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
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
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