the cause being taken away there remaines no more of the effect Last of all because it seemes that wee would haue no Images of the crucifixe nor the Cross we declare that we desire all our dayes Iesus Christ should be painted before oureyes in the same manner as S. Paule Gal. 3. ver 1. painted Iesus Christ before their eyes for the pensill wherwith God ought to be paiÌ„red is his word which himself calleth the word of truth where coÌ„trariwise all the doctrine of Images is but the doctrine of lying and vanity So then the Crosse of Iesus Christ is as the chaire wherout we purpose to preach on the one side the multitude and ennormity of our sinnes on the other the seuerity of Gods iustice and depth of his mercy The greatnesse of our sinnes is shewen vs in that they could not be borne nor abolished by any other then he who was very God and very man His iustice in that God who hateth iniquity did punish it with all extreamity His mercy in that himselfe gaue vs the price to acquit vs withall euen vs that were his vtter enemies for this is to vs a most certaine gaege of the merciful affection of our God discerned thorow the woundes of his onely Sonne And the liuely contemplating of those wounds is the balme to heale the hurts of our soules His feete and handes were pierced his side opened and thence issued the price of our redemption as also the washing away of our filthynesse bloud I say and water alwaies streaming to deface our sinnes past present and to come to the ende that hauing our harts washed from an euil conscience wee should goe by the fresh and liuing pathes towardesour God with certainty of faith and keep ing the confession of our hope Heb. 10. ver 22. 23. that is to say in following after Iesus Christ Which is nothing else saith S. Carill but renouncing the world for the loue of Christ preferring the goodes which we hope for by faith before all other in this bodily life In like manner saith S. Bernard The ioyfull hope and assuraunce is that which is affirmed by application to the death and passion of Christ For since the Father hath giuen vs his Sonne how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also Rom. 8. ver 32. And bee is giu en vs of the Father to be our iustice wisedome redemption and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. v. 30. It is Iesus that iustifies the faulty it is Iesus that paies for the indepted that strengthens the weake illuminates the blinde bindes vp the hurtes of the wounded recalles home by-wanderers giues life to the dead in a word it is Iesus that destroies the workes of the deuill beateth downe Sathan vnder our feete Such is the memory which wee continually obserue of the perfect obedience which the Sonne of GOD deliuered vpon the Crosse to God his Father for vs poore miserable wretches and not the ridiculous and I dolatrous deuotion which the ignoraunt so gladly would make vs beleeue that they honour the death and passion of Iesus Christ in saying during their great weekes space before the crosse and beholding the face of the Crucifixe with handes eleuated and knees bended to wit On Palme Sunday thirty three Paters Aues the Munday the beades of our Lady the Tewsday forty Peters Aues the Wednesday thirty Paters and Aues the Thursday twelue Paters and Aues the Fryday sixty Paters and Aues the Satturday forty Paters and Aues on Easterday twelue Paters and Aues Likewise during their twelue white Fridayes the first three Paters and Aues the second seauen Paters and Aues the third sixty times Paters Aues in honor of the sixty thornes in the crowne the fourth forty Paters and Aues the fift forty Paters and Aues the sixt twelue Paters and Aues the seauenth thirty Paters and Aues in honour of Iudas his thirty pence the eight thirty Paters Aues the ninth fiue Paters and Aues the tenth three Paters and Aues in honor of the three nayles the eleuenth fiue Paters and Aues the twelft fifteene Paters Aues in honour of the fifteene horrible signes which shall come before the day of iudgement Such is the summary of the stile obserued in the booke by them called Houres But true worshippers indeed entreate of God that it may please him to make them feele the efficacy of the death and passion of Iesus Christ and desire to beare the Image of him to the end that as wee haue borne the Image of the earthlie Adam so we may carry the Image of the celestiall Adam in our hearts that the holy Ghost would be the Temple therof and so by this meanes we shall bee knowne by the same Iesus Christ at his great and last comming Truely it is thou Lord Iesus whome wee honour whome wee blesse and thanke because thou dying on thy Crosse hast thereby giuen vs assurance of life To thee be all honour and glory with the Father and the holy spirit Amen Jt is sweete to beare the Crosse with Christ and for Christ FINIS A Sonnet annexed to the former Treatise in French WE are vndone Sathan hath vs destroyde Sinne death and hell is our due portion Ah wretch recant for Christ his passion Sinne death and hell hath vtterly made voyde Thereby our first rights are to vs regainde Thereby health victory and life we holde Thereby we see the light so manifolde Thereby heauens highest secrets are attainde It is the death of death the hell of hell The steele that hath rebated Sathans steele Opening the gate where blessednes doth dwell Happy is he this death by faith doth fellc But he that worships wood or stone procures Those paines on him which euer more endures There is no deâ—eipt nor subtilty which Sathan hath not adâ—â—sedly studied thereby to make men commit Idolatry whereby his power is no way ruynated but established
when the woord of God marcheth not before vs. Nor need we demaund who hath done or said this heere or there but what hath Christ Iesus instituted what hath his Apostles saide and doone nor ought we so much seeke what is done as what is to be done Againe it is to be noted that our elders speaking of the death and passion of our redeemer haue most spoken of his Crosse and of the signe therof together neuer meaning what at this day is vnderstood by the woord signe but they likewise called it the Standard or Ensigne of the great King and Captaine who ouercame the deuill and hell in bringing thence the spoiles drinking of the torrent by the way and lifting vp his head as is said in the 110. Psalme So did Fortunatus take it in his Himne beginning thus Pange lingua gloriosi Praelium certaminis Et super Crucis trophaeum Dic triumphum nobilem That is to say Tongue declare the combate of a glorious fight And tell the noble tryumphes on the Crosse And Theodulphus Vexilla Regis prodeunt Fulget Crucis misterium That is The Standards of the King march foorth Shining with the misteries of the Crosse So that the Crosse then vsed was made in forme of a Standard or Banner By the signe then those reuerend predecessours of ours vnderstood the Crosse and passion it selfe but since ignoraunce hath deuised that that should be seperate which ought to bee conioyned setting the passion of Christ apart and the signe of the Crosse apart making small account of the one speaking the litle of the passion but enough of the signe witnesse the passion death and woundes of Christ which are dayly and hourely in the mouthes of blasphemers who thinke neuerthelesse to be warranted from all euill when they doe but make the signe of the Crosse Thus hath bin declared what our elders vnderstood by the signe of the Crosse to wit the exteriour testimony of the christian faith which euidently appeared in them who were conuerted from dumbe Idols to true seruice of the liuing God This may be discerned more clearely by the saiing of S. Cirill answerering the obiections of the Emperour Iulian sirnamed the Apostata in his sixt booke For Iulian magnifying the antiquity of the Pagane religion said that the Oracles were giuen by Jupiter as the escutchions or bucklers fell from heauen and Jupiters saddle which was giuen or sent to Numa and made this comparison that the Pagans kept the Armour which great Iupiter the Father of Mars had giuen them as a warranted gaege that he would alwaies haue a care of the Citty of Roome All this notwithstanding the Christians desisted from honouring and worshipping these thinges whereupon Iulian said that they honoured the wood of the Crosse and painted the Crosse on their foreheades and before their houses Whereto Cirill answered thus Albeit the Lord and Sauiour of all was not in shewe yet equall in all with his father and seated on the throne of his diuinitie neuerthelesse he was abased and tooke on himselfe the shape of a seruant despising allignomie bare the crosse to abolish the power of corruption and one onely dyed for all to the end that being raised againe from the dead he might deliuer all mankinde from the snares of death destroye the tyrannie of sinne ruling in vs appease the lawe which exercised his tyrannie in our members making vs spirituall woorshippers killing in vs the feelings of the fleshe that they might be made the sonnes of God which beleeued in him and were sanctified by his spirit so to despoile Sathan of his tyrannie the author of euils the mort all beast those wicked powers which our calumniator called the Prince of nations and Gods defenders The wholsome wood made vs remember all these things and aduised vs to thinke that as S. Paule saith Euen as one is dead for all so ought they to knowe that the liuing could liue no more by them selues but by him who dyed and rose againe Which answer shewes that the Christians painted the crosse not as attributing any vertue to the visible signe but to let the Pagans see how they hauing forsaken theyr Idolatries wherewith they hadbin before enchaunted imbraced Iesus Christ of whome the crosse which they placed before their houses was the true marke and publique ensigne And the same Cyrill expoundeth himselfe in his third booke of adoration made in spirit and trueth manifesting the vnbelecuers by this marke that they would neuer receiue the crosse that is to saye acknowledge Iesus Christ They saith he that haue no will to receiue the Crosse are vanquished and ouercome by the deuill and they are such as Christ spake to saying Verily verily J say vnto you if you will not beleeue that I am he you shall dye in your sinnes So that to receiue the Crosse is nothing else but to beleeue in Iesus Christ For so likewise Saint Cyril speaking of the comming of Christ shewes it by these wordes the comming of the Crosse vnderstanding by the word Crosse all that which the sonne of God did and suffered in the worlde for our saluation These things thus breefely touched may suffice to answer the allegations contained in the first placard Come we now to the second which is entituled How the Crosse ought to be honoured which likewise at this present wee must consider on How the Crosse ought to be honoured FIrst of al it is a matter most manifest that the punishment of the Crosse was not onely one of the cruellest but likewise the most ignominious of all them which was practised by any nation For it was called a death most infamous and accursed and for this reason our Lord Iesus Christ was put to the Crosse that he being made accursed we might bee deliuered from the cursse of the law Yet for all this it was not without great reason that himselfe speaking of this kinde of death calleth it his exaltation Iohn 8. verse 28. and 12. ver 32. for his Crosse is the great victory the trophee and glory which hee obtained against Sathan against death See now why we can neuer sufficiently honor the crosse death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ For it is the meanes whereby the Sonne of God drawes all men to him as himselfe saith in Saint Iohn 12. verse 32. But the manner how to honor it ought likwise to be learned from our Lord and maister himselfe He plainly expressed it when he taught vs that whosoeuer would be his disciple ought to take vp his crosse follow him for by this means being conformed to his sufferings we shall likewise be semblable to his glorie When he instituted his holye Supper saying Doe these things in remembrance of me how often so euer you doo them you shall shew the death of the Lorde euen vntill his comming This S. Paule sawe when hee writ to Timothe his 2. Epistle Chapter 2. ver 8. 12. Remember that Iesus Christ was raised from the dead
A breefe Treatise Of the vertue of the Crosse And the true manner hovv to honour it Translated out of French into English 1. Cor. 1. ver 23. We preache Christ crucified St. Chrisostome The Crosse of Christ is to vs the Sunne of Iustice that beeing lightened by the mercie thereof wee may glorific the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste AT LONDON Printed for Edward VVhite and are to be solde at the little North doore of S. Paules Church at the signe of the Gun 1599. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE S r STEPHEN SOAME Knight Lord Maior of the Cittie of London And to the vertuous Ladie his wife all happinesse and hearts content vnfainedly wished MY good Lord in respect of some fauors from you receiued as also in regard of the dutious affection I beare you I am bolde to present you and your Ladie with this little remembrance though simple and small in shew yet of inestimable valew in substance Ingratitude is the most abiect sinne in the worlde and caniustly challenge no excuse for it selfe bee it in how great or meane persons soeuer And therefore least my selfe should therewith bee tainted hauing found such extraordinarie gentlenesse both in you and my good Ladie your wife I haue made a learned and diuine French man my intercessour to tell you in rude English that I forget not such fauours And the rather made I choice of his furtherance heerin because on good Fryday last your Honour with the rest of your Brethrē heard at Paules Crosse a verie learned Sermon tending to this purpose I meane the crosse death passion of Christ Iesus which iumping so neere with this Argument and well worthie to be continued in remembrance I could finde no fitter meanes for the same then this most excellent and learned French Treatise which handles both the sacred vertue of the crosse and also what worshippe ought to be giuen thereto I beseech you my good Lord and Lady when leisure from weightie occasions vvill so permit it that you would but vouchsafe this Treatise the reading happily you shall finde somewhat therein well worthie noting and I hope vvithall the true sinceritie of my affection toward you which being but so found and by you as kindly accepted I shall remaine alvvaies yours for any further imployement be it euen to the vttermost of all my endeuours Since in this world nothing can perfect bee Pardon I pray if you these faults do see B. pag. 1. lin 13. for haue plunged read hauing plunged Pag 7. lin 21. for 1. Cor 1 verse 23 read 1. Cor. 2. verse 2. Pag 9 lin 20 for ones aith read one saith Pag 13. lin 5. for Colosl 5. verse 15. read Phil. 3. verse 3. C. Pag. 14. lin 1 for so phistically read sophistically and lin 26 for Chirst read Christ D. Pag. 2. lin 24. for Apostasta read Apostata Pag. 3 lin 15 for begit read beg it Pag 4. lin 21. for 2. Cor. 7. read 1. Cor 7. Pag. 7. lin 20 and 21. for was in honour c. read is in honor and at his end at his end in respect of punishment but remaineth in glorie E. Pag. 13. lin 24. for others beleeue it should read but that other crosses should F. Pag. 9. lin 27. for Constiantne read Constantine A briefe Treatise of the vertue of the Crosse and the manner how to worship it WHen I consider the differences which at this daye are in the Christian church the conference which our Sauiour Iesus Christ had with the woman Samaritaine in the 4. of S. Iohn ver 22. may very well be called to remembrance You said he to the Samaritaine worship yee know not what we Iewes worship that which we know So that seeing on the one side the iustice of God discouers it selfe in such as loue shaddowes better then trueth haue plunged themselues of long time and yet wade further more and more in ignorance and on the cōtrarie part his mercie shines on such whose eyes it pleaseth him to vnseale that they may behold the strength of truth made manifest we may be good reason reioyce in our selues and say that being of this latter number we worship what we know because God himselfe speaking to vs in his word makes vs therby to haue knowledge of him Nowe on the contrarie side whereas they of the Romish Church erroniously led or perhaps by simplicitie confirmed therin through ignorance and carried onely with self-wild obstinacie worshippe that wherof they but presume and haue indeed no knowledge of at all For seeing that in the most part of their seruice there is nothing else contained but humaine traditions it is most euident that there can likewise bee nothing beside but opinion that is to say wauering and doubtfull thoughts tending either to good or euill vnconsonant or disagreeable to God And since it is so that where there is no faith there can be no certainetie it must needes follow that in whatsoeuer they introduce there can be no assurance considering therein is no faith contained But let vs go a litle further those things which haue nether faith nor certaintie must needs bee matters much displeasing to God because what soeuer is done without faith is sinne Yet notwithstanding seeing it hath pleased God to giue vs such grace as to hold his worde in price and estymation addicting our selues wholly to the seruice thereof as neither speaking or thinking any thing but what is therein vttered and prescribed to vs that wee might embrace the verie least particle therin contained wee may say and speake it by good right that we knowe namely by a knoweledge more firme then are all the sciences and demonstrations induced by humaine sence or discourse For our saith beeing grounded on the woorde of God holdeth more strictly thē all else in the world beside can do it is firme and stable subiect to no kinde of alteration whatsoeuer Following then the contents of this word we beleeue in our hearts confesle with our mouths that God only is to be serued honored that the seruice due to his Maiestie ought to be giuen according to his good pleasure ordenance Now the manifest will of God concerning this point is that wee should worship and serue him in spirit and trueth according to S. Iohn the 4. ver 24. and therefore not onelie ought we to reiect the auncient iudaicall ceremonies but all other beside that offer themselues ouer and aboue the worde of God in the Christian Church for it were no point of reason to forsake those ceremonies instituted by God neuerthelesse in regarde they were to endure but for a certaine time onely and then afterward grew fastened to the manners of men and were accepted or neglected after their opinions Such for the most parte are those which the Romaine Church practiseth in inuocation on deceased Saintes the Images of God and of those Saintes the adoration of the Crosse and such like which haue no other foundation but onely
mens vanitie and no veritie Now we intend not at this present to speake of other points for they are appointed and shall be God willing handled else where in ample manner but this instant occasion imposeth a needefull taske to speake of insupportable abuse committed by them concerning the Crosse to the ende all men may learne how to furnishe them selues against the poyson of idolatric which the deuill comes to vomite foorth againe in this time of neere neighbourhood furthering his purpose with the iuglings of diuers his instruments who by wordes and writing labour to rebuilde vp idolatrie againe as the walles of Iericho which notwithstanding by the sound of Gods trumpets are fallen and that by good numbers in these quarters We consider that they who brought hither diuulged those two writings which they send flying abroad in forme of Placards doubted not to greeue make many good Christians among vs shed teares for whatis he who beholding the follies absurdities and idolatries in them contained that can refraine from lamenting seeing the sonne of God dishonored a number of soules withdrawne from true christianitie an infinite multitude to fortifie theÌ„selues in ignorance and falshood Yet this lamentation marcheth not alone for we accoÌ„pany it with our daily sighes and prayers drawne froÌ„ the entire depth bottom of our harts to the onely true God by the intercession of him that was crucified dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification that hee will confirme in his trueth such as it pleased him alreadie to call thereto and withdrawe from errour those whome the false preachers of idolatrie labour to blinde therewith First then it is to be noted that the word Crosse signifieth sometime a kinde of libbit which in elder times they vsed for the greatest and most infamous malefactours Sometime it signifieth the punishment which those offendours were to endure In the historie of our redemption these two significations are oftentimes found For when it is said that Christ caried the crosse and was fastened thereon it is easie to be gathered that it was the Crosse of wood he bare and that thereto hee was nayled and fastened In like manner when it is said Colos 1. ver 20. That by the blood of the Crosse of Christ our peace is made it cannot bee doubted but that these wordes haue reference to those sufferings which it pleased the sonne of God to endure for vs. This distinction being well obserued wee shall the more easilie and Christianlie determine the matter handled in those placards For if by the word Crosse the death and passion of Christ is vnderstood it will follow by the confession of all true Christians that the vertue of that Crosse is such as is no way to bee comprehended by the vnderstanding of men nor Angels For it is the Crosse and death of Christ Iesus that witnesseth the loue which God beares to his elect which Loue passeth all vnderstanding saith Saint Paule Philipi 4. ver 7. In this Crosse is our life light health defence strength joy perfection and our all whatsoeuer for there is no good or hope for vs elsewhere but in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ Heereof may wee saye with S. Paule Galat 6. ver 14. God forbid wee should glorie in any thing but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the worlde is crucified to vs and we to the world wherevppon the same S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. ver 25. That he desired to know nothing but Christ Iesus and him crucified But if by the worde Crosse we vnderstand the wood or libbit whereon the sonne of God was hanged for the sinnes of the elect we may boldly say that wee finde no testimonie in the word of God written by the Prophets Apostles nor any examples or practise of theirs that either may or ought induce vs to attribute any vertue to the wood it selfe For albeit wee doubt not of Gods omnipotencie to whom nothing is impossible yet ought wee to conceiue of this almightinesse by that which appeares to vs of his owne will according to that in the 115. Psalme God hath done all whatsoeuer him pleased Then safely may wee conclude that God had no will such vertue should be adherent to the wood or crosse of hâ—s sonne for then hee woulde doubtlesse haue witnessed the same by his word Among true Christians whatsoeuer is not written in the worde of God is helde as a matter of no estate or beeing as wee may gather from the 7. to the Hebrues verse 3. where it is said That Melchisedech was without father without mother c. for this only reason because the scripture no where at all speaketh of his father or mother although it be most certaine that he had a father mother like to other men Of the Crosse we read that Iesus Christ carried it so likewise did Simon the father of Rufus beare it that Iesus went out of the cittle of Ierusalem bearing it that it was brought to the mount of Caluarie where it was prepared Iesus nayledthereon and likewise the inscription Iesus of Nazareth king of the Jewes that thereon Iesus had his side pearced rendred vp his spirit thereon and when night came that the bodie of Iesus was taken downe from the crosse ouer and beside these poynts we read nothing whereby appeareth that God was willing to forestall idolatrie which neuerthelesse Sathan wold needes bring into the world For as he had no will that the Sepulchre of Moyses should be knowne so is there not any witnesse recorded that God was willing his sonnes crosse shuld haue any notice among men for to say that it was kept or enterred in the place where it had beene erected which was as ones aith the place where Adam was buried this hath no semblance of any certaintie for if we shall beleeue our elders Adam was buried in Hebron not neere Ierusalem Likewise seeing the Disciples Apostles of Iesus Christ were scattered at his death that after his ascention they were prohibited to speake of or name Iesus Christ that they were made prisoners and scourged that Saint Stephen was stoned that great persecutioÌ„ was in the church of Jerusalem and soon after that Jerusalem was brought to totall extremitie and ruine what apparance can there bee that this crosse was hidden and honoured by them that followed Christ Iesus In like maner we reade not any where that the Disciples and Apostles of Iesus did euer recommend this crosse and yet they said in the 13. of the Hebrues verse 13. Let vs go foorth after Jesus out of the campe bearing his reproach And Christ himselfe said That whosoeuer would be his Disciple must take vp his crosse follow him Math. 16. verse 24. And as for that where he saith the enemies of Christ haue gone about to abolish his crosse and yet they could not do it such would lighteÌ„ darkenesse by darknesse For where one reports that they endeuoured to
burne the crosse it is altogither vncertaine Another maintaines they threw it into the sea how can that hold whō Jerusalem was not a sea-bordering cittie Perhappes then saith he they tooke paines to bring it to the porte of Japhet which is distant from the said Cittie about two daies iourney but heerein it is to be doubted likewise And concerning what others haue saide that the selfe same enemies of Christ after al these other trials to destroy the crosse did lastly yet cunningly burie it verie deep in the earth and with it the images of Venus and Adonis who would not vtterly reiect this fable ifhe but cōsider what hatred the Iewes bare to al kinde of Images Can it any way seeme likely that they which resisted the Romaine Gouernors yea the Emperour of Rome himself not permitting the Eagle which was the Romaines Ensigne should be receiued into the cittie of Jerusalem offering themselues to all daungers whatsoeuer ratherthen to suffer such a banner be displaide among them that they of so stearne nature would make or search for the images of Venus and Adems to make in serue them for such a purpose Such reckonings do indeed seeme no otherwise but onely to annihilate the vertue of the crosse of Christ The holy Historie enstructs vs in far better manner what was to be vnderstood by the enemies to the crosse of Christ as their reiecting the preaching of the Gospell and persecuting thē that said they were Christs Disciples not suffering him to be named among them Acts. 4. and 5. And as for vs we say that the passion and vertue of Iesus Christ ought to be sought for in himselfe and not in a tree of wood If yee obiect the linnen cloaths and handkercheifes of Saint Paul Acts. 19. verse 12. the answere is easie that god was willing by those miracles to honour the Apostleship of Saint Paul to the end that such as neuer sawe his face might yet be perswaded of him and that God had authorized such miracles by him as beeing the true seruaunt of Iesus Christ But heere is the poynt whereon wee stand to wit that those miracles are testified by the word of God which cannot so be said of the woode of the crosse of Christ the scripture not making any mention thereof For it is most certaine that if God had pleased to work by such an instrumēt or means the spirit of God would not haue beene silent therein the rather making mention of things concerning the seruant doubtlesse he would neuer haue forgotten the maister It seemes most euident if it were for no other reason but that God would not limit men to such earthly thinges as likewise S. Paul hath taught vs by his example 2. Cor. 5. verse 16. That we ought not to know Christ Jesus after the flesh And to the Colossians 5. verse 15. We serue God in spirit glorifying vs in Christ Jesus not beleeuing at all in the flesh Now before wee passe any further it is necessarie to declare in this place what is to be vnderstood by the signe of the crosse If by the word crosse wee vnderstande the sufferings which the sonne of God endured both in soule and bodie as Esaye 55. verse 3. Being filled with sorrowes and full of heauinesse in soule euen to the death as hauing drunke the cup of Gods anger wheron he cried My God my god why hast thou forsaken me it is most certaine that such sufferings exceede representation For our sence cannot comprehend thē but by faith we vnderstand that they were infinite and vnspeakable Therfore we say in our Creed that wee beleeue Christ Iesus did suffer that he was crucified dead and buired that he descended into hell all these then beeing vnspeakable must needes be likewise irrepresentable But if by the worde Crosse wee vnderstand the wood wheron the sonne of God oftered himselfe a sacrifice to his Father for the propitiation of our sinnes it is casie then to be painted or figured yet such a figure can be but the portraite of those instruments wherewith the hangmen were furnished to torment our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ if then those instruments can haue no vertue in them that which is but the image thereof must needes haue much lesse Nowe it is most apparent that the wood had no vertue in it but what was naturall neither could the Iewes giue it any for themselues had none but a readines to cuill dooing why then it remaines that if it can haue any at all it must be by touching the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ But how such touching could confer any grace to the wood we are not able to saye because as hath beene declared it is not expressed in the worde of God why then we may likewise affirme that those lippes of Iudas which kissed Iesus the hands of them that layde holde on him led buffeted nailed and crucified him receiued likewise some vertue from him Which being most absurde much more is it then to say that wood hauing no life by a meere touch only should bee susceptible of holinesse and vertue for if such vertue had been giuen to the Crosse of wood because Christ suffered thereon like vertue would haue beene bestowed on them by whome he suffered For they were those which should performe what the defined Counsell of God had before determined Actes 4. ver 28. Nor are such allegations worthy receiuing in nothing some difference in dissemblable instrumentes to wit that Iudas and the Iewes could be bad and yet the Crosse not For euermore this is to be graunted that if the touching drew vertue and sanctity to it cheefely because it was as the Alter for sacrifising the Sauiour of the worlde it standeth not with reason that the Crosse being a life-lesse thing could bee endued with vertue and sanctity sooner then men liuing and moouing Hence then easily may bee deriued that if the Crosse of wood could not receiue any vertue or holinesse the signe or Image therof doubtlesse was farre lesse capable of such grace And this is the reason why Saint Paule attributed all the power of the Crosse to the word and not vnto the signe thereof when he said 1. Corinth 1. ver 18. The preaching of the Crosse is the power of God to vs which are saued For God enstructed his Church by his worde and the signes and Sacraments instituted by him which Sacraments could not bee Sacraments except the worde of God were vnited with them according as S. Augustin saith The worde is conioyned to the Element and then it is made a Sacrament Seeing then the signe of the Crosse neuer was ordayned by God and that neither the worde of God nor the historie of the Passion Crosse of Christ haue made any mention of such vertue in the signe wee ought not stretch our wit beyond the wisdome of God for to outstep the limittes prescribed by God is to eate the fruite forbidden by God and to tempt God by bold presumption Likewise it
Sathans sleights who dooth like to them as one saith which teache the way onward by going backward For he durst neuer bee so bolde to thrust himselfe into the Christian Church by the knowledge of Iesus Christ crucified onely but publishing the praises of the Crosse hee hath made woode stones and paintings companions with Christ Iesus defacing quite the spirituall seruice of God introducing carnall fashions sauouring rather of Paganisme then Christianitie Seeing therefore all power vertue and dominion appertaines onely to him that sits vpon the throne we ought to see him not injuried in the least part of his right but likewise if it may be to engraue in mens harts a more deepe consideration of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ At the beginning of the Gospels preaching GOD sometimes would haue it knowne by extraordinarie meanes wherfore if then it pleased him to expresse his goodnesse in such sorte to his chosen it ought to bee acknowledged and his gracious support to bee thankefully remembred But if it hath pleased him that such as yet see slenderlie shall become more blinde or indeed altogether starke blinde it ought to be reckoned as his iudgement and so to bee obserued for a trueth for trueth is not trueth except it bee so quite throughout And to speake with Nazianzen If a precious stone loose his value by reason of some crack or vnsightlie flawe it is not to be doubted but that the puritie of Christian doctrine will be much impaired by the mingling or leauen of erronious teaching attributing to the signe or figure the vertue of him who would haue his Crosse fixed in our bearts and not tyed to our habits or planted either in fieldes or Citties These matters first heere noted haue vrged vs to resolue such allegations as are contayned in the first placard the Title whereof is Of the vertue of the Crosse The intent whereof is to shew that the materiall signe of the Crosse hath many great and goodly vertues where contrarywise all true Christians doo maintayne that all vertue and power ought to bee attributed to him crucified thereon This proposition is vnderpropped with a place out of Ezechsel the 9. v. 4. and by some other auncient passages but when the weakenesse of such a building shall be discouered it wil presently appeare howe easie it is to ouerthrow what soeuer is founded thereon Now to iudge rightly on this place wee cannot doo beter then to set downe the very words of the Prophet to the end we may thereby be ledde to the true sence In our language we deliuer it thus word for word with the Hebrew text Goe through the middest of the Cittie euen through the middest of Ierusalem and set a marke vpon the fore-heads of them that mourne and sigh for all the abhominations that be done in the middest thereof In this sence and in the selfe same words hath the Greeke translation yeelded them as likewise S. Hierome noteth that the seuentie Enterpreters and Aquila and Symmachus haue done the selfe same For as Thau in Hebrewe signifieth a marke or signe and is taken from the word Thauah that is to say to signifie or designe so true it is that Theodotion and the vulgar enterpretation haue held the word Thau taking it materially as it is spoken in the Schooles yet hereon many haue played at their pleasure For as the same Saint Hierome writeth Some haue saide that by the letter Thau which is the last of the Hebrew Alphabet is signified such as haue perfect knowledge Others say that by the same letter the law is vnderstood which in Hebrew is called Thorah of which word the first letter is Thau And finally the same Saint Hiereme leauing the Carracter vsed by the Propher searched the Samaritaine Carracters and saith that Thau among the Samaritaines hath the resemblance of a crosse but yet he sets not down at all the figure of this Thau of the Samaritaines Wherefore he perceiuing that this saying of his wold be further serched into addes imediately aftewards an other expositiō to wit As the letter Thau is the last in the Alphabet suen so sherby is represented those good people beeing the remnant of the multitude of the euilliuers But admit the letter Thau to be figured after the Hebrew Carracter or the Samaritaine Carracter by one onely figure yet is it easie to be seene that it hath a verie slender resemblance to an entire crosse For the Hebrew Carracter is made thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Samaritaine after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not the true figure of a crosse for it wantes that part aboue where the writing was fastened or title of the crosse as Lypsius hath well noted in the tenth Chapter of his first booke of the crosse That if the worde Thau had beene written with his Consonantes and one vowell as at this day it is read in the Hebre we text in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it would haue much lesse resemblance But after the word let vs now come to the sence First of all it appeareth by that which is recited in the eight ninth chapters of Ezechiell that all there spoken of was represented in a mentall vision so that the things were not really done indeed In the second place it is a matter most euidēt that this Prophet was properly and particularly prepared or furnished against the Cittie of Jerusalem and the execution therof to be discerned when the Babylonians had taken and rased the Citie of Ierusalem leading some remainder of the people into captiuitie It is then beyonde reason that this which was spoken for a certaine time and place and for certaine persons should be turned and assigned else where which neuer was the intention of the spirit of God that then spake by the mouth of Ezechiell Moreouer it is no where to bee found that euer the Iewes were marked with any marke in the fore-head whatsouer and much lesse by the crosse which was a thing odious and ignominious then among all nations of the world that death beeing cursed amongst the Iewes following what is written in Deuter. 21. verse 23. That he was accursed who should bee hanged on a treee Now then the true sence of this passage in Ezechiell is that God declared howe when this great iudgement should be exercised on the cittie of Ierusalem they onely were to bee exempted who should bee marked by the spirit of God After this manner is vnderstoode what is read in the 12. of Exodus where the destroying Angel passed through the middest of Egypt and slewe all the first borne of the Egyptians but hee commaunded the Israelites to put the blood of the vnblemished Lambe for the Passeouer on the posts of their habitations to the end whē the Angel should passe by hee might see the marke of the blood and so passe on without offending the Israelites Likewise in the 7. of the Apocalips is mention made of
And that if wee dye with him we shall liue with him if we suffer with him we shall reigne with him So that the Sonne of God is highly honored wheÌ„ he is acknowledged to be the sole Sauiour and redeemer of men lost in Adam and who beeing sinners and destitute of the glory of God are reconciled in him and reestablished in farre greater glory then euer they had or could haue before But on the contrary part the great glory of Gods elect shineth in this that as S. Iohn sayth 3. ver 16. So God loued vs that he gaue his onely Sonne for vs to the end that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And the same S. Iohn saith in his first Epistle 3. ver 1. Beholde this loue hath the Father bestowed on vs that we are called the Sonnes of God So that each of vs may say this of himselfe the life which I haue at this present is by the faith I haue in the Sonne of God that he hath loued me and gaue himselfe for me adding withall that by the sufferings which my Lord Iesus Christ hath endured all misery and afflictions which can happen to mee are sanctified For whereas in their owne nature they were punishments by the death of Iesus Christ they are become visitations and testimonies of Gods fauour that hee looueth and enstructeth such as he correcteth We likewise honour the Crosse in this that we are crucified to the world and the world to vs so that dying with Christ Iesus we are raysed vp againe with him saith S. Paule Rom. 6. ver 8. For he hath giuen vs an example to follow his steps that being dead to sin we might liue againe to righteousnes being healed by his wounds saith S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. v. 21 24. And again The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared And teacheth vs that we should deny all vngodlynes and worldly lustes and that we should liue soberly and righteously and Godly in this present world Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Titus 2. ver 11. 12. 13. Beholde heere the true manner how to honor the crosse and death of Iesus Christ as the Apostles S. Peter S. Iohn and S. Paule hath raught vs in their writinges which themselues practised when they were in this world such hath bin the reuerence which the Primatiue Church made to the crosse For those signs which were made at the beginning were nothing but with the moouing of the hand applyed to the forehead or cast vp into the ayre hauing no subsistance in bodily matter of wood stone siluer golde or other such like The first that made any of some matter was Constantine who hauing obtained a notable victory against Maxentius made his Ensigne in forme of the crosse enriched with golde and precious stones Yet was it not after the fashion of the Crosse obserued now-adaies for the Historians haue thus described it At the end of a high staffe the Greeke letter P was represented vnder it the letter X which are the two first letters of christes name in Greeke Soone after a sayle was hanged ouerth wart this staffe without any figure in the saile and was in all respects as is here set downe And because hee was newely exalted to the imperiall dignitie by the consent of his warriours who preferred him after the declining of Dioclesian his predecessour hee considered that the meanes to maintaine him in this dignitie against all competitours and contenders was to make himselfe a friend with those Christians which Dioclesian had persecuted euen to his vttermost And for this cause hee made the crosse to be erected before himselfe became a Christian for hee was not Baptised till the seuenth yeere of his Empire and the victory before named hapned in the first yeere Now because the Christian historians speake of an apparition of the Crosse in the ayre with these words Thou shalt ouer come by this it is so that Zosimus a Pagane historian who liued at that time there and was a most exact searcher after the deedes of Constantine hath made no mention at all thereof Also it appeareth that the Ecclesiastical histories speake diuersly thereof For Eusebius saith that this visioÌ„ chanced at noone time of the day Sozomenus writes that it appeared in the night to Constantine sleeping Neuerthelesse God might permit this miracle as a helpe to the conuersion of this Prince beings as then a Pagane and that it might serue afterwardes for the further auauncement of Christes glory whatsoeuer affection himselfe should beare therto for some Authors haue noted great defectes and faultes in him He then made the ensignes and Armes of his souldiers to bee marked with the Crosse he caused it to be set vp in publique places as is to be read that hee made to bee erected his owne statue in brasse at Roome holding a Crosse of the same mettal in his hand Notwithstanding he neuer appointed it in any Temple but in a publique place for then the Romaine Temples had as yet the Paganes Idols in them But afterward when it was said that the true Crosse indeed was found by Helena mother to Constantine then a great number of Crosses were erected Nor shall we need in this search to enter so far whether this were a contriued inuention or a truth albeit Volaterranus and Fryer Oâ—uphrius Panuinus of the Augustines order in his notes vpon Platina in the life of Pope Eusebius 32. giues sufficiently to vnderstand that this was an vncertaine matter considering the diuersity found in Authours as touching the time of this inuention For if we shall credite some historians Helena was yet at that time an Infidell and Constantine himselfe not become a firme Christian not hauing then done any thing in Siria And some say that it was not found in the time of great Constantine but in his Sonne Constantines time heereto may we adde Eusebius who writ the life of Constantine and speakes of all which Helena did in Ierusalem yet speakes not one word of this inuention of the Crosse Neyther doth Saint Ambrose agree heerein with other writers for hee faith this Crosse was knowen by the tytle thereon and others say that it was by miraculous healing of a woman which the very touching of this Crosse brought to perfect health againe But howsoever it was there is no man I thinke but will holde for fabulous when hee reades that Adam being sicke sent his Sonne Seth to the gate of Paradise to haue some of the oyle of mercy wherewith hee might be annoynted and healed and how the Angell gaue him a bough of the tree whereof Adam had before eaten the fruite and so transgressed Gods commaundement But being returned he found his Father dead and therefore planted this bough on Adams graue which afterward grew to a goodly tree so that when Salomon caused the temple to be
built he made the tree to be cut downe but it could neuer be made to serue to any vse wherefore it was reiected and made a Bridge of ouer a certaine Lake When the Queene of Saba came to see Salomon shee would not goe ouer the Bridge became shee had been before aduertised in a vision that on that wood should one bee hanged who should destroy the Kingdome of the Iewes Which when Salomon heard of hee caused it to be buried very deepe in the earth in the place where a Poole was afterwarde made which Poole had the vertue of healing sickenesse by reason of the wood for it came foorth of the earth and floated aboue vpon the water at the houre when Iesus Christ was to bee crucified and therefore the Iewes made the crosse thereof Beholde what hath beene inuented and preached to poore people onely to make the crosse bee honoured as it is to be read in the 21. Sermon of the booke called The Sermons of the Disciple But let such consider that the auncient Christians vsing of the crosse in whatsoeuer matters by them mannaged was but the simple practise of Saint Paules meaning when he said J am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ For because euery one as well Iewes as Paganes mocked at Christ and his Crosse was become a scandall to some and folly to others the more they stroue to defame it the more the christians endeuoured to adorne it Heereup on they opposed the Crosse to all thinges and in all places as a moste honourable marke whereby they sufficiently declared that they would haue part of Christes opprobry to the ende hee might impart to them some of his glory And therefore said Chrisostome That Ensigne should bee more honoured then all the Crownes and Diademes could be For this cause the Emperours and Kings made applycation therof to their Crownes and Scepters so much the more to shame confound the Iewes Pagans whom S. Ambrose bringeth in thus speaking Wehaue crucified Jesus to the end the Christians may rise after death and that the dead may raigne We haue crucified him whome Kings shall honour Whence happened that the Princes which persecuted Christ became Preachers and their Vestiments serued to repaire the crosse that faith might shine foorth the more gloriously Vpon the same occasion it is said that the crosse should be a tree faire and splendant adorned with the purple of kings and more brightsome then the starres And Theodoret in the third booke of his historie chap. 27. writeth That by all the crosse should bee borne to testifie the triumph of Christ But all this while they attributed nothing to the crosse onely or the bare figure therof for Constantine gaue acknowledgement that the victoric which happened to him was through Christ and not the crosse and so he caused to be written on the crosses by him erected these three words Iesus Christ ouercame after that manner made his prayers of the crosse Helena likewise worshipped the king and not the crosse For else it had bin a Pagan errour vilde vanitie faith Saint Ambrose In this forte may christians honour the crosse for who makes any question but in our wars against the Iews or Mahumetists we may beare our Ensignes orarmes crossed for publicke testifying to the Infidels that wee are Christians and our aduersaries are miscreants andvoyd of faith So may the crosse be engrauē on money to shew that it is the coyne or stampe of a christian Prince So may the crosse be placed on the gates of Citties Castles or houses to deliuer apparantly that the Inhabitants in such places do make profession of christianitie So was it long since ordained that the instruments of contractes or bargaining made by publike notaries should be sealed and signed with the crosse as it is read in lib. de Cod. And in such like polliticke considerations we reiect not the vse of the material crosse As Constantine in the very same respect forbad to punish malefactours any more with the death of the crosse To the ende saith Saint Augustine in his 36. Treatise on Saint Iohn They should not be honoured by such a punishment For the same reason was it forbidden by the Emperor Theodosuts to engraue the crosse in earth and a paine decreed against all such as despised or cast the crosse at their heeles Now withall is to be remembred that then the crosse was but two peeces of woode thwarte one another hauing no shape of a crucifixe much lesse of the blessed virgine Marie as since then in diuers crosses the image of the crucifixe is on one side and that of the mother on the other as if she had borne companie with our Sauiour in his sufferings and she in some sort had wrought the redemption of mankinde Then they had not read the goodly disputation betweene the Cordeliers and the Jacobines in the time of Pope John the 22. of that name the Cordeliers maintaining that the crucifixe ought to be naked onely with a crowne of thornes the Jacobines iustified that hee was to weare a crowne on his head and a royall robe with all As for the honour done by some in this case they of olde crowned him simplye with flowers but it was for speciall instruction to the beholders for thus they intended that whosoeuer would haue the crowne and pertake in the reward he must first of all beare his crosse for so hath the Poet Prudentius written To beare the crosse must be thy paine If thou desire the crowne to gaine But in the end these matters grew so forward that the crosse was broght into the temples and saluted in these woordes O Crux aue Al haile O crosse which are but fond speeches Then inuocation was made to it saying Auge pits iustitiam reisque dona veniam Encrease the iustice of the good and pardon the offendors Likewise Crucem tuam adoramus Domine Lord we adore and worship thy crosse Which are indeede blasphemous speeches For to Iesus Christ onely shuld such a praier be made It is Iesus Christ who is the son he ought to be kissed and not the crosse of wood So that albeit wee may honour one another ciuilly following no more then is commaunded the inferiour to honor their superiours yet when question is made of religious or deuoute honor they are matters not according to giue all honour to one onely God and his sonne and yet to diuide a portion thereof to any man or a materiall crosse or any creature whateuer Yet are not these questionaries them selues fully agreed hereabout for one hath demaunded with what kinde of honour it is to be worshiped Some say that the verie crosse which touched the bodie of Iesus Christ oght to be honored with Latria seruice or by the means of Hyperdulia humble dutie but others beleue that it shuld be serucd with the honour of Dulia bond-seruice as much to say that the true crosse ought to bee reuerenced with the honour due to Christ and
other Crosses should bee reuerenced with such honour as seruants owe vnto their maisters And this is the resolution of the second placarde which like wise it becomes vs to consider of and briefly search into the bottome of it There are diuers places of our elders alleadged but without sence and quite from the Authors meaning that writ them For when they of olde time speake of the crosse they did not vnderstand thereby two pecces of wood th wart one another but the misterie of our redemption the true summarie accomplishment wherof was by the crosse death and passion of Iesus Christ And this equiuocall or double signification of the crosse beeing not perceiued by these Sophisters makes theÌ„ to erre and they cause other to do the like Heerevpon it was that Chrisostome said The crosse is the cause of al our blessednesse it is the christians hope resurection of the dead and a guid to the blinde c. And as for the materiall crosse behold what one hath written therof We honour not neither desire to haue such a crosse as the expresse wordes are to bee read in the 8 booke of Arnobius answering to the Pagans obiections which blamed the christians as if they had honoured the crosse of wood For the same reason Athanasius saith in his 16. question those which he writ vnto Antiochus That the Christians declared how they honoured not the crosse when they laid togither two peeces in such sort they acknowledged it to bee no more then wood and woulde not prostrate themselues before it as now they do setting vp crosses onely to be honored And heerevppon saith Epiphanius that passing by a village named Anablaiha and entring into a Temple where hung a painted cloath hauing an image thereon of Iesus Christ or some other Sainte hee rent the cloath in peeces because they kept it there contrary to the Scripture this is at large to be read in his Epistle translated by Saint Hierome Wherevpon the same Saint Hierome saith that no other image of God is to be honoured but that which is God with God as much to say as the sonne of GOD Which is the engrauen forme of the essence of God Hebr. 1. verse 3. and in this sence we holde with the testimonies alleaged in the placard But because the Church of Rome containes not it selfe within these limits but aymeth at a materiall crosse it is apparant that it maintaineth vnsufferable idolatrie And to the end it may appeare that wee wrong them not in saying so marke heere the verie words they vse when they hallow the wood of the crosse Digneris Domine benedicere hoc lignum crucis vt sit remedium salutare generi humano sit soliditas fidei bonorumque operum profectus redemptio animarum tutela contra saeâ—a iacula inimicorum which is thus interpreted Lord that it might please thee to sanctifie this wood of the crosse to the end it may be a healthfull remedie to mankind assurance of faith aduancement of good workes redemption of soules and a defence against the cruell dartes of the enemies Againe Crucem tuam adoramus Domine O Lord we adore and worship thy Crosse Againe O crux adoranda ô crux speciosa hominibus amabilis sanctior vniuersis quae sola digna fuisti portare talentum mundi Dulce lignum dulces clanos dulcia ferens pondera Serua presentem cateruam in tuis hodis laudibus congregaram O crosse which oughtest to be honoured O crosse which oughtest to bee regarded Amiable to men more holy then all Which only wast woorthie to beare the worlds talent Sweete woode which bearest sweete nailes and a sweet burthen Saue this present Congregation assembled in thy praises Againe Crux fidelis inter omnes arbor vna nobilis Nulla sylua talem profert fronde flore germine Dulce lignum dulces clauos dulce pondus sustinet Faithfull crosse the onely noble tree among all other No forrest euer bare the like for boughes flowers and branches This sweet wood bare sweete nailes and a sweete burthen Wherein is to be noted that this Himne saith it is a tree albeit others namely the Canonists say that it was made of foure woods to wit of Palme of Cedar of Cipres and of Oliue-tree Of like stuffe is the French prayer which is vsually reade at all houres and is in the booke called Houres that which Michaell Joue imprinted at Lyons 1568 according to the vsage at Rome and is in this manner Saincte vraye croix adoree Qui du corps Dieu fut adornee Et de sa grand ' sueur arrosee Et de son sang enluminee Par ta vertu par ta puissance Garde mon corps de mal meschance Et m'ottroye par ton plaisir Que vray confez puisse mourir In English thus Holy crosse truely to be worshipped Which with Gods bodie was adorned And with his great sweate sprinckled And with his bloud illumined By thy vertue by thy puissance Keepe my bodie from all mischance And graunt if so thy pleasure be Truly confest that J may die Nor is it onely called the adorned crosse but likewise the adored crosse as on the holy Friday it is termed worshipped in regard of the adoration of the crosse as that day there So that if the time when the crosse is honoured is called holy the place likewise where the crosse is to be erected is also hallowed and the handes and fingers of them that erected it For there must bee some reason allowed to the circumstances and instruments as well in one as the rest or to speake as we ought he must needs be his crafts-maister that will not let the stench of such impietie be descerned or felt by them whose breath idolatry hath before poysoned Like follies and blasphemies commit they about the lance or speare wherewith the side of our Sauiour was pearced First that it was sent by the great Turke Baiazeth to Pope Jnnocent the eight of that name in the yeare 1490. if the account lye not of which holy speare the feast is celebrated on the Friday after the Octaues of Easter and thereto is appoynted this prayer following Aue ferrum triumphale Jntrans pectus tu vitale Caeli pandis ostia Foelix basta nos amore Per te fixi saucia Thus Englished Triumphant Jron be thou blest VVhich entring in the vitall brest Heauen gates didst open spread Holy speare do vs wound VVith the loue of him profound VVhich by thee was pearced dead So that whosoeuer will beleeue these people must likewise worship S. Lanthorne Saint Spunge Saint Ladder Saint Cord Saint Whippe and other instrumeÌ„ts wherewith the hang-men tormented Iesus Christ Let then these Sophisters bite their nailes as long as they please to ouerthrowe this shamefull taxation yet shall they neuer make of wood more then wood And because they blesse themselues with this wood bowing downe their heades before it and calling it the health remedie for mankinde wee