for their horses Agaynst which Edict when one of his Souldiers had transgressed he gaue order he should be punished saying VVhat hope of Victory if we offend Saint Martin Hence his Enterprize was so fortunate illustrated by wonderfull euents A Stagge weÌ„t before his army shewing where they might wade ouer the Riuer of Vienne then so swolne with water as it was not passable but only in that place Being in the field neere vnto Poytiers where Saint Hilaryes body is honoured Pharus ignea a Tower of light comming forth of the Church of the Saint shined vpon the King whereby encouraged he wonne a a most glorious day slew the Hereticall Vsurper with his owne hands deliuered the florishing part of France from the Arian Tyrany In his returne acknowledging the Victory gotten by Saint Martins intercession he offered vnto him his Warlike Palfree whereon he had fought so gloriously redeeming the same afterward with a Summe of money Pepinus who ioyned a great part of Germany that then was Pagan vnto the Crown of France had greater confidence of Victory in his deuout Inuocation of Saints then in the strength of his Armyes Hence hauing in a fierce Battayle with the Saxons obtayned a glorious Victory his wearyed and wounded Army being presently set vpon by a fresh mighty Band of Infidells S. Ludgerus in vitae S. Swiberts he lighting from his horse prostrate on the ground made a Vow vnto God and vnto Saint Swibert to visit his Reliques with his whole army barefoote Vpon which Vow straightwayes a wonderfull light from Heauen shined ouer him and his Forces that the Pagans terrified therwith without fighting yielded themselues and their whole Countrey of VVestphalia to his Obedience As almost all bookes be full of the Victoryes of Charles the first of France surnamed the Great so likewise they make full Record of his singular Reuerence vnto the Roman Bishop in whose defence he fought so many victorious Fields specially agaynst the Longobards whose Irreligion towards the Chayre of Peter the principall sea the fountayne of Christian Vnity wrought in the end the totall Sigon de Regno Ital. l. 3. 4. subuersion of their Kingdome After the Empire was translated from the Franks vnto the Saxons who more Vaâ—iant and Victorious then Henry surnamed the Faulkener the first Emperour of that Stocke Being sicke and so weake as he could hardly hold himselfe on his horse he durst in person go into the Field against the mightiest army of Hunnes that euer entred Germany Witich l. 1. de reb Saxon Frodoar Chron. Eccles Rhem. Luitprand l. 2. c. 8. 9. Nauclerus in Chron. Gen. 31. à Christo nato so many in number and so confident in their forces as they durst bragge they could not be ouercome except eyther the Earth should sinke vnder them or the Heauens fall vpon them The King and his Souldiers fought valiantly but prayed no lesse deuoutly the King making often Vowes vnto God to roote Symony out of his Kingdomes did he win the day the Souldiers often repeating Kyrie eleyson Kyrie eleyson by the deuout ingemination of which Christian Letany agaynst the Hunnish Hui Hui Hui they got the Victory making manifest how great is the force of Prayer though in a language not vulgarly knowne For the victory was so Illustrious as in respect thereof the sayd Emperour became renowned admired honoured of all Christian Princes Otho the Great as in Piety and Deuotion so likewise for admired victoryes was nothing inferiour vnto the foresayd Henry his Father He Witichind lib. 1. Luitprandus lib. 4. cap. 11. 12. Naucler in chron Generat à Christo 32. part 2. pag. 82. much honoured the holy Lance made of the sacred Nayles of our Sauiours Crosse by vertue whereof he ouercame miraculously an immense Army of Hungarians who then were Pagans mighty troupes of Rebells that were ioyned agaynst him Being on the one side of the Rhene and the Rebells on the other a few of his Souldiers without his priuity passing the Riuer fell into the Enemyes hands The Pious Emperour seing them in distresse and not able to succour them mooued with compassion prostrated himselfe his whole Army doing the like before the holy Lance with many teares praying vnto our Sauiour whose Hands and Feete had been pierced with those sacred Nailes No sooner was he prostrate on the ground but presently the Rebells no man knowing why ranne away their harts inwardly coÌ„suming with feare so that many of them were killed taken prisoners by the aforesayd poore handfull of men Henry the second Emperour Nephew to this Otho was on the one side so Victorious as he ioyned vnto the Crowne of the Empyre the Kingdomes of Bohemia Sclauonia and Hungary on the other so giuen vnto Roman deuotioÌ„ as he is a canonized Saint of the Roman Church His Dithmar lib. 6. Religion towards Gods B. Mother was singular in whose Honour he vowed and kept his Virginity vnspotted togeather with Kunegundis the Virgin holy Empresse his Spouse When Godofred Viterb in Chronic. Cuspianus Bonfin de rebus Hungar. Dec. 2. lib. 1. he entred into any Citty his custome was to spend the first night praying in the Church of our Lady if any were in the place consecrated to her Name Hence in the battayle he fought agaynst Bolistaus King of Bohemia the Holy martyrs Saint Laurence Saint George Saint Adrian sent by the Queene of Saints were seene to goe before his Army Nauclerus à Christo gen 34. part 2. pag. 106. carrying the Standart of the Crosse striking the Enemy with blindnes so that they not being able to behold much lesse to resist the Emperours forces Bohemia was made Vassall vnto the Empyre without any effusion of bloud About the same tyme the two renowned Normans Robert and Roger vndertaking to free Sicily from the Tyranny of the Saracens wherewith the same had been a long tyme oppressed were constrayned with small forces to Thomas Fazellus de rebus Sicul. Decad. post lib. 7. p. 397. encounter an huge Host wherein were thirty thousand horse and foote without number In the heate of the battayle Saint George was seene blazing forth glorious beames of brightnes vpon a white Steed in a white Horsemans coate on which was sowed a Red Crosse thereby encouraging the Christian Army and driuing the Enemy before him Hence the Nation of the Normans conceaued speciall deuotion vnto S. George calling vpon him in their Battayles next after God and with the Normans it is likely the same deuotion entred into England In confirmation of this truth how many Examples doth Spayne affoard of Victories gotten by Catholike deuotions against the Saracens who in the yeare 701. made themselues maysters of the greatest part of that Countrey None of their victoryes more famous then that obtayned by the vertue of the Holy Crosse whereof they keepe yeerly a Triumphall Feast The This history is written by Rodâ—ricus Archbishop of Toledo who was there present De rebus
deceased many yeares before was the Authour of SALVATION vnto them that had lost theÌ„selues by their slouth (*) Homil. 2. in Psal. 50. Dauid mortuus est sed merita eius vigent homo mortuus viuo Patrocinatur Dauid is dead but his merits liue the dead man is the patron of the liuing (m) Serm. de virtute vitio Ad mortuos confugieÌ„s propter eos peccata remittit for their sake that are dead God forgiueth sinne S. Ephrem (n) Ephem serm de Lau. SS Martyrum Vt vestris precibus saluari merear Assist me o holy Martyrs before the throne of the diuine Maiesty that by your PRAYERS I may be SAVED S. Augustine (o) August lib. qq in Exod q. 108. SignificaÌ„tur Martyres sancti quoruÌ„ orationibus propitiatur Deus peccatis populi sui By the red skins of the wheathers wherwith God would haue the vâ—yles of the Tabernacle couered we presently vnderstaÌ„d our Sauiour made red and purpled with his bloud in his passion But they likewise signify the holy Martyrs by whose prayers God is propitiated and appeased for the sinnes of his people S. Maximus sayth (p) Maximus serm de martyr Tauric Euadimus inferni tenebras propriis eorum meritis attamen consocii sanctitate By deuotioÌ„ vnto Saints we auoyd the paines of hell by their very merits being their fellowes in sanctity S. Euthymius (q) S. Euthym Monachâ—â— in encomio ad beatam Virginem Mariam Dum hic manemus nos protegas supplicamus vt nobis parcat filius tuus Deus perennibus tuis precibus O vnspoted virgin mother thy Sonne and God pardon vs our sinnes by the incessancy of thy praying for vs. And could the holy Fathers thinke worship and inuocation of Saints with confidence in their merits not to be a matter of fayth which they so constantly teach and commend to be a meanes of saluation and remission of sinne The fifth Demonstration That which the Fathers did practise in their greatest needes and in the chiefe acts of Religion when the vse of true ChristiaÌ„ deuotion was most necessary that they hold as assured and certayne deuotion exercise of diuine fayth and Christian piety Such is the worship and Inuocation of Saints with confidence in their merits vnto which the Saints of God did fly in their greatest distresses S. Iustina Virgin and Martyr being strongly assaulted with fleshly temptations caused by magicke incantation fled as S. Nazianzen writeth (r) Nazian orat in S. Cyprian Mariam VirgineÌ„ rogauit vt periclitanti Virgini opem ferret vnto the protection of the B. Virgin intreating her to assist a Virgin that was in that danger wherby she got the victory S. Nazianzen himselfe being in the like affliction with great humility openly in the Church prayeth vnto S. Basil (s) Idem orat in S. Basil. O Sacrum Diuinum caput carnis stimulum c. tuis siste precibus c. O deare Saint looke downe on vs from heauen and eyther stay with thy prayers this sting of the flesh giuen me of God for my instruction or else encourage me manfully to resist it Theodosius (t) Ruffin l. 2. Histor. c. 33. Emperour being to go in expedition agaynst Eugenius the Pagan Tyrant made togeather with the Bishops Clergy and people solemne Letanyes processions vnto the Tombes of the Apostles and Martyrs where prostrate on the ground before their shrines auxilia sibi fida intercessione SaÌ„ctorum poscebat craued assured assistance by the intercession of Saints Generall Councells being to decide controuersies about the highest mysteries of ReligioÌ„ (*) Concil Chalcedon can 11. the whole councell prayed vnto Saints as that most holy Councell of Chalcedon Holy Flauian liueth with God the Blessed Martyr pray for vs. As also did S. Augustine (u) Augustine lib. 5. de Baptism contr Donatist cap. 2. Adiunet nos Cyprianê° orationibus suis. entring into the discussion of a most difficill controuersy prefixeth this Deuotion Holy Cyprian help vs with his prayers In the very act of Martyrdome when they were presently to goe out of this world they did Inuocate Saints as did Saint Acyndimus Finally the whole Christian Church at the sacrifice of the Masse still hath vsed the same as appeareth by all ancient (*) The Roman that of Ierusalem the Aethiopian Anaphora Syriaca that of Millan S. Basill S. Chrysostome Lyturgies that are extant for though the Priest in the act of sacrifice doe not inuocate Saints by direct and formall prayer as sayth S. Augustine (x) August l. 8. De ciuit c. 27. Quis audiuit stantem sacerdotem ad altare c. dicere in precibus Offero tibi sacrificium Petre Who euer heard the Priest being at the Altar to say I offer sacrifice to thee Peter or to thee Paul yet the same (z) Idem tract 8. in Ioan. Sic eos commemoramus vt magis orent ipsi pro nobis vt eorum vestigiis inhaereamus serm 27. de verbis Apostol S. Augustine doth witnes that at the holy table commemoration is made of Martyrs that they will pray for vs that we may follow their stepps And S Cyrill of Ierusalem before S. Augustine (a) Cyrill Hierosol Cathec 5. Cùm hoc sacrificium offerimus memoriam facimus c. primùm PatriarcharuÌ„ Prophetarum Martyrum vt Deus orationibus illorum deprecationibus suscipiat preces nostras When we offer sacrifice we make coÌ„memoration of Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs c. that God by their prayers and supplications will admit of our petitions Wherfore seing the most holy and ancient Fathers in their owne most grieuous distresse in the greatest necessityes of the Church in businesses of highest vniuersall importance in the tyme of the most dread Christian sacrifice did vse prayers and Inuocation of Saints with assured coÌ„fidence in their merits who can doubt but they held the same as a point of Christian Religion wherof they were assured by fayth Gods expresse word deliuered by Tradition The sixt Demonstration What the Fathers held as a Christian custome and doctrine confirmed by most certayne and euident miracles that they held as a diuine and supernaturall truth The Fathers held worship and Inuocation of Saints with confidence in their merits as a Christian deuotion coÌ„firmed by most manifest and certayne miracles as (b) August lib. 22. de ciuitat c. 9. c. 10. S. Augustine sayth Miracles are done by the intercession and impetration if not also by the immediate operation of Saints And againe Martyrs do Miracles or rather God for the prayers intercessions of Martyrs In confirmation whereof the testimonyes of S. Basill Nazianzen Nissen Chrysostome Ambrose Hierome Augustine Prudentius Paulinus Gregory the Great Gregory Turonensis and others might be plentifully alleadged The seauenth Demonstration What the Fathers taught as a necessary supernaturall duty of Christian humility they taught as a matter of fayth The Fathers
taught praying vnto Saints as a necessary supernaturall duty of ChristiaÌ„ humility For though InuocatioÌ„ of Saints be not so simply necessary but a man may in some cases be saued without the exercise thereof yet because they that pray vnto God feele by his holy inspiration their own vnworthynes he moueth them to ayde themselues by the comprecations of blessed Saints as it were saying vnto them what he sayd to the friends of Iob Goe to my beloued seruants that they may interceede for you Hence men do not ordinarily obtaine what they desire of God without this humility of crauing the IntercessioÌ„s of Saints To this purpose S. Greg. Nissen (c) Orat. in S. Theodor. Quod si maiore opus sit auxilio Martyrum adhibe chorum vnà cuÌ„ omnibus supplica saith that sometimes Maiore opus est intercessione there is â—â—ed of greater intercession and to inuocate or aduocate the whole quire coÌ„pany of Saints To this purpose S. Augustine writes that (d) August serm 17. de verbis Apostoli Iniuria est pro martyre orare cuius nos Debemus orationibus commendare Debemus c. we must recommend our selues vnto the prayers of Martyrs yea that we are taught by the holy Scripture that (e) Idem q. 149. in Exodum Releuari apud DeuÌ„ meritis nos posse eorum quos diligit when we feele that our bad merits weigh vs down that we be not beloued of God we may be relieued by the merits of them that are gratious in his sight This humility of flying to the merits of deceased Saints S. Chrysostome sheweth to be taught vs in the holy Scripture by the example of the three children praying in the fornace (f) Chrysost. homil 84. in Matth. Quoniam semetipsos ad impetrandam populo veniaÌ„ sufficere non credunt AD PATRVM MERITA confugiunt For sayth he because they did belieue themselues not to be sufficient to obtaine pardon for the people they fly to the MERITS of their Fathers confessing themselues to bring nothing with them worthy of regard besides an humbled and contrite hart saying for Abraham thy beloued for Isaac thy seruant for Israell thy holy one Dan. 3.35 Finally S. Ambrose (g) Amb. l de vid. Magno peccato obnoxia minus idonea est quae pro se precetur certè quae pro se impetret Adhibeat igitur ad medicum alios precatores c. Obsecrandi sunt Angeli pro nobis qui nobis ad praesidium datisunt Martyres obsecrandi c. isti sunt Dei Martyres nostri praesules speculatores vitae actuuÌ„que nostrorum The soule sayth he that is guilty of great sinne is lesse fit to request or at least to obtayne the remission thereof for herselfe Therefore let her vse the intercession of others vnto her heauenly Phisitian The Angells are to be beseeched that are giueÌ„ vs of God for our guard The martyrs are to be beseeched in whose patronage we may seeme to clayme interest by the pledge of their bodyes They may intercede for our sinnes who washed out their owne with their bloud These be the Martyrs of God our Gouernours the ouerseers of our life and actions The eight Demonstration That doctrine and deuotion which is deliuered by full Tradition from the Apostles as practised in al ages since them as an exercise of ChristiaÌ„ piety is a part of Christian fayth and Religion But such is the worship and Inuocation of Saints For not only in the third age there be not obscure but manifest steps of this practise as the Centurists (h) Magdeburg Centur. 3. c. 4. colum 83. Videas in Doctorum huius saeculi scriptis noÌ„ obscura vestigia Inuocationis sanctorum acknowledge but also in the second which was immediate vpon the death of the Apostles First Saint Aurelian disciple and successour of S. Martiall (i) In vita S. Martialis Adsit nobis qui in orbe extitit pius Pastor vt eius orationibus muniti mereamur aeternae haereditatis participes fieri c. in his life prayeth vnto him Saint Dionysius (k) Dionysius Eccles. Hierarch c. 3. Impositis altari venerabilibus signis adest protinus sanctorum Catalogus c. sayth When the sacred venerable signes in which Christ is â—ignifyed and taken be layd on the Altar presâ—ntly there followes the Catalogue or commemoration of Saints And agayne (l) Idem Ecclesiastic Hierarch c. 7. Superflua spe ille suspensus est qui sanctorum flagitat preces naturae ipsorum consentaneas sacras operationes abigit he feedes vpon vayne hopes that craueth the prayers of Saints doth not actions that agree with the nature of Saints S. Ireneus (m) Iren. cont haeres l. 5. c vlt. Virginis Euae virgo Maria fieret aduocata The Virgin Mary is made aduocate of Eue which wordes the Centurists censure as hard and incongruous (n) Magdeburgens Centur. 3. c. 6. Secondly the vse of Procession was frequent in the second age presently vpon the Apostles death as doth witnes Tertullian (o) Tertullianus lib. 2. ad vxorem c. 4. Si Procedendum erit nunquam magis familiae occupatio tenebit but procession was ioyned with prayer vnto Saints and visitation of their Reliques as appeares by Eusebius who describing this practise sayth (p) Euseb. lib. 13. de praeparat Euang. c. 7. Monumenta eorum accedimus votaue ipsis facimus tanquam viris sanctis quorum intercessione ad Deum non parùm iuâ—ari profitemur we visit the monuments of Martyrs offer vowes and prayers vnto them professing that we are not a little ayded with God by their Intercession The same is also testifyed by S Chrysostome (q) Chrysost. homil in SS Inuentium Maximum Saepe eos nuisamus tumulos adornemus and S. Ierome plainly signifyes it who exhorting a consecrated Virgin not to leaue her retyrement vpon occasioÌ„ of Processions sayth (r) Hierom. 22. Epist. ad Eustoch de custodia virginit c. 6. Martyres tibi quaerantur in cubiculo numquaÌ„ deerit occasio procedendi si quoties fuerit necesse processura sis Visit the Martyrs by deuout imagination within thy chamber thou wilt neuer want occasion to go in procession if thou go as often as this will be needfull and requisite in respect of visiting the Relikes and tombes of Martyrs Finally in this primitiue age the custom was frequent to pray at the Shrines of Saints and keeping their Aniuersary festiual dayes as appeares by the Epistle of the Church of Smirna (s) Epist. Smirn. apud Euseb lib. 4. Histor. c. 15. Ambusta ossa S. Policarpi pretiosissimis geÌ„mis chariora c. collegimus sicuâ— conueniebat ex more coÌ„didimus Quo in loco soleÌ„nes agimus celebresue conuentus maximè in die passionis eius and by Tertullian (t) Tertull. de corona militis c. 2. Pro Natalitijs annua die facimus Now it
captious For the merits intercessions of Saints be no dishonour to the only merit mediatioÌ„ of Christ yea they all flow from it Hence the merit of Christ is euer supposed inuolued in all meanes and helpes of saluation nor is it necessary euery where to name it Inuocation of Saints not an iniury but an honor to Christ the only Mediatour §. 5. ANOTHER shew of piety is pretended against prayer vnto Saints that it seemes to ouerthrow the mediatourship of Christ which Saint Paul (*) 1. Tim. 2.3 commends as only vnus mediator Dei hominum Christus Iesus But in shewing the vanity of this shadow I shall not need to be long seeing this respect would also make vs neglect not vse the mediation of liuing Saints out of feare of disanulling the only mediatourship of Christ. It is no more against the honour of the only mediatourship of Christ to pray vnto Saints deceased then vnto Saints liuing yea the praying vnto these kind of Saints may seeme more dishonourable because we ioyne with him men imprisoned in mortality militant in dangers and not wanting some blemishes and defects Wheras the other Saints are glorious pure from any the least imaginable spot setled in the consummation of ineffable blisse But the Scripture Rom. 15.30 Iob. 42.8 allowes yea commandes prayer vnto liuing Saints consequently praying vnto them is not iniurious vnto the only mediatour Christ. Therfore the praying vnto Saints deceased that are in glory with God is not iniurious vnto the only mediatourship of Christ (c) The Minister is here pag. 335. vexed for this argument of praying vnto liuing Saints and crauing their intercession coÌ„uinceth stoppeth our Aduersaries mouthes wheÌ„ they vrge that praying vnto glorious Saints destroieth the onely mediatour-ship of Christ. Why should praying vnto glorious Saints to seeke their mediatioÌ„ be iniurious vnto the onely mediatour-ship of Christ rather then the mediation of liuing Saints His answere is large but all is reduced to six euasions First he saith that we may request the prayers of liuing Saints but not inuocate them this is ridiculous For what is it to inuocate but to cal vpon but to implore but to request specially with submission and acknowledging of superhumane dignity in the person prayed vnto Do not Protestants themselues translate Inuocate to call vpoÌ„ Rom. 10.14 when the holy Sunamite with humble obeysance prostrate on the ground requested Elizaeus for the resuscitatioÌ„ of her Sonne did she not inuocate him Secondly he saith That the liuing Saints be present with the liuing What is this to the purpose be not many mediatours present more then one onely aswell as many mediatours absent If the onely mediatour may haue many subordinate mediatours present without preiudice vnto the onelynes and singularity of his mediatour-ship why not many subordinate mediatours absent Nor is it true that glorious Saints be not present vnto vs seing they see as hath been proued all things done in the world that belong to their state in which respect the holy Fathers of better credit then any Minister say Vniuersi sancti vbique sunt omnibus prosunt S. Maximus de Martyr Tauricis Hieron aduersus Vigilant Basil. de Sanct. virgin c. 8. Angeli vbique praesentes sunt quae hic geruntur inspiciunt Saints and Angells are euery where present because from heaueÌ„ they behold what is euery where done Fourthly he saith That Papists make Saints mediatours that see the secrets of harts This is also seely For where doth the Scripture say that Christ is the onely mediatour that knowes the secretts of hartes but that besides him there may be other mediatours so they see not the hart If Christ the onely mediatour may haue the company of many subordinate mediators that be clothed with misery and ignorance why not the coÌ„pany of many glorious mediators that see God and in God our harts How many liuing Saints did by the gift of prophesy see the secret thoughts of men yet did pray and intercede for men that craued their patronage Did they therby ouerthrow the only mediatour-ship of Christ God forbid Fiftly he saith that as it is an iniury to the supreme Magistrate for any of his subiects to coÌ„stitute a Maister of Requests without his authority so likewise it is an iniury to Christ for vs wormes of the earth without warrant from Gods word to constitute Saints and Angels mediatours of our prayers Answer The Minister is very simple iâ— he caÌ„not discerne the difference betwixt a maister of Requests and a mediatour to the King by way of fauour The Maister of Requests is an office of authority made by the kings authority without whose special order he cannot be appointed But the office of mediator that is of a freind for vs with the king is an office of grace and fauour and made by the kings grace fauour bestowed on a man without any further authority Hence if the king make one his familiar Freind or Fauourite we may if we can make him our freind and mediatour vnto the king without further warrant or authority Yea sometimes Kings are not willing that their Fauourites should haue so many suitors which yet they cannot hinder if they will haue Fauourites the right of being mediatours for others to the King being inuolued in the grace of Princely fauours Now to say that men seeking grace of the king by his Fauorite do constitute without his order a Maister of Requests is ridiculous Yea rather it were folly presumption clownishnes for a poore beggar vnknowne in the Court to intrude his suites into the Kings audience without the mediation of some that are familiar about him Wherfore seing God hath made Saints his especiall freinds and heauenly fauourites and able to helpe vs what further warrant is needfull besides our owne necessityes to seeke their intercession Sixtly the Minister saith That liuing Saints are ioint-suitors with vs who likewise pray for their owne needes and so are not meere mediatours But Saints deceased be not ioint-suitors but meere mediatours because they pray and intercede for vs and not for themselues Answer First the Saints in heauen do pray for themselues to wit for the glorious resuscitation of their bodyes and that God will reueng their deathes vpon their persecutours Apoc. 5. Secondly though Saints do not deprecate for their owne sinnes and needes this doth not shew that they are meere mediatours and suitors of higher kind then liuing Saints but onely that they are growne vnto greater perfection in the same kind of grace and vnto the consummation therof vnto which we are not yet arriued Euen as a growne man doth not need so many things as doth the Child and yet is he a creature of the same nature and â—ind as the Child I adde that to make Saints mediatours subordinate vnto dependent of Christ is to increase his glory For first if only Christ Iesus is worthy to haue immediate accesse vnto God and
all other Saints men Angells be mediatours and intercessours not hauing accesse vnto God but by him then certainly that Saints mediate and intercede for vs is exceeding glorious vnto Christ Iesus But Catholikes teach that Saints be such intercessours as haue no accesse vnto God but through Christ Iesus by mediation of his merits passion and death there being no other name in heauen or in earth by which we are to be saued Therfore the doctrine that maks Saints subordinate mediatours vnto Christ by him approaching vnto God doth magnify and extoll the supremacy of Christs mediatourship more then if in this kind of mediation he had none depending on him Whence I inferre that Protestants mistake our doctrine when they say we teach that Saints are fellow-mediatours with Christ and that we bring them in to supply the defect of his intercessiō that otherwise would not be sufficient This we doe neither teach nor belieue but that the merits of Christ are infinite euery drop of his pretious bloud able to pay the full ransome of a milliō of worlds That the Saints mediate and intercede for vs vnto Christ is for his greater glory by whose merits they are made worthy of that dignity and whom by their intercessions they acknowledge to be the fountayne of all good that comes vnto mankind If it be a glory to the roote of a tree to haue many boughes and branches loaden with excellent fruite the Saints being but branches of Christ Iesus the true Vine-tree Iohn 15.15 surely the honour of all their meritts springs originally is referred finally vnto him And as it is impossible to honour and prayse the boughes without honouring and praysing of the roote So likewise it is not possible that Catholikes who acknowledge that Saints haue all their grace merit fauour with God from Christ Iesus should honor them or pray vnto them without honouring Christ without praying finally euer vnto him Wherefore Saints when they pray for vs that God would forgiue vs our sinnes grant vs fauours that help vs towards eternall life they do not alleadge their merits as a sufficient motiue of the grant but the merits of Christ. And when holy ancient Fathers in their prayers alleadge vnto God the merits of Saints this is because their merits make them gracious in Gods sight and worthy that the graces they craue for vs be graunted vnto vs not by the applicatiō of their merits but only through the application of the merits of Christ. Put case that a Prince should ransome a great multitude of his subiects taken prisoners and held in miserable thraldome paying for them a sufficient and aboundant ransome yet so that none should haue the fruit of that Redemption but those whom the King should singularly choose and make worthy of that fauour Suppose that some noble man in the Court whome his Merits made gracious with the King should by his interceding obtayne that the benefit of that ransome should be extended to some one whome he particularly affects Surely this Captiue should be redeemed deliuered through the ransome payd by the King not by the merits of the Noble man interceding for him whose merits concurred thereunto only remotely and a farre off To apply this similitude Christ Iesus hath payd an aboundant price for mans redēption yet none enioy the benefits thereof but they to whome by speciall grace he applyeth the same Sinners beseech him by the merits of Saints that made them gracious in his sight that he will vouchsafe to apply the merit of his Passion vnto them for the obtayning of fauours conducing vnto eternall life Christ grants their petition and request and thereupon applyes his merits vnto them These men cannot be properly sayd to be saued through the merits of Saints but only through the merits of Christ specially because euen the merits of Saints that concurred thereunto proceed originally from the merits of CHRIST How it is lawfull to appropriate the obtayning of graces and cures vnto Saints §. 6. OVR Aduersaryes finding our Inuocation of Saints for substance practised in Gods Church euer since her primitiue times take exceptiōs at some circumstances therof which they thinke new not iustifiable by Antiquity which are principally three whereon are grounded other three causes of their dislike So the sixt reason of their dislike is that we distribute amongst Saints offices of curing diseases seeke some kind of fauour of one some of another of which practise there is no example in Antiquity yea it seemes to resemble the leuity of heathenish superstitiō who did multiply Gods according to the multitude of the thinges they sought to obtayne of them I answere that to seeke some fauours by the intercession of one Saint rather then of another was the Iudgment (d) The Minister saith The Iesuit by Fathers meaneth the Trident Fathers not the ancient Fathers This is ridiculous for the Iesuit saith the ancient Fathers in S. Augustines time that is 12. hundred yeares before the Councell of Trident. And the Minister cannot find one Syllable in the Coūcel of Trent for this appropriatiō that may breed suspition that the Iesuit meaneth them wheras he brings the practise and patronage of Saint Augustine himselfe prouing by Scripture this appropriation of miraculous benefits to one place and Saint more then to another And S. Paul ad Hebr. 2.10 saying wherin himselfe suffered and was tempted therin he is potent to helpe them that are tempted shewes a reason why we should inuocate in some temptations rather some Saint then another as S. Laurence against fire S. Apollonia against the tooth-ach c. because wherein themselues were tryed they are specially able to help others of the Fathers in S. Augustines time which he himselfe practised vpon this occasion In the towne of Hippo one of the family of S. Augustine accused a Priest of an heynous crime making his accusatiō good by oath which the other did reiect in like manner purging himselfe by oath The fact being open and scandalous seing of necessity one of them was periured S. Augustine sent them both into Italy to the shrine of Saint Felix of Nola at whose reliques periured persons were vsually discouered In defence of which fact he writes an Epistle to his people of Hippo allowing of this proceeding shewing that to seeke recourse rather to one Saint then another is pious and godly wondering at the secret prouidence of God therein (e) The Minister sayth that this narration is not to the purpose because there is no mention of Inuocation of S. Felix or of oblation to him Answer This is idle For we haue proued by S. Augustine and Fathers and Scriptures that Saintes are to be prayed vnto only the question now is whether it be lawfull to seeke some benefits at one place and by one Saint rather then another which to be lawfull S. Augustine affirmes and proueth by deduction from Scripture shewing it to haue beē the practise of his age and
not heathenish superstition And though the Minister raile against this practise with many bitter new coyned phrases it makes no matter for what wise man will prefer words before proofes a Minister before S. Augustine As for the Inuocation of S. Felix in particular with vowes and oblations at his Tombe many testimonyes of S. Augustine S. Paulinus and Seuerus Sulpitius might be brought if there were need Although sayth he men by experience see this to be true yet who is able to discouer the Counsell of God why in some places such miracles are done in other places they are not For is not Africa stored with shrines of blessed Martyrs and yet doe we not know any such miracles to be done heere by their intercessions For seing as the Apostle sayth all Saints haue not the gift of curing diseases not all the knowledge to discerne spirits so likewise at the shrines of all Martyrs these thinges are not done because he will not haue them euery where done who giueth to euery one particular gifts according to his pleasure This being the practise of the pure Christian Church defended by the learnedst Father and worthyest Deuine that euer Christianity bred by him grounded on the Scripture and on the vnsearchable course of the diuine Prouidence neuer censured nor condemned by any Father we need not feare superstition in seeking some kind of fauours benefits by the peculiar intercession of certayne Saints specially seing this was vsuall in the Church confirmed by many miracles recorded by most learned Saints that liued in the purest Christian ages S. Aug. in his 22. booke ciuit c. 8. and in tom serm fol. 182. edit Louan relates the History of two cured at the tōbe of Saint Stephen at Hippo that could not be cured at any other shrine of Saints Alibi curari non potuit imo facillimè potuit sed non est curatus huic loco curandus diuina praedestinatione seruatus Saint Lucy went on pilgrimage vnto the body of Saint Agatha for help of her mother putting peculiar cōfidence in her intercession as being a Christian Virgin of her countrey and profession S. Iustina Virgin being by the Diuell tempted agaynst Virginall purity fled to the most glorious of Virgins Virginem Mariam rogauit vt periclitanti virgini opem ferret 〈◊〉 S. Nazianzen (f) Greg. Nazian orat in S. Cypr. writes S. Martinian as Paulinus (g) Paulin. Epist. ad Cytherium records hauing suffered shipwracke called with peculiar deuotion and trust vpon S. Paul whose Epistles he did highly honour remembring that the same Saint yet liuing deliuered an hundred and seauenty soules from the like perill neyther was his petition frustrate Notwithstanding we confesse that herein a discreet mediocrity is to be obserued And if abuses be crept in amongst commō people we desire they should be reformed but so that paring away the abuse we take not away the substance of a pious Christian custome For we cannot expect that simple people in matter of Religion will not sometymes foolishly and superstitiously mistake which when it happens we must as S. Augustine (h) August de moribus Ecclesiae c. 10. sayth Ignorantiam instruere pertinaciam deridere Concerning oblations made vnto Saints §. 7. THE seauenth cause of dislike is our offering oblations vnto Saints which your Maiesty doth obiect peculiarly as done to the Blessed Virgin MARY I answere if any Catholike should offer to the blessed mother of God by way of sacrifice any the least thing he were seuerely to be rebuked and better instructed For sacrifice (i) Nulli Martyrum sed ipsi Deo Martyrum quamuis in memorias Martyrum cōstituimus altaria Augustin contra Faust. l. 20. c. 12. is a religious homage due to God only In which respect the sacrifice of the holy Eucharist is neuer offered vnto any but vnto God in memory and honour of Saints Herein the Collyridians women-Priests did erre who did sacrifice a wafer-cake vnto the blessed Virgin which kind of worship vnder the tytle of Adoration Saint Epiphanius (k) Epiph. haeres c. 9. reproues allowing the Catholike worship there tearming her honourable Virgin not for humane or ciuill but for diuine and supernaturall respects True it is that in Catholike countreys people offer (*) They are sayd offered vnto Saints not because they are giuen vnto them immediatly in their owne persons but because they are offered at their shrines Images as ornaments or monuments vnto Saints Lights Flowres and chaynes not as sacrifices but as ornaments to set forth their tombes and shrines wherein they do not dissent from Antiquity nor from Gods holy will who hath cōfirmed such deuotions by miracle as diuers Authors worthy of all credit relate particularly S. Augustine by (l) Caluin instit l. 5. c. 4. Protestants allowed as the most faythfull witnes of Antiquity (m) August l. 22. de ciuit c. 8. He tells of a womā starke blind that recouered her sight by laying to her eyes flowres which had touched the shrine wherin were carryed about the relickes of the most glorious martyr S. Stephen (n) The Minister sayth that S. Augustine doth not affirme that flowers and the like were offered vnto Saints I Answere if offering signify Sacrificing neither doth S. Augustine mention this as done in his age nor do we practise it in ours But if offering be taken as we take it for laying flowers and other such things on the Tombes of Martyrs to adorne and beautify their shrines S. Augustin doth mention oblatiōs of flowers suck like ornaments to haue beē made vnto the Tombes of Martyrs this deuotion to haue bene confirmed by miracle as is manifest A more wonderfull example in the same kind he relateth done vpon an old man of good note who being sicke ready to dye did yet very obstinatly refuse to belieue in Christ and leaue his Idolatry although he was very earnestly mooued thereunto by his children that were zealous Christians His Sonne in law despayring to preuayle by persuasion resolued to go and pray at the Tombe of Saint Stephen and hauing performed his deuotions with burning affection with many groanes and teares being to depart tooke with him some flowers that were on the shrine and layd them secretly vnder his Father in Law his head the night as he went to sleepe Behold the old man next morning awaking out of his sleep cryeth out desiring them to goe straight to call the Bishop to baptize him He had his desire he was baptized Afterwards as long as he liued he had this prayer in his mouth Lord Iesu receaue my spirit being altogeather ignorant that prayer was the prayer last speach of Saint Stephen when he was stoned to death by the Iewes which also were the last wordes of this happy old man for not long after pronouncing those wordes he gaue vp his soule Other oblations also Catholikes vse to offer vnto Saints not as sacrifices but as memoryes monuments
of benefits receaued as pictures of Lymms by Saints prayers miraculously cured That therin they doe not deflect from ancient Christian deuotion and that the Christian Church in her best tymes vsed vniuersally to make such oblations Theodoret (o) Theodoret. de curandis Graecorum affect l. 8. is a sufficient witnes who writing agaynst the Gentills alleadgeth as a manifest signe of Christs Godhead and Omnipotency that Idols being excluded he brought in Martyrs to be honoured in their roome not superstitiously as Gods but religiously as diuine men and Gods speciall friends Christian people sayth he present themselues vnto Martyrs not as vnto Gods but as vnto the Martyrs of God and diuine men inuocating beseeching them to be intercessours for them vnto God And those that piously and with Fayth pray obtayne what they desire as testify the oblations which they being therunto bound by their vowes present in the Chappell 's of Saints as tokens of health recouered For some hang vp Images of eyes others of eares others of hands some made of gold some made of siluer (p) The Minister also here denyeth that these ancient Christians did offer these oblations at the shrines of Martyrs in token of gratitude for benefits receued Wheras Theodoret saith expressely that they were vowes which they had made and were bound to pay vnto the Martyrs that is vnto their shrines as monuments of their power in curing them Thus he so generall and notorious euen vnto Infidels was this Christian deuition The Roman Church set formes of Prayer without cause misliked §. 8. FINALLY Protestants dislike the circumstance of praying in a set forme vnto Saints and that we appoint a particular office vnto the Blessed Virgin Mary which cannot be proued to haue been vsed in the Primitiue Church (q) The Minister pag. 353. brings prayers vsed in the Romane Missalls as though they were absurd Call vpon the sweet name of Mary Saints interceding we may deserue to be deliuered from all necessityes The Saints merits interceding Lord absolue vs from all sinnes I Answere all these speaches are the very words vsed by the full consent of ancient Fathers as yow may find in the fifth Demonstration Doth the Minister expect that for feare at his rayling we should leaue all antiquity We must not do so nor do we nor may we feare the bitternes of mans tongue in so high degree I answere that the Primer or Office so tearmed of our Lady is not an office properly and principally directed vnto her but an Office contayning prayses of God taken out of holy Scripture wherein commemoration of her is made So as I dare say that the prayers of that office of our Lady that are directed vnto her make not the hundred part thereof And seing it is most certayne that the Christian Church in her best times did frequently pray vnto Saints what reason haue we to thinke that in her set forme of prayers she did not vse to craue their intercession If it be lawfull pious and profitable when we pray vnto God to pray also to Saints by their mediatiō offering our prayers to him why should any mislike the doing of this in a set forme that is allowed by the Church why should this displease rather then an extemporall forme But further we cā proue that the Church in her best (r) The Minister here questioneth our meaning by the word primitiue I answere that we hold that true Christian Religion planted by the Apostles was not a meere shaddow that vanished away in a trice but that the beliefe and practise therof cōtinued in the world after their decease This Religion in respect of being in the world was primitiue in the dayes of the Apostles and of them that saw the Apostles and were conuerted by them But in respect of free publike profession the same was neuer Primitiue till the fourth Age that is vnder Constantine Now the monuments of the first and second Age after the Apostles in regard of persecutiō are few many Christian Historyes monuments yea in a manner al were made away by Dioclesian So that the best way to know what Religiō was professed immediately vpō the death of the Apostles is to examine what forme of Religiō in the dayes of Constantine came frō vnder groūd secret meetings into the free view of the world For no doubt but that Religion was freely professed vnder Constantine that was cruelly persecuted and the monuments therof abolished by Dioclesiā Constantine his Predecessour and the other Pagan Emperours before him But the Christian profession of Constantines age is so cleerly Catholike as our Ministers feare triall thereby and would rather haue all reduced vnto those ages wherof the monuments are scarse for therin they hope to find best patronage for their negatiue religion and for their Inuisible Perpetuall Namelesse Notorious Professours times did pray vnto Saints in set formes as Catholikes now do euen with a forme of prayer acknowledged cōfessed by the Magdeburgiās Cent. 4. c. 4. to haue byn in vse euē in the fourth age after Christ in which the foure first generall Councels were held But if they will perchance say that they do not so much dislike set formes vnto Saints as some Phrases or speaches in our Prayer-bookes that seeme to giue too much vnto Creatures as our calling the Blessed Virgin Mother of Grace Mother of mercy saying to her Lady protect vs from the Diuell receaue vs in the houre of death giue light to the blind pardon to the guilty remooue from vs all euill c. I answere these speaches cannot iustly be disliked because they are vnderstood in a pious sense knowne to Catholikes a sense obuious playne according to the phrase of Scripture and which the words may well beare euen according to the custome of speach The nature of thinges being various and the answerable conceipts of men copious but words to expresse such conceyts scant and in great paucity necessity doth inforce vs to vse words applyable to diuers senses For example one man may deliuer another from death either by authority pardoning him as do Kings or by Iustice defending him as do Aduocates by force taking him out of his enemyes hands as do Souldiers or paying his ransome to them that keep him captiue as Almoners finally by begging his life of them that haue power to take it away as intercessours These be very different wayes of reliefe yet haue we but one word to expresse them all to wit to saue a mans life which therefore is to be vnderstood according to the subiect it is applyed And if men want vnderstanding or will not take our words according to the matter they are applyed vnto there can neuer want Cauils vnles we eyther speake not at all or when we speake still vse long circumlocutions which were ridiculous in verse impossible the metre not permitting it And yet the aforesayd misliked phrases in the office of the Blessed Virgin are
tymes Quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius nor only of the (q) Isa. 6.6 Seraphims who in praysing their Creator repeate three times ouer the same word holy holy holy but also by the example of our Blessed Sauiour himselfe who thrice at least in the garden repeated the same prayer (r) Matth. 26. v. 4. Marc. 14. v. 39. Eumdem sermonem dicens Luc. 22. v. 42. Pater si fieri potest trāseat à me Calix verumtamen non mea voluntas sed tua fiat Wherfore to repeate the same prayers is very good and pious so the same be done with new deuotion which new deuotion that it may not be wanting in our Repetitions there is appointed for euery Pater Aue Creed a speciall meditation that may stirre vp deuotion at euery repeated prayer And seing we cannot pray long but we must needes repeate ouer the Pater noster in sense for what can we demand of God that is not there contayned why may we not also repeate the same in words If any thinke to merit by reason of the number of his prayers he is ignorāt of the doctrine of the Catholike Church which attributes (s) The Minister pag. 385. writeth in this sort I grant repetitions in prayer and thankesgiuings which agree with the examples of Scripture to be pious and lawfull but the illation from these to the Roman Battalogy is inconsequent First their prayers are in part directed to Creatures Secōdly they are multiplyed to an excessiue and portentuous number Thirdly the Creed is no prayer or thāksgiuing formally or virtually Fourthly they thinke praying without vnderstanding the words without present actuall attention to be pious and effectuall Answer To auoyd the shame of not being able to reply something at least in shew you runne directly vpō his Maiesty disgrace his questiōs His Maiesty proceding most iudiciously knowing the Pater noster to be pious deuotion first questioned the Aue Maria or praying vnto Saints also praying in an vnknowne tongue then supposing by way of argument that the saying of Paters Aues Creeds is pious he doubts about repetition of them in certaine nūbers as iudging repetitiō euen of pious and Godly prayers in a fixed number to be questionable specially affixing merit vnto the number You conuinced by the Iesuit grant repetitiō of pious prayers in certaine numbers to be pious and so haue granted what his Maiesty questioned yet not to seeme to grant it you make his Maiestyes question to be whether repetition of vnlawful prayers in an excessiue number without attention be lawfull Which question is vnworthy of his Maiestyes Iudgement yea his Maiesty seing the impertinency of this question did first mooue doubt about the lawfulnes of Inuocation of Saints that the lawfulnes therof might be supposed in this questiō knowing the question without this supposition to be senselesse foolish Secondly according to your reply his Maiesty doth not dislike our saying 33. Pater nosters in memory of 33. yeares our Sauiour liued vpō earth affixing merit vnto that number For neither is the number excessiue nor the prayer vnlawfull nor is there any amongst vs that doth not vnderstand the sense therof And yet I thinke his Maiesty was not of this mind which sheweth that he questioned repetition of pious prayers in a fixed number and so your Reply grants what he questioned Thirdly the Aue Maria is not a prayer directed vnto any Creature as prayer signifyes petition of grace and fauour because in the Aue Maria we aske not grace nor any gift of the B. Virgin but only that she will pray for vs Holy mary pray for vs now and in the hower of death If petition made vnto Creatures that they will be comprecants with vs be prayer directed vnto Creatures then is crauing the comprecation of liuing Saints prayer finally directed vnto a Creature Fourthly your saying that the Creed is no prayer neither formally nor virtually is the bare word of a Minister against the perpetuall practise of the Christian Church which vsed the Creed as a prayer a thousand yeares agoe defining it in Concil Quinosexto Can. 7. Let euery Christian pray at the least twice a day saying the CREED or the Lords Prayer or Qui plasmasti me miserere mei or Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori Thus the Councell And who doth not see the Creed said vnto God with inward deuotion of faith about his diuine perfections and mercyes toward mankind there declared to be a prayer either of praise or thankesgiuing or obsecration according to the affection of him that prayeth Finally your Cauill that our prayers are said in a tongue vnknowne and so without present attention is in your supposition often false seing they that pray in these numbers most commonly either vnderstand Latin or else pray in the vulgar tongue in the illation ridiculous For they that vnderstand not the Pater Aue and Creed in Latin may by memory know the substance thereof and so be actually attent no merit to prayers in regard of their number further then the number awakes in vs deuout thoughts which is the only thing that by the number we ayme at We say Paters Aues Creeds to the number of three in memory of the Blessed Trinity seeking Gods fauour and grace by glorifying that incomprehensible mystery To the number of fiue in memory of the fiue speciall wounds our Sauiour receaued that pierced into throgh his sacred body To the number of 33. in remembrance of 33. yeares our Sauiour wrought our Saluation vpon earth giuing him thankes for all his labours desiring the application of his merits stirring vp our selues to the imitation of his vertues The like reason moueth vs to pray in the number of 63. Angelicall salutations to call to mind the yeares the Mother of God liued according to one probable opinion And because the opiniō that she liued 72. yeares now begins to be much followed many Catholikes particularly in Spayne haue thereupon increased the crowne of our B. Lady to 72. Aue Maria's A manifest signe that they neuer attributed merit vnto the number of 63. but only to the deuout memory of the B. Virgins vertues exercised in the yeares she conuersed in this world giuing God thankes for his graces bestowed vpon her The Psalter of our Lady the Iesus Psalter contayne one hundred fifty repetitions of prayers the one of Aue Maria's the other Iesu Iesu Iesu in imitation of the deuout Royal Prophet whose Psalter contaynes Psalmes in Gods prayse to the same number Neyther are we in this point of repeating prayers vpon Beades or little stones in a (t) The Minister sayth that his Maiesty in his dislike of our affixing merit to the Repetition of prayers in a certaine number meant to deny the merit of condignity not the merit of congruity or Impetration I Answere If you had studied of purpose to make his Maiesty ridiculous in his proposition of questions you
he is so silent in print about the particulars of the ConfereÌ„ces only doing his endeauour to disgrace the Iesuit in generall tearmes saying That he vanished away from before his Maiesty with foyle and disgrace his Maiesty telling him he neuer heard a Verier Meaning a Foole or Asse c. A report so false as the Minister contradicts the same himselfe elsewhere writing to the contrary In his Preface towards the end and Reply to the Iesuits Preface initio That by the second Conference his Maiesty obserued that the Aduersary was cunning and subtill in eluding Arguments For what more opposite to the Veriest Asse or Foole then one cunning and subtill If his Maiesty obserued by that Conference that the Iesuit was cunning subtill acute in answering how could he say of him I neuer heard a Verier Asse Thus men implicate themselues that speake what they would haue belieued without care of Truth But in defence of the Relation I need say no more there being extant an Apology for the same in print Now concerning the Answere it selfe to the Nine Poynts M. Fisher hauing receaued the note presently addressed himselfe to comply with his Maiestyes CoÌ„mand being encouraged thereunto by the Title shewing his Maiestyes desire of ioyning vnto the Church of Rome could he be satisfyed about some Poynts And as he imployed therein his greatest strength so likewise he was carefull to vse the expeditioÌ„ that was required atchieuing the Worke in lesse then a moneth though the same was not so soone deliuered into his Maiestyes hands This expedition was likewise the cause that he did omit the discussion of the Ninth Poynt About the Popes Authority to depose Kings For being bound by the CoÌ„mand of his Generall giuen to the whole Order not to publish any thing of that Argument without sending the same first to Rome to be reuiewed and approued his Answere to that Poynt could not haue been performed without very longe expectation delay And he was the more bold to pretermit that Controuersy in regard that sundry whole Treatises about the same written by Iesuits and others both Secular Religions had been lately printed These Authours so fresh and new he was sure were not vnknowne to his Maiesty nor was it needfull that any thinge should be added Also knowing that commonly Kings be not so willing to heare the proofes of Coerciue Authority ouer them be the same neuer so certayne he iudged by this omission the rest of his Treatise might be more gratefull and find in his Maiestyes breast lesse disaffection resistance agaynst the Doctrine thereof Nor could he thinke that his Iudicious Maiesty being persuaded of the other eight Points would haue been stayd from ioyning vnto the Church of Rome only in regard of the Nynth Of the Popes Authority ouer Kings the Doctrine of the Protestant Church about the Authority of the people and of the CoÌ„mon wealth in such cases being farre more disgracefull dangerous And this forbearance is not Reply pag. 571. as the Minister obiects against the resolution of a constant Deuine or S. Bernards rule Melius est vt scandalum oriatur quà m vt veritas relinquatur It is indeed better that scandall arise then Diuine Verity be forsaken by the deniall thereof or by not professing our Conscience therein Reply vnto the Iesuits Preface initio when we are iuridically examined by the Magistrate wherein euen the Minister giueth testimony that the Iesuit was not defectiue but did fully and cleerely declare his Fayth about the Popes Authority his Maiesty telling him he liked him the better in respect of his playnesse This notwithstanding there is no man of Learning Discretion but will acknowledge that a Constant Deuine may put off the Scholasticke TractatioÌ„ of some Poynt of Fayth that is lesse pleasing vntill the Auditours by being perswaded of Articles that do lesse distast be made more capable of the truth towardes which by disaffection they are not so prone The other articles are largely discussed and as exactly as shortnes of tyme ioyned with penury of Bookes would permit They be according to the Note but Eight yet some of them contayne diuers branches and so all togeather they amount to the number of fourteene to wit 1. The worship of Images 2. The worship of the holy Crosse Reliques 3. That Saynts Angells heare our prayers 4. That they are to be worshipped with honour super-humane or more then Ciuill 5. That we may ought to inuocate theÌ„ 6. That Repetitions of Prayers in a fixed number is pious 7. The Liturgy lawful in a language not vulgarly knowne 8. The Reall Presence of Christs body vnto the corporall mouth 9. Transubstantiation 10. Merit 11. Workes of Supererogation 12. The remaynder of temporall payne after the guilt of Sinne. 13. That holy men by Diuine grace may for the same make compensant yea superabundant Satisfaction 14. That superabundant Satiâ—factions may be applyed vnto others by the Communion of Saynts Before these is prefixed the fundamentall Controuersy of the Church That men cannot be resolued what doctrines are the Apostles but by the Tradition and Authority of the Church About the sufficiency perspicuity of the Scripture About the Churches â—isible Vnity Vniuersality Holynes Succession from the Apostles That the Roman is the visible Catholicke Church whose Tradition is to be followed So that in this Treatise a Summe of all the chiefest CoÌ„trouersies of this Age is contayned Concerning the manner of haÌ„dling these Points the Minister graunting the Iesuite sheweth himselfe well verst in Controuersy addeth In his Preface he is deficient of diuine proofe in euery Article and farre more specious including our Arguments then happy in confirming his owne What reason he may haue to giue this ceÌ„sure of the Treatise I do not see but only that he would say something agaynst it and no better exception occurred otherwise it is cleere that in euery Article the Answerer vrgeth not only the Tradition of the Church not only the consent of Fathers but also sundry Texts and Testimonyes of Scripture And he doth not only which is the Ministers tricke score Bookes Chapters Verses without so much as citing the wordes nor only doth he produce the wordes of the Text but also refuteth the Protestant Answeres by the rules of interpretation themselues commend by recourse vnto the Originalls by the consideration of the Texts Antecedent and Consequent by the drift and scope of the discourse by Conference of other places specially by the expresse Letter and proper sense of Gods word He sheweth that Protestants pretending to appeale vnto Scripture interpreted from within it selfe as vnto the supreme Iudge in very truth appeale from the expresse sentence of diuine Scripture vnto the figuratiue construction of their humane conceyte For in euery Point of these Controuersyes they are proued to leaue the litterall sense of some Text of Scripture without euident warrant from the sayd Scripture so to doe vpon Arguments at the most probable
that Religious AdoratioÌ„ is due to Ministers See the Censure Sect. 3. §. 1. Adored Selfe and with other glorious Giew-gawes in honour of your Booke and Religion Touching which I will say a word that hereby the Reader may giue a ghesse at the Truth Learning Discretion Modesty you shew in your booke A good house as sayth (*) Bona domus ex limine debet agnosci Ambros De institut Virg. S. Ambrose being knowne by the Frontispice thereof The Roman Oratour rebuketh some ancient Philosophers who made shew to contemne human Glory whereof in their harts they were insatiably greedy conuincing their Hypocrisy by this Argument (b) Cicero pro Archia Libris quos de contemnenda gloria scribunt sua nomina inscribunt Their bookes inscribed of the coÌ„tempt of glory are superscribed with their names that they may be glorious What then may we thinke of you who in the booke wherein you reiect the Image of your Lord and Sauiour as (c) Reply pag. 21â— no good nor effectuall means to breed godly memory heauenly desires in this very Booke I say eueÌ„ in the first Page thereof next after the Blankes you haue placed your owne Picture in as Liuely Louely Venerable manner as you could deuise that people gazing thereon might by the aspect thereof be moued with Loue with Veneration with Deuotion towardes you This sheweth that through a Vayne glorious Humour you feele that Truth in your hart which through want of Religious deuotion you (d) Reply pag. 214. deny in wordes to wit that Honours done to the Image are by the law and institution of Nature referred and to be taken as done to the Person And if this be so in a Minister why should not holy Images be good meanes of pious Deuotion and godly Memory towardes Christ Iesus Why should not meÌ„ be moued to Religious Deuotion by the Image of our Sauiour crucifyed aswell as by yours heere paynted with all the Ornaments of a Ministeriall Deane By the Picture I say of the Sonne of God suffering for man not sitting in a curious wrought Chayre as you doe but hanging on a Paynfull and Ignominious Crosse not with a Veluet Cap on his Head as you weare to keepe in your Witts but with a Crowne of Thornes which piercing into his sacred Temples let out his bloud not cloathed in Damaske as you be but in the Purple of his pretious Bloud not set forth with fine Ruffebâ—nds and Cuffs wherwith your wrests and necke be trimmed to make your face looke smugge and gracious to the eye of flesh but ful of rough blowes â—â—ide sores bleeding wounds which represent the (e) Credentibus vbique Sponsus pulcher occurrit pulcher ad dexteram Patris pulcher in manibus Matris pulcher in Caelo pulcher in Ligno pulcher in Miraculis pulcher in Flagellis Augustin in Psal. 44. beauty of his Charity to the eye of the Soule But herein you are pardonable in that this Irreligious Vanity comes to you by (f) The like was done by Acacius that Enemy of the Roman Sea as writeth Suidas And by the Bohemian Protestant-Rebell Zisea who hauing destroyed all holy Images caused his owne to be set vp in euery place Aeneas Syluius Histor. Bohem. kind You imitate herein the Grand propagatour of your Ministeriall Stocke Iohn Caluin He hauing reiected the images of Christ Iesus his Saynts not allowing them so much as to be fit Bookes to instruct the Ignorant (g) Caluin Instit. l. 1. c. â—◠§. 1. checking Saint Gregory for so affirming As not brought vp in the Schoole of the Holy Ghost Neuerthelesse he did dote on his owne Image and was most greedy of the tokens of Affection shewed him by the same Hence when sundry persons specially the Damsells of Geneua (i) La via de Caluin c. â—â— to shew their deuoted Loue to this their Arch-Prophet wore his Image about their necks directly vpon their harts he tooke therin singular Content so farre as vnto some zealous Ministers and Godly Brethren that with shew of dislike warned him thereof he made this charitable Answere The thinge shall be continued in despight of you if you like it not turne away your eyes otherwise let your harts breake with Enuy. Whereby it is cleere that Ministers vnderstand feele by the instinct of Nature that Images are fit instruments to kindle and conserue Affection towardes Persons Venerably represented giuing vs iust cause to suspect that their condemning the vse of Christs Image by way of Religious Deuotion towardes him proceedes not in truth as is pretended from their zeale agaynst Idolatrous Worship but because themselues alone by the meanes of their Images would take possession of mens Harts What is the reason that so many fond Images are dayly inuented and vented in England in lying formes no lesse Honorable to your Religion then Disgraceful to the Roman but that you know that Images are the Bookes of the Ignorant and weapons to expugne the harts of the simple eyther with loue affection or by auersion and contempt A Candle signifying the Light of your Ghospell is paynted with a generall Assembly of your Gospellers with great shew of Piety about it Luther Caluin Zuinglius Husse Wickliffe Melancthon Knox Bullinger Beza Zanchy some other A Diuell a Pope a Cardinall a Fryar in Vggly shapes puffing and blowing casting holy water in vayne to put it out A fabulous vanity to delude Sottes seing euery maÌ„ that is not a foole may most easily know euen by Luthers Confession (k) Luther Tom. 7. Wittemberg Anno 15â—8 lib. de Missapriuata Vnctione Sacerdotum fol. 228. that his light came not from heauen but from Hell kindled by conference with the Diuell whose (l) Halitus eius prunas ardere facit Iob 41.18 breath made your dead coales to burne so farre is he from going about to quench the fire of your Gospell As for the generall meeting of your Gospellers sitting together in such a Concordious manner they that haue read their Writings know that should they meete in truth as they are made in your fancy if their tongues be of the same temper as their pens they would not sit so demurely and peaceably as they are paynted by you but fall together by the eares and to Cuffs the one with the other that as sayth your (m) Bilson de perpetua gubernat Eccles. c. 16. Si linguae eoruÌ„ similiter se habent ac calami pluribus cerâ—è opus erit Pacis Custodibus ad pugnas praeueniendas quà m Notarijs ad decreta eoruÌ„ perscribenda Bishop Bilson without doubt there would be need of more Iustices of peace to part the frayes â—â—en of notaryes to write the decrees of that CouÌ„cell Hence the Painter not without mystery and with great foresight hath made the Minister KNOX in the midst of this imagined Assembly to signify that if euer a Generall Councell of your Reformers happ
〈◊〉 Tradition vnwritten that this is the prime ground of â—ayth more fundamentall then Scripture you most larâ—ely labour to refell and tearme it pag. 91. an Anti-â—hristian and impudent assertion to depresse the written â—ord of God exalt the prophane bastardly Apocriphal â—â—aditions of the Pope This is bitter inough yet cerâ—â—ynly you teach that there be traditions maintayâ—ing and vpholding the Scripture in authority or 〈◊〉 you speake ineptly not knowing what you affirâ—e For some two pages before this your reprochfull words to wit pag. 89. you thus distinguish about Traditions The Church hath no perpetuall Traditions but such as are EYTHER contayned in Scripture OR which are subseruient to MAINTAINE the Fayth Verity and AVTHORITY of the Scripture the doctrine thereof Thus you I demand of you These subseruient Traditious about fayth and doctrine be they contayned in Scripture or not If they be your distinction is senselesse one member thereof not being condistinct agaynst the other for if subseruient traditions be traditions coÌ„tayned in Scripture what more inept then to say traditions eyther contayned in Scripture or subseruient If they be not contayned in Scripture but condistinct from them then according to your distinction there be some traditions not contayned in Scripture which maintayne and vphold the authority of Scripture and the verity and doctrine thereof If you grant this as you must vnlesse you will grant your distinction be voyd of iudgment then must you also grant tradition to be more fundamentall then Scripture For thus I argue That which is the ground of the authority of Scripture is more fundameÌ„tall then Scripture That which doth mantayne and vphold the authority of Scripture is the ground and foundation of the authority of Scripture Ergo That which doth vphold and mantayne the authority of Scripture is more fundamentall then Scripture Now your selfe ascribe vnto Tradition subseruient condistinct agaynst written Tradition the office of mantayning the authority of Scripture So that eyther you know not what you doe write or else by your owne distinctions you are conuinced to establish that very doctrine which elsewhere you so sharpely censure as Antichristian impudeÌ„t prophane bastardly Certainly you are a seely Disputant about matters of Theodogy No more sense or iudgement is there in the distinctioÌ„ you make of holy Belieuers into triumphant militant pag. 49. The tearme Church say you is taken in the holy Scripture for the vniuersall number of holy belieuers in all ages and more strictly for the whole number of holy belieuers vnder the new Testament Hebr. 12.23 Apoc. 5.9 Ephes. 5.25.27 And thus it comprehendeth both the Church militant triumphant Thus you distinguishing the Church of belieuers into militant and Triumphant whence it is consequent that the Triumphant Saynts in heauen are belieuers What more ridiculous and agaynst the prime and knowne Notion of Triumphant Saynts It may be God permitted you to stumble vpon this grosse simplicity through want of reflexion that you might thereby be warned to reflect vpon the foulenes of another doctrine which wittingly willfully you mantayne though being no lesse exorbitant then this The doctrine is that your Protestant Militant Church is a multitude who (a) Iohn White in his Defence pag. 309. by diuine illumination see manifestly the truth of thinges belieued of the Blessed Trinity and other mysteryes that you are like not vnto men (b) Francis White Orthodoxe pag. 108. which see a farre off a certayne obscure glimmering of the light but vnto men that coming to the place where the light is behold the sayd light in it selfe Verily to tearme the Church militant a multitude of BEHOLDERS resolued of truth by manifest light euidence is as Exoticall and as idle Gibberish in Christian Theology as to call the Church triuÌ„phant a multitude of BELEEVERS that warre and walke by Fayth As for your Protestant triuÌ„phant Church if they did not formerly belieue in this life the word of God without seing the light lustre and resplendant verity of the doctrine thereof as you pretend they did not I do not doubt but they are belieuers in the next world to wit in the number of them of whom the Apostle writeth Ioan. 2.9 credunt contremiscunt Ignorance in Scripture SECT IV. CONCERNING Holy Scripture you brag intollerably in euery page of your Reply how the same standeth cleerly on your side and that the Iesuit hath not been able to proue any of the Nine Poynts by Scripture How vaine this your vant is doth appear by the Reioynder wherin you are proued almost in euery controuersy to forsake the litterall and plaine sense of Scripture and to deuise now figuratiue typicall and mysticall interpretations How idlely also you dispute out of Scriptures for matters of greatest moment which you most confidently maintayne in your Religion is made euident by what hath been shewed concerning your arguing for the preteÌ„ded Diuine Ordinance binding ignorant Laymen to read the Scripture Notwithstanding that your ignorance herin may more indeniably appeare I will add here some other arguments and tokens of the same to wit vnto what shamefull shifts you are forced to answere Scriptuâ—es brought by your Aduersary in the behalfe of Caâ—holicke doctrine You deny the Text and Context of Scripture §. 1. FIRST many times you are enforced by your aduersary when you cannot answere to deny the â—ext context of Scripture wherof I alleadge two â—xamples The Iesuit pag. 480. to proue that Christ â—romised eternall life vnto the worthy participant â—f the sacrament vnder the forme of bread bringeth â—he words of our Sauiour Iohn 6. Qui manducat hunc â—anem viuet in aeternum he that eateth this bread shall â—ue for euer You in the place quoted answere The â—cripture Iohn 6.51 saith not whosoeuer eateth sacraâ—entall bread without wine shall liue for euer but if any â—â—te this bread which came downe from heaueÌ„ to wit Christ â—â—sus incarnate shall liue for euer And then it followeth â—nlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke 〈◊〉 blood you shall not haue life in you Iohn 5.53 Thus 〈◊〉 Now marke vnto what straytes maugre your â—â—agging you are brought by the Iesuite First you are not acknowledge these words cited by the Ieâ—â—ite he that eateth this bread liueth for euer to be our â—â—uiours but onely those If any shall eate c. Wherâ—â— they be our Sauiours the expresse text of Scripâ—â—re in so many words syllables Iohn 6.59 which â—â—yth He that eateth this bread liueth for euer Seâ—â—ndly you are compelled to answere that Christ â—â—ter he had said he that eateth this bread liueth for â—â—er said Vnlesse you eate the flesh and drinke the â—â—oud of the sonne of man you shall not haue life in â—ou By which ensuing senteÌ„ce he did as you thinke â—eclare the former If any eate this bread c. that it must not be vnderstood of Sacramentall bread without wine This is
with Scripture in so many mayne articles of Controuersy about Fayth whereof some as you (a) pag. 106. confesse are only implicately contayned in the Scripture and must by the rules of Logicke and Deduction be thence wrunge out Finally the Beroeās read the Scriptures only for their greater cofirmatiō in Fayth in case they should find by their priuate reading the doctrine of S. Paul to agree with the Scripture They read not by way of doubtfull examination that is with purpose not to belieue S. Paul if so they should not find the Scriptures to yield playne testimony vnto his doctrine That they read not in this manner is cleere For the Scripture sayth that before they searched the Scripture they receaued the word with all alacrity and readines of mind But if they had been doubtfull of S. Pauls doctrine had to cleere that doubt gone to search the Scriptures it could not haue been truly sayd of them that they receaued the word with alacrity and all readines of mind and afterward searched the Scriptures Therefore they did not search Scriptures by way of doubtfull examination but with full resolution to belieue S. Pauls doctrine euen in case they should not find by their priuate industry the same cleerly deliuered in the Scripture How then may you by this example make good your Protestant doctrine that Vnlearned People may compare the doctrine of the Church with the Scripture in doubting manner that is with intention not to belieue the Church in case they should not be able to discouer her doctrine by priuate reading in their vulgar Bible Or in case that in the seeming of their priuate iudgment the Scripture should appeare as opposite vnto the Church The Text 1. Iohn 1.8 If wee say wee haue no sinne c. falsifyed WHEREAS the Iesuit pag 550. sayth out of S. Ambrose and S. Augustine that the Blessed Virgin neuer committed actuall sinne you pag. 551. reply It is a manifest vntruth For S. Iohn speaking in the person of all the Elect sayth 1. Iohn 1.8 If wee say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And vers 10. If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in vs. And pag. 517. much more bitterly thus you write to this purpose If our aduersaries wil be so gracelesse as to make any man in this life except the Holyest of the Holyes 1. Petr. 2.22 free from sinne the Apostle enrolleth him in the blacke booke of damnable lyars 1. Iohn 1.10 And they may with Acesius the Nouatian borrow a ladder and so climbe vp alone to heauen yea rather fall to Hell for who are more desperatly sicke quà m qui mentem febribus perdiderunt then they which by the feauer of pride haue lost the vnderstanding of their sinfull condition Thus you which you cannot deny to be bitter in excesse What is the Iesuits fault No other but this he sayth that not only Christ Iesus the holyest of the holyes was by nature Hypostaticall Vnion impeccable but also (*) Cōcil Trident sess 6. can 23. Sicut de Maria Virgine tenet Ecclesia that his Holy Mother was pure from all actuall sinne by speciall grace And why is this so great and damnable an offence Marry because S. Iohn sayth If wee say wee haue not sinned wee make God a lyar and this he spake not in the person of only ordinary Saynts but in the person of all the Elect euen of Saynts as singularly chosen as the Blessed Virgin This is the ground of your bitternes But first though the Scripture had sayd that all the elect commit actuall sinne yet perchance not without warrant we might except the mother of God but I will not stand herein agaynst you Shew in Gods word this text all the elect haue sinned or this S. Iohn sayd in the person of al the elect If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the Iesuit presently yieldes What can you wish more But if in the persō of all the Elect be as in truth it is your addition vnto the text ioyned therwith so cunningly as it may seeme the very letter of Gods word what may we thinke of you but only that your rayling agaynst vs is not so bitter but your iniury vnto Gods word is greater I adde that to say S. Iohn spake the aforesayd wordes in the person of all the Elect not only is not the text but also agaynst the text except wee will make S. Iohn excessiue in the conceyte of himselfe For thus I argue It is manifest S. Iohn spake the words aforesayd in the person of such Saynts in the number of which he ranketh himselfe If WEE say that WEE haue no sinne But S. Iohn could not without pride ranke himselfe in the number of Saynts as singularly chosen as was the glorious Virgin so that if the sense of his saying be If we that is Saynts as singularly priuiledged as Gods Blessed mother say wee haue not sinned we deceaue our selues what can be more arrogant Luther (a) Luther Serm. de Natiuit Mariae Sumus pares Matri Dei ac aequè Sancti sicut illa indeed hath left behind him written We are all as holy as the Virgin Mary but that S. Iohn euer sayd it or thought it the Minister will neuer an able to proue So that without any question as also the (b) S. Augustin de nat grat c. 42. 60. Epist. 95. Fathers note S. Iohn spake in the persō only of al cōmon holy Christians among whō he might without pride nūber himself As for your reproaches so many so bitter for two reasons you are to be pityed first for that your passion against the Iesuit is either so blind as you see not what lyeth before you or so fierce as not to spare him you let contumelious tearmes fly that must light on the head of the holy Fathers For this is your cēsure They that hold any except the Holyest of the Holyes to haue been free from actuall sinne are gracelesse are by S. Iohn enrolled in the blacke booke of damnable lyars mentem febribus perdiderunt they haue lost their witts by the phrensy of pride Now vnder this your Censure I subsume a knowne and vndeniable truth But holy Fathers exempt the Blessed Virgen frō actuall sinne not only S. (c) Serm. 2. de Assumpt Bernard S. (d) De excell B. Virg. c. 3. Anselme but also S. (e) Epist. ad Epict. Athanasius S. (f) In cap. 1. Reg. Gregory S. (g) Ser. 22. in Psal. 118. Ambrose yea S. Augustine (h) de Nat. Grat. c. 36. who thus speaketh for them all In matter of sinne no mention is to be made of the mother of our Lord she is not included in the generall sentences of that kind Scimus enim c. For wee KNOVV WEE ARE CERTAINE that vnto her singular Grace was giuē to conquer
part thereof But the Fathers so esteeme of Inuocation worship of Saints as their words do witnesse S. Gregory of Nisse (x) Nissen orat in S. Theodor Martyrem Aliorum enim reliquiae vulgò detestabiles sunt nullusue volens ad eorum tumulum accedit c. His operibus oculos oblectantes cupiunt loculo reliquas corporis partes admouere Etenim ipso contactu sanctimoniam credunt charitatem excitari c. Ipsum corpus perinde ac si viuum florensue esset amplectuÌ„tur deosculantur oculis ore auribus omnibus denique sensibus adhaerent lachrimasque pietatis affectionis indices effundunt c. proues this worship to be supernaturall and diuine as being beyond the custome of men instinct of nature The Reliques saith he of other dead meÌ„ be detestable men feele horrour at their sight whereas men desire nothing more then to touch the shrine of Martyrs with some part of their bodyes BELIEVING that by the very touch sanctimony and charity is engendred They (*) Martyri supplicant qui quando vult inuocatus munera impetrat Corpora aliorum c. proiecta iacent quae verò Martyrij gloriam obtinuerunt amabilia iucunda omnium studiis certatim complectenda CAL ON the Martyr as on Gods Ministe who being INVOCATED by men is able to impetrate for them what fauours he pleaseth Hence pious people learne how pretious in the sight of God is the death of his Saints that wheras the bodyes of other men are horrible the bodyes of them that were adorned with Martyrdome be deare and amiable and imbraced and worshipped of all Saint Chrysostome proues Christ to be God in that he was able to plant Inuocation of Saints in men specially in the Kings and Emperours of the world (y) Chrisostom homil 66. ad populum Antioch Stat sanctis supplicaturus vt pro se intercedant apud Deum Audebis igitur quaeso horum DominuÌ„ mortuum appellare cuius serui vel mortui terrarum orbis Regum sunt protectores Vide eundem orat in S. Babilam Euen he that is cloathed with the Imperiall purple comes to worship and imbrace these shrines and laying aside pride pompe becomes supplyant vnto Saints that they will intercede for him vnto God So he that weareth the diademe of the Empire prayeth the Tent-maker the Fisherman to be his protectours And darest thou tearme that Lord a dead man whose seruants though dead are the protectours of the Kings of the whole earth S. Augustine in like manner prooueth the Diuinity of Christian Religion by the Christian practise of worship and inuocatioÌ„ of Saints (z) Augustin epist. 42. Huius saeculi potestates non à repugnantibê° sed à morieÌ„tibê° Christianis victae contra simulachra impetus suos legesue verterunt imperii nobilissimi eminentissimum culmen ad sepulchruÌ„ piscatoris submisso Diademate supplicat EueÌ„ the most emineÌ„t head of the noblest Empire that euer was bowing downe his Imperiall diademe is suppliant at the shrine of the Fisherman Peter The same dignity of Christian Religion is noted by Saint Ambrose (1) Ambros. l. 10. in Lucam c. 21. Regibus martyres caelestis gratiae honore succedunt illi fiunt Supplices hi Patroni The Martyrs by the honour of heauenly grace are insteed of Kings yea Kings be suppliants vnto Martyrs as vnto their Patrons Theodoret spends one whole booke of his eight agaynst Graecians or Heathens in this argument shewing the glory of Martyrs in that people of all nations in all occasions inuocate them and they bestow fauors on their suppliants coÌ„cluding (2) Theodoret. lib. 8. aduersus Graecos Haec quae sit Sanctorum Martyrum virtus ostendunt Martyrum verò virtus quem coluerunt verum Deum esse declarat thus These things shew how great is the power of Martyrs the power of Martyrs proues Christ whome they worshipped to be God The fourth Demonstration That piety deuotion which the most holy Fathers taught as an assured meanes of Remission of sinnes of appeasing Gods anger of saluation was by them held as a matter belonging to Christian Religion and fayth The holy Fathers taught worship and Inuocation of Saints with confidence in their merits as a meanes of appeasing Gods Anger of Remission of sin and of saluation This appeareth by their words Origen sayth (a) Origen homil 27. in Matth. Intercedunt prouocant Christum ne deserat genus humanum propter peccata eorum the Saints before the throne of Christ intercede stirre him vp not to forsake mankind for their sinnes S. Cornelius Pope (b) Cornel. Epist. 1. Intercedentibus Sanctis Apostolis purget maculas peccatorum Pray vnto our Lord Iesus that the holy Apostles interceding he will PVRGE the STAINES of our sinnes S. Cyprian (c) Cyprian de stella magis Veniam obtinentes immeritis they being Iudges Senatours of the heaueÌ„ly Court obtayne Pardon for many that are vnworthy S. Gregory Nissen (d) Nissen orat in S. Theodor Preces Iustorum crimina diluunt The prayers of many martyrs wash out the CRIMES of Nations and countryes S. Ambrose (e) Ambros. lib. 5. de vid. Pro peccatis intercedere possunt They can intercede for our SINNES who wash awayt their own with their bloud Prudentius (f) Prudent Hymn de S. Laurent Indignus quem Christus audiat sed per patronos Martyres potest salutem consequi he that is vnworthy may hauing Martyrs to be his Advocats and Patrons obtayne saluation Nectarius (g) Nectar orat in S. Theodor. Placatum famulis tuis Oh thou that stands by the throne of Christ appease his Anger and make him mild and gentle vnto his seruants S Hierome (h) Hierom. epist. 25. de obitu Blesill Veniam impetrat peccatorum holy Blesilla prayeth for me and as I am sure obtayneth for me remission of my sinnes S. (i) Seuer Sulpit. Epist. ad Aurel. Peccati moles negat ad astra conscensum saeua miserabilem ducit ad tartara spes tamen superest illa sola illa postrema vt quod per nos c. orante Martino mereamur Seuerus Sulpit. An heauy loade of sinne weigheth me downeward euen to the very pit of hell yet this hope remayneth this my only last hope that what we are not able to obtayne by our selues we may merit to obtaine by the prayers of holy Martin S. Paulinus (k) Paulin. de S. Faelic Nat. 8. Exorare Deum pro peccatoribus aegris vique boni meriti meritum superare sinistrum It is the custome of Saints to pray for distressed sinners by the force of their good merit ouercoming the strength of euill merit S. Chrysostome (l) Chrysostom homil 41. in Gen. Author salutis his qui suà se perdiderunt desidiâ God often for the merits of Saints deceased hath mercy of the liuing that otherwise are vnworthy Dauid
is euideÌ„t that this praying at Saints Tombes the keeping of their feasts was to the end that Christians should craue their intercessions as doth witnesse S. (u) August lib. 20. contr Faust. c. 22. Populus Christianus memorias Martyrum religiosa solemnitate concelebrat ad excitandam imitationem vt eorum meritis atque orationibus adiuuetur Augustine others In which kind notable is the testimony of Origen (x) Origen homil 3. in diuersos Bene ergo secundum Dei voluntatem eorum memoriam celebrari Sancti Patres mandarunt c. vel pro ipsis parentibus vt qui nimio dolore percutiebantur ijs intercessio filiorum apud Deum prodesset who sayth that amongst the reasons why the Holy FATHERS commanded according to the will of God that the memory of the Innocents should be kept festiuall in the Church one was pro ipsis parentibus in regard of their parents that seing their parents were grieued excessiuely at their death the intercession of their children might be auaylable with God for them Thus Origen by whose testimony two things are euideÌ„t First that the Apostles were the holy Fathers that did command the feast of the Innocents to be kept and this whiles some parents of the sayd Innocents were yet aliue Secondly that the Apostles taught prayer and Inuocation of Saints and did institute festiuall dayes that men might craue their intercessions The ninth Demonstration The Auncients taught Inuocation of Saints so fully and cleerly as Protestants are forced to confesse that it was the certayne and full beliefe of the grauest Fathers Chemnitius (y) Chemnit Examen CoÌ„cilij Tridentini part 3. pag. 200. writes in this sort Most of the Fathers as Nazianzen Nissen Basill Theodoret Ambrose Hierome Augustine did not DISPVTE but AVOVCH the soules of Martyrs and Saints to heare the petitions of those that prayed vnto them they went often to the monuments of Martyrs and Inuocated martyrs by name Thus he And Doctor Whitegift Arch-bishop of Canterbury Defence pag. 473. All the Fathers of the Greeke Church of the Latin also for the most part were spotted with Inuocation of Saints Fulke reioynder to Bristow pag. 36. I Confesse Ambrose Hierome Augustine held Inuocation of Saints The Magdeburgians Centur. 3. c. 4. Coll. 83. acknowledge that in the Fathers next vnto the Apostolical times were fouÌ„d Non obscura vestigia inuocationis Sanctorum manifest markes of Inuocations of Saints The tenth Demonstration That which the Fathers held so constantly as they condemned the denyers thereof as Heretikes they held as matter of fayth The Fathers held worship and inuocation of Saints in this manner condemning the contradictours therof as Nouellists Heretikes to wit Aerius Vigilantius as is confessed (z) Sarauia in defens de diuersis pag. 349. and Beza against whoÌ„ he writes ibid. Fulke in his Answere to a counterfayte p. 46. This Argument as also the Nynth were brought by the Answerer vnto it the Minister sayth pag. 262. Our aduersary sheweth himselfe a weake antiquary wheÌ„ he affirmes that Aerius and Vigilantius were coÌ„demned of heresy because they denyed Inuocation of Saints deceased I Answere The Minister heere sheweth himselfe both a weake antiquary a weake respondent A weake respondent because his aduersary did not only say but also proued by the coÌ„fession of Protestants that Aerius and Vigilantius were condemned for denying Inuocation of Saints For Sarauia and Beza are cited as saying of Aerius that he was condemned for affirming that SAINTS DEPARTED are not to be PRAYED vnto Fulke and the Centurists are cited affirming the same of Vigilantius as also doth (*) Centur. 4. l. 4. pag. 506. Osiander Now vnto this Argument the Minister hath not replyed a word Secondly he sheweth himselfe a weake Antiquary in denying that VigilaÌ„tius was condemned of heresy for his opposing deriding Inuocation of Saints For S Hierome writing against VigilaÌ„tius relates his scoffing at Inuocation of Saints his saying Ergo Cineres suos circumuolitant ne fortè si precator accedat absentes audire noÌ„ possint For which saying S. Ierome exclaimes presently against him O porteÌ„tum in vltimas terras deportandum Aerius also is condeÌ„ned by the Fathers as an Heretike for his denying commemoration of Saints in the holy sacrifice of the Eucharist as it was then vsed by the Church as doth witnesse Epiphanius (1) Epiphan haeres 77. But that coÌ„memoration of Saints deceased and glorious in heauen was ioyned with recommending our prayers vnto God by their Intercessions and Supplications as doth testify S. Cyrill (2) Cyrill Cathec 5. who liued at that tyme. The eleauenth Demonstration What the Fathers taught with full consent and constantly without doubting or gaine saying one another that they held not as a probable and disputable point but as matter of fayth The Fathers in this coÌ„â—enting manner taught worship and InuocatioÌ„ of Saints Howsoeuer Protestants not able to deny this to haue bene their doctrine seeke to discredit them as if they had bene various vncertaine contradictious in this point But seing ChristiaÌ„ antiquity that hath perused their workes now more theÌ„ 1300. yeares neuer noted such contradictions in â—hem Christian piety and charity will neâ—er be so perswaded of the Fathers by Protestants specially their allegations being â—â—ch as may easily be explicated so as they make nothing at all against this Catholike custome For all they say in this kind is reduced to one of these heads First that Angels are not to be honored as (a) The Minister here sayth Some Fathers proue Christ to be God others that the Holy Ghost is God because he heares the prayers of them that Inuocate him euery where Answer This is false they proue Christ and the Holy Ghost to be God because they are euery where by natrue See S. Basil. de sp Sancto c. 22. whome the Minister falsifyeth egregiously Gods nor by sacrifices in the heathenish manner Orig. lib. 5. cont Celsum lib. 8. circa finem Epiphan haeres Sit in honore Maria Deus adoretur Theodoret. in c. 2. ad Coloss. Concil Laodicenum c. 35. Secondly that Saints are not to be inuocated by Fayth as (b) In this manner is vnderstood the testimony of S. Athanaes orat 2. contra Arianos cited by the Minister pag. 295. ad lit B. Sanctos non à Creato postulare vt auxiliator sit S. Athanasius speakes of this prayer of Dauid Fias mihi in Deum adiutorem be thou made vnto me an helding God he saith that Saynts in this manner do not aske helpe of Creatures to wit as of their helping Gods and as Authours of benefits otherwise S. Athanasius could not but know that the Scripture is full of examples wherein holy persons did aske the help of creature as the Sanamite of Elizaeus the womaÌ„ of Sarepta of Elias many the like authours of the benefits we craue Rom. 10.14 Ambros. de obit
because it doth still proceed and must needes flow froÌ„ inward reuerence towards God For how can one worship Saints purely and only as they are the friends seruants and temples of God but out of the instinct of Religion vnto God Hence S. Augustine tearmes the honor of Saints Religious solemnity And S. Chrysostome sayth Serm. de Martyr 69. That we admire their merits with Religious charity Lesse then diuine as proceeding from persuasion of excellency though super-human yet infinitly inferiour vnto the increate immense excellency of God yea depending essentially therof So that honour that is giuen to theÌ„ dependeth of God as being superexcellent participants of his perfection his singular friends Now that men may worship Angells and Saints in this sort with true affection of spirit euen to the prostration of their bodyes may be proued out of holy Scriptures supposing what is already shewed that they see our actions For if Saints see our actions we may as lawfully and as profitably bow kneele and prostrate our bodyes vnto them as vnto Saints liuing on earth But it is lawfull to honour liuing Saints with bowing kneeling and prostration of body as may be proued by many examples 3. Reg. 18. Abdias an holy man (i) Timebat Dominum valde adored Elias (k) Cecidit super faciem suam prostrate on the ground not for any humane excellency or respect but because he was a Prophet a singular Saint of God The Children of the Prophets (l) 4. Reg 2.15 Adorauerunt proni in terraÌ„ seeing signes of supernaturall and diuine power in Elizaeus coÌ„ming vnto him adored him prostrate on the ground The Sunamite woman her Sonne being dead went presently vnto Elizaeus fell downe at his feete suing not so much with words as with teares and mournefull complaints for the resuscitatioÌ„ of her dead sonne (m) 4. Reg. 4. Corâ—uit ad pedes eius adorauit super terram We read also that holy men haue adored with kneeling and prostration of their bodyes holy Angels appearing vnto them as Abraham (n) Gen. 18.3 Adorauit in terram Loth (o) Gen. 19.19 4. Adorauit pronus in terram Balaam (p) Num. 22. Iosue (q) Iosue 5.15 Cecidit pronus in terram adorans so that this Adoration of Saints and Angells (r) The Minister saith pag. 325. That Elias Elizaeus and the Angels were present visibly and sensibly but the Saints are not sensibly present so we must not bow vnto Saints deceased as Children kneele not to their parents when they are absent Answer We haue proued by the word of God that to be true which the Fathers teach with full consent namely S. Basill de Virgin c. 16. Euery Angell holy Spirit of Saints see what is done euery where And if this be true that they are present vnto vs and we a spectacle vnto them why should we not worship theÌ„ as much as if they were sensibly present Not sense but faith is the ground of our deuotion towards Saints May we worship Saints that are present to vs according to the iudgemeÌ„t of flesh and not worship them that are present according to the Iudgement of fayth and the truth of Gods word with more then human naturall respect and with acknowledgement of more then humane and naturall perfections in them is cleerly deduceable from holy Scripture Neither haue Protestants reason to stand agaynst so many pregnant examples of Scriptures vpon the one example in the Apocalyps of the Angell refusing to be adored of S. Iohn saying See thou do it not I am one of thy fellow seruants adore God specially this place being explicated long agoe by the Fathers as not against the custome of ChristiaÌ„ Saint-worship for eyther the Angell so appeared as Saint Iohn tooke him to be God would haue adored him as God whereof the adorer was to be warned as S. Augustine (s) S. August q. 61. in Genes Corrigendus erat adorator expoundeth or rather the Angell for bad that worship not as iniurious vnto God but only as coumbersome to himselfe being loath as S. Gregory noteth after the incarnation of the Sonne of God to see a man lye prostrate vnto him specially so holy a man and so speciall a friend of Iesus And the words Do it not adore God import no more which I declare Suppose that one prayse a Preacher to his face for an excellent sermon he hath made the Preacher out of modesty say Prayse not me I am an vnworthy instrument of diuine wisdome prayse the authour of all This his speach doth not import that he thinkes to commend a Preachers sermon to be Idolatry giuing away the glory of God to a creature but only that modesty makes him wish that men would not prayse him but rather turne all the prayse glory of that sermon vpon God In this sort the Angell seing the great and glorious friend of Iesus prostrated at his feeâ—e requested him to rise vp not condemning that adoration as Idolatrous but refusing it as an actioÌ„ though in regard of the offerer pious godly yet to him the receauer cuÌ„bersome which he could not without some vnwillingnes behold in regard of the dignity of the person he saw prostrated before him (t) The Minister in this place is large in bitternes against vs because he knowes not what to say or how to frame an argument against vs out of this text of the Apocalips For if S. Iohn did giue diuine and religious worship to the Angel due to God onely the example is not to the purpose For we say Saints are not to be honoured as Gods If he did onely offer honour more then ciuill vnto the Angell in respect of his supernaturall dignity with prostration of body then the same was not vnlawfull For the Minister pag. 336. lin 30. forced by the Iesuits arguments doth acknowledge such obeâ—sances and reuerent comportments may and must be done to Saints and Angels when they are corporally visibly present as his Angell was visibly and corporally present to S. Iohn Now that this great Apostle of Christ was more ignorant then any Triuiall Minister that he knew not what was due vnto Angels better then they who will belieue It is euident that he offered no more then he might without iniury vnto God else being warned he would not haue offered it the second tyme. Therfore it was honour that might piously be giuen vnto an Angell though that Angel did in modesty forbid him to shew the respect he bare to that great Apostle and friend of Iesus as the Iesuit argueth to which the Minister replyes not a word but only rayleth This is euidently gathered out of the sacred text seing S. Iohn after this prohibition did the second tyme offer the like honour to the same Angell which he would neuer haue done had he not knowne adoration of Angells by mortall men to be pious religious on their
taken out of the Hymnes and Verses thereof If they that by begging obtayne of the king the life of one condemned to death may be are commonly (s) Our Aduersary in this place playeth the right Minister according to the new order very hansomely telleth a lye saying to the Iesuit You labour to qualifye your blasphemous words by ā honorable expositiō pretending you SAY one thinge and MEANE another What boldnes is this doth not the Iesuit say that they not only meane well but also speake well and according to the rigour of speach the phrase of Scripture holy Fathers How then doth he pretend that we say one thing and meane another sayd to saue his life though they saued him by intercession not by their proper authority why may not Saints be sayd to giue vs the things which by their prayers they obtayne for vs Why may not the Church speake in Hymnes in Verse as the learnedst Fathers spake euen in Prose neuer imagining that any would mistake their meaning Saint Gregory Nazianzen for his excellēt learning tearmed by the Grecians The Deuine thus prayeth vnto Saint Cyprian Looke downe on vs from heauen with a propitious eye guide our works and wayes feed this holy flocke gouerne it with vs dispose some of them as farre as is possible to a better state Cast out importune and troublesome wolues that cauill catch at sillables vouchsafe vs the perfect and cleere splendour of the B. Trinity with whome thou art already present (t) The Minister heere sayth the Iesuit cānot proue that Gregory Naziāzen did Inuocate S. Cyprian but only made an Oratoriall Apostrophe vnto him As Papists say in their hymne al hayle o Crosse yet they do not pray to the wodden Crosse. This is vanity For that S. Gregory Nazianzen did properly inuocate S. Cyprian I proue by this demonstratiō For one to call vpon some person for ayde thinking him that he doth heare him is able to helpe is to Inuocate him S. Gregory Nazianzē did call vpon S. Cyprian for helpe thinking he heard him was able to helpe him for he sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know well that Blessed Saints heare me and are ready to reach out their hand to such as need their helpe Ergo he did properly Inuocate him pray vnto him And not only Fathers but also Scriptures speake of Saints in the same sort our Sauiour saying Make to your selues friendes of the riches of Iniquity that when you dye they may receaue you into the eternall tabernacles If then the Saints of God by the mouth of Verity it selfe be said to receaue their friends when they dye into the eternall Tabernacles because God mooued by their prayers admits them into the Blissefull vision of his essence why may not the Church and her children craue the Blessed Virgins intercessions in these wordes Mother of Mercy receaue vs in the houre of death And seing God in Scripture is tearmed Mercy why should not she be stiled mother of mercy that is vndoubtedly mother of God especially seeing that in and of her the Authour of mercy grace was conceaued and borne and she filled with grace and charity aboue all other Creatures (u) The seely Minister not knowing which way to turne himselfe to find some seeming ground of carping at the formes of the Catholicke Missals Roman Liturgy he goeth catching at the phrases of priuate writers To what purpose If the Authours cannot iustifye their phrases Metaphores let him dislike them in Gods name What is this to the Catholike Church Some writer did not apply his Metaphore fitly Ergo the Roman Church is Idolatrous That other phrase much disliked by your Maiesty that God reseruing Iustice to himselfe hath giuen away mercy to his mother is not vsed by the Church in any of her prayers nor allowed of by Catholike Deuines nor will we iustify it being an harsh and vnfitting Metaphore though thereby the Authours thereof expresse a truth to wit that the Blessed Virgin is exceeding gracious with her Sonne and her intercession very potēt alluding to a phrase of Scripture vsed Hester cap. 5.3.6 cap. 7.2 Marke 6.23 whereby such as are gracious with a prince are sayd that they may haue any thing though halfe of his Kingdome so deuiding Gods Kingdome into Iustice and Mercy to shew how gracious the Blessed Virgin is with her Sonne they say God hath giuen her one halfe of his Kingdome to wit his Mercy which is a Metaphore far fetcht not to be vsed howsoeuer in charity it may be excused THE FOVRTH POINT The Liturgy priuate prayers for the Ignorant in an vnknovvne tongue THE custome of the Romane Church in this point is agreable to the custome of the Church in all Ages and also of (*) The Minister pag. 356. lin 22. It is false according to the Tenet of Bellarmine himselfe that all other Churches which differ from Protestāts haue their publike seruice in Hebrew Greeke or Latine Answer This is your fashion whē you haue not what to reply you impose your sayings vpon your Aduersary and then vrge they are false The Answerer neuer said that al Churches which differ from Protestants haue their seruice in Hebrew Greeke or Latine for this he knew to be false in the Maronits Armenians Aegyptians Aethiopians Russians But he said they all agree with the Roman in that they haue their diuine seruice in a language not vulgar nor commonly knowne of the people this is true for the fore-named Christians haue their Lyturgies in a speciall language which is not their vulgar all Churches now in the world bearing the name of Christian though opposite vnto the Romane only those of the pretended Reformation excepted which constant concurrence is a great signe that the same is very conforme vnto reason and not any where forbidden in Gods word which wil easily appeare if we looke particulerly into the same For we may imagine a triple state of Liturgy in an vnkowne tongue The first in a language altogeather (x) The Minister pag. 369. saith This is a Chimera Non Ens because there was neuer such a Liturgy in the Church Answere In the beginning of the Church there was not any set Forme of publike prayer but the sacred Minister did extemporally make prayers at meetings And that some then did vse to make extemporall prayers in languages altogether vnknowne euen to themselues appeares by the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. Nor is it inough for a Minister to say that this is a Non Ens and a Chimera because it neuer was For first though it neuer were yet it might haue been and things that be possible and might haue been be not Chimera's Secondly that in meetings some did vse a language altogether vnknowne at prayer S. Paul doth witnes who I trow is to be belieued before a Minister He forbids the speaking in the Church with an vnknowne tongue when there is none present that
modification because he sayth I can do all thinges not in my selfe but in him that strengthneth me Philip. 4.13 Suarez sayth that the inward contrition inhering in the sinners hart is more effectuall to expell veniall sinne by way of formall opposition therewith then Christs satisfaction tamen satisfactio Christi in ratione meriti perfectior est yet the satisfaction of Christ is more perfect and efficacious to expell sinne by way of merit Heere agayne you are shewed a slanderous relatour of our Doctrine and a falsifyer of Authours Neyther do we teach that condigne satisfaction may be made vnto God in respect of the offence agaynst the Diuine Maiesty nor can we coÌ„dignely satisfy his iust anger which hath a kind of infinity through the dignity of the person offended but only in respect of Temporall payne In which respect men may make vnto God satisfaction iust condigne equal compensant the Fathers say expressely Tertullian libro de poenitentia Christ proposeth pardon of sinnes to be REDEEMED by the COMPENSATION of pennance Origen homil 15. in Leuit. By the fruites of pennance by laborious good works the PRICE of the redemption of sinne is gathered together S. Cyprian l 1. epist 3. By lamentations and IVST satisfactions sinnes are REDEEMED S. Hilar. can 4. in Matth. How shall we PAY the last FARTHING OF PAINE vnlesse by the PRICE of Charitable deeds to the needy our sinnes be REDEEMED S. Basil orat super verba Atende tibi ipsi Is thy sinne great and grieuous Thou must needes apply agaynst it much and frequent confession bitter weeping longe laborious watching continuall and neuer-interrupted fasting let thy Pennance be EQVALL vnto thy sinne S. Hierom. in cap. 1. Ioelis Let the sinner COMPENSATE by the austerity of pennance his former pleasures wherwith he offended God And in Epit. Paulae The body must be punished by sharp intreaty which hath been long inured to pleasure much time spent in laughing must be COMPENSATED by continuall weeping Theodoret Epitom diuinorum Decretor c. de Poenit. Euen the wounds after Baptisme are curable but not without many teares and weepings and mournings and fastings and prayngs and by payne CONTEMPERED vnto the QVANTITY of the sinne S. Gregory homil 20. in Euang. We must not only do the fruits and workes of pennance but workes of pennance that be WORTHY or CONDIGNE DIGNOS poenitentiae fructus Venerable Bede l. 1. in Lucam c. 2. Sacrifice vnto God a sacrifice of IVSTICE that is Be so angry agaynst your former sinnes that you massacre them by doing CONDIGNE works of penance punishing your selues for EVERY SINNE IVST AS MVCH as CONDIGNE pennance requires This is a Sacrifice of IVSTICE Thus the Fathers teach prouing their Doctrine by Scripture whereby your vanity is manifest who thinke to elude their Testimonies by the distinction That they spake of satisfaction of deprecation and impetrant not of condignity and compensant Agaynst whome the Fathers as if they had forseen your forgery oppose themselues directly formally and in tearmes there being scarse any ancient Father that hath not taught both the thing and the word Worke with reference vnto the Treasure of the Church §. 5. BVT I suppose these testimonies are vnto your Maiesty well knowne therfore in this proposed difficulty supposing the satisfaction for sinne to be possible you mooue this doubt Whether the penitents can so fully satisfy for themselues as their satisfactions may superabound and be referred into the treasure of the Church To satisfy this doubt three propositions are to be proued The first that good works of Saints that are penall and afflictiue doe not only merit heauen but also satisfy for sinne This is proued Giuing of Almes for the loue of Christ is meritorious witnes our Sauiour himselfe who to the Iust in the reward of their Almes will giue the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the world Matth. 23. And it is also satisfactory for sinne witnesse Daniel who gaue this couÌ„sell vnto the Babylonian King (a) Daniel 4.24 Redeeme thy sinnes with Almes-deeds and thine iniquityes with mercyes vnto the poore And Saint Chrysostome (b) Chrysost. hom 25. in Act. Apost who saith There is no sinne which giuing of Almes cannot cancell And Saint Cyprian (c) Cyprian Serm. d. Eleemosyna Eleemosynis atque operibus iustis delictorum flamma sopitur Prayer is likwise meritorious with God our Sauiour exhorteth euery man to pray secretly in his Closet promising that (d) Matth. 6.6.7 Thy Father who seeth what is done in secret will reward thee It is also satisfactory for sinne Saint Augustine (e) Aug. Enchyr. c. 7â— sayth The dayly prayer of the faythfull doth satisfy for their quotidian light offences without which none can leade this life To fast is meritorious when it proceeds from a pure hart to which our Sauiour in the 6. of Saint Matthew promised recompence and that it is penall and satisfactory for Corporall penaltyes the fact of the Niniuites (f) Ionae cap. vlt. sheweth aboundantly so that the same workes of the Iust as pious doe merit and shall haue in heauen a plentifull reward as penall doe satisfy and obtayne full remission of the temporall penaltyes remayning to be suffered for sinne In confirmation whereof memorable is the saying of Saint Cyprian (g) Cypr. serm de lapsis circa finem of feruent pennance punition of the body Qui sic Dâ—o satisfecâ—rit c. non solùm Dei veniam merâ—bitur sed Coronam The second Proposition Many Saints endured more penaltyes and afflictions in this life then were necessary for the recompensing of the temporall paines due to their sinnes The Blessed Virgin (h) The Ministers rayling agaynst the Doctrine which makes the Blessed Virgin free froÌ„ actual sinne is discouered in the Censure Sect. 4. §. 9. pag. 120. neuer committed actuall sinne witnesse S. Ambrose (i) Ambros. serm vlt. in Psal. 118. tearming her ab omni integram labe peccati and S. Augustine saying (k) Aug. de Nat. Grat. cap. 36. Plus gratiae ei collatum est ad vincendum ex omni parte peccatum Yet she endured many afflictions her many Iourneyes specially her banishment into Aegypt her standing at the foote of the Crosse when the sword of sorrow pierced through her hart besides her many voluntary Fastings and Prayings and other penitentiall workes which were dayly practised in the course of her most holy life Saint Iohn the Baptist (l) Luc. 1. v. 8. what a pure and immaculate course of life held he from his Infancy in the wildernes Neuer committed any great sinns yea scarse so much as light sinnes as the Fathers (m) Gregor in cap. 2. Iob. 11. Numquid credimus aliquid fuisse quod in Ioannis vita mors tergeret Venerab Beda ho. de decollat Ioan. Quis dicere audeat Ioannem in actu vel dicto habitu vel victu peccasse Quis in eius praecordijs esse poterat peccato
locus c teach gathering their opinion of this his sanctiiy from the Scripture and yet extremely penitentiall was he in his continuall praying fasting lying on the ground enduring cold wind weather his wearing continually a rough hayre-cloath whereof Saint Paulinus writes (n) Paulin. ep 11. ad Seuerum Vestis erat curui setis compacta Cameli Contra Luxuriam molles duraret vt artus Arceretque graues compuncto corpore somnos What a mighty masse of superabounding (o) That Saints can make superaboundant satisfaction is also proued by the sayings of the Minister in the Cēsure Sect. 4. §. 5. Satisfactions were gathered from the life of this Saint alone The Prophets of the old Testamēt what afflictions did they endure Which Saint Paul (p) Ad Heb. 11.36 gathers togeather in the eleauenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews being neuertheles men of most holy life innocent and without any grieuous sinnes (q) 1. Cor. 4.2 Cor. 11 That the world was vnworthy of them As also the Apostles whose labours were intollerable specially such as Saint Paul records endured by himselfe who yet after Baptisme in which his sinnes were fully and certainly remitted neuer did grieuously offend God The labours (r) Cypr. l. 4. epist. 2. and torments of Martyrs were extreme and yet any the least Martyrdome is sufficient to satisfy for any great multitude of offences (s) Aug. tract 64. in Ioan quoad reatum culpae poenae Of whose merits the Church in the primitiue times did make most account to whom afterwards succeeded another kind of Martyrdome (t) Ber. serm 41. in Cantica Terrore quidem mitius sed diuturnitate molestius of holy Confessours specially of many most holy Eremites These manifold afflictions endured by Saints far aboue measure of the temporall penalty which after the eternal was graciously remitted did remayne due to their offences did not perish nor were forgottē but were layd vp in the memory of God The third Proposition The treasure of the Church consisteth principally of the superabundāt satisfactions of Christ who did endure much more then was necessary for the Redemption of man wherewith are ioyned the satisfactions of Saints We ioyne the satisfactions of Saints with the satisfactiō of Christ in the Churches treasure not because we belieue the bloud of Christ to be insufficient alone to satisfy for sinnes nisi velut arescentis exhausti defectus aliunde suppleatur sufficiatur as mistakingly not to say calumniously Caluin lib. 4. Instit. cap. 9. n. 39. reporteth of vs. For Pope Clement the 6. whome Protestants accuse as the first Authour of this Treasure affirmes euen in his Cōstitution about this matter that the bloud of Christ is of an infinite price and euery drop therof sufficient to ctncell the sinnes of the whole world The reasons of this coniunction are these three First That penall workes of Saints as they are satisfactory be not without fruit for being satisfactory and not hauing the effect of satisfaction in their owne innocent vndefiled persons they wil be without this fruit and effect except they be applyed vnto others that are poore and needy in whome satisfaction is scant and the debt of temporall payne abounds The second is The glory of Christ whose meritts were so powerfull as to purchase to the church of God such excellent admirable Saints so pure of life so feruent in pennance as their satisfactions might suffice to pay the debt of temporall payne due vnto others The third reason is to make men loue the Church and society of Saints wherby they come to be partakers of the aboundācy of her treasures to pay their grieuous debts This is that comfortable Article of the Apostles put downe in the Creed to be knowne of euery one The Communiō of Saints This is that which made King Dauid exult saying (a) Psal. 118. vers 63. I am partaker with all them that feare thee keepe thy Cōmaundments And in this respect the Apostle exhorteth vs (b) Coloss. 1. v. 12. Gratias agamus Deo Patri qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis Sanctorum in lumine This is that which the same Apostle writes to the Corinthians 1.8.14 exhorting them to be liberall towards Titus and Luke For the present let your aboundance in temporall goods supply their want that also their aboundance in pious works may be a supplement vnto your want This hope to supply in this kind the spirituall need of Christians by the aboundance of his sufferings made Saint Paul so much reioyce in them (c) Coloss. 1. 24. I ioye sayth he in my sufferings for you and I make full the things that want of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church And agayne (d) 2. Cor. 12.15 Cupio impendi superimpendi pro vobis Out of which words (e) Origen hom 10. in Num. Origen gathers that S. Paul as a kind of victime or sacrifice did expiate the sinns of others not satisfying for the Iniury agaynst God nor for the eternall punishment due but for one outward and transitory effect of sinne to wit the debt of temporall payne In this sense also Saint Augustine interpreteth the former words of the Apostle of suffering in his body the things wanting of the sufferings of Christ (f) Aug. in ep 61. Patitur Christus in membris suis id est in nobis ipsis ad communem hanc quasi Republicam Nam quisque pro modulo nostro exoluimus quod debemus pro posse virium nostrarum quasi canonem passionum inferimus paratoriâ plenariâ Christ suffereth in his members that is euen in vs as for a Cōmonwealth for euery one of vs payeth his owne debt according to his meane power according to his forces puts into the plenary Storehouse a certayne measure of sufferings This was the practise of the Primitiue Church which at the petition of constant Confessours in prison did relieue the penaltyes that sinners were enioyned to performe to satisfy not only the discipline of the Church but also the wrath of God after the remission of sinne still continuing vnto the infliction of temporall payne as appeareth by the testimonyes of (g) Cypr. l. 3. ep 15. Saint Cyprian And that this relaxation of temporall payne was done by applying the aboūdant satisfaction of holy Confessours and designed Martyrs vnto the Penitents that receaued Indulgence at their intercessions appeares by Tertullian For he falling from the Church into the errours of Montanus whereof one was That for Christians sinning after Baptisme there was no remission of sinne refutes the Catholike custome of remitting penaltyes vnto sinners for the merits of Martyrs speaking thus (h) Tertul. lib. de pudicit cap. 22. Let it suffice the Martyrs they haue cancelled satisfied for their own sins It is ingratitude or pride for one prodigally to cast abroad vpō others that which as a great
being not only as satisfactions but also as merits superfluous in respect of himselfe be communicable vnto other not only as satisfactory for their sinnes but also as meritorious of glory for them In the Saynts liuing vpon earth it is not so For they be not in glory nor can they in this life be so perfect but they may merit still more more glory and as they merit more and more so their reward is greater and greater Hence their workes as meritorious of heauen can neuer be superfluous nor without the effect of a full and condigne reward in their owne persons whereby it cometh also to passe that nothing of their merits superabounds to be communicated vnto others But of their workes as satisfactory for Temporall reserued payne there is not the same reason For some Saints may be preserued by speciall grace from al actual sinne as the Blessed Virgin was or from any greuous sinne as was S. Iohn Baptist Others though they committed some mortall sinnes when they repent the penalty reserued after the remission thereof being finit temporall they may by voluntary assumption or diuine infliction endure more payne then is the reserued Hence Saynts may haue satisfaction which superabouÌ„ds that is which hath not the reward of remission of temporall payne in their owne persons and consequently satisfactions that be communicable vnto others though the merit of their workes be still proper to themselues and incommunicable If the Minister will continue his rayling agaynst this reason he may but I doe not doubt could he deliuer reasons for his Protestant Doctrine so drawne out of the bowells and principles of Christian Theology as this is he would not rayle so much as he doth but yield his Reader some learned discourses in lieu of so many bitter inuectiues Minister pag. 555. Though the superabundant satisfactions want the proper fruite and reward of satisfaction yet this being recompensed by a large increase and surplasage in an other kind can be no dishonour to God As prayer though sometimes the same want the most proper fruite and effect thereof which is to obtayne the thinge requested yet is the same otherwise sufficiently rewarded ANSWERE Your Example makes agaynst your selfe for pious and Godly prayer being both meritorious of heauen and impetratory of what is requested neuer wants eyther of these two fruites For as it doth still merit new increase of glory so doth it still obtayne the thinge requested so farre as it is requested for the thinge is requested by Godly prayer so farre as it is profitable for the soule according to Gods holy will but so farre it is still impetrated And if the particular thinge requested be not for the soules greater good another thing is obtained in lieu therof that is better Hence I thus argue You grant if there be superabondant satisfactions of Saynts the same must be rewarded by the proper fruite of satisfaction as much as prayer hath still the reward of impetration But prayer is still rewarded with the fruite of impetration eyther in the person of him that prayeth or in some other person for which it is offered Ergo the superaboundant satisfactions of Saints must haue the reward of satisfactioÌ„ which seing they cannot haue in their persons they must haue it in some other partyes to whome it is applyed The Minister pag. 556. If one should affirme It is more for Christs glory to purchase to himselfe a people which in this life is perfectly innocent then to purchase a people carrying alwayes about them the remaynder of sinne he should not honour Christ but proue himselfe a lyer 1. Iohn 1.8 so likewise to affirme It is a greater honour to Christs merits to purchase Saynts that can make condigne and superabondant satisfaction for their sinnes carryeth a shew of honouring Christ but is in truth a Sacrilegious errour Answere First the power and strength of the Diuine grace is better seen in infirmityes and in men compassed about with the remaynders and incombrances of sinne as S. Paul sayth 2. Cor. 12.9 and S. Augustine That the grace of Innocency was felicior but the grace of redemption is fortior de Corr. grat c. 11. Secondly â—f Christ did purchase to himselfe some excellent Saynts that did make condigne satisfactions this is an honour to his merits But the Scripture and Fathers affirme that he hath purchased to himselfe Saynts that can and do offer vnto God condigne fruites and works of pennance satisfactions compensations Sacrifices of iustice pennance equall commeasured vnto the quantity of the sinne in respect of the reserued debt of Temporall payne as hath been shewed yea that Saynts by their works obtaine a crowne of glory so as God giueth it them proceeding as a iust iudge 2. Tim. 4.8 Ergo this is an honour to Christ in truth and to say it is a Sacrilegious errour is blasphemy The Minister pag. 357. The Communion of Saynts in respect of the liuing is compartnership in fayth c. Answere The word of the Creed Communion of Saynts is absolute without restraynt not to be limited by the brayne fancy of a Minister Hence it imports that betweene Saynts there is a Communion of all graces and perfections which superabound in the one and are needed of the other But good workes according as they are satisfactioÌ„s superabouÌ„d in some Saynts are needed of some other as hath been shewed Therfore betweene Saynts there is Communion in respect of them The Minister pag. 558. Dauid was a man full of grace according to the hart of God c. and so did not need the superabondant satisfactions of others Wherefore in respect of this Communion he did not reioyce saying Psal. 118. I am O Lord partaker of all that feare thee Answer Suppose Dauid did not need the satisfaction of other Saynts yet he might reioyce in that he was a member of the house of Saints who may participate of the superaboundaÌ„t satisfactions of others if they need them that he did not need them he knew not certaynly after he had committed the two enormous sinns To the place of S. Paul 1. Coloss. 22. I ioy in my sufferings for you and I make full the thinges that want of the sufferings of Christs in my flesh for his Body which is the Church The Minister pag. 559. Christs passions are of two kinds some personall and in his owne flesh some by simpathy and compassion of others The first are satisfactory and S. Paul supplyed not or perfected not them for then Christs sufferings were imperfect The second are Exemplare Purgatiue Probatiue and for the edifying of the Church these S. Paul did accomplish and supply Answere To shew the weakenesse of your Reply I aske whether Christs sufferings on the Crosse as exaÌ„ples were imperfect or not If you say they were imperfect perfectible by Creatures you blaspheme also you may as truly say his satisfaction was imperfect and suppliable by the addition of Saints If you