pray for vs that wee be not ouercome by any teÌ„tation Againe y Serm. 5. Epiph Confirme frindships with the Angels Patriarckes Prophets Apostles and ioyne your selues to the martyres couet their riches and by good contention and emulation contend and striue for their fauours S. Iustine Martyr anno 150. saith z in 2 apolog 2. speaking in the name of all Christians explicating the faith of the whole Churh Wee worship adore him God the father and his son who came and taught vs these thinges and wee worship in word deed the whole troope of others that follow such like good Angels earnestly teaching it to all that desire to knowne how wee are taught instructed Origen anno 230. saith a homil 3. in diuersos The memorie of these as it is worthy is alwayes celebrated in the church b haeres 79. S. Epiphanius anno 309. refelliing their errour who offered sacrifice to the B. virgine Mary as vnto a Godes fearing lest by this occasion their should be no honour giuen vnto her as the heretickes of our tyme now put in practise he repeateth very often these wordes let Mary be had in honour God adored S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith c homil de Sanctis Inuentio Maximo you doe not worship the Saintes of auncient tyme and these later after a diuerse manner but all with the same alacritie of mynd infra And the martyrs that wee worship this day were present infra And therfor let vs often visit them adore their Sepulchers c. S. Cyrill Alex. anno 430. saith d lib. in iu. Iulianum vltra medium wee doe not say that the holy martyres are become God but wee are accustomed to giue them all honor S. Cyprian an 240 saith e lib. 4. Epist 9. The sufferinges dayes of martyres wee celebrate with an yearly remembraÌ„ce S Ambrose saith f Serm. 6 in sine whosoeuer honoreth martyres honoreth Christ and whosoeuer despiseth the Saintes despiseth God S. Hierome saith g edist ad Rigatiam wee honor the seruantes that the honour of the seruants may redound to the Lord. S. Bernard anno 1140. saith Serm. in illud SignuÌ„ magnum c. Serm. de Aquaeductu h let vs imbrace the steps of Mary and with most deuout supplication prostrate our selues at her blessed feet Againe Let vs with all the bowels of our hartes with all our affections and voues or desires worship Mary because such is his will who would haue vs altogether through Mary THE ADVERSARIE i in his def c agaiÌ„st the reply of Cart pag 472 473 Also D Couell in exaâ— c. pag 110 in â—â—uynder to Brâ—stow pag 5 and age nâ— Rhem. teâ— in 2 Pet. c. 1. s 3. fol. 44. and against Purgatory Pag. 310. Also Châ—m tamen part 3. pag 200. 211 The lord Archbishop of Canterbury M. Whitgist affirmeth that to vse his owne wordes almost all the Bishopes and writers of the Greeke and Latine Church for the most part were spotted with Doctrines of free will merite inuocation of Saintes and such like k M. Fulke saith I confesse that Ambrose Austine and Hierom hold inuocation of Saintes to be lawfull And againe he saith l that in Nazianzen Basil and Chrysostome is mention of the inuocation of Saintes That Theodâ—ret speaketh of prayer vnto Martyrs that Leo ascribeth much to the prayers of Peter for him that many of the auÌ„cient Fathers held that the Saintes departed pray for vs. Againe he affirmeth that about the yeare â—70 inuocation of Saintes was brought publickly into the Church by Ambrose Basil Gregory Naz Gregory Nyss Theodoret Hierome c. m vbi supra 211. Chemnitius alledgeth S. Austine inuocating S. Cyprian and concludeth saying These Austine doth without the scripture yeelding to tyme and custome The n Cent 3. col 84 line 23. and col 8 lnie 49. Centuristes charge S. Cyprian to affirme that martyres and dead Saintes do pray for the lyuing Also they charge Origen with prayer for himself to holy Iob saying o Cent. cap 4 col 33. lin 4â— Blessed Iob pray for vs wretches The affirme also that there are manifest steps of Inuocation of Angels in the Doctors of that age LVTHERS DOCTRINE p de adoratione Sacramenti ad waldenses I cannot saith he account you for heretickes as our Sophister doe because you neither inuocat the mother of God nor any other Saint but rest in Christ the only and alone Mediator although one may make intercession for another heere in this life yet for the intercession and inuocation of Saintes departed the Scriptures speake nothing Againe Inuocation of Saintes saith he is also one of the number of the Antichristian abuses q in attieulis ad Concil Mantuanum missis wherby he resisteth the chiefest articles blotteth out the knowledge of Christ. Philipp Melanchthon saith r in antithest verae Doctrinae and Pontificiae all inuocation of the dead is manifest Idolatrie such as is in the worship of Saintes Nicolaus Hemnimgius saith Å¿ in explicat Euang. de Festo Annunc Mariae inuocation of Saintes is a Diueliâ—h worship brought into the Church by the Diuell Iohan. Brentius saith t in Apolog. Confessions wittemberg wee grant that the Saintes in heauen do pray for the liueing on earth doth it therfore followe they are to be inuocated no such matter c. who commaunded you to inuocate the Saintes as the frindes of God for this verie worship of inuocating Saintes is idololatricall because God only is to be inuocated CALVINS DOCTRINE v lib 1. instit cap. 13. ¶ 12. Let that Platonicall Philosophie saith he of seeking recourse vnto God by Angels be of force and of worshiping them for this end wherby they may make more propitious and easie vnto vs which superstitious and curious men haue endeuoured from the begining to bring vnto our religion and doe so perseuere vnto this day Againe moreouer saith he it is a meere toy that Sophisters bable Christ is a mediator of redemption but the faithfull of intercession Againe x ¶ 21 for as much as perteineth to Saintes who are dead in flesh but liue in Christ if wee attribute any prayer vnto theÌ„ vvherby they may pray for vs in heauen let vs not dreame of any other way to beseech God by them then Christ who is the only way or that their prayers are accepted by God in any other name therfor for as much as the Scripture doth call vs from all vnto Christ only and our reauenly Father will haue vs to seeke all thinges in him it were to much blockishnes nay I say madnes for vs to seeke accesse by them and be led from him without whome they themselues haue no admittance But who dare deny but this hath bine practysed many ages and to this daye is in vse whersoeuer the Papacy raÌ„gneth Finally in all their litanies In fine Ibid. hymnes and prose
And agayne What those that are assēbled to gether out of the church of Christ when they shal be so assembled doe they thinke Christ is with him such althouh they dye for the confession of the nam of Christ that deadly spoot grieuous fault of discourd neither is it washed a way by his blood nor purged by suffering a Martyr he cannot be which is not in the Church neither shall hee come vnto the kingdome who hath foresaken her who shall raigne tom 7. de gestis cum fine ric◠hither to S. Cyprian S. Austine tells you that you may haue honour seruantes you may sing Alleluya ansvver Amen you may haue the ghospell you may beleeue and preach in the name of the Father the son and the holy ghost you may haue althinges vvith out the Catholicke church except saluation but alas what all is that which comprehendeth not that which is as in all And againe in an other place he saith lib 4. de Symb ad Catechu tom 9. cap. 12. neither shall he haue God for his father that vvill not haue the church for his mother neither shall it profitt him that he hath belieued or that he hath done such aboundance of good vvorkes vvithout the end of the chiefest good S. Hierome also saith Epist ad Dam. 24. q. 1. cap. quoniam who soeuer shall eat the lambe with out this howse he is profane if any man be not in the Arke of Noe he shall perish in the deluge much more concerning this poynt might be said lib. 4. instit c. 2. q 4. but to conclude with Caluin himself who saith that out of the bosome of the church no remission of sinnes is to be hoped for nor any saluation yea S. Austine saith Serm 181. de tempore he is no Christian that is not in the church of Christ Wherefore good Mother you that haue liued all your tyme in heresie and consequently offending God I humbly beseech you for your owne eternall good and your Childrens saluation examine well what I haue taken paynes in and as I assure you out of S. Paul Phil. 3.8 you shall not think your labour ill bestowed After all being inconscience conuinced let not the feare of the losse of your princes fauour depriuation of liuinges or temporalé commodities hazard eternity and spirituall saluation but in the midest of so many sectes and heresies maugre the Diuell and his ministers Ibidem in despite of tyme one swaying authoritie say with S. Paul I esteeme them all as dung that I may gaine Christ Also the same Apostle will be iudged by your selfe whether it be better to obey God then man Moreouer the king of heauen himself doth promise you Matt. 19.29 that if you leese howse or brethren or Sisters or father or mother or wife or Children or lands for his names sake you shall receaue an hundred fould and shall possesse life euerlasting Also that in this life you may not suspect his fatherlie care and prouidence to be wanting vnto you in such temporall necessaries as you shall need he bidds you not to be carefull what you shall either eat or drinke Matt. 6.25 or what rayment you shall put on but first seeke the kingdome of God and these thinges shal be cast vpon you All which promises S. Paul hath experienced saying 2. Cor. 48. In all thinges vvee suffer tribulation but are not in distresse vvee vvant but are not destitute vvee suffer persecution but are not forsaken vvee are cast dovvn but vvee perish not King Dauid saith also that he neuer knevv the righteous forsaken nor their seed seeke their bread wherfor hauing so good warrant of comfort and reward in this seruice Psalm 36. v. 25. as from the Lord of Lords himself our Deere Sauiour who to requit you as S. Paul saith will adopt you heire of his inheritance resolue then at length to feare God more then man Hell then temporall losse separation from Gods Church then leauing of landes liuinges Countrey yea life it self for as S. Austine saith Tract 27. in Ioan. their is nothing that a Christian man ought so to feare as to be separated from the body of Christ which is the Church as it is one Catholique Church for if he be separated from the body of Christ he is no member of him but who soeuer hath not the spirit of Christ he is not of Christ pardon me good mother in this my so longe and tedious a discourse I know your feruent zeal and feare of God but what misled required none at all the nature of an epistle a much shorter But the daunger in which you liue and the desiere I haue of your saluation with the rest of your whole family in the same state of perdition could not as I thought be satisfied with a briefer Excuse I humbly beseech you my so plaine dealing I doe as I tould you in the beginning but as good Surgeans and Phisitians are wont who are most loueing to their patients when most cruell to their diseases and loue no lesse when they Cherish by fomentations oyntments and restoritiues then when they chastice by bitter potions cutings and cruell launcinges because both-heale I once more beseech you therfore and as farre as I may presume coniure you that for the glorie you are to giue vnto God the dutie you owe his Church the ioy you may purchase to his Saincts and Angles Luc. 15.7.10 which reioyce more at the conuersion of one sinner that doth penance then at Ninty Nine iust which need no penance yea for the example you may and ought to giue your family and the whole world the comfort and eternall crownes of glorie which by your conuersion your frindes and Children shall reap the feare you ought to haue of Hell the hope of heauen and desire of your owne saluation you would vouchsafe to weigh and penetrate the daungers where with you are inuironed I will not vrge you any farther in this kind but only craue of you to propose to your self death Hell Heauen Iudgment Eternity and that you would not preferre your owne priuate opinion seeing as a prudent man did well obserue he that vvilbe his ovvne Scholler hath cōmonly a foole to his master not I say to preferre any iudgment before Gods Church which he promised should neuer erre in all antiquitie Neither let vs so esteeme of this life which as the scripture saith is a vapour a fume yea nothing that wee forget heauen and eternity Alas Deere Mother as our Sauiour saith vvhat doth it profitt a man to gayne the vvhole vvorld and susteine the losse of his ovvne soule Matt. 29.19 Old age tells you that you are in the wayning of your dayes that your glasse is almost runne that your spring yea sommer is spent you are in the fall of the leafe and your winter is at hand the axe is laid to the root and where soeuer the tree
x in examen Concil Trid. part 1. pag. 89. Chemnitius Confesseth that Ambrose Maximus Taumensis Theophilus Hierome and others do affirme the fast of lent to be an Apostolicall tradition y See Schul tetus in medull Theolo Patrum p. 440. in whitgift in his def pag 102. M. Cartwr Ibid. 99. In more vndoubted proofe whereof other Protestant writers do not only affirme the superstition of lent and fasting to haue bine allowed and commended by S. Ignatius a fore said Scholler to S Iohn But also defende that that verie epistle of Ignatius ad Philippenses in which this doctrine is extant is his true epistle and not counterfayte Which may answeare our Aduersaries vsuall obiection against it Epiphanius reporting the errours of Aerius affirmeth that he said z Haeresi 75. Neither shall fasting be appointed for these things be Iudaicall and vnder the law of Bondage if at all I will fast I will choose any day of my selfe and I will fast for liberty See the like in a Haeresi 54 S. Austine and coÌ„fessed by M. b pag 44 45. Fulke in his answere to a counterfayt Catholicke M Field saith of Acrius c de Eccll l. 3. cap. 29. pa. 158. he disliked set fastes c. and was iustly condemned c. This opinion of Aerius though thus condemned was yet so agreable and the very same with the now professed Doctrine of the ProtestaÌ„tes that M. Whitaker saith d contra Duraeum l 9. pa. 130. Concerning fasting Aerius hath taught nothing contrary to the Catholique faith See also this condemned opinion of Aerius yet further defended by M. Fulke vbi supra and by e de haeres c. 5 fol 175. Danaeus as in the Margent Though yet others who dislike our aduersaries ouer plaine Nouelisme herein doe specially condemne Aerius and his foresaid doctrine thus defended as namely f M Hocket in his Eccl. policy l. 5 f. 72. p. 210. M. Hocker And the Protestant Author of the booke intituled g 31. 49. 10â— M Fulke against ye Rhemist test in maâ—â— c 5 fol. 28 in act c 1 â—s 5. fol. 203. Aretius in loc com pag 272. M Hooker In Eccl policy l 5 s 72 pag. 209 210. Querimonia g 31. 49. 10â— M Fulke against ye Rhemist test in maâ—â— c 5 fol. 28 in act c 1 â—s 5. fol. 203. Aretius in loc com pag 272. M Hooker In Eccl policy l 5 s 72 pag. 209 210. Ecclesiae printed at london 1592. Wheras M. Fulke Aretius and many others doe commonly obiect that Montanus the Hereticke was the first that appoynted lawes of lasting M. Hooker answeareth with vs that the Montanistes were reprehended only for that they brought in sundry vnaccustomed dayes of fasting continewed their fastes a great deal longer and made them more rigorous c. Where vpon Tertullian maintaingning Montanisme wrote a booke in defence of theire fast c. The same affirmeth the foresaid Protestant Author h pag 110. M Fulk against the Rhemist test in 1. Tim. 4â— of Quermonia Ecclea Whereas M. Fulke and Commonly all Protestantes doe obiect that sayng of S. Paul i 1. Tim. 4. â— Forbiding to Marry to abstaine from meate c. A gainst our Catholicke Doctrine of fasting from certayne meates M. Hooker saith with vs M. Hookes his Eccles Polici l. 5. sect 72. pag. 209. Against those heretikes saith he which haue vrged perpetuall abstinence from certayne meates as being in their verie nature vncleane the Church hath still bent her selfe as an enieniny S. Paul giuing charge to take heede of them c. Also the foresaid k pag. 106. and 107 S. Austine contra Faustum Monic l. â—0 c. 4 and c 6 and contra Adimant Manich. c 14. M. Iac in his defence of the Church and ministry of Engâ—and pag. 59. Author of Querimonia Ecclesiae giueth the same answere to the said saying of S. Paul as likewyse S Austine against Faustus a Manichie c An answere so euidenthy true that M. Iacob the Puritan acknowledgeth that place of S. Paul to be vnderstood of Marcion and Latianus who did absolutely condemne Mariadge and certayne meates and so saith he are in no comparison with the Papistes if they erred in nothing els LVTHERS DOCTRINE l in resp ad Ambros Catharinum To day saith he they doe so fast not that the flesh may be mortifyed but because it may be a good worke to fast this day or abstaine from that kind of meat to merit heauen But what is this other theÌ„ the impious face of Antichrist And againe m lib. de Doctritus hominum vâ—tandis It is saith he erroneous and full of lyes that they doe impose as it were by the decree and commaund of the Church at certayne tymes of the yeere a necessitie to fast the vigiles of the Apostles and other Saintes vnder payne of a great sinne For fastinges concerning dayes and meates ought alwayes to be free and indifferent Againe n in exposit epist quae legitur deminica 1. iâ— Niâ—â—li ad Gal. Gâ—l â— fasting is not a true chasticeing of the body but a thing rashly taken in place of a good worke Finally that worshipp of thine and studie of religion is no other thing then was the religion of Molech and Baal in tymes past with the Ievves Philipp Melanchthon saith o in loc com en de caeremonijâ— Ecclesiae it is a pernicious errour to thinke that fastinges and such like are the workes and worship of God CALVINS DOCTRINE p lib 4. instit cap. 12. ¶ 19. An other euill saith he like vnto this wee must specially take heed of to wit that fasting be not taken for a meritorious worke or any kind of diuine worshipp The third errour is not so bad yet daungerous as it were more strick and exactly to craue one of the chiefest offices and so to extollit with immodest prayse as that men when they haue fasted should thinke they had done some excellent thinge Wherin I dare in part but not altogether excuse the auncient fathers but that they haue layde certayne foundations of superstition and haue giuen occasion of tyrannie which afterward did aryse q ¶ 10. And then the superstitious obseruation of lent began euery where to increase because both the common people were persuaded that they did God some speciall seruice therby and the pastours did commend it for a holy imitation of Christ c. An old condemned heresie by the primitiue Church S. Epiphanius ligres 75. and S. August lib. de haeres cap. 33. This heresie was the Arians who thought that wee ought not to fast as it is a precept and rule of the Church but euery man as hee would least wee should seeme to be vnder the law Moreouer Epiphanius addeth that clean contrary to Catholickes they were accustomed to eat flesh on fridayes in the lent and chiefly in the holy weeke THE 19. ARTICLE The
Lord not to fear death for his sake Why doe not the faithfull honour that body which the diuels doe reuerence which also they haue afflicted in punishment but honour in the sepulcher therfore I honour the body which hath honoured Christ in the sword and shall raigne with Christ in heauen S Hierome anno 380. saith r lib. Adu vigilantium It grieues him that the reliques of martyres should be couered with a pretiouse couering and not rather bound vp in a clout or hearclâ—th and cast vnto the dunghill that only drunken and drowsie vigilantius may be adored S. Augustine anno 400. saith Å¿ epist 203. ad Quiâ—tianum Truly they carry the reliques of the most blessed and gloriouse martyre Stephan which your holynes is not ignorant of as wee did which also you ought reuereÌ„tly to worship THE ADVERSARIE t examen part 4. p. 10. Chemnitius affirmeth that the auncient Fathers erred in going pilgrimages to reliques u Osian Epit. Cent 4. pag. 5â—6 Cent. wryters Cent 4. col 12â—â— line 45 M â—ulk answere to a Counterfeit Catâ—ol k. pa. 46 â—1 vvhitaker Cont. Duraâ—m l. 10. p. â—6â— Osiander and the Century vvriters of Mag doe affirme that S. Hierome did foolishly contend that the reliques of Saintes ought to be worshipped M â—ulke saith last of all Vigilantius shall be brought in who wrote against inuocation of Saintes superstition of reliques and other ceremonies him Hierome reproueth For miracles done at the reliques of Saints M. Whitakeâ— saith I doe not thinketh those miracles vaine which are reported to haue bine done at the monumentes of Saintes Luther in Purgatione quorundam articulorum Luther himself saith who can gainesay those thinges which God to this day worketh miraculously visibly at the monumentes of Saintes M. Fox saith x Act. mon. anni 1576. pag. 61. autâ—ed The Idoll ceassed to giue any more oracles saying that for the body of Babylas the martyr he would giue no more answers LVTHERS DOCTRINE y in Serm. quem de cruce edidit in festo ex altationis crucis There is saith he such great aboundance in the world of little peces of the crosse that if they were gathered to gether a howse might be made of them Et infra I would saith he there were none of the crowne of thornes exstant and that there had neuer comforth any of the holy crosse c. wherfore if any man should giue me such afragment for agift yea if I had that crosse in my hand and knew it to be so I would preseÌ„tly so lay it vp as it should neuer see sun more c. But the same that I said of the holy crosse doe I also say of Saintes reliques as they tearme them for these reliques are no other thinge then the seducing of the faithfull wherfore it were much better that they were buryed vnder the earth vigilantius writ vpon this same against whome Hierome opposed himself with all his force in so much that certaynly I would he had temperated himselfe a little better in this matter but if I would giue credit to the workes of vigilantius as they are exstant according to Hierome I should rather belieue that he had written much more Christian lyke then Hierome himself vpon this matter CALVINS DOCTRINE z in libello â—uo quem vâ—â—cat admonâ—tionem de perquâ—tendis 〈…〉 Therfor saith he to speake in few wordes the desire of reliques doth neuer want superstition yea which is worse it is the mother of Idolatrie it was the office of Cristians to leaue the bodies of Saintes in their sepulchers and not to erect them vp with a sumptuous and costly worke wherby to make an vntymly resurrection of their bodies this certenly was neuer vnderstood but on the contrary against the decree of God the bodies of the faithfull are diged vp that they might be richly extolled and praysed when as they ought to rest in their sepulchers as in beds vntill the last day This preaching of Caluins was so frutfull in France Laut Surius in comm ad annum 1561. that the Hugonets of Pycardy burned the reliques of S. Hilary and they of Lyone and Turon burned the bodies of S. Ireneus and S. Martyne An old condemned Heresie Amonge other errours vigilantius the hereticke affirmed S. Hieron contra vigilant that the reliques of Saintes ought not to be reuerenced THE 25. ARTICLE Of the Holy Crosse and Images THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE The signe of the crosse and vse of Images of other Saintes doe no way repugne deuyne worship or the word of God but doe specially a gree with them both therfore they are piously and religiously to be obserued both for the honor and reuerence of the first institutours and also for the mysteries and hydden vertues in them SCRIPTVRE a Exod. 25.18 Twoe Cherubins thou shalt make of beaten gold on both sides of the oracle b Num. 21 8. And the Lord spake vnto him make a brasen Serpent and put it for asigne whosoeuer shal be strucken and shal be hold it shall liue c 3. kinges 6.35 And he engraued Cherubims palmes and very excellent engrauen worke d Hebrewes cap 9.1.5 And ouer it were the Cherubims of glorie ouer shadowing the propitiatorie For the Crosse e Mar. 10.16 Imbracing them and imposing hands vpon them he blessed them f Luke 24.50 And lifting vp his hands he blessed them g Apoc. 7.2.3 The Angel with the signe of the liuing God signeth the seruantes of God in the fore head FATHERS S. Dionysius Areopagita anno 80. saith h cap. 4.5 6. Eccles Hierarch That the signe of the Crosse is to be vsed in all Sacramentes S. Iustine Martyre anno 150. saith i quaâ—st 118. answearing the gentils asking why the Christians did pray with their face to wards the East the cause was Because the better thinges are to be giuen to God also saith he wee doe rather make the signe of the crosse with the right hand then the left when wee doe blesse any thing Tertullian anno 200. saith k lib. de corona militis At euery motion and going for ward at euery passage and end at our apparelling at the putting on of our shooes at washing at the light at the going to our chambers at our seats and when soeuer wee doe conuerse wee signe the fore head with the signe of the Crosse S. Cyprian anno 240. saith Let the fore head be feÌ„ced that the signe of God may be kept safe Againe a fore head made pure by the signe of the crosse cannot carry the crowne of the Diuell it hath kept it self for the crowne of our lord Origen anno 230. saith l in Exod. cap 15. homil 6 feare and trembling falleth vpon them the Diuells when they see the signe of the crosse faithfully fixed in you S. Lactantius anno 220. saith m lib. 4 c 26. Christ is profitable to all those