particularly as he spake to her and saide Luk. 1. 28. Hayle or according also to the naturall signification of the word reioyce and be merrie as one that is freely beloued and againe whatsoeuer thy sinnes be c. yet feare not for thou hast found fauour with God v. 30. as if also another should saie as he did to the shepheards Luk. 2. 10. Be not afraid for behold I bring you tidings of great ioye that shall be to all people c. This comfort and this ioy doth our religion teach and commend and offer yea also bring vnto all them that truly embrace the same Yea certenly they that by the powerful working of our religion in their hearts and in their outward conuersation doe know themselues not to be hypocrites but truly to haue embraced our religion and the doctrine thereof they I say may better cast away all feare and more certenly assure themselues of God his fauour and therefore also more truly reioyce then all the Papists in the world or any one of them remaining in his poperie may or might not onely if one angel but if all the angels in heauen should come and speake vnto them in like manner This is a great word but it is a true word how so verily because one greater then all the angels doth speake it and biddeth all such not to feare but to reioyce God himselfe generally thus speaketh in all the Scriptures to all such generally and the holy Ghost his effectuall working of true faith and true godlines in euery particular person that is truly of our religion speaketh also the same thing Therefore the greater and more credible that the master is then the seruant and so also God himselfe then the angels which are but the worke of his hands and therefore his seruants and ministring spirits the more certen also may euery one be assured of God his fauour to whome God and his spirit by their effectuall working doe testifie the same then if the angels of heauen should speake as much to one in whome were not the effects of the spirit Further also the reason of that comfortable speach of the angels to Marie and the shepheards beeing well obserued doth confirme that which I haue said of the applying of the same comfort to all those that are truly of our religion For why will the angel haue the virgin Marie not to feare because shee was freely beloued and had found fauour with God but how doth the angel prooue this because saith he thou shalt conceiue in thy vvombe and beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Jesus If therefore to conceiue in her wombe and beare this sonne onely were a sufficient argument to perswade her to cast away feare to reioyce and assure her selfe that shee had found fauour with God how much more may he cast away feare reioyce and assure himselfe of God his fauour whose soule and whole man hath embraced whole Christ is likewise embraced of Christ and is made one with Christ euen flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and which knoweth this by the death of sinne and the life of righteousnes in him through the death and resurrection of Christ If shee were so blessed whose wombe should beare Christ according to the flesh and whose pappes should giue him sucke how much more blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luc. 11. 28. 5 The like may be saide of the argument of the angel to the shepheards for be not afraid saith the angel but why I bring you trdings of great ioye that shall be to all people What are these tydings and what is this great ioye Vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord c. Now if this were such ioye to heare onely of the birth of Christ Iesus how much greater is it to heare of the birth of the whole life of the death of the resurrection of the ascension and of the sitting of Christ Iesus at the right hand of God there making intercession for all his members yea not onely to heare but also to be assured of these things by the effects of them in our consciences Neither doth our religion onely bid men thus to reioyce for a time and at a start but we saie also with the Apostle Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce Phil. 4. 4. But vpon what ground doth our religion bid men thus to reioyce because it assureth them not onely of the present fauour of God but also of the continuance thereof for euer to them that are once truly incorporated into Christ Iesus For whome God loueth he loueth to the ende Ioh. 13. 1. and the gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. and in God is no change nor shadow of change Iam. 1. 17. Neither is he as man that he should repent hath he saide and shall he not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Num. 23. 19. And againe Heauen and earth shall passe but the word of the Lord shall not passe till all things be done Luk. chap. 21. vers 33. 6 Vpon these and many other the like grounds we bidde them that truly haue embraced our religion to reioyce alwaies and doe assure them vpon the immutable nature of God and of his word that they shall neuer be cast out of his fauour yea that it is as possible for the power of hell to take away from Christ one of the members of his materiall bodie now glorified and raigning in heauen as to plucke away or cut off any member of his mysticall and spirituall bodie here in earth Therefore of all such euery such we saie that God speaketh as Isaac spake of Iaacob after that he had one blessed him I haue blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Gen. 27. 33. As Pilate also saith of the title and superscription which he had set vpon the head of Iesus Christ crucified when the high Priests laboured him to alter the same What I haue written that I haue written Ioh. 19. 22. So saie we of all them whose names God hath once written and registred in the booke of life that the decree of God beeing like the decree of the Medes and Persians which altereth not Dan. 6. 8. though all the deuills in hell should labour God for the rasing of any out of the booke of life whose names are written therein yea if it were possible that all the blessed angels should indeauour and intreat any such thing that God would alwaies keepe his purpose and answer them Him that I haue written I haue written This is the ioye and comfort of God his children and this ioye and comfort is in our religion and neuer to be found in poperie or to be attained vnto thereby 7 If any obiect that many sometime of our religion doe vtterly fall away and sometime also despaire for euer of the goodnes and fauour of
those things which are noted C. 1. ff c. In the third part of the same sermon thus he writeth Exalâ—abat Adam videndo lignum The virgin Marie is the â—ree of liâ—e which Adam did see in paradise vite scilicet Mariam disponi ad fructum producendum vite eterne in medio paradisi that is Adam reioyced to see the tree of life to witte Marie prepared to bring forth fruit of eternall life in the middes of paradise A little after are these wordes Ipsa est fenestra celiper quam â—eus oculo suo misericordâ—e nos respecit The virgin the window of heauen Shee he meaneth the virgine Marie is the window of heauen by which God with his eye of mercie doth respect vs. Agaâ—ne presently after dicere autem potest virgo benedicta que est ostâ—arâ—a c. that is But the blessed virgin which is the dore keeper of paradise The virgin is the dore spoken of Ioh. 10. 9. may say that which is Ioh. 10. I am the doreâ— if any man enter in by me he shall be saued Therefore O ye sinners which are banished men from your heauenly countrey enter in by this gate Goe yee that are sicke to the physitian Come yee fatherlesse to your parent Proceede yee that are blinde to the light Make hast yee afflicted vnto comfort Walke O yee virgins after the glasse of chastitie Make speede O yee mothers vnto the mother of God 3 In the beginning of the next sermon he saith ipsa virgo beata deum iratum placat quia est nostra aduocata The blessed virgin pacifieth God beeing angrie because shee is The virgin our aduocate our aduocate To the same effect and somewhat more largely he writeth in the third part of the sermon Sicut ipsa mediante sedata est lis que est inter deum homines ita etiam per ipsam terminantur questiones inter homines diaboluâ— As by her mediation the controuersie And our mediatour both with God and the deuills betweene God and men is compounded so also by her are questions determined betweene men and the deuills This he prooueth by a most forcible argument namely by one of the miracles of the virgin touching that great sinner which in a visioÌ„ was drawne A great disputation in hell betwixt the virgin and the deuill to the iudgement of God where the deuill by many allegations prooued him to be his but alwaies by the virgin Marie wisely answering he was foyled But at the last the deuill obiected against him that the euill things which he had done were more then the good things when therefore at the commandement of the iudge both his goodnes and his euills were laide in a paire of ballance and the skoale towardes the left hand in which were his euills did ouerwaie the other on the suddaine the glorious virgin put her hand to that skoale where were his few good works and drew it downe to the ground and by this meanes made it ouerwaie the other Tune diaboluâ— confusus abscessit skoale So the deuill went away with shame c. In the same part he saith that the virgin is the booke mentioned in the right hand of God Rev. 5. 1. In the same part he saith againe Hec benedicta virgo non tantum est liber generationis c. that is This blessed virgin is The virgin is the gospel of Saint Matthew c. not onely the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of God but shee is also the booke of the generation of all that are to be saued And therefore we may also iustly say that which is written Act. 17. namely that we are her generation For the blessed virgin is our mother 4 In the fifth sermon he sheweth tenne conditions of the virgin Marie which he saith euery spouse of euery great Emperour ought to haue These he setteth downe by these tearmes Prima saith he dicetur integritatis 2. virtuositatis 3. generositatis 4. formositatis Daintie latine 5. gratiositatis 6. fecunditatis siue fertilitatis 7. copiositatis 8. timorositatis 9. pudorositatis 10. vltima appellabitur honestatis If I should note all things worthie to be laughed at c. I should cause all his whole booke to be new printed Omitting therefore a thousand and ten thousand absurdities and blasphemies in that great clarke I will hereafter note the most principall 5 In this third sermon of the nomination of Marie in the ende of the fourth excellencie of her name thus he writeth Quarto saith he licet ad ipsam appellare si quis a dei iustitia se grauari sentit c. that is Fourthly it is lawfull to appeale vnto her if any man feele himselfe oppressed with the iustice of God which The court of Marie aboue the court of God O horrible blasphemiel was signified in the 5. of Hester where it is saide that when King Assuerus was angrie with the Iewes Queene Hester came to appease him To whom the King said Although thou shalt aske halfe of my kingdome it shall be giuen vnto thee This Empresse therefore figured the Empresse of heauen with whom God hath diuided his kingdome For whereas God hath iustice and mercie he hath reserued iustice to himselfe to be exercised in the world and mercie he hath graunted to his mother And therefore if any feele himselfe greeued at the court of Gods iustice let him appeale to his mothers court of mercie 6 In the fourth part of the booke and ninth sermon of the graces of Marie he affirmeth that shee was able to heale diseases onely by her word leafe 143. and anon after Marie able to heale diseases by her word onely Shee knoweth the Mathematicks and allother things that shee hath all Mathematical knowledge yea that shee knoweth all things For thus he writeth De scientiis quoque Mathematicis quod in beata virgine fuerunt probari potest secundum Albertum c. that is Concerning the mathematicall sciences that they were in the virgin Marie it may be prooued by Albertus c. for shee was most perfect according to affection therefore also according to vnderstanding Sith therefore shee loued all things that were to be loued it is to be concluded that she knew all things to be known The same he amplifieth afterward by an induction of the particular mathematicall sciences applying many sentences of the scripture Apocrypha to the virgin Marie which are spoken onely of the infinite knowledge and wisdome of God In the same sermon in the beginning of the 145. leafe thus he writeth Beata virgo non solum totum hominem sanum facit in anima corpore c. The blessed The virgin healeth the whole man both in this life and after death virgin doth not onely make the whole man sound in soule and bodie and cureth all incurable diseases as appeareth before but also after death shee worketh cures and putteth
not haue vs to haue any thing that should not passe through the hands of Marie that none of our works are acceptable vnto him except it be offred by the haÌ„ds of Marie Therefore that little that thou wouldest offer vnto God prouide thoâ— deliuer it into the hands of Marie if thou wilt not haue the repulse Then he addeth his owne wordes Hoc etiam patet exemplo quod legitur in Chronicis nostris c. that is This also is manifest by an exaÌ„ple that is read in our Chronicles namely that on a certaine daie S. Frances did see two ladders one redde vpon which Christ stoode and an other white on the which was the virgin And when as by the admonishment of blessed Frances the brethren assaied to ascend by the redde ladder whilst they beganne to goe many fell backeward and could not ascend At which thing S. Frances did grieue with weepinge to whome Christ saide Cause thy brethren to runne to my mother The virgin a better ladder for heauen then Christ and to the white ladder that they may ascend by it which when the brethren did they were entertained of the virgin with a cheerefull countenance and then with ease they went vp to heauen 11 In his second sermon of the 9. part of the booke with this title Maria terra leafe 303. at the letter R thus he writeth Si quis querat quareoum diabolus tempore Tobie 7 vii ros Sare strangulauerit c. that is If any man The word eum is superstuous or els should be cum aske why the deuill in the Time of Tobia did strangle the seauen husbands of Sara for their sinne as it is Tob. 2. and yet now doth not kill all whome mortall sinnes doe giue into his hands I answer that this proceedeth froÌ„ hence that God hath giuen vnto men this most mightie virgin which hath in her hand The virgin giuen to keepe men from the deuills c. a rodde of iron to driue away all infernall beasts and to put to flight the deuills themselues Wherefore he saith vnto her in the 2. psal Thou shalt rule them with a rodde of iron and breake theÌ„ in peeces like a potters vessel And this power of the glorious virgin is figured in the 7. of Exod. in the rodde of Aaron which was turned into a serpent and deuoured the roddes of the inchanters In the same sermon leafe 304. he applieth many thinges spoken of the power of God of Christ c. to the virgin As Thou canst doe all things If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Thou art The virgin is omnipotent stronger then all He hath deliuered me from the mightie aduersarie All things are possible with thee Neither is there any thing that is not in my power Thou rulest the raging of the sea and the surging floods thereof thou doest mitigate God hath giuen him power ouer the things that are in the earth In Ierusalem is my power Thy dominions is to the ends of the whole earth His authoritie is an euerlasting authoritie from generation to generation We have heard the fame of his power and wonderfull is his power All these things that I say and many other the like partly blasphemously and partly foolishly he applieth to the virgin Marie In the ende of that sermon he applieth many things also to her that are spoken of the book The virgin is the booke of life c of life exhorting such as desire to attaine vnto eternall life to studie this booke daie and night In the same sermon leafe 308. a little before the letter G thus he saith Beate igitur virgini quae omnes demones superauit debellauit dici potest illud Isaij vulnerasts dracones illud Apocal. 20. Apprehendit draconem antiqaum serpentem that is To the blessed virgin therefore which hath ouercome and subdued all the deuills may that be saide of Esai Thou hast wounded the dragons and that in the 20. of the Revelation Shee tooke the dragon that olde serpent Againe in the same sermon leafe 309. Habet etiam solicitutudinem in custodiendo quia sub alis c. that is She is also very carefull of keeping because shee keepeth vs vnder her wings and protecteth Her two great wings vs from the snares of the deuill for shee is that woman to whom are giuen two great wings Revelat. 12. one is the wing of mercie vnder the which sinners doe flie that they may be reconciled vnto God the other is the wing of grace vnder which the iust do stand that they may be preserued in grace 12 In the fourth sermon of the same 9. part all almost spoken in the scripture of light is applied to the virgin so also that which is spoken of the citie of God 13. In his first sermon of the Assumption of Marie thus he saith Omnis natura a deo est facta deus est ex Maria factus Deus omniuÌ„ factor se ex Maria fecit c. that is Euery nature is made of God God is made of Marie God the maker of all things made himselfe of Marie 14 In the second sermon of the same matter leafe 363. he telleth vs that the virgin standing at the feete of her sonne desired him to shewe her the order of the Angels and Saints in heauen because saide shee Moses alij prophete de hoc nihil dixerunt Marie desireth to know more then Moses and the prophets had taught The nine orders of Angels Moses and the other prophets haue said nothing of this matter To whome the sonne shewed first touching Angels that there were nine degrees or orders of them and that euery order was tenne times more excellent then other 1. of angels 2. of archangels 3. principalities 4. powers 5. vertues 6. dominions 7. thrones 8. cherubins 9. seraphims Here note before I proceede any Repugnance betweene Bernardine and other Papists further let the reader obserue that this agreeth not with that which some other Papists write of this matter For he saith that Christ himselfe shewed these things vnto his mother but other Papists and namely Saint Vincent in his sixth sermon for the ninth Lords daie after the feast of the Trinitie saith that Dionysius learned this diuinitie of Paul and that to Paul it was first reuealed when he was rapt vp into the thirde heauen After that Christ had shewed his mother these orders of the Angels then he proceedeth to shew her further the seuerall places of the Saints which were these â—t first that in the first order of Angels before mentioned are placed those which shall repent of their sinnes In the second order of Archangels shall be placed they that ouer and aboue their repentance shall haue actual deuotion which he saith is more then repentance Thirdly that with principalities shall be placed they that are mercifull in corporall and spirituall workes Fourthly that with powers shall be placed they that are
heare the Scriptures search the Scriptures meditate the Scriptures and pray vnto God for the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures the more also do men mislike of poperie and grow into loue of our religion The Papistes themselues see this to be so and can not denie it therefore doe they by all meanes they can not onely accuse the Scriptures of such difficultie obscuritie as whereby they discourage the vnlearned sort from reading of them but also they vtterly denie them to the common people in their vulgar tongue On the contrarie they care not how common their vnwritten verities be If they feared not the ouerthrow of their religion and the growing of ours by the vse of the Scriptures why should they so streightly restraine the common people from it if they thought as they speake and write that their vnwritten verities were of God aswell as the Scriptures why should they make thē more common then the Scriptures Is it because they thinke them more easie and therefore fitter for the capacitie of the common people then the Scriptures This will not stand with that which they make the ground of them and which they pretend for their speciall warranr namely with the wordes of our Sauiour to his disciples Other thinges haue I to say vnto you but yee cannot beare them now c. Iohn 16. 12. For by these wordes it is manifest that those things which Christ had further to say vnto his disciples were harder thē those that then he did speake are now writtē otherwise he would not haue added as a reason why he did for a time conceale them but yee can not beare them now 5 Now to finish this point forasmuch as that religion which God accepteth and liketh of is wrought by the preaching of his owne word forasmuch as Poperie hath not such beginning but is onely engendred by the slyme of traditions and doctrines of men Finally forasmuch as the religion now publikelie professed in England is both begotten by that immortall seede and doth also grow to further perfection by that pure milke of the word of God therefore I conclude for my first argument that poperie is onely such as those slimie traditions doctrines are whereof it is ingēdred and that our religion is not of man but of God and acceptable vnto God THE SECOND ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE PRE seruing and maintayning of true religion THE same is also manifest by the second meanes whereby poperie hath bine from time to time and yet is vpholden and mainteined For as touching this what shall we say of the impudencie of the Papistes I meane such as account themselues the learned Papistes both in falsifying the auncient Fathers also in alleadging patches onely of their writinges as making against vs but leauing out some part of the same sentēces or some sentence going before or following after whereby both that Father his minde is made euident and also our doctrine approoued Is not this to deale with the Fathers as the deuill doth with the Scripture against our Sauiour Mat. 4. 6. And that the Papists doe thus abuse the readers by citing the Fathers in such sort is sufficiently shewed by those that haue written in particular controuersies To proue the APOCRYPHA bookes Canonicall Scriptures they alleadge the testimonie of Augustin lib. 2. de doctrina Christiana cap. 8. Yet that Augustin did not so vnderstand the word Canonicall as they applie his testimonie is manifest in the same place let the learned reader see Whitak Controuers 1. quest 1. Cap. 4. Pag. 15. In like manner they deale with Ambrose whose testimonie they alleadge for proofe of this that manie things are hard in the Scriptures thereby indeed to discourage all vnlearned from reading of the Scriptures as though all things were hard in them and yet in the verie same place Ambrose also saith that in the Scriptures is matter fitt for all persons to drinke first second and last where by he also teacheth that as there are some things to be drunke last in the riuers of the Scriptures that is not till men be well grounded in knowledge and iudgement so also there is for yong beginners such as haue not entred or that haue made but litle entrance So they deale with Augustin oftentimes in the same question of the perspicuity of the Scripture as also the learned reader may see Whitak quest 4. pag. 276. In like manner they deale with the Fathers almost in all other questions and controuersies Sometime also they alleadge the testimonies of the Fathers out of some of their books not regarding how they haue either opened their minde or retracted their former errors in other of their bookes Sometime againe they pleade the authoritie of some Fathers in citing testimonies of their bookes which they wrote after that they were fallen into some heresie So they alleadge the testimonie of Tertullian out of such workes as he made after that he was a Montanist Whitaker quest 6. pag. 449. Finallie oftentimes they are not ashamed to name the Fathers in particular questions as if they were on their side whereas the cleane contrarie is manifestlie prooued and shewed by our writers and is likewise euident to them that are acquainted with the writings of the Fathers For proofe hereof let the reader looke their preface to the translation of the new testament into English by thēselues and likewise reade M. Fulke his aunswer to the same 2 For their first reason why they translate the new Testament according to the vulgar latine translation and not according to the greeke originall is this It is so auncient say they that it was vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300. yeares agoe as appeareth by the Fathers of those times But M. Fulke sheweth first that no one translation was in those daies commonly rèceiued Secondly by many examples that Tertullian Cyprian the Clergie it selfe of Rome in Cyprian his time Hierome Arnobius Hilarie and Ambrose did not followe this vulgar translation but did reade the text farre diuersly from the same In their fourth reason they commend it as that which for the most part euer since Hierom his time hath beene vsed in the Churches seruice expounded in Sermons alleadged and interpreted in the Commentaries and writings of auncient fathers of the latine Church But M. Fulk prooueth and sheweth First that their Church seruice is not so auncient as Augustine his time many of their Church lessons beeing taken out of Beda and other writers liuing many hundred yeares after Saint Augustine his age Secondly that such parts of the Scripture as seeme to haue beene of most auncient times vsed in the church of Rome are not taken out of their vulgar text and thirdly that since Ierome his time Optatus Melevitanus Fuigentius Primasius Prosper Aquitanicus and Leo likewise himselfe Bishop of Rome did alleadge and interpret the texts of Scripture much differing from this vulgar translation 3 The like may be said of their belying the Fathers in their
gods as their are saints in their Kalender doe they not also ascribe power to forgiue sinnes vnto the Pope and to euery shauen priest which yet God challengeth onely to himselfe and which also their forefathers acknowledged to be God his owne due Yea doe they not in their Decretals Distinctions Canons and such other bookes allowed by generall authoritie of their Church in most plaine words write that of him which is a so the onely prerogatiue-royall of God verely it can not be denied For proofe hereof to the reader I will set downe some of their owne words that no man may challenge me of a slander neither the pope himselfe bring any action against me for belying his holines These therefore are the words of the glosse vpon the distinction Jn canone Quanto de translatione episcopi titulo 7o. Papa dicitur hasere câ—â—leste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam resum immutat substantialia vnius rei applicando aâ—ij Et de nihilo potest aliquid facere sententiam quae nulla est aliquam facere quia in his quae vult câ—est proratione voluntas Nec est qui ei dicat curitafacis Ipse enim potest supra ius dispensare de iniustitia facere iustitiam corrigendo iura mutando Nam plenitudinem obtinet potestatis That is that I may interpret these wordes to let the most ignoraÌ„t see what blasphemies popery teacheth The Pope is said to haue aÌ„ heaueÌ„ly power therefore he changeth the nature of things by applying the substantiall properties of one thing to an other And he can make something of nothing and that sentence which was none or nothing worth to be somewhat or of force because in those thinges that he will to him will is for reason Neither is there anie man that may say why doest thou so For he can dispense aboue right and of that which is iniustice make iustice correcting and changing lawes because he hath full authoritie Who doth not see by these wordes that they make the Pope another God for to change the nature of thinges as God turned Lott his wife into a pillar of salt made Baalam his asse to speake and gaue Nebuchadnezzar the heart or qualities of a beast to make something of nothing to make iustice of iniustice as God is said to ferch light out of darknes to make his owne will sufficient reason to dispense aboue right to correct change lawes to haue ful authority to do al these things is it not proper vnto God An other also of their doctors saith Excepto peccato Papapotest quasi omnia facere quae Deus potest Sinne excepted the pope can doe in manner all things thai God can doe Iohannes also Capistranus a fit name for one so well worthie of an halter of the authoritie of the Pope and of the Church p. 93. B. writeth to the same effect Vbi quaeritur ad quid protenditur authorit as Papae respondeo breuiter quòd ad omne bonum nulluÌ„ malum est enim quasâ— Deus in terris maior homine minor Deo plenitudinem obtinens potestatis That is If it be asked how farre the pope his authoritie extendeth I aunswer briefly that it extendeth to all that is good to nothing that is euill for he is as God in the earth greater then man and lesse then God hauing full authoritie Marke good reader how they are not ashamed euen to attribute these words vnto him whereby the Apostle doth describe Antechrist 2. Thess 2. 4. saying that he should sitt as God c. So God will haue themselues to acknowlenge the Pope to be Antichrist though they intend no such thing but rather to make him God or at the least pew-fellow with God In their Decretalls also they write that the Pope is neither god nor man but the Viccar of God and mixt or compounded of God and man Oftentimes also they ascribe vnto him all power aswell in heauen and hell as in earth But for further view of the monstrous blasphemies of the Pope I refer the reader to the large description of him which is in the booke of Martyrs in the verie end of King Henrie the 7. his reigne in the verie ende also of the first volume where plentifully are laid downe both their wordes of him and also the places of their owne bookes quoted in which any man may finde them By these things it is euideÌ„t that although they think great scorne to be charged to teach that there are many Gods yet in truth by communicating that vnto other which is God his onely due they teach as much God himself hath said that he will not giue his glorie to any other but they scotch not they feare not to giue it to manie other 3 The like do they touching the Mediatour For they teach that there are manie Mediators yea so many as there are Saints and a great many more Yea they teach that the Virgine Marie is not onely a Mediatour but also a Mediatour aboue Christ himselfe For proofe I will note their owne words but yet onely in English for breuities sake Thus therefore they speake to the Virgine Marie as I do faithfully traÌ„slate their words in a certaine horarie c. Reioyce O celestiall matron triumphantly praise God thy Sauiour which hath made thee singular Thou wast content to be called the handmaid of Iesus Christ but as the diuine law teacheth thou art his Ladie For right and reason requireth that the mother should be aboue the Sonne Therefore aske humblie and commaund loftilie that he guide vs that are here in the euening or twilight of the world vnto the supreame kingdom And againe in the same place Thou alone art without example whome god hath chosen to be Mediat our betweene God and man the repairer of the world the end of destruction the washing away from sinnes the way of counsell the trust of reward the ladder of hèauen the gate of paradise In their common praiers also they call her the mother of gracâ— the mother of mercie and they pray her to defend them from their enemies and to receiue them in the houre of death Againe they call her the certaiâ—â— hope of them that are in miserie the mother of Orphanes the Sauiour of the oppressed the phisick of the sicke all to all What can be more contrarie to the doctrine and matter of religion for this is not onely to make her another Mediatour but also another God and indeed if she be another Mediatour shee must also of necessitie be another god because there caÌ„ be no Mediatour which is not also god Neither is this much to be marueled at for they also pray to god to be heard not onely for the blood of Christ but also for the blood of the Martyres Yea of Thomas Becket which was no Martyr but iustlie put to death for his insoleÌ„ctreason Yea they teach that euery maÌ„ must also be his owne Sauiour that is merit his
saie his pride be considered against men as before it hath beene noted against God For how can he that lifteth himselfe aboue God or at the least matcheth himselfe in all things with God make any account of men This pride of his against men is so well knowne to all that fewe words thereof will suffice For how doth he entertaine the ambassadours of all Princes sent vnto him or any other that goe to see his holines what curtesie doth he shew them Forsooth he vouchsafeth nothing vnto them but onely the kissing of his filthie foote Therefore if the Earle of Wylshire his dogge at the holding forth of the Pope his foote to be kissed of some there present had bitten it cleane off as he ranne took it into his mouth had he not beene as worthie thereof as Iezabel was to be wholly eaten and deuoured of dogges How also doth his pride appeare in riding vpon mens shoulders as thinking the earth too base for his princely foote to tread thereon and all other creatures almost too vyle to beare his diuine person What shall we say also of his triple crowne of most pure golde set with all pretious stones not like to the thornie crowne that Christ did weare but farre passing all the diademes of all other Princes yea what further shall we say of his monstrous abusing of the Emperours from time to time when they were greater then now they are Hath he not made them with their wiues and children to waite many daies togither at his court gates as if they had beene beggers at some rich man his dore crauing an almes of some small peece of siluer or of bread and cheese Hath he not sent them whither it pleased himselfe to doe their penance inioyned by him Hath he not commanded them what seruice he would as if they had not onely beene his pages but also his lackies Hath he not commanded them to hold his sâ—yrrop and rewarded them with a blow on the eare for holding the wrong styrrop Hath he not troad on their necks hath he not crowned them with his feete will any doubt of these things because they are reported by M. Fox in the booke of Martyrs Let him knowe that M. Fox hath these things out of the bookes of other euen of their owne religion which haue written more largely of these things then M. Fox could doâ— So it pleased God to haue the memoriall of his intollerable pride preserued by his owne brood that the posteritie might make the lesse doubt thereof Againe what shall I saie of the right which he chalengeth to himselfe for aduancing and deposing for setting vp and putting downe Kings and Princes at his pleasure what shall I saie of those bulls excommunications and hellish but yet foolish thunder bolts against the Lord his annointed ouer vs for the cursing of her Maiesties owne person and discharging all her subiects of all obedience vnto her what shall I saie of the continuall debate contention strife and warres which alwaies he hath made betwixt Princes May this fellow truly saie as our Sauiour saith Matth. 11. 29. Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart Nay rather he may truly saie Take heede of me for I am proud and haughtie in heart May he also saie as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 131. Lord mine eyes are not haughtie neither are mine eyes loftie c Nay rather also he may make a cleane contrarie hymne to be sung in a contrarie tune Saint Peter whose successour he vaunteth himselfe commaunded all men to submit themselues to Kings and to honour them 1. Pet. 2. 13 and 17. But he commandeth all Kings to submit themselues to him and to honour him Saint Peter beeing iustly reprehended by Saint Paul Galat. 2. 14. did patiently take the same reprehension and after that wrote neuerthelesse of Saint Paul 2. Pet. 3. 15. But the Pope to preuent all such reprehensions and to stoppe the mouthes of all men that no man may dare to finde any fault with him chalengeth this as a speciall prerogatiue as we haue heard before that no man may saie vnto him Why dost thou so 6 That which hath bin said of him may also be said of his Cardinalls Bishops other of his traine Like master like man They are all of one broode of the same nature of the same spirite Such also as the Pope himselfe is such haue bin many of his whelps here in England From whom haue all treasons come all insurrections all rebellions all conspiracies against her Maiesties person the whole state of the land Haue they not come from Iesuits Seminary priests and as they call them catholique noble-men and gentlemen It cannot be denied What also shall we say of the murther of the late French king by a Iacobine fryer and of other like practises of the Papists against their Soueraignes in other countries Can the Protestant be iustly charged with any such things against their princes though popish As for that of the Duke of Suffolke against Queene Marie as it was before the title of Queene Marie was thoroughly knowne so all men know what colour of reason he had to doe as he did by the will and testament of that noble Prince king Edward the sixth Besides it is also knowne how soone and willingly he yeelded himselfe As for the Ladie Iane how innocent shee was in that action the Chronicles of our land doe testifie Touching Sir Thomas Wyat he intended no hurt against the person of Queene Marie but by his oath to the will and testament of king Henrie the eight thinking himselfe bound to doe whatsoeuer he could for the hindring of all forraine gouernment he did therefore withstand the comming in of the Spanyard Concerning the late tumult of Hacket and his two associates as Hacket himselfe was iustly executed so the other two were condemned of all men in that behalfe and therefore all men see how farre this differeth from the continuall practises and heynous treasons of the Papists allowed and iustified in their open writings as appeareth by Cardinall Allin his booke of that matter and likewise approoued warranted by the Pope himselfe the head as they say of their Church 7 To leaue this 5. coÌ„mandement let vs come to the next wherein the Lord forbiddeth all crueltie and commandeth all mercie as likewise he doth in many other places Doe they therefore I meane the Pope and Papists as they are Papists behaue themselues any better in obseruation of this commaundement then all the former No certenly but such as their pride is such is their crueltie As the Scripture oftentimes ioyneth these two euills togither so also they concurre in them For it may be truly saide of them as the Prophet writeth of his time psal 73. 6. Pride is as a chayne vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment This is manifest by that which hath beene before spoken of the persequution of the Protestants in our owne land of the
Lord gaue such gifts of his spirit in such extraordinarie measure and manner yet he will neuer leaue his gospel without such a traine of the graces of the graces of his spirit as shall be somewhat answerable to the flourishing thereof and meete likewise to commend the same the better vnto the world 5 Sith this is so I demaund whether this promise were performed to the church of Rome holding the same doctrine that now it hath held for the space of seauen or eight hundred yeares and enioying that outward glorie and magnificence the which also these yeares it hath enioyed Certenly to this my demaund it cannot be affirmatiuely answered with any truth For all men know or may know the contrarie yea the Papists themselues if they be not past all shame and grace will acknowledge the contrasie For when the Pope beganne to set his foote vpon the staires and to ascende towardes that dignitie whereunto he is now mounted then began the holy Ghost also as it were to take the wings of an Eagle or doue and to flie awaie and returne againe towardes the heauens from whence before he came Euer since that time also as the Pope hath climed the ladder of his magnificences so the spirit of God hath mounted more and more towards heauen and hath gone further and further out of the sight of men The more that the Pope and popetie haue growne and flourished the more haue all the gifts and graces of God his spirit decaied and â—ithered At the last when the Pope was reuealed to be the man of sinne the sonne of perdition c. and the verie Antichrist that is when he was come to the toppe and perfection of his pride then also did the holy Ghost in a manner take his leaue and bidde all the world almost farewell at the least touching his visible presence When all Kings and Princes had receiued and drunken the cup of his fornications whereby beeing intoxicated and depriued of all true knowledge of God and common sense they abiected themselues vnto him and put their necks vnder his girdle yea abased themselues in most slauish manner to hold his stiroop and kisse his filthie feete when also they had receiued his marke in their foreheads that is themselues had embraced his damnable doctrines and stooped vnto his abominable idols and commanded also their people to doe the like when I say the Pope and poperie vvere thus aduanced and had iustled both the true religion of God and also all authoritie of Princes out of the throne and most proudly did sit in it themselues as it were booted and spurred when I say againe the Pope with all his abominations did thus sit in the chaire of estate both of Princes and also of God himselfe then what true knowledge was there I wil not say of God but euen of arts of tongues and almost of any good humanitie 6 For triall of these things if any thinke I slaunder them let the rolles and Chronicles of those times be searched let the bookes of those ages be perused let their matter their phrase and style be examined Was not the knowledge of the Greeke so rare that it was a common prouerb Graecum est legi non potest It is Greeke it cannot be read And could the Hebrew tongue be more plentifull No verily but much rarer What also shall I say of the Latin tongue was the knowledge of that in those times any better very little Euery boie indeede learned their primmer and to say his praiers and to helpe the Priest to saie Masse in latin yet could he not tell whether he praied to God or the deuill whether he asked bread or a stone fish or a scorpion yea not one Priest of an hundreth did vnderstand the Mattins that he continually said or the masses that he daily sung Rome was wont to be the mother of this tongue and the Vniuersitie and house of the eloquent oratours but hauing once entertained the deepe mysterie of transubstantiation of bread into the bodie of Christ all the former eloquence of this place was also transubstantiated into barbarisme This tongue indeede was the common tongue of their religion at Rome and elswhere yet when their religion was at the full then also was the knowledge of this tongue in the wane yea in the very last quarter halfe spent For it would make any man of knowledge to laugh to reade or heare the words phrase style of those books that were then written In their praiers indeede in which is least neede of eloquence especially in their praiers to the Saints and chiefly to the virgine Marie by two or three figures they affected a kinde of eloquence to please the eares of men and to make the praiers goe the more roundly that â—o men might take the more delight in saying or singing of them but in most of their other writings there is nothing but plaine dunstable latin yea nothing for the most part but barbarisme 7 If any man yet desire further proofe of this ignorance wherewith I charge the chiefe times of Poperie let them read what M. Lambert reporteth touching the same in his perambulation of Kent writing of the place called Cliffe what I saie he reporteth in that place of that matter out of William Malmesburie de rebus gestis pontificum Anglorum namely that Curbert the eleuenth Archbishop of Canterburie in a great Synode of all or most of the Bishops of his Prouince assembled by himselfe to the foresaide Cliffe then called Cloueshoo did there decree that the Priests themselues should first learne and then teach their parishioners the Lord his praier and the articles of his beleefe in the English tongue In the same place also he noteth that king Alfred in his preface vpon the pastoral of Gregorie which he translated saith that when he came first to his kingdome he knew not one priest of the south side of Humber that vnderstood his seruice in latin or that could translate an epistle into English Further he addeth that Alfric in his proeme to the grammer saith that a little before the time of Dunstan the Archbishop there was neuer an English priest that could either indite or vnderstande a latine epistle and lastly that William Malmesburie himselfe saith that at the time of the Conquest almost all the Bishops of England were vnlearned 8 This is not to be vnderstood of the knowledge of the latin tongue onely but also of the very matter it selfe and that not onely of books of diumitie but also of bookes of philosophie and humanitie Their absurd and grosse definitions their infinite intricate foolish and vnlearned distinctions wherein notwithstanding consisteth all their learning and deepenes as they of Thyatira saide Revel 2. 24 will not onely wearie and tyre any young scholler but also make a learned man sicke at the very heart Euery man that is any thing acquainted with Peter Lombard Gratian Scotus Durandus Thomas Aquinas Occam Gerson Haymo and such like
Diuines of those times can testifie that which I saie of the bookes of Diuinitie For proofe notwithstanding thereof I referre the reader to that which that reuerende father and worthie man Master Iuel answereth to a vaine boast of Master Harding touching the learning of their side First hee biddeth him remember that their prouinciall constitutions doe beginne with these wordes Ignorantia socerdotum Then hee addeth as followeth It were no great masterie to charge the chiefe doctours of your side vvith some vvant of learning Ludouicus Vives saith Vt quidque his supertoribus seculis minâ—s tritum fuit studentium manibus it a purius ad nos peruenit For the space of certaine hundred yeares the lesse any bookes came into students handes the purer and better they came to vs meaning thereby that euery thing was the worse for your learned handling Of Thomas Scotus Hugo and others of whom you seeme to make so great account your owne friend Catharinus saith Scholastics multa inerudite comminiscuntur These schoole-doctours imagine matters vnlearnedly Erasmus saith Portenta quae nunc passino legimus in commentarijs recentium interpretum tam impudentia insulta sunt vt videantur suibus ea scripsisse non hominibus The monstrous follies that we commonly read in the commentaries of late interpreters wherby he meaneth the very croppe and the worthiest of all your scholasticall doctours are so farre without shame and so peeuish as if they had beene written for swine and not for men One of your doctors saith Apostolus dicitur ab apos quod est argumentum vel praeeminentia stolon quod est missio quasi praeeminenter missus Another saith Apocrisarij dicuntur nuntij Domini papâ— Nam crisis dicitur secretum apos dicitur nuntius Another saith Cathedra est nomen Graecum componitur à Cathos quod est â—ides edra quod est sponda Another saith Eleemosyna dicitur ab eleis quod est misereri mors quod est aequâ— More followeth to the same purpose in Iuel his defence of the apologie 5. part 12. chap. 2. diuision where the learned reader may see the quotation of those writers out of whome he boroweth these things By these things we sufficiently see the profaned diuinitie of the chiefe times of poperie 9 Touching philosophie the workes of Petrus de Bruxellis Iohannes de monte de ponte Dorbella Duns Toletus Titleman and many such like doe euidently confirme that which I haue saide Yea such is the rudenesse of these bookes that many young schollers in Cambridge and Oxenford for want of good direction too much addicting themselues to the reading of them can neuer afterward attaine vnto any true eloquence or knowledge of the Latin tongue neither yet to sound philosophie So also may it be saide of such Diuines as take too much delight in reading the works of those before mentioned Many distinctions in these bookes seeme wittie and haue shewe of some depth in those things whereof they intreat but if they be thoroughly with iudgement examined and as it were sifted or rather bolted they will be found but meere trifles more curious and troublesome then sound and profitable so farre also from illustrating and making lightsome the things whereto they are applied that rather they obscure and darken them Sometime perhaps a man may hitte vpon or by the waie meete with something somewhat worthie the obseruation but it is so rare that more time will be lost whilst a man sinde it out then the benefit of the thing will counteruaile when he meeteth with it 10 As those bookes before spoken of doe witnes the learning or rather ignorance of those times when they were written so many men also now liuing can testifie as much of the later times of poperie both touching all the learned tongues and also touching diuinitie and philosophie Notwithstanding I charge not all of those times and of that religion with such ignorance but onely the most some there were more learned but very few The greatest part of those that were brought vp in learning and which professed learning were as ignorant and vnlearned as I haue saide And how could it be otherwise so long as they taught that principle before spoken of that ignorance is the mother of deuotion And albeit they meant the ignorance of God and diuinitie yet therupon followeth that the knowledge of other things is also vnnecessarie For all other knowledge is especially to be referred to diuinitie as to the chiefe and principall ende thereof This beeing taken away what neede in a manner is there of other knowledge And indeede they desired that men should haue had no good learning at al as it is among the Turks that so they might neuer discerne the wickednes of their religion For they knew and feared that the true knowledge of tongues and arts and humanitie would quickly haue detected all the wickednesses and abominations of their religion Therefore also when they could no longer keepe vnder the knowledge of these tongues and arts but did see men to growe and flourish therein in despight of them they made a solemne and common law amongst them that the vulgar corrupt translation in latine of the Bible should onely be authenticall and that also no man should in any wise appeale from thence to the Hebrewe or Greeke text By this canon they prouided that although men grew to skill and knowledge of those tongues yet this skill and knowledge should little helpe them to any further learning of the holy Scriptures then before they might haue attained vnto by the latin tongue Yea so also they cunningly endeauoured to stoppe the course of such knowledge For who could haue any great heart to those studies whereby he should haue no helpe in diuinitie the Queene of all studies Againe touching that learning that was in the chiefe time or poperie for the most part it was greatest in them that inclined to our religion and that did not a little dislike of many grosse points of poperie and of many foule corruptions amongst the other Papists 11 Now to conclude this part of the argument touching the generall ignorance that was in the pride of poperie how will it stande with the rich and ample promises of God before mentioned for the powring out of water vpon the ground and his spirit vpon all flesh If poperie were the religion that came from God would God haue so pilled it and poulled it of all the gifts and graces of his holy spirit so often promised If it had beene the same religion which the Apostles taught after the ascension of Christ and the primitiue Church receiued from them would not the Lord haue commended it with his spirit as he then did If the Church of Rome were the onely daughter of God and spouse of Christ as she boasteth her selfe would the Lord haue left her so naked of all ornaments chiefly and principally beseeming her estate and most answerable to her royall discent
side as can be â—â—ooued to haue beene with vs or against vs in â—welue hundred yeares before 6 Further I doubt not but that I may say and that also truly that we haue had and yet haue many in good respects comparable to those before named as in the exact knowledge of all learned tongues arts and humanitie so also in sound and deepe iudgement of diuinitie vz. Luther Zuinglius Melancton Oecolampadius Erasmus Paulus Phagius Bucer P. Martyr Calvin Marlorat Musculus Cranmer Ridly Hooper Bradford Bullinger Bezâ— Zanchius Iuâ—l Ramus Vrsinus Sadeel Daneus Pilkington Fulke Humfrey VVhitaker and infinite other partly dead and partly yet liuing whose nameâ—â— I doe not well remember or in some respectâ— thinke not conuenient to expresse I may here also name Flaccius Illyricus Hemingius and many other of that sort because although they haue some errours yet which almost of the auncient Fathers had not as many and â—â— great 7 To this argument I may further adde that the Lord hath not onely commended our religion by the encrease of all learning according to the encrease of our religion but also by the repairing almost of all other knowledge in coÌ„mon things and matters of this life For what trade and science is there so meane and base which is not much amended and brought to further perfection sithence the late time of out religion then it had before in the depth of poperit yea who knoweth not that there is great varietie of knowledge sithence the flourishing of our religion which neuer almost was heard of before Especially most admirable is the gift of printing which neuer was in the world till within these hundred and three score yeares at the most about which time it pleased God to broch new vessells of his gospell with our religion This gift of printing is not vnfitly by some compared to the extraordinarie gift of tongues in the Apostles time because the Lord did not onely prepare a waie for the gospel thereby but also hath made it as a mightie voyce of a crier in the wildernesse of poperie to proclaime the grace of God in Christ Iesus and to further and inlarge our religion by opening the hearts of many Princes and more people many noble and more base many rich and more poore and many learned and more vnlearned persons for the entertainment of Christ Iesus and submitting themselues to his kingdome and gouernement Certenly by this new benefit of printing the Gospel hath beene more sounded out to the eares of all nations then it could haue beene by the voice of many preachers For by the means hereof wee that liue in England haue easily heard the sermons and readings of Calvin and Beza in Geneva and of other in other places and they likewise that liue in Geneva and in other places haue easily heard the readings of Doctour VVhitakers in Cambridge and likewise of Doctour Reynolds in Oxenford This printing also is not onely as a quicke post riding vpon a swift and speedie horse but also as an angel of the Lord with sixe wings for the most speedie conueying of the doctrine of the gospel out of one countrie into an other Who also knoweth not that a man may haue more now for sixe pence then before printing he could haue had written for fourtie shillings who seeth not also that bookes printed are more easily both read and also preserued then the like onely written Now although the deuill abuse this gift of God also for the furthering of popery as what gifts be there that he quickly doth not abuse yet sith it was neuer heard of whilst popeâ—ie was at the highest but then onely appeared and came forth into the light of the sunne when our religion was raised out of the graue where before it laie buried and when poperie began to fall sicke and to encline vnto a consumption who seeth not that it was a speciall and an extraordinarie gift of God for the honouring and furthering of our religion Thus much for the first sort of God his actuall testimonies namely for the gifts of his spirit which before he promised and according to his promise hath bestowed vpon his Church not onely in the time of the Apostles but also in these latter times for the commendation of the gospeâ—â— then and of our religion now as being the same with the gospel and therefore in like manner acceptable vnto him THE THIRD BRANCH OF the tenth argument touching the works of God against Poperie NOw followeth the second sort of God his actuall testimonies namely the workes of God wherby God hath testified both his dislike of poperie and also the approbation of our religion seueralâ—y and ioyntly as euidently as if in expresse wordes and in his owne person he should haue spoken against poperie in this manner This is the religion that I hate and which my soule abâ—orreth and contrarily of our religion as he spake of his Sonne This is the Gospell and that glad â—â—dings which bringeth saluation vnto all men and in vvhich I am vvell pleased therefore receiue it 2 Here first of all let vs consider the great iudgements of God against many of the Papists especially such as haue beene special aduersaries to our religion and to the professours thereof For truely there haue beene fewe such speciall aduersaries to vs and our religion whome God hath not in some speciall manner so punished here in this life or at least so prosecuted that their malice in their posteritie that all the worlde might thereby clearely see that he vtterly disliked of them and of their course as also approoued and allowed of them their cause against whome they opposed and set themselues Touching these iudgements although I might ease my selfe and the reader of much labour by referring him onely to the latter ende of the booke of Martyrs where is a speciall treatise of such things yet because that booke is of so great price that many are not able to buie it I will therefore cull out some few of the principall examples there and elsewhere in that booke mentioned and for the rest referre such as haue that booke to that speciall treatise First of all let here be remembered the historie of one Pauier or Paâ—â—ie in the daies of King Henrie the eight this Pauier or Pauie beeing towne clarke of the citie of London and a notable enemie to the gospel vpon some report that the gospel should be in English saide with a great â—ath that if he thought the King would in deede set forth the Scripture in English and let it be read to the common people by his authoritie he would cut his owne throat And so indeede he did not much lesse For though he cut not his throat with a knife yet he hanged himselfe with an haltar anno Dom. 1533. This is reported by Master Fox page 1055. of his booke printed 1583. but borrowed from Hall his Chronicle who wrote the same not vpon the report of other but vpon his
libertie Hauing shewed it to be a religion without all found ioy comfort hauing blamed it as a ridiculous and foolish religion nothing sauouring the excellent wisdome of God hauing likewise added that it is plausible and well liking to the naturall and vnregenerate man and therefore altogether disliking and vnpleasant vnto God and finally hauing obiected to the chiefe times of poperie great blindnes and ignorance as touching the sound and true knowledge of God so also touching other good learning in the learned toÌ„gues and in all learned arts and hauing in the saide treatise firmely though but briefly prooued all these things that so I might not therein be ouer-tedious to the reader sithence the finishing of the former worke I haue thought good to make this addition following for the more euident and plentifull demonstration of all those thingâ— before mentioned Such therefore as desire to see all things before touched and obiected to poperie more largely opened and prooued such I saie I call to this addition wherein they shall see the words of the popish Church it selfe more amply to iustifie all my former words yea they shall here see not onely their owne wordes buâ— also their owne syllables their owne letters their owne points For as nigh as I could yet in some things I may slippe because I found it an harder matter to set downe their false manner of writing then if all things had beene truly penned by them as nigh I say as I could I haue written all things in this addition abbreuiations onely excepted in the very same sort that I finde them written in their owne bookes Let not therefore the Christian and learned teader be here offended either with the rudenes of the latine it selfe or with the false manner of writing thereof without obseruation of any rules of orthographie For as sentences are written here without any true points as I haue set downe the words themselues without dipthongs without great letters for the most part at the beginning of sentences and especially of proper names one letter also sometimes for an other as K for C Y for I and such like and aduerbs that should be accented without any accents as I say these things are set downe by me so did I finde them so shall the reader finde them in auncient books out of which I haue taken them And thus I haue the rather done that thereby their ignorance their blindnes and rudenes euen in the latine tongue whereof notwithstanding they made most profession might the more euidently appeare euen to the children that haue learned any rules of grammar Touching the matter it selfe of these things here added it is either so blasphemous that it will make any christian heart to tremble at the reading or hearing thereof or so foolish and ridiculous that any man of reason will think it more fit for a stage then for the Church the place of God his worship and to make sport withall rather then to haue the name of religion In this addition for the most part I haue set downe the latine it selfe that so all men may the lesse suspect my faithfulnesse in reporting their wordes Notwithstanding sometime when there is no speciall thing in the latin either for phrase or for manner of writing worthie the noting and especially when the latin is very long I haue for breuities sake either altogether omitted the latin or onely set downe the beginning thereof sometimes also noting some special words in the margent Now although this addition may at the first seeme somewhat large yet to the reader it neede not be very painfull for that one halfe is in a manner the whole because if the reader be learned vnderstanding the latin tongue then he may read the latin onely omitting the english If the reader know no other tongue then the english then the reading onely of the english will be sufficieÌ„t Now to come to the things themselues which here I purpose to adde I will first beginne with their popish seruice bookes and proceede from them to the writings of some of their chiefe Doctours and finally conclude this whole addition with some of the miracles of the virgin Marie Now because their seruice bookes are full of many blasphemies as wherein they giue so many of God his peculiar attributes vnto the Saints especially to the virgin Marâ—e and to the crosse yea to the bare signe of the crosse that in truth they leaue nothing to God himselfe I will onely select the principal of them wherein are the highest blasphemies and omit the other as beeing of more labour to be written then of vse to be read These that follow are such that it may be many did neuer thinke so foolish and abominable stuffe had beene in their bookes vntill they did see their owne wordes 2 Therefore out of a booke intituled in some impressions horae beate virginis Marie ad legitimum sarisburiensis ecclesie ritum c. I haue gathered these things following These praiers following ought to be said ere ye depart out of your chamber at your vprising The Apostle teacheth to praie with vnderstanding but of thes praiers following as the language was vnknowne to the common people so the sentences of them doe not agree one with an other leafe 7. first side Auxiliatrix sis mihi irinitas sanctaâ— deus in nomine tuo leuabo manuâ— meas Crux triumphalis passionis domini nostri Iesâ— Christâ— Jesus Nazarenus rexâ— Iudeorâ—â—m fi lt dei miserere mei In nomine patris filij spiritus sancti Amen per signum sancte crucix X libera nos deus salutaris noster that is in english Helpe me O holy trinitie O God in thy name will I lift vp my hands The triumphant These sentences agree like light and darknes Note that here and many other places they say not by the crosse it selfe but by the signe of the crosse crosse of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Iesus of Nazareth the king of the Iewes O sonne of God haue mercie on me In the name of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost Amen By the signe of the holy crosse deliuer vs O God of our saluation Againe in the same leafe When thou goest first out of thy house blisse thee saying thus Crux triumphatnis domini nostri Iesu Christ ecce viuifiee crucis dominicum sanctum fugite partes adverse The triumphant crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Behold the Lords signe of the quickning crosse Avoide ye that are my aduersaries When thou takest holy water say thus Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus vita presta mihi domine per hanc creaturam aspersionis aque sanitatem mentis integritatem corporis tutelam salutis securitatem spei corroborationem fidei nunc in futuro Pater noster Aue Maria. This blessed water be vnto me health and life worke in me O Lord What warrant haue they thus to pray by this creature of sprinkling of
in passione conturbatum salue latus gloriosum Domini nostri Iesu Christi pro nobis lancea perforatum Saluete Domini Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri sacra misericordia genua pro nobis in orationibus flexa saluete Domini Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri pedes adorandi pro nobis clauis affixi salue totum corpus Iesu Christâ— pro nobis in cruce suspensum vâ—lneratum mortuum sepultum salue sanguis preciocissime de Corpore Domini Iesu Christi saluatoris nostri pro nobis effuse salue sanctissima Domini nostri Iesu Christi anima in cruce pro nobis in manus patris commendata In eadem commendatione tibi commendo hodie ac quotidie animam meam cor corpus meum omnes sensus actus meos omnes amicos benefactores filios consanguineos meos animas parentum fratrum sororum omnium amicorum ac inimicorum meorum vt nos protegere liberare defendere digneris ab omnibus insidâ—is inimicorum nostrorum visibilium inuisibilium nunc in perpetuum Amen The same in English Good morrow O head of the Lord Iesus Salve is a word of salutation vsed especially in the mornings therefore I haue translated it Good morrow rather then otherwise Christ our Sauiour which art to be feared of all powers hauing beene crowned with thornes for vs and smitten with a reede Good morrow most beautifull face of our Lord Iesus Christ spit vpon and beaten for our sakes Good morrow most benigne eies of the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour washed with teares for vs. Good morrow hony sweete mouth and most pleasant throat of our Lord Iesus Christ filled with gall and vineger for vs. Good morrow most noble eares of the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour contumeliously and opprobriously handled for vs. Good morrow most humble necke of Iesus Christ buffeted for vs and most holy backe scourged for vs. good morrow venerable hands and armes of our Lord Iesus Christ stretched out vpon the crosse for vs. good morrow most gentle breast of the L. No salutation of the bellie of our Sauiour often pinched with hunger for vs Mathâ— 2. 20. 18. Iesus Christ our Sauiour greatly disquieted for vs in thy passion good morrow glorious side of our Lord Iesus Christ thrust through with a speare of a soldiour for vs. good morrow sacred knees of mercie of the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour bowed in praiers for vs. good morrow O feete to be worshipped of the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour pierced Nothing is here for the thighes and legges of Christ though often by walking wearied for vs. through with nayles for vs. good morrow O whole bodie of Christ hanged on the crosse wounded dead and buried for vs. good morrow most pretious blood shed for vs out of the bodie of the Lord Iesus Christ our Sauiour good morrow most holy soule of our Lord Iesus Christ commended vpon This whole salutation is but a plaine mockerie of Christ there beeing no warrant thereof or of the like in all the Scriptures the crosse into the hands of the father for vs. In the same commendation I commende vnto thee to day and euery daie my soule my life my heart and bodie all my senses and actions all my friends benefactours children and kinsfolke the soules of my parents brethren sisters and of all my friends and foes that thou wouldest vouchsafe to protect deliuer defend vs from all snares of our enemies visible and inuisible now and for euer Amen This salutation of the members of Christ I haue the rather taken out of their seruice booke lately reformed that no man might thinke it to be of those follies whereof some of the Papists themselues begin to be ashamed 14 In the very next praier in the same booke made to the virgin Marie they giue her the same titles which before in the treatise I haue collected out of their more auncient bookes For they call her matrem orphanorum the mother of orphans consolationem desolatorum the consolation of the desolate viam errantium the waie of them that straie salutem omnium in se sperantium the health of all that trust in her fontem misericordiae fontem salutis gratiae c. the fountaine of mercie health and grace and so forth as before we haue heard In the same booke page 327. they commend vnto her faith and custodie and into the bosome of her mercie to day euery daie and in the houre of death themselues their soules and bodies yea omnem spem consolationem omnes angustias miserias vitam finem vitae all their hope and consolation all their afflictions miseries their life and the ende of their life c. Sith therefore they commend all these things into the hands of the virgin what doe they leaue to be commended into the hands of God In the very next praier in the same booke besides other blasphemies they praie vnto her to be their comforter and thereunto they adde these words apud eundem tuum dei natum vâ— â—igenitum in die novissimo quando cum omnia corpore sum resurrecturus de singulis meis factis rationem redditurus me digneris iuvare vt perpetue damnationis sententiam per te pia mater virgo valeam euadere cum electis â—ei omnibus adeterna gaudia feliciter peruenire that is that with the same thy sonne and the onely sonne of God thou wilt vouchsafe so to helpe me that when I shal rise again with soule bodie giue account of euery thing that I haue done by thee O godly mother virgin I may auoide the sentence of eternall damnation with all the elect of God happily come to euerlasting ioyes These things haue I taken out of their new and best reformed seruice bookes that no Papist should make any simple man beleeue that although their olde bookes of seruice had some such blasphemies yet their new books were altogether purged of theÌ„ For by these few things it is euident that albeit they haue ministred some physicke to their old seruice yet hath it not so wrought but that it hath left the grossest humour vnmooued so that the substaÌ„ce of the chiefest impieties doe yet remain 15 Now to returne a little to the former old booke according to the custome of Salisburie in a praier to the virgin leafe 51. B. in some books in some leafe 42. A. they cal the virgin dominam gloriae reginam letitie fontem piesatis venam misericordiae sanctitatis libertatem iocunditatis amenitatem splendorem celi dulcedinem paradisi domiuum angelorum sanctorum letitiam virginum gemmam felicem beatam dominam that is The Ladie of glorie the queene of ioy the fountaine of pietie the vaine of mercie the freedome of holines the pleasure of sport the brightnes of heauen the sweetnes of paradise the ladie of angels the reioycing of saints the pearle
of virgins the happie and blessed ladie Then they commend vnto her totum corpus animam totam vitam quinque sensus corporis omnia facta mortem that is the whole bodie and soule their whole life the fiue senses of their bodie all their works and their death then they adde cum sis benedicta in eternum vltra that is forasmuch as thou art blessed The Papists haue a time longer â—hâ— exernitie for euer and beyond 16 In the 73. leafe A. of the same booke there is a pardon of tenne hundred thousand yeares for deadly sinnes graunted by the holy father Iohn 22. pope of Rome to all them that shall deuoutly saie three praiers to Christ there following which were found written in the chappell of the holy crosse in Rome otherwise called sacellum sancto crucis septem Romanorum 17 In the 75. leafe there is this title to a praier vnto Christ Who that deuoutly beholdeth The Papists obtaine pardons not onely by praier but also by bare looking this armes of our Lord Iesus Christ shall obtaine sixe thousand yeares of pardon of our holy father S. Peter first pope of Rome and 30. other popes of the church of Rome successours after And our holy father pope Iohn 22. hath O that this pope Iohn had still liued for he was of good nature and full of pardons graunted to all then very contrite and truly confessed that saie these deuout praiers following in the coÌ„mendation of the bitter passion of our Lord Iesu Christ 3000 yeares of pardon for deadly sinnes and other 3000. for veniall sinnes and saie first a pater noster and Aue Maria. 18 In the 78. and 79. leafe there is a long luxurius title of a praier wherin to euery one that shall saie the praier to Iesus deuoutly with a contrite heart daily is made this promise Note that by poperie one in the state of damnation and therfore altogether without faith may merit God his fauour for his discharge that if he that saith that praier be in the state of eternall damnation his eternall paine shal be changed him in tempâ—rall paine of purgatorie or if he hath deserued the paine of purgatorie it shal be forgotten and forgiuen through the infinite mercie of God 19 In the 125. leafe of some bookes of some other the 123. leafe there are these wordes ouer certaine verses of the psalmes When S. Barnard was in his praiers the deuill It seemeth to be no small honour for S. Barnard to be the deuill his scholler yet Barnardus non vi 〈…〉 omnia said vnto him I know that there be certaine verses in the sawter who that say them daily shal not perish and he shall haue knowledge of the daie that he shall die but the fend would not shevve them to S. Barnard then said S. Barnard I shall saie daily the whole sawter The fend considering that S. Barnard should doe so much profit to labour so he shewed him these verses Then follow these verses intituled versus sancti Beruardi By these praiers and pardons annexed vnto them such libertie is graunted as that poperie seemeth to commend nothing but praier For what good soeuer a man omitteth or euil soeuer he committeth pardon ye see may be obtained for the same by saying deuoutly their prescribed praiers It is likewise to be obserued that if a man may haue so large a pardon of all his sinnes as before we haue heard for saying some one praier then for saying all the praiers what letteth but that he may haue all the pardons before mentioned And then also what followeth forsooth either that Christ shal not need to come vnto iudgement or that he shall not come till all that time for which all those pardons are graunted be expired or that purgatorie shall continue after his comming Otherwise what needed pardons for so many hundred so many thousands yea so many millions of yeares THE SECOND PART 1 IN an other popish seruice booke like vnto the former called Portiforium seâ— Breuiarium ad vsum ecclesie Sarisburiensâ—s castigatum suppletum marginalibus quotationibus This booke was printed at Paris anno 1555. adornatum that is A Portus or breuiarie for the vse of the Church of Salisburie corrected supplied and adorned with marginall quorations c. In this booke I say to omit the like blasphemous praiers to the virgin Marie as before haue beene noted I finde these speciall things following not mentioned in the former For the translation of Saint Martin there are these things read for the second and third lesson Lectio secunda Anno sexagessimo quarto post transitum beati Martini beatus Perpetuus predicte sedis episcopus corpus beati Martini transferre disposuit conuocatisque vicinis Abbatibus clericis cum hoc in kalendis â—ulij agere vellent vigilata prius vna nocte per totam diem laborantes nihil proficiebant Tunc quidaÌ„ ex clericis ait Scitis quod post triduâ— natalis episcopatus eius est forte in hac die nos transferrâ—se admonet Lectio tertia Quarta autem die accedentes non valebant mouere sepulchrum Pauore autem omnes exterriti vasculum terra cooperire cogit abant Tunc apparuit eis veneranda canitie senex dicens se abbatem ait quid turbamini tardatis Nonne videtis beatum Martinum astanteÌ„ vobis iuvare paratum simanus apponatis iactans pallium posuit manum cum alijs ad sarcophagim Quod pratinus cum summa leuitate commotum in locum quo nunc honoratur tuâ—â— hymnis domino annuente perducitur Post haec requiritur senex nec exite visus est nec ibi inuenitur The second lesson In the 64. yeare after the death of blessed Martin blessed Perpetuus bishop of the sea A tale of Saint Martin read in the Church for a lesson aforesaid that is of Toures in France determined to translate the bodie of blessed Martin And hauing called together the neighbour abbots and learned men when they would haue done it the first daie of Iuly hauing first watched a whole night they did also labour a whole daie and did no good Then one of the learned men saide Ye know that after three daies is the birthday of his bishopricke and peraduenture on that day he admonisheth vs to translate him The third lesson But when they came the fourth daie they could not remooue the sepulchre Now beeing stricken with feare they thought to coueâ— the vessell with earth Then appeared vnto them an old man with a reuerence hore headed that called himselfe an abbot and he he said Why are ye troubled and why prolong ye the time doe ye not see blessed Martin standing by you readie to helpe if ye put to your hands And throwing away his clocke he put to his hand with other vnto the sepulchre the which presently with very great case beeing remooued was by the fauour of God brought to the
redire wilt thou escape this danger wilt thou returne in safetie to thâ— countrey To whome when the abbat had answered with teares that that was his desire then he that had so appeared spake further Scias in quit me adâ—â— a domina nostra Dei genetrice Mâ—ria directum quam dulciter reclamasti si dictis meis obtemperare volueris sanus cum comitibus tuis euades seuientis periculum maris Promitte ergo Deo mihi quod conceptionem purissime virginis Marie solenniter celebrabis celebrandum predicabis that is Knowe thou saide he that I was directed vnto thee by our Ladie Marie God his mother whome thou hast sweetely called vnto and if thou wilt obey my sayings thou with all thy companions shall safely escape the daunger of the raging sea Promise therefore vnto God and vnto me that thou wilt solemnly celebrate and preach to be celebrated the conception of the most pure Virgine Marie VVhen Elfinus had promised to performe that before enioyned him presently the sea was calme and he with his companie safely ariued in England 13 For the seruice of the fifth daie and for the fourth and fifth lessons they read these toyes following For the fourth lesson this In pago gallico canonicus erat quidam c. that This miracle is the 60. example in the booke of miracles yet some difference there is betwixt the narration of it there here is In a countrey parrish of Fraunce there was a certaine man by order a canonicall priest which was wont with no small affection to sing the night houres of the blessed Virgin This priest in a certaine village ioyned himselfe in fornication with another man his wife Once therefore hauing satisfied his sacrilegious lust when in the deade of the night he made hast to returne to the towne in which he aboad beeing desirous to crosse a certaine sea and entring alone into a shippe in sayling hee be ganne to sing the houres of the blessed Virgine the mother of our Lord. Now whilst he said the inuitation Haâ—le Marie full of grace the Lord be with thee and he was now come to the middes of the streame behold a multitude of deuills Whether of these speake truth Bernardine that saith he had deserued this or the virgin which rebuketh these deuils as hauing dealt vniustly therein threw him and his boat headlong to the bottome of the sea and so tooke his soule as he had deserued vnto torments The third day commeth God his mother Marie accompanied with innumerable lights of the saints vnto the place where those maligne spirits did vexe him with diuers torments a Estque talibus iniquos demones conuâ—â—iis allâ—cuâ—a The virgin is not afraid to goe downe to hâ—ll it selfe and chide and rate the deuils at their owne dores and in their owne houses and with these reproches spake vnto those vniust spirits Why doe yee vniustly afflict the soule of one that serued me The deuils answered we saide they ought to haue it because we found it occupied in our workes If saide the virgin it be his whose works it did then certenly it is manifest to be mine because it sang my matters when yee tooke him wherefore yee are guiltie of a great crime because yee haue dealt so vnrighteously towards me 14 Then it followeth in the fifth lesson His itaque dictis demonâ—busque huc illuc fugientibus c. that is The deuils hauing heard these things and taking them to their heeles some this waie and some that waie the most holy virgin reduced the soule of that priest vnto his bodie and the man beeing raised from both graues shee toke from the bottom of the sea and brought him to the port But he beeing full of ioy and exceeding gladnes presently fell downe prostrate at her feete My verie good Ladie saide he and most gracious virgin what shall I giue vnto you for the great benefits you haue bestowed vpon me I praie thee said Marie God his mother fall no more into the sinne of adulterie and declaring the feast of my immaculate conception procure it to be kept yearely with all solemnitie After that the most blessed virgin had said these Ad â—thereas polorum sedes angelis comâ—tata prorexit a loftie phrase words shee departed beeing waited on by the angels into the heauens But that canonicall priest liuing an heremitic all and single life tolde what things had befalne him to all that were desirous to heare and his whole life-time he ceased not with speciall solemnities to celebrate the conception of the virgine 15 Many other the like iunkats follow in the same booke which I doe the rather here omit because I purpose in the ende of this booke to be so bolde with our ladie as to make the reader a short banket with a few of the choisest of her miracles which I hope I may the better doe because I thinke they haue stoode so long vpon the table before her and shee hath beene fedde so often with them that now shee careth not greatly for them or if shee make any account of them yet there is such great store that if there be neuer a blabbe and pickthanke to tell her shee will not greatly misse the taking away of a few of them or if shee doe it yet such is her liberalitie and bountie that shee will not grutch them yea such is her power and authoritie that shee can quickly commaund new dainties as good as those for her seruice THE FIFTH PART 1 NOw therefore leauing the seruice of the Virgin I wil here adde some things out of the rest of the booke namely out of the sermons following of her Nativitie c. But first I will remember this one thing before those sermons in the 57. leafe and second side thereof O pulcherrima virgo vulnerauit formosit as tua cor diuinum attraxit puritas tua creatorem ad vterum tuâ—m that is O most faire virgin thy beautie What vnchast words are these to be spoken vnto the chast virgin hath wounded God his heart thy puâ—itiâ— hath drawne the Creator vnto thy wombe Then follow the sermons of the Natiuitie of the Virgin 2 The first of these sermons hath these three parts or mysteries Primum saith he appellabitur necessitatis 2. nobilitatis 3. iocunditatis The necessitie of the virgin he sheweth by three reasons 1. reedificationis 2. successionis 3. subventionis In the third reason he hath these words Sicut per mulâ—erem peccatricem a diabolo deceptam c. that is As by a sinnefull woman deceiued and ouercome of the deuill mankinde was lost and deiected from his state so on the contrarie by a woman beeing innocent pure and most holâ— A monâ—â—trous blaspâ—emie and conquering the deuill it ought to be restored and repaired Otherwise the father himselfe of lies the deuill should haue gained by his lie which ought not to be For none ought to haue profit by a lie according to
patient and which beare much aduersitie patiently Fifthly that with vertues shall be placed the peacemakers and they that as much as in them lieth haue peace with all men Sixthly they with dominions shall be made blessed prelates as well ecclesiasticall as secular BeatificabuÌ„tur prelati tam ecciesiastics quam seculares Seauenthly that with thrones shall be placed they that perfectly for saking the world shall obserue wilfull pouertie Eightly that with Cherubims shall be placed the wise teachers of soules which shall not onely liue well themselues but shall also by their wisdome and doctrine bring other to eternall life Ninthly that with Seraphims shall stand they that shall be perfect in burning loue aboue all other as the Apostles and other like vnto them When shee had heard all this shee said further Et ego fili in quo ordine collocabor And in what order O sonne shall I be placed He answered because thou art perfecter then all the former therefore thou shalt not be in any of the former orders but shalt be exalted aboue all angelicall spirits Nam due cathedre sedes fulgentissime sunt nobis preparate in celo c. for there are two chaires and seates most fulgent or bright prepared for vs in heauen One for me wherein I shall sitte as king of heauen and an other for thee at my right hand wherein thou shalt sitte as the Queene of Angels and of all the Saints which was figured 3. King by Bathsheba 1. King 2. Salomon c. These things are much more largely set downe by him in his booke then by me in this place because I hasten to an ende Now who seeth not the vanitie and follie of these mysteries 15 In the first sermon of her coronation leafe 381. thus he writeth O igitur regina nostra serenissima c. that is O therefore our The virgins kingdome vniuersall and euerlasting most excellent Queene thou truly maist say Ezr. 1 that The Lord hath giueÌ„ me all the kingdomes of the earth And we may say vnto thee that Tob. 13. Thy kingdome is throughout all ages and psal 144. Thy kingdome is for all ages Psal 145. 3. and Dan. 2. A kingdome which shall neuer be broken Come therefore and take thou the kingdome ouer vs. Iudg. 9. for of thy kingdome may that be said psal 105. And his kingdome shall rule ouer all and Luc. 1. And of his kingdome there shall be none ende c. 16 In the second sermon of her coronation O how much adoe is there of the great singing in heauen by the angels and saints c. euery one hauing a seuerall antheme leafe 386. Afterward he telleth vs that shee was crowned with three crownes as the Emperours are wont to be crowned One crown is of iron in signum fortitudinis in token of her fortitude and strength the second was of Her three crownes siluer ratione purit at is in regard of her puritie the third crowne where with shee was crowned was of gold ratione superioritatis sufficientie in regard of her superioritie and sufficiencie In the same sermon leafe 391. he saith that in glorie shee doth as much excell the nature of angels and men both beeing ioyned together as the circumference of the firmament doth in greatnes exceede his center that is to speake more plainely that her glorie is as much greater then the glorie of the angels and of men as the whole highest heauen is greater then the earth In the same lease thus he speaketh vnto her O femina ab omnibus super omnia benedicta c. An heape of the virgins titles that is O woman of all and aboue all blessed Thou art the nobilitie and preseruation of mankind Thou art the breadth of merit and the perfect power of all things created Thou art the onely mother of God Thou art the Ladie of the whole earth and the Queene of the world Thou art the dispenser of all graces Thou art the coÌ„summation of the whole world and the beautie of the holy Church Thou art out worthie satisfaction before the giuer of all gifts Thou art the incomprehensible greatnes of all vertues gifts and graces 17 It were infinite to note the cithe onely of the foolish and blasphemous speaches concerning the virgin Marie contained in that one booke so highly allowed by the Popes holines To omit therefore the gathering of any more out of this Bernardine I come now to the sermons of Saint Vincent THE SIXTH PART THis Vincent was no obscure person but like wise of great account in the Romish Church For he is not onely called by the name of a Saint but also in the beginning of his Estivall sermons he is called Divini verbi preco interpres professor subtilissimus that is a most subtile or sharpe preacher interpretour and professour of the word of God In the ende also of the same booke he is called Iluminatissimus acutissimus sacre theologie professor a most illuminated and acute professour of sacred diuinitie Let vs therefore see what pretious ware this great marchant hath in his shoppe 2 First it is to be obserued that as Bernardine did so doth this man also beginne all or at the least most of his sermons with a deuout salutation of the Virgin Touching the speciall matter of his sermons it is as followeth In his first sermon for Easter daie he noteth chiefly and principally three points wherein consisteth as he saith all the practise of the blessed resurrection of Christ These three points he setteth downe thus Resurrectio Christi fuit celebrata affectuose demonstrata gratiose publicata virtuose The resurrection of Christ was celebrated with great affection shewed with great grace published with great power or vertue In the same sermon speaking of the virgin Marie he saith that shee had prepared against the resurrection of Christ cameram a chamber and Camara is vsed for a chamâ—er by the same author â—erm 2. pro Dominic 1 post feâ—â—â—â—â—nnitatis cathedram a chaire and that she said Hic sedebit filius meus hic loquar et Here shall my sonne sit and here will I speake vnto him What word is there of any such thing in the Scripture Then he addeth that when Christ and his mother met and Christ was set in the chaire he told his mother what he had done in hell how he had bound the deuill shewed her the holy fathers which he had taken from thence who did to the virgin great reuerence Then he setteth downe particularly the words of Adam and Eve of the Prophets and Angels c. to the virgin Marie 3 In his sermon for the fourth holy day of Easter hauing read his text which he saide was the gospel for that daie and hauing saluted the virgin he addeth these words In sacro euangelio sunt quatuor moralia circa apparitionem quam fecit Christus discipulus suis scilicet Occasio necessilosa Operatio