the liuyng yea he dothe playnly affirme Sith that the dead sainctes knovve nothing of al that is done here it is in vain to pray vnto them QuestioÌ„ that they be vtterly ignorant what is don in the lyfe of men If this bee true as that can not be false which is proued by the holy scriptures truely the saluation necessitie either of the dead or of the liuyng is in vaine committed to the intercession of theim that know nothing therof We doo beleue in vayne that they doo pray vnto the Lorde for oure present necessite which know not that we are in any perill or daunger Didy And may not they haue intelligence vnderstandyng of our affaires eyther by the angels or by them that go away hence from vs or els by god himselfe Philalethes Answer Sithe that these wayes of reuelation are no where in the scriptures sett foorth vnto vs and therfore be most vncertaine Why should we It is folishnes to fly from that vvhich is certaine to â—hat vvhich is vncerâ—aâ—e I pray you flie from those thynges that are most sure most certaine and infallible vnto that which is doubtfull and not ones mencioned of in all the whole body of the scriptures Ye haue hearde how that this moste holy father sainct Augustine doth plainely confesse that the dead saintes doo not knowe our estate or the case that we bee in nor yet be careful ouer vs. Leauing then that whiche is without any grounde of the scriptures let vs stedfastly cleaue vnto that which is most surely grounded in gods boke wherin we are taught that the blessed soules of the elect and choseÌ„ of God do rest in peace beyng in glorie with their heade our sauiour Iesu Christ who alone is appoynted of god to be oure mediator aduocate and intercessor Albion But what will ye say to Hieromes clerkly sayenges ye see that he dothe plainly hold opinion that the dead saintes doo praye for vs. Philalethes As for Hierome Hovv Hierome dyd ouershote himself in this mater I doo with all due reuerento acknowledge him to do a most worthy instrument of God howbeit in this master he hathe declared him selfe that he was a man And verelye I doo meruayle that beeing so great a cleark as he was would buyld the doctrine of the praisyng of the deade saintes for vs vpon such weake argumentes For who wil say that the Saintes do nowe the same in heauen that they did in the erth But Hierome sayeth none other thing neither dothe he with any other arguments proue that the saints do pray for vs in heauen Hieromes vveake arguments Yf saieth he they did pray for vs in the earth how much more shall they do it now after their crounes Act. 27. victories and triumphes Yf two hundred lxxvi soules were geuen vnto Paule praiyng here in the earth how many mo shall be geuen vnto him praying now in heauen I graunte that god hath done good vnto men here in the earth through the ministery and praiers of his seruants VVhy god did good vnto men here in the earth by the ministerye and praiers of his seruauntes but to what ende I praye you euen to this ende that they should beleue the worde of god set foorth by his true ministers But the ministers dyd all with one doctrine teach vs to cal vpoÌ„ god only in al â—â—re necessities Nowe the doctrine of the praiers of the saints and of their intercession for vs in heauen doth pull vs away from god Hiero in Lâ—c 14. and causeth vs to put some truste hope and confidence in the creatures Which Hierome hym selfe doth stronglye impugne saiyng The righteousnes of the righteous shal bee vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall remayne vpon him Euerye manne shall dye through his owne syn and euerye man shall liue through his owne righteousnesse Iohn 8. The Iewes do say in vayne â–ª Abraham is our father syth that they haue not the workes of Abraham Yf we should put our truste in any let vs put our trust in god liere 17. Psal 146. Cursed be euery man that putteth his trust in menne although they be saintes although they be prophetes We reade Put not your trust in men Again better it is to trust in god than in princes Not onely in the princes of the world but in the princes of the church whiche yf they be righteous they shall deliuer their owne soules onelye These are Hieromes woordes Let vs therfore hope in the lorde oure GOD and sith that we haue not one iote in the Canonicall Scriptures of the intercession of the Sainctes for vs in heauen nor any example that they do pray vnto the father for vs let vs boldely reiecting this idolatrous inuocation of the dead sainctes and the vaine and fonde doctrine of their intercession for vs vnto God cal vpon our heauenly father through his sonne Iesu Christ though an angell from heauen shoulde teache the contrarie I doo here let passe that in the boke which this holy father did write agaynste Vigilantius there is more furious bitternesse to bee founde than either modestie or learning whiche maye bee proued by the censure of Erasmus The censure of Erasmus vpon Hieromes booke against vigilantius whiche is this lo vigilantium ita conuitiis debacehator Hieronymus vt plusculum in eo modestiae eogar desyderare Vtinam argumentis duntaâ—at egisset à conuitiis temperasser That is Hierome doothe 〈◊〉 with reuilyng woordes raile against Vigilantius that I am fayne to fynde a larke of modestie in him would god he had onely soughten with argumentes and had refrained from reuilynge and opprobrious wordes For take away these railyng woordes Caupo Calagutitanus Dormitantius Herculis monstra Louiathan Behemoth The taunces of Hierom against vigilantius take away his chiâ—yng brawling and scoldyng take awaye his subtill conueâ—ance in the torrke Take awaye his exclamations translations tragicall amplifications his swellyng and braggyng wordes and nothing almost shal be left vnto the reader that hath anye sauor of the propheticall and apostolicall simplicitie Albion Obie 10 Yet this holy father dothe plainely affirme that the deuils dyd roare out at the relykes of Saint Andrew and that great myracles and wonders at the dust and ashes of the martyrs haue beÌ„ wrought and the vnclean spirites tormented Whiche thyng he dothe proue by the example of certaine emperors kynges and byshops saying If it be not laufull to shrine vp and to translate the relikes of the saintes then was Archadius with Constantine a sacriledge all the byshops were not only sacrileges but to be also coÌ„pted verye beastes foles which did cary so vile a thing and ashes in silke and in a golden vessell Philalethes As touchyng the firste Answer I answere that the diuels dyd not roare out because of saincte Andrewes drye bones VVhythe diuel did roaâ— ouâ—e at sainct An drevves reliâ—es but because of Christe whome the holy
the Canonical scriptures Phâ— Answer I do not denye it But no man is able to proue that the Israelites kepte the body or bones of Ioseph for to haue them to be worshipped For no maÌ„ did fal or knele doun before Iosephs tomb no man did bring the cheste that his body or bones were in into the Tabernacle no man did light candels or tapers beefore it But Ioseph woulde by thys meane confirme and establish the faith of his people in the promisses of gâ—d 〈…〉 â—ouching the lande of be heste For so doth Ioseph say to his bretherne I am redy to dye and god will surely visite you and brâ—ng you out of this laÌ„d vnto the land whiche hâ— sware vnto Abraham vnto Isaac vnto Iacob And Ioseph toke an other of the children of Israell saying God will surely visite you and yâ— shal cary my bones hence Paule beynâ— a faithfull expositour of this facte or dede of Ioseph by faith Hebr â—1 saith he Iosephe when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gaue coâ—â—aundement of hys bones That is because he doubted nothing of the worde and promise of god therfore did he coÌ„maunde his brethern at their goyng out of Egipt to cary out his bones into the land of ChanaaÌ„ So sure was he that the lord would according vnto his promises bring the children of Israell oute of Egipte into the lande that he had promised vnto their forefathers After Moses there were none among the prophets more samoê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ of greatter renoune than Samuell and Hâ—lias were Samuel Helias 〈…〉 5 2 Kâ—n 2. Yet we do not reede that any memoriall was appointed or set vp for him For the holye scripture doth plainly speak of his death and buriyng after this maner Samuell died and all Israell dyd gather them selues together and did wepe for him did bury him in his house in â—ama 〈…〉 As for Helias he was taken vp in a syâ—e chariot not into a temple made with handâ—s but into heaueÌ„ partly that in that exâ—mple we myght haue a most infallible testimony of our immortality and of that moste excellente reâ—aâ—de that GOD hathe prepared and layed vp for his faythfull prophetes and partelye that by this meane all occasion of worshipping this holy prophetes body might be taken away Some of the anciente writers are of opinion that the body of the blessed virgin Marye Epiphani was either by the angels caried vp into heauen or els by their ministery buried in such a place as is knowen vnto no maÌ„ vnto this day because that god would not haue that chosen vessel the temple of his holy spirit and the mother of his onely begotten sonne to be made anidole of superstitious and euill disposed persons The holy scripture doth speak thus of Eliseus the prophete Elizeus â— Kin 13. And Elizeus died and they buried him And certaine bandes of the Moabites came in to the lande that yere And as they wer burying a man beholde they sawe the souldiours therfore they did cast the man into the sepulchre of Elizeus and wheÌ„ the man was doune and touched the bones of Elizeus he reuiued or lyued again and stoode vpon his fete And yet we rede not that after this miracle the bones of Elizeus were taken vp and translated or that there was anye pylgrimage appoyncted vnto theym or a churche of S. Elizeus buylded and set vppe We rede in Ecclesiasticus or in the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach that after Elizeus death Eccl. â—8 his body prophecied and that as he did wonders in his lyfe so in deathe were his workes merueylous And that yet for all thys the people repented not nor departed from their sinnes VVhy the dead that â—â—a caste in to â— Elizeus â—â—auâ— taâ—eâ— againe It doth appeare theÌ„ that this miracle was not doone for to teach the people to worship or to geue godly honour vnto the faithful seruantes of god but that therby the auctoritye of Elizeus whose doctrine in hys life thei conteÌ„ned might be confirmed that at this sight they might embrace the same doctrine and turn again vnto the lorde their god with all spede and so escape the destruction that honge ouer their heades for their stubburnesse disobedience and rebellioÌ„ 1. Kin. â—â— Vnder that most holy godly prince Iosias when the bones of the fals prophets were breÌ„t the sepulchre of the maÌ„ of god was not ones touched yet we rede not that there was any pilgrimage vsed to it Obâ—e 12. Dâ— All these examples are only examples of the olde Testament But what exaumples can ye bring out of the neue PHILA Answer Math. 11. Math 14. Act. â— Among them the are borne of womeÌ„ there arose not a greater as oure sauiour Iesus Christ doth testifye him self than Iohn Baptist But the holy euangelist S. Mathew writeth thus of him And when Iohn was beheaded his disciples came and toke vp his body and did bury it Of Stephen the first martir of Christe Luke in the Actes of the Apostelles doth write on this manner And certayne men fearing god caried Stephen among theym to be buried made great lamentation for him Yf the taking vp or translating of the bodies of the dead Saincts had ben profitable vnto the churche of Christe neyther the olde ancient churche that was afore him nor yet the primitiue church that was nexte after him shoulde haue wanted it or bene without such honoring of the faithfull seruantes of god if god would haue them to be honored after the same sorte Therfore lette no man maruell that I will in no wyse alowe the doynges of kinges and princes and of bishops which be contrarye to the scriptures and worde of god and that I do vtterly reiecte the argumentes of Hierome The auctoâ—â— of â—od 〈…〉 as both weake and repugnant vnto goddes holy and sacred booke the warraunt and auctoritye of which ought to be preferred before the autority of aungels much more then before the auctoritie of corruptible and mortall men I would wyshe that leauing the bodies of the dead Saintes in the place appointed of God for theym there to reste in peace and in hope of their glorious rising again we should haue in due reuerence their true reliks whiche are 〈…〉 the exaumple of theyr stedfast fayth and beliefe their godlye lyfe and conuersation and theyr sound doctrine that they haue left behynd them for our instruction and the edifiyng of the true church of god Albion I maruell that ye do so stoutly defend Vigilantius Doth not this holy father and doctour of the holy catholike church I pray you lay to his charge that he did rayse vp againe and reuiue the heresy of the Caines whiche as a Scorpion did venime the whole body of the churche It appeareth by the booke whyche Tertullian dydde write of heresyes Teâ—â— li. haâ—â— where he speaketh of the errours of the Ophites
For in his sermon de lapsis he saithe playnely thus God onely can haue mercye He onely can geue pardon to the synnes that are committed against him which did beare our synnes which did sorow for vs whoÌ„ god did deliuer for our sinnes Man can not be greater than god nor yet remit or forgeue that by his owne indulgeÌ„ce or pardon which with a heinous faute is committed againste the lord lest this also be imputed vnto him for a greater crime or offerd if he shold be ignoraunt that it hath bene said before Huc â— Math. â— Mat. 8. luke 9 Cursed be euery man that putteth no truste in man The lorde oughte to be prayed to the lorde ought by our satisfaction to be pleased whiche sayeth that he will denye him of whome he is denied and which alone hath receiued all iudgemeÌ„t of the father And to those doth he adde by and by Although the workes of the rightuous doo auayle muche beefore the iudge yet the same whiche is promised by mans promisse is not by and by granted by the diuine maiestie of GOD. Noah Gene. 6. Daniell Danie 6. What was more rightuous then Noah who when the earthe was replenished with sin was sounde alone to bee righteous What was stronger than Daniell to suffre martyrdome throughe the constancye and stedfastnesse of his faith more fortunate through the fauor of God who as ofteÌ„ as he did combate he dyd ouercome and when he dyd ouercome he dyd ouerlyue what was more prompt and redy in workes than Iob Iob. stronger in tentation more pacient in sorowe more lowly and humble in feare truer in faithe and yet if they had prayed God sayd he woulde not haue graunted them their petition for when Ezechiell prayed for the synnes of the people When a lande saith he synneth against me by committyng a trespasse then will I stretche oute myne hande vppon it Eze. 14. and will breake the staffe of the bread thereof and wil sende famine vpon it and I wil destroy man and beaste foorthe of it Though these three menne Noah Daniel and Iob were amonge theym they shoulde deliuer but their owne soules by theyr owne righteousnes they shoulde saue neither sonnes nor daughters but thei alone should be saued And so al that is asked is not in the preiudice and power of him that asketh but in the wil of him that geueth neither dothe mannes sentence or iudgemente challenge or claime here any thyng vnto it selfe onlesse the diuine censure doth graunt it And a litle after They can do nothyng against the Gospel which for the gospel are made martirs Let no man well beloued brethern defame the dignitie of martirs lett no man destroie theyr glories and crounes The strength of the incorruptible faith remaineth safe neither can he say or doo any thyng against Christ whose whole hope faith and glorie A short exposition of Cyprians vvordes is altogether in Christ Eutrape If the Lord onely can geue pardon of sinnes if the seruaÌ„t can not forgeue that whiche is coÌ„mitted against the maister if he be accursed the putteth his trust in man if the Lord not a creature ought to be prayed vnto if that which is asked doth not slande in the will of the asker but in the will and pleausre of the geuer if they that are most righteous shall onely delyuer them selues and not their sonnes daughters if the martyrs saye or doo nothing agaynste Christ how muche I beseche you can they gather out of the authorite of Cyprian for to confirme their doctrine of their idolatrous inuocation of the saintes If all thinges be well considered this semeth rather to haue escaped him thaÌ„ otherwise This is much like â—nto the commâ—ne saying â—od hâ—ue mercy on his soule Au. de pastoribus cap 8. Psal 121. wheÌ„ he did thus of a ferueÌ„t loue write to his frend and brother in Christ Cornelius The feruent loue I saye that he bare vnto hym dyd by a certayne violence extorte this of him PHILALE Ye shall also heare what Saincte Augustine in his booke De Pastoribus sayeth There bee also sayeth he good mountaynes I haue lyfted vp myne eyes vnto the Mountaines from whence helpe shall come vnto me My helpe sayeth he is frome the LORDE whyche made heauen and earth Do not thinke that thou doest any iniury vnto the holy mountaynes when thou sayest My helpe is not in the mountaynes but my healpe is frome the Lorde whiche made heauen and earthe The mountains their selues doo crie out the same vnto thee He was a mouÌ„tain that did cry out I heare that there bee scismes or diuisions among you so that euery one of you dooth say I am Paules I am Apollos 1. Corin. â— I am Cephas I am Christes List vp thine eies vnto that mouÌ„taine heare what he saith and remain in hym Heare also what folowethe Whether was Paul crucified for you Therefore when thou haste lifted vp thyne eies vnto the mountaines from whence helpe commeth vnto thee that is vnto the authors of the scriptures harken vnto hym that with al his marow that with all his bones doth crye out Lorde who is lyke vnto the that thou beeyng sure or certified mayste without any iniurie of the mountains say My helpe commeth from the lorde which hath made heauen and earth It shal be so farre of that then the mountaines will be angrye with thee that then they wil both loue fauor thee the more Yf vve put our trust in the faithâ—â—l seruantes of god then vvill 〈◊〉 be inâ—â— vvith 〈◊〉 Reue. 12. Yf thou dost put thy hope in theÌ„ then wil they be sory The angell which did shew many heaueÌ„ly woÌ„derful things vnto man was worshipped of maÌ„ but the aungell reuoking him vnto the lorde as he was lyftynge vp his eies vnto a mountaine saide Do it not worshyp hym For I am thy felowe seruaunt and of thy brethren Obie 14 What I beseche you could be spoken more plainly thaÌ„ this All our helpe is from God who in all perilles must be called vppon If thou puttest thy hope in God the saintes doo loue thee Au. conâ—â—â— faustruÌ„ Mâ—â—iâ—n Answer 〈…〉 in my boke 〈…〉 â—â—lleâ— the oueâ—th◠〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of vvâ—â—kes yf thou puttest thy confidence in them they are sory Alb. Yet this holy father writingâ— Cotia Faustum Manichaeum dooth say that the christian people dyd celebrate and keepe together the memories of martirs both to stirre them vp to â—â—â—ation or folowyng of theym and that they might haue felowshippe with their merites and be helped by their prayers PHILA As concerning meâ—â—â—s â—e haue sufficiently spoken of them in our coÌ„munication and talke that we haue had alredy touching the ouerthrow of the Iustification of workes and of the vaine and fonde doctrine of the Merites of men and therfore we will come to this where he saithe And that wee may be helped by their prayers Didy There mee thinke Augustine doothe playnly affirme
xiiii Io. â—vi no man cometh vnto the father but onely by me Whatsoeuer ye aske my father in my name it shal be geuen vnto you It is Christe which is deade yea Rom. viii rather whiche is risen again who is also att the right hand of the father and maketh intercession for vs There is one god and one mediatour betwixte god and man i. Timot. ii which is the man Christ Iesus who gaue himself a raunsome for all men the is able perfectly and sullye to saue theym that come vnto god by hym syth that he euer lyueth to make intercession for them Christe is not entred into the holy place Hebr. vii which is made with handes but in to heauen there to appeare in the sight of god for vs. Hebr. ix And againe These thinges do I write vnto you i. Io. ii that ye sinne not and if any man doeth sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesu Christe the righteous Wherunto the aduersarâ—es do attribute their saluacion But as for our aduersaries without anye warrant of gods worde yea against all scriptures they doe attribute the best parte of their saluation to their owne merites and to the workes of their own handes yea to such kind of works as neuer were commaunded of god and for asmuch as thei can not be of faith they are mere sinnes in the sight of god Is not this most blasphemous against the blood of christ that they be wont to singe in their seruice Tuper Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit O plasphemous abhomination fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit That is O Christ do by the bloode of Thomas which he spent for thee make vs to ascende thether whither Thomas is ascended But why shoulde I â—e to tedious vnto youre honour in rehersing many suche thinges sith that all theyr bookes are full of such damnable blasphemies Doe they not attribute more vnto their â—oly father the Pope More is attributed vnto the pope than vnto our sauiour Iesu chrâ—st than vnto our sauiour Iesu Christe for they doe plainlye affirme that through fayth in our sauioure Iesu Christ we do onely obtain forgeuenes of the coulpe fault or giltines but not of the pun shment that is due vnto vt for our sinnes For that do they reserue to their holy father who alone for a pece of money is able to geue pardone a poe â—et culpa that is of the punishement and of the fault Yf this be not a denial of Christe I can not well tell what we maye call a denial of Christ for therfore came he in to the â—leshe that he might be our perfect and ful sauiour They then that denye hym to be a perfecte and full sauiour do deny him to be come into the fleshe i. Ioa. iiii and so by good right ought to be takeÌ„ for Antichristes I do here let passe that by their sacrilegious and damnable sacrifice of the masse The sacrifice of Christe is omnisufficente and can be offered no more wherein they saye they offer dailye oure sauoure Iesu Christe bothe god man they doe all that euer they can to abolyshe annichilate and put downe the omnisuffâ—ceÌ„t sacrâ—fice of our sauiour Iesu Christ which as it hath ben from the beginninge is now and shal be to the worldes end of a most perfect efficacy vertue streÌ„gth power to saue al those that put their truste in it or take hold vppon it by faithe Heb. ix so can it not be reiterated or offered any more For Christ is not entred into verye heauen there to appeare in the sighte of god for vs to the ende that he shoulde offer him self any more for then he must haue died often lens the world began He is that high priest that it became vs to haue which being holye Heb. vii harmelesse vndefiled separated from sinners and made higher than the heauens neded not daily as those high priestes to offer vppe sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that he did once when he offered vp him self How many mediatoures the aduersaries haue How many mediatours haue they imagined and sourged vnto them selues besides Christe the onely mediatour betwixt god and man So many as they doe imagine to be saintes in heauen so many mediatours haue they sourged vnto theÌ„ selues puttinge more confidence in their intercession â–ª wherof they haue no currentye or assuraunce at all in gods booke than in the mediation of the onely begotten son of god Which in so many places of the scriptures we are certified of that onles we be worse then brute beastes we ought to content ourselues with it to seke no farther Adde theruÌ„to To denye christ to be come into the fleshe that to acknoweledge more mediatoures besydes him it is also to deny him to be come into the flesh For he dyd not only come into the flesh for to be our omnisufficient and most perfecte sauyour but also for to be our only mediatour betwixt god and vs. Howe the aduersaries do alow the scriptures of the old and newe testament And as for the scriptures of the old and new testament yf they did froÌ„ the bottome of their hartes acknowledge theÌ„ to be the worde of god then would they also confesse and acknoweledge that all thynges partaynynge to saluation â—are conteined in the same Whiche thing they will neuer do lest their whole religion which coÌ„sisteth altogether in mens traditions and vain doctrines of diuels should be quite ouerthrowen Nowe to deny that all thinges peretining to our saluation are comptised in the scriptures It is to denye that they be the word of god yea they that do so They deny the holy ghost to be god that say that all things partaining to saluation are not conteyned in the scriptures do vtterly deny the holy ghoste by whole inspyratione the scryptures haue be a set fourth and wrytten to be true and naturall god For it is agaynst the property of god to make any worke of imperfectioÌ„ But that all things pertaining to our saluation be not fully conteyned in the scryptures then are they a worke of imperfection and consequently the autour of them which is the holy ghost is no true natural god Do thei not besides all this assubiectize the scryptures worde of god to the vayne glosses and found eâ—positions of their holye father the Pope so that although their exposityons be neuer so vngodly neuer so contrary to the true sense and meanyng of the holy spirit of god yet we must receyue and alowe theym for curraunt money â–ª except we wil fry a fagot Euen after the same sorte do they confesse the articles of our beleue mâ—king what gloses they lust vpoÌ„ theÌ„ although it be nothing according to the analogie of fa th from the which they do as faâ—re deferre as the heauens are hyghe aboue the earth It is
in all our nedes troubles and aduersities to flye vnto our heauenly Father for healpe aide and succour withoute spendyng our labour in vayne in seekyng mediators aduocates and intercessors Chriso de profectu euangelii Tomo 6 â–ª Non opus est saithe Chrysostome multis patronis apud DeuÌ„ neque multo discursu vt blandiare aliis sed licet solus sis patronoque careas per te ipsum Deum precetis omnino tamen voti compos eris Neque enim tam facile Deus annuit cum alii pro nobis orant vt cum ipsimet oramus otiaÌ„ si plurimis plene simus malis That is to say we haue no neede of many aduocates before God neyther of muche gaddyng about for to flatter and speake fayre vnto other For althoughe thou be alone and want an aduocate and pray vnto God by thy selfe thou shalt doutlesse obteyn thy request For God doth not so easily heare vs when other doo pray for vs as wheÌ„ we pray our selues althoughe we bee full of many sinnes And again in the same Omelie O woman Math. 15. greate is thy faithe Thou seest saith he how the woman that was vnworthie was by hir importunate callyng made woorthie Wilte thou also learne that prayeng by our selues we obteyne more at goddes handes then when other do praye for vs She cryed after Christ and the disciples came vnto hym saying Sende her away for she crieth after vs. And vnto theym he sayd I am not sente but vnto the loste shepe of the house of Israel But whaÌ„ she came her selfe perseuered crying out and saying Lord doo not the lyttle whelpes fede of the crummes that fall from their masters boord he granted vnto her the benefit that she wold haue and saide Let it be doone vnto thee as thou wilt Thou seest how she had the repulse whaÌ„ other praied but when she came her self praying for the gyft he dyd graunt it Vnto theim he dyd say I am not sent but vnto the lost shepe of the house of Israell But vnto her Greate is thy faithe saith he let it be doone vnto thee as thou wilt These are Chrysostomes wordes neither can the ennemies answere ought to these playn textes Albion Obiect 5 Heb. 12. And shall we haue no mediators aduocates or intercessors at all Doth not saint Paul write thus Euen our God is a consumyng fyre and dwelleth in the lyghte that none can attayne vnto Who dareth then knowyng hymselfe to bee a synnefull creature approche or come nere vnto hym Shall not he that presumeth to do so be coÌ„sumed to nought Philalethes In deede brother Albion forasmuch as God is a consumyng fire Answer and dwelleth in the lyght that no man can attayne vnto VVhy the son of god did take vpon him our fraile nature wee haue nede of a mediator but not of mediators And the same mediator is the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of GOD oure sauiour Iesus Christ who that he myght be our only and omnisufficient Sauior and also the onely mediator betwixte GOD and vs dyd vouchesafe to take vppon hym our fraile nature Without hym can we haue no accesse vnto that burnyng and consumyng fyre 1 Timo 2. nor haue any felowshyp with God And of this omnisufficient and only mediator the holy Apostle writeth on this maner There is one God and one mediator betwixte GOD and manne whiche is that manne Christe Iesus who gaue hymselfe a raunsome for all men Albion They confesse The cauill of the papistes that Christe is the onelye mediatour betwixt God and manne But howe ought this to be vnderstanded Christe saye they is the onelye Mediator of redemption but not of intercession For as he onely hathe redeemed vs and by his deathe and bloodde sheaddynge he hathe made attonemente betwyxte god and vs Ansvver to the cauill so the blessed virgin Mary and other holy Saintes in heauen are mediators of intercession prayeng for vs vnto God the father and to his son Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior Philâ—lethes I wold fayne know where they learne this in the scriptures and word of God Fyrst Paul in the place that we alleadged last doothe plainely shew that there can be no mediator None can be our mediatour except he be also out redemer except he bee a redeemer also But they graunt that Christ only hath redemed vs. Whereby it foloweth that Christe only is a mediator And so the scriptures appoynt hym I meane to be oure mediator aduocate intercessor euen after his glorious resurrectioÌ„ ascencion when he had alredy by his death bloodshedyng fully reconciled God vn to vs Roma 8. For thus doothe saincte Paule write It is Christe which is dead yea rather which is risen agayne whiche is also on the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs. Heb. 7. And in an other place Emong them sayth he many were made priests because they were not suffered to endure by the reson of death But this man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthode Wherefore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by hym seeyng he euer lyueth to make intercession for vs. In this texte haue we many goodly lessons set forth vnto vs for sith he hath an euerlasting priesthoode they muste needes confesse that they bee all moste shamefull blasphemors that either make themselues his successors or pretend any other sacrifice than he hymselfe offered ones foreuer vppon the aultar of the crosse And shewyng the fruites of this euerlastyng priesthode he saithe that he is able by reason of it to saue fully and to the vttermost all those that come vnto god by him â–ª where we lerne who they he Vâ—hom our sauiour Iesus Christe vvil saue Iohn 14. whom our sauior Iesus Christ wil saue eueÌ„ those the seke to com vnto god by him Whiche agreeth well with that which he sayth him selfe in Iohn where he speaketh those wordes I am the waye the truthe and the life No man commeth vnto the father but by me They than that seke to come vnto God by any other meane or waye than by our sauior Iesus Christe can looke for no saluation at his hands In what case then are al those that by the dead saintes do seke to come to God But this ought to be most coÌ„fortable of al wher he saith Hebr 9. that Christ lyueth for euer to make intercession for vs. Wherevnto may be added 1 Iohn 2. that Christ is entred into heauen for to appeare in the sight of God for vs. Again saith the holy euangelist sainte Iohn If any man synne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the rightuous and he is the satisfaction for our sinnes Where besides al other doctrines we do lerne that Christ is our onely aduocate and attonement maker For the office of intercession and redemption ar so iointly ioigned together out of this present life the mediation or intercession
can be ascribed vnto none but the redemption must be attributed vnto them also For why is our sauior Iesus Christ our aduocate with the father but bicause that he is both rightuous August 1 Iohn 2. also the full satisfactioÌ„ for our sinnes S. Augustin writing vpoÌ„ this text of Iohn saith these words Videre ipsuÌ„ IoanneÌ„ seruaÌ„tem humilitatem Certe vir iustus erat magnus qui do pectore domini mysteriorum secretâ— bibebat Ille ille qui bibendo de pectore domini diuinitateÌ„ eructauit In principio erat verbuÌ„ verbuÌ„ erat apud DeuÌ„ Ille talis vir non dixit Aduocatum habetis apud patrem sed si quis peccauerit inquit aduocatuÌ„ habemus apud parteÌ„ non dixit habetis nec me habetis dixit nec ipsum Christum habetis dixit Sed ChristuÌ„ posuit non se habemus dixit noÌ„ habetis Maluit se ponete in numero peccatorum vt Christum haberet aduoucatuÌ„ quam ponere se pro Christo aduocatum inueniti inter damnâ—ndos superbos Whiche maye be englished thus Ste Iohn himselfe kepyng his humilitie and lowlynesse Truely he was a righteous and a great man â—om 1. which dranke out of the Lordes breast the secretes of heauenly misteries He he who drynkyng oute of the Lordes breaste vttered foorthe the diuinitie sayeng In the begynnynge was the woorde and the woorde was with GOD. He beyng suche a man dydde not saye Ye haue an aduocate with the Father but if any man doth syn we haue an aduocate with the father He said not ye haue neither did he say ye haue me â—ike this â—l neither did he say ye haue Christ But he did put Christ not him self again he did say we haue and not ye haue â–ª he had lieuer to put him self in the number of sinners that he myghte haue Christ to his aduocat than to put him selfe an aduocate or intercessor for Christe and to bee founde amonge the proude damned Brethern we haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christe hym selfe And he is the propitiation or satisfaction for oure synnes He that hath holden this faythe hathe done no heresy he that hath holden this opinion hath caused no schisme or diuision For whence doo breede schismes and deuisions When men do say we are iuste when menne dooe saye we doo sanctifye the vnclene we doo iustifye the vngodlye we aske we obteine But what sayeth Iohn Si quis peccauerit aduocatum habemus apud patrem Iesum Christum iustum Yf any manne doth synne we haue an aduocate wyth the father Iesus Christe the righteous Didymus But nowe a days amonge a great many and specially where Papistry doth reigne Heresy and schisme is laid vnto them that â—eache the â—rue inuocatâ—on of god and the â—nly mediatioÌ„ of his son Iesus Christ who soeuer dareth affirm the Christ is our only aduocate mediatour and intercessour he shal be taken both for an heretike and for a schismatike Why do they not then lay both heresy and schisme to Sainct Augustines charge Eutrapelus But that they do feare the people whiche beginneth now to see without their rustye spectacles withoute all peraduenture they would do it PHIL. This holy father dothe in an other place write in a maner the lyke of the blessed Apostel Auguâ—t li. 2. contra epistolam parmenia ni ca 8. S. Paule Christen men saith he do praye one for an other in their prayers But he for whome no man doth pray but he for all men is the onely and true mediatour Paule the Apostell although he was a chiefe member vnder the heade yet because that he was a member of the body of Christe and did know that the high and true prieste of the church was entred not into the holy places that are made with hands but into the very heauen he doth also commend him self vnto the praiers of the faithfull Neyther doth he make him selfe mediatour beetwixt god and the people but desireth that all the membres of the body of Christ doo pray one for an other sith that the membres are careful one for an other and if one suffereth they doo all suffer with it So then lette the mutual praiers of al the membres that be yet here laboring vpon the earth ascend vp vnto the head whiche is gone before into heauen in whom is the satisfaction for our sinnes Nam si esset mediator Paulus essent vtique reliqui Apostoli sic multi mediatores essent nec constaret ipsiê° Pauli ratio qua dixerat Vnus enim deus 1. Tim. 2 vnus mediator dei hominum homo Christus in quo nos vnum sumus si seruamus vnitatem fidei in vinculo pacis That is for if Paule were a mediator truely the other Apostles should be mediators also and so there should bee many mediators Neyther should Paules reason stand where he sayth for there is one God one mediator of GOD and men that manne Christ in whom we also are one if we kepe the vnitie of faithe in the bond of peace But what neede we so many words When Paule did speake these words There is one God one mediator of God and men that man Iesus Christ hadde he not a respect vnto the prayers that he spake of before For after that he had bidden the faithfull congregation to make prayers and intercessions for all estates and degrees of men for a confirmation of his saying he dyd adde by and by for Obâ—ect 7 there is one God and one mediator betwixte God and men Albion Sithe that Christ is apointed of the Father to be our iudge how can he be our mediator For these two can not stande together Answer to bee bothe iudge and mediator Philalethes They that haue putte this into youre heade canne not tell what they saye The tyme of grace and the tyme of iudgemeÌ„t For we muste make a distinction betwixt the tyme of grace and the time of iudgement In the tyme of grace Christe is bothe our soueraigne prieste and also our onely mediator betwene GOD and vs At the day of iudgement all mediation and intercessioÌ„ making shall cease as it is sufficientely declared in the Epistle to the Hebrewes But in the day of iudgement be shall come to be iudge of the quick of the dead At that tyme mediation intercession makyng shall ceasse Again we must make a distinction betwixt the elect and the reprobate for he is the sauiour and mediatour of the electe and chosen and the iudge of the reprobate For none shal come into iudgement for to receiue condemnation but the reprobate only for as much as none shal be condemned but the wicke and such as will not beleue in the sonne of god These are the words of our sauior Iesus Christ Iohn 5. Verely verely I saye vnto you He that heareth my word and beleueth on hym that hath sent me hath lyfe euerlasting he
Daniel and Iob were in the citie as truly as I lyue they shall delyuer neyther sonnes ne daughters but saue theyr owne soules in their rightousnesse As if he should say Thoughe Noah Daniell and Iob were then alyue again and made intercession for the people they shoulde not delyuer theyr owne sonnes and daughters but should saue onely theyr onwe lyues in they righteousnesse my wrathe and indignation is so kyndeled agaynst that stiffe-necked people And so the afore alledged place of Hieremye oughte to bee vnderstanded For the woordes are as muche as if he shoulde say Though Moyses and Samuell wer nowe aliue and stoode before me makynge intercession for this people as they were wonte to dooe yet woulde I not for theyr sake withdrawe my plagues frome this wycked and frowarde generation I woulde not heare theym nor geue eares vnto theyr prayers but woulde in my furye destroye this rebellious and styffenecked people Reade and marke diligentely the circumstaunces of bothe places and ye shall fynde that this is the true sense and meanyng of theim ALBION Obiect 18 Psal 3â— Nowe wille I come to the holye Psalmist These are Dauids woordes I am sure I sayde I wylle confesse my synne vnto the LORDE and so thou forgauest the wyckednesse of my synne Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno For this shall euerye Saincte make his prayer vnto thee in a tyme whenne thou mayst bee founde Agayne Psal 150. doothe not he wryte thus Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius Praise god in his saints Philalethes Answer And I say that by bringing in these testimonies or autorities of the psalmes they doo most manifestly beewraye their impudent and shamelesse ignorance Hovv the place aleaged out o the 〈◊〉 pâ—aâ— ought â—o be taken For when Dauid had reasoned of the remission of synnes and had appointed him self an example vnto other and had said I haue confessed my sinne vnto the lorde and thou hast forgeuen the wickednesse of my synne he did adde by and by Many holy and godly men shal be prouoked by this example of mine to call after the same sort vpon god for the pardonne and forgeuenesse of theyr synnes in a tyme when thou mayest bee founde Cypr an coÌ„tra dâ—metrianum For Cyprian writing against Demetrianus did saye very godlye Quando isthinc excessum fuerit nullus iam locus poenitentiae est nullê° satisfactionis effectus Hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur Hic saluti aeternâ— cultu dei fructu fidei prouidetur That is to say After that we be departed hence there is no place of repentaunce no effecte of satisfaction Here the lyfe is eyther losse or holden here by the worshipping of god the fruite of faith euerlastyng saluation is prouided for Wherby we doo learne that as long as we be in this life wee maye throughe faithe in oure Sauiour Iesu Christ praye vnto God for the remission of oure synnes and that so longe God may be found but after that wee be ones gone neither repentaunce nor yet praying vnto God for the remission of our sinnes can profite vs nothyng Didymus Obiect 19 But here he speaketh of the Saintes that being in heauen do pray vnto God for vs that of his goodnesse he wylle forgeue vs our synnes as he did vnto Dauid I am sure ye will not call them that are yet aliue and be subiect to all kinde of infirmities Saints For that pertaineth only to those blessed spirites and soules that be alredy in glorie with their head our sauior Iesu Christe Philalethes And in this do also the champions of the Romishe churche declare theyr wylfull blyndenesse Answer For in howe many places of the scriptures are the faithfull lyuyng yet here on the earth called Saintes The faithfull lyuing here on the earth are Rom 1. Act 9. Paul doth write to the sainctes that were at Rome These be also Ananias woordes in the Actes of Apostels Lorde I haue heard by many of this man how muche euill he hath done to thy Saints at Hierusalem and here he hath power of the high priestes to bynde all those that cal vpon thy name The tyme would not suffise to reherse all places of the Scriptures where the faithfull lyuing yet here in the earth be called Saints But ye shal heare what Saint Augustine sayth concerning this matter Augu. ii Psal 86. He writing vppon the psalmes doth aleadge these wordes of the Apostell And some of you were such but ye ar washed but ye are sanctified Si ergo eos sanctificatos dicit dicat vnusquisque fidelium Sanctus sum Non est ista superbia elati sed confessio non ingrati Si enim dixeris te saÌ„ctum esse ex te superbus ex Rursus fidelis in Christo membrum Christi si te non dixeris esse sanctum ingratus es That is yf he calleth them sacntified lette euery one of the faythfull saye I am a Sayncte Thys is not the pryde of hym that is pufte vppe but the confession of him that is not ingrate or vnthankefull For yf thou sayest that thou arte a Sayncte of thy selfe thou arte a proude manne Agayne beynge faythfull in CHRISTE The pope vvill scarcely alovve â—his doctrine for he is vvonte to canonize his sainctes an hundred yeres after they bee dead and a member of Chryste yf thou sayest that thou arte not a Sayncte thou arte ingrate and vnthankefull Saye vnto thy God I am a Saincte because thou haste sanctified me because I haue receaued it not because I hadde it because thou hast geuen it not because I haue deserued it For on the other side thou beginnest to doo iniurie vnto thy Lorde IESV CHRIST For yf al Christians and faythful and all they that bee baptized in hym haue putte hym on or are apparailed with him as the Apostell dothe saye As manye as are baptized in CHRISTE are apparayled with CHRISTE Yf they bee made members of his bodye and saye that they are not sainctes they dooe iniurie vnto the heade hym selfe whose membres are not hollye Nowe see where thou arte and take dignitye of thy heade Lette therfore euerye Christiane saye yea let the whole bodye of Christe crye oute whensoeuer it suffereth afflictions dyuers tentations and innumerable sclaunders Preserue my soule for I am a saynt Those wordes of saint Augustine are so plaine that they nede no exposition at al. Eutrapelus Som there be which to shewe a difference betwixt the Sainctes that are alredy in glorie with their head our sauior Iesu Christ and the Saintes that be yet alyue here on the earth doo in the Latine tongue call the one Diuos these are they that be alredy in heauen and the other Sanctos which ar they that be yet compassed aboute with the bodye of synne Albion Well be it so as ye saye But wherfore dothe the Psalmist write on this maner Laudate dominum in sanctis eius that is to
iuuare eos precibus sanis atque interuentu suo apud Deum Non erit inconueniens Scriptum nanque est in Machabeorum libris ita Hic est Hieremias propheta Dei qui semper orat pro populo That is to saye But it shall not bee inconueniente yf it bee sayd that all the Saintes whyche bee departed out of thys lyfe hauynge yet a loue and charitie towardes them that be in the worlde bee carefulle ouer theyr saluation and healpe theym with theyr prayers and intercession vnto God For in the booke of the Machabees it is thus writen This is Hieremie the Prophete of GOD that prayeth alwayes for the people These woordes seeme vnto me very playne Philalethes Answer It is a wonder and meruaile that this old ancient father should go about to confirm and establish the intercession and prayeng of the Saynctes for vs in heauen which is a doctrine no where set foorth vnto vs in all the Canonicall Scriptures by the testimonie and authoritie of an Apocryphicall booke For Origene hymselfe if that bee trewe that Eusebius writeth of hym doothe numbre no more than .xxii. canonicall bookes secludyng the bokes of the Machabees Moreouer Hierome in his preface vnto Damasê° which he did set before the .ii. treatises or homelies of Origene vpon the CaÌ„ticles doth testifie that Origene did write these .ii. treatises vpon the caÌ„ticles whiche Hierome hyâ—selfe dydde turne or translate into latin and .x. bokes which he sayth he dyd not translate because it was a woorke that required muche leysure tyme labour and coste Nowe those that wee haue at this present vnder the name and title of Origene are not called bookes but homelies where as in the meane whyle he wrote none but those .ii. which Hierom did translate But put the case that they be Origenes shall we set more by the authoritie of man than by the authoritie of the Canonical scriptures Lu. 7. Math. 15. Obie 2â— Albion It is written in Luke that the Centurion dyd sende the elders of the people vnto Christ beseching him that he wold come and heale his seruant And why because that he thoughte not hymselfe worthy to come vnto hym Dyd not the the Apostles lykewyse make earneste sute vnto Christ for the woman of Chanance why shoulde wee not likewyse thynking our selues vnworthie by reason our synnes to come vnto God praye vnto the dead Saintes that be already in heauen with their head our sauior Iesu Christe to make intercession for vs Philalethes Answer vvhiles vve liue in this vvorld vve are bound to praye one for another We haue alreadye declared that whiles we yet liue in this worlde we may pray one for an other yea we are bound by goddes worde so for to doo But that we shoulde doo the lyke after we be ones deceassed or departed out of this lyfe and haue fulfiled our course we haue not one onelye iote in al the whole body of the scriptures that testifieth any suche thyng vnto vs Albion Obie 14 Reuel 5 Ye shall not nede to make any repetition of that which hath ben saide alreadie For I doo wel beare in mynd the whole matter Therfore I wil com to the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iohn There wee haue these woordes And when he had taken the boke the fower beastes and the foure and twentie elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one harpes and golden viols full of odours which are the prayers of the Sainctes And in an other place of the same booke he saieth Reue 8. And an other angell came and stoode before the aultar hauyng a golden censer and many odoures were geuen vnto hym that he should offer of the praiers of the Saintes vpon the golden aultar which is before the throne These places doo seeme vnto me to proue manifestly the inuocation of the dead Saintes Phila. Answer Tvvo â—yndes of praiers Ye must vnderstande that there be .ii. kyndes of prayers the one is inuocatioÌ„ or petition and the other is geuyng of thankes laude and prayse This petition yf nede were might be proued by the iiii chapiter of the epistle to the Philippians we cal that inuocation when we desyre some good thing to be geuen vnto vs or some euyll to bee taken awaye from vs. Geuyng of thankes doth contayne the praising and lauding or magnifieng of the name of god for his exceading great benefyts which we receaue dayly and hourely at his handes It is manifeste by that whiche doth immediatly folow that the Apostle doth speake of this laste and not of the first These be the wordes And they sounge a newe song Reuela 5. saieng Thou act worthy to take the boke and to open the seales therof because thou wast killed haste redemed vs to God by thy bloude oute of euerye kynred and tongue and people and nation and haste made vs vnto our God kinges and prestes we shal raigne on the erth Therfore what doth thys make for the intercession of the blessed spirites or soules that the saints do sing praises vnto god in heauen In the other place none other thing is ment Reuela 8 but that the aungell did ioygne his laudes and praises whiche he gaue vnto God with the himnes and songes of the elders Saint Augustine August expoundyng this place writeth thus Alius angelus ipse est Iesus Christus habens thuribulum aureuÌ„ quod est corpus sanctum Ipse enim dominus factus est thuribulum ex quo deus odorem suanitatis accepit propitius factus est mundo quia obtulit seipsum modoreÌ„ suauitatis Et accepit angelus thuribuluÌ„ impleuit illud ex igne altatis Accepit Iesus corpus id est ecclesiam perficieÌ„do patris voluntatem illam igne spiritus impleuit sancti That is to saye The other angell is Iesus Chryst hauyng a golden censer whyche is an holy body For the LORD hym selfe was made a censer oute of the whyche GOD receaued a swete odour and was made mercifull vnto the worlde For he offered hym self a sacrifice of swete smell And the aungell didde take the censer and dydde fyll it wyth the fyre of the aultare IESVS tooke a bodye that is to saye the churche and dydde fyll it wyth the fyre of the holye Ghoste DYDIMVS Obie 25 Râ—ffâ— lâ—â— Eccle. historiae I perceaue brother Albion that ye muste seeke for helpe som other where than in the scriptures of the old and newe testament sith that youre inuocation of the deade Saintes is already driuen out of the Apocalypse or reuelation of Iohn Albi. I haue yet somme what in store These wordes we do reade of Theodosius the emperor in the eleuenth boke of the ecclesiasticall hystorie whiche one Ruffinus dyd write Ciren nibat cum sacerdotibus popâ—lo omnia orationum loca ante martyrum apostolorum thecis â—acebat cilitio prostratus auxilia sibi fida sanctorum intercessione poscebat That is he did with
his ministerie but he was put backe of the angel Farthermore when they of Lystra did bring foorth crounes and sacrifices Act. 14. that is externe and visible gifts or presentes which they were appointed to haue offred vnto Paul and Barnabas As soone as the apostles Barnabas and Paule sawe it they rent their cloathes as at a manifest blasphemy and ranne among the people cryeng and saying O menne The vvordes of the Apostle to the people of Lystra why doo ye these thynges Wee are euen menne subiecte to the lyke passions that ye be c. If they did this whenne they were yet compassed aboute with the synnefull bodye of the fleshe is it to bee thought that beynge nowe in heauen where they haue fruition of Goddes glorye they woulde haue suche godly honoure to be geuen vnto them When they were yet aliue and subiecte to all manner of infirmities that wee bee subiecte vnto they coulde in no wyse abyde that GOD shoulde bee robbed of his glorye And nowe that they bee delyuered from all maner of infirmities and are alreadye in glorye with theyr heade our sauiour Iesu Christe would they commytte suche trayterouse sacriledge These thinges beeyng welle consydered it shall be easye to see that all whiche they dooe prattle of theyr Lattia Dulia The mâ—les wh ch 〈…〉 â—efore â—hâ— eyes of the â—mâ—le and ignorant and Hyperdulia are nothyng els but stinkyng mystes In the whyche the wayfaring menne are seduced and deceaued and falle into the handes of murtherers and robbers whyche as they dooe sacrilegeously robbe GOD of his glorye so they doo with theyr poysoned doctrine of this idolatrous woorshyppynge of the Saynctes murther the soules of all theym that beeyng blynded wyth theyr misty sophistications do fall in to theyr handes Albion Obie 27. 28. Iohn 12 Math. 25. What will ye then saye to these argumentes whome God doth honour them ought meÌ„ for to honor but god doth honor the Saintes therfore the saintes oughte to be honored of men Again what soeuer sayeth Christe ye do to one of these littell ones ye do it vnto me what honour soeuer then we do geue vnto the Saintes God will impute it to be done vnto him Philalethes Answer I cannot but meruayle at the grosse blindnesse of them For in the same place that they do aleadge out of Iohn this worde to honour is taken for to geue eternall life and immortalitye Hovv god doth 〈◊〉 his sainâ—â—s Therfore if ye shoulde thus make vp your argument Whome god dothe honoure them ought men also to honor But god honoureth his saintes that is he doth croune them with immortal glorye and lyfe euerlastynge Ergo the saintes must bee honoured of men that is they muste receaue of menne immortalitye eternall glorye and euerlastyng lyfe Who woulde not deryde and laughe to skorne thys manner of reasonynge Againe yf by this woorde to honoure they wyll vnderstande The absurditie of the papistes argumentes to bough the knee and to make supplication they shall make a verye foolysshe and fonde argumente excepte they shewe fyrste that GOD dydde boughe his knee and dydde make supplication vnto the Sayntes But yf by the honoure they dooe vnderstande the prayse of their vertues and the imitation or folowynge of theyr godlye lyfe and syncere faythe the matter goeth well In the meane whyle GOD honourethe the Sainctes after hys manner and fashion geuynge theym eternall glorye and euerlastyng lyfe and we honoure them after oures by praising the giftes of God in theym and by folowing their vertues and stedfast fayth After the same maner do they deprauate the wordes of oure Sauioure Iesu Chryste where he sayeth Math. 25. What soeuer ye doo to one of these litell ones ye do it vnto me For there our sauiour doth speake of the beneficence liberality of the offices dueties of life that the saints do exercise one toward an other whiles they bee yet in this present life and these corrupters of the scriptures doo wraste it for to make it to serue for their idolatrous woorshyppyng of the dead Saintes VVell â—aâ—dâ— Dydiâ—â—â— Didymus Me thinketh that it is against al reason that the blessed virgine Mary the mother of our sauior Iesu Christ shold not be worshipped sithe that she is the quene of heauen Eutrape Belyke neyghbor Didymus Theâ—â—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 of â—â—da ye will bryng in again the old error of the idolatrous women of Iuda which worshipped the moone and makyng of the good creature of God an ydole dyd call it the quene of heauen After the same maner as Epiphanius dothe testifie 〈…〉 certain women in Arabia dyd worshyp the virgin Mary makyng vnto her fine cakes and callyng her the quene of heauen which thyng as that same most ancient writer doeth declare was done by the subtile and crafty procurement of Sathan the deuill that so the idolatrie that was committed about the moone myght bee translated turned vpon that moste holy vessell of god the mother of our sauior Iesus Christ and that so for the hatrede that he bare vnto Christ and vnto his membres he might dishonour her and make her an abhominable ydole and a stumblynge blocke vnto all christendome where as God hath appointed her for to be vnto vs next vnto her sonne Iesu Christ a most perfecte example of all godlynesse and vâ—rtue and of a most pure and sincere faithe in his promises touchyng his Messias and anointed that shold for the saluation of the worlde be borne of her This am I sure of that no where in all the scriptures The virgin Mary is no vvhere in al the scriptures called the queene of heauen the virgine Marie is called the queene of heauen Therfore I do meruail at the vngodly fondnesse of them that will haue her to be so called making moste sacrilegeous and blasphemous hymnes vnto her whiche they doo violently intrude or thrust into the chirche with fyer and swerd Philalethes If ye will not contente youre selfe with that which hath ben sayd already ye shall heare Epiphanius very wordes In his thirde boke â—ontra Antidicomarianitas cultores virginis Mariae writeth on this maner He speakyng of Christ as beyng the potter him selfe and hauynge the power of the thyng did forme and fashion hymselfe of the virgine Mary as of the earthe who came downe from heauen and beyng both God and the worde did putte on fleshe of the vyrgin Marye but not that the virgin should be worshipped or that he woulde make her a God or that we should offer in her name For he neither didde suffer her to geue or minister baptisme nor to blesse the Apostels neyther did he commaund her to beare rule in the earth but wil haue vs to knowe that he alone is the sanctification and that shee is made worthye of the kyngedome of heauen whence dothe this rolling serpence or dragon come vnto vs Whence are these lewde and wycked counsailes renewed Let
mary be in honour let the Father the sonne and the holy ghost be worshipped let no manne worshippe Marye And by and by after Let no man eate of the errour whych is for the holye Marye Although it bee a goodly free yet it is not for meate to be eaten of Although Mary he most beautifull holye and honourable yet she is not appoyncted to be worshipped Lette therfore the error of the deceaued cease For neyther is Marye a God neyther hath she her bodye from heauen but of the conception of manne and woman howbeit disposed according to the promise as the conception and byrth of Isaac was And let no manne offer in her name For he that doth it doth caste awaye his soule Again let no man rayle against her nor blasphem the holy virgin god forfende For she was not coupled vnto man neither after the byrthe nor before the byrth of the Sauiour And in the same booke contra Colyridianos Colyâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the◠〈◊〉 offeâ—e 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 Mar. â— Augâ—â—â— raâ—â—â—â—â—e 〈◊〉 â—mo these are also his wordes In dede the virgine was a virgin and honourable but not geueÌ„ vnto vs for to be worshipped but rather she dothe worship hym that toke his substance of her that is to say of hir fleshe Augustin in his booke De vera religione Let not the worshippyng of dead men bee a religion vnto vs for if they haue lyued godly they be not so taken as though they doo seke for such honors but they will haue him to be worshypped of vs by whose illumination they reioyce that we shoulde be partakers of their merite By their merite he doth vnderstand the croune of immortality which thei do obtein through faith in the merites of Christ Therfore they must be honoured through imitation and folowynge and not be worshipped throughe religion Agayne in the same booke we ought sayeth he to beleue that the most bountefull aungels and the most excellent ministers of god will haue vs to worshippe one god with them by whose contemplation they are blessed Neither doo we buylde temples vnto theim For they will not so behonoured of vs because that they knowe that when we are godly we are the temples of the most hye god â— Cor. 6. 2 Cori. 6. Therfore it is wel and rightly written that man was forbidden of the aungell to worship him but one god vnder whom he was his felowe seruaunte In the thyrde booke agaâ—nst the .ii. Epistels of the Pelagians vnto Bonifacius he writeth also on this maner All the saints that haue ben either from the olde Abell vnto Iohn Baptist or from the Apostels vnto this time and afterwards vnto th end of the worlde are to bee praised in God and not in theym selues For this is the voyce of theym that were afore My soule shal bee praysed in the Lorde And this is the voyce of the latter Thoroughe the grace of God I am that I am And this is the voyce bothe of the fyrst and of the last He that glorieth Cyrillus lette hym glorie in the Lorde Cyrillus in his sixt boke contra lulianum hathe plainely these wordes we neither say that the holy martyrs are gods neither are we wont to worshyp them but rather we doo honour theim with laudes and praises because that they did stoutly fight for the truthe that they myght kepe the sinceritie of faithe Hereby do we learne that in the primitiue church the honour that was geuen vnto martyrs was to praise commende and set foorth their constancie and stedfastnes their strong faithe and pacience in aduersitie and persequution that so God who had for the profite of his chirche endued them with suche excellent vertues might bee glorified and the reste exhorted folowyng their exaumple to fyght manfully in the quarell of the truthe and couragiously to shede their bloode for the sealynge vp of the same Chrysost Likewise Chrysostome in the xlv homilie vpon Mathew writing against theÌ„ their that wold seme to honor the martirs with their substance by makyng vnto theim gorgeous tumbes by buildyng vp in the honor of theim costely oratories or houses of prayers dooth say these wordes Neither doo the martirs reioyce when they are honored with the same money for the whiche the poore dooe weepe What is that vertue of righteousnesse to rewarde the deade and to spoyle the lyuyng The same authour doothe plainly teache in an other place that the true honor of the Sainctes is to folowe their faith and other heauenly vertues But what nede we the authoritie of men Math. 4. l. 11.4 sythe that we haue so playne scriptures Thou shalte woorshyp the lorde thy God and hym onely shalt thou serue saith our sauior Iesus Christ wherupon I may make this argument Who soeuer is neyther oure Lorde nor our God to hym ought we in no wise to geue godly honor nor yet to woorshyp hym But neither the angels nor the dead Saintes are our Lordes and gods but are ministers of our Lorde god and vnder hym our felowe seruantes To them therfore ought we in no wise to geue godly honor nor yet to worshyppe them Neyther do we honoure and worship Christ Christ is â—ot vvorâ—hipped be cause he is â—an but be cause he is â—â—ue and â—aturall â—nd Obie 29 because that he is holy and righteous or because that he is welbeloued of god but because that he is true and naturall God of one substance with the father the holy ghoste Albion They saye that they do honour and worshyp god as well as ye doo and that they do not honour and worshyppe the Saintes or aungels as goddes but as the trends of god Again they do not worshippe the gods of the gentiles whiche were eyther diuels or wicked men Philalethes Answer This their aunswere is not worth a ryshe For Christ doth not say Thou shalt not worship vnclene spirits or wicked meÌ„ But thou shalt honor the lorde thy god and him onely shalte thou worshyppe Eutrapelus I doo nowe remeÌ„ber a thiÌ„g which I haue read in saint Augustine where he dothe dispute why the Romaynes vvorthye history sithe that they did worship the gods of all nations could neuer abyde to worshyppe the LORDE God of Israell And he dothe aleadge the reasonne whyche Socrates dothe brynge in also that in relygion it is required that euery God be worshipped according to his owne will Socrates sayng touching the vvorshipping of god and not according to the wil and pleasure of the worshippers But false gods as filthye fornicatours do require no such thynge of their worshippers that they shoulde be worshipped alone Sith then that the true lyuing god the god of Israell wyll be worshipped alone it did come to passe that the Romaines would in no wise receaue and alowe his religion For they could not abide that for one onely gods sake all the other gods shoulde be reiected and put doune Albion Obie 30 I will go no farther in this