that innumerable other bishops of our coÌ„gregacioÌ„ doe a lowe this doctrine that we kepe or be cause in churches of our coÌ„panioÌ„s it is preached or els because that throughe the whole world in those holy places wher our coÌ„gregacioÌ„s resorte so many woÌ„ders ether of hearings or of healynges be done so that bodyes of martirs being hid so many years whyche if they wil aske thei may learne of many were shewed to Ambroser or that at those bodyes a certaine maÌ„ beeing many yeres blynd wel knowen to the whole citie of Miliane receiued hys eyes his sight or because he beyng in a dreame dyd â—ee or he beeyng rapt in spirite did heare eyther that he â—old not goe to the part of the Donatistes or that he should depart from theyr opinion What so euer suche thynges be done in the catholike churche the church is not therfore proued catholik because these be doÌ„e in it The lord Iesê° himself wheÌ„ he was riseÌ„ froÌ„ death offred his own body to be see with the eies haÌ„dled with the haÌ„ds of his Apostles lest thei shold theÌ„ thiÌ„ke theÌ„selfes to be deceiued he rather iudged that thei ought to be stablyshed by the witnesses of the law prophets psalmes shewiÌ„ng those thinges to be fulfilled in him that wer spokeÌ„ so loÌ„g before so he set forth his churche biddinge repentaunce and forgeuenes of synnes to be preached in his name through al nacions beginniÌ„g at IerusaleÌ„ That these thynges bee wrytten in the lawe and Prophetes himselfe witnesseth thys is set out by worde of mouth These are the doctrines these are the stayes of our cause we reade wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles of soÌ„e faithfull men that they searched the scripturs whether they were so What Scryptures I pray you but the Canonicall of the lawe the Prophetes to these are ioined the gospels the Apostles Epistles the Actes of the Apostles and the Apocalypsis of Sayncte Iohn Searche all these bryng foorth some plaine thing wherbi you may declare that the churche hath remayned only in Affricke or that thys whyche the Lorde sayeth shall come to passe This gospell shalbe preached to al the world for a testimonye to all nacyons shalbe verified of Affricke But brynge out some what that nedeth none interpreter you may not be conuinced that the thynges which is spoken of another matter you goe about to wreste to your purpose CHrysostome of the contricion of the hart Christ promised not that he woulde rewarde at the latter day them that worke sygnes wonders but them that kepe his coÌ„maundementes saieng come you blessed childreÌ„ of my father receaue that kingdome whyche was prepared for you from the beginning of the world He said not because you did miracles but because I was hongrye c. he shal also cal them blessed not that wroght miracles but the humble and meke in hart LIril in Iohn lib. 7. Cap. 13. To worke miracles maketh not a man one whit more holy sâ—iÌ„ge that it is also common to euyll men abiectes as the Lorde hymselfe also witnesseth mani shal sai to me in that day c. And contrary wyse workyng of no miracles hindereth not a mans holynes For Iohn wrought neyther signe nor miracle and yet was thys no derogacion to his holines For among the children of wemen ther was none greater then he SAbellic vpon the lyfe of Celestine Almost fiue hundreth yeares after Chryst the deuil taking vpon him the person of Moyses shewed himself visibly in the sight of the Iewes that dwelt at Candie promisinge that he woulde brynge them agayne into the land of promyse where Ierusalem staÌ„deth dry foted the waters standyng on eyther syde in maner of a wall as when the children of Israell were brought out of the land of Egipt Many of the Iewes rashli geuing credite to these IugliÌ„gs and enterynge into the sea were ouerwhelmed with the waues thereof excepte a fewe the whyche at laste beeynge warned of their vanite became Christians ¶ Custome also is of no streÌ„gth in thys case of prouing a religion ¶ The .vii. Chapter EXodi .23 Folowe not the multitude to doe euill LEuiticus .18 The Lorde coÌ„mmauÌ„deth the Israelytes not to folowe the custome of the Egipcyans nor the Cananites Reade the chapter EZechyell .20 Walke not in the statutes of youre forefathers and keepe not their ordinaunces and defyle not youre selues wyth their Idols REguÌ„ .4 ca. 17. Vnto thys day they kepe their olde customes they feare not God nor do after hys customes ordynaunces and lawes THe same They dyd not hearken vnto the Lorde but dyd after their olde custome I Eremye .9 They folowed theÌ„ wickednes of their owne heartes and serued straunge godes as their fathers taught them TErtullian of virginite or prayses Custome for the most part taking his beginning eyther of ignoraunce or simplicite in processe of tyme waxeth strong by vse and so it is alledged agaynst the truth Whatsoeuer smelleth agaynste the trueth that is heresye yea though it be olde custome CIprian vnto Cicilie lib. 2. Epistola .3 There is no cause why deare brother that any manne should thynke the custome of some men oughte to be folowed If any maÌ„ haue thought that only water ought to be offered in the chalyce we muste fyrste aske whom they folowed and that Chryste only ought to bee hearde the father witnesseth from heauen saieng this is my wel beloued sonne heare hym Wherfore if only Chryste ought to be heard we ought not to regarde what any maÌ„ afore vs thought to be done but what Christ which is before did first neyther oughte we to folowe the custome of man but the trueth of god THe same to Iulian. of the baptising of heretykes in vaine do some men when they be ouercome with the truth alledge custome agaynste vs as though custome wer greater then the trueth Sainct Augustine hath the same THe same to Pompus agaynste Steuens epistle CustoÌ„e with out truth is an olde errour for the whiche cause lette vs leue custome and folowe the trueth CHrisostome vpon Genesis .29 Homilie .59 For if the couÌ„sell be good and profitable yea though it be not custome kepe it but if it bee hurtful and noysome caste it awaye For if we wil be wise and care for our saluacion we may leaue of an euyll custome and bryng in a good custome and so shall we geue no small occasyoÌ„ to theÌ„ that come after vs to chaunge the same haue the rewarde of those thyngs that be done of them IErome in his preface to Iob. Olde custome is of such force that vices whiche many men them selues coÌ„fesse please them through it THe same the .9 Cap. Neither ar the errours of our fathers nor out elders to be folowed but the authorite of the Scriptures and the coÌ„maundementes of god that teacheth vs. AVgustine of one only Baptime lib. 2. Distinc .8 Cap. Vhen the trueth is once knowen let custome geue place to the trueth For
like wyse to be punished as the breakers of gods law Of which thinges if thou wylte dispute and reproue one custome by another there shal aryse an endlesse strife He repeteth also this sentence manye tymes that what so euer is vniuersally obserued not writtē in the scripture nor ordained by general coūcels is a tradiciō come from the Apostles ANswere him as Tertullyan yet of all other authors he is most playne that nothing is of necessite to saluacion besydes the Scriptures of God But let vs graunt for their pleasures that those customes whiche they speake of bee tradiciōs Apostolyke yet they bee no longer nor other waies to be obserued then the tradiciōs Apostolike writtē Which as is before fully proued mai and are already be both chaunged clearly taken awaye And as concernyng custome it is playnlye proued that it is not to be receaued agaynste the Scrypture trueth or reason THey sai moreouer that the perpetuall virginite of our Lady is to be beleued of necessite as Ciprian Chrisostome Ierome Ambrose Austen and all other speakyng therof say But this is not founde in the scripture ergo there is some thīg to be beleued that is not written in the Scripture THe minor that is to say that thys is not written in the scripture is false For firste none of the old authours that rehearce tradiciōs of the Apostles vnwrytten make mencion of the perpetual virginite of our ladye to be one of them but they rehearce only diuerse cerimonies or bodelye gestures and suche rites vsed in Baptisme prayers holy dayes and fastynges which as I haue manyfestly declared are not necessary to saluacyon But the most part of them are cleane taken away and the contrarye commaunded and vsed by the vniuersall churche Moreouer all the sayed authours proue her perpetuall virginite by thys texte of Scripture EZechiell 44. Thys doore shalbe styll shutte and not opened for any man to goe thorowe it but only for the Lord god of Israel yea he shall goe thorowe it els shal it be shut still For if these and suche other fathers had not iudged her perpetuall virginite to haue been wrytten in the scriptures they woulde neuer haue iudged it to haue bene a thing to be beleued vnder payne of damnacyon Sainct Ierome also calleth Heluidiū a rashe and an vngodly man because that he taught that our Ladye hadde other children by Ioseph after Christs birth which doctrine he coulde not proue by the scriptures of god In like maner we cal al them that preache a ny doctrine in the church without the Authorite of gods worde both vngodly rashe and wicked members of Antichrist ARgument Yet they bring forth to maintaine their errour the Baptisme of infantee which they say is not contained in the scriptures and yet this is to be obserued vpō paine of dānaciō of the said childrē Ergo there is sōe thyng to be done of necessite to our saluacion that is not contained in the scriptures ON what a gappe these men open both to the Donatistes to the Anabaptists that deny the baptising of infantes For if it were not writtē in the worde of god no manne ought to beleue it or vse it And so the Donatistes Anabaptistes doctryne were true outs false But in dede the baptisme of infaūtes is proued by the playne scriptures Firste by the figure of the old law which was circūcisiō Infātes in the olde law were circūcised Ergo in the newe lawe they ought to be baptised Againe Infātes pertaine to god as it is said to Abrahā I wil be thy god the god of thy sede after thee Christ saith also suffer children to come to me for of such is the kingdome of heauen And agayne see that ye despice not one of these lytle ones for their Aūgels in heauen alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauē for the sōne of māiscōe to saue that that is lost And agaīe Paule sayth that youre children art holy nowe By these and many other playne wordes of Scripture it is euidente that the Baptysme of infantes is grounded vpon the holye scriptures FVrthermore the churche saye they hath chaunged the Sabboth daye into the Sondaye whych Sabboth was commaunded by God and neuer man found fault there at Seeyng thē that the church hath authorite to chaunge Goddes lawes muche more it hath authorite to make newe lawes necessarie to saluacion THere bee 2. partes of the Sabboth day One is the outward bodely reste from all maner of labour and worke and this is were ceremoniall and was taken awaye with other sacrifices and ceremonies by Christ at the preaching of the gospell The other part of the Sabboth day is the inwarde rest or ceassing frō sinne from our own wils and lusts and to do only gods wil and commaūdementes Of this part speaketh the Prophet Esai He that taketh hede that he vnhalow not the sabboth day is he that kepeth himselfe that he doe no euyl and they that hold greatly of the thing that pleaseth me and kepe my couenaūte vnto them wil I geue an euerlastyng name that shall not peryuse And moreouer the same Prophete sayeth If thou turne thy feete from the sabboth so that thou doe not the thing which pleaseth thy selfe in my holy daye Then shalte thou be called vnto the pleasaunt holy and gloryous sabboth of the Lorde where thou shalte be in honor so that thou do not after thine own imaginacions nether seke thine own wil nor speake thyne owne wordes Then shalt thou haue thy pleasure in the Lord whiche shall carry the hyghe aboue the earth and fede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the Lords own mouth hath spoken it This spirituall Sabboth that is to abstayne from synne and to doe good are all men bounde to kepe all the dayes of their life and not only on the sabboth day And this spirituall sabboth may no man alter nor chaung no not the whole church That the vtter obseruinge of the sabboth is mere cerimonial sainct Paul writeth plainly as that the holy daies of the newe mone and of the sabboth daies are nothinge but shadowes of thinges to come And that the outwarde bodely rest is a mere cerimoniall precept S. Austine also affirmeth saying that amōg all the ten commaundements this only that is spoken of the sabboth is cōmaūded figuratiuely but al the other commaundements we must obserue playnly as they be cōmaunded with out any figuratyue speche IErome also to the Galathians 4. accordyng to the same sayeth leste the congregaciō of the people with out good order shoulde dimmishe the faith in Christ therfore certaine daies wer appointed wherin we should cōe together not that that daye is holyer then the other in whiche we come together but that what soeuer day we assemble in there might aryse greater ioye by the sight of one of vs to another But he that wil
because ye know not the scriptures not because ye beleue not the churche He also promyseth his elect that they shal heare his voice and not a straungers voice If ye be doubtful therfore in any poynte resorte to the Scryptures geuen from GOD and oute of them searche for the thing wherof thou arte ignoraunte and aboue all thinges be not to rashe in iudgement neyther truste to muche in thine own witte Aske also counsell of suche menne whom thou knoweste to bee wel learned and exercised in the same Scryptures and whose conuersacion thou seeste to bee agreable to their wordes and yet beleue them no farther then they canne proue theyr doctrines and exhortacyons to aunswere and agree wyth GODDES mosre holye woorde Seke aske crye cal knock faste and praye wyth a constaunte fayth ioynynge therto a Chrystyan sober and a charitable â—iuing and thâ— he that hath the keye of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shal accordyng to his promyse geue vnto you al that you aske of his father in hys name and shall sende his holy spirite into your hartes who shall leade you into al trueth and put you in remembraunce of all those thynges whyche Christ hath commaunded nedeful necessarie for your saluacion What so euer therefore the churche teacheth you out of the canonical bokes of the Bible beleue that but if they teache any thing beside that I meane which is not agreinge with the same beleue neyther that nor them For then they ar not the Church of Chryst but the Synagog of Satan and Antichriste For the Churche of God as Saincte Paul witnesseth â—s builded vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prephetes not vpon the Apostles but vpoÌ„ the same foundacion which they laid that is Christe Iesus and his holyâ— worde And all such vnwritten veryties as the Papistes haue in theyr mouthes though they seme neuer so glorious a churche to the face of the world if they be not agreinge as they are not in dede to the verye worde of god suspect them yea rather I bidde you vtterly to abhorre and reiecte theÌ„ For their vtwarde and sene churche may and doth as is before proued coÌ„monly erre in great and waighty matters Stande fast therfore to sounde good doctrine and wauer not And if any man come vnto you and brynge not this doctrine with him receyue hym not into your house bid him not god spede nor haue aught to do with him but counte hym as an abiecte from god and Christ. But cleaue ye fast to the souÌ„de certaine doctrine of gods infallible word writteÌ„ in the canonical bokes of the new olde testament which is able sufficiently to instructe you to eternal saluacioÌ„ throgh Iesus Christ our lord To whom with the father and the holy goste be al honor and praise for euer euer Amen The boke to the Reader IVdge not before Thou knowe mine intent But reade me throughout And then say thy fyll As thou in opinion Art minded and bent Vhether it be either good orill I care not for prayse Nor slaunder vntrue Of man nor of childe What euer he be Trueth nede not to feare Who doth it pursue With prayse or disprayse In any degree For trueth is not bettered By prayses at al Nor harmed by disprayse Of any wyght But goodnes or hurt Most surely come shal To him that doth iudge Either wrong or right Reade me then iudge me Therfore I thee praye Nothyng for my cause But only thyne own For I shall indure Who soeuer say naye When vnwritten truethes Shalbe ouer throwne ⧠A ConfutacioÌ„ of vnwritteÌ„ verities by diuerse auctorities diligently and truly gathered together out of the holy scryptures and auncient fathers ¶ That the worde of god wrytten contained within the Canon of the Bible is a true sounde perfecte and whole doctrine contayning in it selfe fully all thynges nedeful for oure saluacion ¶ The .i. Chapter YE shal put nothyng to the word which I commaunde you neyther take aughte therefroÌ„ that ye maye kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your god whiche I commaunde you You shall not doe any thynge that we do here this daye euery maÌ„ what semeth him good in his own eyes What soeuer I commaunde you that take â—eade you doe onelye to the Lorde and put nothynge thereto nor take aughte therefrom The Prophet which shall presume to speake a worde in my name which I haue not coÌ„mauÌ„ded him to speake or that speakth in the name of strauÌ„ge gods that prophete shall dye Al the wordes of god are pure and cleane for he is a 〈◊〉 vnto all them that putte these truste in him Putte thou nothyng vnto hys wordes leaste he reproue the and thou bee found a lyar Heare not the wordes of the Prophâ—tes that preache vnto you and beleaue you for they speake the meâ—nyng of their own hartes and not oute of the mouth of the lorde Whosoeuer teacheth and kepeth the same speaking of his commaun dementes shall be called greate in the kyngdom of heauen Whosoeuer heareth these my wordes and doth the same shalbee likened vnto a wise man that buildeth hys house vpon a rocke and aboundauÌ„ce of raine fel the fluddes came the wiÌ„de blew and bet vpon the same house and it fel not because it was grouÌ„ded an the suer rocke This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with lyppes howbeit their harts be farre from me but in vayne do thei serue me teachyng the doctrynes and preceptes of men Goe ye and teacheÌ„ all 〈◊〉 baptysing them in the name of 〈…〉 c teachyng them to 〈…〉 what so euer I haue 〈…〉 Goe ye into all the 〈◊〉 and preache my gospell to all creatures He that heareth mi word beleueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting lyfe and shal not come into damnacion but is escaped from death to life Searche the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternal life and thei art they which testifie of me These are written that you might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of god and that in beleuing ye might haue life thorow hys name I haue spared no labor but I haue shewed al the counsell of god I haue obtained helpe of God and continew vnto this day witnessynge both to the small and to the great sayinge none other thynges then those which the prophetes and Moses did say should come Fayth commeth by hearynge hearynge commeth by the worde of god What soeuer is not of fayth the same is sinne We be not lordes ouer your fayth but helpers of your ioye Though we our selues or an aungell from heauen preache any other gospell vnto you then that whyche we haue preached let him be accursed Continewe thou in the thynges whyche thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto the knowiÌ„g of whoÌ„ thou hast learned them and for as muche
not But in the workes of all them that come after which be contayned in iÌ„numerable bokes yet in no wyse to be compared to the most holy excellencye of the Canonicall scryptures although in some of them bee founde the same trueth yet the aucthorite is farre vnlike Therfore if it fortune any thynge in them to be thoughte to dissente from the trueth because they are not so vnderstaÌ„d as they be spoken yet the reader or hearer hath his free iudgemeÌ„t so that eyther he maye alowe that that pleaseth hym or reiecte that whiche offendeth him And thereforâ— al such like except they may be defended either by good reason or by theÌ„ canonicall aucthorite that it maye bee proued that they are so in dede or may be so because either it is ther disputed or declared if it displease anye man or if he wil not beleue it he is not to be blamed therfore THe same in the same place Epistola 48. Gather not my brother against so many so cleare so vndoubted witnesses of the scriptures sentences misunderstanded oute of the writinges of Bishoppes either of ours or of Hilarie or Ciprian Bishop and martyr of the church for we must put a diuersitie betwixte this kinde of writing and the Canonical scriptures For these are not so to be red as though a wytnes might be alledged oute of them so that no manne myghte thynke otherwise if they fortune to iudge otherwise then the trueth requireth THe same to Ierome I haue learned to geue thys reuereÌ„ce and honoure to those onelye writers which be now called Canonicall that I dare be bold to beleue that none of them dyd erre any thyng at al in wrytynge But if I fynde any thiÌ„g in those Scryptures that semeth contrarye to the trueth I doubt not but that eyther the boke is false or the interpreter dyd not attayne the thynge that was spoken or els I vnderstande it not But all other authours be they neuer so excellente both in vertue and learnynge I dooe so reade them nor that I thynke it true that they wrot beecause they thoughte so but beecause they coulde perswade me eyther by other Canonycall Scryptures or by some probable reasons a thyng not altogether abhorring froÌ„ the trueth THe same againste Cresconium agramarien lib. 2. Capit. 32. I am not bounde to his aucthorite For I doe not accoumpte Ciprians writinges as Canonicall but weyghâ— them by the Canonicall scriptures that in them which agreeth with the Canonicall scriptures I alow to hys prayse but that that agreeth not by hys fauor I refuse THe same to Vincent Victor I cannot nor ought not to denye that lyke as in myne elders so also in my so many bokes bee manye thynges that by iuste iudgemente wythoute rashnes maye bee reproued THe same in the prologe of hys booke of the Trinite Be not bounde to my writynges as to the Canonical scriptures but if thou fynde any thyng in them which thou diddest not beleue strayghte way beleue it in these that thou art not suer of excepte thou certaynly vnderstand it beleue it not certaynly THe same to Fortunate Epistola 198. Neyther ought we to alow the reasoninges of anye menne what soeuer they bee although ther be Catholyke and laudable men as the canonical scriptures so that it shal not be lawfull for vs sauinge the reuerence that is due to those men to reproue and refuse any thynge in their writinges if it chaunce that thei haue iudged otherwise then truethe is the same trueth by goddes helpe beeynge vnderstande eyther of other men or of vs. For I am euen suche an one in other mens wrytynges as I woulde men should be in myne THe same in the same place Let vs seke no further theÌ„ is written of god our sauiour leste a man would know more then the scriptures witnesse CIrille lib. 6. Vpon Leuitieâ—s There be two offices of a Byshoppe to learne the scriptures of god and by ofte readyng to digeste the same or els to teache the people but let him teach those things which he hath learned of god and not of his own hart or by mans vnderstanding but those thynges which the holy gost teacheth THe same in Iohn Cap. 6. He sayeth by this we learne that onely Chryste oughte to be folowed as a master and we must clene vnto him onely THe same in Iohn cap. 20. Not al thyngs that the lord did ar written but those thyngs that the writers thought sufficient as wel to good maners as to doctryne that we shining with a constaunte faythe good workes and vertues may come to the kyngdome of heauen FVlgence in his sermon of the confessors In the worde of god is plentye for the stronge man to eate there is inoughe for the child to sucke there is also milke to driÌ„ke wherewith the tender infancye of the faythfull may be nourished and stroÌ„g meate wherewith the lusâ—ye youth of them that be perfect may receaue the spirituall encresment of holy vertue There prouision is made for the saluacion of al men whom the lord doth vouchesafe to saue there is that that is agreable to all ages there is also that which is mete for al states Ther we learne the commaundementes which we ought to do there we know the rewardes which we hope for GRegory in Iob. lib. 16. Cap. 28. He that prepareth himself to the office of a true precher must neds fetchè the foundacion of his maters out of the holy scriptures So that al that he sayeth he muste reduce it to the firste beginning of goddes aucthorite and in that staye the effecte of his sayinges For as I haue sayd many times afore heretikes when they studye to maintayne theyr frowarde doctriÌ„e suerly they bryng forth those thinges that are not coÌ„tayned in the holy scriptures THeophilactus vpon this place of Paule the laste to the Romaynes I beseche you brethreÌ„ marke them whiche cause diuision geue occasion of euil contrary to the doctrine whych you haue learned and auoyde them for they that are suche serue not the Lorde Iesus christ but their own bellies and with swete prechinges and flattering wordes deceue the harts of the innocents Here saith Theophilactus that they bryng in di-uisions and occasions of euill whiche bryng forth any thyng besyde the doctryne and learnynge of the Apostles DAmascenus lib. 1. cap. 1. Al that euer was deliuered bi the law the Prophets the Apostles and the Euangelistes we receiue acknowledge and geue reuerence vnto them searchyng nothyng besides them BRuno the in secoÌ„d to Timothe doutlesse the holy Scryptures are able to instruct thee to saluation For euery scripture beeyng inspired from god that is to saye spiritually vnderstande after the wil of God is profytable to teache them that be ignoraunte to reproue that is to conuince them that speake agaynste the fayth to correct synners suche as denye not them selues to bee synners to instructe those
daungers they both declared by their answeres and beeyng pacyfyed wyth sacrifice turned away But all these be but deceites for seyng they knowe before the disposicion of god because they were his ministers they thruste them selues into these businesses so that what so euer thynges eyther be done or haue bene done of God they mighte seme cheflye to dooe or haue done it And so ofte as any goodnesse is coÌ„mynge at hande to any people or Citie accordynge to Gods appointmeÌ„t they promyse that they wyll doe it eyther by miracles dreames or reuelacions if churches if honours if sacryfices be geuen to them The whyche thynges beeyng geuen whan that chaunceth that nedes muste bee they get to themselues greate worshyppe For this cause bee temples vowed for thys cause be newe Images halowed And so ofte as perilles be at hande for some foolyshe and lyghte cause they fayne themselues angrye as Iuno towarde Varre But these be the deceites of them that lurkynge vnder the names of the deade intende to plague them that be aliue Wherfore wheras that dauÌ„ger that is at hand maye bee auoyded they woulde seme that they beeynge pacified haue turned it awaye And if it cannot be eschewed thys they doe that it myghte appeare to chaunce for the contempte of them and so they purchase to theÌ„selfes great authorite feare amoÌ„g meÌ„ that know them not Some men wil saye why doth god then suffer these thynges neyther doeth he succoure so euill errours That euil thynges may fighte wyth good that vices may be contrari to vertues that he may haue some whom he may punish and some whoÌ„ he may honour STapulensis vpon the .2 Epystle to the Thessa. 2. Ca. Maruayle not of counterfayte Aungels and of the subtilty of Sathan resemblyng hymselfe to Christ seing we read a like thiÌ„g in the historye of Heraclides of a MooÌ„ke called ValeÌ„t The deuil saith he chaunging himselfe into the lykenes of our sauiour came to hym by night with a company as he fayned of a. M. Angels holdynge burnynge lampes in their haÌ„des and with a frery charet in the which he fayned oure sauiour to sit Then one of them stept forth and sayed thus vnto hym come forth out of thy â—ell now and doe nothyng els but when thou seest him coÌ„e a farre of make hast to bowe downe thy selfe and worshyppe hym and so strayght way returne againe to thine own house Then he went forth oute of his house and beleuing that he had sene that godly offices of heauenly ministers and all shininge with fierie lampes and Chryste as he thought hymselfe not past a furlong of fel flat vpon the grounde and worshypped him whom he beleued to be the lord See here howe this fearfull and folyshe Moonke ValeÌ„t leauynge very Chryst worshipped Chrystes enemy and in steade of the trueth a counterfet Antichryste and Sathan ¶ That apparitions of the deade be vnsuffycyente to proue trueth ¶ The .v. Chapter DEuteronomyum .18 When thou art come into the lande whiche the lorde thy god geueth thee see that thou folowe not the abominacions of those nacions let ther not be found among you any one that maketh his sonne or daughter to gooe through the fier or that vseth witchecraft or a chuser of dayes and that regardeth the flying of foules or a sorcerer or a charmer or that couÌ„selleth with spirites or a sothesayer or that asketh the trueth at theÌ„ that be dead For the lord abhorreth al these for suche abominacions the lord thy god doth cast them out before thee But the lord thy god hath not suffered the so to doe ESai. 8. And if they saye to you axe counsell at the sothesayers witches charmers coniuratâ— then make them thys aunswere is there a people any where that asketh not counsell at his God shoulde men roonne vnto the deade for the liuing If any manne wante lyght lette him loke vpon the lawe and the testymonye whether they speake after thys meanyng LVke .16 If they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther wyl they beleue if one arise froÌ„ death LActancius in his institucions lib. 2. Cap. 2. The rude sort thiÌ„k that mens soules walke aboute the graues and reliques of their bodyes CHrysostome in his .4 Homilie of Lazarus That thou mayest knowe that the doctrynes of the scriptures and Prophetes are of more force then if they that be raysed froÌ„ death shold tel any thiÌ„g consider this that whosoeuer is dead is a seruauÌ„t But what the scripturs speak the lorde himselfe speaketh therfore though a dead maÌ„ arise yea although an angel coÌ„e down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ yet chiefly we ought to beleue the scryptures For he that is master of Aungels and lord of the quicke and the dead made them If dead men should come again from thence vnto vs the deuil might haue brought to vs false doctrines and that very easely For he myghte haue shewed of ten tymes gostes and haue subornated men that shold couÌ„terfet death and burial and within a whyle after shew theÌ„selues as thogh they were raysed agayne from death and through them to perswade the people so begiled what so euer hym lyst For if nowâ— when no suche thyng is done in dede yet dreames sene of many men in their slepe as thoughe it wer of them that are departed heÌ„ce haue deceyued destroyed and ouer throwen many menne muche more it should haue chaunced if the thynge had bene done in dede and gotten credite in mens mindes that is to say if many of the dead had returned againe to lyfe that wycked deuil wold haue wroughte innumerable deceits and brought muche fraude into the life of men And for that cause God hath shut vp that waye neyther doth he suffer any of the dead to come againe hether to tel what is done ther lest he by that meanes should brynge in al his wiles and subtilties For wheÌ„ ther were Prophetes he styrred vp false Prophetes when the Apostles wer false Apostles when Christ appeared he raysed false Chrystes whaÌ„â—ounde doctryne was broughte in he brought in corrupte doctrine sowing â—ockle euery where But God from whom nothing is hidde hath â—ropped his way to those snares and he fauouring vs hath not suffered that any soÌ„e at any tyme should come from theÌ„ce hether to tel what is there done to any men lyuing teachyng vs that we shold rather beleue the scrypturs theÌ„ all other thinges THe same in Math. Cap. 8. Homilie .2.9 I wil not denye but that men haue bene kylled of cursed charmers and sorcerers but that dead mennes soules worke wyth them how shal they make me beleue that because thou haste heard dead mens soules many times crye I am the soule of such a one Yea but these wordes procede out of the fraude and deceit of the deuil For it is not the dead mans soule that sayth this but the deuill that sayneth thys that he maye deceaue the hearers For these ought to
be taken as olde wyues fables the wordes of liars and fraye bugges of children neyther canne the soule beyng departed from the body walke in this earth For the soules of the righteous are in the hand of god and the soules of synners ar streight after their death caried awai Which is manifest by Lazarus and the ryche man The lord saieth also in another place this day shal they fetche away thy soule The soule therfore after it be departed from the body cannot waÌ„der here amongest vs. It may be proued by maniscripturs that the souls of the ryghteous cannot wander here after their death For Steuen sayd Lorde receiue my spirite And Paule desyered to be losed from the bodye and to be wyth CHRISTE Of the Patriarkes also the Scripture sayth he was laid vp wyth his fathers he dyed in a good age And that the soules of sinners canne not tarye here with vs harken to the ryche manne what he sayeth consyder what he asketh and obtayneth not But yf mens soules myghte bee conuersaunte here he woulde haue come as he desyered and haue certified his brethren of the tormentes in hell Of the whiche place of Scripture it is manyfeste that after the departynge from the bodye the soules are caryed into a certayne place from whence they cannot returne at their pleasure but loke for that terrible day of Iudgement HIerome in the .8 Ca. of Ieremy If you doubt of any thiÌ„g sayeth the prophete knowe that it is written that those nations whiche the lord shal scatter before thy face shal harken to dreames and sothsayers but the Lord thy god hath coÌ„maunded thee not so to doe but if you wil know thynges that be doubtful geue yourselues rather to the testimonies of the law the scriptures But if your congregacion wil not searche the worde of the lorde they shall not haue the lyghte of the trueth but shal wander in darkenesse of errors You ought to knowe thys that euery nacyon asketh counsell at theyr owne gods and enquireth of the deade for the health of the quicke but god hath geuen you the law for youre helpe so that you may say the soothsaying of the heathen which deceiue their worshippers is not lyke ours whyche is spoken oute of the lawe without any coste SAiÌ„ct Augustine also saith that the spirite of Samuel which the woman sorcerer raysed to Saul was not the soule of Samuel but the deuil which appeared in Samuels likenes for to deceiue Saul this doeth he proue both by euydente scriptures and stronge reasons ¶ Neyther are miracles able to proue our fayth ¶ The .vi. Chapter EXodus .7 8. The wise men and inchaunters of Pharao turned their roddes into serpentes and the waters of Egipt into bloode and made all the whole lande to swarme with frogges through their sorceries DEuteronum .13 If there aryse among you a Prophete or a dreamer of dreames and geue thee a signe or a woÌ„der and that signe or wonder which he hath sayed come to passe and then saye let vs got after straunge goddes which thou hast not knowen and let vs serue them Harken not vnto the wordes of that Prophet or dreamer of dreames For the lord thy god tempteth thee to wete whether ye loue the lorde your God wyth all youre hartes and all youre soules IEremye .23 Beholde here am I â–ª sayeth the LORDE agaynste those Prophetes that dare prophesye lyes and deceyue my people wyth their vanities and miracles â–ª whom I neuer sent nor coÌ„maunded MAth .7 Many shal saye to me in those dayes LORDE haue we not prophesyed in thy name haue we not caste oute deuils in thy name and then it shall bee answered them I neuer knewe you departe from me you children of iniquite MAth .12 An euyll and froward generacyon saketh a sygne and there shall no sygne bee geuen to them but the signe of Ionas the Prophete MAthewe .24 There shall a rise false CHRISTES and false Prophetes and shal shewe greate miracles and wonders in so muche that if it were possyble euen the verye electe shoulde bee disceaued but take you hede beeholde I haue shewed you al thynges before THessa .2 The commyng of that wicked one meaniÌ„g Antichrist shalbe after the working of Sâ—than with all lyenge power signes and wonders and wyth al disceit of vnrighteousnesse of them that shall peryshe beecause they receaued not the loue of the trueth that they myght be saued And therefore God shal sende them stronge delusyoÌ„s that they myght beleue lyes that all they myght be damned which beleued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes ACtes .8 Simon Magus an in chaunter by his wonders bewitched the Samaritans ACtes .13 Elimas the sorcerer had of long tyme deceyued the Antiochians Read the stories IRene lib .1 Telleth of a certen Iugler called Marke whiche in the sacrament of thankes geuing wonderfully deceaued the simple people For he so chaunged the coloure of wyne that it appeared vtterly to be bludde and a litel wine so increased through his Iugling that the chalyce was fylled and ranne ouer By this Iugling it is playne inough that those myracles that be alledged of many men for the real presence in the sacrament of the alter doe not confyrme their error but be very delusions of the deuyl or of his iuglyng ministers CHrysostome in his .4 9. Homilie vpoÌ„ the .24 of Math. Afore time it was knoweÌ„ which wer true Christen men and which false by miracles but how were the false knowen Because they could not worke such or lyke miracles as true ChristeÌ„ men did but they wroughte vaine thinges making men to wonder but bringing no profit at al. But the Christians did miracles which not onelye brought wonders but also profyte by these they were knowen whyche were true Christians and whyche false But now workyng of miracles is vtterly taken awaye Yea couÌ„terfet miracles are rather founde amonge them that be false Chrystians as Peter declareth in Clement Antichriste shal haue full power geuen him to worke great miracles THe same in his first oracyon agaynste the Iewes vpoÌ„ thys place of Deutero .13 If there a rise among you a Prophete or a dreamer of dreames c. That that he saith sayeth Chrysostome is thys if any Prophete saye I can rayse a dead maÌ„ and geue syghte to a blinde man obey me let vs worship deuils let vs do sacrifice to Idols moreouer if a man speake thus that he can geue the bliÌ„d his syghte rayse the deadâ— yea though he doe these thynges beleue him not for the Lord trieng thee suffereth him to doe them not that he knewe not thy mynd but to geue thee occasyon of tryall whether thou loue God in dede THe same in Iohn Cap. 2. In the ende of the .22 Homilie Ther be some doubtles now a daies that aske why men worke no miracles now If thou be faithful as thou oughtest to be if thou loue Christ as he shoulde be loued thou nedest
no miracles for signes are geuen to vnbeleuers and not to the faythfull AVgustyne agaynst faustus the Manachee lib. 15. Cap. 5. The Scriptures that be stablyshed and sette forth by so greate authorite ye despice miracles you work none which though you did yet we woulde beware of you by the Lorde instructing and teachinge vs saying there shal aryse false Chrystes c. THe same of the citie of god li. 20. Cap. 19. The presence of Antichrist shalbe after the workynge of Sathan with all lyinge powers as a fore For then shall SathaÌ„ be let lose and by him Antichrist with all his power shal worke meruelously but lyingly of the which miracles it was wonte to be doubted whether they be called lyinge signes and wonders for thys cause that he shall deceaue mans senses with visions so that he semeth to do the thyng that he doeth not in dede or els beecause thesame although they be true miracles and not counterfet yet they draw meÌ„ to beleue that thei can not be done but by the power of god whereas meâ—ne knowe not the power of the deuyll chefely seing that how greate soeuer power he hath he hath receued it For when fier fel down from heauen and with one dashe destroyed sâ— greate a-familie wyth so many heardes of cattayll of holy Iob a sodayne whirle winde ouerthrowing his house slew his children these were no disceauable visions but for euery one of these it is sayed they shall be beegiled with signes and wonders that shall deserue to be begiled for so much as thei haue not receyued the loue of the trueth that thei might be saued Neither did the Apostle feare to saye and adde god shal sende them strong delusyons that they should beleue lies For god doth sende these thynges because he suffereth the deuyll to dooe them he in dede bi his iust iudgemeÌ„t although the deuill doeth it of a wycked and malicious purpose THe same of the vnite of the churche Cap. 16. Let theÌ„ shewe their church if they can not in the sayinges and in the fame of the Affricanes not in the determinacioÌ„s of their bishoppes not in any mans reasonynges not in false sygnes and wonders for agaynst all thys we bee warned and armed by gods word but in the thynges appoynted in the law spoken afore by the Prophetes in the songes of the Psalmes in the voyce of the shepeharde himselfe and the prea thynges and paynefulnes of the EuaÌ„gelysâ—s that is in the authorite of the bokes Canenical but not so that thei may gather and rehearse those thiÌ„gs that be spoken daâ—kely and doubtfully and figuratiuely whych euery man may vnderstande as he lyst after hys own mynd For suche thynges cannot be vnderstanded and expounded rightly except those thynges that be verye playnlye spoken bee perceaued before wyth a constante fayth Let him not saye thys is true beecause I saye it or because my companyon saith thus or these my companions or these our Byshoppes Clarkes or laye menne or els it is true because such miracles did Donatus Pontius or what soeuer other or els because men praye at the tombes of our dead menne and be heard or because these and these thiÌ„gs chaunced there or that thys brother of ours or thys syster of ours sawe suche a vision ether wakyng or slepynge in hys dreame sawe suche a vysyon or syght away with these Either they be faynyngs of lying men or the wonders of deceytfull deuyls For eyther they are not true that are spoken or if any miracles bee done amonge Heretykes we ought the more to take hede of them beecause that when the Lorde had sayed there shold come some that by workyng diuerse myracles shoulde deceyue if it were possyble the verye electe he added and earnestlye settynge foorth the thyng sayed behold I haue tolde you before Whereof the Apostle admonishing them speaketh playnlye that in the latter tymes menne shoulde departe from the faythe geuynge hede to spirites of errour and doctrynes of deuyls Further more if any man bee heard praying at the toÌ„bes of heretiâ—â— he receueth whether it be good or euil not for the merite of the place but for the merite of his desyer For the sprite of the lord as it is wrytten filleth the whole world and the earnest eare heareth all thynges and many be heard of god when he is angry of whoÌ„ the Apostle sayth he had geuen them vp to their hartes desier And god to many whom he fauoureth geueth not what they woulde that he maye geue them that whiche is profytable wherfore saith the same Apostle of the stiÌ„ge of his flesh the messenger of Sathan which he said was geuen hym to buffet him lest he should be exalted aboue measure by the greatnes of reuelacions for the whiche I prayed the lorde thrise that he would take it away froÌ„ me and he sayed vnto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect through weaknes Doe we not reade that many meÌ„ wer hard of god himselfe in the hyghe places of Iurye which highe places neuertheles so displeased god that kings which destroyed them not were blamed and kynges that destroyed them wer praysed But thys ought to be vnderstaÌ„de that the desyer of him that praieth is more worthy or of more strength theÌ„ the place of prayer but of false vysioÌ„s let them reade what is written both that Sathan doth chaunge himselfe into an Angell of light and that their dreames haue deceyued many meÌ„ let them also heare what the heathen tel of their temples and godes wonderfully eyther done or sene and yet neuertheles the gods of the heathen be deuils but the Lorde made the heaueÌ„s Therfore many meÌ„ be heard and after many diuerse sorts not only catholyke Christians but also panimes and Iewes and heretikes geuen to diuerse errours supersticions doubtles they ar heard eyther of deceitfull spirits which neuertheles do nothing except they be permitted of god hyghly and vnspeakeably iudging what is mete to be geuen to euery man or els of god hiÌ„self either for the punishmeÌ„t of malice or the coÌ„fort of miseri or for the admonishmeÌ„t of eternal saluacioÌ„ But to that eternall saluacioÌ„ coÌ„meth no maÌ„ but he that hath the head christ Yea no maÌ„ caÌ„ haue the head Christ which is not in his body the churche which church lyke as the head it self we must know in the canonical scripturs not to seke it in diuers rumors â—pâ—nioÌ„s of meÌ„ not in factes sayiÌ„ges sights c. Let al this sort of them be chaffe not geue seÌ„teÌ„ce afore hande agaiÌ„st the wheate if thei be the church â–ª but whether thei be the church let theÌ„ shew none other wais but bi the caÌ„onical bokes of the holi scripturs For neither doe we saye that men oughte to beleue vs because we are in the catholyke church of Christ or because Optaiê° bishop of Miliuet or Ambrose bishop of Miliane or
answere wittelye to the question propouÌ„ded affirmeth all the dayes to be lyke and not that Christ is crucified only on good fridai and riseth only on the soÌ„day but that euery daye is the daye of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ we eate his flesh alwaies But fastinges and comminges together wer ordeined of wise men for theÌ„ that geue theÌ„selfes rather to the world then to God that cannot yea for theÌ„ that wil not come there at all there to make their sacrifice of praiers to god in the face of all the people Herby you may easely perceaue that the church hath not chaunged the speciall part of the sabboth whiche is to cease from vice and sinne but the cerimoniall part of the Sabboth only whiche was abrogate and taken away with other cerimonies of Moses law by Chryst at the full preachiÌ„g of the gospell In place whereof the churche hath ordayned the sonday for causes afore sayd ¶ The Papystes obiectyons with answers vnto them ¶ The .11 Chapter MOreouer they boast theÌ„selfes of the certeÌ„tie of their doctriÌ„e and proue it to be true by the long continuance therof and luckye prosperite of their kyngdome and their aduersaries doctrine to be false by the persecucions plages myseries and afflictyons which they dayly suffer for their doctrines sake IF the trial of true religion shoulde rest vpon antiquite of tyme or vpoÌ„ worldly prosperite theÌ„ should the gentyls and pagans haue a great aduauntage of vs Chrystians and their religion should be better then ours by the restimonies of our owne scriptures For idolatrye and worâ—â—ipping of false gods and their imageâ—â— was vsed long before the law of god writteÌ„ and geuen to Moses in which errors and idolatry the heathen continewe vnto thys day in great prosperite wealth vnder most victorious Emperours and Princes whereas the true churche of Chryst hath been most miserablie affllicted from tyme to time first vnder the EgiptiaÌ„s after by the Philistines Cananites Pheresites c. then by the Babilonians Assirians Medes Persians Sirians and Romanes both subdued conquest and led awaye captyues And last of all by the turke and the pope the .ii. hornes of Antichrist the true church of christ hath been mostcruelly persecuted vnto death with prison famine water fier fagot and sworde these .vii. or viii yeares last past Which Turke Pope although they be mortall enemies the one to the other yet as Herode Pilate the Bishops Scribes Pharisees although they were vtter foes ech to other conspired agaiÌ„st iunocent Christ causeles condemning him to death on the crosse In lyke maner I say the Pope and the Turke do fully agree in this one poynt to persecute and murther Christ in hys faythfull members For as the sonne can not be withoute hys brightnesse nor the fier without his heat so cannot the true churche of God be long without the crosse of persecucyon as witnesseth S. Paule al they that wil liue godly in Iesus Chryste shal suffer persecucion And our sauiour Christ sayeth plainly that his kingdome is not of this world For if they persecute me sayeth he they shal also persecute you Chryste geueth not to his Apostles earthlye peace in this world but peace and quietnesse of conscience ioyned with persecucion For if the wicked persecuted Christ himselfe shal they not also persecute hys seruauntes And if they so handeled Christ being the liuely treâ— what thinke you shall they doe to vs his withred brauÌ„ches And as the true churche of Chryste can neuer be long wythout persecution in lyke maner can the false churche of Sathan and Antichriste neuer ceasse from persecutynge as it appeareth throughe oute the Historyes of the whole byble Of the tyrannye and crueltye of Antichrist in persecutyng of Chrystes true church prophesied Daniel loÌ„g before speaking of the Empire and regiment of Rome The .4 beast saith he shalbe the .iiii. kyngdome whyche shal be greater then all other kyngdomes it shall deuoure treade downe and destroye all other landes he shal speake wordes agaynst the higheste of all â–ª he shal destroye the sainctes of the moste highest and thinke that he can chauÌ„ge tymes and lawes agayne he saieth of Antiochus which was a figure of Antichrist there shall aryse a king vn shamfast of face he shalbe wise in dark speakyng he shalbe mightie and stroÌ„g but not in his own streÌ„gth he shal destroye aboue measure and all that he goeth aboute shall prosper in hys hande his hearte shall be proude he shal slaye the stronge and holy people and through his craftines falseheade shall prosper in his hande and manye one shall he put to death in his weal thynes he shall stande vp agaynst the Prince of Princes but he shalbe slain without hande Of the tyrannye and prosperous successe of antichrist in slaying of the sayuctes of god and the rewarde of them that bee slaine for the witnes of gods trueth speaketh also sainct Iohn in the .vi. Chapter of his Apocalips vnder the openyng of the iiii and .v. seales and in the .xvii. chapter he lyuely setteth foorth the Pope in his own colours vnder the person of the whore of Babilon being dronken with the bloud of saynctes pointyng as it were with his finger who thys whore of Babilon is and the place wher she shal reigne saying the woman whiche thou sawest is that greate citie which reigneth ouer the kyngs of the earth Now what other citie reigned at that tyme or at any tyme since vnder the Christian kings of the earth but only Rome Wherof it foloweth Rome to bee the seate of Antichrist and the Pope to be verye Antichrist himselfe I could proue the same by many other scriptures olde wryters strong reasons But for as muche as Rodulphe Gualter hath writteÌ„ herof a notable worke in LateÌ„ now of Laten translated into Englishe by I. O. I remit the reader to his boke wherin he may be fully satisfied herof Of the prosperite and securite that the false churche hath in worldlye pleasures vsynge the same with al gredines voluptuousnes of carnal lustes with the wicked deuices of tiranny against Christ and his true members wherwith the vngodly daily persecute and murther gods electe for his trueth wyth the rewarde also of them that suffer for the same truth sake it is most playnly wrytten in the ii and .iii. Chapters of the booke of wisdome By these scriptures now rehersed it appeareth most plainly that worldly prosperite of the Pope and his clargy proue not the trueth of their doctryne nor yet persecutyon of Goddes true preachers and other faythfull people argueth their doctrine to bee false But if thou wilt nedes knowe where the true churche of Chryst is where the false and not be deceyued herin take this for a plaine and ful answer that wheresoeuer the worde of god is truly preached without addicioÌ„ of mans doctrines and tradicioÌ„s and the sacramentes duly ministred according to Christs institucion ther
is the true church the very spouse of god Christ beÌ„ig the head therof But how many and who of that nomber that heare the word of god and receiue the sacramentes be gods elect and church and true meÌ„bers of Chryst is knoweÌ„ to god onelye For the Lorde knoweth who he his and no man can tell of an other man whether he be worthy loue or hatred although their works seme neuer so holy and gloryous afore men so great a wytch is Ipocrisie LAst of al to make all coke suer and to maintaine their Idolatrye besyde yea and also contrarye to the worde of GOD as itruocacion and prayinge to Saynctes worshyppyng of Images reliques with pilgrimages and offerynges the sacrifice of the masse for the quick and the dead and pardons to delyuer dead mens soules from purgatory holy breade holy water ashes palms and suche other baggage they alledge reuelacions of Aungels of our Ladye and other sainctes and dead mennes soules appearyng to diuers men and wemen bidding them to cause certen masses trentalles pilgrimages and offering to Images and reliques of this and that saincte to bee done for them and they shoulde be delyuered from the fier of purgatorye where the paynes be greater say they than mans wit can comprehende And whaÌ„ suche masses pilgrimages with offringes to suche sainctes reliques and images be done for them they appear to the same persons agayne sayinge that by suche meanes they be deliuered out of purgatory into the eternal ioyes of heauen they tel also of many wonders and straunge miracles to proue their doctrine in all these afore sayed thynges to be true And because they haue great profyte and aduauÌ„tage therby they counting gains godlynes haue fylled all theyr bookes with suche vanites and lyes of which some be so fonde so directly againste gods glory that the most earneste papistes hauing either learnyng or wit be ashamed of theÌ„ Yea and the pope himselfe hath cleane put them out of gods seruice vsed in the churche of Rome and yet must we reade them beleue them as necessarye articles of our fayth or els burne therfore lyke heretikes BY theÌ„ manifest and plaine words of the Scriptures and the consent of the most auncyente authours before written it is euydente that neither the visions of Aungels apparitions of the dead nor miracles nor all these together ioyned in one are able or sufficient to make anye one newe article of our fayth or stablyshe any thyng in religion wythout the expresse wordes of god because that all such thyngs as is before proued may be yea and haue been throughe gods permission for oure sinnes and vubelefes sake done by the power of the deuill hymselfe or fayned and counterfeited of hys lyuelye members Monkes and Friers with other such hipocrites But what shal sathan nede to tell oracles vse visions shew apparitioÌ„s or worke miracles now a daies what should he nede to toyle herin himself or why should he not like a gentle maÌ„ take his ease in his inne seing his subtil seruauÌ„tes Monkes Friers NoÌ„nes and other Pope holye hipocrites can and doe counterfeit such thynges day lye and from their beginning hath doÌ„ diligently parâ—e whereof I shall rehearse About fourtene yeares paste at OrleaÌ„ce in Fraunce the Profestes wife died willing to beburied at the friers in the same citie without poÌ„pe or other solemnite coÌ„monly vsed at burialles Wherfore the friers fearinge to lease a great pray if this shoulde be suffered to enter into the heades of the people caused a younge frier to speake in a vawte in a womaÌ„s voice many people hearinge it sayd that she was the soule of the Profests wife condemned in hell for contemnyng of the suffrages of the holy churche commaunding also her body to be cast out of Christian buriall But the profeste so boolted out the mater that the yoÌ„g frier confessed the place and the maner of his speaking and all the friers were openly punished for that fault in the common market at Orleance But let vs come home to oure owne realme of Englande About .xxx. yers paste in the borders of wales wythin a Priory called Lymster there was a younge woman called the holy maide of Lymster whiche as the faÌ„e was lyued onely by Aungels foode and was enclosed wythin a grate of Irone Vnto whom certain daies when the Prior of the place sayede masse the thirde parte of the hoste went hanging in the ayer by miracle as it semed from the aulter wher the Prior massed into the maids mouth whiche thing broughte the people into a great opinion of holynes in her and caused great pilgrimage to be ther vsed But when the Lord of Burgauenny with his brother sir Edward â—euel and diuerse other ientle men ientle wemeÌ„ came to trye the trueth her of thei caused the doore to be opened and strayghte wayes the dogges fought for bones that wer vnder her bedde Whervpon they searching farther founde a priuye doore whereby the Prior myght resort to her and she to hym at their pleasures And then the confessed that she made as it wer .ii. fine thredes of her own heres siÌ„gly tyed together wyth fyne knottes and then made a bigge hole with a bed kin thorowe the corner of a quarter of the hoste and fastened one ende of the sayed heere to the corporas where the sayed Prior sayd masse and the other ende to her own bedde wherein the laye tyed the other heer faste to the quarter of the hoste and wrapped the other ende aboute her own finger And wheÌ„ the Prior had receiued his porcion of the hoste she woÌ„de vy the threde wherto the hoste was tyed vpon her fingers and so coÌ„ueyed the ost into her mouth Thys both the Prior and she confessed and dyd open penaunce for the same To Sainct Albans about .xxviii. yeares past came a mayde crepyng vpon her knees and lening vpon .ii. short staues enquiring after Sainct AlbaÌ„s boÌ„es affirminge that she shoulde bee made whole and goe vpright so sone as she should come to the place where saiÌ„ct Albans bones were In token wherof an Aungell had deliuered her a keye wherby she should certenlye knowe where his verye bones were And when she passed thus throughe the streates of Sainct Albans creping on her knees till she came to Sainte Albans shrine after she had made her prayers deuoutly there she toke out the key of her purse whiche she sayed an Angel had deliuered to her and theÌ„ she stode vpright opened the shrine with the sayd key and then kneled agayne to pray and to geue thankes to god and sainct AlbaÌ„e for her healing geuing her streÌ„gth to walke whiche was borne laÌ„e And by the moÌ„kes would haue had it roÌ„ge for a miracle but some wiser men thought it mete to trye the matter better to examine her further before they teÌ„pted to riÌ„ge a miracle opÌ„enly And vpon her examinacion the sayd that she had bene lame from her
succession of Bishops then shal we make Christ whiche is an innocent lambe without spot and in whom is founde no gile to bee the head of vngodly and disobediēt members Which thing is as impossyble as to make god which is onli good and nothynge but goodnesse it selfe to bee the aucthor originall and cause of al euill For Chryste as he is pure holy and perfyte euen so must his churche and members be to whom he as the head is adioyned and coupled But if we alow the Pope hys Cardinales Bishops Priestes Mōkes Chanō◠Friers and the whole rable of the clergye to be thys perfect church of god whose doinges are cleane contrarye for the most parte to the wyll and commaundement of Chryst lefte and expressed in his woorde wrytten then make we him a synner and his word of none effecte For as swete agreeth wyth sower blacke with white darknes with light and euil with good euen so this outward seene and vysyble churche consisting of the ordinari succession of Bishops agreeth wyth Christe But there they wyll aske me how shal a man know whether he be in the right faith but by this church To this Christe shal make aunswere himselfe sayeng in the gospel of Iohn my shepe heare my voice and shal not heare a straunger And where I pray you hath Christe left any voyce to be heard or folowed but in hys woorde writtē Search the scriptures saith he for they beare witnes of me Wher he biddeth you not search vnwritten verities such as the outward sene and pompeous church shall of theyr own heades showe you but the written verities contained in the holye scriptures whiche are profytable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of god may be perfet and prepared vnto all good workes If thou therefore bee desyerous to knowe whether thou be in the righte fayth or no seke it not at mās mouth for all men bee lyers Seke it not I saye at a proude gloryous and waue ringe sorte of Bishoppes priestes but at gods owne mouth whyche is his holy worde written whiche can neither lye disceaue nor be disceaued As 〈◊〉 I say seke and knocke by dylygent study earnest prayer vnto god who hath promised to geue to al thē that aske faithfulli of him the certaīti of good faith in their cōsciēce taught confirmed by the holye scryptures of the olde and newe testament And here I forbid no man as though they shold not aske and learne of the learned for that is good and necessarye yea and alowed by gods trueth but thys would I haue all men to dooe to vse discretion and wysdome in this matter and to knowe whether they be lerned godli minded and able to instruct by the scriptures or no. And yet if thei be beleue them no further then they can shewe their doctryne and exhortacion to bee agreable wyth the true worde of god written For that is the very touche stone whiche must yea and also wyl trye all doctryne or learnyng whatsoeuer it be whether it be good or euill true or false And let not men of small learninge be to curious in askyng or mouing darke and doubtful questions whiche brede contenciō rather then godly edyfieng but lette them be contente with the plaine and open places of the scriptures Let thē rather be earnest to obserue the commaundementes of faythe and loue whiche are plainly set forth in Gods boke then to trouble themselues and busy their heades wyth darke places for that is a thyng that hath done and also doth displease god very greatly Yea I thinke surely that these heauy plagues where wyth god most iustly punisheth now this realme of Englande whyche I beseche hym of hys infinite mercy eyther to take cleane awaye or els to mitigate them for his electe sake commeth not so much for the simple innocente and vnlearned sorte whych beeyng begiled throughe theyr simplicite by the craft and subtyltie of the wilie papystes doe stil cōtinue in supersticion and Idolatrye but rather for the curious sort which preache straunge farre fetched doctrynes nothyng so muche to edyfieng as to contencyous brawlynge Yea I would to god there were not a greate nomber of them that were and are counted learned whiche preache and defende doctrines whiche themselues know to be vntrue cōtrary to the euidēt scriptures Wolde god ther wer not many hūdreds of great gospellers sometimes that had not subscribed with their own hāds confirmed by their opē publique sermōs the cōtrary of that which they once builded in Chryst. And some of such I know in perswading priuatlye with their olde frēds acquaītaūce haue cōfessed no lesse but that they haue done cōtrary to the truth the good perswatiō of their own cōsciēce yet the same mē coūsell their frēdes for vnitie peace sake as thei terme it but rather ther maisai for feare of losse of goods life to obey wicked supersticiōs naughtie rites and dānable lawes But what peace or what vnitie is that that is a gaynst god his Christ And what profiteth it a mā to winne al the world lose his own soule For he that loueth his own life more thē me saith christ is not worthy of me For these mēs sakes therfore that is to saye the stubburne papistes that leade the worlde in blindnes cōtrary to their own cōsciēces specialli for delicat gospelers sakes whose wit vertue is in their toūgs hot disputers busi talkers taūters fault fīders with others rather thē mēders of thēselfes for these two sorts sakes chefly I say god heapeth these great plages that is persecuciō of his word dearth daūger of war people of straūge naciōs likely to subdue vtterli distroy that our realme except thei repēt amēd their liues in time becōe not ōli forgetful of their former euils but also diligēt workers true folowers of the word that thei haue so lightlye cōdēned and refused Which if thei do not let thē be suer that al the plages which ar written in the boke of god al the blood of hys sainctes which hath been shed frō iust Abel vnto this presēt time shalbe poured vpō thē But howsoeuer these mē do let vs deare brethrē whose harts god of his goodnes hath more mercyfulli touched repēt amēd our former liues ceasse frō al deade workes lest we be partakers of the same plagues with them But thankes be vnto our god that hath so gentlye ordered vs for thys we know that god suffereth not hys people longe to folowe theyr owne mynder but shortly punisheth them whiche is a token of his greate louinge kindnesse towarde them For this grace haue we of God more thē other people as it is wrytten that he suffereth not vs longe to synne vnpunished like other nacions that whē the daye of iudgemente commeth
he maye punyshe them in the fulnesse of their sinnes If we synne he correcteth vs but he neuer wythdraweth hys mercye from vs and thoughe he punishe vs wyth aduersitye yet doeth he neuer forsake his people For whoÌ„ as Paul sayth the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth yea and he scourgeth euery soÌ„ne whom he receaueth But to leue this digressyon and come to oure purpose agayne I wyll brefelye shewe you what the outward face of the church and religion hath bene in al ages euen such as hath pleased the mightie kiÌ„gs Emperours and rulers of the world When Ieroboam set vp golden Calues at Bethel and Daâ— the Pryestes and Leuites consented thereto and all Israel worshipped them contrary to gods commaundemente When Iesabel had perswaded with her husband about murther he fulfilled her minde and slewe all the Prophetes of God that he could come by only Elyas remained that was knowen to bee the true Churche whereas the Pryestes of Baal were .iiii. M â–ª and fiâ—tie in â—oÌ„ber Ezechias destroyed the â—rasen serpente and restored the true religion worshippe of 〈◊〉 Manasses hys sonne sette vp Idolatrie maintayned wicked religion and slewe them that were good Iosias restored ryghte religion but Iehoas and Iehoathim hys sonnes forsoke it and al their Priestes and subiectes with them commytted Idolatry And generally what relygyon so euer the kinge woulde haue that was stablyshed for his time so that as Salomon saith of the Iudges so maiÌ„ we saye of the Cleargyâ— whatsoeuer saith the prince that sayeth the priest But lette vs once agayne come to the new testament Did not the head rulers of the churche with the aucthoritie of Herode and Pilate condemne Chryst and his doctrine as erronious and sedicious al the people folowed and cried Crucifige Did not all the Emperours before Constantine beeing seduced by their Byshoppes and priestes condemne Chrystian religion as hereticall sedicious trayterous for the same murthered many thou sandes of martirs When Constantyne was christened the was the true religion first set forth and openly preached by publique aucthoritie and yet in the space betwene Chryste and this Godlye Emperoure God was not wythoute hys churche though it wer not knoweÌ„ sene and so accepted of the worlde In thys Prynces tyme and by his aucthorite was kept the firste and best general couÌ„sel of Nice where was set forth our common Crede containing shortly the chefe and most necessary articles of our belief Thys coÌ„stantinus sonne Constantius fauoryng the errour of the ArriaÌ„s in the counsell of Arimine decreed that Chryste was not GOD but man onely And then to call Chryste the sonne of God was by the vtwarde knoweÌ„ churche and by a general counsel condemned for an haynous heresie From that tyme forth wheÌ„ Panim prynces reygned Idolatrye and worshippynge of false gods was the publike doctriÌ„ When heretiques reigned and bare the rule heresye was openly preached for gods trueth When the Emperoures were Catholike then was the true doctrin of the gospel opeÌ„li preached And generally suche as was the faith of the Emperoures kynges or other rulers such did the priests preach And if anibi the autorite of gods word preched theÌ„ contrary or withstode their corrupt teachynges straight way he was either deposed from his offyce condeÌ„ned for an heretique baniâ—â—ed brent or put to some other cruel death After all these spronge vp the Pope that triple crowned monster greate Antichrist whiche toke vpon hym authoritie not onely ouer the Cleargy but also clymed aboue kinges and Emperours deposing theÌ„ at his pleasure and setled him selfe in the teÌ„ple of god that is in the conseyences of men exrolling himselfe aboue God dispensiÌ„g wyth godes lawes and geuynge men leaue to breake them and to regarde more his decrees theÌ„ the euerlastynge commaundementes of god And so it came to passe in tyme that to eat flesh on the frydaye or fasting dai was couÌ„ted greater sinne theÌ„ broÌ„kenes adultery or periurie And whi because his lawes were diligentlyer and more strayghtly loked to and the offenders thereof sorer punished then Goddes lawes Sence this Antichrist of Rome I saye was stablished in his full power what soeuer pleased hym that was takeÌ„ for gods law and that was decreed vpon by generall counsel confirmed and ratified by whole heapes of clearkes To speake agaynste that was and also now is detestable heresy and so heinous a cryme against the holy gost if it wer true that they say that it can not be forgeuen eyther in thys worlde or in the world to come He that speaketh agaynste any of hys decrees must vtterly be coÌ„demned for an heritike accursed of god and damned into hell for euer without redeÌ„ption except he recant abiure and de ny the trueth and set forth error and false doctrine and promise wyth a solemne Oth that he shal neuer preach teache nor defende the trueth hereafter Nowe let vs come to oure dayes When king Henry the .viii. was as he oughte to bee by gods lawe made supreme head as wel of the Cleargye as of the Laite he by the consent of the parliament and coÌ„uocacion set forth in printe a godly boke of religion not much varieng from that which was enacted in his sonnes tyme Edwarde the sixt But when he toke displeasure with certayne Bishoppes as they terme them of the newe learnynge beecause they would not geue their consente in the parliament that the king shoulde haue al Abbye landes to his own vse but onely suche landes as were geuen by his Aunceters kinges of England and that the residue of those landes shoulde haue beene bestowed to Augmente the nomber of learned men in the vniuersites to the foundinge also of Grammer scholes in euerye shire of Englande where children moste apt to learninge shoulde haue beene broughte vp frely and without great rooste to their frendes and kyns folkeâ— to the foundyng of hospitales where pore and impotent people shold haue beene sufficientlye prouided for with phisicions and surgeons which shold haue ministred both phisik and surgeÌ„rye frely not onely to them but also to all other poore folke wythin this Realme and also in euery shyre town other market townes where should be thought most mete and fitte to set vp diuers occupacions most profitable for the common wealth wher al valiant and sturdy beggers shoulde haue been set to worke and if they refused to labor then to force them ther to by whipping stocking and huÌ„ger and the residue of the Abbye landes aboue these should haue bene reserued in the Common treasuries to ayde the kynge in his warres or other affaires of his Realme and thereby to haue fauored and eased the more hys subiectes intares subsidies fiftenes lones such other lyke thiÌ„gs king HeÌ„ry as I sayd before vpon the displeasure takeÌ„ by the incitacioÌ„ of the old popish bishops shortli after by conseÌ„t of the same or the most part of theÌ„ that were