the meane space there follow a perfect resolute desire to accomplish the same then hath the man likewise eaten principallie in coÌ„senting resolutâ—lie with pretence of accomplishment and in that case it is a damnable and an heauie sinne c. Surelie this will trie Saint Mâ—chaels wittes and put him to his trumpe howe to obserue this rule in weying and iudging these sinnes vnlesse he come first for a while into the Vniuersitie of Louen or to the Sorbonistes of Paris there to loiter read ouer and learne to vnderstand the glosses and expositions of the Maister of the Sentences I knowe no other meane for him howe to deale vnlesse he can find out in one place or other some subtil Doctour of diuinitie and make him so much his friend that hee will helpe him through with the matter yet notwithstanding the principall knowledge and speculation may well be brought to passe and considered as That we are not of dutie bound to loue God with all our hearts with all our minde and with all our might in such sort as he by his lawe hath commaunded seeing that the soule can separate her selfe from him and so giue ouer her selfe to sinne and yet not plunge so deepe therein as to fall throughly into Gods wrath â–ª yea there is great recoÌ„pense deserued at Gods hand when as a man is prouoked to sinne and to fall from God that by his wisedome hee doeth withstand the same so as the serpent onelie doth eate of the forbidden fruite as the Maister of the Sentences hath in another place written Therefore it is that our mother the holie Church of Rome hath expounded that which our Sauiour Christ set foorth in the fift Chapter of S. Matthewe As to loue our enimies not to doe euill for euill not to desire another mans wife and such other like sayings more after the Pharisaicall manner As that it is no speciall commaundement but onelie a counsell and aduise and that therefore no man is bounde to obserue and keepe the same but such as haue professed and vowed chastitie as Monkes Ankers and other such like Whereby doeth euidentlie appeare either that GOD hath wholie created and shapen the soule and hearte of man or at the least that his Lawe is not altogethâ—r spirituall considering that he hath not the full gouernâ—ment of the spirite onelie through this occasion that reason did not consent and agree wholie to sinne For in conclusion you may not esteeme sinne thus as though all that is done against Gods lawe and commaundement were a deadlie sinne and could not bee recompensed by deseâ—uing or satisfaction but all sins offences must be weighed in the balance of our mother the holie church of Rome who saieth thus That for all ordinarie and light sinnes and offences a man may sufficientlie satisfie with saying a Pater noster and an Aue Maria with knocking vpon the breast and saying Peccaui with holie water and especially with hearing of a Masse as for deadly sinnes the like must be done but yet with much more force efficacie and deuotion And to say all in all satisfaction is necessarie and requisite for all sinnes according to the qualitie and quantitie of the same And although a man shoulde wholie returne to God yet can not that helpe vnles hee make full satisfaction For whereas these Heretikes doe say That when soeuer a sinner doeth conuert and repent him of his sinnes God doth pardon and forgiue him yea in such sorte as he doth wholie forgette the sinnes committed and casteth them as farre from him as the East is from the West yea and sinketh them down euen into the bottome of the sea yea maketh them consume to naught euen as smoke or as a cloude in so much as they are not once more thought vpon euen like as he doeth also vtterlie forget all the good deedes that a man hath done which in the end doth giue him selfe to mischiefe Take heede of that saying for it smelleth of a faggot For our mother the holie Church of Rome hath speciallie concluded That GOD doeth not forgiue anie sinnes vnlesse a man doe first make full satisfaction and payment for the same to the vttermost and last farthing shee can allowe that hee forgiueth the sinne but not the punishment and for that cause must hee likewise bee well recompensed doing after this manner As if a man should pardon his debter all whatsoeuer hee did owe him and giue him to vnderstande that hee cancelled his obligation and in the meane space caused him to be arrested and cast into prison there to remaine and lie till the whole debte were paide euen to the vttermost mite Were not that great mercie vsed and a liberall pardoning of debters After that manner will our deare mother the holie Church of Rome haue that remission of sinnes vnderstoode which wee haue obteined through the bloud and passion of Iesus christ For the bloud of Iesus Christ saieth shee hath washed away the sinnes but holie water the Masse and such other like satisfactions doe deliuer vs from the paine and punishement Or rather the bloud of IESVS Christ hath troden the path by the which Masses Pilgrimages Holie water and other satisfactions may runne post after our Lorde God to put him in remembrance to pardon vs of the punishment which we by our sinnes haue deserued And if they perhaps should come to late then are the merites of Saintes in a readinesse to shut vp and make euen the rest of the reckoning and accompt For our deare mother the holy church of Rome saieth plainlie by speciall textes of the Scripture That God doeth neuer clearelie forgiue and pardon the punishment for sinnes through the merites of the bloud and passion of Christ without a former satisfaction For all the Scriptures and examples which the Lutherans â–ª and Huguenotes alledge and bring in to proue That God doeth chasten his children with plagues and punishmentes to the end to bring them to perfect knowledge and vnderstanding of their miserie and calamitie and to proue their faith or that hee will thereby bring them from the diuelishe dissimulations of this worlde all this doeth our deare mother the holie Church of Rome alledge to proue that God hath onelie forgiuen them the offence but not the punishment as appeareth by the example of Adam who although after his fall hee receiued comfort againe at Gods hande yet was hee well punished euen by bodilie death and with manie calamities sorrowes and troubles by the which hee made satisfaction And likewise take example of the Prophet Dauid who hauing grieuouslie offended God and afterwardes returned by repentance obteined forgiuenesse of his sinnes and was yet afterwardes notwithstanding this sharplie punished so forth of manie other examples For our mother the holie church wil in no wise allow That God did so punish them onelie to the ende they should so feele his mightie hande as they should euer after walke in feare and
Iewes Therfore that which they do and ordeine hath an other maner of couÌ„tenance than that which the Iewes haue ordeined Therefore must our former argument remaine fast vnmoueable especially considering that the Church of Rome is fullye credited in the one therefore must shee of necessitie be as wel beleeued in the other For truely this argument is the trimmest and finest stuffe whereof Iohn Blindasinus hath made his Panoplie which is as muh to say as his Ful furniture of weapons harnesse For by this is proued that S. FraÌ„cis Vineyarde The goldeÌ„ Legend The booke called Conform S. Franc. And the Masse booke must be as much esteemed in all respects as the very scripture of the Bible yea in the boke called Confo S. Fran. which was made by Barthol of Pisa is alowed for good in the chap. of Assis. In the yere 1389. is written That the same booke is better thaÌ„ the Gospell for that Saint Francis is placed in Lucifers seat aboue all the companies of Angels at the vpper ende of all Also there followeth out of the same that the common sort of people may be as well instructed in the knoweledge of God by dumbe Images and mumming representations as by the preaching of the Gospel and that men must as well christen the Belles at the Font as the children whiche are shapen after the likenesse of God and bought by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ that in baptising shall be vsed spittle and oyntment as well as water that the holy Sacrament shall bee caried about the streetes in the Procession with Baners and Pipes as well as it shall be taken and eaten in the Congregation of the faythfull in remembrance of the death of the Lorde In summe men are as deepely bound to do that which the holy Church and the Popes of Rome haue dreamed set vp and commaunded as that which by the expresse worde of God and by the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles is specially commaunded Yea and I praye you why should it not be so Seeing out of the same argument it must of necessitie be concluded that the word of God cannot be Gods word but it must first by the church be therto shapen fashioned For note well this word is with special wordes of our learned master Iodocus Tiletanus in writing thus That the worde of God alone conteyned in the holy Scriptures of the old and the newe Testamentes together with the three Symbols or Creedes as of the Apostles the Councel of Nice of the father Athanasius yea and thereto ioyne the three first Councels are not the rule perfite knot of the truth whereby it is apparant that in no wise men can perfitely know whether these be the word of God or no without the traditions or setting forth of the Church which doth assure vs of al this without any Scripture c. In summe the truth can be no truth nor the light light yea God can be no God except that the holy Church of Rome that is to say the holy Pope of Rome with his bishops prelates do consent thervnto So that it is no maruel that they can of a peece of bread make a God creator of heauen and earth For if it were so that they should say that at noone day it were darke night wee must streight wayes beleue the same as an article of the faith by and by without delay get vs to bed For we say by a certaine coÌ„mon prouerbe That when all the world doeth affirme that a man as by example SoÌ„nius or Blindasinus is a swine he must out of doubt trudge vnto the swinestie and there eat only draffe How much rather theÌ„ when the holy Church with that worthie coÌ„panie of Bishops Abbats Prelates and Cardinals gathered together at Trent or elswhere do coÌ„mand any thing are not we bounde to receiue beleue obey the same without any denial by and by to say Amen therevnto And herein may men perceiue a great miracle which I do assure you is greater by the head thaÌ„ any miracle that euer was don by the Apostles to wit that the child was borne before the mother yea that the mother commes of the child For it is most certein and wel knowen that the worde of God is the seede whereof the Church of God doth spring is ingendred as the Apostle Peter witnesseth coÌ„sidering that the Church is nothing else but a Congregation of such as doe faithfully beleeue Gods woorde and firmely sticke vnto the same where thorough they are also called The Congregation of the liuing God The pillar and staye of the truth So that the woorde is the right mother of the Church Well nowe see here goeth the holy Catholike Church of Rome before the worde of God and his truth which is as much to say the childe goeth before the mother yea the worde can haue no might no credite no estimation nor no being in the worlde vnlesse it bee by speciall grace borrowed of her daughter the holy Church As the foresayd Blindasinus Hosius Sonnius Piggius Eckius with all other Catholike Doctours haue forceably coÌ„cluded and irreuocably determined taking this for a most true vndoubted article of the faith yea for the most speciall ground whervpon they and all their writing is founded which is That men may not beleeue the worde and truth of God otherwise than by the appoyntment of the holy Church of Rome which of duetie must alwayes goe before and lead the daunse which is as muche to say that you can not ride to Louen but you must set the Wagon before the horses And therefore whensoeuer the Churche doth ordeine any thing that is contrarie to the Scripture as is before saide we will giue the Scripture an honest passeport or safe conduct and a great many of farewels and clâ—ue to the holy Church like a Burre For the srcipture cannot defend this cause but the holy Church of Rome can bring a man to the stake And it helpes not to alledge and bring in Augustine here who hath written in diuerse places That wee ought to beleeue the holy Scripture only without any contradiction and to trie proue all other writinges and doctrines howe substantiall soeuer they be yea all Councels decrees and ordinances by the holy Scripture as by the onely true vncounterfeyted touchstone and abolish and put away vtterly all whatsoeuer doth not therewithall agree for that all smelleth altogether of heresie And where as he sayeth further That when soeuer the Church doeth giue eare to any other voyce beside the onely voyce of her bridegrome she is then become whorish and a wedlocke breaker yea and that they are all accursed which go about to seduce the Bride of Christ from her Bridegrome to the doctrine and institutions of men that is the plaine doctrine of Heretikes For if that were so all the before specified rules ordinaunces and decrees of the holy
in the ende his braine did waxe feeble and he starke madde that man in his booke which hee did write vppon this matter saieth That herein chaunced a great miracle to witte that the bread is no more bread but that there doeth remaine onelie the qualities of the bread hanging in the aire without grounde or bottome as if a Cow should hang vpon a cherie tree and that yet likewise there remaines amongst these qualities a perfect substance of bread so that it is still bread and yet notwithstanding it is no bread In summe you shall finde as manie peares as plummes Yea is no and No is yea Chickens eate haie and with them horse turdes and good sweete figges are all one There are manie both hie and lowe speculations amongest our Doctours who yet trauell continuallie like Asses to vndo this knotte and yet can not bring it to passe For the deeper they wade in the matter the more they are wrapped and entangled therein For they perceiue verie well that it will not come to anie good perfection so that the bread should become the verie bodie of Christ for that then it must needes followe That the bread died for vs and that a dead and liuelesse creature should be our God and Sauiour and yet would they verie faine bring the matter to passe so that they would seeme to sticke to the word of God and yet for all that mainteine and vpholde their Transubstantiation also They do well consider that they can not iustifie the wordes vnlesse they do expound them sacramentallie and figuratiuelie as the Heretikes doe who make no great matter of vengeance wittie questions But our Doctours and faithfull Catholikes wil neuer come to that baite they will rather spend both hide and haire than they will recant giue ouer their opinion yea it were also an eternal slaunder for our deare mother the holy church and a meane wherby she shuld susteine to great damage For Transubstantiation is the verie best fisheponde and shambles that belongeth to her kitchen and therefore will shee defende that with tooth and naile and in no wise suffer it to bee plucked out of her handes Wherefore it is no maruell that our Doctours had rather inuent newe miracles one vpon another and make newe and straunge glosses neuer hearde of before yea turne all topsie turuie neither touching the heauen nor the earth and brall and chide one against another like whoores knaues and cutpurses than they would consent and agree to doe such a spitefull displeasure to their entirelie beloued mother the holy Church of Rome as to ioyne with the Heretikes her mortall enimies to fetch out of Paule or out of the old Fathers a sacramentall exposition and thereby to doe iniurie to the worthie Transubstantiation They are yet besides this in great difference dissention about manie questions depending vpō the same matter for they cannot conceiue whervpon the qualities of the bread are founded or grounded considering that it is no more bread then that it cannot be said that the bodie of Christ it self shuld be round white sauour weigh as bred then whether this weight this roundnesse and this colour remaine hanging in the aire without anie prop or that they are cleane consumed or where they remaine Item when the offertorie or Oste is broken what is there broken whether the accidents and substance of the breade or the verie bodie of Christ it selfe Item whether this transubstantiated body is so quickly gone when there commeth a Mouse or a Ratte to gnawe vpon it or when Mothes or wormes do breede in it Thereof they dispute a pace whether the substance of the bread doeth then with his accidentes and qualities get him home againe or that the Rattes or Mice do gnaw vpon nothing else but onely vpon the accidents and qualities without touching the bread It is verie true that the maister of the Sentences did leaue off this point very slenderly For these are his wordes Verelie it may well be said that vnreasonable beastes do not eate the bodie of Christ although it seemeth they doe so but then what is it that the Mouse taketh or what is it that shee eateth That doth God knowe Yet notwithstanding those other doctours which haue written vpon the booke of Sentences are not therwithall satisfied but will yet haue a further consideration of the matter especially considering that the glosse of Henricus de Vrimaria written vpon that text saieth thus That the mouth of a Mouse is not so vncleane as the mouth of a sinner And all they generally doe teache that the sinners doe without doubt eate the verie bodie of Christ Ergo Potlid Nowe besides this yet can they not agree amongest themselues to knowe whether all the woordes which they of themselues haue added which are not written by the Euangelistes doe serue necessarily to the Transubstantiation or no For Thomas de Aquino will stoutely defende That they are most necessarie therevnto and that without them the Tarte cannot bee well baked Now against this Bonauentura and maister Henricus de Gandauo with diuerse other writing vpon the fourth Booke of the Sentences say that these wordes serue onely to beautifie and set foorth the other for comelinesse sake but it is needlesse for Scotus to write his opinion considering that it cannot bee certeinly knowne whether they bee verie needfull or no. And yet notwithstanding he doth conclude that the Priest is bounde to say them neither more nor lesse than as if they were most necessarie to the framing or making of the Transubstantiation And Guido de monte Rocherii doeth flatly confesse That he knowes not what to say to the matter Then further they are in contention whether the water which they doe mingle with the wine in the Chalice is first chaunged into wine and after that into bloud so that there shoulde be two transubstantiations at once Or that it is incontinent and by and by turned into bloud as well as the wine And if it become bloud as appeareth it shoulde by the example of the two Gosseps of whome I spake before by what power that can bee so seeing Christ did not meddle with anie water nor the Euangelistes doe not write anie thing thereof And then if the Priest shoulde putte more water into it than wine whiche they doe not gladly or willingly whether then the Transubstantiation shoulde take full effect or that it would stay for doubt of drowning in the water Item if by chance after that the wine be consecrated turned into bloud one should put into the Chalice as much wine more whether then the first wine shoulde bee no more bloud but become wine again or that it should be bloud and wine mingled together either that it shoulde all together bee turned into bloud Item whether a Priest may say and serue Masse with vinegre or veriuce or with must or whether for neede with beere and whether that the beere after the
christian beliefe And for that cause did they drinke the bloud of Christ as the Catholike Doctours haue written according to the doctrine of Cyprianus saying how can they shed their owne bloud for Christes sake if they doe not drinke of Christs bloud But now there is no more tidings of those matters for the holy church of Rome wil not lose one drop of her bloud considering that she hath ynough to do for the defence of the holy Catholike faith to shed the bloud of the Lutherans and Caluinists like water in the streetes And therefore it is not any more needful that the Lay people should drinke the bloud of Christ out of the Chalice vnder the substance of wine They can digest it well inough rawe as it was shed out of the bodie of Christ Iesus yet for all that the priests haue this aduantage that they may drinke the bloud of Christ both waies And yet is not the bloud of Christ in the Sacrament taken quite away from the Lay people For when they do eate the whole body with flesh bones it is certeine that they gette in the bloud wall For the before named Bonauentura doth make mention of a certein miracle of one which would not beleue that there was any bloud in the holy Ost or singing bread vsed in the holie Masse and sodeinly there came bloud ruÌ„ning out And likewise Alexander de Ales doth declare that vpoÌ„ a time when the people would haue receiued the Sacrament vnder both kindes there was sodenlie before them a platter full of bloud whereof the good deuoute people being meruellously abashed were glad to content them selues with the one And that the bloud vndoubtedlie is with the bodie we haue here before by manie other miracles declared sufficientlie proued Therefore haue the Laie people no occasion to complaine as though the bloud of Christ were denied them for euen the Priestes them selues are contented with one kinde on the good Fridaie next after the shire Thursday when they haue had their sops in good Bastard or Romnay For then the next day being good Friday they sing a drie Masse and keepe a Mouses banket as well as the Laie people doe at Easter Before time likewise in the Iewish church the Laie people had no parte of the drinke offerings but the Priestes onelie For although that Chrysostome saith touching this matter that this is now changed and that in this Sacrament the Laie people must enioye the like meate and drinke as the Priestes doe so as nowe the one hath no more aduantage than the other as they had in the olde Lawe yet can not the saying of Chrysostome anie thing serue in this place For against Chrysostome wil we set Brother Barnard of Luxenburgh professour in Theologie and Iohn Eckius with all other good Catholike writers of our time who haue otherwise written and determined of this matter And as touching that which the Huguenotes do alledge out of Paule yea out of Iesus Christ him selfe saying That Paule did command all christen people to do according as Christ had ordeined and as Christ had saide Drinke all of this We do answere to that That this was onelie a simple permission and not a speciall commandement as he saith in another place Destroie this temple and I will builde it vp againe within three dayes for that is no commaundement but onely a permission as if he said If it be so in deede that you will destroie this temple of my bodie I will not forbidde you but I will builde him vp againe c. In like manner doeth our mother the hâ—lie Church saie that these woordes Drinke you all of this And As often as you drinke this you shall declare the death of the Lord Those wordes are thus to be vnderstoode as though he had said I doe not will you Laie people to doe so but the Priestes onelie notwithstanding if you will doe it and that the Priestes are contented withall I will not then bee against it Thus you see the game is won Nowe let vs to an other matter tending to the like ende The vii Chapter VVhich doeth treate of full satisfaction for sinnes of the desertes of good workes also of the merites of Christes passion and of Iustification of the difference betweene mortall sinnes and veniall sinnes and of the assured hope of saluation NOwe seeing that wee haue sufficientlie spoken of the holie Masse and the Sacrament of the altar and that our mother the holie Church of Rome doeth moreouer teache and set foorth for an article of the faith That wee by desert hearing a Masse and receiuing the Sacrament may make full amendes for our offences and sufficientlie satisfie for our sinnes therefore it is now verie necessarie that we something treate of satisfaction for sinnes and of deseruing by good works the rather because the Heretikes do with their scriptures so trouble vs touching this point as they turne both the spit and the rost meat into the ashes in so much that wee shall loose both the sheepe and the fleece if wee suffer this to be so plucked from vs And therefore it is necessarie to put all good Catholike children in remembrance that in no wise they doe giue anie eare to the Heretikes touching this point for feare lest therby they should be brought out of the right way and so by receiuing their goodlie reasons multitude of scriptures be persuaded from their due obedience to the holie Church of Rome And to the ende that euerie man should be warned and not by negligence sodenlie taken in a trappe therefore shall I set out something more at large their meaning touching this point to the ende that euery one may see whether our deare mother the holie Church haue not iust occasion so bitterlie to curse and banish their doctrine Then to beginne withall they do take vpon them to defende and mainteine by Scripture That all sinnes are deadlie mortall because that sinne is the breaking of Gods commaundements as S. Iohn saith And That who soeuer doeth not obserue all whatsoeuer God hath commaunded in his Lawe is accursed For S. Iames doeth witnesse That who soeuer transgresseth in one point of the Lawe is guiltie in the whole considering that the same God which câ—mmaunded the one did also commaunde the other In so much that all those which commit sinne are through sinne alienated and estranged from the life which is onelie to bee had at the hand of God and so must fall into the hand of heath seeing that The recoÌ„pense of sinne is death according to the saying of S. Paule whereby all men without anie exception which are vnder sinne are likewise vnder the bondage of eternall malediction death and damnation considering that all haue sinned are fallen away from that life which is of God into his wrath and do thereby become if the speciall mercie of God were not
the children of wrath of cursing and of death yea iustlie may be called the verie enimies of god Out of this they conclude That in the wide world there is no meaâ—e nor counsell to be found for the payment accomplishment of our satisfaction but that all must be discharged to the vttermost farthing which is as much to saie that all people are vnder the eternall wrath curse damnation of God considering that the sentence of God being once pronounced must endure for euer and a man being dead and once taken away from life can neuer restore him selfe againe to life And thus say they there is no more to be said but al fleshe are debters vnto god But hereby is the mercie of GOD made manifest that the punishment of our sinnes is laide vpon our Sauiour Iesus Christ the vnspotted lambe of God that he hath suffered for vs and taken vpon him our sinnes that hee being become man and hauing put on our nature hath borne the burthen of this curse this wrath of GOD this death and this hell and damnation and through his diuine and eternall power for that hee also was the onelie Sonne of God yea euen God him selfe and the verie authour and well spring of eternall life hath ouer come and clearelie taken away the same and hath freelie and without deserte by his meere mercie giuen vnto all those which doe faithfullie beleeue in him life and iustification In so much that they nowe in the person of Iesus Christ as partakers of his bodie boldlie appeare before the Diuine Maiestie of GOD being assured that God is their good mercifull and most louing Father and doeth no more charge them with the burden of their sinnes but most mercifullie forgiueth them their olde and odde debtes and pardoneth them of the punishment which they haue deserued not thorough anie of their good workes merites or desertes but through the power of the merites and desertes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ whâ— hath made restitution for that which he neuer had and hath not only taken vpon him to discharge our debtes but also to suffer our punishment and hath borne the same wholie in his owne person so that hee is iustiâ—e called Our raunsome Our Pastour Our pledge Our full satisfaction and the costlie pâ—ice of our saluation without whom there is no saluation no raunsome nor redemption in the worlde And therefore say they That who soeuer will beginne to account or reckon with God a newe and make satisfaction or payment vnto him whether in whole or in parte â–ª of that which they are indebted vnto him those are wholie quite of Gods mercie and binde them selues soule and bodie to the full obseruing of the Lawe and doe clearelie take away and renounce as much as apperteineth vnto them the merites of Christ notwithstanding that by the iust iudgement of God sinne is so abhominable that it can not by anie meanes bee recompensed or fullie satisfied but onelie by eternall death and damnation or els by the sweete and most pretious offering of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ which is before God the Father a sufficient satisfaction and remission for the sinnes of all those that haue their full trust and confidence therein And also they doe acknowledge That God doth in the meane space correct his children in this worlde and proueth their faith by manie and diuerse troubles crosses afflictions partlie for that they shall learne to knowe verie well their miserie and calamitie and thereby be prouoked the rather spedilie to flie to his mercie for succour partlie that thereby they may become like vnto their maister head Christ Iesus and with him die from sinne and rise vp in newnesse of life and hereafter liue and reigne with him eternallie but they will in no wise consent that these troubles crosses afflictions should serue anie thing for satisfaction or remission of sinnes no not so much as for the least sinne that can be thought vpoÌ„ And likewise they clearely dissent disagree from vs saying That al the good works that anie man can do during all his life can not serue him to anie purpose for the remission of the least sinne that euer he committed considering that al men without exceptioÌ„ are of meere dutie bound to obey God to loue him with all their hearts with all their might with all their power in body and soule with thanks in all that lieth in them to loue their neighbours as theÌ„selues in such maner as though they had accoÌ„plished al this which is impossible for anie man to doe for that we are dead in Adam and that all the thoughtes of mans heart all the conceites of his mind are meere mischiefe and malice against God euen from the beginning in so much that they should yet remaine vnprofitable seruantes and should haue done no more than they of verie dutie were bound to do So farre doeth it differ that they should be able thereby to satisfie God make amends for any such offences as they heretofore haue committed For if they should come in reckoning by works then wee must make a perfect reckoning not halfe a reckoning say they otherwise works were no works but contrawise when men do seeke for mercie not for iustice then must they with Paul forsake all their works all their righteousnes their holines all whatsoeuer they haue done accompt the same as nothing to obteine iustification by faith through God mercy for otherwise mercie were no mercie And after this they proceede on further conclude in this forme and manner Now seeing God will not accept any iustificatioÌ„ by those works which he him selfe commanded in his Law how much lesse will he accept these workes which other men haue deuised and fetched out of their owne heades which hee neuer commaunded As to hearing of Masse to runne from one Church to another to trudge from one altar to another to go on pilgrimage â–ª to weare hairecloth to whippe them selues to pull a Friers hoode ouer their head to make vowes which God neuer allowed with such other like workes which the holie church doeth esteeme for verie meritorious calleth them Opera supererogationis that is to say Superfluous workes for that God neuer commanded them therefore men may hereby do more than they are of dutie bouÌ„d to do These say they shall not onelie be vnacceptable before GOD for good payement but shall rather be esteemed for false coyne yea bee imputed for verie slandering and blaspheming of God and for a flat forsaking and despising of the shedding of the bloud of Iesus Christ. O what a matter is this O helpe blessed Ladie of the 7. Okes Help S. Lewen S. Rombold S. Iames of CoÌ„postell with all your scallop shelles and pilgrims staues helpe all you sweet men and women Saints whose relikes are deuoutly prayed vnto by our deere
though shee be something troubled with a laske although in deede shee is nowe waxen so olde and vnweldie as glisters can not helpe her greatlie especiallie so long as these Hâ—retikes are still gaping after Scriptures and will beleeue nothing vnlesse iâ— be set downe or confirmed by the Bible Nowe therefore I wil send them the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians where they shall find that Paul saith thus Now ioy I in my sufferings which I suffer for you and fulfill that which is behinde of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the congregation Alway prouided that they shal not vnderstand nor interpret this text after their mindes nor after the letter to wit as though Paul did meane nothing els but that he as a member of Christes body doeth followe Christ his head in suffring for the loue of the congregation and strengthening of the same for this interpretation is hereticall doth not wel agree with the interpretation and beleefe of our deare mother the church of Rome But they must know confesse that Paules meaning in that place is that the passion of Christ is not sufficient to satisfie for all our sins which we haue coÌ„mitted since for those must euery man make satisfaction for by good workes pardons with bulles indulgencies for to that end serue the merites of such Saints as haue bin canonized by Popes and the bloud of their martyrs which suffered in defence of the holy church of Rome furthermore all the meritorious works which S. Francis S. Benedict S. Dominick other holie fathers haue laid vp for a help which were superfluous more than they were bounde to do For all these merites good workes laid together vpon a heape with our merits superfluous good works which we haue in store ouer besides those which must first answere for our sinnes All these I say are shut vp in a chest together wherof our holy father the Pope hath the keies to keepe doth distribute them to euery person according to his discretion which is commonly according as euerie man doth annoynt his hand with golden oyle For this same golden oyle is of such strength vertue that there is no offence knauerie sinne nor abhomination so great but it will be heled made cleane with the same as is plainly to be sene in the Taxa poenitentiaria apostolica that is In the booke of reckoning or taxe register where the pardon and price of al sinnes is set vpon certein summes of monie which are set taxed in the popish or apostolike penance chaÌ„ber but now among the rest the Pope dealeth most liberallie with such as come to Rome in the yeere of Iubilie and doe there deuoutlie visite the graues or tumbes of Peter and Paul for those haue full remission of all their sinnes à poena culpa therewith are the two Apostles maruellouslie recreated for out of that may S. Peter note that the prayer of Christ for him when he said I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not fayle doeth there receiue ful effect when he seeth the people so deuoutlie disposed to go visit his tumbe and graue And by this nowe is that likewise which we alledged out of S. Paul fulfilled in so much doubtles that they haue great pleasure when they see such deuotion vsed and surelie do laugh wiâ—hall as though they had the tooth ache The holie Church of Rome doth yet bring forth other textes of importance for the establishing of indulgencies as speciallie where Christ said vnto Peter I shall giue vnto thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen which are to bee vnderstood the keies of the chest before mentioned wherin that rich tresure is shut vp which can neuer be emptied nor diminished for if it were possible that all the people of the worlde did go to Rome in one yeare of Iubilie that euerie man might receiue full indulgence and pardon yet should the same chest be no more emptied thereby than the Ocean sea should be with taking out of it one spoonefull of water or Saint Goddards mountaine be diminished by taking from it one handfull of sand as is plainly sette forth by a verie trimme and fine verse as followeth Mille licèt sumant deperit inde nihil That is to say Thogh thousands take none said nay Yet nothing wastes or weares away And now how necessarie and profitable this is to our holie mother the Church of Rome it doth appeare plainly out of this That onely the indulgencies with the letters of pardon and the Reseruationes pectorales mentales regressus generales speciales accessus with such other like trifles mo are worth to the Pope of Rome in France onelie aboue two hundred thousand Crownes a yeare so that through all Christendome it doth amount to aboue ten millions of Crownes which is a prettie summe But what shoulde I talke much of the Pope It is not long agoe that a simple gray frier called Samson of Millan being by Pope Leo 10. appointed amongst other for one of the gatherers or receiuers of the monie for Bulles and Indulgencies had within a little space gotten so much monie for himselfe that he did offer to giue a hundred and twentie thousand Ducats in redie monie to be chosen Pope In summe all indulgencies pardons iubilies buls with the rest of the Popes authoritie are lightly to be proued and declared by scripture if men will vnderstand them rightly and according to the exposition of our deare mother the holy Church The x. Chapter VVhich doth treat of the Supremasie of the Pope and proueth establisheth the same by scriptures examples NOw as touching that which is to be said for the supremasie and authoritie of the Pope that is to bee proued by so many clere strong testimonies witnesses of scripture that I can scarse tell where it is best to begin But I may take first the best knowne and plainest text where Christ said I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this Petra which is to say a stone or a rocke will I build my congregation and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against them c. For by these fewe wordes to begin withall it is witnessed after the spiritual expositioÌ„ of the holy church that Peter is the firme and seedfast foundation of the Church for she hath nothing to do with Christ in this matter as Clemens hath verie worthily set forth in his Epistle written to Iames the brother of our Lorde And againe here is not to be vnderstood by Peter the person of Peter the Apostle but in the name of Peter are our holy Fathers the Popes pointed vnto as with a wette finger For whereas the heretikes will say that Peter was neuer at Rome it is a stark lie See I pray you their follie well his head bones lie there
stet pro ratione voluntas Our pleasure is as we command Our lust for lawe perforce shall stand Or according to that which the Poet Horace saith in a verse Pictoribus atqué Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poets haue licence to measure Their colours and verses euen at ther owne pleasure Secondarily whereas angels are couÌ„terfeited with wings that is taken out of Esaie Ezekiel who say That the Cherubims were shewed vnto them in a vision with wings And whereas S. Michael is made with a paire of balance in his hand that is because hee must wey the soules to see whether their good workes deserts be not heuier in weight than their sinnes of fences For as before we haue written the holy church hath appointed him that office because she esteemeth it a sure article that none can be saued by the merits bloud and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ onelie yet Paule doeth so teach but euerie man must by his owne good works deserts bee weyed out and saued making full satisfaction thereby of his sinnes and offences After this now where Moses is painted with hornes is vpon this occasion For that it is written to witte that the face of Moses did shine as Paule himselfe doeth set it forth that hath the common translation of the holie Church expounded thus That Moses had hornes for that he should be as it were a figure of our Bishoppes which now likewise we are two hornes And whereas they make of the three wise men that came out of the East three Kings and one of those as blacke as pitch like a Morian that is fetched out of the wordes of Dauid or Solomon saying Kings shall come out of the Moores lande to worship Christ. For this hath the holy Church interpreted to be spoken by the three wise men And although the Morians land lay much more to the West of Iurie than to the East from whence the wise men came that is of no importance for the holie Church can alter the lying and situation of the landes and make of the West the East Againe whereas they haue likewise set an Oxe and an Asse by the cribbe of their litle Iesus whiche doe warme him with their breath that is grounded vpon the plaine Text of Esaie who saith The Oxe doth know his maisters will and an Asse the cribbe of his maister but the people of Israel will vnderstande nothing at all c. Yea and it may be a verie good allusion that by the Oxe the Bishoppes Abbattes and Prelates are vnderstood because they weare hornes also like an Oxe and can roare out excellentlie well against these heretikes better than they can preache the worde of god And by the Asse may verie well be vnderstoode the graie Friers which are likewise as graie as asses and therewithall all the residue of Monkes Friers and poore Priestes who are not much better learned than Asses and doe esteeme Christ still as a young childe that lies yet in the cribbe and therefore go about to please him make him contented with goodlie images and puppets with belles rattelles with piping and daunsing and with such other like fonde toyes and ceremonies Againe where they paint S. Lungies who pricking Christ in the side with a speare receiued his sight by vertue of the bloud which sprinckled in his eyes that is likewise proued by good scriptures For Saint Iohn saith That a souldier with a speare did pearce Christes side And this speare in the Greeke was called Longi whereof the holy Church hath made a Saint and named the same S. Longinus And because the saide Iohn said That it came so to passe because the Scripture should bee fulfilled saying They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pearced Out of that haue they fetched the lies or Legend of S. Lungies as to say that he was blind and thinking to haue thrust his speare into a Crowe did thrust it into the side of Iesus Christ and so the bloud did spring out into his eyes wherby he receiued his sight and was long afterwards canonized by the Pope and put into the Kalendar for a Saint In summe all their paintings and all those dumbe images which are set vp in Churches as the Apostles with rounde trenchers behinde their heades and euerie one of them with his weapon in his hande our Ladie with her frisâ—ed haire and goodlie golden garmentes with her perukes fine kerchiefs and goodly set forth with all her conceites like a Princesse of this world and Saint Katharine and S. Barbara bare breasted with their embrodered and stitched workes as trimly deckâ— and painted as the Courtesans of Rome and Venice And all this can our deare mother fetch finely out of the scriptures yea and shee can finde you a threede for euerie needle So that these Heretikes haue nothing to say to this for whatsoeuer is done of a good intent and purpose and to the profite of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome that must bee by God accepted without anie doubt and hee must of necessitie passe it in his reckoning booke or else muscels were no fishe neither should you haue anie oysters at Billingsgate For a flaâ— conclusion wee must haue goodly images and braue painted tables in the Church yea and though it did not serue for anie other purpose but that young men and maidens will therefore the rather come to Church for thereby it happens often that when they come onelie to see the images and goodlie paintinges and fisnomies yet in the meane space some deuotion commes in their mindes to haue a snatch at a Masse or to heare a Salue Regina whereby they often obteine pardon of their sinnes euen halfe against their willes And therefore we care not a beane for all that these Heretikes can say to this but will manteine and vpholde our olde deuotion without anie iotte lacking The xv Chapter VVhich is touching the difference of meates NOwe as touching the forbidding to eate some kinde of meates in some certeine times that is likewise founded vpoÌ„ plain textes of the scripturs And first whereas God said to Adam Thou shalt not eate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge c. Out of that hath holie Church concluded That men may eate no fleshe vpon the fasting dayes Item after that Adam had sinned then did God curse the earth And now we doe knowe verie well that all fleshe which is to be eaten commeth of the earth Therefore hath our deare mother the holie Church streightlie defended and forbidden all men which on the moste principall and holie-fasting dayes must doe penance for their sinnes that in no wise they doe eate anie flesh on those dayes least they shoulde be partakers of the cursing of the earth like as the holie Bishop Durandus hath verie well set it forth Whereby it is apparant that the Corâ—e
and that must needes be the holie ghost which commeth with thunder and lightening Likewise vpon Ascension day they pull Christ vp on hie with ropes aboue the clouds by a vice deuised in the roofe of the church they hale him vp as if they would pull him vp to the gallowes and there stande the poore Priests and looke so pitifully after their God as a dogge for his dinner In summe a man doeth often spende a pennie or two to see a play of Robin hood or a Morisse daunse which were a great deale better bestowed vppon these apishe toies of these good Priests which counterfeite all these matters so handsomlie that it will do a man asmuch good to see them as in frostie weather to goe naked I speake not of their perambulations processions going about the towne cariing their crucifixes alongst the streetes there play and counterfeite the whole passion so trimlie with all the seuen sorrowes of our Lady as though it had ben nothing else but a simple and plaine Enterlude to make boyes laugh at and a litle to recreat heauie or sorrowfull hearts for these matters fal out onlie vpon church holy dayes or solemnities when the Catholikes are determined to be merrie drink thēselues so droncke that they tumble frō their seat as you shal see our Maisters of Louen doo euery yere in their solemnitie especially at the seuenth yeres procession which is of the seuen sorrowes of our Ladie All what soeuer Christ hath done must bee set abroch to be counterfeite And after the same manner wee play by the Lent. For because Christ did fast fourtie daies lōg therfore shal our dere mother the holie church bee content to fill her belly all sortes of fish onlie not once touching one morsell of flesh according to the special wordes of Paule who saith Eate it not Taste it not Handle it not And so likewise Moses did fast fourtie dayes for the establishing of the lawes of God which he presented vnto the people And now seeing the Bishops Prelates do weare hornes as Moses did wherefore should they not as well faste fourtie dayes as he did And if the Bishops doo faste then are the Leye people much more bounde to faste which haue no such power nor meane to obteine dispensations bulles or tollerations of our holie father the Pope as these holie Prelates haue Therefore we do now conclude without exception or contradiction That the holie time of Lent is as firmelie founded vpon the scripture as all the rest of the articles of the faith inuented and founded by our deare mother the holie church of Rome and therfore it is good reason that our mother the holie church of Rome do maintein her Lent fish dayes in great reputation not onelie to hold it for a good and holie work in it self but for a meritorious work whereby we may merit deserue heauen the mercie of God appease his wrath and do make sufficient satisfaction recompense for all our sins In so much that our deare mother doth esteeme her fasting yea in a manner better than the merites of the blessed bloud passion of Iesus Christ whervpon these Heretikes doe altogether boast themselues For consider this the holie church saith in one of her secretes vpon the Wednesday in the Ember weeke in the Aduent and on Friday in the Ember dayes after Whitsunday and vppon the Tuesday in Easter weeke O Lord we beseech thee that thou wilt accept this our fasting and that by it we may be made cleane purified worthie of thy mercie that it may bring vs vnto euerlasting saluation c. What can a man wish or desire more S. Iohn the Apostle will seeme to set foorth a speciall matter when hee saith That the bloud of Christ Iesus doth cleanse vs of our sinnes maketh vs acceptable before God the father but this other nowe doth growe all vpon our owne ground for with our fasting we can obteine that well inough which he doth attribute onelie to the bloud of Iesus Christ. What shall I neede to make much a doe for the festiual daies obseruing of them Of which our dere mother the holy church maketh so great account that shee doeth yerelie pray vnto God that her festiuall dayes may obteine for her meanes sufficient to liue wealthily in this world and after assurance of eternall saluation that she may by the perfect obseruing of the said dayes merit to enioye perpetuall saluation and blisse And of the hallowing of Easter eeuen shee doeth say plainlie as followeth Huius igitur sanctificatio noctis fugat scelera culpas lauat reddit innocentiam lapsis moestis laetitiam fugat odia concordiam parit curuat imperia That is to say The halowing of this night doth driue away sinnes doth purge faults doth restore such as are fallen to their innocencie againe and to the sorowfull giueth gladnesse and expelleth all hatred procureth concord and doth bow Empires or Kingdomes c. Consider nowe what a power the obseruing of these festiual dayes hath What a mischiefe ayles these Heretikes that they so raile vpon vs because wee make a difference and diuersitie of dayes They make a doe with vs saying That Iesus Christ with his precious bloud hath clearlie adnichilated and taken away the instrument which was against vs which consisted wholie in such ceremonies and commaundements of the lawe and hath made fast the same vnto his crosse so that no man else can hereafter iudge vs for our meates or drinkes nor for the obseruing of anie holie dayes of new Moones or Sabbaoths and still they are troubling of vs with that which Paule writeth to the Galathians saying Seeing that you haue nowe knowen God or rather that you are knowen of GOD howe doeth it happen that you returne your selues againe to obseruing and worshipping of weake elementes which you beginne and goe about to serue againe You obserue dayes monthes times and yeeres I am afraied on your behalfes that all my trauell amongst you will be spent in vaine ▪ c. But what haue we to do with this ▪ seeing our mother the holie Church doeth attribute as much power to the obseruing of our festiuall dayes as to the bloud of Christ it selfe and therefore haue our Catholike Doctours reason in teaching That the obseruation of certeine dayes feastes heretofore vsed by the Iewes are not in anie point taken away by the death and bloud of Iesus Christ as Paule goeth about to perswade so alway as the dayes bee something altered as Eckius hath verie finelie set foorth For in place of their Passeouer of the lawe wee haue our Easter and in place of their Pentecost we haue a Whitsuntide of our owne deuising and in steade of the feast of the newe Moone wee haue our Ladies dayes and in place of their Trumpet feasts we haue the Apostles dayes and in place of their
certein words and then he can neuer come in hell for all the diuels will runne away from before the crosses like a dogge before a fliâ—che of bacon And therefore must hee take vp his lodging either in the suburbes of hell or in Purgatorie where hee shall haue his house hire and firewood free till such time as he with soule Masses and Popes pardons haue gotten a platte of ground in heauen to build a house thervppon of merites and good workes And this same oyle is of such power that through it all our sinnes are forgiuen vs according to that which the Priestes mumble out in their Masse Per istam sanctam vnctionem piissimam suam misericordiam indulgeat tibi Deus quicquid peccasti per visum per aud itum odoratum tactum gustum c. that is to say Thorough this holie oyntment and by his meeke mercie will God forgiue thee all thy sinnes what soeuer thou hast committed by seeing by hearing by smelling by feeling and by tasting c. Consider nowe what can you looke for more to enioye by the pretious bloud shedding of Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD than that which the Priestes doe beare vs in hand to giue vs by the power and vertue of their holie oyle These Heretikes may if they will hold fâ—st on the offering vp of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ but the good Catholike subiectes of the holie church of Rome will in no wise forsake this holie oyntment We will rather bidde Christ him selfe Adieu then wee will suffer such a pretious thing to be wroung out of our handes It is verie true that these Heretikes doe herein againe mocke with our deare mother the holy Church saying that our Priestes are like vnto Apes and Monkies which will counterfeyte euerie thing that they see done before them though they haue neither knowledge nor vnderstanding of the matter and this doe they alledge hereof because that Marke doeth witnesse That the Apostles had receiued the gifte of the holie Ghost whereby they did make the sicke whole with their prayers and with anointing or laying on of handes or by some other apparant token As it doeth likewise appeare in Paule who amongest other apparant giftes of the holy Ghost did likewise deale with this gift of making the sicke whole and he him selfe did shewe a notable token ouer the dead falling vpon the dead carcase and embrasing it in his armes As we reade also of the Prophet Eliseus who did the like ouer the dead childe stretching forth his feete and his handes and set his mouth directlie on the mouth of the dead and his eies on the eies of the dead and so he with these notable tokens iointlie with his deuoute prayers did reuiue that dead carcase But nowe seeing there are no more such giftes amongst the Congregation for that nowe the preaching of the Gospell hath no neede of anie newe establishing by signes and miracles therefore will these Heretikes say that it is but verie Apes plaie to vse outwarde tokens where they haue no inwarde power nor might which may be shewed with the signe or token For otherwise the Priestes must rubbe all blind mens eies with spitle and clay and stretche them selues out vpon all dead carcases which were a verie beastlinesse seeing they haue not the power to make the blinde see nor to reuiue the dead neither can they with their oyle make anie sicke man whole And therefore they were better to burne the oyle in their lampes or grease their bootes withall rather than so to dissemble and mocke with God and his word This talke these Heretikes haue when they are gathered together but we doe not passe for them one haire For when wee shall finde anie of those that would grease his shoes with that holie oyle or oyntment yea if he will not pray vnto it and worship it vppon his knees as though it were God him selfe him we will burne in steade of oyle and make a good fire of him â–ª For we will stand vnto the wordes of Iames the example of the Apostles whether we haue the power to make whole or no we go foorth with our matter euen as we also grease the childrens eyes with clay and spitle although we haue not the power to make the blinde see yea and although the children are not blinde it is inough for vs that our mother the holie Church hath so ordeined Notwithstanding it is here greatlie to bee noted that maister Gentianus hath gone about to declare his innocencie herein saying that hee did bring this in onelie by manner of example and as children playe in iest For otherwise if it were in earnest hee would bring in other manner of stuffe for hee could say so much to the matter as hee would quicklie stoppe the mouthes of the Heretikes as men may easilie iudge by his goodlie vtterance and by his great learning which doth appeare of him on all partes Here doeth followe the declaration vpon the fourth parte of Maister Gentianus Epistle treating of the praying to images Howe they are holden and ordeined in the Churche of Rome And also of this worde or name Idololatria of the idolatrie of the Heathen of praying to Saintes and of the Sacrament with suche other like matters The first Chapter Of the name Idololatria and that men ought to pray to Images wâ—th suche prayers as do appertaine vnto those after whom the images are made And of the good felowâ—hippe and agreeing in one which is betwixt the Iewes and the Churche of Rome and of the hallowed Agnus Dei. THe fourth part is a weightie matter and of greate importaunce which doth make master Gentianus haue an vnquiet minde as he himselfe doeth say to wit That these Heretikes haue no more respect vnto these olde and deuoute Catholike men but for to esteeme them for seruers of false Gods worshippers of images and do call them Idololatras that is Idolaters Alas is not that greate pitie And are they not maruellous muche to blame whereas our deare mother the holie churche can in no wise beare with this name nor heare of it but hath finally concluded commaunded and ordeined vpon paine to be banished accursed excoÌ„municated anathematized That no man shall name her Saintes by that same Greeke worde Idola which is asmuch to say as an image or likenesse yea and hath flatlie determined that from hencefoorth this same worde shall no more be taken properly for images or likenesses made after any man or other thing to their worship like as it hath euermore from time to time bene taken and vsed aswel by the Greekes as Latinistes but shall now be taken for nothing else but onely for the false Gods of the Heathen or Iewes and such images as they heretofore haue vsed in their Temples Insomuch that the verie naturall and proper name and similitude of this worde is wholy transubstantiated and turned into an other
might almost be taken for a blasphemie and an heresie For although it bee verie true that the holie Churche hath no golden Calfe yet hath shee not therefore forgotten to follow herein the trace and footesteppes of the Iewes her good schoolemaisters For in place of that that Aaron the high Priest once halowed the golden Calfe our deare mother hath ordeined and set foorth that the Pope of Rome who vndoubtedly is established in Aarons place shall yeerely hallow and blesse a certeine number of lambes of waxe which he doeth call Agnus Dei that is to say The lambe of God or The sonne of God which hath taken away the sinnes of the worlde and being slaine as a lambe for vs hath released vs from the bondage of the diuell euen as Aaron and the Iewes did name their Calfe The God which had deliuered them out of the slauerie of the land of Aegypt And now although that a Calfe is better than a lambe and golde of muche greater value than waxe yet our holie father the Pope of Rome hath suche a notable deuise of Alcamistrie that he will for these lambes bring good fatte Oxen into his kitchin and lumpes of golde which will not bee muche lesse woorthe than the golden Calfe of the Iewes for the power of these lambes is so great that it is vnspeakable And that may be perceiued out of the Latine verses whiche Pope Vrban did once send with fiue such Agnus Dei to the Emperour of Graecia for a great and solemne present whiche verses are these that followe Balsamus munda cera cum Chrismatis vnda Conficiunt Agnum quod munus do tibi magnum Fonte velut natum per mystica sanctificatum Fulgura de sursum depellit omne malignum Peccatum frangit vt Christi sanguis angit Praegnans seruatur simul partus liberatur Dona defert dignis virtutem destruit ignis Portatus munde de fluctibus eripit vndae ▪ That is to say Balme virgin waxe and holie water an Agnus Dei make A gift than which none can be greater I send for thee to take From founteine cleare the same hath issue in secrete sanctifide Aynst lightening it hath souereigne vertue and thunder crackes beside Each heinous sinne it weares and wasteth euen as Christes precious blood And women whiles their trauell lasteth it saues it is so good It doeth bestowe great giftes and graces on such as well deserue And borne about in noysome places from perill doeth preserue The force of fire whose heate destroyeth it breakes and bringeth downe And he or she that this enioyeth no water shall them drowne Now my maisters how like you this sauce Let vs now see if the golden calfe of the Iewes had such might and power No that was farre from home Neither do the Iewes ascribe anie such thing to their calfe but did euen simplie thinke ▪ seeing Moses was away that they wold haue some apparant thing before their eyes which should put them in remembrance of their deliuerance by God and therefore they did call it The God which had deliuered them out of the land of Aegypt as our mother the holie church doeth likewise cōmonlie say by an old rotten blocke ▪ Behold there is your God which was hanged vppon the crosse for you or There is our Ladie which hath done great miracles So that their Calfe is not to be compared with our Agnus Dei. But nowe seeing the Iewes do knowe nothing of all this neither do vnderstande of what power this is therefore may they iustlie thinke that their golden Calfe and our Agnus Dei are both children of one mother So that Maister Gentianus had done much better speaking vnder correction that he had not so quicklie and spitefullie blamed them for that matter least nowe they should say that the potte doeth blame the kettell for being so blacke with smoke The ii Chapter That the sacrament of the Altar must be prayed vnto otherwise Christ were no god ANd nowe proceeding to the conclusions which Maister Gentianus doeth adde herevnto which I assure you are verie fine and spiteful wittie is a very learned piece which the schoolemasters of Louen call Argumentum cornutum that is to say A cornet or horned Argument because he doeth herewith thrust all the Huguenotes as farre backwards as a lustie yong oxe would crushe Paules steeple in pieces with his hornes Marke nowe this is his argument If the sacrament of the Altar were not prayed vnto then were Christ no God and now Christ without all dout is God Ergo these Huguenots must needes be damnable Samosatenes which denie the Godhead of Christ. That hitteth as iumpe as sixe fingers in a gloue For the holie church hath once for all resolutelie concluded That the breade of the sacramēt is the verie body of Christ as long and as broad as it did hang vppon the crosse Then it must needes followe that whosoeuer doth not beleeue that doth therewith also not beleeue that Christ is God or else must men needes say that the Church of Rome hath erred which were so daungerous a matter as would make the brisles of a wilde Bore to stand on end It is verie true that Christ did not commaund vs to praye to it but said simplie Take eate c. And neither Saint Paul ▪ nor anie of the Apostles did euer knowe of anie praying to it But what is that to the purpose Seeing men are sufficientlie informed that they had not yet that power to make goodlie pixes or sacrament houses to laie him in and to carie him sometime about in procession vnder a Canopie of silke The followers were then to many they had not the leasure nor time neither was the dearelie beloued and eldest daughter of our deare mother the holie church of Rome as yet borne to wit Transubstantiation But as soone as that blessed babe was brought into the worlde by the meane faithfull helpe of that good middewife called Theologia Sophistica and was nourished vppe with the sweete milke of her deare mamme and nourse Concomitantiae then came first in sight iointlie withall The praying to the sacrament and then they lodged their God in the halfe moone and shut him in a goodlie golden cofer or pixe till the time that hee should goe abroad with the Giant in the procession to quicken his spirites a little and then they will daunse before the Bride with a fife a drumbe And thus doth this wittie conclusion and argument of Master Gentianus proponing remaine so fast and firme as a reede which is shaken to and fro with all windes The iii. Chapter Of praying to images and especiallie to the crosse and of the great power and aduantage of the crosse NOwe after the praying vnto shapen goddes hee doeth begin againe with praying to images and to the crosse which is from the Oxe to the Asse and surelie he hath conceiued that verie wiselie where he saith That we may not