church least also touching those things that I haue gathered out of their seruice bookes any should imagine them to be such as they themselues should now disclaime I haue sufficiently preuented these obiections in the addition it selfe shewing that the authors by me here traâ—uced had great allowance from the Popes owne vnholines and were of high estimation in their churches and likewise proouing their ancient seruice books in the things here expressed not to differ froÌ„ their new books newly reformed by the couÌ„cil of TreÌ„t neither yet to be any whit in a manner now reuoked Much other the like popish trash I might haue noted out of other the like popish bookes but to avoid tediousnes vnto other I did the more willingly spare my owne paines Thus committing your selues with the successe of these my labours vnto the Lord who worke both in you and in me more perfect hatred of popery and all other errours and more vnfained loue of his truth that we may the better continue therein and be the more plentiful in all the fruits thereof I do louingly take my leaue of you froÌ„ Billerim in Essex the seuenth of March in the yeere of our Lord according to the coÌ„putation of the church of England 1597. almost nowe ended Yours in the Lord vnfainedly Thomas Stoughton The generall summe of all all things comprehended in this treatise following The reasons why this worke was taken in hand and the state of this cause beeing first breefly declared then followe these generall arguments against popery and for our religion 1 All true religion and acceptable to God is wrought in the hearts of men by the ministerie of God his word conteiued in holy scripture Popery is not wrought by the ministerie of that worde in as much as where that word is most plentifully sincerely taught there popery most falleth and where that word is wanting there popery most abounde as also because papists will neither voluntarily come nor by authority be drawne either to the preaching or reading thereof in our Churches neither doe delight in the priuate reading thereof at home ergo Popery is not true religion c. 2 All true religion is vpheld and maintained by good and lawefull meanes needing no euill vnlavvefull meanes to vphold it But popery is vpheld and maintained by all vnlawfull meanes as by force and violence by fire and fagot corrupting adding vnto and diminishing the text of scriptures by false alleadging the authorities of men by clipping and mangling the works of the auncient fathers both in citing their testimonies and also in printing of the bookes themselues by authority of the popish church by lying miracles and such other indirect meanes ergo c. 3 The subiect matter of true religion is contained in the written word of God The subiect mat of poperie is not comprised in that written worde of God but is directly contrarie therevnto in all the principall points thereof ergo c. 4 The forme of true religion is also comprehended in the canonicall Scripture The forme of poperis is not there comprehended but is altogether diuers from the forme of God his worship in that word prescribed yea rather poperie hath in a manner no worship of God at all ergo 5 All true religion referreth all things to God his glorie Poperie referreth not all things to God his glorie but so aduanceth the Pope saints and man himselfe that it spoileth God of all his glorie ergo 6 True religion bringeth forth obedience to the â—orall law of God contained in the tenne commandements Poperie and not Papists onely baingeth forth no such obedience but transgresseth euery one of these commaundements and that in the highest degree ergo 7 True religion worketh true ioy and sound comfort in euery heart where it taketh true place as certifying she same both of the present fauour of God and also of the continuance thereof Poperie worketh no such ioy and comfort as the which depriueth men of the Scriptures whereby their eyes are to be opened and their mindes instructed in true wisdome as the which teacheth likewise that it is presumption for a man to say that he is perswaded of God his fauour and of his owne saluation and wherein no man euer knoweth whither he receiueth the true sacrament or not ergo 8 All true religion is wise as he that is the author thereof Poperie is not wise but most foolish and ridiculous grossely worshipping many homely relikes absurdly baptizing bells and Churches c. and without all wit and reason much more without diuinitie citing condemning and excommunicating them that are dead ergo 9 All true religion is vnsauorie and vnpleasant to the nature of man But poperie is most pleasant thereunto because it teacheth men not to take any paines in the scriptures yea forbiddeth all such paines because it affirmeth that the worke done is sufficient howsoeuer it be done and that therefore men neede not to be carefull about their hearts because also it commendeth especially the commandements of men giuing all libertie vnto men from the commaundements of God and teaching that what good soeuer is neglected or what euill soeuer is by any committed yet by confession of all this with the mouth by a little voluntarie afflicting of the bodie and especially by a peece of money a man may haue forgiuenes of all ergo The contrarie of all the former arguments is prooued of our religion from whence it follovveth that it is true and acceptable vnto God 10 Both the former conclusions the one against poperie the other for our religion are prooued by actuall testimonies of God These are shewed to be 1 The gifts of God promised to the latter times for the commendation of the Gospel 2 The works of God The gifts of God are shewed to haue beene 1 Excedingly decaied and almost dead and buried in the chiefe times of poperie 2 Repaired reuiued raised vp and greatly to haue flourished c. at the breaking forth of our religion out of the darknes of poperie The works of Godare either single against poperie against our religion or mixt both against poperie and for our religion All these former arguments beeing plentifully handled then followeth the conclusion wherein are exemplified the manifold vse of the whole treatise Concerning them which are of our religion all generally vveake and strong more particularly great persons and those also either generally all or specially Dauids Worthies not ofour religion Atheists and all of no religion Papists 1 weake erring onely of ignorance 2 obstinate and wilfull A GENERAL TREATISE AGAINST POPERIE AND IN DEFENCE OF the religion by publike authoritie professed in England and in other Churches reformed THE PREFACE IT cannot be denied but that many excellent learned and godly men haue both plentifully and soundly and also profitably and fruitfully written most worthie treatises for confutation of all particular points of poperie and like wise for confirmation of all particular points of our religion In this
gods as their are saints in their Kalender doe they not also ascribe power to forgiue sinnes vnto the Pope and to euery shauen priest which yet God challengeth onely to himselfe and which also their forefathers acknowledged to be God his owne due Yea doe they not in their Decretals Distinctions Canons and such other bookes allowed by generall authoritie of their Church in most plaine words write that of him which is a so the onely prerogatiue-royall of God verely it can not be denied For proofe hereof to the reader I will set downe some of their owne words that no man may challenge me of a slander neither the pope himselfe bring any action against me for belying his holines These therefore are the words of the glosse vpon the distinction Jn canone Quanto de translatione episcopi titulo 7o. Papa dicitur hasere câ—â—leste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam resum immutat substantialia vnius rei applicando aâ—ij Et de nihilo potest aliquid facere sententiam quae nulla est aliquam facere quia in his quae vult câ—est proratione voluntas Nec est qui ei dicat curitafacis Ipse enim potest supra ius dispensare de iniustitia facere iustitiam corrigendo iura mutando Nam plenitudinem obtinet potestatis That is that I may interpret these wordes to let the most ignoraÌ„t see what blasphemies popery teacheth The Pope is said to haue aÌ„ heaueÌ„ly power therefore he changeth the nature of things by applying the substantiall properties of one thing to an other And he can make something of nothing and that sentence which was none or nothing worth to be somewhat or of force because in those thinges that he will to him will is for reason Neither is there anie man that may say why doest thou so For he can dispense aboue right and of that which is iniustice make iustice correcting and changing lawes because he hath full authoritie Who doth not see by these wordes that they make the Pope another God for to change the nature of thinges as God turned Lott his wife into a pillar of salt made Baalam his asse to speake and gaue Nebuchadnezzar the heart or qualities of a beast to make something of nothing to make iustice of iniustice as God is said to ferch light out of darknes to make his owne will sufficient reason to dispense aboue right to correct change lawes to haue ful authority to do al these things is it not proper vnto God An other also of their doctors saith Excepto peccato Papapotest quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest Sinne excepted the pope can doe in manner all things thai God can doe Iohannes also Capistranus a fit name for one so well worthie of an halter of the authoritie of the Pope and of the Church p. 93. B. writeth to the same effect Vbi quaeritur ad quid protenditur authorit as Papae respondeo breuiter quòd ad omne bonum nulluÌ„ malum est enim quasâ— Deus in terris maior homine minor Deo plenitudinem obtinens potestatis That is If it be asked how farre the pope his authoritie extendeth I aunswer briefly that it extendeth to all that is good to nothing that is euill for he is as God in the earth greater then man and lesse then God hauing full authoritie Marke good reader how they are not ashamed euen to attribute these words vnto him whereby the Apostle doth describe Antechrist 2. Thess 2. 4. saying that he should sitt as God c. So God will haue themselues to acknowlenge the Pope to be Antichrist though they intend no such thing but rather to make him God or at the least pew-fellow with God In their Decretalls also they write that the Pope is neither god nor man but the Viccar of God and mixt or compounded of God and man Oftentimes also they ascribe vnto him all power aswell in heauen and hell as in earth But for further view of the monstrous blasphemies of the Pope I refer the reader to the large description of him which is in the booke of Martyrs in the verie end of King Henrie the 7. his reigne in the verie ende also of the first volume where plentifully are laid downe both their wordes of him and also the places of their owne bookes quoted in which any man may finde them By these things it is euideÌ„t that although they think great scorne to be charged to teach that there are many Gods yet in truth by communicating that vnto other which is God his onely due they teach as much God himself hath said that he will not giue his glorie to any other but they scotch not they feare not to giue it to manie other 3 The like do they touching the Mediatour For they teach that there are manie Mediators yea so many as there are Saints and a great many more Yea they teach that the Virgine Marie is not onely a Mediatour but also a Mediatour aboue Christ himselfe For proofe I will note their owne words but yet onely in English for breuities sake Thus therefore they speake to the Virgine Marie as I do faithfully traÌ„slate their words in a certaine horarie c. Reioyce O celestiall matron triumphantly praise God thy Sauiour which hath made thee singular Thou wast content to be called the handmaid of Iesus Christ but as the diuine law teacheth thou art his Ladie For right and reason requireth that the mother should be aboue the Sonne Therefore aske humblie and commaund loftilie that he guide vs that are here in the euening or twilight of the world vnto the supreame kingdom And againe in the same place Thou alone art without example whome god hath chosen to be Mediat our betweene God and man the repairer of the world the end of destruction the washing away from sinnes the way of counsell the trust of reward the ladder of hèauen the gate of paradise In their common praiers also they call her the mother of gracâ— the mother of mercie and they pray her to defend them from their enemies and to receiue them in the houre of death Againe they call her the certaiâ—â— hope of them that are in miserie the mother of Orphanes the Sauiour of the oppressed the phisick of the sicke all to all What can be more contrarie to the doctrine and matter of religion for this is not onely to make her another Mediatour but also another God and indeed if she be another Mediatour shee must also of necessitie be another god because there caÌ„ be no Mediatour which is not also god Neither is this much to be marueled at for they also pray to god to be heard not onely for the blood of Christ but also for the blood of the Martyres Yea of Thomas Becket which was no Martyr but iustlie put to death for his insoleÌ„ctreason Yea they teach that euery maÌ„ must also be his owne Sauiour that is merit his
treatise also the mysterie of iniquitie in poperie is so fully discouered and the truth of our religion from point to point particularly so euidently declared that all men of any iudgement exercised in those treatises may easily see both the one the other yea many haue seene doe see both the one the other Notwithstanding as many haue seene doe see it so also Satan the god of this world doth stil detaine many in their former blindnes and ignorance Yea the nearer that his kingdome is to an ende the more diligently he goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking still whome he may deuoure Therefore he ceaseth not by his chiefe instrument the man of sinne and child of perdition I meane the Bishop and Pope of Rome continually to send forth into all corners of the realme swarmes of Iesuits and Seminarie priests as to harden those in poperie that haue not yet renounced that profession so also to infect other there with that are either of no religion or that hauing embraced ours are not yet sufficiently setled and grounded therein And truly both waies he doth the more preuaile partly because many haue not abilitie to buie the bookes of particular controuersies betwixt vs and the Papists they beeing some what costly partly because they haue no leisure to read them beeing many and large and partly because they haue no iudgement to conceiue of them beeing matters of learning and learnedly handled Where he cannot effect that which he would for the hardening of men in poperie or drawing them to poperie there he goeth another waie to worke either corrupting them with some other heresie or making them altogether profane and working in them a contempt of all religion Because all is one to him whether men be Papists or other heretikes or of no religion at all 2 Thus therefore seeing true religion euery where to decay the kingdome of Satan more and more daily to be enlarged partly by poperie partly by other heresies and partly by profanenes and contempt of all religion I haue thought good an other waie to trie the conuersion both of the ignorant Papists that are yet perswaded their religion to be sound and true and that wherein they please God and also of other heretikes and profane persons themselues if it be possible and likewise the confirmation and strengthening of such as professing our religion in shewe are notwithstanding vnstaied and wauering and therefore readie to be drawne any other waie To all these therefore I doe here offer these generall arguments following in defence of our religion and against poperie so briefly and plainely set downe that euen all that are not able to goe to the price of bookes of particular controuersies or that cannot intende the reading of them to waigh and conceiue them may yet generally see the truth of our religion and the falshood of poperie and seeing these things may likewise more seriously consider of our religion and contrarily of the most daungerous fearefull and wretched estate of all Papists and likewise of all other that are not as yet of our religion that so the one sort may not forsake our holy fellowship and the other may ioyne with vs and that both ioyned together in one truth may zealously professe it bringing forth plentifull fruits thereof Neither would I haue men wholly to content them-selues with these generall reasons neglecting particular treatises of particular controuersies but rather by this treatise to be the more encouraged to the reading of the other and to be made the fitter and euery waie the more able to iudge of them 3 That all men may the better see my meaning in this whole treatise and know the state of the whole cause by our religion I doe here vnderstand the religion now established publikely by publike authoritie professed in England and such other Churches as haue iustly forsaken Rome and are in good measure well reformed according to the word of God contained in holy Scripture To speake more plainly I meane by our religion that substance doctrine of faith wherein we dissent from the Church of Rome and doe all of vs consent among our selues both we with those other Churches and those other Churches with vs in this land By poperie like wise I vnderstand all that doctrine of the church of Rome which differeth and dissenteth from this our religion the doctrine held and professed publikely here in England other Churches in like manner reformed In this treatise therefore I doe vndertake by plaine and euident argumēts fit for the capacitie of all sorts both poore and rich both learned vnlearned though they can read or vnderstand onely the english tongue to prooue that this our religion is of God and that which God as touching the substance and doctrine thereof doth well accept and like of and contrarily by like arguments as plainely to shew that poperie is not of God and therefore also not in any account with him but abominable and detestable in in his sight THE FIRST ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE breeding and begetting of true religion THVS hauing declared both the reasons that moued me to this work and likewise the state of the whole cause hādled herein I will now enter into the arguments thēselues Here therefore first of al let vs consider the chiefe and principall meanes whereby both that religion that is of God and acceptable vnto God is at the first begunne and framed and afterward further built and perfected in them that atteine vnto it and also of the like meanes whereby poperie is at the first hatched and afterward brooded further strengthoned Touching the former it is most certaine that it is alwayes begunne by the word of God For the Apostle S. Paule expressly teacheth vs. Rom. 10. 17. That faith is by hearing the word of god preached S. Iames also chap. 1. 18. saith that we are begotten againe by the word of truth Our Sauiour likewise in the parable of the seede Matth. 13. plainely sheweth that that onely is good ground into the which the seede of god his word falling bringeth forth good fruite and so likewise that that onely is to be accounted good fruite which springeth from the seede of the word As the word of god is the only ordinary meanes whereby faith and regeneration are begunne in euerie man whome God will haue to be saued so also it is the especiall meanes whereby they are to be further built till they be finished S. Peter exhorteth the Christians to whome he wrote that as they were allreadie borne a new by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. So also as new borne babes they should desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby chap. 2. verse 2. Saint Paule likewise hauing first exhorted the Thessalonians not to quench the spirit which they had receiued that is to cherish the spirite meaning the worke of faith regeneration wrought by the spirit a Metonymy of the cause
Apostle Hebr. 2. 4. where he saith that God did beare witnes vnto his gospel both with signes and wonders and diuerse miracles gifts of the Highost according to his own wil. 2 These actuall testimonies of God wherof I purpose now to speak are especially two The first are the gifts of the spirit which God hath promised to these last times of the world for the commendation of the gospell the second are his other works whereby likewise he doth beare witnes thereunto Touching the first let vs first of all consider of God his promise for those gifts secondly of the performance of that promise The promises are either made in the olde testament by the Prophets or in the new by Christ himselfe The promises of the old testament are many First of all the Prophet Dauid psal 68. 18. insinuateth a promise of the gifts of the spirit in these words Thou art saith he gone vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and receiued gifts for men where the Prophet by receiuing gifts for men meaneth the gifts wherewith Christ as the Mediatour was furnished without measure to bestow vpon the Church after that he should vanquish his enemies triumphing ouer them should ascende into heauen there to sit at the right hand of God in all glorie and authoritie This interpretatioÌ„ is manifest both by the words immediately following Praised be the Lord the God of our saluation which loadeth vs daily with benefits and also by the application thereof Eph. 4. 8. where although the Apostle doe name onely the callings of the Church yet doth it not therefore follow that the place in the psalme is of such gifts onely to be vnderstoode because that euery generall may be applied not onely to some but also to all particulars comprehended in the generall The second promise is Isa 44. 3. where the Lord speaking of the latter times of the church saith thus I will poure water vpon the thirstie and floods vpon the drie ground I will poure my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy budds c. And least any should thinke that this promise was onely made to the Iewes or Israelites according to the flesh he addeth in the 5. v. One shal say I am the Lords another shal be called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and name himselfe by the came of Israel which words doe testifie that the promise before made was as wel to the Gentileâ— as to the Iewes because the Iewes were alreadie of the house of Israel called by his name The promise of the same gifts of the spirit is likewise signified by leading or driuing of them to the springs of waters Esa 49. 10. He renueth also the same promise Ioel 2. 28. Afterward saith the Lord in that place will I poure out my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions and also vpon the seruants and vpon the maidens in those daies will I poure my spirit so the same Prophet chap. 3. 18. expresseth the same promise in other words saying In that date shal the mountaines drop downe new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and al the riuers of Iuda shall runne vvith vvaters and a fountaine shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shithim By all these words he meaneth nothing else but the plentifull gifts of God his spirit calling them by the name of wine milke and waters both because of the varietie of them and also because of their diuers effects according to the diuers necessities of the diuers members of the Church And least this promise also should be restrained onely to the Iewes he addeth in the 21. v. this effect of the spirit that he would clense their bloode whome he had not yet clensed meaning by those whome he had not clensed the Gentiles that till the comming of Christ were without Christ aliens from the common-wealth of Israel straungers from the couenant of promise hauing no hope and being without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. Finally the Prophet Zacharie chap. 14. c. hath this promise In that daie shall the waters of life goe out of Jerusalem halfe of them toward the East and halfe of them tovvards the vtmost sea and shall be both in sommer and winter These and such like are the promises in the old testament which to belong to the new testament and to be made for the credit and commendation of the gospel appeares by the application of the promise in Joel made by Saint Peter Act. 2. 16. And although that Prophet speake of seeing visions dreaming dreames and prophesying c. yet by these are not onely to be vnderstoode the same but because these serued then the good of the church therefore by them the Prophet meaneth all such gifts as should make for the good of the church vnder the gospel the which is manifest because Saint Peter applieth this prophecie to the gift of tongues bestowed vpon the church at the feast of Pentecost 3 Touching the New Testament first our Sauiour alluding vnto and indeede plainly meaning these promises of the olde Testament before mentioned saith thus Ioh. 7. 38. He that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his bellâ—e shall flow riuers of water of life Where the Euangelist himselfe interpreteth our Sauiour to speake of the spirit which they that beleeue should afterward receiue The like promise is made so often as he speaketh of the Comforter Ioh. 14. 26. and 15. 26. 16. 7. and elswhere So also after his resurrection Act. 1. 5. Iohn indeed baptized with water but ye shal be baptised with the holy Ghost within these few dates All these promises doe teach and assure the Church that the gospel should not come forth in the latter daies poore and desolate but rich and accompanied with an honourable traine of all necessarie gifts and graces of God his spirit and that the more the gospel should flourish the more plentifull also should these gifts and graces flowe in the Church Thus much for the promises of the gifts of the spirit 4 Touching the performance thereof it is certen that it was especially accomplished in the time of the Apostles and fit it was it should be so because the gospel was then first to be coÌ„municated vnto the Gentiles who before that had neuer heard any such doctrine and because also as the Lord did then giue extraordinarie callings of the Apostles Euangelists and Prophets so it was also meere that they should haue gifts sutable to their callings Notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but that the promise should remaine and doth yet remaine in force euen vnto the ende of the world as touching the generall substance thereof and that therefore although those times are now past and those reasons now ceased when and why the
of bookes printed in the latin tongue the second of bookes whose institution was expressely approoued and allowed by the Apostolike see the third of bookes that had beene in vse for two hundred yeares before The reuocation therefore and inhibition is onely of bookes published in the vulgar tongue whose first institution was not allowed by the apostolike sea and which had not beene vsed aboue two hundred yeares 9 Now the bookes out of which I haue gathered the former stuffe are not within the compasse of the saide inhibition but doe still remaine in force by the former exceptions For although the titles and pardons prefixed to the praiers in them contained be in the english tongue yet the praiers themselues and the other subiect matter of the saide booke is all in latin Againe their first institution was allowed by the Apostolike see otherwise they would neuer haue had such publike vse and sufferance especially in Cathedrall churches as they had Lastly although some few praiers as one in king Henrie and an other the pardon whereof was graunted at the instance of Queene Elizabeth wife to king Henrie the seauenth and a fewe more perhaps although I say some such praiers of late edition are here and there inserted yet as touching the principall substance of the bookes that they haue beene in vse farre aboue two hundred yeares it may euidently appeare to them that will compare the diuers bookes of diuers impressions together Wherefore as I haue heard that some great men in their last will and testament haue sometime made a gift vnto their wife of all their houshold stuff all their plate all their golden chaines and bracelets all their rings and iewels whatsoeuer and yet afterward haue excepted so many of the former things and giuen them to their other friends that their former gift to to their wife hath not come to any great value notwithstanding all the former great words euen so although the foresaide pope Pius the fi lt see me at the first to make a large Inhibition yet the exceptions following make the former inhibition in a manner nothing worth because there were scarse any former seruice bookes which might not chalenge their former vse and allowance by some of those exceptions Now further although in the same new booke aboue mentioned Pius quintus doe also admonish all coÌ„stantly to beleeue that in some former books not within chose former exceptions compâ—ised many faigned praiers are interlaced sub falsis confictis sanctorum nominibus vnder false and counterfaited names of saints and that there is no certen authoritie of the church for indulgences and pardons of sinnes graunted vnto them that say many of those praiers so interlaced although I say this admonition be giuen by that holy father yet this maketh not against those praiers and titles by me before expressed For many of them are made to God or Christ Iesus himselfe oâ— to the virgin Marie the other at least for the most part to such saints as whose names are not counterfaited but most certenly knowne to be such saints as the Romish church hath alwaies worshipped This therefore shall suffice to haue noted out of their bookes of common seruice THE THIRD PART NOw I come to note something likewise out of some of the principall popish Doctours Here I will doe as the marchant doth in selling his wines vnto the vintener For as he giueth not a taste of euery vessell but onely assuring the vintener the rest to be like vnto those whereof he giueth a tast so likewise will not I giue the reader a tast of euery popish vessell for that were infinite to me to write and to him to read but onely I wil deliuer him a tast of some few that therby he may see what all the rest are beeing of the same vintage or at the least of the grape of the same countrey But what doe I compare popish bookes to vessels of wine which is in price with all men and which is saide to delight God and man Iudg. 9. 13. nay rather I may compare them to vessells of filthie and fustie vineger whereby many haue beene are deceiued as the which they haue bought in stead of most wholesome and delectable wine As therefore a faithfull friend that would haue his friend to take heede of being so deceiued doth not giue him a tast of euery such vineger caske but onely of some and those of the best assuring him that such or worse are all the rest so likewise will I giue the reader a tast of the doctrine and writings of the greatest and most famous popish writers whereby he may know the other to be like or worse Here first I will begin with the works of one Bernardine de Bustâ— and that all men may know that this man was no obscure person but of high account for an exceeding profound clarke and his worke likewise in as great reckoning in the popish Church before I goe downe into the cellar it selfe to giue a tast of the liquour in the vessels therein I thinke it not amisse to point the reader vnto that which for the drawing of customers to buie the ware it selfe is written as it were vpon the doâ—e 2 This writing is double The inscription or title written as it seemeth by the author himselfe and the approbation allowance and commendation thereof by other The first written with great letters that all that passe by may read the same as it were running as the Prophet speaketh in an other matter is this Mariale eximij viri Barnardini de Busti ordinis seraphici francisci de singulis festiuitatibus beate virginis per modum sermonum tractans omni theologia copiosum denique vtriusque iuris authoritatibus applicatum arte humanitatis effectum in omnibus allegationibus promptissimum that is in english The Mariall of the renowmed man Bernardine This worke setmetâ— to haue bin puâ—lished anno dom 1480. as appeareth by the date of the Apostolike writing of Poâ—e 〈…〉 tuâ—â—he 4. forth allowance oâ— the serâ—ice oâ— the virgin therein contained see the 49. lease 〈◊〉 of Busti of the Seraphicall order of Francis intreating by waie of sermons of all the feasts of the blessed Virgin flowing with all diuinitie and finally with the application of authorities of both lawes replenished also with the skill of humanitie and most readie in all allegations In this title the word Mariall signifieth onely a worke made in commendation of the virgin Marie as it is manifest by the whole booke following For although the whole booke beeing in a large quarto and printed with a small letter containe 407. leaues which is aboue a hundred sheetes of paper yet through the whole booke is God skarse named except onely for the further magnifying of Marie The word Seraphicall is taken for Seraphim which signifieth burning or shining attributed in the scriptâ—res to angels to signifie their excellencie Yea the Papists making nine degrees of angels as we
manner abhorre this Romish religion For although now all kinde of learning doe flourish by the meanes of the gospel yet if euer poperie preuaile as it hath done and recouer the former strength as I hope it shall neuer doe doubtles all learning will wither and decaie againe In the time of the Apostles in the age of the primitiue church the gifts of Gods spirit did much more abound then now they doe yet as poperie spread it selfe ouer the face of the earth so those gifts decaied vntill there was as much barbarisme as poperie Let the like therefore be feared if poperie should againe ascend the staires of her former dignitie 31 If any shall obiect against these things that I haue noted out of popish writings for the disgracing of poperie that in many of our books like wise there are some vanities absurdities I answer that though this should be An answer to an obiection touching the former popish testimonies graunted yet first the matters are not so blasphemous so grosse so rude and so ridiculous as these that I haue noted a thousand yea ten thousand the like Secondly the number of them is not so great Thirdly the persons that haue written such vanities are not of that credit in our whole church as these and other are with their Church Fourthly our mens books are not published by such high authoritie solemne allowance as the bookes before mentioned and other the like writings of theirs haue bin THE SEAVENTH PART IT remaineth now that according to my promise I make the reader a litle banquet with some of the Virgins miracles Herein I will be the briefer by how much the larger I haue bin in the former I will not therefore take all neither the largest dishes least I should leaue her table bare but I will onely make choice of the least but yet the daintiest iunkats that so the taking of them away may be the lesse espied Yet what neede I feare the missing of any thing from her table her power is such that as they say of the crosse vpon which Christ suffered that whatsoeuer is taken from it yet it is not diminished but remaineth as ample as it was at the first so we may like wise say of these her iunkats that though we should take neuerso many of them yet her table would be nothing the barer And therefore whereas the booke or rather the closet and storehouse of her miracles for so it is called Promptuarium discipuli de miraculis beate Marie virginis containeth but 99. miracles this may well be added vnto them for an other to make vp the whole hundred that whatsoeuer a man taketh away yet her table remaineth as fully furnished as at the first before any dish was touched And that no man may thinke these miracles to haue beene of meane account in the popish Church let him first vnderstand that both they were solemnly read in the churches for lessons in their publique seruice vpon such feastiuall daies as they did obserue vnto the virgin as also the great diuines of the popish Church did commonly alleadge theÌ„ in their sermons for authorities to prooue and confirme many of the points of their religion Both these things I haue made manifest Againe the gatherer together of these miracles in his prologue to the whole worke doth commend the dainties following to be Omni melle dulciora sweeter then any honie What is this but to compare them with the written word of God which is in like manner commended psal 19. 10. 2. Now for the manner of setting downe these miracles I will for the more breuities sake altogether omitthe latine except now and then some speciall word or phrase which I will put in the margent and content my selfe onely with the english faithfully translated And in case the whole miracle be very long I will onely set downe the summe therof briefly The contents of each example or miracle shall be placed in the margent And all this I will doe so faithfully that no Papist whatsoeuer shall be able iustly to charge me with any false dealing 3 To come then to the miracles themselues I will passe by the first and second example and beginne with the third the text whereof is this There was a certaine woman of honest conuersation who although being Marie deliuereth a woman from damnatioÌ„ whichin her confession wittingly concealed a great sinne maried she did weare a secular habite yet she liued a regular life Notwithstanding in her youth she had committed a great fault which for shame she durst not tell any man When she confessed her selfe to the priest cloking Palliato crimine sic conclusit Reddo me culpabilem her sinne thus she concluded Of all that I haue said or not said I yeelde my selfe guiltie and saying this oftentimes she sighed grieuously The priest perceiuing this did cunningly Calide tentabat◠〈…〉 â— trie to draw from her that which laie hidde when he could not he admonished her to reueale her conscience to the Prior of the next Monasterie and he aduised him warily Et ipsc caute euÌ„ investigaâ—e persuasit ◠〈…〉 â— to aske her but neither could he wrest any thing from her Notwithstanding this woman was wont dailybefore the altar or the image of the blessed virgin with weeping to open her foresaid fault At the last when she died in this manner and her daughter which dwelt in a village some what farre of was looked for at her buriall she at the length comming with howling and mourning and her haire spread abroad embraced the bodie of her mother and cryed out Alas mother why dost thou forsake me a wretched creature then with her lamentation she mooued the standers by and the soule of her mother presently returned and waking as it were out of sleepe said The Lord commanding I am reuiued One raised from â—he dead to confesse vnâ—o a priest a sinne before concealed take away the things wherewith I am couered and let me arise When she was thus set at libertie a priest was called for and the fault opened And she testifying that by the intercession of the blessed virgin she was deliuered saide vnto all them that flocked vnto the miracle I beeing deliuered to the tormentours was drawne to punishment but the blessed virgin succouring me said and asked theÌ„ that did lead me why they durst presume to lead her handmaid and bad them quickly Et vs cito donec a domino sententiarer me deponerent aiâ— So the deuills were very hastie to take her before sentence to let me goe vntill I had sentence of the Lord. The which beeing done she comming to her sonne praied saying I pray thee O sonne let not that soule be damned which did so often bewaile her sinne before me To whome the Lord said thou knowest mother that without confession she cannot be saued but because I can denie nothing vnto thee let her returne and confesse and so she
heare the Scriptures search the Scriptures meditate the Scriptures and pray vnto God for the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures the more also do men mislike of poperie and grow into loue of our religion The Papistes themselues see this to be so and can not denie it therefore doe they by all meanes they can not onely accuse the Scriptures of such difficultie obscuritie as whereby they discourage the vnlearned sort from reading of them but also they vtterly denie them to the common people in their vulgar tongue On the contrarie they care not how common their vnwritten verities be If they feared not the ouerthrow of their religion and the growing of ours by the vse of the Scriptures why should they so streightly restraine the common people from it if they thought as they speake and write that their vnwritten verities were of God aswell as the Scriptures why should they make thē more common then the Scriptures Is it because they thinke them more easie and therefore fitter for the capacitie of the common people then the Scriptures This will not stand with that which they make the ground of them and which they pretend for their speciall warranr namely with the wordes of our Sauiour to his disciples Other thinges haue I to say vnto you but yee cannot beare them now c. Iohn 16. 12. For by these wordes it is manifest that those things which Christ had further to say vnto his disciples were harder thē those that then he did speake are now writtē otherwise he would not haue added as a reason why he did for a time conceale them but yee can not beare them now 5 Now to finish this point forasmuch as that religion which God accepteth and liketh of is wrought by the preaching of his owne word forasmuch as Poperie hath not such beginning but is onely engendred by the slyme of traditions and doctrines of men Finally forasmuch as the religion now publikelie professed in England is both begotten by that immortall seede and doth also grow to further perfection by that pure milke of the word of God therefore I conclude for my first argument that poperie is onely such as those slimie traditions doctrines are whereof it is ingēdred and that our religion is not of man but of God and acceptable vnto God THE SECOND ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE PRE seruing and maintayning of true religion THE same is also manifest by the second meanes whereby poperie hath bine from time to time and yet is vpholden and mainteined For as touching this what shall we say of the impudencie of the Papistes I meane such as account themselues the learned Papistes both in falsifying the auncient Fathers also in alleadging patches onely of their writinges as making against vs but leauing out some part of the same sentēces or some sentence going before or following after whereby both that Father his minde is made euident and also our doctrine approoued Is not this to deale with the Fathers as the deuill doth with the Scripture against our Sauiour Mat. 4. 6. And that the Papists doe thus abuse the readers by citing the Fathers in such sort is sufficiently shewed by those that haue written in particular controuersies To proue the APOCRYPHA bookes Canonicall Scriptures they alleadge the testimonie of Augustin lib. 2. de doctrina Christiana cap. 8. Yet that Augustin did not so vnderstand the word Canonicall as they applie his testimonie is manifest in the same place let the learned reader see Whitak Controuers 1. quest 1. Cap. 4. Pag. 15. In like manner they deale with Ambrose whose testimonie they alleadge for proofe of this that manie things are hard in the Scriptures thereby indeed to discourage all vnlearned from reading of the Scriptures as though all things were hard in them and yet in the verie same place Ambrose also saith that in the Scriptures is matter fitt for all persons to drinke first second and last where by he also teacheth that as there are some things to be drunke last in the riuers of the Scriptures that is not till men be well grounded in knowledge and iudgement so also there is for yong beginners such as haue not entred or that haue made but litle entrance So they deale with Augustin oftentimes in the same question of the perspicuity of the Scripture as also the learned reader may see Whitak quest 4. pag. 276. In like manner they deale with the Fathers almost in all other questions and controuersies Sometime also they alleadge the testimonies of the Fathers out of some of their books not regarding how they haue either opened their minde or retracted their former errors in other of their bookes Sometime againe they pleade the authoritie of some Fathers in citing testimonies of their bookes which they wrote after that they were fallen into some heresie So they alleadge the testimonie of Tertullian out of such workes as he made after that he was a Montanist Whitaker quest 6. pag. 449. Finallie oftentimes they are not ashamed to name the Fathers in particular questions as if they were on their side whereas the cleane contrarie is manifestlie prooued and shewed by our writers and is likewise euident to them that are acquainted with the writings of the Fathers For proofe hereof let the reader looke their preface to the translation of the new testament into English by thēselues and likewise reade M. Fulke his aunswer to the same 2 For their first reason why they translate the new Testament according to the vulgar latine translation and not according to the greeke originall is this It is so auncient say they that it was vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300. yeares agoe as appeareth by the Fathers of those times But M. Fulke sheweth first that no one translation was in those daies commonly rèceiued Secondly by many examples that Tertullian Cyprian the Clergie it selfe of Rome in Cyprian his time Hierome Arnobius Hilarie and Ambrose did not followe this vulgar translation but did reade the text farre diuersly from the same In their fourth reason they commend it as that which for the most part euer since Hierom his time hath beene vsed in the Churches seruice expounded in Sermons alleadged and interpreted in the Commentaries and writings of auncient fathers of the latine Church But M. Fulk prooueth and sheweth First that their Church seruice is not so auncient as Augustine his time many of their Church lessons beeing taken out of Beda and other writers liuing many hundred yeares after Saint Augustine his age Secondly that such parts of the Scripture as seeme to haue beene of most auncient times vsed in the church of Rome are not taken out of their vulgar text and thirdly that since Ierome his time Optatus Melevitanus Fuigentius Primasius Prosper Aquitanicus and Leo likewise himselfe Bishop of Rome did alleadge and interpret the texts of Scripture much differing from this vulgar translation 3 The like may be said of their belying the Fathers in their
notes afterward vpon the text it selfe Vpon the first petition of the Lords praier Matth. 6. 12. for their olde distinction of sinnes veniall and mortall they quote certaine places of Augustine to beare the vnlearned reader in hand that Augustine was the author or a fauourer thereof Notwithstanding Augustine in those places quoted by them vseth no such distinction but onely speaketh of small sinnes which no man denieth Vpon 1. Cor. 13. 10. they saie that S. Augustine lib. 22. de Civit. cap. 29. prooueth that the Saints in heauen haue more perfect knowledge of our affaires here then they had when they liued here And yet S. Augustine in that place speaketh not of the knowledge of the Saints now in heauen touching our present affaires here in earth but onely speaketh generally of the perfect knowledge which all Saints both dead and yet liuing shall haue in the resurrection Aboue all other places I wish the reader to see how foully they falsifie Chrysostome for defence of Peters supremacie vpon Ioh. 21. 17 yea how common this fault of falsifying the fathers is with them by the iudgement of themselues euen of the Vniuersitie of Doway approoued by the Censors according to the decree of the CouÌ„cell of Trent concerning the book of Bertrame For this Vniuersitie acknowledgeth how they doe oftentimes excuse auncient writers beeing by Protestants opposed vnto them in disputation and how by deuising some pretie stâ—ifts they denie them and doe faigne some commodious sense vnto them and therefore whereas it seemeth there had beene some consultation for the vtter suppressing of the saide booke of Bertram the said Vniuersitie concludeth that the foresaid booke of Bertram should rather beeing amended that is clipped and mangled at their pleasure be tolerated then altogether forbidden See this more largely in the answer of M. Fulke to their note vpon the place of Ioh. 21. 17. but especially let the learned see the same in their Index expurgatorius pag. 11. and 12. where also the reader shall see what they commaund to be cleane put out in that booke of Bertram and what also to be changed or expounded according to such sense as they imagine or would haue to be of his words All this their iuggling with the people in crying out all the Fathers all the Fathers are on our side might be shewed more plentifully but that it is not fit for this treatise In like manner they are not ashamed to belie our owne writers and to charge them with such wordes as they neuer vsed So they deale with that worthie and reuerend man D. Fulke as himselfe sheweth in his Defence of English translations of the Bible in his answer to the 49. section of the preface and of the 18. and 37. sections of the first chapter and in many other places The like may be saide of their fathering new things vpon ancient writers see Calvins instit lib. 4. cap. 7. sect 20. Doth truth neede to be vpholden by such notorious lies 4 But all this is nothing to their intollerable impietie both in adding vnto and also in detracting from the writings of the Fathers what they list to make the Fathers to speake nothing but that which they will haue theÌ„ for to speake Yea thus to deale with the writings and works of the Fathers euen in the printing of them that their whole volumes beeing so printed the readers may thinke that the Fathers did speake and write as now their bookes are printed In like manner they deale with such notes as are by some new writers added to the margent of the Fathers writings for the better directing of the reader in reading those writings So also deale they with such tables as by late writers are gathered and set in the beginning or ending of the Fathers works for helping the reader more easily to find that which he desireth in the Fathers Whatsoeuer in such marginall notes or in such tables may any waie helpe the reader to finde any thing or the better to vnderstand any thing in the Fathers either against their errours or for the truth receiued by vs that haue they by publique authoritie and act of the Tridentine CouÌ„cell and of the King of Spaines Edict commanded to be blotted and rased out of the books of the Fathers in the new printing of them And for the better doing thereof they haue set forth a table of all such things as they will haue so rased out by the authoritie aforesaide This table they call Index expurgatorius And this table though they kept from vs a while yet now we haue by the industrie and paines of Junius who also in his preface thereunto testifieth that at Lyons in the yeare 1559. he beeing familiarly acquainted with a printer whose name he saith was Lodovicus Sauarius did there see Ambrose his works most fairely and exquisitely printed so that he could not but admire the artificiall and beautifull countenance thereof But the printer seeing him so well to like thereof and so much to be delighted there with told him notwithstanding that if he were to buie Ambrose his workes he would rather buie of any other edition then of that Iunius maruailing at that speach demanded the reason thereof The printer therefore shewed him from vnder his table certaine leaues of the auncient copies of Ambrose some cancelled wholly some other in part onely rased telling him also that those were the patternes of those leaues which but fewe daies before he had truly printed according to the example of the auncient and certen patterne But said he further two Franciscan Fryers by authoritie haue put out all these leaues and commanded these to be put into their places contrarie to all truth of the former bookes What they haue commaunded to be rased out of the marginall notes and tables of the Fathers doth plentifully and particularly appeare by the Index it selfe so set forth by Iunius Nowe let any indifferent reader iudge of their religion the which by these meanes they are forced to vphold and maintain Certenly if their religion were of God it would not neede any such proppes of falshood and wickednes Yea if theÌ„selus or at least the chiefest of them thought it to be of God they would neuer set such rotten shores to keepe it vp 5 Neither ought men much to maruel at their clipping of the writings of men in such sort sith they deale in like sort with the pretious come of god his owne scriptures For first of al they haue beene bould to take away the whole second commandement out of the decalogue that so they might beare the common people in hand that there is nothing in the scriptures against images or at the least nothing in the morall law to binde vs now as well as the Iewes in former time and that this their dealing might not be espied by any defect in the number of the commaundements they haue deuided the tenth commaundement into two Both these things are manifest by their commoÌ„ primmers
where it hath bin in like māner maintained defended and established To begin with Luther when it pleased God first to open his eyes to see both the abominations of poperie and also the truth of the gospell and likewise to deliuer him from the miserable darknes and bondage of the one and to translate him to the glorious light and libertie of the other yea to giue him an heart courage and tongue boldly as the Lords herault to condemne and disclaime the former and to preach and proclaime the other how many how diuers how great and how mightie aduersaries had he How few also how simple and how weake were those that tooke his part yet how mightily and how miraculously did God preserue vphold him yea also blesse and prosper the worke of his ministerie almost to all Christendome The like might be saide of many other who although they had not so great nor so many enemies as Luther had yet had more greater then they had beene able to haue resisted had not the Lord mightily taken their part 2 What shall we saie of little Geneua doth it not stand in the very mouth of the aduersarie there of the Duke of Sauoie doth this aduersarie want either power or malice Is it not therefore manifest that the Lord which neither sleepeth nor slumbereth psal 121. 4. is the keeper there of and that he doth protect and defende it by his mightie power and outstretched arme What shall we saie of the towne of Rochel besieged for the gospels sake and for harbouring the professours thereof by all the power of France for seauen whol monethes together were there not during that siege many conflicts skirmishes did not the whole power of France make seauen principall assaults thereunto in all which the Pope his side greater power had the greater losse doe not the French histories themselues testifie that in the first assault within lesse then one moneth there were discharged against the walls and houses thereof the number of thirtie thousand great shotte Doe not the same also write that in the second assault there were two thousand fielde peeces laide against the towne yet what successe had these and the other assaults The King was forced in the ende to withdrawe his forces and still to graunt them continuance of their former priuiledges and specially to the griefe of his heart the libertie of the gospel What also shall we saie of God his prouidence toward the said citie during all the time of the former siege for the poorer sort wanting corne the Lord sent euery daie into the riuer a multitude of such fish as the which they vsed in stead of bread and that this was the speciall and extraordinarie worke of God it appeareth in that that so soone as the siege was remooued the supplie also of the fishes did cease 3 Aboue all what shall we saie of our owne little Iland and of our most dread soueraigne and gracious Queene Hath not the whole land and especially her Highnes had many and mightie enemies continually Before shee came to the crowne in the daies of Queene Marie were not Queene and Councell for fiue yeares togither her mortall enemies did they not translate her from place to place by night and by daie whether in health or sicke were not sometime her owne seruants remooued from her and straungers appointed to attend vpon her was not the place directly vnder her one night fired to her great daunger if it had not beene preuented did shee not sometime in the euening feare death before the morning did shee not in the heauines of her heart and agonie of her soule write Much suspected by me nothing prooued can be Did shee not sende these words to some of her seruants that came and attended to see her Tanquam ovis who kept her in all those great and deepe daungers who restrained her enemies especially the bloodie and butcherly Bishops Bonner and Gardiner who deliuered her in the ende who aduaunced her vnto the crowne did not the Lord all this and that most wonderfully And may it not be saide in some sort of her preseruation deliuerance and aduauncement as it is saide of Christ himselfe especially considering that all her daunger was for Christ his cause This is the Lord his doing and it is vvonderfull in our eyes psal 118. 32. 4 Sithence shee hath beene placed in the throne of Maiestie haue her daungers bin lesse or fewer No verily but as her place hath beene higher so the deuill and all his whelpes haue more sought her vtter ruine and ouerthrow To omit forraine assaults many home rebellions many secret conspiracies and priuie treasons many open insurrections haue beene against her Highnes from time to time Many haue beene sent partly from the Pope partly from the King of Spayne first adjured by their sacrament of the altar secretly or openly most traiterously to murther her Many here within the realme haue conspired and attempted the same Neither haue they beene such as haue wanted opportunitie to haue effected their purpose but euen such as haue beene continuall courtyers waiting daily vpon her person yea as haue had all their aduancement and honour from her such also as haue had familiar accesse vnto her and with whome likewise shee of her princely curtesie and kindenes towards them hath vouchsafed verie often priuately to confer yea euen then when they haue come with full purpose and resolution to haue defiled their hands with shedding of her sacred blood haue they beene admitted to her priuate and secret conference Who then bridled them who tooke away all heart and courage from them Is it not euident to all men and must not all men acknowledge that the secret power of the Almightie did both withhold them and also preserue her And may not shee truly saie with the Prophet psal 94. 17. If the Lord had not holpen me my soule had almost dwelt in silence But is this all No verily the Lord hath not onely thus miraculously kept her but also highly honoured her in the eyes of all nations As shee maintaineth the cause of Christ Iesus so God hath performed to her in some sort the promises made vnto Christ Iesus As shee is a principall member of the spouse of Christ Iesus so hath God honoured her with those honours that he hath promised to the same spouse All Princes almost haue brought presents vnto her and all people haue beene in admiration of her Search all histories turne ouer all Chronicles sacred or profane diuine or humane ecclesiasticall or ciuill yet shall ye neuer finde a woman prince a maiden Queene whose preseruation hath beene so mightie whose glorie so great whose gouernement so long so prosperous and so happie 5 All this hath beene the more admirable and is the more to be considered by how much the more and oftner shee hath beene cursed with bell booke and candle by him that arrogateth to himselfe plenitudinem potestatis all authoritie in heauen in
he seeth thee O height of the crosse which neuer height touched and O depth which neuer depth vndermined and O breadth which neuer breadth did containe deliuer me thy seruaÌ„t from all the sleights of the deuill and from the euill things which remaine in me Auoid thou deuill from me that I may not know thee And as thou art cut off from heauen so the holy Ghost cut thee off me and as thou art farre from all felicitie so be farre from me And as thou neuer desirest God so neuer desire to come to me Auoid deuill from me the seruant of God by the signe of the holy crosse Behold the lion of the tribe of Iuda the root of Dauid hath gotteÌ„ the victorie Praise the Lord. And the blessing of God the father almightie and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The crosse of Christ descend vpon me and abide with me for euer Amen Our Father Haile Marie 9 To this epistle let me adde a praier to the crosse out of the houres of the virgin Mariâ— according to the custome of the church of Yorke in the 165. leafe in manner and forme following Signum sancte crucis defendat â—e a mortis preteritis presentibus futuris interioribus exterioribus Signum sancte crucis a persecutione diaboli omnium inimicorum meorum liberet me hoc signaculo persternantur omnes aduersarij mei fugiant per hoc signum sancte crucis a periculis mundi liberet me dominus that is The signe of the holy crosse defende me from euills past present and to come inward and outward the O forgetfull S. Paul which intreating of christian armour didst neuer think vpon the signe of the crosse signe of the holy crosse deliuer me from persequution of the deuil and all mine enemies By this little signe let all mine aduersaries be laid prostrate and put to flight By this signe of the holy crosse the Lord saue me from the perills of the world 10 In the former houres of the virgin according to the vse of Salisburie in the 69. leafe B. there is this title ouer the head of a praier to God This prayer was shewed to S. Augustine by reuelation of the holy Ghost and Make much of this praier for it is something worth if all be true that is promised in the title who that deuoutly say this praier or hyre red or bereth about them shall not perish in fire or water neither in battell nor iudgement and he shall not die of sodden death and no venym shall poison him that day and what he asketh of God hiâ— shall obtaine if it be to the saluation of his soule and when thy soule shall depare from thy body it shall not enter to hell 11 In the same booke the 71. leafe Aâ— there is this title ouer a praier to Christ This praier made the worshipfull Sâ—Beda of the 7. last wordes which our saeuâ—our Jesus Christ spake hanging on the crosse who that saith it kneeling deuoutly neither the deuill nor wicked men shall not hurt him and he shall not die without confession 12 In the next leafe A. there is this title and praier following These 5. petitions and praiers made saint Gregorie and hath graunted to all them that deuoutly say these 5. praiers with 5. pater noster 5. aue Maria and acredo in deum 500. yeares of pardon oratio Aue manus dextra Christi perforataplaga tristi nos ad dextram iube sisti quos per crucem redemisti pater noster Aue Maria. Aue plaga Jesu leua sic confixa manu sâ—ua nos ab eo malo leuâ— quos perduxit mater Eua. pater noster Aue Maria. Aue latus lanceaium vnde fluxit flumen gratum prebe nobis conducatum ad eterne vite statum pater noster Auâ— Maria. Aue vulnus dextri pedis cellam mentis pietedis Dum adeum sepe redis esto nobis spes mercedis pater noster A. â—e Maria. Aueplaga leue plante qua virtutum crescunt plante nos ab hoste supplantante contuere post ante pater noster In all this rithme they doe nothing but salute the right and left hand as also the right and left foote of Christ pierced with nailes and likewise his side thrust through with a speare They doe onely I say salute these members of Christ thus wounded for vs with an All haile Then which what can be more ridiculous For not to speake how childish a thing it is to speake any thing vnto these members of Christ his materiall bodie thus seuerally considered and that without any the like examples of the Apostles euen when they did see Christ bodily present after his resurrection both whilst he was conuersant and also when he ascended vp into the heauens before them it is also a very toye to bidde all haile either vnto them or vnto any other thing in the heauen For what is the meaning of All haile truly either it is a phrase of wishing well vnto that whereunto it is spoken or it exhorteth to reioyce and be merrie In which therefore of the significations shall it be applied to those members of Christ or to any other thing alreadie aduanced vnto heauen 13. In the same leafe B. there is this title following ouer a praier to all the members of Christ This praier shall ye say in the worship of all the members of Christ deuoutly and ye shall haue 300. daies of pardon for euery salue Then followeth the praier it selfe in latin But because I finde it somewhat enlarged in a new manuell seruice booke pretended to be reformed by the authoritie of the late councell of Trent and published by the commandement of Pope Pius the fift anno dom 1580. I will therefore here set it downe in that ample manner in which there I finde it The inscription of the praier in that book page 318. the volume beeing in 16º is this Salutationes ad omnia membra Christi suiipsius adeum commendatio that is The salutation of all the members of Christ and the commendation of himselfe vnto him The praier it selfe in latin Salve tremendum cunctis potestatibus caput Domini Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri pro nobis spinis coronatum arundine percussum Salue speciocissima saluatoris nostri Iesu Christi facies pro nobis sputis alapis caesa Saluete benignissimi Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri oculi pro nobis lacrymis perfusi Salue mellifluum os gutturque suauissimum Domini nostri Iesu Christipro nobis felle aceto potatum saluete aures nobilissime Domine Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri pro nobis contumeliis opprobrijs affectae salue collum humile Iesu Christi pro nobis colophizatum dorsumque sanctissimum pronobis flagellatum Saluete venerabiles Domini nostri Iesu Christi manus brachia pro nobis in cruce extensa salue pectus mitissimum domini nostri Iesu Christi saluateris nostri pro nobis