The Governance of Virtue, Part 2 · Section 3
Agaynst the heresie of such as deny Iesu Christ, to be God.
IF Satan at any time moueth thee to doubt of the godhead of Christ as though he were onelyonly man & not God, a creature or a thing made, and not the creator and maker of all thynges, enarme thy selfe agaynste hym with these scriptures.
☞ Sentences out of the old Testament.
VNtoUnto vsus a childe is borne, and vntountoEsay. 9. vsus a sonne is geuen, vppon hys shoulder doth the kingdome ly, and he is called we his own name, wonderful, the geuer of coūcell, the mighty god, y• euerlasting father y• prince of peace. & …
In that day it shalbe said: Lo, this isEsay. 25 our god, we hauehave wayted for him, & he shal saue vsus. This is the Lord, in whō we hauehave hoped, we shalbe mery and reioyce in the saluacion that commeth of hym.
They shall see the glory of y• Lord, & Esay. 35the maiestie of our god. And therfore strēgth the weake handes, & cōfort the feble knees, say vntounto thē y• ar of a feare full hart, be of good chere & feare not.
Behold your god cōmeth to take vē geaunce, & you shall see the reward ye god geueth. God commeth his owne selfe, & will deliuer you. Thē shall the eyes of the blind be lightened, and the eares of the deafe opened. Then shall the lame mā leape as an hart, and the dumme mans toung shalbe losoned.
O that thou wouldest cleaue y• heauensEsay. 64 in sonder, and come downe.
Behold, I see foure men goyng loseDan. 4 in the middest of the fire, and nothyng hurt, and the fourth is lyke the sonne of god to looke vponupon.
Out of Egipt hauehave I called my son.Ose. 11
This is our god, & ther shal none otherBaru. 5 be cōpared vntounto him. It is he that hath found out all wisedome, and hath geuen her vntounto Iacob hys seruaunt, and to Israell his beloued.
Afterward did he shew him selfe vppon earth, and dwelt among men.
The Lord said vntounto me, thou art myPsal. 2. sonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee.
Thy seat (O god) endureth for euer,Psal. 45 the scepter of thy kyngdome is a right scepter.
The Lord hym selfe had me in possessionProu. 7. in the beginning of his wayes, or euer he begā his workes afore time. I hauehave bene ordeyned from euerlasting, and from the begynning or euer the earth was made.
When I was borne, there were net ther depthes nor springs of water. Be fore the foundaciōs of the moūtaynes, were layde, yea before all hils was I borne. The earth and all that is vponupon the earth, was not yet made, no not ye ground it selfe. For when he made the heauēs I was present, when he set vp y• depthes in order, whē he hanged the cloudes aboue, when he fastened the springs of the deepe, when he shut the sea within certayne boundes, that the waters shuld not go ouer their marks that he cōmaunded. When he layd the foundacions of the earth, I was with him, ordryng all thinges, deliting dayly, and reioysing alwaye before him.
I came out of the moste hyest, fyrste borne before all creatures.
I caused the lyght that fayleth notEccle. 24. to aryse in the heauen, and couered all the earth as a cloude.
I will be his father, and he shalbe2. Reg. 7. my sonne.
☞ Examples out of the old Testament.
WHen god created the earth and allGene. 1. thynges therein, he sayd: Let vsus make manne in our Image, after our owne lykenesse: this worde, vsus. doth euidently declare that there bee three persōs in the godhead, the father, and the sonne, and the holy ghost. Wherof it manifestly foloweth, that as the father is god, and the holy ghost god, so likewise is the sonne god, yea true and naturall god, hegotten of god the Father from euerlastyng.
Abraham sawe three, and worshyppedGen. 18 one, saying: Lord I beseche thee, if I hauehave founde fauour in thy sight, go not away from thy seruaunt.
☞ Here it is euident also, that there are three persons in the deity, and yet notwithstanding they three are one God. Therfore lyke as the first and the second persons in the deitie are ve ry God (I meane the father & the holy ghost) so likewise is the second person in, the trinitie, I meane the sonne, true & naturall God, worthy all honour and glory for euermore.
GOd sayd vntounto Moses I am the godExod. 3 of thy father, the god of Abrahā, the god of Isaac, and the god of Iacob.
☞ Here also is euidently declared the blessing and glorious trinitie, and that there be three persones in the godhead, and yet one God: so that as the father is God and the holy ghost God: so lykewise is the sonne God.
IN the same yeare that kyng OsiahEsay. 6 dyed, I saw the Lord, sayth the Pro phete Esay, sittyng vponupon an hygh and glorious feat, and his trayne filled the temple. And about hym stoode Seraphins, wherof eueryevery one had. 6. wings With twayne eche couered hys face, with twayne hys feete, & with twaine dyd he flee. They cryed also eche one to another on this maner. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hostes. The whole worlde is full of his glory.
☞ This worde holy, thryse rehearsed, doth also manifestly declare that there are three per sones in the godhead, and that they three are one God: Christ therfore the second person in the Trinitie, is very God.
Kyng Nabuchodonosor commaundedDan. 4 these three men, Sidrach Misach and Abdenago, to be cast into an excedyng hote burning ouen, because they would not become Idolatours and at his commaundement, fall downe and worship the golden Image. And whē they were bounde in theyr coates, bosen, shoes, with their other garmentes and caste into the hote burnyng ouen, the kyng looked into the ouen, & sayd vntounto his counsell: did ye not cast these three men bounde into the fyre? They aūswered vntounto the kyng, yea, O kyng. He aunswered and said, lo for all that, yet doo I see foure men goyng lose in the middest of the fyre, and nothyng corrupt, and the fourth is lyke the son of god to looke vponupon.
Here is a manifest testimony yt Iesu Christ is the son of God, and God hymselfe, as we shall euidently learne of the histories of the new Testament.
☞ Sentences out of the newe Testament.
Hys name shall be called Emanuel,Mat. 1 which is by interpretation, God wyth vsus, or God and man.
This is my welbeloued sonne, inMat. 3. 17 whome I hauehave great pleasure.
Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuyngMat, 16 God.
Without all doubte thys was theMath. 27 sonne of God.
He shall be great, and shall be calledLuc, 1 the sonne of the most highest.
That holy thing which shal be born, shall be called the sonne of God.
In the beginning was the word, & y• Ihon. 1.word was wt god & the word was god
We sawe the glory of the worde, as the glorye of the onelyonly begotten sonne of the father.
No man hath sene god at any tyme, the onelyonly begotten sonne: whiche is in the bosome of the father, he hath declared hym. Thou art the sonne of god, y• art the kyng of Israell.
He that beleueth not, is condemnedIohn. 3. already, because he beleueth not in the name of the onelyonly begotten sonne of god. The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen all thinges into his hande. He that beleueth the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe, and he that beleueth not on the sonne, shall not see lyfe, but the wrath of god abideth on hym.
I am that liuyng bread, which cameIohn. 6. downe from heauen.
Except ye beleue that I am the sonIohn. 8. of god, ye shall dye in your synnes.
I and my father are one.Iohn. 10.
I beleue that yu art Christ the son ofIohn. 11. god, which should come into the word.
Doest thou not beleue, that I am inIohn. 14. the father. and the father is in me?
This is euerlastyng lyfe, euen toIohn. 17. knowe thee the alone true God, and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ.
O father thou louedst me before theIohn. 20. worlde was made.
These thinges are written, that ye might beleue, that Iesus is Christ the sonne of god: and that in beleuyng ye lyfe thorough his name.
Iesus Christ was declared to be theRom. 2. son of god with power of y• holy ghost.
Christ is the image of the inuisibleColos. 1. god, first begotten of al creatures. For by him were all things created, things that are in heauen and things that are on earth, things visible and things inuisible, whether they be maiesty or lord ship, either rule or power. All thynges are created by him and in him, and he is before all thinges, and in hym all things hauehave their being.
We looke for that blessed hope andTitus. 2 glorious appearing of the great god & our sauiour Iesu Christ.
God in tyme past diuersly and manyHebr. 1. wayes spake vntounto the Fathers by the Prophetes, but in these last dayes he hath spoken vntounto vsus by his Sonne, who he hath made heyre of all things, by whome also hee made the worlde. Whiche Sonne beyng the brightnes of hys glorye, and very image of hys substaunce, bearyng vp all thynges wyth the worde of his power, hathe in his own person purged our sinnes, & is sitting on the ryght hand of the maiestye on hie, and is more excellent then the aungels, in as much as he hathe by inheritaunce obtained a more excellēt name then they hauehave. For vntounto which of the aungels sayde be at anye tyme. Thou art my sonne, this day begate IPsal. 2. thee. And agayne, I will be his father and he shall be my sonne.
And agayne, when he bringeth inAct. 13. the first begotten sonne into y• world, he sayth: & all the aungels of god shall worshippe him. And of the aungels he sayth: he maketh his aungels sprites, & his ministers flames of fyre. But vntounto the sonne he sayth: God, thy seate shal be for euer and euer. The scepter of thy kingdome is a ryght scepter.
Iesus Christ yesterday and to day,Heb. 13. and the same cōtinueth for euer. Who is a lier, but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe? The same is the Antichrist that denieth the father & the son: who so euer denyeth the sonne, y• same hath not the father. Let therfore abide in you that same, which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye hearde from the beginning shall remayne in you: ye also shall continue in the sonne and in the father, and this is the promise that he hath promised vsus, euen euerlastyng lyfe.
For this purpose appeared y• sonne…. Iohn. 3. of god, to lose the workes of the deuil.
This is gods commaundemēt that we beleue on the name of his sonne Ie sus Christ.
In this appeared the louelove of god towards…. Iohn. 4. vsus, because y• god sent his onelyonly begotten sonne into the world that we might lyue thorow hym.
Who is it, that ouercommeth the…. Iohn. 5. world, but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of god.
God hathe geuen vntounto vsus eternall lyfe, and this life is in hys son. He that hath the sonne, hathe lyfe, and he that hath not the son of god, hath not lyfe.
We know that the sonne of god is come, and hathe geuen vsus a mynde to know him whiche is true, and we are in hym that is true, euen in hys son Ie sus Christ. The same is verye god and eternall lyfe.
Examples out of the new Testament.
God the Father proclaymed IesuMat. 3. 17. … Christ both when he was baptised and transfigured, hys onelyonly begotten, naturall and welbeloued sonne, saying: this is my dearely beloued son, in whō I hauehave great pleasure.
Two men possessed wt deuils calledMath. 8. Iesu the son of god saying: O Iesu the son of god, what hauehave we to do wt theeMath. 13.
The men which were in the ship, se yng that the winde ceased so soone as Christ was come into the ship, said vntounto him, truly thou art the son of god.
When Christ demaunded ōf hys disMath. 17. ciples, whom they thought him to be, Peter in the name of all the disciples aunswered and sayd: thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng god.
When bishop Cayphas sayde vntountoMath. 26. Christ, I charge thee in the name of ye liuing god, that thou tell vsus whether thou be Christ the sonne of god, Christ answered: thou hast sayd. Neuertheles I saye vntounto you, hereafter shall ye see the sonne of man sitting on the righte hand of power, and come in the clouds of the sky.
Whē the Centurion and they thatMath. 26. were with him watching Iesus, sawe the earthquake, & those thinges which happened they feared greatly, saying: Of a surety this was the son of god.
They brought to Christ a mā sickeMath. 9. of the palsie, lying in his bed, & whē Iesus saw the faith of them, he said to the sick of the palsey, son be of good chere. Thy sinnes be forgeuen thee. And behold certain of the Scribes sayd in thē selues, this man blasphemeth. And when Iesus sawe their thoughtes, he sayde: wherfore thynke ye euill in your hartes? Here Christ proueth himselfe god agaynst all his enemies two maner of wayes. Fyrst, in that he forgeueth sinnes. For no man can forgeue sinne but god alone. Secondly, in that be knoweth the verye hidde and secret thoughtes of men. For who searcheth the hartes and raines of men but god onelyonly.
When a certayne man possessed wt Mar. 15an vnclean spirit saw christ a far of, he came runnyng and worshipped hym, and cried with a loude voyce, saying: What hauehave I to do with thee, O Iesu, thou sonne of the most hyest god?
The high priest asked Iesu… and saidMar. 14 vntounto him, art thou Christ the sonne of the blessed? He aunswered, I am. And ye shall see the sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power, and comming in the cloudes of heauen.
Christ sayde vntounto Nathanaell: BeforeIhon. 1. … that Philip called thee, whē thou wast vnderunder the …ygtree, I saw thee. Na thanaell answered and sayd vntounto him, Rabby, thou art euen the verye sonne of god, thou art the king of Israel. Iesus aunswered and sayd vntounto him: Bicause I sayd vntounto thee, I saw thee vnderunder the figtree, thou beleuest: thou shalt see greater thinges then these. And he said vntounto them, verely verely, I say vn to you, hereafter shall ye see heauen open, and the aungels of god ascēdyng and descendyng ouer the sonne of mā.
The miracle which Christ wroughtIohn. … ▪ at the mariage in Cana by turnyng water into wyne, proueth hym manifestly to be god.
After the sermon that Christ madeIohn. 6. of the eating of his fleshe, and the drinking of his bloud, manye of his Disciples vnderstandyng his wordes grosely (as the papistes doo vnderstande the wordes of the Lordes Supper) wente backe and forsoke him, and walked no more with him. Then said Iesus to y• twelue, will ye also goe away? Then Simon Peter aunswered him, Lord to whome shall we goe? Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe, and we beleue and are sure that thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng god.
Iesus heard that the Iewes had excommunicateIohn. 9. the blinde man, whome he had made to see, and when he had found him, he said vntounto him: doest thou beleue on the sonne of god? He answered and said: who is it Lord y• I myght beleue on him? And Iesus sayde vntounto him, thou hast sene him, and he it is y• taketh with thee. And he sayd, lorde I beleue, and he worshipped him.
Martha said vntounto Christ, I beleue y• Iohn. 11.thou art Christ the sonne of god which should come into the world.
Iesus sayde to Thomas, bring thyIhon. 20. finger hether, and see my handes and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be no more faithles but beleuing. Thomas answered and said vntounto him: My Lord and my god. Iesus said vntounto hym: Thomas, because thou hast seene me thou hast beleued, blessed are they that hauehave not sene, and yet hauehave beleued.
The Enuche sayd vntounto Phillip: seeActs. …. here is water, what doth let me to bee baptised? Phillip said vntounto him. If thou beleue with all thine heart thou maiest. And he aunswered and said, I beleue y• Iesus Christ is the sonne of god.
The restoryng of y• blind to their sight the raysing vp of the dead vntounto life, the clēsing of the leapers, the healyng of thē that were diseased with the palsey, the restoring of men possessed with deuils & vncleane spirites to their whole minde, the makyng of the deafe to heare, and the dumme to speake, with the other mi racles that Christ wrought, do euidently proue Christ to be the natural sonne of god, yea and god himselfe.