Concerning the Truth of Christian Religion, Chapter 32
The xxxij. Chapter.
That Iesus Christ was and is GOD, the Sonne of GOD, against the Heathen.
NOw then, wee hauehave Iesus Christ such a one as hée was promised vntounto vsus in the Scriptures, namely God and Man, the Mediatour of mans saluation,2. Tim. 3. (as sayth S. Paule) manifested in the flesh, crucified by the Iewes, preached to the Gentyles, beléeued on in the world, and taken vp into glorie. And forasmuch as I hauehave alreadie prooued the trewnesse and diuinenesse of the Scriptures, and that according to them the Mediatour was to be such a one as Iesus was: here I might make an end of this work: for the cōclusion followeth of it self. The Scriptures are of God; In them we hauehave found Iesus to be the Messias, the Mediator, and the Redéemer of Mankynd; therefore it followeth that we ought to receiue him for such a one, and to imbrace his doctrine with all our heart. Howbeit to take all cause of doubt from the Heathen, let vsus shewe them yet further, that Iesus is God the sonne of God, without the testimonie of the Scriptures. For it may be, that although they will not beleeue Iesus to be very God by meanes of our Scriptures, yet they will beléeue our Scriptures to be of GOD in very deede, when they shall see that Iesus is God, whose comming hath bene declared so plainly and so long aforehand in our Scriptures. But to begin withall, let vsus call to mynd this saying of Porphyrius, That Gods prouidence hath not left mankind without an vniuersall cleansing, and that the same cannot be done but by one of the beginnings, that is to wit, by one of the three Persones or Inbeeings of Gods essence. And likewise these poynts which I hauehave proued already, namely, That man is created to liue for euer: That by his corruption hée is falne from Gods fauour into his displeasure, and consequently excluded from that blessednes: That to bring him in fauour ageine, a Mediator must step in, who must be man, that he may susteine the death which mankind hath deserued; and God, that he may triumphe ouer death, and decke vsus with his desert. And such a one doe we say the same Iesus is which was crucified by the Iewes, and beleeued on among the Gentyles of olde tyme: And God of his grace graunt in our tyme, to inlighten all those to whom he hath not as yet giuen grace to beléeue.
Surely as the Mediator came for the Gentyles Prophesies among the Gentyles. Nomb. 22. and 23.as well as for the Iewes, that is to say for all men: so it should seeme that the Gentiles had some incling thereof reuealed to them from GOD, that they might prepare themselues to receiue him.Origen in his 13. Homily vppon Genesis. In the Scripture we reade of a Prophet named Balaam, who prophesied plainly enough of Christ. And some auncient writers say that his Prophesie,Chrisostom in his second Homily vponupon the viii. of Mathew. and the prophesie of one other named Seth, were kept in the East partes of the world. And Iob who was an Edomite, sayth, I am sure that my Redeemer liueth, and shall stand vp last vppon the earth. Iob. 19. 25.Also the Sibils, and specially Sibill of Erithra who is so famous aboue the rest,The Oracles of the Sibylls. (at leastwise if the bookes which wee hauehave vnderunder their names be theirs) doe tell vsus that he should be the sonne of God,Lactantius. lib. 4. Cap. 6. be borne of a Uirgin, be named Iesus, woorke miracles, be crucified by the Iewes, be raysed ageine to glory, come in the ende to iudge both the quicke and the dead, and so foorth; and that, (which is a greater matter) in such termes, and with such particularities, as it seemeth to be ye very Gospel turned into verse, as though God had meant to vtter his misteries more manifestly by them to the Gentiles, than he had done to the Iewes, bycause the Gentyles had not bene inured to ye heauēly doctrine any long time aforehand, and namely to the hope of the Redéemer. And as for them which thinke those bookes to hauehave bene counterfetted in those Sibils names, surely they may more easely say it than proue it; but I passe not greatly for that. For (as Suetonius Suetonius in the lyfe of Augustus. cap. 31.Tranquillus reporteth) the Emperour Augustus made them to bee locked vp in two Cofers of gold, at the foote of the Image of Apollo on mount Palatine in Rome, where it was hard for men to hauehave falsifyed them. And in the tyme of Origen, of Clement of Alexandria, and of Iustine the Martir, which was not long after the preaching of the Apostles; those bookes were abrode in the world, as appeareth by the discourses of Celsus the Epicure, who sayth in deede that they were counterfet, but hee proueth it not. Also the Emperour Constantine in a certeine Oration of his, witnesseth that hee had séen and read them, and referred the Gentiles of his time to them. Well it cannot be denied but that there was at leastwise some such like thing. For Cicero in his bookes of DiuinationCicero in his first booke of Diuination. writeth these words, Let vsus obserue the bookes of Sibyll. We must name vsus some King, if we will liue in safetie. And yet all men knowe how hatefull a thing the name of King was, both to all the Romaines and to Cicero him selfe. Also he maketh mention of Sibils Acrosticke, that is to say, of certeyne verses of hirs whose first letters made the name of that King, of which sort wee hauehave some in the eighth booke of the Sibyls; wherevpon he concludeth, that they had a sound and wel setled mynd. Moreouer, the Emperour Constantine affirmeth, that Cicero had translated the booke Sibyll of Erithra, & that Antonie would hauehave had it abolished. In these bookes it was sayd, yt as soone as the Romanes had set the King of AEgipt againe in his State, by and by should bee borne the King of the whole worlde. And therefore Cicero writing to Lentulus Cicero in his first Epistle to Lentulus lib. 1. epist.who sewed to hauehave that charge; doth mention that Oracle vntounto hym: and the Romaines made a dout whether they might restore the King of AEgipt or no, by reason of that matter, whereof the Sibyls doe make some spéeche in their second booke.In the second booke of their Oracles. Neuerthelesse when the Romaines had well canuased the case, Gabinus conueyed home Ptolomie King of AEgipt into his Kingdome, and at the same time was Iesus Christ borne. Virgill who by the fauour of Augustus had accesse to those bookes, made an EglogVirgil. Eglog 4 (which is but a translation of certeine of the Uerses of those Sibyls) concerning the happie state which Sibyll behighted by Iesus Christ the sonne of God; sauing that Virgil not looking deepely into the matter, applyed it wholy to one Salonine, in fauour of Augustus whō he meant to flatter: After which manner the Romanes wrested this famous foresaying of Syria, to the Emperour Vespasian, That out of Iewrie should come the Souereine of the whole world. But wee reade that one Secundian a notable man in the tyme of the Emperor Decian, Vincent. lib. 11. cap. 50.and one Verian a Peinter, and one Marcelline an Orator, became Christians vponupon the onelyonly reading and conferring of those Oracles. And therefore the first writers among the Christians, as Iustine, Origen, Clement, Iustine in his Apologie. Origen against Celsus. Clement in strom:& such others, doe sommon the Heathen to the bookes of the Sibyls, because they would not with their good willes hauehave beléeued ours; and also to a former prophesie of one Histaspes, which spake plainly of the comming of the sonne of God into the world, and of the conspiring of all kingdomes ageinst him and his. And therefore all those bookes were forbidden by the Heathen Emperours, vponupon peyne of death. But God of his wonderfull prouidence had prouided for the Saluation of the Gentyles, by scattering the Iewish nations with their books and prophesies, into all the fower quarters of the World; howbeit that we reade not of any other Linage or Nation to hauehave bene so scattered without losing their tytles, their bookes, their name, and the very knowledge of their original; which prerogatiue the Iewes had, to the intent they should bee Preachers of the comming of the Mediator, and witnesses of the antiquitie, trueth, and vncorruptnes of the Prophestes, ageinst the effect whereof neuerthelesse they set themselues with all their power. For what better witnesses I pray you could the Gentyles hauehave; than the Iewes themselues? namely in that they being the putters of Iesus and of his disciples to death, were ready notwithstanding to dye for the trueth & soundnesse of the bookes wherein he was foreshewed, foretold, and forepromised vntounto them at all tymes? Furthermore, that this King promised by the Prophetes and the Sibyls, should deliuer the Law of good lyfe to the whole world, Cicero séemeth to hauehave had some vnderstanding (howsoeuer he came by it) or els I cānot tell wherto I should apply this goodly sentence of his in his third booke of his Commonweale. Soothly the very Lawe in deede (sayth he) is right reason, shed into all men, constant, euerlasting, which calleth all men to their duetie by commaunding, and frayeth them from fraud by forbidding; which yet notwithstanding neither biddeth nor forbiddeth, in vayne to the good, nor by bidding or forbidding moueth the bad. From this lawe may nothing be taken, to it may nothing be put, neither may it be wholy abrogated. Neither Senate nor Pope can discharge vsus of this Lawe, Cicero in l… third booke of his Commonweale. in Lactantius lib. 6. cap. 8.neither needeth there any interpreter or expounder thereof to make it playne. There shall not bee one Lawe at Rome, and another at Athens; one tooday, and another toomorrowe: But one selfesame Lawe being both euerlasting and vnchaungeable, shall conteyne all Nations and at all tymes; and there shall be but one common mayster and commaunder of all, euen God. He is the deuiser, the discusser, and the giuer of this Lawe; which who will not obey, shall flee from himselfe as if he disdeined to be a man; which dooing of his must needes be a sore punishment vntounto him, though hee were sure to scape all other punishments. Who seeth not here, that this Heathen man espyed, that all Lawes of man are but vanitie, and that he looked that God himselfe should come openly into the sight of the world, to giuegive a good lawe to Mankind? Now, Iesus hath manifestly giuen this Lawe, causing it to be published by his Apostles, and their voyce sounded to the vttermost bounds of the earth. And for proof hereof, what is more conuenient and meete for man in the iudgement of conscience, than to louelove God with all his heart and all his Soule; and his neighbour as himself? which yet notwithstanding doth more surmount our abilitie to performe, and more bewray our corruption, and more condemne whatsoeuer is in vsus of our owne, than doth the Lawe it selfe vniuersally in all mankind. On the contrarie part▪ what find we in all the writings of the Heathen, but a Hireling vertue, and a teaching to cloke vice, that is to say Hipocrisie? But as this Lawe is verily of God, so let vsus see whether the bringer thereof bee God. And I beseech all worldly wise men, not to hearken vntounto mee by halues, nor to looke vponupon things at a glaunce, (for I come not to daly with them:) but to yeeld mée both their eares, and to looke wistly, & to bend all their wits aduisedly: for the néerer they looke vntounto ye matter, & the more deliberatly they consider of it; the sooner will they yeeld to our doctrine, as to the vndoubted trueth, yea & as to very nature it self.
Iesus therefore is borne in the little Countrie of Iewrie subdewed by the Romaines, The proceeding of the Kingdom of Iesus beyond nature and ageinst Nature.of poore parents, in a sorie Uillage, destitute of friends and of all worldly helpes, and yet was he to be Emperour of the whole world, to giuegive the Law to the whole world. Let vsus see the procéeding of this Emperour & of his Empyre. Amend (sayth he) and beleeue the Gospell: for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand. If we consider the maiestie of the Romaine Empyre, the eloquence and learning of the great Clerks, and the pride of the Sophists and Orators of that tyme; what greater fondnesse could there be to all seeming, than to talke after that maner? Who would not hauehave thought folly both in Christ and in his Apostles for their preaching so? But what addeth he? Whosoeuer wil come into this kingdome, let him forsake goodes, father, moother, wife, children, yea and himselfe too. And let him take vp his Crosse and followe me. Let him thinke himself happie that he may suffer a thousand miseries for me, and that in the end he may dye for my names sake. What maner of priuiledges are these I beseech you, to drawe people into that kingdome? What a hope is it for them that serue him? What are these promises of his, but threatnings? and his perswasiōs, but disswasions? What say we to a friend whom we turne from some other man, but thus; eschewe that mans companie, for ye shall hauehave nothing with him but trauell and trouble? And what worse could the veriest enemies of his doctrine say, than he himselfe sayd? Also what a saying of his was this to S. Paule a man of reputation among the Pharisies, and greatly imployed afore in following ye world? I wil shew thee how great things thou hast to indure for my names sake? And yet notwithstanding, what a sodeyne chaunge insewed, from apprehending and imprisoning, to bee apprehended and imprisoned? from being a Iudge, to be whipped and scourged? from stoning of others to death, to offer himselfe from Citie to Citie to bee stoned for the name of Iesus?
Let vsus heare on the contrarie part the voyce of a worldly Conquerour.Plutark in the sayings of the Kings of old tyme. Whosoeuer will followe me (sayth Cyrus to the Lacedemonians) if he be a footman, I will make him a Horseman: if he bee a Horseman, I will giuegive him a Charyot: if he hauehave a Manor, I will giuegive him a Towne: if he hauehave a Towne, I wil giuegive him a Citie: if he hauehave a Citie, I will giuegive him a Countrie: and as for Gold, he shall hauehave it by weight, and not by tale. What …ddes is there betwéene the spéeches of these two Monarkes, and much more betwéene their Conquests? And therefore what comparison can there bee betwixt the Conquerours themselues? This Cyrus as great an Emperour as he was, could not hauehave the Lacedemonians to serue him for all his great offers. But Iesus being poore, abiect, and vnregarded, did by his rigorous threats, euen after his own suffering of reprochfull death and his manacing of the like to his followers, drawe all people and Nations vntounto him, and not only Souldyers, but also Emperours; nor only Cities, but also whole Empyres. Cyrus dyed in conquering; and Iesus conquered by dying. The death of Cyrus decayed his owne kingdome, as a bodie without a soule: But the death of Iesus inlarged his kingdome euen ouer the Empyres. And how could that hauehave bene, but that the death of Iesus was the life of all Empyres and all Kingdomes? Who seeth not then, in the mightinesse of the one, a humaine weakenesse; and in the weakenesse of the other, a diuine mightinesse? Wee woonder at the Conquests of Alexander. And why? Because that beeing but a meane King of Macedonie, he passed into Asia, and conquered it with fortie thousand men and no moe. Had he caryed a hundred thousand with him, we would hauehave had the lesse estimation of his deedes. But how much greater account would we hauehave made of him, if he had done it with halfe his number? And had he done it with the tenth man, O how we would hauehave wondered! And if wee made a God of him for conquering so; what diuine honor would we think sufficiēt for him now? At leastwise who would not hauehave thought him, if not a God, yet (at the least) assisted with the power and might of GOD? But had these Souldiers ouercome their enemies by being beatē at their hands; had they conquered by causing themselues to bee killed; had they brought Kingdomes in obedience by submitting themselues to their Gibbets: had it not bene a cryme to hauehave left them vnwoorshipped for Gods? For if betwéene the able man and the vnable man, the skilfull and the vnskilfull, the difference bee that the vnskilfull can doe nothing vnlesse he hauehave very well and abundantly wherewith: but the skilfull can worke much vponupon little, and by his cunning ouercome the awknesse of his stuffe: What is the difference betwéene the skilfullest man and God, but that the man can of a little make somewhat, whereas God can of nothing and without helpe of any thing make great things, yea and euen one contrary of another and by another? Which is as much to say, as that he is of infinite power, able to fill vp the infinite distance that is betwéene contraries, and specially betwéene nothing and something. Now, let vsus see what Iesus hath done; and let vsus bring with vsus the same eyes and the same reason, which wee did to the iudging and discerning of the Historie of Alexander. First, our Lord Iesus was borne destitute of al worldly helps. From ten to tenthousand, and from tenthousand to ten millions, men doe atteyne: but who can atteyne from nothing, to so huge a thing? He was accompanyed by a fewe ignorant Fishermen of grosse wit. And yet is it no small matter yt he could cause them to giuegive ouer their Trade to follow him. But what Instruments were they to make Preachers to the whole world, being rather cleane contrary to such a purpose? And to incourage them, he sayes vntounto them: Blessed are ye when ye indure all maner of aduersities for my names sake. This had bene enough to hauehave driuen them away, and yet they followe him. At length, he sendeth them of Ambassage to al Nations; And what was their message? He that taketh not vp his Crosse and followeth me, is not worthie of me. What is he that would at this day take such a charge vponupon him, no though he were well rewarded for his labour? They shall whippe you in their Synagog sayth he. Who would vndertake to deale in such a case? Specially vppon such a perswasion as this, Hee that will saue his life shall lose it? In the ende, he dyeth. And how? Crucified betwéene two Théeues. Those fewe followers of his are at their wits end. He leaueth neither Children nor kinsfolke behinde him to vpholde his sillie kingdome. The kingdome of Heauen that he had talked of, seemeth to bee buryed in the earth. What worldly kingdome had not perished in this plight? How long did the throne of Alexander reigne, notwithstanding that it was vphild with the hope of some Children, with the policie of great Capteynes, with the force of victorious Armies, and with the very terrour of his name? In the meane while, those sillie Shéepe of Christ came together, and wēt and preached to Hierusalem, and afterward to all the world. And what preached they? That Iesus had bene crucified, and that it behoued them to beléeue in him. If he was a man; what was more vayne? If he was a God; what was more absurd? Yet notwithstanding, if they may hauehave audience, they teach men to suffer for him: if they be shut out, they will rather dye than forbeare to speake of him: and if they bee accused for it, they preach their cryme before their Iudges. Malefactors are tormented to make them tell their fault, and these are tormented to make them to conceale it. Those hold their peace, to saue themselues from death; and these dye for speaking. Their persecutors crye out, what a miserie is this, that we cannot ouercome an old man, or a woman? what a shame is it for vsus, to be more wearie of tormenting them, than they bee of the torments? Yet notwithstanding, in lesse than fortie yéeres ye world is filled full of this doctrine, and the Countries are conquered to Iesus Christ by those fewe Disciples preaching his bludshed and sheading their owne, from Hierusalem to Spayne, yea and from Hierusalem to the Indyes. And looke by what meanes this kingdome is founded, by the same also is it stablished, and from tyme to tyme increased and mainteyned. What man (if he knowe how farre man can extend) can attribute these things vntounto man? Hée is God (sayth a wise man) which doth that which no creature can do: And who euer did such things either afore Iesus or after him? Also Aristotle sayth, that of nothing can nothing bee made: that in deede is a rule in nature. But what els are these doings of Christ, but a making not only of some thing, but also of yt greatest things, of nothing? And who can vyolate or ouercome the lawe of nature, but only he that created nature? Now God spake the word, and it was done: this surpasseth nature. But when Iesus sayth, He that doth not take vp his Crosse and followe me, is not worthie of me: to our fleshly vnderstanding it is as much as if he should say, Flee from me; and yet men followe him, and seeke him. The word (say I) which were enough to driue vsus away, draweth vsus vntounto him: by disswading, he perswadeth vsus: in turning vsus away, he turneth vsus to him: in throwing vsus downe, he setteth vsus vp: and in killing vsus, he maketh vsus euerlasting. Who can drawe one contrarie out of another, as, the effects of water out of fire, and the effects of fire out of water; but he that made both fire and water? And who can drawe perswasion out of disswading; and conuerting out of diuerting; but he that made both the heart of the man that hearkeneth, and the speech of the partie that speaketh? And what is the conquering of the liuing by the dying of himselfe and his; but as ye would say a working of an effect by taking away the cause? What is this subduing of the world by disarming, tying, and deliuering of himselfe; but a taking of a way contrarie to his businesse, and a choosing of instruments most cōtrarie to his working? And he that doth a thing by instruments contrarie thereunto, nay rather by such instruments as are directly hurtfull to it and can no way further it; doth he not shew that he could do it by his only word, without other helpe? But let vsus see yet more. It is against nature to make something of nothing: Here the Philosophers must stoope. It is against nature to make a thing by speaking the contrarie: Here the Orators are put to silence. What wilt thou say then, if besides all this, there bée an extreame resistance in the thing it selfe: if thou be a Phisition, in the Complexion: if thou bee a Capteyne, in the Conquest: if thou be an Orator, in the willes of men? Alexander did great things with fewe men. I graunt. But if men had made head against him as they might hauehave done, in what case had he bin. Let vsus see contrarywise what resistance men made both generally and particulerly to shut Iesus out of ye doores. If ye speake of force; he could scarsly preach without perill of death. His Apostles could not open their lippes, but thei were by and by whipped, stoned, racked, crucyfied or burned. The cruellest Emperours, as Caligula, Nero, Domitian, and such others, wrought vponupon them the chiefe déedes of their cruelties. If any of those Emperours chaunced to bee more mield, O what Iustice vsed he! Forsooth, If they bee not sedicious, (say they) let them not be sought. But come they once in Question, wherefore soeuer it be, let them not escape. I would fayne learne what sect of Philosophers in all Greece, would not hauehave ceassed at the least commaundement of a Magistrate. And of what trueth doe we finde any monuments of Conquests ouer all the world; but of the trueth of Iesus Christ? If ye hauehave an eye to policie; those that followed him were excluded from all promotions and offices: And what a hell is that to a man of an ambicious nature? Their Children were prohibited to goe to Schoole: and what was that but a cutting vp of the tree by ye roote, if it had not growen by grace from Heauen? Also certeyne counterfet Dialogs, forged concerning Pylate and Christ, full of wicked lyes and blasphemies, were inioyned to bee read in Schooles, and to be conned of Children by hart, to steyne the name of Iesus, and to make it odious and lothsome to all men for euer. And what more pernicious policie could the Deuill himselfe hauehave deuised?
The Iewes worse than all others, (to whom notwithstanding he was promised) were false Traytors to him; and whereas they should hauehave preached him, they did most eagerly accuse him; insomuche that there scarsly came any of his Disciples into any towne, but that they made Hew and crye vppon him to murder him. Nay (which more is) in eueryevery seuerall persone there was an inward incounter, and an extreame resistance ageinst this word. Yea? [sayd men within themselues] shall I beleeue in Iesus? An abiect man? A crucified God? Shal I beleeue his Disciples, the ofscourings of the World, and the outcasts of the Iewes? Shall I beleeue in him for a two or three dayes, to leaue behind me a wretched wyfe, a reprochefull rememberance of myself, and the report of a foole too my posteritie? If the Emperours made so cruell warre ageinst this doctrine both by swoord and by their Lawes; we may well coniecture what Warre eueryevery man maynteyned ageinst it in himself. And if we hauehave knowen what persecution is, let vsus here bethink vsus of the battells betwéene the flesh and the spirit; and of the lyuely and sharpe arguments which a man in that cace maketh ageinst himself. Notwithstanding all this, in the end whole Nations yeelded themselues to the word of those men, and euen Empyres worshipped Iesus Christ crucified. If weakenesse wrought this; why did not force get the vpper hand? If foly; why did not wisdome tryumph ouer them? If manhod; why did not multitude preuayle? No surely, it was Iesus the sonne of God, who repayred the world by his spirit as God had created it at the first by his word. Cicero could not woonder ynough at Romulus, for that (sayeth he) in a time which was not rude, he had compassed so much as to be called a God. And certesse I maruell at Cicero, that he shewed himself so grosse in that behalf. For if he were called a God, who euer beleeued him to be so? And what was Rome at that tyme, and a long tyme after, but a rout of ignorant and silly Shepherds? But thereby wee may deeme, what iudgment hee would hauehave giuen vppon Iesus. Romulus was called a God; but the Senate beleeued it not. The Senate did put the people in feare, and by that meanes made them to say it. But all the whole Empyre of Rome could not scare one Disciple from professing of Iesus. What resemblance then is there betweene them two? The same may be sayd of Alexander as greate an Emperour as he was, when he made men too woorship him as God. For euen then did his army fall to mutinies, he lost his estimation, he disteyned his victories, & his owne howseholdseruants were contented too be beaten rather than they would knéele downe to woorship him. And asfor Caligula, Domitian, Heliogabalus, and others, they were Laughed to skorne as long as they liued; and they were not so soone dead, but their Godheads were dragged in the myre lyke doggs, and men voutsafed them not so much as a Tumb to be buryed in. But what say yee to Iesus, who being despysed all his lyfetyme, was woorshipped as God after his death? Whose Godhead … Disciples preache euen vppon the racke, and whom the very Emperours Tiberius, and Antoninus, and Alexander honored in their harts and woorshipped as God in their priuichambers? And in what time? Surely in the Learn eddest tyme that euer was, and in the full florishing state of knowledge in all arts, skills, and sciences: when Rhetoryk, Logicke, and all Philosophie were at their pryde; and at such time as Magik and all maner of curious seiences had their full scope and were at their hyghest pitch. If he be woorshipped for his wisdome; what a nomber of graue Senators were there at that time? If for Learning and Doctrine; what a nomber of learned men? If for Riches and parentage; how would those greate men hauehave yeelded to such an ofcast? If for his giltlesse death, why not others also, of so many which preached him and followed him? And why was not Gabinius woorshipped so to, being a Citisen of Rome, a man of honour, and vniustly crucified, in whose behalf Cicero vttered all the goodly eloquence that he had? Nay surely, they sawe such a chaunge in the World, so sodeine, so greate, and so vniuersall; that they could not impute it to any other thing, than to the power and operation of him that ruleth the world, whose myghty power they perceyued in Iesus.
That this so suddein turning of Nations to woorship a man;Records of the wonderfull proceeding of Christes Kingdome. of Emperours to reuerence reproche, and of wise men to hauehave folly (as sayeth S. Paule) in admiration, is verie true: I will take none other witnesses than themselues. We reade in Suetonius and Tacitus, that the name of Christ was knowen in Rome, and throughout all Italy: For they persecuted the Christians a fresh contrarie to the custome of the Romanes; insomuch that Nero Sueton. in Nero.made them to be put to the slaughter,Tacitus lib. 5. as if they had bin the authors of the burning of Rome, which he himself had caused to be set on fire. And we reade that in the same time, the Senate made certeyne decrées, whereby many thousands of Christians, infected with the Iewish superstition, (for so did they terme them bycause they had their originall from the Iewes) were banished into dyuers Iles. Which thing the Senate would not hauehave done, (considering their ordinary maner of proceeding in caces of Religion) if the hastie increase of that spirituall kingdome had not put them in feare. And within a whyle after, we see how all the Emperours were amazed at this flocking of people togither vntounto thē, for counsel how to extinguish that doctrine; and how fires were kindled ageinst them on all sides; and yet how Nations neuerthelesse were shaken at the voice of the Apostles, and the verie Courts of Princes with their Legions of Souldyers, were made to inclyne vntounto Christ. Sufficient witnesses whereof be the Lawes of that age; wherein it was inacted that the Swoordgirdle of a Souldyer should not bee worne of any Christian: that they should not beare any office or hauehave any charge in the Court, and such other. And Vlpian the Lawyer did himself write fower bookes ageinst the christians. And truely we reade that a greate many gaue ouer their charges, rather than thei would forsake the Christen fayth. Moreouer in the tyme of Marcus Aurelius, Xiphilus in the lyfe of M: Aurelius.there was a Legion that was called the Legion of Malta, which was altogither of Christians; of which Legion hee witnesseth in a certeine Epistle of his,The Epistie of M. Aurelius in the Apologie of Iustine. that being vponupon a time brought to vtter distresse by the Marcomanes, this Legion obtayned by prayer beth Thunder from Heauen ageinst the enemie, and Rayne wherewith to refresh the whole army, whereupon that Legion was afterward called the Thunderer. And therefore saieth Tertullian Tertulian in his Apologie.in his Apologie, If as many of vsus as be Christians should get vsus away into some corner of the world; ye would woonder to see how feaw people ye should hauehave remayning to you, & ye should be fayne to seeke other Cities to commaund; or rather you to flee away out of hand and too hyde yourselues; for yee should hauehave mo enemyes than Citizens left ye. We hauehave filled now whole Cities, Ilands and Castles; Counselles, Palaces, and Courtes; Trybes, Legions, and Armyes. What warre were we not able inough to vndertake, if we listed? And what is it that we might not bring to passe, dying so manfully and so willingly as wee do? Nay, the Lawe of our warre teacheth vsus to dye, and not to kill. Now what kingdome euer had so greate increase, in so short tyme? But (which is a greater matter) what a thing is it to vanquish by yeelding, to be furthered by retyring, and to conquer by dying? We reade of the Emperour Tiberius, that vppon a letter written to him from Pilate reporting the miracles of Iesus,Egesippus in his Auacephaleosis. his giltlesse death, and his rysing agein from the dead; he preferred a bill to the Senate with his assent vntounto it, to hauehave had them proclayme Iesus to bee God; and that the Senate refused it, because they themselues were not the authors thereof; but that Tyberius abode still in his opinion. And therevpon Tertullian sayth, Goe looke vponupon your Registers and the Acts of your Senate: Euseb. Tertullian in his A…ologie.Also Vespasian the scourge of the Iewes, forbare the Christians: and Traiane moderate the persecution, vponupon the report of their innocencie made vntounto him by Plinie.Plinie in his Epistles. Iulius Capitolimus in Adrian and Alexander. Marcus Aurelius hauing felt the helpe of their prayers did the like. Likewise did Antonine, Antonine the Emperour in an Epistle of his to the cities of Asia.but to another end: namely, because that (as he himselfe writeth in an epistle of his) persecution did stablish the Church of the Christians. To bee short, Alexander Dion in the life of the Emperour Alexander.the sonne of Mammea, did in his Chappell worship Iesus surnamed Christ, of whom also he tooke his*The deuice was this, Do not to another that which thou wouldest not hauehave done to thyself. Poesie, and therefore the Antiochians called him the Archpriest of Syria. And it is reported that for Christs sake, the Emperour Adrian builded many Temples without Images. Finally, the good Emperours of Rome, Vespasian, Adrian, Traiane, Antonine the méeke and such others, had Christ in estimation and allowed of the Christians. But how farre? Surely as to acknowledge in their hearts that they were good and honest men, and that Iesus had more in him than was of Man. But yet for all this, If they be accused, (say these good Emperours) let them bee punished; if not, let them not be sought. This is a good proofe and allowance of their innocencie: but surely it is but a slender reléefe for them. Contrarywise, the wicked Emperours Nero, Domitian, Valerian, Commodus, Maximine, Decius, and such others, condemned them, and by their condemning of them did iustifie them. For what did they euer allowe, but euill? But what maner of condemning is this? Kill all, burne all, yea whole Cities, hauehave no respect of sex, of age, or of qualitie. Scarcely had the Christians any breathingtime, but a new counterbuffe came vponupon thē againe▪ they were no sooner from the torture, but they must too it againe. And yet God did so rule all things by his prouidence, to the intent the whole glorie in this misterie should redound to himself, that the mield dealing of the good Emperours did in déede iustifie ye trueth, but yet durst they not aduaunce or further it: whereas on the contrary part, the malice of the other sort condemned it and persecuted it to the vttermost, but yet could they not destroye it. To be short, in fewe yéeres there passed ten horrible persecutions vppon that poore Church; and yet in the end the Emperours themselues submitted themselues to the Crosse of Christ, and their Empyres sought their welfare there. Therefore we may alwaies come back to this poynt, That he, yea only he which first created the world of nothing, when there was not yet any thing to withstand him; is able to recouer the world from Sathan and to subdue it to himself, without the helpe of any thing, euen by instruments repugnant to him, and in despight of the whole world bending itself ageinst him.
But what will ye say if he subdue, not onelyonly men,The abolishing of the False Gods & of their Oracles. but also their Gods? not only the world, but also the Souereynes of the world; I meane the Diuels which at that time held the world vnderunder their tyrannie? Let vsus reade the Histories of the Greekes & Romanes that were afore the comming of Christ; and what shall wee find in them, but the Myracles and Oracles of Diuels? What els hauehave Varro, Cicero, Titus Liuius and such others among the Romanes; or Herodotus, Diodorus, Pausanias and the residewe among the Greekes? On the contrarie part we see, that euen euer since Christ was borne and preached (the world hath chaunged his hewe. Iesus was borne vnderunder the Emperour Augustus, Suidas in the lyfe of Augustus.and see here what Apollo answereth vntounto him.
An Hebrew Child which daunteth with his powre
The blessed Gods,Ni. ephorus. lib. 1. Cap. 17. doth straightly mee commaund
To get mee hence to Hell this present howre;
Therefore of mee no Counsell now demaund.
Wherevpon Augustus erected an Altar in the Capitoll, with this inscription vppon it; The Altar of the first begotten Sonne of God.
And Cicero sayth that the Oracles whose answers he had so diligently registred in his bookes, did ceasse in his tyme: And Iuuenall Iuuenal. Satyr. 3.reporteth the same of the Oracle of Delphos by name, howbeit that he beareth vsus on hand, that Kings did put them to silence, who in deede were most inquisitiue to hane them speake. Likewise Strabo sayth that the Priestes of Delphos were brought to beggerie by it. But Lucane giues this generall report of all the Gods of the Romanes.
The Gods by whom this Empyre stoode, abandon euerychone
Their Temples, Shrynes, and Sacrifice, and leaue vsus now alone.
Also Celsus the Epicure sayth, that the Oracles of Claros, Delphos, and Dodon were striken dumbe. And Iulian the Renegate writing ageinst the Christians, confesseth and witnesseth the same of the Oracles of AEgipt. Yea and Porphirius himselfe (for I alledge none heere but the deadly enemyes of Christ) rehearseth these verses of Apollo.
Alas ye Treuets, moorne with mee; Apollo now is gone,
Gone quite & cleane; the heauenly light compelles me to be gone.
Ioue was, Ioue is, and Ioue shalbe; O Ioue, now welaway;
The light of all myne Oracles doth fayle mee now for ay.
And vntounto ye Priest yt asked him the last Oracle, he answered thus.
Vnhappy Preest, inquire no more of mee
The outtermost and last, concerning the
Deuine Begetter, or the onelyonly decre
Beloued Sonne of that most mightie King.
Nor of his Spirit which vpholdeth all
Both Mountaines, Earth, Brookes, Seas, Hell, Aire, & Fyre
Now wo is mee: For sore ageinst my will,
That spirit driues mee from this house of myne;
So that this Chappell where I prophesie,
Shall out of hand be left quyte desolate.
Also being inforced by charmes and Coniurations, he sayd againe as it were for a solemne Farewell;Eusebius in his booke of Preparation to the Gospell.
The Pythonesse shall neuer now her voyce hencefoorth recouer.
Long tract of tyme hath withered her: The souereine power aboue her
Hath lokt her vnderunder silence fast, so as she can no more
Now vtter any prophesie; which greeueth her full sore.
But you according to your woont, such sacrifices still
To Phoebus offer, as are meete for men to God to kill.
To be short, Plutarke Plutark.hath made a booke of purpose, intytled why Oracles hauehave ceassed. But in the end he commeth to this poynt, That the spirites which had the managing of those Oracles, are mortall, and that by their deathes their Oracles ceassed, whereas notwithstanding he commonly vpholdeth that all spirites are immortall; but in déede he should hauehave sayd that they were shut vp as in a Iayle. Herevpon he rehearseth at length a notable story of one Epitherses, who sayling néere the Vrchinyles, heard (and al those that were in the Ship with him) a certeine voyce comming from one of those Iles, which bade them declare that the great Pan was dead, And he telleth that after this voyce followed an vnspeakle sighing, and lamentations without nomber. Which storie (sayth he) was reported to Tiberius then Emperour; who beeing desirous to knowe the trueth of the matter, enquired very earnestly the opinions of all the Philosophers, What that great Pan should be. Now let vsus marke that this was done in ye reigne of Tiberius, vnderunder whome Christ was crucified, and that this Pan was one of the chéef Idols of the Heathen, as appéereth by this his Oracle in the bookes of Borphiryus.
The Goldenhorned Pan which serues the grizly Bacchus, stalks
Among the Moūtaines clad with woods, & keepes his wonted walks.
In déede Apollo andswered vntounto Diocletian, that The Rightuous made him dumb; and the Priest told Diocletian, that by the Rightuous he meant the Christians. Wherevpon Diocletian fell to persecuting them. Also the same Apollo told Iulian (who would néedes waken him vp ageine by Coniurations) that hee could say nothing till he had first remoued the bones of Babylas a Martyr of Christs away, which were an impediment to him; which is as much to say, as he could not opē his mouth, but to pronounce the sentence of condemnation against himselfe. And therefore, It is no maruell (sayth Porphyrius Porphyrius against the Christians.) though our Cities bee smitten with the plague, seeing that Esculapius & the rest of the Gods are put so farre from them. For since the tyme that Iesus hath bene worshigped, we hauehave taken no benefite by any of all our Gods. Then let this great Philosopher tell me, whether Iesus be a Man, and they Gods or no? What maner of Gods are those, which shrinke away at the presence of a Man? and what a man is he, that maketh Goddes to hide their heads? Nay further, what a man is he whose Disciple commaundeth their Maisters, & whose seruant commaundeth their Gods? Will ye sée how it is the name of Iesus whereat they tremble, and which they shun? Loe herr the tryail whereto the Christians submit themselues before the Gentyles. Let a man (saith Tertullian Tertullian in his Apologie.) that is possessed in deed with a Deuill, bee brought before your Iudgmentseate; and at the commaundement of the meanest Christian, the Spirit shall speake, and confesse himselfe to be an vncleane Spirit. Let one of those folke be brought whom you thinke to be inspyred of a God; be it the same God that promiseth you rayne, or beeit Esculapius that playeth the Phisition among you. If hee dare lye before a Christian, or if hee confesse not himselfe to bee a Deuill; take the Christian to bee presumptuous, and let him dye for it out of hand. Now, none will speake his owne shame, but rather that which may sound to his honour. Surely they will not tell ye that Iesus is a deceiuer, or of the cōmon stamp of men, or that he was stolne out of his graue, as hath bin reported vntounto you: but that he is the power, the wisedome, and the word of God; that he sitteth in heauen, and that he shall come to iudge vsus; and on the contrary part, that themselues bee Deuilles damned for their naughtinesse, and wayting for his dreadfull doome; and that is because that being afrayd of Christ in God, and of God in Christ, they yeeld to God and Christ, and to the seruants of God and Christ. If Tertullians saying be true, what els is this, but that Iesus commandeth them as slaues, yea euen by his seruants? Or if it be false, how easie had it bene for the Heathen to hauehave giuen him the foyle, by putting the matter in proof? And why did they not put ye Christians to shame, in the open face of the world? Nay (sayth Lactantius) when they offered sacrifice to their Goddes, the presence of a Christian would hauehave dashed their misteries: and therevpon came vp this spéech which we reade in Lucian: Lucian in his Alexander.If there be any Christian here, let him get him hence. And whē they asked any question of their Gods, their spéech fayled them: and it was as easie for a Christian to driue Apollo out of his Priest or Pythonesse, as to driue a Deuill out of one that was possessed. And Iulian himselfe (as Zosimus dareth not denye) found by proofe in his Magical works, how weake his Gods were, and how strong Christ is. Moreouer, some curious Princes hauehave by their Magicians caused Iupiter, Neptune, Vulcane, Mercurie, Apollo, and Saturne himself, that is to say, the Deuilles that decked themselues with their names) to appeare: which thing they could neuer cause Christ to do, with all the Coniurations that they had: and that is because all those Gods of theirs were Deuilles, ouer whom good men hauehave power by commaunding them in the name of GOD, and euill men by pleasing them. But as for Iesus Christ the very sonne of God, he stoopeth not to any creature, but is serued by Angelles and good men as by his Seruants, and by Deuils and wicked men as by his Slaues.
Also at the same tyme that Iesus came, there was scarsly any Countrie in the world, where these Deuilles had not men offered ordinarily vntounto them in Sacrifice, as we vnderstand by Porphyrius himselfe, and as I hauehave declared heretofore. But in the reigne of Tyberius, they were forbidden in Affricke, and the Priests that Sacrificed them were hanged vp in their hallowed Groues. And vnderunder the Emperour Adrian all Sacrifices and all Idolles were abolished almost euerywhere. And therfore sayth S. Austin to the people of Medaure; See how your Temples are partly decayed for want of reparation, and partly shut vp, and partly altered to another vse. S. Austin in an Epistle to the people of Medaure.To worship your Idols, you hauehave put the Christians to death; & the Christians by their dying hauehave cast your Idols downe to the ground. And in another place he cryeth out; where be your Gods, where be your Prophets, where be your Oracles, your Bowelgazings and your Sacrifices? And we reade not of any that reprooued him of vntrueth; notwithstanding that many (and among them one Zosimus) bewayleth ye decay of them; and yet doth not any of them step foorth for him, to shewe any remaynder of them. And whereas Iulian sayth, As our Oracles are ceassed, so also be your Prophets: Let him first shewe vponupon what cause his Oracles are ceassed, which many hauehave sought and none yet found. As for ours, they had an eye to Christ, and amed at him as their marke: and now that he is come, the office of the messenger ceasseth in the presence of the maister, and the representing of saluation by Sacrifices ceasseth, because the Saluation it selfe is come.
Iesus therefore hath ouercome both the world and the Prince of the world,Miracles which could not proceede but from God by a force (in outward showe) cleane contrarie to all victorie, and by a way contrarie to the end that he intended; that is to wit by his word, which to the sight of the world is folly & féeblenesse. Let vsus see now how in his workes he passeth all the abilitie of al Creatures, according to this saying of his, The works which I doe, doe beare witnesse of me. And soothly it is a myracle that so many people hauehave beléeued at the preaching of the Apostles: but a farre more wonder that so fewe folke in these our daies should regard it, though Iesus Christ and his Apostles had neuer wrought other myracle than that, as I hauehave often sayd afore. But that they wrought very great myracles besides, I see fewe of the Heathen that dare denye it; and against the Iewes I hauehave sufficiently proued it alreadie. Wee hauehave a Letter of Pylats, wherein he witnesseth that Iesus gaue sight to the blynd, cleansed Leapers, healed them that were diseased with the Palsey, deliuered men from Deuilles, ouerruled the waters, raysed the dead, and rose againe himselfe after he had bene dead thrée daies. Also our Diuines of olde tyme say vntounto the Heathen, Reade your owne Commentaries, and search your Registers, & you shal finde there the myracles of Iesus. And the Emperour Iulian speaking of him in skorne, sayth thus; What hath this Iesus done worthie of memorie or of any account in all his life; sauing that he cured a fewe blynd and lame men, and deliuered some from Deuils that possessed them, in the Villages of Bethsaida and Bethania? To be short, as well the Turkes as the Iewes confesse and commend his myracles; and the Emperours would neuer hauehave estéemed of him, if it had not bin for his myracles. Apollo himself in his Oracles called him foreign, that is to say, The wise in wonderfull workes. But let vsus take Iulian at his word, and his confession will bee enough. Put the case that he had done no more but cured the blynd, and that he had cured no moe than one. Who is so blynd, that in this healing of the blynd, seeth not this singuler power of God? Is not the eyesight one of the excellentest substances in the world? And what is the restoring of sight, but the restoring of a substance? and what is the restoring thereof, but a newe creating therof, euen of nothing? And what can make a substance (how small soeuer it bee) of nothing, but an infinite power? The which who can hauehave, but the only one God? or who can be the instrument or disposer thereof, but only he that pleaseth God? To be briefe, is he not without the bounds of nature, which can create a substance? And whence hath he then that power, but from the maker of nature, at leastwise if he be not the maker himself? But our Lord Iesus wrought infinite myracles, as the Iewes that sawe them hauehave witnessed and doe witnesse still; and not only he, but also his Apostles;Austin concerning the true Religion. and not onelyonly his Apostles, but also their Disciples. And in deede they hauehave contriued certeyne bookes vnderunder the name of Iesus, as dedicated by him to Peter and Paule, conteyning an Arte of working Myracles; by likelihood because they had seene them painted together, howbeit that Paule (as is well knowen) kept not cō panie with Christ while hee liued in the flesh, but persecuted his Disciples a good while after. And S. Paule sayth expresly, that he himselfe came in signes and myracles: wherein if he lyed, it was an easie matter to disproue him. Againe, Christ wrought some such myracles, as Iulian being vnable to denye, falleth to rayling and reuyling him, calling him the greatest Magician that euer was in the world. And of Saint Peter, they report that by his Magick he made the Christian Religion durable for the space of thréehundred thréescore and fiue yeres, and that he did it without the priuitie and consent of Iesus. Whence rise these great slaunders, but of the greatnesse of the workes of Christ and his Disciples? And if they had not done both great and manifest myracles; had not the shortest way bene to hauehave denyed them? But let vsus consider of what spirit these contrarieties procéede. Iesus (say they) did dedicate a booke to Peter and Paule: and Paule was a persecuter at that time and long time after. Likewise, Peter (say they) stablished Religion without the priuitie and consent of Iesus: and how then had he learned it of him? To be short, if there bee any such bookes, why doe they not shewe them? If they be good, why should they hyde them? If they bee euill, why estéeme they him wise? Or if they bee effectuall, why doe they not put them in practise? As touching this poynt, I hauehave answered the Iewes alreadie. But let vsus come to the matter againe. Magicke neuer florished more in Princes Courts, than in the tyme of the Apostles. Why did not some bodie step foorth to vanquish them or to conuict them? Denis and Origen were great Philosophers; and Origen was the Disciple of Ammonius, & fellowdisciple to Plotin, that is so greatly allowed & so highly commended amōg them. Were these men such as would suffer themselues to bee led with illusions; or attribute that to Gods speciall working, which depended vppon nature? Specially Origen who had bene trayned vp in Platoes Philosophie, and at that tyme professed Magicke, as well the naturall by the consent of dispositions in things, as the deuilish which they call Theurgie by entering into fellowship and compact with Spirits? Iulian also, (who to confound the myracles of Iesus, did what he could to reuiue Magicke by the help of Iamblichus and Maximus) did he euer cure a blind man, or make a lame man goe? Nay, what got he by it, but gastly feare, such as serued not to heale mens diseases, but to driue himselfe out of his wits? As for those which attribute the Myracles wrought by the Christians, to a strong and forcible imagination so vehemently fixed and fast set in the beléefe that Iesus is God, that it doth things wonderfull to our mortall nature: therein they followe the opinion of Auicen, who attributeth vntounto fantasie or imagination, the operations that seeme to excéede nature.In his sixth booke of the nature of things. If it bée so, I would fayne hauehave these good Philosophers tell mée, if of so many phantasticall Arabians as hauehave bent their whole force to imagination all their liues long, they can name me one that hath wrought any myracle? And of them all, who should rather hauehave done it, than the author of this imagination? Also say they, whether of these hath the greater force? an abilitie that is bred in vsus, or a qualitie that doth but come into vsus? fire as it is in it selfe, or as it is in a thing that it hath heated? Now, these Philosophers worke (as they thinke) by imagination applyed to naturall things, which imagination is an abilitie bred in man by nature: But the Christians (say they) worke by an imagination or perswasion that they hauehave concerning Christ, which imagination is not naturall, but commeth from without. Why then did not these Philosophers worke myracles in naturall things, yea and more euident than the myracles of the Christians.
As touching Prophesying,The Prophesies of Iesu…. which holdeth a verie hygh place among miracles; and is much lesse subiect to the wrangling of Sophisters; Phlegon the Emperour Adrians Freedman, confesseth in the thirteenth and fourteenth bookes of his Chronicles, (confounding neuerthelesse S. Peter with Christ) that things to come were knowen to Iesus; and he witnesseth though with an ill will, that all the things which he had foretold were come to passe accordingly in eueryevery poynt. And this kynd of miracles of his cannot be denyed, specially at this day. For in our Gospells wee reade his foretellings, and in the Histories of the Heathen we reade the fulfilling of them. What will ryse then of all this? Uerily that Iesus hath conuerted the World by the bare Preaching of his Apostles, and by his owne only word; and that is, of nothing to make greate things. This woord considered in itself, could not but turne men away from him: and that is a drawing of an effect out of his contrarie. The diuells hid themselues away at the voyce of his Seruants: and that is a power surmounting the power of man and Angell. He not only made the Creatures obedient to his becke, but also created new substances of many sorts and at many tymes: And this could not be but by a power that was diuine in deede.
But now omitting that such things depend vppon God alone;Phlegon as he is alledged by Eusebius, Lactantius, & Origen. if the Lord Iesus had wrought by the Prince of the diuells, [as hee was slaunderously reported to hauehave done,] would he hauehave preached innocencie and holynesse of lyfe, reuerence towards God, charitie towards our neybour, yea and that both in word & déede? For who could euer find fault in his conuersation? And seeing that the Gods of the heathen were diuels (as I hauehave proued afore); would he hauehave ouerthrowen their Idolls, beaten downe their Altars, abolished their Sacrifises, shut vp their Temples, and stopped the mouthes of the diuells themselues? Or if they were Gods, as the heathen reported them to be; were they not goodly Gods, that would flee away for the diuell, and rank Traytors to the souereine God, that would forsake their places, and cast away their armour and weapon so cowardly? Or if (as the suttlest and cankeredest sort of them do say) the diuel thought himself more woorshipped in Iesus and more serued by his alone ageinst the glorie of God, than by all the seruices that had gone afore; (wherein notwithstanding I appeale to their owne consciences whether thei speake as thei thinke): would God (think you) hauehave giuen his spirit, and committed his power to the diuell or to the diuells instrument, too procure obedience and seruice to the diuell? Specially séeing that our Lord Iesus did such things as surmounted the nature power & reache of all creatures, and which could not bee done but by or from the Creator himself? Nay, séeing that God is altogither good; what a blasphemie were it? And séeing he is altogither wise, what an absurditie were it? And seeing he is our father, what a contrarietie were it? And séeing he doeth all things to his owne glorie, how should hee further his enemie, specially an enemy that laboreth by al meanes he can to bereue him of his glorie? Surely therefore the woorking of Iesus was from God and for Gods glorie; insomuch that neither he nor any of his Disciples, did euer speake vntounto vsus of any other thing; and therefore God himself reuenged his death, both vppon Herod that had persecuted him, and vppon the Iewes which had betrayed him (accordingly as hee had foretold them) and also vppon Pilate which had condemned him: and lykewise vppon the Neroes, domitians, Valerians, Maximies, Diocletians and such others as had persecuted his Disciples; the end of all whom cryeth and proclaymeth with open and loud voyce, Take warning at vsus to deale iustly and to feare God. Nay further, this Iesus woorking manifestly by the power of God, telleth vsus playnly that he was the sonne of GOD, that the father was in him and he in the father, and that both of them were one. Also he did oftentymes of his owne authoritie commaund nature as Lord thereof, and cause men too woorship him as God, euen among the Iewes who abhorred nothing more than a straunge God. On the other side the Prophets of old tyme which Prophesied of him, wrought miracles also, howbeit by calling vppon the name of God; and lykewise the Apostles that preached him, howbeit in his name: and all they refused the honor that was offered them, and rent their garmenes when men honored them, acknowledging themselues alwayes to be but his seruants and instrumēts of his glorie. And had he not bin the sonne of God; surely in so saying he had not bin Gods seruant, but his enemie, and a rank rebell and Traytor and whatsoeuer woorse is if any can bee worse, and consequently vnderunder the extreme wrath of the creator, as a persone puffed vp with passing pryde, which is the cause both of mans falling from his state, and of the diuells condemnation at Gods hand. Therefore let vsus say that Iesus is the Sonne of God as he himself hath told vsus, and that we ought to here him, to yeld vntounto him, to followe him, and to woorship him as God, I meane God and man, the only Mediator of mankynd, who dyed for our sinnes and rose ageine to make vsus ryghtuouse; to whom be glory for euer and euer.
Amen.