be vsed but that and this he did to mantayne his opinion Also when his children kinge Edward and Elizabeth came to the Crowne and held contrarie opinions they caused contrarie translations to be published Fox ibid. Vulgar translations of scriptures profitts nothinge vnlesse wee knowe the true sense of them as for the true sense the protestantes giue vs no rule at all for the same For in England they cannott iudge of the controuersie of religion by the scriptures because they are bouÌ„d by their â—awes to beleue according to the will and decree of the parleament howse and of the kinge And in other protestant countries where the parleament or the wil of a prince is not of force there are so many sects and heresies as they cannot be reclaymed euerie one wreasting the scriptures to his owne priuate and fantasticall opinions for the Protestants doe not care for the vulgare translation vnles they may peruert the sense thereof according to their owne turbulent braines 8. Neither is there any people that doe reuerence and honor the scriptures more then those of the Catholick religion Which as S. Paule saith 2. Cor. 4. doth renounce the adulterating of the word of God wicked constructions deceitfull interpretations and sinister application thereof which is common to heretiques as Luther affirmeth that the roote of all heresies hath bene the scriptures yea he added that the scriptures ought to be called the booke of heretiques There is neither iott nor sillable in the scripture but the catholique church doth imbrace allowe the same as written and sett downe by the holie ghoast and although the priuate spiritt of some haue thought some bookes of the sacred scriptures not to be canonicall yet the whole catholique church hath receaued them hath taken awaie that doubte Touchinge the bookes of the old testament videlicet Iudith Tobyas the booke of wisdome Ecclesiastes the two first bookes of the Machabees and of Baruch as alsoe of the newe as the Apocalips the Epistle of S. Paul to the Hebreues the Epistle of S. Iames the 2. of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn and therfore the heretiques of this time doe not allowe those for that some in tymes paste haue doubted thereof Did not S. Tho doubt also of Christs resurrection and therfore ought he or wee doubt thereof still Christ hauing manifested his scarres and his woundes vnto him Euen soe though some learned men haue doubted of those bookes yet by the vniuersall consent of the church these bookes were made knowen to be Canonical scripture As concerninge the booke of Iudith the councell of Carthage vnder Aurelius Bishopp thereof Innocentius the first Geâ—asius with 70. Bishoppes the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. haue pronounced it to be canonicall as also of the booke of Tobie Ecclesiastes and wisdome As for the two bookes of Machabes the Canons of the Apostles the author whereof is said to be S. ClemeÌ„t in the ende thereof the two bookes of the Machabees are inserted as Canonicall those two bookes are confirmed by Innocentius the first and by the councell of Carthage and confirmed by the 6. Generall councell in such like manner the said 2. bookes are coÌ„firmed both by the two generall councells of Florence Aug. li. 18 de ciuit Dei c. 16. con Gaud. epist lib. 2. cap. 23. and Trentt and as S. Augustine saith that the Churche and not the Iewes doth allowe the Machabees for canonicall and not onlie S. Augustine doth produce wittnesse out of them but also Ireneus Tertul. Cyprian Chrysost and others soe as to doubte of these bookes is rather the infidelitie of the Iewes then the faith of the Christians especially when the Church hath once decreede the same and soe are all the rest of the said bookes made Canonicall by the Church and by her determination which is of greater force to allowe or disalowe of them as also of the true interpretation of them then all the priuate spirittes in the world vnto whome all priuate mens iudgment ought to submit themselues Basill the greate and S. Gregorie Naz. being the cheefest diuines amoungest the Grecians and hauinge cast awaie all other bookes they recollected themselues to studie the holie scriptures the true meaninge and interpretation thereof as Ruffinus testifieth Ruff. lib 2. cap 9. in Eccl hist they gathered out of the authoritie and comentaries of their predecessors not of their owne priuate presumption or proper imagination Gal 2. Aug. lib. 28 in Faust c. 4. 9. Did not S. Paule beinge an Apostle before he preached the Ghospell goe vpp to Hierusalem that he might confer with S. Peter Lucc 22. Iames and Iohn and especiallie with Peter touching the preaching and expoundinge of the Ghospell for that our Sauiour did praie particulerlie for S. Peter that he should not faile in his faith vnto whome he promised the assistance of his holie spiritt If this soe great a doctor beinge illuminated by Christe and receauinge his ghospell froÌ„ him did neuerthelesse conferr the same with S. Peter the foundation of the ecclesiasticall Hierarchy the Pastor of Christs sheepe the captaine of his armie the sonne that shineth in this hemispher of christendome and heade of the misticall bodie of Christe which is his church how much ought others to doe the like which haue not so much securitie nor soe good a warrant to be fauored and inspired of God as he had Howe can wee thinke or beleeue that heretiques can vnderstand the scriptures who haue not the spiritt of God to instruct them in the knowledge thereof For as no member of the bodie hath the spiritt of the bodie vnlesse it be vnited and ioyned to the bodie soe noe member of the misticall bodie of Christ which is his church hath the spirite thereof that is separated froÌ„ the same Wherevpon S. Augustine saith nihil magis debet christianus formidare c. there is nothinge that a christian ought to feare more Aug trac â—7 in Iohn then to be separated from the bodie of Christe for if he be separated and disunited from the bodie of the church he is not a member thereof and if he be not a member of the same he is not quickned by her spiritt and whosoeuer hath not the spiritt of Christe as the Apostle saith he is not his it is the spiritt that quickneth the flesh auaileth nothinge Therfore you beinge not in the Church vnto whome the spiritt of God is promised to direct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors and heresies wee ought not to beleue that you haue the knowledge of the scriptures or the true vnderstandinge or interpretation thereof for it cannot stande with any reason or rule that this spiritt of trueth can be in turbulent mindes or malicious heades as hetiquees be Esa 66. qui non requiescit nisi super humilem mansuetum trementem sermones suos neuer resteth but vpon the humble and meeke
saith that the Christians would not haue praied for the dead if they had not bene instructed by the preceptes of Christ and his Apostles The said Vrbanus which was the cheefe instrument with Luther to sowe Lutheranisme in Sueth-land and in the Dukedome of Lumburge à parte operum in formula cautè loquendi when the Apostle reproued the Thessalonians for howlinge and cryinge after the manner of GeÌ„tiles for their dead he tooke not awaye the care or memorie for the dead De locis communibus c. 19. but confirmed the same The same Vrbanus affirmeth that Luther was of this opinion sayinge that it belongeth to Christian pietie that wee should commend vnto Christe by deuout prayers our Christian bretheren as it hath bene the custome of the church allwayes withall the doctors and holie fathers thereof The same Vrbanus further affirmeth in the place aboue cited that wee ought not to depart from the practise and beleefe of the fathers here in vnlesse wee will contradict the word of God 3. This Protestant citeth many fathers also to confirme his doctrine as S. Nazianzenus in the funerall oration vnto Cesarius his brother concerninge his mother and Gregorie Nissenus Chrysost homil 69. S. Ambrose of the death of Theodosius Emperor the councell of Affricke cap. 8. S. Aug. confess lib. 19. which praid for his mother and in the booke de ciuitate Dei cap. 9. in libro de cura pro mortuis agenda cap. 4. vid. in the booke which he did write for the care wee should haue for the dead in lib. de haeresibus haeresis 53. in lib. de cura pro mortuis habenda cap. 1. he writes that a certaine heretique did giue out that wee ought not to praie for the dead Idem locis communibus cap. 18 de purgator Idem prima parte Damascenus in sermone de ijs which departed this life in faith saith that the Apostles and disciples of our sauiour admonished vs that in the dreadfull and liuinge Sacrament wee should haue a speciall remembrance of the faithfull departed this life and saith that this is the receaued and generall decree of the catholique church and the obseruation and old custome of all christians for the which are cited the bookes of the Machabees Dionysius Areopagita cap. vltimo ecclesiasticae hierarchiae S. Nazian z S. Chrisostome S. Gregorie Nissen S. Athana and S. Basill The said Vrbanus also verie earnestlie proued that the Apostles of Christ taught the same out of Tertulian S. Athanasius and S. Ambrose He declared also that Asia and Muscouia doe praie for the dead 4. It is also manifest that the Greekes doe praie for the dead by the confession of the Greekes sent to the Lutherans of Germanie by Hieremie Patriarch of Constantinople Purgatory anno Domini 1579. Did not Christ praie his father for Lazarus that was dead Did not the widdowe of Naim praie vnto Christ for her child that was dead although shee prayed for restoringe him vnto life yet much more for remission of his sinnes doth not S. Iohn say Io. 1. cap vlt. There is a sinne vnto deathe there is another sinne also not vnto death of these as Oecumenus saith vppon that place they which die in deadlie sinne for them I say lest noe man praie S. Augustine sayes Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis ageÌ„da that the soule departes from our bodies in one of these three degrees The first degree is of those that departe perfect and good The second of those that are imperfect and impenitent the third of those that are in a meane betwixt both neither altogether good nor altogether badd For the first wee neede not to praye of whome it is said Cum dederit dilâ—ctis suis somnum ecce haereditas Domini c. when it shall please God to giue the elect reste and quiettnes behold they possesse their inheritance c. I meane such as are hollie in deede either holye by their deathe as Martyres or such as otherwise in their liues shewe both to God and man extraordinarye holines and compleatt perfection of them there are fewe in respect of those Qui ducunt in bonis dies suos in puncto ad infernum descendunt that made themselues slaues vnto the apparent but false shewe of worldlie and transitorie goodes and in a moment they doe goe downe into euerlastinge damnation For the ioy of an Hypocritt is measured by an instant for which people wee may not praie for our sauiour said they receaued their rewarde in this miserable life with the richman But for the other in the third rancke wee praie as S. Dionis Areopag saies Diuinus sacerdos pro mortuis orans c. Dyonisius Areop c. 7. eccles hierar the diuine priest prayinge for the dead he praied for such as liued holie yet they hauing contracted some blemish by reason of their humaine infirmitie are detained in purgatorie and as S. Augustine sayes Aug. Euc. ca. 110. tom 3. our suffrages proffitts them that are in a meane betwixt good and badd of which kinde of people S. Paule saith saluus tamen fiet sed tamen per ignem he shal be saued 1. Cor. 3.15 Cypr. Ep. 52. but yet through fire Accordinge to which S. Cyprian saith Aliud est missum non exire inde c. It is not all one beinge sent to prison neuer to depart thence vntill the last fardinge be praied and to receaue presentlie the reward of faith and vertue it is not all one to be purged and clensed by the torments of a longe fire and to haue all his sinnes whatsoeuer already refined purged by sufferaÌ„ce And because wee doe not knowe certainlie the state of euerie one that departs this life S. Augustine saith Aug. lib. de curapro mortuis habenda Pro mortuis siue altaris siue orationum sacrificijs solemniter supplicamus quamuis non pro quibus fiunt omnibus prosint For the dead wee make our supplications aswell by the sacrifice of the alter as by our prayers althoughe euerie one receaues not proffitt thereby but such as when they liued merited the same but because wee doe not discerne what they be for whome wee ought to offer the same none such as are regenerated may be omitted vnto whome this benefit may or ought to be due for it is better it should be superfluous vnto them that receaues noe proffitt or harme therby then it should be wanting vnto theÌ„ which may reape benefit by it Cyrill Cathe mist 5. 1. S Ia. coli liturgia 5. But let vs further see what other holie fathers say S. Cyrill saith let vs pray for all that departed amoungest vs. S. Iames saith Dominum oremus lett vs make our prayers to our Lord that our parents and brethren which departed before vs Clemens Romanus lib. 6. coÌ„st apost cap. 30 may rest in peace Also S. Clement of Rome saith that the Deacon at Masse did praie for the
came within his reache Besides the destruction and desolation he caused in many places of Germanie In Norriberge he burned a hundred villages Townes and Castles and shutt vp in them men and women with children and olde people which the firy flame consumed Surius An. 1553. viz. at Alterfum and Laufum Againe did not Christiernus kinge of Denmarke execute the like crueltie vpon those of Stocholum the cheefe Cittie of Suethlande after that he inuited all the nobilitie with the two Archbishopps viz. Sarcen and Stringeron and then murthered them euerie one and afterwards all the rest of the Cittizens notwithstandinge he had giuen his royall worde to the contrarie in the execution of which murther Surius An. 1517. he continued for many dayes That heresies are the cause of Reuolution of Countries and destruction of state CHAPTER IV. 1. SAincte Gregorie sayeth that the conseruation of the Common wealth doth depende of the peace of the Church and that for two reason for that the lawe of God commaundes vs that wee should obey our kinges and princes in thinges that are not contrarie to the said lawe of God soe that he that obeyes God he muste needes obey his lawfull Soueraigne because God almightie soe commaunded for that obedience wee owe to the kinge is parte of that wee owe to God But when men doth cast away this bridle by heresie or by anny other occasion of their vnbridled and incorrigible humors as they haue no feare of God soe bear they noe dutie to their Prince or Soueraigne Euseb de vit Const lib. 1. c. 11. Zozo lib. 1. cap. 16. Wherfore Constantius Clorus father to Constantyne the greate a most prudente and valiante Prince intendinge to assay and proue the loyaltie of some Christian souldiers he said vnto them that if they would renounce their faith and sacrifice to the Idolls Carol. Sig. lib. 2. de occiden imperio they should abide with him and possesse such honors and promotions as they had receaued of him otherwise such as would refuse soe to doe they should departe from him Some there were who for to gaine the Princes fauor did as he comaunded and renounced their religion others refused soe to doe But Constantius putt awaie such as did sacrifice to the Idolls and kepte with him such as refused soe to doe saying that they were his best subiectes for quoth he he that is a Traytor vnto God will alsoe be a Traytor vnto his Prince 2. Carol Sig. lib. 16. de occid imp Theodor. histor l. 5. cap. 36. The like alsoe did Theodoricke being an Arrian hereticke killing a Courtier of his owne whome he loued intirlie for that from a Catholicke he became an Arrian only to please the kinges humor sayinge that he could neuer keepe touch with man that was not faithfull vnto God Also the most valiant Martyr S. Hornusta said vnto the kinge of Persia who comaunded him to denye his religion and become an infidel that if he should denie Christe that was Lord and Redeemer of the worlde he shoulde more easilie denye him that was a mortall man Through want of faith therefore and good religion rebellions are stirred vpp against their Princes and Soueraignes as alsoe insurrections of subiectes spoyles and garboyles of Traitors combustion and confusion of Common wealthes and all other enormities and trespasses are committed And as Aristotele saith Cuius vsus est optimus eius abusus est pessimus the more excellent and eminent a thing is if it be well vsed soe the more mischeefe it ingenders and the more ruine it bringeth with it if it be abused For as nothinge in this world is comparable in goodnesse to the Christian Catholick faith so when the same is abused by sectes and diuisions nothinge did euer more trouble the Christian Comon wealth for that discordes in matters of faith doe procure and ingender discordes and differences in the hartes and mindes of them that professe the same from which discords and variances proceedes soe manny mischeefes and reuolutions of Countries and kingdomes and kingdomes deuided as our Sauior saith cannot longe endure Therfore Theodosius the yonger beinge at Constinople and seinge his Empire deuided into sectes by the heresie of Nestorius he wrote an Epistle to that most vertuous and holy man Symon Stylites which at that tyme did florish with most rare example of sanctitie Act. Conc. Ephes edi tom 5. Ces Baro. tomo 5. An. 43â— by which epistle he requested him verie earnestly that hee should aske of God peace and vnion for the Church and added these wordes Because that its diuision doth soe afflict vs that it is the roote and fountayne of all our euills and calamities Wherefore whosoeuer will read the Chronicles of kingdomes and the ecclesiasticall histories of the sainctes he shall finde this to be true by the warres that the Catholicks had in the Easte with the Arrians and in Africke with the Donatists and the Gentiles and Iewes against the Christians in all places 3. And neither Iewe nor Gentile are soe infestuous and pernitious againste the Churche and Christian Comon wealth as hereticks and especially those of our vnhappie times and of all sects the Caluinistes which are flames of sedition and destruction of Church and Comon wealthe an infernall fire-brand that burnes wheresoeuer it takes place which consumes to ashes all states and Citties where it is nourished not vnlike the Cancker that eates and gnawes the body that feedes it thus much you shall knowe by readinge a booke called Incerdium Caluinisticum printed 1584. Hollensen hist Angl. Anno 1554. idem in histo Scot. Anno 1567. Also the histories of the troubles of France lib. 1. Anno 1565. The historie of Flanders Anno 1555. in the additions of Surius 1585. Stanislaus Rescius Ambassadors and Treasure for the kinge of Poland in Naples did write a booke 1596. De Atheismis Phallerismis Euangelicorum nostri temporis videl of Atheismes and Phallerismes I meane cruelties of the Euangelistes of our tyme neither onlie doe they destroie kingdomes but alsoe seeke to depriue Princes of theyr liues that oppose themselues againste their doctrine for some of them conspired to kill Queene Marie and one of them confessed the same at his death which was at Tiborn the 18. of May 1554. Norman Lesby Iames Meluine and other Caluinists in Scotland murthered the Cardinall of S. Andrewes in his owne howse and chamber the yeare 1546. Stowe 1554. and this by approbation of Iohn Knockes Buchanan and others of the Geneuian Consistorie Doctor Hancraft in his booke of dangerous positions Lib. 4. c. 14. in historia Ioh. Lesley ep Rosâ—e 4. Buchanan in his most wicked and vngodly declamation made at London against his dread soueraigne the last Queene of Scottes incensed both English and Scottes against her to depriue her of her life and of her kingdome whose wicked desires and desigmentes was putt in execution by the English in the moneth of Ianuarie 1587. which
I shall not bewaile trulie at lenght after all their great security they shall haue a sudden fall and let them take example by the dolefull ouerthrowe of others that haue lead their liues in pleasures and haue abused their power againste godes Church and the members thereof let all men knowe that all heresies be fatall ominous and vnfortunate especially to the first professors thereof Vltio sanguinis seruorum tuorum qui effusus est introcat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum Psal 7. Whether there be nothing that the Protestants affirmatiuely beleeue confesse and professe but the Church of Rome doth beleeue the same and cannot be denyed by Catholiques but that they are most auncient and consonant with the word of God CHAPTER I. 1. ALl Heretiques say as Lactantius reportes that their owne religion is verie good and agreable to the word of God Lib. 4 diuinist cap. vlt. and better then others It is naturall to euerie beast according to Pliny to thinke his owne shape more beautifull then the rest Plin. lib. 8. cap. â—4 Plin. ibid. yea such as are most deformed thinkes themselues most beautifull as the Apes doe which though they do counterfeit mens shapes or gestures neuer so much cannot be said to haue the forme of men so these sectaries though they like Apes in imitation haue taken from vs some partes out of the Masse as may appeare and in their spirituall courtes visitations conuocations and excommunications although in deede none ought to excommunicate but he that can absolue they by their owne doctrine cannot absolue therfore they cannot excommunicate yet for all that they cannot be said to haue the trewe forme of Religion or the trewe Church for the ecclesiasticall forme and gouernment of your Protestantes is reiected by the Puritantes contemned by the ministers of Caluine and Beza and other Hugonottes of France as part of the reliques of Antechrist your common praier booke being called by them in contempt the missall of England Yf such as yow yourselues cales protestants do disprooue your Religion to be altogether against the woord of God how much more will the Romish Church say the like who doe differ from yow almost in euerie point 2. In the Booke of dangerous positioÌ„s in the 9. chapter set forth Anno 1593. by Doctor Bancraft of Canterburie it is alleadged that the Puritants do say of the comon booke of publick praiers videlicet that it is full of corruption and that many of the contentes thereof are against the woord of God the sacramentes wickedly mangled and prophaned therin the Lordes supper not eaten but made a pageant and stage play that their publique baptisme is full of childish superstitious toyes so many Puritants did write against it that England will neuer do well vntill that booke be burned 1. admonitio ad Parla pag. 9 41. 43. Also the superintendeÌ„t of Rateburge and the cheefest ministers in Germanie hauing read Caluines woorckes printed An. 1592. at Francfort In timore Domini saith he legi relegi dico in Christo Iesu c. Caluinistarum lib. 3. in pref Apost lib. 1. a. 2. fol. 9. I haue read and perused them the space of 23. yeares I auoutch it before IESVS Christ saith he that all the Caluinistes do nourish in their breastes the Aryan Turkish ympietie and that they open windowes and gates for Arianisme and Mahometisme as our bookes publickly set forth do manifest the same and so brought an example of Adam Newser the cheefe Pastor of the Church of Hedelberge Ibid. f. 9. who from a Zuinglian be came an Arian and afterwardes a Turcke which three sectes I meane Caluinisme Arianisme and Mahometisme Iohn Schutz in lib. 50. Causarum causa 48. another protestant Doctor calles them three briches of one cloathe and that fellowe hauinge gone vnto Constantinople Anno 1574. did writt that none became an Arian which first was not a Caluinist and brought example of Seruetus Blandrata Alciatus Franciscus Dauidis Gentilis Gribaldus Siluanus and others 3. There was printed a booke 1586. at Iena in Saxony by a Lutheran minister the Tittle whereof was An admonition from the woord of God that Caluinistes be not Christians but Iewes and baptized Mahometts Also 2. yeares afterwards another was set fourth at Tubinge by Philipp Nicholas minister the tittle whereof was a detection of the Caluinian sect to agree with the Arians and Nestorians in the groundes and foundations of their religion and that no Christian can ioyne with the Caluinistes but that he must defend the Arians and the Nestorians Sleid hist lib. 19. An. 47. Bernardinus Ochinus being the first principall Apostle of England in kinge Edwardes his dayes with Peter Martyr Martyne Buzer Okinus in lib. dialog Zanchius de vno Deo Beza ep 1. par 11. Bal. in pref act Rom Pontific Calu. lib. 1 de scandalis pa. 136 An. 1593. pag. 44. and Paulus Phalangius vnto whose direction both the vniuersities of England were comitted did oppugne the blessed Trinitie the deitie of Christ and of the holy Ghost so as Beza called him the fauorer of the Arian heresie and a scoffer at all Christian religion yet neuerthelesse one Iohn Bale somtimes Bishopp of Ossorie in Ireland calles this Bernardin and Peter Martyr the light of the Ghospell of England and Caluine saith that the said Bernardine was borne for the happines of England It is said also in the suruey of the pretended holy discipline printed at London that the sect of Caluinistes is a cancker and another Thalmud which by their wicked rebellion against their lawfull Princes haue founded their ghospell and Church which by their intollerable arrogancy do oppose themselues against all sacred Doctors against all venerable Councells and against all the florishing Churches that euer were from Christ his tyme vntill our dayes that there is no place of Scripture which they do not wrest from the lawfull sense thereof neuer before knowen by the Church of God and that it had beene good for England that none brought vpp in the filthie schoole of Geneua or Scotland had euer entred into England 4. Conradus a Protestant writeth that Caluine sayeth that the merittes of Christ cannot preuaile against the iudgment of God Also he affirmed Caluine to write that the blood of Christ was of no force to blott out sinnes and that aboue 1500. yeares it was putrified fo 84. 85. 87. Curaeus in spongia fol. 250. Erast pag. 29. Fridericus Borussius pag. 45 Osiander in confess haue written the like impietie with many other blasphemies which yow may read in the Caluini Turcismo lib. 4. c. 22 Other Lutheran writters make bookes of the contradictories and contradictions of Caluine Caluini Theolog. lib. 1. f. 85 Luth. lib. de Sacrament fol. 376. Orthodox Conf. en le Tigurine tract 3. fol. 127. Luth. tom 6. Ienues Germa fol. 257. the tittle whereof is called Laberinthi inextricabiles contradictionum The intricatt Laberinthes of contradictions
in them or by them but Christ which as he lodged in them when they were charged with their corporall lumpe Gal. 2. Ephes 3. soe much more nowe wheÌ„ they are exempted from it So as wee direct our prayers and petitions vnto Christ in his Saincts and by his Saincts whether they remayne with vs in earth or whether they Triumphe with him aboue in heauen vsinge the one as our intercessors and acknowledging the other the bountiful giuer for benefits are asked of Saints not as the authors and giuers thereof which wee reserue for God alone but as intercessours onlie as by our daylie Littanies wee say to God miserere nobis be mercifull vnto vs but vnto Sainctes we say pray for vs. 6. Secondarilie we say that Saincts are our intercessors vnto God but yet by Christe and by the meritts of his death and passion And so the Church in all her collects and prayers saith and concludeth without intermission Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum c. Dan. 3. The three children in the fornace of Babylon did praye vnto God propter Abraham dilectum tuum for the intercession of Abraham thy beloued and Isacke thy seruant Isayai 63. and Israell thy holie one So prayed Isayas saying Turne vnto vs O Lord by the intercessioÌ„ of thy seruants So prayed Hester by the intercession of Abraham Hester 13. Psal 131. Soe prayed Salomon by the merittes of his Father 1. Paral. 29. Memento Domine Dauid omnis mansuetudinis eius Soe prayed Dauid himselfe naminge Abraham Isaac and Iacob for his intercessors Elias 2. par 5. Deut. 9. Genes 48. so prayed Elias so prayed Moyses sayâ—ng Recordare Domine seruorum tuorum Abraham Isaac Iacob so prayed Iacob callinge and interposinge the name of his father Isaac when he did pray vnto the Angells to blesse his children meaninge noe doubte but he should obtaine godes blessing for them 7. Orig. lam l. 2. in Iob. This the ancient fathers doe likewise testifie sayinge O sancti Dei saith Origines vos lacrimis ac stetu plenis obtestor with sobbinge teares and mourninge eies I beseech you that you will prostrate your selues at Godes mercifull feete for me a wretched sinner Heu mihi pater Abraham deprecare prome ne definibus tuis aliener O blessed Abraham pray for vs miserable sinners S. Gregorie Nazianzen neuer writts all most of any Martyr or Saincte but praieth hartelie vnto them So writinge the life of S. Cyprian the Martyre before he was conuerted to Christianitie he first sheweth that the Martyr finding himselfe tempted with the beautie of Iustina the Virgin afterward martired with him prayed most humblie and deuoutlie to assist him in that combate against the flesh addinge moreouer that he did assist himselfe by fasting aflicting his bodye S. Gregorie Naz. did pray also vnto him sayinge Tu nos è Caelo benignè aspice behould vs from heauen most charitablie The verie like prayer maketh he to S. Athanasius and S. Basill deceased a little before him S. Eph. Sermo de sanctis martirib Nect orat de Saâ—t Theodoro S. Epiphanius writinge the life of certaine Martyres praied vnto them S. Nectarius Archbishoppe of Constantinople writinge an oration of Theodorus Martyr prayed vnto him Hom nat apollog c. 8. After these men liued S. Iohn Chrisostome who praied vnto S. Peter and S. Paule he praied vnto S. Peter also for the Emperor that then liued S. Chrisostome in his liturgie hath these woordes Apostles Martires Prophetts Priests Confessors iust men and woomen which haue ended your fight haue kept your faith and obserued your promise and fidelitie to our Sauiour Cyrill homil in die Iohn Concilij Ephe. 428 pray for vs. c. S. Cyrill Archbishopp of Alexandria did pray vnto S. Iohn the Euangelist in his sermon made in the festiual dayes of him in the councell of Ephesus The Generall councell of Calcedon did affirme that the holie Bishoppe S. Flamianus Archbishoppe of Constantinople and Martyr whose death was procured by Dioscorus Bishoppe of the same Sea Conc. Calci 17. Au. did pray for them vsing these woordes Flamianus post mortem viuit 453. Socrat lib. 7 histor cap 32. Martyr pro nobis orat S. Hierom wrote the lyues of S. Hillarius and Paule and others and prayed vnto them Paulinus Bishopp of Nola wrote the lyues of S. Celsus and S. Felix The same is confirmed by Prudentius in the Himnes S. Laurence that glorious Martyr of Spaine And by S. Hipolitus I pray read S. Gregorie Turonensis and S. Gregorie the great to this effect Can. 27. This is likewise auouched in the councell of Orleance in France held vpon the yeare 512. Cap. 3. Cap. 1. Cap. 9. the councell of Gerundia in Spaine held the next yeare after The fifte councell of Tolleto likewise in Spaine held vpon the yeare 640. the councell of Bracaren the second held two yeares after that Againe the councell of Ments in Germaine held vnder Pope Leo. 3. and Charles the great anno 613. All these councells I say ordaininge Littanies and inuocation of Saincts to be vsed in solemne procession vpon certaine dayes in the yeare as namely in the rogation weeke three dayes before the Ascention The Greeke Church in the yeare of Christ 663. cap. 7. doth sufficientlie sett downe the sense of both Churches in these woordes Soli Deo Creatori adoratio c. Let adoration be giuen to God alone but yet let a Christian inuocat the Sainctes that they may intercede the diuine Maiestie for him Of the heretiques called Albigenses S. Bernard saith Irrident nos hereticici quod sanctorum suffragia postulamus Heretiques scoffe at vs because we craue the suffrages of Saincts Ber. hom 6. in CaÌ„t. The said S. Bernard did pray holie S. Victor to helpe him 9. Next wee ought to knowe that amoungest all the Saincts there is none whose petition is sooner heard then the petition of the Blessed Virgin at whose intreatie our Sauiour did worcke his first miracle which is declared vnto vs by S. Bernarde O homo securum accessum habes apud Deum c. O man thou hast secure accesse vnto God thou hast the mother to the sonne and the sonne to the father the mother shewing her sonne her breast with her pappes the sonne shewing vnto his father his side and his woundes Againe did not the Angell saie vnto Tobias Tob. 12. I haue offred thy prayers vnto God Did not the Angell also saie vnto Daniell Daniel 7. from the tyme that thou purposedst to chastice thy body before God thy prayers were heard and I being moued by them came for thine assistance And your selues in the Comunion booke doe auouche the same hauinge translated the Collect which the whole Catholique Church in her masses doth vse vpon S. Michaell the Archangells day which Collect is sett downe by your selues in your booke of Common prayers the words are these Euerlastinge God
the order of the tradition which was then deliuered vnto them to whome they comitted the church to the which many nations of those barbarous people that haue beleeued in Christe doe consente without letter or inke hauinge saluation written in in their hartes and keepinge diligentlie the tradition of our elders and soe S. Hier. saith cont Heres 9. The creede of our faith and hope which beinge deliuered by tradition from the Apostles is not written in paper and Incke but in the tables of the hearte and this is in the church booke also wherby wherein shee keepeth faithfully all trueth in the hartes of those to whome the Aposles did preach And therfore S. Paule saith 2. Thes 2.15 Brethren stande hold the tradition which you haue learned whether it be by worde or by epistle not only the thinges written and sett downe in the hollye scriptures but all other truethes and pointes of religion vttered by worde of mouthe and deliuered and giuen by the Apostles to their schollers And so S. Basil saith thus I accompte it Apostolique tradition to continue firmlie euen in vnwritten traditions and to proue this he alleadgeth this place of saint Paule â—n the same booke cap. 17. and saith if wee once goe aboute to reiecte vnwritten customes as thinges of no importance wee shal ere wee beware endamadge the principall partes of our faith and bringe the preachinge of the ghospell to a naked name and so example of these necessarie traditioÌ„s he named the signe of the Crosse prayinge towardes the easte the wordes spoken at the eleuation or shewinge of the holy Euchariste with diuers ceremonies vsed before and after baptisme with three immersions in the fonte the wordes of abrenunciation and exorcismes of the partie that is to be baptised and what scripture saith he taught these and such like None trulie all cominge by secret and silent traditions c. S. Hierome reckneth vpp diuers such like traditions Hieron in dialogo Lucife c. 4. epist com Luci 28. willinge men to attribuit to the Apostles such customes as the Church hath receaued by Christians of diuers Countrie 5. S. August ad Genn saith Let vs holde faste those thinges that are not written but are deliuered vnto vs which beinge generally obserued in all places of the worlde wee must thincke them to come from the Apostles or from the generall councells which oughte to be of greate authoritie in the churche of God and whosoeuer will dispute hereof ought to be counted of most insolent madnes S. Hier. ad Luc. wee must obserue the traditions of our Ancestors S. Paule comaunded vs to submitt our selues to our pastors and teachers S. Augustine saith wee learne by tradition that children in their infancie shoulde be baptized de gen ad liter 101. 23. Tradition caused him to beleeue that the baptized of heretiques should not be rebaptized by tradition onlie he and others condemned Heluidius the heretique for denyinge the perpetuall virginitie of our Ladie and without this noe Arrian noe Macedonian noe Pelagian noe Caluin will will yealde Wee must vse tradition saith Epiph for the scripture hath not all thinges and therfore the Apostles deliuered certaine thinges by tradition S. Iren. lib. 3. 14. saith that in all questions wee must haue recourse to the traditions of the Apostles teachinge vs withall that the waie to true apostolicall tradition and to bringe it to the fountaine is by the apostolicall succession of Bishoppes but especially of the apostolicall church of Rome declaring in the same place that there are manie barbarous people simple for learninge but for constancie in the faith moste wise which neuer had scriptures but learned onlie by tradition Tert. lib de corn reckoneth vpp a great number of christian obseruations or customes as S. Cyprian in mannie places doth whereof in fine he concludethe of such and such If thou require the rule of scriptures thou shalt finde none tradition shal be alleadged the author custome the confirmer and faith of the obseruer Orig. he mil. 5. proueth the same Dyonisius Areopag referreth the oblation and prayinge for the death in the lyturgie or Masse to an Apostolicall tradition Soe doth Tertull Aug. Chrys Damasc alleadge Also wee mighte add that the scriptures themselues euen all the bookes of the Byble be giuen vs by tradition else should wee not take them as they be indeede for the infallible worde of God noe more then the worcks of S. Ignat. S. Aug. S. Dion and the like 6. The true sense alsoe of the scriptures which Catholiques haue and heretiques haue not remayneth still in the Church by tradition the Creede is an Apostolicall tradition Ruff. in expo simb ad principium Hier. Epist. 61. cap. 9. Ambr. ser 38. Aug. de Simb ad Cath. lib. 3. cap. 1. Alsoe it is by tradition wee hould that the holie Ghost is God therfore Macedonius was condemned in the 2. Naz. lib. â— Theol. councell of Constantinople for an heretique for that he denyed the same because in the scripture this name is not giuen vnto him for in the scriptures manny thinges are said to be such by Metaphors which are not soe indeede as that God is a sleepe that he is angrie that he is sorrye although noe such thinge is in God as alsoe manny thinges that are such and yet are not mentioned in the scriptures God to be ingenitus with manny such attributes as Trinitie parson consubstantialitie hypostasis vnto hypostatica homousion and because the Arrians did not yelde vnto the same not findinge them in the scriptures they were in the councell of Nyce condemned for heretiques And althoughe the verie wordes be not in the scripture yet they be collected of the sence of the scriptures And soe S. Cyrill Cyrill l. 1. dialogoruÌ„ de trinit of that place of scripture Ego sum qui sum I am the same that is doth gather that the sonne is consubstantiall with the father although the worde consubstantiall is not founde in the scriptures So the catholique Church in all ages out of the sense of the scripture doth gather that wee oughte to pray vnto Sainctes to pray for the deade that there is a Purgatorie althoughe the verie wordes themselues be not there And when S. Paule did speake of the holy Eucharist he broughte noe scriptures to proue it I haue receaued of our Lord saith he that I deliuered vnto you he alleadged nothinge but tradition which he had receaued from our Lorde that a woman ought not teache in the Churche that a womaÌ„n ought to be couered that the man oughte to be bareheadded that the Bishoppe ought to be husband of one wife he alleadginge nothinge but the custome if any man would be captious or contentious he did oppose against theÌ„ the custome of the Churche saying wee haue noe such custome nor the Church of God and whosoeuer despiseth these thinges he doth not despise man but God And therfore wee are referred by the holie
vs by others neither doe wee presume to deliuer euerie phantasie that springes out of our owne braine least matters of religion should be thoughte to be mens fictions or inuentions Whether we prohibit the scriptures to be translated into the vulgar tounge CHAPTER IV. 1. TRulye the Catholique Church doth nott altogether forbide vulgar translations of holly Scriptures althoughe shee would not haue euerie bodie at his pleasure to read the same or to make glosses thereon The councell of Trentt in the table of prohibited bookes and 4. rule permitted the vse of the vulgar translations to them whome the Bishopp or inquisitor with the licence of the pastoure shall thinke to be such as will reade them to their edification and not to their damadge Malmsburie affirmeth out of S. Bede that there was somtimes permitted vulgar translations in Englande The French alsoe had their French Bibles a long time and soe the Englishe catholiques by permission from Rome had the newe testamente in English 2. After the retourninge of the children of Israell from Babylon the diuine office the holly scriptures were read vnto the people in the Hebrewe tounge not withstandinge the Siriac or the Chaldean language was their vulgar tounge for the Hebrewe was not al that time vulgare otherwise the people should not haue had neede 2. Esd 8.13 of an interpretor when the lawe was read of Esdras as alsoe when Moyses and Iosias did propose the same vnto the people Againe the Apostles did write their ghospell in noe other languadge but in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine for Peter and Iames did write vnto the Iewes dispersed throughout the whole world in the greeke tounge as S. Iohn did write vnto the Persians 3. In Affricke as longe as the Christian religion was there the latine tonge was in vse as S. Aug. and S. Cyprian doe wittnesse Aug. de doctrina Christiana who also say that the psalmes were sounge in that languadge and in the Masse Sursum corda habemus ad Dominum gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro c. Isid lib. 2. de diuinis officijs cap. 2. Conc. Toll 4. Bed lib. 1. hist suaegent VVal to 3. de sacramentalibus Rab 2. de instit Cler. Rup de diuinis officiis That the latine tonge was vsed in Spaine in their churches it is wittnessed by S. Isidorus aboue 900. yeares a goe it was also decreed in the councell of Tollet that order should be obserued in singinge the spalmes In englande aboue 1000. yeres the seruice was in latine as Beda and Thomas Waldēsis doe wittnesse In Fraunce also the same tonge was in vse in their churches as Alcumus de diuinis officijs doth witnesse and Amallaricus Treuirēsis de officijs ecclesiasticis who saith that in all the weast the office of the church was in latine In Germanie the same also was obserued as Rabanus doth wittnesse and Rupertus 4. The Apostles as Iustinus Martyr doth obserue did celebrate and singe the psalmes to the gentiles conuerted to the faith in the greeke tonge notwitstandinge there were diuers tounges as of the Parthiās Medes Elamitans and such like neither yet in the vulgar greeke but in the Atticke which was the more common and more learned soe that the languadge which the greeke priests doe vse at Masse sacrifice is not the same that the vulgar sorte did vse Gregorie the 7. denied the kinge of Bohemia licence to translate the holy Bible into the vulgar tonge soe denied Innocentius the 3. longe requested therunto by the Bishopp of Mentes for these good fathers would not haue such profound misteries of the scripture to be in contempte and subiect to the crosse sense of the vulgar sorte for some simple religious persons readinge the holy scriptures did read of godes eyes armes and feete and such like which indeede ought to be vnderstoode not litteraly Cassiod colla 10. c. 2. 3. 4. 5. but metaphoricallie and therupon thought God to be a corpulent bodye or palpable subiecte 5. Dauid George the Hollander by readinge the scripture alsoe in the hollandish languadge found that the trewe Church should neuer fayle and because he found by experience that noe other church continewed soe longe as the Church of Rome he denied Christ to be the true Messias so that beinge subuerted and carried away by the sectaries of these daies he thought the Church of Rome not to be the true churche vnto which rather then he would yelde any beleefe he denied Christ to be God and soe denied the church of Rome to be true the churche And a certaine wooman in Englande hauinge heard the 25. Chapter of Ecclesiasticus read by the minister against women said it was the word of the diuill and not the word of God Bell. to 1. l. 2. c. 15. 6. Who can giue greater euidence of the inconuenience of readinge the scriptures more then the heretiques of this time euery one groundinge their heresies and absurdities vppon scriptures falslie applied and ill vnderstoode wherfore reason it self without other aucthoritie should perswade the church to haue the scriptures and her seruice in a certaine languadg otherwise there could be noe vnitie or communication of churches for none either learned or vnlearned should frequent any churches or heare seruice but in his owne Countrie where he should heare his owne vulgare languadge neither could there be generall councells for all the fathers that comes thither haue not euerie one of them the gifte of tonges and therfore this is the cause that the Apostles for the moste parte did write all in greeke for that at that tyme it was the commonest languadge of all as Cicero saith Oratione pro Archia poeta the greeke tounge is read almost amoungest all nations but the latine is restayned within her smale bondes and limittes but when the Romaine Empire beganne to florish the latine alsoe florished especially amoungest the learned as in Italie France Spaine Affrique and in other nations and therfore in respect that it is now the commō language the scriptures and seruice of the Church ought to be in the same 7. If any reason should moue the church to haue the scriptures in the vulgar tonges it is for that the simple people should vnderstande them but they cannot vnderstande the psalmes nor the prophetts nor many other bookes of the scripture neither by readinge them take much fruite thereby but rather great harme for if they should read in the prophett Osee Goe and make vnto yourselues children of fornications the adulterie of Dauid the incest of Thamar the lies of Iudith and how that Ioseph made his brethren druncke and how that Sara Lia and Rachell gaue their hand-maides as concubines to other men they would ether despise the Patriarches or imitate them in those thinges and when they should see soe many contradictories accordinge to the litterall sense which the rude cannot resolue they woulde be in a confusion or bringe the scriptures to manifest contempt 8. Also in
respecte that kingdomes and nations are subiecte to conquestes and inuasion of strange nations which alwayes for the most parte bringe with them their languadge vtterly defacinge the languadge of the country conquered soe also in these countries there muste be alterations of trāslations of scriptures which cannot be done without great danger of the corruption thereof either in respect of the ignorance or malice of the trāslators especiallie if they be heretiques which neuer translated the scriptures trulie being carried away by their passsionat affection of their heresie And therfore S. Hierom founde great faulte Hier epist ad Paulinum that the scripture should be soe common and in contempte for saith he talkatiue ould women and doting ould men the cauelinge Sophiste all men doe presume to speake of scripture they rent the scriptures in peeces they teach it before they learne it When S. Basil heard the cheefe cooke of the Emperor in his presence to speake of scriptures he reprehended him sayinge Tuum est de pulmentis cogitare non dogmata diuina decoquere it is thy office to thincke vppon thy cooquerie not to play the Cooke in diuine misteries I am sure if these fathers were liuinge in this wicked age to see the Cobler the Tailor the Tapster speake and dispute of scriptures and alsoe to preach in the pulpitt they would sharplie reprehend them Whether we forbid the ignorante to pray in a languadge which they vnderstand CHAPTER V. 1. Cor 14. 1. THe heretiques obiect vnto vs the wordes of S. Paul saying he that speaketh with the tongue let him pray that he may interprete for if I pray with the tonge my spirite prayeth but my vnderstandinge is without fruite I answere that although it be not fruitfull for his vnderstandinge yet it is fruitefull for his deuotion for here is noe mention made of any other tonges but of such as men did speake in the primitiue churche by miracle as of spirituall collations and exhortations which the christians were wont to make to praise God and not of those lāguadges which were then common to all the world as Hebrewe greeke and latine in which the scriptures both olde and newe were written For it is a palpable and grosse deceit and cogginge of the heretiques to say that the vertue and efficacie or the Sacramentes and sacrifice oblations prayers and religion dependeth vppon the peoples vnderstandinge hearing or knowledge the principall operation and force therof and of the whole misterie of the Church consistinge especially in the verie vertue of the worcke and the publicke office of the priestes who are appointed by Christe to dispose the misteries to our saluation The infant innocente idiott and vnlearned takinge noe lesse fruite by baptisme and all other diuine offices then the learnedest clearcke yea more if they be more humble charitable deuoute and obedient and perhappes wee see more often the simple to be more deuoute and the learned more rechles and more colde for deuotion doth not consiste in the vnderstandinge vnles the will be well affected 2. S. Augustine said of the common people non intellgendi vluacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimum facit It is not quicknes of vnderstanding but simplicitie of beleefe that shall saue vs And in another place he saith Si propter solos eos Christus mortuus est sui certa intelligentia possunt quae ad fidem pertinent discernere penè frustra in Ecclesia laboranus If Christe had died onlie for such as can vnderstand well the misteries of our faith in vaine well should labour in godes church for God doth rather respect your simple beleefe then your deepe vnderstandinge the affection of the will concerning your faith then the hawtie knowledge of your loftie minde Charitas aedificat scientia inflat as the Apostle saith charitie doth fruictifie to edification when science serueth for the moste parte to ostentation soe as our Sauiour did speake vnto the common people in parables whose simplicitie and godly affection did proffitt more therby then the wordlie wisdome and proud knowledge of the arrogant and swellinge Scribes and Pharesies 3. Doe you thincke that the children of the Hebrewes did vnderstande when they cried in the Temple Osanna filio Dauid Or that our Sauiour was displeased therby for that they vnderstoode it not but the priests and scribes were much confounded therby saying Audis quid isti dicunt truly our Sauiour was not discontented at the prayses of those littles ones for then the prophesie was fulfilled ex ore infantium lactentium c. thou makest an instrument of the tender infante and suckinge babe to magnifie and praise thy name to the confusion and ouerthrowe of thine enemies seinge the ende of all the scriptures and of the lawe of God and man and of the science and knowledge thereof is true and perfecte charitie inflaminge and inkendlinge our hartes with the firie loue both of God and our neighbors flowinge and florishing abondantlie with all fruitfull exercises and worckes of mercie pietie and religion as the Apostle saith plenitudo legis est dilectio the fulnes of the lawe is charitie 4. The experience of the catholique flocke in agreeing and submittinge themselues to the seruice of the church in the vniuersall and common languadge thereof and of their great increase and charitie pietie deuotion religion therby as their shinning resplendent vertues of their godly conuersation and their externall worckes of mercie may wittnesse and confirme the same and the example of the contrarie practise in fewe yeares paste of these new euangelistes or pretended reformers as in disagreeing from the common vse and custome of the whole churche and reuoltinge from the obedience thereof auoucheth no lesse as also the smale or noe fruite at all that their vulgar and confused translations haue brought both vnto themselues and to their miserable and scabbed flocke which like giddy heades and itchinge braines were not contented nor setled therein but conceaued great loathsomnes thereof like the children of Israell who hauinge soe earnestlie sought vnto themselues a kinge yet when he did raigne ouer them nothinge was more toilsome vnto them Puritants cares nott for prayers soe as nothinge is more troublesom vnto your carnal appetites then any sett prayers or seruice in your vulgar translations which the puritantes doe protest to be collected out of the Popes portuis Masse Admonitio parleamenti and consequentlie verie distastfull vnto them Admonition parl pag. 45. and for this cause by the protestants of englande are censured as scismatickes Was euer their stinge more venemous or their bookes more exasperatinge or more vehement against the seruice of the church in the latine tounge then it i◠this day against the booke of comon prayer set forth in the englishe tonge and set seruice in your owne churches I haue reade the slanderous and bitinge booke of Thomas Cartwrithe oppugninge the same against doctor White-guifte Bishopp of Canterburie for defending it
there-you may see with what inuectiue stiles redoublinge withall oprobrious tearmes they doe entertaine one another and what a generall reuolte wee see nowe a dayes from this vulgar translation of sett prayers order sett downe in that booke and comaunded to be putt in continuall practise into Caluinisme and Puritanisme yea and at last vnto plaine athisme who will haue noe set prayers or common seruice at all sauinge some lasciuious and wanton psalmes of Geneua rather for fashion sake or some carnall delight then for any spirituall deuotion I haue seene a pamphlett in printe which was exhibited to the parlament that it was not lawfull for christians to say our pater noster or the creede yea not in our vulgar tongue 8. God doth knowe and wee ought not to be ignorant that your vulgar and false translation of scriptures or set prayers is not for edification but rather for cauillation though you inculcate the same soe ofteÌ„ your selues not restinge therein but slidinge from it againe In the kingdome of Ireland you comaund the englishe Bible and the english common prayer booke to be obserued in all the churches of that poore kingdome coÌ„pellinge the prisoners to buy those bookes which themselues coulde not vnderstande yea not one person amoungest 40. when that comauÌ„d was giuen forthe could speake or vnderstande the english tonge And now in the kinges raigne you cause those bookes to be set forth in the Irishe tonge compellinge euerie parish church to pay 10. shil for an Irishe Bible when one amoungest a 100. cannott read them or vnderstand them and therfore an Irish protestant Bishopp did laugh at this strange kinde of alteration and said to some of his frindes in Queene Elizabeth her time wee had englishe Bibles and Irish ministers but nowe said he wee haue ministers come out of england vnto vs and Irish Bibles with them 6. Are not for the most parte all the benefices and church liuinges of that kingdome bestowed vpoÌ„ English Scotish ministers not one of them hauinge three wordes of the Irish tonge and although in the English pale and in porte townes the inhabitants especially the best sorte caÌ„ speake Englishe yet fewe of the common sorte except it be betwixt Dublin and Drodach and in 3. barronies in the country of Wexforde can speake any worde of Englishe and truly I thinke that the Irish Bibles haue as many faultes errors in theÌ„ as the translation Martine Luther made of the Bible in which Hieronimus Enser found more then 1000. errors which he set downe in the translation that he made 1522. And not only catholiques haue charged him with those errors but also Zuinglius who made another kind of translation disagreeing from that of Luther The same is also witnessed by your variable traÌ„slations of your English Bible the first not agreeing with the last nor With the seconde In the conference had at Hampton courte the English Bible was censured to be ill translated and containing very partiall vntrue and seditious notes and too much sauoringe of dangerous and traiterous conceites and soe order was taken to make a newe translation How can the true sense and meaninge of the oracles of God be imbraced if they be tossed and corrupted with euerie vulgar tongue which oughte to be a sufficient cause that it should be preserued in those languadges in which it was first set forth by the Apostles and fathers of the primitiue church Cor. 14 7. S. Paule did forbid a womaÌ„ to speake in the church but nowe euerie woman amoungest the protestants is a mistris of scripture are all men Apostles all Euangelists all doctors saith the Apostle but nowe this vulgar translation or rather corruption or prophanation all Shoomakers Coblers Tailors Tauernors yea and lasciuious wanton women yea the most ignorant of all are Apostles prophetts euangelists and doctors so as they take away all order and forme of discipline from godes church and in the place of Hierusalem which ought to be a cittie well ordered withall vnformitie both of doctrine and discipline there is a Babilon builded where there is nothinge but a sauadge and barbarous confusion Soe as wee may perceaue that this inordinate desire of knowinge the hidden and secrett misteries of God which he woulde not haue to be abused by these contemptuous spirittes brought such fruite vnto the worlde as that disordered greedines of our first parentes touching the knowledge of good and euill therfore wee are warned not to knowe to much but rather to feare least wee should abuse our knowledg and therfore the holly ghoast doth aduise vs Eccle c. 3. not to be curious in searching things aboue our capacitie and beyond our reache 8. The beginninge and end of Ezechiel as S. Hierom wittnesseth was read by noe man before he was 30. yeares of age Hier. in proemiâ— Ezech. Baptisme was vealed in the read sea the Eucharist in the paschall lambe in manna and in Melchisedeks bread and wine the trinitie was not knowen to any but to the prophetts and the highe priestes S. Paule calleth the incarnation misterium absconditum à saeculis A misterie hidden from ages for the word misterium is not to be made knowen or diuulged to euerie one Dion lib Eccles Hier. c 1. Orig. hom 5. in cant Hier. ep 81. ad Pamachum as Dyonisius and Origenes doe counsel Did not the Apostles forbide to write the creede that noe man might learne it but by word of mouth of the Christians S. Ambrose alsoe saith lib. de ijs qui initiantur cap. 9. lib. 6. de Sacra c. 4. that ineffable misteries must be kept silent And therfore in the latine translation of the scripture wee retaine many Hebrew wordes and not without great cause are they reserued in the very hebrew it selfe which cannot be soe well translated into the latine much lesse to any other languadge as Alleluia Osanna Amen Emanuell Rabbi Abba as also greeke wordes Kyrie eleison Psalmum Christum Baptismum Episcopum Diaconum Eucharistiam Euangelium which are greeke voyces and when the Pope doth celebrate the Ghospell and the Epistle are read in greeke before the latine in the churche of Constantinople those were read first by the grecians in latine and afterwardes in greeke and soe the latine was interpreted by the greeke and this as Remigius declareth was done to shew the vnitie of faith in those two churches and that greeke in which the priests in Grecia doe celebrate or say Masse is not the same which the vulgaâ—e people doe vse but farr different from it which only the learned sorte of people doe vnderstande euen as the latine tonge is not the vulgare tonge of the latines but the Italian tonge for the latine is only knoweÌ„ to the learned For as S. Basil saith Basil lib. de Spiritu sancto Num. 5. it is not a misterie if it be commoÌ„ to the vulgar sorte for in the olde lawe all the vessells of the tabernacle were couered
though he haue neuer soe much knowledge being the author of separation deuision and schisme sith there is noe greater token of charitie then vnanimitie Quiae multitudo c. Because the multitude of such as beleeue ought to be one harte and one soule and soe one languadge comon to them all especiallie in the seruice of the church and administration of the sacraments for confusion of tounges haue hindred the worke of the Tower of Babilon and before that confusion there was but one languadge and soe before your heresie and diuersitie of religion the church of God was terravnius labij sermonem eorundem of one lip of one speech and as there was but one God adored of all soe there was but one faith embraced and professed by all one administration of the sacraments and one order of ceremonies amoungest all There was vnitie of beleefe withoute deuision of sects simplicitie without duplicitie pietie of religion without impietie of heresie one pastor and one flock the execrable and dreadfull blasphemies and heresies of this wicked age were not heard of all were called christians and not Euangelistes nor Apostles nor Lutherans nor Caluinistes nor Hugonotts nor Geues nor Adamitts nor Anabaptistes nor Papistes children were obedient to their Parents the sheepe did acknowledge their Pastors the lasciuious and pratlinge woman was not a Mistres of the scriptures the pope was not called antechriste his authoritie was not called in question The church was feared and obeied of her subiects against which there was noe rebellion or insurrection of carnall filthie incestuous and abhominable Apostates men were of honest simple disposition without contention or debate touchinge their religion euerie one referringe himselfe to the catholick church whose faith and meritts was communicated and diffused to al her blessed members They had noe newe ghospell but that which was dictated by the holie ghoaste and deliuered by the Apostles to the Church and which the Churche proposed to the faithfull to beleeue And now since they had diuersitie of tounges they haue also had diuersitie of faith and diuersitie of heresies 4. But to aunswere more fullie this obiection the catholique churche doth not forbid any one to praye in any tounge he thinkes good priuately to himself although in the publique and comon seruice thereof shee would haue the comon languadge to be practised obserued to preuent confusion of tounges and corruption both of wordes and sense And as in the Church of God there is one sacrifice one order of ceremonies and administration of the sacraments soe wee haue but one languadge comon to all church men For if you goe to Spaine or America or to any other coÌ„try you shall haue the common languadge by which you may vnderstand them and they you Otherwise if in one church there were fortie different languadges you must haue fortie portuses and fortie Masse-bookes and soe in the like case wee must haue infinitt bookes and portuses and infinite Masse-bookes which cannot be without great inconuenience and I pray you which way can an Irish man saie Masse or mattens who hath no printe in his Countrie to printe those bookes in Irishe I am sure the protestant printer at Dublin would not printe Masse-bookes in the Irish tounge or if the Irishe or English had gon to Spaine or other Countries he could neuer saye or heare Masse and exercise the rites of his religion if it could not be don but in his owne languadge Therfore blessed is that order that taketh awaie this disordered confusion and inconuenience of these sond heretiques 5. As for priuate prayers you should not charge her for her blessed doctors in all ages haue replenished the world with infinite books of prayers of deuotion and pietie in all languadges which haue wrought such maruelous effects and strange conuersions of notorious sinners such contempt of wordlie honor such despisinge of all wordlie vanitie such heroicall resolutions in mens hartes such collections for releeuinge the poore and the distressed and such an ardent loue to our Sauiour Creator and Redeemer as the like was neuer brought to passe nor neuer shal be by any of Luther or Caluines followers Who can be ignorant of the most godlie prayers of S. Augustine and all the fathers of the churche S. Gregorie S. Bernard S. Fulgentius S. Thomas S. Bonaâ—enture S. Anselme and in our owne age â—hose of Dionis Carthusianus Laurentius â—urius Stella and Loartes translated into all vulgar tounges with infinite others which were to longe to rehearse But I cannot passe with silence that most famous renowmed reuerend and religious father Lewis de Granada whose godlie works of deuotion and prayers are translated into seuerall tounges I neuer hearde of anie booke of deuotion or religion sett forth by any of these sectaries any way comparable vnto his whose workes and bookes serue only to ouerthrowe deuotion pietie prayer and religion I haue seene many godly bookes violated and defiled by them It is strange then that you will picke out a certaine languadge for prayers and yet banishe awaie all kinde of prayers sauinge the wanton Psalmes of Geneua corrupted by your false translatioÌ„ wherein you praie to keepe vs from Pope Turcke and Papistrie yea I my selfe haue seene a supplication exhibited to the last Queene and to the parleament house wherein it was auerred that it was not lawfull for christians to saie our Lordes prayer To conclude therfore deuout prayers doe proceede from the ardent loue of God which is diffused into our soules by the holy ghoaste which is giuen vnto vs and inwardlie doth dwell and lodge in vs Rom. 8. by which wee saie and crie out Abba pater our father and by which wee prostrate our selues with our sighinge hartes and dolefull groanes before the throne of the almightie God and by which wee enioye his familiar and blessed presence Whether the Church vniuersall can be charged with errors contrarie to the first institution of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAPTER I. 1. THe church of Christ did neuer alter the matter and forme of any of her sacraments much lesse of this beinge the greatest of the rest in which Christ hath shewed his wonderfull great loue vnto the church his only spouse in feedinge and sanctifiinge the soules of her children with his owne pretious bodie and blood that beinge fedd by Christe shee may be purified and clensed by him in that fearfull and dreadful Hoast which doth exceede the capacitie of any earthlie vnderstandinge Of this wonderfull loue of Christe it was said by Isaias Quid est what is it that I ought to doe vnto my vineard and haue not don it meaninge therby that in thâ—â—â—â—â—ament he manifested the bowells of his charitie Isa 5. Chrys homil 61. ad populum AntiochenuÌ„ and loue towardes his churche which loue is magnified by S. Iohn Chrisostome sayinge Nam parentes quidem alijs saepè filios tradent alendos c. For parents doe often deliuer their children to
but forasmuch as they imbrace the wicked doctrine of Caluine Cal. lib. 1. instit cap. 28. that it is a sinne for a man not to sinne and in another place that to restraine any desire that comes vnto a man is to resist God and to sinne for that God is the efficient cause of all euill woorks this mortification and punishinge of the fleash cannot sounde well in their eares whose doctrine life is repugnant to mortification religion discipline all woorks of pennaunce Whether wee ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or for giue them CHAPTER IV. THe opinion of protestants is disproued by learned S. Augustine sayinge Let no man make doubt of the priestes right in remission of sinnes seinge the holie ghoast is purposely giuen them to doe the same it is not absurde saith S. Cyrill lib. 52. that they forgiue sinnes which haue the holie ghoaste Cyril lib. 52. c. 56. in Ioan. for when they remitt and retaine the holy ghoast remitteth and retaineth in them the which they doe two wayes first in baptisme and afterwardes in pennaunce I doe not wonder when Sathan by his members labours to destroie all religion that he should goe about also to abolish the cheefest piller therof which is this Sacrament of confession instituted by our Sauiour for the cheefest consolation of our troubled soules For when the Apostles were gathered together in one place after Christs resurrectioÌ„ he said vnto theÌ„ All power in heauen and earthe is giuen vnto me as my father did send me soe I send yow he breathed vppon them and he saied vnto them receaue yow the holie ghoaste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained And when our Lord gaue power and authoritie to priests to remitt and retaine sinnes it is manifest that he made them iudges of our soules as may appeare when Lazarus was raised from death to life Ioh. 11. Cyril li 7 cap. vlt. Aug. trac 49. in Ioannem Luc 17. Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 19. ser 8. de verbis Domini and beinge tied hand and foote in the graue he said to his Apostles loose him and let him goe S. Cyrill and S. Augustine applie this to the Apostles and the priests authoritie of absoluinge sinners affirming Christ to receaue none into the churche but by the priests ministrie and soe he comaunded the lepers to shewe themselues to the priests and to submitt themselues vnto their iudgment 2 This is declared also by the actes of many of them that beleeued and came confessinge and declaringe their deeds Act. 19. Marci 1. also by S. Marcke when all the countrie of Iurie went vnto S. Iohn confessinge their sinnes which was not don by a generall confession but by a perticuler confession of them S. Iames also doth proue the same saying Is any man sicke amounge you let him bringe in the priestes of the church and if he be in sinnes they shal be forgiuen him Your owne comunion booke hath the plaine wordes of absolution the wordes be these Our Lord Iesus which hath left power to his church to absolue all sinners which trulie repent and beleue in him of his great mercie forgiue thee thine offences and by his authoritie comitted vnto me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes In the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Aug lib. 2. de visitatione infirmoruÌ„ cap. 4. lib. 1. c. 2 S. Aug. saith Some thinckes that it is enough for them to confesse their sinnes only vnto God which knowes the secreattes of euerie ones harte because either for shame or for some other cause they would not vnfould their offeÌ„ces vnto the priestes vnto whome God haue giuen sufficient authoritie to discerne betwixt leper and leper but I would not haue yow be deceaued or confounded for confessinge thy sinnes before the viccar of our Lord. Aug. lib 50. homil 49. The same he confirmed further saying Let no man say I confesse before God secreatlie God knowes my harte who will pardone me if that be soe saith he in vaine it is said whose sinnes soeuer yow forgiue they shal be forgiuen in vaine also the keies of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to the churche Amb. li. 1. de poena cap. 2. S. Ambrose also refellinge the heresie of the Nouatians which taught that God neuer gaue power to any to remit sinnes saith God bid vs to obey his ministers and by doinge soe wee honour God c. Chrysost homil â—9 ad populum 3. This is also proued by S. Chrisostome who said that trewe pennaunce doth cause a poore sinner to suffer all thinges willinglie in his harte perfect contrition in his mouthe confession in his workes all humanitie for saith he this is a most fruictfull pennaunce for by what meanes wee haue offended God by that meanes also wee should be reconsiled vnto him vid. by our harte by contrition by our mouthe by confession by our acte throughe satisfaction Holy councells also as the councell of Florence haue determined this truth and all the fathers of the church as S. Cyprian Epistola 10. Epistola 15. Epistola 1.62 cap. 52. Hugo aduersus luciferanos Cyp. lib. de lapsis 15. Orig. in leuit homil 2. psal 32 Aug. Epistola 54. Socrates lib. 5. cap. 19. Zozo lib. 7. 4. Againe by takinge away from the christians the only bridle which is this sacramentall confession that should curbe and restraine them from their wickednes they giue occasioÌ„ that they runn headlong to all dissolution wanton exercise which the protestantes of Germanie perceauing by experience to be true they requested the Emperor Charles the 5. being then at Norâ—mberge in 4. d. 18. q. 1. ar 1. that by his imperiall authoritie he would cause coÌ„fession againe to be brought â—n wherat Sotus a learned diuine beinge with the Emperor did aunswere laughing and said if by the lawe of God men are not bound to vnfould their sinnes to a prieste â—or by that lawe the priest can absolue as they said how can they be compelled therunto by the precept of man for by humaine precept noe man will reueale his secreat sinnes to any man 5. Pacianus answereth the heretiques that say God only remitteth sinnes Sed quod per sacerdotes suos facit ipsius potestas est and a little after he saith that as not only the Apostles doe baptize but also their successors soe not only they remitt sinnes but also their successors Paulinus in vita Ambro. S. Ambrose hearinge confessions wept as the penitentes confessed their sinnes and by weepinge moued them to contrition Tertulian tells how the christians in his time kneeled to the priests for remission S. Hieronimus epist ad Heliodorum God forbid that that I should speake ill of priests who succeedinge to the Apostles by their holy mouth doe make the body of Christe by whome wee also
the sepulchers of sainctes to be reuerenced and worshipped and said moreouer that the praiers of the holy martyrs profitts nothinge after this life imitatinge herin wicked Porphiry and Eunomius by callinge them the sorcerie of diuills Aug. de ecclesiasticis dogma tibus c. 73. therfore S. Augustine did condemne VigilaÌ„tius Aerius did barcke against prayers and suffrages of the dead and maketh noe difference betwixt priestes and Bishopps The Peputians would haue women to be priestes vnto whome they haue attributed all principalitie August de haeres 27. as the Protestantes haue done to Queene Elizabeth Anno 1. Parl. c. 1. Luther tomo 2. li. de captiuit Baby Aug. Homil 50. de Socrat. hist l. 4. Cap. 23. Ambr. de penit li. 1. cap. 2. Of the same heresie also were condemned Eunomius as the said S. August de heresi heres 54. de haeres ad Luther Nouatus was condemned for an heretique by saint Augustine and saint Ambrose for denyinge poure of absoluinge sinnes vnto the priests and confirmation to Bishopps as saint Cyprian doth wittnes lib. 4. epist. 2. Theodoret. lib. 3. de haereticis The Pelagians denyed original sinne in infantes and taught that baptisme is not necessarie for them as saint Augustine writeth Aug. here 's 88. 3. S. Augustine and saint Optatus doe putt the Donatistes in the rancke of heretiques Aug. de heres 69. de vnitate eccle lib. contlitteras Petul. Opta lib. â— Cal. inst l. 4. cap. 15. Optat l. 2. Theod. Dra. 5. for sayinge that the churche fayled in the whole world and that it remayned amoungest themselues in Affrique the like Caluine saith of the Catholique churche Those Donatistes did cast the blessed Sacrament vnto doggs burne churches and breake alters tooke away all church ornamentes as you doe they abolished the sacrifice of the Masse as you doe of which kinde of people Ignatius sayeth there hath bene some that would not away with sacrifices and oblations because they confessed not the Euchariste to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesu Christe Arrius Nestorius S. Aug. lib. contrâ— MaximuÌ„ Atha p. 488. ExempluÌ„ Synodale Dioscorus Eutiches as saint Augustine and saint Athanasius saye and as it is alleadged in the 7. generall councell act 1. denied all traditions and the wittnesses of the fathers they said alsoe they would allowe nothinge but the scriptures sayinge What scripture doth proue that the sonne is consubstantiall or coessentiall with the Father the same alsoe did Simon Magus saye 4. With Symon Magus Valentinus Aug. here 's 4.6 Clemens Alexandrinus li. 3 recognitionum Tertul. de prâ—script and Manicheus you denie free will With Flornius and with Symon Magus you affirme God to be author of all euill as S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus Tertulian saye of the said Symon Magus With Constantius you saye that euerie Ciuill Prince ought to be head of the churche accordinge to Euseb lib. 3. Atha epi. ad solitariam vitaÌ„ degentes Hilar. lib. ad ConstaÌ„tium ex li. qui incipit tempus est loquendi Wherfore S. Athanasius called him antechrist and the abhomination of desolation of whome alsoe S. Hillarie saith these woordes I tell you when I shall speake vnto you that I speake to Nero that Decius Maximianus shal heare me you fight against God you thunder against the church you persecute the Saincts you take awaye the Religion of Christe you are not onlye the Tyrant of men but of God you doe preuent antechrist and worcke his misteries you coyne faith liuing without faith thou of all men the most wicked this he spoake to him in his life time 5. With Marcius and Manicheus and other heretiques you condemne manny bookes of the scriptures which would not receaue the scriptures Nisi cum adiectionibus detractionibus factis but with cuttinge maÌ„glinge of them You take away Chrisme with Nouatus who denied the holye ghoaste With Iouinian as S. Augustine saith of him you take away pennaunce from the church who said also that all sinnes were equall Also with Pelagius yow take away the Sacrament of orders and priest-hoode with Petrus Abalardus Wicleffe and Hus all vocall prayers And with the Armenians you say that matrimonie is noe Sacrament You take away generall councells with the Arians that would not obey the councell of Nice With Nestorius that would not obey the councell of Ephesus with Eutiches and Dioscorus that would not obey the councell of Chalcedon Aug lib. de haeresibus With Iouinianus as saint Augustine wittnesseth you eate all meates euerie daye without any obseruation of dayes or difference of meate you doe the like obseruinge noe faste Caluine tooke away singinge from the church with the heretique Hillarus Aug. li. 11 retract Ambr. in quadam orat cont MaxentiuÌ„ de Basilicis tradeÌ„dis quae ponitur in lib 5. sententiaruÌ„ as saint Augustine and saint Ambrose say when Christe is praysed the Arrians are madd With Iouinian you say that all which be in heauen are equall in glorie because all iuste persons are equall in this life in merittes and all sinners are equall in sinnes With the Catharies you denie all sacraments With the heretiques called Lamprini you take away vowes and votaries With the Eustachians yow take away churches and alters dedicated to martirs 6. Againe Epist 75. with the Eutichian heretiques yow take away oblations sacrifice and chrisme as Leo the Pope complained by his letters to Martianus the Emperor epist 75. where he saith Intercepta est sacrificij oblatio desecit chrismatis sanctificatio The oblation of the sacrifice is intercepted and hallowinge of the chrisme faileth And as in the time of Antechriste as that auncient holy father and constant Martyr Hipolitus that liued in the yeare of our Lord 220. saith Ecclesiarum aedes sacrae tigurij instar erint praetâ—osum corpus sanguis Christi in diebus illis nâ—n extabit c the church shall be like cottadges the blessed body and blood of Christ shall not be seene the Masse shal be vtterly defaced soe as yow seeme to be the precursours of this beast For with the Donatists as Optatus writeth yow giue the blessed Sacrament to dogges the chrismatorie with the sacred chrisme yow violentlie cast vpon the grounde with them also yow breake alters with them also and with the Arrians of Affricke as Victor saith yow ouerthrowe churches monasteries and chappels and as they made shirtes and briches of the â—estimentes and alter cloathes burned bookes spoiled churches of their ornamentes as appeared in an epistle by the bishoppes of Egipte to Marcus the Pope and as Nazianzenus saith misteria verterunt 〈◊〉 commedias the misteries of our religioÌ„ they turned to playes and comedies euen soe doe you the like 7. Againe you refuse with these heretiques to come to the generall councells to giue an accompte of your doinges as saint Augustine saith of them With 〈◊〉 buchodonozer the kinge of Babilon and
so was Eneas Penny parish priest of Killagh slaine at the alter in the parish church therof Donoshew Ma Recdy priest was hanged at Colrahan Cahall Ma-Goran Rony O Donillan Peter O Quillan patricke O Kenna a Franciscan Freer Georg Power viccar generall of the diocesse of Ossory Andrew Strich of Limericke Brien O Murihirtagh viccar generall of the diocesse of Clonefart Donoghow Omulony priest of Thomond Iohn Kelly of Louth Sr Patrick of the Anally Iohn Pillin P. of the order of saint Frauncis Rory Ma-Henlea Tirrelagh Ma-Inisky a lay man of the order of S. Francis al these were catholique died in the Castle of Dublin through hard vsadg and restrainct Walter Fernan priest died in thâ—t castle through too much tortur of the racke Iohn Walsh a vertuous priest died through famine and cold in the Castle of Weastchester Two Welsh gentlemen the one called Richard Waghan that other Richard Downs died through hard vsadg in in the Castle of Dublin 11. Morris Vstace of Castle Martin in the diocesse of Kildare esquier master of Arte and a Nouice of the societie of Iesus being sent for by his father into Brugis in Flanders came into Ireland not without his superiours direction to satisfie his Fathers will who was apprehended hanged quartered who being so well descended and religious withall was much feared he wold work much amongest the people In the meane time the L. viscont of Balinglas and L. Barron of Bilquillin was in open hostilitie which agrauated the ielousie and suspition that he was accessary therunto 12. For the like suspition these that followe were hanged drawen and quartered Ma. Nicholas Nugent esquier cheef Iustice of the Common pleas Ma. Dauid Sutten esquier together with his bother Mr. Iohn Sutton Gentleman Mr. Thomas Vstace Gentleman together with his sonne and heire who said the letanies together with his father going vpp the ladder Maister William Ougan of Ruth-Coffy esquier Maister Robert Scurlock gentleman maister Clench of the Scrine gentleman maister Netherfild gentleman maister Robert fitz Gerrad Bacheller of diuinitie all these suffred for suspition of Baltinglas his warres 1581. 12. Mathew Lamport priest a very godly and a deuout man for that vppon a certaine night he entertained father Richford priest of the societie of Iesus was hanged drawen and quartered Robert Miller Edward Cheeuers Iohn O Lahy for bringing ouer the said Richfoord with the L. of Baltinglas was hanged drawen and quartered Anno 1581. Peter Miller after hauing stustied in Spaine for that he could nott haue his health came into his countrie which is the county of Wexfoord being examined touching points of religion and nott finding him conformable to the protestancie many suspitions being laid to his charge was hanged drawen and quartered Anno 1588. Christopher Roche natiue of Wexfoord for that he could not enioy his health in Flanders where he was a student passing by Bristoe to come for Ireland was there apprehended and was putt to the oath of the supremacy which when he refused he was carried vp to LoÌ„don where he was sore whipt about the streetes and was putt into a most filthy prison in gyues fetters and died there through extreamitie Anno 1590. 14. Iames Dudall of Drodart marchant comming out of France was by contrarie windes driuen to the South coast of EnglaÌ„d vnto whom the oath of the Queens supremacy was tendred and for that he refused the same he was sent to Exceter Gayle and there was hnaged drawen and quartered anno 1600. Patricke Hea of Wexfoord and honest man and zealous Catholique being accusedsed vnto the Lord Gray then deputie of the kingdome that he did not only releeue Bishoppes and priests in his house but allso transported them ouer into Spaine and France was committed to the castle of Dublin where through hard restraint he fell sore sicke and by entreaty of his frinds was remitted to his house where the died of the sicknesse he tooke in the prison 15. 20. Laymen old blind and impotent retired themselues vnto their parish church of Mohono dedicated to S. Nicholas in the diocesse of Limericke for a sanctuary wherin they liued many dayes vntil such time as the English Army passing by that way and finding them there they sett fire in the church and burned them all anno Domini 1581. these poore old people amoungest whome ther weare some old women who could nott long haue liued although they had beene lett alone for they were some of the age of 100 of 80. yeers very sicke and euen already languished for want of foode which they could nott gett by reason the countrie was altogether spoiled and left wast by the soldiors and the people of the countrie fled into the montaines yet nedes these people must add sorrowe vppon sorrowe and crueltie vpon crueltie to shew their rancore and the fruict of their ghospell All these fornamed personnes except the good and most vertuous Bishopp of Duanna with his chappleine Brien of Carrulan and Iohn O Onan and Donoghowe Ma-Reddy and Iohn Luneus priest who suffered vnder kinge Iames all the rest suffred vnder Queene Elizabeth Euerie sect of heresies Challenging vnto themselues the trewe and Catholique Church there is here set downe the true notes and marcks by which the same may be discerned CHAPTER I. 1. WEe must knowe that the catholique church is as it were the sonne of the worlde which doth cast foorthe her lightes and shininge beames by certaine notes by which shee may be discerned and knowen from the false religion of Pagans Iewes and heretiques The first note is Aug. lib. contra epistolam fundamenti cap. 4. the name Catholique which as saint Augustine saith if a pagan would aske of an heretique where the catholique church is he will not dare to shewe vnto him his owne familie S. Cirill also saith Cyrill Cathechesi 18. Si iueris in aliquam vrbem c. Yf you goe into anny cittie you will not aske where is the church or howse of God for then euerie heretique will say he hath the howse and church of God but yow will aske where is the catholique church for that is the proper name of this holly church the mother of all faithfull christians which if yow aske after not heretique will shewe vnto yow his owne churche 2. The 2. note is Antiquitie for that the true religion is more auncient then the false and the catholique Romaine church was before anny hereticall secte for that all heretiques departed from the same as S. Iohn saith Ex nobis prodierunt c. they went foorth from vs as is sett downe in the chapter of the first booke Daniel 9.3 Note Act. 2. Timoth. 3. Cypr. l. 4. Epist 2. 3. The 3. note ie perpetuitie or duration which neuer was nor euer shal be interrupted Regnum quod in aeternum non dissipabitur a kingdome which shall neuer be ouerthrowen nor euer be dissolued because it is of God Of heretiques it is said they shall not
from saint Peter to saint Damalus saint Cyprian from saint Peter to Cornelius saint Bernard from saint Peter to Eugenius saint August from saint Peter vnto Anastatius who was Pope in his time lib. contra epistolam fundamenti cap. â— Tenet me in Ecclesia c. The successioÌ„ of priestes from saint Peter the Apostle vnto whome Christe comended the feedinge of his sheepe vnto this present Bishop holdes me in the church the same alsoe doth saint Hierom proue For wee must note that such are true Bishopps in the churche who descende from the Apostles aswell by succession as by ordination but the sectes of Lutherans and Caluinistes haue neither succession from any lawfull Bishopps or lawfull ordination therfore they haue not succeeded in any Apostolique order or succession And for this cause as saint Cyprian said Nouatianus is not in the church Cyp. lib. â— epist 6. ad magnum nor oughte to be called a Bishoppe who despisinge apostolique tradition succeded noe Bishoppe and himselfe tooke that order vppon himselfe 8. The 6. 6. Note note is the vniuersall consent of the Catholique church in euerie point of doctrine of faith as it is said in the Actes Muâ—titudo credentium erat cor vnum anima â—na and contrariwise the errors alterations and dissentions of these sectes in euerie article of their faith as you may see in the first Chapters and 9. Lib. 9. c. 1. Lib. 2 c. 1. bookeâ— also in the 2. booke cap. 1. 7. Note 9. The 7. note is the sanctifie of this Catholique doctrine for the Catholique church is holie in her doctrine and profession as the councell of Constantinople saith which profession containes noe falshoode touchinge faith nor any iniustice touchinge good manners but these sectaries hould soe many absurdities against faith good manners The 9. book caâ— Aug. lib. 2. de ciuitate Dei as in the 1. li. Chapter 9. you may reade But the Catholique church containes noe error absurditie or turpitude nor doth it teach any thing against reason although it teacheth many things aboue reason and therfore saint Augustine saith Nihil in Christianis ecclesijs turpe flagitiosum there is nothinge in Christian churches that is either filthie or obhominable either wheÌ„ godes precepts be insinuated or miracles declared or giftes praised or benefitts asked 8. Note 10. The 8. note is the efficacie of the catholique doctrine in conuertinge the whole worlde vnto the standert of Christe and that by poore weake and sillle persons without armour or munition withoute feare of tormente or punishment only by praiers fastinge charitable woorks miracles and all good examples of hollines of life By these meanes all nations were conuerted to the catholique church from impietie and all wickednes vnto pietie and religion from beastlie pleasures vnto angelicall coÌ„tinency from the fleshe to the spirite from beinge loâ—ers of the worlde to despise contemne and forsake the same and to followe Christ their spouse But these sectaries subuerted many nations not by sounde doctrine or good examples of life but by terror and feare they caused many to forsake Christe and followe the worlde I am sure these holie Saincts that conuerted the world neuer drewe foorth any sworde when they preached I am sure when Sainct Vincent conuerted soe many when saint Aug. conuerted Englande to the faith beinge sent by saint Greg. or when saint Killian an Irishe saincte conuerted the Francks beinge sent from Conon Pope or when saint Patricke conuerted Ireland beinge sent by saint Celestine Pope they neuer killed or murthered burned or spoiled nor made the subiectes to reuolte against their princes or the princes to make tirannicall lawes against their subiects But Caluine and Luther did sowe their pestilent heresie by burninge and spoilinge kingdomes robbinge and ransakinge cittâ—es killinge and murtheringe manny millions of people castinge downe and razinge to the earth manny churches and monasteries rauishinge and deflouringe many Nunnes and Virgins and by bringinge euerie kingdome where the same was nourished to a pittifull confusion 9. Note 11. The 9. note is the hollines and sanctitie of life of such as founded our religion for the holie Patriarches Apostles Doctors Pastors and such as conuerted any countrie to the faith of Christ were mirrours and spectacles of all sanctitie and religion as saint August wittnesseth of the Mouncks of his tyme. Isti sunt Episcopi pastores docti graues sancti Aug. lib. demorib Eccl. c. 31. lib. 2. in Iulian. c. these were learned Bishopps and graue wise and holly pastors most earnest defenders of the trueth by whose planting settinge wateringe and buildinge the holy catholique church did increase but the sectaries of these times as in their doctrine they were most irreligious soe in their liues and manners moste wicked and abhominable In responsione ad libr. quem inscripsâ—rat Lutherus contra Zuing disputatione habita lipsie contra Eck. Luther in postilla super euaÌ„ super euaÌ„ Dominic Aduentus as the protestant authors themselues doe auerre The ministers of Tigur doe write that Luther sought nothing but his owne priuate gaine that he was insolent and stubborne and Luther himselfe confessed that his pretence was not for the loue of God In an other place he said that such as followed this newe gospell were farr woorse then when they were Papists more couetous and more giuen to reuenge Smidelinus in Coment 4. super caput 21. lucae said Lutherans doe peruerte all thinges that they turned fastinge into feastinge surfeâ—inge prayers into swearinge and blasphemies adding that Christe is not soe much blasphemed of the verie Turcks Erasmus also saith thaâ— this gospell neuer reformed any vice in these newe gospellers none that was an epiâ—ure became sober by it norâ— none that was cruell became meeke or gentle by it 12. The like censure the ministers of Madelâ—urge doe giue of them saying Madebur Centuria 11. cap. 11 Cen. 10. When these people were Papistes they were religiouslie addicted they were giuen to much praâ—ers deuotion and sanctifienge the saboâ—th daie they shewed great reuerence towardes churchmen parents were carefull in the education of their childrenn they were liberall and mercifull towardes the poore and there was great obedience in the subiectes The same Caluine wittnesseth Calu. inst lib. 4. cap. 10. scanâ— pag. 118. and in bis booke of scandalls he saith when soe many thousandes doe pretend the gosâ—pell fewe of them euer were refourmed of their wicked liues and hauinge lett the raynes loose to all wickednes Musc in cap. de decalogo de ministris verbis Luth. tâ— 5. Erasm ad fratres inferiores Germanicae they are not woorthy they should become Papists Musculus doth confirme the same Luther the first founder of this vnfortunate gospell said that such as followed the same were odibile genus hominum A hatefull kind of people and althoughe they speake of the gospel in their woorcks they are