Matthew. Is it then thy meaning, that in this sort we please the Father as the first in the divine essence, and the son as the second, and the holy Ghost as the third, albeit that all these three divine persons be in one very essence and equal in all and by all, both in time, in dignity, and in nature, and in all things which belong to the nature of God?

Mathevv. Is it then thy meaning, that in this sorte we please the Father as the first in the diuine essence, and the sonne as the second, and the holy Ghost as the thirde, albeit that all these thrée diuine persons be in one very essence and equall in all and by all, both in time, in dignitie, and in nature, and in all things which belong to the nature of God?

P. We may very well take it so. But there is yet a fifth manner, which is also very agreeable to the point upon the which we are, the which hath a certain agreement with that before cited.

P. We maye very well take it so. But there is yet a fyfte manner, whiche is also very agréeable to the pointe vppon the whiche wée are, the which hath a certaine agréement with that before cited.

Matthew. Which is it.

Mathevv. Whiche is it.

Matthew. Give me an example of the same.

Mathevv. Gyue me an example of the same.

Peter. The light and the shining or brightness, cannot be the one without the other. For the light doth engender and bring forth the shining. And albeit that the one be not before the other, yet we give the light the first place, as though it were before the shining as the mother of it, even as also we consider the sun before his beams and his heat, albeit they be all at once.

Peter. The lighte and the shyning or brightnesse, cannot be the one withoute the other. For the lighte doth engender and bring foorthe the shyning. And albeit that the one be not before the other, yet we gyue the lyghte the firste place, as though it were before the shyning as the mother of it, euen as also we consider the sunne before his beames and his heate, albeit they be all at once.

Matthew. Thou meanest then that God hath so declared himself to us in his works and in his word, and by such mean, and in such order.

Mathevv. Thou meanest then that God hathe so declared himselfe to vs in his workes and in his worde, and by such meane, and in suche order.

Pet. It cannot be otherwise understood without overthrowing of all that which is set forth to us in the holy scriptures of the unity of god, and of the Trinity of persons, in the essence of the same.

Pet. It cannot bée otherwise vnderstoode without ouerthrowing of al that which is set foorth to vs in ye holy scriptures of ye vnitie of god, and of the Trinitie of persons, in ye essence of ye same.

P. Seeing that it is so, the which thou sayest agreeth alway with that which I even now said, to wit, the that which we place first, second, and third, amongst the persons ⟨p. 216⟩which are in the divine essence, is more in respect of our understanding, than of the divine nature, wherein, to speak properly, there is neither first, second nor third, seeing there is no difference, neither of time, nor of dignity nor of nature: but only in the order according to the which God hath manifested himself to us in his word, according as our capacity may best comprehend him.

P. Séeing that it is so, ye which thou saist agréeth alway wc yt which I euē now said, to wit, ye that whiche we place firste, second, and thirde, amongst the persons ⟨p. 216⟩whiche are in the diuine essence, is more in respect of our vnderstanding, than of the diuine nature, wherein, to speake properly, there is neyther firste, seconde nor thirde, seing there is no difference, neyther of time, nor of dignitie nor of nature: but only in the order according to the whiche God hath manifested himselfe to vs in his word, according as our capacitie may best comprehend him.

P. Seeing that God is eternal and infinite in himself, and that we cannot comprehend him in that infiniteness and eternity, it hath pleased him so to show himself to us, making himself meet, as thou haste already said, to the rudeness of our understandings. And therefore he will that we know him, and that we speak in such sort in the which he hath declared himself to us by his word and by his works, and not otherwise.

P. Seeing that God is eternall and infinite in hymselfe, and that we cannot comprehende him in that infinitenesse and eternitie, it hath pleased him so to shewe himselfe to vs, making himselfe méete, as thou haste alredy said, to the rudenesse of our vnderstandings. And therefore he will that we know him, and that we speake in suche sorte in the whiche he hath declared hymselfe to vs by his worde and by hys works, and not otherwise.

Of the difference that must be put between the essence and the gifts of the holy Ghost.

Of the difference that must be put betwene the essence and the giftes of the holie Ghoste.

M. I Do now sufficiently understand thy meaning touching this point, of the nature and divinity of the holy Ghost: come to the other which is concerning his gifts.

M. I Do now sufficientlye vnderstande thy meaning touching this poynte, of the nature and diuinitie of the holye Ghoste: come to the other which is concerning his giftes.

Pe. Thou hast to note first, that because the Father doth communicate to us by the virtue of the holy Ghost, the graces the which he doth offer and present unto us in his Son Jesus Christ, these graces are called by the name of the holy Ghost. And therefore in the Scripture it is spoken of the holy Ghost, as though there were sundry of them.

Pe. Thou hast to note firste, that bycause the Father doth communicate to vs by the vertue of the holie Ghoste, the graces the whiche he doth offer and present vnto vs in his Sonne Iesus Chryst, these graces are called by the name of the holy Ghost. And therfore in the Scripture it is spoken of the holie Ghost, as thoughe there were sundry of them.

M. Give me an example of that which thou sayest.

M. Giue mée an example of that which thou sayest.

Peter. Isaiah,¹ speaking of the graces which should be in Jesus Christ, and of the excellent gifts of god, wherewith he should be endued in his humane nature, hath said: The spirit of the Lord shall repose upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and of force, the spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord: There is also mention made in other places of the holy Scriptures,² and chiefly in the Epistles of Saint Paul, of the Spirit of adoption and of faith, and of […] ⟨p. 218⟩prophecy, & of other such like gifts, which we must understand not of the essence of the holy Ghost,³ but of his works and effects.

Peter. Esay,¹ speaking of the graces whiche shoulde be in Iesus Chryst, and of the excellent giftes of god, wherwith he should be indued in his humane nature, hath sayde: The spirite of the Lorde shall repose vpon him, the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding, the spirite of counsell and of force, the spirite of knowledge and of feare of the Lorde: There is also mention made in other places of the holie Scriptures,² and chiefly in the Epistles of Sainct Paule, of the Spirite of adoption and of faythe, and of 〈…〉 ⟨p. 218⟩prophecie, & of other such like gifts, whiche we must vnderstād not of the essence of the holy Ghost,³ but of his workes and effects.

1. 1Isaiah. 11. a,

M. Thy meaning is then, that we must distinguish between the nature of the holy Ghost, and his gifts & graces?

M. Thy meaning is then, that we must distinguishe betweene the nature of the holy Ghost, and his gifts & graces?