speake ye a woorde it shal not be done because our lorde is with vs. Wherfore I considering most vertuous Quene the gret goodnes of God declared towarde your grace toward this whole realm couÌ„trey in restoring againe the true religion of Christ into it also seing your hyghnes ernest zeale towards the trouth exceading trauel of the same in setting it forth did thynke it my boundeÌ„ duety to put my helping hand therunto especially forasmuch as Christe our sauior said that he came into the world to beare witnes vnto the trouth died for the defence of it For which causes I haue made this boke and eÌ„titled it the bouclier of the fayth Which I haue dedicated vnto your grace most humbly beseching your highnes to take in good worth thys my labor takeÌ„ as god is my record only for the defence and declaracion of the trouth that thereby your graces subiectes which haue bene seduced deceiued by the late new prechers teachers writers may plainly see how thei wer led bi theÌ„ out of the right way into many manifest shameful errors returne again out of them vnto the catholike verity that the trouth may deliuer theÌ„ froÌ„ the peril of euerlasting daÌ„natioÌ„ at their mortal lifes Ioan. viii end bring theÌ„ to the endles ioyes of heaueÌ„ through gods gret mercy the desertes of Christ our sauiour vnto whoÌ„ with the father the holy goost be honor glory for euer euer AmeÌ„ ¶ To the good Christian Reader I RemeÌ„briÌ„g good Reader how the people of this our countrey are infected and poysoned in theyr soules by the new preachers euil sermons and wicked bookes and that as yet few bookes haue been set foorth for the confutacion of them to reduce the people agayne vnto the catholike fayth dyd thynke it my duetie to trauayle and labour theriÌ„ especially seyng euery man must make a straite accompt reckonyng to Christ at domes daye for his talentes and giftes receiued Mat xxv of god When he that hath encreased those giftes by godly vsyng of them Roma ii shall receiue a reward of god accordyng to his doynges and he whiche hath not so done shall bee punished therfore The whiche thinges with other moe moued me to write and set foorth this traicte for the defence of the truth not to enstruct the learned in Diuinitie whiche nede not much my teachyng but to teach the vnlearned to stay and establish the waueryng to assure and certify the doubtfull of the trouth to bryng theÌ„ agayne vnto the trouth of the catholike churche whiche were disceaued through ignoraunce and are williÌ„g to learne and embrace the veritye gladlye refusyng the faulsitie and vntrouth and to confounde the malicious and obstinate defendours folowers of heresy Seke here good Reader no eloqueÌ„ce which serueth as Lactance sayth the worlde and LactaÌ„tius Euse bius lib. 3. ca. 24. hist ecclesi De doctrina christiana it which the simple trouth nedeth not but the trouth playnely and rudelye taught for the edifying of the symple and rude people For what auaileth as Sainct Augustine sayth a golden keye if it cannot open the locke which I woulde haue opened And what matier is it if the key be made of woode so it can open my locke Euen so what profiteth the speakers teachers or writers eloquence yfit open not the doore or locke of the holy Scriptures vnto the people Also what hurteth his rude speaking and playne grosse manier of preachyng teachyng or wrytyng yf he thereby do open the Scriptures to the people for theyr instruccion Sayde not Sayncte Paule that he came not to preache in wyse eloquente Rhethorike woordes least therby hys preachyng of Christ i. Cor. â— â— ii and hys death should be voyd and of none effecte Why then shoulde I yf I could as well as any other manne can vse paynted termes sekyng thereby the vayn prayse of menne edifying not the people and loosyng my reward of God Wherfore I wyll be playne and vse no eloquence at all heartily Math. vi desyryng thee good Reader to accept my endeuour and traueile takeÌ„ in this enterprise to amend the fautes if thou findest any in this traict and eyther to vse the same my labours with thankes geuyng to god the father from whom all goodnes commeth Iacobi i. as s Iames witnesseth or els to setfoorth something better of thy own study More I beseche euery man whiche shall reade this my booke and principally all them that are yet of an other belyefe than I teache herein to reade this treatise other my bokes nowe printed which shal be shortly set foorth in print without al corrupted affeccion and then I doubt nothyng but they shall bee edyfyed therby For I dooe teache nothyng in this my booke but onely the faith and trouth of the catholyke churche whiche erreth not therin as the fyrst Mat. xvi vlt. CoÌ„siliuÌ„ NicenuÌ„ c. 9 generall counsayle holden at Nicea about a thousand two huÌ„dred yeres passed witnesseth saying Quod irreprehensibile est catholica defendit ecclesia The catholike church defendeth that thiÌ„g which is not reprouable And To. ii â—pist ex viii ad Ianuarum s AusteÌ„ sayth that the catholike church doth not approue nor kepe in silence nor doe any thyng against the faith or good lyfe Wherfore let theÌ„ which are gone out of this church williÌ„gly deuidyng themselues from the vnitye of it retourne home agayne to her theyr louyng mother not forgeatyng that as no manne nor woman whyche was out of Noes ship in the tyme of the floude eschaped Ciprian death euen so no manne nor womaÌ„ Austen whych is out of thys Saincte Peters shippe the catholike Churche as a Schismatike can be saued froÌ„ the peryll of that death both of body Math. 25. and soule whyche shall neuer haue ende because Christ is as Sainct Paule sayeth the sauiour of his bodye Ephesia v. whiche is the Churche and he is made the cause meritorious of euerlastyng Hebrues v saluacion onely to al theÌ„ as he witnesseth also that obey him whiche commaundeth vs to be obedient vnto hys spouse the Churche Math. xviii S. Ciprian a great goodly clarke and a blessed Martyr whyche was about M. CCC yeares passed expresseth Lib. i. epi. 3. playnly the cause of heresies schismes diuisions in religion and of the contempt of the cleargye and of Priestes when he wryteth thus Heresies schismes coÌ„tempt of priestes doe rise of that onelye that there is not one head Priest and iudge obeyed in the church of Christ as his vicaire Ne que aliunde haereses aborte sunt aut nata sunt schismata nisi inde quod sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec vinis in ecclesia ad tempussacerdos et ad tempus iudex vice christi cogitatur cui si secundum magisteria obtempâ—raret fraternitas vniuersa nemo aduersus sacerdotum
collegium quidquam moueret Heresyes sayeth Cyprian are rysen vp or schismes sprong of no o-other thyng but therof that the pryest of god he ment the Pope is not obeyed and that there is not for the tyme one priest one iudge thought vpon or esteamed in the churche as Christes vicaire Vnto whom if the whole brotherhoode that is to saye all christians woulde accordyng to Note thys wel the Maysters teachynges obey no maÌ„ should moue any thyng against the college or company of Priestes I wil shortly write of this matter at large by gods grace Is not thys manifestly spoken of this auncyent Martir to declare setforth the cause of deuisions in our fayth of heresies and despysyng of priestes Haue we not founde thys his godly saying most true nowe of late in this our couÌ„trey But I leauyng thys mattier vntyll an other tyme dooe exhorte all men that are deuided from thys catholike church and the generall heade of it for the loue of Iesus Christ which shedde his precious bloude for them vs for all the world as Sainct Paule and Sainct Iohn dooe testifye to i. Tâ—mo ii i. Iohn ii come again vnto the vnity of theÌ„ both forsakyng al their errours and all opinions to receiue the trouth again obeying euer the kinges highnes seÌ„t hyther of god for the wealth of thys realme and the Quenes grace the chosen and elected of God to bryng vs again vnto the sayd vnitye vnto grace godlines which was of late wonderfully decayed amongst vs. Geus absque consilio est et sine prudentia vtinam saperâ—rit et iÌ„telligereÌ„t acnouissima ê“viderent Deute 32. For if they styl abyding in their blidnes errors obstinately will not obey gods trouth our most noble godly king vertuous Quene let theÌ„ nothing doubt but that god will be aueÌ„ged vpoÌ„ theÌ„ as he hath alreadye vpon some of their graund captains for theyr euyll religion malicious disobedience against our souereigne Lady very ryght enheriter of this realme wil be vpoÌ„ the rest of that sort if they be not obedient vnto hiÌ„ her yea although that her hyghnes vsed neuer so great piety and clemencye towardes them willyng thereby to win theÌ„ For what vengeaunce toke Nume xvi god vpon Chore Dathan AbiroÌ„ for their rebellion against his seruaÌ„t Moses Dyd not the earth opeÌ„ and swalowed theÌ„ vp Wer not their adherentes that toke parte with them all brent with fyer Why wyl not meÌ„ remember this historye and such others Roma xv wrytten in the scryptures as all other thynges are for theyr instruccion Why read they not the chronacles of England that they maye learne that rebellion neuer came to good ende Why remember they not that all rebellions of our age tyme whatsoeuer cause they haue pretented to haue for to rebell came to coÌ„fusion will men bee so blynded that nothyng can make them see the dauÌ„ger of rebellion who is so ignorauÌ„t but he knoweth that Sainct Paul and Saincte Peter commaundeth Roma xiii Titus iii. 1. Petri. ii vs to obey our Kyng Quene and the higher powers vnder them and that as Sainct Paule wylleth not onely for to auoide temporal punishmente Roma xiii but also for oure conscyence sake Dyd our new ghospellers folow thys commaundemente when they conspyred and rebelled agaynst our kyng and Quene yea agaynste Proue viii god hymselfe of whoÌ„ thei haue theyr authoritie by whom they raygne God hytherto hath been the Quenes hyghnes bouclier and mightye defendour agaynst all her enemyes wyll bee whyles she lyueth in thys worlde Wherfore I say once agayne let no man resyste her hyghnes proceadynges nay gods proceadinges rather and the catholyke Churches least they win nothyng els thereby than extreame misery theyr vttermost vndoyng as many haue done afore thys time wherof they are not ignorant For there is no counsel no policy nor wisdoÌ„ as SalomoÌ„ saith Prouer. xxi that can anithing preuaile against our lord The which hath by his especial goodnes toward her grace and this whole realme geuen to her highnes grace to conceiue a childe wherfore it is euery true faythfull subiectes bounden duety heartily to geue him thankes to reioice and be glad therfore and deuoutely to praye nyghte and day vnto hym that as she hath conceiued by his singuler grace eueÌ„ so he would ayde and strengtheÌ„ her highnes in her birth as he dyd Sara Abrahams wife Rachel Isaacs Gene. xxi Gene xxx i. regum ii Luce. i. wife Anna Helchanaes wife Elizabeth zacharies wife mother of sainct Iohn Baptist with diuers others verye aged women that she maye easily without greate payne and al dauger of her life bring forth that her child into this world that it maye long lyue here amongest vs raygne ouer vs quietelye in much ê“sperity honor to gods glory vnto whoÌ„ bee all praise for euen AMEN ¶ The second boke shal be prynted shortely by gods grace ¶ A coÌ„futacioÌ„ of an errour set forth by the autours of the Catechisme made in king Edward the syxte D. tho craÌ„mer D Ridley c. Fo. 9 Catechismi tyme and published in hys name which is that no man can obserue gods coÌ„maundementes â–ª PEter Martyr good Christien Reader was in thys matter ageinst Doctour Thomas CraÌ„mer late Archebishoppe of Cantorburie Doctour Ridley and other the Auctours makers of the aboue named Catechisme For he affirmeth in hys comentaries writen vpon the firste Epistle to the Corinthians that by Fo. 53. the grace of God a man maye kepe Gods coÌ„maundementes although he afterwarde sayeth that no man can obserue this precept Diliges dominum deum tuum c. Thou shalt loue thy Math. 22. lorde God with al thy heart c. nor this Non concupisces Thou shalt not Exodi 20. Rom. 7. 1. Cor. 16. coueit thi neighbours wife c wherby it appeareth playnly that the spirite of vnite peace was not with theÌ„ but to the purpos The Scripture sayeth â—sti impleuerunt voluntatem meaÌ„ These meÌ„ Caleb and Iosue haue Num. 32 fulfylled my wyll What mente GOD hereby hys wyll Ment he not his holy commaundemeÌ„tes whiche he wolde men should fulfyl and kepe For that is signified in mani Math. 6. Fiat voluÌ„tâ—stua c Thessa 4. places of the Scripture by Godes wyll Were they not then very ignorant when they dyd teache meÌ„ that no mortall man could kepe the commaundementes seing God sayeth that those ii men fulfylled his will Also GOD sayde vnto Ieroboam Tu non fuist sicut seruus meus Dauid qui custodiuit 3. Regâ—â— 14. mandata mea et sequtus est me in toto corde suo c Thou hast not bene lyke vnto my feruiteur Dauyd whiche hath kept my coÌ„maundementes hath folowed me in all hys heart c. Lo God sayeth that Dauyd obserued hys coÌ„maundementes Who is theÌ„ so folishe to
aduered to the Catechisme before rehersyd falsly sayeth Who will theÌ„ Arti. 23. beleue them in other thinges seyng they lie so playnlie in this thinge S. Pauline to whome â–ª S AusteÌ„ Epist ad Pammachium defientem mortem vxoris sue Lege paulinum wrote thus hath Tâ—â—eaÌ„ prose qâ—â—utus â—â— remediis falutaribus viâ—is operibus hoc est eleemosinis debito ordine Primum charo funeâ—i iusta persoluens piis lachrimis largo charitatis rore perâ—u sâ—is â—â—ligiosas exequias honorasti Thou hast showed to her thy loue Epistoâ—â— 1. wyth holsoâ—e remedyes and liuely wordes yâ— is to saye with almes geuen to the poore for her soule inâ—dew order first of all keeping deryges and serueâ— for yâ— derely beloued dead persoâ—aige thou ful of charitie Personage Or. Dirigeeâ— shaft houonted her Godly obsequies or Diriges with souing teares deâ—lareth not this sayng this auÌ„nâ—ient Doctours belief herin Charles the great Emperour in the Epâ—aphe which â—he maâ—e vpon the Toâ—be of Adrian the Pope wrote this Qui â—â—gis hoâ— versus deuoto peotore suppler Amborâ—â— mitiâ— diâ— miserere leâ—◠¶ Thou that â—eadest these verses make humble peticion to God and say with a deâ—onte miâ—de god haue merâ—y vpon them bothe Saynâ—t Ciprian declareth playnlie Lib. 1. epistâ—e 9. that he and his eâ—ders the Bysshops beleued yâ— praâ—ers the sacrifice of the holy Masse were profitable to yâ— soules departed for he sayth Victor cum contra form aÌ„ in concilio a sacerdotibê° S. cipâ—ian and his elders beleâ—ed that there waâ— a purgatori And that the sacrifice of the holy proufyietâ— the dead datam geminiuÌ„ faustinuÌ„ prelbyâ—â—rum ausus â—it aâ—torem coÌ„stituere noÌ„ estque pro dormitionâ—eius apud vos fiat oblatio aut deprecatio aliqua nomine eâ—us in ecclesia frequeÌ„tetur This was writteÌ„ about M. CCC yeâ—es sence of this holy martyr and great clearke and it is this muche to saye in Englishe Seinge that victor hath bene so bolde to make Gemine faâ—stine his executre agaynst the ordinaunce made of the Priestes in the counsell there is no cause whye any sacrifice shoulde be made for his death amogest you or any prayer vsed in the Churche in his name ¶ Certen Greake Doctours sayinges for the defence of Purgatorie wherby the faythe and beleife of the Greake Church may playnlye appeare in this matter as the belife of the Latyne Church doth by the authorites afore recyted TO th enteÌ„t good reder damascene that thou maiste euideÌ„tlye see howe that oure newe brethren do erre agaynst yâ— beliefe of al godly auncieÌ„t S. Austen hath the same lib de Heres Cap. 53. fathers of al ages both of yâ— greke latin Church also I wil brieflie recite certeÌ„ greake Doctours saiyngs vpon this mattier firste Saincte Damascene in hys booke of Heresies sayeth ageinste the Heretyke Aerius Negat ê™quaÌ„ offereÌ„duÌ„ esse ê“ mortuis He denieth that any thing shoulde be offered for the dead ergo by the greake church they are condemned of Heresie that say as Aerius dyd and therfore our new teachers and their scholers are all out of the right Lib. â— Tomo 1 ca. â—5 waye Epiphanius also a Greake writter which was almoste twelue hunderd yeares paste writtynge agaynste the aboue namid Aerius sayeth after he had rehersed his reasoÌ„s made agaynst prayinge for the soules departed Postea vero de eo quod proferantur Reade ye LutheriaÌ„s and SwiÌ„glians and retourne to the truth agayne nâ—iÌ„â— viâ—a defuÌ„ctoruÌ„ quid hoc magis fuerit vtile but afterwarde touchinge that yâ— the names of the dead be rehersed at masse what thing canne be more profitable for them thaÌ„ thys ProsuÌ„â— preces que ê“ illâ—s fiunt etâ—aÌ„â—â—tot culpaÌ„ noÌ„ abscindaÌ„t Praiers which are made for the dead doo profyt them although they take not quite awaye the whole offence Memoriam facimus pro pecâ—atoribus misâ—ricordiam dei imploraÌ„tes We doo make a memorie for the soules of synners departed desyring god to be mercyful to them Also in a nother place teachyng â—i â— Tom. â— sub â—â—nem vs brieflye the Doctrine and fayeth of the Apostolique Catholique Church writeth thus â—â—â—â—is autem qui vita defuncti sunt ex noiÌ„â— memotiaâ—â—aciâ—â—t orationes ad deum perficientes ac cultus dâ—uiâ—os mysteriorum dispeâ—sationes Seesâ— thou not here good ChristeÌ„ reader the beliefe of the Greake Churche doth not this olde writer comdempnyng Aerius of Heresie condemne therwith all our new Preachers seing they teache the same heresie â–ª but heare now this English of Epâ—phanius wordes afore recited whyche is thys As touchyng them thaâ— are dead they doo remembre them by name prayng to God for them accomplishyng the godly seruices or worship pingeâ— the distributions of yâ— Sacrameâ—â—es in the Masse he ment Lâ—â—here is the belife of the Greake churâ—h which S. Damascene doth set for the agayne sayinge 〈…〉 Sermone de obdormientibus 〈◊〉 sacramâ—ntis memorâ—am eorum quifâ—deliter obdormâ—erunâ— habendam edixerunt Quod adâ—â—â—e 〈…〉 contradictionâ— obserâ—◠〈…〉 catholicaâ— ecâ—lesâ—â— Christi dei a 〈…〉 ad fine◠〈◊〉 ab coque tempore vsa que in preses in fineâ— vsâ—que â—nundi OiÌ„o hoc neque Hec est catholica ecclesia extrâ— quam â—unâ— sâ—ingliaâ— vit â—eran◠〈◊〉 neque abâ—urde neque tâ— mere fortuâ—â—ouâ— ordiâ—◠〈◊〉 â—st Quae â—niÌ„ 〈◊〉 religio 〈◊〉 nescia susâ—epit â—n â—ot seâ—â—la seâ—uat in coÌ„cussâ— mâ—â—ime vana sunt sed vtisia deo placita salutiâ—ue nosâ—◠〈…〉 The holy Apostâ—es disciples of ouâ— sauiour made aâ—â—â—e and an ordynaunce that a memorie should be had in the dread â—ll and lyuelye saâ—ramentes of them which were depâ—â—ted in the fayth of Christâ— The whiche thinge the Apostolique and catholique Churche of Christe hâ—ther â— tradicioÌ„ of the Apostels to obseruith and keepeth steadfastly yea and that without anye agayne sayinge or contradiction froÌ„ one ende of the worlde to the other and from that tyme of the Apostles ordinaunce contynuallye vnto thys present tyme and vnto the worldes end shall And this was not ordeyned in vayne nother folyshlye nor what can our new men say to thys are they of the catholique churche which deni the Doctrine that she holdeth yet rashely or by chaunce For such thinges as Christes Relygion that cannot erre receyueth and kepeth so loÌ„ge vnmoued be not in vayne but profitable to God pleasant much helping to oure saluation He maketh mention in that sermon of masses sayd the therty and the forti day and at the yeares ende yearly for the dead which thinges the catholique and Apostolique churche obserueth stedfastly and without sayinge agaynst it of any person Then he sayeth teaching vs a very notable lesson Profectoâ—â—â—tiuoluÌ„ inutile opus esset quuÌ„ tot saÌ„cti dimnoque spiritu pleni patriarcâ—ae patres ac doctores Note thys fruteful lesâ—on fuâ—rint vtique aliquis coruÌ„
and to whome he wrote holdeth the same beleife saying as saint Austen reciteth Lib. ij cap. iiij contra duas epist pelagiorum Epist rescripta ad concil Carthag Mile uitanum Illud uero quod eos vestra fraternitas asserit predicare paruulos aeternae uitae praemijs etiam sine baptismatis gratia posse donari perfatuum est It is a verie foolishe thing that thei do preache as youre brotherhoode affirmeth that chyldren should be saued withoute baptisme It appeareth then nowe moste playnelye howe this opinion whiche Peter Martyr folowinge the Swinglians hathe taughte to defende that onelye fayth iustifieth man is against the holy worde of God and the holye doctours bothe of the Greke churche and also of the Latyne and thereby it is euident that Peter Martyr and his scolers are not membres of the catholike churche but schismatiques I beseche God of hys gracious goodnes tourne their heartes that they maye imbrace the trueth agayne and continue therin to hys honour and glorie and their own saluation But heare once agayne Origen whiche was about Orig. lib. vi Coment in ca. vi ad Rom. M. thre huÌ„dred yeres passed and writeth after this maner Pro hoc scilicet corpore peccati abolendo ecclesia ab apostolis traditionem suscepit etiam paruulis baptisma dare Sciebant enim illi quibus mysteriorum secreta commissa sunt diuinorum quod essent in â—mnibus sordes peâ—cati genuinae quae per aquaÌ„ et spiritum ablui deberent That is to saye For this bodie of sinne to be defaced or put awaye the An vnwritten veritee of our beleif churche hathe receyued also a tradition of the Apostles to geue baptisme yea to children For they to whome the secretes of Goddes mysteries were committed dyd knowe that there shoulde be in all men naturall fylthines of synne which oughte to be washed awaye through water the holy ghost This authoritie is againste Peter Martyr the authours of the articles annexed vnto the Catechisme sette furthe in kinge Edwarde the vi tyme and all them that saye eyther that childreÌ„ not baptised shulde be saued or that baptisme is no cause of oure instification but fayth onely or that baptisme is but a signe or marke of our iustification or finally that the baptisme of children is set furthe in the Scripture where it is lefte to the churche by the holy Apostles without writing De eccles Hierar ca. xii only by traditioÌ„ as OrigeÌ„ here sayeth manefestlye and S. Dionise S. Paules scoler of the which S. Austen writeth thus Lib. x. ca. xxiii in cene ad â—â—eram Lib. iii. ca. xiii de lib arb Lab. iiii cap. 4. de bapti s contra donatistas Consuetudo matris ecclesiae in baptizandis paruulis nequaque sper nenda est neque ullo modo super flua deputanda nec omnino credenda nisi apostolica esset traditio The accustoinaunce of oure mother the Churche in baptisinge of children is in no wyse to be dispised nor to be reckened superfluous by anye meanes nor vtterlye to be beleued if it had not ben a traditioÌ„ of yâ— Apostles What caÌ„ our new teachers and the makers of the articles afore mentioned saye to these authorities for the defense of their doctrine that men are bouÌ„de to credite and beleue nothing but that onlye whiche the scripture setteth furthe Woulde they that men shoulde beleue them afore these auntiet godly great learned fathers But of this matâ—ier I haue written moore at large in my booke of traditions therefore I now make an end of this chapiter wisshinge grace and the knowledge of the trueth vnto all that erre in Christes religioÌ„ that they may come at the leÌ„gth vnto yâ— ioyes of heaueÌ„ thorough Christe oure sauiours glorious passion to whome with the father and the holie ghoste be honour and prayse for euer Amen The fourthe chapiter That the soules of men departed doe not sleape but either they goe to heauen for their good workes or els to Hell for their euell before domes daye TOuchinge this matter I wyll be verye shorte because I thinke that fewe of oure countree men are infected with this opinioÌ„ Christe saied to the theife hanginge with him vpon the crosse Hodie mecum eris Luk. xxiii in paradiso This daye thou shalte be with me in paradise that is to saye as saint Austen expoundeth it verye truelyeâ— this daye of my death thy soule being departed out of thy body shall see the deite and godhead clearly Also sainte Paule saied Phil. i. Cupio disolui esse cum Christo I desire to die and to be with Christe whiche is as muche as if he had sayed when I shall departe out of this worlde I shall be streighte waye with Christ as he himselfe declareth to the Corinthians sayinge thus ii Cor. v. Scimus quod si â—errestris domus nostra c. We know that if our earthlye house of this dwelling be brooken we haue a house of God in heauen not made with mans hande Agayn he sayeth Audemus bonam uoluntatem ii Cor. v. habemus magis peregrinari à corpore praesentes esse ad dominuÌ„ We are bolde and we haue a good wil rather to be strangers from the bodye and to be present with our lorde Whiche is as muche as if he had sayed when I shall goo oute of thys worlde than I haue a house in heauen shal be preseÌ„t with our lord God Whiche saint Hierom Hieroni. To. i. epist ad Marcellam de obitâ— Leae affirmeth saying thus Nunc illa pro breui labore aeterna fruitur beatitudine excipitur aÌ„geloruÌ„ choris Now she hath the pleasure of yâ— euerlastinge blisse she is receaued with the compaignie of Angels Sainte Austen writtinge Aug. in psal 10. Phil. i. vpoÌ„ this Paules senteÌ„ce Cupio dissoluâ— c. saieth Viuit Paulus nunc cuÌ„ christo siâ—cut illi prophetae omnes viuunt cuÌ„ christo Sainte Paule liueth nowe with Christ as all those Prophetes doeth Agayne Sainte Austen speakinge of the gate or porte of paradise whiche Christe opened the daye of his death writeth thus Per haÌ„c ingressus est Petrus per hanc ingressus est Paulus per hanc omnes sancti Martyres intraueruÌ„t Thorow this port S. Peter entred into heauen through this gate s Paule weÌ„t into heaueÌ„ through thys gate al the holie Martyrs entred into heaueÌ„ Saint Basill beleued the same Basil epist 67. when he saied thus Mortuus est uir qui columna erat stabilimeÌ„tum ecclesiae imo magis ad beataÌ„uitam sublatus à nobis abscessit The man is deade whiche was the piller and the establishemeÌ„t of the churche Naye rather hee taken froÌ„ vs is goone into heauen Abdias which was of the Abdi lib. i. â—ist apostilicâ— lxxii disciples which Christ sent in to the worlde afore him to preache saieth that Saint Peter saied when he shoulde be crucified