Certain Questions and Answers Concerning the Knowledge of God, Part 1
That there is a God.
Question. WHereof doth all diuinitie consist?
Answere. All Diuinitie consisteth of knowledge and practise.
Q. Whereof is all knowledge?
A. All knowledge is either of the Creator or Creature.
Q. How may the Creator be knowne?
A. That we may know the Creator, it is requisite that we consider. First whether there be a God or no.
Q. Why is this question first?
A. Because the scripture saith,Heb. 11.6. he that cometh to God must beleeue that God is.
Q. HaueHave any called this into question at any time?
A. Yea, so saith the Prophet Dauid,Psal. 10.4. but hee sheweth also that it was,Psal. 14.1. by wicked, proud, and foolish men, whose liues were nothing els but abhomination and corruption.
Q. But what say [you] to it? whether do [you] thinke that there is a God or no?
A. Yea I am out of doubt thereof, and that there is a God it may be proued many waies.
1 First by his worke of creation,Rom. 1.19.20. for who could make the heauens and the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, but God?
2. By the preseruing of thinges created, as for example, man is preserued by breade, &c. which is no better in it selfe then earth, and yet if he eate earth he dieth, the reason hereof is, because God blesseth the one giuing it foison and power to nourish more then the other, and this makes me thinke that there is a God.
Psal, 104.24.3 If we shall obserue in Gods workes an infinite multitude, a wonderfull varietie, as amongst so manie millions of men, neuer a one like another in the compasse of the face, a most constant order, a seemely agreement, and an endlesse continuance or pleasant intercourse of thinges coming and going, and what exceeding maiestie is in them, we must needes attribute these things vntounto a God.
4 The opinion that man hath of God proueth it: for man by nature doth desire to be exalted, and in respect of him selfe despiseth all other creatures, as wood and stone: but when a peece of wood is framed out like a man and set in the temple, and man conceauing an opinion that it is a God, hee falleth downe and worshippeth it.Esa. 44.15.17.
5 The terror of conscience stricken into the mindes of the wicked after sinne cometh vponupon them from a Iudge who detesteth dishonest thinges, and exerciseth iudgement vponupon the minde:Rom. 2.15. But in all the wicked is this torment, therefore there is some Iudge,Esa. 57.20.21. who is God, because this punishment can not come but from God.Esa 66.24.
6 The punishment of the wicked (besides the terror of their conscience) with the rewardes of the godly, do proue that there is a God: and this argument is vsed by the Prophet Dauid, when hee saith, The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance,Psal. 58.10.1 he shall wash his footsteps in the bloud of the vngodlie, so that a man shall say verily there is a rewarde for the righteous, doubtles there is a God that iudgeth the earth.
Q. What is God?
A. There is but one definition of God in all the scriptures,Ioh. 4.24. and that is this. God is a Spirite.
Q. A spirite is limited and compassed with time and place, therefore if God be a spirite, he is so too, is he not?
A. In deed certaine heretiques called Gnostici, hauehave abused that place of Iohn to that effect: but when it is said that God is a spirit, the meaning is this: God is spirituall, that is, not to bee seene of carnall eies, but is inuisible: not otherwise.
Q. How is God to be considered?
A. Two waies. Either as he is in himself, or as he is vntounto vsus.
Q. Can God be knowne of vsus as he is in him selfe?
A. No: All nature is not able to teach vsus what God is, neither can man in nature comprehend him.
Q. How proue you that?Iob. 36.26.
A. I proue it two waies:1. Tim. 6.16. first by plaine testimonie of scripture.
Secondly by common reason.
Q. How doth common reason proue it?
A. 1. That all nature is not able to teach vsus what God is, I proue it thus. No worke is able perfectly to expresse the worker thereof: but all nature is a thing wrought by God: therefore it can not perfectlie teach vsus what God is.
That man cannot cōprehēd him; I proue it thus.
2 The lesse can not comprehend the greater: but eueryevery man is lesse then God, therefore no man can comprehend God.
3 We can not knowe the thinges created, much lesse can we know the Creator, as for example: wee know that eueryevery man hath a soule▪ but who knoweth what maner of thing it is?
Againe wee know that there be Angels, and that they bee amongst vsus, but what maner of thinges they be we know not.
4 The scripture saith, the iudgements of God are past finding out, therefore much more is God himselfe past finding out.Rom 11.33.
…. Cor. 2.9.And againe the ioies of heauen which God hath prepared for the godly, are vnspeakable, much more therefore is God himselfe vnspeakable.
Q. Is there no knowledge to be had of God?
Rom. 1.21.A. Yes, for Paule saith, the Gentiles knew God, but did not honour him as God, but euen as princes hauehave their secretes whereunto all their subiects are not made priuie,Simile. neither is it lawfull for them to search into them, and yet doe they so farre forth publish their commandements as is profitable for them to know. So the prince of all princes hath his secretes, vntounto which wee are not priuie, and into which we may not search, yet he hath so farre reuealed himselfe vntounto vsus as is profitable for vsus to know. Therefore hee saide to Moses,Exod. 33.18. My face thou canst not see, that is the glory of my maiestie (hee doth not say thou maiest not, or thou shalt not, but thou canst not) but thou shalt see my backe partes, that is some small measure of my glory, so farre as thou art able to apprehend it.
Q. Where is this knowledge of God to be had?
A. In the scriptures:Psal. 119.14. for they beare witnesse of God. Ioh. 5.39. And therefore they are called his testimonies, because they testifie of God what he is, and how he will be serued of vsus.
Q. May we not learne more of God then the scriptures do teach?
A. No:1. Cor. 4.6. Rom. 15.4. for Paul saith, that no man must presume aboue that which is written: but so much as is written in the worde of God is written for our learning, and therefore wee (being prepared by true prayer, sanctified with faith, and seasoned with the spirit of sobrietie and humilitie) we may I say, safely learne so much as is reuealed in the scriptures for our profiting in the knowledge of God:Deut. 29.29. for Moses saith, Secret things belong to God, but things reuealed belong to vsus and to our children.
Q. Which call you the scriptures?
A. The bookes of the old Testament which begin with Genesis and end with the Prophets: and the bookes of the new Testament, which begin at Matthew, & end with Reuelation of Iohn.
Q. These were written by men which were subiect to errors, and had their infirmities, & therfore why should we beleeue them?
A. Though they were men,2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Pet. 1.21. yet they were holie men set apart by God for that worke, and spake as they were moued by the holie Ghost.
Q. When Ieremie brought the worde of God to the Iewes, Iere. 43.2.3.they said it was not the ward of the Lord, but hee spake as Baruch the sonne of Neriah prouoked him, and so some perhaps in our daies are so vngodly as to take the Iewes part against Ieremie, and all his fellowes, let me heare therfore some reasons to proue and make it manifest that they spake and wrote the verie word of God?
A. That the bookes of the olde and new Testament conteine the word of God, and were written by the direction of the holy Ghost, it may appeare by these twelue reasons following.
1 Their antiquitie proueth it.
2 Their faithfulnes without partialitie which appeareth by Iacobs dealing with Simeon and Leui his owne posteritie,Gen. 49.5. Num. 12.1. and by the dealing of Moses against Aaraon & Miriam his brother & sister.
3 The miracles which did so often followe their doctrine.
4 A continuance of wonderfull prophesies vttered long before, come to passe iust in their times,…ide Calu. Instit. lib. 1. cap. 8. marked with their circumstances, not doubtfull like Marlins prophesies, but such as expressed the thinges and persons by their names, and therefore vntounto what may we attribute them but to the inspiration of God?
5 The heauenly doctrine in euerie place and nothing sauouring of earthlinesse, doth prooue them to be of God.
6 The sweete agreement and consent of the scriptures doth proue it, for one of them do not confute another as mens writings do,Luke 24.44. & our Sauiour Christ confirmeth them all.
7 By their lawes which are for the thoughts, and pearce the heart of man, it is euident that they are of God, for they require sacrifice, but they prefer obedience, they enioyne fasting, but it is also from sinne. They command circumcision but it is of the heart. They forbid lusting, coueting, &c. which is not to be found in any lawes but in his that searcheth the heart.
8 The doctrine of the scripture is such as could neuer breed in the braines of men: as three persons in one God: God to become man: Maries conception without the seed of man, the making of all things of nothing, the resurrection & such like.
9 The litle louelove that most men do beare vntounto them, do proue them to be of God, for if they were of flesh & bloud, then flesh & bloud would louelove them, reade them, practise them, and euerie way regard them more then it doth, for the world loueth his owne,Ioh. 15.19. as our Sauiour Christ saith: but we (being but carnall & earthly) sauour not the things that are of God, as the Apostle Saint Paul saith:1. Cor. 2.14. And vntil the Lord open our harts we hauehave no regard of them. So likewise vntill we be borne againe of Gods spirit,1. Pet. 2.2, and become as new borne babes▪ we hauehave no desire vntounto them.
10 The argument of the scriptures proueth them to be of God for they entreat either of the noble actes of God or of Christ, or the saluation of mankinde.
11 The sinceritie of those men which spake them, and wrote them, doth proue them to bee of God, for they alwayes came in the name of the Lorde, and spent their bloud in testimonie thereof.
12 If the authour of the scriptures were not God, it must be some creature, If he were a creature, he was either good or bad. If a bad creature, why forbids he euil so rigorously, and commands good so expresly, and makes his marke to ayme at nothing but Gods glorie and our good. If hee were a good creature, why doth he challenge to himselfe that which is proper to God onelie, as to make lawes for the heart, and to punish and reward eternally, &c? If it bee no creature good nor bad, it must needes be God.
Q. Are not the workes of God sufficient to teach vsus what God is?
A. No: they may teach vsus that there is a God and leaue vsus without any excuse, but to know God rightly to our saluation, we cannot without the scriptures. Therefore Dauid hauing shewed how the heauens declare the glorie of God, &c. Hee presently maketh mention of his word, saying: The law of the Lorde is vndefiled conuerting soules,Psal. 19.7.8. &c.
Q. What doth the scripture teach vsus concerning God?
A. That there is but one God. Deut. 6.4. Esay 44. Psal. 18.31.Esay 46.9. …. Cor. 8.4.
Q. How els may it be proued that God is but one?
A. By the light of our nature and of common reason.
Q. What bee your reasons drawen from the light of reason?
Psal. 144.15.A. There can be but one chiefe good, and God is the same chiefe good, therfore there is but one God.
Act. 17.28.2 There can be but one first cause of all things which is God: therefore there is but one God.
3 The whole course of the world tendeth to one ende, and to one vnitie, which is God.
Q. How can that bee when there bee so manie sundrie things of diuers kindes and conditions, and one contrarie to another?
A. That is true in deede, but yet they altogether serue one God.
Q. Is that possible? can you geue an instance hereof in some familiar resemblance?
A. Yea very well: In a field there are many battels, diuers standerds, sundrie liueries, and yet all turne head with one sway at once: by which wee know that there is one generall of the field which commaunds them all.
Q. What is this to confirme your assertion, that there is but one God ouer so many diuers and contrarie things in the world?
A. Yes: for euen so in the worlde wee see diuers things, not one like another: for some are noble, some base; some hote, some colde; some wilde, some tame; yet all serue to the glorie of the maker, and the benefite of man, and the accomplishment of the whole world.
Q. And what gather you by all this?
A. That there is but one God, which commandeth them all, like the Generall of a field.
Q. If one God be the author of all, why are there so many poysons, and noysome beastes?
A. To this I answere three waies.
1 They were not created noysome and hurtfull at the first,Gen. 3.17.18. but the sinne of Adam brought the curse vponupon the creatures.
2 Although God hath cursed the creatures for mans sinne, yet in his merciemercy he doeth so dispose and order them, that they are profitable for vsus; for poysons, we vse them for physicke; and the skinnes of wilde beastes serue against the cold, &c
3 The most hurtfull things that are, might benefite vsus, if we knew how to vse them. And wheras they annoy vsus, it is not of their owne nature, so much as of our ignorance.
Q. And what doe you conclude by all this?
A. That they hauehave not two beginninges, one good, and another bad, as some would imagine: but one author thereof, which is God himselfe, alwaies most good and gratious.
Obiection. Many are called Gods in the Scriptures: as when Moses is called Pharoes god: Exod. 7.1. Psal. 82.6.and magistrates are called gods, therefore there be mo gods then one.
Answere. There is a double signification in this word god: for sometime it signifieth him, who is by nature God, and hath his being not from any thing but himselfe, and all other things are from him: such a God is but one only.
Q. Why then are Magistrates called gods?
A. For foure causes.
1 First, to teach vsus that such must be chosen to beare rule which excell others in godlinesse, like gods amongst men.
2 To encourage them in their offices, and to teach them that they should not feare the faces of men, like gods, which feare nothing.
3 To shewe how God doeth honour them, and how they must honour God againe: for when they remember how GOD hath inuested them with his owne name, it shoulde make them ashamed to serue the deuill, or the worlde, or their owne affections; but to execute iudgement iustlie, as if God himselfe were there.
4 To teach vsus to obey them, as we would obey God him selfe; for he which contemneth them, contemneth God himselfe:Rom. 13.2. and we must not dishonor those whom God doeth honor.
Q. If there be but one onelyonly God, 2. Cor. 4.4.why is the deuill called the God of this world?
A. Because of the great power and soueraintie which is geuen him ouer the wicked whom God hath not chosen out of this world.
Q. Why is the bellie called a God?Philip. 3.9
A. Because some make more thereof, then of God, and his worshippe: for all that they can doe and get, is little inough for their bellies: & when they should serue God, they serue their bellies & beastlie appetites.
Q. Why are Idoles called gods?
A. Not because they are so indeed, but because Idolaters hauehave such an opinion of them.
Q. What other thing doe the Scriptures teach vsus of God?
A. That in this one God are three persons, or beings: for Mathew saith; that Iohn Baptists sawe the holy Ghost descending like a Doue vponupon Christ,Mat. 3.16.17. there is one person: he heard a voice from heauen, saying; this is my beloued sonne, there is another person: and he sawe Christ going out of the water, there is a third person.
And Paul saith thus; God saued vsus by the washing of the newe birth,Tit. 3.5. and renewing of the holie Ghost, which he shed on vsus aboundantlie thorough Iesus Christ our Sauiour: Here be three authors of our saluation.
Q. How proue you that these three are but one God?
A. I proue it by the wordes of Saint Iohn; there are three that beare witnes in heauen,1. Iohn 5.7. the Father, the word, and the holie Ghost: And these three are one.
Q. What resemblances can you shewe me of the Trinitie, in some thinges which be commonly knowen amongst vsus?
Resemblances of the Trinity in the sunne.A. The sunne begetteth his owne beames, and from thence proceede both light and heate: and yet is not one of them before another, otherwise then in consideration of order and relation, that is to say, in respect that the sunne beames are begotten, and the light proceeding, which is an apparant image and resemblance of the three persons in one God.
Againe, in waters, there is the well head, the spring boyling out of it,Waters. and the streame flowing from them both, and all these are but one water: and so there are three persons in one Godhead, and yet but one God.
Againe, from one flame of fire proceede both light and heate,Fire. and yet but one fire: So in God be three persons or beings, and yet but one God.
Q. How do these three persons differ one from another?
A. Two wayes. First according to their names: Secondly, according to their actions.
Q. What is the name of the first person?
Mat. 11.…7.A. The first person is called the Father, and that in two respects. First, in respect of his naturall Sonne Iesus Christ, begotten of his owne nature and substance.
Ephes. 3.14.Secondly, in respect of vsus, his adopted sonnes.
Q. Adopted sonnes! What meane you by that?
A. I meane those whome he hath chosen to bee heires of heauen,Iohn 1.12. Rom. 8.14. through the mediation of his naturall sonne Iesus Christ.
Q. What is the second person called?
A. The second person is called the sonne of god, because he is begotten of his fathers nature and substance,Note. not because hee was begotten of the substance of God, for so in respecte of substance they be all one, but in respect of the father, he is called the sonne.
Q. Where finde you that he is called the sonne?
A. In Pro. 30.4. What is his name, and what is his sonnes name?
Q. What is the third person called?
A. The thirde person is called the holy spirite.
Q. Why is he called a spirite?
A. For two causes. First, because he is spiritual, without bodie,Luke 24.39. flesh, bloud or bones: for a spirite hath no such matter, as our Sauiour Christ saith.
Secondly, because he is, as it were, the breath of grace, which the father & the sonne breatheth out vponupon the Saints.Iohn 20.22.
Q. Why is he called holie spirite?
A. For two causes. First, because he is holie by nature. Secondly, because hee is the sanctifier of the Saints.
Q. Now shewe mee how they differ according to their actions.
A. The father begetteth.Psal. 2.7. 1. Iohn 5.1. Iohn 15.26.
The sonne is begotten.
The holie Ghost proceedeth.
Q. How was the sonne of God begotten of his Father?
A. For the better vnderstanding of this point, we must consider that there are two manners of begetting. One is carnall and outward, and this is subiect to corruption, alteration and time.
The other is spirituall and inwarde, as was the begetting of the sonne of God, in whose generation there is neither corruption, alteration, nor time.
Q. Declare then after what manner this spiritual generation of she sonne of God was, and yet in sobrietie, according to the scriptures.
A. For the better finding out of this mysterie, we must consider in God two thinges: First that in God there is an vnderstanding. Psal. 139.2. Secondly, we must consider how this vnderstanding is occupied in God.
Q. Declare after what manner it is in God.
A. This vnderstanding is his verie being, and is euerlastingly, and most perfectly occupied in God.
Q Whereupon doth Gods vnderstanding worke?
A. VponUpon nothing but it selfe, and that I proue by reason, for God being infinite and all in all, it cannot meet with any thing but himselfe.
Q. What worke doth this vnderstanding in God effect?
A. It doth vnderstand and conceiue it selfe, for as in a glasse a man doth conceiue, and beget a perfect image of his owne face, so God in beholding and minding of himselfe, doth in himselfe beget a most perfect and a most liuely image of himselfe, which is that in the Trinitie which wee call the sonne of God.
Q. Where do you find that the sonne is called the perfect image of God?
A. Yes, he is called the brightnesse of his glory, and the ingrauen forme of his person, which is all one.Heb. 1.3▪
Q. What meane you by ingraued forme?
A. That as waxe vponupon a seale hath the ingraued forme of the seale, so the sonne of God which his father hath begotten of his owne vnderstanding, is the verie forme of his fathers vnderstanding, so that when the one is seene, the other is seene also.
Q. Why then he is vnderstanding it selfe: for so is his father?
A. Yea, he is so, and he saith so of himself. I hauehave counsaile and wisedome,Prou. 8.14. I am vnderstanding.
Q. But where finde you that he was begotten?
A. He saith so himselfe in the name of wisdome in these wordes: When there was no depthes, then was I begotten.Prou. 8.24.25. Before the mountaines and hils were setled, was I begotten.
Q. Yea, he was made the sonne of God, when hee was borne of the virgine Marie, was he not?
A. He was in deed then the sonne of God, but he was not then made the sonne of God.
Q. When was he made the sonne of God?
A. He was neuer made in time, for he was begotten of the substance of his Father, from all eternitie, without beginning or ending.
Q. How proue you that the sonne of God was not made, but begottē eternally of the substāce of his father?
A. I proue it first by scripture: for he saith no lesse himselfe.Prou. 8.23. I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning, and before the earth. And therefore he prayed that he might be glorified of his father,Iohn. 17.5. with the glory which he had with his father before the world.
Secondlie, I proue it by reason, for Gods vnderstanding is euerlasting, therefore the second person which it begetteth is so too: for the father in his vnderstanding did not conceiue any thing lesse then himselfe nor greater then him selfe, but equall to him selfe.
Q. Although the Sonne of God be euerlasting, yet hee is not all one with the Father, is he?
A. Yes, that he is: and yet not ioyned with his Father in heauen as two iudges that sit together on a bench, or as the seale and the waxe, as some do grosly imagine, but they are both*Iohn. 10.30. one without parting or mingling, whereupon I conclude that whatsoeuer the Father is, the Sonne is the same, and so consequently that they bee coeternall, coequall, and coessentiall.
Q. What meane you, when you say that they be coeternall, coequall, and coessentiall?
A. By being coeternall, I meane that they be of one selfe same euerlasting continuance. By coequal I meane that they be of one state, condition and degree. By coessential I meane that they be of one selfe same substance or being.
Q. What difference then is there betweene the three persons?
A. Truely none but by way of relation and order: that is, the Father is called the Father, in respect of the Sonne, and the Sonne in respect of the Father, and the holy Ghost in respect that he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne, but the one is not the other as the fountaine is not the streame, nor the streame the fountaine, but are so called one in respect of another, and yet al but one water.
Q. Men by reason do conceiue, and beget reason: what difference is there betweene the cōceiuing of vnderstanding in men, & the conceiuing of vnderstāding in God?
A. There is great difference, for first this conceiuing in men, proceedeth of sence, or outwarde imagination, which is an outward thing for reason to worke vponupon, as wood is to fire. But God the Father of him selfe begetteth & conceiueth him selfe,Iohn. 1.18. and still in him self. As Iohn saith: That onelyonly begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father.
Secondly, in men the thing which is vnderstanded and the vnderstanding it selfe is not all one, but in God it is all one.
Q. What reason hauehave you for this?
A. The reason is, because onelyonly God is altogether life, and his life is altogether vndertanding, and his vnderstanding is the highest degree of life: And therefore he hath his conceiuing, and begetting most inwarde of all.
Q. What meane you when you say most inwarde of al?
A. I meane that the Father conceiueth in him selfe, and of himselfe, and his conceiuing is a begetting, and his begetting abideth still in him selfe, because his vnderstanding can no where meete with anie thing but that which hee him selfe is: And that is the second being in the Trinitie,The holy Ghost… which we call euerlasting Son of God.
Q. Now let me heare what the holy Ghost is, and how he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne.
A. For the vnderstanding of this matter wee must cōsider two things. First that in the essence of God besides his vnderstanding there is a *Esa. 46.10.wil: secōdly, what be the properties of this wil in God.
Q. What are the properties of gods will?
A. First, it applyeth his power when, where, and how hee thinkes good according to his owne minde. Secondly, it worketh euerlastinglie vponupon it selfe, as his vnderstanding doth.
Q. What do you gather by this?
A. That because it hath no other thing to worke vponupon but it selfe, it doth delight it selfe in the infinite good which it knoweth in it selfe, for the action of the will is delight and liking.
Q. And what of that?
A. That delight which God or his will hath in his owne infinite goodnes, doth bring forth a third person or being in God, which we call the holy Ghost.
Q. What is that same third being in God?
A. The mutuall kindnes and louingnes of the Father and the Sonne.
Q. What meane you by this mutuall louingnesse and kindnesse?
A. The Father taketh ioy and delight in the Sonne,Prou. 8.3. or his owne image conceiued by his vnderstanding, and the Sonne likewise reioyceth in his Father, as he saith himselfe, and the reason hereof is this, the action of the will (when it is fulfilled) is louelove and liking.
Q. What resemblance can you shew hereof in some thing that is commonly vsed amongst vsus?
A. When a man looketh in a glasse, if hee smile, his image smileth too, and if hee taketh delight in it, it taketh the same delight in him, for they are both one.
Q. If they be all one, then there are not three beings?
A. The face is one being, the image of the face in the glasse is another being, and the smiling of them both together is a third being, and yet all are in one face, and all are of one face, and all are but one face.
Q. And is it so in God?
A. Yea, for euen so the vnderstanding which is in God, is one being, the reflection, or *And yet the image of the face in the glasse, is but a resemblāce onelyonly, & not the face in deed: but the image of Gods vnderstanding, is more then abare image or resemblance, for the Sonne of God which is called the image of his Fathers nature, substance, and glory, is also of the same nature, substance, and glory with the Father, and is that vnderstanding it selfe whereof it is also an image or perfect resemblance.image of his vnderstanding which hee beholdeth in him selfe, as in a glasse, is a second being: And the louelove and liking of them both together by reason of the will fulfiled, is a third being in God, and yet al are but of one God, all are in one God, and all are but one God.
VVhichWhich of these three beings is fast?
A. There is neither first nor last, going afore nor coming after in the essence of God, but all these, as they are euerlasting, so they are all at once, and at one instant, euen as in a glasse, the face and the image of the face when they smile, they smile together, and not one before nor after an other.
Q. VVhat is the conclusion of all?
A. As wee hauehave the Sonne of the Father, by the euerlasting inworking of his vnderstanding, so also wee hauehave the holy Ghost of the louelove of them both by the ioint working of the vnderstanding, and will together: whereupon we conclude three distinct persons, or inbeings (which wee call the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost) in one spirituall, yet vnspeakable substance, which is verie God him selfe.
Q. But what if some will be yet more curious to know how the sonne of God should be begotten, & how the holy Ghost should proceede from the Father and the Sonne, how may we satisfy them?
A. Well enough, for if anie will be too curious about this point, we may answere them thus; Let them shew vsus how themselues are bred & begottē: & then let thē aske vsus how the son of God is begotten: and let them tel vsus the nature of the spirit that beateth in their pulses, & then let them be inquisitiue at our hands for the proceeding of the holy Ghost.
Q. And what if they can not giuegive vsus a reason for the manner of their owne being, may they not be inquisitiue for the manner of Gods being?
A. No: for if they must be constrained to bee ignorant in so common matters which they daily see and feele in them selues, let them giuegive vsus leaue to be ignorant not onelyonly in this, but in manie thinges moe, which are such as no eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor wit of man can conceiue.