Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 3 · 4 (cont.) · Sermon 3

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Sermons 3 · 4 (cont.) · Sermon 3

p. 604¶ Of God, of the true knowledge of God, and of the diuerſe wayes howe to knowe him: That God is one in ſubſtaunce, and three in perſons.

¶ The thirde Sermon.

I HaueHave hetherto in 32. ſermōs diſcourſed vponupon y^e word of God, and the lawful expoſition of the ſame, vppon Chriſtian faith, the louelove of God and our neighbour. I hauehave alſo ſpoken of the law of Nature, of mans lawe & Gods lawe, and of the parts of Gods lawe, namely, y^• Morall, the Ceremoniall, & the Iudiciall lawes. Of the vſe of the lawe, & of the fulfilling & abrogatiō of the ſame, of the likenes & difference betwirt the two teſtamēts and people, the old and the newe. Of Chriſtian libertie, of offences, of the effecte & merites of Good woorkes. Of ſinne and the ſundrie ſorts thereof: & alſo of the Grace of God, or the Goſpel of Ieſu Chriſte, in whome oure heauenly father hath giuen vsus all thinges belonging to life, and eternal ſaluation: finally, I hauehave treated of Repentaunce, and of the thinges that doe eſpecially ſeeme to belonge therevnto. And forbecauſe oure purpoſe is to diſpute diſcretly vponupon y^e principal points of Chriſtian religion, & that in the premiſſes wee hauehave heard often mention made of God, of the knowledge & worſhip of God, of Ieſus Chriſt, of the holy Choſt, of good & euil ſpirits of y^e church, of Prayer, of the Sacraments, & ſuch like holy thinges, ſince wee are now come to an end of thoſe former points, neceſſitie it ſelfe doeth here require, y^t we ſhould ſpeake ſomewhat now of al & eueryevery one of theſe latter principles according to y^e holy Scripture, ſo farre forth as the Lord ſhall giuegive me grace and abilitie to do the ſame.

Concerning God there were of old Sundrie opinions cōcerning God.many erronious opinions, not among the ruder ſort of people only, but euen in the whole packe of Philoſophers, & conuenticles of falſe Chriſtians. As touching the Philoſophers that auncient & learned writer Tertullian was wont to ſay, that Philoſophers are the patriarchs of heretiques: and touching falſe Chriſtians the Apoſtle Iohn ſaid, They wente out from vsus, but they were not of vsus: for, if they had beene of vsus, they would hauehave remained …. Iohn. 12John 12with vsus.

Neither doe I ſée what gaine you ſhould gett by it, if I ſhould procéede to reckon vp vntounto you all their opinions. It is good perhaps to know wherin they erred, leaſt we alſo do ſtrike vponupon the ſame rock, that they did. Therfore, if any, y^• hauehave a deſire vntounto it, doe wiſh to ſée the opinions of the heathen ſort, and of heretiques cōcerning God, let them ſearch Plutarch in his Placitis Philoſo. lib. …. Cap. 7. Or in other heathen writers: Or in Cyrils firſt booke Contra Iulianum, and in the 4. Chapter Dogmatum vel de finitionum Eccleſiaſt. I p. 605will at this time trouble the attentiue eares and minds of the godly hearers with that burthen. That diuerſitie of Wherevppon the diuerſitie of opiniōs cōcerning God do riſe, and from whence the true knowledg of him muſt be ſetched.opinions is deriued from none other founteine, than from the boldneſſe & vnſkilfulneſſe of men, which are not aſhamed, of their owne deuice and braine to add and applie to God the thinges from which he is moſt farre & frée. And now that héere, I may not ſticke long in declareing the narrowe ſtreightneſſe and miſtie darckneſſe of mans wit, who I pray you is able w^t his vnderſtāding to conceiue the Béeing of God, when as in déede no man did euer fully vnderſtand, of what faſhion the ſoule of man is, of what ſort many other thinges are, y^• be in mans body, and of what maner ſubſtaunce the Sunne & Moone are made? There are giuen many reaſons of naturall Philoſophie: but the woorke of God doeth ſtill abide more great and wonderfull than that the witt or ſpeach of man is able to comprehend or expreſſe it. Let no man therefore, that goeth about to knowe any certeintie of God, deſcend into himſelf to ſearch him out with thoughts of his owne, neither let him ground his opinion vppon mens determinations and weake definitions. For otherwiſe hee ſhall alwayes worſhipp the inuention of his owne heart, méere follie, trifles and fooliſhe fantaſies. But on y^e other ſide againe, the man cānot chooſe but thinke rightly, iudge truely, and ſpeake well of God, that attributeth nothing to himſelfe, deuiſeth nothing of his owne braine, nor followeth y^• toyes of other mens inuenting, but in all thinges giueth eare to the word of God, and followeth alwayes his holy reuelation. Therfore, let this ſtand as it were for a continuall rule, that God cannot bée rightly knowen, but by his word: and that God is to be receiued & beléeued to be ſuch an one, as he reuealeth himſelfe vntounto vsus in his holy word. For no creature verily can better tell what, and what kinde of one God is, than God him ſelfe.

Nowe ſince this God doeth in his word, by the woorkemanſhipp of the world, by the holy Scriptures, and by …hat … is a Godhis oracles vttered by the mouth of the Patriarchs, Prophetes and Apoſtles, yea, & in the very minds and conſciences of men teſtifie, That He Is, therefore did the kingly Prophete Dauid ſay: The foole hath ſaid in his heart there is no God. For he muſt néeds be Pſalm. …an aſſe or a foole, whiche denieth the thing, that is euident to all men in the world which are not beſide their wits, namely, That there is a God: conſidering that euen Cicero an heathen authoure in his booke De natura Deorum doth ſay, It is bred & borne together with men and graffed in their hearts, to thincke, That there is a God. Truly they that denie God, doe denie him, whome neuertheleſſe they feare, and therefore by that feare they confeſſe y^• he Is, by that meanes conuinceing them ſelues of lying and falſehoode.

Againe, this is to bée noted that in A … is to … kept … and … God …demaunding, who and what God is, although that queſtion is made & doth ariſe euen by the beating out and diſcuſſing of the Scriptures, yet a meaſure is to be kept, and in any caſe obſerued. For to go about ouer curiouſly to inquire after, ſearch out, and ſéeke y^e very eternall Being of God, is both perillous and alſo flatly forbidden. Solomō crieth, As it is not good to eate Pro. …much honie: ſo he, that is an ouercurious ſearcher out of Gods Maieſtie, ſhalbe confounded of his glorie.

Before that ſingular and notable communication, where-in oure p. 606God in the mounte Sinai talked with the whole people of Iſrael, it is ſayd to Moſes: Set boundes vntounto the people round about the mountaine, and ſay …. 19.vntounto them, Take heede to your ſelues that ye goe not vpp into the mount, or touch the border of it. Whoſoeuer toucheth the mount, let him die the death &c. Loe heere, it was preſent death, to paſſe the limites or boundes preſcribed. Therefore our ſtudies are and ought to be definite, not infinite. Truly we read in many places of the holye Scriptures that the moſt entire and excellent friendes of God ſtood amazed trembling, ſo often as God in any outward ſhewe did of his owne accord offer himſelfe vntounto their eyes. I neede not to buſie mée ſelfe too much in reckoning vpp examples. Ye know howe Abraham behaued himſelfe in y^e talke which hée had with God Gen. 18. Ye knowe what the parents of Gedeon ſaid in the booke of y^e Iudges. And what Helias ſpake, 3. Reg. 19. Peter, after that hee by the miraculous taking of the great draught of fiſhes did vnderſtand that Chriſte was more than a man, cryed out, ſaying: Goe out from me, O Lord, for I am a ſinnfull ….man. Therefore the Saincts if in any other matters belōging to God, than in this eſpecially are humble, modeſt and religious, vnderſtanding that his eternall and incomprehenſible power and vnſpeakable maieſtie are altogether vncircumſcriptible, & cānot be comprehended in any name whatſoeuer.

Very eloquently, truely, and godly ….doeth Tertullian in his booke De Trinitate ſay: The proper name of God cannot be vttered, becauſe it cā not be conceiued. For that is called by a name, that is conceiued by the condition of it owne nature: for a name is y^e ſignificant notifying of that thing, which may be cōceiued by the name. But whē the thing, which is handled, is of ſuch ſort, that it cannot be rightly conceiued by our very ſenſes and vnderſtanding, howe ſhall it bee rightly named by an apt terme and fit nomination? which while it is beyond vnderſtanding, muſt néeds alſo be aboue the ſignificancie of the terme whereby it is named: ſo that, when God vppon certeine cauſes or occaſions doeth annexe or declare to vsus his name in woords, wee may thincke and knowe that the very propertie of the name is not expreſſed ſo much in wordes, as a certaine ſignificancie is ſet downe, to which while men in prayers do runn, they may ſéeme to be able by it to call vppon, and obteine the merciemercy of God. And againe hee ſayeth: Concerning God, and thoſe things, that are of him, and in him, neither is y^• minde of man able to conceiue what they bee, howe great they be, and of what faſhion they be. Neither doth y^e eloquence of mans mouth vtter in ſpeach woords in any point aunſwerable vntounto his maieſtie. For to the thincking vppon, and vttering out his maieſtie, all eloquence is mute and dumbe, and the whole minde is too too little. For it is greater than the minde: neither can it bée conceiued howe great it is: becauſe if it can be conceiued, than muſt it néedes be leſſe than mans minde, wherein it may be comprehended. It is alſo greater than all ſpeach, and cannot be ſpoken. Becauſe if it may be ſpoken, then is it leſſer than mans ſpeach, by which, if it be ſpoken, it may be compaſſed and made to bee vnderſtanded. But whatſoeuer may bee thoughte of him ſhall ſtill be leſſe than he: & whatſoeuer in ſpeach is ſhewed of him, being compared with him ſhall be much p. 607leſſe than he. For in ſilence to our ſelues we may partly perceiue him: but as he is, in woordes to expreſſe him, it is altogether impoſſible. For if you call him Light, then doe you rather name a creature of his, than him, but him you expreſſe not. Or if you call him Vertue, then do you rather name his power, than him, but him you declare not. Or if you call him Maieſtie, then doe you rather name his honour than him, but him you deſcribe not. And why ſhould I, in rūning through eueryevery ſ…uerall title, prolong the time? I will at once declare it all. Say all of him whatſoeuer thou canſt, and yet thou ſhalt ſtil rather name ſome thing of his, than him himſelfe. For what canſt thou fittlye ſpeake or thincke of him, that is greater than al thy words and ſenſes? Vnleſſe it bee, that after one maner, and that too as we can, as oure capacitie will ſerue, and as oure vnderſtanding will let vsus, we ſhall in minde conceiue what God is, if wee ſhall thinke that he is that, which cannot b…e vnderſtoode, nor can poſſiblie come into oure thought, what kinde of thinge, and how great, it is.

For as at the ſeeing of the brightnes of the Sunne the ſight of our eyes doeth ſo dazell and waxe dimme, that oure ſighte cannot beeholde the very circle of the ſame, by reaſon that it is ouercome of the brightneſſe of the beames that are obiecte againſt it: euen ſo fareth it with the ſight of our minde in all oure thoughtes of God: and by howe much more ſhee ſettleth herſelfe to conſider of GOD, by ſo much more is ſhe blinded in the light of her cogitation. For (to repeate the ſame thinge againe) what canſt thou fittly thincke of him, that is aboue all loftineſſe, higher than all height, déeper than al depth, lighter than al light, clearer than all cleareneſſe, brighter than all brightneſſe, ſtronger than all ſtrength, more vertuous than all vertue, fayrer than all faireneſſe, truer than all truth, greater than all greatneſſe, mightier than all mighte, richer than all richeſſe, wiſer than all wiſedome, more liberall than all liberalitie, better than all goodneſſe, iuſter than all iuſtice, and gentler than all gentleneſſe. For all kindes of vertues muſt néedes be leſſe than hée, that is the father and God of all vertues: ſo that God maye truely bee ſaid to be ſuch a certeine Being, as to which nothing may bee compared. For hee is aboue all that may bée ſpoken. Hetherto hauehave I cited the woordes of Tertullian.

Althoughe nowe theſe thinges are The fourm… and m… ners o… knowi… God.ſo, and that no tongue either of Angels or of mē can fully expreſſe what, who, and of what manner God is, ſéeing that his Maieſtie is incomprehenſible and vnſpeakeable, yet the ſcripture, which is the word of GOD, attempering it ſelfe to our imbecillitie, doeth miniſter vntounto vsus ſome meanes, formes and phraſes of ſpeach, by them to bring vsus to ſome ſuch knowledge of God as maye at leaſt wiſe ſuffice vsus, while wee liue in this world: ſo yet notwithſtanding, that ſtill we ſhould thincke that the thinge, that is incomprehenſible, cannot bee defined, but that by thoſe phraſes an occaſion is onelyonly giuen, by whiche wee are to bee brought to greater thinges throughe the illumination of the ſpirite: and that wée ſhould in this diſputation, hauehave ſtil before the eyes of our minde, that true and aſſured ſentence of the eternall GOD vntounto his ſeruaunte Moſes, ſaying: Thou canſt not ſee my face. For no man ſhall ſee mee and liue. p. 608Exod▪For when wee are once departed out of this life, and are vnburthened of this mortalitie, and mortall frailetie, then ſhal wee ſée the Maieſtie of God. For the Apoſtle S. Iohn ſayd: Wee knowe, that when hee appeareth, wee Iohn. 3.John 3ſhall bee like vntounto him: for wee ſhall ſee him as hee is.

And to theſe let vsus annexe the woordes of the Apoſtle Paule, where he ſayeth: Nowe wee ſee in a glaſſe euen in a darcke ſpeaking, but then wee ſhall ſee face to face. Therefore let no man goe beyonde the limited boundes, or preuent the time appointed, nor yet preſume by wicked boldeneſſe and curioſitie in this life to behold the face, that is, the very Eſſence or being of GOD. Let that reuelation of God ſuffice eueryevery one, whiche GOD him ſelfe voucheth ſafe in his woorde to open vntounto vsus, namely, ſo much as hée of his goodneſſe thincketh neceſſarie and profitable for vsus to knowe. And I doe heere with warraunt ſaye that that wiſedome is the true wiſedome, which will not in this matter go about to knowe or ſauour more, thā the eternall wiſedome doth teach to knowe.

The firſt and chiefeſte waye to knowe God is deriued out of the very The … of ….names of God attributed vntounto him in the holy Scripture. Thoſe names are many and of ſundrie ſortes, beecauſe his vertue, his wiſedome, I meane, his goodneſſe, iuſtice, and power are altogether infinite. I will reckon vpp and expound vntounto you accordinge to my ſkill, the moſt excellent and vſuall amonge the reſt.

Amonge all the names of GOD that is the moſt excellent, whiche they ….call Tetragrammaton, that is, (if wee may ſo ſaye) the foure lettered name: for it is compounded of the foure ſpirituall letters, and is called IEHOVAH. It is deriued of the Verbe ſubſtantiue Houah, before whiche they put Iod and make it IEHOVAH, that is to ſaye, Beeing, or I am, as hée that is foreign, a Béeing of him ſelfe, hauing his life and Being not of any other, but of him ſelfe, lacking no-bodies ayde to make him to Bée, but giuing To Bée vntounto all maner of thinges, to witt, eternall God, without beginning and ending, in whome wée liue, wée moue, and hauehave our Béeing. To this doe thoſe woords eſpeciallie belonge whiche wée finde to hauehave paſſed betwixte God and Moſes in the thirde Chapiter of Exodus: And Moſes ſaid to GOD, Beholde when I come vntounto the children of Iſrael (to whome thou doeſt now ſend mee,) and ſhall ſaye vntounto them, The God of your fathers hath ſente mee vntounto you, and they ſhal aſke mee ſaying, What is his name? What aunſwere ſhall I make them? And God ſaid to Moſes, I am that I am, or, I wil bee that I wil bee, And he ſaid, Thus ſhalt thou ſaye to the children of Iſrael, I am, or Beeing, or I wil be, hath ſent mee vntounto you. That is, I am God that wil be, and he hath ſent mée, who is him ſelfe Beeing, or Eſſence, and God euerlaſting. For their future tenſe conteineth thrée ſundrie times, Hée that is, Hée that was, and Hée that will be hath ſent mée.

Truely the Euangeliſte and Apoſtle Iohn ſéemeth in his Reuelation to hauehave had an eye to theſe woordes of the Lord, whiche alſo hée wente about to interprete, ſaying in the perſon of GOD: I am Alpha and Omega Apoc. 1.Rev 1the beginning and the ende, or the firſt and the laſte, ſayeth the Almightie Lord, whiche is, and whiche was, and which ſhall be.

p. 609Some there are which obſerue this for a note, that in all tongues almoſt, euen of the barbarous ſort, y^e name of God is written with foure letters. Concerning his name in Hebrue it is aſſuredly ſo. And in the Gréeke, Latine, and Germane tongues it is ſo alſo. For God in Gréeke is called foreign, in Cabala is a tradition of the Iewes, leafte to them by Moſes, not in writing, but from the father to the ſonne wherein is conteined as wel the ſecrets of nature, as the myſticall ſenſe included in the wordes of the holy ſcripture.Latine Deus, and with vsus Germanes he is called Gott. They add moreouer that the Perſians call him foreign, and the Aegyptians foreign or foreign and by contraction foreign. And in the foure letters the Cabaliſts ſaye that there are wonderfull myſteries conteyned. Of whiche as other hauehave written very diligently, ſo I hauehave leifer héere not to ſtand vppon them or trouble your patience with them. Like to this alſo are theſe names of GOD, Iah and Hu. Whereof, the firſt is oftener found in the Pſalmes than once. For Dauid ſayeth: Hallelu-Iah, that is: Praiſe ye the Lord. The later is alſo mentioned by Dauid, ſaying: Hu, that is, hee, I ſay, God, the Being and creatour of al thinges, ſpake the worde and it was done. Hu, he cōmaunded and it was. In Eſaie the Lord ſayeth: I am the Iah and Hu.Lord, Hu is my name, and my glorie will I giuegive vntounto none other.Hu ſignifieth He or this.

Now thoſe words alſo are deriued of Being, and do teach vsus that God is alwayes like himſelfe, an Eſſence which is of it ſelfe eternally, and whiche giueth To be vntounto all things that are: as he by whome, in whome, and to whome all thinges are, being himſelfe a perpetuall and moſt abſolute foreign, or perfect hauingneſſe.

But the Hebrues doe not read or expreſſe y^e fourelettered name of God, by calling it Iehouah, but in ſtéede of Adonai.it, they vſe the word Adonai. For they ſay that Iehouah muſt not be vttered. Now al interpreters in their tranſlations where they turne it into Latine doe call it Dominus, that is, Lord. For GOD is the Lord of all things, both viſible and inuiſible. Neither is there in all y^e world any other Lord, but this one, and hee alone, to whome all thinges in the world are ſubiecte, and do obey. For he hath a moſt méere dominion, and abſolute Monarchie ouer all his creatures. And therefore for plainneſſe ſake ſometime the word Sabbaoth is annexed to the name of God: whiche ſome tranſlate the Lord The Lo… of Sabboth or o… Hoſtes.of Powers, and ſome the Lord of hoſtes. For God being Almightie, doth by his power or ſtrength ſhewe forth, and in his hoſte declare what mightie thinges he is able to doe, and of howe greate power and might hée is. For ſince that he is the GOD of all creatures, and that he doth diſpoſe and vſe them as a Capiteine doeth his ſouldiers, to worke mightie and meruelous thinges, he doth euen by ſmall things declare how great he himſelfe is, and how great his power is.

In the hoſte of God are all the Angels, of whome Daniel ſaid: Thouſande Danielthouſandes, and hundred thouſands did miniſter vntounto him. One of which Angels did in one night kill in the Aſſyrians campe vnderunder the banner of the moſt puiſſaunt king Senacherib, one hundreth foure-ſcore & fiue thouſand ſouldiers. In the hoſte of God are all the windes, all the ſtarrs, and all the fierie, aerie, & waterie impreſſions. In the hoſte of God are all euill ſpirites, all men, Kinges and Princes, all the warlike furniture of eueryevery nation, & finally all creatures, both viſible and inuiſible: and al theſe hee vſeth according to his owne pleaſure, yea according to his owne good & iuſt will, when, how much, and howe long hee liſteth, to finiſhe and bring p. 610to paſſe his owne will and iudgements. In puniſhing the firſt worlde at the deluge he vſed water. In deſtroying of Sodoma, and the Cities there about he vſed fire: and in rooting out the Chanaanites and Iewes he vſed the meanes of mortall menne, or ſouldiers. Somtimes ther is aſcribed to y^e Lord y^e word Aeleon, & the Lord is called Aeleon, that is to ſay, high. For in the 113 Pſalme we read. The … high ….Lord is higher than all nations, and his glory is aboue the heauens. Who …is like the Lorde our God, whiche ſetteth him ſelfe ſo high in his habitation? And in the 97. Pſalme he ſaith. Thou Lord art higher than all that are in the earth, thou art exalted farre aboue all Gods.

Againe, God is called El, becauſe of his ſtrength. For what he wil, that can he doe, and therefore is he called a ſtrong God or a Giant. For Ieremie ….ſaith. The Lord is with me as a ſtrong Giant. Eſay ſaith: The Lord ſhall come forth like a Giant, he ſhal ….take ſtomache vntounto him like a man of warre, he ſhall rore and ouercome his enimies. And like to this is the word Eloah, whoſe plurall number is Elohim. That name betokeneth the ….preſence of God, whiche neuer fayleth his woorkmāſhip & worſhippers.

Ieremie bringeth in God ſpeaking and ſaith. Am I God, that ſeeth but the thing that is nigh at hand onelyonly, ….and not the thing that is far off? May any man hide himſelfe, ſo that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? Doe not I fill Heauen and earth.

For before him alſo Dauid ſaid, Whether ſhall I goe from the breath ….of thy mouth? And whether ſhall I flee from thy countenaunce? If I aſcend into heauen thou art there: and if I deſcend into hell thou art there alſo. If I take the winges of the morning, and dwell in the vtmoſte parts of the ſea, euen there thy hand ſhall rule me, and thy right hande ſhall holde me faſt.

Therfore the Apoſtle Paule ſaith, God is not far from eueryevery one of …s. Actes. 17.Acts 17For by him we liue, we moue, and hauehave our beeing. And for that cauſe peraduēture God was of the Gréeks called foreign, to wit, foreign, becauſe of his redineſſe and preſent ſuccour, becauſe he neuer faileth mortall men, but alwayes and in all places doeth aide and reléeue them. Likewiſe Plato in Cratylo, and his interpreter Proclus doe think that, foreign, (God) is deriued, foreign, that is, of running: but that courſe or running is not referred to the preſence or help of God, but to an other thing.

For when men ſaw the Sunne, the Moone, the ſtarres, and heauen it ſelfe by running ſtill to be turned aboute, they thought that they were Gods. Some there are that will deriue it foreign, that is to ſay, of feare or dread. For feare or Religion beléeueth and perſuadeth men that there is a God.

The Latines peraduenture framed their Deus (God) of the Gréekes, foreign. But ſome doo think rather that Deus.Deus is deriued A dando, of giuing, becauſe he giueth all things vntounto all men. For ſo among the Hebrues foreign.he is called foreign (as I will anon declare) or Schadday becauſe he is ſufficient to him ſelfe, he lacketh nothing but giueth to all men all good thinges and neceſſary. Some other wil hauehave God in Latine to be called Deus, quód ipſi nihil deeſt, that is, becauſe there is nothing wanting in him.

But now the Scripture doeth attribute the plurall number Elohim, p. 611Elohim.not to God alone, but alſo to Angels, to iudges, and to men in authoritie: becauſe God is alwaies preſent with them, while they laboure in that office whiche he hath appointed them vntounto, and doeth by the miniſterie of them worke the things whiche hee him ſelfe will, & which are expedient for the welfare of mortall men.

And although the worde Elohim be of the plurall number, yet is it ſet before Verbes in the ſingular number, as in the firſt of Geneſis we find: In the beginning, Bara Elohim, Creauit This Dii importech as much as if one ſhoulde ſay, Gods.Dii, God created (for Bara, created, is the ſingular number) Heauen and Earth.

In that phraſe of ſpéech is ſhewed vntounto vsus the myſterie of the reuerend Trinitie. For Moſes ſéemeth to hauehave ſaid in effecte. In the beginning that GOD in Trinitie created Heauen and Earth.

In the 7. chapter of the ſecond booke of Samuel, Elohim in the plurall number is ioygned with Verbes of the plurall number, to declare that there is a difference of perſons in the bleſſed Trinitie.

Moreouer, in the league whiche God maketh with our father Abraham, Schaddai Gene. 17Gen 17God giueth him ſelfe an other name. For he ſaith, I God am Schaddai, that is, ſufficient, or ſufficiencie. Therefore God is called Schaddai.

Some in their tranſlations turne it Vaſtator a deſtroyer, as if GOD ſhuld name him ſelfe a iuſt reuenger.

But Moſes Aegyptius ſaith: The Nowne Schaddai is compounded of the Verbe Da…i (which ſignifieth, he ſufficeth) and the letter * Schin which hath the ſame meaning that Aſcher hath, and ſignifieth, He that. So that Schaddai is as muche to ſay, as, He that ſufficeth to him ſelfe, and is the ſufficiencie or fulneſſe of all things.

Peraduenture the Heathen hauehave vppon this occaſion deriued their Saturnus, Satur…whiche name they gaue to them whome they did wickedly take to bee Gods.

For as Diurnus commeth of Dies a daye, ſo is Saturnus deriued a Saturando, of ſatiſfying or filling.

Therefore GOD is that He, to whome nothing is lacking, which in all things and vntounto althings is ſufficient to him ſelfe, who néedeth no mans ayde, yea, who alone hath all things, which do apperteine to the perfect felicitie, bothe of this life and of the world to come: and whiche onelyonly and alone can fil and ſuffice all his people It ſeem that we Engliſh men do borrow of the … manes their … Gott, … turne their …, T, … D, … we ſo… God, … we ſho… ſay, …and other creatures.

For this cauſe the Germanes call him Gott, as who ſhould ſaye Guot, good, or beſt. Becauſe, as he is full of all goodneſſe, ſo he doeth moſte liberally beſtowe vppon men all maner of good things. The Germane word is not muche vnlike to the auncient name wherby the Aegyptians called God. For they called God Theuth, or, Thoth. Now if we for, Th, put G, then is it Goth, and we ſaye, Gott.

The Lord him ſelfe in the ſixt chapter of Exodus putteth theſe two names together, Schaddai and Iehouah, as two of the moſte excellent names, that he hath, and ſaith: I am Iehouah. And I appeared to Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob as God Schaddai: but in my name Iehouah I was not knowen vntounto them. Not that the Patriarches had not hearde or knowen the name Iehouah. For p. 612that name beganne to be called vponupon in the time of Seth, immediatelye …. 4.after the beginning of the worlde. Therefore it ſeemeth that the Lorde meant thus in effect. I opened my ſelf vntounto the Patriarches as God Schaddai, who am able in all things ſufficiently to fill them with all goodneſſe, and therefore I promiſed them a land that floweth with milke and honie.

But, in my name Iehouah, I was not yet knowen vntounto them, that is, I did not performe vntounto them that which I promiſed.

For we hauehave heard all ready, that he is called Iehouah, of that which he maketh to be, and therefore he bringeth his promiſe to perfourmaunce.

Now therefore, (ſayeth he) I will in déede fulfill my promiſe, and ſhewe my ſelfe to be, not onelyonly Deum Schaddai, an all-ſufficient or Almightie GOD, but alſo to be Iehouah, an eſſence or béeing eternall, immutable, true, and in all things like my ſelfe, or ſtanding to my promiſe.

Laſt of all we reade in the thirde of Exodus, that God ſaide to Moſes: Thus ſhalt thou ſay to the children of Iſraell.…

The Lord GOD of our fathers, … God ….the GOD of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Iacob hath ſent me vntounto you. This is my name for euer, and this is my memoriall from one generation vntounto an other.

So then héere now we hauehave an other name of GOD. For he will be called the God of Abraham, of Iſaac, and of Iacob.

This, ſaith he, ſhall be my memoriall from one generation vntounto an other, to wit, wherein I will kéepe in memorie my benefites beſtowed vponupon thoſe Patriarches, that by them the poſteritie may know me, and remember me.

For when we heare the names of thoſe Patriarches, they doe put vsus in minde of all the excellent and innumerable benefites, which God beſtowed on our forefathers: which are not in vaine with ſo great diligence peculiarely reckoned vp of Moſes, in his firſt Booke called Geneſis. For he will be our GOD euen as he was theirs: if ſo be we doe beleeue in him, as they did beléeue.

For to vsus that beléeue he will be bothe Schaddai and Iehouah, eternall and immutable trueth, Béeing life, and heaped-vp ſtore of all maner good thinges.

And now by the way, it is not without a myſterie, that when he is the God alſo of other Patriarches, as of Adam, Seth, Enos, and eſpeciallie of Enoch and Noah, yet out of all the number of them he picked thoſe thrée, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, and to euerye one of theire names prefired ſeuerally his owne name, ſaying:

I am the GOD of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Iacob. For ſo he did euidently teache Trinitie.the myſterie of the Trinitie, in the vnitie of the diuine ſubſtance, and that eueryevery one of the perſons is of the ſame diuinitie, maieſtie and glorye, that is, that the father is very God, the Sonne verye God, and the holie Ghoſte verye God: p. 613and that theſe thrée are one God. For he ſaith. I am God &c. Of which I will ſpeake in place conuenient.

Thus muche hetherto concerning the names of God, out of which an indifferent knowledge of God may eaſily be gathered. I knowe that one Dionyſius hath made a buſie commentarie Dionyſius of the names of God.vponupon the names of God: but I knowe too, that the godly ſorte, and thoſe that are ſtudious of the Apoſtles doctrine doe vnderſtand, that the diſciples of the Apoſtles did farre more ſimplye handle matters belonging vntounto Religion. I knowe that other doe make accounte of 72. names of God, out of the Scriptures and books of the Cabaliſts, whiche as I hauehave in an other place rehearſed, ſo will I hereafter out of Exodus, repeate to you the chiefeſt of them.

Secondarilie, God is in the word Viſions & proſopographie of God.of God exhibited to be ſéene, to be beheld, and to be known by viſions & diuine mirrors, as it were in a certaine parable, while by Proſopographie, Proſopographie is a picturing or reprſeentinge of bodily lineamēts.Proſopopeie, or mortall ſhapes he is ſet before our eyes. And yet we are warned not to ſtick vponupon thoſe viſible things, but to lift vp our mindes from viſible things, to things inuiſible and ſpirituall. For neither is God bodilie in his owne ſubſtaunce, becauſe Proſopopeie is where thoſe are broughte in to ſpeake that doe not ſpeak.he is in viſions exhibited to vsus in a bodilye ſhape like to a manne. Neither did any of the olde ſaincts before the birth of Chriſte, expreſſe God in the ſhape and picture of a mortall man, becauſe God had in that ſhape exhibited him ſelfe to be ſéene of the Patriarches and Prophets. It is the doating errour of the Anthropomorphites, Anthropomorphites.to ſay that God is bodilie, and that he hath members like to a mortall manne. And that no man doe in this caſe deceiue him ſelfe, by attributing falſely to GOD the thing that is againſt his honour. I will here in ſted of a remedie againſt that poyſon, recite vntounto you (dearely beloued) the words of S. Auguſtine, which he out of the pure vnderſtanding of the holie Scriptures, and aſſured teſtimonies of Catholique true Doctours writte to Fortunatius De Videndo Deo, againſte the Anthropomorphites. Concerning the members of How … tribute… God … i… bodileſſe.God (ſaith he) whiche the Scripture doeth in eueryevery place make mention of, knowe this, that leaſt any man ſhould beléeue that according to the facion and figure of this fleſhe, we are like to God, the ſame ſcripture did alſo ſay that God hath wings, whiche it is manifeſt that we men hauehave not. Therefore euen as when we heare wings named, we vnderſtand Gods protection and defence: ſo when we heare of hands, we muſt vnderſtand his operation: when we heare mention made of féete, we muſt vnderſtand his preſent redineſſe: when we heare the name of eyes, we muſte vnderſtand his ſight, whereby he ſéeth and knoweth all things. And when we heare of his face, we muſt vnderſtand his iuſtice, whereby he is knowen to all the world: and what ſoeuer elſe like vntounto this, the ſame ſcripture doth make mention of, I beléeue verilie that it muſt be vnderſtood ſpiritually. Neither doe I alone, or am I the firſt, that think thus: but euen all they alſo, which euen with a meane vnderſtanding of the ſcriptures, doe withſtand the opinion of them that are for that cauſe called Anthropomorphites. Out of whoſe writing becauſe I will not cite ouer muche, to cauſe to long a ſtay, I doe héere meane to alledge one teſtimonie out of S. Hierome. For when that man moſte p. 614excellently learned in the holie ſcriptures expounded the Pſalme, where it is ſaid: Vnderſtand ye vnwiſe among the people, ye fooles at length be wiſe. He that planted the care P…lm. 94.ſhal he not heare, or he that made the eye ſhall he not ſee, did among other things ſay: This place doeth moſt of Theſe …ordes of … taken … of …tulliā.all make againſt the Anthropomorphites, which ſay that God hath members euen as we hauehave. As for example, he is ſaid to hauehave eyes. The eyes of the Lord beholde all things, the hand of the Lord maketh all things. And Adam heard (ſaith he) the ſound of the féet of the Lord walking in Paradiſe. They doe vnderſtand theſe places ſimply as the letter lyeth, and doe referre mortall weakneſſe to the magnificent mightineſſe of the immortall God. But I ſay that God is all eye, all hand, and all foote.

He is all eye, becauſe he ſéeth all things. All hand, becauſe he worketh all things. All foote becauſe he is preſent eueryevery where. Therefore marke ye what he ſaith. He that planted the eare, ſhall he not heare? or he that made the eye ſhall he not ſee? He ſaid not, therefore hath he no eyes? But he ſaid, he that planted the eare ſhall he not heare? or he that made the eye, ſhall he not ſée. He made the members, and gaue them the efficient powers. And a little afterwards the ſame S. Auguſtine ſaith. In all this which I hauehave cited out of the ſaincts and doctours, Ambroſe, Hierome, Athanaſius, Gregorie (Nazianzene) and whatſoeuer elſe like theſe of other mens doeings, I could euer reade or come by, (which I think to be too long héere ſeuerally to rehearſe) I finde that God is not a body, or that he hath members like to a man, neither that he is diuided by the diſtance of places, but by nature vnchaungeably inuiſible. And I doe in the helpe of God without wauering beléeue, and ſo far as he giueth me grace, I doe vnderſtand, that not by the ſame (inuiſible) nature and ſubſtance, but by a viſible ſhape taken vntounto him, he appeared as it pleaſed him, to them, to whome he did appeare, when in the holie ſcriptures he is reported to hauehave béene ſeene with corporall eyes. Thus much out of Auguſtine.

To theſe now I will alſo add the words of Tertullian, a verie auncient eccleſiaſticall writer, in his excellent booke De Trinitate. By members, (ſaith he) are ſhewed the efficient powers of God, not the bodilie faſhion of God, or corporall lineaments. For when the eyes are deſcribed, it is ſet downe becauſe he ſéeth althings. And when the eare is named, it is therefore named becauſe he heareth all things. And when the finger is mentioned, then is a certeine ſignification of his minde declared. And when the noſethrilles are ſpoken of, the receiuing of prayers, as of ſwéete ſmels, is therby notified. And when the hand is talked of, it argueth that he is the author of all creatures. And when the arme is ſpecified, thereby is declared that no nature can withſtand the power of God. And when the féete are named, that putteth vsus in minde, that God filleth all things, and that there is nothing where he is not preſent. For neither members nor the offices of members are neceſſarie to him, to whoſe will onelyonly without any words all things obey, and are ready at hand. For why ſhould he require eyes, which is him ſelfe the light? Or why ſhuld he ſéeke for feet, which is him ſelfe preſent euerie where? Or how ſhould he go in, ſince that there is no where for p. 615him to goe out from him ſelfe? Or why ſhould he wiſhe for a hande, whoſe will without wordes doeth worke all things? Neither doeth he néede eares that knoweth the verye ſecrete thoughtes. Or wherefore ſhould he lacke a tongue, whoſe onelyonly thincking is a commaunding? For theſe members were neceſſarie to men and not to GOD. Becauſe the counſell of men ſhould be of none effecte, vnleſſe the bodye did fulfill the thoughts: but to GOD they are not néedfull, whoſe will the very workes doe not onelyonly followe, without all ſtirring buſineſſe, but doe euen immediately with his will procéede and go forewarde. But he is all eye, becauſe he wholy ſeeth: He is all eare, becauſe he wholy heareth: He is all hand, becauſe he wholy worketh: And all foote, becauſe he is wholy eueryevery where. For what ſoeuer is ſimple, that hath not in it ſelfe any diuerſitie of it ſelfe. For thoſe thinges fall into a diuerſitie of members, whatſoeuer are borne vntounto diſolution, but the things that are not compact together cannot feele (diuerſitie.) And ſo as followeth. For all theſe hetherto are the wordes of Tertullian.

Therefore when wee reade that Moſes did ſée GOD face to face, How the p…triarchs … ſee God.and that Iacob, Iſrael, and the Prophets ſawe GOD plainely, and not obſeurely, thereby is meant that to them was exhibited a viſion moſte manifeſt, effectuall, and verie familiar. For truely ſaide Theodoretus the Biſhop of Cyrus: We ſay that the fathers did not ſee the diuine nature or ſubſtance, which cannot bee circumſcribed, comprehended, or perceiued in the minde of man, but doeth it ſelfe comprehend all things: but we ſay that they fawe a certeine glorie and certeine viſions, whiche were aunſwerable to their capacitie, and did not paſſe the meaſure of the ſame. For theſe aſſured ſentences of the holie Scripture doe alwayes remaine moſte true.

No man did euer ſee GOD at Iohn. 1.John 1any time. GOD dwelleth in the light that no man can atteine vntounto, 1. Tim. …whome no man hath ſeene nor canne ſee. And againe, No man ſhall ſee Exod. 33Exod 33my face, and liue, that is, ſo long as he liueth vppon this earth, in the corruption and imperfection of this our fleſhe, no man ſhall beholde the eſſence of GOD, which is eternal, and light that cannot be looked vponupon.

For when we are once deliuered from this corruption, and are clarified, then ſhall we ſée him as hee is. Therefore God is ſaid to hauehave béene ſéene of the fathers, not according to the fulneſſe of his diuinitie, but according to the capacitie of men.

Tertullian thinketh, that all thinges in the olde Teſtament were done God … doe … thinge … with … fathers his So…of God the Father by the Sonne, who taking vppon him a competent ſhape appeared to men and ſpake vntounto the Fathers.

Paule in the beginning of his Epiſtle to the Hebrues doth ſignificantly ſpeake of the Sonne of God incarnate, not denying abſolutely that the Father did euer any thinge by the Sonne.

Tertullian ſaith: To the Sonne was giuen all power in Heauen and in Earth. But that power could not be of all thinges, vnleſſe it were of euerie time. Therefore it is the Sonne that alwayes deſcended to talke with men from Adam vntounto the Patriarches and Prophetes, in Viſion, in Dreame, in a Myrrour, and in Oracle. p. 616So alwayes it pleaſed God to be conuerſant in the earth with men, being none other, than the Worde which afterwarde was to bee made Fleſhe. And it pleaſed him ſo to make a way for vsus to Faith, that wee might the more eaſily perceiue that the Sonne of God deſcended into the worlde, and that wee might knowe that ſuch a thinge was done. And ſo as followeth. For all theſe are the wordes of Tertullian. After this premonition, we will now adde the viſions of Gods maieſtie exhibited to holy men.

God exhibited to his ſeruauntes many and ſundry viſions, wherein he ….after a maner did ſhadowe foorth his maieſtie vntounto them: all which viſions it would be too long a labour for me to rehearſe, and expounde vntounto you. Ye ſhall finde the moſt notable ones, Exodus. 19. Eſaie. 6. Ezechiel. 1. Daniel. 7. and in the Apocalypſe of the bleſſed Euangeliſt and Apoſtle Iohn. It is ſufficient to hauehave put you in minde of them. But now the moſte renowmed and excellent one of them all I will héere recite and handle at large. It is to be ſéene in the 33. and 34. Chapter of Exodus. Moſes had triall of the facilitie and goodneſſe of God, and that there was nothing, which he obtained not at Gods hand, therefore he taketh vponupon him boldely to aſke this alſo of the Lord, to ſée God in his ſubſtance, glorie, and maieſtie, …whiche thing all the true wiſe menne of euerye age did onelyonly wiſhe and long for.

For Moſes ſaith, becauſe I vnderſtand that thou, O GOD, wiſhect wel vntounto me, and that thou canſt denie nothing, go to I beſéech thée, ſhew me thy glorie, that is, ſuffer me I pray thée to ſée thée ſo, as thou art in thy glorious ſubſtance and maieſtie.

Nowe GOD aunſwering to this requeſt, which is the greateſt of all other, doeth ſay vntounto him. I will make all my good to paſſe by before thee: and I will crye the name of the Lorde: Or, in the name of the Lorde before thee. In whiche wordes he promiſeth two things to Moſes. The one is, All my good ſhall paſſe by before thée. But this chiefe good of GOD can be nothing elſe, than the good and mightie GOD him ſelfe, or rather the word of God, I ſay the very beloued ſonne of God, in whome wée beléeue that all the treaſures of wiſdome, diuinitie, goodneſſe, and perfectneſſe, are placed and layed vpp. For he ſett before Moſes eyes the ſhew of him in a humane and viſible ſhape, ſuche in ſight as he in the end of the world ſhould be incarnate in. The other thing, that he promiſed, is, I wil cry the name of the Lord: Or in the name of the Lord before thée, that is, I will proclame the names of my glorie, by whiche thou maiſt vnderſtand, who I am, and ſéeme in thy minde.

But now that no man ſhould attribute ſo excellent a viſion to the merite God giueth his giftes frely without reſpect of mans merites.of Moſes, the Lord doeth add this ſentence following. This viſion doth not happen to thée becauſe of thine owne merite. For without mans merites, I reueale my ſelfe to whome I will, and without reſpect of perſons will hauehave compaſſion on whome it pleaſeth me, which conſideratiō of the frée grace and liberall goodneſſe of God, doeth greatly belong to the true knowledge of God. Then the lord goeth too againe, and doeth more ſignificantly declare to Moſes, in what maner and order he will exhibite or ſhew him ſelfe vntounto him.

p. 617Thou mayeſt not (ſaith he) in this life ſée my face, that is, thou mayeſt not fully ſée me in my ſubſtance. For that is reſerued for the bleſſed ſpirits, and clarified bodies in the worlde to come. I will therefore in this faſhion ſhew my ſelfe vntounto thée. Thou ſhalt go vp into the mounteine: there in a rock I will ſhew thée a clifte, wherin thou ſhalt place thée ſelfe: and I will lay mine hand vppon thée, that is, a cloude, or ſome ſuch thing, that as I come towarde thée, thou mayeſt not looke directly in my face. In that phraſe of ſpéeche the Lorde doeth imitate the faſhion of men, whoſe order is to ſpredd their hands ouer the eyes of him, whome they would not hauehave narrowely to beholde any thing. The Lorde then addeth: and in the meane while I will paſſe by, that is, the image whiche I take, to wit, the ſhape of a man, wherein I will exhibite me ſelfe to be ſéene, ſhall paſſe by before thee. And when I am once paſt ſo that thou canſt not ſée my face, I will take away the hand wherewith I hidd thine eyes, and then thou ſhalt beholde the back of the figure, or my hinder partes. Now the hinder parte of GOD are the words and déeds of God, which he leueth behinde him that we by thē may learne to knowe him. Again, the beholding of Gods face is taken for the moſte exacte and exquiſite knowledge of God. But they that ſée but the back onelyonly doe not knowe ſo well as they that ſée the face. And in the hinder or latter times of the world, God ſent his ſonne into the world borne of a womā, whom who ſo euer doe in faithe beholde, they doe not ſée the Godhead in his humanitie, but doe by his wordes and déedes knowe who God is, and ſo they ſée the father in the ſonne. For they learne that God is the chiefe good, and that y^• ſonne of God is God, béeing coequall and of the ſame ſubſtance with the father. Now let vsus ſée how God (according How Go… did ſhew him ſelf… to Moſe…to his promiſe made) did exhibite him ſelfe to be ſéene of Moſes. Moſes riſing vpp betimes aſcendeth vp into the mounteine chéerefully vntounto the rocke which the Lord had ſhewed him, placeing himſelfe in the clift, and looketh gréedilie, for the viſion or reuelation of God. At length the Lord deſcended in a cloude, and came vponupon the mounteine vntounto the clifte of the rocke wherein Moſes ſtayed for him. And preſently when Moſes his face was hidden, the figure of God, that is, the ſhape of a man, whiche God tooke vponupon him, did paſſe by before him: and when as now the backe of the figure was towarde Moſes, ſo that he could no more ſée the face thereof, the Lorde tooke his hand away, and Moſes behelde the hinder partes of the ſame. Whereby he gathered, that GOD ſhould once, that is to ſay, in the hinder times of the worlde, be incarnate and reuealed to the world. Of whiche reuelation we will héereafter ſpeake ſomewhat more. And when the Lord was once gone paſt, he cryed, and as his promiſe was, ſo in a certaine Catalogue he reckoned vppe his names, whereby, as in a ſhadowe, he did declare his nature.

For he ſaide, Iehouah, Iehouah, GOD mercifull and gratious, long ſuffering and abounding in goodneſſe and trueth, keeping merciemercy in ſtore for thouſandes, forgiuing wickedneſſe, tranſgreſſion, and ſinne: and yet not ſuffering the wicked to eſcape vnpuniſhed, viſiting the wickedneſſe of the fathers vponupon the children and childers children, vntounto the third and fourth generation. What p. 618What elſe is this than if he had ſaide? I am …the vncreated eſſence, béeing of my ſelfe from before all beginninge, which giueth Being to all things, and keepeth all thinges in Being. I am a ſtrong and almightie God. I doe not abuſe my might. For I am gentle and mercifull. I louelove my creatures, and man eſpecially, on whom I doe wholy yearne in the bowels of louelove and merciemercy. I am rich and bountifull and readie at all times to helpe my creatures. I doe fréely, without recompence, giuegive al that I beſtow. I am long ſuffering, and not irritable to anger and haſty to reuenge, as mankinde is. I am no nigarde or enuious as wealthie men in the world are woont to be. I am moſte liberall and bountifull, reioycing to be diuided amonge my people, and to heape vp benefites vponupon the faithfull. Moreouer I am true and faithfull. I deceiue no man, I lie in nothing: what I promiſe, that I ſtande to and faithfully perfourme it. Neither doe I nor can I ſo waſte my richeſſe, that all at length is ſpent, and I my ſelfe drawne drie. For I kéepe good turnes in ſtoare for a thouſand generations, ſo that although the former age did liue neuer ſo wealthily with my richeſſe, yet they that come & are borne euen vntill the very end of the world, ſhall neuertheleſſe finde in me ſo much as ſhal ſuffice & ſatiſfie their deſire. For I am y^e wel-ſpringe of good that cannot be drawne drie. And if any man ſinne againſt me & afterwarde repent him of the ſame, I am not vnappeaſeable. For euen of mine owne frée will I doe forgiue errours, ſinnes, and heinous crimes. And yet let no man therefore thinke that I am delighted with ſinnes, or that I am a Patrone of wicked doers. For euen I, the ſame, doe puniſh wicked and impenitent men: and chaſten euen thoſe, that are mine owne, y^t therby I may kéepe them in order & office. But let no man thinke that he ſhall ſinne and eſcape vnpuniſhed, becauſe he ſéeth that his aunceſtours did ſinne and were not puniſhed: that is, did ſinne and were not vtterly cutte off, and wiped out. For I reſerue reuengement till iuſte and full time, and do ſo be hauehave my ſelfe, that all are compelled to confeſſe me to be a God of iudgement. Now when Moſes the ſeruaunt of God had hearde and ſéene theſe thinges, he made haſte, and fell downe proſtrate to the earth, & worſhipped. Let vsus alſo doe the ſame, beinge God doth moſt euidently open him ſelfe through Chriſt.ſurely certified that the Lorde will not vouchſafe, ſo long as we liue in this tranſitorie worlde, to reueale himſelfe and his glory any whit more fully and brimly, than in Chriſte his Sonne exhibited vntounto vsus. Let therefore the thinges that ſufficed Moſes, ſuffice vsus alſo, let the knowledge of Chriſt ſuffice and content vsus.

For the moſte euident and excellent 2. Cor. 4.2 Cor 4way and meane to know God, is layde forth before vsus in Ieſu Chriſte the ſonne of God incarnate and made Hebr. 1.Heb 1man. For therefore we did euen now heare, that before Moſes was ſet the ſhadowe of Chriſte, when it pleaſed God moſt familiarly to reueale himſelfe vntounto him.

And the Apoſtle Paule placeth the illumination or appearinge of the knowledge of the glorie of God to be in the face of Ieſus Chriſt. And in an other place the ſame Paule calleth Chriſte the brightneſſe of his fathers glorie, and the liuely image of his ſubſtaunce. Truely he himſelfe in the Goſpell doeth moſt plainely ſay, No Iohn. 6. Math. 11.John 6Matt 11man knoweth the Father, but the Sonne, and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him. For he is the way p. 619vntounto the father: & the father is ſéene & beheld in him. For we doe againe in y^e goſpel reade, No man hath euer ſeene God at any time, the onelyonly begotten Iohn. 14. Iohn. 1.John 14John 1ſonne, which is in the boſome of the father, he hath reuealed him vntounto vsus.

But againe the Apoſtle ſaith, After that in the wiſdom of god the world through their wiſedome knewe not 1. Cor. 1.1 Cor 1God, it pleaſed god through fooliſhnes of preaching to ſaue thē that beleeue. That which he in this place calleth the wiſedome of God, is the verie creation & workmāſhip of the world, and the woonderful works of God, in which God would be knowen to the world: and in the beating out & conſidering whereof, all the wiſedome of all the wiſemen till then, did altogeather lye. But for becauſe the conſideration of thoſe thinges did no good, by reaſon of mans wiſedome, for y^e moſt part, referring the cauſes of things to ſomewhat elſe, than to God the true and onelyonly mark, whereto they ſhould be referred, and while men thought them ſelues wiſe, as y^e ſame Apoſtle teacheth vsus, euen in their owne reaſonings Rom. 1.Rom 1they became fooles, it pleaſed God by an other way to be knowē to the world, to witt, by the fooliſh preaching of the Goſpell, which is in verie déed moſte abſolute and perfect wiſedome, but to the worldly wiſdome of mortall men, it ſéemeth fooliſhneſſe. For it ſéemeth a fooliſhe thing to the men of this world, that the true and verie God béeing incarnate or made man, was conuerſant with vsus men héere in the Earth, was in pouertie, was hungry, did ſuffer and die. And yet euen this is the way whereby God is moſte euidently knowen to the world, together with his wiſdome, goodneſſe, trueth, righteouſneſſe, and power. For y^e wiſdome of God, which no tongue can vtter, doeth in y^e whole Gods wi… dome appeareth.miniſterie, & woonderful diſpenſation of Chriſt, ſhine out very brightly, but far more brimly if we diſcuſſe & beate out the cauſes (of which I ſpeake elſe where) & throughly weigh the doctrine of Chriſt. In y^e incarnatiō of the ſonne of God it appeareth how wel god wiſheth Gods goodne… appeare…to y^e world being ſunk & drownd in ſinne, as y^•, to which he is bound by an indiſſoluble league, & doth through Chriſte adopt the ſonnes of death and of the diuell, into the ſonnes and heyres of life euerlaſting. Now whereas God… truth a… pearethChriſte doeth moſte exactly fullfill all thoſe things, which the Prophetes by y^e reuelation of god did foretel of him, and whereas he doeth moſte liberally performe the things which GOD the father did promiſe of him, that doeth declare how vnchaungeable and true the eternall God is. In the déedes or Gods … & … ſufferi… appear… to the worl…miracles of Chriſte our Lorde, in his reſurrection, in his glorious aſcenſion into Heauen, & moſte plentifull powring out of his holie ſpirite vppon his diſciples, but eſpecially in conuerting the whole worlde from Paganiſme and Iudaiſme, to the Euangelicall trueth, doe appeare the power, longe ſuffering, maieſtie and vnſpeakeable goodneſſe of GOD the father. In the Gods …death of Chriſte the Sonne of GOD doth ſhine the great iuſtice of God the father, as that which béeing once offended with our ſinnes, could not bée pacified but with ſuch and ſo great a ſacrifice. Finally, becauſe he ſpared not his only begotten ſonne, but gaue God… …him for vsus that are his enimies and wicked rebelles, euen therein is that merciemercy of his made knowen to the world, which is verie rightly cōmended aboue all the woorkes of GOD. Therefore in the ſonne, and by the ſonne God doeth moſte manifeſtlye p. 620make himſelfe manifeſt to y^e world, ſo that what ſo euer is néedefull to be knowen of God, or of his wil, & what ſoeuer is belonging to heauenly and healthful wiſdome, that is wholy opened and throughly perceiued & ſéene in the ſonne. Therefore when Philipp ſaid to Chriſte, Lord ſhew vsus the father and it ſufficeth vsus: we reade that …. 14.the Lord aunſwered, HaueHave I beene ſo long with you, & do ye not yet know me? Philipp, he that hath ſeene me, hath ſeene the father. And how ſayeſt thou, ſhew vsus the father? doeſt not thou beleeue that I am in the father, and the father in me? Now hée rein he …alleth back all the faithful from ouer curious ſeaching after God, laying before them the myſterie of the diſpenſation, wherein he would hauehave vsus to reſt, and to content our ſelues, namely in that that God was made man. Therefore whoſoeuer deſire to ſée and knowe God truely, let them caſt the eyes of their minde vponupon Chriſte, and beléeue the myſterie of him conteined in woords & déedes, learning by them what & who God is. For God is ſuch an one, as he exhibiteth him ſelfe to be knowē in Chriſt, & in that verie know ledge he doeth appoint eternall life to be, where he ſaith. And this is eternall …. 17.life, that they might knowe thee the only true God, & Ieſus Chriſt whōe thou haſt ſent. Let him y^• wiſheth wel to himſelfe take héede that he go not about to know any more than God him ſelfe doth teach vsus in Chriſt. But who ſoeuer neglecting Chriſt doth follow y^• rule & ſubtilties of mans wit, he verily doeth come to nought and periſh in his thoughts. The fourth meane to know god by, is fetched out of y^e contēplation ….of his woorkes. Dauid ſaith, The heauens declare the glory of god, and the firmament ſheweth foorth the works of his bandes. And the Apoſtle Paule Rom. 1.Rom 1ſaith, His inuiſible things beeing vnderſtanded by his woorkes, through the creation of the worlde, are ſeene, that is, both his eternal power & god head. Loe, the power and godhead of God, are thoſe inuiſible things of God, and yet they are vnderſtoode by the cō ſideration of Gods workes: therefore euen God him-ſelfe is knowne by the workes of God. But now the workes The workes of God are twoe wayes cō ſidered. 1.of God are doubly conſidered, or bée of twoe ſorts. For either they are layed before vsus to be béehelde in thinges created for the behoofe of men, as in heauen & in earth, & in thoſe things that are in heauē and in earth, and are gouerned and preſerued by the prouidence of God, of which ſorte are the ſtarres and the motions or courſes of the ſtarres, the influences of heauen, the courſe of time, liuing creatures of all kindes, trées, plants, fruites of the earth, the ſea, and whatſoeuer is therein, ſtones, and whatſoeuer things are hid within, and digged out of the earth for the vſe of men. Of theſe. S. Baſile & S. Ambroſe hauehave written very learnedly and godly in their bookes intituled, The worke of ſixe dayes, the whiche they called Hexaemeron. Héere may be inſerted that hiſtory of nature, which y^e glorious & worthie king Dauid Pſal. 104.Ps 104doth in y^e pſalmes, eſpecially after the 100. pſalme moſt fitly apply to our purpoſe. But leſt we ſhuld intangle & make intricate y^e courſe of this preſēt treatiſe, I will hereafter ſpeake of the creation of y^e world, & of gods gouernment & prouidence in y^e ſame. At this preſent it ſhal ſuffice to know y^e heauē & earth, & all that is therein do declare to vsus and ſette, as it were, before our cies an euident argument that God, as he is moſte wiſe, is alſo moſt mightie, woonderful, of an infinite maieſty, p. 621of an incomprehenſible glorie, moſte iuſt, moſt gratious and moſt excellent. Eſaie therefore, a faithful teacher of Eſai. 40.Isa 40the Church, giuing good counſell for the ſtate of mortall men, doth ſay vntounto them. Lifte vp your eyes on high, and conſider who hath made theſe things that come foorthe by heapes, calling them all by theire names, whoſe ſtrength is ſo great, that none of them doth faile. For although that euen from the beginning the ſtarres hauehave ſhined to the worlde, and hauehave in their courſe perfourmed that, for which they were created, yet are they not woarne by vſe, nor by continuance conſumed awaye or darckened ought at all. For by the power of their maker they are preſerued whole.

Ieremie alſo cryeth, O Lord there Iere. 10.Jer 10is none like vntounto thee. Thou art great, and great is thy name with power. Who woulde not feare thee O King of the gentiles. For thine is the glorie: for among all the wiſe men of the Heathen, and in all their kingdoms there is none that may be likened vntounto thee. And immediatly after againe, The Lord God is a true and liuing God and king: If he be wroth the earth ſhaketh, nether can the gentiles abide his indignation. He made the earth with his power, with his wiſedome doth he order the whole compaſſe of the world, and with his diſcretion hath he ſpred the h…auens out. At his voice the waters gathered together in the a…re, he draweth vpp the Cloudes from the vttermoſte partes of the earthe, he turneth lightning to raine, & bringeth the windes out of their treſures. Or elſe y^e works of God are ſet foorth for vsus to beholde 2in man, the verie Lord & prince of all creatures: not ſo much in the workmanſhipp or making of man whiche Lactantius and Andreas Weſalius hauehave paſſingly painted out for all men to ſée, as in the woorks which toward man, or in man, or by man, the Lord him ſelfe doeth finiſh and bring to paſſe. For God doeth iuſtly puniſh ſome men and by puniſhing them he doth declare that he knoweth the dealings of mortall men, and hateth all wrong and iniurie. Vppon other he heapeth vpp verie large and ample benefites, and in béeing beuntifull vntounto them he declareth that he is rich, yea, that he is the founteine of goodneſſe that cannot be drawen dry, that he is bountiful, good, merciful, gentle, and long ſuffering. Héereof there are innumerable examples in the hiſtorie of the Bible. Caine for the murder committed vppon his brother lyued here in earth a miſerable & wretched life. For the iuſt lord doth reuēge the bloudſhedd of the innocent. The firſt world was drowned in y^e deluge, a plague was layd it on for y^e contēpt of God. But Noah and his were ſauedin the Arke by the merciemercy of God.

God bringeth Abraham from Vr of the Chaldées, and placeth him in the land of Chanaan, bleſſing and loading him with all manner of goods. He doeth woonderfullie kéepe Iacob in all his troubles & infinite calamities. Through great afflictions he lifteth vp Ioſeph frō the priſon vntounto the throne of Aegypt. He doth gréeuouſly plague the Aegyptians for y^e tyrannie ſhewed in oppreſſing Iſrael, and for the contempt of his commaundement.

But it would be too longe and tedious to make a beadrowe of all the examples. Now by theſe and ſuch like workes of GOD we learne, who, and howe greate our GOD is, howe wiſe hée is, howe good, howe mightie, howe liberall, howe iuſte p. 622and rightful, and with-all we learne that we muſt beéeue, and in althings obey him For Aſaph ſath, The things that we hauehave heard and knowen, and …. 78.ſuch as our fathers hauehave told vsus, thoſe we will not hide frō our ſonnes, but wil ſhew to the generations to come, the praiſe of the Lorde, his mightie and woonderfull workes, which hee hath done: that the children, whiche are borne, when they come to age, may ſhewe their children the ſame, that they may putt theire truſte in God, and not forget the woorkes of God, but kepe his commandements. And ſo as foloweth in the 78. pſalme.

An other waye to knowe God by, next to this, is, that which is gathered …vponupon compariſons: for the Scripture doeth compare all the moſte excellent things in the world with God, whōe it preferreth before them all, ſo that we may thereby gather, that God is the chiefe good, & that his maieſtie is in cōprehenſible. This one place of Eſay may ſtād in ſted of many, where in the 40. cha. he ſaith, Who hath meaſured the waters with his fiſt? Who hath meſured heauen with his ſpan? Who hath helde the duſt of the earth betwixt three fingers and weighed the mounteines and hilles in a balance? Who hath directed the ſpirit of the Lord? who gaue him counſell? who taught him? who is of his counſell, to inſtruct him? Beholde, all people are in compariſon of him as a droppe of a bucket full, and counted as the leaſt thing that the balance weigheth. Yea he ſhall caſt out the Iſles as the ſmalleſt crumb of duſt. Libanus were not ſufficient to miniſter him wood to burne, nor the beaſts thereof were in ough for one ſacrifice vntounto him. All people in compariſon of him are reckoned as nothing, and if they bee compared with him, they are coūted as leſſe than nothing. Vnderſtand ye not this? hath it not bene preached vntounto you ſince the beginning? hauehave ye not beene taughte this by the foūdation of the earth? It is he that ſitteth vponupon the circle of the world, whoſe inhabiters are (in cōpariſon of him) but as Graſhoppers. He ſpredeth out the heauens as a couering, & ſtretcheth thē out as a tent to dwell in. He bringeth princes to nothing, and maketh the Iudges of the earth as though they were not. And ſo foorth. To this place now doe belong the Proſopopeiall ſpéeches of God, of which thou ſhalt finde ſūdrie and many, beſide the viſions which we placed in the ſecond way or meane to know God. But the moſte excellent are extant in the 18. Pſalme, and in the 5. Chapter of Solomons Ballad, bothe which I paſſe ouer vntouched, becauſe I meane not to ſtay you too long. For we muſte deſcend to the other points.

Laſt of all, God is knowen by the God is learned by the ſayinges and ſentences of the prophets and Apoſtles.ſayings or ſentences vttered by the mouthes of the Prophetes & Apoſtles. Of which ſorte is that notable ſpéech of Ieremie, where he ſaith, Let not the wiſe man glorie in his wiſdome, nor the ſtrong man in his ſtrength, nor the rich man in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glorie in this, Iere. 9.Jer 9that he vnderſtandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord and doe merciemercy, iudgement, and righteouſneſſe vponupon earth: therefore am I delighted in ſuche things alone, ſaith the Lord. Now by the merciemercy of God we are ſaued, and adorned with ſundrie great benefites. By his iudgement he puniſheth the wicked and diſobedient according to their deſerts, and therewithal he kéepeth equitie. Euen as alſo his righteouſnes doeth truely perfourme p. 623that which he promiſſeth. Therefore we ſay that God is a ſauiour, a liberall giuer of all good things, an vpright iudge, & aſſured trueth in performing his promiſſes. And hether now is to be referred the doctrine of the Prophets and apoſtles, which teacheth that to be the true knowledge of God, y^• acknowledgeth God to be one in eſſence, and thrée in perſons. Concerning the vnitie of the diuine eſſence God is one in Eſſence, or Beeing.(by the allegation whereof the pluralitie of the heathen Gods are vtterly reiected and flatly condemned) I will cite thoſe teſtimonies out of the holie Scripture, that ſéeme to be more euidente and excellent than all the other, which are in number ſo many that a man canne hardely reckon them all.

The notableſt is that, whiche is grounded vppon the Propheticall and Euangelicall authoritie, and béeing cited out of the 6, Chap. of Deuteronomie, is in the 12. of Marke ſet downe in theſe words. Ieſus ſaid: The firſt of all the commaundements is, Hearken Iſrael, the Lord our GOD is one Lord. And thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy hart, with all thy ſoule, with all thy minde, and with all thy ſtrength. This is the firſt commandement, and the ſecond like this is, thou ſhalt louelove thy neighboure as thee ſel…e. There is none other commaundement greater than theſe. It followeth now in the Goſpell. And the Scribe ſaid, Well maiſter thou haſt ſaide the trueth, that there is one god, & that there is none other but he, and that to louelove him with all the hart, with all the minde, with all the ſoule, and with all the ſtrength, and to louelove a mans neighboure as him ſelfe, is greater than all the burnt offerings and ſacrifices.

With this teſtimonie alſo doe all the other notable ones agrée, that are in the lawe. For in the 20. of Exodus we reade, that the Lord him ſelfe with his owne mouthe, did in mount Sina ſay, I am the Lord thy GOD, which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, out of the houſe of bondage: hauehave thou none other Gods but me. Againe Moſes in the end of his Song, bringeth in GOD ſaying, Deut.Se now how that I, I am GOD, and there is none other God but I. I kill and make aliue againe: I wound, and I heale, neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand. With the teſtimonies in the lawe doe thoſe of the Prophets alſo agrée. For Dauid in the 18. Pſalme ſaith, The way of God is an vndefiled way, the worde of the Lorde alſo is tryed in the fire. He is the defender of all them that put their truſte in him. For who is God but the Lord? or who hath any ſtrength except our God? There are of this ſorte many other places in the volume of the Pſalmes. The Lord in Eſaie, and by Eſaie cryeth and ſaieth. Eſai. …I am the Lord, **… is …Hu is my name, and my glorie will I not giuegive vntounto any other, nor mine honoure to grauen images. I am the firſt and the laſte, Eſai. …and beſide me there is no God. And who is like to me? (If any be) let him call foorthe and openly ſhewe the thing that is paſt, and lay before me what hath chaunced ſince I appointed the people of the worlde, and let him tell what ſhall happen hereafter, and come to paſse: I, the Lorde, do all-things, I ſpred out the heauens alone, and I onelyonly hauehave layed foorthe the earth by mee ſelfe. I make the tokens of witches of none effect, and make the ſoothſayers fooles. As for the wiſe, I turne them backwarde, p. 624and make their wiſedome fooliſhneſſe. I ſet vpp the word of my ſeruant, and doe fulfill the counſells of my meſſingers. I am the Lorde, and …. 45.there is elſe none, which created light and darckneſſe, and maketh peace and trouble: yea euen I the Lord doe all theſe things.

To theſe teſtimonies of the Prophetes we will nowe add one or two out of Sainct Paule, the great inſtructer and Apoſtle of the Gentiles. He in his Epiſtle to Timothie, ſaith. There is one GOD and one mediatour …of GOD and men, the man Chriſte Ieſus. And againe he ſaith, One Lord, one faith, one baptiſme, …. 4.one God and father of all, which is aboue all, and through all, and in you all. Againe the ſame Apoſtle to the Corinthians ſaith, There is none ….other God but one. And though there bee that are called Gods, whether in heauen or in earth (as there be Gods manie and Lords manie) yet vntounto vsus there is but one God, euen the father, of whome are all things, and we in him: and one Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by whome are all things, and we by him.

Nowe I ſuppoſe theſe diuine teſtimonies are euident enough, and do ſufficiently proue, that GOD in ſubſtance is one, of Eſſence incomprehenſible, eternall, and ſpirituall.

But vnderunder the one eſſence of the ….Godhed, the holie ſcripture doth ſhew vsus a diſtinction of the Father, of the ſonne, and of the holie Ghoſte. Now noate héere that I call it a …iſtinction, not a diuiſion, or a ſeparation. For we adore and worſhipp no more Gods but one: ſo yet that we doe neither confound, nor yet denye or take away the thrée Subſiſtences or perſons of the diuine eſſence, nor the properties of the ſame.

Noetus, Anoetus in very déed, and Noetus is as much to ſay as a man of vnderſtāding which terme was the proper name of a man. Anoetus▪ ſignifieth a …ool… or … without vnderſtanding.Sabellius the Libyan, a godleſſe, bolde, and verie rude Aſſe (of whome ſprang vpp the groſſe hereſie of the Patriſpaſſians) taught that the father, the ſonne, and the holie Ghoſte did importe no diſtinction in GOD, but that they were diuerſe attributes of GOD. For they ſaid that GOD is none other wiſe called the father, the ſonne, and the holie Ghoſte, than when he is named good, iuſte, gentle, omnipotent, wiſe, &c.

They ſaide, the Father created the worlde, the ſame in the name of The groſſe errour of the Patr… paſſians.the Sonne tooke fleſhe and ſuffered, and againe in chaunginge his name, he was the holie Ghoſte, that came vppon the Diſciples. But the true, Propheticall, and Apoſtolicall faithe dooth expreſſely teach that the names of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſte doe ſhewe to vsus what God is in his owne proper nature. For naturally and eternally God is the the Father, becauſe he did from before beginnings vnſpeakeablye begett the Sonne. The ſame GOD is naturally the Sonne, becauſe he was from before beginnings begotten of the Father. The ſame GOD is naturally the holie Ghoſte, becauſe he is the eternall ſpirit of them bothe, procéeding from them bothe, béeing one & the ſame God bothe with them: and when in the Scriptures he is called a gentle, good, wiſe, mercifull, and iuſte God, it is not thereby ſo muche expreſſed what he is in him ſelfe, as what a one hee doeth exhibite him ſelfe to vsus.

The ſame Scripture doeth openly ſay, that the Father created all thinges by the Sonne: and that the Father deſcended not into the p. 625earth, nor toke our fleſh vponupon him, nor ſuffered for vsus. For the Sonne ſaith, I went out from the Father, and came into the worlde: Againe, I leaue the Iohn. 16.John 16worlde, and goe vntounto the Father. The ſame Sonne fallinge proſtrate in the mount of Oliues prayeth, ſaying: Father if it be poſſible let this cup paſſe from me. Againe, in the Goſpel he Mat. 27.Matt 27ſaith, I will pray to the Father, and he ſhall giuegive you an other comforter. Iohn. 14.John 14Loe here he ſaith, the father ſhall giuegive you an other comforter. And yet againe leaſt by reaſon of thoſe perſons, and properties of thoſe perſons, we ſhould ſeparate or diuide the diuine nature, the Sonne in the goſpel ſaith, Iohn 10.John 10I and the father are one. For when he ſaith One, he ouerthroweth them that ſeparate or rent the diuine ſubſtance or nature: and when he ſaith, We are, He ſpeaketh plurally.and not I am, therein he refuteth them that doe confounde the ſubſiſtences or perſones in the Trinitie. Therefore the Apoſtolique and Catholique doctrine teacheth and doeth confeſſe that they are thrée, diſtinguiſhed in properties, & that of thoſe thrée there is but one and the ſame nature, or eſſence, the ſame omnipotenci…, maieſtie, goodneſſe, and wiſedome. For although there be an order in the Trinitie, yet can there be no inequalitie in it at all. None of them is in time before other, or in dignity worthier than other: but of the thrée there is one godhead, and they thrée are one and eternall God.

And the primitiue Church verily vnderunder the Apoſtles, & the times that came next after them, did beléeue ſo ſimply, deſpiſing & reiecting curious queſtions and néedleſſe diſputations. And euen then too did ariſe peſtilent men in the Church of God, ſpeaking peruerſe things, whōe the Apoſtle doeth vppon good cauſe call greeuous A diſp… tation … God ſproo… vpp.woolues not ſpareing the flock. They firſt brought in very ſtraunge & daungerous queſtions, & ſharpened their blaſphemous tongues againſt Heauen it ſelfe. For they ſtoode in it, that Actesthrée perſons could not be one nature or eſſence, and therefore that by naming the Trinitie, the chriſtiās worſhippe many Gods, euen as the Heathen doe.

And againe, ſince there can be but one GOD, they inferre conſequently that the ſame God is father, ſonne, and holie ghoſte vntounto him ſelfe. For ſo it was agreeable y^t they ſhould doate in follie, whome the word of God did not leade, but the groſſe imagination of mortall fleſh. And God did by theſe meanes puniſh y^e Giātlike boldeneſſe of thoſe mē, whoſe minds being without all reuerence and feare of God, did wickedly ſtriue to faſten the ſight of the eyes of the fleſh, vppon the verie face of God. But the faithfull and vigilant ouerſéers and paſtors of the Churches were cōpelled to driue ſuch woolues from the foldes of Chriſte his ſhéepe, and valiauntly to fight for the ſincere & catholique trueth, that is, for the Vnitie & Trinitie, for the monarchie and myſterie of the diſpenſation. That ſtrife bred foorth diuerſe words, with which it was neceſſarie to holde and binde thoſe ſlipperie merchants. Therefore immediately after the beginning, there ſprang vp the termes …of Vnitie, Trinitie, Eſſence, Subſtance and Perſon. The Gréekes for the moſte parte vſed Ouſia, Hypoſtaſis, and Proſopon: whiche wee call, Eſſence, Subſiſtence, and Perſonne. Of theſe againe there did in the Churches, ſpring vppe newe and freſhe contentions. They diſputed ſharply of the Eſſence and p. 626Subſiſtence, whether they are y^e ſame or ſundrie thinges. For Ruffinus Aquileienſis in the 29. Chapter and firſt booke of his Eccleſiaſtical hiſtorie ſayeth: There was moued a controuerſie about the difference of ſubſtaunces & ….ſubſiſtences, whiche the Greekes call foreign and foreign. For ſome ſaid that ſubſtaunce & ſubſiſtence ſeeme to be all one: and becauſe wee ſay not that there are three ſubſtaunces in God, therefore that wee ought not to ſaye, that there are three ſubſiſtences in him. But on the other ſide againe, they that tooke ſubſtaunce for one thing & ſubſiſtence for an other, did ſay, that ſubſtaunce noteth the nature of a thing and the reaſon wherevpon it ſtandeth: but that the ſubſiſtence of euerie perſon doth ſhewe that very thing which doth ſubſiſt. Baſilius Magnus wrote a learned Epiſtle to his brother Gregorie, about the difference of Eſſence and ſubſiſtence. And Hermius Sozomenus in the 12. Cap. of his fift booke of hiſtories ſayth: The biſhops of many cities meeting together at Alexandria, do together with Athanaſius and Euſebius Vercellenſis confirme the decrees of Nice, and cōfeſſe that the holy Ghoſt is coeſſē tiall with the Father and the Sonne, and name them the Trinitie, & teach that the man, whiche God the Word tooke vppon him, is to be accompted perfecte man, not in body onelyonly, but in ſoule alſo: euen as the auncient doctours of the Church did alſo thinck. But forbeecauſe the queſtion about Ouſia and Hypoſtaſis, did trouble the Churches, & that there were ſundrie contentions & diſputations concerning the differēce betwixt them, they ſeeme to me to hauehave determined very wiſely, that thoſe names ſhould not at the firſt preſently bee vſed in queſtions of GOD: vnleſſe it were that, when a man wente about to beate downe the opinion of Sabellius, hee were compelled to vſe them, leaſt by lacke of words he ſhould ſeeme to call one & the ſame by three names, when hee ſhould vnderſtand eueryevery one peculiarly in that threefold diſtinction. Socrates in the 7. Chap. and thirde booke of his hiſtorie addeth: But they did not bring into the Church a certeine newe religion deuiſed of themſelues, but that whiche frō the beginning euen till then the Eccleſiaſticall tradition taught, and prudent Chriſtians did euidently ſet foorth. And ſo foorth.

Therefore awaye with the Popes champions to the place whereof they Al things that are to be beleeued of God are fully cō teined in the canonicall Scriptures.are worthie, which, when wee teach y^• all pointes of true godlineſſe and ſaluation are fully conteyned and taught in the Canonicall Scriptures, by the way of obiection do demaund in what place of the Scripture we find the names of Trinitie, Perſon, Eſſence, and Subſtance, and finally where we find that Chriſte hath a reaſonable ſoule? For although thoſe very words conſiſting in thoſe ſyllables are not to bée found in the Canonicall bookes (which were by the Prophets and Apoſtles written in an other, and not in the latine tongue) yet the thinges, the matter, or ſubſtaunce, which thoſe woords doe ſignifie are moſt manifeſtly conteined and taught in thoſe books: whiche thinges likewiſe all and eueryevery nation may in their language expreſſe, & for their commoditie and neceſſitie ſpeake and pronounce them. Away alſo with all Sophiſters, which thinke it a great point of learning to make the reuerend myſterie of the ſacred Trinitie darcke and intricate, with their ſtraunge, their curious, and pernicious p. 627queſtions. It is ſufficient for the godly, ſimplie according to the Scriptures and the Apoſtles créed to beléeue and confeſſe, that there is one diuine nature or Eſſence, wherin are the father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſte. Neither is it greatly materiall whether ye call them ſubſtances, or ſubſiſtences, or perſons, ſo that ye do plainly expreſſe the diſtinctiō betwixt them, and eche ones ſeueral properties, confeſſing ſo the Vnitie, that yet ye confound not the Trinitie, nor ſpoile the perſons of their properties.

And héere now it will do verie wel out of the Scriptures to cite ſuch euident Teſtimonies out of the Goſpel to proue the Trinitie.teſtimonies, as maye euidently proue the myſterie of the Trinitie, with the diſtinction and ſeuerall properties of the thrée perſons. The Lord in the Goſpel after S. Matthew ſaith: All power is giuen to mee in heauen Math. 28.Matt 28and in earth: goe ye therfore & teach all nations, baptiſing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghoſt, teaching them to obſerue all thinges, whatſoeuer I hauehave commaunded you. Tertullian alledging thoſe wordes againſt Praxea, ſayth: He did laſt of all commaund his diſciples to baptiſe into the Father, Tertulliā contra Praxeam.and the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt. We are baptiſed not into one, nor once, but thrice at eueryevery name, into eueryevery ſeuerall perſon. Thus much Tertullian.

Nowe as eueryevery ſeuerall perſon is ſeuerally expreſſed, ſo the diuinitie of them all is therein ſingularely taught to be one and common to them all, becauſe hee biddeth to baptiſe, not onelyonly into the name of the Father, but alſo of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſte. The Apoſtle and elected veſſell Paule doeth flatly denie, that any man either ought to be, or euer was baptiſed into the name of any man, whiche is nothing elſe but méere man. Were ye, 1. Cor. 1.1 Cor 1ſayeth hée, baptiſed in the name of Paule? So then the Father is God, the Sonne is God, and the holy Ghoſt is GOD, into whoſe name wée are baptiſed.

The ſame Lord in the Goſpell after S. Iohn ſayeth: When the comforter Iohn. 14. and. 16.John 14commeth, whome I will ſende vntounto you from the father, that is the ſpirite of trueth, he will lead you into all trueth. He ſhal not ſpeake of himſelfe: but whatſoeuer he ſhall heare, that ſhall he ſpeake. He ſhall glorifie me, for hee ſhall receiue of mine and ſhall ſhewe vntounto you. All things that the father hath are mine: therefore ſaid I vntounto you, that hee ſhall take of mine, and ſhewe vntounto you.

In theſe wordes of the Lords thou heareſt mention made of the perſon of the father from whome the ſpirite is ſente, of the perſon of the Sonne whiche ſendeth him, and of the perſon of the holy Spirit which commeth vntounto vsus. Thou heareſt alſo of the mutual and equall communion of the Diuinitie, and all good thinges betwixte the thrée perſons. For the holy Ghoſt ſpeaketh not of himſelfe, but that which he heareth. He ſhall, ſayeth the Sonne, take of mine. And againe: All things that the father hath, are mine: And therfore what things the Sonne hath, thoſe are the fathers: & the diuinitie, glorie, and Maieſtie of them all is coequall.

With theſe moſt euident ſpeaches, doe theſe two manifeſt teſtimonies of Iohn Baptiſt agrée. Firſt he ſayth, He Iohn. 3.John 3whom God hath ſent, doth ſpeake the words of God. For God giueth not the ſpirite by meaſure vntounto him. The Father loueth the Sonne, and hath giuen all thinges into his hand. He that p. 628beleeueth on the Sonne, hath euerlaſting life. &c. Loe héere againe, in the one Godhead, thou heareſt the three perſons diſtinguiſhed by their properties. For the Father loueth & ſendeth the Sonne, and giueth all things into his hand. The Sonne is ſent, and receiueth all thinges, but the holy Ghoſt is giuen of the Father, and receiued of the ſonne according to fullneſſe. Then againe the ſame Baptiſt crieth the ſecond time and ſayeth, I ſawe the ſpirite deſcending from heauen like vntounto a Doue, and it abode vppon him. And I knewe him not: but hee that ſent mee to baptiſe with water, the ſame ſaid vntounto mee, vppon whom ſoeuer thou ſhalt ſee the Spirite deſcending, and tarying ſtill vppon him, the ſame is hee, whiche baptiſeth with the holy Ghoſte. And I ſawe and bare record, that this is the Sonne of GOD.

Héere againe are ſhewed vntounto vsus as clearely as the day-light, the thrée perſons diſtinguiſhed, & not confounded. For he that ſendeth Iohn is the Father. The holy Ghoſt is neither the Father, nor the Sonne, but appeareth vponupon the head of Chriſt in the likenes of a doue. And the Sonne is the ſonne, not the Father, and that too the ſonne of the Father, vponupon whoſe head y^e holy Ghoſt did abide. And now to this place doth belonge the teſtimonie of the Father vttered from heauen vppon his Sonne Chriſt. For he ſayeth: This is my beloued Sonne, in whome I am Math. 3. and. 17.Matt 3wel pleaſed. But one and the ſame cā not be both Father, and Sonne vntounto himſelfe: the father is one, and the ſonne is one: & yet not diuers thinges, but one and the ſame God, of one and the ſame nature. For the ſonne in one place doth moſt plainely ſay, I & the father are one.Iohn. 10.John 10

Moreouer, what could bee more clearely ſpoken for the proofe of the expreſſe diſtinction and properties of the thrée perſons in y^e reuerend Trinitie, than y^t where the Archangel Gabriel in ſ. Luke, declaring the ſacrament of the Lords incarnation, doth euidently ſaye vntounto the virgin y^e mother of God? The holy Ghoſte ſhall come vppon Luke. 1.Luke 1thee, & the power of the higheſt ſhall ouerſhadow thee: Therfore alſo that holy thing, that ſhalbe borne, ſhal be called the ſonne of God. What I pray you could hauehave poſſibly béene inuented of purpoſe to bee more manifeſtly ſpokē for the proofe of this matter, than theſe woordes of the Angel? Thou haſt héere the perſon of the higheſt, that is of the father. For in the woordes of the Angel, a little afore, it is ſaid: He ſhalbe great, and ſhall bee called the ſonne of the higheſt. Now the ſonne is the ſonne of the father. Wée hauehave alſo y^e perſons of the ſonne and of the holy Ghoſt expreſſed, with their properties, neither mingled nor confounded. The father is not incarnate, nor yet the holy Ghoſte, but the Sonne. To the father is borne of the virgin a Sonne, euen he that was the ſonne by the eternall and vnſpeakeable maner of begetting. But the holy Ghoſt whiche is the power of the moſt higheſt, did ouerſhadowe the virgin, and made her with childe. And ſo by this meanes thou mayeſt ſée héere the perſons diſtinguiſhed, not diuided, & howe they differ in properties, not in Eſſence of dietie, or in nature.

Héere nowe (although theſe places mighte ſéeme to ſuffice any reaſonable The Apoſtles teſtimonies concerninge …he Trinitie.man) I wil yet add other teſtimonies of the holy Apoſtles, & that too of thrée the moſt excellent among all the Apoſtles. S. Peter preaching y^e word of the Goſpell before the Church of p. 629Actes. 2.Acts 2Iſrael, as Luke teſtiffeth in the Actes of the Apoſtles, doeth amonge other thinges ſay: This Ieſus hath God raiſed vpp, and exalted him to his right hand, and hee hauing receiued of the father the promiſe of the holy Ghoſt, hath ſhedd forth this which ye nowe ſee and heare. Loe God the father raiſeth vpp and doeth exalte the Sonne. The Sonne is raiſed vpp, exalted, and ſitteth at the right hande of the father. And the Sonne receiuing of y^e Father the holy Ghoſte, doth beſtowe it vppon the Apoſtles. Therefore the ſpirite procéedeth from the Father and the Sonne, ſubſiſting in his owne perſon, but being one and the ſame ſpirite of them both. Moreouer in the Sermon made at Caeſarea in the congregation of the Gentiles, that is, in the houſe & familie of Cornelius the Centurion, the ſame Apoſtle doeth as plainely expreſſe Actes 10.Acts 10the perſon of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt, & knitteth y^e Trinitie together into one Eſſence of the Diuine Nature.

Sainct Paule in the beginning of Rom 1.Rom 1his Epiſtle to the Romans ſayth, that he was appointed to preach the Goſpell of God, which he had promiſed afore by his Prophetes in the holy Scriptures, of his Sonne whiche was made of the ſeede of Dauid after the fleſh, and hath beene declared to bee the ſonne of God with power after the Spirite that ſanctifieth. Againe to the Galathians he ſayth: God ſent his ſonne made of a woman, that wee by Gala. 4.Gal 4adoption might receiue the right of ſonnes. And becauſe ye are ſonnes, God hath ſent forth the Spirite of his Sonne into your heartes, crying Abba, father. And againe to Titus hee ſayeth: God according to his merciemercy Tit. 3.Titus 3hath ſaued vsus by the founteine of regeneration, and renuing of the holy Ghoſt, which hee ſhedd on vsus richly thorough Ieſus Chriſt our Sauiour. Therfore S. Cyril ſpeaking very truly of the Apoſtle Paule Libro in Ioan. 9. Cap. 45. doeth ſay: That holy man did rightly know the enumeration of the ſacred Trinitie: and therefore he teacheth that eueryevery perſon doth properly and diſtinctly ſubſiſt: and yet hee preacheth openly the immutable ſelf-ſame-neſſe of the Trinitie. Cōcerning Identitas.whiche matter, if any man would gather together and reckon vpp all the teſtimonies that Paule hath for the proofe of it, he muſt of neceſſitie recite all his Epiſtles.

The bleſſed Apoſtle and Euangeliſt 1. Iohn. 2.1 John 2Iohn doeth more ſtrongly and euidently than the other affirme and ſett forth the myſterie of the Trinitie and diſtinction of the perſons: as well in his Euangelicall hiſtorie, as in his Epiſtle. Amonge many this one at this time ſhalbe ſufficient. In his Canonicall Epiſtle he ſayeth: Who is a lyar, but hee that denyeth that Ieſus is Chriſte? The ſame is Antichriſt that denieth the Father, and the Sonne. Whoſoeuer denieth the Sonne, the ſame hath not the father. Therfore let that abide in you which ye hauehave herd from the beginning. And preſently after he ſaith againe: Ye need not that any mā teach you, but as the ſame annoynting teacheth you of all things, and it is true and not lying. In theſe wordes ye heare the Father, ye heare the Sonne, ye heare the annoynting, that is, the holy Ghoſt. The father is not the Sonne, the Sonne is not the Father, neither is the holy Ghoſte the Father, or the Sonne: but the Father is the Father of the Sonne, the Sonne is the Sonne of the Father, and the holy Ghoſt procéedeth from them both. And yet thoſe perſons are ſo ioyned p. 630and vnited, that he which denieth one of them, hath in him none of them. Yea, whoſoeuer denieth this Trinitie is pronounced to be Antichriſt. For he denieth God which is one in Trinitie and thrée in vnitie, and ſo conſequently confounding or taking awaye the properties of God, hee denieth God to bée ſuch a one, as he is in very déede.

Nowe I ſuppoſe that theſe ſo many The myſterie of the Trinitie is ſhadowed by …imili…des.and ſo manifeſt teſtimonies do ſuffice the Godly. For they beleeue the Scriptures, & do not ouer curiouſly prie into y^e Maieſtie of God, being cō tent with thoſe things alone, wherein it hath pleaſed God of his goodneſſe to appeare and ſhine to vsus mortall men. Some thereare, which doe their indeuour by certeine parables or ſimilitudes to ſhadowe this matter, that is to ſay, to ſhew howe the thrée perſons are ſaid to bee diſtinguiſhed, and yet notwithſtanding to be one God. But in all the thinges that God hath made (as I did admoniſhe you in the beginning of this treatiſe) there is nothing, whiche can properly be likened to the nature of God: neither are there any words in the mouthes of men, that can properly be ſpoken of it: neither are there any ſimilitudes of mans inuention, that can rightly and ſquarely agrée with the diuine Eſſence. And. S. Baſile, diſputing De Ouſia & Hypoſtaſi, ſayeth. It cannot be that the compariſons of examples ſhould in all points be like to thoſe things, to the vſe wherof y^e examples do ſerue. Thou mayeſt ſaye that iniurie is done to y^e Maieſtie of God, if it be compared with mortall things. But for becauſe the holy ſcripture doeth not a little condeſcend and attemper it ſelfe to oure infirmitie, I will put a ſimilitude, although in very déed much vnlike, which is vſually taken and commonly vſed. Behold the Sunne, & the beames that come from it, & then the heate that procéedeth frō them both. As the Sunne is the head-ſpring of the light and the heate: ſo is the Father the headſpring of y^e Sonne, who is light of light. And as of the Sunne and the beames together the heate doth come, ſo of the Father and the Sonne together the holy Ghoſte proceedeth. But nowe, put caſe, or imagine that the Sunne were ſuch, as neuer had beginning, nor euer ſhall hauehave ending, and ſhould not then I pray you, y^e beames of this euerlaſting Sunne be euerlaſting too? and ſhould not the heat, which procéedeth of them both, bee euerlaſting, as well as they? finally ſhould not the Sonne be one ſtill in Eſſence or ſuſtaunce, and thrée by reaſon of the thrée ſubſiſtences or perſons? This parable of the Sunne Tertulliā contra Praxeam.did Tertullian vſe, whoſe words, whiche do alſo conteine other ſimilitudes, I will not be gréeued to recite vntounto you. I wil not doubt (ſayeth he) to call I woulde wiſhe the ſkilfull in the latine tongue to reade this ſimilitude in the latine copy, for though it be here trāſlated, ad verbū, yet our Engliſhe tonge will not beare it ſoliuely as the latine doth.both the ſtalke of a roote, the brooke of a ſpringhead, & a beame of the Sunne, by the name of a Sunne: for eueryevery originall is a parent, and eueryevery thinge, that iſſueth of that original, is a ſonne: much more then y^e word of God (may be called a Sonne) whiche euē properly hath the name of Sonne, & yet neither is the ſtalke ſeparated from the roote, nor the brooke from the ſpring-head, nor the beame from the Sunne, no more is the woord ſeparated from God. Therefore according to the faſhion of theſe examples I profeſſe that I ſay there are two, God & his Word, the Father and his Sonne. For the roote & the ſtalke are two thinges, but ioyned in one. And the ſpring-head & the brooke are two kindes, but vndiuided. And the Sunne and the beames are two formes, but both cleauing the p. 631one to the other. EueryEvery thing, that cō meth of any thinge, muſt néedes bée ſeconde to that, out of which it commeth, and yet it is not ſeparated from that, from which it procéedeth. But where a ſecond is, there are two, and where a third is, there are thrée. For the third is the ſpirite of God and the Sonne: euen as the third from the roote is the fruite of the ſtalke, the third from the ſpring-head is the riuer of the brooke, and the third from the Sunne is the heate of the beame: yet none of theſe is alienated from the matrix, of which they take y^e properties that they hauehave. So the Trinitie deſcending by annexed and lincked degrées from the father, doeth not make againſt the **or, Vnitie.Monarchie, and doth defend the Oiconomical ſtate, that is, the myſterie of the diſpēſation. Vnderſtand eueryevery where that I profeſſe this rule, wherein I teſtifie that the father, the ſonne, and the holy Ghoſt are vnſeparated one from an other, and ſo thou ſhalt know how eueryevery thinge is ſpoken. And ſo forth. For all theſe are the woordes of Tertullian, who flouriſhed in Africa, not long after the age of the Apoſtles.

But letting paſſe the parables, ſimilituds, or compariſons of mans inuention, The certe…ntie of the doctrine touching the Trinitie.let vsus ſtedfaſtly beléeue the euident word of God. What mans capacitie cannot atteine vntounto, that let faith hold faſt. What the ſacred ſcriptures declare vntounto vsus, what Chriſt in his fleſh did teache vsus, what was by ſo many miracles confirmed for oure ſakes, what the ſpirite of God in the true Church doth tell vsus, that muſt be thought more true and certeine, than that, whiche is proued by a thouſand demonſtrations, or that whiche all thy ſenſes are able to conceiue. Paule denieth that hee would heare an Angel, if hée ſhould ſpeake any thinge cō trarie to the Goſpell of Chriſt. Yea ſurely it is a prancke of arrogant fooliſhneſſe to doubt of the thinges, that are in the Scriptures with ſo great authoritie layde forth, and taught vsus. But it is a greater madneſſe, if a man wil not beléeue the oracles of God, for none other cauſe, but for that oure vnderſtanding cānot atteine to y^e knowledge of all things, when as neuertheleſſe wée know that our vnderſtāding is naturally blinde, and hateth God. Amonge Philoſophers hee is counted an impudent fellowe, which relecteth the authoritie of any notable and approued writer. It was enough to perſuade the ſcholers of Pythagoras, for a man to ſay to them, foreign, Hee ſaid it. And then dareth a Chriſtian ſéeke ſtarting holes, and iangle about aſking of curious queſtions, when it is ſaid vntounto him: GOD ſaid it, and taught thee to beleeue it? No man doubteth of the kings letters patents, if ſo bee the ſeale be acknowledged: therefore what a follie is it to doubt of the diuine teſtimonies, whiche are ſo euident, and firmely ſealed with the ſpirite of God?

Wherefore that I may héere recapitulate The ſūme of thinges to be beeleued concerninge the Trinitie.& briefely expreſſe the principall ſumme of this oure expoſition, I will recite vntounto you (déerely beloued) the woordes of the holy father Cyril, which are to be found Libro in Ioan. 9. Cap. 30. in this ſenſe following: True faith is in God the father, and in the Sonne, not ſimplie, but incarnate, & in the holy Ghoſte. For the holy and conſubſtantiall Trinitie is diſtinguiſhed by the differences of names, that is, by the properties of y^e perſons. For the father is the father, and not the ſonne: and the ſonne is the ſonne, and not the father: and the holy Ghoſt, is the holy ſpirite proper to the father & p. 632the ſonne. For the ſubſtaunce of the Deitie is all one, or the ſame: wherefore we preach not thrée, but one God. Therefore wée muſt beléeue in God: but diſtinctly and more fully expounding oure faith, wée muſt ſo beléeue, that wée maye referre the ſame glorification to eueryevery perſon. For there is no difference of faith. For we ought not to hauehave a greater faith in the father, than in the ſonne, and in the holy Ghoſt, but the meaſure and maner of it muſt bée one and the ſame equallie conſiſting in eache of the thrée perſons: ſo that by this meanes wée may confeſſe the vnitie of nature in the Trinitie of perſons. This faith muſt firmely bee grounded in our mindes, whiche is in the father, and in the ſonne, (& the ſonne, I ſay, euen after that hee was made man) & in the holy Ghoſt. Thus much out of Cyril.

Nowe all theſe pointes ſhalbe thoroughly confirmed with more full teſtimonies, when wee come once to proue the diuinitie of the ſonne of GOD, and of the holy Ghoſte. Whiche I meane to reſerue till time conuenient.

But let a man thincke that this beliefe The myſ…rie of …he Trinitie was ve…ie well knowne to the Pa…riarchs & Prophets.of the Vnitie and Trinitie of the God-head was either inuented by the fathers, or biſhops of the churches, or firſt of all preached by the Apoſtles immediately vppon Chriſte his death and aſcenſion. For after the ſame manner, that I hauehave hetherto declared vntounto you, euen from the beginning of the world did all the holy Patriarchs, Prophets and electe people of GOD beléeue and ground their faith. Although I denie not, but that the myſterie of the Trinitie was more cléerely expounded to the world by Chriſte, yet is it euident by ſome vndoubted teſtimonies, whiche I will adde anon, that the myſterie of the Trinitie was very well knowen vntounto the Patriarchs & the Prophets: but firſt by the way I will admoniſhe you that the holy Patriarchs and prophets of GOD, did hold themſelues content with the bare reuelation and woord of GOD, not rayſinge curious queſtions about the Vnitie and Trinitie of God.

They did clearely vnderſtand that there is one God, the father of all, the onelyonly ſauiour and authour of all goodneſſe, and that without or beſide him there is none other God at all. And they againe did euidently ſée, that the Sonne of GOD, that promiſed ſéed, hath all thinges common with the father: for they did moſt plainely heare, that hée is called the Sauiour, and is the redéemer, from whome all good thinges do procéede, and are beſtowed vppon the faithfull: whereby nowe it was eaſte for them to gather, that the father, and the ſonne are one God, althoughe they differ in properties. For in ſo much as they were aſſuredly certeine, that the damnable doctrine of the pluralitie of Gods did ſpring from the diuel, they did not worſhip many but one God, whome notwithſtanding they did beléeue to conſiſt of a Trinitie of perſons. For Moſes the vndoubted ſeruant of God, Gene. 1.Gen 1in the very firſt verſe of his firſt booke ſayeth, In the beginning (Creauit dij) As who ſhoulde ſay Gods created, reſpecting the Trinitie of the Godhead.God created heauen and earth. Hee ioyneth héere a Verbe of the ſingular number to a Noune of the plurall number, not to make incongruitie of ſpeach, but to note the myſterie of the Trinitie.

For the ſenſe is, as if hée ſhould hauehave ſaid: That GOD, which doeth conſiſte of thrée perſons, created heauen and earth.

p. 633For a litle after God conſulting with him ſelfe about the making of man doeth ſay: Let vsus make man in our Image. Loe, héere he ſayth, Let vsus make, and not, Let me make, or, I wil make. And againe hee ſayeth, In our Image, and not, In my Image. But leaſt any man ſhould thinke that this conſultation was had with the Angels, let him heare what God him ſelfe doeth ſay in Eſaye: I the Lord, ſayeth he, make all thinges, and ſtretch out the heauens alone of my ſelfe (that is, of mine owne power without any help or fellowe with mée) and ſet the earth faſt. Therefore the Father conſulted with the Sonne, by whome alſo hee created the world. And againe leaſt any man ſhould thincke, as the Iewes obiecte, y^t theſe things were after the order and cuſtome of men ſpoken of God in the plurall number for honours ſake and worſhipp, thou mayeſt heare what followeth in the end of the third Chapter: Behold this man is become as one of vsus, in knowing good and euill. Now heere, by Enallage, hee putteth theſe wordes, Is become, for Shall become, or Shall happen: ſo that his meaning is, as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Behold the ſame ſhall happen to Adam that ſhall come to one of vsus, y^t is, to the Sonne: to witt that hee ſhould hauehave triall of good and euill, that is, that hee ſhould féele ſundrie fortunes, namely ſickeneſſe, calamities and death, and (as the prouerb is) ſhould féele both ſwéete and ſowre. For that is the lot or condition of man. But the Sonne being incarnate for vsus, not the Father, nor the holy Ghoſt, was found in ſhape as a man, and had triall of ſundrie fortunes & of death: whiche was foretold to Adam, as it is manifeſt, for conſolations ſake, and not in the way of mockage. For as the good Lord did with a garment ſtrengthen the body of oure firſt parent againſt the vnſeaſonableneſſe of the ayre, when for his ſinne he purpoſed to baniſhe him out of Paradiſe: ſo did he comfort and chéere vpp his ſorrowfull minde with a full example of the ſonnes incarnation and ſuffering. And when he had ſo armed him in body and ſoule, he caſteth him out of the Garden of felicitie into a carefull and miſerable exile. There are in eueryevery place many examples of this matter like vntounto this. For Abraham Gene. 18.Gen 18ſawe thrée, but with them thrée he talked as with one, and worſhipped one. And, The Lord rayned vppon Gene. 1….Gen 1Sodom and Gomorrha brimſtone & fire from the Lord out of heauen, and ouerthrew thoſe cities. But leaſt any man ſhould interprete it and ſay, The Lord rayned from the Lord, that is, from heauen, he himſelfe doth preſently ad, From heauen. For as the father created all thinges by the Sonne: ſo doth he by him preſerue al things, and doth euē ſtill by him worke all things. Nexte after Moſes the notableſt Prophete, Dauid in his Pſalmes doeth ſay: By the word of the Lord were the Pſal. 33.Ps 33heauens made: and all the hoſtes of them by the breath of his mouth. So heere thou heareſt that there is one Lord, in whome is the woord and the ſpirite, both diſtinguiſhed, but not ſeparated. For the Lord made the heauens, but by the Word: & the whole furniture of heauen doth ſtand by the Breath of the mouth of the Lord. The ſame Dauid ſayeth, The Lord ſayd to my Lord, ſitt thou on my right Pſal. 110.Ps 110hand, vntill I make thine enimies thy footeſtoole. Note that in an other place the ſame Dauid doth flatly ſaye, that beſide the Lord there is none other. And yet héere againe he doeth as plainely ſaye: The Lord ſaid to my p. 634Lord, meaning the father, who had placed the ſonne, whiche was Dauids Lord, at his right hand in heauē. Out of Eſaie may be gathered very many teſtimonies. But the notableſt of all the reſt is that, whiche Matthewe the Apoſtle citeth in theſe words: Behold my ſonne whome I hauehave choſen, my beloued in whome my ſoule is pleaſed: Eſai. 42. Matth. 12.Isa 42Matt 12I will put my ſpirite vponupon him. &c. With this agréeth that whiche Luke citeth, ſaying: The ſpirite of the Lord vppon me, becauſe hee hath annoynted mee, to preache the Goſpell Eſai. 61. Luke. 4.Isa 61Luke 4to the poore hath hee ſent mee. &c. In theſe teſtimonies heere thou haſt the father, the ſonne, and the holy Ghoſt. A fewe out of many. For I do not couet to turne ouer the whole ſcriptures of the old teſtament.

So then this faith, wherewith wée doe beléeue in God the father, y^• ſonne, The myſterie of the Trinitie, muſt not be ioyned with curious diſpucations.and the holy Ghoſte, we hauehave receiued of God himſelfe, being deliuered vntounto vsus by the Prophetes & Patriarchs, but moſt euidently of all declared by the ſonne of God him ſelfe, oure Lord Ieſus Chriſte, and his holy Apoſtles: wherevppon nowe we doe eaſilie gather wherfore it is, that all the ſincere biſhops or miniſters of the Churches, together with the whole Church of Chriſte, hauehave euer ſince the Apoſtles time with ſo firme a cōſent mainteyned and had this faith in honour. It were verily a deteſtable impietie to leaue this catholique and true rule of faith, and to chooſe & follow one newly inuented. There are euen at this daye extante moſt godly and learned books of Eccleſtaſticall writers, wherin they hauehave declared and defended this catholique faith by the holy ſcriptures againſt all wicked and blaſphemous heretiques. There are extant ſundrie ſymboles of faith, but all tending to one end, ſet forth & publiſhed in many ſynodall aſſēblies of biſhops and fathers. There is at this day e… tant, learned, and rehearſed of the vniuerſal Church, and all the members thereof both learned and vnlearned, & of eueryevery ſexe and age, that Créed commonly called y^e Apoſtles Créed: wherin we profeſſe nothing elſe than that, whiche wee hauehave hetherto declared, namely that we beléeue in one God to wit, the father, the ſonne, and the holy Ghoſt. And forbecauſe this conſent of all the Sainctes concerning this true faith hath béene euer ſince the beginning of the world ſo ſure and firme, it was very well and godly prouided of auncient kinges and princes, that no man ſhould once dare be ſo bold either to cal into doubt, or with curious queſtions and diſputations to deface or make intricate this beléefe concerning the vnitie and Trinitie of the Almightie God. Hée of old amonge the Iſraelites was ſtricken throughe and Exod. 19.Exod 19ſlaine, which paſſed beyond y^e bounds that the Lord had limitted out. And wee alſo hauehave certeine appointed boundes about the knowledge of god, whiche to paſſe is hurtfull vntounto vsus, yea, it is puniſhed with aſſured death.

God graunt that wee maye truely knowe, and religiouſlye worſhippe The concluſion.the high, excellent and mightie God euen ſo, and ſuch, as he him ſelfe is. For hetherto I hauehave as ſimplie, ſincerely, and briefely as I could, diſcourſed of the wayes & meanes howe to know God, which is in ſubſtaunce one, and thrée in perſons. And yet wée acknowledge and doe fréely confeſſe, that in all this treatiſe hetherto there is nothing ſpoken worthie of, or comparable to his vnſpeakeable maieſtie. For the eternall, excellent and mightie God is greater than all maieſtie, p. 635and than all the eloquence of all men, ſo farre am I from thincking that I by my woords doe in one iote come néere vntounto his excellencie. But I doe humblie beſéech the moſt mercifull Lord, that hée will vouchſafe of his ineſtimable goodneſſe and liberalitie to enlighten in vsus all, the vnderſtanding of oure mindes with ſufficient knowledge of his name, thoroughe Ieſus Chriſt our Lord and Sauiour. Amen.