and learning made therin great and admirable encrease and so became a priest and not without expectation of such a one as he liued and died afterwards For his rare vertues he was made Archbishopp of Ardmagh and primat of all Ireland and comming for his Country where he perfourmed the office of a diligent pastor and a zealous prelate was betraid by one of the country and committed to close and ghastly prison in the Castle of Dublin And after suffering much trouble in prison was brought to his triall in the kings bench before Sr. Iohn Plunkett then cheef iustice of that court and being there endited and arraigned of high treason and enforced to abide a Iury of gentlemen of the pale he was found guilties but they for acquiting of him were all comitted to the said castle and put to great fines When they could get no way by law to make him away or that his constancy could not be infringed he was remitted ouer to the Tower of London out of which he made an escape But after arriuing in Ireland to helpe his flocke the best he could was againe apprehended and sent ouer againe to the Tower where he ended his life 13. Cnohor O Duanna Bishopp of Downe Patricke and Connor was apprehended the moneth of Iuly 1612. and committed to the Castle of Dublin wherin he liued in continuall restrainct many yeers before by the apprehension of one maister Smith secretary to Sr. Nicholas Bagnall but being taken the 2. time was hanged drawen and quartered the first of Februarie 1612. One Patricke a vertuous priest suffred also with him Of Priests 1. IOhn Traners doctor of diuinitie being accused that he wrott against the suppremacy of the king was hanged drawen and quartered at Tiburne Anno 1535. which being at the place of executioÌ„ he confessed plainly shewing the 3. fingers with which the wrott that matter and his hand beinge strooken of and cast into the fire euerie whitt was burned but those 3. fingers could nott be burned as Surius writeth 2. Lawrence Moore whom doctour SaÌ„ders in his letres 1580. to the Cardinall Commen of the warres of Ireland called a holly priest being with the Spaniardes at the Forte called Dowy Nore was betraied and deliuered ouer to the Lord Gray then Lord deputie of Ireland with two proper gentlemen the one called Oliuer Plunker an Irish gentleman the other called William Welsh an English gent. by the Corronell of the Forte called Sebastian de saint Ioseph for that they refused vppon any composition to yeld ouer the said Forte which they could well defend hauing no want of any thinge neither victuals nor munuâ—ioÌ„ were comanded by the said L. deputy to be brought to a smiths forge and al their bones and Iointes to be beaten and crushed with a hammer and this for the space of a day and night the priests fingers being cutt off with a knife but in that extreame paine they suffred yett their liues were promised vnto them if they would turne protestaÌ„tes Al the Spaniards to the nuÌ„ber of 900. except the said Corronell and 10. more were stript of their weapons and were all slaine and casâ— ouer the cliffs into the sea for that Forte stood vppon a mightie rocke ouer the sea notwithstanding the L. deputies word and faith vnto al them for their life libertie goods and for safe conduct into Spaine Of this euent the good prieste told the said Corronell and the rest of the Spaniards this hapened vpon saint Martins eue 1580. 3. Morris Kent natiue of Kilmalock and bachelor of diuinitie was apprehended and accused for hauing been Chaplaine to the Earle of Desmond And for as much as a good and worshippfull Alderman named Victor White had of a pious zeale and for the comfort of his owne soule kept the said Morris in his house was for that cause appreheÌ„ded putt in prison for his guest but the good priest to saue his hoast harmeles appeared before the said L. president of his owne accord who was hanged drawen and quartered He was a holy and a vertuous man of few wordes very zealous he suffred the 30. of Apprill 1585. 4. Edmond Odonel natiue of Limerick of the societie of Iesus was apprehended for being suspected to carry letters from Rome to Sr. Iames fitz Morris and therfore was hanged drawen and quartered at Corck by Sr. Iohn Perrot L. president of Munster about the yeere of our Lord 1575. He was sent ouer as a fellow with father Goad an English Iesuit who in company with F. Dauid Woulf priest of that society were sent in a mission into that country by the procurement of primat Creogh to teach grammer about the beginning of Queene Elizabeths time 5. Daniell Okeilan was apprehended at Yonghull by Sr. William Morgan and captaine Peers which then kept garrison in that towne He was hanged with his legges vpwardes and his head downewards and then all the souldiors were comaunded to leuell at him with their bulletts Comaundement was also giuen that none should leuell at his harte therby to encrease his paine by his lingering death he was a priest of the order of S. Frauncis this hapned the 28. of march 1580. 6. Daniell Hinnichan Phillipp O See Morris O scanlan of the order of S Frauncis being old impotent and blind as other friers were were all three slaine at the high alter of their monasterie called Lislaghtine 1580. 7. Teigh Odulan of the order of saint Frauncis was apprehended at the monastery of Askettin and brought to Limericke and there was hanged drawen and quartered After his head was cutt of he was heard to speake these woords Vias tuas demonstra mihâ— 1579. 8. Richard French natiue of the countrie of Wexford a vertuous priest after long imprisonment in the castle of Dublin and in the castle of Wexford ended his life 1581. Thomas Coursey viccar of Kensale a most vertuous priest was hanged by Marshall lawe by Sr. Iohn Perrot L. president of Munster for entreating Iames fitz Morris to restore the pray which he tooke from his parishioners of Beasale 1577. 9. Glasuy O Boyll Abbot of Boyll of the diocesse of Elfyne in Connaght and Ouen O Mulkeran Abbot of the monasterie of the holly Trinitie of that diocesse were hanged and quartered by the L. Gray Anno 1580. Iohn Stephen priest for that he said Masse to Feigh Ma-Hugh was hanged and quartered by the L. Burrowes 1597. Thady O Boyll guarden of the monasterie of Downigall was slaine by the English in his owne monasterie 6. Freers were slaine in the monasterie of Moynighan in Shaane O Neals warrs Iohn O Onan was hanged by Marshall lawe at Dublin 1618. Patricke O Dyry was hanged and quartered at Derry 1618. Brien O Carulan was hanged by Marshall law 1606. 10. Iohn O Calyhor Brien O Trower moncks of the order of S. Bernard were slaine in their owne monastery de SaÌ„cta Maria in Vlster Felymy O Harra a lay brother of the order of S. Fr. in his monasterie
seruice by a bargaine to receaue denarium diurnum the daylie hire which is life euerlasting accordinge the exposition of the Doctors vpon S. Mathewe Matt. 20. therfore almightie God ought to giue vnto iust people accordinge to his promise and accordinge to their desertes which deserts are called Merita de condigno condigne meritts as S. Paule saith 2. Timoth. I haue fought a good fight c. there is layde vp for me a crowne of iustice c. Glorie is called a crowne of iustice because it is giuen as the debt of iustice and because it is giuen by the iust iudge in the daie of iuste iudgment And in another place God is not iniust that he should forget your workes â—ep 6. Psal 17. Apoc. 3. Thes 1. Luc. 10. Luc c. 10. Sap. 3. God will retribute vnto me accordinge to my iustice They did walke with me in white because they were worthie That you may be made worthie of the kingdome of God for the which you suffer The workman is worthie of his wages They shal be worthie of that world and the resurrection from the dead And in another place God did assay them and found them worthie of himselfe For life euerlastinge is giuen to iust persons as the reward of theire workes accordinge to the 20. ghospell of S. Mathewe where denarius diurnus is the daylie pennie or wages that is giuen vnto euerie one for his worke but it is certaine that those labourers did deserue by iustice the daylie pennye as it is manifest that the husband man said in that gospel to one of the laborers frind I doe you noe wronge did not you bargaine with me for a penny take your owne and depart in peace that is to say so much must I giue you as I promised and bargained and vnto that and to nothinge else you haue right and if I should denie you that I should doe you great wronge Aug. li. de nat grat ca. 2. lib 4. aduers â—ul cap. 3. 6. S. Augustine saith Non est iniustus Deus God is not iniust that he should deceaue the iust of the reward of iustice In another place he saith God should be vniuste if he should not admitte iust people into his kingdome And S. Bernard saith Bern. de grat lib. arb Promissum quidem ex misericordia that which was promised by his mercie must be perfourmed by his iustice Vnto this agreeth S. Basil sayinge Basil in oratione super prouerbia Salomonis All wee that frame our life accordinge to Christs ghospel wee are as marchants by the woorks of the comandements we purchase vnto our selues celestiall possessions Therfore it is lawfull to labour for to purchase the kingdome of heauen as the prophett saith Psal 18. Inclinaui cor meum c. I enclined my hart to keepe these comaundements for retribution or recompence It is lawfull also to repose hope and confidence in our proper meritts secundarilie although principallie and cheeflie wee must repose our hope in God as in the cheefest cause who gaue vs grace and vertue to worke well as S. Thomas saith D. Tho. 2. 2 q. 17. Ad Gal. 6. For if our workes done by godes grace had not bene meritorious why should the Apostle saie in doinge good lett vs not faile for in due tyme wee shall reape not faylinge And therfore saith he whiles wee haue tyme lett vs worke good to all but speciall to the houshould of faith these be the workeâ— that are done of a man that is in godes fauour Qui seminat in Spiritu c. he that soweth in the spiritt he shall reape life euerlastinge I beseech you brethren Coloss c. 1. Rom. 10. saith he that you will walke worthilie pleasing God fructifyinge in all good workes For these blessed workes done of the good doe not only redounde to the saluation of man but also to the glorie of God as it is said in the ghospell Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus vt videntes opera bona vestra glorificent c. Let your light soe shine before men that seing your good worckes they may glorifie your father which is in heauen So heretiques condemning the woorks of good men take away godes glorie the good example that wee are bound to giue vnto our neighbors and Gods promise to giue life euerlastinge for them and consequentlie take awaie mans endeuour and labour in the exercise of them which is against S. Peter sayinge Petr. 1. Fratres magis satague vt per bona opera c. Wherfore brethren endeuor the more that by good woorks you make sure your vocation and election And finally take away all christian religion which is nothinge else then precepts admonitions and councells to imploie our life and our lymmes in the exercise of them Luc. 16. Vnto the riche people Christ biddeth them to make vnto themselues freindes of the Mammon of iniquity that when they faile they may receaue them into the eternall tabernacles Vnto all sortes of christians he proclaimeth and diuulgeth Matt. 5. that vnlesse their iustice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharisies they shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen 7. Wherfore the puritie and sanctitie of life in the professors of this christian catholique religion which not onlie with subtile arguments and craftie deuises rather suggested by the diuil then inuented by man heretiques impugne but also with al the straungest lawes the seuerest policies and the cruellest persecutions that euer were or could be inuented or imagined or apprehended by any creature they goe about to ouerthrowe and confound the reformation of their manners the mortification of their passions their angellicall conuersation in in their behauiour their blessed and heroicall resolutions in suffringe all exquisite torments in the defence testimonie and confirmation thereof their morall life adorned and replenished with all morall and supernaturall vertues their eminent learninge and science tempered with all humilitie of spiritt voide of pride or ambition their admirable and incomparable workes of charitie pietie and deuotion which is the life and fruictes of true and vnblemished religion haue bene motiues vnto the gentiles pagans yea and to the stiff-necked Iewes themselues to abandon their idolatrie and to imbrace this christian religion 8. That these blessed endeuours and works of charitie are the badge and distinctiue token of the true religion of christian Catholiques by which their conuersation should be acceptable vnto God gratefull vnto their neighbors admirable to pagans terrible to the diuills and offensiue hurtfull or scandalous to none S. Paule auoucheth the same Ephes 4. I prisoner saith he in our Lord beseech you that you walke worthie of the vocation in which you are called with all humilitie and midlnesse with patience supportinge one another in charitie carefull to keepe the vnitie of the spiritt in the bonde of peace And in the same chapter he saith I testifie in our Lord that nowe you
there-you may see with what inuectiue stiles redoublinge withall oprobrious tearmes they doe entertaine one another and what a generall reuolte wee see nowe a dayes from this vulgar translation of sett prayers order sett downe in that booke and comaunded to be putt in continuall practise into Caluinisme and Puritanisme yea and at last vnto plaine athisme who will haue noe set prayers or common seruice at all sauinge some lasciuious and wanton psalmes of Geneua rather for fashion sake or some carnall delight then for any spirituall deuotion I haue seene a pamphlett in printe which was exhibited to the parlament that it was not lawfull for christians to say our pater noster or the creede yea not in our vulgar tongue 8. God doth knowe and wee ought not to be ignorant that your vulgar and false translation of scriptures or set prayers is not for edification but rather for cauillation though you inculcate the same soe ofteÌ„ your selues not restinge therein but slidinge from it againe In the kingdome of Ireland you comaund the englishe Bible and the english common prayer booke to be obserued in all the churches of that poore kingdome coÌ„pellinge the prisoners to buy those bookes which themselues coulde not vnderstande yea not one person amoungest 40. when that comauÌ„d was giuen forthe could speake or vnderstande the english tonge And now in the kinges raigne you cause those bookes to be set forth in the Irishe tonge compellinge euerie parish church to pay 10. shil for an Irishe Bible when one amoungest a 100. cannott read them or vnderstand them and therfore an Irish protestant Bishopp did laugh at this strange kinde of alteration and said to some of his frindes in Queene Elizabeth her time wee had englishe Bibles and Irish ministers but nowe said he wee haue ministers come out of england vnto vs and Irish Bibles with them 6. Are not for the most parte all the benefices and church liuinges of that kingdome bestowed vpoÌ„ English Scotish ministers not one of them hauinge three wordes of the Irish tonge and although in the English pale and in porte townes the inhabitants especially the best sorte caÌ„ speake Englishe yet fewe of the common sorte except it be betwixt Dublin and Drodach and in 3. barronies in the country of Wexforde can speake any worde of Englishe and truly I thinke that the Irish Bibles haue as many faultes errors in theÌ„ as the translation Martine Luther made of the Bible in which Hieronimus Enser found more then 1000. errors which he set downe in the translation that he made 1522. And not only catholiques haue charged him with those errors but also Zuinglius who made another kind of translation disagreeing from that of Luther The same is also witnessed by your variable traÌ„slations of your English Bible the first not agreeing with the last nor With the seconde In the conference had at Hampton courte the English Bible was censured to be ill translated and containing very partiall vntrue and seditious notes and too much sauoringe of dangerous and traiterous conceites and soe order was taken to make a newe translation How can the true sense and meaninge of the oracles of God be imbraced if they be tossed and corrupted with euerie vulgar tongue which oughte to be a sufficient cause that it should be preserued in those languadges in which it was first set forth by the Apostles and fathers of the primitiue church Cor. 14 7. S. Paule did forbid a womaÌ„ to speake in the church but nowe euerie woman amoungest the protestants is a mistris of scripture are all men Apostles all Euangelists all doctors saith the Apostle but nowe this vulgar translation or rather corruption or prophanation all Shoomakers Coblers Tailors Tauernors yea and lasciuious wanton women yea the most ignorant of all are Apostles prophetts euangelists and doctors so as they take away all order and forme of discipline from godes church and in the place of Hierusalem which ought to be a cittie well ordered withall vnformitie both of doctrine and discipline there is a Babilon builded where there is nothinge but a sauadge and barbarous confusion Soe as wee may perceaue that this inordinate desire of knowinge the hidden and secrett misteries of God which he woulde not haue to be abused by these contemptuous spirittes brought such fruite vnto the worlde as that disordered greedines of our first parentes touching the knowledge of good and euill therfore wee are warned not to knowe to much but rather to feare least wee should abuse our knowledg and therfore the holly ghoast doth aduise vs Eccle c. 3. not to be curious in searching things aboue our capacitie and beyond our reache 8. The beginninge and end of Ezechiel as S. Hierom wittnesseth was read by noe man before he was 30. yeares of age Hier. in proemiâ— Ezech. Baptisme was vealed in the read sea the Eucharist in the paschall lambe in manna and in Melchisedeks bread and wine the trinitie was not knowen to any but to the prophetts and the highe priestes S. Paule calleth the incarnation misterium absconditum à saeculis A misterie hidden from ages for the word misterium is not to be made knowen or diuulged to euerie one Dion lib Eccles Hier. c 1. Orig. hom 5. in cant Hier. ep 81. ad Pamachum as Dyonisius and Origenes doe counsel Did not the Apostles forbide to write the creede that noe man might learne it but by word of mouth of the Christians S. Ambrose alsoe saith lib. de ijs qui initiantur cap. 9. lib. 6. de Sacra c. 4. that ineffable misteries must be kept silent And therfore in the latine translation of the scripture wee retaine many Hebrew wordes and not without great cause are they reserued in the very hebrew it selfe which cannot be soe well translated into the latine much lesse to any other languadge as Alleluia Osanna Amen Emanuell Rabbi Abba as also greeke wordes Kyrie eleison Psalmum Christum Baptismum Episcopum Diaconum Eucharistiam Euangelium which are greeke voyces and when the Pope doth celebrate the Ghospell and the Epistle are read in greeke before the latine in the churche of Constantinople those were read first by the grecians in latine and afterwardes in greeke and soe the latine was interpreted by the greeke and this as Remigius declareth was done to shew the vnitie of faith in those two churches and that greeke in which the priests in Grecia doe celebrate or say Masse is not the same which the vulgaâ—e people doe vse but farr different from it which only the learned sorte of people doe vnderstande euen as the latine tonge is not the vulgare tonge of the latines but the Italian tonge for the latine is only knoweÌ„ to the learned For as S. Basil saith Basil lib. de Spiritu sancto Num. 5. it is not a misterie if it be commoÌ„ to the vulgar sorte for in the olde lawe all the vessells of the tabernacle were couered
giuen also to others but Christ did not forbidd those to whome he comitted the gouernment of his church to denie it also to other some as it is said in the scripture Genes 9. that God hath giuen all cattle and beastes to the vse of man yet by that graunte or donation he hath not forbidden the superiors for disciplines sake to forbid their subiects in certaine tymes the vse of certaine meattes as God in his lawe by speciall commaundemente did forbidd the children of Israell all vncleane beastes and such that were strangled which neuerthelesse the church nowe doth teach and preach not that herein shee doth against Gods lawe or his precepte but that beinge taught by the holy ghoast shee doth interprete godes meaninge in the lawe For the positiue lawe of the church is nothing else then a certaine prescription of godes lawe and a certaine determination of that which is giuen in common God almightie commaunded vs in generall to praie to doe pennaunce to receaue the Eucharist but the church according to her wisdome and discretion respectinge rather the intente of the lawe-giuer then the lawe it selfe did prescribe both the tyme manner wherein and by which wee ought both to receaue the blessed Sacrament and to doe pennance and praie for the vulgar sorte yea and men of great learninge and science vnlesse they had bene endued with great charitie without these particuler determinations and comaundements of the Church would not keepe these generall comaundements Luther saith Luth. in lib. de formula missa lib. de Cōfessione parte 3. para 14. that the had noe other cause or any sufficient motiue to giue the Chalice to the laytie but that the church and the fathers did comaund the contrarie And in another place he dissuaded Christians from confession and from the Euchariste in time of easter because that the Pope commaunded it I will not obey his commaundemente saith he I will doe it saith he another tyme accordinge to myne owne pleasure but not accordinge to his precepte But Luther and all his malitious and turbulent followers ought to embrace the counsell that the Angell gaue to Agar the woman seruante Genes 16. Reuertere ad domum tuam humiliare suv◠manu illius retourne to thy house and humble thie selfe vnder her power This was spoken litterallie of Agar that shee should obey Sara and returne to her house which is allegorically spoken of the church vnderstoode by Sara and of the congregation of heretiques meante by Agar as S. Augustine doth teach vs. Whether the Catholicke Church doth add to this Sacramente in makinge it both a sacrifice and a Sacramente CHAPTER II. Cypr. epist 66. Chrysost hom 11. Damasc serm de cana 1. I ' Answere that the Catholique church doth add nothinge nor inuente any sacrifice but that which Christe instituted for a Sacramente which is our spirituall foode and may be said to be our daylie bread as also the great sacrifice of the newe testamente and soe Christ is said to be offered for vs two manner of wayes videlicet bloodilie and vnbloodilie In the first manner he offered himselfe for vs in ara crucis vpon the alter of the crosse which oblation the paschall lābe without spott which was offered by the Iewes did signifie In the second Cyrill ad Hebr. 9. Hier. cap. 9. ad Titum he offred himselfe in his last supper and nowe his priests doe offer him vpon the alter for the quicke and for the dead that accordinge to S. Cyrill the oblation of Melchisedech who did offer bread and wyne should be accomplished and that he should remayne a true priest accordinge the order of Melchisedech and that his priest hoode which is according to his humanitie and not accordinge to his diuinitie might endure for euer Soe as the Eucharist amongest other Sacraments of the old testamente hath this priuiledge How the Eucharist is a sacrifice and a Sacramēt and prerogatiue that it is a Sacramente when it is receaued by the faithfull and a sacrifice in asmuch as it is dailie offred for our offences to the eternall father And although euerie sacrifice be a Sacrament because it is a sacred thinge religiously instituted to sanctifie our soules notwithstādinge euerie Sacrament is not a sacrifice because it is not offred vnto God vnto whome sacrifice is offred and a Sacramente is ordained for men Soe as the Eucharist is of greater value and vertue as it is a sacrifice then as it is a Sacramente as Ioannes Roffensis saith in his articles against Luther and vpon this place related by Alfonso Salmeron Salmer tracta 16. in Ioannē That the Eucharist is a sacrifice of the newe lawe it is proued most aboūdantlie both by scriptures fathers and by councells 2. The first is by Malachias the prophett who did prophesie of this sacrifice after this manner Mal. c. 1. Psal 112. Non est mihi voluntas in vobis c. I haue noe likinge of yow and I will not receaue a gifte from your hand ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum c. from the risinge of the sunne vnto the goinge downe thereof magnum est nomen meum in gentibus in omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio mūda quia magnum est nomen meum in gentibus my name is great amoungest the gentiles and in all places they doe sacrifice and offer vnto my name a cleane oblation This said the Lorde of hoasts he said that his name should be great amoungest the gentiles of whome this oblation should be offred for before the ghospell of Christe was preached vnto them noe oblation of theirs was lawfull neither the oblatiō of the Iewes was cleane it selfe but accordinge to the faith and deuotion of him that did offer the same besides they could not offer but at Hierusalem onlie and consequentlie it was not in all places of the worlde as it is mente heere from the easte to the weaste Neither can it be meant of a spirituall sacrifice either of prayers faith mercie or a contrite harte which in scriptures are called sacrifice as the Augustane Apologie doth interprete for manie reasons because that all these be not one sacrifice but many sacrifices as also because they doe not scceede the old sacrifices for in the old testament there was vse of those kinde of sacrifices as with vs and moreouer because they were not properlie called sacrifices but metaphoricallie neither are they offered in all places because they be spirituall thinges which needes noe place And much lesse are they vnderstoode of the preachinge of the ghospell as Bucerus writinge to Latonius doth interprete because preachinge is not properly called a sacrifice neither succeedeth it the olde sacrifices Neither the conuersion of the gentiles by the preachinge of the ghospell is this sacrifice as Aecolampadius doth expounde vnto the Senate of Basil for this is called an improper sacrifice neither one sacrifice but many
put to death by them for their religion were damned in not obeying and conforming themselues vnto those Princes in matters of faith and in the doctrine of saluation The puritanes which are called the reformed and seuere Caluinistes doe grounde themselues vpon the election of the people and that the common and vulgar sorte should make appointe and elect cleargie or pastors to feede and gouerne them and alleadge the first and 6. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. where it is said that it pleased the people to make choice of saint Mathias insteede of Iudas and saint Stephen Philipp Procherus 4. others to supplie the offices of Deacons and afterwardes in the primitiue church wee finde that the people did choose or nominate their Bishoppes But to this puritanticall foundations both the Catholiques and protestantes doe aunswere that those elections or nominations were permitted to the people by the Apostles for their comfort and that the parties so chosen receaued authoritie and spiritual iurisdiction from the Apostles and not from the people as wee see this daie that in manny places the people are permitted to make choice of their encombents but are inuested and consecrated of the Bishoppes of euerie diocesse where the parishioners are permitted to haue this priuilege That there are many excellencies and effectes which should allure euerie one to follow and imbrace the Catholique religion And contrariwise many enconueniences and blasphemies which the newe religion houldeth and teacheth The first excellencie CHAPTER II. 1. THe first and cheefest excellency is to beleeue that God is the first trueth and first cause from whome proceedeth all trueth and by whom all causes haue their operation and their influence The first goodnesse and sanctitie of whom all goodnesse and sanctitie doth depend And as it is the proprietie of the sunne to giue light of the fire to giue heate of the water to make colde so it is the nature essence and proprietie of God with farr greater excellency to do good and to communicat and impart the same vnto his creatures And so saint Augustin saith O God thow art perfect without deformitie great without quantitie good without qualitie eternall without time strong without infirmitie trew without fastshood thow art present euerie where with out ocupieng any place and thow art inward and intimat to euery thing being tyed or fastened to nothing 2. Butt the new religion maketh God crwell without mercy in that he doth encomber his people with lawes and preceptes which they cannott keep wicked without goodnesse in that they make him the cause of all the euill and wickednesse which the wicked doe comitt and for the which they are so seuerely punished The 2. excellencye is the pure and holly doctrine which it professeth CHAPTER III. 1. SVch is the perfection of catholique doctrine that it nether admitteth nor alloweth any thing against the light of reason godes glory or the good of our neghbors it teatcheth the law it comandeth vnder paine of damnation the perfourmance therof and the morall precepts of the tenn commaundeth which are certaine conclusions deriued from the same But Luther saith they pertaine nott to them and all the schoole of protestantes do teach that wee cannott keep or obserue them that God respecteth them nott and that the good woorckes of a christian do preiudice and derrogat from the merites of Christs passion And so they take away all the meritorious woorckes of the iust and all the force and industrie of mās proper merites and consequently al graces and inherent iustice of a sanctified soule by the extrinsicall and imputatiue iustice of Christ and saith that so they haue faith God regardeth nott their woorkes which is a wide gappe and dangerous gulfe to all wickednesse dishonestie loosnesse of life and dissolute behauiour a quite defacing dissanulling and abrogating nott only of the law of nature butt of all other lawes whatsoeuer and therfore most pernitious and dangerous doctrine 2. Besides these holy precepts it perswadeth though not commandeth the Euangelicall counselles of our Sauiour the cheefest wherof is perpetuall chastitie which is a celestiall vertue by which a man forgoeth many encombrances of worldly cares troubles and perturbations of minde 1. Cor. and affliction of his spirit as saint Paule saith The 2. counsell which our Sauiour gaue was to a certaine yong man sayeng vnto him if thou wil be perfect go and sell all that thow hast giue the same to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen follow me By this counsell a christian doth eschew many tentations and snarres of the diuill into which such as be rich do fall hedlong and ar deliuered from troubles vexations and anxietis of minde and of many contentious and litigious strifes and debates with his negboures which for the most part is incident to worldly people which blessed counsell was obserued of the christians at Hierusalem Acto 2. at Alexandria in Aegipt and at the lake Marian as Philo the Iew reporteth Matt. 5. The 3. counsell is to render good for euill and to pray for our persecutors The 4. counsell is to giue almesse and to pittie the poore to be mercifull to releeue the distressed no vertue is so often inculcated as this no vice so often discommended or with greater punishmentes threatned thē inhumanitie and crweltie The 5. counsell is to exercise our selues in continuall praiers Matt. 25. 1. Tim 2 Luc. 18. Luc 11. and so the Apostle wisheth vs alwaise to pray and our Sauiour also counselleth the same by 3. examples The first of a carnall father in respect of his sonne which yeldeth to his sonnes demande The 2. of a frind that was vrged at the earnest inintreatie of another frind to rise out of his bedd at night to giue vnto him what so earnestly he sought for The 3. of an inflexible iudge that neuer yelded to any mans desire yett at the earnest and importunat suite of a poore woman he was perswadeed to take comisseration of her 3. The religion of protestantes not only barketh all the obseruations of the precepts of the lawe but also forbiddeth and reiecteth all euangelicall counselles sayeng that no man ought to accomplish them As for virginitie they say it is impossible As for the poore they may starue for them for any relefe or comfort they receaue of them For they pull from them all that they haue As for mercy of all people none are so blouddy or so crwell yea the very first preachers of this new religion as you may read As for praiers they cannot abide any order of time or deuotion for performing them for they do nott only barcke as another Vigilantius against euensongs Masse and mattens and against any obseruation of times as att midnight morning and euening but also against the English comon praier booke as you see The 3. Excellencie most diuine Sacraments which confer grace CHAPTER IV. 1. THe 3. Excellencie be the sacramentes
For although the written law lightneth our vnderstanding with many instructions and fownd doctrine directing our vnderstanding to follow and embrace vertue and to discerne the good from the euill yet it disposeth nor prepareth not our hartes with the loue of the one nor our affection with the hatred of the other it giueth light to the vnderstanding but it healeth not the infirmitie and disease of our appetites The lawe teatcheth the way to heauen but giueth no force to our weake soules to trauaile thither which saint Iohn auerreth The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and trueth was giuen by Christ which is conferred by the sacramentes and which are instrumentes to conuay the same vnto vs. 2. As there are many maladies disseases and necessities so there ar also many sacramentes which are as it were conduits that do deriue manny remedies and receipts to ech of them And as the Humane body is first borne and so encreaseth is fedd and receaueth diuers alterations Ephe. 5. Mar. 16. in Clemen ex summa trinitate fidei Cath. ca. 1 Ezech. 36 Clemens epist 4. Vrba ep ad omnes fideles Melch ad epis Hisp Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 2. so there are many such varietie of alterations of the soule which is borne and regenerated by water and the holy ghoast which is baptisme and the grace and vertues which are giuen in baptisme are againe confirmed by the Sacrament of confirmation which maketh the soule stoute and constant in the profession of his faith which faith and grace hath neeede to be nourished and augmented which is don by the holie Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the body of Christ which is the foode of our languished soule which through many infirmities and diseases incident therunto hath great need of a spirituall phisition to heale the same by contrition confession and satisfaction And for that after long and prolix sicknesse and disseases there are many dregges of the old sicknesse stil left Ia. 5. cont Flore for the healing and curing wherof the Sacrament of extreame vnction is ordained as also that a christian in his cheefest agony of his spirituall extremitâ—e should be releued and refreshed 3. The other 2. Sacramentes are inioyned for the 2. states of people Matt. 19. Ephes 5. the one for such as be married the other for such as be ecclesiasticall and seruing in godes church But the new religion hath no Sacrament althoughe for some shew of litle deuotion they do not reiect the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Eucharist yett they handle them without any deuotion or reuerence at all as for Baptisme some or most of them doe holde that it is not necessarie to our saluation for they thincke that the childe is saued by the faith of his parents As for the Eucharist with they call the Lords supper they make no more accompt of it then of anny common bread whose effect is nothinge els ten to remember Christ his death which may be don aswell by the one as by the other The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked CHAPTER V. 1. WHen the end of euery lawe is to take away vice and wickednesse and the occasions therof and to make meÌ„ sober honest and vertuous it is meete that the good should haue many priuiledges fauors and rewards and the wicked should be punished Deut. 28. Ezech. 5. 6. as we may read in Deutrono wher god almightie threatneth death and destruction against the transgressors of his lawes and comandementes The like also we may read in Ezech. But the new religion taketh away both merits and rewards from the iust and paine and punishmentes from the wicked saying the more wicked you are the neerer you are to Gods fauor and grace as Luther affirmeth The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world CHAPTER VI. THe more that princes persecuted christian religion the more the same encreased as Pliny the 2. being a Pagan withnesseth For when he saw such a multitude of christians to be put to death he wrott to the emperor Traian aduertizing him that there were thowsands of christians executed by exquisitt tormentes for no kind of offence but for being Christians and the more they were tormented and afflicted the more they encreased and florished and the more the reuerence of the Idols decreased But the new religion neuer conuerted the gentles from Idolatrie to Christian religion whose only imployment and drift is to corrupt and confound the faithfull and neuer to reforme themselues charging the church with Idolatrie as old heretiques haue done Athanasius witnessing the same The 6. Excellencie of the Catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells CAPTER VII 1. ARistotle saith that a man is beleeued for three causes and ought to be presupposed that he telles the trueth 1. If he be wise 2. If he be vertuous 3. If he be oure frind For wee thincke that a wise man should not be deceaued a good man should not lie a frind should not deceaue his frind Such therfore as did beare witnesse of our catholique religion were wisemen eminent and exquisitt in all sciences and faculties most holy and religious in their liues as Dionisius Areopagita disciple to S. Paule saint Ignatius Policarpus Origines saint Basill the great and his brother saint Gregorie Nissenus saint Iohn Chrisostom Theodoretus saint Nazianzenus saint Gregorie saint Aug. saint Hierom saint Ambrosse saint Hillarius saint Cyprian Lactantius Firmianus S. Vincentius Lirinensis Arnobius saint Bernard saint Bonauenture Scotus Alexander de Halles with diuers others for they had no cause but to tell the trueth being honest vertuous free from all inordinat affection that should otherwise restraine theÌ„ to declare the trueth therof being people that were altogether addicted to the seruice of God and most zealous of his glory and honor which they preferred before all worldly designements and promotions 2. Vnto these are annexed for confirmation of the trueth all generall counsells of the world which were 20. with the aprobation of Christs viccar generall in earth together with all the blessed martyrs that euer were in all the persecutions and tempestuous stormes and agonies of the church which she suffred vnder 14. Kinge and Emperors according to S. Aug. accompt lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei The first was of Nero who was so infestuous to the Christians that he caused Rome to be sett on fire in diuers places and laid the imputation of that infamie vppon them wherby the Romanes should insult vppon them and should destroy and massacre them euerie one the Tirant himselfe commanding the same The 2. was of Domitian who caused S. Iohn the Euangelist to be cast into a Tunn of hoat burnâ—nge oyle which caused also by his edict published that all the bookes of Christians should be burned