Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	reward_n	work_n	2,765	5	6.8633	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73451	Bels trial examined that is a refutation of his late treatise, intituled. The triall of the nevve religion By B.C. student in diuinitie. VVherein his many & grosse vntruthes, with diuers contradictions are discouered: together with an examination of the principal partes of that vaine pamphlet: and the antiquitie & veritie of sundry Catholike articles, which he calleth rotten ragges of the newe religion, are defended against the newe ragmaster of rascal. In the preface likewise, a short viewe of one Thomas Rogers vntruthes is sett downe, taken out of his booke called. The faith doctrine and religion, professed and protected in the realme of England, &c. with a short memorandum for T.V. otherwise called Th. Vdal.	Woodward, Philip, ca. 1557-1610.	1608 (1608)	STC 25972.2; ESTC S125583	118,782	210

from Gods promise and mercyfull acceptation for the worthines and merits of his sonnet This I challenge for a manifest vntruth when as plentifull testimonies want not to proue that workes proceeding of grace are meritorious not only for his promise or acceptation but also for the dignity of the workes yea the scriptures are euident in this point Call the workemen and pay them Math. 10. ● 8. their hyer where reward is giuen to the workes where of it followeth that workes descrued it likewise our Sauiour saith Com ye blessed of my father Math. 25. ● 34. possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungred and you gaue me me to eate Where our Sauiour signifyeth that heauen was giuen to good workes for in more vsuall significant words it can not be spoken that heauen is giuen as a reward to the workes of mercy and beside in the same place damnation is giuen to bad works Gett you away from me ye cursed saith Christ Ibidem into fier euerlastinge which was prepared for the diuel and his angles for I was an hungry and youe gaue me not to cate c. Seing then the scripture declareth plainly that bad workes deserue danation be the cause thereof as plainly doth it also signify that good workes meritt heauen and be the cause thereof We find also in scripture that men are said worthy of reward as That you may be counted worthy of the kingdome of God for the which also you suffer 2. Thessal 1. v. s. Apocal. 3. v. 4. Cap. 16. v. 15. Suruay pag. 398. and They shall walke with me in wh it es because they are worthy Yea the word meritt is found in the scripture in Ecclesiasticus we reade thus All mercy shall make place to euery one according to the meritt of his workes Bell in his Suruay giueth two answears The first is that the booke is not Canonicall as which saith he was not founde written in the holy tongue A pitifull shifte for who knoweth not that many parts of the Canonicall scriptures be not written in the Hebrue tongue as all or almost all the new testament and sundry bookes be written in that tongue which be fabulous and of no authority and where did Bell larne that a booke could not be canonicall yea in the old lawe except it were written in the Hebrue tongue We haue as good authority to proue it Canonicall as he hath for the Apocalips which I trust he will not deny and that is the auncient Councell of Carthage wherein S. Augustin was Carthag 3. can 47. present and be it that it were not Canonicall yet is the authority thereof very waighty and of more credit then other authors though learned vertuous and auncient other wise why is it read in the Englishe Churches in that very place and order in which the Canonicall scriptures are This solution not fully satisfyinge him he giueth a second which is that the text is not truly translated inuaighing against the vulgar edition and the Councell of Trent that authorized the same for it should haue been translated saith he according to his workes but this is a poore cauil for in true sence what difference is there betwixt these two according to his workes and accordinge to the merit of his workes veryly the old interpreter as learned as Bell and of as good a conscience more then twelue hundred yeres agoe and S. Hierom not inferiour to Bell in Latin Greeke or Hebrue translateth thus that we m● sight against Gabaa Beniamin and render vnto it for to Iudic. 20. workes it deserueth and yet the formall word dese● ueth is neither in the Greeke or Hebrue but thu according to all the foolishnes which they haue done Israel The second place is in S. Paul where h● saith And beneficence and communion do not forgett so Mebr. 13. v. 16. with such hostes God is promerited be hould here all the word meritt But because Bell speaketh of the Fathers will briefly showe that he doth slaunder the● when he saith that they did terme workes meritorious because God hath promised to accept them ● worthy for the worthines of his sonne and for his merits reward them with heauen as if they had merited the same for they teach that good workes proceeding from grace and in the vertue of Christes moritts hau● worthines in themselfes be meritorious which Bell denieth them to hould and no maruaile when as himself teacheth that good workes are so farre from hauing any worthines in them that he maintayneth this paradoxicall proposition Good workes are imperfect polluted with synne and i● rigour Suruey pag. 400. of iustice worthy of condemnation Wherefore t● name one of the Greeke Churche and an othe● Hom. 4. de Lazaro ●irca medium of the latin S. Chrisostom writeth thus If God quoth he be iust he will render both to them and these according to their merits Note that he acknowledgeth merits of iustice and so not only of mercy liberality and free acceptation s. Augustin sayth Epist 105. ●d sixtā As death is rendred to the meritte of synne as a stipend so eternall life to the meritt of iustice is rendred as a stipend More might be produced but these are sufficiet being of auncient and learned fathers and to say the truth greatly requisit it is not to labour about the proof of this point when as Caluin confesseth not only that the auncient doctours vsed the name of merit but also addeth that he did moste Institut cap. 15. §. 2. wickedly prouide for the sincerity of faith that first inuented that name for had they meant no other thing by it then Bell would persuade vs the sincerity of the faith had no waies been touched neither neded he to haue vsed any suche bitter accusation but this complaint of his argueth that they intended more by that name then he did admittt for true and so I leaue Bell conuicted of an vntruh But saith Bell the Fathers commonly ioyned merits and grace together I willingly graunt it for without grace our works are of no price dignity or merit in the sight of God and therfore the second Councell of Arausica saith excellently well Rewarde is due to good workes if they be they be done but Can. 18. grace which was not due goeth before that they may be done In which golden sentence the merit of good workes is taught the fountayne from whence they springe openly declared That which he alleadgeth out of S. Bernard to witt It is sufficient to meritte to knowe that our merits are not sufficient because it serued not his purpose it may be that he did of purpose quote it false for it is not in the 18. sermon but in the 78. sermon vpon the Canticles and as that whiche he hath all eadged doth nothing helpe him so that which followeth and omitted by him worketh his bane It is

because marriage is so honourable in all sorts of men Thus writeth Cassiodorus thus writeth Socrates thus writeth Sozomenus And thus lieth the minister for none of these there speake any one worde that Paphnutius shoulde tell them that according to Gods worde to forbid marriage to Priests was too seuere a lawe he speaketh not one syllable of such as were Priests already as though he woulde haue them permitted to marry as Bell falsely reporteth in the fore alledged words and more plainely in the page following where he saith that Paphnutius motion was approued of the whole Councell and therevpon the matter was left as indifferent for euery Priest either to marry or not to marry at his owne choice False I say it is that either Cassiodorus Socrates or Sozomenus speake any one worde of the marriage of Priests or haue any such thinge that the matter was left indifferent for euery Priest to marry or not to marry at his owne choyce Why did he not quote the places where his reader might haue tried the truth of his relation what meaneth this flying of the light what els but that he had rather haue his bare worde taken then the matter examined It will not sorue his turne that in the ende of his Chapter he referreth the reader to his Suruay where those places be cited for that booke is not alwayes at hand and beside no such speciall place is there named that without difficulty what is desired can not be founde But view the places who please and the fidelity and sincere conscience of the minister will soone appeare for as much as the contrary of that Bell affirmeth remayneth there vpon recorde Cassiodorus the author of the tripartite history in the place quoted By Bell citeth Sozomenus from whom he receiueth that which he there reporteth which is this speaking of the Nicene Councell that it did seeme good to some to bring in a lawe that Bishoppes and Priests Deacons and Subdeacons shoulde not sleepe with their wiues which they had married before consecration But Paphnutius the confessor rising yp in the midst withstode it consessing marriage to be honourable and sayinge that the comapny of a mans owne wife was chastity and he aduised the Councell not to make any such lawe affirminge that it was a greate cause which might be to them or their wiues the occasion of fornication This doth he alleadge out of Sozomenus leauing yet something out which that author hath the cause as I suppose yf any place be left for coniecture why Bell rather quoted Cassiodorus then Sozomenus For Sozomenus addeth also these words of Paphnutius immediatly following And that the old tradition of the church was that those which were made Priests being not yet married should not afterwarde marry wiues but they which were called to that order being married shoulde not be separated from their wiues which they had The very same thinge hath Socrates By which the good reader may iudge what a conscience the minister hath when he blusheth not to say that the Councell left it indifferent for euery Priest to marry or not to marry at his owne choyce when as there is no one worde spoken of those that married after taking of holy orders but only of those that were ordered after they were married as both Cassiodorus out of Sozomenus and Sozomenus him selfe together with Socrates ioyntly asfirme nay when as Sozomenus and Socrates both say that the olde tradition of the Church was that those which tooke holy orders vnmarried might not marry at all This being so who will deny that the minister had not great reason neither to cite their wordes nor quote their places fathering so grosse an vntruth vpon them But some will say yet at least it appeareth out of the former authors that those which were married folke and afterwarde became Priests might still vse the company of their wiues which is agaynst the practise of the Romayne Church To this I say first that our question is not now about that pointe but whether Bell hath not slaundered these authors when he maketh them to say that thinge which they say not but haue the cleane contrary Secondly notwithstanding I answere that this may seme to make for the custome of the Grecians who retayne still those wiues which they had married before entring into holy orders but it helpeth nothinge at all our late Apostates that after their consecration and vowe of chastity without all scruple nay yf we list to belieue them with the testimony of a good conscience prouided them selues of younge yoake fellowes for the comfort of their declining yeares and spirituall begetting the liberty of the newe gospell yet in truth doth it neither releue the cause of the Grecians for so much as neither any such thinge is extant in the Nicene Councell and pregnant proffes to shewe that no such thing was euer there decreed for Sozomenus and Socrates being knowne heretiks deserue no credit especially the first of them being noted by blessed S. Gregory for Lib. 6. ep 31. one that hath many lyes and Socrates knowne for a man of like quality as I coulde easily shewe were it not that I desire all conuenient breuity but principally for that S. Hierom and S. Epiphanius who liued more nere to the time of the Nicene Councell then the other twayne did affirme so much of the custome of the Eastern church as can not stande with their former testimonies as straight after shall be handled Wherefore seing it must nedes be that either Sozomenus and Socrates erre from the truth or S. Hierome and S. Epiphanius none I thinke of indifferēcy but will preferre Catholikes before heretikes and those that liued nearer to the tyme of the Nicene Councell then those that were farther of and this is so certayne that I durst remitt the matter to Bell him selfe and such like did it not concerne so much their owne freholde and that the ponderous passion of wiuing without all respect of reason did beare downe the ballance to the wronge side But howsoeuer this shall fall out whereof by and by I shall haue more occasion to speake Bell the Ragmaster remaineth conuicte of a Notorious vntruth notwitstanding his often protestation of sincerity and plaine dealinge THE XII VNTRVTHE IN the same third Chapter pursuing still his former subiecte he vttereth two vntruthes with one breath in these wordes For this respecte was it that Priests were euer marryed in the Easte Churche vntill these our daies and in the west churche generallye for the space of three hundred eightie and fiue yeares at which tyme Pope Siricius excited by Satan prohibited mariage as an vnlawfull thinge Heer I say be two rouzinge vntruthes The first is Priests were euer maryed in the Easte churche For S. Epiphanius an auncient father and one of the Greeke church testifieth the cleane contrary Sanctum sacerdotium c. The holie Ad finem operis cōtra hereses Preishoode quoth he is for the most

promise of God To make his prooffe the more probable and passable he would not cite any more of Iosephus Words then were for his turne This is the sincerity of trusty S. Thomas and yet after suche a shamefull pranke as though he had giuen vs a great blowe he addeth with triumphant exultation in this manner VVhen any Papist in the world can truly disproue this illation let me be his bondslaue for his rewarde The illation is disproued let him therefore prouide himselfe to performe that pennaunce which he hath said vpon himself try whether he that hath had such bad speede in the ministry and ill successe in his Priesthood can finde any better fortune in the newe vocation of seruitude and slauery Of his fourth paragrasse I shal haue better occasion to speake straight waies wherefore to his fift in which the fourth also shal be dispatched THE XL. VNTRVTH TRue it is fiftly quoth Bell that the late Popishe Councell of Trent hath accursed all such as deny or not beleue the condigne meritte of mans workes confequently it hath made that an article of Popishe fayth O wonderment of the world which was no point of fayth for the space of a thousand fiue hundred and fourty yeares viz the condigne merit of mans workes a monster lately borne at Rome The minister mistaketh the matter the monster he speaketh of was borne at Trent in Germany and not at Rome in Italy as the beginninge of his words do testify beside it was not in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and fourty but one thousand fiue hundred fourty and seauen as appeareth out of the sixt session of that Councell But more thoughly to examine whether this by any such monstrous doctrine as he speaketh of or whether it was neuer heard of before or rather whether he be not a monster for malice and lyinge I would knowe what he meaneth when he saith the late Popishe Councell of Trent hath accursed all such as deny or not beleeue the condigne merit of wans workes and a little after The condigne merit of mans workes a monster lately borne at Rome for if he vnderstandeth suche workes as proceede from man only by the force of his owne free will and nature without the help of Gods grace for some cause haue I to suspect that he may meane so both because barely he termeth them mans workes and am not ignorant how they commonly infame vs with that doctrine if I say that be his meaning then doth he most shamefully bely the Councell of Trent as I reporte me to the very first canon of the sixt Session which is this Yf any shall say that a man can be iustifyed before God by Sess 6. can 1. his workes which are done by the force of humane nature or by the doctrine of the lawe without diuine grace by Iesus Christ be he accursed Mary if as he ought he speaketh of mans wo● kes proceedinge from Gods grace as I rather su●pose he doth then moste false it is that it is a● newe doctrine or monster as the newe monst● of the ministry would make it as I could abu● dantly shewe both out of scriptures and father● and something hath been touched before heere ● conuince him of a grosse vntruth I will haue n● other witnes against him then himselfe for ● the precedent paragraffe he hath these forma● words True it is fourthly that the Iesuit S. R. Robert Parsons indeede I challenge the man in his suppose and pretended answere to the Downefall of Popery hat● sett downe these conclusions against both the Pope an● himselfe The first conclusion There is merit of eter● nall life and our supernaturall workes done by Gods grace● are meritorious of eternal life and glory The secon● conclusion Good workes done in Gods grace are condignely meritorious of eternall life The third conclusion This condigne meritt is not absolute but supposeth the condition of Gods promise made to rewarde it These are the Iesuits conclusions sette downe by the best aduise of his best learned friends among whom the Iesuiticall Cardinall Bellarmin must needes be one which conclusions for all that do euidently proue as much as I desire But these words of his doe manifestly proue that either he little knoweth or careth what he desireth before he came vpon the Councell of Trent for accursing all such as did deny or not beleeue the condigne merits of mans works and inuaighed against that doctrine as a monster lately borne at Rome and yet now the same doctrine is against the Pope and the Iesuit S. R. and it doth euidently proue as much as he desireth and so that doctrine which before was false and monstruous is now becom sound and heauenly was there euer such an other changeable Cameleon that as it were with one breath denyeth and affirmeth one and the self same thing Certainly the poore man hath more neede of a cunning Surgeon to putt his braines in ioint then of inke and paper to write such lunaticall pamphlets Of his false coniecture proceeding from lofty vanity in making F. Parsons the author of the answear to his Downefall what shall I say but that it is a ministeriall pangue coming from the rare conceipt of his monuments which must be also bumbasted by addinge that he was assisted by the best aduise of his best learned friends among whom the Iesuiticall Cardinal Bellarmine must needes be one thus patching onely vpon an other for his owne credit and reputation as though forsoth one learned man were not any matche for him except he had the help of Christendom Cardinall Bellarmine himself A certaine fond fellowe of meane fortune had a conceipt that all the shippes that came into the hauen of Athens were his owne and Bell hath such a spice of foolery fallen vpon him that he thinketh all the learned Iesuites of Christendom to be mightily troubled about the answearing of his bookes when he hath been so contemned that none for many yeares euer stirred penue against him and hath lately bene so banged and canuased that I do thinke h● hath often wished that he had been a sleepe or el●playing at the boules when he published those ri● diculous and phantasticall challenges Bels x. Chapter Of Transubstantiation in Popish masse THE XLI VNTRVTH TRansubstantiation quoth he is not only repugnant to all philosophy but also so absurd in Christian speculation that it was vnknown to the Church of God and to all approued Councels Fathers and histories for the space of one thousand and two hundred yeares it was first hatched by Pope Innocentius the third of that name in the late Councell of Laterane which was houlden one thousand two hundred and fiften yeares after Christ. A world of vntruths be here packed together did tyme serue to range at large to be as brief as I may I say first that the mystery of Transubstantiation is no more repugnante to philosophy nor absurde in Christian speculation then the mystery of the ineffable Trinity

of all Saintes and all the good thou doe and the punishement thou shalt suffer be to thee for remission of thy synnes for increase of grace and for the reward of eternall lise which words of Polanchus he doth prosecute with this lying glosse Lo the merits of Saints are ioint purchasers of saluation with Christs bloud and our workes procnre vs remission of our synnes increafe of grace and eternall glory An vntruth it is that the merits of Saints are ioynt purchasers of saluation with Christs bloud if he meane that the merits of Christ and his Saints doe alike auaile to saluation as he must meane or els he saith nothing for the merits of Christ are as I saied before the wellspring from whence all the merits of all mens actions doe proceede and they he for the infinit dignity of the person acceptable of them felues in the sight of his father but the merits of Saints are derieued from Gods grace by the merits of Christ and are not grateful in the eies of God but for his sacred merits and passion the merits therefore of Christ and his Saints may auaile vs for the obtayning of spirituall gists the merits of Christ as the principall cause the merits of Saints as dependent of his and the secondary cause And that God and his creatures may in this manner without any iniury to his name be ioyned together we learne out of sacred scripture Iacob Genes 48. v. 15. 16. desired God and his Angell to blesse his children The Israelites cryed out the sword of our Lord and Gedeon In Exodus we reade thus They beleeued Iud. 7. v. 20. Exod. 14. v. 31. 1. Timoth. v. 21. Act. 15. v. 28. our Lord and Moises his seruante S. Paul testified before Christ Iesus and the elect Angels And the Apostles doubted not to say It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. If in these and such like speaches God and his creatures be ioyned together without being made ioynt purchasers for I trust Bell hath not the courage to vtter any such word but as the creator and the secondary cause in like manner may the merits of Christ and his Saints be conioyned as hath been sayed THE XLIIII VNTRVTH AFter a fitt of railing at this doctrine of the Catholique Church in praying to God by the merits of his Saints he saith No scripture no Councell no approued history was euer acquainted with this newly inuented heresy neuer knowne to the Church of Christ for the space of one thousand yeares and odde An vntruth it is that it is any heresy to pray to God by the merits of his Saints as the heretical minister bouldly afflrmeth but alleageth neither scripture Councell or father or approued history to giue credit to his assertion so much he presumeth vpon his owne authority Falsealso it is that it was neuer knowen for the space of a thousand yeares To proue one and the other against Bell In the old testament for so much as iust men then dying went not straight to heauen their raunsom being not paied as here I suppose according to the Catholique doctrine nor they ordinaryly knowing the praiers of the liuing therefore they did not in those tymes vse to pray vnto them formally saying S. Abraham pray for vs as we in the newe testament do yet did they pray vnto God by the merits of his seruaunts as we read in sundry places neither doth that auoid the argument which Bell answeareth in his Suruey viz that Pag. 318. not the merits of his Saints were vrged but his owne promise and couenant sett before him for The merits of holy men prescnted before God Psal 131. 3. Reg. 15. their merits also be remembred and not only the couenant of God for example Salomon prayeth to God by the merits of his father Dauid saying Remember o Lord Dauid and all his meekenes and a little after For Dauid thy seruant turne not away the face of thy Christ and in the booke of Kings we reade For Dauid our Lord God gaue him a candle in Israel that he might raise vp his sonne after him because that Dauid had done right in the eies of our Lord. S. Augustin relying vpon these such like sayings teacheth that the merits of his Saints may auayle vs in the sight of God Quest. 149. in Exodi● Admonemur cum merita nostra c. we are admonished quoth he that when our owne synnes do ly heauy vpon vs that we be not loued of God that we may be holpen with him by their merits whom God doth loue In the newe Testament we find the same doctrine confirmed The sicke man of the palsey was cured for their fayth which brought him to our Sauiour for the sacred text saith and Iesus seing Math. 9. v. 2. their fayth said to the sicke of the palsey haue a good hear● sonne thy synnes are sorgiuen thee Yf the fayth of hi● seruants liuing vpon earth and dayly offendin● him procured mercy to others how much mor● may the burning charity of his Saints in heauen free from all daunger of synning obtayne for v● spirituall benefits at the hand of our heauenly father Much more might be brought but not necessary when as Perkins confesseth sufficient to ouerthrowe Bell for reprehending the auncient fathers as attributing to much vnto the intercession of Saints he citeth these words of S. Leo as offending Problem verbo Intercessio inuocatio c. in that kinde VVe beleue and trust that to obtayn● the mercy of God we shall alwaies be holpen by the praiers o● our speciall patrones that so much as we are kept down by our owne synnes so much we may be listed vp by the merits of the Apostles And yet Bell inuaigheth against this doctrine as blasphemous and more confidently then truly affirmeth that no scripture no Councell no father no approued history euer knewe it and that it was neuer knowen to the Church for the space of one thousand years and odde how truly how sincerely I referre me to the premisses THE XLV VNTRVTH I Must therfore conclude saith the Minister with this meuitable illation ergo Popishe inuocation of Saintes but a rotten ragge of the newe religion and to shewe ●ow new it is he quoteth in the margēt the yeare ●fter this manner that is in the yeare of our Lorde ●ne thousand fower hundred and seauen which An. Dom. 1407. ●s some two hundred yeares agoe But I may far ●etter inferre that for grosse vntruths and cun●ing lying he may be let loose to any of the Mi●isterie what one of Bels dependants that reade ●he former wordes or any other not acquainted with his trickes would not veryly thinke that praying to Saints as it is vsed in the Catholique Church is not aboue two hundred years old as the tenor of his wordes import and yet I doe not thincke he will stande to that for yf he shoulde most certaine it is that it is a grosse and

hundred yeares agoe In this auncient booke mention is made of Agnus Dei for speaking of the Octaue of Easter commonly called Dominica in Albis that is the Sunday in whi●es because those whiche were baptised on Easter eue putte of those white garments which they receiued at their Baptisme as S. Serm. 110 de tēpore Augustin noteth he hath these wordes In the same Sunday after the whites that is in the Octaue of Easter lambes of waxe in the city of Rome are giuen to the people by the Archdeacon in the Church after masse and th● communion This may serue to reproue the bould l● centiousnes of the Minister affirming their beginning to haue bene in the yeare a thousand tw● hundred fourty and seauen THE LIII VNTRVTH PRoceeding forward in his declamation again● Agnus Dei he saith VVith this kinde of paltery stuff such is the phrase of the paltery minister th● world is so bewitched that infinit numbers do ascribe part ● their saluation thereunto which is an iniurious slaun●der taking it in that sence which I make no doub● he doth and the ignorant reader quickly may Fo● the more playne explication whereof I say tha● our saluation may be ascribed vnto diuers things● though with great diuersity Men liuing in thi● world and subiect to dayly sinning may be said to saue vs. For this doing saith S. Paul to Timothy tho● shalt both saue thy self and them that heare the. And I can 1. Timoth. 4. v. 16. not perswade my self that Bell would quarrell with any that should say that he or his bookes ● had saued many The principall cause of our saluation is our Sauiour Christ and his merits Secondary and instrumentall causes are many things as the sacraments and men that cooperate vnto our saluation yea other consecrated thinges as holy Water Agnus Dei c. though nothing comparable to Sacraments may also in a good sence be said to helpe vs to obtaine saluation by the merits of Christ for as much as all holy things haue force to produce supernaturall effects as namely to chase ●way wicked spirits and to extinguishe the fiery ●artes of the enemy which none will deny but ●inder vs from saluation and be the cause of many ● mans destruction and so that which doth any ●aies cooperate to preserue our Soule from the ●enemous infection of the deuil may be said to ●ett vs forwards in the Way of saluation and be a ●meanes though very remote and in the vertue of Christs passion to bring vs to heauen Albeit this doctrine thus expounded be sounde ●nd nothing preiudiciall to our redemption wrought by Christ yet in that sence which Bell meaneth it and it is commonly taken of good people I say it is most false that infinite numbers ascri●be their saluation or any part thereof to Agnus Dei and the reason is for that when we speake of saluation all generally vnderstand the principall cause and first fountayne thereof which is God himself and the moste pretious merits of his holy life and bitter passion and not his sacraments much lesse Sacramentales and least of all such occasionall meanes as often tymes notwithstanding diuine prouidence vseth for the conuersion of many An other reason is for that the Sacraments the conduits of diuine grace and all holy things or what els soeuer that any waies concurre to the good of our soule and saluation thereof receiue their force and worke not any thinge but in the merits of that most innocent lambe which taketh away the synnes of the world and so whatsoeuer herein is attributed either to sacraments or men holy things or what els you will redoundeth to the honour glory of Chr●●● from the infinite treasure of whose grace and m●●rites all spirituall benefits greater or lesser 〈◊〉 proceede and come Lastly for that thousan●● there be that neuer sawe nor perhaps euer hea●● of Agnus Dei and yet notwithstandinge be sau●● very well which sheweth that when we speak of saluation our intention and vnderstanding runneth to the principall cause thereof Christ Ies●● himself and not to the sacraments though with out some of them none can be saued much lesse 〈◊〉 such hallowed things as Agnus Dei without whic● any may be saued THE LIIII VNTRVTH AN other thinge that disliketh him abou● Agnus Dei he deliuereth in these words He th●● hath an Agnus Dei about him must beleue as he is taught 〈◊〉 our Iesuits that he shall be deliuered by sea and by land from all tempests thunder earthquakes from haile thunde● boultes suddaine death and from all euill For the iustification whereof he referreth vs to the former booke of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin He slaundereth the Iesuits most egregiously they haue no● such thing of beleuing the effectes he speaketh of nay they insinuate sufficiently that these effectes be not infallible when they write thus in the same place VVherefore not seldom wonderfull effectes not without diuine miracle doe followe and againe For as Lib. 4. cap. 12. much therefore as experience doth passinge often teache vs that these things are graunted of God these Agnus Dei are not rashely to be reiected but to be carried about vs with great deuotion In which words they signify that diuers tymes they haue not any such effect and consequently they do not teache that men must beleue as he faith that such effectes shall followe And the reason heareof may be giuen for that such hallowed things haue not any such force by the expresse couenante or institution of God as the Sacraments haue and therefore worke not infallibly but the vertue in them procedeth from the praiers of the Church and deuotiou of those that vse them Beside this it is not alwaies haply couuenient that we should be deliuered from such crosses and afflictions Howbeit Gods name be blessed who in these tymes when such miscreants as he speake their pleasure both against other holy things and also Agnus Dei he hath vouchsafed to worke many straunge and miraculous effectes and that in our owne countrey as I could in particular relate might I doe it as securely as I may most truly Bels XXVI Chapter Of Candlemas daye THE LV. VNTRVTH THis chapter is bestowed against the ceremony of bearing candles in the feast of our Blessed Ladies Purification His words be these The old Pagane Romans in the Calends of February vsed to honour Februa the mother of Mars whom they supposed to be the God of battaile the honour they did exhibit vnto her was this they went vp and downe the streets with candles and torches burning in their hands in regard hereof that the Christian Romans should not be inferiour to the Pagane Romans in heathenishe superstition Pope Sergius decreed that vpon the day of the Purification of the blessed Virgin being the second of February they should goe in procession with burning candles in their hands thereby signifying the blessed virgin to be pure and free from synne For proffe of this he