Iewes Therfore that which they do and ordeine hath an other maner of couÌ„tenance than that which the Iewes haue ordeined Therefore must our former argument remaine fast vnmoueable especially considering that the Church of Rome is fullye credited in the one therefore must shee of necessitie be as wel beleeued in the other For truely this argument is the trimmest and finest stuffe whereof Iohn Blindasinus hath made his Panoplie which is as muh to say as his Ful furniture of weapons harnesse For by this is proued that S. FraÌ„cis Vineyarde The goldeÌ„ Legend The booke called Conform S. Franc. And the Masse booke must be as much esteemed in all respects as the very scripture of the Bible yea in the boke called Confo S. Fran. which was made by Barthol of Pisa is alowed for good in the chap. of Assis. In the yere 1389. is written That the same booke is better thaÌ„ the Gospell for that Saint Francis is placed in Lucifers seat aboue all the companies of Angels at the vpper ende of all Also there followeth out of the same that the common sort of people may be as well instructed in the knoweledge of God by dumbe Images and mumming representations as by the preaching of the Gospel and that men must as well christen the Belles at the Font as the children whiche are shapen after the likenesse of God and bought by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ that in baptising shall be vsed spittle and oyntment as well as water that the holy Sacrament shall bee caried about the streetes in the Procession with Baners and Pipes as well as it shall be taken and eaten in the Congregation of the faythfull in remembrance of the death of the Lorde In summe men are as deepely bound to do that which the holy Church and the Popes of Rome haue dreamed set vp and commaunded as that which by the expresse worde of God and by the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles is specially commaunded Yea and I praye you why should it not be so Seeing out of the same argument it must of necessitie be concluded that the word of God cannot be Gods word but it must first by the church be therto shapen fashioned For note well this word is with special wordes of our learned master Iodocus Tiletanus in writing thus That the worde of God alone conteyned in the holy Scriptures of the old and the newe Testamentes together with the three Symbols or Creedes as of the Apostles the Councel of Nice of the father Athanasius yea and thereto ioyne the three first Councels are not the rule perfite knot of the truth whereby it is apparant that in no wise men can perfitely know whether these be the word of God or no without the traditions or setting forth of the Church which doth assure vs of al this without any Scripture c. In summe the truth can be no truth nor the light light yea God can be no God except that the holy Church of Rome that is to say the holy Pope of Rome with his bishops prelates do consent thervnto So that it is no maruel that they can of a peece of bread make a God creator of heauen and earth For if it were so that they should say that at noone day it were darke night wee must streight wayes beleue the same as an article of the faith by and by without delay get vs to bed For we say by a certaine coÌ„mon prouerbe That when all the world doeth affirme that a man as by example SoÌ„nius or Blindasinus is a swine he must out of doubt trudge vnto the swinestie and there eat only draffe How much rather theÌ„ when the holy Church with that worthie coÌ„panie of Bishops Abbats Prelates and Cardinals gathered together at Trent or elswhere do coÌ„mand any thing are not we bounde to receiue beleue obey the same without any denial by and by to say Amen therevnto And herein may men perceiue a great miracle which I do assure you is greater by the head thaÌ„ any miracle that euer was don by the Apostles to wit that the child was borne before the mother yea that the mother commes of the child For it is most certein and wel knowen that the worde of God is the seede whereof the Church of God doth spring is ingendred as the Apostle Peter witnesseth coÌ„sidering that the Church is nothing else but a Congregation of such as doe faithfully beleeue Gods woorde and firmely sticke vnto the same where thorough they are also called The Congregation of the liuing God The pillar and staye of the truth So that the woorde is the right mother of the Church Well nowe see here goeth the holy Catholike Church of Rome before the worde of God and his truth which is as much to say the childe goeth before the mother yea the worde can haue no might no credite no estimation nor no being in the worlde vnlesse it bee by speciall grace borrowed of her daughter the holy Church As the foresayd Blindasinus Hosius Sonnius Piggius Eckius with all other Catholike Doctours haue forceably coÌ„cluded and irreuocably determined taking this for a most true vndoubted article of the faith yea for the most speciall ground whervpon they and all their writing is founded which is That men may not beleeue the worde and truth of God otherwise than by the appoyntment of the holy Church of Rome which of duetie must alwayes goe before and lead the daunse which is as muche to say that you can not ride to Louen but you must set the Wagon before the horses And therefore whensoeuer the Churche doth ordeine any thing that is contrarie to the Scripture as is before saide we will giue the Scripture an honest passeport or safe conduct and a great many of farewels and clâ—ue to the holy Church like a Burre For the srcipture cannot defend this cause but the holy Church of Rome can bring a man to the stake And it helpes not to alledge and bring in Augustine here who hath written in diuerse places That wee ought to beleeue the holy Scripture only without any contradiction and to trie proue all other writinges and doctrines howe substantiall soeuer they be yea all Councels decrees and ordinances by the holy Scripture as by the onely true vncounterfeyted touchstone and abolish and put away vtterly all whatsoeuer doth not therewithall agree for that all smelleth altogether of heresie And where as he sayeth further That when soeuer the Church doeth giue eare to any other voyce beside the onely voyce of her bridegrome she is then become whorish and a wedlocke breaker yea and that they are all accursed which go about to seduce the Bride of Christ from her Bridegrome to the doctrine and institutions of men that is the plaine doctrine of Heretikes For if that were so all the before specified rules ordinaunces and decrees of the holy
names to the holie Church when they shall be so vnderstoode and when they shall â—ot be so taken Now doeth our deare mother the holie Church inioy dâ—uerse other goodly and plaine Scriptures wherewith â—o prop vp and make fast the seate of our holâ—e father the Pope as specially where it is written That Christ came to fulfill the will of his father For of that must needes follow That all good Christen men are bound to fulfil the will of their holie mother the Church of Rome of which church the Pope without all doubt is the supreme heade And againe God speaketh by the mouth of his Prophete Esaias But doth the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith Or doeth the sawe make anie bragging against him that ruleth it Signifying thereby that the king of the Assyrians had no power against the almightie God who woulde vse him as an axe or a sawe to punish and correct his people by him Out of this hath our mother the holy Church of Rome concluded and as she saith made it appeare clearer than the Sunne that there is no power nor authoritie in this worlde but in the power of the holy sea pope of Rome to correct or punish the same And this shee doeth establish yet more strongly by the wordes of Paule who saith That the naturall man cannot conceiue nor vnderstand Gods doings but the spirituall man doth vnderstand rule all things but may not be ruled of any man. For this doth the holie Church vnderstand by the pope of Rome that he is of himselfe so spiritual and ghostly that no man may nor can iudge nor punish him Now further his power is established in the first booke of Moses called Genesis where it is written That God in the beginning did shape both heauen and earth For now that is as much to say after the exposition of the holie Church of Rome that the Pope is the beginning of all things Considering there is no mention made but of one beginning It is not said In the beginning as of mo or manie beginnings and therefore whosoeuer should compare the Emperour to be as good as the Pope he is a rank heretike of the sect of the Manichees who saide There was mo beginnings of all things than one What thinke you now of this Is not this a good bagpipe to play a galiard vpon But now tarie yet a little it is likewise writen That God did shape two great lightes a greater and a lesser which do signifie after the interpretation of the holy Church that the pope of Rome is aboue all other Potentates aboue the Emperour for he is the Sunne the Emperour is the Moone Whereby nowe is clearely to be seene that Moses had a foreknowlege of the pope his authoritie And Iob must needes haue had some feeling of his coÌ„ming For thus God said vnto Iob Knowest thou I pray thee how the heauens are gouerned Or canst thou rule him vpon earth That is after the interpretation of the holy Church That euen as in the heauen one eternall God doth gouerne all things and as the holy Trinitie is brought to one onelie vnitie The like consequence must fall out here vpon earth So that here the Pope onely must haue dominion ouer all estates dukedomes kingdomes other whatsoeuer in consideration that hee is the onely line leuell and compasse whereby all other people are and ought to be directed And in consideration hereof is the prophesie of Paul thus vnderstood saying Vntil the fulnes of the Gentils be come and then shall all Israel be saued ioining this with that which Christ said So that there shal be but one flock one sheepheard as to vnderstand When all the nations vpon earth shall be subiect to the Pope Like as now in our daies we haue seene a good beginning do daily see with our eyes very great apperaÌ„ce of more And that the Pope ought not only to haue a spirituall gouernment as a Bishop but must likewise maintein a worldly gouernment as a king is by clere testimonie of Scripture of our deare mother the holy Church approued For there is without doubt a plaine text that the Apostles did say Behold here are two swordes Wherevnto Christ answered not saying That it was too manie but that that was inough Now out of this doth our deare mother coÌ„clude That the Pope of Rome must vse two swordes to wit a spirituall a temporall sword Ho ball ho how will this sound in the eares of the Heretikes But now must they vnderstand for a speciall matter that a good while ago there was in Spaine an honest man who coulde not vnderstand it so saying that this scripture did serue nothing at al to that purpose And by and by the holy inquisition which is the dearest and chiefest nourse fosterfather of the Church of Rome did take him and burne him at a stake as one which had highly blasphemed because that vpon his opinion should follow that the holy church hath not full power to interprete the scripture as she will which I assure you is a terrible slaunder Therefore haue these heretikes need to looke well to the matter kepe their tongues giue eare to other testimonies and witnesses For yet besides this Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword into the sheth Out of those words doth plainly appeare as our holy father Bonifacius the 8. saith That both the swordes as well the temporall as the spirituall are vnder the power and iurisdiction of the Church Yea and it is verie necessarie that the one sword be subiect to the other which is to be vnderstood That the temporal iurisdiction and authoritie must be subiect to the spirituall ecclesiasticall power and authoritie For according to the saying of S. Paule There is no power or authoritie but that which is appointed by god Truely saith he there would be no good regiment if the one sword were not subiect to the other and that the lower and inferiour were by some good meanes brought in subiection and obedience to the higher and superior Consider this is the onely naturall and grounded interpretation of the before alledged text of the holie Scripture as our deare mother the holy Church hath interpreted the same word by word Is not this Popingaie then trimly shot downe Lee these Huguenots and Lutherans come out now who crie alway that we cannot establish the power authoritie of the Pope by anie scriptures now they may see that we haue scriptures â—now to hit the marke withall But now will we teach out of the scriptures That the Pope only hath power to consecrate and halow Churches to blesse altars Marke well the wordes plainly set out in the Psalms where it is written Except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it For this is the verie text that the holy
neither anie lawe nor iudgement hath power or iurisdiction ouer him for that he is the liuelie fâ—unteine of lawe and iudgement who as touching matters of our faith can not in anie point faile or misse and therefore hee may order and determine vpon all matters touching our beleefe and faith and so interprete the Scripture as he thinketh good he onelie may take and leaue doe and vndoe In so much that though all the worlde were against him yet must we take his part To be briefe there is no man to bee compared vnto him but God alone and therefore can he do all things that God doth For looke what soeuer God doeth in heauen the like doth the Pope here in earth What should a man say more His authoritie and power is so great that no tongue can expresse it neither is it possible for the capacitie of man to conceiue it as Zodoricus Zamorensis and Bartholus Chassaneus yea the whole Catholike church of Rome hath determined and concluded For as Antonius Florentinus doth testifie he is aboue al creatures and his might and power doeth extend euen to matters in heauen earth and hell for that he is the cause of causes and the Lord of Lords the Head Bridegrome of the whole church yea the high and principall Gouernour of the worlde vniuersall he is the light the brightnesse the verie foundation of faith and the verie summe and touchstone of the trueth hee is the hiest step of the staires and all in all whatsoeuer can be thought or said For as touching the giuing and distributing of Kingdomes Dukedomes lands and countries to whom when he shall think good that office he hath fast sure in possession and doth dailie practise put the same in exercise as is right to bee vnderstood by this pretie verse folowing Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho That is to say The Rocke gaue Peter and his race a princelie and emperiall crowne And Ralfe receiu'd from Peters Grace a royall diademe of renowne Which trimme verse was by the before named Pope Gregorie 7. after that hee had excommunicated the saide Emperour Henrie 4. and cursed all his adherents sent vnto Ralphe the Duke of Swaben with am Imperiall crowne aduertising him plainlie therewithall that it lay wholie in his handes to giue to whem soeuer it pleased him as well the Empire as the crowne wherein hee did finelie prophesie in such order as Caiphas the Iewish Pope had prophesied saying That hee would neuer be esteemed as Pope if there did not die the same yeere before Whitsuntide a false or vniust King For it came euen so to passe Not that the Emperour Henrie by whom hee spake did die that yere but that the lotte fell vpon Ralphe to whom the Pope had giuen the Imperiall crowne who was the same yere pitifullie slaine his hands first cut of he lamenting sore before the Bishops That through informing of the Pope their prouokings he had made him and his accursed and rebelled against his owne lord and supreme head Nowe a litle after this did succeede Pope Paschalis 2. who againe excommunicated afreshe the Emperour and commaunded the Earle of Flaunders called Robert to destroy with fire and sword the territories of Luek and Camericke because that they would remaine true vnto their naturall lord and Souereigne the Emperour Henrie Yea hee did giue the Imperiall crowne with all the iewels of the Empire to Henrie the 5. sonne vnto the said Henrie the 4. Emperour herein preuailed so much that he did prouoke the sonne to rebell and persecute his owne Lord and naturall father yea with such horrible and vnnaturall malice that he let him most pitifullie starue in the prison at Luek which happened in the yeere of our Lorde 1108. Neither would hee receiue the Lukeners to grace til such time as they had taken vppe the dead carcase of his father which was by theÌ„ there buried cast the same out into the fields like the carion of a dogge And by that meanes the Lukeners were likewise discharged of the excommunication which Pope Paschalis had laid vpon them Men may likewise verie well conceiue the same by the example of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa who after a great manie of excommunications and curses was in the ende within the towne of Venice vpon the great market called Saint Markes place at the toppe of the staires of the great church or palace troden vpon the necke by Pope Alexander 3. euen with his feete who for the establishing of his authoritie and power did vsurpe and openlie pronounce before al the people this saying in the Psalme Super Aspidem Basiliscum equitabis coÌ„culcabis Leonem Draconem that is to say Thou shalt ride vpon the Lion and the Adder the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou treade vnder thy feete c. And thus likewise was Franciscus Dandalius Duke of Venice excommunicated and banished by Pope Clement 5. and enioyned vnto certeiâ—e penance which was That he should goe creeping alongest the Popes palace vpon his handes knees with a collar about his necke like a dogge So that it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath ful and absolute power ouer al Kings Dukes and Princes and therefore may commaunde them as his subiectes and tenantes and may extoll or aduance and disgrade or depose them euen as he shall thinke good Which authoritie of his doeth extende and reache so farre that hee hath likewise full power commaundement and iurisdiction ouer the Kings and Emperours of Turkie and other Heathen countries In so much that a man may lawfullie appeale vnto him in anie matter from before anie earthlie Prince or Potentate In summe hee hath vnder him the rule and gouernement of all Emperiall Princelie and Spirituall iurisâ—iction for hee is consecrated as a Priest and crowned as a King and is therefore the King of Kings and Lorde of Lordes For as touching that which these Heretikes do alledge against this That Christ should haue said Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which to God belongeth that saieth our mother the holie church was not a perpetuall rule but stood in effect onlie for a short time to wit till such time as Christ had suffered and was ascended vp into heauen For now to answere that where hee saith After that I shal be lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all things vp after me that is thus to bee vnderstood saieth the holie church of Rome That Christ after his ascension into heauen should take al Kingdomes Dukedomes and such like out of the possession of Kings Dukes c. and that by meanes of his souldiers especiallie by his Romishe Apostles And whereas in other places hee doeth forbid his Disciples to seeke after or to receiue golde or siluer that must likewise be vnderstood but till such time onelie as they haue
be changed See nowe is not this a strong an inuincible foundation against which the gates of hell can not preuayle For that agrees euen as well together as a fiste in Gentianus nose Besides this are established out of these Rabbines the suburbes of hel and by them declared That the holy Fathers are lodged there against the comming of Messias For that could the Rabbines finely fish out of that which is written in the book of Ecclesiastes There are some iust which are killed in their righteousnesse Doeth not this serue wel for the purpose Furthermore out of the Thalmoode is proued that Marie our Lorde IESUS Christes mother was conceyued without original sinne For one of their Rabbines called Rabbi Iudas Simons sonne doth so speculate saying That the matter wherof the mother of the Messias should bee generate was formed before that Adam fell and so preserued from generation to generation without polluting And this doth he teache out of the Psalme wherein is written O Lorde seeke out the plante which thy right hand hath planted Is not that merueâ—â—ously well alledged the naile hit right on the head Verily it may verie well be compared with an other doctrine of theirs where they saye That God in the beginning did make two Whale fishes a male and a female and fearing least they should bring forth a monstruous generation he killed the one and so laid him in pickle against the comming of Messias at which time he will kill the other likewise and then shall the Iewes make a banket thereof and haue noble cheare for the one Whale fishe they shall eate freshe and the other well powdred And I maruell whether they will not bid our deare mother the holy Church of Rome to their banket But in that they may well inough beare one with another it is inough for vs to kâ—ow that they haue likewise established the fouÌ„dation of their beleefe and doctrine vppon the Thalmoode of the Iewes which is a meruelous great booke wherein all their Caballes that is to say all the doctrines monumentes of their Rabbines all their dreames and visions al their profound and bothomles speculations strange iestes are heaped vp together like a dunghill But nowe for that we shall not neede to rehearse euery thing particularly it is most true that the nation and Caballa of the Iewes is the best grounde and the truest well spring of all the ceremonies of the holie church of Rome For that is specially set forth noted in the booke of Decâ—ees where it is written That she hath borowed her Ember dayes of the Iewes whose order and maÌ„ner saith the text is the original spring whervnto the holy church must sticke fast Yea I pray you who is so grosse and dull of witte that can not conceiue of him selfe that shee hath had of the Iewes the verie example or paterne wherby she hath made and counterfeited so manie faire goodly ordinances statutes and ceremonies Whereby shee hath workmanlie wrought all her silken gilce and embrodered copes vestementes and myters euen as with a fine needle al the riche relikes prounking iewels altars candlestickes candles and torches and to be short al the goodly ornaments which you may see in the church were made by the exaÌ„ple paterne of them And their Sancta SanctoruÌ„ that is to saye The Holie of Holiest or The most Holie place vpon earth which she hath pacte vp at Rome in a corner of a chappell at S Iohn de Laterane whereof hath she gotten that but onely of the Iewes in whose Temple at Hierusalem the innermost most secret place where God did sometimes appeare called in their language Roodes radaschim that is to saye The holie of holiest For in place of that they had there the Arke of the promise with the couering called The Mercie seat or Propitiatorium wherein was kept a viole with Manna and the florishing rod of Moses which thinges our deare mother the holy church of Rome can not come by and therefore hath she set vp another chest with relikes in it wherein she doeth keepe very gingerly and deuoutly the foreskinne or Circumcision of our Lord Iesus Christ with his slippers and his nauell skinne as plainly appeareth by the verses which stand written before the same place which are these vnder written Circumcisa caro Christi sandalia clara Ac vmbilici viget hîc praecisio chara That is to say The foreskinne of Christ And his slippers likewise With the skinne of his nauell In this cofine lies Now after all this haue we not borrowed of the Iewes euen our holie father the Pope and all our Priestes and Deacons yea all our Temples Churches offerings and sacrifices yeâ— marie haue we or else all the holy fathers and Popes haue falsly lied in their heartes which haue scraped together the bookes of the decrees yea and then must Durandus What doe I speake of Durandus yea I say all our stoute Catholike doctours haue dallied with vs whereas they giue vs to vnderstande that they haue borrowed all that of the Iewes But what is this to the purpose Trulie we haue learned in their Phariseis seate and Synagogue That such must bee hanged which breake the Emperours placarde and will rather depende vpon Iesus Christ than vpon the ordinance of the Church Haue not the Doctors of Louen likewise borrowed of them the name of Rabbottenu or Rabbini that is to say Magistri nostri which soundeth in our mother tongue as much as Our masters prouided alwayes that men may not say Nostri magistri for that were herisie but we pronounce it after the Iewish phrase setting Nostri after Magistri as if we should say Masters ours and not Our masters Item that men must set them at the vpper ende of the table and the killing of Prophetes and Martyrs and thâ—n make them goodlie tumbes for therefore it is that they do mainteine the shrines of the Martyrs in such praier and worship in witnes as Christ himselfe said that they are the children of them which haue murthered the Prophets of God and the martyrs or witnesses of Christ Iesus and wil follow the steppes of their forefathers but it is not needfull to rehearse all things particularly considering that the holie Church hath set forth a generall rule hereof in the booke of decrees For in the same text where it is sayde That they haue learned of the Iewes to annoynt their altars and to trimme them with many proper things is argumented and reasoned thus Seeing that the Iewes which did but serue in a shadowe and darke figure did notwithstanding all those things howe much more ought we being by dutie bound to doe the like to whom the verie truth is manifestly reuealed Whereby men may plainly perceiue that is verie lawful for the holy Church yea and that of duetie she ought to doe all things whatsoeuer the Iewes haue done heretofore So that it is
And when as one key will not serue she may proue another In summe and for a finall conclusion so trauell in that behalfe that she get the locke open Foure of these keyes most chiefe and principall are called Imperatrices because they will open all the lockes in the house The first is called Expositio literalis that is An interpretation according to the letter which key our mother the holie Church hath least of all occupied but rather had left it lying a long time behinde the Chest insomuch that it was all rustie in a maner and cleane marred At last the Lutherans gat it into their handes and setting it before them as a paterne made other like it insomuch that they haue opened all the lockes and by that meanes haue brought all the secretes of the holy Church to light and so haue of their owne priuate motion and accorde taken vpon them to alledge the scripture to their furtherance and to the holy church of Rome her hinderance so that she hath now quite lost that key The other key is called Expositio moralis That is A legall or morall interpretation or An interpretation according to the Law with which key they haue locked vp fast all the Chestes and treasures of mercifull iustification through beliefe in Iesus Christ and in place thereof haue vnlocked set open the maledictions cursses and threatnings of the law of Moses The thirde is called Expositio Tropologica or Allegorica that is to say An hidde and allegoricall vnderstanding or interpretation with which key they lightly wreste all the Scriptures that the Heretikes can bring in against them for that therewith they finde out straight way some figure or allegorie wherewith they deck set out the matter finely so couer it with a course carpet And further likewise with this key she hath brought abrode the most part of the Scripture wherewith she hath fortified and made strong all her Catholike ceremonies beautifull prunkings pleasant ordinaunces as by proceeding from piece to piece we will declare The fourth key is verie like vnto this but it is of more strength and is called Expositio Anagogica that is to say An interpretation which drawes the Scripture by the necke euen whither a man will and it is the best and most beneficiall key that the Church doth occupie for her aduantage for with this key she makes of the Scripture a Weathercocke which turnes about with euerie winde and a nose of waxe which shee can bow euerie way as by the examples hereafter set forth you shal plainly perceiue Now hath she besides these two other keyes which are not right Imperatrices but do serue particularly either of them to his owne seuerall locke whereof the one is called Typica and the other Physica that is to say figuratiue and naturall For these two keyes shee doth vse most in the Scholes and Cloysters and therewith she fetcheth out of a corner wonderfull sharpe witted Ppilosophies deepe speculations wherewith she mountes aloft so hie into the aire that shee neither toucheth hâ—auen nor earth And with these she hath for the most part opened all the Almeries of the Caballa Thalmood of the Iewes and out of them fetched all sorts of delicate meates and daintie iunckets as without doubt there were wonderfull iestes and straunge mysteries shut vp in them All these same keyes except the first which lay behinde the Chest being now in the handes of Heretikes and in their custodie she hath tied fast together with a paire of Keybands which she calles Sophistica that is to say Sophistrie or babling wheron they are so fast bound that without that Keyband it were vnpossible to make them tarie together nor to do the church of Rome any seruice but would by and by fall a sunder and so bee vtterly lost for this Keybande is verie cunningly wrought and of strong Buffe leather knotted together with manie subtile snarles and buttons so that it is not possible to be vndone which snarles and buttons the chiefe workemen of that art call Syllogismes and Quotlibets and they stand so thicke and so strongly fastened together that manie cunning masters in braiding of snarles and buttons as well of Louen as of Paris haue gone about with all the wit they had to vndo them to the ende they might vse the keyes as they would but they could neuer bring it to passe For the holie Church of Rome doubting least the Heretikes might yet catche from her anie more keyes as they did once causeth more newe knottes and buttons daily to bee made to them yea and giueth the maisters of that science great wages For he that can best braide and make them vp hee gettes for his rewarde a Doctours hood or a fat Prebend and sometimes a Bishops miter or a Cardinals hatte so that it is a great ouersight of these Huguenotes and Lutherans that they thinke to make all thinges cleare with their one key and will with that onelie expounde the Scripture all care and regarde of the other keyes put by and neglected Yea they make no accounte at all of this Keybande but will vnderstande euerie thing as they are learned by the letter none otherwise than they are sette foorth in the Scripture rightly and agreeably to the sinceritie of the faith and according to the iudgement of Paule Where yet notwithstanding is plainly written by the said Paule That the letter doeth kill but the spirite quickeneth Neuerthelesse it is true that they bring in this testimonie of Paule against vs saying That Paule did there by the letter vnderstande nothing else but the Lawe and the curssings of the Lawe and by the Spirite nothing else but that by the mercie of God we are quickened and made aliue through faith in Iesus Christ which is in the Gospel by Paul and by all other faithfull ministers of the worde plainely and without anie obscure and darke meaning or hidde allegorie set forth and preached openly before all men as Paule him selfe doeth giue plainely to vnderstande saying That hee was made able to bee a Minister of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirite and that the ministration of Moses was a ministration of death and of the Letter but his ministration was a speciall ministration of life and of the Spirite But wee care not for all this For the holie Churche will haue it to bee vnderstoode otherwise as to say That by the Letter is to bee vnderstoode the speciall bare and plaine text of the Scripture euen as it doeth sounde in the naturall ground and setting forth literally vnderstoode according to the sinceritie of our beliefe and as by the Lutherans and Huguenotes it is alledged against vs For this letter doeth kill as you may well see that those which will so vnderstand and sette forth the Scripture are killed But The spirit that is to say The ghostly hid and sharp witted interpretation
But I will leaue that to the Doctours of Louen to dispute vpon when they are set vnder the roofe with a Gallon of good Rennish wine for they can not away with Pittaw as for vs whether it be a lie or a true tale it is all one but thus much there is of the matter that our holie father the Pope is in possession and doth enioy the landes which S. Peter left vnto him by testament by the same token it is called Patrimonium S. Petri that is Saint Peters patrimonie â–ª He is likewise in possession of the rich iewels and bagges of the holie Sea of Rome and of the precious triple crowne and other rich and costlie peeces for all the Bishops must sweare that they shall to the vttermost of their power helpe to keepe and augment the said iewelles and that Patrimonie But what needeth all this Paule him selfe saith That Bishops must keepe hospitalitie and bee harborous And then is it great reason â–ª that their purses should bee well filled for to enterteine Kings and Princes and to make them great cheere For how should they els bake good cakes if they haue neither fire nor fatte I assure you if they had not that preeminence and aduantage they would not buy Bishoprikes so deare neither would they pay thirtie thousand Ducates for a Pallium if they must afterwardes say with Peter Aurum argentum non est mihi I haue neither siluer nor golde But that is nowe all cleane turned and the chaunce is chaunged therefore must the Priestes and Prelates nowe a dayes bee riche and possesse the goods of the worlde considering that their father and master the Pope is Lord of the whole worlde as we haue sufficientlie proued in the 11. and 12. Chapters before The xiii Chapter VVherein is set forth by the Scripture the praying to images NOwe will wee treate a while of the praying to images and see with what Scriptures it is defended For that second holie Councell of Nice is without doubt maruellous well furnished of excellent scriptures which serue as fitte for that purpose as Roses for a swine stie But we will onlie choose out and set forth the principall and most meete to serue our turne to the intent that euerie man may iudge by those what all the rest are Among other they haue fetched out of the olde testament That GOD did shape man to his owne likenesse and therevpon concluded That men may verie well haue images Item that God hath diuided the light from the darkenesse and therefore saith Agapius that most holie Bishop of Caesarea I accept images gladlie and cursed bee all they which are of other opinion Aha my friendes Howe like you this geare And after that is the writing of Adrian the Pope of Rome read wherin hee saith That Iames did pray to Iosephs staffe or else to Ioseph him selfe Then I pray you wherefore should not wee pray to images For although that Heretikes do herein so crie out with the Hebrewe texte which saith That he prayed to God leaning vpon his bedde or vppon a staffe for it may be taken both wayes yet notwithstanding it is sufficient for vs that our deare mother the holy Church hath vnderstood it otherwise and that all the forked Bishops which were assembled at Nice haue otherwise interpreted it For they you must vnderstande could not misse nor erre seeing they were assembled inspired and gouerned by the holie ghost of the Empresse Irene whose spirit was so zealouslie addicted vnto the worshipping of images that shee did put out her sonnes eyes who was the right and naturall Emperour and so kept him shut vp in prison to the ende that she might haue the rule and gouernement reigne as Queene all alone and set vp and extoll images according to her owne minde Wherfore should not we then beleue this holy Ghost Whereas he hath declared by the mouthes of the Bishops that there was a litle proper fellowe carued out vpon the end of Iosephs staffe as you see vpon the staues that children and fooles doe ride vpon yea and that the same pretie fellowe was by Iacob worshipped Then do they further alledge this â—ext The soules of the iust are in the handes of the Lord. Againe God is maruellous in his Saintes For by these Saintes doe they vnderstand nothing else but dumbe Saintes or images which stand in the church for that it is written in an other place The Saintes which are vpon the earth Item Noah did set vp one altar vnto God and Abraham likewise with manie other mo And it is good to be thought that they would not set vppe anie altars without goodlie images of our Ladie of Saint Christopher and of S. Anthonies swine and such like to stand vpon the altars For an altar without Saints is like a Cowe without a taile or a Turd without Sugar Againe Moses did make the Propitiatorium which is the round chest of pure golde and did by Gods commandement seâ— two Cherubims vpon it And wherfore then should we not set images vppon our altars according to the commaundement of the holie Church For whereas the Heretikes will say that these two Cherubims and the golden chest were couered and hidde so that no man could see them much lesse pray vnto them to that our deare mother the holie Church of Rome doeth answere that they can doe so likewise For the whole Lent through they do cause their images to looke through a blewe cloth and plaie bo peepe and so they continue till Easter then come the Priestes and play their paâ—tes and so bidde Coppin out of a corner and shewe his face like a man So then these Heretikes haue no cause to praâ—e and say That our images are neuer hidde or couered Againe our holie fathers say that notwithstanding the Cherubims were kept close so that no man might see them for that no man mighâ— enter into that holie place but onelie the hiâ— Priest and hee but once a yeere yet did not the Iewes forbeare to pray continuallie to the same For so haue the fathers at the same Councell concluded out of their owne heads Nowe thirdly the holie fathers say That seeing images may be had secretlie wherefore should wee not much rather haue them openlie to pray to them For notwithstanding that God hath forbidden it yet he must bee giuen otherwise to vnderstand the matter for he was not yet informed that images are the bookes of the Laie people till such time as Pope Gregorie came and â—aught it for a perfect doctrine But nowe euerie man doeth knowe that bookes must be laide vppon a deske that euerie man may reade on them and are not to bee cast behind a banke or in a corner For it is plainlie written that a candle is not to bee set vnder a bushell but in a candlesticke that euerie man may bee lighted thereby which the holie fathers doe likewise vnderstande by the
stet pro ratione voluntas Our pleasure is as we command Our lust for lawe perforce shall stand Or according to that which the Poet Horace saith in a verse Pictoribus atqué Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poets haue licence to measure Their colours and verses euen at ther owne pleasure Secondarily whereas angels are couÌ„terfeited with wings that is taken out of Esaie Ezekiel who say That the Cherubims were shewed vnto them in a vision with wings And whereas S. Michael is made with a paire of balance in his hand that is because hee must wey the soules to see whether their good workes deserts be not heuier in weight than their sinnes of fences For as before we haue written the holy church hath appointed him that office because she esteemeth it a sure article that none can be saued by the merits bloud and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ onelie yet Paule doeth so teach but euerie man must by his owne good works deserts bee weyed out and saued making full satisfaction thereby of his sinnes and offences After this now where Moses is painted with hornes is vpon this occasion For that it is written to witte that the face of Moses did shine as Paule himselfe doeth set it forth that hath the common translation of the holie Church expounded thus That Moses had hornes for that he should be as it were a figure of our Bishoppes which now likewise we are two hornes And whereas they make of the three wise men that came out of the East three Kings and one of those as blacke as pitch like a Morian that is fetched out of the wordes of Dauid or Solomon saying Kings shall come out of the Moores lande to worship Christ. For this hath the holy Church interpreted to be spoken by the three wise men And although the Morians land lay much more to the West of Iurie than to the East from whence the wise men came that is of no importance for the holie Church can alter the lying and situation of the landes and make of the West the East Againe whereas they haue likewise set an Oxe and an Asse by the cribbe of their litle Iesus whiche doe warme him with their breath that is grounded vpon the plaine Text of Esaie who saith The Oxe doth know his maisters will and an Asse the cribbe of his maister but the people of Israel will vnderstande nothing at all c. Yea and it may be a verie good allusion that by the Oxe the Bishoppes Abbattes and Prelates are vnderstood because they weare hornes also like an Oxe and can roare out excellentlie well against these heretikes better than they can preache the worde of god And by the Asse may verie well be vnderstoode the graie Friers which are likewise as graie as asses and therewithall all the residue of Monkes Friers and poore Priestes who are not much better learned than Asses and doe esteeme Christ still as a young childe that lies yet in the cribbe and therefore go about to please him make him contented with goodlie images and puppets with belles rattelles with piping and daunsing and with such other like fonde toyes and ceremonies Againe where they paint S. Lungies who pricking Christ in the side with a speare receiued his sight by vertue of the bloud which sprinckled in his eyes that is likewise proued by good scriptures For Saint Iohn saith That a souldier with a speare did pearce Christes side And this speare in the Greeke was called Longi whereof the holy Church hath made a Saint and named the same S. Longinus And because the saide Iohn said That it came so to passe because the Scripture should bee fulfilled saying They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pearced Out of that haue they fetched the lies or Legend of S. Lungies as to say that he was blind and thinking to haue thrust his speare into a Crowe did thrust it into the side of Iesus Christ and so the bloud did spring out into his eyes wherby he receiued his sight and was long afterwards canonized by the Pope and put into the Kalendar for a Saint In summe all their paintings and all those dumbe images which are set vp in Churches as the Apostles with rounde trenchers behinde their heades and euerie one of them with his weapon in his hande our Ladie with her frisâ—ed haire and goodlie golden garmentes with her perukes fine kerchiefs and goodly set forth with all her conceites like a Princesse of this world and Saint Katharine and S. Barbara bare breasted with their embrodered and stitched workes as trimly deckâ— and painted as the Courtesans of Rome and Venice And all this can our deare mother fetch finely out of the scriptures yea and shee can finde you a threede for euerie needle So that these Heretikes haue nothing to say to this for whatsoeuer is done of a good intent and purpose and to the profite of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome that must bee by God accepted without anie doubt and hee must of necessitie passe it in his reckoning booke or else muscels were no fishe neither should you haue anie oysters at Billingsgate For a flaâ— conclusion wee must haue goodly images and braue painted tables in the Church yea and though it did not serue for anie other purpose but that young men and maidens will therefore the rather come to Church for thereby it happens often that when they come onelie to see the images and goodlie paintinges and fisnomies yet in the meane space some deuotion commes in their mindes to haue a snatch at a Masse or to heare a Salue Regina whereby they often obteine pardon of their sinnes euen halfe against their willes And therefore we care not a beane for all that these Heretikes can say to this but will manteine and vpholde our olde deuotion without anie iotte lacking The xv Chapter VVhich is touching the difference of meates NOwe as touching the forbidding to eate some kinde of meates in some certeine times that is likewise founded vpoÌ„ plain textes of the scripturs And first whereas God said to Adam Thou shalt not eate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge c. Out of that hath holie Church concluded That men may eate no fleshe vpon the fasting dayes Item after that Adam had sinned then did God curse the earth And now we doe knowe verie well that all fleshe which is to be eaten commeth of the earth Therefore hath our deare mother the holie Church streightlie defended and forbidden all men which on the moste principall and holie-fasting dayes must doe penance for their sinnes that in no wise they doe eate anie flesh on those dayes least they shoulde be partakers of the cursing of the earth like as the holie Bishop Durandus hath verie well set it forth Whereby it is apparant that the Corâ—e
whereof bread is made and the grapes whereof the wine is made are no fruites of the earth but of the Sea as the fishe is for otherwise they were likewise accursed and so must â—e forbidden on the fasting dayes Or else it may be alledged that the holie Church hath dispensed with them because the fishe woulde not haue had any good last without bread and wine And for this cause hath our mother the holie Châ—râ—h forbidden the eating of fleshe as a thing vncleane and accursed in somuche that those whiche doe eate fleshe or â—gges vpon a fish day are to be banished and rooted out as shamelesse Heretikes and to be burntâ— at a stake because notwithstanding whatsoeuer may be alledged out of Paule or out of the holie scriptures that flesh and egges are vncleane vnholie yea and accursed and that is apparant by the great miracle that happened in Italie vpon the mountaine called Il monte de la virgine that is Our Ladies mountaine For whosoeuer doeth bring vnto that mountaine flesh or egges yea or milke by and by it will be full of wormes because our Ladie will not suffer that anie man shall eate vpon her mountaine flesh nor anie vncleane meates but only fish or hearbes and fruites But what needes all this And though the flesh were not cursed nor vncleane yet notwithstanding our deere mother the holy Church hath great reason to forbid the eating of it for that shee at the least may haue a difference in the eating of meates and in that point shewe her selfe something like vnto the figures and shadowes of the olde Testament wherein the children of Israel â–ª were forbidden certaine kindes of flesh as a thing vncleane Although that our deare mother is of such discretion and vnderstanding that she doth not esteeme flesh to be altogether vncleane in it selfe For otherwise our holie Father the Pope with his Bishops and Cardinals woulde not so well digest it that they woulde as well in the Lent as on good Friday it selfe licke their fingers after it But shee doth not meane to vse her Prelates straitely in that matter but to proue lightly the obedience of her subiectes like as GOD in the olde Testament did forbid his people certaine meates rather for the keeping of them in subiection than that the meates of them selues were vncleane for whatsoeuer GOD hath created is from the beginning of it selfe good and cleane but the holie Church of Rome hath had another respect in this matter as that shee did esteeme the fleshe for vncleane but not in it selfe but vnto suche as haue not bought Bulles of licence of the Pope to the ende they might digest the same with a cleare conscience For like as in the time of Paule all meates were made holie by prayer and by thankesgiuing so is the meate nowe made holie with the Popes Bulles for whosoeuer hath those may boldely eate of all meates without anie scruple and say with a good conscience Omnia munda mundis that is to say To a man that is cleane all things are cleane But he that hath no Bull although he had ten times prayed and giuen God thankes for his good giftes yet that can not helpe him at all hee must bee cursed excommunicated and cleane rooted out of the number of the good Catholikes and faithfull subiectes of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome yea and bee burnt at a stake like an arrant and gracelesse Heretike And therefore it is that the holie Prelates Cardinals Bishops and all other loyall subiects of the sea of Rome doe so often forget to say grace and prayers at their meate and when as sometime by ill hap they do say grace which happens verie seldome they say it commonly in a tongue or language which neither they themselues nor but a verie fewe of those which sit at the table with them do vnderstand not esâ—eming that that can much profit to the clensing of the meat nor much hinder nor further the matter so that they haue good daintie fare But they in place of this will eat flesh on a fasting day and for that purpose in stead of grace they must haue their Bulles well sealed hanging downe with silken tassels yea and such as they themselues can well both read and vnderstand otherwise it were all not worth a strawe So now then flesh on fish dayes is vncleane to them that haue no Bulles which you may conceiue by this That in Spaine where the holie inquisition doeth beare the swinge yet he whosoeuer that can get a Bull for a royall of plate may eate all the Lent through puddings tripes and all the entrails with head neck and purtenaunce without anie daunger or scruple of conscience And therefore it is that the worthie Doctour Eckius taking vpoÌ„ him to defend this forbidding of meats by scripture doth bring in this text out of the Acts of the Apostles Take heede that you refraine your selues from meates offred vnto idols For as Paule saith That which was offred vnto idols was offred to the diuel and therefore he did curse all such as should eate of it with such a conscience â–ª So likewise saith he it falleth out alwayes with flesh on fasting dayes when as the vncleannesse and malediction thereof is not taken away and made cleane by the Popes Buls but otherwise it is all well inough as here before is sufficientlie proued The xvi Chapter VVherein Lent is proued by the Scripture And further that the Romish church must counterfeite Christ in all pointes and lastlie touching festiuall dayes and the ordeining of the same ANd nowe as touching the time of Lent that is verie stronglie proued by our deare mother the holie Church out of the scripture For it is written That we are bound to offer vp vnto GOD the tenth part of our goods And now saith the holie Church Lent is the tenth part of the yeere and therefore must wee necessarilie obserue the whole Lent not presuming to eate anie fleshe at all Considering that as is before said flesh proceedeth of the earth which is accursed for nowe for the tenthes of three hundreth three score and fiue dayes wee must fast sixe and thirtie dayes and yet there remaines fiue dayes sixe houres and of these fiue dayes we do fast foure not for payment of tenthes but for an other occasion to wit That the talies of good workes and merites might be full So there remaineth yet one day and sixe houres which maketh iust thirtie houres whereof the tenth is not paid but for recompense of that we must go late to supper So nowe is not this past verie iust Now let God come and take a reckoning when soeuer hee will and hee shall finde that the holie Church of Rome is not one pennie in his debt nay shee hath rather paide him more than his duetie For this reckoning you shall finde passed and set downe in the reckoning booke of the Decrees if God
stoutely and warily fight vnder Gods banner and counterfeit or follow the example of the Apostles their disciples For the same by nature ought so to bee and all things in the world ought to bee common but the wickednesse of man hath bene the occasion that the one hath begonne to say This is mine the other said And this belongeth to me And by that meanes dealing or participating of all things crept in To bee briefe a verie wise man amongst the Grekes hath spoken maruellous well saying All things are common amongst good friendes Nowe it is then without doubt that vnder the name of all things the wiues are likewise conteined For like as the light and the shining of the Sunne can not be separated nor parted euen so there cannot likewise anie separation or dealing be made of that which is to bee vsed in common but it ought to be generallie at the commauÌ„dement of euerie one of the companie And for that cause it is that God saith gentle Reader note wel here speciall textes of the Scriptvre by his Prophet saying O what a goodlie and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together And this custome being obserued by the Apostles so must they haue all together liued with one an other in coÌ„mon like as it is written The multitude of the beleeuing was one heart and one soule c. Note here the determination conclusion of our deare mother the holy church worde by word whereby shee doeth absolutelie conclude out of the holie Scriptures that these Heretikes which are alway in hand with the scriptures haue now no more cause to complaine though the Priests Friers will sometime euen for loue borrow some of their wiues for the mainteining knitting together of this holy Clements commontie And although the glosse thervpon say That this hauing of women in coÌ„mon is not to be vnderstood after the vse of the flesh but simplie for the good willingnesse charitable loue towards the congregation yet notwithstanding the text is plain inough which saieth That men must be conuersant with them as the light is with the sunne shine which do continually enioy one another And the same is established by the doctrine of Plato and Pythagoras who speciallie were of opinion that all women should bee common And that is apparant inough by the daylie exercise thereof for you see that the Priestes may haue no wiues of their owne but doe vse all women in generall when or wheresoeuer they can get them But yet they wil not looke so narrowlie to haue things common as touching their goods because euerie one of them will looke to enioy his own goodes but not his owne wife so that it is rather done for the wiues than for anie thing else And this may likewise verie well bee the occasion wherefore the Romishe Church which in deede can be but one particular Church because that Rome is but one particular towne is yet called The Catholike church that is The common generall Church ouer all which specially proceedeth by reason of that goodly common sort of women and boyes which she mainteines and doeth increase and multiplie her generation ouer all the world yea and filles the whole face of the earth with her young Priests and Monkes whereof shee hath made such a number as there are flies in the Summer in so much that shee may iustly bee called Ecclesia oeccomenica that is to say The Church that doeth flowe ouer the whole earth like a spring tide The xviii Chapter VVherein the seuen orders of Priesthoode are set foorth as well by Scriptures as by the examples of Christ. SEeing that we are nowe in hande with the holinesse of Priests wee will proceede directlie to the establishing of all the seuen orders of Priesthoode by the Scripture And first you shall vnderstande that our deare mother the holie Church doeth teach verie plainlie That our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe was forced to passe thorough all those seuen orders before hee could be admitted to bee a Masseprieste Marke nowe what a matter must this be and yet for all this these Heretikes make no accompt of the blessed Masse whereas Christ had inough to do for to come to the vse of it For first he must exercise the office of a Porter like as hee did when he droue the changers of monie and the sellers and buâ—ers out of the Temple and snake out of the mouth of Dauid You Princes lift vp your gates and be you lift vp you euerlasting doores Item when hee said I am the doore of the sheepfolde After that he was Reader when he did reade the Prophet Esaias in the Temple Then after he became an exorcist or Coniurer when he droue seuen diuels out of Marie Magdalene when he did rub the mouth eares of the dumbe and deafe man with clay and spitle saying Epphatah Be open And after that he came to be Acoluthus that is a Page and Ceroferarius that is a Candlebearer when he said I am the light of the world hee that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse And then was he a Subdeacon when he did washe his disciples feete After that a Deacon when hee did minister the Sacrament of his body to his Apostles and being in the mount Oliuet willed persuaded them to watch and pray And lastlie he became a Priest when he did consecrate the bread and the wine and so said Masse at the table This done straightway he became a Bishop when hee laid his handes vppon his disciples heads saying Go abroade and preache the ghospell in all places All this you may see set out at large in the foresaid booke of Durandus and in the booke of Sentences in the fourth councels of Tolledo and Carthago likewise in the Decrees So that it is apparant that all these holie orders are fished out of the bottome and ground of the scriptures and are founded vppon the examples of Christ notwithstanding nowe that the Priestes haue somewhat the more prerogatiue then Christ had so that they can pushe through all these seuen orders at one time or else skippe ouer foure or fiue of theÌ„ at once For they that can once get the shauen crowne on their heades which is the character marke token of the worthie order of Priesthoode may not then onelie proceede to be Priestes but also to be Bishops and Cardinals and to gette sackes full of benefices for our most holie father the Pope may freelie dispence with all such matters as it pleaseth him But that carieth his authoritie in the Popes foundation which wee haue here before set forth and declared to be so strong as the diuels of hell are not able to withstand it For this time wee doe onelie teache that when soeuer it shall please the holy church to vse the seuen orders orderlie shee is able to establish the whole heape of them trimlie
with good fat liberall offrings the same is the most acceptable and beloued of our mother the holie Church It is verelie great prouision with small cost that the poore people what neede or disease so euer they haue knowe presentlie where to finde a good Apothecarie or Cheirurgian to cure their diseases For touching the Heretikes which vpbraide vs herevpon that we imitate the vnbeleuing Heathen and worshippers of idols as hath bin said are none like as Iupiter Mars Mercurie Vulcan Iuno and Diana and other such like haue bene but are holie saints Gods friends And therefore ought we at least to shewe them as great reuerence as the Heathen did to their idols Wee ought in time of neede to call vpon them to put our trust in them obseruing their rules as a cōmandement of God to bequeath Cities Countries to their custodies to erect Temples and Altars in their names to builde Cloisters and Abbies for their sakes to consecrate and hallowe Priestes Monkes Cannons and Nonnes for their worship And like as the Heathen had their Flamines that is Priestes of Iupiter Mars Ceres Bacchus Venus and Diana and also their Nonnes of Vesta Flora Bona Dea Sibyl or Magna mater and other such like Euen so must nowe the Church of Rome also haue Cannons of S. Peter S. Bauen and S. Lambert And Nonnes of S. Clara and S. Brigit Also as they were accustomed to offer sacrifices in honour of Apollo Diana Ceres and Proserpina euen so shee obserueth to doe her Masses and Trentals in honour of S. Anthonie S. Hugh S. Sebastian S. Rochus S. Barbara and of all Saintes To conclude they did not anie worship or reuerence to their idols but the holie church doeth ten times more to her Saintes for shee doeth attribute such things as they durst not to do the like For as Homer maketh mention when Iuno Pallas or Apollo or anie other of that companie would assist anie of their friends they were faine to descende from heauen downe to them could not heare their praiers so far off because they knewe not their thoughts although they were mediatours and intercessors for them to the great idol Iupiter Yea Iuno her selfe which was his sister and spouse knewe not what Thetis had held him in hand with But our Saints remaining sitting in heauen canne erewhilest helpe the people here on earth with their images which can laugh and weepe and doe all manner of miracles and they heare from aboue euerie mans inuocation as well as God him selfe For admit that the Scripture witnesseth That none doeth see or can conceiue the thought or inward cogitation of man except God alone yet the holie Church hath found a trimme remedie for that by a preatie deuise of The looking glasse of the Trinitie saying That the holie Trinitie is a looking glasse wherin the Saints can see all things whatsoeuer happen here on earth yea can sound the depth of mens thoughts and perceiue the secretes of their heartes It is verie true ▪ that we doe not call our Saints by this name God like as the Heathen were wont to doe their canonized Saints But what skilles it for the name when wee vnderstande the matter aright Howebeit notwithstanding wee name them Diuos which is euen as much as Gods or Men created Gods like as they also were wont to call their men canonized Goddes as Hercules Dionysius Augustus Vespasianus c. And here besides we doe attribute to them this name Saintes or holie men after the same sense as GOD names him selfe the holie one of Israel that is The Defender and Safegarde which doeth sanctifie Israel So that our Saintes are at least so highlie honoured of vs as in times past anie idols haue beene by the Heathen and as God him selfe can bee by vs. The v. Chapter Of the interpretation of the wordes Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia and howe they are distributed to eche FOr seeing it is requisite aswel through the obiections which the Heretikes do here alledge as also that God hath commaunded that wee shall alone call to him in our neede and that he esteemes it more than all sacrifices and burnt offrings which we can make to him yea that it is hee alone which can helpe vs and that Abraham doth not knowe vs nor Israel can say nothing of vs but that God alone through his might can relieue vs that is to smal effect for that knot can our holie mother so netelie lose that it is a maruell which the distinction that Maister Gentian doeth here bring foorth and is by all Catholike Doctours and especiallie by the worshipfull Sir Sonnio reputed for a mightie bulworke namelie betwixt Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia For the holie church hath hereby made a diuision or cauill betwixt GOD and the Saintes wherewithall eche must bee content as namelie That God alone with his images and the holie crosse shal be honoured with Latria the Saintes their images with Dulia and our Ladie with all the images which apperteine to her and all the reliques of the right and holie crosse in deede with Hyperdulia In verie deede God hath the worst chaunce for if so be we do expound it naturallie and according to the literall sense of the word then is Latria nothing else but A hirelings payment For Latron is a Greke word which betokeneth A reward or pay which is made to a hired seruant and thereby are the hired men seruantes called Latres and the maid seruantes Latris And euen so is God serued of the holy Church of Rome onelie for reward like a maister of a hired seruant Againe this Dulia which is the Saints lot and portion signifieth A bound seruice for Dulos in Greeke is A slaue and proper to anie And touching our Ladie to her is alloted the best chaunce for Hyperdulia is to say More than proper bounde seruice So that the good Catholikes are but simplie hirelinges or Gods hired seruantes and slaues to the Saintes but bounde to our Ladie aboue all But be it as be may Quod scripsi scripsi said Pilate The holy Church will not reuoke her cauils the lot is east that which is written remaineth written Yet notwithstanding because God shall not be displeased she hath ordeined that the Saintes shal giue him a share of their Dulia but hee shall keepe Latria wholie to him selfe so that Latria shall simplie signifie nothing else then the seruice which perteineth to God alone In this respect hath Maister Gentian and all other Catholike writers great reason as they alledge that the holie Church doeth not worship the Saintes like God with Latria but simplie as Saintes with Dulia and Hyperdulia for that hath his plaine dispatche and ground on the cleare text of the Scripture where Christ saieth to the Saintes Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onlie shalt thou serue For in these last wordes doeth hee vse the worde Latreum the which