Church Hierico being ruinated destroyed and quite razed downe the wales of Hierusalem may bee builded vp Then may we sing exultantibus animis with Psal 50. ioyfull harts Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos Then O Lorde we purified by grace in hart and soule from sinne with due composition also and decency of body wholy offering our selues to thee as thou offeredst thy selfe farre more bountifully for vs in contrite and humble hart by Christ here our high Priest the only pure and most acceptable Sacrifice vvee I say vvill offer to thee O God and thou for IESVS thy sonnes sake Shalt accept our sacrifices of prayers and thanksgiuing oblations of iustice the due sincere and vpright charitable dea ling to vard our neighbours with whole burnt offerings of burning heauenly desires with feruent loue aboue measure to our louing L. aboue then vpon the Altar of our hartes with incensed and diuine affections kindled with deuotion shall we make a feast to God and his Angels who delite to rest and dwell with pure soules deuout oft and worthy receauers of this blessed Sacrament then shall wee in thy Church militant here in earth ouer all nations triumpth in true and souud faith then with constant patience the Lady of wisdome and procurice of true honour shall we in all aduersities expect ioyfully thy B. comming Then for thy loue with armes of loue and charity shall wee imbrace both friend and foe fructifying in good workes wishing and procuring to our power the good of all men then shall christ enter into vs with diuine presence and holy grace and we rest and repast our selues of and in him by his bountefull sauour Then shall we enter and repose in him by tasting his sweetnes and go forth contemplate his mighty power and goodnes in all creatures and superabundantly find within and without which none can tell but he that hath found it repast and refection of his loue his sweetnes his power maiesty bounty glory and goodnes So reliquie cogitaticnum c. the remnant of spirituall and pure thoughts conceaued by the deuout tasting and most sweet meditation of this diuine mistery shall refresh vs and make in our harts a festiual day a healthful banquet an immortall and most delightfull supper full of all ioy and gladnes Then shall we be so enamored with his loue that vvith his svveete spouse in her Canticles wee burst out and say Fasciculus Mirrhe Cap. 1. dilectus meus mihi c. My beloued to me is a poesie of Mirrhe of svveete odoriferous and fragant flowers I will imbrace him and he shall rest betweene my breasts in my very hart Tenui nec demittam Cap. 3. eum I haue kept him c. I will hold him fast I will hold him fast and neuer let him goe Thus exulting to GOD here vpon the Altars of our hartes and soules thus offered in his sight farre better pleasing God then oblations sacrifices of thousands of those bloudy sacrifices of calues bulls Then finally in that glorious triumphant Church a boue shal we laud and glorify almighty god through christ Iesus his most sweet and only sonne that pure and innocent Lambe daily offered here in sacrifice vpon the Altar in a mistery and sitting at his Fathers right hand in a supereminent glory who to our bodies soules is the true foode of grace and glory that perisheth not but remayneth to life euerlasting who be blessed and honoured of all creatures for euermore Amen Chap. XXXI Of holy Order what it is by whome it was ordeyned and of hoâ—e many degrees it consisteth and that no man rashly without due consideration ought to take vpon him the same THE fift Sacrament is holy Order as then in Baptisme we be newe regenerate or borne in Christ in Confirmation strengthned in Penance after our woundes and faults healed and raised vp againe in the holy Sacrament of the Altar most abundantly fed to make vs liuely Souldiers of Christ and that we may last out to our iorneys ende like royall Souldiers obtaine the victory so by this holy SacrameÌ„t of Order christs kingdome and common weale his holy Church as a most valiant army set in most mighty noble order is prepared to triumph ouer those Princes of darknes perpetuall enemies of mankinde this wretched worlde For if all things God hath ordayned bee well ordered much more his holy Church so dearely beloued of him that not only all thinges he created in heauen and in earth tend to the saluation of it but he himselfe shed his bloud for it For euen as God in his triumphaÌ„t Church in heauen hath some higher some lower orders of Angels euen so in his Church militant here in earth there be diuers degrees in holy order all teÌ„ding to the due seruice of God as Bishops Priests Deacons and other inferior orders wherof some succeed the Apostles others the Disciples of Christ and coadjutors of the Apostles al lawful messengers and workmen of Christ ad Ephes 4. 12. consummationem sanctoruÌ„ in opus ministerit dulie to administer and execute his woâ—ke to bring his elect seruants to perfection Order then being instituted by Christ giuen by imposition of hands as appeareth by holy Scripture is a Sacrament you see ordeyned by Christ whereby his Church is well disposed gouerned yea and defended against all foraine incursions Nowe this holy order which is chiefly principally called Priesthood consisteth of many orders I meane the other inferior orders appertayning to it Foure inferior orders Other inferior orders euery one in their degree bee also properly called Order but chiefly Priesthood whereunto the other inferior be long there be which be preparatioÌ„s to Priesthoode which though they binde not to chastity as the 3. higher orders do yet it is not coÌ„nuenient that any take theÌ„ but such as haue mind to be Priests yet ther is first a preparation to these 4. inferior orders which we call the first tonsure whereby a man before he enter to take holy orders is taught by thus cutting of the haire to shake of all worldly cares to cut of al superfluous desires and transitory thinges that may hinder him from heauenly contemplation and the due seruice of almighty God The first of these lower orders is called the Ostiary that is the dore keeper that hath by vertue of that office giuen him which the keyes the Bishop giueth him doth betoken power to keepe and shutte the Church dores to keepe out heretickes and infidels and preserue enclosed from prophane handes the holy vestures and sacred vessels of Christ The second order is the Reader that by the booke which the Bishoppe giueth him may reade holy lessons of holy Writ in the Church The third order is called an Exorcist which hath power giuen him to expell and cast out Diuels not by witchcraft and superstition as Southsayers Conjurers and
Ghost to reproue the people of their sinne and false worshippe and to acknowledge worshippe the liuing God as the glorious profession of his name in the middest of the flame with that angelicall Society well declareth Secondly this matter was talked of and debated by certaine great learned men at the counsell of Trent and was founde most vnlawfull both by the law of God and the Church therefore no power on earth no not the Pope can dispence with any to goe to the heretikes church no more then he can dispence with any to kill steale comit fornication or the like neither was it needeful to make any new canon or decree of this matter because in former generall councelles yt was euer holden vnlawfull yea an expresse canon of the Apostles forbiddeth al Christians to goe to heretiks churches or seruice much lesse to receiue with them or coÌ„municate with them in their Sacraments If any say Cardinall Allen thought it not such great sinne to goe to heretiks church it is most false impudent as his letters and writinges wel vnderstood yea his life and death declareth and as the liues and deaths of his schollars which if I may so terme it bee vere signuÌ„ Apostolatus sui make most manifest to the world and he that holdeth it lawful to goe to Church of heretiks coÌ„demneth well neere a hundred of B. Martirs in our daies that might haue liued if they once would haue yeeldeth to haue gone to Church Thirdly the Pope himself and all learned diuines of our time vtterly deny it in any sort to be lawfull and no doubt his holines if in any sorte it could haue bene tollerated of his commisseration and fatherly pitty of our affliction would most willingly haue dispenced with vs surely the Apostolike father the Pope alone his iudgeÌ„t ought to satisfi any true Catholik Christian in the world Fourthly goeing to heretikes Church is most dangerous for feare of infection can a man touch pitch and it not defile him can he lye by a Serpent and she not sting him then then may he conuers with an heretik much and be not infected or corrupted with him and therefore S. Paul exhorteth vs to flie the heretik man because his heresie creepeth as the caÌ„ker it hath bene noted in great learned men that in reading of heretikes bookes haue bin thereby inclyning to heresie how much more dangerous then is it for lay persons Yea simple vnlearned men to heare their voice in sermons prayers and the like wherefore heretiks bookes also vnder paine of excommunication be forbidden to all to be read For feare of infection vnlesse they haue lawfull authority or faculty graunted them Fiftly as wee read in the Ecclesiasticall histories true Christians euermore abhorred the Churches conuenticles and companies of heretiks yea Saint Iohn the Euangelist would not bath himself where Cerinthus the enemie of the truth had bene before lest the bath should fal vppon his head and exhorteth vs not to salute the heretike which wee ought not to do in any sort to fauour his heresi though to wynne heretiks to God and true religion The church in this time permitteth vs to eat drinck and traffick with heretiks and schismatiks in temporall matters only as our B. Sauiour and his Apostles conuersed eat and drank with sinners to winne theÌ„ to his fathers kingdome yea to conuerse with heretiks was so odious a thing so well knowne in the primitiue church to be vnlawful that the people would not say Amen or abide in the Church whilst the Arrian Bishop was amongst them nay that which is strange the very childreÌ„ made a conscience to play with the ball with out expiacion before that ranne vnder the heretiks horses feete what should I say blessed Martirs of old yea tender Virgins and Women accounted it nolesse then very denial of Christ who said Hee that denyeth mee before men I will deny him before my father in heauen either to goe to churches of heretiks or temples of Idolaters which be in effect one For as Idolaters worship the workes of their handes so do heretiks their fond opinions and imaginations and Idolatry a great deale worse then that of the gentiles If these blessed Saints of old I say would but haue yeelded to the tyme in but once putting vp the fingar to the wicked demaunds of the persecutors to haue gone to their churches and seruice then had wee wanted many glorious Martirs in heauen which those sharpe tymes of persecution most fruitfully afford vs. Sixtly this dissimulation in being present at heretiks seruice is scandalous and offensiue to the infirme and weak in faith inducing other to sinne do the like which sinne of scandall is one of the greatest and most generall in the world and shal be most seuerely punished against which Christ thundereth that most terrible woe affirming it were better one with a mill-stone about his neck were cast into the sea then to scandalise one of such litleweaklings in christ and religion Whereuppon the holy Apostle affirmed he would neuer eat flesh rather then offend his weake Brother Yea old Eleazarus a Iew before Christ which may be a confusion to many Christians would rather suffer death then but only seeme to do against the law for feare of drawing weaklinges and younglinges to do the same Seauenthly and last for it is my purpose to be briefe and referre you to more large and learned substantiall treatises writen of this matter in goeing to heretikes Churches or being thus present at their prayers Sacramentes or seruice in any place conuenticle or congregation of theirs be a man neuer so Catholick in minde yet in so doing he becommeth a schismatike excommunicate person which is a thing more terrible then the two edged sword or any torment in this life For thereby a man is cut from God Christ and all the Sacraments prayers merits of Saints in heaueÌ„ the prayers good deedes of all good men in earth so is exposed to the Deuill and damnation For as said S. Augustme to Peter the Deacon holde stedfastly and doubt in no wise not only al Paynims Iewes but also al heretiks schismatiks that dye without Christs Catho Church shall goe into euerlasting fier prepared for the Deuill his Angells a terrible token whereof God shewed yea euen in this life of schismatiks as Chore Dathan Abiron that were of the same religion Moyses was yet because they deuided themselues from Moyses Aaron offring sacrifice of theÌ„selues not being lawfully called thereunto fire consumed them from heaueÌ„ their adhereÌ„ts Yea the earth swallowed them downé quick to hell therefore S. Augustine biddeth feare nothing so much as diuision separation that is schisme for what â—â— schisme but a cutting of and diuision from the whole so that such Christians as in all points beleeue as the church doth and yet in their action do contrary to their beliefe as such dissemblers do that
repens sicut fere omnia hodie coÌ„trouersa breuiter â—tsi promiscue cum adhortatiunculis ad sanam fidem mores emendandos summatim docet praecipue de ijsdem inde pertractat ita indoctorum simplissimorum ingenijs dimissus siue subjectus ijsdem sese facillime accommodat quod quidem opus ex quorundam instantijs qui rationem quantulamcunque de omnibus modernis fidei controuersijs in vno libello sibi reddi vehementer postularunt efflagitauerunt a me iampridem compositum est Sed cum essem partim serijs quibusdam negotijs impeditus varijsque curis implicatus partim a falsis fratribus proditus elusus ingrauescente persecutione nullo diu loco quiete stare perpessus sed a communi hoste ad morteÌ„ fere quaesitus Hijs inquam alijsque impedimentis rebusque cum essem distentus iste libellus non editus sed quibusdam meis amiâ—â—s notus ab eis desideratus situ obductus iacebat interim nonnulli vt promissis starem eum in lucem emitterem expetierunt quibus cum amplius refragari non possem non diutius eos differendos putaui sed ut eorum pijs desiderijs satisfacerem me accinxi vt hoc perficerem quamuis adhuc in medio tribulationum positus quantum in me est feci Itaque Autographum apud metenens hunc libellum nonnullis in locis locupletatum transcribendum charitati tuae mittendum curaui vnde confido in Domino feci quod meum est ne paruulis petentibus panem non sit qui frangeret eis tuum erit facere aut vt hoc opusculum tanquam horridum abortiuum reijciatur conspuatur aut vti opus pernecessarium vtile vtcunque sero emissum postliminio receptum a bonis omnibus obuijs vt aiunt vlnis amplectatur quod opto ad vtilitatem Ecclesiae laudem nominis sui qui est benedictus in secula Amen Christus Dominus ad pacem bonorum Ecclesiae Anglicanae ornamentum egregium te mei memorem diutissime vbique incolumem conseruet vir eximie admodum Reuerende pater 27. Martii 1599. Reuerentiae vestrae filius obseruantissimus particeps in trâ—bulatione in Christo conseruus I. R. THE PREFACE TO THE READER VNderstaÌ„dinge by a freinde of myne not longe agoe that one of familiar and olde acquaintance of his was desirous to knowe the trueth in matters of religion and to haue the trueth set downe in writing for his better memorie stay in this greate diuersity of mens mindes and sundry opinions at this day I was loath at first to enterprise the matter for that I knewe that there be written books most ample and learned of all matters of controuersie at this present farre beyonde my learning and skyll wherin the Heretiks of our tyme be moste euidently confuted and the trueth moste plainly open sett downe and declared able to satisfie any man in conscieÌ„ce whosoeuer that with lowly spirit and desire of trueth will consideratly and throughly read them Yet considering many men in this troublesome tyme there be that be desiroÌ„s to knowe the trueth either cannot attayne those books or be not of ability to buy them or if they be yet not at leasure to read them or not of learning and capacity sufficient well to conceaueÌ„ of them fearing likewise lest if any at my handes shoulde desire to knowe GODS trueth and I hiding it from them for want of discharge of my duety might highly displease GOD to whom I am to make an account that I might iustly be reckoned amongst those whom God by his holie Prophet complaineth of Paruuli petierunt panem My little ouâ—s that is poore simple soules desirons of the trueth their saluation haue desired bread the foode of GODS worde and the Sacraments there was not that woulde breake it vnto them Though there be many others of my Brethren that doe and can doe it farre better I being the least â—nd vnworthyest of all Yet for these and diuerse other considerations especially for discharge of my duty at this present I haue breiflie and plaiâ—ly for the simple sorte set downe my mynde touching the cheifest matters of controuersies in religion in this tyme wherby an vnlearned man may easilie by him self or another finde out sufficient authoritie to satisfie his minde touching the trueth of the most matters of religion in question at this day wherein be not afraide good countryman but be bolde I warrant thee by such authority as I haue set downe to presse and charge the greatest Heretike in the worlde For he may wrangle wrest and seeke many narrow shifts but in the ende he will bewraye his owne weaknes For this vndoubted and infallible Catholike Church and trueth may for a tyme in some sorte be oppressed but neuer suppressed nor hidde it may be gainsaid but in the ende caÌ„not be with stoode no more then that Idoll Dagon could stand but in presence of the Arke of the liuing GOD was throwne downe burst a sunder not for that in me any such exquisite matter may be founde but because I leane of such sure grownds authority that possiblie cannot faile For eueÌ„ as at the noone day the light of the sunne cannot be denyed so there is a certaine truth so plaine that by no guylefull falsehoode in wordes nor deceitefull coloured speeches can in any wise be darkned or ouerthrowne which trueth to speake and teach if man shoulde cease the very rockes and stones might crie out But for that I write this little treatise to informe especially an ignorant and vnlearned man therefore I haue accoâ—modated my selfe as much as I could to his vnderstanding vsing plaine wordes and now then ofte repetition of things that to the learned be not needfull and may seeme â—edyous Wherefore if this writing chaunce to fal into the handes of the learned they may looke for no â—yne phrases or rhetoricall termes at my handes neither in writing hastely haue I obserued that order and methode which otherwise were requisite Only let him remember to whom I write for whose sake especially I haue written this which if not so sufficiently as I would wish yet at least wise it may be an occasion to some other that caÌ„ doe it better to make a more large and profitable discourse In the meane tyme if this my poore labour and indeauoures may doe any good be an instrument or meane to conâ—erte to GOD or strengthen Yea but the leaste or weakest soule in the worlde I thinke my paines well bestowed and attribute thou nothing to me but giue the praise thanks wholly to GOD. But if vppon iust occasion in writing so in haste and that I aslure you with out any help of bookes * Excepte that partelic in 2. or 3. chapters onlie of the B. Sacramit of the Altare I hauâ— not onlie alleadged some authorityes of the holy Fathers gathered by a learned and late
hath offeÌ„ded deadly yet the holy Church commaundeth once a yeare to recieue before which Confession in lay-men but much more in Preists if they finde their consciences guilty is commonly presupposed which vnlesse euery one obserue vnlesse he haue some iust impediment he grieuously sinneth and though a man cannot finde himselfe guilty of deadly sinne yet of some smal sinnes wherein we daily al offend and without which this life can hardlye be led the best maye accuse themselues may very well confesse them and ordinarely good men some euerye wâ—eke do confesse such small sinnes as light thoughts vaine wordes and the like which be commonly called veniall sinnes and whereof Christ saieth we shal make account at the daye of iudgement if wee first iudge not our selues here which though not of necessity because other-waies they maye bee forgiuen yet they may be matters of confession But a deadly sinne if one after due discussion of his conscience can remeÌ„ber it come to a lawful Priest euery one vnder paine of damnation is bound to confesse to a lawfull Preist a deadlye sinne I say that is the transgression or breach of Godes Commaundement it is called deadlye because it draweth to euerlasting death vnlesse wee confesse it in the holy Sacrament of Penance if in any sort we can come to the Priest Deadly sinnes be many but especially these following bee called capitall and principall sinnes whereof all other sinnes proceede Pride Couetousnes Leachery Gluttony Wrath Yet these sins some of them especially be not alwaies mortall but in some deepe or high degres Enuy Slouth Moreouer false beleife infidelity heresie these three be most grieuous deadly sins likewise witches or those that goe or send to witches or such you call wisemen coniurers those offend deadly Likwise those that speake euil of God our Lady or his holy Saints or against the Pope Christs vicar heer in earth or against the holy Sacraments especially the B. Sacrifice of the Masse those be all or some of them sacrilegious blasphemous sinners excoÌ„municate cannot be forgiuen without Confession at least in will when a Preist caÌ„not be had for those sinnes be most deadly against the first CoÌ„mandement of God that coÌ„maundeth no God but one to be worshiped as for Images or Pictures of Christ his holy saints they be no more forbidden vs therein than to carry the Image of our Queene in our mony or the like God forbad all Idolatry worshiping of false Gods vncleane false Idoles Images not true Images that be liuely memories of our Redemption vertuous personages therefore be called Lay-mens books as holy Fathers tearme them Nay God himselfe as you shal reade in holy Scripture commaunded Images to be made of Angels which were set vpp in Salomons Temple 3. Reg. 6. wherefore Christians right worthily set in their temples the Images of Christ his Saints For many a simple vnlearned man knoweth not how Christ died vpon the Crosse but only by seing his picture vpon the Crosse therfore heretikes that haue pulled it out of Churches doe that which lieth in them to put Christs Passion out of mans mind bragge they neuer so much in wordes of the same We then offend not against the first commaundement of God that religiouslye keepe and set vp holy pictures to imprint Christes memory in our hartes but they that breake and pull them down be impious heretikes who therefore in general Councels many hundred yeares before by the consent of all Christendome haue beene condemned Who in deed bee worse then olde Idolators as worshipers of their owne opinions an Idolatry far worse then that of the gentils Againe great swearers and forswearers offend deadlye and ought to confesse for an oathe ought not to be vsed but in Iustice and Iudgement whereby God is called to witnesse Likewise those that breake their vowes as of chastity and the like Let Schismatike Preistes that after their vowes haue taken whoores to their concubines which they tearme their wiues looke to this as for Ministers they haue no damnation for mariage which Preistes with their so tearmed wiues haue because they neuer made vow of chastity for they good men thinke it impossible to bee chast whereas * Cor. 7. 7. Ministers I meane so that they would forsake their hereticall ministerie and become Catholikes should not sin in taking vppon them honest mariage or in being maried Saint Paul wisheth all men to be so as himselfe that was chast As for vnlawful oathes when where before whomsoeuer they be taken they ought not to be kept for they doe euill in taking them but worse in keeping them if the matter be of importance and vniust As when Herod swore his daughter should haue what she asked and she like an enuious caytiffe by her mothers suggestion asked Saint Iohns head Herode did euill in swearing rashly but he offended worse in keeping his oath deliberatly * Mar. 6. Chap. XVII Of the rest of the Commaundements and of some sins against them to be confessed to the Preist LIkewise wheÌ„ one goeth as oftas he goeth to the heretiks Church to heare or bee present with them at seruice it is a deadly sinne and Schisme and a deniall of Christ which is the truthe and much more grieuous a sinne it is in recieuing that wicked and most blasphemous communion of theirs which is haynous Idolatry for that a man taketh a peece of bread reposing therein his saluation contrary to Christes holy ordinance that left vs his body and blood in the holye Sacrament to bee receiued which they like traitors to God and his Church haue abolished and deceiue with a peece of bakers breade the simple people giuing it them in steede of that bread of life that came downe from heauen whereby we all doe liue So that this communion of theirs being quite contrarye to Christes ordinance to receiue it is most horrible and deadly sinne And as by a worthye receiueing the blessed Sacrament a man is made one body with christ so to recieue their coÌ„munion it maketh a man one body with Antechrist the diuel wherfore I cannot find or caÌ„ hardly find a greater sin than to go to the heretiks Church receaue with them For receiuing the coÌ„munion as the Diabolicall Samaritanes the ministers therof do raise vp an Altar as it were against the true Altar of God which God euer so abhorred terribly punished so the receauers of that communioÌ„ I say make a publike professioÌ„ of the deniall of the B. Body Blood of Iesus in the holy Eucharist of the catholike Faith Religion yea take a signe seale of the same incorporating theselues therby to the synagogue of Antechrist the diuell as the worthy receauers of the B. SacrameÌ„t be incoporate knit or made one body with Christ Likewise not to come to Masse euery Sonday Holy-day if a man can conueniently is deadly Sinne. So
the B. Virgin our Lady and the iniuries done vnto her ONly this I cannot omitte without griefe of hart the shamfull dishonour and blasphemy the heretickes doe and say against the B. Mother of God some Ministers esteeming her no better then their baggage wiues and some naming her with such compatisons and tearmes as I am afraide to recite But O filthy and blasphemous mouth darest thou call with such base tearmes the Mother of God the tabernacle of Christ and very temple of the holy Ghost his deare spouse the perfect figure and flower of his Church that starre of light in whose blessed wombe Christ rested nine moneths taking flesh of her sacred flesh and bloud shee bearing him in that sacred vessell of hers whome heauen and earth coulde not comprehend She that the holy Ghost spake by that all nations shall call her blessed darest thou I say compare to her a drabbe yea any woman that euer vvas or euer shall be Shee that is the flower of women She that bruised the Serpents head as repayring by her vertues that vvhich Eue lost by her vice She that was a pure religious Virgin in before and after her Sonnes birth She that is cloathed with the Sun and starres hauing the Moone vnder her feete Shee that shineth for euer vvith pearles and pretious stones of honour and glory that misticall Arke of God that royall throne of the very true Salomon whome he chose before all other creatures for his cheife and elect vessell in whome he is well pleased who for her incomparable beauty admirable perfection vnspeakable glory and splendor of all magnificent vertues farre surpasseth all the prayses of those Angelicall Citizens and humane creatures Shee that in giuing suck to that blessed Lambe of God sucked with all of him diuine wisedome euer duly seruing him neuer displeasing him conseruing all his wordes and sayinges in her harte who sitteth at the right hand of her Sonne in a golden vesture as prophesied holy Dauid all glorious that is compassed about with all variety of vnipeakable vertues and merittes there rewarded with honour and glory where as saith S. Bernard The Sonne sheweth his wounds to his Father and the Mother placed aboue all Angels Cherubyn and Seraphin sheweth her breasts to her Sonne There sayeth he the deuout pâ—nitent sinner can haue no repulse or gainesay And therefore againste all heretickes in the vvorld follow my counsell with S. Bernard In omnibus anxietatibus tuis Mariam cogita Mariam inuoca In all thy heauines and necessities whatsoeuer deuoutly think vpon Marye and call vpon her and seeke to follovve her example as a paterne to all faithfull Christians remembring that the iniuries done to her Christ no doubt accepteth as done to him and the honour done to her as done to him for the Sonne cannot but loue the Mother but I goe forward Chap. LV Of Images and of the Crosse of Christ and of the reuerende and laudable vses of the same IMages I touched in the first Commaundement yet to say more heretickes that will keepe pictures of their wiues husbands or friendes and may not abide the picture of Christ his blessed Mother and holy Saints mee thinkes poste faste forwards to deny the Humanity of CHRIST with the heretikes of olde otherwise I see not why they should deny his Image and picture As for pictures that put vs in minde of GOD the Father and the holy Ghost they doe not goe about to expresse his diuinity vvhich is incomprehensible and vnspeakeable which neither can bee painted fayned or imagined but onlye some propertye in GOD as his fatherlye care his eternitye his meekenesse mercye and the like expressed by the doâ—e and holy lambe which I touched before But that there were pictures euer of Christ and his Saints al antiquity doth testifie yea Christ himself imprinted the very figure of his face in a cloath in kissing it or laying it to his face which picture is reserued to this day whereby miracles haue beene wrought And Saint Luke painted the Image of our Lady reserued to this day borne in Rome in solemne procession in S. Gregories time whereby miracles as I haue probably hard haue beene wroughte There is mention made likewise in the Euseb lib. â— 14. â—is Ecclesiasticall histories of an Image of Christ made by the vvoman that was cured of an issue of bloud by touching the hemme of our Sauiours garment which Image shee set vp in memory of that benefit and the * hemme of the Yea a plant there plaÌ„ted or a flower wheÌ„ it greâ— so high as the hemme of the Image of Christ cured same Image did also miracles This Image Iulian the Apostata threw dowâ—e and set vp his owne in steed thereof which was immediatly destroyed by fire from heauen but the Image of Christ broken in peeces by the heathen the Christians afterwardes gathering the peeces together placed it in the Church where it was as Zozomenus writeth vnto his time But I hasten on and let this suffice any reasonable Christian that these Image-breakers in generall Councels by the consent of all Christendome haue beene condemned many hundred yeares ago as is most meete For surely such as cannot abide the Image of Christ his B. Mother Saints prepare the very way to Antechrist the Diuel his army that shall haue Imaginem bestiae scriptaÌ„ in froÌ„tibus Apoc. 14. eoruÌ„ the Image or Idoll of that beast writen in their foreheads in steed and despite of the Crosse of Christ which these Antechristian heretiks already detest abhorre And this moreouer I say and confidently affirme that if the King or a noble man would not take it in good part to haue their armes razed or pulled downe assure your selfe Image-breakers and spiteful razers downe of Crosses shall not be vnpunished as God hath shewed already some tokens of his wrath Therefore heretickes that slaunder vs we worship them for Gods belike thinke we haue not so much wit or sence as a dogge who knoweth an Image from a â—iuing body I warrant you euen by his very nose Let proud foolish heretickes then auaunt and preach trifling toyes to babes and Ideots Christians knowe what they doe in keeping and reuerencing Images and Christs Crosse neither neede they heretickes counsaile For touching that we doe to Images and Reliques wee want neither Scripture nor sufficient authority otherwise I deny not but some abuses about Images in some simple people might creepe in but that good Pastors and Bishops may easely reforme and Images stand still which being well vsed Saint Gregory rightly tearmeth as it were lay mens bookes as representing to the vnlearned in figure that which the historie doth to the learned in bookes but I cannot stay Chap. LVI Of Seruice in the Latin tongue and how meete and conuenient it is that the Scriptures be reserued seruice said in the auncient and sacred tongues THe heretickes to deceaue the simple made them a great while beleeue there was