diuine honor yet honorably to conserue and keepe them deuoutly to beholde or kisse them and to shew certaine reuerence towards them in that they be reliques and tokens left vs by such deere seruantes and friends of God we be taught both by the holy Scriptures practize of Gods Church from Christs time and the testimony of all good men which declare that by the reliques of Saints that is deade mens bones as the heretikes tearme them many great miracles haue been wrought Bid your Ministers looke in the 4. booke of Kinges and in the 13. chapter and see whether they cannot finde there in holy Scripture how when certaine men cast a dead body into the graue of Elizeus the Prophet as soone as the body touched the holy Prophets bones it rose vp aliue againe and stood vpon his feete Can heretickes blame vs for keeping vestments and cloathes of Saints departed when wee reade in holy Scripture that Elizeus by 4. Reg. 2. keeping his Master Elias his cloake receaued with all his double spirit and comming to the riuer Iordan striking it with that cloake the riuer deuided and by vertue thereof gaue him passage Mar. 5. 28. 29. Act. 19. 12. Act. 5. 15. ouer What did not the very hemme of Christs garment napkins and little cloathes taken from S. Paules body and the shadowe of S. Peter heale and cure the sicke lame and diseased with incurable diseases what need we goe farther for Reliques of Saints then to plaine Scripture itselfe were not all the Patriarkes buried with great honour did not Ioseph according to his father Iacobs cōmandemēt carry his body dead into the land of promise And were not Iosephs bones 400. yeares after his death with great honour by the children of Israell carried into the land of promise also and dare heretickes burne the bones sacred bodies of Martirs Saints and cast their ashes into the winde and waters rent teare their vestments asunder yea most vilanously breake downe and abuse the Image and sacred Crosse of CHRIST the verye ensigne of our redemption and yet saye they haue Scripture for it But these bodies of Saints bee they neuer so much abused by them shall appeare glorious in the resurrection vvhen Infidelles and Heretickes that teare CHRISTS misticall bodye his Church and his coate asunder shall vvithout all doubt frie for it in Hell I coulde shewe diuers miracles likevvise since CHRISTS time but time serueth mee not vvhich haue beene vvrought at the bodies of Saints As Saint Augustine maketh mention Aug. lib. 22. de ciu Dei cap. 8 of the Reliques of Saint Stephen whereby vvere cured diseases Yea by the very flowers that touched the Cophin vvherein his Reliques vvere put miraculous thinges vvere vvrought Wee reade also how that by the vaile of a certaine blessed Virgine and Martyr the outragious and furious flames of fire which threatned ruyne to some whole Citty haue beene quenched by Saintes bodies the Diuels expelled to the blinde their sight restored and the lame made to vvalke Howe miraculouslye vvere the two Chaynes that at Ierusalem and Rome bounde Saint Peter of them-selues knitte togither and the like vvhereby it appeareth how mightye and high their Lorde is howe good and gratious that so highlye honoureth the verye bones or reliques of his deare friendes that trulye serued and loued him here giuing other thereby encouragement to follovve their example Which honoure giuen by GOD to his friendes and seruantes when the Holye Prophete considered hee wondered at sayng Thy friendes O God bee Psal 138. 17. too too much honoured But the heretikes that not onlye denye prayer for the soules departed but withall burne and so dishonour the reliques of Saintes both which the honourable reliques of Saintes and prayer for the soules departed bee great hopes and comfortes of the resurrection truly in my simple judgement doe shoote fast to deny another article of our Creed that is the resurrection of the body and all with which denyall as I doe not alltogither charge them yet to confesse the truth I iustye suspecte them and let them not say but they haue beene forewarned Chap. LII Of honour and inuocation of Saints and how Saints pray for vs and may heare releeue vs by their praiers as also that our praiers to Saints and their intercession for vs is no iniury but glory to Christ our Mediator TOuching the Saints in Heauē our prayers and honour vvee doe to them such honour and prayers bee by farre and by many degrees inferiour to those that we doe to God naye what honour vvee doe to Saintes it tendeth chieflye to Godes honour who is honoured in his Saintes vvho accepteth the least seruice wee doe to any of his friends as done vnto him Novve you must vnderstand their be diuers kindes of vvorshippes and honours according to the worthines of the persons we shew it to as one kind of honour is due to father and mother another kinde of worship or honor to gentlemen our betters another higher honour to temporall Lordes Princes Bishops and the like and yet when wee doe this honour to them which by Godes Commaundement is due because they take power of him there is no reasonable man that can say wee dishonour God therein but rather honour him in so doing So likewise wee honour Saints as great friendes of God Princes and Senators in that heauenly court with an honour due vnto them which kinde of honour the Greekes call Dulia and wee right worthely worshippe and honour our blessed Lady as being neerest Christ with another kind of honour cal led Hyperdulia higher then that againe but wee honour GOD alone with that most high honour and seruice called Latria vvhich honour is due to none but to God only to whome finally and alone in this high seruic◠is due all honour and glory and with this most high seruice vvhich is Sacrifice vvee only vvorshippe God and no Saint For we say not we offer to thee Peter or Paul Sed offerrimus tibi domine deus Wee offer and doe Sacrifice to thee O Lord for in this manner of honour that is Sacrifice he will giue his honour to no other Heretikes nowe confound all these honours together making no distinction or difference betweene them whereby they deceaue them selues and others vvee then neither honour our Lady Saints nor Angels vvith that honour due vnto God but with such honour as is meete for his friendes and most noble creatures in whome God is chiefly honoured and praysed but touching Sacrifice which is proper to God that diuine worship I say consisting in external sacrifice and in acknowledging the parties worshiped to be Gods is it which may bee done to no man nor creature and therefore the Apostles refused it with all possible diligence and all the Angels and Saints in heauen refuse that adoration by Sacrifice The Catholicke Church suffereth no Priest nor other so to worshippe any Saints in heauen or in earth shee hath
the Catholike Romaine Church hath this ordinary succession confirmed with miracles it partly appeareth by that is allready sayd when as then the very Iewes from Aaron to Christ could shewe their lawfull succession of Bishoppes euen to Christ the true law-giuer that state of olde being but a very figure of ours and whereas by the Apostles doctrine none ought to take vpō them the office of bishops no neither king nor prince much lesse to make bishops but hee only that therto is by ordinary vocatiō called as Aaron was by God annoynted inuested by Moises who first himselfe by extarordinary vocation or miracle vvas chosen and called by God and whereas by very drift of reason the Church cannot visibly continew as Christ promised it should doe without pastors and heades to guide it and succeede one another in the same The Catholike Roman Churh only therfore and no other being that which can shew this ordinary and lawfull succession of Bishops in the Apostolike Sea of Saint Peter whose faith in them Christ promised should neuer faile must of necessity be the true Church of Christ and other flockes and sortes of heretikes as Protestants Puritanes who soeuer must needs be bragge they neuer so much of christ and the Gospel the very Sinagogue of Satan Antichrist For the Protestantes and other Heretikes of our time that would be accounted gospellers of christ to haue with them ōly the true Church besides the new vpstarts bee very blasphemous in so saying as going about in effect to proue vntruth in christ as though he failed in his promis who saied his church shold neuer decay besids this I say they be very obsurd ridiculous foolish in their opiniō for example would you not thinke him a folish painter and very vnskilful in his art that hired by some noble gentleman to draw his picture after he had drawn the head would leaue out body legs armes sett only the feet where the necke should stand to his head Spectatum admissi risum teneatis Euerye one thinke you that looked theron would they not laughe him to scorne yes truly Like vnto this foolish painter be the gaye deceitfull painted heretikes of our time they brag Yea heretikes I mean be farre beneth the feete as for want of succession being no members of Christs misticall body the church a◠a◠of the lord christ the head of the church they say they teach the doctrine the Apostles did forsooth that they be al one with those B. Fathers of the Primitiue church one body in christ his church but enquire of thē by what sinewes and ioynts they be tied to the Apostles primitiue church of what lawful Bishops by succession they haue receiued their faith they can shew you none For 1500. yeares together they brag of the head yet be in steed of the feet wher is the body You see it is wanting wherefore you see for want of succession they haue no true possession in Godes house Wherfore those that will come into his kingdome must flie their company Fugite de medio Babilonis flie out of Babilon the corps of sin and Satan and her confusion hereticall congregations that you be not inuolued in her ruine and perpetuall destruction Chap. VI. Of some other signes and tokens of the true catholike church c. how without it none can be saued BY these foure notes then of vniuersality antiquity consent and lawful succession if you marke them well you may euer know the true Church from all other false sects and conuenticles of infidells and miscreant heretikes because they be proper to no other church but only the Catholike Church But besides these there be many other notes of the true Church that I cannot stand to reckon For what faith sauing only the catholike Romane faith hath bene in euery age when it hath beene planted in any Countrie first confirmed with so many miracles as in raising the dead giuing sight to the blind making the lame to walke and the dumb to speake but our Church and Catholike faith So that our church only I say is it and no other that hath had so many blessed and learned fathers and Doctors of all ages from Christs time to this day as appeareth by so many learned treatises and boks yea whole volums of theirs writtē in defence of our faith and religion As to begin with S. Dionise S. Paules scholler he writeth most learnedly of the Hierarchies of Angells of their aide succour we receaue by them of holie rites and ceremonies vsed euen at Masse this daye contrarie to the heretikes of this time yea we haue the very Liturgies that is the formes and orders of sacrifices as much to say of saying Masse which the Apostles namelye Saint Iames vsed in their dayes as they were taught by Christ at his last supper what shall I say of Policarp holy Ignatius in or nere the Apostles time the one scholler to S. Iohn view their writings you shal find the catholike faith confirmed how oft deuoutly do S. Athanasius S. Gregory Nazianzene S. Basil to praye our Lady the mother of God to assist and helpe them with her prayers S. Chrisostome how reuerentlye doth he speake of the most holy blessed Sacrament of the Aulter no lesse doth Saint Ambrose most plainly writing vvhole bookes of the same In so much that learned Saint Hierome is ours S. Augustine is ours S. Gregory the Pope S. Bede S. Anselme S. Bernard and as many as euer were writers or holye doctors in Gods Church bee most euident for vs hee that will but reade their bookes and beleeue them needeth no more nor new writers for confirmation of his faith If I would lye yet their bookes beyng extant to be sould almost in euerye stationers or booke-binders shoope in London can testifie the truth If thou desire thy saluation good brother perhappes discredite my words yet take but the pains to peruse the books of those Blessed fathers by me named thou shalt find my wordes true These Fathers many moe to long for me to reck on were most vertuous most wise most graue most learned of the greatest authority amongst al sorts of the best mē in their daies since so studious of holy Scriptures that they consumed therin nightes and dayes yea their whole liues and withal most skilfull in all other liberal sciences They would not attempt as heretikes do now a daies new come from the grammer schooles thinking thēselus great men when they can speake a little latine greeke yea some of them perhappes scarce good grammer schollers to take vpon them prophanely to handle the sacred booke of God and expounde rashly the holy scriptures that booke I say sealed with seauen seales open to none but to the humble in harte and to such as vse ordinary wayes and meanes as much fasting continual praier adioyned with good life especially humility lowlines of spirit a virtue
Church Hierico being ruinated destroyed and quite razed downe the wales of Hierusalem may bee builded vp Then may we sing exultantibus animis with Psal 50. ioyfull harts Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae oblationes holocausta tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos Then O Lorde we purified by grace in hart and soule from sinne with due composition also and decency of body wholy offering our selues to thee as thou offeredst thy selfe farre more bountifully for vs in contrite and humble hart by Christ here our high Priest the only pure and most acceptable Sacrifice vvee I say vvill offer to thee O God and thou for IESVS thy sonnes sake Shalt accept our sacrifices of prayers and thanksgiuing oblations of iustice the due sincere and vpright charitable dea ling to vard our neighbours with whole burnt offerings of burning heauenly desires with feruent loue aboue measure to our louing L. aboue then vpon the Altar of our hartes with incensed and diuine affections kindled with deuotion shall we make a feast to God and his Angels who delite to rest and dwell with pure soules deuout oft and worthy receauers of this blessed Sacrament then shall wee in thy Church militant here in earth ouer all nations triumpth in true and souud faith then with constant patience the Lady of wisdome and procurice of true honour shall we in all aduersities expect ioyfully thy B. comming Then for thy loue with armes of loue and charity shall wee imbrace both friend and foe fructifying in good workes wishing and procuring to our power the good of all men then shall christ enter into vs with diuine presence and holy grace and we rest and repast our selues of and in him by his bountefull sauour Then shall we enter and repose in him by tasting his sweetnes and go forth contemplate his mighty power and goodnes in all creatures and superabundantly find within and without which none can tell but he that hath found it repast and refection of his loue his sweetnes his power maiesty bounty glory and goodnes So reliquie cogitaticnum c. the remnant of spirituall and pure thoughts conceaued by the deuout tasting and most sweet meditation of this diuine mistery shall refresh vs and make in our harts a festiual day a healthful banquet an immortall and most delightfull supper full of all ioy and gladnes Then shall we be so enamored with his loue that vvith his svveete spouse in her Canticles wee burst out and say Fasciculus Mirrhe Cap. 1. dilectus meus mihi c. My beloued to me is a poesie of Mirrhe of svveete odoriferous and fragant flowers I will imbrace him and he shall rest betweene my breasts in my very hart Tenui nec demittam Cap. 3. eum I haue kept him c. I will hold him fast I will hold him fast and neuer let him goe Thus exulting to GOD here vpon the Altars of our hartes and soules thus offered in his sight farre better pleasing God then oblations sacrifices of thousands of those bloudy sacrifices of calues bulls Then finally in that glorious triumphant Church a boue shal we laud and glorify almighty god through christ Iesus his most sweet and only sonne that pure and innocent Lambe daily offered here in sacrifice vpon the Altar in a mistery and sitting at his Fathers right hand in a supereminent glory who to our bodies soules is the true foode of grace and glory that perisheth not but remayneth to life euerlasting who be blessed and honoured of all creatures for euermore Amen Chap. XXXI Of holy Order what it is by whome it was ordeyned and of hoâ—e many degrees it consisteth and that no man rashly without due consideration ought to take vpon him the same THE fift Sacrament is holy Order as then in Baptisme we be newe regenerate or borne in Christ in Confirmation strengthned in Penance after our woundes and faults healed and raised vp againe in the holy Sacrament of the Altar most abundantly fed to make vs liuely Souldiers of Christ and that we may last out to our iorneys ende like royall Souldiers obtaine the victory so by this holy SacrameÌ„t of Order christs kingdome and common weale his holy Church as a most valiant army set in most mighty noble order is prepared to triumph ouer those Princes of darknes perpetuall enemies of mankinde this wretched worlde For if all things God hath ordayned bee well ordered much more his holy Church so dearely beloued of him that not only all thinges he created in heauen and in earth tend to the saluation of it but he himselfe shed his bloud for it For euen as God in his triumphaÌ„t Church in heauen hath some higher some lower orders of Angels euen so in his Church militant here in earth there be diuers degrees in holy order all teÌ„ding to the due seruice of God as Bishops Priests Deacons and other inferior orders wherof some succeed the Apostles others the Disciples of Christ and coadjutors of the Apostles al lawful messengers and workmen of Christ ad Ephes 4. 12. consummationem sanctoruÌ„ in opus ministerit dulie to administer and execute his woâ—ke to bring his elect seruants to perfection Order then being instituted by Christ giuen by imposition of hands as appeareth by holy Scripture is a Sacrament you see ordeyned by Christ whereby his Church is well disposed gouerned yea and defended against all foraine incursions Nowe this holy order which is chiefly principally called Priesthood consisteth of many orders I meane the other inferior orders appertayning to it Foure inferior orders Other inferior orders euery one in their degree bee also properly called Order but chiefly Priesthood whereunto the other inferior be long there be which be preparatioÌ„s to Priesthoode which though they binde not to chastity as the 3. higher orders do yet it is not coÌ„nuenient that any take theÌ„ but such as haue mind to be Priests yet ther is first a preparation to these 4. inferior orders which we call the first tonsure whereby a man before he enter to take holy orders is taught by thus cutting of the haire to shake of all worldly cares to cut of al superfluous desires and transitory thinges that may hinder him from heauenly contemplation and the due seruice of almighty God The first of these lower orders is called the Ostiary that is the dore keeper that hath by vertue of that office giuen him which the keyes the Bishop giueth him doth betoken power to keepe and shutte the Church dores to keepe out heretickes and infidels and preserue enclosed from prophane handes the holy vestures and sacred vessels of Christ The second order is the Reader that by the booke which the Bishoppe giueth him may reade holy lessons of holy Writ in the Church The third order is called an Exorcist which hath power giuen him to expell and cast out Diuels not by witchcraft and superstition as Southsayers Conjurers and
more then I deny him in their harts Thus you see by the truth it selfe and the contrarye how necessary worthy this holy Sacrament of Order is in somuch that S. Chrisostome other holy Fathers comparing the office of a Priest with the office of a King preferre the Priest by manye degrees before the King by how much spiritual and diuine matters exceed earthly and these base corporal things For in taking away Priesthood is taken away sacrifice whereby God is chiefly worshipped and so God therby is most dishonored as by the contrary vvhen Priesthood is had in reuerence then is he most honored those that thus honour Christ in his Priests be most blessed and prosperous yea oftentimes in this life For what Country for example was more puissant more vertuous more religious then England was so honorable in her selfe beloued of her neighbours feared of her foes * English men were first conuerted by Pope Gregorie the great through the preaching of Augustine the Moke about 1000 yeare ago as long as she honored Priesthood and was an obedient daughter to the high Priest of God by whom she first receaued the Gospell From whome since she fell what Country is in more misery danger at home and abroad hereof bee verified the wordes of holy Scripture Qui contemnâ—t me erunt ignobiles The holy Prophet foretolde that Kinges and Queenes should be norishers feeders of gods house the Church defenders of his Priests but those that contemne her and them shall become base and vnworthy Chap. XXXVI Of Matrimony and what it is and when it was ordeyned of the chiefe good ende and effect thereof and how Virginity is preserred before it also of vowed chastity annexed to Priesthood THe sixt Sacrament is Matrimony which is the lawfull conjunction of man and woman instituted by God to liue socially togither during life with out breach of mutuall faith and promise giuen in marriage the one to the other which state of life though heretiks falsely against Gods worde and the Apostles doctrine prefer before Virginity and chastiry yet that they may shew themselues heretickes in all things and leaue nothing vndefiled they deny it to be a Sacrament contrary to S. Paul Ephes 5. 32. who calleth it a greate Sacrament in Christ and his Church in Paradise also first insinuated and in some sort ordeyned by God For by that conjunction of man and woman in that honourable state of Matrimony is represented the conjunction of Christ and his Church as his most faithfull wife and spouse a pure virgin which in his endles kingdome hee shall make glorious without spot or wrincle The heretikes that deny matrimony to be a Sacrament not only gain-say Christ and the Apostles doctrine coÌ„found all good ciuill gouernmeÌ„t but also induce Iudaisme Turcisme yea Paganisme amongst Christians who are taught by Christ his Church that man wife as one body or rather two bodies in one flesh ought not to bee deuided during life by plurality of moe wiues or husbands and vvhy but because matrimonye is a Sacrament vvherein they bee ioyned together so representinge the coniunction of Christ the head of his only body and spouse the Church as man is head of one wife But deny once with heretickes matrimonye to bee a Sacrament and so to want this misticall representation of Christ and his Church which maketh it a sacrameÌ„t yea though it were in no other respect but in that representation and then what followeth but that mariage is nothing but a temporall pacte bargaine promise and a mere naturall acte and then may a man accordinge to the Turkes lawe haue as manye vviues as hee canne maintaine and keep which beastly absurdity you see followeth of protestants Doctrine yea and of their practize in many places wee see from vvhich fleshly heresie our Lorde deliuer vs. But in this Sacrament worthely receaued is the grace of God giuen diuers waies a remedy against vnlawfull concupiscence but the cheif goods hereof be Fides proles sacramentuÌ„ The troth first and fidelity that ought to bee betwixt the parties married that rather they should suffer death than once breake Secondly issue or children to Godes honour ought to bee cheiflye desired vvhereby God may be serued Thirdly in that it is a Sacrament is the greatest benefit for so thereby grace is giuen to performe these things better and to liue in sweet conuersation togither in the feare and loue of GOD whereby appeareth hovve haynous this sinne of adulterye is that breaketh so holy a state and violateth so high a misterye as the representation of the conjunction of CHRIST and his Church yet though Matrimonie bee good Virginity or chastitie is farre better insomuch that our Sauiour affirmeth that some there bee that haue euer kepte Chastity for the kingdome of GOD and he exorteth those that canne that is those that will take the holye state of Virginitye or chastitye to take it and the Apostle wisheth all to be as himselfe that is chast therefore hee saith Hee that giueth his Virgin to bee 1. Cor. 7 38. married doth well but hee that keepeth her continuall Virgin doth better though none oughte to bee forced thereunto Matrimony is graunted also for feare Note that I heare do not say that the SacrameÌ„t cheifly for that end was or day ned of a worse matter that is to avoide fornication and in that respect to those that bee at liberty and haue not before vowed chastitye Better it is as saith the Apostle for them to marrye then to burne though such as hee testifieth shall not liue without trouble of fleash But if once they haue vowed chastity they must seeke otherwise then by women that is by fasting prayer study discipline the like spirituall exercises to keepe them selues chast otherwise they damnablye offend like those vvanton widowes the Apostle speaketh of because 1. Tim. 5. 12. PrimaÌ„ fidem irritam fecerunt they brake their first faith made in vowe that is to Christ their husband and so were damned and therefore it is altogether vnlawful for Priests to marry because in being Priests they make vowe of chastitie Therfore let euery one before he take holy orders well consider with himselfe whilst he is at libertie for after it is too late and though some of the Apostles had wiues yet when they were called by Christ they forsooke their wiues as it appeareth by their owne wordes we have forsaken all thinges and follwed Mat. 19. 27. thee a wife belike was some thing neither doe wee deny nowe a married man to become Priest so that hee hath married a maid only and that shee bee dead or else hath her full consent that neuer after shee will desire his company S. Ambrose sheweth the reason vvhy Preists of the newe Testament now in this lawe of Christ and grace ought not to haue wiues for if the Priests of the olde Testament before Christ when they were to
mention made His soule was not left in hell and Psal 15. 10. Ephe. 1. 20 et 4. 9. 1. Pet. 3. â—2 in another place it is said of Christ That hee asended what is it but because hee desended also first into the lower partes of the earth that was into hell of the torments or sorrowes whereof as being the death or vanquisher of death and the biting or deuourer of hell according to the Prophets he could not bee detayned or holden But these fellowes that deny Christ was in hell the cloysters whereof hee once broke binding that olde serpent and so deny their Creede no meruaile though they make so small reckening of Purgatorie but account it as a buggard to feare children In which place in deed I warrant them they shall neuer come vnlesse they amend their manners and monstrous opinions There is a lower place prepared for all such incredulous infidells and heretickes that is In inferno infernori In the deepest bottomlesse pitte and gulf of hell and damnation wherein is no redemption Chap. XLIII Of Purgatorie what sort of people be therein punished and for what manner of sinnes and defects they bee there detained and that Prayer Sacrifice Almes-deeds and the like bee healthfull for the departed NOwe that there is a Purgatory or a cleansing place for some lesser sins and the reliques of sinne or the paine and satisfaction due vnto sinne in the next life before the soule can be in quiet rest and enioy the glory of God wee proue it by diuers reasons and authorities of Scriptures and Fathers and the coÌ„mon receaued faith of the vniuersall Church at all times First then wee are to note that the euerlasting paine due vnto sinne is forgiuen by vertue of Christs Passion in the holy Sacrament of Penance so that if a man die in state of grace by that Sacrament a perfect penitente sinner with out doubt hee shal neuer perish euerlastingly yet there be many lesser sinnes many inordinate passions many defects and imperfections and the paiment and satisfaction due to those greater sinnes which all and euery if they bee not perfectlye wipte or cleansed from the soule in this life by perfect loue to God and works of Penance shall no doubt thereof be cleansed and paide for in the next before the soule can see God and enter into his kingdome For no spotted or vncleane Apoc. 21. 27. thing shall enter therevnto as witnesseth Saint Iohn Gods great mercy it is I say then that forgiueth the sinne by Penance here in this life that it be not punished euerlastingly in hell but it is in his iustice wee doe some satisfaction for it which if it be not here it must be done there that is in Purgatory before the soule can attaine the glory of God Many there be that speake of Purgatory but fewe that deepely consider the fearefull and terrible paynes thereof which be so great that no paine in this worlde is comparable thereunto The fire of Gods iustice there as noteh Saint Augustine as farre exceedeth the fire we see here as the fire in deede exceedeth fire painted vpon a wall insomuch that the paines of Purgatory differ litle from those in hell but that the one hath end and the other hath none and those in Purgatory be blessed soules in state of grace and saluation but those in hell be cursed desperate and sure of euerlasting damnation Three sorts of people as nameth S. Augustine there be that departe out of this worlde one sorte so good that they neede not our prayers As the B. Martyrs and Confessors that gloriously confessed CHRIST and with seruent loue shed their bloud for his sake that through Christ bee washed and cleansed in their owne bloud those washed their stoles as saith S. Iohn Apoc. 7. 14. in the bloud of the Lamb and with that feruent loue to God be so cleansed from all spot of sinne that presently without stay they enter into his kingdome walking in white garmentes of honour and glory with him for euermore these need not our prayers but pray for vs. An other sort there be that bee so badde that we may not pray for them after their death as all Infidells Iewes Turkes Heretickes Schismatickes and all whosoeuer die out of Gods Church vvithout vvhich is no Saluation or in deadly sinne those the holy Church prayeth not for as being by gods iudgment damned in Hell wherein is no redemption or recouery for euermore An other sort of departed there be for whome only and no other we pray that is for the faithfull departed in peace and charitye which can in no sort bee but in the faith vnity of Christes holy Catholicke Church that is for faithfull Christian catholickes dying in state of grace for them wee praye that sooner they may be released of their sinnes and defects and enjoye Godes glorye And that we ought this to doe vvee Eccles 7. 37. 2. Macha 12. Math. 5. 27. 1 Cor. 3. Phil. 2. 2. Tim. 1. 1. Iohn 5. Apoc. 5. proue it by diuers authorities of holye Scripture as where wee bidden to doe vvell to the dead and againe forbidde not fauour to the dead with diuers other plaine places of the olde and newe Testament but according to the places here alleadged how should one doe wel to the dead but by almesdeed or praier or how can we hinder them of benefit vnlesse we omit and cease to doe and pray for them Chap. XLIIII More at large of Purgatory prayer for the dead how heretickes not onlye corrupt but denye the playne Scriptures in avouching the contrary IN an other place of holye Scripture it is written how a noble captaine hauing of his souldiers slaine sent monye to Ierusalem to bee offered for the departed thinking well and religiouslye of the resurrection of the dead and that his souldiers died with piety or vertue and in the ende the Scripture concludeth 2. Mach. 12. 46. thus Therefore it is a good or holy and healthfull thought to praye for the dead that they may be loosed from their sinnes These places by mee alleadged here be the worde of God most plaine you see written in the holye and sacred Bible but howe thinke you doe the heretickes answere these plaine places Truly they deny the whole bookes and all to bee the worde of God and the Scripture so shamlesse be these companions that whatsoeuer is so plaine they cannot possibly glose vpon or wrest to their owne purpose that presently they cast awaye So Luther denyed Saint Iames Epistle for that it made for good works others other parts what kind of men thinke you be these that bragge before the simple in their pulpits of the worde of God why dare you commit your saluation to such who as long as they can in any sort wrest Godes word to their owne lust so long they crye the scripture scripture word of the Lord but when it is so plaine they can no way gainsay
affirmeth that all things our Sauiour did be not written insomuch that if they were he supposeth the world would not be able to containe the bookes but what if we had neuer had Scripture left vs should we not haue beleeued the mouth tradition of the Church who was beleeued and taught her children to beleeue and followe her before any Scriptures were written whereof wee want as appeareth some part of that which the Prophets and Apostles writ and left vs and those parts we haue as they be most speciall rules testimonies directions stayes for the Church so we beleeue keepe them with all reuerence as deliuered vs by the Church For infallible truth whose authority chiefly moueth vs so to do Now these traditions are nothing but godly precepts orders vses rites ceremonies and infallible truthes of Christ God his Saints and Sacraments due administratioÌ„ of the same which we receaue by word of mouth without writing of our forefathers as they did of theirs froÌ„ one generation to another from Christ his Apostles time HereupoÌ„ S. Austen giueth this notable rule that when any thing is generally receiued of the whole Church the first beginner or author whereof caÌ„not be found out or is vnknowne acknowledge that for certaine for an apostolike tradition we are to beleeue it as certainly to be true as though it were written in the Scripture For the church was and traditions were as I said before the Scriptures was Nay saith an holy Doctor and blessed Saint what if the Scripture had neuer beene should we therfore not haue beleeued the Churches traditions Nay saith S. Augustine I woulde not beleeue the Canonical Scripture or gospell but that the Churches authority mooueth mee thereunto Se here of what authority the Church is vnto whome the word written is but a rule and stay as it were When S. Paul had taught the Corynthians 1. Cor. 11. â—4 the truth of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar forewarned them of some abuses amongst them about the same he tolde them that at his comming hee woulde dispose and set in order other things about administration of the same which what he did therein it is not written yet wee are to thinke hee vvas as good as his promise And therefore many things vsed at Masse this day as the holy canon and other ceremonies we no doubt haue theÌ„ by the institution of Christ and Apostolical traditioÌ„ For though the Church according to diuersity of times what she thinketh most fit to edefie the people may alter especially some externall rites and ceremonies or put to as she thinketh best yet there be certaine thinges she neuer doth nor will alter as Christs wordes therein and the traditions of the Apostles wherefore I am bound to beleeue the Church as vvell when shee saieth of tradition this is the worde or deede of Christ or the Apostles as when shee telleth me of the Scripture this is GODS word which Scripture we reuereÌ„ce more then any people in the world as I declared before but not the Scripture but the false vnderstanding is to be blamed againe though the Scripture be profitable to instruct teach and the like yet many other thinges that be not written be expedient necessary to be knowne as the word Trinity is not written in Scripture yet necessary to be knowne and beleeued where S. Iohn saieth in the Apocalips that no man shall adde or put to that booke or draw from it he meaneth that no man ought to corrupt his writing in that booke or anye other bookes of the Scriptures nor pull out any bookes but Heretickes as ProtestaÌ„ts and the like not only corrupt the text of Scripture both by false translation and false vnderstaÌ„ding them as of late hath bene proued to their shame if they had any but also mangle pull out a number of bookes of Holy Scripture that make against them as I declared before wherefore vppon them and such as they be that so adde and pull out of holy Scripture must needes lye that heauy curse God by S. Iohn threatneth against such euill men deprauers sacriligeous robbers and defacers of the Scriptures and GODS word Chap. LXVII Of God that he is one in substance and three in persons and of the horrible blasphemy of heretickes Athistes against his diuine Maiestie BVt some other hereticks of this time haue neither lest Christ nor God the blessed Trinity vntouched One heretick blasphemeth and compareth the blessed Trinity our most mighty and mercifull Lord God one in nature and substance but three in persons which S. Iohn calleth the father the word the Pater ver bum Spiritus Sanctus holy Ghost These three saieth he be one that is as I saied three persons and one God of one substance power and eternity these diuine persons I say that horrible and most monstrous heretick compareth to Cerberus the dogge of hell with three heads oh blasphemy whie doth not the earth open Oh mercifull Lord God long patient Other like men there be that worse then beasts desier to dispute whether there be a God or no a thing that very heathen men hauing vse of reason neuer scarsely doubted of For I neuer read or heard of any nation for the most part so barbarous but it either worshipped a true God or a false God but see how sinne heresie hath blinded mens harts O if Atheists would but lift vp their eyes to heauen and behold the heauens that all Philosophers and Astronimers know by reason neuer cease mouing and how one plannett or orbe hath superiority or domination ouer another and how the lowest and al the rest be in continuall circuite moued by force and vertue of the highest that primum mobile if senseles men I say would but only consider this common plaine knowne naturall reason they in the end might finde some first chiefe mouer aboue the rest so when mans minde is so high it can attaine or reach no further that incomprehensible thing so farre aboue the reach of mans reason is God summum perenne bonum that most high chiefe essentiall and endles goodnes the beginning of all thinges yet of himself without beginning orend that containeth all thinges and whome nothing not heauen and earth can containe or holde and yet whole and perfect God in all and euery part of heauen and earth whose mighty power reacheth to the vttermost coastes of that bottomles lake but alas what neede I say this to Christians and yet there be that goe vnder that name in our country too that call these matters in question with no lesse vanity and leuity would GOD with no more blasphemy then to talke of Robin Hood these be such whereof the Prophet speaketh dixit insipiens in corde suo c. the foolish man said in his hart there is no God Chap. LXVIII Of hell and of the iust punishments therein for sinne without release for euermore AND truly a number of
yea Mahomet and Sergius with all old Heretiks may as well alledge as Luther Caluyn Beza which that learned assembly seeing might well be ready with handes feete out of their company to explode yet Beza so vnable to defend his Maisters or his owne calling and yet so frontlesly still auouching the same to be by election of his people A learned diuine of Paris then vrged him to giue but one instance from the Apostles time of such an election or vocation which Beza plainlie confessing though such an example indeede could not be giuen yet still he shamelesly affirmed that his doctrine by the number of those he conuerted were sufficient to declare his lawfull calling yea miraculous as great a miracle as said Sir Thomas Moore as to see a stonefall downeward as though people of all nations be not euer most prone to imbrace licentious liberty especially vnder the pretence of vertue and authority as appeered in Mahomet and others who haue had greater flocks following them then yet Luther Caluin and Beza haue But the truth is as it most euidently appeereth by the Scriptures the tradition of the Church vniuersall and all true Ecclesiastical writers none euer from the Apostles time to this day haue or can be as true Pastors lawfully called sent and ordained but such only as can shew their vocation and lawfull succession from and of the Apostles or Apostolik men As S. Paul for example made Timothy Bishoppe and Timothy others so such Bishoppes as can lawfully shew their succession from the Apostles may by the approbation of CHRIST his Vicar especially make other Pastors and Bishoppes to teach feede and gouerne the Church of GOD as sonnes lawfull heires and successors to the Apostles And so bicause the heretiks haue neither miracles lawfull succession nor ordinarie vocation seeing withall how the claime of the consent and election of the people for their vocation and mission is so friuolous and vaine yea most shamefull as against all authority of the Scripture and practise of the whole Church whose name is yet of such authority that they dare not auouch that any can be saued without it See now another shift as it were the last refuge deuised though by some forraigne heretikes yet now chiefly of late by one Buny and many of such ministerly companions which is this forsooth that Lutherans Caluinists Papists Protestants and all be but one Church and why But bicause say they we differ but in some small points but in the chiefe articles and â—nbstance of our religion do agree well I will omit heere to set downe how well the Lutherans and Calâ—inists agree when as Luther to his dying day as appeareth by his vvritinges yet condemned Zwinglius to the pitte of hell and all his followers and so in like manner the Caluinistes the Lutherans to let these men and infinite moe Heretickes of this time agree amongst themselues who al make one Church indeede but the Church of the malignant only that is the Synagogue of Sathan and to lett heere passe also schismatiks who though they agree with the Church of GOD in true faith yet most miserable meÌ„ they cut themselues off from the same church in doing contrary to her lawes and precepts and so by their owne iudgement alas condemne themselues in that they best alowe This only I say against the Lutherans Protestants and all Heretikes in the world you vncircumcised Philistians what haue you to do with the host of the liuinge GOD the Catholicke Church which you blaspheame contemne and by all meanes possible goe about to depresse rent and teare a sunder can any be trulie accounted a lawfull subiect and due member of that common weale the soueraigne Prince whereof he betrayeth defieth and with all hostility impugneth can any be called a naturall and dutifull child to his mother that with Nero goeth about to exenterate rent or teare her bowells asunder or shal he be heire in his fathers house that weary of his fathers good ordinances life and discipline becommeth a paracide shall that Shepheard haue his hyre at the yeares end that stealeth and deuoureth his Masters sheepe or shal that member be left in the body that being become pestilent and contagious would corrupt spoyle and destroy the rest Or to be briefe can any ingenuous or generose honest wel minded Husband accept those children preferring them to as good portions as his owne which his wife confesseth to be conceiued in adultery Then surely will Christ accept protestantes for children of his Church which she his deere and most faithfull spouse so iustly execrateth and abhorreth as bastard slaues for corrupting his word with adulterous doctrine for abolishing his Sacraments persecuting his seruants prophaning his holines and extreame horrible blaspheamy of his holy name what I say shall ProtestaÌ„ts be with vs meÌ„bers of the Catholike Romane Church whom they so blaspheamously terme the whore of Babilon whose head Christs Vicar they call Antechrist scoffing at him in their rimes and jests deriding him vpon stages rayling on him in their pulpits yea joyning him with the Turke in their new made Psalmes saying from Turke and Pope defend vs Lord teaching â—o their children from their cradels to sing and pray against the Vicar and substitute of Christ in their new congregations as the olde cankred Iewes teach their young bâ—oode to pray and blaspheame Christ in their rotten outworne Synagogues nay the Lutherans in the beginning much more now their followers being come to the perfection of the fift Gospell preferred the Turke before the Pope wishing rather to liue vnder him then vnder the Popedome nay haue not Protestants of late shaken hands with the Turke wishing him all good successe in his affaires yea some of the chiefe Princes amongst Protestants as appeareth in their letters making him an open gappe to their powers to inuade all Christendome vvil these be accounted children of the Catholike Church that thus goe about might maine to ruinate her whole corpes by worde and sworde nowe at length as their first father Luther at first dash went about to cutte off the Popes head when the Lutherans draue For that army coÌ„sisted most of Lutheran hired Souldiers out of Ger many for whose out rage against Rome Ca rolus 5. was not to bee blamed they making spoyle of that holy Cittie against his will him into the Castle of S. Angele sacked Rome robbed the Churches and made themselues Cardinalles of derision in the Popes Pallace yea made hauock of all vvhich yet by GODS just judgment they long enjoyed not For as their chiefe Captaine ascending the wall died a sudden death so the rest of that sacriledgious army within a few moneths after lost all yea the most of them dyed miserably O impudencie be these children of that Catholike Church with vs that thus like vipers indeuour to burst her bowelles asunder yea most tyrannically cut out of her very breasts whereof notwithstanding her holy and sweete spouse Iesus her
chiefe Monarch in most trayterous and rebellious sort by pride and goeth about to shake and pull downe the soundation of his common weale his Church in steed of true faith where of it standeth peruerting the vnderstanding the eye of the soule that is by false doctrine whereof the tower of Babilon the very Sinagogue of Sathan is builded So that the Church euer carefully conserueth true faith in euery point cleare as the apple of the eie the sight whereof as it caÌ„not tollerate the least moath to cleaue to it so cannot the Church of God admit the least heresie or ioyne himselfe in society with the least sect of heretikes or schismatikes in the world no more then a generous minded most royall Princes can admitte in her kingdome some newe vnworthye vpstart that seeketh to bee her equall or superiour or the jealous husband can permitte the adulterer he suspecteth with his wife to lie in bed by her side no no coangâ—státum est stratum nec pallium breue vtrumque operire potest neither is there any agreement in the least thinges betwixt light and darknesse betwixt GOD and the Diuell betwixt his true CATHOLIKE CHVRCH and that false Babilonicall strumpet heresie Hereupon it commeth that most blessed holy diuine men euer so detested heresie and the least society or affiance to the same Saint Iohn woulde not come in the bath where the heretickes had beene An other holy man though most innocent coulde tollerate himselfe to bee accounted a whore-master an vncleane person and the like but when one called him an heretike he could beare no longer So Saint Basil talking with the Emperour of matters of religion the Cooke comming in saucely and telling the holy man his opinion that it was but a smal matter to yeeld to his Master the Emperor in a word or two and needed not to stand so precisely in diuine matters which seemed indifferent or of no great moment yea sir Cooke quoth S. Basil it is your part to tend to your Pottage and not to boyle or choppe vp diuine matters then with great grauity turning to the Emperor said that those that were conuersant in diuine matters with conscience would rather suffer death then suffer one jot of holy Scripture much lesse an article of faith to be altered or corrupted What thinke you now if such a one as M. Buny or a lesse heretike perhaps as some Arrian heretike should haue come in denyed with protestants not jors nor words but whole bookes of Scripture not one article but almost al the Sacraments with many articles of the Catholike faith that such as bee the chiefe substance of the same and yet for all that vvith such vncleane fingers seeking to make a Pacification betwixt them and Saint Basil with the Catholikes and shoulde say we beleeue all one God and so are of one Church with you let vs not passe of this article or that this place of Scripture and the other but vvithout more adoe account vs as wee are Catholikes with you what may wee thinke this graue diuine Basil woulde haue answered to such a motion how woulde he haue shaken vppe such a nullifidiaâ— Minister of the Diuell how vvoulde he haue drawne out that weapon so terrible to the vvicked and more percing then the two edged sworde and tolde him flatly vvith his Master CHRIST â—owe in that case nâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—ittâ—re pacâ—m sed gladium and may not wee say to such Neâ—ters as Bunny and his fellowes be vvhich be the worst kinde of heretickes in the vvorlde vvhich beâ— neither hotte nor colde make a hodge podge of altogither Maister Buny you that thus vnskilfully behaue your selfe in diuine matters and yet not altogither vnlearned in compositions better it vvill become you to make some compoundes of Apothicarie stuffe or if that bee too difficult or painefull for you some meash of a potte of good Ale and diuers sundrie spices as you sitte in your chaire by the fire side then thus without all skill learning or reason in diuinity to make a conjunction of two thinges that bee as farre as heauen and hell asunder as heretickes of our time especially bee from the Church of God Nay the hereticall and schismaticall Greekes and other old sects in the east and by north which be far neerer in faith to Catholiks then Protestants be haue many of them many hundred yeares agoe by the just consent of Christendome bin quite cut off from the true Church of God yea schismatiks heere in England that in all articles beleeue as the Catholik Church doth yet in doing contrary to their faith Ipso facto they cut themselues off from the Church of Christ which can admitt none nor acknowledge iustly for hers but such as keepe vnity of faith both in thougt and action such as are not ashamed to coÌ„fesse the truth before men such as beleeue in hart for iustice and confesse in mouth to saluation I Petrâ—â— Aboto heard once of a learned diuine who earnestly disputing in schooles of the authority of the holy Scriptures one merrily though vnfitly in that place and matter brought in the example of Tobies dogge that wagged his tayle so to infirme the authority of the whole books as that he was not bound to beleeue that what said the deuine dost thon make a iest of it the verity whereof I am ready to defend with my bloud which was right worthely spoken for though some places of holy Scripture be more mistle all then other and conâ—aine not all profound maâ—er alike Yet some places for faith and other for mortall life another for mistery another auowching some circumstance apperreyning to the verity of some history as this for example of Tobyas dogge in their degree bee all true alike which bookes of holy Scriptures euery sentence coÌ„teyned therein being proposed to vs by the Church to be beleeued to be true a good Christian ought rather to suffer death then deny one sentence thereof to be true for so discrediting the Church and Scriptures in one point he might make the rest vncertaine and so doubt in all But heretiks that deny the whole booke of Toby Hester Iudith the Canticles the Prouerbs Ecclesiasticus the two books of Machabies Barâ—ch yea Or if they call not in question these whole bookes yett some notable sentences chapters of the same some call in question whether Marke Mathew and Luke be true Gospels and whether the Apocalipsis be a true booke of Scripture some flatly denying Saint Iames Epistle as Luther their chiefe Apostle and corrupt the rest of holy Scripturs shall these men be written in the booke of life that lay such violent hands of Gods booke shall we admitt such rebellious traitours in the host of Gods Church that thus first robbing her of her armour whereby shee may defend her selfe indeuour quite to subuert her scatter and disperse her a sunder these Protestants new Masters and teachers 6. Sixtly If they were of God who is
liue for euer In S. Mathew the 26. and S. Marke 14 Chap. His body his bloud of the new Testament In S. Luke the 22 Chap. His body which is giuen for vs and the Chalice which is the new Testament in his blood which is shed for vs. In S. Paul the first epistle to the Corinth and 11 Chap. The bread which we break is the communicating of our Lordes body the Chalice of blessing which we blesse is the communicating or pertaking of Christes bloud The newe Gospellers that saye they sticke only to Gods worde yet cannot finde one Apostle one Euangelist one Prophet or Patriarch that taught our Lordes supper to be a signe S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. threatheth damnation to him that vnworthily eateth it and he calleth vnworthy eating not only the contempt therof or lacke of faith but euen the omitting to proue or examine him himselfe before he eate our Lords body and that because hee maketh no difference betwixte it and common meates yet come the protestants with a newe doctrine affirming that we receiue not our Lordes body into our bodies but an euident signe and token thereof They admit no authority no rule no triall of matters belonging to faith but onlie the holye Scriptures immediately they breake their owne rule In so much as the holy Scriptures calling the Supper of our Lord his body and bloud they teache it to be an euident token of his body bloud if they keepe not their owne rule who can they binde to keepe the same But the Protestants will aske me perhaps whether the Lordes Supper bee not a Sacrament if a Sacranient then also a signe or token I aunswere they that prescribe rules of bleeuing to the worlde they that will haue all thinges prooued by the touch-stone of Gods worde they that for pretence of following the Gospell haue stirred vp so great strife through all Christendome must not talke with vs vvith if and and vvith conditions and peraduentures but they must bring forth the vvorde of God for that they saye So that although the Supper of our Lord were neuer so much a Sacrament surely to them it vvere none because they cannot proue out of the vvorde of God vvhere it is so named to vs it is both a Sacrament and a Sacrifice a Sacrament because vve are so taught by tradition from the Apostles a Sacrifice because Malachie the Mal. Cap. 1. Prophet in the person of God expressely saieth In omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda quia mag num est nomen meum in gentibus In euery place a pure oblation is sacrificed offered to my name because my name is great among the Gentiles There is absolutely no cleane pure oblatioÌ„ but the sacrifice of Christs body bloud which was offered to death not in euery place but without the gate of Hierusalem alone the same is at this day vnbloudely offered in the Masse in euery place wheresoeuer amongst the gentiles the name of God is rightly called vpon Thus both they and we may proue the supper of our Lord to be a Sacrifice by Scripture but that it is a Sacrament we can proue because our forefathers deliuered such a Doctrine to vs they cannot proue the same seeing they will not be bounde to vnwritten Traditions If they flie to the Church for naming it it is a Sacrament the same Church teacheth them ther be seauen Sacraments but the Protestants say they find but two sanctified and deliuered by Christ allowed of the olde fathers Ambrose Augustine but concerning the deliuery of Sacraments by Christ they might haue founde it in the worde of God Confirmation in the 8. cap. of the Acts of the Apostles Penance Iohn 20. Extreame-Vnction Iac. 5. Preisthood Luc. 22. Matrymony Ephes 5. And not onely Baptisme and the Eucharist But what talke is this to say S. Ambrose S. Augustinâ— allowe the workes of Christ Was not the deliuery and consecration of Christ of sufficient authority except Ambrose and Augustine had proued it I thought Ambrose Augustine should haue beene allowed by Scripture and not Scripture by them I stande with them vpon the authority of the worde of God Proue me thence these two Sacraments alone yea proue that they are so named at all what Gospell called Baptisme a sacrament What holy write nameth the Supper of our Lord a sacrament Daâ—e they giue these thinges a name that which is not in the worde of God What warrant haue they for that deede They will say Ambrâ—se and Aâ—gustine call them so I replye Peter and Paul call them not so at other times and with other men I will stay vpon the authoritye of Ambrose and Augustine whom as I ought to doe I reuerence for men of excellent vertue learning but they were men as they were woont to say they might erre and be deceiued heare first the Scriptures to whom Protestantes appeale onely and afterwardes you shall heare what the Fathers say But first I say that neither the olde Testament nor the new calleth the Supper of our Lorde a Sacrament therefore the Protestantes that so call it goe from the assurance of the word of God to the good and laudable inuentions and Traditions of men which themselues condemne wheÌ„ they list And yet they so cal it a Sacrament that vpoÌ„ that only word the authors thereof ground all their doctrin thence it hath to be a signe to be a tokeÌ„ to be a badge a seale a patterne a counterpaine thence all the figuratiue doctrine riseth thence it commeth that the reall body and bloud of Christ is denied to bee vnder the formes of bread and wine Shall now so much as Christ hath plainlye spoken of his bodye and bloud so much as his Apostles and disciples haue preached and written in that behaulf shall now all this be ouerthrowne by an vnwritten veritye are these the men of God who flie from S. Mathew S. Marke S. Luke Saint Iohn Saint Paul to Augustine and Ambrose If none but Prophets and Apostles had written where had they found two Sacraments Where had they read that the supper of our Lord is a signe and token they make much a-doe about the worde of God vntill they haue gotten credite among the ignorant and then they quite leade them from al the worde of God I speake to such good Christians as haue the true loue of the worde of God lefte in their heartes to them I speake giue not ouer S. Mathew S. Iohn Saint Paul for Ambrose and Augustine giue not ouer Christ who is God and man to haue the opinion of whatsoeuer Doctor and Father in causes of beleife Some men in comparison of others be of great authoritye but in comparison of God all men be nothing at al God saieth This is my body nowe whatsoeuer man or Angell from heauen tell you this is not the bodye of Christ but onely a figure of it beleeue him not but
let him bee accursed to you Shall wee not bee well occupied if we leaue the plaine vvorde of God to come and see whether Ambrose and Augustine teach two Sacramentes or moe Saint Paule teacheth Matrimonye to bee a Sacrament and shall we goe from him to Ambrose and Augustine to se whether it be one or no was euer such a practize hearde of as to brag of Scriptures to bost of holy writt to crie vpon vs for coming to the word of God and now that we are comen thither to call vs from all Prophets and Apostles yea from Christ himselfe to Ambrose and Augustine is this the way to the holy Scriptures can this fault bee excused can this hypocrisie be tollerated To winne the itching eares of the inconstant multitude to gett them the applause of licentious libertines in the pulpit they call to the worde of God and when they haue gotten them within their netts they teach them out of Ambrose and Augustine yea woulde God they did so at the least but what if wee proue they deceiue the people in fathering that vpon Ambrose and Augustine which they neuer wrote nor taught The Protestants say Saint Augustme nameth but two sacraments but besides twaine I will bring other two named of him as plainly as possibly may bee in his booke de bono coniugali Cap. 24. these be his wordes The good saith S. Augustine which riseth of mariage through all nations and men consisteth in the cause of begetting children and in the faith of chastity And in so much as appertaineth to the people of God it consisteth allso in the holnes of the Sacrament through which it is vnlawful yea though diuorce come between to mary an other whilest her husband liueth not so much as for the very cause of bringing forth of children Which though alone it be the cause why marriages are made yet band of marriage is not loosed vnlesse the husband dye albeit that thing followe not for the which marriage is made Much-like as if to bring the people together some of the Cleargie should be ordered or consecrated with holy orders for although the meeting of the people doe not ensue Yet Sacramentum ordinationis the Sacrament of giuing orders abideth in them that be ordered and if for any faulte any man be remoued from the office he shall not lacke the Sacrament of our Lord which is once put vpon him although it remame to his damnation Thus farre S. Augustione in which wordes he declareth that amonge Christian men there are other two Sacramentes of Preisthood and of Matrimony beside Baptisme and the Euchraist and each of them so great and so strong that they cannot bee loosed and taken away but only by death of the party although the chiefest cause ceasse why the Sacrament was giuen In another place S. Augustine Cont. Donat. Lib. 5. Cap. 2. speaketh plainly of the water of Baptisme Oyle the Eucharist the Imposition of hands al signed with the seale of the Crosse S. Ambroso likewise confesseth moe Sacraments then Baptisme and the Fucharist lib. 1 de penitentia cap. 7. these bee his wordes Cur baptizaris si per hominem peccata dimittinon licot c. why art thou Baptised if it be not lawfull sinnes to be forgiuenes by man truly in Baptisme ther is forgiuenes of all sin what skilleth it whether Preists chalenge this right of forgiving sinnes to be given them by Penance or by Baptisme the mistery or Sacrament is one in both But thou wilt say that in Baptisme the grace of the misteries worketh what in Penance doth not the grace of God work Here is the same vertue and name of a mistery or Sacrament giuen to Penance which is giuen to Baptisme vvhereby Saint Ambrose taught there was as well a Sacrament of Penance as of Baptisme These few placeshaue I brought out of S. Ambrose and Augustine to shew as it were to your eyes if you will not be willfully blinded how the Protestantes crie out vppon the worde of God till they haue with sweete wordes wonne fauour amonge the miserable number of these vnstable men that alwaies harken for newes but wheÌ„ they haue them fast then is the word of God cleane forgotten and in stead thereof Ambrose and Augustine are I am vrged to speake it falselye alleadged For the truth is they that sett naught by the word of God cannot long esteeme Ambrose Augustine who with al their harts imbraced the word of God and expounded the same according to the auncient Tradition of the Church To what end then doe our new masters runne truly to sett vp an Idoll of their owne making in place of the word of God to set vp I say a phantastical religion of their owne deuising But if they should crie to the people come come bow downe to the I doll that wee haue deuised for you the people would not come as being feared with the infamous name of an Idoll therefore they saye come to the worde of God come to the holy Scriptures come to the true Gospell of Iesus Christ they say exceeding well you see we are come and it quitâ— hath and will ouerthrowe them S. Dionisius and Hierotheus disciples of Christ Dionis de Hierarch â—ccle cap. 3. and S. Paul call the Eucharist the sacrament of Sacraments which they neuer woulde if there had beene no more but two See S. Dionis Chap. 4. 5. 6. Dâ— Ecclesiast Hierarch howe he teacheth moe Sacraments But to returne to my purpose I wil not omit to opeÌ„ one subtil shift of the heretike whereby like a bugge or fox with a mans visard of his face he oft deceiueth the simple and vnwarye with faire blessings and gaye tearmes which vnlearned men cannot iudge of nor descerne He will tell you their communion is a holy sacrament and that therby you â—ate Christ as he sitts at his fathers right hand in faith spirit and that you must â—ate that heauenly bread sorsooth that they giue you as the body and bloud of Christ and then no doubt you receiue Christ and the like But aske the heretike whether that bread he giueth to the people be the very body of Christ or no and that properly it can be no more called bread in that it is called transubstantiate and verily turned into the very body and bloud of Christ in deed then you shall perceiue the foxe pull of his maske and shew his eares as I hard of a good fellowe a minister did who giuing to a gentleman bread from their communion table and said The body of our Lorde Iesu c. by chaunce he let a peece fall the gentleman esteeming it to be some holy thing aboue other bread sanctified by Godes word would haue taken it vp againe no no said the minister Sir lett it alone here is more enough yea said the gentleman is it not worth the taking vp trulye quoth heâ— then none of it at all shall come into my belly and so
but one externall Sacrifice of Christs body and bloud that shee offereth to God alone which is the holy Masse And neither to Peter nor Paul saith S. Aug. lib. 8. de ciuit Dei c. 27. Augustine though the Priest that sacrifiseth standeth ouer their bodies and offereth in their memories But other kindes of honours and duties inferiour without all comparisons how great soeuer they be to this we doe as the Scriptures and nature teach vs to all superiors in heauen and earth according to the degrees of grace honour and blessednesse that God hath called them vnto from our B. Lady Christs owne mother to the least seruant he hath in the world For which the heretikes would neuer accuse Christian people of Idolatry if they had either grace learning faith or natural affection As for that the Angel would Apoc. 19 10. not let S. Iohn worship him it was because as he said he was his fellow seruant especially now after Christs incarnation and to instruct vs that what good giftes vertues or holines wee receaue of God we seek not honour to our selues for it but for God Saint Iohn then beeing in an extasie knewe not so perfectlye whether the Angell was CHRIST oran Angell which if the Angell had not tolde it might haue beene Saint Iohn vvoulde then haue worshipped him as God which he forbad bidding him adore or worshippe God that was with the honour due vnto God and in other places of scripture when Angells appeared to men as for example to Iosue they knowing them Ios 5. 13 to bee but Angells then they neuer forbad men any such worshippe but Angells and holye men vvhen they had due honour done vnto them did not dissalowe it but rather commended it as by many other places of scripture may be shewed but I would bee briefe Nowe that Saintes praye for vs you shall find it in the holy Scripture of Ieremy in the fifteene Chapter of the second booke of the Machabees where is mention made howe Ieremie long after his death prayed for the people and that for the merites and prayers of Saints though they be departed God giueth many good gifts and graces to his seruantes you shall finde it in diuers places of holye Scripture as for example in the olde Testament almost in euery booke you shall finde hovve God for his seruauntes Abraham Isaac and Iacob and for Dauid his seruantes sake and the like spared and did not punishe his people vvhen they deserued it but gaue them benefites for their sakes longe before departed Neither bee our prayers to Saintes any iniurye to Christ our mediatour no more then when wee desire one another to praye for vs as Saint Paul did the Romanes and others Ro. 15. 30. desiring them to helpe him in their prayers For though Christ bee Col 4. Ephe. 6. our only mediator of redemption yet there bee manye mediators of intercession to make vs partakers of that redemption once vvroughte for all Neither is it meruaile the Saintes can heare our prayers for as appeareth by the Gospell they bee as Angells of God who reioyce at the conuersion Math. 22. 30. Luc. 15. 7. of a sinner and therefore no doubt see our needes assiste vs with their prayers and reioyce at our victories For if the Diuells by Godes permission see and knowe our actions much more then doubtlesse doe the Saintes of GOD by his gratious fauour see and perceaue our actions and necessities Neither is this contrary to that that God alone seeth mans hart for we Dan. 2. 1. Reg. 5. reade of Daniell and other men that haue knowne the secrets of mans hart by Godes reuelation much more doe the Saints in heauen that in seeing God as in a cleare glasse see them-selues our necessities and all thinges that are requisite for any creatures to know Gre. lib. 1. moral in Iob. For as saith Saint Gregory how is it but that they know all things that see him that knoweth and seeth all things Chap. LIII Declaring how God for his holy seruants sakes heareth our praiers and how the holy Fathers of olde praied to Saints NOwe all the Scriptures be ful how vvee men on earth be releeued and holpen by Angels in heauen as appeareth Tob 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. by holye Tobie guided by an Angell that deliuered him and his wife from the Diuell and helpt him to his mony made that holye mariage cured his fathers eyes and offered their prayers to God what vvill you haue more Holy Iacob the Patriarke when he blessed his grand children the sonnes of Ioseph these were the very wordes in the eight and fortie Chapter of Genesis saying GOD which feedeth mee from my youth euen to this present daye the Angell which deliuereth me from all euils blesse these children and vpon them my name be called and the names of my Fathers Abraham and Isaac As much you see said this blessed Prophet and Patriarke as we do when we say God and our Lady blesse the child GOD and Saint Iohn helpe you and the like which heretickes scoffe at and when Iacob said my name and of my fathers be called vpon did he not plainâ—ie declare that their children and posteritye shoulde beseeche GOD for their sakes to bee mercifull to them or else pray to them to pray for them as when wee praye to them and others saying Lorde for Dauid thy seruants sake haue mercy vpon vs O all Patriarkes and Prophets of GOD pray for vs Saint Peter praye for vs Saint Paul pray for vs and so forth Doe you not see here what substantiall groundes of holy Scripture wee haue for honouring and praying to Saints thoughe in a far lower degree then we honour and pray vnto God as I haue declared before for we say to God in our prayer God the father of heauen haue mercy vpon vs and not as wee doe to Saintes pray for vs signifying thereby that all honour wee giue to Saints tendeth to GOD and that all grace and goodnesse commeth principallye from God neither that the Saintes haue any goodnes or graces as of themselues without God but all from him so that we pray not to Saints for any want or insufficiency in God but in respect of our owne vnworthines that be not so worthy nor can be so speedily heard of God by our own prayers as by the prayers of his Saints of his Saints and deerest friends And this appeereth plainly by the last chapter of Iob that where Iobs friends vvere reprehended for their faults yet would not God accept their prayers for their vnworthynesse but bad them go to Iob to his seruant My seruant Iob saith God shall pray for you Now that all holy Fathers from Christs time to this day haue made their humble prayers and petitions to the Mother of God and all Saints their workes and deuout prayers declare time serueth mee not to repeate them they vvoulde fill vvhole bookes Chap. LIIII Touching by the way
no difference betweene the Catholicke Seruice and their hereticall ministerly prating prayers betweene the olde religion and the newe the olde seruice and the newe as they tearme it but if you marke well which I haue said you may see there is as much difference as betweene heauen and hel truth and falshood For the heretickes either deny or with their foule handes defile almost euery article of the christian faith and religion and yet forsooth they bragge Oh nowe you haue the light in that forsooth they haue the Bible and yet dismembred and very much corrupted translated into the english tongue and that they haue the Lords prayer seruice in the english tongue O haue you so but I will proue by your light as you tearme it you bring in all darknesse and in making a shewe of the truth you be very imposters or juglers Haue you not heard of some A Similitude jugling companion that could vvith his familiar Diuell cast such a mist in some Parlour before mens eyes that ships there as in the Sea should seeme to be sayling men rowing the Sunne glistering vpon the waues and yet neither Sea ship man nor Sunne in deed but only by knauery their sences deluded But a worse jugling of heretickes is this in deede by how much the worthinesse of mans soule exceedeth the body For juglers deceaue and blinde the eyes of the body but these imposters heretickes blinde and deceaue the eyes of mans soule and true vnderstanding whereby they be depriued froÌ„ the sight of God light of grace and saluation For whereas the holy Catholike Church instructed and taught by her Master and her Pastor S. Peter doth acknowledge 2. Pet. 3. 16. as he saith that there bee some thinges in holy Scripture heard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned and vnstable doe depraue as the rest of the Scriptures to their owne damnation therefore nowe she as a tender Mother ouer her children knowing hard meat not fit for all but that some as infants are to be fed as it were with milke and other such light meats more easie to be digested knowing also that too much light dazeleth mans eye but a competent light is comfortable therfore she I say as a prudent Mother letteth her childreÌ„ see no more light of the Scriptures then their weak sences vnaccustomed to such high misteries can well coÌ„ceaue or beare nor giueth their soules no harder places to feeâ—e vpon then their infirme conceipts and â—â—omaâ—kes be well able to digest as the holy Apostle did when he said As to 1. Cor. 3. 2. little ones in Christ I gaue you milke not strong meat eueÌ„ so the holy Church guided euer by the wisdome of God seing the infirmity of her children knowing the Scriptures to be good yet not fit for euery mans reach giueth to euery one thereof in measure according to their capacities Wherefore shee most commonly hath reserued and kept it vncorrupt from other writings in the three most auncient and sacred tongues as in the Hebrew Greeke and Latin appointing learned men alwaies to instruct the simple out of that learned booke with such histories holy lessons as might be most fit to edefie and helpe them esteeming it sufficient for them to know there euer was is and shall bee one God in Trinity that made and woulde saue them that kept his lawe and Commandements and that Christ the sonne of God was borne of a Virgin dyed on the Crosse rose againe and that they receaue his very body in the B. Sacrament for the health and food of their soules So the Church thought it sufficient for ignorant men to know and beleeue the articles of the Creede to know they were bound to keep the Commandements of God vnder paine of deadly sinne and damnation to confesse and bee sorry when they fell with full purpose of amendment to say their Pater noster Aue and Creede and to leaue other high misteries to learned Diuines But nowe these newe iuglers set the Scriptures to be read heard and iudged vpon of young olde learned and vnlearned of all sorts and so they say they haue brought in the lighte but appose the ignorante when they haue read and heard them what they then conceaue of such and such parables of the Gospell such places of holy Scripture you shall finde them so variabâ—e among them-selues to haue such foolish phantasticall and fleshly yea childish conceits thereof that whereas they bragge of the light alas simple soules you shall finde nothing in their mindes but ignorance errour and darknesse they thinke they see a ship and it is but a phantasticall shape they enter in deed into a whole Sea of the depth of Godes inscrutable misteries but alas they know not how to rowe therein and so be drowned and ouerwhelmed with the floodes thereof they thinke they see men in steed of trees they imagine they see the light of the sunne and they imbrace darknes Heereof commeth such innumerable opinions such proud and blind arrogancy such monstrous heresies such horrible sinnes vices for that euery simple soole would bee a tamperer with Gods booke which they vnderstand not but by mistaking of the text goe about to defend what they list yea what humor they bee most giueÌ„ to Vppon these many moe weighty considerations the holy Church keepeth the scriptures in the latin toÌ„gue for the most part so likewise vppon the like consideratioÌ„s that euery saucy presumptuous fellow should not deride the misteries he vnderstandéth not if they were spokeÌ„ in the playn vulgar english termes therfore the church vseth at masse in her prayers publike seruice the latin toÌ„gue that I say the holy Sacraments should not grow into coÌ„tempt being made coÌ„mon to euery base rogne to descaÌ„t vpoÌ„ thinking that it is sufficient the ignorant sort take the fruit thereof though they know not the mistery yet the Church doth not disalow any to pray any godly Catholick prayer what hee will yea the Pater noster Aue Creede in the english tongue so he do it not in dispight of the Church coÌ„demning others that they do not well that pray in the latyn toÌ„gue yea though they vnderstaÌ„d it not For often times it may bee that the poore plough maÌ„ that saieth his pater noster not vnder staÌ„ding the wordes may pray with more deuotion please God better then the greatest doctor that can make a sermoÌ„ of euery petition of the same for God in prayer doth not so much atteÌ„d to mans word but to his wil affectioÌ„ lifting vp of mans hart to God which is properly prayer Nay what doctor is so learned when he readeth the Psalmes though he can english them neuer so well that vnderstandeth them to the depth yea of some verse or senteÌ„ce perhaps he knoweth noe one perfect sence yet though hee vnderstand them not perfectly hee prayeth of them neuertheles knowing God vnderstandeth them his deuout meaning therein as
being indited by his holy spirite and that hee accepteth his deuout intent The little children of Hierusalem when Christ on Palme-sunday entred the Cittie cryed or sung in his praise Osannafilio Dauid which Luc. 21. 9. wordes being children they vnderstood not yet Christ was well pleased delyghted more with theyr prayses then with the wise Doctors Scribes Pharises that vnderstood the Scriptures So you see it is not the vnderstanding but the deuotion affection and mens good will to which men of good will the Angelles Luc. 2. 14 came to shewe that euerlastinge peace by Christ made betwixt GOD and man that pleaseth God So that thou vnlearned man whosoeuer feare God serue him keepe his Commaundements pray in what tongue thou wilt in obedience of GODS Church and though thou vnderstand not haue a good will in thy prayer to please God and I warrant thee my soule for thine God will heare and accept thy good deuout prayer and desire Chap. LVII Wherein the Apostles wordes touching praying and preaching in vnknowne tongues are expounded and of the goodlye order of the Churches seruice praying singing and praising God night and day in her cannonicall houres feastes and times of the yeare NOwe whereas Saint Paul would 1. Cor. 14. haue one speake in the Church in a tongue that may be vnderstood rather then a thousand wordes in an vnknowne tongue truth it is wee denye it not as Saint Paul meaneth for hee speaketh there chiefly of Preachers For you know if a Priest or Iesuite should preach in latine to the people it would nothing edefie because few vnderstād and therefore the Church euer causeth her preachers to teach the people and preach in the vulgar tongue of the Countrie and so Saint Paul woulde haue it Againe Saint Paul spake to those that in his time had the gifte of tongues which many for want of order did abuse vpon ostentatiō or indiscretiō by praying or speaking or preaching altogither alowde some in one language some in another that bred confusion disorder that such fruit could not be gathered of that gift of the spirit of diuers tongues giuen as was requisite This S. Paul sought to reforme that all things might be done to edification which the Church doth in her prayers in on tongue by vniformity otherwise as I haue declared before yea this godly order the holy Church obserueth in the course of her seruice vicissitude disposition of the feasts according to that hymne of hers Temporum das tempora vt alleues fastidium Lorde thou art he that giuest vs times vpon times to lighten our wearinesse yea the very appoynted houres of prayer in the night and day in the Church declareth the watch and ward this holy mother according to Christes and the Apostles counsels hath ouer her selfe and children as when shee prayeth prayseth singeth to God most sweetly throughout the whole world at the prime early in the dawning of the day at the third sixt and ninth houres in the euening at midnight and the like as wee bee taught by the Scriptures the Apostles did that went to prayer at the ninth houre and Dauid rose at midnight and in the morning to confesse the name of our Lord as at euening euery night hee prayed to God and watered the couch of his former sinnes with contrite and gratious teares and the like godly orders at other times but at these statuted houres especially and not without mistery remembrance and due signification chiefly of Christs passion for vs and gifts bestowed by his holy spirit of vs godly and holy apostolicke men vsed in obseruing houres scoffe heretickes neuer so much For though God may be serued at all houres times and places yet times appoynted by the Church be best for obedience sake and that we may ioyne our selues togither thereby in prayer tanquam acies bene ordinata as true souldiers of Christ well armed and in good array at all times and against all assaults of the forraigne and common enemy Chap. LVIII Of the Beades and of the fifteene misteries of the Rosary or our Ladies Psalter and of the great good and spirituall fruit by deuout saying the same SO they scoffe at Beades that be directories or as it were guides by the numbers to bring men in minde of the misteries of our redemption The 1 first ten Auies and Pater noster put vs in minde of Christs incarnation The second 2 of the visitation of Elizabeth by our B. Lady The third of Christs natiuity 3 The fourth of his presentation in 4 the Temple The fift of the finding out 5 of Christ by his Mother once lost The 6 sixt ten Auies and Pater noster put vs in minde how Christ for our sakes sweat water and bloud in his agony and praier for vs in the garden The seauenth 7 how he was whipped The eighth how 8 he was crowned with a crown of thorns The ninth how he bore his Crosse The 9. 10. tenth how he was crucified The eleauenth 11 how he rose againe The twelfe 12 how he ascended in to heauen At the 13 thirteenth we are to remember the cōming downe of the holy Ghost At the 14 fourteenth the assumption of our Lady And at the fifteenth her coronation Of 15 all which misteries besides the comfort thereof and confirmation in our faith we may apply something morally out of the acts of our Sauiour his B. Mother to our instruction and edification And we are taught by the oft repeating this number of ten to haue euer written in our mindes the 10. Commandements of God by obseruing whereof we must enter into life euerlasting whereunto for vs to atchiue is required perfectiō in vs which perfectiō is signified by this perfect nūber of 10. And as saying the Pater noster once we acknowledge one god so in saying the Aue Mary 10. times we intend not as heretiks taunt to pray to praise or worshippe our Lady more then God or like to him but with deuout thankfull mindes in so oft togither reciting his owne wordes which he sent to the cōfort of vs all by his messenger the Archangell Gabriel we protest in that misticall number of ten so oft repeated our louing heart without measure to God for so vnspeakable a benefit hauing nothing but loue to seeke to requite him for the same which loue because it consisteth in obseruing the ten commandements of God which wee cannot doe without his grace therefore we so oft beseech his B. mother to pray for vs and in respect of our vnworthinesse that she most worthy to our aide and comfort would be a messenger for vs to her sonne as the Archangell Gabriell from God was a messenger to her of comfort to the reliefe of all mankind So that all good men but especially simple persons being renewed in memory of the worke of our redemption by meanes of Beades we are not to
vnto him Chap. LXI Of religious persons of their sanctity learning and perfection of life and of the vowes of pouerty chastity and obedience which make a religious man and of the heauy iudgment of God to vowe-breakers and how our Lady vowed virginity AS for our godâ—y religious men that with great feruour of loue to God dedicate themselues in holocaustumin a whole burnt sacrifice as it were both bodies and soules to GOD making a sacrifice to him of the chiefest powers of their soules by obedience and of their bodies by chastity and pouertye were they not prefigured by the Rechabites Nazarites and diuers orders of the Prophets that led a more perfect order of life then the rest of the people Was not Elias Saint Iohn Baptist and many more as it were religious Hermite Be not our religious Iesuits and Friers a plaine patterne of apostolik life that with the Apostles forsake al honour riches and promotion for Christ liuing in common preaching Christwith hazard of their liues to Heretikes Iewes GeÌ„tiles al barbarous people through out the whole world These bee most wise most learned yet most innoceÌ„t iust simple vertuous men such as the world especially our cuntry is not worthy of which a long time hath most impiously ingratfully reiected them notwithstanding that God prospered our auncestors of olde far better by their merits and prayers whiles they prayed preached and serued God in our country both night day by them our coÌ„mons were maintayned by them fatherlesse children widdowes and seruaunts sustained and releeued all states in body and soule by them greatly inriched supported The losse of which religious houses for al vertuous training vp of youth in learning and other-wise this country now feeleth And here I cannot omitt the subtilty of the deuill who by litle litle as the wilie serpent getteth in his head theÌ„ after his whole body he bore meÌ„ in haÌ„d that by suppressing of religious houses the couÌ„try wold be greatly enriched but they being once downe the couÌ„try within a few yeares after was spoyled in a great part of al verâ—ue riches both for that the king that was the first breaker downe of the wall that scourg of God for our sins speÌ„t al the mony he scraped of religious houses his coÌ„moÌ„s too that in a fewyears in vanities in besiedging of citties in other couÌ„tries litle benefitting him or his posterity and also deuided him selfe the whole Realme froÌ„ Gods church so spoyled himselfe others of vertue opening the window to al vice heresies Insomuch that shortly after though not in his tyme Lutherans and worse than Lutherans that he seemed so much to abhorre corrupted the realme abrogated Masse and all see by what degrees sinne and heresy entereth which by religious orders was long restayned Heereof then came presently the spoyle of the fairest flower in Christes garden next to Martirdome that was virginity which both S. Mathew the 19. Chapter S. Paul the first to the Corinth and 7. Chapter and S. Iohn in his Apocalipsis the 14 Chapter so highly commmend as S. Paul preferring that state before marriage saying he that ioyneth his virgin 1. Cor. 7. 38. in Matrymonie dothwell but he that doth not doth better As for breaking vowes of virginity chastity and the like as obedience and pouerty which three vowes be proper to religion and make a religious man These to keepe heretikes disswade and be the cause of the breach of such vowes whereby indeede good actions as deuoted to God bee a great deale more meritorious especially in religious men whose meate and sleepe in doing it of obedience is to them meritorious Such vowes hereticks contrary to the Scriptures say ought not to bee made but we proue it by the Scriptures as in Genesis Did not Iacob vow if he returned safe such and such thinges hee would do in the honor of God Likewise in the bookes of the Leuits Numbers Deuteronomion Indges Kinges Psalmes Prophets thorough the course of the Scriptures lawful vowes be commeÌ„ded practised by good meÌ„ damnation threatned to the breakers of them As S. Paul to Tym. the 1. Epistle 5. Chapter pronounceth damnation to those that breake the vow of chastity But woe woe be theÌ„ to runnegat vow-breakers Friers Nunnes woe to those that be the procurers For if man be iealous ouer his wife much more in most iust sort is gods zeale indignation iust wrath against those that defile his spouses vowed virgins once dedicated to him Nay did not the B. Virgin Mary vow virginity I will proue out of the Gospel that by the exposition of most ancient learned holy Fathers that shee did For when the Angell told her she should conceaue a sonne how commeth that to passe saith Luc. 1. 34 she for I know not a man and yet was she already espoused to Ioseph whome if she would or euer had determined to haue knowne carnally she neuer would haue asked any such questioÌ„ how that might come to passe For she the most prudent Virgin knew that by knowledge of maÌ„ was the way ordinary to conceaue but she saith S. Ambrose had made vow of Ambros in Luc. virginity which she might not breake therefore she asked the questioÌ„ how not doubtfull of the mistery but desirous to know the manner to whome the Angel answered not by man but by the holy Ghost which was without breach of vow and then she was satiffied thus you see our Lady was a vowed Virgin but be these the fruits of new gospellers that bereaue vs of all vertues yea vertuous religious persons also whereas the most learned most vertuous men that euer were since Christ and the Apostles time were religious men Ftiers and Monkes As S. Augustine of the Latin Church S. Basill a Greeke S. Anthony Hilarion S. Giles S. Hierome S. Bennet and S. Gregory S Bernard S. Dominick S. Frauncis all Monkes or Friers the most of them saying Masse euery day Good Lord what miraculous men were these so triumphing ouer the Diuel so mastering themselues so supporting others what continuall fasting what prayers what earnest profound studies were they daily exercised in some of them curing incurable diseases some raysing the dead others with a word expelling Diuels some giuing themselues for the help redemptioÌ„ of othres some knowing the very thoughts of men by diuine reuelation whome neither serpent nor poyson could hurt some by continuall meditation of Christ hauing the eies of their soules watered in his bloud and reposing themselues in his woundes open side had the very tokens and impression of those his sacred fixures imprinted in their hands and feete O what candor what simplicity what innoceÌ„cy what purity of coÌ„scieÌ„ce were in their vn spotted brests O what helhounds what meÌ„bers of the Diuell and Antechrist be these heretiks that pul down the Abbies Monasteries raze the monumeÌ„ts
Heretickes liue as though there were no God indeede hell nor heauen what they stick not to confesse some of them that hell is only in the brest and but a darkenes of the minde and conscience or some biting of the same but they shal feele vnlesse they speedely amend another hell indeede as Christ said where that deadly worme gnawing vppoÌ„ them shall neuer dye and where that euerlasting fier that he at the last day shall coÌ„mand the wicked to depart into shal neuer be quenched where is weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth Truly I my selfe knew an vsurer now become a Maister by his honest trade that said who is able to say there is a hell and yet this maÌ„ would seeme to be wise indeede it is seldome seene that any returne from hell to bring newes back especially vsurers but if he would beleeue God to be iust or beleeue Christe he would not doubt of this matter for our iust Lord thretneth hell to the wicked as he promiseth endles reward of glory to the iust yea our meeke and mercifull Sauiour saith there is a hell and that with no small nor short paines and punishments but with vnmeasurable endles torments For what do you thinke that rich glutton which Christ speaketh of in the Gospell would giue that could not haue a droppe of cold water to quench the thirst of his tongue end being punished in flames of fire What thinke you would he do at this day to be released of his torments who would not looke at the poore beggar nor spare him a mite or giue him a peece of bread lying in misery the dogges licking his sores when the rich glutton fared deliciously euery day in silkes and veluttes what thinck you would he do to be with that poore beggar in heauen if life but for seauen yeares vvpon earth might be graunted for his saluation but that tyme is past for euer in hell is no redemption where the tree falleth there foreuer it lyeth that is whether a man dye in state of saluation or damnation after death passed it cannot be altered because his soule is hardened in malice dying without iust sorrowe and with affection euer to sinne if it might bee wishing there were no GOD to punish sinne and so dying in displeasure of his Maiestie which is infinite deserueth endles torments but those we pray for departed that dye in state of saluation as I said before and neuercome in that bottomles pitte I now speake of But touching those in hell with them the gate is shutt vp which once shutt there is neuer hope of saluation the night is come when man can worke there no more his saluation therfore would God this rich vsurer and all of his minde betime would know there is a hel as christ telleth and worke their saluation as he exhorteth which this rich glutton if he might would but being in hell he can doe no more as being in an end of that which shall neuer haue end Chap. LXIX Of heauen which worldlinges contemne how we may obtaine it and of the glorious and most happy estate of the body with the soule for euer after the generall resurrection BVT you se what opinions heretickes and vsurers haue of hell I would gladly know what they thinke of heauen I haue heard of some that haue had so good a conceipt thereof that if God would euer let them liue heere they would neuer desire him as they say to trouble him in heauen nor no more I warrant you they shall vnlesse they haue a better desire to come thither whether to arriue a maÌ„ must leaue affection to this worldly trash or els quite forsake it which worldlings cannot abide to heare of for heauen is high cannot be obtained with too great a burden on our backs nor without labour paines and earnest desires as saith Christ The Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and men must take it as it were by force that is swinck and sweat for it as an inheretance of greatest importance let therfore a man ioyfully giue himself and all he hath for it he shal win it As the wise maÌ„ that found the treasure in the field solde all he had to enioy that field and treasure whereby is vnderstoode the Kingdome of GOD the treasure and fulnes of all good thinges wherin wee shall finde Christ the full delight and infinite treasure of mans soule Heretickes woulde some of them haue vs now in no better case since Christ hath by his bloudshed opened heauen gates and remoued that wall betwixt God vs then the Iewes were before Christ when none entered into Gods glory till Christ had deliuered them but Heretiks be-ly the truth think too basely of Christs victory ouer the deuill hell death who would haue mens soules That some gather out of Luthers works was his opinion of others or rather worse Note the perfection of man is greater by how much he approch eth neerer to angelical nature to lye I know not in what obscure places and hidden receptacles till the day of iudgment but truth it is as wee bee taught by the Scriptures our Sauiour with the rich spoyle of Saints many blessed soules entered into his fathers glory with whome Saint Paul desired to be when he said I desire to bee loosed from his body that was and be with Christ so that Christ is in heauen no doubt now and Saint Paul al his blessed friends and innumerable saued soules since his Ascention with him and he hath prepared the way for vs if we well and perfectly doe liue to be with him as soone as the soule is from the body and at the glorious resurrection with Christ then shall we be clothed with a glorious stole of our bodies also in which respect we shall be better by it in some sort then I meane not that humane nature exceedeth angeâ—icall but thus I speake chiefely for the honor of our Lord â—â—svs who in himself hath so highly exalted our nature Angels that want bodies which body as it was pertaker with the soule of the griefe and paines of Christ so it shall be for euer pertaker of the glorious resurrection with him where after with Christ shall be more ioy happines of all good things theÌ„ may be thought or imagined Chap. LXX Of the Pope that he is the Vicar of Christ and lawfull successor of Saint Peeter LAstly the heretickes raile much against the Pope for he is euer in one end of their sermons and therefore I wil end with him in this litle treatise I told you before and proued vnto you in one of the notes of the true Church which is succession how the Pope is Vicar of Christ and successor most lawfull to Saint Peter to whom and all his successors in him Christ committed chiefe charge and authority ouer the Church wherein at the first generall consell he made decree gaue first sentence he raysed the dead healed the
of old but also of latter yeeres God euer be blessed for it Cuius manus non est abbreuiata approue them to be Saints canonized with GOD indeede as hauing their names writteÌ„ in the book of life whose worthty and famous memorye for all generations shall neuer decay Chap. LXXII Wherefore he weareth his Crowne is borne of mens shouldrrs suffereth deuout persons to kisse his foote THe hereticks say the Pope is proud for that men kisse his foote beare him on their shoulders and that hee weareth a triple crowne the like first for wearing a crowne they ought not to blame him for he is not only Bishop but also a king ouer that country and citty requisite it is for him his couÌ„sel the Cardinals to beare some shew of maiesty and estate otherwise the infirme people that must bee houlden in awe would despice and not obey them Againe if God suffer wicked Princes to haue glory and raigne it is for the glory of his name then that sometimes his deerest seruants may haue peace and honor euen vppon earth for the comefort of the faithful that infidelles may haue lesse cause to triumph and blaspheme the name of Christ as though he could not exalt his Vicare and Steward but would forsake altogeather his dearest seruants As for being borne of mens shoulders yt is for that he may the better be seene of the people as he passeth to Saint Peters Church of some solemne feast that they may all see him and haue his blessing which they could not a nomber see yf he went in the throng whereas there is such presse sometime of such a high feast many thousands being gathered together so great is the deuotion of the people to serue Christ honor him in his Vicar and visite the bodies of the holy Apostles In that some of deuotion kisse his foote though he command nor require any so to do yet considering for whome they do it that is that it is for Christ whose person by Gods prouideÌ„ce he representeth he dissaloweth not their deuotions and we se therein the word of the holy Prophet in some sort according to the letter verefied that before Christ prophesied Inimici eius terram lingent that his enemies shall licke the earth that is those that sometimes were enemies to Christ as Rome was before it receaued CHRIST faith afterward shal become so obedient subiect to Christ that they shall worshippe his very footestoole and not only kisse his foote but the very earth his Vicar treadeth vpon Moreouer whereas Saint Gregory Saint Leo and all holy Fathers Popes in that seat writt of themselues though most humble men yet I said they affirme of themselues that they supplye the place of Saint Peter and CHRIST yet This I heard of such inhabitants â— Rome thaâ— well knew it that this was the custome of Pius quin tus and Gregoriâ—â— 13. as euery one may easely perceiue they bee most humble and lowlye men of themselues in so much that the Popes that now bee in their owne persons giue audience and will heare and helpe the cause of the poorest men in the world yea once euerie day from his most waighty affaires the Pope alotteth a tyme to heare himself the complaints of the poore insomuch that in his writinges such is his humility he termeth himself with no higher a style then calling himselfe alwayes the seruaunt of the seruaunts of GOD. Chap. LXXIII Why heretickes haue euer slaundered the Pope and how GOD turneth their malice to the benefitte of his elect and how heretickes be forerunners of Antichrist and of Christs victory ouer his enemies in his Church ANd yet will hereticks can the Pope proud that with al humility watch and care seeketh their saluation both night and day But it is not without cause heretikes slaunder and barke against the Pope for they like wolues as long as he the lawfull pastor is sound cannot haue full scope to inuade and deâ—oure Christs slock and therfore as holy Fathers doe note it hath euer bene the manner of heretiks to bark against the Pope yet see how God can turne all to the best for truly the brabling most impudentiying of your Ministers against the pope gaineth them litle for it giueth some occasion that neuer almost heard of the Pope to enquier further what he is and so finding him in the end to bee Christs Vicar and Pastor of their soules by good enquirie of the truth they forsake their woluish Ministers as liers and enimies to Christ the truth who because they be Antechristians themselues therfore the more primly to goe masked vnknowne them selues they call the pope Antichrist not vnlike to that drab and vnnaturall mother whereof we reade in Scripture that that hauing oner-laine her owne child malapertly would haue faced downe the naturall mother and haue had her liuing child in keeping But wise Salomon decided the matter So you see it is the property of naughty women euer to sclaunder the good that their owne naughtines may either seeme more tollerable or lesse suspected So I say this corrupted whore of Babilon this strumpet heresy euer slaundereth the good woman the natueral mother the spouse of Christ his Church but especially the head thereof Christs Vicar the Pope calling him Antechrist Christan Rome Babilon and the like wheras as I declared they themselues indeede be very antichristians preparers of Antechrists way his prophets and very forrunners and their many folde heresies bee nothing but a very heape of deadly damnable dregges corruption a very babilonicall confusion But Christ our true Salomon the wisdome of his father hath and euer will iudge and discerne our naturall mother his deere spouse the Catholike Churches cause will restore her weeping for her children lost wilv according to his promise preserue his Vicar her lawfull pastor the Pope in all truth that his faith shall neuer faile and send the drabbe and strumpette of heresie and sinne packing and make her folishnes and wily deceipts knowne vnto all men yea will cast her into the fiery lake burning with fire and bristome in sacula saculorum world without end Where all her fawters that maintained her here and fledde not out of her be time al Kings Princes and nations of the worlde that with her whordome were corrupted shall crye Woe woe Babilon Babilon that great Citty is falne downe and so of the cupe of Gods wrath with her shall they drink for euer who were corrupted with her prostitution and who folowed her plefures and delights here in this life When Christ in his Triumphant Kingdome the Church spight of that olde Dragon the strumpet and all her Merchants shall raigne for euer Chap. LXXIIII Of the assistantes of the Pope as first of his Cardinals and why they be so called also of religious men Priests and Godly men of this time that dyed Martirs and of the dying obstinately of heretickes HEretickes to shew all their spight when
naught be admitted as Christian Catholiks and for meÌ„bers of Gods Church as they For the heretiks of this tyme rayse vp from hell al old heresies whereof Turcisine first arose for the most part that haue bene from Christs time to this day such as many hundred yeeres agone haue bene condemned by the general consent of al Christendome now knitting altogether in one fardell with a number moe of their owne and the deuils new deuising they make rather a generall apostacy denying al things in effect that good is then an heresie from the Church making the hye way to the Diuell and Antichrist learning yet this lesson of false Mahomet their grandesire to admitte al sects and religions that in outward wordes confesse GOD to be of their Church or to be saued and so by the Diuells drift endeauour to their power to send all the world packing to Hell Butlett vs suppose which would GOD it were true that Protestants differed from the Catholike Church but in some one point or the least article of our faith now in questioÌ„ at this day As for example inuocation of Saints or the vse of images yet I say am able plainlie to proue that for the obstinate denyall of the lesse of these points or any such like they should quite cut themselues off from the vnity of Christs Catholike Church which we are bound by Christs owne word by the instruction of our creede to heare beleeue because as there is but one faith Church so but one truth therein which is plaine and simple and cannot be intermedled with any lye therfore whatsoeuer this church proposeth as matter of truth faith to be beleeued I am bound to beleeue it or els I discredit her for a lying Church so not the Church of Christ which is truth so that deny the Churches truth and beliefe in one point deny her in al and the mis beliefe and obstinate gayne saying against one article of faith maketh one an heretike and so offender against the whole for God is truth and wholly in euery part of truth so that to deny any receiued truth of the Church which is matter of faith is to offend against the whole insomuch that S. Iames saith qui totam legem seruauerit offender it autem in vno factus est omnium reus he that keepeth the whole law offendeth in one point is guiltie of al now the true Church of GOD eight hundred yeeres agone condemned image breakers for exaÌ„ple quite cutting them off from the corps vnity of the Church commending to al as a matter of faith that good Christians ought reuerently to keepe and vsethe sacred Images of Christ and his Saints the same doth the Church of God stil beleeue teach confirmed it in her last general Councell holden at Trent as these image breakers for that one heresie were many hundred years agone condemned by the consent of all Christendome and cutte of quite from the whole Church so were those that denyed inuocation of Saints and their holy reliques as Ioumian and Vigilantius in S. Ieroms time against which heretikes and their heresies as new Idolls Saint Ierome him-selfe thundring with Note here that Beza in Actor Apo. cap. 23. v. 3. Is angrywith S. Ierome forwriting against Ioumian vigilaÌ„tius saying Ego coraÌ„ Deo Angelus eâ—us affirme intoller an danâ— esse multis locis in de torquè dis Scripturis Hieronimi andaciam vt in libro contra Iouinianum Vigilantium see here how Beza approoueth elde heretickes of his opinions condemning S. Hierome authority of Gods word and his church very sententiously and learnedly burst them asunder many other such like heretiks for other opinions as the Donatists in Africk in S. Augustine time agreeing many of them in all other points with the Catholik Church yea many of them differing litle or nothing at all in the outward rite and forme of the Churches seruice yea some of theÌ„ but Schismatiks in the beginning yet were they all cutte of the Church no true Christians euer Communicating with them in SacrameÌ„ts or prayers the holy fathers so vehe meÌ„tly writing against the least of those heresyes that rather then they would haue admitted the least of them into the Church of God they would haue suffered many deaths and come now heretiks that cast downe Images Saints yea Christ himselfe out of the Church and pulle downe churches and all and think to be accounted member of gods Church nay that Church hath euer taught vs another lessone who hath euer beene so carefull to keepe her faith with Saint Paul that reioycing said fidem seruaui In all pointes so pure and vndefilled remembring her chiefe pastors lessone that therein shee must resist the Deuill seeking euer his pray whome he may deuoure whome he bidds vs resist Fortes in fide strong in the Catholik faith especially That euen as the Church triumphant in heauen with God can admit no impure or vncleane soule distained with sinne so certainly the true Church of God militant heere on earth neither may nor can admit into her society any open obstinate leaporous heretike infected with the least heresie and why but because as treason is most hay nous to the Prince and common weale so is heresie most grieuous in the sight of GOD and most pernitious to his Church many other great offendors the Prince oft spareth but very seldome is treason pardoned because it tendeth to the ruine of the Kings person and dissolution of the whole state and Monarchy So the holy Church oft times vvith great compassion is forced to tollerate grieuous sinners yea vvith sighes and teares ought to sorrowe and lament them expecting donec formetur in eis Christus and as long as they bee not obstinate in sinne as in theft fornication or more grieuous faults so long oft she expects I say their amendment not quite cutting them off but releeuing them with prayers and good Counsaile that so she vpon their recouery with joy may imbrace them in visceribus misericordiae Christi but euen as the vigilant sheepheard immediatly driueth away the Wolfe or seperateth the scabbed sheepe from 〈◊〉 flocke for feare of killing his lambes or infecting his sound sheepe So the true Pastors of the Church neuer tollerate heresie nor the least heretike in Christs flocke the Church because it creepeth as the canker and destroyeth the corne of Christ Darnell Cockle and such other weede though it be permitted to grow stil with corne till the day of reaping yet venemous blacke flying vermine that consume the corne at euery bitte must diligently at all times bee driuen away For heresie opposeth her selfe by diuision against God which is one preferring her owne wit before the wisedeme and ordinance of Christ in his Church sinneth most highly in Luciferian pride which God so detesteth breaketh charity the knot of peace in his Church which he chiefly loueth and so shooteth against GOD himselfe the