treatise also the mysterie of iniquitie in poperie is so fully discouered and the truth of our religion from point to point particularly so euidently declared that all men of any iudgement exercised in those treatises may easily see both the one the other yea many haue seene doe see both the one the other Notwithstanding as many haue seene doe see it so also Satan the god of this world doth stil detaine many in their former blindnes and ignorance Yea the nearer that his kingdome is to an ende the more diligently he goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking still whome he may deuoure Therefore he ceaseth not by his chiefe instrument the man of sinne and child of perdition I meane the Bishop and Pope of Rome continually to send forth into all corners of the realme swarmes of Iesuits and Seminarie priests as to harden those in poperie that haue not yet renounced that profession so also to infect other there with that are either of no religion or that hauing embraced ours are not yet sufficiently setled and grounded therein And truly both waies he doth the more preuaile partly because many haue not abilitie to buie the bookes of particular controuersies betwixt vs and the Papists they beeing some what costly partly because they haue no leisure to read them beeing many and large and partly because they haue no iudgement to conceiue of them beeing matters of learning and learnedly handled Where he cannot effect that which he would for the hardening of men in poperie or drawing them to poperie there he goeth another waie to worke either corrupting them with some other heresie or making them altogether profane and working in them a contempt of all religion Because all is one to him whether men be Papists or other heretikes or of no religion at all 2 Thus therefore seeing true religion euery where to decay the kingdome of Satan more and more daily to be enlarged partly by poperie partly by other heresies and partly by profanenes and contempt of all religion I haue thought good an other waie to trie the conuersion both of the ignorant Papists that are yet perswaded their religion to be sound and true and that wherein they please God and also of other heretikes and profane persons themselues if it be possible and likewise the confirmation and strengthening of such as professing our religion in shewe are notwithstanding vnstaied and wauering and therefore readie to be drawne any other waie To all these therefore I doe here offer these generall arguments following in defence of our religion and against poperie so briefly and plainely set downe that euen all that are not able to goe to the price of bookes of particular controuersies or that cannot intende the reading of them to waigh and conceiue them may yet generally see the truth of our religion and the falshood of poperie and seeing these things may likewise more seriously consider of our religion and contrarily of the most daungerous fearefull and wretched estate of all Papists and likewise of all other that are not as yet of our religion that so the one sort may not forsake our holy fellowship and the other may ioyne with vs and that both ioyned together in one truth may zealously professe it bringing forth plentifull fruits thereof Neither would I haue men wholly to content them-selues with these generall reasons neglecting particular treatises of particular controuersies but rather by this treatise to be the more encouraged to the reading of the other and to be made the fitter and euery waie the more able to iudge of them 3 That all men may the better see my meaning in this whole treatise and know the state of the whole cause by our religion I doe here vnderstand the religion now established publikely by publike authoritie professed in England and such other Churches as haue iustly forsaken Rome and are in good measure well reformed according to the word of God contained in holy Scripture To speake more plainly I meane by our religion that substance doctrine of faith wherein we dissent from the Church of Rome and doe all of vs consent among our selues both we with those other Churches and those other Churches with vs in this land By poperie like wise I vnderstand all that doctrine of the church of Rome which differeth and dissenteth from this our religion the doctrine held and professed publikely here in England other Churches in like manner reformed In this treatise therefore I doe vndertake by plaine and euident argumēts fit for the capacitie of all sorts both poore and rich both learned vnlearned though they can read or vnderstand onely the english tongue to prooue that this our religion is of God and that which God as touching the substance and doctrine thereof doth well accept and like of and contrarily by like arguments as plainely to shew that poperie is not of God and therefore also not in any account with him but abominable and detestable in in his sight THE FIRST ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE breeding and begetting of true religion THVS hauing declared both the reasons that moued me to this work and likewise the state of the whole cause hādled herein I will now enter into the arguments thēselues Here therefore first of al let vs consider the chiefe and principall meanes whereby both that religion that is of God and acceptable vnto God is at the first begunne and framed and afterward further built and perfected in them that atteine vnto it and also of the like meanes whereby poperie is at the first hatched and afterward brooded further strengthoned Touching the former it is most certaine that it is alwayes begunne by the word of God For the Apostle S. Paule expressly teacheth vs. Rom. 10. 17. That faith is by hearing the word of god preached S. Iames also chap. 1. 18. saith that we are begotten againe by the word of truth Our Sauiour likewise in the parable of the seede Matth. 13. plainely sheweth that that onely is good ground into the which the seede of god his word falling bringeth forth good fruite and so likewise that that onely is to be accounted good fruite which springeth from the seede of the word As the word of god is the only ordinary meanes whereby faith and regeneration are begunne in euerie man whome God will haue to be saued so also it is the especiall meanes whereby they are to be further built till they be finished S. Peter exhorteth the Christians to whome he wrote that as they were allreadie borne a new by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. So also as new borne babes they should desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby chap. 2. verse 2. Saint Paule likewise hauing first exhorted the Thessalonians not to quench the spirit which they had receiued that is to cherish the spirite meaning the worke of faith regeneration wrought by the spirit a Metonymy of the cause
for the effect presently admonisheth them not to despise prophecying 1. Thess 5. 20. Where by prophecying by a Synecdoche of the speciall for the generall he meaneth the preaching onely of the same word by the which before they had receiued the Spirite Our Sauiour Christ also in his Epistles to the seuen Churches of Asia Reuelat. 2. and 3. Exhorting those Churches to repentance constancie keeping of the thinges they had receiued the encreasing of them addeth in the ende of those Epistles this generall admonition Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirite saith to the Churches whereby he giueth all men to vnderstand that hearing of that which the spirite said to the Churches was the especiall meanes for the working and encreasing of the thinges commended in those Epistles to the Churches 2 All this hitherto spoken of the word of God is to be vnderstood onely of the word of God written and conteined in the holy Scriptures For whatsoeuer the Papistes say of their vnwritten verities as equiualent to the doctrine of the Scriptures yet that there are no such vnwritten verities of such authoritie and so to be esteemed as it hath beene sufficiētly prooued by that worthy man of holy memorie M. Whitaker and other learned men that haue particularly delt in that cause so is it also euidēt by that generall admonition before spoken of giuen to the seuen Churches because in it by hearing that which the spirit saith is not meant any vnwritten veritie but that which before Christ Iesus had commanded Iohn to write to the seuen Churches 3 These thinges beeing thus euident touching that religion that is of God and acceptable vnto God let vs now see by what meanes Poperie is hatched and brooded Here let a view be taken of the Papists within our owne land and abroad yea of all whatsoeuer wheresoeuer and whensoeuer which of all them may be said to be begotten and wonne to that religion by the preaching of the word of God comprehended in the Scriptures which of all these can be said to haue beene confirmed and strengthened in that same religion by the same worde Verelie it is most certaine that poperie is begunne encreased and perfected not by that word but by traditions onely and doctrines of men The more men are purelie instructed in the word of God the more they heare consider of the doctrine of the Scriptures the further are they from all poperie the more they dislike and abhorre the same Againe the lesse men are acquainted with the word of God the seeldomer they heare it or reade it the more capable certainlie are they of all poperie the more also are they confirmed and strengthened yea rather hardened in all poperie This is most euident First because as the pure preaching of the word of God decayed in the world so poperie grew and encreased Secondly because sithence the sincere preaching of this word hath beene againe reuiued in these latter times the more hath poperie wasted and pined according to the prophecy of the Apostle who hath said that the Lord should consume Antichrist with the spirite of his mouth 2. Thess 2. 8. Thirdly the same is manifest by diuers examples of places and persons in our owne land For where the Gospell is most plentifully and truely preached there are fewest Papistes and where the Gospel is least preached there is the greatest number of papistes Some places which were most popish of all the cuntrey where they are before they had the preaching of the word are now sithence that god in mercie hath vouchsafed the same vnto them most free of poperie papistes My selfe as young as I am did know the time long sithence the happie Reigne of her Maiestie when we in Kent was most accounted also was indeede the most popish place of all that countrie But sithence it hath pleased God to send vnto them the ministerie of his word poperie hath there vanished as the mist before the Sunne and now I thinke it is lesse noted for popery then any other place especially then any place which hath not had the word as that hath had it Yea few places are more forward thē that in true profession of our religion The like may be said of many other places both in the South and also in the North partes of England Again who are the most obstinate papists in the lād are they not those that neuer haue heard the word of god preached vnto thē or that hauing heard it are fallen away from it and what is the cause why manie are so obstinate in poperie Is it not because they will not be dravven to heare that word of God neither yet to reade it Truelie I doubt not but that if it might please God to giue vnto them willing mindes to heare or read the Scriptures with a true desire indeede to keepe and embrace the doctrine in them conteined how contrarie soeuer to that which in times past they haue held or doe yet hold then the more they should heare or reade the more they would dislike of their former religion In the meane time whilst they care not for hearing or reading whilest they despise the Scriptures whilest they raile of the hearing and reading of them as many of the most learned papistes do what do they else but be wray that they are not yet begotten vnto God by them neither the children of God that therefore their religion is not of God For if they were begotten vnto god and that by the doctrine of the Scriptures if they were the children of God as they imagine and boast of them selues would they not delight to heare his word at least would they not delight to reade the word by whomesoeuer brought vnto them what louing child is not glad to heare the voyce of his louing father or to read at least his letters sent by others vnto him from the place where him selfe is He that is of God heareth God his word Ioh. 8. 47. If they were the sheepe of Christ they would heare his voyce Iohn 10. 27. If they suspect our preaching of the word yet they would at the least come to those places where the worde is read or they would reade it at home by themselues in such a tongue as wherein they might vnderstand it Sith therefore they care not for the hearing or reading it they shewe they are not begotten to God by it 4 As touching our religion it is begotten by the word of god it is confirmed strengthened by the word of God As mens traditions grew in request with men so our religion at the first decaied As the vanitie of mens traditions began to be discerned abolished by the breaking forth of the glorious light of the Scriptures out of the cloude of poperie so our religion was againe renewed and encreased The more common that the Scriptures are or haue beene the more doth our religion flourish and hath flourished from time to time The more men
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
church least also touching those things that I haue gathered out of their seruice bookes any should imagine them to be such as they themselues should now disclaime I haue sufficiently preuented these obiections in the addition it selfe shewing that the authors by me here traâ—uced had great allowance from the Popes owne vnholines and were of high estimation in their churches and likewise proouing their ancient seruice books in the things here expressed not to differ froÌ„ their new books newly reformed by the couÌ„cil of TreÌ„t neither yet to be any whit in a manner now reuoked Much other the like popish trash I might haue noted out of other the like popish bookes but to avoid tediousnes vnto other I did the more willingly spare my owne paines Thus committing your selues with the successe of these my labours vnto the Lord who worke both in you and in me more perfect hatred of popery and all other errours and more vnfained loue of his truth that we may the better continue therein and be the more plentiful in all the fruits thereof I do louingly take my leaue of you froÌ„ Billerim in Essex the seuenth of March in the yeere of our Lord according to the coÌ„putation of the church of England 1597. almost nowe ended Yours in the Lord vnfainedly Thomas Stoughton The generall summe of all all things comprehended in this treatise following The reasons why this worke was taken in hand and the state of this cause beeing first breefly declared then followe these generall arguments against popery and for our religion 1 All true religion and acceptable to God is wrought in the hearts of men by the ministerie of God his word conteiued in holy scripture Popery is not wrought by the ministerie of that worde in as much as where that word is most plentifully sincerely taught there popery most falleth and where that word is wanting there popery most abounde as also because papists will neither voluntarily come nor by authority be drawne either to the preaching or reading thereof in our Churches neither doe delight in the priuate reading thereof at home ergo Popery is not true religion c. 2 All true religion is vpheld and maintained by good and lawefull meanes needing no euill vnlavvefull meanes to vphold it But popery is vpheld and maintained by all vnlawfull meanes as by force and violence by fire and fagot corrupting adding vnto and diminishing the text of scriptures by false alleadging the authorities of men by clipping and mangling the works of the auncient fathers both in citing their testimonies and also in printing of the bookes themselues by authority of the popish church by lying miracles and such other indirect meanes ergo c. 3 The subiect matter of true religion is contained in the written word of God The subiect mat of poperie is not comprised in that written worde of God but is directly contrarie therevnto in all the principall points thereof ergo c. 4 The forme of true religion is also comprehended in the canonicall Scripture The forme of poperis is not there comprehended but is altogether diuers from the forme of God his worship in that word prescribed yea rather poperie hath in a manner no worship of God at all ergo 5 All true religion referreth all things to God his glorie Poperie referreth not all things to God his glorie but so aduanceth the Pope saints and man himselfe that it spoileth God of all his glorie ergo 6 True religion bringeth forth obedience to the â—orall law of God contained in the tenne commandements Poperie and not Papists onely baingeth forth no such obedience but transgresseth euery one of these commaundements and that in the highest degree ergo 7 True religion worketh true ioy and sound comfort in euery heart where it taketh true place as certifying she same both of the present fauour of God and also of the continuance thereof Poperie worketh no such ioy and comfort as the which depriueth men of the Scriptures whereby their eyes are to be opened and their mindes instructed in true wisdome as the which teacheth likewise that it is presumption for a man to say that he is perswaded of God his fauour and of his owne saluation and wherein no man euer knoweth whither he receiueth the true sacrament or not ergo 8 All true religion is wise as he that is the author thereof Poperie is not wise but most foolish and ridiculous grossely worshipping many homely relikes absurdly baptizing bells and Churches c. and without all wit and reason much more without diuinitie citing condemning and excommunicating them that are dead ergo 9 All true religion is vnsauorie and vnpleasant to the nature of man But poperie is most pleasant thereunto because it teacheth men not to take any paines in the scriptures yea forbiddeth all such paines because it affirmeth that the worke done is sufficient howsoeuer it be done and that therefore men neede not to be carefull about their hearts because also it commendeth especially the commandements of men giuing all libertie vnto men from the commaundements of God and teaching that what good soeuer is neglected or what euill soeuer is by any committed yet by confession of all this with the mouth by a little voluntarie afflicting of the bodie and especially by a peece of money a man may haue forgiuenes of all ergo The contrarie of all the former arguments is prooued of our religion from whence it follovveth that it is true and acceptable vnto God 10 Both the former conclusions the one against poperie the other for our religion are prooued by actuall testimonies of God These are shewed to be 1 The gifts of God promised to the latter times for the commendation of the Gospel 2 The works of God The gifts of God are shewed to haue beene 1 Excedingly decaied and almost dead and buried in the chiefe times of poperie 2 Repaired reuiued raised vp and greatly to haue flourished c. at the breaking forth of our religion out of the darknes of poperie The works of Godare either single against poperie against our religion or mixt both against poperie and for our religion All these former arguments beeing plentifully handled then followeth the conclusion wherein are exemplified the manifold vse of the whole treatise Concerning them which are of our religion all generally vveake and strong more particularly great persons and those also either generally all or specially Dauids Worthies not ofour religion Atheists and all of no religion Papists 1 weake erring onely of ignorance 2 obstinate and wilfull A GENERAL TREATISE AGAINST POPERIE AND IN DEFENCE OF the religion by publike authoritie professed in England and in other Churches reformed THE PREFACE IT cannot be denied but that many excellent learned and godly men haue both plentifully and soundly and also profitably and fruitfully written most worthie treatises for confutation of all particular points of poperie and like wise for confirmation of all particular points of our religion In this
in a traunce wherein shee did straungly alter her coūtenance with the other partes of her bodie and spake manie things in commendation of Idolatrie pilgrimage and other like points of popery and likewise in derogation of the Gospell in disallowance of King Henrie his diuorce from the Ladie Katherine the late wife of his elder brother Prince Arthur threatning as it were by way of prophecying that if he proceeded therein he should not be king one moneth after This knauerie beeing found out both shee and her abettors namely certen Munks Fryers Priests were executed for it See the booke of Martyres printed 1583. p. 1054. And other histories thereof The like is reported in the same booke p. 1291. out of the ninth booke of Sleydan his commentaries of certaine fryers of Orleance in Fraunce who because the Maiors wife of the citie vpon her death bed had desired her husband that shee might be buried without the solemnities then commonlie vsed at the funeralls of such persons whereby their noses were wiped of a great part of their accustomed gaine caused a boye in the time of their night seruice to make a straunge noyse in one of the vaults of the church where shee was buried as if he had been a spirit This boyish spirit or spirituall boye thus inspired by the deuill and the fryers and coniured like wise after their popish and deuelish manner hauing signified that he was a dumb spirit by signes also shewed that he was the soule of the said Maiors wife before buried now condemned in hell for the heresie of Martin Luther This frierlie prancke being found out the fryers by authority of the King were committed to prison where they continued a long time before they were released Let the reader see this more largelie in the booke of Martirs Sleidan his commentaries As these and such like meanes continuallie applied to shore vp popery do shew the rottēnes thereof so our religion continuing and standing right notwithstanding manie stormes and tempests against it doth shew it selfe to be sound and vpholden by him onely whose power none is able to resist But of this more shall be spoken afterward vpon other occasion THE THIRD ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE SVB iect matter of true religion AS these meanes hitherto spoken of doe mightelie speake against poperie and teach the verie simplest that are that it is not of God so also doth the matter substāce of popery speake as much For it is partly directlie contratie vnto and partlie farre differing from the matter and substance of that religion which God himselfe hath commended in his Scriptures and the which no mā can denie to be acceptable vnto god This is manifest first of all because that religion which the Scriptures commend is true knowledge of God of Christ Iesus of the truth The Lord saith by the Prophet Ose I desire mercie and not sacrifice and the knowledge of god more then burnt offrings Ose 6. 6. Oftentimes also the Lord reproueth and complaineth of the ignorance want of knowledge in his people as the cause of all euills both which they committed also which came vpō them as Ier. 9. 3. and in many other places S. Peter also saith in the name of all the Apostles We beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Ioh. 6. 69. Our Sauiour Christ saith This is life eternall that they knovve thee to be the onely very God and him whome thou hast sent Jesus Christ Ioh. 17. 3. He like wise promiseth the knowledge of the truth to all his true disciples Ioh. 8. 32. The Apostle saith God will haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. And againe he describeth faith to be the knowledge of the truth according to godlines Tit. 1. 1. He forbiddeth also the Corinthians not to be children in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. 20. The Ephesians also not to be vnwise but to vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5. 17. Finally the Apostle S. Peter biddeth the Christians to whome he wrote to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1. 5. By these and many other the like places we see that the Scriptures commend knowledge as the first matter of faith and religion We see also what knowledge they doe commend namely of God of Christ of the truth according to godlines of the will of God of the Scriptures themselues and that to all sorts of men Now what shall we saie is the matter of Poperie Truly to speake according to the nature of things poperie hath indeede no matter at all but is a meere vacuitie or emptines for the most part For may it be saide that poperie is knowledge and that of these things No certenly but it is a principle of poperie that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Therefore the whole popish Church generally condemneth all knowledge of God and of the scriptures in the common people prohibiting them the vse of any part of the scriptures as we haue heard before and teaching and commaunding them onely to beleeue as the Church beleeueth This they saie is sufficient faith and sufficient religion And indeede touching deuotion to their religion they speake most truly For no man will haue any deuotion vnto it that knowerh ought of God in the scriptures But to beleeue as the Church that is as their Church beleeueth is neither true faith nor the shadow of true faith but rather of faith in the deuills The most part also of them when they teach this faith haue it not but can onely say that they haue it and that they doe beleeue as the Church beleeueth The most I saie doe onely saie that they doe so beleeue They doe not in deede beleeue as the Church beleeueth For how can they sith they knowe not what the Church beleeueth Yet are their bare words taken allowed for currant good lawfull faith of Rome I graunt with griefe that many amongst vs know not the principles of our religion yet no man alloweth such ignorance but euery godly man condemneth it and is grieued for it But be it that they did in deede beleeue as their Romish Church beleeueth and that they knew as much as the best Doctour and all their Romish Doctours know touching their religion yet this is not ynough For now to enter into the particular matter of their religiō First the Scripture teacheth vs oftētimes that there is but one God one Lord one Mediatour betweene God man Christ Iesus but poperie teacheth that there are many gods many mediatours For doth it not cōmunicate the peculiar properties of God the vbiquitie or vniuersall presence and such like vnto the body of Christ and doe they not so make an other god thereof doe they not attribute the doing thereof to seuerall saints for seuerall countries diseases and other seuerall affaires which is onely proper to God whereby they make so many seuerall
gods as their are saints in their Kalender doe they not also ascribe power to forgiue sinnes vnto the Pope and to euery shauen priest which yet God challengeth onely to himselfe and which also their forefathers acknowledged to be God his owne due Yea doe they not in their Decretals Distinctions Canons and such other bookes allowed by generall authoritie of their Church in most plaine words write that of him which is a so the onely prerogatiue-royall of God verely it can not be denied For proofe hereof to the reader I will set downe some of their owne words that no man may challenge me of a slander neither the pope himselfe bring any action against me for belying his holines These therefore are the words of the glosse vpon the distinction Jn canone Quanto de translatione episcopi titulo 7o. Papa dicitur hasere câ—â—leste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam resum immutat substantialia vnius rei applicando aâ—ij Et de nihilo potest aliquid facere sententiam quae nulla est aliquam facere quia in his quae vult câ—est proratione voluntas Nec est qui ei dicat curitafacis Ipse enim potest supra ius dispensare de iniustitia facere iustitiam corrigendo iura mutando Nam plenitudinem obtinet potestatis That is that I may interpret these wordes to let the most ignoraÌ„t see what blasphemies popery teacheth The Pope is said to haue aÌ„ heaueÌ„ly power therefore he changeth the nature of things by applying the substantiall properties of one thing to an other And he can make something of nothing and that sentence which was none or nothing worth to be somewhat or of force because in those thinges that he will to him will is for reason Neither is there anie man that may say why doest thou so For he can dispense aboue right and of that which is iniustice make iustice correcting and changing lawes because he hath full authoritie Who doth not see by these wordes that they make the Pope another God for to change the nature of thinges as God turned Lott his wife into a pillar of salt made Baalam his asse to speake and gaue Nebuchadnezzar the heart or qualities of a beast to make something of nothing to make iustice of iniustice as God is said to ferch light out of darknes to make his owne will sufficient reason to dispense aboue right to correct change lawes to haue ful authority to do al these things is it not proper vnto God An other also of their doctors saith Excepto peccato Papapotest quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest Sinne excepted the pope can doe in manner all things thai God can doe Iohannes also Capistranus a fit name for one so well worthie of an halter of the authoritie of the Pope and of the Church p. 93. B. writeth to the same effect Vbi quaeritur ad quid protenditur authorit as Papae respondeo breuiter quòd ad omne bonum nulluÌ„ malum est enim quasâ— Deus in terris maior homine minor Deo plenitudinem obtinens potestatis That is If it be asked how farre the pope his authoritie extendeth I aunswer briefly that it extendeth to all that is good to nothing that is euill for he is as God in the earth greater then man and lesse then God hauing full authoritie Marke good reader how they are not ashamed euen to attribute these words vnto him whereby the Apostle doth describe Antechrist 2. Thess 2. 4. saying that he should sitt as God c. So God will haue themselues to acknowlenge the Pope to be Antichrist though they intend no such thing but rather to make him God or at the least pew-fellow with God In their Decretalls also they write that the Pope is neither god nor man but the Viccar of God and mixt or compounded of God and man Oftentimes also they ascribe vnto him all power aswell in heauen and hell as in earth But for further view of the monstrous blasphemies of the Pope I refer the reader to the large description of him which is in the booke of Martyrs in the verie end of King Henrie the 7. his reigne in the verie ende also of the first volume where plentifully are laid downe both their wordes of him and also the places of their owne bookes quoted in which any man may finde them By these things it is euideÌ„t that although they think great scorne to be charged to teach that there are many Gods yet in truth by communicating that vnto other which is God his onely due they teach as much God himself hath said that he will not giue his glorie to any other but they scotch not they feare not to giue it to manie other 3 The like do they touching the Mediatour For they teach that there are manie Mediators yea so many as there are Saints and a great many more Yea they teach that the Virgine Marie is not onely a Mediatour but also a Mediatour aboue Christ himselfe For proofe I will note their owne words but yet onely in English for breuities sake Thus therefore they speake to the Virgine Marie as I do faithfully traÌ„slate their words in a certaine horarie c. Reioyce O celestiall matron triumphantly praise God thy Sauiour which hath made thee singular Thou wast content to be called the handmaid of Iesus Christ but as the diuine law teacheth thou art his Ladie For right and reason requireth that the mother should be aboue the Sonne Therefore aske humblie and commaund loftilie that he guide vs that are here in the euening or twilight of the world vnto the supreame kingdom And againe in the same place Thou alone art without example whome god hath chosen to be Mediat our betweene God and man the repairer of the world the end of destruction the washing away from sinnes the way of counsell the trust of reward the ladder of hèauen the gate of paradise In their common praiers also they call her the mother of gracâ— the mother of mercie and they pray her to defend them from their enemies and to receiue them in the houre of death Againe they call her the certaiâ—â— hope of them that are in miserie the mother of Orphanes the Sauiour of the oppressed the phisick of the sicke all to all What can be more contrarie to the doctrine and matter of religion for this is not onely to make her another Mediatour but also another God and indeed if she be another Mediatour shee must also of necessitie be another god because there caÌ„ be no Mediatour which is not also god Neither is this much to be marueled at for they also pray to god to be heard not onely for the blood of Christ but also for the blood of the Martyres Yea of Thomas Becket which was no Martyr but iustlie put to death for his insoleÌ„ctreason Yea they teach that euery maÌ„ must also be his owne Sauiour that is merit his
Massacre in France of the Spanish inquisition of the dispensations graunted by the Pope for the murthering of her Maiestie and of the villanous killing of the French king For further proofe also of the crueltie of the Catholike Prince the king of Spayne in all those places where he raigneth by right or wrong by inheritance or violence and vsurpation I referre the reader to the late booke of the intertainment of English fugitiues by the Spanyard In this booke the Spanish crueltie is both largely described and also exactly penned Therefore this booke beeing so lately come forth and handling this matter so well I doe onely referre the reader hereunto Yea the Papists haue not onely beene cruell to the liuing but also to the deade For doe not all men know that they digged vp the bones of Bucer and Paulus Phagius sommoned them beeing dead long before to appeare in their Court and condemned them and at last buried their bones solemnely at Cambridge Did they not also digge vp the bodie of one Margaret Elyot that had died in prison did they not I saie digge vp her bodie after that it was buried three or foure daies and so burnt the same Is such crueltie a note of that religion that is acceptable to him that hath commaunded his children to be mercifull as himselfe is mercifull Touching the seauenth commandement not to speake of the filthie adulteries fornications incests and such like abominations of particular persons euen of their Cardinalls Bishops whereof some haue beene taken in adulterie the next night after they haue much inueighed against the marriage of ministers others haue beene taken in ginnes as they haue climed windowes to defile other mens wiues yea not to speake of the like filthines of the Pope his owne holines that hath beene taken in the very acte of adulterie and slaine at that very instant Not I saie to speake of these and other the like things all the world knoweth that their whole Church doth allowe Stewes and houses of bawdrie where any man may haue his whore according to his abilitie to giue for them some for twentie shillings some for tenne shillings some for tenne groates yea for sixe pence Any olde men that knew the Stewes here in our owne lande at London and all trauellers into other countreies can witnesse these thinges I feate also that many trauellers knowe the trueth of these things too much The Apostles condemne all fornication and wantonnesse yea they commaund the Church not to suffer one such filthie person amongst them least by one many be defiled and made to fall from the grace of God 1. Cor. 5. 4 c. Hebr. 12. 16. How much lesse then should the Church suffer whole houses and great companies of many harlots Hither also appertaine the abhominable dispensations that the Pope hath graunted for vnlawefull incestuous marriages contrarie to the written worde of God yea and to very nature it selfe the which also he might as well haue graunted for the marriage of a man with a beast Can all these things so contrarie to the expresse Scriptures be saide to be done by that spirit by inspiration whereof the Scriptures were giuen 9 To come to the eight commandement against theft all iniustice against our neighbour in his goods they offend as much herein as in the former For by what authoritie or right doth the Pope himselfe his Cardinalls Bishops Abbots Pryors Monks Fryers Priests Canons Peticanons and other of his generation gather such great masses and infinite summes of money of all sorts of people as they doe For what doe they either for soule or bodie worthy any thank much lesse worthie so great and ample reward The King of Spayne also the Pope his eldest sonne yet not his heyre though his fellow heyre of the blacke and darke kingdome by what authoritie or right or colour of either or of both hath he by his force and violence gotten all those forraigne kingdomes which he hath gotten and which he holdeth as vniustly as he hath got them But what neede I thus to accuse the persons of the Pope and papists of the transgression of this commaundement their religion it selfe especially at the wel-spring thereof is altogether couetousnes It is an olde saying that Omnia venalia Romae and this saying though it be old yet is it not moldie or cast away by them but fresh and as it were new baked and therfore as much set by and as much fedde vpon by the daintiest mouthes amongst them as euer it was yea many of them that thinke scorne of much other good and daintie meate doe feede of this as sauourly and hungerly as if they had not had a good meales meat an whole yeare before But I forget my selfe to speake of their persons whē I charged their religion of couetousnes I saie therefore that couetousnes is the foode and the very life of poperie For in poperie what is not to be bought for money To omit the common sale of all their preferments euen of the popedome it selfe who knoweth not that masses dirges trentalls forgiuenes of sinnes release from Purgatorie and heauen it selfe as poperie maketh men beleeue may be had for money Hence it is that the former generall prouerbe All things are to be sold at Rome hath brought forth another in wordes more particular but in sense and meaning as large and generall No penie no pater noster whereby is signified that in poperie the very least thing is not to be had graiis that is freely and without money and no maruaile for sith they teach that God himselfe giueth not heauen freely and without merits why should their religion giue the commodity it hath without siluer Neither in poperie may a man haue onely pardon for any sinne committed but also a dispensation and license for the committing and doing of any thing how wicked and vniust soeuer it be as hath bin touched before How contrarie is this manner of dealing as well to the practise of holy men in the scriptures as to the other doctrine of the scriptures Elisha refused the gift of Naaman offered and vrged vpon him though Naaman had first recouered his health by the meanes of Elisha The Pope taketh where nothing is offered and for which nothing is performed S. Peter also beeing offered money by Simon the sorcerer for power that on whome soeuer he did laie his hand he might receiue the holy Ghost answered with great indignation Thy money perish with thee c. Act. 8. 20. The Pope is not onely readie to sell greater matters for money then those gifts of the holy Ghost or at the least to take money for words onely of greater matters but also is so greedie to sell them that he will rage and roare like a lyon if money be not offered vnasked or not presently paide as soone as it is demanded Can we therefore thinke that the Pope taketh all such things by the same spirit wherby Elisha and Peter refused that
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
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
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
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
libertie Hauing shewed it to be a religion without all found ioy comfort hauing blamed it as a ridiculous and foolish religion nothing sauouring the excellent wisdome of God hauing likewise added that it is plausible and well liking to the naturall and vnregenerate man and therefore altogether disliking and vnpleasant vnto God and finally hauing obiected to the chiefe times of poperie great blindnes and ignorance as touching the sound and true knowledge of God so also touching other good learning in the learned toÌ„gues and in all learned arts and hauing in the saide treatise firmely though but briefly prooued all these things that so I might not therein be ouer-tedious to the reader sithence the finishing of the former worke I haue thought good to make this addition following for the more euident and plentifull demonstration of all those thingâ— before mentioned Such therefore as desire to see all things before touched and obiected to poperie more largely opened and prooued such I saie I call to this addition wherein they shall see the words of the popish Church it selfe more amply to iustifie all my former words yea they shall here see not onely their owne wordes buâ— also their owne syllables their owne letters their owne points For as nigh as I could yet in some things I may slippe because I found it an harder matter to set downe their false manner of writing then if all things had beene truly penned by them as nigh I say as I could I haue written all things in this addition abbreuiations onely excepted in the very same sort that I finde them written in their owne bookes Let not therefore the Christian and learned teader be here offended either with the rudenes of the latine it selfe or with the false manner of writing thereof without obseruation of any rules of orthographie For as sentences are written here without any true points as I haue set downe the words themselues without dipthongs without great letters for the most part at the beginning of sentences and especially of proper names one letter also sometimes for an other as K for C Y for I and such like and aduerbs that should be accented without any accents as I say these things are set downe by me so did I finde them so shall the reader finde them in auncient books out of which I haue taken them And thus I haue the rather done that thereby their ignorance their blindnes and rudenes euen in the latine tongue whereof notwithstanding they made most profession might the more euidently appeare euen to the children that haue learned any rules of grammar Touching the matter it selfe of these things here added it is either so blasphemous that it will make any christian heart to tremble at the reading or hearing thereof or so foolish and ridiculous that any man of reason will think it more fit for a stage then for the Church the place of God his worship and to make sport withall rather then to haue the name of religion In this addition for the most part I haue set downe the latine it selfe that so all men may the lesse suspect my faithfulnesse in reporting their wordes Notwithstanding sometime when there is no speciall thing in the latin either for phrase or for manner of writing worthie the noting and especially when the latin is very long I haue for breuities sake either altogether omitted the latin or onely set downe the beginning thereof sometimes also noting some special words in the margent Now although this addition may at the first seeme somewhat large yet to the reader it neede not be very painfull for that one halfe is in a manner the whole because if the reader be learned vnderstanding the latin tongue then he may read the latin onely omitting the english If the reader know no other tongue then the english then the reading onely of the english will be sufficieÌ„t Now to come to the things themselues which here I purpose to adde I will first beginne with their popish seruice bookes and proceede from them to the writings of some of their chiefe Doctours and finally conclude this whole addition with some of the miracles of the virgin Marie Now because their seruice bookes are full of many blasphemies as wherein they giue so many of God his peculiar attributes vnto the Saints especially to the virgin Marâ—e and to the crosse yea to the bare signe of the crosse that in truth they leaue nothing to God himselfe I will onely select the principal of them wherein are the highest blasphemies and omit the other as beeing of more labour to be written then of vse to be read These that follow are such that it may be many did neuer thinke so foolish and abominable stuffe had beene in their bookes vntill they did see their owne wordes 2 Therefore out of a booke intituled in some impressions horae beate virginis Marie ad legitimum sarisburiensis ecclesie ritum c. I haue gathered these things following These praiers following ought to be said ere ye depart out of your chamber at your vprising The Apostle teacheth to praie with vnderstanding but of thes praiers following as the language was vnknowne to the common people so the sentences of them doe not agree one with an other leafe 7. first side Auxiliatrix sis mihi irinitas sanctaâ— deus in nomine tuo leuabo manuâ— meas Crux triumphalis passionis domini nostri Iesâ— Christâ— Jesus Nazarenus rexâ— Iudeorâ—â—m fi lt dei miserere mei In nomine patris filij spiritus sancti Amen per signum sancte crucix X libera nos deus salutaris noster that is in english Helpe me O holy trinitie O God in thy name will I lift vp my hands The triumphant These sentences agree like light and darknes Note that here and many other places they say not by the crosse it selfe but by the signe of the crosse crosse of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Iesus of Nazareth the king of the Iewes O sonne of God haue mercie on me In the name of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost Amen By the signe of the holy crosse deliuer vs O God of our saluation Againe in the same leafe When thou goest first out of thy house blisse thee saying thus Crux triumphatnis domini nostri Iesu Christ ecce viuifiee crucis dominicum sanctum fugite partes adverse The triumphant crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Behold the Lords signe of the quickning crosse Avoide ye that are my aduersaries When thou takest holy water say thus Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus vita presta mihi domine per hanc creaturam aspersionis aque sanitatem mentis integritatem corporis tutelam salutis securitatem spei corroborationem fidei nunc in futuro Pater noster Aue Maria. This blessed water be vnto me health and life worke in me O Lord What warrant haue they thus to pray by this creature of sprinkling of
place where now it is honoured with hymnes After this they sought for the olde man but neither was he seene to goe forth neither did they finde him there 2 In the translation of Thomas Becket many blasphemous praiers and some other Many blasphemous praiers in the translation of Thomas Becket thinges are in the same booke mentioned First of all thus they pray vnto God Deus qui nobis translationem beati Thome martyris tui atque pontificis celebrare concedis te supplicâ—â— exoramus vt eius meritis precibus a vitijs ad virtutes a carcere transferamur adregnum that is O God which grauntest vs to celebrate the translation of blessed Thomas thy This Thomas as our Chronicles testifie was put to death for treason yet see how they honour him martyr and bishop we humbly beseech thee that by his merits and praiers we may be translated from vice to vertue and from prison to a kingdome After that they saie apparuit ei dominus dixit Thoma Thoma glorificabitur in sanguine tuo ecclesia mea that is the Lord appeared vnto him and said Thomas Thomas my church shall be glorified in thy blood In the sixt lesson for his translation they S. Thomas 〈◊〉 miracles speake of many miracles that he did namely that he restored sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe speach to the dumbe and life to the dead Then they praie againe Iesus Christe per Thome vulnera quae noâ— ligant relaxa scelera c. Iesus Christ by the wounds of Thomas loose the sinnes which doe binde vs. Then they say in further commendation of him Felix locus felix ecclesia in qua Thome viget memoria felix terra que dedit presulem felix illa que fouet exulem Happie is the place happie is the church wherein remaineth any memorie of Thomas happie is that land which gaue him for a bishop and that likewise entertained him a banished man Againe Thome cedunt parent omnia pestes morbi mors demonia ignes aer tellus maria Thomas mundum All things obeâ— Thomas and he filleth the world with glorie repleuit gloria Thome mundus prestat obsequia All things giue place and obedience vnto Thomas pestilences sicknesses death and the deuills The fire the ayre the earth and the seas Thomas hath filled the world with glorie The world yeeldeth humble seruice vnto Thomas Then follow the eight nine lessons for the said Thomas Bâ—ckets day the summe of which lessons is this A certaine man desirous to visit his shrine for praiers sake meeting with a carre vpon Kainford 〈◊〉 Thomas saâ—eth a man froÌ„ drowning bridge by London was throwne into the water He remembred therefore Thomas and praied vnto him that he might not be drowned Now although he suncke fiue times to the bottome and still came vp againe yet he did earnestly protest that he felt no griefe either in his mouth or in his nostrills but that onely in his falling he tooke a little salt water He also added that when he began to be drowned a certaine bishop supported him that he could not be drowned Then they note that the translation of Thomas was coÌ„summated ann 1220. in the nones of Iuly about three of the clocke but whether in the morning or euening they tell vs not in the 40. yeare after his suffering After they say Aqua Thome quinquieâ— varians calorem that perhaps should be colorem in lac sâ—mel transâ—â—t quater in cruorem The water of Thomas fiue times changing the heat or rather S. Thomas his water turned into milke and blood the colour was turned once into milke and foure times into blood Then they adde Ad Thome memoriam quater lux descendit in sancti gloriam cereos accendit For the remembrance of Thomas light descended foure times and lighted the waxe candles vnto the glorie of the saint Then they praie Tu pro Thome sanguine quem prote impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit For the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend cause some of vs O Christ to clime thither where Thomas did ascend And after that to Thomas himselfe they praie thus Opem nobis O Thoma porrige rege stantes iacentes erige mores actus vitam câ—rrige in pacis nos viam dirige Reach forth thy helpe O Thomas vnto vs gouernevs standing raise vs vp lying correct our manners our workes our life and direct vs into the way of peace Afterward they salute Thomas thus Salve Thoma virga iustitie mundi iubar robur ecclesiae plebis amor cleri delitie salue gregis tutor ecclesiae salue tue gaâ—dentes glorie Good morrow Thomas the rodde of iustice the sunne-beame of the world the strength of the Church the loue of the common people the delight of the cleargie Good morrow O gouernour of the flocke thy Church saue them that reioyce in thy glorie Besides many foolish and ridiculous things in these wordes that I haue noted concerning the foresaide Thomas who seeth not also many horrible and outragious blasphemies in that that many thinges proper onely to God and his Sonne Christ Iesus are attributed vnto him whereby he is made euen equall with God and with Christ Iesus In the feast of relikes first reading these wordes Matth. 5. at that timâ— Iesus seeing the multitude went vp into a mountaine and when he was set his disciples came vnto him Then they make this glose vpon them Mons in quo sedit dominus mystice significat maiora precepta iustitiae quia minora erant queiudeis data sunt c. Mystice etiam sessio domini incarnatio eius est c. that is the mouÌ„taine in which the Lord did sit doth mystically signifie the great precept of iustice because they were the lesse which were giuen vnto the Iewes The sitting also of the Lord is mystically his incarnation Is not this clerkly done 3 In the fift and sixt lessons of S. Margarets day there is this historie in effect S. Margaret being in close prison for the christian faith praied vnto God that cum inimico latente facie ad faciem haberet conflictum that is shee A notable fight of S. Margaret might fight face to face with the secret enemie Arising therefore from praiers shee saw a terrible dragon readie to swallow her vp with his iawes but by making the signe of the crosse he brake in the middes After shee saw an other deuill sitting like a blacke man and hauing his handes bound to his knees but shee tooke him by the haire and laid him all along vpon the earth and set her right foote vpon the crowne of his head Then shee praied and suddenly light shined from heauen in the prison and the crosse of Christ was seene euen to heauen and a doue sitting vpon it say Blessed art thou O Margaret the gates of paradise doe looke for thee Then giuing
thanks to God shee said to the deuill enarra mihi naturam tuam Tell me thy nature The deuill saide Take away thy foote from the crowne of my head that I may tell thee This beeing done the deuill saide I am as one of them whome Salomon shut vp in a brasen Salomon a coniurer Diuels may be locked vp in vessels vessell and when the Babylonians came they thought that it had beene full of golde and brake it open and by this meanes we flew out and euer sithence we haue laid snares for the iust After these and many other things the virgin said vnto him Auoide O tempter Sathan Then the earth opened her mouth and receiued him 4 In the seauenth and eight lesson next An other tale of the said Margaret following is added this historie of the saide virgin Margaret The gouernour Olymbrius hauing grieuously tormented her commanded her to be bound hand and foote and put into a great vessell of water The virgin praied that that water might be made a fountaine of baptisme vnto eternall life Then was a great earthquake and a doâ—e came from heauen and set a crowne of gold vpon her head By this sight fiue thousand men were conuerted besides women and children all which by the commandement of Olymbrius were beheaded and he seeing her constancie commanded her in like maÌ„ner to be put to death Beeing brought forth therefore to the place of execution shee desired the hangman to giue her leaue to praie This graunted and her praier made that euery one that should write her sufferings or reade it or heare it or make mention of it might merit pardon of This maketh well for me that write this historie so also for all them that shall read it c. his sinnes c. This praier I say made to this effect and more largely there were great thunders and a doue came from heauen saying Blessed art thou O spouse of Christ Margaret behold Christ hath graunted all thy petitions come therefore into the rest of thy heauenly couÌ„trey Then shee lifting vp her selfe badde the hangman execute his masters commaundement But he saide God forbid that I should kill thee Shee answered if thou doest it not thou canst haue no part with me Then he trembling cut off her head and falling at the feete of the virgin he gaue vp the ghost 5 Many other like fabulous things are reported in the same booke of other the like saints as of Saint Osmond Saint Kenelme the King of the seauen sleepers of whome they The 7. sleepers read likewise for a lesson in the church that they fleeing persequution and laying them downe in a caue to sleepe continued there sleeping 362. yeares Likewise of Saint Oswald the king of Saint Laurence Saint Dionis and his fellows Saint Edward the king of Saint Wenefred the virgin of these I saie and many other the like saints many fabulous things are there reported which I might here haue added but hauing beene long alreadie in these seruice bookes I dare not presume further vpon he patience of the reader For this cause also I forbeare further addition of many most foule and blasphemous prayers in the feast of the exaltation of the crosse the rather also because I haue noted the like before 6 Nowe it may be some will here obiect against these things thus gathered out of their seruice bookes that albeit it be most true indeede that sometimes there haue beene such praiers and such pardons annexed vnto them yet now the church of Rome hath vtterly disclaimed and reuoked them and likewise reformed such bookes as now especially they vse To this I answer first that if there be any such reuocation and reformation of the foresaide ridiculous toyes and horrible blasphemies because they were ridiculous and blasphemous then thereby it is graunted that the time hath beene when the Church of Rome was a foolish and blasphemous Church and their religion likewise foolish and blasphemous For otherwise what needed they to haue reuoked such things or to haue made any reformation of them Secondly I demand where this reuocation and reformation is They wil perhaps wonder at this demaund sith I my selfe haue before named their late booke intituled officium beatae Mariae virginis nuper reformatum pij quinti pontificis maximi iussâ—â— editum that is the seruice of blessed Marie the virgin lately reformed and by the commandement of Pius the fift high priest published They will perhaps referre me to this booke it selfe as pretended to be reformed and especially to the preface thereunto prefixed by the said pepe Pius wherein is a kinde of reuocation of some former seruices of the virgin 7 Touching the booke it selfe I doe onely repeat my answer before made namely that this booke is but onely said and pretended to be reformed and not reformed in truth at the least of the substantiall points most to be regarded This is manifest by such ridiculous blasphemous praiers as I haue before noted out of the same booke still remaining therein Therefore in setting this title before the booke The seruice of the Virgin lately reformed they doe but as many a false taylour doth with the garment which he hath marred in making and as some careles cooks with the meate which they serue vnto their masters table not throughly rosted or boiled As the taylour beeing blamed for the fault of the garment promiseth to mende it taking it home with him bringeth it againe facing out the owner that he hath mended it when he neuer did any thing more vnto it then at the first at least to any purpose and as the cooke beeing rebuked for his negligence oftentimes notwithstanding sendeth in the meat the second time as better rosted or boiled when either he neuer did put it againe on the spit or into the pot or if he did that yet it had neuer a turne more nor any more seething euen so the church of Rome being iustly blamed for the grosse and foule blottes of their former seruice bookes haue taken it againe into their shoppe or kitchin but yet returned it vnto vs or rather vnto their mistris and ladie onely giuing this word reformatum reformed that is facing vs or rather their mistris and ladie omnia esse bene that is that all things are well when in truth the chiefe and most principall absurdities and blasphemies doe yet remaine 8 Concerning the preface vnto the former booke so pretended to be reformed I graunt that therein seemeth to be a kinde of reuocation or disanulling of some former seruice The auncient popish seruice bookes before mentioned are not now disanulled or reuoked by the church of Rome bookes but not of such seruice bookes as out of which I haue gathered the things before set downe For in the same preface after the reuocation and disanulling of their former seruice bookes which it doth reuoke and disanull followeth a very large exception of three branches the first is
patient and which beare much aduersitie patiently Fifthly that with vertues shall be placed the peacemakers and they that as much as in them lieth haue peace with all men Sixthly they with dominions shall be made blessed prelates as well ecclesiasticall as secular BeatificabuÌ„tur prelati tam ecciesiastics quam seculares Seauenthly that with thrones shall be placed they that perfectly for saking the world shall obserue wilfull pouertie Eightly that with Cherubims shall be placed the wise teachers of soules which shall not onely liue well themselues but shall also by their wisdome and doctrine bring other to eternall life Ninthly that with Seraphims shall stand they that shall be perfect in burning loue aboue all other as the Apostles and other like vnto them When shee had heard all this shee said further Et ego fili in quo ordine collocabor And in what order O sonne shall I be placed He answered because thou art perfecter then all the former therefore thou shalt not be in any of the former orders but shalt be exalted aboue all angelicall spirits Nam due cathedre sedes fulgentissime sunt nobis preparate in celo c. for there are two chaires and seates most fulgent or bright prepared for vs in heauen One for me wherein I shall sitte as king of heauen and an other for thee at my right hand wherein thou shalt sitte as the Queene of Angels and of all the Saints which was figured 3. King by Bathsheba 1. King 2. Salomon c. These things are much more largely set downe by him in his booke then by me in this place because I hasten to an ende Now who seeth not the vanitie and follie of these mysteries 15 In the first sermon of her coronation leafe 381. thus he writeth O igitur regina nostra serenissima c. that is O therefore our The virgins kingdome vniuersall and euerlasting most excellent Queene thou truly maist say Ezr. 1 that The Lord hath giueÌ„ me all the kingdomes of the earth And we may say vnto thee that Tob. 13. Thy kingdome is throughout all ages and psal 144. Thy kingdome is for all ages Psal 145. 3. and Dan. 2. A kingdome which shall neuer be broken Come therefore and take thou the kingdome ouer vs. Iudg. 9. for of thy kingdome may that be said psal 105. And his kingdome shall rule ouer all and Luc. 1. And of his kingdome there shall be none ende c. 16 In the second sermon of her coronation O how much adoe is there of the great singing in heauen by the angels and saints c. euery one hauing a seuerall antheme leafe 386. Afterward he telleth vs that shee was crowned with three crownes as the Emperours are wont to be crowned One crown is of iron in signum fortitudinis in token of her fortitude and strength the second was of Her three crownes siluer ratione purit at is in regard of her puritie the third crowne where with shee was crowned was of gold ratione superioritatis sufficientie in regard of her superioritie and sufficiencie In the same sermon leafe 391. he saith that in glorie shee doth as much excell the nature of angels and men both beeing ioyned together as the circumference of the firmament doth in greatnes exceede his center that is to speake more plainely that her glorie is as much greater then the glorie of the angels and of men as the whole highest heauen is greater then the earth In the same lease thus he speaketh vnto her O femina ab omnibus super omnia benedicta c. An heape of the virgins titles that is O woman of all and aboue all blessed Thou art the nobilitie and preseruation of mankind Thou art the breadth of merit and the perfect power of all things created Thou art the onely mother of God Thou art the Ladie of the whole earth and the Queene of the world Thou art the dispenser of all graces Thou art the coÌ„summation of the whole world and the beautie of the holy Church Thou art out worthie satisfaction before the giuer of all gifts Thou art the incomprehensible greatnes of all vertues gifts and graces 17 It were infinite to note the cithe onely of the foolish and blasphemous speaches concerning the virgin Marie contained in that one booke so highly allowed by the Popes holines To omit therefore the gathering of any more out of this Bernardine I come now to the sermons of Saint Vincent THE SIXTH PART THis Vincent was no obscure person but like wise of great account in the Romish Church For he is not onely called by the name of a Saint but also in the beginning of his Estivall sermons he is called Divini verbi preco interpres professor subtilissimus that is a most subtile or sharpe preacher interpretour and professour of the word of God In the ende also of the same booke he is called Iluminatissimus acutissimus sacre theologie professor a most illuminated and acute professour of sacred diuinitie Let vs therefore see what pretious ware this great marchant hath in his shoppe 2 First it is to be obserued that as Bernardine did so doth this man also beginne all or at the least most of his sermons with a deuout salutation of the Virgin Touching the speciall matter of his sermons it is as followeth In his first sermon for Easter daie he noteth chiefly and principally three points wherein consisteth as he saith all the practise of the blessed resurrection of Christ These three points he setteth downe thus Resurrectio Christi fuit celebrata affectuose demonstrata gratiose publicata virtuose The resurrection of Christ was celebrated with great affection shewed with great grace published with great power or vertue In the same sermon speaking of the virgin Marie he saith that shee had prepared against the resurrection of Christ cameram a chamber and Camara is vsed for a chamâ—er by the same author â—erm 2. pro Dominic 1 post feâ—â—â—â—â—nnitatis cathedram a chaire and that she said Hic sedebit filius meus hic loquar et Here shall my sonne sit and here will I speake vnto him What word is there of any such thing in the Scripture Then he addeth that when Christ and his mother met and Christ was set in the chaire he told his mother what he had done in hell how he had bound the deuill shewed her the holy fathers which he had taken from thence who did to the virgin great reuerence Then he setteth downe particularly the words of Adam and Eve of the Prophets and Angels c. to the virgin Marie 3 In his sermon for the fourth holy day of Easter hauing read his text which he saide was the gospel for that daie and hauing saluted the virgin he addeth these words In sacro euangelio sunt quatuor moralia circa apparitionem quam fecit Christus discipulus suis scilicet Occasio necessilosa Operatio
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
she came to such want that she was constrained to nurse the childe of a certaine soldier The adulterer for enuie of his wife came very secretly and cutte the childes throat departed earely When the woman awaked and would haue giuen the child suck she saw his throat cut Then she brake out into so great a crie that all in the lodging did awake But this was vnknowne to the father and all in the citie The woman apprehended is brought vnto iudgement and when shee was iudged to die hauing no bodie to speake for her shee looking vp to heauen saide O Marie thou knowest mine innocencie to thee I commend my selfe These words ended Metibi recommendo there came one ladie which did beare a faire boy and with these wordes spake vnto all Stay your selues O Iudges because this Sustinete vos iudices boy shall be iudge this day Then presently the child said vnto the iudge So ought iudgement to be of a murtherer let the person murthered be brought and let the answer of the woman be heard All men maruailed at the wisdome of this child and presently the child killed was brought Then said the childe in iudgement Iudge tighteously O ye sonnes of men and he said to the childe murthered In the name of the Lord arise and name him that killed thee Immediatly the childe that was killed arose and hauing neuer spoke before then he beganne to speake and with his finger did shew the murtherer So the woman was dismissed and the murtherer apprehended In the meane time the ladie with her child vanished away and the adulterer beeing bound to an horse taile most miserably died 12 The summe of the 25. miracle is this In a certaine monasterie of Nunnes there was a very deuout virgin named Bettres which for her deuotion beeing Wardnesse Beatrix facta nutrix did discharge this office so much the more deuoutly by how much the more freely shee did it At length a certaine priest entising her to filthines shee withstood him a long time But beeing in the ende ouercome shee came to the altar of the blessed virgin which there was Patronesse and resigned her keyes as not beeing able any longer to abide the tentation so shee secretly followed the priest But within a little time he forsooke her by which meanes shee came to great pouertie and being ashamed to returne to her cloister shee became a common whore and hauing liued many yeares publikely in that sinne at length she came vnto the gate of her Monasterie in a secular habite and asked the portresse whether she knew Bettres sometime Wardnesse of that Monasterie To whome the portresse answered that shee knewe her well and that shee was a good ladie or mistresse and holy and that without rebuke shee had liued in Domina proba that monasterie from her infancie to that day Notans sed non obseruans The virgin supplieth an harlots place for 15. yeares All which time the whole church of Rome erred in praying to her in heauen she beeing here in earth This Bettres noting these wordes but not obseruing them would haue departed But the mother of mercie appeared vnto her in the shape of a woman and said I haue supplied thine office for fifteene yeares of thine absence now returne into thy house repent for no man hath knowne thy going out For in her forme and habite the virgin the mother of God had executed her office c. so she was restored 13 The 27. in summe is this A certaine soldier a yong man dwelling with an other soldier by whome he was maintained being A quo infeuda tuâ— erat in his flourishing age but flourishing more in virginitie by enuie not with standing of the deuill beganne to be grieuously tempted and to burne in lust towards his mistresse This in modestie he concealed a whole yeare but at the last ouercomming shame he opened his desire vnto her Shee beeing honest faithfull to her husband repelled him whereby he was the more afflicted Then with teares making his temptation knowne to a certaine Heremite this holy man faithfully answered Fiducialiter respondit Sound counsell against tentation that he would giue him sound counsaile which was that for a whole yeare he should salute the virgin euery daie with an 100. Aue Maria. The young man willingly performed this and when he had done it the last time as he came out of the Church he saw a most beautifull Matrone farre excelling all the glorie of man getting vpon his horse and holding the bridle He maruailing what shee should be shee answered doth my person please thee then he saide that he had neuer seene one fairer then her Shee answered againe I will be thy wife come vnto me and I will giue thee a kisse she saide also Now is The Papists make the virgin to loue kissing the marriage begunne such a day before my sonne it shall be finished By this word he knew her to be the Lords mother From that houre he was freed from the tentation and he reported all this to the Heremite who reioyced greatly and said he would be at the marriage The day comming and the Heremite beeing present the foresaid soldier beeing in an agonie gaue vp the ghost and so entred agonizans spiritum exalauit the heauenly brid-chamber to celebrate the promised marriage 14 Now because I promised to make the reader but a short banquet with these iunkaâ—s A man deliuered from condâ—mnation for offering one candle to the virgin I will therefore passe by many other and come to the summe of the 49. which is this A certaine soldier a young man much giuen to the world had a deuout wife that praied often to the virgin Marie for his conuersion Now in a certaine night her husband in spirit was brought to the iudgement of God and there accused of all his sinnes And beeing forsaken the iudge asked if there were none of the saints whom he had honoured at any time The virgin Marie answered that once in reuerence of her he had giuen a great waxe candle so at her request he was discharged WheÌ„ therfore the deuils would haue laid on him with a burning candle he burned the combussit eos viriliter se defendit and manfully defended himselfe Thus with feare and trouble he laboured swet mightily in his bedde and so howled that his wife Inuenit ontem haspidam quasi corticem de arbore heard him In the morning therfore she fouÌ„d his skinne rough as it had beene the barke of a tree his haires long graie and hard and suspecting adulterie she cried out The seruants running to their weapons he awaking could not speake but made an horrible noise as if it had becne an oxe At last recouering himselfe he reported the whole matter and was conuerted c. 15 The 50. miracle There was a certaine man in name only religious but to all things a
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