He toucheth two reasons The one in that he saith to my Lorde The other To the Lordes anoynted But bicause that was the chiefest reason for that Saule was anoynted of the most highe God that onely he nameth twyse Whereby we sée he accempted Saule still as his lawfull king and himselfe to be his dutifull and obedient subiect And so he acknowledged him selfe to Saule when he cried after him saying O my Lord the king â–ª and when Saule looked behind him Dauid enelined his face to the earth and bowed himselfe And Dauid sayd to Saul wherefore giuest thou eare to mennes words that say beholde Dauid seeketh euill against thee Beholde this day thine eyes haue seene that the Lorde hath deliuered thee this day into my hand in the caue and some badde me kill thee But I had compassion on thee and sayd I will not lay my hande on my Maister For he is the Lordes anoynted Moreouer my father behold I say the lappe of thy garment in my hande For when I cut off the lappe of thy garment I killed thee not Vnderstande and see that there is no euill nor wickednesse in me neither haue I sinned against thee According to the Hebrue saith Caietane neither is rebellion in me c. He excludeth all sinne by repeating his worke backwarde For last of all he excludeth sinne against Saul and before rebellion against the King and first of all euill vniuersally And vpon these words The Lord be iudge betwen thee and me And the Lord auenge me of thee and let not my hand be on thee This he said saith Lyra in the zeale of Iustice and not of reuengement For no body ought to take vengeance on his own iniurie by himself except it lye vpon him by his office and euen then it were better that he did it by another All these words saith Caietane are not of him that wisheth but foretelleth and expecteth For they are in the Hebrue texte of the future tence and the indicatiue mode He shall iudge and he shall auenge So farre is Dauid from wishing any euil vnto the king And he so humbleth himselfe vnto him that he calleth himselfe in comparisoÌ„ of the King a dead dogge and a flie Sith I am saith Lyra of no moment or nothing worth in regarde of thee Thus farre was Dauid froÌ„ euer attempting to depose King Saul after Samuel had anoynted him And that not onely where Ionathas but euen where Saul himselfe acknowledged that Dauid shoulde be Kâ—…ng after him saying and nowe I know of a certaintie that thou shalt raigne and the kingdome of Israel shall be established in thy hand But yet he saith not that he then presently raigned neither doth he resigne vnto him but make a couenant and take an othe of Dauid that when he should raigne he shoulde not destroy his séede after him nor take away his name from his fathers house this Dauid swore vnto him Wherin he acknowledgeth though a state to come yet no state in present The like occasion falling out againe 1. Reg. 26. Dauid behaued himselfe to Saul in semblable wise For when he might haue killed him and Abisai would haue killed him â—…he not onely woulde not doe it nor suffer it to be done But he sayth to Abisai destroye him not For who can laye his handes on the Lords anoynted and be giltlesse Dauid sayth Lyra wold gyue this to the person of him so long as he was suffered of God in the Kingdome Alwayes sayth Caietane Dauid had fixed in his harte and in his mouth the honour of the moste high God in so muche that he thoughte none innocent that stretched hys hande vpon the anoynted of god As the Lorde lyueth saith he either the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall descende into battell and perishe The Lorde keepe me from laying my hand vpon the Lords anoynted By this saith Lira Dauid entended that by no meanes he would be the efficient cause of his death excepte perhaps in defending himselfe so that he could not otherwise escape And when Dauid called to Abner he challenged him to be worthy of death for keping the Kings person no better and when Saul knowing his voice said is this thy voyce my sonne Dauid and Dauid sayd it is my voyce my Lorde O king And he sayde wherefore doth my Lord thus persecute his seruant for what haue I done or what euil is in my hand Now therefore I beseeche thee let my Lorde the King heare the wordes of his seruaunt c. thus humbleth he himselfe in his purgation and sayth the King of Israell is come out to seeke a flie as one woulde hunte a Partridge in the mountaynes So lowly abasing himselfe in comparison of Saul whome he calleth the King of Israel Neyther dissembled he but spake Bona fide euen as he thought in his hart So farre was Dauid from not acknowledging Saul to be still hys soueraigne Lorde and lawfull King so farre from gathering anye vnlawfull assemblyes againste him so farre from any priuie conspiracie or open rebellion so farre from so much as thinking to depose him that when he had him in his daunger he woulde not onely not hurt him nor suffer other to doeit but gaue him so great honour as any subiecte can giue his Prince How then is not the storie of Saule and Dauid wrested for a Christian subiect that hath no such authoritie as Dauid had to depose or take armes against his Christian Prince or to go from the obedience of him as no longer lawfull Kyng after the Byshop shall saye he hathe deposed him and to obey any other that the Bishop shal appoint for King The third thing that Master Saunders inferreth is this that althoughe the Pope and his Bishops may doe thus to Princes yet Princes were very tyrants if they should doe oughte to them And hereto he alleageth that when the high Priest Achimelech asked counsell of the Lord for Dauid Saul hauing intelligence thereof commaunded his seruants to fall vpon the Priests of the Lord no man durst execute so cruell a commaundement besides onely Doeg the Idumean For Achimelechs asking counsell of the Lord for Dauid Whâ—… Dauid fled vnto him first the case Maister Saunders is not so cléere but that as Lyra confesseth a question is made theron for there appéereth no such thing in the. 21. Chapter Althoughe Doeg so accused him and Achimelech standeth not to the deniall thereof but vpon his innocencie Lyra sayth Dicunt aliqui c. Some saye that he lyed as tale bearers are wont to saye more than is in deede but the contrary seemeth rather to bee true So that this is not so cleare a case as you make it But what is all thys storye to the purpose or not rather againste you especially that that followeth of Saules puttyng the Priestes to death Wherein although he dyd a wycked and tyrannous acte yet it argueth
fourth time dixit Dominus and Samuelem the Lorde sayde or as ye call it pronounced vnto Samuell c. confirming all that he had pronounced before by the former Prophet As for Samuell béeing straightly charged by Hely the hye Priest not by the way of prophecie pronounced those words of the Lords to him or to any other but onely shewed him al that God had sayde Indicauit ei vniuersos sermones non abscondit ab eo And Samuell tolde him euery whit of the â—…ayings and hidde it not from him And therefore where ye say he onely executed the sentence pronounced before by Samuell Gods minister as though God had prophecied it by the mouth of Samuell as he did in the chapter before by an other and as ye say in your Counterblast published before by Samuell the Leuite the texte mentioning neither the pronouncing nor publishing of this sentence by Samuell at all but onely the fore sayde maner of priuate telling to Hely what he heard God pronounce it is but an vntruthe in your selfe to tell your tale so to your aduauntage that it might séeme that Salomon was but the executour of some solemne sentence published and pronounced before by Samuell commaunding or mouing king Salomon to obey that senteÌ„ce and so to depose Abiathar And héere appeares also your other vntruthe that Salomon shoulde doe it to this ende and intent to fulfill this prophecie Which in déede he fulfilled in the dooing but it was not fulfilled by him alone king Saule had fulfilled a greate parte of it before in causing to be killed wickedly the whole familie of Hely excepte onely this Abiathar that escaped by flighte Whiche cruell facte of Saule proceeding onely of méere malice agaynst Dauid and furder agaynst them as Dauids abettours fautours was the onely cause of this tyrannie and not to fulfil Gods prophecie Neither coulde he pretende it and yet he fulfilled the same when he fulfilled his wicked luste But Salomon that deposed Abiathar the onely remaynder of Helies stocke and his sonnes after him had good and righte cause to depriue him and all his posteritie of thys dignitie bicause he was as your selfe confesse a traytour to him For which cause Salomon deposed him and layde this cause to his charge onely not that he must execute Gods sentence of punishing his fathers offence and yet in doing the one he perfourmed the other also Bothe of these Princes were executours of Gods sentence that wrought by his secrete Iustice what soeuer he purposed yea as well by the euill deede of Saule as by the righteous déede of Salomon And things foretolde in the scripture came not to passe bicause they were foretold but bicause they should come to passe therfore they were foretold God did foretell what he would do to that house yet he named not by whom so that none could pretend to do it bicause God had foretold it but when God had done it by suche instruments as he purposed good or bad then the writers of the scripture by the instruction of the holy ghost bicause of the certenty of Gods prophecie doe say it was done to fulfill suche or suche a thing So when Herod had killed the innocents sayth S. Mathew tunc adimpletuÌ„ est theÌ„ was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Ieremie of which kinde of spéeche as well in factes of the godly as the vngodly we haue many ensamples Though therefore the wordes of the Scripture be Eiccit ergo Salomon Abiathar vt non esset sacerdos domini vt impleretur seâ—…mo Domini quem locutus est super domum Heli in Silo And so Salomon cast out Abiathar from being the priest of the Lorde that the Lordes wordes might be fulfilled which he spake vpon the house of Hely in Silo yet doe not these wordes import that Salomon did it of this purpose to fulfill that prophecie as you woulde make the reader to vnderstande by youre guylefull translation saying And so Salomon put out Abiathar c. to fulfil the words of the Lord as though the cause why he did it was that when the cause was Abiathars treason and therfore he tolde him before he was â—…ilius mortis the childe of death id est sayth Lyra morte dignus pro conspiratione coÌ„trame â—…rdinationem Dei patris mei that is to say Thou art worthie to suffer death for thy conspirâ—…cie against me and the ordinance of God and of my father Here is the verie cause why Salomon deposed him although also he fulfilled therein Gods secret iustice whiche the holie writer considering wrote vt adimpleretur that the Lordes woordes might be fulfilled c. And thus whyle yée would charge the Bishop with one lye euen your self discharge him and you committe a couple for failing to menâ—… the matter withall Neyther the Priestes nor the Leuites swarued in any thing pertayning to their office from that the king commaunded them The 43. vntruhe those woordes are not in the Scripture alleaged These wordes make a heynous quarell at which wordes also in his Counterblast he stormeth saying He hath swarued lewdly from the text added wordes more than is exprest and that with suche homely shiftes an yll cause must be furthered And when all is done it is but a little parenthesis placed in the middle of the text by the way of explication tâ—… declare wherein the king commâ—…ded them and they obeyed in their offices nexte before set out howe the king ordeyned according to the disposition of Dauid his father the offices of the Priests in their ministeries and the Leuites in their orders to prayse God and minister before the Priests according to the custome of euery day and the porters in their diuisions porte by porte for so had Dauid a man of God commaunded and neither the Priestes nor the Leuites swarued from any thing that the king commaunded Thus lyeth the texte worde for worde Wherein the Bishop placing this parenthesis â–ª what did he that any most exacte interpreter might not do M Stap. héere escrieth it for so horrible a cryme yea and an vntruthe of his bedroll withall wheraâ—… first there is no vntruthe at all in the parenthesis and himselfe in the same chapter confesseth for Princes a great deale more that they may not onely commaunde the Priests to do those things that appertayne to their office but cause them to do them which is a manyfest proofe of the Princes supreme authoritie 〈◊〉 them so that vntruthe in this parenthesis was there none Nor any other faulte at all sauing that M. Stapleton was frowardly disposed to picke a quarell at the forme and print of the letter not at the matter as though those wordes were pretended to be the wordes of the texte wherein he himselfe though there were some negligence in the printing dothe yet excuse the Bishop of this faulte of any suche addition of wordes For twice in his Counterblast mentioning those
To whome quoth Christ O mother I am not able to denie it thee then Marie put in the ballance the droppe of bloud togither with hir merits and then that part weyed downe to the grounde so that the deuils went crying away Our Ladie is too mercifull to Christians we euer fayle where she medleth with vs O Ladie it is not good contending with thee What a derogation is this to Chist And where ye graunt most to the bloud of Christ where ye would salue the matter with intercession euen there ye say not that he will vouchsafe to graunt hir petition but that he is not able to gainesay it yea that it is not lawfull for him to denie it For sayth Cardinall Uigerius Dixit Salomon c. Salomon sayd to his mother aske mother what you will for it is not lawfull for me to turne away my face from hir that bare me VVhat shall wee thinke other than this the Lorde Iesus Christ to say to his mother who is farre wiser and iuster than Salomon And his reason is this Salomons mother had midwiues nources bearers of the child and instructours but Marie was all this hir selfe and so Christ is more bounde to his mother than Salomon to Bethsabée And therefore if we will worship Christ wée must first go to his mother For as sayth Iacobus de Voragine as Eue was in the middest betweene the serpent and the man so Marie making our reconciliation is in the midst betwene God and man. What a dubble blasphemie is this First that our reconciliation is made by any other than Christ of whom the Apostle sayth If when we were yet enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more seeing we are reconciled we shall be preserued by his life nor yet onely so but also glorying in God through our Lorde Iesus Christ by whome we haue nowe obteyned reconciliation Secondly that we haue any other mediatour than Christ wher as the apostle sayth Unus deui c. There is one God and one mediatour of God and man the man Christe Iesus neyther will your shift serue you to cloake youre blasphemie that ye make hir a mediatour of intercession for lo here he maketh hir a mediatour of making the attonement and reconciliation betwene mankinde and God which as it is our very redemption so is it the proper office of Christ alone â—…pse est pax nostra c. He is ouâ—… peace whiche hath made one of both hath broken downe the wall that was a stop betweene vs and also hath done away through his flesh the cause of hatred that is to say the lawe of commaundements conteyned in the lawe written for to make of twaine one new man in himselfe so making peace and to reconcile both vnto God in one bodie through his Crosse and slue hatred thereby For through him we both haue an open way in one spirite vnto the father Wherevpon sayth S. August Nes per mediatorem Christum reconciliamur deo VVe are reconciled to God by Christ being the mediator What blasphemie then is this in you to spoyle Christ hereof and giue it to the virgine Marie and make hir as much the instrument and meane of our reconciliation as Eue was the instrument and meane of our perdition But in this entrance of our perdition though both Adam Eue were culpable and both being one flesh are comprehended vnder the name of one and that of Adam the husband as the Apostle sayth Death reigned from Adam to Moses eueÌ„ ouer them also that sinned not with like traÌ„sgression as did Adam which is the similitude of him that is to come Yet afterward S. Paule noting the meane by whome properly the sinne entred first affirmeth that Adam was not deceyued but the woman was deceyued and was in transgression If then ye make the like proportion of our reconciliation froÌ„ Adam to Christ from Eue to the virgin then as Eue properly was the very originall and cause of the transgression though Adam being the assenter bare the name therof then properly the virgin is the very original cause of our reconciliation and Christ is but an assenter so beares but the name thereof What a wicked doctrine is this M. S. â–ª and is this now nothing els but ora pro nobis Might not Christ rather say ora pro nobis to hir syth ye giue hir all him a bare name only Now to the confirming of this blasphemous doctrine commeth in another of hir Chaplayues crying O foemina super omma c. O woman that art aboue all things and blessed of all things the fore elect and most worthie vessell framed of the first artificer the treasorie of the diuine giftes god hath chosen forechosen thee that God and man might dwell nine Monethes in thy tabernacle I dare boldly say that euen for the Virgin conceyued in Gods minde many thousande yeares before shee was borne mankinde was preserued in his beeing For it is euident that for their first transgression Adam and Eue deserued not onely death but euen the vtter rooting them out to nothing And the diuine vengeance which knoweth not the accepting of persons as it left not vnpunished the aungels offence so woulde it not haue left vnpunished mankindes offence but our first parents were preserued that they were not consumed to nothing for the chiefest reuerence that he had to the virgin for he loued hir aboue all creatures that should be created and not vnited vnto god The reason is that this Mayden was in the loynes of Adam as concerning the sede And the power of bringing forth the mayden was imprinted in the first father tyll shee were in deede brought foorth But of hir Iesus ought to be borne who was in Adam onely after his bodily substance to be brought forth of the virgin and of none other God therefore did spare oure first parentes nor consumed them to nothing bicause that so shee had not beene borne and by consequence Iesus neyther nor God had put on flesh Therefore by this noble creature God did saue our first parentes from the transgression and Noe from the floud and Abraham from the slaughter of the Kinges Isaac from Ismaell Iacob from Esau the Iewish people from Aegypt from Pharaos hande from the redde Sea from the force of dyuerse Kinges and Tyrauntes from Nabuchodonozor and from the captiuitie of Babilon Dauid from the Lion from Goliah and from Saule And to conclude all the fauourings and deliuerances made in the olde testament I doubt not but God did them for the loue of this mayden and for the worship of hir whom God had from without beginning foreordeyned to be set aboue all his workes O outragious blasphemie where is Christ How agréeth this with S. Paules doctrine that Christ is the image of the inuisible god the first begotten of all creatures for by him were all things created things that are
c. In deede sayth he the bodie of Marie was holye but God it was not The Virgin was a Virgin in deede and honorable but she was not giuen to vs to be worshipped but hir selfe worshipped him that was borne of hir who came to hir from heauen out of his fathers bosome And for this cause dothe the Gospell arme vs telling that whiche the Lorde spake woman what haue I to do with thee mine houre is not yet come least any should thinke the holy virgin to be more excellent he calleth hir woman as it were prophecying suche thinges as by reason of sectes shoulde come to passe on the earth Least that any bodye maruelling too muche at the holy Virgin slippe into this heresie and these dotages For all the handling of thys heresie is but a mockerie and as a man maye saye an olde wyues tale For what Scripture hathe euer declared whiche of the Prophetes commaunded man to be worshipped muche lesse a woman shee is in deede an excellent vessell but a woman and nothing chaunged from hir nature Shee is honorable in honoure bothe in vnderstanding and sense euen as are the bodies of the Sainctes And if to hir glorifying I should haue sayde somewhat more euen as Helias a virgin from his mother and so still remayning was translated and sawe not deathe euen as Iohn that leaned on the Lordes breast whome Iesus loued euen as sainct Thecla Yea Marie is yet more honorable for the dispensation of the mysterie wherewith shee was made woorthie But neither Helias is to be worshipped althoughe he be yet alyue neither is Iohn to be worshipped althoughe by his prayers he obtayned his wonderfull sleepe or rather hee obtayned grace of God Nor yet Thecla neyther any Saynct is worshipped For the auncient errour shall not master vs that leauing the lyuing God wee shoulde worshippe those thinges that are made of hym For they worshipped and honoured the Creature more than the Creator and became fooles If he wyll not haue Angels to be adored howe muche more will he not haue hir whiche was engendred of Anne which was giuen to Anne of Ioachim which by their prayers and all their diligence according to the promise to hir father and mother was giuen yet was she not engendred beyonde the nature of men but as all are of the seede of a man and the wombe of a woman c. For it is vnpossible for any to bee engendred on earth beyonde the nature of man Only it was sitting for him nature gaue place to him alone he as the work master and hauing powre of the matter fourmed him self of the Virgin as it were of the earth VVho beeing God the word discended froÌ„ heauen â–ª and put on flesh of the Virgin Mary but not that the Virgin shoulde be worshipped not that he would make hir a God nor that we should offer in the name of hir c. he suffred hir not to giue baptisme nor to blesse the disciples he bad hir not rule in the earthe but onely that she shoulde haue hir sanctification and bee made worthy of his kingdome From wheÌ„ce then commeth agayne to vs the round Dragon that wrappeth him self on a heape fro wheÌ„ce are these Councels renewed for any cause Let Mary be had in honor let be worshipped the father the sonne and the holy ghost let no man worship Mary I say not a woman no not a man This mysterie is due to God the Angels receiue not suche glorifying Let the thinges euill written he rased cleane oute of the hearte of those that are deceyued let the luste of the tree be taken out of their eyes let it tourne to the Lorde that framed it let Eue vvith Adam feare God that shee maye vvorshippe him onely least shee be ledde by the Serpentes voyce But let hir abyde stedfast in Gods commaundement eate not of the tree Let no body eate of the errour that is for sainct Mary For thoughe the tree bee fayre yet it is not to be eaten althoughe Mary bee moste fayre and holy and honorable yet is she not to be adored But these Arabicke women worshipping Mary do renue again the mixture to Fortune and prepare a table to the Diuell not to God as it is written they are fedde with the meat of wickednesse And agayne And their women do boult flowre and their children gather stickes to make cakes kneaded with oyle to the Q. of heaueÌ„ Let suche women be put to silence by Hieremie and let them not trouble the worlde let them not saye wee honour the queene of heauen c. Thus sayth Epiphanius and muche more neither for hir only though chiefly for hir but in generall for all the Saintes Non conuenit colere sanctos c. It is not mete to woorshippe the Sainctes beyonde comelynesse but it is meete to honour the Lorde of them let the errour therfore ceasse of those that be seduced Nowe if ye say vnto me all this is spoken againste the worship of offring to hir and sacrifising to hir not for inuocation of hir first this shift is false M. Sta. for Inuocation in déede is the chiefest worship that we can giue not of the lips so much as of the heart farre aboue any outwarde sacrifice of the bodie and therefore to be muche more giuen to God alone as S. Aug. reasoneth Sicut orantes c. Euen as when wee praye and prayse wee directe signifying vowes vnto God when we offer the verie thinges in our heart the whiche we signifie so sacrifycing we know that no visible sacrifice ought to be offred to any other than to him to whom we our selues ought to be an inuisible sacrifice As therfore no bodily sacrifice may be directed to any but to God so knew Epiphanius that all spirituall sacrifice is onely due to god And therefore he so little ascribeth it to hir or any other that bothe in the beginning of his treaiise and in the ende he maketh his inuocations onely to god Saying in the beginning Nunc autem clarè c. But let vs now clearely speake of the heresie it selfe and inuocating God as we will adioyne confutation agaynst it c. And in the ende thereof Ad vnam illam c. Let vs proceede to that onely heresie which is yet vntouched inuocating God that he would helpe vs c. Thus ye sée to whome he ascribeth inuocation not to hir of whom he writeth or to any other saincte but alonely to god This shifte fayleth therefore in saying he writeth onely agaynst offring and sacrificing to hir But setting all this aside haue not you I beséeche you offred and sacrificed to hir I pray you turne back agayne to those your prayers whiche I haue cited that playnely confesse the facts and glorie therein Neither coulde they tell by what meanes they shoulde worshippe hir inoughe But if it yrke ye to turne to that whiche was so yrkesome to reade before I will shâ—…we you yet once more so playne a
etiam abusus But sithe muche abuse hath also by little and little crept in about the worshippe of Images that the Images also of those thinges haue beene brought into the Churche whiche haue no testiminie of the Scripture or of approued authors That many carued Images beyonde measure with great sumptuousnesse and coste were sette vp so faste in Churches as thoughe heerein a great parte of godlinesse consisted the poore people of Christ being in the meane while neglected which are the liuely Images of Christe Furthermore that we beholde the Images so paynted and expressed that they seemed to bee forged not after the fourme of Christian honestie but after the enticementes of the vanitie of the worlde To conclude that the rude people was suffred to worshippe the Images with a certayne truste reposed in them the which is not altogither free froÌ„ Idolatry so that they can not be excused of Idolatry that haue chosen to them selues any Image to be worshipped and that either for the fairenesse therof or the foulnesse or the newnesse or the oldnesse beleeuing that Image to haue some vertue yea or some godhead or diuinitie more than the rest VVhich error is to be playnly damned Thus do your owne mouthes coÌ„demne your selues that not of trifling points nor of any extraordinary chance but of open and ordinary Idolatrie I omitte suche casualties of Idolatrie as are obiected in Biga salutis if the people should worship the diuell for God in any forme in any reuelation or in the consecrate hoste which ye made the people worship since the diuel can traÌ„sforme him selfe to any such shape yea of an angell of light whether the peoples worship be Idolatrie or no. I wil rather detecte your more grosse idolatrie althoughe that of your honoring the cake were grosse inough Neither can it be but manyfest idolatrie sithe there is no proportion betwéene the body of Christ and suche a likenesse whereas in euery Image a right and true portrature is to be required But into that Idolatrie I will not nowe enter onely I will come to your next obiection of the crosse To the whiche ye committed most open idolatrie not only worshipping with cappe knée with crouching knéeling knocking blessing kissing gréeting and praying vnto but ascribing the merite of saluation to suche your worship of the crosse Ye tell vs how a théefe that continuing an arrant théefe all the dayes of his life Orauit vnum Pater noster ante crucifixum sic saluatus est He saide one Pater noster before the crucifix and so he was saued And therefore saith Discipulus Christo valdè placet cum quis orat prâ—…tereundo Crucifixum in publica strata vnum Pater noster vnum Aue Maria. VVhen one passing by in the open streete saythe one Pater noster and one Aue Mary Christe is highely pleased But not content with this Idolatrie ye make humble prayers vnto it as though it had life and soule as though it were God it selfe O Crux 〈◊〉 cunctis astris c. O Crosse more cleare than all the starres famous to the worlde very louing vnto men whiche onely wast worthy to beare the price of the worlde saue this present company gathered togither this day in thy prayses Thus prayed you to the crosse in your olde primer Haue you neuer sayd this prayer to the crosse O Crux benedicta c. O blessed Crosse bicause the Sauiour of the worlde did hang on thee and the king of Angels triuÌ„phed on thee I adore thee I prayse thee I blesse thee with all my senses be thou our consolation in our trouble c. Agayne Oro te sancta Crux c. I pray thee holy crosse by the omnipotent God that thou wilt deliuer and pull me out of all my necessities and greeues and defende me from the wrath of God and from the vengeaunce of all my enemies and from sodayne death and from all shame perill and blasphemie and from all sinnes wherewith mans frayltie may sinne agaynst god I beseeche thee holy crosse by the loue of Iesus Christe our Lorde who hath exalted thee maruellously aboue all thinges earthly that thou wilte protecte and defende me from the Diuell and from all daungers and euils of minde and body Agayne Salue gloriosa splendidissima Crux Aue inuincibilis insuperabilis dilectissima Crux Salue preciosissima vere digne in aeternum beatissima Crux Aue sanctissima sine fine digne veneraÌ„da praeclarissima Crux Salue preciocissiâ—…a vere deuote adoranda sacratissima crux Lo master Stap. what gallant Rhethorike is hâ—…re to the Crosse. And as with these idolatrous prayers ye worshipped the picture of the Crosse so with the like or worse ye worshipped the picture of the face of Christe which yet by the auncient describers thereof was nothing like his face Neither can ye say ye prayed not to it but vnto Christe whom the face in the cloath represented for euen vnto the paynted face it selfe ye prayed in this Rime dogrell Salue sancta facies nostri Redemptoris in qua nitet species diuini splendoris impressa panniculo niuei candoris dataque Ueronicae signum ob amoris salue decus saculi speculum sanctorum quòd videre cupiunt spiritus Coelorum nos ab omni macula purga vitiorum atque nos consortio iungâ—… beatorum Salue nostra gloria in hac vita dura labili fragili cito transitura nos perduc ad patriam O foelix figura ad videndum faciem quae est Christi pura â–ª c. Ye can not say héere ye spake this to Christe him selfe or to the very face of Christe but your prayer is euen to the very figure or paterne of the face in the linnen cloth and ye desire that paynted face to exalt vs to the very face it selfe The lyke Idolatrous prayer and adoration ye make to the fiue wouÌ„ds Salue vulnus dextrae manus c. God speede wounde of the right hande c I adore thee I honour thee I require thee I beseeche thee that I a wretche nowe dying c. may neuer fayle Hayle thou right hande wounde of Christe thou whiche waste pearced with a moste harde nayle c. VVe adore thee O wounde to thee we encline our head as to a moste sweete fountayne by thee let it be giuen that we may ouercome our enimies and reioyce in the laste day God speede wounde of the righte foote c. God speede wounde of the lefte foote O sweete syde wound c. Aue salue gâ—…ude vale Hayle God speede thee reioyce farewell What foolishe prayers and beastly Idolatrie was this master StapletoÌ„ and yet were these prayers counted suche notable stuffe that they are enfraunchised with great priuiledges and pardons Set in golden letters for more estimation and credite Ye haue a goodly rubrike that sayth Fuit quaedam foemina solitaria reclusa c. There was a
same booke on these verses Lanceâ—… Crux claus tua pertuls corde 〈◊〉 c is this Quicunque arma Domini c. VVho soeuer shall looke deuoutly vpon the weapons of our Lord Iesus Christ and shall deuoutly say this prayer he shall haue of his sinnes beyng truly confessed and repenting of them sixe thousand seuen hundred and fiue yeeres of pardons of S. Peter the Apostle graunted him and graunted of 30. Popes after him How agreeth this with the former M. Stapleton or did S. Peter giue this pardon twisâ—… and augment the summe bicause of the excellencie of those verses But these are trifles to the thirde that followeth Crux coronae spinae flagellis clauis lanciae marcellae spongae laqueae columpilae vesti purpuriae aâ—…undinae honorem impendamus This is good Latine I warrant ye and as good as the matter euery whit and so good that saith the Rubrike ouer it VVho soeuer say this Orison here following shall haue great grace of almighty God and sixe thousand thousande and threescore and ten yeeres of very pardon This was lustely multiplied Sitte downe Master Stapleton sith ye pretende to be so perfect an Arithmetrician and cast your accountes and ye shall sée a fayre muster of pardons to comforte your sprites with all Feare not man the Diuell so long as these last and many thousandes more there are besides but these are easily gotten euen for worshipping the Iewes Ropes Halters Hammers Râ—…iues Swordes their Fistes yea their spettle and all But if ye be ashamed and thinke scorne to worship these thinges as in déede ye may well be ashamed of them yet I haue suche holy Reliques for you to worship that ye can hardely finde any higher But I tell ye you must take vp your hand and blisse you at the sight of them and so they worke meruailes as your holy bookes recorde And that not for the Images of all Hallowes but of Christes Image or rather of him selfe that ye should know euen the iuste length of him as they pretende Among the good prayers aforesaide is this Rubrike Qui cupit cognoscere longitudinem c. He that desireth to know the length of Christ being God let him take this line here drawne forth twoo and thirtie times measured which line was brought out of the Citie of Constantinople in a certaine Grosse of Golde VVhiche line who soeuer in the day doth deuoutly looke vppon and say the Antiphona with a Collect and shall signe him thrise with the signe of the holy Crosse he shall not that daye die any suddayne death nor be vexed with Diuell nor with any tempest nor any euill nor any Creature shall hurte him And this line was brought by an Angell to King Charles the great This is a fayre grace M. Stapl. for looking vppon and worshipping a line of the length of Christ. But I haue another length and Rubrike that hath more Iolie promises to stirre vs vp to worship it Which sayeth This Crosse fiftene times measured is the length of our Lorde Iesu Christe and that day ye looke thereon blesse ye therewith There shall no wicked spirite haue power to hurt you nor thunder ne lightning sleeping ne waking shall not hurt you nor winde nor blasting on lande nor on water shall not hurt you nor in battayle ye shall not be ouercome with your enimies bodely ne ghostly nor die no shamefull death nor suddayne death nor of the pestilence nor in water be drowned nor in fire be brente and if yee be in deadly sinne ye shall not die therein and you shall increase in worldly goodes nor ye shall not die of woundes nor of stroake nor without confession nor ye shal not be combred with no fiendes and if a woman haue this Crosse and lay it on hir woÌ„be when she traueleth with childe she shall soone be deliuered and the childe shall haue Christendome and the mother purification of holy Church S. Ciriake and S. Iulite desired this gifte of almightie God and he graunted them as it is registred in Rome at S. Iohn Lateranence Here are many moe fayre graces if all were true But some of them your Papistes them selues haue â—…ounde starke lies And some of them as that he shall not be combred with no fiende c. I thinke may well be true as you will graunt I dare say resoluing them by your Equipollences on which ye stande so much in your fourth booke As for the assurance of the truth of these lengthes that I remit to you M. St. to reconcile them togither how the one came froÌ„ Constantinople the other froÌ„ Rome how the one was grauÌ„ted of God to S. Ciriake and S. Iulite the other brought by an Angell to king Charles the great and yet as appeareth by the prayer it came first to S. Ciriake and S. Iulite too With other such circumstances as arise in the conference of them Onely I note the lengths them selues and I pray you M. St. if ye haue as good skill in Geometrie as in Arithmetike to measure these two lengths the one xxxij the other xv times as they require and see how properly they will agree I thinke ye shall finde them differing little lacking the length of both Crosses ioyned togither So that the one light on which it shall must needes be a very lie and haue no vertue in it at all but those that worship it be Idolaters worshipping a false thing If ye replie an inche breakes no square although it breake no square yet it breakes leÌ„gth M. St. neither ought ye to misse one inche in this matter wherein ye pretende is such vertues and so exactly take vpon ye to describe euen the iumpe length and say it came from God and his Angell brought it knew not the Angell the iumpe length or would he not giue it truly and would haue it so precisely worshipped surely then he was no good Angell But the difference is more thaÌ„ an inch M. St. or 6. or 7. inches either And would ye haue Christ cut shorter by the head to make your leÌ„gths euen were it not better that a great many such liers as you hopâ—…â—…edlesse before which of these two shall we beléeue M. Stapleton or is it not best by your counsell to let them both goe in the â—…irrops name and all their forged vertues with them than for gréedinesse of their gaye promises endanger to lose bodie and soule by worshipping a lie and committing foule Idolatrie Well let them goe for me if ye he agreed thereto M. Stapâ—… But yet ye haue one excuse as ye thinke to mitigate the matter that how soeuer they missed in the Figure eyther of the Crosse or the Crucifixe of the which some was long some was shorte this hindred not the peoples deuoute meditation thereon Although M. Stapleton this nothing excuse the former manifest lie where ye misse of the leÌ„gth that so iustly ye pretende to set out and yet ascribe the vertue to
carnal sold vnder sinne bicause I wot not what I do For what I would do that I do not but what I hate that I do If I do now that which I would not I graunt to the law that it is good So then now it is not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is to say in my flesh dwelleth no good thing To will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good For I do not that good thing which I would but that euil do I which I would not Finally if I do that which I would not then it is not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me doth it I finde then by the lawe that when I would do good euill is present with me I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inwarde man but I finde another lawe in my meÌ„bers rebelling against the lawe of my minde and subduing me vnto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me froÌ„ this bodie of death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde So then I may selfe in my minde serue the lawe of God and in my flesh the lawe of sinne Lo M. St. this is all the will that S. Paule felt confessed to be in him selfe while he liued euen in respecte of the inward man But God wot this is farre from free will. If then the will of the Saincts of God be thus hindred by the flesh that it can not freely will nor worke what shall we thinke of the will of the fleshly man forsoth saithe S. Paule Animalis homo non percipit â—…a quae sunt spiritus Dei The fleshly man vnderstandeth not those things that are of the spirite of God for they are follie to him neither can he perceyue them bicause they are examined spiritually But what will hath man in that whereof he hath no perceyuing Yea is he not rather altogither vnwilling to that which séemeth follie to him and for this cause the flesh striueth and rebelleth against the spirite He hath therefore no will to any goodnesse at all Where are then those Pura naturalia the pure naturall qualities of inclination conuersion and wil in man of himselfe to moue God with all that you and your Schoolemen crake so much vppon The question here is this whereas our first parentes before their fall had in them selues free will to haue sinned or to haue not sinned and misusing them selues their free will to sinne lost them selues and their free will to haue not sinned also whether after this corruption of mans nature it hath yet free will will to good or not to sinne as it had before it fell To this question if ye had as I said mounted so high as the Apostle he would haue answered you that we were dead in sinne Cum mortui essetis in delictis peccatis When ye were dead in offences and sinnes but a dead thing hath no will at all When therefore we were dead to sinne we had no will at all to goodnesse He would haue answered you that we are not able of our selues to think any good thought at all but if we haue a will to any good thing we must néedes thinke some thought thereon we are not therefore of our selues sufficient to haue a will to any good thing And if we haue any good will this coÌ„meth not of our selues but of God not of old Adam but of new Adam it is not a naturall vertue of man but a supernaturall gifte of god Deus est enim qui operaturâ—…n vobis velle perficere pro bona voluntate It is God that worketh in you both to will to performe it according to his good will. If then it be Gods gift Quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis why boastest thou O proud Papist as though thou receiuedest it not of God but thou hadst it of thine owne to moue God as thou saist Ex congruo ex parte liberâ—… arbitâ—…ij of congruitie to deserue heauen for thy workes in consideration of thy free will. If ye had mounted thus high M. Stapl. you may sée how S. Paule woulde haue pulled downe this surmounting pride of yours But had ye sâ—…oonke by him neuer so frée and mounted vp to Christ he would haue tolde you in playne speach that ye were but thornes briers ill trées of your selues on which no grapes nor 〈◊〉 nor any good fruite can be gathered That ye were but flesh and that nothing but fleshe could come of fleshe and that flesh and bloud reuealeth not christ He would for your frée will say vnto you as he said to the craking Phariseis â–ª Uox ex patre Diabolo estis desideria patris vestrâ—… vultis facere You are of your father the Diuel and your will is to do the lusts of your father This is all the free will that he ascribeth to man of him selfe And if he haue any better will it is not but of him that saith Sine me nihil potestis facere without me ye can do nothing We can not do nor will ought that good is without him Yea we are before he giue vs a will thereto so vnwilling that we are euen drawne thereto Nemo venit ad me nisi pater meus traxerit eâ—…m No man coÌ„meth to me saith Christ vnlesse my father draw him Omnia traham ad meipsâ—… I will draw all things to me We came not theÌ„ of our own free will if we were drawne to him Ensample of this draught eueÌ„ in S. Paule himself I grauÌ„t our vnwillingnes is changed to an obedient willingnesse to a frée will also We are frée in respect of deliuerie froÌ„ the chaines of darknes bondage of sinne Sâ—… vâ—…s filiuâ—… liber auerit vere liberi erâ—…is If the sonne make youâ—… free then are ye free in deede but this is the fréedome of the spirit the spirit helpeth our infirmities which infirmities yet hinder the fréedome of this will euen in the Saincts of God as I noted in Sainct Paules complaint before Yea euen Christ our Sauiour who tooke our infirmities without sinne in his agonie to his Father sayde Non sicut ego volâ—… sed sicut tâ—… vis Not as I will but as thou wilt subduing his owne will for our ensample to his fathers will and will you wilfull Papistes crake of your free will But if ye let passe Christ also as ye vse to do and fetching a furder race of all mankinds mounting so highe as Adam the first man of all you should there haue founde in déede this your frée will. But there ye should haue séene it lost againe and in his loines all our free willes with all and him selfe and vs also Sauing that a second Adam hath founde vs quickened vs and made vs free againe of
gouernement but rather commendeth the gouernement of a King as an estate so highe that God hadde reserued that vnto himselfe and woulde suffer them to haue but Iudges vntill that they importunately desired to haue a king béeing such a supreme kynd of gouernement as they before had onely giuen to God and nowe they wold needes haue some person among them visibly to haue the same as other nations had And for this cause saithe God to Samuell they haue not cast away thee but mee And as Samuell vpbrayded them ye sayde vnto me not so but a king shall raygne ouer vs when the Lorde your God raigned ouer you And so witnesseth Lyra that the estate of a king is the best estate But the reason of their sinne was this Quia deus c. Bycause God had chosen the people of Israel to be especial and peculiar to him before all other peoples according to that is sayde Deut. 7. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to bee his peculier people therefore he would be the immediate king of that people VVherefore hee also gaue them a Lawe in Mounte Sinai by himselfe that is by an Angell speaking in his person and not by man as mediatour For whiche purpose hee woulde that the men whiche were the gouernours of that people shoulde bee ordeyned immediately from hymselfe as his Vicars and not as Kings or Lordes As it appeareth in Moses and Iosue and the Iudges following of whome is mentioned in the Booke of Iudges God raysed vp suche or suche a Iudge Therefore the Chyldren of Israell dyd contrarie to the ordinaunce of God desiring a mortall man to be king ouer them â—…ith the Lord had alwayes retayned this to himselfe and always gouerned and best protected them to the peoples profit so long as they were good subiects and stil had so done if the people had stoode in that good subiection to the Lorde By these sayings the firste argument appeareth that if the gouernement of a king bee the beste gouernemente it followes that the gouernemente is better to haue GOD to bee the King immediately howe muche God is better than man And therefore to aske againste this ordinaunce is not good but yll In these wordes of Lyra he doth not deminishe the state of a kings authoritie in comparison of the former estate of the Iudges authoritie aboue or better than it but extolles the kings authoritie so far aboue the Iudges authoritie that God reserued it only to himselfe so that this high estate of a king ouer Gods people is not as M. Saunders falsly sayde before from God by other meanes betwene â–ª but immediately from God and aboue all other representeth him and long it was ere God woulde suffer any to represent him in this estate it was so high that God kept it to himselfe and was offended that his people contented not themselues wyth their other inferior Magistrates as were the Iudges which M. Saunders extolles aboue the Kings estate The Iudges I graunt were as Lyra sayth immediatly from God also and his Uicars in his Church aboue al others in their times And here bycause one or two of them next before this alteration were ecclesiasticall persons the one a Prieste the other a Prophete M. Saunders triumpheth â–ª and commends their estate in representing God to be so high and excellent But either he was very rechlesse or wilful blind that would loke no further in this estate of the Iudges but to these two when as so many Iudges went before but he thoughte not beste to thinke on them bycause they were no priestes nor prophetes And yet as Lyra saythe they were the immediate Vicars of God and so aboue all the priestes and prophetes at their times being no ecclesiastical Magistrates This argument therefore is false and all that followes thereon in M. Saunders saying For neyther any hauing his right wit did euer doubte but that the prieste of God dothe more in gouernement expresse and represent his God whose prieste hee is called than the king whose name is rather referred vnto the people that hee ruleth than to the God vnder whome he is This is spokeÌ„ more like an heathen than like a Christian M. Sanders that the priest represeÌ„teth his God whose priest he is called howbeit I think you are not so out of your right wit but that ye think dij gâ—…ntium daemonia sunt the gods of the gentiles are but diuels And that ye thinke there is but one God and but one sort of those that are â—…is priests But how these priests that are of the Popishe stampe represent God maye be called in question if rather it be not out of question that both their life their doctrine and their order hath no resemblance of him but rather of Baal and Baceâ—…us rather of Antechrist and Sathan than of god As for their gouernment least of all dothe represent him The Turke raigneth not with suche cruell tyrannie as the Pope and his inquisitors doe Godly Ministers represent him I graunt and that better than kings but not in the visible and externall gouernmente but in the spirituall gouernement of administring Gods worde and sacraments God therefore had raigned if any priest or prophete raigned but the priest or the prophete being cast off yea euen the gouernement of God to whome that priest or prophet obeyed is vnderstood to be cast off Speaking thus indefinitely of any priest or prophete that God raigned when they raigned God was cast off when they were cast off ye bothe wreste the Scripture and stretch it to farre that was onely spoken to Samuell and also hereby woulde make the state of the Iewes to haue bene then beste when it was worste For when was the state of the Iewes worsse than in the times mentioned in the bookes of the Machabées when the euil high priests had gotteÌ„ the ciuil gouernement and represented God in the gouernemente whose priests they beare the name to be as much as Caiphas and Anna did that put Christe himselfe to deathe But ye say Moreouer the King would leade the people to Idolatrie but the high priests and prophetes sacrificed duely to the Lorde God in the only Temple of Salomon Ye shoulde descerne M. Saunders betwixt the state and office of the king and the faultes or personall vices of the king For al kings dyd not lead the people to Idolatrie some lead the people out of Idolatrie Neyther were al the high priests cleare of Idolatrie no not Aaron the first high priest of al â–ª Did not he lead al the people into foule Idolatrie and that of a small occasion But howe is this your saying true that they Sacrifised duely to God in the only Temple of Salomon what man ye forget your selfe howe coulde they Sacrifice only there duely or vnduely before the Temple it selfe was builte or Salomon was yet borne and yet there had passed thirtene high Priesâ—…s from Aaron to Abiathar or
as ye sayde before disposing otherwyse than Christ hath done your Priestes do so but they ought not to do so The Prince can not do it nor he dothe it nor claymes to doe it nor it is ascribed vnto him Yea thoughe you meane by disposing no alteration yet is this an harde phrase to say that Princes or priestes either dispose of the Churche of Christe but rather dispose of matters in the Church of Christ. And this as the Priest may doe in his vocation so may the Prince in his estate Which though it be not expressed by name but comprehended in the newe Testament yet is it euen by name expressed in the olde Testament in diuers places of the disposing of Church matters by Moyses Iosue Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias c. And since your selfe confesse the one gouernment is a figure of the other And that the gouernment before Christ he neither brake it nor diminished it it followeth that theÌ„ he left it entire and confirmed it And therfore although the Princes disposing of Churche matters be not by name expressed yet is it by your reasoÌ„ necessarilie comprehended and so you answere your selfe Now after he hath thus as he supposeth debarred Princes from all warrant oute of the law of God and the newe Testament he examineth the other lawes saying Except therefore by the lawe of nature the law of nations or the lawe ciuill such power be permitted too the king it is cleare that he hath no power at all ouer these things But certaine it is that those lawes cannot giue to the king any power ouer things that are not subiect to those lawes For no law can establishe ought either of other things or persons or actions than those things that fall vnder the compasse of it But Ecclesiasticall matters do infinitly excede the power of the lawe of Nature of nations and the ciuill For of these three the law of nature is the first and greatest But neither that sith it begaÌ„ in the earth can decree ought vpon the mysteries of Christe which draw their originall from heauen onely For that I may speake nothing of the force of nature being yet entire truely after that the nature of all mankynd by the sinne of Adam was corrupted and death entring by one man passed into al it can not be that from that infected originall any good thing shoulde come forth For an ill tree can not bring forth good fruites neither doth the fleshely man such as we all be by nature perceiue those things that are of the spirite of God. All this labor is a néede not M. Saunders to run for confirmation of a Christian doctrine from the law of God to the lawe of nature and the lawe of man we vse not so to doe Neither desire we anye doctrine to be admitted that is not proued by the lawe of God reuealed in his worde vnto vs it is you the Papists that stand on such proues and grounds not we Howbeit you do iniurie to the law of nature to measure it altogether by the corruption of our nature For howsoeuer we be degenerate from it the law of nature remaineth in it selfe both good and perfect and is called likewise the law of God. Neither can I thinke that euery ecclesiasticall thing as ecclesiasticall things are commonly vnderstoode is infinitely aboue the power of the law of nature By which reason many petit matters would be farre aboue great principles Yea many great Ecclesiasticall matters doe fall within the compasse of the lawe of nature It is true that you say of the corruption of our nature that by the fall of Adam sin hath infected the Masse of all mankinde Death by one man hath entred into all men No goodnesse can come of such a corrupted originall An ill tree can not bring forth good fruite and that the fleshely man perceiueth not the things that are of the spirit of God. All this is true but is it not as much against a Priest as a Prince for the Priest in that he is a man is borne in sinne and dyeth by death the reward of sinne nor caÌ„ bring forth any good fruites nor perceiue the things of the spirit of God. And the prince in that he is a ChristiaÌ„ is washed from his sinne The sting of death hath no power ouer him but is a passage to eternall life He is regenerate by a newe originall from aboue He is a good tree and bringeth good fruits and is become a spirituall man perceiuing and working the things that are of the spirite of God and that perchaunce a great deale better than many a good Priest and without all doubt farre more spirituall than any Popishe priest And therefore that ye speake of the corruption of nature is nothing to the purpose excepte it be to confute your errors of pura naturalia fréewill preparatiue workes c. But Maister Saunders drist is this that onely the Priests are spirituall men and so may onely Iudge of spiritual things and Princes are but naturall fleshely and sinnefull men and so can giue no Iudgement of spirituall matters But howe vntrue this is how presumptuous on his partie and iniurions to all Christian Princes and how contrary to his owne selfe that faith else where Christian Princes are spirituall I thinke anye that haue but meane Iudgement may easily Iudge it But Maister Saunders procéedeth saying But to Iudge of Ecclesiasticall matters is no small good thyng but one of the chiefest that Christe hath gyuen vnto his Church bycause he hath gyuen the power of feeding of losyng and bynding to his Apostles that is to the chiefest Magistrates of hys Churche euen as the greatest gifte VVhich gifte they coulde neuer well exercise but wyth Iudgement eyther goyng before or goyng with it For he that shall binde nothing but that that shoulde be bounde and shall lose nothing but that that shoulde be losed must of necessitie before hande deliberate and decree that this is to bee bounde and that is to bee losed But to decree suche a thing to bee done or not to be done in Christian Religion this is euen that that we call to Iudge in matters of Faith. Syth therfore a power so heauenly and notable can not spring oute of the beginnings of our corrupte nature it followeth that it commeth onely of the free mercie of god But that mercie of God is made manifest vnder the time of the new Testament partlye by the lawe written partly not written but neyther waye anye povver is gyuen to Kyngs in Ecclesiasticall causes This argumeÌ„t M. SauÌ„ders is like the hopping of a reuÌ„d that from the law of the new Testament went about to infirme it by the lawe of nature and so fetching a circumquaque commeth in again with this conclusion that it is not by the law of the newe Testament So that where we thought we had procéeded â—…urder wée are nowe where wée were before But to let goe the
that the Kyng should be obedient to the disposition of the humaine minister of Christ which is the question nowe in hande And yet whether it signifie this mysterie that you say it onely doth or no may be called into question For if it hath such a significatiō it is a very darke mysterie And me thinks it might more easilye signifie other things For oyle sometimes signifieth mercie sometimes plentie sometimes remedie against poyson sometimes it is referred to the Priesthoode sometimes to the kingdome of Christ somtimes to the mysticall members of Christ as they are Kings Priests with him so that the anoynting with oyle which espetially was vsed to Priests and Kings who therefore are called the sons of oyle is applyed to sundry significations and not onely to the incarnation and humaine nature of Christe And yet is there no suche necessitie of anoynting Christian Kings as was of the Iewishe Kings For they had commaundement so to doe and it was a ceremoniall figure of diuerse things in christ Which commaundement and ceremonies Christian Princes are not bound vnto It is cropen vp of a custome I cānot tel how to imitate the Iewes herein But as for the nature of a Kings estate he is neuer a whit the lesse King if he wante the anoynting with oyle and as the Papistes superstitiouslie doe vse it it were muche better away But the Papistes make a great matter of anoynting Kings with oyle yea sayth Maister Saunders they were wont to be annoynted no otherwise than were the Prophetes and Priestes as thoughe they shoulde be so anoynted still And true it is in one sense that they shoulde no other wise be so annoynted still that is to say neyther of them shoulde be anoynted No say you should not the Priestes be annoynted ▪ We are In deede you be Maister Saunders and all your order But the Apostles and Disciples of Christe were not and therefore your order is differing from theirs and all godly ministers should differ from yours be ye shorne or be ye anoynted But if it be true that you say kings should be no otherwise anoynted than you howe chaunce then ye are anoynted otherwise than kings as your glosse doth reason that vpon the King is powred oile but vpon the Bishop is powred Chrisme Kings are anoynted on the righte shoulder but Byshops and Priestes are annoynted vpon their heads but the heade is better than the shoulder and Chrisme is better than oyle Ergo Bishops and Priests are superior vnto Kings Were not they which anoynted their pamphlets with such greasie argumentes to perch vp their balde crownes aboue the imperiall crownes of their natural Soueraignes worthy by the Princes commaundemente to be well anoynted with vnguentum baculinum to make them acknowledge their due subiection if they rather deserue not sharper instice but let vs procéede vnto M. Saunders other arguments Let vs put the case that Christ himselfe is at this day conuersant in the earth as he was conuersant in times paste Can any man doubt but in that he is man al Christian kings ought to be vnder his gouernment both in all eccl. and in those secular causes that may promote the cause of the Chruche for he shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and there shal be no ende of his kingdomes If therefore earthly Kings are parte of the house of Iacob Christ shall raigne ouer them and shall subdue their Kingdomes to hys spirituall Kingdome But whatsoeuer power was necessarye vnto Christe to eternall saluation he transformed the externall and and visible ministerie thereof vnto the Apostles when he said as my father hath sent me so I send you The Apostles therefore and their successors doe no lesse rule in spiritual causes ouer Christian Kings so far as the visible Ministerie than Christ himselfe is in truth ouer them so farre as the holy power of his humaine nature VVherevpon sayth Epiphanius Christ hath giuen a kingdome to those that are placed vnder him that it should not be sayde he proceedeth from little things to greater The throne of Christ abideth and of his kingdome there is no ende and he sitteth vpon the throne of Dauid so that he hath translated the kingdome of Dauid together with the Bishoprike and hath giuen it vnto his seruaunts that is to the Bishops of the Catholike Church Beholde so well the priestly as the Kingly power is communicated to the pastors of the Churche of Christe that by that meanes Christ shoulde be declared to raigne for euer yea euen as a spirituall and heauenly man And this truelye dothe that annoynting testifie that the Kings receyue of Priests The argument is thus If Christ himselfe were conuersant in earth in his humaine nature as he hath bene he shoulde haue ouer all Christian kings all eccl. and secular power in those things that might promote the Church But Christ hath giuen to his ministers in the visible ministerie all the power necessarie to saluation ouer Christian kings that belongeth to himselfe in his humaine nature Ergo he hath giuen his Ministers in the visible ministerie all ecclesiasticall and secular power in those things that maye promote the Church First this argument standeth vpon another presupposal which as it is no lesse false than the other so is it more impossible being flat contrarie to the worte of God and to the will of christ He puttes a case that Christ woulde come againe and in his humaine nature be conuersant vpon the earth as he was from his natiuitie till his death Good Lord M. Saūders is your cause so bad and false that you are still driuen to these shiftes to put the cases of false and forged presupposals if your cause were good it woulde stand of it selfe you might go plainely to worke and neuer reason vpon suche deuised cases as you knowe and beleue shall neuer be true except you be a Millenarie indéede as you gaue before a shrewde suspition of that heresie to think Christ shall come againe and here for a thousand yeares in all worldly might and glorie raigne in the earth and then go dwell in heauen But perhaps you wil say what wil you let me to put what case I lyft when the sky falles they say we shal haue Larkes True M. Saunders we can not let you to put what case you lyst be it neuer so absurde and repugnant to the truth But is this the rediest way to boult out the truth to put the case of an euident vntruth and to imagine that to come that neuer shall be to inferre that vsurpation of your Priestes that is and ought not to be But sée howe sone your argument is ouerturned For if your case be not admitted then is all your labour loste and you haue wonne nothing for your Priestes But the Scripture is manifest that this shall neuer come to passe And that the heauens containe Christ til the day of Iudgement he is neither here
so be depriued of the right of his kingdome that another may in the meane season be of the same Byshop anoynted for King and that from that day forwarde he truely shal be the King whome the Bishop orderly anoynted or other wise did consecrate and not he that being armed with a bande of souldiers occupieth the seate For of such the Prophet saith they haue reigned and not by me the which thing is so true that loâ—…athas the sonne of Saul acknowledged that the Kingdome shoulde fall vnto Dauid after the death of his Father And al that were in nede sled vnto Dauid and he became their Prince and there were with him as it were foure hundreth men and when Achimelech the Priest asked Counsell of the Lorde for Dauid and Saul hauing intelligence thereof commaunded his seruaunts to fall vpon the Priests of the Lorde no man durst execute so cruel a commaundement besides onely Doeg the Idumean The effecte of this reason is thréefolde Firste that the Pope maye depose a King and set vp another Secondly that the King so deposed by the Pope is no longer lawfull King nor to be obeyed but the subiectes ought to go to the other whomâ—… the Pope sets vp Thirdly that althoughe the Pope maye depofe a King yet no King maye depofe or touch the Pope or his Priests For the first point are alle aged these arguments The spirituall power is as greate nowe in the Church since the holy Ghost was sent from heauen as it was before in the Synagog But Kings were then deposed and other set vp by the spirituall power Ergo Kings may now likewise be deposed by the spirituall power and other set vp But the spirituall power belongeth to the highest Bishop The Bishop of Rome is the highest Bishop Ergo the Bishop of Rome maye depose Kings and set vp other The later argument which we vtterly denie and here he proueth not but taketh for confessed that there is in earth a highest Bishop ouer all other and that the Pope is he is belonging to another controuersie To the former argument we graunt the Maior The spirituall power is as great nowe after the holy Ghost was senâ—…e from heauen as it was before in the Synagog But we denie the Minor. That the deposing of Kings and sitting vp of other in their steede was not done then in the Synagog by the spirituall power that is by the spirituall authoritie of the spirituall pastor For proofe hereof M. Saunders inferreth an instance of Saul and Samuel Saul loste his Kingdome bycause he obserued not the precepte of Samuel And therefore Samuel ordayned another King. I aunswere First this facte was not a matter ordinarily belonging to the spirituall power of Samuel but an especialtie of gods singular appointing It was not a thing beloÌ„ging to the Byshops office to depose Kings and set other in their places it was but a particular acte done by gods especiall coÌ„maundement so that it could not nor was euer drawne into any ordinarie rule of their spirituall power then and much lesse is any thing belonging to the Bishops spirituall power nowe which is an ordinarie power and consisteth in setting forth the word of God in administring the sacraments of God and in bynding or losing the conscience of the obstinate or repentant sinner Which things sith none of them pertaine to the deposing of a Prince or any other man from his temporall possessions and worldly estate it is apparant that this extraordinarie doing of Samuel was neither theÌ„ nor now ordinarily pertaining to the spirituall power of pastors Secondly it is false that Saul lost his kingdome for not obseruing the precepte of Samuel For althoughe Samuel pronouÌ„ced it yet it was the Lords precept as like wise the other precepts of which M. Saunders confesseth that he fulfilled not the precept of the Lorde declared by the ministerie of Samuel So that Samuel was but the Minister of declaring it But say you then muste not the King dispise to heare the Lord speaking by the mouth of the highest Bishop We grauÌ„t you M. Sanders the King must not dispise to heare the Lorde speaking by the mouth of any Bishop As for any highest B. besides Iesus Christ we denie And the King ought to dispise to here him which claimeth that highest roome For it is an euident argument that the Lord speaketh not by such a blasphemous month as exalteth it selfe into Christes Bishopprike As for Samuel tooke not vpon him to be the highest Priest or Bishop nor was any B. or Priest at al nor spake any thing at all that he had not the especiall and expresse commandement of God therto Let your Pope and his Bishops shewe the expresse commaundement of God either especiall or ordinary that they be bidden to depose Kings and set vp other or else you wrest this example and doe no lesse abuse God than you would abuse Princes by it Thirdly this is false also that Samuell either deposed Saule or â—…et vp Dauid Concerning Saule he declared to him howe his kingdome should not continue but he deposed him not The wordes of Samuell are these Thou haste doâ—… foolishly that thou haste not obserued the commaundementes of the Lorde thy God that he commaunded thee If thou haddest not done this thing the Lorde had euen nowe established thy kingdome ouer Israell for euer But thy kingdome shall arise no further The Lorde hathe soughte him a man according to his heart and hathe commaunded him that he shoulde be captayne ouer his people bicause thou haste not kepte the thinges the Lorde commaunded thee First héere Samuell referreth all to the Lords commaundement Aâ—…d as Caietanus a Papist noteth thereon This commaundement of the Lorde violated by Saule was not a commaundement of the lawe but a particular commaundement declared to Saule by Samuel An especiall commaundement saith he for that turne Secondly he referreth the punishment not to his remouing of him but to the dooing of god Thirdly he dothe not neither in his owne name nor in Gods depose him at all from his estate but telleth him howe his kingdome shall not continue Vltrate saythe he It shall continue no further after thee Bicause his sonne Isboseth raygned not ouer all Israell neither yet ouer that peaceably and that for a small time And this purpose of God as Lyra nateth although it were then declared by reason of the present demerite of Saule yet was it the Lordes euerlasting purpose The purpose of God saith he is certain infallible It was before ordeined of God that the kingdome should be giuen to the tribe of Iuda as appeareth Gene. 49. The Scepter shal not be taken from Iuda But the Pope can not shew the like purpose of God that suche or such a Prince should nowe be deposed or placed therefore he dothe but wrest this example As for the placing of Dauid Although sayth Lyra this was yet to come he speaketh notwithstanding as
thoughe it were paste for the certeintie of the diuine prouidence So that yet no acte was â—…ast agaynst Saul or vnto Dauid but onely a declaration of Gods purpose to come Héere was therefore no deposing of the one nor placing of the other As for Samuels other sentence 1. Reg. 15. is more destnite when he saythe For that thou hast caste off the worde of the Lorde the Lorde hath caste off thee that thou shouldest not be king And yet he sayth not héere I depose thee â–ª or the Lorde deposeth thée from thine estate and froÌ„ hencefoorth thou shalte neither be king nor be reputed and taken of the Churche of God for king any longer Samuell sayth not thus nor ment thus nor Saule vnderstoode him thus but desired Samuel to returne with him and worship the Lorde And Samuell repeating his words sayd I wil not returne with thee bicause thou hast cast of the comandement of the Lord the Lorde hath cast off thee And Samuell turned to go away but he caught holde of the skirte of his cloake and it rent And Samuell sayde to him the Lorde hath rent the kingdome of Israell this day froÌ„ thee and hath giuen it to thy neighbour a better than thou And yet in all these so effectuall words Samuell sayth not héere In Dei nomine Amen c â–ª In the name of God Amen I do héere presenly depose thée and so foorth as the Pope vseth to do No all this was but a declaration of the time to come as Lyra saythe Dicunt autem Hebraei c. Some Hebrnes say that Samuel then gaue a signe vnto Saule that he shoulde raigne for him that shoulde cutte off the hemme of his garment VVhiche Dauid did as is conteyned 1. Reg. 24. VVherevpon Saule seeing the hemme of his garment in Dauids hande sayde nowe I knowe for certayne that thou shalte raygne And so the Glosse titeth Sainct Augustine Iste cui dixit c. This man to whome the Lorde sayde the Lorde despiseth thee that thou shouldest not be King of Israell and the Lorde hathe rent this day the kingdome out of thy hand ruled fortie yeres to wite euen as long as Dauid raigned And yet this thing he hearde the first time of his raigne Therefore wee vnderstande â–ª it to be spoken to this ende that none of the stocke of him shoulde raigne He rente it saythe the Glosse althoughe he reygned fortie yeres afterwarde But as then he desâ—…rued that the kingdome shoulde be rente from him and giuen to a better â–ª c. Thus these sayinges and doinges of Samuell were not the reall deposing of Saule from his Royall throne For bothe he tooke him selfe still as King and desired Samuel to honor him before the Elders of his people and before Israell But nowe sayth he honor me Sinon c. Although sayth 〈◊〉 not for my persons sake yet do this thing for the honor of my royall dignitie And so Samuell assented to him willing sayth Lyra to giue it vnto Saule so long as he was of God suffred in the kingdome Nowe as for Dauid Samuell in déede anoynted him and that as you saye priuilie Whiche argueth agaynst you that it was no publike acte of making him king but as it were a preparatiue vnto it and a priuie forewarning of Gods purpose to come Secondly it was a thing of Gods especiall appoynting or else Samuell would not nor coulde haue euer done it Thirdly saythe â—…yra Aduertendum est c â–ª VVe muste marke that Dauid was anoynted to be king not to this purpose that he shoulde streighte possesse the kingdome But when the acceptable wyll of God shoulde come But God did suffer Saule in the possession of the kingdome euen vntill his death And thus we sée vpon this acte of the Lorde by Samuell as well to Saule as to Dauid â–ª héere was yet no suche deposing of the one nor setting vp the other as Master Sanders claymeth héere reasoning from the example of Samuels dooing to Saule and Dauid for the Pope to 〈◊〉 Christian Princes offending and to set vp others in the â—…places The second thing that he gathereth héerevpon is this that the king by the Pope béeing deposed is now no longer true lawful king â–ª but a playne vsurper and a wrongful occupier of the kings seaâ—…e beeing armed with a bande of souldiers but the other that is annoynted or otherwise consecrated by the Bishop in his place shall truely from this day forward be the king and the people ought to go to him and not obey the other And for this he alleageth three reasons First the saying of God by the Prophet Osée Secondly the acknowledging of Ionathas Saules sonne Thirdly the gathering of diuers persons vnto Dauid First for the wordes of the Prophet whiche are these They haue raygned and not by me They were Princes I know them not I answere First these worâ—… are Gods complaynt agaynst the wickednesse of those kinges of Israel â–ª that directed not their gouernment by Gods law not that they were not kings but that they were wicked kings Not that they were by no meanes ordeyned of God for 〈◊〉 potestas est à Deo all power is of God and God sayth in generall per mâ—… reges regnant Kings rule by me so well heathen as faythfull kinges â–ª Pilates power was from aboue These kinges of Israell Ieroboam Achab Iehu c. were of Gods ordeyning Yeà Iehu whose house héere God complayned vpon and sayde he and his ofspring raigned not by him â–ª were yet notwithstanding made kinges and raygned by him In respecte of their ambition and priuate affections their raigne was not of him In respecte of Gods ordinaunce of his iustice of his prouidence it was not only permitted but also especially appoynted of him As bothe the â–ª texte is 〈◊〉 and your owne glosse confesseth for Hieroboam the elder that it was done by Gods will althoughe it were done also by the peoples sinne that regarded not the will of God but â—…llowed their owne selfewil And so in some respecte it was not the worke of God and yet in other respects it â—…as the worke of god And so héere 〈◊〉 himselfe and sayth I know them not Not that he was ignorant of them but he acknowledged not their doings Secondly neither the prophet Osee nor any other prophet tooke vpon them to depose any of those wicked kinges but to declare the wrath and vengeance of God to come vpon them After which declarations they did not subtract froÌ„ them their ciuill obedience count them from that day forward no longer to be their kings or exhorted the Church of God to forsake their polytike gouernment but hauing declared their message from God they let them alone till eyther God him selfe did strike theÌ„ or stirred vp by some especiall and extraordinarie meanes some forren or domestical persecuâ—… of them Thirdly this maketh nothing to proue that those kings
done in remouing an euill Prince in som estates sand pag. 85. Ezech. 34. Whether euery necessarie and profitable povver be giuen to the Pastor ouer his shepe Luke 22. The popishe Pastors farre from the dueties described in Ezech. 34. Glossa in Lyra in Ezech. 34. To expel Prin ces from theyr kingdomes is to rule vvyth bitternesse sand pag. 85. In Orat. de moderat in disputat seruanda The similitude of cutting of a rotten â—…eber Hovv the pastors are as it vvere the mind or reason in the head Hovve the Prince againe is as the minde oâ—… reason in the head The Prince compared to the vvill in the harâ—…e If the Prince vvere but com pared to the lungs lights or lyuer yet must â—…e not be cut off bicause he is infected sand pag. 85. 1. Cor. 6. Howe the Church hath power ouer the goods and bodily things of the faithfull The pastors are not the Church but members of the Church The pastors haue the power and proprietie of bodily goods froÌ„ the power of the Prince 1. Cor. 6. M. sand maketh priests only ChristiaÌ„s and Christian Princes Ethnikes S. Paule ment not that the Corinthiaus should go to law before the pastors for teÌ„porall matters sand pag. 85. 1. Cor. 6. Rom. 8. Howe the ministers haue haue not to do with worldly businesse S. Paule wrested by Maister Sand â–ª How the saints shall iudge the world Chrysost. in 1. Cor. 6. S. Paule speaking of Saints meaneth not only spirituall Pastors Haimo in 1. Cor. 6. Hugo in 1. Cor. 6. The Pope reproued Sand. 85. De regulis iuris Hebr. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Christe giues not al his gifts by his Pastor The Churche hath not alwayes power to make their Magistrates The Pastors passe a right to the Prince and haue not the right in theÌ„ selues Sand. 8â—… The Corinthians might not choose newe publike Magistrates bycause they might choose newe priuate arbiters S. Paule allow eth the authoritie of heathen Magistrates in his time Maister Saunders 〈◊〉 S. Paule to al rebellion sand pag. 85. Better suffer a mischiefe than an inconuenience One inconuenience not to be helped with an other inconuenience The heathen iudges delâ—… not only in tempo rall matters The daunger of M. Saund. doctrine The greatest daunger of all is of the Pope his prelates sand pag. 85. 1. Reg. 10. 1â—… 1. Reg. 15. 1. Reg. 16. Osee. 8. 1. Reg. 23. 1. Reg. 22. Deposing of Kings was neuer belonging to the spirituall power Samuel was but the minister of declariÌ„g gods precept No highest B. of the Church besides Christ. Samuel deposed not Saule 1. Reg. 13. Caietanus in 1. Reg. 13. The Lords coÌ„maundement by Samuell to Saule was especial and serued but for that turne â—…yra in 1. Reg. 13. Lyra in â—… Reg. 13. Samuels doing to Saule and Dauid was but a declaration of Gods purpose to come 1. Reg. 15. Lyra in 1. Reg. 15. The token to Saule who should succede him 1. Reg. 14. Glosla in Lyra. Soule raygned fortie yere after this sentâ—…ce of Samuel The cutting off of Saules kingdome was mente by his posteritie not by himselfe Lyra in 1. Reg. 15. Dauids priuy anoynting betokeneth it was no publike acte Saule was neuer deposed so long as he lyued M. sand reasons that he is to be obeyed whom the Pope settes vp and he to be forsaken that the Pope deposeth Osee. 8. How wicked kings are of God and not of God. Rom. 13. Pronetb 8. loaâ—… 19 â–ª The Prophets after they had declared Gods wrath to wicked kings dyd still obey their ciuill gouernment Ionathas acknowledged not Dauid to be king but that he should be king 1. Reg. 23. 1 â–ª Reg. 20. Caietanâ—… in 1. Reg. 20. Why the people flocked vnto Dauid Caietanus que stion whether Dauid did wel to receiue this people to the preiudice of their creditors Lyra his question whether he did well to become their captayne and receyued them to the preiudice of the publiâ—…e state Dauid neuer tooke him self nor was taken of any other to bâ—…â—…ng tyll Sâ—…ule was dâ—…d 1. Reg. 24. Lyra. Caietane Dauids remorce of conscieâ—…ce euen for cutting but a flap of Saules garment How this cutting was and was noâ—… iniurious to Saule 1. Reg. 24. Dauids reuerence and humilitie to Saule Dauid purgeth himselfe of all rebellion and sinne against Saul Dauid wisheth no reuengement to Saul Saul coÌ„fesseth Dauid shoulde raign not that he did raigne Saul resigned not to Dauid 1. Reg. 16. Dauid woulde â—…e no efficient cause of Saules death 1. Reg. 21. Whether Achimelech asked counsel of the Lord for Dauid or no when Dauid fled vnto him Lyra. Achimelech the high priest inferior to Saul â—… Reg. 22. The Popish not the protestant Princes imitate Saules crueltie or rather excede it sand pag. 86. 3. Reg. 11. Ephâ—… â—… The example of the prophet Ahias foretelling Ieroboam that he should raigne The specialtie of this fact not to be drawne to example How IeroboaÌ„ was a traytor how he was not The Prophete did but foretel this fact that by especiall coÌ„mandement An admonitioÌ„ for Christian Princes not to ioyne in mariage leagues with infidell Princes 3. Reg. 11. 3. Reg. 16. 3. Reg. 21. 2. Paral. 20. Sand. 86. 3. Reg. 1â—… The examples of Elias anointing Asahel Iehu â–ª and Elizeus Glossa in Lyrano in 3. Reg. 19. 4. Reg. 9. 4. Reg. 8. 3. Reg. 19. Lyra in 3. Reg. 19. Caietanus in 3. Reg. 19. Exod. 32. Num. 25. Iohn 18. Sand. 86. How the Prophets dyd kill these Idolaters 3. Reg. 18. It belongeth not to Pastors to punish with the bodily sworde M. sand confutes him self sand pag. 86. 4. Reg. 1. 4. Reg. 1. Ambro. lib. 5 Epist. 27. Rom. 13. 4. Reg. 1 â–ª The superioritie of the spiritual sworde is not the present question The present question is whether the spiritual power of pastors may depose he secular power of Princes 4 Reg. 1. King Ochozias representeth not the Protestant but the popish Princes Elias toke not vpon him the chiefest place in Gods Church Elias his facte not to be drawen to any example to followe Lyra in .. 4 Reg. 1. Caietaâ—…us in 4. Reg. 1. The imitation of thâ—… facte of Elias expressely forbidden to the Disciples of christ Luke 9. Popish Bishops of a contrary spâ—…rite to Christ. M. sand proueth his Byshops to be traytors The example of S Ambrose sand pag. 8â—… 87. Of like things it makes no matter what is done M. Sand â—…alles to putting of cases againe coÌ„trarie to the Scripture Gen 3. Difference of punishmentes Gen. 14. Gen. 19. 1. Reg 22. Leuit. 10. This punishement of fire was an especiall puâ—…shmeÌ„t proceding froÌ„ God not from Elias 3. Reg. 18. Lyra super Luc. 9. Sand. 87. 4. Reg. 6. Ibidem 4. Reg. 2. 4. Reg. 1. The example of Elizeus Elizeus defence of â—…rie charets against the armie of the king of Siria The Pope like to Benadab The ProtestaÌ„ts like 〈◊〉 Elizeus The
whom the scripture is playne and plat and hereto accordeth the best of the learned fathers as I haue declared before of S. Aug. whoÌ„ ye quote with Epiphanius If therfore Epiphanius ment more than thankes giuing to God for his mercies to the saincts in sauing them praysing God for his iustice to the wicked in condemning them and withall to confirme in the liuing the hope of the resurrection of the dead then is Epiphanius not onely contrary to the Scripture and S. Aug. but also to him selfe and to the best of all the fathers besides whose traditions is the onely argument that Epiphanius pretendeth Ciprian who also admitteth the memorials oblations of thanks giuing for the faythfull martyrs departed yet in this poynt of doctrine to pray for any departed as to helpe them by their prayers or that they be in case to néede find suche helpe he vtterly denieth Quando istinâ—… excessum fuerit c. when we are departed out of this life there is now no place for repentaunce no desire of satisfaction lyfe is either loste heere or gotten heere by the vvorship of God and the fruite of fayth eternall saluation is prouided for neither is any body hindred either by his sinnes or his yeres that therby he might the lesse come to the obteyning of saluation To him that is abiding in this worlde repentance is neuer to late c. Athanasius likewise Animae à nobis profectae vbi quomodo sint c. VVhere the soules departed from vs are and how they be is a straunge and horrible question and hid froÌ„ men for God hath not suffred any to returne from thence which should declare it Notwithstanding out of the scripture we learne that the soules of sinners be in hell and the soules of the iust be in Paradise Without any mention at all of Purgatorie The iudgement of S. Hierome is very playne and inserted among your Popishe decrées In praesenti siculo c. VVhyle we are in this present worlde either by prayers or by counsels vve may one be helped of another but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniell nor Noe can doe ought for any body but euery one shall beare his owne burden And agayne he that while he liueth in this body shall not haue obtayned the forgiuenesse of sinnes and so shal depart out of hys life perisheth vnto God and endeth his beeing although to him selfe he be in paynes He that hathe nâ—…t washed away his sinnes sayth Chrisostome in this present lyfe shall not afterwarde finde any consolation For in hell saythe he who shall prayse thee and vvorthily sayde for this is the time of cares and conflictes and wrastlinges as for that is the tyme of crowninges of retributions and rewardinges And agayne If thou arte made any mans enimie bee reconciled before thou come to iudgement Dispatche all thinges heere that without griefe thou mayest beholde the iudgement seate VVhyle we are heere we haue notable hopes but so sone as euer we shall be departed from hence it lyeth not in vs afterwarde to repente nor to washe away the faultes vve haue committed Yea he sayth more After the ende of this life there are no occasions of good workes as wrastlers haue then no occasion of getting the garlande when the wrestlings are finished And as Theophilacte saythe after thys lyâ—…e there is no tyme eyther of repenting or of vvishing All which sayings if they be true it followeth there is no place of purging and helping them that are already dead in their sinnes since the sâ—…ules so departed can not repent but there is no forgiuenesse without repentance since at occasions of their deliuery are past yea they be past wishing any goodnesse to them selues that is to say they vtterly dispayre of al mercy knowing that wishing booteth not muche lesse the wishing of others for them as Theophilact a little before sayde of the foolishe Uirgins The vertues of my neighboure will hardly suffice for his owne defence so farre off is it from helping me Thus are all these Doctors contrarie to Epiphanius héerein if Epiphanius were to be expeunded as you woulde haue him And will ye make all these Aerians too But to all these your vsage is to clap downe as many or more Doctors of the contrary opinion yea to bring euen these that I haue râ—…cited to witnesse the quite contrary In which doing thinking to discredite vs ye not onely lese creditâ—… your selfe by wresting them but also ye diminishe their credite haue they any with you that make them speake contrary to them selues True it is that euery one of these fathers as they had theyr faultes and errours so they bare muche also in these matters of dead men with the common sway althoughe S. Augustine and Chrisostome more than the rest do often times chide the people for vsing about the dead suche fonde abuses as at that tyme they did Chrisostome telleth howe they woulde strippe their armes make them bloudie teare their heare scratche their faces and weare blacke apparell and hire mourners All whiche he greatly blameth and althoughe they pretended custome for them saying Consuetudinem quero c. consuetudinem requiro c. I seeke to keepe the old custome I require custome Yet doth not Chrisostome allow their sayings but calleth it pessimam consuetudinem a most wicked custome ineptias toyes suche as he was ashamed of hypocrisie and such as long ago ought to haue bene driuen cleane away Thus earnestly writeth Chrisostome against the abuses about the dead And also for that opinion that euen then in his dayes was a common and constant opinion among the people euen as it is yet among al papists that the soules of diuers do walke after their death and mone them selues to vs aliue to be holpen by our prayers Which how false an opinion it is appeareth by Chrisostome Shall I be persuaded sayth he bicause thou hast heard the diuels often times crie I am the soule of suche an one but this saying comes also of the diuels fraude and disceite for it is not the soule of the departed which sayth these things but the diuell that feygneth these things to deceiue the hearers c. These things are to be counted but olde wiues or rather dotardes tales and toyes for children for the soule beeing separate from the body can not wander in these regions As for the soules of the iuste they are in the handes of god The soules likewise of the Infantes for they haue not sinned But the soules of sinners are caried away euen staight after their departure the which is made playne by Lazarus and Diues c. And by many places of the scripture it may be proued that the soules of iust men after their death do not wander heere For bothe Steuen sayde Receiue my spirite and Paule desired to be loosed and to be with Christe And
also in another place the Lorde sayth this day shal they take thysoule from thee The soule therfore when it is once gone from the body can not wander heere amongest vs. And the Scripture saith also of the Pattiarche he was put to his father and died in a good age But that also neither the soules of the sinners can abide here thou maist harken what the riche man saith and marke what he craueth and can not get it if the soules of men might be coÌ„uersant here he would haue come him selfe as he desired and haue warned his kinsmen of Hell torments Out of which place it appeareth also plainly that the soules after their departure from the bodie are carried away to a certaine place from whence at their will they can not get but do there abide expecting that terrible day of iudgement These wordes of Chrysostome well weighed inferre fower things First that there be no moe estates of the dead than twoo the iust and the wicked and so there are none to be purged after-death Secondly that there be be but two places also Heauen and Hell so the purging place called purgatory is excluded Thirdly that the soules once departed from their bodies come forthwith to one of these two places and there tary continually till the day of dome without wandring here on the earth and so purgatorie is againe excluded Fourthly that all appearings of any that say they are the sâ—…ules of such and such c. are the Diuels fraudes old wines fables fooles tales childrens toyes and so againe not onely the opinion of purgatorie is improued but also al the Popish reuelatioÌ„s thereof proued to haue bene the Diuels illusioÌ„s But of this more hereafter I note it now only to shew that this errour though nothing like to that it hath since was so cropeÌ„ into the Church then that Chrysostome was faine thus sharply to coÌ„fute it S. Augustine also rebuketh other errours cropen in by custome about the dead Nouâ—…â—…ultos esse c. I know saith he that there are many worshippers of sepulchers and of pictures I know there are many which most riottously drinke ouer the dead and making banquets to the corses burie them selues vppon the buried and these their gluttonnies and dronkennesse they accoumpt for Religion These and such like wicked customes and errours about the dead gréeued S. Augustine wherefore he deuised with the godly Bishop Aurelius how he might remoue them Though therefore Epiphanius allowed the praying for the dead and other ceremonies there aboutes that euen the popish Church doth not vse and pretende custome for him neuer so muche yet none of these fathers are of his iudgement herein Nor his argument from custome beyond the worde of God bindeth vs but that rather we may follow S. Augustins rule Magis veritatem quà m consuetudinem sequi debemus VVe ought rather to follow the truth than the custome Yea although al these Doctours had bene contrarie hereto the Scripture being so plaine therein Epiphanius argument therefore is very meane to force any Heresie of denying this erroneouse custome And yet is not Aerius excused bicause he withall couertly as appeareth by Epiphanius proues denied the Resurrection els had their bene no furder meaning in those wordes than that Prayer or Sacrifice was fruitlesse for the dead it had bene so litle any Heresie that Epiphanius was rather in an errour thereof by yelding to corrupted custome as I haue proued by the Fathers to whose tradition he appealeth and by S. Augustine that also noteth this thing in Aerius Howbeit I speake it not to deface the worthie commendation of Epiphanius but I do as you do when ye talke with him for Images Although I might note in him furder not only his too bitter coÌ„tention with Chrysostome but also that he is not all sounde for doctrine no not in euery point of the Trinitie not that I lay it to him as any Heresie but as an errour no marueyle then though he were deceyued herein and you also M. Stapleton that ground on him to slaunder vs with Aerius heresie which was against the resurrection and that the dead Sunt nulli are none and are resolued to nothing I haue bene the longer in answering you to Aerius bicause ye vrge it so much and triumphe in so vaine and false a matter Your next obiection is about virginitie How say you to louinian that denied virginitie to haue any excellencie aboue Matrimonie or any speciall rewarde at Gods handes Or euer I say any thing to Iouinian I answere to you M. Stapleton If you should receyue such rewarde at Gods handes as your slaunderouse and lying toung deserueth I thinke your virginitie presupposing that ye were so good a virgin Priest as ye pretende although I will not sweare for you would at that great daie of rewarde stande ye in litle stéede Your selfe know well inough that although we attribute to the honorable state of Mariage that reuerence and libertie among all men that Christ and his Apostle S. Paule biddeth yet do we not deface or dispise but esteeme honorable also the excellent gift of continencie Yea confesse with the Apostle that in him that hath the gift thereof it is in those respects that the Apostle mentioneth more excellent than Matrimonie Bicause such are more frée to tranaile in the preaching and ministerie of Gods worde with lesse trouble care and charge chiefly in time of persecution But not for any excellencie of virginitie it selfe as an holier vertue deseruing heauen which you call a speciall reward at Gods hands meaning thereby a merite or deserte of a greater glory in heauen than Matrimonie This fonde presumption of merites we disalowe and would haue ye say with Gregorie your Pope Let them know that virginitie so excelleth mariage that the vnmaried extoll not theÌ„selues aboue those that be maried You your popish Priests do not thus but in that ye be vnmaried ye preferre your selues aboue the maried craking of excelleÌ„câ—…e and special reward aboue others as did the boasting Pharisée And God wote are so far froÌ„ that virginitie which ye crake of that not onely ye burne within with most filthie lustes of your pampred bodies and vnmortified fleshe and so by reason of the scruple of your vowe haue your consciences marked with an whote Iron and yet virginitie as your selues to your owne greater condemnation without your greater repentance testifie is quite loste being polluted in the assent of the minde But what speake I of the minde which I would commit to God to iudge vppon sauing that all the world crieth out of your fornications adulteries incestes sodomitrie the crie whereof is ascended vnto heauen Your owne bookes swarme in exclaiming it and almost euery Cronicler noteth it But what néede notes of Chronicles when your licences and dispensations for your Priestes concubines your open mainteyning of courtezanes stewes and harlotrie are so apparaÌ„t that
that he had authoritie ouer the Priestes Firste in that he cyted them to come before him Secondly in that they obeyed his citation and came before the king Thirdly in that the high Priest calleth the King his Lord saying here I am my Lord. Fourthly when the King layde treason to his charge he replyeth not that he could be no traitor to the King beyng his superior but as inferior pleadeth he was no traytor Fiftly he acknowledgeth both Dauid to be Saules seruaunt himselfe also saying be it farre from mee let not the King impute any thing vnto his seruaunt nor to all the house of my father for thy seruaunt knew nothing of all this lesse or more Wherby it appeareth that the high Priest and all his familie were vnder the Kings obedience and so still continued after that Samuel had declared how that the Lord had rent his kingdome from him As for that the Prince abused his authoritie to the cruell murdering of innocentes we graunt it was so detestable that his souldiors did well in refusing to execute his wicked commaundement We defend no suche authoritie in Princes nor such obedience in subiectes as murdereth innocents without all lawe and Iustice and that after suche a cruell sort as did the doggishe Doeg being not content to murder the innocent ministers of God but besides to put to the edge of thes worde all the men and women in their Citie yea the Children sucking babes also You can finde no protestant Prince M. Saunders that euer did the like déede But Popishe Princes haue not onely done the like but farre surmounted both Saul and Doeg and all other cruel Princes in such vnnaturall Tragedies So fitte all Maister Saunders ensamples serue his purpose that euerye one maketh cleane against him But now saith he least any man should thinke at the least the power of those Kings that sprang from Dauid to be greater than the spirituall power of the Synagog let him besides this consider that Ahias the Silonite while Salomon was yet aliue foretolde that Ieroboam should gouerne the ten tribes VVhervpon is vnderstood that either the whole kingdome or some part therof may be taken away from a wicked King by the spirituall power of the Churche For what power was in times past in the Priests and Prophets the same is now in the pastors and teachers whose duetie it is so to consulte for the soules health that they suffer not by the disobedience and tyrannie of a wicked King the people of an infinite multitude to be compelled and drawne to scisme and heresie The argument is still as before from the spirituall power in Priests Prophets then in the Synagog to the spiritual power of popishe pastors teachers in the Church now To this besides the former answere I answere againe first the popishe pastors teachers being false pastors false teachers except it be from such Priestes Prophetes as were of Baal Balaam Bel. c. can frame no good conclusion Secondly admit they were which they pretend true pastors teachers yet the argument is not true from any particular especial charge giueÌ„ vnto some one or two of them by gods expresse commaundement to foretell this or that thing to come to conclude therevpon an ordinarie spirituall power in all the priests prophets then and the like to succéede in the pastors teachers now Thirdly neither any such thing is described or ment by S. Paulâ—… Epâ—…e 4. in the office of pastors teachers now neither this example of the old testament 2 Reg. 11. inferreth any such thing done by the priests or prophets then The example of 〈◊〉 he alleaged before but he thinketh here to frame it better to his purpose His argument is thus The prophet Ahias while King Salomon liued foretold Ieroboam that he should raigne ouer ten Tribes Ergo either the whole kingdome or a part therof may be taken from a wicked King by the spiritull power that is by the pastors and teachers of the Church I denie the argument M. sand from foretelling the taking away thereof to the taking away thereof in déede The foretelling belonged to that Prophet to whoÌ„ God not onely reuealed it but commaunded to foretell it The taking away therof either in part or in whole beloÌ„ged only to God working by his secrete or open Iustice and to those as instruments of his wrath whom he ordained to do it that is by Ieroboam and such as rebelled with him And howbeit this fact when â–ª it was done was such a specialtie as can not be drawne to an example no more than can the attempt of Abraham to kill his sonne yet was not this facte done in Salomons dayes Who all his life long raigned King of the whole kingdome notwithstanding all this Prophecie In dede Ieroboam which was a wicked man lifte vp his hand and rebelled against Salomon not tarying the Lords oportunitie as Dauid did but following his owne ambition he abused the prophetes message Who although he tolde him that God woulde giue him ten tribes yet he tolde him that Salomon shoulde raigne all his life time But I will take the kingdome saythe God by the Prophete vnto Ieroboam oute of his sonnes hande and will giue tenne Tribes to thee c. so that this serueth not Maister Saunders purpose to dispossesse the presente estate of the Prince lyuing Neyther sayth the Prophet he will doe it neyther byddeth he Ieroboam to rebel eyther against Salomon or his sonne but he sayth God him selfe would doe it To the which sentence and worke of God Ieroboam ought to haue obeyed Which in so much as he did not he disobeyed God and was a traytor to his Prince and deserued death Althoughe God by his secrete iustice so punished Salomons séede that he confirmed the Kingdome in Ieroboams handes and made him a lawfull king But in all these things here was nothyng done by the Prophete but the foretelling of Gods purpose Which notwithstanding was enioyned hym by Gods especiall commaundemente For otherwyse had he presumed thus of his owne heade by reason of the authoritie of hys Propheticall office whatsoeuer Salomen had deserued he had for his parte béene but a â—…rayterous Prophete and so are all those Popishe Pastors and teachers that teache subiectes to rebell against their Soueraignes on pretence of these examples True Pastors and teachers by thys particular example maye learne thus muche in generall to teache Princes to feare God and dreade his Iustice to beware of Idolatrie and of ioyning themseluâ—…s in mariage or in other leagâ—…es of friendship wyth the enimyes of gods truth As Salomon â—…ell to Idolatrie by marying of Infidels Achab for ioyning in friendshippe with Benadab was punished and marying the wicked Iesabell did euen â—…ell him selfe to wickednesse Yea the good King Iosaphat for ioyning in league with the wicked King Ochozias Achabs sonne was reproued sharpely and his ships perished These