auncient vndoubted writers that no man can possiblie with any reason make answere vnto it or exception against it Vide sermones nouos Aug. editos 1564. Louanii cum Epistolis Aniti Luciani duâ—bus libris Euodii de signis S. Stephani In S. Augustine alone may be seene examples very many of such helpe done to such men by this Martyr if anie man please to read his two twentith Booke De Ciuitate Dei the eight chapter his Sermons De diuersis in the tenth Tome from the Sermon 34. to the Sermon 40. of which Sermons he maketh mention himself De Ciuitate Dei in the place which I haue said and also Posâ—idonius in Indiculo operum Augustini There shall you finde how that by S. Steuens Relickes was cured a Bishop of a Fistula by the same was reuiued perfectly restored a boy that with a wheele was killed and crushed many likewise reuiued by thinges that had but touched his Relickes Six reuiued there as by oyle clothes and floures One of those exaÌ„ples because it serueth well to many good purposes I thinke it good to recite here at large in Saint Augustines owne wordes Such a Miracle doe wee know saith he amongst many others to have beene done at Vzalis a citie here in Africke Ser. 38. in Diuer To. 10 qui est Ser. 10. in noua edit A certaine woman lost in her lap her sonne by sicknes being a Catechumen or one appointed to be christened a sucking babe Who seeing that he was lost and irreparably perished began to weepe for him more of faith then as a mother For she did not desire the life of her Sonne but in the world to come and that life she bewailed the losing the perishing of it and full of confidence vp she took him dead as he was and ran to the Memorie of the blessed Martyr Steuen and began of him to require her Sonne and to say O holy Martyr thou seest that I haue no comfort left For I can not say that my sonne is gone afore whom thou knowest to be perished For thou seest why I doe make this lamentation Restore vnto me my Son that I may haue him in the sight of God that crowned thee As she in these other like words made her petition with teares after a sort not desiring but as I saide requiring him her sonne reuiued and because she had said thou knowest wherefore I seeke him God would also shew forth the truth of her minde and meaning By and by to the Priestes shee brought him baptised he was sanctified he was anointed hee was Imposition of handes was done vpon him Completis omnibus Sacramentis assumptus est and all the Sacraments being so fulfilled he was assumpted or taken out of this life vp to Heauen But shee then with such a countenaunce followed him as though shee brought him not to the rest of buriall but to Steuen the Martyrs bosome Probatum est cor fidele mulieris and so was proued faithfull the heart of the woman Here haue we that children although theyr Parentes be Christians perish without Baptisme We haue also that in baptisme they must be anointed after baptisme also an other Sacrament of coÌ„firmation by a Bishoppe or Imposition of handes Finallie wee haue here praying to Saint Steuen and by the two straunge miracles of the childe 's both reuiuing and assumpting wee haue the same confirmed both by Saint Steuen by God himselfe Wherupon who seeth not how plainely it followeth that Saint Steuen was no Protestant but cleane of the other side all against them And certaine it is I say that Saint Steuen and all the other Holy martyrs were of one Religion Therefore certaine it is also that no one of all those martyrs vvas a Protestant Which is so plaine a demonstratioÌ„ that the simplest of all may see it so sure a knot that not the cunningest of all our Aduersaries can euer possiblie either vndoe or breake it As the partie I say which prayeth to the martyrs so likewise the martyrs them-selues that with such miracles answere such praiers be both against the Protestantes And therefore be all the true Martyrs of old time against the Protestantes Quia per totum orbâ—m in locis sanctis quae frequent at nostra communio tanta mirabilia vel exauditionum v l sanitatum fiunt c. Seeing ouer all the world in the Holy places which our companie doth frequent so great Miracles of hearinges and healinges be wrought c. Aug. de vni Ecc. cap. 10. So that all men may easily see that if they desire to be with those Martyrs they must not be with the Protestantes Whereby againe may all men see what are these new Martyrs of theyrs of whome they are wont so much to brag whose worthie Actes and Monumentes Foxe the Martyrmaker hath put in writing For a full answere to them all although the very naming of our Catholike Martyrs euen of this our time to any reasonable man may suffice as the Bishoppe of Rochester Sir Thomas More the Monkes of the Charterhouses with very many moe vnder K. Harry and now of latter time all our holie Martyrs that haue beene and daily are made vp by losse of their liuings Let Elâ—â—â— remember his Tragedie of the Scottish friar at Lincol. by prison by poyson by whipping by famishing by bannishment Bishops Priests Deanes Archdeacons Canons Ecclesiastical persons of all sortes Knightes Esquires Gentlemen Laymen likewise of all sorts so many likewise that haue openly suffered the good Earle of Northumberland D. Storie Felton the Nortons M. Wodhouse M. Plumtree and so many hundreds of the Northern-men such men both in their life and at their death that neither the enimies haue to staine them as their owne consciences their own talke and the world it selfe doth beare good witnesse many of them also and therefore all of them bycause of their owne cause beyng by God himselfe approued by Miracles most vndoubted although I say no reasonable man will thinke those stincking Martyrs of the Heretykes worthy in any respect to be compared with these most glorious Martyrs of the Catholikes yet supposing that otherwise they were equall and ours not sensibly better then theirs this one consideration were notwithstanding inough to declare most plainly that ours are Gods Martyrs and theirs the Diuels bycause that ours as you see died in the faith of S. Steuen the first Martyr and of all his fellowes and theirs cleane against the same If a man be an heretike although he suffer death euen for Christ yet goeth he vnto damnatioÌ„ as S. Paul doth plainly say 1. Cor. 18. If I deliuer my body to be burned and haue not charity it profiteth me nothing vvhat then must we thinke of them that burne against Christ and against his truth No doubt as they that suffer death for him haue the greatest croune in Heauen so they that hold against him and that to leese their
as here the vse of people is by reason of the exceeding great multitudes which resort to such solennities Masse being now begonne shee fealt immediatly such an-horror and trembling in all her bodie such stretching and strayning such haling and pulling cold sweat following also thereof in much aboundance her memorie senses beginning thereupon to faile her that it seemed vnto her nothing more like then death it selfe to be neare at hand Yet bearing it a while the best that she could for reuerence of the place companie and resigning herself into the handes of God after the Epistle was read shee began to feele some more ease both in mind and body And at the tyme of the Gospell standing vp with others by helpe of her crouch shee seemed to her self when she was stoode vp that shee had not as then needed that helpe but that she could haue riseÌ„ without it and began to thinke within herselfe that shee now stood vpon both her legges without it her short legge touching now the grouÌ„d no lesse theÌ„ her other Wel the Gospell being ended she kneled her doune againe in silence after the maner vntill the end of Masse and the Bishopps blessing Then for greedines of Holie-water which there is wont at the end of euery Masse to be sprinkled vp she rose sodainly because shee would leese no spirituall helpe which at that Masse might be had and did forgett for hast both her crouch her hat her beads and her handkerchef Her hat an husbaÌ„d man that stode by her at Masse brought by by vnto her the rest in the throng except her staffe were lost She feeling herselfe fully and wholly deliuered both from all payne and also from all cause of halting and lamenesse for this her strange chaunce first being sore amased and halfe crying out withall but anon remembring better her selfe and much reioysyng for that which had happened going or rather runnyng out of the Church before the Procession as she met in the multitude here and there with her acquaintaunce they wondering to see her goe vpryght and without her crouch shee told them with great ioy that by vertue of the B. Sacrament of Miracle she was as they saw wholly restored Which while she told thus to very few thinking still that it had beene secret the fame thereof did immediatly so encrease specially by the meanes of theÌ„ that at Masse time kneeled about her marked wel the whole order of her straÌ„ge moods that her staffe by and by vvas taken vp in the place where shee left it and hanged vp forthwith after the manner there beside the place of the said blessed Miraculous Sacrament by the Chaplaine that hath the custodie of the same Afterward the miracle of her healing being more famously knowen and proclaimed in pulpits to the hearing also of other Citties round about certaine Englishmen that lay at Mechlin twelue miles off vnderstanding of it thought it good for the honor of God in respect of her pouertie to call her to Mechlin vnto their seruice Which iourney shee went so lustily that certaine of our couÌ„trymen very good on foote had much a doe to keepe her company as euer since in deed her agilitie is such that shee rather seemeth to flie or at least to runne then to goe as others doe As touching her vnfaithfull husband of whom before I spake he very shortly after this Miracle of her healing falling out with another young fellow receaued of him a very grieuous wound whereof within a few dayes after he died And this much haue I said of Doâ—maticall Miracles Miracles Personall NOw of the other sort of Miracles which I called Personall I make this Conclusion Whatsoeuer persons at any time since Christes Ascension haue had the grace of Miracles they were the Ministers of Christ I say not alwaies iust and holy but alwaies Preachers of his truth and consequently whosoeuer set themselues against such persons they were against Christ and against the truth Neither vnto this can they possibly giue me any instance as I will by Gods grace most plainely shew in answering such instances if any of them shall venture to giue any For what they can doe I am not ignorant Only this that some miscreantes haue made boast and shew of Miracles Trac 13. in lo. as Simon Magus Mahomet the Donatistes whome for that cause Saint Augustine tearmeth Mirabilarios Meruailousers so to say and as certaine Heretikes of this tyme doe Foxe Humpherie and others and as Anti-christ shall doe hereafter in his lieing signes wonders 2. Thes 2. in omni virtute signis prodigijs mendacibus being able none of them but such only as some-time they haue wrought in plaine confirmation of our Catholike truth being therefore Dogmaticall and not personall to abide the touch or examination no better then the Iugglings of Iannes and Mambres Exo. 7. the Magicians of Pharao vvhose roddes were straight deuoured by the rodde of Moises Exo. 8. and they at the third plague of Ciniphes or gnattes compelled to confesse Digitus Dei est hic The finger of God is this and so their foly as Saint Paul saieth manifested to all men 2 Tim. 3. Moyses and Aaron proceeding yet styll and multiplying their strange mighty wonders So I say true Miracles last and continue fained trickes doe vanish sone awaie as the sluttish feate of Lane the Minister at Westchester But yet because for a time they maie chance to deceaue some fooles others also that know not the power of Nâ—ture and of the Diuell S. Augustine hath noted vnto vs out of our Sauiours wordes a very good ready present Mat. 13. and certaine rule saying Tene amus ergo vnitatem In Io. tr 13. vide de vnit Ec. cae 16. fratres mei praeter vnitatem qui facit miracula nihil est Let vs therefore keepe the vnity my brethen out of the vnitie hee also that worketh Miracles is nothing So as S. Paul also said Gal. 1. Sed licet nos aut Angelus de coelo euangelizet vobis praeter quam quod euangelizauimus vobis praeter id quâ—d accepistis anathema sit But although wee or an Angel from heauen should gospel vnto you contrarie vnto that which wee haue gospelled vnto you contrarie vnto that which you haue receaued accursed be he Not because there is any such danger of an Angel of Heauen but because folish light persons are alwaies readie to crie as they did at Poules when they saw Bradford the Heretike after their seditious hurling of the dagger steppe vp in M. Bournes place my Lord afterward of Bathe and Welles an Angell an Angell I say then that innumerable holy men of our vnitie haue in all ages had the grace of working true Miracles not disprooued not able to be checked as S. Thomas Aquinas Saint Bonauenture Saint Bernard Saint Thomas of Canterburie Saint Frauncis Saint Dominicke and inâ—inâ—te others Wherefore I
but euen so obserued in that time also that ranne or passed betweene Saint Paul and S. Augustine As presently you heard him speake of Exorcization and Exufflation of children in Baptisme and * In the 5. motiue before I alleaged out of him a practise likewise of his owne time of a Priest of his owne that offered as we doe in the Masse the sacrifice of Christs bodie in a certaine forme to deliuer it from the vexation of vvicked spirites * In the 7. motiue In another place I shewed that his mother worshipped the Blessed Sacrament of the Aultar with Religion euery day as verie God Christ himselfe desiring at her death to haue it offered to God for her soule for her sins which he also then caused to be done and long after in writing desired all Priestes to doe for her the like In another place hee witnesseth the practise of the Church about the same Blessed Sacrament to haue then beene such that children when they should afterward come to yeares if they were not otherwise taught by other mens admonition or by their owne experience would verily thinke that our Sauiour was neuer in other forme vpoÌ„ the earth but in that forme only which they see at Masse His words are these De Trin. lib. 3. cap. 10. Infantes non nouerunt quod in altari ponitur peracta pietatis celebratione consumitur vnde vel quomodo conficiatur vnde in vsum religionis assumatur Et si nunquam discant experimento vel suo vel aliorum nunquam illam speciem rerum videant nisi inter celebrationes Sacramentoâ—â—â—um offertur datur dicaturque illis authoritate grauissima cuius Corpus Sanguis sit nihil aliud credent nisi omnino in illa specie dominum oculis apparuisse mortalium de latere tali percusso liquorem illum omnino fluxisse Infantes know not that which is layed on the Aultar being ended the celebration of pietie so he calleth the Holie Canon is consumed whereof or how it is consecrated from whence into vse of Religion it is assumpted And if they neuer learne by experience eyther of their owne or of others and neuer see that forme of things but at celebrations of the Sacraments so he calleth Masses when it is offered and giuen be told them vvith authoritie most vveightie whose Body and Blood it is no other thing will they beleeue or conceaue but verily in that forme our Lord to haue appeared vnto the eyes of men and out of such a side being striken that liquour verily to haue issued Then touching the practise of other thinges also as going a pilgrimage to Holy places worshipping of Relickes praying to Saints praying for the dead it is so plaine by all the writers of those times that they were then no lesse vsed then now they be that no thing there is which can more copiously be shewed as all that read Antiquity know right wel My purposed breuitie as I haue often sayed suffereth not the allegatioÌ„ of many testimonies but one short saying wil I aleadge of S. Augustines which in very few wordes doth manifestly witnesse vnto vs the practise of all those foure thinges at once vvhich I haue named De cur pro mort in fine Thus he sayeth Quod vero quisquam apud memoriam Martyrum sepelitur hoc tantum mihi videtur prodesse defuncto vt commendans eum etiam Martyrum patrocinio affectus pro illo supplicationis augeatur That any man is buried at some Memorie or Relicke of Martyrs vnto me it seemeth in this onely to auaile the departed that commending him also to the patronage or intercession of the Martyrs the deuotion of his friend which maketh supplication for him encreased may be Here haue you expressie Relickes of Martyrs for so he meaneth by a memory as if you doubt you may gather out of another place where he saith De Ciui Dei li 22. cap. 8. Memoriam Martyris Episcopus in manu portabat The Martyrs Memory did the Bishop beare in his hand You haue also here praying to Martyrs praying for the dead Pilgrimage to Relickes so liuely that you see the practise thereof was as I may say infinite people not being content only in their life time to vse it continually but also after their death to make such Pilgrimage once for euer there to rest both their owne bodies and their friends with the holy Relickes vntill the vvorldes end In so much that bold I am to say and proue it well I can that whereas Christian people of those first ages are counted as they were indeed far more Godly and more holy and more deuout then wee for no other cause it was but onely because they practised the things aforenamed and such like much more often more religiouslie and as the Heretikes would haue it falsly called and counted much more superstitiously then we doe more going a Pilgrimage more kissing of Relikes kneeling vnto them more crying out to Saints and all other such thinges much more in those dayes then in these therfore I say people then more deuout and religious then now Such going then a pilgrimage to Ierusalem that S. Hierome sayeth of the Holie places of our Sauiours Natiuitie Crosse Resurrection and Ascension ad quae de toto orbe concurritur In Isa 19 vnto which holy places there is concourse of people out of all the world euen the very holie earth of our Sauiours sepulcher brought home by Pilgrims and giuen to theyr friends and vsed to hang in their chamber to saue them from euill yea so reuerenced that they would not keepe it in their chambers but build Churches to lay it in for people at it to serue God to come to it a Pilgrimage and that with following of great Miracles De Ciui Dei li. 22. cap. 8. all which S. Augustine writeth of his owne time being himselfe a partie therein Such going a Pilgrimage to Rome likewise at Rome In Ezech. 40. that S. Hierome writeth againe Solebam puer Romae cum caeteris eiusdem aetatis propositi diebus Dominicis Sepulchra Apostolorum MartyruÌ„ circuire crebroque Cryptas ingredi c. My vse was being a boy at Rome with others of the same age and meaning vpon Sondaies to goe about the Apostles and Martyrs Sepulchers often to enter into the Cryptes c. Which are places vnder the ground full of Martyrs bones and ashes still to this day visited much of Pilgrims Finally all Antiquity is full of such practise bearing plaine witnesse to the practise of the other pointes also of our Religion as might easily be shewed if breuity did permit or if these foresaied were not sufficient And yet as I proued before out of S. Augustine and S. Paule for finding and knowing of the Truth sufficeth the practise alone of the church that now is And diligentlie is it to be noted that so plaine and vndoubted
to open their eyes they both may and shall then see this most Diuine Sacrament to be that simple loafe of Barley Bread which in the time of Gedeon went rolling about Iud. 7. descended to the camps of the Madianites and when it came to any tabernacle of theirs did strike it ouerturne it and made it euen with the ground to be likewise the Arke of God vvhich in Samuels time being brought into the temple of DagoÌ„ the God of the Philistians 1. Reg. 5. laide him flatte on his face againe and againe groueling on the ground cut off his head and both his handes and left him so but as a blocke without forme and fashion in his place this Sacrament I say to be the suppression and subuersion of all Idols and Diuels in all persons places thinges and Countries In witnes whereof Motiue 5. I alleaged before out of S. Augustine the fact of a Priest of his owne Monasterie who offered in a certaine faâ—me the Sacrifice of Christs body and thereby immediatly deliuered it of wicked spirits that did trouble molest it In witnes of the same many of our owne Countrimen haue on this side the Sea beene present at the mighty casting out of many diuels by vertue of the same Sacrament which who that listeth may read in M. Pointz booke of the Reall Presence The like vnto them you may read in the life of S. Bernard Lib. 2. Cap. 3. written by Bernard the Abbot of Boneuallis who liued at the same time how hee to expell the diuel out of a woman at Milan that had bin very long possessed to the leesing of her sight speach and hearing and shee now more like a monster than a woman at his Masse so often vvith the Signe of the Crosse hee signed the woman as he did the sacred Hoast And after the Pater noster was done the blessed man setteth vpon the enimie with more force vpon the Patin of the Chalice hee putteth the Sacred Body of our Lord and holding it ouer the womans head thus he saith Adest inique spiritus Iudex tuus adest summa potestas iam resiste si potes c. Here present is thou vvicked Spirite thy Iudge Here present is the most Soueraigne power resist now if thou canst here present is hee who being readie to suffer his Passion for our saluation said By and by shall be cast forth the Prince of this world Ioan. 12. This is that body vvhich was stretched on the tree of the Crosse vvhich did lie in the graue vvhich did rise from death which in the sight of his Disciples ascended into heauen Therefore in the terrible power of his Maiestie I commaund thee O wicked spirit that thou goe out of this his handmaide and that thou presume not againe to touch her Which straight after at the giuing of the Paxe was done the Diuell departed the vvoman restored to her senses and reason both of her and of all the Citty God blessed and S. Bernard highly honoured ringing of the Belles showting reioycing vpon all sides and weeping for ioy ouer all the Cittie A little afore you may there see how that at another time in the same Cittie hee powred water vpon his fingers ouer the Patin of the Chalice wherewith hee was ready to say Masse Cap. 2. and with a drop of the same water which he put into the mouth and so into the stomake of a litle wench that was possessed he made therwith the Diuel immediatly to break out of her for feare together with most filthy vomite So that such vvater being of such power it is lesse meruaile that Saint Cyprian writeth of another little wench an Infant to whome had bin giuen a sop of Idolles sacrifices and shee afterward by ignorance brought into the place where Saint Cyprian was sacrificing Ser. 5. de lapsâ—s Sacrificantibus nobis eam secum mater intulit And there was she very much tormented by the holy prayers but specially when the Deacon came to giue her amongest the rest somewhat of the Chalice then turned shee away her face through the instinct of Gods Maiestie saith he held her lips very fast together But the Deacon for all that powred some in Tunc sequitur singultus vomitus In corpore atque ore violato Eucharistia permanere non potuit Sanctificatus in Domini sanguine potus de pollutis visceribus erupit Tanta est potestas Domini tanta maiestas c. Then folowed yokes vomit In the body and mouth defiled with Idolatrie the Eucharist might not abide The drinke Consecrated in our Lords blood breake out of the poluted bowels So great is the power of our Lord so great is his Maiestie c. Which S. Paule himselfe also doth witnes in saying Quae immolant Gentes Daemonijs immolant 2. Cor. 10. non Deo Nolo autem vos socios fieri daemoniorum Non potestis Calicem Domini bibere Calicâ—m daemoniorum non potestis mensae Domini participes esse mensae daemoniorum The things which Heathens doe sacrifice they sacrifice them to Diuels not to God I wil not haue you to be made partakers of diuels You cannot drinke our Lordes Chalice the Chalice of diuels you cannor be partakers of our Lords table the table of diuels And of this who can doubt the Sacrifice I say of our Lordes Table and Chalice to haue abolished all the Sacrifices of the diuels table chalice according to S. Augustines saying De Ciuit. Lib. 10. Cap. 20. Huic summo veroque Sacrificio cuncta Sacrificia falsa cessâ—ruÌ„t To this most high true Sacrifice all false Sacrifices haue giuen place seeing it hath takeÌ„ away the very Sacrifices also of the old Testament by God himselfe ordained which both S. Paul doth witnesse saying Habemus Altare Heb. 13. de quo edere non habent potestatem qui Tabernaculo deseruiunt c. Wee Christians haue an Aultar or Sacrifice whereof they haue not power to eate which serue the Tabernacle of the Iewes c. And the Prophet also did long afore pronounce in it saying Sacrificium oblationem nâ—luisti Psal 39. Heb. 10. corpus autem perfecisti mihi Sacrifice oblation of the Iewes thou haste refused but vnto mee thou haste prepared a body Quia pro omnibus illis sacrifiâ—ijs oblationibus corpus eius offertur participantibus ministratur De Ciuit. Dei li. 17 Cap. 20. Because saith S. Augustine for all those old sacrifices oblations his body is offered and to the receauers ministred Id enim Sacrificium successit omnibus illis Sacrificijs veteris Testamenti For that sacrifice and table according to the order of Melchisedech which our Priest the Mediatour of the new Testament doth exhibite of his owne Bodie and Blood hath succeeded to all those sacrifices of the old Testament To conclude therefore all such as would rather please God then the Diuell
because they must and doe confesse that Saint Bede in our Countrie Saint Bernard in another and such like are of all most surelie saued who yet had not this ignorance but knew right well this new doctrine and condemned it for moste wicked heresie And will men of this time be then so folish so wilfully cast away themselues to forsake that sure faith that sure maner of seruing God which by the very confession of those that would haue it forsaken serued well the turne so many hundred yeares together to saue men from hel to bring men to heauen Who is so sure that this new Faith and new Seruice hath all this vvhile brought any one to heauen Yea how certaine that is which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of Saint Paule hath spoken Ephes 4. Vna fides vnum Baptisma one faith one Bapisme so certaine it is by that aforesaid that whosoeuer in this new faith and seruice hath ended this life is in Hel most certainely the very first fathers open teachers of it condemned by God and all good men when they were aliue and euer since theyr death remayning in so cursed memorie that their owne followers dare not for shame and feare once name them to their honour nor any true Christian man thinke otherwise of them then as of most damnable creatures The onelie knowen and vndoubted Mother of Christes children for a thousand yeares togeather VVHEREVPON consider you next of all what Church was that which for these thousand yeares togeather throughout the whole vvorld was called Christes Church and stoode and encreased and brought forth both Children to Christ as his only wife all that while and Spouse and innumerable Saintes to heauen and Pastours for the people and vvas accepted in humble peace and quietnes for the Mother of al faythful folke so long togeather and before euer any of these Sectes had to doe or appeared in the world Was either that a false Church by whose only wombe and none others al men so long time were regenerate Or can that be the true Church which so many worlde 's togeather either vvas not at all as we say and as it is certaine or was so obscure and hidd that it could not be sene nor knowen and that in the gloriouse time of the new euerlasting Testament which is the time of Christes Churches Raigne in heigth aboue the topp not only of al Iereboam and other Idolatrers Excelsies and Hillockes 3. Reg. 3. Excelsa colles but also aboue the mountes and Hilles them-selues of both Temples Ioan. 4. false Samaritan and true Iudaicall Is 4. Mic. For so say the Prophets Erit in nouijsimis diebus praeparatus Mons Domus Domini in vertice montiū eleuabitur super colles In the last dayes shal be cunningly set the Mountaine of our Lordes howse on the toppe of the hilles and it shal be exalted aboue the hillockes whereas contrarywise by the Protestantes saying Christs Church should be more obscure then the Synagogue of the Ievves not only afore but also in this very time of their vtter desolation In vvhich tyme the Church of Christ is sette in such cleare light bright shining that both the Prophet saieth Scietur in gentibus semen eorum germen eorum in medio populorum omnes qui viderent eos cognoscent illos quia isti sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus In Nations shal be knowen their seede Is 61. and their issue in the middest of peoples al that see them shall know them that these are the seede which our Lord hath blessed Mat. 5. And also our Sauiour calleth it a Citie that cannot be hid being set vppon a mountaine that cannot be hid he saith And yet shall you haue some youths which please themselues so much in their owne inuentions that they feare not to say Yes but it may be hid because the highest hilles haue sometimes mistes about them In deed with their mistes they hide for a time this Citie how high as it standeth and how plaine in sight from some weake-sighted persons that be without it to their owne damnation But from such as are within it and there will keep themselues no mist can hide it For which cause our Sauiour saith in the same place Mat. 5. Vt luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt to giue light to all that be in the house God open the eies of people euen of the mist-casters also to see where they are and where they should be where they shall be if they goe blindly forward as they haue begunne to see that those wits and tongues of theirs vvhich now they count lucra Phil. 3. for bringing vnto them so manie Church-liuinges and so much vaine glorie are in verie truth nothing but stercora and detrimenta for beraying them all with sin and leesing vnto them the glorious Cittie of Christ both here and hereafter A long time it were for a mist to haue lasted aboue a thousande yeares together and much for it al that while not only to haue hidden but also to haue quite choken vp such a Cittie set vp by Christ to be seene and to last for euer In this time of Christes glorie and his new Testament so long togeather was not at all the Protestantes Church say we and otherwise also must they themselues confesse that all that time it had no vse of her owne Sacraments nor any help to saluation but by another company which vvas contrarie vnto it and in which only vvas then all the practise of all christianitie and which therefore was the Church of Christ so high so bright so fruitfull as promise was made afore it should be Celebration and operation of Christes death VVITH this consider you at once vvhat Church is that which now and euer is so blessed of God so embrued with Christs blood and Passion issuing out of his precious side vvhen vpon the Crosse it was opened that she onely hath in her the highest only proper worship of God consisting in Sacrifice and in her Sacrifice the liuely and sensible celebrating of Christs Death whereby his holy Bodie and precious Blood were done asunder that she hath moreouer grace in her Sacraments merite in her workes force in her vvord vertue power and efficacie in her teaching that she breedeth deuotion conuerteth sinners turneth to religion and to the search of life and saluation strangely altereth the heartes of men Christ being in her not weake feble but strong and mighty as S. Paule said to the Corinthians Christus in vobis non infirmatur sed potens est in vobis 2. Cor. 13. and she in Christ Iesus being by God created in good workes who loued her Eph. 2. 5. gaue himselfe for her that hee might sanctifie her and purifie her with the lauer of water in his word to present her vnto himselfe at the last day a glorious Church without spot or wrincke or any blemish
life in his defiance are the worst sort of damned soules in Hel. But contrariwise let all Catholike men that suffer reioice in Christ be of good coÌ„fort being assured that they are persecuted for the right faith as by this Tretise they see for the very same that was the faith of all holy Martyrs before this time And therefore to them pertayneth no lesse then to the Thessalonians thys saying of Saint Paule You brethren 1. Thes 2. are made imitators of Gods Churches that are in Iurie bycause the same things you haue also suffered of your own countrimâ—n as also they of the Iewes To them belongeth this saying also to the PHILIPPIANS Phil. 1. Be ye for nothing afeard of your aduersaries Which to them is cause of perdition but to you of Saluation that of God Faith and suffering both Gods giftes bycause vnto you it is giuen for Christ not only to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him hauing the same fight as both you haue seene in me and now you heare of me Finally the same fight that al Christs martyrs haue susteyned God by hys wonderful myracles wel declaring that they which pray vnto the Martyrs and the Martyrs that we pray vnto be all of one faith verily not the Protestants faith as themselus must needs and wil confesse but our only Catholike Faith Their Own Doctors HERE after so many so euident so vndoubted waies afore declared to finde the TRVTH by the Names of Catholikes and Heretikes by Miracles and Visions by the Scriptures by Traditions by the Church by the See Apostolike by Councels by the Auncient Fathers and Martyrs which all I haue brieflie but to any indifferent man sufficiently and clearelie shewed to make for vs most certainly to stand all in open field against our aduersaries novv for the next Motiue I would haue it considered by anie man that is not wilfull that the Protestantes and Puritans are out of the way euen by the iudgement also of their own adherents such as themselues doe in word and hart like well of as men of God and therefore consequently condemne them selues Which if I shall proue inuincibly against them will any man be so folish mad and desperat to walke theyr vvay a way I say contrary to so many good guides aboue rehearsed condemned by their owne Masters by themselues in hart misliked First then let their Graundsier Luther come forth and say his minde of these his whealpes who in theyr Apologie call him a man Diuinitus datum ad illustrandum orbem Apol. Eccl. Anglic. giuen by God to lighteÌ„ the world He falling first himselfe from the Church of God about the yeare 1517. seeing shortly after in the yere 1524. his owne Disciple Carolostadius fall againe from him to be the author of the Heresie against our Sauiours reall presence in the Blessed Sacrament who afterward of Zuinglius were called Zuinglians and now of Caluine be named Caluinists after that he had many yeares together written much and full bitterly against the sayed Heretikes of his owne descent many meanes also of agrâ—â—ment making betwene them being attâ—â—pted but al in vaine and to no puoposâ—â— theyr discord daily more more increasing two yeares before his death in the yeare 1545. gaue he them his blessing wherein amongest other vvordes thus he sayed Quicunque credere nolunt Libel in ZuingliaÌ„ panem Domini in caena illius esse verum ac naturale corpus quod Iudas impius non minus percipiat ore quam Diuus percipiat Petrus Sancti omnes hâ—c inquam quisquis credere noÌ„ vult is a me abstineat Epistolis scriptis vel sermone neque vllam meam expectet communionem Oleum enim operamque perdiderit Who soeuer will not beleeue the Lords bread in the Supper to be his true and naturall body which Iudas and the wicked receaueth with hys mouth no lesse then Saint Peter receaueth it and all that be holy this I say whosoeuer wil not beleeue let him refraine from me for Epistls for writing or for talking neither let him loke for any communicating of me with him And a little after he sayeth further Suermeris nihil contulerit quod circa SacrameÌ„tum pius unum illi nugantur de spirituali esu potati te Corporis Sanguinis Christi de Chrisâ—â— orum charitate atque vnitate Et frustra quâ—que illi in Deum Patrem Filium Spiritum sanctuÌ„ Christum Seruatorem credunt Omnia inquaÌ„ haec nihil illis prosunt quaÌ„tumuis sane incuipate ea mendaci ac blasphemo ore pronunciant quando hunc vnum negant articulum eumque falsi in simulant dum de Sacramento Christus ait accipite panem manducate hoc est corpus meum It shall nothing helpe the Suermerians that about the Sacrament they trifle very much vpon the spirituall eating and drinckyng of Christes body and blood and vppon Christian mens charity and vnity Yea they also in vaine beleue in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and in Christ the Sauiour Al these thinges I say nothing auaile them how soundlie soe euer and vnblamedly they pronounce them with their lying and blasphemous mouth seeing that they denie this one Article He corrupteth the Scripture to help his Heresie of the bread to be Christs bodie and lay falshood to hys charge whereas Christ sayeth of the Sacrament take bread and eate thys is my body Thus you see what this man of God this light of the world maketh of our English Caluinistes Lyers Blasphemers voyde of his felowshipp men without our Sauiour Christ and the Blessed Trinitie Haue they not trow you in so praising Luther shewed men a candle to see by it their owne fowle faces and a light wherby to runne out of their coÌ„pany Let them loke wel therefore what excuse they will pretend at the last day to the Iudge of al that remaine stil with them that flie not from them For another example of their condeÌ„nation by their own folowers read who list the Compilers of the Centuries named Magdeburgenses Magdeburgenses in their Epistle dedicatorie of the seuenth Centurie There shall he see a long discourse against this that the Ciuell Magistrate should haue the Gouernment as well in causes Ecclesiastical as temporal Which is the very foundatioÌ„ of all our Protestants building in England and the only key of their whole Religion After many other wordes thus they say Sint sane ipsi Magistratus meÌ„bra partes ciues Ecclesiae Dei imo vt ex toto corde sint omnes precari decet Flagrent ipsi quoque zelo pietatis Sed non sint Capita Ecclesiae quia ipsis non competit iste Primatus The very Magistrates also let them hardly be lymmes and partes and Citizens of the Church of God mary that with all their hart they so may be it is meet for all to pray Let them also be