A14461:1469
The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise
The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take great pleasure in the reading thereof. Translated out of French into English, by John Brooke of AsheThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take greate pleasure in the reading thereoff. Translated out of French into English, by Iohn Brooke of Ashe
London: printed by Thomas East, 1579
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For although that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and hath taken his body from us, yet nevertheless he is always 1among us, by the virtue of his spirit, by the which he speaketh in his Apostles, Ministers, and Evangelical Pastors, and preacheth and admonisheth always the sinners, and toucheth their heart, and conducteth and leadeth their spirits by his, for to make them enter into his Church, & for to save the elect in the same, as those which were saved in the Ark of Noah. There is nothing in this 2exposition contrary to the Analogy of the faith, and the sense of the Scriptures. But yet nevertheless it seemeth to some to be a little allegorised and violated and to stray a little too far front the Apostolical simplicity. Although that it be tolerable and Christian like. Others do understand by the spirit of Christ, his eternal virtue, by the which he hath been long time agone the Saviour and Judge of the world, as he is at this present, the Saviour by the water, as he doth now by the baptism. And therefore they do understand that he is gone by his spirit, by his divine virtue, & by his word, through out the world, as he passed through out Egypt, declaring his power among the Egyptians & saving the Israelites. Asmuch hath he 3done in the time of the flood: and doth yet at this day. For he declareth his Judgement unto the wicked, & hath drowned them in the flood, even as now he declareth it unto all, to the end that his servants may be saved in the Ark of the Church, and the others drowned by the Judgement of God. Therefore is Noah called the herald 4of righteousness for to declare, that by the same, the spirit of Jesus Christ declareth unto men the righteousness and Judgement of God, as a king declareth the war by an herald of arms, unto those which do rebel against him, and refuse peace. And the word which Saint Peter 5used when he said, y• Jesus Christ hath preached unto the spirits, doth not signify only to preach, but also to publish a commandment and an ordinance as an Herald. And ⟨image 305⟩