be but a brokeÌ„ staffe as Esay termes weake helpes and will in the end plunge mans soule in desperation in conflict and in hel Such peace tasted Franciscus Spira of that died in desperatioÌ„ tasted Ecchius of that dying vttered desperate wordes tasted Sadoletus of that dyed in a weake fayth tasted Latomus of that roared like an Oxe in his death bedde and as some thinke tasted Bish. Gardiner of Those of that Church do fremere vt vrsi do rore like Beares and those of our Church and those that be the members of our faire woman they doe as the Prophet sayth Gemere vt columbi Mourne like Doues Thei die therfore like our Sauior Christ Ego vado ad patrem taking death to be no more but a passage to the father They die like Paule There is layde vp for me a crowne of glory They die like Steuen Lord I betake my soule to thy handes They die like Polycarpus Lorde make me a partner of thy resurrection They die like Luther God is the great Byshop of my soule let him take carke of my soule They die like Caluine 〈◊〉 haue holden my peace Lorde because thou hast done this This woman this Church bringeth warre to the body and warre to the soule and therefore she is 〈◊〉 foule woman Againe if sinne do make foule and vncleane then is this woman that wayâ—… very foule and vncleane to In respecte oâ—… sinne Tertullian Hierome call Rome Babylon But if they will be so impudenâ—… as to denie their vglie monstrous racâ—… of sinne then let Barnard speake that sayth There is no healthfull place in that Church froÌ„ the toppe to the toe â–ª Nay go ye then to and speake euen ye Italian writers speake Boccas speake Petrach speake Mantuan and speake Pallengenius Howbeit it is vaine in mâ—… to bidde them speake who commonly throughout all their workes doe burste out into most bitter spéeches agaynst the enormious life of the Church of Rome But admit these men had neuer spokeÌ„ any one word agaynst that church yet doo but loke ouer Bales booke of Votaries and a boke called A Cataloge of witnesses agaynst the Pope of Rome and then I doubt not but you will subscribe that this church of Rome is a most sinfull woman In the meane time vpon the witnessing of so many witnesses in great earnest I tell you that she is a most sinfull woman and therfore spiritually a most foule and deformed woman Those thinges that they obiect to our church are but freckes and speckes in comparison of the Botches and Biles of theyr owne church And for our further purgation I report me to a litle booke of Master Caluine de scaÌ„dâ—…lis nostrae ecclesiae of such reproches as may be intended against our church Now if they will say that their church is fayrer because she is trimly attired because she hath curious copes and veluet vestmentes sensing and singing and much ioly ringing it may please them to vnderstand that all this fayrenesse is not fayrenesse from within the church but an outward fayrenesse and a paynted fayrenesse And all those reasons which Peter Martyr in the booke of kings doth bring that a woman ought not to paint her face may be alleged agaynst them that they ought not to paint theyr church And if euer they will proue theyr church to be a fayre church they must first make this good that painted beawty is a good beawty And thus much haue I sayd in these two poynts that Christes church is a woman and hath womanhead that Antichristes church is a drab and a shamelesse brothell that Christes church is fayre that Antichristes church is foule And now let me speake of the church and of the authoritie of the church which I coÌ„fesse to be some because here the church or fayrest of women is asked and doth geue answer of the beloued and doinges of christ Touching theyr argumentes whereby they would geue so great an authoritie to the church they be light and nothing such as they are estéemed To come to their first argument which is Thou art Peter and vpon thee Peter I will build my church â–ª it doth not serue for theyr turne euen by the testimony of the better sort of the fathers For Augustine vpon Iohn sayth Non a petro petra sed petrus a petra The rocke taketh not name of Peter but Peter of the rocke And agayne he sayth I will build thee vpon me and not me vpon thee Such like wordes hath Origen and so Hierom to Iouianus who in an other place sayth that the church is fouÌ„ded vpon all the Apostles But they haue an vnuincible argument out of S. Augustine I would not beleue the Gospell except the authoritie of the church did moue mee I will not expound S. Augustine nor they shall expouÌ„d him but S. Augustine shall expound S. Augustine And here I let them vnderstand by S. Augustine that he vseth to spâ—…ake in the preterimperfectence for the preterplupâ—…ctence So in the first booke of his confessions and â—…enth chapt speaking of his youth he sayth thus Non enim dicerem nisi cogâ—…r Which can not be truely expounded but thus Non didicissem nisifuissem coactus I should neuer haue learned except I had bene driuen thereto Agayne in the second booke and third chap. he sayth Erubescerem for Erubescebam I should blush for I did blush soo that there hée straineth the moodes In the eight chap. he sayth Si tunc amarem poma illa qua furutus sum which cannot be expounded thus If I then would haue loued these aples which I haue stolen but thus If I had then loued those aples which I had stolen so that we must reade amarem for amassem I had loued for I should loue â–ª In the tenth chap. he sayth thus Ego solus illud non facerem which must néedes be expounded thus I would not had done so So that héere we haue facerem for feciscem the imperfectence for the pluperfectence No otherwise must néedes be sayd Euangelio non crederem that is non credidisceÌ„ The Papistes say I would not beleue the Gospell except the authoritie of the church did moue me to it I by the circumstances of that placâ—… by likenes of these other places do say it can not be expounded but thus Non crederem Euangelio id est non credidiscem Euangelio So that the mere and vnbroken sense of S. Augustines wordes be these I should not had beleued or I should neuer had beleued the Gospell except the authoritie of the church had moued me thereto So that all the authoritie that they can gayne for the church out of this place is but this The church was an introduction to Sainct Augustine to beleue the Gospell therfore it is of more authoritie then the Gospell So they may say that the starre did shew the wise men the way vnto Christ therefore the starre hath more authoritie then christ â—…o Iohn
bare witnesse of the light and therefore was of more authoritie then the light it selfe So in the first of Peter and the third chapter it is sayd That men should be wonne to the word without the word by the conuersation of women so that the conuersation of women should be of more authoritie then the word But it must be considered that this argument is not good The authoritie of the church to Sainct Augustine being a puny and a nouice in matters of religion was greater then the authoritie of Christ therfore the authoritie of the church is simply greater then the authoritie of christ No more then this argument Iohn was in better credit with the Iewes then Christ when he â—…are witnesse of Christ therefore Iohn his witnessing ought to be the better Or this argument womens conuersation moueth some men more then the word therfore it doth moue or ought to moue simply more then the word But euen as Iohn that bare witnesse of Christ did confesse that he was not worthy to loose Christes shoe latchet no more the church though it beare witnesse of Christ in respect of credit and authoritie is not worthy to loose Christes shoe latchet And euen as when Christ put forth him selfe and began to be knowen to the people Iohn said it behoueth me to waxe lesse and him to waxe greater so when the church hath geuen a man to vnderstand of Christ and that Christ beginneth to appeare vnto vs the church decreaseth in authoritie and estimation like Iohn and Christ increaseth and waxeth greater in authoritie and credit Euen so do the Samaritanes in the fourth of Iohn that were brought to Christ by the woman of Samaria say thus we do not now beleue for thy talke for we our selues haue heard and do know And yet S. Augustines case and ours is not like For he was moued by the authoritie of that church which perswaded him to the Gospell the authoritie of the church of Rome doth bend it selfe and is directed to moue vs onely to the church of Rome Besides that that church did compell no man as he writeth to Fundamentus in the 4. epistle the church of Rome doth compell vs to beleue theyr church or compell the soule to forsake the body Agayne they reason that the Church shall be a citie standing vpon a mountayne and therfore it must alwayes be visible and no church say they is so but the church of Rome The very true exposition of thys place is this as it may appeare by all good expositors that the Apostles are called the citie vpon a mountayne the salt of the earth So that the true meaning is this a good Apostle is salt and therfore let him season a good Apostle is a mountayne citie or a high citie and therfore let him shew and shine so in workes that he may glorify God his heauenly father And in déede this text is expounded naturally thus and without violence For it is very straunge to a diuine to thinke that Gods church should be a mountayne citie or a mounting citie a high thing or a renounded thing or a thing glorius in the world For the church of God is represented in the burning bush of Moses it is neuer without fiery persecution it is like the white horse in the Apocalips that is alwayes chased with a red horse it is like the Arke of Noah that is tossed in the sea and this is tossed in the world it is compared to the Moone that waxeth and wanteth by the presence or absence of the Sunne It is like Iacob that sleapeth on a stone It hath semen sanctum subsistentiam eius holy seede and holy men the substance and not commonly great personages and solemne personages the substaunce I know the church of God is oftentimes famous but that is thus ascendamus in montem Domini c. Let vs go vp vnto the mountayne of the Lord and he will teach vs of hys wayes The teaching of Gods wayes maketh Gods church a famous mountayne If Gods wayes be not truely taught though she sit vpon seuen hilles as the church of Rome vpon seuen hilles shée is not a famous mountayne but an ignominious valley Then they reason thus Christ prayed for Peter that his fayth shoulde not faile therefore Peter nor the Pope can erre Christ prayed likewise for all those that shall beleue hereafter then they may thus conclude that all those which haue do or shall beleue caÌ„ neuer erre TheÌ„ they reason thus Dic ecclesiae Tell the Church 〈◊〉 say that must be done when it may be done In the time of Constantius whom would they tell but Arrius for he bare all the countenaunce of the Church hys Church stoode then rather vpon a mountaine then any other Church for it was the highest and most mounting in mens eyes They reason againe that y Church is a pillor But I reason that Christ is the rocke Take away the rocke and downe comes y pillor The rocke is well inough without the pillor the pillor can not be without the rocke But besides all this they haue a perilous interrogation by which alone they thinke to master all the worlde to make vs all starke dumme and for euer to locke vp all our lippes and that is In such and such yeares where was your Church And this is that choking interrogatorie where was your Church I aunswere them euen from the very Articles of my Créede Credo sanctam Catholicam ecclesiam I beleue that there hath bene is and shall be a holy catholicke Church My sense can not shewe it and therefore I beleue it for if I sée it belief is in vaine for where sense faileth and can go no further there beliefe beginneth Nor is iâ—… necessarie that I should froÌ„ time to time sée the Church but I should from time to time beleue there is a holy catholicke Church But in déede they and such like brimme persecutors haue of so long time kept vnder the Church that we are driuen to beliefe onely for they haue left scarse any sense or memory of the true members of Christes Church But they cry still a loude Where was the Church I tell them that it is sayd of God Tu es vere Deus absconditus Thou art verily a hidden God. So the Church is oftentimes hidden The husband of an hidden condition and the spouse of an hidden condition Where was the Church Christ stoode in the middest of them and they knew him not The Church was in the middest of them and they knewe it not Where was the Church Venient dies in quibus raedices aget Iacob There shall come dayes in which Iacob shall take roote Where was the Church when the Church had taken no roote Where was the Church Erat in vobis sed non erat ex vobis It was amoÌ„gest you but it was not of you Where was the church Ubi duo vel tres congregati erant in
there are seuen without Scripture she hath added fiue to Gods two as though God had let her his two Sacramentes to vsurie If we aske her whether we go after this life she telleth vs of Virgils Platoes and Mahomets Purgatorie If we should say vnto her fayre Church of Rome whether is thy beloued gone she would say he went in his body to harrowe hell And then I will aske her how she can auuswere to Signum Ionae signum Lazari the signe of Ionas and the signe of Lazarus that Christ should be thrée dayes in his graue If we would say fayre Church of Rome whether is thy beloued gone she will say to heauen but then she dreameth groâ—… of heauen as Mahomet and besides that in euery hill altar and groue altar she will say here is Christ and there is christ The more she aunswereth the more she aunswereth of leâ—…nges Uneth hath she now these many long yeares aunswered any thing truely of the goinges of the beloued of the doinges of the beloued Beleue me truely O worlde it is daunger to aske her it is next to deathes doore to heare her it is damnable death and hell to beleue her Let it stand then for true that the fayrest of women that is the Church of Christ must first geue the aunswere of the beleued Christ. But when she by her aunsweres and instructions hath once informed a man tâ—… Christ then Christ him selfe doth for euer afterward geue aunswere out of his blessed worde to the full edifying and contentation of our mindes and consciences He is gone down into his garden to the beddes of his spicery to be fed in gardens to gather Lilies The whole contentes of this scripture séeme to be these That Christ came downe from heauen to be refreshed in the world And in true déede the redemption of the world and the gathering together of mankinde which strayed erred wandred is a like refreshing to Christ as the gathering of Lilies is to man I am not to runne through all wordes and all pointes of this text for that were to full of busy labour I will therfore say nothing that he came downe from what place he came to what place he came froÌ„ what coÌ„pany he came to what company he came to what smarting interteining he came Nor will I speake that he came to his garden and that the whole earth is a garden that God geueth increase to this garden and is the Landlord of y garden of the plenty variety and delicacy of the garden of the gardiners of our rent to be payde to our Landes lord GOD of the vsage and misusage of this garden of God punishmentes that will come vppon those that do not thankfully enioy the garden These thinges I might but yet will not speake of Onely will I speake of these poynts That he came amongst spicery that he was fed in gardens and that he gathered Lilies Then will I byd the world séeke after him according to that Tell vs and we will seeke him with thee and then will I eftsones make an end And first concerning that clause that he came among the beddes of his spicery Hugo de Lira and Gilbertus call the beddes of spicery the cloysters of monkes and euen with aâ—… good iudgement might I or any other call Lillies Nunnes and so the great mistery of Christes comming downe into the earth and the absolute pleasaunce of his refreshing should be abridged in this that Christ sometimes kept within Monkes cloysters and some times went abrode to gather vp Nunnes and so then should be nothing but a sely cloyster and a sely Nunne gatherer and so Monkes should be spice and Nunnes Lillies Monkes should please the mouthes of the beloued and Nunnes the nose of the beloued But this to thinke is to thinke a world 〈◊〉 absurdities and to be short and sharpe Lira delirat and Gilbardus est bardus Lyra doteth and Gilbardus is a dolâ—… â–ª Agayne Barnard Agathius and Harphius say that the beds of spicery were the Apostles and ministers and it may sâ—… be as they are called a burning and shining lincke in the person of the Baptist and as they are called the chariotes and horsemen of Israell in the person of Elias as they be called fathers in the person of Paul Iohn and Elias as they be called Gods in the person of Moses as they be called salt for theyr seasoning and mountayne cities for theyr showing in the person of the Apostles as they are called Embassadors for theyr bolde speaking and dogges for their barking frendes of the spouse for theyr louing so they may be called spice and beds of spicery for their â—…ast geuing and for theyr swéete smelling so it is sayd nos sumus bonus odor vitae ad vitam we are a goodly smell of life â—…nto life But S. Hierome the better sort thinke y the beds of spicery are most of all men that be Gods elect that those â—…e Gods spices those be Gods Lilies and Gods flowers And if that woman Heleâ—…a sayd wantonly in a fleshly cogitation Ergo ego sum virtus ego sum tibi nobile regnuÌ„ Disperiam si non hoc ego pectus amem Then I am to thee vertue to thee I am a noble kingdome I would I were dead if I would not loue that thy brest If she so sayd how much more ought we in an high couched conceit and in a spirituall kinde of wantonnesse say and say agayne beloued Christ we are thy spices we are thy Sinnamon we are thy Balsamon we are thy Uiolets thy Roses and thy Lilies so sauery we are to thée and so smelling we are to thée It were more then time that we were dead and destroyed if we loue not that louing brest of thyne O beloued and make thâ—… our beloued and make after thée our beloued In déede the prayers and almesâ—… déedes of Cornelius is musicke to Godâ—… eare â–ª Out of Noahs sacrifice he smelled 〈◊〉 swéete smell euen so it is very comfortable and delectable to Gods senses that 〈◊〉 christian man liueth a good life conformable to Gods word The good life of a christian man is spice to Gods mouth and spice to Gods nose The odor of a swéetâ—… fielde which is commended in Genesiâ—… the odor of incense in Numery the odor 〈◊〉 fragrant waters in Iob the odor of thaâ—… oyle that ran downe Aarons board 〈◊〉 that oyle that Mary shed vpon Christâ—… head the odor of spike and vine floweâ—… commended in the canticles the swéeâ—… balme in ecclesiasticus and the smell 〈◊〉 Libanus that Ose speaketh of the smell of Noahs sacrifice the smell of best burnt sacrifices is not the like good smell to Gods nose as the smell of a good life rysing from a good beliefe for that is Hostia Deo in odorem suauitatis a sacrifice to God vnto a sweete sauiour Whole grocers shoppes of spicery all the flowers in Priapus garden all the flowers that Naiades and Draiades and
Two Sermons preached the one at S. Maries Spittle on Tuesday in Easter weeke 1570. and the other at the Court at Windsor the Sonday after twelfth day being the viij of Ianuary before in the yeare 1569. by Thomas Drant Bacheler in Diuinitie ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Decennium To the right worshipfull 1. Thomas Henneage treaurer of her Maiesties honourable chamber increase of worship with an earnest zeale to Gods Gospell THese two Sermons right worshipfull Sir after that once I was perswaded to haue them Printed I thought to commend vnto you That I may dedicate a diuinitie SermoÌ„ I am clearly resolued because S. Luke did dedicate his Gospell to Theophilus The causes why I shoulde offer theÌ„ to you are these First many giftes worthye much commendations in your selfe then that I was your seruaunt and in deede it shall not but delight me to call you and esteeme you as my Maister then that at all times you both haue deserued and bene willing to deserue well of my studies Of the Sermons I will say no one worde they are Printed and men haue eyes God geue them iudgement this one thing I must needes say my health was very ill both when I made these and is yet still it hath spoyled me of my Lecture at Paules my being in the Citie peraduentures shortly of the countrey and my life too If God shall blesse me with better health I would be glad though most of all vnworthy to be some instrument for the kingdome of heauen if not it is not amisse his blessed will be done I wishe charitie from God to the worlde peace at length to his warfayring Church confusion of all maner of hypocrites fauourable inclination and iudgement of great personages to his worde and the godly traueilers in his gospell Long life and most prosperous raigne to our loued Soueraigne Prince and to all her subiectes that wishe the same and all the electe of God and eueÌ„ with my whole hart I pray God the father the God of heauen and his Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ to holde strong the sweete lines of our predestination to be a bright pillor to vs in the darke wildernesse of this worlde and to make all his chosen people at his time parteners of a ioyfull and comfortable resurrection Farewell Your worships euer to be commaunded Thomas Drant Faultes escaped C. i. a. lin xi for rougher hunters read rough hunters D. i. b. lin vi for balde solisismes read bad solisismes D. i. b. lin xxiij for Bruntius read Brentius D. iii. a. for Iacobus Andrae read Iacobus Anrdeae in the margent E. ii b. lin viii for shew white read snow white F. i. b. lin xvi for fecisâ—…m read fecissem F. i. b. lin xix for credidiscem read credidissem F. v. b. lin xxviii for Ierustikaker read Ierushkaker F. vi a. lin xi for Bethanem read Bethauen G. i. b. lin xvi for sely cloyster read sely cloysterer G. v. b. lin xviii for before Iacobs face read before Esaus face G. vi a. lin xv for the lesser read the looser H. ii a. for the outcry of the beggars read the outcry of the beggars wronges in the margent H. v. b. lin xvi for Mengrem read Migrim H. v. b. lin xxiii for muthering reâ—…mes read murthering rewâ—…es K. vi a. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 5. Formosissima mulierum quo nam abijt dilectus tuus Quonam abijt quaeremus eum Cant. 6. Dilectus meus discendit ad ariolas aromatum vt pascat in hortis vt colligat lilia This text men and brethren and very Christian audience is read almost after one sort sauing that some for the worde BELOVED say SPOVSE And for that word gone aside other say gone downe Pagnine sayth Lilies Munster saith Roses And diuers other say Uiolets But I will trust Pagnine in this matter go through with his exposition in this sort Fayrest of all women whether is thy Beloued gone whether is he gone aside tell vs and we will seeke him with thee My beloued is gone down into his garden to the beds of his spicerie to be fed in gardens gather vp Lilies THe occasion of this Scripture thus writteÌ„ is that the Church of God which is named here to be the fayrest of women had wonderfully commended her beloued christ For saith she my loue is white and red coloured a goodly person among ten thousand His head is like fine golde his lockes blacke bushed His eyes like doues eyes washed in milke and like pearles in golde His cheekes like a garden bed planted with all sweete thinges His lippes like Lilies His handes like precious stones His body pure Yuorie ouer decked with Saphyres His legges pillers of Marble set vpon sockets of golde His face as Lybanus His wordes are sweete Such a one is my loue quoth she Such a one is my loue Now the other Churches which in some translation are signified vnder the worde adolescentulae when they heare the beloued Christ thus commended they lifâ—… vp their eares and burne in their bresteâ—… to know more of such a delightfull beloâ—… ued and so trimme a spouse And thereâ—… fore they aske whether he is gone anâ—… whether he is gone aside and promiseâ—… that they will make after him and séekâ—… him euen as Germany began to preaâ—… Christ and to prayse him in other sort then the world had heard tell of before And therefore neighbour countreyes as our England the rest began more and more to haue hastie eares hote hartes to hearken after the beloued Christ and to séeke after the beloued Christ whom Germany had so loudly and largely commended But because this people which I speake to is a great people and the time that I haue to occupie is long and the matter much let vs all ye honourable and ye also beloued people ioyne together in calling vpon the name of god And first to pray vnto the holy Ghost that as he is called an oyntment so he will make supple and tender our hartes and make them hartes of fleshe That as he is called a fire so by him our hartes may be eaten vp and deuoured in excesse of charitie That as he is called the comfortour so he will comfort and enable â—…e a man of such and so much sicknes to â—…eare vp his name and to speake his maâ—…ifolde prayses to the sonnes of this geneâ—…ation Then let vs go forward to pray â—…or the whole state of Christes congregaâ—…ion being yet farre from her countrey incompassed rounde about with Cayns and Esawes and Basan Bulles and all kindes of deadly foes she being sperpled as yet wide where vpon the great face of this earth More specially let vs pray for the Churches of England Ireland and as the dutie of our loue and subiectioÌ„ most of all requireth let vs pray for her most excellent Maiestie
Elizabeth by the grace of god c. That Gods enemies and her enemies may be made his and her footestools That her scepter may growe gréene and florishe like a Palme trée well and moystly planted and that her seate may neuer totter or nodde but stand stedy as the seate of Salomon and fayre as the sunne That the dayes of her regiment may be as the dayes of heauen Let vs pray for all the Nobilitie and genterie of this land that they do not liue as the Giantes or noble men before Noes floud without raigne or rule leâ—…t that as those Giantes brought downe vpon the heades of the world a floud of water so some of our Englishe Giantes do bring vpon vs a floud of fire That they may remember that saying of Dauidâ—… I sayd you are Gods because the word iâ—… come to you If the worde come to them or they to the worde then they are Gods Gods and Gods gentlemen if it come not to them nor they to it then they are the Heraldes Gods the Heraldes gentlemen Pray for them that they may be to their prince as Thomas was to his master Christ Let vs go and let vs dye with him That they may remember that Gods booke of life is better then the Heraldes booke of armes and that neither house nor bloud can saue or withholde their soules from the hand of hell but onely that iust bloud of the iust man Iesus Christ. Let vs hartily wishe to her maiesties most honorable Counsaile the spirite of councell and direction that they may be as Iosephes in Egypt faythfull and carefull to prouide for the necessities of the realme specially that mens soules be not starued with hunger and pine of the worde of god Pray for all vs of Christes Ministerie that as we are called â—…ightes so we may geue light and as we â—…re called Gods so we may continue to â—…aster the world by the worde as we are â—…alled Ambassadors so we may be cheaâ—…ie to speake from God to man as we are called dogges we may barke and as we are called watchmen so we may carke and kéepe and that that voice may ring through and through our heades O Tymothie keepe that which is committed Pray for both twaine the Uniuersities of Cambridge and Oxenforde or as the Scripture calleth theÌ„ the families of the sonnes of the Prophets that they may growe on from strength to strength in courage of spirite and from wisedome to wisdome in plentie of iudgement that they may be able meÌ„ to teach and reproue to plant and destroy and that like young Samuell they may profite in fauour with God and man Pray for all the whole world that they may open the gates of their hartes that the prince of glory may haue entraunce in and that being entred he be not bound and pinnioned as somtime he was in Cayphas his entresse but that he may be franke Chrisâ—… and at libertie and rule from one corner of our consciences vnto an other Likewise for thâ—…se that suffer trouble or grâ—…uance in soule or body but specially thosâ—… that grone vnder the crosse of Gog 〈◊〉 Rome and Magog of Constantinoplâ—… that they may be assisted with might or deliuered with spéede and that as Ioell sayth the house of Iacob may be a fire the house of Ioseph may be a flame and the house of Esau may be stubble Lastly let vs yeld vp thankes to the high throne of our heauens father for those our brothers and sisters that are gone to God out of this lamentable maze of miserie Desiring God that the north winde may geue and the south winde do not retaine that y who le shéete with all y fower corners of beastes cleane vncleane may be taken vp into heauen that Christ may be king from sea vnto sea that nations may be geuen vnto his inheritance that the holy Ghost may stirre and the father draw and the sonne thrust no man out that commeth vnto him that the workemen may be many that the nets may be full that his will may be done in these Sainctes in earth as in those aboue in heauen where doubtlesse nothing is done against Gods will that we full of the feare of God and full of fayth may be gathered together to our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob For these and what soeueâ—… the holy Ghost that best doctor spirite of wisedome shall prompt into our spirites I pray you all say the Lordes prayer Our Father c. Fayrest of women whether is thy beloued gone c. Here are fower thinges as I take it to be noted And in the first place because there is a question asked Whether is thy beloued gone I will endeuour my selfe to speake of questions demaundes Secondly because the question is asked of the fayrest of womeÌ„ that is of Christes Church I will speake of the Church which Church is a woman and which not which is fayre and which not and then of the authoritie of the Church because here the question is asked of the Church and the Church séemeth to kéepe the determination in the goinges of the beloued that is in matters to be knowen of christ In the third place commeth to be handled the aunswere geuen by the Church which is My beloued is gone downe to the beds of hys spicerie c. Lastly though not by the order of the text yet by order of matter I will speakâ—… vpon these wordes Tell vs and we will seeke him with thee Howbeit these latter wordes shall not growe into any long processe Onely I will geue charge and vehement exhortation to the world to séeke Christ and make after him I will tell them if they séeke him they shall finde him and I will not sticke to sweare if they finde him they shall find the whole complishment of their hartes desire In the meane season feare ye not good presence that I should kill you with lothsomnesse and length For I will poste through my many matters with what possible speede I can And first touching questions thinges to be demaunded it is well sayd of Paule coÌ„cerning questions of edifying In these thinges I would haue thee confirmed these be good and profitable for men But folishe questions and questions of natiuities those shunne for they be vnprofitable and vaine Good questions and profitable are to be demaunded So the kinges in old time were wont to aske the Prophets of their battailes and affaires So Naamans seruaunt asked Elizas the Prophet Whether if hys master should goe vp to the Idole temple and worship he might do so or no So the Eunuch asked Philip the exposition of these wordes Ductus est sicut ouis ad mactationem c. So Iohn asked a question Tâ—… ne is es c. Art thou he that shall come or shall we looke for an other So Mary asked a question How can these thinges be done vnto me sith I haue no knowledge of man So Philip asked a
question Lord tell vs the way that is Lorde what is the way So the elders went vp to Ierusalem to aske of Iudaisme So Peter asked a question Lord whether shall we go thou hast the wordes of eternall life So Nicodemus asked a questioÌ„ How can a man be borne in his age And againe How can these thinges be done These questions be good and profitable to men But vaine and vnprofitable questions are to be shunned Such a vaine question it was that the Serpent demaunded in Paradise Why hath God forbidden you to eate of the tree of the knowledge of good euill Such a vaine one moued the Apostles Lord when wilt thou restore the kingdome of Israell Whom Christ controlleth It is not yours to know times or the momentes of times Such a vaine question did Peter aske of his fellowe Iohn Lorde what shall this Iohn doe Such an one moued y Sâ—…duces Lord if a womaÌ„ haue seuen husbandes who shall be her husband in the latter day Such an one moued Iob â–ª Wherfore hast thou brought me out of my mothers wombe Such an one moued Asterius â–ª Whether that Christes fleshe was when it was not Such an one moued Philasterius Why men and Angels were not made both of one matter Such an one moued Marcellus Whether God be alone or hath more Gods with him Such an one moued Donatus Whether the Church can be in any other place then in Africke Such an one Iouianus Whether the virgin Mary were corrupted in bringing forth her sonne or no Such an one Valentinianus Whether the worde were chaunged into bones fleshe or heare or no Such an one the Euchitae Whether that when a man is purged with baptisme an hogge go forth of his mouth or no Such an one moued Potentinus Whether the holy Ghost do weepe in men as he doth speake in men Such an one moued the Aeriani Whether mariage be lawfull or no Such an one moued Precillianus Whether the world be made by the deuill because it is an ill world Such an one moued Manichaeus Whether Christ be the Sunne that riseth and setteth because he is called the light of the worlde Such an one moued Arrius Whether the holy Ghost may be commaunded by the Sonne Such an one moued the Nazarens Whether a man may professe both Iudisme and Christianisme Such an one moued Pelagius Wheâ—…her that by free will a maÌ„ might ketch the kingdome of heauen Such an one moued Nestorius Whether the honour of Christes diuinitie were geuen him of dutie or no Such an one moued Cresconius Whether a sinner ought to be baptiâ—…ed because it is sayd the oyle of a â—…inner shall not fatten thy head Such an one moued Vincentius Whether mans soule deserued to sinne â—…efore it did sinne Foolishe questions and vnprofitable questions ought to be shunned And of all foolishe questions what say you to the â—…oolishnesse of our scholishe questions set a â—…oote by those subtle and déepe doctours commonly called Scholemen As Whether there were any instant in the generation of God the second person Whether in Christ there be more fiâ—…iations then one Whether God the father hateth the â—…onne Whether Christ myght possiblye â—…aue taken vpon him the likenesse of an asse of a woman of a feend or oâ—… a goorde How that Goord should haue preached downe miracles or haue hanged vpon a Crosse And what Peter should haue coÌ„secrated if he had consecrated what time Christes body hung on the crosse Or whether Christ being so transformed into a goorde he might at the same tyme be called man also Whether after the resurrection meâ—… do eate and drinke or no Whether it be lesse sinne to slay 〈◊〉 thousand men then once on a Sonday to cloute a poore mans shoe Whether mens soules be bred within them or come from without into them What yeare Christ will come vnto his iudgement Whether the starre that did shinâ—… to the wise men at the byrth of Christ â–ª were a starre or an Angell Whether a Mouse can eate Christeâ—… body or no And if she do eate it â–ª what daunger can be leuied vpon heâ—… head Such men such questions fonde men â—…nde questions foolishe men scholishe â—…uestions But if Pasquin coulde now â—…e reseued from death or if some were as â—…lithelie disposed to demaund questions â—…s Pasquin I wéen those mery kinde of â—…uestions would cary away a great deale â—…ore of edifying then these foolish scholish â—…uestions As whether that the Bishop of Rome â—…eing Antichrist can be Christes vicar â—…r no Whether that when Dauid sayth 〈◊〉 will geue them a tyraunt to ride ouer â—…heir heades it may not be vnderstanâ—…ed of the Bishop of Rome sithens he â—…ath of so long a time ouer ridden all â—…ur heades in regiment and besides â—…hat in session rideth vpoÌ„ mens shoulders Whether that that Bishop of Rome â—…hich sayd spirita sancta for spiritus sanâ—…tus and fiatur for fiat were in daunger of that which was obiected vnto Paule that too much study would make him â—…adde Whether that that Pope which did â—…arnally know the grandmother the mother and the daughter did makâ—… him self an Eunuche for the kingdomâ—… of heauen Whether that Pope Leo that was sâ—… forgrowen with fatte that he couldâ—… not wallowe vp two staires in the Capitall or Ecchius that had so largeâ—… strouted bellie or those drinking Sorbonistes that made the best wine iâ—… the towne to be called vinum Theologicum that is diuines wine and thaâ—… were wont to eate while that they were satur vsque ad guttur Whether these men be those thaâ—… M. Harding speaketh of that do weanâ—… theÌ„ selues for the kingdome of heaueÌ„â—… Whether that Byshop that was sâ—… fretting fell for losse of his Pecockâ—… pie did possesse his soule in pacienceâ—… or no To what purpose generall Councelâ—… serue if that Popishe iudgement caâ—… not swarue Whether in the last CouÌ„cell at Trenâ—… it can be likely that there coulde bâ—… good rule kept of the rest of those holâ—… fathers sithens that in the sayd Coun â–ª cell one of the fathers being taken iâ—… adultrie was hanged an other sticked and an other father as it is thought by the rest of the fathers was let slinke and slippe away Whether the Oratour Bishop in the sayd Councell that called the Pope of Rome the Light and the Spouse were adrad of that which Iob sayd Destruction is theirs which geue titles Whether that the Inquisitours of Spaine may not more properly be called rougher hunters then Nemrod Whether the said Inquisitors if they had Iesus of Nazareth in Italie they would not ten times more rigorously put him to death then they did sometimes in Iewry Whether that that Duke of Alua which now liueth and is the proppe of Papistrie is not more fitly to be called Esaus sonne then that Duke Alua which the Genesis speaketh of sithens that Duke of Genesis did but come by â—…ine froÌ„ Esaus loynes and this Duke of Louane expresseth Esau most naturally
infinite so thaâ—… he could not perdy forget him self What â–ª was it learning in Doctor Smith to alledge the councell of Nice for Transuâ—…stantiation and than not to be able tâ—… show one word for that purpose â–ª Agayne that Doctor Ogelthorpe sayd openly in great assemble Ostende mihi qualis 〈◊〉 corpus qualis est corpus Is it not learnedly concluded of Prierias The church founded pardons Ergo the church is greater then Christ Is it not excesse of learning that maketh Durand and the rest of their rationals thus to dispute God made heauen and earth in the beginning and not in the beginnings therfore the Pope must be soueraigne Or thus God made two lightes a greater and a lesse therefore the Pope is bigger then the Emperour as the Sunne is bigger then the Moone Or thus princes shall eate the fat things of Ashur therfore princes sonnes must be Cardinals to haue rich temporalities in the church Or thus Iacob layd his handes thwartlinges or a crosse vpon Ephraim and Manasses therefore the wodden crosse is venerable Or thus when one shall go ouer vnto the Lord let his couering be remoued therfore he that becommeth a priest must shaue his crowne Or thus The Lordes is the earth and the roundnes thereof therefore the Oste must be round Or thus the Ethnickes must licke the dust of Israels feete therefore all men must kisse the Popes féete Or thus he shall sprinckle many nations therfore there must be holy water Or thus we sinne by word worke and hart therefore we must say thrise Kyrielison Or thus the Law goeth before the Gospell or Iohn before Christ therfore the Epistle must be red before the Gospell Or thus the Gospell lightneth the world therfore waxen Tapers must be lightned before the reading oâ—… the Gospell â–ª Or thus the Lord paised the earth with thrée fingers therfore we ought to crosse our selues with thrée fingers Or thus God sayd to the north wynde geue therfore the Gospell must be red with the priestes face northward â–ª Or thus A smoke came vp from the prayer of the sainctes Apoc. 8. therfore there must be sâ—…nsing in the church Or thus Mary went not forth to méetâ—… Christ ergo there must be close Nunnes Or thus Elias went to sée Gilgal Bethel and Ierico therfore there must bâ—… pilgrimes Or thus the féete of those that preach peace are beawtifull therfore Bishops must weare purple sandals Oâ—… thus the rocke was Christ therfore thâ—… altar must be of stone Oh high mistâ—…ries of learning and profound depthes of learning and surpassing fathers in respect of learning Should we not now strike downe and sacrifice a great huge forfatted bull to these worthies of learning Or should we not take a shril trompet and blow vp from a lofty Theatre All haile Learned doctors Uenerable doctors Reuerent doctors Doctorall doctors Doctorly doctors Irrefragable doctors Impregnable doctors Seraphicall doctors Angelicall doctors Magistrall doctors Illuminate doctors Autenticall doctors c. But sée the learning of these doctors in the epistles of obscure men and in a dialogue betwene Reuclin and Erasmus Thus haue I spoken good people of questions that they may be asked and that they may not be asked That they should be asked for learning that learning should be that ignoraunce is hurtfull that the aduersaries are vnlearned or learned by vs Touching the vnlearned state of their Clergic which hath bene now many a yeare I may well say that which Rabbi Aggai sayd of the vnlearned Iewes Our foréelders sayd he plowed and sowed made furrowes and mowed made flowers and threshed winded and grinded baked and set bread before you but ye Iewes ye had no mouth to eate it So of these Papistes they had Augustine and Chrysostome the Gregories Basill Theophilact and the rest that plowed and sowed made furrowes and mowed c but their mouthes were stopped with steples they had no mouthes to eate it England to thée as thou now art thou hast euen at this day plowers and sowers flowerers and mowers threshers winders and grinders bakers and bread makers bread of zealous doctrine and bread of life Open thy lippes God send thy lippes open O England God send thée good England God send thée mine owne deare countrey lippes to be opened mouth to receaue this bread chappes to conteine it teeth to chewe it palate to taste it toung to support it and to order it throate to conuey it stomacke to welcome it to disgest it to turne it into an heauenly iuice to supernaturall humor to spirituall bloud to life to blisse to spirite to comfort and ioye Fayrest of all women whether is thy spouse gone Here is to be noted that the Church is a woman and that she is fairest of womeÌ„ and of the authoritie of the Church because the question is demaunded of the Church in this place And first that the Church is a woman I will go by the fower Hebrue names of a woman onely I will compare the Church with a woman as she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The appetite of a woman ought to be to her husband the appetite of the Church ought to be to christ The woman bringeth forth her children in sorrow and paine the Church bringeth forth in gréefe of members and losse of limnies A good woman must call her husband Lorde a good Church must call Christ and make Christ her Lorde A good woman must be obedient to the voyce of her husband learne of her husband at home the Church that is good must be ruled by Christ and not rule Christ Christes scholer and not Christes scholemaister Where it is said to Abraham Abraham heare the voice of thy wife The Papistes must consider that Christ doth not ouersée him selfe as Abraham did and therefore needes no aduertisement from his wife the Church Againe women be fearefull so Ieremy sayth The strong men of Babell shall be fearefull like women so the Church and euery member of the Church is fearfull So it is sayd Feare not Mary Feare not Ioseph Feare not Abraham Ieremy be not afraide of their faces and to Sainct Paule amongest the Corinthians Be not afrayde It was great shame in the olde time for a woman to be barren it is great shame for any Church not to teach the lawes of God to their sonnes and their sonnes soÌ„nes for that engendreth new churches It is as I say the Church of Christ is a woman and hath womanhead towardes her beloued The Church of Antichrist or Rome is a drab and hath no womanhead but fornication betwixt her pappes and adulterie betwixt her scirtes And euen at the last Councell of Trent they called the Pope the spouse of the Church I require all that â—…e of honestie what womanhead there is in that to haue two spouses at once to commit adulterie witâ—… Images to ouerrule the wordes of her husband to adde and take to and fro the wordes of her husband to burne
killeth body and soule Peter loued Christ best of them all this the worlde most of them all Peter woulde not haue captaine Cornelius to croutch to hym this will haue Kinges Keysers prostrated at his féete Peter could brooke to be blamed of Paul this will not be blamed though he draw thousandes to hell Peter had neither golde nor siluer this hath shod his concubines ritch Palfries with siluer Peter had caetera that is giftes and graces this hath neither gift nor grace but onely to say I am ritch and welthie and I sit like a Queene Peter wept bitterly by way of repentance at the cockes crow this neuer repeÌ„teth the greater part of Christendome crying crowing agaynst him Peter was somewhat ambitious for the Primateship because he had left all and followed Christ this leaueth nothing nor followeth Christ and yet his ambition is infinite Peter would not haue him selfe washed of Christ this man will not haue him selfe iustified of Christ but by his own merites Peter would haue his head washed beyond Christes commaundement this man enlargeth Christes commaundementes euen at his lust Peter did sinne with loue towardes his Maister forbidding him to goe vp to Ierusalem the Pope will haue his to suffer nothing and to liue most pleasauntly in all thinges Peter denied Christ thrise the Popes life is nought but a denying of christ Peter when his Master was in ieoperdie sayd beholde two swordes the Pope when there is no ieoperdie to Christ but vpon his own lust vnshetheth many thousands of swordes Peter went with an vneuen foote to the Gospell the Pope with a most croked fâ—…te or rather is a very Nemrod to chace away the Gospell Peter would not blame those that tooke his part in Iudaisme the Pope will strike league with the stewes if they will be Popish inough and Romishe Catholike Thus if Peter be a little foule the Pope is ten times more foule Where Peter is fairest y Pope is foulest If Peter be fayre the Pope is foule The Pope is the head of this woman therefore this woman hath a foule head therefore she is a filthy Church and a foule woman Againe if the Deuill be foule then the Bishop of Rome is a foule head and so this woman is a foule woman The probation of this is to proue a likelihode and great agréement betwixt the Deuill and y Bishop of Rome Now me thinkes that in déede there is a great agréement For the Deuill is called Sathan that is an hinderer the Pope is Christes greatest hinderer and chiefest hurter Againe the Deuill is called Diabolus that is a sclaunderer the Pope sclaundereth vs whilest we liue and sclaundereth vs wheÌ„ we dye as the death of Luther Zuinglius c. The Deuill is called Inimicus homo that is the enuious maÌ„ the Popes rancor is the destruction of the Church It is sayd of the Deuill Sathan fell lyke lightning it is said of the Pope and his vidi stellas cadentes e câ—…lo The Deuill was a lier froÌ„ the beginning it is sayd of the Pope that he speakes great things that is lies and blasphemies The Deuill did not stand in the truth no more did the Pope according to that saying This day is poyson entred into the Church The Deuill is a roaring Lion So the Pope so his Spanish Inquisitors The Deuill is that Serpent which persecuteth the woman in the earth the Church in this earth hath no such persecuting Serpent as that Serpentine persecuter of Rome Paule when he inueyeth agaynst Elimas and calleth him the Deuils sonne in the Actes of the Apostles he séemeth to expound this worde the Deuils sonne in thys definition Plenus omni dolo c. A maÌ„ full of all maner of disceite an enemie of all iustice and one that ceasseth not to make ill the right wayes of God. This definition toucheth the Pope of Rome most néerly in euery point If this be the definition of the Deuils sonne he is vndoubtedly the Deuils owne deare sonne The Deuill promised Christ all the wealth of the world the Pope promiseth Bishoprickes Abbeyes Prebendes c. The Deuill is called a Whale because he ruleth in the tumultuous waues of the sea the Pope is a Whale because he beareth a swinge in the vaine waues of thys busie worlde The Deuill is called a Dragon because he deuoureth soules the Pope is a Dragon because he deuoureth both bodyes and soules The Dragon drew the third part of the Starres out of heauen the Pope withdrewe by liuinges and geuinges the third part of the best learned men in Christendome from the true doctrine It is sayd that the Deuill shoulde be let loose in y latter dayes Bibliander sayth that Pope Hildebrand was the Deuils selfe set at libertie So that now I say againe the Pope is a foule head because the Deuill is a foule head And this woman or Church of Rome is as foule as the Deuill because her head the Pope is as foule as the Deuill Againe those that preach and bring peace are sayre according to that Fayre are the feete of those that bring peace If those that bring peace be fayre then those that bring warre be foule But the Church of Rome hath alwayes brought warre both bodilie and ghostly therfore she is foule Now concerning this saying That the Church of Rome hath alwayes brought bodily warre it should behoue me to go downe by a long descent and to tell a long story what warriers and fire brandes of warre these Popes of Rome haue bene But to make a short speech and to make forward as fast as I can I say that the nature both of the most Popes and of this bloudy womaÌ„ Church of Rome is represented in the voyce of Pope Paulus who when he was offered either peace or warre he cryed out mightilye and loudly Warre Warre To let passe that which is past and to come to these our dayes What warres good people and rumors of warres what murtheringes and manquellinges hath this foule and vnpeaceable woman brought to passe in our times Fitly sayth Gregorie Nazianzene their glosing is of peace but their glory is in bloud through the bloudy féete of this vnquiet woman Low lieth now that Heroical personage Lewes Prince of Borbon This foule strompet hath eaten vp y young Prince of Spaine a Prince of hope and that goodly and godly Lord Regent of Scotland This foule strompet and most bloudy Church caryeth them all the day long like shéepe vnto the Shambles and in deede this wretched warly brothel maketh Christendome nothing els but a butcherie of Sainctes and a Shambles of Martyrdome But after a fewe yeares they shall answere God and vs Concerning spirituall warres thys woman doth bring it For touching peace of the minde and peace of conscience she neuer yet brought it She teacheth false lies of mans Iustice of SatisfactioÌ„ of contrition of supereâ—…ogation of bulles indulgences tendringes Papall and tendringes Legautine which all thinges
nomine eius Where two or three were gathered together in Gods name But where were these two or thrée gathered together in Gods name Mundus non nouit vos The world knoweth you not Where was the Church Suruewe Foxes Martyriologe and the Cataloge of witnesses agaynst the Pope and there sée for there is to be séene where was the Church But where soeuer els it was the Church of Rome this many yeares was not the Church The best argument they haue for the Church of Rome is because it was once a holy place and the sound of the Gospell went thence and therfore still Rome must be the broode mother of religion and that there néedes must be the Church And peraduenture they will make it of the nature of Rome that Rome hath the best religion then we may thus say Mount Flascon hath the best wine the Athenians the best honie Persia the best oyle Babylon the best corne India the best golde Tirus the best Purple Basan the best Okes Libanus the best Ceders Persia y best iewels Arrabia the best spices Tharsis the best shippes England the best shéepe Saxonie the best oxen Cicilia and Dalmacia the best horses Pirones the best fishe Ithaca the best swine and Rome the best religion Or thus the Italians be most wittie the Spanyardes best water skirmigers the Frenchmen best kéepers of holdes the Scot with his Launce the Irishe maÌ„ on foote the Germane in voice the Mirmadons in strength the olde Romanes best suffering of hunger and colde and the new Romanes are most religious Or thus the Egyptians haue no Beaues Affricke hath no Bores the couÌ„trey Helaeus hath no Mules the Macrobians haue no Iron Athens hath no Owles England no Wolues Wight no Foxes Ireland no venemous beast nor Rome no bad religion But because I do sée in the Scriptures that Ierusalem was turned into Ierustikaker that is the valley of vision was turned into the valley of confusion and the fine valley of Siddim into the valley of salt that Lucifer did sinne in heauen and Adam in Paradise and Lot in the holy Mount that the mountaine Garezin where the father 's prayed became a prophane dwelling of the Samaritans when I read that Mount Sion became a place for Foxes and Bethel the house of God became to be Bethanem the house of iniquitie then me thinke I thinke of Rome as Ieremy did of Ierusalem Facta est meritrix ciuitas fidelis That Citie which was once faithful is become an harlot These places were altered for wickednesse and Rome is altered for wicked life and wicked religion And now me thinke of these Romanes I may thus say The Moores are a vaine people the Phrygians fearefull the Israelites of an hard necke and loden with sinne the Athenians vaineglorious the Grecians light the Galathians dullardes the Carthaginians falsifiers of their fayth the Cretes liers the Sodomits full of bread the Iewes vsurers the Persians wasters the Spanyardes lechers the Flemminges drinckers the Englishe glottons the Germanes vnciuile the Lacedemonians théeues the Canibals cruell and the Romanes Idolaters So may I say and euen so do I say for vndoubtedly y Church of Rome is not Christes true Church Christes shéepe heare his voice but the Church of Rome heareth not hys voyce therefore it is not the true Church She writeth in her coyne that kingdome and people that do not obey me shall be rooted out contrary to that the kinges of nations beare rule ouer them but ye shall not do so therefore she is not the true Church Ambrose sayth that the true Church is the mother of the liuing but those that be in this Church are dead for they haue no fayth because they haue no knowledge therefore this Church is not the true Church She committeth Idolatrâ—… and spirituall adulterie many waies therefore she is not the true Church The Church of Rome nâ—…bers her multitudes as Dauid numbred his souldiers and therefore she is not y true Church These Papistes are like Cockels they cary their house about with them and they their Church Aspalathus will not grow but in Boetia ye kill these men if ye take away y couerture of the Church of Rome This Church is the ritch Arras that couereth all their faultes and follies But admit good people that we were wonderfull burom obedient to this Church and most willing to come againe to the skirt of this Church and to aske of her questions and demaundes as these young women aske of this fairest of women I protest before heauen and earth and the founder of them both that I thinke it not good we should be bolde in asking for the great and eminent daunger in her aunswering For if we aske whether Iesus be Christ or no this Romishe woman or Church geueth out her aunswere that the Bishop of Rome is the high priest and that the sayd Bishop hath the strength of the kingdome of Christ and the vnfallible veritie of a Prophet and therefore they allowe him to ouerrule Christ by adding and taking to and fro his worde If we aske if Christ were the onely oblation offered vp once for all for the sinnes of the worlde her aunswere is very dauÌ„gerous that the Masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and she falleth in commendation of her wheaten God and doth attribute the health of the world to that vnbloudie bread Idoll If we aske her iâ—… Christ be the intercessor to God she aunswereth then most wickedly iure matrâ—… impera that Christ forsooth shall commaund his father by the right of his mother If we aske her of the state and condition of man since the fall of Adam she aunswereth that he may ouertake heauen of him selfe and well inough by him selfe worke out his owne saluation Aske her what fayth is and she will tell of an implicite thing and of a generall fayth that is that good Christian folke ought to beleue that the Church can not erre nor yet the Pope but touching Christes merites to be applied to vs by fayth and to be holden fast by that hand there she kéepeth glomme silence and is as spéechlesse as a fishe If we aske her what the lawe is she lodeth our shoulders with the heauie ceremonies of Iudaisme and Paganisme If we aske her what the Gospell is she maketh boyde Gods promisse with her owne iustice If we aske her of good workes she aunswereth iust like S. Lukes Pharisie then againe she deuiseth good workes to be thus to hyre certaine men for money to pray and to mumble vp much quantitie of Psalmes in a couert toung to kepe huge troughes of Ling and Saltfishe many yeares to waxe horce with mutch chaunting to waxe spéechlesse with seldome speaking to waxe lame with mutch sitting to vse many knottes in their girdles and many windowes in their showes to be buryed in Monkishe wedes and Nunnishe cowles c. If we aske her of the number of Christes Sacramentes â—…he answereth that