not sinne but if any man sinne he hath me a mediator with the Father and I do by my prayer obtaine pardon for your sinnes as Permenius in a certaine place placed the Bishop a mediator betweene God and the people what good and faithfull Christian could abide him who would behold him as an Apostle of Christ and not as an Apostle of Antichrist Who can then behold the Pope but as Antichrist who haue canonized Saints to this end and praieth to his owne Saints or the Popish Priests as the members of Antichrist who incite men to prâ—y vnto them and giue them that honor which is â—ne vnto God Moreouer do they not likewise giue that worship proper vnto God to images They testifie no lesse in their behauiour to them they goe a pilgrimage to them they make vowes to them they make curtesie to them they giue kisses to them they offer to them they giue gifts and call they not that sacrifice besides veneration which Pope Gregory the 3. commanded to be giuen them and the Councell at Nicene assembled by Hieren at the request of Pope Adrian and of Therasius Anno. 710. Anno. 789. Apol. Bish Iewel pag. 683. Arch-bishop of Constantinople Iacobus Nauclatus cited by Bishop Iewel saith We must grant that the faithfull people in the Church doe not onely worship before the image but also worship the image it selfe and without any scruple of conscience whatsoeuer And further they worship the image with the selfe same honor wherewith they worship the thing it selfe that is represeÌ„ted by the image As if the the thing it selfe bee worshipped with godly honour then must the image be worshipped with godly honour The Bishops assembled at the second Nicene Councell not only agreed that images in Churches are to be allowed but also deuoutly and reuerently to be honored and that with the same honor which is due to God himselfe One of them saith I receiue and worship the reuerend images and this will I teach while I liue Another saith I doe perfectly adore the holy images and I accurse all them that hold the contrary Another saith There be not two kinds of addoration but one onely is due to the Image and the patterne of the Image Seeing then that the Image of God the Father or of Christ is to be honoured with that honour that belongeth either to God or vnto Christ how can they auoyde idolatry Pag. 353. Apol. B. Iewel pag. 683. Robertus Holcot saith This kinde of worship is plaine idolatry Kellison hath set it downe to bee idolatry to giue supreme honour due vnto God to his creatures Gregory the Bishop of Nissa cited by Bishop Iewel saith Hee that worshippeth a creature notwithstaÌ„ding he doth it in the name of Christ yet is hee a worshipper of images as giuing the name of Christ vnto an image Both Epiphanius S. Augustine numbred among heretickes a certaine woman called Marcella which worshipped the images of Iesus and of Paul and offered incense vnto them And shall not they bee numbred among heretickes that worship images according to the commandement of of Pope Gregory the 3. by kneeling vnto them by scensing them By the decree of Pope Stephen the 3. by garnishing them with costly vestures by setting vp candle before them Is this due to stockes and stone Pope Gregory the first saith no The Councell of Toletane the 12. holden in Spaine made constitution both against images and the worship of images The Councell of Elibertine likewise holden in Spaine decreed that all pictures should bee had out of Churches and that nothing which is honored and worshipped should be painted on the Church walles Heere were godly decrees to remoue Images whereas they haue remoued the second Commandement out of the first table to maintaine images and diuided the last Commandement into two to make vp ten though not able to say which is the ninth or tenth For that which is first in Exodus Exod. 20.17 Deut. 5.21 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house is last in Deutronomy and that which is first in Deutronomy is last in Exodus Thus it appeareth that they that would seeme to adore Christ as a Redeemer rob and dispoyle him of his honourable title in stilling others their Sauiours in canonizing Saints for intercessors in his stead by calling images after his name and by worshipping them with the same honour Now it remaineth to cleare the Protestants of that false imputation which is that they should rob and dispoyle Christ of that honourable title of Redeemer But wherein In denying Saints to be mediators In that we acknowledge Christ and not the Saints to bee the supreme and onely aduocate we maintaine a truth to the prouing that we are not Christians of a latter brood And to begin withall wee know and hold it for granted that in the beginning no Saint could be prayed vnto For what Saint was there for Adam or Abel to pray vnto or by whose helpe or power entred the first Saint into heauen say not by intercession of Saints for then there was none in heauen nor by their owne power for then Christ dyed in vaine And is not Christ now as powerful as before that we need the helpe of Saints no doubt he is What Saint did Ambraham Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid Ezechiel Daniel and Paul pray to we haue examples in Scripture that all prayed to God And hath the Church of Rome found out a better way then the Prophets and Apostles knew of or Christ himselfe hath euer reuealed That hath taught vs to pray to his Father But since they haue found out a safer way let them in their wisdome shew vs likewise first the time when we must pray to the Saints the Annotations vpon the Rhems saith That we cannot pray to our blessed Lady nor any Saint in heauen Rom. 10. annot vntill we beleeue and know their persons dignity and grace and trust that they can helpe vs. It is necessary then by their doctrine to attaine to the notice of them in this sort which no created vnderstanding can do And withall before they pray vnto them by beleeuing to relye vpon them contrary to Christ precept Beleeue in me and you shall be saued not in the merits of Saint Francis S. Clare and such like Eusebius Emissenus cited by D. Fulke saith We ought of right to beleeue both Paul Peter Rhem 471. but to beleeue in Peter Paul that is to bestow vpon the seruants the honour of the Lord which we ought not Ruffinus vpon the Creed hath obserued that the proposition In is not added where the speech is not of the God-head but of creatures and mysteries As for example We beleeue in God the Father in Iesus Christ in the holy Ghost The holy Catholicke Church not in the holy Catholicke Church The forgiuenesse of sinnes not in the forgiuenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the flesh not in the resurrection of the flesh Therefore to beleeue in
body or soule of Adam was the image of God but that it had it residence in both In the body there was maiesty representing a diuine maiesty immortality and innocency which as spirituall rich robes decked the same with an vnspeakeable beauty In the firmament of the soule the image of God in knowledge and the same in righteousnesse and holinesse Col. â— 10 Ephâ—s â— 24 as glistering lights did shine â—orth to the garnishing thereof In the vnderstanding as a bright shining sunne soundnesse of reason ouerspread his glorious rayes In the will vprightnesse and holinesse The libertie of the will shewing forth some very diuine matter in the soule like a precious stone set in gold as Saint Bernard speaketh was â—â—ch that by it owne and proper motion it chose and refused that which sound reason said was to be chosen and refused that is the choise of good and euill was free Briefly to take along with vs one of our aduersaries â—â—rney of the new râ—ligion pag. 253. that his owne mouth may condemne him Adam saith Kellison was enriched with a soule filled with grace and spirituall treasures which was prone to vâ—rtue not inclined to vice neither molested with concupiscence nor ouer-ruled by passion but ruled reason which was ruled by grace His superiour part was obedient to God his inferiour part to the superiour sensualitie to reason the flesh to the spirit and all creatures to him were obedient Now God hauing created Adam in this surpassing glory placed him in Eden where he was inuironed about with varietie of pleasures And because it was necessary that maÌ„ adorned with such height of dignity should yet owe homage vnto his creator as to the supreme Maiesty he made a couenant with him founding it in that pure and holy nature of mans part in which he was made On Gods part in Gods owne law ingrauen in mans heart by his diuine finger in the first creation And not in Christ nor the grace of God in Christ For then God hauing a delight to be with man and man with God there was no breach nor variance that there needed a mediator as after Adams fall there did when a new couenant was to be made namely the couenant of grace in Christ in which legall or natural couenant the Lord promised vnder condition of holy and good workes in obedience and faith to be performed a coÌ„tinuance of immortality through a perpetuall life free from sorrow sicknesse age and death it selfe or otherwise if by disobedience he transgressed death In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death saith God to Adam in his fatherly warning or admonition to the end he should not fall Iehouah who had thus made the Angels witnessing spectators of the purity of Adams creation yee for a further testimony likewise to all succeeding ages concerning the goodnes of the Angels of man and all creatures it is said God saw all that he had made and it was very good In the heauens when this celestiall Oracle was published the Angels stood in their beauty surpassing excelling in Wisedome Power Holinesse and Happinesse In paradise Adam was in most admirable glory meditating in the height of his vnderstanding in the mirrour of the diuine Deity neither was there in heauen or earth any enemy to be seene or found to vnrobe Adam by breach of the couenant of the illustrious image of God But as it commonly falleth out in best gouerned states though the Prince do shew neuer such loue to the subiect by the gift of honour and rich possessions yet some are so vngratefull that by conspiracy and in hatred of all piety they seeke to murther their Prince and Soueraigne that they might while streames of bloud inuironne the mournefull throne set the crowne vpon their owne tyranicall heads so in some sort it fell out in heauen the beâ—utiful citie of perfection For some of the Angels not contented with the blessed permanent state in which they were created hauing Lucifer for their General became aduersaries to God by conspiring in the height of their ambition to plucke the royall and euer-shining Diademe off their creators head Insomuch that in Gods iustice they were throwne downe like lightening from heauen That they might at the time appoynted be chiefe as a terrour to all traytors in hellish torments that would haue bene aboue God in heauenly pleasure and felicity Lucifer and his associates thus banished the coelestiall Hierusalem like a wandring Archtraytor that desireth euery one to be like himselfe by infusing into others his poysoÌ„ through hellish perswasion set vpon Adam vsing his wife as an instrument to effect what he intended And like as an Aspe doth first send poyson with a tickling delight into one veine and so from veine to veine vntill the vitals be seized vpon and the body wrapped in the armes of Death So did Satan first by sugered temptation eclipse the cleare shining light of Adams vnderstanding when he caused him to call in question the Lords commandement And afterward wounded him with the sting of concupiscence inwardly hauing procured him to reach his hand towards the apple But once eating and by eating transgressing he was wounded to death And by transgression likewise of the law which is a priuation and want of conformity with the law of God the glorious eye of the vnderstanding became presently obscured like a dead mans eye 1. Ioh. 3. with thicke and palpable darknesse of ignorance And the shining beauty of the will turning away from righteousnesse and holinesse was ouerwhelmed with the darksome cloudes of impurity and iniustice and became through the hardnesse of heart deceiptfull lusts corrupt froward and more poisoned then the minde it selfe Briefly Adam like an euil maÌ„ that hateth the light being become the companion of of death hating his Creator â—uruey of â—he new â—eligion â—ag 353. thought forthwith to hide himselfe vnder shade trees from his presence from whom darknesse it selfe cannot be hidden Thus when by sin as Kellison saith man would not be subiect to God he became a slaue to his owne flesh passions and sensuality hell and damnation And of all this seruile subiection sinne was the cause For when Adam sinned and we in him transgressed we were by and by guilty of death which is the reward of sinne and by sinne we became slaues to sinne and concupiscence For as Christ saith Whosoeuer sinneth is a slaue to sinne And being slaues to sin we were slaues to the Diuell who hath no authority or power ouer vs but by sinne and being slaues to the Diuell we were the captiues of hell Though this be the state of all the sons of men whose birth-right Adam sold in the height of his pleasure for an apple Rom. 5.18 Heb. 12.16 Suruey pag. 580. and not onely his owne as Esau did for a portion of meate in his hunger Yet God who is good and iust and must be iust as Kellison saith else were he
the beginning fearing lest by the growth of grace they should come to perfection Shall not then a faithfull man that aimeth at holinesse that excellent garland of glory resist Satan by prayer seeing necessity requireth it and our Sauiour commands it Mat. 26.41 saying Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation that is lest you be ouercome of temptation the spirit is ready but the flesh is weake the Spirit is ready to worke a new creatioÌ„ in vs that we may be prepared as a Bride to meete our Bridegroome yet the flesh is weake to yeeld but strong to resist These things among many considered who would not weare his hose out in the knees yea and heart in prayer for the more and more assurance of his saluation and to haue the image of God repaired in him though Kell nor his followers will not who will haue heauen for their hire or not pray at all Hath not the Creator in whom we liue moue Act. 17.28 and haue our being deserued a prayer at our hands Or the Antient of yeares that became a child to redeeme vs through the shedding of his pretious bloud not he wearing out of a paire of hose in the knees counteth they this losse labour doth they loose more then they get in praying without wages Then it seemeth that they haue gotten nothing by his death and passion or it is so little that iâ— is worthy thankes But leauing them to the preseruation of their hose in the knees I will conclude with Sant Iohn Blessed are they that haue washed their roabes not in their owne merits but in the bloud of the Lambe Here gentle Reader we may behold the faithfull man praying for an increase of faith to the perfect application of the forgiunesse of sinnes praieth not vainly whereas they pray vainly that thinke by their prophane praiers to merit their owne freedome yea heauen it selfe as the annotations vpon the Rhems speaketh is our right bargained for 2. Tim. 4. annot and wrought for and accordingly payed to vs as our hire at the day of iudgement OPPOS 10. The Protestants take from the Saints the mother and friends of Christ all secondary mediation and intercessions and will seeme to be zealous of Christs honour that they will haue none honoured but him And yet indeed vnder this faire shew they carry false hearts and euen then when they call him and adore him as a redeemer they rob him and dispoile him of that honourable title Suruey â—f the new â—eligion â—ag 265. KEllison here cited that in all his positions hath dealt with our Sauiour as many Popes haue done with the Emperous namely giuen him a bare title without the thing it selfe here to the manifestation of his loue toward him the sufficiency of whose sacrifice hee hath often denyed would make Christs Saints mother and friends secondary mediators and intercessors And least any man should suppose that thereby hee intended to lessen the prerogatiue of so great a maiesty he hath set downe what honour belongeth to his soueraignty namely supreme honour called Latria Pag. 350. to Saints and holy things inferiour honour called Dulia And to the blessed virgin that excelleth other Saints honour inferiour to Latria but superiour to Dulia called Hiperdulia Latria saith the Glosse includeth three things Loue multitude of sacrifices veneration and that belongeth to God Dulia one thing that is veneration wiâ—hout loue See then how well they loue the Saints â—nd friends of God that worship him without loue Christ also with no lesse in sending the people to other Sauiours and other intercessors First to other Sauiours Hiponianus saith Behold how mighty is the mother of God Apol. Bish Iewel pag. 682. and how no man can be saued but by her Others of their owne writers haue likewise taught that S. Francis could likewise saue all them that liued after him to the end of the world through his merits from euerlasting death That S. Clare came at that same time that S. Francis did to saue all those that should call vpon her to the end of the world Againe there is saluation attributed also to their Saint Thomas while they pray in this sort For the bloud of S. Thomas which he for thee did spend Grant vs ô Christ to clime where Thomas did ascend As they haue thus placed other Sauiours in Christs stead so they either pray vnto them or to God in their names as if they were Sauiours To the blessed virgin they pray in this sort Holy mother of God which worthily hast deserued to conceiue him whom the world could not comprehend by thy godly interuention wash away our sinnes that we being redâ—emed by thee we may be able to clime to the seate of eternal glory where thou remainest with thy Sonne without end of time To God in S. Adelmes name in this sort O God which hast this day lifted vp thy holy Bishop Adelme to eternall ioyes we beseech thee let thy mercy bring vs thither by his merit As they do thus call to them as Sauiours and pray vnto them as Sauiours so likewise they do confesse theÌ„selues vnto them as if they were gods by ioynning them in the Consiteor wherein they confesse themselues to God to the blessed Mother to S. Peter S. Paul some to S. Michael and to S. Iohn Baptist some to S. Dominicke S. Francis some to S. Augustine and S. Bennet according to the diuersity of Fryers none to Christ being God and man Secondly they haue found other intercessors to whom the Pope prayeth who praieth not onely most humbly to Christ 2. Thes 2. annot as the Annotation vpon the Rhems saith but also to his blessed mother and to all his Saints and to whom all his fauourits prayeth Behold saith S. Augustine vpon the first Epistle of S. Iohn chap. 2. Iohn himselfe keeping humility certainly he was a iust man and a great person which dranke the secrets of mysteries of our Lords breast Hee euen hee which by drinking of our Lords breast vttered his diuinity saying In the begining was the word that word was with God Euen he being such a man said not you haue an aduocate with the Father but if any man shall sinne saith he we haue an aduocate hee said not you haue nor you haue me neither saith hee you haue Christ himselfe but he set Christ not himselfe to bee an aduocate And said we haue not you haue he had rather place himselfe in the number of sinners that hee might haue Christ his aduocate then that he should place himselfe to be an aduocate instead of Christ and to be found among the proud that are damned Brethren wee haue Iesus Christ the iust himselfe to be our aduocate and he is the propitiation for our sins he that hath held this hath made no heresie S. Aug. â—â—n Pa. lib. 2. cap. 8. Againe if the Apostle had said so These things haue I written vnto you that you should