God doe either flatly denie or call in question and leaue in doubt as a thing indifferent for any man to affirme it or to deny it which the learned know to be so and I will by Godds grace shew to be so when it shal be required And therefore it is not the Protestants Church whereof Saint Augustine there speaketh but a Church it is that the protestants do impugne a Church that no lesse biddeth vs not to beleue the protestants and to beleeue those Scriptures than it did bid S. Augustine not to beleeue the Manichees as hee there doth say and to beleue those Scriptures Storehouse of the Scriptures FOR furder declaration hereof consider againe what Church it is ours or the Protestantes which hath had the custodie and construing both of the forsaied and of the other Bookes of the holy Bible euer since the Apostles tyme into the vvhich the olde Testament dyd fall by iust descent and alteration of the spirituall State from the Ievves vvhich hath noticed to the vvorld the Autoritie and Canon of the holy Books of the new Testament also which hath so many worldes and in such alterations of mortall thinges saued from destruction and corruption of all Heretikes Iewes and Infidels the whole autentical Corpes of Scripture which no Heretike aliue can charge for adding or minishing any iot thereof Will any man doubt therefore whether this be the true Church which is the olde and only Treasure-house of so precious a Monument which hath kept the iust possession of it these fiftene hundred yeares and hath lost neither leafe nor line thereof Or wil any man be so mad to thinke that to be the true Church which occupied no Bible nor had not to doe with holy Scripture as they cōfesse themselues for a thousand yeares together which now forcibly and violētly plucking it out of the iust possessours handes hath in little more then fortie yeares of their restlesse spoiling raigne robbed vs of so many vvhole Bookes thereof and of many a particular portiō more Tantae igitur ostensiones cum sint haec Iren. li. 3. cap. 4. non oportet adhuc quaerere apud alios veritatem quam facile est ab Ecclesia sumere cum Apostoli quasi in depositorium diues plenissime in ea cōtulerint omnia quae sint veritatis vti omnis quicunque velit sumat ex ea potum vitae Haec est enim introitus vitae omnes autē reliqui fures sunt latrones Propter quod oportet deuitare quidem illos quae autē sunt Ecclesiae cum magna diligentia diligere apprehendere veritatis traditionem Being therfore these so great so many demonstrations a man must not yet saith S. Ireneus seeke the truth amongest any other which it is easy of the Church to take because the Apostles haue in her as in a rich storehouse laid vp most plentifully al that true is so that euery one that listeth may out of her take drinke of life For shee it is that is the doore of life all other are theeues and robbers Wherefore a man must auoyde them I say but the Churches thinges he must most earnestly loue take hold of her Tradition of truth Studying and teaching of all diuine truth AND better yet to know both the plentie of this rich Storehouse and the Emptines of the beggarly Dennes of Heretikes consider againe vvhat Church it is whose maisters teach and children study the whole body of Christian truth taking no lesse paines to seeke out and to know what God hath reuealed about the Blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and yet their vnity equalitie consubstubflantialitie in one Godhead about the Incarnation of Godds Sonne ioyning two most different natures of God and Man both intiere both complete no commixion no confusion into the vnitie of one Person about all the same one persons in his humaine nature perfections and defects doings and sufferings for our sakes about the creation of the world in the beginning of things visible and inuisible of men and Angels what they were both made by God and what they made themselues by sinne about the Resurrection and Iudgement that shal be in the ending and state of things both in earth and hel and heauen for euer afterward finally about all parts of faith Religion no lesse then about the Questions of this time And againe who they be on the other side that know very little euen of their owne Questions that they haue moued vnto our Church in these their dayes as they can not possibly knovv much being occupied rather about wyning then in studying and taking vpon them to be teachers before they haue bin lerners husbandes and Ministers both so sone as they can get them wiues and benefices so yong fathers so yong Doctors that the common Wealth is forsooth greatly strengthned by their multiplying and the Church substantially edified by their preaching But in other questions of our beleefe such as before I rehearsed so ignorant they be that they are scarse euer heard and very few of them to preache or teache vpō them the people thereby remaining vtterlye vnskilfull of Mysteries that they are bound to know vpon paine of damnation Yea Caluin himselfe the learnedst of them al and their master of masters compelled also to study the Mysterie of the Trinity for to answere his Polonion Trinitaries yet is hee found so ignorant therein that his errors are intolerable as that Gods Sonne is autotheos God of himselfe and not GOD of his Father Iust li. 1. cap. 13. nu 23. 24. Vide Geneb de Trin. li. 1. pag. 43. as the great Nicene Councell hath professed Deum de Deo Deum verum de Deo vero God of God very God of very god whereof it ineuitably foloweth that they are two Gods not one God vnlike in substance not consubstantiall beside many other his ignorant errors Such was Iuels ignorance also that Christ is a priest according to his Godhead being yet I say studied in the matter What then must be the blindes of our Countrie Heretikes that neuer trouble their braines about those Mysteries Loke to theyr Vniuersities and see vvhether there be any appointed publicke Readers or Teachers of such matters any that priuatly make them their studye whether they doe not all in maner study nothing at all but the arte of speaking or els but certaine new bookes of common places for a few pointes of their new Doctrine and them so lightly that the cōmon sorte of Catholikes are able to answere all there argumentes and to say also more for them then they can say for themselues and yet it serueth them to be Doctours there of Diuinitie a Goddes name how be it both in lawe and truth they are no Degrees that men seeme there to take Is such a Church trovv you that Rich Storehouse Li. 3. c◠4. in the which the Apostles laid vp for euer most plentifully al truth
it for the protestants Maketh it not so euidently for Intercession of Saintes that they haue no shift to answere it but by denying the Booke Whereby they doe plainely shew forth to all men which be but indifferent that the cause why they denie not the other Scriptures yea the Gospell it selfe is not for anie reuerence that they beare therto but only because they thinke that they haue inuented stuftes good enough to blind the world and to make shew of answere to the places which out of the same we aleage against them To be briefe the Visions most certaine which might be here brought foorth and that for verie manie other points of our doctrine besides the foresaid are innumerable in euery age since Christs time in great aboundance certaine of our owne time and countrie I may not omit A man there is in England that hauing beene very long a Protestant although much solicited to the contrarie and being on a time about fiue yeares agoe at the point of death ventred in that extremitie to tempt God to aske for a signe that hee would be mercifull vnto him shew him the true vvay that Quanquam sciâ—m somnia ridicula visiones ineptas quibusdam videri sed vtique illis qui malunt contra Sacerdotes credere quam Sacerdoti Sed nihil mirum quando de Ioseph fratres sui dixerint Cyp. lib. 1. Epi. 9. seu Epi. 66. in noua edit Ecce somniator ille venit c. Howbeit I know as Saint Cyprian saith that dreames to certaine seeme ridiculous and Visions foolish but verily to such as had rather to beleeue against Priests then to beleeue the Priest But no meruaile seeing that of Ioseph his brethren said See yonder commeth the dreamer Gen. 27. c. Scriptures VVHOSOEVER at anie time haue taught doctrine so plainlie repugnant to the Holie Scriptures that for the maintenance thereof they were faine to denie bookes of the saide Scriptures and that after such bookes vvere once euidently knowen or by the Church approued for Canonicall most certainely or that for the same cause they vvere faine to say the Scriptures to haue bin falsified corrupted they whatsoeuer they were and how soeuer for a time they deceaued some wretched persons or Countries Heretikes they were vndoubtedly and euermore in the end so prooued Read the ancient writers against Heresies Ireneus Epiphanius Philastrius Saint Augustine vvith all the Ecclesiasticall Histories and see whether that all that so did were not such as I say namely Simon Magus Basilides Carpocrates Valentinus Cerdon Marcion Apelles Seuerus the Manichees the Ebionites the Helchesites the Arrians the Aetians and such others all detestable Heretikes by the iudgement now and many hundred yeares afore of the whole world and all stubborne deniers of certaine approued Canonicall Scriptures such especially as to their wicked doctrine were most plainly contrarie For example the Ebionites Iren. 1. ad hers ca. 26. because they would haue vs to be both Iewes and Christians Eus 3. Ec. hist ca. 27 circumcised baptized togeather denied stiflie and most impudently all S. Paules Epistles as directlie written against that Heresie Epiph. 1. haer 30. plainly testifying that by Christ wee are all deliuered from that law The Manichees likewise because they would that the holy Ghost Aug. de vtil cre Cap. 3. which Christ promised to send vnto his Disciples came to vs by the Author of their Sect named Manicheus they denied the acts of the Apostles for that in them Christes promise is said to haue beene fulfilled ten dayes after his Ascention certaine hundred years before that Manicheus was borne And do not the Heretikes of this time play vs the very same part Doe they not denie the Canonical most certaine Scripture of the Machabees Aug. 2. doct Chr. cap. 5. for none other cause but for that they cannot otherwise auoide the most plaine testimonies thereof that are there against their Heresies As concerning praying for the dead Sancta salubris est cogitatio pro dâ—functis exorare 2. Macc. 12. vt a peccatis soluantur An holy and an wholsome meaning it is to pray for the dead that they may be loosed of their sins Likewise concerning prayer of Saintes for vs Multum orat pro populo vniuersa sansta ciuitate 2. Macc. 15. Ieremias Propheta Dei Ieremie the Prophet of God praieth much for the people for all the holie Citie To whom in defense of this booke we say De praen SaÌ„ct ca. 14. as Saint Augustine said to certaine that denied a testimonie of the booke of wisdome Tanquam non de libro Canonico adhibitum as taken by hym out of a booke that is not Canonicall Thus he saieth Non debuit repudiari senteÌ„tia libri Sapientiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi de gradu Lectorum Ecclesiae Christi tam loÌ„ga annositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri They should not reiect the saying of the boke of wisedom which booke in the Church of Christ hath deserued so long a rew of yeares to be recited out of the steppe whereon the Lectours of the Church of Christ do stand to read the lessons and vvith worship belonging to a booke of diuine authoritie to be heard of all Christyan men from Bishopps euen to the lowest sort of lay-men faithfull penitents and Catechumenes Etiam temporibus proximi Apostolorum egregij tractatores eum testem adhibentes nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderint Also the notable Interpreters or Fathers that liued next to the Apostles times when they brought foorth that booke for witnesse nothing did they beleeue them-selues to bring foorth but Gods own witnesse Do they not againe deny the Epistle of Saint Iames in Luther their man of God bycause it is against their Heresie of Iustification by faith only and not by workes Iac. 1. saying most plainly Ex operibus iustificatur homo non ex fide tantum By vvorkes a man is iustified and not by faith only Doe they not likewise in Beza Beza in Lac 22. novv their Oracle at Geneua say that Saint Lukes Gospel is falsified where it hath Hic est Calix qui pro vobis fundetur This is the Chalice shed for you bycause it most manifestly vvitnesseth against theÌ„ the Real presence of Christs blood in the Chalice the chalice being therefore of Saint Luke said to be shed for vs bycause that which is in the Chalice is shed for vs and not vvine nor none other thing shed for vs but only Christs most precious blood If in these pointes they like not their Beza nor their Luther why will they seeme to be their folowers why do they not as we doe for the same condemne them Is not one false poynt of the Arrians sufficient to vs to condemne the Arrians
and straight vvaies vvithout all tergiuersation to captiuate their vnderstanding into the obedience of faith Is it not plaine by the Scriptures that the Church of GOD should be so obeyed Or is there any so blessed a Church and felowship saue only ours Any other Church so credited so beleued so reuerenced so obeyed of her children that whatsoeuer she teacheth is receaued and followed whom none of her children be his witt neuer so great or his learning so excellent euer controlleth or euer mistrusteth and that most agreably I say to the holy Scriptures in ten thousand places as where they say Ephes 5. that Ecclesia subiecta est Christo in omnibus the Church is obedient to Christ in all thinges Who therefore saith vnto it Qui vos audit me audit qui vos spernit Luc. 10. me spernit he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Mat. 18. Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibisicut Ethnicus Publicanus If he wil not here the Church auoid him as thou wouldest an Ethnick and a Publican Thus is the Church of God to be obeyed and thus do we obey our Church and none of their Church but we For our Church it is and our Church onlie which hath by the spirit of wisedome discretion so sorted and seuered from the corps of truth al blemishes corruptions vncertaine or singular opinions or seueral errors in her childrens and Maisters workes whatsoeuer that both the truth may be had with ease and securitie and the vntruth escaped vvithout doubt or daunger Ours therefore and ours only it is that hath in it the path that the Prophet Esaie forespeaketh and promiseth should be in the Church of Christ Isai 35. Et erit ibi semita vita via sancta vocabitur Non transibit per eam pollutus haec erit vobis directa via ita vt stulti non errent per eam And there shal be in it a path and a way an holy way it shal be called the defiled shall not passe by it but this to you shal be a direct way so that fooles cannot misse if they folow it But now on the contrary side in any company of these seueral sectes and scatered congregations are they so humble as to submit themselues for dicision of their questions to any power placed in earth or haue they any possible meanes to trie and end their controuersies any sort or number of men amongest them whom they may trust in al things which whom and in whose steppes they dare venture to walke the way of faith and Religion towardes saluation None there is amōgst al the Sects in the world so happy none so secure and therefore no Church amongest them For in the plat forme of the Church drawen by the Apostles wee see that when a question arose about Circumcision of vs that be Gentiles straight was there found a remedie Statuerunt Act. 15. vt ascenderent Paulus Barnabas quidam alij ex aliis ad Apostolos Presbyteros in Hierusalē super hac quaestione They determined that there shold goe vp Paule and Barnabas and some others of the other side to the Apostles and Priestes in Hierusalem vppon this question Vpon this matter hath S. Augustine written an excellent Booke which hee intituled De vtilitate credendi Tom. 6. of tht vtilitie of beleeuing the Catholike Church in all thinges and whith all humilitie which booke I vvish and desire all that can to reade it Very fitte it is for this time and alone sufficient to perswade any reasonable man to be a Catholike For were it not for beleuing the Catholike Church and taking of it our light and knowledge a smal number God wotteth of truthes should wee in our whole life be able to finde out although we liued the yeares of Mathusalem and in most thinges should we fouly erre and be deceaued and of nothing almost be fully resolued And therefore being so many so obscure so controuersed the things whereof vpon payne of damnation vve may not doubt but must hold them certaynely euen to the losse of frinds Countrie liberty goodes landes and life vvhat hope were leafte for vs poore wretches of any saluation So desperate is the state of Heretykes their followers that no doubt for lacke of being grounded vpon the sure Rocke of the Churches Faith they would as sone be caried away from the faith of the B. Trinitie if the wind should chaunce to blow that way as were in old time the Arrians and others and now in Polonia the Protestant Trinitaries as they haue beene from the other Articles vnto the which wee labour and pray to see them once reuoked Protestants themselues take things vpon our Churches credit AND that wee doe well so as I haue saied to beleue our Catholike Romaine Church and also that all other should doe the same you shall yet againe perceaue by this if you consider what Church it is vpon vvhose credit the very Protestantes themselues haue receaued the Diuine Scriptures and besides them certaine confessions of Faith called Creeds the Creede of the Apostles the Creed of Athanasius the Creed of the Fathers also diuers Articles of Doctrine as the holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father and the Sonne that but as from one principium origin or beginning c. also many artificiall tearmes as Person Trinity Consubstātiality Sacraments c. into the very hart of Religion which neither they did would or could haue inuented nor we neuer haue vsed but only vpon infallible credit of this Church Con. Epis Mā ca. 5. For whereas S. Augustine saied Ego vero Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae cōmoueret authoritas I for my part should not haue beleued the Gospel but the Catholik churches authority moued me Catholicis obtemperaui dicentibus Credite Euangelio to the Catholikes it was that I obeyed saying beleue ye the gospel Euāgelio Catholicis praedicantibus credidi I beleeued the Gospell vpon the Catholikes preaching Catholicis praecipientibus Euangelio credidi at the Catholikes commaundment I beleued the Gospell was it the Protestantes Church thinke you that in al these wordes he meant Or can you hold your laughter when you heare the question asked No no the Church at whose commaundement he beleued the Gospel at the same Churches cōmaundment he beleued as he declareth in his booke De Doct. Christ Li. 2. ca. 8. the bookes of Tobie of Iudith of Canticles of Wisdome of Iesus Sirach called Ecclesiasticus of the Machabees in the olde Testament and in the new Testament S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrues the Epistle of Saint Iames the second of S. Peter the second and third of Saint Iohn the Epistle of S. Iude the Apocalips of S. Iohn Al which holy bookes of Canonical Scripture the Protestantes either in their whole multitude or in some of their Captains whō they defend follow and commend as men of
contemned the right or embraced the wrong We then also at this present standing in like perill and euerlasting daunger of our soules haue we not neede to awake to shake off our slouth and to looke about vs I deale not now with them which say in their foolish heartes that there is no God no Christ no soule no heauen no hell no right way nor no wrong of whome God help the world is too too full Neither with them do I deale which thinke no way at all so wrong but that it may serue well enough to heauen All which sorts of vaine men how vvise soeuer that they seeme in their owne conceits haue most certainely all good reason all true wisedome and which amongst Christian men is most irrefragable all Diuine Scripture cleane against them For wheresoeuer the said Scriptures speake of Nicolaites and such like who is there that findeth left for such any hope of saluation Therefore to leaue these vanishing away in their foolish fansies and to talke with others that beleeue the Scriptures and therefore thinke well that some in those forsaid ages found the way to heauen that other some by walking by-waies are fallen into damnation of these I demaund if at least wise they care for themselues more thē for their pelfe that soone will forsake them whether they would not be glad to know these waies to walke the one and to auoid the other the matter is past with those aforetime it is we that are in daunger that stand of making or els of marring If happely we could light in the steppes of them that are in Heauen wee were made foreuer But if we walke on the same pathes that lead others to hel then are wee marred and vndonne foreuer Here therefore it would be known what way they that now are safe did then take when they were in perill In their seuerall times very many and verie great questions as I haue said vvere mooued by new deuisers and some allwaies there vvere that could and did trie the matters with them by learning but these very few if we compare them with the multitude besides that the said triall is very long and many before it can be made passe out of this world to their certaine damnation if they go vncertaine What other remedy what better way is there than for such Is there any or is there none If there be none let vs eate and drinke and make good cheare for we shall die to morrow But thankes be to God there is good remedie there are also other waies inough and not only for the vnlearned and vnskilfull multitude but also for them that are of greatest learning of deepest knowledge Onely needefull here it is that a mā be willing to be set in the right way and to hold him in it Who better learned than S. Augustine Who more surely now in heauen He then besides learning what other waies had hee to hold him right To the Manichees of whose sect once he was thus he saith Con. Ep. fund Cap. 4. In Catholica Ecclesia vt omittam sincerissimam Sapientiam ad cuius cognitionem pauci spiritales in hac vita perueniunt vt eam ex minima quidem parte quia homines sunt sed tamen sine dubitatione cognoscant caeterā quippe turbam non intelligendi viuacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimā facit vt ergo hanc omittam Sapientiam quam in Ecclesia esse Catholica non creditis multa sunt alia quae in eius gremio me iustissime teneant Tenet consensio populorum atque gentium Tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata Tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionem Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio Sacerdotum Tenet postremo ipsum Catholicae nomen quod non sine causa inter tam multas Haereses sic ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit c. In the Catholike Church to let passe most pure wisdome and knowledge to the perceauing whereof a few spiritual men in this life doe attaine so that they perceaue it in a very litle peece pardie because they are but men but yet without all doubting for as touching the other multitude it is not quicknesse of vnderstanding but simplicitie of beleeuing that maketh thē most safe that I omit therfore this wisedome which in the Catholike Church to be you Manichees and other Heretikes doe not beleeue many other things there are which in her lap most worthily do keep me There keepeth mee consent of peoples and nations There keepeth me authority by Miracles begonne nourished by hope by Charity increased by Antiquity made firme and sure There keepeth me Succession of Priestes from the very See of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord after his resurrectiō committed the feeding of his sheepe euen to the Bishop that now is There keepeth me finallie the very name of Catholike which not without cause amongst so many heresies this Church alone hath obteined c. And in an other place to the same he retiks he saith againe Christo esse credēdum credidi famae celebritate consensione vetustate roboratae Vos autem tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quin nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis That Christ must be beleeued I beleued fame or authority fortified with vniuersality consent and antiquity But you Heretikes being both so few and so dissentious and so new risen no man doubteth but that you shew nothing that deserueth authority Here as wee see this most learned most holy most renoumed Father allegeth many most worthy reasons as hee tearmeth them to hold him still a Catholike As indeed vpon that matter he wrote his whole said booke De vtilitate credendi Concerning the vtility of beleuing So did Tertullian of the same mater write his book De praescriptionibus Haereticorum Of exceptions against Heretikes And also Vincentius Lyrinensis his booke Contra prophanas omnium haereseon nouationes Against the prophane innouations of al Heresies These their books they wrote of the most iust and worthy reasons which there are to mooue anie man to forsake al Heresies and to liue die a catholike which bookes I wish all such my deare Countrimen to read as will know the truth and specially the holy Scripture of the actes of the Apostles with Saint Beedes Ecclesiastical Historie of our own Nation What such reasons may to that purpose be gathered out of those Authors and their like grounded all vpon most certaine and diuine authoritie I in this Treatise haue in part declared shewing particularly in euery one of them some vndoubted cause to moue any man to beleeue vs and not the Protestants Puritants nor other Heretikes in all together that nothing there is to be demaunded of a Christian man but vvith vs it maketh plainely and against them plainely no such thing against vs no such thing with
doe you seeke a proofe of him that speaketh in me Christ who in you â—s not weake but mightie he is in you Whereby it is manifest that they doe miserably forget themselues vvho feare not the excommunications of Pius Quintus of holy memorie in whome Christ himselfe to haue spoken and excommunicated as in S. Paule vnlesse peraduenture they beleeue not neither in Christ himselfe needing therfore that S. Paule say to them also Vosmetipsos tentate si estis in fide ipsi vos probate c. they might coÌ„sider by the miracles that Christ by him as by S. Paule did worke hee vvith his prayers and signing of the Crosse casting Diuels out of fiue women in open procession Vide Epistolas Germanorum quorundaÌ„ Surius Chronologia edit 1572. as very many oculati testes doe to this day beare witnesse some of them also hauing put it in print and the Chronicles of this time commonlie recording it And in consideration of this that God must needs be confessed to be with them that by his power doe thus worke Miracles the Apostles and other Christians in the first beginning praied thus Et nunc Domine respice in minas eorum Act. 4. da seruis tuis cum omni fiducia loqui verbum tuum in eo quod manum tuam extendas ad sanitates signa prodigia fieri per nomeÌ„ sancti Filij tui Iesu And now Lord looke to the threates of our enimies and graunt thy seruants to speake thy vvord vvith all confidence by this that thou stretch forth thy hand to healing and Miracles wonders to be wrought by the name of thy holy sonne Iesus Which euen so to haue bin done Saint Marke witnesseth saying that the Apostles after Christes sending of them Marke 16. Went and preached euerie where our Lorde woorkeing with them and confirmeing their preaching with Miracles that followed Whereupon it is most certainely inferred that wee who haue for our Preachers and Religion such confirmation from God are of Christ our Lord and that the Protestants Puritans which vtterly are destitute of all such confirmation are not of Christs sending but that they come of their owne head by the instigation of Inimicus homo The enimie man Mat. 13. to destroy the seed sowen before by the true Sower in euerie Christian Countrie with the mighty operation of meruailous Miracles such as by our men were wrought and still are wrought in all Nations speciallie at their first conuersion vvhich is a thing well knowen to all that are anie thing read in Histories Visions ANOTHER sure and infallible way verie like to that of Miracles going next afore to finde out vvho haue the truth we or the Protestantes is this to consider in all ages of what side were those persons of ours or of the Protestantes and of what side were and are those doctrines of ours or of the Protestants which persons and doctrines or also doctrines alone and not the persons as sometimes hath happened God in any age hath commended with heauenly Visions For that vvaie doth Saint Paul himselfe vse to commeÌ„d both himselfe and his doctrine vnto the Corinthians against the deprauing of their false Apostles and Heretykes Veniam autem ad visiones reuelationes Domini scio hominem in Chriflo c. 2. Cor. 12. Now will I come to Visions and Reuelations of our Lord. I know a man in Christ fourtene yeares ago whether in hys bodie I know not or out of his body I know not God knoweth the same man to haue bin rapt euen vnto the third heauen And I know the same man whether in his bodie or out of his bodie I know not God knoweth that he was rapt in Paradise and heard secret words such as a man may not tell Pro huiusmodi gloriabor prome autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis Of such a man will I boast but of my selfe by name will I nothing boast but onlie in mine infirmities 2. Pet 1. Saint Peter likewise alleging his Vision for so it is called in the Gospell of our Lordes Transfiguration in the Mount Mat 17. is nothing afeard of that kind of argument but sayeth boldlie For wee haue not followed craftie fables in preaching vnto you the power and presence of our Lord Iesus Christ but beholders wee were afore of his Maiestie For receauing of God his Father honor and glory comming downe vnto him such a voyce from the magnificent Glorie Thys is my beloued Son in whom I haue pleased my selfe him doe you heare And this voice heard we brought froÌ„ heauen when wee were with hym in the Holie Mount Also for the Christening of vs that be Gentiles Act. 10. et 11. hee had a Vision of a Sheete vvith all kindes of beastes in yt both cleane and vncleane a voyce bidding him from heauen kyll and eate of them all which Vision he eftsones alleageth boldlie in defence of that his doing He allegeth also in the Actes of the Apostles for the truth of Christes Religion Act. 2. a Prophecie of Ioel in the which amongest other signes and argumentes of the truth thereof this also is promysed to be one Ioel. 2. And your sonnes saith hee and your daughters shall prophecie and your yong-men shall see Visions and your elder sort shal dreame dreames c. Finallie of this sort wee haue one whole booke of the new Testament named the Apocalipse or Reuelation or Visions of Saint Iohn Now then for a few examples consider ye of Saint Monica the mother of S. Augustine a woman verie much accustomed to meruailous VisioÌ„s sent her of God as Saint Augustine himselfe witnesseth in many places of hys deuout Confessions CoÌ„fes l. 3. ca. 11. namely how on a tyme beginning to detest and abhorre her sonne being yet a Manichee and to refrayne from eating with him for hys blaspemies shee had a dreame in vvhich she saw herselfe stand vpon a wodden ruler as straight as a line and a yong man comming vnto her shining pleasant and smiling vpon her she being then heauy and with heauines a most spent VVho after that he had asked of her the causes of her heauines and daylie weeping she answering that it was for my perdition sayth Saint Augustine bad her to be without care willing her to maâ—ke and behold that vvhere she was there was I also which when she had marked shee saw mee standing by her vpon the same ruler saith he in signe that he should turne to be of her Religion although not before that time nine yeares Consider now I say of what Relygion was this holie woman for of the same you see was S. Augustine himselfe afterward and the same in him by God himself both promised and perfourmed whether she were a Protestante or a catholike such as we be She beleeued and knew CoÌ„fes l. 9. ca. 4. Co los 2. that from of the Aultar was ministred and dispensed Victima
they are tormented and made to confesse throwen out of mens Bodies by them possessed Another Paynims like complaint for the same bycause people vppon their Christning did forsake their former heathen Goddes vvith their temples and worshipped the holy Martyrs frequenting or going a Pilgrimage to their Sepulchres Ep. 43. Maximi MedaureÌ„sis you may see in S. Augustine his Epistles But in this kind of all most worthy to be knowen and remembred is the storie of Babylas the Martyr and Bishop of Antioche which is to be sene in the workes of S. Chrysostome himselfe and in the Ecclesiasticall Hâ—stories of Socrates Theodoret Sozomenus Ruffinus Euagrius and Simeon Metaphrastes Thus it vvas according to the words of Socrates Chry. de vita Baâ—ylae â—ongen Thom. 5. Socr. li. 3. cap. 16. Theo. li. 3 cap. 9. Sâ—z lib. 3. cap. 18. Ruf. li. 1. cap. 15. Euag. lib. 1. cap. 16. Mâ—t. in vita Babylae Iulianus the Emperour and Apostata when as he had coÌ„manded the temples of the Heathens which were at Antioche to be opened for they were shutt vpp afore by other christian Emperours namely by Gallus the brother of Iulianus who purged that place of Idolatrie by bringing thither the Relikes of this Babylas as Sozomenus writeth hee made hast to receaue the oracle of Apollo who was serued in Daphne a Suburbe of Antioche But when as the Diuell that dwelled in that temple gaue to the Emperour no answere for feare of his neighbour Babylas the Martyr whose shrine wherin his body lay was hard by the Emperour after that hee vnderstod the cause commaunded the Martyrs shrine vvith all speede to be translated from thence Of which thing the Christians of Antioche being certified came thither men women and children leaping for ioy with singing of Psalmes translated the shryne out of Daphne into the Cyty the Burden of their songes was this Sozomen Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia qui gloriantur in simulachris suis Psal 96. Confounded be al that adore grauen Goddes that boast them in their Idoles I wish euery man to reade the whole Historie and consider it well I may stand no longer vpon it And so plaine a matter this is so well knowen beleued and confessed in the very first and best times of Christes Church our worshipping of Martyres and their Relikes not only to be no Idolatrie but also to be the very baine of all kinde of Idolatrie that the holy Fathers euen in their Sermons to Christian people to draw them quite from all society with the Idols and Idolatrers sent them to the Relikes as S. Chrysostome In Gen. hom 15. where he saith Occupemus pedes non in theatris spectaculis damnosis equestribusque ludis sed in Ecclesiis domibus precationem Martyrumque loculis vt abillis benedictionem percipiamus nos a diabolicis laqueis irretiri noÌ„ sinamus Let vs ocupie our feet not in the stages lossefull shewes and horsegames made by the Painims in honour of their Idols but in the Churches and howses of praier and Shrines of Martirs that of them we may receaue blessing and not suffer our selus to be entangled with snares of the diuel So certaine and euident a thing likewise Our religion an inuincible motiue to forsake Idols and beleue in Christ that the same holy Fathers haue vsed coÌ„monly to allege it to Idolatrers also themselues and Heathens as a motiue most vndoubted most strong and mighty why they should conuert themselues from their Idoles vnto Christ our Lord and the faith of him Whereupon S. Augustine amongst many other Motiues saith to the Madaurian Heathens as here it followeth Ep. 42. ad MadaureÌ„ses Videtis certe Simulachrorum templa partum sine reparatione collapsa partim diruta partim clausa partim in vsus alios commutata ipsaque simulachra vel ceÌ„fringi vel incendi vel includi vel destrui Atque ipsas huius saeculi potestates quae aliquando pro simulachris populum Christianum persequebantur uictas et domitas non a repugnaÌ„tibus sed a morientibus Christianis contra eadem simulachra proquibus Christianos occidebant impeâ—us suos legesque vertisse imperij nobilissimi eminentissimum Culmen ad Sepulchrum Piscatoris Pâ—tâ—i submisso diademate supplicare Haec omnia Sâ—ripâ—urae diuinae quae in manus omnium iam venerunt ante longissima tempora futura esse testatae sunt Haec omnia tanto robustiore fide laetâ—â—ur fieri quanto maiori authoritate praedicaâ—a â—sse in sanctis literis inuenimus Verilie you see the Temples of Idols partly fallen without repairing partly cast downe partly shut vp partly chaunged into other vses and the Idols themselues eyther to be broken or to be burned or to be shut in or to be destroyed the very Potentates of this world who once for the Idols persecuted the Christian people being ouercome and tamed not by the resisting but by the dying of Christians both to haue turned theyr maine and lawes against the same Idols for which they killed the Christians the top most Soueraigne of the Empire most Noble laying downe his Crowne Imperiall to make supplication at the Sepulcher of Peter the fisher All these thinges the Diuine Scriptures of the Olde Testament which are now comen into all mens hands did witnesse a meruailous long time afore that they should come to passe All these thinges to be done we reioyce with faith so much the stronger how greater that the authority is wherewith we finde them in the holie bookes to haue bin preached And in another place he saieth In Ps 44. Ostendatur mihi Romae in hâ—nore tanto Templum Romuli in quanto ibi ostendo memoriam Pâ—tri shew me at Rome the temple of Romulus in so great honour in how great I shew there the memorie of Peter or Church where his Relikes doe lye In Petro quis honoratur nisi ille defunctus pro nobis In Peter who is honored but Christ he that died for vs L b. â—2 cap. 8. Likewise in his work De Ciuitate Dei alleaging to the Paynims manie great Miracles wrought by the Relikes of S. Steuen and namely one of a young woman in his owne presence which as shee was gone from the pulpit to the holy Martyr to pray straight was she cured of a trembling horrible palsie vpon the long showting with wondring weeping for ioy of the people that immâ—diatlie ensued thereof thus saith S. Augustine Quid erat in cordibus exultantium nisi fides Christi pro qua Stephani sanguis effiosus est What was in the hartes of them so reioysing but the faith of Christ for vvhich the bloud of Steuen vvas shed And in the Chapter following he saieth againe to them Cap. 9. Cui nisi huic fidei attestantur ista Miracula in qua praedicatur Christus resurrexisse in carne in coelum ascendisse cuÌ„ carne Nam
telling these that they should doe otherwise to the heauy iudgement of both the counâ—el giuers and the counseltakers yet no doubt for all this as the lay ministers were figured in the pristes of Ieroboam of whom it is written Fecit phana in Excelsis 3. Reg. 18. Sacerdotes de extremis populi qui non erant de filijs Leui He made Lofthouses and priests of the rascall people who were not of the sonnes of Leui so were these ministring priestes plainely figured in that couetous wordly Leuite Iud. 17.18 that first for a litle monie serued new-found Idoles in the house of Michas and afterward for more lucre and honor did the same in the Tribe of Dan. Plaine it is that our Sauiour in the Gospel maketh but three kindes of Ministers two that minister after the right maner one for Gods glorie the other for his owne commoditie Ioan 10. Vide Aug. de ver Do. Ser. 49. which are there called Pastor and Mercenarius the Shepeard and the Hierling the third whose ministration is wrong and to the shepes destruction vvhich is there termed Lupus fur Latro the wolfe the stealer and the robber VVhereby these flatterers of themselues of whom I speake vvho seeing the vvolfe come did neither stand constantly in the right ministration vntill they should haue beene thrust out of all by the vvolfe or cleane forsaken of the sheepe as the Shepeheard nor did not forsake the Sheep and runne away as the Hireling but did and doe abide stil and ioyne with the wolfe and minister after his tradition may see most euidently in vvhat part of our Sauiours iust diuision they haue placed them-selues And therefore if they list vnsensibly desperatly and damnably to hold on with the wolfe as they doe and to take no charitable holesome warning the Sheepe must notwithstanding marke well this forsaid diuisioÌ„ made by the good Shepheard and Prince of Shepeheardes and consider Ioan. 10. 1. Pet. 5. that what he hath said of wolus the same hee hath said of these also telling the shepe their dutie in these words Oues pastorem sequuÌ„tur quiasciunt voceÌ„ eius Alienum autem non sequutur sed sugiunt ab eo quia nou nouerunt vocem alienorum The shepe follow the Sheepeheard because they know or like well his voice But the alien they follow not but they flee from him because they know not the voice of aliens By vvhich admonition of our Sauiours the doubt also of certaine shepe is answered vvho thinke it lavvfull for them to heare the vvolues Sermon though not his Seruice But our Sauiour telleth them that the true sheepe know not neither the voice of the wolfe but that they will flee from hym So as by vertue only of Tradition vvithout Scripture did those Christian peoples of the Barbarous languages of whom S. Irenee saith thus Li. 3. ca. 4 Quibus si aliquis annunciauerit ea quae ab Haereticis adinuenta sunt proprio sermone corum colloquens statim coÌ„cludentes aures longo longius fugiunt ne audire quideÌ„ sustinentes blasphemum colloquium Sic per illam veterem Apostolorum TraditioneÌ„ ne in conceptionem quid m mentis admittunt quodcunque eorum portentiloquium est If any man wold preach vnto them the things that by Heretikes haue beene inuented talking with them in their owne language they wil flee away farther farther not abiding so much as to heare the blasphemous talke So through that olde TraditioÌ„ of the Apostles they admitte not so much as into the cogitatioÌ„ of their mindes any monstrous speache of theirs whatsoeuer it be And besides that admonition this ensample also very good reasoÌ„ so to do because those Sermons are as no Catholike will denie most blasphemous against al persons and thinges most holy and most honorable both in earth and in heauen Psal 82. according to the psalme Posuerunt in coelum os suum lingua eorum traÌ„siuit in terra They haue put into heauen their mouth and their tongue hath passed ouer all the earth And therefore solemnely to heare such Sermons must needes be horrible sinne seing that the only priuate patient hearing of one detraction against some one neighbour of ours deserueth damnation as Saint Bernard Li. 2. de Conâ—ad Eugen. according to many holy Scriptures hath noted Detrahere detrahentem audire quid herum damnabiliuâ— sit non facile dixerim To detract and to giue eare to a detractor which of these is more damnable I may not easily say Whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith Psa 100. DetraheÌ„tem secreto poximuÌ„ suuÌ„ hunc persequebar Him that speaketh detractioÌ„ secretly against his neighbour him did I persecute S. Augustine writeth of Innocentiareligiosissima foemina de primarijs ipsius ciuitatis De Ciuit. Dei li. 22. cap. 13. a most religious woman of Carthage one of the chiefe of that City who as she told him herselfe vpon a vision that she had caused a woman newly baptized to make the signe of the Crosse vppon her brest infected with an incurable canker and thereby immediatly was healed that when her Physitian being an Heathen did afterward see it and aske her earnestly by what medicine she was holpen which his maister Hyppocrates knew not of she telling him how it was done hee with the voyce and countenaunce of one as it vvere contemning so that shee feared least that hee would vtter some contumelious vvord against Christ answered with deuout ciuilitie I thought quod hee that you would haue told me some great matter Atque illa iam exhorrescente mox addidit Quid grande fecit Christus sanare cancrum Ioan. 11. qui quatriduanum mortuum suscitauit And shee now shyuering for feare hee by and by did adde what great matter did Christ to heale a canker who raised one that had beene foure dayes dead Whereby vve see that good folke which loue Christ when they se so much as one word about to be spoken against him wil be readie to swound and to dye for feare What then are they which wil go to the place where they know that he is blasphemed there to stand so quietly so long so often to heare such blasphemies Certainly they are more senselesse and more dead then was that foresaid Lazarus I pray Christ to call them likewise forth of their stincking graues Lazare veniforas Lazarus come forth and so to giue them to his ministers to be loosed Soluite cum sinite abire Loose ye him and let him go And againe let them tel me whether a Sermon be not part of the Seruice Which is so euident that they see the Puritans would haue no other Seruice but a Sermon And therefore loke for what causes it is vnlawfull to heare their Seruice for the same vnlawfull it is also to heare their Sermons Doe they not knovv what many our Holy Fathers the Popes and Councels and namely the Councel of Trent hath enacted
touching the very bokes of Heretiks In indice librorum prohibitorum regula vlt. Quod si quis libros Haereticorum vel cuiusuis authoris scripta ob haeresim vel ob falsi dogmatis suspicionem damnata atque prohibita legerit siue habuerit statim in excommunicationis sententiā incurrat Qui vero libros alio nomine interdictos legerit aut habuerit praeter peccati mortalis reatum quo afficitur iudicio Episcoporum seuere puniatur The bookes of Heretikes or writinges of any Author for Heresie or for suspition of false doctrine cōdemned and prohibited if any man reade them or haue them in his keeping wee ordaine that by and by he incurre the sentence of excommunication As for bookes that are for any other cause forbidden hee that readeth or hath them besides the guilt of mortall sinne wherof he is attainted let him according to the discretion of the Bishops be seuerely punished Now whether is worse I aske them and more daungerous to reade theyr bookes or to heare their Sermons No doubt to heare their Sermons both because the greatest foulest blasphemers of them al do preache who yet for lacke of learning or for other causes doe not nor are not alwaies suffred to write abstaining also in their Sermons from no blasphemy be it neuer so diuelish false because they feare to that no answere as to their bookes they doe And also because that viua vox word of mouth hath incomparably more force then the dead pen whether it be to edifie or to destroy 1. Tim. 2. Sermo eorum vt cancer serpet saieth Saint Paul Their preaching will creepe vpon you like a canker No man is so madd as to let poyson into his body be it neuer so little These then that goe to the places where most soules are poisoned and al in danger to be poisoned vnlesse they thinke themselues more safe and sure than was our mother Eue in paradise it selfe do plainly shevv that they care lesse for theyr soules then for their bodies and therefore lesse for the world to come then for this world lesse finally for God then for thēselues Yea as I said afore of such heretikes as had the true Seruice so although it should chaunce to be nothing els but truth that Heretikes preach yet should vvee not come at them For els why did our Sauiour for the same confession for which he saied to Peter Beatus es Simon Bar-Iona c. Mat. 16. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iohn say to a Diuel Obmutesce Luc. 4. Be thou dumme and hold thy peace Peters confession was Tues Christus Filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the Sonne of God the liuing And the Diuels was Scio te qui sis Sanctus Dei I know thee vvho thou art the HALOVV of God Moyses likewise in figure of this that I say Deut. 18. rekoned vp many darke Scholemaisters as Southsaiers Inchaunters Witches Wise-men Familiars Coniurers c. and charged the people not to seeke euen Truth it selfe of such And therefore whereas a wench possessed of a Pithon-sprite cried after Saint Paule and his companie isti homines serui Dei Excelsi sunt Act. 16 qui annuntiant vobis viam salutis These men are seruantes of God the Highest who shew to you the way of saluation what saieth the Scripture thereupon Dolens autem Paulus conuersus spiritui dixit praecipio tibi in nomine Iesu Christi exire ab ea Et exijt eadem hora. But Paul being grieued thereat and turning himselfe said to the sprite I commaund thee in the name of Iesus Christ to goe out of her And hee vvent out the same houre Much more might be here said to this purpose in commendation of Catholike and detestation of Hereticall both Seruice and Sermons But for my breuitie thus much shall suffice Proced we therfore to other Motiues Ecclesiasticall Monumentes and liuings CONSIDER moreouer what Church it is that hath furnished and beautified the faithfull Nations of the world vvith Vniuersities vvith Colleges vvith Hospitals vvith Abbies and Monasteryes vvith very Churches Chappels and innumerable other Monumentes of our only Religion Romain and Catholike and for vvhat Church like-wise all such Monumentes in all places by christian Emperours Kinges Queenes Princes and other persons of wealth and Dignitie at al times since theyr first conuersion to Christ haue beene erected for vvhat Church such honorable portions of lands and liuings and other earthly commodities haue by such persons beene sorted out Hath not our Lord God by his Euangelicall Prophet ESAIE told vs that to his Church such benefits and prouisions by such persons should be giuen Esaiae 49. Et erunt Reges nutricij tui Reginae nutrices tuae Kings saith he shal be thy fosterers Quenes shal be thy nurces Were then these magnificent Churches Colleges and Vniuersities builded either by Protestantes or for Protestantes by any one or for any one euer that was of their Religion VVere the Bishopriks Archedeconries Deanries Prebendes Personages and Vicariges instituted for their women and children to make them gentlewomen and gentlemen or to the honour and seruice of any Church but ours Were the tythes and other liuelyhoodes so religiously lotted and limited of euerie mans goodes for any Church but ours Such maintenance of study in Vniuersities and Schooles of Solemne Seruice in Chappell Church College Cloyster and Close did it proceede from their Church Or vvas any of these commodities made or meant towards any Church but ours Doth not the very condition of these fore-sayed thinges poynt ours to be the true and only Church of Christ and Christendome and giue terror and horror to the consciences of our Aduersaries against the fearefull day of Christes general Iudgement either for plucking downe and destroying or for vsurping the foresayed douries of his Catholike Church cleane against the meaning of all the first Founders Looke at the very forme and fashion of euery Church of euerie Chappell of euery Chauncell of euery Chalice of euery Aultar of euery Sepulchre of euery Stone of euery window giue they not euidence for our only Church and Religion Beare they not our cognisance and badges Crie they not out alowd that they be and haue bene alwaies some of them these twelue hundred yeares and vpward our goodes and possessions that the Heretikes be vsurpers theeues sacriligious men and robbers Apes AGAINE consider what Church that is vvhich as it is to it selfe sufficient and able to stand alone lacking in it no good Learning or knowledge no iust Law no necessarie order because it hath in it all things deliuered by Christ comming vnto it by the Apostles hands and their most certaine Successors euer hauing vvith it the Holy Ghost to assist it in all thinges to lead it into all truth to direct it into all good order and there to keepe it so is it of al Schismes and separated Religions imitated and apishly followed as without whose