bread is referred to the fleshe and the kinde or forme of wine to the soule Againe it is taken or receaued vnder both kindes for to signifie that Christ did take vpon hym both an humaine body and an humaine soule and also for to signifie that the receauyng of this sacrament is auaileable both to the fleshe and also to the soule For if it were only receiued vnder one kind it shoulde be signified that it is auaileable onely for the tuition and safegarde of the one Hearken what Gerardus Lorichius one that is a great defendour of Transubstantiation a papist for his life saieth to this matter They be false Catholiques saieth this man that are not ashamed by all meanes to hinder the reformatiō of the Churche Thei to the intent the other kynde of the sacrament maie not be restored vnto the laie people spare no kynde of blasphemies For they saie that Christe saide onely vnto his apostles drinke ye all of this but the wordes of the Canon be these take and eate ye al of this Here I beseche them let them tell mee whether they will haue these wordes also onely to pertaine vnto the apostles Thā must the laie people abstaine from the other kinde the bread also Whiche thyng to saie is an herisie a pestilent and a detestable blasphemie Wherfore it foloweth that eche of these words was spoken vnto the whole church Thus far Lorichius the papistes owne doctour Let them make what shift soeuer they will or can they shall neuer be able to cleare them selues but that they be most abominable prophanatours of the Lordes Sacramentes and misteries and also most detestable and accursed sacriledgers sith that they do not only robbe the christian people for whom our Sauiour Christ did shed his most precious blood of the cheefe and most principall part of his Sacrament but also doe abstayne them selues from it whensoeuer they list hauyng no commaundement of the Lorde for to doe any suche thyng Therefore we may turne the saying of S. Basill against them who saieth these wordes Who so forbiddeth the thing that God commaundeth and who so commaundeth the thing that God forbiddeth is taken as accursed of all them that loue the Lorde Where you haue done the like against the commaundement of the Lorde and commaunded what he hath flatly forbidden your whole religion declareth for through your owne cōmaundementes ye make Gods commaundementes of litle force yea you haue done contrary to your owne lawes and decrées which do excommunicate all those that dare presume to take halfe of this sacrament and leaue the other halfe vnreceaued The blessed martyr Saint Ciprian doeth say Howe shall we teache exhort and prouoke them saieth he to shed their blood for the confession of the name of Christ if we do deny or wyll not geue vnto them the blood of Christ when they should fight and stande manfully in the quarell of their maister and Lorde Christe Or howe shall we make them apt to drinke the cup of martyrdome if we do not permit nor suffer them to drinke the cup of the Lorde in the Church by the right tha◠they haue to communicate with vs May not all men see and perceiue by these fewe words of this holy and blessed martyr what wrong and iniurie these antichristes do vnto vs Haymo saith Appellatur calix communicatio propter participationem quiae omnes communicant ex illo The cup is called the communication because of the participation for that euery man receaueth of it This saith he and yet no Protestant nor Caluenist If any warre doth chaunce for the name of Christ as is at this day in Fraunce and Flaunders or if any persecution for his religon sake doth happen they wyll geue vs good leaue to stande in the forefront of the battayle yea they wyll thrust vs forwardes and be ready them selues to shed our blood and yet they will not as much as suffer vs once to receaue the mysticall cup of the Lordes blood whereby we shoulde be animated and encouraged to shed our heart blood in the quarell of his trueth Besides this any childe may easely perceaue by these fewe aucthorities by me alledged that they were woont in the Primatiue Churche to minister indifferently vnto all men of what condition or estate soeuer they were the Communion in both kindes and that it was counted a playne sacriledge that is to say a playne robbing of Gods glorie to do otherwise For they did alwayes sticke to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde tyll at the length in the abominable and sacrilegious counsell of Constance a most wicked and vngodly decree was made to the contrary Many other reasons are they wont to bring for the defence of their accursed and detestable sacriledge If the mysticall Cup say they were indifferently ministred vnto al men and women that come to the Lordes boorde it might chaunce that it shoulde be at one tyme or other spylled whiche thing coulde not happen without a great slaunder in the Churche And therefore for auoyding of this offence that might happen by reason many hath the paulsie and fallyng sicknesse it hath bene appointed by the fathers that the Sacrament shoulde be only ministred vnder one kinde Belike our Sauiour Christe the wisedome of the father when he did first institute his Sacrament coulde not by his eternall spirite foresée such thinges nor yet the blessed Apostle Saint Paul when he did aboue .xxvj. yeres after his maisters ascention write vnto the Churche of the Corinthians Might not wée by as good a reason bicause that many offences do dayly arise by the preaching of Gods worde put downe the Scriptures altogether as antechrist is wont to do where soeuer he beareth any rule Might we not with as iust cause sith that many do surfet by meate and drinke and in their drunkennesse do worke mischéefe take awaye cleane from them the vse of meate and drinke Shall we because that good thinges may through the naughtinesse and negligence of men be misused take away the right vse of them or abolishe therefore the institution and ordinaunce of GOD who hath ordeyned and appointed such thinges for the comfort health of men Let them geue a straite charge to their ministers that they be sober and discrete when that thei go about such holy mysteries and that they take good heede to them selues that no such offences do arise through their negligence or rashe behauiour If they would do so and suffer the holy institution of the Lord to stande whole then shoulde they do well and please God highly who requireth nothing else but a true obedience towardes his statutes and lawes whereas in doing as they do they declare them selues to be voyde of the spirite of God and of all due obedience that ought to be in all faithfull christians and true seruauntes of God. For we must be subiect to God in obedience ioyned
imagined also about this particle he descended into hell whiche wee haue shewed to bee an addition to the Crede tellyng what persones Christe did bryng from hell and whom he did leaue there still and what thynges with what woordes he did speake to euery one of the Circles c. Therefore he saieth Tibi satis est profiteri Christum sic descendisse ad inferos quemadmodum sentit scriptura c. It is sufficient for thée saieth he to professe that Christe did so descende to helle as the scripture meaneth For we muste vnderstande Christ beyng from the beginnyng head and gouernour of his Churche came in the daies of Noe not in body which then he had not but in spirite and preached by the mouth of Noe to the disobedieÌ„t which would not then repent and therefore nowe are reserued to the last iudgement For Paul saieth Iesus Christe yesterday and to day the same is also for euer as if he woulde say Christ was and shall be the foundation of all his Church for euer Peter also saith The prophecie came not in olde time by the wyll of man but holie men of God spake as thei were moued by the spirite of God Wherevpon I saie as the sonne of GOD did preache in his spirite to theim that were in prisone as Peter saith that is to them that were then in the prison of their sinnes that thei should repent as we haue before written so be saued Euen so now at this day he is quickened in the spirite and by the same spirite continually doeth preache and teache by his ministers vnto the worldes ende to those people that are in the prisone of synne ignoraunce and disobedience to tourne them to the Lorde that euery one that beleueth maie bee saued This is the verie meanyng of this place therefore we muste not gather or descante vpon bare wordes and take them literally as we liste But wee must gather of the cause For so saieth saincte Hillarie Intelligentia dictorum ex causis est assumenda dicendi quia non sermoni res sed rei est sermo subiectus That is The meanyng of woordes is to bee gathered by the causes of the speakyng for the matter is not subiecte to the worde but the worde to the matter Erasmus saieth that some came after and seemed to gather out of the Scriptures some sentences whereto thei added some reasons Non illas quidem adamantinas But not those reasons saieth he verelie moste strong but suche as are of no weighte And after that he hath recited vp all the places that seme to make for Christes soule to haue descended into helle the place of the dampned he concludeth saiyng Verùm horum nihil est quod cogat credere Christi animam per se decendisse ad tartarum siâ—e vt illi loquuntur ad Limbum That is There is none of all those aucthorities of scriptures that maie constraine any to beleue that the soule of Christe wente doune by hym self personally to hell or as thei call it to Lymbum Hereunto agreeth one Pampolitanus that saieth In inferno igitur damnatorum pro peccato actuali Christus non fuit quia vt ipse dicit inter vos nos chaos magnum statutum est c. Sicut enim coelum Empyrium est locus gloria Ita infernus est locus aeterne poenae Sicut ergo damnatus non potest ascendera coelum Empyrium Ita nullus saluatus potest descendere in locum damnatorum ergo neque Christus That is to saie In the hell of the dampned for actuall synne committed Christe was not for because he saieth Betwene you vs there is a great goulfe set c. For as the Emperiall heauen is a place of glorie So hell is a place of extreme paine and punishemente Therefore as the dampned cannot ascende into the Emperiall heauen So none of the saued can descende into the place of the dampned Therefore muche lesse christ By whiche testemonies it is plaine agreable to the worde of God that Christes soule after his death neuer wente doune to helle the place of the dampned or into any Lymbum but it went directly into heauen as he did commende it vpon the Crosse. The reason that moueth men to iudge that his soule weÌ„t into helle is for that thei supposed all the soules of the righteous before Christes commyng wente doune to helle And of this grosse iudgemente was saincte Augustine Origene Hierome Chrisostome Gregorie Folengius c. And therefore thei affirmed that Christes soule did fetche out Adam Eue Abel Seth Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob c. Howe farre wide all thei were from the truthe herein it maie easely appere by the sacred Scriptures For there it is fullie expressed that the Churche of Christ did beginne froÌ„ the creation of the worlde and from the firste righteous man that euer was and that it shall continue and indure vnto the laste daie for euer For the Churche of the Patriarkes and Prophettes that haue been before Christes commyng is all one with the Churche of his Apostles and Euangelistes and the faithfull of the olde Testamente and the faithfull of the newe are all one people and one Churche thei haue had all one God one Christe and the very same promises Thei haue had all one spirite of faith and haue all eaten of one spirituall foode and drunke of one spirituall drinke with vs So saieth Leo. Misteria pro temporum ratione variata sunt quuÌ„ fides qua viuimus nulla fuerit aetate diuersa That is Their Sacramentes by reason of the tyme were diuerse when as the faithe by the whiche wee all liue in no age was diuerse So saieth saincte Augustine likewise SacrameÌ„ta illa fuerunt in signis diuersa in rebus quae significabaÌ„tur pariae that is Their Sacramentes in outward signes were diuerse from oures but as concernyng the thynges whiche thei did signifie are equall and one with oures Tunc Christus venturus modo Christus venit venturus venit diuersa verba sunt sed idem Christus That is Then was Christ shall come nowe is Christ is come Shall come and is come are sundrie wordes But Christe is all one wherevpon I maie well conclude that all the faithfull in the olde Testament and the faithfull in the newe haue had and haue now but one place of reste and ioy to bee receiued in after their life Chrisostome herein saieth That the bosome of Abraham was vnto the poore Lazarus Paradise or heauen Some wil replie saieth he in Paradise but I confesse also the holie Paradise c. Now gentle Reader vnderstande that the promise was made vnto Adam touching the seede of the womaÌ„ that should breake the Serpentes head and that hath been confirmed againe and more plainely set forth vnto the other Patriarkes and especially vnto Abraham and Dauid all thei I saie that did giue credite
to him in our willes and vnited in our affections If we shoulde say thei againe minister the mysticall cup to the laye people we shoulde be fayne to keepe the sacramentall wine as well as the sacramentall bread But the wine can not be kept long but it waxeth eger so that it can not be drunken for egernesse Therefore the Churche of Rome hath thought good that the cup shoulde be cleane taken away from the laye people Who woulde not laugh at this balde reason of theirs do not your holy cakes in the pixe if thei be to long kept moulde also and finnie yea and runne full of maggottes and wormes too so that ye be fayne many tymes to burne that blessed body of the Lorde that ye your selues haue made and to burye the ashes in some blinde and darke corner Let the cautels of your Masse beare witnes of the thing How chaunceth it that your whorishe mother the Churche of antechriste did not for the same cause put the laye people from the sacramentall bread too Doeth not the one stande with as good a reason as the other For if ye can finde a remedie that the bread shall not waxe out of fashion by often chaunging of your holye cakes that is to say by often taking away of the olde and putting in of newe may not the same remedie be vsed in the wine Whereas they say the wine can not be kept or reserued for causes before expressed Herein they shewe them selues most miserable blasphemers From where and from whence haue they this aucthoritie to reserue and locke vp their consecrated bread as thei call it scriptures thei can shewe none and the learned are against them yea and some of their owne proctours and doctours Gabriell Biell a greate stickeler in your Transubstantiation saieth Non dedit discipulis vt ipsum honorificè conseruarent sed dedit in sui vsum dicens accipito manducate Christ gaue not the sacrament to his disciples that they should reuerently reserue it but he gaue it for their vse sayng take and eate Saincte Ciprian an olde auncient Father saieth Panis iste recipitur non includitur This bread is receaued and not shut vp Clemens likewise saieth Tanta in altario Holocâ—usta offèrantur quanta populo sufficere debeant quod â—i remanserint in crastinum non reseruentur Let there be so many Hostes or so muche bread offered at the aulter as maie bee sufficient for the people if any thyng remaine let it not be kepte vntil the mornyng Origene and Cirill saie also verie plainely Dominus panâ—m quem discipulis suis dabat non distulit nec iussit seruari in crastinum The bread that our Lorde gaue to his disciples he lengred it not nor â—ad it to be kepte vntill the mornyng Sainct Hierome shewyng the order of the Churche of Corinth saieth After the Communion was doen whatsoeuer portion of the Sacrifices remained they spent it there together in the Churche eatyng their common supper Hesichius sheweth the order in his tyme of that that was left of the sacrament and saieth that the remanentes of the Sacramente were burnt immediatly in the fire Nicephorus also saieth of the order in his tyme of that was lefte after the people had communicated together that the remanentes of the same in some places were geuen to the children that went to schole to be eaten by them presently in the Churche These testimonies are sufficient to disproue all that they haue or can alledge for their reseruation and if they woulde vse this order as thei haue declared they should neuer doubte of â—nowing moulding and sowring of the sacramentall bread and wine but yet a little more to reason with these fellowes of Rome aboute the sowryng of the wine for the which cause it can not be reserued saie they If it be the blood of christ how can it corrupte or chaunge or if it doeth corrupt and chaunge how can it be the blood of Christe Is not the blood of Christ vncorruptible and no more subiect to alteration Your owne reasons whatsoeuer ye can imagine and prate of your accidentes without substaunce or of your substaunce without accidentes doe quite ouerthrowe your false and erronious doctrine of Transubstantiation But that I should be somewhat shorter you haue no commaundement in all the scriptures to doe as you doe Is not this that ye doe in keepyng any parte of the Sacrament one of your beggerly traditions Doe ye not moste vngodly contemne despise and breake the holy commaundementes of the lorde that so ye maie maintaine vpholde your lousie inuentions The wisdome of the father our sauiour Iesu Christ doth saie drinke ye all of this diuide this among you whiche thyng the holy apostles whom we ought most chiefly to folowe next vnto Christe did performe immediatly For they dranke all of it But this wholsome commaundement of our Sauiour is cleane put downe that your wise traditions maie stande and take place When we do reproue your false shamefull and detestable abuses wherwith ye haue filled the Churche of Christ ye crie out still againste vs The Fathers The Fathers and nothyng haue ye in your mouthes but the Fathers Heare then what Sainct Ciprian who is one of the moste auncient writers of the true Churche doeth saie if in the sacrifice whiche is Christe saieth he Christe onely ought to be folowed truely we must heare and doe the same that Christe our Sauiour did and commaunded to be doen. For he saieth in his gospell if ye doe the thinges that I commaunde you I wil no more cal you seruauntes but frendes And that christ alone ought to be hearde the father doeth also testifie from heauen saiyng This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am pleased heare hym If Christe onely must be hearde we ought not to care what any man hath thought good to be doen afore vs but what Christe first who is before all hath doen. For we ought not to folowe mans custome but the trueth of god Sith that the Lorde doeth crie out by Esay saiyng They worship mée in vaine teachyng the doctrines and commaundementes of men And he saieth a litle after whosoeuer breaketh one of the least of these commaundementes and teacheth men so to doe he shal be called the least in the kyngdome of heauen If it be not lawfull saieth he to breake the least of the lordes commaundementes How much lesse ought wee to breake or transgresse those greate and weightie commaundementes and that do so muche pertaine to the Sacrament of the Lordes death and of our redemption or to chaunge them into any other thyng than it hath been instituted or ordained of God Sainct Ambrose also hath a notable saiyng Nos noua omnia quâ— christus non docuit iure damnamus quia christus fidelibus via est Si igitur christus non docuit quod
of in the booke of the Actes but this must bee doen accordyng to the rules and canons of the Apostles If they be blamelesse the husbande of one wife vigilante sober and apte to teache c. Secondlie it hath aucthoritie to teache by the lawfull ministers I meane by these ministers that are lawfully chosen with the laiyng on of handes accordyng to the rule and Cannons of the Apostles And these ministers ought to teache and set foorthe none other thyng then thei haue receiued of the Lorde hauyng alwaies before their eyes the saiyng of Christ our Sauiour Docete eos obseruare quaecunque precepi vobis Teache them to keepe and obserue all thynges what soeuer I commaunde you And the same it is that we call Potestatem clauium The power of the keyes which as it hath been sufficientlye declared before consisteth in preachyng free remission of synnes vnto the faithfull and true repentaunte synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnfaithfull and vnrepentaunte Whiche thyng if it bee duely dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christe taketh no lesse effecte then if it were doen in heauen And vnder this doe we comprehende the aucthoritie that the churche hath to excommunicate open synners and to receiue them again if thei shewe true tokens of repentaunce and of amendemeÌ„t of life Thirdely the true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to minister the sacramentes by the ministers thervnto lawfully appoincted so that it bee doen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our sauiour Iesu Christe vsyng suche tymes and seasons as thei shall thinke moste expediente for the same Fourthly and laste of all it hath full aucthoritie and power to examine the doctrines and to trie the spirites whether thei bee of God or not as it is manifeste and plaine by these saiynges Lette twoo or three Prophetes speake in the Churche and let other iudge Againe Proue all thynges and holde that whiche is good Saincte Ihon saieth Dearely beloued try the spirites whether thei bee of God or not But this triall muste bee doen with the touchestone of Gods woorde whiche with the holie ghoste ought to be the chiefe president in all Sinodes and Counsailes So saincte Augustine saieth againste Maximinus these woordes Nowe neither ought I to alledge the Counsaile of Nice nor thou the counsaile of Ariminum to take aduauâ—tage thereby for I am not bounde to the aucthoritie of the one nor thou restrained to the determination of the other Sed scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cumre causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet But by the aucthorities of the Scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent vnto vs bothe let one matter with an other cause with cause and reason coÌ„tende with reason Saincte Hierome therefore saieth Omni studio legende nobis sunt scripturae in lege domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezite sciamus the scriptures are to be read of vs with all diligence and to meditate daie and night in the lawe of the lorde that we maie become perfecte exchaungers to knowe the false counterfecte doctrine froÌ„ the true doctrine of Christe Sainct Origene also hath these woordes Sensus nofiri enarrationes sine scripturis testibus non fidem habet Our iudgemente and expositions without witnesse of the holie scripres haue no credite Thus wee maie plainly see that all our matters muste bee tried by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures So farre foorth doth the aucthoritie of the true Churche extend which as it can not erre as long as she taketh gods word the holy ghost for her guide so assoone as she forsaketh Gods worde and the guidyng of the holie ghoste she falleth into all kinde of errours at length doeth become the Synagogue of Satan the Church of the malignaunt the stinckyng haâ—lot of antichriste Howbeit the whole vniuersal Church doth neuer so fall awaie from the truthe of Goddes woorde but that God dooeth alwaies preserue vnto hym selfe a certaine number whiche will neuer agree nor consente vnto vngodlinesse and from whom the spirite of trueth is not taken awaie And because that these bee vnknowen of the worlde as thei that lacke the outwarde tokens and signes of the true Churche of Christe whiche are the preachyng of Gods worde and the ministration of the sacramentes and the vse of true discipline accordyng to the institution and ordinaunces of the Lorde are commonly called the inuisible Churche not bicause that men are inuisible whiche thyng can not be as long as they bee here conuersaunt vpon the earth but bicause that thei be only knowen and seen of God who knoweth onely who be his who be not And this faithfull congregation whether it hath the outwarde signes of the true Churche of Christ or not as long as it beareth aboute this body of synne is subiect to many infirmities but for Christes sake thei are not imputed for when it is saide that it is without spot or wrinkle that is to be vnderstanded by imputation through Iesus Christ our sauiour And therefore it is called the glorious congregation And I doe also beleue with sainct Augustine that this catholique Churche is the Barne floore of the Lorde and that in it vntill the daie of iudgement Chaffe shal be mixed still with the Wheate My meanyng is this that in the Church both good and badde true beleuers and hypocrites are conteined together in the felowship of the sacramentes and that it shall be so vnto the worlds ende Whiche thyng we doe learne by the parable of the good seede and of the Darnell and of the Nette that is cast into the Sea and whiche doeth drawe of all kynde of fishes vnto the shore But we must in the meane while beware that we do not because of the Chaffe Darnell and rotten fishes seuere and diuide our selues from the Churche as the wicked Anabaptistes doe which for euery triflyng matter do diuide them selues from the Churche though the worde of God bee neuer so finely nor sincerely preached and the Sacramentes moste rightly ministred according to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde Why do we not rather folowe the godly counsell of the blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian that he geueth vnto vs Although saith he Darnel Tares are seen to be in the church yet our faith and charitie ought not to be letted that bicause we do sée Tares and Darnell to be in the Church we shoulde therfore forsake the Church but rather we ought to endeuour our selues that we may be good corne that when the good corne is gathered into the Garners of the Lorde we maie receaue a rewarde of our labour and worke Also in a great house there be many vessels not only of Golde and Siluer but
leape dice carde sweare fight runne abrode in the night breakyng vp dores and windowes and burne mens houses one of his Cardinals he gelded he put out anothers eies whiche was his Godfather he cut of ones hande of a nother a tongue of others a finger a nose an eare in his dice plaiyng he woulde call vpon euil spirites and drinke to the deuil beyng thus Pope and an vnholy father nine yeres three monethes and fiue daies was striken of the deuill as they saie as he was a bed with a nother mans wife and so died within eight daies after most miserablie So of this fathers godly life came that prouerbe vp as merie as Pope Iohn VVhat was Pope Sergius â–ª not a man without al vertue and learnyng kept not he a whore in the tyme of his Popedome called Morozia and had by her a bastarde whiche was Pope long after hym called Pope Iohn the .11 This filthy tyraunt did many villanous actes VVhat was Pope Marcellinus not a greate Idolater what was Syluester the .2 not a greate coniurer and gaue hymselfe body and soule to the deuill and by the deuils procurement was made Pope was not Pope Liberius an Arrian heritique was not Pope Leo likewise an Arrian Pope Caelestinus was he not a Nestorian heretique was not Pope Honorius a Monothelite heretique Pope Iohn the .22 was not he reproued as an heretique at Paris concernyng the soule of man I praie you what was Pope Hyldebrande was he not an aduouterer a Churche robber a peâ—iured man a murtherer who poysoned sixe other Popes his predecessours to make hym selfe roome to the holy seate was he not a greate Sorcerer and a reneger of the faith was not Pope Vrbanus a tyrannous murtherer that tooke fiue of his Cardinals aliue and put them into Sackes and threwe them into the Sea I coulde speake of Pope Stephen of his handlyng of Formosus his predecessour in cuttyng of his fingers and heade and threwe his carkasse into Tyber and of many others of them but that I should occupie and consume muche ynke and paper about a sorte of filthie liuers therefore Pope Adrian the .4 was wont to say Succedimus noÌ„ Petro in pascendo sed Romulo in parricidio VVhat should I speake of their holy Cardinals are thei not Ruffians tosse pottes whore maisters and buggerers with yong boies like vnto the Sodomites al the world knoweth it VVhat should I saie of others their Priestes how shamefully thei liued in their holy orders were not a nomber of them theeues periurers murtherers buggerers with boyes Mares and Sowe pigges some of them haue been arained at the Barre for it in Excester and els where as the recordes can testifie some of them were no small chickens in the Popes Coube what saie you to those holie Fathers at the last councell of Trydent whiche were solemply gathered together as thei saide to reforme matters of religion and suppressyng of vice was not two of those holy fathers taken at that tyme in whordome the one was striken downe with a Club the other taken with the maner by the husbande and hanged by the necke out of a greate Lucane window in the streete VVhat shoulde I saie not long agone of one in VVinchester a great D. of the Papistes who would drinke nothing but water thrise a weeke who vnder the colour of virginity of wearing a shurte of heere and hanging his shrowde at his beddes feete and mortifiyng his body with straightnes of life kepte three whores at once in his Chamber to serue him and his fellowes at neede whiche whores were fetched out by certaine Iustices of peace This is as true as men vse to eate meate vpon a Boarde To conclude and leaue troublyng of your Lordeships chaste and Godly eares we will saie of their whole Cleargie as some of their owne doctours haue written Venalitate Curiae Romane inanitèr praeficiuntur Lenones Coqui Stabularij equorum pueri Through the briberie of the Courte of Rome Bawdes Cookes Hostlers Horsekepers and children are placed in offices to gouerne the Churche Thus I haue rather geuen an inkelyng hereof then opened the particuler secretes of the matter for as saint Barnarde saith Quâ— in occulâ—â— fiunt ab Episcopis turpe est vel dicere The third cause is for that of late one IhoÌ„ Blackeal borne in Excester did open penaunce at Powles Crosse And then and there before all the congregation openly for that I detected his horible vices and manifested theÌ„ to certaine of my friendes to the ende that he might be better reclaimed from his lewde and wanton life and so to satisfie the whole congregation with open repentaunce crauyng their praiers vnto god for him cried and breathyng out against me many foule and sclaunderous reportes to the greate griefe of the godly and ioye of the wicked Papistes But hereby easely appeareth the nature of the wicked malicious For when any coÌ„uersion is made through gods spirite by any sinner they will enuy and vse railyng words againste that conuert as the wicked Scribes and Pharisees did And will speake euill of them bicause saieth Peter they runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riote therefore speake thei euill of you If I had been altogether as wicked as he declared openly yet he and all other enuious men ought not to haue sorrowed but ioyed not to haue enuied â–ª but loued Gods good workyng in mee with the aungels of heauen This wicked man will not light a Candle to seeke a sinner but rather will bryng a fier brande to consume his brother with his flamyng wordes but as Dauid saieth whoâ— burning Coales shall consume that same tongue that will bee the portion for euer for all suche lyers and sclaunderers A sclaunderer is worse then a Rauen who eateth men beyng dead but a wicked slaunderer eateth men beyng a liue But let vs examine Reuerend Father howe this lewde man followeth the Counsell of Salomon that saieth Despise not a man that turneth hym selfe awaie from synne nor cast hym not in the teeth with all but remember that we are all worthy blame the like doctrine Paule teacheth Brethren if a man be fallen by occasâ—ion into any faulte ye which are spirituall restore suche one with the spirite of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou be tempted also The Lorde saith by his prophet that he will not remember nor make mention of the former life of a sinner after his conuersion But this enuious and sclaunderous man will haue in remembraunce thinges past and make mention of that was neuer doen spoken noâ— saide to the greate infamie of the Gospell bicause I am called although vnworthy to be a preacher thereof Vpon which reportes and manifest sclaunders spoken the Queenes maiesties commissioners immediatly sent for mee to come before them and vppon my apparaunce he then beyng in the Marshal see a prisoner founde suche subtill and craftie meanes
confesse euen the same that our Sauiour Iesus Christe who alone by his holy spirite doeth sanctifie all men and euen the very babes in their mothers belly doeth there speake of the spirituall regeneration of man and of his newe birth declaryng what is requisite and necessarie for him for to be a christian that is to say howe that it is necessarie that he forsake his first generation and birth whiche is altogether corrupted accursed and naught and that he be regenerated and borne agayne by the spirite of God and by the incorruptible séede of his worde so that he must be made a new creature bearing the image of Iesu Christe the true heauenlye Adam as he did beare the image of the olde Adam And therefore he saith Except a man be borne a newe or from aboue he cannot see the kyngdome of god And then afterwardes he doeth expounde by an other sentence folowyng the selfe same thyng that he had saide before For to be borne a newe or from aboue and to be borne of water and the spirite are phrases and maner of speakinges whiche doe signifie all one thyng so that those two sentences of Christe doe differ in nothyng sauyng only that the last doth expounde the first beyng somewhat more ample and copious For sithe that our first generation and byrth is carnall it behoueth that the seconde be spirituall sith that the first man beyng of the earth is earthy it is requisite and necessarie that the seconde which is from heauen be heauenly and spirituall But this generation and chaunge can not be doen but by the spirite of god For as it is written in the same place That whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite And therfore our Sauiour Christ going about to expound the same vnto Nicodemus that he had saide before Excepts a man be borne a newe or from aboue he cannot sée the kingdome of God he doeth saie afterwardes Excepte that a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kyngdome of God bicause that the spirite the aucthour of this generation is geuen from aboue who worketh this new birth in vs whiche is altogether heauenly and spirituall But paraduenture they wil saie what neede he to adde water was it not enough to name the spirite Unto whom I aunswere Wherefore did Iohn Baptiste saie speakyng of the office and ministerie of our Sauiour Christ that he should baptize with the holie ghost and with fire What neede had he sith that he had named the spirite to make any mention of fire Shall it therefore be necessarie to appointe a Baptisme of fire as they saie that some folke haue doen and yet doe at this presente daie Saint Augustine doth testifie that the heretiques Seleucus and Hermias who were Galatians did not baptize with water he telleth not wherwith they did baptize but other writers saie that they did baptize with fire Wee reade likewise that the Iacobites doe vse fire in the circumcision of their children wherwith they be wont to marke them either in the forehead or in the cheeke They saie also that the Indians Ethiopians and Persians whiche counte them selues to be Christians doe yet at this present tyme vse fire in stéede of water in their baptisme Which errour without all doubt did come of the false intelligence and vnderstandyng of our sauiour Christes wordes For they doe not perceiue nor vnderstande that fire is taken of our Sauiour Christe and also of Iohn Baptiste by a figuratiue maner of speakyng for the holy spirite of God that so they might the more liuely expresse the nature and propertie of the holy ghoste For as the fire is pure and cleane and can suffer no vncleannesse so the holy ghoste doth pourge and cleanse and lighten the consciences setting them on fire with the loue of God. For the whiche cause hee was sent vnto the Apostles in the likenesse of fierie tongues Which thyng was both foreséene forespoken of Iohn Baptiste and also meant by our Sauiour Christe If wee doe not sticke to take fire in that place for the holye spirite of God and for a more ample exposition and settyng foorth of his nature and properties wherfore should we sticke to take water here in this place for the same selfe spirite considering the conformity agreement and affinitie that the water hath with the nature and properties of the holy Ghoste yea all thynges beyng well considered it standeth with more reason then the other doth For Saint Iohn speaketh of the holy ghoste firste and then maketh mention of the fire Therefore a man might thinke that either he did vnderstande two seueral thynges or that he did expounde one thing that is plaine of it selfe by an other thyng whiche is obscure and darke But in this place our sauiour Christe doeth put the water first and then afterwards as though he would expound vnto vs his figuratiue maner of speakyng and geue vnto it a greater light he doeth declare what he will haue vs to vnderstande by the same water that is to saie his holy spirite vnto whom he geueth this name for many causes Firste bicause that as the fire is an Elemente exceadyng pure and cleane and so necessary for mans life that it is impossible that men might forgoe it So the water is very needefull beyng of a very cleare pure and cleane nature and verie meete for to represent and signifie the nature and properties of the holy ghost For as the water doeth renewe the earth maketh it fertile causyng it to bryng foorth fruite and doeth wash the filthinesse of the bodies so the holy ghost doth wash purifie refresh and water the hartes and consciences of men comfortyng them and also makyng them to bryng foorth pleasaunt fruictes and acceptable to God. And as water doeth put out fire and quenche the thirste so the holy Ghoste doeth quenche the fire of the euill concupiscences of the fleshe he doeth also quenche the thirste of the poore troubled soules satisfiyng them for euermore Secondly he would by this maner of speakyng make vs to vnderstande those ceremonies washynges and purifiynges that be conteined in the Lawe of Moyses and likewise those Prophecies whereby the holy ghoste was promised and specially by Esay and Ezechiell vnto whiche Prophecies he had nowe a respect Therfore he would declare vnto vs that those waters that were promised of God did signifie nothyng els but the aboundaunt giftes of the holy spirite of God which shoulde be powred vpon all flesh as a streame or flood of water that doeth run downe and ouerfloweth all the whole earth whiche thyng S. Peter doeth testifie to haue been fulfilled both in hymself and in all the other disciples of our Sauiour Christe in the feast of Whitsontide accordyng to the Prophecie of Ioell And for this cause our sauiour Iesus christ both in this place and whē he
are spoken vnto Peter thei are spoken vnto all Priestes or Ministers Beda plainly saieth these wordes Potestas ligandi soluendi quamuis soli Petro a domino data videatur tamen absque vlla dubietate noscendum est quod caeteris Apostolis datae est The power of bindyng and loosyng notwithstandyng it séeme to bee giuen onely vnto Peter yet without all doubte wee muste vnderstande that it was giuen also to the reste of the Apostles Sainct Augustine saith Petrus quando accepit claues ecclesiam sanctam significauit Peter when he receiued the keyes signified the holy Churche Therefore saieth he when thei were all asked Peter alone doeth make an aunswere and it is saied vnto him And I will giue thée the keyes of heauen as though he alone had receiued aucthoritie to binde and to loose whereas he had spoken that for theim all and receiued this as bearyng in hym self the persone of vnitie with them all The meanyng is this when our Sauiour Christe did aske his Apostles whom thei thought hym to bee Peter alone did make aunswere whiche did serue for theim all For though one alone had aunswered yet Christ tooke it as if thei had all aunswered like to a Iurie of twelue men one maketh aunswere for all and the Iudge accepteth it as though euery one had spoken And as the aunswere of one did serue for them al so the promise that was made vnto one was made vnto them all Whiche thyng is moste true For looke what he did promise to one the same doeth he performe vnto them all saiyng these wordes As my father hath sent me so doe I sende you And when he had spoken these words he did blowe vpon thē saiyng Receiue the holy ghoste whose synnes soeuer ye dooe forgiue shal bee forgiuen vnto hym and whose synnes soeuer ye doe retaine thei shal be retained vnto hym Whiche doeth plainly agree with the woordes that he speaketh vnto them in the .xviij. Chapiter of Sainct Matthewe But I thinke it expediente and necessary for the instruction of the vnlearned and ignoraunte people to shewe what our sauiour doeth vnderstande by the keyes And here will I bryng nothing of mine owne but Chrisostome an auncient writer of the Greke churche shall discusse all the whole matter The keye saieth he is the knowledge of the worde of the scriptures whereby the gate of the truthe is opened vnto men And the kepers of the keyes are the ministers vnto whom charge is giuen to expounde and declare the scriptures Saincte Tertulian also saieth Quam clauem habebant doctores nisi interpretationem legis What key had the doctours of the lawe sauyng the exposition of the lawe Sainct Hierome also hath these wordes Duces ecclesiae habent claues scientiae vt aperiant scripturas creditis sibi populis Vnde praecipitur vt magistri aperiant discipuli ingrediantur The capitaines of the Churche haue the keyes of knowledge to open the scriptures vnto the people to them committed Therefore commaundemente is giuen that the Maisters should open and the Scholers should enter Sainct Ambrose saieth Remittuntur peccata per dei verbum cuius leuites est interpres Synnes bee forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder whereof is the priest Saint Augustine agreyng with them all saieth Claues est dicenda qua ad fidem pectorum dura reserantur That ought to bee called the keye wherewith the hardnesse of mens heartes is opened vnto faithe Here maie wee see that all the true preachers of Goddes worde are the kepers of those keyes and not the Bishoppe of Rome onely for of hym Christes woordes maie bee verified when he saieth Ye haue taken awaie the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and neither dooe you enter your selues nor will you suffer others that would enter Of the Popes keyes it is well saied of Veselus Claues Pape praelatorum non aperiunt regnum dei sed claudunt potius The Popes and the prelates keyes dooe not open the kyngdome of God but rather shutte it It was saied generally vnto theim all Go ye into the vniuersall worlde and preache the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is Baptized shall bee saued and he that beleueth not shal be condemned In these fewe wordes of our Sauiour Christe twoo thinges are to be considered and marked Firste we doe learne by them that the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen that is to saie the preachyng of the Gospell is committed vnto them all I meane vnto all the Apostles and not to one more then an other Secondly wee learne by theim that to loose is none other thyng but to certifie by Gods woorde the consciences of the true beleuers that their synnes are freely forgiuen thorowe faithe in our Sauiour Christe iesu Whiche thyng beyng doen by the true and faithfull ministers of the Churche here vpon the earth taketh no lesse effecte in all true repentaunte synners then if it were dooen in heauen in the sacred counsaile of the holy and blessed Trinitie And for this cause doeth Christ our sauiour saie What soeuer ye loose here vppon the earth is loosed in heauen Therefore saincte Hierome accordeth herewith saiyng Quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in caelo Soluant autem eos Apostoli sermone dei testimonijs scripturarum exhortatione virtutum What soeuer thynges ye loose vppon earth thei shall bee loosed in heauen but the Apostles loose them by the woorde of God and by the testimonies of the scriptures and by exhortation vnto vertue Sainct Augustine also saieth Now are you cleane bicause of the worde that I haue spoken vnto you Quare non ait mundi estis propter Baptismum quo loti estis Nisi quia in aqua verbum mundat non quia dicitur sed quia creditur Wherefore saieth he not you are cleane because of the baptisme wherewith ye are washed Sauing that euen in the water it is the worde that maketh cleane Not because it is spoken but because it is beleued Againe he saieth Fides nostra est clauis regni coelorum Our faithe is the key of the kyngdome of heauen Ambrose saieth these woordes Remittuntur peccaeta per verbum dei cuius leuites est interpres Sinnes be forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder whereof is the Leuite or Prieste Therefore S. Paule calleth it Verbum reconciliationis the worde whereby we be reconciled to God. Againe he called it Potentia dei ad salutem omni credenti The power of God vnto saluation to euery one that doeth beleue And on the contrary parte to binde here vpon the earth it is none other thyng but to certifie by the same worde the vnfaithfull synners whiche will giue no eares vnto the glad tidynges of the kyngdome of heauen their synnes are stil in remembraunce before God vnto euerlastyng condemnation because thei will
iudgement euen as the vnfaithfull and reprobate can geue no iudgement of the worde of God nor yet alowe it Whereby we maie then conclude that the certitude veritie and infalliblenesse of Gods worde doeth not depende or hang vpon the opinion and iudgement of men but that it doth altogether depende of the holy spirite of God whiche by his owne force vertue and strength doth verifie it and constraineth the faithfull to alowe and receaue it as the bright and cleare beames of the Sunne doe compell the eyes to confesse that the Sunne is cleare and bright For the shéepe of our Sauiour christ doe both heare and vnderstande the voice of their shephearde and not the voice of a straunger And all the Prophetes haue prophecied and taught and the apostles also haue been verified and aucthorized by the vertue of hym that spake in theâ— so that all the whole worlde could not withstande it It is nowe easie to see that the true catholique Churche of God though she knoweth which is the true worde of god and which is not and that by the inspiration of the same holy spirite that they were inspired withall whiche did leaue vnto vs by writyng the holy and sacred Scriptures that be conteined in the olde and newe testament I meane the canonical bokes of them both for as Sainct Chrisostome saieth Ergò suam erga homines amicitiam innouare volens quasâ— longè absentibus literas mittit conciliaturus sibi vniuersam hominum naturam Therefore god mindyng to renewe his fauour towardes man sent his holie Scriptures as it were his letters thereby to reconcile to him selfe all mankynde â–ª Ireneus saieth Apostoli tunc euangelium praeconiauerunt Postea verò per dei voluntatem illud in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum Then the Apostles preached the Gospell and afterwardes by Gods will thei deliuered the same to vs in writyng to be a foundation and a piller vnto our faith But here to speake of the Papistes obiections howe that the Churche was before the worde it shal be superfluous to waste paper and Inke in so fruictlesse a question For we say generally the worde was before the church for Moyses wrote the worde of God that he spake to Adam of the séede to come So saieth Sainct Paul God spake in olde tymes many waies and in sundrie sortes vnto the fathers And saint Chrisostome saieth God the creatour of mankynde from the beginnyng spake vnto men by hym selfe in his owne person We speake not so precisely and nicely of Gods worde written in Paper For so it is a creature corruptible and shall consume and perishe as other corruptible creatures doe But the worde of God whiche we speake of endureth for euer Saincte Hierome thereto agreyng saieth these wordes Quomodo aeternae erunt scripturae diuinae si mundus certo fine est terminandus Verum est quidem quod librorum pelliculae cum ipsis literis abolandae sunt Sod quià subiungit dominus verba mea verò noÌ„ praeteribunt proculdubio quod illiâ— apicibus pollicetur erit aeternuÌ„ That is to saie in englishe thus How shall the holy scriptures be euerlastyng seeyng the worlde shall haue an ende True it is that the Parchement or leaues of the bookes with the letters and all shal be abolished But forasmuche as our Lorde addeth my wordes shall neuer passe doubtlesse the thynges that are promised by the same letters shall laste for euer ¶ The .xxxviij. Chapiter ¶ The true Churche is knowen by the worde of God. SO that the woorde of GOD enduring for euer is it that the holy catholike and true Church is knowen by and euer hath been Therefore sainct Augustine saith Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosâ—o participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truth And againe he saieth I would the Churche should be shewed not by the decrees of men but by the heaueÌ„ly oracles or wordes of God Wée muste seeke the Churche in the woordes of Christ whiche is the truthe and beste knoweth his owne bodie The holie Scripture sheweth vs the Churche without doubtyng In the holie scriptures the Churche is plainly knowen We muste knowe the Churche by the holie Canonicall scriptures as we knowe the heade Sainct Chrisostome also saieth Nullo modo cognoscituÌ„r quae sit vera ecclesia nisi tantuÌ„modo per scripturas It is not any wayes knowen which is the true Churche of Christ but only by the scriptures S. Augustine saith Non audiamus haec dico haec dicis sed audiamus haec dicit dominus Ibi quaeramus ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these wordes this saie I this saiest thou But let vs heare these woordes thus saieth the Lorde There lette vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse our cause I will not haue the holy Churche to bee shewed by mans iudgement but by Goddes woorde Saincte Ambrose also doeth saie these wordes Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne light but by the light of Christ which is by the worde of God. These testimonies of the godlie fathers of the Catholike Churche dooe flatly declare that the Churche is knowen onely by the worde of God and not by mans decrees nor statutes therefore the true Churche doeth not take vpon her to adde any thing vnto it or to take ought away from it she doth not presume to forge newe articles of our faithe and to sette forthe news lawes and decrees for Goddes holie woorde but she contenteth her self with the worde lawes and ordinaunces of her true husbande and heade Iesus Christe Therefore that whorishe churche of Rome whiche moste presumpteously forgeth daiely newe lawes and Articles of our faithe settyng forthe euen with fire and sworde the fonde doctrines and inuentions of men for the true and infallible woorde of the liuyng GOD mainteinyng openly that their Churche is aboue the woorde of GOD and that it is of more force and greater aucthoritie for these are their owne woordes set out in their owne bookes A doctrina Romanae ecclesia Romani pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The holie scripture taketh strength and aucthoritie of the doctrine of the Romain Churche and of the Bishoppe of Rome Againe in the same booke he saieth I meane Siluester Prierias maister of the Popes palaice Indulgentiae authoritatae scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Romanae ecclesiae Romanoâ—umque pontificum quae maior est Pardones are not knowen to vs by the aucthoritie of the Scriptures but by the aucthoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures These I saie boldely can in nowise bee the true spouse of our sauiour Iesu Christe but the abhominable
and stinckyng harlotte of Antichriste Thei haue alwaies in their mouthes this saiyng of saincte Augustine non crederem Euangeli◠nisi me ecclesiae catholicae authoritas commoueret I would not beleue the Gospell excepte the aucthoritie of the Catholike Churche moued me These fewe words haue thei tossed to and fro to presse out of them that is not in theim and would seme to goe aboute to proue the creature aboue the creatour that made all thynges But as S. Augustine saieth he beleued the Gospell because of the Church so likewise he hath said Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosco participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truthe But whereas thei would seme to goe aboute to proue by Augustines woordes that the Churche is aboue the worde of God their folie herein is easily espied if wée consider the cause that moued Augustine so to speake The Manichees would needes goe about to proue and make men to beleue that the Epistle of Fundamētus was of as good aucthoritie as the Epistles of Paule Peter Iames or Ihon. And that their Manicheus was the Apostle of Christe Augustine aunswereth theim and saieth he can not bee so easily perswaded by the same reason to receiue the Epistle of Manicheus as the Epistles of Peter and Paule c. He giueth a reason why for because saieth he in receiuyng of them thei had the aucthoritie testimonie and commendation of the Catholike Churche but Fundamentus Epistle hath no aucthoritie nor testimonie but onely of the Manichees theim selues whiche were openly shutte out from the Churche whiche by no meanes can be in equall aucthoritie with the aucthoritie of the Churche So if wée marke Augustines woordes well wée shall easily perceiue that he maketh not the Churche iudge of the scriptures nor yet graunteth any aucthoritie to the church ouer the scriptures but onely as witnesses and testimonies whiche bee the true canonicall scriptures from the Apochriphes and counterfecte Scriptures as this Epistle of the Manichees And that this is the true meaning of sainct Augustine one of their owne doctours and a Papiste for his life saieth vpon these woordes of sainct Augustine before recited Errare cos qui ijs dem Augustini verbis abutuntur ad probandum quod Papae vel cōcilium vel ecclesia possit immutare quae ab Euangelistis Apostolis sunt tradita That is to saie they do erre whiche vse the same wordes of sainct Augustine to proue that the Pope or Counsaile or the churche maie alter or chaunge what so euer haue been deliuered by the Euangelistes and Apostles No◠wee maie not gather herevpon that the aucthoritie of the churche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures because that there bee many founde whiche dooe take the holy scriptures for authenticall as moued by the aucthoritie of the Churche In deede to them the Churche séemeth better then the holie scriptures but thei bee farre otherwise of them selues Els Moyses should by the same reason bee of greater aucthoritie then Christe because that many beleued in Christe moued by the aucthoritie of the scripture of Moyses as Christ saith If you would beleue Moyses ye would beleue me also We reade in Iohn thus And of that citie many of the Samaritans beleued in Christe vppon the woorde of the woman whiche bare witnesse and saied For he tolde me all thynges that I haue doen. Accordyng vnto this argument the aucthoritie of the synfull woman was more then of Christe and so it was in deede at the firste of more reputation with the people of the citie to whom Christe was yet vnknowen But of it self it was not so nor afterwardes whē thei hearyng the doctrine of saluation of Christe hym self thei saied vnto the woman Now we doe not beleue because of thy woordes for we haue heard knowen that this is verely the sauiour of the worlde Sainct Ihon shewed Christe vnto the people yet he was not greater then Christe In sainct Peter we doe reade in this wise Likewise ye women also bee subiecte vnto your husbandes that thei also whiche dooe not beléeue the woorde maie be wonne without the worde through the conuersation of the woman c. Ergo whereas the vnfaithfull husbande is stirred vnto the faithe of Christe by the regarde of the conuersation of his wife whiche he seeth is honeste chaste faithfull and obediente whereas he coulde not bee moued by the preachyng of the Gospell maie we gather that the conuersation of the woman is better or greater then the Gospell In deede so it appeareth but it is to hym whiche is still vnfaithfull not vnto hym which doeth acknowedge the trueth of the Gospell and the aucthoritie of God. The Churche had in tymes paste greate estimation of holy conuersation whereby many were brought vnto the faithe of Christ and the aucthoritie of the church did them good But yet it was not of it selfe better then the truth of the Gospell ¶ The xxxlx Chapiter ¶ Of the office and aucthoritie of the Churche and how i◠maie erre and how it cannot erre THE Churche we graunt as part we touched before hath three offices touchyng the worde of god The first and formoste of them is that as a witnesse she keepeth the holie bookes of the Canonicall scriptures But thereby it can not be proued that it is lefull for her to peruerte or alter any thyng in the saied holie bookes As publique and priuate writynges are committed to Scriueners or Notaries to be laied vp and kepte of them And yet none will saie he maie alter any thyng of those writynges The seconde office is to preache and publishe the wordes committed vnto it by God but it maie publishe nothyng but what is taught by the worde to them deliuered as a common crier who although he publishe the decrees of Princes and Magistrates yet he is not aboue the decrees of Princes and Magistrates but his whole office is faithfully to pronounce all thynges as he hath receiued them of the Prince addyng nothyng to it nor takyng ought awaie The thirde office is sithe that she is indued with the spirite of God it must therefore discerne and trie the sincere and vncorrupte bookes of holie scriptures from the counterfecte and Apochriphas So many can descerne the true and proper writynges of Plato and Aristotle So we can descerne God from the deuill and yet are we not to be compted equall with God much lesse can we thinke that we doe excell hym Now we haue saied somewhat of the office of the Churche I will also declare the whole aucthoritie that she hath by the woorde of GOD. The aucthoritie then of the true Churche of our Sauiour Christe doeth moste chiefly consiste in fower thynges First this true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to choose and ordeīne ministers as wee learne by the example of the Apostles and of the Churches that bee spoken
at all Hesichius also saieth The grace of God is giuen onely of mercie and fauour Et fide comprehenditur sola And is embraced and receiued by onely faith Saint Chrisostome saieth Illi dicebant qui sola â—ide nititur execrabilis est hic contrà demonstrat eum qui sola fide nititur benedictum esse They saide who so staied himselfe by only faith is accursed Contrariwise Saint Paul proueth that who so staieth hymselfe by onely faithe he is blessed Hierome also hath these wordes ignorantes speakyng of the Pharisies quod sola fide iustificat deus se ex operibus legis quam nunquam custodierunt iustos esse putantes They not knowing that God iustifieth onely by faith and supposyng themselues to be iuste by the workes of the lawe whiche they neuer obserued they would not submit themselues vnto the remission of synnes least thei should seeme to haue been synners Saint Hilarie hath these wordes in Mathewe and vppon this text Râ—mittuntur tibi peccata tua thy synnes are forgeuen thee and writeth on this maner Moâ—et scribas remissum ab homine peccatum hominem enim tantum in christo Iesu coÌ„tuebantur remissum ab eo quod lex laxare non poterat Fides enim sola iustificat That is to saie It moueth the Scribes that synne was forgiuen by man For they did onely beholde man in Christe Iesu and that to be forgeuen of hym whiche the lawe could not release For faith onely doth iustifie This is the herisie that we teache according to the holy scriptures and learned fathers of the catholique Churche But they obiect againe that good workes deserue bicause it shal be rewarded for saie they S. Iohn saith their workes folowe after them And Christe saieth to his disciples he that geueth a Cup of colde water to any of these little ones for my â—ake shall not loose his rewarde And sainct Paule saieth your worke shall not be in vaine in the Lorde Christ saieth againe Reioyce and be glad for your rewarde is greate in heauen and â—â— the Hebrewes it is saide God is not vnrighteous that hee shoulde forget our labour Wee graunt good woorkes haue their rewarde But the same rewarde standeth in mercie fauour and not in duetie Therefore we saie consideryng the weakenesse and synfull corruption of our nature there can be no works in vs so pure and perfect that we may therby of right and of duetie deserue euerlastyng life For God hath a kyngdome an inheritaunce for children and not a rewarde for bounde seruauntes and slaues Therfore Gregorie Nanzianzene saith if thou he a bound seruaunt or a â—laue then feare the whip If thou be a hirelyng then looke onely for thy rewarde but ouer and besides this if thou be a childe then reuerence God as thy father Doe well bicause it is good to obeie thy Father Yea and although thou shalt haue nothing els yet euen this shall be thy rewarde that thou hast been obedient to thy father Therfore we must saie saieth christ when we haue doen whatsoeuer I commaunde you saie ye we are vnprofitable seruauntes Hilarie to this purpose hath these wordes If we fast once saieth he we thinke we haue satisfied If out of the barnes of our householde store wée giue somewhat to the poore wee beleue we haue fulfilled the measure of righteousnesse But the Prophete hopeth all of God and trusteth of his mercie Sainct Basile also saieth He that trusteth not to his owne good deedes nor hopeth to bee iustified by his woorkes hath the onely hope of his saluation the mercies of god Augustine therefore saied verie well Qui diligit aliud preter te Minus diligit te O God he the lesse loueth thee that loueth any other thyng besides thee But before we declare how good déedes are rewarded Let vs see what good woorkes these are that the Papistes doe so muche talke of shall bee rewarded or that deserueth euerlastyng life Firste thei teache vnto the pleople that are ignoraunte to heare Masse euery daie deuoutely to lye prostratâ— before deade Images to mumble out a nomber of prayers vnto Sainctes to goe on Pilgrimages to builde vp Chaunteries and Churches and to cause Trentalles of Masses and Diriges and other trumperie to bee saied for the deade Item to giue largely of their substaunce and gooddes to idell Priestes Monkes Friers and Nonnes to giue money gold siluer and silke to make crosses chalices coapes vestementes and other like plaierly garmentes to furnishe out the stinckyng Masses to saie our Ladies Psalter to praie vpon Beades to vse obserue and kepe Pharisaicall fastynges with the Popishe idle holie daies and solempne feastes and to receiue holie breade holie water holie palme holie asshes and holie fire holie creame holie candelles and holie oile c. These are the good woorkes and beste woorkes that they haue set forth to bee doen of all people and who soeuer speaketh againste those woorkes they are taken for enemies to GOD and as rancke heretiques but all those good woorkes of the papistes are not required nor yet commaunded of God to bee dooen therefore thei dooe rather deserue the name of synne and of detestable abhomination before God then of good workes The true good woorkes are voide of all superstition thei are alligated or bounde neither to place nor to the persones nor to tyme for thei are as certaine fruites of our whole life testifiyng of the goodnesse of our harte and expressyng the nature of our heauenly father which not onely of the faithfull but of the very infidelles are rekened and taken for good workes and minister occasion vnto them to glorifie our father whiche is in heauen The workes of faithe workyng through Charitie and loue are good woorkes For GOD doeth worke them in vs and by vs them doeth our sauiour Christe set out saiyng I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was thirstie and ye gaue me drincke I was naked and ye clothed me I was harbourlesse and ye harboured me I was sicke and in prison and ye visited me The Apostle also doeth sufficiently teache vs what be the good woorkes that God doeth require of vs but what should I alledge one or twoo textes sithe all the whole Scriptures do euerywhere exhort vs still vnto good workes what those good workes are S. Paul doeth declare when he saith We are the workmanship of god created in christ Iesu vnto those good workes that God hath prepared for vs to walke in If any man should aske me nowe what bee those good woorkes that he hath prepared for vs to walke in I would aunswere that all those woorkes that God doeth bidde and commaunde vs in his holie and sacred worde are those good workes that he hath prepared for vs for to walke in And those I saie and beleue ought onely to be called good workes and none other And therefore
third is when any man forgiueth his brother which offendeth hym as Christ saieth If you doe forgiue vnto men your father shall forgiue you yours And saincte Paule saieth Forgiue one and other if any man haue a quarel to an other euen as Christe forgaue you euen so dooe ye But as concernyng that forgiuenesse of synnes whiche is necessarie to our saluation doeth depende onely vppon the grace mercie and loue of God without any our merites or worthinesse And that our synnes are clearely taken awaie by Christes death and passion and that he will cast them into the bottome of the Sea or els remoue them as farre from hym as the Easte is from the Weste and the Northe parte of the worlde from the Southe part of the same We must beleeue this without any doubtyng or waueryng tremblyng or fearyng mostâ— constantly and assuredly ¶ The .xlij. Chapiter ¶ It is no presumption to bee sure and certaine of our Saluation HEre the Papistes raue and saie wee are presumteous so to affirme the certaintie of grace and saluation for saie they Paule biddeth and counsaileth vs with feare and tremblyng to worke our saluation I aunswere This feare riseth in consideration of our owne weakenesse and vnworthinesse not of any distruste or doubte of Goddes mercie But rather the lesse cause we finde to trust in our selues the more cause we haue to truste in God. Now concernyng the assuraunce or certaintie of our saluation the scriptures are full Sainct Paule saieth There is no dampnation to them that be in Christe Iesu the spirite of God beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the children of God I knowe that neither death nor life nor Angelles nor powers nor principalities nor thynges present nor thynges to come nor height nor deapth nor any creature els shall be able to remoue me from that loue that God beareth towardes me in Christ Iesu our Lorde Iob also saieth Although he kill me yet will I put my truste in him Notwithstandyng I will reproue my waies before his sight Againe he shall bee my saluation Againe I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stande the last on the earth whom I my selfe shal sée and my eyes shall beholde and see God in my fleshe Dauid also saith In thée O Lorde haue I trusted I will neuer be confounded Tertulian saith Vt câ—rtum esset nos esse filiâ—s dei misit spiritum suum in corda nostra clamantem Abba pater That we might bee certified that we be the children of God he hath sent the holy ghoste into our hartes criyng Abba father Saincte Cyprian hath these wordes Et tu dubitas fluctuas Hoc est deum omnino non nâ—sse Hoc est Christum credentium magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere â–ª Hoc est in ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere And doest thou stagger and stande in doubte of thy Saluation that were as muche as not to knowe God That were as much as with the sinne of vnbeliefe to offend Christ the maister of beleuers That were as muche as beyng in the Churche in the house of faithe to haue no faith Prosper saith Securi diem iudicij expectant quibus in cruce domini gloriantibus muÌ„dus crucifixus est ipsi muâ—do Thei vnto whom the worlde is crucified and are crucified vnto the worlde waite for the daie of iudgemente without feare Saincte Augustine also saieth Praesume non de operatione tua sed de Christi gratia gratia enim saluati estis inquit Apostolus Non hic arrogantiae est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperis non est superbia sed deuotîo Presume thou not of thy owne workyng but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle saieth Ye are saued by grace Here therefore is not presumption but faithe To proclaime that thou hast receiued it is no pride it is deuotion Againe he saieth Non mea praesumtione sed ipsius promissione in iudicium non venio It is not of my presumption but of his promise that I shal not come into iudgemente Sainct Basile also saieth Paule boasteth and presumeth of the contempte of his owne righteousnesse Saincte Ambrose plainly saieth I will not glorie for that I am a iust man but for that I am redeemed therfore will I glorie Not for that I am voide of synne But for that my synnes bee forgiuen me I will not glorie for that I haue dooen good to any man nor for that any man hath dooen good vnto me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the father and for that Christes blood was shedde for me To ende sainct Barnarde saieth What safe reste or suretie can the weake soule finde but in the woundes of our sauiour As he is mightier to saue so dwel I there with safetie c. I haue committed a greate synne my conscience is troubled yet shall it not bee shaken downe because I will remember my Lordes woundes For he was wounded for our synnes This is our presumpteous doctrine that we teache agreyng to the scriptures and with the holie and auncient fathers of the catholike Churche But their whole Papisticall doctrine of truste in mens workes and merites leadeth directly to the goulfe of desperation and dampnation and therefore saincte Cyprian saied of them verie well and truely Asserunt noctem pro die interitum pro salute desperationem sub obtentu spei porfidiem sub praetextu fidei Antichristum sub vocabulo Christi That is thei teache vs night in steede of daie destruction in stéede of health desperation vnder the colour of hope Infidelitie vnder the pretence of faith Antichriste vnder the name of Christe The .xliij. Chapiter ¶ Of free will. AS touchyng frée will whiche is so much extolled of the Pelagian Papistes that wyll make vs to beleue that we are able to deserue and that we are of power and streÌ„gth as of our selues to fulfill kéepe the lawes of God to beleue and repent and so consequently to obtaine life and saluation I saie it is a most detestable heresie and robbyng of Christes power â–ª to whom all power is geuen and also abolishyng of his precious death merites and goodnes towardes vs and a robbing of God to geue to mans will that is onely the giftes of god As sainct Iames saith Euery good and pefecte gifte is from aboue and coÌ„meth downe from the father of light as it is manifest in all the whole Scriptures to be proued For if there were suche abilitie power and strength in vs and suche a libertie of wil as the papistes affirme Why doeth not all men beleue the ghospell call vpon God repent praie confesse their synnes doe good workes kéepe the lawe enter into life receiue Christ keepe them selues from euill thoughtes wordes workes synnes sickenesse troubles aduersities famine thirste pouertie and such like But the Scripture telleth vs another
Israelites were saued by the inwarde circumcision Actes 10. Cornelius Though we haue neuer so stroÌ„g a faith yet ought we not to despise the Sacramentes Matth. 3. Luk. 3. Luk. 1. Rom. 9. Iere. 1. Galat 1. The chosen among the heatheÌ„ were saued without circumcision Iona. 3. 4. Reg. 5. Iob. 24. What is the firste foundation of our election Ephe. 1.2 Rom. 8.9.10 1. Pet. 1. The efficieÌ„t The materiall The formall The finall cause of our saluation Iosua 5. Marke this ye cruell papistes The Sichemites Gen. 34. Mat. 12. Mark. â— Luk. 6. Iohn â— By baptisme the children of the christians are brought vnto Christe Mat. 21. Mark. 11. Luk. 19. What fruite their doctrine bringeth the condemne â–ª still borne children Obiection Aunswere Luk. 1â— Luk. 16. The comfort that they had in the bosome of Abraham Rom. 14. A question Obiection Iohn 3. Mark. 16. Aunswere Without faith no man can be deliuered from comdemnation What daunger it is to refuse to receaue the holy Sacramentes Augustine Example August in Io. tracta 80. These thinges are diligently to be noted and marked Chris. Ho. 27. A question A great absurditie graunted Sent. 4. dist 4. ca. Sunt August de ciuitate dei lib. 13. cap. 7. De consecrat Distinct. 4. cap. Baptismi De vnita bapt lib. 4. Lib. 4. de bapt Glossa de consecra distinct 4. S. Bapti Cyprian Luk. 23. August in Psalm 34. Rom. 10. Note this Dâ— consecrat distinct 4. ca. baptismi Senten 4. diâ—â—â—nct 4. Ambr. de obitu valenti Chanes de Sacramentis August in Ioh. tracta 80. Gen. 25. Mala. 1. Rom. 10. Iere. 1. Luk. 1. Galat. 1. The place is the thirde of Iohn Iohn 6. The Euchariste ministred vnto litle infants The maner of the Iacobites and Grekes The maner of the Bohemians and Morauians Marke what we ought to do if we should follow the fathers in al thinges The cause that the fathers did thus erre An errour of certaine fooles Iohn 6. August de ciuitat dei lib. 27. cap. 25. A mery story of the Person of Trumpington Hiero. in 1. cap. and Galat. Cypri ad Nouatianum â—omo 2. Thei may as lawfully do one as the other Hebr. â— Mat. 28. 1. Cor. 14. Argumentum minore ad marus Caâ— 100. August contra Epist. Parmeniani 2. ca. 13. Libr. contra herese 1. Gen. 22. Mala. 1. Ierem. 1. Luk. 1. Rom. 8. 9. Nora 1. Sam. 1â— Not lawfull for Midwiues to baptize in any case Howe the place of the .3 of Ioh. ought to be vnderstanded 1. Pet. 1. 2. Cor. 3.5 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 3. Phrases of Scriptures 2. Cor. 15. Iohn 3. The spirite of God worketh in vs our regeneration Obiection Aunswere Matth. 3. August lib. de Haere cap. 59. Alphons de Haere lib. 2. Bern. Luk. Cato Haere lib. 2. Why the spirite of God is called fire Actes 2. Iohn speaketh of the holy ghost first Christ speaketh of the water first The holy ghost for many causes is called by sundry names in the Scriptures Why the holye ghost is called water Psal. 50. Hebr. 6. Psal. 1. Iohn 4. What Christ woulde haue vs further to vnderstande by this maner of speaking Esai 44. Ezech. 36. Actes 2. Ioel. 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 7. Sent. lib. 4. distinct 4. cap. his autem The doctors forced to confesse three maners of Baptisme De consecra distinct 4. Ca. Bapti Senten 4. distin 4. Ca. his autem August de vni Bapti Iohn 11. Obiection In the auncient Church they that had receaued the Gospell and were not baptized were called Catechuminie bicause that thei were instructed in the faith Aunswere Holcot Sent. 4. distin 4. que 1. Sent. 4. distin 4. Cap. his auâ—â—in The papistes owne doctors condemne them An example 2. Cor. 8. August in Leuiti que 88. Sent. 4. dist 4. Obiections August lib. de fide ad pet Aunswere The papistes vnwares to them selues ouerthrowe their owne Lymbe What certen of the leâ—rned called Saint Augusti for his rigour towardes infantes not baptized Augustines modestie in writing of matters of religion What moued Saint Augustine to write as he did of childreÌ„ not baptized Some make any ydol of the sacramentes Others make none account of the sacramentes Wherein the Anabaptistes exceeded Genes 22. Hebr. 11. Math. 19.14 Marke 13. Luke 18.15 August Epist. 23. Whereof confirmation did come Aug. de bap cont Don. li. 3. Cap. 16. Lib. 4. distin 7. cap. 2. The Papist doth openly mainteine an herisie of Donatus Melchiades Oyle for a Sacrament â–ª more fit for a Sallet Math. 15. An argument Aug. in Ioh. tract 80. Whereto the papistes haue brought the order of confirmation Obiection Aunswere Actes 16. â— Cor. 1. Gen. 21. This the wicked Anabaptistes can not abyde Rom. 8. â—n argumeÌ„t Luke 1. Ierer 1. Actes 10. What caused the fathers to magnifie the Sacraments so muche How at leÌ„gth they that vnderstoode not the Fathers did make plaine Idols of the Sacramentes Uaine opinions of sundrie men Chrisost. in Epist. ad Heb. Historia Tripartita De conse distinct 4. Pelagians Originall sinne Gulielmus parisiensis in lib. Summa de vitus virtut Psal. 51. Iohn 3. Iob. 14. Rom. 5. The signe the figure manye tymes are taken for the thinges that they doe signifie Gen. 17. Exod. 12. Gala. 3. Rom. 6. Actes 8. Why Luke saide Simon did beleeue How Sainct Aug. other auÌ„cient writers expounded this place of the .viij. of the Actes What profite and commoditie doth come to them that are perswaded in this doctrine Genâ— 17. What many foolishe people vsed to do in carying their childreÌ„ to ydols Reuel 14. Iohn 5.11 Eccle. 3. Luke 16. Luke 27. 1. Cor. 2. Barnarduâ— in annunciationâ— Marie Ser. 1. Rom. 5. The thirde day he rose again from death Rom. 4. 1. Cor. 15. We do part our saluation betweene Christes death his resurrection Gala. 3. 1. Pet. 1. The fruites of Christes glorious resurrection The office of Christ our Sauiour Rom. 6. Coloss. 2. 1. Cor. 15. Hosea 1â— Deut. 21. Galat. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Coloss. 1. 1. Cor. 15. How Christ is the first fruites of them that sleepe Iohn 12. 1. Reg. 17. Iesus christe hath taken a pledge of vs and hath left vs one Actes 2. Ephe. 1. Rom. 8. Gala. 4. 1. Peter 1. 2. Peter 1. Iohn 12. 1. Cor. 15. Thessal 3. Coll. 3. Rom. 6. Howe we ought to practise the whole life of Christ in our selues Psal. 51. Iob. 14. A spirituall conception and birth 1. Pet. 1. Galat. 4. Ephe. 5. Iohn 3. Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Cor. 11. Ephe. 5. Gala. 6. Galat. 5. What it is to be crucified to the world Rom. 6. What it is to be dead vnto sinne Rom. 6. Ephe. 4. 1. Tim. 5. Reuel 3. Matth. 8. Coloss. 3. Rom. 12. Ephe. 6. Matth. 3. Howe we do dye with our Sauiour Christ. How we do rise with Christ. Phil. 3. Coloss. 3. The signification of baptisme What the signification of water is in our baptisme Exod. 14.
39. August de spiritu litera ad Marcel cap. 19. August de verbis apost Serm. 10. Hieron super verba christ Quos dedisti◠mihi August in psal 98. In codem psal How this is to be vnderstanded that god saueth no man against his wyll Iohn 6. Phil. 2. August in enchir ad Lau. August de bono perseue cap. 13. In cap. 6. Grego in Ezec. Hom. 9. Barnard Parni Serm. 39. Fulgentius A caueat As concernyng earthy and corporall thinges man hath freewil Maxentius in 1. lib. de fide August in enchir cap. 30. Ad Bonit lib. 3. cap. 8. De verbis ap◠Serm. 11. The strength of men regenerate and after what sort they haue free wyll Rom. 8. Iere. 31. Ezech. 36. Iohn ◠Phil. 1. Phil. 2. Two things to be noted Galath 5. Rom. 7. Psal. 51. Why the faithfull are sayde to be free 1. Cor. 4. August in retract 19. Matth. 7. Iohn 15. August in Ioh. Hom. 49. August in Psal. 70. August lib. d◠praedest Sanctad Boni lib. 4◠August in psal 31. Psal. 14. In outward thinges all men haue free wyll Maxentius 1. lib. de fide 1. Cor. 4. Iames. 1. Num. 24. Luk. 1. The Manycheis heresie The Pelagians heresie Gen. 1. Eccle. 15.17 Iohn 8. Iohn 15. Psal. 5.13.52 Eccle. 17. Osec 13. Psal. 116. Rom. 3.5.7 Phil. 2. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 8.15 Rom. 7. Galat. 5. Yet August had his darknesse August de natura gratia cap. 53. August de bona perseue cap. 6. 13. Sinodus Mileuent Esai 65. Rom. 10. Iohn 3. 1. Peter 1. Iohn 6. Iames. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Rom. 3. Matth. 5. Rom. 8. A good prayer The resurrection of the fleshe 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 5. Iohn 11. Iob. 1◠Esai 66. Ezech. 37. Dan. 12. Iohn 5.11 Actes 23.24 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess. 4. Phil. 3. Iohn 5. Matth. 25. Reuel 21. Sapi. 5. Matth. 18. Matth. 8.13 Esai 66. Mark. 9. Reuel 21. 3. Reg 17. 4. Reg. 4.13 Matth. 9.27 Luk. 7. Iohn 11. Iohn 5.12 Actes 9.20 Iob. 19. Iohn 3. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. Ephe. 2. Rom. 4. Iohn 3.5.6.8 Reuel 21. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 4. Reuel 1. ¶ A breefe Index or Table of the principall matters conteined in this booke A A Cōfortable mistery 7. A place of Esai expounded fol. 10. side 2. A papisticall tricke fol. 13. An error of certain fooles fo 22 A merie storie of the Person of Trumpington fol. 22. Augustines modestie in writyng of matters of religion fol. 26.2 A Spirituall conception and birth fol. 32. A godly similitude fol. 37.2 A similitude of the eye fol. 38. A similitude of gods mercie seueritie ibid. A place of Zacharie expounded fol. 3. A shorte exhortation to magistrates fol. 58. Against their papistical reseruation fol. 52. Aunswere to the obiectiō that is made out of the .1 Corin. 11. fol. 59.2 A similitude of the Kynges broad seale fol. 60. A speciall caueat or warnyng fol. 104. Arguments of papistes wherby they go aboute to proue the Popes supremacie fol. 113 ▪ Antichriste fol. 107. Aucthoritie of the church consisteth in .iiij. thinges fol. 121.2 A note to be marked diligentlie fol. 124.2 A rewarde neuer stirreth vp the Godly to seeke for righteousnesse fol. 130.2 A caueat fol. 140. A greate absurditie graunted fol. 20.2 An other shift of the papistes fol. 65.2 A request of the author to the reader fol. 9.2 B By the Masse the wrath of God commeth fol. 4. By christes death gods wrath was pacified fol. 7. side 2. Bothe wicked and Godly had one feelyng of Christes death but to diuers endes fol. 8.2 By Baptisme the Children of the Christians are brought to Christe fol. 18.2 Bodie of Christ is a creature fol. 36.2 Blasphemie of the papistes by their owne doctrine fol. 47. Benefites of Christes death fol. 4. By the Masse the wrath of of God is kindeled ibid. C Christ cannot be offred except he bee slaine and put to death fol. 3.2 Christ is the true purgation of Christians fol. 13.2 Comfort that they had in the bosome of Abraham fol. 19.2 Christe speaketh of the water firste fol. 24.2 Christes bodye can bee but in one place at once fol. 37.2 Communiō ministred in both kindes in the primitiue church fol. 51. Counsell of Constaunce bolden Anno. 1414. fol. 51. Comfort that we haue by christes ascension fol. 79. Christ is not the Chiefest mediatour by the Papistes doctrine fol. 86.2 Couetousnes of priestes is the mother of all Idolatrie fol. 89. Churche is bounde to no seuerall place fol. 111.2 Churche doth allowe the scriptures as a subiect fol. 117.2 Church knowen by the word of God. fol. 119. Churche hath thrée offices as touchyng the worde of God. fol. 121. Certaintie of our saluation fol. 132.2 Christe a most wholsome medicine and salue to al poore sinners fol. 2. Christe as touchyng his manhoode is ignoraunt of the later daie fol. 107. D Distinctions that the olde Idolaters did make fol. 85. Definitiō of fréewill after S. Augustine 135. E Efficient cause of our saluation fol. 18. Errour of the Iewes fol. 79.2 Exclamation of the Papistes fol. 64.2 Enoch and Elias are come alreadie fol. 106. Eutiches heresie fol. 43.2 F Formall cause of our saluatiō fol. 18. Finall cause of our saluation ibidem Faith receiueth or eateth fol. 54.2 False Christes fol. 107. False Prophetes ibidem Frée will. fol. 134. Fyre and sworde are the best argumentes that papistes vse fol. 45.2 G God doeth gouerne rule and preserue al his creatures fo 1. Good workes of the Papistes fol. 128.2 Good woorkes that God doth require of vs. fol. 129. Gods promises very necessarie to vs all fol. 130.2 H How many waies this worde hell is taken in the scrip fol. 6. How christ went into the hell of the damned fol. 6. How we are already in possession of Gods kingdome fol. 12. Howe long we muste suffer in purgatory for euery sin f. 12.2 Howe it is to be vnderstanded that the faithful shal not come into iudgement ibidem Howe we are passed frō death to life fol 13. Holy ghost for many causes is called by sundry names in the scripture fol. 24.2 Howe they that vnderstoode not the fathers did make plaine Idols of the sacraments fo 29. Howe S. August and others expounde the place of the .8 of the Actes fol. 30.2 How christ is the first fruictes of them that sléepe fol. 32. How we ought to practise the whole life of Christ in our selues fol. 32. Heresie of Eutiches is nowe renewed by the papists f. 36.2 How the poore ignoraunt people are abused fol. 56. How Christe féedeth vs with his body and blood fo 46. Howe the misticall bread is abused in the sacrament fo 55.2 How the place of saint Paule muste be vnderstanded Heb. 1. fol. 73. Hipostases fol. 73.2 Hope possesseth fol. 79. Howe the saiyng of S. Paule ought to be vnderstanded f. 73. How the