faith they despise whose good manners they so little followe and regard and whose very bodies and ashes they so racke teare and ransacke here ōn earth If we can of chalke make cheese make the Aethiopian white or firmely conjoyne brasse and earth togither then perhaps wee may joyne Catholikes and Protestants in one Church and make them beautifull and acceptable in Gods sight and not before no no these two as farre differ in Gods sight in his grace and fauour as the other things doe in nature and much more Heretikes that deuide their loue from the whole Church of God deuide their liues deuide their faith and religion can be no more acceptable of God the naturall head and spouse of his one only Church then it could be pleasing to the natural mother by Salomōs motiō to haue the child deuided who chose rather to leaue it in the euill womans keeping euen so God our true father will haue vs one as he is one in vnity of true faith and religion in his Church or else we cannot be true children with him in his house which is one and not deuided Hereupon my first ground 1. is this that neither Lutherans Protestants Puritanes nor any other secte whatsoeuer in the worlde dissenting from the common knowne Catholicke and Apostolike Romane Church can bee members of the true Church of GOD nor canpossibly bee saued because as God is one so his true Catholicke spouse the Church as one wife of one husband is one one in faith and religion and that in euery point and article tuam vnus Dominus vna fides vnum Baptisma and without true faith it is impossible to please God which is only the one Catholicke faith and Church vvithout vvhich vvhosoedyeth shall most certainly perish euerlastingly as all did bodely out of Noes Arke testemonies hereof bee abundant the Prophettes Saint Paul and all the whole course of Scriptures and Fathers so expounding them namely holy Athanasius vvhose Creede is receiued of the vniuersall Church of God which Church is rightly called vna Columba mea amica mea of Christ her spouse viz my only doue my darling one chosen out from amongst a thousand all heretickes then dissenting thus from Catholickes and amongst themselues can neuer be members of Gods Church as long as they remayne in this state deuided from that one and only Catholicke Church Secondly if wee looke inwardly into the most essentiall parts of our Catholike faith and religion you shall finde them chiefly to differ from vs therein for if they were but incertaine indifferent matters left for learned men to vse their opinions and judgment in and not articles of faith defined out of holy Scripture by the Church of God the true keeper and expositor of Scripture wherein they differ from vs they vvere tollerable but they differ from vs not only in lesse articles but in many and the chiefest substantiall intrinsicall parts and articles of faith the least vvhereof euery one vnder paine of damnation is bounde to keepe pure and vndefiled Nowe Buny in his Pacification pag. an hundred and eight following some of his fellowes Bullinger Musculus and the like vvho finding themselues miserably intangled vvith this question of the Church deuised certaine principles and foundations of faith wherein vvhosoeuer agreed they should be accounted all members of one church these Buny imitating of his bounty is so liberall towards vs poore Papists insomuch that more then once hee affirmeth that in substance of religion wee and they agree and therefore that wee bee all one members of one Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and blameth his fellowe Ministers that very rashly and inconsideratly they reject Papists from the communion of the true church For saith he vnlesse we confes the papistical Church to be the true Catholike and Apostolicke Church whereof wee are members no lesse then the Papists wee cast our selues into a great difficulty to finde any other Carholicke and Apostolicke Church which being planted first of the Apostles hath alwaies continued to our time wherein wee as members may be ingraffed which if wee cannot finde or performe then are vvee constrayned to confesse our Church to be more new and later then the Romane Church thus farre Buny whereby you may see what shifts heretikes are driuen to that woulde make the vvorlde to beleeue wee differ in small or no substantiall partes of teligion that so by seeming to creepe into one Church vvith vs though vvanting altogither the vertue and for the most part the true faith of members of the Church yet at leastwise they may couer themselues vnder the bare title of the true Church the more to couer their badde dealinges and to deceaue the simple But what frontlesse brazen faces of Protestants bee these to affirme that their sects agree with the CATHOLICKE CHVRCH not only of all former times and of all Nations in the vvorlde but also that they bee not contrary to the vniuersall Church at this day Let vs then briefly consider all the essentiall or substantiall parts of the Church of ancient time and of this age vvhich is all one and let vs see in vvhat one principall point of faith or gouernment Heretickes agree vvith vs. First they haue instituted another regiment or politique gouernment of the Church quite contrary to that of the true CATHOLICKE CHVRCH for in steede of the Bishoppe of Rome generall and only chiefe Pastor of the vvhole Church they haue made temporall Princes heads of the Church whereby as for example here in England making first a Man then a Boy and nowe a Woman heade of the Church they chaunge religion as oft as Princes vvhether the Prince bee Lutheran Adiaphorist halfe Catholicke as King Henry was Zwinglian as his daughter is said to be trinitary Arrian as another may be or Turke as perhaps the other may be if to bee supreame head of the Church bee so annexed to the Crowne as a matter of inheritaunce as our English Diuines nowe of late haue made it yea and that by Gods lawe wee bee bounde to obey them in spirituall matters then by this diuinity euery new King may coyne a newe religion quite contrary to his predecessor and all good and holy Whereas to Pster and his successors Christs Vicar by Christs ordinance made head of his Church to keepe vniformity of faith to the worldes end in the same is certainly promised to the confusion of all heretickes in the vvorlde that his faith euer one shall not faile which promise Christ hath hitherto kept with his Church and generall Pastor and shall doe to the worlds end let me see now vvhether any hereticke in the vvorlde can or dare auouch so much for his sect whereas vvee dare boldlye affirme that CHIST his prayer to his father for our true Church is heard Ego rogaui pro te Petre vt non deficiat fides tua Well this ordinance of CHRIST of such importaunce for the gouernment of the Church heretickes haue altered and
forsake them for their taunts For though God bee not delighted with the number of prayers so much as with discreete affefection and desire to him yet these misticall and godly numbers help to encrease our deuotion and affection and therefore we had now more neede to vse Beades then euer when as deuotion waxeth cold both to pray for heretikes amendment and that we fal not in their blindnes for diuers other holy godly and reasonable causes and things Chap. LIX Of the Aue Maria how it is a most deuout prayer gratefull to God ioyfull to Angelles terrible to the Diuell and most healthfull and comfortable to all mankind AS for the Aue Maria it is the very wordes of the Angell Gabriell Elizabeth and the holy Church now where as heretickes say it is no prayer but a salutation they bewray their ignorance for many sentences and wordes be in Scriptures that seeme no prayers and yet effectuall prayers as in the Psalmes and other places may appeare where Gods mercy justice might bounty loue and the like is praysed or called on not in forme of prayer but yet a most effectuall prayer to obtayne his mercy goodnes bounty grace So in the Auâ— Mary our B. La is saluted to the intent to pray for vs thanks giuen to god that voutsafed by that vnspeakable mistery of his incarnatioÌ„ of her body to be incarnate made maÌ„ for vs wherby man is recouered froÌ„ damnatioÌ„ the Deuill ouercome the ruines of Angells bee repayred so that the Aue Maria was the most ioyfull tidings that euer was brought from God to maÌ„ No meruaile then though Infidels heretikes meÌ„bers of the Diuel abhor the Aue Mary for as often as it is deuoutly said as it is ioyful to Angels in heauen so it maketh the Diuel and al' his Angels to tremble and quake But some Puritanes woulde haue no Pater noster neither nor any stint praier so long they haue babbled of the Lord and spirit that now you see they deny Ladies praier Lords praier too I am afraid in their corrupt consciences Christ and God too neither doe I meruaile for improbity wickednes neuer consisteth in one degree as one said Sed cum incipit labi ruit praecipitat till it come to the deapth of all euill and mischiefe For beeing fallen from the Church and hauing once lost the high way they must needes euer bee further from the truth wanting a sure ground and foundation to stay themselues vpon that is the true Catholicke Church 1. Tiâ— 3. 15. of God which Saint Paul calleth the foundation and piller of truth til once they returne back againe Chap. LX. Of diuers holy ornamentes and thinges belongîng to the Church as of lightes in Churches of insence Dedication of Churches and such like godly ceremonies AS for sacred and holye bells vestmentes holy vessells as Chalices and the like Heretickes beat them in peeces make gunnes of them chamber pots and fill their purses The like did heretickes and infidells of olde espeacially Iulian the Apostata that made water in the Chalice wherein the bloud of Maries Sonne for so the Infidells tearmed it in contempt of him and her was offered but he his fellowes had foule ends as these fellowes haue wil haue vnlesse God giue them grace to amend For if the people of God before Christ had their holy Trumpets to call the people togither the Leuits Priest their holy vestiments sacred cups and Phyals and other vessels though wee follow not now Iewish ceremonies as heretickes be-ly vs yet why should wee not haue our ornaments Sanctified by Gods word and that in more deuoute exquisite sort then the Iewes had by how much Christes law exceedeth the Iewish ceremonies For wee see these outward ceremonies much help to increase inward deuotion as for example the very candles and Church lights do signifie vnto vs the light of Gods grace the Gospell the purity of conscience good workes wee ought to haue with manye moe significations which well weighed excite and stir vp deuotion The Maiesty of our temples or churches adorned with sumptuous ornaments and Images of Christ and his Saints in a liuely history as it were setting before our eyes by their glorious death and martirdome their triumph and victories ouer hell and death these temples I say thus adorned being solemnlie dedicated to God yea their dedication yearely renewed or remembred do they not teach vs to dedicate our bodies and soules wholy to the seruice of God as being liuely temples of the holy Ghost and daylie to clense them more more from sinne to adorne them with vertues and to renew confirme and furnish them vp eftsoones with those effectuall signes and seales of our redemption those diuine misteries the healthfull Sacraments Yf God promised to heare the prayers of those that called vppon him in Salomons temple how much more will hee heare our prayers and lawfull petitions thus made in our Churches who serue God now in spirite and truth and not in presence of that vmbraticall Arke of the old testament but in that most high misterye before Christs most B. body our only mediator and redeemer whose intercession is euermore acceptable in his fathers sight the Arke of the liuing God that raigneth for euer Yf when two or three in Christs name bee gathered together hee hath promised to heare them how much more when manye hundred or thowsands bee so collected vnited in prayer in one Church will God bee amongst them and performe their good desires surely heretickes that thus ruinate despise and pollute Monasteries Oratories and christian Temples set vp an Idoll in their owne imaginations in steede thereof and prepare the way for that general and Antechristian abhomination of desolation which vvas prophesied by Daniell the Prophet O Christ wheÌ„ thy signe shal appeare in the cloudes that lightneth the whole world then Church robbers Image breakers the razers downe cursed enemies of thy Crosse then then shal come to confusion wheÌ„ thou shalt make al thy enemies thy footstoole Moreouer wheÌ„ as in our Churches any ceremonies of inceÌ„se and sweete perfumes which signifie betoken the sweet odour and sauour of good life that ought to bee among vs be vsed it is well and commendable which and the like ceremonies though in some sort of olde they were vsed yet seing that Christ came not to break the law but to ful fill it any such ceremonies as be not euacuate and frustrate by Christs comming as the bloudy sacrifice circumcision and the like are now not to be obserued because wee haue the things themselues whereof those ceremonies and sacrifices were figures yet I say any thing that tendeth to nourishing of pieâ—y deuotion and charity are to bee kept still as fasting knocking kneeling or any such godly ceremonies which concerne the body as deuotion doth the mind both which we must offer to God as being all his owne and due
sent backe againe with great honour and gifts and the like triumph and reioycing to my knowledge was neuer in Rome before since our Country was first conuerted vnto Christ in Gregory the greats time our holy Apostle that sent S. Augustâ—ne to preach the Gospell amoÌ„gst vs English men These couÌ„tries new y conuerted in the Indians be conuerted by Iesuites Monkes and Friers so honourabâ—e once in our Country but now odious yea their very names They in those mighty Countries citties far greater then the rest of all Christendomâ— do raise vp houses of religion as fast as we pull the downe they know or beleeue no other faith but only the Catho Romane faith Church praysed â—om 1. 8. with the Apostâ—es mouth to be preached through the whole worlde Heretickes here you see in corners of Christendome rent and teare in peeces like rauâ—ning Wolues the flocke of Christ but they plant it in no place amongst Iâ—fidelles where Christ was neuer heard of before as our Priests and religious men doe which they so raiâ—e against in their pulpits amongst ignorant people But no maruell for our Sauiour describeth such Wolues vnder the name of hirelings or rather no Pasâ—ors but theeues and robbers that come in by the window not by the doore that feede themselues and not the flocke of Christ but be like to those whereof the Prophet speaketh De Psal 52. 5 uorant plebem meaÌ„ vt cibum panis deuouro my poore people aâ— meate of bread It is the property oâ— the heretike vt furetur mactet perdat to steale murder destroy but not as a good shepheard to feed the flock of Christ and raise vp and build the walles of Ierusalem the holy Church Thus you see how the Church of Christ is no priuate conuenticle or tied to one or two Countries or Nations but it is common to the whole world A mari vsque ad mare a flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum a visible Church to be seene as hee promised by the holye Prophet it should bee that all Nations might haue recourse thereunto Againe Ps 112. 3. he promised by his Prophet it shoulde be from the rising of the Sunnet to the setting of the same againe Et aperienter portaetuae Isa 60. 11 iugiter die ac nocte non claudenter vt afferatur ad te fortitudo gentium reges earum adducantur That her gates should neuer be shut that is that shee should be common to all Nations of the world both Iew and Gentile but this is proper to no sort of Heretickes in the world which be enclosed you see in a few corners of the same as England and Germany But our common knowne faith Church and religion is Catholicke that is vniuersall generall and common not only to these countries but to all the countries of the worlde where Christ was euer preached or heard of Euen from the rising of the Sunne to the setting of the same againe therefore no other Church the true Church but ours only that is the common knowne Catholicke and Apostolicke Romane Church First then you see what Church hath the first true marke which wee be taught in our Creede to beleeue that is our Romane Church no other because ours and no other you see can properly be called Catholicke that is common to all Nations Chap. III Of the second certaine note of the true Church SEcondly this Catholike Roman church is of greatest antiquity which is a sure note or marke of the true Church proper to no Church but onely to our church that is the true catholike church For this catholike faith religion which at this day for example is preached at Rome in the Indians in al the coasts of the world is no new fangled vpstart opinioÌ„ sect as lutherans protestants be whose first rising is yet in our fathers memory but most ancient that is both euer continued one and the same Faith and church for almost these 1600. yeers from Christes Ascention euen vnto this day whereas the Protestants can neither shew church chappel nor congregation of their faith religion through the whole world till only within these 80. yeres till Luther his fellows licentious Lollards first arose if their were anie of more ancieÌ„t years as Wicliff Hus Ierom of Prague and the like yet with their opinions they held other damnable heresies which the Protestants mislike as-well as Catholikes so that only our Catholike Church is that which hath continued not for fourescore yeers but fifteene hundred fourescore which marke so auncient of Antiquity because heretikes want therfore they cannot be members of Christs Catholike Church against which our Sauiour promised The diuell and all his power should neuer preuaile but that it shoulde continue from his Ascention into Heauen to his comming againe to Iudgement eueÌ„ to the end of the world when by his iust IudgemeÌ„t he shal seuer the good corne and chaffe a-sunder make himselfe a glorious triumphant Church in Heauen without spotte or wrinckle Nowe then either it must followe that Christ failed of his promise which to thinke or saye is extreame blasphemie or else that our Church the Catholike Romane Church and no other is only the true church because no other Church but ours only hath beene seene and openly continewed and preuailed against the deuil and all his members from Christes time to this day For their church if not you yet your father knew when it sprong vp that of what ground and occasion it rose that was of Couetousnes Pride and whordome but our Catholike Church hath continued by most of there owne confessions for a thousand yeares yea some of them giue vs thirtene hundred yeares but wee will take to vs and are able to proue by all auntient authority and the invincible truth sixteene-hundred yeres nowe well drawing on that is euen froÌ„ Christs time to this day Wherefore our Church being the only church that hath euer visibly beene seene and florished in many Though the church hath euer beene visible yet I meane she hath especially florished since times according to the promise of our Sauiour his Church shoulde doe Therefore it must needes followe that noe Church but onely our Catholyke Romane Church is the true Church as being by farre most antient euen from Christes time But the heretike hath another shift for this he granteth with vs that the Church of Christ shall euer continew but he would haue it an inuisible congregation secrett in mennes hearts a congregation knowne to God alone to no mortall creaâ—ure saue only to such as be of the same whereupon he woulde haue the Church to consist of the onely Elect saued soules that there be not of both sorts good and bad in the holie true Catholike Church which wily shift of the heretikes we easily shift off reproue plainly by Gods word his gospel which compareth his church Vnto
in such like daunger of death nor to such as are presently to be executed but only to the sicke in whome is oft a great fault that they neuer send for the Priest til others doe for them till they be at the last gasp so that theÌ„ they can neither receaue this holy Sacrament with such deuotion nor fruit as being in perfect reason they might The sick then ought to desire this Sacrament which manie fondly do not thinking if then they do they can liue no longer not coÌ„sidering one fruit effect thereof which is that if God see it expedieÌ„t it is a meane they may the more spedely recouer their former health The second and chiefe fruit and effecte thereof is that it forgiueth all such sinnes we could not remember in ConfessioÌ„ as appeareth by the words likwise of Saint Iames who saith If the sick be in sinne it shal be forgiuen him Lesser sinnes then and defects yea greater too if we could not remember theÌ„ bee herein forgiuen VVherefore our good Lorde Iesus is euer to bee blessed that by this Sacrament thus maketh perfect the worke of our Saluation For by meanes hereof in that last hovver of death wheÌ„ tentations commonly be diuers most great dangerous the Diuell most busy to get his pray then lo I say by this Sacrament our tentations be infeebled made lesse our souls more strengthned and comforted that we be not dasled with temptations nor ouercome but may ioyfully in God passe this life For as in the olde time ChampioÌ„s before the combat had wont with oyle to annoint their naked bodies that theyr aduersaries might take lesse hold so by meanes of this SacrameÌ„t the outward matter whereof is oyle the soule being inwardly annointed by the grace of the holye Ghost that subtill aduersarie the Diuell canne take lesse holde of it that so it may passe out of the troublesome warfarre of this life to that enlesse glory where it shall receaue a crowne of endlesse reward for euer This Sacrament is ministred vpon those outward sences wherby we most vsually offend and vvhereby sinne is drawne into our soules as by our eyes handes and the like The forme of the holy words vsed is By this holy anointing and his most pittifull mercy our Lord pardon and forgiue thee vvhat thou hast sinned by the eyes mouth and so forth is said of the rest of the members that maye vvith decency be named VVhereby you see hovv fitlye and accordinge to the Apostles Doctrine this SacrameÌ„t is ordeyned ministred First instituted by Christ both prayer and the holy matter concurring togither yet this holy Sacrament though none vnder paine of damnation may despise it but euery one in time ought to desire it yea often times if the party fall sicke and recouer againe it may be giuen yet I fay it is not of such necessity if a man cannot with desire and sufficient meanes made haue it but he may be saued without it by the speciall mercy and grace of God Author and Institutor of all these seauen Sacraments and giuer of all grace to whome be all honour and glory Chap. XXXIX Touching briefly by the way the matter of Iustification and by whome and howe we be iustified THus you see good Sir I haue touched briefly all the Sacraments which that good Samaritane curing the sicke and wounded by powâ—ing in wine and oyle that is Iesus Christ full of mercy and justice ordeyned as vesselles of grace and committed to Priests and Pastors of his Church to be dispenced and bestowed by them on his people for their saluation These seauen Sacraments I say haue I briefly touched and the grounds thereof prouing euery one by the very and expresse worde of God tradition and generall consent of the whole Church which may suffice any simple or vnlearned maÌ„ desirous to know the truth for in behalfe of such like especially I haue taken these paines with as much plainenesse and simple stile as possibly I might in so high matters neither was it my intent to giue any full doctrine of these matters but only to touch the principall groundes If any desire morefull and large discourse I referre him to the bookes of the learned wherein he shall finde many treatises in all tongues of some one Sacrament or other and of euery matter almost or altogither at large by me here briefly touched and so passed ouer But because the Sacraments be for the most part the principall points of our religion next to the B. Trinity Incarnation and Passion those briefly for your sake because you desire to know the truth for your saluation I thought good to touch For as God almighty by Christ Iesus our meritorious Sauiour is the chiefe efficient cause of our justification So his Sacraments be the ordinary meanes and instrumentall causes whereby a man in receauing theÌ„ if he be well disposed by the grace of God and put no let of his part of a sinner and childe of the Diuell is made a iust man and the childe of God renewed and raysed vp againe in Baptisme especially from Orjginall sin by Christ the second Adam as he was vitiated and fell from originall iustice by Adam our first father And though God worketh commonly his grace in matter disposed yet he it is that so preuenteth disposeth and freely giueth the grace first to dispose a mans selfe So that when man first receaueth Gods grace whereby ex impio fit iustus that is of a wicked man and vessell of perdition hee is made a iust man which is called justification and the first grace preuenting a man that I say by grace of God is wrought of his meere loue and goodnesse vvithout any worke meritte or desert of man for otherwise grace should not be grace which is first giuen without any desert or merit of our part wherby wee bee so made iust And hereof the holy Scripture saith as from Gods ovvne mouth Quia dilexite ideo attraxite miserans Ier. 31. 3. because I loued the therefore said God to man I haue drawen thee vnto mee hauing mercy and pity vpon thee by the which loue of his he chose man before all worldes But vnderstand me well I pray you when a man hath first of gods goodnes thus receaued his first grace the true foundation and meritte of all our good workes then lo by mans true faith hope charity good workes and endeuours being thus first preuented and after holpen by God hee may and must if euer hee will bee saued not only conserue that first grace of God wrought in him by his goodues by fleeing sinneand imbracing vertue but also in so doing greatly increase Gods grace in him once receaued whereby hee is rightly said to meritte and deserue his saluation and in this respect it is said Qui iuscus est iustisicetur Apocalip 22. 11. adhuc hee that is iust let him yet be more iust VVee once then by Christ our Sauiours grace