one keepes vnity in so far as the Roman Church was neuer corrupted defaced hid or distroyed but in all ages was euer extant and did represent a compagnie of men who haue professed and belieued the same faith which our Cath. -Church doth this day belieue and this compagnie was euer taken of all faithfull men for the Church Which one vnity the pretended reformed hath no place in who haue no head and an vnknowne doctrine neuer hard of before breeding discord questions and endles debates The 2. note of the Church is holynes which is seene both externally internaly to be in the mēbers of the Church for holynes and wickednes may easily be distinguished the workes of wickednes are manifest but in the acquiring of holynes is greater labour that the externall actiōs be disposed and gouerned with the intention Holynes in life conuersation is an other note of the true Church to the executiō of vertue for neyther fasting nor almes deedes nor many prayers makes any holy if they want the intention and that the vertue be done with meeknesse and in simplicity of mynd Moreouer we see also God by diuyne reuelation and apparitiōs approue the holynes of his Saincts God approueth the holynes of many by diuyne reuelation Lykewyse by them he workes miracles by his own diuyne power as a testimony of their holynes and seing this holynes hath byn and is foūd with those manifest tokens in many members of the Catholick Church it followes that they are the Church in regard they are the members of the Church which is Holy Where holynes abounds there is the Church and such is the romā Church for diuers reasons and such is the Roman Church because her doctrine containes nothing contrary to the rule of right reason and good maners Secondly because she hath almost conuerted the wholl world from Idolatry and hath shyned cleare in holynes of religion and all good maners Thirdly because she is increased and filled with holy men and in her they haue florished with wonderfull rare holynes Fourthly because in her hath shyned innumerable testimonies of true miracles Fifthly because in her very many of both sexes haue byn indewed with the gift of prophefie Sixtly because God oftentymes hath heauily punished the oppugners of the Roman Church Holynes can not be attributed to the Protestantes because they iudge prophanely of their owne and hath giuen temporall blessings as witnes Stanist Hossius Bellarm. Bozius alij to the defenders of the same But this note of holynes cannot be found in the Church of the reformed for the first builders of this reformation and new Ghospel were men of pryde intemperate luxurious lyke night theues following all wickednes seditiō ambitions bitter froward cruel as Caluin himself witnesseth lib. de scand pag. 118. 127. saying that the greatest part of them who haue betaken themselues to the Ghospell what other intent had they then hauing shaken of the yoake of superstition that they might plūge themselues with liberty to all ryot and lasciuiousnes Againe Simdalin reportes of the holynes of the Ghospellers cont 4. sup cap. 2 Luc. com 1. sup cap. 21. Luc. That the world may knowe saith he that they are no Papists nor haue any trust in their good workes neyther to haue freewill they practise in stead of fasting altogeather feasting and for being bountifull towards the power they vnflese them and flee them and for prayers their tongue and lyppes are turned to oathes Lykewyse Spangenb in sua vera nar benef D Mart. Luth. After the reuelation of the Ghospell and the casting of Papistry men are become so wylde that they acknowledge not God nor make any accoūt of him and make all to be right and lawfull which euery one liketh best Lykewyse Castalion apud Rescium pag. 54. speaking of the holynes of Geneua painteth them out with these coulores they are proud saith he puffed vp with vaine glorie and full of reuenge that without danger any man may rather offend Princes then exasperat or moue any of these feyrse Caluinistes whose lyues are infamous and vilanous They are maisters of art in reproches lyes crueltie and treason insupportable and arrogant they name their Geneua the holy City and their assembly Ierusalem but in very truth we should call it Babilon Babilon and Aegypt and the true frontiers of Aegypt and Babylonicall Inchantresse Infamous Sodome and the children of Ghomorra The great cōmendation that the Protestants speake of themselues Thus he To tonclude with Aurifab apud Ministromach pag. 7. After the Ghospell was reuealed vertue was slayne iustice oppressed temperance tyed truth rent with dogges honisty banished faith layme wickednes preuailned deuotion fled Heresie remayning and Sathan reygning And seing out of their owne maisters we learne the holynes of the reformed-Church who of honesty can not be called by any name of a church except we would say with the prophet I haue hated the Church of the wicked psal 25. and so name them Sainctes and members of the Synagogue of Sathan as in effect they are The third note of the true Church must be Catholick that is to say vniuersal through the world and such is the Roman Church The catholick Church hath possessed all nations because there is no part of the world knowne in which be not Christian Roman Catholiks For S. Cyp. libro de vnit Eccl. compares our Church to a most ample tree extending her branches through the world with aboundance of fruite Therefore vpon this extēsion she is called Catholick and vniuersall Moreouer Vine lyr cont proph heraet nouit Descrybing the Catholik Church least we should be deceaued by the circumuention of Hereticks exhortes vs what to obserue for a Catholik Church it is to be obserued sayth he the Catholick Church that we hold that which euery where alwayes which of all is beleeued For this is truely and properly Catholick And S. Aug. serm 13. de tempore This roman-Church saith he from the rysing of the sunne to the going downe of the same is illuminated all through the world with the splendor of one Catholik faith In the Dominions where Hereticks are there are good store of Catholicks but no great nomber of Hereticks where Catholikes rule So that our-Church hath this true name Moreouer whersoeuer there are Heretickes there are found good store of Roman Catholickes but in the contrary not so where there are catholiks here are not foūd such store of Heretiks or protestants as S. Aug. lib. de vnitat Eccl. cap. 3. sayes those Heresies which are in diuerse nations are not found wher the Catholick Church is which is euery where and euen where these Heresies are the catholik church is also foūd thus he Therefore as Cyril sayth cathech 18 The name Catholick is proper to this Church the mother of vs all But Cyrill doth not speake of any other Church then the Roman Church which of all antiquities was
ANSVVER I Confesse we are called so of only Heretickes but not so of any nation vnder heauen no not of the Turkes neyther is that name of any particular man as Heretickes names be but â—f â—im who in the place of Chrâ—st gouerneth the Church of God and if all the Popes were nombred to thâ—s present day all the Protestants are not able to fynd one that is called by this name Pope or any of them to haue inuented any new religion or to haue left any disciple after theÌ„ who haue byn named after that name Therefore when we are called Papists I aske of the Heretickes was there euer any that was called Papa by his proper name or did euer any Heresie coÌ„tinâ—e a thowsand yeare without a name giuen to it but how should the Church descrybe Heresies to vs but by naming them from their proper names for their names shewe who hath instituted and inuented that sect OBIECTION THe Church is belieued by faith but we belieue the holy Catholick Church Therefore it is not seene because saith is not a thing of appearence and seene ANSVVER THe conclusion is false because that which is seen may also be belieued in so far as it hath some thing that is not seene as Christ Iesus was seene wiâ—h mens eyes a man and was belieued by faâ—th God and man as is said 10.20 to S Thomas because thow hast seen me Thomas thou hast beliued that is to say thou hast seen a man and thou hast belieued him to be thy God and Lord euen so we see men with our eyes who appertaine to the Church and those men we belieue to be the holy Apostolik and Catholick Church and in this Church to be only remission of sinnes grace iustification eternall lyfe and therefore out of this multitude of mortall men neyther Saluation nor the fauour of God is to be expected of any other societie or Church OBIECTION CHrist sayes that the Kingdome of God shall not come with obseruation neyâ—her shall they say behold here or there â—e is ergo the Church cannot be demonstrated and seen ANSVVER THe solution is made in the words following for he sayes behold the Kingdome of God is with yow but Christ denyeth not but the Kingdome his Church may be seen and demonstrated But he answers the folish question of the pharisie who had heard so oft the Kingdome of God preached of Christ who was desyrous to see it it is aÌ„swered that Christ is not to reygne in this world after their mynd as other Kinges doe with magnificence and pompe and to place the throne of Maiesty in a certaine place of the Kingdome but he sayes he dorh reygne as he hath begunne in the hartes of men which is his Kingdome whom he doth paint out with his finger saying Mat. 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of God to wit ye are citizens of Gods kingdome the Church from which the pharisies are farr of OBIECTION THe Church is belieued to be Holy and none except the holy appertayn to the Church but holines is not seen knowne with the eyes ergo the Church is inuisible the members of the Church are vnknowne ANSVVER THe conclusion is false for there are Sainctes and holy men in the Church albeit we see them not yet we belieue for to a lyuing tree there adhere many dead branches and in the body of man are many humors and excrementes without life resident in the body and yet notwithstaÌ„ding all men belieue and say that a man is a lyuing man ergo OBIECTION IT is defended of the Fathers that the Church in this present lyfe is sayd to be beautifull and to be without spot cant 4 Ergo sinners and wicked men are not meÌ„bers of his Church ANSVVER THe Scripture in that place speaketh of the Triumphant Church in Heauen notwithstanding if with S. Greg. cap. 86 Eccl. dogmat Thou coÌ„paâ—re it to be the mâ—litant Church in that sense it is called also beautifull and spotles because of the Sacrament of regeneration which makes her meÌ„bers liuely by inherent righteousnes and grace are made glorious before God and are not obscured and hid as the Donatistes thought with the conuersation of the wicked And albeit as S. Greg. cap. 4. Gen. sayes no iust or holy man doth want sinne yet notwithstanding he fails not to be holy and iust if in affection he retayn holynes and righteousnes and by pennance doth wash away his sinnes carefull to keep himselfe from mortall synnes and is contrite for the venyall saying with the Psalm 50. Create in me a new hart o God OBIECTION THe Church of God is only in the spirit because it is belieued ergo it is inuisible ANSVVER IF the Church be inuisible how hath Christ coÌ„maunded Matth. 18. to tell the Church and if he heare not the Church let him be c. but if the Church be inuisible how shall she be told and how shall they hear her censure Lykewyse if the Church be the body of Christ and Christians members Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 1. 12. Ephes 15 Coll. 1. If the Chutch be inuisible and only mathematicall how hath the Apostle sayd ye are the body of Christ and members of his members It is true the Protestant Church is inuisible and mathematicall but the Catholick Church is a visible Church as a candell on a candelstick and as the sonne and moone in the firmament Luc. 11. ps 19. For if it had been mathematicall and hid S. Paul should not haue had the prayses of all the Churches 2. Cor. 8. Neyther Dauid would not haue sayd Ps 21. with thee my prayse is in the Church of the people and in the chaire of the elder they doe praise him What the moderne heresies do say about the inuisibility of the Church the same haue the former Heresies done lykewyse as S. Augustin is witnes against the Donatists who would haue included the vniuersall Church in that inuisibility and in a hid corner in Africk QVESTIO XIII Of the pretended reformation of the Protestantes WHerefore enuyously name the Papists our reformed Church deformed Seeing we haue reiected all papisticall doctrine and superstitions of Poperie out of it Bucherus Melan. Piscator Sarcer Caluin c. ANSVVER THat shall we declare friendly without enuy seeing that vnder the pretext of a sounde reformation The ProtestaÌ„ts reformation consistes in denying the article of our Faith ye haue introduced a most horrible deformation concerning the doctrine of fayth and in abolishing all ecclesiasticall discipline in reiecting the generall Counselles in condemning the ceremonies of the Church in dispysing the auncient Fathers and in giuing liberty to the flesh For what is more deformed or abominable in religion then to counfound deforme and deny the faith of Christ For what article of our faith is not deformed and denyed of the Protestantes as appeareth by the iudgement and doctrine of their owne Rabbies Against the 1. article of the
the profound doctrine of these diuynes and this is belieued for verity of their ignorantes was it not Christ sayes S. Amb. offic lib. 5. who sett Rome in so great honour Is it not Antichrist that hath set Rome in so great honour to be the see of Christ and his chief disciple Peter as it hath alwayes euer had that honorable fame to be called the seat of the Apostle of Christ Neyther was it Antichrist but Iesus Christ who made his Apostles togeather to die there and to haue a perpetuall succession of Byshops in that city without any infidelity or proffessed heresie coming betwixt the lawfull successors to this present day Neyther vvas it Antichrist but Christ who gaue the crowne of martyr-dome to thirty two Popes of Rome Moreouer did Christ prepare the way for Antichrist by the chief of his Apostles The Heretyks accuse Christ to be the setter vp of Antichrist Could God make no man foreruner of that cursed-man but the sone of God and the redeamer of the world O blasphemous tongues o wycked thoughts vnto this day how many generall counselles haue ben how many faithfull Princes and Kings what nations people vnto this tyme haueth honored Rome and the Pastor sitting in it as honor done to Christ in his Vicare The Heretiks sayes all nations haue committed spirituall whordome in honoring S. Peters see in Rome and now really is called and belieued to be Antichrist Haue all good Christians Kings and People committed fornication with Antichrist Had Christ no man els vpon whome he might haue permitted Antichrist to be builded then vpon his chief Apostle vpon whome he hath builded his Church Hath he promised that the gates of Hell shall not preuail against this foundatioÌ„ coÌ„trary wise Hell gates hath so preuailed that Antichrist himselse doth sit in the seat The Heretiks would say that Hell gaites haue preuealed against his Church and foundation of the Apostle Did Christ so much labour to preferre S. Peter that in the end Antichrist might haue a more honorable seat prepared for him by the labores of the Apostle for his abominable inter pryses are they worthy to be called Christians who fear not to say and teach such blasphemous doctrine and detestable speaches What ignorance In vaine is christs promis to S. Peter and vnlearned iudgment are these men of what hath bewitched and inchanted their spirits How giddy and lunatick are their heade that they should nominat the successor of the blessed Apostle Peter Antichrist who is a peculiar certayn man according to the iudgment of all writters as witnesse Hereticks haue a bewicthed and an inchanted spirit Isai n. dan. 8.9 n. Mat. 24. Ioh. 5. 2. epist cap. 2.2 Thes 2. Apoc. 13. Who is farr opposit to the Pope of Rome for the Popes are not any certayn man but their succession is the continuance of a certaine office The Popes are not oncertayn man but a coÌ„tinuall succession in which many men haue succeeded on after an-other therefore the Popes are not neyther can be called Antichrist For as the name of Christ was giuen in old tymes to many Prophets Priests The name of Christ was comon to many in the old law and yet one Christ came so is the name of Antichrist comon to many and yet one must come and Kings who were anoynted as a figure of the truth vvhich was to be fullfylled did not hinder and lett but that there should come a certaine singular persone vvho should be the Sauiour of man-kynd in that name In lyke manner euen so the name of Antichrist being giuen to many wicked aduersaries of Christ and namely to all Heretickes doth not hinder but rather helpeth to proue that some one singular man shal come at length vvho shall surpasse all other men in setting himself against Christ and this Christ verifyeth saying to the Iewes Ioh. 5. I haue come in the name of my Father and ye receaue me not if auother come in his owne name him ye will receaue The which words the Doctors of the Church confesse to be spoken prophetically of Antichrist and makes the comparison betwixt them saying as Christ was a certayn man so shall Antichrist be a certaine man the difference is that Christ is from God The differeÌ„ce betwen Christ and Antichrist and Antichrist from the Diuell Christ doth saue and the other distroyeth Christ doth vnite his people with concorde and peace the other doth deuyde and scatter Yet in this they agree that each of them is a singular man and as Christ is the man of righteousnes so is Sathan the man of synne 1. Thess 2. VVho shal be made knowne to all men that he shal be wholly addicted to synne And therfore seing that Antichrist shal be a singular man Antichrist is not a Diuel or spirit but a reall man in whom the Diuel shall corporally inhabit and not many men neyther the Popes kingdome whom S. Hier. in cap. 7. dan. n. Let vs think him to be sayth he not the Diuell or a spirit but a man of the propagation of man-kynd in whom the Diuell shall corporally dwell Lykewyse S. Ambros in epist. 2. Thess cap. 2. sayes that as the sone of God tooke fleesh so Sathan shall appeare in man And S. Aug. de ciuitate dei lib. 20. cap. 19. Confessing many Antichrists with S. Iohn called one of them the very head and the last Antichrist for the wordes of the Apostle 2. Thess 2. Prince and last agree to one only persone and not to a whole succession of men in one state of lyfe To this S. Chry. in 2. Thess 2. That Antichrist shal be a certayn man hauing in him the power of the Diuell In lyke maÌ„ner Theod. in 2. Thess cap. 2 That as the Sonne of God tooke flesh to procure our saâ—uation So shall the Diuell choose him a man by whome he may worke mischeif and all iniquity to these subsâ—rybs S. Greg. in 106. lib 14 cap. 11. That in the last dayes the Diuell shall enter in that vessel of perdition which thalbe called Antichrist All these famous witnesses declare sufficiently that it is not the order and estate of the Byshops of Rome that are Antichrist Antichrist is not the order of Byshops or an estate but a man possessed of the Diuell but a certayn man shal be properly Antichrist who shal sett himself against Christ more singularly then euer any Heretyck as yet hath done hitherto For he shal withstaÌ„d Christ so much that none is able to withstand him more for he shal not withstand a peice of the faith but the whole faith and shall deny Christ to be God and man or to be mediator And as Hier. quaest 11. ad Algas sayes He shall exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God that he may tread vnder foote the Gods of all nations and all true He shall abolish all true Religion He shall persuade
euer called Catholick as witnes Zozom l. 7. c 4. that Gratian Emperor would not permit to disput of the Roman Faith but made an edict that euery one should hould the same religion which the head of the Apostls Peter had deliuered from the beginning and that which Damasius Pope of Rome doth keep and so with Gratian all the Catholick Byshops doe call the Church of Rome Catholicks cannot be called by any other name the Heretickes themselues shall beare witnes the Mother Church and true Catholicke Church as S. Ambros orat funeb de obit frat Suppose if any man come to the portes of London or Edinburg and be asked what he is if he doth say I am a Catholick forthwith will the Protestants answere and say then thou art a papist also if he demande for a Catholick house to lodge in it will they not out of humanity conuoy him to a papists house which title name declares them to be members of the Catholicke Church for they can no other wyse be named for the word Catholick is â—he surname of a Christian and therefore of his mother he is called a Christian Catholik The Protestants could neuer be called Catholiks which no Hereticke can suffer to hear because they hate the Church for the name sake Therefore the reformed Church can no wayes be called Catholick because neyther the Lutherans Caluinistes Anabaptistes or whatsoeuer sect else separat from the Roman-Church at any tyme hath occupyed the whole world or any one Kingdome of it The Protestants are euer in suspitioÌ„ of Catholicks yea and where they professe and are surest and in the greatest feruor of their Heresie they remaine doubting in suspition of the Papists as an open enemie of their religion Wherefore their only note is to flee to inuisibilitie of the Church and to lurk in certaine corners and bragg with the Donatistes that the Catholick Church hath perished only lurketh in corners and that Church which was visible to the whole world and was through the world is obscured become inuisible and yet with the Donatists they will clame this Catholik Church and showe her visible in their corners and in obscure dennes The Protestants are lyke the Donatists of old For with the Donatistes cryeth Luth. here is Christ and his Church In Saxonie Calu. lykewyse cryes behold here is Christ and his Church In Geueua Memmo Pacimont Rotman crye Christ and his Church is in Morauia lykewyse the Puritans of Scotland crye lyke Rauens here is Christ and his Church and ech kingdome Common-welth Prouince and whersoeuer Heretickes are all crye behold Christ and his Church is here with vs. But who can belieue them when we see no tokens and markes of his Church The Protestants make a monster of Christ his Church and yet all bragge of Christ and are repugnant to themselues they make a monster of Christ and his Church there is one Christ and one Church and yet all Sectaries will haue as many Christes and as many Churches as they are deuyded in factions who fayle to be called Christian and farelesse to be named Catholiks As concerning this note Catholick see more in the first quest on The Church is called Apostolicall because of the Apostls planting excelleâ—cy and prerogatiue The fourth note is called Apostolicall because it retaines the seat of the Prince of the Apostles so that for her singular excellency and prero aâ—ue from the holy Apostle himself of all the auncient Fathers she is called Apostolicall As S. Hier. epâ—st ad Dom. To thy Holynes saith he that is I ioyne my selfe to the communion of the chayr of S. Peter And seing all the other Seates of the Apostles as Ierusalem Alexandria Antioch haue perished and are possessed of the infideles only the chayr of Rome by the prouidence of God The Apostolicall chayr still remayned vnmoued albeit Rome hath byn subiect to diuers mutations remayneth in which as S. Aug. epist 162. sayes hath euer liued the principality of the Apostolicke chayr And albeit in Rome there hath byn diuerse mutations and temporall Lordes sometyme Emperors ruling now the Goâ—hes now coÌ„suls notwithstanding the Seat of Peter hath remayned vnmoued which is done by the prouidence of God See more in the 8. question concerning the Apostolicall succession To what ende the ProtestaÌ„ts labor Cant. 4.5 Apoc. 3 Prou. 23. Ephes 5 2. â—ar 36. Zac. 7. For conclusion it is the intention of the Protestantes that there should be no Church at all but such as is none prophane obscure and satanicall They lay the fault on Christ and defende that he hath forsaken his owne spouse and to haue discharged the gouernour of the ruling his owne Ark and to haue dispysed his owne flesh Hath he permitted the Synagogue which was lesse beloued of him to remaine only seaueÌ„â—ie yeares in captiuity for her sinnes and his Church which once was visible Mat. 20. and perfect to be led into error and from error to haue perished these thâ—wsand years past hath the diligent husband man who went out diuerse tymes in the day to conduce laborers into his vyneyarde neclected it or hath byn so carrelesse to suffer and permit brambelles thornes of error superstttion to suppresse the vyhes and his vyneyard to be come a wildernesse only fit for the fyre Is the kingdome of God which in the Scripture is called his Church corrupted with error Matth. 3. and is falshood permitted to reygne in her seing the kingdome of God is the kingdome of verity Apoc. 21. Psalm 18. Apoc. 21. Matth. 18. 14. Is lykewyse the tabernacle of God set in the sonne become inuisible and obseured Is the city of God situated on an hill become confused babell Hath Hell gates preuailed against his Church Hath the shipp of S Peter byn drowned with the seas of Heresies Is the sanctuarie of refuge become adenne of dragonnes Is the mount of thy sanctification become the mouÌ„t of prophanation Is the inheritance of God soe polluted Is the strong castel with adamant walles thus beaten down O wondrous reformatioÌ„ who belieues them OBIECTION THe Lutherans and Caluinistes and moreouer all the Ghospellers agree in one vniforme defence of the reformed faith Against the Papists Ergo. ANSVVER I Grant ye agree but lyke Sampsones foxes who forthwith running hyther and thyther brunt vp the corne of the Philistins but their heades were deuyded Such are Luth. Calu. and all the rest of the crew of the Euangelistes Protestantes to wit that their tayles that is to say forces and euill will do assist and help others handes to burne the haruest of Gods husbandrie but in religion and capitall pointes they are extreame discordant through the whole articles of our faith euen vnto death OBIECTION YOw are called Papistes which is a name not pertinent to the Caâ—holicke Church but seing this name is a particular name ergo it doth also separaâ—e you from the Catholicke Communion
Ianuar. So that what is instituted of the whole Church for the publicke vtility of fayth it is nōt to be changed Secondly because of the iudgement of the people who are naturally inclyned to Heresie and nouelties whilst in reading of the Scripture and not vnderstāding it they take occasiō to hold opinions against the doctrine of faith the precepts of manners least they should deryde sinistrously interprete these thinges which are religiously instituted and albeit many things be put in the vulgar tongue as the psalmes and other partes of the Scripture notwithstanding the people cannot attayne to the sense and meaning of them for euen these who are expert in the Latin tongue finde difficultie to vnderstād the Scriptures It is not needfull that the people vnderstand what is songe or said in the church except first they consult with commentaries and holy Fathers of the Church Neyther is it needfull that the vulgar people vnderstand what is songe or is celebrated in the Church more then the people vnderstood what the heygh Priest did in Sancta Sanctorum Hebrue 9. Luke 2. For the Ecclesiasticall songs are not instituted to instruct the people in their vnderstanding with wordes but it is instituted to awake and sturr vp their myndes to the worship of God by swet Harmony Reuerence Maiesty and solemne actions What if perchance it come to passe that eyther we trauaile in a strāge coūtry or that a stranger come where Religion is if Gods seruice be not in a vulgar language as Latin is how shall he vnderstand whether they serue God or mocke him how shall he that is ignorant say a men to thy benediction as the Apostle sayth Therefore publicke priuate prayers in a strange tongue albeit they be not vnderstood of him that prayeth yet are acceptable to God haue vertue to impetrate and obtayne blessings because God his saincts vnderstand all tongues which is probable Praiers in the latin tongue are acceptable to God for that common people with the chyldren cryed Matth. 21. v. 9. Osanna filio Dauid which wordes neyther the peoole nor the chyldren vnderstood and yet Christ commendes and prayseth the children neyther reprehendeth he the cry of the people Whereupon Greg. hom 20. in Iosua speaking of a strange tongue sayth If thow hearest somtyme to be read in thy eares that thow vnderstandest not yet in the meane tyme know thow that thou hast receaued vtility thereby in that the only hearing is to thee as it were a certayne charme to expell the deadly poyson dāmage euill spirits who ly snares and go about beseygning Christian souls Which grounds Caluin contradicteth who sayth in his Catechisme to pray in an vnknown tongue it is to mocke God and peruerse hypocrisie Contrary to this who is of sound iudgement A similitude conuinting Caluin will easily esteeme him no hypocryte and mocker who offereth a supplication in an vnknown tongue to the King who is expert in the tongue through dayly vse yet vnknown to the delyuerer It is to be thought that all nations had a common tongue as Gen. 19. in which God was serued but cōfusion of tōgues being made three speciall tongues are separat institute for the diuine seruice of God whereupō this custome followeth that in the occidentall Churches the vse of the latin tōgue was euer with them which was a naturall tongue to them and althought it was not altogeather common to all nations for diuerse nations and tongues were included in the occidentall Churche and yet for diuine seruice this tongue is most frequently vsed So the Greek church vseth the Greek and chaldaick and yet the Greek and chaldaick is another tongue different from the cōmon tongue which the people vseth in their meettings but the others were vsed only amongst the learned and with the Priests in diuyne seruice For it was neuer a custome through the vniuersall world that the vse of the vulgar country tongue should be admitted in diuyne seruice but that which is most cōmon vniuersally to all nations Vt omnis spiritus laudet Dominum And as concerning the reading praying in a vulgar nationall tongue it is no perfection to do so for then the vse of the better tongue failes as Hebrew Greek and Latin which were sanctified on the crosse of Christ And as Latin is common to all it is vsed much more specially it is cōmon to the seruice of God and seing God requireth the best of euery thing to be offered to him as soueraine Lord and most louing Father who doubteth but a learned holy and commō tongue is more honourable then a barbarous prophane priuate tongue is And moreouer in respect of the whole body of the Church with whom specially we cōmunicat in our seruice in prayers that we may say all one thing the vulgar tongues are counted strange and vnknowne which strange tongues S. Paul doth litle regard I. Cor. 14. and preferreth the common tongues which were delyuered to the first Christiās sanctified of Christ and delyuered by the Apostles in the East and West parts of the world not regarding the multitude of vulgar tongues which were vsed in particular prouinces For vsually the Greek tongue was specially in the East and the Latin in the West Church For Christ being on the Crosse from whome is the paterne of all prayers and oblatiōs who knew right well that the common people of the Iewes could not vnderstand him because the true Hebrue tongue was eyther lost or much decayed in the comon speach and euery day more and more failed after the captiuity of Babilon did recyte the beginnig of the Psal 21. in Hebreu my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And did not eyther then or any other tyme interprete it in a vulgar tongue Therfore out of doubt after his example we may do the lyke in these tōgues in our seruice and prayers which Priests and clerkes vnderstand albeit the common people do not vnderstand the same for this good aryseth to the whole Church by the vse of the latin tongue to wit learning and deuotion wheras the Protestants hauing once had the Latin seruice changing it into their particular vulgar tōgue haue lost both learning and deuotion for Amen Alleluia builded many Churches Hospitalles Bridges c. and augmented the deuotion of the people contrary wise So be it hath pulled downe the Churches c. and banished deuotion So that falling from the Latin to the vulgar they haue fallen from the better to the Worse and from vnity into heresy and so to deuyding the coate of Christ into many partes which thing the barbarous and prophane souldiers were affrayed to do Iohn 19. OBIECTION SAinct Paul I. Cor. 14. sayes let no man speake a strange tongue in the Church which is not vnderstood for sayth he who shall supply the place of the Idiot how shall he say Amen vpon thy benediction because he knoweth not what thow sayest but