God so the manner of celebrating and keeping it holy is to be learned out of the word and neither custome nor authority ought to giue liberty for such workes vpon the Lords day as are not warranted by the word First we graunt that we are not so necessarily tied to the rest of the Sabboth as the Iewes were for those things are abolished which appertained to the Iewish Sabboth First the prescript of the day Secondly the ceremonious exercises of the Sabboth in the sacrifices and other rites of the Law Thirdly the typicall shadowes and significations of their Sabboth as first it betokened their rest in Canaan then the rest and peace of the Church by Christ Hebre. 4.3 5. Fourthly the strickt and precise rest wherein Christians haue more liberty then the Iewes had and againe they obserued their rest as being properly and simply and in it selfe a sabboth daies duty but we doe consider it as being referred to a more principall end as making of vs more fit for spirituall exercises Secondly we allow these workes to be done First opera religiosa or pietatis the religious workes and conferring to piety as the Priestes did slaye the sacrifices vpon the Sabboth and yet brake not the rest of the Sabboth Math. 12.5 so the people may walke to their parish Church though somewhat farre off the Pastor Minister may goe forth to preach yea and preaching is of it selfe a labour of the body to study also and meditate of his Sermon to ring the bels to call the people to the Church all these are lawfull as being helpes for the exercises of religion Secondly opera charitatis the workes of mercy are permitted as to visite the sicke the Phisitian to resorte to his patient yea to shew compassion to brute beastes as to helpe the sheepe out of a pit Math. 12.11 Thirdly opera necessitatis the workes of necessitie as the dressing of meat and such like Math. 12.1.3 Our Sauiour excuseth his Apostles for plucking the eares of Corne when they were hungry As for opera voluntaria workes of pleasure and recreation we haue no other permission to vse them then as they shal be no le ts or impediments vnto spirituall exercises as the hearing of the word and meditating therein and such other Otherwise they are not to be vsed Augustine saith speaking of the Iewes who did greatly prophane their Sabboth in sporting and dalliance Melius toto die foderent quà m toto die saltarēt It were better for them to digge all day then to daunce all day euen so verily it were better for many poore ignorant people that vpon the Sabboth giue themselues to drinking and quaffing gaming if they should goe to plough or cart all the day But as for other seruile workes as to keepe Faires and Markets vpon the Lords day to trauell themselues their seruants and beastes vpon the Sabboth it is flat contrary to the commaundement of God and the practise of the Church Nehemiah 13.16 where there is no extream and vrgent necessitie so that it is not to be doubted but that as the keeping of the Lords day is a moral commaundement so also the manner of the obseruing thereof in sanctifying it and resting therein is morall the ceremonies of the rest being abolished that is the Iewish strictnes thereof and the opinion which they had of their rest as being simply a part of the sanctifying of the Sabboth But we doe consider it as referred vnto more principall duties and obserue it not as of it selfe pleasing God but as making vs more fit for spirituall exercises Contrary to these rules we acknowledge neither power in Ordinaries nor priuiledge in custome to dispence with the sanctification of the Sabboth The Papists THey affirme that the Apostles altered the sabboth day from the seaueth day to the eight counting from the creation and they did it without scripture error 62 or any commaundement of Christ such power say they hath God left to his Church This then they holde that the sabboth was changed by the ordinarie power and authoritie of the Church not by any especiall direction from Christ thereupon it followeth that the Church which they say cannot erre may also change the sabboth to any other day in the weeke Rhemist Apoca. 1. sect 6. The Protestants 1. THe Apostles did not abrogate the Iewish sabboth but Christ himselfe by his death as he did also other ceremonies of the Law and this the Apostles knew both by the scriptures the word of Christ his holy spirite 2. They did not appoint a new sabboth of their owne authoritie for first they knew by the scripture that one day of seauen was to be obserued for euer for the seruice of God and exercise of religion although the prescript day according to the Law were abrogate for the Lord before the morall law was written euen immediatly after the creation sanctified the seauenth day shewing thereby that one of the seauen must be obserued so long as the world endured Secōdly they knew there was the same reason of sanctifiyng the day of Christs resurrection and the restitution of the worlde thereby as of sanctifiyng the day of the Lords rest after the creation of the world Thirdly they did it by the direction of the spirite of God whereby they were so directed and gouerned that although they were fraile men by nature and subiect to error yet they could not decline in their writings and ordinances of the Church from the truth which assurance of Gods spirite in the like measure the Church hath not but so farre forth is promised to be led into all truth as she followeth the rule of truth expressed in the Scriptures Wherefore the Church hath no authority to change the Lords day and to keepe it vpon Munday or Tuesday or any other day seeing it is not a matter of indifferency but a necessary prescription of Christ himselfe deliuered by the Apostles for the Lords day began in the Apostles time and no doubt by their Apostolike authority directed by the spirite of Christ was instituted Act. 20.7 Apocal. 1. ver 10. Neither can there come so long as the world continueth so great a cause of changing the Sabboth as the Apostles had by the resurrection of Christ. Wherfore the law of the Sabboth as it is now kept and obserued is perpetuall The Papists errour 63 4. THey affirme that the keeping of the Lords day in stead of the Iewish Sabboth is a tradition of the Apostles and not warranted by Scripture Rhemist Math. 15. sect 3. The Protestants THe obseruation of the Lords day is not deliuered by blinde tradition but hath testimony of holy Scriptures 1. Corinth 16.2 Act. 20.7 Apocal. 1.10 and the obseruation thereof is according to Gods commaundement not after the doctrine of men Fulk ibid. The Papists errour 64 5. THey teach that the Lords day is commaunded and likewise kept for some mysticall signification not onely for the remembraunce of benefites already
wracke And as their cause was not good so neither were the meanes that they vsed for they brought S. George and S. Denys into the field against the Turkes and left Christ at home If the Israelites could not be deliuered from the Philistims by the presence of the Arke but thirtie thousand fell before them and all because of their sinnes let not men thinke that popish Saints can defend them while their liues remaine vnreformed at home 2. That the heathen are not to be prouoked to warre but vpon iust cause that is when they prouoke vs it appeareth by the example of the Israelites who as they came from Aegypt sent vnto the King of Edom and Moab that they might haue leaue to walke through their land but they not granting so much yet the people of God offered them no violence but went a longer iourney about Iudg. 11.17 Augustine sayth Sapiens gesturus est iusta bella sed multo magis dolebit iustorum necessitatem extitisse bellorum A wise man will take iust warre in hand but it more grieueth him that he hath iust cause to warre And what he meaneth by iust warre he further sheweth Iniquitas partis aduersae iusta bella ingerit gerenda sapienti The iniquitie or iniuries of the aduerse part doth giue vnto a wise man occasion of iust warre Iust warre therefore ariseth when men are prouoked by iniuries THE EIGHT QVESTION CONCERNING holy and festiuall dayes THis question hath diuers parts First of holy dayes in generall Secondly of the Lords day Thirdly of the Festiuall dayes of Christ and the holy Ghost Fourthly of Saints holy dayes Fiftly of the time of Lent THE FIRST PART OF HOLY DAIES in generall The Papists error 58 FIrst they hold that holy and festiual daies are in themselues and properly and truely more sacred and holy then other daies are Bellarm. cap. 10. proposit 2. Apocalyps 1.10 I was in the spirit saith the Apostle on the Lords day God reuealeth such great things to Prophets rather vpon holy daies then prophane daies Ergo some daies holier then other Rhemist Apocal. 1. sect 6. The Protestants Ans. FIrst God giueth not his graces in respect of times but according to his owne pleasure Times of praier he chooseth often and of other godly exercises not for the worthines or holines of the times but for the better disposition of his seruants in such exercises to receiue them yet this was not perpetually obserued for God appeared to Moses keeping of sheepe Exod. 3. to Amos following his herd Amos 7. Secondly wee grant that the Lords day being commanded of God and so discerned from other daies may be said to be holier then the rest in respect of the present vse but not in the nature of the day for then could it not haue been changed from the last day in the weeke to the first as water in Baptisme is holier then other waters because of the sacred vse not in it selfe as by a qualitie of holines inherent And as for other festiuall daies which haue not the like institution they are appoynted onely of the Church for Christian policie orders sake for the exercise of religion But this now popish before time Iewish distinction of daies as being by their nature hoâ—â—er then other is flatly against the Apostles rule Rom. 14.5 One putteth difference betweene day and day and Galath 4.10 You obserue daies and moneths times and yeeres Augustine saith Nos dominicum diem pascha celebramus sed quia intelligimus quo pertineant non tempora obseruamus sed quae illis significantur temporibus Cont. Adimant cap. 16. We keepe the Lords day and the feast of Easter not obseruing the times but remembring what is signified by those times that is for what cause they were ordained Ergo obseruers of times are reproued The Papists 2. THey affirme the keeping and sanctification of holy dayes to be necessary errour 59 Rhemist annot Galath 4. sect 5. and that we are bound in conscience to keepe the holy dayes appointed of the Church although no offence or scandale might follow and ensue vpon the neglecting of them Esther 9. Mardocheus and Esther appoint a new festiuall day not instituted of God and bind euery one to the obseruing therof that none should faile to obserue it ver 27. Ergo men bound in conscience to keep festiuall daies Bellarm. ca. 10. The Protestants Ans. FIrst though we refuse not some other festiuall daies yet we acknowledge none necessary more then are of the holy Ghosts appointing in the Scripture Secondly we deny that the constitutions of the Church for holy dayes do bind Christians in respect of the dayes them selues in conscience to keepe them otherwise then they may giue offence by their contempt and disobedience to the holesome decrees of the Church for it selfe in it owne nature is indifferent neither can the Church make a thing necessary in nature which God hath left indifferent nothing bindeth absolutely in conscience but that which is necessary by nature wherefore keeping of holy dayes being not enioyned but left indifferent in the word bindeth no otherwise then we haue said Thirdly the example of Esther sheweth that the Church hath authoritie to appoint for ciuill vses dayes of reioycing that festiuall day then begun did not binde the obseruers in conscience no otherwise then they were bound in all lawfull things to obey their gouernours for their consent was required and they promised both for themselues their seede to keepe that day Esther 9.27 Whereby it appeareth that they were not bound absolutely in conscience to obserue it Augustine speaking of the Sabboth saith thus haec est dies quam fecit Dominus exultemus laetemur in ea This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad therein Psal. 118.24 This onely holy day he saith is of the Lords making and therefore of all other necessary to be kept THE SECOND PART OF THE Lords day The Papists THe seuerall pointes wherein our aduersaries and we doe differ about the errour 60 Christian Sabboth are these First the principall exercise of the Sabboth say they is for the people to come to the Church and heare Masse which their abominable and idolatrous sacrifice they make the proper worke of the Sabboth Catechism Roman pag. 649. The Protestants THe Sabboth was ordayned for the people to assemble together to heare the word read Act. 15.21 preached and to receiue the Sacramets Act. 20.7 and to offer vp their praiers these were the proper exercises of the Sabboth as for the popish sacrifice of the Masse we finde no mention at all thereof in Scripture The Papists error 61 2. WE dissent about the rest of the Sabboth they allow such workes to be done vpon the Sabboth as shal be permitted by the Prelates and Ordinaries and such as by long custome haue bene vsed Bellarm. cap. 10. The Protestants WE holde that as the Lords day was instituted of
accomplished as of the resurrection of Christ and the Aduent or comming downe of the holy spirite but also to betoken vnto vs things to come as our rest and glory in the kingdome of God Bellarm. de cultu sanctor li. 3. ca. 11. The Protestants 1. WE graunt that the Sabboth may be so applied both to call to remembraunce things already as vpon that day done as the resurrection of Christ and the descending of the holy Ghost Some think also that Christ vpon that day was baptized vpon that day turned water into wine fed fiue thousand with a few loaues came vnto his Apostles after his resurrection the dores being shut and that as vpon this daye he shall appeare to iudgement but vpon what ground I know not Certaine it is that vpon this daye Christ rose againe and that the holy Ghost came downe then vpon his Apostles We denye not but that the keeping of the Lords day holy may fitly bring vnto our remembrance these things yea and that it may be a type and symbole vnto vs in some sort both of things spirituall as to betoken our ceasing and resting from the workes of sinne Hebr. 4.10 and 1. Pet. 4.1 as also of things to come as the kingdome of heauen is called a Sabboth Isai. 66.23 But we dare not neither will affirme that the Sabboth was ordained constituted for any such end for the commandement of the Sabboth now to vs is onely moral not typical or ceremonial as the Iewish Sabboth was but looke wherein the Sabboth was moral to the Iewes so it is kept still As in these two poynts it was morall to them first to be a signe betweene them and the Lord and to distinguish them from other people Exod. 31.17 And so also the right keeping of the Lords day is a notable outward marke of difference betweene the Church of God all others Secondly that vpon the Sabboth they should resort together and heare the lawe read and preached Act. 15.21 And for this cause namely the exercise of religion are Christians chiefly bound to the Sabboth It may I say fitly be drawne to resemble heauenly and spirituall things but that is not any end of the institution The Iewes had two kind of types typos factos and typos destinatos types made and applied and types appoynted and ordained of God to shadowe forth some notable thing as the Paschall Lambe was typus destinatus of our Sauiour Christ as they were not to breake a bone of the Lambe so was it accordingly performed in Christ. They had also many types beside that were not destined to signifie any certaine thing of such S. Paul speaketh 1. Corinth 10 6 11. So wee say of the Sabboth that it is not typus destinatus it is not instituted for any shadowe or signification though it may be fitly applied to such an vse The Papists 6. THey say that we are not bound vpon the Sabboth by any peculiar commandement to abstaine from sinne more then vpon any other day neither error 65 that the internall act of religion appertaineth to the keeping of the Sabboth but the external that any sinne committed vpon the Sabboth is not therby the greater neither that we are more bound vpon the Sabboth to seeke for internall grace then vpon any other day Bellarm. lib. 3. cap. 10. propos 4. The Protestants Ans. FIrst we grant that all sinne as of theft adulterie and the like are in their owne nature alike at what time soeuer they are committed yet they may be made more hainous by the circumstances as of the place as sacriledge is greater then common theft so why not of the time Secondly if that which is no sinne vpon the worke-day be a sinne vpon the Sabboth as to digge to plough to cart then that which is a sinne of it selfe as to steale to coÌ„mit adulterie must needs be greater more hainous being done vpon the Sabboth for beside the sinne he also prophaneth the Sabboth which is the breach of another commandement Thirdly the internall act of religion is properly commanded in the sanctifying of the Sabboth for it cannot be sanctified by the externall act of going to Church and hearing the word vnlesse a man be inwardly in the deuotion of his heart prepared for those holy exercises So inward grace is more sought for vpon the Sabboth not in respect of that inward desire which we haue vnto them which ought alwaies to be alike feruent in vs if it were possible but because of those outward meanes of hearing the word publique prayer receiuing the Sacraments which are vpon the Sabboth for the which we ought more especially to prepare examine our selues Ecclesiast 4.17 1. Corinth 11.28 Augustine sayth speaking of the Iewish women Quanto meliùs foeminae eâ—ruÌ„ lanam facerent quà m illo die in neomenijs saltarent spiritualiter obseruat Sabbatum Christianus abstinens se ab opere seruili id est à peccato Tractat. 3. in Iohan. Their women might be better occupied in spinning at home then in dauncing vpon this day for a Christian doth spiritually keepe the Sabboth in abstaining from al seruile worke that is from sinne They then that do obserue the Sabboth onely in externall acts doe but carnally keepe it The Papists error 66 7. THey hold it a thing vnlawfull for Christians to fast vpon the Lords day Bellarm. lib. 3. de cultu sanctor cap. 11. The Protestants Ans. FIrst we grant that this opinion is very ancient that in Tertullians time it was receiued in many Churches and they thought it as vnlawfull to bow the knee vpoÌ„ the Lords day Tertul. lib. de coron Militis Die dominico ieiunare nefas ducimus de geniculis adorare We count it vnlawfull to fast vpon the Lords day and to pray kneeling But the Papists obserue not the one why then should they binde themselues to the other Ignatius maketh fasting vpon the Sabboth as great an offence as the killing of Christ himselfe Epistol ad Philipp But I trust they will not say so Secondly the reasons why fasting is not to be vsed vpon the Lords day because the Iesuite setteth downe none I will supplie out of Augustine first Sentio saith he ad significandam requiem sempiternam vbi est verum Sabbatum relaxationem quà m constrictionem ieiunij aptius conuenire I thinke that to signifie the eternall rest which is the true Sabboth libertie rather then the vrging of fasting doth most fitly agree But to this we answere that this signification of eternall rest is no essentiall part of sanctifying the Sabboth nor no end of the institution as we haue shewed afore though it may haue such an application and therefore this reason proueth not such a necessitie of not fasting vpon the Sabboth Secondly Die dominico ieiunare magnum est scandalum It is a great offence to fast on the Lords day because the Manichees made choise of that day to fast in Per quod factum
est vt ieiunium Sabbati horribilius haberetur By the which sayth he it came to passe that the fast of the Sabboth was more abhorred Augustin ibid. But this reason now bindeth not vs because the name and heresie of the Manichees is now worne out and therefore there is no feare of any scandale to arise that way Thirdly we grant that the Lords day is not the fittest time for publique fasts first because it is a day of reioycing so we reade that the people in Nehemiah his time were forbidden to mourne and weepe after the lawe was read vnto them by Ezra because it was a day of ioy and mirth Nehem. 8.11 Secondly the day of solemne and publique fasting ought to be set a part from other dayes and to be proclaimed solemnely and to be spent wholly in spirituall exercises euen as the Sabboth with vacation and rest from other bodily labours as we may reade 2. Chronicl 20.3 Nehem. 9.1 And therefore any day is more fit then the Sabboth because that is a holy day alreadie vnto the Lord but when we will humble our selues before the Lord by fasting and prayer some day would onely for that purpose bee consecrate vnto GOD that may be as a voluntarie sacrifice whereas wee are bound of necessitie to keepe the Lords day But concerning priuate and particular fasts when men by themselues haue occasion to giue themselues to prayer whereof S. Paul speaketh 1. Corinth 7.5 Such priuate exercises may be better performed vpon the Sabboth because of the ordinarie exercises of the word which are notable meanes to kindle and stirre vp true deuotion in him which at that time will humble himselfe yea and publike fasts though not ordinarily yet wheÌ„ there is iust occasion may be kept vpon the Sabboth as we reade Act. 20.7 how that Paul continued his preaching till midnight whereof Augustine writeth thus Necessarius sermo resiciendi corporis causa interrumpendus esse non visus est profecturo Apostolo The necessary preaching of the Apostle he thought not good for the refreshing of their bodies to breake off being readie to depart We conclude therefore that it is lawfull to fast vpon the Lords day though it be not alwaies expedient And Augustine very well determineth this matter Ego in Euangelicis Apostolicis literis video praeceptum esse ieiunium quibus autem diebuâ—â—non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat praecepto domini vel Apostolorum non inuenâ—o de finitum I finde both in the Euangelicall and Apostolicall writings that fasting is commanded but vpon what dayes we ought to fast vpon what we ought not I doe not finde it defined Epistol 86. Wherefore to fast or not to fast vpon the Lords day or vpon any other being not determined in scripture is left as a thing indifferent to the Church of God The Papists error 67 8. THe name Sunday is an heathenish calling as al other weeke-daies in our language some imposed after the names of Planets as in the Romanes time some by the name of certaine Idols which the Saxons did worship which names the Church vseth not but hath appoynted to call the first day the Dominike after the Apostle Apocal. 1.10 the other by the name Feries vntill the last of the weeke which she calleth by the old name Sabboth because that was of God not by imposition of the heathen Rhemist annot Apocal. 1. sect 6. The Protestants Ans. FIrst as the name of Sunday and the rest is of the heathenish beginning and therefore were better to be otherwise termed as the first second or third from the Lords day as the Iewes called their daies from the Sabboth so your terme of feries is no lesse heathenish deriued from the word feria or feriae which were so called a feriendis victimis of striking the heathenish sacrifices as Sextus Pompeius sayth Fulk ibid. 2. We haue other names also that might bee reformed as of our moneths as March is so called of Mars Iune of Iuno Ianuary of Ianus which were heathen goddes Iuly and August doe beare the names of men yea and if wee might bee inuentors of newe names the termes of Christmas Michaelmas Candlemas should not stand in force nor any more be vsed which are as offensiue as the rest for as for the names of heathen Idols the most part are ignorant of them but the vulgar terme of Masse is to too well known too much loued of many of our countrey men Now for the name Sunday which is so great a mote in your eye if there were no more but that Augustine sheweth how it might be fauourably expounded Dies magni solis celebramus illius solis de quo dicit scriptura orietur vobis sol iustitiae We doe keepe Sunday holy namely of that great Sunne whereof the scripture speaketh the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise 3. We wish that all these termes might be layd downe as Augustine sayth Nolumus vt dicant vtinam corrigantur vt non dicant We would not haue men so to speake and I wish they were reformed But seeing by continuall custome mens tongues are inured to such termes let them knowe that they are vsed onely as ciuill names to call things by not for any religion or mysterie in them contained or signified THE THIRD PART OF THE FESTIVAL daies of Christ and the holy Ghost The Papists THE feasts of Easter and Whitsontide and other solemnities of Christ were error 68 prescribed they say by the Apostles Rhemist Matth. 15. sect 2. to be kept vpon certaine dayes and that Peter did appoint that Easter should not be kept the 14. day of the first Moone as the Iewes obserued it but the Lordes day after And of the feast of Pentecost mention is made 1. Corinth 16.8 Ergo these feasts were instituted of the Apostles Bellarm. cap. 12.13 The Protestants Ans. FIrst wee graunt that it is expedient for the Church to keepe the memoriall of the Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension of Christ and of the comming of the holy Ghost and the dayes instituted for the remembrance thereof no doubt ought to be had in greater account then any other holy dayes instituted by the Church Secondly it cannot be proued that they were prescribed by the Apostles or if they were but as indifferent ceremonies which are subiect to alteration and in the which the religion or worship of God dooth not consist Certaine it is that before the time of Constantine the great there were not many festiuall dayes kept in so much that the feasts of the Natiuitie of Christ Easter Pentecost were not vniformally obserued for many yeares after as appeareth by diuerse Councels And before Constantines time there was great contention betweene the Bishop of Rome and the Bishops of the East about the celebration of Easter they alleadging the constitution of Saint Iohn the other of Saint Peter wherefore it is like that the Apostles appointed no such certaine dayes for then the Church would
bodie to abstayne from hurtfull meates as likewise to keepe a temperate and sober dyet and to take heede of surfetting and drunkennesse These kindes of abstinence in making difference of meates wee mislike not but for pietie or religions sake to distinguish them it is to too great superstition The Papists FOurthly their religious kinde of fasting they holde not to bee a generall error 77 abstinence from all meates and drinkes but onely from some certaine kindes as from flesh and wine as Timothie refrayned from drinking of wine and in steade thereof vsed water 1. Timothie 5. verse 23. Rhemist The Protestants Ans. FIrst for chastising of the bodie it is lawfull to abstayne either wholly for a time or in respect of the quantitie or qualitie of the meates which may more prouoke carnall lusts not in the prohibition of the whole kind as the Papists doe of all flesh bee it neuer so grosse or small in quantitie Likewise it is lawfull for chastising of a mans body to abstaine from any kinde as of wine fruites spices flesh so that the vse of them be not forbidden as though in the very abstinence there were religion Fulk ibid. 2 But the true and properly religious fast of Christians is a generall abstinence from all meats and drinkes during the time of such fasting Esther 4.16 Nehemiah 9.4 Where the manner of their fast is described howe the lawe was read vnto them foure times in the day and as oft did they worship the Lord and confesse their sinnes It was the custome of the Church also in Augustines time in the dayes of fast not to abstaine onely from flesh or some certayne kinde of meate as the Papists vse but altogether to continue fasting till the eeuen Rogo vos fratres sayth he vt in isto sacratissimo tempore exceptis dieb dominicis nullus prandere praesumat I pray you brethren that in this holy time none of you presume to dine at all except it be vpon the Lords daies Ergo they that wil keepe a true religious fast if they are able ought for the time wholly to absteyne The Papists error 78 FIftly they erre in affirming fasting to be a meritorious worke Rhemist 1. Corinth 15. vers 32. Anna Tobie Iudith Esther serued and pleased God by fasting Annot. Math. 15. sect 3. The Protestants Ans. FIrst we doubt not but that fasting is a worke acceptable to God being referred to the right end as to chastise and humble the bodie 1. Corinthians 9.27 and to make our prayers more feruent 1. Corinthians 7.5 But otherwise there is no holinesse or vertue in fasting of it selfe neither is it by the worke wrought of any merite or worthines For our prayers which are a more principall worke then fasting is yet of themselues by any worthynes in them are not regarded of God for Salomon sayth When thou hearest haue mercie 1. King 8.30 It is of the Lords mercy that our prayers are heard not of any worthynes in them Augustine sayth very well Si volumus bene ieiunare à cibis ante omnia ieiunemus à vitijs Quid prodest pallidum esse ieiunijs si odio inuidia liuescas What doth it helpe to fast from meate if wee fast not from sinne What auayleth it to be pale and wan with fasting if thou frettest with hatred and enuie Ergo the externall or outward acte of fasting of it selfe is litle or nothing worth The Papists error 79 SIxtly and lastly they grieuously offend in their fastings in laying so straight and hard a yoke vppon mens shoulders as charging them vnder payne of damnation to keepe their fasting dayes making it deadly sinne yea heresie to transgresse them as one Laurence Staple was troubled and persecuted anno 1531. because in Lent hauing no fish hee did eate egges butter and cheese nay they were so cruell that hardly they suffered women in child-bed to haue flesh in their houses As anno 1532. two young Gyrles were constrayned to abiure because they were found vppon Saint Peters eeuen eating broth made of mutton their mother lying in childe-bed Howe was poore Frebarne tossed too and fro and brought into great daunger because a pigge was found in his house in Lent time for the which his wife longed The Protestants Ans. FIrst no positiue law not grounded vppon scripture can so binde any person that in the breaking of such hee shall sinne deadlie And of this sorte is the fast of Lent and other dayes for religion which were ordayned without authoritie of scripture Lambert ad articul 17. And seeing the rest of the Sabboth being the commaundement of GOD might yet vpon necessarie cause be broken as wee haue shewed how much greater libertie ought the people to haue had in the obseruation of those dayes which were onely inioyned by men for who seeth not that the rest in the Lords day being Gods owne appoyntment ought more surely to binde then fasting vpon forbidden dayes enforced by men yet was it counted an heynous sinne to eate flesh vpon a day interdict and a small offence or none to violate the rest of the Sabboth 2 Saint Paul could see no such necessitie of fasting and abstinence when hee willeth Timothie to drinke wine and no longer water for his infirmities sake 1. Timoth. 5.23 But if there were religion in fasting and abstinence it ought not to be intermitted for the bodily health for the lesse principall is to giue place to the greater In Augustines time also there was no such necessitie Qui ieiunare non praeualet in domo sua praeparet quod accipiat He that is not able to fast let him prepare in his house for his owne eating And agayne Si possibilitas non fuerit ieiunandi sufficit eleemosyna sine ieiunio If a man haue not possibilitie to fast in stead of fasting let him giue almes What is become now of your Lent and Imber fastes which you prescribe as necessary to be kept of all THE NINTH QVESTION CONcerning the Virgine Marie THis question standeth of many parts 1. Whether the B. Virgin Marie were conceiued without sin Secondly whether she vowed Virginitie before the Angel was sent vnto her Thirdly of the assumption of her body into heauen Fourthly of the dignitie and preeminence that shee hath as they affirme aboue all other Saints yea and the Angels to Fiftly of the merites of the virgin Marie and of the Aue Maria. THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE Virgin Marie were voyde of original and actuall sinne The Papists error 80 1 AL men are borne in sinne Christ onely excepted and his mother for his honor Rhemist Rom. 5. sect 9. Answ. it is no more dishonour for Christ to be borne of a sinner then to haue taken his flesh and lineally descended according to his humanity of Thamar that committed incest with Iuda and Rahab which was an harlot Math. 1.3.5 Secondly it maketh more for the honor of God that Christ was borne without sinne
SYNOPSIS PAPISMI THAT IS A GENERALL VIEWE OF PAPISTRY wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie and summe of Antichristian doctrine is set downe which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome against the Church of Christ together with An Antithesis of the true Christian faith and an Antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations Deuided into three bookes or Centuries that is so many hundreds of Popish heresies and errors 1. COR. 11.9 There must be heresies that they which are approued amongst you might be known TITVS 3.10 A man that is an heretike after the first and second admonition auoyde AVG. DE VERA RELIG CAP. 6. Ecclesia Catholica vtitur gentibus ad materiam operationis suae haereticis ad probationem doctrinae suae schismaticis ad documentum stabilitatis suae alios inuitat alios excludit alios relinquit omnibus tamen gratiae Dei participandae dat potestatem siue illi informandi adhuc siue reformandi siue recolligendi sunt The true Catholike Church doth vse the Gentiles as matter to worke vpon heretikes for the trial of their doctrine schismatikes to proue their constancie the first she inuiteth the second she excludeth the third she leaueth yet to them all she offereth the grace of God in instructing the Gentiles reforming of heretikes and bringing home againe schismatikes Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity AT LONDON â—â—â—nted by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1592. TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS MOST EXCELLENT AND NOBLE PRINCESSE QVEENE ELIZABETH OVR DREAD LADY BY THE GRACE OF GOD Queene of England France and Ireland defender of the faith c. WHen we call to minde most gracious and dread Soueraigne the manifold blessings which the Lord by your Highnes hand hath reached forth to this Realme Church of England the long flourishing peace which the land vnder your prosperous gouernmeÌ„t hath these many yeares enioyed the like whereof neither our forefathers haue seene nor other countries knowne The notable reformatioÌ„ also of the church purging of the house of God which daies the holy Martyrs and seruants of God long sighed for and desired to see but saw them not When we doe consider these things we nothing doubt to say that the prophecie of Esay is fulfilled in these our daies who saith concerning the Church Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes thy nursing mothers as it is also prophecied in the Psalmes In stead of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou mayest make Princes in all lands For now who seeeth not that many Christian Princes in the worlde are become the children of the Church Your Maiesties renowmed father king Henry the eight and your Highnesse brother of blessed memory king Edward the sixt did but begin the foundation of the Temple and lay the plot and with Dauid prepared gold siluer brasse iron and all thinges needfull for the building but it was his good pleasure that you with peaceable Salomon should finish the building and with Zorobabel should prosper with the stone of tinne in your hand The Lord hath made you a wall and a hedge to his vineyard to keepe out the wilde boare a goodly tree to giue shade to the beasts of the field succour to the â—oules of the aire a nurse to the people of God to carry them in your bosome as the nurse beareth the sucking child The Lord Christ would once againe hang vpon the breasts of a Virgin God hath raised you vp a Deborah to iudge Israel an Esther to deliuer the Church the Lord hath made you as that vertuous matrone that doth cloath her family with double rayment your Realme flourisheth with true religion and abundance of peace this is our double apparell Now seuen women shal no more take hold of one man saying Come let vs be called by thy name but thousands of men make sute to one woman as all Israel went vp to be iudged of Deborah What though the Papists fret and storme and cut your Maiestie very short saying that the Prince ought neither to giue voice in couÌ„sell for matters of religion nor make Ecclesiastical lawes and would as Zedechiah his eyes were put out Adonibesech his fingers cut off so both take away the eye of your iudgement and your right hand of power in Ecclesiasticall matters What though another foule mouthed Iesuite doth most impudently slaunder your Maiestie saying in great contempt I am reipsa Caluinistis in Anglia mulier quaedam summus Pontifex est As for them let them wander and run vp and down in the Citie barking and snarling like hungrie dogges seeking meat and shall not be satisfied as the Psalme saith yet shal the building prosper vnder your hand the people of God doe cry out with shoutings Grace grace vnto it the whole Church of God from all partes of the world saluteth you saying We haue blessed you out of the house of God do encourage you to go forward gird thy sword to thy thigh prosper thou with thine honor ride on because of the word of truth God hath giuen into your hand a two edged sword with one edge iâ— defendeth the Church from false religion with the other the coÌ„mon wealth from oppression as an ancieÌ„t father saith Tunc iustitia dicituâ— gladius ex vtraque parte acutus quia hominis defendit corpus ab exterioribus iniurijs animaÌ„ à spiritualibus molestijs To Kings Princes it is especially said Thou shalt walke vpon the Lyon and Aspe the young Lyon and Dragon thou shalt tread vnder thy feete The Lyon is the open enemy the Aspe dragon is the close hypocrite that peruerteth religion The good lawes of Princes are as the pitch of Noahs arke it was pitched within and without so good Princes are to prouide both for the safetie of the land from forraine enemies abroad and to preserue the soundnes of religion from corruption of heresie at home How lawfull your Maiesties gouernement is and how well pleasing before God the sequele and effect doth abundantly shew Salomon asked wisedome and he receiued both riches and honor withall none of all these hath God denyed to you the Lord loueth you his left hand is vnder your head his right hand doth embrace you as the wiseman saith At his right hand is length of daies at his left riches honor all these hath the Lord graunted vnto you and thus the Lord honoreth those that honor him And as your Maiestie doth proceede and continue in aduauncing the Lords honour so he is able yet to do greater things for you Now then seeing your Highnes is our Zorobabel the chiefe builder of Gods house and the rest of your faithfull subiects are the helpers and workemen some as labourers vnder you I your humble and meanest subiect
as a poore labourer fit but to carry rubbish stones and to serue other builders haue forced my selfe to do somewhat towards the building of Gods house I haue therfore may it please your Maiestie in this worke set downe the bodie and summe of all Popish opinions whatsoeuer wherein we dissent from them and they from the truth and haue endeuoured to lay open their nakednes that euery man may see their great brags and small abilitie words but no matter great promises yet little performed and why as Augustine saith Ostēdere hoc non possunt non quia ingenium deest sed quia bona causa This labour of mine was thought to be very expedient for these times and not before enterprised by any that men not learned might in one volume finde all the controuersies of religion which their leisure would not suffer them to collect them selues Many of our learned countrimen haue in some choise principal controuersies as the Lords valiant champions maintained the truth strongly against the common aduersarie but this small labour as it pleased the Lord was left for me they haue borne the heate of the day the coole euenings worke is cast vpon me They haue built with hewen stones the brick-worke is my lot they haue squared the tall cedar trees the wilde figge trees must be hewen out by my hand This simple worke I haue presumed to present to your Maiestie as a token of my dutie and seruice a poore scholers gift as a signe of my thankfulnes to God and your Maiestie by whom we haue both leisure and maintenance to follow our studies for as the Poet saith Deus nobis haecotia fecit God through you hath wrought vs this peace And I was emboldened the rather to offer this simple labor to your Highnesse remembring your Princely gracious disposition which hath bene wont to accept with great fauour and regard the meanest gifts of your subiects yea hath not refused to receiue posies and nosegaies at their hands With the same Princely countenance I beseech your grace to receiue this posie of mine Non florum sed foliorum A princely minde your Highnesse knoweth is as well seene in accepting of small giftes as giuing of great as Alexander said to a souldier vpon whom he bestowed a citie Si tu non es dignus tanta recipere ego tamen dignus tanta donare so the speech somewhat altered me thinketh I heare your Maiestie thus saying to me Licet non tu dignus tantula donare ego tamen digna tantula accipere though it be not fit for thee to offer so small a gift yet it standeth with my Princely nature to receiue it And now O noble Queene our dread Soueraigne the mother of Israel a nurse to the people of God be strong and feare not the Lord fighteth for you it is the truth the ancient Catholike Apostolike faith which we vnder your leading and protection do professe As for your enemies they shal be as the dust before the wind and as the clay in the streetes but your crowne shal flourish your horne shal be exalted In you is that saying verified as it was somtime in Dauid The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner You were somtime black with sorow and the sunne of affliction hath looked vpon you but now the Lord hath made you comely beautifull as the morning faire as the moone giuing his Church vnder on abundance of blessings so that we may now all say This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it yea we will not cease still to pray with the Church of God O Lord saue now send vs now prosperitie That the Lord would in mercy yet lengthen out these good daies and so replenish your roiall hart with his grace that you may still bring forth fruit in your age that what worke the Lord hath yet to bring to passe in his Church it may be finished by your hand that both this your Realme of England may still be strōgly fenced and hedged about with all temporall blessings as also the watch-tower and watchmen of the Church may thriue and prosper in their spirituall businesse And as the Temple of God is now built set vp aloft so the riuer of God may flow and the streames therof make glad the people of God that all the land may be filled with knowledge as the waters couer the sea and as Aarons siluer bels in the Temple so the voice of the Gospell may be heard ouer the whole land And thus shall the Lord graunt you your harts desire your sacrifice shall not only be bound to the hornes of the altar but euen turned to ashes that is the Lord will not onely encline his eare to your praier but graunt your request to the full That at length your Maiestie shall not doubt to say with the kingly Prophet Dauid Mine eye shall see my desire against mine enemies and mine eare shall heare my wish against the wicked that rise vp against me And let all the people of God say Amen euen so be it O Lord Amen Your Maiesties most humble subiect ANDREW WILLET The Preface to the Reader GOod Christian Reader thinke not the time long nor the labour lost if I shall in a few words open my mind further vnto thee and as leading thee by the hand shew thee the way entrance into this treatise following We are not ignorant how this famous Church of England the mother of vs all hath been these many yeeres molested and troubled with hollow hearted brethren sowers of corrupt doctrine deuisers of mischiefe enemies to our peace and in one word Romish Catholikes and Papists They haue been from time to time as prickes to our sides and thornes in our eyes as the Cananites were to Israel they are the Foxes that destroy the Lords vineyard the progenie of the Pharisees a generation of vipers whose propertie is to gnaw out the sides of their damme when they are brought forth euen so haue these vipers sought the destruction of their countrey They are the serpent by the way that byteth the horse heeles causeth the rider to fall backward that is subtilly do vndermine and hinder the prosperous successe of religion Of such prophecied Ezechiel They do eate the good pasture and tread downe the rest with their feete they haue drunke of the deepe waters troubled the residue with their feet They are not cōtent themselues to eate the fat drinke the sweet of the land but some of them haue laboured practised to disturbe our peace and to trouble the quiet state of the land But let not vs good brethren be offended at these things First let vs not be astonished as though some strange thing had befallen vs for S. Paul hath said That heresies must be among vs that they which are approued may be
by the power of Christ but the blind heart is lightened and illuminate through the Gospell of Christ Such miracles the Lord be blessed we can shewe sinners are conuerted afflicted consciences are comforted the ignorant are instructed many are called by the preaching of the Gospell Thirdly if this will not content them but they still crye with open mouth and say where are your miracles Behold to stop their wide and clamorous mouth we will shewe them also such miracles as they looke for like to which they haue none Was not that a miracle which Oecolampadius reporteth to haue been done at the Martyrdome of Master Hugh Spengler who being cast into the water and so drowned presently all the water was coloured with bloud he hauing receiued no wound nor hurt in his bodie before at the which all the people were greatly amazed But what thinke you of that straunge signe which George Scherrer shewed at his death who being beheaded the bodie lay a pretie space vpon the bellie till one might haue eaten an egge and then turned it selfe vpon the backe crossed the right hand ouer the left and the right legge ouer the left the Magistrates seeing it hauing condemned his bodie to be burned before being moued at the sight hereof caused it to be buried Fox ex Math. Illyrico It is worth the remembring that is reported in the French stories of Petrus Burgerius a blessed Martyr who was cast into a filthie dungeon where a theefe had lien the space of eight moneths being almost eaten vp with lice and in such miserie that he cursed his parents that bare him This man through the teaching and the prayers of the Martyr felt such comfort in the Gospell that he became very patient in his affliction and after his conuersion this straunge thing was wrought vpon him that whereas before he was so full of lice that he might haue plucked out twelue at once betweene two of his fingers the next day he had not one Now because the Iesuite hath such a spite at Luther he is a great eye sore to him we will in a word or two declare what straunge things were wrought by Luther It is credible reported of him that a certaine young man had bound himselfe by obligation to the diuell sealed with his bloud to giue him his soule so he might haue his wish and desire satisfied with money In short time hee grewe to great wealth the matter being disclosed with much adoe to Luther he calleth the congregation together and ioyneth in prayer for this yong man and as they prayed the obligation was cast in at the windowe A notable and straunge miracle which is crediblie reported of Luther He was a man feruent in prayer one might haue seen the teares falling from his eyes as he prayed And as he was earnest in prayer so his prayers wanted not effect for as he himselfe confessed he had obtayned of God that so long as he liued the Pope should not preuayle in his countrey And is not this also a thing to be wondred at that for all the Pope and Emperour ioyned together bent their forces against this silly poore man yet the Lord defended him from the Lyons teeth and graunted him to end his dayes in peace Thus it is apparant and manifest that the Lorde sheweth his miraculous power manie times in his Saints to astonish the wicked The great miracles which haue been declared in their holy martyrdomes would fil a large volume And by the grace of God hereafter we may haue occasion in an other treatise of purpose more at large to publish them But these arguments wee doe not chiefly stand vpon Yet thus much was not amisse by the way to be put in to requite our aduersaries withall who doe so greatly magnifie and extoll their Antichristian Church for their lying and fayned miracles The sixte Note of the gift of Prophecying error 23 THis also our aduersaries holde to be a perpetuall marke whereby to knowe the Church for they say that the true Church of GOD wanteth not those which are endewed with the spirit of prophecie And so they beare vs in hand that in euery age there hath flourished some Prophet in their Church the first that the Church shall alwayes haue Prophets they would prooue out of Ioel 2. I will power of my spirit vpon all flesh The second that they haue had such prophets they do infer vppon a few forged examples of Saint Barnard and S. Frauncis a popish Saint and the founder of the superstitious order of the Franciscanes To the first we aunswere 1. The prophecie of Ioel was accomplished in the Apostles time Act. 2. as S. Peter expoundeth it and therefore we need not looke further for the fulfilling of it 2. The Church of the Iewes wanted Prophets for the space of 4. hundred years and more before the comming of Christ for we read of no Prophet after Malachy and the Church complayneth of this want Psalm 74. verse 9. that they had Prophets no more wherefore the Church of God after the comming of Christ may better spare this extraordinary function of prophecying seeing both Christ is already come who was the very subiect and matter of all the auncient prophecies And wee haue also most euident prophecies of the Apostles Rom. 11. cōcerning the calling of the Iewes 2. Thes. 2. of Antichrist in the Apocalipse of the general estate conditiō of the Church to the end of the world Som of which are already accomplished som to be fulfilled in their seasō In these prophecies we must rest cōtent our selues not looking for new reuelations 3. There haue been Prophets amongst the heathen out of the Church of God they also can bring foorth diuers olde prophecies so that if the issue lay in this poynt they might as well contend to be the Church of God Astiages dreamed that hee sawe a Vine growing out of his daughter that couered all Asia which came to passe in Cyrus Augustine reporteth a prophecie of Hermes Trismegistus how that all the Images and Idols of the heathen should be broken downe through all Aegypt The Indians were foretolde of the Spaniards comming many a yeare before their arriuall in those places Their Zemes that is their diuels which they worshipped as Gods told them that there should come a people with long beards fierce and cruell that at one stroke should strike men off by the middle And all these thinges fell out afterwards to that nation accordingly But they wil answere that these were not true prophecies inspired of God but vncertaine predictions of the diuell What will they say then to Balaam that prophecied of Christ there shall come a starre of Iacob saith he Numb 24.17 and in the same place he sayth he heard the words of God The prophecies also of Sibill are wonderfull which many yeares before the comming of Christ prophecied of his incarnation and of his passion with the circumstances
Councel for that function as Cardinal Arelatensis was chosen in the Councell of Basile by the fathers to be moderator First that it belongeth to the Prince to haue this prerogatiue it is hence prooued because he is the chiefe iudge in all matters and causes both ciuil and eccesiasticall And it appeareth by the auncient practise of the godly kings in Israel and Iuda Dauid gathered a Councel together when hee brought the Arke to Ierusalem 1. Chronicl 15.3 where he was the chiefe doer and director for he appoynted the Leuites their courses and set forth a certayne fourme of thanksgiuing to be vsed 1. Chronicl 16.4.7 Hezekiah assembled a Councel 2. Chronicl 30.2 where it was decreed that the passeouer should be solemnly kept the postes were sent forth with the kings writ or commission In Iosiah his raigne there was a great assembly at Ierusalem of the Princes the people priests and Leuites and al from the greatest to the smallest where the king him selfe was president and chiefe agent reading the law before the people 2. Chronicl 34.30.31 Secondly we finde that the Emperours themselues haue beene present at Councels As in the Nicene Constantine the great was present in the Councel of Chalcedon Martianus in the Constantinopolitane 3. Constantinus the Emperour in the Constantinopl 4. Basilius the Emperour was present Is it to bee thought that these noble Emperours were at the Councels as inferiors or vnderlings or had they not the chiefe places then sure they were presidents for in the Councell the chiefe place belongeth to the president They might appoynt a speaker or prolocutor for them as in the parliament house though the prince be present yet the Lord Chauncellour speaketh but the chiefe power and Soueraigntie in the Councell was in the Emperours Thirdly not to heape vp many reasons in so playne a cause I will alleadge one example most manifest out of Augustine who writeth that in that great Councel at Carthage where the matter was discussed between the Catholicks the Donatists there being present more then 500. Bishops of both sides Marcellinus was appointed to be moderator of that disputatiō who diuers times putteth in his sentence in the disputation and last of all bidding both parts to go aside he writeth the sentence definitiue and concludeth against the Donatists approuing the actes of the Catholike Bishops haec August breuicul collation THE FIFTE QVESTION WHETHER Councels may erre or not The Papists error 33 THey are not all agreed what to determine of this matter some affirme that Generall Councels can in no wise erre although the consent of the Pope bee wanting thus the fathers in Basile concluded who is it say they that will preferre a sinfull man before an vndefiled Church But Bellarmine more the Popes friend then so holdeth that euen generall Councels may erre vnlesse they follow the instructions and directions of the Pope Yea that it is not sufficient for the pope to call a Councel and sende his Legate thither but hee must write continually for aduertisement from his maister before any thing be concluded and therefore they doubt not to say that the Councell of Basile erred though it had the consent of the Popes Legate in defining that the Councell is aboue the Pope because he had no such direction from the Pope Bellarmine de concil lib. 2. cap. 11. Nay the Iesuite goeth further that particular Councels being approoued by the Pope cannot erre cap. 5. So they holde that the holy fathers of the cruell Inquisition cannot erre Yea Panormitane was not ashamed to say openly in the Councell of Basile that he would prefer the iudgement of the Cardinals of Rome before all the world This then is the Iesuites opinion that no Councels by the pope confirmed can erre that a particular Councel hauing his allowance is to be preferred before a generall without Let vs see some of their reasons 1. They abuse certaine places of scripture for their purpose as that Act. 15. It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost I am with you to the end of the world He that heareth you heareth me Bellarmine cap. 2. Rhemist in Act. 15.8.10 so then thus they argue Councels are neuer without the spirite of God therefore can they not erre A silly argument as though the spirite of God were at their commaundement or were tyed to places or persons They must first performe the condition before they can chalenge the promise that is to followe the rule of Gods word and obediently to submit themselues thereunto then will God vouchsafe to be present The Gospell sayth that wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name I will be present euen in the midst of them Here promise is made not to thousands or hundreds but to two or three and therefore by this place an assemblie of few persons may as well be exempted from error as Councels but there is a condition In nomine meo in my name and then followeth in medio illorum in the midst of them if then they are not met in the Lords name they cannot looke for the presence of Christ. I pray you where was the holy Ghost present in that Councel at Rome vnder Iohn 23. when there appeared a great Oule which stared and out faced the pope who blushing at the matter and fuming rose vp and departed At the sight of which Owle they whispered one in anothers eare that the spirit appeared in the likenes of an Owle and after that in an other session the same Owle appeared and could not be driuen away vntill by throwing bats and cudgels at her shee fell downe dead before them ex Nichol. Clemang In the beginning of the Councel of Constāce after the accustomed hymne song veni sancte spiritus a bil was set vp with these wordes alijs rebus occupati nunc adesse non possumus Wee are now otherwise occupied we cannot be present with you We see now how sure the Papists are of the holy Ghost in their popish Councels The Protestants WE doubt not to say that Councels haue erred and may erre presuming any thing besides the warrant of Gods worde and that neither vniuersall or particular Councels are priuiledged much lesse any one man no nor the Pope not to erre in matters of fayth otherwise then following the trueth of the Scriptures for in so doing they are sure not to be deceiued 1. We haue also examples in the scripture of Councels that erred as that assemblie in Achabs dayes of 400. Prophets who were al deceiued the Iesuite thus answereth that it was an assemblie of prophets not of priests as though priestes were more piuiledged from error than Prophets And these say they were false Prophets not Prophets of the Lord We graunt so and this withal that wheresoeuer the Lords Prophets and pastors and ministers assemble that there they will heare the Lords voyce which the Pope in his Councels doth not But he still supposeth that the Pope and his ministers
the Pope or any else bee the head the Church is his bodie which Bellarmine is a shamed to graunt yet Pope Athanasius doubted not to call populos mundi partes corporis sui the people of the Worlde the partes of his bodie Againe if he be the head hee must doe the duetie of an head which is to knit and ioyne the parts together and to giue effectuall power to euery part Ephes. 4.16 Where the Apostle alludeth to the gouernement of mans bodie in the which the parts receiue a double benefite from the head the knitting and ioyning together by sinewes which come from the head and sense and motion also giuen to euery part from the head but it were blasphemie to thinke this of the Pope that he giueth any influence to the Church If they answer he is but a ministeriall head Christ is the principall We say againe that although these things are principallie wrought by the principall head yet they must bee done instrumentally or Ministerially by the Ministeriall head or else it is but a rotten head such an one as the Wolfe found in a caruers shop as you knowe the fable is a goodly head saith hee but without wit or braine If Christ performe all the duetie of the head himselfe then is there no other head if the Pope doe somewhat that belongeth to the head tell vs what is it If hee will bee an head and doe nothing surely hee must needes bee a brainelesse and witlesse head 2 It is a daungerous and impossible thing to haue the charge of all Churches committed to one man GOD alone is sufficient to beare that burthen Saint Paule saith who is sufficient for these things No pastor or minister that is but set ouer one flocke or parish is sufficient to preach the worde much lesse is any one man sufficient to gouerne the whole Church Bellarmine answereth first Saint Paul saith of himselfe that hee had the care of all Churches 2. Corinth 11.28 We replie againe first then belike Saint Paul was vniuersall pastor and not Peter Secondly wee must consider that the Apostles were sent to all the world their calling was not limited when they had planted the Gospell in one place they did take care also for other places but now there is no such Apostolicall calling Thirdly Paul did not beare this burthen alone but the Apostles and Euangelists were his coadiutors and fellow-helpers Secondly sayth he why may not the care of the whole Church bee committed to one man as well as the gouernment almost of the whole world was appointed by God to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus Augustus seeing the gouernement of the Church is easier then the ciuill and politike regiment We replie First wee neuer reade of any that had dominion ouer the whole world as the Pope chalengeth to haue ouer the whole Church which is dispersed throughout the world Secondly these great and large Monarches are saide to haue been giuen of God Dan. 2.37 Not that this large dominion and vsurpation ouer other countries so much pleased God for the people of God the Israelites in their most flourishing estate neuer had such soueraigntie ouer other countries but by voluntarie subiection as in Solomons dayes 1. King 4.21 the Kings round about brought presents vnto him But because the Lord turned and vsed this their large and mightie dominion to the good of his Church for Cyrus was a defender of the Church against all that bare euill will thereat and the large Empire of the Romans serued very commodiously for the propagation of the Gospell Thirdly the Iesuite sheweth his skill when he saith that the regiment of the Church is easier then the gouernement of the common-wealth Whereas there is no greater and waightier burthen vpon earth then is the charge of soules It seemeth the Pope taketh his ease finding the care of the Church to be so easie and pleasant a thing in deede as he vseth it it is no great matter for hee preacheth not but giueth himselfe to ease and idlenes and all princely pleasures But England hath found by experience and so did that worthie and famous Prince King Henry the eight that there was neuer matter so hardlie compassed as was the reformation of the Church and the suppression of idolatrie and superstition in this lande Augustine saith Nemo nostrum se episcopum episcoporum constituit aut quasi tyrannico terrore ad obsequēdi necessitatem collegas suos adigit de Baptis 2.2 None of vs doth count himselfe a Bishop ouer other Bishops or taketh vpon him after a commaunding manner as tyrants vse to enforce his fellowes to obey Ergo by his iudgement all Bishops are of like and equall authoritie THE SECOND QVESTION WHETHER PETER were the chiefe and Prince of the Apostles and assigned by Christ to bee head of the Church The Papists THis our aduersaries doe stiffelie maintaine that he was not only head of the error 37 Church but of the Apostles also Bellarmi lib. 1. de pontif cap. 11. And the Rhemists doubt not to call him the chiefe and Prince of the Apostles 1. Corinth 9. ver 5. 1 Wee will omitte manie of their waightie arguments as out of these and such like places I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith should not fayle cast forth thy net into the deepe I will make thee a Fisher of men Peter payed toll for Christ and himselfe Peter drew the net to the land full of great fish Peter onely drew out his sword in the defence of Christ. Ergo Peter was the Prince of the Apostles and head of the Church ex concil Basilien Fox pag. 673. Such other goodlie arguments our Rhemists doe make Peter did excommunicate Ananias and Sapphira he healed the sicke by his shadow Ergo he was the head of the Church Annot. 5. Acts se. 5.8 Againe Peters person was garded with foure quaternions of Souldiours Act. 12.4 the Church prayed for him Ibid. sect 4. Paul nameth Cephas 1. Cor. 9.5 Ergo hee was chiefe of the Apostles Are not here goodlie arguments thinke you To these reasons I neede make no other answere then that which our learned countrie man dooth in his Annotations You must saith he bring better arguments or else children will laugh you to scorne Fulk Annot. Act. 5. sect 5. Let vs see therefore if they haue any better arguments 2 They take that to be a maine inuincible place for them Matth. 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my Church Ergo the Church is built vpon Peter To make this argument the more strong they set vnder it diuerse props First why did Christ giue Peter this name more then to any other of the Apostles to call him Peter of Petra a Rocke but to shew that hee was appointed to be the foundation of the Church Bellarmine cap. 17. Wee answer Christ hereby signified that Peter should bee a principall piller of his Church as the rest of the Apostles Ephes. 2. He chaunged also the
for not doing the things commaunded which he durst not say As when the Magistrate for some profitable and politike end commaundeth vpon some dayes abstinence from flesh it is not the eating or not eating of flesh that simplie displeaseth and offendeth God but the contempt of the lawe and wilfull and obstinate disobedience to the magistrate for otherwise the vse of the creature is free and indifferent 2 Wee will beate the Iesuite with his owne staffe hee saith not that all lawes doe binde the conscience but onely iust lawes in the which fower cōditions are required First that they be made for some profitable end so are not popish lawes which nourish superstition and haue no edifying and some of them doe commaund plaine idolatry open impietie as the worshipping of images the adoration of the Masse such like Secondly saith he they must not be contrarie to Gods law but such are many of their ordinances yea the most of them Thirdly they must be made by him that hath authoritie therefore none of the Popes lawes binde the vniuersall Church for it is not subiect to him Fourthly the forme and manner of imposing such lawes must be orderly but their lawes are most disordered imposed vpon the Church violently without their consent or any good proceeding Thus you see euen by their owne confession their lawes cannot binde One thing more I must needes tell them of If they would needes haue their lawes to binde men in conscience they should haue made fewer of them now they are so many that if the breach of them were an offence of conscience doe men what they could they should dailie make shipwrack of their conscience It is a true saying that is reported of one Thomas Arthur a good Christian it is an homely speech because the matter was somewhat homely yet hee did hit the marke Like as saith he crosses were set vp against the walles of London that no man should pisse there and while there were but a few men for reuerence of the crosses would not pisse against the wall but when in euery corner they set vp crosses men of necessitie were faine to pisse vpon the wall and crosses too So saith he if there had been fewer lawes of the Church they would haue been better kept but now they are so manie that men cannot chose but breake them 3 The Pope hath no power to correct the transgressors of his lawes ouer the whole Church Ergo hee cannot make lawes to binde the whole Church The argument followeth for hee that hath absolute power to make lawes hath also power to commaunde obedience to the lawes so made The first is thus proued the Pope indeede hath taken vppon him many times to thunder out his excommunication against other Churches but it was an vsurped and tyrannicall power and many times resisted and controuled Pope Victor Anno 200. would haue excommunicate the East Churches about the keeping of Easter but hee was stayed by Irenaeus The Councell of Constance did sende out excommunications against Pope Benedict sess 36. In the Councell of Basile Pope Eugenius cited Cardinall Iuliane with the rest of the fathers there assembled to come to Bononia vnder great penaltie they likewise cited Eugenius vnder the like penaltie either to come or send to Basile Fox pag. 668. Pope Leo the tenth in his fumish Antichristian Bull excommunicated and condemned Luther Luther with better right pronounceth sentence of excommunication against him being an aduersarie to Christ in these words according to the power and might that the spirit of Christ and efficacie of our faith can doe in these our writings if you shall persist still in your furie we condemne you together with this Bull and all the decretall and giue you to sathan to the destruction of the flesh that your spirit in the day of the Lord may be deliuered in the name which you persecute of Iesus Christ our Lorde Fox page 1286. Thus you see what small force there is of these popish leaden Bulls and presumptuous excommunications for it falleth out iustlie by them as the wise man saith As the Sparrow and the Swallowe by flying escape so the curse causelesse shall not come Now seeing therefore the Pope fayleth of power and strength to see his lawes executed in the vniuersall Church it cannot bee that his lawes should vniuersally binde Lastly let Augustine speake he thus defineth sinne peccatum est dictum factum vel concupitum contra legem aeternam Dei sinne is any thing done saide or coueted against the Lawe of GOD therefore the transgression simplie of the lawe of man is not sinne but as thereby also the Lawe of God is transgressed Ergo simplie it bindeth not the conscience for sinne onely bindeth and toucheth the conscience THE SECOND PART OF THIS QVEstion whether all Bishops doe receiue their Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction from the Pope The Papists THey denie not but that the power of order as they call it which consisteth error 50 in the administration of the Sacraments is equallie distributed to all Bishops and that they as well as the Pope doe receiue it immediatly by their consecration of God but the power both of externall iurisdiction which standeth vpon Ecclesiasticall censures constitutions and decrees and internall iurisdiction which is exercised in binding and loosing is deriued say they from the Pope to all other Bishops 1 God tooke of the spirite that was in Moses and distributed it among the seuentie Elders that were chosen to beare the burthen of gouernement with Moses and to bee his helpers the Lorde tooke of his spirite not by diminishing it but by deriuing of his vertue to the rest but the Pope is now in the roome and place of Moses in the Church Ergo from him to the rest is this an authoritie deriued Answer First Moses example was extraordinarie he was a figure of Christ not of the Pope Deuteron 18. vers 15. The Pope might with better right stand vpon Aarons example who was high Priest not lay claime to Moses office who was the Prince and Captaine of the people for the Pope I trow would be chiefe Bishop and not Emperor too Secondly the meaning is not that God deriued Moses spirit to the rest but bestowed the like gift of prophesying vpon them as Moses had surely neuer any mortall man had the spirite in such aboundance that it could bee deuided into seuentie portions and one Prophet to make many The like phrase is vsed 2. King 2.15 Where the Prophets saide that the spirit of Eliah did rest on Elisha that is God endued him with an excellent spirit of prophesying as Elias had If they will vnderstand this place also of deriuing of spirits how then shall that be taken in the 9. verse where Elisha praieth that this spirit might be doubled vpon him If his spirit were deriued from Eliah how could it be doubled vpon him How could it be multiplied and increased how could he haue
dayes and three dayes and an halfe should signifie the same time Secondly with much better sense are these times applied by our learned and painfull countreyman Master Fox to the great persecution vnder the Emperours which continued 294. yeeres which time is mystically signified by 42. moneths taking euery moneth for a sabboth of yeeres And the rest of the numbers agree hereunto for 1260. dayes make three yeeres and an halfe that is moneths 42 and three daies and an halfe make houres 42. So taking euery houre in the dayes and euery moneth in the yeeres for a sabboth of yeeres there ariseth 294. yeeres which was the iust time of the persecution from the death of Iohn Baptist vnto the end of Licinius the tyrant persecutor This account I say better agreeth with the truth of historie then their imagined computation Thirdly if it should be taken as they expound it for so short a time then very little of the prophecie in the Apocalyps is yet fulfilled which we doubt not but is most accomplished as it may appeare in comparing the visions reuealed in that booke together And agayne there is no prophecie beside this of 42. moneths which can bee applyed to the great persecution in the Primitiue Church wherefore it is not like that the Lord would leaue his Church without some comfort in forewarning them of those great troubles which immediatly ensued But if these prophecies which are wrested by the Papists did noâ— foretell of those persecutions then are they vtterly forgotten in that booke which is not like it being the greatest triall that euer the Church had 4 We say then that wee are not curiouslie to search into times and seasons which the Lord hath not reuealed Onely this wee learne that the time of affliction being set downe by dayes and monethes the faithfull should hereby bee comforted knowing that the time of their trouble is limitted of God and is but short in respect of the kingdome of Christ. 2 The Lord sayth Math. 24. that those daies shall be shortned lest no flesh should be saued But how can the time bee short if it should last some hundreds or a thousand of yeeres Bellarmin cap. 8. Rhemist annot Matth. 24. sect 6. Answere First that place vers 22. is properly vnderstood of the calamitie of the Iewes which if it had continued any longer the nation of the Iewes had bin vtterly destroyed Secondly yet notwithstanding the raigne of Antichrist is short in respect of the eternall kingdome of Christ yea the whole time from his ascension vntill his comming agayne is counted but short Apocal. 22.20 I come quickly and S. Peter sayth That a thousand yeeres before God is as one day and one day as a thousand yeeres 2. Pet. 3. 3 Christ preached but three yeeres and an halfe therefore Antichrist shal be suffered to preach no longer Answere First yet Christ was thirtie yeeres old when he began to preach and shewed himselfe before though not so openly as when he was twelue yeere old he disputed with the Doctors in the temple he was also acknowledged for the Messiah in his natiuitie If Antichrist then must in this respect be correspondent to Christ he must also be knowne to be thirtie yeeres vpon earth before he be fully manifested Secondly though Christ himselfe preached no longer yet he sent his Apostles who preached many yeeres after we doe not therefore oppose the person of Antichrist whom we denye to be a singular man to Christ but the kingdome of the one to the other Now by their owne reason it followeth that because the kingdome of Christ endured many yeeres and yet doth that therefore Antichrists kingdome must likewise Other demonstrations the Iesuite hath to prooue that Antichrist is not yet come as because the Gospell is not yet preached to all the world cap. 4. Bellar. Helias and Henoch are not yet come who are certainly looked for cap. 6. There shall bee a most grieuous and terrible persecution vnder Antichrist which is not yet past cap. 7. But these arguments shall bee answered in another place towards the end of this worke when we come to speake of the appearing of Christ to iudgement The Protestants THat Antichrist shall raigne but three yeeres and an halfe we take it for a meere fable and a very popish dreame whereas on the contrarie side wee are able to shewe both that Antichrist is alreadie come and hath tyrannized in the world these many yeeres 1 We will make it plaine by demonstration that Antichrist hath been in the world many yeeres agoe by the propheticall places of scripture First it is sayd the number of Antichrist is 666. Apocal. 13.18 So anno 606. or thereabout Boniface the 3. obtayned of Phocas the Emperour to be called vniuersall Bishop Thus sayth Illyricus Chytraeus Also beginning at the yeere of the Lord 97. at which time Iohn wrote the Apocalyps and counting 666. yeeres we shal come to the time of Pipinus whom the Pope made King of France and he agayne much enlarged the iurisdiction and authoritie of the Pope And yet more euidently about the yeere of the Lord 666. the Latine seruice was commanded to be vsed in all countreys subiect to the See of Rome by Pope Vitalianus and about the same time Constantius the Emperour remoued the ancient monuments of the Empire to Constantinople and left the citie to the Popes pleasure Fulk annot in 13. Reuel sect 10. Another prophecie we haue Reuel 20.3 that after one 1000. yeeres Sathan must be let loose Euen so a thousand yeeres after Christ Pope Siluester a great coniurer hauing made a compact with the Diuell obtayned the Papacie and not long after him came in Gregorie the 7. a great Sorcerer also and Necromancer sic Lutherus But because it is not to be thought that Sathan was bound during that great and long persecution vnder the Romane Emperours wee must begin the account of the 1000. yeeres from the end of the persecution which continued 294. yeeres vnto that adde a thousand so haue we the yeere of our Lord 1294. About which yeere Boniface the 8. made the sixt booke of the Decretals confirmed the orders of Friers and gaue them great freedomes with this number agreeth Daniel his 1290. dayes Dan. 12 1â— Also somewhat before this time anno 1260. the orders of Dominicke and Franciscane Friers began first to be set vp by Honorius the 3. and Gregorie the 9. and so haue we the 1260. daies which are set downe Apocal. 12. plura apud Fox pag. 398. 2 If Antichrist should raigne but three yeeres and an halfe as our aduersaries teach and then immediatly that time being expired the world should end then it is possible to assigne the time of our Lord Christ his comming to iudgement so soone as Antichrist is reuealed But the Gospell sayth that of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels in heauen Math. 24.36 yet these good fellowes take vpon them to be wiser then the
Augustine taketh it But here first I oppose our Rhemists iudgement against Bellarmine for they denie that this place serueth to describe Antichrist belonging onely to the Apostles times Bellarmine saith it doth most properly decipher Antichrist 2. The great Antichrist shall denie Christ no otherwise then other Antichrists and heretikes did in the Apostles time for they are all Antichrists 1. Iohn 2.18 and he giueth one rule to know them all by vers 22. But the Antichrists then denyed not Christ apertly but couertly Ergo so shall the great Antichrist The first is true that the olde heretikes did not plainly denie Christ to bee come in the flesh but some denied his humanitie some his diuinitie some his person Augustine sayth Arriani hoc negant licet verbis fateātur the Arrians deny that Christ is come in the flesh though they confesse it in word for he that doth not confesse that Christ is equall vnto God denieth Christ in the flesh and so of other heretikes The second also is as true that Antichrist who is no other but the Pope shall also cunningly and couertly denie Christ for he that denieth the offices of Christ denieth Christ As Augustine sayth of Peters deniall Quicquid eius negauit ipsum negauit Tract in Iohann 66. whatsoeuer hee denyed of or belonging to Christ he denied Christ. So the Pope denieth Christ to bee our Prophet King and Priest His propheticall office he defaceth and in effect denieth in disgracing the scriptures saying they are imperfect and conteine not all matters necessary to saluation that their authoritie bindeth vs not without his allowance His Kingly office in making himselfe Christs Vicar and Vicegerent vpon earth in making new lawes sacraments ordinances beside Christs as necessarie to saluation as the rules of the Gospell His priesthoode in setting vp a new propitiatorie sacrifice in the abominable Masse beside the onely sacrifice of attonement vpon the Crosse in making other mediators and intercessors beside Christ and such like whereof wee shall haue occasion to entreat afterward more at large Ergo the Pope in denying the offices of Christ denieth Christ and so is Antichrist 2. Hee shall make himselfe Christ and Messiah which the Iesuite would prooue out of Iohn 5. ver 43. If another come in his name him will yee receiue But the Pope commeth not in his owne name but in the name of Christ hee calleth himselfe Christs Vicar Ergo hee can not bee Antichrist Bellarm. Answere First It is not necessarie that Antichrist should openly professe himselfe to be Christ in name but he shall doe it opere indeede and that closely and couertly for those whom Christ calleth pseudochristos false Christs Matth. 24.23 Iohn calleth Antichristos Antichrists 1. Iohn 2.18 False prophets therefore are false Christs Antichrists yet all those false prophets and heretikes did not in name and outward profession make themselues Christs 2. The Pope of Rome in effect maketh himselfe Christ for who but Christ is the head of the Church who but Christ is superiour to the Angels and to commaund them who but Christ can make sacraments and articles of fayth But all this the Pope taketh vpon himselfe to doe yea the Iesuite is not ashamed to say that he hath the same office which Christ had being vpon earth lib. 5. de pontif cap. 4. And whereas they say the Pope commeth in the name of Christ it shall as much profite him it being not in trueth but in colour onely and shew as it shall profite the false prophets to say in the day of the Lorde Haue not wee in thy name prophecied and cast out diuels Matth. 7.22.23 to whome Christ shall make answere Verily I know you not 3. Antichrist shall openly name himselfe God and commaund men to worship him as God 2. Thessal 2.4 But this doth not the Pope Ergo hee is not Antichrist Bellarm. Answere First If Antichrist should be such an one you might haue found amongst the Emperors of Rome diuers Antichrists for such an one Caligula was that commaunded temples to be erected in his name and his images to be set vp to be worshipped yea in the temple at Ierusalem 2. Saint Pauls wordes will not beare any such sence he shall sitte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God and your vulgar Latine hath ostendens se tanquam sit Deus shewing himselfe as though he were God that is in deede and effect not in open profession for hee should sit and be worshipped in the temple as God howe then can it bee called the temple of God being thus a temple of most grosse Idolatrie 3. The Pope in effect maketh himselfe a god vpon earth for he can dispence against the law of nature the law of GOD agaynst both new and olde testament as we haue shewed before quest 9. of this Controuersie yea Bellarmine sayth he may by his Apostolike authoritie dispence with the precepts of the Apostles cap. 14. He is able to change the nature of things and of nothing to make thinges to bee of wrong to make iustice c. Pope Nicholaus distinct 96. yea it is sayd of the Pope that hee is neither GOD nor man but a middle thing betweene both Pope Boniface I pray you then what is he he is no Angel for he is aboue them and commaundeth them Papa Angelis praecipit the Pope commaundeth Angels He must then either be a God or a diuell by your owne confession choose which you will Nay they doe make him a playne God Es alter Deus in terris an other God vpon earth and they salute him by these names Dominus deus noster Papa our Lord god the Pope Thus it is proued that the Pope both by his deedes as also by his titles doth make himselfe god vpon earth 4. Antichrist say they shall take away all worship yea of Idols and shall commaund nothing to be worshipped but himselfe 2. Thessal 2.4 the worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numina all things that are worshipped But so doth not the Pope for he prayeth to Saints adoreth the bodie of Christ on the altar Ergo. Bellarm. cap. 14. Rhemist 2. Thess. 2. sect 10. Answere First the text prooueth not that hee shall take away all Idols or thinges worshipped but shall exalt himselfe agaynst them and make smal account of them The place also of Daniel is playne 11.37 Hee shall not regarde the God of his fathers nor care for any God but shall magnifie himselfe aboue all And in his place shall he honour the God Mauzzim and the God which his fathers knew not shall hee honour with golde and siluer Out of this place we gather two thinges first that Antichrist shall bring in a strange God which his fathers neuer knew so hath the Pope inuented a breaden God which he honoureth with golde and precious stones making more account of it then of any image or relique whatsoeuer Secondly yet he shal magnifie himself aboue all such Gods Images Roodes
congregate or called to condemne such open wickednes as if neuer any heresie had been condemned but in a Synode or Councel Cont. 2. epistol Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 12. This is that heretical opinioÌ„ as they call it which the Councel of Constance condemned in Iohn Husse him together with it because he said That an heretike whatsoeuer he be ought first to be instructed and taught with Christian loue gentlenes by the holy scriptures by reasons drawn out of the same before he suffer corporall or bodily punishment Fox pag. 610. articul 18. Which his saying is grounded vpon that rule of the Gospell Math. 18.15 That if we see one offend we should first tell him priuatly then before 2. or 3. lastly declare it to the Church and if he will not heare the Church that is by scripture conuincing him then continuing obstinate let him be as a publicane This rule the papists kept not in their bloudie persecutions here in England They put many hundreds to death were not able to coÌ„uince any one of heresie but in disputation were themselues put to silence and made ashamed Their onely arguments were the fire and fagot 3 Againe they vsed vnlawfull waies and vniust in sifting and examining by error 104 cruel tormeÌ„ts the poore innocents brought before them neither shewing accusers nor witnesses Iohn Browne Martyr appearing before Warrham and Fisher two bloudsuckers was burned with hot coales his bare feet being set vpon theÌ„ Fox p. 1292. Cutbert Symsons fingers were grated with an arrow and he himself piteously racked to be made betray his innoceÌ„t brethren p. 2032. Tomkins hand was burned by Bonner till the sinewes sparkled againe pag. 1533. And these were the witnesses and accusers that were brought against them This was cleane contrarie to the law of Moses At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthie of death dye Deuteron 17.6 Augustine saith Quis iudex accusantis sumat personam c. What Iudge would take vpon him to be an accuser Our Lord Christ knewe Iudas to be a theefe sayth he yet because he was not accused he did not cast him off He counteth it a very vnnaturall thing for the Iudge to be an accuser and to proceede without witnesses which although in some criminall cases is more tolerable yet in the cases of life and death ought in no wise to be vsed The same iudgement also Augustine giueth of that cruell custome of tormenting men to conuince them by their own mouth which was inuented by the heathen but neuer more cruelly practised then among the papists Hoc intolerabile est saith he rigandum fontibus lacrymarum cum propterea torqueat iudex accusatum ne occidat nesciens innocentem fit per ignorantiam vt tortum innocentem occidat quem ne innocentem occideret torserat How intolerable a thing is it and to be much lamented that while the Iudge tormenteth the partie accused lest vnwittingly he should put an innocent man to death it falleth out that he adiudgeth to death a man both innocent beside tormented whom lest he should slay as an innocent he before put to torment His meaning is that when a man is put to the racke or otherwise tortured that he might confesse the truth and cleere himselfe it commeth to passe that through extremitie of the payne he maketh himselfe guiltie and so the innocent is both wrongfully tormented and vniustly put to death Which kind of forcing men by torture though in some dangerous cases as of high treason and such like where there is great perill in the concealing of the truth and no other way to sift it out may be admitted yet to vse it as an ordinarie course as the papists did and in causes of religion it is to too shameful and of all Christians to be abhorred 4 Where haue they learned so hotly and fiercely to pursue simple men and women to death for none or very small offences which they notwithstanding error 105 falsely called heresie Was it heresie for Iames Brewster to heare one Sweeting to reade many good things out of a certaine booke or for the same Sweeting when as the sayd Iames should say Now the sonne of the liuing God helpe vs to answere Now almightie God so doe yet for these heresies were they both condemned and burnt in Smithfield Anno. 1511. Fox pag. 818. A woman of Auspurge had like to haue been burned for asking a priest that carried the Host to a sicke man with Taper-light what he meant to goe with a light at noone day if Mary the Emperours sister had not made sute for her Anno. 1550. Anno 1525. a Monke burned in France because he had forsaken his abominable order and married a wife pag. 896. Iohannes de Cadurco being at a feast where it was agreed that euery one should bring forth this posie or sentence because he brought forth this Christ reigne in our hearts and prosecuted it out of the scriptures was burned Anno. 1533. pag. 897. A Tailour burned at Paris anno 1549. for working vpon an holy day ex Iohan. Crispin Fox p. 903. Ralfe Hare constrained to abiure for saying before the Bishop of Winchester The Lord is my witnes It is Symbolum Haereticorum saith Winchester a marke to know heretikes by to say the Lord the Lord page 1225. One Thomas Sanpaulinus Matyr because he rebuked a man for swearing was thereupon suspected to be a Lutheran examined condemned and burned at Paris anno 1551. pa. 904. Many such like examples might be produced of holye Martyres which for these and such other great heresies were put to death And as the offences were very smal as we see so their maÌ„ner of proceeding was most cruell void of all humanity They spared not women with childe We haue not forgotten that famous example of their crueltie which shall be remeÌ„bred to their perpetuall shame and infamie Howe they burned 3. simple women in the Isle of Garnsey anno 1556. which had submitted theÌ„selues to their mercie one of the three was great with childe which brast out of her wombe in the midst of the fire and was throwne in againe pa. 1944. They had no compassion of the tender age of children In the towne of Byrbroke while Richard Chapman did pennaunce in the Church beeing inioyned to kneele barefoote and bare legged all the sermon while vppon the colde steps of the Church a little boy for giuing him his hat to kneele vpon was had into the vestrie and piteously scourged pa. 1047. Cruel Bonner burned Richard Mâ—kins a childe of 15. yeeres for speaking against the sacrament of the aultar who notwithstanding at the stake was taught to speak much good of the B. of London and so did pa. 1202. John Fâ—ttie his childe being of 8. yeere oulde for saying to one of the Bishoppes Chaplens that he had Balaams marke was scourged so cruelly that within 14 dayes hee died Nay such was their cruelty they
other but all shall not passe through Purgatorie by their owne confession They are driuen to this shift to graunt that vers 13. the fire is taken in one sense namely for the sentence and iudgement of God and vers 15. in another that is for the flames of Purgatorie But who seeth not how absurd a thing this is that in an allegorie the same word and in the same place should be so diuersly taken Thirdly The day shall reueale it that is sayth Bellarmine the day of the Lord at the comming of Christ the Rhemists vnderstand the particular day of euery mans death so well they agree together But it is apparant that this is the meaning that the day that is the time shall declare it for God hath appoynted a time to examine euery mans doctrine by fire which is nothing els but the iudgement of God by the fire of his word whereby euery man in the day of his calling and conuersion shall knowe whether he hath preached aright or not Fulk The Protestants THat there is no such place of Purgatorie after this life but that here onely is the place of repentance and to be reconciled vnto God and that the soules departed are presently either receiued vp to heauen or thrust downe to hell thus it is proued out of the scriptures Argum. 1. The scripture maketh but two kinds of works either good or euill Ecclesiastes 12.14 But two sorts of men he that beleeueth shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be condemned Mark 16.16 But two places heauen and hell Math. 25. Christ hath but two flockes one of sheepe at the right hand another of goates at the left and he saith to the one Come ye blessed to the other Goe ye cursed There are but two sorts of men therefore but two places Ergo no Purgatorie Bellarm. There shall be indeede at the comming of Christ but two places heauen and hell Purgatorie shall haue an end Ans. First you say your selues that there shall be two infernall places for euer Hell for the wicked and a Limbus for infants that dye vnbaptized and heauen that maketh three and now you say there shall be but two Secondly there are but two places now because there are but two sorts of men for the beleeuers are alreadie passed frō death to life Iohn 5.24 The vnbeleeuers are alreadie condemned Iohn 3.18 Thirdly Augustine consenteth with vs Non est vlli vllus medius locus vt possit esse nisi cum diabolo qui non est cum Christo There is no middle or third place but he must needes be with the diuell that is not with Christ. De peccator remiss merit lib. 1. cap. 28. And againe Tertium locum penitus ignoramus imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis inuenimus The third place beside heauen and hell we are vtterly ignorant of nay wee finde not in scripture that there is any Arg. 2. S. Paul saith that euery man shall receiue the works of his bodie according to that which he hath done either good or euill 2. Cor. 5.10 Therefore there is no place to cleanse and purge the soules of men after this life for then they should not receiue according to the works done in their flesh Bellarmine sayth that euen they whose sinnes are remitted after death doe receiue nothing but that which was done in the flesh for they deserued in their life time to be helped after death Ans. First as for desert we will shewe elsewhere that it hath no place before God neither in this life nor the life to come for the scripture sayth Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne not who deserueth remission of sinnes Rom. 4.6 Secondly this deuised and friuolous distinction doth not stand with the Apostles meaning for he speaketh of things actually done in the flesh not deserued to be done and of the workes of the bodie not of the soule of things perfectly done not begun onely or in choate and he vseth it as a reason to perswade men euen while they liue to be accepted of God vers 9.11 But if there might be any such helpe after death there needeth no such hast presently to be conuerted vnto God Argum. 3. Apocal. 14.13 Blessed are the dead from henceforth that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours Ergo there is no Purgatorie for all the godly departed are at rest Bellarm. First it is not meant of all the godly but onely of Martyrs which dye for the name of Christ. Ans. As to liue in Christ Iesus is a phrase of scripture signifieth to liue godly in Christ 2. Timot. 3.12 so to dye in the Lord signifieth to dye in the faith of Christ 1. Thessal 4.16 Therefore this place is vnderstood of all the godly Bellar. 2. This word amodò from henceforth is not to be vnderstood straight after their death but straight after the day of iudgement thē they shal be blessed Ans. First by this reason none that are dead in Christ should be happie before that time And yet by your owne confession Martyrs are straightway receiued vp to heauen Secondly S. Iohn vseth this word elsewhere to signifie from this time forward as Iohn 1.51 Christ sayth to Nathanael From henceforth you shall see heauen open Rhemist Thirdly it may be also vnderstood of the soules of Purgatorie that are without danger of sinne and damnation and are put in vnfallible securitie of their saluation with vnspeakable comfort Ans. First so the Saints liuing are blessed being as well without feare of damnation Rom. 8.1 and are assured of their saluation Rom. 8.16 Secondly I pray you what rest or comfort can they haue that endure greater paine then any in this life And how can their consciences be quieted seeing their soules are so afflicted for bodies they haue none whatsoeuer they suffer is in soule how then can ioy and paine comfort and horror be together in the soule Fulk ibid. THE SECOND PART OF THE CIRCVMSTANces and other matters belonging to Purgatorie The Papists error 11 1. THey say it is an article of faith to beleeue that there is a Purgatorie and that he which beleeueth it not is sure to goe to Hell Bellarm. lib. 1. de purgatorio cap. 11. The Protestants WE hold that it is not onely an article belonging to the faith but contrarie to it and that though there were a Purgatorie yet it should not be necessarie to saluation to beleeue it First because the scripture hath not determined it which containeth all things necessarie to saluation Secondly the Greeke Church holdeth it not to this day they confesse no Purgatorie though they pray for the dead it were a hard matter therfore to pronounce them damned Thirdly Augustine doubted of it He sayth that there should be some such place after death non incredibile est it is not incredible vtrum ita sit quaeri potest aut inueniri aut latere fideles potest whether it be so or not
not that vpon the miraculous workes of Christ we should build the ordinarie dueties of Christians Augustine would haue told you that Christ is not to be imitated in such workes Non hoc tibi dicit non eris discipulus meus nisi ambulaueris supra mare aut nisi suscitaueris quatriduanum mortuum He saith not vnto thee Thou shalt not be my disciple vnlesse thou walke vpon the sea raise one that hath been dead foure daies But Learne of me for I am humble and meeke Secondly if prayer for the dead be vnto vs as the raising of the dead was to Christ then as all the dead are to be praied for so Christ should haue raised againe all that went then to Purgatorie or els by your conclusion he failed in charitie as we doe now if we pray not for the dead as you beare vs in hand Thirdly though the Saints departed and the faithfull liuing are members of the same bodie and so are bound in loue one to the other yet it followeth not that one should pray for the other They with vs and we with them doe wish and long to see the redemption of the sonnes of God accomplished Reuel 6.10.22.20 But charitie bindeth vs not one to pray for another because we knowe not one the particular needes of another Nay to pray for any departed is against the rule of charitie for loue beleeueth all things and hopeth all things 1. Corinthians 13.7 Wee ought to hope the best of the dead that they are at rest but in praying for them wee presuppose they are in miserie and so neede our prayers therefore wee hope not the best of them as charitie willeth vs. Argum. 2. Iohn 5. vers 16. The Apostle sayth There is a sinne vnto death for the which a man ought not to pray that is deadly sinne wherein a man dyeth without repentance but for other sinnes not vnto death whereof men repent themselues it is lawfull to pray Ergo we may pray for those that are departed not in deadly sinne for this place is properly to be vnderstood of praying or not praying for the dead because so long as a man liueth he may be prayed for because all sinnes are pardonable in this life Rhemist ibid. Ans. First a sinne vnto death is not onely finall impenitencie but sinne also against the holy Ghost such as was the sinne of Iudas and of the Pharisees Secondly though we should vnderstand it of finall impenitencie yet it is but a soâ—y argument some of the dead ought not to be praied for Ergo the rest may Thirdly the text cannot be vnderstood of praying for the dead for the text sayth not If any man see that his brother hath sinned not vnto death but If he see him sinning but the dead doe neither sinne nor are seene to sinne Fourthly whereas you say that all sinnes are pardonable in this life our Sauiour Christ saith contrary that the sinne against the holy Ghost can neuer be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to come Plura apud Fulk ibid. The Protestants TO pray for the dead is a worke neither pleasing before God because he hath no where commanded it nor auailable for them that are departed because they haue their iudgement alreadie While we liue let vs one pray for another but when we are gone the praiers of the liuing helpe vs not Argum. 1. The ground of this popish opinion of prayer for the dead is their superstitious deuise of Purgatorie for none els doe they hold it lawfull to pray for but for the soules onely in Purgatorie But there is no Purgatorie as we haue shewed before after this life our purging is onely in this life Christ hath by him selfe purged our sinnes Hebr. 1.3 Christ his bloud is the chiefe and onely purgation of our sinnes there are also other inferiour and ministeriall purgings whereby that onely soueraigne purging is made beneficiall and applied vnto vs as the inward operation and worke of the spirit is compared to fire Math. 3.11 1. Corinth 3.13 There is also a purging fire of affliction compared by the Prophet to fullers sope Malach. 3.3 There also shall be a third purging fire in the day of the Lord 1. Pet. 3.7 when as the corruption and mortalitie of our bodies shall be purged away and then shall our mortalitie put on immortalitie 1. Corinth 15.53 Other Purgatorie after this life we acknowledge none Seeing then that there are no soules in Purgatorie and for none els it is lawfull to pray but for the soules tormented in Purgatorie it followeth that we are to pray for none at all that are dead Argum. 2. No prayer is acceptable to God without faith We must pray without wauering and doubting Iames. 1.6 But so can we not pray for the dead for we cannot tell in what case they are for whom we pray whether they be in heauen hell or purgatorie and therefore we cannot assure our selues that our prayers are heard but must needes pray with great doubting and wauering of the mind Ergo such praiers are in vaine Iames 1.7 Argum. 3. Our praiers profite not the dead because there is no place after this life for repentance or remission of sinnes for this should be the end and intendment of our praier that they might be released of their sinnes and eased of their paine There is no remission of sinnes after death because there is no true repentance repentance there is none because there can be no amendment of life which alwaies followeth repentance for Iohn Baptist that was a preacher of repentance bid not onely the people to repent but to bring forth fruites worthie repentance Math. 3.2.8 So saith the Prophet Ezechiel If the wicked will returne from his sinnes and doe the thing that is lawfull he shall liue and not dye 18.21 There are two parts then of repentance as Isay sayth Cease to doe euill learne to doe well 1. Isay. 16.17 But there is no place of working out of the bodie Ergo then no repentance To this Augustine agreeth Non est apud inferos poenitentia ad salutem proficiens ecce nunc tempus est salutis nunc tempus remissionis In hac vita poenitentiae tantum patet libertas post mortem nulla correctionis est licentia De tempor serm 66. In hell or among the dead there is no repentance vnto saluation behold now is the time of saluation the time of forgiuenes In this life onely haue men libertie to repent after death there is no place for amendment What is become now I pray you of your Purgatorie repentance after this life there is no saluation to be had because there is no remission of sinnes no remission of sinnes because there is no repentance there is no repentance because there is no amendement Rhemist Our Sauiour saith Math. 12.32 that blasphemie against the spirit shal neither be forgiuen in this world nor the world to come Ergo some sinnes may be forgiuen in the world
commendable custome of the Church in ancient time as Augustine writeth thus Exposit. in Psal. 103. part 1. Pauca nos cogit dicere temporis angustia quod nouit charitas vestra debere vos exequijs fidelis corporis solenne obsequium The shortnes of the time causeth me to be briefe and you know that we are to performe a solemne dutie to the bodie of our faithfull brother The sermon seemeth to haue been made at some funerall The Iewes also the buriall being ended did comfort those that mourned and eate and dranke with them and gaue them the cup of consolation Ierem. 16.7 Iohn 11.31 Both which customes may be kept and retained without any superstition But other customes and ceremonies that doe sauour of impietie and doe any way implye prayer or commendation of the soules of the dead ought to be left and abolished 3 Another abuse in popish funerals is their superstitious and often remembrance of the dead for they haue their weekes mind for the dead the seuenth error 18 day nay their halfe weekes mind the third day their moneths mind the thirtith day and beside their anniuersarie or yeeres minde I pray you what neede all this Where doe they finde that wee should mourne for the dead a moneth thirtie dayes together much lesse a whole yeere Ioseph mourned but seuen dayes for his father Genesis 50.10 So did the Gileadites for Saul 1. Samuel 31.13 The Egyptians in deede mourned threescore and tenne daies when Ioseph mourned but seuen that we may see a manifest difference betweene the moderate mourning of the faithful and the excessiue lamentation of infidels But the popish yeeres mindes doe farre exceede the Egyptians stinted mourning there being fiue times 70. daies in a yeere Yet yeerely stipends erected for weekely monethly quarterly or yeerely sermons we mislike not being ordained for the instruction of the people without any relation to the soules of the dead otherwise then to giue God thankes for them and those good things which the Lord wrought by them error 19 4 They doe greatly erre and are deceiued in holding it to be a meritorious worke which is performed in the buriall of the dead alleadging to this purpose that place 2. Sam. 2.5 where Dauid sent messengers to the men of Iabesh Gilead saying Blessed are ye of the Lord that you haue shewed such kindnes vnto your Lord Saul and haue buried him therefore now the Lord shewe mercie and truth vnto you Bellarm. cap. 19. Answere There can be no such conclusion gathered out of these words The Lord will shewe mercie according to his truth and promise to those that are mercifull Ergo it is meritorious to be mercifull for here the reward dependeth of Gods promise and truth not vpon the worthines of the worke Indeed Dauid saith as it followeth in that place I will recompence this benefite because you haue done this thing They might deserue kindnes at the hands of Dauid because one good turne requireth another but before the Lord there is no merite or desert Secondly to burie the dead is a worke of charitie and therefore commanded as all other dueties of charitie are The things then commanded we doe of duetie we are bound to doe them Ergo they are not meritorious So saith our Sauiour Christ Doth the master thanke his seruant for doing that which he was commanded I trow not Luk. 17.9 error 20 5 In their funerals and suffrages for the dead they doe make great difference betweene the rich and the poore for they say it is possible that so many prayers and suffrages may bee made at once for the dead that their soules may at once be deliuered out of Purgatorie Et ideo in hoc solo casu melior est conditio diuitis quà m pauperis quia habet vnde suffragia fiant pro ipso And therefore in this case onely the estate of the rich is better then the poore because he hath wherewithall suffrages should be made that is able to giue great legacies and bequests to that end Albert mag de officio miss tract 3. Againe they haue greater respect vnto the Pope departed then any other for the first day there must be 200. Masses read for his soule and for nine daies after an 100. Masses euery day Tilemann de primat pontif error 86. Ans. Where doe they reade in all the scriptures that the rich in matters of the soule should be preferred before the poore nay the scripture saith plainly that God is no accepter of persons Act. 10.34 And S. Iames saith We ought not to regard a rich man that weareth goodly apparell hauing a gold ring before a poore man in vile apparell 2. vers 2. Where also doe they learne to pray for none but for those for whom they are hired to pray And if praier be a worke of charitie and if by their praiers they can deliuer mens soules out of Purgatorie why doe they not extend their charitie to all in praying for them What if the rich Glutton and poore Lazarus were aliue now or these popish Masse-mongers had liued then would they haue been bought for money to haue prayed for the rich mans soule and let Lazarus alone It is like they would But surely all their Masses should neither haue profited the one nor the want of them haue hindered the other Marke I pray you what Augustine saith Praeclaras exequias in conspectu hominum purpurato illi diuiti turba exhibuit famulorum sed multò clariores in conspectu domini vlceroso illi pauperi ministerium praebuit angelorum A goodly funerall did the friends and seruants make for the rich man arayed in skarlet in the sight of the world but a more blessed buriall had the poore man in the sight of God by the ministerie of the angels Therefore there is no respect of persons to be had among the dead neither haue the rich any greater priuiledge for the multitude of suffrages then the poore that wanteth them for no doubt the rich mans executors spared for no cost Masses Trentals Diriges they had enough if they were then to be had yet for all this stirre his soule went to Hell and Lazarus soule was by the angels caried to heauen that had none of this geere 6. Lastly if there were no other thing to be misliked in their Funerals this were sufficient to condemne them as abominable that they thinke their singing error 21 chaunting ringing giuing of dole and almes to the poore and all other their superstitious customes doe helpe and profite the dead Bellarm. ibid. Augustine giueth two reasons of this duetie to be shewed in the burying of the dead First Corpori humando quicquid impenditur non est praesidium salutis sed humanitatis officium What duetie is performed in enterring the bodie is an officious worke of humanitie not any reliefe for the health of the soule Secondly sayth he Corpori mortuo sed tamen resurrecturo impensum huiusmodi officium est quodammodo eiusdem
fidei testimonium This Christian duetie bestowed in burying the dead bodies which shall notwithstanding rise againe is a liuely testimonie in vs of the same faith That is we doe carefully commit the bodies of Christians to the ground knowing that they are not lost but shall rise againe but as for the dead themselues they receiue no benefite at all Curatio funeris pompae exequiarum viuorum sunt solatia magis quà m subsidia mortuorum This great prouision for funerals this great pompe of burials they are comforts for the liuing not helpes to the dead Impleant ergo homines ista erga suos postremi muneris officia sui leuamenta moeroris Let men therefore performe this last duetie to their friends which is also a great lightening of their griefe Ergo funerals profite not the dead but comfort the liuing yea it is called the last duetie which is performed at burials If it be the last then there is no duetie afterward to be done therefore prayers also are superfluous for if it were needfull to pray for the dead then the last duetie should not be in the buriall another comming afterward And thus much also concerning the manner and order of funerals THE SECOND PART OF THIS CONTROuersie of the Saints departed that are in ioye and blisse THis controuersie standeth of these seuerall questions 1. Of the blessed estate of the Saints in heauen and of the Canonizing of them vpon earth 2. Of the adoration of Saints First whether they be to be adored or not and whether it be lawfull to sweare by them Secondly of the diuers kinds of worship Thirdly of the worship of Saints vpon earth 3. Of the inuocation of Saints whether they pray for vs and vnderstand our praiers 4. Of the adoration translation keeping of reliques and of the miracles wrought by them 5. Of Images and the signe of the Crosse other matters thereto belonging more particularly handled 6 Of Churches the forme vse ornaments dedication of them and such like 7 Of Pilgrimages and Processions 8 Of holy and festiuall daies the Lords day Saints daies and of Lent 9 Of the Virgin Mary her conception vowes assumption worship merites Of these now in order THE FIRST QVESTION CONCERNING THE blessed and happie estate of the Saints departed THis question hath two parts First of their blessednes which they haue before God in heauen Secondly of the publishing or making knowne their blessednes before men which they call the canonizing of Saints THE FIRST PART OF THE BLESSED estate of the Saints before God in heauen The Papists BEllarmine taketh great paynes Lib. 1. De Sanctis in sixe long chapters together to proue that the Saints departed doe presently enioy the sight of God and doe enter into blisse and that their soules forthwith are receiued into heauen and are not kept in any secret by-places till the day of iudgement But all this while he sighteth with his owne shadowe for we grant as much as he proueth that the righteous are with Christ so soone as they are loosed from their bodies as Christ sayd to the theefe vpon the Crosse This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk. 23.42 See also to this purpose Philipp 1.23 2. Corinth 5.1 Heb. 12.22 All these places doe euidently proue that presently after their departure the soules of the faithfull doe enioy the presence of Christ and the celestiall companie of the Angels in heauen Yet our aduersaries stay not heere neither are contented with this that the Saints are blessed but proceede further and giue them a full possession of blessednesse making no difference betweene error 22 them and the Angels in glorie but affirme that they are as highly exalted as the Angels are Rhemist annot Luk. 15. sect 2. And Bellarmine therefore taketh vp Caluine because he saith the Saints are yet in hope and expectation of the perfect fruition of glorie Cap. 1. lib. 1. De Sanctis The Protestants WE confesse that the Saints in heauen are alreadie blessed yet they looke for the full accomplishment and perfection of their glorie when as their bodies shall be glorified in the resurrection Then it is sayd they shall be like the Angels and yet not in all things much lesse are their soules now equall to the Angels in glorie Fulk ibid. annot Luk. 15. sect 2. Argum. 1. The Saints shall be as the Angels but not before the resurrection Math. 22.30 Neither can it be proued out of that text that they shall then be equall to the Angels in all things for it is not all one to say they shall be as the Angels because they shall then neede no marriage as to say they shall be equal to the Angels in all things Apocalyps 6.10 The soules vnder the altar doe crie Lord how long Ergo they are in expectation of greater glorie And reason also giueth as much that the bodie and the soule being ioyned together in the kingdome of God shall make a fuller weight and measure of ioye Argum. 2. The wicked spirits and damned soules haue not yet their full and perfect torment Ergo neither the Saints their perfect ioye The diuels are now tormented and kept in chaines of darknesse 2. Pet. 2.4 Iud. 6. But their full damnation is reserued for the day of the Lord Math. 25.41 They are not yet tormented in such measure as they shall be and themselues make account for Math. 8.29 Luk. 8.31 Lastly if now the Saints are equall to the Angels in ioye their soules onely being in heauen it then followeth that in the resurrection when their bodies shall be restored to their soules their happines shall farre exceede the Angels which no where the scripture teacheth vs vnles they will thus reason Christ tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham Hebr. 2.16 Ergo wee are better then the Angels But to this Augustine answereth very well Some perhaps will say that wee are better then the Angels because Christ dyed for vs and not for the Angels Quale est sayth he ideo se velle aegrotum laudari quia vitio suo tam detestabiliter aegrotauit vt non posset aliter quam medic◠morte sanari As if a sicke man deserued commendation because by his owne fault he was so dangerously sicke that he could not be healed but by the death of the Phisition Quid hoc aliud est quà m de impietate gloriari Christus enim pro impijs mortuus est What is this els but for man to boast of his wickednes Christ dyed not for angels but for men because they were wicked THE SECOND PART OF THE Canonizing of Saints The Papists error 23 THe Canonizing of Saints is nothing els but the publike determination and sentence of the Church whereby men that are dead are iudged to be Saints and worthie of honour and worship as to be prayed vnto temples and altars to be set vp in their names holy daies to be appoynted for them and their reliques to
sect 8. Ans. 1. In this place Christ reproueth the Pharisies for their swearing and condemneth it by this argument that howsoeuer they thought it a smal matter to sweare by the Temple yet in effect they did sweare by God himselfe See thē the boldnes of these men that dare iustifie swearing by creatures by the same reason that Christ condemneth it 2. Our Sauiour saith nothing but this that in euery othe there is an inuocation of the diuine power and therefore whosoeuer sweareth by a creature committeth idolatrie in making it his God The Protestants 1. THat it is great impietie to make vowes vnto Saints it is thus proued Isay 19.21 In that day the Egyptians shal know the Lord and shal do sacrifices and vow vowes vnto the Lord. But sacrifices are not due vnto saintes but onely to God therefore neither vowes Againe the vowes of Christians are not to binde them selues to go in pilgrimage or to offer vnto this Saint or that this Image or that as Augustine saith alius pallium alius oleum alius ceram one voweth a cloke another oyle a third a wax Candle God careth not for these vowes saith he Sed hoc quod hodie redemit ipsum offer hoc est animam tuam But offer and vow vnto God that which as this day hee hath redeemed that is thy soule The vowes therefore of obedience and repentance and all Christian dueties are the true vowes the vowing of body and soule to the seruice of God Rom. 12.1 But this can not bee vowed vnto any but to him that redeemed vs Ergo not to any Saint 2 That wee ought onely to sweare by the name of God the scripture is plaine Deuteron 6 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his name and by no other Exod. 23.13 But saintes are not to be feared nor serued for the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt worship God which kinde of worship the Papists themselues dare not attribute to saintes Ergo neither are we to sweare by them Againe to sweare is to cal him to witnesse by whome we sweare and so to make him our God for whom we sweare by wee confesse to be a searcher and knower of our hearts and a reuenger of false swearers To sweare then is to call God to witnesse Quid tu facis cum iuras Deum testem adhibes Augustine What doest thou when thou swearest Thou callest God to wintesse But they that sweare by saints call them to witnesse and none els are called to witnesse but they by whom they sweare Ergo they make Saints their Gods seeing God is called vpon in euery oath THE SECOND PART OF THE distinction of the two kindes of worshippe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Papists error 26 THat kinde of worship which is proper to God they say is fitly expressed by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither is this word vsed but for the worship of God the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for all kind of seruice both of God men so that the religious worshippe which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is onely to be giuen to God the other called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee attributed to Angelles and Saintes Bellarmine Cap. 12. The Protestants This distinction is but of late inuented and coyned of our aduersaries somewhat to countenance them out in their idolatrous and superstitious worship of saints We thus do refell it Argum. 1. This distinction helpeth them not for heere are onely two wordes which doo betoken two kinds of worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the religious honor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the ciuil dutie such as seruants performe to their masters They should haue found out three names for their three kindes of worshippe they haue gained nothing by this distinction but that ciuill adoration is due vnto Saints such as is giuen to men vpon earth As for their fayned word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be called a superseruice when they can find it in scripture they shal know more of our minde and yet receiuing this terme it signifieth but a more ciuill seruice it betokeneth not a new kinde of religious worship Argum. 2 Neither are the wordes so vsed as they make vs beleeue for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they make proper for the seruice of God is applyed to men as Leuit. 23. Opus seruile non facietis You shal do no seruil work the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lodouic Viues also sheweth out of prophane authors that somtime the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the seruice of men or maids to their masters in 10. lib. Aug. de ciuit Dei cap. 1. So contrariwise the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in scripture for the proper seruice of God as Gal. 4.8 Ye did seruice to them that by nature were no gods the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo religious seruice is only due vnto God not to Angelles or saints for they are not by nature gods Augustine saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debetur Deo tanquam Domino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verò nō nisi Deo tanquam Deo quaest in Exod. 94. Religious seruice is due vnto God as Lord religious worship is onely due vnto God as he is God THE THIRD PART CONCERNING the kissing of holy mens feete The Papists IT is a signe of reuerence done both to Christ and other sacred persons as Prophetes Apostles Popes or others representing his person heere vpon error 27 earth Rhemist act 4. sect 3. Argum. 1. The Shunamite fell downe and embraced Eliseus feete 2. King 4.27 Ergo the Popes feete ought to be kissed Ans. 1 Your popes must be first as holy men as this Prophet was who was thus reuerenced for his holynes before they can challenge the like honor 2 This reuerence to the prophet was voluntary in the woman not looked for or exacted by the prophet as the pope looketh for it of duty 3 Heere is no mention made of kissing of feete but onely that she caught him by the feete which was partly a signe of her ioy that she had met with the prophet partely by this sodain and disordered gesture the prophet perceyued that she was troubled in minde for Gehazi would haue thrust her away but he said Let her alone for her spirite is troubled within her 4 This is no warrant for the pope to offer his feete to be kissed of Kinges and Emperours because the woman fell downe at the prophetes feete think you that if the King of Israel had so done the prophet would haue suffered it Argum. 2. Marie kissed Christs feete Ergo the popes feete ought to be kissed Ans. What arrogancie is this that the pope a mortall and sinfull man should challenge that honor which was done to Christ being God in the flesh and void of sinne He might also
worshipped their images as Gods But so doe not they they make no account of them as they affirme for their matter or forme but for that relation they haue to the things whose images they are Rhemist Philipp 2. sect 2. Ans. First the Iewes also in their golden Calfe had a relation to that God that brought them out of the land of Egypt Exod. 32.4.5 The like relation had Ieroboam in setting vp of his Calues 1. King 12.28 for they were not so mad as to thinke that a Calfe brought them out of Egypt And it appeareth yet more plainly for Exod. 32.5 Aaron sayth To morowe shall be the Lords holy day the word is Iehouah which name the Iewes only ascribed vnto God So Iudg. 17.3 Micah his mother sayth that she had consecrated the shekles of siluer to the Lord Iehouah to make a molten Image wherefore in their Images they had relation to God and yet were they reproued for their idolatrie The like relation the Gentiles also had in their Idols as Augustine witnesseth Non ego illum lapidem colo c. adoro quem video sed seruio ei quem non video Quis est ille Numen quoddam inuisibile quod praesidet illi simulachro I doe not worship that carued stone or Image I reuerence that I see but I serue or worship that I see not that is a certaine diuine spirit which is president in that image Wherefore popish idolatrie can no more be excused by this shift of reference or relation then either the Iewes or Gentiles that pretended the same colour 2 It may be proued by the practise of the popish Church in England that simply without any such relation or signification they commanded Images to be worshipped Thomas Man Martyr troubled because he beleeued not in the Crucifixe Robert Raue of Dorney molested because he sayd that an Image grauen with mans hand is neither God nor our Ladie but made for a remembrance of Saints nor wee ought to worship any thing but God and our Ladie and not images of Saints which are but stockes and stones Mistresse Alice Dolie brought into trouble for saying We should not worship that thing that hath eares and eyes and can neither see nor heare These good men and women we see were persecuted in those daies for denying worship to Images as they were Images So then the popish doctrine was as it appeareth that Images were simply to be worshipped Argum. 2. Apocalyps 9.20 Worshippers of Idols of siluer and gold are there condemned which can be no other but the Papists for that prophecie is to be fulfilled in the latter times towards the end of the world after the opening of the seuenth seale and blowing of the sixt trumpet But there is no knowne nation in the world nor hath not been many a day that worshippe Images but the popish Synagogue Argum. 3. Man is the image of God and yet is not worshipped how much lesse ought we to worship carued images which are but made with mens hāds As Augustine saith Opera hominum non colenda meliores sunt artifices The handie workes of men are not to be worshipped the workmen themselues are better and yet not worshipped What foule idolatrie is this to preferre the workes of mens hands before the worke and image of God to despise men and haue in so great regard dead stockes and stones Argum. 4. Augustine sayth Noui multos esse sepulchrorum picturarum adoratores I know there are many which worship sepulchres and pictures Of these he warneth men to take heed Noli consectari turbas imperitorum Followe not such vnlearned and vnskilful multitudes Bellarmine answereth that Augustine wrote thus when he was a young man and not fully conuerted cap. 16. A sillie shift yet we will vouchsafe an answere though it be worthie of none Let vs heare what Augustine thought when he was old and stayed in iudgement Iam verò artifex melior est eis quem te tamen puderet adorare melior tu quamuis ea non feceris quoniam quae illa non possunt facis melior bestia The workman is better then the image who gaue fashion and shape vnto it yet thou wouldest be ashamed to worship him thou thy selfe art better for thou canst doe many things which that cannot nay a bruite beast that heareth and seeth is better By this we may see what Augustine thought of worshipping of Images THE FOVRTH ARTICLE WHAT MANNER OF worship is to be giuen to Images The Papists BEllarmine who is the mouth of the rest setteth downe these two positions First that Images though they are not properly to be worshipped with diuine error 41 honour neither is it safe so to teach in the hearing of the people yet improperly they may haue the same worship which properly belongeth to the Saint whose image it is Secondly there is a religious worship properly due vnto images as they are considered in themselues non solum vt vicem gerunt exemplaris and not onely as they represent another thing Bellarm. de imaginib sanctor lib. 2. cap. 21.23 The Protestants WE haue shewed before that Images ought not to be worshipped at all and that all religious worship is due onely vnto God wherefore to vs this question is superfluous with what religious worship Images are to be adored for no religious worship at all is due vnto them yet let vs vouchsafe the while to see the contradictions that are amongst them and the absurdities that they are driuen vnto 1 Our Rhemists confesse that Images are not at all to be worshipped with any diuine honour Act. 17. sect 5. But it was decreed in the idolatrous Councel of Nice the second and maintained by Thomas Aquinas Bonauentur Caietanus and other papists that the image of God is to bee worshipped with the same worship that is due vnto God And Bellarmine commeth not much short of them that sayth improprie improperly Images may haue the same worship as the Kings ambassadour improperly is honoured as the King I pray you how farre are these men from making their Images Gods for they say they are the Lords deputies and Vicegerents as the ambassadour is for the King Againe the Rhemists affirme that the Images of Christ are not to be honoured or accounted of but for the respect and relation they haue to our Sauiour Annot. Philipp 2.2 So the Tridentine Councel determineth Sess. 25. Honos qui eis debetur refertur ad prototypa quae illae repraesentant The honor due vnto them is to be referred vnto those things which they represent But Bellarmine teacheth cleane contrarie that they haue not onely a respectiue honour as representing other things but properly and in themselues considered are to be worshipped We may see by this how handsomely they agree together 2. Let vs see their absurdities First they hold that all images are not to be worshipped alike for they make 3. degrees of religious worship the
not to enter into that holy place and thus according to the places they deuided the congregation as though one part were more holy then the other The people also were made to beleeue that to be buried in the Chauncell but especially vnder the Altar was more auailable for the dead then to be buried in the Church But where learne they that our Churches ought to haue a sanctuary as the Iewish Temple had that was an euident type and is now accomplished in our Sauiour Christ who is now entred into the heauens as the high Priest then entred into the holy place to make atonement for the people Heb. 9.24 This therefore is very grosse to reuiue and renew again Iewish types and figures And if herein they wil imitate the building of Salomons Temple to haue a Sanctuary why doe they not also build toward the West as the Temple was why bring they not their Altar downe into the body of the Church for in their holy place there was no Altar And indeed Altar we acknowledge none as afterward shal be proued But we see no reason why the communion Table may not be set in the body of the Church as well as in the Chauncell if the place be more conuenient and fit to receiue the Communicants But I pray you why is your Altar rather set in your Sanctuary then the Fonte or Baptistery they are both Sacraments as well Baptisme as the Lords Supper why should one be preferred as holier then the other Secondly all things in the Church ought to be done vnto edifiyng and therefore we allow no such partitions as doe hinder the edifiyng of the people and exclude them from hearing as in popish Churches the Priest is pued or mued vp by himselfe a great way off that his voice can hardly be perceiued of the people The Minister is so to stand and turne himselfe as he may be best heard and vnderstood of the people as Ezra had a pulpit of wood to stand in when he read the Law Nehemiah 8. 4. Augustine thus writeth Cum Episcopus solus intus est populus orat eum illo et quasi subscribens ad eius verba respondet Amen While the Bishop or Pastor praieth within the people both praieth together with him and subscribing to his words answereth Amen By this it appeareth that though in Augustines time the Minister had a place for him selfe as it is meete he should yet he so disposed himselfe that his praier was heard of all the people for otherwise how could they pray with him and subscribe or giue assent to his wordes THE SECOND PART OF THE END and vse of Churches THis part hath 3. seuerall pointes First whether the Churches of Christians are built to offer sacrifice in Secondly whether they be in themselues places more holy then others Thirdly whether they may be dedicate to Saintes THE FIRST POYNT OR ARTICLE whether our Churches are for sacrifice The Papists THe principall end of Churches is for the sacrifice of Christians and in that error 49 respect they are truely called Temples they are not onely for prayer the preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments but chiefely for the externall sacrifice of the Masse Bellarm. cap. 4. Argu. 1. The Churches of Christians haue altars therefore sacrifices that they haue altars he thus proueth First 1. Corinth 10.21 You can not be partakers of the Lords table and the table of Deuils by the table here is meant the altar for the table of the heathen was their altar wherein they sacrificed to their Idols Ans. 1. A table is one thing an altar an other and very vnproperlye is an altar called a table this place in any wise mans iudgement maketh more against them then with them Secondly S. Paule speaketh not here of the sacrifices of the heathen nor of their altars but of the feastes which they made in their idolatrous temples which was done vpon tables of such sacrifices as had bene offered to idoles vnto the which feastes S. Paul forbiddeth Christians to come as it appeareth in the rest of the Chapter and more plainely cap. 8.10 Argu. 2. Heb. 13.10 Wee haue an altar of which they haue no power to eate that serue at the Tabernacle that is the altar whereon Christs body is offred Bellarm. Rhemist in hunc locum Ans. The Apostle speaketh expressely of participation of the sacrifice of Christs death as it is manifest in the 2. verses next following which is by a Christian faith and not in the Sacrament onely whereof none can be partakers that remayne in the ceremonial obseruations of the Leuitical sacrifices For the Apostle speaketh manifestly verse 12. of the suffering of Christ without the gate Christ therefore is the altar yea our Priest and sacrifice too You abuse this place to proue your materiall popish altars which are many but the Apostle saith we haue an altar speaking of one The Protestants THe Churches of Christians are the houses of praier made to that end that they should come together to heare the word of God read and preached receiue the sacraments and offer vp their spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing other externall sacrifices or altars we acknowledge none Argu. 1. The temple of the Iewes was called an house of praier that is principally for praier Marke â—1 17 Moses was read and preached in their synagogues Act. 15.21 Much more are the Churches of Christians appointed for preaching and praier Act. 20.7 The first day of the weeke which is the Lords day they came together to breake bread and Paul preached vnto them Ergo the administration of the word and sacrameÌ„ts with praier is the chiefe and only cause of the holy assemblies of Christians Argu. 2. Altars we haue none in our Churches S. Paul calleth it the Lords table 1. Corinth 10.21 where wee receiue the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ. And he calleth it bread which is broken 1. Corinthians 11.20 But bread is set vpon Tables not sacrificed vpon Altars Augustine also calleth it Mensam Domini the Lords table Epist. 59. epist. 50. He sheweth howe cruelly the Donatistes handled Maximian a catholik Bishop beating him with Clubbes euen in the church lignis altaris effractis immaniter ceciderunt and wounded him with the wood of the Altar which they had broken downe Where though he improperly call it an Altar yet was it a communion table framed of wood and made to bee remoued not fastened to the wall as their popish Altars were THE SECOND ARTICLE WHETHER Churches are more holy places in them selues The Papists GOd they say rather dwelleth and is present in Churches then els where error 50 and therefore it is more auailable for a man euen to make his priuate prayer in the Church Argum. 1. The Temple of Salomon was ordained euen for the prayers of priuate men and Salomon prayeth vnto God that they might be heard 1. King 8.38 So Anna prayed in the Tabernacle 1. Sam. 1.
not haue broken them Thirdly Pentecost whereof Saint Paul speaketh was the feast of the Iewes which with other solemnities of theirs the Apostles obserued not as a portion of Christian religion but taking occasion of the meeting of the Iewes in those festiuall dayes and so doe we obserue those holy dayes for order and edification of Gods people that vse to assemble at such times Fulk Matth. 15. sec. 3. Fourthly what cause is there why Easter and Whitsontide should be tied to the Lords daye and the Natiuitie of Christ which Bellarmine confesseth was vpon the Lords day should indifferently bee kept vpon any day but that hereby wee vnderstand that it is an indifferent matter whether they should bee kept vpon the Lords day or any other and whether vpon any certaine daye or to bee left to the discretion of the gouernors of the Church to be obserued as any other occasion shall be offered Fulk annot Apocalyps 1. sect 6. Lastly we shewed Augustines opinion in the first part of this question how hee vnderstandeth that saying Psalme 118. This is the day which the Lord hath made onely of the Sabboth thereby insinuating that other holy dayes either were not instituted of God at all or else not with the like necessitie THE FOVRTH PART OF THE solemnities of Saintes The Papists error 69 1. THey hold that holy dayes may be dedicated vnto Saints for their honor and worship as Christ promised that the charitable act of Marie Magdalene wrought vpon him should be recorded and remembred Matth. 26. vers 13. Hereby we learne that the good workes of Saintes may be recorded to the honor of Saints in the Church whereof arise their commemorations and holy dayes Rhemist annot Matth. 25. sect 1. The Protestants 1. THe good works of Saints may be remembred to the honor of God without their holy dayes and commemorations Christ instituted no holy day of Mary Magdalene nor commanded an image of her fact to be made but a memorie of her in preaching the Gospel Fulk ibid. Secondly we graunt that Christian solemnities may be kept as things indifferent which the Church may retaine or abrogate as it shall seeme best for edification not obserued of necessitie as a part of the worship of God nor consecrate to the honor of Saints seeing al diuine worship is wholly to be reserued to God not to be giuen to any other For times and seasons the scripture saith the Lord hath put onely in his owne power therefore he is onely to haue the honor of them Act. 1.7 Thirdly what honor is due vnto Saints Augustine sheweth Colimus martyres eo cultu dilectionis societatis quo in hac vita coluntur sancti homines Dei Wee doe honor Martyrs with the seruice of loue and fellowship as holy men are honored in this life But it is not lawful to consecrate times and dayes to holy men liuing therefore neither to Saints departed for one and the same kind of honor is due to them both The Papists error 70 2. THey maintaine that there may bee holy dayes and commemorations of all Saints as Christ promiseth there should bee of Mary Magdalene Rhemist Matth. 25. sect 1. The Protestants THis is another principal fault which we finde complaine of in their holy dayes that they haue pestred the Church with such a number of Saints and Saints dayes First as we haue partly shewed before they appointed a seuerall Saint almost for euery purpose as here we haue set it downe Saint Leonard for captiues Saint Rochus for the pestilence Saint George for warre Saint Anna giueth riches Saint Nicholas and Christopher for the sea Saint Apollonia for the toothake Saint Otilia for the eyes Saint Margaret for women in trauell Saint Laurence keepeth from the fire Saint Catherine giueth wit learning Saint Iohn against poyson Saint Quirine for the fistula Saint Protasius and Geruasius helpe to bewray theft And thus is it true of them as Ieremie complained of the Idolatrous Israelites that their gods were after the number of their cities Ierem. 2.28 In like manner also haue they multiplied their Saints dayes for beside the festiuals of Christ the holy Ghost and of the Apostles they haue added these besides Saint George his day Corpus Christi Assumption of Mary Natiuitie of Mary Conception of Mary The birth dayes of the Apostles Magdalenes Laurence The Dedication feast Martin their holy dayes Nicholas their holy dayes Catherine their holy dayes Anne their holy dayes Beside in the Dioces of Salisburge fifteene festiuals of Saint Rubert with many more whereof some of them are blasphemous as to keepe the Conception of Mary in remembrance that shee was conceiued without sinne some of them fabulous and forged as the Assumption of Mary in memorie of her Assumption in body to heauen which is a meere fable But all the rest are idolatrous and superstitious ordained for the honor and worship of creatures And thus haue they cumbred the people of God with their infinite obseruations So that the Lorde saith to them concerning their feastes as vnto the Israelites They are a burden vnto mee I am wearie to beare them Isai. 1.14 In Augustines time or who else it was that made those Sermons when there were nothing so many festiuals as now among Papists yet more then needed he writeth thus in a sermon vpon a festiuall Laetus sum hodierno die propter tantam festiuitatem sed aliquantulum tristis quia non video tantum populum congregatum quantus congregari debuit I am glad to daye because of this festiuall day and somewhat grieued withall that the people resorte not in such frequencie as they should We may see by this that euen then the people began to wax wearie of their many holy dayes The Papists THey enioyne sanctification and necessarie keeping of all their festiuities and holy dayes and so make no difference betweene the obseruation of error 71 holy dayes appointed of GOD and others ordained of men requiring the like strictnes in keeping of them all Rhemist Annot. Galat. 4. sect 5. The Protestants THere are no dayes necessarie to be kept but those that are of the Lords appointment the rest being voyde of superstition may be celebrated as indifferent and therefore not to be commaunded with the like strictnes as is the Lords daye There is greater libertie vpon holy dayes for bodilie labour then vppon the Sabboth for bodilie rest vppon the seauenth day is commaunded of GOD bodily labour vppon all other dayes permitted and may without offence of conscience bee vsed when it is not by the lawfull authoritie of the gouernors of the Church vppon iust occasion restrained as during the time of publike praiers and fastes hearing of the word and such like The rest of the Sabboth so far as it helpeth our preparation and fitnes to spirituall exercises and is a part of sanctifying the Lords day bindeth simplie in conscience because it is the commaundement of GOD but
the rest vpon holy dayes doth not in it selfe binde vs no otherwise then by reason of offence that may arise by our contempt of the constitutions of the Church We finde that Simon Islip Archbishop of Canturburie directed his letters patents to all Parsons and Vicars wherein he straightly charged them and their parishioners vnder paine of excommunication not to absteine frō bodily labor vpon certaine Saints dayes which before were wont to be halowed and consecrated to vnthrifty idlenes Fox pag. 393. Ergo by their owne iudgement all the festiuities of their Church are not to be kept alike Augustine maketh three degrees of festiual dayes in the first and highest degree he placeth the Lordes day Quomodo Maria virgo mater domini principatum tenet inter omnes mulieres ita inter caeteros dies haec omnium dierum mater est As amongst women the Virgine Marie the mother of our Lord is the chiefe so this day is the mother and chiefe of al other dayes speaking of the Sabboth of Christians de tempore serm 36. In the next place or degree he putteth the festiuals of Christ and the holy Ghost as the commemorations of his Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension as in his sermon vpon the Ascension day hee thus saith Conditoris basilica huius S. Leontij hodiè depositio est sed dignetur obscurari stella à sole To day wee haue the commemoration of the deposition or sepulture of Saint Leontius the founder of this Church But let not the starre thinke much to bee obscured of the Sunne So in the third ranke he counteth the commemorations of holy men which vnto the festiuities of Christ were but as the Starre to the Sunne Wee will adde a fourth place or degree distinguishing betweene the commemorations of the holy Apostles and other superstitious and popish Saintes dayes which our Church hath worthily thrust out at the dores AN APPENDIX TO THIS parte of the vigiles and night watches annexed to festiuall dayes The Papists 1. THey were wont vpon Saintes eeues to giue themselues to fasting and watching But their night vigiles or watches they doe not now so error 72 strictly obserue because of the great abuses which did growe thereupon Bellarm. cap. 17. Yet they haue not altogether left them for they haue their Nocturnes or midnight mattens and their prime houres in the morning Rhemist annot Act. 10. sect 6. The Protestants THe Christians in time of persecution had their antelucanos hymnos their early and timely songs and hymnes they met together to worship God before the Sunne rise because they could not safely neither were suffered to assemble in the daye time But that is no reason why now the Church should vse vigiles or nocturnes seeing we now haue free exercise of religion in the day time no more then Paules example is to bee vrged that prayed by the riuers side with the people and there preached vnto them because in Idolatrous cities they could haue no places of meeting That therefore wee now ought to doe the like hauing Churches and Oratories to assemble in Augustine if the sermon be his thus witnesseth Iubente Ambrosio cessabant vigiliae Mediolani quia cum vigilabant per noctem ad ecclesiam ludendo chorizando conueniebant At Millaine by Ambroses commaundement the vigiles ceased because the people when they watched did come by night daunsing and sporting and playing to the Church The Papists 2. THey haue also another superstitious custome to set vp wax candles and error 73 taper light before Images and vpon the altar to carrie them about in procession and euen at middaye and high noone And Bellarmine would authorise this custome by the continuall burning of the lampes daye and night as he saith in the tabernacle amongst the Iewes The Protestants Ans. FIrst wee say of this as we did of the vigiles of the Church before that Christians in those dayes in their night assemblies vsed candle light but it followeth not that the vigiles being now left we should burne candles at noone daye and that this was their custome to burne their lampes onely in the night Augustine sheweth where hee speaketh of those that did vowe ceram ad luminaria noctis waxe candles for the lights of the Church in the night Secondly it is vtterly vntrue that the lampes in the Tabernacle burned all day the contrarie is proued that they were lighted in the euening and so burned all night for those that kept the watch in the Temple 2. Chron. 13.11 and that in the morning againe they were put out 1. Sam. cap. 3. vers 3. The Priest shall set the lampes on fire inter duas vesperas betweene the two twilights that is the euening and morning Exod. 30.8 And hee shall dresse them to burne from the euening to the morning Leuitic 24.3 That therefore which the Iesuite made for an argument for himselfe wee will vrge against him that seeing the lampes amongst the Iewes who abounded in types and ceremonies were burnt onely in the night and not vpon the day it is shame for those that would bee counted Christians in superstitious customes to exceede and goe beyond them THE FIFT PART OF LENT and Imber dayes The Papists 1. THey holde that the holy time of Lent as they doe fondly call it as error 74 though any time in their sense were more holy then another is an Apostolike tradition warranted by the example of Moses Elias and our Sauiour Christ that fasted 40. dayes Rhemist Matth. 4 sect 2. The Protestants Ans. FIrst that fasting of our Sauiour Christ and the holy Prophets was miraculous and no more to bee imitated then Christs walking vpon the Sea or raising of the dead as Augustine saith Non tibi dicit Non eris discipulus meus hee saith not Thou shalt not bee my Disciple vnlesse thou walke vpon the sea or raise the dead but learne of mee because I am humble and meeke Yet if any of them can fast so many dayes as they did without eating any thing at all wee giue them good leaue Secondly that it was not an Apostolike tradition it appeareth because it was not vniformally kept of the Church a long time after them For as Irenaeus witnesseth some fasted one day some two dayes some fourtie houres day and night But if it had been necessarily enioyned and prescribed by the Apostles such varietie of custome could not haue sprung vp at the least not haue been suffered in the Church Thirdly Epiphanius saith that the Wednesdaies fast was an Apostolike tradition and to obserue the feast of the sixe dayes of Easter with bread salt and water which obseruations are not kept amongst the Papists themselues yet haue they as good testimonie of antiquitie to bee Apostolike traditions as the Lent fast Fourthly in Augustines time there was no necessarie enforcement for euery man to keepe Lent Si aliquis saith hee ieiunare non potest eleemosyna sine ieiunio bona est If
any man be not able to fast almes without fasting is good and profitable Wherefore seeing the Lent fast was then voluntarie it is euident that it was not an Apostolike prescription which should haue bound all men necessarily The Papists 2. A Second abuse in their fasting is to appoint prescript times necessarilie error 75 to fast in as in Lent on Fryday Saturday vpon Imber dayes which are prescribed for the foure solemne times of giuing orders And this also they say is an Apostolike tradition Acts. 13.3 They fasted prayed and laid their hands vpon them Rhemist ibid. The Protestants Ans. 1. FOr prayer and fasting to bee vsed at such times as Ministers are ordained we doubt not but it is an Apostolik tradition because we find it written in the Actes of the Apostles But it was fasting from all meat and drinke which the Apostles vsed not abstinence from flesh onely as vpon your Imber dayes Neither do you obserue those dayes of fast for any such purpose For your Imber dayes are kept amongst you though there bee no orders giuen in the whole dioces 2. Prescript and set times of ciuill abstinence from some meates for the benefite of the common wealth as your Lent and Imber daies are still retained in England and no otherwise we condemne not But to appoint ordinary tymes of necessary and Religious fasting without special cause was of the auncient Church accounted heresie in Montanus This also was the practise of the Church of God in the olde Testament vpon speciall occasion not at set and ordinary times to enioyne publike fasting as the prophet sayeth Blowe the Trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assemblie Ioel 2.15 which sheweth that their publike fastes were not vsuall ordinary but especially sanctified and solemnly proclaimed As for the fixed and set fasting dayes in the weeke in Augustines time onely the Churches of Rome kept the Saturdayes Fast all the East Churches and many of the West obserued it not And whereas some alleadged that Peter fasted vpon Saturday beeing the next day which was the Lordes day to encounter with Simon Magus Augustine saith it was opinio plurimorum the opinion of many quam tamen falsam esse perhibent plerique Romani yet many of the Romanes holde it but for a fable And so he generally concludeth concerning prescript dayes of fasting Quibus diebus non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum nō inuenio definitum Vpon what dayes we ought to fast vpon what dayes not I finde it not defined by any precept giuen by our Lord or any of the Apostles Epistol 86. The Papists error 76 3. A Third abuse in popish fasting is the difference that they make betweene meates and drinkes as the forbidding of flesh-eating vpon fasting dayes for more holines and the eating of egges butter cheese in Lent as it was decreed at Lucerna in Heluetia Anno. 1524. Abstinence also from some meates vpon certaine dayes for religion is warranted by the Rhemist as God prohibited Adam the eating of some fruites in Paradise for obedience and in the lawe for signification annot 1. Timoth. 4. sect 6. The Protestants Ans. FIrst now Antichrist sheweth himselfe in his colours making it as lawfull for him to forbid the vse of some meates for religion now vnder the Gospel when God hath made them all lawful and free as God himselfe might forbid the vse of some for obedience in Paradise or signification in the Lawe Secondly S. Paul calleth it the doctrine of diuels to command to absteine from meates 1. Timoth. 4.3 Againe let no man condemne you in meate and drinke Colos. 2.16 The Rhemist answere that the Apostle speaketh in the first place against those heretikes that condemned meates as euill by creation such were the Manichees and in the second against the Iudaicall obseruation of meates But they onely prohibite the vse of some meates for the chastising of the bodie Ans. First not onely the Manichees and other heretikes preferred some meats before other as more holy but euen the Papists also in the prescript times of their fasts doe command to absteine from meates for pietie and religion And therefore they are counted most holy amongst them that neuer eate flesh And Durand testifieth that fish in interdict dayes is rather vsed then flesh because flesh and not fish was accursed in the dayes of Noah Yea they command abstinence from meates vnder paine of damnation what is this else but with the old heretikes to condemne the creatures of God themselues Secondly the popish prohibition of meates is more superstitious then was the Iewes For they prohibited such meates as by the lawe were counted vncleane as to eate beastes that died alone or were torne with beasts or strangled or touched any vncleane beast as likewise they inioyned pennance to them that did eate or drinke where a dogge or cat had lapped or a mouse had been drowned and such like Fulk annot 1. Timoth. 4 sect 6. I pray you how farre are they now from the superstition of the Iewes Nay they goe beyond them for the legall difference of meates for signification was instituted of God for those times But this superstitious distinction of meates vnder the Gospel which giueth vs the free vse of all the creatures of God which are sanctified by the worde and prayer 1. Timoth. 4.5 is brought in by Antichrist who is an enemie vnto God 3 Neither doe they abstayne from flesh and other meates for chastising of the flesh for they permit the vse of all other meates vpon their fasting dayes that may prouoke lust flesh onely excepted as the eating of spices and other dayntie and delicate confections the drinking of wine and all kind of fish Euen like as Augustine reporteth of the Manichees that would drinke no wine nor eate flesh but in stead of wine they had Pomorum nonnullorum expressos succus vini speciem satis imitantes atque id etiam suauitate vincentes the sweete liquor of pleasant fruites like to wine in colour but excelling it in sweetnes and for flesh they had their straunge exquisite fruites with great varietie of dishes seasoned and strawed with pepper This was the Manichees fast and this is the popish custome in their fastings at this day Agayne if they forbare some meates for chastisement of the body why might it not bee as lawfull to eate butter and egges in the time of Lent as vpon other fasting dayes but that they make difference of the times as one being holyer then an other and so also a difference of meates some being more agreeable to holy times then other Wherefore to conclude this poynt Ciuill abstinence from flesh as for policies sake and the better mayntenance of the common wealth that there should bee a vent for fish as well as for flesh and that euerie man might liue of his trade and calling as also for the health of the
Martyrs and so to bee saued for Macrobius writeth that one of Herods sonnes which was nursed in those parts was slaine among the rest the infants which were saued were within the promise and belonged to the couenant and so could not bee lost their saluation depended of their free election before God it was not purchased by the very act of their dying Secondly the theefe also vpon the Crosse was iustified by his faith and beleefe in Christ. And therefore Augustine doth chiefely commend his faith Tunc fides eius de ligno floruit quando discipulorum emarcuit Then his faith did as it were bud and flourish out of the tree of the crosse when the faith of the Disciples withered The Protestants NEither the outward worke of Martyrdome nor contrition doe iustifie or giue remission of sinnes but the faith onely of Martyrs and penitent persons whereby they apprehend Christ. Argum. 1. Saint Paul saith 1. Corinth 13.3 That if a man giue his bodie to be burned and haue no loue it profiteth not Ergo it is not the outward act of Martyrdome but an effectuall and liuely faith working by loue which pleaseth God Argum. 2. Neither is the bare worke of sorrowe and contrition in it selfe acceptable to God for there is a worldly repentance that causeth death there is a godly repentance not to be repented of which worketh in vs care zeale feare desire which are the fruites of faith 2. Corinth 7.10.11 Ergo it is faith onely that maketh all our workes to be accepted of before God for without faith it is vnpossible to please him Hebr. 11.6 The Papists 2. MArtyrdome and contrition or conuersion of the heart vnto GOD error 102 though they bee no Sacraments yet may supplie the lack of Baptisme Bellarm. ibid. Argum. Martyrdome in the scriptures is rightly called a Baptisme as Christ speaking of his death saith I must bee baptized with a Baptisme Luk. 12.50 And therefore it may fitly stand in stead of Baptisme Ans. If euery thing that hath the name of Baptisme may bee vsed in place thereof then adde vnto your number of such deuised supplies the Pharisaicall washing of cuppes for they are called baptismata calicum the Baptismes or clensings of cuppes Mark 7.4 The Protestants WE neede not any such supplies to make good the want of Baptisme neither is it safe so to doe 1. It is great presumption and boldnes without warrant of Gods word to giue the effect and blessing which God hath annexed to the Sacraments to any other externall worke for what is this else but to institute other Sacraments then Christ left And shall wee not thinke that God by his spirite can better supplie the losse and the want of the Sacraments then we by our owne inuentions can helpe our selues 2. Concerning contrition of the heart if you vnderstand by it true repentance and withall a vowe and true desire to receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme which cannot bee obtained because of some remedilesse necessitie that in such a case it standeth as auailable as if a man had been actually Baptized for thus the Rhemists expounde themselues annot Iohn 3.2 I pray you what greater necessitie is there now of Baptisme then of the other Sacrament For this is true and we willingly grant that euery man that shall be saued must either receiue the Sacraments or haue a desire vnto them for the neglect and contempt of the Sacraments without repentance is a sinne damnable And thus you ouerthrow your selues making Baptisme necessarie without necessitie 3. Augustine admitteth none of these supplies but onely Martyrdome Nemo fit membrum Christi nisi aut Baptismate Christi aut morte pro Christo No man is made the member of Christ but either by the Baptisme of Christ or in dying for Christ here Augustine maketh but one supplie of Baptisme they make two When men followe their owne inuentions there can be no agreement THE FOVRTH QVESTION WHETHER women and Lay-men ought to baptize The Papists error 103 THey hold that not onely Lay men but Pagans that are not baptized themselues yea and women also may be ministers of Baptisme in a case of necessitie eBllarm cap. 7. Argum. Exod. 4. Zipporah circumcised her sonne and the Lord was pleased therewith and went away from Moses whom hee came against to haue slaine him Ergo women may as well now minister Baptisme Ans. First there is not the like strict necessitie of Baptisme as there was then of Circumcision for if euery man childe were not circumcised the eight day the Lord threatned to cut him off from among the people Genes 17.14 But Baptisme is not tied or limited to any such time or number of dayes Secondly there was great necessitie which enforced Zipporah to circumcise her childe for they had neglected the time and passed the stint of dayes wherefore the Lord strooke Moses with sicknes and being not able himselfe to performe that duetie his wife in great haste taketh the childe and cutteth him to saue her husbands life but shee in great indignation cast away the fore-skin from her knowing that shee was constrained to commit an vnwomanly act There cannot bee any such necessitie of Baptisme as there was then of Circumcision which was to be done within a certaine compas of dayes Thirdly you may as well proue by this example that a woman may baptize the Bishop Priest or Deacon standing by which notwithstanding you hold vtterly vnlawfull as that it is lawfull for her to baptize For Zipporah did it in the presence of Moses The Protestants NEither lay men of what calling soeuer nor yet Midwiues or any other women ought to bee suffered in a wel reformed Church to baptize infants neither are they authorized so to doe amongst vs. Argum. 1. The commission and charge to baptize was giuen onely by our sauiour Christ to his Apostles and all lawfull Ministers their successors Matth. 28.19 Ergo Lay men and women in baptizing goe beyond the commission of Christ. Argum. 2. The preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments are and ought alwaies to be ioyned together And the care and charge of both is committed to Pastors and Ministers lawfully ordained Goe saith our Sauiour and teach all nations baptizing them Matth. 28.19 But it is not lawfull for women to preach the word 1. Corinth 14. vers 35. Ergo not to baptize Argum. 3 If it be lawfull for such to baptize it is onely in the time of necessitie but there is no such necessitie as we haue shewed of Baptisme Ergo it is not at all lawfull for them Augustines iudgement is this if a Lay man doe giue Baptisme Nescio an piè quis dixerit esse repetendum I cannot tell whether it may well bee iterated or repeated Hee dooth not allowe Lay men to baptize but is of opinion that they are not to bee baptized againe that receiue Baptisme at their handes Yet hee speaketh vncertainelie I cannot tell saith he and so we will conclude with
person of Christ euen as his humanitie so that Christ was bread by consecration as he was man by his incarnation an horrible and monstrous opinion which is fathered vpon Rupertus the Abbot Iohannes Parisiensis also came neere this opinion who likewise affirmed that the bread was assumed to the person of Christ and vnited vnto him yet not immediatly as the other taught but by the mediation and meanes of the humanitie of Christ. Secondly of those that maintaine the conuersion of the elements First some would haue the forme onely of bread chaunged not the matter as Durandus Secondly some contrariwise would haue the matter altered and the forme to remaine Thirdly the Iesuits affirme the bread wholly in substance both in matter and forme to be changed the outward formes and accidents onely remaining ex Bellarm. lib. 3. de sacram Eucharist cap. 11. Thus men when they begin once to leaue the truth the Lord leaueth them to themselues and they runne mad in their owne inuentions not finding any end and so it is iustly come vpon them as S. Paul saith of the heathen Because when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God neither were thankfull they became vaine in their own imaginations and their foolish hart was full of darkenes when they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles Rom. 1.21.22 We therefore leauing these shalow pittes of humane inuentions which will holde no water will betake vs to the fountaine of truth This then to conclude is our definitiue sentence and full determination according to the Scriptures that Christ indeed is verily present in the Sacrament neither by conuersion of the bread into his body either wholly or in parte nor by assumption of the bread to the vnity of his person nor yet by the coniunction of his body and bread together but he doth verily exhibite himselfe with all his benefits spiritually by faith to be eaten and drunke of the worthy receiuer as we haue sufficiently proued before out of the Scriptures THE THIRD QVESTION WHETHER THE Eucharist being once consecrated be a Sacrament though it be neither eaten nor drunk The Papists THe elements in the Sacrament that is the bread and wine being once consecrate error 116 which say they is done by the prolation of those words hoc est corpus meum This is my body whether they be receiued or not at that instant but be reserued and kept in boxes and pixes and other vessels of the Church for daies weekes moneths to be caried solemnely to those that are sick and to be applyed to other vses are still the very body and blood of Christ. Trident. Concil sess 13. can 4.7 Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 2. Argum. 1. Christs words which were spoken ouer the bread This is my body were true as soone as he brought them forth before he said Take eat and so likewise of the cup therefore it was a Sacrament before they did receiue and eate it and had beene a Sacrament still if it had not bene receiued at all at that time Bellarm. ibid. Ans. 1. Those wordes of Christ This is my body were not spoken before he brake the bread and distributed it but first as S. Math. setteth it downe he brake the bread and gaue it to his Disciples saying Take eate and then follow those words This is my body Math. 26.26 which seeme to haue bene vttered euen in that instant when they tooke the bread and began to eate it Secondly the institution of the Sacrament consisteth partly of a promise partly of a precept the promise is this Hoc est corpus meum This is my body the precept Accipite manducate Take eate Christ doth no otherwise make good his promise then we performe the condition vnlesse therefore accordingly we doe take and eat it it is not the body of Christ. The Protestants THe Eucharist is no sacrament beside or without the vse thereof so that though some form of words be pronounced ouer it if it be not receiued and eaten and drunk it is no sacrament neither is that which remaineth after the distribution the Eucharist being ended either of the bread or wine any part of the sacrament but so much onely as is taken and vsed Argum. 1. It is no Sacrament vnlesse it be vsed according to the institution as Christ hath commanded it but to the institution it belongeth on the behalfe of the Minister to blesse break and distribute it on the behalfe of the communicants to take eate and drinke it in them all thereby to shew the Lords death and to doe it in remembrance of Christ. But this cannot be performed by vsing the words of benediction onely but by the whole action for how can they shew the Lords death or doe it in remembrance of Christ vnlesse they take and eate Ergo if it be not so vsed it is no Sacrament Argum. 2. The Sacraments of the new testament are alike and of one and the selfesame kinde there is one way of instituting and consecrating both but the water in baptisme is no part of the Sacrament but during the solemne action of baptizing afterward it returneth to the common vse so much as is not vsed Ergo it is so also in the Eucharist for as Christ saith to his Apostles Ite baptizate Goe and baptize so that it was no Sacrament vnlesse some body were baptized euen so he saith Accipite â—anducate Take eate No SacrameÌ„t then vnlesse it be receiued and eaten And here I pray you let it be noted how well the Iesuits agree amongst themselues our Rhemists doe commend the reseruing also of the water in baptisme and carrying of it home to giue it the diseased to drink annot Iam. 5. sect 5. Bellar. saith that Res permanens in baptismo That the thing permanent in Baptisme that is water which remaineth is not the sacrament but ipsa actio the action of baptizing it selfe and alloweth onely the Eucharist to be reserued and remaine a Sacrament Etiam extra vsum Without the vse thereof Bellar li. 4. de Eucharist cap. 3. But we haue shewed already that both the Sacraments are halowed and sanctified alike and that both in the one and the other the vse onely and present action according to Christs institution maketh the Sacrament In Augustines time some vsed to receiue the Communion dayly but vpon the Sabboth or Lords day it was commonly receiued of all Quotidie Eucharistiae communionem percipere nec laudo nec reprehendo omnib tamen dominicis diebus communicandum suadeo et hortor Euery day to receiue the Eucharist I neither commend nor dispraise it but euery Lords day I doe perswade men and exhort all to communicate It should seeme then that in those daies there was no such superstitious reseruation of the Sacrament seeing euery day or at the least euery Sabboth it was administred THE FOVRTH QVESTION CONCERNING the elements or materiall part of the Sacrament namely bread and wine The Papists 1. The bread
is necessarie alwaies before the receiuing of the Sacrament though sometimes we denie not but it is conuenient for it was not alwaies required no not of the priests in the lawe when they were to offer incense or sacrifice For whereas the high priest which was alwaies but one was bound morning and euening to offer incense vnto the Lord Exod. 30.8 He could not obserue this rule vnlesse he had been inioyned perpetuall abstinence which we see by the law was not imposed vpon thē This doubt somewhat troubled Augustine for first he sayth That it must needes followe seeing the high priest was married and did sometime goe in vnto his wife that the offering of incense should some dayes be intermitted but in his retractations he misliketh his former solution and thus determineth That the high priest first offered the morning incense and afterward went in to his wife and so was vncleane vsque ad vesperam but vntill the euening not after the euentide and then he offered the euening incense To take this answer for this time though it be insufficient for the Hebrew word which is translated the euen or euentide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the twilight when the Sunne is set when light and darknes are mixed together but the incense was renewed before the Sunne set yet I say admitting Augustines solution the high priest did not abstaine one whole day before he offered much lesse many dayes much lesse many weekes much lesse some moneths as the popish Church prescribeth by interdicting so many daies The Protestants THat not onely the publique solemnitie of marriage at some times may haue intermission but all matrimoniall actes ought to cease as when men either priuately doe giue themselues to fasting and praier 1. Corin. 7.5 or when publique or generall fastes are by the spirituall gouernours thought meet by the Christian Magistrate proclaimed we doe not denie but in our iudgement allow it and by our practise approue it but that matrimonie at such set times as an vnholy and vncleane thing is to be forbidden and restrained we take it to be popish superstition and an Antichristian yoke Argum. 1. It disgraceth the holy institution of marriage which the Apostle calleth honourable Heb. 13.4 and S. Paul counteth the fruits of marriage which are the children of the faithfull holy 1. Corin. 7.14 How is it then that there can be any time so holy the which holy matrimony is not beseeming Againe in thus doing they make difference of daies esteeming some in themselues more holy then others contrary to the Apostles rule Galath 4.10 Colossians 2.16 Argu. 2. The Tridentine Chapter maketh but two holy times in the yeere the Natiuitie and Ester during which times they would not haue matrimonie solemnized and I pray you why is Pentecost left out is it not as festiual a time as the other Could there be a more holy place then Paradise or a more holy time then while man was in his innocency yet euen then and there Matrimonie was instituted Lastly Is not the Sabboth or Lords day an holy festiuall time and as holy as any is what if I said more holie for this onely immediately was instituted of God but marriage may notwithstanding be fitly solemnized vpon that day the abuses and disorders which commonly fall out in such assemblies being cut off for Augustine is of opinion that the marriage in Cana of Galile was die Dominico vpon the Lords day And it is most fit that matrimony should be solemnized in the face of the congregation which is vsually assembled vpon that day Ergo it may as fitly and conueniently at any time be kept and solemnized excepting the respects aforesaid THE SEVENTH QVESTION OF THE ceremonies and rites of Matrimonie The Papists THe Iesuite reckoneth vp seuen First they which are to be ioyned in matrimony error 42 are blessed of the Priest Secondly oblation is made for them in the sacrifice of the Masse Thirdly they are couered with a vaile Fourthly they are coupled together vitta purpurea cādida with a scarfe or riband partly white partly purple Fiftly the bride giueth to the bridegroome a ring first hallowed and blessed of the Priest Sixtly he commendeth them to God in his praiers Seuenthly he exhorteth and admonisheth them of their mutuall dutie Bellarm. cap. 33. de Matrimon The Protestants SOme of those rites we altogether allow and vse them our selues as the 6. and 7. for both praiers are made vnto God for them and they are by the Minister put in minde of their duety and all is done with vs in the vulgare tōgue much more to the edifying of the people and comfort of the parties themselues wheras their idolatrous Priest chattereth all in an vnknowen tongue A goodly exhortation sure when the parties exhorted vnderstand not one word thereof Some other of these rites we vtterly reiect as the 2.3.4 for oblation or sacrifice in their meaning we acknowledge none for the married parties to receiue the Communion if there be a sufficient number we neither hold it necessary as being of the essence of marriage nor yet think it vnmeete But as for that coloured and painted attire of blew and white we take it fitter for a May-game then to be shewed in a solemne assemblie of Christians The rest we in part allow as the ring so it be vsed onely as a ciuill ornament and token of mutuall loue but that popish blessing either of the ring or of the married couple with the fingers acrosse and muttering of some fewe enchanting words as though by the very acte of popish blessing there were a secret vertue and qualitie of holines infused into the things so blessed or enchanted we condemne it as a superstitious toy So we conclude all such rites in matrimonie as haue a comely and profitable vse tending to edifying we refuse not the rest we reiect and send them backe to Rome from whence they came THE SIXTEENTH CONTROVERSIE OF CONFIRMATION ORDERS EXTREME VNCTION THE FIRST QVESTION OF Confirmation THe partes of this question are these First whether it be a Sacrament Secondly of the partes thereof Thirdly of the effect of this ceremonie Fourthly of the rites and whole order thereof THE FIRST PART WHETHER it be a Sacrament The Papists THat Confirmation is properly and truely a Sacrament it was decreed in the Tridentine Councell sess 7. can 1. and it is their generall opinion error 43 Argum. Act. 8.17 They did lay their hands vpon them and they receiued the holy Ghost This imposition of hands together with the praiers here specified was no doubt the Sacrament of cōfirmation for here is an outward signe and a spirituall grace Ergo a Sacrament Rhemist ibid. Bellarm. de Confirmat lib. 2. cap. 2. Ans. 1. These were miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost as the gifts of tongues of prophecying healing which were bestowed vpon the Disciples whereof the imposition of hands was a signe at that time but it is impossible to
men nor Apostolike giftes wee are not to doubt but that this promise and prophesie of the vniuersall preaching of the Gospell is performed already Argum. 2. It appeareth in Ecclesiasticall histories that the Apostles dispersed themselues into all partes of the worlde euery where preaching the Gospell Thomas preached to the Parthians Medes Persians also to the Germanes Simon Zelotes in Mauritania Africa and in Britania Iudas called Thaddaeus in Mesopotamia Mark in Aegypt Bartholomaeus to the Indians Andrew preached to the Scythians Sogdians Aethopians So that there were fewe or no knowen countreyes in the world which heard not of the fame of the Gospell But here two things must be obserued First that the Gospel was to bee preached in the habitable or knowen world the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many countreyes are inhabited now that were not habitable then or at the least not inhabited wherefore it was sufficient that the people of the world heard of the Gospel howsoeuer afterward they were propagated into other vnknowen places Secondly as Augustine sayth Omnes gentes promissae sunt non omnes homines omnium gentium All nations were promised to heare of the Gospel not all the men and inhabitants of euery nation And so we doubt not but the Apostles did lay the foundation of fayth through the whole worlde and were first planters of the Churches in euery nation But their plantings were watered and encreased and continued by others Wherefore seeing the world hath once already beene generally lightened with the truth of the Gospell we are not to looke any more for a solemne legacie and ambassage to be sent from the Lord vnto all nations But those countreyes rather which somtime had the trueth and now haue lost it ought now to seeke vnto those places that haue it as the Queene of Saba went a long iourney to heare Salomons wisdome They therefore that yet doe expect an vniuersall preaching may sooner see Christ comming in the cloudes then haue their expectation satisfied THE SECOND QVESTION OF THE comming of Henoch and Elias before the day of iudgement The Papists error 107 THeir common and receiued opinion is that Henoch and Elias doe yet liue in their bodies in Paradise and shall come in person to oppose themselues against Antichrist and by their preaching to conuert the Iewes Rhemist Apocal. 11. sect 4. Argum. Malachie 4.5 I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the great and fearefull day of the Lorde These are also the two witnesses spoken of Apocal. 11.3 Which shall be slaine and rise vp againe the third day Ergo Eliah and Henoch shall come before the day of the Lorde Bellarm. de Roman pontif 3.6 Ans. First the prophesie of Malachie was fulfilled in Iohn Baptist who came in the spirite of Elias as it is thrise in the Gospell applied once by the Angel Luk. 1.16 twise by our Sauiour Christ Matth. 11.14 17.13 Bellarmine saith it is not properly vnderstoode of Iohn Baptist but onely in an allegorie First the Prophet speaketh of the great and fearefull day of the Lord but the comming of Christ was the acceptable time Ans. Here the Iesuite bewrayeth great ignorance As though the comming of Christ in the flesh as it brought comfort to the Elect to as many as were ordeined to saluation was not also hastening of the iudgement of God against the wicked and therefore Iohn saith The axe was laide to the roote of the tree Matth. 3.10 and that Christ came with his fanne in his hand verse 12. The Apostle Heb. 12.26 applieth that saying of the Prophet Once againe wil I shake not onely the heauens but the earth to the preaching of the Gospell wee see then in what sence the first comming of Christ is called a fearefull and terrible day Ans. Secondly by the two witnesses is vnderstood the small yet sufficient number of the true seruants of God which shall witnesse the truth euen in the whottest persecution of Antichrist there is no mention made of Henoch or Elias And if you will needs vnderstand that literally of their rising againe why not the rest also how fire shall proceede out of their mouthes to consume the wicked and they shall turne water into blood The meaning is nothing else but that God will alwaies haue faithfull witnesses in his Church which shall alwaies stand vp in the stead of the Prophets and holy men gone before The Protestants LIke as the Pharisies deceiued the Iewes with vaine expectation of Elias and so hindred their beliefe in Christ so the Papists would not haue men to acknowledge the manifestation of Antichrist vnder this false pretence that Henoch and Elias must first come before Antichrist bee reuealed which wee doe hold as a Iewish fable and popish dreame Argum. 1. The Prophesie of Elias comming is properly fulfilled in Iohn Baptist and therefore wee are not to looke for any other accomplishment thereof neither now is there any Paradise remaining but Heauen 2. Corinth 12.4 And to affirme that Henoch and Elias went vp to Heauen in their bodies before the ascension of Christ out of Scripture it cannot be proued it is euident that they were taken vp aliue into heauen but not that they continued aliue Argum. 2. The varietie of opinions concerning the personall appearance of Henoch and Elias declare that it is an vncertaine thing and but deuised of men Hilarye saith they shal be Moses and Elias Chrysostome granteth that Elias shall come but not Henoch Iustine thinketh that not onely Henoch and Elias are aliue but all those whose bodies rose at the resurrection of Christ Hippolytus is of opinion that Iohn the Diuine shall come with them and some say Ieremie also whose death is not read of Fulk Apocal. 11. sect 4. And thus it is no meruaile if men run mad as it were in their foolish conceites hauing no warrant for their opinions out of Scriptures The nation of the Iewes wee grant according to the manifest prophesie of Saint Paul shall in the end be conuerted but not in such sort by the personall preaching of Moses and Elias for the Apostle setting downe at large the mysterie of their calling would not haue left out so necessarie a thing Augustine by the two witnesses vnderstandeth the two testaments the Old and the new But hee denieth vtterly that any shall rise before the comming of Christ as the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 15.23 The first fruites is Christ Then they that are Christs at his comming but not before Vnde saith he excluditur omnis suspicio quorundam qui putant hos duos testes duos viros esse ante aduentum Christi coelum in nubibus ascendisse Their suspition therefore or opinion is vtterly excluded which thinke these two witnesses to bee two men which should ascend into heauen before the comming of Christ. Augustine we see is flat against them THE THIRD PART WHETHER THE most grieuous persecutions that euer were shall be toward the end
of the world The Papists error 108 THe most grieuous persecution say they that euer was shall be vnder Antichrist who is not yet come but shall bee reuealed toward the end of the world and shall raigne vpon the earth three yeares and an halfe making great hauock of the Church of God Bellarmine de Roman pontifi lib. 3. cap. 7. Argum. Matth. 24.21 There shall bee then such great tribulation in the world as was not since the beginning of the world neither shall bee Ergo the greatest persecution toward the end of the world Ans. 1. It is plaine by the text that this great tribulation is prophesied to come vpon the Iewes for in the next verse before he saith pray that your flight be not in the winter And then it followeth there shall bee then or as Marke saith In those dayes there shall be such tribulation 13.19 and in the 17. verse Woe shall be to them that giue suck in those dayes Which must needes bee vnderstoode of the destruction of Ierusalem for at the comming of Christ there shall be one and the same case of all whether of those that giue suck or of those that giue none Secondly it cannot be meant of the last tribulation in the world because the words are that as there was none such since the beginning of the world so there shall be none such after Ergo there shall be tribulation after though none such The Protestants OVr hope and trust is that the greatest persecution of the Church of God is ouerpast because the kingdome or rather tyrannie of Antichrist beginneth to decay and wee trust shall more and more bee shaken till it come to vtter ruine Argum. 1. The Scripture telleth vs that hard vpon the end of the worlde there shall bee great securitie men shall say Peace peace vnto themselues 1. Thesal 5.4 They shall eate and drinke marrie and bee married as it was in the dayes of Noah Matth. 24.38 And therefore Luke saith 21.34 Take heede you be not ouercome of surfeiting and drunkennes least this day come vpon you vnawares For as a snare shall it come c. All this proueth that there shall be rather generall securitie as in the dayes of Noah then generall tribulation And there is greater danger of surfeiting wantonnes in time of prosperitie and abundance then in the dayes of persecution Also the text is plaine speaking of warres troubles and persecutions but the end shall not be yet Mark 13.7 Wherefore it appeareth that the troubles and persecutions of the Church shall be well slaked toward the end of the world Argum. 2. Antichrist though he shall not vtterly bee extinguished before the comming of Christ yet shall be deadly wounded and hee shall begin to be iudged euen in this world Apocal. 16.6 God shal giue them blood to drink Apocal. 17.16 The ten hornes that is the kinges of the earth shall hate the whore and eate her flesh The Church of God shall reward her as she hath rewarded vs and giue her double according to her workes Apocal. 18.6 By these places it is gathered that Antichrist shal haue a great ouerthrow before the comming of Christ who shall vtterly abolish him with the brightnes of his comming 2. Thes. 2.8 Antichrist is alreadie come and hath raged a long time against the Church The persecutions of the heathen did neither continue so long neither were in exquisite crueltie and bitternes to be compared to the outragious practises of the Antichrist of Rome and his adherents against the Church of God which would fill a whole volume by themselues nay not one but many and infinite volumes to be declared at large Augustine saith Prima persecutio violenâ—◠〈…〉 tormentis â—lterafraudulenta est per haereticos tertia superest per Antichristum 〈◊〉 quâ— nihil est â—ericulosius quia violenta fraudulenta erit The first persecution of the Church was violent with torments the second was by fraudulent heretikes the third shal be vnder Antichrist the worst of all it shal be both violent and fraudulent This persecution vnder the Popes of Rome the Church of God endured a great while who both dealt fraudulentlie in poysoning them with corrupt doctrine and cruellie also in punishing with sword and fire the innocent members of Christ wherefore seeing it is a plaine case that Antichrist is and hath been many a day reuealed to the world and that the Church of God beginneth to haue some respit and libertie from his thraldome wee doubt not but that the greatest stormes of persecution are ouerpast if by our sinnes wee bring not back againe the thick and mistie cloude vpon vs. THE SECOND PART OF THIS CONtrouersie about the manner of Christs comming to iudgement The Papists error 109 1. THe faithful shal iudge and giue sentence with Christ say they at the latter day Rhemist 1. Corinth 6. vers 2. They shall sit in thrones with Christ Matth. 19. vers 28. Ergo iudge together with him Rhemist ibid. The Protestants Ans. 1. TRue it is that the Saints shal iudge the world 1. Corinth 6.2 But only Christ shall giue sentence Matth. 25. and is properly and onelie the iudge of the world for the father hath committed al iudgemeÌ„t to the Sonne Iohn 5.22 If all then there is no part left for any other The Apostles therefore and Saints are said to iudge as Christ saith of his word that hee will not iudge the vnbeleeuers but his word shall iudge them in the last day Iohn 12.48 That is shall bee a witnesse against them accuse them lay in matter of iudgement against them So the word preached by the Saints vpon earth and practised in their liues shall bee the condemnation of the worlde And not onely so but they shall bee aduanced to greater honor They shall sit in thrones and seates that is they shall not stand amongst the wicked to receiue sentence but shall meete Christ in the ayre and bee caught vp in the cloudes 1. Thess. 4.17 Yea they shall in the sight and beholding of the vngodly enter into the kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 But in any other sence they cannot be iudges of the world for shall we thinke that Christ in that day shall neede vnder officers and iudges as Moses did Exod. â—8 Augustine saith Sancti sedebunt cum domino attendere qui fecerunt misericordiaâ—â— The Saints shall â—it with the Lord not to iudge but to marke and attend and to witnesse who haue followed the workes of mâ—â—cie The Papists 2 THey are so bold as to appoint the place where Christ shall appeare namely error 110 in the East for his comming shall bee as the lightening that shineth from East to West Matth. 24.27 Bellarm. de cultu sanctor lib. 3. cap. 3. The Protestants Ans. FIrst by that similitude Christ onely sheweth the suddennes of his comming therefore it must be prest no further then to that purpose for the which it serueth Secondly our Sauiour saith plainely that the
kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation Luk. 17.20 either of time or place And therfore when men say vnto vs Behold here or beholde there we ought not to beleeue them vers 23. As though they would point out Christs comming with the finger either in the East or West Whereas Mathew therefore nameth the East and West in the similitude of the lightening Luke leaueth them out saying As the lightening shineth from one part of the Heauen to the other 17.24 Least we should thinke any great matter to be in nomination of those partes Augustine saith notably Non ab Oriente veniet nec Occidente quare quia Deus iudex est si in aliquo loco esset non esset Deus quia vero Deus iudex est non homo noli illum expectare de locis He will not come either from the East or from the West why so Because God is iudge if he were tied to any place hee were not God but because God is iudge and not a meere man wee must not looke for him from any place The Papists 3. THe Sonne of man shall appeare in the day of iudgement with the signe error 111 of the Crosse borne before him Then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare in Heauen Matth. 24.3 that is say they the signe of the Crosse Bellarm. de sanct lib. 2. cap. 28. Rhemist in hunc locum The Protestants Ans. 1. THe signe of the Sonne of man in the Heauens is nothing else but his conspicuous and glorious appearing who shall come in great glorie as a signe in the heauens to bee seene of all the worlde It cannot signifie any such visible signe as they imagine for Mark. 13.26 Luke 21.27 wee reade thus Then shall they see the Sonne of man So then the signe of the Sonne of man is the Sonne himselfe in his glorious appearing Secondly it is great presumption therefore so boldly to affirme that it shall be the signe of the Crosse hauing no Scripture for it Other signes wee finde that Christ hath appeared with as the signe of the rayne-bowe Apocal. 10.1 with a two edged sworde Apocal. 1.16 with a booke in his hand Apocal. 10.2 We haue better reason that Christ may appeare with those signes by the which he hath sometime shewed himselfe then they haue for the signe of the Crosse. 3 It is more like that Christ at his comming should shew the markes and prints of the nailes and speare in his bodie then the signe of the Crosse for those were felt and seene in his bodie after his resurrection so was not the other But it is a loose coniecture and a vaine surmise without any ground of Scripture that the woundes are either now in heauen to be seene in the glorious bodie of Christ or that they shall bee beheld and looked vpon in the daie of iudgement The wicked in deed shall behold him whom they pearced but it followeth not thereupon that he should appeare as pearced How is it possible that either the bodie of Christ being perfectly glorified should still retaine any spots or blemishes or that they could be espyed in so glorious a bodie which with the brightnes thereof shall obscure the Sunne Augustine giueth this iudgement Sic voluit resurgere Christus sic voluit quibusdam dubitantibus exhibere in illa carne cicatrices vulneris vt sanaret vulnus incredulitatis So it pleased Christ to arise and to shew in his flesh vnto some that doubted the skarres of his woundes to heale and take awaie the wound of their incredulitie or vnbeleefe This then being the onelie cause why Christ would at that time haue the printes and markes in his flesh to bee seene namelie to confirme the faith of them which doubted the cause being now ceased for is it to bee thought that there are any doubtfull persons in heauen which may be confirmed by beholding Christs woundes or shall vnbeleeuers finde any reliefe in the day of iudgement The cause being remoued wee haue no warrant to thinke that there are any such skarres either now to bee seene in the glorious bodie of Christ or which shall appeare in the day of iudgement And seeing there is no ground for this opinion the shewing forth also of the signe of the crosse in that day is also but a wandring and a foolish conceite The Papists error 112 4. SVch is their boldnes that they dare assigne the very yeare moneth and day of Christs comming to iudgement for they say that Antichrist shall raigne three yeares and an halfe and one moneth 1290. dayes and counting 45. dayes after that they shal see Christ comming in the cloudes Blessed is hee saith Daniel that waiteth and commeth to the 1335. dayes Dan. 12.12 Bellar. de pontif Rom. lib. 3. cap. 8. The Protestants Ans. 1. THe prophesie of Daniel we haue alreadie shewed Controuersie 4. Quaest. 9. to haue been fulfilled before the first comming of Christ in Antiochus that cruell tyrant and persecutor of the people of God how hee should cause the daily sacrifice to cease 1290. dayes that is three yeares and seuen moneths 2. Macchab. 11.33 And that 45. dayes after Antiochus being dead the Church should finde ease 1. Macch. 6.16 Wherefore seeing this prophesie hath once alreadie had his effect it is not necessarie to looke for any other as Augustine saith of another prophesie of Daniel Quae prophetia si tempore primi aduentus impleta est non cogit intelligi quod etiam de fine seculi implebitur Which prophesie if it hath been fulfilled in or before the first comming of Christ it need not be vnderstoode of the latter 2 This presumption of theirs is flat opposite and contrarie to Scripture which saith That the houre and day of Christs comming is not knowne to the Angels nor to the Sonne of man but to the Father onely Mark 13.33 How then dare they presume beyond the knowledge of Angels Augustine saith Vtiliter latere voluit Deus illum diem vt semper sit paratum cor ad expectandum quòd esse venturum scit quando venturum sit nescit The Lorde to great purpose would haue that day kept secret that our heart should bee in continuall expectation of that which it is sure shall come but knoweth not when it shall come Thus haue I through the Lords gracious assistance now at the length finished and brought to an end this long and tedious worke which I trust shall not be so yrkesome to the Christian Reader as it was wearisome and painefull to the flesh in the collecting and compiling thereof and yet not so painefull but that God hath made me able and willing to endure this and greater paines and that with comfort for the good of his Church I excuse not whatsoeuer hath fallen out of my pen in this worke if I haue failed any where in the manner of handling But as for the matter handled therein I trust I haue throughout maintained the truth in
Pastors and of the election of the Pope pag. 197 3 Of Ecclesiasticall degrees and orders 3. parts 1 Of the seuen degrees of popish priesthood p. 199 2 Of the difference of Bishops and other Ministers pag. 201 3 Of the office of Cardinals pag. 205 4 Of the keyes of the Church 4. parts 1 Wherein the authoritie of the keyes consisteth pag. 206 2 To whom the authoritie of the keyes â—s committed p. 208 3 Whether the Pastors of the Church haue absolute power to remit sinnes pag. 210 4 Of the effect of binding and loosing pag. 212 5 Of the marriage of Ministers three parts 1 The marriage of Ministers lawfull pag. 214 2 Men may be admitted to Orders after second marriage pag. 219 3 Whether perpetuall abstinence be required in married Ministers pag. 221 6 Of the maintenance of Ministers by tithes two parts 1 Whether the paiment of tithes bee necessarie pag. 228 2 By what right tithes are due pag. 229 The sixt controuersie of Monkes and Friers sixe questions 1. quest Of the originall of Monkes and of their diuers sects pag. 232 2 Of the difference betweene Euangelicall Counsels and precepts pag. 236 3 Of vowes in generall three parts 1 Whether it be lawfull for Christians to vow pag. 239 2 Wherein lawfull vowes consist pag. 241 3 Whether voluntarie vowes properly be any part properly of the worship of God pag. 242 4 Of Monasticall vowes 3. parts 1 Of the vow of voluntarie pouertie pag. 244 2 The vow of Monasticall obedience p. 246 3 Of the vow of chastitie pag. 247 5 Of Monasticall persons foure parts 1 Whether the younger sort ought to professe Monkerie pag. 251 2 Whether children may be made Monkes without their parents consent pag. 253 3 Whether married persons may with mutuall consent become votaries pag. 254 4 Whether marriage not consummate may without consent bee broken for the vow of continencie pag. 256 6 Of the rules and discipline of Monasticall life foure parts 1 Of the solitarie austere life of Monks pag. 257 2 Of the habite and shauing of Monkes pag. 259 3 Of their Canonicall houres pag. 261 4 Of the maintenance of Monkes pag. 262 The seuenth generall controuersie of the Ciuill Magistrate foure questions 1 Of the authoritie of the Prince in Ecclesiasticall matters foure parts 1 His authoritie ouer Ecclesiasticall persons pag. 266 2 Ouer Ecclesiasticall goods pag. 267 3 In causes Ecclesiasticall pag. 268 4 Whether the Prince may be sayd to bee the head of the Church in his kingdome pag. 271 2 The authoritie of the Prince in punishing heretikes 1 Whether the iudgement of heresie any way belongeth to the Prince pag. 274 2 How an heretike is to be tried pag. 275 3 How heretikes are to be examined and punished Ibid. 3 Whether the positiue lawes of Princes doe binde in conscience 4 Whether the Prince may be excommunicate of the Pope THE SECOND BOOKE CONTAINETH SIXE CONTROVERSIES The first controuersie which is the eight in the whole is concerning Angels three questions 1. quest Of the hierarchie of Angels 2. parts 1 Of the degrees of Angels p. 291 2 Whether Michael be the Prince of the Angels pag. 292 2 Of the ministerie of Angels three parts 1 Of their externall ministerie in the protection of the Church pag. 293 2 Of their spirituall office about our prayers pag. 295 3 Whether Angels know our hearts pag. 296 3 Of the worship of Angels 2 parts 1 Of their worship in generall pag. 299 2 Of the inuocation of Angels pag. 300 The ninth generall controuersie concerning Saints departed two parts 1. part Of those that suffer punishment being departed two questions 1 Of Limbus Patrum and of the apparition of Samuel pag. 302.305 2 Of Purgatorie foure parts 1 Whether there be any Purgatorie pag. 307 2 Of the circumstances of Purgatorie pag. 310 3 Of prayer for the dead p. 312 4 Of burials funerals p. 315 2. part Of the Saints that are in ioy and blisse after their departure 9. quest 1. quest Of the blessed estate of the Saints and of Canonizing of Saints pag. 320 2 Of the adoration of Saints 3. parts 1 Whether they are to bee adored and of othes vowes made to Saints pag. 325 2 Of the diuers kindes of worship pag. 330 3 Of the kissing of holy mens feete pag. 331 3 Of the inuocation of Saints three parts 1 Whether prayers are to be made vnto them pag. 332 2 Whether they pray for vs pag. 334 3 Whether they vnderstand our praiers p. 335 4 Of the reliques of Martyrs foure parts 1 Of the worshipping of Reliques pag. 338. 2 Translation of Reliques pag. 340. 3 Preseruing of Reliques pag. 342. 4 Miracles of Reliques pag. 343. 5. question 1. Of Images foure parts 1 Of the difference of Idols Images p. 347 2 Whether it bee lawfull to haue Images pag. 348 3 Whether to be worshipped pag. 350 4 What manner of worship it should be p. 353 2. Of the signe of the Crosse 4. parts 1 Of the Crosse whereon Christ suffered p. 355 2 Of the image of the Crosse. pag. 357 3 Of the signe of the Crosse. pag. 359 4 Of the power or efficacie of the Crosse. p. 360 5 An appendix concerning the name of Iesus pag. 361 6. quest Of Temples and Churches fiue parts 1 Of the situation and forme of Churches pag. 3â—2 2 Of the ende and vse of Churches three parts pag. 365 1 Whether they are built for sacrifice pag. 365 2 Whether they be holy places in theÌ„selues pag. 367 3 Whether they may be dedicate to saints pag. 368 3 Of the adorning of Churches pag. 370 4 Of the dedication of Churches pag. 372. 5 Of thinges hallowed for Churches pag. 373 7 Of Pilgrimages and Processions and of the holy land pag. 375 8 Of holy and festiuall daies fiue parts 1 Of holy dayes in generall 378 2 Of the Lords day 379 3 Of the festiuall dayes of Christ and the holy Ghost pag. 386 4 Of the festiuities of Saints 1 The number of them 2 The manner of keeping them pag. 388 3 Of their vigils p. 391 5 Of Lent and Imber daies pag. 392 9 Of the Virgin Mary 1 Whether she were conceiued without sinne pag. 398 2 Whether she vowed virginitie pag. 400 3 Of her assumption into heauen pag. 401 4 Of the worship due vnto her pag. 402 5 Of the merites of the virgine and of the Aue Maria. pag. 404 The tenth controuersie hath but one question concerning the mediation and intercession of Christ. pag. 406. The eleuenth controuersie concerning the Sacraments in generall three questions 1. quest Of the definition and nature of a Sacrament 1 Of the efficient cause or institutor of the sacrament pag. 408 2 Of the forme manner of consecration pag. 409 3 Of the instrumentall cause which is the Minister pag. 413 4 Of the vse whether the Sacraments be seales pag. 414 2. quest Of the efficacie and vertue of the Sacraments 1 Whether the SacrameÌ„ts