heare the Scriptures search the Scriptures meditate the Scriptures and pray vnto God for the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures the more also do men mislike of poperie and grow into loue of our religion The Papistes themselues see this to be so and can not denie it therefore doe they by all meanes they can not onely accuse the Scriptures of such difficultie obscuritie as whereby they discourage the vnlearned sort from reading of them but also they vtterly denie them to the common people in their vulgar tongue On the contrarie they care not how common their vnwritten verities be If they feared not the ouerthrow of their religion and the growing of ours by the vse of the Scriptures why should they so streightly restraine the common people from it if they thought as they speake and write that their vnwritten verities were of God aswell as the Scriptures why should they make thē more common then the Scriptures Is it because they thinke them more easie and therefore fitter for the capacitie of the common people then the Scriptures This will not stand with that which they make the ground of them and which they pretend for their speciall warranr namely with the wordes of our Sauiour to his disciples Other thinges haue I to say vnto you but yee cannot beare them now c. Iohn 16. 12. For by these wordes it is manifest that those things which Christ had further to say vnto his disciples were harder thē those that then he did speake are now writtē otherwise he would not haue added as a reason why he did for a time conceale them but yee can not beare them now 5 Now to finish this point forasmuch as that religion which God accepteth and liketh of is wrought by the preaching of his owne word forasmuch as Poperie hath not such beginning but is onely engendred by the slyme of traditions and doctrines of men Finally forasmuch as the religion now publikelie professed in England is both begotten by that immortall seede and doth also grow to further perfection by that pure milke of the word of God therefore I conclude for my first argument that poperie is onely such as those slimie traditions doctrines are whereof it is ingēdred and that our religion is not of man but of God and acceptable vnto God THE SECOND ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE PRE seruing and maintayning of true religion THE same is also manifest by the second meanes whereby poperie hath bine from time to time and yet is vpholden and mainteined For as touching this what shall we say of the impudencie of the Papistes I meane such as account themselues the learned Papistes both in falsifying the auncient Fathers also in alleadging patches onely of their writinges as making against vs but leauing out some part of the same sentēces or some sentence going before or following after whereby both that Father his minde is made euident and also our doctrine approoued Is not this to deale with the Fathers as the deuill doth with the Scripture against our Sauiour Mat. 4. 6. And that the Papists doe thus abuse the readers by citing the Fathers in such sort is sufficiently shewed by those that haue written in particular controuersies To proue the APOCRYPHA bookes Canonicall Scriptures they alleadge the testimonie of Augustin lib. 2. de doctrina Christiana cap. 8. Yet that Augustin did not so vnderstand the word Canonicall as they applie his testimonie is manifest in the same place let the learned reader see Whitak Controuers 1. quest 1. Cap. 4. Pag. 15. In like manner they deale with Ambrose whose testimonie they alleadge for proofe of this that manie things are hard in the Scriptures thereby indeed to discourage all vnlearned from reading of the Scriptures as though all things were hard in them and yet in the verie same place Ambrose also saith that in the Scriptures is matter fitt for all persons to drinke first second and last where by he also teacheth that as there are some things to be drunke last in the riuers of the Scriptures that is not till men be well grounded in knowledge and iudgement so also there is for yong beginners such as haue not entred or that haue made but litle entrance So they deale with Augustin oftentimes in the same question of the perspicuity of the Scripture as also the learned reader may see Whitak quest 4. pag. 276. In like manner they deale with the Fathers almost in all other questions and controuersies Sometime also they alleadge the testimonies of the Fathers out of some of their books not regarding how they haue either opened their minde or retracted their former errors in other of their bookes Sometime againe they pleade the authoritie of some Fathers in citing testimonies of their bookes which they wrote after that they were fallen into some heresie So they alleadge the testimonie of Tertullian out of such workes as he made after that he was a Montanist Whitaker quest 6. pag. 449. Finallie oftentimes they are not ashamed to name the Fathers in particular questions as if they were on their side whereas the cleane contrarie is manifestlie prooued and shewed by our writers and is likewise euident to them that are acquainted with the writings of the Fathers For proofe hereof let the reader looke their preface to the translation of the new testament into English by thēselues and likewise reade M. Fulke his aunswer to the same 2 For their first reason why they translate the new Testament according to the vulgar latine translation and not according to the greeke originall is this It is so auncient say they that it was vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300. yeares agoe as appeareth by the Fathers of those times But M. Fulke sheweth first that no one translation was in those daies commonly rèceiued Secondly by many examples that Tertullian Cyprian the Clergie it selfe of Rome in Cyprian his time Hierome Arnobius Hilarie and Ambrose did not followe this vulgar translation but did reade the text farre diuersly from the same In their fourth reason they commend it as that which for the most part euer since Hierom his time hath beene vsed in the Churches seruice expounded in Sermons alleadged and interpreted in the Commentaries and writings of auncient fathers of the latine Church But M. Fulk prooueth and sheweth First that their Church seruice is not so auncient as Augustine his time many of their Church lessons beeing taken out of Beda and other writers liuing many hundred yeares after Saint Augustine his age Secondly that such parts of the Scripture as seeme to haue beene of most auncient times vsed in the church of Rome are not taken out of their vulgar text and thirdly that since Ierome his time Optatus Melevitanus Fuigentius Primasius Prosper Aquitanicus and Leo likewise himselfe Bishop of Rome did alleadge and interpret the texts of Scripture much differing from this vulgar translation 3 The like may be said of their belying the Fathers in their
will any earthly Prince sende forth his onely daughter or let his wife goe abroad without such princely ornaments as her princely estate requireth and whereby she may be knowne and reuerenced with the reuerence of a Prince much lesse therefore may we dreame that the Lord God of heauen the Prince of all princes would so rawly send forth his onely daughter or Christ Iesus his onely sonne and heyre suffer his onely spouse whome he loueth as himselfe so poore and naked as the Church of Rome was in her highest prosperitie 12 I graunt that the Pope and his Cardinals had their rich ornaments and costly apparell of siluer gold pretious stones c. that also the rest of that generation euen to the very hedge priest had a gaie coate to weare in their holy busines that likewise all their Churches had great riches I graunt that in all these things the Pope and poperie did farre excell Saint Peter with all the rest of the Apostles and likewise all the churches of their time but these are not the spirituall ornaments that the spirituall nature of the daughter of God and spouse of Christ requireth The Church of God is indeede described psal 45. 9. c. as a Queene standing at the right hand of her husband Christ Iesus in a vesture of gold of Ophir and as hauing apparel of broidered gold and likewise that shee hath rayment of needle-worke but the Prophet describeth here the Church onely after the manner of an earthly Queene meaning notwithstanding by these things all manner of spirituall and heauenly ornaments and therefore euen in the same place and the beginning of the 13. verse shee is said to be all glorious within It is therefore certen that the chiefe ornaments of the Church are inward and spirituall the which wanting whatsoeuer outward ornaments and riches shee hath yet shee may be called wretched miserable poore blinde naked as Christ Iesus calleth the church of the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17. 13 Now then forasmuch as the Church of Rome wanted those spirituall ornaments which the Lord hath promised and doth alwaies bestowe vpon his daughter I conclude therefore that shee is not the daughter of God neither the spouse of Christ If it be said that the true church hath not alwaies the like gifts I freely acknowledge it yet this is certen that the more the Church flourisheth the richer shee is in the gifts of God his spirite But contrariwise the more the Church of Rome flourished the poorer shee was in the graces of God his spirit And here by the flourishing of the Church I meane not onely an outwarde flourishing in earthly things for so I graunt that as the graces of God are many times choaked in particular memberâ— of the Church by outward prosperitie so it may be also in the whole bodie of the visible church but by the flourishing of the church I meane her flourishing in sound doctrine and her enioying of such authoritie as of right belongeth vnto her Now in this sense when the doctrine which the church of Rome accounteth onely sound doctrine and the contrarie whereof shee accounteth heresie when I saie this Romish doctrine most flourished with least gaine saying of any thereunto when also that authoritie which the church of Rome chalengeth to her selfe as her right was in such regard that neither Princes nor people made any resistance theÌ„ were those gifts of the holy Ghost promised to the true Church in the latter times most rare and scarse when it was sommer with the church of Rome touching all her prerogatiues which shee chalengeth then it was the dead of winter touching those graces of God his spirit so that scarse any leaues of them did hang vpon any tree Thus we see that those promises were not performed to the church of Rome in that estate wherein now it standeth and whereof it vaunteth THE SECOND BRANCH OF the tenth argument touching the reuiuing of Gods gifts at the breaking forth of our religion out of the darknes of Poperie MAy the like be saide of our Churches in England Scotland c. sithence the religion now established brake forth of that darknes wherein before it laie No veâ—ily All the worlde seeth what knowledge of arts of tongues of philosophie and all humanitie hath beene yet is and doth daily encrease Now many children sixteene or seauenteene yeares old are better Grecians and more learned Hebritians then were the great doctours in the height of poperie Now I may truly saie that Cambridge alone or Oxenford alone if not some one Colledge in either of both hath more skilfull Grecians and learned Hebritians then all Christendome had whilst poperie sate vpon the thâ—one The like may be said of the true knowledge of the Latin Philosophie also and all arts since our religion haue beene reuiued haue beene much polished and farre more perfected then they were before 2 Let it not here be said that there are some Papists now euery waie in these things as learned as the Protestants For first of all the question is not whether Papists or Protestants be nowe more learned in the tongues or liberall sciences but when this learning hauing beene along time as it were banished out of the world returned againe This present learning therefore of the Papists neither much helpeth them neither a whitte weakneth this mine argument except they could prooue that when their religion was at the highest then also they had bin as learned as now they are Secondly although that many of them haue indeede now attained vnto much knowledge of arts and tongues yet this knowledge begaÌ„ first to be reuiued amongst vs. Afterward they seeing vs by those gifts thaâ— God had bestowed vpon vs for commending of our religion to the world to be so able to maintaine our doctrine and so mightie to oppugne theirs they I saie seeing this were prouoked and whetted to take the more paines in studie that they might the better defend their errours against vs which now they saw to be falling to the earth from whence they sprung Many also of the learned amongst them attained vnto their learning euen against vs and by vs beeing brought vp in our schooles and afterward better nourished and more strengthened in our Vniuersities But as vnnaturall children doe sometime forsake their naturall parents and runne they cannot tell whether so haue they forsaken our Vniuersities and as many roagish boies beeing entertained by some master and vnder him hauing learned some good trade doe oftentimes when they haue been a while there forsake such masters and goe to any other that will giue them but a little more wages yearely vnthankfully forgetting all that their former masters did for them when no man els would regard or pitie them euen so many Papists hauing gotten their learning amongst vs and in our Vniuersities yet seeing afterward they can not haue such outward preferrements as they looked for which is a thing that they especially â—â—yme at haue vnnaturally
because that we ourselues are so wicked and sinneful that we are altogether vnworthie of his aide and defence 8 Yea but the Spanyard himselfe hath also had great victories against the Turke when the Turkish forces haue perhaps beene twise or thrise so great as the Spanish Let this be graunted yet doth not this simply iustifie the Spanish religion but onely in respect of the Turks who are professed enemies of Christ and of all that is called by the name of Christ The Israelites after the death of Ioshua fell often to most grieuous idolatrie the Lord gaue them notwithstanding mightie victories against their enemies Yea the tenne Tribes after they were reuolted not onely from Iuda but also from the Lord himselfe and his worship and so continued in their battels notwithstanding with those that professed enmity both to thē also to god whome they sometime had truly worshipped and of whose worship they retained some small remnants had very great and happie successe though sometimes their enemies were tenne times as many and as strong as themselues Yet doe not these victories simply iustifie the Israelites or their present religion but onely in respect of their enemies which did vtterly denie God and his religion The Lord notwithstanding their falling in most things had regard to the remnants of his worship amongst them and to his formet couenant euen for his owne names sake as Ezekiel teacheth chap. 20. In like sort the Spanyards professing the name of Christ and hauing some remnants of Christian religion amongst them but the Turks vtterly denying and defying Christ and the very name of all christianitie no maruaile though Christ Iesus in the warres of the Spanyards against them doe rather fight the battels of the Spanyards as hauing respect vnto his name so blasphemed by the Turke But hereby doth not Christ Iesus simply approoue of the Spanish religion but onely in respect of the Turkish 9 If it be further obiected that the most wicked that are doe sometime preuaile against the godly themselues as the men of Ai against Israel c. and that they flow also in much yea almost in all outward prosperitie and that therefore this argument is not sound and firme enough to inferre that which I inferre thereof I answer that the Lord indeede giueth sometime such victorie vnto the wicked against his owne people but it is for some speciall sinne of his people as appeareth by the example before alleadged For Israel fell before the men of Ai for the sinne of Achan yea the Lord saith they could not stand before their enemies Iosh 7. 12. because of that sinne Againe though the Lord sometimes giue his people ouer into the hands of his and their enemies yet he doth it not in such miraculous manner without the force of the enemie against them himselfe fighting from heauen for the enemie as he hath done for vs against the Spanyards but alwaies the enemie hath preuailed against the Lord his people by greater strength of flesh then the Lords people had against them and by fighting in their owne person For touching the former example of Ai Ioshua sent but about 3000. of the Israelites against it Iosh 7. 4. but it is most like that they were repelled by a farre more greater force For although they whome Ioshua first sent to view Ai returned and saide it was but a small people yet it is certen that they were able to make a greater force then three thousand because when Israel preuailed against Ai to the number of twelue thousand Iosh 8. 26. The same may be saide of the other prosperitie of the wicked they prosper they flourish they waxe rich c. but it is by ordinarie meanes sometime also yea most commonly by vnlawfull meanes by hooke and by crooke as the prouerbe is but our prosperitie and the prosperitie of other kingdomes countries and cities c. professing our religion haue so prospered and flourished in outward things aboue that which they did whilst they were ouergrowne with poperie that euery man may euidently see that it is the speciall blessing of God euen for the honour of our religion that hath made vs rich and thus to prosper Againe we haue thus prospered though the wicked Papists haue seene our prosperitie and beene angrie yea though they haue practised against vs and gnashed their teeth Psal 37. 12. and 112. 10. THE CONCLVSION WITH the vse of the treatise 1_SIth therefore that poperie is not wrought in men by the word of God but by traditions of men sith it is vpheld and maintained chiefly by wicked and vnlawfull meanes sith the proper substance and matter thereof is not onely diuers from the written word of God but also directly contrarie thereunto sith the forme of Gods worship in poperie is not that which god hath prescribed but that which men haue deuised and forged sith the principall ende of poperie whereunto it referreth all things is not the glorie of God but the glorie of Saints of images of Pope and generally of man himselfe sith the fruites of poperie are such as God hath expressely condemned in the decalogue and tenne commandements giuen to all nations and for all times euen vnto the ende of the world sith there is no sound ioy and comfort growing vpon the tree of poperie but double feare and desperation sith poperie is a foolish and absurd religion sith poperie agreeable sutable and well pleasing to the naturall man which sauoureth not the things which are of God sith the gifts of God his spirit promised to the Church in the latter age thereof are bestowed vpon the church whilst it swarued not from the pure doctrine of the gospell deliuered by Christ and his Apostles were at an ebbe and dead low water when poperie was full sea sith God hath inflicted from time to time manifest and straunge iudgements and punishments vpon Papists and such especially as haue most maligned our religion and the professours thereof sith God hath not regarded the sacrifices of the Pope and popish church neither hath made their curses effectuall against them whome they haue cursed neither hath giuen any good successe to thē for whome they haue made many praiers but haue turned his curses into blessings his blessings into curses therefore I doe conclude that poperie is not of God neither acceptable vnto God Againe sith our religion is wrought by the preaching of that word of God which is contained in the scriptures sith it standeth without all vnlawfull meanes to vphold and maintaine it sith the matter thereof is altogether consonant with the written word sith the forme of God his worship therein touching the essence thereof is the same that god himselfe hath prescribed sith it referreth all things onely to the glorie of God sith the fruits that it alloweth and beareth are such as God hath commāded in the decalogue and morall law sith it alwaies beare the sound and most sweete ioy and comfort sith in wisdome
God I answer with S. Iohn They went our from vs but they were not of vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. They professed our religion but they neuer truly embraced the same neither did euer truly feele the power of godlines in their soules yea though it may be that they had some ioy in our religion yet it was but the ioy of the stony ground wherin the seede of the word hath no sound rooting Math. 13. 20. and like vnto the ioy of Herod at the preaching of Iohn Baptist Mark 6. 20. Yea but some perhaps will obiect further that many of the best of our religion are often in great heauines of minde and doe much doubt of God his fauour c. yea that most part of their life they continue in this pensiuenes To this I answer that although this fruit of ioy and sound comfort do alwaies grow vpon the tree of our religion yet sometime the twigges of our olde crabstocke into which this religion is grafted doe grow out so farre through our euill husbandrie and not pruning them in time that the leaues thereof beeing very thicke according to the nature of the crabbe doe so shadowe this fruit that euen he that is grafted with the impes and sciences of our religion can hardly finde this fruit without narow search and diligent turning ouer and remoouing the leaues as it were one by one with his hand As also we read that although Christ were in the presence of the two disciples that were going to Emaus and talked with them and yet was not discerned by them because their eyes were holden that they could not know him Luk. 24. 16. as also that Marie Magdalene saw Iesus and talked with him but yet knew him not Ioh. 20. 14. So also the children of God that by a true and liuely faith are partakers of Christ do not yet see Christ nor the great comfort which they haue by Christ because their eyes are holden that is their sight is dimmed by the sight of sinne partly and partly also by the sleights of Satan that they can neither see nor feele that matter of ioy and comfort which they haue and carrie daily about within their breasts 8 Finally touching this comfort it is with the children of God and such as are truly of our religion as it is with many simple men in the world touching their earthly possessions and inheritances For although they haue neuer so good right vnto them and neuer so good assurance of them euen as good as possibly they can haue and as all the lawyers by all the law in the world can make them yet for all that they oftentimes meete with some pettifogger and cousening mate that telleth them their title is naught and not worth a straw so forth Now by such wordes the simple man is halfe perswaded and beginneth something to doubt yea sometime almost to feare and thus he continueth till he meete with his learned counsaile that doe againe declare vnto him and assure him of the contrarie so Isaie is it with the children of God and such as are truly seasoned with our religion By Christ Iesus they haue as good right to the kingdome of heauen as is possible and their estate is so good as that all the enemies they haue either carnal or spirituall cannot possibly defeat them thereof notwithstanding such is their simplicitie in heauenly things as oftentimes it is greater in earthly things that their enemie and the enemie of God meeting with them and reasoning the case either by his outward instruments or by those secret friends which he hath in a man his owne heart doth at the last by his subtiltie make them to doubt and filleth them with feare till they meete againe with their old counseller the spirit of God who sometime keepeth himselfe close and for a time will not as it were be spoken withall to trie what his clyents will or can doe without him but when they meete and conferre with him by the time that he hath a little repeated their assurance and declared their right from point to point by his seuerall effects in their hearts and how also Christ Iesus purchased saluation for them and bestowed it vpon them and therefore also gaue him vnto them as an earnest pennie thereof to seale and confirme the whole gift then doe they cast away their former feare and recouer their ancient comfort So is it from time to time with them whilst Satan talketh with them and the spirit of God hideth himselfe they doubt but when the spirit of God talketh with them by his liuely and sensible operation in their hearts then are they of good cheere and comfort yet euen whilst they feare they haue no cause of feare but their right is alwaies one and the same onely sometime by their simplicitie they see not their right This shall suffice to haue spoken both of the abundance of all heauenly comfort in our religion and also of the want thereof in poperie Wherefore I doe againe conclude both that our religion is most pleasant and acceptable vnto the God of all comfort and also that poperie is altogether abominable in his sight THE EIGHT ARGVMENT touching the wisdome of true religion an infallible note and signe thereof I May here also not vnfitly nor out of place adde the foolishnes of poperie For what can be more foolish or ridiculous then the worship of such reliques as they doe both worship and also take great paines and trauaile many myles defray great charges for the worship of theÌ„ especially most foolish absurd and grosse is it to worship such as before haue beene named as the verie â—ayle of the asse wheron Christ rode such like I aske here no pardoÌ„ as speaking grossely the holines of the thing must take away the homelines of the word But I maruaile they could get nâ— better and sweeter morsell then the taile it may be they came too late to market and so all the better peeces being taken vp before by dogges kytes ravens and such other customers as doe vse to resort to such markets this onely was left and so it was bought for the Pope his owne tooth but he of his meere holie conscience would not eate meate of so great a price and of his great liberalitie bestowed it vpon the church for euer If they make so much account of the taile they would much more haue honoured the head if they had come time enough to the market what then would they haue done with the whole bodie if they could haue gotten it and if they make such reckoning of a peece of a dead asse I suppose that if they had the liuing asse and could keepe him aliue and yet what a foole am I to make a question of their power in such a thing when as euerie man knoweth that their Pope and euery Priest of his begetting can make God himselfe and we heard also before that the Pope himselfe can make something of nothing
Apostle Hebr. 2. 4. where he saith that God did beare witnes vnto his gospel both with signes and wonders and diuerse miracles gifts of the Highost according to his own wil. 2 These actuall testimonies of God wherof I purpose now to speak are especially two The first are the gifts of the spirit which God hath promised to these last times of the world for the commendation of the gospell the second are his other works whereby likewise he doth beare witnes thereunto Touching the first let vs first of all consider of God his promise for those gifts secondly of the performance of that promise The promises are either made in the olde testament by the Prophets or in the new by Christ himselfe The promises of the old testament are many First of all the Prophet Dauid psal 68. 18. insinuateth a promise of the gifts of the spirit in these words Thou art saith he gone vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and receiued gifts for men where the Prophet by receiuing gifts for men meaneth the gifts wherewith Christ as the Mediatour was furnished without measure to bestow vpon the Church after that he should vanquish his enemies triumphing ouer them should ascende into heauen there to sit at the right hand of God in all glorie and authoritie This interpretatioÌ„ is manifest both by the words immediately following Praised be the Lord the God of our saluation which loadeth vs daily with benefits and also by the application thereof Eph. 4. 8. where although the Apostle doe name onely the callings of the Church yet doth it not therefore follow that the place in the psalme is of such gifts onely to be vnderstoode because that euery generall may be applied not onely to some but also to all particulars comprehended in the generall The second promise is Isa 44. 3. where the Lord speaking of the latter times of the church saith thus I will poure water vpon the thirstie and floods vpon the drie ground I will poure my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy budds c. And least any should thinke that this promise was onely made to the Iewes or Israelites according to the flesh he addeth in the 5. v. One shal say I am the Lords another shal be called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and name himselfe by the came of Israel which words doe testifie that the promise before made was as wel to the Gentileâ— as to the Iewes because the Iewes were alreadie of the house of Israel called by his name The promise of the same gifts of the spirit is likewise signified by leading or driuing of them to the springs of waters Esa 49. 10. He renueth also the same promise Ioel 2. 28. Afterward saith the Lord in that place will I poure out my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions and also vpon the seruants and vpon the maidens in those daies will I poure my spirit so the same Prophet chap. 3. 18. expresseth the same promise in other words saying In that date shal the mountaines drop downe new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and al the riuers of Iuda shall runne vvith vvaters and a fountaine shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shithim By all these words he meaneth nothing else but the plentifull gifts of God his spirit calling them by the name of wine milke and waters both because of the varietie of them and also because of their diuers effects according to the diuers necessities of the diuers members of the Church And least this promise also should be restrained onely to the Iewes he addeth in the 21. v. this effect of the spirit that he would clense their bloode whome he had not yet clensed meaning by those whome he had not clensed the Gentiles that till the comming of Christ were without Christ aliens from the common-wealth of Israel straungers from the couenant of promise hauing no hope and being without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. Finally the Prophet Zacharie chap. 14. c. hath this promise In that daie shall the waters of life goe out of Jerusalem halfe of them toward the East and halfe of them tovvards the vtmost sea and shall be both in sommer and winter These and such like are the promises in the old testament which to belong to the new testament and to be made for the credit and commendation of the gospel appeares by the application of the promise in Joel made by Saint Peter Act. 2. 16. And although that Prophet speake of seeing visions dreaming dreames and prophesying c. yet by these are not onely to be vnderstoode the same but because these serued then the good of the church therefore by them the Prophet meaneth all such gifts as should make for the good of the church vnder the gospel the which is manifest because Saint Peter applieth this prophecie to the gift of tongues bestowed vpon the church at the feast of Pentecost 3 Touching the New Testament first our Sauiour alluding vnto and indeede plainly meaning these promises of the olde Testament before mentioned saith thus Ioh. 7. 38. He that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his bellâ—e shall flow riuers of water of life Where the Euangelist himselfe interpreteth our Sauiour to speake of the spirit which they that beleeue should afterward receiue The like promise is made so often as he speaketh of the Comforter Ioh. 14. 26. and 15. 26. 16. 7. and elswhere So also after his resurrection Act. 1. 5. Iohn indeed baptized with water but ye shal be baptised with the holy Ghost within these few dates All these promises doe teach and assure the Church that the gospel should not come forth in the latter daies poore and desolate but rich and accompanied with an honourable traine of all necessarie gifts and graces of God his spirit and that the more the gospel should flourish the more plentifull also should these gifts and graces flowe in the Church Thus much for the promises of the gifts of the spirit 4 Touching the performance thereof it is certen that it was especially accomplished in the time of the Apostles and fit it was it should be so because the gospel was then first to be coÌ„municated vnto the Gentiles who before that had neuer heard any such doctrine and because also as the Lord did then giue extraordinarie callings of the Apostles Euangelists and Prophets so it was also meere that they should haue gifts sutable to their callings Notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but that the promise should remaine and doth yet remaine in force euen vnto the ende of the world as touching the generall substance thereof and that therefore although those times are now past and those reasons now ceased when and why the
side as can be â—â—ooued to haue beene with vs or against vs in â—welue hundred yeares before 6 Further I doubt not but that I may say and that also truly that we haue had and yet haue many in good respects comparable to those before named as in the exact knowledge of all learned tongues arts and humanitie so also in sound and deepe iudgement of diuinitie vz. Luther Zuinglius Melancton Oecolampadius Erasmus Paulus Phagius Bucer P. Martyr Calvin Marlorat Musculus Cranmer Ridly Hooper Bradford Bullinger Bezâ— Zanchius Iuâ—l Ramus Vrsinus Sadeel Daneus Pilkington Fulke Humfrey VVhitaker and infinite other partly dead and partly yet liuing whose nameâ—â— I doe not well remember or in some respectâ— thinke not conuenient to expresse I may here also name Flaccius Illyricus Hemingius and many other of that sort because although they haue some errours yet which almost of the auncient Fathers had not as many and â—â— great 7 To this argument I may further adde that the Lord hath not onely commended our religion by the encrease of all learning according to the encrease of our religion but also by the repairing almost of all other knowledge in coÌ„mon things and matters of this life For what trade and science is there so meane and base which is not much amended and brought to further perfection sithence the late time of out religion then it had before in the depth of poperit yea who knoweth not that there is great varietie of knowledge sithence the flourishing of our religion which neuer almost was heard of before Especially most admirable is the gift of printing which neuer was in the world till within these hundred and three score yeares at the most about which time it pleased God to broch new vessells of his gospell with our religion This gift of printing is not vnfitly by some compared to the extraordinarie gift of tongues in the Apostles time because the Lord did not onely prepare a waie for the gospel thereby but also hath made it as a mightie voyce of a crier in the wildernesse of poperie to proclaime the grace of God in Christ Iesus and to further and inlarge our religion by opening the hearts of many Princes and more people many noble and more base many rich and more poore and many learned and more vnlearned persons for the entertainment of Christ Iesus and submitting themselues to his kingdome and gouernement Certenly by this new benefit of printing the Gospel hath beene more sounded out to the eares of all nations then it could haue beene by the voice of many preachers For by the means hereof wee that liue in England haue easily heard the sermons and readings of Calvin and Beza in Geneva and of other in other places and they likewise that liue in Geneva and in other places haue easily heard the readings of Doctour VVhitakers in Cambridge and likewise of Doctour Reynolds in Oxenford This printing also is not onely as a quicke post riding vpon a swift and speedie horse but also as an angel of the Lord with sixe wings for the most speedie conueying of the doctrine of the gospel out of one countrie into an other Who also knoweth not that a man may haue more now for sixe pence then before printing he could haue had written for fourtie shillings who seeth not also that bookes printed are more easily both read and also preserued then the like onely written Now although the deuill abuse this gift of God also for the furthering of popery as what gifts be there that he quickly doth not abuse yet sith it was neuer heard of whilst popeâ—ie was at the highest but then onely appeared and came forth into the light of the sunne when our religion was raised out of the graue where before it laie buried and when poperie began to fall sicke and to encline vnto a consumption who seeth not that it was a speciall and an extraordinarie gift of God for the honouring and furthering of our religion Thus much for the first sort of God his actuall testimonies namely for the gifts of his spirit which before he promised and according to his promise hath bestowed vpon his Church not onely in the time of the Apostles but also in these latter times for the commendation of the gospeâ—â— then and of our religion now as being the same with the gospel and therefore in like manner acceptable vnto him THE THIRD BRANCH OF the tenth argument touching the works of God against Poperie NOw followeth the second sort of God his actuall testimonies namely the workes of God wherby God hath testified both his dislike of poperie and also the approbation of our religion seueralâ—y and ioyntly as euidently as if in expresse wordes and in his owne person he should haue spoken against poperie in this manner This is the religion that I hate and which my soule abâ—orreth and contrarily of our religion as he spake of his Sonne This is the Gospell and that glad â—â—dings which bringeth saluation vnto all men and in vvhich I am vvell pleased therefore receiue it 2 Here first of all let vs consider the great iudgements of God against many of the Papists especially such as haue beene special aduersaries to our religion and to the professours thereof For truely there haue beene fewe such speciall aduersaries to vs and our religion whome God hath not in some speciall manner so punished here in this life or at least so prosecuted that their malice in their posteritie that all the worlde might thereby clearely see that he vtterly disliked of them and of their course as also approoued and allowed of them their cause against whome they opposed and set themselues Touching these iudgements although I might ease my selfe and the reader of much labour by referring him onely to the latter ende of the booke of Martyrs where is a speciall treatise of such things yet because that booke is of so great price that many are not able to buie it I will therefore cull out some few of the principall examples there and elsewhere in that booke mentioned and for the rest referre such as haue that booke to that speciall treatise First of all let here be remembered the historie of one Pauier or Paâ—â—ie in the daies of King Henrie the eight this Pauier or Pauie beeing towne clarke of the citie of London and a notable enemie to the gospel vpon some report that the gospel should be in English saide with a great â—ath that if he thought the King would in deede set forth the Scripture in English and let it be read to the common people by his authoritie he would cut his owne throat And so indeede he did not much lesse For though he cut not his throat with a knife yet he hanged himselfe with an haltar anno Dom. 1533. This is reported by Master Fox page 1055. of his booke printed 1583. but borrowed from Hall his Chronicle who wrote the same not vpon the report of other but vpon his
Countie addressed himselfe to this last course which indeede was the last course of that daie and for cuer to the king for the staues beeing broken and the King his vizzard suddenly falling off so doth the Lord worke to bring his iudgements to pasle one of the shiuers pearsed his head vnto the braines and suddenly so festered that no surgeons could cure the same Thus the King lost one of those eyes where with he threatned to haue seene the burning of those persoÌ„s died also of that hurt 8 Neither may we here well omit the death of Charles the ninth of that name King of France in whose time by whose meanes that bloodie massacre before mentioned was done in Paris and in many other cities of France For as the King had delighted himselfe in the blood of his Saints so himselfe also in his youth at the age of 25. yeares died of a most grieuous bleeding Many other the like examples are recorded by M. Fox both of our owne countrie and also of other nations of some that were stricken with madnes of some that did hang or drowne themselues and of other that died in despaire most fearefully and that in such manner as that all the world might see the iust iudgement of God against them both for their religion and also their malicious persecuting of such as were of our religion 9 To these will I adde an other example not yet written by any but yet as trew as any of the former whereof not with standing some are knowne to all the world and also no lesse worthie the writing then the former At great Wenham in Suffolke in the daies of King Henrie the eight there dwelt one M. Cardinal whose wife hauing heard one M. Worthe a godly man good preacher preach at Hadley about some three myles from thence at her returne home entreated her husbande one daie to request M. Worthe to come and preach with them Master Cardinall though at the first fearing some danger of law yet at the last yeelded and indeede proceeded and procured M. Worth to come thither The parson of the saide Wenham beeing popish withstood M. VVorth beeing come saying that no such should preach there M. Cardinal intreated but the parson denied beeing like â—o the dogge in the manger that wil neither eate â—aie himselfe nor suffer the horse at the racke to eate any So I saie this parson as some also doe â—n these daies neither would nor could doe good himselfe neither would suffer any other â—o doe any At length M. Cardinall seeing the parson so wilfull and obstinate saide that M. VVorth should preach doe the parson what he could to the contrarie and come what daunger would come In fine they went all to Church and many other vpon knowledge of M. VVorth his preaching were assembled Now when M. VVorth should begin his sermon the parson according to his froward word for the disturbing of him went toward the high altar to saie masle VVhat followed a most worthie example of God his iustice For presently before all the people assembled the Lord smote this popish parson for dead for the time drawing his mouth vp to his eare and so made him past saying of masse Notwithstanding beeing carried out of the church for auoiding further trouble of the congregation he was within little time recouered of his life yet neuer recouered his witts and senses but liuing long after continued a foole all the daies of his life and turned the spit 〈◊〉 was imploied vpon some other seruice in the saide M. Cardinall his house euer after I haue heard this of many very credible persons who had often heard it from M. VVorth long time after euen in this Queenes daies viccar of Dedham in Essex and of many other that were present at that sermon and were eye witnesses of the iudgement Some also are yet liuing about VVenham aforesaid that knew it 10 I might adde many other examples of God his iudgements against like persons for like cause but these shall be sufficient For by these who seeth not that hath any eyes at all to see in what account poperie is with the Lord Let all men therefore by these examples take heede that they deceiue not themselues Let not them blindfold their owne eyes that they may not see the things thus manifest Let them not disgrace the reports of M. Fox sith many things written by him are also written by other before him from whome he borrowed that which he did write Some things of his are samous and knowne to all men I am not ignorant that M. Fox in writing some things vpon the report of others might sometime erre And although his slippe in such things be taken great hold of by the Papists who there by take occasion to disgrace all the truth he hath written to couer their owne crueltie to conceale God his iudgements to harden themselues in poperie and the more easily to draw other to be of this minde yet let the wise and true Christian consider that it was by the deuills great policie to mooue some no doubt in colour of synceritie and pretending a minde of helping M. Fox in that worthie worke to informe him with some vntruths that by his writing of them vpon such information all the rest of his writing might be in disgrace as being in like manner vntrue This no doubt was the subtiltie of the old serpent and of his viperous litter so to disgrace that noble worke and so to obscure those euident examples of Gods disalowance of their religion as though he had written no truth when the most of the things by him chronicled are as cleare as the sunne is in the midst of the brightest sommer day But albeit some be giuen ouer in the iust iudgement of God to beleeue truthes to be lies because they haue embraced lies for truthes yet I hope that such as belong vnto the Lord though perhaps by such deuises they haue beene abused will now make better vse of these examples that I haue set downe and the like Thus much for those works of God against poperie and Papists whereby he hath as it were immediately testified his dislike of both THE FOVRTH BRANCH OF the tenth argument touching the workes of God for our religion NOwe although by the former workes God hath also testified his approbation of our religion yet let vs nowe further consider and marke diligently what he hath directly done for our religion the professours thereof Truly such haue beene the great and mightie works of God for our religion that as the Prophet saith God is knowne in Iudah his name is great in Israel psal 76. And againe The Lord loueth the gates of Sion aboue all the habitation of Iacob glorious things are spoken of the citi of God psal 87. 2 3. So also it may be said of many particular persons that haue boldly professed and stoutly maintained our religion and chiefly of those cities countries and kingdoms
Princes as haue done and doe daily speake and doe so much for Christ in his gospel and in his members that they giue great incouragement to all persons of place fitte to haue accesse vnto them without feare to put them in continuall remembrance of further honouring of Christ If he were so bold for Christ Iesus beeing deade how much bolder ought all men to be for Christ Iesus raised vp from the dead yea verily he is twise risen againe once touching his bodie out of the sepulchre into which the same Ioseph did honourably lay him and againe touching his gospel out of the graue of poperie wherein it had lien twise so many hundred yeares at the least as his bodie had lien daies and nights in the former sepulchre How zealous therefore ought men to be for the honouring of the gospel of Christ Iesus with true honour wherein Christ Iesus himselfe thus raised vp and glorified cannot but be likewise honoured As such men ought to be thus zealous in speaking for Christ and his gospel at all times so especially then ought they to be most zealous when any speciall occasion requireth the same or when any speciall opportunitie is offered thereunto Salomon saith How good is a word spoken in due season Prov. 5. 25. He speaketh this by question and admiration and thereby teacheth that he himselfe the wisest that euer was Christ onely excepted could not well expresse how good a word was spoken in due season Therefore he saith againe A word spoken in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer Prov. 25. 11. Such therefore as the Lord hath aduaunced to such place either in Church or in commonwealth as wherein at any time by word or deede they may further this religion in this booke thus cōmended I wish to watch all opportunitie of doing further good and any beeing offered not to neglect the same but wisely to take and follow it to the vtmost of their power Where any noble honourable or other great person seeth any conuenient time where his word may doe good to further religion thereby to aduance God his glorie let him thinke with himselfe as Mordecaie spake vnto Ester Ester 4. 14. who knoweth whither the Lord hath thus aduanced me for this time 2 Neither let any such person feare the losse of their labour touching themselues in speaking in such causes God whose religion ours is hath saide by his Prophet 1. Sam. 2. 30. Them that honour me I will honour and he is faithfull that hath promised Hebr. 10. 23. This is manifest by many of the examples before mentioned The fruit indeede of such labour doth not alwaies appeare presently yet God is not vnrighteous that he should forget the worke and labour of such loue towardes his name c. Hebr. 6. 10. but he taketh such a note thereof yea of the least word spoken this waie that it shall most certenly be remembred to such persons themselues or to their posteritie euen in this life and touching the benefites thereof when all the world shall thinke it buried and euen as it were wholly consumed to ashes in the graue of obliuion It was not much that Iethro the father in law of Moses did called also Keni Iudg. 1. 16. and of whome descended the Kenites it was not much I say that this Iethro or Keni did for the Israelites For he did but onely giue counsaile to Moses his sonne in law for the better gouernement of the Israelites Exod. 18. 19. yet note what note the Lord kept of this small matter After the death of Moses after the death of Ioshua and the elders that ouerliued Ioshua after the death of Othniel Ehud Shamgar Debora Gedeon and the rest of the Iudges that iudged Israel mentioned in the whole booke of Iudges after the death of Eli and his sonnes after the gouernment of Samuel resigned into the hands of Saul after all this euen foure hundred yeares after the former counsell giuen by Iethro to Moses did the Lord thinke vpon this kindnes and recompenced it tenne fold to the Kenites the posteritie of Iethro Yea rather then it should not be recompenced he raised vp Saul to recompence the same euen vnnaturall vnthankfull and most cruell Saul that had sworne the death of his owne sonne Ionathan 1. Sam. 14. 44. who had saued Israel and would indeede haue killed him had not the people rescued him that afterward did daily hunt for the life of Dauid as for a partridge in the mountaines 1. Sam. 26. 20. who had notwithstanding killed the great Goliah whome all Israel durst not looke in the face 1. Sam. 17. 24. and gotten many other victories of the Philistims and married Saul his owne daughter that also killed all the Lord his priests at once 1. Sam 22. 18. euen this bloodie man did the Lord raise vp to recompense the kindnes of Iethro and to saue the liues of all the Kenites Yea though this Saul were a man most vnmercifull vnto them to whome he owed much mercie and other loue yet the Lord so wrought his heart for the recompencing of that that Iethro had done to Moses and for Israel that he was very earnest with the Kenites for the withdrawing themselues from the Amalakites that he might not destroy them with the Amalakites Therefore he saith not onely Goe but also depart yea also he addeth Get ye downe from among the Amalakites least I destroy you with them And why is he thus mercifull vnto them for saith he ye shewed mercy to all the children of Israel when they came vp from Egypt 1. Sam. 15. 6. Certenly this mercie whereof such a streame did flow from Saul towards the Kenites was onely of the Lord not of Saul himselfe Saul of himselfe as we haue heard was as the stonie rocke in the wildernes which notwithstanding the Lord made to giue drinke plētifully to the Israelites and their cattell Numb 20. 8. Saul of himselfe had neither the religion nor the manners to consider greater things done by those that were of his owne blood for himselfe and for the present generation of the Israelites Shall we then thinke that he had religion or manners to remember such olde good turnes done so many yeares before for the old forefathers of the Israelites Nowe what doth this example teach vs but that the Lord is iust to remember the like kindnes when all men shall thinke it vtterly forgotten yea to make such to consider the same as from whome in respect of their contrarie disposition no such matter can in reason be hoped for but rather the contrarie feared 3 But what shall I neede to call as it were so loud vnto antiquitie so farre off for an example whereby to iustifie the righteousnesse of God in honouring them that honour him Is not Queene Elizabeth yet liuing and many yeares more O blessed God may shee liue and raigne to thy glorie is not is not this our most noble gracious and Christian
touching Miriam after that he had stricken her with the leprosie Let her be shut out of the host seauen daies Numb 12. where vpon the words seaven daies he noteth that by them are vnderstood seauen things wherein standeth perfectioÌ„ of religion These seauen he setteth downe thus Obedientia generalis generall obedience Paupertas apostolicalis apostolicall pouertie Castâ—tas angelicas Seauen things in which standeth the perfection of religion angelicall chastitie Devotio in officio deuotion in seruice In ore silentium silence in the mouth Penitentia corporalis bodily penance Et patientia virtualis and virtuall patience Will not any man thinke all this to be profound diuinitie 23 In his fourth sermon for the 16. Lords daie after Trinitie leafe 209. A. he hath these wordes Transeuntes primam secundam custodiam c. When they had passed the first Act 12. 10. and second watch they came to the yron gate that is to purgatorie because as yron is harder and wood so the paines of purgatorie is harder then yron and the paine of purgatorie exceedeth the paine of this world But there is comfort for them that this purging time beeing finished they enter into the citie of paradise Wherefore it followeth in the foresaid authoritie which opened vnto them by it owne accord Is not this as profound diuinitie as the former what comparison is there betwixt the iron gate where by S. Peter had no paine and purgatorie of the paines whereof S. Peter in purgatorie the Papists doe so often complaine Againe if the iron gate were purgatorie then Peter went through purgatorie Will the Popes beare this that Peter whose successors they all boast themselues to be should passe through the fire of purgatorie Againe how doth this similitude agree with it selfe for Peter had first beene in prison and beeing released out of prison he came vnto and passed through the iron gate whence it is euident that Peter had beene in the hardest condition before he came to the iron gate but this great and learned Doctour telleth vs the contrarie namely that the paines of purgatorie are greater and harder then all former paines Lastly this iron gate was hard by the citie whereby he vnderstandeth paradise or heauen but purgatorie is as farre distant from heauen as the earth yea somewhat further then the vpper part of the earth because by their doctrine it is within the earth 23 In the 2. sermon for the 19. Lords day he hath this sweete latin the english whereof I doe omit as not beeing greatly materiall Modo in vnaparva summa ego epilogavi omnes rationes quibus eleuatur excitatur cor creature ad confidendum in creatore sunt septem Prima est fidelis integritas 2. cordialis puritas 3. lachrymabilis vbertas 4. timoralis serupulositas 5. misericordialis largitas 6. doctrinalis sedulitas 7. virtualis firmitas 24 The like latine is in the first sermon for the next daie where he setteth downe haec tria puncta multum notabilia Primus est humilitas diuinalis Secundus est peruersitas humanalis Tertius est indignitas meritalis 25 The text of his third sermon for the 22. Lords daie is this Patientiam habe in me c. Haue patience towards me and I will pay thee all Math. 16. In the ende of this sermon thus he writeth Sciatis quod modo poterimus c. that is Vnderstand that if we can paie him with ten works he will be content which is signified in this word patientia wherin are ten letters because as we haue offended against the ten commandements so we must satisfie with ten penitentiall workes Here to omit the diuinitie of the doctour in this place let the reader obserue how foully he was deceiued in Arithmetike euen in numeration S. Vincents arithmetike faileth him in numeration For if he had remembred to haue taken a sticke as men speake to haue tolde the letters of patientia he should haue found but nine If any shall answer that he meant the accusatiue case patientiam as it is in the vulgar latin text I obiect againe that he himselfe saith not so much but plainely setteth downe the nominatiue case patientia and further to the latin word which is arbitrarie according to the minde and vnderstanding of the translator I oppose the originall Greeke word which is most authenticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where are twelue letters 26 Thus much shall suffice for a tast of such soure liquour as is in S. Vincents vessell yea let this suffice for a tast of all the rest Such as we haue seene these two Doctours to be such for the most part are the other popish writers of that age and of these times of poperie I had indeede thought to haue giuen the like tast of some other of their writings but because I thinke this alreadie giuen to be sufficient if not more then sufficient except the matter were sweeter and pleasanter I will therefore here spare the further paines of my selfe and of the reader 27 These thinges I haue thought good thus to write for the auoiding of all aduantage against me by any actions of slaunder for obiecting so much ignorance besides the blasphemies to those times wherein poperie did weare the garland If I had not thus laide downe their owne wordes it may be many would haue thought that there had not bin so high blasphemies neither so foule and grosse absurdities with such rudenes and barbarisme as by these few things I haue shewed and might haue shewed more largely if I had had conuenient leasure had thought the patience of the reader would haue borne the reading of more such vnsauorie stuffe 28 By these blasphemies thus discouered farre beyond the opinion I thinke of all that vnderstand not the latin tongue that haue not bin acquainted with these deepe mysteries of the iniquitie of poperie I wish all christians that as now they see poperie to be more blasphemous theÌ„ euer they had thought it to haue beene so For euer here after they hate all poperie both the head and the taile both the substance and all the accidents with a more perfect hatred then they haue done 29 And because I doe verily thinke that many papists themselues did neuer imagine so high abominations to be contained in poperie as hauing beene learned to beleeue as the Church beleeueth that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and such other like principles and hauing not therefore euer truly vnderstood the substance of poperie I doe therfore also againe earnestly exhort them as they loue Gods glorie which now they see altogether impaired disgraced by poperie so for the time to come they loath this religioÌ„ as much as euer ignorantly they haue loued it and that they thinke it as beastly as filthie and abominable as euer hitherto they beeing deceiued haue esteemed it reasonable amiable and acceptable in the sight of God 30 All such as loue learning let them in like
manner abhorre this Romish religion For although now all kinde of learning doe flourish by the meanes of the gospel yet if euer poperie preuaile as it hath done and recouer the former strength as I hope it shall neuer doe doubtles all learning will wither and decaie againe In the time of the Apostles in the age of the primitiue church the gifts of Gods spirit did much more abound then now they doe yet as poperie spread it selfe ouer the face of the earth so those gifts decaied vntill there was as much barbarisme as poperie Let the like therefore be feared if poperie should againe ascend the staires of her former dignitie 31 If any shall obiect against these things that I haue noted out of popish writings for the disgracing of poperie that in many of our books like wise there are some vanities absurdities I answer that though this should be An answer to an obiection touching the former popish testimonies graunted yet first the matters are not so blasphemous so grosse so rude and so ridiculous as these that I haue noted a thousand yea ten thousand the like Secondly the number of them is not so great Thirdly the persons that haue written such vanities are not of that credit in our whole church as these and other are with their Church Fourthly our mens books are not published by such high authoritie solemne allowance as the bookes before mentioned and other the like writings of theirs haue bin THE SEAVENTH PART IT remaineth now that according to my promise I make the reader a litle banquet with some of the Virgins miracles Herein I will be the briefer by how much the larger I haue bin in the former I will not therefore take all neither the largest dishes least I should leaue her table bare but I will onely make choice of the least but yet the daintiest iunkats that so the taking of them away may be the lesse espied Yet what neede I feare the missing of any thing from her table her power is such that as they say of the crosse vpon which Christ suffered that whatsoeuer is taken from it yet it is not diminished but remaineth as ample as it was at the first so we may like wise say of these her iunkats that though we should take neuerso many of them yet her table would be nothing the barer And therefore whereas the booke or rather the closet and storehouse of her miracles for so it is called Promptuarium discipuli de miraculis beate Marie virginis containeth but 99. miracles this may well be added vnto them for an other to make vp the whole hundred that whatsoeuer a man taketh away yet her table remaineth as fully furnished as at the first before any dish was touched And that no man may thinke these miracles to haue beene of meane account in the popish Church let him first vnderstand that both they were solemnly read in the churches for lessons in their publique seruice vpon such feastiuall daies as they did obserue vnto the virgin as also the great diuines of the popish Church did commonly alleadge theÌ„ in their sermons for authorities to prooue and confirme many of the points of their religion Both these things I haue made manifest Againe the gatherer together of these miracles in his prologue to the whole worke doth commend the dainties following to be Omni melle dulciora sweeter then any honie What is this but to compare them with the written word of God which is in like manner commended psal 19. 10. 2. Now for the manner of setting downe these miracles I will for the more breuities sake altogether omitthe latine except now and then some speciall word or phrase which I will put in the margent and content my selfe onely with the english faithfully translated And in case the whole miracle be very long I will onely set downe the summe therof briefly The contents of each example or miracle shall be placed in the margent And all this I will doe so faithfully that no Papist whatsoeuer shall be able iustly to charge me with any false dealing 3 To come then to the miracles themselues I will passe by the first and second example and beginne with the third the text whereof is this There was a certaine woman of honest conuersation who although being Marie deliuereth a woman from damnatioÌ„ whichin her confession wittingly concealed a great sinne maried she did weare a secular habite yet she liued a regular life Notwithstanding in her youth she had committed a great fault which for shame she durst not tell any man When she confessed her selfe to the priest cloking Palliato crimine sic conclusit Reddo me culpabilem her sinne thus she concluded Of all that I haue said or not said I yeelde my selfe guiltie and saying this oftentimes she sighed grieuously The priest perceiuing this did cunningly Calide tentabat◠〈…〉 â— trie to draw from her that which laie hidde when he could not he admonished her to reueale her conscience to the Prior of the next Monasterie and he aduised him warily Et ipsc caute euÌ„ investigaâ—e persuasit ◠〈…〉 â— to aske her but neither could he wrest any thing from her Notwithstanding this woman was wont dailybefore the altar or the image of the blessed virgin with weeping to open her foresaid fault At the last when she died in this manner and her daughter which dwelt in a village some what farre of was looked for at her buriall she at the length comming with howling and mourning and her haire spread abroad embraced the bodie of her mother and cryed out Alas mother why dost thou forsake me a wretched creature then with her lamentation she mooued the standers by and the soule of her mother presently returned and waking as it were out of sleepe said The Lord commanding I am reuiued One raised from â—he dead to confesse vnâ—o a priest a sinne before concealed take away the things wherewith I am couered and let me arise When she was thus set at libertie a priest was called for and the fault opened And she testifying that by the intercession of the blessed virgin she was deliuered saide vnto all them that flocked vnto the miracle I beeing deliuered to the tormentours was drawne to punishment but the blessed virgin succouring me said and asked theÌ„ that did lead me why they durst presume to lead her handmaid and bad them quickly Et vs cito donec a domino sententiarer me deponerent aiâ— So the deuills were very hastie to take her before sentence to let me goe vntill I had sentence of the Lord. The which beeing done she comming to her sonne praied saying I pray thee O sonne let not that soule be damned which did so often bewaile her sinne before me To whome the Lord said thou knowest mother that without confession she cannot be saued but because I can denie nothing vnto thee let her returne and confesse and so she
note leauing the further consideration of them to the godly reader 5 First therefore sith all these things doe most liuely shew the extreame follie high abominatioÌ„ of poperie how ought all papists to be ashamed of their religion How ought all Protestants that sometimes haue bin papists to be grieued for their poperie How ought they likewise to mourne for any of their frieÌ„ds yea for any other yet remaining in that estate yet shut vp in the shadow of death How ioyfull likewise and thankfull ought we to be that God hath opened our eies to see these things that he hath not sent his angel onely into our houses as sometime he did into the house of Lot to take him guide him out of SodoÌ„ before fire came froÌ„ heauen to destroy that citie but also hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit in our hearts thereby deliuered vs froÌ„ so ridiculous so grosse so horrible a religioÌ„ 6 Further we see by these things how dangerous it is not to beleeue the truth and how blockish we are if we be left vnto our selues Verily there is no errour so foolish so absurd so grosse so abominable so monstrous but that if God doe forsake vs if he take his spirit from vs if he leaue vs to our selues we are readie to beleeue it as truth yea to be zealous therein yea farre more zealous then any of Gods owne children are in the truth 7 O therfore let vs not deceiue our selues late vs hate poperie as such a monster ought to be hated let vs make that account of the truth giue such credit obedieÌ„ce theruÌ„to that for our conteÌ„pt light account thereof God neither giue poperie any returne againe vnto vs. Let vs earnestly pray let vs keepe watch by night ward by day let vs alwaies with all carefulnes looke vnto our selues let vs take heede of all Iesuits seminatie priests yea of all papists and likewise of all other meanes whereby we may be entangled with this filthie sottish religion and be drawne thereunto Let vs delight in the communion fellowship of al them that loue the truth and are able to confirme strengthen helpe vs forward in this religion which now generally we professe vsing all other good means commended vnto vs for the same end Let vs take heed not onely of the maine stock of poperie but also of euery bough branch twigge yea of euery leafe for there is dâ—ungerous if not deadly poison in thâ— least patch of poperie And as the whole substance of popish doctrine was not hatched all at once but now one egge laide laide and then an other now one chicken and then an other now one opinion and then an other vntill all the whole brood was come forth and when it was throughly hatched brought forth it had not all the stature nor all the feathers nor all the strength the first day but crept and got vp by litle and litle so the deuil being stil as subtil as he was and seeing poperie now to be banished and grieuing that it is forced to liue so long in exile therefore daily laboureth as alas by too great experience we daily see by litle litle againe to winne vs thereunto Priuately indeede in many places of this land and it is to be feared in too many I pray God also that it be not in too great places and with too great persons he laboureth where the whole body of popery doth remaine there to vphold it and where it is not there also wholly to bring it in againe For we see many now to be Papists euen of both sexes yea some to be recusant papists whose fathers were little more then borne in the beginning of the raigne of her most excellent Maiestie But although Satan the olde aduersarie where he thinketh he may be bold and where he hath fitte instruments to worke by hath in some priuate places euen in this flourishing time and bright light of the gospel drawne some to the whole doctrine and religion of popeâ—ie yet he will not as yet be so bold as to attempt this publikely NotwithstaÌ„ding he goeth about it by degrees by litle litle tunning as it were and filling his vessels here there one with stroÌ„g popish drink an other with small that is one with a maine point of poperie another with a smal point yea not onely tunning filling theÌ„ ther with but also tapping broching theÌ„ so filled giuing of the drink of theÌ„ by whole kannes to other to drinke And this he doth according to his old subtiltie hoping the more easily to bring in to broach all againe so to make all drunkeÌ„ againe with the cuppe of fornications that is in the haÌ„d of the whore strumpet of Rome 8 Wherefore in the feare of God in the tender loue that I beare vnto the soules of all I doe admonish all to take heede of this euil Whatsoeuer hath bin accounted poperie by good reason shewed to be repugnaÌ„t to the truth coÌ„mon consent of all churches reformed held as erronious heretical let all diligeÌ„tly take heed they neuer coÌ„ceiue any good liking thereof again If we feare any more to embrace all poperie let vs take heede that in the mean time we neuer entertain any one opinion therof though neuer so litle If we feare to be drunken with the stroÌ„gest drink or with many cups of poperie let vs refraine from tasting therof For as with them that delight in strong drinke one cup draweth on an other so also may we feare it wil be with theÌ„ which begin to smel of any one point of poperie It is dangerous it is dangerous to drinke in any one errour of poperie though neuer so small especially to persist in the liking thereof to say when we haue tasted it This is good and most dangerous it is to coÌ„mend the same to other to make them to drinke of the same cup with vs all this is very daÌ„gerous whither we doe it for some good liking of the thing it self or in regard of our own estimatioÌ„ or in any other respect whatsoeuer For we may feare least the Lord harden our hearts euen to like of those errors which as yet our soules abhor 9 I write not this to gal or gird at any or to disgrace any one particular person my heart hateth all such hatred delighteth in loue peace as wel in the credit of other as of my selfe but in a general loue I do generally admonish all to take heede in this behalfe The Apostle speaketh in the like generall maÌ„ner not admonishing some onely but also euery one to take heed least at any time there should be in any an euill vnfaithful heart to fal away Hebr. 3. 12. froÌ„ the liuing Lord. Yea after that he had testified vnto theÌ„ that he was perswaded good things Hebr. 6. 9. of theÌ„ such as did accompanie saluation yet he speaketh as generally exhorting theÌ„ to take heede that no man did fall away froÌ„ the grace of Hebr. 12. 15. God Adding further as a special means to take heede thereof that they should not suffer any roote of bitternes so much as once to spring vp amongst theÌ„ where by the root of bitternes all men know he meaneth errours and heresies Finally he addeth these reasons fitst that such roots or root would trouble theÌ„ secoÌ„dly that it would defile theÌ„ There is none therefore so stroÌ„g in the grace of God but that he may fal though not finally as hath bin shewed in my treatise if he be secure take not great heed 〈…〉 himselfe There is none so well 〈◊〉 with the sweet precious liquor of Gods truth but that he may becom bitter by suffering such bitter rootes to spring vp in his heart There is none at such peace with men and with his owne conscience but that he may be disquieted disturbed and troubled There is none so well was washed clensed by the pure water of Gods holy spirit but that he may be polluted defiled There is none therefore that may thinke this mine admonition of taking heede vnto himselfe to be superfluous and needles for him 11 To conclude I do again in all huÌ„ble maÌ„ner beseech all whoÌ„soeuer both all the reuerend fathers gouernours of our church also all other my learned and good brethreÌ„ as well remaining vnder our mothers wings in the Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxenford as also alreadie called forth to labour in the ministerie of the word in particular churches all these I say I doe huÌ„bly beseech earnestly exhort to be feruent in spirit in behalfe of the truth and with all zeale to vpholde defend maintaine and daily in the places where we liue and in the hearts of the people ouer whoÌ„ the holy Ghost hath made vs ouerseers to further to encrease and to enlarge that sound and wholesome doctrine which hitherto hath bin taught by vs and heard like wise and in some measure receiued by those amongst whome we haue laboured THE ENDE