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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08023	A notable discourse of the happinesse of this our age, and of the ingratitude of men to God for his benefites: written in Latine by that godly learned man Iohn Riuius, and now Englished for the comfort, and commoditie of the vnlearned, by W.W. student..; De seculi nostri felicitate, et hominum erga Dei beneficia ingratitudine, liber. English	Rivius, Johann, 1500-1553.	1578 (1578)	STC 21064.5; ESTC S94909	108,359	160

Saint Cyprian vnderstand that place in his second booke against the Iewes so doth S. Hierome likewise which we haue declared in another place so doeth the Authour of that Epistle De viro perfecto whosoeuer he was that wrote it I wote well that to this day it hath bene vsed to be read in their Bibles Ipsa conteret caput tuum that is to say She shall bruse and breake the Serpentes head as though it ought to be vnderstood of the woman and not of the seede of the woman So Prudentius may seeme to haue read and vnderstoode it when he saith Author ipse doli coluber Plectitur improbus vt mulier Colla trilinguia calce terat And a little after he saith thus Hoc erat aspidis atque hominis Digladiabile dissidium Quòd modò cernua foemineis Vipera proteritur pedibus Edere namque Deum merita Omnia virga venena domat But as I saied before all this is to be referred to the seede of the woman which is the childe of Marie to wit our Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christ as Irenaeus interpreteth that place Yea and Saint Cyprian readeth it thus Ipse conteret caput tuum He c. hauing respect rather vnto the sense than vnto the woorde So likewise the Greekes say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say He shall bruse thy head that so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put in the Masculine gender may be referred to the sonne of the woman who is Christ that is to say respecting rather the meaning of the place than the bare woorde And Hierome vpon Genesis hath noted that it must be read so out of the Hebrue text that it respecteth the seede to whose iudgement as many as at this day are excellent and skilfull in the knowledge of the tongues doe condescend and agree And that our aduersaries may the lesse doubt of this as all our sayinges and doings are suspected of them Picus Mirandula a man most famous in the age wherein he liued doeth also witnesse the same thing Yea and Prudentius in another hymne doeth referre this promise to Christ neither doeth he vnderstand it any otherwise than we doe at this day For amongest other things thus he writeth of the death and punishment of Christ Vidit anguis immolatam Corporis sacri hostiam Vidit fellis perusti Mox venenum perdidit Saucius dolore multo Colla fractus sibilat Quid tibi profane serpens Profuit rebus nouis Plasma primum perculisse Versipelle astutia Diluit culpam recepto Forma mortalis Deo Here verely Prudentius the Christian Poet declareth that the sonne of God taking vnto him the shape and bodie of a man whilest he voluntarily offered him selfe to die did breake the head of that Serpent which by his craftinesse and subtile sleightes had deceiued the first parentes of mankinde and that by the sacrifice of his owne bodie vppon the Crosse he made an attonement for the fault and crime which our first parentes had committed But let vs proceede and goe on forward to the rest Heretofore the common sorte of Christians knewe nothing at all of the Priesthood or Bishoppricke of Christ who hath both instructed vs in wholesome doctrine and satisfied for the sinnes of mankinde by the sacrifice of his owne bodie whilest he sacrificeth vp him selfe vppon the altar of the Crosse and who daily and perpetually prayeth vnto God for our safetie and saluation Nay they knewe not in those dayes sufficiently the difference betwixt the newe Testament and the olde betwixte the Lawe and the Gospell betwixte Moses and Christ which thing bringeth a great light to the whole Scripture Neither did they thinke aright which a man might woorthily maruell at of iustification because they did beleeue that good woorkes did almost onely auayle to the obteining of forgiuenesse of sinnes to the satisfaction for crimes committed to the obteining of righteousnesse to the deliuerance from death and hell fire briefely to the obteining of eternall blessednesse Therefore they both trusted to their owne merites and put their confidence in their good woorkes and good deedes and satisfied of themselues sufficiently for their sinnes and thought that heauen was due vnto them for their honest actions Neither wanted there Monkes and Friers who would sell their idle and superfluous woorkes of supererogation if there were any that would redeeme them with monie So much some men did attribute to their owne merites and good woorkes Yea they knewe almost no difference betwixte that righteousnesse of faith whereof Saint Paule entreateth to the Romanes and that politicall righteousnesse which conteineth the ciuil discipline of vertue manners which thing the bookes of our aduersaries doe plainely and openly testifie Neither were they sufficiently taught heretofore concerning the abrogation of the lawe neither could they once vnderstande or suspect by what meanes wee are deliuered from the execration and curse of the lawe by Christ Neither knewe they sufficiently that distinction of a feigned and deade faith which Saint Iames testifieth to bee the faith of diuelles and of the true and liuely faith which thou maist call if thou wilt both the Euangelicall and the iustifying faith ▪ and which Augustine termeth the faith of Christ and the faith of Christian grace For as often as they heard faith named they dreamed that it was either that naked bare historicall knowledge of things comprehended in the Scriptures or else the profession of religion they were vtterly ignorant of that assured trust of Gods grace and of remission of our sinnes and of the mercie promised for Christs sake which one onely faith is in deed the true Christian faith by which we both call vpon God and boldly approche and come vnto him and finally haue peace with God through our Lorde Iesus Christ as the Apostle saith Neither heretofore knewe they any difference of woorkes yea they reuerenced as much both the rites founde out by men and also that childish Paedagogie of ceremonies as they did the woorkes prescribed by Gods lawes and those woorkes which are necessarie to saluation Neither could they iudge what difference there was betwixt veniall and mortall sinne Neither knewe they in what point the kingdome of Christ differed from the Popishe common weale or the true Church from the false Church Neither knewe they what difference there was betwixt fasting and choyce of meates Finally they thought that by Gods lawe onely the outward factes and that ciuil iustice were required they sawe not that the whole and most perfect obedience of the heart towardes God was exacted and required of vs So by that meanes they stoode in great admiration at the vaine shadowes and similitudes of good woorkes they did not beholde the solide and expresse image and picture of true righteousnesse It remained now that we should bring foorth more matter concerning the abuse of ceremonies

Pilgrimages instituted for religion and deuotion sake What say they else The vse of images say they is acceptable and gratefull to God and we doe well to fall downe flat before them calling vpon the Saintes whome they represent These verely are plaine and euident inough neither neede they any larger explication Let vs therefore goe on forward to the rest We must firmely and stedfastly beleeue say they that there is after this life a Purgatorie for soules departed in which is payed the punishment as yet due for sinnes Notwithstanding they may be succoured and holpen by the sacrifice of the altar by prayer by fasting by almes deedes and by other workes of the liuing as also by indulgencies that they may the sooner by that meanes be deliuered and set free from thence Now verely that appeareth plainely which I saide in the beginning what the aduersaries and enimies of the Gospell goe about namely to take quite away at once all faith all godlinesse all holinesse all religion yea the pure and sincere seruice of God finally to burie and ouerwhelme Christ him selfe the authour of mans saluation also to thrust vpon vs their owne vaine dreames the foolish fantasticall and doting deuises of men yea doctrines of Diuels as the Apostle calleth them to the end that we should herafter direct all the actions of our life by the rule and squire of the Popes will nothing at all regarding either what God willeth and commaundeth or what he prohibiteth and forbiddeth vs to doe whome the Papistes because they are flat Epicures doe neither wishe to be mercifull vnto them nor feare him when he is displeased with them But let vs render immortall thankes vnto God the eternall father of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ which hath suffered the follie and madnesse of the Papistes to be so manifested at this day that no man now can doubt any more what opinion and persuasion all of vs ought to haue of them For they are indeed deceiuers of mens mindes as S. Paule saith vnto Titus and men that turne away from the trueth yea verely as the same Apostle saith vnto Timothie men that resist the trueth as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses But they shall preuaile no longer For as the madnesse of those Magicians was then euident to all so the madnesse of the Papistes is now reuealed to all men For as they are indeed so they are also accounted of all men seducers and deceiuers the enimies of the crosse of Christ Epicures which haue their bellie for their God which minde earthly thinges which bewitch men that they may not beleeue the trueth Wherefore seeing that this madnesse of the Papistes is now manifested to all men no man can doubt but that no Christian ought to haue any societie and fellowshippe with such kinde of persons And if perhaps any man heretofore hath doubted of it let him now verely cease to stand in doubt any more knowing the impietie of their doctrine by which they labour to ouerthrow quite from the foundation our Christian Common wealth Fooles they are and mad men which with the Giants wage warre with God him selfe and hope to haue good successe in the matter seeing that it is moste truely spoken of the wise man There is no counsell nor wisdome against the lord But that I may come now at the length vnto that for which I haue spoken these thinges of the follie and madnesse of the Papistes we ought woorthily all of vs to giue as greate thankes to the immortall God as wee can either conceiue in minde or vtter in woordes for the renewing of Ecclesiasticall doctrine and for the disclosing of almost innumerable errours superstitions and vices commonly tearmed abuses Now what kinde of errours and how great haue beene heretofore in the Church if any man be ignorant of them he may with a litle labour coniecture what they are euen out of the bookes which the enimies of the Gospell haue written out of which wee haue brought foorth these few for a shew They doe not vnderstand at all what faith is what the Gospell is what absolution is finally what Christ is They teach that men ought onely to beleeue whatsoeuer the chaire of Rome hath deliuered out in tradition doth deliuer out and shall deliuer out They will haue men to make choyce of meates contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostle yea without the case of offence They doe allowe and wonderfully commend to all men inuocation vpon dead Saintes which thing commeth very neere to idolatrie They doe approue woorshipping of images Pilgrimages to holy places as to Rome to Treuirs to Compostella and such like They doe confidently affirme and hold that there is a Purgatorie from whence indulgencies and pardons may release deliuer vs And who can rehearse the whole rable of those doctrines which they teach all which are full fraught both with impietie and superstition Who hereafter will not maruell and wonder at the blindnesse of the Papistes in this so happie an age in which after most grosse mistie darkenesse of errours wherein we went all astray there is restored by the great bountifulnesse of God a certeine light vnto the world Indeede all Gods benefites bestowed vpon vs ought to excite and stirre vs vp to be thank full vnto him but yet that principall and singular benefite of God in instauring the doctrine of the Church than which there could no greater gifte be giuen to men on earth I say that onely benefite is it which of all other wee ought chiefly to maruell at which we ought moste to celebrate and for which before all thinges wee ought to be thank full And the greater the blindnesse of the enimies of the Gospell is so much the more verely doe they owe vnto the immortall God whose eyes of the mind God hath opened in this age to acknowledge and behold the trueth and veritie But in this felicitie and happinesse of our age great and incredible is the ingratitude of men to God at this day which I am constrained to confesse not without great sorrowe and griefe Of which argument and matter I haue within these fewe dayes last past compiled a booke being happely moued and stirred vp thervnto by the absurditie and impietie of a certeine writing which the enimies of the Gospell published abroade in Printe which booke of mine most deare friend I thought good to consecrate and dedicate vnto you though it be vnpolished and written Extempore and that for these two causes both for to declare my good will towardes you and also for your famous godlinesse towardes God and singular care of Christian religion which zeale and feruent affection I doe againe againe pray from my hearte vnto God that he woulde daily more and more augment and encrease in you The sonne of God our Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christ keepe and preserue you with all yours safe and sounde

Ecclesiasticall matters and of the holy Ghost that he reacheth foorth his feete for most noble Princes to kisse that he canonizeth for Saintes dead men whom he thinketh will be profitable to him last of all that he breaketh leagues that he breaketh the faith and religion of an oth that he giueth leaue for men to doe against the commaundementes of GOD and that he permitteth subiectes to forsake their allegeance and to cast off all obedience and loyaltie to their lawfull Prince and what one man I pray you can rehearse all his doings of whiche there is neither end nor measure For I let passe pretermit many thinges which were to be added of the negligence of the Pope in caring for the Christian common wealth for he boasteth that he is set ouer it by God as cheefe President whose charge is to see that it take no harme in correcting and amending corrupt doctrine in abolishing wicked worships in assembling Synodes calling Councels in amending the corrupt manners of all states finally in gouerning guiding other matters affaires perteining to his office function Yea I thought good to passe ouer in silence those thinges which all the world almost crieth out vpon namely that the Pope forbiddeth many thinges which either are no where prohibited by Gods lawe or plainly permitted by the same that he requireth his owne lawe to be of more account than Gods commaundements that he prouideth euerie where rather for his owne gaine than either for Gods glorie or the saluation of Christian people that by his indulgencies pardons he both augmēteth the libertie impunitie of sinning also cutteth away all occasions causes of amendment of life finally that he neither careth to see his own canons obserued nor endeuoreth to represse that infinit vnmeasurable riotte and excesse of the Cardinals of Rome Hitherto you haue heard of the Bishop of Rome whome the Papistes account to bee our supreame Bishop most holie Lorde Some salute him with the title appellation of Prince Father of mankind othersome vouchsafe to giue him the name and honour of a terrene or earthlie God. Now let vs come to Baptisme which sith that it was instituted ordeined by Christ him selfe for mans sake namely that they which are borne by nature the children of wrath may through a certeine new regeneration by the Spirit beecome the sonnes of grace and that by Baptisme they might be purged frō the spottes of sinne which they brought with thē into the world when they were borne this vse the Papistes in former ages maruellously defiled For they were not afraid to baptise sacring belles other belles with great ceremonies yea almost obseruing the same rites whiche were vsed in baptising infantes For neither exorcisme nor vnction is left out they haue godfathers they haue names giuen them and all the rest of the thinges which were woont to be vsed in the true Baptisme are practised very deuoutly or rather superstitiously not without greate reproche mockage and despite of the true Baptisme especially seeing here as in baptising of childrē euerie hedg Priest Curate will not serue but onely the Bishop of the Diocesse namely to this end that there may bee more authoritie in the stage play whilest that such a christening is full of pompe And because Baptisme was ordeined of Christ to be the lauer of regeneration the washing away of our sinnes the Papistes were woont to consecrate with superstitious rites for they had no commaundement of Christ concerning that matter water with salt by which either those that entered into the Church as I said before or those whiche went out thence might sprinkle them selues to wash away the spottes and blottes of their daily sinnes and those light offences and faultes of theirs which custome nowe also lasteth in places of Poperie Now what great abuse was there heretofore of confirmatiō as they call it For wheras in it there ought to be had a diligent inquirie of doctrine a professiō of faith as a chefe principal thing to be required in bishoping the Papists leauing neglecting these send the children away after that they haue signed them in the foreheads with the holy Chrisme to vse Petrus Lombardus wordes geuen them a boxe on the eare So if you respect the true vse of confirmation it hath no place at all amongst the Papistes and the thing it selfe being quite taken away there remaineth onely the name and a certeine shadowe of an old auncient custome There were also many intollerable abuses in penance confession as for example that hard to scrupulous a reckoning vp of all our sinnes reseruing of certeine cases that appendix in absolution of the merites of Saintes Romish indulgencies humane satisfaction for sinnes and if there bee any such like In the Supper of the Lorde the cheefest abuse was of Masses especially that manifold number and great varietie of them as for trauellers wayfaring men for sailers seafaringmē for women trauelling in childbed item the Masse of the crowne of thorne the Masse of the three nailes the Masse of Christs vncircumcision what were they not woont to flee for reliefe vnto Masses as many as desired wished to haue a prosperous ioyfull euent to all things which they enterprised went about which sought a remedie for their diseases which would gladly escape shun all imminent euils daungers Yea moreouer Masses were thought to be profitable to deliuer the dead frō the fire of Purgatorie For the matter was now come to that passe that that Sacrament which was instituted and ordeined to excite stirre vp liue men to the remembrance of Christs death was almost wholy translated to the dead I doe omitte the superstitious reseruation of the Lordes bread and the pompe in which the same is carried about and shewed both in publike processions and also in solemne vewinges of the field in the Rogation weeke I doe furthermore omit let passe that taking away of one parte of the Sacrament from the people flatte contrarie to the institution and ordinance of Christ But let vs come to matters of greater weight and importance and first and formost to the promises concerning Christ to come in the former age no man had any rememberance or certeine knowledge of that promise which is the first both in time order Such cloudes of ignorance errour did so miserably darken the whole world And yet there are some also at this day which thinke that we doe wrest that place of Genesis in which is conteined the first promise to the vauntage and commoditie of our owne cause when as in deede the most auncient Doctours of the Christian Church make with vs as Irenaeus who not once or twice but often testifieth that the seede of the woman is that which Marie brought foorth into the world to wit our Sauiour So doth