and my very louing Sisters I haue giuē you certaine generall markes to learne the true Church To write all were infinite because all bookes are full of our religion I trust hereafter to instruct you in euery point as you would desire and I pray GOD giue you grace that you may desire it All at once would be too tedious in the meane time remember these two thinges When your religion began and by whome how it came at length into England This is the yeare of Christ a thousand fiue hundred eightie and three Luther begane to preach within these fiftie yeares If he preached the truth all before him were deceaued where was the Church of Christ in all the world for a thousand fiue hundred yeares before and how is Christ true of his promise that said I will remaine with you for euer the holy Ghost shal teach you all truth the gates of hell shal not preuail against it But for our Church that is to say the Catholick Church we can shew how it is growne and continued from the Apostles vntill this day and neuer fayled we can recken you from time to time Councels Bishops Doctours infinite numbers of good Christians of all ages that were all of our faith and of our Church Can your Ministers deny but that Saint Chrisostome alloweth praying to Saintes Or that S. Ierome calleth the Bishop of Rome Supreame head of the whole Church vnder Christ Or that S. Austin praied for his mother being dead Or that he honoured the Reliques of S. Steuē Or that S. Gregory saide Masse Or that S. Ambrose saith before the wordes of consecration it is bread and wine but after the wordes are spoken by the Priest it is the very body and blood of Christ or that all Christians in S. Austins time did worship the blessed Sacrament Or that the second Councell of Nice did many hundred yeares alow the vse of Images for the memorie and representation of Christ his Saintes condemning Image breakers Or that Saint Bernard was an Abbot and had Monkes vnder him as in Catholicke Countries now a daies can they denie but that all this is true and dare they deny these vertuous Fathers and Doctors of the Church to be now Saints in heauen O my good Sisters that you could vnderstand their bookes and theire writinges that you might your selues see what they say and what wonderfull men they were endued with the spirite of God exceedingly aboue other euen good men much more then your licentious leaders I doubt not but you would suspect your new Doctors and follow these you shoulde perceaue they had the Scriptures at their fingers ends they knew right well the meaning sense therof night and day by fasting and praier and chaste life beseeching God that they might vnderstand and truely expound his worde O what a difference is there betweene them and these new preachers Sisters I appeale to your consciences whether will you or ought you to trust in the expoundinge of Scripture your yong vnlearned and fleshly ministers or these auncient most skilfull and most vertuous Fathers When Christ saied Take eate this is my Body All these Fathers say and agree that it was his Body in very deed your ministers tell you it was but Bread and Wine When Christ sayed to Peter Thou art Peter that is a rocke on this rocke wil I build my Church Mat. 16. These Fathers say that Peter was made head of the Church and after him all his successors in the See of Roome where Peter was the first Bishop Your Ministers tell you that Peter had no more preheminence then the other Apostles and therfore the Bishoppe of Roome hath no more authoritie then an other Bishop hath Whē Christ said to his Apostles Receaue yee the Holy Ghost what soeuer yee doe loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen what soeuer ye do binde in earth shall be bound in heauen These Fathers say that Christ gaue to his Church autoritie to remitt sinne by the ministrie of the Priest to all such as do truely repent and therefore will haue the people go to confession your ministers haue taken that comfortable Sacrament of Pennance away altogether When Raphael the Angell saith in the twelfth chapter of Tobias That he did offer vp Tobi as praier to Almightie God And when in the second booke of Macchabes the 15. chap. Onias the Priest saith of Ieremie being dead This is hee that prayeth much for his people and for the holy Citty these Fathers say that the Angels and Saintes do pray for vs and that we may pray to them your ministers do not stick to say that these bookes of Toby and the Machabees are scant good Scripture Many other thinges like vnto these I could reckon but I should be too long fearing least I should weary you these fewe are sufficient to giue you to tast of such markes as may shew you the Catholicke Church These and many other greate reasons doe keepe all good Christians within the church These things make so many Catholicks partly to haue suffered death partly to haue died in prison partly to continue in prison so manie yeares partly to forsake theire pleasant countrie theire deere friends and to liue to their conscience among strangers being thought of many worldly men to be very fooles for so doing but they knowright wel that the wisdome of this world is foolishnes before GOD. And Christ saith He that loueth father mother sister brother better than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. Sisters geue me leaue to tell you somewhat of my selfe not for any bragge but the more to moue you and to giue God all the praise for his great goodnes towards me It pleased my Parents to bring me vp in learning as you knowe as I was not the best so I was at all times not counted the worst amongst my fellowes and companions some small estimation I had in Oxford aboue my desert more afterwardes when it pleased the Duke to make me though vnworthy Tutor to the Earle his sonne as long as his grace did prosper I liued in his house to my conscience without trouble when he was in the Tower and other men ruled his house I was willed to receiue the Communion or to depart if I woulde haue yeelded I had very large offers which I need not tell It pleased God to stay me so with his grace that I chose rather to forsake all then to doe against my beleefe against my knowledge against my conscience against the lawe of Almightie God For a time I lay secretlie in England afterwardes I came beyond the Seas into these Catholicke countries out of schisme and heresie for the which I doe thanke Almightie GOD much more then for all the estimation that I had or might haue had in England Whatsoeuer my estate is heere I doe more esteeme it then all the riches of England as it now standeth And were I so
mad think you to forsake all preferment all liuings all estimation to liue frō my good mother from you my louing sisters your husbands from other my deare friendes companions out of mine owne most pleasant countrie would I do this thinke you but that my learninge and my conscience telleth me that to follow your Religion is present daunger of body and soule and to be in the Catholicke Church is the onely way to saluation Fie vpon all worldly riches when the soule is in danger nothing is so pretious as the soule first seeke for the Kingdome of heauen for other things as it pleaseth God O that I might vnderstand once that you were of my mind and of the Catholicke religion O my hart would leape for ioy to consider that although we cannot liue together vppon earth yet we may hereafter meete in heauen which is impossible as long as we disagree in faith S. Paul saith There is one God one Faith one Baptisme S. Austin saieth speaking of one Emeritus He cannot be saued but in the Catholicke Church Doe you thinke it sufficient to beleeue in the Father the Son the holy Ghost Harken what S. Austine saith in the 88. Psalme What doth it profite thee if thou confesse the Lord If thou honor God if thou prech praise him if thou acknowledge his Son if thou cōfess that he sitteth at the right hand of his Father what doth this profit thee if thou blaspheme his Church S. Athanasius in his Creed saith Whosoeuer wil be saued it is necessarie that hee hold the Catholicke Faith which Faith vnles a man beleeue in all pointes and euery article without doubt saith he he shall perish euerlastingly One point is good Sisters that Christ gaue vs at his last Supper his owne blessed body blood to feed vpon in the remēbrance of his bitter death he that saith it is not so doth he beleeue in Christ Doth he not in effect say that Christ was not able to do it and by that reason that he was not omnipotēt For when the three Euangelistes report it so plainly S. Paul after them Take eate this is my Body that shall be deliuered for you this is my blood that shall be shed for you Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luke 22.1 Cor. 11. What maketh a man to doubt but that it is so in deed O you wil say I see nothing but bread and wine If you should see his body no god a mercy if you did beleeue it But Christ saide to Thomas Thou Thomas dost beleue because thou hast sene but happie are they that beleeue when they see not Ioh. 20. Mat. 2. I pray you when the three wise men came from the East to worship Christ what did they see in him forsooth a young Infant not able to helpe him selfe sucking his mother a poore carpenters wife and that in an Oxe staule yet they fell downe and worshipped him as God Is it not as easie to beleeue the body of Christ is vnder the forme of bread as that Almighty God him selfe was then vnder the shape of a seely weake Infant O good Sisters vnles you beleeue you shall neuer vnderstand beleeue once Christ his wordes that he is almighty and that he is able to do whatsoeuer he saieth and you will thinke that all is easie returne to the Catholicke Church and bee content to learne that which you know not of them that will not for all the world deceaue you and you shall find exceeding comfort When Christ shall say at the latter day as it were in this maner Was it not of my greate kindnesse that I left vnto you mine owne Bodie and Blood and was it not of my exceeding goodnes and wisdome to leaue it not in the forme of fleshe and blood least your nature should abhorre it but of bread wine which can be lothsome to no man and you make me this gay recompence saying that it was nothing but breade and wine because you could tast nothing els in your mouth and because your new Preachers tolde you so whom I sent not were not you christned in an other Faith Did not my Church which is my spouse Apoc. 21. and the piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. alwaies teach otherwaies What haue you to say for your selfe but that you haue most vnkindly abused that blessed Sacrament and heauenly mistery and make me a lyar and deny my omnipotency and therefore deserue eternall damnation with all such as haue deceaued you When Christ shall say this will it not be a heauy case whē Cyprian Ambrose Chrisostome Augustine Ierome Gregory Bernard all the olde Fathers now Saints in heauen shall come beare witnesse against you and say that they taught other-wise When your Bishoppes that are now partly dead and partly in prison for the defending of this cause shall condemne you because you did not follow theire good example When your owne Doctours and Teachers shall not be able to answere for them selues will it not be a pittifull case But I hope better of you good Sisters I can not mistrust your good natures but thar you will bee glad to learne the trewth which Almightie God graunt vnto you for his deare Sonnes sake who died for vs and that I maye heare some comfortable newes from you Doe but fignifie vnto mee that you are content if any thing be amisse to be better instructed Proue me what I can say for any thing that troubleth your consciences It shall be far better newes vnto mee to receaue two lines from you to such a purpose then to vnderstand that your husbandes were made Lordes and you Ladies He is rich that is in the Catholicke Church and he is honourable that is in the fauour of God Sisters if I might doe you good to God-ward I woulde not sticke to aduenture this body of mine to saue your soules to come and talke with you my body is not more pretious vnto me then your soules how you are disposed and what you would haue me to doe for your sakes let me vnderstand by the next Deale wisely I pray you and warily both for our owne sake and for our good friende this bearer It is not reason that for his good will he should incurre any danger God forbid my truste is in your wisdome that you will keepe this verie close tell herafter by reason of the great persecution The matter is waighty and conserneth both you and this bearer very much bee wise and trustie and deceaue not your Brother that loueth you as him selfe and therefore wisheth by all meanes to doe you good Saint Paule sayth 1. Timothy 5. Hee that hath not regard of his own kindred hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell Saint Chrisostome vpon the same place writeth thus If a man instruct strangers in the Faith suffer his owne kinne to continue in there errour with whome he were likely to preuaile most because they make most account of him were it not a moste cruell barbarous man For this cause I write vnto you wishe you all grace al goodnes al heauenly comfort last of all least of all to prosper in this worlde and yet I wish you that with all my hart at the pleasure of God Other good thing I haue none to send you but this I will remaine in your debt for your gentle tokens Commend mee to your selues your louing husbandes your little ones and when you haue learned to beleeue right your selues bring them vp accordingly and teach them to feare God Make much of this bearer I pray you and saue him harmeles by your wise and discreet dealings Almightie God preserue you and by his Holy spiritte lead you into all truth Amen FINIS
THE LOVE OF THE SOVLE Made by G. M. IHS Printed at Roane 1578. TO MY LOVING AND best beloued Sisters DEERE SISTERS my care my loue and of all worldlye thinges next to my good MOTHER my greatest comforte and ioy Vnlesse you did thinke that I doe most hartily loue you you coulde not alwaies heeretofore haue declared your exceedinge great loue soe plentifullye towardes mee for the which Almightie God reward you This my loue because it is not a naturall affection onely but syncere and true Charitie forceth mee to wishe vnto you my louing SISTERS not only many worldly commodities which God be thanked you lacke not but much more all Spirituall treasure and Heauenly riches whereof you cannot haue greate store because you dwel not where it groweth I know good SISTERS that you meane well and most willing are you to doe that which might please God but in good sooth you are out of the way therefore the further you holde on the further you are from your iorneis ende and the further from Heauen The wise man saith Prouerbs 14. There is away which seemeth to a man right but the end thereof leadeth to destruction Beare with me if I write bouldly and tell you the truth plainely I am your Brother I loue you as nature bindeth me not onely in wordly respecte but much more towards God Your soules are deare vnto me my heart alwaies mourneth to thinke vpon your dangerous state wherein you stand O good SISTERS the paine of Hell exceedeth all torments and that fire shall burne for euer Happie are they that keepe them selues by GOD his great goodnesse within the Catholicke Church for out of it there is no hope of saluation And moste happie are they that hauing bene out of this Church by the wicked perswasions of false Preachers when that it pleaseth God to sende them trew teachers will not remaine obstinate but follow good exhortations and good holsome doctrine and so returne againe as obedient Children to Christ their father and to the Church theire Mother who are alwaies ready to receiue them remembring that which a most ancient learned Father writeth S. Austin in the 88. Psal He can neuer account God to be his Father who will not haue the Church to be his mother If you aske me what this Church is that is called Catholicke and how you may knowe it behold the true and certaine markes thereof and your selfe iudge whether you be within it or no. This Church is a Congregation of all true Christians which began in Christ and his Disciples at Ierusalem from thence grewe and multiplied throughout the wholle world according as it is saide in the Psalme their sound speaking of the Apostles is gone out into the whole world their wordes into the ends of the earth Psa 18. ve 5 The first marke of the church is to be vsible So that the first marke of the true Church is that it must grow and multiplie be seene appeare alwaies as a light in the world and therfore Christ calleth it A Citie builded vpon a hill which cannot be hid And the blessed Martyr S. Cip. saith The Church being lightned with the brightnesse of our Lord doth reach forth her beames throghout the whole world And S. Aust besides many other places to this purpose cōpareth Christ his Church to that stone which was cut out of a hill without mens hāds after grew to be a mighty moūtain so that it filled the whole earth For vndoubtedly this stone whereof the Prophet speaketh in CHRIST who was borne of a Virgine without the helpe of man is now growne from a few Apostles and Disciples to an infinite number of Christian people in all countries confessing one Faith one Beleefe and this is the Catholicke Church whereof your CREED telleth and teacheth you to say I beleeue the Catholicke Church Let vs see now whether this marke doth agree to your brethren in England who cal them selues Protestants or to vs whō it pleaseth them to call Papists First they call them-selues in their books the English Church that is to say of that faith which is professed in England but we are of the Catholicke Church that is of such a faith as is professed in France in Spaine in Flanders Brabant Zeland c. In a great part of Germanie in all Italy and beyond whersoeuer there be Christians and is preached in the Indians that neuer heard of Christ before increaseth wonderfullye And within these fortie yeeres in England Scotland Ireland Denmarke and Germany there was no other faith openly professed but ours And now also in all these countries how many are there thinke you of secret Catholickes that wishe for the olde religion againe with all their heart and follow the new only for feare Nay how many are there especially in England that do yet openly professe the Catholike faith Aske good Sisters aske and you shall learne that all the prisons not onely of London but of England are full of them because they will not yeelde to these new proceedings nor cōtaminate their soules with this new seruice and leaue the olde true and Catholicke faith besides a number of sundrie degrees which are dead in prison namely twentie three Bishops all depriued of their liuing these twentie three yeeres and now but two of them aliue I omitt Doctours Deanes Archdeacons Knightes Squires partly in prison partly departed the realme and forsaking all rather then they will forsake God and his most true and vndoubted Religion This is true good Sisters as knoweth God you seldome heare of these thinges therefore you thinke eyther there is no other Religion but that cold seruice without all comfort and deuotion which you see in your parishe Church or you thinke that must needes bee the best because you are not taught any other whereas you see if you beleeue me that all Christendome almost is of another Religion And therefore this is the Catholicke Church and yours is worthely called by your owne ministers the Church of Englād The secōd mark is succession But this shall better appear if I giue you an other marke of the true and Catholicke Church which is that it may continue for euer and from the first beginning which was in Christ his Apostles neuer to faile but to appeare be seene stil as a City vp on a hill or a light in the world For Christ said I will be with you vnto the end of the world Mat. 28 And againe I will send you another comforter the spirit of truth who shal romaine with you for euer And vnto Peter vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuiale against it Mat. 16. That is to say the Diuell and all his Ministers shall neuer so preuaile against this Church but that it will still appeare and professe one the same faith So that there shall be no time wherein this faith this