the witte of man by reason of the féeblenesse thereof can by no meanes attaine vnto God but béeing holpen and lyfted vp by his holie worde It followed of necessitie that all men except the Iewes did wander in vanitie errour because they sought God without his worde Should the Papistes committe such absurdities in theyr writinges of matters of Religion if they reiected not the scriptures Should they holde such erronious opinions as they doo if they would content them-selues with the sufficiencie of the Scriptures no truelie if they followed the doctrine preceptes and councell of the Scriptures and not Traditions the inuentions of ambitious and worldly minded men S. Iohn teacheth in the. 20. Chap. That all things needfull to saluation are onely contained in the word of God These are his wordes Multa quidem et alia signa fecit Iesus in conspectu discipulorum suorū quae non sunt scripta in libro hoc haec autem scripta sunt vt credatis quod Iesus est Christus ille filius Dei et vt credentes vi◠tam habeatis per nomen eius And many other signes dyd Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name The which wordes Cyrill expoundeth thus Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscripta sunt sed quae scribentes putarunt sufficere tam ad mores quam ad dogmata All is not written that Christe dyd but so much as the writers thought sufficient as well to manners as to doctrine Saint Augustine De doctrina Christiana Lib. 2. Cap. 9. Sayth In his quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur ea omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi All thinges contayning faith and manners are manifestly set downe in the Scriptures Basilius De fidei Confessione Sayth Manifesta est elapsio à fide et superbiae crimen aut reprobare quid ex ijs quae scripta sunt aut superinducere quid ex non scriptis It is a manifest slyding from the faith and a great pride eyther to reiect any thing that is written in the worde of GOD or to bring in any thing vnwritten For Christes sheepe sayth Saint Iohn Chap. 10.4 heare his voice and will not heare the voyce of an other And in his Moralles he sayth That if whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne if faith come by hearing hearing by the worde of God whatsoeuer is brought in beside the worde of God is not of faith and therefore sinne What haue we to doo good Christian people with Romish Traditions with Decrées Canons Constitutions Coūcels and Papisticall writings are their inuentions comparable with the scriptures or haue the Papists the lyke vtteraunce the lyke gifte of spéeche as Christe had Saint Iohn speaking of Christe Chap. 7.46 Sayth Nunquam sic loquutus est homo Neuer man spake as this man dooth Not all the hypocritical illusions of the Papists can once preuayle against Christes Church Not Cicero the father of eloquence not Demosthenes out of whose mouth flowed flooddes of eloquence not eloquent Pericles of whome it is written that he dyd thunder out his wordes not the golden tongued Chrisostome But Christes argumentes were so mightie and his wordes so swéete that a certaine woman hauing great admonition thereof lyfted vp her voice and sayde vnto him Happie is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked This worde differeth in perfection in his wordes all thinges endure take away this worde what is man a brute beast Take away the sunne out of the world what remaineth horrible darknesse Lactantius De ira Dei Cap. 1. Sayth Lumen mentis humanae Deus est remoto Deo coelestique doctrina omnia erroribus plena sunt God is the light of mans soule if you set a side or put away from you God his heauenlie worde all thinges are full of errours Take away this worde what is man a captiue of Sathan a praye of death a slaue of sinne a fire-brande of hell Ignorantia Scripturarū Christi ignorantia est Sayth Hierome in Prologo Esaiae Ignoraunce of the scriptures is ignoraunce of Christ As farre as heauen is distaunt from earth so farre ought heauenlie thinges alwayes be preferred before humaine thinges yea incomparably ought they alwayes to be preferred Hierome in Epistola Ad Demetriadem Virginem vtere lectione diuina Sayth hée Vtere speculo vide speculum foeda corrigenda pulchra conseruanda et pulchra facienda Scriptura enim speculum est foeda ostendens et corrige dicens Vse to reade the holie Scripture vse the glasse see the glasse that deformitie may be amended fayrenesse preserued and fayre thinges performed For the scripture is a glasse shewing deformitie and saying amend Gregoris in Moral sayth Sacra scriptura tanquam speculum quoddam mentis The holy Scriptures is as a certaine glasse of the minde S. Augustin in Psalm 48. Scriptura sancta sit tibi tanquam speculum speculum hoc habet splendorem non mendacem non adulantem nullius personam amantem formosus es formosum te ibi vides Sed cum foedus accesseries et foedum te ibi videris noli accusare speculum ad te redi non te fallit speculum tu te noli fallere Let the holie Scripture be to thee as a glasse this glasse hath no deceytfull or flattering brightnesse it is not in looue with any mans person Arte thou beautifull thou seest thy selfe there beautifull but when thou commest deformed accuse not the glasse aduise thy selfe the glasse deceyueth thee not deceyue not thou thy selfe Saint Augustine sayth Tom. 2. Epist 166. In Scripturis didicimus Christum in Scripturis didicimus Ecclesiā In the Scriptures we haue learned Christe in the Scriptures we haue learned the Church Saint Ambrose sayth in Homil. Lib. 4. Cap. 1. Christus oritur in lectione sol iustitiae In reading the Scriptures Christ the sonne of righteousnesse ryseth Saint Augustine sayth Verbo Dei docemur in omnibus By the worde of God we are instructed in all thinges Saint Basill in Concione Quod Deus non causa malorum verbum Dei ex quo solo noscitur Deus regiam viam monstrat et est lucerna pedum nostrorum The worde of GOD by the which onely GOD is knowen sheweth the kinges high way and is the lyght of our feete We learne faith in the Scriptures and not in Popishe Traditions Saint Hillarie sayth Ad imperatorem Constantinum to the Emperour Constantinus Fidem imperator quaeris audi eam non de nouis Chartulis sed de Dei libris Dooth your Maiestie seeke the faith Heare it then not out of any new scroll but out of the booke of God Saint Iohn sayth Chap. 14. Qui non diligit me sermones meos non seruat et sermo quem auditis non est meus sed eius
thing truelie of the goinges of the beloued or of the dooinges of the beloued Beléeue me truely O world it is daunger to aske her it is next to deaths doore to heare her it is dampnable death and hell to beléeue her Better it is to dye in body for him that may then to beléeue her to be the holy Catholique Church and therefore to perishe in body and soule Happy were they and are and shall be who patiently suffered doo suffer and shall suffer the tyranny and persecution of Antichriste Hope of Roome for the deniall of his whoorishe and Babilonicall Church By theyr patience it appeared that they had the cognisance or badge of the true Church August De tempore Ser. 130. Crux regni insigne est The Crosse sayth Saint Augustine is the cognisance or badge of the Church Athanasius Ad solitariam vitam agentes sayth Caedi Christianorum proprium est Caedere aus tem Christianos Pilati et Caiphae officia sunt To be persecuted belongeth to Christians but to persecute the Christians belongeth to the office of Pilate and Caiphas But the Papistes say that they punishe the Protestants onely for a desire to haue them reconciled to their Sinagogue and for entyre looue A gentle kinde of looue lyke the looue of one Philippides of whome Aristophanes in Vespis writeth who tooke a cudgell A prettie example alluded to the Papists and dyd beate his Father and all for looue But we may say with Tertullian Crudelitas vestra nostra gloria est Your crueltie is our glorie For Gods Religion the more it is pressed the more it encreaseth This persecution of the Papistes against the Christians is an euident token that the Church of Roome is the Sinagogue of Sathan Caine persecuted Abell the Giants Noah the Sodomites Loth Ismaell Isaack Esau Iacob the Egiptians the Israelites Pharaoh Moses Saule Dauid and yet Dauid would not hurt againe of whome we learned that Gods Church dooth suffer rather then hurt pardon rather then persecute The false Church of the Prophetes persecuted the true propheticall Church the Sinagogue of the Iewes persecuted Christe and his Apostles The Churche of Roome persecuteth Christes lyttle flocke and congregation So Hillarius and Nicephorus in many places discourse Lactantius sayth excellently to this matter Diuin Institut Lib. 5. Cap. 19. Defendenda religio est non occidendo sed monendo non saeuitia sed patientia non scelere sed fide Nam si sanguine et tormentis si malo religionem defendere velis iam non defendetur illa sed polluetur atque violabitur Religion is to be defended not with murthering but with monishing not with crueltie but with patience not with furie but with faithfulnesse For if ye defend Religion with bloodshedde and tormenting or with working of mischeefe it is not defended but defiled and deceyued The Church of Roome persecuteth all Christians The Ornamentes and deckings of the Antichristian Church of Roome her sentence is burne burne burne her hadge let vs laye wayte for blood her head blasphemie her shéelde tyrannie her breast iniurie her eyes fyre her gyrdle fornication her breath poyson her tongue the stinge of death her féete ready to shedde innocent blood her sworde violence her Crosse persecution her pardons iniquitie her tryple crowne presumption her Keies ambition and all her dooinges abhomination Héere doo follow great swarmes of Cainites Giantes Sodomites Egiptians Scribes Pharasies Herodians Monks The Champions and vpholders of this Babilonicall Sea Friers Cardinalles Adulterers Idolaters Parasites Poysoners Pardoners Bawdes Flatterers Traytours Rebels Murderers Theeues with all the Romishe rabble These are the right Canniballes lyke to the barbarous people of Armenica that eate one an other My countrey men wyll you builde your faith vppon this Church which receyueth such Varlettes which hath such gracelesse personnes such persecutours and such bloodie butchers The Church of Christe hath none such there were neuer in the Church of Christe nor are not nor neuer shall be persecutors The Church of Christe is styll persecuted and neuer persecuteth Did the Matriarches persecute did Christe persecute did the Apostles persecute When the Samaritanes would not receyue Christe Iames and Iohn béeing as yet Nouices in Christes schoole called for fyre from heauen and would haue burned and consumed the Samaritanes but Christe rebuked them saying You wot not of what manner of spirite you are for the sonne of man is not come to destroye mens liues but to saue them If the Church of Roome were the holie Catholique Church it would then féede the soule of man béeing a spirite with spirituall foode moone her by spirituall instrumentes drawe her by the worde leade her by the spirite and persuade her by the Scriptures which are the onely meanes which God appoynteth If an Heretique holde an opinion he holdeth it eyther of ignoraunce or of wylfulnesse If of ignoraunce he is to be conuerted by doctrine to be conuinced by Scripture reformed by exhortation reduced by reason persuaded by the trueth If of wylfulnesse he is to be menaced by the Lawe and corrected by excommunication The Church of Rome vseth no such meanes wherefore the Church of Roome is of the deuill and not of Christe And as the Lord hath done to Ierusalem in Titus Vespasianus tyme as Iosephus in his hystorie of the Iewes maketh mention and to the ruines thereof that the place should not boast of the Oracles of God So God hath done to Roome A notable forewarning to the Church of Roome to the Idolles thereof that theyr boasting should be in vaine of the Church of God For what was Roome euen from her byrth but a Citie built in Parricide then strengthened with robberies and made a Sanctuarie for murderers of all Nations The pettigree of Roome as you may read in theyr owne Romaine Hystories And what was it afterwardes in the time of the Emperour Iulianus Apostata Dioclesian Nero and diuers others but a slaughter house of the Martyrs of God and what is it in ours and our fathers dayes but the Queene of pride the nurse of Idolatries the mother of whordomes the sincke of iniquities out of which sorceries withcrafts poisoninges adulteries rebellions and bloodie warres haue ouerflowed the whole earth Who wyll beléeue in this Church are we commaunded to beléeue léeue in this Church when as it is sayd in our Créede Credo sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam I beleeue that there hath béene is and shall be a holie Catholique Church My sence can not shew it and therefore I beléeue it for if I sée it beléefe is in vaine for where sence faileth and can goe no farther there beléefe beginneth For is it necessarie that we should frō time to time beleeue that Roome is the holie Catholique Church but we should from tyme to tyme beleeue there is a holy Catholique church But in déede the Papists and such like open persecutours haue of so long tyme kept vnder the Church that we are driuen
to beléefe for they haue left scarse any sence or memorie of the true members of Christes Church If we beléeue the Romaine Church to be The holie Catholique Church The Scriptures are against vs theyr owne Doctours are against vs and the definition of the word Church is against vs. Shall we beléeue the building of Saint Peters Church to be our holie Mother the Church Beléeue it who that will and I assure him that he hath not the true Church on his side nor the Gospell to excuse him Séeke for this Church whereof Christe is head and not the Pope in this Church haue we lybertie not to doo euyll but to doo good The Churth of Roome bringeth to our lyfe myserable bondage Whyles we are in the Church of Christe wée hope for the promises of lyfe euerlasting but whyles wée stande in the Churche of Roome wée stande in feare and terrour of eternall condempnation to come vppon vs for our sinnes in the day of death Through Christe who is the head of this true Churche wée sée our sinnes purged the Deuill vanquished death and condempnation abolished and our selues in the lybertie of the chyldren of God to crie Abba Father Thus much touching the Church ¶ Of the infallible perfect ground and sufficiencie of the Scriptures to the eternall comfort and consolation of all true Christians and vtter confusion of the Pope and all his adherentes BEcause the Papistes affirme and boldly say that the Scriptures are not sufficient for a man therby to knowe the trueth by the which he may be saued it is erpedient and néedefull at this present tyme to heare what the Scriptures and Doctors doo say therevnto First I will beginne with the Scriptures as with the veritie it selfe and then with the Doctors who ground theyr argumentes and reasons vpon the worde of God which is the holy Scripture Although it behooueth man earnestly to bende his eyes to consider the workes of God For as much as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet principallie ought be to bend his eares to the Scriptures that he may better profite thereby and sooner learne the trueth by the which he may be saued And therefore it is no meruayle that they which are borne in darknesse doo more and more waxe harde in theyr amazed dulnesse because verie fewe of them doo giue them selues pliable to learne of the worde of God whereby to kéepe them within the boundes but they rather reioyce in theyr owne vanitie Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true Religion may shine amongst vs we must take our begynning at the heauenlie doctrine and that no man can haue any taste be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue béene Scholler to the Scriptures And from hence groweth the originall of true vnderstanding that we reuerentlie embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth GOD therein to testifie of him selfe for not â—nely the perfect and in all poynts absolute faith but also all right knowledge of God springeth from obedience and truely in this behalfe God of his singuler prouidence hath prouided for men in all ages For if we consider howe slippery an inclination mans minde hath to slide into by forgetfulnes of God how great a readinesse to fall into all kinde of errours howe great a lust to forge oftentimes new and counterfeyt Religions The onely fall of man into so many and sundrie euyls is the forgetfulnesse of God We may thereby perceyue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not eyther perishe by forgetfulnesse or growe vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnesse of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of his worde towardes all those whome it pleased him at any tyme fruitfully to instruct because he foresawe that his Image imprinted in that most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectuall therfore it behooueth vs to trauaile this straight waye if we earnestlie couette to attayne to the true beholding of God we must I saye come to his worde wherin God is well and liuelie set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersenesse of our owne iudgement but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swerue from that worde as I sayd euen nowe although we runne neuer so faste yet we shall neuer attayne to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth Rom. 16. such as can not be attained vnto is vnto vs lyke a Maze out of which we can not vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the worde guided into it And therfore Dauid Psalm 9. et 96.97.99 c. oftentimes when he teacheth that superstitions are to be taken away out of the world that pure Religion may florishe bringeth in God reigning meaning by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctrine wherby he challengeth to him selfe a lawfull gouernment because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hearts of men tyll the true knowledge of God be planted Therefore the same Prophete after that he hath recited Psalm 19.21 That the heauens declare the glorie of God that the fyrmament sheweth foorth the workes of his handes That the orderlie succéeding course of dayes and nightes preacheth his Maiestie then he descendeth to make mention of his worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawe of the Lorde is vndefiled conuerting soules sayth Dauid the witnesse of the Lorde is faithfull giuing wisdome to lyttle ones The rightfulnesse of the Lord is vpright making hearts cheerefull the commaundement of the Lord is bright giuing light to the eyes For although he comprehendeth the other vses of the Lawe yet in generallitie he meaneth that for as much as God dooth in vaine call vnto him all Nations by the beholding of the heauen and earth therefore this is the peculiar schoole of the children of God The same meaning hath the .xix. Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached Of the voice of God which in thunder winds showers whirle-winds and stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountaines to tremble and breaketh the Ceder trees In the ende at last he goeth farther and sayth That his prayses are sung in the Sanctuarie because the vnbeleeuers are deafe and heare not all the voices of God that resound in the ayre And in lyke manner in an other Psalme 93.5 after that he had described the terrible waues of the sea He thus concludeth Thy testimonies are verified the beautie of thy Temple is holinesse for euer And out of this meaning also proceeded that which Christe sayde to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.22 That her Nation and the rest did honour that which they knewe not and that onely the Iewes did worshippe the true God For whereas
with his true body and with his handes he delyuered vnto his Disciples the Sacrament of his onely body Héereupon it followeth that the faithfull acknowledging the Sacrament mysterie receiue with theyr mouth the sacramentall bread of his body But with the mouth of the spirite they eate the very body of the Lord. He is eaten in such sort as he may be eaten that is to say spiritually by faith As the Lord himselfe expoundeth this mysterie vnto vs at large in Saint Iohn the. 6. Chapter Neyther haue the purest Doctours of the auncient Church taught any otherwise yea and this place may well be applied to the wordes of the Lord. For séeing our Lord hath but one true body the which he gaue vp to death for vs and that in these two places he speaketh of this selfe same body it séemeth vnto me that this place of S. Mathewe ought to be expoūded by that of S. Iohn Séeing that Saint Augustin also in his third booke of the agréement of the Euāgelists supposeth that S. Iohn speaketh not of the institution of the Supper of the Lord because in an other place he had set foorth this matter at large All the auncient Doctors of the Church Neither the sufficiencie of the scriptures nor aucthoritie of the Doctours can satisfie the Papists speaking of the Supper alleageth the Supper of the Lord. Yet for all that the Papistes euer haue in theyr mouthes transubstantiation transubstantiation Though bothe Scriptures Doctours writte against them yet so voyde they are of reason and common sence and so blockish that they will embrace signes for things them selues they turne that to worshipping knéeling which was delyuered for a thankfull remembrance by most agréeable application The Deuill hath so bewitched their sences and vnderstanding that they thinke they make God euery day as oft as they list hauing none aucthority of the most holy Scriptures but as they wrest it and wring it for theyr owne purposes For Iesus Christ at his last supper took bread and gaue thankes and brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and sayde Take eate this is my body and he lykewise tooke the cuppe and gaue thankes and gaue it them saying drinke ye all hereof this is my blood in the new Testament which shall be shed for many for the remission of sinnes Nowe to come to our purpose where as these heretiques doo take aucthoritie vpon these wordes Hoc est corpus meum that is to say This is my body The horrible blasphemie of the Papists vsed in their Masse Dooth it followe by the holy scripture that they when they haue sayde these wordes ouer the bread should create a materiall fleshe blood and raynes yea the selfe same body that the blessed Virgin Marie dyd beare as these Antichristes say they doo I doo aunswer no for when Christe brake the bread and blessed it dooth it follow that it was his body in déede and there remayned no more bread if they say no I aunswere no more doo we if they say yea then if the bread was not crucified he gaue it to his Disciples and they dyd eate dyd they eate Christes body or no I meane the verie selfe same body that was borne of the Virgin Marie if they say no I aunswer no more doo we if they say yea then dyed he not for vs For could he dye for vs when they had eaten him vp afore But this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my body was the swéetest worde that they could finde out in all the whole Testament The poore people much deceyued by the Papists to bleare mennes eyes with a false God compelling the people to knéele on theyr knées and holde vp theyr handes which is abhominable and detestable Idolatrie But heere is a question to be demaunded of these holy Gentlemen the Godmakers When they make God whether doo they make him at once or twise for they say Note heere that there remaineth no materiall bread after the Consecration but the very naturall body that Marie bare flesh blood bone Then dooth it follow that wée worshippe a false God in the Challice Then wyll they saye as shameles Iuglers that they Consecrate the verie selfe same substāce in the wine that they doo in the bread wherby it dooth appeare manifestly that they are false Sacrilegers robbers and théeues of the laye people For at Easter they giue them a drie body without blood for they giue them Wine vnconsecrated this is once true and manifest But what wyll these Iuglers saye forsoothe euen as they haue all sayde Heretique Heretique blearing mennes eyes with such blinde examples saying euen as there is a glasse and many faces séene in the glasse so lykewise maye a multytude of people receyue the substance at one worde Ah false fayning Iuglers As there be many faces sayth hee in the glasse Note heere and but one glasse I aunswere if I sée my selfe in the glasse dooth it followe that I haue a face styll in the glasse an other in my head Or when a great number of faces is séene in one glasse it is not to note that there are faces in déede but the similytude of faces no more is it to be beléeued that this bread is Christes body that Marie bare for that it dooth but represent the body I would demaund this question that I speaking the worde with reuerence might not make Christes body as well as they they will say no wherfore because we are not elect chosen let them aunswere to this question Dooth the word giue vertue to election Note heere for an especiall enstruction or election to the word If the they say that election giueth vertue to the word then I prooue the worde of no vertue then how can they make God with it If they say that the worde giueth vertue to the election then I prooue that all men speaking the worde may doo as much in it as they For the worde taketh effect in the spirite and not in the fleshe this argument can not be denied except they make God parciall If a man should demaund by what aucthoritie they make God they wyll say by the worde Oh crafty Iuglers God made the world in sire dayes and rested the seuenth day he made Sunne Moone and starres he made byrds beasts fowles and fishes woormes serpentes stones hearbes grasse and euerie thing of the same worde and the same words wherwith he made all these thinges doo remayne mayne styll in the Bible and yet can it not make any of these thinges neyther bread nor beast nor nothing else yet wyll they make the maker of all these things and say they doo it by the word the worde that made all these things remaineth still in the Bible and yet can they not doo it Nowe to come to the word that they make God of that is Hoc est corpus meum which is to say This is my body Behold the
the auncient Fathers much to blame who in setting downe the Articles of our Creede dyd neglect and lightly passe ouer this vpstart Article of the Romish sea that where we be commaunded to beléeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church they dyd not in manner commaund vs to beléeue the Romaine Church withall Héereby you perceyue well enough my fréendes into what combersome straights and absurdities the Papistes haue hurled them selues by their blinde and vnaduised rashnesse For first if no certaintie of saluation be to be hoped for out of the Church which Church must be without all question that same verie Church of Roome as they frame theyr argumentes and that the Church of Roome be none other but the same which is strained and straighted to the vniuersall commaundementes and decrées of the Bishoppe of Roome Nowe then they doo exempt out of the priuiledge of the Church not onely this our English nation but together with them also they doo exclude out of the number of the Catholique Church infinite other famous learned Clarks of the auncient and pure age of the Church as Doctors Patriarches and Bishoppes yea amongst these also all the Bishoppes of Roome as many as were Gregories predecessors But what néede many proofes in a matter of it selfe so manifest and well knowne Vndoubtedlie sithens Christe would vouchsafe to lay the first foundation yea and to build vp that beautifull and euerlasting building of his owne house vpon none other ground worke then vpon that corner stone of Christian faith and Christian confession And if Paule doubted nothing to recoumpt the same faith to be the only and infallible shoote-Ancker of saluation By what Lawe then will the Pope adiudge them as out-castes worthy to be banished from the Catholique and Apostolique Church which professe the selfe same faith of Christe that the Apostles and other Catholique Churches dyd professe Why should the Papistes thus cruelly deale with the Christians for following Christe and his Apostles Why should they thus furiously persecute the godlie burne them or consume them in prison for denying the Romaine Church to be the holie Catholique Church Séeing that no mention thereof is made to be such a Church as the Papistes would haue it to be throughout all the Scriptures But we gather by the Scriptures that the Church of Roome is the Church of the deuill for if the Church of Roome were the true Church of Christe Christes sheepe heare his voice But the Church of Roome heareth not his voyce but heareth rather the voyce of Courtezanes therefore it is not the true Church but the Sinagogue of Sathan Shee wryteth in her coyne That Kingdome and people that doo not obey mee shall be rooted out contrarie to that the Kinges of Nations beare rule ouer them but ye shall not so doo therefore shée is not the true Church Ambrose sayth That the true Church is the Mother of the liuing But those that be in this Church are dead for they haue no faith because they haue no knowledge therfore this Church is not the true Church Shée committeth idolatrie and spirituall adulterie many wayes therefore shée is not the holie Catholique Church The Church of Roome numbers her multitudes as Dauid nūbred his Souldiors and therfore shée is not the holie Catholique Church These Papistes are like Cockles they carry theyr house about with them so doo they theyr Church Aspalathus will not growe but in Boetia ye kill these men if ye take away the couerture of the Church of Roome This Church is the ritch Arras that couereth all her faultes follies But admit good people that we were wunderfull hūble obediēt to this Church and most willing to come againe as foolishe Béetles to the shirt of this Church and to aske of her questions and demaundes I protest before heauen and earth and the founder of them bothe that I thinke it not good we should be holde in asking for the great imminent daunger in her aunswering For if we aske Whether Iesus be Christe or no This Romishe Church giueth out her aunswere That the Bishop of Roome is the high Preest and that the sayde Bishoppe hath the strength of the kingdome of Christe and the infallible veritie of a Prophete And therefore they allowe to ouer rule Christe by adding and taking too and fro his woorde If we aske If Christe were the onely oblation offered once vp for all for the sinnes of the world Her aunswere is verie daungerous That the Masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead And shee falleth into commendation of her wheaten God and dooth attribute the health of the world to that abhominable bread and Idoll If we aske her If Christe be her intercessour to God Shée aunswereth vs most wickedlie Iure Matris imperat That Christe forsoothe shall commaund his Father by the right of his Mother If we aske her Of the state and condition of man since the fall of Adam Shée aunswereth That hee may ouertake heauen of him selfe and well enough by him selfe worke out his owne saluation Aske her What faith is And shee wyll tell of an implicite thing and of a generall faith and to be holden fast by that hand there shée kéepeth silence and is as spéechlesse as a Fishe If we aske her What the Lawe is Shée ladeth our shoulders with the heauy Ceremonies of Judaisme and Paganisme If we aske her What the Gospell is Shée maketh voide Gods promise with her owne Iustice If we aske her Of good workes Shee aunswereth iust lyke Saint Lukes Pharasie Then againe shée deuiseth good workes to be thus to hyre certayne men for money to pray and to mumble vp much quantitie of Psalmes in a couert tongue to kéepe huge troughes of Ling and Saltfishe many yéeres to waxe spéechlesse with seldome speaking to waxe lame with much sitting to vse many knottes in theyr gyrdles and many windowes in theyr showes to be buried in Monkishe wéedes and Nunnishe Cowles c. If we aske her Of the number of Christes Sacramentes Shee aunswereth That there be seuen Without Scripture shée hath added fiue to Gods two as though God hath let her his two Sacramentes to vsurie If we aske her Whether we goe after this life Shée telleth vs of Virgils Platoes and Mahomets Purgatorie If we should say vnto her Fayre Church of Roome whether is thy belooued gone Shée would say He went in his body to harrowe hell And then I wyll aske her Howe she can aunswere to Signum Ionae et signum Lazari The signe of Ionas and the signe of Lazarus that Christe should be three dayes in his graue If we would say Fayre Church of Roome whether is thy belooued gone Shée wyll say To heauen But then shée dreameth grosely of heauen as Mahomet and besides that in euerie hyll Alter and grone Alter shée wyll saye Here is Christe and there is Christe The more shée aunswereth the more shée aunswereth of lesinges Vneath hath shée nowe these many long yéeres aunswered any
qui misit me Patris He that looueth me not keepeth not my words and the word which ye heare is not mine but the fathers which sēt me If we wyll be contented with the scriptures onely and goe no farther we shall receyue great benefite thereby The blinde shall see the deafe shall heare the dumbe shall speake the lame shall walke fooles shall be wise the sicke shall be whole the dead shall reuine The embracing of the worde of GOD hath made many Papistes The inestimable benefite that proceedeth by the word of God good Christians many persecutours holy Martyrs many proude men humble many couetous mysers lyberall many cruell tyrantes mercifull fauourers many faithlesse faithfull many filthy fornicatours chaste many furious and wrathfull méeke and milde many slaunderers speakers of the trueth many backbiters penitent many slouthfull and drousie vigilant watchfull many fearefull bolde yea and contempners of Phalaris Bull many Saules many Paules many chyldren of darknesse the chyldren of lyght God by his worde offereth to vs his mercifull hande by faith we giue to God our hand and the Sacramentes are as a thirde hand which confirme and establish the ioyning of the other two together If you feare the iudgement of sinne this most precious word offereth you righteousnesse in Christe if you feare death it offereth lyfe if you feare the fire of hell it offereth the ioyes of heauen And bréeflie you haue in this word whence you may take bothe in lyfe recreation and in death preseruation bothe of body and soule euerlastinglie The word of God is water to refreshe vs and wine to chéere vs The vvorde of God is the vvhole direction of a mans life it is bread to strengthen vs and Manna to nourishe vs it is a treasure to enritch vs and a pearle to adorne vs it is a leauen to heate vs and salte to powder vs it is a sword to defend vs and a fire to purge vs it is a salue to heale vs and a lantorne to guide vs it it is a Trumpet to call vs and wisedome to instruct vs a way to dyrect vs and lyfe to reuiue vs. But alas we are so farre from labouring for this worde of God that wheras lyke good husband men we should labour and digge in the féeld and sell all that we haue to buie that féelde whereas lyke wise merchant men we should labour and séeke for good pearles and sell all that we haue to buie that pearle of great prise We sayth Saint Mathew 7. lyke dogs refuse holy things offered we turne about and teare them that doo offer them We lyke swine treade pearles vnder our feete and doo account this pearle this holy thing the worde of lyfe to be vnto vs a ring of golde in a swines snowte For doo the Papistes delight to heare Gods worde beholde yet they are lyke the deafe Adder which stoppeth her eares at the voice of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisclie Doo they looue the bringers of this word beholde yet there is in England an Adders broode a generation of Vipers If we haue more regard in the sayinges of the Papistes and put more confidence in theyr wordes then in the Scriptures howe can we without spéedie repentance but looke for the terrible stroke of vengeaunce God sayth Valerius Maximus hath feete of wooll hee commeth slowlie to punish but he hath handes of yron when he commeth he striketh sore Phillip king of Macedonia hearing of one in his kingdome which refused most vnthankfully to receaue a straunger of whome before he had béene succoured in shyp-wracke in extréeme néede For a woorthy punishment caused to be printed in his forehead with an whotte yron these wordes Ingratus Hospes An vnthankfull Guest So we by refusing his worde may we not thinke our selues woorthy of many whot yrons to print our vnthankfulnes to our shame Thus much for this part ¶ Of auricular Confession THus much you haue heard déerely belooued touching the sufficiencie of the worde of God I haue prooued the sufficiencie thereof bothe by the testimonies of the Scriptures as also with the aucthority of the Doctors Nowe I meane God wylling to confute auricular Confession bothe by Scriptures Doctors and Reasons The Papistes are not ashamed to say and write that it is needefull for all men and women and that it is necessarie for all that are come to the yéeres of discretion to confesse to theyr ghostlie Father maister popishe Préest whatsoeuer sinnes they haue committed If they refuse so to doo our holie Father the Pope wyll hang them in a Rope or send them to hell in ringing Papa Ioannas Bell. If they could prooue by the Scriptures auricular Confession to be lawfull and necessarie to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes then is it tollerable yea and commendable in respect of obedience to the worde of God to vse auricular Confession But if Scriptures thereof make no mention at all but rather disprooue such whispering of sinnes in the eares of doltishe Préestes I take such auricular Confession to be fonde foolishe and daungerous Doost thou reade O Christian man that euer the Patriarches were woont to confesse their perticular sinnes to Préestes as the Papistes doo at this tyme dyd the Prophetes vse such auricular Confession or did the Apostles or dyd the Disciples or dyd any of the Saintes of the primatiue Church reueale in secreate wise theyr particular faultes to any Confessour or to any Préest I reade of none If then the Patriarches the Prophetes In the Primatiue Church no confession euer heard of the Apostles the Disciples of Christe the holy Saintes of the Primatiue Church neuer vsed any auricular Confession why then should wée what example haue we to followe what commaundement is there giuen vnto vs to confesse our sinnes before the Préest what lawe dooth charge vs to recken vp all our sinnes Is not sinne forgiuen but vpon condition that there be an intent conceyued to confesse it where they bable that there remayneth no entrie into Paradise if occasion of confession be neglected Must all sinnes be reckened vp but Dauid as it is written Psalm 19.13 who as I thinke had well studied vpon the confession of his sinnes yet cryed out Who shall vnderstand my errors Lord cleanse mee from my secrete sinnes And in an other place Psalm 28.15 My iniquities haue passed abooue my head and lyke a weightie burden haue waxed heauy abooue my strength Truely he vnderstoode howe great was the bottomlesse depth of our sinnes howe many were the sortes of our mischéeuous dooinges howe many heads this monster Hydra dyd beare and howe long a tayle shée drewe after her Therefore he went not about to recken vp a register of them but out of the depth of euyls he cryed vnto the Lord I am ouerwhelmed I am buried and choaked the gates of hell haue compassed me let thy hand drawe me out which am drowned in the great pitte and am faynting and ready to die Who now may thinke vpon the
prooue lyttle yea nothing that is to the trueth they alledge They are not afrayde so impudent and shamelesse they are to say that Purgatorie standeth with the Scriptures The great impudencie of the Papistes in alleadging their Purgatorie and also was allowed by the olde wryters of the anncient and Catholique Church This they can not verifie by all the Canonicall Scriptures neyther that it was allowed in the primatiue Church that we ought to beléeue that there is a Purgatorie Therefore bothe King Henrie the eight and also King Edward the sixt with all the learned and godly Clergie of England in taking away the vaine and erronious doctrine of popishe Purgatorie and in abolishing or putting downe the Massing Sacrifices for the dead forbydding dirges and other lyke trumperie to be vsed any more dyd most Catholiquely and Christianlike If theyr sayinges in this matter touching Purgatorie and praying for the dead doo agrée with the Scriptures and be grounded vpon Gods worde we wyll take them for an vndoubted and infallible trueth If not we wyll followe the counsell of the blessed Apostle Saint Paule who writeth on this manner If an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you any other Gospel besides that that ye haue receyued let him be accursed Yea we wyll followe the counsell of the olde auncient writers themselues of whome Ireneus writing against Valentinus and other lyke heretiques sayth plainely thus Scripturis diuinis niti quaecerta et indubitata veritas est in firma et valida petra est domum suam edificare hac verò derelicta alys niti quibusi dam doctrinis effusae arenae vnde facilis euersio est do mum suam inaedificare That is to say To leane vpon the holy Scriptures which are the sure and vndoubted trueth is to builde his house vpon a sure and strong rocke but if leauing it I meane the trueth of the Scriptures any man dooth sticke to some other Doctors the same is to builde his house vpon the vnstedfast sande where it shall easily fall Séeing then that the canonicall scriptures make no mention at all of Purgatorie or of praying for the dead if we should followe the doctrine of men in this poynt leauing the infallible worde of God wherein all thinges that pertayne to the saluation of all soules and bodies be most sufficently set foorth and comprehended were it not I pray you according to Ireneus saying To builde vpon the vnstedfast sande Saint Ambrose cryeth out saying Nos noua omnia quae Christus non docuit iure damnamus quia fidelibus via Christus est si igitur Christus non docuit quod docemus etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus We doo by right condemne all newe thinges that Christe hath not taught for Christe vnto the faithfull is the way if therefore Christe hath not taught this that we teach we doo also iudge it detestable Except then they can prooue that Christe who is the way vnto the faithfull dyd teach vs in his Gospell word to beléeue that there is Purgatorie and that it is requisite to pray for them that be departed out of this lamētable maze of myserie We wyll be so bolde with Saint Ambrose to iudge coumpt and recken that doctrine which teacheth vs to beléeue that there is Purgatorie and exhorteth vs to pray for the dead to be most detestable and deuillishe who soeuer be Author of it though it were an Angell from heauen Let vs doo what we can héere in this world to gaine eternall lyfe for doubtlesse after this life departed Prayer or Masse may say Requiescat in pace Not all the Papisticall incātations or exorsisms can help vs after we be dead but may nothing helpe vs in glory to beholde Gods face héere during life perpetuall ioy is wonne or euerlasting sorrowe is gotten Fasting nor almose déedes repentance nor righteousnesse good nor euyll can neyther profite or hurt after our death Lazarus cōmeth not vnto the ritch nor the ritch vnto Lazarus the ritch receyueth not the thing that he dooth aske though he dooth aske it with earnest praiers of the mercifull Abraham For the Garners Sellers he made faste the time is accōplished past the battaile foughten and the place thereof emptie and voide the Crownes are giuen they that haue foughten are at rest they that haue not preuented or come before are gone they that haue not foughtē he no more there they that haue beene ouercommed are driuen out For all thinges are plainlie consumated and ended by and by after the departing out of this world but whyles they be yet all in the conflict or battaile there is yet hope there is a medicine and confession And although these things be not in all men most perfect yet the saluation of other is not without hope And vnto this Saint Hierome dooth agrée writing on this manner in his 13 question 2. Chapter In praesenti seculo scimus siue orationibus siue consilijs inuicem nos inuari posse cum autem ante tribunal Christi venerimus nec Iob nec Daniel nec Noah rogare posse pro quoquam sed vnum quemque portare onus suum We knowe that in this worlde we can be helped one of an other either with prayers or with counsayle but after we be come once before the iudgement seate of Christe neyther Iob nor Daniel nor Noah be able to pray for any body but euerie man shall beare his owne burden And vppon the ninth Chapter of Ecclesiastes these be his wordes Peccator viuens iusto mortuo si voluerit in eius virtutes transire melior esse potest Quare quia viuentes metu mortis possunt bona opera perpetrare mortui verò nihil valent ad id adijcere quod secum tulere de vita A sinner yet lyuing may be better then a righteous man that is dead if he wil follow his vertues And wherfore for that they that be alyue may for feare of death doo yet good deedes but they that be dead are able to doo nothing vnto that which they haue once borne away out of this lyfe with them Therfore it is wisedome to make our selues ready afore and to prepare oyle for our Lampes that is to say to gette vnto vs a liuely faith working through charitie dooing good déedes whyle we haue tyme for when we be once gone there is no more tyme of well dooing of repentaunce or of amendment of lyfe the gate of mercie is shut we can adde nothing vnto that that we haue once caried away with vs out of this world Oh that this would sinke into mennes hearts I would to God this would be remembred of all men oh that they would remember this then we would not trust and haue affiaunce in the good workes of other men we would not be to séeke and buie oyle when it is more tyme to goe in with the Bridegroome least it should be sayde vnto vs Verelie I say vnto you I knowe you not Watch ye
that ye may be sure no peny no Pater noster of them So that I lust héere to make an exclamation with the Poet Quid non mortalia pectora cogit auri sacra fames Which we may englishe after this sort Oh of money looue most execrable that mans heart doost so sore enflame Oh gréedy desire of minde so myserable the woonders doost vndertake to thy great shame Put away offering then take away Purgatory For when the Préests can get no money then can they not defend Purgatorie giue them pence then wyll they finde some shifte or other to prooue that there is Purgatorie yea and that proofe they will fetch out from the example of S. Augustine who prayed for his mother yea and left in his writing the there was Purgatory But when S. August séeketh to prooue the same he dooth not bring one iote or syllable of the holy scriptures for to prooue his sayings by but groundeth him selfe only vpon the Forefathers I will be so bolde to follow his owne couÌ„sell which he giueth in the Prologue of his thirde booke De Trinitate Saying Noli meis scriptis quasi canonicis inseruire sed in illis quod non credebas si forte inueneris incunctaÌ„ter crede in istis autem quod certum non habebas nisi certum intellexeris noli firmiter credere I wyll not haue thee to be obedient vnto my writinges as vnto the Canonicall scriptures But if thou doost by chaunce finde in them meaning the Canonicall Scriptures the thing that thou diddest not beleeue beleeue it immediatly and without any delay But in these vnderstanding thereby his owne workes excepte thou doost vnderstand that thing to be most certayne which thou diddest not recken to be certaine I wyll not haue thee to beleeue it stedfastly What a goodly counsaile is this héere all men may sée that this holy Father wyll not haue his writinges to be beleeued except they be grounded vpon the scriptures and word of God Shall then any man blame vs if we doo as he him selfe dooth bid and counsayle vs to doo Dooth not all the world knowe that this auncient Doctour and most holie Father dyd as a man writte many thinges which he was fayne to reuoke and call backe afterwards in his booke of Retractions If he wrote any thing in defence of Purgatorie he disprooued the same afterwardes as by his owne wordes it dyd appeare in the. 18. Sermon De verbis Domini These be his very words Duae quippe habitationes sunt vna in igne aeterno altera in regno aeterno There be two habitations or dwelling places the one in the fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue ende Dooth not this agrée wel with the doctrine of our sauiour Iesus Christ that dooth onely appoint vnto vs the bosome of Abraham that is to say the societie and fellowshippe of all them that died in the faith of Abraham into the which the poore Lazarus was caried by the handes of the Angels and hell fire where the ritch glutton was buried unmediatly after his death But ye shall heare him yet speak more plainly Primum enim sayth he sides Catholicorum diuina autoritate regnum credit esse coelorum secundum gehennam vbi omnis apostata vel à Christi fide alienus supplicia experitur tertium prorsus ignoramus imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis reperimus The faith of the Catholiques dooth first and formost beleeue by the aucthoritie of the Scriptures that there is the kingdome of heauen Secondly that there is hell fire where all Apostataes and all that be straungers from the faith of Christe doo suffer punishment We are altogeather ignorant of the thirde place yea we finde not in all the holy Scriptures that there is any Againe in an other place he sayth It should be best that they should affyrme nothing in a matter that is vncertaine of that which the Scriptures doo not onely holde their peace but also doo speake the contrarie Yet the Papists for lucres sake are not ashamed to defend the opinion of Purgatorie by the fansies and dreames of theyr owne heads They that die in the faith of Christe in true confession and acknowledging theyr sinnes and with a true repentant heart haue no néede after they be once dead gone out of this vale of miserie of the deuotion and good déedes of theyr fréendes and kinsfolkes If we should but follow the aucthoritie and saying of the blessed Martyr Saint Cyprian Contra Demetr Tracta primo Who béeing a good whyle afore Saint Augustin dooth write after this maner Tu sub ipso licèt exitu et vitae temporalis occasu pro delictis roges Deum qui verus et vnus est confessionem et fidem eius agnitionis implores venia confitenti datur et credenti indulgentia salutaris de diuÃna pietate conceditur et ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur That is to saye Although thou doost at thy verie departing out of this worlde and going downe of this temporall lyfe praye vnto GOD for thy sinnes who is the true and onely GOD calling vppon him with a faithfull confession and acknowledging bothe of thine offences and of his trueth Thus confessing and beleeuing thou hast free pardon and forgiuenesse giuen and graunted vnto thee of the meere goodnesse and mercie of God And in the verie death euen as soone as thou hast giuen vp the ghost thou passest vnto immortalitie Héere doo ye sée that by this holy Martyrs saying if we do vnfainedly confesse acknowledge our sinnes and repent from the bottome of our hearts we doo not onely obtaine a frée pardon and forgiuenesse of our trespasses and offences at the bounteous and mercifull hand of God but also in the verie death it selfe we passe vnto immortalitie that is to say vnto a lyfe that neuer shall ende What shall then the deuotion and good déedes of our fréends and kinsfolkes profite vs can they better our estate But then we shall haue the fruition of the Godhead and sée God as he is we shall be with Iesus Christ in glory and haue the fellowship of all the blessed spirits and soules of the righteous What could be added to this felicitie I beseech you the Scriptures doo in all pointes agrée with this holy Martyr First Ezechiel Cha 18. dooth crie out saying At what tyme soeuer a sinner dooth repent him of his sinnes from the bottom of his heart I wyll put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance sayth the Lorde Dooth not the holy Ghost heere by the mouth of Ezechiel certifie vs The Scriptures are sufficient testimonies for the faith of Christians that if we wyll with a true repentaunt heart flie vnto the mercie of God and take holde therevpon through faith in our sauiour Iesu Christe our sinnes shall not onely be forgiuen vs but also cleane put out of remembrance vtterly forgotten And wherefore I pray you because of our owne merites
it Truely all must needes immediately perish as it is written in another place Shal mā be iustified if he be cōpared with god or shall he be purer then his maker Beholde they that serue him are not faithful he hath found peruersenes in his Angels How much more shall they that dwell in houses of clay that haue an earthly foundation be consumed with mothes They shal be cut down from the morning to the euening Behold among his Saintes there is none faithfull and the heauēs are not cleane in his sight Iob. 15.15 Howe much more is man abhominable and vnprofitable which drinketh iniquitie as water I graunt in deed that in the book of Job is mention made of a righteousnesse that is higher then the keeping of the Law and it is good to vnderstand this distinctiō because although a man did satisfie the Law yet hee could not so stand to the triall of that righteousnesse that passeth all senses Therfore although Iob bee cleane in his owne conscience yet hee is amazed and not able to speake because he seeth that the very Angelike holinesse cannot appease GOD if hee exactly way their woorkes But I therefore will at this time ouerpasse that righteousnesse which I haue spoken of because it is incomprehensible but onely this I say that if our life bee examined by the rule of the written law wee are more then sencelesse if so many curses wherewith the Lord hath willed vs to be awaked do not torment vs with horrible feare and among other this general curse Cursed is euerie one that doth not abide in all the thinges that are written in the booke Finally all this discourse shal be but vnsauery and colde vnlesse euery man yeeld himselfe guiltie before the heauenly Iudge and willingly throwe downe and abace himselfe beeing carefull howe hee may bee acquited to this to this I say we shoulde haue lifted up our eyes to learne rather to tremble for feare then vainely to reioyce Indeed easie it is so long as the comparison extendeth no further then men for euery man to thinke himselfe to haue somewhat which other oughte not to despise but whē we rise vp to haue respect vnto God then suddenly that confidēce falleth to the ground cōmeth to naught in the same case altogether is our soule in respect of God as mans bodie is in respect of the heauen For the sight of the eye so long as it continueth in viewing thinges that bee neere vnto it doeth shewe of what pearcing force it is but if it be once directed vp to the sunne thē being daseled and dulled with the too great brightnesse thereof it feeleth no lesse feeblenes of it selfe in beholding of the same then it receiued strength in beholding inferior things Therfore let vs not deceiue our selues with vayne cōfidēce although we coūt our selues either equal or superior to other men but the is nothing to God by whose wil this knowledge is to be tried But if our wildnes cānot be tamed with these admonitions he will answeare to vs as hee saide to the Pharisies in Luke 16.15 You bee they that iustifie your selues before men but that which is high to men is abhominable to God Now goe thy way and proudly boast of thy righteousnes amōg men while God frō heauen abhorreth it but what say the seruāts of of God that are truely instructed w e his spirit Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt because euery liuing man shall not be iustified in thy sight Another saith Although in somewhat diuers meaning man cannot be righteous with God if he wil contende with him hee shall not bee able to aunsweare one for a thousande Here we now plainly perceiue what is the righteousnes of God euen such as can be satisfied with no workes of men to whom when bee examineth vs of a thousand offences we cannot purge our selues of one Such a righteousnesse had the same instrument of God Paule conceiued when he professed that he knew himselfe giltie in nothing but that he was not therby iustified And not only such examples are in the holie Scriptures but also all godly wryters doe shew that they were alway of this mind So Augustine ad Bonifacium Lib. 3. Cap. 5. sayeth Al the godly that grone vnder this burthē of corruptible flesh and in this weakenesse of life haue this only hope that we haue one Mediatour Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the appeasement of our sinnes Why saith he if this be their onely hope where is the confidence of woorkes For when he calleth it only he leaueth none other And Bernard super Cant. 6. And in deed where is safe and stedfast rest and assurednes for the weake but in the woundes of the sauiour And so much the surer I dwell therein as he is mightier to saue The world rageth the body burdeneth the deuill lyeth in wayte I fall not because I am buylded vpon the sure rock I haue sinned a greeuous sinne my conscience is troubled but it shall not bee ouer troubled because I shall remember the woundes of the Lord. And hereupon afterwardes he concludeth Therefore my merite is the Lords taking of mercie I am not vtterly without merit so long as he is not vtterly without mercy But if the mercies of the Lord be many then I also haue as many merites Shal I sing mine owne righteousnes for that is also my righteousnes for he is made vnto me righteousnesse of God Againe in another place S. Augustine in Psal Quihabitat Ser. 15. This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole hope in him that saueth whole man Likewise wher retaining Peace to him selfe he leaueth the glorie to God To thee sayth he let glorie remain vndiminished it shal be wel with me if I haue peace I forsweare glorie altogether least if I wrongfully take vpon me that which is not mine owne I lose also that which is offred me And more plainly in another place he saith in Cant. ser 13. Why should the Church be careful of merits which hath a surer and safer way to glory vpon the purpose of God So there is no cause why thou shouldest aske by what merits we hope for good things specially whē thou hearest in the prophet I wil do it not for your sakes but for mine owne sake saith the Lord. It suffiseth for merites to know that merites suffice not But as it suffiseth of merite not to presume of merite so to be without merits suffiseth to iudgement Whereas he frely vseth this word merites for goood works we must therein bear with the custome but in the end his purpose was to make hipocrits afrayd that wildly range with licentiousnesse of sinning againste the grace of God as afterward hee expoundeth himselfe saying Happie is the Church that neither wanteth merites without presumptiō nor presumption without merites It hath whereupon to presume but not merites It hath merites but to deserue not to presume therfore it presumeth so much