loue abound more and more as the Apostle writeth vnto the Philippians and as our Sauiour himselfe Phil. 1. 9. commendeth the loue of the Church of Thyatira saying that her workes were more at the Rev. 2. 19. last then at the first This the Lord requireth of all but especially of such as himselfe hath most highly aduanced and made the sonnes of the Psal 29. 1. mightie yea this is the ende for which he doth thus aduance them and make them so mightie Ester 4. 14. Neither neede any man to feare any disgrace or dishonour by such forwardnes in zeale yea rather euery man is to hope the contrarie For God himselfe hath expressely promised to 1. Sam. 2. 3◠honour them that shall honour him Therefore the Apostle hoped and fully assured himselfe that in Phil. 1. 40. nothing he should be ashamed but that Christ should be magnified in his bodie where by opposing his owne shame to the magnifying of Christ and the magnifying likewise of Christ to his owne shame he plainely teacheth that they that studie and bend their endeauours most to magnifie and exalt Christ neede not to feare any shame and disgrace of themselues Moreouer they that continue the honouring of him with that honour and according to that honour whereunto he hath exalted them shall build vp the surer house to their owne posteritie For as the Prophet speaking generally of the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements Psal 112. 1. 2. that his seede shall be mightie vpon the earth so more particularly the Lord promised to Dauid to set vp his seede after him which 2. Sam. 7. 12. should proceede out of his bodie and to establish his kingdome And this promise all men knowe to haue beene most amply performed Yea to Iehu a man not so according to God his owne heart as Dauid was did the Lord promise that because he had diligently executed that which was right in 1. King 10. 30. God his eyes c. though not with a perfect heart therfore his sonnes vnto the fourth generation should sit vpon the throne of Israel This promise also was performed vnto the full For Iehu himselfe beeing reckoned for one Zecharia the sonne of Ieroboam king of Israel was the fifth discent from Iehu And this honour was more then the honour of any other king of Israel after the diuision of the kingdome For no other king of Israel besides Iehu had aboue one or two at the most as seuerall generà tions of their owne stocke and line to succeede them in the kingdome Three indeede are said to haue succeeded Homri to wit Ahab Ahazia and Iehoram but this last was not the sonne of the middle but both Ahazia and Iehoram were brethren and the sonnes of Ahab and Iezabel Now to returne to the fruit of beeing zealous in honouring 2. King 3. ◠and 9. 22. the Lord when the threede of all earthly honour shall be drawne to an ende so as that it can not possibly be lengthened one inch more then shall beginne the honour that is without ende Then shall Christ confesse them before the Mat. 10. 22. cōpared with Luke 12. 8. Father and before his Angels in heaeuen that haue confessed him before men in the earth He will not commit the proclaiming of their praise to any other as Ahashuerosh did the praise Ester 6. 11. of Mordecai vnto Haman but euen himselfe will be as it were the Herauld thereof Neither will he whisper the praise of such in secret but he will publish and proclaime it in the greatest and most honourable assemblie that euer was Yea this Iesus the king of glorie shall Math. 23. 35. Dan. 12. 3. Math. 22. 30. Philip. 3. 21. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. place them at his right hande and shall make them like to the starres yea to the sonne in firmament yea to the angels yea euen vnto himselfe Verily Right honourable this glorie though it should continue but one daie is more then all earthly glorie though it should continue a thousand yeares If Dauid saide the like of the courts of God vpon earth what may be Psal 84. 10. saide of the highest court of God in the highest heauen what heart therefore would not be enflamed and set on fire with the knowledge and certen assurance of these things when Peter Iames and Iohn did see Christ Iesus in the mountaine with Moses and Elias in that glorious apparell for a while which one day they should put on for euer how were they affected there with Truly so that although they themselues were not one whit transfigured with Christ yet they could haue bin cōtent for euer to haue dwelt in that mountaine onely to haue enioyed this glorious sight of Christ Moses and Elias For what said they Peter speaketh for the rest as oftentimes he did for all not as beeing the head of all but as hauing the boldest spirit and said Master it is good for vs to be heare if thou wilt let vs make three tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Were these thus rauished with the bodily sight of the glorie onely of Christ and of two other and that vpon the earth and but for a time How then should the heart of euery Christian be rauished with the spiritual sight by faith of the euerlasting glorie of Christ Iesus of all the Saints generally and of himselfe particularly which one day they and himselfe shall haue for euer in the heauens and whereof in the meane time by the same faith they and he are as certenly assured as if they were alreadie in possession thereof How zealous also should euery the like Christian heart be of this our religion whereto onely this glorie is promised and whereby onely it is to be attained So great was the glorie of Moses hauing talked but a while with the Lord in the mountaine at the receiuing of the law that without a vaile the Israelites could not looke vpon him Exod. 34. 33. Was glorie so great at the giuing of the law vnto Moses How great then shall it be at the finall rewarding of the perfect obseruation and full satisfaction of the law by Christ Iesus was glorie so great after a while talking with the Lord how great then shall it be when we shall haue our whole conuersation and liue with God for euer was glorie so great in an earthly mountaine how great then shall it be in the high heauens was glorie so great vpon corruption how great then shall it be when that that is sowen in dishonour shall be raised altogether in glorie was glorie so great vpon weaknes how great then shall it be when that that is sowen in weaknes shall be applied in power Finally was glorie so great vpon a naturall bodie how great then shall it be when that that is sowen a naturall bodie shall be raised in a spirituall bodie I write not these
earth and in hell it selfe This addeth no small force vnto my argument against him and all his religion For if he were he whom he vaunteth himselfe to be if he were Peter his successour and Christ his viccar-generall vpon earth if he were the head of the Church if he had the keies of heauen if he could not erre how could he haue erred in sending forth so many curses causeles or if the cause of his curses were iust the which he rather pretendeth how could he so often haue cursed without successe Christ hath said and promised to Peter and his successour as they teach that whatsoeuer or whomsoeuer he should binde or loose in earth the same should be bound or loosed in heauen Haue his curses beene such verily they neuer came halfe waie to heauen or els when they came there Saint Peter was so fast asleepe that they could not awake him to let them in or els when they were let in or crouded in they were nipped in the head and by the regents there retained with a Nescio or Non placet But I will not speake too much of this least I prouoke his holines to commence an action against Christ himselfe for not keeping promise yea to sende out a bull and excommunication against him For then what should become of vs poore Protestants if our head should be thus hardly dealt withall 6 Notwithstanding I feare him not greatly sith I haue seene by so much experience that his bulls are but bubbles yea that the high court of heauen hath alwaies turned his cursings into blessings For I doubt not but that the more he hath cursed her Maiestie and this lande the more God hath blessed both Elisha cursed the two captaines with their fifties which were sent to apprehend him and carrie him to the King and presently fire came downe from heauen and consumed them 2. King 1. 11. Elisha cursed those vnhappie hangmans and wicked boyes that mocked him and presently came two Beares out of the forrest which deuoured them 2. King 2. 29. The same Prophet likewise cursed his seruant Gehazi for that sinne which before we haue heard to be the life of the Pope and presently the leprosie of Naaman did fasten on him and cleaue vnto him 2. King 5. 27. Dauid cursed Ioab praying the Lord to remember him according to his wickednes 2. Sam. 3. 39. so it fell out to Ioab 1. King 2. 34. Paul cursed Elimas the sorcerer with blindnes and immediately there fell on him a myst darknes so that he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand Act. 13. 11. If therefore this bonus senex and holy father had cursed with the same spirit wherewith they cursed and in the same name in whose also they cursed his curses also would haue had the same effect But sithence they had the cleane contrarie may we not safely conclude that he is not the Vickar of Christ but rather the deputie of the deuill and that the vickar of Saint fooles is his ghostly father yea that he is the aduersarie of Christ and childe of perdition in taking vpon him to curse the annointed of the Lord who is also the blessed of the Lord. Certenly forasmuch as his curses are no more effectuall but alwaies turned into such blessings I wish he would likewise curse me for then I thinke I should both liue the longer notwithstanding my present infirmities of bodie which daily threaten death vnto me and also euerie other way be the more blessed Dauid hoped of some good from the Lord for cursing of Shimei after another manner 2. Sam. 16. 12. so if the Pope would also curse me I should hope to fare likewise the better thereby 7 To end this argument therfore drawne frō such examples if Nabuchadnezzer seeing the mightie deliuerance of Shadrack Meshach and Abednego in the fierie ouen did acknowledge their God to be the only God Dan. 3. 29. If Darius seeing the straunge preseruation of Daniel from the mouth of the Lyons when he was cast into their denne to haue bin deuoured of them did likewise confesse the God of Daniel to be the liuing God which remaineth for euer Dan. 6. 26. shall any that professe themselues and would be accounted Christians see so many and so great mercies of God towardes other professing our religion and so miraculously bestowed shal any I say that would be accounted Christians seeing all these things done by God himselfe for the vpholding and maintaining of our religion and the professours thereof yet make doubt of our God whither he be the liuing God and of our religion whither it be the true religion 8 Yea but me thinketh I heare one obiect the great plentie that was in the time of poperie when one might buie 24. egges for a pennie a good cowe for a noble or eight shillings an oxe for a marke a sheepe for twentie pence a bushell of wheat for foure or sixe pence And that sithence this new religion for which I now plead came vp there was neuer such plentie neither was it euer so merrie with vs. This is an old obiection and worne in a manner with often handling cleane through yea it is so olde that it is euen rotten and consumed so that if it be but touched it will fall to dust or pouder It was vsed by the Iewes to Ieremie against the word of God that he preached and for defence of their former idolatrie When say they we worshipped the Queene of heauen or as some doe read more generally the things of heauen then we had plentie of victualls and were well and felt no euill but sithence we left such idolatrie we haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine Ier. 44. 17 18. To this obiection I returne a threefold answer briefly First I saie that this plenty of things in former time of poperie is not easily prooued as spoken For although a man might then buie so much for so little as hath beene spoken of yet this prooueth not such plentie except there had beene as great plentie also of money to haue bought the other things so cheape Then a penie was as hard to come by as a tester is now for then a labouring man had but a penie a daie for his worke but now he hath sixe pence or a groat at the least Therefore it skilleth not though things be now dearer then they were then as long as money is more plentifull and easie to be come by So likewise it may be saide as well of the commodities which the poore man hath to sell as which the rich man hath When therefore a man may haue a groat nowe or sixe pence as easily as then he could haue a penie may he not as well giue a groat or sixe pence for that which he buieth now as then he did giue a penie Secondly the number of people beeing now so encreased aboue that it was then as we see it to be and compared with the small number
next praier they call her the Queene of heauen the gate of paradise the Ladie of the world c. The head likewise of this praier is crowned with a promise of eleuen thousand yeares of pardon graunted by the munificence of the holy Father Sixtus Quartus Pope c. In an other praier they call her rerum omnium imperatricem the Empresse or commandreesse of all things Their other blasphemies in their other praiers vnto the Virgin are infinite and almost without number 3 To such as they account Saints in the same their printed portuus thus they praie as followeth To one S. Erkenwald Bishop as they thought of London they praie that he would make them with himselfe partaker of life without ende To S. Armigil they praie to be released from all griefe of sicknes To Sitha a holy virgin as they call her they praie for the glorie which shee had merited and to be released froÌ„ all euills in this life To S. Sebastian that they may merit to goe free and vnhurt of the plague To S. Christopher to be comforted in mind and released of all griefe To S. George that beeing washed from all their filthines they might with all ioy be with him in all glorie To William the Confessour to haue the spotts of their life taken away and the ioyes of the heauenly crowne giuen vnta them To Apollonia a virgin generally against all things hurtfull and particularly to be kept from the toothach To one King Henrie what king Henrie I think themselues know not that they might not die with sweate and griefe but liue and clappe their hands in heauen without ende and by him ouercome all their enemies In all these things doe we not see how they aske those things of their Saints which belong onely to God to worke and to bestow And what greater blasphemie can there be then this I might adde a thousand other like blasphemous petitions in their praiers were not the labour too great both to the reader and also for my selfe 4 For the praiers to the crosse or the similitude thereof though I might onely referre the reader to the Beehiue of the Romish Church in English booke the 4. chap. the third yet because it may be that euery one that readeth this my treatise shall not haue the booke at hand therefore I will heare expresse some of their praiers both in latine and english which that booke hath gathered out of the popish writings First of all therefore he setteth downe this praier to God himselfe touching the crosse Oramus te Domine sancte pater c. vt digneris benedicere hoc lignum crucis tuoe vt sit remedium salutare generi humano sit soliditas fidei bonorum operum profectus redemptio animarum sit solamen protectio ac tutela contra saeua iaculainimicorum that is We beseech thee O Lord heauenly father that thou wilt so blesse this woode of the crosse that it may be a heathfull helpe to mankinde a strengthning to faith a furtherance to good works and a redemption of soules that it may be our comfort our safegard our defendour against the noysome darts of the enemies Againe thus they commend the crosse and praie vnto it Ista suos fortiores Semper facit victores Morbos sanat languores Reprimit daemonia Dat captivis libertatem Vitae confert novitatem Ad antiquam dignitatem Crux reduxit omnia O crux lignum triumphale Mundi vera salus vale Inter ligna nullumtale Fronde flore germine Medicina Christiana Salva sanos aegros sana Quod non valet vis humana Fit in tuo nomine that is It maketh her soldiers excellent And crowneth them with victorie Restores the lame and impotent And healeth euery maladie The deuills of hell it conquereth Releaseth from imprisonment Newnes of life it offereth It hath all at commandement O crosse of wood incomparable To all the world most wholesome No woode is halfe so honourable In branch in budde or blossome O medicine which Christ did ordaine The sound saue euery houre The sicke and sore make whole againe By vertue of thy power And that which mans vnablenes Hath neuer comprehended Graunt by the name of holines It may be fully ended In these words although the English might haue beene translated somewhat more aptly to haue answered the Latin yet the difference beeing not great I thought not good to alter any thing because I would haue the reader to see both in the booke it selfe from whence I borrow these things Thus also they sing and prouoke all to praise the crosse in this manner Servi crucis crucem laudent Qui per crucem sibi gaudent Vitae dari munera Dicant omnes dicant singult Ave salus totius sacli Arbor salutifera that is as it is here translated The seruants of the holy crosse Her praise to heauen let them to see And they which in the crosse reioyce And of the gifts of life haue choice Let this of all both old and yong In solemne sort be said and sung O holy crosse which canst preuaile O tree of life all hayle all hayle And againe Ecce lignum crucis venite adoremus Behold here is the wood of the crosse come let vs worship And also O cruxspes vnica auge pijs justitâ—am donareis veniam O holy crosse our onely helpe encrease righteousnes to the godly and pardon the offences of the wicked What man that hath any pietie or sparke of true godlines wil not tremble to see and vnderstand such things so proper to God and his sonne Christ Iesus thus blasphemously ascribed to a tottring and rotten peece of woode Nay verely I am perswaded that if many that haue ignorantly with great deuotion said and sung these words had vnderstoode the meaning of them they would haue abhorred both them and all poperie for them long ere this time This shall be sufficient touching their blasphemies whereby they haue most deepely transgressed the thirde commandement Concerning the fourth commandement how can they sanctifie the sabbath according thereunto sith as we haue shewed before they haue not onely made many other holidaies equall vnto it but also aduanced and magnified many aboue it 5 This shall suffice touching their fruits of the first table Now because the second table is so ioyned with the first that the one cannot be neglected or contemned without neglect and contempt of the other because the obseruation of the duties of the second is also sometime called by the name of religion Iam. 1. 17. and because the Papists doe most of all boast of their good workes in obseruation of some things belonging to the second table I will therefore also take a suruey and giue the reader a sight of their obedience thereunto that thereby he may the better iudge of their religion Here in the first place let be considered the intollerable pride of him whome poperie and Papists account the Head of their church let I
of all how honourably to the great reproch of the great King hath our little Fleete discontinued from home partly before and partly about the dominions of Spayne and that in the very face of the Spanyard yet what hath all the Spanish power done vnto them yea rather how cowardly haue they kept themselues within their safe hauens and harbours not daring so much as once to looke our forces in the faces did we so in the yeare 1588 doth not this speake to the renowne of our little Iland and especially to the glorie of the religion therein professed doth it not in like manner as euidently disgrace both the Spanyards themselues and also their Romane religion As touching the finall successe of this voyage although it were not such as it might haue beene because God well seeth that so rich a bootie as the whole Indian sleete had beene would perhaps haue made vs too proud yet such was it that we haue no losse neither they any gaine thereby Concerning the Spanish Navie this yeare also sent against vs first how cowardly was it sent when they thought our strength to haue beene from home will not euery man vtterly condemne him for a cowarde that taketh the aduantage priuily of his aduersarie when he thinketh him to be vnarmed why therefore may not the like be saide of the like practise of a King and kingdome especially of such a king and kingdome as in their high pride thinke they should commaund the whole world Secondly what successe had this Fleete so priuily and closely thinking to haue stolne vpon vs verily as he that kept England heretofore hath neither slept nor slumbred so now also whē the Spāyards thought to haue founde vs asleepe they founde him waking When they thought to haue found vs vnarmed they found him as a man of warre with his sword girded to his thigh yea rather readie drawne in his hand and euery way prepared for the battaile For this man of warre fought for vs againe this yeare as he did the last yeare and did partly confound them and partly force them to recule home with all dishonour and that before that we did so much as once almost dreame of any such power comming towardes vs. The more did God reueale his wrath against them and their errours as also testifie his loue vnto vs and to his owne truth 6 In writing thus of these things I boast not of our selues and our owne worthines as if the Lord for our righteousnesse had done all these things forvs I labour not to commend our persons but onely to iustifie our religion As touching our selues we cānot deny but that although we haue the gospel yet our contempt of his gospel and his other mercies our securitie by thē our other manifold and heinous sinnes which we daily commit against his maiestie are such that we haue beene and are altogether vnworthie of so mightie protection and of so prosperous successe It hath not beene therefore in respect of our selues that God hath thus dealt with vs and for vs but onely for his owne great names sake and that he might yet further commend his gospell professed amongst vs but indeede not so practised and obeied by vs as it ought to be vnto those that yet regard it not and that if it be possible he might winne thereunto both Atheists and Papists and also all other that yet are enemies thereof Thus we condemne our selues and thus we magnifie onely the power and goodnes of God in regard whereof we wish as the Prophet often wisheth in the 107 psalme that men would therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes and his wonderfull workes that he doth before the sonnes of men we wish also as the Prophet doth again in the same psalme vers 22. that men would offer sacrifice of praise and declare his works with reioycing Let no man or woman therefore how zealous soeuer of poperie they haue beene hitherto and yet are or how obstinate and hard hearted soeuer against our religion so lightly passe by this argument or so basely thinke of our religion as they haue done or doe Though we doe not honour it as we ought to doe but rather dishonour it by our wicked liues and conuersations altogether vnbeseeming the holines thereof yet let them more seriously consider these arguments whereby God himselfe from heauen hath graced and commended and doth grace and commend the same vnto them 7 Let no man here say that by these last arguments from the works of God the religion of the Turks might be iustified For albeit it cannot be denied that the Turke hath had mightie victories and doth flow in great prosperitie yet is their great difference betweene our victories and his betweene our prosperitie and his All that he hath gotten hath beene by exceeding force and power but our victories haue beene obtained almost without force against great force His victories haue neuer beene gotten without great losse of his owne side but as the Iewes and Israelites oftentimes preuailed without any fight at all Iudg. 7. 20. 2. Chron. 20. 17. and 23. c. so in a manner haue we done The Lord onely hath fought for vs we almost haue not fought for our selues or for him but onely haue shewed our faces to the enemie As the Turke hath thus gotten that which he hath so also he maintaineth his estate wholly by violence but as the Lord hath fought for vs from heauen so also he miraculously maintaineth vs. The like may be said of the other prosperitie of the Turke because he hath not those mightie enemies to oppugne and envie it which we haue had and yet haue to enuie and oppugne ours The same and more also may be saide of all the victories of the Spanyard himselfe against other he hath gotten all he holdeth and keepeth all partly by violence and crueltie partly by falshoode and treacherie Therefore as the former great victories of Senacherib against other nations whereof Rabshekah boasteth 2. King 18. 34 35 c. did the more iustifie and commend Hezekia and the worship of God repaired and established by him so the great victories of the Spanyards against other nations either heathen or popish maketh the more for vs and for our religion sith the Spanyard cannot by those means preuaile against vs by which he hath preuailed against others as great people as we are if not much greater For what els doth this teach but that the Lord himselfe is our light and saluation our strength our rocke and fortresse and he that deliuereth Psal 27. 1. Psal 18. 1. 2. vs. Surely the Lord is our strength and he that teacheth our hands to fight and our fingers to battell he is our goodnes for tresse our tower and Psal 144. 1 2. deliuerer our shield and he in whome we trust euen he that subdueth our people vnder vs. It is the Lord that pleadeth for vs for our religion yea rather for our religion onely
place where now it is honoured with hymnes After this they sought for the olde man but neither was he seene to goe forth neither did they finde him there 2 In the translation of Thomas Becket many blasphemous praiers and some other Many blasphemous praiers in the translation of Thomas Becket thinges are in the same booke mentioned First of all thus they pray vnto God Deus qui nobis translationem beati Thome martyris tui atque pontificis celebrare concedis te supplicâ—â— exoramus vt eius meritis precibus a vitijs ad virtutes a carcere transferamur adregnum that is O God which grauntest vs to celebrate the translation of blessed Thomas thy This Thomas as our Chronicles testifie was put to death for treason yet see how they honour him martyr and bishop we humbly beseech thee that by his merits and praiers we may be translated from vice to vertue and from prison to a kingdome After that they saie apparuit ei dominus dixit Thoma Thoma glorificabitur in sanguine tuo ecclesia mea that is the Lord appeared vnto him and said Thomas Thomas my church shall be glorified in thy blood In the sixt lesson for his translation they S. Thomas 〈◊〉 miracles speake of many miracles that he did namely that he restored sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe speach to the dumbe and life to the dead Then they praie againe Iesus Christe per Thome vulnera quae noâ— ligant relaxa scelera c. Iesus Christ by the wounds of Thomas loose the sinnes which doe binde vs. Then they say in further commendation of him Felix locus felix ecclesia in qua Thome viget memoria felix terra que dedit presulem felix illa que fouet exulem Happie is the place happie is the church wherein remaineth any memorie of Thomas happie is that land which gaue him for a bishop and that likewise entertained him a banished man Againe Thome cedunt parent omnia pestes morbi mors demonia ignes aer tellus maria Thomas mundum All things obeâ— Thomas and he filleth the world with glorie repleuit gloria Thome mundus prestat obsequia All things giue place and obedience vnto Thomas pestilences sicknesses death and the deuills The fire the ayre the earth and the seas Thomas hath filled the world with glorie The world yeeldeth humble seruice vnto Thomas Then follow the eight nine lessons for the said Thomas Bâ—ckets day the summe of which lessons is this A certaine man desirous to visit his shrine for praiers sake meeting with a carre vpon Kainford 〈◊〉 Thomas saâ—eth a man froÌ„ drowning bridge by London was throwne into the water He remembred therefore Thomas and praied vnto him that he might not be drowned Now although he suncke fiue times to the bottome and still came vp againe yet he did earnestly protest that he felt no griefe either in his mouth or in his nostrills but that onely in his falling he tooke a little salt water He also added that when he began to be drowned a certaine bishop supported him that he could not be drowned Then they note that the translation of Thomas was coÌ„summated ann 1220. in the nones of Iuly about three of the clocke but whether in the morning or euening they tell vs not in the 40. yeare after his suffering After they say Aqua Thome quinquieâ— varians calorem that perhaps should be colorem in lac sâ—mel transâ—â—t quater in cruorem The water of Thomas fiue times changing the heat or rather S. Thomas his water turned into milke and blood the colour was turned once into milke and foure times into blood Then they adde Ad Thome memoriam quater lux descendit in sancti gloriam cereos accendit For the remembrance of Thomas light descended foure times and lighted the waxe candles vnto the glorie of the saint Then they praie Tu pro Thome sanguine quem prote impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit For the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend cause some of vs O Christ to clime thither where Thomas did ascend And after that to Thomas himselfe they praie thus Opem nobis O Thoma porrige rege stantes iacentes erige mores actus vitam câ—rrige in pacis nos viam dirige Reach forth thy helpe O Thomas vnto vs gouernevs standing raise vs vp lying correct our manners our workes our life and direct vs into the way of peace Afterward they salute Thomas thus Salve Thoma virga iustitie mundi iubar robur ecclesiae plebis amor cleri delitie salue gregis tutor ecclesiae salue tue gaâ—dentes glorie Good morrow Thomas the rodde of iustice the sunne-beame of the world the strength of the Church the loue of the common people the delight of the cleargie Good morrow O gouernour of the flocke thy Church saue them that reioyce in thy glorie Besides many foolish and ridiculous things in these wordes that I haue noted concerning the foresaide Thomas who seeth not also many horrible and outragious blasphemies in that that many thinges proper onely to God and his Sonne Christ Iesus are attributed vnto him whereby he is made euen equall with God and with Christ Iesus In the feast of relikes first reading these wordes Matth. 5. at that timâ— Iesus seeing the multitude went vp into a mountaine and when he was set his disciples came vnto him Then they make this glose vpon them Mons in quo sedit dominus mystice significat maiora precepta iustitiae quia minora erant queiudeis data sunt c. Mystice etiam sessio domini incarnatio eius est c. that is the mouÌ„taine in which the Lord did sit doth mystically signifie the great precept of iustice because they were the lesse which were giuen vnto the Iewes The sitting also of the Lord is mystically his incarnation Is not this clerkly done 3 In the fift and sixt lessons of S. Margarets day there is this historie in effect S. Margaret being in close prison for the christian faith praied vnto God that cum inimico latente facie ad faciem haberet conflictum that is shee A notable fight of S. Margaret might fight face to face with the secret enemie Arising therefore from praiers shee saw a terrible dragon readie to swallow her vp with his iawes but by making the signe of the crosse he brake in the middes After shee saw an other deuill sitting like a blacke man and hauing his handes bound to his knees but shee tooke him by the haire and laid him all along vpon the earth and set her right foote vpon the crowne of his head Then shee praied and suddenly light shined from heauen in the prison and the crosse of Christ was seene euen to heauen and a doue sitting vpon it say Blessed art thou O Margaret the gates of paradise doe looke for thee Then giuing
those things which are noted C. 1. ff c. In the third part of the same sermon thus he writeth Exalâ—abat Adam videndo lignum The virgin Marie is the â—ree of liâ—e which Adam did see in paradise vite scilicet Mariam disponi ad fructum producendum vite eterne in medio paradisi that is Adam reioyced to see the tree of life to witte Marie prepared to bring forth fruit of eternall life in the middes of paradise A little after are these wordes Ipsa est fenestra celiper quam â—eus oculo suo misericordâ—e nos respecit The virgin the window of heauen Shee he meaneth the virgine Marie is the window of heauen by which God with his eye of mercie doth respect vs. Agaâ—ne presently after dicere autem potest virgo benedicta que est ostâ—arâ—a c. that is But the blessed virgin which is the dore keeper of paradise The virgin is the dore spoken of Ioh. 10. 9. may say that which is Ioh. 10. I am the doreâ— if any man enter in by me he shall be saued Therefore O ye sinners which are banished men from your heauenly countrey enter in by this gate Goe yee that are sicke to the physitian Come yee fatherlesse to your parent Proceede yee that are blinde to the light Make hast yee afflicted vnto comfort Walke O yee virgins after the glasse of chastitie Make speede O yee mothers vnto the mother of God 3 In the beginning of the next sermon he saith ipsa virgo beata deum iratum placat quia est nostra aduocata The blessed virgin pacifieth God beeing angrie because shee is The virgin our aduocate our aduocate To the same effect and somewhat more largely he writeth in the third part of the sermon Sicut ipsa mediante sedata est lis que est inter deum homines ita etiam per ipsam terminantur questiones inter homines diaboluâ— As by her mediation the controuersie And our mediatour both with God and the deuills betweene God and men is compounded so also by her are questions determined betweene men and the deuills This he prooueth by a most forcible argument namely by one of the miracles of the virgin touching that great sinner which in a visioÌ„ was drawne A great disputation in hell betwixt the virgin and the deuill to the iudgement of God where the deuill by many allegations prooued him to be his but alwaies by the virgin Marie wisely answering he was foyled But at the last the deuill obiected against him that the euill things which he had done were more then the good things when therefore at the commandement of the iudge both his goodnes and his euills were laide in a paire of ballance and the skoale towardes the left hand in which were his euills did ouerwaie the other on the suddaine the glorious virgin put her hand to that skoale where were his few good works and drew it downe to the ground and by this meanes made it ouerwaie the other Tune diaboluâ— confusus abscessit skoale So the deuill went away with shame c. In the same part he saith that the virgin is the booke mentioned in the right hand of God Rev. 5. 1. In the same part he saith againe Hec benedicta virgo non tantum est liber generationis c. that is This blessed virgin is The virgin is the gospel of Saint Matthew c. not onely the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of God but shee is also the booke of the generation of all that are to be saued And therefore we may also iustly say that which is written Act. 17. namely that we are her generation For the blessed virgin is our mother 4 In the fifth sermon he sheweth tenne conditions of the virgin Marie which he saith euery spouse of euery great Emperour ought to haue These he setteth downe by these tearmes Prima saith he dicetur integritatis 2. virtuositatis 3. generositatis 4. formositatis Daintie latine 5. gratiositatis 6. fecunditatis siue fertilitatis 7. copiositatis 8. timorositatis 9. pudorositatis 10. vltima appellabitur honestatis If I should note all things worthie to be laughed at c. I should cause all his whole booke to be new printed Omitting therefore a thousand and ten thousand absurdities and blasphemies in that great clarke I will hereafter note the most principall 5 In this third sermon of the nomination of Marie in the ende of the fourth excellencie of her name thus he writeth Quarto saith he licet ad ipsam appellare si quis a dei iustitia se grauari sentit c. that is Fourthly it is lawfull to appeale vnto her if any man feele himselfe oppressed with the iustice of God which The court of Marie aboue the court of God O horrible blasphemiel was signified in the 5. of Hester where it is saide that when King Assuerus was angrie with the Iewes Queene Hester came to appease him To whom the King said Although thou shalt aske halfe of my kingdome it shall be giuen vnto thee This Empresse therefore figured the Empresse of heauen with whom God hath diuided his kingdome For whereas God hath iustice and mercie he hath reserued iustice to himselfe to be exercised in the world and mercie he hath graunted to his mother And therefore if any feele himselfe greeued at the court of Gods iustice let him appeale to his mothers court of mercie 6 In the fourth part of the booke and ninth sermon of the graces of Marie he affirmeth that shee was able to heale diseases onely by her word leafe 143. and anon after Marie able to heale diseases by her word onely Shee knoweth the Mathematicks and allother things that shee hath all Mathematical knowledge yea that shee knoweth all things For thus he writeth De scientiis quoque Mathematicis quod in beata virgine fuerunt probari potest secundum Albertum c. that is Concerning the mathematicall sciences that they were in the virgin Marie it may be prooued by Albertus c. for shee was most perfect according to affection therefore also according to vnderstanding Sith therefore shee loued all things that were to be loued it is to be concluded that she knew all things to be known The same he amplifieth afterward by an induction of the particular mathematicall sciences applying many sentences of the scripture Apocrypha to the virgin Marie which are spoken onely of the infinite knowledge and wisdome of God In the same sermon in the beginning of the 145. leafe thus he writeth Beata virgo non solum totum hominem sanum facit in anima corpore c. The blessed The virgin healeth the whole man both in this life and after death virgin doth not onely make the whole man sound in soule and bodie and cureth all incurable diseases as appeareth before but also after death shee worketh cures and putteth
death it selfe to flight and whom she cureth shee healeth to immortalitie Therefore shee excelleth all in the gift of healing and therefore shee saith in the 8 of the Proverbs He that findeth me findeth life and shall receiue fauour of the Lord. 7 In the first part of the 6. sermon of the Annunciation of the virgin which is long after the former which part he calleth Determinabilitatis in this part I say he telleth such a tale as would make an horse as we speake breake his bridle to heare it The tale it selfe is very long but the summe thereof is this The fathers which died before Christs comming in the flesh beeing in Limbo and wearie A notable tale of that place because it was so long ere he came that should fetch them thence at length consulted among them selues and at the last agree to sende an ambassage vnto An ambassage by the fathers in Limbo sent to God in heauen God to entreat the hastening of Christs coÌ„ming In this ambassage they send these 20 1. Abel 2. Noc 3. Abraham 4. Isaac 5. Iacob 6. Moses 7. Iosua 8. Dauid 9. Salomon 10. Eliia Elisha Ezechia and many other taried perhaps at home to keepe Limbum Isaias 11. Ieremie 12. Malachias 13. Aggeus 14. Zacharias 15. Abacuc 16. Iob 17. Ezechiel 18. Daniel 19. * on the 19. name there is some errour Ezechiel 20. Ecclesiasticus Euery one of these vrge God with seuerall arguments Some with sentences of scripture some with verses of Virgil Ovid and such like Poets and some with the authoritie of the ciuill and canon law But the deuill vnderstanding of this ambassage went also himselfe before God and pleaded hard against the former ambassadours reasoning mightily from the iustice of God c. for their The devill saide Absit à Deo impietas continuance still in Limbo God therefore not that he needed so to haue done but that he might giue an exaÌ„ple of righteous iudgement consulted with the angels what was to be done Then was there great silence in heauen for halfe an houre that they might the better deliberate what to say The halfe houre beeing ended euery order of Angels spake largely their minde for the fathers in Limbo Then God hauing heard all their allegations gaue sentence approouing the counsaile of the angels and reiecting the suggestions of the deuill Therefore he answered the ambassadours of the fathers very gratiously telling them that he shortly in mercie would thinke vpon them The ambassadours hearing this were filled with ioy as it is saide of the Iewes Hest 8. Then the three persons of the Trinitie consulted togither and concluded the sending of Gabriel to the virgin Marie c. This briefly is the summe of the tale which that great doctour Bernardine doth handle farre more largely writing so largely thereof as beeing written againe in latine without any abbreuiations would fill two sheetes of paper And was it not paines thinke you well taken yes yes without all doubt For so we see more touching the sending of the angel Gabriel to the virgin then is contained in all the Scripture or then agreeth with any truth An hundred such merrie tales their are in the same booke the which I forbeare to mention thinking this to be sufficient for a tast of the rest 8. In the tenth sermon of the same matter at the 209. leafe about the letter K he coÌ„mendeth the humilitie fortitude and bountifulnes of the virgin most highly For referring vs to some one of his former sermons thus he writeth Probatum est quod super omnem creaturam fuit humillima atque fortissima Yet for all that shee feared when Gabriel spake vnto her but who euer read that the angels feared any other creature â—deo quod vicit mundum c. that is It was prooued that shee was most humble and valiant aboue euery creature so that shee hath ouercome the world God and the deuill Also shee was most bountifull for shee hath giuen the world vnto God and the kingdome of heauen and God him-selfe vnto man 9 In the second sermon of the visitation of Marie leafe 234. at the letter V thus he speaketh to the virgin Marie Profecto si fas est dicere tu secundum quid maiora fecisti deo c. that is Truly if I may be so bold as to speake thou in some respect hast done greater things The virgin hath done more for God then God for her and all mankinde for God then God himselfe hath done for thee or for all mankinde I therefore will speake that whereof thou in humilitie hast held thy peace For thou diddest onely sing He that is mightie hath done great things vnto me but I sing and say that thou hast done greater things to him that is mightie For God formed man of the clay of the earth but thou most blessed virgin hast brought forth God of thy most pretious blood and hast couered and cloathed him with thy most pure fleshe so that thou maist say that of Ecclesiasticus chap. 24. I haue caused light to rise in the heauens that will neuer goe out and haue couered all flesh as it were with a cloud and thy most pure flesh excelleth all things in the world Againe God brought vp man with the fruits of paradise but thou hast nourished God himselfe with thy breasts full of heauen of which milke one droppe is of more value then all the trees in paradise or then all the fruits of the whole world God also hath cloathed man with a garment of skinnes but thou glorious virgin hast wrapped the sonne of God in thy cloutes and afterward diddest put vpon him a seamelesse garment which is farre more better then all the coates in the world 10 In his second sermon de festo nivis leafe 290. after the letter N thus he writeth Cum beata virgo sit mater dei c. that is Sith the blessed Virgin is the mother of God and God her sonne and euery sonne naturally is inferiour to the mother and her subiect and the mother preferred vnto and aboue the sonne it followeth that the blessed virgin God inferiour to the virgin is aboue God and that God is her subiect in regard of the humanitie taken from her In the same sermon the beginning of the 292. leafe thus he writeth Legitur quod predicantibus Apostolis c. that is We reade that the Apostles preaching but not beeing able to conuert some they sent them to the blessed virgine who admiring the beautie of the mother of God and her most wise speaches were conuerted to the faith In the same sermon leafe 294. a little before the letter I hauing compared Marie to a ladder and called her the ladder of heauen he bringeth in Bernard speaking thus to the Virgin Câ—â— profecto scalae Dominus innixus est c. that is The which ladder God vsed because God The virgin a ladder betweene God and mano would
Priest speaketh fiue words onely and when he speaketh the last word to wit Meum then is heauen opened and Christ is in the host Againe the virgin Marie did open heauen but once but the priest euery day and in euery masse Againe he descended into the virgins wombe but little not so bigge as an ante and passible also and mortall but into the host he descendeth as great as he is in heauen and as he was vpon the crosse neither passible nor mortall but glorious and impassible 8 Neare vnto the beginning of the next sermon leafe 99. thus he writeth Sicut Christus fuit eleuatus crucifixus inter c. As Christ was lifted vp and crucified betweene two theeues so the host beeing consecrated is lifted vp by two hands the right and the left which signifie the theeues And as then the bodie of Christ was white by shedding A fitte and excellent smiliuda forth blood so the host is lifted vp white The former of these similitudes is very apt especially if in the application thereof and likewise in the interpretation thereof of the two hands of the priest he had said which are and not which signifie For they are indeede two theeues robbing God of his glorie and men of many a penie 9 In the beginning of the fourth sermon of the bodie of Christ he sheweth how the masse is remembrance of Christs death This he sheweth thus Altare significat crucem c. The altar signifieth the crosse the reason is How the Masse is a remembrance of Christs death because on the altar the bodie and blood of Christ are sacramentally consecrated so vpon the crosse he was really sacrificed The cuppe or chalice signifieth the sepulchre of Christ because as in the chalice the bodie and blood of Christ is contained so in the sepulchre the bodie of Christ was really contained By the couer is vnderstood the stone which was laide vpon the dore of the sepulchre to couer it so is the couer to the chalice By the corporall wherein the bodie of Christ is put are vnderstood the linnen cloathes in which the bodie of Christ was wrapped Is not this trimme stuffe what word is there in the scripture of an altar at the first institution of the supper Againe here is no mention at all of the host neither is the host put into the chalice as the bodie of Christ was laide in the graue How also will they prooue that the cuppe that our Sauiour blessed at the first institution of the supper had a couer Lastly the linnen cloathes wherof they speake were not vsed in the first supper neither at the suffering of Christ but after his death for the burying of the bodie when the soule was departed froÌ„ it neither was the body of Christ wrapped in linnen clothes by the Apostles whose successours they boast them selues to be but by Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus 10 His first sermon for the first Lords day after the feast of the Trinitie is vpon these wordes Habent Mosen Prophetas audiant â—llos Here he exhorteth his auditours to salute the virgin and saith First let vs present to the virgin Marie the ie well that shee most Iocale loueth namely Haile Marie c. then he sheweth what things are contained in the text Sctendum quod euangelium hodierum c. We must know that this daies gospel doth declare 4. things very necessary to be knowne for our auisement Et sunt haec Mundanalis Auisamento conuersatio Diuinalis retributio Infernalis dispositio Scripturalis confirmatio And they are these Worldly conuersation diuine retribution or rewarding infernall disposition scripturall confirmation 11 The text of his second sermon for the same daie is this In domo patris mei habeo quinque fratres In my fathers house I haue brethren Luk. 16. Then he addeth that for declaration of the word House we are to knowe that the whole generalitie of creatures as well heauenly as earthly is called the house of God The reason whereof he maketh to be this namely that as in the palace of a great prince aboue are chambers Who euer saw any such palace beneath a stable for cattell and vnderneath within the earth a prison for malefactours so in the house of God aboue that is in the highest heauen are chambers to wit By this reckning Christ hath no friends in the world the 9. orders of angels where dwel the friends of Christ c. beneath in the world dwell beasts seruitours and clients but the prison for male factours is in the heart of the earth namely the infernall perpetuall prison After Where is purgatorie now become this because his text speaketh of fiue brethreÌ„ he sheweth fiue fraternities in the house of God which are these Fraternitas humanalis ista venit per naturam Fraternitas spiritualis ista venit per gratiam Fraternitas demonialis ista venit per culpam Fraternitas angelicalis ista venit per amicitiam Fraternitas diuinalis ista venit per misericordiam An humane fraternitie or brotherhoode and this commeth by nature A spirituall fraternitie and this commeth by grace A diuelish fraternitie and that commeth by offence An angelicall fraternitie and this commeth by friendship A diuine fraternitie and this commeth by mercie 12 In his one sermon In octava corporis Christi he saith that he found that Christ said two masses in his life time One secretly with Christ said two masses in his life time Solenniter in pontificalibus his disciples when he ordained this sacrifice the other solemnly and in his pontificalibus on good friday Of this he writeth thus leafe 109 Altare fuit crux mitra fuit c. His altar was the crosse his mitre the crowne of thornes his rings on his hands were nayles his sandalls on his feete were nayles his redde hood Such hoodes would soone wearie the popish priests was of his blood his staffe was the speare the deacon was the theefe on his right hand the subdeacon the theefe on his left hand his acolytes or waiting men the virgin Marie and The theeues in higher office theÌ„ the virgin Marie and Iohn Iohn the Euangelist Who will not wonder to heare these toyes yea who will not smile or rather laugh right out for what can be more childish and foolish 13 In his first sermon for the second Lords day after Trinitie in the same booke the second side hauing laid the foundation he coÌ„meth to build as he saith quatuor cameras foure chambers Which are Largitas gloriosa Charit as gratiosa Equitas rigorosa Pietas copiosa the english of which tearmes I leaue to the learned reader 14 In his second sermon for the same day Three villages in the other world lease 112. he saith that he found three villages in the other world according to the scriptures much differing in conditions Prima est superius celestialis glortosa Secunda
she came to such want that she was constrained to nurse the childe of a certaine soldier The adulterer for enuie of his wife came very secretly and cutte the childes throat departed earely When the woman awaked and would haue giuen the child suck she saw his throat cut Then she brake out into so great a crie that all in the lodging did awake But this was vnknowne to the father and all in the citie The woman apprehended is brought vnto iudgement and when shee was iudged to die hauing no bodie to speake for her shee looking vp to heauen saide O Marie thou knowest mine innocencie to thee I commend my selfe These words ended Metibi recommendo there came one ladie which did beare a faire boy and with these wordes spake vnto all Stay your selues O Iudges because this Sustinete vos iudices boy shall be iudge this day Then presently the child said vnto the iudge So ought iudgement to be of a murtherer let the person murthered be brought and let the answer of the woman be heard All men maruailed at the wisdome of this child and presently the child killed was brought Then said the childe in iudgement Iudge tighteously O ye sonnes of men and he said to the childe murthered In the name of the Lord arise and name him that killed thee Immediatly the childe that was killed arose and hauing neuer spoke before then he beganne to speake and with his finger did shew the murtherer So the woman was dismissed and the murtherer apprehended In the meane time the ladie with her child vanished away and the adulterer beeing bound to an horse taile most miserably died 12 The summe of the 25. miracle is this In a certaine monasterie of Nunnes there was a very deuout virgin named Bettres which for her deuotion beeing Wardnesse Beatrix facta nutrix did discharge this office so much the more deuoutly by how much the more freely shee did it At length a certaine priest entising her to filthines shee withstood him a long time But beeing in the ende ouercome shee came to the altar of the blessed virgin which there was Patronesse and resigned her keyes as not beeing able any longer to abide the tentation so shee secretly followed the priest But within a little time he forsooke her by which meanes shee came to great pouertie and being ashamed to returne to her cloister shee became a common whore and hauing liued many yeares publikely in that sinne at length she came vnto the gate of her Monasterie in a secular habite and asked the portresse whether she knew Bettres sometime Wardnesse of that Monasterie To whome the portresse answered that shee knewe her well and that shee was a good ladie or mistresse and holy and that without rebuke shee had liued in Domina proba that monasterie from her infancie to that day Notans sed non obseruans The virgin supplieth an harlots place for 15. yeares All which time the whole church of Rome erred in praying to her in heauen she beeing here in earth This Bettres noting these wordes but not obseruing them would haue departed But the mother of mercie appeared vnto her in the shape of a woman and said I haue supplied thine office for fifteene yeares of thine absence now returne into thy house repent for no man hath knowne thy going out For in her forme and habite the virgin the mother of God had executed her office c. so she was restored 13 The 27. in summe is this A certaine soldier a yong man dwelling with an other soldier by whome he was maintained being A quo infeuda tuâ— erat in his flourishing age but flourishing more in virginitie by enuie not with standing of the deuill beganne to be grieuously tempted and to burne in lust towards his mistresse This in modestie he concealed a whole yeare but at the last ouercomming shame he opened his desire vnto her Shee beeing honest faithfull to her husband repelled him whereby he was the more afflicted Then with teares making his temptation knowne to a certaine Heremite this holy man faithfully answered Fiducialiter respondit Sound counsell against tentation that he would giue him sound counsaile which was that for a whole yeare he should salute the virgin euery daie with an 100. Aue Maria. The young man willingly performed this and when he had done it the last time as he came out of the Church he saw a most beautifull Matrone farre excelling all the glorie of man getting vpon his horse and holding the bridle He maruailing what shee should be shee answered doth my person please thee then he saide that he had neuer seene one fairer then her Shee answered againe I will be thy wife come vnto me and I will giue thee a kisse she saide also Now is The Papists make the virgin to loue kissing the marriage begunne such a day before my sonne it shall be finished By this word he knew her to be the Lords mother From that houre he was freed from the tentation and he reported all this to the Heremite who reioyced greatly and said he would be at the marriage The day comming and the Heremite beeing present the foresaid soldier beeing in an agonie gaue vp the ghost and so entred agonizans spiritum exalauit the heauenly brid-chamber to celebrate the promised marriage 14 Now because I promised to make the reader but a short banquet with these iunkaâ—s A man deliuered from condâ—mnation for offering one candle to the virgin I will therefore passe by many other and come to the summe of the 49. which is this A certaine soldier a young man much giuen to the world had a deuout wife that praied often to the virgin Marie for his conuersion Now in a certaine night her husband in spirit was brought to the iudgement of God and there accused of all his sinnes And beeing forsaken the iudge asked if there were none of the saints whom he had honoured at any time The virgin Marie answered that once in reuerence of her he had giuen a great waxe candle so at her request he was discharged WheÌ„ therfore the deuils would haue laid on him with a burning candle he burned the combussit eos viriliter se defendit and manfully defended himselfe Thus with feare and trouble he laboured swet mightily in his bedde and so howled that his wife Inuenit ontem haspidam quasi corticem de arbore heard him In the morning therfore she fouÌ„d his skinne rough as it had beene the barke of a tree his haires long graie and hard and suspecting adulterie she cried out The seruants running to their weapons he awaking could not speake but made an horrible noise as if it had becne an oxe At last recouering himselfe he reported the whole matter and was conuerted c. 15 The 50. miracle There was a certaine man in name only religious but to all things a