be increated. But that we may comprehende the holy ghoste also in this similitude / lette vs imagine fyrst a mynde / and secōdaryly a worde broughte forth and gendred of it / and in suche wyse stryekynge the eares of other men: that yet neuer the lesse it dyd remayne and abyde stylle in the herte / than thyrdly the breath / with out whiche the mynde dothe not vtter or pronounce the worde. The father is the minde / the sonne: is th [...] worde con­ceyued in the mynde / the holy ghoste: is [Page] the pronunciation and vtteraunce.The .iii. simitude. The father also after a certayne maner may be lykened to the fountayne or sprynge / the son̄e to the ryuer / that cometh forth of the sprynge. The holy ghoste to the fertilite and plenteousnes of the feldes / which the spryng geueth or causeth by or thorow the ryuer.There can be no perfighte simylytudes taken of ony creatures / to declare the mysteries of the godhed sufficientlye. But in these exaū ­ples / there are excedynge many thyngꝭ dysagreyng & vnlyke to the persones in the godhede. For the beame is not the same thynge that is the sonne: admyt­ted that it be a substaūce. And the heate is but an accydente: and not a substaunce / so farre is it awaye from beynge all one with the sonne / & with the beames. And our worde is an accidēte and a trā ­sitory thynge / and the breath wherwith we doo vtter and pronounce the w [...]rde / is an accidēte (for that it is the mouyng of the ayere) lykewise as the fertilite al­so of the feldes is no substaunce: neither is it all one & the same thynge with the fountayne & the ryuer / wherfore let vs laye a parte these symylitud [...]s and lykenesses. And that thynge / whiche mānes reason can not attayne vnto nor ꝑceyue / let fayth holde & stedfastly beleue. That thyng which holy scripture doth tea [...]he [Page 30] whiche Chryste beynge corporallye in [...]arth dyd teache / whiche hath ben con­firmed with so many miracles / whiche the spirite of Chryste doth teach by the churche: that thynge (I saye) is to be accompted and taken for more certayne & vndowted / than is that thynge / whiche hath ben proued by a thousand euident and playne demonstrations / or whiche thou doste perceyue .vi.C. bodyly senses: yf thou haddest so many. DIS. Is it not lawfull than to inquyere / and make serche of the diuine thynges? MA.To whome & how farre forthe it is lawfull to enserche of godly thynges. yes veryly it is lawfull namely to those whiche haue theyr wittes well exercised but it muste be done with drede / it must be done sobrelye / it muste be done / after that they haue sette a sure fundation or grounde warke of faythe / fynally as farre forthe / and no farder: than is graun­ [...]ed to man in this mortall ly [...]e / in whi­che we do see god by faythe: But as i [...] were in a glasse / and in a ryddle and ob­scure maner. For els to speke of the diuin [...] nature / euen so as it is in very dede / not the very myndꝭ of aūgelꝭ are able to cōprehend it / so that there is place euen there vnto fayth which doth beleue that [Page] thynge / whiche passeth all reason & vn­derstondynge of ony creature created. Therfore by good ryght the fyrst worde of this philosophie is Credo I beleue.Credo. DIS. Two syllables? MA. ye / but who so euer speaketh thes [...] two syllabes from his very herte / vnfaynedly: he is blessed. For no man doth beleue verylye and truly in god:who onely doth verelye beleue in god but onely he / whiche dothe take for certayne and vndoubted thynges / what so euer thynges are wri­ten in the bokes of the holy scrypture / hopyng without ony doutfullnes or dystruste all such thyngꝭ / as the sayd scrip­tures do promyse. And whiche in this lyfe doth put hymselfe / and his / and all his goodes / vnto the wyll of god: forsa­kynge and renouncynge his owne wyll in all thynges. Although a thousande deathes wer threttened vnto hym / and thoughe all the hole power of the de­uylles wolde go about to do hym mys­cheffe: he is very sure and saffe from all daungere / who so euer hath settled hym self faste on this rocke / yf this faithe do wante or fayle: neither doth baptisme / neither ony sacramentes of the churche proufighte ony whitte or auayle: nether doth any good workes helpe ony whit [...] [Page 31] to eternall saluation. For Paule doth pro [...]ounce i [...] to be synne: what so euer is without fayth.The cōme [...] ­dation of Fayth. This faythe coupleth and ioynethe vs to god the father / this same dothe associate vs to Christe our hede / this same faythe / by the spirite of Christe / doth make vs to be chosen and taken into the noumbre of the sonnes of god. This same faythe / dothe graffe vs into the eternall cōpany & felowshyppe of Aungells / and of all holy sayntes. This fayth doth shyne before vs / & geue vs lyghte in the darknes of this lyfe: sheweng what is verily to be eschewed / and what to be folowed & desyred. This fayth doth arme vs / and make vs bolde without ony feare / & inuincible agaynst all the engynes / and all the ordinaunce of the world & of the deuille. This fayth doth mightely and effectuesly coumfor [...] vs in trybulation & aduersite: with the hope of the heuenly good or felicite / ha­uyng this saying alwayes in her mouth ☞yf god be on our syed: who can be agaynst vs? And that sayenge also. The afflictions and tribulatiōs of this worlde / are not worthy of the glorye to come / which shall be shewed in vs. This fayth doth truly quiete and sette at reste [Page] the mynde of man. Of this faythe after the mynde of saynte Paule dothe come: and vnto it is to be wihted or imputed / what so euer thynge at ony tyme hathe ben don strongely / vertuosly / and tem­perately / of suche as haue ben excellente in holynesse. By this fayth we do lyue well beloued of God: by this faythe / we doo dye cherefullye / and with good truste towarde god / by this faythe we are created vp vnto blessed immortalyte Agayn of the defaulte & wante of fayth what euylles do springe of vnbeleffe.springeth superstition / sorcerie / idolatry and couetousnes cosen to it / Ambition / Blasphemy / heuynes / desperation / pride feare of death / desyre of vengeaunce / fy­nally what so euer vices or synnes doo raygne in the hole worlde. DIS. Uerily I do here many men oftentymes wyshynge to themselues / prosperouse heal­the / longe lyfe / and ryches. But I do here very few men / that do desyere this so excellentely a good gyfte of god.

MAG. No meruayle thereof / for ve­rily there are but fewe: that doo knowe what thynge / and after what maner is to be desyred and prayed for. For this gyfte of faythe: it were mete and conue­nyente / [Page 32] contynually and Luce. x [...]. without ceassyng to knocke at the eares of god / that he wolde vouchesaffe to geue vs faythe: and to encreace his gyfte in vs euerye daye more and more. DISC. yet ne­uer the lesse the comune sorte and moste parte of men do calle those that are not very wyse: Credulos / that is to saye re­dye to geue credence. And a certayne wyse man of the Hebrues dothe name those persones leues corde: lyghte myn­ded: whiche doo easylye and soon geue crede [...]ce. MAG. Fyrste it is no poynte neither of lyghtnes / neither of credulite to geue credence to those thynges: whi­che thynges: it hath by so manye argu­mentes and euydente tokens ben declared: to come not from men: but from god. Paule sayth:☞ that he wolde not geue credence:Galat. [...]. no not euen to an Aūgell yf he dyd teache ony thynge dissonaunt or dysagreynge from the Gospelle of Christe. But rather it is a poynte of ar­rogance and presumptuose folyshenes: to dowte of these thynges: whiche haue ben taughte and geuen to vs withe soo greatte authorite: and therefore: [Page] saynte Paule writeth / Roma. i. that the folishe herte of the philosophers was blynded: because the lyghte of fathe was absente yf ony man beyng vnlettred / wold bable and striue agaynst suche a philosopher / as was Arystot [...]le or Pythagoras / or yf there haue ben ony other conynger thā either of thē both / whan he dyd dyspute de materia prima / of the principles and causes of thynges / de infinito / or of the largenes / the mouynge: and the vertue of the heuenly speres / and wolde dowte of euery thyng / that hymselfe could not by his one witte attayn [...] vnto / and per­ceyue: shold he not be called an arrogāt and madde foole? But how much great­ter madnes is it / there fore not to geue credence to the diuine philosophie: be­cause mannes vnderstandynge can not attayne to the perceyuynge of many [...] thynges? And there is by a thousand partes more difference betwen god and man / be he neuer so greatly learned: thā is betwen the wiseste man that is / & the moste folyshe swyneherde that is. DI. It is euen very so in dede. MA. Among philosophers / he is accompted a person shameles: yf ony man wold reiecte and not receyue the authorite of an excellen [...] [Page 33] and a good approued authoure (for the dyscyples of Pythagoras thoughte it enoughe to cause persuasion and beleffe of ony thynge to say (ipse dixit) our maister Pythagoras sayde it) And dothe he that is a Christen man:Ipse dixit. drawe backe / & be harde to geue credence: whan he hea­reth these wordes. God hath sayd this. God hathe done this? Of the kynges writte no man dothe dowte / yf it be so / that he knowe the kynges seale at it / how great folyshenes and presumption is it than / to dowte of the diuine thyngꝭ which are so many maner wayes sealed as we haue shewde before? DI. whils you do reasone & dispute these thynges I do perceyue and fele the sede of fayth to encreace euen in me also. But why dothe this fourme and maner of spea­kynge please them / Credo in deū: whiche good and pure Latin men do scasely acknowledge and alowe? MA. Many philosophers also crediderūt deum:Credere deū. that is: dyd beleue: that there is god. And the deuylles also credūt deo:Credere deo. that is to say geue credence to god. For they knowe / that he can not lye. But onelye good & vertuose men Credece in deum or in deo. credunt in deum / or in deo: which haue set theyr hole trust and [Page] cōfidence / and theyr hole hope stedfastly in god.Onelye good and vertuose men Credunt in deū: do be­leue or truste in god. Wherfore saynt Cipriane beyng a man both learned / and also holy: doth not thynke / that we sholde rede in this wise. Credo in sanctam ecclesiam: but credo sanctam ecclesiam. And veryly I do knowledge and graunt this sense of his: to be a holy & a godly sence / for the greattest and the shote ancre of our con­fidence and hope / is not to be fastely set: but onely [...] in god / but in very dede this figure or maner of speakynge / was takē of the propretie of the Hebrue tonge. Which oftentymes doth vse to adde and put to / the preposition in: where the la­tyne tonge dothe not suffre it. And the Apostles / although they wrote in greke yet for all that do otherwhiles expresse and folowe the propriete of theyr naty­ue language / as for exaūple / in the .iiii. chapitoure of Luke.Luce. xiiii. Si potest in decē milibus occurrere. Whether he beable with .x. thousande to withstande hym. Nowe yf it were in no wise lawfulle to adde this preposition in / soo ofte as we do speke of humane thynges: how shall we excuse that / whiche saynte Luke the Euangelyste writheth in the .xii. chapi­toure.☞

[Page 34]Qui in me confessus sucrit coram hominibus: et filius hominis confitebitur in illo coram angelis (id est)Luce. xi [...]. who so euer shall confesse and knowledge me afore men: the sonne of man also shal acknowledge hym afore the Aungels of god? But yet the preposytion dothe seme to adde some strengthe or pithe to the ora­tion or speche. To saye Confido in te: I can not telle / whether it be good & pure Latyne. But fiduciam habeo in te (id est) I haue truste in the. And in te spes mea sita est (id est) my hope is set in the: is well sayde / though Spero in te / those men dare not saye: which do somewhat relygiouslye and preciselye obserue the elegauncie of the Latyne speche. Where fore lette vs now passe ouer the dyspu­tation of the fourme and maner of spea­kynge / how it may be excused / and lette vs embrace the thynge it selfe with our hole harte and mynde / layenge vp all our hole hope / neither in Aungells / nei­ther in holy men: but onely in god. DIS. Why doth it not saye. Credo in vnum deum (that is tho saye) I beleue in one god? MAGISTER. Because he that dothe nowe speake so / [Page] doth more stronglye and effectually ex­clude the pluralyte and multitude of goddes. For no man dothe speake in this wyse (vidi vnum solē: id est: I haue sene one sonne. Exortus est vnus sol: id est: one sonne is rysen / vidi vnam lunam: id est: I haue sene one moone) For as muche as neuer so muche as this ima­gination dothe come in to the mynde of ony man: that there is: or can be mo sonnes or mo moones thā one. But he that sayth I haue sene one sonne risyng doth put the hearers in dowte / as though he dyd thynke / that there were manye son­nes or manye moones / and who so euer wold vse that maner of speakyng: shold be accompted for a foole / and laughed to scorne. For that thynge / that is abso­lutely and symplycyter hyghest: can be but one thynge. DIS. Why is it than sayde in this symbole (whiche as certayne men do wene / was made in the coun­cell holden at Nice.The crede which is songe at masse: was made in the coūcellholden at Cōstā tinople. But as thou doste suppose / was made in the councell holdē at Constantinople) that I here songen in the masse. Credo in vnū deum: id est: I beleue in one god? MA.why this worde vnum was added. This worde vnum was added and put to afterwar­des / not so muche agaynste the hethen [Page 35] Paynymes / which dyd worshype many goddes as agaynst heretykes. Amonge whome: some dyd dreame: that there are duo principia (id est) two principles or cheffe causes the one of good: & the other of euylle. Other some agayn dyd diuide one god into two goddes the one of thē: whome they called ryghtuose god: they dyd affirme to be the authoure of the olde testamente / and the other of them they sayd to be the authoure of the new testamente: whome they dyd professe to be a good god / but not rightuose: where as in very dede: there is but onelye one god / the maker of all good creatures. For of euyll thynges: god is not the au­thoure.Genesis .i. For he considred all thynges / whiche he had made and created & they were very good. The same god is rygh­tuose & good. The same is the authoure of the olde lawe: and also the authoure of the new testamente. And the same is the vnmutable gouernour of all tymes. But whan I doo saye / that god is not the Authoure of euylles: I meane of synnes / and not of afflictions or tribulations.Affliction is good / for .iii skylles. For the affliction or tribulation / whiche god doth sende to men: is good / either because it is rightuose / as whan [Page] it is layde vpon vs for our synnes: or els because it is a medicine to make vs re­pente and waxe wise: or els because it is the mater and occasion of greater glorie which kynde of cuylles for al that / shold neuer haue ben amonge men: yf there had neuer ben synne / and synne came of the deuyll & of the corrupted concupiscē ce of man. DI. why doth it adde patrē father? MA. For a distinction of hym from the other persones / for it foloweth anone after. Et in Iesum Christū filium eius vn [...]cū. 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 cō ­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 thī ges / he hath not begottē the holy ghost but no more hathe he begotten neither man / nor aungell of his one substaunce. But because after a peculiare maner he [Page 36] 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 .c [...]liii. ps. But that god hath begottē a sonne of his oune substaūce this is proprely belō 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 begottē. 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 cōpa­rison & 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 hy [...] ony parte of his substaūce into the sonne: but he hath cō mūicated the same hole substaūce to his sonne: neither do he that begetteth: & he that is begottē make two goddes: so as the father beyng a mā & the son̄e beyng a mā do make .ii. men)

[Page]Neither is the personne that begetteth: in tyme ony whit afore the ꝑsonne / that is begottē: 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 whā 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 faciō 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 / cō ­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 [Page 37] wylte saye / that god hathe not veryly & truely made the worlde / because he hath made it farre otherwise thā 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 wordꝭ are otherwise sayde of thē / than of god. D. Is it lawfull to call god a substaunce? MAG. yf by a substaūce 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 mē haue vsed in the olde tyme: at the leaste wise because of the strauugenes of them / yf by sub­staūce / thou do vnderstande that to whiche accidentes are inherente: than is i [...] 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 repente [...] that god doth forgete / that god [Page] [...]oth remēbre: know thow that in all suche places / the scripture dothe attēpre & shape her language accordynge to our wittes & capacite / euen lykewise as a lo­uyng mother dothe lyspe & speake vnper [...]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 substaūce 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 / vnchaūgeablenes trouth / iustice / mercie & many other such innumerable: why is god here expressely called oīpotēte / & no­thyng els?why god is onelye called almighty in the Crede. M. Forsoth thou dost aske & demaūd ful wisely / for who so euer doth truly ꝓfesse god / ī so doyng / he doth al­so ꝓfesse all thyngꝭ which be agreyng & belongynge to the nature of god. But [...]or as muche as in this Symbole the thynges are taught to beg ynners / whiche [Page 38] are to be beleued raither than to be discussed: & because there are very many thyngꝭ not onely in the creation of the world / but also in the redēption & the cō summation of the same / whiche do seme vnpossible to mānes reason & iudgemēt therefore to exclude all suche maner reasonynge / is added here this worde al­mighty. Whan Aristotel doth reasone / & proue by insoluble argumētꝭ / that this worlde hath ben eternally without ony begynnynge / because that of nothynge nought cā be made: we do aūswere: 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 womā whitout mānes helpe but we do make aūswer / y^t it is god / which wylled this to be don / which was borne / which dyd prepare the wombe of the virgine. Therfor to cōfirme the fayth & beleffe of weake persones no word dothe make or helpe mor thā doth this word almighty [Page] But we oughte to saye with the fayth­full maker of the Psalmes.Psal. cxxxiiii. The lorde hathe made all 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. [...]hy is the father onelye called the creatoure of the worlde? MAG. Forsoth the creation of the worlde is cōmune 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 instrumēt 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 euē 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 cōmune sorte & the most parte of them) knewe nothynge at all of the sonne / and of the holy ghoste / they [Page 39] knewe onelye the father / not because he hath begotten the sonne beyng also god but because he was the maker a [...]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 thyngꝭ without exception. DIS. why doth some other call hym Creatorem / & some agayne call hym Factorē: whome he doth here calle Conditorem? MA. The Grekes haue but onely one worde Poutin which is cōmune 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 to [...]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 bry [...]ge for the and make somewhat of nothynge / whi­che belongeth onely to god / and that he [Page] dothe make whiche frameth or shapeth ony thynge of some matere or stuffe / as for exaūple / nature gendreth & bringeth forth the tre / of the sede / & y^e goldesmyth dothe make a pece or a goblet / of syluer. It cometh therfore ī to disputatiō / whether god had created heuen & earth / for as mu [...]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 fassiō) 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 thyngꝭ haue ben made To thentēt therfore / that all suche sub­tile argumentations sholde be excluded: certayne men hade leuer vse this worde cōditorem. DIS. why dyd he raith [...]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 coūtrefayte & folowe the wor­des of the begynnynge of the boke Ge­nesis. ☞Heuen cōprehendeth and contayneth all thynges. About the earthe / all the other elementes do moue rounde. [Page 40] 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 dowt [...]es made all thynges whiche are contayned in them. DIS. But the symbole callyd Symbolū 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 thī ­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 thyngꝭ & vnuisible thynges whether they be thrones / or dominati­ons / or pucipates / or potestates / all thī ­ges haue ben made by hym and in hym what so euer thīg had neuer begīnynge [Page] But the aungelles are the ministers of god / whome they do contynually with­out ceassyng / reuerently with drede / glorifie a [...]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 ī place: neither is moued ī 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 de [...] that is / to geue credence vnto [...]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 de [...]: he doth professe hym to be true in all thynges. He that putteth al his trust in god / professethe that all thynges are gouer­ned [Page 41] 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 thy [...]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 / & [...]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 begyl [...]d) wolde be lesse discontēted 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 cōprehende an infinite sum of all good thynges. Many men [Page] saye with theyr mouthe. ☞ Cred [...] in deum. I beleue in god / but he whiche with a christen mynde dothe saye I be­leue in god: fyrste he dothe hate and de­fie certayne paganes / whiche do nat beleue / that there is any god at al. And he dothe no lesse hate them / which do number and recken vp vnto vs manye and many folde goddes:It is all one thyng in ef­fecte, to saye that ther are many goddes and to saye, that there is no god at all. where as in so say­enge / they do graunte that there is no god at al. For if there be many goddes: than is there some what / where in one of them dothe differ from another / now if that be any good thyng: he is no god / that lacketh or wanteth any thynge that good is. And if it be an euill thing: than can he nat be god / that hathe any euill in hym. Lykewyse he dothe hate them / whiche do thynke nothyng to be at all / saue only suche thynges / wherof they haue perceiuynge by theyr bodyly senses.Anthropo­morphite. To whome the Anthropomor­phites are nat muche vnlyke / whiche / because they do rede in the scriptures / of the eyes / the face / the mouthe / the hādes / the harte / the arme / the w [...]mbe / and the breste of god: they dyd wene / that god is a bodily thynge made of manes shape & manes membres / whan [Page 42] in very dede nothynge is forther frome all sensible matter / thā god is / & Iohan also dothe wryte.Iohānis .iiii.☞ That god is a spi­rite. Moreouer he dothe abhor [...]e the Epicureis / which do so graūte one god / or mo than one to be:The opinion of the Epi­cures. that yet they do deny hym or them to care any whitte what is done in the worlde. These that be of this opinion / do make god eyther impotente / orels folishe / in that they do recken hym eyther nat able to gouerne that / whiche he hathe created / orels so euell wyll / that he wyll nat do it / orels so folyshe and dronken: that he dothe nat retche therfore. These thynges / if they were sayde agaynste any mortall prynce: they were wordes full of blas­phemy. How moche more than / if they be spoken agaynst god? But our lorde in the gospell sayeth playnly.Math. x [...] ☞That there dothe nat so muche as a litle spa­rowe fall vpon the ground / without the wyll of the father. And also / that all the heares of his discip [...]es hedes are noum­bred. * So that nat so moche as one ly [...]le heare dothe peryshe / excepte it be by his wyll. And sayncte Peter agrea­bly vnto these wordes of his mayster / sayeth.i. Petri. [...] ☞ Castynge all your care and [Page] thought vpon hym: for he hathe care and mynd of you. The same doth al­so detestate y^e blasphemy of the Ieues / whiche do professe one god:The erroure of the Iewes. but they do deny the sonne & the holy ghoste / whan in very dede the substaunce or essence of god is so one: that it is euen the same and (to speake after the maner of logi­cions) eadem numero the same in noumbre.The sub­stance of the godhed / is al one and the same ī all the iii. persones. Bothe in the sonne / whiche was begotten of the father / and also in the holy ghoste / procedynge from them bothe. The father cryeth from the clou­des. This is my welbeloued sonne.Math. xvii. et Luce. iii. and the Iewe crieth agaynst it that he hathe no sonne. The same father crieth by the mouthe of his prophete Iohel.Iohelis .ii [...]. I shall poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe. And the Iewe crieth there agaynste / god hathe no holy ghoste / but is solitary. Agreyng vnto this madnes was folyshe and ignorant Noetus / Noetus.and the wicked heretike Gabelliꝰ / Gabellius. of whom sprong the heresy & secte of them / which were called Patrispassia [...]:The patris­passianes. whiche dyd deuide the substaūce of god nat into thre ꝑsones. but into thre voyces or names. The father (sayne they) created the world / the same in y^e name of the sōne: [Page 43] toke vpon hym the nature of man / and suffred passion. The same agayn / onely his name changed / and nowe called the holy ghoste: cam down vpon the discip­les. Here wittyngly and gladly / I passe ouer the dremes more than blas [...]hemouse: of BasilidesBasilides. and Mercio.Marcio. The Ori­genistesOrigenistes. also doo come verye nere vnto the impiete and wicked erroure of the Iewes / which do make the sonne of god a creature / and the holy ghoste the minister of that creature / Cosen to these / also is Arrius / whiche graunted that the fa­ther hath a sonne / but onely of wyll and lykenes:Arrius. and not of nature. Howe be it he wyll also this similitude to be v [...]per­fighte / after suche facion / as the shadow is lyke to the bodye: because he dothe thynke / that betwen the creatoure & the creature ther can not be but a slendre & an obscure similitude.Eunomius. But Eunomius doth farre excede the heresy of this sayd Arryus / whiche taughte that the sonne is in all poyntes vnlyke to the father: because that there is none affinite or lyke­nesse and agremēte betwen the creatoure and the creature: nomore than is be­twen a thyng that is infinite / & a thyng that is finite. From this Eunomius / [Page] Macedonius doth so dyssente:Macedonius that yet he doth not assente vnto the doctryne of the church. For he graunteth the sonne to be in all poyntes lyke vnto the father but he sayth / that the holy ghoste hathe no poynte cōmune with the father & the sonne.Manicheis. Of the Manicheis we haue tou­ched somewhat all redye / whiche whils they doo make duo principia (id est) two principles cōtrarye / the one to the other of the one of which / visible thynges (as they saye) were created / as [...]uyll thyngꝭ of an euyl pncyple / & of the other / inuisi­ble thyngꝭ / were created as good thīges of a good pnciple) without dowt they do of one god make two goddꝭ / y^e one good & y^e other euel / euē likewise as do y^e heretikes called Gnostici / Synerus / Synerus. whils he maketh tria principia .iii. princyples he maketh as many goddꝭ / agayn those that do seperate & departe the sonne or the holy ghost from god / where as in very dede they do cleue vnto hym by natur they doo go abowte to thruste vnto vs a maimed or an vnperfight god. Also ther are some which in stede of god:Nature. do reckē nature to be the cause of al thyngꝭ: whiche yf it be eternall / & almighty: forsoth than it is god / yf it be not such one than [Page 44] is it y^e minister of god / & a creatur made of god. The same thyng is to be iudged (as I supose) of the second causes / how be it ī my iudgemēt it is more agreing to the Christē religiō / what so euer either nature / or els the secondary causes doo worke:The secōdari causes. all that to ascribe & geue vnto y^e efficacy & mighty workyng of god onely which yf it shold ceasse: neither the sōne shold geue lyghte: neither the fyre shold be hot / but all thyngꝭ shold be sodaynly brought to nought / he doth also execrat Selencus / which doth graūte that god made the worlde:Selencus. but he sayth / that the matter or stuffe wherof he made it / was eternal & without begynnyng / makyng a thyng without shape or facion & vnꝑ­fight egal vnto god he doth also execrat & hath the opiniō of Menander / which folowīg Plato / dyd teach / y^t the worlde was not made of god:Mena [...]der. but of aūgeles callyng aūgels / those whom Plato calleth sprytes the sōnes of the cheffe & pncipal goddes.Saturnius. And he hateth also Saturnius which is more shameful out of the right opinion thā these afore reherced / whiche dr [...]amed the world to haue ben made of seuen aūgels / & also he hat [...]th Basilides most shamefully errig of al other:Basilides. which sayd y^t the world was created of heuen. [Page] But nowe I am werye to speake onye more of erroures & heresies: whiche are innumerable and without ende. Breffly and generally who so euer thynketh of god otherwise / than he is in very dede / or els dothe not thynke hym to be suche one / as the auctorite of the diuine scrip­ture hathe described hym vnto vs: that perso [...]e doth not beleue and trust in god but he putteth his hope in an idole.

Thou seest here / hou great philosophie and wisdome this one so shorte an arti­cle hath taught vs: and frō howe great darknes & monstruose erroures it hathe deliuerd vs. DIS. Forsoth now I perceyue and see well / that it is a greatte thynge to say vnfaynedly and with the harte.It is no smal thynge to say truly frō the herte: Credo in deum. Credo in deum: id est: I beleue and truste in god. MAG. ye thou wol dest euen muche more saye this: yf thou dydest recken and considre / hou greate a multitude of men there is / vpon whome saynte Paules sayeng may be verified. Tit. i. ☞They professe themselues to knowe god: but in theyr dedes they doo denye hym.Nota. what so euer thynge man doth preferre afore god / and more set by / than by god: that same thynge he maketh a god to hymselfe. DIS. Howe so? MA. [Page 45] God saythe / what so euer thynge man doth loue & regarde more thā god: that thynge he maketh his god. thou shalte not doo none adultery / nor fornication. The concupi­scence and luste of the fleshe byddeth the to cōmit adultery / here who so euer not regardynge god / doth obaye his concu­piscence and luste / doth he not after a certaine maner forsake god & ī his place set vp his owne concupiscence: DIS. It appereth so. MAG. God sayth / Do not forsweare the / or do no periury / and Couetousnes byddeth a man to do per­iurye / dothe not the couetouse man here in the sted of the very and true god worshippe Mammon? The scripture tea­cheth vs / that god is psente eueriwhere and that there is nothynge hydde from his iyes.Hebre .iiii. But do those men beleue this: whiche dayly do cōmitte that thyng vnder the iyes of god / which they durst not be bold to cōmite in the presence & syght of man? DI. It appereth [...] that no. M. They: which for the death of theyr chil­dren / or for theyr wares or goodes takē from them / doo hange themselues / or o­therwise for do themselues / do those persones beleue / that all the world & worldly thynges are wisely and mercifully gouerned of god? DIS. It is meruayle: yf they do veryly beleue so. MAGIS. [Page] They that with theyr hole hert & mynd all theyr lyfe tyme do serue the worlde.

Prouer. ii.☞Beynge mery whan they haue done euyll / and reioysynge in synne and vn­gratious [...]es: doo these men beleue / that god doth suffre none euyll dede vnponyshed / but that they / which wold not here make amendes for thyr synnes by repē ­taunce / are sente into euerlastyng fyre? DIS. In my iudgemente / either they do not beleue it: or els it is but a verye cold and faynt beleffe / that they haue of it. MAG. Agayn they that consider­ynge the greatnesse and grauyte of ther offēces / do despeyre of forgeuenꝭ / do those persones beleue / that god is of infynyte mercye? DIS. It is not very lykely / that they do. MAG. It is therfore a thynge of no lytle wayghte / and no ly­tle helpynge vnto a godlye and blessed lyfe: a man with a quycke and lyuelye faythe to knowe the verye god. who so euer vnfaynedlye / and from the herte dothe beleue / that he is moste perfyghtelye good / and moste perfyghtlye fayre: howe can he loue onye thynge aboue hym? And who so euer beleueth that he is almyghtye: wyll not goo abowte too resyste hym / that can not be ouercomen [Page 46] who so euer beleueth / that he is of most hyghe and perfyghte wysdome: that persone wyll neuer grudge agaynst god in aduersyte and trybulatyon. For as that man myghte seme and be accomp­ted lewede by the iudgement of all men whiche beyng hymselfe vnlerned / wolde fynde faughte with the phisicion / and wolde rebuke hym / for that he doth pre­scribe sondry thynges to sondry bodies: so lykewyse he sholde be vtterlye folyshe and without witte / whiche wolde iudge god in lyke maner as though he knewe not / what is beste for euery man. The phisicion doth anoynte and bathe one man / another man he seareth and cut­teth / another / he dothe lette bloode / to another he mynystrethe a clyster / or ge­ueth a laxatyue medycyne / too another he geueth a byndynge medycyne.

To some man he comaundeth abstynen­ce. To a another he prescrybeth certay­ne kyndes of meattes / he counsaylethe one man to reste and slepe / another he dothe forbydde to slepe / and we do saye: he is a physycyon / he knoweth what is expedyente for the person beynge sycke and dyseased. And whan god geueth to one man ryches: and dothe take the [Page] same away from another / doth sende to some man chyldren: and to another sen­deth none at all / and to one man geueth prosperouse helth / & to another sendethe a body full of sicknesses and diseases: do we say / why doth god handle men after this facion? and do we not rayther saye: he is god / and knoweth what is expedyente for euery man? He that beleuethe god to be most ryghtuose: he wyll neuer promise hymselfe to escape vnponished for his misdedes. And who so euer bele­uethe / that he dothe knowe all thynges: that man wyl not lyghtly do that thynge in the syghte of god / whiche he wolde be ashamed to do in the syght of a good and an honest man. who so euer beleueth that he is moste sothefast and true: wyll drede the paynes or ponishemētes / that are thretened to wycked men / and wyll haue loue and desiere vnto that eternall blysse / whiche is promised to good and vertuose men. who so euer doth beleue / that [...]his worlde was created for man­nes cause: that person whiche waye soo euer warde he shal tourne hym selfe shal be stirred and prouoked to honoure and worssyppe the great goodnes and lyberalyte of god / and he shall be afrayde to [Page 47] vse the thynges / whiche god hath gras [...] ted to hym: otherwise / thā to his honoure and glorye. But let here be the ende of this cōmunication. After that thou hast made thy prayer to god / Leuitic [...] .x [...]. and that thou shalte haue chowed thye coode / lyke a cleane beast (that is to saye) after that thou shalte haue dylygently recor­ded these thynges / and called them well to remembraunce: than haue recourse hether agayn vnto me.

¶The thyrde instruction.

Disciple. I Do fele and perceiue / that mustarde sede / whiche thou haste sowed in my mynde:Mat. xiii. to vtter and shew forth his vertue and strengthe more and more. MA. I praye god / that whan I haue plan­ted and watred it the lorde maye vou­chesaffe to geue it increacynge / & grow­ynge euen vnto lawful and full ripenes.i. Corin. iii. DISC. But as I considred and cal­led to remembraunce / what had ben cō ­muned & sayde betwen vs: this one scru­pule or dowte troubled my mynde / for [Page] what cause it sholde be / that where as in all other dyscyplynes and scyences they do begynne with the moste easy & lyght thynges / and suche as are famylyarlye knowne to our senses: this heuenly phylosophye dothe forthwith at the begyn­nyng speke of god / which is the hyghest thynge / that can be / and moste fartheste from all mannes se [...]ses? MA. Ueryly because this phylosophy is a discyplyne of beleffe: and not of disputation and reasonynge / for disquisition or reasonynge doth lede mānes mynde farre abowt by many compasyng and wyndyng wayes and often tymes also doth begy [...]e it / and lede it out of the ryghte way. But fayth compendyously and sped [...]lye doth carye and conuaye vp to the hyghest / and set­teth oure mynde as it were / in a hyghe totyngehyll: frō which it may more cer­taynlye and perfyghtelye dyscerne and iudge these inferyoure thynges / refer­rynge all thynges to god / in whome is the begy [...]nynge: the increace / and the perfection and full ende of all thynges.The bodylye sēses do other whiles decei­ue vs. The knowledge / which riseth of the senses / otherwhiles is vncertayne / because the bodyly senses do oftētymes deceyue vs / as for exaūple / whā the sōne semeth [Page 48] [...]o vs two foote brode: where as in very dede it is greatter / than the hole earthe: and whan we see the lyghtenyng: afore that we here the thundre / and yet for all that / the syghte / and the hearynge / are the cheffe and principall among the out warde senses or wittes. No nor yet the knowledg / which is gathered of the causes or principles of demonstrations: is alwayes certayne / for as muche as we do see the professoures of wisdome / other whiles to dowte euen of the principles also. But in as muche as fayth comyng from god / doth passe the certaynte both of the senses and also of all pryncyples:The sure [...]te: & most cōpendiouse: & easiest knowledg / i [...] had by fayth geuen of god there is no more sure knowledge / than is by fayth / and none also more compendiouse and more easye / wylte thou haue a sure token here of? Howe many we­uers are there nowe a dayes / both men and women / which do talke aud cōmune more wysely of god / and godly thynges thā dyd the cheffest of the phylosophers Plato and Aristotel? of the whiche two the former / that is to witte Plato: how many mad opinions hath he of the principal or hee [...] goddes / & of the sprytes the sōnes of the godꝭ / & of world made of y^e spretꝭ / & of the soullꝭ falē down frō heuē. [Page] And the letter of the two / that is to witte Aristotell / because he goeth abowte to come vp from the lowest thynges to the higheste: by how many longe ambages and coumpasses doth he lede the witte? how longe doth he tarye them and kepe them backe in maters of Logike / of Poetrie / of Rethorike / of Naturall Philo­sophie / of highe and celestiall thynges / afore that he do come vnto the supernatural thynges? And yet for al this doth he not come to the knowledg of god / for whose cause he hadde layde these so ma­ny steppes or stayres / vnto which knowledge now by faythe / yongemen are promoted both shortely & easily: ye beynge instructed with no maner humayne dy­sciplines.Ioan. xvi [...]. ☞ The cheffeste philosophye whiche purchaseth true beatitude vnto man: is to knowe god / and Iesus Chri­ste sente of hym. To the learning of this philosophy / because it is most agreable and accordynge to nature / euery sexe / & euery age / is apte and docyle / but that age inespecyall and moste cheffly: which is not yet infected with croked and lew­ed affections and desyers. And verylye relygyon is in so muche accordynge / to nature: that some certayne perceyuyng [Page 49] and fealynge therof / is beleued to be in Elephantes / and other brute beastes.Plinius in naturali hi­storia D. But who so euer dothe sympely beleue those thynges / which are writen or taught concernyng god: that man shall nat be able to match with philosophers and heretikes in disputacion. MA. Trouthe it is.Neque enim ha [...]c philosophia iliscitur ad palestram sed ad piam vitam. Quid, autem arrog [...]tius istis, qui rationibus humanis de diuina n [...]tura [...]isputant quū nullus sit illo [...] qui cu [...]icis aut ara­ [...]eoli naturā valeat ad plenū assequi, quis haec quotidie vide [...]nt. Qui scrututor est magestatis [...] opprimitur a gloria. non ali [...]er [...]uam qui solem inten­tis immotis (que) oculis diutius intuentur, caecutientes discedūt [...] vt iam interdum im­pingant & in palum obuuium. Fidei vero [...] simplex columbinus' The eye of faythe is a simple eye: & nat curiouse to est oculus, hac reuerenter contemplans Deum qua nobis vo­luit innotescere'. to enserche such thynges as god wolde to be hydde & vnknowē to vs, whils we lyue in this worlde. For this philosophie is nat learned for to helpe to disputation: but to good and godly lyuynge. Nowe what more presumption can there be than is in them / whiche with worldly reasons do dispute of the nature of god: whan there is none of them all / whiche is able fully and perfightely to knowe but euen the nature of a gnatte or of a lytle spyeder / all thoughe they do dayly se these.☞ who so euer is an ensercher of goddes maiesty: is oppressed of the glory. None other wyse / than they / which do stare one whyle on the bryght sonne with theyr eyes stedfastly set and vnmoued: do go awaye dased and halfe blynde / in so muche / that otherwhyles they do stomble / and stryke themselues vpon a stake beyng in theyr waye. But the eye of faythe is a symple doues eye / reuerently beholdynge god that waye / whiche waye it is hys pleasure to be [Page] knowne of vs: but nat curiously enser­chynge those thynges / whiche it is his wyll to haue hyd from vs in the meane season / vntyll we shall come to that he­uenly theatre: in whiche he shall gyue hymselfe to be seen more nere / and more clerely / to our eyes beynge than more purged & cleane. In thys lyffe it is suf­ficiente / that thou knowest / that there is god / and that he is one in nature / and thre by distinction of persones. Thou perceiuest and knowest / that the sonne is begotten and cometh of the father / and that the holy ghoste ꝓ [...]edeth from them bothe. Thou knowest that god is nat a body: but a mynde of īfinite vertu and power / moste symple / euerlastyng / as whiche hathe ben afore all tymes: and is nat chaunged in tyme. Of thys all myghty mynde thou knowest the whole worlde to haue ben created / and created for mannes cause / for god ney­ther hath nede of the world / nor of man / nor yet of any creature. He is in hym selfe / and of hym selfe / moste perfyghte. But because he is moste hyghly and perfyghtly good: he wold nat be blessed hymselfe alone / but hathe distributed of his beatitude and felicite vnto aungels / [Page 50] and men / & to all creatures: so farforthe as euery thyng is apte to receiue of the bountuosnes and liberalite of god.How manye ways god hathe spoken to ma [...] to geue to hym knowledg of hym selfe. It was his wyl and pleasure to geue man knowledge of hymselfe: speakynge to him in diuerse maners or facions. Fyrst of all he spake after a certayne maner to mankynd: whan by his sonne / which is the worde of the father / he dyd create of nought thys meruailouse frame of the worlde: to the entente / that of the worke we sholde gesse and make con [...]e­ture of the worker. For suche a worke:the fyrst spea­kyng by crea­tion of the worlde. coulde neyther man / neyther yet aūgel / haue ben able to perfourme and finishe. This was the fyrste degre or step to the knowledge of god. Nexte after cam the lawe:The seconde spekynge by the law written [...] & the pro­phetes. whiche dyd some what helpe the darknes and blindnes of mā [...]es mynd / but it besydes that it was geuen to one nacion onely of the Iewes; it dyd by fi­gures and darke ridles shadowe god vnto vs preparyng the myndes of men to the lyghte of the gospell: whiche by the sonne hathe shyned to vs. The philoso­phers abused the lyghte of nature / to pryde. And the lawe to the moste parte of the Iewes: was an occasion of grea­ter impiety and synne. The worlde was [Page] ful of ydolatry. The Iewes were puffed vp with pryde: thrughe a vayne persua­sion of ryghtuosnes. Sy [...]ne did raygne at large vnponyshed in y^e world / whils the moste parte of men dyd folowe the fyrste pare [...]tes of mankynde: but here the mercy of god dyd shewe forthe it selfe.Psal. 14 4.☞whiche passeth & surmounteth all his workes. He dyd vouchesafe to waxe more nere and more familierly knowne vnto vs / by the same sōne:The thyrde speakynge by his owne son in the nature of mankynd. that at the leaste wyse by the reason hereof / we sholde be drawne to the louynge of him agayne / being prouoked therunto / by so many and so maruailouse bene­fightes. He had created vs / whan we were nothynge. He wolde also restore vs. Whan we were forlorne / for it had ben better neuer to haue ben created: thā after our cr [...]acion to haue perished & ben vtterly forlorne. After the worlde meruailously created / after the lawe geuen by god / after the prophetes inspired with the spirite of god / he sente hys onely sonne beynge made m [...]n: that at the leaste wyse we men sholde loue hym beynge also a man. And he sente hym / nat to be a reuenger or ponysher / but to be a sauioure / by whose death he myght [Page 51] call vs agayn to lyfe / what could the vnmesurable charite and loue of god: haue done more than this? He hathe shewed hymselfe palpable after a certayne ma­ner: vnto vs / he hath also geuen hym­selfe to deth / as farre forth as he myght to thende / that he myghte restore vs to true helthe & saluation.God shewed his almighty power: in the creatiō of the worlde / & his wisdome ī the redēption of man. He declared his almighty power cheffly: in the creation of the worlde. Nowe he hathe declared his vnmesurable mercy / and his inscrutable wisdome / his mercy: in that he frely / without ony deseruynge of our parte hath redemed vs. His wisdome / in that he hath after suche forme and maner redemed vs. Therefore what excuse is there nowe lefte / or what cauyllation can ony man lay forthe for hymselffe: yf he do not regarde but do despise this so wonderfull goodnes of god? This parte doth the Crede now teache Et in Ie­sum Christum filium eius v [...]cū domi­num nostrum (id est) And in Iesu Chri­ste his onely sonne our lorde. DISC. Why hath it sygnyfyed & marked forth / the persone of our redemer / by these na­mes? MAG. Ueryly for thentente to declare / that the seconde persone / which toke fleshe vpon hym: is verye man of [Page] his mother and very god of god.

DIS. Howe so? MAG. There are some / which do wene / that Iesus is the name of the godhed / & Christe a name of the humane nature / and they seme to be moued and broughte to this opinion by the reason / that in the Hebrue tonge Iesus is as muche to say: as a sauyoure And Christꝰ as muche to say: as anoynted. Now no man can geue euerlastyng helthe and saluation: saue onelye god. And anoyntynge doth sygnyfie spiritu­all grace: whiche chaunceth not but onely to man / but in very dede / bothe these wordes or names do belonge to the hu­mayne nature.Iesus. For Iesus is a propre name of a singulare persone / that is to witte of that man / whiche alone of all mē / was borne of a virgine / whome saīt Iohan shewed & poynted with his fyn­ger: that they sholde not receyue or em­brace ony other man / for the very rede­mer.Ioan. i. ☞ Beholde (sayth he) the lambe of god.Christe. Christus is a name either of kyngdome / or of prestehode. For amon­ge the Iewes bothe prestes and kynges were anoynted with holy oyntemente / and they of bothe sortes / because of ho­noure: were called Christi.

[Page 52]Nowe bothe these tytles or names are agreynge to Christe / whiche is called Psal. c. ix. Christe is bothe a preste and a kynge anointed / not with outwarde corporall oile: but with the fullnes of the diuine spirit. a preste accordynge to the ordre of Melchisedech / and whiche as a preste dyd offre hym selfe a very vnspotted lambe / vpon the aultare of the crosse / for the helthe and saluation of the worlde: and whiche also as a kynge / apperynge to his disciples after his resurrection / say­de lyke a kynge vnto them.☞ To me is geuen all power and auctorite in he­uen and in earth.Mat. xxviii. Neither dyd he refuse & disallow the speche of the theffe knowledgynge and confessynge hym to be a kynge by these wordes.Luce. xxiii.☞ Lorde re­membre me: whan thou shalte be com­men into thy kyngdome. How be it our lord was neuer anoynted with outward and bodylye oyle: soo as Aaron was in the .xxix. cha. of Exod / or as kyng Saule was in the fyrste booke of kynges the .x. chapitoure [...] But this was he / whome god hathe singularlye anoynted with the fullnesse of his spirite.Iesus. Howe be it by this worde or name of Iesu / besydes that it doth betoken a singulare persone [Page] called to remēbraunce the figure of the olde testamente.Iosue figu­red Christe. For that Iesus name dyd figure and represente [...]esu the rede­mer.Deute. xxxi. Moyses / by whome is figured and betokened ceremonies: was not able to brynge the people of Israel into the londe of promisse or beheste. But Iesus the capitayne that succeded hym: broughte them into the sayde londe. For there is none entrie or comynge to true felycyte but by faythe and grace / whiche Iesus the sonne of a virgine hathe broughte & offred to all men. In this worde or na­me Christus. Christ / which in the gospelles and in the episteles of the Aposteles is often tymes repeted and inculked: there is vpbrayded to the Iewes theyr folyshe and obstinate incredulyte and vnbeleffe / whiche yet vntyll this daye do loke & wayte after theyr Messias.Ioan. x. For hym whome the latyn men do call vnctum: anoynted the grekes do call Christū / the Hebrues do cal Messiam. And they do wayte af­ter a kynge plentuosly appoynted with riches / with armies or hostes of men / and with other worldly aydes / whiche may restore the nation or people of the Iewes beynge nowe reiected & refused euerywhere / & outlawed / into lyberty & [Page 53] kyngdome. And with this vayne hope: that wretched nation doth cōforte theyr calamite that they are ī. But the christē faythe doth teache vs / that this is truly that onely Messias in the olde tyme promised of the prophetes: by whome not onely one nation / but through out the hole worlde as many as be true Iewes that is to saye / as many as do professe the name of Christe / & be cyrcuncysed in herte: sholde be / not by bodyly weapons but by his owne blode / delyuered frō the tyrannie of the deuyll / and all theyr syn­nes cleane forgeuen: sholde be restored vnto true lyberty / & in cōclusion by hym sholde be chosen & made coinherytoures and partetakers with hym of the heuenly kyngdome.Iesus. This word Iesus is therfore expressed: that there sholde be none erroure or mistakynge in the persone / & this name Christ is added & put to: lest ony man folowynge the Iewes:Christe. sholde looke for another Messias or another redemer. He hathe comen ones for all. He hathe ones for all perfourmed and finished that singulare and wonderfull sacryfice: with the misticall cōmemora­tion and memoriall of whiche sacrifyce he wolde vs to be nouryshed & streng­thed: [Page] vntyll he come agayn the seconde tyme / not to be than a redemer / but a iudge and a rewarder. Fyrste therfore it hathe shewed to vs that verye man so wonderfull: whiche was eternalle ap­poynted for this purpose / that by hym the worlde sholde be redemed. Anone af­ter it shewethe to vs in the same verye god / in these wordes filium eius vnicū dominum nostrum (that is to saye) his onely sonne our lorde. For of god / no­thynge is proprelye begotten but god / lykewise as of man / accordynge to the course of nature / nothynge is begotten but onely man. DIS. But the scrip­ture doth oftentymes call good and vertuose men / the sonnes of god. MAG. And for that cause is added here this worde vnicum or vnigenitū (that is to say) onely or onely begotten: to separat this sonne of god by nature / frō the son­nes / whiche are called to the honoure of this name / by the grace of adoption. DIS. Is it not lawfull to call Christ as touchyng the nature whiche he hath taken vpon hym: the sōne of adoption? MAG. It is a more religiouse & god­ly thynge to abstayne from suche tytles leste we mighte geue some holde to the [Page 54] Arrianes. He is adopted: whiche was not sonne before / lykewise as we / which by nature are borne the chyldrē of wra­the and displeasure: by faythe in Christ Iesu are made the sonnes of god. But Christe was eternally the sonne of god / but after that he was conceyued by the holy ghoste: his blessed soule was forthe with created full of all heuenly grace. But all thoughe our Lorde was twies borne / ones of his Father without tyme / and afore all tyme / and agayn of his mother a virgine in the tyme afore appoynted of god: yet are there not two sonnes / but onely one son / and not ano­ther sōne: but the same otherwise borne. He was conceyued of the substaunce of the virgine: that we sholde acknowled­ge the veryte of the humane nature. But he was conceyued without man­nes worke or helpe / by the holy ghoste / and that he was borne / his mothers virginite not violated or appayred / it was the prerogatyue of dygnyte. DISE. why is here added Domi­num nostrū (that is to saye) our lorde? MAGISTER: [Page] with this name Lorde / the holy scrip­tures do oftentymes honoure hym / and namely the scriptures of the newe testamente.why Christe is called our lorde. In that he was god of god: he was lorde of all the world / and that not another sondry lorde from the father / lykewise as he is not a sondry god from the father. But after a certayne specyal and peculiar maner he is called the lorde of the electe and chosen / whom he hathe wonne and delyuered from the dominiō of Satan and hathe made them to hym a people of acquisition.i. Petri. ii. For who so euer cōmitteth synne: he makethe hym­selfe seruaunte or bondeman to synne / & by synne Satan obtayneth tyranny.Ioan. 8. Therfore the symbole admonesheth and teacheth vs / that the dominion or lorde­shippe is translated frō this moste cruell tyraunte: vnto Iesus Christ farre most gentle and mercyfull lorde. And by this title the scriptures of the newe testamēt do oftentymes betoken and signifie the sonne of god: shewenge to whome they doo dedycate them selues hole / whiche do receyue baptisme / and to whose com­maundementes they oughte afterwar­des to obay all theyr lyfe tyme / without ony resistence or grudgynge / and vnder [Page 55] whose defence and protection they may be sure & lyue quietly without ony feare

Ioan. x [...]☞For nomā is able to take from hym ony thynge: that he possesseth or hathe in his kepynge. DIS. The name of a lorde / how is it agreynge to Christe: as touchynge to his diuyne nature? or as touchynge to his humayne nature? or as touchynge to bothe natures? MA. Forsoth as touchynge to both natures but not after one maner. As touchynge to his diuine nature: he was lorde of all thynges / from the begynnynge of the world / but as touchynge to the humay­ne nature: whiche he toke vnto hym: he deserued by deathe / and rebuke or dyshonoure: to entre into glory.Philipens. ii. ☞And a name was geuen to hym: whiche is aboue all names: that in the name of Iesu euery knee sholde bowe it selfe: bothe of he­uenly thynges / of earthely thynges / & of thynges vnder earth. DIS. Is he than: as he is man: the lorde of Aungel­les? MAG. ye veryly: and of deuyls also. DIS. To whether substantiue is this nowne adiectiue vnicum (id est) onely: referred? to the worde filium sōne that goeth before? or els to the word do­minum lorde that folowethe? MAG. [Page] This adiectiue is sete doutfully betwen bothe those substātiues: because it may agree with bothe. For as he is the only sonne by nature: so is he the only lorde of all thynges created. Howe be it yet / it is better to referre thys adiectiue to the worde Filium / id est sonne: because this distinction [...]othe euidently expresse his diuine nature / whi [...]he nature / in that he is begotten of the father / he hathe commune with the father. D Why is it nat than sayde. In vnico fi­lio eius / id est in his only sonne? For so there sholde haue ben none ambiguite or doubte at all. M. It was moste conueniente / that the worde / whiche is ad­ded because of difference: sholde be put after. For if he sholde haue sayde. Uni­cum filium eius: it myghte haue ben so taken and vnder standed / that the name of the sonne of god / dyd agree or belong to none / saue only to that one man Ie­sus / but nowe / whan he addeth thys worde / Unicum afterwardes: he dothe nat diuide the name filium / but he sheweth a distincte and sondry maner of ge­neracion / that we sholde vnderstande the seconde person / whiche of god his father is borne very god without tyme: [Page 56] the selfe same in tyme conueniente of god appoynted / to haue ben borne of a virgine / very man of woman. Sayn [...]te Augustine in hys lytle booke made of y^e Crede / for one word putteth twayne / sayinge.☞ Et in Iesum Christum fi­lium eius vnigenitum vnicum dominū nostrum / id est. And in Iesu Christe his only begotten sōne our only lorde. But for as muche as it is nat euidente by his declaration / whether hymselfe dyd so rede or nat: it is probable and lykely / that the worde vnigenitum / id est only begotten was added by some man: whiche wente about to declare / why he had sayde vnicum / id est only. For the sōne of god is other whyles in the scriptures called primogenitus .i. the fyrste begotten sōne / as touchyng his nature humayne: and vnigenitꝰ / as touchyng to his diuine natiuite / as for exaumple in the .viii. chapiter to the Romanes.

☞ Ut sit ipse primogenitus in mul­tis fratribus / id est. That he sholde be the fyrste begotten sonne among many brotherne. And in the fyrste chapiter of Iohan. Uidimus gloriam eius glo­riam quasi vnigeniti a patre id est. We haue sene the glory of it / as the glory of [Page] the onely begotten sonne of the father. Also in the thyrde chapitoure.☞ Siedeus dilexit mundū: vt filium suum vni­genitum daret (that is to saye) God dyd so loue the worlde: that he wolde geue his onelye begotten sonne. As tou­chyng to his former generation: neither is he our brother: neither is he y^e heyre of god: neither hath he brotherne / nor coinherytoures. As touchynge his lat­ter more generation: he hath bothe bre­therne and coinheritoures. DIS. Is there no dyfference betwen vnicum / and vnigenitum (id est) onely and onely be­gotten? MAG. He may be called vni­cus (id est) the onely sonne: which alone is remaynynge and lefte alyue of many chyldren / but a man sholde not call hym aryght vnigenitum (id est) onely begot­ten sonne / howe be it the interpretoures of the holye scripture doo translate this one greke worde monogenis: other whi­les vnicum onely: other whiles vnigeni­tum onely begotten. As in the .vii. cha­pitoure of Luke: he is called vidue fili­us vnicus (that is to say) the onely sōne of the widowe: whome the Euangeliste called Monogeni. And ꝓtotokos (that is to say) primogenitus the fyrste begotten [Page 57] son: is other whyles called vnigeni­tus id est y^e only begotten son / for thus speketh Mathewe of the mother of Iesu.Math. i. Luce. ii. How it is to be vnders [...]on­den / that Christe is the fyrste begottē son of Mary ☞Peperit filium suum primogeni­tum .i. She broughte for the her fyrste begotten son. For other whyles that thyng is called fyrste / nat that goeth a­fore other thynges: but whiche was ne­uer before / as for exaumple when we do saye. This day is the fyrste tyme / that euer I sawe the emperoure / it is well sayde and aryghte: all though I neuer se hym agayne here after. So lykewise he maye be called primogenitus .i. the fyrste be gotten son: which is the fyrste / that euer his mother broughte forthe: althoughe she neuer do bryng forth any mo agayne after hym. For els those thynges / whiche the lawe dothe com­maunde to be done / in / or aboute the fyrst be gotten / sholde nat haue ben to be perfourmed & fulfylled / excepte there had folowed two chylde bearīges / for he is nat called primus .i. fyrste: but which is the formoste at the leaste / of thre. D. But if Christe / euen as touchyng to his humane nature also / is the lorde of all thynges: how is it thā / that he is sayde to haue brotherne? M. Albeit that [Page] Christ were nat the lord of al thynges / as touchynge to hys humane nature / yet that nat withstandynge he sholde be called aryghte the lorde of all thynges / because of the vnite of hys hypostase or personage / contenynge or comprehen­dynge in it selfe thre substaunces: euen lykewise / as it is well sayde: that god hathe suffred and hath died for vs. But here this worde brother is nat a name betokenyng equalite: but betokenynge lykenes / kyndred / and charyte. After [...]he same maner he vouchesa [...]fed of his goodnes to call hys disciples / nat ser­uauntes:Iohan. xv. but frendes / nat that he dyd renounce or forsake his ryghte and auctorite / whiche in another place he ac­knowledgeth and taketh to hymselfe / whan he saythe.Iohan. xiii. ☞ You do call me mayster and lorde / and you saye well / for in dede so am I: but for thentente to declare his excellente charite and loue / which refuseth nothyng: so that it may do profighte. And what nouelty or mer­uayle is it / if he dyd vouchesafe to call them brotherne: towardes whome he dyd nat disdayne to playe the minister?Iohan. xiii. The Iewes dyd cal all those that were of theyr owne nation / brotherne: but specially theyr cosens or kynsmen / now [Page 58] was oure lorde a Iewe borne of the Iewes / which thyng the Euangelistes Mathue and Luke haue euidently ex­pressed in the genealogie of hym.Math. i. Luc. iii. But in very dede / all men are brotherne eche one to other: by the reason / that they at all of one and the same nature / whiche nature cam forthe of one and the same progenitoures: and in euery man is subdued and in daunger to lyke affections and miseries / saue only in Christe I do excepte synne / and what so euer is incly­nyng to synne. D. Originall synne is nat proprely any synne. M. No but yet it letteth or hindreth the fulnes of grace:Iohan. i. whiche was in Christ as saynete Iohan witnesseth / but it inclineth a man to synne: though it doth nat moue and driue a man perfightly to it. This thynge is repugnaunte to the dignite of Christe. For it was nat conueniente / that he / whiche was com to purge and clense the worlde from al synnes: sholde be any maner waye agreyng or in cly­nyng to synne. D. But to be hūgrie / to be thrusty / to be wery / to be āguished / to lothe / to dye / all these are buddes of originall synne: and yet they are geuen to Christe in the scriptures. MA. [Page] There is greate difference betwē the nature of man as it was fyrst created: and the same nature as it is after the fall of Adam. Adam afore that he dyd synne / was a very mā / and yet for all that was he free from these incōmodities and mi­series / wherwith we all are now oppres­sed:Peccatum is takē in diuerse significations / in the scripture. some of vs more / & some of vs lesse / peccatum (id est) synne / in the scripture is otherwhyles called the payne / that is due to synnes / and otherwhiles it is ta­ken for the sacrifice / wherwith they doo clense theyr synne and offence. And therfore it was sayd to the prestes of the olde lawe.☞ Peccata populi cōmedetis (id est) you shall eate the synnes of the peo­ple / meanynge the sacrifices: which the people sholde offre for theyr synnes / and saynte Paule in the seconde epistle & the v. chapitoure to the Corīthianes sayth ☞ Eum qui non nouerat peccatū: pro nobis peccatū fecit.ii. Cort. v. Hym that knewe no synne at al: hath he made to be synne for vs. Our lorde receyued and tooke on hymselfe not onely the veryte of mānes nature: but also the incōmodities & mi­series whiche don accompanye the na­ture of man fallen / those thynges onely excepted: whiche either are not cōueniēt [Page 59] or agreynge to the dignite of that persone / which was both god and man: orels which do exclude (as I sayde before) the fullnesse of grace. For neither dyd he re­ceiue proclyuyte or redynes to do synne: no neither yet so much as power to syn­ne: neither dyd he receyue or take vnto hym erroure or ignoraunce. And those incōmodytes / whiche he dyd receyue & take vpon hym: he toke them on hym / not of the necessite of nature: but volun­tarely for our sake / to make satisfaction for our offences / & to suffre for that whi­che we hadde trespased. DIS. Why dyd he chaunge the preposition here sayenge de spiritu sancto / er Maria virgine? MAG. The Grekes haue but one and the same preposition ex in both places: but the signification of this preposition is diuerse. All thynges are ex ipso et per ipsum (id est) of hym / and by hym: as of theyr authoure & begynner. A pece or goblete is made ex auro (id est) of gol­de: as of the matter or stuffe / ex arbore nascitur arbor (id est) of one tree cometh another tree: by propagation of kynde. So ex homine gignitur homo (id est) of a man is gendred a man. DIS. Why doth it here expresse the holy ghoste onely: [Page] seyng that the hole trinite dyd worke together / this wondrefull misterie? M. Because in the gospell of Luke / the aungell sayde to the virgine.Luce. i. ☞ Spiritus sanctus superueniet in the (id est) The holy ghoste shall come vpon the. For of­tentymes the scripture dothe attribute and geue to eche one of the persones / certayne thynges as propre to it:The scriptur doth attribut to eche one of the .iii. persōs in the godhed certayne thīges as pe­culiare or propre / whiche for all that / are cōmune all thre. which for all that are cōmune to all thre / as for exaumple: whan it geuethe to the father: eternite and almightines / to the sonne: wisdome: to the holye ghoste: charite and goodnesse / and whan the father is sayd to haue made the world by his son and to distribute and geue his giftes by the holy ghoste. The symbole therfore / and Gabriel in this mistery / hath exps­sed the workynge of the .iii. persones.

Luce. i.The holy ghost (sayth he) shal come vpon the / aud the power of the hygheste shall ouershadowe the / whan thou hea­rest speake of the highest: thou vndestondest and perceyuest the father to be pre­sente / as the fountayne & authoure / as of whome the sone is sente with the ho­ly ghost / whan thou hearst these wordes virtus altissimi / the vertue or power of y^e highest: thou vnderstōdest y^e sone / [Page 60] whiche onely toke vpon hym mānes na nature. For nether the father / neither the holy ghoste dyd take our nature and become man. For the holy ghost is cōueniently sayd to come vpon / or as it is in the latyne suꝑuenire / that all the worldly cogitation of man sholde be excluded: which whā it hereth the worde or name of cōception or birthe: doth īmagine the sede of man receiued in the wombe of a woman / or whā it is tolde and warned / that a mā was borne of a virgine: doth dreame and imagyne also some fowler thynge than these / consyderyng and reckenynge what thynges are spred abrode by mennes tales of certayne woman whiche are reported and sayde to haue conceyued chylde by sede of man that hath ben swymmynge in the bathe / and of Mares conceyuynge by of the wynde and of fendes or wicked spretes that haue gotten women with chylde. I passe ouer here the fayned tales of poetes / by whiche the gentiles or hethen peoples were ꝑsuaded & broughte in beleffe / that of goddes & womē / & of goddesses & men / were gēdred & broughtforth heroes The euāgelist therfore to exclud al these portē tuose imaginatiōs / doth ꝓfesse / y^t there [Page] was here in stede of a husbonde / the he­uenly father: which after a certayne maner dothe begette his sonne agayne / he professeth that the begynnynge of this chylde was not of a deuylle or wicked sprite / that hadde medled or hadde to do with the mother: neither of ony illu­sion of wicked sprite: but of the holye ghoste. And that it is euen thus & none otherwise:Luce. i. the very tenoure and processe of the Euangelystes wordes doth declare openly / whā vnto the virgine beynge dismayd & indowt at the mention made of conceyuynge and bearynge chylde / & demaundynge how and after what ma­ner this thinge sholde be done: the aun­gell easynge her mynde of this scrupule or dowte / made aunswere in this wise. The holy ghoste shall come vpon the. DIS. why doth the symbole or Crede expresse the virgines name? MAG. For the more fayth and credence of the history. So lykewise and for the same cō sideration dyd it expresse the name of Iesu Christe / so dyd it expresse the name and syrname of the deputy & ruler vnder thēperoure: Ponce Pilate. And for the same purpose dyd Luke here diligently expresse all the names / of the moneth / of [Page 61] god / that sente the aūgell / of the aūgell: that was sente of embassage / of the region / of the cite / of the husbāde / of the tribe or kyndred: and of the virgine: whan he sayde these wordes.Luce. i. ☞ And in the sixte moneth / the aungell Gabriell was sent from god / vnto a citie of Galile / whiche was named Nasareth / to a virgine be­inge spoused to a mā / whose name was Ioseph / of the howse of Dauid. And the virgins name was Marie. Those men do not make narration after this forme and maner: whiche do fayne lyes / & are afrayed to be espied & perceyued. Esaie inspired with the holy ghoste / in olde tyme prophecied in this wise.Esaie .vii.☞ Behold a virgine shal conceyue and bryng forth a sonne / and his name shall be called E­manuel / whiche by interpretation is as muche to saye / as god with vs.Math. i. That virgine / the Euangeliste inspired with the same ghoste: doth here shew vnto vs as it were with a fynger. And the aūgel as it were expoundynge and declaryng the prophecie of Esaie:Luce. i. sayde. And that holy thynge whiche shall be borne of the shal be called y^e son of god. This is that Mary / at whose name / al y^e soulles of good men are recreated / chered [...]& [Page] comforted / whā we do here Eue named: we do ware inwardly sorowfull / and do mourne: whan we do here the name of Marie / we do plucke vp our hartes / and are lifte vp into good hope. By Eue / we are borne the chyldren of wrath and dis­pleasure: by Marie we are borne agayn the chyldren of grace and fauoure: DI. Scholde he be accompted and taken for an heretike: whiche wolde beleue / that Marie the virgine after the byrthe of Christe hadde brought forth other chyldren by her husbande?Of the perpetual virgini­te of our blessed lady. MAG. ye veri­ly not onelye for an heretike: but for a blasphemouse person also. DIS. And yet they say / that this thynge is not ex­pressed in the holy scripture. MAG. That is very trouth / but thoughe it be not expressed: yet is it euydently gathe­red and concluded of holy scripture / and that it sholde be otherwise: is manifestly repugnaunte to the dygnyte bothe of the sonne / and of the mother. Finally the catholyke church hath with so great consen [...]e beleued / taughte / & fastly affyr­med it / from the begynnynge of the gos­pell / euen vntyll this day: that it ought no whitte lesse to be beleued / than yf it were expressed in y^e holy scriptures. D. [Page 62] I longe to here the scriptures. M. The prophete Ezechiel dyd signifie the perpetual integrite of the virgine by a darcke prophecie.Ezech. xliii [...]. ☞ Wwhan he beynge tourned towardes the way of the gate of the vttermore sanctuary / which gate loked towarde the Easte / herde the same spirite / which dyd consecrat the chastite of Mary / sayeng these wordꝭ vnto hym This gate shall be shitte / & shall not be opened / and no man shal passe thrugh it for the lorde god of Israell ha [...]h entred in by it & it shall be shitte to the prince. Dyd not the prophet in these wordes very proprerly & aptely enough descrybe & painteforth the sacred wombe of the virgine: out of whiche wombe / that sone of rightuosnes hathe risen to vs whiche doth lightē euery man that cometh into this worde?Iohan. i. of whiche son zacharie also sayth in the gospell of Luke / Luce. i. he hathe visited vs / spryngynge or risynge from an high to geue lyghte vnto them whi­che sitte in darknes & in the shadowe of death. This gate was shitte afore the tyme of her deliueraūce of chyld / it was shitte in the tyme of deliueraūce / & it cō ­tynued also stille shitte after the tyme of her delyuerāce / it was open onely to the prince Christe: whiche by his entrynge [Page] in / dyd sanctifie it / and by his goynge out dyd consecrate it / for it dyd not loke but onely towardꝭ the easte / frōwhence the moste pure sonne dothe vprise / that sonne (I meane) which neuer setteth or goeth downe / and which reneweth and chereth all thynges. It loked to the way of the outward sanctuare: for this natiuite was without the cōmune ma­ner of natiuites of men: hauing no whit of humane concupiscence or luste mengled or ioyned vnto it. Finally whan she herselfe speketh thus to the aungell quia virū nō cognosco .i. for I know no man:Luce. i. she sheweth plainely her perpetual purpose of virginite. DIS. But seyng that wedlocke is an honorable thynge of it selfe / and that company of man and wyfe together is without blame or syn: what indignite or vnworthines sholde it haue ben / yf the lorde hadde ben borne after suche maner / as other prophetes were borne / and as Iohan Baptist was borne / which was more excellēt than al prophetes?why Christ wolde not be begotten be­twen man & woman / as other holy ꝓ­phetes were, MAG. In dede wedlocke is an honourable thynge / yf it be chastely kepte / but ꝑpetuall virginite is a far­re more honourable thynge / yf it be so / that it be wylfully takē / & for the loue of [Page 63] godlynes and vertue / through concupi­scence without whiche man is not con­ceiued. The contagion & infection of original synne goeth from one to another. But more than aūgelicall purite dyd be seme this heuenly chyldebyrthe. I pray the tell me now / yf ony man dyd tourne a tēple made of stone / after it hadde ben ones halowed and sacred to god by a mortal byshop / īto a showemakers shope wolde not all men crye out / that it were shamefully and vnaccordyngly don? DIS. yes veryly / and they wolde also ouerwhelme hym with stones. MAG. And yet is not the showemakers crafte ony filthy occupation. And yf ony man wolde put a vessell / that hadde ben con­secrated and dedycated to baptisme: or holy oyle / or to other holy vses / vnto prophane vses of the kechen: sholde it not seme an intolerable contumely and des­pite? DIS. yes dowtles. MA. And yet is there no faughte or synne in the cokes crafte. D. It is trouth. M. what is thā to be sayde of the most sacred & holy tēple of y^e blessed virgines body? wh [...] che not euery maner bishop hath dedicated with bodily oyle: but the holy ghost hymselfe hath cōsecrated it w^t heuenly [Page] that diuine chylde rested so manye mo­nethes / as in a brydechaumbre: in whi­che also / as in a workehowse / the hole trinite dyd worke and finishe that mistery / whiche is to be honoured & worship­ped euen of the aungelycall myndes? Sholde it not seme a verye vnme [...]e and vnsemely thynge: yf it had ben open / I wyll not say to man: but euen to an aungell? D. yes I perceyue it very playn­ly. M. Now reken & cōsidre this w^t thy selfe / whether we sholde rather geue cre­dēce to the church / so cōsent [...]g & agreing together: orels to the Iewes beynge not onelye in this poynte madde / orels to vile and vnlerned Heluidius / whose erroure taken of the scriptures mysun­derstonded / is so manifeste:Heluidius that scasely he hathe fownde ony disciples of his er­roure / and also of the olde doctoures of the church hath ben scasely iudged worthy of confutation? DIS. I see and perceyue / how greatly perpetuall virgi­nite dyd beseme that byrthe. But why wolde the lord be borne of a maryed woman?why Christe wolde b [...] borne of a virgine beynge maryed to an husbande. MA. It was prouided by that meane / for the ionge virgine / that she sholde haue a keper / an intēder / a nourysher / and a minister: without ony sini­ster [Page 64] suspytion of the wycked and mysde­mynge cōmun people / and also that she sholde haue her spouse and husbande a waightie and substancyall wytnesse of her virginite / it was semely and conue­nient / that suche a virgine as she was: sholde be in moste highe and perfyghte tranquillyte and quyetnes / and it was conuenient and mete / that the mother of god shulde be not onely pure from all synne: but it was also accordynge that she shold be not so much as touched ony­whitte with the false tales of men. For she onely is excellently chaste: of whome the fame is aschamed to speake euyll. And therfore this mystery was hydde & kepte secrete a longe season. For it is ly­kely / that Marie and Iosephe dyd kepe these misteries in theyr herte: vntyll su­che tyme y^t after the sendyng of y^e holy ghost frō heuen / the gospell dyd spr [...]ade abrode his lyghte thrugh out the hole worlde. Considre therfore now how many thyngꝭ we haue learned by this arti­cle cōprehēded in few wordes fyrste that Iesus Christe is very god of god / & the same to haue ben borne very mā of a woman a virgine / without y^e helpe or workynge of man. But by the worke of the [Page] diuine spirite. And that he hathe come in to this worlde nat only to redeme the worlde:The causes of Christes comyng into the worlde. but also to teache and instructe vs with moste full auctorite / & to kendle & enflame vs with diuerse argumētes / vnto the loue of the heuenly lyfe. Now considre me / I praye the howe many horrible heresies & erroures the lyghte of this verite hathe driuen awaye / yt is very sore agaynst my wyl to reherce the detestable and abominable blasphemes / with the vnhappy names of the au­thoures of them: but yet thys thynge shal profyghte and healpe wel hereunto that we may bothe more fastly hold and kepe our bele [...]e: and also geue thankes the more abundantly to god / whiche hathe vouchesaued to open and shewe so greatte lyghte vnto vs. That many dyd erre and holde wronge opinions a­boute his diuine natiuite of his father: it is lesse to be meruayled.Carpocrates C [...]rinthus Ebion Paulus Samosaten­sis Photinus. But it is a poynte of more madnesse / that his hu­mane natiuite which hathe ben proued and declared by so many and so euident argumentes / hathe ben assailed with so many monstres of opinions / Carpocrates / Cerintyus [...] Ebion / Paulus Samosatensis / and Photine in name but [Page 65] Scotine in very dede / do graunte / that Christ was a very man. But they saye / that he was a pure & a mere man / borne betwene man and woman / after the maner of other men [...] albeit he had the soule of a prophete. These men do mu­tilate and mayme the persone of Christ of more than the one halffe. The same men do saye that Christe is called the son of god / but by free adoption: lyke­wise as other good vertuose men are. And that he was nat at all: afore that he was borne of the virgine. These he­retikes / sayncte Iohan euāgeliste dothe openly refelle and cōfute / pronouncyng plainly / Iohan. i. That the selfe same worde / which in the begynnyng was with god and was god: to be made fleshe. And in the same euangeliste our lorde hymselfe speaketh openly in this wyse Afore y^t Abraham was made:Iohan. viii. I am. Agayne Paule in the .ix. chapiter to the Ro­maynes saythe.Roma .ix.☞ Of whome Christe cam as touchyng his body: whiche is god ouer all thynges / blessed for euer more. Neither are the Manicheis any whitte lesse madde / than these afore re­herced / which do gyue vnto Christ som parte of the diuine nature:Manicheis [...] but they do [Page] styfly affyrme / that he toke vpon hym mannes body / nat a very body in dede: but only a phantasticall body / lykewise as we do rede / that aungels and fendes haue otherwhiles apered ī bodily shape and lykenesse vnto men. These persons do make Christe a iuglere or a trogeter and a wonderfull deceiuer of men. But a phantasme is nat borne of a woman. Neyther can a phantasme or spirite do those thynges: whiche our lorde dyd so many yeres space throughout all hys lyfe tyme / eatyng / drynkyng / slepynge / waxyng wery / hungrieng / thurstynge / speakyng / beyng conuersaunte among men at none dayes / geuynge hymselfe to be touched and handled / to be cruci­fied / & slayne. He hymselfe also sayde to his disciples in the laste chapiter of Luke whā they were astonied & abash­ed / because they thought that they had sene a spirite or a ghoste.Luc. xxiiii. ☞ Wherfore are you troubled (saythe he) and why do thoughtes and musynges ascende into your hertes? Beholde my handes and my fete: for it is euen myne owne selfe. Handle me / & se / for a spirite hathe ney­ther fleshe / ne bones / so as you do se that I haue.Ualentine. Nexte after these cometh Ua­lentine [Page 66] the framer & forger of worldes / whiche imagined / Christe nat to haue ben gendred of the substaūce of the vir­gine: but to haue broughte with hym a celestiall body from heuen / or els (which thyng madde Appelles dothe wene rai­ther to be true) a body taken of the ele­mentes / in the ayre:Appelles. and so to haue pas­sed thrugh the body of the virgine / lykewyse as liquoure and lyghte passethe through a pype of lede / or throughe a cranel or hole. But this is nat proprely to be borne: but to passe throughe / for neyther dothe the cranel or ho [...]e gendre or brynge forthe the sonne be alme: but the sonne itselfe / neyther dothe the pype gendre the liquoure: but the fountayne or sprynge dothe it. But whan Paule the apostle saythe vnto the Romaynes these wordes.Ro. i. Qui factus est ex semi­ne Dauid secundum carnem .i. Whiche as touchyng fleshe was made of the sede of Dauid / and in the .iiii. chapiter to the Galatianes Misit deus filium suum factum ex muliere .i.Gala. iiii. God sente his son made or gendred of a woman. By these wordes he dothe openly professe / that Christe dyd take the substaunce of his body / of y^e substaūce of y^e virgins body. [Page] Neither euery thynge / whiche ony ma­ner way is bredde or gendred of man: is forthwith a man (for els lyse sholde be called men) But that thynge / whiche is conceyued in the matrice or wombe of a woman / of the very substaūce of man: and in due and lawfulle tyme is borne & broughte forth by naturall membres in all markes and tokens lyke a man / and whiche is called a sonne / that thynge veryly is a man.Arrius. Nexte cometh Arrius by soo muche the more wretched and madde in opynyon / by howe muche he dothe more subtely & craftily geue vnto Christ the body of a man / & taketh from hym the sowle of man / saynge that the godhed was in stede of soule / soo that in Christ after his opinion there were but two natures / that is to witte the bodye of man / and verbum (id est) the worde / whiche same worde for all that / Arrius willeth to be a creature / in dede more excellent than all other creatures: but yet a creature. But with what face do they confesse & graūt hym to be a man: from whome they doo take awaye the better parte of man? For who doth not know that man is made of .ii. separable substā ces / that is to witte of the body as of the [Page 67] materiall substaūce / and of the soule as of the fourme? wherfore yf ony spirite doth moue the body of a deade man: no man wyll calle it a man / that he seeth: but a wondre or monstre. But seynge y^t our lorde hymselfe in so many places of scripture doth make mētion of his [...]oule and doth call hymselfe the sonne of man as whan he sayth.Mat. xxvi. ☞ My soule is heuy euen vnto the death. And whā he sayth / Father into thy handes I do cōmen­de my soule. And / Luce. xxiii. Iohan. x. Iohan. viii. Noman doth take my soule or lyfe from me: but I do laye it frō 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 credēce 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 Christē men? yf they wolde seme to be philosophers: who euer ones dreamed that / y^t thynge myghte be called a man whiche lacketh the fourme of man whiche fourme (I [Page] meane the soule) whā it is presente / cau­seth one to be a mā / & whā 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 frō y^e 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 thyngꝭ in sondre: and by whiche it gathereth or conclu­deth one thynge of another / by argumē tation [Page 68] 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 selffes 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 [...]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 [Page] 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 factū 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 [Page 69] 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 betwē an aungell and the body of man there is more dyfference: than is betwen fyar and water. But this erroure conceyued folyshely of the euāgelystes 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 [Page] 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 mā by grace / wherfore [Page 70] he gathereth and concludeth / that in one Christe there is one persone of man / and another person of god / and y^t Marie is not well called the mother of god / but on [...]ly the mother of man: all be it that the anngell in Lukes Gospel dothe saye to the virgine.Luce. i.

☞For that holye thynge / whiche shall be borne of the: shall be called the sonne of god. For the vnite of the persona­ge / causeth / y^t by a certayne idiomatū .i. communione of proprietes of speakyn­ge / euen those thynges / whiche do not agree but onely vnto the humane natu: re: maye also be sayde aryghte of god: but onely in the voyces concrete.

God was borne of a virgine / but not the godhed. God suffred / but not the godhede / and Man is god / but not the Nature of man is the godhed.

But because there is none ende of errouxes: I wyll make an ende of this reher­sall / and I feare / leste I haue allredye made the werye with rehercynge soo manye erroures. DISCIPLE. Uerylye I haue pitie on these heritikes Howe be it yet there madnes hathe doone me good: by reason of whome [Page] it is caused / that bothe I do more clere­ly perceyue and see the trouthe / and also do more fastly beleue it. MAG. The heretikes are worthy no thāke herefore but god is very greatlye to be thanked / whose goodnes hath tourned the malyce and wickednes of other men / vnto his seruauntes / in to the lucre and en­creace of godlynesse. DIS. Why is not than the symbole or Crede made in the synode holden at Constantinople / con­tented to saye natus ex Maria virgi­ne (id est) borne of the virgine Marie / but addeth et homo factus est (that is to say) and was made man? MAGI. For they which wold dispute ony thyn­ge subtyly of Christe / allthough they be holden with diuerse & sondry erroures: yet in this one thynge they do al agree / that they do deny hym to be man / in as muche as they do take from hym some thynge / whiche yf we haue not: none of vs sholde be called truely a very man. Therefore is this expressed. Et homo factus est (that is to saye) And he was made man: that no man sholde come to baptisme beynge infected with the poy­son of them. For els what man is so farre without cōmune iudgemēte and rea­son / [Page 71] that whan he hereth saye / that the two Gracches were borne of Cornelia: wyll aske the question / whether the two Gracches were men? DIS. Whereof come it than / that these men were soo meruaylously blynde? MAG. Ueryly because they had leuer make serche and dispute of the diuine matters / than symplely to beleue thē. The scripture sayth: that we shal haue none vnderstondynge or perceyuynge / excepte we wyll beleue. But they wold perceyue and vnder­stonde by the prowde philosophie of the worlde / afore that they wolde beleue. Lette here therfore be the ende of this cōmunication / that after thou haste recorded these thynges with thy selfe in thy mynde and haste geuen thankes to the diuine spirit: thou mayste retourne the more cherefull and lusty / to learne the residue that is behynde.

The fourth in struction.

DISCIPLE. IT foloweth.☞ He suffred vnder Ponce pilate: was crucified deade & buried. M. Those men / that geue vnto Christe an imaginarye and phantasticall body: the same men do saye / that all suche thynges as it is red that Christe dyd suffre in hys humane nature / he dyd nat suffre them in very dede: but only phantastically and appa­rently. But we / whiche taughte by god do beleue / that he was a very man: do also beleue / that he did suffre verily and mater in dede / both in mynd & in body / and that he was verily crucified / deade / and buried. The deathe of a naturall man is the separation of the soule from the body / whiche separation whan it is ones made: all we do knowe / what ma­ner a thyng the deade body is than: but the soule / be cause it is īmortal / though the body be decayed and fallen awaye: yet hathe it styll beynge / lyuynge with Christe (if it departed frō the body with faythe) and lokynge after the resurrec­tion and risynge agayne of her owne body. D. What difference is there be­tewne [Page 72] an aungell / and a soule that is separated from the body?The differēc [...] betwene an aungell, and a soule sepa­rated frome the body. M. Uerily this / that a soule is in dede a mynde: lykewise as aungels are / but so created of nought / whan it is putte into the bo­dy: that it is naturally apte to geue life / to gouerne / and to moue nat euery ma­ner body: but that body only / to whiche it is spicially appoynted and ordayned by god. This di [...]ferēce is there betwene the deathe of Christe / and the deathe of one of vs:The differēce betwene Christes deathe and oures. that our soule by the violence of sicknesse and disease / orels thorowe defaulte and wante of humoures / is driuen out from our body. But our lorde willyngly layde from hym his soule and lyfe / euen lykewise as he dyd wylfully com to the crosse and passion. A token hereof and an euidente argumente is / Math. xxvii. that he gaue vp the ghoste vpon the crosse immediately after a greate and a strong crye. Ye moreouer his owne selfe also saythe in the gospell of Iohan.Iohan. x. ☞Noman taketh away my lyfe from me: but I do laye it frō mine owne selfe. D. But where was in the meane season the word or the seconde ꝑsone of the godhed: whiche thou saydest to be so vned & knytte to man: that both together made [Page] one persone? was it in the soule depar­ted from the body? orels was it in the deade body? M. Saīt Augustine deuote­ly dyd beleue & suppose / that the godhed was neither separat frō y^e body neither frō y^e soule / but was psente w^t thē both But it is bett not to entre into the cōbre some mase of such maner questions: out of whiche it is harde to fynde ony waye to gete out. Now we do teache onely rudimentes and princyples: and not the moste hyghe poyntes: we do caste a fun­dation or grounde of our warke: we doo not finishe and make it full perfighte / for we do instructe a nouyce newely conuerted / and not a diuine: and to make an ende / we doo informe a ionge soldier to faythe & beleffe: not an olde worne chaū pion to battayle and fyghte. DISC. Why do we adde these wordes passus est (that is to say) He suffred: seyng that the sayde wordes are not [...]ded of them in the olde tyme? Dothe he not suffre who so euer is crucified? MAG. It appereth / that this particle also was added agaynste certayne men / whiche dyd imagine / that the worde dyd as it were swalowe vp the body / that it toke vnto it selfe: and transfourming it after [Page 73] a certayne maner into it selfe: dyd make it suche a maner body that it could nat fele any payne or greffe. They say / that Galanus was the authoure of this o­pinion.Galanus. But the scripture on euery syde speaketh openly agaynste this. Fyrste Esaie the prophete saythe.Esaie .liii [...]☞ He hath verily taken vpon hym our sycknesses / and our sorowes and greffes he hathe borne. And leste any man myghte fynde a cauillation and say / that the prophecy is darke / and that it myghte be / that som other ꝑsone is meante in the sayde prophecie than Christe:Actuū. viii. Sayncte Luke in the .viii. chapiter of the actes telleth / how Philippe / which beyng warned of the holy ghoste had ioyned hymselfe to the chariote of the gelded man: dyd by the information of the same spirite / ex­pounde and declare this whole place / to him / of the passion of Christe. And holy and godly men do apply that vnto the passion of Christe: whiche is red in the lamentacions of Iheremie.Threno (rum). i.☞ O all you that do passe by / in the waye: take hede and se whether there be sorowe or payne / lyke vnto my sorowe and payne. And in the gospell of Luke / Luc. xxiiii. our lorde saythe / Oughte nat Christe to haue [Page] suffered these thynges: and so to entre into his glory? Also in the fyrste epistle of Peter / and the seconde chapiter: it is writen thus. Whiche whan he suffred: dyd nat manace or thretten. Agayne in the same place. Christ hathe suffred for vs: leauyng you an ensample / that you shold folowe his steppes. But how shall we folowe hym in suffryng paynes and greffes: if he hymselfe suffred or felte no payne or grefe at all? And saīcte Paule in the .viii. chapiter to the Romanes saythe. Yf it so be that we do suffre together with hym: that we maye be glo­rified also with hym. Sayncte Paule calleth here suffrynge together with hym / nat to haue compassion and to be sory for another mannes euilles / or hurtes / and greffes: but accordynge to the example of hym / to suffre and abyde patiently the persecucion of euyll and wicked men. And that Christ suffred in soule also: euen his owne selfe doth wit­nesse sayeng.Math. xxvi. My soule is heuy euen vnto the deathe. Adde hereunto / that our lorde euen al his lyfe long dyd suffre many thynges for our sakes: beynge hungry / beynge thursty / waxyng wery and faynte / beyng reuiled / and despigh­ [...]uosly [Page 74] handled / driuēout / taken / boūdē / bespetted / and buffeted. To these thīgꝭ / and to other lyke: may this worde passus est (id est) he suffred / belonge and be referred. D. Why dothe the symbole or Crede so diligently expresse the kynde and maner of his deathe? M. For the same consideration & skyl / for which it dyd expresse the name & the forename of Pylate / that is to witte for the more euidence of the history. D. Why wold god redeme the worlde with the deathe of his owne sonne: and that with suche maner deathe? M. But do thou fyrst make me aunswere to one thynge. If any phisicion beyng excellently skylled in his faculty / dyd take vnto his cure a man / that were sicke of a perilouse and deadly disease: & one / that were nothing skylled in the crafte at all / wolde aske hym the question why doest thou cure this man after this maner? Sholde he nat seme lewde / and very worthily? Howe moche more lewde thynge is it than to requyre an accompte or a cause of god: wherefore he wolde redeme the worlde after thys manner? [Page] This thynge thou must surely and stedfastly beleue / that nothyng pleaseth god but that / that is beste / whether it seme so to vs / or not seme so. DI. The fun­dation and groundewarke of my faythe standethe faste and vnshaken: but yet I suppose it is lawfull / religiously & with reuerence to enquiere of these thynges. MAG. ye veryly / and lawfull for vs also to make aūswere / but with y^e same religion and reuerence. But these thyn­ges doo require a peculyare and propre tr [...]atise: howe be it yet I wyll touche a fewe thynges / as it were by the waye. Death came into the worlde by an ear­thely man: it was conueniente / that the same sholde be takē awaye by an heuen­ly man. By vnlawfull plesure / crope in the death and destruction of mankynde: by paynes and doloures / helthe and sal­uation was repayred. By a virgine dis­ceyued with the inspyration of the serpē te / came calamite and miserie: by a vir­gine made greate with chylde by the in­spiration of the holy ghoste / came agayne welth and felicite. And that god beynge offended and dysplesed / is reconciled and pacified by the bloud & slaughter of brute beastes / not onely the lawe of Moses [Page 75] dyd ꝑsuad it / but also Abel euē forth with in the very begīnyng of the worlde dyd offre of the fyrst bego [...]tē of his shepe In so much that the very paynymes al­so / which neuer had knowledg of the very lyuyng god / yet were persuaded & dyd beleue surely / that mēnes offences were clensed and washed awaye with deathe and bloude. In certayne coūtryes / and amonge certayne people it was a cōmune maner and custome / al the yere longe dylygently to kepe and nouryshe a man whiche had wyllyngly and of his owne accorde offred hymselfe to death / & hym in the meane season they dyd haue in re­uerence and wourshyppe / as an holy oblation and sacrifice dedicated to god.The maner of certayn paynymes. And at the yeres ende they dyd caste hym into the see / thynkynge & iudgyng that by the death of that one man / what so euer euylles and misfortunes were towardes the cyte: myghte be tourned awaye and kepte from it. And Codrus and Curtius / & the two Decii are hyghly and studiously praysed of authoures:Ual. max. lib. v. titul [...]. vi. de pietate er­ga patriam. whiche wyllynglye gaue themselues to death for the helthe and saluation of the cōmune weale. yt was cōueniente therefore [Page] and accordynge / that a true and an effectuall hoste and sacrifice sholde be offred vp / not for the incolumite and pre­seruation of one cyte [...] or of one nation: but for the helthe and saluation of the hole worlde / whiche mighte take away the other hostes and sacrifices of all mē beynge eyther superstytyouse or els of smalle efficacie and strengthe. For soo greate was the charite of Christe / soo greate was his purite: that he beynge ones offred vp in sacrifice / mighte and shulde suffice to abolishe and take away all the synnes of mankynde: althoughe there hadde ben moo worldes than one.Leuitici. vi. For this dowtlesse was that very whole brēte sacrifice / which whole dyd brenne and was on fiere with the loue of man­kynde.Exodi .xii. This was that moste pure bloude of the vnspotted lambe / whiche sprincled on the postes / putte by the de­stroynge aungell.whi Christe wolde dye on a crosse. Nowe the kynde and maner of deathe / besydes that it was moste paynfull: it was also moste vyle & shamefull maner of death that coulde be namely among the Iewes. to whome he was execrable and hadde in abomi­nation: who so euer dyd hange on a tree [Page 76] It muste nedes be an excedynge greate payne: whiche sholde for all men paye & bye out the euerlastynge paynes: and that was an happye and blessed shame and dishonoure: whiche had to all men opened the waye to euerlastynge glory. Now is there nothynge more execrable and odible to god: than is synne. This ignomyny & curse he dyd translate vnto hymselfe for a season: that he myghte purchace and obtayne the blessynge of god for vs. It dyd also pertayne and belonge to the faythe and credence of the historie: that he sholde dye condem­ned by open iudgemente / and that he sholde geue vp the ghoste a hyghe vpon the crosse: leste onye man myghte els suspecte and mysdeme / either that it was no very deathe: orels that another man hade ben putte in Christes stede. Laste of all / it was conueniente / that he sholde dye on hyghe with his armes stretched out abrode whiche for his vnspeakable charite dyd couete to embrace all men and wylled all men to be saued / lykewy­se as he sygnyfienge the kynde & maner of his death to his disc [...]ples / sayde.Ioan. xi [...]. Whā I shal be lyfted vp frō earth: I wyl dra­we [Page] all thyngꝭ vnto myne owneselfe. And I tolde the & gaue the knowledg also here to fore / y^t the lorde came into the worlde not onely to clense vs / from our synnes:For what causes our lorde came in to the worl [...]e but also bothe to shewe vs the waye by which we must come to eternall glorye / and also to geue strēgth to our weaknes by reason of which we are prone & redy to fall agayne into synnes / & also are to eble to beare either ꝓsperite or aduersite but with the one / that is to witte with prosperite we are corrupted / made wanton / and proude / and with the other we are dismaide / mated / and stricken into heuinesse and despayre. For who so euer with ful fayth and trust setteth his tyes stedfastlye vpon Christe fastened on the crosse: that persone as he is afrayde soo ofte in a certayne maner to crucify Christe agayn / as he doth cōmitte those thynges / for the washynge awaye of whiche he suffred death:who soo euer doth cōmitte those synnes / from whiche Chryste dyed to make vs free: doth af­ter a certayne maner cruci­fie Christe agayne. euen so scasely is there ony man so feble & weake mynded / but that he doth more paciētly & with more quiete mynde suffre the afflictiōs of this worlde / whan he doth considre & recken in his mynde / howe many thynges he hathe suffred for vs: which was free frō all inflection of synne. And who can be [Page 77] founde so vngentle & vnkynde / that he wyl not loue hym agayn: whiche dyd so fyrste loue hym / and with so great bene­fyghtes prouoke hym to loue agayn? Brefflye all the philosophie & wisdome: all the solace & cōforth / & al the strength of a christē mynd is ī the crosse of Chrst. But the consyderation of these matters belongeth not to this businesse: whiche we nowe purpose and haue in hande. DIS. why wold he hange in the mid­des betwen two theues? MAG. To shewe / that euen to malefactours and synnefull persones / there is hope of sal­uation / in the myddes of theyr vere po­nishementes: yf they wyll beseche & desire sorowfully the mercy of Christ. DI. Why wolde he not / that his legges shold be brokend? MAG.Num. ix. Because it was so darkely prophecied before / you shall breake no bone of it. DI. ye but these thynges were not so don / because it was prophecied and sayde before / that they shold be don after such maner: but therefore were they sayde before: because god had so eternally ordayned and perfixed: that they sholde be don in suche wyse. MA. Thou doest very well & a righte / to thynke that there was nothynge don [Page] in Christe without skylle / or by fortune and chaunce: but that all thynges were done by the decre & ordinaunce of eter­nall god. But yet the scripture dothe otherwhiles speake after this maner. vt implerentur scripture (id est) that the scriptures sholde be fulfylled.How this cō iunctiō vt is taken other whiles in the scripture. But in this maner of speakyng / the coniunction vt id est that dothe nat betoken the ende and finall cause: but that / that fo­loweth & cometh to passe / and the proffe of the thyng. The scripture wente before: the proffe or perfourmaunce dyd folowe and cam after. And it was very semely and conueniēt / that / that moste sacred and blessed body of Christe shold haue no maner faughte or deformite / that is to witte none vnperfighte membre / lame / or croked / lykewise as it is beleued / that our bodies shall nat haue in the generall resurrection. To cause be­leffe of his resurrection: the printes and tokens of the fyue woundes were suffi­ciente / whiche / as it were certayne pre­ciouse stones / do nat disfigure that bles­sed body: but do beautify and anorne it. And for the same purpose he wolde na [...] that his body sholde corrupte & putrify in the graue.Ioannis .xix. He dyed and gaue vp the ghoste / afore it cam to the breakyng of [Page 78] the legges / and he rose agayne: afore that the deade body was corrupted. These thyngꝭ do so cōmende the dignite of hym: that they do not let or hyndre the verite of his nature. D Why wold Ioannis .xix. he be layde vp into a newe graue / in which neuer ony man had ben layde as yet: and besydes that cutte or hewde out of the naturall & stronge roche of stone?whi Christe wolde be bu­ried in a new sepulchre. MA. This thynge dyd make partely for the dignite of Christe: and partelye for the fayth and credence of the history But in euery one of these thynges are hydde greate mysteryes / whiche thou shalte than here: whan thou hast layde awaye thyne infauncie. i. Cor. iii. Nowe we do offre mylke vnto the as to an infaūte or yonge babe. D. Seynge that this history is cōfirmed & estableshed by so many argumētes: haue there ben ony mē whiche dyd dowte of the trouth? MA. The Iewes do graunte & cōfesse / that Iesus was crucified verye matter in dede:The Iewes. but they do denye / that he was crucified for the saluatiō of the worlde. There haue ben also certayne christē men / which do ꝓfesse / y^t Christe dyd verily suffre in his humanite / & y^t for the helth of y^e worlde but y^e same did supose raither thā fastly affirme / y^t lykewise as he suffred in his [Page] body here vpon earth for lyue mē: euen so his soule dyd suffre ī helle for the soulꝭ that were kepte & holdē there / & agayne that after his resurrection he was crucified or shal be crucified in y^e ayer for the spretes of the ayer.Basilides. Basilides a mā full of pytye (god knoweth) doth deny / that Christe hymselfe was fastened on the crosse:Luce. xxiii. but he sayth that one Simon of Cyrene was hanged vp in his stede / whiche was compelled to be Christes vicare in bearyng of his crosse. But yf it were soo / that an other man was crucified in his stede: than dyd he hymselfe neither dye / neither ryse agayne / neither dyd he redeme vs with his owne deathe. But these are but the dreames and fonde fantasies of mānes mynde. The scripture dothe moste manifestlye teache vs / that Christe hath not suffred but ones for all & that he died vpō y^e crosse vnder Pōce Pilate / & that he died not for ony other creatures / saue onely for the redēptiō of mankynde. Saynte Paule sayth playnly ☞Christe risynge ones from deathe:Rom. vi. diethe no more deathe hathe power no longer ouer hym. And that he diede as touchynge to synne: he died but ones for euer / but as touchyng to that he lyueth [Page 79] he lyueth to god. Peter cryeth i. Petri. iii. Christe dyed ones for our synnes. Thou hereste here expresselye / that he died ones.

Thou hereste / that he rose agayne / and that he shal dye no more / and doest thou say that he died not hymselfe: but that another mā was brought in / in his stede and was his vicare in suffrynge deathe: lykewise as it is redde in poetes fables / that in the ilonde called Aulis a whight hynde was conuayde in / in the stede of Iphigenia which sholde haue ben slayn in sacryfyce? And dothe another of you crucifie his soule agayne in helle? And another agayne of you crucyfye whole Christe agayn / in the ayer? Thou hea­rest the prince of Apostles cryenge openly i. Petri. ii. Christ suffred for vs and wylt thou o Iewe / that his death dothe / not prou­fighte or auayle onye man? Lette vs nowe procede to other thynges. DIS. It foloweth / he wente downe to helle. MAG. This is the article / which (as I sayde before) Cipriane sayth not to be hade in y^e Romane symbole / no neither yet to be added in the churches of the Easte / ye and moreouer / although the symbole of the synode holden at Nice / or of the Synode holden at Constanti­nople / is [Page] none other thyng than a decla­ration of this symbole / yet is there not there neither / so much as ony thīge that is correspondēt to this particle. Finally y^e very incō [...]innite & vnhādsome ioynī ­ge or hangynge togeder of the speche & oration / is an euidente argument / that it is a percell thruste in amōge the other articles / by some other man. These wordes The article descendit ad inferna was no percelle of the Crede / at the fyrste ma­kynge of it. sepultus est (id est) was buried / do belonge to the body / which layde aslepe by death / doth ryse agayn / that is / doth as it were waken from slepe. But these wordes descēdit ad inferos .i. he went downe to helle / they do referre vnto the soule / which neither was buried / neither dyd rise agayn but beyng departed & sō ­dried for a tyme / shortly after retourned agayn into the deade body. Whether saīt Thomas of Aquine dyd adde this particle I am somewhat in doute. There is a certayne suspitiō / that it shold be added of some othere man: at the leaste by this argument / for that it is not in the mete place. For whā he doth make the thyrde article of y^e resurrectiō: he maketh the 4. article of the goynge downe to helle: ex­cepte peraduēture he meante this / that [Page 80] Christe after that he was rysen agayne from death to lyfe / went downe in body and soule to hell. Another litle worke / whiche goeth abrode bearynge the title of saynt Thomas vpō the symbole doth interprete and declare the contrary here of / and doth vse also a cōtrary order / for there the goynge down to hell goeth be­fore the resurrectiō / how be it this sayde opuscle / although it be a clarkely and an holy worke: yet it semeth not to be the worke of Thomas of Aquine. DI. Why was not this particle added or put to?why this ar­ticle was lef [...] out. [...]A. Because the fathers of olde tyme dyd with great relygyon and feare take hede and beware / that they wold not affirme ony thynge / namely in the crede / whiche were not expressed in the holye scriptures of both testamentes. Nowe suche maner articles are all the other: onely this one excepted. DI. Howe thā durste they / that came after / be so bolde to adde it? MA. Because they semed to themselfes / that they hadde gathered this euidently enough of the holy scrip­tures diligently boulted and examined / to the which they do adde some reasones also / not those verily moste stronge and inuīcible: but yet not vtterly vnprobale [Page] They do aledge and brynge forth these authorites of the psalmes.Psal. xxi. Et in pul­uerem mortis deduxisti me .i. And thou hast brought me into the duste of deathe And Psal. xxix. Que vtilitas in sanguine meo dū descendo in corruptionem .i. what prou­fighte is there in my bloude: whils I do go downe into corruption? And agayn Descendi in limū profundi et non est substantia.Psal. lxviii. And that also. Domine eduxisti ab inferno anim [...]m meam saluasti me a des [...]endentibus in lacum (that is to say) Lorde thou haste broughte forthe my soule frō hell thou hast saued me frō the noumbre of them that go downe into the pitte.Psal. xv. And that also Non derelin­ques animā meam in inferno .i. Thou shalte nat leue my soule in hell.Actes .ii, Whiche testimony / Peter / in the Actes / dothe teache to haue ben prophecied afore of Christ & nat of Dauid:Psal. lxxxvii. so as the Iewes dyd interprete it. The alledge also this texte Eruiste animam meam ex inferno inferiori .i. Thou haste delyuered my soule from the nether more hell. Agayn this texte / estimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum / factus sum sicut ho­mo sine adiutorio / inter mortos liber (id est) I was reputed amonge men goyn­ge [Page 81] downe into a pytte. I was made as a man without helpe / among deade mē free and at lybertie. Also that texte of Ose [...] the prophet☞Os [...]e. xiii. O mors ero mors tua et morsus tuus inferne (that is to say) O death I wyll be thy deathe / and I shall be thy bytte: o helle. They brynge forth also of the gospell of Mathue the wordes of sayncte Iohan Baptist / ☞ Arte thou he / which shalte come?Math. [...]. or shall we wayte after another? for this speche some mē do interprete of Chistes goyng downe to hell. They aledge also that texte of the Epistle o [...] Peter. Christ was mortified and killed in dede as touchynge to his fleshe:i. Pet. iii. but was quickened in spirte / in which spirite he went also & preached to the spirites that were in prisō. They alledge also of the .xxiiii. chapitoure of Ecclesiastici / that whiche was spokē and sayde vnder the persone of wisdome. ☞ Penetrabo inferiores partes terre / et inspiciam omnes dormientes / et illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino (id est) I shall entre into the lower partes of the earth: & I wyll loke vpon all them that slepe / & I wyl lygh­ten all them that hope and truste in the lorde. And many other lyke places of [Page] scripture. But there is none of all these authorites / that may constrayne hym / that lyste to ihwar [...]e and fynde cauyllations: to beleue / that the soule of Chri­ste wente downe by it selfe personal [...]ye to helle / or (as they call it) to lymbum. For the scripture dothe oftentymes call deathe / and the graue / by [...]his name inferos whiche same worde is englys­shed other whiles helle / as for exaumple in the .xliiii. chapitoure of Genesis.what this worde infery doth signifie otherwhiles in the scrip­tur [...].

☞Morietur et deducent famuli tu [...] canos eius cum dolore ad inferos (that is to saye) He shall dye and thy seruaū ­tes shall brynge his hore heares with sorowe to his graue. He called here the aged bodye of Iacob: horeheares: and by this worde inferos / he meante the sepulture or graue. And this thynge dothe saynte Cipriane in fewe wordes in a maner shewe / whan after that he hadde sayde before that this partycle is not hadde neyther in the churches of the west / nor in the churches of the east / he addeth afterwardes these wordes.

Uis tamē verbi videtur eadem esse in eo quod sepultus dicitur (that is too saye) Howe be it there semeth to be the same str [...]ngthe of the worde: in that / [Page 82] that he is sayde to haue ben buried. As who sholde saye / that descendere ad inferna / were noughte els: but to be bu­ryed in the graue / which our lorde spea­kynge of his owne buryall called to be in the hert of the earth. In these testimonies which they alledge of the scripture there are certayne / whiche are well nere of no wayghte / but there is none of thē / but eyther it is darke with the myste of allegorie: orels it dothe receyue dyuerse and manifolde interpretations. Neither are the reasons / whiche they do brynge: of muche more wayghte. Amonge whiche one is playnly and vt­terlye reiected and refused. DISC. whiche is that? MAG. Because ory­gynall synne dyd not onely brynge the deathe of body / but also the tourmente and payne of soules / that by the rea­sone of it they sholde wante the vysyon and syghte of godes face: therefore they do suppose it to be conuenyente and ac­cordynge / that lykewyse as Christe by th [...] deathe of his bodye / dyd abolyshe and take awaye bodyly payne: euen soo by suffrynge in his soule / he sholde take awaye the payne of the soules. DIS. [Page] Are we than at lybertie / whether we lyste / to beleue or not to beleue this par­ticle? MAG. yf the vniuersall churche hath now receiued it: it is not lawful for the not to beleue it.Nota. It is sufficiente for the / to professe that Christe dyd so descē de ad inferos: as the scripture and the churche dothe thynke and meane. But yet as it is a poynte of Christiane wys­dome not to beleue verye lyghtlye that thynge for certayne and vndowted / whiche is not expressed in the holy scriptu­res: euen soo is it a poynte of Christian mekenes not to refuse prowdly and fro­wardly that thynge / whiche the relygyouse contemplacyon of good and godly men hathe taughte / either to the solace and comforthe / or els to the erudition of them that do beleue / of whiche sorte are these thynges also. That the holye ghoste toke one of the moste purest droppes of bloude out of the virgine Ma­ries herte / and layde it downe into her matrice: and that hereof sodeynly was made the perfighte body of a man / soo smalle as is a lytle spyder whiche is but euen nowe cropen forthe from the egge: But yet with all the membres fulle fy­nyshed and perfyghte: and that in the [Page 83] same momente a soule was infused and putte into it / beynge euen verye than forthewith as perfyghte in all powers and qualytyes / as it is mowe in heuen / lykewyse / that they doo teache / that Christ by the reason of the complexion of his humane body (whiche they wyll to haue ben in hym farre moste subtyle / and so therfore of moste quicke and sharpefelynge) dyd suffre more greuouse and bytter paynes than ony man may possibly suffre / the payne of them onely excepted / whiche are perpetuallye damned in helle. These thynges and suche other lyke vnto these / lette them be soo herde as deuoute and holy contemplations of men concernynge Christe: but not as articles of the faythe. Many suche ma­ner thynges haue certaine men ymagy­ned also about this particle / whiche we haue shewed to be an addytyon to the Crede / tellynge what persones Christe dyd brynge out from helle / and whome he dyd leue there stylle / and what thyn­ges with what wordes he dyd speake to euery one of the cyrcles. But this is sufficiente for vs / that he was ones in fleshe borne a very man / that he dyd veryly suffre passyon / that he hathe veryly [Page] died / and ben buryed. And that he hath verylye reuyued agayne / the very same soule returned agayne into the owne naturall body. It folowethe / He rose agayne the thyrde daye / vnlesse Christe had rysen agayne: all hope of immorta­lyte had ben quite and clene taken from vs. But he rose agayne accordynge to the scriptures / for this hathe the symble redde in the masse / added: lykewyse as the blessed Apostle Paule sayde.

i. Cor [...] xv.☞ I haue taughte to you principallye that whiche I receiued and learned of the lorde that Christe hathe died ones for our synnes accordynge to the scrip­tures / and that be hath ben buried / and that he hathe rysen agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures. But though the resurrectiō of our lorde hath ben shawwed before by so many figures of whiche our lorde hymselfe dyd expoū de and declare one / that is to witteMath. xii. Ione .v. of Ionas / whiche was ī the bely of a whal iii. dayes and .iii. nyghtes / and though it haue ben promised by soo many ora­cles and prophesies of so many Prophetes / and also so oftētymes shewed before of Christe hymselfe with euidente wor­des Luce. xviii.nothy [...]ge darkened with ony myste [Page 84] of Trope or Allegory. And finally hath ben confyrmed with so many euydente testimonies of the Apostles:Math. xx. Mar. x. yet all this not withstandynge / there haue not lac­ked some men whiche in very dede (as it is wonte to be sayde in the prouerbe) in the very bryght lyght of the sonne were blynde and could not see.Cerinthus. For Cerinthꝰ sayde / that Christ is not yet risen agayn but that he shall in tyme to come longe herafter / rise agayn. Other some agayn dyd fayne / that Christe hymselfe is in dede risen agayne / but yet that our bo­dyes shall neuer reuyue nor rise agayne whome saynte Paule dothe openly con­fute / gatherynge / that it dothe necessaryly folowe / i. Cor. xv. Yf Christe dyd not ryse agayne: that neither shal we rise agayn and yf we shall rise agayne: that Christe muste nedes than haue risen agayne. For lykewyse as he dyd suffre for our sakes / that we sholde be delyuered by hym from eternall deathe / euen so hathe he also rysen agayne for our sakes / that by hym we sholde gete and obtayne eternal lyfe.i. Cor. xv. He rose beynge the fyrste frute of them that slepe. But he that is the fyrst can not be alone / neither wyll the hede leue or forsake his membres. [Page]Certayne men folowyng Ualentine for theyr authoure / do graunte and confesse the resurrection of the spirite and of the soule:Ualentine. but the resurrection of the bodyes they do denye / not withstondynge / that in Christe was shewed the example and paterne of our resurrection. Nowe he rose agayne whole / that is to saye both in body and soule. But what sholde a man stryue agaynste them / that doo denye the euidente scripture / and agre­ynge with it selfe in so many places? For nothynge hathe ben taughte more diligently of the Euangelystes: than the argumentes and proffes of the resurrection. And saynte Paule dothe not onely confirme the resurrection in euery place: but he dothe also describe the ma­ner of the resurrection to the Corinthianes / and to the Thessalonianes.i. Cor. xv. i. Thessa. iiii. For as for the opinion of them / that were cal­led ChiliasteChiliaste. (whiche dyd dreame / that by the space of a thousand yeres / after the risynge agayn of our bodyes / we shall enioye plentuosly in this world all suche maner pleasures / wherewith the bodyly senses are delyted and pleased) it is not worthy to be called an opinion / but raither a prodigiouse and a wondrefull [Page 85] madde erroure. And as for all the cauillations whiche mānes witte dothe engendre / howe or by what meanes the same bodye / whiche hath ben so manye maner wayes chaunged from one thynge into another / can be restored agayne the very same in noumbre: these cauyllations (I saye) are shaken of and putte awaye by faythe and beleffe / by whiche we do beleue / that he is god / and that he is almyghty / whiche worketh all these thynges / & that he is not subiecte vnder the lawes of nature: whiche dyd create and make nature. And what meruayle is it / yf he dothe restore the body of that thynge / that is: whiche dyd fyrste at the begynnynge make heuen and earth and aungelles all of nothynge. And seynge that we do dayly see soo many miracles in the workes of nature / as for exaūple / of a very lytle sede to ryse a great strong tree: and of a gressehoper nowe beynge olde / by castynge of his skynne to flye forthe a yonge one: & of a Eruoa (id est) cankerworme redy to dye / to lepeforthe a lusty and a swyfte Papilionem .i. but­terfly: why sholde ony thynge seme vn­beleueable / which / god that is almighty dothe worke contrary to the lawes and [Page] course of nature? It foloweth / he ascē ded into heuē / and sytteth on the ryghte hande of god the father.Ioan. iii. Nomā (sayth saynte Iohan) goeth vp into heuē: saue he whiche hathe come downe from he­uen / the sone of man that is in heuen. The worde or sone of god came downe from heuen / not that he departed from the father or chaunged his place (for as muche as the diuine nature is so in eue­ry place that yet that notwithstandyng it is cōtayned in no place) but the same worde / whiche by dyspēsation dyd come into the wombe of the blessed virgine / after that he hadde finished the mystery of our redemption:Actuum .i. beynge than incar­nate dyd in verye dede ascende vp into heuen / withdrawynge the syghte of his body from his disciples / and caryeng or conuayenge vp the myndes of them to heuenly thynges / that they sholde geue themselues mete vessells and apte to receyue the spirite that was to come. Neither dyd he laye from hymselfe the body: whiche he hadde taken vnto hym and leue it in the sonne / soo as wretched Salencus dyd fondlye ymagine.Salencus. So he whiche as touchyng his diuine nature: [Page 86] was alwayes in the same glorye with his father is nowe with his humane nature also sette in the glorye of his fa­ther / beynge made lorde of all thynges whiche are in heuen and in earthe. D. It semeth not vnreasonable / nor vnmet to assygne or geue vnto Christe a ryght parte or a lefte parte / as concernynge his body. But in the father to ymagyne ony suche maner thynge: it semeth too come nere and to be agreynge vnto the erroure of the Anthropomorphites. MAG. To sytte on the ryghte hande of the father is spoken not without a trope or fygure / so that thou moste vn­derstande by this maner of speakynge / that he is egal in honoure / and felow in raygnynge with the father.what is meāt whan it is sayde / that Christ sitteth on the fa­thers righte hande. DISC. But why dyd they not rayther expresse this sentence and meanynge by playne and propre or mete wordes / sayenge / he wente vp into heuen / where he rayg­nethe egall to the father? MAGS. I haue tolde the alredye / that the scrip­ture dothe oftentymes shape and apply her language vnto our affectiōs. Nowe the crede doth here cōtrefait the worde of the holy scripture / for thus speaketh the [Page] holy ghoste in the psalmes of god the father & of Christe glorified.Psal. c.ix. ☞The lorde sayde to my lorde sytte thou on my right hande. And our lorde hymselfe sayth in the Gospell.Math. xxvi. ☞ But yet for all that I say to you / hereafter you shal see the son of man syttynge on the ryghte hande of god. Lykewyse Peter the Apostle spea­kynge of Christe saythe.i. Pet. ii. ☞ whiche is syttyng in heuen at the ryghte hande of god. In lyke maner saynte Paule writ­eth to the Ephesyanes.Ephe. i.☞ Accordynge to the workynge of his myghty power / whiche he wroughte in Christ Iesu / settynge hym on his owne ryghte hande in heuenly thyngꝭ aboue all rule / power myghte / and dominati [...]ns / and aboue euery name whiche is named not onely in this worlde / but also in the worlde to come. Moreouer saynte Steuen in the Actes sawe Actuum .vii. the heuēs open / and Iesu standynge on the ryghte hande of god. DISC. Howe dyd saynte Steuen see hym stande:How Christe is sayd to syt and howe to stande on the righte hande of the father. whiche in other places is sayde to sytte? MAG. Here also know thou to be a trope. To sytte is a poynte of one that resteth / of one that raigneth and of a iudge. To stande belongeth to one that succurreth or helpeth. He syt­teth: [Page 87] whiche without care gouerneth all thynges. He standeth beynge redy to helpe al those that desyre helpe of hym. In that he is a iudge: he is sayde to syt in that he is an aduocate. He is sayd to standei. Ioan. ii. we haue (saythe saynte Paule) an aduocate in heuen. DIS. But Christe as concer [...]ynge his humane nature is not egall to the father. MAG. How coulde that / that is but a creature: be egall to the creator? But for cause of the vnyte of the person / all those thyngꝭ are well and a ryghte geuen to Christe: whiche are agreynge to hym as tou­chynge his humane nature / soo that we doo vse the names or vocables of the persone / or vocabulis suppositi / as some other men do call it. DISC. In as moche asMat. xxviii. Christe dothe promyse that hymselfe wyl contynue and abyde with vs vnto the ende of the world:Actuum .i. why was he lyfted vp into heuen bodyly in the syghte of al his disciples? M. To this question dothe the apostle make aun­swere in the thyrde chapiter to the Co­lossianes ☞ Seche you those thynges that are aboue where Christe is sittyng on the ryghte hande of god. This syght was shewed to the bodyly eyes of them: [Page] to thende that he wolde kendle and en­flame our myndes from earthely cares / vnto the desyre of the heuēly lyfe.whereof we be assured by Christes pas­sion & deathe. Therfore that god hathe for cause of our sal­uacion sent his owne sonne into this worlde / and hathe d [...]lyuered hym vnto the deathe of the crosse: it maketh vs certayne and out of doubte / that by him we are delyuered from the kyngdome of the deuyll / and from the bond of synnes. And in that he rose agayne:whereof by his resurrection. [...]here is ge­uen sure truste and hope to vs that we shall reuiue agayne at that daye / which he hathe wylled to be vnknowne to vs: euen with the same bodyes whiche we do nowe beare about.wherof by his ascension And in that he hathe ascended into heuen: he hathe by an euidente argument taughte / that we sholde nat seche true felicite here in this world / but that we shold vse this worlde as it were a thorowefare / i. Cor. vii.as though we dyd nat vse it / & that we shold translate all our cares and thoughtes vnto that heuenly and eternal lyfe.wherof by that he siteth on the righte hande of the father. And in that he siteth on the ryghte hande of the fa­ther: it dothe engendre and cause in vs a greate securite / so that we do nat feare any of all the displeasures or fearfull thynges / that are in the worlde / for as [Page 88] moche as we haue so frendly and also so myghty an aduocate in heuen. But leste this so great goodnes of the lord myght prouoke vs to synne y^e more boldly and more largely: it is added strayghte­wayes after. From thense shal he con [...] to iudge the quicke and the deade: that we shold haue vnderstonding and knowledge / that suche persones oughte there to loke for a sharpe sentence of the iudge without any mercy or fauoure: whiche here haue despised & wolde nat regarde the goodnes of y^e redemer. The more that hathe ben geuen to vs:Luce. xii. so moche the more shall be required of vs / and the strayghter accompte shall we geue. For he shall come than nat in the forme and maner of a seruaūte: but in the maiesty of his father / so as he himselfe speaketh euidently in the gospell of Mathue.Math. xxv. ☞ whan the son of man shall come in his maiesty / and all the aungels with hym: than shal he sitte vpon the seate of his maiesty / and all peoples shall be ga­thered together afore hym? There shall be made an euidente and one euer­lastyng separation and disseuerynge of the godly people / Math. xiii. from the wycked and [Page] vngodly people: whan the trāmell ne [...] shall be full drawne to the see banke. The same thynges doth Peter preache in the .x. chapitoure of the Actes. This is he / which is ordained of god y^e iudge of the quicke and of the deade.Actuum .x. He whi­che here dyd suffre / & was cōtented to be iudged vniustly for our sakes: shal there iudge the whole world / and shall rendre or geue to euery man accordynge to his workes / Math. xxv. Ioannes .v.whether they be good / or badde DIS. why wolde god / that the daye of iudgemēte sholde be vncertayne and vnknowne to all men?why god wold the day of generall iudgemente & the daye of euery mānes deathe to be vnknowē to vs. MAG. Uerily for the same cause / for whiche he wolde that eche one of vs sholde be moste cer­tayne of his owne dyinge daye: and yet for al that be vncerteyne of the same (for there is no mā / that dowteth / that hym [...]selfe shall ones dye: but no man doth yet for all that knowe certaynly / whan he shall dye) to thentente that we sholde euery houre be redy to departe and dye / yf god shall call vs from hence. DIS. why is it added here the quicke & the deade?what is mēte in the Crede by the quycke & the deade. For howe can deade bodyes be iudged? M. The symbole / i as much as it is whole taken out of the scriptures: it dothe very conueniently & accordyngly [Page 89] countrefayte and expresse the wordes of the scripture. Certayne men do inter­prete here by the quicke godly persones / and by the deade vngodly persones: but this interpretation is somwhat to farre fetched. To the symbole whiche was ordayned for symple persones: symple and playne thinges are mete and cōuenient.The deade. It is more probable by the deade to vn­derstonde those that haue departed from theyr bodies afore the daye of iudge­mente (for as sone as they shall be reui­ued & risen agayne:The quicke. they shall be iudged) and by the quycke / those / whome that daye shall fynde lyuyng in body / whiche persones certayne men do beleue / that in the very takyng vp and passage into the ayer / they shall dye / and forthwith lyue / agayne. Other some agayne do thynke / that they shall nat dye:Two opini­ons concer­nyng them / whiche shall be lyuyng at the daye of dome. but yet that they shall be chaunged to immor­talite. Neyther of these .ii. sentences or opinions doth the auctorite of the chur­che reiecte or disalowe / albeit yet that opinion whiche thynketh / that they / whiche shall than be founde lyuynge in body / shall nat dye / but shall be transla­ted to immortalyte: is more agreyng to the wordes of sayncte Paule in the .xv. [Page] chapiter of the fyrste epistle to the Cor­inthianes / and in the .iiii. chapiter of the fyrst epistle to the Thessalonianes. But deuoute fayth doth nat loue cōtencion. DI. what nede any iudgement to be made than:A notable qu [...]stion. seyng that the soules forth­with after that they are departed from the body / are iudged alredy: so y^t eyther if they haue departed fromhence beyng pure and clene / they do go to the heuen­ly lyfe / orels if they do departe in bon­dage of sine / they are drawne strayghte to helle. Orels if they be defiled w^t any smalle spottes / they are borne into the clensynge fyere of purgatory what so euer or what maner one so euer that fyere of purgatory be? MA.Aunswere. There were certayne men / whiche taught that neyther the wicked spirites / neyther the wicked soules / shall be geuen to eternall ponishementes and paynes afore that laste daye of the world:It is an heresy cōdemned by the chur­che, that no soule shall neyther be in heuen, nor hell afore the day of do [...]e neyther that the soules of good and godly men shall en­ioye the heuenly lyfe afore the sayd day. But the opinion of these men the aucto­rite of the churche hathe reiected and disalowed. But this thyng is prouably beleued that to the wicked spirites after that generall iudgement the tourmētes [Page 90] and paynes shall be augmented and en­creased: and that wicked men shall than fully suffre paynes in soule & body bothe together / lykewyse as also the felicite of good men shal than be full and ꝑfighte / whā they shal haue receiued theyr body than beynge glorified: that the same body / whiche they haue had a minister of good workes / and a partener of affliccions / the same they maye haue also a felowe & partener with them of rewarde and ioye. D. If all the men & women which haue ben by the space of so many thousand yeres syns the creation of the worlde / shall stande afore Christes seate of iudgemente: I beseche you / what courte shall that be / able to receiue and cōtayne so great a multitude: Or what tyme shal be sufficiente to the discussyng and examynynge of so many mennes dedes? M. The scripture forsothe (as I haue tolde the heretofore) dothe at­tempre and shape her speche accordyng to the affections of men / applyinge her selfe to our dull & slowe vnderstondyng: whan she saythe that Ro. xiiii. all men shall be presented and broughte forthe vnto the iudgemente seate of Christe. Lykewise and after the same maner as it saythe / [Page] that☞ some men shall be in daunger of iudgemente / Mar. v.and other some in daunger of a coūsayle and other agayne in daunger of hel fyere. And also whan it saith / that of euery idle worde an accomp [...]e is to be geuen at the daye of iudgement.Math. xii. Agayne whan it telleth / what the iudge shall saye to them that shall stande on the ryghte hande and what they shall aūswere to hym agayne / Math. xxv.lykewise what they shall aunswere / or what shall be sayde to them / whiche shall s [...]and on the lefte hande. The iudgemente of god / is done farre after another maner / thā the iudgemente of men is done. And yet shall it nat therfore nat be verily done: because it shall nat be done after the maner of men. This is very true that Christ shall appere in his body glorified vnto all men / to good men vnto theyr solace and coumforthe / to wicked men to theyr feare and discōforthe. For this thynge do the aungelles expressly saye in the actes / Actuum .i. whiche dyd appere forthe­with after that our lorde was ascended into heuen. This Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heuē: euen after y^e same maner shall he com / as you haue seen hym goyng. He shall com euen the very [Page 91] same / he shall be sene in the shape of mā / but than shynynge with the glory of immortalyte.The generall iudgemente shal be don in the twync [...]īg of an eye. But all this busynes shall be done in a momēte and as you wolde say in the twynclynge of an eye. Neither shall there than nede ony longe or dyly­gente e [...]amination or tryall: whan all the secretes of mēnes hertes shall be open / and whan euery mānes owne conscience shall condemne hym. And the bodyes beynge than chaunged to im­mortalyte shal not thā (as they do now) occupye space of place / as touchynge to the thre maner dymensions / that is to witte lengthe / bredthe / and depthe: but innumerable bodyes shall may than be contayned in a very lytle space. Forels mānes witte myghte greatly meruayle howe it may be / that helle / whiche they do prouably putte too be in the loweste partes of the earthe: shall be able to re­ceyue so many bodyes. DISC. why dothe the quiere / in the Crede that they do synge: adde here these wordes Cuius regni non erit finis (that is to saye) of whose kyngdome there shal be none ende MAG. This particle was added out of the wordes of the aungell / which (as we do rede in LukeLuce. i.) spake in this wise to [Page] the blessed virgine. ☞ And the lorde god shall geue too hym the seatte of his father / and he shall raygne in the howse of Iacob for euermore.why in the Crede of the masse / it is added. Cuius regni nō [...]rit finis. And of his kyngdome there shall be none ende. And this particle was added and putte to because of certayne men / whiche dreamed certaine wonderfull blasphemies of the periodes and reuolutions of yeres / whiche Plato dyd put / of whiche Origene toke his eroure (yf it be so / that he dyd thyn­ke that thynge in very dede:Origenes. whiche he hathe recyted & reherced / rayther than affirmed with asseueratiō in his bokes) that is to witte / that after certayn thousandes of yeres / of fendes shall be made aungells / and of aungells be made fen­des. And that they whiche are damned in the fyere of helle: shal ones be delyuerde from theyr paynes / and beynge pur­ged / shall retourne agayne to felycyte and blysse / and finally that Christe shal be crucified agayne. And so that the kyngdome / whiche Christe hathe pur­chaced and gotten too hymselfe by his deathe: sholde ones haue an ende. This is a more fonde and folyshe blasphemye than that it is worthy to be confuted. But yet because there were some amōg [Page 92] the Grekes / whiche dyd somewhat ea­steme and regarde this dreame or tryf­lynge opinion: the churches of the easte dyd adde this particle. ☞ And of his kyngdome there shall be none ende.

The kyngdome of the deuyll is dissem­bled for a season: whiche euen nowe also dothe rebell & warre agaynst the kyng­dome of Christe. Lykewise the raygne of Antichriste shall laste but a while / but the kyngdome of Christe / after that it shall be clensed and ridde clene from all rebellion of the euyll persones: it shall continue and endure for euer / soo as the Prophete Daniell hat euidētly prophecied in the .vii. chapitoure. For after y^t he hathe fyrste described his comynge with maieste / and with many thousan­des of aungels / and by & by / after hathe described the dredefull iudgemente / he addeth consequently these wordes.

☞ And he hathe geuen to hym power:Dani. vii. honoure / and kyngdome / and all peo­ples / and tribes / and languages / shal do seruice to him The power of him shalbe an eternall power: which shal not be ta­ken away frō hym / and his kyngdome shalbe a kyngdom / which shal not be corrupted or destroyed / thus farforthe this [Page] Crede was sufficie [...]te: yf the worlde had by symple faythe holden and kepte fast that / whiche was taughte them. But for as muche as the peruersite of heretikes dyd brynge in certayne wicked heresies & erroniuse opinions of the thyrde persone / whiche is the holy ghoste: and because it semed to haue ben somewhat to darkely spoken and to obscure signification to haue ben geuen of the dispen­sation of the churche in this worlde: therefore was this parte added / whiche bothe dothe more clerely and euidently chalenge and mayntayne to the holye ghoste the diuine nature / which he hath cōmune to hym with the father and the sone: and also doth playnly and lyghte­somly expresse and declare / what gouernaunce is in Christes mysticall bodye / by the holy ghoste / it dothe therefore re­pete agayne the thyrde persone sayinge I beleue in the holy ghoste: that by the same wordes professyng hym in the thyrde place / it myght declare the distinction of the .iii. persones as touchynge to theyr ꝓpreties & the egalyte & euēnes of thē as touching to theyr nature: lyke wise as no mā doth beleue with a chrstē beleffe / no man doth sette his moste cōfi­dence [Page 93] and trust) in a creature / but in the onely god alone. He that ꝓfesseth hym­selfe to beleue in the holy ghost: dowtles he professeth hym to be god / & that no [...] another god / but the same god.Erroneouse opinions concernynge the holy ghoste. Certayn men haue sayde that the holy ghoste is not a substauce: but that he is noughte els but the concitation or styrrynge of a godly mynde. But this motion or styr­rynge of our mynde is in dede caused and cometh of the holy spirite: but it is not the verye holye goste selfe (lykewise as imagination cometh of y^e soule / but yet is it not the very soule selfe) For the sayde motion or styrrynge of the mynde in vs is an accidente: but that thynge that is god / is neyder accidente / neyther is it mengled to ony accidente. Other some agayne haue sayde / that the holye ghoste is a creature added as a minister or seruaunte to the sone / whome also they do make a creature. And these men do openlye denye the holye ghoste to be god.Mat. xxviii. But our lorde whan in the forme and maner of baptisyng he dothe ioyne the father / the sone / and the holy ghoste: all .iii. together / he dothe not mengle or ioyne a creature w^t the creator / neither an accidente with a substaunce / but he [Page] hathe expressed thre persones all of one essence. But because the erroures cōcer­nÿng the holy ghost haue not very gre­atly trobled and encombred or febled y^e churche of Rome / but haue moste speci­ally and chefly raged amonge the Gre­kes:The errores cōcernynge the holy gho­ste raged mo­ste in Grece lond [...]. therfor hath y^e symbole which was made in the councell holden at Constā ­tinople / added & put to / certayne wordes of the holy ghost / callynge hym dominū lorde and viuificatorem .i. quickener or maker alyue.why the holy ghoste is cal­led lorde In that it doth call hym lorde: it doth make hym egal to the sone excludyng the name of a minister or seruaunte / for there are not many lordes / for the sone is not called lorde of the ho­ly goste: but the lorde of all thynges created / whiche dominum or lordshippe is cōmune to all .iii. persones. Howe be it this greke word Kyrios is not alwaies a worde of dominion or lordshyppe:Kyrios. but otherwhiles it is a worde betokenynge authorite / nowe is the holy ghoste au­thour of all those scriptures: whiche the churche accōp [...]eth for diuine scriptures and of which the au [...]horite is inuiolable but because the father hath in y^e gospel testified & w [...]tnessed of the sone.Math. iii. This is my welbeloued sone herken to hym / ge­uynge to hym / most soueraigne & highe [Page 94] authorite: leste ony man shold thynke or suppose that the authorite of the holy spirite were lesse than the authorite of the sone / they dyd adde & put to / Pneu­ma kyrion .i. the spirite the authour / & in that it doth cal hym viuificatorē .i. quickener or lyfegeuer:Et spūm do­minum. whythe same ghoste is cal­led quickener it doth agayne make hym egall to the sone & to the father / for our lorde saith in the gospell of Iohan. As the father doth raise quicken vp / and make alyue those that are deade:Ioannis .v. so doth the sone also quicken & make alyue whō he lyste. Leste ony man therfore sholde thynke / that the holy ghoste were here excluded: they added [...]t viuificantē .i. & quicknyng or makyng alyue.The differēce betwen the speakynge of the sone & the speakynge of the holy gho­ste & the diffe­rēce betwen the qckenyng or raisyng vp deade men of the one / & of the other. And lyke­wise as this difference there is / that the sone hathe spoken openly in fleshe / & the holy ghost hath spokē by the prophetes & the same dayly dothe speke secretly by the churche: euen so dyd the sone bodily raise vp deade men beynge both the au­thour & also y^e fyrst frut of resurrection: but the holy ghost by pardonynge & forgeuyng syn̄es / doth spiritually quickē & make alyue / for synne is the death of the soule / frō which to reuoke & call agayne ony man / is a greatt thyng than it was to raise vp Lazarꝰ beīg .iiii.Ioannis .xi. dayes deade out of his graue saue onely y^t al thyngꝭ [Page] are lyke muche or egally easy to be done of god. But because this outward spiri [...] or breathe is a thynge inconstante / wa­ueryng / & vnstable: leste ony man sholde ymagyne ony semblable and lyke thyng of the holy ghoste / they called hym Ky­rion: that is to saye: of substanciall and stronge inuiolable authorite.Ioan. xv. And in the gospell of Iohan our lorde hymselfe calleth hym the spirite of trouthe. Thus muche as touchynge difference.Quickener. Nowe on the other syde because by the sen­dynge forthe and receyuynge in agayne of breath or ayer by course / we do lyue bodyly: the holy ghoste very conueniently and accordyngly is called spiritus viuificator .i. a quickenynge spirite whiche doth geue vnto vs / causeth that we do lyue as touchynge the better parte of vs / that is to witte the soule. Agayne because this breathe or wynde seameth a certayne cruel and vnmercifull thyng: whan it dothe rayse or styrre vp waues in the see / & whā it doth cause the earthe to shake or quake / and whan it tearethe trees in sondre: they do geue to the holy ghoste goodnesse. DI.why he is called the holye spirite. Why is he called holy? MA. For a difference from other spirites / for we do rede in the scriptures: [Page 95] that Saul had an euyll spirite sente of the lorde / and that a lyinge spirite was in the mouthe of the prophetes.i. Regum. xix. and .xvi. We rede also of the spirite vertiginis: of the spirit of sothesayers / of y^e spirite of gelosy / weLeuit. xx. Actuum .xvi. rede these wordes / spiritū pessimū .i. the moste euyll spirite / the spirite of fornica­tion / Actuum. xix.spiritum nequam .i. the wicked spirite / the vnclene spirite / the spirite of this worlde / the spirite of Satan / & we rede also the proude and highe spirites of man / as in the .xvi. chapitoure of the prouerbes. Ante ruinam exaltabitur spiritus .i. Afore his decaye and fall his spirite shall be lyfted vp in pride.what meruailouse chāges the holy gost worketh in mānes soule. From all these spirites is the holy ghoste separa­ted and disseuered / whiche maketh men for proude and highmynded / meke and mylde / whiche ryddeth and delyuereth men from all companie and felowshippe of Satan / whiche inspireth to m [...]n the very despisynge of this worlde / whiche by faythe purifieth and clenseth the hertes of men / whiche driuethe awaye alli. Cor. xiii. malice and wickednesse / whiche geueth true charite / that is not misdemyng neytheri. Cor. ii. thynket ony euyll / which openeth y^e secreth misteries of y^e scriptures whiche ledeth into euery verite & trouth. D.Iohan. xvi. [Page] Are nat aungelles also called spiritus sancti id est holy spirites? MA. Yes verily / and so are they in very dede. So also the spirite of man is well called holy: but there is but one spirite alone / whiche is by nature holy / and which of it selfe dothe sanctifie and make holy all thynges / that are verily holy.Spiritus. What so euer [...]hynge is without body: by a gene­rall name is called spiritus a spirite or ghoste.Iohan. iiii. So is god in the gospell called a spirite whiche name is commune to all the thre persones as concernynge the diuine nature / but whan we do ꝓprely and specially meane & signifie the thyrde person:By what names the holy ghoste is cal­led in the scripture. we do call hym the holy spirite or ghoste / the spirite of god / the spirite of Christe / spiritum paracletum .i. the spirite that is cōforter or aduocate / and the spirite of trouth. And agaynst them whiche denyed that the prophetes made theyr prophecies by the inspiration of the holy ghoste / but by a phanaticall or madde and vayne spirite: the Synode of Nice or of Constantinople hathe ad­ded this particle Qui locutus est per prophetas (that is to saye) which spake by the prophetes: that we sholde vnder­stonde & haue in knowledge / that bothe [Page 96] testamētes were [...]aughte and geuen by one and y^e same spiri [...]e / and that i [...] was none other spirite whiche spake by the mouthe of the holy prophetes: thā euen the very selfe same Luce. iii. whiche descended vpon our lord in the lykenesse of a dowe and in the lykenesse of fyere cam vponActuum .ii. the disciples / and which euen this daye resteth betwene the brestes of the spou­sesse the churche.A notable question. DI. Dyd the holy ghost take vpon hym the body in which he appered: so as Christe toke his body vnto hym? M.Aunswere. No verily / for Christ toke an humane body into the vnite of personage:It was no. natural body that the holy ghoste appe­red in. but the holy ghoste dyd so take vnto hym a body / as aungels do oftentymes appere in the lykenesse of a man. Those are but bodyes assumpte / and nat naturall bodyes. The same synode dyd adde these wordes also.

☞Qui cum patre et filio simul adora­tur et conglorificatur .i. Whiche is wor­shipped and glorified together with the father and the son: to thentē [...]e that they myghte the more exclude the blasphemy of them / which do make the holy ghoste inferiour to the son. For creatures are glorified & honoured: but w^t the father & the son nothīg is honoured / saue only [Page] that / that is god. Under god and for godes sake / holy men also are honoured but with god / nothynge is honoured or glorified / but that which is all one with hym. And for the same purpose also is added this clause. ☞ Qui ex patre filio (que) procedit (that is to saye) whiche procedethe of the father and the sone. For as the sonne is argued and proued to be of the same substaunce with the father / because he is begottē of the father: euen so is it concluded & gathered that the holy ghoste also hath the same nature with them bothe / for as muche as he prosedeth & cometh forth of them bothe: how be it these wordes filio (que) .i. and of the sone / semeth to haue ben added of the Latyne men / lykewise as in the symbole of Atanasius: for as muche as this particle neither is hadde in the Greke symbole / whiche we hadde set afore the newe testamente in our seconde edition of it / neither yet in ony symbole whiche is recited in the canon lawe / for I suppose it was not than yet receiued / namelye in the churches of the easte / that the ho­ly ghoste dothe procede from bothe / nei­ther was the confession & knowlegynge here of exacted of Christen men / but it [Page 97] was sufficient to professe / that he proc [...] ­ded frome the father / and that he dyd contynue and abyde in the son / as it is expressed in the lyfe of sayncte Andru [...] the apostle. Nat for that they dyd deny hym to procede also from the son: but for that they durste nat fastly affyrme this thynge / vntyll that our lorde dyd reuele and shewe it also vnto them. For nat e­uery thyng that is sente of any persone / dothe forthwith procede frome the sub­stance of hym / of whome it is sente. A temporall sendynge / is one thynge: and an eternall procession or comyng forth / is another thynge. D. Seynge that the fathers with so many wordes dyd study and go about to exclude inequalite why dyd they nat breffly and expressly pronounce / that the holy ghoste dyd procede beyng god of god: in as moche as they haue diligently expressed of y^e son / that he is god of god / lyghte of lyghte / very god of very god?Deum de deo / lu [...]en de lumine / deum verum de deo vero. For so sholde all cauillations vtterly haue ben excluded. M. To this / I can nat tell what aun­swere I sholde make / saue only / that the meruailouse religion and feare / The religion & drede that the olde fa­thers had to speake of di­uine thinges. whiche the olde fathers hadde to speake of the diu [...]ne matters / and the wicked babling [Page] and talkatiuenes of certayne persones / was y^e cause / why they had leuer shewe and demonstrate by circumlocution the name of god / than to expresse it: to then tente that both the godly myndes shold vnderstonde and perceiue the mysterie / and wicked persones sholde nat be pro­uoked to blasphemy. But that thynge / which that Synode dyd vtter by circū ­locution: sayncte Athanase doth e [...]pres­sly pronounce / saying. ☞ The father is god / the son is god / the holy ghoste is god. And yet are nat ther thre godes / but there is but one god. D. Why do they attribute and assigne to the holy ghoste / goodnes and charite?why goodnes & [...]harite are attributed to the holy ghoste. M. Be­cause vnto goodnes or benignite two thynges do belong / that is to wytte for geuenes of synnes / & geuyng of gyftes: vnto charite appertaineth conglutina­tion or ioynyng together. Lykewise as the membres and lymmes of our body / do cleue together whole by y^e be [...]fight of the spirite: euen so the misticall body of Christe is ioyned and knyt together by the holy ghoste / Christe in the spirite of god dyd caste out deuils.Luc. xi. Math. xii. And he cal­leth the holy ghoste the spirite of god. But by synne wicked spirites do raigne [Page 98] in a man / as our lorde dyd manifestly teache in the parable ☞ of the spirite / that was driuen out / whiche retourned agayn into his empty house with seuen spirites more wicked than hymselfe. L [...]c. xi. Math. xii. Therfore the good spirite is conueni­ently sayde / by abolishyng and puttyng away synnes to dryue out euyl spirites. Which whan it is done: it doth nat suffre the house to be empte or voyde / but doth garnishe and adourne it with diuerse gyf [...]es or graces / that the vices driuen out shold haue none entraūce in agayn. And therfore Math. xii [...] that blasphemy whiche is committed agaynst the holy ghoste / is sayde in the gospel to be irremissible / and suche as can nat be forgeuen. For what hope of remi [...]ion dothe that man leue to hymselfe: whiche dothe prouoke the authour of remission & forgeuenes? For charite (as sayth say nete Peter) dothe couer or hyde the multitude of synnes.i. Petri. iii [...]. And to that synfull woman / of whome mentio [...] is made in the gospel / many synnes were forgeuen / because she loued moche.Luc. vii. Beside this / our lorde geuyng auctorite to his apostles of for­geuyng sines / breathed vpon thē sayīg. [Page] Take you the holy ghoste. Benignite or liberalyte is declared in this / that the gyftes whi [...]he sayncte Paule reherceth very many and diuerse:Ioan. xx. Goodnesse or liberalite. i. Cor. xii. Rom. xii. i. Cor. xii. are called the benefightes of one spirite / whiche distributeth at his owne pleasure to euerye man / accordynge to the measure & quantite of his faythe / yt is the maner of thē that do triūphe: to scatter & caste from a hyghe place / monaye or other gyftes a­monge the people. So lykewise Christe after that he was ascended into heuen / there to make a triumphe: accordyng to the prophecie of the Psalme wryter He ledde captiuite captiue leding away w^t hym those whome he had taken out frō hel / neither cōtēted w^t this:Psal. lxiii. Ephesi. iiii. he gaue giftes to men lefte behynd hym ī earthe that is to witte / y^e gyftes of ꝓphecie / y^e gyftes of tongꝭ / the gyftes of knowlege the gyftes of curynge maladies or diseases / the gyftes of expulsions agaynste poysons & wicked spiritꝭ. Brefly he gaue the hole company of all vertues / which gyftes eue [...]y one Christe hath distribu­ted to his seruaūtes / & dayly doth distri­bute by his spirite.¶what this worde bonus doth signifie otherwhiles. For this worde bo­nus .i. good to latyne men do [...]he sowne and signifie otherwhiles mylde & gentel [Page 99] or mercifull / and otherwiles bountuose and liberall. Therefor saynte Paule prouokyng the Galathians from vengeance to humanite and gentylnesse / doth in culke & oft repete the name of the spirite sayenge.Galat. vi. ☞ yf we lyue in the spirite obretherē: let vs walke also in the spirite yf ony man shall be preuēted or taken in ony synne: you that are spirituall instructe and amende hym that is suche one / in the spirite of mildnes. Dauid saythe.Psal. c. xlii. ☞ Thy good spirite shall cōducte and lede me in to the righte londe. And saynte Paule sayth.Rom. v. The charite of god is spredde or poured abrode in our her­tes: by the holy spirite / whiche is geuen to vs.Rom. viii. And writynge to the Romanes / he calleth that the spirite of adoption / by whiche we do crye father father. Lyke thynges doth he write to the Ga­lathians Galat. iiii. Because you are the sones of god: god hathe sente the spirite of his sone in our hertes cryinge father father These two wordes so [...]e and father are names of loue / whiche no man can tru­ly pronounce and speke / but by the be [...]e­fighte of the holy ghoste: lykewise as accordynge to the testimonie of Sayncte Paule.1. Cor. xii. Noman doth call Iesu lorde / [Page] but in the holy ghoste. Those men that haue the spirite of this worlde: do falsly crie father father. They do falsely saye to Christ lorde lorde / whose spirite they do wante.Rom. viii. ☞ For who so euer hathe not the spirite of Christ: y^t man is none of Christes. And lykewise as the holye ghoste is that ineffable bonde or knotte: by whiche the thre persones are inseparable ioyned among them selues eche to other with eternall cōcorde: euen so the same spirite with an vnlowseable bonde dothe ioyne the spousesse of Christe to her spouse / and also dothe couple and knytte to gether all the mēbres of Cri­stes misticall body with a ꝑpetull bonde of loue amonge themselues / euery one with other. DIS. yf the holy ghoste doth procede of the substance of god the father & of the sone / what dothe let / that he may not be called sone? MAGI. Saynte Cyprian / hilary / & Augustine / thoughte it sufficiente to aunswere / in this wise to this question / because the scripture dothe call the seconde person sone / and sayth that he is begotten and borne of the father / but it doth in no place saye / neither that the holye ghoste is begotten or borne: neither dothe it call [Page 100] hym ony where sone. This aunswere / whiche so e [...]cellente men thoughte suf­ficiente: it is conueniente and mete forthe to be contented withall / yf out of two fountaynes or sprynges one ryu [...] dyd issue: that riuer mighte well be saide to come forthe or to be sente from bothe those sayde springes / but yet sholde it be called the sone of neither nouther of them bothe. DIS. Is it sufficiente than / to beleue this y^t you haue taught me as touchynge to the holy ghoste? MAG. No verily / but you muste also beleue / y^t this spirite which was a fore sayde of the prophetes / and promised of Christe / dyd on whitsonday come down vpon the Apostles and Disciples soo as saynte Luke reherseth:Actuum. ii. because of the wicked and blasphemouse arrogance of certayn persones / whiche haue not ben afrayde to saye / I am that comforter / ☞ whome Christe promised to you / Ioan. xiiii. for to lede you in to all verite and truthe whether he were Maniche / or whether he were Basillides / or Montane / or ony other of those execrable names. DIS.Actes. ii. Actuum. viii [...] That / whiche came downe vpon the disciples and whiche was geuen to them [Page] that were baptized / by layeng on of the Apostles handes / whether was it the very substance of the holy ghoste?A question notable. orels was it some gyfte & efficacie of the holy ghoste?Aunswere. MAG. It is more prouable & lykely / that the holy spirite / whiche as touchynge to his diuine nature fyllyng all thynges dothe contynue and abyde vncomprehended: was there after a certayne speciall and peculiare maner / vn­der a visible sygne / as touchynge to the propretie of his persone. But to entre­medle with these matters nowe at this tyme: is (as it is wonte to be sayd in the prouerbe) to lepe ouer the hedge / & passe beyond the boundes. Thou haste nowe gotteu knowledge of the spirite / that sanctifieth all thynges: nowe herken somewhat of the churche / that is sancti [...]ied of the sayde spirite. DIS. yf there haue ben a societie and felowshippe of all holy men frō the begynnynge of the worlde / and yf that all godly men haue hadde the holy ghoste present with thē why was there no name to this secrete societie afore the tyme of the lawe? For after the lawe geuen / it was called the synagoge / and after the Gospel geuen / the name beynge chaunged / it was cal­led [Page 101] the churche. MAG. what name it hadde afore the olde lawe geuen: it is not euidētly knowne of vs / but yet that it hadde some name: is very prouable & lykelye / seynge that the thynge was all one. Christe hathe at all tymes knowne and acknowledged his spousesse / ney­ther hathe she at ony tyme wanted the spirite of Christ.The churche stode in a ve­rie fewe per­sones at the begynnynge. But in the begynnyng lykewise as few men hadde knowledge of the dystynction of the persones / but they dyd professe one god (which speche doth comprehende secretly and closelye thre persones) and fewe men dyd knowe the persone of the sone / and fewer dyd knowe the holy ghost: euen so was this socyete or felowshyppe amonge a fewe persones / and it was coarcted and con­tayned within narowe meares or bowndes / euen vntyll the lyghte of the gospel came. But after that Christ (the nature of man takē vpon hym) was cōuersante amonge men / & that after he hadde redemed his spousesse with his owne deathe and hadde euidently ioyned her beynge made cleane with his owne bloud / vnto hymselfe / and hadde euidently and abū ­dauntly poured forth his spirite / & after that the grace of the gospell was plen­tuosly [Page] flowē ī / not into one natiō alone / but into the whole worlde: the Apostles chaūged the name of the synagoge into the name of the church. And it is not to be dowted / but that it was done by the suggestiō & inspiratiō of the holy ghost. D. I longe to here the cause hereof. M. Although there where no such differēce in y^e wordꝭ as there is: yet dyd y^e chaūg of the nam [...] make for y^e glory of the gospell.why the Apostles chaūged the name of synagoge: in­to the name of the church or cōgregatiō The name of synagoge was recey­ued & cōmunely vsed among all men for the cōgregatiō of the Iewes / which professed the lawe of Moyses now likewise as y^e lawe of Moyses was hateful to al other natiōs: euē so was the name of synagoge vnpleasaūte & mislykyng to the cares of the gētiles,Mar. xvi. Luce. xxiiii. Actuum .i. but the apostlꝭ / whā they were cōmaūded of our lord to pche the Gospell to euery creature / not onely within the termes & limites of Iewry & samary / but euē vnto y^e vttermost partꝭ of y^e world: & also beīg taught by y^e holi ghost / dyd know / y^t there shold certayne Iewes afterwardes springe vp or ryse / which wold face abowt to obscure & de­face the grace of the gospell & the faythe Actuum .xv.in our lorde Iesu / teaching y^t there was no hope of saluatiō to ony mā onlesse he were circumcised / & so by this symbole & [Page 102] [...]s it were / by an earnest peny geuē dyd ꝓfesse the hole lawe of Moyses: y^e apo­stles I saye therfore wolde declare / that the ceremonies of y^e lawe frō thēseforth shold be abolished & put away / & wold also declare the newnesse of grace / by cha­ [...]ngynge the olde vocabules or names / in the stede of the lawe callynge the gos­pel / that is to witte a glad tydyng / & in stede of synagog now namyng the churche or congregation.The lawe. For the lawe dyd threttē & manace ponishemēt / exactyng of men by cōpulsion the obseruation or fulfillyng of the cōmaundemētes.The gospell. The gospel by y^e grace of y^e spirit / & by faith in Christe Iesu / without the workes of the lawe / doth ꝓmise eternal lyfe / now if the stiffnes & froward stoburnesse of the Ieues was so great / yt the apostlꝭ were scasely able w [...] much busines to exclude theyr suꝑstitiō: how muche more harde thyng wold it haue ben to do the same if in stede of the churche the synagoge had ben preached hearing styl the olde name they wolde haue wende & supposed / that there had ī the thyng also no whit at all ben chaūged. D. Is there thā also ī the wordꝭ some differēce & diuersite?Synagoga. Ecclesia. MA. Bothe wordes / that is to witte Syna­goga and Ecclesia are Greke wordes [Page] and Synagoga is sayde of the greke verbe synagein: whiche signifiethe as muche as cogere .i. dryue together in one Ecclesia is sayde of the greke verbe Ekkalein:Ecclesia. whiche signifieth as muche as euocare to call out or to call forthe. The formore worde therefor / that is to witte synagoga is more mete and agre­ynge to the grosse / Synagoga. carnall / harde / and stoburne rebellyouse natiō of the Ieues whiche with feare of ponishemente / or with hope of [...]arthely cōmodites: were kepte in / or holden backe by the lawe as it were within hedges or rayles / that they sholde not rūne or falle into all wickednesse and synne. And the latt [...]rmore worde / that is to witte Ecclesia is more mete and conueniente to the Gentiles:Ecclesia. Churche. whiche dyd lightely and easily obay the gospell / beynge allured by theyr eares / whiche thynge belongeth to men: & not drawne by the nosethri [...]les / after the maner of bugles or other brute beastes.

A flocke of beastes is gatherd together: but men are called forth into an assemb­le / not to worke accordynge to the cere­monies of the lawe:Rom. x. The obedience of the gen­tiles. but to geue eare & herkē. For fayth (as sayth saint Paule) is by hearynge. The Gentiles were [Page 103] called forth from deade idoles / to the lyuynge god / from the darknesse of igno­raunce / to the lyghte of the Euangely­call verite or trouthe: & they dyd obaye and folowe.The obstina­cie of the Iewes. The Iewes were lykewise called out from ceremonies / to true holynes / from shadowes / to lyghte / from the lettre / to the spirite: and they dyd refuse to come. And therefor it is come to passe that amonge the Gothes and Uanda­les the name of the lorde is called on & worshypped: and on the other syde the Iewes do contray wise euen vntyll this daye reuile and blaspheme the worshypfull name of Iesu in theyr synagoges / & do yet serue the lettre / and do resiste the holy ghoste. But where the spirite is: there is lybertie. It belongeth to seruā ­tes to be compelled: but it appertayneth to sones to be called forth wherfor saint Paule also is wonte to name those that professe the grace of the gospell voca­tos sanctos (that is to saye) sayntes cal [...]led / or saintes by vocation and callyng. DIS. What doth this worde San­ctus proprely / declare and signifie to latyne men?The signifi­cations of this worde sanctus holy. MAGT. That thynge is proprely called Sanctum whiche it is not lawful to violate defyle or breake. [Page] As the lawes / & the walles / & the yates of a cytie are therefore Sctā (id est) holy or inuiolable: because they are publyke or cōmune. And certayne thynges are therefore sancta that is to saye inuiolat because they are sacred and dedicated to god / wherfore that thynge is called sanctum domino (id est) holy to the lorde: whiche is sacred or dedicated to hym. But the vse of this worde is otherwhi­les translated to sygnyfie also clennes & purite. Nowe the holy churche is so in­uiolable and not able to be hurte:Math. xvi. that (accordynge to the sayinge of our lorde) not the very yates of hel can preuayle agaynste it. For none other cause is it inuiolable: but onely because it is dedy­cated and sacred to Christe / Ioan. x. ☞ From whome no man is able to plucke awaye that / which his father hath geuen hym The churche is also pure and clene:Ephe. v. be­cause Christe hathe ☞ Purified hee and mad her clene with his owne bloud that he wolde make her a spousesse to hym selfe hauyng neither spotte neither wrincle.By Spottes is betokened heresies and [...]rroures. This worde spotte ꝑtayneth ꝓprely to heretykes / whiche go abowt to defyle & make fowle the pure verite: w^t [Page 104] sprinklyng to of filthy erroures. This worde wryncle appertayneth to them / whiche in dede do beleue ryghte:wryncles do signify uyces and sy [...]nes. but yet do lede a lyfe defyled with the filthe of vices and synnes. Wryncles do betoken age. Suche one verily is that olde man / whiche we haue receiued of Adam / and whome Paule doth bydde vs ☞ to doEphe. iiii. of / and to laye frō vs with all the actes dedes that do belonge to hym / that we myghte do on vs the newe man / and being renewed in y^e senses of our mind / we myghte folowe the steppes of Christ and walke in newnes of lyfe.Roma .vi. Christe is a delicate louer Christe is a delicate and a deynty louer / he can nat fynde in his harte to loue the synagoge beynge wrincled with olde ceremonies and with the loue & exercise of the olde law. Neyther can he suffre or abyde the churches of heretikes beyng disfigured and made foule and euylfauoured with the leprie & diuerse spottes of false doc­trines and erroures. D. If the olde sayng be true / that no man lyueth faut­les and without synne: where is than that spousesse / which in the canticles is praysed / and is sayde Cantic. iiii. Tota pulcra [...]s amica m [...]a et macula uon est in t [...]. to be all fayre and beautyfull and without all maner spotte or wemme? MAGISTER. [Page] It is graūted to very fewe men to lyue without the lyghter / or smaller vyces or veniall synnes which by rechelesnes and ouersyght doo crepe and stele apon the nature of man. But these small faughtes / are rather small speckes: thā greate spottes / and lykewise as they do dayly spring or rise: euē so be they dayly washed awaye either with prayer / or with dedes of almoyse / or with the recō pence a [...]d satisfaction of some good worke / & specially and principally with the receiuinge of the body of our lorde / but from greate synnes or deadlye crimes / they whiche haue professed Christ / both owghte / and also maye abstayne / with the helpe and aide of the spirite of Chri­ste. DIS. Do not they than / whiche are defiled with great synnes or crymes appertayne & belonge to holy churche? MAG. They do belonge / and they do not belonge.Howe greate Synners are of the church and how not. In so muche / and as farre­forthe as faythe dothe remayne hole in them: they do belonge to the churche / neither are they kepte frō the cōmuniō and partetakynge of the sacramentes / excepte it be soo / that for some euidente enormite of crimes they be by the pub­lyke and open iudgemente cut awaye [Page 105] from the company and felowshyp of the churhe.what is the churche in his moste propre significa­cion. But because this word Ecclesia id est Churche sayd in his moste propre signification dothe betoken the preuy or secrete society and feloweshyp of them that are predestinated to eternall lyfe / of the whiche company a greate parte lyueth alredy with Christe / and y^e other parte that remayneth alyue in this world is called for this entente and purpose / that they sholde laboure and ende­uoure themselffes vnto most hyghe and ꝑfyghte purite: therefore is it wel sayde / that the church hath no spot or wrincle / How the churche hath neyther spot n [...] wryncle. eyther by the figure synecdoche / (that is to witte / sayinge that of the whole / whiche is verified of the parte) orels for cause of the marke or ende entended / of whiche ende the logicions also do con­fesse and graunte a denominacion or name to be taken. But yet otherwhiles this word or name churche is so dilated and stretched out so farre: that it dothe comprehende and contayne as many as haue receiued the sacramente of baptis­me / whether they do lyue vertuosly or other wyse. Sometyme the ministers or iudges of the church are called the churche / to whome we oughte to obaye / all­thoughe [Page] they do openly and in syghte lyue an euyll lyfe: as longe as it is so / that they do nat commaunde or teache suche thynges / as are contrary to god­des lawe / and may nat stande with his cōmaundementes / namely if there shold folowe more trouble and vnquyetnes of the takynge awaye to the commune weale of suche thynges / than of the tole ratyng and suffryng of them. There are also Psalme .xxv. churches or cōgregacions of wicked men / whiche the spouse dothe hate. But whosoeuer professeth the holy churche: doth execrate and abiure all schis­maticall conspiration agaynst the tran­quillite of the ecclesiasticall hierarchie / lykewyse all conuenticles & assemblees of heretikes / with whatsoeuer gloriouse title they [...]o set them selues forthe to the sale / for they are innumerable: but the doue is but only one.Cantic. ii. D. In the olde tyme the heretikes also had churches / in suche state of thynges / whan euery one of them dothe crye ☞ Christe is nat there / but here is Christ:Marc. xiii. by what marke or token maye we discerne and knowe that only doue of Christe from other? M. That / which doth swarue and go awrye from the holy scriptures: is none [Page 106] of Christes. D. But heretikes do euen with the very weapons of scripture op­pugne and fyghte agaynst the churche. M. And no meruayle of it / for they do folowe that disceiuynge spirite / whiche dyd Mat. iii [...] assayle and temple the lorde hym­selfe also vnto wickednes / with the testimonies of scripture wrested & wrenched to a wronge sense / but the false interpretation of scriptures is to be cōfuted and disproued and put by with the true in­terpretation and declaration of y^e same. D. In dede it was no maystry for Christ to do so: but it is nat lykewise so easy a thynge for vs wretched men to do the same. M. It is nat a parte belongyng and fitte for euery man / to fyghte or di­spute w^t heretikes: but it appertaineth only to them / whiche are instructed and well appoynted with that hole armure / whiche the apostle Paule dothe Ephe. vi. in certayne places otherwhiles reherce & recken vp: but to the / and to suche other as thou arte / it is sufficiente to kepe and holde faste by stedfaste and sure beleffe those thynges / whiche the churche hath expresly & openly taughte for thynges necessary vnto saluacion. D. What shall he do / whiche hathe receiued bap­tisme / and [Page] hath taken instruction of be­leffe / in the churche or congregation of heretikes? MAG. Let hym not chaūge the baptisme / which he hath receiued in the name of the father and the sone and the holy ghoste: but let hym purge and clense his doctrine / let hym withdrawe hymselfe from vnclene cōgregations or assemblees / and let hym reconcile hym­selfe to the holy churche DI. But that is it / whiche I desiered to knowe of you by what tokē or marke the holy church may be discerned & knowne from other. MAG.Howe / or by what tokens the true Ca­tholike chur­che may be knowē from other. There are many coniectures & gesses by which gatherd together ī one it is easily and son perceiued and espied where the douue is. The fyrst is the au­thorite of the olde Synodes / namely approued & alowed by the ꝑpetuall & cōty­nuall cōsente & agremēte of so many sondry ages / or tymes / & of so many diuerse natiōs / nexte afther this is y^e authorite of the interpretoures or expositoures / How the olde holye exposi­tours of the scripture are alowed of the churche & howe theyr workes are to be redde.whome for theyr holynesse the churche hath canonized / & whose bokes the same church hath apꝓued & allowed not so y^• it is not lawfull in some poyntes to dis­sente and disagree from them (for theyr selues do sometymes disagree not onely [Page 107] one of them from another / but also doo vary from theyr owne selues) but that theyr bokes are to be redde with reue­rence. And that which they do teach not rashely and vndiscretely to be reiected & refused. The same (I suppose) is to be thoughte and iudged of the good & ap­proued companyes of diuines / whose cō tynuall laboure & studie is to fynde out / and to brynge forthe to vs the secrete & hydde trouthe / out of the diuine scriptu­res. Thyrdly the bredthe or largenesse is to be consydered / for neuer hathe ony heresy spredde so large / as hath the Catholike doctrine. Laste of all the maner of lyuynge is to be well aduised / & some what nere loked on. DI. But heretikes also haue Christe muche in theyr mou­thes / and speke muche of hym.Maniches. And also the Manicheis are reported and sayed to haue ben of wonderfull abstinence & also continencie / the Ebionites do despise and sette at nought riches.Ebionite. Psalliani or Euchite, Anthropo­morphite. The Psallianes doo praye contynually without ceassynge. The Antropomorphites dyd lyue in deserte / & wildernesse / they were couerde & cladde in course hēpen clothes they ponished and kepte vnder theyr fleshe with fastyngꝭ / laboures & slepynges [Page] on the bare grounde whan suche maner men assembled and flocked together / do [...]rye here is Christe:Math. xxiiii. sholde not a man (and not with goode cause) as it were one standynge in a place where manye wayes do mete / doute and be in a ma­merynge / whiche waye he maye take / & whether he may go? MAG. ye moreouer the very theatre of the gospell dothe shewe vnto the Phariseis worshypfull Math. xxiii. Math. vii. Math. xxiii Math. vi.with theyr Philateries set out at large made thynne and bare with fastynges / makynge longe prayers / dealyng forth theyr goodes in almoyse to poore folkes But these outwarde thynges / thoughe they haue the apperaunce and lykenesse of godlynesse and vertue: yet are they oftentymes fayned for cause of some tem­porall and transytorie profighte or commodite / namely of lucre / or glorie & praise / and that made me adde here before / that theyr lyfe sholde be looked on some what nere: whiche thynge yf ony man wyll do / he shall fynde & perceiue / y^t the same thynges are done in dede bothe of good men & also of euil men / but after a diuerse maner & a sondry fashion.The diffe­rence betwen the outwarde workes of good mē and of euyll men, beyng all one in apperaūce. Good and vertuose men in theyr abstinences and fastes are cherefull: the other sorte [Page 108] are sadde / heuy / & out of al chere / neither do vertuose men make theyr auaun [...]e or boste of these thynges: but raither doo kepe these thynges secret / neyther doo they auaunce and magnifie these thyn­ges as great and hygh thynges: but do make lyghte of them / and do ertenuate them / neither do they despise & disdayne other men / which do not the same thyn­ges:Godly & cha­ritable men doo iudge all thynges to the beste. but they do benignely and charita­bly interprete & iudge either that they wolde do greatter thynges yf the weyknesse feblenesse of thyer bodie wold geue them leue: orels that they haue theyr fleshe lesse rebelliose to the spirite / soo that they haue no nede to tame it with suche maner meanes: orels that they do with other good dedes offre to god a more plesaunte sacrifice and oblation. The reli­gion and holynes of godly men / is symple: and without crafte or disceite. The disciples of Iohā dyd fast:Luce. v. Math. ix. but they dyd backbyte the disciples of Christ & spake euyll of them: for that they dyd more seldome fast.Manichei. The Manicheis dyd abstayn & forbeare from all maner beastes or sensible creatures: but they dyd disprayse & cōdempne the creature of god: & secre­tely & in cornes dyd fyl themselues with [Page] delycyouse meattes bothe more daynty and also more costly.Phariseis. Math. vi. Math. xxiii, The Pharyseis dyd praye: but they dyd it in the hedes of many wayes / where they myghte be moste sene / in theyr chaumbres / eyther they dyd occupie themselues about tri [...] les / orels dyd counte and tell monaye.

Psallianes.The Psallianes dyd praye: but superstitiously / and vnder this pretexte or pretēce they dyd lyue of other mēnes coste & charge / & dyd not accordynge to the doctrine of saynte Paule) Ephe. iiii. i. Thessa. iiii. Actes. xx.☞ La­boure with theyr owne handes / to gete where of they myghte both fynde ther­selues theyr necessaries / and also might geue somewhat to poore folkes. The Ebionites had nothynge seuerall or in propre / and they were falsely called apostolici .i. folowers of the apostles:Ebionite or Apostolici. but they dyd condemne and disprayse other [...] that were possessioners / and had ought of theyr owne / chalengynge proudly & presumptuosly to themselues the praise of godlynesse & true vertue or holynesse: whiche stondeth not in londes or in mo­nay / but in the affections.Holynesse stō deth in the affections. The very per fight holyne. of the Apost­les. They Apostlꝭ dyd spende theyr owneselues whole and altogether / to thende that they mighte allure & brynge very many vnto Chrste [Page 109] neyther coulde they by ony iniuries or displesures be compelled and caused to laye away this affection to wardes ony man. They purposed not / nor wente a­bout to do vengeance to ony man: but whan they were caste into pryson / they dyd synge psalmes / and gaue thankesActes. v. to the lorde / whan they wer beaten with roddes / and beynge ouerwhelmed with stones / they were gladde and reioycedActes. vii. praynge for them / of whome they dyd suffre all these thynges / whan they dyd raise vp deade men / whan they dyd ex­pulseActes. v. & driue out deuilles / whan they dyd with theyr shadowe heale men / that were sycke & diseased: they neuer spake one worde of bostynge or vayne glorie / but professyng themselues to be nought ells but mortall men:Actes. xiii [...]. they dyd ascribe & referre all the whole praise vnto god. who so euer dothe fulfyll and shewe in very dede this charite / and this paciēce continually with cherefullnesse:Actes. iii. y^t man bryngeth forth suche frutes / whereby he maye be dyscerned and knowne to be a goode tree.Math. vii. DIS. I here saye / that vnneth there is ony one of the olde wri­tersMath. xii. or authors / in whome there are not founde some thynges dissonante & disa­greynge [Page] from the rule of the catholyke faythe: why than that the chyrch recey­ued and alowed theyr bokes? MAG. Howe the churche hath alowed the bokes of the olde fathers to be reddeThe churche hath admytted and recey­ued theyr bokes not as canonycal scrip­ture / that is to say scripture of vndouted and sure auctorite not able to be dispro­ued: but they are receyued as the cōmentaries and workes of men beynge bothe learned and also good and vertuose / neyther Euerye ma­ner erroure maketh not an heretyke [...]doth euerye maner erroure make a man forthwith an heretyke / and in the olde tyme those that dyd expoune and declare the scripture / were pardoned and hold excused / if they did doute of certayn thingꝭ / of which it is not lawful to dout any longer after the sentence of the churche publyshed and openly pronounced / or els if they dyd interpretate and ex­poune any thyng ī the scriptures / otherwy [...]e than the authorite of the churche doth teache nowe. For neyther were al the Grekes / Heretykes / which dyd pro­fesse that the holy ghoste dyd procede / & come forthe from the father alone: nor no more peraduēture was OrigenOrigen. ney­ther an heretyke therfore because that of desyre to serche out the trouth / he dyd dispute whether the sonne and the holy [Page 110] ghoste had all one / and the same diuyne essence with the father / or els were crea­tures more excellent than all other creatures. It was lawfull also more than .CCC. yeres after the incarnation of Christe / to doute whether there were any clensynge fyer or fyer purgatorye: whiche certayne men dyd iudge to be charite. But it is a very poynt of an he­retyke / proudly and obstinatly to rebell and stryue agaynste the euydent veryte or trouth / and whiche hath ben taughte with the publyke and commune autho­rite. DIS. The name of canony­call scripture / howe many bokes dothe it comprehend and contayne?The bokes of the canonical scripture. MAG. This thynge hathe sayncte Cipriane very playnly and brefly taught. Fyrste the hole scripture is diuyded into two partes / that is to wytte / the olde testa­ment / and the newe.The bokes of the old te­stament. Genesis. Exodus. Leuiticus. Numeri. Deuterono­mium. Iosue. Iudicum. Ruth. Regum. iiii. In the olde te­stament are accompted and rekened the fyue bokes of Moyses / that is to wytte / Genesis / Exodus / Leuiticus / Numeri / Deuteronomiū / also the .ii. bokes of Ie­su Naue / of Iudges / and of Ruth. Be­sydes these / the foure bokes of kynges / whiche the Hebrues do make but onely two bokes / furthermore the boke Paralipomenon [Page] Paralipome [...]. / that is to saye / of thynges ouerhipped or lefte out / whiche of the Hebrues is called the boke of Dayes or tymes. Than the .ii. fyrste bokes of Esdre which the bebrues do reckē both / but for one / for the thyrd & the .iiii. boke of Esdre are accōpted amonge the Apo­criphe scriptures.Esdre. ii. Nexte after these are the .iiii. principal or greater Prophetes Esaias / Iheremias / Ezechiel / and Da­niel.Esaie / Iheremie / Ezechiel Daniel. To these is added one boke of the .xii. smaller Prophetes.The .xii. smaller prophetes Iob / psalmes ꝓuerbes / Ec­clesiastes / Cā ticum cātico­rum. Besides this one boke of Iob / & one boke of the psal­mes .iii. bokes of Salomon / that is to witte / the boke of Prouerbes / Ecclesia­stes and Canticum canticorum / within this nombre / the Authorite of olde men dyd conclude the wolumes or bokes of the olde testamente beynge of trouthe wherof it was not lawfull to dout: but now the boke also of SapienceSapience. is receyued into the vse of the churche (whiche certayne men do iudge to be the boke of Philo a Iewe) and another boke which is called EcclesiasticusEcclesiasticꝰ (whiche men do thynke to be the boke of Iesu the son of Sirach) there is receyued also the boke of Tobie / and the boke of Iudith / and the boke of Hester / and the two bokes [Page 111] of the Machabeis.Thobie / Iu­dith / Hester / Machabeis. There are receyued also the two Histories which are annexed to the boke of Daniel / that is to wit / the historie of Susanna / and the history of Bel and the dragon / whiche histories the Hebrues hadde not: but saynte Iherome witnesseth that hymsel [...]e dyd trās­late them out of the edition of Theodo­tio. But whether the churche hath receiued these bokꝭ with the same authorite with the whiche they haue receiued the other bokꝭ aforerehersed: that knoweth the spirite of the churche. Under the [...]y­tle and name of the newe testament the cheffe and principal place haue the .iiii. Gospelles of Mathue / Marke / Luke / and Iohan / and with these the Actes of the Apostles.The bokes of the new testamente. Mathue. Marke Luke Iohan / Actes Epistles. Paule .xiiii. Peter. ii Iames. i. I [...]de. i. Iohan. iii. A [...]ocalipie. The hebrues [...]ake but .iii. kynde of scri [...] ture. Canonica. Nexte to these are the Epistles of the Apostles .xiiii. of sayn [...]e Paules. Two of Peters. One of Ia­mes the Apostle. One of Iude. Thre of Iohan. And last of all in ordre is the Apocalipse of saynte Iohan. The He­brues do diuide all scipture into .iii. kyndes or sortes. The canonicall scrip [...]ure / they call that scripture / which without ony controuersie or doute was wryten by the inspiration of the holy ghoste / in whiche yf ony thynge be founde / which [Page] semeth at the fyrste syghte folyshe / vn­mete / and agaynste reason: it is not lawfull to iudge that whiche is wryten / but the mystery is religyously and de­uoutly to be serched forthe / and the dul­nesse or slownesse of our wytte is to be founde faughte with all / and not the scripture.Hagiogra­pha. Another sort of scripture they do call hagiographam / as wryten by holy men of holy thynges. This maner scriptures they did so farre forth esteme and regarde: that they were in dede re­uerently red in the congregations or as­semblees / but not that the authoryte of them sholde constrayne / or compell in matters earnest and of wayghte.Apocripha. Apo­criphe scriptures they called suche as it was lawfull for euerye man to redde at home / accordynge to his owne mynde and pleasure: but in open or comen as­semblees they sholde not be recyted or redde / nor any man be strayned with the auctorite of them / neyther is euery scripture forthwith canonicall: whiche is red or songen in the churches: and wolde god that it were amonge all men obser­ued and kept / which was decreed in the counsell holden at Carthago / that no­thynge [Page 112] at all sholde be recited or redde in the churches sa [...]e onelye the canoni­call scripture / the interpretation and de­claration / wherof was done in the olde tyme of prestes and byshopes by worde of mouthe.The decr [...]e made in the coūsel of Carthage concernynge what thinges shold be red in the churches. DISCIPLE. Now a dayes we are kept and put awaye frō the redynge of the holy scripture.

MAGISTER.

But this thynge was in the olde tyme a poynte of most greate and hyghest rely­giō and holynes. But the vndyscretnes and presumption of the reders caused and brought to passe / that it was nede­full to shewe a staffe / who so euer redeth the scriptures reuerently / honourynge that thynge / whiche he doth not vnder­stonde or attayne the knowlege of.How the ho­ly scriptures are to be red, and for what entent. And who so euer is so moche the more gladde to learne of a connyng man / for that he is somewhat prepayred afore by redyng and who so euer redeth / not to the en­tent for to be armed / and made redy to contention of stryuyng / but to take som what therof / wherby he may be instruc­ted to lyue holyly and vertuously / that constitutiō stryketh not hym / nor appertyneth any whyt to such a reder / which constitutiō was ordeyned & set agaynst [Page] temerite and vndiscrete presumption / & not agaynst the loue and exercise of ver­tue and godlynesse. DIS. In as much as of both testamentes there is all one & the same god the father / the same Christe / the same holy ghost: why is the one called the newe testamente / & the other the olde testamente? for diuine or godly thynges knowe not of ony age or elder­lynesse.Why the one is called the olde / and the other the new testamēt MAG. The godhed (as thou sayste) knoweth neither oldenesse or age neither newnesse / but it was expediente for vs / that certayne poyntes sholde be newed and chaunged in the exterioure & outwarde thynges / Christ consecratyng brede and wine / called it the new testamente.Math. xxvi. what thyn­ges are in the newe lawe: chaūged frō the olde. Now yf thou do aske of me what thyngꝭ are newed or chaunged: I could recken vp very many thynges. Fyrst in stede of the shadowes of the lawe: is succeded and cōmen in place the euidente & open verite / and that thyng / whiche the lawe dyd promise by darke rydles and figures: hathe ben perfourmed / and she­wed forth to the bodyly senses of men. ii. Cor. iii. The sleynge lettre hathe ben opened or disclosed: and the quickenynge spi­rite hath appered. Furthermore the outwarde ceremonies haue certayne of thē [Page 113] ben vtterly and clene taken away: and certayne of them ben chaūged into ano­ther more me [...]e and conuenient thynge. The Iudaicall choyse of meates is quyte and clene taken awaye / we may lawfully weare garmentes of lynsaye­wolsaye / weDeute. xxii. may plow or tyll the groūd Deute. xxii. with Oxe & Asse / because I wyll not reherce other thynges innumerable. In stede of soo manye dyuerse kyndes of hostes and sacrifices: we haue but onely one mysticall hoste or sacrifice. In stede of the onelye temple of Iherusalē (for [...] was not lawfull to make sacrifice ony­where ellys) we haue a churche spredde thrugh out the whole worlde / in which Malach. i. i. Timothis now offred a cleane sacrifice / & pure handes are lifted vp in euery place / and in the stede of iniuriouse & paynful circū cision is broughte in the easye bathe of babtyme. The Sabbote daye is chaun­ged into the Sondaye. In the stede of Moyses the seruaūte of god is succeded Christ the sone of god. The grace of the spirite / which before was dispensed and dealed vnto a fewe persones / and scracely: hath nowe ben opēly and plentuosly powred out vpon al nations / which are vnder the skye. Finally / heuen / whiche [Page] before was shyt euen to godly men also: is sette open by the gospell. For these thynges & many other that are newed and chaunged: it is well called the newe testamente / nat for that it is vtterly an­other testamente than was before: but for that it is otherwise geuē or taughte. The Iewes:Iewes of the olde tyme, in the new testament christen men of these dayes, in the olde testamēt such of thē as thrugh hope of the heuēly lyfe did liue in the alacrite and cherefulnes of the spirite: were in the newe testamente. Agayne those men nowe a dayes / whiche do measure and iudge holynes by outward ceremonies / and which do gape gredily after earthly thynges / beynge colde in charite / & hote to do vengeaunce: suche ꝑsones (I saye) do euen yet cleue and contynue styll in the olde testamente / for that they haue not yet done of / nor layed from them­selues the olde man. DIS. All these thynges hytherto for sothe are spoken of you very playnly and clerely. MA. We are comen now to the holy churche / in whiche we do worshyp the father / the maker of all thynges / the sonne / the re­demer of the world / and the holy ghost / the sanctifier of all thynges. Let vs contynue and abyde in this church. And in this churche let vs walke accordyng to [Page 114] the spirite / & not accordyng to the fleshe.

☞ In this church let vs warre a good warre and fyghte a good felde:i. Timot. vi. ii. Timo. iiii. that we maye come vnto the wage and rewarde of the eternall lyfe. But if thou thynke it beste: let here be an ende of this com­munication.

¶The fyfth instruction.

DISCIPLE. WHat meaneth it / that to the chur­che is annexed and added the communion of saynctes? MAG. This particle Sanctorū cō munionem. Sanctorū communio­nem is not added in sayncte Cipriane neyther in sayncte Augustine / neyther doo they so muche as by occasion make any mention of these wordes / wherfore it is very lykely / that this particle hath ben added of some man / whiche wente aboute to declare / what thynge was to be vnderstonden by the holy churche.Ecclesia. Ecclesia / that is to say / the churche / is a societe / felowshyp / or company not of all maner men / but of holy men or sainctes lykewyse as this word concioConcio. to latyne men doth signify and betoken an assem­blee or congregation / not of what so euer maner men you lyste: but of the ci­tizens all of one commune weale / as­sembled [...] [Page] and gathered to gether in one to take counsayll concernynge the com­mune profytes. And as for the diuynes of later tyme / amonge [...]home some doo interprete The diuines of later tyme do diuersly expounde sanc­torum cōmu­nionem. the holy [...]hurche to be the societie of men milytaūte and warryng in earthe vnder Christe theyr capitayne and The diuines of later tyme do diuersly expounde sanc­torum cōmu­nionem. the communion of saynctes to be the societie of saynctes triumphynge in heuen / and other some agayne d [...]o ex­pounde by The diuines of later tyme do diuersly expounde sanc­torum cōmu­nionem. sanctorum communionē the suffrages of the churche profytable and auaylable to all men / whiche are in the bodye of the churche. Other some do expounde it to signifye the sacramentes of the church / which do not profyte / but onely to those / which do aggregate and ioyne themselues to the churche. Other some agayne do thynke by the name of Synaxis. communion to be betokened the sa­crament of the autre / which of the Grekes is called Synaxis / that is to saye / a conciliation or ioynynge to gether / for that by this mysterie is figured and cō ­firmed the moste strayght coniunctiō or ioynyng to gether of the mysticall body with the hede / and suche a mysticall so­cietie or felowshyp of all them that doo truely professe the name of Christe / as [Page 115] is the naturall societie of all / the mem­bres / amōg them selues eche with other in the body of one and the same lyuyng sensible creature. Those diuines I saye which haue 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 y^t 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 [...] 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 [Page] 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 styrr [...] and that thou haste wytte and percey­uyng. Noman is compelled or constrayned to knowe certaynly / whether this man o [...] 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 amōg the Indianes / or els amonge the Gadi­tanes / or els amonge the Hyperborea­nes / orels among the people of Affryke. And it may be so / that ī 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 & [Page 116] quycke. To beholde the secrete partes of mannes harte / belongeth onely to god / by reason wherof it cometh to passe that the iudgemētes of men very often­tymes are vncertayne. DIS. Why thā 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 conseruatiō 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 excōmunicate 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 [Page] or sacriledge [...] MAG. ye verily / for i [...] 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 ī 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 thā / if there were a manifeste dyfference / wherby the one sorte myght be knowne from the other [...] 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 [Page 117] 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 sacramēt: 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 y^t 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 [Page] 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 reuerēce 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 cōsecrated and halowed / leste peraduenture if the lettres had ben ta­ken by the waye (which thyng chaūceth oftentymes) the secret myght happe to haue ben vttered and dysclosed. This [Page 118] cause in dede is some maner cause. But yet the more true & more alowed cause is this. For that in the sacramentes / by certayn visyble and sensyble tokens and sygnes: there is infused an insensyble grace correspondente and agreynge to the exteriour and outwarde tokens and sygnes .DIS. Howe many sacramen­tes be there of this sorte and kynde? M. Of the old fathers they are taughte vn­to vs to be .vii. in nombre / The .vii. sa­cramentes. that is to wyte / matrimony or wedlocke / i. wedlocke.by whi­che we are borne to this worlde.ii. Baptyme. Bap­tyme / by which we are borne agayne to Chryste / to which sacrament is ioyned. Penaunce / iii. Penaūce. which is as it were another baptyme / by which we are reconcyled to god / but not nowe frely and all out for nought / neyther are the woundes hea­led without starres.iiii. Confi [...] ­mation. Holye anoyntyng / by which the yong christen soldyer is cō firmed and strengthed against the temptations of the dyuell with this sacramēt were they wonte to be fenced or armed / whiche were of age inclynyng and lea­nynge towardes the ieoperdye and pa­reyll of synnynge / that is to wyte after they were seuen yeres olde.They were [...] olde tymes. vii. yeres old, afore they were confir­med. A none after as waxyng yonge men / they were robo­rated [Page] and made stronge vnto greate ba­tayles with the sacramēt of the aultarev. sacrament of the aultre. by whiche is quyckened and styrred vp in vs the vertue and lyuelynes of fayth / and we are thorow the commemoratiō of that holy and blessed death / enryched with plenteouse grace: renewynge in a mysticall maner (as farre forthe as is lawful / that onely sacrifice / by whiche we haue obtayned saluation. Agayn be­cause in the tyme of deathe is the laste wrestlynge:vi. Extreme [...]ction. therfore is put to the ex­treme or laste v [...]ction / by whiche eyther the syke man may recouer his helthe / if it so please god / or els he may with faith and good hope slepe in the lorde / with these / as it were with rewardes or gyf­tes the large benignite and liberalyte of Iesu dothe in the meane season com­forte / and encorage and harten his sol­dyers / vntyll the tyme that the batayle or stryfe beyng fully ended / they may be promoted to the stypende or wage of the heuenly lyfe.vii. Holy or­dre. There resteth or remay­neth behynde holy ordre / by whiche is gyuen auctorite to beare holy offyces / & to mynister holy thynges. This sacra­ment maketh for the dignite and also the tranquillyte of the ecclesyasticall [Page 119] hierarchie / for it is semely and accor­dyng that in the christen cōmune weale the ecclesyastical offyces shold not be as­sygned and appoynted to any maner men / what so euer they be / but that cer­tayne able and mete persones therfore shold be chosen and pyked out to execute them / neyther can there be any concord / where no man doth obeye another / but euerye man dothe clayme and chalenge vnto his owne fleshe auctorite to doo what he lyste.Roma. xii. i. Cor. xii. For sayncte Paule a­mong the gyftes of the holy ghost / doth recken the gyfte of gouernaunce.

DIS. what grace is gyuen by euery one of the sacramentes?By the sacr [...] mentes are graces gyuen as is here particularly de­clared of eche one of them. wedlocke. Ephe. v. MAG. If any man shall receyue these sacramen­tes so as they ought to be receyued in due maner: by the sacramente of matri­monye / the prayer of the preste beynge put to / is gyuen the gyfte of the spirite / by which the husbonde maye loue the wyfe with chaste loue / lykewyse as Christe loued the churche / and that the woman agayne of her parte may loue and reuerence her husbonde as her lorde / for Christes sake / and that bothe of them maye teache / and brynge [Page] vp theyr chyldren (if it please god to sende them any) with very greate dily­gence in the christen faythe & vertuouse lyfe.Baptyme. ☞ Of baptyme it is no nede to speake. There is no mā but he knoweth that in y^t sacrament Rom. vi.the old man doth perysh / all synne beyng vtterly destroyd and kylled / whether you call it originall or personall synne / and that a newe man doth ryse beynge purged and clen­sed from all spottes of synnes thorowe faith in Christ Iesu / whome Paule cal­leth a newe creature.Gala. vi. ii. Cor. v. It was mete and conuenient / that he whiche was ones borne agayne in Christe / and clensed with the bloude of Christe: shold not re­tourne ii. Pet. ii. Prouer. xxvi agayne in to the soyle of myre and durte: but for asmuche as in many men charite is colde and fayth is faynte the goodnes of god hath graunted the remedye of penaunce / Penaunce. of which we shall a none haue occasion and mete place to speake.Cōfirmatiō. And because yong tendre age is more inclynynge and redy to vyce and vnthryftynes than to vertue and godly­nes / by holy confirmation that procly­uyte is minyshed and docilite or aptenes vnto vertue is encreaced and augmen­ted / that it sholde not be infected with [Page 120] vyces / afore that it doth playnly know / what vyce is. Furthermore / because af­ter the age of .xvi. yeres the dyuell doth laye all his ordenaunce / and vse all his engynes agaynst the soldyer of Christe. Fyrste of fleshely luste / of glotonye / and other pleasures / thā afterwardes of ambition and wrathe.Sacrament [...] of the aulter. He is than oftenty­mes amōg refreshed with strong meate / and with heuenly drynke / that he may be able with a stronge and bolde brest to receyue all the assaultes of the dyuell / bearyng Christ hymselfe and his spirite in his breste.In the olde tyme infātes receyued the sacrament of the auter, forthwith after theyr baptyme. In the old tyme / they gaue the bodye and bloude of the lorde euen vnto yonge infantes / forthwith after theyr baptyme. That custome is chaunged / and peraduenture it were expediēt / that also the custome of certayne regiōs were chaunged / in which confirmation is gyuen to infantes. For asmuche as these two sacramentes are not of abso­lute necessyte / so as baptyme is. And therfore the mothers doo well to make haste vnto the sacrament of baptyme: but those other two are gyuen more conueniently in theyr mete tyme / and they are gyuen more profytably: if to the sa­crament be added also some lytle admo­nition [Page] or counsayll.Holy ordre And to those which are chosen out to the mystical offices / by the sacrament of ordre is augmented & encreaced the gyfte of the holy ghoste / to admynistre and execute worthily and accordyngly the offyce assygned & put vnto them. Lykewyse as we rede / that [...]ctes. xiii.the handes of the Apostles were layd on Paule and Barnabas / that they myght go forth to the spredynge abrode of the gospell.i. Timot. iiii. And vpon Timothe han­des was put on by the prestes / as saynct Paule wy [...]nesseth wrytynge to hym. This much to haue touched somewhat by the waye / concernyng the sacramen­tes / it is sufficient at this tyme. It fo­loweth in the Crede. ☞The remission or forgeuenes of synnes. Noman dare entre into the kynges court beyng rag­ged and spryncled with myre and durte: much lesse than it is conueniēt that any man shold entre into holy church / beyng defyled with synnes. And therfore forth with at the very threshold and fyrste entrye of the church is gyuen a bath / that he may entre in pure and clene / whiche thyng euen in the olde tyme was obser­ued and kept by an outward ryte and ce­remonye / for the sexten of the churche [Page 121] standyng afore the churche dore / dyd sprincle and cast holy water vpon them that entred in to the churche. And the olde doctoures do referre this article vnto the grace of baptisme / by whiche all synnes are frely forgeuen. And in the Crede whiche is songen at masse / there is mencion made of baptisme and none at all of penaunce Confit [...]or [...] ­num baptis­ma ī remissionem peccat [...] ­rum. I knowledge and confesse one baptyme in to the forgeue­nes of synnes. In the symbole of Atha­nasius there is no mencion made ney­ther of baptyme neyther of penaunce / for (as I haue tolde the before) he dothe nat expoune this parte of the symbole. The diuines of more late tyme do very well vnder the name of baptyme com­prehende also penaunce / whiche sholde scasely haue founde any place or haue ben receiued in the churche / if sayncte ☞ Paule had nat commaunded / i. Cor. v. that he which had maried his fathers wyfe / sholde be delyuered to Satan / ii. Corio. ii.and anon after had cōmaunded the same agayne to be receiued into the grace & company of holy men. Amonge the people of Af­frike there was graunted but only ones retournynge agayne into the churche:The maner vsed in the chyrches of Affrike. leste the seuerite and sharpenes of the [Page] ecclesiasticall disciply [...]e & ordre / myghte ware fainte. And by the space of certay­ne hundreth yers / those that were falen into any greuouse or haynouse cryme: were caste out / and kepte from entrynge into the churche / neyther were they re­ceyued in agayne but by open cōfession / and also sharpe & longe satisfaction and penaunce. Afterwardes because of the frowardnes of rych men / which had le­uer styrre and rayse vp a scysme or diui­sion / than to submytte themselues to the churche / the remedye of penaunce was tempered and modified by the bys­shops / so that now the preste onely shold here that thynge / whiche before all the people was wont to here / whiche preste also shold remedye and heale the woun­des with farre more mylde and gentle medicines. This myldenes was not on­ly ordayned to be vsed for cause of the imbecillite and weakenes of men / but also for the custodie of symple and inno­cente persons / to whome is is expedient not to know the names of many vices. DIS. Haue there ben none erroures rysen about this article? MAG.Pelagius. Iouinianus. Pela­gius and Iouiniane dyd teache that in­fauntes neded not to be baptized / for [Page 122] that (as they thought) infantes had no spotte of synne which myght be washed away / for they sayd that original synne was in none / saue onely in Adam and Eue / but that all other men and wo­men were borne pure and clene from all maner synne / and therfore that in them baptyme was nothynge els / but [...] an ho­nourable signe and tokē / by which they myght be receyued into the adoption of sonnes / and myght be commēded to the affections and myndes of christen men. But the erroneouse opinion of these twayne the church doth refuse and condemne / folowynge the saying of Christ in the thyrd chapitre of Iohan / Ioannis .iii. vn­lesse a man be borne agayne by water & the holy ghoste / he can not entre in the kyngdome of god. And saynt Paule in the thyrde chapitour to the Romanes.Roma. iii. All men haue synned: and do nede the glorie of god. Amonge the people of A­phrike there sprong vp certayn / whiche dyd not receyue them into the commu­nion & felowshyp of the church / whiche had ben baptized of heretikes / vnlesse that they were baptized agayne of the catholyqs. And this doctrine also hath the church reiected and condemned / and [Page] hath taught / accordyng to the saying of sayncte Paule / Ephe. iiii. that there is but one baptyme / wherof any maner man maye be a minyster / all be it that he be an he­retyke or an euyll man / so that accor­dyng to the mynde of the churche he do baptyze by the inuocation and callynge on of the holy trinite / howe be it yet where as is no necessyte to the cōtrary / it is conu [...]niēt and accordyng / that baptyme be gyuē by a preste or by deacones and it is a more sure waye to washe a­gayne those which haue ben baptized of hethen men or of Iewes / but with this exception / if thou be not duely and in right maner baptyzed I do baptize the? In the same Affryke (which accordynge to the prouerbe of the Grekes / always bryngeth forthe some newe monstre) Donatiani.sprāg vp the Donatianes / which bosted that in all churches the grace of bap­tyme was fayled / saue onely in the chur­che and congregation of themselues / & therfore they preched openly / that bap­tyme dyd nothyng auayle any man / ex­cepte it were receyued agayne amonge them. But the churche accordyng to the Iohon̄ .i.testimony of Ihon̄ Baptiste / vpō whom thou shalt see the holy ghoste lyghtyng & abydynge vpō hym / this is he whiche [Page 123] baptyzed [...] hath taught that mā is no [...]e other thynge than the minyster of bap­tyme / & that it is Christe / whiche is the true authour of baptyme the vertue and strēgth wherof is of the bloud of Christ & the capacite & aptnes to receyue it is by fayth / & that neyther can it be corrupted through faute of the minister / which god doth gyue by faythe / neyther can y^t grace be cōsumed / for asmuch as it is in finite / & sufficient ynough to abolyshe & put awaye all the synnes of the worlde / althoughe there were. x. worldes farre more fylthy & synnefull than this. A fore this there were the Selencianes / which dyd not receyue the water of baptyme:Selenciani. but onely the baptym of the spirite. And there were some also / which dyd put to / & dyd vse the baptyme of fyre: because that ī the thyrd of Matheu Ihon̄ Bap­tiste doth say. Math. iii. He shall baptize you in spirite & fyre: where as by the spirite he dothe vnderstand & meane the priuye orThe spirite. secrete grace of faythe / which onely the holy ghost doth infuse or powre into m [...] nes soule / & Fyere. by fyre he vnderstondeth charite / without which faythe is deade. Of all other y^e Iewes were fyrst / whichThe Iewes. falsly taught that baptyme & fayth are not sufficiēt to the obtaynyng of helth & [Page] saluation v [...]les circumcision were put to / whose erroure was condemned of the Apostles selues / and specially of Paule:Actuum .xv. Gala. v. so that now there is no nede of ony confutation Nouatus Montanus.therof / Nouatus and Monta­nus dyd not receyue into the companye and felowshyp of the churche those per­sones / whiche after theyr baptyme had dyshonested and made heuy the churche with some haynouse and manifeste cri­me / not (as I wene) for that they dyd take awaye from suche maner men all hope of saluation / but that they myght beryue them the honoure of the felow­shyp or cōpany / to the puttynge of other men in feare of doynge the lyke / whiche thynge sayn [...]t Augustine doth wytnesse and recorde euidently of those persones / whiche after beynge ones reconciled to the church by penaūce / had falne agayn into the same / or els into lyke cryme & trespasse. Man may shytte to man the dores of the churche: but heuen no man may shytte but onely god. So in the old tyme those persones / which beynge pre­stes or deacons / had committed an eui­dent and manifeste cryme / were put out of the clergy without any hope of com­myng in agayne. The same thyng was [Page 124] done to the byshopes. But this seuerite or sharpenesse of correction also was mitigated of them that came after. Con­cernyng cōfession and satisfaction bothe there hathe ben greate stryfe in tymes passed / and also now these dayes is re­newed agayne.Nota But I doo thynke and iudge it both most surest waye / and also most mete to the sauyng and kepyng of the commune concorde / with symple obedience to folowe that thyng / which the auctorite of the church hath taught vs / that is to say according to the prouerbe of the Brekes / to bowe and lene towardes the better syde: and to abstayne and forbere from such thynges / wherof thou doste stande in doubte. Now resteth and is behynd the last part of the Symbole or crede. The risyng agayn of the fleshe. Here thou heareste the endynge of the world / whan Math. xiii. Math. xxv. good men shalbe disseue­red and sundred from euyll men / so that the wycked and vngodly persones shallApo. xxi. haue no hope to haue an ende ones of theyr payne and tourmentes / neyther the good and godly persones shall haue any sorow or greffe / no nor yet haue any feare of euyl / Roma. viii. whan also the very creature which doth now mourne with vs / [Page] shalbt delyuered and set free from all maner incommodytes or displeasures.How al thynges shall [...]e new after the resurrection. All thy [...]ges than shalbe newe / not by chaū ­gyng of theyr substaunce: but by the rea­son that theyr qualite shalbe chaunged. Fleshe.By the name of fleshe here in this par­ticle is vnderstanded and mente the bo­dy of man / by Rysynge a­gayne. rysyng agayn is mente reuiuyng and waryng lyue agayne. All the articles of the Crede in very dede are to be holdē and kept by faste and stable belefe:The article of resurrectiō of all other, is most firmely to be bele­ued. but this article most specially of all other is firmely to be beleued / which doth brynge moste chefly solace & comforte to good & vertuose men beyng in tribulation and aduersite here in this world / and also on the other seyd agayn dothe putte wycked men moste in feare and drede / which els wolde fall without measure or ende into all maner abomi­nations and synnes / if after this lyfe both good men and badde / sholde not be the one rewarded / the other ponyshed accordingly to theyr deseruynges. This is the fundation and grounde of all our whole faythe / whiche ought to be moste stronge and stable / whiche if it be loose and vnstable: al other thynges wel nere are beleued in vayn. Let the wretched [Page 125] Sadduce [...]s therfore goo theyr waye / Sadduce [...]. which in so muche do not beleue the ry­syng agayn of the bodyes: that they do neyther Math. xxii. Actuum .xxii [...] beleue that there are aungel­les / no nor yet any spiritꝭ / as who shold saye / that there were nothynge verily beyng in the nature of thynges / but onely that / which is open and perceyueable to the bodyly senses / from which senses nothing is more farre away / than is the very godhed. Fare wel they also whiche do professe / that the soules shall ryse or reuiue agayne / but the bodyes in no wyse: where as in very dede the soule (in as much as it is immortal) can no more reuiue and ware alyue agayne: than it can dye. But they do call it the resurrec­tion of soules: whan they shall be called forth to blysse / out of the secrete places / in whiche (after theyr madde dreames) they had for a certayne tyme and season lyen hydde. Fare well they also / whiche do denye / that this selfe same bodye / whiche we do beare about with vs shall reuiue and lyue agayne / but do say that to euery man shall be gyuen another body much more excellent and better than this is. But we shal not be the same mē [...] [Page] if we shall not receyue agayne the same bodyes. And I pray you what nede is it to create newe bodyes: whan god by his almyghty power is able to restore these same bodyes / to most perfyght clarite and bryghtnesse / and also to blessed immortalite? not chaungynge the sub­stance of the body: but chaungynge the qualites of the body into muche better? ChiliasteFare well also the Chiliastes / whiche of the reuelation of sayncte Ihon̄ miscon­strued and wronge vnderstonded / dyd dreame / that we shall ones reuiue and lyue agayne / and that by the space of a thowsand yeres / we shall vse and enioye plentuosly all the delicies and voluptes of this wordle. But we gyueng credence to the wordes of blessed Iob. Iob. xix. And I shalbe coumpased agayne rounde about with myne owne skynne / and in myne owne fleshe I shall see my god / whome euen I myn owne selfe shall see and not another person and also herkenyng and beleuyng sayn [...]t Paule / which wrote in this wyse. ☞ He that hath reysed vp Iesu:Roma. viii. shall rayse vp vs also with Iesu. We (I saye) vpon the faste credence and belefe of these aforereherced auctorites / do recken our selfe moste sure and out of [Page 126] doute / that all men shall reuiue and lyue agayne in the ende of the worlde / with the same bodyes / whiche they doo beare about in earth / and that they shall none otherwyse ryse agayn / than Christ hymselfe dyd ryse agayne / whiche shall con [...]forme and make lyke our bodyes to his owne body glorified. The immortalite of the bodyes / shalbe commune bothe to good men and badde men. But to the wycked ꝑsones / immortalite shall bryng or cause euerlastynge tourmentes / and to the good and godly persones / it shall brynge or cause eternal ioye and blysse. How be it yet it ought rayther & more truely to be called the eternall deathe of wycked men: than the immortalite of them. And therfore that particle euer­lastyng lyfe (whiche certayne persones haue added and put to out of the masse crede) appertayneth onely to the good & godly men / where as the word of resur­rection doth egally appertayn bothe to the good and to the badde. Howe be it yet this worde resurrectiō also is so vsed otherwhyles:Howe this word resurrection is takē other whyles in the scriptures. that it dothe appertayne onely to good men / as for example whā our lord sayth in the gospell of Ihon̄ / I Iohan. xi. am resurrection and lyfe. And Paule [Page] lykewyse seldome dothe vse this worde any where / but in the good parte. And our lorde maketh a distinction and diffe­rence of resurrections in the .v. chapi­tour of Ihon̄: sayng. And those / which haue done good workes: shall come forth vnto the resurrection of lyfe.Iohon̄. v. And those / that haue done euyll workes / vnto the resurrection of iudgement / for iudge­mente here he calleth condemnation. This thynge is more expresly sayd and spoken in the symbole of Athanasius. At whose comynge all men must ryse agayne with theyr owne bodyes / and shall rendre and gyue accompt or recke­nynge of theyr owne dedes. And those which haue wrought well / shall go into eternall lyfe / & those that haue wrought euyll: shall go into eternall fyer. So also sayth Paule in the .vi. chapitour to the Romanes.Roma. vi. The wage or hiere of synne / is deathe / but eternall lyfe is the beni­fyte and gyfte of god by Christe Iesu our lorde. He added here eternall or euer lastyng / because that lykewyse as vnto those that are damned / there shall be no hope of release / so on the other parte a­gayne the godly persones shall haue no maner feare / lest theyr felicitye and ioye [Page 127] myght be at any tyme eyther ended / or els minyshed the pleasauntnes and ioy­fulnes / wherof shall greatly be augmented and encreased by that communion and felowshyp of all holy men. For cha­rite / whiche neuer falleth awaye:i. Cor. [...]iii. shall there be moste feruente and hote. Nowe charite is no lesse gladde of other men­nes welthe and weldoynge: than of her owne. Neyther is there any cause / why we do nede here to ymagine pleasures of the body which do stand ī meate / drynk / or the fleshely company of man & womā for there shalbe than none vse or profyte of these thynges / but the bodyes shalbe spirituall / in which we shall lyue as the aungelles of god done.Mat. xxii. Now the felicite of aungels is to see the face of the father whiche is in heuen. And our lorde sayth the same in the gospel of Ihon̄.Io. xvii. This is the euerlastynge lyfe / that they maye knowe the alone / whiche are the very god: and Iesu Christ / whome thou hast sent. That knowlege begynneth here by faythe. And there it shalbe fynyshed and made full & perfyte / whan we shall be­hold & see the glorie of hym / his face be­yng clerely shewed & discouered. DIS. Are these thynges sufficyente to the [Page] purchasyng & obtaynyng of saluation: MAG. For the obtaynyng & gettyng of baptyme / these thynges are sufficient to a lay man for to beleue: but also that are learned & somewhat growne in age / [...]ught to beleue all thynges / that are expressed in the holy scriptures / or whiche are of the sayd scriptures euidently ga­thered or concluded / besydes this what so euer thyng the catholyk church hath with vniuersall and contynuall consent approued and allowed / which churche / if it haue ordayned or decreed any thing after such fasshyon: it was probable and very lykely / that eyther it was begonne of the Apostles / and so hath contynued as it were gyuen by hande from the el­ders to the yōgers / orels it was brought forth to vs out of the preuye and secrete storehouse of y^e scriptures / or els it hath ben shewed and put in theyr myndes by the inspiration of the holy ghoste accor­dingly as y^e state of tymes dyd requyre. And as touchynge to contentiouse and darke doctrine or opinions: in all suche thynges it shall be sufficient for the and suche as thou arte to professe with this ware and wyse circumspection. Concernynge these thynges / I beleue as the [Page 128] churche beleuyth. This is a more sure waye and more farre from all daunger: than boldly to affirme that thyng / wher of thou arte in doute / or which thou doest not perceyue or vnderstonde. DIS. But in [...]xtreme ieoperdye / whether it isA notable question sufficient to kepe and holde faste the be­lefe in harte and mynde / or els are we bound also to professe with our mouth? MAG.Aunswere. To this poynte sayncte Paule shall make aunswere to the for me.

☞ With the harte (saythe he) we beleue vnto ryghtuosnes:Roma. x. and with the mouth confession is made vnto helthe and sal­uation. And our lorde hymselfe threte­neth in the gospell / Math. x. Mar. viii. that he wyll not be acknowne of hym for his soldyer afore his father: who so euer shall haue ben afrayde or ashamed to professe hym afore men. But it is one thynge not to prof [...]sse / and another thynge to denye. where there is no hope of frute or good to be done / and yet the ieoperdye is ve­ry greate: it is not necessary or requisite that thou sholdeste vtter or bewray thy­selfe in such wyse / as we do rede that certayne men haue vnprouoked and vncal­led / euen of theyr owne accorde runne forth into the market / that they myght [Page] be slayne and put to deathe with other Christen men / or [...]ls that they haue ra­ged agaynste the solemne festiuytes of Paganes / not for the entente that they wolde brynge any man to Christe: but to thende that after they were slayne of them / they myght be accompted and reckened amonge martyres / Christ dyd ly­cence or graunt to his apostles no ma­ner violent defence of thēselues / agaynst wycked men: but he onely gaue thē leue to flee.Actes. xii. Actes. ix. Peter fledde out of prison / Paule fledde out of Damaske beyng let downe by a baskette of the walles. But so often tymes / as the thyng shall come to suche an exigente or pynche / that the name of our lorde Iesu is to be glorified both a­monge good men and badde men / the christen / and the hethen: than ought we all the entycementes or pleasures / & eke the feares and displeasures of the world vtterlye despysed & set at nought) chere­fully and boldly to professe that / whiche the chyrche hath taughte.Elcesaite. The doctrine and opinion of the Elcesaites is refused and condemned / whiche taught / that in the tyme of persecutiō / men myght law­fully denye Christ with wordes: so that they kept styll the syncerite of the faythe [Page 129] in theyr harte and mynde / which saying if it were true / thā dyd Peter the Apostle in vayne wepe so many teares / for that he bey [...]ge troubled with feare of dethe / had denyed his lord and mayster thries:Math. x [...]vi. whan he had not yet so muche spirituall knowledge of hym / as the lyghte of the gospell hath opened vnto vs.Tertullia [...] Tertulliā agayn to much leanyng and inclynyng to the contrary parte / doth not so much as graunt leaue to flee in persecution / saying that than to flee / is a kynd of de­nyinge Christe. And his sayinge in cer­tayne circumstancies maye be true / but doutlesse they doo lesse offende / whiche stricken with worldly feare doo denye Christ onely with theyr mouthes: than do they / whiche for temporall profytes sake / do forsake theyr captayne Christe / whose sworne soldyers they became in baptyme both with harte and also with tonge. DIS. Whan tourmentes are thretened more greuouse and paynfull than any death: what shall thā the frayltye of man do? MAG.what is to be done in the greatte stor­mes of perse­cution. Our lorde hym­selfe hath prescribed a fourme and hath set vs an exaumple / whā that excedyng feare / yrkesomnes / & agonye shall come so sore vpon vs: we shall acknowlege the [Page] weyknesse of our ouwe might & strēgth & wholly mystrustyng our owne power and ayde / we shall caste our selues flatte vpon the grounde / and with greate confidence and truste shall with wepynge / desyre and call for the helpe of the di­uyne power / nothyng consideryng how greuouse or how cruell the thynges be / that are manacyd or thretened to vs / or howe frayle our condition and state is: but consideryng and remembrynge / howe myghty / and howe mercyfull the lord is / vnder whose defence and gouernaunce we do fyght / which is not deafe whan he is called on with faith & trust / but eyther dothe delyuer from euylles / or els dothe adde and encreace strength to vs / that we may strongly and man­fully endure and suffre.Fayth is in­uincible in al maner ba­taylle. For faythe is a thyng verily inuincible in all kyndes of batayles / for there do not lacke batay­les and stryues euen amonge christen men also / to such persones / as do studye & labonre to lyue godly in Iesu Christ.ii. Timo. iii. Nowe who so euer done exercyse them­selues dayly in these lyghter & smalle [...] conflictes or skirmyshes: are at that ba­tayle founde vnafrayde / wherfore it is conuenient and mete / that the cheffest [...] [Page 130] principall study of a christen soldyer be / to quycken or styrre vp / and also to en­creace dayly the vigoure and lyuelynes of fayth.A christen [...]oldyer sholde pryncypallye study to quy [...] k [...] ̄ & encreace this fayth. DIS. By what meanes may one attayne this?The meanes wherby he may do it. M. The fyrst poynte is that / whiche the lordr dothe teache.

☞ Aske & you shall haue. But that the prayer maye not be ydle:Prayer. lette almoyse helpe / not onely outwarde almoyse / which refresheth & comforteth the body but also spirituall almoyse:Almoyse bothe corpo­rall and spi­rituall. by monys­shynge louyngly hym that is out of the ryght waye / by teachyng gentylly hym that is vnlearned / by mercyfully forge­uynge hym that hath offended or hurte the.Hearing ofte sermones Readynge of holy wrytte. Remēbraūce of Christes death. To these adde also often hearynge of sermones / and holy readynge / some­tyme the one / sometyme the other / by course / often callyng to remembraunce of the deathe of our lorde / namely whā thou haste receyued his body & bloude / finally often cōmemoration & rehersall of those men & women / whiche in tour­mentesRemēbraūce of saynctes. i. Timo. i. & diuerse kyndes of death / haue fought a good batayle or feld for Christ sake by these nouryshemētes the sparke of fayth is nouryshed / quyckened / & en­creased. D. Good syr / I do gyue thākes to the [...]pirite of Christe / whiche by the [Page] instrument of your tonge / hath vouche­safed to teache me so meruaylouse philosophye and wysdome: except there be yet any whyt more remaynynge behynde. MAG. There remayneth not much behynde that I may teache: but perad­uenture there resteth behynd somewhat wherof I may admonysh the / if thou be not yet waxē wery / how be it this thyng haue I done all redy hertofore / by the way. DIS. I verily by hearyng a ly­tle and a lytle do waxe more thrusty and desyrouse to here. MAG. Than that that resteth behynde: we shall put to / at our nexte commynge together.

The .vi. instruction.

DISCIPLE. I Am comen agayne now / lo­kynge and longynge for the laste messe of this moste deli­cate and swete feaste. MA. This resteth or remayneth behynde to confirme eche thyng contaytayned in the Crede / with diuerse testi­monies of bothe testamentes. For there is nothynge taught herein / which was not many thousand yeres agoo diuersly shadowed by the figures of the lawe of Moyses / and also shewed or told before [Page 131] by the oracles of the prophetes / ye and certayn thynges also were euidently ex­pressed. As for exaumple / that there are not manye goddes / and that of one god this world was created / for who so euer euen afore the lawe gyuen / dyd lyue vertuosly & godly / dyd worshyp onely one god the creature of all the worlde.Math. xi. Prophecie ended in Iohan Baptiste. Now the gyfte of prophecie resteth & ceassed in Iohon̄ Baptiste / as in the ioynynge together of bothe lawes / whose fortune it was / that whome other prophetes as it were through a myst dyd shew a farre of for to come: hym he shewed present / poyntyng hym with his fynger. But of all prophetes the moste sure and vndowtedly true prophete was our lorde to his owne selfe / fullfyllynge with his dedes / & declarynge that which was shadowed by the obscure sayinges and figures of of the olde lawe / amonge the people / in parables / and among his disciples somtyme couertly sometyme openly. His diuine nature he shewed with workes and dedes / rayther than expressed it with wordes. And who shold euer haue vnderstonde / that by the brasen serpente / whiche was hanged vp on a stake was shadowed and figured Christ crucified:Numeri. xxi. [Page] if our lorde hymselfe had not vouchesa­fed to expounde & declare it?Iohan. iii. Iohan. ii. That say­inge of his louse you a sondre this tem­ple / and within .iii. dayes I wyll rayse it agayne / was not vnderstanden not of his owne disciples: vntyll after his re­surrection. Moreouer who wolde haue demed / that Ione .ii. Ionas which was deuoured of a whale / & was cast forth agayne alyue on the thyrde daye dyd prefigure the buryal & the resurrection of Christ.Math. xii. And whan the tyme of his death drewe somewhat nere: he gaue his disciples openly monition and knowlege afore / that he shold be delyuered to the Gentiles / to be mocked / & nayled on a crosse:Math. xx. but he comforteth the same agayn / promysinge / that he wolde ryse agayne on the thyrde daye.Iohan. xxvi. So lykewyse afore his death / he tolde them somewhat darkely of his ascension: but after his resurrec­tion he tolde them agayne of the same more euidently.Luce. xxiiii. In lyke maner he tolde them before Math. xiii. Luce. xiii. that the mustarde sede / that is to saye / the fayth of the gospell / from very small begynnynges shold be spredde abrode throughe out the whole worlde / & also shewed them before / Iohan. xv. & xvi. that shold chaunce & betyde the preachers of [Page 132] the gospell.Math. xxi. This thynge also he tolde them before that the religion of the Iewes sholde be taken awaye and des­troyed / and the religion of the gospell translated / & conuayed to the Gentiles the Iewes styll contynuynge & remay­nyng in theyr darke blyndenesse / vntyll that at mete & conu [...]nient tyme (accor­dyng to the prophecie of saynct Paule)Roma .xi. ☞ of the Iewes & Geutiles sholde be made one folde vnder the onely hedepa­pastour Christ.Iohan. x. Neither dyd he so much as hyde this from them that the chyrch sholde in tyme afterward to come be as­sayled with dyuerse heresies:Math. xxiiii. but not ouerthrowne / what nede me to make many wordes: seynge that all thynges hytherto haue so chaunced & comen to passe / as they were prophecied & fore­said / to doute now than any whyt of the laste iudgemente / and of the rewardes of good men and of wycked men / se­meth to be a poynte of extreme blynde­nesse / we do gyue credence to a diuyner or sothesayer / if he haue tolde vs .iii. or .iiii. tymes before the trouthe as it hath after folowed: and to hym that in so many thynges and so vnbeleueable af­ter the iudgemente of man / hathe all [Page] wayes ben founde true of his sayinges / shall we not nowe gyue credence in one thynge that is behynde? But this part / for asmuch as it belōgeth to the Iewes and Paganes more than to christē men and hath also ben dilygently wryten & taughte of Tertullian and Ciprian: at this tyme I wyll passe ouer it / beynge cōtent as it were with a fynger to haue shewed and poynted to the fountaynes / out of which thou mayst draw vp these thynges / if it please the. Nowe resteth behynd the admonition and coūsaylle / that we may lyue well and a ryght ac­cordyng to the ryght fayth.Faythe is of a fyre nature alwayes do­ynge. A similitude. Fayth is a thynge of a fyery nature / where so euer it is / it is not ydle / but lykewyse as in a laumpe the oyle fedeth and norysheth the flamme / lest it be quenched and go out / so doo the workes of charite fede & nouryshe faythe / that it do not fayle or dye.Fayth bryn­gethe forthe good workes and is nou­ryshed agayn of them. Fayth gēdreth and bryngeth forth good workes / but they agayne of theyr parte do nouryshe theyr parente or mo­ther. And therfore dyd the lyghte fayle and goo out in the laumpes of the foo­lyshe virgines: be [...]ause there wāted the oyle of good workes.Math. xxv. And all be it the rule & fourme of good lyuynge is wont [Page 133] to be fet out of al the bokes of holy scripture / yet for all that in this symbole or Crede / howe so euer shorte it is / there is contayned the hole philosophie of ly­uyng well & vertuosly / neyther is there any vertue / vnto which it dothe not in­structe vs / neyther is there any vyce / agaynst which it doth not arme or fence the mynd of man. In this short Crede is con­tayned the whole philo­sophie of ly­uynge well [...] vertuosly. i. Pet. v. For the dyuel wal­keth about through the fold of the churche / as it were a roryng lyon sechynge whome he myghte deuoure / whome sayncte Peter byddeth vs resyste beyng stronge and bolde / not with confidence and truste of workes or of our owne strength: but in fayth. DIS. you haue armed me with fayth: now you do cha­ritably / whan you teache a yonge sol­dyer to vse his armoure. MAG. Our lord hymselfe taughte vs / that all the preceptes of the lawe are summaryly & generally contayned in this one.Matth. xxii.

☞ Thou shalte loue thy lord god with all thyne harte / with all thy soule / and with all thy powers: and thy neygh­bour as thyne owne selfe. But no man can loue god aboue all thynges: except that he do beleue / that there is nothyng more beautyful or fayrer / nothyng bet­ter / nothyng [Page] more true / nothyng more amiable or louely / than he. For who so euer beleueth that any other thyng be [...]syde hym / is eyther better / or els egall to hym: that man doth not beleue that he is god. He therfore that hathe caste hymselfe whole vpon god: can loue no­thyng / but that which he doth loue for goddes sake / neyther can f [...]are anyethynge / but that whiche he fearethe for goddes sake. And euen forthwith with this begynnynge * Credo in deum. I beleue in god: are cutte awaye / or at the leaste wyse are mitigated & aswaged all the desyres of the fleshe: to any of which if thou dost obey / despisyng and not re­gardyng the commaundemētes of god / it is euydēt & playne / that thou makest to thyselfe another god / what so euer thynge this is that thou preferreste a­fore god.Math. vi. Luce. xiiii. Our lorde whan he dothe call god / & mammon or ryches / two lordes contrarye the one the other: he dothe as it were compare & matche two goddes to gether / & sayncte Paule calleth coue­tousenes / that is to saye loue & desyre of money / idolatrye.Ephe. v. The same Paule no­teth & rebuketh them / that are gyuē to lucre of money & to the pleasures or profy [...]es [Page 134] of the body with a slaunderous reporte / whose belye (saythe he) is theyr god.Philip. iii. The same agayne wrytyng to the Corinthians calleth the dyuel / the god of this worlde / nor for that he is in very dede a god or a lorde: but for that he is both a lord & a god to them / which des­pisyng the very lord god do gyue them [...]selues to hym into seruitute & bondage. And that / which hath ben sayde of aua­rice & y^e desyre of money or ryches: the same is to be thought & iudged of al vi­ces / namely capitale & deadly.Apostasie. Aposta­sie / that is to say forsakynge or goynge away / is a slaunderous & a rebukefull worde amonge christen men / and not without a cause doutlesse (for if among them / which are nought els but mē / the name of a rebel or a runne away or traitoure be abominable: howe much more shame & rebuke is it / willingly w [...]thout cause / to go away from such a capitayn to whome we are bounden with so ma­ny sacramētes / with so many gyftes / so many bondes / not vnto his better / or to his egall or pere / but frō the best capy­tayn of all / to the very worst of al [...] & the eares of al christē mē wel nere do abhor­re the name of Apostata / but wolde god [Page] the mynde of them dyd lykewyse ab­horre and hate the thynge selfe.Thre maner of ordinaūce wherwith the dyuell go [...]th aboute to ouerthrow and vayn­queshe vs. Nowe the dyuell for the moste parte fyghteth agaynst vs / & goeth about to ouercome vs / with thre maner engynes or ordy­naunce / that is to wyt / ignorance / hope of commodites [...] and feare of the contraryes. But pure faythe (as it hathe ben sayd heretofore) putteth away all darknesse or blyndenesse of the mynde / but neyther flatterynge hope dothe begyle / neyther gastfull feare dothe cause hym to shrynke / or moue a fo [...]e from his good purpose: whiche hath set all his whole truste in god.Faythe and sure truste in god: putteth by all maner t [...]mtations. Howe sore doth it vexe and trouble some mennes myndes the loue and desyer to knowe thynges after to come [...] One man wysheth or de­syreth longe lyfe / and hateth deathe / he counsayleth with astronomers and calkers of mennes natiuites. But he that dothe verily beleue and truste in god / beyng carelesse and without feare / saythe with sayncte Paule. Philip. i. To me Christ is lyfe: and death is auauntage. Another man hath a shyp frayghted or laden with costly merchaundyse / he as­keth counsayll of astronomers: but the godly man sayth. God send this b [...]age [Page 135] to be prosperouse and luckye [...] if he shall iudge it to be expedient for me: if not: that which he shall gyue me for this dā ­mage and losse: is better than all wares Another man is payned and oppressed with sycknes: and sendeth for an in­chaunter: the vertuose man saythe. He is my lorde / he is my father / let hym scourge me euen as it shall please hym­selfe: so that he wyll acknowlege me for one of his sonnes: and inheritoures of eternall felicite. Breflye that man fea­reth but smally / what so euer fearfull thyng is in this lyfe / which doth truely feare hym / that maye whan he is offen­ded and displeased Math. x. send both body and soule into hellfyre. He doth but lyghtly and smally hope for the commodites of this worlde: whiche doth consydre and remembre / that god after this transito­rye and brefe lyfe doth promyse lyfe eternall. And who is so madde / that he wyll despyse or proudely disdayne any man: if he do considre that hymselfe whole is lesse in comparison vnto that vnspea­keable magesty of god than is a gnatte in comparison to an elephant? Or how can he despyse that man as vyle: whom Christe no foolyshe merchaunt / hathe [Page] vouchesafed to raunsome & bye agayne with his owne bloude? If it be a gaye and an excellent thyng / to haue the be­neuolence and fauoure of a prynce: this is the prynce of princes. If it be a daū ­gerouse thyng to runne into the displeasure & wrath of a kyng: this is the kyng of kynges and lord of all lordes.Apo. xix. Many men are sadde and heuye: for that they are commen of a lowe & a pore stocke or kyndred: but fayth comforteth them a­gayn / tellyng them / that those men are truely noble & gentlemen: whome god dothe acknowledge for his sonnes and heyres / & of whome he is gladde to be called father. Other agayne are made proude & hyghmynded by the reason of theyr noble & worshypfull auncesters: but faythe shewethe them that there is one commune father of all men / afore whome there is no dyfference betwen a prynce & a page / betwen a pore man & a rych man / betwen a bonde man & a free man. The more that euerye man is for vertuose lyuynge accepted & in fauoure with hym: the more noble: the more myghty: & the more ryche he is. This onely lord doth Christe shewe vnto vs: whome we sholde worthily feare. This [Page 136] onely father he doth shew to vs: whome we sholde loue / whome without any re­systence & gyueng many wordes agayn we sholde obey / whome as sonnes / not bastarde / or goynge out of kynde / we sholde countrefayte and folowe. Be you (saith Christ) perfyte / lykewyse as your heuenly father is perfyte / Math. v. whiche cau­seth his sonne to ryse vpon bothe good and badde folke: & sendeth downe rayne both vpon the ryghtuose & vnrightuose Those men that haue abundaunce and plentye of the cōmodites of this world / as ryches: honours: nobilite: power: beaulty: & suche other thynges: whiche are wonte to cause the mynde to swell and ware proude: to them theyr pryde is anone tourned into feare / if they do consydre to what lorde they are det [...]ers for all these thynges: in whose handes & power it lyeth whan so euer he lyste to take away frō vnkynd persones; what so euer thynge he hath gyuen to kynde persons: & to whome they do know that accōptes must be gyuen of euery parti­culare thyng / and of whome they maye here forthwith these wordes * why or wherof art thou proude / thou that arte noughte / but earthe a [...]d asches?

[Page]Why art thou so ioly / and makest thou it so gaye with other byrdes fethers? Why dareste thou despyse thy neygh­boure as a vyle caytyfe: which hath the same father / and the same lord / that thy selfe hast? Why dost thou disdayne hym as a bondeman: seynge that he is rede­med and boughte with the same pryce / for whiche thyselfe was raunsomed? Why settest thou lyght by hym and des­pysest hym as pore / of whom the father hath care and mynde / which is the lord of all thynges? Were they pore men: to whome the Apostle wryteth. i. Cor. iii. Al thynges are yours / & you are Christes owne Why doeste thou set hym at nought as pore which is ascribed and called to the inheritaunce of the eternall lyfe: as wel as thyselfe / yea and which peraduēture shall in this poynte be preferred / & haue preeminence afore the? For in the gos­pell it is sayd agaynst ryche men / of the pore men / Luc [...]. xvi.that they may receyue you into theyr euerlastynge tabernacles or dwellynge places. He whome thou ke­peste vndre as a bondemā / is thy felow seruaunt. He whome thou despysest as vyle borne / is thy brother / he whome thou regardest not / as beynge pore and [Page 137] frendeles: hath aungelles minystrynge and doyng seruice to hym. Thou beyng proude of the palace / doste mocke and skorne the vyle & homelye cotage of the pore man: but for that pore man / the cō ­mune father of you both / hath buylded the palace of the whole worlde / for his cause do the startes shyne / for his cause do the celestial spheres or circles moue and tourne rounde / for his cause dothe the earth bryng forth her frutes / as wel as for the. After this maner hath one & the same faythe caused and broughte to passe / that neyther the prosperite of this worlde can cause vs to be wanton and proude: neyther [...]uersite can make vs to despayre. And who so euer dothe be­leue / that there is a god gouernynge all thynges: that man beleueth that he is more present to eche one of vs / than any man is present to hymselfe / and that he doth more exactely and perfytly see and beholde the secrete corners of our harte / than we do at none dayes see any body beyng set afore our eyes: How than can it be / but that man / whether he be in darkenes: or els in lyght / or whether he be alone / or els with many in company / shall with much drede and muche reue­rence [Page] so ordre his workes & dedes / leste there myght be any thynge / that sholde offende and dysplease the eyes of his fa­ther / and lord / and also his iudge?The whole world / is the tēple of god. This whole worlde is the temple of god / in whiche he sytteth as hede and ruler. If than it be so / that we are ashamed in a temple of s [...]one to do any thynge vnho­nest or vnsemely / with how much more reuerence and drede oughte we to occu­pye our selfe in this temple? There are dyuerse and sondrye dartes and wea­pons / wherwith that tyraunte the dy­uell goeth about to wounde vs: but a­gaynst them all this onely shelde is suf­ficient: * Credo in deum. I beleue in god. If he do stryke at y^e with the darte of pryde:Pryde. caste forth agaynste hym the shelde I beleue in god / whiche howe greatly he dothe hate proude myndes / he hath declared in Lucifer. If he doth prycke the with wrathe to vengeaunce: make aunswere wrathe. I beleue in god / whiche hath reserued and kept to hym­selfe the auctorite and ryghte of doynge vengeaunce saying.Rom. xii. Deute. xxxii. Enuye. Uengeaunce or po­nyshement is myn / and I wyll requyte / If enuye dothe brenne thy mynde: saye [Page 138] ☞ I beleue in god / which distributeth his giftes to euery man as he lyste hym self / why shold I enuye my brother and felowe seruaunt the liberalyte & bounty of our commune father and lorde? How muche more ryght and reason is it that I shold gyue thankes to my father and lorde for two causes? bothe for that he hathe gyuen so manye thynges to me aboue my deseruynge / and also for that he dothe gyue these thynges to me by my brother / for what so euer thynge is gyuen to any one of the membres / that same thynge is both the vauntage / and also the anouramēt of the whole body.Auarice. If auarice dothe tempte and prouoke the to dysceyte and rauine or extorsion sayinge / on lesse thou dost make haste to gather goodes by hooke or crooke / by ryghte or wronge, thou shalt be oppres­sed with pouerty in thyne age / thy chyl­dren shall begge: make aunswere / I wyll not do it for Math. vi [...] Lucc. xii. I beleue and truste in god that he the which fedeth the spa­rowes / whiche clotheth and couereth the lylyes of the feldes: shall not suffre his owne souldyer to starue and pe­tyshe for hungre.Glotony. If concupiscence shall [Page] prouoke the to e [...]cesse and superfluite of meate or drynke and suche other: saye / god forbede that I shold do this / ☞ for I truste or beleue in god / whose lybera­lite and bounty hath graunted me these thynges / not to glotony and intempe­rance: but to sobre and measurable vse / what so euer parte hereof is bestowed vpon the fullfyllyng and satisfyenge of concupiscence: it is thefte / it is rauyne / yea moreouer it is sacrilege / it is idola­trye / what so euer remayned aboue my necessaries it was the goodes of pore mē / it was due to the mēbres of Christ / and that it is bestowed on drunkennes and surfeyte: is in the contempte & dys­honoure of god offred in sacrifice to de­uylles. If fleshely luste doth prouoke the to fornication and adultery:Lechery. refuse and defye it: saying. ☞ I beleue in god the father / to whose eyes these thynges are displesaunte. I wyll neuer do so lewedly that for so lytle a pleasure I wyll les [...] the inheritaunce of the heuenly ioyes / & the securite and quietnesse of a good and clere conscience. He is a foolyshe mer­chaunte / which wyll alowe such maner exchaunge. If I wolde be ashamed to commytte any such synne / if my earthly [Page 139] father were present to loke on me: howe much more ought I to feare the eyes & syght of that heuenly father? Nowe if we do come to Christ / which hath more familiarly set forth afore vs the ensaumple of vertuose & godly lyfe: what parte is there of the christiane philosophie / whiche we maye not sufficiently learne hereof? who wolde not be kendled to the loue of virginite and chastite: whan he heareth that Christ was borne of a vir­gine / which also in his owne body hath commended virginite to vs? Who wold not be ashamed to defyle wedlocke with adulteries / or in wedlocke to serue the fleshely luste: whan he considereth and calleth to mynde the wedlocke of Mary and Ioseph more chaste than all virgi­nite?The hygh [...] dignite of the nature of man. Besydes this / whan he shall consi­dre and thynke / that so muche honoure hath ben gyuen to the nature of man / that it hath ben receyued to the compa­ny and felowshyp of the diuine persone in Christe / and that it doth sytte on the ryght hande of the father: sholde he not be afrayde to caste downe hymselfe to beastly pleasures of glotony & lecherye? The aungelles do acknowledge and do worshyp the mystery / as sayncte Peter [Page] doth wytnesse in the fyrste chapitour of the fyrst epistle. And therfore in the .xix. chapitoure of the Apocalipse / whan S. Iohan fell downe on his knese to wor­shyppe the aungell: the aungell forbad hym saying. See that thou do not so / I am thy felowe seruaunte / and of thy brothern hauyng the testimonie of Ie­su / but afore the incarnation of Christe / the same was not sayde lykewyse to A­braham or to Daniell: whan they wor­shypped an aungell. In as muche than as aungelles do confesse and acknowle­ge the dignite of the nature of mā: how vnworthy and howe vilaynouse a dede is it / to defowle it with the moste vyle fylthe of vyces and synnes? Why do we not rayther herken to sayncte Peter ex­hortynge vs in this wyse.ii. Pet. i. By whome he hath gyuen to vs preciouse and most greate promysses / that by reason herof we sholde be made parttakers of the di­uine nature: if that we wyl flee from the corruptiō / that is in the world through concupiscence and lust. Furthermore he that with pure & whole fayth doth pro­fesse hym to be lord & owner: howe dare he be bold to steale any part of hymselfe from hym / & gyue it to the dyuell / in as [Page 140] much as he is whole his owne / to whōe he dedicated & gaue hymselfe whole in baptyme? He that professeth hym to be Iesu: why doth he seche for saluation or helth of any other thyng / than of hym? He that professeth Christe moste soue­rayng kyng & prest: with what face doth he despyse & make lyghte of his lawes? with what face doth he suffre that bles­sed and honourable sacrifice to be offred for hymself in vayn: which Christ wold to be frutefull & helthfull to all mē? The sonne of god for thy loue was made mā / to the entent that he wold make the of a mā a god / & doist thou in despyte of hym make thyselfe of a man a creature more vyle & worse than any brute beaste? Be­syde this / what other thynge is all the lyfe / y^e death / & the resurrectiō of Christ than a moste pure and clere myrrour or glasse of the euāgelical philosophy.The lyfe of Christ is the myrroure of all vertues. Obedience. Obedience is hyghly cōmended & praysed / & not without good cause: this without exceptiō is fyrste & principally due to god. Christ was obediente to his father euen vnto death / & that y^e death of the crosse.Philip. i [...]. Next after god it is due to y^e parētꝭ.Luce. ii. He was made obedient & subiect to thē: whā he was not ꝑceiued & vnderstōden of thē. [Page] Some obediēce also is due to them that beare any cōmune office / although they be euyll men: he dyd not withdraw hym selfe from iudgement / but Math. xxvi. whan Cai­phas demaunded a question of hym / re­quyryng aunswere therof in goddes be­halfe: he made aunswere / and certayne aunswers Iohan. xviii. and .xix. Luce. xxiii. he made also to Pilate. Herode he dyd not greatly regarde to aunswere / for asmuche as he dyd not there beare any commune offyce or au­thorite / but dyd onely for his pleasure & myndes sake goo about to haue gotten some miracle wrought of hym.Math. iiii. Satan the tempter he dyd reiecte in al poyntes Luce. iiii. of the vnclene spirites he dyd not so muche as suffre to be praysed. It is a greate vertue to dyspise humane and worldly glorie:Despysynge of prayse & vayn glorie. he although he was god yet bare the person / and playde the part of a seruaunte or bondeman in earthe / Iohan. vi. whan a kyngdome was offred to hym he refused it / the glorie of his doctrine & of his miracles he referred whole to his father. The vertue of charite is to hurt no man / and to do good to all men.Charite. All his doctrine / his doynge of miracles all to gether / to be shorte / his whole lyfe / was nought ellys but benefycēcie & wel [Page 141] doyng towardꝭ all men: he neuer sought those thynges that were for his owne profyt or pleasure: but he spēt his owne selfe whole / vpon the profyte of other men. This was that onely whole bren [...] sacrifice and most pleasaunt and accep­table to god. How feruent a sayinge of charite was that whan he sayd. ☞ I am come to send fyre into the earth and what els doo I wyll or desyre than that it shold be kendled and brenne?Luce. xii. I haue a baptyme wherwith I must be baptized: and howe am I troubled and vexed in my mynde to haue it finyshed & brought to an end?Iohn̄ .xv. No man (sayth he) hath greater charite or loue than to spend his lyfe for his frendes: he not onely spente his lyfe / but also suffred the ignominie and shame of the crosse / and that for his ene­myes also / with his laste wordes Luce. xxiii. praying for them / by whome he was put on the crosse / & with whose blasphemouse wordes he was scorned & reuyled / euen in the tyme of his paynfull suffrynge. And yet for all that dyd not the lord say vntruely / for whan he sayde * no man hath greater charite he spake of the charite and loue that is in man. There are tolde and recited in bokes / raither than [Page] are beleued certayn exaumples of excel­lent loue and frendshyp that hathe ben betwen men as of one frende that hath put hymselfe in daūgyer and ieoperdye of his lyfe for another frend / but the charite and loue that Christe had / passeth all maner charite of men / for that was an heuenlye: and not an earthlye fyre / which y^e holy ghost dyd kendle and not naturall affection: and are not we asha­med to be called Christen men / whiche not onely doo spende our lyfe for the sa­uyng of our frendes: but also for a small profyte or auauntage / with disceytes / lyes / & periuryes / do begyle our neygh­boure / with violence doo spoyle & robbe hym / with false accusations do brynge hym into daunger of his lyfe?Despysynge of ryches. Coue­tou [...]nes or loue of rychesse is a cōmune vyce / as the contempte and despisynge of ryches is an excellēt and a syngulare vertue. But who was more naked and more pore in this world: than he / which had not where Math. viii. Math. xxii. he myght so muche as reste and laye downe his hede? whiche knewe not the coyne of the emperoure? (I speake as touchynge his manhede) whose clothes (which spoyle was onely Iohan. xix.left) was distributed and parted among [Page 142] the soldyers? I do not saye these thyn­ges / for that men sholde seche for payn­full and greuouse pouer [...]y: but for tha [...] it is a shame and a fowle thyng to hym that hath professed Christe / to take po­uerty so vnpatiently / that he sholde crye out and call hymselfe therfore many ty­mes a wretch and a caytyfe. Why shol­deste thou be ashamed of pouerty / which is commune to the with Christ the lord of all thynges? Or why dothe any man lesse esteme or regarde his neyghbour for pouertyes sake / and dothe not ray­ther worshyppe in hym the lykenesse of the lorde? Wrath or desyre of vengeaūce is a tyrannicall affection. It is an harde thynge to wyll well to hym / whiche hathe minyshed thy substaunce / whiche hath gone about to take away thy good name or thy lyfe. But this thynge shall be made more easye to the / Pacience. if thou haue respecte and do loke vnto that pure vn­spotted lambe / whiche was so rayled on with so many reuylyng wordes / so ma­ny wayes layde in wayte for / to make short / was boundē / bespytted / buffeted / & vexed with all maner mockes & scornes / & hāged on a crosse betwen .ii. theues: & yet neither with any word neither with [Page] any countenaunce or sygne euer gaue any signification or betokenynge of an angry mynde / neyther spake any other thyng than wordes of most feruent cha­rite and myldenesse.Christe after his resurrec­tion appered onely to his disciples and frendes After his resurrec­tion also he appered onely to his disci­ples and frendes / to the entente that he wolde bothe take away theyr heuynes / and also confirme and establyshe theyr fayth / he shewed hymselfe to none of the other / vpbrayding and castyng in theyr tethe the purposes and enforcementes of theyr wycked myndes disapoyntyng and saying. I am he / whome you haue wrongefully condemned / whome you haue reuyled / whome you haue coueted in suche wyse to be destroyed / that there shold not remayne so much as any syg­ne or token of an honest remembraūce. I am now alyue in spyte of all your te­thes. But what dyd he? He charged & commaunded his apostles / that euen to those same / of whome he had ben cruel­ly and vngoodly handled / they sholde preache the grace of the gospell / that is to say / by fayth in Christe free forgeue­nesse of all synnes / and euerlastyng lyfe in the worlde to come. This lyfe bryn­geth with it many grefes and incommodites. [Page 143] If we do suffre them patiently for the lordes sake:To suffr [...] with Christ. we doo suffre to gether with hym / but much more / if we do suf­fre affliction vnworthily for ryghtous­nesse and vertue. If we do practyse this dayly / that the desyres of the fleshe may without rebellion obey the spirite / we do learne to dye with Christe.To dye with Christe. If beyng departed from this world / not so much in body as in affection / we doo come at that perfection / we are buried to gether with Christ.To be bury­ed with christ If by baptyme from deade workes (that I maye vse Paules wor­des) we beyng ones clensed from al spottes doo walke from hence forwarde in newenesse of lyfe / not onely not rollyng agayne into the myer / from whiche we were made clene / but also hastyng to perfection by all degrees of vertues / To ascende with Christ. than do we ryse agayne with Christe / whiche raysed from deathe dothe / no more dye / whan by these meanes daylye in vs the contempte and despisynge of earthlye thynges doth encreace / and therwith also doth encreace the desyre of the heuenly lyfe / than do we with hym ascende in­to heuen / with the fete of our bodyes treadyng on the earth / but with the af­fections and desyres of the harte beyng [Page] conuersaunt in heuen / in suche wyse or­deryng all our thoughtes / & after suche maner temperynge and disposynge all our dedes & workes / as though we dyd lyue in the syght & presence of god / & in the company of all saynctes / as in very dede we doo. Nowe are we come to the holy ghost / whiche after the doctrine of sayncte Paule / is the geste and inhabi­ter of godly myndes / whiche hath con­secrated for a temple vnto his owneselfe That man / that doth beleue this: howe is it possible / that he shold not be afrayd to pollute the temple of god? (for it is polluted euen with vnclene thoughtes: also althouh the dede be away) and such an amiable and louely tenaunt or geste dryuen out / to make of the temple of god a stable or lodgynge of the dyuell?without concorde there is no holynesse, nor felicite. Christen concorde is greatly commen­ded / without which there is no religion or holynesse / no felicite or welthe. Of this concorde haste thou a perfyte ex­aumple in the father / the sonne / and the holy ghoste [...] Another exaumple nexte to it / haste thou in the name of the church: whiche is knyt to gether with so many bondes / hauyng but one god / one father all one lawes / one baptyme / all one the [Page 144] same sacramentes / the same spirite / and waytyng & lokyng after all one / and the same inheritaūce. In this church if any man cōtynue: although he haue fallen / he hath many of whom he may be hol­pen vp agayne [...] neyther can he lyghtly miscary or peryshe / hauynge so manye thousandꝭ of intercessoures praying for hym. Those shepe that kepe themselues within the walles or cōpasse of the fold: are in lesse daunger of the wolf. But be­cause here in this world we haue conti­nuall stryffe & batayl with our aduersa­rye: we must walke warely & wysely ac­cordyng to the lawes prescribed & set o [...] our capitayne & lord / to the obseruyng & kepyng of which / for asmuch as our imbecillite & weakenesse is nothyng suffy­cient of it selfe / we must with cōtynuall prayer beseche & desyre heuenly helpe / which is redy to all men / if a mā do aske & desyre it feruētly: if cōtinually / if with a tremblyng & a reuerent fayth & truste. To bothe these we shall be more mete / fyrste if we do referre all that belongeth to vs vnto god / as the fountayne and authour. Secōdarely if we do accustome and wonte our selues to haue respecte not to y^e particular persones / but to the [Page] whole vniuersall company or congregation of the churche. If we wyll do the former of these two thynges / in al pros­perouse thynges / and suche as come to passe accordyng to our myndes / we shall gyue thankes to god / and if any aduer­syte shall chaūce vs (whyles we do take it paciently / as a thyng sen [...]e of god / ey­ther to amende vs / or els to trye & proue vs) the outwarde euyll or grefe shall be tourned to vs into very good or profyte I shall gyue the an euident exaumple. Thy corne cometh vp prosperously in the feldes / here the pagane wyll prayse his owne policie and laboure / he wyll prayse the temperate and sesonable we­ther of that somer. But a christen man / lykewyse as if he had receyued all these thynges of the hande of god / he gyueth thankes to his bountuose father / which with so greate largenesse and liberalite doth prouyde for his sonnes & seruaun­tes. And if any good thyng be gyuen or done to vs by men / we shall acknowlege the goodnesse of the lorde / whiche hath gyuen to this man that he is both wyl­lynge / and also able to do it. Agayne if any grefe or displeasure and hurte haue chaunced to vs by men / and as we do [Page 145] thynke of wrake or vengeaunce / it doth come to our mynde and remembraunce / it is better to suffre this iniurye paciently / lest if he be prouoked he do me grea­ter hurte or displeasure / he may beynge my frende recompence me this harme & damage with much encreace and auaū ­tage: peraduenture we do so deserue som prayse of worldly wysdome / but no prayse at all of godlynesse / but if we do thynke thus to our selues / the lord doth by this mannes malyce scourge me / for his loue I wyl suffre this vexatiō what so euer it be: by this meane bothe shall we be lesse angry with our neyghboure: and also we shall be made more redy to the amendement of our lyfe / than to re­uengynge of the iniurye done to vs. Brefly worldly and carnall affections or desyres shall haue the lesse tyrannye in vs / the violence of whiche is wont to plucke vs and carye vs awaye from the obseruation and fulfyllynge of goddes lawes / to synnefull and wretched dedes. Our mynd is therfore to be accustomed and wonted / that in all thynges / whe­ther it be prosperite or aduersite: it may forthwith sette her eyes fas [...]e towardes god. Nexte thyng to this is / that in our [Page] mynde we doo considre and beholde the vniuersall churche / as one body vnder one hed Christe. By this meane it shall be brought to passe / that bothe we shall be the lesse greued with our harmes & incommodites / if we shall call to remembraunce & reken / that we do suffre them for many and with many. And also we shall reioyce more of other mennes good fortune and welthe / than of our owne / neyther shall we haue enuye at any mā: if we shall considre / that it is our owne / what so euer good thyng the felowshyp or company of the church hath. Finally god shall here our prayers the more gladly and wyllyngly: if we shall not euery man doo proprelye and seuerallye his owne busynesse / but shall aske and desyre cōmune profyte and furthraunce to his honoure and glorie. For charite is the thynge / that is most acceptable & pleasaūt to god i. Cor. xiii. but she doth not seche those thynges that are her owne: but those thynges that are Iesu Christes / now the churche is the body of Christe. By this meane shall it come to passe / that our lorde beynge delyted with thy charite / shall gyue the euen the same thyng which thou woldest haue desyred [Page 146] proprely & particularely for thyne owne selfe / more largely and plentuosly / than if thou haddeste asked it onely for thy­selfe. This consideration if it shall be tourned by often vse and custome into an habyte: it shall so enlarge and com­forte our mynde / that it shall not be of­fended with euery maner thynge / ney­ther shall it stond styll at small offenses / neyther whan it sholde doo a benefyte shall it nyggardly counte and recken / he is a french man: and I am an almayne he is a vyle rascalle: and I am a noble man / he sayd this or that not long agoo by me: but shall cherefully and gladly gyue a benefyte / as to the membre of Christe / as to one that is christen / as to one that is a man. DISCIPLE. If it sholde not be any payne or grefe to you: I wolde very gladly learne this also of you / which are the principal and chefe lawes / accordyng to which (as vnto the rule or lyne) a man ought to di­recte and ordre his workes / and also which is the beste sourme and maner of prayinge.The .x. com­maundemen­tes of the law MAG. The .x. preceptes of goddes law are knowne to euery man / neyther can any man teache any better preceptes than those whiche god hym­selfe [Page] hath gyuen or taught / neyther can there any better fourme and maner of prayer be prescribed 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 [...]uangelicall vertue and holynes. But as for the other preceptes or cōmaundementes: the gos­pell dothe none otherwyse delyuer and make vs free from them / saue that by [Page 147] 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 cō ­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 [Page] 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 pleasa [...]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 a [...]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 [Page 148] 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 a [...]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 cō ­maundemēt. ☞Thou shalt not haue any straūg 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 [Page] 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 craf [...]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 secre [...]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 [Page 149] art called magia naturalis / and whiche do greatly esteme and regarde the iudi­ciall astronomye. It belongethe to the christian religion and holynes / to flee 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 appertay­ne [...]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 chyldrē 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 [Page] or workes.Tite. i. DIS. Why are they not than ponyshed as idolaters? MA. Because partely the fraylte and wea­kenes belongynge to the nature of man doth excuse them / and partely the greate multitude of them that do offende: but especiallye because it is a verye harde thynge for vs to iudge of the mynde of mā.Nota. But who so euer all theyr lyfe tyme of a set purpose doo goo aboute to gete ryches by ryghte or wronge / by hoke or by croke / do hunte after pleasures / lay­inge a parte both the drede and also the loue of god: let them knowe and vnder­stande surely / that they are no whytte better than thy are / whiche doo brenne frankyn sence in the honoure of Iuppi­ter / or whiche doo slee a lambe in sacri­fice to Uenus / or els a gotte in the ho­noure of the god Bacchus. DIS. Sythe in the same commaundemente ymages are with so greate diligence for boden to be made:Of ymages in the chur­ches. howe fortuneth it that nowe a dayes the churches of chri­stendome are full of ymages. MAG. The people of the Iewes was verye grosse and meruaylously inclynyng and redy to the superstition of the Genti­les: [Page 150] so that scantly they dyd beleue any thynge to be / whiche they dyd not see with theyr eyes: and therfore the lawe with so many wordes fearyd them kea­pynge them farre away from the moste parylouse and daungerful pyt or dyche. Nowe after that all paynnymrye is by the lyghte of the gospell extincte and de­stroyde: there is not the same ieopardye and daunger that was than: and if any poynte of superstition dothe remayne styll in the myndes of certayne vnlear­ned men / it may easely be put awaye by good admonition and holye doctrine. Untyll saynct Hieronymes tyme there were holy and deuout men (and so were they taken and alowed) whiche dyd not suffre any ymage to be in the churches / neyther paynted / nor grauen / neyther wouen / no not so muche as of Christe / (as I trowe / because of the Anthropo­morphites:) but by lytle and lytle the vse of ymages hathe cropen in / into the churches. And peraduenture it sholde not be verye vnsemely or vnsyttynge / if in those places / in whiche god is so­lemnelye and communelye honoured / none ymages at all were sette / besyde [Page] the ymage of Christe crucified.Of paynting what profyte doth come: if it be aptely & conueniently vsed. But ye [...] payntyng / if it be metely and cōueniently vsed and put to / besydes the honeste pleasure that it bryngeth or causeth / it doth also helpe verye muche to remem­braunce / and to the vnderstondynge of the historie / wherfore it was sayde not vnwysely nor vnproprely of one / I wote not how / but payntyng is to vn­learned men the same thynge / Pictures are the bokes of vnlearned mē that bo­kes are to learned men / ye moreouer euen a learned man also dothe other­whyles in payntynge see more / than he doth in bokes or wrytyng / and is more vehemently moued or styrred to affec­tions: as we shold be more moued and styrred / if we dyd see Christe hangyng on the crosse / than if we dyd rede / that he was crucified. And payntyng setteth the thing forth to the eye / as farre forth as is possible and perfourmeth that euidencie / makynge the thynge manifeste: which many men with crafty spech and narration do couete to attayne / and yet can not / but the lyfe of Christe and of the apostles / namely that whiche is shewed and wryten in the canonicall scriptures: shold do very well to be set in alayes or yles / in the porches / and in [Page 151] cloystres. For suche maner ymages do put into our myndes certayn holy and godly thoughtes: euen whan we are oc­cupyed about other thynges. And ly­kewyse as of the olde fathers it was ve­ry well constituted and ordayned / that nothynge sholde be recited or red in the churches besyde the canonicall scrip­ture / so were it conuenient / and wold do very well / if in holy places there were nothyng set forth in picture or caruyng which is not had in the holy scriptures. Last of all / Exodi .xxv. Moyses by the commaundement of god / dyd set in the tabernacle two cherubims of golde / in the hyghest partes of the Propitiatorie.iii. Reg. vi [...]. And in the vessels of the temple whiche Salomon dyd buylde: there were grauen ymages of oxen / of lyons / and of the cherubims. Agayne in the thyrde chapitoure of the second boke of Paralipomenon / the cherubims are grauen on the walles. In the mytre of the bishop / was the ymage of the mone:Exodi .xxvii [...] in his garmēt / the ymages and similitudes of pomes granates. It is not lykely therfore / that to y^e Iewes was vtterly forboden all kyndes & sor­tes of ymages: but it was forfended thē that they sholde haue ymages after the [Page] maner of the paynymes / that is to saye / which sholde be set forth to be adourned and worshypped. The boke of Deutero­nomium as it were expoundynge and declaryng this same whan it dothe re­herce this precepte / it addeth.Deute. v. ☞ Non adorab [...]s ea ne (que) coles: thou shalt not honoure nor worshyp them. And for the same purpose and entent was added in the .xx. chapitoure of Exodi these wor­des coram me .i. in my syght / or pre­sence / or afore me. That ymage is set in the syght of god: which is made egall to god for nothyng / that wanteth reason:Adoratio is apte to receyue adoration / that is to say outward veneration & worshyp / nor cultum / that is to wyt / inwarde venera­cion and honoure.Cultus A christen man / if he dothe bowe his hede to the ymage of Christe crucified / he knoweth that none honoure is due to the wodde or tree / but through the occasiō of y^e ymage he doth worshyp that thynge / which the ymage doth represent. Now if any man for the loue of Christe doth loue the ymage of Christ / ī so much that he doth otherwhy les kysse it / & dothe laye it vp in a clene place (so that superstition be away) I do suppose that this affection & deuotion is [Page 152] not vnpleasaunt to god. For els whan we do ī the chyrch kysse the gospel boke we do not worshyp the parchemente / or y^e gold / or the yuery / but we do worshyp the doctrine of Christ. And peraduēture it shall not be vnprofytable / if the bys­shopes / euerye one of them in his owne diocese / do ordayne & decree concernyng this matter according to the present vt [...] lite of theyr flocke / but yet so / that it be done without disturbaūce / sedition & in­iurie / for that there sholde be ymages in the churches / there is not so muche as euen any constitution made by mā / that doth cōmaunde it.Nota. And as it is a more easy thyng & soner brought about / euen so it is also a more suerer way & further from leoperdye / to put out all ymages from the churches / than to obtayne or bryng about / that neyther measure shal be passed in them / nor superstition men­gled or put to in y^e vsyng of them. Now although the mynd be pure from all su­perstitiō / yet it is not without the appe­raūce of superstitiō / whā one y^• maketh his prayers / dothe knele or fall downe flat afore a treen ymage / and hathe his eyes faste sette and lokynge vpon it / speakethe to it / gyuethe kysses to it / [Page] nor doth neuer pray at all / but afore an ymage. This wyll I adde moreouer who so euer doth fayne and ymagine to themselues god to be another maner one / than he is:To imagine god to be another maner one / than he is in verye dede: is idola [...]ie. they do contrarye wyse to this precepte worshyppe ymages of theyr owne makyng. The Iewes haue none ymages in theyr temples: but they haue in theyr myndes moste fowle ido­les / whyles they do ymagine the father to be without a sonne / whā in very dede he hath a sonne / whyles they do yma­gine hym to be alone whan he hath in his felowshyppe the sonne / and the holy ghost. They do not therefore worshyp & honoure god / so as they do boste & make auaunt that they do: but in the stede of god they doo worshyp an idole: whiche they haue framed and made to them­selues in theyr owne myndes. Thus muche to haue sayd for cause of exaum­ple / let it suffise at this tyme / the residue thou shalt gesse of thyne owneselfe. But for as much as the dignite of that most hyghe and soueraygne magestie requi­reth this / that not onely thou sholdeste haue a meruaylouse good opinion of it in thy mynde / nor onely that thou shol­dest abstayne from the worshyppynge of [Page 153] idoles / but also that thou sholdeste not dishonoure it amonge men / so muche as with any vnreuerent or vnsittyng word it is therfore added.The secound precept.☞ Thou shalt not take the name of god in vayne / for customable vsage of lyght wordes / dothe by lytle and lytle mynishe in the myndes both of the speakers and also of the hearers / the reuerence that is due to god. But suche was the maner of the Gen­tiles or paynymes / which ī euery thyng welnere / were it neuer so try [...]yng and folyshe / ye or els neuer so fylthy and ry­baldouse communication: vsed oftenty­mes to repete these wordes by Iuppiter Edepoll / Ecastor / Medius / Fidius: and wolde god that there were no christen men now a dayes / which of a lewed and vngratiouse custome / at euerye thyrde word do put to an othe [...] / by god / by god­des deathe / namely whan they playe at diese or cardes / or els whan beyng well wette they do make sacrifice to the god Bacchus / we do rede that certayne em­peroures of the Romaynes / althoughe they were paynymes / dyd commaunde those mē to be chastened with whyppes which hadde sworne per genium princi­pis. And amonge the Iewes the name [Page] of god was had in so greate reuerence and honoure: that they dyd wryte that mysticall and priuie name / whiche they do call tetragrammaton / with letters not to be expressed or pronounced: but let this be geuen to the grosse myndes of the Iewes (for god is as much inno­minable: as he is mymaginable and in­uisible) it belongeth to the euangelicall holynes / neuer to name god or Christe / or the holy ghoste / without greate cause or vnreue [...]ently: lest the wordes or com­munications be tourned and do go into affections / and affections be tourned & do go into operations and dedes. This thynge is to be noted and marked / that he dyd not saye / thou shalte not name god: but he sayd thou shalte not take the name of god. For that thynge is ta­ken: whiche he applyed and put to some vse / and that thynge is taken in vayne and vndiscretly: whiche is taken to a prophane and a vyle vse / as whan a man swereth by god in a matter of smal wayghte or valoure / for those men that doo swere / to the entent that by the rea­son of theyr othe they myghte the soner and more easily disceyue / or whiche doo sweare by the reason of dronkēnes / or [Page 154] wrathe / or for theyr pleasure: those men (I saye) are very nere to blasphemye. At the leaste wyse let vs gyue that reuerence to god the prince and lorde of all creatures / whiche the frenche menThe maner of franch mē. doo gyue to theyr kynge / whiche doo neuer name theyr kynge / but puttyng to wor­des of good lucke / and touchynge theyr bonette. Let vs therefore / whan we doo name god / or Christe / eyther bowe our knees / or do of our cappes / or if it be so / that we maye do neyther of these .ii. at the least wyse with some lytle bowynge of the hed / and with some countenaunce let vs shewe outwardly some token of reuerence. DISCIPLE. By this communication of yours .iiii. doutesiiii. doutes. do prycke and trouble my mynd The fyrste is / because this precepte se­methe to belonge vnto the loue of our neyghboure / in as much as we are for­bydden by this name to begyle or dis­ceyue our neyghboure. The secounde is / for that by this secound precept that thynge semeth to be permytted / whiche by the fyrste commaundement was for­boden: for the name of god is a creature and lyke to an ymage.

[Page]The thyrde is / because the same thynge semeth to be forboden by this precepte / which was forbodē by the fyrst precept / for no man dothe wytiyngly forsweare hymselfe by god / whiche hath good opi­nion and iudgeth well of god / for eyther he iudgeth that god doth not know the myndes of men / or els that he is not of­fended with synnes. The fourth is / that they / which do now a dayes sweare / for the moste parte doo seme to violate and breake this commaundement: for (ac­cordyng to the saynge of the wyse prea­cher) in worldly thynges pertaynynge to men is vanite of vanites / and all is but vanite.Ecclesiastes i In these thynges therfore it sholde neuer be lawfull to sweare. MAG.Aunswere to the fyrst dout To make the aunswere in few wordes to euerye one of these thynges. The .iii. fyrst preceptes are in a certayn maner one / and do chefely appertayne to Latriam which is the greatest & hy­ghest worshyp / which is due to god onely / as vnto hym that is beste of all / and whose hyghnes dothe not receyue the felowshyp of any creature. But as farre forth as the contempte and despysynge of god doth redounde to the hurte of the neyghboure: so farre forthe this precept [Page 155] doth also appertayne to the loue of our neyghboure / lykewyse as also euery in­iurie done against our neyghboure doth appertayne to the contumelte and dis­honoure of god / for as muche as in hym is / that man doth hurte god / which set­tyng at nought his commaundement / dothe hurte his neyghboure / but he is more nere to blasphemie / which doth be­gyle his neyghboure / swearynge by the name of god: than he is that disceyueth hym with symple and playne wordes without an othe / for he abuseth to his owne lewed affection and desyre / bothe the honoure of goddes name: and also the religion and deuotion of his neygh­boure / whiche by reason of the name of god beyng put to / doth beleue hym vpon his othe / and wolde not haue beleuyd hym without an othe. To the secounde doute I make this aūswere.To the se­conde. The name of god spoken or pronounced of man / is a creature / neyther to that worde is the knee bowed: but to hym whome that voyce or worde dothe signifye and beto­ken. Now it is nothyng lyke of an ymage / for there is no peryl lest the voyce or word of a man shold be worshypped: but in ymages there is no ieopardye / be­cause [Page] certain philosophers haue taught that lykewyse as into a body beyng ap­tely made of nature / a sowle doth entre: euen so into an ymage proprely and connyngly made deuylles or wycked spiri­tes do entre in. And it is necessary that god by some sygne or token be declared and sygnifyed / for and vnto whiche vse the speche of man was chefely and prin­cipally instituted and ordayned.To the thyrd doute. To the thyrde doute this aunswere take thou / that (after my mynd) those men / which done swere in theyr dronkennesse / or in theyr angre / or whiche for the entent to dysceyue or to hurt / done wyttyngly for sweare theyrselues: are rayther brea­kers of the fyrst precept and commaun­dement / than of the second / for such ma­ner persones (as thou doste saye) eyther do not beleue that god is / or els they do beleue that he is dull and foolyshe / that he dothe not knowe what men done / or els they beleuen / that he is slepy and retcheles / that he doth not care what they done / or that he is euyll / so that he doth fauour vices / or els vnryghtuouse / that he dothe not ponyshe noughtynes. But those persons / which eyther of custome / or els without great cause / do willfully [Page 158] swere / they do synne & trespase agaynste this seconde cōmaundement. And that I maye aunswere somewhat also vnto the fourth doute.To the .iii [...] doute. Our lorde among his aduertisementes and counsaylles of perfection putteth this also / that we sholde vtterly abstayne from swearynge any maner othe.Math. v. The same thynge hathe se­med best to certayn approued doctoures of the churche. But with what coloure the custome may be excused of thē / that nowe euery where done swere well nere in euery matter or busynesse / let other men loke / but veryly me semeth that an othe can scantly be excused / but eyther by necessyte / or els by the grauite and wayghtynesse of the matter. By often othes / we doo learne to forsweare our selues & to make false othes. I can not tell whether any man doo swere well / which swereth willingly.Nota. S Paule doth sweare / but not for a cloke or garment / nor for money / but for the honoure and glorie of y^e gospell. How be it yet I wyl not saye / that euery custome or rashenes of swearynge is dealy synne / but dout­lesse it is very cousen a [...]d nere to synne / and it is no good trustyng to this daun­gerouse waterbanke.

[Page]Therfore the more sure way is to folow the counsayll of our lord / and of sayncte Iames.The thyrd cō maundement The thyrd precept hath diuerse respectes / for it appertayneth to the honouryng of god / prescribyng & appoyn­tyng euery .vii. day / in which man shold altogether / that is to say / both in mynde and body gyue hymselfe to the workes belongyng to the honoure of god / whi­che is called Latria / that is to wytte / to hymnes / to prayers / to holy doctrine / to sacrifices / and to almoyse dedes / and to other exercyses & passetymes / whiche do quycken and styrre vp fayth and loue towardes god: leste any man myght ex­cuse hymselfe / and saye that he had no laysour for his necessary occupations & busynesses / to gather his mynd to those thynges / whiche are appertaynynge to deuotion and honouryng of god. It appertayneth also to humanite and gent­lenesse towardes our neyghbour / for so greate was bothe the vnmercyfulnes & also the couetousnes of y^e Iewes in the olde tyme (and euen so is it now a dayes of some christen men (a lacke the more pitye it is) that they wold graunt no re­creation or reste at all from laboure / to theyr bondemen / to theyr handemaydes [Page 157] and to theyr hyred labourers or seruaū ­tes beyng alienes and straungers. And this cause dothe not the lawe dyssemble or hyde / whan it addeth in the .v. chapi­tour of Deuteronomium Deute. v. Remembre that thyselfe also hast ben bonde & haste serued in Egypte / and that thy lord god hath brought the out from thence: to thende that the remembraūce of goddes myldenes and gentlenes shold be an ex­aumple to them of humanite and gentlenes to ve vsed towardes theyr neygh­bour. For lyke cause was the Iubile instituted / that is to say / the yere of lyber [...]tie and fredom / euery seuenth yere.The Iubile [...] Deute. xv. And as for that which is added in the .v. chapitour of Deuteronomium of the oxe al­so and [...]e asse / eyther it was set against the vnsatiable couetousnes of certayne men / whiche / whan it is not lawfull for themselues to exercyse any seruyle work yet doo let forthe theyr beastes to other men / vpon the sabbot daye / for lucre of money / or els is it an hyperbole or exces added to the entent / that we shold be re­moued further awaye feom inhumanite and vnmercyfulnes towardes men / syth we are bidden to spare euen our beastes also / for this vnmercyfulnes or cruelty [Page] towarde brute beastes / is a degree and steppe to vnmercyfulnes and crueltye towardes those men / that are subiectes vnto vs / for the oxe & the asse also done vs seruice. And as for this saynge of Paule. [...]. Cor. x. ☞Hath god any care or mynd of oxen? He meaneth not by it that god hath no care at all of oxen (for as muche as accordyng to the wytnesse of our lor­des Math. x.owneselfe in the gospell / there dothe not so much as a lytle sparow fall to the grounde without hym) but he denyeth that goddes onely and chefe care is of oxen / for lykewyse as he hathe created the helpynge beastes for mannes cause / euen so dothe he care and prouyde for them / for mannes cause. [...]IS. What is a seruyle worke? MAG. For what worke is called ser­ [...]yle.sothe all maner outwarde worke / which is wont to be exercysed for cause of lu­ [...]re and getynge of money / as husbon­drie / carpentrie / bying and sellynge / and suche other lyke. DISCIPLE. Why is that forboden / that is an holy worke? MAG.For what entent the bodily laboure is forbodē to be vsed on the sabbote day. This outwarde worke is not forboden as beynge vitiouse and noughty / but therfore is it prohibited / that the worke which is of it selfe good / sholde gyue place to that worke which [...] [Page 160] is beste / aud to that worke / for whoseFor what worke man was created chiefly. cause man was principally and chefely created and made / that is to wyte / that he shold know / shold worshyp / shold ho­noure / and shold loue god aboue al thynges. DIS. May not god be honoured but by bodily reste and abstaynynge frō laboure? MAG.Nota. yes verily / he bothe maye and ought to be honoured also in y^e myddes of our laboures. But vnneth may a man lyfte vp his mynde towar­des god / so as is mete & accordyng that he sholde do / except he be free from such maner laboures / which both do cōsume & spende away the tyme / and also done challenge to themselues a greate parte of the [...]ynde / and done call awaye from the be [...]tie and comelynes of the open & cōmun [...] assemble. Therfore this lawe was chefely & prīcipally gyuē to weake men & of grosse mynd / to the entent that by outward reste of the body they shold learne to haue theyr mynd also idle & at reste frō all troublouse affections & de­syres / that is to wyte / frō hatred / from wrath / frō ambition & desyre of honoure or promotiō / from all fleshely lust / & such other carnal affectiōs. They therfore y^t dyd so reste on the sabbot dayes / y they [Page] spende those dayes eyther in slepe / or in tryflyng tales / or in sluggeshnes or idle­nes: they dyd in no wyse obserue & ful­fyll this commaundement / for as much as they dyd not that thynge / for whose cause this precept was gyuen. And therfore the lawe speketh thus. Remembre thou / that thou do sanctifie the daye of reste / for to sanctifie: is to spende in holy workes / and not to prophane or pollute it with any operations vnsemely or vn­mete for god. DIS. Why was the .vii. day appoynted to this? MAG. The lawe it selfe hathe expressed the cause / sayng.Sabbatum. ☞ The seuenth day is the sab­bote of thy lorde god. Now sabbaton in the Hebrue tonge / is as much to say / as reste. This same thing was more playnly spoken in the .xxxi. chapitour of Ero­di. In syx dayes the lorde made heuen & earth and in the .vii. day he ceased or re­sted frō al worke / Do not here imagine a frame or buyldynge wrought and fy­nished with the labour of .vi. dayes / and than the mayster workman beyng we­ry on the syxte daye to haue recreated & refreshed hymselfe of his werynes in the seuenth day with rest and idlenes.The entent of the whole boke of Ge­nesis. The whole mysticall scripture of Genesis entendeth [Page 159] this / that the Iewes sholde re­membre / that this world was created & made of god / not to thende that we shold reste in those thynges which are of this worlde: but that we by the thynges crea­ted / hauyng knowledge of the creator & maker / shold according to his exaumple reste from the loue of visyble thynges / & by faythe and innocencie of lyfe (whiche is the true peace and reste of the mynd) make haste vnto that eternall reste. Thou hearest here after a certayne ma­ner thre sondrie sabbots.Thre man [...] sabbotes. The fyrst was the sabbote of god alone / without vs. The secounde sabbote is owers by his beneficence and goodnes / but vnperfyte here in this lyfe. The thyrde sabbote is perfyte in the worlde to come. Besydes this he wold / that the vnkynde and for­getfull people sholde haue in remem­braūce the mercy of god / by which they had ben delyuered from the most harde and cruel seruitude of Pharao / which fi­gure doth also teache vs / that we sholde haue in memorie / that we haue ben redemed by the bloud of y^e vnspotted lambe from the most fowle tyrannye of the dy­uell: lest thorow vnkyndnes we doo fall agayn into greater bondage and thral­dome. [Page] DIS. you sayd ones that the lawe of Moses / as concernyng ceremo­nies / was abrogated and taken awaye. But this commaundement for the most parte semeth to appertayne to the kynd or sorte of ceremonies. MAG. I sayd that certayne ceremonies were abrogated / but not all / for it is not abrogated to pray vnto god knelyng on our knees neyther is fastyng nor sermons abrogated / & I sayd that certayne were chaun­ged and applyed to the euangelical ho­lynes and honouryng of god / of whiche sorte is the obseruation and kepynge of the sabbote daye.why the .vii. daye was chaunged in­to the .viii. daye. DIS. Why than is the .vii. day tourned to vs into the .viii. daye? MAG. Uerily it is credible / that it was done by the auctorite of the Apostles. The day was chaunged / leste if we hadde agreed with the Iewes in this poynte / we myghte seme to agree with them in the residue also / lykewyse Chrysostomeas Chrysostome (and yet not he alone) doth with meruaylous dilygence and affection feare awaye christen men from fastyng vpon the same dayes / on whi [...]h the Iewes dyd communely & customa­bly fast. DIS. Than was not the .vii. daye without greate skylle & for greate [Page] consideration chaunged into the .viii.why more in to the .viii. day / than in­to the .x. or .xii. or any o­ther daye. day rayther than into the .x. or into the xii. day? MAG. Thou sayest very wel. For god after a certayne maner hathe twyse created or made the worlde / and man in it / for fyrste he created it of nought / doutlesse by his sonne.God after a certayne ma­ner hath ma­de the world twyse. Secon­darily by the same sonne beynge incar­nate / he restored that which was perys­shed and forlorne. There he is sayde to haue rested from the worke of creation. Here Christe restynge from the workes of dispensation whyles he resteth with his body in the graue: he dothe as it were abrogate and put away the iudai­call obseruyng of the sabbote day / and whyles he rysethe agayne immortall early in the breake of the .viii. day / he cō mended to vs the euangelicall sabbote. And therfore is this day called dies do­minicus .i. the day of the lorde / and in it dothe the quyere in the churche synge. ☞ Hic dies quem fecit dominus id est.Psal. C.xvii. This is the day / whiche the lorde hath made / and it is called Dies Pasche .i. the daye of passynge ouer / by the verye name puttynge vs in remembraunce of the olde figure.Exodi. [...]ii. ☞ The Iewes / after that they hadde ben refreshed and fedde [Page] with a lambe / they passed ouer the rede see. We beyng refreshed and wedde with the bloude of Christ / do go to the heuenly lande.Exodi. xii. The bloude of a lambe spryn­cled on the sydes of the dore / saued them from the destroynge aungell / the bloude of Christ hath delyuered vs from the ty­rannye of synne. DIS. These thynges forsothe done meruaylously well agree to gether in euerye poynte. But is it ynough / if a man do worshyppe and ho­noure god on the sondayes? MAG. To godly mē euery daye is sondaye and after what maner.To those that are veryly vertuous and godly / euery day is sonday / or the lordes daye / not for that he dothe alwayes ab­stayne from outwarde laboures or wor­kes / but for that he dothe euery day / as ofte as he hath oportunite / oftentymes lyfte vp his mynde towardes god / stir­rynge vp faythe / prouokynge charite / kendlynge hope / praysynge hym with hymnes: desyryng some holsome thyng of hym / gyuenge thankes to hym for all thynges. But lykewyse as it is a poynt of godlynes to practise this thynge dayly / so is it an exceding greate and an horrible offence / not to do it on y^e sondayes whan the institution and ordinaunce of Christe and of the apostles / and the commune [Page 161] assemble and comynge to gether of the christen people / besydes this to holy redyng / the prechyng of the worde of god / and holy and deuoute ceremonies instituted of good holy fathers / done prouoke and call vs hereunto. DIS.whether they do synne deadly: that work on the son­dayes. Do they than synne deadly: which done any worke on the holydayes? MAG. ye forsothe that they do / excepte eyther great necessyte / or els great vtilite do excuse them: which thyng our lorde hym­selfe hathe euidently taughte vs in the gospell / whan he excuseth his disciples / Math. xii. for that they dyd plucke the [...]ares of corne on the sabbotedaye / and alledgeth the Leuites / which wrought in the temple on the sabbotedayes / and whan he layeth agaynst the phariseis fyndyngeMath. xii. faute that he dyd heale men on the sab­botedaye / layeth agaynst them (I saye) that theyr selues dyd on the sabboteday lede theyr oxe to the water / and if theyr asse were fallne into a dyche / they wolde not lette to drawe hym out euen on the sobboteday.Mar. ii. Finally whan he pronoun­ced that man was not made for cause of the sabboteday / but that the sabbotday was instituted and ordayned for mānes cause / so that thou mayste perceyue and [Page] vnderstande that this precepte is not of that sorte that it oughte neuer to gyue place vnto charite.The kepyng of the holye daye muste otherwhyles gyue place to charite. Leuitici .xvi. DISCIPLE. Howe doth this agree / that it sholde be called the daye of reste: whan we do rede otherwhyles / in that daye shall you po­nyshe and vexe your soules? MAG. This songe was songen to the Iewes / to whome it belongeth to wepe / because they haue not the spouse.Math. ix. The christen men haue a farre other songe / which ex­horten eche other saynge.Psal. C.xvii Exultemus et letemur in ca: let vs reioyce and be mery in this daye. In the olde tyme in many congregations they fasted on the saterdayes / to thende that they myght come with more clene myndes vnto the celebrite of the sonday or the lordes day. Nowe if it be so that any man yet be of iudaicall affections / let hym by confes­sion and penaunce ponyshe his soule / that beynge reconciled to god / he maye with a quiete or restefull mynde vse and enioye the ioyes of the day. For hereof is it called in the commune tonge of the germanes soendach / Soendache hath his na [...] ̄ of reconci­lyng. not of the sonne / as certayne men done interprete / but of reconcilynge / that if in the other weke­dayes any spotte or fylthe of synne be [Page 162] gathered by the reason of worldly bu­synesse and occupations / he sholde ey­ther on the saterdaye in the euentyde / or els on sondaye in the mornynge / re­concile hymselfe / and make an onement with god / and furthermore that if he be at variaunce and debate with any man / he sholde caste it cleane out of his mynd / that bothe beynge pure from hatrede / and also beyng quiete from all synne / he may entre in to the temple of the lorde. Those men therefore / whiche accor­dynge to the saynge of our lorde.

☞ Learne you of me / Math. x [...]. for I am mylde and lowly in harte / and you shall fynde reste to your soules / i. Pet. ii. as it were chyldren newlye borne haue layde away all ma­lyce / and beyng aboue all worldly thyn­ges / are with all theyr mynde caryed vp vnto the contemplation of that euerlastynge reste / those men I saye onely do fele and perceyue howe great a feli­cite / and a thynge of howe greate ioye / and of howe greate quietnesse it is / to celebrate and kepe the euangelicall sab­botedaye / what it is to kepe the euā ­gelicall sab­bote. that is to wyte after the imi­tation and folowynge of our lordes bu­ryall / to expresse and countrefayte [Page] his resurrection / for this is the very sa [...]bote of god / for the worlde hath certay [...] sabbotes / that is to saye certayne reste [...] or quietnesses outwardly / but inwardl [...] it hath laboures farre more seruyle / th [...] the Hebrues dyd suffre / Exodi .i. whan they dy [...] serue the Egyptianes in carying daub [...] and brycke. DIS. These thynges for [...] sothe haue you spoken & declared playn [...]ly and euidently ynoughe / for my capa­cite. MAG. The greateste wyckednes of all is that / whiche is done and com­mitted directly and immediatly against god. Nexte vnto it is that by which god is offended in that we do hurt our neygh [...]boure. God is to be honoured and loued for hymselfe: and man for goddes sake. Nexte after god the chefeste honoure is due to our parētes / by whome god hath gyuē to vs the benefyte of lyfe by whose care and dilygence he hathe fosterd and brought vs vp / where els we shold haue peryshed / by whome he hathe instructed and taughte vs vnto the knowledge of god the hygheste and soueraygne father of all men / and hath auaunced vs vnto the loue of hym.The .iiii. commaundemēt. Therfore he sayth. Honoure thy father and thy mother / that thou mayst be longlyued vpon the land [Page 163] whiche thy lorde god shall gyue to the.what is meaned by honoure otherwhy­les. Cicero .v. tusculanarū questionum This word honos in the Latyne tong doth oftentymes signifie rewarde: as in that sayng of the commedie. Hic tibi ab [...]lo habitus est honos .i. This rewarde is gyuen to the of hym / & in that saynge honos alit artes .i. rewarde nourysheth artes or sciences. Therfore seruice and kyndnesse towarde our parentes is a certayne recompensation of the costes / and of the paynes and laboures / which they haue bestowed vpon vs in our infancye and yonge age / whyles the mother suf­freth & abydeth the irksomnesse of bea­ryng vs in her wombe / of trauaylynge in the byrthe of vs / and the laboures of geuyng sucke and nourishynge vs / and also of the long cares / which the father doth suffre in minystryng and fyndyng to vs all costes and charges / and doyng his vttermost diligence to prouyde that his chylderne maye be taught and in­structed to the true faythe and godly ly­uyng. Nowe it happeneth oftentymes that the father and mother eyther sore broken & febled with age / or els by some other casualte and chaunce fallen into pouertie and miserie: doo nede agayne anotherwhyle the helpe & ayde of theyr [Page] chyldren. Here in this case we are mo [...] bounde vnto our parentes. The Gr [...]kes do call this recompensation of lou [...] and kyndnes to our parentes / an [...]ipela [...]gosin:Antipelargosis. because the byrdes called in th [...] Greke pelargi / in the Latyne cicon [...]e [...] are sayde to beare on theyr backes / an [...] to fede & cherishe theyr parentes beyng [...] feble & faynte for age. And amonge th [...] Gentiles / Eneas is cōmended:Eneas. which [...] toke his father Anchises vp on his own [...] sholders / & caryed hym out from the cy­tie beyng all on a fyre. [...]ale max. li. v. Tit. de pic tate erga pa­rentes. Among the same Gentiles / the yonge woman also hath not ben without prayse: whiche nourys­shed her mother priuely with her owne pappes / Pietas.wherfore to the loue of god & to the loue of our parentes / is gyuen one commune name in the Latyne / that is to wyte pietas.what this worde pietas doth propre­ly signifye. For pietas proprely is called the affection or loue towardes god and towardes our parentes / & tow­ardes our countre / which is as it were a commune parente of many men / lyke­wyse as god is the father of all men. To make recompence to those persones / by whome eyther we haue receyued / or re­couered our lyfe: is a poynte belongyng to pietie or naturall loue. To do a good [Page 164] tourne to them / whiche haue afore done good to vs: is a poynte of kyndnes.Greate ho­nour / loue / & thanke is o [...] duetie to be gyuen to our maysters and teachers And to our maysters or teachers also we owe excellent & singulare loue and honoure / because that lykewyse as of our parētes it is longe that we lyue / euen so of our teachers it is longe that we lyue well / and lykewyse as we may thanke our parentes / and are detters to them for the lyfe of our body / euen so may we thanke our teachers / and are detters to them for the lyfe of our mynde. We are borne brutyshe and beastly (for what els can we make of it) by teachyng and information we are made men. Uery much ho­noure therfore is due to those parentes: which haue gyuē vnto vs all these thynges to gether. DIS. What if both the mother doo refuse the yrkesomnesse of gyueng her chyldern sucke: and neyther father nor mother doth teache and nourtoure them to good maners / but do vse theyr chyldren / as if they were bonde slaues / and do requyre obedience and seruice of them / to honest dedes.

MAGISTER. The lesse that they haue ben beneficiall and haue done the office of parentes to theyr chyldren: the lesse honoure is due to them / and [Page] yet for all that they also are to be obayd [...] and pleased for goddes sake (accordyng [...] to that saynge of the tragedie. If thou [...] were not my father?) excepte peraduen­ture they doo commaunde or appoynte thynges to be done / whiche are displea­saunte to almyghty god / for than it is mete and accordynge to say vnto them / ☞ we oughte to obey god rather than men.Actuum .v. Nowe that whiche hath ben sayd of the parentes: appertayneth also to al those / whiche are ioyned to vs by nere­nesse of bloud / or which haue done those benefytes to vs / which naturall and lo­uynge parentes are wont to do to theyr owne chyldren / Nota.for to haue begotten the body is the leaste parte of the offyces belongyng to parentes. It doth no doute of it / be come vs to be beneficiall towardes all men: but yet there is an ordre to be vsed in doyng of benefytes.There is an ordre in doy­inge benefy­tes. Nexte after our father and mother / as euery one is nexte of bloude to vs / so is he fyrste to be holpen and releued / lest our liberalite beynge consumed and spent vpon other fremmed persones / we haue not wher­with to succurre & helpe our owne kyns­folke. Saynt Paule pronounceth that i. Timo. v.womā to be worse thā an infidele which [Page 165] takethe no care nor prouydethe for her owne householde / not for y^t it is a more greuous synne not to haue mynde and care of our kynsfolke / than it is / not to gyue credence to the gospell: but for that such a maner woman doth not so much as that benefyte to her kynsfolke which euen the very hethen women are wont to do to those that are of theyr kynne [...] al be it that the faythe and religion of theThe religion of the gospell doth not ab­rogate / but dothe make perfyte the affectiōs of na­ture. Marci. vii. gospell dothe not abrogate or put away the naturall affections: but dothe make them full and perfyte. And in the gos­pell our lorde doth disalow them / which caryng no whytte for theyr fathers and mothers dyd gyue theyr goodes ī offrynges into the treasure of the temple. I wyll adde this moreouer. This precept doth not onely appertayne to fathers & mothers: but also it appertayneth to byshopes / to teachers / & to offycers and rulers / whiche after a certayne maner done beare the roume and stede of parentes / for to whome so euer honoure is cō ­maunded to be gyuen: they are agayne euen by the same commaundement byd­den to do those benefytes and workes / vnto which greate thanke and honoure is due. And therefore sayncte Paule in [Page] the .vi. chapitoure of his Epistle to the Ephesianes / & in other places repetyng this precept & cōmaundemēt: dothe pu [...] both parties in remēbraūce of theyr of­fice & duetie.Ephe. vi. And you fathers (sayth he [...] do not ꝓuoke your chyldrē to angre [...] wrath / but brynge thē vp in the instruc [...]tion & the correction or the chastisemen [...] of the lord / whā he forbyddeth the chyl­dren to be moued or styrred vnto wrath: he dothe exclude lordely rule or gouer­naūce / & whā he addeth in the correptiō or chastisemēt of the lord: he doth com­mend mylde & gentyll teachyng & infor­matiō to vertuous & godly lyuyng that we sholde be such maner ones towardes thē that are vnder our rule & gouernāce: as y^e lord hath ben towardꝭ vs / for with what face / & howe for shame they do cō ­playne of theyr chyldrē / y^t they are not thryftie & vertuose: whan theyr owne selues haue taught them & brought them vp to ryote / wantonnes / & vnthriftines? D. Are thā all those longelyued / which done louyngly honoure & succurre theyr parētes? M. This thyng hath s. Paule noted & marked out / that to this fyrste precept is added a rewarde euen in this lyfe also / but it was nedeful to speake in [Page 166] such wyse to the grosse & carnall Iewes which lyke infaū [...]es or babes were to be allured & entysed to workes of vertue & godlynes with the promysse & hope of tē porall cōmodites. They beyng hardly & cruelly handled in Egypte & also beyng weryed with long iornayes through y^e desertes & wyldrenesses / were meruay­louse gredy & desyrous to come ones into the lande of promission flowynge with mylke & honey: & therefore it was added that it may be wel with the / Deutero. v.& that thou maysthe long lyued vpō the land which the lord shall gyue to the. And it is very lykely / that many persones of that peo­ple to whom that lawe was gyuen / dyd neuer come to the land y^t was promised to thē / which yet for all y^t had vsed due honoure & loue toward theyr parentes. But those mē which done spiritually iudge spiritual thinges do not loke for y^e reward of vertue & keping of goddes ꝑcept here in this world: but they wayte after theyr reward in that land of lyuing peo­ple / for it can not be wel with hym / that lyueth euyll & vngraciously / & this lyfe although it be cōtinued & ꝓlonged euen vnto extreme age: yet is it not for all y^t a lyfe of long tyme / but rather a momēt [Page] and a poynte of tyme / if it be compared to that euerlastynge lyfe.who hath bē verilye longe lyuynge. That man hath lyued a longe season / who so euer hath with well doyng here / deserued the eternall lyfe / and who so euer beynge brought to an ende in short season / hath fulfylled many tymes / howe be it euen in this lyfe also god oftentymes dothe paye the rewarde of louynge obedience and honoure vsed towardes the paren­tes / it is some part of reward / an honest fame or name. For euen the commune sorte and most parte of hethen folke al­so doth hate and abhorre them / whiche do not regard theyr progenitoures / and which done cast them into heuynes and discomfort. And it is communely seen to come passe that as euery man hath vsed and behaued hymselfe towardes his fa­ther and mother / euen so do his chyldrē vse and demeane theyrselues towardes hym / neyther is there any greater or more greuous calamite / that may hap­pen to a man: than to haue wycked and vnnaturall or vnkynd chyldren. And vnkyndues deseruethe / that the thynge / which a mā hath receyued vndeseruyng he shall lose and forgo agayne not wyl­lynge. we are detters for our lyfe to our [Page 167] progemtoures and parentes / towardes whome if we be kynde: it is ryghte and reason / that we sholde longe enioy that / which we haue taken or receyued. And yet are not those men disceyued of the thynge here promised them / to whome it chauncethe not to lyue longe here in this worlde. For eyther this thynge is gyuen / whiche is here promysed accor­dynge to the lettre / or els some thynge much more excellent and better than it / for that man doth not disceyue & breake promyse / which promisyng glasse dothe gyue a preciouse stone. By these .iiii. preceptes we are warned and taught / that we sholde be kynde towardes them that haue done vs good / & also that we sholde do good vnto them / towardes whome we do after a certayne maner represente the person of god. Nowe to represse the grosse malice of the Iewes / those thyn­ges are expresly forbyden / by which one man hurteth another man.The .v. pre­cepte. Of all iniu­ries the moste haynous and gre [...]ous is manslaughter / how be it in the name of manslaughter are contayned and vnder stonded all affections or passions / by which we do go towardes manslaugh­ter / of the which the fyrst grece or steppe [Page] is wrat [...]conceyued in the mynde / & ha­tred.what wrath is. wrathe is a sorowe or grefe desy­ryng greatly wroke or vengeaunce.Hatred. Ha [...]tred is olde roted wrath / an affection or passion at euery occasion redy to hurte. wrath is the more vehement passion or grefe as beyng of a freshe rawe wound: but hatred is the more incurable of the two.Enuie. Enuie is worse than they bothe / whiche doth interprete & iudge another mānes felicite and welth to be her owne iniurie & hurt. The next degre or steppe is wrathe breakyng out into a voyce or sounde of indignation / which voyce our lord in the gospell calleth Racha.Math. v. Racha. The thyrd degree is grefe breakyng out into a manifest & open raylynge or reuilynge word: as whā we say. Thou sole / Amōg men / that man is accused of manslaughter / which hath taken away the lyfe frō his neyghboure. Afore god / he is a man queller: who so euer ha [...]eth his neygh­boure / that is to saye / beareth euyll wyll towardes hym / & wold hym harme / for we are angry or miscōtented euen with those persons also / to whom we owe be­neuolence & good wyll: not to the entent that we wolde hurte them / but that we myght amēd thē: & we do hate in a man not that thynge which god hath made: [Page 168] but that thyng which he hymselfe hath made. The false accuser & y^e pykequarel in stede of a swerd / of a darte / & of poyson vseth his tong to kyll men with al. The couetous man / whyles he doth not suc­curre & releue his nedy & hungry neyghboure: kylleth hym with famen / for he doutles doth kyll:He kylleth that maye saue & wyll not. whosoeuer dothe not saue / whan he may saue. Peraduenture his neyghbour doth not dye: what thā [...] yet asmuch as in hym is: which dyd not help hym in his necessite / & whā he was in ieoperdy: he is kylled & deade. witches do kyll men with enchauntemētes. The backbyter & slaunderour driueth men to deathe / it forceth not / howe or by what meanes one taketh awaye his neygh­bours lyfe. where so euer is a froward & maliciouse mynd to hurt / there is man­slaughter. womē which with medicines prouoke castyng of theyr chylde afore y^e due tyme: done cōmitte infant slaughter Those ꝑsons which with slaūdrouse bokes done rayle on any mā / apparyng his good fame: done kylle & slee with theyr penne. D. If it be no maner way lawful to kyll or slee / what shall we say of war­res / & of opē iudgemētes? M. In lawful & ryghtful iudgemētꝭ / it is y^e law self y^t killeth / & not y^e iudge. Now y^e law is of [Page] god / which commaundeth one membr [...] to be taken away for the helth and sau [...] garde of the whole body / but yet sur [...]geones and leches doo not fall to cut [...]tyng / as longe as there is by any othe [...] waye hope to recouer helth / A similytude betwen a iudge or a prince & a surgeone.so lykewys [...] it belongeth to a christē iudge or princ [...] and ruler / not to come vnto the ponys [...]shement of deathe / except he haue fyrst [...] assayd all other wayes / and whan non [...] otherway wyll helpe be compelled ther­unto.A notable sentence. He that iudgeth corruptelye / o [...] whiche mysuseth the lawes applyeng [...] them and makynge them serue to his owne pryuate hatrede or aduauntage [...] althoughe the malefactoure be worthy death / yet doth the iudge commyt man­slaughter.Of warre. As touchynge warre / wha [...] shall I say? wolde god that all men dyd so abhorre warres / as thoughe it were parrycidye there to kyll any man / in as muche as euery christen man is brother to other. But in a batayle ryghtfully be gonne and lawfully made / the law doth kyll / and not mā.Nota. But the prince / which begynnethe warre not of nece [...]site / no [...] for the loue and fauoure of the cōmun [...] weale / but for his owne pryuate affections / he doth committe so many mu [...]dres [Page 169] or manslaughters / as there be men that eyther done dye in that batayle / or els dryuen to starue for hunger. Adde this moreouer / who so euer eyther for hatred / or for hope of praye / doth runne to batayle / although he doth slee no bo­dy / yet is he a māqueller / for there wan­ted not wyll: but there wanted to the wyll power or occasion. DIS.A notable question. Auns [...]re. what if a priuate persone bearynge none offyce / doth kyll one that inuadeth hym / in his owne defence? MAG. If sure and vn­douted deathe be threttened hym / and there be no waye to auoyde or escape: I wolde counsayle hym / that is a per [...]yte man har [...]ely to desyre and call for helpe of god / which is oftentymes more nerer at hande / than we do beleue / seyng tha [...] we doo rede / that euen a dragon beynge wakened with the crye of him of whom she had in tymes afore passed ben fedde and nouryshed / hath runne vnto hym / & delyueryd hym frō theues.Nota. In this case if he had leuer to be kylled / than to kyll: I wolde iudge that he hath done the office and duetye of a christen man. But to that / that it myghte be lawefull for a man to saue his owne lyfe / by kyllynge of his aduersarie / that [...]ls wolde slee [Page] hym: many thynges are requyred / whi [...]che to pursue and speake of here / it is no poynt of our present purpose. DIS [...] what saye you of them that fordon [...] theyrselues? M A. If they be not men [...] they do not commit manslaughter. I except onely suche disease of the mynde / whiche taketh away reason and all iud­gement. DIS. what of them whiche done eyther kyll themselues / or shorten theyr owne lyfe with fastynges / wat­chynges / colde / nakednesse / & such other ponyshynges of the body? MAG. If hypocrisie be ioyned therto: they are manquellers. If theyr mynde be pure: theyr offence is the lyghter / namely i [...] they doo excede measure / for desyre to helpe theyr neyghboure. For charite ex­cuseth many thynges.Charite ex­cuseth many t [...]ynges. The moste hay­nous and cruell iniurie agaynste our neyghboure is manslaughter. Nexte to it is adulterie / The vi. com­maundemēt.for as vnto the husbonde there is no thyng ioyned more nere / nor more dearly beloued / than is his lawful wyfe: so is there none iniurie more into­lerable / than the defylynge of his wyfe by adulterie. And all be it that adulte­rare in the Latyne tonge / and lykewyse mo [...]cheuein in the Greke tonge / is a [Page 170] worde generall to all maner of corrup­tyng (for both he is sayd / adulterare monet am / which corrupteth the coyne / and also they are sayde adulterare verbumde [...] / which done handle the word of god not syncerly but with corrupt mynde & affection) yet for all that the more often and cōmune vse hath applied this word to the breakyng and violatynge of wed­locke / by the vnlawfull fleshely dealyng of man and woman to gether. Neyther done they saye anusse / which do thynke by this commaundement to be forboden all maner vnlawfull vse of fleshely plea­sure / of which sort are inceste / both out­warde and spirituall / buggerie / fleshely medlyng with spirites or brute beastes / all vnclennes [...]e or pollution / finally sin­gle fornication / which is so the lyghtest and smallest offence in this kynde:Single for [...] catiō is other whyles by reason of the circumstan­ces more gre­ [...]ous offence: than aduou­trie. The husbōd may cōmytte adulterie with his owne wyfe. that yet otherwhyles by the reason of the circumstances / it is made more greate and greuous offence thā aduoutrie / ye more ouer euen in lawfull matrimonie also is com [...]itted adulterie if they do vnmea­surably serue theyr fleshely appetite and luste / or if they deale together after such fashyon / that of that acte there be no hope of chylde to be begotten.

[Page] Spirytuall adulterie.They adde also hereunto spirituall ad­ulterie / whiche is committed in euerye deadly synne / but most specially in apo­stasy / whan any man gothe away from the worshyppyng of very god / vnto the honourynge of the deuylles / wherof we haue spoken in the fyrste precepte. Now considre me the conuenient and comely ordre.The cōuensēt ordre of the commaunde­mentes. The .iii. fyrste preceptes done ap­pertayne to god: than whome nothyng is better / or more to be loued. The .iiii. precept appertayneth to the parentes / to whome most honoure is due next af­ter god. The .v. appertayneth to the lyfe and body / whiche is the dearest and beste beloued possession / that euery man hath. The syxte precept concernyth the wyfe / whiche is one fleshe with her hus­bond. The .vii. appertayneth to the out warde goodes / but yet without whiche we can not lyue / wherfore he that spoy­leth or robbeth a pore mā of his necessaries: as muche as in hym is / he taketh awaye his lyfe from hym / for of those dyd a certayne hethen poete saye very truely / Hesiodus. that money is the lyfe vnto sely wretched men.Furtū in La­tyne / theft in Englysh: are general wor­des and commune to ma­ny thynges. And the name of thefte / whiche in Latyne is called furtum / is a generall worde vnto them / that stealeth [Page 170] out of the cōmune treasurehouse / which are called peculatores / and vnto them that cōmitte sacrilege / by takyng away halowed or holy thynges / to them that stealen away other mennes shepe or ca­tayle / whiche in the Latyne tonge are called Abigei / vnto those that stealen awaye other menes seruauntes or chyl­dren which are called plagiarn / vnto ro­uers on the see / & those that robbe men by violence / and after a certayn fourme of batayle / whiche are called pirate and predones / and to them that done priue­ly take away other mēnes goodes / and these kyndes of thefte are knowne to euery man: but these that folowē are in dede more close & secrete / but yet as mys­theuouse and as synnefull as the other because I wyll not say more myscheuoꝰ and more synnefull. DIS. whiche be those? MAG.Poyntes of theft / but not so named. He that defraudeth his hiered seruaunt of his due rewarde / in dede he is not called a theffe / but he is a thefe in very dede.Nota. He that boroweth any thynge / or receyueth any thyng de­liuerid to hym of trust / to kepe or kepeth it with such mynde and purpose / that if he myght / he wolde neuer restore it: he is no lesse a thefe / than is he which breaketh [Page] vp another mannes cofres / and so taketh away another mannes goodes. Likewyse the workeman / which eyther doth not perfourme that which he hath promised / or whiche is .x. dayes of fy­nishyng that thynge / whiche he myght haue fynished and made an ende of in .v. dayes: if he doth take his whole reward he is a thefe. As for such persons / which by crafte done appayre and worsen the cōmun [...] coyne: what nedeth it to speake of them? Or what nedeth it to speake of disceyuers / which done sell countrefayte stones in stede of very naturall precious stones / or whiche with some other lyke disceyte done begger theyr neyghboure? Or what of merchaunt men / whiche do sell theyr wares not for so much as they ought / but as dere as they can? They call it lucre or gaynes: but in very dede it is thefte. The same thynge is to be sayd of them / that done engrosse & bye vp any kynde of wares whole īto theyr owne handes to thende that they maye sell it as they lyste. Neyther can it ex­cuse tauerners or wynesellers and car­ters / because it is gone into a commune custome / that they doo sell water men­gled with brymstone / or lee in stede of [Page 172] wyne. Neyther are myllers / bakers / and taylers / whiche done eyther steale / or corrupte and stroye another mannes thynge / therfore no theues: because it is a thyng customably done of very many men. Certayne men do ioyne hereu [...]o clarkes and prestes / which done rece [...] and take the stipendes and renies of [...]e churche: and doo not fare aboute to doo those thynges / for whiche suche lyuyn­ges were instituted and ordayned. Or els such as take the frutes and profytes of a benefyce: and haue no myndes to be prestes. Brefly it is thefte / what so euer thou shalt be compelled to restore / if thou be of habilite and power / for he is a thefe also / which robbeth any man of his good name / and also who so euer with crafte and sub [...]elte doth corrupte the symple mynde of a yong damoysell. There resteth behynde thre preceptes / of which the fyrste restrayneth and hol­deth backe the tonge / the other two the concupiscence and luste or desyre of the mynde / & they are rather declarations of certayne of them that are heretofore reherced:The .viii. cō ­maundemēt. than newe preceptes / for if he that hurteth his neyghboure with false [Page] wytnesse / doth it for loue of lucre and aduauntage: it appertayneth than to the vii. precepte of thefte. If he dothe it for hatred / than appertayneth it to the .v. precept of manslaughter. Now so great was the grosnes of that people of the Iewes / that they dyd beleue / that there was no manslaughter / but that whiche was done with an iron weapon or a staffe / and yet is the tong more noysom and hurtfull than any weapon of yerne and stele.The tong is more noysom thā any wea­pon. Neyther is it much amysse or agaynste reason / lykewyse as vnder the name of of manslaughter is comprehended all maner hurtynge of the neygh­boure: euen so vnder the name and tytle of false wytnesse all maner hurte & dammage to be contayned / which we do to our neyghboure by the meane of our tonge / but Moyses dyd put a notable & a greate exaūple / for false wytnesse doth comprehende also periurie / for in the old tyme both the iudges were sworne that dyd examine and take knowlege of any matter / and the wytnesses also were sworne / that made aunswere. And he doth no lesse kyll a mā / which oppresseth an innocent person with false wytnesse: than doth he that sl [...]eth with a swerde. [Page] Neyther is he any whytte lesse a rob­ber or a thefe / which putteth his neyghboure from his goodes by corrupte iud­gement or false wytnesse: than is he / y^t spoyleth hym by open robberye. The mynde and purpose is al one. The wyll is all one / onely the instrumēt is chaunged. Upon this rocke done all those stryke theyr shyp which eyther by backe bytyng or flateryng / or by crafty coun­saylles / or els by corrupt doctrine / done hurte his neyghboure / which thynges the more that they are contrarie vnto christiane charite: by so muche they doo come nerer vnto deadly synne.The .ix. and the .x. precept Exodi .xx. The other two preceptꝭ are put ioyntly both to gether. In Exodi in this wyse.

☞Thou shalt not desyre the house of thy neyghboure / neyther shalt thou de­syre his wyfe / nor his seruaunt / nor his handemayde / nor his oxe / nor his asse / nor any of all the thynges that are his. In Deuterono. they are putte in this wyse. Thou shalte not desyre the wyfe of thy neyghboure / not his house / not his land / not his bondman not his hād­mayde / not his oxe / not his asse / nor any of all the thynges y^t do belong to hym / If thou do separate & departe the concupiscence [Page] & desyre of the wyfe / from the concupiscence of the other possessions: than shall they be two commaundementes / of the whiche the foremore apper­tayneth to adulterie / the lattermore vn­to thefte. D. What nedeth these two cō ­maundementes? Doth not he that for­byd the an euyll dede: in so doynge forbyd also an euyll wyll & an euyll desyre? MA. This thyng was done because of the rudenesse & grosnesse of that people / whiche because there was no penaltye sette or appoynted by the lawe vnto a lewde and vngratious desyre: wolde els haue beleued / that that thyng had ben no synne afore god which is vnponished among men / not for that it is no synne: but for that mannes thought is moueable & ofte tournynge / & the dede may be proued / but the wyll is knowen onely to god.why the de­syre of periu­rie & of mur­dre were not expresly for­bydden. D. But why was not concupis­cence or desyre expresly mentioned and spoken of in the precept or commaundement that forbyddeth periurie and manslaughter? MA. There are some men that doo make aunswere in this wyse / that the affection & the desyre of fleshely pleasure / & the desyre of hauyng / that is to saye / lecherye & couetousnes are more [Page] inwardly roted in all men by nature: than are the desyre of periurie and manslaughter / for from these we do abhorre rather vnlesse it be so / that a violent de­syre & passion dothe oppresse the iudge­ment of nature. But the nation of the Iewes was more enclyned to vēgeaūce thā vnto fleshely luste / & therfore it was permitted them to gyue a lettre of di­uorcement.Deute. xxiiii. But as me semeth (that I may saye my mynde without any man­nes grefe or displeasure) ConcupiscenceHow concu­piscence is taken in these .ii. preceptes. here in this place doth not so much sig­nifye what so euer maner desyre of ano­ther mannes wyfe or of another mānes possession / as it doth betoken the enforcement or endeuoure & goyng about to do an euyll dede (Lykewyse as we are sayd in the Latyne tonge appetere aliquem insidus / not for that we haue hurt hym / but for that by worky [...]ge traynes and lyeng in wayet / we haue gone about to hurte hym) but that grosse people wold haue iudged it to be no synne / the attēp­tyng of auoutrie / & the goynge about to do thefte / vnlesse it were also brought to passe / and done in very dede / for [...]ls not euerye desyre is strayghtwayes synne / as for exaumple / if a man doo desyre to [Page] wedde a woman to his wyfe / if it sholde chaunce her husbonde to decease / or if [...] man dyd couete and desyre another mā ­nes possession to be made his owne / by gyfte or by purchace. Neyther is euery thefte ponyshed with deathe / neyther euery endeuourment and attemptynge of adulterie / for men are not ponyshed / except they be taken in the dede doyng. But manslaughter committed is po­nyshed with death / and the attemptyng of it / or y^e goyng about to do it / draweth a man into daunger and peryll of iudgement. For this cause is concupiscence expresly forbyden in those thynges / in which the onely attemptyng is not po­nyshed. Here I do see certayne men to haue laboured about this y^t he myghte reduce all preceptes eyther byddyng or forbyddyng any thynge to be done vnto these .x. commayndementes afore reher [...]ced / and they do referre euery one of the kyndes of deadly synnes (whiche are ac­compted .vii. in noumbre) to some one of these preceptes / but with diligence veryly more busye than earnest. For after this maner there is made a confusion & menglyng to gether of all the preceptes [Page 173] all are comprehended vnder one precept and otherwhyles agayne one and the same are comprehended vnder dyuerse preceptꝭ. Besydes this seyng that these lawes were gyuen to the vplandyshe & rude vnlearned people (and a law ought to be playne / clere / and open) how could the Iewes suspecte or deme / that vnder the name of adulterie is forbyden all mā ner stupre and fornication / though it be neuer so single? or els that vnder the ty­tle and name of manslaughter is forfended all maner malice or euyll wyll?Nota. It is therfore after my mynd the more simple and playne way / to say / that these .x. commaundementes were gyuen to the intractable and stourdy people / as fyrst rudimētes or principles / that they shold not fall into all vices and synnes / but that from these fyrst principles and be­gynnynges they sholde profyte and goo foreward vnto the other preceptꝭ which are innumerable bothe in the lawe / and also in the ꝓphetes / and also in the pro­uerbes of Salomon / vntyll they myght come vnto the euangelicall perfection / wherof certayne both exaumples & also counsayles and commaundementes are contayned also euen in the bokes of the [Page] olde testament. And therfore our lord [...] the beste interpretour and expositour o [...] the lawe / aunswereth to the yong man in this wyse. If thou wyl [...] entre vnto lyfe:Math. xix. obserue thou and kepe the commaū [...]dementes / shewynge that the .x. com­maundementes of the lawe are the be­gynnynge and fyrste entrynge in vnto godlynes / but not perfyte religion and holynes. But for as muche as thou in this communication playest the parte of one that is ignoraunt and an infaūt: it is ryght and reason that thou be con­tent in the meane season with these ru­dimentes and fyrst instructions.The pater noster. There resteth nowe behynde prayer / whereof the best forme and maner is that / which our lorde hymselfe hath prescribed and taught to vs.Math. viii. And lykewyse as Peter whan he dyd professe [...] Christe to be the sonne of the lyuynge god / spake in the name of all the apostles:Math. xvi. euen so he that doth saye the crede / doth pronounce and speake it ī the voyce of the whole church [...] For it is one and the same faythe or be­leue of all christen men. Lykewyse who so euer maketh his prayer accordynge to the forme and maner taught of our [Page 174] lorde: he dothe praye in the voyce of the whole church. This thyng is very well shewed and betokened by those pronownes. Nobis / nos et nostra .i. ws / we [...] and owers.Prayer with out faythe & charite: is vayne & vn­frutefull. And prayer is vnfrutefull and in vayne: if fayth and charite be not present. Faythe gyueth boldenesse & truste.Fayth. Charite gyueth heate and feruoure / for who so euer douteth or distrusteth:Charite. doth not beleue hym that sayde / what so euer thyng you shall aske of my father in my name: he wyll gyue it you. And who so euer is without charite: y^t man prayeth fayntly / and he prayeth more for hym­selfe / than for other men. But as there is but one spirite of al the sonnes of god so do they all praye with one voyce for eche one particuler person / and eche particular person prayeth for all the whole multitude / callyng vpon theyr heuenly father / to whome they are by Christe newe borne agayne / that his name myghte be glorified and honoured tho­roughe out the whole worlde / that all men myghte reioyce and boste of theyr commune father / and no man of hym­selfe / that the tyrannye of synne beynge expulsed: his spirite myght raygne in [Page] that lykewyse as in that heuenly cytye there is no rebellion agaynste god: euen so in this citye or communaltye labou­rynge and enforcyng it selfe vnto the si­militude and lykenesse of it / and beynge ordayned and appoynted to the inheri­taunce of it / all operations and workes may be disposed and ordred accordynge to the wyll and pleasure of that moste hyghe and souerayne father and ruler / in which particle and perceyll is shewed both the rewarde and also an exaumple / for who so euer doth in earthe represse & subdue his owne wyll / and dothe obey the wyll of god / goeth strayght way to the heuenly lyfe / where is no stryfe or batayle at all / nor any rebelliō. And the chyldren done in the meane season here in this lyfe (which is a continual warre fare) desyre none other wages or vittayl than that theyr capitayne wyll gyue vnto them the meate and nouryshement or fode both of the mynde and of the body / that they may be stronge and able to do theyr offyces and duetyes stoutly and manfully. They do not desyre honoures not ryches / not pleasures of this world / not treasures / they do onely d [...]syre thynges necessarie [...]o the lyfe of the body / & [Page 175] to the helth and sauegarde of the soule / for these thynges are comprehended vn­der the name of dayly brede.The. v. And to the ende that there myght be full and per­fyte concorde bothe betwen the father & sonnes / and also betwen the brethern selues one with another of them / they do pray and desyre / that he wyll forgyue the humayn trespasses / w [...]thout which men do not lyue in this worlde / whiche thyng they are not wyllyng to obtayne excepte theyrselues / by forgyuenge eche other the offences and trespasses com­mitted amonge them / shall haue prouo­ked the mercy and gentylnes of theyr father towardes themselues / for it is a­gaynst all ryght & reason to desyre that god beyng offended and displeased shold forgyue man / if one man beyng muche lesse and more sleyghtly offended / wyll not forgyue another man.The. vi. and .vii. Finally and laste of all / whyles they do considre and remēbre howe benigne a lord they haue and howe louyng a father whiche hath gyuen his owne onely begotten sonne vnto the death to thende that he myght raunsome and delyuer them from the tyranny of the deuyll / they do pray that they may not by his suffrāce be brought [Page] agayne into the power of that wycked fende / and so be drawne into temptatiō that they sholde deserue to be disherited of theyr good father. DIS. Who do they not desyre euerlastyng lyfe?why in the pater noster / there is not desyred euer­lastynge lyfe. MA. Because it belongyth to good soldyers / onely to do the offyces and busynesses / which theyr capitayne hath commaun­ded and appoynted them: takynge no thought or care for theyr rewarde / and it is the propretie of good chyldren to laboure and endeuoure theyrselues here­unto onely / that they maye haue theyr father well contented & fauourable and louyng to them: takynge no maner care for theyr inheritaunce namely seynge whan that they haue suche maner a fa­ther / than whome there is none more tych / none more good and liberall / none more true of promisse. Of the Pa [...]er noster I wyll make no longer processe at this tyme.That para­phrase vpon the pater no­ster is trans­lated into en­glyshe by one of M. Mo [...] doughters. There are commentaries and expositions vpon it made by ryght holy and well learned men redy and ethe to come by and specially of sayncte Cyprian If thou wyll take the labou­rꝭ to rede the paraphrase which I made vpon it manye yeres ago: thou shalt together both praye / and also in prayenge [Page 176] learne the fourme & maner of prayeng / at the least wyse this profyte thou shalt attayne and gette thereby (except I be begyled) that thou mayste come some­what the more instructe and prepayred vnto the readynge of those commenta­ries & bokes / whiche I spake of before.