therefore for ye knowe not the howre when the sonne of man shall come Put not your trust in the prayers and dirges of popish Préestes the crowne of glorie is héere eyther lost or wonne Euerlasting saluation is héere prouided for by the due worshipping of God and the fruits of Faith Nowe grace is graunted craue and haue be bolde and feare not nowe is the tyme of obtayning eternall blessednesse nowe is the day of Iubylie nowe is the gate open vnto pardon and forgiuenesse and they that séeke the trueth shall haue an easie accesse vnto it Nowe pray while you haue tyme vnto God for your sinnes God graunt vs to vse this time to his glorie our soules health who is the true and onely God call vpon him with a faithfull confession acknowledging both of your offences and of your state cōsidering Thus confessing beléeuing we haue frée pardon and forgiuenesse giuen and graūted vnto vs of the méere goodnesse and mercy of God While we haue tyme let vs therefore doo good for béeing once departed out of this lyfe repentance is too late Ciprianus Tractatu primo contra Demetrianum Sayth Quando hinc excessum fuerit nullus iam locus poenitentiae est nullus satisfactionis effectus Hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur hic saluti aeternae cultu Dei et fructu fidei prouidetur c. That is to say After we be once departed out of this lyfe there is no more place of repentaunce there is no more effect or working of satisfaction it is but in vaine that your freendes should pray for you It is but follie that Préestes should sing a Requiem for your soules seeing that theyr prayers and dirges profit nothing at all There is in sundrie places of the Scriptures of heauen and hell expresse mention but of Purgatorie no spéeche at all Purgatorie for lucre sake of late yéeres was inuented How often is it written in the Scriptures that they which beléeue in Christe shall be saued and they that beléeue not shall be condempned they that doo good shall goe to lyfe euerlasting but they which doo euyll to paine eternall Héere is mention you sée of saluation and condempnation of ioye and of sorrowe of perpetuall life death for euer of heauen and of hell But the scriptures wrote nothing of Purgatorie and if there had béen such a place no doubt but there had béene mentiō made therof Chrisost in 22. Mathew Hom. 41. Quidquid quaeritur ad salutem totum iam impletum est in scripturis Whatsoeuer is sought vnto saluation all the same is set foorth and fully taught in the scriptures If then praying for the dead were necessary vnto saluation expresse mention thereof should be made in the scriptures and worde of God but we can finde no such thing there Againe in an other place 1. Homilie in Epist Ad Titum Omnia Euangelium continet praesentia et futura honorem pietatem fidem simul omnia praedicationis verbo conclusit The Gospell sayth he dooth contayne all thinges bothe present and to come honour godlinesse fayth to be short he hath comprehended all thinges with the worde of preaching Dooth not holie Chrisostome by these words manifestly declare that the Gospell of our sauiour Iesus Christe dooth containe all maner of things bothe presēt that is to say how we ought to behaue our selues héere in this present life towards God our neighbour and also things to come wherby he dooth vnderstand the estate that we shall be in after our departing out of this lyfe In the scriptures no mention made of praying for the dead But where dooth the Gospell speake one iote onely of prayers and oblations for the dead there we doo learne that they that beléeue and are baptized shall be saued and they that beleeue not shall be condempned There we reade in the. 7. Chapter of Saint Mathevv Of the straight and narrowe way that leadeth vnto saluation and of the wide gate and broade way that leadeth vnto damnation Not one onely sillable can be found there of any thyrde way or of any other estate that we shall be in besides saluation and dampnation after that we be come to our wayes ende Which thing Chrisostome him selfe in his second Sermon De Lazaro dooth teach most plainly saying Para ad exitum opera tua et appara te ad viam si quid cui rapuisti redde et dicito iuxta Zachaeum do quadruplum si quid rapui Si cui factus es inimicus reconciliare priusquam veniatur ad iudicem Omnia hic dissolue vt citra molestiam illud videas tribunal Donec hic fueris spes habeas praeclaras sed simulac discesserimus non est postea in nobis situm poenitere neque commissa diluere That is to say Prepare thy workes against the ende make thy selfe ready to the way if thou hast taken away any thing from any man restore it againe and say with Zachaeus if I haue taken away any thing from any man I doo giue it him againe fourefolde If thou be made an enimie to any man be reconciled vnto him againe afore ye come before the Iudge Paie all thy debtes heere that thou mayst without any feare or trouble of conscience see that dreadfull iudgement seate Whiles we be yet here we haue a goodly hope but as soone as we be once departed hence it lyeth no more in vs for to repent nor for to wash away our sinnes This holy Father then wyll not that we should tarie to make restitution or to be reconciled vnto those whome we haue offended tyll we be dead For then sayth he I meane after we be once departed out of this world there is no way at all to wash away sinnes In so much that he sayth in an other place Neque qui in praesenti vita peccata non abluerit postea consolationem aliquam inuenturus est in inferno enim ait quis confitebitur tibi et meritò hoc enim est cauearum tempus et cōflictuum et certaminū illud verò coronarum retributionum et praemiorum Neyther he that dooth not washe away his sinnes in this present lyfe shall finde any comfort afterwardes For sayth he who shall praise thee in hell and for a good cause for this is the tyme of scaffoldes conflictes wrastlinges and battayles but after this lyfe is the tyme of recompences crownes and rewardes Howe can it after this lyfe be the tyme of crownes and rewardes if we be cast into a burning fire which is nothing differing from the fire of hell saue onely that this euerlasting and the other lasteth but for a tyme there to abide intollerable torments tyll we be holpen out by the prayers oblations of the liuing A good and kinde deuotion of popish preests especially of the Préestes which must be hyred with good ready money to doo it else they will suffer vs to abide there broyling rosting vnto the worlds end For
to beléefe for they haue left scarse any sence or memorie of the true members of Christes Church If we beléeue the Romaine Church to be The holie Catholique Church The Scriptures are against vs theyr owne Doctours are against vs and the definition of the word Church is against vs. Shall we beléeue the building of Saint Peters Church to be our holie Mother the Church Beléeue it who that will and I assure him that he hath not the true Church on his side nor the Gospell to excuse him Séeke for this Church whereof Christe is head and not the Pope in this Church haue we lybertie not to doo euyll but to doo good The Churth of Roome bringeth to our lyfe myserable bondage Whyles we are in the Church of Christe wée hope for the promises of lyfe euerlasting but whyles wée stande in the Churche of Roome wée stande in feare and terrour of eternall condempnation to come vppon vs for our sinnes in the day of death Through Christe who is the head of this true Churche wée sée our sinnes purged the Deuill vanquished death and condempnation abolished and our selues in the lybertie of the chyldren of God to crie Abba Father Thus much touching the Church ¶ Of the infallible perfect ground and sufficiencie of the Scriptures to the eternall comfort and consolation of all true Christians and vtter confusion of the Pope and all his adherentes BEcause the Papistes affirme and boldly say that the Scriptures are not sufficient for a man therby to knowe the trueth by the which he may be saued it is erpedient and néedefull at this present tyme to heare what the Scriptures and Doctors doo say therevnto First I will beginne with the Scriptures as with the veritie it selfe and then with the Doctors who ground theyr argumentes and reasons vpon the worde of God which is the holy Scripture Although it behooueth man earnestly to bende his eyes to consider the workes of God For as much as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet principallie ought be to bend his eares to the Scriptures that he may better profite thereby and sooner learne the trueth by the which he may be saued And therefore it is no meruayle that they which are borne in darknesse doo more and more waxe harde in theyr amazed dulnesse because verie fewe of them doo giue them selues pliable to learne of the worde of God whereby to kéepe them within the boundes but they rather reioyce in theyr owne vanitie Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true Religion may shine amongst vs we must take our begynning at the heauenlie doctrine and that no man can haue any taste be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue béene Scholler to the Scriptures And from hence groweth the originall of true vnderstanding that we reuerentlie embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth GOD therein to testifie of him selfe for not â—nely the perfect and in all poynts absolute faith but also all right knowledge of God springeth from obedience and truely in this behalfe God of his singuler prouidence hath prouided for men in all ages For if we consider howe slippery an inclination mans minde hath to slide into by forgetfulnes of God how great a readinesse to fall into all kinde of errours howe great a lust to forge oftentimes new and counterfeyt Religions The onely fall of man into so many and sundrie euyls is the forgetfulnesse of God We may thereby perceyue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not eyther perishe by forgetfulnesse or growe vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnesse of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of his worde towardes all those whome it pleased him at any tyme fruitfully to instruct because he foresawe that his Image imprinted in that most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectuall therfore it behooueth vs to trauaile this straight waye if we earnestlie couette to attayne to the true beholding of God we must I saye come to his worde wherin God is well and liuelie set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersenesse of our owne iudgement but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swerue from that worde as I sayd euen nowe although we runne neuer so faste yet we shall neuer attayne to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth Rom. 16. such as can not be attained vnto is vnto vs lyke a Maze out of which we can not vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the worde guided into it And therfore Dauid Psalm 9. et 96.97.99 c. oftentimes when he teacheth that superstitions are to be taken away out of the world that pure Religion may florishe bringeth in God reigning meaning by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctrine wherby he challengeth to him selfe a lawfull gouernment because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hearts of men tyll the true knowledge of God be planted Therefore the same Prophete after that he hath recited Psalm 19.21 That the heauens declare the glorie of God that the fyrmament sheweth foorth the workes of his handes That the orderlie succéeding course of dayes and nightes preacheth his Maiestie then he descendeth to make mention of his worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawe of the Lorde is vndefiled conuerting soules sayth Dauid the witnesse of the Lorde is faithfull giuing wisdome to lyttle ones The rightfulnesse of the Lord is vpright making hearts cheerefull the commaundement of the Lord is bright giuing light to the eyes For although he comprehendeth the other vses of the Lawe yet in generallitie he meaneth that for as much as God dooth in vaine call vnto him all Nations by the beholding of the heauen and earth therefore this is the peculiar schoole of the children of God The same meaning hath the .xix. Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached Of the voice of God which in thunder winds showers whirle-winds and stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountaines to tremble and breaketh the Ceder trees In the ende at last he goeth farther and sayth That his prayses are sung in the Sanctuarie because the vnbeleeuers are deafe and heare not all the voices of God that resound in the ayre And in lyke manner in an other Psalme 93.5 after that he had described the terrible waues of the sea He thus concludeth Thy testimonies are verified the beautie of thy Temple is holinesse for euer And out of this meaning also proceeded that which Christe sayde to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.22 That her Nation and the rest did honour that which they knewe not and that onely the Iewes did worshippe the true God For whereas
prooue lyttle yea nothing that is to the trueth they alledge They are not afrayde so impudent and shamelesse they are to say that Purgatorie standeth with the Scriptures The great impudencie of the Papistes in alleadging their Purgatorie and also was allowed by the olde wryters of the anncient and Catholique Church This they can not verifie by all the Canonicall Scriptures neyther that it was allowed in the primatiue Church that we ought to beléeue that there is a Purgatorie Therefore bothe King Henrie the eight and also King Edward the sixt with all the learned and godly Clergie of England in taking away the vaine and erronious doctrine of popishe Purgatorie and in abolishing or putting downe the Massing Sacrifices for the dead forbydding dirges and other lyke trumperie to be vsed any more dyd most Catholiquely and Christianlike If theyr sayinges in this matter touching Purgatorie and praying for the dead doo agrée with the Scriptures and be grounded vpon Gods worde we wyll take them for an vndoubted and infallible trueth If not we wyll followe the counsell of the blessed Apostle Saint Paule who writeth on this manner If an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you any other Gospel besides that that ye haue receyued let him be accursed Yea we wyll followe the counsell of the olde auncient writers themselues of whome Ireneus writing against Valentinus and other lyke heretiques sayth plainely thus Scripturis diuinis niti quaecerta et indubitata veritas est in firma et valida petra est domum suam edificare hac verò derelicta alys niti quibusi dam doctrinis effusae arenae vnde facilis euersio est do mum suam inaedificare That is to say To leane vpon the holy Scriptures which are the sure and vndoubted trueth is to builde his house vpon a sure and strong rocke but if leauing it I meane the trueth of the Scriptures any man dooth sticke to some other Doctors the same is to builde his house vpon the vnstedfast sande where it shall easily fall Séeing then that the canonicall scriptures make no mention at all of Purgatorie or of praying for the dead if we should followe the doctrine of men in this poynt leauing the infallible worde of God wherein all thinges that pertayne to the saluation of all soules and bodies be most sufficently set foorth and comprehended were it not I pray you according to Ireneus saying To builde vpon the vnstedfast sande Saint Ambrose cryeth out saying Nos noua omnia quae Christus non docuit iure damnamus quia fidelibus via Christus est si igitur Christus non docuit quod docemus etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus We doo by right condemne all newe thinges that Christe hath not taught for Christe vnto the faithfull is the way if therefore Christe hath not taught this that we teach we doo also iudge it detestable Except then they can prooue that Christe who is the way vnto the faithfull dyd teach vs in his Gospell word to beléeue that there is Purgatorie and that it is requisite to pray for them that be departed out of this lamētable maze of myserie We wyll be so bolde with Saint Ambrose to iudge coumpt and recken that doctrine which teacheth vs to beléeue that there is Purgatorie and exhorteth vs to pray for the dead to be most detestable and deuillishe who soeuer be Author of it though it were an Angell from heauen Let vs doo what we can héere in this world to gaine eternall lyfe for doubtlesse after this life departed Prayer or Masse may say Requiescat in pace Not all the Papisticall incātations or exorsisms can help vs after we be dead but may nothing helpe vs in glory to beholde Gods face héere during life perpetuall ioy is wonne or euerlasting sorrowe is gotten Fasting nor almose déedes repentance nor righteousnesse good nor euyll can neyther profite or hurt after our death Lazarus cōmeth not vnto the ritch nor the ritch vnto Lazarus the ritch receyueth not the thing that he dooth aske though he dooth aske it with earnest praiers of the mercifull Abraham For the Garners Sellers he made faste the time is accōplished past the battaile foughten and the place thereof emptie and voide the Crownes are giuen they that haue foughten are at rest they that haue not preuented or come before are gone they that haue not foughtē he no more there they that haue beene ouercommed are driuen out For all thinges are plainlie consumated and ended by and by after the departing out of this world but whyles they be yet all in the conflict or battaile there is yet hope there is a medicine and confession And although these things be not in all men most perfect yet the saluation of other is not without hope And vnto this Saint Hierome dooth agrée writing on this manner in his 13 question 2. Chapter In praesenti seculo scimus siue orationibus siue consilijs inuicem nos inuari posse cum autem ante tribunal Christi venerimus nec Iob nec Daniel nec Noah rogare posse pro quoquam sed vnum quemque portare onus suum We knowe that in this worlde we can be helped one of an other either with prayers or with counsayle but after we be come once before the iudgement seate of Christe neyther Iob nor Daniel nor Noah be able to pray for any body but euerie man shall beare his owne burden And vppon the ninth Chapter of Ecclesiastes these be his wordes Peccator viuens iusto mortuo si voluerit in eius virtutes transire melior esse potest Quare quia viuentes metu mortis possunt bona opera perpetrare mortui verò nihil valent ad id adijcere quod secum tulere de vita A sinner yet lyuing may be better then a righteous man that is dead if he wil follow his vertues And wherfore for that they that be alyue may for feare of death doo yet good deedes but they that be dead are able to doo nothing vnto that which they haue once borne away out of this lyfe with them Therfore it is wisedome to make our selues ready afore and to prepare oyle for our Lampes that is to say to gette vnto vs a liuely faith working through charitie dooing good déedes whyle we haue tyme for when we be once gone there is no more tyme of well dooing of repentaunce or of amendment of lyfe the gate of mercie is shut we can adde nothing vnto that that we haue once caried away with vs out of this world Oh that this would sinke into mennes hearts I would to God this would be remembred of all men oh that they would remember this then we would not trust and haue affiaunce in the good workes of other men we would not be to séeke and buie oyle when it is more tyme to goe in with the Bridegroome least it should be sayde vnto vs Verelie I say vnto you I knowe you not Watch ye
many vexations of minde and with how many sorrowes hath God punished the heretiques in Flaunders for their hautie stomackes and disloyaltie to their natural King for their stubbornes in not receiuing clemencie offered vnto them and for their wilfulnes in reiecting the same for their contemning of the Catholique faith and for their following I cannot tell nor they them selues vvhat Religion so vnstable and vnconstant their opinion is in matters of faith God hath stirred vp the Catholiques against them their strength is feebled their fayre buildinges made euen with the ground their coffers are opened and their gold and siluer fyll the purses of their aduersaries their costlie household stuffe their hangings their trim attyre their cloath of Tissue and whatsoeuer thing else they haue is taken away Their cattell is driuen from them their corne is burnt and in summe they them selues are eyther iustlie made bonde-men and slaues or else wretchedlie and rufullie slaine So that now after Gods iust reuengement they are become the outcast and the verie scum of the earth they are banished out of their owne countrey and can finde no abiding place to rest they are a fable vnto all the world for their newe inuented heresies their state and condition is not far better then the Iewes and their punishmēt doth not much differ the one from the other the heretiques and the Iewes are hated a lyke are persecuted a lyke and are punished heere in this worlde a lyke But heerein the Iewes and the Heretiques doo differre in sinne the Iewe sinneth ignorauntlie and obstinatelie but Heretiques sinne not ignorauntlie but obstinatelie and wilfullie The Iewes neuer knewe Christe neuer beleeued in him nor neuer tooke him to be the sauiour of the worlde The Heretiques acknowledged Christe to be the onelie begotten sonne of GOD beleeued in him and tooke him to be theyr Messias or Iesuah But in sweruing from the Catholique fayth they haue lost the knowledge of Christe their faith is frustrate and in vaine Their taking of Christe to be their sauiour can nothing auayle them can stande them in no steede And why they haue denied the Pope to be Supreame head they haue renounced the Traditions of the Apostles the Councelles they despise the aucthorities of the graue and learned Fathers they disallowe and to be breefe the Lawes of our holie Mother the churche they haue contempned and contrary sayd them VVherefore their sinne is not excusable and more greeuouslie to be punished in hell then the obstinate ignoraunce of the Iewes for not receyuing Christe to be theyr redeemer If this fayth whereby we hope to be saued which is the Catholique faith were not the true and substantiall faith whereof mention is made in our Creede where as it is sayde I beleeue in the holie Catholique Churche And what church is this is it not that for the which so many Martirs ended their vitall breath before the due course of nature So many in wyldernesse lead a most austeare life lyued in penurie and scarsitie glad they were to sustaine their lyues with rootes and water they forsooke the world with all the pompe and glistering shewes therof they bridled their carnall affections and sensuall lustes the deuill with all his subtill temptations they ouercame with fasting and praier What doo they beleeue that these holie Hermites are all condempned for that they haue beleeued the church of Roome to be the holie catholique Church and the Pope to be the head and cheefe Sheepheard thereof Haue so many Monkes so many Friers erred who wrought so many charitable deedes so often fasted so often prayed so often called vnto God for grace and helpe so brotherlie exhorted the wicked to amendement of lyfe so freendlie harboured the harborlesse cloathed the naked fed the hungrie visited the sicke helped the poore prisoners and redeemed the captiues forsooke their lyuinges and gaue them selues onelie to contemplation VVere all these reprobate doo they all suffer tormentes in hell for euer neuer to enioy the glorious contemplation of Gods heauenlie countenaunce is this the rewarde which they haue for all their holinesse for their vpright dealinges for their timerous conscience to offend their neighbour and beeing by some mischaunce offended to aske him forgiuenesse and to render a satisfaction Shall good workes reape no better reward then among the dampned should this their reward be euerlastinglie to rue in hell If as the heretiques say their faith was Antichristian-like and contrarie to Gods word Beleeue this who that will and let him be an heretique therefore I beleeue they were holie men and for their holinesse and catholique Religion were crowned with an incorruptible crowne of perpetuall blisse in heauenlie ioye If the Religion of our holie Mother the Church were nought then in vaine haue so many Saintes serued the Lord honoured him and kept his commaundementes in vaine haue so many Virgins intruded them-selues to Monasteries sequestring and estraunging them-selues from the societie of seculer women in vaine haue they reserued their virginitie forsaking wealthy and ritch mariages in vaine haue they chastised their bodies subduing and bringing them to subiection in vaine haue they liued and in vaine haue they beleeued if for the confession of the Catholique Church of Roome damnation bothe of body and soule should be then their reward So many Preests so many Leuits so many Kinges so many Princes so many Potentates so many Magistrates haue liued in vaine and in vaine was their faith who were no happier then the Gentiles in Cicero his time to be condemned with the heathen Gentiles since the beginning of the faith of Christe Onely perishing in soule and bodie for that their faith depended of the Catholique faith of our holie Mother the Churche Empires Kingdomes Prouinces Islands Citties and Townes beleeued in the Church of Roome which is the holy Catholique Church and are they all condemned therefore and haue they all liued in blindnesse and errour and hath Christe beene so vniust of his promise neuer to fayle his Church and haue his woordes beene so vntrue that the holie Ghost should direct the Catholique Church in all her dooinges howe was the Church directed if all the people erred How should Christ beeing the way the trueth and life neuer fayle his Spowse if he suffered her to decline from him who is the trueth Christ his wordes are true Coelum et terra peribunt sed verba eius remanebunt vera in aeternum Heauen and earth shall perishe but his wordes shall remaine true for euer Though the heretiques prate or speake neuer so much against the trueth Christe hath euermore instructed the churche of Roome Though Martin Luther and Iohn Caluin write to the contrarie who make them-selues more familliar with Christe and more priuie to his secretes then euer the Apostles were who were conuersant with Christe liuing on earth But Luther and Caluin not so they make men beleeue that their Forefathers liued in blindnesse and errour euen from the time of the Apostles
vntyll their dayes O happie mothers to be conceyued and to be deliuered of such fortunate children and to bring them vp in such good lytterature that they should become the lampes of the world the Teachers of the ignorant I haue written I can not tell what naie I say O vnhappie mothers to haue such vnluckie children good it had beene for them and for their children if they plaide vppon one string that they neuer had beene borne Their chyldren were the instrumentes of Sathan to seduce the foolish and worldlie people they were the cause why that many lost their liues vntimelie heere in this world As in Fraunce thousands were slaine in Germanie foure score thousand at once in Flaunders I knowe not howe many besides other Countreyes infinite was the number of them that were slaine drowned and burnt I knowe not for what Religion nor I thinke they them-selues knewe but why they were thus cut of their pride abated their mallice asswaged and their deuises confounded I partlie knowe it was for that they denied the supremacie of our holie Father the Pope God woulde needes giue the ouerthrowe to his enimies and graunt victorie to his generall Vicar heere on earth If his title had not beene good he had not preuailed thus against his enimies he had not so often gotten the feelde and brought his enimies to shame and confusion VVhat shall I saye of Englande my natiue Soyle it contemneth despiseth and little embraceth the trueth lyttle regardeth the Catholique faith blinde ignoraunce and a Chaos or a heape of all kinde of heresies greatlie there preuayleth Howe many be there that wot not whome to beleeue whome to call vpon or what trade of lyfe they ought to leade VVickednesse iniquitie cogging and couzening and the corruption of this monstrous Realme are horrible great the blessed doctrine of God the onely true foode nourture direction and rule of mans lyfe is little knowne little set by and little followed God is long before he punisheth but when he commeth he punisheth with an iron rodde and sharplie scourgeth them for their sinnes vnlesse they repent whyle it is tyme. They may looke for the lyke punishment troubles and myseries as were laide vpon the Iewes and which they suffered deseruedlie for the hardenesse of theyr heartes and for theyr vnbeleefe Least that I wearie your chaste cares most woorthy Cardinalles with tediousnesse I make an ende crauing pardon for my greeuous trespasse and heynous offence against our holy father the Pope and against our holy mother the Church God preserue your Graces to the holding vp of his Church to the vanquishing of your enimies who at the first as bubbles of the water ryse vp and florish for a whyle then by and by fall downe and appeare no more Who at the first rule the roast in many places as Arrian the heretique did but I am affraide their ende shall be as Arrians was if not in this life yet in the life to come for Arrian auoided his guttes as he went to auoide the excrementes of his bodie If our heretiques die not thus yet they may die after a wursse sort If God in this life plagueth them not let them tremble and quake for feare least bothe bodies and soules abide the greater tormentes in hell They haue but a tyme to raygne and rule and beleeue what they lyst The Pellagians had a time and prospered for a whyle against the Church of Roome but by little and little their heresie decaied The Marcionistes fought for a while against the Church of Roome but in continuance of tyme it got the vpper hand and the heresie of the Marcionistes was quite forgotten abolisht and blotted out Thus tyme will deface the heresies of Iohn Caluin and Martin Luther with all the whole rabble and route of Arch-heretiques God graunt your Graces what heart can wishe heere in this worlde and in the life to come perpetuallie to raigne in blisse ioye and quietnesse Thus I haue ended ¶ By me Iohn Nichols submitting him-self vnder the Popes correction meaning hencefoorth to be a true Catholique member of the Church of Roome Amen quoth the Cardinalles with all the company And so the Oratiō ended at Roome in the yeere of our Lord. 1578. In the moneth of Maye the .xxv. daie and presented the .xxvii. daie of the same moneth before the Pope and all his Cardinalles in his Consistorie ⧠A Sermon made at Roome against the Pope in the yeere of our Lord. 1578. the .xxvi. daie of May and presented before the Pope in his Consistorie the .xxvii. day of that Moneth MAny there be well belooued who more rashly then wisely confesse the Pope of Roome to be Christe his generall Vicar heere on earth to be supreame head ouer all Churches the world throughout and to be the chéefest Shéepheard of Christe his flocke They take the Church of Roome to be our holie Mother the Church that her we must serue vpon her we must waite in her we must beléeue in her resteth our saluation and the slyding away from her is our condempnation Shee is the Church say they that cannot erre for shée is the spowse of Christe I wyll prooue bothe by the testimonies of the Scriptures and by the aucthorites of the graue and auncient Doctours that the Pope is not supreame head and that the Church of Christ is neyther in Roome nor in the Capitoll of Roome no more then it is in Egipt or the high pinacled Churches in Egipt But in euerie Nation and in euerie Countrey the men that feare God and worke righteousnes they are the house of God they are the Church Euerie chaste body is his holy Tabernacle and spirite and trueth is his heauenly worship They are the Church of God if they doo holde and shall holde the reioysing of theyr hope constantly and faithfully vnto the ende That such are the house of God Saint Paule sheweth in 1. Cor. 3.16 Nescitis quia templum Dei estis et spiritus Dei habitat in vobis Doo you not knowe that you are the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you And againe 1. Cor. 6.19 An nescitis quoniam membra vestra templum sunt spiritus sancti qui in vobis est quem habetis à Deo Doo you not knowe that your body is the temple of the holie Ghost which is in you and which you haue of God And againe 2. Cor. 6.16 Vos estis templū Dei vini sicut dicit Deus Quoniam inhabitabo in illis et inambulabo inter eos et ero illorum Deus et ipsi erunt mihi populus You are the temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I wyll dwell in them and I wyll walke in them and they shall be my people and I wyll be their God And againe Ephe. 2.19 Iam non estis hospites et aduenae sed estis Ciues sanctorum et domestici Dei We be no more straungers and forreiners but fellowe Cittizens with the Saintes and of
the famillie of God In these all such places we be taught that the house of God is not any buylding of wood or stones nor any Cittie or any materiall Temple but man is the house of God as héereafter more manifestlie it shall appeare when I come to intreate of the Church But first I will begin with the Pope who arrogantlie nameth him selfe the vniuersall Shéepheard And his Schollers or subiectes are not afraide to say that hee béeing Bishoppe of Roome is the visible heade of the Churche in Christes stéede But this they cannot shewe by Scripture neyther dooth the Church require any such head for Christe is present with it as he hath promised Math. 28. Sum vobiscum vsque ad consummationem mundi I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world If the Pope be a visible head why is he not séene of all men why dooth he not gouerne all men in the Churche and giue nourishment vnto them as the head ought to doo why dooth he not preach vnto all people This he dooth not wherefore he is no visible head as he seemeth to pretend And surely to be the generall head ouer all is too great a matter and enterprise for any mortall man to take vpon him I am sure the Pope wyll graunt him selfe to be a member of this Catholique Churche if he then be a member howe can hée also be an head except the same thing shall be bothe an head and a member which is verie absurde and monstrous If he saye that he is a member Christ is his head onely and not any other why shall not Christe be as well a head for all These thinges we sée are verie chyldishe and fonde but yet they applie and saye that Christ sayde to Peter Thou arte Peter and vppon this Rocke wyll I builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it Nowe vppon this place our aduersaries the Papistes grounde this proposition the Churche is founded vppon Saint Peter Ergo Saint Peter was the head of the Church If Saint Peter be the head of the Church the Pope is his successour Ergo the Pope is the head of the Church I denie that Saint Peter was head of the Church and therefore is Saint Peter whose successour the Pope claimeth him selfe to be was neuer head of the Church howe can the Bishop of Roome be head The confession of our aduersaries is grounded vppon these woordes Tu es Petrus That is to saye Thou arte Peter And ours vppon this That it is sayde Super hanc Petram et non super te Petrum That is Vpon this Rocke and not vpon thee Peter In déede our sauiour Christe hath most manifestlie distinguished Petrum à Petra That is to say Simon Peter from the liuelie Rocke wherevpon he hath builded his Church chaunging bothe the name and the person The which our text plainly sheweth vs that which he would neuer haue doone if it ought to haue béene vnderstoode of Peter and not of the confession of Saint Peter I leaue it to the iudgement of euerie Christian whether it be more agréeable to the faith and more healthfull for the Church eyther that the Church be founded vpon Christe or vppon Peter vpon the sonne of the lyuing God vpon him that vanquished sathan or vpon him whome Christe him selfe in the verie same Chapter calleth Sathan him selfe Vpon him who is called the cheefe corner stone of the building or vpon him who is an offence vnto him that is to saye a stone of great stumbling None sayth Saint Paule 1. Cor. 3. Can laye any other foundation but that which is layde which is Christe Also Saint Peter sayth 2. Peter 2. You are as liuing stones built vpon the cheefe corner stone in whome who so euer beleeueth he shall not be confoūded That is to say in that cofession of Christ which he calleth the Rocke and foundation of the Church It appeareth then by this place that Christe hath builded it vpon him selfe and not vpon Simon Peter and vpon the confession of faith which Peter made and not vpon the faith of Peter which was too much wauering and vnstedfast And in verie déede where Saint Iohn reciteth this storie he resteth whollie vpon Peters confession Iohn 6. And therefore by the Rocke he meant him selfe For when Peter had sayde Tu es Christus filius Dei Thou art Christe the sonne of God Christe sayde to him Vpon this Rocke will I builde my Church And in that place he giueth no more to Peter in the Keies which is the binding and loosing of sinners then he giueth them all else where As in Iohn 20. when he sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Receyue the holie Ghost whose sinnes so euer ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes so euer ye retaine they are retained Héere all haue as much as Peter And what hath the Pope to doo with these words which followeth not Peter neyther in life nor doctrine A strange thing it is to sée howe they builde their kingdome vpon Peter and whatsoeuer is sayde of him they take it to them selues But before they can prooue any thing in déede they must prooue these thrée points vnto vs if they will haue the Pope to be the supream head of the whole Church which they shall neuer be able to doo by the Scriptures as long as they liue First they must prooue that Peter was chéefe and head of all the Apostles Secōdlie that hée was at Roome and sate there as Bishoppe generall Thyrdlie that he left all the title preheminence of his seate to his successours whatsoeuer If they prooue the two first poynts as they can not yet they make nothing against vs although we should graunt it them vnlesse they prooue the thirde which they shall neuer be able to doo that Saint Peter hath left all his aucthoritie to his successours after him for euer Saint Paule in his Epistle saluted manie that vvere Christians at Rome but of S. Peter he made no mention if S. Peter had bin at Rome he had not forgotten to haue greeted him as vvell as the rest The Epistles of Saint Peter are extant but no mention there is that eyther hee was at Roome or was cheese of the Apostles or supreame head of the Church or that his successours should play Rex ouer all men and be the rulers of all Churches in the worlde For as much then that neyther by the writinges of Saint Peter nor any other Apostle of Christe our aduersaries can prooue the Pope to be any Ecclesiasticall head to this Church but Christe Iesus alone who is alwayes present with it and euer walketh in the middest of the seuen golden Candelstickes so that hee néedeth no Vicar generall or vniuersall Bishoppe Let vs déerely belooued as we looue the Lord Iesus our head and tender the saluation of our owne soules flée farre from the Pope and all his adherentes Traditions Decrées and Pardons least hee make marchandize
the witte of man by reason of the féeblenesse thereof can by no meanes attaine vnto God but béeing holpen and lyfted vp by his holie worde It followed of necessitie that all men except the Iewes did wander in vanitie errour because they sought God without his worde Should the Papistes committe such absurdities in theyr writinges of matters of Religion if they reiected not the scriptures Should they holde such erronious opinions as they doo if they would content them-selues with the sufficiencie of the Scriptures no truelie if they followed the doctrine preceptes and councell of the Scriptures and not Traditions the inuentions of ambitious and worldly minded men S. Iohn teacheth in the. 20. Chap. That all things needfull to saluation are onely contained in the word of God These are his wordes Multa quidem et alia signa fecit Iesus in conspectu discipulorum suorū quae non sunt scripta in libro hoc haec autem scripta sunt vt credatis quod Iesus est Christus ille filius Dei et vt credentes vi◠tam habeatis per nomen eius And many other signes dyd Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name The which wordes Cyrill expoundeth thus Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscripta sunt sed quae scribentes putarunt sufficere tam ad mores quam ad dogmata All is not written that Christe dyd but so much as the writers thought sufficient as well to manners as to doctrine Saint Augustine De doctrina Christiana Lib. 2. Cap. 9. Sayth In his quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur ea omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi All thinges contayning faith and manners are manifestly set downe in the Scriptures Basilius De fidei Confessione Sayth Manifesta est elapsio à fide et superbiae crimen aut reprobare quid ex ijs quae scripta sunt aut superinducere quid ex non scriptis It is a manifest slyding from the faith and a great pride eyther to reiect any thing that is written in the worde of GOD or to bring in any thing vnwritten For Christes sheepe sayth Saint Iohn Chap. 10.4 heare his voice and will not heare the voyce of an other And in his Moralles he sayth That if whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne if faith come by hearing hearing by the worde of God whatsoeuer is brought in beside the worde of God is not of faith and therefore sinne What haue we to doo good Christian people with Romish Traditions with Decrées Canons Constitutions Coūcels and Papisticall writings are their inuentions comparable with the scriptures or haue the Papists the lyke vtteraunce the lyke gifte of spéeche as Christe had Saint Iohn speaking of Christe Chap. 7.46 Sayth Nunquam sic loquutus est homo Neuer man spake as this man dooth Not all the hypocritical illusions of the Papists can once preuayle against Christes Church Not Cicero the father of eloquence not Demosthenes out of whose mouth flowed flooddes of eloquence not eloquent Pericles of whome it is written that he dyd thunder out his wordes not the golden tongued Chrisostome But Christes argumentes were so mightie and his wordes so swéete that a certaine woman hauing great admonition thereof lyfted vp her voice and sayde vnto him Happie is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked This worde differeth in perfection in his wordes all thinges endure take away this worde what is man a brute beast Take away the sunne out of the world what remaineth horrible darknesse Lactantius De ira Dei Cap. 1. Sayth Lumen mentis humanae Deus est remoto Deo coelestique doctrina omnia erroribus plena sunt God is the light of mans soule if you set a side or put away from you God his heauenlie worde all thinges are full of errours Take away this worde what is man a captiue of Sathan a praye of death a slaue of sinne a fire-brande of hell Ignorantia Scripturarū Christi ignorantia est Sayth Hierome in Prologo Esaiae Ignoraunce of the scriptures is ignoraunce of Christ As farre as heauen is distaunt from earth so farre ought heauenlie thinges alwayes be preferred before humaine thinges yea incomparably ought they alwayes to be preferred Hierome in Epistola Ad Demetriadem Virginem vtere lectione diuina Sayth hée Vtere speculo vide speculum foeda corrigenda pulchra conseruanda et pulchra facienda Scriptura enim speculum est foeda ostendens et corrige dicens Vse to reade the holie Scripture vse the glasse see the glasse that deformitie may be amended fayrenesse preserued and fayre thinges performed For the scripture is a glasse shewing deformitie and saying amend Gregoris in Moral sayth Sacra scriptura tanquam speculum quoddam mentis The holy Scriptures is as a certaine glasse of the minde S. Augustin in Psalm 48. Scriptura sancta sit tibi tanquam speculum speculum hoc habet splendorem non mendacem non adulantem nullius personam amantem formosus es formosum te ibi vides Sed cum foedus accesseries et foedum te ibi videris noli accusare speculum ad te redi non te fallit speculum tu te noli fallere Let the holie Scripture be to thee as a glasse this glasse hath no deceytfull or flattering brightnesse it is not in looue with any mans person Arte thou beautifull thou seest thy selfe there beautifull but when thou commest deformed accuse not the glasse aduise thy selfe the glasse deceyueth thee not deceyue not thou thy selfe Saint Augustine sayth Tom. 2. Epist 166. In Scripturis didicimus Christum in Scripturis didicimus Ecclesiā In the Scriptures we haue learned Christe in the Scriptures we haue learned the Church Saint Ambrose sayth in Homil. Lib. 4. Cap. 1. Christus oritur in lectione sol iustitiae In reading the Scriptures Christ the sonne of righteousnesse ryseth Saint Augustine sayth Verbo Dei docemur in omnibus By the worde of God we are instructed in all thinges Saint Basill in Concione Quod Deus non causa malorum verbum Dei ex quo solo noscitur Deus regiam viam monstrat et est lucerna pedum nostrorum The worde of GOD by the which onely GOD is knowen sheweth the kinges high way and is the lyght of our feete We learne faith in the Scriptures and not in Popishe Traditions Saint Hillarie sayth Ad imperatorem Constantinum to the Emperour Constantinus Fidem imperator quaeris audi eam non de nouis Chartulis sed de Dei libris Dooth your Maiestie seeke the faith Heare it then not out of any new scroll but out of the booke of God Saint Iohn sayth Chap. 14. Qui non diligit me sermones meos non seruat et sermo quem auditis non est meus sed eius
and receyued Sola fide by onely fayth Hierome vpon the tenth Chapter to the Romaines They not knowing that God iustifieth Sola fide by Faith onely and suppose them selues to be iust by the workes of the lawe which they neuer obserued they would not submit them selues vnto the remission of sinnes least they should seeme to haue beene sinners Hillarie in the ninth Canon vpon the. 8. of Mathewe It mooueth the Scribes that sinne was forgiuen by man for they dyd onely beholde man in Christe Iesu and that to be forgiuen of him which the lawe could not release Fides enim sola iustificat For faith only iustifieth Basill in his Homilie of Humility That at length is a perfect and sound reioycing in God when a man dooth not bragge and boast of his owne righteousnesse he is iustified Sola fide By faith onely in Christe Thus haue I recited bothe Scriptures and Doctours for proofe that a man is iustified onely by Faith more places out of the Scriptures and Doctours might be gathered But these may suffise for this matter ¶ Of Free wyll I Wyll prooue bothe by Scriptures and Doctours that frée wyll was giuen vnto man euen before his fall after his fall That man had frée wyll before his fall these testimonies of the Scriptures alleadged doo testifie the same In Genesis the first Chapter and 26. verse there it is written Et ait Deus faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram et praesit piscibus maris et volatilibus caeli et bestijs vniuersaeque terrae omnique reptili quòd mouetur in terra God sayd let vs make man in our owne Image according to our likenesse and let him rule ouer the Fishes of the sea and ouer the Fowles of the heauen and ouer the Beastes and ouer all the earth and ouer euerie thing that creepeth and mooueth on the earth If hee had rule ouer the Beastes of the féelde of the Fowles of the ayre and of the Fishes of the Sea he had then frée wyll And whereas it is written That God made man to his own image It is not meant of the body nor yet of the soule but of principallitie dominion In the. 2. Chap. of Gen it is written Tulit ergo Domnus Deus hominem et posuit eum in Paradisum voluptatis vt operaretur et custodiret illum praecepitque ei dicens ex omni ligno Paradisicomedes Then the Lord God tooke the man and put him into the garden of Eden that he might dresse it and keepe it and the Lord God commaunded the man saying thou shalt eat freely of euerie Tree of the garden By these words I gather that séeing it was graunted by God to man to eate of euerie Trée of the garden then had he frée wyll to doo as he would to eate or not to eate Againe Ecclesi 15.14 Deus ab initio cōstituit hominem et reliquit illum in manu consilij sui adiecit mandata et praecepta sua si volueris mandata seruare conseruabunt te c. He made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsell and gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes if thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commaundementes and testifie thy good wyll You sée that frée wyll was graunted vnto man before his fall God created him and left him in the hand of his counsell to doo what he would he had his owne choise eyther to the eating of euerie Trée of the garden and so to lyue eternallie in pleasures delightes ioye rest and quietnesse or to eate of the Trée of knowledge of good and bad and so to become mortall to léese his former state to become myserable wretched a caitife subiect to death hell and dampnation Againe in the same Chap. of Eccle. 15.17 Apposuit tibi aquam et ignem ad quod volueris porrige manum tuam And in the 18. verse Ante hominem vita et mors bonum et malum quod placuerit ci dabitur illi He hath set water and fire before thee stretch out thy hand vnto which thou wilt Before man is life and death good and euyll what it lyketh him it shall be giuen him Héere we sée moste manifestly that man had frée wyll before his fall For if the first man Adam could haue chosen eyther lyfe or death good or euyll who can with reason denie but that he had frée wyll For frée wyll is nothing else but a frée and loose lybertie of the minde to doo as he lyst Our Parentes An euident signe of free wyll Adam and Eue might haue lyued but they would not Adam and Eue had theyr choyse eyther to lyue or to dye to lyue and to doo good obseruing his commaundement and to dye if they would doo euyll neglecting his precept They followed the counsell of the Serpent in eating the fruite forbidden and so offended Gods Maiestie Wherefore it appeareth by these wordes that they had frée wyll to doo as they were commaunded and so to lyue in Paradise or to breake the commaūdement of God and so to dye bannished out of Paradise Eccle. 17.1 Deus creauit de terra hominem et iterum conuertit illum in ipsam The Lord hath created man of the earth and turned him to it againe Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi c. He gaue him the number of dayes and certaine tymes and gaue him power of the thinges that are vpon earth He cloathed him with strength as he had néede and made him according to his Image He made all fleshe to feare him so that he had dominion ouer the Beastes and Fowles He created vnto him a helper lyke vnto him selfe and gaue him discretion and tongue and eyes cares and an heart to vnderstand and sixtlie he gaue him a spirite and seuenthly he gaue him spéeche to declare his workes and he filled him with knowledge of good and euyll And he sayde vnto him Beware of all vnrighteous thinges Wisd 23. Deus creauit hominem inexterminabilem et adimaginem similitudinis sue fecitillum God created man without corruption and made him after the Image of his owne lykenesse Coloss 3.9 Lye not one to an other seeing that yee haue put off the olde man with his workes and haue put on the newe which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Ephesi 4.23 Be yee renewed in the spirite of your minde 24. And put on the newe man which after GOD is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Omnes homines Sayth Ambrose in his first Booke and third Chapter of the calling of the Gentiles in primo homine creati sunt sine vicio et culpa et tota natura nostra integra et valida erat et peccato istius hominis totius nostrae naturae integritatem et salutem amisimus All men in the first man were created without vice or faulte and all our nature was sounde and in health and by the sinne of the
that ye may be sure no peny no Pater noster of them So that I lust héere to make an exclamation with the Poet Quid non mortalia pectora cogit auri sacra fames Which we may englishe after this sort Oh of money looue most execrable that mans heart doost so sore enflame Oh gréedy desire of minde so myserable the woonders doost vndertake to thy great shame Put away offering then take away Purgatory For when the Préests can get no money then can they not defend Purgatorie giue them pence then wyll they finde some shifte or other to prooue that there is Purgatorie yea and that proofe they will fetch out from the example of S. Augustine who prayed for his mother yea and left in his writing the there was Purgatory But when S. August séeketh to prooue the same he dooth not bring one iote or syllable of the holy scriptures for to prooue his sayings by but groundeth him selfe only vpon the Forefathers I will be so bolde to follow his owne couÌ„sell which he giueth in the Prologue of his thirde booke De Trinitate Saying Noli meis scriptis quasi canonicis inseruire sed in illis quod non credebas si forte inueneris incunctaÌ„ter crede in istis autem quod certum non habebas nisi certum intellexeris noli firmiter credere I wyll not haue thee to be obedient vnto my writinges as vnto the Canonicall scriptures But if thou doost by chaunce finde in them meaning the Canonicall Scriptures the thing that thou diddest not beleeue beleeue it immediatly and without any delay But in these vnderstanding thereby his owne workes excepte thou doost vnderstand that thing to be most certayne which thou diddest not recken to be certaine I wyll not haue thee to beleeue it stedfastly What a goodly counsaile is this héere all men may sée that this holy Father wyll not haue his writinges to be beleeued except they be grounded vpon the scriptures and word of God Shall then any man blame vs if we doo as he him selfe dooth bid and counsayle vs to doo Dooth not all the world knowe that this auncient Doctour and most holie Father dyd as a man writte many thinges which he was fayne to reuoke and call backe afterwards in his booke of Retractions If he wrote any thing in defence of Purgatorie he disprooued the same afterwardes as by his owne wordes it dyd appeare in the. 18. Sermon De verbis Domini These be his very words Duae quippe habitationes sunt vna in igne aeterno altera in regno aeterno There be two habitations or dwelling places the one in the fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue ende Dooth not this agrée wel with the doctrine of our sauiour Iesus Christ that dooth onely appoint vnto vs the bosome of Abraham that is to say the societie and fellowshippe of all them that died in the faith of Abraham into the which the poore Lazarus was caried by the handes of the Angels and hell fire where the ritch glutton was buried unmediatly after his death But ye shall heare him yet speak more plainly Primum enim sayth he sides Catholicorum diuina autoritate regnum credit esse coelorum secundum gehennam vbi omnis apostata vel à Christi fide alienus supplicia experitur tertium prorsus ignoramus imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis reperimus The faith of the Catholiques dooth first and formost beleeue by the aucthoritie of the Scriptures that there is the kingdome of heauen Secondly that there is hell fire where all Apostataes and all that be straungers from the faith of Christe doo suffer punishment We are altogeather ignorant of the thirde place yea we finde not in all the holy Scriptures that there is any Againe in an other place he sayth It should be best that they should affyrme nothing in a matter that is vncertaine of that which the Scriptures doo not onely holde their peace but also doo speake the contrarie Yet the Papists for lucres sake are not ashamed to defend the opinion of Purgatorie by the fansies and dreames of theyr owne heads They that die in the faith of Christe in true confession and acknowledging theyr sinnes and with a true repentant heart haue no néede after they be once dead gone out of this vale of miserie of the deuotion and good déedes of theyr fréendes and kinsfolkes If we should but follow the aucthoritie and saying of the blessed Martyr Saint Cyprian Contra Demetr Tracta primo Who béeing a good whyle afore Saint Augustin dooth write after this maner Tu sub ipso licèt exitu et vitae temporalis occasu pro delictis roges Deum qui verus et vnus est confessionem et fidem eius agnitionis implores venia confitenti datur et credenti indulgentia salutaris de diuÃna pietate conceditur et ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur That is to saye Although thou doost at thy verie departing out of this worlde and going downe of this temporall lyfe praye vnto GOD for thy sinnes who is the true and onely GOD calling vppon him with a faithfull confession and acknowledging bothe of thine offences and of his trueth Thus confessing and beleeuing thou hast free pardon and forgiuenesse giuen and graunted vnto thee of the meere goodnesse and mercie of God And in the verie death euen as soone as thou hast giuen vp the ghost thou passest vnto immortalitie Héere doo ye sée that by this holy Martyrs saying if we do vnfainedly confesse acknowledge our sinnes and repent from the bottome of our hearts we doo not onely obtaine a frée pardon and forgiuenesse of our trespasses and offences at the bounteous and mercifull hand of God but also in the verie death it selfe we passe vnto immortalitie that is to say vnto a lyfe that neuer shall ende What shall then the deuotion and good déedes of our fréends and kinsfolkes profite vs can they better our estate But then we shall haue the fruition of the Godhead and sée God as he is we shall be with Iesus Christ in glory and haue the fellowship of all the blessed spirits and soules of the righteous What could be added to this felicitie I beseech you the Scriptures doo in all pointes agrée with this holy Martyr First Ezechiel Cha 18. dooth crie out saying At what tyme soeuer a sinner dooth repent him of his sinnes from the bottom of his heart I wyll put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance sayth the Lorde Dooth not the holy Ghost heere by the mouth of Ezechiel certifie vs The Scriptures are sufficient testimonies for the faith of Christians that if we wyll with a true repentaunt heart flie vnto the mercie of God and take holde therevpon through faith in our sauiour Iesu Christe our sinnes shall not onely be forgiuen vs but also cleane put out of remembrance vtterly forgotten And wherefore I pray you because of our owne merites
blinde peruersenes of the Papists In the. 10. of Iohn Christe sayth I am the doore dooth it followe that hée is a doore in déede no forsooth I thinke but that a doore is to harde for any man to eate they would haue takē that place of scripture to make God Though Christ sayd I am the doore it followeth not Note heere that he was a materiall doore no more dooth it followe that this word Hoc est corpus meum This is my body to be the same body that Marie the Virgin bare it is plaine errour and they are fowly deceyued For when Christe sayd This is my body that shall be giuen for you the worde that he spake was him selfe him selfe was the worde or else must the bread haue béene crucified as is afore which I will prooue by the manifest scriptures Christ sayth in the 6. of Iohn I am the liuing bread that came from heauen your fathers did eate Manna in the desert and are dead but I am the bread of lyfe So it demonstrateth that Christe was the bread Note heere which was giuen for vs but these Gentlemen say that the bread is he Nowe héere is all the cōtrouersie betwéene the Christiās and the Papists Christ fayth that he is the bread that was giuen for vs or broken for vs the Papists say that the bread is Christ now how can we agree for we say as Christ saith that he is the bread these Gētlemen say that the bread is he marke well the scriptures Paul sayth That which I receyued of God I gaue vnto you Let them answer me to this dyd Paul receiue any thing of the Lord but his word for Paul was not with the Lord at the supper to receiue any other thing Oblinde creatures they wot not what they doo will they haue the blood of wytnesse of Iesus Christe required at their hāds still O good christian brethrē for the tender mercy of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ beléeue not this erronious doctrine of the Papistes worship not a wheaten God In the. 6. Chap. of Iohn Christ sayth The bread which I will giue you is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the world Héere you may perceyue that the bread that Christ gaue vs was his fleshe Ergo his fleshe was the bread that he brake which was him selfe him selfe was the word and his word was his body which was giuē for the life of the world Then stroue the Iewes among them selues sayd How can this fellow giue vs his flesh to eate for they tooke it carnally as our cleane fingred Gētlemen doo now a daies thinking the they should haue eaten him vp flesh blood bones Iesus sayd vnto thē Iohn 6. Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man ye haue no life in you for whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath euerlasting lyfe And I shall raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is very meat and my blood hath euerlasting life and I shall raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is very meat and my blood is very drinke and whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abydeth in me and I in him Nowe I tolde you afore that Christe was the bread that was giuen for vs and euen as the materiall bread féedeth the body so this liuely bread féedeth the soule And Christe speaketh heere of his fleshe and blood which was offered in sacrifice for our saluation and our redemption as Iohn sayth Chap. 1.8 The worde became fleshe and we see the glorie of it as the onely begotten sonne of the Father and who so dooth beleeue this dooth eate Christes fleshe and drinketh his blood But not as these Papists do for they say that they crash him with their teeth carnally Oh abhominable blasphemy the same body that Mary bare but they which receiue him in a Christian Cōmunion receiue him by faith For Christe sayd Hoc facite in meam cōmemorationem Doo this in remembraunce of me And whosoeuer beléeueth that this body was done vpon the Crosse for his saluation and that the shedding of his blood is for the remissiō of his sinnes taken in the remembrance of Christes death eateth Christes body and drinketh his blood spiritually God graūt we may doo so for our own soules health Amen Thus much bréefly touching the supper of the Lord. Against mennes Merites and righteousnesse GReate controuersie and disputation there is betweene the Papists and vs Christians touching mennes merites righteousnesse The Papists say that they are iustified by good woorkes and not by faith We say that Sola fides iustificat omnes Faith alone iustifieth all men It is marueilous dearely beloued to see with what rashnes and boldnesse iustification of woorkes is commonly debated yea and it is to be seene how none doe more boldly or with fuller mouthes as the saying is prate of the righteousnesse of workes then they that are monstrously sicke of open outward diseases or be redy to burst with inward vices That commeth to passe because they thinke not vpon the righteousnes of God wherof if they had neuer so little feeling they would neuer make so great a mockerie of it And truely it is out of measure lightly regarded whē it is not acknowledged to be such and so perfect that nothing be imputed vnto it but euery way whole absolute and defiled with no vncleannesse such as neuer was and neuer shal be able to be found in man It is in deede easie and readie for euery man in schooles to talke vainlie vpon the worthinesse of woorkes to iustifie men but when they come into the sight of God such dalliances must auoyd because there is earnest doing vsed and no trifling strife aboute wordes To this to this I say we must applie our minde if we will profitably enquire of true righteousnesse how we may answere the heauenly Iudge when he calleth vs to account Let vs thinke him to be a Iudge not such a one as our own vnderstandinges do of themselues imagine but such a one as he is paynted out in the Scripture with whose brightnes the stars shal be darckned by whose strength the hils doe melt away by whose wrath the earth is shaken by whose wisdome the wise are takē in their suttletie by whose purenesse all thinges are prooued vnpure whose righteousnes the angels are not able to beare which maketh the innocent not innocent whose vengeance when it is once kindled pearceth to the bottome of hell If he I say sit to examine mens doinges who 〈…〉 peare assured before his throane Who shal dwell with a deuouring fire saith the prophet Esaie 3.34 Who shall abide with continuall burninges he that walketh in righteousnes and speaketh trueth c. But let such a one come foorth whatsoeuer he be but that aunswere maketh that none commeth foorth for this terrible saying soūdeth to the contrary Lord if thou marke our iniquities Lord who shall abide
that not of your selues it is the gifte of God not workes least any mā should boast him selfe 2. Tim. 1.9 Qui saluos fecit nos vocauit vocatione sancta non secundum opera nostra sed secundum suum propositum gratiam quae dat a quidem est per Christum Iesum ante tempora aeterna Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was geuen to vs through Iesus Christ before the world was Titus 3.5 Non ex operibus quae sunt in iustitia quae faciebamus nos sed secundum suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit per lauacrum regenerationis ac renouationis Spiritus sancti That is Not by the workes of righteousnes which wee had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternal life 1. Iohn 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to bee a recōciliation for our sins In the 9. ver We loue him because he loued vs first To the Reue. 21.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will geeue to him that is a thirst of the wel of the water of life freely Many other places of Scripture could I alleadge against mennes merites righteousnesse but these already alleadged may suffise any Christian man Now briefly will I see what the Doctors speake against this matter of Iustification by good works Origene in his 4. booke and 4. Chap. I doe scarcely beleeue that there can be any woorke that may of duetie require a reward Basill vpon the Psalme 32. Hee that trusteth not in his owne good deedes nor hopeth to be iustified by his woorkes hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercies of God Hilarie vpon the 118. Psalme If wee faste once we thinke we haue satisfied If out of the barnes of our houshold stoare we geue somewhat to the poore we beleeue that wee haue fulfilled the measure of righteousnesse But the Prophet hopeth all of God and trusteth all of his mercie Hierome vpon the 64. Chapter of Esay If we beholde our owne merites we must be driuen to desperation Vpon the. 3. Cha. to the Ephesians In Christe Iesu our Lord in whome we haue boldnesse and lyberty to come and trust and affiance by the faith of him not through our righteousnes but through him in whose name our sinnes be forgiuen In his first booke against the Pellagians Our ryghteousnesse dooth not confist of our merites but of the grace and mercy of God Augustin in his 50. Booke of Homyles 14 Hom. Dyd not he giue that thou mightest fight a good fight if he him selfe dyd not giue what was it that thou sayst In an other place I laboured more then all they yet not I but the grace of God within me behold thou sayst I haue ended my course dyd he not also giue vnto thee that thou shouldest finish thy course If he gaue not vnto thee that thou shouldest finish thy course what is it that thou sayst In an other place It lyeth not in the willer nor in the runner but in God that sheweth mercy I haue kept the faith I acknowledge and allowe it I confesse and grant that thou hast kept the faith but except the Lord dooth keepe the Citty he watcheth in vaine that dooth keepe it Pardon me O Apostle I know nothing of thine owne but euyll Pardon vs O Apostle we say so because thou hast taught vs. Therefore when he crowneth thy merites he crowneth nothing but his owne gyfts Thus you haue heard déerely beloued what both scriptures and Doctors write against mens merites and righteousnesse Wherefore I pray you in the name of Christe to embrace the trueth THus was the Sermon ended at Roome in the yéere of our Lord. 1578. in the moneth of May which Sermō is registred only for this cause the if I should reuolt frō Papistry mine own writing which is registred should cōdemne me to the fire for pardō there were none Otherwise if they had not registred this Sermon I might haue forsaken Papistrie without any feare of burning I might haue repayred vnto them be reconciled to the Romishe Church againe But nowe if I were so wicked lewde by meanes of my Sermō registred at Roome the Pope him selfe could graunt me no pardon according to theyr owne lawes But without any faile I should be burnt as an Heretique for thus tearme they Christians But God defend me from theyr clawes strengthē me in his faith graunt me patience vnto the ende and in the ende God graunt me an heart to looue him and obey my Soueraigne Quéene Elizabeth During her life I hope the Papists shall not burne me God graunt her Grace many yéeres to raigne with much felicitie encrease of honour and ioy of health bothe of body and soule Pray well O England for her Maiestie for truely thou hast much néed thou knowest the cause as well as I wherfore the same I doo omit to write This booke is ended Momus holde thy peace for there was neuer Momus that euer thriued vnlesse he became a mome for his labor Men wyll say as they haue done before this tyme that this Booke was the labour of other men as they say the other was It is well knowne of twēty and not so few that I had the helpe of none in this book neyther in the first booke which was called my Recantation All the helpe I had was of God and my bookes as for other helpe had I none not so much as one sentence or clawse had I by other mens industrie to be written in my booke This haue I spoken not to win prayse or that I should séeme to be coumpted learned before I be But I thought it good so much to write to certifie the Readers howe falsely I am accused and slaundered and what vntruethes the Papists report of me I crane no more of them then they would of me in the lyke case to speake no more then trueth is And let them not spare to report that which is trueth so shall they as I thinke neyther displease God nor molest their owne conscience And before the any man ought to beléeue them in misreporting ought of me let them first trie examine theyr wordes whether they be true or false and as they haue prooued theyr wordes so let them beléeue Thus I haue ended to write any farther to God be prayse vnto me to accomplishe what to a Christian belongeth If you like this simple worke of mine expect for a better which I hope to God ere it be long shal be brought to lyght to the misliking of the Papists and to the discredite of theyr hypocriticall Religion and to the profite of the Christians and aduancement of
the vndoubted trueth of the Gospell FINIS Et Laus Deo Dum spiro spero vita mors coelum gehenna Liuoris et maleuolentiae Papistarum breuis atque dilucida narratio et explicatio PApistarum animos ita distractos atque discerptos esse video vt nihil inconstantius aut miserius fingi possit Duobus retrò annis summo me prosequuti sunt amore nunc odio incendūtur et varia in me cōuicia atque maledicta certé indigne spargunt prôh dolor quid scripsi quid feci quid lobuutus sum quod non viro libero idoneum quod non Christiano congruens quod non ingenuo dignum Cum hostes hamani generis sempiterni animam meam obsederant et ad eam laniandam acriter incitati fuerant cum spinis obsita tenebris obducta mortiferisque cincta periculis fuerat anima mea nemo Romanistarum erat qui mihi non fauebat et qui optimam opinionem de me non habebat sed iam quia Christus salutarem vulneri meo medicinā adhibuit et mihi homini misero benignitatis suae lucem porrexit et ad spem salutis excitauit pessime de me loquuntur sic furiarum iaculis agitantur sic in varias partes impetu quodam rabido concitantur cum impietas religion is suae omnibus patefacta sit vt nullū sermonē habere possint quo me calum nijs et vituperijs non afficiant Quid excogitari potest amentius quid magis furiosum atque turbulentum quam animum hostili odio imbutū habere simultates atque inimicitias ex inuidia et aemulatione conceptas in illum tantùm exercere qui non plus loquitur quam probare potest Venit interim in mētem mihi admirari quibus rebus adducti plerique Papistae tantum mendaciis atque figmentis tribuant vt easummis honoribus decoranda et omnibus ornamentis afficiēda esse putent vt grauis illorum mendax est conditio vereor ne exitus multo sit acerbior Qui magna fingendi delectatione ducitur verendum est ne sempiternas exoluat poenas Quādiu possint liberè de me mendacia dicant et quando vlteriùs in medacijs fingendis progredi nequeāt desinant tunc mentiri et si me vincunt ingenio et si eruditione superant non certè Deo adiuuante propter ingenij tarditatem me deludi sinā ego ad Euangelicae veritatis fidem officia vitae dirigā et Christū deprecabor vt mihi fidem adaugeat et ab illa recidere minimè patiatur vt odio prosequar religionem Papistarum quae fausta nunciat et perniciem comparat quae spem virtutis ostendit et ingum durissimae seruitutis imponit quae specie praesentis iucunditatis allicit et postea multis curis animum et moestitia ingenti solicitat quae viam in coelum se monstraturam esse pollicetur et homines illius ope fretos in miseriae perennis terminū praecipites exturbat Colluuio Papistarum fremat quantum lubet et quātum potest inclamet nec enim meum est nee id mihi munus assignatum patitur vel perturbari conuitijs vel ad omnia maledicta respondere Ego nunquam aliquem illorum maledicto lacessiui Liber meae recantationis quem in lucem edideram quem vniuersi Papistae Anglicani et VVallici maledictis lacerant nullum verbum contumeliosum habet nisi fortassè querelam iustissimam et errorum et flagitiorum explicationem verissimam conuitiū appellare velint et tamen quasi apri feroces telo venenato confixi in me furentér irruunt tantum veró abfuit vt contumelijs suis cōturbarer vt saepe mihi risum ista suae linguae petulantia mouerent Christum optimum maximum oro et obtestor per sanguinem illius pro omnium salute profusum per vulnera per acerbissimū cruciatum per mortem qua morti necem intulit per victoriam quam de Satanae imperio consequutus est vt omnes aduersarios nostros erroribus liberet et splendore sui luminis illustret et ad fidem et religionis sanctissimae consensionem et Ecclesiae septa reducat spiritusque sui praesidio tueatur vt simul eadem vitae perennitate perfruamur Amen ¶ Per me miserum non hominem sed vermem non foelicem sed infaustam non bonam sed improbam creaturam I. N. multis curis et cogitationibus excubantem atque pernoctantem Non dubito quin aliqua in hoc libro commissa sint sed non multa et non magni momenti fore confido A confutation of the Oration made before the 4. Cardinalles and the dominican Inquisitor GEntle Reader bothe for mine owne credit and to gaine thy freendly courtesie I am to speake somewhat as concerning my obstinacie in my Oration which perhaps will be lightlie reproched of the wilfull and may yeelde some cause of misliking to the wise First consider the person before whom it was presented next the place and lastlie the error wherein I was my self Beeing then vnto my no small greefe now a contemner of Gods true religion and a delighter in that abhominable and Babilonical sect I spake that against the Protestants which neither they nor I could iustly verifie for no greater delight haue the Papists then by lyes and wicked reports to abuse the Protestants defaming our Ministers they care not how and belying their liues they care not in what The which I hearing and as then perfectly beleeuing vpon their woords I reported that vvhich I am hartily sorie for And yet I haue good hope that considering I vvas then a Papist liuing in error and idolatry and am now in the trueth imbracing the same in the verie bovvels of my soule the remainder of my life shall cut off the remembraunce of mine offence and my dutie faithfully and truely discharged shall stop the mouthes of all mine enemies Thus loth to be ouer tedious to thee and to come into any ill reproche my selfe I desire thee to respect me as I am not as I vvas and to forget my folly on the establishing of my faithe In hope vvhereof I commit thee to God vvhom I pray to blesse thee vvith his heauenlie prouidence and increase my faith to thy comfort and profit Amen J. Nichols FINIS ⧠Vtilis et pia precatio ab omnibus Christianis dici digna mané atque vesperì I Lle diuinus spiritus qui coelū et terras tuetur et regit Reginā Elizabetham defendat ac protegat procreator mundi omnes suos inimicos extinguat et funditus deleat Suorum honorabilium virorū a conciliis Iehoua conseruator sit praeses atque custos Ordinis sacricolarū numen diuinum sit adiutor in verbo Dei propagando cunctos primates heroes magistratus huius regni Anglicani qui summus est in coelo atque in terra tueatur et conseruet eiusdem vulgarem populum Deus defensum habeat Euangelii fautorum Christus sit vnicus defensor atque propugnaculum inimicos nostros veritati Deus reconciliet et omnem inter nos et illos controuersiam dirimat potentia diuina Antichristum destruat cum toto suo imperio insolenti optabilem et liberum transitum concedat Deus Euangelio In anima omnium graduum talem inscribat Deus gratiam quali praeditus quisque in suo officio et munere digne ambulare possit Amen