to auoid the scandall of some persons that are either holy or troublous I dare not freely reprehēd many such things But I am very sory for this that many wholesome precepts in Gods bookes are little regarded and that all things are so full of presumptions that he is more sharply reprooued which toucheth the ground in his octaues with his bare foote then he that shall lye drunken in the streete All things therefore which neither are contayned in the holy scriptures neither in the decrees of bishops neither established by the custome of the vniuersal church but are infinitely varied by the diuersitie of maners in diuerse places so that seldome or neuer the causes can be knowen which men respected in the ordinance thereof I thinke they are to be taken away without any stop where power and authority is at hand For although it cannot bee found howe they make against the catholike faith yet doe they clog the religion with seruile bondage which our mercifull God would haue freely celebrated with verie few and manifest sacraments so that now the condition of the Iewes is more tolerable who though they haue not acknowledged the time of libertie yet are they subiect to legal burdens not to humaine presumptions Thus saith holy and learned Austen Out of whose words I note first that S. Austen for feare of scandall and other humaine respects durst not speake all he thought nor freely reproue euerie abuse as he wished in his heart I note secondly that al the bishops learned fathers of the church did not at all times like and approue all things which were publikely done in the church thogh they spoke not flatly and openly against the same Which point if it be wel noted doth more then a little gall our papists I note thirdly that Gods word was little regarded euen in Saint Austens time and that superstition in steede thereof raigned euerie where and therefore no maruell if so much Romish trumperie did after Saint Austens time abound in their visible church I note fourthly that euen in Saint Austens dayes odde conceits of superstitious trumperie were more regarded then the chiefest points of religion I note fiftly that manie superstitious errours haue crept into the church the causes wereof neither are nor can bee knowen and therefore by Saint Austens iudgement all such trumperie ought to bee cut off by the authoritie of the Magistrate I note sixtly that the church was brought into seruile bondagt by reason of beggarly ceremonies other superstition so as in S. Austens time the state of the Iewes was more tolerable then the condition of faithful christians I note seauenthly that the christian libertie of the new testament may not bee charged with superfluous ceremonies The second conclusion The bodies bones and reliques of Gods Saints and martyres are not to be contēned reiected or disdainfully cast away but to be buried honourably and esteemed reuerently as wel to giue a signe of our hope in the resurrection of our bodies and theirs as to signifie their true faith in the euerliuing God This conclusion may euidently be proued by many texts of holy writ Pretious in the sight of the Lord saith Dauid is the death of his saints Again in another place Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all he keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken Againe in another place Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord in another place the Psalmograph yeeldeth the reason why the bodies reliques of y e dead be honorable to wit for the hope of the resurrection that they shal once be glorified for my flesh saith he shall rest in hope and in the Hebrew more significantly shall dwell in hope to expresse the full assurance of the resurrection In this hope did S. Ioseph cause his fathers bodie be enbalmed being accompanied with al the seruants of R. Pharao both the elders of his house all the elders of the land of Egypt and with his brethren and others of his fathers house he went vp into the land of Canaā there to burie his father with great honour and solemnitie The prophet Daniel when he died was buried with great honor so was Micheas Ioel many others the prophets apostles seruants of the liuing god In regard wherof prudently said Syrach Let their bones flourish out of their place and their names by succession remaine to them that are most famous of their children All which Saint Austen comprised briefly in these golden words Nec tamen contemnenda abiicienda sunt corpora defunctorum maximèque iustorum atque fidelium quibus tanquam organis vasis ad omnia bona opera sanctus vsus est spiritus Si enim paterna vestis annulus ac si quid huiusmodi tanto charius est posteris quanto erga parentes maior extitit affectus nullo modo ipsa spernenda sunt corpora quae vtique multo familiarius atque coniunctius quam quaelibet indumenta gestamus Haec enim non ad ornamētum vel adiutorium quod adhibetur extrinsecus sed ad ipsam naturam hominis pertinent Neither are the bodies of the dead to be dispised and cast away specially the bodies of the iust and of the faithful whom the holie ghost hath vsed as instruments and vessels to all good workes For if the fathers garment and ring and the like bee so much the dearer to the posteritie by howe much our affection was greater to our parents then doubtlesse their bodies are no way to be contemned which are more familiar and nearer to vs thē anie garment for they pertaine not to the ornament or helpe which we vse externally but euen to the nature of man it selfe The third conclusion To goe from place to place on pilgrimage to learne experience ciuil maners customes and lawes of other countries or christianly to profit others therby is a godly act highly to be commended The painful godly peregrinatiōs of Christ him selfe and of his chosen vessels will make this conclusion euident For Christ was conceiued in Nazareth borne in Bethlehem the eight day presented in Hierusalem Hee fled into Egypt he returned and dwelt in Nazareth Being twelue yeres of age hee disputed in the temple at Hierusalem from whence he returned with his parents and came to Nazareth Being thirtie yeeres olde hee was baptized in Iorden tempted of the Deuill in the wildernesse placed on a Pinnacle of the temple and after that carried into an exceeding high mountaine In Cana of Galilee he was present at a marriage where he changed water into wine Hee abode a while at Capernaum with his mother and his friendes He went throughout Galilee teaching in the synagogues Besides the sea of Galilee hee calleth Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn From thence he came to the region of the Gerasenes where the swine were drowned in the
Totilas about three yeeres after beganne to repaire and build vp the citie of Rome and gaue leaue to the citizens to returne into the citie in the yere of our Lord 551. The kings of the Romanes Romlus Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 38 244 Numa Pompilius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 43 244 Tullus Hostilius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 33 244 Ancus Martius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 24 244 Tarquinius priscus Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 37 244 Seruius Tullius Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 44 244 Tarquinius Superbus Anno mundi 3220 reigned was king of Rome Anno mundi 3438 25 244 Kings first raigned ouer the Romanes 244. yeres After kings the common weale of the Romanes was gouerned by Consuls then by Tribunes and Dictators and againe by Consuls for the space almost of 464. yeeres euen vntil Iulius Cesar who was the first emperour of Rome and raigned 5. yeeres seuen moneths in the second yeere of the 183. Olympias and in the age of the world 3924. The first obseruation A Consul was a chiefe officer amongst the Romans wherof two were chosen yeerely to gouerne their citie A Tribune was an officer among the Romanes that had chiefe iurisdiction among the commons His office was to maintain the liberty of the poore people against such as sought to do them wrong A Dictator was a chiefe officer amongst the Romans who had a kings power hee was neuer chosen but in some great danger of the common-weale His authoritie indured but halfe a yeere which at the halfe yeeres end he was to yeeld vp vnder paine of treason The second obseruation Valerius fellow Consul with Brutus died in such pouerty as the Romans were inforced to disburse the common tresure for his funerall so writeth Eusebius What was the cause of his pouertie I doe not reade but this I say that many rich men are often oppressed with pouertie sodainely after the aboundance of their wealth and I adde further that no effect can be without the cause The explication Some men are verie rich in lands goods and possessions which they enioy either by their patrimonie or by dissent of blood which riche men are sodenlie afflicted with pouertie when oftentimes the cause is not knowne to any neighbour but as the prouerbe saith after great getters come great spenders and how is aboundance of riches so soone gone doubtles it falleth out commonly for a iust punishment of sinne Some rich men get their riches by vsurie some by deceitfull dealing some by extortion some by bribes and gifts for furthering euill causes some by niggardly and miserly locking vp in chests and coffers that which ought to haue beene bestowed for the reliefe of their poore neighbours All which because they are abhominable in Gods sight God punisheth the same diuersly sometime in the getters themselues though that chance but seldome and commonly in their successors so as it may be truely saide euill gotten goods seldome prosper to the third generation For some successors to those greedy vnconscionable getters spend their goods lasciuiously some by carding and gamning some by foolish bargaining some by prodigalitie some by flatterie some by credulitie and some by other meanes yet few or none were euer impouerished for bestowing their goods charitably vpon the poore for as Gods prophet wisely saith from his youth vp till his olde age hee neuer saw the righteous man forsaken nor his seede begging bread Psal. 37 25. but in these our dayes wee are so wedded to worldly riches that we will rather bestow twentie pounds vpon our owne inordinate pleasures then twentie pence vppon an honest poore needy neighbour and yet when rich men haue scraped together all the wealth they can sometime it so falleth out that some of them haue not at the houre of death to discharge the verie funerall euen as it befell to this honourable Consull of Rome It therefore behoueth al christian people that haue regard to their saluation first neuer to set their affections vpon worldly goods inordinately secondly to get their riches honestly and truely thirdly to dispense their riches liberally and chearefully to all their needy neighbours God is the giuer of all riches for as the Apostle saith Paul planted and Apollos watered but God gaue the encrease 1. Cor. 3 ver 6. he maketh some poore to try their patience and faith in him other some hee maketh rich to prooue their fidelity in disposing his treasures for the rich men are but stewards of their riches God is the chiefe owner and Lord thereof to whom they must one day make a reckoning and as Saint Hierom saith hee neuer knew man make an euill end that in his life time did the workes of charitie chearefully CHAP. V. Of the Emperours of Rome The names of the Caesars The raigne of the Caesars  1 Iulius Caesar was the first emperour of Rome of whome all emperours were afterwardes called Caesars Anno Mun. 3924 5 yeeres and 7 moneths 2 Octauius or Octauianus Caesar Augustê° was the second of whome all the rest were afterwards called Augusti hee died in the 76. yeere of his age and was buried in Campo Martio  56 yeeres 3 Tiberius Caesar Augustus was the third Caesar hee died in Campania in the village Lucullana in the 78. yeere of his age  23 yeeres 4 Caius Caesar surnamed Caligula was the fourth he was slaine by his protectors in his own pallace in the 25. yere of his age  4 yeeres and 10 moneths 5 Claudius Caesar was the fift who died in his pallace the 64. yeere of his age  13 yeres and 8 moneths 6 Nero was the sixt Caesar of the Romaines he flew him selfe in the 32. yeere of his age in him was ended all the familie of Augustus Anno Dom. 55 13 yeres and 7 moneths The names of the Caesars 7 Galba Otho Vitellius succeeded by murdering one another Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 1 yeere and 9 moneths 8 Vespasianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 9 yeres 11. mon. 22. daies 9 Titus eius filius Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 2 yeeres and 8 moneths 10 Domitianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 15 yeres and 5 moneths 11 Nerua Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 1 yeere and 5 moneths 12 Traianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 19 yeres and 6 moneths 13 Adrianus Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 21 yeres and 10 moneths 14 Antoninus Pius Anno Dom. 69 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 237 23 yeres and 3
with all popish recusants neuer to pay their debts to loyall christian subiects This assertion because it is strange to good christian eares cannot but bee obscure and hardly vnderstood for explication sake wee must note two principles of lately coyned romish religion First that our most gratious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and al her faithfull subiects are flatte heretiques Secondly that all her maiesties dominions with all the landes and goods of her loyall obedient and christian subiects are the Popes due vnto him from the first day of the profession of their loyall obeysance and of the true ancient christian romain catholike and apostolike faith That these be their principles their best writers doe testifie their Iesuite Bellarminus their Canonists Nauarrus and Couarrunias their Diuines Syluester and Medina their religious friers Fumus and Alphonsus with many others Vppon these rotten principles of their newe no religion they grounde their most execrable dispensation to witte that it is lawfull for all popish recusants by reason of such dispensations to withholde what landes and goods soeuer from all such as wil not yeelde themselues captiues to the brutish bondage of poperie Hereof it commeth first that so many this daie make conscience to bee absent from diuine seruice in the church who haue no conscience at all to pay their debts Hereuppon it commeth secondlie that manie repute it deadlie sinne once to heare a godlie sermon who thinke it no sinne at all to owe great summes of money and neuer to pay the same Heereuppon it commeth thirdlie that sundrie recusants haue so intayled their landes and so fraudulently away their goods and that of late yeares as no law enforceth them to pay their debts to their poore creditors Hereupon it commeth fourthly that her maiesty is defrauded her faithfull subiects impouerished the Popes vassals enriched the lawes of the realme contemned and domestical rebellion fostered It therefore behooueth good Magistrates to haue speciall regarde hereof Good lawes are established but slowly in many places executed God of his mercie either conuert dissembling hypocrites soundly or else for the common good of his church confound them euerlastingly for a greater and more pestilent plague cannot come vnto the Church then to haue such magistrates as pretend publiquely to fauour it and yet are secret enemies to the same qui potest capere capiat this kind of popish pardoning my selfe though then a papist could neuer brooke but so soone as I vnderstood it did sharplie impugne the same The mediate externall sabboth is that which God appointeth mediately by his church in the new Testament to wit the sunday which is our christian sabboth And here obserue that when I say by the church I specially vnderstand the supreme gouernour of the Church much lesse doe I exclude the same which obseruation shall be made manifest before the end of my discourse And because no veritie doth clearely appeare vntill the difficulties and doubts be plainely vnfolded I will propound in order the greatest obiections that can be made against the same framing briefe pithie and euident solutions thereunto The first obiection The Sabbatharies contend with tothe and naile that christians are no lesse bound this day to keepe the legall sabboth then were the Israelites in time of Moses law and they proue it because God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it which sanctification was nothing else but a commaundement to keep it holy as appeareth by the declaration made by Moses Againe bicause this sanctification was forthwith after the creation and therefore as all nations are bound to make a memoriall of the creation as well as the Israelites so must all nations as well as the Israelites keepe holy the seauenth day that is the day of rest after the creation which is our saturday and vpon which day the Iewes still keepe their sabboth The answere I say first that there is no precept in the olde or new Testament by which either the Gentiles then or christians now are bound to keepe the legall sabboth I say secondly that albeit it could be proued that the fathers before the law had kept it yet would it not follow that wee were bound by their ensample this day to keepe the same for otherwise we shoulde be bound to offer vp bloudy sacrifices as they did both before and after the deluge The second obiection God speaking of the sabboth saide it should be a signe betweene him and the children of Israel for euer and hee added for in sixe dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth and in the seauenth day rested therefore all nations are bound to keepe the sabboth of the seauenth day The answere I say first that the word euer is not taken there simpliciter but secundum quid as the schooles tearme it that is not for eternitie or for the duration of this life but for all the time from Moses vnto Christ which was 1495. yeares I say secondly that though the sabboth be not eternall as it is ceremoniall which I shall prooue by and by yet is it eternall in the thing signified that is ceasing from sin and rest in God which shall be accomplished in heauen for euermore The third obiection The decalogue was before Moses and this day is of force for the Gentiles were bound before the promulgation of the law written in the tables of stone and we christians after the translation of the law to abstaine from blasphemie periurie theft murder whoredome couetousnesse fraudulent dealing and the like as were the Iewes in time of the law The answere I answere that whereas the law of Moses was partly iudiciall partly ceremonial and partly morall the morall part being the verie lawe of nature engrauen in mens hearts in the hour of their natiuities as it was before Moses so shall it endure to the worlds end but all ceremonies which were types and figures of the promises made in Christ Iesus were accomplished and abolished in his sacred aduent such was the circumcision giuen to Abraham the sacrifices commanded to our first fathers and the sabboth in respect of the determination vpon the seauenth day for it was not Gods will to continue shadowes after the things indeede were exhibited The fourth obiection A perpetuall cause requireth a perpetuall lawe and consequentlie since the memorie of the creation and meditation of Gods works is a perpetuall cause of the law of the seauenth day it followeth necessarily that the law of the seauenth day must still abide in force The answere I answer that the memorie of the creation is indeed a perpetuall cause of a perpetuall sabboth but not of a perpetual precise and determinate sabboth the reason hereof is euident because the memorie of our creation may be done as conueniently vpon another day as vpon the seauenth day thus my answere is confirmed because the sabboth which wee now keepe is not the seauenth day but the eight for our sunday is the first day of the weeke
subiection But so soone as Philopator was dead his sonne Ptolomeus Epiphanes sent a mightie armie into Syria vnder the conduction of Scopa who recouered certaine Cities in Syria and a good part of Iudea Yet within a short space after Antiochus skirmishing with Scopa neere to Iordan had the vpper hand and tooke the cities againe from Scopa Then the Iewes yeelded them selues to Antiochus receiued his armie voluntarily within the walles and affoorded him large helpe against the garrisons of the said Scopa In respect of which fauour Antiochus dealt very fauourably with them gaue them rich giftes and graunted them libertie to call home againe all the Iewes that were in dispersion The third obseruation Antiochus Epiphanes was hostage at Rome where he learned by the Example of the Romaines flatterie deceite and other bad qualities to accommodate himselfe to the time and maners of men Hee was famous not for his vertues but for his naughtie dealing He was called as some write for his dissolute life not Epiphanes but Epimanes that is not noble but madde He beganne his reigne about 134. yeares after the death of Alexander at which time his brother Seleucus ceased by death to reigne in Syria At the same time Ptolemeus Epiphanes dyed in Egypt leauing behinde him to young sonnes Philometor and Physcon Ptolemeus hadde these sonnes with his wife the queene Cleopatra who was sister to Antiochus Vnder this pretence Antiochus went into Egypt and by faire speeches got the regiment during the nonage of Philometor the yong prince And when hee had contriued all thinges so as he might take the kingdome vpon him at his pleasure hee went to Hierusalem at the intreaty of Iason who sought ambitiouslie to be made the high priest by his procurement euen as popes of late yeares are made at Rome as hereafter shalbe prooued Where as writeth Iosephus so soone as hee came the gates were opened to him by men of his owne faction Which vsurped dominion hee exercised cruellie and sacrilegiously neither sparing the goods nor the liues of those that willingly opened the gates vnto him The fourth obseruation Demetrius Nicanor the twelfth king of Syria was driuen out of his kingdome by his brother Antiochus Sedetes by the aid and meanes of Tryphon Yet afterward hee was restored to his kingdome againe and ruled Syria peaceably vntil Alexander surnamed Sabineus of the house of Seleucus tooke him prisoner at Tyrus where he put him to death CHAP. III. Of the kings of Macedonia and of the diuision of the Empire after the sixt yeare of Alexander THe holy will of the liuing God was that foure mightie kings shoulde succeede Alexander the Great after the sixt yeare of his raigne whereof euerie one should possesse a part and no one be so mightie as himselfe which thing was euidently foretolde by the Prophet Daniel The foure kings that succeeded Alexander to wit Cassander who raigned in Macedonia and Grecia Seleucus who raigned in Syria Ptolomeus who raigned in Egypt and Antigonus who raigned in Asia did all descend of the house Petigree and bloud royall of Alexander that most puissant and valiant Emperour and for that cause surnamed the Great Cassander caused Olympias daughter of Neoptolemus and mother to Alexander a most chast and vertuous Queene to be beheaded cruelly that so hee might raigne more licentiouslie but God the iust iudge who for his wisedome seeth all things and for his iustice sake letteth no sinne passe vnpunished did so in his eternall prouidence dispose of Cassanders issue as it was a worthie spectacle to the world For Antipater and Alexander his sonnes had mutual mortal bloudie warres the one against the other as concerning the kindgome of Macedonia But what was the ende Antipater was slaine by Lysimachus his father in law and Alexander by Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus who both were their owne complices to whom they trusted and sought for helpe at their hands A worthie obseruation King Alexander the great was not onely full of valure and prowesse but throughly garnished with heroicall and morall vertues amongst which this was not the least that so often as he heard the complaint of one against another the accused partie being absent his continuall custome was to open one onely eare to the plaintife and to keepe the other closely shut by which ceremonie he liuely expressed vnto the world the office of euerie good Prince and righteous iudge to wit that they should neuer haue respect of persons as holy Writ beareth witnesse but heare all parties indifferently and iudge euer according to lawe and equitie Which indifferencie king Alexander fitly practised euen with the admiration of his auditory while as hee graunted to the accuser one eare so did hee to the accused reserue the other neuer condemning the one nor iustifying the other before hee vnderstood perfectly the truth of the matter But in our time wee may iustly exclaime with holy Polycarpe O God to what worlds hast thou reserued vs for nowadayes iudges lawyers are so corrupt with bribes that when a poore man crieth he can not be heard with neither eare because both are shut at once on the other side so soon as they grope the rich mans gold they open both the one eare the other there is no stay at al. Of such iudges magistrates and lawyers speaketh wise Salomon when he saith that many reuerence the person of the mightie and euerie one is friend to him that giueth gifts When a rich man commenceth any sute against the poore man euerie iudge euerie lawyer euerie iustice euerie bailife will for money be readie to further his cause for golde and money with a becke they come anone and with a winke they will bee gone though their matter were verie badde in the beginning yet wil it be right good in the ending money worketh so forcibly with them that it may bee saide to alter the case and to change the nature of the thing Gifts saith Saint Ambrose dazle the eyes of iudges and weakeneth the force of their authoritie Contrariewise when the poore man commeth to them either without money or but with a little they are dumbe deafe and sencelesse they can neither heare see nor vnderstand they will vse such dallying such demurring such shiftes and delayes vntill the poore man bee exhaust and spent so as perforce he must let the matter fall and sit downe with the losse For albeit his cause were right good in the beginning yet will it be starke naught in the ending Wherefore Innocentius his wordes are well verified in this kinde of people You respect saith he not the causes but the persons not lawes but bribes not what reason prescribeth but what will affecteth not what the minde thinketh but what it coueteth not what should be done but what yee list to haue done your eie is not single which should make your body bright but euer ye mingle a peece of leauen which corrupteth the whole dowe The
of 30. dais This persecution indured sundry yeres to which the faithful soules seemed to allude in the Reuelatiō when they desire God the iust iudge to auenge their innocent blood Dioclesianus restored Egypt to the empire and when hee perceiued his authoritie to be weakened by reason of tumults and dissentious he sought to strengthen himselfe by ioyning Maximianus vnto him whome he made equall to himselfe in imperiall regiment These two Dioclesianus and Maximianus being nowe equall in authoritie were called Augusti they both afterward gaue ouer the administration of the empire and betooke themselues to the quiet state of a priuate life Dioclesianus chose Galerius to supply his place and Maximianus appointed Constantius in his stead Galerius and Constantius were not equal in power and authoritie but as viceroyes and substitutes and therefore they were not called Augusti but onely Cesars Maximianus would afterward haue returned to the administration of the empire to the end that he might haue aduanced his sonne Maxentius to the imperial regiment for which cause Constantius his sonne in law caused him to be slaine Dioclesianus hauing liued many yeares as a priuate man at length slew himselfe so to auoid the displeasure of Constantius and Licinius to whom hee was suspected to take part with Maxentius their enemie Constantinus surnamed the Great succeeded his father Constantius when hee had reigned foure yeares after the death of Dioclesianus This Constantinus was the first christian Emperour a zealous fauourer of Christes gospel and the onely patrone of Christianitie CHAP. IIII. Of the siege of Hierusalem by Titus Titus the sonne of Vespasianus the Emperour of Rome was a man of such valure prudence and humanitie so beautified with all kinde of heroicall vertues that he was commonly named in the mouth of euery man Amor delitiae humani generis the onely delight of mankinde In the second yeare of Vespasianus in the moneth of Aprill when the Iewes did celebrate their Passeouer at which time great concourse of people was assembled from euery coast hee besieged the citie of Hierusalem and the eight day of September he conquered the same by force and assault Although the citie of Hierusalem was fiue times taken and destroied before by Nabuchodonozor Asocheus Antiochus Pompeius and Herodes yet was there in the siege made by Titus such famine sedition and domesticall desolation as the like hath not been knowne in any citie The mothers murthered their owne naturall children and that done boiled them so to saturate their insatiable hunger This seemeth incredible but holy writ reporteth no lesse as I haue prooued in the first book and the eight chapter of the former part The wiues snatched meate out of the mouthes of their husbandes the children from their parentes and the mothers plucked it out of the mouthes of their infantes When they killed their children and one another for want of foode they could not doe the fact so secretly but it was espied taken from thē by others of greater force for so soone as their doores were shut others suspecting that they were eating meate came violently vpon them and tooke from them the meat alreadie chewed in their mouth Yea it is incredible to be tolde saith Iosephus what tortures and afflictions many suffered to enforce them to disclose where they had hid but one loafe of bread Iosephus being a Iew himselfe and greatly fauouring his countrey men being taken prisoner of the Romaines long before and at that time in great credite both with Titus and Vespasianus his father laboured by all meanes possible to perswade the Iewes that they well considering their own distresse and the mightie force of the aduerse part woulde in time while there remained place for mercie yeeld themselues to Titus and giue vp their citie into his hands But in vain was his oration he had not eloquence to perswade them From king Dauid to the siege made by Titus were 1179 yeares from the building of the city to the destruction therof 2177. yeres Yet such was the deformity of their sins and their ingratitude in Gods sight as neither the antiquitie of their Citie neither their wōderful riches neither their renown throughout the world nor the glorie of their religion was able to defend it from vtter desolation A noble woman Marie by name daughter to Eleazer dwelling beyond Iordan and flying to Hierusalem for aide was there besieged with others In the time of the great famine she killed her own son and when she had eaten part she reserued the rest Others perceiuing that shee had gotten some meate did manace death vnto her vnlesse shee woulde tell where it was hidde Which shee doing for feare they were all astonied at the sight thereof It is my sonne saith the woman eate thereof for I haue eaten before you I woulde neither haue you more effeminate then a woman nor more pitifull then a mother O horrible monster of the worlde What can bee more vnnaturall then the fact What more cruell then the wordes Ouer and besides those that were slaine in the famine plague and the sworde sixteene thousand were sent by Titus to Alexandria there to doe seruile workes as bondmen Two thousand hee carried with him for a triumph whom in publicke spectacles hee proposed to be deuoured of wilde beastes CHAP. V. Of Constantinus surnamed the Great COnstantinus for his pietie and heroicall vertues surnamed the Great was the first Cesar that professed Christ and christianitie He was a right christian in deed as who for a manifest signe of his true zeale in religion had the gospel of Christ Iesus caried publickly before him He commanded the holy Bibles to be copied out of his owne priuate charges and to bee sent into all partes of Christendome He called togither the learned men from all partes of the world to consult and giue their opinions concerning controuersies in religion During which time of disputation as also for their iournies to and fro hee graunted them free allowance of all necessarie prouision He withstoode the tyrannie of Maxentius and restored peace vnto the Church He builded the citie of Constantinople terming it by his owne name where was before a goodly mart towne then called Bizantium Thither was the empire translated and the citie called new Rome For he enuironed it with large walles and added magnificall building thereunto The obseruation The papistes here babling after their woonted maner tell vs a tale of Robin hoode and little Iohn that forsooth Constantine was baptized in Rome of Siluester that the very font in which he was christened is this day to be seene there and many other fabulous illations grounded thereupon To which I answere first with their owne deare frier and learned schooleman Victoria that such doctrine was first inuented by their flattering and beggerly Canonistes I say secondly that their owne canon law in the 96. distinction termeth this kinde of doctrine false counterfeite and not worthy of any
that the ternarie number doth not determine the apparitions in themselues but the diuersitie of dayes and times in which they were made for al apparitions made in one the same day are reputed named one The second doubt It is saide in these apparitions that Christ came into the middes of his Disciples and stoode among them euen when they were within the house the doores closely shut Wherby it appeareth euidently that Christs body may be both in heauen and in the sacrament at one and the same time for it no more repugneth for one bodie to bee in diuers places at once then for diuers bodies to be in one place at once Which latter is here verified of Christs body and the doore or walles of the house The answere I answere that God cannot by his absolute power make Christes body to be in diuers places at once not because there is any defect in God who is omnipotent but because contradiction is implied in the thing which should be done Which point I haue prooued euidently in the 12. preamble of my Booke of Motiues For the reasons there alleadged are effectuall if they be applied to this purpose In like maner I say that two bodies cannot be in one place at once because to haue parts without parts and to occupie place is of the formall and intrinsecall conceit of euery organicall and quantitatiue bodie such as Christes true body is Whereupon S. Augustine said truely and learnedly that if occupation or spaces of places be taken away from bodies they shall lose their essence and be no bodies at all So then the entrance of Christ into the house when the doors were shut and also his comming out of the sepulchre when the stone was vnrolled away neither doth nor can prooue that two bodies were in one place at once but that the doore and the stone gaue place for the time to Christes mightie power like as the red Sea gaue place to the Israelites and they passed through the middest thereof And as S. Peters chaines gaue place to his handes and as the Iron gate opened to him of it owne accord Furthermore if Christes bodie can be in ten thousand places at once as the papistes impudently auouch it must also follow that it may be in infinite places at once which is the heresie of the Vbiquitaries For after this maner did S. Hierome reason against Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem when hee laboured to prooue that our bodies may liue without meate after the resurrection If a man may liue fourty daies without meate saith S. Hierome as Moses and Elias did by the power of God then doubtles may he liue eternally by the same power of God In fine this veritie is made euident by that argument which Gods angel made to Mary Magdalen and the other Mary comming to see the sepulchre And because the argument is of force to confound all papistes in the world if it be well vrged I will alledge the argument as it is in the originall and then make effectuall application thereof These are the expresse wordes of the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee is not heere for he is risen as he saide Where I obserue first the assertion simplie in it selfe Secondly the cause and reason of the same assertion The assertion is this Christ is not in the sepulchre the reason heereof is this because Christ is risen Nowe then since Christ cannot be in the Sepulchre because he is risen it followeth of necessitie that either the angel of God inspired with Gods holy spirite made a very foolish and friuolous argument which to affirme is void of all christianitie or els that Christes body cannot be in two places at once which is that that I intend to proue For if it were not as I say the women might haue replied effectually against the angel thus albeit Christ be risen as you say yet may he be in the sepulchre also because his body may be in two places at once but the angel reputing it a thing cleere and euident that Christes body could not be in two places at one the selfe same time concluded directly and forcibly as hee thought Christes absence in the sepulchre bicause he was risen againe See the 3. part 10. chapter 4. conclusion and 3. paragraphe CHAP. VII Of Christes ascension and being in heauen CHrist hauing presented himselfe by many infallible tokens after that hee had suffered his passion conuersing visibly with his disciples by the space of fourtie daies in which time he spoke of thâ—nges pertaining to the kingdome of God told them that they should be his witnesses in Hierusalem al Iudea in Samaria and vnto the vttermost part of the earth he commanded them that they should not depart from HierusaleÌ„ but shuld wait for the promise of the father which things when he had spoken hee was taken vp in a cloud out of their sight While they looked stedfastly toward heaueÌ„ two men stood by them in white apparel said to them ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp fro you into heuen shal so come as ye haue seen him go into heuen Then y e disciples returned to Hierusalem froÌ„ the mount Oliuet which is neer to HierusaleÌ„ being froÌ„ it a sabaoths dayes iorny which is about 2000. paces or two English miles While the Apostles whose names are Peter Iames the son of Zebedeus Iohn Andrew Philip Thomas Bartholomew Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus Symon Zelotes and Iudas Thaddeus expected the comming downe of the holy ghost at Hierusalem there abode with them certain women and Mary the mother of Iesus and his brethren that is his kinsfolkes For it was as well behooueable to haue the wiues confirmed as the husbandes because they were afterward to be partakers of the daungers with them All which praied with one accord not onely for the sending of the holy ghost but also for deliuerance from present daungers wherewith they were beset Christ ascended vp into heauen must there remaine vntill his second aduent the day of doome general And so he neither is nor can be in the round cake as papistes impudently contend After Christes ascension and comming of the holy Ghost his apostles went abroad preaching the gospel to all nations whose limites actes and death the next chapter in particular maner shall describe CHAP. VIII Of the seuerall precinctes liues and deathes of the Apostles taken out of Epiphanius Tertullian Optatus Eusebius Oecumenius Nicephorus and others Of Peter and Philip. S. Peter after that hee had preached the gospell of Iesus Christ in PoÌ„tus Galatia Cappadocia Bithyma Italy was crucified at Rome with his had downward vnder the emperour Nero and buried there the third Calendes of Iulie S. Paul the chosen vessel of God omnipotent and the immoueable piller of his church was beheaded the same yere the
They call that a solemne vow which moonkes friers nunnes and other religious persons make and all the rest they repute vowes simple This distinction layd as a sound foundation they erect a manifold building thereupon in maner and forme following The first building Whosoeuer marrieth after the single vow of continencie he or she sinneth mortally but the mariage holdeth and is of force Thus teach all popish doctors with vniforme consent Angelus Rosilla Calderinus Couarrunias Paludanus Maior Siluester Nauarrus Fumus Scotus Sotus Aquinas and the rest I will only alledge the wordes of â—umus in the name of all who writeth in this manner Secundum impedimentum est votum simplex Nam qui vouit castitatem simpliciter si contrahat mortaliter peccat violans fidem deo datam tameâ— tenet matrimonium The second impediment is a single vow for hee that voweth chastitie simply if he afterward marry committeth a mortall sinne in breaking his promise made to God but yet the matrimonie holdeth and is of force The second building Euery marriage of man and woman made after the solemne vow of approoued religion is not only damnable in the partie contrahent but also void and of no force at all This likewise teach all popish doctors Aquinas Couarruâ—ias Siluester Nauarre and the rest Fumus hath these wordes Tertium impedimentum est votum non quodcunque sed solenne religionis approbatae siue fuerit professio expresse siue tacitè facta quia impedit ne quis possit contrahere matrimonium si contrahat est nullum The third impediment is a vow yet not euery one but the solemne vow of approoued religion whether profession bee made expressely or virtually because it so hindereth as none can marrie and if they doe marry such matrimony is none at all Where note that the papistes call that only approoued religion which is confirmed by the pope or bishop of Rome The third building Matrimonie euen after the solemne vow of religion is lawfull and of force so it be done by and with the popes dispensation This doctrine is taught vs by many learned papists Antoninus Richardus Hugo Innocentius Couarruuias and by the reall practise of sundry popes Thus writeth Antoninus whom I alledge in the name of the rest Papa dispensare potest in statuto concilij vniuersalis De voto solenni per professionem etiam patet quod licet papa non possit facere quod professus non fuit professus potest tamen facere quod non sit obligatus religioni ad votum religionis quiae in omni voto intelligitur excepta authoritate papae Infra communiter canonistae tenent quod papa potest dispensare in voto solenni religionis non quidem tantum vt sit religiosus non seruet vota sed de religioso potest facere laicum ex magna causa vrgente The pope can dispense in the decrees of a generall councell It is also cleere that he can dispense in a solemne vow by profession For although the pope cannot make a professed person not to haue been professed yet can he this doe that the professed person shal neither be bouÌ„d to his religion nor to his vow because we must vnderstand that in euery vow the popes authoritie is excepted and the Canonistes doe commonly holde that the pope can dispense in the solemne vowe of religion not only that one be still a religious person and keepe not his vow but of a religious person hee can make a meere lay man vpon an vrgent cause The fourth building A solemne vow hath not force of it selfe and of it owne nature to dissolue matrimonie and to make the solemne votaries vncapable thereof but all the force and efficacie it hath therein is wholly deriued from the ordinance of the church of Rome This teacheth their owne deere frier and reuerend bishop Iosephus Angles whose doctrine is approoued by the late popes of Rome Thus therefore doth Iosephus write Ratio praecisa ob quam votum solenne dirimit matrimonium contrahendum vouentes solenniter inhabilitat est ecclesiae institutio quae vt consanguineos intra quartum gradum ita huiusmodi personas ad contrahendum inhabilitat Definita est a Bonifacio 8. cap. vnico de voâ—o in 6. vbi solum constituit Rom. pontif discrimen inter votum solenne matrimonium Deinde quia possit ecclesia instituere vt in mundo nullum sit votuÌ„ soleÌ„ne matrimoniuÌ„ dirimens quare voti solennitas est ab ecclesia noÌ„ a deo ex nullo enim loco sacrae scripturae colligitur inhabilitas vouentis solenniter vt contrahere non possit Nam per traditionem quae fit in voto solenni non est ex iure diuino naturali inhabilis vouens adalium statum quia subdiaconus diaconus tradunt se deo voto solenni castitatis obedientiae tamen papa cum illis saepissimê dispensat vt Soto concedit The precise reason for which a solemne vow dissolueth matrimonie to bee contracted and disableth those that solemnely vow it is the institution of the church of Rome which as it inableth kinsfolkes within the fourth degree to contract marriage so doth it also the said votaries Bonifacius the eight hath so defined where the bishop of Rome onely appointeth the difference betweene a solemne vow and matrimonie Againe because the church of Rome might make a law that no solemne vow in the worlde should dissolue wedlocke wherefore the solemnitie of the vow is of the church and not of God For the inabilitie of the solemne vower so as he cannot marrie is not gathered out of any place of the holy scripture For by the tradition which is in the solemne vow the person vowing is not inabled to another state either by the law diuine or law of nature because Deacons and Subdeacons deliuer vp themselues to God by the solemne vow of chastitie and obedience and for all that the pope often dispenseth with them as Soto graunteth Nauarrus auoucheth constantly and without blushing that many popes haue dispensed de facto with professed moonkes and that in the way of marriage these are his wordes Papa potest dispensare cum monacho iam professo vt contrahat matrimonium imò de facto multi papae dispensarunt The pope can dispense with a moonke already professed that he may become a married man For many popes de facto haue dispensed so Couarruuias Richardus Paludanus Scotus Caietanus and Antoninus hold the selfe same opinion The fift building The vow single is of one and the same nature with the vow solemne not distinguished by any essentiall but meere accidentall difference For thus writeth their owne Iosephus Angles Votum solenne simplex ex parte subiecti specie accidentali differunt propterea quod voti simplicis subiectum est ad coÌ„trahendum matrimonium habile licet contrahendo peccet At verò subiectum voti solennis est
the reward of eternal life I say fourthly that to inuocate saints departed beleeuing that they can do heare our praiers is to make them gods And euen so shuld we make the liuing gods if we did in that maner cal on thē in their absence I may therfore wel conclude that though the one kind of praying be godly and imitable yet is the other damnable and flat idololatricall for God is zealous and wil not giue his glorie to another The second obiection The soule of the rich man in hel knew where Abraham was as also the state of Lazarus and of his brethren then liuing therfore much more do the saints in heauen know our state on earth The answere I say first that parables and allegories are not sufficient to establish any new kind of doctrine for by this parable as Irenaeus recordeth Christ meant nothing els but to declare the cogitations torments state of the wicked after this life Iustinus is of the same opinion hereupon flatly denieth purgatory I say secondly that if this were granted to be a true history no parable yet would it not follow therupon that the saints in heauen knew our thoughts and praiers here on earth for as S. Austen grauely writeth though the dead knowe not what is done here on earth while wee doe it yet may they afterwarde know what is done either by the dead that go from hence or by the angels that are present when the things are done and this knowledge had Abraham by the relation of the dead and no otherwise as witnesseth the same S. Austen in the same booke The third obiection S. Austen Ambrose Gregory Cyprian and the ancient fathers generally vsed to inuocate and to pray vnto the saints and therfore it is neither any new thing nor any vnlawful act The answere Better answer cannot be giuen to the fathers then that which is truely gathered out of the works of the same fathers I therfore say first with Cyprian that we must heare attend what Christ alone saith in whom God is wel pleased We must not regard what others think shuld be done but what Christ who was before al wold haue to be done for we must not folow the custom of man but the truth of god so saith holy Cyprian To which I may adde with S. Ierome that y e multitude of them that erre bring no patronage to the error it self with Augustine that neither what I say nor what thou saiest but what Christ saith ought to be regarded with Tertullian that that is tru whatsoeuer was first that coūterfeit whatsoeuer came after I say secondly that thogh the papists glorie greatly of y e fathers in this point yet when their sayings are duly considered they wil make litle or nothing for their purpose And that the reader may with perspicuitie behold the force of their doctrine in this point which hath kept my selfe long in suspence I purpose in God to deliuer the sum thereof by these plaine and briefe canons The first Canon The visible Church as writeth Egesippus remained a virgin free from all heresies and corruptions during the life of the Apostles that is about one hundred yeeres after Christ to which time S. Iohn the euangelist was liuing But after the death of the apostles errors by litle and little crept into the church as into a voide and desart house Which assertion is doleful inough but yet profitable against the papists as who are not ashamed impudently to auouch that after so many hundred yeres from Christs ascension there hath been no errour at all in their whorish Babylon And a great cause of these errors is this for that many without due examination receiued the doctrine of him that went before them So writeth Eusebius that Papias a man of no sound iudgement was the Author of the Chiliastes as who first grossely inuented that there should be 1000. yeres after the resurrection To which error though most palpable Irenaeus and others otherwise wel learned gaue place onely for antiquitie sake This imitation without time or reason was is and wil bee the cause of many errors which sundrie of the learned papists haue profoundly considered For this cause did Canus oppose himselfe against al the Thomists Scotists the old and latter papists for this cause did Caietanus in his literall exposition of Genesis and other bookes condemne the multitude of former commentaries for this cause said their learned Victoria that he reputed nothing certaine albeit al writers agreed thereunto vnlesse he could finde it in the holy scriptures for this cause their sound canonist Nauarre did roundly reiect the common opinion when it seemed not grounded vpon right reason for this cause grauely said Saint Austen that he reputed no mans writings free from errours but onely the writers of the holy scriptures for this cause said their owne Roffensis that it is lawful to appeale from Austen Cyprian Hierome and al the rest because they are men and do not want their imperfections I saith S. Austen do not repute S. Cyprians writings as canonical but iudge them by the canonicall and whatsoeuer doth not agree with the scriptures that by his leaue do I refuse The second Canon Many of the ancient fathers haue not only many waies erred but withall committed to the view of the worlde in printed bookes that which this day is reputed and generally confessed of al as wel papists as good christians to be a notorious heresie The heresie is this to wit that the soules of the faithful departed out of this life doe not see God clearely till the day of doome This opinion held Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Origenes Chrysost. Theodoritus Hilarius Ambrosius Augustinus Lactantius yea these latter writers were of the selfesame resolution Theophilactus Oecumenius Euthymius Arethas and others And to the great comfort of our Iesuits and other papists their owne sweete S. Barnard singeth the same song these are his words Aduertistis ni fallor tres esse sanctarum status animarum primum videlicet in corpore corruptibili secundum sine corpore tertium in beatitudine consummata primū in tabernaculis secundū inatriis tertium in domo dei Infra in illam beatissimam domum nec sine nobis intrabunt nec sine corporibus id est nec sancti fine plebe nec spiritus sine carne Ye vnderstand I weene that there be three states of holy soules to wit the first in the corruptible body the second without the body the third in perfect blisse the first in tabernacles the second in courts the third in the house of God Into that most blessed house they shall neither enter without vs nor yet without their bodies that is neither the saints without the common multitude nor the soules without the flesh Again in another place the same Bernard hath these words Interim sub Christi
sea by the deuils He came to Hierusalem at the feast of Easter he entred into a ship to auoid the prease of the people and sent his apostles two by two to preach the gospel He went into the mountaine when the people would haue made him king he sayled into Magedan Dalmanutha he returnd to Bethsaida came into the coasts of Cesaria Philippi He was transfigured in the mount Thabor he returned to Capernaum and passed through the middes of Samaria hee sent his twelue disciples to Hierusalem to the feast of Tabernacles and secretly followed after them He sent his messengers to Samaria the Samaritaines would not receiue them he came to Hierusalem and taught openly in the temple He sent 72. disciples two by two into euerie place whither hee would come In Bethania Martha did intertaine him In the feast of the dedication hee walked in the temple in Salomons porch euen in the winter season Hee passed into the coasts of Iewrie beyond Iorden where Iohn did first baptize in Bethania he raised vp Lazarus from death to life thence he went to Ephraim beside the desert where hee fasted hee came to Bethphage beside the mount Oliuet he entred into Hierusalem riding on an asse-colt whereon neuer man sate before he went vp into the temple and did cast out them that bought and solde therein hee returned to Bethania and went againe to Hierusalem where hee ate the Paschal lambe After supper he went forth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron into the Garden of Geth-semani where he praied while drops of bloud trickled downe his cheekes after his praier he returned to his disciples was apprehended by Iudas and his complices was led away to Annas first then to Caiphas then to Pilate then to Herode then to Pilate againe after whipped and scourged crowned with a crowne of thorne condemned and crucified And all this long tedious paineful and bitter pilgrimage Christ Iesus the sonne of God suffered for the sinnes and loue of man Saint Paul likewise the chosen vessell of God had a long and painefull pilgrimage for the Gospel sake For being miraculously conuerted from a raging Wolfe to bee a meeke sheepe from a mortall foe to bee a deere friende from a cruell persecutour to become an holy Apostle hee foorthwith preached the gospel at Damascus From thence hee went to Arabia from Arabia hee turned againe to Damascus and after three yeres came to Ierusalem Before which time the Iewes at Damascus tooke counsell to kill S. Paul and for that end they watched the gates day and night But the disciples tooke him by night put him through the wal and let him downe by a rope in a basket The Iews laid hands on him while he was in the temple at Hierusalem They lay in waite to kill him but the chiefe captaine cōmanded to bind him with two chains to leade him into the castle he caused him also to be scourged and examined and sent him away to Felix the gouernour hee came to Antiochia by the meanes of Barnabas where they twaine taught the people a whole yere insomuch that the disciples were first called christians in that place From Antioche he went with Barnabas to carrie their charitable almes which the Antiochians sent to the faithfull in Iudea he passed from Antioche to Seleucus and from thence he sayled to Cyprus from Cyprus to Salamis and thence to Paphus where he found a Iewe named Bariesus who was with the deputie Sergius Paulus from Paphus he wēt to Perga from Perga to Antioche not in Syria but in Pisidia and afterwarde to Iconium But being stoned at Iconium hee fled to Lystra and Derbe the cities of Lycania and to the regions round about He returned to visite the brethren in euerie citie where hee had preached stablishing the churches of Syria and Cilicia And when he had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia he was forbidden of the holy ghost to preach in Asia And being admonished in a vision to go into Macedonia he went to Troas from Troas to Samothracia from Samothracia to Neapolis from Neapolis to Philippi the chife Citie in the parts of Macedonia After this he returned to Ierusalem and being cast in prison he pleaded his cause before Felix and Drusilla his wife before Agrippa Festus and Bernice and appealing to Cesar hee was sent to Rome where afterward hee was beheaded as approued histories make relation So Lycurgus as authenticall histories record profited much by his pilgrimage into forren countries So did also the Decemuiri of y e Romans while by their pilgrimage into Greece they learned their prudent politike lawes and trained vppe their owne people accordingly More commendable then all these was the pilgrimage of y e three wise men that came from farre to adore the sweete babe that was newly borne Christ the Sauior of the world Neither for all that was the pilgrimage of the queene of Saba to be reprooued when she came so many hundred miles to heare and trie King Salomons wisedome The fourth conclusion Popish inuocation adoration visitation translation eleuation asportation and reseruation is superstitious blasphemous and idololatrical This conclusion is euidently proued by that which is already said of the inuocation and adoration of saints For if no religious worship nor adoration can be giuen to the liuing saints as is already proued much lesse may that which is contained in this conclusion be yeelded to the dead bodies reliques of the same And doubtlesse the faithlesse Gentiles haue not committed more grosse and palpable idolatrie in adoring their idols then our late Papists in adoring their relikes For first when the relique which they terme Vultus sanctus is eleuated as solemnly as their bread-god in the masse though not ouer the priests head but publiquely in both his hands the people of Rome are taught to crie aloude misericordi misericordi mercie mercie for our sinnes Which as euerie child knoweth is the proper inuocation of God himselfe Againe they doe ascribe so much Religion in handling and in touching the tabernacles or coffers wherein the reliques are put that the lay people may scarcely touch them with their bare handes or yet the priestes eleuate the same vnlesse they first adore them vpon their knees and in their surplesses with stoles about their neckes Thirdly they thinke that if their beades do but once touch those coffers they receiue a great holinesse from thence Fourthly they think that to come on pilgrimage to Rome especially is a great parte of satisfaction for their sinnes Fiftly they thinke it a farre greater holines to pray in one place then in another greater at one altar then at another more blessed in one church then in an other and that it is the next step to heauen to say masse or cause masse to be said at the church of the blessed virgin in Lauretto Sixtly they repute such holines in externall rites and corruptible reliques that
reprobate and not of the elect and godly sort but after he had pondered the text deeply he altered his opinion This is confirmed in these words of the selfe same chapter but I see another law in my meÌ„bers rebelling against the law of my mind leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members By these words of Paul it is euident that albeit he were the childe of God yet could he not merite any thing in Gods sight but rather in rigor of iustice prouoke his heauy displeasure against him For where or what could be his merite who was prisoner to the law of sinne Againe it is confirmed in these words For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Thus saiâ—h saint Paul and doubtlesse since hee did the euill which he would not he sinned though he were regenerate and because he sinned he was worthie of condemnation for that death is the stipend of sinne Againe it is confirmed in these words For the law is spirituall but I am carnal sould vnder sinne Thus saith S. Paul of himselfe and yet is it true that one vnder sin can merit nothing saue hel fire and eternal paine Againe it is confirmed in these words Nowe if I do that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in mee Thus saith Saint Paul of himselfe and yet because sin abode in him and did that that was offensiue in gods sight he could neither merite grace nor eternal life as is already proued Further then this no man liueth without sinne as the papists grant and yet is euerie sinne mortall as I haue prooued elsewhere The first obiection Saint Paul speaketh of originall concupiscence which remaineth euen in the regenerate after baptisme but is no sinne at all For he onely calleth it sinne because it prouoketh a man to sin as a mans writing is called his hand for that it is written with his hand which exposition S. Austen approueth in sundrie places of his works The answere I say first that to say against the flat text of scripture without scripture is no reason at all I say secondly that S. Paul doth not onely call concupiscence sin but he proueth it by many reasons For first it striueth against the law of the minde Againe it leadeth one captiue into the law of sinne thirdly it doth that which is not good but euil I say thirdly that Saint Austen doth vndoubtedly iudge it to be sin neither shal any papist in the world euer be able to proue the contrarie howsoeuer they bare the world in hand I wil onely alleage a few places out of S. Austen make effectuall application of the same to which when anie either Rhemist or Romist shall answere sufficiently I promise to become his bondman The first place of Austen Concupiscentia carnis aduersus quam bonus concupiscit spiritus peccatum est quia inest illi inobedientia contra dominatum mentis poena peccati est quia reddita est meritis inobedientis causa peccata est defectione consentientis vel contagione nascentis The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit striueth is sinne because it is disobedient against the dominion of the mind and it is the punishmeÌ„t of sin bicause it is inflicted for the deserts of disobedient Adam and it is the cause of sinne either by the default of him that consenteth or by the contagion of the child that is borne Thus saith S. Austen In which words he expresseth three things precisely first that concupiscence in the regenerate is the paine or punishment of sinne secondly that it is the cause of sinne thirdly that it is sin it selfe which three he doth not only distinguish but withall hee yeeldeth seueral reasons for the same And therfore most impudent are the papists who auouch with open mouthes that saint Austen onely calleth it sin because it is the cause of sinne The second place of Saint Austen Neque enim nulla est iniquitas cum in vno homine vel superiora inferioribus tur piter seruiunt vel inferiora superioribus contumaciter reluctantur etiamsi vincere non sinantur For it is some iniquitie when in one man either the superiour parts shamefully serue the inferiour or the inferiour parts stubbornly striue against the superiour although they be not suffered to preuaile Thus saith S. Austen whose words are so plaine as the papists can not possibly inuent any euasion at all For hee saith in expresse tearmes that the rebellion which is betweene the flesh and the spirit is sinne euen when it is resisted and cannot preuaile at which time and in which respect the papists wil haue it to be merite and no sinne at all The third place of Saint Austen Virtus est charitas qua id quod diligendum est diligitur haec in alijs maior in alijs minor in alijs nulla est plenissima vero quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hic homo viuit est in nemine quamdiu autem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est Ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet Ex quo vitio non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis viuens Propter quod vitium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nosmetipsos seducimus veretas in nobis non est Propter quodetiam quantumlibet profecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra cum iam omnia in baptismo dicta facta cogitata dimissa sint Charitie is a vertue with which we loue that that ought to be loued This in some is more in other lesse in others none at all but the perfect charitie which can not bee increased while a man here liueth is found in none so long as it can be increased that doubtlesse which is lesse then it shoulde bee proceedeth of sinne by reason of which sin there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight by reason of which vice if we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs by reason of which sin how much soeuer we profit yet must we say of necessitie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen after that al our thoughts words and works are forgiuen in baptisme Thus saith saint Austen Out of whose most golden words I note sundrie things to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists For first Saint Austen saith that no man can haue charity in that perfite degree which the law requireth Secondly that the want thereof proceedeth of this concupiscence Thirdly that by reason of this concupiscence euerie man is a sinner Fourthly that by reason therof none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight
still the naturall dimensiue quantitie Ergo it is impossible that it bee conteined vnder the forme of a little round cake For the manifestation of this argument I note first that all learned men aswell papistes as others agree in this that God by his absolute power cannot doe those thinges which implie contradiction in the doing the reason wherof I haue yeelded in my booke of Motiues in the 12. preamble I note secondly that it is essentiall to quantitie to haue one part without another as the great philosopher Aristotle doth auouch See the 2. part book 2. chap 6. and note it well I note thirdly that the whole demensiue quantitie of Christes naturall body which he had here visibly on earth and still retaineth in heauen is togither with his body in the eucharist as all learned papistes graunt And so by popish docrine a body being foure cubites long and two cubites broad remaining stil so long broad must perforce be conteined vnder another body which is neither two cubites long nor one cubite broad but it is impossible as implying flat contradiction When occupatiō of place is taken away from a body it then ceaseth to be and is no body at all But Christes body occupieth no place in the Eucharist as learned papistes graunt Ergo Christes body is not corporally there And least any man distrust the proposition Saint Augustine hath these expresse wordes Cum ergò sit corpus aliqua substantia quantitas eius est in magnitudine molis eius sanitas vero eius non quantitas sed qualitas eius est Non ergo potuit obtinere quantitas corporis quod potuit qualitas Nam ita distantibus partibus quae simul esse non possunt quoniam sua quaeque spatia locorum tenent minores minora maiores maiora non potuit esse in singulis quibusque partibus tota vel tanta sed amplior est quantitas in amplioribus partibus breuior in breuioribus in nulla parte tanta quanta per totum Infra Nam spatia locorum tolle corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt nec erunt When therfore any substance is a body the quantitie therof is in the magnitude of the bignesse but the health is not the quantitie but the qualitie thereof Therefore the quantitie of the body could not attaine that which the qualitie could For y e parts being so distant which could not be togither because al seuerally keepe their spaces of places the lesse lesser places and the greater greater there could not be in al the places seuerally the whole or so much but there is a larger quantitie in the larger partes a shorter in shorter partes and in no part so much as in the whole For if spaces of places be taken from bodies they shalbe in no place and because they shalbe in no place neither shall they haue any being at all Out of these wordes I note first that euery quantitatiue bodie hath one part distant from another I note secondly that the same partes occupie distinct places I note thirdly that two quantities cannot be in the same place at one and the same time I note fourthly that a greater quantitie must haue a greater place and that it cannot be conteined in the lesser I note fiftly that no one part can conteine so much as the whole I note sixtly that when bodies are without places they lose their natures and beings I therefore conclude that it is impossible for Christs natural body to be contained in a little round cake and his whole bodie in euerie little part thereof all which the papists impudently and blasphemously do auouch Guiliel Ocham and Durandus two popish doctours do both subscribe to S. Austens reason If it were possible for Christs bodie to be in diuers places at once the angel of God should haue made a foolish reason to the women that came to see Christ in the sepulcher for the angell prooued Christ not to be there bicause he was risen These are the words Hee is not here for he is risen as he said But if Christs body could bee in many places at once as the papists would haue vs beleeue then doubtlesse did the angel reason childishly For the women might haue said though he be risen yet may hee be here also Yet the angel who was not to be instructed of the papists but from heauen affirmed that hee could not be there because he was risen For he said not Christ is risen and is not here but he is not here because he is risen Lo his rising is the cause that he coulde not be there Marke this reason well for it doth conuince Peruse the twelfth preamble in my first booke of Motiues and the first replie of the seauenth obiection in the first paragraph The fourth Paragraph Of the originall of transubstantiation Transubstantiation is not onely repugnant to all philosophy but so absurd also in al christian speculation as it was vnknowne to the church of God and to all approued writers the space of one thousand two hundred yeres after Christs sacred incarnation For it was first hatched by pope Innocentius the third of that name in the council of Lateran which was holden 1215. yeeres after Christ. Yea the determination of this synode was reputed of so little force that the zealous papist and famous schoole-doctour Durandus boldely published the contrarie doctrine euen after the flat resolution of the same councell Whose doctrine doth so gall the papists that the Iesuite Bellarmine vnwilling on the one side to oppose himselfe against Durand rigorously and on the other side not knowing what to say in defense of the Romish synode maketh as it were this mitigation betweene them Itaque sententia Durandi haeretica est licet ipse non sit dicendus haereticus cum paratus fuerit ecclesiae iudicio acquiescere Therfore the opinion of Durand is hereticall though himselfe may not be called an hereticke because he was readie to giue place to the decree of the Church thus writeth our Iesuite Out of whose words I note first that a man may steale an oxe proclaime the same to the world without any remorse and yet be no theefe at all for Durand held an hereticall opinion published the same in print constantly and yet as the Iesuite telleth vs was no hereticke for so doing I note secondly that Durand liued more then threescore yeares after the popish Councell of Lateran I note thirdly that he neuer retracted his opinion notwithstanding the decree and censure of the popish Synode and therefore vainely and without reason sayth our Iesuite that Durand was willing to obey the decree of their Church for if he were willing to obey their church heerein how came it to passe that he liuing so long after he knewe their Churches minde did commit that to print wittingly and willingly which is altogether against the same for no man doubtlesse impugneth
the bone of a dead dogge if it be saide by any to be a relique of a saint will drawe them with facilitie to touch it to kisse it and to adore it as if it were God almightie For which cause saint Austen saieth truely that many bodies are adored vpon earth whose soules are damned in hell Yea the dead corps of Hermannus was adored for a saint twenty yeeres at Ferrara who yet was an heretique as writeth their owne Platina The first obiection They are vndoubtedly the true relikes of true saints which the church appointeth to be adored euery where And saint Austen speaketh onely against priuate abuses of certaine priuate persons not against the generall practise of y e vniuersal church For the vse of the church is first to canonize the saint and after to propose his relikes to be adored Which church being therein directed by the holy ghost cannot erre as you imagine The answer I say first that how your church both may erre and hath erred de facto is already prooued I say secondly that your abuses are as generall as your reliques For you all teach to adore all your reliques religiously in all places wheresoeuer insomuch as your owne Ludouicus Viues granteth that many christians do sinne no lesse in adoring their images and relikes then do the Gentiles in adoring their false gods I say thirdly that your worshipping of reliques is flatly reproued by S. Paul in what maner soeuer ye doe it The apostle of Christ yeeldeth this reason because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntarie worship◠not contained in Gods word I say fourthly that if Christs crosse must therefore be adored because it touched Christs bodie which is the reason of popish adoration euen so ought the lippes of Iudas to be adored because they touched Christs sacred mouth This reason is inuincible if it be well vrged I say fiftly that the Pope may erre in canonizing your Saints as your owne Doctour Melchior Canus telleth you neither can Aquinas indeede denie the same And certes as the pope may erre in canonizing your saintes so may he much more erre in determining such and such reliques to be the bodies bones or ashes of such and such saintes and consequently so may all papistes adoring them commit idolatry yea though it were granted that true reliques might be adored because as S. Austen grauely saide their reliques are adored on earth whose soules are broyling in hell fire I say sixtly that when the pope taketh vpon him not only to canonize saintes but withall not to erre in so doing he doubtlesse chalengeth to himselfe the authoritie of God omnipotent and may therefore fitly be called Antichrist howsoeuer the Iesuites and his other vassals labour to defend him in this The second obiection If it were not a godly act to adore holy reliques to translate them from place to place as the church hath a long time vsed holy Moses who had Gods spirite largely would neuer haue so reuerenced the dead body of S. Ioseph nor yet haue caried it so many miles The answere I say first that the flesh of Iosephs bodie was wholy consumed and nothing left but bones and ashes For the Israelites abode in Egypt about 215. yeares after the death of holy Ioseph I say secondly that as the wicked gaine nothing by being buried in temples after the christian maner euen so neither are the godly worse for being buried in places prophane For they who die in the warres for the seruice of their Soueraigne and defence of their natiue countrey are doubtlesse in as good case notwithstanding their base kinde of funerall as if they had died at home and been buried with all pompe and solemnitie I say thirdly that the translation of S. Iosephes bones out of Egypt was not for religion sake whereof holy Writ maketh no mention but to shew his hope and confidence in Gods promise and to confirme the faith of his brethren For these are the wordes God will surely visite you and yee shal take my bones away hence with you As if he had said Haue full trust in Gods promise for your deliuerance for vndoubtedly God will bring you into the land of Chanaan as he hath said and for the better confirmation thereof I appoint my bones to be taken with you thither and for this end doth the Apostle ascribe this charge giuen to Iosephes brethren to the great commendation of his faith The third obiection The scripture telleth vs that Helcana and Anna his wife went thrise in the yeare on pilgrimage to Hierusalem Sundrie of the Greekes left their owne countrey and came to adore in Hierusalem The Eunuch came from farre to adore in the same place S. Paul himselfe made haste in his iourney that he might keepe Pentecost at Hierusalem Christ likewise with his mother Mary and S. Ioseph her husband came on pilgrimage to Hierusalem The answere I say first that God appointed his temple at Hierusalem to be the peculiar place of his externall worship and that al his people should repaire thither at three seueral times in the yere To wit at Easter Pentecost and the feast of tabernacles So that S. Ioseph S. Marie S. Anna and Helcana went to Hierusalem at that day euen as we doe nowe to the Church to heare diuine seruice and sermons And therefore their pilgrimage was honourable and highly to be commended I say secondly that Christ himselfe went not of any necessity but for our sake and to giue vs an example of obedience and humilitie For hee came to fulfill the lawe not to dissolue the same I say thirdly that saint Paul hasted thither for the gospel sake because then there would be great concourse of people whom he desired to instruct with godly sermons I say fourthly that as Iosephus writeth sundry of the conuerted gentiles as the Eunuch Cornelius and others vsed to resort to Ierusalem with the dispersed Iewes where they adored the liuing God then as we do now in the church neere at home But they went not to adore stockes and stones as the papists do nor to put religion in dead creatures The fourth obiection Going on pilgrimage is a very auncient custome and that for religion sake for S. Alexander a most holy martyr who liued aboue a thousand and two hundreth yeares agoe went for that end to Hierusalem as writeth Eusebius in his historie The answere I say first that to go on pilgrimage is an holy and auncient thing indeed as which both Christ himselfe S. Paule and other holy men haue practised as I haue already graunted I say secondly that though Saint Alexander had a great affection to see those places where Christ hadde been present and wrought his miracles yet did he neither think his praiers more acceptable in y e place then in an other nor yet thought his iourney to be any part of satisfaction for his sinnes For hee knew right well